The latest government figures are in for the estimated revenue for employer and nonemployer automotive repair facilities. Note, however, that government figures are typically two years behind, as is the case in the following examples.

For 2002, automotive mechanical and electrical repair and maintenance facilities had estimated revenue of $45,500,000,000. This is a 3.2 percent reduction from 2001 revenue totals of $46,992,000,000. Points to remember here include 0-percent financing on vehicle sales, an economic recession and the uncertainty of the U.S. climate following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centers, the Pentagon and the flight downing in Pennsylvania.

To gather the $45-plus billion total, the U.S. Economic Census combined mechanical general repair facilities, specialty repair facilities (transmission, brakes, A/C) and oil change facilities with employees ($39,296,000,000) and without employees ($6,204,000,000).

General mechanical repair facilities, including ASA mechanical division members, reported estimated revenue of $31,882,000,000 in 2002. This is down 3.9 percent from $33,184,000,000 in 2001. Exhaust system repair business revenue was reduced by 1.6 percent, going from $1,978,000,000 in 2001 to $1,947,000,000 in 2002. Transmission repair saw the largest percentage reduction from 2002 to 2001 of 5.2 percent, going from $2,547,000,000 in 2001 to $2,415,000,000 in 2002.

The numbers are not surprising to the ASA members who have reported a reduction in sales in the 2002 and 2003 "How's Your Business?" surveys. These numbers also run parallel with the reduction in gross domestic product during 2002.

Stat Corner is written by Denise Caspersen, ASA's research management specialist. She can be reached at (800) 272-7467, ext. 236.

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