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LKQ Corporation Purchases Pennsylvania Body Shop by Stacey Phillips
A Muncy, PA, body shop has confirmed that it was purchased by LKQ Corporation, one of North America’s largest aftermarket parts suppliers. Autobody News reached out to Dustin Newman, the body shop manager at Apple Hill Auto & Collision, regarding the deal. “I think the owner felt he took the business as far as he could himself and wanted to see about getting corporate to be able to further continue growing and getting bigger,” said Newman. He said the business was sold in February and the logistics are not yet finalized. Autobody News asked LKQ
ASA-MI's Legislative Initiatives: An Interview with Association President Ray Fisher
Quoting Lily Tomlin, who once said, “Somebody should do something about that. Then I realized I am someASA-MI has been one very busy organization for the past couple of years. body,” Fisher added, “If there is any In addition to holding their normal truth to this quote, ASA-MI not only programs, the association spent an exshowed that we are ‘somebody’—we orbitant amount of time repgot legislators to listen and understand that we represent resenting the collision and a respectful industry!” mechanical automotive reFollowing MI’s two-year pair industries in legislative legislative session which battles. ended December 31, 2016, ASA-MI President Ray Fisher took time to talk with Fisher says, “Our industry needs to understand the imAutobody News about the asRay Fisher portance of being involved in sociation’s recent initiatives (file photo) and to offer insights to collilegislation—because most of the time it is to make sure that if there sion repair industry professionals inis or will be a law, that we ensure it terested in getting involved with such matters in the future. meets the objective set forth and is In 2015, ASA-MI’s focus was on done as efficiently as possible. Sometimes, it is done to make sure that updating the state Automotive Repair everyone plays by the same rules!” See Ray Fisher, Page 4 by Chasidy Rae Sisk
Apple Hill Auto & Collision, located in Muncy, Pennsylvania
about the recent purchase and was told that “At this time, we have no comment regarding this transaction.” LKQ Corporation provides alternative and specialty parts to repair and accessorize automobiles and other vehicles. The company has operations in North America, Europe and Taiwan and See LKQ Buys PA Shop, Page 12
2017 Southern Automotive Repair Conference to be Held in Biloxi, MS, April 21–22
ent Shops, Training in a Hi-Tech Age, and Innovative Resources. Conference hosts are the state auto body associations of Alabama (ALARISE), Georgia (GCIA), Louisiana (LACIA), Mississippi (MSCRA), and Tennessee (TCRA). These associations will have tables at the Conference to provide information and help exhibitors and attendees get the most from the Conference. Attendee Check-In and Registration begins at 11:00 am Friday morning. Friday morning pre-sessions with Assured Performance and Symach will begin prior to registration at 8:00 See SARC 2017, Page 32
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P.O. BOX 1516, CARLSBAD, CA 92018
The 2017 Southern Automotive Repair Conference (SARC) will be held Friday, April 21st and Saturday, April 22nd at IP Casino, Resort & Spa in Biloxi, MS. According to event organizers, SARC’s purpose is to provide an annual industry forum for collision repair professionals in the Southeast region, where attendees can visit exhibits, receive important updates and information, stay abreast of new vehicle technologies, promote consumer safety, and succeed in the marketplace. Themes of the event include OEM Perspective, Status of Independ-
VOL. 6 ISSUE 6 MARCH 2017
CIC Panel Discusses Scanning, Need For Following OEM Repair Procedures by John Yoswick
The value of pre-scanning collisiondamaged vehicles was reiterated a number of times by panelists at the recent Collision Industry Conference (CIC) held this January in Palm Springs, CA. Jake Rodenroth of Collision Diagnostic Services (maker of the asTech remote scanning system), who said his company did just over 6,000 vehicles scans in December, cited an example of a vehicle problem found in a prescan that the shop—and potentially the vehicle owner—would otherwise not have known about. The scan showed one fault code, related to lost communication with the airbag control module, triggering the shop to check the instrument cluster. “What we found was pretty alarming,” Rodenroth said. “We found this had been a [used] car, and someone had sewn a resistor into the wiring harness
to cheat the airbag light from coming on.” Chuck Olsen of AirPro Diagnostics, another remote scanning service provider, said pre- and post-scanning removes liability issues for collision repairers and insurers. “I know the condition of the vehicle when it came in, and I know the condition of the vehicle when it went out, Chuck Olsen so [as the shop] it’s not going to be my fault,” Olsen said. CIC attendee Gary Wano, an Oklahoma shop owner, posed a realworld analogy for a question often discussed in the industry: Does an insurer owe for a scan if the scan reveals nothing wrong? Wano said a few weeks ago, his son came home from school See CIC Panel, Page 30
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