The Perfect Dealer Package for Ruff Roads

This article originally appeared in the February 2024 issue of THE SHOP magazine.

Chuck Graf of Auto Sunroof & Leather in Chester, New York, is no stranger to coming up with packages to sell to car dealers.

Having started in the industry back in 1986, he is now in his fourth decade of designing and producing packages for everyday drivers that are not only appealing but offer a lot of functionality as well.

So, when it came time to organize the annual PRO Cup Challenge as part of the 2023 SEMA Show, it was a no-brainer that Graf would be involved.

The friendly competition challenges automotive restylers from across the country to develop an accessory package for a new-model vehicle. The winning entry is voted on by industry judges based on the package’s mass appeal, creativity, ease of replication and profit potential.

Installation of the package must take no more than 40 hours of labor, and its wholesale cost to dealerships cannot exceed $12,500. The goal is to showcase how restylers and dealers can benefit from offering marketable packages rather than focusing on massive, one-off special vehicle builds.

CREATIVE IDEAS FOR RESTYLERS

This year, six companies were chosen to compete in the PRO Cup Challenge. The restylers didn’t disappoint, as each submitted a creative, appealing package that improved the look and utility of their vehicle.

The entries included cars, trucks and SUVs. But the real winners were the other restyling shops across the country that came to the SEMA Show and got to see these vehicles in person. They were able to walk away with six great ideas they could take back to their markets and pitch to their own dealership customers.

Viewing them in person, the attendees could see what products from which manufacturers were used, and how they were installed. Window tags revealed the wholesale and retail prices, to highlight profit potential.

(Did you miss the show this year? Go to sema.org/pro to see before-and-after pictures and build sheets for all six entries.)

The excitement and buzz surrounding this year’s competition had Graf and the other five builders second-guessing whether they had done enough to come out on top. I spoke with Graf a few weeks before the show and he mentioned he was still waiting on parts to finish the build—adding another layer of anxiety.

His day finally came when the transport arrived and there was nothing else to do other than ship it off to Las Vegas. The show opened on Tuesday, Oct. 31, and Myles Kovacs (DUB magazine and other industry affiliations) announced the voting results at an afternoon happy hour on Wednesday, Nov. 1, in the PRO booth on the show floor.

Kovacs made sure all the builders were shown appreciation for their hard work and creativity before announcing that Graf’s 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Sport model “Ruff Rider” package had won.

PET PROJECT

Auto Sunroof & Leather has been serving the North Jersey and New York Hudson Valley areas from its Chester location since 2018, where Graf spends his time creating and building packages for local dealerships.

His contest entry came about because he and his wife have dogs and, like so many of us, absolutely love them. He also knows there are a tremendous number of dog people driving around in vehicles that he can accessorize.

Aiming at this specific market, his “Ruff Rider” package for the Crosstrek Sport includes:

• 4Knines rear seat & cargo protection package (4knines.com)
• Avery Dennison hood stripe with paw print design (graphics.averydennison.com)
• Champion 321 Large Power Topslider sunroof (championautosystems.com)
• LLumar paint protection film (llumar.com)
• Katzkin custom leather interior with paw print design (katzkin.com)
• LP Adventure 1.5-inch lift kit with wheel & tire package (lpadventure.com)
• Squatch custom emblem package (facebook.com/squatchcustoms)

The package checked all the boxes as it presents good profit potential for restylers and dealers and is easy to reproduce on many makes and models.

“My team did a great job,” Graf said. “I’m a dog person. I have lots of dogs and I know that people relate to that, so it’s something that’s sellable. It should be something that’s marketable to everybody. I hope that other restylers pick up on it and do the same thing.”

That’s truly the spirit of the competition and now Graf and his “Ruff Rider” package will be added to the PRO Cup Challenge trophy kept at SEMA headquarters as well as receiving his own trophy to display at his shop.

Since the show Graf has been back to work, showing off the package to other dealers who have jumped on board, most recently a Ford dealership that did a Level 1 package on a Bronco Sport and a GMC dealer who made a similar add-on to a new blue GMC Terrain, he reports.

Level 1, Graf explains, consists of a custom leather interior (choice of color), front heated seats, rear seat and cargo protection, and Ruff Rider graphics and emblems. The package has a wholesale price of $2,995, with a recommended MSRP of $4,199.

This attractive add-on allows dealers to set themselves apart and appeals to drivers who want to stand out in a crowd and show a little love to their best furry friends.

Even better, there have been reports from restylers in other parts of the country who have had similar successes with their own takes on Ruff Rider-inspired pet-themed packages.

In fact, I need to have a meeting with my two sales reps now and get a few of these lined up at some local dealers. Bye!