The recession has boosted business at auto repair shops, as well as intensified the fight over a national measure that would bar manufacturers from restricting access to repair information and tools for new vehicles.

The Car Care Council, which is observing national Car Care Month in October, reports that large numbers of strapped, value-minded consumers are hanging onto their cars instead of buying new ones.

In a survey done in February by DriverSide.com/Kelton Research, 82 percent of the 893 adults surveyed said they would keep their cars longer, but less than half of them said they have kept up with even a basic level of maintenance.

"Projections are that business will be up by about 4 percent by the end of the year, and that includes the whole aftermarket industry, which includes parts sales, service repair sales, the whole thing," said Rich White, spokesman for the Car Care Council.

"We have noticed an increase in the number of inquiries to the Car Care Council for information on how to make a car last, get increased fuel mileage and save money. We also have more people wanting to know the advantages of holding onto their vehicle longer," he said. "People are trying to hold on to their vehicles longer so they can avoid new car payments. They just don't have the disposable income."

But just because they are hanging onto their cars longer doesn't necessarily mean owners are keeping those cars in good shape. According to the Car Care Council, data collected from vehicle inspections done in April and October over the last few years shows that on the average, eight out of 10 vehicles needed some sort of maintenance, repair or part replacement.

Some of the problems discovered included low or dirty oil, dirty filters, check engine light on, headlight bulb burned out, worn hoses and/or belts, low tire pressure and worn tire tread.

But getting those repairs done isn't always easy, especially if a consumer turns to an independent auto shop.

Mechanics not affiliated with dealerships have to subscribe to automotive information services to get repair information. The average cost is about $180 a month, even then, many argue that the information is incomplete.

That means that mechanics must turn to a car companies' Web site, with manufacturers charging up to $2,400 a year for access to repair information. If an independent mechanic wanted access to all manufacturers' Web sites, it could cost $40,000 or more a year, Car Care Council officials say.

On the legislative front, there are now 41 co-sponsors for the Motor Vehicle Owner's Right To Repair Act, which seeks to prevent vehicle manufacturers and others from unfairly restricting access to the information to accurately diagnose, repair, reprogram or install automotive replacement parts.

The act would require the Federal Trade Commission to come up with regulations to ensure competition in the vehicle repair industry.

"When you make certain repairs, you have to re-initialize the car using a computer to get the car to accept the repairs, or you won't be able to start the car," said Aaron Lowe, vice president of government affairs for the Washington, D.C.-based Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association. "But the dealers have to give you the code to use. You have to hope they'll do that, or you can pay for the code, which can cost hundreds of dollars."

The closing of so many dealerships this year as part of the bankruptcy proceedings of General Motors and Chrysler has stepped up support for the Right to Repair bill, Mr. Lowe said.

"There seems to be more support for the bill, and the new car dealership closings was a factor that really got people's attention," he said. "If an independent repair shop can't get a particular bit of information or a tool, then you have to return to the dealership. When you reduce the number of dealerships, you make it even more inconvenient for consumers to get vehicle service, and you also reduce competition. If you reduce competition, you have fewer choices, and that can result in price issues.

"All of this resulted in a different perspective for some folks who were being forced to relay on dealerships when several thousand of them were closing."

Another factor in the push to get the bill passed is that "there's a lot of new, complicated technology on cars now. That's put more push in the demand to get this done," as service stations and repair shops scramble to get the information allowing them to keep up with it all, Mr. Lowe said.

On the other hand, dealers who have survived the bloodletting in the industry have become even more worried about protecting their service and repair operations as a source of revenue, and they've been lobbying hard against the Right to Repair measure.

"There's a lot of fear with dealers, because they depend more now on revenue from their service base, and they are fighting harder against the bill. They're very politically active," Mr. Lowe said.

The National Automobile Dealers Association strongly opposes the Right to Repair Act.

NADA spokesman Chuck Cyrill said, " New car dealers offer the best-trained technicians in repairing specific brands of cars and trucks. New car dealers invest heavily in training, service equipment and diagnostic tools. … The independent repair shops do not have the benefit of manufacturer service bulletins or manufacturer training certification."

NADA said it might cost consumers more to have service and repairs done at a dealership, but that the difference was worth it.

"Generally, there is a cost difference when a consumer chooses a genuine factory part compared to an aftermarket part. Consumers, however, must determine the 'true cost' of a repair when choosing a new car dealership or an independent repair shop. What may seem less expensive at first may not be at all if a faulty or an inferior part causes a repair failure," Mr. Cyrill said.

"While all after-market repair shops have the ability to properly service and repair today's high-tech vehicles, not all make the necessary investment. Inadequate repairs or the use of inferior parts can undermine a warranty or service contract coverage."

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