What gives me the right to comment on any of the above issues and why would I want to bite the hand that feeds me? If there were no problems with aftermarket crash parts why would I even care?

I am in business to make money, and to stay in business I need to treat my customers fairly and honestly. Part of being in business responsibly is  serving my customers by giving them  good and honest value for their money. If there were no problem with these parts I would embrace them and present them to my customers as an added value. I would be an advocate, not a critic, of  the aftermarket part.

I am a member of the CAA, the SCRS and a Gold Pin holder of CIC; I have some questions for all these organizations.

My first question is to the board of the CAA. As a member of the CAA, I want to know where the board stands on aftermarket parts? Do you agree with the aftermarket parts companies when they say they have tested their parts and they are the same as OEM parts according to the law that reads that the parts must be of ‘like kind and quality’ to the OEM’s?

We all have worked really hard the last two years in anticipation of an upturn in the economy. What now? I haven’t seen much of an upswing. Although, as a matter of fact, I haven’t seen things get any worse either. We have made our adjustments and we just seem to be plugging along.

I try to write articles to help others out; articles that try to motivate shop owners and managers to do a better job. I have come under attack many times from some in our industry for voicing my opinion and being the person that is willing to speak up and say the hard truth.