http://www.righttorepair.org/The latest headlines and articles from RightToRepair.org - Right To Repair CoalitionRightToRepair.org - Right To Repair Coalition5From AAA World: As the motorists' advocate for more than 110 years, AAA Mid-Atlantic strongly believes that you deserve the right to have your vehicles repaired properly where and by whomever you choose. The decision to have your car repaired at a dealership or a local independent mechanics's shop should be made by you and you alone; it should not be dictated--directly or indirectly--by a vehicle manufacturer.http://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=121Fri, 09 Sep 2011 11:42:08 GMTThe nation's oldest national agricultural organization, the National Grange, calls on Congress to pass the Motor Vehicle Owners’ Right to Repair Act (HR 1449) in order to protect individual vehicle ownership rights, particularly for residents of farming and rural communities.http://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=119Tue, 26 Jul 2011 17:03:13 GMTOur local Representative Tom Marino has declared his support of the Motor Vehicle Owners’ Right to Repair Act. This legislation levels the competitive playing field between new car dealerships and independent repair shops by requiring that car companies provide full access at a reasonable cost to all service information, tools, computer codes, and safety-related bulletins needed to repair motor vehicles… providing the same information to independent repair shops that they provide to their franchised dealer networks. The goal of the act is to help both consumers and small businesses by making sure that motorists have the final say on where their car is taken for service, whether to a dealership or a neighborhood repair shop.http://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=118Mon, 25 Jul 2011 16:56:16 GMTPennsylvania Congressman Tom Marino Support Right to Repair.http://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=120Tue, 26 Jul 2011 17:08:51 GMTCould this be the year right-to-repair legislation finally gets passed in a state legislature or nationally? The chances appear better than ever of this happening, with three states having introduced their own versions of bills for what’s officially known as the Motor Vehicle Owners’ Right to Repair Act. http://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=113Wed, 16 Mar 2011 11:00:05 GMTAs auto makers design vehicles with increasingly sophisticated technology, independent mechanics complain they lack the proprietary tools and data to service many late-model cars. There are some 500,000 independent auto-repair shops in the U.S., industry figures show. http://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=111Thu, 03 Mar 2011 10:24:33 GMTProprietary information at issue in 'right-to-repair' fighthttp://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=98Thu, 22 Jul 2010 10:09:23 GMTA coalition of Massachusetts businesses is lobbying for a bill called the Right to Repair Act that would guarantee independent mechanics and shop owners access to the diagnostic data dealerships get. The bill is under review by the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure, and more than 40 legislators have expressed support for it.http://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=87Tue, 12 Jan 2010 09:06:21 GMTSo far, thanks in part to lobbying by automakers, that bill hasn't gone very far. Reader MR sends in this article exploring both the bill and how automakers have been abusing intellectual property law to force you to pay more. Basically, as cars become more sophisticated and computerized, automakers are locking up access to those computers, and claiming that access is protected by copyrights.http://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=85Sun, 10 Jan 2010 16:51:20 GMTNow that U.S. taxpayers hold a stake in General Motors Co. and Chrysler LLC, chances seem greater Congress will pass the latest version of a Right to Repair Act. So says John Washbish, vice president of the Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance Inc., a trade group pushing for legislation to require auto makers to share virtually all technical service information with independent repair shops, not just their dealers.http://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=81Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:37:26 GMTLast month, I had a chance to attend a panel discussion at Northwood University in Midland, MI, titled "Reinventing the Wheel." The panel featured the usual analysts and industry experts, but it also had a new car dealer and an executive vice president of a major aftermarket parts program group. The event was held in conjunction with the Northwood University International Auto Show.http://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=82Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:43:47 GMTThe Right-to-Repair Act of 2009, which was introduced in April and referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, has attracted support from a number of players in the aftermarket industry.http://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=76Thu, 20 Aug 2009 18:04:19 GMTWhenever I hear or read about the troubles of the American auto-manufacturing industry these days, I wish there could be some mention of another domestic, auto-related industry that is supporting millions of jobs in spite of its own unique challenges: the automotive aftermarket industry. In layman's terms, that's the auto parts and repair business.http://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=74Tue, 11 Aug 2009 11:31:23 GMTFor years, car owners and independent auto repair shops have faced a common threat: A growing monopoly on auto repairs and maintenance. http://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=75Tue, 11 Aug 2009 11:34:36 GMTDon't Get Duped When Getting Your Car Fixed: Radio Interview with CARE Executive Director Sandy Bass-Coors.http://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=73Mon, 10 Aug 2009 20:30:07 GMTWe often hear members of Congress talk about the challenges facing small businesses and the need to help them compete. Passage of the Motor Vehicle Owners’ Right to Repair Act (HR 2057) is a chance for Congress to demonstrate their commitment to small businesses throughout the country.http://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=71Thu, 23 Jul 2009 16:11:29 GMTPassage of a new bill could give you more options outside the dealership for car repair.http://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=72Thu, 23 Jul 2009 16:12:35 GMTAAIA Vice-President for Government Affairs Aaron Lowe and CARE Executive Director Sandy Bass-Cors each appeared on radio recently to discuss Right to Repairhttp://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=67Tue, 21 Jul 2009 16:35:33 GMTTheCarConnection.com recommends that if you have an older or specialized vehicle, you'll probably save time, money, and frustration by locating an independent shop that specializes in your model. For a newer vehicle that might require up-to-the-minute diagnostic tools, check in with the dealership…but watch your wallet.http://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=70Thu, 23 Jul 2009 16:09:35 GMTA Dodge dealership in Alexandria Bay, NY, wasted over $700 of Joe's dad's money and a week of their time not repairing a 20-year-old truck. Joe says he heard that the dealership recently replaced all of its mechanics—maybe they took a page from Circuit City's