CLEVELAND — Increased demand and decreased supplies are leading to higher prices in stores, at businesses and on the roads. The cost for a new car topped $47,000 in December, up more than $6,000 from the year before.
The asking price was more than $28,000 for a used car—up 28% in a year, according to Kelly Blue Book. That's led to more drivers sinking money into the cars they are driving, and repair shops across the area have noticed an increase in business.
Bryan Weber has owned Weber Automotive for 27 years and has never seen the car market like it is right now. Weber’s shop is busier than normal. “We’re 22% up over last year at this time,” Weber explained.
His North Olmsted shop is filled with cars being repaired. “There’s just so few cars on the market because there’s little new cars coming in, they’re really hard to get so people are fixing the used ones,” Weber said.
What’s happening at his garage is playing out at repair shops across the area. At Conrad’s Tire Express and Total Car Care in Cleveland, workers are busy.
“Most people right now they feel like they have no option because there are no new cars to buy so investing in their current vehicle is something they really just have to do,” said Conrad's Sales Manager Kyle Stallard.
“I travel around to all 38 of our retail locations and this is the atmosphere that we’re living in right now. The demand is there and we’re keeping up with it,” said Stallard. Both Weber and Stallard said getting parts to repair cars has not been a problem so far.
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