Around the country, just about now, little children are anxiously anticipating putting on their scariest costumes and hitting the streets in search of candy. For weeks, and for some as long as a few months, the kids have been scanning costume catalogs looking for that perfect look that will scare the neighbors, along with their parents, brothers, sisters and friends into securing them as much candy as possible. It’s a kid’s celebration!

Or is it?

Turns out, its not just kids that like to scare the parents and neighbors this time of year.

Our friends, the car manufacturers, just love to scare people and they are at it again during this most frightening time of the year.

Mazda, following in the footsteps of their brethren Honda, Hyundai, Ford, GM, Chrysler and Toyota, has issued a public statement in which they “recommend” that consumers not use aftermarket parts when making repairs to their vehicles after an accident.

The statement says in part, “ Mazda North America Operations (MNAO) does not recommend the use of aftermarket parts for any Mazda maintenance or collision repair.” It continues, “ These aftermarket parts are generally made to a lower standard in order to cut costs and lack the testing required to determine their effectiveness in vehicle performance and safety”.

Even in this statement, the manufacturers don’t come right out and say that aftermarket parts are definitely inferior. They use the word “generally,” not stronger language like – always or every time. In other statements released by the manufacturers, they cover themselves by using words like could, might or may. They never come right out and say they are inferior. They can’t. That would not be the truth.

This campaign is not about the truth, it’s about scarring people and grabbing a monopoly for the car manufacturers.

Where is the evidence that these parts are inferior? Recent tests by independent testing companies have shown that in many cases, aftermarket parts preformed better than the original part. The only tests showing that aftermarket parts don’t perform correctly are those conducted by the car manufacturers themselves. How reliable can those be?

The car manufacturers claim that aftermarket parts are not tested. Wrong again. Aftermarket parts are tested by not only the company that manufactures the aftermarket parts, but also by several independent testing agencies and groups. These testing groups then certify the parts as comparable to the original part.

In addition, many of the aftermarket parts come from the same manufacturing plants and companies that manufacture the original parts. Believe it or not, just because it may say Ford or GM on the box, it does not mean that they actually manufactured it.

This is just more of the same old scare-tactic propaganda perpetrated by the manufacturers in their on-going national campaign to gain monopoly control over the sale and use of collision parts. It’s all about greed, greed and more greed.

Overall, the replacement market for collision parts amounts to around fifteen billion dollars a year. Currently, the original manufacturers have control of around 80% of this market. The remaining 20 % goes to the aftermarket and this piece amounts to three billion dollars. That’s big bucks folks and a huge motivation for the original manufacturers too grab it all using whatever methods it takes.

For years I have been saying that this monopoly grab is a coordinated campaign by the manufacturers. Many others, including the original manufacturers, have said it is not. But lets take a look at this.

When conducting a campaign that has various groups, organizations or companies involved, you want everyone talking about the same issues as much as possible. Talking from the same page if you will. To make sure this happens you put together what are called talking points. This is a simple list of issues that you wish to highlight in your campaign. Usually, you limit it to a few simple points. Once you have these points settled on, you distribute them to your cohorts and let them produce press releases, position papers and statements. This is what is happening with the car manufacturers.

I have gone back and looked at the statements produced by the car manufacturers and I have found some strong similarities, which clearly show that a coordinated campaign is underway. These are excerpts gleaned from the statements.

STATEMENT FROM HONDA – MARCH 18, 2008

“The original body parts used on a Honda automobile are designed and built to provide optimum fit, function, safety, and structural integrity. “

STATEMENT FROM CHRYSLER – DATE UNKOWN

“Chrysler LLC vehicles, systems and components are engineered, tested and manufactured to protect vehicle occupants based upon both government mandated and internal corporate requirements relative to durability, NVH, vehicle safety and occupant protection. “

STATEMENT FROM HONDA / ACURA – MARCH 22 2010

“ Honda and Acura vehicles are engineered and manufactured to exacting standards and as such are designed to help protect vehicle occupants in the event of a collision.”

STATEMENT FROM HYUNDAI – JULY 22, 2010

“Hyundai vehicles and Hyundai Genuine Parts are designed and manufactured to meet Hyundai’s exact engineering specifications and to protect vehicle occupants in collisions.”

STATEMENT FROM TOYOTA/LEXUS/SCION – NOVEMBER 11, 2010

“Toyota Lexus and Scion vehicles are engineered and manufactured as an integrated assembly of carefully designed and manufactured parts working as a system to provide predictable performance, safety and durability.”

STATEMENT FROM MAZDA – SEPTEMBER 29, 2011

“Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) recommends that all maintenance and collision repairs be performed using Genuine Mazda Parts in order to provide an optimum level of performance, safety and durability. Genuine Mazda Parts are made from the same blueprint as the original parts found in production vehicles, ensuring that each part is guaranteed to perform seamlessly and wear the same as the day the vehicle was built.”

These statements clearly appear to have been prepared from a template written by the same people. Each statement has the same main points woven throughout them showing a concerted effort on the part of the car manufacturers. It’s all right there for everyone too see.

Aftermarket parts have an unblemished sixty-year record of safety. Every year millions of consumers confidently chose aftermarket parts for their vehicles and those millions are rewarded with quality and affordability. Just what the car manufacturers do not want you to have.

This effort to scare the American consumer away from using aftermarket parts and gaining a clear monopoly is the scariest Halloween trick of all.