The US auto industry overcharges consumers for motor vehicle parts, while pricing vehicles outside the range of most US households. That keeps profit margins high on new vehicles.
Sales of new passenger cars and trucks are stagnant, but the industry compensates by selling expensive parts to consumers who keep their vehicles on the road longer. The cost of a new car has risen by about 40% since 1991, while the cost of repair parts has nearly doubled, as the above chart shows. The cost of auto repair, meanwhile, has tripled.
Nearly three-quarters of Americans depend on their cars to get to work, according to Statista.com. For most commuters, public transport isn’t an option. American cities lack the infrastructure to move people to their jobs.