October 3 marks six months since new auto tariffs began to take effect, impacting the price of vehicles, parts and repairs.
And as of August 2025, the cost of vehicle maintenance was 8.5% higher than the same time last year, according to the latest Consumer Price Index.
As maintenance and repair costs continue to climb, drivers like Judy Johnston are finding themselves priced out of essential car care. Johnston's car has an oil leak, but she says she's passing on the pricey repair.
"It will cost too much to get it fixed, so we're just adding oil, like daily," she explained.
More than half of drivers can't afford a major repair
In a 2025 survey by FinanceBuzz, more than half of drivers, 58%, said they'd be unable to afford an emergency repair costing $1,000 or more. That's a dangerous gap when the average repair costs $838, according to Kelley Blue Book.
Auto mechanic Russell Brumley of P&R Auto Repair says even minor accidents can result in major expenses.
"A mildly bumped into front end, you could have a $3,500 estimate on it," Brumley said.
Watch a shop tech show some of the repair parts now more expensive than ever:
Simple fixes now cost thousands
Once cheap and easy to fix, bumper repairs have become increasingly expensive thanks to labor and technology.
"A lot of sensors and wiring goes in the bumper," Brumley explained, "You’ve got blind spot sensors, you have backup sensors."
Brumley says the bumper alone can reach the $1,000 range. Now add in the sensors: "I had one on one particular vehicle was $1,600," Brumley said.
He says after installation, some blind spot sensors have to be sent back to the dealership to be programmed.
"It gets into quite an expense," Brumley said.
How to save on car repairs
Fred Padgett with Bosch Automotive Aftermarket says you might be able to save by purchasing parts yourself, but warns against buying the cheapest aftermarket parts you find.
"You may turn the key and the engine runs, but there's no guarantee on the longevity of that part -- how long it's actually going to perform to the criteria, to the levels that it needs to perform," Padgett said.
He suggests original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts, which are meant to be identical to what the car came with.
"Because then you know that part you're buying is the same quality as the part that came on the car when it was built," Padgett said.
According to a recent report from Consumer Reports, there are more ways to save money during the repair process:
- Ask your shop about coupons or discounts
- Use an auto parts store for something like a battery replacement
- Do not skip out on regular maintenance
With a little help from YouTube, Padgett says some routine maintenance can be done at home, like oil changes and changing your transmission fluid.
"A lot of them have a drain plug in the transmission pan, so that you can actually drain the fluid out," he said.
The key is handling repairs before they snowball into something worse, so you don’t waste your money.
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