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Couple Injured in Honda Fit Case Awarded $31.5 M from Shop, Tracy Firm Resumes State Farm Lawsuit by Ed Attanasio

On Oct. 2, a Texas jury found that John Eagle Collision Center’s improper repair was liable for the severity of the crash of a 2010 Honda Fit, awarding the injured couple $42 million in damages, but assigning 25% blame to the driver of the other vehicle, a 2010 Toyota Tundra, leaving the shop responsible for 75 percent of the couple’s injuries, and owing approximately $31.5 million under the verdict. Attorney Todd Tracy, who represented plaintiffs Matthew and Marcia Seebachan, was pleased with the award and not at all surprised with

the result. “I think it was vindication for the Seebachans in many ways,” Tracy said. “Once the jury weighed all of the evidence and went through the testimony, they could clearly see that most of the liability rested with the body shop. One of the more influential members of the jury said that John Eagle Collision Center made a business decision when they glued the roof instead of welding it on the Honda Fit. She concluded that since it was a bad decision, the shop had to pay for it and the award indicates that thinking.” See $42M Verdict, Page 21

The New Car Paint Lexus Spent 15 Years Creating by Richard Aucock, Motoring Research

Lexus has launched a new color called Structural Blue—after spending a staggering 15 years developing the paint technology behind it. However, painting cars with it is so complex,

only two Structural Blue cars a day can be made. The firm has been working for the past decade and a half with a specialist company in California to invent the new paint. VIAVI Solutions Inc. is an expert in thin-film optical coatings, and has helped Lexus take the Structural Blue color into production. Originally shown as a concept, the first iteration of the color was made up of no fewer than 40 layers. The two companies reduced this down to seven layers, which are ap-

VOL. 7 ISSUE 2 NOVEMBER 2017

Texas Shops Speak Out Against Photo Estimating by Chasidy Rae Sisk

Since insurance companies began utilizing cell phone apps for photo estimating a few years ago, it has become a topic of great concern among many collision repair professionals.

Although the insurer estimated repairs on this 2015 BMW at $1,044.19, shop manager Chad Kiffe predicts the repair will cost over $7,000

Although insurers claim that photo estimating is more convenient for consumers, collision repair indus-

try leaders have predicted that the short-term convenience may be negated by additional time required for supplements, as well as the potential for consumers to receive less money for diminished value than they’re owed. Now that they’ve been involved with this process for some time, shops in Texas are finally speaking out about how photo estimating impacts the repair process and the consumer experience. Chad Kiffe, General Manager for Berli’s Body & Fine Auto Finishes, says, “Photo apps allow the consumer to start their claim faster without the need to go to a shop for an estimate. This is a big plus for consumers when considering the value of their time, but photos very rarely show the extent of damages due to numerous reasons, resulting in poor estimates. This causes unnecessary delays since most photo See Photo Estimating, Page 28

See New Car Paint, Page 26

An estimated 33,000 Harvey-damaged vehicles are being stored at the Texas World Speedway. TWS is located on approximately 400 acres with direct access to Highway 6 south of College Station, Texas. The vehicles there are estimated to be about 10% of the total vehicles damaged

Change Service Requested

P.O. BOX 1516, CARLSBAD, CA 92018

Presorted Standard US Postage PAID San Bernardino, CA Permit #2244

2 NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Notorious Market for Counterfeit Auto Parts . 60

AASPI Elects 2017-2018 Officers . . . . . . . . . 15

BASF Supports Young Spray Painters as a

AASP-MO Members Meet in September . . . . 10

Both Hurricane Irma and Harvey Damaged

AASP-MN Fall Programming Line-Up . . . . . . . 9

ASA-OH Members Learn to Communicate with

Insurance Appraisers and Limit Liability . . . 6

Auto Body Xperts opens in Zeeland, MI. . . . . 22

CARQUEST Trains ASA-Midwest on ‘The

Future of the Automobile’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

CARSTAR Wins Best Auto Body Shop in

Global WorldSkills Competition Sponsor . . 44

1 Million Cars. What’s Next?. . . . . . . . . . . 65

California Autobody Association Prepares

for AB 1679 ‘Fight of their Careers’. . . . . . 58

CARSTAR All Line Builds Business,

Relationships through Partnership

with IL Honda Dealership . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Wichita, KS, for Second Time . . . . . . . . . . 16

CARSTAR Chicagoland Hosts Continuing

Workforce in Recent Refugees . . . . . . . . . 18

CCC Uses a Single Photo to Process Smart

Share a Scenic Drive in IA . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Chief Helps in Caliber’s Changing Lanes

‘Pow’ Factor in KS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Couple Injured in Honda Fit Case Awarded

Central Ohio Companies Find Ready

Cruise to the Woods: Classic Car Enthusiasts Electrifying Custom Paint Jobs Shell Out Groups Warn of Flood-Damaged Cars

in MN, ND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Education Program on Ethics . . . . . . . . . . 14

Claims via Machine Learning Algorithms. . 44

Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

$31.5 M from Shop, Tracy Firm Resumes

State Farm Lawsuit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

IN Car Restoration Company Wins

CREF Announces New Board of Trustees

Lawsuit Filed Against Kentucky Dealership

Gary Ledoux, Retired from American Honda,

New Venture Competition . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

for Alleged Deceptive Business Practices. . 20

Michigan Residents May Soon Have More

Auto Insurance Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Launches New Historical Column:

‘In Reverse’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Geoffrey Adams Crane Obituary . . . . . . . . . . 32

Precision Collision & Auto Glass in MI Gets

GFS Names Ramis VP of Automotive

Teenage Boy Killed when Jack Slips at

How Open Source is Transforming the

Two Linton, IN, Body Shops Pitch in to

International Auto Crafters Nominated for

Western Iowa Tech Student Restored Classic

Mercedes-Benz to Produce EQ Brand

Assured Performance Certification . . . . . . . 8

IN Autozone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Help Humphreys Park. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Truck, Headed for Las Vegas . . . . . . . . . . 16

