Podcast: Tale of Two Shops: The Great Turnaround of 2025

Sept. 10, 2025

Key Highlights

  • The industry experienced a challenging spring with low consumer confidence, followed by a record-breaking summer of growth.

  • Economic factors like tariffs and electricity costs significantly impact shop operations and profitability.

  • The aging vehicle fleet, with nearly 250 million vehicles over four years old, presents a major market opportunity.

  • Successful shops are adopting innovative financing and supply chain strategies to stay competitive.

  • Adapting presentation techniques to different economic segments helps build stronger customer relationships.

In this episode, Mike Bennett takes us on a deep dive into the auto repair industry's remarkable 2025 journey—from the challenging spring months when consumer confidence plummeted to the record-breaking summer that has shops back on track for projected growth.

This episode explores the economic forces shaping the industry, from tariff impacts to electricity cost surges, and reveals the strategies successful shops are using to build stronger customer relationships while navigating financial uncertainty.

Mike shares valuable insights on how the aging vehicle fleet is creating massive opportunities, with nearly 250 million vehicles over four years old representing the industry's primary market. The conversation covers innovative financing solutions, supply chain strategies, and the critical importance of adapting presentation techniques to serve customers across different economic segments.

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About the Author

Chris Jones

Group Editorial Director

Chris Jones is Group Editorial Director for the Vehicle Repair Group at Endeavor Business Media. He’s a multiple-award-winning editor and journalist and a certified project manager now providing editorial leadership and brand strategy for the auto care industry's most trusted automotive repair publications—Ratchet+Wrench, Modern Tire Dealer, National Oil & Lube News, FenderBender, ABRN, Professional Distributor, PTEN, Motor Age, and Aftermarket Business World.

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