August 2020 Midwest Edition by Autobody News

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Shops Taking Action to Boost Business, Help Employees and Community by John Yoswick

Collision repairers around the country aren’t sitting still as business conditions continued to evolve as summer began. Here’s a cross-country tour of what’s happening as shops around the U.S. respond to the pandemic and its economic fallout. Helping employees and the community Shops continue to be generous in their efforts to help out their employees, their customers and their community.

Zach DeGroot, manager of Riverbend Body Shop in Grand Rapids, MI, said the shop covered some of the costs for police vehicle repairs after about a dozen such vehicles were damaged during rioting that followed a protest to denounce the death of George Floyd. DeGroot said the shop has always tried to do something extra on customers’ vehicles in for repairs, but is also trying to step that up, offering free detailing or “repairing unrelated damage on adjacent panels for customers so they do not have to pay out of pocket.” See Taking Action, Page 20

Actor Mark Wahlberg Adds 2 Dealerships to Business Entourage by Auto Remarketing staff

While no financial endeavor is invincible, it turns out the brand and business acumen of actor/producer Mark Wahlberg might be the perfect storm for success in the auto industry.

Credit: PRNewsfoto/Mark Wahlberg Buick GMC

It was announced July 6 that Wahlberg and his business partner, car dealer Jay Feldman, have purchased a Buick-GMC store and an RV/Airstream store in Columbus, OH, across the street from the pair’s existing dealership, Mark Wahlberg Chevrolet. Wahlberg and Feldman bought the stores, previously known as Haydocy Buick GMC and Haydocy Airstream & RV, from the Haydocy family, which had owned and operated the stores for more than 65 years. “Columbus has been so welcomSee Mark Wahlberg, Page 3

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Some Positive Trends for Collision Repairers Amid Pandemic Fallout by John Yoswick

Although the tough times shops are experiencing in some markets aren’t over, the summer has brought some sunnier trends for the industry. Here is a collection of some potential good news for collision repairers. Rebound in used vehicle values means fewer totals Given the link between used vehicle pricing and the percentage of collision-damaged vehicles declared total losses rather than repairable, collision repairers tracking the fluctuation in

second-hand vehicle values this year have to feel like they’ve been on a wild roller coaster ride. Vehicles are generally declared total losses when the cost of repairs exceeds some percentage of the vehicle’s value prior to the accident. When used vehicle prices drop, it takes less damage for repair costs to hit that total loss threshold. And drop they did this spring. Wholesale used vehicle prices in the first 15 days of April decreased 11.8% compared to a month earlier, according to Manheim. The used veSee Positive Trends, Page 40

Auto Dealer Parts Departments Continue to Serve Through Pandemic by Gary Ledoux

In the last few months, much has been written and discussed within the trade press about how body shops, insurance companies and car rental companies are faring with the business slowdown caused by the corona virus pandemic. Autobody News wanted to know how the auto dealer parts departments were faring. Between June 11 and June 15, Autobody News conducted a survey of car dealership parts departments. This included dealers of all makes from Ford, GM and FCA to Mini, Mitsubishi and Tesla, and everything in between. All responding dealers said they were involved in the wholesale collision business. All except one said they were involved in the wholesale mechanical business. Responding dealers leaned toward being either General Motors or Honda/Acura dealers. We asked the following questions and received the respective responses.

In March, April and May, was your wholesale collision business (primarily body parts sold to collision repair shops) up or down, and by what percentage? All except three dealers noted their wholesale collision business was down, some by as little as 15% and some by as much as 80%. The average was a decrease of 45% and consistent with the business losses experienced by collision shops. Of those that experienced an increase in wholesale collision sales, one dealer could not be reached for comment. Another, a GM dealer in Missouri, noted that a large hailstorm was the cause of the increase. The third dealer, Richmond Ford Lincoln of Richmond, VA, took a very aggressive and innovative approach to increase sales. “We took our outside salespeople off the road and had them working the phones five or six hours a day contacting customers to see who was open and who was not and if there was anything we could do to help them out,” said Parts Director See Serve Through Pandemic, Page 30

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Continued from Cover

CONTENTS 1Collision Announces New Locations in Minnesota and Iowa......................................18 Actor Mark Wahlberg Adds 2 Dealerships

Attanasio - Will COVID-19 Change Your Marketing and Advertising Plans Forever? .....41 Chess - An Overview of Corrosion Protection Products: Part 1 of 2 .....................................22

in Columbus, OH .............................................1

Phillips - Industry Veterans Erick and

Body Shop Eyes Merrillville, IN, Site ..................15

Shelly Bickett Share Insight About

GM Declines Request to Shut Down Plant as

Collision Industry ..........................................32

Cases of Coronavirus Grow, Union Says ..........8 GM to Call Up Hundreds of Laid-Off Workers

NATIONAL

Publisher & Editor: Jeremy Hayhurst General Manager: Barbara Davies Contributing Writers: John Yoswick, Janet Chaney, Toby Chess, Ed Attanasio, Chasidy Sisk, David Luehr, Stacey Phillips, Victoria Antonelli, Gary Ledoux Advertising Sales: Joe Momber, Bill Doyle, Norman Morano (800) 699-8251 Office Manager: Louise Tedesco Digital Marketing Manager: Bryan Malinski Art Director: Rodolfo Garcia Graphic Designer: Vicki Sitarz Online and Web Content Editor: Abby Andrews Accounting Manager: Heather Priddy Editorial/Sales Assistant: Randi Scholtes Office Assistant: Dianne Pray

Serving Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin and adjacent metro areas. Autobody News is a monthly publication for the autobody industry. Permission to reproduce in any form the material published in Autobody News must be obtained in writing from the publisher. ©2020 Adamantine Media LLC.

American Icon Automotive Finishes ................... 8

Luther Bloomington Acura-Subaru .................. 21

Audi Wholesale Parts Dealers .......................... 41

McGrath City Hyundai ..................................... 36

AutoNation Collision Parts ................................. 7

Midwest Parts Group..................................16-17

BMW Wholesale Parts Dealers ........................ 43

MINI Wholesale Parts Dealers.......................... 42

Certified Automotive Parts Association ............ 12

MOPAR Wholesale Parts Dealers ................28-29

Classic Chevrolet ............................................ 35

Morrison’s Auto Parts ...................................... 18

Classifieds ...................................................... 46

Nissan/Infiniti Wholesale Parts Dealers............ 40

Courtesy Subaru ............................................. 26

Patrick BMW MINI ........................................... 37

I-CAR® Names Peevy to New Role.....................43

Eagle Abrasives, Inc .......................................... 2

Patrick Hyundai............................................... 32

Most Expensive States for Car Insurance

Eckler’s Automotive ........................................ 15

PPG Refinish ..................................................... 9

Equalizer Industries, Inc .................................. 10

SATA Dan-Am Company .................................... 5

Gandrud Parts Center...................................... 13

Sears Imported Autos, Inc ............................... 30

GM Wholesale Parts Dealers ........................... 39

Shaheen Chevrolet Parts Warehouse ............... 27

Haldon Company ............................................ 11

Spanesi Americas ........................................... 14

Hawkinson Kia ................................................ 22

Subaru Wholesale Parts Dealers...................... 38

Honda-Acura Wholesale Parts Dealers .......24-25

Symach ............................................................ 6

Hyundai Wholesale Parts Dealers .................... 47

The Porsche Exchange .................................... 34

Innovative Tools & Technologies, Inc ................ 19

The Sharpe Collection of Automobiles ............. 23

Kelly BMW ...................................................... 20

VanDevere Chevrolet....................................... 31

Tesla Battery Day Gets a Concrete Date ............44

Kia Wholesale Parts Dealers ............................ 45

VanDevere Kia ............................................... 31`

WIN Announces Award Winners.........................14

Laurel Auto Group of Westmont ....................... 33

Zimmer Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram ................ 48

to Meet Production Demand at Key

2020 SEMA Show Safety Announced ................43

Truck Plants ....................................................4

3M Shows Support of Collision Repair

Hudsonville, MI, Cruise Honors First Responders During COVID-19 Pandemic ..........................18 IL Collision Repair Business Renovating During Pandemic ..........................................14 Industry Legend Dick Schoonover Dies .............44 Michigan’s No-Penalty Period for Uninsured Drivers Starts July 2 .....................................18 MN 1959 El Camino Has a Chance to Be Turned Into a Hot Wheels Car ........................10 OH Attorney General Wants GM to Repay $60 Million in Tax Credits ..............................12 Ohio-Based DCR Systems Facility One of First Independents to Become BMW Certified .........6 VP Pence Unveils Electric Endurance Truck at Lordstown Motors Plant; 14,000 Preorders Already Made................................................12

Industry During Pandemic .............................37 ASCEF Scholarships Go to 33 Students .............12 Auto Dealer Parts Departments Continue to Serve Through Pandemic ............................1 Autobody News Writer Recognized for ‘Solving the Tech Shortage’ Column ..............46 CAR Coalition Urges Data Control ......................44

Anderson - Making the Most of the ‘Parts’ Portion of Your Business................................26

Autobody News P.O. Box 1516 Carlsbad, CA 92018 (800) 699-8251 (760) 603-3229 Fax www.autobodynews.com editor@autobodynews.com

Diving Into the Fascinating World of Fasteners..................................................36

in 2020 .........................................................46 SEMA Supports Legislation to Forgive All PPP Loans Less Than $150,000 ....................34 Shops Taking Action to Boost Business, Help Employees and Community .....................1 Some Positive Trends for Collision Repairers

COLUMNISTS

ing and it just made sense to grow our automotive platform here,” Wahlberg said in a news release. “The Haydocy family has been wonderful to work with during this transition and Jay and I are looking forward to doing big things here on the West Side,” he said. Wahlberg has not departed from other lines of business, either. The partnership between Wahlberg and Feldman also includes several of the actor’s Wahlburgers restaurants. In addition to his acting

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

REGIONAL

Mark Wahlberg

career, car dealerships and Wahlburgers chain, Wahlberg’s business endeavors include a movie production company, the AQUAhydrate water company and a health/wellness company. “The Wahlberg brand is so well respected,” Feldman said in a news release. “We are anxious to do even more things in the near future together in the Columbus area. Stay tuned.” All three stores owned by Wahlberg and Feldman are hiring for sales and service positions. More information about that can be found at www. markwahlbergbuickgmc.com. We thank Auto Remarketing for reprint permission.

Amid Pandemic Fallout....................................1

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GM to Call Up Hundreds of Laid-Off Workers to Meet Production Demand at Key Truck Plants by Jamie L. LaReau, Detroit Free Press

General Motors Co. has a problem with absenteeism at its vital truck plants just when it needs every single body it can get on the assembly line.GM is working feverishly to replenish supplies of the in-demand pickups and full-sized SUVs after idling its U.S. factories from lateMarch through mid-May amid the coronavirus pandemic. Take Fort Wayne Assembly in Indiana, where GM builds its Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra fullsize light-duty pickups. The plant has about 4,100 hourly workers and nearly 1,000 of them are off for various reasons—as many as 200 workers are off for COVID-19 related reasons. So it is increasingly harder for GM to hit the daily build target of 1,290 pickups there. If you look down the assembly line, you’ll likely see something that should never be, said a person familiar with the plant, but who is not authorized to speak to the media and asked to not be named. “They’re at full schedule, but they have every single person on that assembly line, including management, and management is not supposed to be on the line,” said the person. “It’s all hands on deck, just to build trucks.” To alleviate the problem, GM told union leaders at Flint Assembly, Fort Wayne Assembly and Arlington Assembly in Texas it will be adding hundreds of permanent workers to the plants, some starting in early August. They will not be new hires, but rather GM workers laid off at other plants who will be given the chance to permanently transfer to one of the truck facilities. “It is ... no secret that we have people on layoff from Detroit-Hamtramck and upcoming at Spring Hill, so it makes sense to shore-up our workforce in the important truck and heavy-duty SUV plants,” said another person familiar with the situation but who asked to not be named because they are not authorized to share that with the media. A GM spokesman did not comment on managers helping build pickups, other than to say GM is doing everything to address the production challenges in the plants while

keeping workers safe during the pandemic. “We are operating our plants as efficiently as possible while accommodating team members who are not reporting to work due to concerns about COVID-19 in the community,” said GM spokesman David Barnas. By month end, GM will have access to a wider workforce. Effective July 31, GM has said it will cut the third shift at its Spring Hill Assembly plant in Spring Hill, TN. The move impacts 680 workers there, 525 of whom are production and skilled trade employees. The cuts are the result of slow sales of the Cadillac XT5, Cadillac XT6 and GMC Acadia SUVs made in Spring Hill. Likewise, GM still has 430 workers laid off from Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly after the last Chevrolet Impala sedan rolled off the line Feb. 27. GM was going to transfer many of those people to the Lansing Delta Township plant, where it builds the Buick Enclave and Chevrolet Traverse SUVs, but then GM decided to keep that plant at two shifts. GM declined to provide specific details on the number of employees it will transfer to the truck plants, but, Barnas said: “We will follow the provisions of the national agreement. But we believe our staffing plans will allow us to continue supporting three production shifts at Fort Wayne, Flint and Arlington to meet strong customer and dealer demand for our pickup trucks and full-sized SUVs.” The union’s contract allows laid-off workers first dibs to rehire at the plant that they were laid off from, then they can apply for a job at a plant within a 50-mile radius of their home plant. The region expands from there. If a worker declines a transfer, they typically remain laid off, according to the contract. “All of these transfers are being done in accordance with the agreement that was negotiated based on seniority and transfers,” said Brian Rothenberg, UAW spokesman. At Flint Assembly, where GM builds its full-size heavy-duty pickups, it is running at full capacity. Workers usually hit the daily production target, but sometimes they fall short by a dozen or so, said Eric Welter, UAW Local 598 shop chairman

