Living Cities Launches Innovative Loan Fund to Revitalize America’s Cities
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WASHINGTON, Aug. 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Living Cities, a collaborative consisting of 20 of the nation’s largest foundations and financial institutions, today announced the first closing of the Living Cities Catalyst Fund, a new vehicle to pool and invest flexible capital to revitalize America’s cities.
“The Catalyst Fund meets an important need in the community development field,” notes Frank DeGiovanni, Director of Economic Development at the ford Foundation. “It will look beyond real estate and housing development to finance organizations expanding their innovative activities in sectors such as workforce development, education, and access to healthy foods, among others. Financing for these activities often is difficult for organizations to obtain.”
Investors in the first round include The ford Foundation, The Annie E. Casey Foundation, MetLife Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, and DeutscheBank Americas Foundation. These founding investors have committed $20 million to the Fund in the form of Program-Related Investments (PRIs). PRIs are investments made by foundations that are intended to generate both social returns as well as financial returns.
The Fund will seek out highly innovative organizations and change agents acting in low-income urban communities and provide them with below-market rate loans and guarantees. Specifically, Living Cities notes four priority areas for these investments: improving education, building individual income and prosperity, promoting health and wellness, and enhancing neighborhoods.
With a pipeline of initiatives already under review, the Fund is slated to start making loans in the fall and expects a future portfolio of approximately 20 loans ranging in size from $250,000 to $2 million.
“The Living Cities Catalyst Fund will play a key sector-building role,” according to Doug Nelson, CEO of The Annie E. Casey Foundation. “Many foundations are exploring the use of PRIs to advance their agendas. The Fund is an excellent vehicle for new PRI-makers, enabling them to invest alongside the institutions that pioneered these investments and create a PRI portfolio without having to build specialized staff to underwrite and monitor individual investments.”
“Living Cities is about making markets work for underserved urban communities and their residents. The Fund will bring new capital to cities by providing a convenient vehicle for philanthropic investors who care about cities and, in turn, enabling organizations to expand their impact on the ground and leverage additional investment,” says Living Cities CEO, Ben Hecht.
About Living Cities
Living Cities is the most enduring philanthropic and private sector collaborative in the world, with investments in America’s cities totaling a half billion dollars over the past 15 years, leveraging over 15 billion dollars to revitalize urban America. Living Cities supports bold, promising approaches that take advantage of cities’ unique roles in America’s economic prosperity and that have the potential to transform the lives of low-income people and the communities in which they live. For more information, please visit:
Living Cities members include: AXA Community Investment Program, Bank of America, The Annie E. Casey Foundation, J.P. Morgan Chase & Company, Citigroup, Deutsche Bank, ford Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The McKnight Foundation, MetLife, Inc., Prudential Financial, The Rockefeller Foundation, Surdna Foundation, U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development. Affiliate Members: The Cleveland Foundation, The Skillman Foundation.
Living Cities
NALAC Receives $475,000 From the Ford Foundation
SAN ANTONIO, Aug. 15 /PRNewswire/ — The National Association of Latino Arts and Culture (NALAC) was awarded $475,000 by the ford Foundation to support the NALAC Fund for the Arts and launch a new re-granting initiative designed to promote intergenerational cultural transmission and community participation in the United States, Mexico and Central America.
NALAC, which celebrates its 20th Anniversary in 2009, delivers services to the national Latino arts and culture sector through a series of core programs that include direct funding support, leadership training, regional and national convenings, and field research.
NALAC Executive Director Maria de Leon said, “This grant will enable NALAC to provide much needed support to an innovative community of Latino artists and organizations whose work greatly enriches the cultural life of the nation and will promote exchange and collaboration among culturally and economically linked populations in the Americas.”
The NALAC Fund for the Arts (NFA), launched in 2005 with major support from the ford Foundation and JPMorgan Chase, has awarded more than $379,000 in three years to 128 Latino artists and Latino arts and cultural organizations working in all artistic disciplines.
The new Transnational Cultural Remittance (TCR) initiative builds on NALAC’s longstanding leadership role in supporting artistic work that addresses issues of social justice, cultural transmission and economic empowerment. The TCR initiative will support the creation and dissemination of new artistic works that directly explore, engage and articulate the complex issues facing transnational communities in the United States, Mexico and Central America.
