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Auto Aftermarket Shops Profit from Our Love of Muscle Cars

Posted by Kevin Walli | Fri, Apr 25, 2014 @ 10:00 AM

1971 CamaroThere I was in the parking lot walking to my car when I saw it. A beautiful yellow 2014 Camaro parked next to my Honda. It was brand new with a black racing stripe and gorgeous chrome rims. I had to take a peek inside and was impressed by the black interior and the custom sound system. Quite different from the ’71 Camaro that my high school buddy and I cruised around in trying to attract the attention of girls in their Mustangs and Darts.

Much has changed in the automotive business since those carefree days in our American muscle cars, but the nameplates that we loved are making a comeback. Chevrolet has reintroduced the Camaro, Dodge has brought back the Charger and Challenger and the old reliable Ford Mustang has been reborn with a powerful new look and more robust engine. The new versions are beautiful, powerful and get much better gas mileage than the fire breathing V8 engines that we used to work on.

The new American muscle cars have also revived the auto aftermarket that serves them. You can customize your car with racing stripes, exhaust systems, suspensions, rims, shifters, tires… you name it. It feels better to roll in your hot new car if it is different from the stock versions -- and it is much better if it is customized to your liking. 

Custom car shows featuring classic cars and trucks are plentiful. Have you seen any of the Barrett-Jackson auctions on TV? The prices are mind-blowing. I’ve seen many cars at these shows that were rebuilt from a wreck to near perfection. Their proud owners often document the process in a photo journal. It starts when they find a rusted-out car in a barn and ends with the finished product -- a car so perfect it looks like it just rolled off of the showroom floor in mint condition. It takes a real love to search out original parts for these classics, since regular parts stores will not stock an original starter from a 1969 Mustang. You have to go out there and find it. Not easy, but if you truly want your car to be restored back to its original state you will take the time and bear the expense to do it. 

Of course you do not have to have a muscle car to customize your ride. My college professor drives a contemporary PT Cruiser. But he painted cow patterns over the white finish, put a cow tail on the back window and made horn MOOOOOO when he honks it. It perfectly reflects his love of cows and displays his personality. And he can always find his car in a crowded parking lot. 

Ever see a pink Cadillac driven by a Mary Kay cosmetics saleslady? Or the way people who love to go four wheeling raise the suspensions on their trucks and Jeeps? Or low riders who drop their suspensions almost to the ground? Car lovers customize their vehicles in dozens of ways to reflect their personality and to make their vehicle stand out. They like distinguishing themselves from the crowd and highlighting their unique identity. 

Naturally, adding the cost of cool new accessories on top of a car payment, insurance, and unfortunately emergency fixes, can put a dent in your customer’s wallet. But you can always close sales by offering a Multiple Check payment option. It is a simple way to please your customers. They can write two or four checks to cover the accessories and repairs they want, and you deposit them over a 30 day period as your customer gets additional funds in order. You get the sale, your customer gets the unique look, or they simply get their car back on the road – and you are guaranteed payment as part of our program! A true win-win situation, as told by the Garber Automotive Group in a recent edition of Automotive News.

Read our guide about multiple check, which is sure to keep you and your customers rolling in style:

 

 Multiple Check Insider's Guide

Topics: Auto Aftermarket

Written by Kevin Walli

Kevin Walli is an award-winning graphic designer with 18-plus years of experience in graphic design, web design and photography. Flexible and creative with an excellent sense of humor, Kevin enjoys spending time with his family, photography, reading, music and sports.