September 2018 Midwest Edition by Autobody News

37 YEARS

MIDWEST EDITION

AUTOBODY IL / IN / IA / KS / KY / MI / MN / MO / NE / ND / OH / SD / WI

AUTOBODYNEWS.COM

Vol. 7 / Issue 12 / September 2018

U.S. Sen. Doug Jones Says He’s Hoping to Halt Proposed Auto Tariffs

Discussion at CIC Highlights Dramatic Changes Coming to the Industry

by William Thornton, AL.com

by John Yoswick

On July 18, U.S. Sen. Doug Jones said he and Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) are working to craft a “solution” to proposed tariffs on imported automobiles, which they say could negatively impact U.S. jobs. “We hope to introduce that proposal as early as next week, after consulting with our automotive manufacturers and working with our colleagues to grow bipartisan support for this legislation,” Jones said in remarks on the Senate floor in Washington. “I realize that folks affected

by these proposed tariffs are looking for a silver bullet to stop them dead in their tracks. Right now, the only silver bullet in this case is for the President to change his mind and recognize how many jobs are at risk because of these proposed tariffs. Until that happens, we’re going to fight to protect what our states and our workers have earned.” Jones’ comments occurred as segments of the auto industry are converging on the nation’s capital to lobby against the proposed tariffs. The push is coming at the same time See Hearings on Tariffs, Page 14

Did the John Eagle Decision Change Anything? by Gary Ledoux

The John Eagle decision of October 2017 was one of the most momentous in the history of the collision repair industry in America. Because Dallas-based John Eagle Collision Center did not follow OE repair procedures to repair some hail damage on a 2010 Honda Fit, resulting in severe physical and emotional harm to owners Matthew and Marcia Seebachan in a subsequent accident, attorney Todd Tracy represented the couple in a civil lawsuit which they won, forcing the shop to pay $31.5 million in damages.

Almost a year has gone by since then. Plenty of magazine articles have been written and seminars have been provided by Tracy and auto body associations about the effects of the lawsuit and how shops can protect themselves from experiencing a similar situation. Some ad-hoc conversations with shop owners and spurious social media postings by both shop owners and techs indicate that some shops have taken the John Eagle case seriously and made some positive changes to their SOPs. Others seem to have taken the “It’ll never happen in my See John Eagle Decision, Page 38

Michael Simon, director of strategic accounts for Bosch Automotive, is the latest to remind the industry that the absence of any dash warning lights doesn’t mean a vehicle doesn’t need to be scanned. “And the diagnostic codes do not point to a repair, only a symptom,” Simon said at the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) in Atlanta in August. “If a doctor takes your blood pressure and your blood pressure is high, what does that mean? He’s got to figure out if it’s hypertension, is it stress in life, or what’s going on. It’s the same thing with codes. What does that code mean? It says something isn’t working right, but it still requires you to diagnose.” In his presentation at CIC, Simon

made it clear that he was speaking personally rather than as a representative of Bosch. He said the advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) in new vehicles today are part of the automakers’ learning mode on the road to autonomous vehicles. “This is the start of the biggest economic and social shift of the last 100 years,” he said. “Think about how many businesses and people will be affected by this technology change.” To offer some perspective on the transformation that is likely to occur in the coming decade, Simon reminded CIC attendees what the key new features were of the best-selling car 10 years ago: the 2008 Toyota Camry. “It had some darker wood; the See Discussion at CIC, Page 22

Cleveland Body Shop Owner Indicted for Trafficking by Chris Mosby, Cleveland Patch

Law enforcement said a suspected fentanyl trafficker in Cleveland, OH, has been arrested and indicted for trafficking the drug while having a firearm. Tyler Hall, 28, was indicted on two counts of possession with intent to distribute narcotics and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Hall reportedly had cocaine and fentanyl in his possession when he was arrested, the Department of Justice said. “This defendant was identified by law enforcement as a serious threat who has caused pain and destruction in and around his neighborhood,” U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman said. “Police officers, federal agents and prosecutors will continue to work together to prosecute those who illegally have firearms and

deal drugs.” Hall had 1.46 grams of fentanyl, 22 grams of crack cocaine and a Walther 9 mm semiautomatic pistol when police searched his home

on July 3, court documents said. The Clevelander was a person-of-interest in three non-fatal opioid overdoses. Two of the overdose victims had information that their supplier’s name was Tyler and that he worked, See Shop Owner Indicted, Page 38

PERMIT #288 ANAHEIM, CA

PAID

Change Service Requested

P.O. BOX 1516, CARLSBAD, CA 92018

PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Registration Open for SCRS’ Repairer Driven Education Series at SEMA

CONTENTS $5,000 Women in Auto Body Scholarship Awarded to Freeport, IL, Student . . . . . . . . . 14 50-Year-Old Emporia, KS, Body Shop Is In It for the Long Haul . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 AASP-MN To Host B.S. and Mech XChange Sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 AASP-MO Legislative Summits To Be Held

ACA Joins Auto Groups Opposing Tariffs in Open Letter to President Trump. . . . . . . . . . 10 After the Donation: Retired Marine Pays it Forward as His Mission Continues. . . . . . . . 48 All 2019 Civic Models To Feature Honda Sensing Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Analysis: Red-Light Cameras Don’t Reduce Traffic Accidents or Improve Public Safety . . 27

Sept. 11, 19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

BASF Brands Getting a Facelift . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

ASA Midwest Hosts Automotive Industry Night . . 8

CREF Announces Fall Career Fair Schedule . . . 60

Auto Body Shop in Meriden, KS, Rebuilds

CREF Announces New Board of Trustees . . . . . 61

After Fire. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Auto Body Shops See Above-Average Deer Collisions in MO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 CARSTAR Awarded 1st Place in Omaha, NE . . . 14 Cleveland Body Shop Owner Indicted for Trafficking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Coachwork Auto Body Looks to Expand in Addison, WI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Gerber Acquires Shop in Kenosha, WI . . . . . . . 15 Harmon’s Restoration and Collision Repair Opens Location in Muncie, IN . . . . . . . . . . . 21 It’s Christmastime Again at Freer Auto Body’s Christmas in July in Gofrey, IL . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Meyer Body and Paint Strives To Be the Right Body Shop for the Best Finish in IA . . . . . . . 12 MI Body Shop Owner Reflects on Race Car Ownership That’s ‘Rewarding,’ ‘Frustrating’ . . 6 Ottawa, KS, Woman Thrives as Collision and Paint Technician . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Owner of Auto Body Shop Damaged by Fire Is Grateful for Mason City, IA . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Sisk - Regional Association Event Announcements: September 2018 . . . . . . . 30 State Farm Agent Wins $10,000 at CARSTAR Golf Tournament in NE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

CREF Seeking Back-to-School Donations . . . . 61 Deadline for NABC Awards Nominations . . . . . 60 Did the John Eagle Decision Change Anything? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Attanasio - Dylan Maki Has Real Fish Stories to Tell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Attanasio - To Facebook or Not? Answers From Experts for Body Shops . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Phillips - All-Female Body Shop Encourages the Next Generation of Auto Body Techs . . . 34 Phillips - The Power of Leadership — Tips on How To Be a Great Leader . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Changes Coming to the Industry . . . . . . . . . . 1 Ford Commits to Spending $4 Billion on Autonomous Vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Ford Has To Pay Nearly $300 Million Because Of Fatal Takata Airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Ford Offering Dealers $1,000 for Every 2006 Ranger Fixed for Defective Takata Airbags. . 61 Good News: Your Tesla Model 3 Is Finally Ready. Bad News: It May Take Weeks To Get It Serviced . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Judge Finds Lousiana Collision Shop’s Business Practices ‘Unethical’ and Violation of UTPA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 KABA’s Education Day Features David Luehr . . 16 Nelson Glass Tools Announces New Glass Bot Quartermaster Tool . . . . . . . . . . . 55 New PPG Videos Display Diversity Commitment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Nissan Recalls 105,000 Versas for Deadly Takata Airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Education Series at SEMA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Sen. Doug Jones Says He’s Hoping to Halt Proposed Auto Tariffs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Senators Want to Sneak Safety Exemptions for Self-Driving Cars Into Law . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 The Complexities of Truck Collision Repair . . . 50 Trump Administration Seeks to Freeze Fuel Economy Standards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Uber Drops Self-Driving Trucks Soon After Debut in Autonomous Car Shift . . . . . . . . . . . 4

NATIONAL

tion package. While all education sessions are individually available, SCRS encourages attendees to consider a Full Series Pass, which will provide the greatest

value with access to one regular session in each available time slot, access to all three sessions of the OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit sessions, one ticket to the SCRS after-party on Thursday night and admission to the newly announced IDEAS Collide Showcase on Friday.

Discussion at CIC Highlights Dramatic

Registration Open for SCRS’ Repairer Driven COLUMNISTS

Registration for the Society of Collision Repair Specialists’ (SCRS) Repairer Driven Education (RDE) series at the 2018 SEMA Show is open and can be accessed at www .scrs.com/rde. While continuing to pull in some of the nation’s most soughtafter subject matter experts, nearly half of the 20+ education sessions offered through Wednesday feature first-time RDE presenters, marking the continually refreshed curriculum offered by SCRS during SEMA week. When registering for education through www.scrs.com/rde, attendees will have the option to either link the education to an existing registration or to purchase a new show pass at the same time as the educa-

Uber Puts Self-Driving Cars Back to Work,

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

REGIONAL

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, Sean Hartman, Bill Doyle, Norman Morano (800) 699-8251 Office Manager: Louise Tedesco Digital Marketing Manager: Bill Pierce Art Director: Rodolfo Garcia Graphic Designer: Michelle Lucas Online and Web Content Editor: Rochelle Beckel Accounting Manager: Heather Priddy Editorial/Sales Assistant: Randi Scholtes

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. ©2018 Adamantine Media LLC.

Audi Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Launch Tech USA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

AutobodyLaw.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Laurel Auto Group of Westmont . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Axalta Coating Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Luther Bloomington Acura-Subaru . . . . . . . . . 47

Bettenhausen Automotive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Malco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

BMW Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Maplewood Toyota-Scion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Bob Hook Chevrolet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Mazda Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . 60

CarcoonAmerica Airflow Systems. . . . . . . . . . . 9

McGrath City Hyundai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Charles Gabus Ford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Mercedes-Benz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13, 32-33

Chicago Pneumatic Compressors. . . . . . . . . . 12

MINI Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Classic Chevrolet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Mirka USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

MOPAR Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . . . 36-37

Courtesy Subaru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Morrison’s Auto Parts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Dent Magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Nissan/Infiniti Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . 52

Diamond Standard Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Patrick BMW MINI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Dominion Sure Seal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Patrick Hyundai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

ECS Automotive Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Polyvance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

EMS Automotive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

PPG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Equalizer Industries, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

RBL Products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Erhard BMW of Bloomfield Hills . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Richfield-Bloomington Honda. . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Erhard BMW of Farmington Hills . . . . . . . . . . 21

Robaina Industries, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

GM Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

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

GYS Welding USA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes. . . . . . 11

Honda-Acura Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . 28-29

Spanesi Americas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Hyundai Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . 59

Subaru Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . . . . . . 57

Infiniti of Naperville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Symach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Jack Phelan Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram

The Sharpe Collection of Automobiles . . . . . . 35

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

of Countryside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Toyota of Des Moines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Jake Sweeney Chevrolet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Toyota Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Kelly BMW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

VanDevere Kia-GM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

‘Will Your Self-Driving Vehicle Need a License?’ . . 4

But With Human Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Kia of Des Moines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Volkswagen Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . 61

1Collision Network in MN, IL, MA, TN, Markets . 59

WAC Meeting Energizes Members. . . . . . . . . . 60

Kia Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Zimmer Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram . . . . . . . . 64

autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Senators Want to Sneak Safety Exemptions for Self-Driving Cars Into Law by Angie Schmitt, Streetsblog USA

A group of senators led by South Dakota Republican John Thune wants to let companies rush selfdriving cars to market before any federal safety standards related to autonomous systems have been drafted.

A coalition of 65 consumer advocacy and street safety organizations has warned against the bill known as AV START, which would preempt state and local safety regulations of self-driving cars without spelling out any federal safety rules (although it would allow U.S. DOT to draft some). In addition,

the bill would exempt AVs from many safety standards that apply to all other cars. Each manufacturer would get an allotment of 100,000 vehicles to sell for use on public streets within three years. In a letter sent to Senators July 16, the coalition—which includes the American Public Health Association, America Walks and the League of American Bicyclists— demands the addition of public safety standards before the legislation is enacted. But Thune, the Commerce Committee chair who represents one of the most rural, least-populated states in the nation, wants to include the AV START language as a rider to the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill, which is viewed as a must-pass. The maneuver would prevent debate and an up-or-down vote on AV START as stand-alone legislation. The rush to pass AV START See Sneak Exemptions, Page 38

‘Will Your Self-Driving Vehicle Need a License?’

Act, a pending initiative to centralize rules for testing and then deploying In an attempt to legislate the testing self-driving vehicles. “Have any of these laws changed and ultimately the impending regular use of self-driving vehicles, a lot of anything that is happening on the government entities are weighing in, ground as automakers and others perfrom Congress to individual states and fect their prototypes?” asked session moderator Eric Paul Deneven some cities. nis, a CAR analyst. It prompted attorney “Not really,” said panJennifer Dukarski to ask elist Brian Daugherty, whether the law can keep up chief technology officer for with technology. the Motor and Equipment “It usually doesn’t,” Manufacturers Association. she said, answering her own Dukarski called the pendquestion. ing federal legislation “too Dukarski was among “States and cities slow. It’s not going to get you participants at a session tiare creating tled “Will Your Self-Driving regimes that are so there.” A goal of the bill is to Vehicle Need a License?” at restrictive,” Jennifer avoid a patchwork of state and local laws on self-drithe Center for Automotive Dukarski said. ving cars. Research’s annual ManageCredit: Roger Hart Basically, the bill tells ment Briefing Seminars. In one way or another, 36 states states and cities, “You don’t have to have become involved in overseeing do this, we already have,” said fellow autonomous vehicle testing, particu- panelist Bryant Walker Smith. “States and cities are creating larly on public roads. There are federal agency guide- regimes that are so restrictive,” said lines on matters such as whether self- Dukarski of the Butzel Long law firm driving cars will still need steering in Ann Arbor, MI. She also holds an engineering degree. “In my state, the wheels. Congress is considering the so- little city of Canton is creating its called Autonomous Vehicle START own regulatory framework of how by Steven Finlay, Wards Auto

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Uber Drops Self-Driving Trucks Soon After Debut in Autonomous Car Shift by Mike Brown, Inverse

Uber is pulling the plug on its autonomous trucks just four months after it demonstrated the vehicles shipping freight across Arizona. The ride-hailing firm has shifted plans dramatically ever since one of its autonomous cars killed a pedestrian in March, and the company told Inverse it now plans to exclusively focus on passenger vehicles. Uber bought autonomous truck firm Otto in October 2016, with CEO Travis Kalanick claiming it was part of a shift into services that “serve and elevate humanity.” Uber dropped the Otto branding in May 2017, with plans to use a 64-channel spinning lidar array on Volvo trucks using Uber’s inhouse software stack. The company revealed on March 6 that its vehicles were already moving freight across Arizona, but just 12 days later, an autonomous car killed a 49-year-old woman in Tempe, AZ, leading to an immediate halt of all self-driving vehicle operations. “We’ve decided to stop development on our self-driving truck program and move forward exclusively with cars,” Eric Meyhofer,

and when autonomous vehicles can operate in town.” Overreaching government reaction to new technology is old news, said Smith, a law professor at the University of South Carolina. He also is an engineer and heads a task force on on-road autonomous vehicle standards. He noted that the island of Nantucket, MA, banned automobiles in their early days. “It didn’t last because people wanted their vehicles,” he said. Daugherty said, “Regulators are struggling. You have a tug-and-pull situation. You have overreach by some people who are swimming outside their lanes.” Session panelists also discussed the inevitability of automakers facing lawsuits if a self-driving car malfunctions, causing an accident. Some of those already have occurred in test situations. A pedestrian was killed in one such incident. Smith said, “It’s safer than the one that’s just failed. That’s historic. In the early days of automobiles, when the original spokes broke, they made them thicker. When steering wheels snapped and speared drivers

head of Uber Advanced Technologies Group, told Inverse. “We recently took the important step of returning to public roads in Pittsburgh, and as we look to continue that momentum, we believe having our entire team’s energy and expertise focused on this effort is the best path forward.” The company is not dropping Uber Freight, its non-autonomous initiative that matches human truckers with shippers in a similar vein to its passenger offerings. Uber Freight continues to grow, doubling its load volume every quarter and tripling the size of its team since launching in May 2017, but the company has decided that it does not need to develop autonomous trucks to remain competitive in the space. Beyond trucks, Uber is planning to gradually return to public roads. It recently started operations in Pittsburgh again in manual mode, following a large round of layoffs for 100 existing operators. As for the employees working on the trucks, Uber plans to move them to other areas of the autonomous car business or offer them relocation or separation packages. We thank Inverse for reprint permission.

in accidents, that was fixed, too. It’s something companies do.” Dukarski touted the self-regulating effectiveness of industry oversight in autonomous car development. She said, “People say, ‘Isn’t that the fox watching the henhouse?’ Maybe it’s time to let the fox do that.” Yet, she noted, work remains in preparing self-driving vehicles for the real world of transportation. She recalled a test-drive mishap in Detroit three years ago on a road that had both lane markers and tar lines. “The vehicle followed the tar lines and almost ran into another vehicle,” she said. As automakers and other companies such as Google’s Waymo continue to develop their versions of self-driving cars, “these vehicles are constantly monitored and upgraded,” Smith said. Dukarski, who had sparred with Smith on some issues during the session, responded, “I couldn’t agree more with that.” We thank Wards Auto for reprint permission.

www.autobodynews.com

autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

MI Body Shop Owner Reflects on Race Car Ownership That’s ‘Rewarding,’ ‘Frustrating’ by George Pohly, Macomb Daily

Three decades as a race car owner have shown Pat Moran that involvement in auto racing is like a day at the beach—with chicken pox.

Pat Moran addresses the crowd at Flat Rock Speedway prior to the Stan Yee Memorial 150 July 28. Moran’s Chevy dealership is the late model series sponsor at the track, and the company provided three bonus awards for the Yee race. Credit: George Pohly

“It’s a disease,” said a smiling Moran, who owns the No. 45 late model driven by Harrison Township, MI’s, Frank Jiovani. “There are happy moments; there are sad moments. It’s rewarding; it’s frustrating. “I still enjoy it. The key to it is being around good people.” Moran, who owns three new-car dealerships, including Moran Chevrolet in Clinton Township, has more than a casual interest in racing.

Frank Jiovani drives the No. 45 car owned by Pat Moran, a dealer with three new-car stores, including one in Clinton Township, MI. Credit: George Pohly

He and long-time buddy Dick Barker, who used to race Moran’s cars, are the owner/crew chief combination for the Moran Automotive Chevrolet that Jiovani drove to a second consecutive ARCA Gold Cup series championship in July. Moran Chevrolet is the sponsor of the late model division at Flat Rock Speedway. On July 28, the company raised its involvement with three bonus awards during the biggest late model race of the season at the quarter-mile oval. 6

Moran Chevy gave a set of Hoosier racing tires to the winner of a drawing, which turned out to be Stan Yee Memorial 150 runner-up Jimmy Thiel, and a $100 bonus to the fastest qualifier, eventual race winner Brian Bergakker. Bergakker collected the $50 Hard Charger award for his efforts in the race. Scott Schultz, the general manager at Flat Rock, said Moran’s involvement is part of grassroots racing's life-blood. “It’s the same here as at every track; we couldn’t do it without sponsorship,” Schultz said. “Pat has been involved with us for about 10 years, and to have someone with us for that long has been wonderful.

Jimmy Thiel drives the No. 9 car in the Moran Chevrolet Late Model series at Flat Rock Speedway. He won by drawing a set of racing tires given by Moran Chevrolet on July 28. Credit: George Pohly

“His sponsorship allows us to take things to another level [and] lets us do things for the teams and the fans that we otherwise couldn’t do. We’re grateful to have a guy like Pat.” Moran has been involved in auto racing for about 40 years. As a teenager, he worked on cars at the Mount Clemens Race Track. “I spent a lot of time there,” he said, but had to step aside when he got into the auto sales business. In the mid-1980s, he got back into the sport as a car owner and eventually paired with Barker, who gave up driving race cars several years ago but is part of the Moran Automotive service staff. Jiovani won the Gold Cup race that was on the half-mile track at Toledo Speedway, and he clinched the championship with a fourth-place finish in the Yee memorial, the fourth and final leg of the series. Jiovani is fourth in the ARCA Moran Chevrolet Late Model point standings at Flat Rock. “If you can come out here and have a good time and everybody works hard—that’s all that matters,”

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Moran said. “We’ve been blessed. We’ve got some great sponsors. They’re loyal, and they’re back every year. That’s what gets us here.”

happy employees—I hope.” Some of the employees work on the race cars, including mounting tires and painting, and they take pride in the team’s success, Moran said. “It’s a great morale booster,” Moran added. “The commitment of the guys in the organization has made this happen.” Jiovani has won four late model feature races since he started racing for Moran Steve Needles guides his late model, adorned with series in 2013. His next shot at sponsor Moran Chevrolet on the windshield, to the pit area another Flat Rock victory following inspection at Flat Rock Speedway. Credit: George comes August 18 on chamPohly pionship night at the track. “You don’t always win,” Moran Moran owns a Chevrolet dealership in Fort Gratiot and a Buick/GMC said. “They call it racin,’ not winnin.’ “We come out here basically store in Taylor. He also has two body shops, including the Moran Collision with the thought that for every race we can be in the hunt. The level of talCenter in Clinton Township. His son Brian runs the dealer- ent in the pits here is amazing. “There are some really good ships, while Pat focuses on the construction and remodeling of the 10 drivers and some really good cars.” buildings the company owns. “It’s a lot of work,” he said. We thank Macomb Dailt for reprint “We’ve got three stores and 300 permission.

autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

It’s Christmastime Again at Freer Auto Body’s Christmas in July in Gofrey, IL by Jill Moon, The Telegraph

Freer Auto Body celebrated Christmas in July on July 20 to kick off the Godfrey, IL, region’s biggest fundraising event of the year. Community Christmas collecting started in May with the announcement of this year’s date for the annual Christmas in July at Freer Auto Body. The event is led by Freer Auto Body Owner and President Tim Freer’s daughters, Lily and Taylor Freer, whose event last year raised more than $40,000. “It was a huge success,” said the girls’ mother, Carrie Freer. Freer Auto Body is one of the largest contributors to the United Way’s and The Telegraph’s Community Christmas, which collects items all over the Riverbend region through business collection centers and individuals. “Those individuals and families in need should have a nice holiday,” said the girls’ grandmother, Margaret Freer. “We appreciate the community supporting us and enabling us to give.” United Way’s annual Community Christmas donation drive offi-

cially begins in November, but Christmas in July helps to exponentially jumpstart the campaign.

