with Victoria Antonelli
In Reverse with Gary Ledoux
Gary Ledoux is an industry veteran with 48 years’ experience in the automotive and OEM collision parts industry. His column appears exclusively in Autobody News. He can be reached at YesterWreck@yahoo.com
The 1980’s – The Evolution of the “Patch Panel” In the early 80’s, the term “patch pan- overnight, alternative buying sources el” was still being used to describe have become available to collision non-OE sheet metal body panels used shops… It’s a growing business that primarily to replace rusted-out rocker someday is going to be big business.” with Garybuckets Ledoux Also, in 1984, an ad for Collipanels, floor pans, headlight and the like. (In the 50’s, 60’s and sion Parts Distributors of Grand Rap70’s, rust was a major problem. A car ids, MI touted availability for hoods, could be only three years old, be me- fenders, doors and grills for Datsun, chanically sound, but with rust holes Honda, Toyota, Mazda, Volvo, Audi, already poking through rocker panels BMW, Fiat, Peugeot, Mercedes, Reand fender wells, hence the need for nault and Volkswagen as well as pop“patch panels.”) ular Chevy, Ford and Chrysler appli-
OE Shop Certification
OE Shop Certification with Stacey Phillips
“We are getting parts with certified stickers and the parts still don’t fit. When people promote something that it is not, it is fraud in any other industry.” — John Loftus
Shop Management
with Edmagazine Attanasiocations. A mid-1984 ad for Keystone An early 80’s trade article noted that when the Big 3 body parts promoted front fenders for were changing sheet metal design 80-84 Ford pickups, tailgates for 73-80 every model year, it didn’t make fi- Chevy pick-ups and front fenders for nancial sense for the aftermarket to 80-84 Oldsmobiles. The aftermarket make fenders for such a short-run body repair panels market was rolling. of a vehicle model. However, with During that time, conspicuousChevy pick-ups keeping the same ly absent from the growing number with Bruce Roistacher basic body design for many years, it of trade magazine articles dedicated now made sense to invest in tooling to the burgeoning body repair panel to make the fenders in the aftermar- market was the mention of insurance ket. Also cited as recently becoming companies and their insistence that available were fenders for the Chevy the shop use more aftermarket parts. Chevette and Citation. But that wouldn’t last long. By 1985, Fueling the “patch-panel” market, insurers began to prescribe aftermara number of aftermarket parts suppliers ket parts as a way to reduce severity with Gary Ledouxand cost. began to emerge. Some sold direct to shops, while In the summer of 1986, a trade some sold through jobbers. Some magazine article about the difference claimed that their parts were better than and growing controversy over OE OE, while some claimed some really versus aftermarket crash parts notes poor-fitting parts were in the supply that it is “…the touchiest and most stream – but “not carried by their com- controversial situation to hit the colpany.” Some suppliers noted that they lision repair industry many years.” concentrated more on service rather The article notes that some people see than the part’s quality. Some suppliers no difference. The OE’s claim that the noted that they offered a longer war- aftermarket parts do not measure up, ranty than the OEwith to relieve any appredo not fit properly, are not properly Stacey Phillips hension that a potential customer may rust-proofed and have less then desirhave. It was the “Wild West” days of able primer on them. The aftermarket the “patch panel” market. claims that their parts are comparable By 1984, “patch panels” were to OE at lower prices and saves constarting to have an impact. One trade sumer’s money. The article notes that magazine noted “Crash parts used to the controversy about aftermarket be a one source buy-OE parts from VS OE did not really start until body the local dealership. But seemingly, shops were forced, by the insurance
companies, to use aftermarket VS OE. Prior to that, aftermarket parts were not given a second thought by most. Once they discovered aftermarket parts and the cost savings, more and more insurance companies began to call for aftermarket parts on an estimate. This, according to some, has caused a cost decrease for aftermarket parts. Aftermarket parts tend to be lower in cost for a number of reasons including, economies of tooling, labor costs (being made in countries where unions don’t exist), and priced at a niche-carving rate. And while the lower costs affect how much an insurance company has to pay for a claim, it also reduces the amount of money a body shop makes on parts. Shop owners maintained that aftermarket parts are not the same quality. They say they have to slot aftermarket fenders and other parts to make them fit. Aftermarket proponents note
that slotting must be done on some OE parts, the result of a bad body pull. (Let the sniping begin!) Aftermarket parts were also criticized for inadequate rust-proofing. Ford Motor Company tested parts under a 500-hour salt spray test. Ford noted that generally, the aftermarket parts did not hold up. They said that OE’s use a superior rust-proofing treatment that is not economically feasible for aftermarket suppliers. Aftermarket opponents say that aftermarket parts are available only on a limited scale. While General Motors may carry 17,000 designated collision parts, aftermarket suppliers will have about 420 part numbers. Aftermarket suppliers carry only the most popular parts while the OE has to have every possible part available, something that also contributes to the higher overall price of an OE part.
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