AAPEX thinks outside the engine with accessory-laden lineup - Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo in Las Vegas highlights detailing items

DSN Retailing Today, Dec 16, 2002 by Debbie Howell

LAS VEGAS -- A sleek new Ford Mustang might be an extension of a 25-year-old driver's personality, but with the store-bought add-ons available to most new car owners, the odds are that young buyers won't stop at factory-installed extras in personalizing their vehicles. And from the look at product innovation these days, those odds make for a pretty safe bet.

From neon lighting to racing-style headlights, hood ornaments, seat covers and dashboard entertainment centers, the market is awash with do-it-yourself detailing indulgences that account for nearly $26 billion in annual sales out of the $250 billion automotive aftermarket. What's more, the category is growing, which partly explains the rash of new detailing product making waves at last month's Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo in Las Vegas.

Though neon lighting is hardly a new category for the aftermarket, it's one that continues to gain steam. The prime consumer is a young male, according to suppliers, though the segment also has a strong following among Hispanic females. The neon category now runs the gamut in accessories beyond decorative bars, with many blinking to sounds and changing color from red to green to blue. Though some states restrict use of these lights, the trend has been toward increasing legal acceptance of these products.

A sampling of the newest neon items at the show included brake pedal pads, map lights, coin holders, eyeglass holders and clocks from Electra Accessories and cell phone holders, ashtrays, drink holders and map lights by Winplus Company. The vendor that had the largest neon booth at the show, Street Glow, offered everything from decorative neon tubes to shapeable wires to outfit the engine and undercar lighting kits in up to nine colors.

"The theme of our booth is attitude," said Peggy Spieker, a customer service sales representative for Bell. Among the chrome license plate covers by Bell were styles with mock bullet holes, shark jaws, spikes, painted red tamales and glow-in-the-dark paint.

Meanwhile, Norm Matthew of Custom Accessories noted a trend in "bringing back items popular 30 years ago," such as hood ornaments and imitation exterior vents.

Items perhaps appealing to older drivers and females are another growth category. Shell Lubricants, which owns Axius, drew attention with its Sponge-Bob SquarePants accessory line that included floor mats and steering wheel covers.

Air fresheners, meanwhile, have become another expression of the driver's personality, with some upscale styles now mimicking perfume bottles.

In lighting, stylish racing lights and mock High-Intensity Discharge lights remain popular. One item at the show that drew interest was the new SilverStar halogen replacement bulb for turn signals by Osram Sylvania. The light is clear to blend in with the full lamp and flashes amber for turns.

For serious auto buffs, colorful innovations in paint are the rage. Plasti-Kote launched two spray paint lines, Kameleon, which changes color depending on the light, and Holografix, which emits reflections of gold, blue, red and green.

Appearance products, meanwhile, are grabbing vendor interest as a growth category. Prestone, a division of Honeywell Consumer Products Group, debuted its first appearance line at the show. It included a car wax, car wash, tire shine and wheel cleaner, each with vehicle protection attributes.

Radiator Specialty Company, known for its Gunk and Engine Brite brands, expanded into appearance products three years ago in response to a shrinking do-it-yourself market. The company now has a full line of automotive cleaners. The same trend led WD-40 to enter the appearance segment as well, this year adding No Vacuum Auto Refresher Foam, in a purple floral package in a deliberate move to target female drivers.

For the longtime leaders in appearance products--Turtle Wax, Armor-All and Meguiar's--the trend has been to make products easier to use. For example, Turtle Wax unveiled Jet Wash and Jet Wax, products that connect to a water hose for ready use. From Meguiar's, new items included a tire spray with an adjustable nozzle for accuracy and a foam cleaner for leather interiors.

With most vehicle owners today light DIYers at best, convenience and security are key issues. Unique new products that may be winners include heated wiper blades from Rostra or the HotShot windshield washer fluid heater by Microheat. Both are aimed at aiding in icy or snowy weather. As for security, wheel locks from Masterlock and two-way remote vehicle starters from DesignTech stood out as products with significant sales potential.

Considering that automotive parts retailing hasn't historically been a segment dictated by fashion, the boom in accessories, car care products and security items is generating quite a buzz in the niche. It's also creating opportunities for retailers to expand the market far beyond the weekend auto DIYer.