Snap-on Equipment

Positive Impacts of Reduced New Car Sales and Extended Ownership on the Automotive Aftermarket Repair Industry The automotive industry is witnessing a pivotal shift characterized by reduced new car sales and an extended length of vehicle ownership. According to S&P Global Mobility, the average age of passenger cars has climbed to 14 years, while light trucks are currently retained for an average of 11.9 years, reaching a new combined record high of 12.6 years. This trend, driven by economic uncertainties, increased vehicle prices, and changes in consumer behavior, presents significant opportunities for the automotive aftermarket repair industry, particularly in areas such as wheel service repairs, wheel alignment, steering and suspension repairs, tires, brakes, and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) calibration services. Additionally, this shift positively impacts the sales of new wheel service repair equipment by companies like John Bean. Average Age of U.S. Vehicles Contin...

 Purchasing a used wheel aligner is compared to buying an old computer with an unsupported operating system and software but worse.   The mindset of purchasing used hand tools for pennies on the dollar can be an expensive lesson when purchasing an alignment machine.  The shiny painted cabinet and the colorful display on the surface appear to be an immediate cost savings solution for shops considering entrance into the wheel alignment space.  Buyers of used aligners soon realize they spent thousands of dollars on outdated software and hardware that causes the equipment to run slow, lock up in the middle of an alignment, and be unable to receive updated OEM specifications updates as they become available.   The average cost of replacing a motherboard on the older aligners running a Microsoft Windows XP or Windows 7 (OS) operating system is between $3,500 and $5,000.  Our legendary John Bean wheel aligners continue to evolve and raise the bar in the ...