For me, the holiday season begins with Halloween. It’s my favorite holiday, shoulder-to-shoulder with Christmas, so much so that my wedding reception was Halloween themed and held very closely to October 31. Growing up, Halloween was always an absolute ball at our house, someday I’ll post about it, but for now – I am running a bit late and wanted to get a holiday gift guide out there for ideas on what to get our motoring-inclined friends and family, including a fairly extensive watch buyers guide. While it’s easy to showcase all the big buck brands, there are SO many cool brands out there that are lesser known and infinitely more reasonably priced that bring a lot of aesthetic joy to the users and the viewers. On top of that, the guide is dedicated to the motoring enthusiast in all of us. So, with that in mind, I hope you enjoy this special Garage Style Magazine Holiday Buyer’s Guide!
The 2025 Garage Style Holiday Guide
 | Just Suck It Up You’ve worked hard at making the garage a nice place – especially in winter, with daily drivers that can drag in all kinds of road yuck, an all-season mat can be a great asset. Just Suck It Up makes a number of sizes for various garages, but their mat is made of a thick, bi-component fiber core that’s layered between an absorbant top sheet and a low-slip, leak-proof backing. The edges are stitched and the entire mat is made of recycled material. A great gift idea to help preserve the garage floor. | |
 | CarGuyGarage.com A fantastic gift for any car guy is the Billet Distributor Table Lamp. With an air filter lamp shade, it doesn’t get more ‘car guy’ than this. Made in the USA by a true car guy, the lamp is made with real billet distributors and the base is a real engine pulley. A very cool, very fun gift. Handmade Billet Aluminum Distributor Lamp with Air Filter Shade | |
 | AutomobiliaVintage.com Let’s face it – anyone reading this magazine is likely to be a collector of automobilia and petroliana. Steve Contarino recently launched AutomobiliaVintage.com, an online store where collectors can find all kinds of very unique motoring collectibles. Pop over to the site, see if anything might make a great gift! | |
 | Mecum On Time A great place to find various collectibles ranging from diecast to paper point-of-sale products to clothing to much more, Mecum On Time is a fun destination. A timed auction format, at the time of this writing, a collections comprised of Shelby, Indian Motorcycles, Harley-Davidson Motorcycles, farm collectibles, decanters, and others were on offer. Great place to sell or buy unique pieces, surely there’s an item or two that would be perfect for the collector in your life! | |
 | Mothers At this year’s SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, Mothers unveiled a few very interesting new products, any or all of which would be a great addition to any motoring enthusiast’s collection of car care products. The Ceramic Spray and Rinse is very cool, spray it on, hose it off and the finish receives instant hydrophobics and gloss with minimal effort. It boosts ceramic protection with instant beading, grime repellancy, and streak-free performance on paint, trim, glass, and wheels. The HydroClay is their latest in paint restoration and surface prep. The sponge-clay keeps the surface wetter for longer lubricity and glide while removing contaminants readying the paint for polish and wax. The Exhaust Tip Cleaner an Polish is fairly easy to understand, but, it actually cuts older, baked-on carbon, soot, oxides, and heat discoloration and leaves behind a slick barrier to resist tarnish and buildup. Safe for stainless, chrome, and even black chrome, it’s strong enough for neglected tips but gentle enough for routine use. Again, these are the latest from Mothers, so they might take a minute to get to the market. | |
 | Zymol A fabulous gift for any motoring enthusiast is the Zymol Smart Kit. Containing the very basics of giving any car, truck, or motorcycle a deep, lustrous Zymol shine, the Smart Kit is complete and a great way to try out the Zymol brands. Just pick the wax you want and the kit arrives smartly packaged and ready to go. Publisher Don’s favorite is the Creame Wax, he’s used it on all of his vehicles, including the stainless steel on the DeLorean and he swears by it. The only words of wisdom he offers are, “Follow the directions to the letter, and the results are truly mind blowing.” While we think, “How hard is it to rub wax on a car,” Zymol operates differently – for example, don’t use a circular motion and once you’ve applied it, remove it. Don’t let it ‘set’ or ‘dry’ on the surface. It only needs a few seconds to activate. And for sure, indeed, without fail, prep the surface with the HD-Cleanse first – the results are exquisitely better when you take this step, and well worth the experience if for no other reason than the ease of use and the wonderful aromas. Publisher Don has been detailing since he was about 12, and he’s used more products than he can recall – he knows a few things and continues to use multitudes of products. Trust him! Perfect for any motoring enthusiast. | |
