The automotive specialty-equipment parts and accessories industry continues to thrive as a result of the enthusiasm automotive consumers have for accessorizing and boosting the performance of their rides?turning their vehicles into personalized dream machines. Sales of automotive appearance accessories, suspension and handling, and performance products continue to climb each year?sales at the retail level grew 9.68% from 2004
to 2005, reaching $34 billion in 2005.
New consumers entering the market (i.e. new drivers, existing drivers with a newly sparked interest in vehicle accessorization, etc.), new vehicle models from the OEMs, and new products developed at the manufacturer level each contribute to the ever-growing specialty equipment industry. Automotive enthusiasts?those consumers that are passionate about the vehicles they drive?customize their cars and trucks to reflect their lifestyles. These enthusiasts look to magazines and other automotive media for the
latest trends and to hottest new products available for their rides. Enthusiast, therefore, are the key driving force to the continuous growth experienced by the specialty equipment industry. These enthusiasts tend to be the opinion leaders for the rest of the automotive customization world of consumers casually looking to add some personalization and comfort to the vehicles they drive.
In an attempt to further understand the attitudes and buying
behaviors of automotive enthusiasts, SEMA surveyed automotive
enthusiasts through an online survey that was emailed to
subscribers to 21 different automotive enthusiast magazines.
SEMA administered the surveyed during the month of June
2006, which is exactly one year after SEMA first surveyed this
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consumer group. A total of 4,896 responses were received
as of July 14?survey respondents were predominately male
(96%), an average age 43 years old (although ages were evenly
distributed between the ages of 16 and 58), and have persued
higher education (64% with at least some college, excluding
trade schools). Although the survey does not represent a random
sample, had the survey been random the results would be
accurate to plus or minus 1.4% assuming a 95% confidence level.
Automotive Enthusiast Buying Habits,
Lifestyles and Demographics
So what vehicle
accessories and
equipment are
consumers purchasing
first for their
vehicles? SEMA
put together a list of
90 vehicle accessory
and appearance,
suspension and
handling and
performance products
and asked automotive
enthusiasts which
item they purchased
first for their vehicles.
It is no surprise that
aluminum wheels
rank among the top
accessories purchased
first, but notice that
enthusiasts are also
purchasing several performance products for their cars and
light-trucks. Over the past year performance upgrades appear
to be top of mind for enthusiasts looking to modify their car
or truck. Enthusiasts are looking less at dress-up items, such
as body kits, and spending their money first on performance
upgrades.
Air intake and exhaust upgrades top the list of what enthusiasts
are first purchasing for their rides. This could be a result of
two underlying factors: the typical costs for these upgrades