As more strapped Americans want to fix their cars , repair shops are doing well . Automotive Service Association : Members ' numbers grew 16 percent over the last year . D.C. car owner : ` ` People are willing to spend more '' to keep cars well - serviced . `` Believe it or not , we were raised to fix things , and to hold on to things as long as we could , '' White said . This seems to have translated into increased traffic at auto parts stores , as well .
As more strapped Americans want to fix their cars , repair shops are doing well . Automotive Service Association : Members ' numbers grew 16 percent over the last year . D.C. car owner : ` ` People are willing to spend more '' to keep cars well - serviced . This seems to have translated into increased traffic at auto parts stores , as well .