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Letter to the Editor

Replacement Auto Parts Get High Marks in Latest CAPA Results

DOWNERS GROVE, IL -- The Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA) has released its complaint record for 2000, receiving complaints on only 0.04 percent of the more than 1.4 million parts that it certified.

"These outstanding results once again confirm the Alliance's long- standing position that certified generic automobile crash parts are equal to or superior to car company crash parts," said Kirk Hansen, director of claims for the Alliance of American Insurers.

The Alliance supports the sale of aftermarket parts approved by CAPA, which tests auto parts produced by independent manufacturers. CAPA was founded in 1987 to create consistent quality standards for generic parts. To earn the CAPA seal of approval, a part must pass stringent tests by an independent laboratory to assure that it is equal to its car company counterpart. The most significant difference is in the price.

CAPA has established an aggressive campaign to solicit legitimate complaints about the parts that it certifies. In this way, CAPA can confirm whether the parts that it certifies are truly consistent with its high standards.

During 2000, CAPA received complaints on only 0.04 percent of the more than 1.4 million parts that it certified. "In investigating the complaints, CAPA confirmed that some of the parts were not even CAPA certified parts, were duplicate complaints, or were invalid in some other way," Hansen said. "The number of valid complaints was even lower than the number of total complaints. This gives the organization a record of quality that is unrivaled in any industry."

The Alliance has been a strong supporter of these so-called "aftermarket parts" because they provide a measurable amount of control on the escalating costs of repairing damaged automobiles, while never sacrificing occupant safety.

Every year, the Alliance commissions a fresh study of the use and costs of car company parts. Typically, it costs three times as much to rebuild a vehicle from scratch using car company crash parts than it does to purchase the car new.

"This exorbitant discrepancy is a significant contributor to the escalating costs associated with repairing damaged vehicles, and with the resulting costs of insuring such vehicles," Hansen said. "That is why the Alliance has fought for more than 20 years for the right of insurers, many body shop owners, and the consumers we ultimately represent to try to hold down repair costs through the use of certified auto parts. Kudos to CAPA, and to all of the independent parts manufacturers that make quality parts we can all feel comfortable having in our vehicles."

The Alliance of American Insurers, based in Downers Grove, Illinois, is a national trade association representing 318 property/casualty insurance companies.

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