Draft guidelines ‘a threat to safety’

DEALERSHIP: REPAIR CHOICE OF NEW VEHICLES REJECTED

New car owners are compelled to have services done only at approved dealers.

South Africa’s national vehicle dealership body has rejected the Competition Commission’s draft automotive aftermarket industry guidelines, claiming they are “totally unworkable in their current form”.

“The guidelines have serious negative consequences, not just for original equipment manufacturers [OEMs] and dealers, but for consumers and our nation’s road safety initiatives,” said Mark Dommisse, the national chairperson of the National Automobile Dealers’ Association (Nada) last week.

Local vehicle manufacturers earlier expressed outrage at the proposed industry aftermarket guidelines that will allow consumers to select a workshop of their choice when having their vehicles serviced, maintained and repaired.

New vehicle owners are currently compelled to have in-warranty service, maintenance or repair work conducted only at approved dealers or service providers.

Dommisse said

Nada strongly believed that OEMs and importers have the right to determine the standards of those who service their products, in much the same way that Airbus and other aircraft OEMs do with aircraft, and to ensure the strict maintenance of those standards.

“We interpret the guidelines published as being anti-consumer and a threat to road safety standards in South Africa,” he said.

“Nada members and OEMs comply with strict technical and parts standards to ensure transparency and the best safety outcomes for our consumers.

“It is extremely important to emphasise that the sale, maintenance, repair and operation of a motor vehicle is ultimately about safety and reliability, which also underpins the future value of the vehicle.”

Right to Repair SA (R2RSA), a Section 21 not-for-profit organisation that has been advocating for freedom of repair choice for vehicle owners, earlier welcomed the publication of the draft guidelines, saying it is a positive move for the industry and a big win for consumers.

We interpret guidelines as being anticonsumer