Right to repair laws coming?

[Streetcar]

I had Ford Fusion as company car the first year they came out. Hit a nail and cord on tire popped. New tire took three days as it is odd size

 

[TractorGuy]

Auto manufacturers tried the same thing years ago. They got the Magneson Moss act for their troubles.

We got the cost of factory manuals run up out of site but at least we could buy them if we wanted.

As much as we all hate government intervention it's stuff like this that makes it necessary.

 

[BravoXray]

Auto manufacturers tried the same thing years ago. They got the Magneson Moss act for their troubles.

We got the cost of factory manuals run up out of site but at least we could buy them if we wanted.

As much as we all hate government intervention it's stuff like this that makes it necessary.

Manufacturers bring this type of backlash on themselves. Their goal is to make money, not sell tractors that owners can repair. If I paid $250K for a tractor, it had better come with all the manuals and access to the computer system so I could diagnose and repair it myself, otherwise I would pass on their equipment.
Farmers would only have to stop buying new equipment from JD or others for a season or two before they would change their policies. Let their stock tank and see how stockholders like it.

 

[PCABE5]

I don't see this access being free for ag just like it isn't free for the auto sector. Having the ability to purchase the software/hardware would be a very useful tool for most farmers/owners.

The auto dealerships were certainly not crippled by this and I suspect that tractor dealerships won't be hurt by this either.

 

[RickB]

The two significant flaws in the conventional wisdom surrounding this issue are as follows:

John Deere is not unique or alone in its approach to the issue, most if not all manufacturers are in lockstep.

Nowhere does "Right to Repair" include FREE access to service information, software and code or hardware.

 

[CADplans]

AND, there is the John Deere point of view,,
I think JD invested a fortune developing the software, and now, JD is trying to figure out a fair way to market that software..

JD is like any other software company,, if JD creates software, JD, or any other software developer should not be required to "give away" access to the software.

I think the real problem is the approach JD had when releasing this equipment.
The should have offered it multiple ways,,
Low cost - but pay for software access
High cost - but software access included

My SIL has a phone that was sold EXACTLY that way,,
he purchased an "unlocked" phone,, lower cost up front,, BUT,,
he can not use the "connect to local internet to make a call" feature.

My wife and I use the feature of connecting to available internet to make a call all the time.
We live in a rural location that gets poor tower service when the trees are covered in leaves.

 

[Gator6x4]

Farm equipment today is very complicated and very expensive. Very few people who owns a late model tractor, combine, etc posses neither the tools nor expertise to fix or repair.

What happens when they short something out and turns a 500 dollar repair on a 300,000 thousand dollar combine into a 100,000 thousand dollar repair.

 

[Tinhack]

I was staying in a motel about 20 years ago when a woman checked in driving a brand new BMW convertible. She was traveling from New Brusnwick to Quebec and had trashed a tire... she was stranded for several days while waiting for a replacement tire. If I spend 60K (in 2004) for a car I wouldn't own it long when that happened.

I bought a brand new 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee. It was about three months old when I broke down between Memphis and Nashville. (On my way back home to Ohio.) I just barely made it to a rest area and was able to get a tow and a ride back to Memphis. I spent two days in a motel there while the dealer replaced the bad coil under warrantee. The motel wasn't covered.

About three months later, I was at a lake with my boat and the Jeep wouldn't start. I found a dealer about 40 miles away that would tow it in and fix it. I lived in/on my boat in a state park for three nights that time. Turned out it was the coil again. The dealer had to take one off a new Jeep to get me going. Fortunately, they brought my Jeep back to me.

About thee months after that, I got a recall notice. Yes, about the coil. Into the dealer it went, again. The following year (maybe 3-4 months later), I got another recall notice about the front suspension A-frame bolts. Too late for that one too. The month before, I was on my way home from work and exiting an interstate. The Jeep veered to the left when I touched the brake. Almost took out a few signs and a guard rail. I used the emergency brake to come to a stop. I drove it straight to the dealer using the E-brake all the way. I think that was the year they found out China was supplying substandard grade-8 bolts.

JD is like any other software company,, if JD creates software, JD, or any other software developer should not be required to "give away" access to the software.

We don't need access to the "software". We just need definitions of error codes.

Just like Windows. You buy that but don't get the source code for it. Even that will tell you when an error occurs and what it means.

 

[Tinhack]

Farm equipment today is very complicated and very expensive. Very few people who owns a late model tractor, combine, etc posses neither the tools nor expertise to fix or repair.

What happens when they short something out and turns a 500 dollar repair on a 300,000 thousand dollar combine into a 100,000 thousand dollar repair.

But we should have the option none the less.

I have a very expensive (to me) code reader and cables for most all vehicles for OBD1 and OBD2. It also supports many CAN-bus systems. I don't necessarily have to fix it myself but I sure want to know what's wrong. You can't count on all dealers to be honest. What if the dealer's $500 repair is for a burned out dash light bulb?

 

[Gator6x4]

I don’t think people want to purchase the manuals, or tools to make repairs.

They want free manuals, free parts, free tools and a free mechanic with the expertise and knowledge to make the repairs while they enjoy their favorite refreshment.

I have a friend that owns a large automotive repair facility. He advised me he had over $100,000 dollars invested in diagnostic equipment and tools. He advised he thinks something is wrong if he does not get cussed out at least once a week for not doing a free diagnostic check, tell and show the person the part that is causing the problem and give the person the name and part number of the part.