Community Christmas collecting started in May with this year’s annual Christmas in July, which took place July 20 at Freer Auto Body in Godfrey, IL. Collection continues at the event, led by the daughters, Taylor and Lily Freer, of the shop’s owner and president, Tim Freer. Last year, the event raised more than $40,000

The top needs in the community generally are for new coats, blankets and household and personal care items. Other items collected through the program include non-perishable food, new and unwrapped toys for kids of all ages, baby formula and diapers, and new clothes, socks, hats, gloves and scarves. Alton High School also con-

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

tributes to Community Christmas through its annual non-perishable food drive, which typically provides 90 percent of the food donations for the program. “We are once again enlisting the help of the community with Christmas in July,” said Margaret Freer, who works at Freer Auto Body with her son and his wife. “We have great prizes this year.” Raffle items included a Norwegian Cruise Line getaway, donated by Freer Auto Body; $2,000 in cash donated by Axalta Coating Systems; four St. Louis Cardinals “green seats,” donated by Amy and John Barnerd; four St. Louis Blues “glass seats,” donated by Alton Materials; and four tickets to Maroon 5 on Sept. 13 at Scottrade Center, donated by Simmons Hanly Conroy LLC. All raffle items were donated, and the printing was donated by McBride Printing. Thus, 100 percent of the event proceeds goes to helping families in need at Christmastime through Community Christmas, a Riverbend-wide outreach program sponsored by the United Way and The Telegraph. We thank The Telegraph for reprint permission.

ASA Midwest Hosts Automotive Industry Night by Chasidy Rae Sisk

On August 1, ASA-Midwest’s St. Louis Chapter hosted its final Automotive Industry Night before it becomes the Midwest Auto Care Alliance (MWACA) on Sept. 14.

ASA-Midwest’s August 1 Automotive Industry Night attracted 50 attendees

The event took place during a Cardinals game, where the Cardinals beat the Rockies 6 to 3. According to ASA-Midwest St. Louis Chapter President Doug Jacquot, “The social gathering went well. This annual event is always a huge hit with the St. Louis Chapter, and this year, it attracted 50 attendees.”

Auto Body Shops See Above-Average Deer Collisions in MO by Forrest Gossett, Salt River Journal

About an hour before the Mark Twain Lake fireworks show on June 30, a large deer zoomed across State Route J, about 500 feet south of the Cannon Dam, forcing a pickup truck driver to slam his brakes. The driver was lucky. He narrowly missed the deer. However, many Missouri drivers are not as fortunate. Travel U.S. Highway 24, Missouri Route 15 or any number of side roads, and chances are that most days, drivers will encounter the carcass of a deer that has been hit by a vehicle. The Missouri Highway Patrol estimates that there are more than 3,500 deer auto accidents each year — about once every 2 ½ hours. Mostly, the accidents take place in the fall, but many auto body shops are seeing deer strikes even in July. “It is an unusual year,” said Stacy Miller, manager of the body shop at Moberly Motors. “We have seen a high number of cars damaged by deer in May, June and into July now. It is much later in the year than I recall.” Miller said that her body shop has averaged about two cars per

week, with deer damage in the last three or four months. But it’s not just deer. Raccoons, opossum, armadillos and other crea-

Map courtesy of State Farm

tures scurrying across a roadway can cause significant damage to cars. “We had one lady who hit a bobcat,” said Gregg Smith, manager of the body shop at Thomas Motors in Moberly. “It stuck in her car’s grill and was still alive for a while.” But it’s deer that cause the most damage. Brandon Anderson, who owns Anderson Body Shop in New London, said that damage from deer collisions can get expensive. “It is not unusual to see $5,000

in damage,” he said, adding that some claims can be $10,000 or more, and that many times, an insurance company will declare the vehicle a total loss. So why all the deer strikes this time of year? Some people speculate that deer population is on the rise. Not so, says Missouri Conservation Officer David McCorkell. He said the deer population is relatively stable. Much of the issue, he said, is related to migratory patterns of the animals, which may explain some of the late-season deer-car accidents. “Deer go where there is food,” he said. Regardless of the reasons, to the surprise of no one in the Show-Me State, Missouri is a high-risk state for deer-car accidents in the nation, according to research released last year by State Farm Insurance. Missouri drivers have a 1 in 112 chance of hitting a large animal like a deer or elk. The State Farm data are based on insurance claims.

State Farm does offer some advice on how to deal with deer:

 Slow down, particularly at dusk and dawn.  If you see one deer, be prepared for more deer to cross the road.  Pay attention to deer crossing signs.  Always buckle up—every trip, every time.  Use your high beams to see farther, except when there is oncoming traffic.  Brake if you can, but avoid swerving. This can result in a more severe crash.  Remain focused on the road. Scan for hazards, including animals.  Avoid distractions. Devices or eating might cause you to miss seeing an animal.  Do not rely on products such as deer whistles. They have not proven to be effective.  If riding a motorcycle, always wear protective gear. Keep focus on the road ahead. We thank Salt River Journal for reprint permission.

autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Owner of Auto Body Shop Damaged by Fire Is Grateful for Mason City, IA smoke damage led to out-of-pocket costs totaling about $50,000. The If it hadn’t been for a dividing wall Suburban was totaled. and the quick response of the Mason Lukes was up-and-running three City, IA, Fire Department, a fire at days after the fire on Dec. 15, but Lukes Central Machine & Parts could there still was a lot of work to be have been much worse. done. “The problem is we had to move stuff all off of one wall, so they could clean the wall and move stuff back,” Lukes said. “And that went on for around three months —moving stuff around. The loss of business and all the work with the contractors and stuff—it’s a never-ending deal. Everybody loses in Ron Lukes stands in the walled-off garage on the north a fire.” side of his business, Lukes Central Machine & Parts, where most of the damage from a fire was sustained after a barrel When workers placed of fuel caught fire Dec. 15. Lukes held an open house July the equipment back, it had 13 at his shop to thank the community. Credit: Chris Zoeller, to be precision-leveled, The Globe Gazette Lukes added. Ron Lukes, owner of the auto “It’s time-consuming, and time body repair shop at 360 N. Delaware is money,” he said. Ave., said static electricity was probRichard Hayes has known ably what ignited the fire when he Lukes for about 20 years. When he was changing a fuel pump on a 1999 first heard about the fire, he checked Chevy Suburban in the northern end to see if everyone was OK. Hayes of the shop in December. also worried about the contents of the building. “A big fire is a big concern, with how much has been totaled,” Hayes said. “I’ve always been a car enthusiast ... you never know what could happen.” Lukes is grateful to the community for its support, and held an open house with free lunch July 13 at his Mason City firefighters respond to a fire call at shop as a thank you to the commuLukes Central Machine & Parts in Mason City, nity. IA. Credit: Chris Zoeller, The Globe Gazette Law enforcement and others The damage totaled over cleared vehicles so contractors had $150,000, Lukes said. Insurance easy access to the exterior of the took care of all the structural dam- building following the fire. Many age, but clean-up of equipment and clients continued to come in, despite by Steve Bohnel, Globe Gazette

ACA Joins Auto Groups Opposing Tariffs in Open Letter to President Trump The Auto Care Association joined a coalition of major auto industry groups representing nearly 10 million jobs in the United States to urge the Trump administration to avoid imposing additional tariffs on imported autos and auto parts. In an open letter to President Trump, the seven auto groups urged the president that, “Raising tariffs on

autos and auto parts would be a massive tax on consumers who buy or service their vehicles—whether imported or domestically produced. These higher costs will inevitably lead to declining sales and the loss of American jobs, as well as increasing vehicle service and repair costs that may result in consumers delaying critical vehicle maintenance.”

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

the logistical challenges occurring inside. Lukes said the explosion and fire at Charlie’s Auto Repair in 2016 was much worse, and it’s fortunate that his shop wasn’t as damaged. Still, he hadn’t thought about a fire

Ron Lukes held an open house July 13 for his business, Lukes Central Machine & Parts, to thank the community for its support after a fire caused heavy damage Dec. 15. Credit: Chris Zoeller, The Globe Gazette

until what happened in December. “You think about tornadoes ... and we’ve been lucky; we’ve never had any problems with flooding,” he said. “Nobody realizes how much work is involved in the clean-up [after a fire] and getting back to work, and with our business here, it was so important that we get back up and run-

ning. We have to have income.” Both Ron and Jan Lukes, Ron’s wife, said the most important thing was that no one was injured because of the fire. “I’m just happy Ron didn’t get hurt,” Jan said. “It was very scary. I’m happy everything’s back together and we can move on.” The fire also showed Craig Crestwell—another car repair shop owner in Mason City—how important it is to change fuel pumps, according to Lukes. Lukes said, “He said ... ‘We’ve done exactly the same thing you did with the fuel [for years], and we’ve never had a problem. I went to my shop, and we made some major, major changes just because of the eye-opener that this was.’” Lukes added the fire won’t keep him from closing any time soon. “This is about 48 years in this business for me,” he said. “I’m not ready to give up.” We thank Globe Gazette for reprint permission.

autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Meyer Body and Paint Strives To Be the Right Body Shop for the Best Finish in IA by Molly Moser, Guttenberg Press

Eric Meyer was born into the auto business – literally. “I think it’s been his calling ever since he was born in the back seat of a Grand Marquis on Main Street in Colesburg,” said his wife and business partner, Andrea (Moser) Meyer. “Eric has 16 years’ experience in this industry and is very dedicated to this field of work.” Eric and Andrea opened Meyer Body and Paint in March of 2014 in Colesburg, IA, to work on collision and restoration services. When their business began to outgrow that location, Guttenberg seemed to be a natural next step. “We were fortunate enough to find a great building and location that seemed [to be] a perfect fit for us,” said Meyer, expressing her gratitude to the property’s former owners, Ken and Margie Deutmeyer. “They have been very helpful and accommodating with us, selling their location and building to us and giving us the opportunity to start up our business here in Guttenberg.” The Meyers sold their Colesburg business to their restoration technician, Tim Wilhelm, who now runs his own classic car restoration service there. Meyer Body and Paint’s Guttenberg team includes Clifford Judkins, who has been with the business for nearly four years. “He has 15 years of experience

in auto body repair. He is a great asset to our business, as he knows the people in this area and is very versatile in this field of work,” said Meyer.

have loaner cars available for our customers, if need be, while we fix theirs,” Meyer told The Press. “We are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. We will come to you or make after-hours appointments if you are not available during the day. We accept all insurances and handle all aspects of the process for you.” The new business operates out of the Guttenberg Industrial Park at 108 N. Hill Drive. The Meyers installed a new state-of-theFrom left: Meyer Body and Paint owners Eric and Andrea art Global downdraft paint Meyer with technicians Clifford Judkins and Brian Bries booth, which is efficient Credit: Press photo by Molly Moser and highly filtered to meet emissions standards reguBrian Bries joined the team a lated by the Iowa Department of few months ago. Natural Resources and the Environ“He also is versatile in this in- mental Protection Agency. The busidustry, as he also has a 12-year me- ness uses Axalta environmentally chanics background. He has been friendly waterborne paint. learning the auto body trade very “We also have a large truck bay quickly,” Meyer explained. “We are paint booth to accommodate the fortunate to have a good group of semis and RVs. We hope to provide local guys working for us.” a wide ray of paint and body services “We pride ourselves on getting your vehicle back to pre-accident condition in a timely manner with as little stress on you as possible,” said the owners. From buffing out scratches to major collision repairs and frame straightening, Meyer Body and Paint offers both automotive and large truck collision services. “We offer free estimates and

AASP-MO Legislative Summits To Be Held Sept. 11, 19 by Chasidy Rae Sisk

AASP-Missouri’s St. Louis and St. Charles Chapters are planning to host AASP-Missouri Legislative Summits on Tuesday, Sept. 11 and/or Wednesday, Sept. 19. According to AASP-MO Executive Director Ron Reiling, “We will begin by conducting a Missouri State Motor Vehicle Safety Inspection for [legislators] to observe up close. We will show them all of the components that are actually inspected when a proper comprehensive Missouri State Motor Vehicle Inspection is performed, and they will be able to hear from you, the business owners and managers who perform these inspections on a daily basis. 12

“The Missouri State Highway Patrol is also invited to attend the Summits to help answer any questions you and legislators may have pertaining to the Missouri State Vehicle Safety Inspection Program, its effectiveness and the trends in repair and maintenance that you experience daily in your shops.” Both evenings will commence at 6:30 p.m., and food will be provided. Tuesday night’s event is planned to take place at the Lewis & Clark Career Center in St. Charles, MO. The event on Wednesday is scheduled to occur at the St. Louis Community College at Forest Park in St. Louis, MO. For more information, visit aasp -mo.org.

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

to this area,” said Meyer. Striving to be “the right shop for the best finish,” Meyer Body and Paint opened in Guttenberg on July 2. “So far in the last few weeks of being open here in Guttenberg, we feel that we made the right choice in moving our business. It has been good seeing so many familiar faces again and helping the people in our community,” Meyer said. An open house is planned for the end of August. “Everyone is welcome to come up, see the place and say hi. It will be a family-friendly party, as we have young children who are just as much a part of our business as anyone. They are excited to meet new people too!” Meyer said. “Watch for more information coming out on this in the near future.” Meyer Body and Paint can be reached by calling 563-252-2135, at meyerbodyandpaint.net or visiting its Facebook page. We thank Guttenberg Press for reprint permission.

autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Continued from Cover

$5,000 Women in Auto Care Scholarship Awarded to Freeport, IL, Student by Staff, MyStateline.com

A Freeport, IL, woman has been awarded a $5,000 scholarship from Women in Auto Care, a national organization that highlights women in the auto care industry. Heather Ripley will begin her second year at Highland Com-

Heather Ripley

munity College in the fall, studying auto body and welding. “I love art and I believe there is artistry in auto body and detail,” Ripley said. “Working on cars is so hands-on and creative. “Highland has taught me a lot and has given me the tools within myself to follow the steps I need

to be part of my chosen profession.” Vonda Lee, a representative for the Women in Auto Care organization, said in 2018, $75,000 was given to women studying auto body repair. “We are committed to supporting women entering the automotive aftermarket,” Lee said. “These scholarships are open to women of any age group into any field within our industry. We have particular requirements for our applications. We had incredible applications this year; it is only the best candidates that raise to the top for our scholarships. They are outstanding women in all areas of school work, outside activities, essays and more. Heather fit right into an exceptional winner of one of our higher scholarships.” We thank MyStateline.com for reprint permission.

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Hearings on Tariffs

the Commerce Department has two days of hearings scheduled on the tariff issue. In May, President Donald Trump directed the Commerce Department to begin an investigation into whether imported vehicles and auto parts constitute a national security threat. The administration is reportedly considering a 20 to 25 percent tariff on imported vehicles. More than 2,300 comments were collected during the investigation period. Segments of the auto industry, as well as Jones, Sen. Richard Shelby and Gov. Kay Ivey, among others, have made comments opposing the tariffs. Ivey, in a letter to Commerce Sec. Wilbur Ross, said Alabama’s auto segment could lose up to 4,000 jobs as a result. Jones said he [remembers] when Alabama did not produce any automobiles; yet the state is now the nation’s third-leading auto exporter. “Now let me be clear—while See Hearings on Tariffs, Page 16

CARSTAR Awarded 1st Place in Omaha, NE

CARSTAR was once again voted the first place winner in the 2018 Omaha’s Choice Awards. CARSTAR was chosen for the category of body shop/collision center in the auto transportation section. Winners were revealed on July 1 in a special section of the Omaha World-Herald. “For the third year in a row, our loyal customers voted CARSTAR as one of the top body shops in Omaha. We are thrilled,” said Margaret Keith, marketing manager for the four Omaha CARSTAR locations. Readers voted online to choose their favorites. Nearly 200 categories were available, from pizza shops to tire stores. The contest was held March 25 through April 22. Any business was eligible to win by write-in votes. This is the third year the newspaper has sponsored the awards competition.

www.autobodynews.com

Coachwork Auto Body Looks to Expand in Addison, WI by Alex Beld, Washington County Daily News

An expansion at Coachwork Auto Body Inc. in Addison, WI, will add 5,000 square feet to the business in an effort to create greater efficiency in light of a quickly growing customer base. Purchased by Mike Held and Jason Lisko about two years ago, Coachwork will nearly double in size by Thanksgiving if construction goes as planned. The owners don’t expect any work on the business to result in the body shop closing down. “We spend almost two hours shuffling cars around a day,” Held said. “It’s been [in] a state of flux since the moment we started,” Lisko said. Held said the area is growing, and he and Lisko often hear good talk of the work they do and see good reviews on Google. The business has expanded its floor space under the ownership of Lisko and Held, who remodeled a portion of the building after taking over. The new project will be done with local contractors. “We also pretty much doubled

area, but the storage area as well. “It’s only Tuesday, and we have just an aisle here,” Held said. The storage space will take over the current break room, and the new break room will see some upgrades similar to the waiting room. It will also come with access to online training. The auto body shop located in Allenton has been in business for nearly 40 years and covers about 8,400 square feet. After the expansion, it is expected that about Seen through the window of a vehicle parked in the garage, 90 percent of vehicles Kyle Kuhn works on finishing a part that was recently will be stored inside. painted July 24 at Coachwork Auto in the town of Addison, Lisko said the goal is WI. Credit: John Ehlke, Daily News greater efficiency in the the project will be to remodel the of- work space. The pair of owners wants the office area. “It’s been awhile since the office fice and waiting room area completed first, as the busy season is approachgot some love,” Lisko said. The waiting area attached to the ing. August and September are typioffice space will see improvements cally busier, as new drivers are on the as well. They will include a TV, free road going to school and deer are starting to become more active. Wi-Fi and a cooler with water. The storage area for parts will also see some expansion, as the num- We thank Washington County Daily ber of jobs has not only filled the shop News for reprint permission. our employees (since taking ownership),” Held said. They intend to hire another person for the shop and may hire another office position. The first part of

Gerber Acquires Shop in Kenosha, WI

The Boyd Group Inc. recently announced the August 3, 2018 acquisition of a collision repair center in Kenosha, WI. This center was previously operated as Jay-Bee Collision Repair Center. Kenosha is located in southwestern Wisconsin, about 65 miles north of Chicago and 40 miles south of Milwaukee. This new center is situated four miles from Interstate 94, the well-traveled highway that connects Wisconsin to Northern Illinois. “We are pleased to establish a presence in Wisconsin with the acquisition of a center that has been serving its community for 73 years” said Tim O’Day, president and COO of the Boyd Group. “While our first in the state, this center will benefit from synergies with our Illinois centers located less than 35 miles south. We look forward to introducing Wisconsin’s customers and insurance providers to Gerber Collision & Glass’s trusted brand and quality service.”

autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Continued from Page 14

Hearings on Tariffs

the United States faces any number of threats from adversaries on any number of fronts, foreign automobiles and auto parts are not a threat to our national security,” he said. “But you know what is a threat? A 25 percent tax on the price of these imported goods.” Auto industry figures say the proposed tariffs would adversely affect American automobiles because many models produced domestically use imported parts, which they say would drive up the cost for consumers. Tariffs would also inspire retaliatory tariffs in other countries, further impacting American exports, critics contend. Among the activities slated for later this week in the capital: More than 30 vehicles built in the U.S. by international automakers will motorcade past the Capitol and to the Department of Commerce July 26. One of them will be Mercedes’ GLE, made at Mercedes’ Vance plant. See Hearings on Tariffs, Page 18

KABA’s Education Day Features David Luehr by Chasidy Rae Sisk

The Kansas Auto Body Association (KABA) hosted its first KABA Education Day on Saturday, July 28 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Salina, KS. According to KABA President Jeff Oldenettel, “It’s important to provide this type of education to unify the

Wayne Krause from Mitchell discussed scanning procedures

cause and so industry professionals realize that no shop is on an island by itself. It is vital that we have a concerted industry-wide drive to perform better.” On Friday evening, Mitchell sponsored a hospitality event at the hotel to provide attendees with an opportunity to get to know their industry peers, KABA members and the next day’s educational speakers. Saturday morning commenced

State Farm Agent Wins $10,000 at CARSTAR Golf Tournament in NE

State Farm agent Aaron Stockton had a lucky day at a recent CARSTAR golf tournament. Stockton hit a hole-in-one and collected $10,000. The May 24 event was hosted by the Omaha/Lincoln CARSTAR. Golfers were primarily local insurance agents and claims personnel. Stockton won the money after he aced the 165-yard hole with an 8 iron at the Quarry Oaks Golf Club in Ashland, NE. This was Stockton’s first hole-in-one winning a large prize, but his third total. Stockton’s foursome was composed of State Farm agents Kirk Goodnight, Corey Juma and Tom Demory. A representative of Make-A-Wish Nebraska witnessed the shot and served as the official target hole witness. The CARSTAR golf tournament is a scramble format and has been an annual event for 16 years. The event raises money for the Nebraska Chapter of Make-A-Wish. Margaret Keith, marketing manager for the four Omaha CARSTAR locations, was tourna16

ment director. “For 16 years we have bought hole-in-one insurance policies, but never have had a winner. I thought it would be a miracle if it ever happened! Evidently this was the day for a miracle for Aaron,” said Keith. “I have played in the CARSTAR annual golf tournament for a few years now, and it is always a great event. Obviously no one expects to hit a hole-in-one in tournaments like this, but I was lucky enough to have that happen!” said Stockton. “Hopefully the news of this happening will bring more awareness to the tournament, which means more money raised for MakeA-Wish Nebraska.” The $10,000 cash prize was received by Stockton from an insurance policy CARSTAR purchased from Hole-in-One International in Reno, NV. The odds of an amateur making a hole-in one: 12,500 to 1.

www.autobodynews.com

UPDATED DAILY

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

with coffee and donuts, followed by a presentation from KABA titled “Who We Are and Why We Did It” that included an introduction to the association’s Board of Directors. Next, Jake Aufenkamp and James Rodis of the Woodhouse Automotive Group covered a review of Collision Advice’s “Who Pays for What?” sur-

OEM certifications, where to start and which ones to pursue. Attendees then engaged in an industry roundtable and open forum discussion with the day’s speakers and KABA’s board before the final presentation of the day. The headliner of KABA’s Education Day was David Luehr of Elite Body Shop Solutions and author of

Attendees learned about “Who Pays for What and How to See It Happen” with Jake Aufenkamp and James Rodis

David Luehr of Elite Body Shop Solutions presented “The Six Secrets Revealed” during KABA’s Education Day on July 28

veys during “Who Pays for What and How to See It Happen.” Mitchell International’s Wayne Krause covered OE position statements and what they mean in “Scanning Procedures and Why?” Following lunch, “OEM Certifications: the Who, When and Why” was presented by Chris Norris of Weavers, who discussed whether shops need

The Secrets of America’s Greatest Body Shops, who taught about creating a winning culture in “The Six Secrets Revealed.” “The event was received well, and everyone was involved and motivated,” Oldenettel shared.

For more information about KABA and future events, visit kansasaba.com.

autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Continued from Page 16

AASP-MN To Host B.S. and Mech XChange Sessions

In response to member demand for more opportunities to connect and share knowledge and experiences with other members, AASP-MN has two peer-to-peer learning and networking events scheduled this fall. Both sessions are open to anyone in the collision or mechanical repair industry—membership in AASP -MN is not required.

• Role/jurisdiction of the Department of Commerce – what they can and cannot do • How to file a complaint with the Department – what are they looking for?

