Dealer installed options.

Donstar · October 24, 2018

Most dealer installed options are obvious. I am wondering what options normally done during assembly you have requested. I am on the search for the perfect '18 and have no reason to compromise. I often find a truck that comes very close but missing a feature that I want. There is a truck at my dealer right now that ticks all the boxes except "leather". The wheels are also my least favorite gm style but I know this is easily remedied. I am not sure if I'd be comfortable asking the dealer to switch the cloth for leather. There is another truck that is missing a sliding rear window. I have previously come across a couple of nice trucks that were missing heated seats. I know members have done considerable upgrades to their trucks. I am just asking what is the most significant upgrade you have negotiated in a purchase agreement that may not be an obvious request to the average consumer?

Crstfr · October 24, 2018

cloth to leather will be a cost.. when i was looking at the lt.. it had cloth, and there was an upcharge for leather.. .. .. sounds like you'll have to custom order it to make sure you get all the options you want.. .you might be paying up tho!.

i just bought mine ass is off the lot.. i mean i was coming from an xlt ford with cloth and suicide small back door.. so this was just an upgrade for me..

newdude · October 24, 2018

2 hours ago, Donstar said:

Most dealer installed options are obvious. I am wondering what options normally done during assembly you have requested. I am on the search for the perfect '18 and have no reason to compromise. I often find a truck that comes very close but missing a feature that I want. There is a truck at my dealer right now that ticks all the boxes except "leather". The wheels are also my least favorite gm style but I know this is easily remedied. I am not sure if I'd be comfortable asking the dealer to switch the cloth for leather. There is another truck that is missing a sliding rear window. I have previously come across a couple of nice trucks that were missing heated seats. I know members have done considerable upgrades to their trucks. I am just asking what is the most significant upgrade you have negotiated in a purchase agreement that may not be an obvious request to the average consumer?

Leather can be done for $1000-1300USD. We do crew cabs for $1300, $1100 for regular cab. Its sublet to our GM accessories distributor, and they install it and warranty it. They use Katzkin leather for the job. I like it better than the factory, feels more like leather vs. the thin vinyl stuff GM uses.

I'd avoid trying a rear window swap as that can get messy with electronics, and potential water leaks in the rear.

Heated seats can be added non issue, mainly aftermarket though, so I'd try and find those factory installed. The aftermarket ones you end up with ugly buttons somewhere.

wforrest08 · October 24, 2018

Have you ever rode in a vehicle with the Katzkins? If not if I was you I would try to find something on a lot and check them out. IMO they are nicer than the factory pleather anyway and come with a decent warranty 3/36 I believe.

The “big” dealer here will do pretty much anything they can but they don’t add the price of it to the deal instead you make the deal then they do the accessories/add ons which I think is the right way to do it then there’s no question on what the cost of the truck was/is. They’ll swap factory wheel/tire sets or do aftermarket, nerf bars (GM or other) they used to do the Amps but they stopped because they had to many problems with them, they have a full body/interior shop on site so they’ll swap body panels/grilles, Katzkins, lift/level/lower, bed liners (LineX), tint, remote start, ect.

Obviously they can’t add “options” as GM says that’s a no no so they can’t add a factory slider or factory heated seats so stuff like that your stuck with aftermarket.

The only thing I don’t like about some of this is like the LineX I priced with them and at the LineX dealer they use to do it same price ? but going through the dealership I was told it would be a 3/36 warranty not the lifetime LineX offers ? so I opted to take it to LineX after they finished the rest. Same thing with all weather floor mats Huskies are Lifetime GMs are 3/36.

MN1(SW) · October 24, 2018

When I bought my W/T back in 2015, I couldn't even get the dealership to switch out the grill for chrome or white. Not too sure how far you'd get asking for seats.

Donstar · October 24, 2018

2 hours ago, Crstfr said:

cloth to leather will be a cost.. when i was looking at the lt.. it had cloth, and there was an upcharge for leather.. .. .. sounds like you'll have to custom order it to make sure you get all the options you want.. .you might be paying up tho!.

i just bought mine ass is off the lot.. i mean i was coming from an xlt ford with cloth and suicide small back door.. so this was just an upgrade for me..

I have often thought of ordering a truck but I don't think I could handle the stress! I enjoy shopping the lots for my vehicles and have always been happy with my choices. If I stumbled across an '18 with the same equipment as my current '15 (except with heavier towing capabilities), it would be ideal. The problem with buying well equipped trucks is it is hard to go back to the basics. If I wasn't spoiled by features like heated seats and leather selection would be easy!

SilverSilvy · October 24, 2018

Like stated above, leather is an up charge. I'm a sales consultant for chevy/GMC, and we swap wheels and tires all the time, and have an outfitter that does Katzkin leather for us, and it is so much nicer then factory leather anyway. I just bought a new LT with cloth and am adding the Katzkins myself!

outrag1 · October 24, 2018

2 hours ago, Donstar said:

I have often thought of ordering a truck but I don't think I could handle the stress! I enjoy shopping the lots for my vehicles and have always been happy with my choices. If I stumbled across an '18 with the same equipment as my current '15 (except with heavier towing capabilities), it would be ideal. The problem with buying well equipped trucks is it is hard to go back to the basics. If I wasn't spoiled by features like heated seats and leather selection would be easy!