The NALAC Transnational Cultural Remittance initiative builds on NALAC’s experience administering the NALAC Fund for the Arts and its long-term commitment to arts and culture. Guidelines for the new NALAC Transnational Cultural Remittances re-granting initiative will be available later this year.
About the ford Foundation: The ford Foundation is an independent, nonprofit grant-making organization. For more than half a century it has been a resource for innovative people and institutions worldwide, guided by its goals of strengthening democratic values, reducing poverty and injustice, promoting international cooperation and advancing human achievement. With headquarters in New York, the foundation has offices in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Latin America and Russia.
About NALAC: Founded in 1989, NALAC is the only national Latino arts and culture service organization in the United States. NALAC’s core programs include the NALAC Fund for the Arts, the NALAC Leadership Institute, Regional Arts Training Workshops, the NALAC National Conference and El Aviso Latino arts magazine.
Support: NALAC receives support from the ford Foundation, JPMorgan Chase, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, Southwest Airlines, MetLife Foundation, Heineken USA, Texas Commission on the Arts, The Tobin Endowment, San Antonio Office of Cultural Affairs, PEC United Charities, H-E-B, Our Lady of the Lake University, NALAC members and individual donors.
Contact: Maria De Leon
Phone: 210-432-3982
E-mail:
National Association of Latino Arts and Culture; NALAC
Ford Ushers in Global Small Car Era with Production Launch of New Ford Fiesta
COLOGNE, Germany, Aug. 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — ford Motor Company today began production of the all-new ford Fiesta, the first in a portfolio of global small cars, at the Cologne Stamping and Assembly plant in Germany.
The next-generation ford Fiesta was developed by the European arm of Ford’s global product development team to meet the demands and expectations of customers around the world.
The new small car represents the blueprint for future global product development efforts at ford and will be tailored to meet customer preferences for interior features, exterior colors, body styles and other options in each region of the world. It will go on sale progressively between now and 2010, starting in Europe.
“Today we are celebrating the start of a new era for our fabulous ford Motor Company,” Alan Mulally, president and CEO, ford Motor Company, told employees in a taped video message at today’s ceremony in Cologne. “The all-new Fiesta is an outstanding symbol for our One ford vision of a single, global company designing and building cars for customers around the world. Be proud of what you have achieved and be proud of your contribution to a model that will get the world talking.”
The Cologne plant is the first ford assembly facility in the world to build the new global car. Production will start at Valencia Assembly Plant in Spain in January 2009.
In North America, the new subcompact will be offered in two models: the sporty European hatchback and the popular two-door sedan. The models will be produced at the company’s Cuautitlan Assembly Plant in Mexico in 2010. Retooling the plant from its current production of F-Series trucks to small car production will begin in December.
Fiesta production for the Asian market begins later this year in Nanjing, China and Rayong, Thailand.
Within five years, ford expects to build about 1 million vehicles worldwide off the new global B-car platform along with nearly 2 million vehicles off the global C-car unit.
Ford invested 455 million euros (U.S. $718.4 million) to retool Cologne Assembly for Fiesta production. The plant’s 4,000 employees went through a total of 50,000 hours of extensive training on and off the assembly line. To ensure the vehicle meets stringent internal quality targets, a team of employees built the car on the assembly line, stripped it down and built it again.
In 2008, ford will manufacture 148,000 new Fiestas in Cologne. When operating at full capacity, a total of more than 1,900 ford Fiestas and Fusions will be produced daily on three shifts at the Cologne plant.
“The Fiesta is special to us in ford of Europe and to our customers,” said John Fleming, President and CEO, ford of Europe. “Over the past 32 years it has consistently been at the top of the list of Europe’s best-selling cars.
“While appealing to existing customers, the new vehicle will attract a new generation of Fiesta owners with its dynamic, bold design and high manufacturing quality,” Fleming said. “I am confident that the all-new Fiesta will build on the success of its predecessor.”
Since the first Fiesta was launched in 1976, more 12 million have been sold, with over 400,000 customers in 2007 proving the enduring popularity of the model.
The new Fiesta’s dramatic exterior design and exciting interior styling are accentuated by bold colors and high quality materials throughout. The new vehicle extends the core Fiesta values of style, efficiency and driving quality.
