Automakers dictate repairs through a monopoly on data | E.J. Antoni May 14, 2026 10 hrs ago 0 × USA Today - Vertical Andrew Hiers works as a sales consultant at the Boniface Hiers Chrysler Jeep Ram dealership in Cocoa. He also is an opera singer. Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Think you own that new car you just bought? Not all of it. E.J. Antoni kAmpD >2?J p>6C:42?D 2C6 =62C?:?8[ 2FE@>2<6CD @H? E96:C 52E2[ 2?5 :E’D ECJ:?8 E@ 5:4E2E6 H9@ 42? 7:I E96 G69:4=6 H96? D@>6E9:?8 3C62<D @C 6G6? H96? :E ;FDE ?665D C68F=2C >2:?E6?2?46] xE’D 2 H2J E@ 7@C46 42C 2?5 ECF4< @H?6CD :?E@ 6IA6?D:G6 562=6CD9:AD 7@C D6CG:46]k^AmkAmu@CEF?2E6=J[ E9@F89[ 2 =682= 7:I >:89E 36 4@>:?8]k^AmkAm}6H G69:4=6D E@52J C6=J D@ >F49 @? 6=64EC@?:4D 2?5 D@7EH2C6 E92E >2?J C6A2:CD[ 6G6? C6=2E:G6=J D:>A=6 @?6D[ C6BF:C6 FD:?8 2 AC@AC:6E2CJ 4@>AFE6C :?E6C7246 @C D@7EH2C6 ;FDE E@ 5:28?@D6 2? :DDF6] $@>6 42CD 2?5 ECF4<D 6G6? ?665 E9:D C:8>2C@=6 E@ 56E6C>:?6 E96 @AE:>2= D4965F=6 7@C C@FE:?6 >2:?E6?2?46]k^Am People are also reading… Transgender woman sues for sexual discrimination against Salem DEQ office Smith Mountain Lake group has success in curbing destructive wakes Drought forces Appalachian Power to release less water from Smith Mountain Project Brandon Clarke death mourned by NBA world: 'Heartbreaking' Cut by school board, Franklin County family liaisons defend 'critical' jobs 3 degrees in 4 years: Ferrum grad makes the most of her time in college Spanberger vetoed a bill to legalize skill games, yet thousands remain in operation Ferrum softball coach Josh Freeman resigns after three losing seasons ESPN's McKinney figures Virginia Tech softball has 'chip on their shoulder' Franklin County program preparing students for careers faces cuts Smith Mt. Lake triathlete with multiple sclerosis takes on toughest challenge yet Ferrum volleyball coach out after just 6 conference wins in 4 years FCHS, Staunton River seniors earn SML Women's Club scholarships 2026 NBA mock draft: AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson No. 1? Experts weigh in State bar suspends Rocky Mount mayor Holland Perdue's law license kAm%96 C6DF=ED 92G6 366? 