For all of their promise, some vehicular enhancements just weren’t cut out to stand the test of time – from those that overpromise and under-deliver to those that just leave us scratching our heads. Here’s a rundown of some ACTUAL automotive aftermarket mods that, for better or worse, came and went the way of the Gremlin (or should).
- The ‘Chrome Dome’ bald guy hitch ball cover
- The singing bass dashboard compass
- The air intake vortex-creation device
- Rear window venetian blinds
- A tune-up in a can
- The ‘lifetime’ spark plug
- Open exhaust/muffler bypass kit
- The ‘Wolf Whistle’ auxiliary horn
- ‘Flare-o-Flame’ flaming exhaust tailpipe tips
- Squad-car-style spotlights
As a creative agency, we’re all about innovation…always mining for insights about human nature that we can use to craft smarter, harder-hitting ad campaigns and marketing programs. So we can certainly appreciate the thought and creativity that went into some of the above modifications. That said, we also know when to call a spade a spade – and some of these refinements were clearly an attempt to make a quick buck and never going to be more than fads in passing. Today more than ever, a good marketing partner needs to be in tune with market trends…and trained to spot the difference between a smash hit and a flash in the pan.
a little product that makes me shudder called “BumperNuts”. I think you get the idea…
The mythic 200 MPG carburetor! Hoax or massive cover up?
Venetian blinds can really class up a beater though…
what about neck shelves! those didn’t get to much press. good press i should say.