Key takeaways:
- Mechanics say it’s due to inflation and a shortage of new and used vehicles for sale.
- Mechanics at Midtown Auto Repair & Tire in Charlottetown are seeing more clients for restoration on their older cars.
Owners of auto-repair stores across the Island say they’re staying busy fixing older cars this summer.
Mechanics tell more people to require to restore vehicles to pass inspection because they can’t substitute them as quickly due to the sting of inflation and a shortage of vehicles for sale.
Like the remainder of the nation, Prince Edward Island has been dealing with a lack of new cars since last year. That’s been mainly attributed to a supply-chain delay for microchips.
Matt Thomson, the owner of Midtown Auto Repair & Tire in Charlottetown, told vehicle owners don’t have many chances right now: “The shortage of new cars … and the lack of used cars is immense.”
Thomson stated that once people have their winter tires switched over in the spring, there’s usually a lull in business.
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But this year, business never restricted down on P.E.I.
“We just set our heads down and keep working and do the work here, and if we can adapt other people, we’ll do that too. But that’s all we can do at this moment.”
Thomson said he’s been attempting to save some appointments open for everyday walk-ins, but those fill up very fast. His shop is reserving at least a week ahead, which is twice as long as he’d like it to be.
“There’s just a tremendous demand, and people are falling [vehicles] off without appointments and leaving it,” he stated. “We are not in a shortage of things to do, that’s for sure.”
He said it’s been difficult for some of his clients to afford the required work on their cars, and he wishes there were options.
Source – CBC News