COLUMNISTS

Attanasio - Alan Johnson: Author, Artist,

Pinstriping King . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Attanasio - Why Are Shops Scaling Back

Refinish Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Automotive Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Achievement in Collision Repair Excellence . 65 Electric Cars in the U.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Mitchell Parts Extended with Strategic

Integration Agreement with OEC . . . . . . . . 32

New Mirka® DEOS Sander Ready . . . . . . . . . 56 PA Auto Body Shops’ Owner Files Second

Lawsuit Against 32 Insurance Companies . . 54

Their Marketing Efforts? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Paul Massie Joins Assured Performance

Space are Reversed to Revisit People,

PPG-Painted Cars Capture Top ‘Shades

Phillips - How to Improve Your Interviewing

Precision Collision & Auto Glass in MI

Yoswick - Association Agreement with

Repairify, Inc. Announces Plans to

Ledoux - A Monthly Trip Where Time and

Places and Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Process & Hire for Keeps . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Automakers 15 years ago Seen as

Key to Access of OEM Information . . . . . . 40

Yoswick - Forum Highlights How Much ‘Diagnostics’ Have Become Part of

Collision Repair World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Yoswick - Recent “Who Pays for What?” Survey

Looks at Body Labor Operations, Estimating

System Use, Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

NATIONAL

3M Files Lawsuit for Patent and Trademark

as VP, Network Management. . . . . . . . . . . 50

of the Past’ Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Handles Collision Repair, More . . . . . . . . . 12

Expand Globally . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Senators Drop Trucks from Self-Driving Bill . . 4

Symach FixStation Installation Supports Plans by Carglass to Expand Into Auto Body

Repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Team PRP Automotive Recycling Network

Expands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Team PRP Mobilizes to Help with Disaster Relief

for Victims of Harvey, Irma, and Maria . . . 67

Texas Shops Speak Out Against Photo

Estimating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Infringement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

The New Car Paint Lexus Spent 15 Years

Equipment Ideal for Body Shops . . . . . . . . 62

Who’s Liable when Autonomous Cars

Affordable New Chief Wheel Alignment

Auto Care Association Identifies Alibaba as

Publisher & Editor: Jeremy Hayhurst General Manager: Barbara Davies Contributing Writers: John Yoswick, Janet Chaney, Toby Chess, Rich Evans, Ed Attanasio, Chasidy Sisk, David Luehr, Stacey Phillips, Victoria Antonelli 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 Sales Assistant: Randi Scholtes

Creating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

are Involved in Accidents? . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Audi Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . 64 Axalta Coating Systems . . . . . . . . . 25 BASF Corporation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Bettenhausen Automotive . . . . . . . 18 Blue Springs Ford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 BMW Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . 65 Bob Hook Chevrolet . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 CarcoonAmerica Airflow Systems . 37 Celette, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA). . . . . . . . . . . 17 Charles Gabus Ford . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 ChemSpec USA, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Chief Automotive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Classic Chevrolet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Classifieds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Courtesy Subaru. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Dent Magic Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Diamond Standard Parts . . . . . . . . 43 Dominion Sure Seal . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 ECS Automotive Concepts . . . . . . . 24 Equalizer Industries, Inc. . . . . . . . . 29 Erhard BMW of Bloomfield Hills . . . 42 Erhard BMW of Farmington Hills . . 42 Eurovac, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 GM Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . 59 Griffin Automotive Group . . . . . . . . . 7 GYS Welding USA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Herkules Equipment Corporation. . . 6 Honda-Acura Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34-35 Hyundai Wholesale Parts Dealers. . 62 Infiniti of Naperville . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Insta Finish Car Care . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Jack Phelan Chrysler-Dodge-JeepRam of Countryside . . . . . . . . . . 13 Jake Sweeney Chevrolet . . . . . . . . 50 Kelly BMW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Kia of Des Moines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Kia Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . 63

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. ©2017 Adamantine Media LLC. Autobody News Box 1516, Carlsbad, CA 92018; (800) 699-8251 (760) 603-3229 Fax www.autobodynews.com editor@autobodynews.com

Midwest

REGIONAL

That was almost 30 years ago. Since then, Ledoux has helped create and administer many sucGary Ledoux began his cacessful programs for Honda reer in the collision repair inand Acura throughout his cadustry helping a small-town reer, including the ProFirst jobber mix paint and deliver certification program. The paint and supplies to body industry veteran recently reshops. tired from the company on Over the next several years, October 1. In addition to auhe worked in the parts afterGary Ledoux thoring a book about the hismarket and for car dealerfile photo ships in various capacities, including tory of the collision repair industry in America, Ledoux will be writing a sales, service and parts. “I always wanted to work for a regular column for Autobody News tilarge company in a capacity where I tled “In Reverse,” as well as various could really make a difference,” said feature articles. Ledoux. “I found an opportunity with “I consider it a personal triumph American Honda and jumped at the to go from where I started, to ending See Launching Column, Page 24 chance.” by Stacey Phillips

Index of Advertisers

Contents

Gary Ledoux, Retired from American Honda, Launches New Historical Column: ‘In Reverse’

Lancer Insurance Company . . . . . . 28 Laurel Auto Group of Westmont . . . 55 Lusid Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Luther Bloomington Acura-Subaru. 45 Luther Hopkins Honda . . . . . . . . . . 40 Malco. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Maplewood Toyota-Scion . . . . . . . . 61 Matrix Automotive Finishes. . . . . . . 27 Mazda Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . 58 McGrath City Hyundai . . . . . . . . . . 10 MINI Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . 64 Mirka USA, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Mitsubishi Wholesale Parts Dealers. 58 MOPAR Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38-39 Morrison’s Auto Parts . . . . . . . . . . . 26 MWMtools.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Nissan/Infiniti Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 O’Reilly Auto Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Patrick Hyundai. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 PPG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Richfield-Bloomington Honda . . . . 46 Russ Darrow Automotive Group. . . 20 SATA Dan-Am Company . . . . . . . . 11 Sorbothane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Spanesi Americas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Subaru Wholesale Parts Dealers . . 67 The Sharpe Collection of Automobiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Toyota of Des Moines . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Toyota Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . 64 Valspar Refinish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 VanDevere Kia-GM . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Volkswagen Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 West Bend Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Wizards Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Zimmer Chrysler-Dodge-JeepRam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

www.autobodynews.com | NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 3

Senators Drop Trucks from Self-Driving Bill by Keith Laing, Detroit News Washington Bureau

