The 2024 US Auto Maintenance report shows a robust DIY market led by younger consumers, alongside essential professional services. Vehicle ownership is consolidating, with more households owning a single vehicle due to remote work and financial pressures. Rebounding consumer sentiment may boost reliance on professional services.Â
US Auto Maintenance Market – Current Landscape
The DIY auto maintenance and professional servicing market is evolving as consumers engage in vehicle upkeep, driven by a strong participation and interest in DIY projects, particularly among younger individuals. This demographic, especially younger men, displays a strong enthusiasm for learning and performing automotive tasks, presenting brands with opportunities to cater to this eager segment as they make up a larger share of active vehicle owners. Additionally, there’s significant potential to expand market share among women and multicultural consumers, who show interest in acquiring knowledge of DIY repairs. While DIY participation suggests elements of self-reliance and cost-saving measures among consumers, professional services remain indispensable, highlighting a balance between cost-saving projects and expert intervention.
The future of technology plays a pivotal role in this landscape, with resources like instructional videos and social media tutorials enhancing consumer empowerment and knowledge. This is only furthered by the 58% of vehicle owners that believe new technology will make it easier for them to learn how to do their own repairs. When it comes to professional servicing, factors such as service quality, cost, location, and customer service are crucial, with dealership centers and independent repair shops leading in consumer preference.
Readers of this report are likely to be interested in US Tires Market Report 2024. Or, you can browse all of our Automotive Market Research today on the store. Â
Auto Maintenance: DIY vs Servicing – Market Statistics
- US Vehicle ownership: 46% of US households owned just one vehicle in 2024, up from 37% in 2022.
- Warranty Coverage in the US: 42% of consumers own a vehicle that is not under warranty, which could increase the likelihood of conducting DIY maintenance.
- US Consumer Spending on Maintenance and Repair: Estimated consumer spending on motor vehicle maintenance and repair in 2024 is $243.9 billion.
Auto Maintenance: DIY vs Servicing Market Report – What’s Inside?
Key Topics Analysed in the Report
- Vehicle ownership and purchase intent.
- Length of ownership, maintenance responsibilities, and warranty coverage.
- DIY participation and recurring intention.
- DIY interest, savings considerations, and empowering resources.
- Professional vehicle servicing history, locations, and important factors.
- Attitudes toward DIY automotive maintenance and servicing.
Report Scope
- Market Focus: US market for DIY automotive maintenance and professional servicing.
- Previous Analysis: Builds on Mintel’s 2023 report.
- DIY Definition: Includes self-conducted work on parts or installation of replacement/upgrade components.
- Task Range: From simple (e.g., replacing wiper blades) to complex (e.g., rebuilding engines).
- Vehicle Types Covered: Cars, station wagons, sedans, pickup trucks, vans, minivans, SUVs.
- Research Timeline: Consumer research conducted in August 2024; report written in October 2024.
- Value Figures: Presented at retail selling prices, excluding sales tax.
Meet the Expert Behind the Analysis
“The DIY auto maintenance market remains strong, driven by younger consumers’ enthusiasm. However, professional services remain essential.”
Gabe joined Mintel as an Automotive Analyst in 2021. Before joining Mintel, Gabe had the opportunity to work with various clients operating in the oil, insurance and automotive sectors. He is a naturally curious individual who is passionate about uncovering the “why” and leveraging it to guide effective business decisions.