at the plant. He declined to disclose the total number of pickups the plant targets to build each day. “We do need some help,” Welter told the Free Press. “We’re getting 100 people. They’re laid off anyways and they need the work. They’re coming from Detroit-Hamtramck, Spring Hill, Pontiac and Milford.” Welter said he learned of the 100 new permanent jobs July 13. Flint will start getting about 50 of them Aug. 10, the other on half Aug. 17, Welter said. The news hit him two days after the Free Press first reported GM will temporarily reduce its Wentzville Assembly plant, near St. Louis, MO, to two shifts starting July 20. Heavy absenteeism there among nervous workers as cases of coronavirus surge in the surrounding community was cited as a reason. When asked how long Wentzville’s third shift would be laid off and whether Wentzville would get transfers from other plants to help boost production of the midsize pickups and full-size vans it builds, GM’s Barnas said only, “We are working on a staffing plan at Wentzville that will allow us to return to three production shifts as soon as possible in order to meet strong customer and dealer demand for our mid-size trucks.” Welter said absenteeism is high at Flint Assembly, too. “It’s up there, roughly 600 people are on some sort of leave of absence, whether it’s sick leave and personal leave, and then we have people on vacation and an extra 100 on COVID leave,” Welter said. “It’s tough on the plants. But we’re running.” There are about 5,000 workers at Flint. Seven workers have tested positive for coronavirus since the plant restarted in mid-May, Welter said. The 100 workers on “COVID leave” are those who have an immune disorder and cannot work, or they are in quarantine due to exposure to someone who tested positive for the COVID-19, or they have to care for someone with the virus. “It’s a difficult environment to work in. My people are stepping up to get it done,” Welter said. “But it is hot wearing masks all day and doing the heavy work.” At Fort Wayne, GM will add 318

workers, according to a report sent to workers by shop chairman Rich LeTourneau. The report, obtained by the Free Press, is dated July 10 and says there are 737 members on family leave status, 268 members on sick leave and 157 members on leave for “something other than sick leave.” The workers will start arriving the first two weeks in August. The plant has nine confirmed COVID-19 cases, said the person familiar with the plant. By policy, GM does not release the number of COVID-19 cases in plants. LeTourneau’s letter reads: “At this point, GM has no intentions of shutting any plants down, we are being told. They do not see an end in sight as it relates to COVID-19 either.” When asked to comment on that point, GM’s Barnas said, “People on our team should not be concerned about coming to work. All of our sites are following multilayered safety protocols that are working very well to keep people safe by reducing the possibility that COVID-19 can enter the plant and preventing any spread within the plant.” Barnas said the same plant protocols can help keep people safe outside of work, especially social distancing and wearing masks. Local union leaders at Wentzville and Arlington have asked GM to shut down the plants as cases of coronavirus in their surrounding communities surged. But GM has keep both running. It’s not known how many workers Arlington will get because no one from Arlington replied to a request for comment. The UAW negotiated its current contract prior to the outbreak of coronavirus, so there is no clause to address how to handle it. The union and the automakers must stay in continual discussions on ways to address the changing situation. “I told the company a month ago this is only going to get worse, so you’ve got two choices here: You shut the plant down or you run two shifts,” said the person familiar with Fort Wayne. “They said we’ll play it when we get there. The two shifts are an option.” We thank the Detroit Free Press for reprint permission.

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Ohio-Based DCR Systems Facility One of First Independents to Become BMW Certified DCR Systems announced July 8 that Classic Accident Repair Center, one of the company’s nine operations, is now a BMW Certified Collision Repair Center. Located in Mentor, OH, and established in 2005, the collision repair facility is one of the first independent repair facilities in the country to earn this designation. It is affiliated with the Classic BMW dealership, which sponsored the body shop during the certification process. “We’re proud to say that Classic Accident Repair Center has successfully completed the high standards set by BMW of North America to become certified by the auto manufacturer,” said Michael Giarrizzo, CEO of DCR Systems’ dealer-based collision centers. “It’s a great and honorable distinction to receive and really falls in line with our business model, as a network of nine dealer-based collision centers.” Up until recently, only a BMW dealer-owned body shop could become a Certified Collision Repair Center (CCRC.) “Since DCR Systems was founded in 2004, our focus has been to create exclusive strategic partnerships with dealerships,” said Giarrizzo. “Previously, we did not qualify to become BMW certified based on that technicality.” In 2018, the auto manufacturer announced that it would begin allowing independent repair facilities sponsored by dealerships to join its CCRC network. When DCR Systems learned the program was going to be offered to select independent shops, the team at Classic Accident Repair Center began working toward meeting the auto manufacturer’s rigorous requirements. “BMW is definitely a leader in

connected cars and the cars of the future,” said Giarrizzo. “Being part of the certified repair program is critical for collision repair facilities that are affiliated with BMW dealerships and repair these vehicles.”

Mike Southworth, left, general manager for Classic BMW; Michael Giarrizzo, center, CEO of DCR Systems; and Paul Pennington, right, parts manager for Classic BMW.

With 12 certifications, Giarrizzo and his team are big supporters of the certification process. Over the years, they have found certification programs are becoming better and more stringent in their requirements. “Becoming a BMW Certified Collision Repair Center was not an easy certification to obtain,” said Giarrizzo. “However, it is a priority for us to be trained and certified in all brands we represent.” Since first starting the BMW certification process, Classic Accident Repair Center has focused on specific technician training, the use of original BMW parts and the required tools and equipment to earn its certification. Mandy Wynn, national training and support manager at DCR Systems, said training was an important component of the process.

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As a result, the team took many online foundational classes prior to meeting with an instructor at the BMW training facilities in New Jersey and South Carolina. Much of the instruction took place prior to the pandemic. Since the stay-at-home directives went into effect, technicians have taken additional classes online. “Everyone on the team went through some type of training,” said Wynn. “The amount of support BMW provided us throughout the process was overwhelming.” Technicians also spent time learning how to use BMW’s procurement portal, BMW DealerSpeed. “Although we regularly use many manufacturer’s portals, it can be daunting the first time with a lot of detailed information about the vehicles, especially those with so many electronics,” said Wynn. “Our goal was to become familiar with the portal to help us during repair planning as well as the repair process.” “BMW is very precise and

wants to ensure trained technicians are repairing their vehicles properly according to the manufacturer’s specifications the right way the first time,” said Paul Pennington, parts manager of Classic BMW Mini Cooper. “Classic Accident Repair Center worked hard to meet all of BMW’s requirements to become certified.” Pennington has worked with DCR Systems and Classic Accident Repair Center for many years. “At DCR Systems, they care an awful lot and run a very clean, organized and professional organization,” said Pennington. “It’s a high-quality, very conscientious company. It’s my pleasure and privilege to work with Michael Giarrizzo, his body shops and BMW to not only make our business grow, but DCRs and BMW’s businesses grow as well.” For more information about DCR Systems, visit https://www. dcrsystems.com/. Source: DCR Systems

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GM Declines Request to Shut Down Plant as Cases of Coronavirus Grow, Union Says by Jamie L. LaReau, Detroit Free Press

UAW Local 2250 President Glenn Kage knows exactly when he will go to General Motors for a â&#x20AC;&#x153;serious conversationâ&#x20AC;? about shutting down the Wentzville Assembly plant for 14 days because of workers with coronavirus. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Five to 10 cases (of coronavirus) is a yellow light, 10 to 20 cases is a red light,â&#x20AC;? Kage told the Free Press on June 11. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In my opinion, 20 is too many. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the number.â&#x20AC;? Local 2250 represents workers at the plant, located about 40 miles west of St. Louis. The union has already asked GM to shutter the facility for 14 days and do a deep cleaning after five people tested positive for coronavirus. But the automaker declined. Instead, GM made some changes to improve safety protocols to protect workers and trace whether there has been any spread of coronavirus, Kage said. A GM spokesman said the automaker evaluates each plant on a case-by-case basis, but that GM will always do whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s medically necessary to keep people safe. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re trying to do whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right, but this virus is hard to attack, hard to trace and hard to contain,â&#x20AC;? Kage said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If we see a large outbreak in one area, then we need to have a serious conversation about what to do to protect our members.â&#x20AC;? Wentzville is one of GMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s key plants. It assembles the profitable midsize pickups: The Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon. GM also builds the Chevy Express and GMC Savana full-size vans in the 5.1 million-square-foot plant. On June 8, Wentzville had one person test positive for coronavirus since restarting in mid-May. By the afternoon of June 11, that number shot up to five confirmed cases, Kage said. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no telling where the workers contracted the virus. As the number rose, Shop Chairman Alan Chambliss requested that GM shutter the plant for 14 days, Kage said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve asked GM to shut it down and do a deep clean,â&#x20AC;? Kage

said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had conversations about it. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re trying to catch it with temperature monitoring to minimize contamination in the plant.â&#x20AC;? There are about 4,100 total workers at Wentzville, so five sick employees is a small percentage of the workforce, Kage said GM told union leadership.

coronavirus since May 18 when GM restarted many of its U.S. operations. Ford Motor has had several temporary production disruptions due to coronavirus. Cain credits GMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s systematic safety approach for keeping operations going. The first step is to keep people who are carrying the virus out of the plant through temperature monitoring and health questionnaire screening. GM also keeps in regular communication with local union leaders such as Kage and Chambliss. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have dialogue all the time and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one of the reasons why our protocols have been successful and our GMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wentzville, MO, plant where it makes mid-size restart has gone as smooth as pickups and full-size vans. Credit: Courtesy/General it has,â&#x20AC;? Cain said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We really Motors do listen and try to take all But Kage said three of the people the necessary steps.â&#x20AC;? who tested positive for coronavirus Cain is realistic and said unall worked in the same area. The til there is a vaccine or cure, there union and members are scared that will occasionally be positive cases, it will spread. especially in a large company. He â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re starting to see it spread and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to keep an eye on it,â&#x20AC;? Kage said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hopefully, GM will do the right thing and halt production and do a thorough cleaning so weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all safe.â&#x20AC;? For now, GM has opted to aggressively prevent the disease from getting through the gates and to trace and track it if a workers does develop it. Here are some other safety measures that GM has had in place at Wentzville:

said it is â&#x20AC;&#x153;what you do to keep it from spreading that matters.â&#x20AC;? The UAW is aware of its membersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; concerns at Wentzville and is being diligent to be sure all safety protocols are followed to ensure a safe and healthy workplace. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are working right now with the local union and General Motors to monitor the situation in Wentzville and every other plant,â&#x20AC;? said UAW spokesman Brian Rothenberg. But Wentzvilleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kage is in the trenches. He and Chambliss are keeping a close eye on any signs of increased sickness, he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If we have one case inside the plant, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dangerous; having five in there is five times more dangerous,â&#x20AC;? Kage said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Are we going to have 10? Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s that number? We havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t had that discussion. It needs to be discussed because if we see that number jump again, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have some serious conversations.â&#x20AC;? We thank the Detroit Free Press for reprint permission.

The New

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MN 1959 El Camino Has a Chance to Be Turned Into a Hot Wheels Car by John Wagner, County News Review

When he was young, Chris Walker’s love of cars got him in trouble with his mother. “I would always play with Hot Wheels, and I would steal my mom’s fingernail polish,” the North Branch, MN, native explained. “I would use it to paint my Hot Wheels. I always wanted something that was different from everyone else’s—I would customize my bicycle, my wagon, everything. I had a pedal car that I would constantly take apart and put back together. I’ve always been messing around with this stuff.” That love of rebuilding cars was rewarded when the 2020 Hot Wheels Legends Tour honored one of Walker’s cars in May. His 1959 El Camino was selected to compete for the chance to be turned into a Hot Wheels car. Walker and his car, which he has dubbed “Hulk Camino,” plans to travel to the Specialty Equipment Market Association Show held in Las Vegas this November to earn this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The award is a tribute to the creativity and persistence of Walker, who after high school jumped from job to job while searching for his passion. “I was a cook at a restaurant, I cleaned carpets, I waxed floors in the evening—I did anything I could find,” said Walker, who eventually graduated from Dunwoody College of Technology in Minneapolis in 1992. “But I’ve always had gasoline in my blood and oil in my veins.” After graduation, Walker worked for 12 years in a body shop in St. Paul, but he did not find much satisfaction in that job, either. “People weren’t ‘oohing’ and ‘aahing’ after you did your job,” he said. “In fact, if you did your job correctly, no one would even know you were there.” So Walker started building hot rods. Or, more specifically, he started building “rat rods.” “In my eyes, I would describe a rat rod as typically a lower-budget car that you put a natural patina on,” he said. “You’re not refinishing it or restoring it. Most of the time you’re using parts that are scavenged off junkyard cars. “In fact, some guys are taking shiny paint and making it look old,

as if it’s a ‘barn find.’ And I have a friend in France who is turning Lamborghinis into rat rods. It’s still evolving, and we’re not sure where it’s going.”

