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Letter to the Editor
Tuesday December 17
CAPA Releases Follow-up Report on CAPA vs. MQVP
The Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA) has released a follow-up report that compares its part quality certification program and MQVP (Manufacturer's Qualification and Validation Program). The original report was issued on February 20, 2002.Highlights of the report include:
- 42% of the 1,042 parts in the MQVP program are not CAPA certified.
- 47 MQVP parts (fenders, bumpers, hoods) have actually failed CAPA new part testing. They either failed CAPA's material testing, vehicle test fit or general appearance qualifications.
- Of the CAPA certified parts that MQVP grandfathered into their program, 109 lots were decertified by CAPA from June 2001 to October 2002. These are parts that CAPA deemed as "poor quality," and can no longer carry the CAPA quality seal.
A critical component of the CAPA certification program is the requirement that all parts be galvanized and they must pass a battery of tests prior to CAPA certification. Unless a certification program consistently performs comprehensive tests on actual parts, part material quality can be questionable. For example, there are MQVP parts in the market that are made of non-galvanized material.
CAPA is an ANSI (American National Standards Institute) approved standards developer, and the parts it certifies must pass a battery of tests including: adhesive integrity, coating performance, material composition and properties, mechanical properties, thickness, appearance, corrosion protection, form and fit, weld integrity, fasteners and hardware.
MQVP is a systems-based program in which the manufacturer's quality system (e.g. QS-9000) is evaluated.
"The CAPA program continues to be the only true part testing and certification program in the marketplace," said Jack Gillis, executive director of CAPA. "We are continuing our mission to certify only those aftermarket parts which meet our rigid quality standards."
CAPA prepared the document to answer industry questions it has received regarding the MQVP program and how it compares to CAPA. "We believe it is important for the industry to know that there are dramatic differences between the two programs," said Gillis. He noted that the report is based on available information regarding the MQVP program.
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