IMR: Parts shortage top worry of repair shops

NAPERVILLE, Ill. — Finding parts, and at an affordable price and on time, are among the biggest challenges independent repair shops expect to face in 2022, according to a recent IMR Inc. survey.

IMR surveyed 500 independent automotive repair shops in the U.S. in February to get insight into what they believe their biggest challenges will be in 2022, as well as what challenges they expect to face in the future.

The challenges they expect to face this year are markedly different than when these questions were asked during the pandemic, as well as prior to the pandemic, IMR said.

For 2022, independent repair shops surveyed said the biggest challenges they expect to face are: finding parts they need/parts shortages (35.8%); bringing customers back/providing incentives (31.8%); finding affordable parts (29.4%); and getting parts on time (27%).

However, the weight of those concerns varied based on the size of the shops.

For example, the top ranked issue for shops with one to three bays is finding qualified and responsible techs. That issue is ranked second for shops with eight or more bays.

Additionally, while finding parts and the parts shortages is the largest overall concern, only 8.8% of shops with one to three bays noted the concern. That's compared to nearly 42% of shops with four to seven bays and 50% of shops with eight or more bays.

Bringing customers back/providing incentives also was less of a concern among shops with one to three bays (13.7%). Shops with four to seven bays (38.3%) and shops with eight-plus bays (20%) expect it to be more of a challenge in 2022.

The increasing population of hybrid and electric vehicles (HEV/EV) seems to be top of mind for shops with four or more bays, IMR said.

It is the top trend they believe will affect them further in the future.

Smaller automotive repair shops said they don't consider HEV/EVs to have as large an impact as the need to keep up with changes in technology and diagnostics and having to compete with larger shops.

In 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, independent repair shops listed their biggest challenges as: finding time for hands-on technician training (42.6%); staying up to date with advances in diagnostics (31.6%); keeping up with advances in vehicle technology (31.1%); and finding good, knowledgeable and motivated technicians (29.2%).

In 2020, during the height of the pandemic, independent repair shops noted their biggest challenges were: keeping staff and customers safe/social distancing (55%); getting customers/keeping the shop running/returning to normal hours (44%); getting parts on time (34%); and getting parts/finding suppliers with parts in stock (29.2%).

Naperville-based IMR has been conducting research into automotive aftermarket trends since 1975.