By Jim Quinten Automotive Parts & Services Association of Texas

Millions of car owners in Texas trust neighborhood repair shops to provide affordable and competitive automotive repair service. Unfortunately car manufacturers are making it difficult for independent repair shops to obtain the technical information needed to repair todays vehicles and Congress is now considering the Motor Vehicle Owners Right to Repair Act (HR 2694). As technology becomes more sophisticated the situation will become worse.
Thousands of neighborhood small businesses in Texas that repair automobiles will be forced out of business without the technical and safety information available only from the carmakers.
Withholding information will eventually prevent both car owners and highly skilled technicians from being able to make the simplest repairs to vehicles and thats the makings of a disaster for consumers unless something is done.
Manufacturers use these tactics to prevent owners from taking their vehicles to a repair shop of their own choosing and the practice forces owners into the manufacturers

dealership.
Consumers lose their choice to have repairs made more conveniently more timely and less expensively at their neighborhood shop.
The Motor Vehicle Owners Right to Repair Act now before Congress HR 2694 will make it illegal for vehicle manufacturers to withhold technical information from car owners and repair shops.
When one spend thousands of dollars for a vehicle that person should have complete access not just to most but to all of the necessary tools and information required to keep that vehicle well maintained and safe on the road.
If Congress fails to pass the Right to Repair Act then the owners of over 15.3 million Texas cars on the road today will no longer be able to choose from more than 17000 independent repair shops in Texas for service but will instead be forced to one of the 1368 manufacturers car dealers for necessary repairs.
For more information on the Vehicle Owners Right to Repair Act please see
www.righttorepair.org