Chris Walker and his “Hulk Camino.” Credit: Submitted photo

Walker and his custom automotive shop, ITW—which stands for In The Weeds—competed in the Rat Rod Tour and Build-Off in 2013 and 2014. That competition tasks builders with creating a car in 30 days, using a budget of $3,000, then driving that car for 3,000 miles. In 2015 he started working on the Hulk Camino, a car Walker said is aptly named. “I asked my son to help me push the car outside,” Walker said. “He asked if I wanted help pushing the ‘hulk’ of the car outside. And it dawned on me: The Hulk Camino. It’s green, and I planned on putting an 800 horsepower engine in it, so it’s going to have some muscle.” He finished his initial work on the Hulk Camino in roughly 60 days. Among the modifications Walker made to the car were to narrow the back of the car by 10 inches and the front of car by 6 inches, to shorten the car 4 feet overall, and to shorten the back bed of the car from 8 feet to 2 feet. Another modification was to place the car’s shifter on the ceiling instead of the floor. “I’ve done that on a couple of cars, and people are telling me it’s my trademark now,” Walker said. He first drove the Hulk Camino down the Las Vegas Strip on Easter Sunday of 2015―and that trip was not completely smooth. “There was one time where the car stalled right in the middle of the intersection, and I had to push it to the shoulder and getting it running again,” Walker said. “But that’s what makes it memorable. When the car runs perfectly, you never remember. When it has issues, that’s

what you never forget.” Walker has continued to work on the Hulk Camino since that day, and this year he decided to enter it in the Hot Wheels competition. But COVID-19 forced the competition online, and Walker’s creation won the inaugural virtual event held on May 16. “The Hulkamino [checks] all the boxes & brought their A game,” Hot Wheels reps said on the Facebook page promoting the event, and Walker said he appreciated the support. “People either love it or despise it,” he admitted. “So there is a little bit of validation. But isn’t that how life is? Some people despise what you’re doing, and some people like it. I’m here to live my life, and if I’m happy doing it my way, that’s all that matters. So I say thanks to the Hot Wheels Legends Tour for providing this opportunity.” Walker also appreciates the support of his family, particularly his father, Wendell James “JW” Walker, who has passed away. “I’ve struggled a lot with this

career; I’ve earned a living, but I’m not rich or famous,” Chris Walker said. “My dad always had my back, telling me to keep going. He told me that, if I love what I’m doing, I should build what I want. I’m the one driving it, so I should make myself happy with what I make. If I win this, I don’t think it would be a tearfree win.” Walker also thanked other members of his family, which includes his mother, Joyce Walker, and stepmother, Marry (CQ) Jane Walker, as well as brother, Jason Walker, and son, Shelby Walker. “I want to thank my family, because they have always had my back,” Chris Walker said. “And I wouldn’t have brought my car to SEMA last year without the support of my girlfriend, Robin Hetchler. I didn’t think my car belonged there, and she pushed me to bring it there. It was a hit, and that’s what gave me the confidence to enter the Hot Wheels competition.” We thank the County News Review for reprint permission.

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OH Attorney General Wants GM to Repay $60 Million in Tax Credits by Todd DeFeo, The Center Square

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost wants General Motors to repay $60 million in state tax credits the company received. In January 2009, GM received state tax credits for its former Lordstown plant, according to Yost. The attorney general contends GM promised to maintain operations at the location through 2028 and keep 3,700 jobs through 2040. However, GM closed its Lordstown facility in 2019. Yost filed an Amicus Curiae brief with the Ohio Tax Credit Authority seeking a return of the credits. “Profit is not a dirty word in Ohio, but a broken promise is,” Yost said in a tweet. “GM got $60 million in tax credits for jobs at its Lordstown plant, then killed the jobs.” GM’s decision to close the Lordstown facility drew condemnation from elected officials, including President Donald Trump. Lordstown Motors purchased the plant in November and announced a plan to manufacture electric-powered pickup trucks.

“Government, it is often said, should run more like a business,” Yost wrote. “Does any rational person believe that, if the shoe were on the other foot, GM would

Vice President Mike Pence visited the Youngstown, OH, area June 25 to attend the unveiling of Lordstown Motors’ new Endurance electric pickup truck.

The Lordstown Motors Endurance electric truck will be priced just north of $50,000. Credit: Lordstown Motors Facebook page

Pence, now on the campaign trail with November quickly approaching, delivered remarks, and after-

GM did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Policy Matters Ohio applauded the move to go after the incentives.

The Automotive Service Councils Educational Foundation (ASCEF) is proud to announce the Board of Trustees awarded 36 scholarships to 33 deserving students, totalling $18,250. To date, this is the largest amount awarded in the history of the foundation. Through its successful Cars4Careers program, ASCEF turns donated cars into education and training for individuals wanting to get into the automotive service industry. Each year, ASCEF awards scholarships ranging from $500 to $1,000 to high school seniors who plan to enroll in post-high school technical/ academic training or college undergraduates in the automotive service ﬁeld. Source: ASCEF

“Ohio welcomes its long and continuing relationship with GM, but we want our money back. It’s just business.” — Attorney General Dave Yost shrug and walk away from $60 million it paid under a contract when the other party chose not to deliver? Ohio welcomes its long and continuing relationship with GM, but we want our money back. It’s just business.” Last week, Vice President Mike Pence traveled to Lordstown for the company’s unveiling of its Endurance electric pickup truck. Company oﬃcials have said they plan to hire hundreds of workers as part of its production line.

VP Pence Unveils Electric Endurance Truck at Lordstown Motors Plant; 14,000 Preorders Already Made by John Deike & Rachel Vadaj, Cleveland 19 News

ASCEF Scholarships Go to 33 Students

ward, met with law enforcement and community leaders. Pence announced that approximately 14,000 preorders for the Endurance truck have already been made. The closing of the longstanding GM plant, and its 1,400-plus layoﬀs, drew ire from both sides of the aisle with President Donald Trump and Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) each criticizing the closure and calling for new jobs in the small Ohio auto town. The unveiling began at noon, and also included a speech from Cleveland businessman and Lordstown Motors CEO Steve Burns. U.S. Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette and other government oﬃcials were also in attendance. Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted toured the plant June 24. Businesses in Westlake and Cleveland have pledged to buy more than 1,200 Endurance trucks, which cost $52,000 apiece. We thank Cleveland 19 News for reprint permission.

“We are glad to see that Attorney General Yost has demanded that GM pay back its Lordstown incentives,” Zach Schiller, research director of Policy Matters Ohio, said in an email. “We agree with his statement: ‘The bottom line is that GM didn’t do what it promised and for that reason it needs to repay the incentives it received.’” We thank The Center Square for reprint permission.

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IL Collision Repair Business Renovating During Pandemic by Rebecca Bream Hughes, Patch

Collision and auto body repair facilities are considered essential businesses during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, but almost all of them have seen declines in business as people stopped driving during quarantine. Justin Fisher, owner of CARSTAR Yorkville and CARSTAR Poplar in Illinois, told Patch his shops have seen a decline in business amid shelter in place directives. However, things are looking up. “The encouraging thing is that we are seeing an uptick and we are happy the community is coming to a locally owned business for their collision repair,” Fisher told Patch. While the rate of mobility among Americans for both work and recreation has decreased 20% to 30% since the coronavirus ﬁrst hit North America in March, the company told Patch collision repairers have decided to take advantage of this unexpected downtown to enhance their businesses. According to a news release from CARSTAR, online estimates, vehicle pick-up or delivery and in-

creased sanitization throughout the repair process are a few of the new standards put in place across the industry. However, CARSTAR owners throughout the country decided to not only implement these enhancements, but also take their updates one-step further so they can ultimately better serve the community when business ramps up. Fisher and the team at CARSTAR Yorkville, located at 228 W. Veterans Parkway, added LED lights throughout their facility to not only provide better visibility but also save on their energy usage, and according to Fisher, the addition of LED lights are doing just that. “It’s more energy efficient which helps us save money,” Fisher told Patch. Other CARSTAR shops across the area and region have also done some refinishing touches to their facilities. CARSTAR Danrich in Homer Glen repainted its shop walls, re-organized its parts room and even repainted its shelving CARSTAR colors, and CARSTAR Custom 77 in Midlothian repainted the entire shop floor making the space feel brand new for its employ-

ees, according to a news release sent to Patch.

The team at CARSTAR Yorkville, located at 228 W. Veterans Parkway, added LED lights throughout their facility during the coronavirus pandemic to not only provide better visibility but also save on their energy usage. Credit: Courtesy of Justin Fisher/CARSTAR

The team over at CARSTAR Liss Auto Body in Crown Point, IN, decided to repaint their wash bay, leaving it feeling fresh and new. The company added several facilities have provided personal protective equipment for the staﬀ, or installed new barriers to protect both staﬀ and customers, like CARSTAR West-Hill, where a sneeze guard was added to the facility’s reception desk. We thank Patch for reprint permission.

WIN Announces Award Winners Women’s Industry Network (WIN) presents the Cornerstone Award to those who’s actions and contributions demonstrate outstanding commitment to WIN’s mission and vision. They also set a high example for others to follow. This year, WIN Chair Cheryl Boswell awarded two board members with the Cornerstone Award, Michelle Sullivan and Jenny Anderson. Sullivan has been a mentor to so many women. During the last year, she worked to redefine sponsor opportunities and benefits. She served on the WIN executive committee in various roles and served in a leadership capacity on many committees, including membership and sponsorship.Anderson, vice chair on the WIN executive committee, served a key role in selecting and implementing a new WIN membership database and website. She too has served in many roles on the executive committee, co-chairs the marketing committee and is involved on the Most Influential Woman (MIW) award committee. Source: WIN

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Body Shop Eyes Merrillville, IN, Site by Chas Reilly, The Times

A new auto body repair shop would represent a significant investment in the town and bring a modern operation to Merrillville, IN, but some property owners think it should be in a different location. John Melendez is seeking a special exception from the town to open a $2.5 million facility at a commercially zoned property near Merrillville Road and 84th Drive. Melendez told the Board of Zoning Appeals recently he would use the latest technology at the body shop, and it would produce low noise, no dust and no noxious odors. Melendez currently operates a body shop in Thornton, IL, but he needs to expand to meet demand. Melendez, from Northwest Indiana, said he is already receiving business from the area, and he wants to bring his operation to the region. Michael Jasaitis, an attorney representing Melendez, said Melendez is a master certified auto body technician, and he has the only area business that’s GM-certified for auto body repair.

All body work will be done indoors, and damaged cars will be kept inside a fenced area and away from public view. Melendez said he is focused on being environmentally friendly, and he uses water-based paints.“We’re different,” Melendez said. “We’re very unique.” In addition to the auto body repair services, Melendez said he would give back to the community. That includes offering free training opportunities so first responders can gain extrication experience on advanced technology vehicles. Melendez also is willing to work with local schools to provide job shadowing at his business. The proposed building would be about 14,500 square feet. Jasaitis said it will be an aesthetically pleasing structure, and he believes it will enhance property values in the area. “It will provide curbside appeal,” he said. The BZA decided to give Melendez’s special exception request a favorable recommendation. “This is a state-of-the-art business that could really put the town of Merrillville on the map,” BZA member Chuck Stojakovich said.

The BZA voted 4-1 on the matter; member Ric Holtz cast the dissenting vote.

Merrillville Town Hall. Credit: John J. Watkins, file, The Times

The request now moves to the town council, which will have the final decision on the special exception. The council could vote on the topic in July. During the BZA meeting, several expressed concerns about the proposed development. Nearly 100 residents signed a petition opposing the development at the proposed site. The majority who signed were from the nearby Mesa Ridge and Hunter’s Glen neighborhoods. BZA member Julie Olthoﬀ encouraged Melendez to meet with the neighbors to explain his project to them prior to the council acting on the matter.

Melendez said he is willing to have such a meeting so residents can be fully informed of what he has planned for the property. Some indicated they aren’t opposed to the operation, but they believe it would be better suited elsewhere in the town. An adjacent property owner said she already experiences significant drainage issues, and she worries the project could make those problems worse. There also were concerns about the potential for vehicle fluids to run off the site to other properties. Melendez committed to having proper drainage in place, and he will follow strict Environmental Protection Agency guidelines that require proper containment of automotive fluids. Some also said there is already heavy traffic in that area, and they worry the business could create more congestion issues. Jasaitis said the facility could have about eight vehicles a day, and there will be proper access to the site. We thank The Times for reprint permission.

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1Collision Announces New Locations in Minnesota and Iowa 1Collision proudly announced the addition of 1Collision Waconia in Waconia, MN, and 1Collision Grimes in Grimes, IA. 1Collision Waconia is the 10th collision center in Minnesota to affiliate with 1Collision, and is owned and operated by Chad Bijou.

“I’m excited about the opening of our new store that will serve the collision repair needs of Waconia, MN, and the surrounding communities, and I look forward to working with 1Collision to grow our business,” Bijou said. Mark Martin, owner of 1Collision Ankeny, and Christy Jones, Owner of 1Collision R Jones, longtime affiliates of 1Collision, announced the opening of 1Collision Grimes. The opening of the new

location expands their existing footprint in the Des Moines, IA, market. 1Collision Ankeny and 1Collision R Jones locations have been longtime affiliates of 1Collision. “We are very excited to add another shop in the Greater Des Moines area so we can expand our reach further west in our quest to provide exceptional collision repair services to the Central Iowa community,” Jones said. 1Collision Grimes is the fifth 1Collision location to open in Iowa. “Chad, Mark and Christy all have great knowledge and experience operating successful collision centers in MN and IA and are recognized for their commitment to safe, proper and high-quality collision services,” said 1Collision President Jim Keller. “We are delighted to have these exemplary individuals affiliate their new locations with the 1Collision family of quality collision repair centers.” Source: 1Collision

Hudsonville, MI, Cruise Honors First Responders During COVID-19 Pandemic by Matt Gard, WZZM 13 News

More than 225 cars circled neighborhoods June 16 in Hudsonville, MI, as part of an event honoring first responders who have been on the front lines during the COVID-19 pandemic. “This is our first ever quarantine car cruise and we wanted to do it because tonight was supposed to be our Gemmens car show. And because of COVID, we wanted to make sure that everyone stayed healthy and safe,” said event coordinator Courtney Sleeman. Michigan State Police, the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office and Shields of Hope led the cruise, which started at the Pinnacle Center. “We know that our first responders have put everything on the line to keep our country safe, and we wanted to something special where we could turn what we were going to do into honoring them and letting them go first

in our cruise this year,” Sleeman said. “It makes my heart happy. It makes all of us really happy to know that we’re able to do that for them.” People who live along the route were encouraged to watch the cruise and decorate their homes. Sleeman says she works with an incredible team at Auto Body Xperts, which was able to pivot when the pandemic hit and turn the car show into an event people could safely participate in. “Making that decision was huge but we were so glad to be able to pull it off and to have such an incredible turnout,” she said. The event was sponsored by Gemmens Ace Hardware and Dykstra’s Auto. Other partners included Shields of Hope and Christian radio station JQ99. We thank WZZM 13 News for reprint permission.

