Auto repair shop services offered: the full list, and how to show yours
Most independent auto repair shops offer maintenance (oil changes, fluids, filters, tires), brakes, diagnostics and check engine lights, steering and suspension, heating and AC, electrical work, engine and cooling repairs, and inspections; some add transmissions, exhaust, diesel or hybrid work. What you list on your website should be the jobs you do well and want more of, in the words drivers use, with the makes you work on next to them.
Below is the full list grouped the way customers search, which services need extra certification or equipment, how to choose what to offer, and how to write the services section and service pages of your site.
The full list of auto repair services
Grouped roughly by how often drivers need them. The right column is how drivers tend to phrase the need, which is what your site should say.
| Group | Services | How drivers say it |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance | Oil and filter change, scheduled (factory) maintenance, fluid services (coolant, brake, transmission, power steering), air and cabin filters, wiper blades, belts and hoses, battery test and replacement | "oil change near me", "60,000 mile service", "car battery replacement" |
| Tires and wheels | Tire sales, mount and balance, rotation, flat repair, TPMS sensors, wheel alignment | "tire rotation", "car pulling to one side", "alignment near me" |
| Brakes | Pads and rotors, calipers, brake lines, brake fluid flush, ABS diagnosis, parking brake | "brakes squeaking", "brake pads replacement cost" |
| Diagnostics | Check engine light, scan and road test, drivability problems, no-start, warning lights, pre-purchase inspection | "check engine light on", "car won't start", "pre purchase inspection" |
| Steering and suspension | Shocks and struts, control arms, ball joints, tie rods, bushings, wheel bearings, power steering | "clunking over bumps", "steering wheel shakes" |
| Heating and AC | AC recharge and leak test, compressor, condenser, blower motor, heater core, climate controls | "car AC blowing hot air", "AC recharge near me" |
| Electrical | Starters, alternators, wiring, lights, power windows and locks, parasitic drain, modules | "battery keeps dying", "alternator replacement" |
| Engine and cooling | Timing belts and chains, water pumps, radiators, thermostats, head gaskets, oil leaks, tune-ups, engine replacement | "car overheating", "oil leak repair" |
| Drivetrain | Transmission service and repair, clutch, CV axles, differentials, transfer cases, 4WD | "transmission slipping", "clutch replacement" |
| Exhaust and emissions | Mufflers, catalytic converters, O2 sensors, EGR, emissions repairs, state inspections where your state requires them | "failed emissions test", "catalytic converter replacement" |
| Specialty | Diesel, hybrid and EV service, European makes, fleet maintenance, trailer hitches, lift kits, performance work | "hybrid battery repair", "BMW mechanic near me" |
A good shop service list, such as the one AutoVitals gives for the services it calls most profitable, starts with the frequent jobs: oil changes, brakes, diagnostics, alignment, suspension and AC [1]. Those bring cars in often, and each visit is a chance to find the next job.
Services that need extra certification, tools or space
Some services can't simply be added to a list. Before you offer them, check what they need:
| Service | What it takes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle AC repair and recharge | Technicians who repair or service motor vehicle AC for pay must be certified under EPA's Clean Air Act Section 609 and use approved refrigerant recovery equipment | EPA [2] |
| State safety or emissions inspections | A state licence or station certification where your state runs a program; rules differ by state | Your state's DMV or environmental agency |
| Alignment | An alignment rack and a technician trained on it | Equipment maker |
| Hybrid and EV high-voltage work | High-voltage safety training and insulated tools; the maker's service information | Vehicle maker service data |
| Diesel | Diesel-specific diagnostic tools; ASE offers a light vehicle diesel test (A9) | ASE [3] |
| Anything, in some states | Shop registration before doing repairs for pay, e.g. California's Bureau of Automotive Repair | See opening a shop in California |
ASE certification isn't required by law to offer most services, but customers recognise it, and its test series maps neatly to the service groups above: A1 Engine Repair, A2 Automatic Transmission/Transaxle, A3 Manual Drive Train and Axles, A4 Suspension and Steering, A5 Brakes, A6 Electrical/Electronic Systems, A7 Heating and Air Conditioning, A8 Engine Performance, A9 Light Vehicle Diesel Engines [3]. If your techs hold a certification, name it next to that service on your site.
How to choose which services to offer
A long list is not the goal. A list you can deliver well, at a price that pays, is. Four questions for each service:
- Do we already have the tools and skills? If not, what would it cost and how many jobs a month would pay it back?
