There are gadgets and then there are gadgets! And some hi-tech tools and accessories are meant expressly for the car in your garage. A mobile phone charger is pass?, today ? any car with a cigarette lighter can be fitted with one and the ones that don’t have a cigarette lighter...well, get one fitted, as this is also a power source for a lot of gadgets besides just the phone charger.

What happens when one wants a little more versatility and usage out of a cigarette lighter power source, but it can’t deliver? The solution is to invest in a power inverter. These are very much like the ones that proliferated in Calcutta during the days of eight to 10-hour power cuts, but are meant for in-car usage. Power inverters are easily available in most Western countries, so either you’ll have to make a trip abroad or get your friendly Uncle or Aunt returning from an overseas jaunt to bring one in.

These nifty devices are just the ticket when one wants a ‘proper’ power supply to run ‘proper’ devices like a DVD player or a laptop. Instead of tearing the interiors apart and increasing clutter in the passenger cabin, not to mention a hefty installation bill, all one needs to do is use a power inverter special. This is perfect if you use the car as an extension of your office and if you can’t really afford to go to a specialist installer (who will tear the car apart in any case).

A word of caution though ? watch out as these devices generally draw a lot of power from the battery. It’s okay if one is using a device that draws a constant current but just to be on the safe side, make sure about the wattage of the equipment that you’re going to use. This means while a mobile office is possible, it may not quite be possible to have a mobile hairdressing salon with running hairdryers.

A perusal of the classified pages of Indian car magazines will reveal scores of gadgets that aren’t sold by the mainstream shops but are very useful to either have in the car or in the garage. One of these is the parking sensor device. Yes, these cost quite a bit but when one has bought an expensive saloon car worth a few lakhs, it may be worth investing in a set of sensors. After all, the number of cars is increasing rapidly but the roads are not being widened in a hurry.

Then, there’s the cigarette-lighter-operated jacking device ? which takes the strain out of jacking the car up with an ordinary manual jack ? and the powered wrench. Not only do these two reduce the effort of changing a punctured tyre but also, they allow one to work faster. The good news is that these are available in India too and can make life a whole lot easier.

There was a time when I had to beg friends and relatives going abroad to bring back a good and accurate tyre pressure gauge. Tyre pressure is very much related to fuel economy ? tyres with low pressure increase rolling resistance and burn extra fuel, so it’s good to check occasionally.

Today, not just analogue models but digital models including ones that also serve as key chains are easily available in the country and can be bought at any accessory shop worth their name.

Moreover, whenever the pressure goes down, one does not need to trundle off to the neighbourhood tyreshop as there are two options available to all car owners. If you’re fond of exercise, you can invest in a foot pump. They are not all that expensive, and these compact units can be used whenever necessary. They come in single and twin-barrel versions, the latter being more effective for the same amount of footwork. Not into physical exercise? Then the mini- compressor is the one to go for ? there are a couple of brands being marketed in India now and these run on 12 volts.

Two handy pieces of garage equipment are a trolley jack and a trickle charger. The latter is especially useful if one has a second car that stays off the road for long periods of time. The trickle charger keeps the battery charge topped up and thus prevents it from going flat. The trolley jack is a bit of overkill but still amazingly useful when it comes to changing tyres. However, it is more reliable and sturdy than the standard jack that comes standard with the car. So anybody inclined to towards a bit of DIY work will appreciate the ease of using a trolley jack.

And finally...cool boxes have arrived in India. These run off the cigarette lighter and come in different sizes. They are ideal for chilling bottles of water or soft drinks. Some cool boxes even come with a heating facility, so lunch can be kept nice and warm all the way to the office or that picnic spot. As these do take up a bit of space, cool boxes are usually kept in the boot.

Yes, the world of car gadgets has come a long way indeed. There is one for almost every whim and fancy, but most importantly, these gizmos prove to be handy helpers too. So, go on make your life and that of your car easier with gadgets.

My first car

Charu Sharma,
cricket presenter and television host

The first car I bought was in the 1980s. I had a company car to drive me around, so I never felt the need to buy my own car till it became necessary.

It must have been around 1987 when my first car arrived home. It was a sturdy Mahindra Jeep. I really enjoyed the feel of it. The emotion at that point was not one of pride, but a sense of independence that I experienced. Here I was, driving myself around in a jeep of my own. It was a special feeling that only owning your first car can give you.

The jeep was special to me, as I’d earned my way to buying it. It wasn’t second-hand but brand new! We Indians are not very familiar with what prosperity really means, and so, buying my own new jeep was a milestone. The jeep remained with me till the 90s and then I moved on to buying another car. But I guess my fascination for jeeps stayed with me, and today, I own another Mahindra Jeep.