 | Griot’s Garage The G9 Orbital Correct & Protect kit will help you discover a depth, clarity, and shine you might not have realized was within your paint. Complete with Griot’s latest G9 random orbital polisher, their Brilliant Finish Synthetic Clay, 22oz of Speed Shine, 16oz of Complete Compound, 16oz of their Best of Show Wax, a 6.5” orange foam correcting pad, and a 6.5” red foam waxing pad, it’s an excellent way to step up any detailing project and a spectacular way to begin. And, to better bolster the kit, Griot’s offers a PFM Microfiber Upgrade Option, providing 3 PFM Edgeless Detailing Towels, 2 PFM Terry Weave Towels, and 4 PFM Dual Weave Wax Removal Towels. For those who’ve never used a random orbital polisher, this kit is a fabulous way to begin – Griot’s Garage has exceptionally written instructions and an ocean of instructional videos to help familiarize yourself with the basic techniques. A perfect gift! G9 Orbital Correct & Protect Kit – Perfect Paint – Griot’s Garage | |
 | GarageDoorLighting.com When the garage door is up, it can block a lot of light. So why not illuminate the inside of the garage door? A great idea, brought to garage fanatics by GarageDoorLighting.com. | |
 | Race Ramps FlatStopper Many Garage Style readers are into long-term storage, hence part of our obsession with the garage. As winter gains steam, more vehicles will be put in storage, and because of the cold, the tires can get flat spots. The Race Ramps FlatStopper is fabulous at curtailing that malady by holding the tires in a cupped valley that perfectly matches the curvature of the tire, resisting flattening. Perfect for helping the motoring enthusiast maintain tire health during long periods of storage! | |
 | Reedyville Goods Made on-site at their shop in Northern California, Reedyville Goods signs are a wonderful thing. Unique, rare, and unseen artwork on metal, Reedyville Goods has a little something for everyone and with their pricing, it’s easy to shop for a wide variety of friends and family. Check out their various categories with the link. | |
 | Ryobi We’ve featured a few folding tables before, and continue to push them. Especially for people with smaller, tighter garages, these are fantastic space savers. The Ryobi table, when properly installed, will hold up to 300-pounds and measures 44×22-inches with a 5-inch storage shelf when stowed away. The solid wood is backed by a soft close feature, so it won’t slam against the wall, and is one-hand operable with an easy lock feature. A fabulous gift! | |
 | Maxshine While it seems maybe a little excessive or even upper crust to have a rolling detail cart, if you want to enjoy yourself even more, having the items you need nearby helps a lot. This rolling cart features four places to hang polishers and three shelves for bottles and towels and brushes. There are also a multitude of accessories to make the cart even more useful, if you want. An easy gift that solves the problem of accessibility. | |
 | Busted Knuckle Garage A favorite item in Publisher Don’s garage is the gas pump knife from Busted Knuckle Garage. Truly a sharp, tough tool, Don used his while packing and unpacking during his move from California to Texas, and still uses the knife often today. He has yet to sharpen it, and it’s still going strong. BKG also offers knives in wrench casings and a casing that looks like a hot rod. Very cool, fun thing for a gift. Car Guy Gas Pump Folding Knife / Busted Knuckle Garage – Busted Knuckle Garage Gifts & Gear | |
 | GarageArt.com While Garage Art hosts a multitude of very cool products for the motoring enthusiast, one of our favorites is the die cast gas pumps. Choose from Cadillac, Ford, Chevrolet, Oldsmobile, or Pennzoil branding and these 1/18 scale pieces make great complements for the die cast models on the shelves. Poke around their website, they truly have a lot of other great products, perfect for gift giving! | |
 | Car Art, Inc. One of the ultimate gifts that any motoring enthusiast can receive is a custom commission of their favorite vehicle. Peter Aylett at Car Art, Inc. can arrange just that. His affiliates with a number of the world’s best fine artists allows clients to find a style that suits them and work directly with the artist to produce something truly unique, truly one-of-a-kind. It gets no more personal than this. Take a look and contact Peter for some ideas. | |
 | Luna Replicas Their work in reproducing to absolutely exacting standards the many jackets and uniforms of NASA caught the attention of Hollywood who tasked Luna Replicas with reproducing the various racing apparel seen in “Ford v. Ferrari.” Using old methods of sewing, unique materials, and various old-world methods with a crafter in Los Angeles, Luna Replicas has recreated a number of special pieces celebrating both the Shelby-Ford relationship and NASA. This white quilted team jacket is stunning and would be a jaw-dropping gift for any motoring enthusiast. 1965 SHELBY/FORD White Quilted Team Jacket – HERITAGE LINE – LUNA REPLICAS | |
 | Ferro Watches Making motoring enthusiast watches since day one, the Ferro and Company brand founders are true enthusiasts. Their latest, which isn’t even on release yet, is the new Race Master Chronograph. Measuring in at 45.2mm wide “lug-to-lug,” and 13.15mm thick, the brushed 316L stainless steel case is topped by German-made Hesalite Box Domed Crystal. The movement is by Seiko and it’s available with either an Italian racing-style strap or a metal bracelet. Hoping it’ll be available by the Holidays, but it’s a good time to place an order – or, cruise the website and find something ready to go right now. Racers hate to wait. Publisher Don has a Ferro and Company 356, the dial of which resembles the tachometer of the Porsche 356. Vintage style vibrant watches that make you stand out from the rest – Ferro & Company Watches | |