A total of 410,900 Fiestas and Fusions were manufactured in Cologne in 2007. Approximately 85 percent of the vehicles produced in Cologne last year were exported to more than 50 countries.
Earlier this year, the Cologne plant began using renewable electricity generated by three hydro-power plants in Norway and Sweden, reducing the plant’s CO2 emissions by 190,000 tons a year. This initiative is part of the company’s overall commitment to further reduce the environmental footprint of its vehicles through their life cycle.
“We’re proud of the Cologne Assembly Plant and the vehicles produced here. Not only does the new Fiesta bring innovative design and engineering to the small car market, but it brings new manufacturing technologies as well,” said Jim Tetreault, vice president, Manufacturing, ford of Europe.
“This new Fiesta is tough, strong, and safe due to the body construction technologies which allow us to build a lightweight, yet extremely strong body through the innovated use of high strength steel. It is also built with care, craftsmanship and precision by an efficient and dedicated workforce, which is second to none,” he said.
About ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 229,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company’s core and affiliated automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo and Mazda. The company provides financial services through ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit .
Ford Motor Company
Keeping Your Car Can Save You Money
BETHESDA, Md., Aug. 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — You’ve just made your last car payment. Should you keep the car or trade it in for a brand new vehicle? According to the car Care Council, keeping your car rather than buying a new one is the way to go, especially if your goal is to save money.
“People who keep their cars, treat them as valuable investments and commit to regular vehicle maintenance, end up saving a lot of money,” said Rich White, executive director, car Care Council.
The most common maintenance procedures and repairs to keep your car operating safely and reliably while maintaining its long-term value involve checking the oil, filters and fluids, the belts and hoses, brakes, tires and air conditioning. The council also recommends an annual tune-up and wheel alignment.
Over a four-year period, the difference in the savings between keeping a car and buying a new one is $10,894, according to Runzheimer International.
The cost comparison identified the expenses of keeping a 2003 6-cylinder, 4-door sedan that gets 21 miles per gallon (mpg) and costs $19,727, versus buying a new 6-cylinder, 4-door sedan with 23.5 mpg that costs $23,451 and had a down payment of $10,158, the trade-in value of the older car.
At the end of four years, expenses on the used vehicle, including fuel, license, registration, taxes, insurance, maintenance and tires, were $16,548. A resale value of $3,759 puts the total four-year cost at $12,789.
On the new car, expenses including the car payment, interest on the car loan, fuel, license, registration, taxes, insurance, maintenance and tires, totaled $32,258. A resale value of $8,575 puts the total four-year expense of the new car at $23,683.
“We advise our clients that if they want to see an increase on their investments every year they need to cut down on their expenses,” said Terry Mulcahy, vice president of investments for R.W. Baird in Mequon, Wis. “A new automobile is for most people their second biggest investment next to a home, so a great way to save money and increase financial assets is to hang onto their current vehicle rather than buy a new one every few years.”
The car Care Council is the source of information for the “Be car Care Aware” consumer education campaign promoting the benefits of regular vehicle care, maintenance and repair to consumers. For a copy of the council’s consumer-friendly car Care Guide or for more information, visit .
Car Care Council
One-Third of Car Shoppers on kbb.com Moved to Fuel-Efficient Cars in Response to Environmental Issues
IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 7 /PRNewswire/ — According to the latest Kelley Blue Book Marketing Research studies conducted on the company’s top-rated Web site , the vast majority (nearly 90 percent) of car shoppers say they are concerned about the future of our environment. Among the survey respondents, 80 percent believe that individuals should make lifestyle changes in order to reduce CO2 emissions. Furthermore, 75 percent of shoppers say they have made changes to further the betterment of the environment, with the top lifestyle changes mentioned being recycling (54 percent), cutting back on driving (46 percent) and purchasing a fuel-efficient car (31 percent).
In an effort to protect the environment, 42 percent of consumers participating in the Kelley Blue Book study are willing to accept cuts in their standard of living, while 39 percent are willing to pay higher prices. In addition, 29 percent are willing to pay higher taxes.
With an increasing push for more eco-friendly cars, consumers expressed interest in a resource for more information on ‘green’ automotive technologies. According to the study, consumers were interested in articles and news on environmentally-friendly cars, a tool for finding the most fuel-efficient vehicle to meet their needs, a place to share comments and feedback on vehicles, and tools that calculate and factor fuel economy.
