2025
9
US Auto Maintenance – DIY vs Servicing – Market Report 2025
2025-10-22T10:02:46+00:00
REPC13F4F64_21BD_40E9_84BC_A87FABF5DE07
3695
187871
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Report
en_GB
The automotive aftermarket and professional vehicle servicing industry is navigating a dynamic landscape shaped by economic pressures, shifting consumer behaviors, and evolving market conditions. The rising average vehicle age, now…
US
Automotive
simple

US Auto Maintenance – DIY vs Servicing – Market Report 2025

"The auto aftermarket is evolving with a growing emphasis on DIY vehicle maintenance, professional servicing innovation, and value-driven consumer decisions."

Gabe Sanchez, Senior Automotive Analyst

US Auto Maintenance Industry – Trends and Insights

  • The automotive aftermarket and professional vehicle servicing industry is navigating a dynamic landscape shaped by economic pressures, shifting consumer behaviors, and evolving market conditions.
  • The rising average vehicle age, now over 12 years, is driving demand for maintenance, repairs, and replacement parts as consumers hold onto vehicles longer amid affordability concerns.
  • Imposed tariffs on imported auto parts are escalating costs, straining both businesses and consumers. These financial pressures, coupled with rising servicing costs, are fueling increased DIY participation, as cost-conscious consumers seek to save money by performing basic maintenance and repairs themselves.
  • Price-sensitive consumers are seeking affordable, value-driven solutions, pushing brands and servicers to balance cost and quality. Rising servicing costs and global trade dynamics are also encouraging innovation, such as recycling programs, domestic sourcing, and DIY-friendly product offerings, to mitigate price volatility and appeal to eco-conscious and hands-on buyers.
  • Overall, the industry must adapt to affordability concerns, by offering flexible, customer-centric solutions that address diverse needs while navigating rising costs, global uncertainties, and the growing DIY trend.

This Report Looks at the Following Areas:

  • DIY participation and specific repairs
  • Influential factors and sources of discovery impacting consumers’ product purchasing decision
  • Automotive aftermarket purchasing locations
  • Factors influencing consumers’ choice of automotive aftermarket retailer
  • Professional vehicle servicing history and influential factors
  • Attitudes toward automotive aftermarket products and retailers

Collapse All
  1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

    • What you need to know
    • Outlook for auto aftermarket and servicing
    • Opportunities
    • Launch branded, or co-branded, toolkits
    • Launch family-friendly DIY kits
    • Evolve beyond core products to align with consumer interests
  2. THE MARKET

    • Snapshot – market size and forecast
    • Consumers and economic outlook
    • Economic uncertainty continues to loom
    • Graph 1: economic policy uncertainty index, 2020-25
    • Consumer sentiment lowers slightly…
    • Graph 2: consumer sentiment index, 2022-25
    • …and maintenance costs rise
    • Graph 3: consumer price index for all urban consumers, motor vehicle maintenance and repair, not seasonally adjusted, 2019-25
    • Retail sales and forecast of motor vehicle accessories/parts and maintenance/repair
    • Graph 4: consumer spending and forecast for motor vehicle accessories/parts and maintenance/repair, at current prices, 2019-30
    • Retail sales and forecast of motor vehicle accessories/parts and maintenance/repair
    • Automotive aftermarket is expected to grow
  3. THE CONSUMER

