A St. Johns auto shop is feeling the effects of rapidly shifting federal tariff policy, with mechanics saying the uncertainty is making it difficult to plan for parts costs and inventory.
- The Supreme Court struck down tariffs President Trump put in place using emergency powers; he then announced a new 15% global tariff.
- A St. Johns auto shop says the constant policy shifts make it hard to plan for parts costs and inventory.
- Mechanics say customers are increasingly seeking American-made parts and tires to avoid potential tariff surcharges.
WATCH: St. Johns shop navigating tariff uncertainty on parts
Hub Tire Center lead mechanic Josh Weber said the situation remains fluid.
"A lot of it's still kinda in motion," Weber said.
The shop, like others across the region, has been trying to keep up with a series of changes in recent days. On Friday, the Supreme Court struck down tariffs President Trump had put in place using emergency powers. Over the weekend, the president announced a new 15% global tariff using different legal authority.
While some auto parts and vehicles already subject to existing tariffs may be exempt from the new 15% rate, Weber said the uncertainty still affects day-to-day operations and inventory decisions.
"It's really hard to kind of plan for that not knowing where exactly the parts are coming from all the time. Or what percentage of them is from overseas versus here in the states," Weber said.
Weber said customer behavior is also shifting in response to the tariff changes.
"A lot of people are trying to buy stuff made in the states now and it seems to be a bigger priority to them. It affects us because then we've gotta stock more of that," Weber said.
Some of Hub Tire Center's most common imports are the tires themselves. Weber said buyers may want to look for American-made tires to avoid potential tariff surcharges.
The bigger concern, however, is the pace of change. As the situation continues to evolve, Weber said the unpredictability makes it hard for small shops to look ahead.
"It's definitely something that we need to pay attention to for our customers, and as well as customers going anywhere," Weber said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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