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Michigan’s No-Penalty Period for Uninsured Drivers Starts July 2 Beginning July 2, uninsured drivers in Michigan can get insurance coverage without facing penalties during an 18-month amnesty period, state insurance regulators said. The Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) said drivers should begin seeking quotes from insurance companies or agents now for coverage under the new auto insurance law that becomes effective July 1. “If your auto insurance coverage had lapsed for any reason, you now have the opportunity to get coverage without penalties,” DIFS Director Anita Fox said in a media release. “This is an important consumer protection for uninsured drivers who previously faced additional fees and restrictions before they could buy coverage.” The penalties and coverage restrictions for drivers with lapsed coverage varied among insurance companies. Under the new law, insurers cannot limit coverage, charge a reinstatement fee or in-

crease the premium for a driver solely due to a lapse in coverage. “Michigan had a disproportionate number of uninsured drivers, and the new auto insurance law clears many barriers to coverage that drivers were experiencing,” said Fox. “Not only are there guaranteed statewide average savings and new more affordable Personal Injury Protection coverage levels, but for the next 18 months, there are no penalties for reinstating coverage, making it the optimal time for previously uninsured drivers to obtain auto insurance that best suits their families’ needs and budgets.” Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed bipartisan auto nofault reform legislation to lower costs for Michigan drivers, maintain the highest coverage options in the country and strengthen consumer protections. The changes will apply to policies issued or renewed after July 1. We thank Insurance Journal for reprint permission.

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Continued from Cover

Taking Action Christy Jones of R Jones Collision 1 in Des Moines, IA, offered a “pay it forward” campaign in which each of the shop’s customers in May and June received a $25 gift certificate to a local restaurant, and could designate a charity to receive a $50 donation from the shop.

getting supplements handled, “to keep cash flow up and make sure all the bills are paid and we still make money.” At Zara’s Collision Center, in Springfield, IL, “We are upholding our commitment to bringing new talent into our industry by hiring fulltime a recent high school graduate who had completed a semester-long internship during the pandemic,” shop owner Brad Zara said. “We have also brought on another recent graduate for a summer internship even though business is down.” Adam Reiter of Golden’s Paint & Body Shop in Hot Springs, AR, said the shop has continued to spend all reimbursement the shop has received for added “COVID-19 cleaning” of vehicles to buy gift cards for local businesses through a chamber of commerce program that also matches the funds to buy groceries for displaced workers. “Five thousand dollars has been raised by our shop,” Reiter said. “The gift cards will be used as prizes for customers and bonuses for employees.” Shifts in marketing Zara and Reiter are also among the shops reporting a variety of changes in their marketing efforts given what’s happening in their area. Reiter said he brought in a film crew to shoot a new television ad after the shop was “deeply cleaned and completely repainted.” “We have been utilizing clever messages on our Facebook page to let people know that we are continuing to safely serve them throughout the pandemic,” Zara said. Todd Doyle of Arrowhead Auto Body in Hermantown, MN, has taken a different approach. “We had changed our radio and TV ads to COVID-related topics, telling customers that we are open and how we are cleaning for their safety,” Doyle said. “But we have changed back all our advertising to our normal ads because I’m personally sick of all the ads talking about COVID.” John Naylor, an estimator and manager at Heritage Collision Center in Sherman, TX, said the shop has stepped up efforts to encourage and thank customers for posting online reviews.

Josh Smith, operations manager at Collision Specialists in Jackson, TN, said although the shop doesn’t like photo-based estimates, it is doing some as a selling tool. One California shop owner said he is contacting more mechanical repair shops to exchange customer referrals. Another said she has made sure all her employees “have business cards and are encouraged to hand them out.” The direct repair coordinator at a two-shop collision repair business in Pennsylvania said he’s getting more involved with several community Facebook pages. “Believe it or not, it helps immensely,” he said. Mask policies vary Among more than 200 shops responding to a survey in June, about 30% were requiring customers to wear masks to enter the shop office. “The door is locked; people have to ring a bell before they come in—with a mask,” Bill McElroyofBillMcElroyAutoBodyinBensalem, PA, said. Many shops said they are leaving it up to the customer to decide. “Whatever they are comfort-

able with. Some do, some don’t,” said Candace Dietzen, owner of The Body Shop of Barrington in Lake Barrington, IL. “We have masks available for customers upon request,” said Tyler Perkins, collision center manager at Ford of Clermont in Florida. “My employees have to wear masks whenever a customer enters,” a Georgia shop owner said. But policies regarding masks appear to be in flux from shop to shop; several shops said they had been requiring customers to wear a mask earlier, but stopped at some point in June. A shop owner in Oregon said he hadn’t been requiring it, but would if state policy called for it—something that went into effect in late June. And the percentage requiring masks for customers is somewhat under-reported because at least 10% of those saying they don’t require a mask also said such a policy isn’t needed because customers aren’t being allowed inside. “No one enters our building. We meet them in the parking lot in full PPE gear,” said Mike Kime of Kime Collision in Standish, MI.

Zara’s Collision Center, in Springfield, IL, is trying to use clever messages in its social media to let people know how the shop is continuing to safely serve them during the pandemic

“We’re offering employees later start times so they can help with family or household needs,” the owner of a Chicago area shop said. “We’re offering them four 10-hour days, if that helps, and with that, we’re actually seeing more customer volume in the evening hours.” Auto Craft Collision Center in Kewaskum, WI, extended through June a 10% discount, up to $250, it began offering customers earlier this spring. Carney Cataldo of Cataldo’s Collision in Dubois, PA, gave all employees a $1,000 bonus. A shop in the Pacific Northwest supplemented its painters’ wages to help ease the downturn in flat-rate hours, and an Arizona shop has given commission employees a guaranteed minimum salary equivalent to four days of work, and isn’t requiring them to work more than four days a week. A working manager at a shop in Iowa is letting the shop’s other technicians do more of the production work while he spends more time in the office

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Hey Toby! with Toby Chess

Toby Chess is an I-CAR program instructor, Training specialist, and former salvage yard operator. Toby is universally known in the collision industry for his work with first responders and advocacy for body shops and consumers. He can be reached at tcspeedster@gmail.com

An Overview of Corrosion Protection Products: Part 1 of 2 Let’s start with a test on corrosion protection.

pany would not pay the extra $3,000 to weld the roof in place as outlined in the Honda repair procedures. 1. T or F: In Honda’s latest bulletin The Seebachans purchased the on corrosion, it states epoxy primer repaired vehicle and were involved in should only be sprayed to put down a front-end collision. The roof gave a light coat of epoxy primer. way and caused the quarter panels withMotors David 2. T or F: General nowMcClune al- to buckle inward, puncturing the gas lows the use of DTM sealers, which tank and causing the vehicle to catch have built-in corrosion protection fire. materials, on bare metal. Last February, at Verifax’s annu3. T or F: General Motors’ black al symposium, the Seebachens’ Honprimer is used on bare metal surfac- da Fit was on display. You can read es that will be bonded. all about it, but when you see the ve4. T or F: Toyota allows limited use hicle in person, it is a life-changing of weld boding on its vehicles. moment. 5. T or F: Toyota has a recommended weld through primer on its webwith John Yoswick site. 6. T or F: Fiat Chrysler does not recommend weld through primer on weld parts. 7. T or F: Honda, like Toyota, recommends a coat of epoxy primer on bare metal before applying body filler. 8. T or F: Honda recommends weld through primer when MIG welding and squeeze-type resistance weldwith Richard Steffen ing. 9. T or F: A new quarter panel has been installed. Painting the backside of the rear body panel is included in Fig. 1 the repair adjacent welded panel as per CCC guide. 10. T or F: Toyota considers adhesive as corrosion barrier. 11. When replacing a factory hood, which of the following items does Toyota say need to be applied? Mark with John Yoswick all that apply: seam sealer, cavity wax and/or chip resistance primer.

surance industries and suppliers did to these two individuals for $3,000. It is shameful. It all boils down to the fact OEM procedures were not followed in order to save a few dollars. The insurance company in this case said “it specifically denies that it coerced or forced John Eagle to perform substandard repairs” and “denies that it coerced or enticed any body shop to not follow vehicle manufacturer’s procedures, cut corners, take safety shortcuts or do anything that jeopardizes members of the motoring public.” What this means to the repair industry is you are all by yourself when something goes really wrong. I am going to take a look at one repair process, corrosion protection, and see if you are following OEM procedures when restoring a vehicle to its pre-loss condition.

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How many of you watched the interview of Marcia and Matthew Seebachan at CIC (www.repairer Fig. 2 drivennews.com/2019/12/05/seethe-cic-interview-with-john-eagle- The couple sued the body shop plaintiffs-matthew-and-marcia- and was awarded $31.5 million. seebachan/)? The couple is totally disabled for If you are not familiar with the life, they cannot have children and with Karyn Hendricks case, John Eagle Collision had a Hon- Matthew is in constant pain and has da Fit come into the facility with hail some brain damage. damage to the roof. The shop made It is imperative you watch the the decision to replace the roof using video to get a better understanding adhesive, because the insurance com- of what the collision repair and in-

Shop Showcase

Are you using the line item “replace corrosion protection”? Let’s have an understanding up front—“replace corrosion protection” is not a line item, it is a repair process. Depending on the repairs being performed, it might need one or two items to restore corrosion protection, but in the case of quarter panels being replaced, it uses upwards of 11 or 12. I know the insurance companies put that on their estimates, but the legal document is your signed repair order with your customer (and not the insurance company’s) and you need to list each item that goes into the repair of the damaged vehicle. The other legal aspect of using the term “replace corrosion protection” is you could be liable for any and all problems in the future related to corrosion. As with the Seebachens’ case, you are all alone if you need to See Corrosion Protection, Page 42

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HONDA ILLINOIS

MICH

Schaumburg Honda Automobiles Schaumburg

847-884-8898 847-884-6632 Dept. Hours: M-F 6:30am-Midnight; Sat 8am-5pm k.kelley@rohrman.com INDIANA

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parts

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248-427-7996 Dept. Hours: M, Thu 7-8; Tue, W, F 7-6; Sat 8-3 nowiesny@suburbancollection.com

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847-470-2309 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-9; Sat 8-6 acparts@mcgrathag.com

p p

24 AUGUST 2020 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

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Please contact these dealers for your Honda or Acura Genuine parts needs. MICHIGAN

ght;

MISSOURI

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Dept. Hours: M-Sat 7-6 Lrowe@bommarito.net

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MINNESOTA

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Honda of Tiffany Springs

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Richfield-Bloomington Honda Richfield

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com

OHIO

MICHIGAN

Kansas City

816-452-3221 Dept. Hours: M-Fri 7-6; Sat 7-4 parts@hondaoftiffanysprings.com

Roper Honda Joplin

877-244-6632 417-625-0846 Dept. Hours: M, W, Thu, F 7:30-6; Tue 7:30-7; Sat 9-1 dvice@roperauto.com

MINNESOTA

Acura of Troy Troy

Milwaukee

Buerkle Acura Minneapolis

MINNESOTA

Luther Bloomington Acura Bloomington

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Dept. Hours: M 7:30-8; Tue-F 7:30-6; Sat 10-3 parts286@acuraoftroy.com parts287@acuraoftroy.com

Dept. Hours: M, F 7-5:30; Tue-Thu 7-7; Sat 7:30-4 acuraparts@buerkle.com

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autobodynews.com / AUGUST 2020 AUTOBODY NEWS 25

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with Stacey Phillips

From the Desk of Mike Anderson with Mike Anderson

Mike Anderson is the president and owner of Collision Advice, a consulting company for the auto body/collision repair industry. For nearly 25 years, he was the owner of Wagonwork Collision Center, an OEM-certified, full-service auto body repair facility in Alexandria, VA.

Making the Most of the ‘Parts’ Portion of Your Business Parts consistently make up 40% of total repair order dollars, so it’s well worth it for shop owners to pay careful attention to the role parts play within their business. This month, I wanted to share the first of two columns outlaying some best practices related to parts I think could improve your shop’s operations and bottom line. Best Practice: Make sure you’re accurately tracking your parts profitability. As almost anyone who has attended one of my classes knows, I’m a big proponent of the value of detailed and dead-on accurate accounting practices and profit and loss statements. That’s where good P&L account and sub-account categories are needed. You shouldn’t just track labor income, for example. “Labor” is one account; the sub-accounts include “body

labor,” “paint labor,” “frame labor,” “mechanical labor,” etc. When it comes to your parts account, I believe you need sub-accounts for OEM parts, aftermarket or non-OEM parts—which may also include accessories—and salvage or

and cavity wax. These are not paint materials. They are parts you put on the vehicle. The old adage of “junk in, junk out” applies in terms of entering parts on estimates and in your shop management and accounting systems.

A “Who Pays for What?” survey last year found that 3 in 10 shops bill the insurer for added labor or materials when a non-OEM part turns out to be unsable

recycled parts. Some people break out remanufactured parts. But one often missed sub-account is “stock parts.” Stock parts include things like seam sealer, double-sided tape, weld-through primer

You might list seam sealer as an aftermarket part on your estimate because there’s not a “stock part” option in that system. But when you transfer that estimate into your management and accounting systems, you need to

make sure the systems are mapped properly to reclassify that item into the proper sub-account. One of the other common accounting mistakes I see centers around parts price-matching, when you choose to use an OEM part in place of an aftermarket part, for example. When that happens, it’s important that whoever inputs your parts invoices understands how to properly change that to an OEM part within your management and accounting systems. If that doesn’t happen, the accounting system will presume you sold an aftermarket part, but the cost for that part goes into the OEM sub-account. That results in an overstatement of your profit on aftermarket parts, and understates your profit on OEM parts. Best Practice: Know your gross profit

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margins on different types of parts. Using your sub-accounts properly will help ensure you have accurate information on your parts profits by type. Most shops I see are making between 20% and 32% gross profit on OEM parts, for example. But keep in mind lots of factors can influence that. Your buying power can result in higher or lower discounts compared to other shops. Your mix of work can play a role; parts profits may be higher or lower depending on whether your repair a lot of domestic vehicles, or a lot of Asian or European import vehicles. Even what part of the country your shop is in can affect discounts and profits. Most shops are making between 30% to 45% gross profit on aftermarket parts. Again, buying power and discounts vary. Given that there aren’t list prices for recycled or salvage parts, most shops are marking up the cost of those parts. Don’t confuse mark-up with gross profit. When a shop marks up a part 20%, it is making a 17% gross profit; when it marks them up 25%, it is making a 20% gross profit.