    • Age of vehicles and maintenance responsibility
    • Understanding vehicle age, DIY potential
    • Graph 5: household primary vehicle age, 2025
    • Responsibility meets opportunity
    • Graph 6: primary vehicle warranty coverage, 2025
    • Graph 7: primary vehicle maintenance responsibility, 2025
    • Younger consumers indicate new(er) vehicle ownership
    • Graph 8: household primary vehicle age, by age, 2025
    • Men lead in sole maintenance responsibilities
    • Graph 9: “I am solely responsible for the maintenance and servicing of a primary vehicle”, by age and gender, 2025
    • Warranty coverage varies by age
    • Graph 10: primary vehicle warranty coverage, by age, 2025
    • Do-it-yourself participation and experience
    • Achievement and self-sufficiency resonate across demographics
    • Graph 11: attitudes toward DIY participation (% agree), by age, 2025
    • Graph 12: attitudes toward DIY participation (% agree), by race or ethnicity, 2025
    • Simple repairs drive DIY participation among consumers
    • Graph 13: simple repairs “I have done this myself in the past three years and I would do this again”, 2025
    • Younger consumers drive DIY participation, recurring interest
    • Graph 14: simple repairs “I have done this myself in the past three years and I would do this again”, by age, 2025
    • Advanced repairs display more-limited participation
    • Graph 15: advanced repairs “I have done this myself in the past three years and I would do this again”, 2025
    • Next wave of DIYers ready to take on the task
    • Graph 16: advanced repairs “I have done this myself in the past three years and I would do this again”, by age, 2025
    • Unlocking the potential of younger women in DIY
    • Graph 17: “I would like to learn how to do this”, by gender, 2025
    • Engaging women in advanced DIY auto repairs
    • Graph 18: advanced repairs “I would like to learn how to do this”, by age, 2025
    • Multicultural consumers are open to a hands-on approach
    • Graph 19: open to DIY, Black and Hispanic consumers vs overall, 2025
    • Tailor DIY solutions, marketing initiatives
    • Graph 20: simple repairs “I have done this myself in the past three years and I would do this again” (select), by area, 2025
    • Urban DIYers lead the charge in advanced repairs
    • Graph 21: advanced repairs “I have done this myself in the past three years and I would do this again”, by area, 2025
    • Factors influencing DIY participation
    • Generational shifts in consumer priorities
    • Graph 22: factors influencing automotive product purchasing (% any rank), by age, 2025
    • Younger consumers embrace DIY for cost savings
    • Graph 23: attitudes toward professional servicing (% agree), by age, 2025
    • Green vehicle owners drive sustainability priorities
    • Graph 24: sustainability/eco-friendliness as a factor influencing automotive product purchasing (% any rank), by primary vehicle ownership type, 2025
    • Rethink packaging for green vehicle drivers
    • Sources influencing DIY participation
    • Technology bridges the gap for DIY repairs
    • Graph 25: attitudes toward DIY confidence (% agree), by race or ethnicity, 2025
    • Graph 26: attitudes toward DIY confidence (% agree), by age, 2025
    • Forms of empowerment vary by age
    • Graph 27: sources empowering DIY maintenance, by age, 2025
    • Empowering DIYers across age groups
    • Tailor DIY support across gender
    • Graph 28: technology assistance as a source empowering DIY maintenance, by age and gender, 2025
    • Parents seek convenient solutions, empowerment
    • Graph 29: sources empowering DIY maintenance, parents vs overall, 2025
    • Empowering DIY among parents
    • Professional vehicle servicing
    • The enduring role of professional vehicle servicing
    • Graph 30: last time paid for professional vehicle servicing, 2025
    • Income-driven trends in professional vehicle servicing
    • Graph 31: paid for professional vehicle servicing within the last three years, by gender and income, 2025
    • Working situations drive consumers to servicing
    • Graph 32: paid for professional vehicle servicing in the past year, by work from home situation, 2025
    • Marketing to varying working situations
    • Professional service locations and influential factors
    • Mechanics, mistrust, and multiple quotes: the trust issue under the hood
    • Graph 33: attitudes toward professional servicing (% agree), by age, 2025
    • Navigating the service center spectrum
    • Graph 34: servicing locations in past three years, 2025
    • What’s driving servicing choices
    • Graph 35: factors influencing where to get vehicle serviced (% any rank), 2025
    • Generational shifts in service preferences
    • Graph 36: servicing locations in past three years, by age, 2025
    • Influential factors vary with age
    • Graph 37: factors influencing where to get vehicle serviced (% any rank), by age, 2025
    • Parenting and car care: convenience is key
    • Graph 38: servicing locations in past three years, parents vs overall, 2025
  4. Innovation and Marketing strategies

    • Launch activity and innovation
    • Advance Auto Parts looks toward digital transformation
    • eBay puts consumers at ease with free returns
    • GitPart launches interactive 3D vehicle models
    • CarParts.com adds value to membership program
    • Stellantis deploys mobile vehicle servicing
    • Slate looks toward 3D printing, personalization
  5. Appendix

    • Market definition
    • Consumer research questions
    • Consumer research methodology
    • Generations
    • Abbreviations and terms
    • Forecast methodology
    • Forecast fan chart methodology

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