Aftermarket Insider Volume 65 - (Page 8)

Cold, Hard Truth ______________ AbOUT ThE RIghT TO REPAIR bATTLE If car companies believe that Right to Repair is not needed because all of the information is available to independents, then why are they spending so much money fighting it? INVESTIgATINg ThE ThE COLD, hARD FACTS Anyone who has followed the debate about the Motor Vehicle Owners’ Right to Repair Act has little doubt that the coalition comprised of the car companies, dealers and the Automotive Service Association (ASA) has been committed to defeating Right to Repair, both at the federal level and in the states. The act is bipartisan legislation that would require automakers to provide the same service information and tools to independent auto and maintenance shops, as well as to consumers, that the automaker dealership service centers receive (see sidebar). One only has to look at Massachusetts to get an idea of the extent the car companies, dealers and ASA are willing to go to defeat a Right to Repair bill under consideration in Boston. TRUE OR FALSE: Money talks in Massachusetts. TRUE. Massachusetts car compa- the United Auto Workers (UAW) in Massachusetts is involved, but there are no vehicle or parts manufacturing plants in the state. nies and dealers have employed more than 40 lobbyists and, combined with their advertising efforts, Massachusetts car companies are spending up to at least $500,000 a month directed at killing Right to Repair! These car companies have also enlisted the lobbying prowess of the labor unions based on allegations that the legislation will ship car company and parts manufacturing jobs overseas. Sidenote: Interestingly, TRUE OR FALSE: Right to Repair would threaten ASA’s manufacturer agreement. FALSE. Although ASA claims legislation that threatens it. It would actually strengthen the promises by the manufacturers by requiring them to make information and tools available. Sidenote: ASA only represents a small percentage of the independent shops in the U.S., and it is spending its limited resources to fight legislation that could mean long-term access to the information and tools that their members need. that their opposition to Right to Repair is necessary because they have negotiated a “voluntary” agreement with the manufacturers, there is nothing in the Right to Repair TRUE OR FALSE: Right to Repair is a guise for independent aftermarket parts manufacturers 8 | AFTERMARKET INSIDER 2010 | VOLUME 65 http://www.righttorepair.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Aftermarket Insider Volume 65

Aftermarket Insider Volume 65
Contents
President's Message
An Unwelcome Oil Change
Investigating the Cold, Hard Truth About the Right to Repair Battle
Industry News
Member Profile
Toolbox
AAPEX News
Campaign Update
Technology Update
Industry News
International Focus
Market Research

Aftermarket Insider Volume 65