Ford has a feeling that many buyers of the revived Ford Ranger midsize pickup will see it as a blank canvas and turn to the aftermarket to truly make it their own. In an effort to cash in on that, Ford is teaming up with Yakima to offer 150 parts and accessories that you’ll be able to get straight from the dealer, rolled into the purchase price of the truck with a 3 year/36,000 mile warranty.
The parts list includes stuff like tow hooks, bed racks, carriers for specific things like kayaks and bicycles, tents, and a lot more. Ford estimates that people will have spent about $45 billion on parts and accessories industry-wide by the time 2018 draws to a close, and more than half of that goes to aftermarket suppliers. Ford wants to swing that number in its favor with a little help from Yakima.
2019 Ford Ranger XLT
Dealer accessories can be a mixed bag, but there are several advantages to ordering stuff straight from the dealer when you buy your truck. For starters, that warranty gives you some peace of mind. You’ll also be able to roll the extra cost into the cost of the truck and finance the parts for whatever terms you decide on. That might get expensive, considering the Ranger already has a starting price that’s $4,400 higher than the Chevy Colorado, but the trend of trucks constantly moving further upmarket could work in the Ranger’s favor.
It’s cool to see Ford and Yakima are offering new dealer accessories that go beyond the usual overpriced floor mats. Still, we have a feeling the aftermarket will have a field day with the new Ranger when it hits North American dealers in early 2019.
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