We’ve all done it. We’ve all practiced our ‘pleased’ face in the mirror on Christmas morning just before unwrapping time. But one never quite pulls it off, does one?

The sheer heart-sinking disappointment of opening a bundle of winter socks when you expected a designer shirt. The sadness you feel after weeks of hinting at some high-end tablet, only to be given something of a similar shape, but with the some ambiguous foreign writing on it. Is that an iPhone 6 Plus? No it’s a box of obscure Hungarian biscuits from Pound-Stretcher.

For motorists, the pitfalls can be equally chasm-like. Just because you own a car, does that mean you’re some sort of Clarkson-like car enthusiast who thinks about torque and fuel economy all day? You only bought the thing to get to work. But that doesn’t stop the silly automotive gifts appearing under the tree.

At startrescue.co.uk we’re no stranger to undesirable car gifts, so here we bring you some of the worst.

What’s your worst car gift ever?

If you’ve been given a horrible car gift that deserves a mention, tell us about it in the comments section below.

 

Car Branded Aftershave

Car brands try to sell anything with their name on it these days, but aftershave could be a step too far. You can’t afford a Mercedes-Benz so your aunty thinks you might like the next best thing: a bottle of Mercedes-Benz eau de toilette. Still, better than a bottle of Eau de Vauxhall Corsa, we suppose.

Rolls Royce Mascot

Rolls Royce Mascot (Dutourdumonde/Bigstock.com)

The legend goes: Rolls Royces do not breakdown, they merely ‘fail to proceed’. However, your friend’s 1999 hatchback regularly does the opposite, because she can’t afford a new one. Don’t rub it in by buying her a Rolls Royce Mascot.

Fake Sun Roof

Yes, they do exist. They even come with adhesive. We couldn’t find a picture of a ‘real’ fake sunroof, however, so we hope you enjoy this picture of a normal one.

Anything with Ferrari on it

Ferrari merchandise shop (CHEN WEI SENG/Bigstock.com)

You’re 36 and you’ve resigned yourself to a life of driving sensible saloons. You don’t need to be reminded of your failure to become a millionaire by finding a Ferrari backpack with matching cap under the tree.

Toy Ferrari

Toy Ferrari F430 (baronvsp/Bigstock.com)

It’s OK if the recipient is seven years old, but not if they’ve got a 23 year No Claims Bonus.

Car Air Freshener

The person who gave you this either doesn’t like you or thinks your car smells. Or both.

A Car Shaped Mouse

If there’s one thing that could make a day at the office slightly more difficult, it’s a mouse shaped like some sort of moon buggy.

Car Eye Lashes

How many cars have you seen with massive eye-lashes on them? Exactly. Get them a book token instead.

A Cartashe

Cartashe (jgaunion/Bigstock.com)

The recipient grew a silly handlebar moustache for ‘Movember’, so they’re bound to want this on their car, right? Wrong.

A Wind-Up Key

Christmas Day: You watch, chuckling, as the recipient of this gift sticks it to the back of their car. They give a hollow laugh as the key turns around, casting aspersions on their old car’s already questionable dependability. The following week you ask them where the funny wind-up key is and they tell you it fell off somewhere between Birmingham and London and they couldn’t stop to pick it up for safety reasons.

Received a worse car gift? Tell us about it below!