How can I make my old car feel like new?

Good engineering and regular maintenance can mean that cars last so long that an owner will start to envy the creature comforts of modern cars well before their old car needs replacement. 

Internet-connected navigation and bluetooth music streaming make for a more pleasant and stress-free drive, but these features were missing in most cars from before around 2010.

If you're considering spending tens of thousands to replace a reliable old car just to get those new features, you may be better spending less than $50 on a few gadgets to get a pretty similar experience.

How can I add internet-connected navigation?

This one is pretty obvious. Most of us already have an internet-connected device more than capable of in-car navigation - our smartphones. All you need for your car is a holder that keeps your phone securely in a glanceable location near the dash. That combination will outperform almost any built-in car navigation system, because apps like Google Maps give you detailed, updated maps and live traffic information.

My preferred style of holder attaches to an airvent near the driver and grips your phone using ratcheting arms and the force of gravity. With this type of holder, your phone is held very tightly while driving, but you can lift the phone into and out of the holder easily with one hand.

If you choose this type of holder, I recommend that you add a small square of floor protector felt to the lower arm, to protect your dash from scratches. You should be able to get a decent quality holder for $10-20. Key features to look for are rubber coated gripping pads and a lower arm which leaves a gap at the bottom to charge your phone while it's in the holder.

Gravity-powered phone holders on Amazon.com.au


How can I add music-streaming over Bluetooth?

If your car has a 3.5mm AUX input, then one cheap device will have your car Bluetooth enabled for streaming music or navigation instructions through your car stereo.

Known as 'Bluetooth receivers', these small, battery-powered gadgets connect to your phone via Bluetooth and pass audio through to your car via the 3.5mm jack. If your 3.5mm jack is in a convenient location, you can also use physical buttons on the device to pause and resume music or skip tracks, without taking your eyes off the road by interacting with your phone.

I use a receiver made by the brand Mpow, and have found the audio quality excellent, and the battery life more than adequate. They sell several models, but I have had no trouble with their cheapest offering.




The Amazon links above are affiliate links which means that I would be paid by Amazon through their AmazonAssociates program if you bought an item after following the link. In some cases I have linked to search-pages instead of specific products to let you choose a product based on your budget and preferences.



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