Wishing you could get a brand new premium pickup truck but only have the budget for an older cheaper model?
Well, you can still have an uber-cool interior - and it's going to be a whole lot CHEAPER than paying for a new premium truck.
You can get so many gadgets these days to beautify your vehicle's interior and make it so much more comfortable at a fraction of the cost of upgrading to a new year and model.
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Here are some affordable cool suggestions.
Oh, and these could work for your SUV or even a sedan too 😉
1. Pop up the volume
If you tune into the radio, you might not get a clear reception for the duration of your trip. No one really listens to CDs anymore, so that option’s out. What you do always have on hand is your phone! And a Bluetooth receiver is a fun and easy way to get it to play over your stereo.
We use one in our ancient sedan. It has no MP3 or anything fancier than a radio and a CD player. Once we ran out of CD's to play, we were facing long trips with no music. The horror!
A Bluetooth receiver changed that.
A Bluetooth car kit
This one from Mpow is hands-free and can be used for cars or trucks. It’s the top seller of Bluetooth car kits on Amazon. With more than 10,000 reviews as of this writing and a rating of almost five stars, you know you’re getting one of the best Bluetooth receivers on the market with the Mpow. Buy one in every color since you get to choose your receiver hue. Available choices are black, orange, purple, green, and rose-red (somewhat pinkish).
Taking less than two hours to charge, you should get 10 hours of music and other entertainment with the Mpow. Once you set it up, all you have to do is activate your phone’s Bluetooth. Then, power on the device, and you can queue up any tunes you’d like. If you use a 3.5-millimeter audio cable and adapter, you can even take calls with this receiver. The connection range is 33 feet, which is quite generous.
Click here to buy this Bluetooth car kit on Amazon.
A Bluetooth FM Receiver
If your pickup truck is so old that it only had a radio and nowhere to plug in that receiver, then this gadget may be the answer to your prayers.
What this does is pick up the Bluetooth signal from your phone and then send out a radio signal to the car. It tells you which frequency to look for so you can basically tune in to your phone over the radio. Pretty neat (and it does actually work - that's what we have in our car).
Very simple to operate, it plugs right into your electric lighter and hooks up with your phone via Bluetooth.
Click here to buy this Bluetooth FM Receiver on Amazon.
2. Light up the night with LED Interior Lights
Looking to add some oomph to your nighttime adventures in your new (or old) pickup?
Your truck will be ready to light up the night with these LED interior lights. While they serve no purpose other than looking cool, they do indeed look really cool. If you want some reliable interior lights that are rated four stars on Amazon, look no further than Xcellent Global’s interior LED lights.
Everything you need for awesome interior illumination is included in the box, such as heat shrink tubing, the light module, a remote control, and the LED strip lights. You should arrange these lights the way you want and then use double-sided tape to secure them. Some users have installed the lights beneath their trucks’ bumpers and others under the headlights. Xcellent Global’s lights are waterproof, UV-proof, and malleable for plenty of installation options. You can use a remote control to flip between light intensity and frequency. There’s even a sound-activated feature that syncs to voice commands as well as music.
Click here to buy this product on Amazon.
3. Add a Music-Activated LED Light Sticker
If you love the idea of LED lights that are guided by your favorite tunes, then a music-activated LED light sticker is another fantastic investment for your truck. Signstek sells such a sticker, and it’s a small investment towards some major fun each time you drive and turn up the volume.
The sticker has glue on the back. You simply remove the adhesive and then secure the sticker where you want it to go. On that note, you can only place the Signstek sticker once; otherwise, it won’t stay on your vehicle very well after the glue is loosened. Once you do have your sticker set up, you can enjoy it for over 5,000 hours. If you love it, you can always get a replacement sticker from there.
Taking up 1 mW of power, you won’t risk sucking up too much juice from your truck when you drive. The Signstek sticker will start working as soon as you turn on any music. It will then “dance,” with LEDs that move along to the beat of the song. The lights don’t pulsate enough that they’d distract other drivers, though. According to the manufacturer, this sticker might boost your safety when on the road in the dark since you get extra light.
Click here to buy this music activated LED lights on Amazon.
4. Invest in Some Comfy Heated Seat Cushions
It may be summertime now, but the weather won’t be sweltering forever. Eventually, it’s going to get chilly. Sure, you can crank the heating on your truck; heated seats will get you feeling toasty a whole lot faster.
These cushions from SNAILAX come highly-recommended. You are paying more per seat, but the seats require no special installation. They’re made with a universal fit, so no matter your make and model of truck, they should go on perfectly. Your truck must run on at least 24 volts for best compatibility.
With multiple layers, including a cooling layer and a ventilation layer, you shouldn’t ever have to worry about freezing in your truck again or getting too hot during summer. The 3D spacer fabric SNAILAX uses is a mesh that’s intended to be as breathable as possible. With supportive polyester panels, you’ll be snug and ready for long drives. You can definitely use these in the summer, as they have moisture management and a cool ventilation feature for the hotter weather.
Click here to buy this SNAILAX comfy heated cushions on Amazon.
5. Or just cover your seats to make them look super cool!
Customizing your truck with these Durafit Camo Seat Covers can really add that personal touch. And if you happen to be a camo guy or gal, then why not?