With these interests in mind, Kelley Blue Book launched KBB(R) Green , an all-new section of the company’s top-rated Web site designed to help guide new-car shoppers on environmental and fuel economy issues. KBB Green features the latest news and blogs (), Kelley Blue Book’s Perfect car Finder(R) (), the Top 10 Green Cars for 2008 (), Green forums (), the Fuel Efficiency Challenge ( challenge.aspx?WeeklyMileage=&FuelCosts=4.25), new-car reviews (), videos () and more. Kelley Blue Book’s new Green section allows new-car shoppers to attain information about alternative-fuel technologies and make the best environmentally friendly choice based on their requirements.
“Gas prices have created a permanent shift in the minds of American consumers and more importantly car-shoppers,” said Rick Wainschel, senior vice president of marketing and analytics for Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com. “KBB Green provides new-car shoppers with the information to help make this important choice by providing resources for shoppers to discover their options and learn what both fellow consumers and the automotive experts think about these options.”
These latest Kelley Blue Book Marketing Research studies were conducted on Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com among 619 shoppers during April 2008 and among 637 shoppers during June 2008.
About Kelley Blue Book ()
Since 1926, Kelley Blue Book, The Trusted Resource(R), has provided vehicle buyers and sellers with the new and used vehicle information they need to accomplish their goals with confidence. The company’s top-rated Web site, , provides the most up-to-date pricing and values, including the New car Blue Book(R) Value which reveals what people actually are paying for new cars. The company also reports vehicle pricing and values via products and services, including software products and the famous Blue Book(R) Official Guide. Kbb.com is rated the No. 1 automotive information site and the most visited auto site nine years in a row. is a leading provider of new-car prices (), car reviews () and news (), used-car blue book values (), auto classifieds () and car dealer locations (). No other medium reaches more in-market vehicle shoppers than kbb.com; nearly one in every three American car buyers performs their research on kbb.com.
Kelley Blue Book
Ford Sets Best-in-Class Quality Targets on All-New Global Small Vehicles
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich., Aug. 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — After climbing to the upper ranks in vehicle quality in the past two years, ford Motor Company said today it has set an aggressive new target — best-in-class initial quality for compact cars the company will launch in North America in 2010.
“We aim to launch our new compact vehicles at 800 things gone wrong per 1,000 vehicles,” said Bennie Fowler, Ford’s group vice president, Global Quality. “That’s more than 500 TGWs less than the predicted industry average — and we believe these levels will ensure our upcoming small cars will achieve industry-best initial quality.”
As part of its product-led transformation, ford has announced plans to convert three light truck plants to small vehicle production, paving the way to sell several European-designed small vehicles in North America.
Ford said today its ford Focus compact car built off a global C-car platform will debut in North America in 2010 with best-in-class quality. In addition, ford expects other small vehicles derived from Ford’s global C-car to achieve similar initial quality levels.
Speaking Monday at the Center for Automotive Research’s Management Briefing Seminars in Traverse City, Fowler said the company will meet this aggressive quality target in the midst of its “One Ford” transformation that includes globalized product development and manufacturing operations.
“We’re following a set of standardized processes around the world in product development, manufacturing and purchasing with a discipline this company has never seen,” Fowler said. “We are leveraging these same disciplined, standardized processes to ensure world-class quality around the world.”
In 2007, best-in-class initial quality in the small car segment was 1,058 things gone wrong, while the industry average was 1,512.
Ford’s continuing quality push comes as the company shifts towards a more balanced portfolio of small cars and crossovers that will be sold alongside the company’s lineup of trucks and SUVs.
Last year, passenger cars represented 49 percent of sales industry-wide. Trucks and large SUVs accounted for 32 percent. Crossovers were 19 percent. The product mix at ford was nearly the opposite, with trucks and SUVs accounting for 52 percent while cars were at 30 percent. Crossovers were 18 percent.
Within the next five years, Ford’s product mix will change dramatically. Trucks and SUVs is expected to account for 38 percent of the company’s mix, cars will grow to about 38 percent. Crossovers will climb to 24 percent.
“By 2012, we’ll be building 1 million cars around the world on our new B-car platform, and 2 million vehicles our global C-car platform,” Fowler said. “Those vehicles will launch with the best quality ever.”
