Recently, the research department of the Automotive Service Association was asked to determine the number of repair orders occurring in the automotive aftermarket annually, along with the number of missed repairs due to limited information availability.

In 2001, the automotive aftermarket generated $123 billion in total sales. That works out to 1.08 billion incidents of service performed by the automotive aftermarket. This number was determined by looking at total sales, average annual consumer expenditure on automotive service and repair, and an average ticket amount.

A short poll of ASA mechanical members showed an average of 15 percent incident rejection due to lack of information. When that is put into the equation, the automotive aftermarket turns away 161.44 million incidents of repair, equaling slightly more than $18 billion.

That's certainly a good reason to actively support H.R. 2735, the Motor Vehicle Owner's Right to Repair Act, introduced by Reps. Joe Barton, R-Texas, and Edolphus Towns, D-N.Y., and its companion bill in the Senate, S. 2617, introduced by Sen. Paul Wellstone, D-Minn.

ASA is taking an active position regarding both bills and continues to work closely with Congress, keeping its membership's best interest in mind. (See related story starting on page 14.)

If you would like more information regarding information availability, contact Denise Caspersen at (800) 272-7467, ext. 236, or check out the ASA Web site Information Center within the Mechanical section.

Stat Corner is written by Denise Caspersen, ASA's research management specialist. She can be reached at (800) 272-7467, ext. 236.

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