Seat covers also have the added benefit of taking on the toll of wear and tear while keeping the original seats intact. We've read somewhere that one way to tell how much use a vehicle has had is to look for signs of wear on the driver's seat. Stitches, in particular, tend to wear down a little bit every time someone gets in and out of the seat, so they can provide a telltale sign of how many times the driver went in and out of the car. Presumably, also starting the engine and adding some wear and tear there as well.
Avoiding a worn-down look when it's time to sell your car could save you money, so investing in good seat covers is wise. And it also makes your truck look cool - double win!
Click here to purchase this Camo seat cover on Amazon.
For some more great seat cover options, check out our list of the Top 10 Seat Covers For Pickup Trucks.
6. Grab a Magnetic Phone Holder
Are you always losing your phone? It happens to the best of us.
It’s too easy for your phone to slide between the seats or underneath them in the truck. You then have to launch a pretty extensive search to track down your favorite device.
You can put those days in the past for good with the Wuteku magnetic phone holder. Not only is this handy for keeping track of your phone when on the road, but you can prevent smartphone-related car accidents as well. If your phone has voice command functionality, you can even take advantage of hands-free calling.
The phone holder has an adhesive strip on the back rather than suction cups that can slide off (not to mention leave nasty windshield residue). There’s another sticker you put on the back of your phone. With Active-Snap Technology, the neodymium magnets will securely keep your phone in place once attached to the Wuteku phone holder. Feel free to toggle with phone placement for the best driving experience, as you have a range of motion that spans 720 impressive degrees!
Click here to buy this magnetic phone holder on Amazon.
7. Purify Your Vehicle with a High-Tech Device
It’s no secret that trucks can get pretty stinky. Whether you’re still smelling the other day’s takeout or your vehicle just kind of reeks, that old air freshener on the rearview mirror isn’t doing it for you anymore. Why not use a high-tech, wand-like device for freshness anytime?
FRiEQ’s air freshener, ionizer, and purifier can remove offending odors from your truck. It connects via your truck’s cigarette outlet and runs on 12 volts of power. There’s an appealing blue LED light that glows when the FRiEQ is in use. It’s filter-free for hours of clean smells. What exactly does it get rid of? Good question! The list includes air pollutants, gas particles, dust, smoke, mold, bacteria, cigarette smoke, and pet odors.
This little air freshener works via air purification technology. FRiEQ sends out negative oxygen ions, up to 4.8 million of them across various parts of your vehicle, for a better smell. If you have asthma or allergies or you’re simply tired of a stinky truck, FRiEQ is a gamechanger.
Click here to buy this multi-role air purifier on Amazon.
8. Got a dog? Get him special seat covers
Pickup trucks are meant for adventure - and nothing beats sharing that adventure with your best buddy. Whether you plan towing your boat, off-roading in your truck, or just heading out for a hike - Fido might be thrilled to join you but could also leave traces behind. Many dogs shed, and some dogs can experience car sickness. Even if your dog isn't prone to motion sickness, if you take her or him off-roading, the additional swerving and jerking can induce sickness all the same.
The solution could be this Doggie World Dog Car Seat Cover. This huge and easy-to-clean cover protects both the seat itself and the floor of your truck from any residue your dog may leave behind. And yes, this black cover is cool-looking too. Just don't try to squeeze a human friend next to the dog and keep your two-legged buddies sitting in the front of the pickup.
Click here to buy this dog seat cover on Amazon.
9. De-clutter your truck
The one thing you always need in any vehicle is additional storage. Especially if you're traveling with kids in the back seat. While some trucks have lots of hidden storage compartments - others do not.
And you know what, even if they do have hidden storage nooks and crannies - nothing beats a full-scale cargo organizer like this High Road ZipFit Cargo Seat Back Organizer for SUVs and Trucks. That's because everything is so accessible - within sight and easy reach for anyone sitting in the backseat.
Click here to buy this product on Amazon.
10. And get this to help keep it clean
Getting rid of clutter means putting what you need in a place you can reach it. While that's a great start, it's also worth thinking about where to put the things you absolutely no longer need - in other words, the trash.
This automotive cup holder garbage pail will be the perfect cool addition to your truck. It's easy to place in one of the many cup holders most trucks already have, and it means you can easily dispose of empty paper cups, cans of beverages, and just about any type of waste. So much better looking than the odd plastic bag lying around.
Click here to buy this Automotive Cup Holder on Amazon.
11. Add Pizazz with colorful floor mats
Finally, another item in the pure decor department. Floor mats don't have to be bland and boring. You can choose something like these Metallic Rubber Floor Mats instead.
They're actually available in a selection of colors - all are cool and snazzy. Match them with the seat covers we mentioned above, and you can utterly change the look and feel of your pickup truck's interior at a minimal cost. It is perfect for an older truck with a good strong engine that can last for years - but a shabby interior with a "used" look.
Click here to buy these Metallic Rubber Floor Mats on Amazon.
For some more awesome floor mat options, check out our posts about floor mats for the Ford F-150 and the Chevy Silverado.
Make yourself at home in your pickup truck
Our vehicles are truly our home away from home, so customizing your truck and adding cool gadgets to its interior and exterior makes sense. Use these suggestions or develop your own idea to make the inside of your truck comfortable and relaxing. A relaxed driver is a better driver, so drive safely and enjoy the road!