Nowadays there’s lots of dealerships offering aftermarket upgrades to new vehicles such as wheels, tires, lift kits, exhaust, etc. When you buy a vehicle with these add-ons from the dealer, the cost of the upgrades is usually bundled in with your purchase price and financing. Is that a good or a bad thing?
Convenient? Yes. Cheaper? Maybe not. Think about this: you finance your vehicle for 4 or more years, but when purchasing one with add-ons you’re also paying for those over the course of 4 years or more. That all sounds great until you factor in the amount of interest you’re paying on those parts.
Let’s take a standard 4” lift with wheels and tires. Normally at a shop, the cost of parts and install could be between $3,000-$5,000 depending on the type of lift, wheels, and tires. However, if you buy a truck from the dealer with those parts as an add-on you’re not only paying that $3,000-$5,000 that’s added on to the vehicle price, but you’re also paying interest on it. So that lift, wheels, and tires ends up costing you considerably more than just paying for it outright at a shop.
If you’re paying cash for the vehicle or the convenience outweighs the cost, then buying a vehicle with aftermarket upgrades from the dealer is a fine choice as long as they honor the work and are willing to make any repairs should the aftermarket parts need it. However, if you’re looking to save a little money then it may be best to compare the cost of shop upgrades and dealer upgrades for yourself.
