Automakers Making Sure
Independent Shops Have Info Needed
to Repair Vehicles

Posted 1/13/2011

Continuing to demonstrate why New York State doesn't need so-called "right to repair" legislation, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and the Automotive Service Association (ASA) recently sponsored a training program for independent repair shop technicians in Queens, N.Y., held in conjunction with the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association (GNYADA), State Sen. Jose Peralta, D-Queens, chairman of the Senate Consumer Protection Committee, and Assemblywoman Audrey Pheffer, D-Queens, chairwoman of the Assembly Consumer Affairs and Protection Committee. The event was held at GNYADA's Center for Automotive Education and Training.

The Alliance and ASA, along with Peralta and Pheffer, are working to ensure that independent repair shops have the training needed to repair today's vehicles and satisfy consumers.

"Automakers are committed to making sure that independent repair shops have all the information they need to be able to repair any vehicle," said Matthew Godlewski, vice president of State Affairs for the Alliance. "We know that more than 75 percent of post-warranty vehicle repairs are performed by independent repair shops, and it's in our industry's best interest that consumers bringing our products to those repair shops have good experiences."

"Our industry has made great strides with a voluntary solution to information availability concerns. These include training programs like the event in Queens, as well as other education initiatives across the country," said Ron Pyle, president of the Automotive Service Association. "In addition, repairers have access to the National Automotive Service Task Force (NASTF) to assist with information availability issues. NASTF has been an asset to independent repairers and has a great future."

"The Alliance is very grateful to Peralta and Pheffer for their co-sponsorship of this training program," Godlewski said.