Digital Auto Care Factbook & Lang Annual 2018 - LANG15

Section II-Executive Summary

Repair Specialists (outlets focusing on a limited array of service jobs) continued to multiply during 2016, with their nationwide population reaching 29,342, an increase of 2,622 Repair Specialist
outlets since 2006. Nationwide, there were 26,515 Tire Stores conducting vehicle repair in addition to tire-related services at mid-year 2016, up from 26,498 in 2015, and an 855 outlet gain over
2006. Foreign Specialists (outlets focusing on the repair of foreign nameplate cars and light trucks)
continued to proliferate, totaling 18,982 locations during 2016, up from 18,794 the previous year,
with their nationwide population increasing 2,222 between 2006 and 2016. The residual category
of Other Service outlets represented 10,543 car and light truck service establishments during 2016,
down 3,752 locations from ten years earlier, a 26% reduction in outlet count.
GROWING SERVICE BAY CRISIS
There were 1,169,000 service bays conducting car and light truck repair in the U.S. at mid-year
2016. This count was down from 1,171,000 light vehicle service bays during 2015 and substantially below the 2006 service bay population of 1,204,000. While Service Stations and Garages
operated the largest number of light vehicle service bays during 2016, a total of 343,000, this was
5,000 fewer bays than they had in 2006. Car and light truck Dealers fell in service bay count between 2006 and 2016, receding from 345,000 to 290,000 bays, a 16% reduction.
Repair Specialists (outlets concentrating on a limited array of vehicle repairs) accounted for 226,000
car and light truck service bays during 2016, up from 195,000 bays ten years earlier; while Tire
Stores also expanded their service bay count between 2006 and 2016, from 124,000 to 127,000.
Foreign Specialists (outlets focusing on the repair of foreign nameplate cars and light trucks) operated 85,000 service bays at mid-year 2016, 1,000 more than the previous year and up 14,000 bays
from 2006. Finally, the residual category of Other Outlets represented 98,000 service bays at midyear 2016, down 3,000 from the previous year and 23,000 fewer bays than during 2006.
MORE LIGHT VEHICLES PER BAY
As the number of light vehicle service bays declined 35,000 between 2006 and 2016, the population of
cars and light trucks on U.S. roads climbed over 19 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 228 cars
and light trucks for each service bay in the U.S. at mid-year 2016. Lang Marketing projects there will
be approximately 241 cars and light trucks for each service bay by mid-year 2018.
DO-IT-YOURSELF MARKET SALES
The Do-It-Yourself (DIY) 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 than
professional mechanics. The Do-It-Yourself market does not contain Purchased Service.
DIY Market Growth. Do-It-Yourself products for cars and light trucks totaled $21.4 billion during 2016, up from $21.2 billion the previous year, and higher than the 2006 Do-It-Yourself market
which reached $20.4 billion at user-price.
© 2017 by Lang Marketing Resources, Inc.
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Digital Auto Care Factbook & Lang Annual 2018