Lawmakers in the U.S. Senate have dropped self-driving trucks from legislation that would allow automakers to operate thousands of autonomous cars per year on U.S. roads. The action came after a high-profile campaign from labor unions to protect the jobs of professional drivers. The measure, drafted with input from U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, DBloomfield Township, would allow automakers each to operate more than 100,000 self-driving cars per year on U.S. roads. But commercial trucks are excluded under a bipartisan agreement that was reached between Peters and U.S. Sen. John Thune, R-SD, who is chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. Both lawmakers touted the agreement to move forward on the self-driving bill without trucks as a necessary compromise to keep the autonomous vehicle legislation moving in Congress. They said the Commerce Committee will hold a hearing on the revised legislation on Oct. 4. “This legislation proposes common sense changes in law to keep pace with advances in self-driving technology,” Thune, who had argued in favor of including trucks in the self-driving bill, said in a statement. Peters, a member of the Senate

Commerce Committee who was opposed to including trucks in the legislation, added, “Self-driving vehicles will completely revolutionize the way we get around in the future, and it is vital that public policy keep pace with these rapidly developing lifesaving technologies that will be on our roads in a matter of years.” Trucking groups expressed disappointment that they lost out in the fight over whether commercial vehicles should be included in the self-driving legislation. They had pressed lawmakers to offer the same protections for self-driving truck operators that they are considering for autonomous cars. “If more automated cars and trucks are to share the roads, they should also share the same framework,” American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear said in a statement, arguing that lawmakers will still have to address the advent of self-driving trucks in the near future. “Delaying an inevitable, common sense solution will only make the issues surrounding more automated trucks more difficult to deal with,” Spear said. Labor unions mounted an aggressive campaign against the inclusion of commercial vehicles like trucks in the self-driving legislation, pointing out that they could cost thousands of professional drivers their jobs. They applauded lawmakers in the Senate for agreeing to move forward without

trucks in the self-driving legislation. “This approach will give Congress more time to thoroughly examine how driverless technology will impact the jobs, wages, and safety of bus and truck drivers, and develop a plan to address these concerns,” said AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department President Larry Willis. Automakers applauded lawmakers in the Senate for reaching an agreement to move the self-driving bill forward. “Legislation like the bill introduced today will allow manufacturers to conduct more testing and to safely deploy self-driving vehicles to realize the safety, mobility, congestion, environmental, land-use and other benefits of this transformative technology,” General Motors Co. said in a statement. The Washington, D.C.-based Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, which represents major auto manufacturers, added, “Chairman Thune’s and Senator Peters’ bipartisan leadership on the AV START Act will help advance self-driving technologies and help keep the United States at the forefront of these innovations.” The Senate’s self-driving measure would allow the Secretary of Transportation to grant exemptions to federal motor vehicle rules that require cars to have human operators. Initially, 50,000 cars per automaker could be operated if companies can prove they meet existing safety standards for traditional cars. After a 12-month period, the num-

ber of exemptions per manufacturer would increase to 75,000, and would go up to 100,000 in the third year. Automakers would be able to apply for exemptions to operate more than 100,000 self-driving cars after five years, under the proposed legislation. The current limit for such exemptions to federal auto standards is 2,500 cars for two years at a time. A similar measure that would allow automakers each to operate up to 100,000 self-driving cars per year on U.S. roads was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this month. Both versions of the proposed legislation prohibit states and other local jurisdictions from adopting regulations related to cars’ design, construction, software or communication. States still would be allowed to regulate registration, licensing, liability, education and training, insurance or traffic laws. The new proposed exemptions would apply to vehicles in which there is a system that operates with the expectation that a human driver will take over upon being prompted. The legislation would also cover cars with high automation levels, where the automated driving can perform maneuvers even if a human driver does not take over when promoted—and for full automation, when the automated system is responsible for all driving tasks. We thank The Detroit News for reprint permission.

duce the number and severity of accidents caused by human error---the primary catalyst for the vast majority of current automobile accidents. However, the benefits will extend well beyond roadway safety to matters such as aiding in traffic congestion and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of transportation systems. The rise of this new technology brings an array of unique and thorny legal issues that will cause wholesale changes to many different areas of the law in the years to come. By far the most predominant legal issue concerning the advent of autonomous vehicles pertains to liability for accidents involving self-driving cars.

trary to humans, however, autonomous vehicles don’t drink and drive, text and drive, or otherwise get distracted at the wheel. As autonomous vehicle technology becomes standard, there will be fewer negligent people on the road, which will negate the primary rationale underpinning motor vehicle accident litigation today—driver negligence. While the human error element may be removed from our roadways, it does not mean car crashes and related litigation will become a thing of the past. Rather, the type of litigation that arises out of car crashes will change. Instead of focusing on driver negligence, future litigation involving autonomous vehicles will focus on the safety of the self-driving vehicles involved in the collision. Accordingly, motor vehicle accident litigation will shift from driver

negligence—and liability on the part of the operator—to products liability, making the automotive industry the principal responsible party for liabilityrelated matters. Consequently, while vehicles and roadways become safer, vehicle manufacturers, technology manufacturers and other suppliers will almost certainly see their liability exposure increase considerably, with the autonomous automotive industry bearing a bigger slice of a smaller pie of total accident costs.

