Automotive
Car repair costs up 60% since 2019, St. Louis Fed data show
Jalopnik reports that car repair costs have risen far faster than inflation, with software fees and driver-assistance calibration cited as key drivers.
The short version
- Jalopnik reports that car repair costs have risen 60% since January 2019, versus 32% for inflation, citing the St. Louis Fed.[Jalopnik]
- Independent shops face software access fees and costly calibration equipment for modern driver-assistance systems, according to a Brooklyn shop owner.[Jalopnik]
- AAA, via CNBC, puts the added cost of driver-assistance systems in collision repairs at 36.7%; the underlying Fed report was not independently reviewed.[Jalopnik]
Key facts
- Car repair costs rose 60% since January 2019, according to a St. Louis Fed report cited by Jalopnik.[Jalopnik]
- Inflation rose 32% over the same period.[Jalopnik]
- A $75 software access fee applies to an oil change on a luxury vehicle that normally costs $400, according to a Brooklyn shop owner.[Jalopnik]
- AAA, via CNBC, says advanced driver-assistance systems raise collision repair costs by 36.7%.[Jalopnik]
- A calibration machine costs about $28,000, the required computer $12,000, and a full sensor array up to $90,000, according to an invoice a shop provided to CNBC.[Jalopnik]
- A windshield replacement that cost $200 on an old farm truck last year can cost up to $950 on a camper van, according to a Jalopnik writer's account.[Jalopnik]
What remains uncertain
- The 60% and 32% figures come from a St. Louis Fed report as relayed by Jalopnik; the report itself was not independently reviewed here.[Jalopnik]
- Equipment costs come from one invoice a single shop provided to CNBC; how representative they are across shops is unknown.[Jalopnik]
- The windshield comparison is a single anecdote from one writer's vehicles and does not show typical pricing.[Jalopnik]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.