Advance Auto Parts Shuttering Hundreds Of Stores Because People Don’t Fix Their Own Cars Anymore

It’s tough sleddin’ out there for businesses these days, and it looks like one of the latest to have some trouble is Advance Auto Parts. But this one isn’t just about economic conditions, it has to do with changing consumer habits.

And frankly, we should all be ashamed.

According to The New York Post, the company will be closing 500 stores effectively axing hundreds of jobs.

Advance Auto Parts also cited hurricanes and the CrowdStrike outage earlier this year as reasons why the company has fallen on hard times, but they’re the latest casualty in an automotive industry that is having trouble because people have become less inclined to fix their own cars.

Advance Auto Parts has fallen on hard times thanks to people not wanting to fix their own cars. (Photo by Tierney L. Cross/Getty Images)

Now, I’m not going to pretend to be one of those guys who hangs out in his garage all day wrenching away on a classic muscle car. I don’t even have a muscle car… or a garage. 

I was also raised to call in a professional if you need help with something instead of trying to do things yourself and possibly make the problem worse.

However, there is nothing more satisfying — or that will make you feel manlier — than fixing your own car, no matter how small the issue may be.

I remember switching out a headlight one time, and I swear, I could feel my beard growing as soon as I popped it in.

One time I blew out a tire in a hotel parking lot, and the sweat I mustered up popping on the spare didn’t taste salty, it tasted sweet… like victory.

Manly victory.

So, I’m not saying you need to be swapping out your suspension or your transmission but if any little bits and pieces on your daily driver — in my case, a 2022 Kia Forte. Jealous? — need some attention, do yourself a favor. Do it yourself so you can feel this satisfaction.