If the EU adopt this...

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Could make life interesting. ;-)

[dave]

Yes - then repairs to onea home, then repairs to anything, and ban DIY. Vote Ukip - get some sanity back.

[Adrian]

Umm, if both the EU and the US _do_ adopt something similar, what do you think the chances of the car manufacturers making the official diagnostic kit available to Joe Average in a non-EU-member UK are...?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

If UKIP got power, the problem would go away. Few would be able to afford cars anymore. Apart from UKIP officials, of course.

[Capitol]

As the UK are world leaders in engine management software, I don't think we'll have any problems in doing it ourselves. My experience of manufacturers diagnostic software is that it is pretty useless a lot of the time, small loss.

[Chris French]

In message , dave writes

It's in the US and relates to the application of the DCMA act.

[Huge]

And you think European car makers aren't slavering at the thought of forcing everyone to have all their maintenance done at main dealers?

[tim.....]

the last time they did that the EU told them they weren't going to get it

why should it be different this time?

tim

[Chris French]

I'm sure they would. but the DMCA has been used in the US in ways that don't apply outside of the US,

I suspect they wouldn't be successful in getting the required legislation passed in the UK/EU

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Quite - remember when they tried to stop the manufacture of pattern parts?

[dennis]

I read it and thought it was referring to DIY modification of software and nothing to do with repairs at all.

[Huge]

Perhaps they bought off the right people this time?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

That is part of it. But stopping others having access to fault codes etc could make even routine servicing impossible except by a main dealer.

It's just the usual thing of trying to create a monopoly under the guise of safety. Think Corgi.

[harryagain]

Load of bollocks.

They should be more worried about the Chinese copying their stuff.

The real reason is to put independennt car reparers out of work so the dealers/official mechanics can rob us all.

[harryagain]

As already happens in poncy Australia.

[Bod]

*repairers* ;-)

[harryagain]

Yep. Finger trouble.

[Dave Liquorice]

It's in the US so to an extent yes, but stuff in the US has a habit of getting across the pond.

Ah but that's China, so much trade is done with China there's a certain amount of "blind eye"...

Nail, hammer, head. Look at the battle there was to enable, even manufacturer certified, independent garages to service cars and retain the validity of the warranty.

Of course some makers now include n years/x thousand miles free servicing, parts and labour in the purchase deal. All the owner has to is pay for as "extras" to running the vehicle is fuel, insurance and road tax (first year of either/both might be thrown in...).

When this comes to an end, the owner won't want to pay for servicing/maintenance etc, even if those costs are less overall than the previous deal costs. So they will trade it in and get another, the manufacturers want this as it's another sale. The harder they can make the servicing/maintenance the better as far as they are concerned. The fact that cars with another 150,000 miles/10 years of life left in them are going to the crusher doesn't bother the manufactures, they just want to sell cars.

[Simon Brown]

Not the DCMA stuff.

And yet cars last much longer than they used to in say the 50s.

Doesn't matter what they want, cars last much longer anyway.

[Dave Liquorice]

concerned.

They do indeed, a 5 year old car right up to the 70's maybe 80's stood a fair chance of starting to turn into lace curtain.

They may last much longer if they are serviced/maintained than they did 30/40 years ago. But cars were far easier to service and maintain back then being pure mechanical devices with no electronics or computers.

These days, you can change the fluids and filters, brakes, tyres etc but that's about all. If it a "When this [the all in purchase/servicing deal] comes to an end, the owner won't want to pay for servicing/maintenance etc, even if those costs are less overall than the previous deal costs. So they will trade it in and get another, ...".

The makers even tie down the very expensive diagnostic machines that garages have to have to work on the cars. The owner of the independant garage I use was almost up a gum tree the last time I went in as the local(*) internet was down so the diagnostic machine couldn't "phone home" to get authorised, something it has to do every day.

(*) "Local" as in from west Newcastle to Haydon Bridge and south to Alston, only about 400 sq miles.