Vehicle customization moves the metal, according
to auto dealers panel at SEMA show in Las Vegas

Here is a real shocker, people pay more for something unique. I am all about dealers putting something a little extra into their cars, so long as I don’t pay out the ass for it and the dealers don’t make the cars look like ass. That’s a lot of ass to not be from Beyonce. Be smart and do it up right!

Properly customized cars can sell faster and raise profit margins. That’s the word from a dealer panel discussion this week at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A.

Bill Kolb Jr., a Subaru dealer in New York, said his firm creates its own brand of customized Subaru Legacies by installing such features as leather interiors, special wheels, sunroofs and electronic gear. He said he then creates special badges that he places on the cars, and advertises the cars in detail on his store’s website. “I use accessories and badges to differentiate my inventory,” he said. “I sell more cars with increased profit.”

Martin Walsh, a Hummer general manager, noted that Hummer division, General Motors’ most accessorized brand, has big plans to increase the ways a buyer can customize an H2 or H3 model. The brand plans to double the number of accessories consumers can buy from dealers, continue rolling out limited-edition models and launch Hummer Custom Designs, a program that enables buyers to order expensive low-production, high-end models. “Customization is here to stay,” he explained. “It’s not a trend but an expectation. And the profits are there for the taking.” The average Hummer buyer adds US$1,000 to $2,000 worth of accessories at purchase, says Walsh.

Regardless of the brand, the addition of accessories sells vehicles. Ed Woods, general manager of a North Carolina Ford dealer, says the Ford F-series trucks he customizes with special wheels, running boards and other items give him an advantage over other Ford dealers in the area. “You need to make your inventory unique from the competition,” he said.

Tom Carre, of DTC Retail Consulting, said 50 percent of consumers that are offered the opportunity to purchase accessories will buy them. He advised dealers to clearly mark the price of the accessories; establish a spiffs program that rewards salespeople for selling accessories; change showroom displays of accessories frequently; sell gift certificates for accessories so that customers can return later and buy them as gifts; and use only high-quality parts and find a high-quality installer if the items are not going to be put on the vehicle at the dealership. “Customers tend to forget the great price when something they buy breaks,” said Carre. “You have to have good quality.” (Automotive News)