• The importance of documentation – what info should be provided in a well-written complaint? • The Department’s process for handling complaints – what to expect after a complaint is filed

The first, a Body Shop Session, will be held Wednesday, Sept. 19, from 11 a.m.—1 p.m., at Grumpy’s Bar & Grill in Roseville. “Get to Know the Department of Commerce” will focus on the Department’s role in regulating insurer claims practices and why it matters to collision shops. A Department representative will be on hand to explain:

• Recent enforcement actions of interest to the collision repair industry

The cost to attend is $25 per person, which includes lunch. This event is co-sponsored by Casualty Assurance of Chaska, C.H.E.S.S. and Enterprise Rent-A-Car. On Wednesday, Oct. 17, AASPMN will host a Mech XChange from 4—6 p.m. at LubeTech in Golden Valley. In this session, attendees will have the opportunity to take part in

Auto Body Shop in Meriden, KS, Rebuilds After Fire by Dan Garrett, KSNT.com

Early in the morning of Feb. 7, a fire started at Mike Garrison’s auto body shop in Meriden, KS. Investigators say an electric heater malfunctioned, starting the fire. Not only was the building itself a total loss, but the six cars that were in the shop being worked on were also destroyed. Some of the cars were rare antiques, with only a few hundred ever made. Garrison said that even though it was hard to watch 13 years of hard work burn to the ground, he vowed to rebuild the shop. Garrison said he wants it to look like it did before the fire, so his customers feel at home.

Don’t Miss the Weekly Industry NEWS Your Shop Needs.

“It was pretty heartbreaking, kind of humbling too because you don’t realize how many friends you have until they come out of the wood work to help you do what you need to do,” said Garrison. “I’ve said it from the beginning: God has a plan. I don’t like this plan, but he’s got something in mind for me ... I don’t know what it is yet, but someday he’ll let me know.” Garrison said he isn’t open for business yet, but he hopes to be soon. He is adding new features to the shop, like year-round air conditioning and LED lighting. He said he’s also investing in a fire alarm system so he can catch an emergency earlier. We thank KSNT.com for reprint permission.

AUTOBODY

www.autobodynews.com

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

two roundtable discussions. The first, Diversifying Shop Product & Service Offerings, will allow attendees to hear what other mechanical shop owners have done to generate alternative sources of revenue and customers. Discussion will center on add-on or up-sell product and service offerings that complement the core business of auto service and repair. Most shops spend a sizeable amount on some form of marketing, from promotions, sponsorships, signage, direct mail, newspaper advertising and TV commercials, to a website, fliers and penny-saver circulars. The second roundtable, New and/or Cost-Effective Marketing Tactics, will give attendees the opportunity to share ideas based on what’s worked for their shop in the last three months, as well as pick up ideas based on what’s worked for others. There is no charge to attend this session, but pre-registration is required. For additional information or to register for either of these sessions, please contact the AASP-MN office at (612) 623-1110 or 800-852-9071 or visit www.aaspmn.org.

Hearings on Tariffs

Seven auto trade groups are participating in two days of events coinciding with the hearings and have paid for advertisements in publications, including The Wall Street Journal. The ad comes as an open letter to Trump, thanking him for his support of the industry but urging another strategy to protect U.S. jobs. “While we understand that you are working to achieve a level playing field for trade to create more jobs, raising tariffs is the wrong approach,” the ad states. We thank AL.com for reprint permission.

Your leading source for MIDWESTERN Collision Repair News! midwestern.autobodynews.com

autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Ottawa, KS, Woman Thrives as Collision and Paint Technician by Jeff Gulley, The Ottawa Herald

When Bridgette Ross made the decision to attend WyoTech in Laramie, WY, to study auto collision refinishing, many people questioned whether it was the right choice. Ross wanted to take her love for cars and turn it into a career in an industry historically dominated by men. “I’ve always been into cars ever since I was little,” she said. “I really love the ‘Fast and Furious’ movies. I like custom things and designing things. That’s why I took custom fabrication and paint. I was challenged by a lot of people and nobody thought I was going to be able to do it. I have two small children that stayed here with their dad while I went to school. It was pretty challenging. Some days were really emotionally taxing. I didn’t get any assistance, so I had to work two jobs to make my car payment and to be able to come home to see my kids. It was really rewarding, but now I don’t know what to do with my free time.” Ross made it through the program—which only had around 10 other women in it—and is now a collision and paint technician at CARSTAR, 402 N. Main St., Ottawa. She is the only fe-

male in the shop and said she really wasn’t hesitant about the job. “This is my first job,” she said. “I’m pretty sassy. When I came in I started rearranging things and cleaning. I thought, ‘They will get to know me and learn to love me.’”

Following her graduation from WyoTech, Bridgette Ross is breaking new ground as a collision and paint technician at CARSTAR in Ottawa, KS. Credit: John Jared Hawks, The Ottawa Herald

She knew she was accepted when the guys at the shop played a prank on her. “They didn’t know what to think of me at first,” she said. “They positioned a piece of duct tape to make it look like a part I was working on was scratched and needed to be repainted. I was about to lose my mind, and then I touched it and the tape came off. They said it was the reaction they expected.”

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Just how rare is it for a woman to work in the auto repair industry? According to the U.S. Department of Labor statistics, of the 39 million women in the workforce, mechanical careers make up only 1 percent. That includes auto repair, HVAC and other mechanical jobs. In the automotive repair industry in the United States, women make up only 7 percent of the entire workforce, according to Catalyst, a website that specializes in women in the workforce. While automotive repair has always been a passion, Ross tried some other careers before starting the WyoTech program. “I tried to go to school for nursing, and that really didn’t work out,” she said. “I tried cosmetology school, but I am not really girly. I did factory work, but I was just miserable. I was looking up career ideas, and I just thought this was what I really liked and should go to school for.” In looking for a new career, she recalled meeting a representative from WyoTech while a student at Ottawa High School. She remembers that the representative was a woman and thought that was really cool. She was also a fan of legendary designer Chip

Foose and said someday she would like to be in the design industry. At CARSTAR, her duties include painting and collision work, but Ross is already looking ahead. “I’m pre-enrolled in industrial design school at the University of Kansas, so that’s my next step,” she said. “It touches on a little bit of everything. I will learn how to design furniture, cars [and] electronics. It’s a five-year program, but it’s what I want to do. This is going to be my experience, but ultimately I want to be an automotive designer like Chip Foose.” Ross has two kids, an 8-year-old girl and a 4-year-old boy. She said they were the reason she decided to follow her new career path. She said her daughter understands how hard it was for her to get where she is and is proud of her. She hopes that the chance she took and her hard work give her something she can give back to her kids. “I feel like going through that made me a better mom too because the happier I am, the better mom I will be,” she said. We thank The Ottawa Herald for reprint permission.

Harmon’s Restoration and Collision Repair Opens Location in Muncie, IN by Kate Thornburg, The News-Gazette

Veteran Randy Harmon, owner of Harmon’s Restoration and Collision Repair, is proof that hard work and dedication can pay off.

Randy and Tyler Harmon outside their Farmland, IN, location. Harmon recently opened an additional shop in Muncie, IN Credit: Kate Thornburg

His auto body and paint shop does insurance work, classic car restorations, rebuilds and used auto sales. Harmon’s is also an All Steel Building supplier. In June, Randy opened a new location in Muncie, IN, in addition to his Farmland location at 103 West Jackson St. His new shop is at 3631 South Swartz Dr., just west of the

Walmart on 29th Street. Randy, a retired Army sergeant with 20 years of service, attended Ivy Tech and earned his degree in auto body. His business in Farmland has been operating for eight years with his 24-year-old son, Tyler, working alongside him to rebuild, restore and repair the vehicles that come into the shop. Randy is obviously a father with much to be proud of. Tyler graduated from Monroe Central and worked for a time at Delaware Dynamics before coming back to work with his father. “Tyler runs circles around me,” Randy said. “I do body work and paint, but he does body work, paint, plus the mechanical part. I rely on him for the late model things. He just has a real talent, a knack, for this kind of work.” Tyler is studying business at Ivy Tech and working at Harmon’s Restoration and Collision Repair. Randy, as an Army veteran, knows the value of hard work and dedication and has instilled those values in his son. The two men put in a lot of hours and a lot of sweat over the past eight years, working out of the two-bay Farmland shop until

Harmon decided to expand the business. The new location in Muncie is huge, he said, and opens up a lot of options for them to have one shop with a dedicated paint booth. Randy is still working out the logistics but

A 1976 Cosworth Vega restored by Randy Harmon of Harmon's Restoration and Collision Repair Credit: Photo courtesy of Randy Harmon

is looking forward to the opportunity this new location presents. Randy’s passion is restoration work, but not only are restorations expensive to complete, but they also take a long time. He schedules as many as he can, including work on his own collection, but most of his work is in insurance repair jobs, rebuilding and car sales. Using TNT Collision in Windfall, IN, as a business model, Harmon buys wrecked

cars and offers them to customers asis, as works-in-progress or fully repaired and painted. This offers buyers more options and allows customers to do some of the work themselves if they so choose. One of Harmon’s most recent jobs was a 1976 Cosworth Vega, fully restored and painted a gorgeous red. In the Farmland shop, Randy and his son are rebuilding a van for sale with a custom paint job, have two insurance jobs lined up and ready to go, a Bonneville waiting on restoration and more auto body work for a previous customer. Randy said he’s always ready to take on a new job and loves the line of work he’s in. “I’m just a car guy. I love cars,” he said, and that love shows in the work he does for his customers. Congratulations to Randy Harmon, his wife, Debbie, and son, Tyler, as they continue building and expanding the business. If you need body work or paint done on your vehicle, you can contact Randy through his Facebook page at Harmon’s Restoration and Collision Repair or by phone at 765-748-4212. We thank The News-Gazette for reprint permission.

ORIGINAL BMW PARTS.

Original BMW Parts and Accessories. Fast, Friendly Service and Delivery. We Know BMWs. Erhard BMW of Bloomfield

Erhard BMW of Farmington Hills

1845 S. Telegraph, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302 www.erhardbmw.com

38700 Grand River Ave., Farmington Hills, MI 48335 www.erhardbmwoffarmingtonhills.com

Phone: Fax:

(248) 642-6565 (248) 642-0443

(248) 306-6800 (248) 699-3003

autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Continued from Cover

Discussion at CIC

backseats reclined; there was an optional stability system, and I think that was one of the first years where a hybrid version was available,” Simon said. “Now look at the 2018 Camry. The notable features include a bird’s eye view camera with perimeter scan. A pre-collision system that’s not just stopping the car, but stopping the car and trying to swerve out of the way. Lane departure alert and assist is standard. Automatic high beams. And dynamic radar cruise control.”

Use of Aftermarket Tools Discussed But during the question-and-answer session that followed, trainer and consultant Mike Anderson of Collision Advice challenged Simon’s assertion that an aftermarket scan tool is adequate for collision repairers. He said in his experience, use of an OE scan tool or service is the only way to determine if a vehicle is subscribed to a telematics system like OnStar, and if so, temporarily disable the system during repairs. “If I have a vehicle that’s connected to the internet, and I do not disable that OnStar-type system, it will generate emails to that consumer

He said the electrification of vehicles has been slower than he expected, but that by 2028, there will be an estimated 120 million electric vehicles on the road. “Next year you will see a lot of [electric] cars with a 300-mile range,” he said. “And charging time is getting better …You can get 180-mile charge in about 20 minutes.” Far fewer people will own their own car, he said, when they can page a driverless vehicle to pick them up. “The car [population] will probably be significantly smaller,” Simon said. “This one study I read said the 250 million vehicles in the U.S. in 2018 will drop to 33 million by 2050.” The number of hours those vehicles will be on the road, however, will increase by 400 percent. Returning to the topic of scanning, Simon said a pre-repair scan of vehicles gives collision repairers the information needed to “design a reliable work flow.” He said a good aftermarket scan tool will “cover about 95 percent of what’s out there,” though he acknowledged that may not include a current model year vehicle when it first hits the road. “In cases where the tool doesn’t cover it, there are companies that offer services where you are connected to the OE tool,” he said. “You also can partner with shops that may have the OE tool.”

[during repairs] and I will get consumer complaints,” Anderson said. Chuck Olson of AirPro Diagnostics, which offers remote scanning services, said there are manual procedures to disconnect telematics systems. And Jim Silverman of the Automotive Training Institute said that while he respects Anderson, he is concerned about the concept of arguing for the use of only OE scan tools. “I think everybody in this room needs to think about it: If we promote using only OE scan tools, if we tell the OEs we agree with that, then the next step is using only OE shops,” Silverman said. “They’re going to say only use our shops. I don’t think any of us want that.” During the discussion, Jake Rodenroth of asTech, which also offers remote scanning services, said the industry may be so focused on the issue of scanning that fundamental repair elements are being overlooked. “In our [ADAS] calibration center in Dallas, we are seeing a high failure rate of vehicles that have been repaired in collision shops and brought in for calibration,” Rodenroth said. “In terms of radar cameras and things like that on the front of the car, we’re seeing about a 30 percent failure rate. The vehicles weren’t straight enough for calibration. And we’re also seeing about a 50 percent failure rate on blind spot calibration.

“I think everybody in this room needs to think about it: If we promote using only OE scan tools, if we tell the OEs we agree with that, then the next step is using only OE shops,” — Jim Silverman

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

As a repair community, we need to check ourselves. We’re still an industry that fights over whether the car is going to get measured or aligned. When you have systems that are pulling reference materials based on the center line of the car, that’s a little bit of an issue.” Also at CIC In other news and discussion at CIC in Atlanta:

• Jeff Peevy, president of the Automotive Management Institute (AMI), was named the new chairman of CIC for 2019. Peevy, who spent 16 years with I-CAR prior to taking the helm at AMI in 2015, currently co-chairs the CIC’s “Education and Training Committee.” He was selected by the previous CIC chairmen to succeed Guy Bargnes, who led the conference in 2017 and 2018.

• Jon Ruttencutter of the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security) discussed the issue of counterfeit automotive parts. He showed video

of tests conducted on counterfeit airbags, in which the bags failed to deploy, deployed late, broke away from the steering wheel or launched projectiles into what would be the interior of the vehicle. “We have yet to test a counterfeit airbag that works properly,” Ruttencutter said. Collision repairers can get more information or report suspected counterfeit airbags through the agency’s website (www.iprcenter.gov).

• Bill Garoutte, CEO of the National Auto Body Council (NABC) said that since 2007, NABC’s Recycled Rides program has resulted in more than 1,700 vehicles being rehabbed and donated to people in need. The program is on track in 2018 to average one car per day. Anderson of Collision Advice said the 294 shop locations that participate in 20 groups he leads for Axalta Coating Systems have committed to repairing and giving away 300 vehicles on a single day next year. Recycled Rides is one of NABC’s initiatives to “exemplify the professionalism and integrity of the collision repair industry.”

autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

50-Year-Old Emporia, KS, Body Shop Is In It for the Long Haul body or mechanical—are done right. We have grown the business based An Emporia, KS, business is cele- on treating every customer as if they brating a half-century of service to are family and providing quality redrivers throughout the region. pairs at a fair price.” These days, John said, Floyd’s offers full mechanic and body shops, including body repair and painting. They don’t do many restorations anymore, he said, in part because of the amount of collision work he and his staff have on their John Wheeler, who owns Floyd's Inc., looks at the inside of a car. The business is celebrating 50 years of existence plates and because of the Credit: Lydia Kautz/Gazette time and expense of fixing up old cars. “That used to be 20 percent of Floyd’s Inc., an auto body and repair shop located at 1221 Industrial the business,” he said. Rd., was opened by Floyd McCracken in 1968. Fifty years later, Perfect Partners it’s still going strong under current He has different duties now as a owners John and Ruth Wheeler, business owner, but when his emwho purchased the business in 2005. ployees have a significant backlog of “I didn’t want to have to break work, he and his wife dedicate their in a new boss,” John recalled. “I’ve evenings and weekends to working been in and out of here since 1980. on customers’ vehicles. Floyd wanted out of it. He was ready Though Ruth works full-time as to retire, and we’d decided years ago a Lyon County District Court adminwhen he got ready to retire that I istrator, she also spends time workwanted to try to get it bought.” ing on cars. “I help him tear down cars and A Lifetime of Repairs help with the painting and things like John seems to have been destined to that,” she said. “I don’t do it unless work in the auto industry. he needs some help out there.” His interest in cars started when Her husband recalls working on he was in high school. Against his cars with her during a stretch where parents’ wishes, he chose to enter the they were shorthanded. auto industry, painting his first car “She’d get off work at 5 (p.m.), with his little brother in their parents’ change her clothes, come out and do garage in the summer of 1975, the collision work ‘til at least midnight,” same year Wheeler graduated from he said. high school. Together, they painted Often, John said, their sessions about six cars before they rented a would last well past the stroke of shop to house their business. midnight—until 3 a.m. sometimes. He has been in the business for They do whatever it takes, he said, more than 40 years and at Floyd’s in even if it requires a 90–97-hour some capacity for about 38. workweek. “I spent most of my adult life in Ruth learned how to do auto this facility,” he said. “It’s a good body repairs, she said, from years of place to be.” working with him. They’ve been Before his purchase of the busi- working as a team since the summer ness, he worked as an auto techni- of 1985. cian for McCracken. According to “She’s a heck of a bodyman,” Ruth, he has always had a special tal- John said. ent for painting and auto body repair. “I’ve done just about every“He takes a lot of pride in re- thing,” Ruth said. pairing cars,” she said. “That didn’t They’ve rebuilt multiple vehichange when we purchased the busi- cles that had been declared total ness. It is always a priority to make losses. One of them, he said, Ruth sure that the repairs—whether auto drove back and forth to Ottawa for by Lydia Kautz, The Emporia Gazette

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

20 years, putting about 100,000 miles on it before rebuilding another. “If she didn’t have a real job, we’d have her out in the body shop,” John said.

John and Ruth Wheeler stand together at Floyd's Inc., the body shop they own Credit: Lydia Kautz/Gazette

Rolling With the Changes These days, he said, they’re busier than they’ve ever been since he started at Floyd’s because of an overall industry shortage of people able to do what the job requires. He said he sees a lot more deer hits than he used to, with deer moving all year in a way they never did before.

They do end up with the occasional backlog, according to John, because there’s an increasing demand for auto body work and fewer people know how to do it. Multiple body shops have closed in the region, including ones in Burlington and Council Grove, he said, because it’s hard to find employees with the right skill set. Regulations are constantly changing, as is the technology of the cars and the equipment they use. It can be hard to keep up. Insurance companies can also make things difficult, according to John. “Their demands are getting greater,” he said. John said his crew includes three of the best auto body workers around, one of whom has been in the business almost as long as he has. “Your staff bails you out constantly,” he said. “I have the best crew now that has ever been in here. “It’s like family. That’s what keeps us in business—the customer base and the employees. You can’t See Long Haul, Page 58

autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

All 2019 Civic Models To Feature Honda Sensing Technology by Gary Ledoux

If history has taught us anything about vehicle technology, it is that the latest advancements may be introduced in limited production or highline cars—from the hydraulic brake systems of the 1930s to the curved windshields of the 1950s and the advent of disc brakes in the 1970s—but eventually, that technology will be applied to every vehicle in the car maker’s line-up. Such is the case with Honda’s 2019 Civic, the 10th generation of one of America’s most popular and celebrated cars. Introduced in the fall of 2015 with first the sedan and then the coupe, the 10th-generation Civic will surpass 1 million units this year. Moving forward to make Honda Sensing® standard equipment on all Honda vehicles by the year 2022, all trim levels of the 2019 Civic sedan and coupe, from the base LX to the highest-line touring, will feature Honda Sensing® technology. This underscores the increasing need for pre- and post-scanning and recalibration of critical components when making collision repairs. Honda Sensing® is Honda’s ex-

clusive intelligent suite of safety and driver assistive technologies designed to alert drivers to things they may miss while driving. The suite consists of:

• Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS): Designed to help keep the car centered in a detected lane

• Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC): Maintains a set following interval behind detected vehicles • Road Departure Mitigation System (RDM): Adjusts steering and braking if the vehicle crosses detected lanes without signaling

• Honda Lane Watch™: Any time the right turn signal is activated, the camera on the passenger-side mirror will turn on, displaying a live video on the car’s Display Audio TouchScreen, providing four times more vision than a standard mirror

• Collision Mitigation Braking System™ (CMBS™): Applies brake pressure when an unavoidable collision is determined

• Forward Collision Warning (FCW): Uses a camera on the windshield to detect vehicles in front of your vehicle, activating audio and visual

• Auto High-Beam Headlights: When driving at night above 25 MPH with the headlight switch turned to AUTO, the system will apply high or

• Lane Departure Warning (LDW): Detects un-indicated departure from detected lanes, providing visible and audible alerts

Parts Dept. Hours: Mon-Fri 7:30am-5:30pm Sat 7:30am-1:00pm

• Cross Traffic Monitor: When in reverse, both audio and visual alerts are activated if another vehicle approaching from either side is detected

low beams, depending on the surrounding environment.

On its consumer website, American Honda posted, “We are passionate about the safety of not just everyone who gets in a Honda, but of everyone who shares the road with them too— from other drivers to bicyclists to pedestrians.” By model year 2020, Honda expects “…a 50 percent reduction in crashes involving model year 2020 Honda vehicles.” By model year 2030, Honda predicts that everything on the road will be connected, “including pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcycle riders.” By model year 2040, Honda expects all Honda models of that year to be accident-free. It is also expected that a synergy will exist between Honda and other vehicle makers and transportation providers to work together to eliminate all accidents. By model year 2050, Honda predicts a “network of intelligent, interconnected machines” that will communicate with one another as well as other areas of infrastructure to provide efficient, trouble-free and accident-free transportation.

VANDEVERE CHEVROLET

Parts Dept. Hours:

Akron’s Largest KIA Parts Outlet Reliable, Professional Customer Service Express Parts Delivery in our 8 Trucks Your Source for OEM KIA Parts

Other available Honda safety driverassistive technology features, depending on the vehicle model and trim level, include:

• Blind Spot Information System: When the turn signal is activated and a vehicle is detected in the adjacent lane, an audio and visual alert will activate until the adjacent vehicle moves away or until the turn signal is turned off

VANDEVERE KIA

VanDevere Kia 328 W. Market Street, Akron, OH 44303

alerts that you are at risk of a collision

800.362.9650 • Akron’s Largest GM Parts Outlet • Express Parts Deliveryy • Knowledgeable Staff with over rience! 175 Years Parts Experience!

Mon - Fri: 7:30am - 5:30pm Sat: 7:30am-1:00pm Phone:

330.836.4064 24 hour fax:

330.836.4074

800.362.9650 Phone : 330.836.4064 24 hour fax: 330.836.4074

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

1490 Vernon Odom Blvd.// Akron, Ohio 44320

Analysis: Red-Light Cameras Don’t Reduce Traffic Accidents or Improve Public Safety by Staff, The Daily

Red-light cameras don’t reduce the number of traffic accidents or injuries at intersections where the devices are installed, according a new analysis by Case Western Reserve University. Touted by supporters as a way to increase public safety by ticketing drivers who continue through red lights, the cameras actually shift traffic patterns: More drivers tend to brake harder and more abruptly, increasing fender-benders and other socalled “non-angle” collisions. “Once drivers knew about the cameras, they appeared to accept a higher accident risk from slamming on their brakes at yellow lights to avoid an expensive traffic citation— thereby decreasing safety for themselves and other drivers,” said Justin Gallagher, an assistant professor of economics at Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve. Gallagher is co-author of a paper posted to Social Science Research Network, commonly known as SSRN, based on an analysis of thousands of collisions over a 12-year span reported by the Texas Department of

Transportation. Researchers focused on data while red-light cameras were operating and again after they were removed (by voter referendum) in Houston—and drew on similar data from Dallas, which still has its redlight camera program.

