Market Snapshot

Enthusiast Profile: Products Purchased by Age Group

Automotive enthusiasts purchase a wide range of custom performance parts and accessories for their vehicles, so while analyzing a  "Top 10" or "Top 20" list of products purchased does give useful insight into these enthusiasts, taking a more holistic approach may prove more helpful. With that in mind, the list of all specialty-equipment products purchased by automotive enthusiasts surveyed by SEMA is listed in the table below.

Automotive magazine subscribers and website/forum visitors were surveyed during August–September of last year, with 3,037 total responses collected.

By age group, enthusiasts 16–27 years of age said that they purchased cold air intake conversions for their vehicles at a much higher rate than their older counterparts. Wheel purchases and stereo upgrades also tapered off as enthusiasts get older. Some performance parts, such as carburetors, however, were actually purchased at a higher frequency as enthusiasts age.

However, one element does prevail: Product purchases vary among enthusiasts, especially when looking at age ranges. Marketing strategies often target particular demographics depending on product, and the table below shows which products are purchased most often by which age group.


The table above shows the percent of enthusiasts who have purchased one or more of the 115 specialty automotive products listed. By age group, product choices vary significantly in several cases. — SEMA Research & Information Center