Who’s Liable when Autonomous Cars are Involved in Accidents? by David J. Oberly, PropertyCasualty360.com

Desktop computers. Mobile phones. Wi-Fi. Seemingly almost overnight, these advances in technology have fundamentally transformed the way society operates and functions on a daily basis. However, these and other modern technological developments may pale in comparison to the impact felt in connection to the introduction of autonomous vehicles on our nation’s roadways. Today, the world’s leading car makers are racing to build fully autonomous vehicles. The goal for many is to have self-driving cars on the road by 2020. The benefits of this advanced technology will be significant, as autonomous vehicles will substantially re-

The shift to products liability law Human error is the predominant cause of automobile collisions today. Con-

4 NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

4 keys to determining product liability Products liability law has already been applied to many types of famous litigation involving automobiles, including the Ford Pinto’s fuel system, Takata air bags and Firestone tires. As such, existing liability frameworks exist to assist See Who’s Liable?, Page 30

www.autobodynews.com | NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 5

Cruise to the Woods: Classic Car Enthusiasts Share a Scenic Drive in IA by Hailey Brueschke, The Messenger

There will be plenty of vintage cars on display during the first Sunday in October for the annual car show called Cruise to the Woods.

Mark and Neka Bruellman, of Rolfe, brought this rare BMW to the Cruise to the Woods. This model is called a Limousine because it has a rear door and rear seat, Bruellman said. Credit: Joe Sutter

The cruise will begin at several spots across the state, and all of the classic cars will end up at the former Sunkissed Meadows Golf Course in Fort Dodge, IA. The golf course grounds will be open from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Oct. 1. The WC Cruisers is host to the Midwest’s largest and most unusual car show.

The cars mainly come from all over the Midwest, but participants have come from many other states as well. “Last year the Cruise to the Woods moved to the former Sunkissed Meadows Golf Course in Fort Dodge, and it was a spectacular success,” Rachel Austin, WC Cruisers club president, said. “The new site takes us back to our roots, very reminiscent of the original site. It finally felt like home again.” Sunkissed Meadows took the show back to the original conception with a more relaxed atmosphere, easier parking and protection from the wind. And perhaps best of all, the early birds can either sit in their cars to watch the cars come in, or sit along the one-third mile long road that goes in front of the former golf course. There are 10 different cruise routes that start all over Iowa for participants. Everyone involved in the cruise will meet at Stratford around 10:30 a.m., and from there the cruise will continue to Sunkissed Meadows in Fort Dodge. “There will already be around 600 to 700 cars at Sunkissed Meadows, but if the guests want to see the big caravan of cars, they should be at the show around 11:15 a.m.,” Austin said. “Guests can expect to see older cars from the 1900s to newer cars. All types of cars are wel-

ASA-OH Members Learn to Communicate with Insurance Appraisers and Limit Liability by Chasidy Rae Sisk

On Sept. 13, Superare Marketing’s Tony Lombardozzi and Attorney Erica Eversman presented an educational seminar for ASA-OH members. According to ASA-OH Executive Director Matt Dougher, “Tony taught how to better communicate and work with insurance adjusters to ensure the customer’s vehicle is safely and properly repaired, while Attorney Erica Eversman spoke about legal issues facing body shops and how to best limit their liability.” Wednesday’s seminar was held at the Ohio Auto Kolor facility in Columbus, OH, attracting more than 20 attendees. Dougher stated, “The knowledge Tony and Erica shared at this educational event was excellent and will help shop owners improve their businesses.” ASA-OH hosts educational opportunities for members in order to provide continuous education for improving their businesses. This seminar in particular was scheduled “to provide better com-

munication techniques to ensure all required repairs are made during the process,” Dougher explained. “It also allowed us to provide shop owners with information about how to better eliminate legal liabilities.” Next, ASA-OH will host Larry Montanez of P & L Consultants for a “Mechanical and Electrical Diagnostic Operations for Collision Repairers Workshop.” Providing the latest techniques to properly and efficiently repair today’s complex vehicles, Montanez will discuss which steps must be performed when reinstalling advanced electronic systems, additional materials and products necessary for proper repairs, post-repair inspection processes and much more. Montanez will appear for two sessions: On Oct. 19, he’ll be at the Ohio Auto Kolor Training Center and on Oct. 20, he will teach the encore seminar at the ESC Training Center in Independence, OH. Both full-day sessions run from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., include lunch, and cost $160 for association members and $289 for nonmembers. For more information, visit www .asaohio.org.

6 NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

come.” There will also be hundreds of door prizes awarded at registration that are worth more than $8,000, courtesy of the WC Cruisers. The grand prize and trophies of the “favorite 15” will be given away starting at 3:30 p.m. Once again this year, the

A 1964 Ford Galaxie convertible, as identified by the announcer, rolls past spectators towards the entrance to Sunkissed Meadows during the 2016 Cruise to the Woods cruise and car show. Credit: Joe Sutter

WC Cruisers will be giving away a “One of a Kind” Pedal Car as a grand prize. In order to win the grand prize, the recipient must be present. The Cruisers will also be giving away six other pedal cars per chance, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to charity. Guests do not have to be present to win. All the pedal cars were painted

and designed by the following body shops: Lawson Auto Body, Eagle Grove; Metal Workz Body Shop, Fort Dodge; Dean’s Rod & Restorations, Fort Dodge; Hilltop Hotrods, Rockwell City; Performance Electric, Webster City, and Swanson Hydro Graphics, Janesville. There will be food concessions available and onsite craft vendors for guests to enjoy throughout the show. “This is an event that brings car lovers from all over together to mingle with one another about their passion for cars,” Austin said. To pre-enter, participants can go to their web store: store.wccruisers.com, and fill out the online entry form. It costs $20 to pre-enter. Shirts will also be available to order online at the web store, along with being available for purchase at the show. In case of severe wet conditions, the show may be moved to Harlan and Hazel Rogers Sports Complex. Notices will be posted on their website (wccruisers.com) and on its Facebook page. Burnouts will not be tolerated. Marked and unmarked patrol cars will be out to monitor the cruise. We thank The Messenger for reprint permission.

