Nov 11, 2008 4:58 pm US/Eastern

Repair Shops Fight Over Right To Fix Your Car

Reporting Karen Anderson
BOSTON (WBZ)
One industry that is not hurting during these tough economic times is the car repair business, and some owners are now recharged in the fight over the right to fix your car.

At Direct Tire and Auto Service in Watertown, there is very little down time. Sales at the shop are up 8 percent this year.

Direct Tire's Owner Barry Steinberg showed WBZ's Karen Anderson case after case of car repairs. "Customer came in and we said, 'Well, this is what it costs to repair it.' He said 'Fix it. It's my car.'"

Steinberg's customers are choosing more maintenance over buying a new car. "We're seeing so many more people saying, 'Fix it. I don't want to buy a new car. I don't want the expense. I don't want the debt.'" With people looking to cut costs any way they can, some repair shop owners are renewing a fight against the auto industry. They claim they can give customers more choices on how to save. "The Right to Repair is a consumer issue," said Steinberg. "Every consumer out there should understand if they don't have a choice as to where they can fix their car, if they can't go to their regular mechanic because of the technology in a new car, it's costing them money."

Supporters of the Right to Repair Act want to require dealerships to disclose all information needed for any repair. They say it would encourage competition.

Drivers WBZ talked to liked the idea. "It's a great idea," said one driver. "I love not having to bring my car to the dealership every time."

The Right to Repair bill failed last year, but is expected to be reintroduced in the next legislative session.

WBZ did reach out to the auto industry for reaction to the Right to Repair legislation.

Charlie Territo of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers says they understand how important it is to keep customers happy, but says this proposal is nothing more than a solution looking for a problem. It would give away the intellectual property of the manufacturers.

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