10 Accessories That Will Make Noise in 2009

Sometimes it is for sheer enjoyment, maybe even vanity. Other times, we try to stock up on things we actually need so our vehicles maintain their optimum functionality. However you look at it, we know this much: the coming New Year brings promise and excitement in all products from A to Z.

10) Cargo Liners- While cargo liners aren't the sexiest item to crack the top ten, they are certainly one of the most important. Cargo liners have proven to be a remarkable addition to any driver of a hatch or SUV that rumbles around with a bit of excess baggage here and there. Weather Tech® makes the best- that's not a secret. Intrinsically designed and treated to reinforce an area that is often neglected, Weather Tech® cargo liners repel just about every substance known to man. Attractively shaded on top of it all, even drivers of "show cars" are starting to get in on the act.

9) Window Visors- In the same vein as cargo liners, window visors up the protection scheme a couple notches as well. Once again, Weather Tech® is the heavyweight in this realm, as their window visors have long been the standard. They are ultra-durable and easy to put in place - high grades considering the level of security they provide. Putco® dishes out an impeccably snazzy array of chrome window visors also, proving once again how the driving public reacts to style. Can't really go wrong with either of these choices, unless you're one of the rare few who enjoys cruising while wind gusts continuously pound your ear drums.

8) Custom Floor Mats- A great addition to most cars, trucks, or SUVs, custom floor mats have a really strong tendency to help bring together the scope of the entire interior. Lloyd Floor Mats® reign supreme in this area, harnessing an inventory of top-of-the-line floor mats that are the undeniable benchmark within the industry. Whether you want your make, model, team symbols, or your name stitched in, the possibility exists. Couple that with the premier brand of protection that custom floor mats provide, and you have a winner for every driver who gives them a second look.

7) Notto® SE Xenon HID Kits- Although the market has begun to see more and more companies rush to outsource their own HID answers, Notto USA took a different route. Instead of just putting together a requisite ballast-and-bulb package, Notto® went the extra step by taking their time to ensure what is easily the simplest HID installation in existence. Combined with the optional relay harness and a complete line of outputs/hues, you have what has amounted to be perhaps the most impressive HID debut in history. With Notto® SE HID Kits also being priced affordably, it becomes easy to see why a meteoric rise in '09 is not a probability, but an eventuality.

6) LED Tail Lights- LED tail lights have always been popular, but many inside the industry expect an even larger level of awareness to be raised come the next few months. LED tail lights enact colorful drama to an often-ignored feature of every ride - the back-end. There is a reason, after all, why professional restylers have perennially been sure to include them in their custom packages. Now, everyone expects even more. The reason? Fiber optics have been added to the mix, injecting more exotic flavor than before. Mark my words: there may be no item hotter than those come the next 12 months.

5) Grille Guards- Does anyone else remember when grille guards were positively synonymous with only full-size pickups and SUVs, or even jacked-up Freightliners? It seems like ages ago when grille guards were reserved only for gigantic commercial or industrial hogs, but times have not only changed, they've basically reversed. Grille guards are now a hotly demanded item for vehicles ranging from esteemed crossover SUVs to luxury sedans, and everywhere in between. Stainless steel protection is never underrated. It just wasn't seen as widely accessible. Now that everyone knows it is, they fly off shelves coast to coast.

4) Wood Dash Kits- In certain industries, you have "go to" options that work no matter what. In this case, we'll define wood dash kits as a prime example of such. Wood dash kits are just a terrific weapon when looking to upgrade your interior near instantaneously. From classically luxurious veneers to neo-fusion carbon fiber and the like, dash kits imprint designer elegance to virtually any model. That is true customizing versatility, hence the reason why they are always near the top of the list.

3) Chrome Accessories- One of the best things about going with chrome accessories is the huge variety of choices that they present. Just take a second and think about it: mirror covers, door handles, rocker panels, pillar posts, gas caps, and window visors. That's just the exterior! But the truth is during these not-so-comfortable economic times, more and more drivers are holding onto their rides for a longer period of time than maybe they thought they would. That usually means they want to dress it up a bit more, get a little creative. Nothing does that as well as chrome, and few do it as inexpensively.

2) Spoilers- Rockstar style, race-car attitude: spoilers say an awful lot for an object that sits motionless on top of the trunk. But that is what makes them special, and people notice them from impressive distances. Custom spoilers can express your exterior aggression or subtle luxury. Factory spoilers showcase the OEM justification that you felt needed to be added on your own. Whichever way you choose to look at it, spoilers add a ton of style to your ride very quickly. An excellent bargain considering their image-boosting qualities, spoilers will likely see a ton of action in the coming months.

1) Billet Grills- The source of most drivers' inspiration is of course the grill. And when you see a custom billet grill in the front of an oncoming vehicle, you appreciate its existence right away. And that's what it is all about. Billet grilles are the #1 aftermarket destination for most, and it doesn't look like a trend that is likely to change in 2009. Instead, it will probably only increase, as more companies are involved now than at any other time before. That means more styles, more options, and more vehicles to be transformed. It's that simple. You can say what you want about other aftermarket choices, but everyone respects a glittering, demanding billet grille.

The truth is that currently, there is not the same level of confidence in the auto industry that we're used to, and with credit being crunched, a lot of folks are rather hesitant about going out and purchasing a new vehicle. Things will undoubtedly turn around soon enough. But in the meantime, conventional wisdom says that if you are going to be holding onto your ride for a little while more, you are going to want to do what you can to make sure it still pops with a good amount of style and zeal. As a consumer, you have to be protective. You also have to be creative. And if you are in that group of drivers who have to hang onto their car longer than expected, by all means, get involved in the process! There is a whole world of tremendous possibilities out there waiting to be discovered. Make it your New Year's resolution to find what works for you!