If you’ve ever been in a collision—or may be in the future—there’s an important issue that could affect your repair options and the money you pay at the auto body shop.
General Motors (GM) has recently pursued legal actions enforcing certain design patents on exterior automotive parts such as bumpers, fenders, hoods, grilles, and headlights. While protecting intellectual property is a legal right, how these patents are used can have real consequences for everyday drivers.
Why This Matters to You
After a collision, your vehicle may need replacement parts. Typically, consumers have three options:
- Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts
- Quality-tested aftermarket parts
- Recycled (salvage) OEM parts
Competition in parts supply helps keep repair costs down. When independent manufacturers are prevented from producing parts due to design patent restrictions, consumers may face fewer parts options, higher parts prices, longer wait times for repairs, and increased insurance claim costs.
In some cases, the cost of parts can be so high that your vehicle ends up being declared a total loss—not because it’s unsafe to repair, but because affordable parts are unavailable.
Your Rights as a Consumer
In most states, you have the right to ask what type of replacement parts will be used, discuss alternative parts options with your repair shop, and understand how parts choices impact cost and repair timelines. You deserve transparency—and the freedom to choose the best parts for your situation.
Industry Actions and Advocacy
This isn’t just an automotive industry dispute—it’s a broader issue of competition, consumer costs, and fair access to repairs.
Advocacy groups such as the CAR Coalition (Collision Access to Repair) are actively working to protect consumer choice in vehicle repairs. Their efforts include support for key legislative measures like the REPAIR Act, aimed at improving access to vehicle data and diagnostic tools, and the SMART Act, focused on strengthening competition in the auto parts marketplace and limiting inappropriate uses of design patents.
You can learn more about these efforts and the CAR Coalition’s work at carcoalition.com.
What This Means for You
Maintaining a competitive parts market benefits drivers by preserving choices for replacement parts, supporting independent repair shops, reducing overall repair costs, and helping control insurance premiums.
How You Can Take Action
Your voice matters. Stay informed about your rights as a vehicle owner, ask questions about parts and repair options, contact your local and federal representatives to support fair competition in automotive repairs, and share this information with friends and family.
At MyPartsChoice.com, we’re committed to helping you understand your options and stand up for your rights as a vehicle owner. Together, we can ensure a fair and competitive repair marketplace that works for everyone.
