You can take advantage of your customers' desire for tailor-made products using specialty vehicle parts that convert their vehicle from unexceptional to unique, without the expense of buying a new vehicle. Experts talk about "mass customization," the idea of consumers' ability to tailor a product for their personal tastes. But ordering a new, stylized auto would cost a great deal of money. The specialty auto parts industry enables you to provide an economical alternative.

Unique auto parts give your customers the opportunity to personalize their vehicles. These accessories yield dramatic yet inexpensive results. Furthermore, they merely modify the appearance of your customers’ vehicles rather than radically alter the performance, alleviating concerns over how the parts will affect the vehicle's ability to function. Three areas you can capitalize on the sale of auto parts for specialty vehicles are:

1. Adding specialty auto parts to sharpen the look of the engine bay,

2. Enhancing the appearance of the exterior or body shell,

3. Including a unique auto part to improve the image of the interior, particularly the console.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Boost the look of the engine bay with specialty auto parts

Chrome shines up on more than just wheels. Your customers can use a variety of auto parts for specialty vehicles to dress up what's under the hood, from air cleaners and valve covers to braided hoses and wiring.

I recommend: Specialty Auto Parts USA Inc.'s PROFORM Performance Parts specializes in parts that can improve the performance and appearance of your General Motors customers’ engines. R & R Specialty carries the Spectre line of high performance specialty auto parts to accessorize your customers’ engine bays.

Enhance the exterior appearance with specialty vehicle accessories

The right specialty vehicle part can set apart a customer's car from the crowd, or make a utility vehicle or truck even more useful. Customers can bedeck their cars with special hoods or emblems, or enhance their trucks with gates, extensions, covers or lights.

I recommend: Pickup Specialties bills itself as an Internet superstore for specialty truck accessories, including bedliners, cargo management, tonneau covers and more. Instead of vanity plates, customers can personalize the car with their own car emblems from YourEmblem.com.

Augment the console's fascia with a unique auto part

Sell customers what can give them the biggest bang for the buck: a specialty auto part they interact with every time they step inside. You can give consoles and even shift levers special treatment.

I recommend: StarStruck offers special dashboard covers and flamed instrument panels to customize consoles. RockNob carves unique gear shift knobs from river rock.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Don't wait for walk-in customers to ask for parts. You can offer specialty auto parts any time a car comes in for maintenance. Why replace an old worn part with another humdrum painted part when your customer can get an upgrade to something with bright work, for a nominal upcharge? They get an extra custom touch and you make a sale.