Gabe Sanchez
Automotive Analyst
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Executive Summary
- What you need to know
- Market size & forecast
- Market predictions
- What consumers want & why
- What consumers want & why (cont’d)
- Opportunities
- Appeal to consumers’ interest in personalization
- Partner with ridesharing services
- Gamify DIY education
- Tap into emotional aspects of DIY
- Leverage innovative technologies
- Highlight sustainable practices
- Explore non-endemic partnerships
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Market Dynamics
- Market context
- Market drivers
- Consumer sentiment rebounds after a number of months on the slide
- Graph 1: consumer sentiment index, 2022-24
- Annual inflation is within range of the Federal Reserve’s 2% target rate
- Graph 2: headline CPI and core CPI, 2021-24
- Prices of new and used vehicles remain elevated
- Average age of vehicles on the road continues to increase
- US Commerce Department proposes ban on certain car parts
- Market size and forecast
- Consumer spending and forecast of motor vehicle maintenance and repairs
- Consumer spending and forecast of motor vehicle maintenance and repairs (cont’d)
- Consumer spending and forecast of motor vehicle parts and accessories
- Consumer spending and forecast of motor vehicle parts and accessories (cont’d)
- Revving up: future growth in spending
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Consumer Insights
- Consumer fast facts
- Vehicle ownership and type owned
- Majority of households own at least one vehicle…
- Graph 3: number of vehicles in the household, 2024
- …but consumers increasingly look to consolidate
- Graph 4: number of vehicles in the household, one vs two cars, 2020-24
- Look to the future: vehicle powertrain ownership
- Graph 5: vehicle type owned, 2024
- Adapt to evolving ownership
- Understanding age-driven vehicle ownership
- Graph 6: number of vehicles in the household, by age, 2024
- Deploy a dual strategy to appeal to diverse vehicle ownership
- Graph 7: vehicle type owned, by age, 2024
- Men indicate interest in hybrid vehicle types
- Graph 8: own a plug-in hybrid vehicle, by age and gender, 2024
- Graph 9: own a mild hybrid vehicle, by age and gender, 2024
- Adapt inventories to meet a growing need…
- …but internal combustion engines still lead
- Graph 10: own an internal combustion engine vehicle, by age and gender, 2024
- Appeal to Black consumers
- Graph 11: number of vehicles in the household, Black consumers vs overall, 2024
- Unlocking opportunities with family-focused solutions
- Graph 12: vehicle ownership, by parental status, 2024
- Engage parents with hybrid-focused solutions
- Graph 13: vehicle type owned, by parental status, 2024
- Vehicle age and warranty coverage
- Align offerings with consumer warranties
- Graph 14: length of primary vehicle ownership, 2024
- Predictive solutions for the responsible
- Graph 15: primary vehicle maintenance responsibility, 2024
- Understanding gender and age dynamics
- Graph 16: I am solely responsible for the maintenance and servicing of primary vehicle, by age and gender, 2024
- Jiffy Lube “cars for your car”
- Meet the unmet needs of younger consumers to establish loyalty
- Graph 17: length of primary vehicle ownership, by age, 2024
- Consider warranties by age
- Graph 18: primary vehicle warranty coverage, by age, 2024
- Targeting male and female vehicle owners
- Graph 19: length of primary vehicle ownership, by gender, 2024
- Unlocking opportunities across gender
- Graph 20: have primary vehicle warranty coverage, by age and gender, 2024
- Purchase intent and type considered
- Opportunities for auto parts and services amidst consumers’ purchase intentions
- Graph 21: vehicle purchase intent timing, by age, 2024
- Understanding consumers’ considerations
- Graph 22: vehicle purchase consideration (type), by age, 2024
- Younger consumers lead short-term purchasing intent
- Graph 23: vehicle purchase intent timing, by gender, 2024
- Reaching new and used vehicle buyers
- Resonate with older consumers through safety
- Multicultural consumers indicate purchase interest
- Graph 24: vehicle purchase intent timing, Black and Hispanic consumers vs overall, 2024
- Heightened used vehicle interest among Black drivers
- Graph 25: vehicle purchase consideration (type), Black consumers vs overall, 2024
- Harness parents’ urgency to purchase
- Graph 26: vehicle purchase in the next year, moms vs dads, 2024
- Capturing the car-buying momentum in city markets
- Graph 27: vehicle purchase in the next year, by area, 2024
- DIY participation and intention
- Simplifying DIY: navigating consumers’ vehicle maintenance trends
- Remember vehicle ownership and consolidation trends
- Set a focus on simple repair solutions…
- Graph 28: DIY participation (simple repairs), by age, 2024
- …especially those that will do-it-again
- Graph 29: DIY recurring interest (simple repairs), by age, 2024
- Major auto part retailers offer complimentary wiper replacements with purchase
- Tapping into the DIY interest across gender
- Graph 30: DIY participation (simple repairs), by gender, 2024
- Men’s return to projects: opportunity for service providers and retailers
- Graph 31: DIY recurring interest (simple repairs), by gender, 2024
- Empowering opportunity: multicultural DIY trends
- Graph 32: DIY participation (simple repairs), Black and Hispanic consumers vs overall, 2024
- Ways to educate: simple repairs
- Younger consumers lead advanced repair participation
- Graph 33: DIY participation (advanced repairs), by age, 2024
- Reaching returning DIYers
- Gamify do-it-yourself education
- Reaching multicultural DIYers
- Graph 34: DIY participation (advanced), Black and Hispanic consumers vs overall, 2024
- Reaching advanced DIYers
- Younger consumers drive interior DIY work
- Graph 35: DIY participation (interior technology), by age, 2024
