STOLEN AUTO PARTS HURTING EVERYONE

You go to a parts store or dealership because your airbag or HID headlamps have been stolen. Or your vehicle has been involved in a crash and it needs some replacement sheet metal parts. Everything seems on the up-and-up. But what you find might greatly surprise you.The following article was written by Steve Parker for Gannett's THE DESERT SUN newspaper in Palm Springs, CA.

     Auto theft is a huge problem worldwide, but stealing specific auto parts and their re-sale to crooked repair shops is more likely to affect the average car-owner.

     Keeping in mind that the majority of independent and dealership repair shops and parts stores, especially the national chains, are straight-as-an arrow, here’s what thieves are looking for these days (and nights):

  1) High-Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps, the ones with that “bluish glow”, long a part of the super-exotic world of BMWs, Porsches, Ferraris and Lamborghinis, have “dripped down” to the world of the average car-buyer.

Available as an expensive option on cars such as Maximas and Volkswagens, HID “kits” are also retrofit aftermarket items fitting most any vehicle.

As an option or kit, they range in price from $500 to $1,500 a pair. These easily-stolen lamps are sold just as simply by crooks to unscrupulous repair or parts shops for $200 to $500 or more.

2) Airbags have been a boon to car parts thieves, especially driver’s side airbags. They’re easy to remove and re-sell to shady parts stores or repair shops.

The odds are with the thief. It takes even a semi-skilled bandit about 30 seconds to get into almost any car or truck, then another 45 to 90 seconds to remove the airbag.

The thief sells the airbag to a crooked repair shop for $200 or so, and the victim (or their insurance company) pays anywhere from $800 to $1,200 for the replacement and repair.

The shops which buy these parts are just as guilty as the thieves, but, similar to companies hiring illegal immigrants, authorities rarely have time to go after these “end users”.

Another major problem plaguing the auto repair industry (and insurance companies and ultimately, consumers) involves corrupt firms spending much less to buy replacement body panels (fenders, door panels, trim parts, etc.) from low-quality overseas manufacturers.

They use these non-approved parts when a vehicle comes in for repairs. Industry officials say the majority of these parts come from Taiwan, China and Southeast Asian countries.

Today’s vehicles are built with “crush zones”, bearing the brunt of force generated by collisions, directing it away from occupants. Counterfeit parts create a serious safety problem; the next collision might result in passenger injuries which authentic parts could have prevented. Some warranty provisions (paint, rust) can also be voided by using these parts.

Non-genuine parts often will not fit correctly, their paint will sometimes not match and will wear much faster than on authentic parts.

Phony parts are easily purchased online, through catalogues, from salespeople who call at stores and dealerships, even at industry trade shows.

And the difference between their cost and the insurance payment or customer’s out-of-pocket expense is banked by the crooked store or repair shop. And the thief remains in business.

What can consumers do?

In the case of parts like HID lamps and airbags, demand to see the parts in their original, unopened packaging. Then tell the manager they plan to watch technicians pull the part from that box and install it.

In the case of sheet metal parts, demand to see that part’s order form and manufacturer’s shipping form to guarantee parts are coming from a legitimate source.

Also, there will be stickers on the metal which state “Genuine Toyota Parts”, or whatever make the vehicle might be.

With today’s easily-available, sophisticated packaging and printing machines, even serial numbers and shipping forms can not guarantee the customer is getting the factory part they are paying for and deserve.

But demanding to see all this paperwork, and watching the installation, will alert the repair shop or parts store that this customer “means business”.

Comments

[HID Kit]

I recently came across your blog and have been reading along.Thanks for sharing.

[Fog Light]

Nice topic.I really like it.Thanks.

[Car Parts]

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