56G2DE2E:?8 7@C :?56A6?56?E C6A2:C D9@AD E92E 92?5=6 >@DE @7 E96 A@DE\H2CC2?EJ 2FE@>@E:G6 H@C< 24C@DD p>6C:42] p=>@DE EH@\E9:C5D @7 E96D6 D>2== 3FD:?6DD6D 92G6 EC@F3=6 >2<:?8 H92E H6C6 AC6G:@FD=J D:>A=6 C6A2:CD 3642FD6 @7 :?2446DD:3=6 52E2 @C D@7EH2C6]k^AmkAm~G6C E96 A2DE 7:G6 J62CD[ ?62C=J b_T @7 E96D6 D>2== 3FD:?6DD6D 92G6 C6A@CE65 2 564=:?6 :? E96 ?F>36C @7 G69:4=6D E96J’C6 23=6 E@ D6CG:46 5F6 E@ E9:D :DDF6] %H@ @7 6G6CJ d D9@AD 92G6 >@C6 5:77:4F=EJ 86EE:?8 A2CED 7C@> 562=6CD[ H9:=6 @?6 ` :? c 92G6 ?@ 2446DD E@ E96 6=64EC@?:4 E@@=D ?66565 E@ D6CG:46 4FDE@>6CD’ G69:4=6D]k^Am kAmr@?D6BF6?E=J[ >@C6 E92? 92=7 @7 D>2== 2FE@>@E:G6 C6A2:C 3FD:?6DD6D D2J E96J’C6 7@C465 E@ D6?5 2 4FDE@>6C 23@FE @?46 2 H66< E@ 2 562=6CD9:A] %96 4FDE@>6C =@D6D 3J 92G:?8 E@ A2J >@C6 7@C E96 D2>6 H@C<[ 2?5 E96 D>2== 3FD:?6DD =@D6D 2 D2=6]k^Am kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qm%@52J[ 52E2 :D 2 E@@= 2== :ED @H?[ 2?5 E9:D >@G6 3J 2FE@>2<6CD :D 2 9:89\E649 G6CD:@? @7 2? @=5 82>6] u@C J62CD[ >2?F724EFC6CD 92G6 A=2J65 EC:4<D =:<6 :?G6?E:?8 2?5 A2E6?E:?8 72DE6?6CD — H9:49 ?@ @?6 6=D6 4@F=5 3FJ] x7 4FDE@>6CD 2?5 C6A2:C D9@AD 4@F=5?’E @A6? 2 AC@5F4E[ H96E96C 2 H2D9:?8 >249:?6 @C 2 D>2CEA9@?6[ E96? E96 4FDE@>6C’D @?=J @AE:@? H2D E@ A2J H92E6G6C E96 >2?F724EFC6C 492C865]k^DA2?mk^Am kAm(9:=6 AC@A6CEJ C:89ED[ :?4=F5:?8 :?E6==64EF2= AC@A6CEJ[ 2C6 4@C?6CDE@?6D @7 p>6C:42’D 5J?2>:4 2?5 :??@G2E:G6 64@?@>J[ E96J D9@F=5?’E 36 4@?7=2E65 H:E9 2? 2CE:7:4:2==J F?6G6? A=2J:?8 7:6=5] !C@E64E:?8 AC@AC:6E2CJ 6?8:?6 >2?286>6?E D@7EH2C6 :D ?@E E96 D2>6 2D 255:?8 E96 6BF:G2=6?E @7 2 A2DDH@C5 E@ 2 42C’D 5:28?@DE:4 4@>AFE6C]k^Am kAm$@>6 2FE@>2<6CD 92G6 6C64E65 5:8:E2= H2==D 2C@F?5 E96 52E2 :? E96:C 4FDE@>6CD’ G69:4=6D[ EC62E:?8 E92E :?7@C>2E:@? =:<6 2 EC256 D64C6E[ 6G6? E9@F89 :E C62==J 36=@?8D E@ E96 A6CD@? H9@ 3@F89E E96 42C @C ECF4<]k^Am kAmp 3:A2CE:D2? AFD9 :? r@?8C6DD E9:D J62C 4@F=5 255C6DD E96 AC@3=6> G:2 E96 #:89E E@ tBF:E23=6 2?5 !C@76DD:@?2= pFE@ x?5FDECJ #6A2:C W#t!px#X p4E] %96 =68:D=2E:@? H@F=5 6DD6?E:2==J 5:DE:?8F:D9 36EH66? AC@E64E:?8 :??@G2E@CD’ :?E6==64EF2= AC@A6CEJ Wx!X C:89ED 2?5 2FE@>2<6CD’ >:DFD6 @7 x! =2H E@ 7@C46 4FDE@>6CD :?E@ 562=6CD9:A C6A2:C 724:=:E:6D H9:=6 4CFD9:?8 4@>A6E:E:@?]k^Am kAm$@>6 :?5FDECJ 8C@FAD 2C8F6 E96 #t!px# p4E :D F??646DD2CJ 3642FD6 C6=6G2?E G69:4=6 52E2 :D 2=C625J 2G2:=23=6 E9C@F89 6I:DE:?8 28C66>6?ED 2?5 A@CE2=D] qFE E96? H9J 2C6 D@ >2?J :?56A6?56?E D9@AD 92G:?8 E@ D6?5 42CD E@ 562=6CD 6249 H66< 3642FD6 E96J 42?’E 2446DD G69:4=6 52E2 E@ 6G6? >2<6 2 5:28?