The cost of everything from an oil change to new tires is being put under the budget microscope

CHICAGO, Apr. 23, 2025 – The U.S. consumer is looking ways to stretch their spending, which presents a range of opportunities for the retail automotive aftermarket. Vehicles on the road in the U.S. are aging as consumers continue to avoid the rising price tag associated with a new, or newer used, car. Recent data reveals that aftermarket consumers are taking on both do-it-yourself (DIY) and trade-down behaviors when it comes to their automobile maintenance and repairs, according to Circana, LLC. 

“There are 20 million more vehicles in the aftermarket ‘sweet spot’ — those beyond their original warranty — than there were in 2020,” said Nathan Shipley, automotive industry analyst for Circana. “Older cars mean more maintenance activity, but the cost of that maintenance can add up fast, leading consumers to find ways to save, including taking on some of it themselves.”

Higher-income households, earning $100K or more annually, have driven the largest growth in the DIY retail aftermarket in recent years. Initially, this trend stemmed from increased free time during the pandemic, as consumers undertook their own maintenance or worked on personal projects like cars, boats, and ATVs. More recently, the growth reflects a shift from do-it-for-me (DIFM) to DIY. According to a February 2025 Circana consumer survey, 29% of consumers reported switching from having a professional change their automobile’s oil to doing it themselves to save money. Retail sales are reflecting this behavior, with motor oil and filters growing in unit sales demand for the past two years.

Trade-down behaviors are increasingly evident across retail, and as prices rise, those behaviors are hitting the retail aftermarket. Tires, cleaning products, and wiper blades were most cited by consumers as product categories with higher prices that caused them to trade down to a different brand to save money. According to Circana’s tire sales data, the lowest-priced tier 4 tires surpassed the unit share of tier 1 brands in 2024, marking a significant behavioral shift. The average price of a tire in 2024 was nearly 50% higher than in 2019, and a tier 1 tire now has a price averaging $113 above that of a tier 4 tire.

“Looking ahead, the factors influencing the current auto aftermarket shifts will not stop or turn around quickly, even if in-office work accelerates or new car demand picks back up,” Shipley adds. “Marketers in the aftermarket need to find ways to deliver and convey real value to the consumer, or risk losing out on this period of significant opportunity.”