Milwaukee Shop Owner: Trump Tariffs Mean Older Cars, Higher Repair Costs
Proposed tariffs from the Trump administration are expected to bring more coming to repair shops as the price of new vehicles increases, shared automotive industry representatives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
In a report from TMJ4 News, Jim Tolken—president of the Auto Dealers Association of Metro Milwaukee—said that the planned 25% tariff on vehicles and parts from Canada and Mexico will impact new vehicle sales drastically.
“If there are tariffs upwards of 25%, that could add $5,000 to $8,000 to the price of a new vehicle,” said Tolken. “As the price of new cars goes up, more and more people will opt for a used car, and the market price for those used cars will also increase.”
This sentiment is echoed by Peter Bilgo, owner of Riverside Automotive Service in Milwaukee. He told TMJ4 that rising car prices will lead more consumers to invest in preserving their existing vehicle, meaning more work for him.
However, the cost of repairs is bound to go up with automotive parts being included in the proposed tariffs, as well.
“Those parts get passed down to us as a repair shop, then to the consumer, because our prices are based upon our cost,” said Bilgo.