1940 E. Main St. Waukesha, WI 53186

Parts Dept. Hours: Monday-Friday 7:00am-5:00pm

800-242-2240 Ph: 262-542-8058 Fax: 800-547-3649

Offering our Customers the

Highest Quality, Factory-Certified GM Parts

THE BEST REPAIRS WITH GENUINE PARTS FR0M GM

1940 E. Main St. Waukesha, WI 53186

Parts Dept. Hours: Monday-Friday 7:00am-5:00pm

800-242-2240 Ph: 262-542-8058 Fax: 800-547-3649

Offering our Customers the

Highest Quality, Factory-Certified Ford Parts

THE PARTS YOU NEED FROM THE PEOPLE YOU TRUST! www.autobodynews.com | NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 7

IN Car Restoration Company Wins New Venture Competition by Alex Brown, Inside INdiana Business

Ivy Tech Community College Northeast has announced Kendall Riecken as the winner of its 2017 New Venture Competition. Riecken, founder of KR Designs, has been awarded $35,000 in

Credit: Ivy Tech Northeast

start-up capital. Riecken’s company specializes in car detailing, restoration, custom paint and collision repair and is currently operated out of his parents’ garage. He says he plans to use a portion of his winnings to build a new space, which will be located between Fort Wayne and Auburn. He also plans to use the money for a paint booth and new equipment. Riecken is a 2016 graduate of Ivy Tech’s Fort Wayne campus. Riecken was one of three finalists who pitched their business plans to a panel of about 30 judges, who followed up with question-andanswer sessions. We thank Inside INdiana Business for reprint permission.

Precision Collision & Auto Glass in MI Gets Assured Performance Certification It’s not easy to accidentally drive by one particular 20-year Frankfort, MI, business. But that’s why it’s there. Precision Collision & Auto Glass is blocks north of Forest Avenue, one of Frankfort’s main streets. It has been serving customers for years at 1310 Elm St.

terials that they put them together with, the equipment to properly fix these things—it’s crucial.” “Today’s vehicles require different kinds of repairs,” said Camille Frixen, his wife and co-owner of the shop. In addition to collision repair, Precision added in-house auto glass repair to its list of services—and its

Co-owner Reagan Frixen said his crew recently completed Assured Performance training to keep up with the constantly changing automotive industry. [The shop’s technicians are I-CAR and ACE-certified, and Precision Collision & Auto Glass of Frankfort is the only recognized car repair facility for Chrysler, Ford, Nissan, GM, and Infinity in Frankfort.] “Only like 10 percent of the body shops across the nation meet the qualifications that we do,” he said. “These vehicles are getting more and more advanced all the time. The ma-

name—more than 10 years ago. Other services at Precision include detailing, spray-on bedliners and rust repair. Reagan Frixen also applies bedliner material as rust and stone protection. “There are other places that do it, but not to the extent that we do,” he said. “We take our spray–on bedliner material and we actually put that on the bottoms of the doors, rockers, quarters. We go around and coat the whole bottom of the vehicle.” Reagan Frixen said he’s seen trucks only 2 or 3 years old that already are showing signs of rust on

by Mark Urban, Record-Eagle

8 NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

the bottom of their doors. “Once it gets started, it’s hard to stop,” he said. “If it can’t get moisture, it can’t rust,” Camille Frixen said. Reagan Frixen said the application “doubles the life of the vehicle if you do it before it gets started.” Precision Collision & Auto Glass, which employs 13 people in its 18,000-square-foot shop, specializes in automotive repair. “Collision is our main focus,” Reagan said. “I would say 75 percent of what we do here is collision.” The Frixens said Precision has handled many unusual requests over the years. Precision has fixed boats, cut metal, performed spot welding jobs and once even polished a bathtub. “You name it, we’ve probably done it,” Camille Frixen said. “It’s all part of the customer service,” Reagan Frixen added. “That’s my goal—to get a customer and treat them right because I want them to come back. Our repeat business is huge. Word-of-mouth is your best advertising, it really is.” We thank the Record-Eagle for reprint permission.

CARQUEST Trains ASA-Midwest on ‘The Future of the Automobile’

by Chasidy Rae Sisk

On Sept. 13, ASA-Midwest’s Wichita Chapter held a meeting at Advance Auto Parts in Wichita, KS, where Chris Chesney of the CARQUEST Technical Institute presented “The Future of the Automobile.”

Chesney delivered an encore presentation two days later at iWerx in North Kansas City, MO, for the Kansas City Chapter’s monthly meeting. The presentations attracted 21 attendees in Wichita and 35 attendees in Kansas City. According to ASA-Midwest Executive Director Sheri Hamilton, “The training event was very successful with a great turnout of shop owners and managers all seeking to learn what is ahead for them.” Vehicles are changing at a more rapid rate than ever before. Chesney noted, “The technolo-

gies you’ll see in your bays in the next 10 years are already being built and are in your shop today, but what about the technologies to come? We covered not only the technologies that vehicles and services shops will see, but also the changes in how we will all interact with the automobile in general. The goal was not to scare you with technology change, but to encourage shops with opportunity and to enable you early enough to capitalize.” “Chris came out and spoke about what to expect in automobiles for the coming future. Some of those things included self-driving cars, cars that will run off smaller batteries and the targeted fuel mileage in the years to come and its impact on technology,” Hamilton shared. “Attendees enjoyed the presentation, and Chris always has such a great grasp on our industry and how our shops need to respond with training and technology.” ASA-Midwest held this training event in an effort to continue to educate, share and network with industry professionals who are facing similar upcoming changes in the industry. For more information on the association and its training schedule, visit www.asa-midwest.org.

