Have prices for this kind of repair been rising faster than other car costs?

In the BLS consumer price index for U.S. cities, prices for motor vehicle body work are up 41.7% since December 2019, against 74.2% for motor vehicle repair and 55.2% for maintenance and repair overall (latest reading 2026-07).

Consumer prices since December 2019: motor vehicle body work against motor vehicle repair. Motor vehicle body work: +41.7%; Motor vehicle repair: +74.2%; Motor vehicle maintenance and repair: +55.2%.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), U.S. city average · file downloaded 2026-07