In Houston, the installation of the cameras led to 18 percent more nonangle accidents, with an estimated 28 percent jump in these collisions in a combined Houston-Dallas data sample, researchers found. While removing the cameras in Houston caused 26 percent more “angle” accidents—such as T-bone collisions, considered among the most dangerous—it’s likely the cameras actually led to more accidents overall, since there are more non-angle accidents, researchers concluded.

“There is no reason to believe that there is a reduction in overall accidents thanks to red-light cameras,” Gallagher said. “Our analysis does not support the case that the cameras improve public safety, which is one of the main justifications used by public officials and law enforcement.” More than 400 communities in the United States—including 36 of the largest 50 cities—have installed the devices, usually placed at busy intersections with a history of accidents. Yet some communities have removed the cameras, including Cleveland, where Case Western Reserve is located, and Houston. The process of using the cameras to issue traffic citations—mailed to a vehicle’s registered owner—has largely withstood legal challenges. But their use has also been heavily scrutinized as mere revenue generators, with most programs administered by out-of-state, for-profit contractors. Tens of millions of dollars were collected from drivers in Houston and Dallas during the years analyzed for the paper. “There is clear evidence that installing a camera reduces the number of vehicles running a red light,” Gal-

lagher said, “but the predicted relationship between the number of vehicles running red lights and the total number of accidents is ambiguous— and certainly not compelling enough to justify some claims of proponents of these devices.” Data on the types of injuries ocurring in these traffic accidents (fatalities, incapacitating and non-incapacitating, and more minor) failed to provide a case in which the cameras increased the safety of intersections where they’re installed, Gallagher said. In 2015, more than 35,000 people died and 2.4 million were injured in traffic accidents nationally, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. While the U.S. Department of Transportation recommends a set yellow-light caution length of 3 to 6 seconds, there is no uniformity among intersections. The study’s co-author was Paul Fisher, a graduate student in economics at the University of Arizona and a 2017 Case Western Reserve graduate. We thank The Daily for reprint permission.

COURTESY

SUBARU It's Not Justt O Our Name, It'ss H How Business It s N It' ot Jus ur Nam Name e, It' It ow We Do Bus Busine iness ss

CONTACT OUR PARTS DEPARTMENT:

800-658-3054 P D F : PARTS DEPARTMENT FAX:

605-342-1178 Large Inventory Larg La rgee In Inve vent ntor oryy Local Delivery Free LLoc Free ocal al D Del eliv iver eryy Years Combined Parts Experience 50+ 50 + Ye Year arss Co Comb mbin ined ed P Par arts ts EExp xper erie ienc ncee Call for Details Regarding Reggardingg Longg Distance Deliveryy

PARTS EPARTMENT ARTS DEPA EPARTM RTMENT ENT HOURS OURS:

M-F 7:30am - 5:30 pm p Sat 8 am - Noon Email: parts@courtesysubaru.com 601 East Omaha St. Rapid City, SD 57701 autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

P HONDA ILLINOIS

Honda Superstore of Lisle Chicago/Suburbs

866-874-6632 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-5 hondaparts@auto-plaza.com

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

Basney Honda Mishawaka

800-877-7477 574-255-2179 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-2

Bob Rohrman Honda Lafayette

800-488-3537 765-448-1000 Dept. Hours: M 7:30-8; Tue-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-3 Brho.partsmgr@rohrman.com

Bosak Honda Highland

800-542-6725 219-922-3102 Dept. Hours: M 8-5; Tue 8-8 W, Thu, F 8-5; Sat 8-4 davepropeck@bosakmail.com ACURA ILLINOIS

McGrath Acura of Libertyville Libertyville

847-680-7333 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 7:30-4 kmilz@acuralibertyville.com

Arlington Acura in Palatine Palatine

800-991-8438 847-991-9005 Dept. Hours: M-W 7:30-7:30; Thu-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 8-3 aaip.partsmgr@rohrman.com

Joe Rizza Acura Orlando Park

708-460-6369 708-403-7770 Dept. Hours: M-W 8-5:30; Thu 8-7 F 8-4:30 Sat 8-2 acuraparts@rizzacars.com

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

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

MISSOURI

WIS C O N S I N

Victory Honda

Bommarito Honda

Roper Honda

Plymouth

H a z e l wo o d

Joplin

Milwaukee

800-824-4646 734-453-3600

800-731-8270 314-731-8270

877-244-6632 417-625-0846

888-318-1671 414-586-5401

Dept. Hours: M 7:30-8; Tue-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-4 Karl_messer@victoryplymouth.com

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

Dept. Hours: M, W, Th, F 7:30-6; Tu 7:30-7; Sat 9-1 dvice@roperauto.com

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 7-4; Sun 8-4 hondaparts@russdarrow.com

Zeigler Honda

Ed Napleton Honda

Kalamazoo

St. Peters

888-342-1678 269-585-5812

800-875-4190 636-928-4400

Dept. Hours: M-Thu 7-8; F 7-6; Sat 8-4 bobsmith@zagteam.com

Dept. Hours: M-Sat 7-6 gethondaparts@napleton.com

M I N N E S O TA

Brookdale Honda Brooklyn Cente r

800-899-8900 763-331-6880 Dept. Hours: M-Th 7-9; F 7-6; Sat 8-6 parts@lutherbrookdalehonda.com

Buerkle Honda St. Paul

800-592-9514 651-484-0975

Frank Fletcher Honda Columbia

573-818-3650

St. Louis

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 7-5 hondaparts@frankleta.com

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

816-452-3221

Richfield

Buerkle Acura

B e d f o rd

800-509-9057 440-786-3363 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-4 jayhondaparts@gmail.com

OHIO

Columbia Acura Cincinnati

800-717-3109 763-488-1122

800-654-3553 513-530-0698

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

Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5:30; Sat 8-12 columbiaparts@mail.com WISCONSIN

Bloomington

Troy

Jay Honda

Minneapolis

866-475-9280

Acura of Troy

OHIO

Dept. Hours: Tue, W, F 8-6; M, Thu 8-8; Sat 8-4 grobinette@glakeshonda.com

Luther Bloomington Acura

MICHIGAN

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-5:30; Sat 7-12 hondaparts@hondaoflincoln.com

Akron

Hoffman Estate s Dept. Hours: M 7-5; Tue-F 7-6 Sat 8-3 mcavallini@woodfieldacura.com

Lincoln

330-633-8197 330-633-6060

MINNESOTA

Mullerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Woodfield Acura

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-5:30; Sat 8-6 ianw@hondaofomaha.com

Great Lakes Honda

Dept. Hours: M-Thu 6:30-9; F 6:30-6; Sat 6:30-5 parts@rbhonda.com

847-470-2309

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-9; Sat 8-4 wildehondaparts@gmail.com

Kansas City

800-328-2703 612-866-8197

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

Omaha

888-408-0911 402-408-1100

800-742-7811 402-437-1201

Richfield-Bloomington Honda

Morton Grove

800-526-3209 262-542-9300

Frank Leta Honda

Honda of Tiffany Springs

McGrath Acura of Morton Grove

Waukesha

Superior Honda of Omaha

Honda of Lincoln

Dept. Hours: M-Thu 8-9; F 8-6; Sat 8-4:30 hondaparts@buerkle.com

ILLINOIS

Wilde Honda

NEBRASKA

Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 gropp@fletcherauto.com

888-680-6025 636-336-5003

Russ Darrow Honda

800-451-5078 952-887-0600 Dept. Hours: M 6:30-6; Tue-F 6:30-9; Sat 8-4 parts@bloomingtonacura.com

Acura of Brookfield Brookfield

800-383-3936 262-439-6029 Dept. Hours: M-Th 7:30-6; F 7:30-5; Sat 8-4:30 patrick.murphy@zimbrick.com

800-935-0923 248-643-0900 Dept. Hours: M 7:30-8; T-F 7:30-6; Sat 10-3 parts286@acuraoftroy.com parts287@acuraoftroy.com autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Associations Assembling with Chasidy Rae Sisk

Chasidy Rae Sisk is a freelance technical writer from Wilmington, Delaware, who writes on a variety of fields and subjects, and grew up in a family of NASCAR fans. She can be contacted at crsisk@chasidyraesisk.com.

Regional Association Event Announcements: September 2018 Please see below for upcoming regional automotive association events taking place in September. ASA-CO To Host 2 Training Sessions ASA-CO will hold two exciting training opportunities in September. On Sept. 24 and 25, Greg Marchand will teach “Growing Your Customer Base” at Advance Auto Parts (CARQUEST) in Denver, CO from 6 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. each night. The course will explore the simple things that often get overlooked but can allow a repair facility to increase their customer base. Attendees will learn how to effectively use customer satisfaction, customer referrals, quality control and consistency to increase their customer base in a controlled and profitable manner during this interactive training seminar. On Sept. 26 and 27, Marchand will teach industry professionals

about “Exceptional Customer Handling Skills” in Fort Collins, CO. For more information about either of these training seminars, visit www.asacolorado.org.

ASA-CO To Host 1st Annual Golf Tournament On Sept. 16, ASA-CO will host its first annual ASA-CO Golf “Fore” ASA Green Tournament at the Homestead Golf Course in Lakewood, CO. In addition to a round of golf, the four-person scramble will feature contests, prizes and networking opportunities galore. Check-in begins at 7:30 a.m. with a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. Early bird registration is available for $110 per player ($440 for a team of four) until August 31. After August 31, the price is $125 per player ($500 for a team of four). Proceeds from the event benefit ASACO initiatives and its Automotive

Student Scholarship Fund. For more information, visit www .asacolorado.org. ASA-Midwest To Host Leadership Summit From Sept. 7–9, ASA- Midwest will host its 2018 Leadership Summit at Lake of the Ozarks in MO. This event provides an opportunity for association members to share ideas, celebrate accomplishments and renew their commitment to industry excellence. For more information, visit www .asa-midwest.org. PPG’s Robb Power To Teach ASA-OH How To Optimize Performance Through Repair Planning From Sept.18–20, ASA-OH will host a workshop titled “How to Optimize Performance Through Repair Planning,” presented by Robb Power,

senior management of business solutions for PPG Automotive Refinish. Tuesday’s workshop will be held at Ohio Auto Kolor in Columbus, OH, with Thursday’s session taking place at ESC of Cuyahoga County in Independence, OH. During the workshop, Power will explain the impact traditional estimating processes have on collision business work flows, and he will provide detailed instructions and demonstrate the benefits of the Repair Planning Process as well as provide a list of dos and don’ts for successful implementation. The workshop is intended for shop management, estimators, parts personnel and technicians. It is available to ASA-OH members at a cost of $45 for members and $90 for nonmembers. For more information, visit www .asaohio.org.

WHY SETTLE FOR AFTERMARKET, SALVAGE OR SURPLUS WHEN YOU DON’T HAVE TO!

GIVE YOUR CUSTOMERS THE QUALITY THEY DESERVE, USE GENUINE GM PARTS! With GM’s Bump program along with the Bob Hook Chevrolet Exclusive Price Match web portal, we make it easy to use Genuine GM Parts.

Bob Hook Chevrolet is Smashing Aftermarket Collision Parts, Call today to learn more!

Our Price match Program is second to None!

800-274-4665

www.bobhookgmparts.com

502-499-8060 M-F 8am - 5:30pm

· 15 Truck Fleet · Over 300 years of GM experience · Same Day and Next Day delivery · Exclusive Price match Portal · Truckload Fascia Program* beatable prices on *Unbeatable -stock Fascias In-stock

We make it easy to place your orders.

Call, Click or Fax.

4144 Bardstown Rd. / Louisville, KY 40218 30

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

St. Louis I-CAR Committee, CREF To Co-host Job Fair The St. Louis I-CAR Committee and the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) will co-host their 2018 Job Fair for the Collision and Automotive Industry on Friday, Sept. 21 from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. at Gateway Motorsports Park in Madison, IL. More than 650 automotive and collision students from local high schools and colleges plan to attend in addition to 650 local STEM students. Last year’s event attracted 1,487 students, and this year is shaping up to be competitively attended. Fees collected over the cost of the career fair will be distributed back to participating technical schools that fill out the paperwork for the CREF Make-Over Grant. For more information, contact Gene Slattery (gene@automotive technology.com) or Shelly Jones (sjones@abraauto.com). CCRE To Host Educational Seminar in Atlanta The Coalition for Collision Repair Excellence (CCRE) will host an ed-

ucational seminar on Sept. 28 and 29 at the Embassy Suites at the Atlanta Airport in Atlanta, GA. The weekend will focus on educational presentations, informative networking and the use and proper implementation of contracts and other documents. Industry professionals who attend can expect to gain an understanding on becoming more profitable in the current collision repair business environment and learn how to increase revenue and profits in order to pay for the high cost of equipment, training and technology. Topics will include state of the industry, contracts and documents, strategies and word tracks, implementing the CCRE process, damage analysis and job costing, time-based vs. value-based services, a roundtable discussion and much more. For more information or to register, visit www.theccre.com. MACA To Host 12th Annual Tailgate Party On Sept. 23, the Midwest Auto Care Alliance (MACA), formerly ASAMidwest as of Sept. 14, will host its 12th Annual Tailgate Party at Arrow-

head Stadium. Shop owners, vendors, managers, technicians and families are invited to watch the Kansas City Chiefs take on the San Francisco 49ers and enjoy a day of food, drinks and fellowship. More information is available at www.mwaca.org or www.asa-midwest .org. ARA To Host 75th Annual Convention and Expo The Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA) will hold its 75th Annual Convention and Expo on Nov. 1–3 at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort in Orlando, FL. Sponsored by Hollander, the event will feature more than 30 educational sessions taught by industry leaders. For more information, visit www .araexpo.org. AWAF To Offer Speed Mentoring On Sept. 26, the Automotive Women’s Alliance Foundation (AWAF) will hold a Speed Mentoring session at Faurecia’s North American Headquarters in Auburn Hills, MI. Attendees will enjoy the opportunity to break into small groups and spend 15-

minute mentoring sessions with six executive level women and men discussing key industry topics in an informal setting. For more information, visit www. awafoundation.org. AAAMS 2018 Business Conference To Be Held in Hilton Head Island, SC From Sept. 20–23, the Automotive Aftermarket Association of the MidSouth, Inc. (AAAMS) will host its 2018 Business Conference at the Hilton Head Marriott Resort and Spa in Hilton Head Island, SC. This year’s theme is “Sailing into the Future.” The conference will begin on Thursday evening with dinner and a cash bar. Friday will commence with a meeting for the AAAMS Board of Directors, Past Presidents and Past Directors, followed by a Conference Committee meeting and ending with a welcome reception. Saturday morning’s agenda includes seminars on the AAAMS Annual Business Meeting and Business Insurance/HR Services Program Update (IGO Insurance Agency), WebSee Event Announcements, Page 57

autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

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.

Shop Strategies with Stacey Phillips

All-Female Body Shop Encourages the Next Generation of Auto Body Techs When Hilary Noack was a teenager, she noticed a flier about a festival in Long Beach, CA, called Ink-N-Iron. At the time, it featured old custom cars, tattoos and music. “I thought to myself, ‘This embodies everything that I want my body shop to be someday,’” she recalled. “I’m going to name it Ink&Iron.” Fast-forward 12 years later, and Noack now operates Ink&Iron body shop in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, which focuses on restorations and minor collision repair work. One of the unique features of her business is that it is owned and operated by women. Plans are in place to expand to other locations in Canada and the United States with the first opening in Detroit, MI, in 2019. Autobody News talked to Noack about her body shop and how she encourages co-op students and apprentices to learn the trade.

Q: A:

Can you share how you started in the auto body industry?

I remember hanging around my dad when I was growing up while he was working on cars and tuning them up. I wanted to buy a car when I was 17 years old, and the only

From there, I transitioned straight into an apprenticeship program at Centennial College in their automo-

ample that women can do it. There was no reason why I couldn’t. Seeing what amazing work they did, how they had to work twice as hard for half the respect and hearing their individual stories of discrimination and how they overcame it was my motivation. I wanted to provide a safe, judgment-free work environment where we could all learn from each other as well as train the next generation of fe(l to r) Audrey Batson, Lindsay Tadros, Emily Noack, male techs. Hilary Noack, Alexandra Chiarore, Olivia DiGianfelice I opened Ink&Iron in and Kimberly Diem Hanh Cao April 2015. I now have an tive division. I began working at 427 apprentice, a licensed technician and Auto Collision, one of the largest body a co-op student who is getting high shops in North America, after com- school credit for helping at the shop. pleting the third and final level of my schooling for the apprentice program. What are your expansion plans? How did you decide to open your shop and employ only women?

I have known that I wanted to open my own shop since I started in the trade, but I knew it would need to be unique in order to stand out from the crowd. It was definitely a goal of mine. When I first started at 427 Auto Collision, I was the only female in the workplace. I was also the only female through all three levels of my schooling. By the time I left the body shop, about a decade later, there were about eight of us. I met some awesome girls and watched them go through the apprenticeship program Hilary Noack opened Ink&Iron body shop in Mississauga, there. I also taught a night Ontario, Canada, in 2015 school course in auto body one I could afford was a 1970 Oldsmo- repair at Centennial College. Later, I bile. It was pretty rusty, and I wanted taught the auto body apprenticeship to learn how to repair it. There was a full-time during one semester prior to body shop nearby where my parents opening my shop. I thought I should start a shop lived, and I asked if I could work there as a co-op student during my last year that was all-female and use it as a of high school. They said yes, and I way to encourage more women to join the trade and set a positive exthought it sounded so cool. 34

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Currently, I am operating one location, but I would like to see my business grow to include more locations in different cities. My goal is to have Ink&Iron locations all across North America! I often get told by girls that they wish there were something similar to what I own where they lived and that they would love to work in a place like this. I like being able to give co-op students and apprentices the experience to work in a shop and teach the skills they need. I think this gives them the confidence to be able to go out into this industry and feel like they belong and have a right to be here. I’m excited to open a location in the Motor City of Detroit next year. My husband, Dan Fournier, is from Detroit, and it’s a really cool city.

Faster & Easier Steel & Aluminum Repair SMART RESISTANCE SPOT WELDER

NEOPULSE 300-T2

AUTO MODE makes this machine extremely simple to use

Double pulse MIG/MAG 270A welding machine for unrivalled welding quality

GYSPOT PTI SMART WELDER AUTO MODE for easy operation on High Strength steel (UHSS/Baron), High Pressure clamping force with up to 14,500 amps of power

DENTSTATION COMBI STEEL & ALUMINUM DENT REPAIR

Jeep-

Repair instead of replace for less downtime and more profit

GYS Welding USA

636-405-2800

info@gysweldingusa.com www.gysweldingusa.com Join our distributor network

GYSPRESS 8T Universal car body self-piercing riveting system. Operates on a pneumatic closed hydraulic system. Adjustable speed and pressure up to 8 tons

What are some of the challenges of operating an all-female shop?

What is your advice to other shops who are dealing with a shortage of techs in the industry?

I definitely think you get the typical stereotypes and people crying that it’s sexist and women belong in the kitchen, or they bet there are just men who work here and the business is a front for something.

Q: A:

I absolutely agree that there is a shortage of techs. It’s the

What do you enjoy most about running your body shop?

I think it is the ability to do my own thing and plan my schedule. One of the reasons I wanted to be an entrepreneur is the freedom. It’s Monday morning and I’m excited to go to work. I’m here seven days a week, and I’m working on cars that I want to focus on. I love doing this type of work, and I have a good customer base. My job is fun. I absolutely love what I do, which is to provide a place that is a good environment to teach women and encourage the next generation. We’re friends here as well, and we’re all really close. It’s a positive workplace.

take on a co-op student or an apprentice. The apprentice programs offer many benefits. As an apprentice, you are getting paid as if you were a regular employee. There is an awesome incentive in grant money and they often offer grants to the employers too. I know it’s hard because this industry is so fastpaced; you need to get the car done quickly, but people need to take the time to train the next generation. So many people are retiring out of the trade; you have to put that investment into training people.

(l to r) Kimberly Diem Hanh Cao (apprentice), Hilary Noack, Audrey Batson (licensed tech) and Emily Bedford (co-op student)

same up here in Canada too. Everyone is dying for skilled labor, but at the same time, I know a lot of techs either who have zero industry experience or who have maybe taken a course, and no one will hire them. I think that employers need to

OUR PARTS. YOUR PEACE OF MIND. Original BMW Parts & Accesories

Sharpe BMW can help you restore their Ultimate Driving Machine to Pre-Loss Condition. Knowledgeable and Experienced BMW Parts Professionals Same Day Delivery on All In-Stock Parts E-mail or Fax Your Order in for Faster Service and Delivery

In this day and age, everything is very much going digital, and I think social media is a great tool. We currently have over 6,000 followers on our Facebook page. I found you have to be consistent when using social media and try to post

DEDICATED MINI PARTS STAFF.

1010 28th Street SE Grand Rapids, MI 49508

888.708.1359 Parts Direct 616.452.1101 Fax

Parts Direct:

Hours: M-F 7-6 / S 8-1

One of our challenges is getting people to realize how much it costs to either repair or paint a car. People don’t understand the investment in materials or how much it costs. Sometimes, I have people who come by with the whole side of their car totaled and they ask if they can wait while it is being fixed. I find that we often need to educate customers on the repair process and why it costs so much.

www.autobodynews.com

The Best Parts to Get Them Back to the Jungle Free Reliable Delivery

Land Rover/Jaguar Grand Rapids

1010 28th Street SE Grand Rapids, MI 49508 Parts Direct:

888.708.1359

616.452.1101 Fax

Hours: Mon-Fri: 7am - 6pm Sat: 8am - 1pm

616.452.1101 24-Hour Fax

Hours: Mon-Fri: 7am - 6pm Sat: 8am - 1pm

What is one of your biggest challenges at Ink&Iron?

