10 Ways To Upgrade Your Car (On The Cheap)

This piece was written by the people who run the Cracked Store to tell you about products that are being sold there.

Unless you're a stunt car driver (and no, doing donuts in the high school parking lot doesn't count), your car probably only came equipped with the bare minimum of comforts and safety features. But don't think that means you should be relegated to a life of sub-luxury. There are plenty of ways to spruce up your ride, and adding a few tweaks here and there is nothing to be afraid of. (Unless they involve nitrous oxide injection. Be very afraid of that.) Here are ten essential auto accessories that'll make your driving experience far better and far safer:

ARMOR-X One-Lock Air Vent Car Mount

This vent-mounted smartphone holder is perfect for people who like to use their phone while driving (doing legal things -- obviously, please don't watch movies and text while driving). The ARMOR-X One-Lock slides on almost any air vent to let you use your phone hands-free, keeping your eyes on the road, your hands on the wheel, and your soggy cup holder empty of any $500 electronics. Get it in our store for $12.99.

TrapTap Speed Trap Indicator

The TrapTap Speed Trap Indicator lets you know where the lawmen lurk by detecting police radar and red light cameras. That way, you won't drive shaking with anxiety over adding unpayable tickets onto your already-unpayable student loan debt. This Speed Trap Indicator sticks just about anywhere in your car, and is available for 16 percent off its usual price at $149.

KOBRA Wireless Car Scanner

It's hard to trust your mechanic after having been recommended a 50th air filter replacement in one year's time. (That or you should stop chain-smoking tree-trunk-sized cigars into the air vent.) Either way, the KOBRA Wireless Scanner watches for manufacturer trouble codes and beams them directly to your phone, so you can diagnose problems as they arise. No, not all mechanics are swindlers, but now you can at least weed out the ones who are. Grab one of them here for $16.99.

T3 Tactical Auto Rescue Tool

With any luck, you'll never have to use one of these. But it would still be pretty awesome to own one. The T3 Tactical Auto Rescue Tool can shred through seat belts and break out windows so well, it'll be tempting to do it to your own, perfectly fine car, just because you can. Pick up this emergency knife here for $29.99.

ExoMount CD Car Mount

Thanks to AV cables and smartphones, the CD slot has quickly become the appendix of your car stereo. The Exomount, however, plugs into the slot, preventing you from blocking the air vents and restoring it to relevancy. It's 360-degree adjustable, and is compatible with anything from a 3G iPhone to a Samsung Galaxy whatever. It usually costs $29.95, but you can get one here for 33 percent off.

GoSafe 520 Dashcam

There used to be a time when, if two people got into a fender bender, you could sort it out privately with some cash and a bucket of paint. Nowadays the slightest vehicular mishap is an opportunity to end up on a mid-afternoon special of The People's Court. So if you ever find Judge Milian swinging a gavel at you, then video evidence can be exactly what you need. The GoSafe 520 Dashcam records ultra-wide-angle footage in 1080p HD automatically in the event of an impact, drastic braking, or too-sharp turn, and it only costs $124.99.

Ztylus Stinger Car Charger Emergency Tool

After you've juiced up your phone enough to call for extra help, you can use your Ztylus Stinger Car Charger to finally free that man on the side of the road from his fiery car wreck. This emergency tool can break windows, cut through seat belts, and powers two devices simultaneously when plugged in. Which means you're going to have enough juice to go actively looking for people to save. Grab it for $19.95.

Exocharge 3-Port USB Car Charger

When your back seat is full of the three worst human beings who have ever been Ubered, you'll want to make sure all of their phones are adequately charged with this triple-port car hub. Why would you do something so nice for people you despise? Because doing so will keep them from singing, smoking, or talking to you, for the low price of $14.95.

HUDWAY Glass Heads-Up Navigation Display

The HUDWAY reflects your phone's screen onto a transparent slab to give you the futuristic turn-by-turn directions you only thought possible in the Marvel Universe. This navigation display lets you use your device's GPS without having a distractingly bright LCD rectangle in your view, and will bring your car's coolness meter crashing through the sunroof. It's available in our store for $49.95.

Plug-In Air Purifier

Eating all of those drive-thru burritos can leave your car's interior smelling like 88 percent beef. Thankfully, this air purifier can deal with meat-stink, cigarette smoke, pollen, pet odor, and bacteria with its built-in ionizer. It usually costs $89, but you can get one here for just $19.99 and maybe preserve that new car smell slightly beyond day two.

It doesn't matter if you're a Space Cowboy or an Adventuring Doctor. In the end, The Hero's Journey is what summer is all about. So get out there and really LIVE, man.

Prepare yourself for a summer road trip of epic proportions with 10 Things That Will Help Make Traveling Suck Less.