The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers (Alliance), the Association of Global Automakers (Global), the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA) and the Coalition for Automotive Repair Equality (CARE) have announced their collective acceptance of a national agreement to ensure consumer choice in post-warranty auto repair, decisively ending the longstanding “Right to Repair” debate within the industry.  Read More

MAHLE Clevite Inc. has announced the transition of its company name to MAHLE Aftermarket Inc.   According to the company, the changeover to the new company name, effective Jan. 1, 2014, serves a dual purpose: to bring MAHLE in line with all of the MAHLE Global Aftermarket divisions, and to highlight the substantial diversification of the MAHLE Aftermarket product mix.  Read More

Chrysler will soon fully belong to Italian automaker Fiat SpA.  On Wednesday, Fiat announced that it had struck a deal to aquire the last 41.5 percent stake of Chrysler Group LLC for $3.6 billion.  The shares are owned by the VEBA Trust, which is run by the United Auto Workers. The deal is expected to be official by Jan. 20.As part of the deal, Chrysler will pay the trust $700 million in four annual installments.  Read More.

Allen Pennebaker, owner of Orinda Motors of Orinda, Calif., has been elected 2014 chair of the NASTF board of directors, the first independent shop owner chair of NASTF since its founding in 2000. Pennebaker has served on the NASTF Board for many years as a representative of the Automotive Service Council of California.  Read More

General Motors Co. has named product development executive Mary Barra as its next CEO, making her the first female leader of a global automotive company, Bloomberg News reported.  Read More.

Editor's Report
By John Lypen | November 2013
Which scan tool is best? Why does diagnostic equipment cost so much? An industry expert shares his perspective on these and other vexing questions we often hear from Motor readers.  Read More

The Equipment and Tool Institute has announced a new service – ETI Meeting and Event Services (M&ES) – available to ETI member companies, associations and businesses to assist in the planning and management of meetings and events. Read More 

To promote cooperation on legislative and technical issues of importance to the economic health of the global independent auto care industry, the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA) recently hosted leaders of several European and South African aftermarket organizations for week-long talks. Among the issues addressed were Right to Repair, challenges posed by car company telematics systems and the common goals for the U.S./EU free trade agreement currently being negotiated.  Read More.

The Fall 2013 General Meeting of the National Automotive Service Task Force (NASTF), which takes place Wednesday, Nov. 6, will include a discussion of counterfeit tools.   Bob Stewart, manager of aftermarket service support for General Motors, was recently charged with coordinating the GM response to this threat and has agreed to share his knowledge with the independent aftermarket in a session titled "Who's Cheating Whom." Read More.

STUTTGART, Germany – Stuttgart-based MAHLE GmbH has increased its holding in the Behr Group from 36.85 percent to approximately 51 percent with the acquisition of all shares in the BWK GmbH holding company (BWK). In addition, an integration agreement has been concluded with the family shareholders, who hold the remaining shares along with MAHLE, enabling the full integration of the "Thermal Management" business unit, which will trade as MAHLE Behr, into the MAHLE Group.  Read More.