- Does it pay at our labor rate? Use book hours times your rate, plus parts margin, minus the time it really takes. Our guide on how to charge for auto repair shows the maths, and how much to charge for a car service covers fixed-price menu items.
- Does it bring the car back? Oil changes, tire rotations and inspections are low-ticket but frequent; they are how a shop finds the brake and suspension jobs.
- Do people near us search for it? Type the service plus your town into Google and see whether shops near you show up with a page for it.
Jobs you won't do are worth listing too: "We don't do body work or transmission rebuilds; we'll recommend someone who does." It saves calls and builds trust.
How to show your services on your website
On the homepage
- 6–10 services, not 40. The ones you want more of, as short names: Brakes, Check engine light, AC repair, Suspension, Oil change, Inspections.
- One line each saying what you do and the symptom it fixes: "Brakes: pads, rotors and calipers. Squeaking, grinding or a soft pedal."
- Makes right next to them: "We work on Toyota, Honda, Subaru, Ford and most domestic and Asian makes."
- Prices where they're fixed: oil change, inspection, diagnosis fee. "We call with a price before any work" for the rest.
- Each one links to its page once you have pages.
The rest of the homepage layout, from the first screen down, is in our guide to auto repair shop website design, and the best auto repair shop websites shows how strong shops do it.
On a service page
A page per main service helps you show up when someone searches that job in your town. A useful service page has:
- A headline with the service and town: "Brake repair in Mesa, AZ".
- The symptoms in drivers' words, and when it's urgent ("grinding means metal on metal: stop driving if you can").
- What the job includes and how long it usually takes.
- How you price it, and the price if it's fixed.
- Your warranty on that work.
- One or two reviews that mention that job.
- The call and booking buttons. Our mechanic booking website guide covers what the form should ask.
Write each page for that job. Ten pages that are the same text with a different service name swapped in won't help customers or search. Our guide to auto repair shop SEO covers which pages to write first.
On your Google Business Profile
Google lets you add services to your Business Profile. List the same services, with the same names, as on your site, so a driver sees one consistent shop on Maps and on your pages.
Wording that helps, and wording that hurts
| Instead of | Write | Why |
|---|---|---|
| "Full-service automotive solutions" | "Brakes, AC, diagnostics and maintenance" | Drivers and Google need the actual jobs |
| "All makes and models" | "Toyota, Honda, Ford, Chevy and most Asian and domestic makes" | Specific makes are believable and searched |
| "Electrical services" | "Battery keeps dying, lights or windows not working" | Symptoms are how people search |
| "Competitive pricing" | "Oil change from $X. We call with a price before any other work." | Answers the fear of the surprise bill |
| "Expert technicians" | "ASE-certified in brakes and engine performance" | A named certification can be checked |
Keeping the list true
Review your services section every few months. Remove a service when you stop doing it (a call for AC work when your AC tech has left costs you a review), add one when you buy the equipment, and update fixed prices when they change. Seasonal notes help too: AC checks before summer, batteries and heaters before winter, with real dates you take down afterwards.
Not sure your current site shows your services well? Email us your shop's name and we'll send a free preview of your homepage, with your services, makes and reviews laid out from what you already publish.
FAQ
What services does a typical auto repair shop offer?
Maintenance and oil changes, tires and alignment, brakes, diagnostics and check engine lights, steering and suspension, heating and AC, electrical, engine and cooling, and often inspections and exhaust.
What are the most profitable services for an auto repair shop?
It depends on your labor rate and parts margin, but lists such as AutoVitals' name oil changes, brakes, diagnostics, alignment, suspension and AC [1]: frequent jobs that lead to more work.
Do I need a certification to do car AC repair?
Yes. In the US, technicians who service motor vehicle AC for pay must be certified under EPA Section 609 [2].
How many services should I list on my website?
6–10 on the homepage, the ones you want more of. Add a page per main service once the homepage works.
Should I list services I don't offer?
List what you don't do in one line and who you send people to. It saves wasted calls and builds trust.
Should I put prices next to my services?
For fixed jobs, yes. For repairs that vary, say how you price and that you call before any work.
More guides are on the auto repair guides page.
Sources
- AutoVitals, "7 most profitable auto repair services to offer at your shop" (Jan 2023). https://blog.autovitals.com/7-most-profitable-auto-repair-services-to-offer-at-your-shop
- US EPA, Section 609 technician training and certification programs (motor vehicle air conditioning). https://www.epa.gov/mvac/section-609-technician-training-and-certification-programs
- ASE, Automobile and light truck certification tests (A1–A9). https://www.ase.com/