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FeedARA requests West Virginia Attorney General to curb use of “junkyard parts” term
Jan. 6, 2012—The Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA) sent a formal letter of complaint this week to West Virginia Attorney General Darrell McGraw urging him to refrain from using the term "junkyard parts" when referring to recycled or salvaged automobile parts.
In December 2011, McGraw filed a lawsuit against Liberty Mutual Insurance Co. for allegedly requiring body shops to repair vehicles with reconditioned used parts. According to West Virginia’s Consumer Credit and Protection Act, McGraw said it is illegal for insurance companies to require the use of salvage, used or reconditioned crash parts on repairs of motor vehicles less than three years old without acquiring the vehicle owner’s consent.
McGraw used the term “junkyard parts” when referring to recycled and salvaged parts in a statement he released announcing the lawsuit. The ARA said “junkyard parts” is a derogatory and misleading term, and implies that recycled and salvaged parts are inferior to new original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts.
McGraw’s misleading characterization of recycled and salvaged parts does a disservice to consumers in West Virginia, the ARA said. The organization added that restricting legitimate choices for vehicle repair does not protect West Virginia consumers. Instead, it restricts access to those parts, which creates a monopolistic market and inflates the cost of vehicle repair and insurance premiums.
"We believe that this statement infers that salvaged, used and reconditioned parts are somehow unsafe and inferior to new OE parts," said Michael Wilson, CEO of the ARA. "This is simply false. Recycled and salvaged automobile parts are not ‘junkyard parts,’ nor are they classified as such under West Virginia statute. We have asked the Attorney General to clarify this statement.”
The ARA is dedicated to the efficient removal and reuse of green automotive parts, and the proper recycling of inoperable motor vehicles. The ARA said it provides consumers with quality, environmentally friendly and low-cost alternatives for vehicle replacement parts. The organization represents more than 4,500 auto recycling facilities worldwide.
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Reader Comments:
LOL. Junkyard. Well friends and neighbors - that's what it is. "Recycling" as we all know is a wholly different affair. "Re-purposing" or "Re-marketing" of "used or second hand components" are more accurate definitions. West Virginia AG is on this and is not coming up for air.
Finally the consumers' interests are represented.
As In see it - the ARA will be lucky if the AG doesn't point out that their name... isn't really what they "do".
The whole thing needs to be more transparent to the people who turn the keys in the ignition.
The ARA is a responsible organization whose members provide safe, reliable, affordable alternative parts to consumers. People like Wade are ignorant to the fact that the consumer has a brain and when he or she can save a little money in a repair they should be able to chose accordingly. Aftermarket and recycled parts provide safe, affordable parts to consumers each and every day, it is a growing flourishing business which means for people like Wade in the repair industry that they make a little less money on the repair. This is why Wade opposes their existance. Go Green, I did.
If you own a 2009 automobile, is that not a used automobile? Why would it be "unfair" to repair a used automobile with used recycled parts? The use of a recycled part, is good!
Lets be blunt here.
You OE minions know next too nothing about this issue, or, the history concerning it.
In 1991, the OE’s, your beloved OE’s, introduced HR 1790 The Industrial Design Rights Act. The legislation would have granted a 10 year monopoly on parts, and eventually service, for ALL parts on a vehicle.
That’s right, ALL PARTS OF THE VEHICLE not just crash parts.
How you ask. Simply by changing the design a little or even the color would have qualified them for this 10 protection.
Thankfully, the aftermarket and consumer groups led a campaign against the legislation. The OE’s and their fellow manufacturers poured millions and millions of dollars into their effort to pass this legislation. Campaign contributions were flying into pockets as fast as the money machines could shoot it out. It truly was David against Goliath. And thankfully, just like the Biblical story, the little guy won this one as well.
The legislation never made it out of a US House of Representative subcommittee. Why, because once the people were educated, as too what the legislation would do – create a monopoly - they rose up by the millions and helped defeat it.
When given the choice, the American consumer will choose competition.
So what have the OE’s done?
Over the years they tried several ways to bring back the legislation all to no avail. But they never give up when monopoly profits and gouging the American consumer are possible
Like any proper diabolical snake, they have slithered around looking for a dark hole to crawl into and try their scheme again. And, as often happens in Washington they have found it.
Instead of taking it too the people with legislation – in the open - they are using judges, international treaties and legal mumbo jumbo to work their monopoly in the dark recesses where the light of day is not wanted.
In addition, instead of going after the whole car and every part, they have decided to go after crash parts. Why… well for one, they have found a willing partner in a portion of the aftermarket willing to sell out to the OE devil and actually help them. What a shame.
The new legislation says the OE would still get 2 1/2 years of protection for their parts. In my opinion, they do not deserve any protection. They have taken parts that have already been in the market for years and simply made minor design changes that have nothing to do with the function of the vehicle.
I believe in patents. They are needed on new designs and new products but not on rehashed old parts that have some how suddenly become “new” and “necessary” according to those that have a vested interest in securing a monopoly on the part.
And lets settle some thing else right here. The cost of research and development is built into the cost of the vehicle. I am so sick of hearing people claim that the OE needs to gouge us on parts because they need to recover their costs. That’s BULL.
The country needs this legislation. I for one will work to see that it is passed as soon as possible.
Dparde...when the AM's can produce an identical quality part that fits as the OEM parts do....and price them a bit more reasonable than they are now(frankly AM parts are WAAAAAAAAY to close to OEM pricing for their crappy (CRAPA) quality)I'll be the first in line and be Keystone's best cheerleader.
So far the quality has been a joke. Don't even get me started on the recon bumper covers.