Shipping Always Available

MINI of Grand Rapids 1010 28th Street SE Grand Rapids, MI 49508

Q: A:

Experienced Professional Wholesale Parts Team

Experienced and Dedicated MINI Parts staff Large Inventory of Original MINI Parts Prompt Daily Delivery Competitive Wholesale Discounts

Sharpe BMW

888.708.1359

What is the benefit of using social media to promote your body shop?

something every couple of days. It’s a great way to share your work and message. It’s also very visual. People love to see pictures of what you are doing. YouTube is also a great tool to use. I’m planning to make more videos of the repair process. I would love to take a build and film it from start to finish to give people an idea about how the process works. I think this will help educate our customers.

www.thesharpcollection.com

autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Continued from Cover

John Eagle Decision

town” attitude. Based on the John Eagle decision and other recent industry trends, including use of OE parts, pre- and post-scanning and recalibration, Autobody News wanted to get a clearer picture of what shops are actually doing to determine if the industry is indeed changing … or not. Survey Methodology Near the end of July 2018, Autobody News sent an email survey to approximately 15,000 body shops at random. Over the following several days, 157 shops completed the survey for a response rate of about 1 percent—not an overly large response— but the results are eye-opening. Survey Questions The same questions were asked under two different circumstances: 1) What the shop’s policy was prior to the John Eagle case (before Oct. 1, 2017), and 2) What their policy was after the John Eagle decision became known (after Oct. 1, 2017). Note: The question of pre- and post-scanning and recalibration was not the main focus of the John Eagle case. However, the Continued from Cover

Shop Owner Indicted

resided and sold drugs in the area of W. 104th Street and Lorain Avenue, the Department of Justice said. Hall’s home was at 10400 Lorain Avenue. Law enforcement searched Hall’s home on July 3 and his business, an auto body shop, at W. 104th Street. He was detained and found to be carrying two cell phones, $1,152 in cash and a set of keys to both his residence and his business, court documents said. Inside Hall’s home was a desk where it appeared drugs were prepared and packaged for sale, the Department of Justice said. Law enforcement also found the fentanyl, crack cocaine, pistol and $6,000 in cash nearby, according to court documents. “Through the swift and intense investigative efforts of the Cleve38

question of scanning and recalibration began to get more attention about the same time and is still a topic of debate for a complete and safe repair, so it was included in this survey. Questions included: * What percent of the time did you look up and follow OE repair procedures? * What percent of the time did you use new, OE parts for repair? * What percent of the time did you perform a pre- and post-diagnostic scan? * What percent of the time did you recalibrate those devices requiring recalibration based on a post-repair scan? To get a better perspective, shops were also asked about their DRP associations and how many they had. The results were: 28% - 0 DRPs 26% - 1-3 DRPs 28% - 4-6 DRPs 8% - 7-10 DRPs 9% - 10+ DRPs To get an idea of a shop’s size, we also asked how many shop employees each respondent had. The results were: 30% - 1-7 employees 32% - 8-15 employees 18% - 16-25 employees

Continued from Page 4

Sneak Exemptions

before safety standards are enacted is proceeding despite the killing of Elaine Herzberg by a self-driving Uber car in Tempe, AZ, this spring. A National Transportation Safety Board report revealed that Uber had programmed the car not to brake in certain situations and that the backup driver was watching TV on her phone at the time of the crash. Jason Levine, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, a consumer advocacy group, said the coalition doesn’t oppose selfdriving cars but wants to ensure safety protections are in place before laws legalize sales to the public. “The promise is that these are going to be safer,” he said. “There’s no requirement that these be even as safe as what we have right now. That’s really a problem.” Even Keith Crain, the longtime publisher of Automotive News, thinks lawmakers are shirking their duty to protect the public: “Autonomous vehicles may

provide the opportunity to save even more lives and prevent more injuries. But they must also adhere to the same strict standards that exist today. “It is bad enough that automakers are testing these vehicles on public roads. To even think about manufacturing these vehicles for the public without meeting today’s standards is simply irresponsible.” The coalition has proposed nine changes to the AV START legislation, including a mandate that data recorded in crashes be disclosed, and a requirement that AVs pass a “vision test” showing they can process visual information about their surroundings. Human drivers must also demonstrate that they’re licensed. We thank Streetsblog USA for reprint permission.

4x Monthly E-Newsletter.

We thank Cleveland Patch for reprint permission.

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Subscribe Today!

www.autobodynews.com

d Family owne d and operate since 1958

See John Eagle Decision, Page 57

land Division of Police Opioid Overdose Investigations Group, the Cleveland DEA Heroin Response Group and Cleveland HIDTA, Hall was arrested before additional destruction to our community could occur,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Timothy Plancon. “The DEA and our partners will continue to make drug trafficking and any associated violence a priority. Drug traffickers in the Cleveland area take heed: the DEA and our partners will continue to hold those who deliver causing overdose accountable.” Hall was previously convicted of aggravated robbery, robbery, intimidation of a crime victim or witness, and multiple drug trafficking and possession offenses, court documents said. Those convictions barred him from having a firearm.

FREE

AUTOBODY

Local: 608.884.4436 Fax: 608.884.8215 morrisons@morrisonsauto.com m

Mention this ad and receive

10% Off

800.866.2277 77 7

your next purchase!

www.morrisonsauto.com om 6307 W. State Rd. 59 • Edgerton, WI 53534

Morrison’s Auto Parts is serious about delivering

Quality Auto Parts and Quality Service and our 11 Salespeople to help you get it!

Phone: Go Further 60 Years a Ford Dealer with over 314 Years Parts Experience!

515.270.9095 800.362.1679 Fax Your Order:

515.270.5008 üDedicated Wholesale Staﬀ üPrompt & Dependable Delivery PARTS HOURS Mon - Fri 7:30am-6:00pm s Sat 8:00am-4:30pm

4545 Merle Hay Road Des Moines, IA 50310

OF DES MOINES • Over $1 Million in OEM Parts • Knowledgeable and Courteous Parts Team • Come see us at our NEW location

The Right Part at The Right Price, Right Now! Hours: Mon- Fri 7:30am-6pm Sat 7:30am-4:30pm

1650 SE 37th Street Grimes, IA 50111

PARTS: 515.276.4913 • 800.342.7045 FAX 515.276.0277

Electronic Parts Cataloging for Faster & More Accurate Service! • Genuine Kia OEM Parts • Eﬃcient Service on All Orders • Fast & Free Delivery • Parts Specialists On Call

515.727.1815 s 866.412.0152

Fax: 515.309.1412

Hours: Mon-Fri Mon Fri 7:00am-6:00pm 7:00am 6:00pm / Sat 7:30am-4:30pm 7:30am 4:30pm

4475 Merle Hay Road · Des Moines IA 50310 autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Tips for Busy Body Shops with Stacey Phillips

The Power of Leadership — Tips on How To Be a Great Leader An important aspect of being a great tribute ideas, ask questions and challeader is knowing when and how to lenge how things are,” said Perlman. create what Ken Perlman refers to “If they don’t feel safe, they are going to hold back.” as “psychological safety.” Many of his favorite techniques “Pioneered by Amy Edmondson at Harvard University, psycho- are based on his 30 years of business logical safety is a belief that one will experience. He often shares them in not be punished or humiliated for the course he teaches at USC related speaking up with ideas, questions, to organizational design and creating high-performing teams. He concerns or mistakes,” said said they are easy to put into Perlman, managing director practice and can achieve imat CultureSync and a promediate results. fessor at the University of Perlman began his Guild Southern California (USC). 21 discussion talking about “It’s essential to high perwhat it takes to create an formance.” environment where people During a recent Guild Ken Perlman, 21 podcast sponsored by managing director feel comfortable speaking at CultureSync up and sharing what they VeriFacts, Perlman shared tips on how to be a great leader and believe. A large part of this centers foster an environment of psycholog- on the “rules of engagement.” “Whenever you are part of a ical safety. “As a leader, it’s your job to team or in a group, there are rules of make it safe for other people to con- engagement, whether they are written

The Foundation of Our Success is Your Loyalty.

Highly Trained and Experienced Team of BMW Parts Advisors Extensive Inventory Updated Daily to Meet Your Demands All Original BMW Parts Carry a 2-year Limited Warranty

847.605.4055

Our parts department is always ready to help. We offer shipping to Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Illinois*.

Patrick MINI 700 E. Golf Rd., Schaumburg, IL 60173 Parts: M-F 7:30am - 5pm 847.605.4055 847.619.4511 Fax www.patrickMINI.com

Parts: M-F 7:30am - 5pm

847.619.4511 Fax jconnelly@patrickcars.com

*Free local delivery in Illinois; low-cost, next day delivery to Michigan, Indiana and Ohio

to the article, in 2012 Google studied hundreds of its company’s teams to find out why some were successful and others weren’t. “We had lots of data, but there was nothing showing that a mix of specific personality types or skills or backgrounds made any difference. The ‘who’ part of the equation didn’t seem to matter,” Abeer Dubey, a manager in Google’s People Analytics division, was quoted as saying in the article. “There was no direct correlation between who they put on a project and whether or not that project would be successful,” said Perlman. “What they learned was that it wasn’t ‘who’; it was ‘how.’” Summarizing the study, Perlman said Google found five key elements that separated high-performing teams from lower-performing teams. This included:

SMALL PARTS. BIG HEARTS.

Patrick BMW

700 E Golf Rd. Schaumburg, IL 60173 www.patrickbmw.com

or discussed,” he explained. “Sometimes they are unwritten, and we call them ‘culture,’ and other times they are written, and we call them guidelines.” He suggested implementing the “Family Feud” rule. Similar to the popular game show, Perlman said the Family Feud rule is when every answer an employee shares is honored and respected. “It’s a way of creating an environment that is a lot less risky for someone to speak up,” said Perlman. He also shared information about a research study conducted by Google that was undertaken to learn about their employees and what makes them successful. The study was explained in an in-depth New York Times article written by Charles Duhigg: “What Google Learned From Its Quest to Build the Perfect Team.” According

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

* Free local delivery in Illinois; low-cost, next day delivery to Michigan, Indiana and Ohio.

• Impact: Team members needed to feel their work really mattered and would create change. • Meaning: The work was personally important to the employees and their development. • Structure & Clarity: Employees had a clear idea of their roles and how they were connected to their coworkers to contribute to the greater good.

• Dependability: Team members could be trusted to accomplish their tasks on time and meet the company’s high standard of excellence. • Psychological Safety: Team members felt it was safe to take risks and be vulnerable in front of one another.

Perlman said teams that fostered an environment where employees could contribute openly were higher-performing. More recently, a Wall Street Journal article described research showing that “companies that scored in the top quartile on [management asking for ideas from employees and

encouraging employees to try new approaches], [experienced] on average more than five times the revenue growth of companies in the bottom quartile.” “Teams where someone made a mistake and they were punished disproportionally saw lower performance because people were holding back,” he said. “They weren’t sharing the wild idea; they weren’t disagreeing, and you saw a lot more group think and regression to the average opposed to striking out to do something bold and different.” As a result, Perlman encourages leaders to give some leeway to their teams. “You’re asking your employees to do something differently,” he said. “If it was easy and/or safe, they would have already done it. If it’s more complicated or risky, they might have some questions.” When looking at the same situation from an employee’s point of view, Perlman’s advice to those who feel they aren’t in a safe environment with their superiors is to start small. “Simply recognize the answer you want to give and the answer you

think is the right answer,” he suggested. Then he said to offer both: the safe answer and the one that might be different than the way things have been done. “That way, you’re being respectful and acknowledging that you know the answer that is going to end up being the right one, but saying, ‘I think we could do better,’” he said. When talking about exceptional leadership traits, Perlman used the example of “Pep” Guardiola, considered one of soccer’s best players and coaches and the current manager of Manchester City. Perlman shared some of the methods Guardiola used to enable him to achieve excellent results. This included being clear on the team’s goals, deconstructing complexity for them to make the goals simple to understand and enabling excellence by setting and modeling the standards. Perlman also brought up the various types of conflict that can arise and are important to be aware of: 1)

When goal incompatibility exists

2) Differentiation among team members (for example, language, experience or expertise) 3) Task interdependence when people are required to work together

4) Limited resources, which can lead to restraints.

His advice is to do something that he called Flip The Script (FTS). “For people who work together regularly, as someone starts talking we tend to think we know where they are going and we can finish their sentence,” said Perlman. “We actually stop listening and we wait for them to stop talking so we can argue, contradict or correct them.” Instead, Perlman said to stop thinking and just listen. “If you think you know what they are going to say, don’t play that tape that is in your head; listen to the words coming out,” he said. Not only will this help an individual understand what they are going to say, but it will also minimize the risk of missing what they are talking See The Power of Leadership, Page 59

MAPLEWOOD TOYOTA

MAPLEWOOD SCION

• Large Inventory of Genuine OEM Parts • Exceptional Customer Service

• Call Us First For All Your Parts Needs • Competitive Wholesale Prices

Parts Dept. Hours: Mon - Thur: 7am - Midnight Fri: 7am - 5:30pm, Sat: 8am - 4pm

651-288-2525

Phone: Fax: 651-490-2652

Serving all of MN and Western WI 2873 N Hwy 61, Maplewood, MN 55109

Parts Dept. Hours: Mon - Thur: 7am - Midnight Fri: 7am - 5:30pm, Sat: 8am - 4pm

Phone:

651-288-2525

Fax: 651-490-2652 Serving all of MN and Western WI 2873 N Hwy 61, Maplewood, MN 55109

autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Day Job/Night Job with Ed Attanasio

Dylan Maki Has Real Fish Stories to Tell When Dylan Maki, VP at Maki Body & Glass in Grand Rapids, MN, isn’t landing big DRPs or luring in body repair work by stressing quality and top-notch customer service, he is a professional fisherman who competes in large tournaments nationwide. As Dylan, 25, continues his legacy by taking over the family shop from his father, Brian, who’s preparing to retire, he focuses on his career in collision repair, but he’s also crazy about fishing and the challenges it presents. Earlier this year, Dylan and his fishing partner, Joe Bricko, won the Minnesota State Fishing Championship on Lake Vermilion, which enabled them to compete in the 2018 AIM National Championship Shootout on June 1–2 on Chippewa

Dylan Maki, VP at Maki Body & Glass in Grand Rapids, MN, is a professional fisherman when he’s not running his family business

Flowage in Wisconsin. Only the best anglers out of three states— Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota—get to compete in the AIM Nationals, Dylan said. “They pick the top 10 in each state and by winning the state tournament, we qualified for the championship, and that’s where we wanted to be,” he said. “If you want to be a respected tournament fisherman, you have to get in this one because only 30 boats compete, but there are some of the best fishermen in the country there.” Finishing third in the AIM Nationals, Dylan and Joe caught a total 42

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

of 24.5 lbs. while the winning duo to be ahead of the game too because landed 32.49 lbs, which means that the competition is the best in the Dylan and Joe were only one big fish country. We prepare by getting out away from winning it all. there on the lake before the event to “First prize in this tournament is a new $50,000 fishing boat, and then it’s door prizes for the other top finishers” Dylan said. “It was good to get out there and compete, but you always want to win, obviously.” Chippewa Flowage’s third-largest lake is known as a “walleye factory”—a fish that Dylan has been pur- Dylan and his fishing partner, Joe Bricko, finished third suing relentlessly since he in the 2018 AIM National Championship Shootout on June started angling as a young 1–2 on Chippewa Flowage, WI. Here, the pair poses with Dylan’s parents, Kelly (far left) and Brian (far right) child. “Walleye fishing is challenging practice (also called ‘pre-fishing’) because they’re very versatile,” he and really study the conditions and said. “They can be found in deep where the fish hang out during cerwater and shallow water and know tain times of the day.” how to use infrastructure like trees, Collision repair done right reroots, aquatic plants—you name it. We are always looking at the walleye’s behavior to find out where it might be and learn more about the fish, but they’re unpredictable in many ways. Chippewa is also a very interesting lake that is 10 miles wide in many places with lots of tiny channels, little bays and small islands.” There’s a lot going on for Dylan when he’s not chasing walleye because Maki Body & Glass is always busy. Dylan multi-tasks and steps in when needed. “I’m head estimator and production manager, but when things get jammed, I’ll jump in and help with the production by fixing a bumper or whatever else it takes,” he said. Dylan’s grandfather, Rayno Maki, started the business in 1952, back when the average repair was roughly $350. Today, his grandson knows that to repair today’s vehicles correctly, it comes down to continual training and preparation—just like tournament fishing. “We stress training in a big way, so everyone here is I-CAR-certified because we always want to be at the forefront of this industry,” he said. “With tournament fishing, you have

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

quires an eye for detail and a passion for the art of returning a vehicle back into its pre-accident condition. Fishing requires similar skills, and that’s why Dylan loves both activities, he said. “I get satisfaction from both, and that’s why I love doing them. Doing a good job on a customer’s car is like catching a big fish!” he said. After finishing in third place at AIM National Championship Shootout, Dylan wants to compete again in 2019 and take the top prize home this time. “We are going to have to get better before then so that we can qualify again,” he said. “Right now we are ranked ninth out of 100 boats in Minnesota, but they only take the top five for the Shootout. We will need to have a few really good days to move up, but we’re pretty confident and there’s still plenty of time left.”

Your #1 Source

for Collision Wholesale Parts in Ohio

CLASSIC CHEVROLET

ยง Comprehensive Inventory of High Quality Genuine OEM Parts in our 70,000 sq/ft warehouse ยง Fleet of 23 Wholesale Delivery Trucks ยง Competitive Discounts on all GM Parts including: Buick, Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC Truck, Hummer & Pontiac

800 -951-7282 800-951-7282 24-Hour Toll Free Fax

PARTS DEPT HOURS: M-F 8am-6pm; Sat 8am-1pm

800-352-7275

6877 Center Street // Mentor, OH 44060 autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

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

To Facebook or Not? Answers From Experts for Body Shops People started jumping off the Facebook bandwagon after it was revealed that Cambridge Analytica was allowed to “harvest” user data without consent from Facebook users, compromising their personal data. Others are gravitating away from social media overall for many reasons and concentrating more on things such as blogs, email newsletters and other forms of original content to attract customers. But, for collision repairers, many have stayed put because Facebook is still a great way to promote their businesses. So, we recently asked Nick Schoolcraft, president at Phoenix Solutions Group, and Angel Iraola, owner of Net Business Consulting & Solutions, if body shops should still utilize Facebook and how to use it for optimum results. ABN: Should body shops still believe in Facebook, even though it has lost momentum recently due to the data breach?

Schoolcraft: The short answer is yes, and the main reason is that today’s consumer has become accustomed to living in a world of increased transparency. As unfortunate as these breaches are to our level of trust, consumers continue to interact with brands even after a breach has occurred. While trust has always been a commodity that is hard to come by, it’s important to understand the way Facebook approaches businesses vs. personal profiles. A personal profile represents you as a human being, while a business page represents your business. However, to have a business page you are required to have a personal profile to manage it. What is important to note is that Facebook cares more about the personal profile data than the data on the business’s page. Most shops don’t realize there is a difference between a profile and a page. This is why it’s critical to seek out an organization that understands the difference between the two and partner with them when diving into the digital marketing space. 44

Iraola: We have changed our customers’ approaches on Facebook and now are relying on other forms of social media as part of a marketing mix, but Facebook is here to stay and a necessary part of any plan we devise for body shops. Some consumers quit using Facebook initially after the breach, but many of them have returned based on our research. They were skeptical about Facebook but later realized that it was still the best way to connect with their friends and associates and find businesses and services quickly and easily. In the meantime, we are adding Instagram and LinkedIn to our marketing plans for our body shop clients, and both are working well. ABN: Maybe the question rather should be “Is Facebook (or any other social platform) the correct platform for your shop?”

Schoolcraft: Exactly. The focus should be placed on better understanding how social platforms can reaffirm your organization’s trust with a collision repair customer. By having a full understanding of which platforms work best for you, your shop will be able to use these tools to attract new customers and deliver growth to your business. Therefore, it is vital that body shops rethink their social strategy and begin developing social media content that is rooted in customer insights [and] aligning with their needs while further accentuating the shop’s customer-first mindset. Unfortunately, shops often misuse channels like Facebook by focusing solely on driving conversions (sales), rather than what the platform was initially intended for: community engagement. Consumers have begun to blur the lines between industries, meaning they expect the simplicity and convenience they encounter in one experience to apply to every experience, regardless of the difference in industries. Because of this, it’s vital that your brand has a presence on the channels that your prospective cus-

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

tomers use. And how you approach your activity on these channels is critical.

Iraola: Some shops are perfect for Facebook, because they support it through their in-house efforts and have a lot of things to post. They perform a wide range of community-related activities and are proactive with their philanthropy and maintain a blog that is connected to Facebook, so they’re posting new items all the time. We also suggest that they purchase Facebook advertising on a regular basis in order to get their name out in front of more people. Some shops think that all they need to do is establish a Facebook page and hope that people will find it on their own, but from our experience, it does not work that way. For a very small amount of money, they can get in front of a significant amount of

their current and potential customers in a highly focused and targeted way. You can specify users in a tight geographic area based on their interests, etc., so you don’t have to take a shotgun approach, which leads to more engagement, and you pay only for those people rather than people who may not be in your market. ABN: So, the days of businesses posting cute videos and funny photos on Facebook are over?

Schoolcraft: Yes. We have learned that collision facilities should not use Facebook as a tool to showcase their comedic talent or to share recipes, but rather as an outlet to provide information on how they can serve their community, as well as incorporating the differentiators a shop has over its competitors. The reason for See To Facebook or Not?, Page 55

HYUNDAI

C Collision

PARTS

Collision Parts

• Experienced Parts Team • Wide Delivery Area • Large Inventory • Genuine Hyundai Parts • We are in the Hyundai Go Genuine™ Collision Conquest Program

Parts Number:

773.889.3070

24-Hour Fax:

Parts Hours: 8am - 5pm Mon - Fri

773.413.3008 mcgrathcityhyundai.com

hyundaiparts@mcgrathcity.com

6750 W. Grand Ave. / Chicago, IL 60707

Laurel Auto Group of Westmont Accidents Happen

Laurel BMW of Westmont

Insist on Original BMW Parts and Accessories www.laurelbmw.com

(630) 654-5400

Laurel BMW of Westmont 430 E Ogden Ave., Westmont, IL 60559

www.laurelbmw.com

• Two Deliveries Daily • 17 Delivery Trucks

Truth in Engineering

Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-3

Phone: (888) 545.6900 Fax: (630) 655.5999

Audi Genuine Parts

Large Inventory of OEM Parts Quick, Courteous Service Knowledgeable Staﬀ Audi Westmont 276 E. Ogden Ave., Westmont, IL 60559 Parts Direct: (630) 230.2222 / Fax: (630) 655.5750 Hours: M-F 7-6 / Sat 8-4 www.audiwestmont.com

Mercedes-Benz of Westmont • Large Inventory • Exceptional Service 200 E. Ogden Ave Westmont, IL 60559 www.mercedesbenzofwestmont.com

Phone: Fax:

(630) 654.1039 (630) 654.8167

GENUINE PARTS

Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-4 autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Good News: Your Tesla Model 3 Is Finally Ready. Bad News: It May Take Weeks To Get It Serviced by Russ Mitchell, The San Diego Union-Tribune

As Tesla ramps up its Fremont, CA, factory to escape what Elon Musk called “production hell” with its new Model 3 electric sedan, some customers are enduring their own state of suffering trying to get Teslas serviced.

