34 - Fiday.f December 4, 1992 — North Shore News AUTOMOTIVE Christmas gift ideas for the ‘auto fanatic’ CHRISTMAS, THE cele- bration of the birth of Jesus Christ, is only three weeks away. I think many of us get caught up too much with the gift-pur- chasing fiasco during this time of the year, but at the same time, you can’t just *‘forget it’’ either. So here are some items you might want to consider for your ear-loving friends, spouse, parents, etc., that are categorized by price range. Under $50 Is he (or she) still a kid at heart? One of the most popular automotive gifts is a die-cast miniature model. These range in Price from about $20, for a decent 1/24th scale one, to over $1000 for a detailed, collector's item. My recommendation? A 1/18th scale model of a Fer- rari F40, priced at around $40. SEA ES ED 4 The auto CD changer is becoming more popular because you can hide the system in the trunk. JF You can pick one up at one of . the Den for Men stores, or at Wilkinson's Automobilia, located at 2531 Ontario Street in Van- - couver (at Ontario and Broad- , way). A bright red Ferrari or a classic silver Jaguar on anyone’s desk . will make them look like a seal . car enthusiast. ° : Just make sure you don’t make the mistake of buying a Mattell all-plastic toy car instead of the die-cast, high quality miniature. They're not the same thing. Wilkinson's Automobilia, * started four years ago by Bill and Ted Wilkinson, is a one-of-a- kind store specializing in automotive books, manuals, miniatures, plastic kits, and col- lectibles, I knew that places like Detroit and Los Angeles have auto-en- thusiasts’ stores, but it’s nice to know that we don’t have to travel thousands of kilometres to visit one. Believe me, if you are having problems finding the right automotive gift for someone, you'll find one heze (they’re open 7 days a week during the Christmas season. Phone 873- 6242). Other potential gift ideas in- clude books and posters — al- though they aren’t exactly unique. Your local shopping centres should have a number of bookstores and poster shops where you can, for less than $50, find a book on the latest luxury cars or a poster of an outrageous exotic sports car. Try to find out the type of car your friend or spouse is interested in first, since you don’t want to end up giving a book on The His- tory of Ferrari to a Chevy Camaro freak. If you insist on originality, Bill Wilkinson's store carries unique books such as the limited edition Alfa Romeo book which will set you back a cool $250. OVERDRIVE (Sorry, to stay under $50.) What about a subscription to one of the car magazines? if you want to stick with the Canadian publications, then opt for either the World of Wheels ($8.50 for six issues per year), or the Carguide ($12.99 for four issues per year). If you don’t mind paying a little more, you can con- sider a U.S. publication — Road & Track or Car & Driver is recommended (about $35 for twelve issues per year). Since it will take several weeks for the first copy to arrive, buy him or her the first copy off the newsstand. Most people don’t realize this, but the local dealer is actually an excellent place to buy a gift. You can buy anything from a BMW sweater to Nissan's origi- nal, embroidered fleor mats at the parts department. If you want to keep the gift under 50 bucks, pick items such as a keychain, wallet, T-shirt, pen, etc. — all with manufacturer’s logo (great for loyalists who insist on original accessories). "$58 to $150 You can still go for one of the ideas mentioned above, like die- I'm suppose cast cars and accessories, but sim- ply ‘“‘upgrade’’ to a more expen- sive item. If you want to be a little dif- ferent, however, I suggest the fol- lowing: one of the latest car-driv- ing software games for a com- puter ($50 to $100); an electric buffing/polishing machine for the ultimate shine (about $70 at Ca- nadian Tire); a rechargeable mini-vacuum (neat freaks love this); a set of fog lights ($100 to $150 plus installation). $150 and up In this price range, there are a lot of choices, so let’s be picky. If your friend loves music, consider getting a CD player. Although the in-dash system is cheaper at $500 or less, the auto CD changer at $500 to $1000 is becoming more popular because you can hide the system in the trunk. Another potential high-tech gift item is an alarm system — bur don’t buy one unless you know something about the alarm system yourself ($200 to $2000). Enjoy skiing and biking? Consider a ski rack or a bike rack. Get plenty of advice on this from a dealer or bike shop to avoid buying one that won’t fit. Want to be practical? What about a set of new tires, a gift certificate at Canadian Tire or Cal-Van auto supply, or even a new paint job for the weather- worn paint finish of your spouse’s car? Here ase a few things you Shouldn't get as gifts — mainly because they reflect persona! taste and style — unless you know in advance which style he or she prefers: wheel covers and alumi- num wheels; spoilers and ground-effects kits: car nose bra; and any items that require a per- manent modification to the car. Don’t get too frustrated trying to find the ‘‘perfect’” gift for the car fanatic in your life. After all, there is much more to Christmas than just buying the ultimate gift. Tree sales raise scout funds SCOUTS CANADA, Capilano district, will conduct their fourth annual Christmas tree sale from Sunday Dec. 6 to Tuesday, Dec. 22 at the Woolco Garden Shop located in Capilano Mall, 5020 Marine Dr. in North Vancouver. The hundreds of registered Capilano district scouting members rely on this fundrais- ing event to support ongcing GUILDFORD MOTORS CRED 13820 - 104th Avenue, Surrey, B.C. activities such as purchasing equipment, public-service training, and extending finan- cial assistance to members in need. **The scouts look forward to the support of the community to help make this sale a worthwhile event,’? say orga- nizers. Fer more information, call 987-1831. LC.B.C BCAA & ARA APPROVED COLLISION CENTRE FA-S-T COLLISION REPAIRS