Digital Auto Care Factbook & Lang Annual 2017 - LANG15

Section II - Executive Summary

mid-year 2015, despite a long and irregular decline in population. Between 2005 and 2015, the
Service Station and Garage count receded more than 8%, shrinking 11,174 outlets nationwide.
There were 17,694 Dealer outlets at mid-year 2015, up slightly from 17,575 the previous year. The
Dealer population declined 3,874 between 2005 and 2015.
Repair Specialists (outlets focusing on a limited array of service operations) continued to multiply
during 2015, with their nationwide population reaching 29,130, an increase of 2,665 Repair Specialist outlets since 2005. Nationwide, there were 26,498 Tire Stores conducting vehicle repair in
addition to tire-related services at mid-year 2015, up from 25,885 in 2008 and a 938 outlet gain
over 2005. Foreign Specialists (outlets focusing on the repair of foreign nameplate cars and light
trucks) continued to proliferate, totaling 18,794 locations during 2015, up from 18,552 the previous year, with their nationwide population increasing 2,204 between 2005 and 2015. The residual
category of Other Service outlets represented 11,448 car and light truck service establishments
during 2015, down 2,497 locations from ten years earlier, an 18% reduction in outlet count.
GROWING SERVICE BAY CRISIS
There were 1,171,000 service bays conducting car and light truck repair in the U.S. at mid-year
2015. This count was down from 1,194,000 light vehicle service bays during 2008 and substantially below the 2005 service bay population of 1,206,000. While Service Stations and Garages
operated the largest number of light vehicle service bays during 2015, a total of 346,000, this was
7,000 fewer bays than they represented in 2005. Car and light truck Dealers fell in service bay
count between 2005 and 2015, receding from 345,000 to 288,000 bays, a 17% reduction.
Repair Specialists (outlets concentrating on a limited array of vehicle repairs) accounted for 225,000
car and light truck service bays during 2015, up from 194,000 bays ten years earlier; while Tire
Stores also expanded their service bay count between 2005 and 2015, from 122,000 to 127,000.
Foreign Specialists (outlets focusing on the repair of foreign nameplate cars and light trucks) operated 84,000 service bays at mid-year 2015, 2,000 more than the previous year and up 14,000 bays
from 2005. Finally, the residual category of Other Outlets represented 101,000 service bays at midyear 2015, down 5,000 from the previous year and 22,000 fewer bays than during 2005.
MORE LIGHT VEHICLES PER BAY
As the number of light vehicle service bays declined 35,000 between 2005 and 2015, the population of cars and light trucks on U.S. roads climbed over 16 million. Consequently, the average
number of cars and light trucks per service bay in the U.S. soared from 167 vehicles in 2000 to an
estimated 215 cars and light trucks for each service bay in the U.S. at mid-year 2015. Lang Marketing projects there will be at least 221 cars and light trucks for each service bay by mid-year 2017.
DO-IT-YOURSELF MARKET SALES
The Do-It-Yourself automotive aftermarket in the U.S. includes all products used in the repair,
maintenance and/or modification of cars and light trucks, which are installed by consumers rather
© 2016 by Lang Marketing Resources, Inc.
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Digital Auto Care Factbook & Lang Annual 2017