According to a Sept. 21 article from Grainews, Eric Wareham, North American Equipment Dealers Assn. (NAEDA) vice-president of government affairs, wants thinking to shift from "right to repair," which insinuates dealers and manufacturers are infringing on someone’s rights, to "repair done right."
Wareham tells Grainews that dealers and manufacturers support farmers in their maintenance, evidenced by the fact that, on average, 60% of a dealership's part sales go right out the door.
"In other words, a majority of repairs are performed by someone other than the dealership,” says Wareham. “This is an important point to make because it clearly shows there is no monopoly on repairs.”
Wareham clarifies that dealers' concerns with "right to repair" are centered around equipment modification, which can lead to "safety concerns, perhaps increased engine emissions, which could affect the environment, as well as liability issues."
“Suppose some modification is made that a dealer is not aware of and the piece of equipment is later traded in and sold to a new owner who is also not aware of the modification. And then there is some breakdown due to the modification,” says Wareham. “So, then there is the question about who is liable for those repair costs?”
In working to change the way customers and dealers think about equipment repairs, Wareham says NAEDA launched a campaign in the spring of 2022 to show "irrefutable information about what our industry actually does to support repair and is the foundation that will change this conversation over the long run." This includes training sessions for dealers and information programs for customers.
