The 90s car accessories we'd love to forget

Despite my prior (and very desperate) pleas to say no to the sticker, after a visit to our local Wheels tyre store to have a new set fitted, my mum returned home with that iconic fluro orange Wheels sticker across the front window of our family car.

While steadfast in my attempts to remove it, the hideous thing was stuck on there for years, bringing much embarrassment to my already self-conscious teen self.

Looking back, it wasn’t just this clever branding technique that is considerably “cringe”, many of the most popular car accessories of this era brought a decent side of ick, or to some, personality and comfort.

Here are four more car accessory trends that scream 90s/00s from carsales readers.

Perhaps the must-have item of any school mum during the 90s, or those in the 60 + age bracket, the sheepskin steering wheel covers were designed to keep your hands warm, and comfortable while driving and doubled as steering wheel protection.

“My granny loved her sheepskin steering wheel cover,” says Central Coast woman, Katherine.

“She always hated the cold and wholeheartedly believed this was the answer to her driving prayers. Her love for the material was so deep that she even bought matching car seat covers too.”

On a side note, the sheepskin steering wheel cover trend also has faux options as well as a range of colours including hot pink, black and charcoal.

If you’re a fan, you’re in luck with a whole host of retailers, including eBay, Amazon, Kmart, and Temu, still selling the product.

Beaded car seat covers which came in various shades of beige and sometimes even with patterned designs, were a regular sight in the 90s.

While they don’t look it, Victorian woman, Elizabeth, swears that this 90s trend is so comfortable that she has adopted a vintage product (one used by her mum growing up), in her own car now.

“It looks silly I know but the massage factor is surprisingly beneficial, especially on longer drives, plus they help the seat stay cooler in summer,” she says.

“My friends always make fun of me but for me, it’s all about the comfort factor.”

Again, this is another accessory that although may have passed its heyday, is still available to purchase far and wide.

“It helps dissuade thieves, my mother always used to maintain,” says Altona man, Josh.

“Mum would put the Club Lock on every time we stopped anywhere, even if we were only going to be five minutes. It used to drive me nuts because the process of putting the clunky thing on took forever,” he says.

For many kids of the 90s, even the 80s, the metal contraption that locked onto your steering wheel in order to deem it unusable, thus preventing car thieves, was a staple of car security.

I too, experienced the love of the Club Lock with my mum, who was gifted one from my grandfather, using one. Both of them, along with my uncle, swore by their effectiveness.

Reflecting now, it seems like some car multi-level marketing scam.

Peeking out the back, or front car windows of many cars in the 90s/00s were bobbleheads, typically dog bobblehead varieties.

The resin-bopping heads of various canine breeds were often in packs, like some sort of dog boy band forever head-banging to anything.

“My dad, who funnily was a macho, big, tough guy, loved these things. He had seven, four at the back and three along the dash,” Hayley, from regional Victoria says.

“He thought they added character to his car and that they were fun. No one ever questioned his choice at the time, I think because they were pretty popular but now, I laugh because it must have looked so odd, this burly big guy stepping out of his Commodore decorated with bobblehead pups.”

Related: Five unique steering wheel accessories to pimp your ride

Related: 10 cars worthy of a BRAT summer

Related: Nine cars from the 90s that'll get you nostalgic in no time

Join the conversation at our Facebook page
Or email us at editor@carsales.com.au