Memphis body shops not taking in any cars until August

Certain auto repair shops in Memphis, TN, are not taking in any more vehicles until August due to high demand, according to ABC24Memphis.

According to the report, Shelby County is leading the state with almost 2,700 crashes in the county during the month of May, equaling about five every hour.

Joe Morrow, the owner of Morrow Auto Body, told the news station he doesn't have the manpower and can't receive the parts to keep up with the demand. 

"I can't get parts right now, especially for new cars," Murrow said. "I had a 2022 Kia, and it took me two months to get parts because they weren't available. A lot of stuff is on backorder, so it's not our fault everything is so far behind." 

The article mentions Murrow added his customers are also dealing with having to foot a large tow truck bill. Since tow trucks can't take a wrecked vehicle to an auto shop because shops are full, people's cars have to sit in a tow lot until their repair date. Murrow said people are paying at least $30 a day.

Rental car companies are also being heavily impacted right now in the area, according to the report. If someone needs a repair completed in the next few months due to a car accident, they say it's going to be almost impossible because they don't have inventory for the demand either. 

The article adds insurance companies are noticing this. If a customer has a coverage plan that does rental reimbursement, some insurance companies will let the customer use that money towards rideshare like Uber or Lyft if a rental car is not available.