Tesla service center in Costa Mesa, CA Credit: Allen J. Schaben, Los Angeles Times

Parts shortages, long repair delays and problems getting through on customer help lines have led to scenes of strife at Tesla’s service centers. At the entrance to the company’s Dublin, CA, center recently, an agitated Model X owner was trying to drop his SUV off for repair. A Tesla service agent said he couldn’t leave the car there because the facility was too busy. He could make an appointment to bring it in another time, maybe in a couple of weeks. “But I don’t want to drive it!” said Kaushal Bhaskar, a software engineer from nearby San Ramon who complained he sometimes couldn’t get the passenger door to open, while other times the door would open up all by itself—including once on the Interstate at highway speeds. “This is a safety concern for me!” Another service rep was assisting Mike, the owner of a red Model 3 with door-lock problems who declined to give his last name. He’d lock the car, walk away, and it would electronically unlock itself. That caused him to alter his vacation plans. “I couldn’t take it to Yosemite like that,” he said. The agent said Mike would have to leave the car there awhile: “The amount of cases I’ve got right now is unbelievable.” Service complaints are common at traditional automobile dealers, of course—even for new cars. But weeks-long waits for basic auto repair are rare, and months-long waits 46

for body parts are practically unheard of for all but the most exotic vehicles because spare parts from automakers and after-market manufacturers are stocked in inventory. Spare body parts for repair almost always are made by the original manufacturer, said Bill Hampton, editor of the industry trade publication Auto Beat Daily. But, he said, it’s not surprising that such parts aren’t a top priority right now at Tesla. “When you’re making dramatic efforts to manufacture 5,000 [Model 3s] in one week, you sure can’t say, ‘Hey, some guy in Topeka needs a new hood. Too bad,’” Hampton said. The parts shortage goes well beyond California. In Norway, the third-largest market for Tesla cars after the U.S. and China, some customers told Norwegian media they have been waiting months on body parts for their damaged Teslas. Musk addressed the Norway problem on Twitter on July 5, saying “Norwegians are right to be upset with Tesla. We are having trouble expanding our service facilities in Oslo especially. Can solve quickly with Tesla mobile service vans, but awaiting govt permission to do so.” He has not addressed problems in the U.S. or elsewhere. The Times asked Tesla to make a service executive available to talk about what the company is doing to improve customer service, but it declined. Only Tesla knows the full extent of its quality problems. J.D. Power, which ranks initial vehicle quality, measures all mass-market automakers except Tesla, which declines to provide quality data requested by the market research firm. A Tesla spokesman said in a prepared statement that the company’s own global satisfaction scores for service are above 90 percent. A new parts distribution service was opened this spring in California, the statement said, and while “call volumes have increased dramatically due to the overwhelming excitement around the Model 3, this hasn’t impacted our ability to respond to emergency roadside events.” Tesla has “plans in place” to hire

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

more staff in customer support “in the event they are unable to find their answers” at Tesla’s support site “or in their Tesla account,” the company said. And it plans to open a large new

A tent outside the Tesla factory in Fremont, CA, was pressed into service to ramp up Model 3 production Credit: Bloomberg via Getty Images

service center in Oslo later this year. Tesla cars have topped Consumer Reports’ owner satisfaction survey for the last two years, the company noted. Jeff Klein, a publishing executive in Northridge, said the hood and front quarter panel on his wife’s Model S were damaged in a March accident. Four months later, the car is still parked at a Tesla-certified repair shop, waiting for parts, while Klein makes monthly payments on

the lease. Klein didn’t need a loaner vehicle. “The general manager said it could take several months, that Tesla didn’t seem to realize that their cars might get in accidents and they had no parts inventory,” Klein said. “Their parts are made to order, just like their cars.” On Tesla online forums, customers complain about long hold times on Tesla’s customer service phone line and waits of sometimes hours to check the status on a car delivery or repair, or to ask for a refund on a car deposit. Some report Tesla doesn’t get back to them at all. Mathijs Kok of Bueren, Germany, said the company promised by phone someone would return his call to correct a windshield problem on his new Model S. No one called him back. The next time he had a problem—this one with unresponsive roadside assistance—Kok emailed the company. He never heard back,

KELLY BMW

Original BMW Parts & Accessories Large Inventory Competitive Pricing Experienced Staff Phone: 614.471.2277

Parts Direct: 614.337.3090 Parts Fax: 614.476.2488

www.kellybmw.com Hours: M-F 8am-6pm; Sat 9am-2pm 4050 Morse Rd • Columbus, OH 43230

despite some follow-up reminders. Kok, who said he runs a customer support department at Aerosoft GmbH, a flight simulator software maker, called the email snub “nasty.” “The lack of callbacks was sloppy, almost certainly caused by too much work,” he said. “In a nutshell, it’s damned hard to get in contact and they have lacking procedures to make it possible for issues to be missed and not followed up in time.” Service problems are not new at Tesla. In August, the company’s president for sales, marketing, delivery and service, Jon McNeill, said on the Tesla Motors Club forum the company had “streamlined” customer service “to make contacting the right person at Tesla easier.” Six months later, McNeill quit Tesla to become chief operating officer at Lyft. In June, Karim Bousta, Tesla vice president of worldwide service and customer experience, left, as did David Erhart, senior director for reliability and testing. Tesla’s sales and service approach differs greatly from most automakers, which sell their cars to franchised dealers. Tesla owns and

runs retail sales and service operations on its own. The company’s 74 service centers in the U.S. are complemented by Tesla Rangers, a mobile service program that dispatches service workers to fix some cars on site. The company also has pioneered “over the air” updates, where software updates can be beamed to the car without having to bring it to the dealer. Tesla executives have said this approach lowers Tesla’s capital costs. But accelerating production— to 53,339 cars of three different models in the second quarter, up 55 percent from a year earlier and almost a five-fold increase from the same period in 2015—may be overwhelming Tesla’s service resources. Add to that the wide variety of Model 3 quality problems reported on Tesla customer forums, including broken glass, bad paint jobs, body panel gaps, dead batteries, wind noise, dents, scratches and software problems including door locks and weirdly behaving touch screens. Tesla has one of the most rabidly loyal customer bases of any automaker, of course. The same forums

Luther Bloomington Acura Our parts. Your peace of mind.

are peppered with praise for the cars and with Tesla service. And auto reviewers are near unanimous in their praise for the way the Model 3 drives. Consumer Reports relies on customer surveys for its own quality assessments. Mike Quincy, an automotive specialist at the research organization, called Tesla’s quality record “mixed.” “The good news is that the Model S has a new-car predicted reliability better than average,” Quincy said, referring to the mainstay Tesla sedan. “The bad news is that the Model X has proved far worse than average. Too few surveys have been collected yet to evaluate the Model 3.” If Model 3 quality proves subpar and service issues aren’t fixed, it could mean deeper trouble for Tesla as the company tries to go mainstream, according to Karl Brauer at Kelley Blue Book. Early Tesla buyers are “so in love with the car, they’d ignore things most buyers wouldn’t put up with, like delays for repairs or batteries that fail multiple times,” Brauer said. He suggested that Musk spend more time straightening out issues at

Tesla and less time on cave rescue operations or offering to fix water contamination problems in Flint, MI—Musk’s latest social cause. As the Model 3 broadens Tesla’s customer base, it may test the company’s “over the air” service model. At the Dublin service center, Bhaskar’s service rep said a review of his vehicle’s operational data, captured on Tesla’s cloud storage system, showed the door never opened by itself. “But I have seen it with my own eyes,” Bhaskar insisted. (The Times called the Dublin center three times to ask the service manager for comment. No calls were returned.) Bhaskar told the rep he’d take the car home and make an appointment, but wanted a written statement acknowledging the door safety problem. “We’re not putting this on paper,” he was told. “Here, that’s not the way business is done.” The issue was escalated, and after 45 minutes, Bhaskar was allowed to leave his car. He departed in a Mercedes-Benz SUV loaner. We thank The San Diego UnionTribune for reprint permission.

Luther Bloomington Subaru ER TER ENT YOUR SUBARU CAR PARTS CEN

800.451.5078 Toll Free 952.887.0600 Parts Direct 952.881.1787 24 Hour FAX parts@bloomingtonacura.com www.bloomingtonacura.com

• Free Local Delivery and Shipping • Experienced Parts Professionals • Extensive OEM Parts Inventory at Competitive Prices

PARTS DEPT. HOURS Mon. 6:30am - 6pm Tue.-Fri. 6:30am - 9pm Sat. 8am - 4pm 7801 Lyndale Ave. South Bloomington, MN 55420

Large Inventory of Genuine Subaru Parts Quality Tested Servic Dedicated Wholesale Staff Committed to Service Order Parts On-line 24/7 www.bloomingtonsubaru.com parts@bloomingtonsubaru.com

Luther Bloomington Subaru Hours: Mon: 6:30 - 6; Tue-Fri: 6:30 - 9; Sat: 8 - 4 7801 Lyndale Ave. South // Bloomington, MN 55420 Toll Free: Parts Direct: 24 Hr. FAX:

800-451-5078 952-887-0600 952-881-1787

autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

After the Donation: Retired Marine Pays it Forward as His Mission Continues by Ed Attanasio

Iraq War veteran Josue GuerreroUribe received a completely refurbished 2017 Hyundai Elantra from Allstate and Caliber Collision in Costa Mesa, CA, late last year as part of the National Auto Body Council (NABC) Recycled Rides™ program.

Retired Marine Josue Guerrero-Uribe received a 2017 Hyundai last year from Caliber Collision and Allstate as part of NABC’s Recycled Rides program, so that he could help others

A retired member of the Marine Corps Infantry, Guerrero-Uribe was nominated by The Mission Continues, a nonprofit organization that enables veterans to continue their service in the community through a wide range of philanthropic activities. With his Elantra, Guerrero-Uribe was able to help more people and pay the gift forward, he said. “When I saw that the people at NABC, Caliber Collision and Allstate were doing such a wonderful thing for me with this car, I knew that I had to use this vehicle to help others,” he said. “It was a blessing and unexpected, so I realized right there that I could use it to further my work with The Mission Continues.” Before he received the Recycled Rides vehicle, Guerrero-Uribe said he was spending countless hours on public transportation traveling to participate in his volunteering activities. “I was taking buses and trains to different events, and then one day I was standing there in the rain and the people at The Mission Continues asked me, ‘How did you get here?’” he said. “When I told them I didn’t have a car, they recommended me to the Recycled Rides program, and then one day I got the call.” Since then, he has logged hun48

dreds of hours to help build sports fields and schools and teach financial management and English classes at various schools and libraries to some of Los Angeles County’s poorest residents with The Mission Continues. Less than 20 years ago, Guerrero-Uribe’s situation was a lot different than it is today. “I enlisted in the Marines in December 2000 at age 23, and was stationed at Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, CA, and then things happened quickly after that,” he said. “I entered boot camp in January, graduated on Mother’s Day, graduated from infantry school on the 4th of July and then joined my platoon in August—all in 2001. And then 9/11 happened. Everything happened so fast; I never even got a chance to unpack my gear.” To prepare for the aftermath of 9/11, Guerrero-Uribe was sent to the Twenty-Nine Palms National Training Center for one year to get ready for the harsh conditions of Iraq. In March of 2003, he became part of the first invasion of Iraq, but prior to that he was sent to Kuwait to construct “Camp Commando” and its entire infrastructure. “We built everything there; you name it,” he said. “It was just sand when we got there. One day, I remember carrying sand bags up to a

tion with the First Marine Expeditionary Force (1MEF) and Regimental Combat Team-1 (RCT-1) became part of a combat team.

rero-Uribe said. “They told us that we did such a good job in Baghdad that they were attached to Task Force Tripoli to take down the palace,” he said. “We were the first people there, and it was an amazing and heartbreaking thing to see. Here was a huge palace with waterfalls, marble flooring and gold-plated toilets everywhere, and just right outside the walls there was so much poverty and starvation. So much excess while the rest of Iraq was suffering—it was a humGuerrero-Uribe is often interviewed as a spokesperson bling experience.” with The Mission Continues One day in Iraq, Guer“We were the first ones who rero-Uribe jumped off a truck with a went through the middle of Iraq and mortar on his shoulder, landing awkended up in downtown Baghdad,” he wardly and blowing out his hip. “Something in my leg popped, said. “We took over the U.N. building in Baghdad, and it was very exciting. but I just kept going and ignored it,” We were on autopilot at that point and he said. “When I got back to the states, didn’t even know what day it was, but I realized that something was really wrong with it.” we kept moving.” Guerrero-Uribe got his “five secThe next stop was Saddam’s See After the Donation, Page 55 palace in Tikkrit, North Iraq, Guer-

Richfield - Bloomington Honda

Guerrero-Uribe is a volunteer platoon leader with The Mission Continues, a national nonprofit that encourages veterans to continue their service in the form of volunteerism

sniper’s tower, and I thought, ‘Wow, we’re an easy target right now.’ We were the laborers and also did the security 24/7 at the camp.” When the official bombing on Baghdad began, Guerrero-Uribe and his platoon, (Weapons Platoon, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marines) in conjunc-

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

At Richfield - Bloomington Honda we maintain a comprehensive inventory of high quality, Honda Genuine parts. Our Honda Parts professionals are here to answer your questions. Overnight parts ordering available.

Parts Dept. Hours Mon.-Thu. 6:30am - 9pm Fri. 6:30am - 6pm Sat. 6:30am - 5pm Phone:

612.866.8197

Fax: 612.866.9915

Start something special! 501 West 77th St. • Richfield, MN 55423

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

Call Call Any Any of of These These Wholesale Wholesale Parts Parts Dealers Dealers Below Below Kentucky

Michigan

Missouri

Ohio

Don Franklin Buick GMC

BettenBaker Chevrolet Buick GMC

Bob McCosh GM

VanDevere Chevy

800-800-8071

800-362-9650

LEXINGTON

800-880-5020

859-263-5022 859-263-8527 Fax M-F 7:30 am - 5:30 pm Sat 8 am - 5 pm

aworkman@wgautogroup.com

Bob Hook Chevrolet

ALMA

888-229-2336

989-463-0456 Fax

M-F 7:30 am - 6 pm dsitts@bettenbaker.com

LaFontaine Buick GMC Cadillac

COLUMBIA

573-449-4103 573-441-5632 Fax

M-F 7 am - 6 pm Sat 7 am - 3 pm gmparts@bmcmail.com

Ohio

HIGHLAND

Classic Chevrolet 800-951-7282

M-F 8 am - 5:30 pm bmaberry@bobhook.net

734-793-6000 734-793-1101 Fax 734-793-1102 Fax

Indiana

Minnesota

Schepel Buick GMC

Mills Parts Center

800-588-7757

800-247-1158

LOUISVILLE

800-274-4665

502-499-0917 Fax

MERRILLVILLE

219-769-7757 219-755-0339 Fax M-F 7:30 am - 5 pm parts@schepel.com

877-552-2580

WILLMAR

866-235-6700 Fax M-F 8am - 5:30pm

Rosedale Chevrolet ROSEVILLE

Iowa

Shottenkirk Automotive FORT MADISON

877-310-0513

888-945-3729 Fax

M-F 7:30 am - 5 pm gmparts@shottenkirk.com

800-247-0585

651-639-2120 651-639-2192 Fax M-Th 7 am - 8 pm F 7am - 6pm Sat 8 am - 4:30 pm rosedalechev.com

MENTOR

800-352-7275 24-HR Fax M-F 8 am - 6 pm Sat 8 am - 1 pm

Jake Sweeney Chevrolet CINCINNATI

513-782-2829

513-782-2846 Fax

M-F 7:30 am - 6 pm Sat 8 am - Noon jakesweeneychevy.com

Sweeney Chevy Buick GMC

AKRON

330-836-4064 330-836-4074 Fax

M-F 7:30 am - 5:30 pm chevyparts@vandevere.com

Joseph Chevrolet CINCINNATI

800-752-1423

513-741-6735 513-741-3814 Fax

M-F 7:30 am – 5:30 pm Sat 7:30 am – Noon josephgmparts@yahoo.com

Wisconsin

Ivan Gandrud Chevrolet GREEN BAY

800-242-2844

920-468-3658 920-468-3673 Fax M-F 7 am - 7 pm Sat 7 am - 2 pm parts@gandrud.com

YOUNGSTOWN

800-476-0760

330-726-2297 330-726-0709 Fax

M-F 7 am - 5 pm mattf@sweeneycars.com

autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

The Complexities of Truck Collision Repair by Susan L. Hodges, Transport Topics

Heavy-duty collision repair is becoming increasingly complex due to a variety of factors, including the conversion from steel to aluminum bodies, the changing componentry and design of trucks and the proliferation of onboard sensors. This added complexity is causing more fleets to consider outsourcing this type of specialized work, industry experts said. “It’s almost like repair shops have to be not only experts in repair, but in finding the repair information, depending on the year, make and model of the truck,” said Joey Fassett, general manager at Al’s Automotive and Truck Service Center in Exeter, N.H. On a typical day when a collision job rolls in, Fassett’s team does an inspection to identify all parts that may have been impacted. “Then we find out what pieces have to be replaced, what work must be done, and everything that goes into it for the insurance estimate,” he said. As Fassett’s team identifies the components, they also plan how to put them back together. “We have to follow all the specs required to make the truck roadworthy again so that everyone is safe,” he said. “Those specs are whatever research and due diligence repair shops do to ensure they’re addressing the right systems, using the right parts and materials, and following procedures in a way that conform to the initial integrity required of each component,” Fassett said. Jim Kolea, president of PennFleet Corp., a collision-repair company in Boothwyn, Pa., cites an example highlighting the importance of accurate repair. “Think about all of the sensors in a truck with crash-avoidance technology,” he said. “If any of those sensors are out of alignment by even one degree, it could cause an accident.” As for one large fleet, PepsiCo Inc. “does not own a body shop,” said Lee Kirby, senior fleet manager at the White Plains, N.Y.-based private fleet operator. “All of our equipment that has body damage is outsourced, and we have many shops we use at different locations we handle.” 50

PepsiCo has about 20,000 heavyduty trucks, Kirby said. “The big item we look for in collision repair is turnaround time or the amount of down time. Other than that, we are agnostic on how repairs get made.”

to be certified to weld on aluminum fleet sends all of its body work out. “We have enough problems get- ladder trucks, and you have to be reting all the mechanical done,” he certified every year.” Adler used to take collision-resaid. Colerain has 14 specialized pair jobs to a nearby truck dealership. heavy-duty vehicles in its fire depart- “But they didn’t know how to do alument alone, including lad- minum,” he said. He subsequently der trucks, pumpers, tankers visited several local repair shops, talkand a decontamination unit. ing to shop owners and examining the “All of our fire apparatus work being done. When a light-duty pickup truck is made of aluminum, and that takes special knowledge ran into a Colerain firehouse in June to repair,” Adler said. “Alu- 2013 and hit a pumper truck so hard minum is not only lighter that it moved the vehicle three feet and lasts longer than steel, it and caused $30,000 in damage, Adler behaves differently,” he said, had it towed to a shop that he now works with regularly. “This shop is noting that aluminum corChris Sterwerf and his father, Dennis Sterwerf, founder of Fairfield Auto and Truck Service, stand next to their rodes rather than rusts and second to none, and that truck was shop's repair-planning computer Credit: Fairfield Auto and still out almost two months,” he said. has different bonding propTruck Service Meanwhile, Johnson Equiperties than steel so the repair Kolea compares the technology protocols are different. ment currently performs repairs on in heavy-duty trucks today to that in “If you’re bolting on a light with Leonard’s Express trucks involved in personal computers. “It’s changing steel screws, for instance, the screws collisions less than 500 miles from almost overnight, but no one is writ- should be stainless steel because Farmington. Work on trucks involved ing repair procedures. We need to stainless doesn’t rust,” Adler said, in more distant crashes is outsourced make sure procedures are out there.” adding that the screws must be coated to shops in those areas. To that end, Robert Braswell, with a sealant to maintain the bond. Now, however, Johnson Equipexecutive director of American Truck- “Welding on aluminum is different ment is building a collision repair ing Associations’ Technology & Main- from welding on steel, too. You have shop at Leonard’s Express. The new tenance Council, said two new TMC task forces have formed to address the issue. “One will deal with turning the wrenches—creating guidelines and best practices to improve safety, quality and reliability of service,” Braswell • Large Inventory • Genuine Chevy Parts said. • Exceptional Service • Ready To Serve You The other group will develop “a road map of steps in the business Hours: process, showing what a customer Mon. - Fri. 7:30am - 6pm should expect from the beginning to Sat. 8am - 12pm the end of the repair,” he said. FAX One maintenance director thinks 33 West Kemper Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45246 the guidelines are needed. “Most manufacturers have gone to composite plastic or fiberglass hoods, and the adhesives are different for each one,” said Kevin Adriaansen, director of maintenance for Leonard’s Express, a Farmington, N.Y.-based national truckload carrier with about 300 heavy-duty company trucks, and Johnson Equipment Sales and Service Inc., a sister company. “Aluminum is another challenge,” he said. “Some can be straightened, but www.jakesweeneychevy.com you have to watch how you heat it to straighten it. If a panel is compromised too much, you have to replace it.” Mike Adler, fleet manager for Colerain Township, Ohio, said his

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

From OEM to aftermarket, see all the Collision Parts we have to offer!

513.782.2829 513.782.2846

shop will house a paint booth and frame-straightening equipment, and employ up to six repair professionals. Adriaansen of Leonard’s Express said, “It’s being built to keep as much of the Leonard’s Express collision work in-house as possible, to turn the equipment around quicker and help control costs at the same time.” “With the addition of this shop, we’ll be able to do virtually all our repairs in-house,” he said. Johnson Equipment also does collision work for other fleets, and Adriaansen sees the trend increasing. “If you’re not going to do collision repairs internally, you need to partner with someone who’ll help you,” he said. “More fleets, especially larger ones, are doing this so they can get their equipment back on the road faster and mitigate some costs internally.” So quickly are the components and design of heavy-duty trucks changing that Chris Sterwerf, chief finance and operations officer at Fairfield Auto and Truck Service in Fairfield, Ohio, said large body shops are starting to em-

ploy full-time research-and-repair planners. “Traditionally, shops had one technician to handle a truck from beginning to end,” said Sterwerf. “But now the work is so sophisticated that you need an expert to disassemble and a repair planner to watch and work alongside with a computer, looking up repair information.” “Then the truck is passed on to a structure technician, then to the body department, then to refinishing, and then back to assembly to be put back together,” Sterwerf said, adding that ideally, the person who disassembled also performs the reassembly. Repair information can be hard to find, Sterwerf said. This is partly because manufacturers aren’t required to share it and partly because when the information is accessible, “it may be a lot of mechanical information but very little about collision repair.” Ted Burke, president of Dennis K. Burke Inc., a Taunton, Mass.based fuel distributor, said his company outsources all collision and body work to a network of vendors

scattered across the eight states on the fleet’s delivery route. “I think it’s more efficient to have this expertise outside,” said Burke, whose fleet operates 85 heavy-duty trucks. “We don’t have many accidents that require body work, so it’s not economically feasible for us to build up that kind of expertise inhouse. We only do maintenance work in our shop.” Sterwerf said that in his experience, “many fleets and dealerships don’t have body shops or have tried them and can’t sustain them.” “With the specialized equipment and the cost behind it — a frame machine can cost more than $200,000 and a paint booth can cost upward of $700,000 — you need a volume of work to substantiate those costs,” he said. Sterwerf also said fleets that do their own collision repair take on a lot of liability that can be diversified by outsourcing the work. “Because it’s hard to get repair information, you might not repair the vehicle properly, and that can come back to haunt you,” he said. Peggy Liao, a spokeswoman

for Decisiv, which develops software for the commercial vehicle market, believes fleets could benefit significantly from systems that streamline communication and collaboration between fleets and service providers. “By giving everyone in the service process visibility from beginning to end, you give all parties valuable information about how trucks behave and how to repair them, and you save time and money in the long run,” she said. Liao said Decisiv’s platform integrates with truck management systems to pull up a truck’s service history, warranties, repair notes and manufacturer details and put them all in one place. “And if a truck is broken down on the highway, the platform can gather the truck’s history and telematics information that’s entered into the system and tell you which dealers are nearby with availability of space, parts and technicians,” she said. Meanwhile, TMC’s task forces are starting their work. Sterwerf chairs the HD Collision Repair Guidelines task force. See Truck Collision Repair, Page 60

Infiniti of Naperville • Large Inventory • Wide Delivery Area • Free Local Delivery

• Experienced Staff Ready To Serve You • Competitive Prices

• Dedicated Parts Professionals

• Over $1,000,000 in

with 80 Years Combined Experience

Wholesale Parts Inventory

The Collision Parts You Can Trust Call Us Today for Genuine Hyundai Parts!

