Kids With Money
The amount of money these young people spend on
their cars is mind-boggling. When I was at the
SEMA Show in 2003 I was told - this was clearly
a subjective observation - they spend approximately
$15,000 on their vehicles, starting with about
$5,000 on the sound systems, then $5,000 on the
exterior (body, wheels, appearance features etc.)
and then $5,000 on performance (under the hood).
I was led to believe
they spend money on sound systems first. This
was incorrect. A more recent SEMA study revealed
that kids in the tuner market spend their money
on performance first. Then wheels and sound. Typical
performance upgrades might include a Fidanza Flywheel,
Tanabe Coilovers, HKS Intercooler, Greddy Boost
Controller, HKS Super Sequential Blow Off Valve,
Greddy Titanium Exhaust and Unorthodox Racing
Cam Gears. As they say, this is not your father's
Oldsmobile.
The tuner scene is more than a market. It's a
lifestyle, one that is politically incorrect and
edgy, sexy and dynamic, blurring the lines between
cars and music and fashion statement.
Tuner Favorites
When I first become aware of this market niche
I incorrectly blurred the line between tuners
and imports. Though frequently called the "Import
Tuner" market, many people would be surprised
to find two of the top ten favorite tuner platforms
(car models) are U.S. cars. In point of fact,
tuner aficionados are not only specific with regards
to favorite makes and models, they also have select
years in which those vehicles have the appropriate
attributes to be considered cool and worth one's
time. Here is a list assembled by Performance
Audio and Sound, called the Ten Top Tuner
| Platforms. |
| Chevy Cavalier |
1981-2004 |
| Dodge SRT-4 |
2003-Present
new age horsepower wars |
| Honda Civic |
1972-Present |
| Mazda RX-7 |
1993-1997 |
| Mitsubishi Lancer
EVO |
2003-Present
turbocharged AWD |
| Nissan 240SX |
1989-1998 |
| Nissan 350Z |
2003-Present |
| Subaru WRX |
2002-Present |
| Toyota Supra |
1993-1998 |
According to a 2003
Compact Performance Market Study by Babcox Research,
Honda was the top ranked most-often modified model.
Other prominent brand names in this arena included
Toyota, Acura, Nissan, Volkswagen, Mitsubishi,
Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Porsche, Audi, Lexus,
Infiniti, Saab, Jaguar, Volvo, Isuzu, Suzuki and
even Ford.
Like the muscles cars of the sixties, kids know
what's what when it comes to these cars. To the
average schmoe, a Honda's just another stylish
car, but to the tuner crowd it is the godfather
of cool because there were so many ways to swap
out the engine and it has endless hookup combinations.
While visiting a
local shop that specializes in these cars - the
fellow buys them at auto auctions, then jazzes
them up - we talked briefly about his cherry red
Mazda RX-7 with its rotary engine and twin turbo
setup. To my surprise, he told me he's on his
third engine, and that the car has a reputation
for blowing engines. When I asked why he didn't
just get rid of it, you would think I asked him
to discard one of his kids. If you have the passion,
and the money for the amenities, getting a new
engine is a piece of cake. Bling! Bling!
Quick Lube App
Whereas the tuner market has grown considerably
in the past decade, as a percentage of the market
it is still but a fragment of the overall vehicle
market. And at first blush, you may think it not
even an interesting one for quick lube owners
because these do-it-yourselfers pretty much do
it all themselves. Nevertheless, there really
are some important lessons we can learn from observing
the tuner craze.
Passion for performance
means a market for synthetics. As has been frequently
noted, people have different buying motivations.
Many people want convenience, others want cheap.
But a large segment of the market has a passionate
relationship with the vehicle they drive, whether
they're doing the work themselves or not. When
you pop the hood and see accessories, you should
be sure to ask your customer if he or she would
like to upgrade to synthetics.
One of the big arguments
against synthetics motor oils is that "Yes,
they are better but they are expensive."
When you open your eyes to the kind of money kids
are throwing at their vehicles these days, you
know that money is not an issue. They want what
they want. And a lot of your customers have the
same desires.
Ed Newman is Marketing &
Advertising Manager for AMSOIL INC.