Aug. 22, 2022—A shop mechanic in Alabama is sharing perspective on the current duality of drivers putting off vehicle maintenance due to inflation and supply chain issues continuing to cause backups.
According to WBRC, Jerry Daw is a mechanic at Auto and Truck Services in Birmingham, Alabama. Daw said that he has seen customers procrastinate on oil and coolant changes because of price increases.
Choosing to do this can mean bigger problems for a vehicle further down the line, but it is an option that some people are now choosing to take due to inflation.
Simultaneously, supply chain issues continue to cause long wait times at shops. Daw said to WBRC that he has especially noticed problems with obtaining vehicle belts that are predominantly made outside of the United States.
Shipping disruptions and an increase of prices in general are the main reason that many cars currently have to sit and wait in shops.
“We had a truck here for almost a year waiting on an engine because they couldn’t get parts for it,” said Daw to WBRC. “Eventually, the customer just sold the vehicle because they couldn’t get an engine for it.”
