Give your aging daily driver a major upgrade. Here are six top-rated tech and gear additions to bring your older car's features into the modern era.
I've never owned a car that wasn't at least 10 years old. So, while I do keep up with the latest developments in technology and quality-of-life features in newer vehicles, I've never experienced those in my own vehicles.
Thankfully, though, it's never been easier to breathe new life into older vehicles than it is now. And, being the geeky guy I am, that's exactly what I've done with all of my recent vehicles, including my current ride, a 2009 Honda Fit Sport.Here are six products I've installed in or added to my older vehicle to bring it into the modern age.Wolfbox G900 Backup CameraI'll kick things off with what might be the most controversial product on this list : the Wolfbox G900. This mirror-mounted device works passively to capture impressive 4K front-facing and 2.5K rear-facing dash-cam footage. In addition to forward-facing capture, this unit can also double as a live, unobstructed digital rearview mirror. If you've ever packed a hatchback to the absolute ceiling with cargo , you know the panic of losing your rearward visibility. The G900 completely eliminates that blind spot with a crisp, wide-angle feed, modernizing my '09 Fit with a safety technology that some new luxury cars still treat as an option. And, should you not want to use the digital mirror at any point, you can also turn the display off and use the mirrored coating as a standard rearview mirror. Intellidash Pro X10Over the past few years, I've tested half a dozen portable CarPlay units. Admittedly, I don't have a single all-time favorite, but one I keep coming back to is none other than the Car and Driver Intellidash Pro X10. This wide-screen unit is low-profile on the dash, features an impressively bright display, and has reliably connected time and time again to any car and device I've connected it to. The sizable 10-inch screen is fantastic for keeping a peripheral eye on maps during road trips, and the support for both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay means it'll work with whatever mobile device I'm using at the time. I'm about two years into using it almost daily and it's still working as well as the day I first installed it in my old Town Country. Wolfbox 4000A Jump Starter with 160 PSI Air CompressorKeeping an older car on the road means being prepared for the inevitable. Dead batteries and low tire pressure are a matter of when, not if, especially as temperatures fluctuate. That's where the Wolfbox 4000A Jump Starter and Air Compressor comes into play as the ultimate peace-of-mind gadget.Instead of relying on a good samaritan with jumper cables or dragging a bulky compressor out of the garage, this heavy-duty brick handles both emergencies on the fly. It packs enough punch to turn over a dead battery in seconds, while the built-in air compressor easily tops off soft tires directly from the side of the road. The digital display takes all the guesswork out of psi readings, making it a massive quality-of-life upgrade over the scratched-up analog gauge that used to rattle around in my glovebox.Yakima BaseLine FX Crossbars If your car already has crossbars, feel free to skip to the next section. If it doesn't, and you desperately need extra real estate for cargo boxes, kayaks, bikes, or a stand-up paddleboard, consider picking up a set of Yakima's BaseLine FX aftermarket crossbars.Yakima offers mounting attachments for a massive array of vehicles, backed by a foolproof compatibility tool to help you track down the exact hardware you need. Just plug in your make, model, and trim, and the site spits out your shopping list.Installation complexity varies by vehicle, but the system is generally straightforward—just follow the age-old rule: measure twice, tighten once. Once locked down, these bars are as secure as it gets. Despite their robust build, they seem surprisingly aerodynamic when unloaded. Anecdotally, I only noticed an average 1-mpg drop in my Fit, and any increase in wind noise was barely noticeable.Editor's note: Always check your vehicle's roof weight limits. Static and dynamic load ratings vary wildly from one car to the next, and knowing your limits will keep everyone safe on the next summer road trip. Thule Force 3 Mounting a Thule Force 3 cargo box atop Yakima crossbars might border on brand sacrilege, but it was our top pick for Best Rooftop Cargo Carrier, and it fits perfectly on my little not-so-hot hatch. While the second-gen Honda Fit has impressive internal volume for its footprint, this carrier is an absolute necessity when traveling with the whole crew. The kids take the back seat, the dog gets her crate in the rear cargo hold, and all the luggage gets swallowed by the Thule.My family has already logged close to 8000 miles with it through sun, snow, rain, and hail, and it hasn't flinched. It's not 100 percent dustproof, but we haven't seen a drop of water ingress; our bags always emerge dry and secure. Thule makes an array of shapes and sizes, so even if the Force 3 isn't your exact spec, you won't have trouble finding a Thule cargo carrier to fit atop anything from a Civic to a Tahoe. Escort Redline 360cIf you're going to modernize an older vehicle, you might as well give it a sixth sense. Enter the Escort Redline 360c. This flagship radar detector is an admittedly hefty investment, but it pays serious dividends on long highway hauls by sniffing out law-enforcement vehicles using radar- and lidar-based speed-detection systems.Older cars naturally lack the active safety and telemetry suites of newer models, but slapping the Redline 360c on my windshield has brought a heavy dose of situational awareness of its own sort. Its directional arrows and extreme range give you plenty of heads-up on any roadside tax collectors lurking around the bend, while its auto-learning GPS tech actively filters out annoying false alerts from automatic grocery store doors and the blind-spot monitors of passing cars. It is quiet when it needs to be, is loud when it matters, and genuinely makes driving my Fit feel like piloting a much smarter, hyperaware machine.Things to Consider When Upgrading Your CarConsider Your Electrical SystemOlder vehicles, such as mine, generally rely on aging batteries and alternators to run standard equipment. You might want to consider testing your electrical system before plugging in accessories like digital mirrors and radar detectors. A weak battery will struggle to power modern tech and could leave you stranded.Measure Interior ClearanceDashboard layouts and windshield angles vary wildly in older cars. Make sure to measure your available space to ensure portable screens and dash cameras don't obstruct your view or put you in legal jeopardy .Verify Roof Load LimitsEvery vehicle has specific static and dynamic weight limits for the roof. Before tossing any crossbars or cargo carriers on top, be sure to look at your vehicle's manual. Exceeding these limits compromises vehicle handling and damages structural integrity.Plan Your Cable ManagementModern devices often require constant power and leave thick cables dangling across your dashboard. If you can, I'd recommend hardwiring devices directly to the fuse box instead of cluttering your console if it's possible. If you can't, consider using zip-ties, Velcro straps, and cable management gear to keep everything under wraps. Other Gear to Upgrade Your Old Car
Exterior Interior Parts Parts-Accessories
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