My independent mechanic said dealers are going to stop selling parts to independents

Question

and try to force you to go to the dealer for repairs. This is an outrage!!! Is it true-what can be done? WTF is going on?

Answer 1

No it is not true.  What he is relating is a gross misundertanding of the "Right To Repair" act which is legislation that died in Congress earlier this year which would have required OEM manufacturers to release all technical data relating to repairs to aftermarket service providers.  Diagnostic data, wiring diagrams, proprietary fault codes and things of that nature.  

It has nothing to do with supplying parts but rather supplying information.  Dealers do a good chunk of their parts business supplying indpendent shops.  They are not going to give that up.  

Answer 2

as far as i know this is not true..but if this does ever happen  we all still have scrap and junk yards... i say dont buy from the dealer for ur parts

Answer 3

i wouldn't be surprised.it depends on the dollar.

Answer 4

  Wont ever happen. There are too many business out there that are involved in it. Kragens, Pep Boys, Auto Zone, and all the independents. Dealers do hold certain parts on cars until they are 10 years old before the aftermarket parts houses can get them though. Realistically dealerships don't want to work on a vehicle thats more than 5 years old. They have too many problems and would cost the customer more than the value of the car in many repairs. It all comes down to the dollar, and they don't want to stock or continue making parts for a vehicle they no longer sell. They sell the rights to make the parts to an aftermarket supplier who has to pay they manufacture. So its not like they totally lose out, also all those parts houses generate taxes which everyone wants a bite of. I own a small repair shop and I pay fees to everybody, I have to pay for hazardous waste generation (changing oil, coolant, any automotive fluid) and I have to pay a separate fee if I have used tires (I don't deal with them because of the fee's). That's on top of paying BAR, my business license, board of equalization, county tax permit. Dealerships arent really in the business of fixing cars, they just sell them and fixing them is a nasty side effect of selling them.