The aftermarket collision repair parts industry responded to
the Ford Motor Co. crash parts video with its own video
highlighting the benefits provided to consumers by a thriving
aftermarket industry. If the car companies achieve a monopoly
on collision repair parts, consumers will not be any safer and
will suffer dire economic consequences, according to the
latest video.
The aftermarket video can be viewed here.
It is in response to this Ford video.
As Americans continue to feel the pinch from the struggling economy, slow job growth, declines in home values, and the foreclosure crisis, the economic benefits of aftermarket replacement parts are increasingly important. The aftermarket video says that:
- Aftermarket replacement parts ensure a healthy level
of competition in the collision replacement parts industry,
preventing large car companies from controlling a monopoly
that would drive up parts prices and insurance premiums.
- The ability to choose aftermarket collision parts
saves consumers up to $1.5 billion a year.
- Aftermarket parts are on average 20-50 percent less
expensive than equivalent OEM parts.
- The existence of competition in the marketplace causes
OEM parts to be more readily available at a lower cost than in
the absence of competition.
- Without an aftermarket for automotive collision parts,
the increased costs of crash parts would lead insurance
companies to declare more damaged vehicles as "total wrecks,"
leaving more consumers without a vehicle and upside down on
their car loans.
- Many aftermarket parts come with lifetime warranties,
warranties that are often better than those issued by the car
companies.
- While car companies would have consumers believe that
using aftermarket parts invalidates the original vehicle
warranty, this simply isn't the case.
- With car companies and dealerships shuttering operations and reorganizing, consumers may experience longer- than-average wait times for OEM parts. This will be compounded if car companies are allowed to secure a monopoly.
