The Shift Under the Hood: Why the Vehicle Car Parc is Reshaping the Aftermarket and How to Stay Ahead

As the automotive aftermarket continues to evolve, a quiet but powerful shift is underway: the makeup of the U.S. vehicle car parc is changing and fast.

More than ever, warehouse distributors and suppliers are navigating a landscape defined by an aging fleet, a rising number of foreign nameplates, and a consumer base demanding both value and performance. These shifts aren’t just statistics; they’re signals. And for aftermarket players who know how to respond, they present a serious opportunity for competitive advantage.

At The Moody Blueprint, we believe this isn’t just an industry trend. It’s a strategic pivot point.

The Aging Fleet Is Driving Opportunity (and Complexity)

The average vehicle age on U.S. roads recently surpassed 12.5 years, and vehicles 15 years and older are now the fastest-growing segment in operation. That means more vehicles in need of maintenance, more parts demand, and more business for the aftermarket, but only if suppliers and distributors are ready.

Older vehicles require more service, but they also introduce greater part variability, compatibility challenges, and inventory complexity. Keeping the right mix of SKUs on hand while maintaining supply chain efficiency is no small feat.

That’s where strategy makes all the difference.

Foreign Nameplates Now Dominate - Are You Prepared?

Foreign brands now represent a growing share of the vehicle car parc. In some markets, Asian and European nameplates make up nearly 50% of the fleet. That has serious implications for the entire value chain:

• Distributors must align their assortments to reflect broader coverage.

• Suppliers need to deliver OE-quality components across a wider range of platforms.

• Marketing and sales teams must speak to a broader set of repair professionals—many of whom are diversifying their service capabilities.

The businesses that succeed here aren’t simply “keeping up”, they’re intentionally planning for this demographic evolution. They’re investing in platform coverage, application data accuracy, and category management strategies that drive profitable growth.

How The Moody Blueprint Helps Clients Navigate This Shift

At The Moody Blueprint, we help aftermarket suppliers and distributors translate fleet shifts into strategic action. Our work focuses on three critical areas:

1. Assortment Optimization: We assess product mix against current and projected VIO (vehicles in operation) data to ensure SKU coverage is aligned to opportunity, especially across older and foreign nameplates.

2. Strategic Inventory Planning: We build roadmaps for smarter inventory investment, helping clients balance availability with working capital discipline, especially as coverage demands widen.

3. Channel & Marketing Strategy: We tailor go-to-market plans that reflect changing vehicle ownership trends, giving our clients the tools to position their value to the modern repair professional.

The businesses that thrive in this landscape won’t necessarily be the biggest, but they’ll be the smartest. And the most prepared.

The Fleet Is Changing. Your Strategy Should Be Too.

The vehicles on the road aren’t what they were a decade ago—and they won’t be the same five years from now. If your business strategy is still rooted in yesterday’s data, it’s time to realign.

This isn’t just about more SKUs or more catalogs. It’s about intentional growth planning, grounded in data, powered by execution, and built for what’s next.

If your business is ready to move from reactive to proactive, let’s talk.

The Moody Blueprint was built for the aftermarket. And we’re engineered for your growth.