 | Yema The Yema brand has a great history and a long history of producing lovely watches for motoring enthusiasts. While they currently have a nice roster of Motorsports timepieces, the Rallygraf Meca Quartz Panda is the one that quickly captured our attention. Using a Seiko movement, the overall design is reminiscent of some 1960s sportscar dashboards. The dial, with its textured metallic finish, offers fabulous depth and character, and the surrounding aluminum tachymetric bezel looks spectacular, but also allows drivers to calculate their average speed over given distances. | |
 | Pixar Cars Watch A simple Google search of “Pixar Cars Watch” will bring up an absolute hurricane of different designs and colors related to the popular movie franchise “Cars.” In fact, replacing the two words “Pixar Cars” with basically anything – Fiat, DeLorean, MG, Porsche, Mustang, Corvette… will bring up an absolute universe of different watches available that are cute and fun. No, they won’t gain you a lot of cred at the country club, but among the motoring enthusiasts, you’re likely to make a lot of friends. NIB Disney Kids Pixar Cars Watch Black & Red Band Working CRS409 | eBay | |
 | Original Grain Celebrating Ford and its history spanning back to 1903, Original Grain has released a collection of limited-edition watches dedicated to the storied brand. Using sustainably sourced materials, Original Grain has tried to capture the spirit of tradition, pride, workmanship, design, and durability the Ford brand has become known for. | |
 | Depancel With a wide variety of motorsports-inspired watches, the Serie RO1 remains a favorite around Garage Style. The squared-off design is tempered by a unique case that resembles a classic radiator surround, while the stripes and colors and chronograph function create a visual energy that is all about motorsports. | |
 | Maserati Store The Watch Trimarano is one of a variety of Maserati-branded timepieces available through the Maserati Store. With a rose gold PVD case, dark grey dial, and black chronograph dials, it’s very stylish with a hint of edginess to the design, and yet it’s conservative enough to do the Maserati brand proudly. A perfect gift for a Maserati fanatic, or any motoring fanatic for that matter. | |
 | Briston The Streamliner Urban Chrono offers motoring enthusiasts and horophiles alike a unique design that celebrates motor racing from back in the day. Exhibiting this callback are the colors available – blue in honor of the French racers, green for the British, red for the Italians, grey for the Germans. Of course, a small selection of other colors and designs are also available. The Streamliner uses a 42mm case of brushed steel and tortoiseshell acetate sourced from Italy through Mazzucchelli. Acetate has become a Briston trademark since 2013, using the material in their eyewear. A quartz calibre Miyota OS21 keeps the time with a 2-counter chronograph and date. | |
 | Bomberg Okay – give us one expensive exception. All the watches in the guide were under $1,000… except for the Bomberg Racing 4.1. But we had to include it, it’s just too cool. First, you can pop the watch out of the strap and affix it to a chain in just a few seconds, giving you a pocket chronograph. Very cool. Swiss made with a Swiss quartz movement, it measures 45mm and uses a sapphire crystal and can illuminate in green for very clear night vision. The Racing 4.1 is presented in blue with white stripes, but, if that’s not your scene, it’s available in a variety of other color combinations, including a carbon fiber collection. | |
 | Detomaso Unrelated to Alejadro’s empire of fine cars, the Detomaso watch brand hails from humble beginnings and a road trip through Italy. The D10 chronograph is a striking watch that brings with it striking colors, unique shapes, and a surgical steel case with a sapphire tempered mineral glass crystal. Limited to just 3333 pieces, we have no clue why; but it’s dedicated to the spirit of travel, for which we applaud it. D10 CHRONOGRAPH LIMITED EDITION BLUE Ocean Plastic Orange Woven – DETOMASO Watches – North America | |
 | REC Famous in the motorsports watch realm, REC has a number of watches that price it out of our guide here – they even have a DeLorean watch that Publisher Don was very interested in until he saw the price and realized too that it was sold out. No loss, he says he loves his DeLorean Swatch way too much. Anyway, REC also has a number of watches priced around the top of our spectrum that are interesting for every gearhead we know. Delineated into categories such as 1960s GT Cars, 1964-72 Muscle Cars, and 1980s Turbo Cars, each is defined by its color and style – shown is the Tourer Onyx, part of the 1960s GT Cars lineup. Simple, and very retrospectively styled, it measures 45.8mm lug-to-lug and uses a Swiss-made SELLITA caliber movement. A perfect gift for the motoring enthusiast who appreciates the golden era of Shelby, Ferrari, and James Bond. | |
 | Shinola Once again, forgive us for promoting a watch that blows well past our price limitation, but again, we thought the Shinola Canfield Speedway Open Road was worth a showing. Measuring 44mm with a polished stainless steel case, canary yellow detailing and two silver sub dials highlight the sunray-finished midnight blue dial for a remarkably striking overall look. The automatic chronograph features a tachymeter which converts time elapsed into speed travelled, which is kind of fun for any spirited driver. The Shinola brand was also founded in Detroit, Michigan by a major fan of “The Flintstones” as a way to revitalize the city and build on its reputation for producing great machines. As such, the Canfield is made in the USA. Very cool, a great gift. Canfield Speedway Open Road Automatic Chronograph Watch – Black | |