847-605-4055 Parts Direct 847-619-4511 Parts Fax

Direct Line:

www.patrickhyundai.com Parts Hours: Mon - Fri: 7:30-5:00

866-874-6346 Tom Ryan Wholesale Parts Manager

tryan@auto-plaza.com

1020 E Golf Road Schaumburg, IL 60173

Fax: 331-457-4661 Parts Hours: Mon. - Fri. 7am - 7pm; Sat. 8am - 4pm

1550 W. Ogden Ave. // Naperville, IL 60540 www.buyinfinitiparts.com

autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Trump Administration Seeks to Freeze Fuel Economy Standards by David A. Wood, CarComplaints.com

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have released their proposed vehicle fuel economy rule called the Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule for Model Years 2021–2026 Passenger Cars and Light Trucks. It’s the first step in setting fuel economy standards for 2021-2026 vehicles, standards much lower than those created by the Obama administration. According to the EPA, its April 2018 evaluation determined fuel economy standards should be revised for model year 2022–2025 vehicles because current standards are allegedly based on outdated information. The EPA claims it had no choice but to evaluate current standards because the Obama administration “short-circuited” the process and released its final emissions determination just days before leaving office. Now NHTSA and the EPA say they have had time to study the pros and cons of following current fuel economy standards and the available options included in the proposed rule. EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler said the most recent information and data were used to create a solution that will apply to all states, creating more “realistic standards” that “can save lives while continuing to improve the environment.” Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao also said the new rule creates more “realistic standards” that will bring “newer, safer, cleaner and more fuel-efficient vehicles” to the roads. NHTSA said a 2018 study shows the newest vehicles are also the safest compared to older models, with crashes in new models resulting in fewer injuries and deaths. According to the Trump administration, “correcting” current fuel economy standards will remove barriers that currently block consumers from buying new safer cars. NHTSA and the EPA claim current fuel standards are a contributing factor to the increasing cost of new cars that now average $35,000, and backers of the new plan claim keep52

ing current standards will add more than $2,300 to the price of a new car. EPA Assistant Administrator Bill Wherum said the Department of Transportation and the EPA estimate the proposed rule could lead to 12,000 fewer fatalities over the lifetime of vehicles built through 2029.

The proposal also claims other benefits of freezing fuel economy standards at 2020 levels, including a reduction of “societal costs” by $500 billion and savings of $253 billion from lower new car prices. In addition to the proposed ruling, the administration says California and states that follow it should not have the ability to set different fuel economy standards than federal rules. Current regulations allow California to set its own environmental standards and a state can choose to follow California’s laws instead of federal regulations. Wheeler said the rule will “create a 50-state solution that will enable more Americans to afford newer, safer vehicles that pollute less.” According to NHTSA and the EPA, the proposed rule will have a minimal impact on fuel consumption and the environment, but it’s estimated there will be a 2–3 percent increase in daily fuel consumption. As for the environment, the government estimates the following:  An increase from 789.11 ppm (parts per million) to 789.76 ppm in atmospheric CO2 concentration in 2100.  A 3/1,000 of a degree Celsius increase in global average temperature in 2100.

 A 8/100 of a percent increase in atmospheric CO2 concentration in 2100.

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

the proposal will cost the average family hundreds of dollars a year extra for gas, all while increasing air pollution. “The Trump administration’s proposal to slam the brakes on America’s successful Clean Car Standards is a massive pileup of bad ideas,” he said. And one Vermont driver chimed in when told of Trump’s estimates of savings with “societal costs” and administration claims about the minimal environmental impact. “It’s going to save $500 billion in ‘societal costs’? Well, I’d rather pay extra for a fuel efficient car versus one that gets 18 mpg but can order an iced mocha whenever I’m within two miles of a Starbucks. Meanwhile, VT just had the hottest July on record.” NHTSA and the EPA are accepting public comments for the next 60 days to listen to alternatives and ideas from U.S. consumers.

Both agencies also claim there will be no noticeable impact to net emissions of smog-forming air pollutants. Those estimates are allegedly based on an average fuel economy rating of 37 mpg for model year 2021–2026 vehicles, compared to the 46.7 mpg for 2025 under the current standards. As can be imagined, not everyone sees the subject in the same favorable light as the Trump administration. A group of 20 attorneys general say they will sue to prevent any drop in standards. “The Trump administration just proposed rolling back limits on car pollution. If the rule is finalized, our coalition of 20 AGs will go to court to put the brakes on this reckless and illegal plan,” said New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood. Underwood said weakening the standards will harm the health of children and seniors while increasing the cost of climate change for every state. Fred Krupp, president of the Environmental Defense Fund, said

We thank CarComplaints.com for reprint permission.

Genuine Nissan Parts

Genuine INFINITI Parts Call any of these following dealers.

Genuine Nissan and INFINITI OEM Wholesale Parts are Superbly Crafted to Strict Quality Standards.

NISSAN

MINNESOTA

Eden Prairie Nissan Eden Prairie

952-567-2150

(952) 567-2197 Fax M-F 6:30-7 parts@edenprairienissan.com www.edenprairienissan.com

INFINITI ILLINOIS

INFINITI of Naperville Naperville

866-874-6346

(331) 457-4661 Fax M-F 7-7, Sat. 8-4 www.buyinfinitiparts.com tryan@auto-plaza.com

GENUINE SERVICE & PARTS

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.

MICHIGAN Kia of Lansing Lansing

(517) 393-5700 (517) 393-6767 Fax

M-F 7:30am-6pm mattr@lansingisyoung.com www.kiaoflansing.com

MISSOURI Lou Fusz Kia St. Louis

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.

(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

*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 Matteson

(708) 720-8972 (708) 720-0657 Fax

IOWA

Kia of Des Moines Des Moines

(515) 727-1815 (515) 309-1412 Fax

M, W, F 6am-5pm Tu, Th 6am-7pm; Sat 8am-2pm jmihas@hawkinsonnissankia.com www.hawkinsonnissan.com/ez-parts

M-F 7am-6pm; Sat 7:30am-4:30pm parts@kiadm.com www.kiadm.com

Antioch

Wichita

Raymond Kia

(847) 395-3600 (847) 838-7997 Fax

M-F 7am-6pm; Sat 7am-2pm kweber@raymondchevrolet.com

KANSAS Midwest Kia

(316) 652-2960 (316) 652-2992 Fax

M-F 8am-6pm; Sat 8am-2pm wsturm@midwestkia.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

Suntrup Kia St. Louis

(800) 727-8496 (314) 815-3060 Fax

M-F 7am-5pm www.suntrupkiasouth.com

NO. DAKOTA Kia of Fargo

OHIO

Montrose Kia Sheffield

(440) 934-6699 (440) 934-5247 Fax

M-F 7:30am-6pm bgordon@gomontrose.com www.montrosekia.com

VanDevere Kia Akron

(330) 836-4064 (330) 836-4074 Fax

M-F 7:30am-5:30pm chevyparts@vandevere.com www.vandevere.com

WISCONSIN Bergstrom Kia of Appleton Appleton

(920) 993-3000 (920) 749-1588 Fax

M, Tu, Th, F 7am-6pm; W 7am-8pm; Sat 8am-5pm anoldner@bergstromauto.com www.bergstromkiaappleton.com

Russ Darrow Kia of Waukesha Waukesha

(262) 896-1151 (262) 896-1188 Fax

Jeff.krueger@russdarrow.com www.kiaofwaukesha.com

Fargo

(800) 728-7601 (701) 282-5924 Fax

M-F 7am-5:30pm; Sat 8am-5pm

autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

What Is the Future for New, Used Car Sales Claims? by Susanna Gotsch, Property Casualty 360

U.S. auto sales for the first six months of 2018 were stronger than many analysts originally anticipated, but were driven in large part by growth in fleet sales while retail sales were essentially flat. Higher interest rates, some pullback by auto lenders, less consumer demand and higher gas prices were among the headwinds faced by the U.S. new vehicle market. However, it still managed to see an increase of 1.9 percent for the first six months of 2018 versus same period in 2017 (car sales fell by 11.8 percent, while light truck sales grew by 10 percent). Most new and used vehicles were financed, with average payments and loan term lengths hitting new highs, according to Experian’s “State of the Automotive Finance Market First Quarter 2018” report. Unfortunately, this means that many more people owe more money on their vehicles than they are worth, and the percent of new vehicle loans with negative equity also remains high, according to Edmund’s 2018 Automotive Industry Trends: Midyear Update. How will tariffs affect pricing? Growing issues with new vehicle affordability have been a key reason used vehicle sales have remained strong both in terms of volume and pricing. Despite significant increases in used inventory from large volumes of lease returns, wholesale and used vehicle prices have remained relatively stable, registering much smaller declines than many analysts had originally feared. The younger age and quality of vehicles coming back as lease returns have led to higher overall used vehicle transaction prices, which according to Edmunds.com, reached an average of $19.7K in Q1 2018 versus $16.7K in Q1 2013. The tariffs imposed by the U.S. on July 6 of this year and the threat of additional tariffs could drive up new vehicle prices even further, potentially slowing auto sales in the second half. The tariffs against China that went into effect in July add a 25 per54

cent border tax to Chinese-made vehicles made for U.S., and U.S.-made vehicles face a new 40 percent tariff in China. The U.S. is still working to determine whether it will impose tariffs on other countries, based on whether imports are threats to national security. About half of parts and vehicle imports come from Canada and Mexico, so any tariffs put on those countries could have severe impacts on U.S. auto sales. If prices on new cars are raised, more consumers might shift to the used market (annually only about 17M new vehicles are sold in the U.S.; in 2018 the U.S. is on track to sell 39.4M used vehicles)—where prices are already up due to more light trucks in the overall volume of lease returns into the used market. While analysts believe increases in new vehicle prices from tariffs won’t necessarily lead to an increase in used vehicle prices immediately, the tariffs would likely lead to lower depreciation rates for used vehicles, a factor that would lead to higher total loss vehicle values over time. Total loss vehicle values remain elevated so far in 2018, as the shift toward a newer, more expensive total loss vehicle population continues. Non-comprehensive total loss vehicle values are up over 3 percent for the four quarters ending Q2 2018 versus a year prior, and vehicles ages 0–6 years now account for 34 percent of total loss volume versus 29 percent in the four quarters ending Q2 2014. Total loss frequency also continues to rise, as the percent of total losses that were older than 15 years of age remains elevated at 15.4 percent, and among vehicle appraisals, total loss frequency increased across all vehicle ages.

Impact on Vehicle Repairs Vehicle repair costs also rose 3 percent in the four quarters ending Q2 2018, with the largest increases occurring among the newest vehicles. Growth in the number of labor hours per claim, the average hourly labor rate, the average number of parts replaced per claim and the average price paid per part are all contribut-

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

ing to higher repair costs overall. Volume share growth in segments like light trucks, European vehicles and newer model year vehicles where repair costs are higher are also contributing to higher cost overall. Yet while both repair costs and total loss costs continue to rise, the industry has begun to see a leveling off in claim frequency. The U.S. economy continues to be strong; unemployment numbers are at all-time lows, and the U.S. has seen registered vehicle counts grow again to nearly 1.3 vehicles per licensed driver, said Michael Wayland in his U.S. sales outlook on autonews .com. However, as growth in vehicle registrations has again surpassed overall growth in U.S. miles driven, the miles driven per vehicle (a proxy for “accident exposure”) have fallen, helping collision and property damage liability claim frequency to also taper. For example, repairable claim counts (excluding comprehensive)

for 2018 through June were up only 0.4 percent from the same period in 2017. Less severe winter and spring weather in many parts of the U.S. has also meant fewer overall losses. A comparison of the share of losses with primary impact of hail or water for the first six months of the year reveal a much smaller percent in 2018 versus several prior years. Comprehensive losses’ share of overall repairable and total loss claim counts fell in both Q1 and Q2 of 2018 compared to prior years. Assuming no major economic event, such as a full-blown trade war or recession, or no major catastrophe such as a Superstorm Sandy or Hurricane Harvey, data from the first six months of the year would suggest that 2018 will see little growth, if any, in accident and claim counts. However, given rising costs and repair complexity, both the insurance industry and collision repairers will remain under pressure to have the training and tools to operate effiSee Sales Claims, Page 61

Choose Original MINI Parts. ILLINOIS THESE DEALERS are GENUINE WHOLESALE PARTS SPECIALISTS.

Michigan

Sunshine Toyota

Patrick MINI Schaumburg 847-605-4055 (847) 619-4511 Fax Hours: M-Sat 8am-5pm

269-965-1000 BATTLE CREEK

269-441-1262 Fax M-F 7:30am-6pm jody@sunshinetoyota.com www.sunshinetoyota.com

Continued from Page 44

To Facebook or Not?

this is because social media is an element of the collision customer’s purchase journey and should be used that way—as a validating resource, rather than expecting it to be a conversion tool. While a well thoughtout and purposeful social presence can help in converting customers, it should not be considered this industry’s next silver bullet. It’s simply a piece of the overall marketing puzzle. Our research is further validated, as Facebook’s mission is “to give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together.”

Iraola: We tell our shop clients that they should still have fun with their Facebook pages, because people still expect that from Facebook to a degree. But, yes—if you post too many funny videos or other trivial content, you might lose your relevance. Keep in mind that collision repair is not an impulse buy and that most people don’t ever wake up in the morning thinking warm and fuzzy thoughts about the experience of getting into a car accident. Your image on any social media should be similar to that of an attorney, a bank or a school where transparency, honesty and full accountability are key, so always take the high road when you post anything on Facebook.

Nelson Glass Tools Announces New Glass Bot Quartermaster Tool

Nelson Glass Tools, manufacturer of Glass Bot Systems, announces the newest product to their line of tools, the Glass Bot QuarterMaster. This new tool mounts to the outside of the glass part and using a man-made filament, quickly cuts through the adhesive and datum pins. No damage to

paint or moldings for successful R & I’s. The QuarterMaster is simple to use and faster than other methods, and is available in November 2018. Nelson Glass Tools is a northern California based tool manufacturer, specializing in auto glass removal tools. For more information visit: www.glassbot.net.

Continued from Page 48

After the Donation

onds of fame” while deployed in Iraq when he and his platoon were featured in “21 Days to Baghdad,” a special produced by the National Geographic Channel. “I’m at the end of it, saying ‘Hi Mom,’ and celebrating while carrying a mortar,” he said. “So, that’s the proof that I was there.” When Guerrero-Uribe’s tour in Iraq ended and he returned to the states, he was suffering from clinical depression and PTSD, among other problems. “Being in Iraq was a huge rush all the time, so when I got home I couldn’t adjust to the 9-to-5 pace of everyday life,” he said. “I had lost my tribe, and I was lonely and became very isolated. I was hiding my pain with pain killers and started quitting jobs or getting fired.” In 2015, he checked into the West Los Angeles V.A. Hospital and started turning his life around. “It saved my life because I didn’t want to admit that I was damaged

Original Thought #78

YOU ONLY GET ONE CHANCE AT THE FIRST REPAIR. ILLINOIS

Laurel BMW of Westmont

Westmont 630-230-2890 Direct Wholesale M-F 7am-6pm Sat 8am-3pm www.laurelbmw.com

Patrick BMW

Schaumburg 847-605-4055 847-619-4511 Fax M-Sat 8am-5pm

INDIANA

Basney BMW

South Bend 800-274-8504 574-273-5075 M-F 7:30am-6pm parts@basneyimports.com www.basneybmw.com

KENTUCKY

BMW of Louisville

Louisville 502-499-4552 502-499-4476 Fax M-Sat 8am-5pm bmwparts@louisvillebmw.com

MICHIGAN

www.autobodynews.com

• Original BMW Parts & Accessories

Erhard BMW of Bloomfield

Bloomfield Hills 800-626-9787 248-642-0443 www.erhardbmw.com

Erhard BMW of Farmington Hills Farmington Hills 888-834-8635 248-699-3003

goods,” he said. “I was headed for a dark place and without the help, I might still be there. They enabled me to reset my life and understand all of the things that I was hiding from.” Today, Guerrero-Uribe uses his vehicle to deliver other veterans to volunteer at a wide range of charitable projects through The Mission Continues. “I load the car up with vets from the Hollywood Veterans Center, and we go out to places like schools to get our hands dirty and build things,” he said. “There is something going on pretty much every weekend, and it’s a team effort and great therapy.” To continue his mission, Guerrero-Uribe recently submitted a fellow Marine’s name for a car through the NABC Recycled Rides Program. “His name is Mathew Shepherd, and he will be receiving his car this month,” he said. “He hasn’t missed any events and is working on himself, so he is a perfect candidate for a car, just like I was!”

www.erhardbmwoffarmingtonhills.com

BMW of Okemos

Okemos 517-853-2600 517-853-2661 Fax M-F 7:30am-6pm mbedard@lovewhatyoudrive.com www.okemosautocollection.com

MISSOURI

Autohaus BMW

St. Louis 314-880-8426 314-880-8428 M-F 7am-6pm brian.fischer@bmwautohaus.com

autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Ford Commits to Spending $4 Billion on Autonomous Vehicles by Jessica Miley, Interesting Engineering

Ford has signaled its dedication to the development of autonomous vehicles by announcing its plans to spend $4 billion on the sector through 2023. The carmaker has created a Limited Liability Company (LLC) called Ford Autonomous Vehicles LLC, which will host the company’s self-driving systems integration, autonomous vehicle research and advanced engi-

Credit: Argo

neering, AV transportation-as-a-service network development, user experience, business strategy and business development teams. The $4 billion budget includes dedicating $1 billion to autonomous driving startup Argo AI. The new company will be based out of Ford’s

Corktown campus in Detroit, headed by Sherif Marakby. Marakby will report to a board of directors chaired by Ford’s executive vice president and president of mobility, Marcy Klevorn.

Argo AI To Help Take Ford Into the Autonomous Car Market Argo AI is the brainchild of former Google Self-Driving Engineer Bryan Salesky and former Engineering Lead at Uber Advanced Technologies Group Peter Rander. Ford’s involvement in the group has been public knowledge since February 2017. The latest announcement of additional funding and the formation of the LLC shows that Ford is ready to mean business when it comes to autonomous vehicles. Previous research into the technology was spread across departments, but this latest move to bring all the parts together shows that Ford is moving towards a vision of commercial deployment of autonomous cars. Ford Looks to the Future of Electric Autonomous Cars “Ford has made tremendous progress across the self-driving value chain—

Judge Finds Lousiana Collision Shop’s Business Practices ‘Unethical’ and Violation of UTPA by Staff, WBRZ

A judge has decided that a prominent capital area body shop’s business practices and advertisements

were in violation of the Louisiana Unfair Trade Practices Act. WBRZ first reported on a lawsuit filed back in May that alleged Owens Collision misrepresented the contract customers signed and held vehicles longer than necessary “to increase non-repair fees.” It also claimed that Owens marked up the

AUTOBODY

cost of parts and bills for unreasonable fees. Court records say Judge Todd Hernandez found the business’s refusal to allow customers to view their vehicles while in Owens’ possession “absurd, unethical, unscrupulous and has proven to be substantially injurious to its customers.” In response, the judge ordered that the business allow customers full access to their vehicles during regular business hours. He also said Owens was prohibited from misrepresenting the terms and conditions of its contracts in the future. The judge dismissed the individual claims filed against business owner Greg Owens. We thank WBRZ for reprint permission.

www.autobodynews.com

UPDATED DAILY

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

from technology development to business model innovation to user experience,” said Ford CEO Jim Hackett. “Now is the right time to consolidate our autonomous driving platform into one team to best position the business for the opportunities ahead.”

supply chain choreography and inventory leanness that rivals any industrial model in the world.”

Ford’s electric vehicle strategy includes making the charging process for electric vehicles effortless as well as rethinking car ownership models. Ford will also follow Tesla with over-the-air software updates to enhance capability and features of its vehicles as new software is developed. “The evolution of computing power and IT have helped bring great products to customers—from cars to tablets,” Hackett said. “We can now harness this technology to unlock a new world of vehicle personalization,

vehicle businesses. Detroit’s oldest neighborhood will see a new Ford grow out of a 1.2 million-square-foot space. Corktown is expected to house 2,500 Ford employees, most of whom will work in its emerging mobility team. In addition to being a space for Ford and its partners, the site will serve as a mix of community and retail space and residential housing.

Detroit’s Long Automobile History Will Continue With a New Electric Face Ford’s Corktown campus will become a hub for its electric and autonomous

“Ford has made tremendous progress across the self-driving value chain—from technology development to business model innovation to user experience,” — Jim Hackett

We thank Interesting Engineering for reprint permission.

Audi dealers strive to make you an Audi Genuine Parts fan.

Illinois

South Dakota

Audi Exchange

Audi Sioux Falls

Highland Park 847.432.5880 847.432.5708 Fax

Sioux Falls 888.540.6399 605.221.0550 Fax

gorejel@audiexchange.com

parts@grahamauto.com

Missouri

Ohio

Kansas City Audi

Audi Middleburg Heights

Kansas City 866.949.9500 Toll Free 816.941.4969 Direct 816.942.3156 Fax M-F 7am-6pm Sat 8am-5pm

Middleburg Heights 888.278.2400 216.898.5630 440.243.2795 Fax M-F 7:30am-6pm

cfowles@molleaudi.com

wholesaleparts@sunnysideauto.com

Continued from Page 38

John Eagle Decision

20% - 25+ employees

Survey Results For brevity, we are publishing overall shops (includes all responding shops), smallest and largest shops by employee count, shops with no DRP associations and those with the most DRP associations. Numbers reflect statistics prior to the John Eagle decision and after the John Eagle decision. What percent of the time did you look up and follow OE repair procedures? At the core of the John Eagle decision was whether or not the shop followed OE repair procedures. After some explanation, even a jury of laypeople understood the concept and the gravity of the situation. It seems that most of the rest of the industry did as well. On average, only 34.4 percent of shops used OE procedures 80 to 100 percent of the time prior to the John Eagle decision. After the John Eagle decision, the number roughly doubled for all categories except those with zero DRP programs,

who were using OE procedures more to begin with anyway. What percent of the time did you use new, OE parts for repair? Of course, the use of OE parts has been an issue since the 1990s; even more so now with the advent of OE position statements calling for their use along with proper repair procedures. Overall, those shops using OE parts 80 to 100 percent of the time took a sizeable jump from 29.7 percent to 41.1 percent. The largest jump, from 23.4 percent to 57.4 percent was in the 1—7 employees category. Typically, smaller shops have fewer or no DRP associations, so that is less of an issue for them. Plus, a smaller shop would have more to lose if it encountered a lawsuit of the scope of the John Eagle case. What percent of the time did you perform a pre- and post-diagnostic scan? Overall Shops 1-7 employees 25+ employees 0 DRP programs 7-10 DRP programs Prior JE Post JE Prior JE Post JE Prior JE Post JE. The concept of pre- and post-repair scans has been around for years, but has only come to the forefront in

Think Genuine Subaru Parts.

the last couple of years due to the expanded use of ADAS systems. Overall, the process of pre- and post-scanning has doubled recently. It is unclear if the John Eagle case had anything directly to do with this, but if nothing else, it has made shops aware that they are solely responsible for correct repairs and the consequences of not doing so can be dire. It is interesting to note that the 7–10 DRP programs category, having the lowest percentage of shops conducting preand post-scans, jumped dramatically from 14.3 percent of shops to 57.1 percent of shops conducting pre- and post-scans 80 to 100 percent of the time. It is unknown if payment (or not) by the insurance company for the pre- and post-scan operation was a factor. What percent of the time did you recalibrate those devices requiring recalibration based on a post-repair scan? Overall, this measurement took a sizeable jump from 53.8 percent of shops recalibrating 80 to 100 percent of the time to 77.7 percent. Again, one of the largest changes is the smaller See John Eagle Decision, Page 59

MINNESOTA

site Design and Social Media Program Review (Net Driven), Office Supplies Program Review (Kennedy Office), and Payroll Service Program Review (PrimePay). The afternoon will feature “Trends in the Aftermarket–Near Term and Long Term,” presented by Philip Atkins of Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA) as well as Roundtable Discussions facilitated by Atkins. On Saturday evening, AAAMS will hold its President’s Reception, followed by a banquet, awards Ceremony and AAMS Scholarship Live Auction. The conference will conclude on Sunday morning after breakfast with an inspirational message from Pastor Brett Myers of First Baptist Church. Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, visit www .aaamsonline.com/events.aspx.

www.autobodynews.com SOUTH DAKOTA

Courtesy Subaru

Direct (952) 887-0600

Mon-Fri 7:30-5:30; Sat 8-Noon parts@courtesysubaru.com

Bloomington

(952) 881-1787 Fax Mon 6:30-6; Tue-Fri 6:30-9; Sat 8-4 parts@bloomingtonsubaru.com www.bloomingtonsubaru.com OHIO

Brunswick Subaru Brunswick

Toll Free (888) 460-7080 Direct (330) 460-7080

(330) 460-7082 Fax Mon-Fri 8-6; Sat 8-4 www.brunswickautomart.com

The following dealerships are eager to serve your needs. Call your local Subaru collision parts specialist today!