Ford’s commitment to the world-class quality extends beyond initial quality measured in the first 90 days of ownership. Customer-driven product features, such as fuel economy, craftsmanship, and quiet interiors are designed into the vehicle and checked for maximum quality and durability.
Using Ford’s industry-leading virtual tools, up to 40,000 design standards are checked in the Virtual Engineer Lab. Virtual technology is also used to confirm that the product can be manufactured in the assembly plant for which it is slated — and without stress or injury to the operator.
“As a result of our virtual technology, we’ve cut time-to-market by eight to fourteen months, depending on the vehicle program,” Fowler said. “We’ve reduced costly late engineering changes. We’re building fewer — but better — physical prototypes. And we have the lowest work-related injury rate in our company’s history.”
Processes such as Early Claims Binning in manufacturing streamline communications about potential quality issues between plants and dealerships. Warranty claims are fed to the assembly plant every day where the issue is dissected and either traced back to the installation process or fed back to the design engineer.
Fowler also said the company has trained an “army of problem solvers among product designers, manufacturing engineers and hourly work force. Around the world, we have 60,000 Six Sigma green belts, over 7,000 black belts and 400 master black belts.”
Additionally, Wayne State University of Detroit will offer a course this fall for UAW-represented ford employees to become certified Six Sigma black belts.
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents. With about 244,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company’s core and affiliated automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo, Mazda, and until completion of their sale, Jaguar and Land Rover. The company provides financial services through ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit .
Ford Motor Company
Gladiator(R) GarageWorks Helps Car Enthusiasts Design a Garage Worthy of Showcasing Prized Vehicles
BENTON HARBOR, Mich., Aug. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — During the month of August, Gladiator(R) GarageWorks, a division of Whirlpool Corporation and leader in garage organization, will participate in three high profile automotive events throughout Michigan. Showcasing how to turn any garage from chaotic to worthy of housing prized vehicles, Gladiator brand will expo at Meadow Brook Concours d’ Elegance, Corvettes America and the Woodward Dream Cruise. The Meadow Brook Concours d’ Elegance took place on Sun., Aug. 3 just north of Detroit, Mich., Corvettes America will take place Sat., Aug. 9 in Warren, Mich. and the Woodward Dream Cruise will take place on Sat., Aug. 16 in Royal Oak, Mich.
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Gladiator(R) GarageWorks is seeking out car enthusiasts to show them ways to utilize stylish yet functional garage organization products to improve the look and feel of their garage. The organization system includes tread plate designed cabinets and appliances, tile floor in a selection of colors and wall components, including an assortment of hooks, bins and baskets.
“Gladiator(R) GarageWorks offers solutions to all homeowners, but particularly car enthusiasts, who want to protect and showcase their vehicles,” said Lou Ann Schafer, senior marketing manager, Gladiator(R) GarageWorks. “With our modern tread plate and coordinated design, the car doesn’t have to be the only prized possession behind garage doors.”
In 2008, Gladiator(R) GarageWorks surveyed consumers on their organization headaches and garage needs. Nearly one-third (32 percent) of respondents said the installation of a garage organization system would mean they could finally park their car in the garage. To help car enthusiasts make this happen, Gladiator brand will showcase key components of its garage organization system, a unique ENERGY STAR(R) qualified refrigerator designed specifically for the garage and a trailer with inspirational photos of auto enthusiasts’ dream garage. In addition, Gladiator brand spokespeople will be on hand to advise consumers how organizational products will help tidy up items in the garage from wrenches and oil cans to buckets and spare tires in order to make room for their cars.
Experience Gladiator(R) GarageWorks at these Michigan events, or visit for more information on Gladiator brand products.
About Gladiator(R) GarageWorks
Gladiator(R) GarageWorks is the leader in garage organization delivering innovative solutions that allow garage owners to organize their space in a way that suits their individual storage needs. It is the only garage organization system to offer coordinated appliances designed for the harsh garage environment.
Gladiator(R) GarageWorks offers a Premier pre-assembled line and Ready-to- Assemble line for do-it-yourselfers. Products are available through local garage dealers, retailers including Sears and Lowe’s or via .