AASP-MN Fall Programming Line-Up

On Oct. 10, the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of Minnesota (AASP-MN) will host a free OSHA Workplace Safety Consultation Workshop. The workshop, “Hazard Communication and MN Employee Rightto-Know for Auto Shops,” will be held at Lake Superior College in Duluth from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. The session will cover mandatory requirements for Hazard Communication and Employee Right-to-Know (ERTK) programs and training applicable to the automotive industry. Attendees will also receive a template for developing written Hazard Communication and ERTK programs. The session is free, but pre-registration is required. In response to member demand for more opportunities to connect and share knowledge and experiences with other members, the AASP-MN has two peer-to-peer learning and networking events scheduled in October. Both sessions will be held at Grumpy’s Bar & Grill in Roseville and are open to anyone in the collision or mechanical repair industry—membership in AASP-MN is not required to attend. The first, a Body Shop Session, will be held on Thursday, Oct. 19, from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., for the collision repair industry. The cost to

attend is $25 per person, which includes lunch. This event is co-sponsored by C.H.E.S.S. and Enterprise Rent-A-Car. The following week, on Tuesday, Oct. 24, a Mech XChange will be held from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. for the mechanical repair industry. The cost to attend is $20 per person, which includes soft drinks and appetizers. These sessions will feature a presentation, “Protect Your Business – Become ADA Compliant,” by David Fenley, ADA/Access Coordinator with the Minnesota Council on Disability. In response to the recent surge in lawsuits around the state targeting businesses for not removing physical access barriers as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Fenley will present the ADA basics, the most common fixes and technical guidelines. Attendees will gain the tools and knowledge they need to meet all of the obligations under the ADA and building code to avoid lawsuits. Participants will also receive a report on AASP-MN’s current initiatives and upcoming events, and have the opportunity to network with industry peers. For additional information or to register, contact the AASP-MN office at (612) 623-1110 or 800-8529071, or visit www.aaspmn.org.

www.autobodynews.com | NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 9

CARSTAR All Line Builds Business, Relationships through Partnership with IL Honda Dealership For CARSTAR All Line, a Honda ProFirst Certified facility that repairs some 15 to 20 Honda vehicles each month, maintaining strong relationships with local Honda dealers is essential to its business and

(r to l) Sager Abu-Romman (sales manager), Javier Saltos (sales manager), Frank Genovise (sales manager)

for the Honda dealers who send their customers to CARSTAR All Line for repairs. “We want to make the dealership feel confident that their customers will have a positive and seamless experience when they send them to us, a Honda ProFirst Certified facility,” said Teresa Kotick, owner of CARSTAR All Line. “We will help them ‘protect their brand,’ which will ultimately lead to loyal

customers and repeat business for that dealership. This is definitely a ‘win-win’ partnership.” As part of this initiative, CARSTAR All Line recently catered a lunch for the staff at the Honda Superstore of Lisle, IL. Some 40 employees enjoyed the lunch from Tailgaters of Bolingbrook. The buffet lunch included their savory Cajun Chicken Pasta. It was a very busy day at one of the largest Honda dealerships in the Chicagoland area, so most of the staff ate lunch at their desks. However, they all found time to send their heartfelt appreciation to CARSTAR All Line of Bolingbrook. “It’s good to know that Honda customers have a place to bring their cars for repair so close to our dealership,” said Tim Korallus, owner/ manager of Honda Superstore of Lisle. “We are looking forward to our tour of the shop.” For more information on CARSTAR visit www.carstar.com.

AASP-MO Members Meet in September

by Chasidy Rae Sisk

AASP-MO’s Gateway Collision Chapter met at the Post Sports Bar and Grill in Maplewood, St. Louis, MO on Sept. 13.

Enterprise’s Dan Friedman and Tricia Belz talked to AASP-MO members about LoR and the ARMS program

The meeting featured Dan Friedman and Tricia Belz of Enterprise Rent-A-Car, which sponsored the meeting. Ron Reiling, Executive Di-

rector of AASP-MO, stated, “The association held this meeting for educational and social purposes. This is how the shops keep informed and share information with like-minded professionals. This is a key part of their professional development. The meeting was well-at-

tended and very well-received. Tricia spoke about the ARMS program, and Dan discussed Length of Rental and what you can learn from the data.” AASP-MO’s next big event will be its full-day Leadership and Management Summit on Oct.12, featuring “A Day with Richard Flint,” from 2–9 p.m. at Syberg’s Dorsett in Maryland Heights, MO. Attendees can register online at $175 for one session or $300 for both sessions. On Sept. 26, the association finished remodeling its website, which has been launched at aasp-mo.org.

Teenage Boy Killed when Van Slips Off Jack by Jeff Mayes, Chicago Sun-Times

Despite the efforts of friends and passers-by, a boy was killed when a van he was working under slipped off a jack and crushed him in the parking lot of a northwest Indiana auto parts shop. Police received a 911 call about 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17, that a van had fallen on a teen in the parking lot of an Autozone in Rensselaer, IN, according to Rensselaer police. The victim, later identified as 16year-old Spencer Michael William Davis of Rensselaer, IN,was trapped underneath. The owner of the van, Spencer’s friends, and several bystanders tried to pull up one side of the van to free him, then got an industrial jack from the store to lift the van up, police said. The boy was under the van unresponsive, with wounds to the head, when police arrived. The boy’s parents had arrived at the store while Davis was trapped and said they were supposed to meet him at a restaurant for dinner. When he did not arrive, they went outside and saw police around the van. Police got vehicle stands from the store to steady the van while

paramedics tried to stabilize Davis. He was “moderately bleeding from the face,” according to a statement from police, who were “later advised that the back portion of his skull, the orbital bone around one of his eyes and a front portion of his skull appeared heavily damaged.” He was taken to the Jasper County Airport and airlifted to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he died at 5:19 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 21, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. An autopsy showed he died from blunt force injuries to the head from being trapped under the van, and his death was ruled an accident. The van’s owner said he had engine trouble, and Spencer and his friends, whom he did not know, stopped to help. The boy went under the van to try to change a belt. At some point, he “pulled on the frame of the vehicle, which in turned caused the jack to shift, and the van to fall,” police said. We thank Chicago Sun-Times for reprint permission.

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10 NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

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Precision Collision & Auto Glass in MI Handles Collision Repair, More by Mark Urban, Record-Eagle

It’s not easy to accidentally drive by one particular 20-year Frankfort, MI, business.

