Fixed Ops Journal - June 2019 - F23

FIXED OPS JOURNAL

GLADIATOR
continued from previous page

Jeep declines to cite sales projections for the
redesigned Gladiator. But Hardy predicts
Gladiator sales will equal those of the Jeep
Wrangler SUV for the first six months to a year,
then level off at 50 to 60 percent of Wrangler
volumes. Last year, Jeep sold more than
240,000 Wranglers in the United States.

Dealer input
Mathers says Mopar's Accessories Excellence
program enables parts, service and sales employees at FCA dealerships to keep a portion of
the profits on the accessories they sell. That incentive is a tangible measure of Mopar's interest in working with dealerships, she says.
The program can mean as much as $2,000 a
month for employees of the Temecula dealership, Szanto says. He adds that he was "pleasantly surprised" that Mopar contacted him
several times in the past year for input about
Gladiator and Wrangler accessories sales. He
says he proposed that Mopar develop a better
definition of the scope of accessories it offers.
"In the past, we've had too many items that
weren't marketable," Szanto says. "We don't
need to be involved in camping. If [customers]
are spending $1,500 for a top-tier tent, it won't
be ours."
It's better, Szanto asserts, for Mopar to focus
on "vehicle" items for the Gladiator, such as

custom-tuned shocks, bumpers and integrated storage.
As at the Miller store, Szanto says his dealership is building custom Gladiators for inventory that are also designed to promote retail sales
of lesser-priced units and accessories. The
dealership does customizations and modifications in house to prevent accessories sales
from defecting to the aftermarket, he adds.
"We realized that we could sell something better at a lower cost if we strategized," Szanto says.
Two service technicians perform the customization work, he says. "These are flat rate
jobs, but we set realistic limits on the labor
that goes into [modified vehicles] so as not to
price us out."
Szanto says he expects as many as half of the
Gladiators the dealership sells to include a
"light" customization package consisting of
17-inch wheels, 35-inch tires and a Mopar
2-inch lift kit, Szanto says. This setup costs
about $5,000 to produce and adds $6,500 to
$7,900 to the sale price, he says.
"These are meant to look great but not be
too expensive," he says.
He predicts that 25 percent of Gladiator buyers will opt for a "heavy" accessories package
costing $12,000 to $16,000. It includes modified bumpers, a winch, more wheel options, a
lift kit, 37-inch tires, accessory lights and fender liners. The higher-priced units take longer
to sell, he notes, but often promote sales of the
less-expensive versions.

Lift kit wish list: Higher and higher

ome of the most popular modifications of Jeep Gladiators and Wranglers involve lift kits - suspension
additions that can raise ground
clearance from an inch or two to Bigfoot-tall.
Higher lift kits accommodate off-roading.
Few automakers offer a lift kit beyond 2
inches because of warranty and liability
concerns.
Last year, Nissan began offering a 3-inch
lift kit for its Titan pickup. Mopar, Fiat
Chrysler Automobiles' parts and service division, includes in its catalog a 4-inch lift kit
for 2007 to 2018 JK-series Wranglers.
Prices of aftermarket lift kits range from
$650 to nearly $4,000. Mopar's 2-inch lift kit
retails for $1,495; its JK-series 4-inch kit lists
for $2,335.
Both kits require about six hours of labor
for installation.
Jake Turner, accessories manager at Larry
H. Miller Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge-Ram in San-

dy, Utah, says he would like to see Mopar lift
kits for the new Gladiator pickup beyond 2
inches.
"A range from three to four and a half
inches would be a big help," he says. "We
could really use Mopar lifts that size."
With a 2-inch kit, Turner says, "37- or
39-inch tires will rub in the back." Mopar
declined to comment on whether it plans to
offer a higher kit.
Turner predicts that on the Gladiator,
"39-inch BF Goodrich KM3 [tires] and a
four-inch lift will be the go-to arrangement."
The Gladiator's wheelbase is 19.1 inches
longer than that of a four-door Wrangler,
which may spur consumer demand for
taller lift kits, Turner says. "We use TeraFlex products for these lifts, though we try
to default to Mopar wherever we can," he
adds.
- Alex Kwanten

Szanto projects the dealership will sell 15 to
20 Gladiators a month during the pickup's first
year. The accessories customers order at the
time of sale are installed during a service visit
a week after purchase.
That handoff can build relations that will encourage buyers to return to the dealership for
service after their factory warranties expire,
he says. 

Price list

Accessories for the new Jeep
Gladiator pickup largely fall into 2
categories: A "light" customization
package and a "heavy" one for
off-road use. Prices of add-ons that
are expected to be most popular:

LIGHT PACKAGE
 2-inch Mopar lift kit: $1,495
 17-inch Mopar wheels: $1,016 to
$1,060 (3 designs)
 35-inch BF Goodrich K02 tires:
$1,204*
Retail parts total: $3,715 to $3,259
 Labor time: 10 hours (est.)
 Estimated addendum sticker:
$6,500 to $8,000**

HEAVY PACKAGE
 2-inch Mopar lift kit: $1,495
 17-inch Mopar off-road or Beadlock
wheels: $1,140 to $1,580
(2 designs)
 37-inch BF Goodrich KM3 tires:
$1,440*
 Tubular side steps: $625
 Winch, mounting kit and guard
hoop: $794
 Steel front bumper: $995
 5- or 7-inch LED off-road lights:
$475 to $725
 A-pillar light brackets: $145
(times 2)
Retail parts total: $7,254 to $7,944
 Labor time: 18 hours (est.)
 Estimated addendum sticker:
$14,000 to $16,000**

OTHER POTENTIALLY POPULAR
ACCESSORIES
 Hard tonneau cover: $950
 Ball mount adapter and hitch
receiver: $55.75
 Labor time: 30 minutes (est.)
*Tire prices vary by vendor.
**Labor and retail prices vary by locale and
equipment levels.
Source: Mopar, Jeep Performance Parts

JUNE 2019

PAGE 23

Fixed Ops Journal - June 2019

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