Americans spent $4,825 per person on vehicle repair and maintenance in 2023, and higher prices are starting to influence decisions. In the U.S., 34% of consumers say the cost of repairs is a major factor in whether they get work done. The data then ties that pressure to itemized estimates, parts pricing, and diagnostic fees.
Key Takeaways
- $365.7 billion U.S. automotive after-sales market in 2024 (aftermarket)
- $335.1 billion U.S. auto parts and repair services market in 2023
- $4,825 per capita spending on vehicle repair and maintenance in the U.S. in 2023
- 34% of U.S. consumers say the cost of repairs is a major factor in whether they get repairs done
- 19% of U.S. consumers have used dealership service for routine maintenance in the last 12 months (2019 survey)
- 76% of consumers prefer estimates in writing (itemized) for vehicle repairs (U.S. survey)
- 8.6% increase in average prices for auto parts in the U.S. (2021–2022)
- 4.0% annual increase in CPI for motor vehicle maintenance and repair in the U.S. (2021–2023 average)
- 2.9% of household expenditures are for transportation repair and maintenance (U.S. Consumer Expenditure Survey, recent)
- 87% of U.S. shoppers read online reviews before choosing a local business (BrightLocal 2023 Local Consumer Review Survey)
- AI-based diagnostic tools were expected to be adopted by 18% of U.S. repair shops by 2025 (2023 forecast)
- Median hourly wage for automotive service technicians in the U.S. was $23.00 in 2023
- 15.1% job growth projected for automotive service technicians and mechanics in the U.S. from 2023–2033
- 48% of service advisors report that parts availability delays are a frequent cause of longer repair turnaround times (industry survey)
- 23.6% of U.S. consumers reported using a dealer or manufacturer service department for repairs in the prior 12 months (2020 survey).
U.S. vehicle repairs cost more, with rising parts prices and growing demand for clear estimates and reviews.
Related reading
01 · Category
Market Size3 stats
01
$365.7 billion U.S. automotive after-sales market in 2024 (aftermarket)
02
$335.1 billion U.S. auto parts and repair services market in 2023
03
$4,825per capita spending on vehicle repair and maintenance in the U.S. in 2023
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
In the Market Size category, the U.S. car repair sector is sizable and still growing, with aftermarket activity reaching $365.7 billion in 2024 and $4,825 per person spent on vehicle repair and maintenance in 2023.
02 · Category
Industry Trends5 stats
01
34% of U.S. consumers say the cost of repairs is a major factor in whether they get repairs done
02
19% of U.S. consumers have used dealership service for routine maintenance in the last 12 months (2019 survey)
03
76% of consumers prefer estimates in writing (itemized) for vehicle repairs (U.S. survey)
04
2.0% year-over-year growth in CPI for motor vehicle maintenance and repair (2023 vs. 2022).
05
18.9% of U.S. adults experienced a vehicle-related breakdown in the prior 12 months (2022 survey).
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
Across industry trends in car repair, price sensitivity remains a clear driver with 34% of U.S. consumers saying repair cost is a major factor, and demand for clarity is rising as 76% prefer itemized written estimates.
03 · Category
Cost Analysis7 stats
01
8.6% increase in average prices for auto parts in the U.S. (2021–2022)
02
4.0% annual increase in CPI for motor vehicle maintenance and repair in the U.S. (2021–2023 average)
03
2.9% of household expenditures are for transportation repair and maintenance (U.S. Consumer Expenditure Survey, recent)
04
52% of total repair/maintenance costs for vehicles are parts-related (insurer cost breakdown estimate)
05
18% of collision repairs require supplemental parts and/or labor compared with initial estimates (mitigation study)
06
USD 75–150 typical diagnostic fee range in U.S. independent shops (2023 pricing benchmarks)
07
6.2% of U.S. drivers delayed vehicle repairs because they could not afford them (2023 survey).
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
From a cost analysis perspective, repair and maintenance costs are rising steadily with a 4.0% annual CPI increase for motor vehicle maintenance and repair (2021–2023) and an 8.6% jump in auto parts prices (2021–2022), while parts drive 52% of total vehicle repair costs, making parts and diagnostic charges a clear cost-pressure focus for consumers and insurers.
More related reading
04 · Category
Technology & Adoption2 stats
01
87% of U.S. shoppers read online reviews before choosing a local business (BrightLocal 2023 Local Consumer Review Survey)
02
AI-based diagnostic tools were expected to be adopted by 18% of U.S. repair shops by 2025 (2023 forecast)
Interpretation
Technology & Adoption Interpretation
In the Technology & Adoption space for car repair, shoppers rely heavily on digital trust signals with 87% reading online reviews before choosing a local shop, while adoption of AI-based diagnostic tools is projected to reach 18% of U.S. repair shops by 2025.
05 · Category
Workforce & Operations4 stats
01
Median hourly wage for automotive service technicians in the U.S. was $23.00in 2023
02
15.1% job growth projected for automotive service technicians and mechanics in the U.S. from 2023–2033
03
48% of service advisors report that parts availability delays are a frequent cause of longer repair turnaround times (industry survey)
04
23% of U.S. repair orders experience at least one delay during parts sourcing (2022 supply chain survey)
Interpretation
Workforce & Operations Interpretation
For Workforce and Operations in car repair, a median $23.00 hourly wage and projected 15.1% job growth point to steady staffing demand, but nearly half the work (48% of advisors) is slowed by parts delays and 23% of orders see sourcing delays at least once.
06 · Category
Customer Behavior3 stats
01
23.6% of U.S. consumers reported using a dealer or manufacturer service department for repairs in the prior 12 months (2020 survey).
02
44% of U.S. consumers state they consider online reviews as one of the top factors when choosing a repair shop (survey-based, 2022).
03
49% of U.S. consumers said they request a second opinion or additional estimate for major vehicle repairs at least sometimes (2022 survey).
Interpretation
Customer Behavior Interpretation
For the customer behavior angle, the data suggests that repair decisions are strongly influenced by others and second thoughts, with 44% of consumers weighing online reviews and 49% seeking another estimate, alongside only 23.6% using dealer or manufacturer service departments for repairs.
report visual · Breakdown
Where the Money Goes in Car Repairs
A large share of vehicle repair/maintenance spending is driven by parts, while households often feel the impact through repair and maintenance affordability.
52%
52% of total repair/maintenance costs for vehicles are parts-related (insurer cost breakdown estimate)
48%
48% of service advisors report that parts availability delays are a frequent cause of longer repair turnaround times (in
source-verifiedallstate.com · partsbase.com
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Priya Chandrasekaran. (2026, February 13). Car Repair Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/car-repair-statistics
MLA
Priya Chandrasekaran. "Car Repair Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/car-repair-statistics.
Chicago
Priya Chandrasekaran. 2026. "Car Repair Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/car-repair-statistics.
Sources & references
24 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+7 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)