Most shops find their margins on stock parts are similar to their margins on paint materials. Best Practice: Don’t make parts decisions based solely on gross profit margins. I’m not going to argue here about the merits of using OEM or aftermarket parts. But I will say you should take into consideration factors beyond just gross profit percentages. In some cases, for example, it may take a technician added time to install an aftermarket part. Given the average collision technician generates $100 in gross profits per hour, an added 30 minutes installing a part costs you $50, even aside from any impact on efficiency and cycle time. Can you get remunerated for that added labor? Perhaps. A “Who Pays for What?” survey last year found 29% of shops said they bill the insurer for this labor at the shop’s retail rate, and another 10% said they bill the parts vendor. But 21% said they only billed for this at a discounted labor rate, and another 22% said they most commonly didn’t bill for the labor in such situations.

On the other hand, some could argue the higher profit margin on a less expensive alternative part makes sense if an older vehicle has discontinued parts or is close to being an economic total loss. As you read through some of my other parts best practices, you’ll see other factors—such as the availability of the part, vendor performance and parts ordering efficiency—can play a role in making the best parts decision. Price or discount should not be the only considerations. Best Practice: Consider all the costs associated with ordering of parts. Those of you who have studied and worked to implement “lean principles” within your business know lean is all about eliminating waste. Waste includes the time we spend on things we do for free. I don’t know any shop including a line item on estimates or invoices for “order parts.” That’s work shops do “for free.” So if you’re not getting paid to order parts, would you rather do that two or three or even four times per job—or just once? Making that a reality starts with

100% disassembly of the vehicle to identify every broken, damaged or one-time-use part needed for that job. (I’ll discuss one-time-use parts more in next month’s column.) I also believe shops need to be using an electronic parts ordering solution. It saves time—no one should be waiting on-hold to place a parts order—and improves parts ordering accuracy. It ensures the parts vendor has the VIN, vehicle production date and other information to help them validate the parts ordered match the vehicle being repaired. Some electronic parts ordering systems automatically do this scrub of the parts order and tell you if a part doesn’t match the VIN. That’s a great feature for shops. Next month’s column will offer more best practices related to parts.

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Continued from Cover

Serve Through Pandemic Roland Chartier. “Then we extended credit from net 30 to net 60 for our large customers. “The only change we made to our delivery service was to give all drivers face masks, gloves and supplies to sanitize their vans. Customers were no longer required to sign for delivered parts. The drivers asked for names and noted them on the route/ delivery sheets. We had some of our larger accounts order large stock orders just in case the supply chain was interrupted,” Chartier continued. “When other dealers cut staff or service to customers, we would have our outside sales people work those areas extra hard calling shops and letting them know we were servicing the area. We were able to pick up a few new shops with this tactic. It was hard work and a little luck.” In March, April and May, was your wholesale mechanical business (primarily mechanical repair parts sold to tune-up shops, brake shops and general repair shops) up or down and by what percent? Once again, all except three dealers noted their wholesale mechanical business was down. The smallest decline was 5% and the largest 80%, with an average decline of 39%. One of the three “up” dealers was, again, Richmond Ford Lincoln. The other two were unavailable for comment. Have you had to furlough any parts department personnel and if so, who? Sixty-six percent of respondents said they had to furlough at least one person in their parts department. Some had to let multiple people go. This included 13% who furloughed road sales people and 31% who furloughed stock clerks. Those hit the hardest were delivery drivers, with a 47% furlough rate, and counter people, with a 53% furlough rate; 38% of respondents dismissed both a driver and a counter person. One parts manager noted they cut hours but kept the same number of drivers. Have you altered your parts delivery service and if so, how? This was fairly evenly divided, with 49% saying yes and 51% say-

ing no. Fortunately, for body shops, none of our respondents said they completely stopped delivering. Seventy-eight percent of those who made a change chose to limit the number of delivery runs made per day. A few chose to limit deliveries only to select accounts, one limited delivery by mileage and one limited delivery by dollar value of the order. One VW dealer in northern California noted, “We were allotted one

extra time? Parts department personnel have been using the time to clean up their physical department, check bin counts to ensure inventory accuracy, painting, erecting new shelves and general reorganizing. Some used the time for training. Some updated account information. And some parts managers said with furloughed employees, there was no free time—those that remained were just as busy as before.

“We took our outside salespeople off the road and had them working the phones five or six hours a day contacting customers to see who was open and who was not and if there was anything we could do to help them out,” — Roland Chartier driver and told to make do.” Several dealers said customers were picking up parts at the dealerships in lieu of a reduced delivery capacity. Some dealers used Uber or a taxi service. How have your customers responded to changes in delivery policies? Overall, respondents noted shops understood the situation and were very accepting that business changes were necessary at the dealer level. One Honda parts manager said that because the shops were operating at reduced capacity, they did not deliver after 2 p.m., and most shops seemed to be OK with that. A parts manager at a California Acura dealer said the shops were just happy the dealership was still open and they were able to pick up parts as needed. How much trouble have you had getting parts from your primary OE brand during the height of the pandemic? Respondents said those OEs with the best fill rate during this time were, in no particular order, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz and BMW. However, the degree to which other OEs may have had trouble fulfilling dealer orders may or may not have been caused by the pandemic. Civil unrest or other factors outside the control of the OE may have played a factor. Also, parts manager answers may have been influenced by a particular order or two or a particular part or type of part that may have been temporarily unavailable. Assuming your business has been slow, how have you used the

Already, people have started driving again and business have started reopening. In view of the events of the past few months, how do you view the future of your parts dept? ▪ 33% said: “It will return to its pre-virus levels but will take several months. I expect to rehire my furloughed people eventually.” ▪ 27% said: “I plan to retain some of

the changes we made during the pandemic and there will be a ‘new normal.’” ▪ 22% said: “My parts business has changed little over the past few months. I expect to continue on business as usual.” ▪ 18% said: “It will return to its pre-virus levels in a fairly short amount of time. I expect to rehire my furloughed people fairly soon.” One GM dealer in Michigan said, “We are already back to normal. All employees have already returned.” Do you foresee any long-term negative effects from the pandemic and if so, what? Twenty-seven percent of respondents said yes, while 73% said no. Several of those that said yes said it will take a long time for people who have been out of work to recover. A parts manager at a West Coast Mercedes-Bens dealer noted, “I think this will be an ongoing, seasonal issue for a few seasons/years. The collision business will take on the majority of the decline each time.” See Serve Through Pandemic, Page 34

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with Stacey Phillips

Tips for Busy Body Shops

Stacey Phillips is a freelance writer and editor for the automotive industry. She has 20 years of experience writing for a variety of publications, and is co-author of “The Secrets of America’s Greatest Body Shops.” She can be reached at sphillips.autobodynews@gmail.com.

with Stacey Phillips

Industry Veterans Erick and Shelly Bickett Share Insight About Collision Industry When industry veteran Erick Bick- in a body shop owned by a couple ett was growing up, he aspired to be of dealerships in Anaheim, CA, and an airline pilot like his dad. He real- eventually purchased the business, Stacey Phillips ized that a 9-to-5with job wasn’t for him. Auto Center Auto Body Inc. Erick always had an interest in We operated out of a 3,500cars and eventually opened a body square-foot facility behind a used shop with his partner, Shelly Bickett, car lot. Three years later, we built a who had a background in accounting. 30,000-square-foot state-of-the-art location at an auto mall where there were a number of dealers in one location. The business eventually bewith Victoria Antonelli came part of Fix Auto USA and grew to include 165 employees at nine locations, spanning over 200,000 square feet and bringing in more than $30 million in annual gross revenues.

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body shop business. I went to school for accounting and was working at New York Life Insurance. When we Erick and Shelly Bickett bought into the business, I start That was more than 35 years ago. ed doing the accounting part time. Since then, Erick and Shelly have Eventually, I worked there full time founded a number of organizations in when we purchased the company. with Gary Ledoux the collision repair industry. These in- At the time, most body shop clude Caliber Collision, the Collision managers and owners had grown up Industry Electronic Commerce Asso- in the business and didn’t have financiation (CIECA), Cyncast, Fix Auto cial or accounting experience. Erick USA and the Collision Career Insti- is a great businessman and his finantute (CCI), which supports industry cial expertise helped us a lot and set apprenticeships. us apart from our competitors. with Stacey Phillips Autobody News recently talked to Erick and Shelly about their caHow did you both get started reer highlights as well as advice to How did your involvement in shops on how to be successful in the 20 Groups eventually lead to the forfuture in light of COVID-19 and in- mation of Caliber Collision? dustry changes. Shelly: When we started our first Mike Anderson How did with you both get started business, we became involved in a in the collision repair indus- 20 Group with other like-minded try? individuals. We’ve always found the networking to be very beneficial and Erick: While in college, I took a job it’s a great way to share knowledge driving a tow truck. I eventually and best practices. It also gives you managed the tow company and then the ability to have a bigger footprint transferred to the owner’s body shop. to work with insurance companies. Later, I managed a dealer group. I Otherwise, your body shop is like a also obtained my license to become lone ship on the ocean. an insurance agent. The shop owners would mea Early on, I realized I could be sure themselves against themselves, competitive in the body shop busi- and we soon realized that we needness. Shelly was a big influencer ed to compare ourselves with other in that decision. I was 28 years old shops nationwide. These measurewhen she convinced me to go out ments and numbers are now called on my own. In 1984, we invested Key Performance Indicators (KPIs.)

OE Shop Certification

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Erick: The formation of the 20 Group started with a group of California shops coming together to talk about the challenges of software we were all using. At that meeting, we realized the benefit of having discussions about business development issues and this led to the formation of our 20 Group. The industry was going through a lot of change and having the association of great operators was really important. When you are all by yourself, you’re not exposed to different viewpoints and other ways of doing things. Through the 20 Group process, we learned that the best form of continuous improvement is posting results and comparing them among the group. We were all active nationally at that time and a group of six business owners decided to form Caliber Collision in 1991.

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Erick: It was that learning through the 20 Group that was an incentive to eventually start CynCast in 2000, a technology company serving thousands of collision repair shops that was later sold to Enterprise Rent-A-Car. We built technology predominantly to create transparency around shop performance. In a 20 Group, that’s fairly easy to do because everyone brings in their financials in a common format. Since there wasn’t anything already built for the industry in the late 1990s, we started the Collision Industry Electronic Commerce Association (CIECA), the only industry organization providing standard methods of electronic commerce. Having e-commerce is critically important. The way things are going now with APIs

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(application program interfaces), and how software components and computers interact, it’s all becoming more integrated, leading to efficiencies for the industry. At Cyncast, we built the first Estimate Management Standard (EMS) data pump. EMS was created through CIECA and we used this standard to build the first EMS pump, replicating all information automatically from remote estimating systems. In the 1990s, we created the first Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) system in the Collision Repair Management System (CRMS) so shops could share data. We also built many web-based claims tools to be used by shops. Shelly: Another concern for shops is the technology in vehicles today. Vehicles may have technical changes from one year to the next. Technicians may think they know how to repair them, but it’s essential they look up and be well-versed in OEM procedures.

What are some of the challenges and growth opportuni-

ties in the industry? Erick: Entrepreneurs are very proud, and at the same time, they are stubborn. In the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, we watched the transition from adjusted claims to DRPs. At that time, there were highly respected industry leaders who dug in their heels, telling other shop owners not to participate in a DRP. We, on the other hand, saw the value and opportunity and leveraged significant growth from these new relationships. Early on, we worked with insurers to help develop their DRP programs. I’m finding that a similar situation is happening right now in regard to OEM certifications. We’ve been talking about OEM certifications within our Fix Auto franchise network, and we strongly feel that shops have to be certified. At the same time, we see people digging their heels in, even at our own shops asking, “What is the ROI?” Shelly and I decided to move ahead with certification, knowing that it would pay off in the future. Some shop owners don’t think it’s important to be certified with all makes and models of vehicles, but what they

SEMA Supports Legislation to Forgive All PPP Loans Less Than $150,000 SEMA joined with dozens of other trade associations in urging the U.S. Congress to pass legislation to forgive all PPP loans that are less than $150,000. The groups sent a letter to leaders of the House and Senate Small Business Committees requesting immediate passage of “The Paycheck Protection Program Small Business Forgiveness Act” (S. 4117). To date, more than 85% of the PPP loans provided to small businesses are less than $150,000. Under the current program, the loan has restrictions on how monies are spent, including a requirement that 60% be spent on payroll cost, and company oﬃcials must then spend

many hours completing paperwork to document the spending. The proposed legislation would instead simply require borrowers to submit a one-page forgiveness document. The U.S. Congress is expected to consider another COVID-19 stimulus package later in July. SEMA is urging that the PPP loan forgiveness legislation be enacted at that time, either as a stand-alone bill or as part of the stimulus package. For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org. We thank SEMA for reprint permission.

