TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Like many, Parker Automotive Service Center is one of many local businesses in Tucson bracing for the impact of tariffs.
President Donald Trump put a 90-day pause on most tariffs yesterday, but that doesn't apply to the auto tariffs from late March.
"We've been notified by our distributors that parts are going to go up, but we have not seen it yet," says Scott Murtaugh, a service adviser at Parker Automotive.
They are still seeing their normal steady stream of business, but some customers have said they want to get work done before prices rise.
"If something is gonna cost the customer $400 for parts and labor, the labor is gonna stay the same, but the parts will go up," says Murtaugh, "That's gonna be just south of $500."
The current tariffs are 25% on foreign-made cars and car parts. That means even cars that are made in the US could use parts made from foreign countries and still see prices rise.
But as there could be a rush to buy more cars before the tariffs are felt here in Tucson, more people could just choose to repair their car, even if it will cost a bit more than normal.
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Blake Phillips is a reporter for KGUN 9. Originally from St. Louis, Mo., Blake grew up in Sierra Vista. During his college tenure at the Missouri School of Journalism, Blake worked for the NBC affiliate KOMU-TV in Columbia. He is excited to return to a place he calls home and give back to the community in which he grew up. Share your story ideas and important issues with Blake by emailing blake.phillips@kgun9.com.
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