NJ State Senate Helps Motoring Consumers & Small Business by Reintroducing the Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act, States CARE

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Feb. 25, 2008; The New Jersey state senate has once again joined forces with the state assembly to help motoring consumers have affordable, quality vehicle repairs at the shop of the consumers' choice. State Senator Paul Sarlo (D-Woodridge) reintroduced S. 1334, "The Right to Repair Act," as it is known, on February 21, 2008.

Senator Sarlo joins Assemblyman Reed Gusciora (D-Trenton) in sponsoring legislation (A-803) that allows motoring consumers to own their vehicles' repair information. Currently, vehicles that are 1994 and newer (and some earlier models) are equipped with computers that control vital systems such as, but not limited to: air bags, brakes, steering mechanisms, fuel injection, oil changes, tire pressure, transmissions, electronics, check engine and dome lights and most of the vehicle.

The only sure way for motorists to have these systems and their "entire" vehicle repaired and parts replaced is to return to the car dealerships. This has created a safety hazard for those who need immediate repairs but may not be near the appropriate car dealership or any car dealership, hurts low and fixed income motorists, hurts fuel efficiency and the environment, hurts the economy and locks motoring consumers out of the ability to choose where, how and by whom to have their vehicles repaired. The car companies, rather than the owners of the vehicles, have complete access to the vehicles' computer repair information.

Although New Jersey's Right to Repair Act ran out of the legislative clock to have it passed in the legislature's last session, both Assemblyman Reed Gusciora and Senator Paul Sarlo believe that this pro-consumer, pro-competition bill will pass in the new legislature.

The New Jersey Right to Repair Act has numerous organizations supporting passage, among them: AAA, Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of New Jersey, RetireSafe, National Grange and others.

New Jersey has 7,036 automotive aftermarket shops. Passage of The Right to Repair Act will allow motorists to choose the aftermarket for their vehicle repairs or car dealerships, presenting them with affordable, quality options.

CARE represents companies in the automotive aftermarket, among them: NAPA, Midas, CARQUEST, AutoZone, Advance Auto, O'Reilly's and others.