The Right to Repair Coalition said it had achieved major success last year in raising awareness of the need to enact legislation that would require the big car manufacturers to sell the needed repair information to local repair shops. As it stands now, not all of the necessary repair information is available to independent, neighborhood car repair shops. Formal sessions for the Massachusetts Legislature ended on July 31st, 2010, and even though the Right to Repair legislation passed the Senate unanimously, the House of Representatives was unable to take action on the bill before the session ended.
"We support the Right to Repair bill because it simply makes good sense for our members, and for all motorists," says Mary Maguire, Director of Public and Legislative Affairs at AAA Southern New England. "Passage of Right to Repair will provide drivers with more affordable choices and greater convenience when it comes to car repair, and that represents a real victory for the motoring public.
The Right to Repair legislation would ensure better choices for consumers if independent shops had the same non-proprietary repair codes as the new car dealerships. Repair shops will pay for the data, which would increase competition and result in lower prices for consumers.
The Dreaded "CHECK ENGINE" Light
As it stands now, almost every driver of an out of warranty car or truck has had the experience of seeing the dreaded "CHECK ENGINE" light come on only to be told that the vehicle had to be taken to a new car dealership to simply turn the light off after repairs were made. Advocates for the Right to Repair bill believe it's your car, you have the right to have it repaired wherever you choose.
The 2011 legislation is sponsored by Rep. Garrett Bradley (D- Hingham) and Sen. John Hart (D-South Boston) and has over 60 co-sponsors, even more than last year.
"What this bill is really about is ensuring our constituents will always have a choice to have their vehicles repaired at a shop of their choice. Given the tough economy we're in, we have to remember that consumers pay a lot for their cars and for repairs, so they should get it fixed where they want," said Rep. Garrett Bradley (D-Hingham).
The Massachusetts Right to Repair Coalition has more than doubled in size since the last legislative session-- to 33 organizations-demonstrating significant momentum and growth. The Right to Repair Coalition believes there ought to be a law protecting Massachusetts' small and independent automotive repair businesses by creating a level playing field on which to compete. Despite a heavy financial investment in the best training and diagnostic equipment, independent repair technicians are at a distinct disadvantage because not all of the repair codes are readily available to them.
"There are 32,000 people who put food on the table by working in Massachusetts' independent auto repair industry. You'll find them on every corner on every main street in every neighborhood. Right to Repair will protect these jobs, the small independent businesses they work for, and most importantly their customer's right to choose them to get their cars fixed," said Art Kinsman, the spokesman for the Right to Repair Coalition.
Members of the Massachusetts Right to Repair Coalition include National Grange, AAA Southern New England, the American Military Society, the Massachusetts Independent Auto, New England Tire and Service Association, Retailers Association of Massachusetts, Dealers, The National Federation of Independent Businesses, Bridgestone, Firestone, American Car Care Centers, the Massachusetts Insurance Federation, Midas, Consumer Electronics Association, Massachusetts Locksmith's Association, the Automotive Recyclers Association, the Coalition for Auto Repair Equity, the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association and more than 1,000 independent auto repairers across Massachusetts.