But that’s why it’s there. Precision Collision & Auto Glass is blocks north of Forest Avenue, one of Frankfort’s main streets. It has been serving customers for years at 1310 Elm St. Co-owner Reagan Frixen said his crew recently completed Assured Performance training to keep up with the constantly changing automotive industry. “Only like 10 percent of the body shops across the nation meet the qualifications that we do,” he said. “These vehicles are getting more and more advanced all the time. The materials that

they put them together with, the equipment to properly fix these things—it’s crucial.” “Today’s vehicles require different kinds of repairs,” said Camille Frixen, his wife and co-owner of the shop. In addition to collision repair, Precision added in-house auto glass repair to its list of services—and its name— more than 10 years ago.

“There are other places that do it, but not to the extent that we do,” he said. “We take our spray–on bedliner material and we actually put that on the bottoms of the doors, rockers, quarters. We go around and coat the whole bottom of the vehicle.” Reagan Frixen said he’s seen trucks only 2 or 3 years old that already are showing signs of rust on the bottom of their doors. “Once it gets started, it’s hard to stop,” he said. “If it can’t get moisture, it can’t rust,” Camille Frixen said. Reagan Frixen said the application “doubles the life of the vehicle if you do it before it gets started.” Precision Collision & Auto Glass, which employs 13 people in its 18,000square-foot shop, specializes in automotive repair. Precision Collision & Auto Glass of Frankfort co-owner “Collision is our main Reagan Frixen matches color swatches to a Buick focus,” Reagan said. “I Lucerne. Credit: Record-Eagle/Mark Urban would say 75 percent of Other services at Precision in- what we do here is collision.” clude detailing, spray-on bedliners The Frixens said Precision has and rust repair. Reagan Frixen also handled many unusual requests over applies bedliner material as rust and the years. Precision has fixed boats, stone protection. cut metal, performed spot welding

Groups Warns of Sellers’ Flood-Damaged Cars in MN, ND

by April Baumgarten, Grand Forks Herald

Some car sellers are trying to pass off vehicles damaged during hurricanes, a business watchdog group in Minnesota and North Dakota said. The Better Business Bureau of North Dakota and Minnesota warned consumers to thoroughly check vehicle history and title information when buying an automobile as flood-damaged cars make their way up to the region, according to a news release. Hurricanes in Texas and Florida have damaged vehicles in the storms’ paths, and some sellers refurbish the vehicles in an attempt to flip them. “Car shoppers should always be fully informed before making a

purchase,” said Susan Adams Loyd, president and CEO of Minnesota and North Dakota BBB. “Past experience tells us some of the cars affected by recent hurricane and flooding activity will be on the market after being restored.” Those vehicles should have a salvage title and can be purchased for a low price, but buying them can come with risks, including the ability to insure them. A history report is not foolproof, BBB said, but it can help with deciding whether to purchase a vehicle. BBB suggests asking a trusted inspector to perform a pre-purchase check and looking over the vehicle for signs of flood damage.

We thank Grand Forks Herald for reprint permission.

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jobs and once even polished a bathtub. “You name it, we’ve probably done it,” Camille Frixen said.

Chris Martin of Precision Collision & Auto Glass of Frankfort works on a door from a Buick Lucerne in need of repair. Credit: Record-Eagle/Mark Urban

“It’s all part of the customer service,” Reagan Frixen added. “That’s my goal—to get a customer and treat them right because I want them to come back. Our repeat business is huge. Word-of-mouth is your best advertising, it really is.”

We thank the Record-Eagle for reprint permission.

www.autobodynews.com

www.autobodynews.com | NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 13

Two Linton, IN, Body Shops Pitch in to Help Humphreys Park by Patti Danner, Greene County Daily World

Janette Evans, president of Linton’s Humphreys Park Board, recently expressed her gratitude for work done at the playground by volunteers from two Linton, IN, auto body shops. “Lakeside Body Shop volunteered to refurbish and repaint two of the bounce critters, and so did Trent Body Shop,” Evans said. “They look amazing.” Lakeside Body Shop owner Mark Vest said he was motivated to help by seeing other community members putting in their time to spruce up the park. “It seemed like they had been trying hard to clean up the park, so being that they needed [them] painted, it’s something we thought we should do.” Vest, whose business specializes in automotive body repair, assigned the task to Automotive Customizer Travis Miller, an employee since 2009. “I did them at the shop,” Miller said. “We did a full restoration on them and filled the old casting voids that had a tendency to either get filled with pea gravel or wasps. It’s nice to know there’s an interest in them.” Evans was particularly pleased with the detail and care shown by both body shops.

“Lakeside did some custom shadow work and lots of detail,” Evans said. “Trent did wonderful pin-striping and lots of detail. All four critters also had to be repaired and have holes filled.”

Banx Hiatt of Linton, IN, visited Humphreys Park with his aunt Madisyn Bridges. He gave the refurbished bounce critters two thumbs up. Credit: Patti Danner

Cody Kluesner, Automotive Paint Specialist at Trent Body Shop,

14 NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

which specializes in automobile body repairing and painting, said Evans called Trent last year about the project. “Janette called to see if the work was something we would mind doing, and we said we would be happy to,” he said. “She dropped the two off last fall, and we worked on them here and there, between jobs.” Kluesner said the creatures have been coated with UV-resistant auto paint and clear coat, and should last a good long while. “I need to bring my little granddaughter up there,” he added. Evans said she is happy to get help from the community, and appreciates businesses offering to do what they do best in order to make the park a better place for all residents. “I want those guys to know they are appreciated,” she said. “I love all my volunteer help.” Lakeside Body Shop is located at 345 14th St. Northwest in Linton, and can be reached at 812-847-2619. Trent Body Shop is located at 633 A Street Northwest in Linton, and can be reached at 812-847-7552. We thank Greene County Daily World for reprint permission.

CARSTAR Chicagoland Hosts Continuing Education Program on Ethics

The CARSTAR Chicagoland Business Group recently held the third session of its four-part continuing education program on ethics for Chicago-area insurance professionals.

