With thousands of accessories for trucks and vans available in the market, deciding which ones are right for you is hard enough. Now you have to decide if you are capable of installing it yourself. Many factors will go into this decision but here are some of the most basic to address.
1. Do I have time to do this?
Most parts have an estimated time to install on the manufacturer website. Check there and see if it is something you can make time for. Some accessories take only a few minutes to put on while others could literally take you days! Something as simple looking as a shelving unit for a van could take you all day by yourself when you realize that none of it comes preassembled! Then there are things like tonneau covers that you may think take a long time but many of them can be installed in an hour or so. Hourly labor rates have risen quite a bit over recent years making it worth your time to consider knocking out the job yourself.
2. Am I capable of installing these parts?
Equally important is measuring your ability to install the products based on the skill level required. Fortunately, there are videos, guides, and required tool lists available for many of these accessories so that you can make that call. Check for links to installation instructions for the equipment you are shopping for and see if it is easy to follow or so generic that you would rather pay a professional to do it. You would be surprised how many manufacturers take the time to make it fun to do yourself with entertaining directions and really good illustrations.
3. Will the warranty be affected if I install the product instead of a shop?
This is something that most people would never even think about. You could be extremely handy and just as capable as the local shop's installer. Check the fine print to see if the warranty is altered or void when it is not installed at an authorized dealer.
4. Can this item be shipped to my address?
It is very important to make sure the parts you need can be shipped to your location. Most small and medium size pieces can go straight to your home with no problem. If you have commercial/work address, even better. So many truck and van accessories are large/heavy parts that have to be sent via LTL (transfer truck) and may not allow residential deliveries. Even with commercial addresses there may me a requirement for a forklift to be present. Read the fine print or better yet, speak to a real person and ask! If you are buying an expensive and large piece of equipment, speak to someone that can answer these questions before you purchase. If they can't answer this simple question, you need to move on to someone that can!
At National Fleet Equipment, we offer our customers all of the options and advice that it takes to make sure they are satisfied. Because at the end of the day, we want our customers to think of us first when they need something. Reach out anytime with questions at 1-855-494-2840 or sales@nationalfleetequipment.com