Like almost everything else, auto repair prices have climbed since the COVID-19 pandemic, from water pumps and ball points to fan belts, and there are many reasons for that.
But one of the biggest is how hard it is for shops to attract and keep workers, including technicians who have been in short supply. That means paying higher wages, and that means the cost for that oil change has gone up.
"We always have struggles getting competent people," said Mike Caradonna, who owns Mike's Foreign Car Service, 1379 River St., in Franklinton.
He says he has a great crew now. But that means he has to pay well, estimating that his labor costs have gone up 25% since COVID. And that adds to his costs along with everything else.
"The cost of everything has gone up. Utilities have gone up. Rents have gone up. We just have to maintain profitability," Caradonna said.
According to the Consumer Price Index, auto repair costs in U.S. cities jumped 17% from August 2022 to August 2023.
One shop manager said that a water pump on a truck used to be $86, with the same pump two years later costing $213.
Chris Cozad, who owns Alternative Auto Care at 136 W. 5th Ave., said her shop costs − the price she charges for labor pay − have risen in the past year from $149 to $155 an hour. Included in that are costs for wages and benefits, and it helps cover overhead such as rent, utilities, insurance and phone bills.
"I try to never raise labor rates 5 or 6 bucks an hour at a time," Cozad said.
But if you want good people, you have to train and pay them appropriately, she said.
"If you want to keep the best and brightest, you have have to treat them well," she said.
Caradonna said costs just get passed on to customers. "Some of these estimates we write, holy cow, I can’t believe these numbers," Caradonna said. "This is what we have to charge. How they pay those bills, I don’t know how they do it."
Luke Walker, who has owned Luke's Auto Grandview, 1107 Dublin Rd., for 14 years, said the labor market is one of the big reasons why costs have increased. He said he started a mechanic training program because of how drastic the labor shortage is, although Walker said he isn't short-staffed now.
"Basically it's been 40 years since they've been steering people away from the trades, the lower rate of young people coming into the industry. All the skilled technicians are older," Walker said.
Aaron Mallett, service manager at Luke's, said it has been difficult to acquire and maintain good employees. He said wages have gone up about 20%.