Auto repair has the lowest CPC in services at just $3.90—but the highest conversion rate at 14.67%. The opportunity is massive, yet most shops waste budget on 'car parts' and 'DIY repair' searches that attract people who'll never pay for service.
5 min
Audit time
6
Areas analyzed
Read-only
Account access
We've audited hundreds of auto repair shop accounts. Here are the most common budget leaks we find:
Auto repair keywords overlap heavily with auto parts retail. 'Brake pads', 'oil filter', 'spark plugs'—these searches are dominated by DIYers buying parts at AutoZone. At $28.50 average cost per lead, every parts-shopper click adds up. Without thorough negative keywords, 25-35% of budget goes to retail, not repair searches.
Oil changes, brake repair, transmission work, and check engine diagnostics attract very different customers with different intent levels. Lumping all services in one campaign means generic ads and poor Quality Scores. A 'transmission repair' searcher needs specialist messaging, not a 'full service auto shop' ad—the mismatch kills conversions.
'Check engine light on' has high volume and urgent intent—something is wrong with the car RIGHT NOW. Yet most shops don't have dedicated campaigns for diagnostic searches. These customers need an immediate appointment to understand what's wrong, and they're much more likely to approve repairs once diagnosed.
Real data from WordStream 2025. See how your metrics compare to average auto repair shop advertisers.
$3.9
Average CPC
-26% vs $5.26 average
5.56%
Click-Through Rate
Clicks per impression
14.67%
Conversion Rate
Clicks to leads
$28.5
Cost Per Lead
-59% vs $70.11 average
Not all keywords are created equal. Here's which ones to target and which to avoid for auto repair shop Google Ads.
'Repair' keyword filters for service intent, not parts shopping. Safety-critical service with high close rates.
Urgent symptom-based search. These customers have an immediate problem and will book quickly.
High-ticket service ($2,000-4,000+). Specialist positioning beats generic shop ads for these searches.
'Honest' modifier signals trust-conscious customer tired of being overcharged. Review-focused positioning wins these.
Time-sensitive customers willing to pay for convenience. Urgency signals immediate need.
Retail parts shoppers, not repair customers. They're going to AutoZone, not a mechanic.
DIYers looking for YouTube tutorials, not professional service.
Parts shoppers who will change their own oil.
Career researchers and job seekers, not vehicle owners.
Parts shoppers doing their own brake job, not paying for brake service.
Timing matters. Here's when auto repair shop demand peaks and how to allocate your budget throughout the year.
March, April, October, November
Increase budget 40-50% during peak demand
January, February, July
Reduce spend or focus on maintenance services
Early morning (7-9am) for pre-work drop-offs, lunch breaks (11am-1pm) for scheduling, late afternoon (4-6pm) when issues are discovered
First cold snap reveals battery and heating issues. Summer heat waves expose cooling system problems. Pre-winter is AC-to-heater transition—both create demand surges.
Budget recommendations based on real WordStream 2025 data and typical auto repair shop ROI.
Minimum Monthly Budget
$1,500
~53 leads/month
Recommended Range
$2,000-$4,500/month
Best ROI for most auto repair shop businesses
Cost Per Customer
$95
At 30% close rate
At $28.50 CPL and 30% close rate, each customer costs $95 to acquire. Average repair order = $400-600. This is one of the best ROI ratios in local services—but only if you're filtering out parts shoppers and DIYers. Focus on maintaining high close rates through good phone handling and transparent pricing.
Our AI audit checks every aspect of your Google Ads account against auto repair shop-specific best practices.
We check if you're separating maintenance (oil changes, tire rotation) from repair (brakes, transmission, engine) and specialty (diagnostics, hybrid/EV). Different intent, different messaging.
We identify if you're paying for 'car parts' or 'brake pads price' searches that attract DIYers and parts shoppers, not repair customers.
We verify your 'transmission repair' ads mention transmission expertise, not generic 'full service shop' messaging that loses to specialists.
We check if both phone calls AND online scheduling are tracked. Shops miss 40%+ of conversion data by only tracking one channel.
We analyze if budget weights match profitability. Oil changes might generate traffic but transmission work is 10x more profitable per job.
We score pages for auto repair trust signals: certifications (ASE), warranty information, transparent pricing, reviews, and easy scheduling.
Understanding your competition helps you find your edge. Here's what auto repair shop advertisers are up against.
Competition Level
high
200,000+ monthly searches for 'auto repair near me' in the US
Main competitors: National chains (Midas, Meineke, Pep Boys), dealers (for warranty/newer cars), independent shops, and quick-lube/tire shops encroaching on repair
How to Win
Your Differentiator
Win with transparency (written estimates, no surprise charges), specialization (BMW specialist, hybrid expert), warranties (24-month parts/labor), or convenience (loaner cars, shuttle service).
"Half our clicks were from 'car parts' and 'DIY repair' searches. After the audit, we added negative keywords and created a 'check engine light' campaign. Lead costs stayed the same but the leads actually convert to paying customers now."
— Auto Repair Shop Owner
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Common questions about Google Ads for auto repair shop businesses
Auto repair shops typically invest $1,500-$4,500 per month on Google Ads, with the range depending on shop size, services offered, and local competition. Auto repair has one of the most favorable economics in local advertising: the lowest CPC ($3.90 average) combined with the highest conversion rate (14.67%) produces an average cost per lead of just $28.50—less than half the cross-industry average. This means even modest budgets generate significant lead volume. Start with $1,500/month minimum to generate 50+ leads and optimize based on data. Focus budget on high-value services (transmission, engine work, diagnostics) rather than low-margin work (oil changes). The key to profitability is filtering out parts shoppers and DIYers who inflate your click costs without ever becoming customers.