Are Independent Repair Shops Going To Survive?
Because many people lead busy lives, they try to pick a repair shop that is close to their home. They also try to find a shop that they believe to be trustworthy. Motorists take for granted the freedom of being able to pick where their cars get repaired. This may all be coming to an end.
Cars operate through their computers, and it is necessary to have the computer codes to determine if something is faulty on the vehicle. However, car manufacturers often don’t like to release the codes. This means that independently owned repair shops might not be able to properly make repairs. In addition, drivers will be forced to take their vehicles to dealerships. This makes an auto warranty even more necessary for motorists because dealerships tend to charge more for repairs.
There are approximately 220 million cars in the country and only 21,000 vehicle dealerships. Also, there are around 130,000 businesses that make a business of repairing cars. If these businesses don’t have access to computer codes they may eventually go out of business because they won’t be able to perform many repairs on cars.
Congress has recognized this problem and therefore, is trying to pass the Motor Vehicle Owners Right To Repair Act. This bill would make it necessary for car companies to share information with the independent repair shops.
Unfortunately, you never know when your car is going to require repairs, so regardless of where you take your car for service, make sure you have an auto warranty to protect your wallet.