No, it’s not jewelry. It’s also not the latest electronic gadget. But, if you haven’t considered a gift certificate for auto repair, you may have neglected an excellent present to put in someone’s stocking December 25th.

Admittedly, a gift certificate from an auto repair shop isn’t the ideal gift for everyone. After all, there are some people who don’t own cars. Some folks have brand new cars but even they might appreciate an auto repair gift certificate. Even new cars require maintenance.

That’s one of the nice things about a gift certificate; the recipient can use it as they please, or where it does the most good. Maybe they need a new set of tires or they’d like to use that gift certificate for oil changes. On the other hand, maybe they want to hold onto the gift certificate to help on a ‘rainy day.’

This brings up the question of who would benefit most by a gift certificate for auto repair services. While anyone who owns a vehicle stands to benefit, there are some who might benefit more. One such person might be a young son or daughter who recently started to drive and, even more recently, purchased their first car.

If that new first car is anything but new – in other words, if it’s an older car – there is a good chance that some sort of auto repairs will be required before long. From your teenager’s point of view, is discouraging to have a car that they can’t drive because they can’t afford the repairs. For you, it’s discouraging because that old car of theirs is now stuck out in your driveway – rusting and dripping oil.

An auto repair gift certificate can make a big difference helping a loved one to get their car back on the road, and not just on the road, but safely on the road.

Another person who is a good candidate to appreciate an auto repair gift certificate is someone who has a car that they know needs work now. Maybe, as mentioned above, they need new tires. With winter coming up, maybe they need a new battery or it would be a good idea to check the entire charging and starting system.

McDonald’s sells gift certificates, though their certificates are hardly comparable to the value of an auto repair gift certificate and not nearly as appreciated. When someone takes their McDonald’s gift certificate into McDonald’s, there is a menu above and behind the front counter. But, whatever they order from the menu, it’s essentially all the same food – not exactly cuisine.

With an auto repair gift certificate, they can use the certificate for anything their car needs:

• Tires
• Shocks/Struts
• Exhaust Systems and Mufflers
• Front End and Steering Parts, and Alignments
• Batteries, Alternators, Starters and other electrical components
• Oil Changes and Other Maintenance
• Brake Jobs and Brake Parts
• Wiper Blades and Windshield Washer Solvent
• Engine Tune ups
• More

Not everyone will be thrilled to find an auto repair gift certificate in their Christmas stocking, but some people will be so tickled they’ll thank you by finding some mistletoe.