By Larry Claasen
RIGHT to Repair (R2R) South Africa is broadening its campaign beyond the automotive aftermarket to include stationary agricultural equipment, generators, and other machinery.
R2R believes that the principles of fairness and openness that they have long advocated for in the automotive sector should be applied to other industries that also require maintenance and service contracts.
R2R has been campaigning for a more open automotive aftermarket for years. It argues that service plans which force vehicle owners to use OEM-aligned dealers and parts, while voiding warranties if they don’t, are unfair to independent service providers.
Many such plans restrict consumer choice, preventing independent service providers from competing on an equal footing with OEMs, which ultimately increases costs for vehicle owners.
Guidelines open the way for independent providers
In 2021, R2R scored a major victory when the Competition Commission released its Guidelines for Competition in the SA Automotive Aftermarket, which allow independent service providers to service vehicles without voiding warranties. This opened the door for greater competition and provided consumers with more options.
R2R CEO Kate Elliot says the guidelines are not limited to vehicles but also extend to other equipment that comes with service and maintenance plans.
“We believe that it would be a natural progression to extend to other equipment that is serviced and maintained in a similar way to vehicles, such as stationary agricultural equipment, generators and other machinery.”
Elliot points out that aside from vehicles, the guidelines also cover commercial vehicles, motorbikes and agricultural equipment that can be driven.
“The guidelines cover any and all vehicles that are designed to be driven on the road.”
Slow uptake by consumers
Though the guidelines have been in effect since 2021, consumers have yet to fully grasp that they are not required to service their vehicles at authorised dealerships.
“We are working very hard to convey this, and the general public’s understanding is starting to shift. These things take time, but with our continued efforts to get the message out there, I believe we will get to a place where the average consumer has at least a basic understanding of their rights in terms of the guidelines,” says Elliot.
Biggest misconceptions
Elliot says the most common misconceptions consumers have are that service plans are compulsory and that all independent service providers are untrustworthy “backyard mechanics.”
She also says there is also a mistaken view that non-OEM parts are unsafe.
“This is totally nonsensical as OEMs do not build their own parts. All OEM branded parts are built by a company subcontracted by the OEM to develop parts subject to its requirements.”
She adds: “The companies then also sell these parts to the public, and these parts are precisely the same as the parts that came with your car. The only difference is that these parts don’t carry the car company’s logo.”
Though she notes that there are grey and pirated parts out there – which are not safe and should be avoided – paying for a vehicle manufacturer’s logo only benefits the brand’s profit margin.
Though she notes that there are grey and pirated parts out there – which are not safe and should be avoided – paying for a vehicle manufacturer’s logo only benefits the brand’s profit margin.
Mixed response from OEMs
From what she has seen, there has been a mixed response from OEMs to the guidelines.
“Some have amended their service plans; some are attempting to ignore the guidelines altogether, and we of course, and are reporting these OEMs to the commission.”
Some dealer workshops, however, see the guidelines as an opportunity and are advertising that they are now able to service all brands.
