Digital Auto Care Factbook & Lang Annual 2018 - LANG24

Section II-Executive Summary

in 2016 Purchased Service volume share, 44.1%; followed by Tire Stores at 43.2%; and Auto Parts
Stores with bays recording 43.1% Purchased Service volume share. Purchased Service generated
42.1% of Service Station and Garage volume; while Purchased Service comprised 50.2% of the
miniscule automotive repair volume conducted by the residual category of Other Outlets.
LIGHT VEHICLE ANALYSIS
There were substantial changes in the mix of cars and light trucks on U.S. roads as well as the
percentage of Foreign and Domestic nameplate vehicles between 2006 and 2016.
Cars and Light Trucks. Passenger cars comprised 51.6% of light vehicles in the U.S. at midyear 2006, slipping to 47.6% of the 2014 light vehicle population. Passenger cars comprised only
46.9% of light vehicles on U.S. roads at the beginning of July 2016, down one-tenth in registration
share from 2006. Lang Marketing estimates passenger cars will slip to 45.1% of light vehicles in
operation by mid-year 2018. The diminishing passenger car share in the U.S. between 2006 and
2016 reflects the sales surge of light trucks, whose registration percentage soared over this tenyear span. Comprising only 48.4% of light vehicles at the mid-year 2006, light trucks climbed to
51.0% of the 2011 light vehicle population. Light truck share continued expanding over the next
five years, representing 53.1% of light vehicles in the U.S. on July 1, 2016. By 2018, Lang Marketing projects light trucks will climb to 54.9% of light vehicles on U.S. roads, reflecting a high
passenger car scrappage rate.
Domestic and Foreign Vehicles. A substantial change occurred in the mix of Domestic and Foreign light vehicles in the U.S. between 2006 and 2016. Foreign nameplate cars and light trucks
(Imports and Transplants) comprised 32.2% of light vehicles in the U.S. at mid-year 2006, soaring
to 37.5% of the 2011 population. The growth pace of Foreign models quickened over the next several years, with Foreign cars and light trucks representing 41.8% of light vehicles at the middle of
2014. Foreign nameplates comprised 43.9% of cars and light trucks on July 1, 2016. Lang Marketing projects Foreign nameplates will climb to 46.5% of cars and light trucks in the U.S. by 2018.
Domestic light vehicles comprised 67.8% of cars and light trucks in the U.S. at mid-year 2006,
declining to 62.5% of the 2011 population. Domestic nameplates continued to recede in market
share over the next several years, with Domestic cars and light trucks representing 58.2% of light
vehicles at the middle of 2014. Domestic vehicles comprised 56.1% of cars and light trucks on
July 1, 2016. Lang Marketing projects domestic nameplates will slip to 53.5% of cars and light
trucks in the U.S. by mid-year 2018.
Miles Driven. Reversing a trend of increasing annual miles per vehicle during the 1990s, average
light vehicle mileage in the U.S. declined between 2006 and 2016. Cars and light trucks in the U.S.
averaged 10.68 thousand miles during 2006 with this figure climbing to 10.74 thousand miles in
2007. Thereafter, things changed. The average car and light truck was driven 10.29 thousand miles
during 2008, approximately 390 fewer miles per vehicle than two years earlier. The average light
vehicle in the U.S. traveled 10.34 thousand miles during 2013 rising to 10.46 thousand miles in
2016. This 220-mile reduction in average annual per vehicle between 2006 and 2016 is the result
of the U.S. light vehicle population increasing at a faster pace than total car and light truck mile© 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