SEMA Survey Shows Consumers Consider the Aftermarket for Gift Giving

Early in December SEMA asked a small group of consumers if they planned to purchase any specialty equipment for friends, family or themselves during this holiday season. Of the consumers who responded to SEMA's holiday survey, 29 percent indicated that automotive parts and/or accessories were on their list of gifts they planned on purchasing this year.

From Chicago Daily Herald

Early in December SEMA asked a small group of consumers if they planned to purchase any specialty equipment for friends, family or themselves during this holiday season. Of the consumers who responded to SEMA’s holiday survey, 29 percent indicated that automotive parts and/or accessories were on their list of gifts they planned on purchasing this year.

The ages of those surveyed ranged from 16 to over 59 years of age; a majority (97 percent) of the respondents to the survey were male.

Consumers indicated they would be giving friends and family members new aftermarket wheels as a gift this year, according to the survey that was given to a small group of consumers. Wheels topped the list of gifts, while lighting and remote car starters tied for second.

The top five custom automotive parts and accessories consumers planned to purchase for a friend or family member this holiday season were custom wheels, remote car starter, lighting, exhaust / headers and car care products.

Next, consumers were asked whether they plan to purchase any specialty equipment for themselves during this holiday season. An overwhelming 57 percent of the consumers surveyed said that they planned on purchasing various automotive parts and accessories for their vehicles-ranging from wheels to turbochargers and engine power programmers.

The top five custom automotive parts and accessories consumers planned to purchase for themselves for this holiday season were exhaust/headers, custom wheels, mobile electronics (excluding remote car starter), cold air intake and new vehicle lighting.

Wheels, exhausts and cold-air intakes are always popular among consumers surveyed. These quick and relatively inexpensive modifications easily transform a stock car or truck to a custom looking, sounding and performing ride that consumers can identify as unique to their own needs and desires.

The group surveyed planned to spend quite a bit of money purchasing automotive parts and accessories this holiday season-on average they planned to spend $1,195.

So what types of vehicles are consumers modifying? Slightly over a quarter of the consumers surveyed were planning to purchase specialty-equipment for sporty-type cars, which top the list of vehicle types that are being customized by the group surveyed.

The vehicle types for which consumers were planning to purchase automotive parts and accessories are sporty car, 26 percent; mid- size car, 13 percent; full-size pick-up truck, 11 percent ; small- size car, 9 percent; compact pick-up truck, 9 percent; mid-size SUV, 9 percent; small SUV, 6 percent; large SUV, 5 percent; large- size car, 3 percent; wagon, 1 percent; and other, 8 percent.

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