The best car accessories for daily driving in Singapore (Part 2)

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In today’s age of overconsumption, do we really need to suggest more things to buy? Marie Kondo probably touched a nerve when she advised us to think about what sparks joy and what we should thank and let go of. Frankly, we’d agree with her: mindless consumption isn’t good for anyone, and we generally advocate only owning what you need and love.

With that in mind, we’ve put together a selection of car accessories for daily driving in Singapore as a follow-up to our first post on the same subject. The same criteria we apply to our cars applies to the accessories we picked out: what would maximize extra comfort and convenience for driving around town? What accessories are useful and ergonomically designed? What would help with maximizing safety in the car? What would be essential in an emergency?

In the same way coffee isn’t essential to your life but makes it so much better, these items are likely to make your daily commute or errands much more pleasant and comfortable. Hopefully, they’ll spark plenty of joy, too!

Car cushions

Unless you’re driving a luxury car or something nicer than your basic starter sedan, chances are the car seats aren’t all that ergonomically designed. Driving long hours can really take a toll on your body, particularly your neck and spine. Combine this with full workdays in front of a laptop and you have the perfect recipe for lower back pains.

Short of quitting your office job and taking up something more active, show your body some support and TLC and pick up some super-comfortable chair cushions and neck cushions. Seat cushions help support your tailbone and keep your spine aligned––it never hurts to have a little help with good posture––while neck pillows help alleviate stiff necks and back aches by keeping your neck aligned with your spine.

You’ll want to pick up ones made with memory foam, which as the name suggests will mould itself to your body. High-density memory foam gives you better support, but is also more expensive, so low-density models will do in a pinch if you’re on a budget.

If you’re feeling really fancy, try this Zyllion portable back and neck massager. Who doesn’t want a Shiatsu massage while you’re trapped in a traffic jam?

Image via Amazon

Car hooks

If your car doesn’t come with hooks, pick up a set and stick ‘em onto the back of your front seat headrests. These innocuous-looking hangers may be one of the most useful things you’ll ever add to your car: you can hang bags and jackets on them so they don’t pick up all that grime or accidentally spill out onto the floor; hang your grocery shopping on them; use them to ensure your water bottles stay upright and never spill!

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Blind spot mirror

Side-view mirrors can only do so much when you’re driving––there’s always going to be a blind spot. Thankfully, there’s a solution to help you merge lanes more safely: blind spot mirrors. These small, round convex mirrors attach to the lower outer corner of your side mirrors, and they’ll show you what your side mirror can’t.

Blind spot mirrors are inexpensive, useful, and easy to install: try a basic Baseus set from Lazada or this snazzy model from Car Accessories SG.

Protective coverings

Cars are a depreciating asset, and given their high upfront cost, it pays to keep them in tiptop condition for as long as you can. This is especially true if you’re hoping to sell it one day, and second hand cars fetch a better price if they’re in good condition!

To that end, you’ll want to protect the surfaces inside your car. Car seats wear out the fastest, but using car seat covers will easily prolong their lifespan. Seat covers are also incredibly useful if you tend to go on road trips with your pets––particularly dogs that shed like it’s their civic duty––as it’s easy to keep the mud and dirt off the actual seats. Families with young kids and pet owners should look for a water-resistant one that’s comfortable and easy to clean. Don’t forget to throw in a steering wheel cover to keep your sweaty hands from staining the wheel after prolonged use!

You may also want to consider car mats. We all have to eat or snack in the car from time to time, and you don’t want all the crumbs adhering to the carpeting of your car attracting cockroaches in this weather. With mats, all you have to do is pick up the mat and shake it off (shake it off, ooh ooh). Some good ones include 3A Car Mat and Maxtrend Marketing.

What about all those harmful UV rays? Those aren’t any good for the interior of your car or your skin. Think of solar film as sunscreen for your car––installing them will help prolong your car interior’s lifespan, and also reduce the glare that comes from driving in bright tropical sunshine. This is less a DIY job than something you’ll want to leave to the pros: try Infratint Automotive Film, DS Specialty Services, or Tintsy Cool International.

Solar film out of your budget? A wallet-friendly alternative is to get a car windshield sunshade. It doesn’t keep the UV rays out while you’re driving, but it will prevent your steering wheel and car seats from burning up while the car’s sitting out in the sun. No more uncomfortably hot bottoms!

First aid kit

Everyone should have a first aid kit in their car. Sure, Singapore’s a small island and you’re never that far away from a hospital––but better safe than sorry, and you never know when a bandage might come in useful. At the very least, you’ll impress your passengers with just how prepared you are.

Tiny rubbish bin

The best way to clean your car is to not get it dirty in the first place. To that end, install a little rubbish bin in your car so that you and your passengers actually have somewhere to toss your chocolate bar wrapper or sneaky late-night McDs containers. All you have to do afterwards is empty the bin, and your car stays nice and clean!

If you’re feeling fancy, try this versatile 100% leak-proof rubbish bin from HOTOR––thanks to the adjustable strap, it can hang from the headrest or anywhere convenient; it’s also a great storage unit for drinks and snacks on a road trip.

For something even more compact, try the tiny AISIBO Automotive Cup Holder Garbage Can. As the name suggests, you can slip it right into your car’s cup holder; stick a large Ziploc bag in as an inner lining. Just don’t forget what it is and accidentally take a drink out of it.

Sunglasses visor clip

UV ray exposure from tropical sunshine is no joke, and wearing sunglasses can really help protect your eyes in the long run (of course, looking cool is a nice bonus). It helps to have a pair of sunglasses in the car for long drives (or just whenever), and if your car doesn’t come with a built-in sunglasses visor holder, this is a pretty useful accessory to install in your car. It’ll keep your sunglasses safe and within easy reach, and you won’t have to scrabble around below your car seat only to find that they’re broken beyond repair.

There’s lots to choose from, but the Vankcp Car Sun Visor Organizer is a great choice––it’s versatile enough to store your sunglasses and other things like parking coupons, receipts, cables, and pens. (We love multi-purpose accessories.) If you’re looking for a single-purpose item instead, try something like the Dualshine Car Visor Sunglasses Holder, this model from Shopee or this one from Lazada.

Parking coupons

While most of us have probably switched over to cashless methods like EPS (Electronic Parking Systems) and the Parking.sg app to pay for our parking, there are stil situations where it’s better to use actual paper coupons. They don’t take up any space and it helps to have a few on hand just in case: you’ll find them at Cheers, 7-Eleven marts, most petrol kiosks, and any HDB branch office.

Need a car for all these accessories first? Head on over to ST Auto for a chat and test drive with our friendly sales staff! Call +65 6464 9098 or email us at enquiry@stauto.com.sg