Exhaust kits, air intakes/filters and polishes/waxes are among the products most purchased by light-truck owners, according to SEMA research. Of enthusiasts queried for SEMA’s 2007 Automotive Lifestyles Survey (chosen from subscribers to popular automotive magazines and website visitors), 39% of the 3,000 respondents said they owned a light truck.
Of three key light-truck market segments—accessory/appearance, performance and suspension/handling parts—accessory and appearance products dominate, comprising 62.6% of market share, a 9% increase from 1996 to 2006. During the same period, both performance and suspension/handling segments declined 5%, suspension/handling comprising 27.3% and performance parts by 10.1%.
In the performance segment, light-truck owners reached for exhaust kits, air filters and cold air intakes most often. Nearly 46% of respondents had purchased some kind of exhaust system modification.
Polish and wax top the accessory/appearance wishlist, with performance fluids (oils and lubricants) and window tinting/lamination following.
The top suspension/handling mods are, perhaps not surprisingly, plus-size tires, custom wheels and hard suspension parts, including springs, shocks and sway bars.
For a deeper look into the preferences of pickup owners, visit www.sema.org/research and download the 2006 Light Truck Report Update and 2006 Light Truck Accessorization Report, available exclusively to SEMA members as another membership benefit.