playbook?http://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=69Thu, 23 Jul 2009 16:07:33 GMTTypical American consumers - and that's most of us - probably make these assumptions about new cars: They're all "computerized," meaning beyond the realm of repair by those of us who once had an interest or instinct for working on them, and we're all stuck with costly service at the dealerships from which we purchased them.http://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=66Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:54:56 GMTThe Motorcycle Riders Foundation strongly supports the Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act (HR 2057) and urges Congress to swiftly pass the legislation in order to safeguard individual vehicle ownership rights today and in the future.http://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=62Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:47:43 GMTThe Motorcycle Riders Foundation strongly supports the Motor Vehicle Owners’ Right to Repair Act (HR 2057) and urges Congress to swiftly pass the legislation in order to safeguard individual vehicle ownership rights today and in the future. http://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=63Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:50:18 GMTRecently, CARE Executive Director Sandy Bass-Cors appeared on WABE radio.http://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=61Thu, 25 Jun 2009 18:12:18 GMTAs of early June, Chrysler LLC wants to eliminate 789 dealerships - roughly one-quarter of its total U.S. dealerships - saying that their sales are too low. General Motors seeks to make a similar move. While the final decision rests with the bankruptcy courts, the possible closing of these dealerships has customers concerned: Who will handle the warranty work on their Chrysler and General Motors' vehicles? http://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=64Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:17:04 GMTMore and more, newer cars and trucks are keeping automotive do-it-yourselfers from tinkering under their own hoods. The computer systems in modern vehicles act like a lock, and they -- the owners! -- are simply not given the key. In many cases, only the dealership where they bought the car has the "key" to get in and fix it.http://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=57Thu, 11 Jun 2009 10:28:34 GMThttp://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=56Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:42:23 GMTWith the introduction of the Right to Repair Act last month, members of Congress were given an opportunity to vote for something that is a simple fairness issue -- the right for car owners to take their vehicles to any repair shop they wish. The bill would mean breaking free of the iron grip that auto dealerships have on car owners thanks to what amounts to electronic locking of the hoods on newer cars.http://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=54Mon, 01 Jun 2009 12:54:04 GMTComputers play an increasingly important role under the hood of our cars, which can make repairing your ride a nightmare. Troubleshooting and repairing problems requires specialized equipment and - more importantly - diagnostic codes that automakers jealously protect. That means you’re usually stuck going to a dealership and paying through the nose for repairs.http://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=58Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:37:33 GMT"Ralph Nader's back to hounding the automotive industry ... but it's not about safety this time, it's about the pesky DRM in your car. Most cars have a UART in them that allows you to read off diagnostic codes and information about what may be wrong with the vehicle so you can repair it. Late model cars have been getting increasingly complex and dependent on computers which has caused them, as with most things digital, to move towards a proprietary DRM for these tools, diagnostic codes and updated repair information. This has kept independent auto-shops out of the market for fixing your car and relegating you to depend on pricier dealers to get your automotive ailments cured. The bill still has a provision to protect trade secrets but is a step forward to open up the codes and tools necessary to keep your car running."http://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=59Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:38:58 GMTIt's not often that you get former presidential candidates from the Green Party and the Libertarian Party to agree on legislation, but Bob Barr and Ralph Nader have done just that -- jointly supporting the Right-To-Repair Act of 2009 (H.R. 2057).http://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=86Sun, 10 Jan 2010 16:53:20 GMTEarlier this spring, in announcing the government's blueprint for saving the Big Three automakers, President Obama said, "The United States government will stand behind your (car) warranty." While it's unlikely many car owners would trust the federal government with an engine overhaul, a bipartisan bill has just been introduced in the House of Representatives that would in fact make it cheaper and easier for millions of consumers to have their cars repaired - the Right-to-Repair Act of 2009. While similar legislation has been introduced in previous Congresses but not voted on, it takes on additional urgency in these tough economic times, especially with the closing of many auto dealerships.http://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=51Mon, 18 May 2009 08:49:17 GMTCARE Executive Director Sandy Bass-Cors Appears on The Car Doctor Radio Showhttp://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=52Mon, 18 May 2009 16:14:53 GMTThe automakers who came to Congress hat in hand in December and received more than $17.4 billion in taxpayer bailout money continue to ask for billions more. They also want to soak American consumers by forcing car owners to have all their service and repair work done at authorized dealerships. http://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=44Thu, 14 May 2009 16:56:17 GMTCARE Executive Director Sandy Bass-Cors Appears on The Car Doctor Radio Showhttp://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=41Tue, 28 Apr 2009 12:53:31 GMTThe so called "Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair" should be enacted to require that both dealer and non-dealer repair shops can provide automobile repair service. http://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=39Fri, 17 Apr 2009 16:24:34 GMTTwo-time Daytona 500 winner Michael Waltrip made the trip to Washington, DC recently to advocate for Right to Repair on the Hill during the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association's annual legislative summit. http://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=38Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:15:48 GMTQuantcast The New Jersey Assembly recently passed legislation -- The Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act -- allowing consumers to have their vehicles repaired where and by whom they please.http://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=1Mon, 12 Jan 2009 12:41:10 GMTAuto repair shops seek 'right to repair' http://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=33Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:38:44 GMTMore Computers In New Vehicles Makes Them Harder To Fixhttp://www.righttorepair.org/news/read.aspx?id=34Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:47:27 GMT