Lang Aftermarket iReport: Foreign nameplates per service bay soar

“The number of light vehicles per service bay in the U.S. has increased steadily over the past 10 years. However, foreign nameplate cars and light trucks per bay have climbed even faster.

“The light vehicle service bay count fell by 2% between 2009 and 2019. At the same time, the foreign vehicle population in the U.S. soared by more than 50 million. This caused the number of foreign nameplates per service bay to skyrocket.”

— Jim Lang, publisher, Lang Aftermarket iReport

Fewer Light Vehicle Bays

The number of light vehicle service bays in the U.S. at mid-year 2019 was down approximately 23,000 from 10 years earlier.

While Lang Marketing’s analysis of the 2020 service bay population will not be completed for a number of months, preliminarily findings reveal that the light vehicle bay count was hard hit by Covid-19 and its economic and social reverberations.

Rising Foreign Nameplate Population

Foreign nameplates averaged 36% of light vehicles in operation (VIO) during 2009s, and their share climbed to 42% by 2014. Foreign nameplates accounted for 48% of light vehicles in the U.S. by mid-year 2019.

​Foreign Nameplates Surge

This surge in the foreign nameplate share of cars and light trucks between 2009 and 2019 represented a population gain of more than 50 million vehicles.

At mid-year 2009, foreign nameplates totaled 88 million, as their population climbed to 107 million by 2014.

Over the next five years, approximately 30 million foreign nameplates were added to the vehicle population. During 2021, they will top 50% of the nation’s VIO.

Soaring Foreign Nameplates Per Bay

While the number of all cars and light trucks per bay increased nearly 15% between 2009 and 2019, foreign nameplates per bay surged at a much faster pace.

At mid-year 2009, there were approximately 76 foreign nameplate cars and light truck for each service bay in the U.S. By 2019, the number of foreign nameplates per bay had climbed by nearly 60%.

120 Foreign Nameplates Per Bay

Lang Marketing estimates that there were approximately 120 foreign nameplate cars and light trucks for each service bay in the U.S. at mid-year 2019, a 58% surge over ten years.

Preliminary findings by Lang indicate that there was a significant increase in the number of foreign nameplates per bay during 2020.

Repair Market Impact

More foreign nameplates per service bay in the U.S. has helped to increase their Do-It-For-Me (DIFM) share.

Domestic car aftermarket products will suffer nearly a 7.0% average annual drop in sales at user-price over this 15-year span.

It also underscores the need for all types of DIFM outlets to expand their capabilities to repair foreign nameplate cars and light trucks.

Six Major Takeaways

The number of car and light truck service bays in the U.S. fell 2% between 2009 and 2019. In contrast, the VIO climbed by more than 15% during these 10 years.

Foreign nameplate cars and light trucks increased their light vehicle population share by more than one-fifth between 2009 and 2019.

As the number of light vehicle service bays in the U.S. fell by 23,000 between 2009 and 2019, foreign nameplates on the road surged by more than 50 million.

There were an estimated 76 foreign nameplate cars and light trucks for each bay in the U.S. at mid-year 2009. Over the next ten years, the number of foreign nameplates per bay surged by nearly 60%. At the same time, the number of domestic nameplates per bay plunged.

At mid-year 2019, there were approximately 120 foreign nameplate cars and light trucks for each service bay in the U.S.

While the number of all cars and light trucks per service by increased by nearly 15% between 2009 and 2019, foreign nameplates per service bay soared by 58%. See the just-released 2021 Lang Aftermarket Annual for complete analysis of the number of service bays, the number of vehicles per service bay, and the soaring foreign nameplate aftermarket.

Copyright 2021 by Lang Marketing Resources, Inc.

NOTE: Special thanks to publisher Jim Lang for granting us permission to publish the Lang Aftermarket iReport.