Event Announcements

Luther Bloomington Subaru (800) 451-5078

We’re focused on getting you the Genuine Subaru Parts you need — fast and competitively priced. Put us to the test on your next Subaru repair or service job.

Continued from Page 31

Rapid City

(800) 658-3054

(605) 342-1178 Fax

WISCONSIN

Wilde Subaru Waukesha

(800) 903-2434

(262) 544-1913 Fax Mon-Thu 7-7; Fri 7-5; Sat 8-4 parts@gowilde.com www.wildesubaru.com

Ganley Westside Subaru North Olmsted

Toll Free (888) 850-0633 Direct (440) 788-7060

(440) 788-7085 Fax Mon-Fri 8-7 jtjoyce@ganleywestside.com

autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Continued from Page 24

Long Haul

ask for better. Helps you sleep at night.” They have many return customers, according to John. One of Ruth’s favorite aspects of the business is the customers. “We’ve been fortunate,” she said. She said her husband is extremely dedicated to customer service. “John loves working on cars and he is very customer service-oriented,” she said. “Car crashes, vehicle damage and mechanical repairs can be very disconcerting for people. John’s first concern is always for the customer’s safety and wellbeing.” Floyd’s draws customers from a 40-mile radius surrounding Emporia, John said. “It’s a small market,” he said. “You live and die off your reputation.” We thank Emporia Gazette for reprint permission.

BASF Brands Getting a Facelift

July 24, 2018 - BASF Automotive Refinish is updating its brand images, beginning with new product labels for productivity brand RM®, in Q3 2018. A newly designed logo for economy brand LIMCO®, as well as new labels for both Limco and BASF’s premium brand, Glasurit®, will follow later in the year. “As the world’s largest chemical company, our primary focus is on R&D and innovation,” said Marketing Director Dan Bihlmeyer. “We are also a twenty-first century organization, focused on leading edge facets of business from technology to communications to design. These new labels express BASF’s commitment to market leadership.” Glasurit’s newly designed labels are accompanying its 130th birthday in 2018 and R-M’s newly designed labels are arriving in time for its 100th birthday in 2019. For more information about BASF Automotive Refinish, visit www .basfrefinish.com.

Ford Has To Pay Nearly $300 Million Because Of Fatal Takata Airbags by Jay Traugott, CarBuzz

Although airbag supplier Takata has filed for bankruptcy, the after-effects of the fatal airbag recalls continue. According to Reuters, Ford has agreed to what’s described as a “socalled economic loss settle of $299.1 million.” This settled amount will

cover various forms of economic loss linked to the faulty airbag inflators, such as claims that vehicles were stated as being safe but really were not, and for cars that people had overpaid for despite the airbags. Many owners were forced to pay various out-of-pocket expenses. Ford isn’t the only automaker that agreed to a settlement, which has now climbed to a total value of around $1.2 billion. Other automak-

Uber Puts Self-Driving Cars Back to Work, But With Human Driver by Shelby Rogers, Interesting Engineering

After being pulled for several highprofile controversies and related deaths, Uber’s autonomous cars are coming back to roadways. Eric Meyhofer, head of Uber’s Advanced Technologies Group, announced in a recent Medium piece that its self-driving cars would return just four months after a fatal accident caused Uber to stop testing. “After the tragedy in Tempe, we launched a top-to-bottom review of our self-driving program with a focus on safety. Today, we are taking a first step towards bringing our selfdriving vehicles back to public roadways in Pittsburgh,” he wrote. Uber is implementing what’s called a Mission Specialist behind the wheel at all times. However, from Uber’s description, the “Mission Specialist” position just sounds an awful lot like any other Uber driver. The only difference is that this driver is behind the wheel of a car capable of being put into an autonomous mode. Meyhofer explained, “We’re starting with cars in manual mode with a Mission Specialist sitting be58

hind the wheel and manually controlling the vehicle at all times. Mission Specialists undergo extensive training to operate self-driving vehicles on our test track and on public roads. The Mission Specialist behind

Credit: UberATG, Medium

the wheel is primarily responsible for maintaining vehicle safety, while a second Specialist in the passenger seat will document notable events.” The company assured readers that they’ve done more than ensuring a human in the car pays attention to their surroundings. They’ve also added real-time driver monitoring to all self-driving vehicles that will send an audio alert to an inattentive Mission Specialist as well as another

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

person monitoring the vehicle’s performance. They added new collision avoidance systems that will remain enabled even when the car is in manual drive mode. Uber’s autonomous cars will also have a front tablet for turn-by-turn navigation with a reconfigured look to make sure it doesn’t distract anyone in the vehicle while the vehicle is in motion. “Self-driving technology has the potential to change how we move, reinvent how we design cities and save lives. We recognize our responsibility to contribute to this future, and the essential role that safety plays as we move forward,” Meyhofer wrote. The restrictions placed on the self-driving program seemed to come solely from the pedestrian death in Tempe, AZ, and government restrictions placed on the company in the wake of the accident. At one point, the fate of Uber’s self-driving segment seemed bleak. Arizona Governor Doug Ducey—the man who initially championed Uber’s self-dri-

ers include Ferrari, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Mazda, Subaru and BMW. The defective Takata airbags have been connected to the deaths of at least 23 people and more than 290 injuries worldwide. The exact problem with the inflators is that they can explode, flinging metal shrapnel at passengers’ faces. A total of 21 deaths took place in Hondas, while two happened in Fords. The settlement Ford agreed to with affected owners takes into account specifics like lost wages, child care costs and vehicle repairs. Ford will also offer free rental or loaner vehicles to these owners as they wait for the necessary repairs. As of July 18, a total of 30 million vehicles in the U.S. still require repairs. The Takata airbag recall was the largest safety recall in auto industry history, affecting roughly 100 million inflators among 19 major automakers. Takata’s bankruptcy happened back in June 2017, but not before it agreed to a $1 billion settlement with the U.S. Justice Department. We thank CarBuzz for reprint permission.

ving technology being brought to the state—banned the company from further testing. Shortly after, Uber fired its self-driving car operators in its Pittsburg and San Francisco locations. One element of Uber’s update seems to be in direct response to the events at Tempe—the driver tracking and alert system. While investigating the Tempe death, officials determined that operator Rafaela Vasquez looked down at her phone 204 times in order to watch television during a 43-minute test drive. The drive ended when Vasquez killed Elaine Herzberg after she stepped in front of the vehicle. The police determined Vasquez had enough time to avoid Herzberg had her eyes been on the road. We thank Interesting Engineering for reprint permission.

INSTAGRAM :

@autobodynews

Continued from Page 57

John Eagle Decision

shops, those with 1 to 7 employees, perhaps because they have the most to lose in a catastrophic lawsuit situation. Those shops with a large amount of DRP relations also had a large change, but only because they were recalibrating so rarely prior to October 2017. Here are some of the comments that accompanied the surveys Chris Norris of Weavers Auto Center in Shawneee, KS, said, “We need to stand up for the consumer that drives the vehicle. BTW we are the only ones!” Kime Collision of Standish, MI, wrote, “We have been doing this for years knowing that sooner or later everyone would have to. It looks like reality is finally catching up in our industry.” And then there was this anonymous word to the wise, “You have to be willing to let the vehicle leave if the Customer or Insurer is unwilling to repair the vehicle correctly.”

So… what can be said about the John Eagle decision and its effect on the industry? A year ago, many writers, consultants and pundits said it was a wake-up call for the industry. They said that shops had to pay more attention to OE procedures and proper repairs. If the above information, small sampling that it is, is to be believed, then it looks like not all, but many shops have “seen the light” and are using more OE procedures and OE parts. As for scanning and recalibrating, a recent CCC report of the first quarter of 2018 indicates a small increase in scans, less than what the above figures would indicate. However, CCC’s Susannah Gotsch is also quick to point out that just because there is no scan on the estimate, it doesn’t mean one wasn’t done. Will the swing to greater use of OE procedures be permanent? An educated guess says ‘yes.’ As long as technology continues to move forward and becomes increasingly sophisticated at a faster and faster rate, technicians will have no choice … if the car is to be properly and safely repaired.

Illinois

847-605-4055 847-619-4511 Fax

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

For Your Collision Job. Visit these Genuine Hyundai Parts Dealers:

Indiana

INDY HYUNDAI

Indianapolis 7101 E Washington St.

800-592-5170 317-536-1552 Fax

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

The Power of Leadership

about. If this can be accomplished, Perlman said the conversation becomes much different and usually is more effective. Wrapping up his presentation, Perlman highly encouraged everyone to connect with his or her most influential leader—let the person who had a significant influence on you personally and/or professionally know why they were influential and thank them. “If you have a chance to do it, make the phone call, shoot them an email or put up a Facebook post. Reconnect with them in some way,” said Perlman. “I’ve yet to be surprised or disappointed by their response.” For more information, email Ken Perlman: perlman@culturesync.net.

www.autobodynews.com GANLEY WESTSIDE HYUNDAI

Lexington 3340 Richmond Rd.

440-734-9375

888-823-7335 859-263-5020

Schaumburg 1020 E. Golf Rd.

Continued from Page 41

Kentucky

773-889-3070

PATRICK HYUNDAI

PARTS

1Collision also enters the Nashville, TN, market with Plan B Auto Body, owned by Steve Fishe. Fishe will also be rebranding his business, utilizing the 1Collision mark. In New Lenox, IL, Tom Anderson, who recently purchased Lincolnway Auto Body, will also rebrand with the 1Collision mark. In Rosemount, MN, Matthew Goebel, owner at Phil’s Auto Body, has become the ninth repair center to affiliate with 1Collision in Minnesota. Jim Keller, 1Collision president, stated, “As we move forward, it is exciting to see an interest from these quality shop owners to choose 1Collision to assist in growing their businesses.”

DON FRANKLIN HYUNDAI

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

COLLISION

The 1Collision Network has added its first East Coast location: Colonial Collision in Worcester, MA, owned by Joe O’Connell. Colonial has rebranded as 1Collision Worcester.

MCGRATH CITY HYUNDAI

Chicago 6750 W. Grand Ave.

The RIGHT

1Collision Network in MN, IL, MA, TN, Markets

859-263-8527 Fax

Mon-Fri 7:30am - 5:30pm Sat 8am - 4pm rogerwalker@donfranklinauto.com

Ohio

CLASSIC HYUNDAI 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

North Olmsted 25600 Lorain Rd.

440-686-3426 Fax

Mon-Fri 8am - 6pm joe.t@ganleywestside.com

JOSEPH AIRPORT HYUNDAI Vandalia 1220 W. National Rd.

877-864-0747 937-665-1773 937-665-1772 Fax

Mon-Fri 7:30am - 6pm Sat 8am - Noon gcaldwell@airhyundai.com

autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Nissan Recalls 105,000 Versas for Deadly Takata Airbags by David A. Wood, CarComplaints.com

Nissan is recalling about 105,000 Nissan Versa cars to replace frontal passenger Takata airbag inflators at risk of exploding. The metal inflators contain the explosive propellant chemical ammonium nitrate, which degrades over time. A small fender-bender can cause the airbag inflator to blow up and send shrapnel into occupants. Nissan says various areas of the U.S. are affected by the Takata recall. Model year 2011 Nissan Versas and 2011–2012 Nissan Versa hatchbacks are being recalled if they were ever registered in the following states: Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Nissan is also recalling certain

2010–2011 Nissan Versa sedans and 2010–2012 Nissan Versa hatchbacks that have ever been registered in: Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Nissan dealers will replace the front passenger airbag inflators starting in July 2018, but concerned owners may call Nissan at 800-867-7669. CarComplaints.com has ownerreported complaints about Nissan Versa cars and many other Nissan models. We thank CarComplaints.com for reprint permission.

FREE

4x Monthly E-Newsletter.

www.autobodynews.com

WAC Meeting Energizes Members by Chasidy Rae Sisk

On July 17, Women in Automotive and Collision (WAC) hosted a meeting at Automotive Technology in Fenton, MO.

A dozen people attended WAC’s July 17 meeting to plan for the group to attend upcoming industry events. Credit: WAC

According to WAC President Shelly Jones, “The meeting was energizing! I enjoy working with this group of people on our common mission. We share ideas, we laugh, and Continued from Page 51

Truck Collision Repair

“The goal is to improve safety for the driver, fellow motorists and 60

we get things done. “A dozen people attended the July meeting, including two new members: Amy Redfield of Redfield Collision and Avery Hodge from Original One Parts. We now have 16 members and seven corporate sponsors. WAC member Jim Earnest, Weber Chevrolet, provided a delicious dinner for the group.” The main focus of the evening was planning for upcoming events that WAC will attend. The group will have a booth at the V8TV Drive-In Cruise on August 16 at Sky View Drive-In in Belleville, IL. “WAC member Kelle Oeste, of V8 Speed & Resto Shop, suggested the event as a great opportunity for WAC to get the word out about the great career opportunities within the automotive and collision industries,” Jones said. “We will be hosting a coloring contest to engage the children and handing out information to

technicians,” he said. “The more we have in black and white, the better.” Fassett of Al’s Automotive and Truck Service Center chairs the HD Collision Repair Roadmap task force. Kolea of PennFleet Corp. is a

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

CREF Announces Fall Career Fair Schedule

The Collision Repair Education Foundation announced the fall schedule of career fairs for transportation students. The Collision Repair Education Foundation has partnered with the TechForce Foundation on high school and college transportation career fair events taking place this fall. The fall 2018 schedule includes: • St. Louis, MO (9/21) - Gateway Motorsport Park • Topeka, KS (10/11) - Washburn Institute of Technology • Whitestone, NY (10/16) Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association • Concord, NC (10/18) - Axalta Coating Systems Customer Experience Center • Columbus, OH (12/5) - Fort Hayes Career Center Companies interested in participating in one or more career fair events should contact Eckenrode at Brandon.Eckenrode@ed-foundation .org or 847-463-5244. Additional transportation career fair events will be planned for the fall 2018 school semester as well.

parents. This fun family event is being presented by V8TV. More information regarding this car cruise and movie night is available at www .v8tvshow.com.” WAC will also host a table at the Enterprise 2018 Golf Classic at Norwood Hills Country Club in St. Louis on Sept. 10. WAC Social Media Manager and Enterprise 01 Group Manager Tricia Belz provided this opportunity. Jones pointed out, “Many of the participants have a vested interest in the industry that we serve, so we hope to reach others that will join us in our mission. This will be a fun day of networking.” WAC’s next meeting will be held on August 21. More information about the group is available at https://www.facebook.com/groups/ wacstl/ (Women in Automotive and Collision) or on Instagram at WAC STLGROUP.

member of both.

Deadline for NABC Awards Nominations

The National Auto Body Council is reminding those interested in submitting nominations for the NABC Annual Awards Program of the upcoming Sept. 15 deadline. Nominations are being accepted in two award categories: • The Award of Distinction recognizes individuals who have gone above and beyond with their volunteerism, charitable and selfless acts of kindness and made a difference in changing and saving lives. • The Body Shop Image Award recognizes the most significant improvements made to a shop’s interior, exterior and operations and as a result, helped enhance the experience of the customer with the collision repair process. Online nominations for both awards are available online at NationalAutoBodyCouncil.org. For more information on the NABC Awards program, contact Peevy at marie.peevy@automotive trainingcoordinators.com or call 630-881-7945.

The Right Parts. A Perfect Fit.

Order Genuine Mazda Parts from these Parts Specialists in your area

OHIO

Brunswick Mazda Brunswick Toll Free

888-460-7080

Direct 330-460-7080 Fax 330-460-7082 M-F 8-6; Sat 8-4 www.brunswickautomart.com

CREF Announces New Board of Trustees

The Collision Repair Education Foundation announced the appointment of three new members to its Board of Trustees, including: Doug Irish, Fayetteville Technical Community College; Mark Helvenston, Insurance Auto Auctions; and Steve Schmidt, State Farm. Jeanne Silver, chair of the Foundation Board of Trustees, said, “We are pleased to welcome the new trustees to the Collision Repair Education Foundation board. The diverse viewpoints that come from a blend of industry segments add to our mutual efforts on behalf of the students and their schools.” Industry members interested in joining the Collision Repair Education Foundation’s roster of supporters to assist high school and post-secondary collision school programs and students should contact Director of Development Brandon Eckenrode at 847-463-5245 or Brandon.Eckenrode@ed-foundation.org

New PPG Videos Display Diversity Commitment

PPG has posted two new videos reinforcing its solid commitment to workplace diversity — a key element of the company’s core values and a priority across all PPG Industries’ business units. The new videos are the latest installments in PPG’s Success through Diversity program that focuses on diversity in the PPG workforce. The new videos, each two minutes in length, feature Automotive Refinish team members Cristina Fronzaglia-Murray, PPG director of customer engagement & communications, and Erin Detchon, PPG technical sales trainee, discussing their positive experiences at PPG. The diversity videos are available for viewing on the Automotive Refinish YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/user/PPG Refinish They join the previously produced Power of Diversity video. For more information about PPG, call (800) 647-6050 or visit www .ppgrefinish.com.

Ford Offering Dealers $1,000 for Every 2006 Ranger Fixed for Defective Takata Airbags by Jay Traugott, CarBuzz

Last winter, Ford issued a “do not drive” warning to owners of 2006 Ranger pickup trucks because of potentially defective (and fatal) Takata airbag inflators. A total of 36,330 of the trucks were initially issued the “do not drive order,” but this figure was later adjusted to 33,320. However, according to Automotive News and Ford spokeswoman Elizabeth Weigandt, the automaker has only repaired about 75 percent of the recalled trucks. Therefore, it has decided to take additional action in order to prevent drivers from experiencing possible serious injury. Ford is now offering its dealerships a $1,000 bonus for each Ranger they locate and fix. “We want to get to these vehicles as quickly as we can,” the spokeswoman said. “We just don’t [want] our customers driving these vehicles at all.” The Rangers affected by this recall were built from August through December 2005 at a now-closed Ford assembly facility in St. Paul, MN. At least two

deaths have occurred from the same production run of those Rangers, both of which involved a defective Takata-made airbag inflator. If you recall (honestly, how can anyone not), these defective inflators can explode in the wake of a frontal collision, sending metal shrapnel inside the vehicles’ cabin. The Takata recall was one of the largest automotive recalls in history. As one of the consequences, Takata itself filed for bankruptcy protection in 2017, but the damage was already done. Without question, Ford is doing the absolute right and responsible thing here. Instead of hoping nothing bad happens, it’s taking direct action by offering its US dealerships some cash incentives. So if you or anyone else you know happens to own any of these affected Rangers, please get in touch with your local Ford dealership, who will be more than happy to give you instructions about what to do next. We thank CarBuzz for reprint permission. Continued from Page 54

CREF Seeking Back-toSchool Donations

OHIO

SOUTH DAKOTA

Brunswick Volkswagen Brunswick

Graham Automotive Sioux Falls

Toll Free: 330-460-7080

888-540-6399

Direct: 330-460-7080 Fax: 330-460-7082 M-F 8am-6pm; Sat 8am-4pm

Fax: 605-221-0550

www.brunswickautomart.com

parts@grahamauto.com

The Collision Repair Education Foundation is inviting the industry to help ensure high school and college collision instructors have a great start to their fall semester by donating tools, equipment, consumables and other items. Items in need for donation for collision school programs include (donations are tax-deductible through the Collision Repair Education Foundation): Supplies (sandpaper, masking tape, primer, paint, etc); Spare parts (fenders, bumper covers, etc.) for practice; Technician uniform sponsorship to promote professionalism; Used laptops/tablets for estimating classes; Safety equipment (respirators, safety glasses, etc.); Floor and wall paint sponsorship to help ensure the program looks professional for current and future students. Companies interested in donating and/or sponsoring items to local high school and college collision school programs should contact Brandon Eckenrode at Brandon .Eckenrode @ed-foundation.org or 847-463-5244

Sales Claims

ciently and effectively. Susanna Gotsch is director and industry analyst for CCC Information Services Inc. Contact her at sgotsch@cccis.com. The information and opinions presented are for general information only, are subject to change and are not intended to provide specific recommendations for any individual or entity. This article was originally published on PropertyCasualty360.com. Copyright (c) ALM Media Properties. All Rights Reserved. Republished here with permission.

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR

YOUTUBE CHANNEL:

Autobody News

autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

AUTOBODY MARKETPLACE

Stop wasting valuable time looking for cardboard or cleaning mixing boards!

Clean Sheets® Mixing Boards are used by thousands of repair shops to mix epoxies, body filler, fiberglass, plastics, gel, putty and touch-up paint. • Prevents costly reworks • Bonded on 3 sides • Non-absorbing, heavy-duty paper with grip for mixing • Pays for itself the first week you use them!

Clean Sheets® “The Original Patented Mixing Pad

Since 1988”

Call your local Jobber or: 800-365-1308 www.cleansheetsmfg.com

R E K C A R LYC

The Secrets of America’s Is noblwe for aila Greatest Body Shops avpurchase!

Waterborne Wax and Grease Remover SINCE 1985

Available from YOUR local Jobber or CALL: 973.335.2828 FAX: 973.402.7222 polycracker@netscape.com

by: Dave Luehr and Stacey Phillips

The Book That Will Challenge Everything You Know About the Collision Repair Business. Order your copy today and join the Body Shop Secrets community!

AUTOBODY

www.autobodynews.com

www.bodyshopsecrets.com

Looking for Good Collision Personnel? •1,262 Collision Techs resumes online •1,295 Painters resumes online •1,177 Estimators & Mgs resumes online •11,256 Mechanical Tech resumes online

ACTautostaffing.com or 727-733-5600

For more information, contact the authors at info@bodyshopsecrets.com

When all you need to do is move a vehicle, use:

> EASY TO USE <

SAVES YOU TIME AND MONEY

Go to www.forkliftwrecker.com and watch our video.

877.593.6959

Call or e-mail now for rates: 800-699-8251 or ltedesco@autobodynews.com 62

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

FREE

4x Monthly E-Newsletter.

www.autobodynews.com

autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com