Eve of Subcommittee Vote, National Poll Shows Motoring Consumers Want 'Right To Repair' in Order to Choose Their Vehicle Repairs

National Poll Carries Political Weight, States CARE

ALEXANDRIA, Va., May 24 -- In a consumer poll conducted by a renown national polling company, motoring consumers unequivocally stated that they -- not the car companies and their car dealerships -- should have the right to choose their own vehicle repairs. The consumer poll, conducted nationwide from May 16-18, 2006, by "the polling company," showed in a margin of 4 to 1, that motoring consumers supported the "Right to Repair" and that car companies should make all repair information available to the owners of the vehicles.

David Parde, president, The Coalition for Auto Repair Equality (CARE) stated that "Members of Congress and the car companies should take notice that when people own their own property, in this case their vehicles, that they also want to choose what to do with it once they purchase their vehicles.

"Legislation titled 'The Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act, HR 2048,' has been introduced into the House Energy and Commerce Committee by three Members who serve on the Committee: U.S. Representatives Joe Barton (R- TX), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Edolphus Towns (D- NY) and Darrell Issa (R-CA). The 'Right to Repair Act,' as it is often known, allows motorists to have choices in where, how and by whom to have their vehicles repaired, whose parts they wish to purchase, even work on their vehicles themselves." The Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection, part of the Energy and Commerce Committee, will vote on HR 2048 on Thursday, May 25, 2006. HR 2048 must pass out of the Subcommittee before it moves into the full Energy and Commerce Committee.

On the specific question of "The Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act, HR 2048," motoring consumers approved of the legislation in a margin of 9 to 1.

"Most important in this poll," stated Parde, "is that 'The Right to Repair Act' carries significant political weight. According to the poll, 6 in 10 (62%) of voters would be more apt to support a congressional candidate who favored requiring car companies to 'share all vehicle repair information' with vehicle owners and their mechanics. Just seven percent (7%) would be less likely to vote for that legislator." Eight hundred (800) randomly picked respondents were interviewed.

Parde continued, "When asked in a May 17, 2006, congressional hearing on HR 2048, if the car companies believed that consumers have the right to their own repair information, Mike Stanton, spokesman for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers stated, 'No. Because anyone could have it... and manufacturers don't believe that they have a duty or that consumers have a right.' "The elitism of the car companies towards America's motoring consumers," continued Parde, "is monopolistic and anti-competition."

The complete poll can be read on http://www.careauto.org/.

CARE is a national organization representing companies in the five million people-strong, $200 billion a year automotive aftermarket, among them: NAPA, CARQUEST, AutoZone, Advance Auto, O'Reilly's and CSK Auto (parent company of Checker, Schucks, Kragen).