Stocking a Shop for 2025: Borla Exhausts, Dashcams, and Scratch Polish Procurement Checklist

This checklist is for shop owners, installers, and dealers who are about to place a parts order and want to avoid the usual costly mistakes. I manage buying for a 13-person automotive parts and installation shop, and I've spent the last six years tracking close to 175 orders—maybe 180, I'd have to check the system—across exhaust, electronics, and detailing supplies. Here are five steps to get it right without blowing the budget.

Step 1: Confirm fitment before you order exhaust

The first question isn't price. It's fitment. If a customer asks about a Borla S-Type muffler RAM 1500, you need the engine, cab style, bed length, and drivetrain. A RAM 1500 with the 5.7L V8 can have a different part number than a 3.6L, and a crew cab with a 5-foot-7 bed may not share the same cat-back as a quad cab with a 6-foot-4 bed. Even exhaust tips have different inlet diameters.

So glad I learned this in 2023, right after my first big exhaust order. I almost ordered a system based on model year alone. The Borla fitment note said 'double-check cab/bed configuration.' That note saved me an $850 return.

For dealers: get the VIN and run fitment before you quote labor. The extra five minutes beats a restocking fee. The tip angle alone can be a deal-breaker on some RAM 1500 trims.

Step 2: Match the sound tier to the customer

Borla makes multiple sound levels for a reason. A Borla Touring muffler is the quietest of the main lines—deeper than stock, but not 'wake-the-block' loud. The Borla S-Type muffler RAM 1500 sits in the middle, with a real growl under throttle and no constant drone on the highway. If you stock only one, S-Type is the safer bet. If you stock two, add Touring for customers who want sound without an HOA headache.

Here's the thing: exhaust inventory is a conversation, not a SKU count. If a customer is on the fence between S-Type and Touring, order the Touring first. You can always swap it later if they want more volume. A customer who buys the wrong sound level will return it, and return freight eats the margin.

Step 3: Build dashcam documentation into the intake process

If you've ever had a customer claim a scratch was already there, you know the value of video proof. We added dashcams after one dispute over a door ding. For a Porsche Cayenne dashcam install, the battery monitoring system matters. Some Cayennes throw warnings if you hardwire into the wrong fuse. Use a proper ignition-switched circuit and a low-voltage cutoff, or you'll see a comeback.

The best iPhone dashcam app for shop use is the one your techs actually open. Real talk: no app turns an old iPhone into a perfect dashcam. Phones overheat, storage fills up, and you don't get a reliable parking mode. But for documenting vehicle arrival on a test drive, a phone app with GPS time-stamp is much better than nothing. Not ideal, but workable.

Oh, and check the app's update schedule. The one we used in 2021 changed its subscription model in 2023, and we almost missed it.

Step 4: Reconsider scratch polish as a service add-on, not a fix

A scratch polish for car paint can be a great upsell for light swirl marks and clearcoat scratches. But it won't fix a scratch you can catch with a fingernail. If the scratch is deep into the color coat, polish just makes it look cleaner for a week. You need touch-up paint or a respray.

We carry a two-step kit: compound plus finishing polish, and a foam pad for a dual-action polisher. The profit per job is solid because the labor is about 30 minutes. Just don't promise perfection. Per FTC guidelines (ftc.gov), any before/after claim has to be a realistic result, not a digitally enhanced one. That applies to social posts, too.

For paint matching, keep the industry standard in mind: Delta E under 2 is where most eyes stop noticing a difference. A polish won't change color; it removes damage. Set expectations early.

Step 5: Evaluate vendors on total landed cost, not unit price

After tracking orders for six years, I can tell you that the lowest quote is rarely the lowest cost. Freight, restocking fees, minimum order requirements, and payment terms all change the picture. If vendor A quotes $1,150 for a cat-back and vendor B quotes $1,090 plus $120 freight, vendor A is cheaper before you even factor in return policy.

Our procurement policy now requires quotes from at least three vendors for repeat orders. That policy started after I got burned on hidden freight twice. The first time, a 'free shipping' quote didn't include the liftgate charge for a pallet of exhaust systems. The second time, the cheap muffler had a 30% restocking fee if fitment was wrong. After we added the three-quote rule, return costs dropped by maybe 40%—I'd have to check the spreadsheet for the exact number.

Bottom line: track total cost by part number, not by invoice. A simple calculator is enough. You don't need fancy procurement software.

Watch out before you place the order

• Return freight. Exhaust systems ship heavy. Confirm who pays return freight if fitment is wrong. A 10% restocking fee plus freight can turn a $900 part into a $1,150 mistake.
• Sound clips. Don't trust a vendor's audio clip until you've heard it on the same engine family. The Borla S-Type muffler RAM 1500 sounds different on a 5.7L than on a 3.6L. Use manufacturer fitment notes, not YouTube comments.
• Dashcam app permissions. If you use a phone app, set it up before the customer arrives. Ask for photo library and microphone permissions once, then save the profile.
• Scratch depth. Keep a fingernail in your pocket. If it catches, hand the customer a mirror instead of a quote for polish.
• Obsolete fitments. What was best practice in 2020 may not apply in 2025. Models get refreshed and part numbers change. The fundamentals haven't changed—fitment and sound still sell—but the execution has transformed. Verify every SKU against the current year's fitment guide before you commit.

This checklist was accurate as of Q1 2025. Borla updates fitments and part numbers regularly, and dashcam technology changes faster than most shops expect. Verify current fitment and pricing before you place a large order.