Transmission work used to be a one-and-done deal for the technicians at Croce’s Transmission Specialists, a car repair shop in Connecticut. But now, customers with newly fixed transmissions often bring in their other vehicles, too, for an evaluation and potential preventive work.
That’s a sign of the times, Maryann Croce said, who has owned and operated the shop with her husband since 1999. As Americans hold on to their cars longer than ever, they’re investing in longevity and shifting maintenance habits accordingly. That changing mindset has put the auto maintenance industry in a new gear: helping customers re-invest in a valued asset, rather than exhaust a depleting commodity.
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“Vehicles are more complex and customers are keeping them longer. That puts pressure on shops,” said Croce, who is on the board of the Automotive Service Association. Shop owners have stepped up, she told Straight Arrow. “You can’t solve the problem by asking fewer people to do more. You have to invest in processes and technology.”
The industry of keeping cars on the road is rising to the challenge. From the mechanics to the aesthetics, services that keep cars tuned up, safe and clean are outrunning a welter of complications — labor shortages, inflation, galloping tech and environmental regulations —and in the process, showing similarly situated industries how to make the most of a moment of consumer affection. One key change: Auto maintenance shops now consider themselves as part of an ecosystem, rather than dealing with maintenance and repair issues as they emerge.
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The driving rationale is clear: Americans are spending more than ever on cars that are older than ever. Mobility Global, an S&P company that tracks auto industry trends, including the $521 billion maintenance category, reports that the average monthly car payment is nearly $800.
And the average age of U.S. passenger cars hit 14.5 years in 2025, Mobility Global calculated, marking a consistent escalation.
What’s pushing car owners away from DIY maintenance?
The older the car, the more likely its owner will handle routine maintenance, like oil changes, on their own, according to trade publication Car Reformer. But as digital dashboards become the norm for cars at all price points, consumers must turn to professionals for determining what’s wrong and what to do about it, which explains why the DIY portion is coasting at 21% of the market.
The maintenance industry has new milestones for success. Efficiency and cost-effectiveness are essential to build repeat business. And that’s more important than ever, as shops are likely to see the same vehicles more often, Croce told Straight Arrow.
Computer diagnostics help technicians detect interconnected problems, too, that enable them to recommend trusted industry colleagues, she said.
“If people are questioning what they need to get done, we can refer them,” Croce said. “Shops know their communities.”
How are car washes keeping prices affordable?
Long-term trends wheeled in the industry’s direction during the pandemic, realigning consumer expectations of the very definition of “good service” and environmental responsibility.
The car wash industry is a case in point.
Under pressure from private equity owners intent on squeegeeing every dollar from operations, car washes are keeping prices affordable by doubling down on efficiency, said Mark Thomas, executive vice president of marketing at Way.com, a platform that connects auto owners with services that help them contain the cost of car ownership. From automated payment kiosks to elevating the environmental benefits of air-drying over hand-drying, car wash operators have kept a lid on fees.
“Finding ways to keep the customers coming in, using value [offers] is absolutely part of the equation,” Thomas told Straight Arrow.
Because car wash services see autos before a crisis erupts, they’re perfectly positioned to refer owners to related services in time to establish relationships before an expensive problem develops.
“The adjacent services are interested in being part of a collective,” said Thomas. The washes intend to build a membership model by “adding additional benefits in the same way that Prime gives you free shipping,” he said, referring to Amazon’s popular model.
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That logically starts with low-stakes services, such as preferred parking for commuters, and then grows “as people feel that they’re in a network they want to stay in,” Thomas said. Service providers can gain insights behind the scenes, by sharing customer use histories and, eventually, predict emerging needs, he said.
What’s behind the rise in mobile car detailing?
Increasingly, customers are interested in streamlined convenience, said Reza Ahmadi, CEO of Panda Hub, a platform that started during the pandemic to bring car cleaning and detailing to customers’ own driveways. Ahmadi discovered that the huge auto maintenance industry — which represents $521 billion in annual revenues — is largely comprised of individual shops and small chains. Panda Hub started in Houston in 2020 and now operates in 20 states and three Canadian provinces. It’s on track to be national next year.
Part of that growth will derive from adding adjacent services, such as swapping in new tires. Along the way, Ahmadi has learned that price transparency builds consumer trust and loyalty. Early on, he retooled the platform to charge for detailing only according to vehicle size. Consequently, half of the platform’s work comes from regulars, ranging from Honda Civics to Rolls-Royces. The busier the customer’s schedule, the more likely they are to rely on the platform for a regular car cleaning.
“Maintenance is no longer just about mechanics. It’s about keeping the interior as pleasant as possible as long as possible,” Ahmadi said. “Dogs shed hair, coffee gets spilled. And kids throw a lot of French fries.”
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