You own it, shouldn’t you have the right to choose who repairs it?

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Aside from a house, a vehicle is often the most expensive purchase a person makes. Keeping a car in good repair is the best way to get the most from that investment.

However, as many owners have discovered, repairing today’s sophisticated cars and trucks is not as simple as it used to be. Even basic maintenance, such as replacing the brake pads, may require you or your mechanic to input special computer codes. The problem is that in many cases, manufacturers don’t make the necessary codes available to vehicle owners or independent repair shops - forcing consumers to rely on dealerships for maintenance and repair.

This obstruction of choice presents several obstacles - including higher repair costs for vehicle owners and less revenue for small businesses. The problem is worse for anyone living outside of major metro areas - what happens when there is no dealership in your town? It’s like a clothing store selling a pair of pants that can only be hemmed with expensive specialty thread.

Oregon lawmakers will have the opportunity to debate this issue with the Right to Repair bill. The legislation would give owners and independent repair shops the right to the technical information necessary to diagnose problems and make repairs. We’ll be talking more about this bill in the months to come, but first we want to hear from you.

We are also happy to announce that we’re now able to accept online donations to support our consumer protection and advocacy work!

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Economic Fairness Oregon is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to consumer protection and fair lending laws. Our goal is to restore a financial system built to work for the people, not against them.

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On the web: www.economicfairnessoregon.org
Contact: info@economicfairness.org
Phone: 503.236.6088
Address: 1638 NE Davis St. Portland, OR 97232
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