Gladiator(R) GarageWorks
Henderson Glass Announces Partnership With Auto-Lab
ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich., Aug. 4 /PRNewswire/ — Henderson Glass () — a Michigan-based leader in automotive glass repair and replacement — today announced an automotive service partnership with Auto-Lab Complete car Care Centers (). Headquartered in Plymouth, Mich., Auto-Lab specializes in diagnostics and complete automotive repair services. A franchised operation, Auto-Lab has 36 locations in seven states.
Through the partnership, Auto-Lab will offer its customers glass repair and replacement services using Henderson Glass’ expert technicians and high-quality products.
“We’re bringing together two highly-respected Michigan brands to make our customers’ lives easier, and so that we can offer the excellent glass repair and replacement service that Henderson Glass is known for,” said Stephen Wilson, president and chief operating officer of Auto-Lab.
Paul Bradford, Director of Operations of Henderson Glass, added that the partnership also promotes Michigan business.
“The economic conditions in Michigan are among the most challenging in the United States,” said Bradford. “We feel strongly that both Henderson Glass and Auto-Lab customers will appreciate that we’re making it easier than ever to have their car care needs addressed by two hometown companies.”
About Henderson Glass
Headquartered in Rochester Hills, Mich., Henderson Glass is an expert in all things glass — automotive, residential and commercial. Founded in Detroit, Mich. in 1915, Henderson Glass today has 30 Michigan locations and specializes in automotive glass repair and replacement, shower doors and enclosures and a variety of residential and commercial flat glass.
About Auto-Lab Complete car Care Centers
Auto-Lab Complete car Care Centers, headquartered in Plymouth, Mich., currently operates 36 franchise locations in seven states, and is on track to hit the 42-store mark by the end of 2008. Founded in 1989, the company believes that customers deserve superior workmanship and service. Auto-Lab is a full-service operation capable to performing complete bumper-to-bumper service.
Henderson Glass
Massachusetts Legislature Keeps Right to Repair Legislation Moving Forward; Consumer Auto Repair Bill Advances Beyond Any Other State or Federal Effort
BOSTON, Aug. 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Massachusetts is proving to be a very receptive state for landmark legislation that would protect consumers’ right to choose where they have their cars repaired. The legislation (H4892) would require car manufacturers to provide independent repair shops equal access to the same diagnostic repair information and tools they provide for their dealer mechanics.
Over the course of the session, the legislation advanced further in Massachusetts than it has in any other state or in Congress where it has been pending. Against a coordinated assault by major car manufacturers to kill the Right to Repair legislation outright, the pro-consumer rights bill was reported out favorably from the Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee and made it to the House floor this week. While the formal session ended yesterday, the bill remains active on the House calendar.
“When we began this process last year, even our own members thought taking on car manufacturers was daunting,” said Stan Morin, a local repairer who is also chairman of the Massachusetts Right to Repair Committee. “But they came to understand this is an issue of survival for them and for their customers. When the manufacturers fail to provide us equal access to that information, the consumers are directly and negatively impacted.”
Independent repairers took their case directly to the Statehouse this past spring as they rallied in support of the legislation and then met with their individual legislators. Under Morin’s leadership, many of those same mechanics and shop owners returned repeatedly to visit lawmakers personally. The repairers’ grassroots effort has also produced more than 1,000 emails and over 600 letters to legislators directly asking for their support.
Independent repair shop owner Bill Cahill, owner of BC Auto in Randolph, said the momentum in favor of the bill has been gratifying for repairers. “There is tremendous support for this bill among legislators,” said Cahill. “I was in dozens of meetings with representatives from all corners of the state and I can tell you that they understand that this is a consumer issue first, and then an economic issue about jobs in this economy.”
As the Legislature moves into its summer recess, Morin and Cahill said that the independent repairers will continue to build support for the legislation among legislators and consumers. Part of that effort will require debunking claims being made by manufacturers that the legislation amounts to an effort to obtain proprietary parts information from manufacturers. “The car manufacturers know better, but they don’t have any other defense for their opposition because this is a pro-consumer bill,” said Morin. “What else would they say? That they are anti-consumer?”
The independent auto repairers are seeking passage of this legislation to ensure that they will have fair and equal access to necessary repair information, which is increasingly difficult to obtain from car manufacturers. For the independents, this issue is not only about fairness and equity, but it is also about their customers’ right to choose where to have their cars repaired.
