Over the next few months, you will be reading a great deal about who had the biggest, most expensive or most outrageously modified product or vehicle at the SEMA show.
Sure, it all looks good, but how will it help you grow your business?
I want to take a different approach and tell you about some really innovative products that ‘average companies’ are producing and show you how to incorporate these new offerings into your product mix.
Several months ago, we learned how unsprung weight causes parasitic losses of torque and horsepower. This is an important issue, but what about other performance factors that your customer may want to quantify, such as lateral g-force, cornering, acceleration and braking? What if you could provide a system of data acquisition that incorporates these parameters and a synchronized, four-camera digital video and two-channel digital audio? How about future upgrades that could include the ability to gather vehicle sensor data, such as throttle, steering and track position mapping using GPS?
XtremeX3 (www.xtremex3.com) can provide this type of system for resale. The system is targeted toward SCCA groups and other forms of motorsports where competition thrives. If you want to increase your performance tire and wheel business, this is a unique application that can help you.
Our industry is technology driven, and this product fits right in. Once you sell one of these to just one customer, and his or her friends see it, they will all be hooked and knocking on your door. Everyone – from motorsports drivers to rock crawlers to 18 year olds – is going to want one of these.
And, don’t be shy about the retail price of $2,000 for a one-camera system and up to $5,000 for the four-camera version. A midrange audio/video system costs about the same, so don’t be scared to go after some of that cash.
Remember, it isn’t about the total cost but how much it costs per month. In other words, finance it!
The benefit to you, apart from the initial sale, is the ability to quantify what we have discussed over the past few years – selling more expensive, high-performance tires and ultra-lightweight wheels to performance-minded consumers.
The XtremeX3 comes with all of the equipment needed to capture video, audio and data. All consumers need to do is plug it up to a compatible computer with a DVD-R to burn their own personal library of videos.
The XtremeX3 will give consumers the tools they need to evaluate their current tire, wheel and suspension packages along with their driving skills. This creates an opportunity for you to sell the best-possible performance tire and wheel combination.
Wheels and Kits
As a general rule, the wider the tire and wheel combination, the more footprint, resulting in the best performance. This allows for better traction and handling. We have seen more staggered offsets available in the last few years than in the last 10 years combined. For years, multi-piece wheels have been the choice to get staggered widths and offsets, but more companies are building one-piece wheels with several offsets. Not only do we see this trend on late-model BMWs and Porsches, but on ‘G-Machine’ muscle cars like this ‘Cuda, seen here at the SEMA Show.
Speaking of muscle cars being updated with high-tech suspensions, there were several SEMA exhibitors with a host of suspension products; all of them are looking for good retailers to partner with. Specialty Products is now adding some serious hardware to its product mix and marketing it through SPC Performance (www.spcperformance.com). Alignment kits for lowered sport compacts, off-road racing and street-rod applications are available with one call. I shouldn’t have to tell you how profitable alignment kits can be, so take this one as a given. Here are some possible upgrades to stock suspensions.
Pictured below is an adjustable control arm for 1978-88 GM G-bodies, such as the Grand National and Monte Carlo SS. Other applications include Mustang II, GM A-bodies such as Chevelles and F-body Camaros and Firebirds.
For lowered sport compacts, there is a complete catalog dedicated to providing a wide range of camber/caster angles than the stock will allow.
This Pro Series forged upper control arm will fit 1992-2000 Civics, 1994-2001 Integras and 1995-1999 Eclipses, Galants, Talons and Avengers. Take a close look at the camber-adjusting nut. It provides a full 5-degree (+3.5 to -2.5 degree) range of camber adjustment.
Portable Alignments
As an add-on sale to these performance suspension components, offer a portable alignment kit for the weekend racer. A customer can take the FasTrax adjustable camber/caster gauge to the track to set up the geometry that works best for racing conditions. Then, the customer can use it to reset the alignment back to driving specs for the trip back home. An optional toe kit can be sold, as well.
Available for the truck market are new truck stabilization kits – called jounce shocks – that act like extra dampeners. These bolt-on shocks provide increased stability over rough roads at moderate speeds and can be useful in areas such as the Midwest and West, where there are long stretches of uneven roads.
Finally, there is some new wheel technology you should know about. BBS (www.bbs-usa.com), has unveiled a new wheel design with hollow spokes and flanges.
A unique mold and mold machine was developed to create the hollow spoke, which results in increased strength and resistance to flange deformation. Then, “flow forming” techniques are applied to increase the strength of the wheel while keeping mass to a minimum. Finally, the seams are laser welded. An integrated valve stem is located in a spoke, and air flows into the tire chamber through holes drilled in the drop-center side of the hollow spoke.
All of this was done to build a 22×10.5 wheel that weighs a scant 34.6 pounds. The first OE applications are the Cayenne and Toureg. Other OE applications are Mercedes-Benz ML and BMW X5 in 20 inches, which will be rolling soon. The Volkswagen GTI will be the first car in the U.S. to have this wheel as OE, so copy this article for reference when it arrives in your shop.
Mounting and dismounting will be the same as usual, but you will have to make sure that you use a valve extension. Also, these wheels will be carrying the Beru type of TPMS sensor and may even have a second valve for TPMS sensors from other manufacturers.
On that subject, look for upcoming articles on how the aftermarket is producing wheels that can accept various TPMS sensors and still meet TREAD Act guidelines. If you weren’t already confused about how to determine if a vehicle has a valve sensor, knowing that there may, in fact, be a second valve is really going to put you over the edge.
There are huge opportunities to cross market these products and enhance your business. They can all be combined to provide the very best the aftermarket has to offer. Learn more by contacting the manufacturers and inquiring about these products as a first step.
