Right To Repair laws - What say you?

[Zembonez]

This is a difficult one.

As vehicles become more complex and rely on more and more proprietary electronics, the smaller shops are increasingly out of the loop. That said - I think any sharing of this information should be done through a "pay to play" network. It's no different than them having to buy shop manuals like they did in the old days.

Manufacturers should not be forced to give away information on their products that they damn well paid to have developed and produced for free.

 

[Texas Jim]

I have to kinda agree with JIM on this one.
They should not be forced to give away the information for free...
But it should be available for purchase at a fairly reasonable price to the local, independent, shops.
At least after the warranty has ran out.

 

[DV2000NJ]

This is a difficult one.

As vehicles become more complex and rely on more and more proprietary electronics, the smaller shops are increasingly out of the loop. That said - I think any sharing of this information should be done through a "pay to play" network. It's no different than them having to buy shop manuals like they did in the old days.

Manufacturers should not be forced to give away information on their products that they damn well paid to have developed and produced for free.

I have to kinda agree with JIM on this one.
They should not be forced to give away the information for free...
But it should be available for purchase at a fairly reasonable price to the local, independent, shops.
At least after the warranty has ran out.

Requiring them to give it away for free is absurd, but not releasing it at all is equally absurd; we should have options other than going to the dealership for repairs.

 

[PenguinLTZ]

It's not going to be free.

 

[NMRam]

This is a difficult one.

As vehicles become more complex and rely on more and more proprietary electronics, the smaller shops are increasingly out of the loop. That said - I think any sharing of this information should be done through a "pay to play" network. It's no different than them having to buy shop manuals like they did in the old days.

Manufacturers should not be forced to give away information on their products that they damn well paid to have developed and produced for free.

I have to kinda agree with JIM on this one.
They should not be forced to give away the information for free...
But it should be available for purchase at a fairly reasonable price to the local, independent, shops.
At least after the warranty has ran out.

Requiring them to give it away for free is absurd, but not releasing it at all is equally absurd; we should have options other than going to the dealership for repairs.

I'm with these guys.......can't expect it for free, but it should be available.

 

[Nick The Great]

I read it as them sending repair info to privately owned shops. Don't they already sell it? I know someone that has every tech schematic of every popular vehicle made. It takes up an entire wall of one of his shops. He had to have bought it somewhere since he has never worked for all the brands. I figured everything was already available.

Thats what I've wondered. Surely your mom and pop shops are buying this info now? I know my mechanic has complained about his computer and what he's had to pay for that in the past

Um...

...with automakers and dealers steadfastly opposed to any legislation requiring them to divulge the electronic secrets of their vehicles to independent repair shops. The little guys continue to cry foul, insisting that dealership mechanics get repair tools and software that are unavailable on the open market. The manufacturers claim they already provide enough repair information and what they don't disclose is proprietary and needs to be protected.

That's why I'm confused. My mechanic is a one man outfit, not GM exclusive but he has the computers and whatnot to read the GM vehicles. Does he have to pay some GM licensing fees now? Or just buy the $40,000 computer that has all the abilities already?

By the reading the paragraph you bolded, I'm starting to think my mechanic isn't repairing my vehicle and has been ripping me off for years now

 

[PenguinLTZ]

Most software and manuals are available but not all. The price is high on what is available

 

[daddy]

I read it as them sending repair info to privately owned shops. Don't they already sell it? I know someone that has every tech schematic of every popular vehicle made. It takes up an entire wall of one of his shops. He had to have bought it somewhere since he has never worked for all the brands. I figured everything was already available.

Thats what I've wondered. Surely your mom and pop shops are buying this info now? I know my mechanic has complained about his computer and what he's had to pay for that in the past

Um...

...with automakers and dealers steadfastly opposed to any legislation requiring them to divulge the electronic secrets of their vehicles to independent repair shops. The little guys continue to cry foul, insisting that dealership mechanics get repair tools and software that are unavailable on the open market. The manufacturers claim they already provide enough repair information and what they don't disclose is proprietary and needs to be protected.

That's why I'm confused. My mechanic is a one man outfit, not GM exclusive but he has the computers and whatnot to read the GM vehicles. Does he have to pay some GM licensing fees now? Or just buy the $40,000 computer that has all the abilities already?

By the reading the paragraph you bolded, I'm starting to think my mechanic isn't repairing my vehicle and has been ripping me off for years now

I believe the difference is the level of info given. I'm sure GM, and others, aren't turning over absolutely everything already or this would be moot.

 

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Requiring them to give it away for free is absurd, but not releasing it at all is equally absurd; we should have options other than going to the dealership for repairs.

If a customer takes his vehicle to get repaired either in a dealership or an independent shop, he has the right to know exactly what the fuckin' hell was done in the vehicle.

 

[NCSU_05_FX4]

Name some other products where the manufacturer is required to supply repair data?