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don’t understand is that the first level of change will be filters on First Notice of Loss (FNOL.) As an example, that means if you aren’t certified with Nissan, you aren’t going to be repairing Nissans. Shelly: Vehicle technology is advancing rapidly. First and foremost, we need to repair cars correctly according to OEM procedures and ensure we put people back in a safe vehicle. I hope and pray for and believe that OEMs, insurers and body shops will be completely aligned in the correct repairs of vehicles. We’re starting to see that now with insurers directing work to those shops that have OEM certifications; that’s a great thing.

What are some of the eﬀects of COVID-19 on the collision repair industry? Shelly: I think reacting quickly to COVID-19 and making changes was really important. However, I think we’ll see shops go out of business, whether that’s consolidators deciding to close locations or independents who can’t make it through. Even if

Continued from Page 30

Serve Through Pandemic An unidentified parts manager from an East Coast Toyota dealership said, “We will see a new way of doing business; COD only—no charges.” Finally, an Acura parts manager said the last four months had really “put the icing on the cake.” He noted that paying for such computer programs such as CCC, Parts Trader and OPS Trax have added thousands of dollars per month to their operating costs. That, combined with other wholesale costs and a steep downturn in business, has simply made the wholesale business untenable. But rising wholesale business costs and declining profits for dealers has been an issue for 40 years or more. Fortunately for the collision and mechanical repair shops, auto dealers, being as creative and resilient as they are, always seem to find a way to mitigate these business issues and keep serving the automotive aftermarket repair industry.

they reacted quickly, we’re going through something very significant. In a very short period of time, some shop owners have lost 50% of their business in weeks. Erick: I think it’s all about how shops respond when coming back to the new market. No doubt, it’s going to be very different than what we experienced before. As a result of the pandemic, we took out the duplication in our business and created efficiencies, but unfortunately, we had to lay off 55% of staff. We learned how to do things differently out of necessity and shame on us if we don’t come back differently and go back to doing things the same way. Smart operators are going to take what they’ve learned from this situation and develop a different structure for their businesses. Those who don’t adjust to the business climate are not going to be competitive.

What do you think the future holds for collision repairers?

Erick: One of the things that our expeSee Erick and Shelly Bickett, Page 47

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Diving Into the Fascinating World of Fasteners by Ed Attanasio

How many bumper covers, fender liners and plastic shields are currently sitting in the middle of the road in this country? I would guess thousands, and why are they there? Undoubtedly one of the main reasons is that one or more retainers—aka fasteners, bolts, screws, clips and rivets—failed. Why? Due to fatigue, of course, but in many cases it’s because they were incorrectly installed or the wrong ones were used.

CEO Russ Ramsey is launching a website that will enable shops to make a profit on retainers and make it easy to find the correct hardware for each repair

Since 1988, the people at Blue Vista Data Systems (BVDS) in Las Vegas, NV, have created efficient systems to turn lost money into profits when it comes to clips and fasteners. Every auto body shop on the planet has a plethora of retainers with specific applications, and with more than 700 car models out there containing an average of 30 locations requiring them, it’s a big deal. The company recently launched a new website, bluevistadata.com, containing more than 28,000 retainers, broken down by location, OE designation and cost, complete with diagrams and specs for each. With seven programmers working day and night to get the site clicking like a new Tesla, BVDS launched it July 1. The site lists every retainer and its location, and is designed so anyone can use the system without changing their current distributor. For more than three decades, BVDS has been a pioneer in the development of many of the retainer-related inventory and invoicing systems used today. CEO Russ Ramsey explained retainers are small in size and often

forgotten, but their impact on a shop’s profits can be significant. Things like retainers and other smaller items are often not included in estimates. It’s the old Catch-22—f you invest in too many retainers and they never get used, that’s obviously problematic. But if you don’t have the right ones on hand, that can be even worse, possibly cutting into your cycle time. “We have been in this business for a long time and have helped a lot of shops to make money on retainers, by making it easier to find the right ones and invoicing them correctly,” Ramsey said. “Our website has tackled the problems associated with retainers because with this system, all of the information they need is right there, with photos and drawings and an easy way to track them. “It also enables your shop personnel to find out what they might need from the OE dealer prior to the repair.” Annually, the overall number of OE retainers spike because every time an OE gives a vehicle a facelift or re-engineers it, new fasteners hit the market. If you’re not on top of it, you might be lost, especially if you’re working on a 2021 car, for example. That’s why BVDS developed the most complete and comprehensive system out there to keep track some of the smallest, but most important, parts on any automobile. Kurtis Rosenborough is the owner of Certified Auto Body Center in Las Vegas. He has been purchasing retainers from Ramsey and BVDS for at least 20 years, he said, saving him tons of money and time. “I have used their products and their systems for a long time,” he said. “When cars changed big-time back during the mid-1990s with so much plastic all around, the game changed dramatically. We’re spending approximately $2,000 every month on clips and rivets and couldn’t get reimbursed by the insurance companies until we began using their system. “We never got paid and now we do because our invoices are iron clad, listing exactly what we used and how many of them we installed. It also saves our parts manager time, because he finds the vehicle and all of the retainers are listed. Even some

of our insurance adjustors have used Blue Vista to research all of the hardware required on a particular repair.” Rosenborough’s retainers went from being an expense to becoming a profitable small but important part of his business. “There are so many clips, fasteners and other retainers on the newer vehicles, it’s mind numbing,” he said. “Too many shops think that many retainers are ‘one size fits all’ but that’s not the case. They install a Christmas Tree retainer, which is not ideal for many O.E. and does not meet any of their standards. Why would you spend hours and hours doing a great repair on a vehicle and then install the wrong or poor-quality parts?” Body Shop Manager Mike Giovengo at Friendly Ford in Las Vegas has known Ramsey for decades, and praises him as “the Man” when it comes to the world of retainers. His shop ponies up more than $18,000 retainers annually, many of which are rivets for the aluminum F150s. Getting paid for them in

the past required a little dance with his insurance companies, but now Giovengo waltzes right through and gets paid. “When it comes to things like retainers, you won’t get reimbursed unless you ask for them up front,” he said. “A lot of shops don’t keep that in mind, so when they are rushing around to finish the repair, they realize they need a few clips or rivets, for example. They just want to get the car done, so they install the retainers and eat the cost. “The numbers really can add up. We fix roughly 1,200 vehicles every month, so if every car requires $8 to $40 in retainers, that equals between $9,600 to $48,000 annually. So, Russ and BVD have helped us to get them into our repairs more easily with specific and accurate information to document the cost.” For shops who want to subscribe and use the system, the cost is $40 to $55 monthly, and there are a series of short videos to train parts managers, technicians and estimators how to use it.

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3M Shows Support of Collision Repair Industry During Pandemic by Stacey Phillips

When reports were first coming from China in early January regarding the coronavirus, Dave Gunderson, vice president of 3M’s Automotive Aftermarket Division (AAD), said the company saw the writing on the wall. Having been through previous pandemics, such as SARs, 3M executives realized the need to take action. “Every day at 3M, we think about improving lives,” said Gunderson. “Those of us working in the automotive aftermarket have been thinking about ways to support collision repairers during the pandemic.” Operating in more than 240 countries, the company manufactures and sells 52,000 different products and has more than 96,000 employees. Autobody News recently talked to Gunderson about the state of the industry during COVID-19 and what 3M has been doing over these past few months to show its support. “We realized that we needed a new operating rhythm and it had to

be simple, yet effective,” said Gunderson. “It came down to three overarching guidelines: people, prioritization and rebound.”

physically do their jobs from home. We also created new rules and training for employees. For anyone who travels and meets with customers, we’re going through How has 3M protected peo- another level of training to ensure emple during the COVID-19 re- ployees know how to properly use a strictions? respirator or face covering. It’s called fit testing. Sometimes, you see peoFirst and foremost, the top ple with a face covering over their priority is to make sure that mouths but not their noses. That’s our teams and customers are staying not effective or the proper way to safe. We have stay informed about the wear a face covering. If you wear a guidelines from the Centers respirator, it’s essential that for Disease Control and Preit fits correctly. If you have vention (CDC) and the World a beard, a respirator will not Health Organization (WHO). fit properly because the air We took action to limcan come around the sides. it any exposure and ensure In our industry, it’s not just our teams have the right important during COVID-19. measures in place. We also Dave Gunderson, If you are working with any vice president of converted all of our support to industrial application, cer3M’s Automotive be handled remotely. Customtain respirators are required. Aftermarket Division We are reinforcing that with er support is key for us, but (AAD) employees. we need to do it in the safest possible way. From a customer standpoint, Since June 4, we started bring- we’re learning how to reengage and ing 3M employees back to the 3M “ask before going.” In the past, 3M Center campus who aren’t able to representatives stopped by multiple

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In the past, technicians typically went online at night after work. Our goal is to help technicians sharpen their skills and support shop owners while they prepare for an economic rebound. We launched our 3M online platform in 2018. In March, we introduced a webinar series for the industry and we have more than 25 on-demand classes for techs. We also host one-hour “how-to” webinars multiple times per week and post them on YouTube. The sessions focus on a deeper understanding of body shop processes and procedures. I don’t think we’ll ever replace the need for physical training at our

are using their cars, that’s changing. We’re still going to birthday parties, but we have drive-by birthday parties. We’re going to church, but staying in our cars. In the 1950s, people looked forward to going to a drive-in movie or restaurant. Using the car was passion-driven. Today, and especially with the COVID-19 situation, cars are becoming our safe haven. Recent surveys show that people are going to be driving more after the pandemic and avoiding the use of mass transit and shared mobility due to hygiene concerns. When we think about getting into someone else’s car, we’re not sure if it has been sanitized. However, we have comfort in knowing that our cars have been cleaned. Another reason is due to congestion. For many years, there was a big push to use mass transit to reduce consumption. But now the question is becoming: do 3M is directing a majority of respirators produced to health you want to be safe or worry care workers and first responders, followed by critical about causing congestion? national infrastructure All of this is positive for internal centers, but we’ve found the collision repair industry. We need that you can do a lot of training on- to continue watching these trends closely and prepare for the future. line. We also launched an application, I understand that sometimes it “Ask Me Anything,” where techni- feels like it is going to take forevcians can reach out to 3M on the fly er. But if you look back in history, I and have a company representative think the auto aftermarket recovers answer questions in a timely manner. much faster than other sectors. People don’t need to buy anything; they What are some of the most just get back in their cars and begin significant changes you’ve to drive. seen over the last few months? How is 3M supporting the inAs the economy is opendustry as it gets ready to ramp ing back up across the U.S., up again? we’re seeing the return of miles driven faster than we were expectIt is important for us to track ing. People are getting out and startthe market and be ready for ing to drive. I think that’s good news the rebound. We want to make sure and an encouraging sign for our in- that we have the right products available and the support the industry dustry. Depending on the part of coun- needs to service customers. try, miles driven are about 75% to Prior to COVID-19, 3M was 85% of what they were pre-COVID always committed to balanced disand are continuing to increase. The tribution of respirators to our existRV industry is also recovering quite ing industrial, retail and health care customers. well, and sales are up. In this unprecedented crisis, 3M If you think about how people

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tailed information on our website showing examples of how to use sanitizer on a vehicle based on information from the CDC. You would think it’s intuitive, but for some of these chemicals to work, they have to saturate or stay wet for a certain amount of time. If we can help assure customers that their cars will come back safe, clean and sanitized, then consumer confidence will help drive additional repairs. We’re a trusted leader in this industry and work 3M’s global headquarters is located in Saint Paul, MN hard to serve the needs of ture during the pandemic. customers. For the automotive af 3M is also going to be launching termarket division, our strategy and two new products for sanitization over vision are to create the future of the next couple of months. They have care and repair with our customers been thoroughly tested to ensure they and industry partners. We’re in the are safe to use on automotive interi- industry for the long-term and want ors. When developing the products, everyone to know that we’re in this we took into account efficiency and together. productivity in the shop because we understand that every minute counts For more information about 3M’s during a repair and want to create the training resources, visit: https:// most value for our market. www.3m.com/3M/en_US/learning Since safety and sanitization is marketplace/automotive-academy/ top of mind right now, we have de- collision-repair/. is directing a substantial majority of the respirators we produce to our heroic and courageous health care workers and first responders, followed by critical national infrastruc-

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INSIST ON GM GENUINE PARTS ONLY ORIGINAL PARTS PROTECT THE VEHICLE’S VALUE.

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Continued from Cover

Positive Trends hicle auction company reported its mid-month “Used Vehicle Value Index” fell to 125.2 points, a 9.6% decrease from the same period a year ago. The prior record for decline in any month was 5.5% in November 2008. Manheim also pointed out, however, that when its used vehicle value index fell 10.5% over two months in the fall of 2008 at the start of the Great Recession, the horizon looked bleak then as well, yet vehicle values fully recovered seven months later. Sure enough, this year there was a strong—nearly 9%—rebound in May, Manheim reported, bringing pricing to within 1.9% of what it was a year earlier. The index then jumped another 6.6% in the first half of June, erasing much of the spring decline and reaching a level that is actually 4% higher than last June. Admittedly, there are still factors that could lead to a lot of instability in used vehicle pricing in the coming months. Rental car companies continue to send significant numbers of used vehicles to the auctions as they reduce their fleets in response to the drop in travel. Repossessions are also picking up, and while automakers delayed some turn-back dates on leases this spring during the worst of the COVID-19 impact, more of those vehicles also are expected to join the parade of used vehicles hitting the market. Still, the fact that the large decline in the spring didn’t hold should come as welcome news to collision repairers. Traffic levels are getting closer to “normal” Traffic analyst firm INRIX at the end of June halted the weekly reports it was producing on traffic levels around the country given that by its system of measurement—a comparison to weekly traffic in February— personal vehicle traffic on a rolling seven-day national basis was back to 100% as of June 25. As July began, more than 34

states had traffic levels higher than in February, according to INRIX, and only three states had declines exceeding 10%: Hawaii (still down 43%), California (down 12%) and Arizona (down 11%). Forty-two of the 98 metropolitan areas INRIX tracks in the U.S. had traffic at or exceeding February levels.

