Georgia's Motoring Consumers and Independent Auto Repair Industry Thank U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal

    ALEXANDRIA, Va., May 26 /PRNewswire/ -- "Georgia's motoring consumers
 and the Georgia automotive aftermarket thank U.S. Representative Nathan
 Deal (R- Dalton, Gainesville, LaFayette) for voting for The Motor Vehicle
 Owners' Right to Repair Act, HR 2048, in his Subcommittee on Commerce,
 Trade and Consumer Protection, on May 25, 2006," stated David Parde,
 president, The Coalition for Auto Repair Equality (CARE). The vote was a
 battle and close, 14 to 13, in favor of consumers and small business.
     'The Right to Repair Act,' as it is often known, was reintroduced in
 May 2005, by Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX), Chairman of the House Energy and
 Commerce Committee, to address the dissatisfaction voiced by motoring
 consumers and the automotive aftermarket that 1994 and newer vehicles (and
 some earlier models) which are equipped with computer systems must be
 repaired by the car dealerships, rather than the consumers' repair shop of
 choice.
     The vehicles' computer systems control the repair, maintenance and
 parts replacement on vital systems such as: air bags, brakes, steering
 mechanisms, batteries, oil changes, tire pressure, ignition keys and more.
 Following the introduction of The Right to Repair Act, the car companies,
 which have complete access to the repair information, released some
 information, but not enough for the automotive aftermarket to repair the
 entire vehicle. The inability to repair the entire vehicle forces many
 consumers back to the car dealerships for higher-priced repairs.
     "It's very simple," stated Parde. "When consumers own their own
 vehicles they should have the ability to make their own judgment calls on
 that property. But, unfortunately, the car companies disagree with that
 free- market philosophy. When asked in a May 17, 2006, Legislative Hearing
 in the same Subcommittee, if consumers have the right to their own repair
 {auto} information, Mike Stanton, spokesman for the Alliance of Automobile
 Manufacturers stated, 'No. Because anyone could have it ... and,
 manufacturers don't have a duty and consumers don't have a right.'"
     "Fortunately for Georgia's consumers and small business, Rep. Deal
 believes that consumer choice is a fundamental American right," stated
 Parde.
     The next step for The Right to Repair Act is the House Energy and
 Commerce Committee, where Rep. Deal will again have the opportunity to vote
 for HR 2048. Another Georgia Representative, Charlie Norwood (R-Augusta,
 Toccoa, Evans), also serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and
 will have an opportunity to vote for this pro-consumer bill. Rep. Norwood
 has not recosponsored HR 2048 or supported it this congressional session.
     "Georgia Representatives could be the deciding factor whether motoring
 consumers have choices in their vehicle repairs and whether the automotive
 aftermarket will be able to fully compete in the market place," concluded
 Parde.
     The Coalition for Auto Repair Equality (CARE) is a national
 organization representing companies in the automotive aftermarket, among
 them: NAPA (headquartered in Atlanta); CARQUEST, AutoZone, Advance Auto,
 O'Reilly's and others. Five million people nationwide are employed in the
 aftermarket in over 495,000 locations, including "mom and pop" shops.
 
 

SOURCE Coalition for Auto Repair Equality