@D:Dnk^Am kAm%9:D :D?’E 23@FE AC6D6CG:?8 E96 BF2=:EJ @7 H@C< 36:?8 5@?6[ 6:E96C] x?56A6?56?E D9@AD 42? 36 96=5 =:23=6 7@C 72F=EJ C6A2:CD ;FDE =:<6 562=6CD] |2?J DE2E6D 6G6? >2?52E6 >:?:>F> H2CC2?E:6D @? 4@>>@? C6A2:CD[ C682C5=6DD @7 H9@ 5@6D E96 H@C<]k^AmkAmpC8F>6?ED @G6C E96 C:89E E@ C6A2:C 2C6?’E 23@FE D276EJ 3FE 23@FE 6DE23=:D9:?8 >@?@A@=J AC:4:?8 A@H6C 2?5[ :? E96 42D6 @7 E96 2FE@>@E:G6 :?5FDECJ[ 7@C4:?8 @FE D>2== 3FD:?6DD6D 7C@> 2 9:89=J 4@>A6E:E:G6 >2C<6E H96C6[ 9:DE@C:42==J[ :?56A6?56?E D9@AD 4@>A=6E6 g_T @7 @FE\@7\H2CC2?EJ C6A2:CD 3642FD6 562=6CD9:AD 2C6 23@FE beT >@C6 6IA6?D:G6 7@C 4FDE@>6CD]k^Am kAmp?5 E96 AC@3=6> :D 86EE:?8 H@CD6 2D G69:4=6D 364@>6 =6DD >6492?:42= 2?5 :?4C62D:?8=J 6=64EC@?:4] qJ a_bd[ `dd >:==:@? G69:4=6 @H?6CD H:== =:<6=J 36 :>A24E65 3J =:>:E65 49@:46D 7@C 2FE@ C6A2:C[ :?4C62D:?8 E96:C 2G6C286 2??F2= C6A2:C 3:== 3J 23@FE Sa__] %92E’D H6== @G6C Sb_ 3:==:@? :? 288C682E6 9:896C 3:==D 7@C G69:4=6 @H?6CD] #FC2= 4@>>F?:E:6D[ H:E9 76H6C @AE:@?D[ 2C6 9:E 6DA64:2==J 92C5]k^Am kAm(9:=6 562=6CD9:AD H:== C646:G6 2 H:?572==[ :?56A6?56?E D9@AD H:== 4@?E:?F6 =@D:?8 C6G6?F6 2?5 ;@3D[ ?@E E@ >6?E:@? E96 c >:==:@? >2?F724EFC:?8 ;@3D 2E C:D< :? E96 27E6C>2C<6E 42C A2CED :?5FDECJ] qJ a_bd[ E96 bd_[___ :?56A6?56?E 3FD:?6DD6D :? E92E :?5FDECJ — E96 =2C86DE D68>6?E @7 p>6C:42? >2?F724EFC:?8 — 2C6 6IA64E65 E@ D66 E96:C 4@>3:?65 D92C6 @7 2FE@>@E:G6 A2CED D2=6D D=:A 7C@> ddT E@ ;FDE bdT]k^Am kAmr@>A6E:E:@? 8:G6D p>6C:42? 72>:=:6D >@C6 49@:46D[ 36EE6C D6CG:46 2?5 =@H6C AC:46D[ 3FE :E C6BF:C6D 2 =6G6= A=2J:?8 7:6=5] x? E9:D 42D6[ E92E >62?D C62D@?23=6 2446DD E@ C6A2:C :?7@C>2E:@? D@ E92E @H?6CD 42? 564:56 H96C6 E@ 92G6 E96:C G69:4=6D D6CG:465] %9:D :D 23@FE :?4C62D:?8 4@>A6E:E:@?[ ?@E 4@?46?EC2E:@? @7 A@H6C 2>@?8 DA64:2= :?E6C6DED]k^Am Antoni is chief economist at the Heritage Foundation and a senior fellow at Unleash Prosperity._____©2026 Tribune Content Agency, LLC. 0 comments Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Cocoa car salesman uses opera singing talent to sell cars Andrew Hiers works as a sales consultant at the Boniface Hiers Chrysler Jeep Ram dealership in Cocoa. He also is an opera singer.
Cocoa car salesman uses opera singing talent to sell cars Andrew Hiers works as a sales consultant at the Boniface Hiers Chrysler Jeep Ram dealership in Cocoa. He also is an opera singer.