Demand for gasoline, as measured by how much was being delivered to retail stations around the country, also has rebounded to close to “normal.” Back in April, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, gas deliveries had tumbled by 47% compared a year earlier. But by the last two weeks of June, the amount of gasoline being delivered was just 10% below what it was during the same period last year.

parts delays,” a shop in Northern California commented. But at least one in four shops said they could point to something helpful insurers were doing. Those included shops saying they were being paid for the added labor for “COVID-19 cleaning” of vehicles. Shops on Progressive’s direct repair program also said the company has followed through on its pledge in mid-April to share with those shops more than $2 million of the money the company was saving from the drop in claims Progressive and other insurers were experiencing. “Progressive gave us $1,000 to help with the reduction in work,” one Florida shop reported, a dollar figure that was confirmed by more than a half-dozen other Progressive direct repair shops. A shop owner in Hawaii said GEICO had increased shop labor rates, and shops on USAA’s direct repair program in Oregon and Illinois reported the insurer suspended the performance-based bottom line discount the shops are required to give that insurer.

Some shops point to help from insurers A poll of shops in the second half of June asked shops if they have been offered any assistance from Manheim’s used vehicle pricing index in June had rebounded insurance companies to significantly after a record-setting drop this spring, reaching help their business during levels higher than a year ago, which will help prevent more vehicles from being declared total losses the pandemic. A large majority said no. “Just the opposite. Most insurers That’s a fairly sharp recovery, given that in early April, traffic had fallen are auditing more files and becomto nearly half of what it had been ing very nitpicky,” a shop owner in Hawaii said. just six weeks earlier. “They just want you to cover It should be noted that the IN- RIX data paints a little brighter pic- rental even when the pandemic caused ture of traffic around the country than it would if it compared traffic in June to what it was a year earlier. Because traffic tends to rise in the spring and summer, reaching February levels in late June still represents about a 16% decline compared to a year earlier. But 16% off is significantly betThe following dealers Genuine Nissan & INFINITI OEM ter than the 47% decline in April. And proudly stock genuine Wholesale Parts are Superbly parts for your analysis of traffic camera data in some Crafted to Strict Quality Standards. Nissan or Infiniti repairs. cities and states indicates even more of a full recovery in some markets. Using that measurement, statewide NISSAN traffic in Florida and Indiana during MINNESOTA WISCONSIN the third week of June, for example, was down by just 4% or less comEden Prairie Nissan Gandrud Nissan pared to the same week in 2019, and Eden Prairie Green Bay 952-567-2150 800-242-2844 down by less than 10% in Arizona, (952) 567-2197 Fax (920) 785-5868 Ohio and Michigan. M-F 6:30-7 (920) 884-0882 Fax Looking at vehicle counts tracked parts@edenprairienissan.com M-F 7-7, Sat. 7-2 www.edenprairienissan.com nissanparts@gandrud.com on state highways in some cities also points to at least a near return to normal in some cities. Traffic on I-465 in Indianapolis in early July, for example, was actually 6% higher this year when measured against the same GENUINE SERVICE & PARTS week last year. And traffic camera data for that week indicates just a 10% decline on state Route 315 in Columbus, OH, and only a 6% decline on I-85 in Charlotte, NC.

40 AUGUST 2020 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

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SEMA Show Goes On with Ed Attanasio

Media and Publicity for Shops

Ed Attanasio is an automotive journalist based in San Francisco, California. He can be reached at era39@aol.com.

with Ed Attanasio

Will COVID-19 Change Your Marketing and Advertising Plans Forever? A friend of mine who owns a body that is even more evident now. We all know by now the COshop always swore marketing and advertising were a waste of time VID-19 global pandemic is going to withhe’s Stacey and money, but now singingPhillips the change our lives forever, and the way body shops operate as well. It is alreablues. When things are going well and dy causing body shops to reevaluate the cars are coming through the doors, their thinking about current and future many shop owners never even think advertising and marketing campaigns about marketing and advertising—unStacey Phillips til now. If you’rewith currently doing half your normal volume and walking around in a haze, I could say “I told you so,” but that’s not how I roll. With most shops reporting a 50% drop in business since mid-March, shops that neverwith thought marketing Stacey Phillips was essential are sitting around scared and unprepared. This is why I’ve always said marketing is not a “start and stop” thing. It should always be idling in to accommodate social distancing and the background and tailored based on work-from-home protocols initiated with Phillips car counts and the timeStacey of the year, to combat COVID-19. but to do zero marketing is a mistake How does the future look for

Shop Strategies

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Shop Strategies with Victoria Antonelli Audi Part Professionals are experts on collision parts, replacement components and mechanical items.

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OE Shop Certification with Gary Ledoux

body shops post-pandemic? Who will survive, thrive or meet their demise in a new world of market adjustments, stronger competition and an ever-increasing demand for marketing that will address and comfort consumers during these uncertain times? Some shops have already redirected their marketing efforts, while others have just eliminated them altogether. They didn’t do it because they’re anti-marketing—to survive as their car counts dropped and they were forced to furlough people. “If it comes down to making my payroll versus maintaining our social media or email marketing, it’s a pretty easy decision,” one shop manager told me recently. Shops that could afford to keep the marketing machine rolling along

began tailoring their advertising to accommodate these indeterminate several months. With fewer people in their vehicles, some shops decided to nix things like radio advertising— both satellite and terrestrial—outdoor advertising—billboards, bus boards and other signage—and some mobile apps that target drivers in their cars. Shops are now heavily pushing things like pickup/drop-off services, free car washes for customers and photo estimates, as well as safety protocols for customers and their employees. One thing that has changed dramatically during stay-in-place orders is companies have realized letting their employees work at home is not a bad thing. In fact, many businesses have found out people working virtually are even more productive. Some large high-tech companies See Advertising Plans, Page 47

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Continued from Page 22

Corrosion Protection

Let’s see what some of the OEMs state about the use of weld through primers. Toyota wants zinc-rich weld

defend yourself in a court of law. Going forward, list each item you used in the repair process. If you do not want to list each item, use a line that states “for all corrosion protection products used in the repair, please see attached invoice.” See Fig. 3 for example of an invoice for a quarter panel replacement using the PROS program from Kent Automotive.

applied to all bare metal surfaces before body filler, adhesives, urethane primers and seal sealers are put on. Honda says that the EP can be applied with a spray gun, roller, foam brush or a dobber. (Fig. 7) Nissan, Ford, GM, Audi and Mercedes-Benz recommend the use of epoxy primer to all bonding surfaces prior to the application of adhesives.

body fillers and seam sealers. The next sets of primers are colored self-etching primers (Fig. 8b). These primers are used on interior sheet metals that are different colors

Fig. 5, Weld Through Primers

through primers on all mating surface. Honda states you will use weld through primer on all mating surfaces that will be spot welded, but no WTP when MIG plug welding. Fiat Chrysler states it does not want weld through primer used on its vehicles.

Fig. 3

I think we need do a tutorial on the many corrosion protection items used in the repair process and what the OEMs state in their repair manuals. Fig. 4. You can see a number of items on the Kent Automotive corrosion protection cart. There are several fine companies that make these products, but I am most familiar with the Kent line.

2K Direct to Metal Primer This primer is a two-part direct to metal system. It is the closet product to factory applied electrodeposition primer. It can be used as a bare metal primer, high build primer and/or a primer surfacer. (Fig. 6)

Fig. 8b

Fig. 8a

Self-etching primers (Fig. 8a) are used on bare metals. The primer contains phosphoric acid and should not be used where glass adhesives are applied. If the acid is not totally cured or a seal coat is not applied, an adhesion failure will most likely occur. The same scenario applies to

than the exterior of the vehicle. The same rules that are applied to regular self-etching primers pertains to these primers. Cavity wax (Fig 9) is a semi hardening or a hardening material that will “creep” into seams, folds and hems to seal off the parts from moisture and air. This product is applied after the vehicle has been painted because paint will not stick to it. Toyota says in CRIB 1997 it will be applied to the inside of new doors,

Fig. 6, 2K Direct to Metal Primer

Let’s look at what the OEMs state about epoxy primer. Toyota and Honda want a coat of epoxy primer

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42 AUGUST 2020 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

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hinges, quarter panels, rails, front hood hems and rear deck lid hems.

Fig. 9

acts as a sound deadener. You may have to make a test panel (non-in-

Fig. 11

Fig. 10

Undercoatings (Fig 10) are applied to the underside of a vehicle to provide protection from the various road hazards, such as rocks. It also

cluded item) to determine the number of coats of material needed to match existing undercoatings. Stone guard or chip guard is applied to areas such as the bottom of door skins, rocker panels and quarter panels prior to reﬁnishing. Honda and Toyota state in the repair manuals the collision repair facility needs to make sure the application will be the same texture as the OEM applied materials. In other words, you will need to make test panels and that is a non-included operation. We will discuss more corrosion protection products next month.

I-CAR® Names Peevy to New Role

2020 SEMA Show Safety Announced

I-CAR®, the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair, announced July 15 the addition of renowned collision repair industry veteran Jeff Peevy to its executive leadership team as vice president of technical products, programs and services. In this new role, which becomes effective at the end of July, Peevy will spearhead the strategic development and growth of all I-CAR curriculum and technical relations efforts while leveraging his 20-plus years of executive management experience in the industry. Most recently, Peevy served as president of the Automotive Management Institute (AMI) since 2015, and as the 2019-20 chairman of the Collision Industry Conference (CIC.) He also shares a long and successful history with I-CAR, where he served as senior director of field operations and led I-CAR’s collision repair segment team before his AMI post. Source: I-CAR

SEMA Showgoers will be required to wear a face mask or a face shield during the 2020 event, as part of a proactive plan to prevent the spreading of germs and provide exhibitors and attendees with a safe environment where they will be able to conduct business. With 1,800 exhibiting companies participating in the upcoming event on Nov. 3-6 in Las Vegas, NV, the annual B2B SEMA Show will include several precautions and preventive safety measures. In addition to adhering to best practices, Show organizers released a video that outlines additional precautions that will be taken to focus on the health and well-being of those at the SEMA Show. The guidelines, which include the following, are posted at www. semashow.com. Source: SEMA

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CAR Coalition Urges Data Control The Consumer Access to Repair (CAR) Coalition recently sent a letter to members of the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Energy and Commerce, speaking out against a previous request on behalf of auto manufacturers opposing consumers’ choice over the use of the data generated by telematics in their vehicles. According to the CAR Coalition, limiting that choice is driving out repair competition, while the consumer cost of auto repair has risen dramatically. The previous request, in a letter to the same committee sent by the Alliance for Automotive Innovation on behalf of auto manufacturers, called for a fiveyear federal preemption of any state action regarding access to telematics data. The CAR Coaltion said such a move which would only strengthen the manufacturers’ developing monopoly of the automotive collision repair chain. Source: CAR Coalition

Tesla Battery Day Gets a Concrete Date by Simon Alvarez, Teslarati

It turns out the long wait for Tesla’s highly-anticipated Battery Day event will be a bit longer, but it will certainly be well worth the wait. In a recent announcement on Twitter, Tesla CEO Elon Musk stated the tentative date for Battery Day will be Sept. 15. But that’s not all, as the event will be held along with the Annual Shareholder Meeting. Musk posted the announcement this weekend, later adding the event will be held in Fremont, CA. Musk noted Battery Day will include a tour of Tesla’s cell production system, among other things. Considering the location of the event, it appears Tesla may be bringing investors to its secret and rumored skunkworks lab located at the company’s Kato Road facility, just a few minutes away from the Fremont plant. Speculations are abounding about what Tesla would reveal in its Battery Day event. The last time Tesla held a similar event was Autonomy Day in April 2019, and that included a deep dive and discussion

of the company’s custom Hardware 3 chip. Everything about HW3, from its design to its performance, was discussed intensively. This same amount of attention to detail is expected for Battery Day.

In classic Elon Musk fashion, Battery Day has experienced some delays, a lot of it due to the coronavirus pandemic. If Musk’s recent Twitter announcement is any indication, this delay is due, at least in part, to the fact the company seems determined to show its shareholders what its battery cell technology is like firsthand. And considering how impressive Tesla’s batteries already are today, it’s pretty exciting to see what the company has in store for the future. Previous reports point to Tesla

discussing its next-generation battery cells at Battery Day. These cells are rumored to be capable of lasting a million miles if used in electric vehicles, and decades if deployed as battery storage devices. If Tesla does discuss cells that match these speculations, then the entire electric vehicle industry—and the shift to sustainability as a whole—will likely change forever. Among the remaining roadblocks for widespread EV adoption are the limitations of the current generations of batteries. Batteries today are capable in their own right, but they are still more expensive compared to a traditional internal combustion engine. Tesla’s rumored million-mile batteries are expected to reach, and perhaps even go beyond, price parity with gas-powered cars. By doing so, Tesla would be able to accelerate the EV transition even more. We thank Teslarati for reprint permission.

Industry Legend Dick Schoonover Dies Dick Schoonover, of Woodbury, Little Lakes-Little League and MN, who grew his family auto body Lake Region Youth Hockey. He was a student of the game shop into a nationally-recognized company while helping to advance and he shared his competitive spirit with all who played for the collision repair indushim. try as a whole, died July 9, In addition to his love 2020. He was 84. for family, Dick loved the Dick graduated from family business. In 1973, Murray High School in he moved Schoonover 1955, where he had played Auto Rebuild to Shorevfootball, basketball and iew. Dick was an innovabaseball, earning a letter in all three sports over four Dick Schoonover tor and was always two steps ahead of the comyears. That was also where petition. He set the bar high for he met the love of his life, Beryl. Dick and Beryl were married customer service and quality and in 1956 and started their family in made sure his employees had the St. Paul, MN. Dick went to work best tools, equipment and training for his dad, Chuck, at the family available. During his leadership, business, Schoonover Auto Re- he grew the company to a nationbuild. Dick took it over in the mid ally recognized repair facility. Dick was involved in the ‘60s after Chuck’s early passing. Dick and Beryl built a home collision repair industry, serving in Shoreview, MN, and raised on many boards and committees their three sons. Dick balanced at the state and national level for small business ownership with ASA, ASC, I-CAR and others. family time. He encouraged the Dick helped develop legislation, boys to be active in sports and rules and procedures granting helped them develop a love of the rights to consumers and leveling game, especially hockey. Over the the playing field with auto insuryears, Dick coached Legion ball, ers.

