Cost of car parts ‘unbelievable’

Press, 14 April 1980, Page 6

Cost of car parts ‘unbelievable’

PA Waitangi The “almost unbelievable’’ cost of some replacement car parts was referred to vesterday by the president of the Motor Body Builders’ Association when he warned that “hyper-inflation” was already "under the nose” of the industry. Mr S. Gaudin made a plea fo- “some sanity” in pricing when he addressed association delegates at their annual conference at Waitangi. “Frankly, I never expected to see the day when the 1 president of this association; would have to deliver warn-! ings on such matters,” he; said. “But then I never ex- 1 pected to see the day when a part like a Jaguar bonnet would be charged out to the trade at $l2OO. “If there is a flashpoint at which hyper-inflation is trig-' gered through people no longer accepting the sanity of prices, I believe it is already under our industry’s nose.”

Mi Gaudin said it would be highly irresponsible if the

industry did not give warning of the trend. “Is it too much to hope that parts . suppliers and manufacturers show some sanity in time to avert chaos,” Mr Gaudin said. Mr Gaudin had earlier referred to the “hyper-in-flation” that had swept Germany in the 19205, an event, he thought that should carry a warning considering “almost unbelievable prices of replacement parts, or even lacquers, particularly those containing red pigments.”

“Is there anything more calculated to make people think the world has gone crazy, and its monetary system with it, than the sight 'of some of the accounts we have to send out, with the I astronomical cost of parts 'itemised on them?” ' Mr Gaudin attributed ’“a business downturn” in the industry to less car us? and, therefore, less exposure to accident risk — a combination, he said, of dearer fuel, earless days, week-end petrol restrictions, and “the onslaught” on the drinking driver.

“These are times when reassurance that one can still get value for money is sq important,” he said. i Mr Gaudin said the areas’ in which the association had achieved least during the year were those that came under the jurisdiction of the Minister of Transport (Mr McLachlan). “Delay and procrastination have been the fate of all our endeavours that involved dealing with his office,” he said.

The association had “evolved our own process” for dealing with and wearing down this resistance.

“We have had some lame excuses for non-action,” he said, “but on our part we have replied with fresh evidence to prove our points. We shall go on doing so.”.

Mr Gaudin said a campaign with the Transport Department urged regulations for the provision of crash bumpers under truck trays to reduce the severity of the effects of rear-end collisions, and the licensing of tow-truck firms.