REPAIR PRICES, TIMELINES INCREASED

REPAIR ORDER VALUES INCREASE IN DECEMBER AS CYCLE TIME AND TOUCH TIME DECLINE

Average repair order values increased across Canada in December, according to the latest Pulse of the Industry data, while production efficiency metrics moved lower.

The average insurance-paid repair order rose by $272 compared with the prior six-month average. The average customer-paid repair order increased by $127 over the same period. These figures are measured against a six-month baseline to reflect longer-term trends. Cycle time, measured from vehicle arrival to delivery, averaged 13.7 days across the industry, up 1.9 percent from the prior threemonth average. Among the top ten percent of performers, average cycle time was 6.0 days, up 2.2 percent.

Touch time declined during the period. The industry average fell to 2.4 hours per repair per day, down 4.2 percent from the prior three-month average. Top-performing shops reported 4.7 hours, down 5.3 percent.

Capacity levels were unchanged. The average work-in-process ratio held at 11.7:1, the same as the prior three-month average. The work-in-process ratio measures total hours on-site divided by average daily output. Top-performing shops typically operate with 7.5 to 11.0 days of repair inventory.

“The December Pulse of the Industry report shows the industry is in uncertain waters,” said Darryl Simmons, publisher of Collision Repair. Those businesses that focus on reducing cycle times are likely to see that decision pay off over the course of the next year.”

The December 2025 Pulse of the Industry report is produced by Collision Repair in partnership with AutoHouse Technologies. The report is based on more than 60,000 monthly repair orders completed by Canadian collision repairers. All financial data is presented on a pre-tax basis, and results are normalized with variance thresholds applied to remove anomalies.

Evaluate your Performance?

Curious how your shop stacks up?

Our enhanced benchmarking tool compares your performance against national, provincial and regional peers. Using real operational data - not surveys - you can quickly identify where to improve efficiency, boost throughput, and grow profitability. Learn more to see if benchmarking is a fit for your business.

Learn more at autohousetechnologies.com/crmpulsereport

About this Report

Pulse of the Industry is the result of a powerful collaboration between Collision Repair magazine, Canada’s leading collision industry publication, and AutoHouse Technologies, the nation’s foremost provider of real-time repair performance analytics. Compiled from over 60,000 monthly repair orders completed by Canada collision repairers. All information has been normalized, with variance thresholds applied to remove anomalies and ensure data integrity.

collisionrepairmag.com/15814910