In his spare time, Dick gave back to the community that meant so much to him. Besides coaching youth sports, he served on the Northwest YMCA board, was a Roseville Rotarian and sponsored many youth teams year after year. He and Beryl enjoyed golfing and were members of Midland Hills and Indian Hills Golf clubs. He was an avid reader and would read anything related to news, politics and business. He also loved cars and shared that love with his sons. Dick was a man of many talents: businessman, entrepreneur, visionary, mentor, coach. Most importantly, he was a loving man who would do anything for his family. His drive for excellence, integrity, hard work and dedication proved anything could be achieved, and any obstacle could be overcome. He often used the phrase “tough mustang” to encourage family members. With Beryl, his wife of 64 years, at his side, Dick passed away at home. In addition to his wife, Dick is survived by sons Jeﬀ (London Savant), Scott and Mike (Gayle); grandchildren Alyssa, Lindsay

(Ben), Courtney, Abby (Drew), Anna and Matthew; great-grandchildren Jaxon, Maddox, Keegan and Josie; sister Jodie Roche (Michael) and nephew Ronan (Rebecca). He was preceded in death by grandson Patrick. The Schoonover family would like to thank the caregivers from St. Therese and CareAparent, who provided comfort, care, companionship and support while Dick was in hospice. A memorial services will be held at a later date. Memorials preferred to Patrick Schoonover Heart Foundation, www.playforpatrick.org, or King of Kings Lutheran Church, Woodbury, www.kingofkingswoodbury. org. Source: Tribute Archive

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Kia.com

Precise fit and finish, easy installation and a limited warranty direct from Kia— all genuine advantages of Genuine Kia Parts. Your local Kia retailer has all the parts you need.

MINNESOTA Lupient Kia of Brooklyn Park

From headlights to tail lights, bumpers to fenders and hoods, there is no substitute for genuine. The only way to assure that you are getting Genuine Kia parts, backed by the Kia Warranty, is to order them from your local Authorized Kia Dealer. Contact your local Kia dealer for assistance and delivery of the parts you need. *Genuine Kia replacement parts (except battery) sold by Authorized Kia Dealer under warranty are covered for the greater of (1) the duration of the New Vehicle Limited Warranty or (2) the first 12 months from the date of installation or 12,000 miles, whichever comes first. Labor charges not included when not installed by an Authorized Kia Dealer. Warranty is limited. See Kia’s Replacement Parts and Accessories Limited Warranty for further details.

ILLINOIS

Hawkinson Kia

KANSAS

Midwest Kia

Matteson (708) 720-8972 (708) 720-0657 Fax M, W, F 6am-5pm Tu, Th 6am-7pm; Sat 8am-2pm jmihas@hawkinsonnissankia.com www.hawkinsonnissan.com/ez-parts

Wichita (316) 652-2960 (316) 652-2992 Fax M-F 8am-6pm; Sat 8am-2pm wsturm@midwestkia.com

Raymond Kia

Lansing (517) 393-5700 (517) 393-6767 Fax M-F 7:30am-6pm mattr@lansingisyoung.com www.kiaoflansing.com

Antioch (847) 395-3600 (847) 838-7997 Fax M-F 7am-6pm; Sat 7am-2pm kweber@raymondchevrolet.com

MICHIGAN Kia of Lansing

OHIO

Montrose Kia

Brooklyn Park (800) 569-5735 (763) 424-9437 (763) 424-4631 Fax M-F 7am-6pm

Sheffield (440) 934-6699 (440) 934-5247 Fax M-F 7:30am-6pm bgordon@gomontrose.com www.montrosekia.com

MISSOURI

VanDevere Kia

Lou Fusz Kia

St. Louis (877) 221-4151 (314) 595-4942 Fax M, W, F 7am-8pm; Tu, Th 7am-6pm Sat 7:30am-4pm fuszkiaparts@fusz.com www.kia.fusz.com

Napleton’s Mid Rivers Kia

St. Peters (888) 816-9729 (636) 926-0683 Fax M-F 7am-6pm; Sat 7am-3pm bprinster@napleton.com pschnare@napleton.com www.midriverskia.com

Akron (330) 836-4064 (330) 836-4074 Fax M-F 7:30am-5:30pm chevyparts@vandevere.com www.vandevere.com

WISCONSIN Russ Darrow Kia of Waukesha

Waukesha (262) 896-1151 (262) 896-1188 Fax Jeff.krueger@russdarrow.com www.kiaofwaukesha.com

Suntrup Kia

St. Louis (800) 727-8496 (314) 815-3060 Fax M-F 7am-5pm www.suntrupkiasouth.com

NO. DAKOTA Kia of Fargo

Fargo (800) 728-7601 (701) 282-5924 Fax M-F 7am-5:30pm; Sat 8am-5pm

autobodynews.com / AUGUST 2020 AUTOBODY NEWS 45

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Autobody News Writer Recognized for ‘Solving the Tech Shortage’ Column Congratulations to Stacey Phillips, freelance writer at Autobody News, for receiving an award for her column, “Solving the Tech Shortage.” Phillips received a 2020 APEX Award for Publication Excellence from Communications Concepts in July. “I’m honored to have received this award,” said Phillips. “I am greatly appreciative of all the individuals I interviewed over the past year who have shared ways to hire and retain technicians for the future.” Phillips is a freelance writer for the automotive industry based in Southern California and owns Radiant Writing & Communications. As the prior assistant editor of Autobody News, Phillips has written for the publication since 2014. Her regular columns include “Best Body Shops’ Tips,” “Shop Strategies” and “Solving the Tech Shortage.” In addition, she assists the Collision Industry Electronic Commerce Association (CIECA) with marketing and communications and has co-authored two books, including “The Secrets of America’s

Greatest Body Shops.” Phillips initiated the column in January 2019 after talking to Jeff Smith, a collision repair instructor at the Northeast Arkansas Career and Technical Center, about the overwhelming shortage of technicians. “At the time, collision repair shop owners and managers faced a shared challenge: how and where to find new technicians,” said Phillips. “My intent on starting this column was to come up ways for the industry to share ideas on how to solve this problem.” Since then, Phillips has profiled a variety of individuals and organizations about the ways they are approaching the problem, including the Collision Career Institute (CCI), the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF), the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR), the March Taylor Memorial Foundation, in-prison automotive program instructors and technical schoolteachers. Her column can be found online at www.autobodynews.com.

Most Expensive States for Car Insurance in 2020 by Denny Jacob, PropertyCasualty360

In a country as large and diverse as the U.S., each state offers a range of pros and cons across a number of aspects. Whether it’s the cost of being a homeowner, the proximity to nature or their state and local tax rates, there is something for everyone. While it might not be the first factor someone might tout when talking about their state, the cost of car insurance is an important quality for many. An analysis by Insure.com found that the average cost of car insurance in 16 states is more than $100 above the national average, which came in at $1,517 this year. What state an insured lives in is a significant factor when determining the cost of car insurance, but insurers also consider gender, age, the vehicle and credit score. State-specific factors like insurance laws, claim and crime rates, and the number of uninsured drivers can influence the premium as well.

Whether you live in an expensive state or a cheap state, Insure.com says to shop at least three insurers and “always make sure you’re comparing apples to apples when it comes to coverage levels and deductibles.” And when buying a new car, it’s always wise to shop for insurance as you look for the car so the premium won’t tear through your budget. Insure.com commissioned Quadrant Information Services to calculate auto insurance rates from six large carriers (Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, Nationwide, Progressive and State Farm) in 10 ZIP codes per state. It averaged rates in each state for the cheapest-to-insure 2020 model-year versions of America’s 20 best-selling vehicles as of January and ranked each state by that average. With this in mind, explore the slideshow to see Insure.com’s list of the most expensive states for car insurance in 2020. We thank PropertyCasualty360 for reprint permission.

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46 AUGUST 2020 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

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Continued from Page 41

Advertising Plans such as Oracle, Facebook and Apple have asked their employees to work virtually with no immediate plans to change the plan. So, how do body shops get their marketing messages to those people who are in their homes 90% of the day? Industry author, speaker and consultant John Stuef has held literally every position in a body shop. He entered the industry as a painter’s helper and then became a painter, a body man, manager and then owner. For many years, he owned several successful shops, and currently he’s a regional manager for a large MSO. Two things Stuef has been doing since he bought his first shop involve getting out there in the public and hitting the streets for business. “There will obviously be a lot less business out there until this thing is definitively over, which won’t truly happen until we have a vaccine that actually works,” he said. “Advertising isn’t going to get you what you need fast enough, plus it’s too expen-

sive, especially when your marketing budget is temporarily limited.” So, Stuef is suggesting a few things to do that might bring you some faster results. The old adage is advertising is buying exposure while marketing is earning it. “Tapping into proven sources of revenue is the best way to operate during these unprecedented times, especially when time and money are limited,” he said. “Whenever we wanted to create some new business, we went back to what always worked, like visiting dealerships and insurance offices. “There is no silver bullet, but actually getting in front of people and interaction have always been effective for us. You can’t imagine the power of free pens and doughnuts.” Stuef and many other shop owners, managers and marketing people are looking at how COVID-19 will affect consumer buying habits and the collision repair industry. “It’s all about short term decision-making right now and those shops that will be able to pivot quickly will have a distinct advantage,” Stuef

said. “With so many uncertainties out there to deal with in both our professional and personal lives, a shop’s marketing should stress safety, comfort and trust more than ever.” Angel Iraola at Net Business Consulting and Solutions in Oakland, CA, is currently performing marketing triage for a wide range of small businesses during the pandemic. “With the economy taking a major hit, consumer behavior is likely to change dramatically through the end of the year and well into the first quarter of 2021,” he said. “For those with less disposable income, or considering retirement, this economic slump might result in a sharp decline to their spending habits. “Right now, consumers are wisely taking a ‘wait and see’ approach, so body shops should consider their target audience and how their lives will change as a result of the current economic climate. It’s a whole new ballgame and only those who will adapt quickly will survive.”

Illinois

MCGRATH CITY HYUNDAI

Chicago 6750 W. Grand Ave.

for e!

773-889-3070

Mon-Fri 8am - 5pm www.mcgrathhyundai.com

PATRICK HYUNDAI

COLLISION PARTS FOR YOUR COLLISION JOB. Visit these Genuine Hyundai Parts Dealers Visit these Genuine

DON FRANKLIN HYUNDAI

Indianapolis 7101 E Washington St.

800-592-5170

The full article is available online and includes information from Erick and Shelly about what prompted them to sell ACAB Automotive Group and Fix Auto USA to Driven Brands.

GANLEY WESTSIDE HYUNDAI North Olmsted 25600 Lorain Rd.

859-263-5020 859-263-8527 Fax

nicholas.b@ganleywestside.com

888-823-7335

440-686-3426 Fax Mon-Fri 8am - 6pm

Mon-Fri 7:30am - 5:30pm Sat 8am - 4pm

CLASSIC HYUNDAI

INDY HYUNDAI

riences have resulted in is that we’ve been able to predict what’s going to happen. We are going through more dramatic change, danger and opportunity than ever seen in our industry before. I think the future of the entrepreneurial collision shop is going to be dictated by how repairers respond to the changes coming. Independent collision shops owners add a ton of value and can survive if they work together and take the necessary actions to respond to market needs. At the same time, they need to remain competitive and look for efficiencies while removing duplication and waste in their businesses. If independent shops don’t do these things, they’ll likely become extinct.

440-734-9375

847-619-4511 Fax

Indiana

Erick and Shelly Bickett

Lexington 3340 Richmond Rd.

rogerwalker@donfranklinauto.com

Mon-Fri 7:30am - 5pm www.patrickhyundai.com

The RIGHT

Kentucky

Schaumburg 1020 E. Golf Rd.

847-605-4055

www.autobodynews.com

Continued from Page 34

Ohio

Mentor 8460 Tyler Blvd.

440-266-6750 440-266-6763 Fax

Mon-Thu 7am - 7pm Fri 7am - 6pm; Sat 7am - 3pm gregj@driveclassic.com www.driveclassichyundai.com

317-536-1552 Fax

Mon 8am - 8pm; Tue-Fri 8am - 6pm; Sat 8am - 1pm inss.partsmgr@rohrman.com www.indyhyundai.com

Hyundai Parts Dealers: autobodynews.com / AUGUST 2020 AUTOBODY NEWS 47

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Factory OEM parts for FCA US LLC applications mean a perfect fit, every time. Call us today.

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2020 FCA US LLC. All Rights Reserved. Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Mopar and SRT are registered trademarks of FCA US LLC. © FIAT is a registered trademark of FCA Group Marketing S.p.A., used under license by FCA US LLC.

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August 2020 Midwest Edition

Articles inside

Classifi eds

BMW Wholesale Parts Dealers

MINI Wholesale Parts Dealers

Nissan/Infi niti Wholesale Parts Dealers

McGrath City Hyundai

The Porsche Exchange

Patrick Hyundai

Subaru Wholesale Parts Dealers

Patrick BMW MINI

Sears Imported Autos, Inc

Certifi ed Automotive Parts Association

Morrison’s Auto Parts

Courtesy Subaru

Eckler’s Automotive

The Sharpe Collection of Automobiles

Kelly BMW

Hawkinson Kia

Equalizer Industries, Inc

American Icon Automotive Finishes

Symach