According to SEMA, the accessories and appearance market segment of specialty equipment has grown substantially over the years to reach $6.94 billion at the manufacturer level in 2005.

Appearance and vehicle-body accessories top the list of products sold by Specialty Equipment Marketing Association (SEMA ) members. This according to a survey of its members at the beginning of this year to measure industry market trends. 541 companies responded, with the largest percentage (35%) of those being manufacturers.

While Custom Wheels are technically a separate category (4% of survey respondents said Custom Wheels were their best sellers) the survey highlights the growing importance consumers are placing on the appearance of their automobile. Rent-to-own companies throughout North America are adding custom wheels and tires. While rent to own and lease-purchase wheels is in its infancy, many rent to own industry veterans feel it is THE growth category for the coming decade. The three largest full-line rent to own and lease-purchase franchisors in North America, ColorTyme, Aaron Rents (Rimco), and Premier Rental Purchase have custom wheel divisions. Other companies specialize in wheels only including Rent-n-Roll, Discover Rimz and Wheel Workz. See RTO Tradeshow listings for Wheels and Tires.

According to SEMA, the accessories and appearance market segment of specialty equipment has grown substantially over the years to reach $6.94 billion at the manufacturer level in 2005. Part of the reason for this growth comes from the fact that automotive customization has grown in popularity among mainstream automobile buyers. Recent SEMA research showed that over the first three months of this year, nearly one out ever 10 (9%) consumers surveyed planned to purchase accessory and appearance products. This translates to slightly over 10 million U.S. households planning to purchase some type of appearance accessory for their cars or trucks.