Dashboard Styling
About Dashboard Styling
Car manufacturers only include the essential features inside their cars. Also, when designing the interior, they go for the look that appeals to a general market. But using car dashboard styling accessories, you can add a personal touch to your car’s inside.
We have seen the features in Bond cars and thought how good it would be to have all those in ours as well. Well, most of it is just fiction. But still, you can add a bit of sophistication to your car using aftermarket dashboard accessories. Even though they won’t let you launch a nuclear weapon from your car, they will make the driving experience a lot more fun and easier. Or at least you can have a laugh with your friends about that funny car dashboard accessory that you have. Whatever it be, this article will give you a basic understanding of different types of accessories and how to choose between them.
Different types of car dashboard styling accessories
When people think of buying dashboard accessories, some wants to festoon the inside of the car while some want to add functionality. There are also gadgets that can do both. The world of car dashboard styling accessories is huge with dashboard toys, safety gadgets, navigation and infotainments system, etc. But a little bit of knowledge about different types of them, what each of them are for, and how much they will cost will help you make an informed purchase decision. So, here is a list of the most common types of dashboard accessories and what you should know about them.
Car dashboard toys
Toys are the most commonly used dashboard accessory. They also come in the widest variety among all. What makes them popular is, possibly, the low price and also the huge variety of them. Anyone can easily find a toy that fits their taste. Toys are the best if you prefer funny car dashboard accessories over the functional ones. And among these, bobbleheads are the bestselling ones. It’s like there is a cult following for keeping bobblehead toys in the car. There are even bobblehead versions of the superhero characters.
Dashboard cover
It is an overlay that goes on top of the dashboard. Why would anyone need a dashboard cover? Well, it has a bunch of benefits. Firstly, they cover the entire dashboard and blocks the sun. This is a great benefit if you are in a place that experiences harsh summers. Like it is the case in Dubai. Another advantage is that they hide damages that are already there on the dashboard. If the dashboard is faded or if there is food stains or cracks, a cover can give the dashboard a fresh look. They come pre tailored with cut out for air vents and control panel. A nice fitted cover can be a perfect car decoration accessory.
Heads-up displays or HUDs
This dashboard accessory is reminiscent of Google glass. This is a small display that goes on top of the dashboard directly in front of the steering wheel. These are transparent displays that show information like a map, speed or fuel level. What this means for someone driving the car is that they don’t have to take their eyes off the road and look at the display in the middle of the dashboard controls every now and then. Because HUDs are transparent, they don’t obstruct the visibility of the road. Even though only high-end cars have this option built-in, there are aftermarket HUDs that is compatible with any car.
Dashboard cameras
This is another functional piece of item that you can mount on the car dashboard. Today, as there are more and more cars hitting the road every day, and a lot of reckless drivers out there, a car dashboard camera might save your day in case of a fender bender. The dashboard camera resembles an action camera like a Go Pro in its shape. But they have longer battery life and not quite the picture quality of a Go Pro. You can mount the camera on the top of the windshield or on top of the dashboard. They will record the road continuously. In case of a minor accident, you can use this footage as evidence for insurance claims and police reports.
Tips on how to buy Car Dashboard Styling Accessories
Now that you know about the different types of accessories you can use in your car, let’s talk about the things that you should consider before buying them. Even the same type of accessory can have vastly different features and, hence, prices. Depending on your budget and needs, you can choose which car dashboard accessory to buy.
- Not all heads-up displays are the same – There are a few different types of them. The most expensive of them have an inbuilt processor that can combine the information from your smartphone and car entertainment system and display side by side. These can cost over a thousand dirhams. The cheapest of them is basically a seven-segment display that shows the speed and fuel gauge.
- Not are dashboard covers – There are dashboard covers that cost less than a hundred dirhams to others that can cost around five hundred dirhams. If you are on a tight budget, carpet dashboard covers are the best. They are cheaper yet gives a decent finishing. If you want to go for the higher-end versions, moulded covers give perfect fit and compatibility.
- About buying a camera – For a dashboard camera, the most important factors are video quality and battery life. The video resolution should be at least high enough to make out the registration plates of a car that is right in front of you. They should have a long enough battery life so that you can charge it once and don’t think about it for the whole day.
- Look for cheaper alternatives – If your car doesn’t have a screen that can display a map, you can either install an aftermarket entertainment system that has navigation in it or just buy a dashboard phone holder and fix your phone on it. A HUD is a middle way between the two. But after all, this comes down to your budget.
Now you are ready to style your dashboard by adding a cool and funny car dashboard toy, or camera to add security (you can even add a backup camera, in case the main camera fails), a display for navigation and much more. Just consider all that you have read as you explore the auto tuning accessories on Shops.ae. Finally, don’t forget to check out all the other amazing car supplies here on our shopping search engine . Amongst the brands you can explore include Rvinyl, Superiordash, Cover Craft, Dash Designs, and Scosche.
Question & Answer
What are car dashboard styling accessories?
They refer to all the gadgets and decorations that are there on the car dashboard. In fact, these can be anything; decorative or functional. People use different things for car accessories. Like toys, bobbleheads, decorative perfume bottles, gadgets, phone chargers, collision detection systems and more. Whatever it be, there is no doubt that we all like to customise our cars using these. Because we are talking about aftermarket accessories, we don’t include the default dashboard accessories like the speedometer, fuel gauge, and other things which are common to all cars on the road.
Are car dashboard styling accessories expensive?
There are a whole variety of dashboard accessories available. So, answering this question using yes or no is not possible. If you are thinking about a simple toy that goes on top of the dashboard, it can be quite cheap. Same is the case with car perfumes and other decorative elements. A car charger can cost a little more than that. But they still won’t qualify as expensive. But when you go for high-end accessories like a Heads-Up Display or an entertainment system, there are moderately expensive to top of the line products available for you to choose from.
How does a heads-up display work?
Although there is a futuristic feel to them, HUDs are not a new technology. Fighter jets have been using them for decades. HUDs consists of two main parts — a projector and a screen. The screen can be a separate piece of glass or the windshield itself. HUDs that are built into the car can use the info from the car infotainment system using a Bluetooth connection. They will display the fuel gauge and speedometer along with others. But aftermarket HUDs do not offer integration with car infotainment. Instead, they work using a Bluetooth connection with your phone.