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Accessories<br />
Forget home—a man’s car is his<br />
real castle, because McMansions<br />
can’t go 120 mph. Here are some<br />
suggestions to trick out your rolling<br />
fortress right. —E.A.<br />
EDITORS’<br />
PICK<br />
PowerFlare PF-200 Safety Light<br />
$45 • powerflare.com<br />
Old-school flares are scary. PowerFlare’s LED safety light is awesome.<br />
Shaped like a hockey puck and coated with a military-grade<br />
polymer, this device is waterproof, crushproof, has a 10-year shelf<br />
life, and comes in, like, a billion color combinations. (OK, 21.) Press<br />
a button to cycle through 10 flash options, including pulse, rotate,<br />
and strobe. The PowerFlare’s official use is as a safety alert for<br />
disabled vehicles, but we enjoyed duct-taping a couple to our kids’<br />
heads to keep track of them at the amusement park.<br />
Automotive<br />
Accutire MS-4359<br />
$49 • measurement-ltd.com<br />
Improperly inflated tires wear down faster and monkey<br />
with your mileage. Here’s an easy way to keep an<br />
eye on your psi: sensor-equipped caps on each valve<br />
stem. Just place the gauge near the cap and it’ll signal<br />
whether or not the pressure is in a safe range. Calibration<br />
took patience, but monitoring worked well.<br />
DLO TransDock Deluxe<br />
$130 • dlo.com<br />
Getting your iPod to play through your stereo is only<br />
half the battle. Controlling it without skidding off the<br />
freeway is part two. The TransDock has a steeringwheel-mounted<br />
RF remote and either broadcasts to<br />
your FM radio or plays through a stereo’s auxiliary jack.<br />
The tuner’s staticky, though, so go for the cable.<br />
ESCORT 9500i<br />
$450 • escortradar.com<br />
You know the difference between the fuzz and an<br />
automatic door opener, but radar detectors often don’t.<br />
The 9500i sniffs out false alarms by folding in a GPS<br />
receiver. If you drive by a place that routinely sets off<br />
your detector, tap a button and it’ll store the location<br />
and frequency of the signal. Works flawlessly.<br />
Panasonic DVD-LX110<br />
$600 • panasonic.com<br />
With one of these DVD players in front of them, the kids<br />
will never whine “Are we there yet?” again. The 11-inch<br />
widescreen is huge, and the monitor pivots for the perfect<br />
angle. Base of screen even has <strong>sm</strong>all wheels that<br />
keep it from banging all the control buttons. Headrest<br />
mount is rock solid, but you need your own headphones.<br />
Rearview Systems STM703C<br />
$695 • rearviewsystems.com<br />
For now, rearview cameras are the realm of luxury cars,<br />
but if you want to go aftermarket, don’t bother with<br />
wireless rigs. Static renders them all but useless.<br />
The hardwired STM703C offers a bright, 7-inch LCD<br />
and a 130-degree field of view. Our only gripe: No<br />
quick-release makes it a sitting duck for thieves.<br />
Tesla Electronics G-Tech Pro<br />
RR Performance Meter<br />
$300 • gtechpro.com<br />
Pitch the stopwatch—this is the best way to gauge<br />
whether your ride is up to snuff. This windshieldmounted<br />
performance computer calculates everything<br />
from horsepower and torque to quarter-mile times<br />
and cornering Gs. It’s simple to use and super-accurate.<br />
Wagan 150 Watt<br />
SmartAC USB Inverter<br />
$50 • wagan.com<br />
Nothing kills a road trip faster than a dead iPod battery.<br />
Frequent fliers also should never leave home without<br />
this gadget, which will power laptops or videogame consoles,<br />
charge cell phones, and run any three-pronged<br />
or USB-powered device without strain.
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