- Appeal to interest in personalization across gender
- Graph 36: changed the stereo or speakers, by age and gender, 2024
- Go beyond general maintenance products
- Develop, or partner with, urban garages
- DIY interest and savings
- Opportunity for further growth; education
- Graph 37: DIY knowledge (simple repairs), 2024
- Unlock DIY-associated savings
- Graph 38: money needed to save to consider taking on a DIY project for your vehicle, 2024
- Age-driven trends in DIY repair interest
- Graph 39: “I have not done this myself, but would like to learn how to” (simple repairs), by age, 2024
- Empowering women: AutoZone’s drive to inspire
- Bridging generations: navigating DIY interest across ages
- Graph 40: “I have not done this and I am not interested in learning how to” (simple repairs), by age, 2024
- Value perspectives: highlight savings considerations
- Graph 41: money needed to save to consider taking on a DIY project for your vehicle, by age, 2024
- Limited understanding, interest in advanced repairs
- Graph 42: DIY knowledge (advanced repairs), 2024
- Navigating advanced DIY interest by age
- Graph 43: “I have not done this myself, but would like to learn how to” (advanced repairs), by age, 2024
- Engaging younger consumers with tailored solutions and transparent services
- Unlocking the potential of interior products
- Graph 44: DIY knowledge (interior technology), 2024
- Younger consumers are a driving force in interior tech DIY
- Graph 45: “I have not done this myself, but would like to learn how to” (interior technology), by age, 2024
- Crutchfield highlights the ability to update interiors
- Unlocking further growth among Hispanic consumers
- Graph 46: “I have not done this myself, but would like to learn how to” (all repairs), Hispanic consumers vs overall, 2024
- Empowering economical self-reliance: engaging Black and Hispanic consumers
- Graph 47: money needed to save to consider taking on a DIY project for your vehicle, Black and Hispanic consumers vs overall, 2024
- Empowering resources
- Deploy a multichannel approach to empowerment
- Graph 48: empowering resources (DIY), 2024
- Go beyond traditional forms of empowerment to reach younger consumers
- Graph 49: empowering resources (DIY), by age, 2024
- Understand consumers’ technology usage
- Understand empowering resources by gender
- Graph 50: empowering resources (DIY), by gender, 2024
- Leverage the power of online forums/communities
- Empowering multicultural vehicle owners: leveraging expertise, tools, and technology
- Graph 51: empowering resources (DIY), Black and Hispanic consumers vs overall, 2024
- Major retailers offer complimentary tool programs
- Vehicle servicing and location
- Consumers balance DIY efforts with professional expertise
- Graph 52: professional servicing history, 2024
- Dealership dominance and emerging competitors
- Graph 53: professional servicing locations used, 2024
- DIY enthusiasm meets professional reliance across ages
- Graph 54: professional servicing history, by age, 2024
- Navigating the service landscape: old-school loyalty vs new-age explorers
- Graph 55: professional servicing locations used, by age, 2024
- Independent automotive repair shops lead among men
- Graph 56: used an independent automotive repair shop, by age and gender, 2024
- Mobile servicing has room to run
- High-income consumers gravitate to dealership servicing
- Unlocking urban insights: engaging younger, multicultural consumers
- Graph 57: professional servicing locations used, by area, 2024
- Consider mobile pop-up diagnostics at high-traffic locations
- Influential factors of servicing
- Quality and cost are paramount to those considering professional servicing
- Graph 58: influential professional servicing factors (% any rank), 2024
- Tailor vehicle services to diverse priorities
- Graph 59: influential professional servicing factors (% any rank), by age, 2024
- Advance Auto Parts highlights environmental practices across social media
- Optimize reach among multicultural consumers
- Graph 60: (select) influential professional servicing factors (% any rank), Black and Hispanic consumers vs overall, 2024
- Income levels and shift towards professional services
- Graph 61: (select) influential professional servicing factors (% any rank), by household income, 2024
- Attitudes toward DIY maintenance and servicing
- Navigate consumers’ DIY concerns…
- Graph 62: attitudes toward DIY maintenance (% agree), by age, 2024
- …and concerns of cost
- Graph 63: attitudes toward DIY savings (% agree), by age, 2024
- Empower diversity in DIY
- Graph 64: attitudes toward DIY savings (% agree), Black and Hispanic consumers vs overall, 2024
- Revving up engagement: appeal to customization trends
- Graph 65: attitudes toward DIY customization (% agree), by age, 2024
- Driving cultural connection: harnessing DIY passion among black and hispanic consumers
- Graph 66: attitudes toward DIY customization (% agree), Black and Hispanic consumers vs overall, 2024
- Build trust: overcome skepticism
- Graph 67: attitudes toward professional servicing (% agree), by age, 2024
- Enhance trust among consumers, especially Hispanic consumers
- Graph 68: attitudes toward professional servicing (% agree), Black and Hispanic consumers vs overall, 2024
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Competitive strategies
- Ford innovates with olive waste to create eco-friendly auto parts
- eBay leverages AI to boost auto sales
- AutoNation launches ecommerce platform AutoNationParts.com
- AutoNation highlights the convenience of mobile servicing
- 7-Eleven expands branded partnerships
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Appendix
- Market definition
- Consumer research questions
- Consumer research methodology
- Generations
- Abbreviations and terms
- Forecast methodology
- Forecast fan chart methodology
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