I’ve always been a Ford guy at heart. Yeah I own & love imports. But Ford is metaphorically my hometown. Some of my earliest automotive memories involve Blue Oval products. My whole life – I’ve recommended Ford, defended Ford, and cheered Ford when they got it right. But they’ve gotten this very wrong. Ford & GM CEOs, along with Roger Penske, recently met at the White House with President Trump to lobby AGAINST Right to Repair. In no unclear terms, here’s what that means: These CEOs DO NOT want independent mechanics, or you, to be able to work on your vehicle. What they want – is guaranteed control & profit after the sale. “For your safety” of course…
Ford & GM’s argument – is that modern vehicles have gotten too complicated to repair. I know what you’re thinking, and it annoyed me too (more on that in a second). But what haunted me, was the underlying notion that because vehicles have gotten more complicated… owners should somehow have less freedom.
One of the most interesting parts of the White House Right to Repair meeting…
Was President Trump’s reported reaction when the subject of Right to Repair came up. Regardless of where you stand politically, his reaction sounded honest & remarkably similar to what most people would say. It wasn’t outrage, and it wasn’t partisanship. It was just confusion. Genuine confusion. The kind when someone explains a concept so detached from normality… that your brain has to reset it.
“We had the auto industry in yesterday. They don’t want people to fix their car. That’s strange.” -President Trump
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Ownership is a simple concept. You buy something; it’s yours…
Yours doesn’t come with an asterisks. In a post-interview, Ford CEO Jim Farley said that new vehicles have gotten too complex to work on. And we agree!
But whose fault is that, Jim? Who made them that way?
Honestly, we should grateful that Jim Farley said it out loud to the highest office in the land. Because it’s finally becoming clear that carmakers are using strategically over-engineered complexity… as justification for restricting access across the board. That sounds very unAmerican for American car companies. And that’s where the conversation gets truly unsettling. It becomes about MORE than just car repairs…
Right To Repair defends the very essence of ownership & freedom…
And Ford & GM are against it. Let that sink in. The only difference between Ford & GM… is that Ford’s CEO doesn’t know when to stop talking. If I buy something from you, I don’t need your permission to fix it. I don’t need your permission period.
America didn’t build its freedom, independence, or its automotive culture around permission slips.
This cannot be understated: Ford & GM CEOs have gone to our President, and lobbied for your government to take-away your freedom to truly own your own vehicle. They’re actively trying to strip your freedom to take your vehicle anywhere BUT the dealership for parts & service. And in doing so, they will hike the cost of vehicle ownership even further, while simultaneously threatening the livelihoods of many in your community & beyond. Note – recalls are at an all-time high in the auto industry… and Ford consistently tops those charts. These are the same car companies that over the past few years…
- Have lost billions on a failed EV agenda.
- Virtually ignored our pleas for more affordable, simplified vehicles.
- Lobbied extensively to keep less expensive (arguably better) foreign competition off US soil.
It has been compounded mistakes with these CEOs, and we’re paying for it. Their solutions are not solutions, they’re more problems. And at some point, they have to be checked.
Right to Repair extends far beyond individual vehicle owners…
Independent repair shops depend on it. Collision centers depend on it. Mobile technicians depend on it. The aftermarket manufacturers depend on it. Tuners depend on it. Fabricators depend on it. Restoration specialists depend on it. Entire industries have been built around these inherent freedoms. Restrict access to information, diagnostics, and software… and suddenly you’re not just affecting passionate enthusiasts. You’re threatening thousands of businesses & countless jobs. Competition shrinks. Costs skyrocket. Choice dries up. And quality & customer experience suffer. What Ford & GM are lobbying for – is a monopoly.
Wooley made a comment that stuck with me…
He said,
“15 years from now we may still be driving new vehicles with Ford and Chevy badges, but the parent companies behind those badges will be Chinese.”
Whether that prediction proves accurate, really isn’t the point. The point is: The automotive industry has been disrupted and is changing rapidly. Many enthusiasts are beginning to wonder who will ultimately control the future of personal transportation. Will it be the manufacturers? The tech/software companies? The governments? The data providers? Foreign competitors? Or something else entirely?
Right to Repair is not just a battle for control…
It defends & defines ownership for the 21st century. The day you need permission/access to repair, maintain, or personalize your own vehicle… is the day ownership becomes an illusion. And if we ever let it reach that point, we don’t just lose Right to Repair, we’ve lost something much bigger. So the question isn’t whether vehicles are becoming more complicated – they certainly are. But the real question is much simpler: At what point does ownership stop being ownership?
Article by David S. Windsor
