2.1.6.4Vertical

Independent Auto Repair Shops

Locally-owned general repair shops servicing consumer vehicles.

Market snapshot

These figures describe Auto Repair & Maintenance (2.1.6), the segment that Independent Auto Repair Shops sits within. They are not figures for Independent Auto Repair Shops on its own.

Market size
~$102B
Growth
~7.8%CAGR (2017–22, nominal)
Companies
~107,045 firms
Firms by employee count

96.8% of firms have fewer than 20 employees: 103,611 micro-businesses, below most mandates.

The investable universe3,429 firms with 20+ employees
20–99
2,80082%
100–499
38011%
500+
2497%

The recession-resilient heart of the aftermarket: general and specialized repair, oil-change and lube, plus towing. With ~99,000 firms and 97% under 20 employees, this is the most fragmented and most roll-up-ready corner of automotive, and the aging fleet keeps demand steady: a downturn pushes drivers to repair rather than replace.

NAICS 488410, 811111, 811114, 811191, 811198. U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Statistics of U.S. Businesses; U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Economic Census.

Business model & economics

Revenue model

Service labor plus parts markup; recurring maintenance visits

Key economics

Revenue per firm
$950,689
Revenue per employee
$170,023
Employees per firm
5.5
Recurring revenue
Moderate–High

maintenance recurs with vehicle ownership

EBITDA margin
12–25%
Capex intensity
Moderate

Characteristics

  • Balanced cost base: payroll is 27% of revenue, leaving room to scale margin without cutting staff
  • Deep strategic-buyer pool: 249 firms exceed 500 employees, so a scaled asset has trade buyers
  • Aging fleet and costly new cars sustain durable demand.
  • Recession-resilient: drivers maintain vehicles in downturns.
  • Highly fragmented base, prime for chain and PE consolidation.

NAICS 488410, 811111, 811114, 811191, 811198. U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Statistics of U.S. Businesses; U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Economic Census.

M&A deal context

Deal activityHigh

Who’s acquiring

  • PE-backed repair & quick-lube platforms
  • Service-chain consolidators
  • Franchise networks

What’s driving deals

  • Roll-ups of independent repair and quick-lube shops.
  • Aging vehicle fleet expanding service demand.
  • Recurring, recession-resilient revenue attracting buyers.

Find Independent Auto Repair Shops acquisition targets

Search Acquisera’s index for companies classified under Independent Auto Repair Shops (2.1.6.4) and build a targeted deal pipeline.

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