While being considered by the Legislature, the bill has enjoyed increasing legislative and public support and has garnered universally favorable media attention. As The Boston Herald wrote in its May 22 editorial endorsing the Right to Repair bill, “there is much credible evidence that automakers and importers are holding back data.” When manufacturers hold back data, they not only deny independent repairers the necessary tools and information to fix your car, but they also deny you the right to have your car fixed where you want.
The issue also got some unexpected support in the May issue of Consumer Reports. The consumer magazine reported its findings of a study among customers who were asked to give their opinion about where they prefer to have their cars repaired. By a wide margin, the magazine reported, consumers prefer independent repair shops where they feel they are more likely to get better service at a better price and with more reliability and convenience.
Consumer Reports found that more Americans (71 percent) reported they were “very satisfied” with independent repair shops for vehicle service. This is in comparison to new car dealer shops where a mere majority reported (53 percent) satisfaction. As evidenced by this study, millions of car owners trust the independent repair shops to provide affordable and competitive automotive repair service.
Morin called the practice of selectively releasing repair codes and information as “tantamount to a restriction of free trade” and said that legislators understand quickly how this hurts consumers. “The tide is turning on this issue nationally,” said Morin. “But we think that tide will turn first here in Massachusetts.”
About Right to Repair:
The Right to Repair Act would require car companies to make the same service information and tools capabilities available to independent repair shops that they provide their to their franchised dealer networks. The legislation further provides car companies with strong protections for their trade secrets unless that information is provided to the franchised new car dealers. For more information about the Right to Repair Act, visit .
Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association
MINI Partners with Carfax to Enhance MINI NEXT(TM) Certified Pre-Owned Program
CENTREVILLE, Va., July 30 /PRNewswire/ — Carfax today announced that MINI USA has chosen Carfax as the preferred provider of vehicle history information for the MINI NEXT(TM) Certified Pre-Owned program. Starting August 1, all MINI NEXT dealers will be required to run a Carfax Vehicle History Report as part of the extensive certification process. Anyone interested in purchasing a MINI NEXT vehicle receives the full Carfax Report for free.
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“MINI USA is pleased to announce this relationship with Carfax, the recognized leader in vehicle history information,” said Stephen Saward, MINI USA Sales Manager. “Together we’re providing both MINI dealers and purchasers of a MINI NEXT vehicle with additional security about the history of their vehicle. It’s another great reason for consumers to select a fuel efficient MINI NEXT vehicle in these uncertain times.”
Every vehicle in the MINI NEXT program undergoes rigorous mechanical and detailed appearance checklist to ensure it meets the manufacturer’s stringent program guidelines. In addition, these cars will come with the industry-leading Carfax Buyback Guarantee.
“The inclusion of Carfax Reports in the MINI NEXT certification process is part of our continued mission to help used car buyers make smart decisions,” said Larry Gamache, communications director at Carfax. “Carfax Vehicle History Reports give every distinctive MINI enthusiast even greater confidence to buy. Whether you’re shopping on the dealer’s lot or online at places like AutoTrader.com, cars.com and Yahoo! Autos, consumers can easily identify any MINI NEXT Certified Pre-Owned vehicles.”
With the addition of MINI, 28 manufacturer brands now include Carfax Vehicle History Reports as a requirement for certification.
About MINI USA
MINI is an independent brand of BMW Group, Germany. In the United States, MINI USA operates as a business unit of BMW of North America, LLC. Reintroduced to America in 2002, MINI has defined the premium small car segment. The MINI sales organization is represented in the US through a network of 82 MINI passenger car dealers. In 2007 MINI USA sold more than 42,000 cars. More information: (consumers) and (journalists).
About Carfax ()
Millions of used car buyers and sellers each year rely on Carfax, the most trusted provider of vehicle history information. Using the unique 17-character vehicle identification number (VIN) found on vehicle dashboards and title documents, Carfax instantly generates a detailed Vehicle History Report on any used car or light truck. Carfax Vehicle History Reports(TM) provide valuable information that helps used car buyers and sellers make better decisions. Free Carfax Vehicle History Reports are instantly available with vehicles listed in nearly every online marketplace by Carfax-subscribing dealers. For more information, ask your dealer or visit .
Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click appropriate link. Larry Gamache
Carfax