Rarely do Bob Hurns, legal counsel for the National Association of Independent Insurers, and I agree on collision repair related issues, but his characterization of the continuing saga of non-OEM parts vs. OEM parts as "The Eternal Debate" strikes a chord that rings true in this month's issue of ABRN. Hurn's comments appear in our coverage of his presentation at the ASA annual meeting to members of their collision division. The story begins on page 18.
The ebb and flow of propaganda between supporters of opponents of non-OEM sheet metal is sometimes poignant, sometimes farcical, but ever-present, as Hurn explains. Also in this issue, you will find comprehensive coverage of the current landscape in the non-OEM parts debate.
On our cover, we detail the trip by ABRN's Tina Grady and Lisa Greenberg to visit the Certified Automotive Parts Association's (CAPA) contract test facility, Entela. The experts at Entela detailed the testing process they employ for non-OEM parts to receive CAPA certification and we provide an in-depth examination of the process for your review. CAPA has made numerous improvements in both the technical standards they apply to parts and the testing process in recent years. All were undoubtedly necessary, but given the facts uncovered in our other non-OEM parts articles, further improvement is necessary.
On page 14, we cover CAPA's recent decertification of Toyota Tacoma hoods for serious safety reasons. The parts in question have potentially faulty safety latches that may not keep the hood in place on the vehicle if the primary latch is not engaged. CAPA responded quickly and decertified the part pending a full investigation. Repair facility operators should check any of the parts they may have installed recently to ensure that they are functioning correctly and to prevent a potential safety hazard. If you find a problem, contact the distributor where the parts were purchased regarding reimbursement for your efforts.
Our third article, on page 32, details the results of a recent General Motors (GM) test of CAPA-certified parts for the Pontiac Grand Am. GM found some deficiencies in their testing of their non-OEM competitors' parts. Naturally, the non-OEM industry believes GM's research is deficient because of its small sample-a valid complaint. But, even minor deficiencies in CAPA-certified parts serves as potent ammunition in opponents' cannons.
The Avery vs. State Farm suit and the Consumer Reports article titled "Shoddy Auto Parts" seriously damaged the non-OEM parts industry. Parts manufacturers, certifiers and distributors have suffered. In response they have made many needed changes to their parts and processes to produce quality and win back trust from their supporters. Obviously, they are only part way down the road on this journey to improve their product, particularly given these high-profile problems.
Expect opponents of non-OEM parts to focus more attention on CAPA and MQVP quality issues in the near future. Insurance legislators are studying model legislation promoted by CAPA to regulate their industry and non-OEM parts availability. Opponents will surely seek to discredit the non-OEM parts industry and its chances of success.
Given this renewed attention, Hurns' "Eternal Debate" shows no signs of waning in the near future.
About the Author
Russell Thrall III
Former ABRN Editor-in-Chief Russell Thrall, a second-generation collision repairer, has experienced the shop from the bottom up, starting as a clean up person and working his way to assistant manager by age 17. Thrall joined the staff of Chilton's Automotive Body Repair News in 1991 as technical editor and as senior editor in 1992. From 1993 through 2000, Thrall served as editor of Collision Repair Industry INSIGHT. Thrall returned to the staff of ABRN in June 2000 as editor-in-chief of the industry's largest monthly trade magazine. Thrall was a frequent speaker at industry events including the Collision Industry Conference (CIC), NACE, and numerous other local and regional events. He served as co-chairman of the Collision Industry Conference Electronic Commerce committee and is a member of the Board of Directors of the National Auto Body Council.