New Car Gifts: What to Give Someone With a New Car, 11 Lucky and Useful Ideas With Prices
What should you give someone with a new car? The best new car gifts mix luck and use: a lucky piece for the car or the keys, plus a safety or comfort item they will reach for on every drive.
Here are 11 ideas with prices, starting with four lucky pieces from Macrame by Nicha, then four safety picks and three comfort picks.
Lucky new car gifts from Macrame by Nicha
In Thailand, a garland is a symbol of respect and good fortune. It is often offered in the car for an auspicious journey, with a wish to stay safe on the road.
1. Malai Glin Rak (garland, scent of love), 499 THB
Malai Glin Rak is a Thai diffuser garland in cotton and wood, 3 by 6 inches. Hang it in the car, on a door or at a desk.
It comes in 8 colours, each with its own meaning, from gold for prosperity to blue for devotion. A wooden gift box is included.
2. Malai Petite Birth Day (garland in your birth-day colour), 1,590 THB
For the blessing day, give a garland in the owner's birth-day colour. Malai Petite is a cotton garland, 10 by 22 cm, handmade in Asha village, Chiang Rai.
Its strap comes in 7 colours, one for each day of the week, so you simply pick the day the new owner was born.
3. Elephant keychain, 390 THB
A cotton elephant keychain, 10 by 8 cm, with a premium hook. It goes on the new car keys, a bag or the rear-view mirror.
Choose from 6 colours: Thai, LGBT, pink, blue, white and army green.
4. Phuang Malai keychain (garland keychain), 350 THB
A 12 cm garland keychain in tricolour cotton. It is built to hang on keys, a bag or the rear-view mirror, and to stay there for a long time.
For the car blessing itself, the common form is three two-tailed garlands on the windscreen.
For how many to use and which colour fits the owner, read our guide to garlands for a new car blessing.
Safety gifts for a new car
Useful car safety gifts the new owner will be glad to keep on board.
5. Dash cam, 690 to 3,647 THB
A dash cam records the drive continuously. After an accident, a scrape or a roadside dispute, the footage can serve as evidence when the facts are checked.
6. Car emergency kit, 500 to 1,500 THB
An emergency kit gathers the essentials, such as jumper cables, a torch, a glass-breaking hammer and a basic first-aid kit, so the driver is ready for the unexpected.
7. First-aid kit, 65 to 2,150 THB
A first-aid kit helps look after someone until medical staff take over or they reach a hospital.
8. Portable tyre inflator, 899 to 4,652 THB
With a flat tyre, the car goes nowhere. A portable tyre inflator lets the driver top the air back up.
Comfort gifts for a new car owner
Small upgrades that make every drive in the new car more comfortable.
9. Back cushion, 429 to 3,910 THB
A back cushion eases the pressure of long hours at the wheel and helps with lower-back aches.
10. Phone holder, 277 to 1,298 THB
A phone holder keeps the screen at eye level, so the driver can follow GPS directions or take a call with both hands on the wheel.
11. Sunshade, 59 to 2,185 THB
A sunshade keeps sunlight and UV out of the car, since they are what heat up the inside.
New car gift ideas by budget
These price bands are our own, based on the prices in this article. Each gift sits in the band of its lowest price.
| Budget | Gifts in this article |
|---|---|
| Up to 499 THB | Garland keychain (350), elephant keychain (390), Malai Glin Rak (499), sunshade (from 59), first-aid kit (from 65), phone holder (from 277), back cushion (from 429) |
| 500 to 999 THB | Emergency kit (from 500), dash cam (from 690), tyre inflator (from 899) |
| 1,000 THB and up | Malai Petite Birth Day (1,590) |
Ordering several, engraved or with a logo? Malai Glin Rak takes box engraving, the elephant keychain takes engraving or a logo tag, and the garland keychain has no minimum, all on quotation: write to hello@macramebynicha.com or use our contact page.
FAQ
What should you buy as a gift for a new car?
Mix luck and use. A lucky piece such as Malai Glin Rak (499 THB), which hangs in the car, or a keychain for the keys or mirror (350 to 390 THB) pairs well with a safety or comfort pick, such as a dash cam, an emergency kit or a phone holder.
What do you give on the day someone picks up their new car?
Something they can use from the first drive. Malai Glin Rak (499 THB) hangs in the car, and the elephant keychain (390 THB) and garland keychain (350 THB) go straight onto the new keys. For the blessing, Malai Petite Birth Day (1,590 THB) comes with a strap in the owner's birth-day colour.
What is a good gift for a friend's new car?
Under 500 THB, the garland keychain (350), the elephant keychain (390) or Malai Glin Rak (499) all fit. Add a phone holder (from 277 THB) or a sunshade (from 59 THB) for something practical.