Digital Auto Care Factbook & Lang Annual 2017 - LANG14

Section II - Executive Summary

REGIONAL SERVICE MARKET PRODUCT GROWTH: 2005 - 2015
The West South Central states averaged the strongest Service market product annual percentage
growth between 2005 and 2015, 3.2%; followed by the South Atlantic region, 2.5%; the Pacific
region, 2.4%; West North Central region, 2.2%; and the East North Central states tied with the
Middle Atlantic region for fifth place in Service market annual growth, 2.1%; followed by three
regions with 1.8% to 1.0% growth: Mountain, 1.8%, East South Central, 1.3%, and New England,
1.0%.
SEVEN MAJOR GROUPS OF SERVICE OUTLETS
Service Stations and Garages captured the largest 2015 Service (DIFM) market light vehicle product share, 29.5%, an increase from 2014, and greater than their 28.3% of products installed on
cars and light trucks by mechanics during 2005. Over these ten years, Service Station and Garage
Service market product share rose 120 basis points. Vehicle Dealers installed 21.2% of 2015 Service market products, an increase over their 2014 Service market share, but over one-fifth lower
than their 27.1% share of 2005 Service market products. Dealer closings and the cancellation of
Dealer franchises, especially by domestic carmakers, devastated Dealer Service market product
share between 2008 and 2012.
Repair Specialists expanded their 2015 Service market product share to 21.7% (passing Dealers
for the second largest DIFM product share during 2013), an increase from 21.5% the previous
year, and substantially stronger than their 16.7% Service market share during 2005. Tire Stores
captured 9.4% of 2015 Service market product sales, unchanged from the previous year, but stronger than their 9.0% share of the 2005 Service market. Tire Stores ranked fourth in 2015 Service
market product volume, the same standing they held at the beginning of the 1990s.
Foreign Specialists installed 8.9% of 2015 car and light truck Service market products, up from
8.8% the previous year, and significantly stronger than their 6.3% share of the 2005 light vehicle
Service market. Discount Stores/Mass Merchandisers with bays were sixth in 2015 Service market product share, at 6.7%, down from 6.8% share the previous year, but much stronger than their
6.1% share of 2005 Service market products. Auto Parts Stores with bays recorded 2.9% of 2015
Service market product volume, down from the previous year and substantially weaker than their
6.2% share of 2005 Service market products. A number of Auto Parts Stores (including several
large chains) closed their service bays in the mid-1990s. Consequently, the volume of automotive
products installed by Auto Parts Stores with bays failed to keep pace with other major Service
outlets. The residual category of All Other Service outlets generated only 0.1% of 2015 Service
market product sales, down two-thirds from 0.3% of the 2005 light vehicle Service market.
SERVICE OUTLET POPULATION DECLINE
At mid-year 2015, there were 226,705 Service outlets repairing cars and light trucks in the U.S.
This was 11,738 fewer light vehicle Service outlets than in 2005. Service Stations and Garages
comprised the largest number of light vehicle repair outlets in the U.S., with 123,141 locations at
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Digital Auto Care Factbook & Lang Annual 2017