Consumer Reports survey finds Americans of all ages spend more than $700 per car on modifications.







Among adults whose household owns a vehicle, 73 percent had personalized their principal vehicle in some way or plan to do so; this cuts across all major demographic segments.




Among adults whose household owns a vehicle, 73 percent had personalized their principal vehicle in some way, or plan to do so, according to new research by the Consumer Reports National Research Center. The study reveals that this drive to personalize one's car cuts across all major demographic segments, whether the car was purchased new or used.
Overall, this study found that these automotive enthusiasts have spent an average amount of $711 per car. Extrapolated out to the total population aged 18-64, consumers have spent an estimated $81 billion on the vehicles they currently drive. Based on the average reported six-year ownership period, this breaks down to $13.5 billion, or $118 per person, spent annually.




Leading reasons why a car owner invests in aftermarket products:

To better fit my lifestyle
48%

To enhance comfort
44

To add features not available from the factory
37

To improve safety
36

To improve appearance
36

To improve performance
34
For this study, personalization was defined as any modification from the new or used vehicle's original condition, made or planned after sale by the owner. The most common upgrade was floor mats but the enhancements ranged all the way to extreme performance.
To learn what Americans buy for their cars, and why, the Consumer Reports National Research Center conducted a random, nationwide telephone survey from Oct. 12-15, 2006, of 855 adults 18 and older whose household owns at least one vehicle.




THE PARTS LIST
The most common modifications made to or intended for new and used cars:

Floor mats
49%

Stereo system
28

Car alarm
22

Window tinting
22

Speakers
22

Steering wheel cover
18

Performance tires
17

Seat covers
17
WHO IS THE MODERN CAR ENTHUSIAST?
Truly an equal-opportunity indulgence, both sexes proved to be engaged in car personalizing, with 77 percent of men and 70 percent of women participating in the car customizing tradition.
Despite the fact that today's youth is coached on car modifying from movies ("The Fast and the Furious Tokyo Drift"), television ("Pimp My Ride," "Overhaulin'"), and video games ("Midnight Club," "Need for Speed"), age groups also defied stereotypes in this study. As expected, the 18-34-year olds were the most active group—78 percent enhanced their ride. But 35- to 54-year-olds followed at 74 percent, and the 55-and-over crowd is involved at 68 percent.
A COMFORTABLE INTERIOR
Most aftermarket modifications were done to the interior, with 61 percent of respondents who own a car making the cabin more comfortable and conducive to their mobile lifestyle. Floor mats lead the changes at 49 percent. An easy install item, floor mats are not standard on all cars and may be less expensive when bought outside a dealership. Plus, embroidered floor mats can add character whi

 

i have already broke the 700.00 mark think that was the with in the first two month LOL
hell the stereo alone beats that one out

 

$700, try spendin 6 grand on your monte, yea thats me.

 

i just love that consumer reports considers going to wal-mart and buying the cheapest floor mats availible only to jam one under the gas pedal as 'mods'

 

i had about 20,000 in extra's into my truck, well retail on them anyway...

my monte has easily got more than 700 into it already in extra's, i think i've finished tinkering around with the performance of it...now the only thing i might do is rims and hood

 

THE FINISH LINE
At the time of our survey, fewer than one in five consumers expected to continue personalizing, led by young men and drivers in the Western and Southern regions. The planned modifications were expected to reach a mean of $1,190; a high 45 percent of modifiers expect to spend at least $1,000 above their previous expenditures. While not all intentions will translate to purchases, it is clear that customizing is an enticing pursuit.


They never called and asked my projected plans. [sm=boohoo.gif]

Okay so I haven't spent over $700 in mods on the new Monte.... YET, but give me time.

I may keep receipts of stuff bought but I stopped totalling it up years ago. WHY? It might make me cry when I learn I could have retired when I'm 50 instead of working 30 years after that.

But who do I have to blame? No one but me.

I'm the car psycho. (beyond nuts) [sm=icon_cheers.gif] [sm=smiley20.gif]

 

i am well past $700 in mods my rims alone were 1 Grand then $500 exhaust and downpipe then $400 sound system and i still plan to do much more. this summer.

 

Dream Mods?

Rims: 18" Forged Alum. Flat black (withpolished accents) with some good tyres.Definitely no spinners.

Body: High performance airbag suspension all around with fast valves for quick lowering. Computer-controlled shocks. Poly bushings all around. A nice body kit for accents, but nothing so severe as to completely change the look of the car. Tint all around, flat black flame job and complete badge delete. Red underbody lighting and interior accent lighting. Custom gauges with red illumination. Black/silver racing style seats. Maybe heated/cooled seats and a sunroof. Smoke accents on the headlights. Black grille with red backlighting. Blacked out taillights and spoiler light. Either eliminate or find some way to hide the reverse lights.

Audio: Custom-made built-in crossfiring sub array with two 12" subs running like a kilowatt a piece. Full custom interior audio, highs in the A pillars, mids in the doors, mids and lows in the kick panels, and highs/mids on rear deck, with a Hard drive holding a good 300 hours of cd-quality music.

Performance: A manual transmissionwould be nice, but it's probably a pipe-dream (as if everything else isn't)Ram air intakeand a 75 HP 'wet' nitrous system with red illuminated purge valves dumping out side engine compartment vents. Full exhaust including headers to high-flow cats, ceramic coated all the way back with polished tips.Still rear dump, but with a cat/muffler bypass for the track. Basically enough tosee a good 350 horsewithout severe internal engine mods. High flow fuel injectors with a return line (I think the new system is returnless) Hidden fuel filler door. If no manual tranny, then the HD tranny from the SS with a trans cooler.

To complete it all a hidden computerwith controls for the engine, suspension, lighting and audio.

Realistically? I'll probably install the sealed dual 12" 600W system I already have as soon as the car gets GM certified. Vent-Visors. K&N Stock replacement filter until a good CAI is available. In the future I'll try out the resonator delete with stock mufflers to see what it sounds likewith ahigh-flow cat. Tint job. Possibly stock replacement speakers as time goes on. Clear bra.

 

I passed the 700 a long time ago. I'm conservatively going to say $12,000 by the time I'm done.