Service Times Improve While Maintenance Costs Rise
While “average time to resolve an issue” dropped 22.7% from the first half of 2024 compared to the third quarter of 2024, costs for popular service tasks rose 4.2%.
Costs for parts and popular service tasks rose again after a hefty 7% increase in H1 2024 compared to H2 2023.
Photo: Automotive Fleet
Welcome to the latest installment of Fleet Data Depot, which provides snapshots of information, trends, and analysis relevant to the fleet market.
While supply chain issues have improved considerably in the second half of 2024 compared to the last two years, costs for parts and maintenance continue to rise, though at a moderated pace.
Fleetio, a fleet maintenance management software provider, has tabulated for Automotive Fleet theaverage services and parts costs for light- and medium-duty vehicles in its system. Fleetio users uploaded this information via line items within work and repair orders.
This data set covers the third quarter of 2024 and compares it to the first half of 2024. Fleetio data shows that the “average time to resolve an issue” dropped 22.7% — from 11.08 to 8.56 days — in that timeframe.
This positive trend relates to the stabilization of technician labor and the greater flow of parts.
However, costs for parts and popular service tasks rose 4.2% in this period, coming after a hefty 7% increase in H1 2024 compared to Fleetio data from H2 2023.
As many factors affect individual fleet costs, this report is best used to identify large-scale trends over time. It should offer readers a baseline against which to compare current market averages and what they pay for services and parts.
Which Maintenance Costs Have Increased?
The largest increases in Q3 compared to H1 2024 occurred in these areas:
Grease: 40%
Tire alignment: 14.4%
Flat repair: 12.2%
Tire rotation: 10.5%
In less than a year, the cost of grease has spiked 181%. Lithium is found in grease products as well as EV batteries, and demand for lithium is skyrocketing.
Which Maintenance Costs Have Decreased?
The largest decreases in Q3 compared to H1 2024 occurred in these areas:
DOT inspection: -13.0%
Washer fluid: -6.6%
Hydraulic filter: -6.4%
Brake rotors/discs -1.5%
Many of the large price increases seen in the last report, such as conventional oil change (+17.8%), refrigerant (+11.2%), and diagnostics (-1.2%) increased moderately or slightly decreased.
Fleetio Maintenance Cost Comparisons, Q3 2024 Vs. H1 2024
Most Popular Service Tasks | Third Quarter | First Half | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
Air Conditioning Service | $155.68 | $150.64 | 3.3% |
Air Filter Element | $45.97 | $44.92 | 2.3% |
Battery | $182.53 | $176.25 | 3.6% |
Brake Inspection | $17.17 | $15.24 | 12.7% |
Brake Pads | $160.30 | $156.71 | 2.3% |
Brake Rotors/Discs | $300.43 | $305.10 | -1.5% |
Cabin Air Filter | $43.85 | $42.99 | 2.0% |
Coolant | $48.96 | $48.42 | 1.1% |
Coolant Flush | $104.08 | $99.98 | 4.1% |
Diagnostics | $217.38 | $217.59 | -0.1% |
Diesel Fuel Filter | $89.51 | $88.48 | 1.2% |
Diesel Oil Change - Conventional | $76.15 | $74.49 | 2.2% |
Diesel Oil Change - Full Synthetic | $104.37 | $102.71 | 1.6% |
Diesel Oil Change - Semi Synthetic | $112.94 | $111.00 | 1.8% |
DOT Inspection | $99.75 | $114.66 | -13.0% |
Drive Belt | $106.45 | $100.18 | 6.2% |
Environmental / Disposal | $13.92 | $12.60 | 10.5% |
Flat Repair | $27.93 | $24.89 | 12.2% |
Fuel / Water Separator | $79.07 | $79.15 | -0.1% |
Fuel Filter | $48.06 | $48.14 | -0.2% |
Grease | $58.73 | $41.89 | 40.2% |
Hydraulic Filter | $34.39 | $36.74 | -6.4% |
Miscellaneous | $295.57 | $290.85 | 1.6% |
Oil Change - Conventional | $64.85 | $62.94 | 3.0% |
Oil Change - Full Synthetic | $67.54 | $64.24 | 5.1% |
Oil Change - Semi Synthetic | $51.65 | $51.98 | -0.6% |
Rear Differential Service | $127.52 | $116.34 | 9.6% |
Refrigerant | $89.60 | $87.47 | 2.4% |
Replace Brake Fluid | $88.69 | $89.59 | -1.0% |
Road Service | $259.05 | $250.30 | 3.5% |
Shop Supplies | $30.23 | $29.76 | 1.6% |
Spark Plug | $224.33 | $212.00 | 5.8% |
State / Province Inspection | $29.02 | $27.97 | 3.7% |
Tire Alignment | $121.46 | $106.19 | 14.4% |
Tire Disposal Fee | $14.01 | $12.88 | 8.8% |
Tire Replacement | $525.06 | $508.72 | 3.2% |
Tire Rotation | $24.50 | $22.17 | 10.5% |
TPMS Service Valve Kit | $13.11 | $12.71 | 3.2% |
Transmission Flush | $193.86 | $170.79 | 13.5% |
Washer Fluid | $6.52 | $6.98 | -6.6% |
Wheel Balancing | $58.41 | $54.13 | 7.9% |
Windshield | $295.66 | $286.41 | 3.2% |
Wiper Blade | $31.57 | $31.08 | 1.6% |
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