---

Owners of Nine-Year-Old Vehicles Spent More Than $1 Billion on Repairs

3 August 1999

MEMA Report Shows Owners of Nine-Year-Old Vehicles Spent More Than $1 Billion on Automotive Repairs in 1997

    RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Aug. 3 -- Owners of nine-year-
old vehicles spent more than $1 billion on automotive repairs in 1997, more
than any other vehicle age group according to Automotive Industry Status
Report, a comprehensive report produced by the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers
Association (MEMA).  Estimated receipts from engine and underhood automotive
repairs for all personal vehicles in the United States totaled $13.9 billion
in 1997.  1997 is the latest year for which statistics are available.
    Founded in 1904, MEMA exclusively represents and serves more than 700 U.S.
manufacturers of motor vehicle components, tools and equipment, automotive
chemicals, and related products used in the production, repair, and
maintenance of all classes of motor vehicles.  MEMA is headquartered in
Research Triangle Park, N.C., and has offices in Washington, D.C.; Yokohama,
Japan; Brussels, Belgium; Mexico City, Mexico; and Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Original Equipment Suppliers Association (OESA), MEMA's affiliate association
which serves automotive original equipment suppliers exclusively, is located
in Troy, Mich.  More information is available from the MEMA website,
http://www.mema.org.