Widening age gap splits repair channels

Domestic and foreign nameplate light vehicles in the United States are seeing a widening age gap and it’s reshaping repair channels and parts demand

According to recent analysis from Lang Marketing, the start of 2026 saw domestic nameplates average nearly four years older than foreign nameplates, up significantly from a decade earlier. Lang attributed the divergence to shifts in annual new‑vehicle sales and the nameplate mix, which have accelerated vehicle aging, especially for domestic badges.