Keith Rogers has been in the auto repair business for 40 years. It’s been in the last three years — the recession years — that business has grown enough for him to expand.
“People aren’t buying new cars as often,” Rogers said. “We haven’t suffered from the economic crunch, not like others. Cars are a lot more complicated than they used to be, and people can’t fix them.”
Since the recession started, local businesses have downsized or closed all together. In the meantime, well-established auto repair shops and used car lots have seen growth.
Rogers has added four new bays, hired more employees and is currently constructing a new entrance way off Saint Paris Pike to accommodate the growth in business.
Summers have been so busy, Rogers calls in grandsons and nephews, anyone who can help fix cars, said Todd Rogers, Keith Rogers son and shop manager.
The growth has been limited to well-established local auto repair shops and reputable chains, said Zach Eggleston, shop foreman for Jeff’s Auto Repair in New Carlisle. Eggleston is also the region’s representative in the Automotive Service Association of Ohio’s board of directors.
“Your more established shops that people trust aren’t the cheapest, but people are getting a more quality repair and service and getting more for their money’s worth,” Eggleston said. “It saves them money in the long run.”
Eggleston said he attributes much of Jeff’s Auto Repair’s growth to the increase in price of used cars.
“Used car availability is way down and car prices are as high as they’ve ever been,” Eggleston said. He said customer’s are finding it cheaper to do repairs, even if the repair costs more than what their car is worth.
Nice used cars, particularly model years 2006 through 2009, are high in demand.
“The used car business is good,” said Archie Teverbaugh, general manager of Bill Marine Auto Center on North Street. “Nice used cars are hard to find, the demand for older cars brings costs to $10,000 to $12,000, even less for older cars. Moderately priced cars are hard to find.”
Trade-in values for small, used cars model years 2006 to 2009 are 10 to 30 percent higher in August 2011 than in the beginning of the year, said Jonathan Banks, National Automobile Dealers Association executive auto analyst.
“The fleet of the vehicles on the road right now are older than usual, a lot of consumers are at the point where they have to replace their vehicle,” Banks said. “Because of the economy, consumers are choosing to go to a used vehicle.
Not only are more people looking for used cars, less are available because people are holding on to their vehicles longer, Banks added.
“People are looking for something with more value,” he said. “Used cars do well in a down economy.”
Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0371 or emason@coxohio.com.