Truck Accessories Buyer's Guide: 6 Must-Have Items for Under $300

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So many accessories, so little time.

If you own a pickup truck, there’s no shortage of truck accessories to help you customize it. Depending on the ultimate purpose for your truck, you’ll find items to transform it into an off-road machine, a work truck, a tow vehicle—just about anything you want.

With hundreds of different truck accessories available right now at SummitRacing.com, the choices are almost overwhelming. But there are six essential truck accessories that every truck owner should consider for their pickup. These items will not only improve the utility of the truck, they’ll also help give it a custom appearance and can even set the stage for later upgrades. Best of all, each item can be had for less than 300 bucks, so you may have money left over to spend on more accessories later.

Step Bars & Running Boards
We’ll start our basic budget upgrade with running boards…or step bars…or nerf bars. Whatever you call them, they’re often one of the first exterior upgrades made to pickups, because they’re easy to install, add an element of style, and provide easier access to the cab.

Although some people use the names almost interchangeably, there is a difference between running boards and step bars/nerf bars. Running boards typically have a wider step area than step or nerf bars and can usually handle just a little bit more weight. Step bars/nerf bars have a distinctive industrial look that many truck owners prefer and can often be installed using the existing factory body mounts. That means no drilling and no hassles.

Whichever style you prefer, you can get a high-quality set of running boards or step/nerf bars for less than 300 bucks, including:

Summit Racing Step Bars
Lund Industries StepRails Elliptical Aluminum Steps
Westin E-Series Step Bars

Tonneau Covers
The popularity of tonneau covers continues to rise faster than the price of gas—and it’s not just a coincidence. Studies have shown that tonneau covers can improve gas mileage by reducing wind drag and enhancing the overall aerodynamics of your truck.

Fuel economy is just one reason tonneau covers are a good starting point when customizing your truck. A quality truck bed cover will protect your truck bed and contents from the elements and, in the case of lockable covers, theft. Plus, you can give your pickup a more streamlined appearance by choosing the right tonneau cover. Here are three quality covers for under $300 (and we have many more):

TonnoPro Trifold Tonneau Covers
Extang Tuff Tonno Tonneau Covers
Lund Industries Genesis Seal and Peel Bed Covers

Trailer Hitches
Maybe it’s us, but a pickup truck just looks naked with a trailer hitch mounted on the back. After all, pickups are made for hauling, towing, plowing, and other heavy-duty work. And since it’s really not expensive or difficult to add a quality receiver hitch, we think it’s worth your while to make your truck tow ready, too.

By choosing the right trailer hitch, you instantly give your truck the ability to tow campers or boats to your favorite vacation destination or transport a utility trailer to your next job site. You can even add a hitch-mounted bike or ski rack for your next outdoor excursion. It’s simple and affordable, especially with these three affordable options:

CURT Manufacturing Receiver Hitches
Street Scene Hidden Street Hitches
Reese Class III/IV Premium Receiver Hitches

Bug Guards & Deflectors
Sure, you’d like to keep your truck looking new, but there’s an army of kamikaze bugs on the roadways just waiting to attack your hood. Plus, there’s a battalion of renegade rocks waiting to jump up and chip your paint, too. That’s why bug guards are made.

You can win the war against paint damage by installing a bug guard on the front of your rig. They mount on your hood and are made from rugged, rigid material  to deflect bugs, rocks, and other debris away from your hood. At the same time, they alter airflow up and over the front of your truck to prevent bugs from splattering on your windshield.

Once you’ve added a bug guard, consider installing window deflectors. They use the same airflow control principles as the bug guards to allow fresh air into your vehicle without permitting rain or snow to enter with it. That means you stay comfortable and get fresh air without running your A/C all the time.

Bug guards and window deflectors are generally easy to install—and easy on your budget. Here are just a few affordable options:

Auto Ventshade Bugflectors II
EGR No-Drill Aerowrap Hood Shield
MacNeil WeatherTech Side Window Deflectors
Summit Racing Window Visors

Floor Mats
It doesn’t matter where the mud comes from—hiking trail, construction site, or your id’s soccer field. The important thing is you keep it off your truck’s carpet and upholstery as much as possible. That’s why a good set of floor mats are an essential upgrade to any truck.

You can get a good set of floor mats in a universal-fit design, but we recommend custom-made mats just for your truck. These mats give you the best coverage, because they’re custom-molded to fit the carpeted area of your vehicle. Often made from heavy-duty rubberized or thermoplastic material, aftermarket floor mats trap dirt, mud, and water without letting it seep through to the carpet. Some mats also have molded edges to keep liquids from spilling out on to the carpet.

Like all of our other accessories, quality floor mats are available at a reasonable price:

Husky Front Seat Floor Liners
MacNeil WeatherTech Floor Liners
Husky WeatherBeater Floor Liners

Computer Chips & Programmers
You don’t need to be a master mechanic to get more power and torque from your vehicle. Companies like Hypertech, JET Performance, and Superchips make it easy with computer chips and programmers.

Computer chips recalibrate your truck’s factory computer, allowing you to maximize torque for towing and hauling. Computer programmers also give you the option of tweaking and tuning the factory computer to your specific performance demands. In some cases, you can even improve your pickup’s gas mileage!

Computer chips and programmers offer reasonably simple installation and yield good performance gains without a lot of work. You can buy a computer chip for less than a hundred bucks or spend considerably more on a programmer, depending on the tuning options you’d like. Here are some great values in electronic tuning:

Motorvation Stage 1 Computer Chips/Modules
JET Stage 1 Computer Modules
Hypertech Street Runner Power Chips

With vehicle prices through the roof, you may not be able to afford a new truck right now. Fortunately, there are many affordable accessories that will allow your current truck to be at its best. Start with our six must-have accessories (click on the slide show link above for photos), and you may just want to hold on to your truck a little longer!