I'm having a similar issue with regards to leather. I'm just looking mid-level LT, maybe LT Z71, but with leather. Literally two trucks from two separate dealers sold their 18's I was looking at over the last day while I was communicating via email. There are tons of mid-level trucks with cloth, but few with leather unless you want to jump to LTZ and High Country. I refuse to pay for a sunroof...that is a deal breaker for me...don't want it, had before in Tahoe's etc., and never used. At least in my area, the leftover 18's with leather are going quick.

I'd also like to switch out the tires (not a fan of Goodyear OEM stock tires) and I like the 18" rims on the LT and LTZ, but don't love the 18" on Z71. Don't want 20" rims.

I don't know much about the Katzkin covers, maybe that is an option. Wheels and tires can always be switched after the fact. The rear window I probably wouldn't touch if it's not factory. I thought most trucks mid-level and up come with heated seats.

crankman · October 24, 2018

I made my deal for my 2015 2500 dealer changed the seats to leather, added heated seats and changed the wheels to 18''. You need to work that magic before you sign off on the truck. They were willing to do what ever to sell the truck.

Loco-diablo · October 25, 2018

I'm having a similar issue with regards to leather. I'm just looking mid-level LT, maybe LT Z71, but with leather. Literally two trucks from two separate dealers sold their 18's I was looking at over the last day while I was communicating via email. There are tons of mid-level trucks with cloth, but few with leather unless you want to jump to LTZ and High Country. I refuse to pay for a sunroof...that is a deal breaker for me...don't want it, had before in Tahoe's etc., and never used. At least in my area, the leftover 18's with leather are going quick.

I'd also like to switch out the tires (not a fan of Goodyear OEM stock tires) and I like the 18" rims on the LT and LTZ, but don't love the 18" on Z71. Don't want 20" rims.

I don't know much about the Katzkin covers, maybe that is an option. Wheels and tires can always be switched after the fact. The rear window I probably wouldn't touch if it's not factory. I thought most trucks mid-level and up come with heated seats.

Framingham
https://www.herbconnollychevrolet.com/auto/new-2018-chevrolet-silverado-1500-lt-lt2-framingham-ma/31555773/

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Donstar · October 25, 2018

I like the choices of covers by Katzkins. I did notice wrinkles/folds in some installation pictures and hope they actually fit like factory when professionally installed. Do you lose the pocket behind the front seats?

Donstar · October 25, 2018

18 hours ago, wforrest08 said:

The “big” dealer here will do pretty much anything they can but they don’t add the price of it to the deal instead you make the deal then they do the accessories/add ons which I think is the right way to do it then there’s no question on what the cost of the truck was/is.

A consideration is that the 20% savings on '18's will not apply to the dealer installed options. This in not a huge issue but it does bring the "out the door" cost of an LT/SLE much closer to LTZ/SLT territory. Currently there is a $5-6K difference between the LTZ I would probably drive home "as is" and a couple of lower trims (with modifications ) I would consider. This is not a case of, "Then just buy the LTZ". If the LTZ was determined to be too expensive for my budget, then I shouldn't try to justify a LT that costs as much as a LTZ!

wforrest08 · October 25, 2018

The Katzkins will be wrinkled when first installed (depending on the shop or if you installing them) they take a month or so to “smooth out” takes some heat for the leather to pull tight some shops will steam fit them when installing them or any other leather (Roadwire is another brand) to get the wrinkles out from the get go. Katzkins also offers heated and/or cooled seats as well as perforated leather for factory cooled seats. Only reason I mention it is might be worth running their heating elements instead of the factories (should still be able to retain factory switches) depending on the warranty since I see a fair amount of guys on here have had the factories fail after the warranty period? Stuff like this I like to find a set that’s been installed and used for a couple years to see how they hold up. I’m the same way when vehicle shopping (my wife doesn’t get it) but I’ll find the most wore out high mile one I can to drive first before I drive the one I’m actually looking at. I’d check around your area assuming you have some truck accessories/interior shops and see if they have a set installed in their shop truck or personal vehicle that have been installed for awhile so you can see for yourself how they’ll hold up. The local truck acc shop in town here outfits all of the trucks right of the lot for one of the big corporate hog farms in the state and has for years. Every single truck gets the Katzkins whether or not if the are cloth or factory vinyl seats (mostly they buy WTs). That’s what has sold me on them in the first place.

Here in the US the basic black set of Katzkins for a crew (front&rear) I’ve seen as low as $525 to $650 US depending on seller and Installed I’ve been quoted from just under a grand to $1300 including the set. I do have the “jump”/bench seat (whatever they call it) which from my understanding is the worst one to do labor wise so a bucket front might be a couple bucks cheaper labor wise anyway.

I hear you on the price thing. When I bought my 015 it was cheaper to buy the LTAllStar off the lot with discounts than it would have been to order a WT optioned out the way I wanted it. So I bought the LT with a bunch of crap on it I don’t care about or use because it was cheaper and had the power seat which is a act of God to get in a WT apparently. The only other thing I considered was the resale down the road even though I thought at the time this will be my forever truck. I still see lower mile 012/013 LTZs on lots for more than similar mile 014/015 LTs wether or not if they sell them for more IDK? How they sell any used trucks right now with the discounts on 018s is beyond me...

wforrest08 · October 25, 2018

Another option for leather. I kinda like the pattern on these. I forgot about that leatherseats.com site they have a bunch options and videos also

You keep the pocket with the Katzkins there’s a good pic in this thread of the back of the seat

Donstar · October 25, 2018

Thanks for the links and suggestions!^^^^ After reading these threads and some other research, I wouldn't hesitate to negotiate adding leather to a truck with cloth seats! My love of coffee and my dog make "leather" the preferred fabric!