Bruce Kratofil, Author at aftermarketNews
Research: March Industrial Production Index

The index was up slightly from February but continues to remain lower than pre-Covid levels.

Research: Retail Parts Sales on the Rise

The numbers were up 7.7 percent year-over-year for February.

Research: Tracking Industrial Auto Parts Production

The data comes from the Federal Reserve Board.

Babcox Research: Scan Tools in the Body Shop

According to the BodyShop Business 2022 C.R.A.S.H. report, 86% of collision shops reported that they owned a scan tool.

Miles Traveled Looked Solid at Start of 2023

January 2023 was a good month for travel on the nation’s highways as Vehicle Miles Traveled rose.

Auto Parts Inflation Slowing Down

In January 2023, the CPI for Motor Vehicle Parts and Equipment rose 8.3% over January of 2022.

Gas Prices and Miles Traveled  

Let’s take a look at the latest trends in fuel prices and vehicle miles traveled to see if things have stabilized.

Quarterly Research: Tracking Inflation

After many years of staying out of the headlines, inflation has returned as a hot topic.

Overheard: Auto Parts Production Update

The Industrial Production of Auto Parts and Allied Goods was down for the fourth month in a row, at 109.39 in August 2022.

Overheard: August Light Vehicle Sales Drop

This is the fifth month in a row that the total came in at less than 14 million.

Overheard: VMT Took a Dip in June

When measured by the 12-month moving average of VMT, June’s numbers were down 0.2% compared to May.

Overheard: Consumers Are Spending On Their Current Cars

According to the Census Bureau, spending at auto parts, accessory and tire stores in June was up 11.1% over June 2021.