Dealership giving me wholesale prices on build out supplies, help me make a shopping list of what to prioritize sourcing through them please :)
Just bought my van (promaster*) from a certified dodge/jeep/ram/chrysler dealership and long story short** they are giving me the option to order parts and accessories for the build (which I’m doing myself) at cost.
I would SO appreciate tips of what items I should try to prioritize sourcing through them. It stands to reason that OEM/Mopar branded items would have the deepest savings through the dealership, and a lot of aftermarket things would have a much smaller discount for them (but still likely better than what I would get and even 5-15% off adds up!) and it’s also possible that certain aftermarket items that have popped up in this niche industry may not be available through them yet and might be the better choice for some things.
Some context that may be helpful:
-I am very handy but this is my first build (I’m so excited 🥹)
-I do not have an endless budget, but I put a lot of value into longevity and build quality and want to keep this forever so I am okay with investing more in certain crucial systems (please see my *footnote about buying a promaster if you had any thoughts when I said I care about build quality/longevity after purchasing a promaster 🤣)
-I live in nyc and have access to a robust fb marketplace community
-I am very much interested into reusing and repurposing materials within reason when the cost in time doesn’t outweigh the savings
-The only things I plan to outsource are the final connection and inspection of electrical, and the additional passenger seating install (I have a young son and additional fmvss compliant seating is a requirement for our usage.)
-I need to add windows and I’m particularly curious about how the windows I could get from the dealership would compare to the aftermarket camper van windows because the aftermarket options might still be more affordable than OEM but since I live in NYC I really don’t want anyone breaking in so the quality and safety matters here.
-I’m also interested in security upgrades for that reason
-I will be adding solar, an awning, and Scopema swivels to the front passenger and driver seats
Thank you so much, any info is helpful and I am so excited to be a part of this community!
*I definitely know the promaster reputation, I did an absurd amount of research and comparisons and I bought a 2024 that is the second gen after the major redesign in 2023 which replaced the old unreliable transmission with a significantly upgraded one that’s used in many other vehicles with only 2,300 miles that was traded in by a small business owner that used it minimally in a suburb for one year and realized it was overkill so he traded it in for a truck. It drives GORGEOUSLY and I did an extremely thorough inspection paying special mind to promaster specific quirks and issues and it is an exceptional van that I got for about $15k less than I would’ve paid for a comparable Transit, money which I can put into a better build that will significantly impact my actual enjoyment of the van. I also really preferred the FWD and lower base of the promaster for city use and I won’t be off-roading. I’m going to take very good care of her and I think we will live happily ever after :). I also have a whole rant about how usage history of promasters vs transits and confirmation bias amplify the perceived (and legitimate) reliability issues of the promaster if anyone would like to hear that as well 😂.
**happy to elaborate here if anyone is confused or curious.