Business Wire·Jun 24, 2026, 7:00 AM ET

New Valvoline Inc. Report: Americans Feel Confident but 4 in 10 Are Overwhelmed by Everyday Decisions

Valvoline Inc. released its inaugural State of American Decision Making Report examining how consumers navigate choices amid rising costs & complex information.
A contradiction exists where 64.4% of Americans feel very confident in decision-making while 40.3% often feel overwhelmed by the volume of weekly decisions.
31.4% of respondents report frequently second-guessing themselves after making a choice.
35% of Americans prioritize trust over convenience when selecting vehicle maintenance providers, compared to 17.4% prioritizing lowest price & 12.6% prioritizing speed.
49.9% of consumers seek low-pressure auto services, while 47.8% value transparent pricing & 42.3% prefer plain explanations.
47.1% of Americans compare more options when costs rise, with 30.4% prioritizing value over price alone.
56.9% of people feel relief after making a satisfactory decision, & 47.4% feel relief after vehicle servicing.
The report defines a good decision as one that reduces stress, avoids regret, & enables confident forward movement.
Findings align with Valvoline Instant Oil Change's "The Ride Wrangler" campaign encouraging drivers to "change wisely."
Valvoline operates over 2,400 service centers across the US & Canada, completing more than 30 million services annually with a team of 13,000 members.