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- A HUNDRED years ago: small car service stations give way to instrumental coworking spaces
A HUNDRED years ago: small car service stations give way to instrumental coworking spaces
Small service stations (service stations) are giving way to instrumental coworking spaces. Business notes: The demolition of industrial zones, rising rents and unaffordable loans will lead to a transformation of the car service market in 2026. The service stations will go into the shadows or close, which may trigger a 10% price increase, experts predict. The freed-up craftsmen with a pool of clients will move to garages or start renting places in self-service workshops. Izvestia investigated whether this would affect the quality of repairs.
How much can car repair prices rise?
The emerging shortage of industrial space and rising rents in Moscow are forcing small and medium-sized service stations (from two to six parking spaces) travel 20-30 km beyond the MKAD, close down or work in so—called service coworking spaces - spaces equipped with tools and equipment for one-time repairs. This was told to Izvestia by market participants and experts from the Union of Car Service Stations (SAS).
— For four years, rental prices for industrial real estate have been growing annually by 5-15%, depending on the area. In 2026, we expect to increase the lease by another 10%," said Ilya Plisov, a member of the Board of SAS.
According to the union, the key reason for the increase in rental prices is a decrease in industrial space due to the Integrated Territorial Development Program (CDT). It involves the demolition of old industrial zones, garages, and the construction of residential buildings, clinics, schools, shops, and more. Namely, the majority of service stations are located in such industrial zones and garages.
The remaining premises are so expensive to rent that they do not correspond to the financial model of enterprises without profitable loans. As a result, small service stations are forced to raise prices, which in the long run makes their business uncompetitive to large players.
According to the CAC, the increase in retail prices for car repairs in 2026 will approach 8%, and according to the Emex trading platform, this figure will be 10%.
"This increase is critical for the industry, as the check for small services will be equal to large service stations, which will affect demand,— said Ilya Plisov.
People will either leave for large services where the quality of services is higher, or they will repair cars on their own, the expert believes.
"Rising prices will cause a decline in demand for small service stations, and customers will refuse additional work in an effort to save money," Dmitry Danshov, founder and owner of the Mechanics company, told Izvestia.
The CAC estimates a decrease in the volume of repairs in small service stations in the range of 7-12%. All this can force workshops to save money, including on taxes.
— Car service stations with 2-6 parking spaces will begin to carry out more shadow operations, - Dmitry Danshov believes. — 10-15% of the turnover of such workshops can go into the shadows.
Today, due to rising rental prices and other factors, about 20 thousand service enterprises are under pressure, Ilya Plisov believes. Some of them will go into the shadows, while others may close, he believes. First of all, difficulties are possible for service stations that provide one type of service, for example, only tire service or oil change.
Where will cars be repaired in 2026
"Financial pressure on the industry has increased, and this situation has become a serious challenge for car service stations with a historical profitability of 15-25%," Tatiana Ovchinnikova, director of the Fit Service car service network, told Izvestia. — Many independent stations are on the verge of closure, while others have negative financial results. Rent growth has also become critical for them.
Most motorists are quite sensitive to the cost of repairs, so they choose not large players, but small workshops or even garage specialists, Ilarion Demchikov, marketing director of the Emex information and trading platform, told Izvestia. It is more profitable for these craftsmen to form their own pool of clients and rent individual parking spaces (400-500 rubles per hour or 30-70 thousand rubles per month) in the so-called service coworking spaces.
Izvestia visited two similar locations located in the Izmailovo ATC in new multi-storey parking lots.
"The number of our customers has doubled in a year," Evgeny Eskin, the owner of the AS self—service workshop with five lifts, told Izvestia. — And we hope for further increase in appeals.
According to the owner of the workshop, they switched to 24-hour operation this summer.
"Tenants are divided into two groups — self—made and professional craftsmen," Roman Yashukov, the owner of another large self—service Garage co-working space, told Izvestia. — The first are drivers who repair cars themselves, and the second are professional car mechanics with a pool of clients. If you need to do difficult work, they rent our 14 lifts and tools.
According to him, these craftsmen can no longer pull their workshop, as the rent in some places in Moscow has increased tenfold in three years. It is more convenient for them to use the hourly rental of a parking space.
"Small workshops will not survive in the capital, and only large car businesses and coworking spaces will remain," he believes. — Many service stations are already closing or moving 20-30 km beyond the MKAD, where there are still available areas.
However, coworking spaces will not be able to take on the entire load. Most artisans are likely to go to the gray zone, to suburban garages, where rental prices are much lower, according to the Union of Car Service Stations. In such unsuitable rooms, up to 60% of repair operations can be performed without expensive lifts and diagnostic equipment. These are brake pad replacements, oil service, body repairs, and more.
For more complex operations, locksmiths can use self-service workshops with expensive tools. This will allow the craftsmen to save money, however, the quality of work will decrease sharply, and the clients of such craftsmen will be deprived of warranty protection, according to the CAC.
According to the Alliance Trucks network of commercial vehicle dealerships, the gray segment of the market is now hovering around 321.6 billion rubles and already occupies 54% of car repairs. The share of small independent service stations is currently estimated at 225 billion rubles per year, and large services — at 453.4 billion.
"Concerns about tool co—working spaces, that is, workshops where mechanics work without full registration, are indeed justified," Alexey Ivanov, the owner of the network, told Izvestia.
Both in carpentry and sewing, there are already coworking spaces for independent craftsmen, and a similar niche can grow in a car service. However, they will not replace high-quality service with guarantees, modern equipment and transparent relationships, the market participant believes.
— Large service stations with their own areas do not expect global changes, — said Roman Timashov, Director of after-sales service at Avtodom Altufevo.
Customers of authorized dealers or services will stay with them. In this segment, prices will follow inflation and VAT, the manager added.
"A decrease in the number of small service stations and the departure of car mechanics to free bread will lead to market fragmentation," Ilya Plisov believes. — We experienced a similar situation in the 2000s, when garage repairs were developed, and the difference in the price of large white and small gray services reached two or more times.
Now, an increase in the gray market share may affect the quality of car repairs and the level of vehicle safety, he believes.
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