Dealer Add-Ons for Customizing Your Car

On-Board DVD
Pricing of some accessory items may start as low as a few hundred dollars and run up to tens of thousands for a complete package-so there are products to suit any budget. Items may be added individually, or as a complete package. As an example of the latter approach, more than 80 Cadillac dealers offer a special supercharged edition of the Escalade called the XS-500, developed by Dyno-Proven Products, Inc. With 500-plus horses pulling at the reins (compared to the stock 345 hp), the XS-500 is aptly named for its abundance of power. It's more than just a hot-rodded SUV, though. It's also up-fitted (to use an industry term) with a brake, suspension, and custom wheel/tire package.


Obviously the H2 and Escalade are for the high-end consumer, but similar option packages are available for more economical vehicles. Toyota's affordable new Scion models, for example, were designed with modifications in mind. A lengthy list of accessories can be selected at the time of purchase, or your car can be ordered from a centralized location with the equipment you specify.

Custom Lights
What sorts of components should you consider as dealer add-ons? And how can you be sure you're getting a fair price for accessories? Starting out small, the most dramatic enhancement you can make is in the wheel and tire package. It requires no modifications, and can be done in an hour or so for that "immediate gratification factor." No matter what else you do to your vehicle, your eye goes straight to those custom wheels.


The great thing about personalizing your car or truck with bolt-on parts is that it can be done in stages, so you can pay as you go. However, it's better to buy a complete package, a design concept, so the vehicle has the right result. You don't have to do it all at once, as long as you keep the overall goal in mind.

Interior Trim
As for getting the best price, note that some dealers actually obtain accessories, not from the original manufacturer of the vehicle, but at a discount from aftermarket sources. So it's useful to compare prices of similar products beforehand to see if the dealer is padding the price of some chromed wheels, or simply passing along his discounted price in order to make a sale.