In light of recent class-action lawsuits filed against major insurance companies regarding the use of aftermarket (A/M) parts, the Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA) has been the subject of serious scrutiny.
A lawsuit filed in Illinois claims insurance companies conspired to defraud motorists by creating a "puppet standards-setting agency" to make cheaper autobody repair parts appear better than they truly are. The lawsuit accuses seven major insurance companies of creating CAPA in order to conceal flaws with A/M crash parts. The lawsuit also alleges that since CAPA-certified parts aren’t comparable to original equipment (OE) parts, insurers set out to defraud policyholders by falsely claiming CAPA certification meant the parts are of like kind and quality and, therefore, safe.
"These aren’t just any insurance companies," said plaintiff’s attorney Michael Hyman. "They created CAPA, were on the board of directors at CAPA and paid significant monies to CAPA." Hyman also said there’s evidence to show that CAPA was created mainly to serve the interests of the insurance industry, adding that the first two presidents of CAPA were State Farm executives who maintained both positions simultaneously.
As if that weren’t enough bad publicity, articles in magazines like "Consumer Reports " and exposés on national news programs such as "Dateline" have created intense public awareness regarding the use of these alternative crash parts.
But all this is old news to collision repairers who’ve struggled with A/M crash parts for years and have continually questioned CAPA’s "certification" process.
What does all this mean to you — the collision repairer left holding the A/M part? Take a cue from Mr. and Mrs. John Q. Carowner and make some noise.
If you’re not happy with the fit and finish of a CAPA-certified A/M part, send it back to the distributor, negotiate with the adjuster for OE parts and send CAPA a part complaint form. You heard correctly — send a part complaint form.
In a survey conducted by the National Collision Marketing Institute, 72 percent of repair shop owners reported never notifying CAPA of their complaints. (And the industry wonders how CAPA gets away with what it does.)
If you don’t have a CAPA catalog, which includes a complaint form, one has been included in this article.
In the continuing battle to improve A/M crash parts, we’ve done our part by providing you with the tools to effect change. Now it’s time to do yours.
Send to:
Certified Automotive Parts Association
1518 K St. NW #306
Washington, D.C. 20005
Phone: (202) 737-2212
Fax: (202) 737-2214
Car Make: __________________________________
Car Model: __________________________________
Year of Car: __________________________________
Please select type of part:
___ Bumper Cover, Front Hood
___ Bumper Cover, Rear Lamp Cover
___ Door Shell, Left Quarter Panel
___ Door Shell, Right Radiator Support
___ Fender, Left Side Molding
___ Fender, Right Tail Gate
___ Grille Truck Bed
___ Header Panel Trunk Lid
___ Headlight Bezel
CAPA Manufacturer: __________________________________
CAPA Part #: __________________________________
Lot Number (stamped on part): __________________________________
CAPA Seal #: __________________________________
OEM #: ________________________________
You are a:
___ Collision Repairer
___ Distributor
___ Insurance Adjuster
___ Other (specify): __________________________________
Please supply the following information about yourself:
Your Name: __________________________________
Your Company: __________________________________
Address __________________________________
City:______________________________
State: ____________________________
Zip: ______________________________
Phone: ___________________________
Fax: ______________________________
e-mail: __________________________________
Please supply the following information about the part’s distributor:
Distributor Name: _____________________________________________
Address _____________________________________________________
City:_________________________________________________________
State: ____________________________
Zip: ______________________________
Phone: ___________________________
Fax: ______________________________
e-mail: ___________________________
What was wrong with the part?
(Select as many as you like.)
___ Adhesive, Too Much
___ Adhesive, Too Little
___ Appearance, Ripples
___ Appearance, Dings
___ Appearance, Mold Overflow
___ Body Line, Poor
___ Contour, Poor (corners and edges poorly formed)
___ Cut, Poor (light or grille cut our location)
___ Gap, Inconsistent
___ Gap, Too Wide
___ Fit, Poor
___ Not Flush with Adjacent Parts
___ Grind Marks Evident
___ Holes/Brackets, Poorly Placed
___ Holes/Brackets, Wrong Size
___ Installation (significantly exceeded book time)
___ Length, Too Long
___ Length, Too Short
___ Latch Problems
___ Packing Inadequate
___ Paint, Inconsistent
___ Paint, Doesn’t Adhere Well
___ Seal Missing
___ Shipping Damage Evident
___ Studs, Inappropriate Location
___ Surface, Wavy
___ Width, Too Wide
___ Width, Not Wide Enough
___ Welds, Missing
___ Welds, Weak
___ Welded Fastener, Inappropriate Location
Location of Problem/Comments:
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Is the part available for inspection, if necessary?
Yes No
Are photos available?
Yes No
Did you return the part to the distributor?
Yes No
Did you end up using OE to complete this job?
Yes No
Did an insurance company recommend this part?
Yes No
