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Vol. 41 / Issue 12 / December 2023
U.S. House Subcommittee Advances REPAIR Act The U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Innovation, Data and Commerce on Nov. 2 favorably reported HR 906, the REPAIR Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at preserving consumer choice and independent repair shops’ access to vehicle diagnostic data, the Auto Care Association announced in a news release.
The bill now advances to the full House committee. The REPAIR Act is sponsored by U.S. Reps. Neal Dunn, R-FL, Brendan Boyle, D-PA, Warren Davidson, R-OH, and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-WA, and has 46 bipartisan co-sponsors. Davidson is also the only repair shop owner in Congress. While more than 70% of postwarranty vehicle repairs are carried out by independent repair shops, the advent of sophisticated vehicle technology has raised concerns about those repairers’ ability to access critical vehicle diagnostic data, essential to providing high-quality and affordable vehicle repairs to consumers and commercial fleet owners.
The REPAIR Act seeks to safeguard consumer choice and competition in the marketplace by granting independent repair shops the right to access vital diagnostic and repair data, provided it is authorized by the vehicle owner. Importantly, this legislation would remove restrictions imposed by vehicle manufacturers, ensuring
independent repair shops can continue to provide affordable and accessible vehicle maintenance and repairs. “We are grateful to the subcommittee for recognizing the intent behind this legislation and agreeing to report the REPAIR Act to the full committee,” said Bill Hanvey, president and CEO of the Auto Care Association. “While today’s action is a testament to the hard work of our industry’s advocacy of preserving safe, affordable and accessible vehicle repair, it is also just the beginning of the legislative process. As this fight now moves to the full Committee on
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RECAP REGIONAL NEWS
Colorado Auto Body Shop Sued by Customer for Taking Too Long to Repair Car A Lakewood, CO, auto body shop is facing a lawsuit from a former customer for taking three months to fix her vehicle after it was damaged by hail. Shirley Dale took her Honda CR-V to StormWise Automotive Hail Repair on July 11 for the repairs. The shop told her it would take four weeks, but 12 weeks later, she still didn’t have her SUV. She finally got it back Oct. 4, the day after Denver7 Investigates aired a news story about Dale and other customers enduring long waits
for repairs at the shop. Dale hired Dan Vedra, a consumer protection attorney, in September, who sent StormWise a letter, but it received no response. Dale is suing StormWise for $10,000 for loss of use of her car, plus legal fees, to send a message. “I shouldn’t have to send demand letters. I shouldn’t have to hire an attorney,” Dale told Denver7 Investigates in a follow-up news story Oct. 10. “That’s just not the l CONTINUED ON PAGE 21
REGIONAL NEWS
Dan Stander Honored with Fix Auto USA Community Champion Award Since the 1970s, Dan Stander’s family has been in the collision repair business in the Littleton, CO, area, delivering quality service and community investment. Stander, owner of Fix Auto USA Highland Ranch, who continues his family’s tradition, was recently honored at the Driven Brands U.S. collision repair joint conference as the winner of the Fix Auto USA Community Champion Award. The Community Champions
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Pictured, left to right, are Damien Reyna, Dan Stander, Dennis O’Mahoney and Sabrina Thring
INSIDE THIS ISSUE 22
Columnist Mike Anderson: How to Shape ‘Customer Experience’ to Set Your Collision Repair Shop Apart
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Columnist Abby Andrews: Successful BMW Shop Manager Has Vision for Future of Repair Planning
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Columnist Stacey Phillips: Collision Industry Red Carpet Awards Celebrates Standout Achievements
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Columnist John Yoswick: MSO Symposium Looks at Claims Trends, Opportunities for Collision Shops to Buy or Sell
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