Held at the Austin and Irving Public Library, the event garnered another capacity crowd, as more than 70 insurance professionals attended. An insurance license must be renewed every two years in Illinois. The three-hour ethics class is part of a 24-CE requirement by the state. The other 21 hours can be completed with CARSTAR’s ACE (Assistance with Continued Education) online program. There are currently nearly 1,700 registrants on the ACE portals. Some 260 insurance professionals have attended the three ethics classes in 2017. The final ethics class of 2017 is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 16, in Bolingbrook, IL.

Electrifying Custom Paint Jobs Shell Out ‘Pow’ Factor in KS by Susan Welte, Ottawa Herald

At the 31st annual Ol’ Marais River Run car show the weekend of Sept. 16–17, you couldn’t miss Bill McGaughey’s 1937 orange tangelo Chevrolet Coupe.

Bill McGaughey with his 1937 Chevrolet Coupe. McGaughey said at 2015’s Ol’ Marais River Run show, the Coupe was named in the Top 10 out of more than 2,000 cars. Credit: Bill McGaughey

In the last year alone, the car has racked up 25 awards, including first place at World of Wheels in Kansas City, MO. Recognition has extended anywhere from Best Paint, Best Interior to Best in Show. At 2015’s River Run, 2,200 cars were on display, but McGaughey’s ‘37 Coupe was awarded as one of the Top 10 cars. The color is identical to his wife’s 1967 Chevy Nova, which inspired him to mimic it. “Something about that Coupe just

pops—it looks good,” McGaughey said. “The color just has a ‘pow!’ Plus, you don’t see too many Coupes.” McCaughey has owned and operated Mr. Bill’s Body Shop in Freeman, MO, for 37 years. “I’m kind of a motorhead,” McGaughey said. “I buy them, then recondition them, and then sell them...I stay pretty busy out there. A lot of times, seven days a week, I’m out here.” The custom paint jobs are all completed by McGaughey. “I’ve done a lot of classic cars from living out of my home. I have two big garages,” he said. “I’ve been doing that for over 35 years. I’ve done a lot of street rods, a lot of custom colors. I do all the flames, plus I do a lot of wholesale work, too, for dealers.” Wholesale work, such as repairing bumpers or fenders for dealerships, is his “bread and butter,” he said. “That way, money comes in every week,” McGaughey said. “But restoring cars, that may take me two to three months to do. It takes a long time to get your money back. You’ve gotta put out labor and different parts, then you get paid.” Ninety-five awards have been snagged by his own candy purple 1955 Chevy. That car is his favorite, he said.

“I’ve had it for 10 years, and the first time I ever showed that car was in ‘07, and I won Best Paint at the show, and there were like 300 cars there,” McGaughey said. “I’ve probably won 20

In addition to the Chevy Coupe, McGaughey also owns this candy purple 1955 Chevy, which has been the recipient of more than 95 awards, including Best Paint. Credit: Bill McGaughey

Best Paints with it—People’s Choice, Ladies’ Choice, Best of Show. I went down to Branson [Missouri] this past year, 10 years later, and I won Best Paint with it again. Same paint job. That’s a hell of a deal there.” We thank Ottawa Herald for reprint permission.

AASPI Elects 2017-2018 Officers by Chasidy Rae Sisk

In September, AASPI held its 2017 election of officers to serve the association for the remainder of 2017 and into 2018, and help promote the group’s goal of representing the collision and automotive repair industries in Illinois. Robert Gottfred, owner of Erie-LaSalle Body Shops, was elected President of AASPI, bringing more than 40 years of industry experience to his new role. According to AASPI Executive Director Mike Lane, “Bob Gottfred has already hit the ground running by assisting in the development of future AASPI webinars, increasing AASPI’s industry awareness, and speaking at upcoming industry events on the value-added benefits of being an AASPI member shop.” Gottfred replaced exiting President Michael Mattson of Accidental Auto Body, who has served as the association’s President since 2014, as well as in 1989. Doug Fiala of Douglas Auto Body will assume the role of Vice President of AASPI, while AutoNation’s Paul Mason was elected as the association’s Secretary/Treasurer. For more information, visit www.aaspi .org.

www.autobodynews.com | NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 15

Western Iowa Tech Student Restored Classic Truck, Headed for Las Vegas by Earl Horlyk, Sioux City Journal

Eric Preston, 36, attached brackets to the chassis of a 1966 C10 pickup in one of the auto shops belonging to Western Iowa Tech Community College.

Western Iowa Tech Community College automotive technology students, (l to r), Devin Bravo, Eric Preston, Zach Hoover and Sterling Tronson attach brackets to the chassis of a 1966 Chevy C10 pickup truck in the shops of the Sioux City College’s automotive technology department. Credit: Tim Hynds, Sioux City Journal

For the past nine months, Preston and other WITCC automotive technology students have been rebuilding the 50-year-old truck with all-new, stateof-the-art accessories. “(The customized vehicle) will still have a retro feel of a vintage truck,” Preston explained. “But it won’t drive like

one.” The project began when the school’s automotive program was invited to display a vehicle in Las Vegas at the 2017 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show, the largest automotive-based trade show in North America, WITCC automotive instructor Shane Sampson said. “Last year, I was attending the SEMA Show in Las Vegas with (WITCC auto body instructor) Tim Hardyk, when the two of us struck up a conversation with representatives from Accele Electronics,” Sampson said. “We mentioned it would be great if our students could build a vehicle for next year’s SEMA Show.” The representatives of the Cerritos, California-based mobile electronics manufacturer agreed to sponsor the project. “They especially liked that this would be a learning experience for our college students as well as the high school students whom we teach,” Sampson said. “Tim and I liked it because all of our students will be recognized in a very big way.” The truck, which is slated to be completed and shipped in mid-October, will be on display Oct. 31–Nov. 3 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Still, there’s a lot of work to be done.

“Tim’s students are working on the body of the Chevy while my students are working on the chassis,” Sampson said. “It may not look like it now, but we’re in pretty good shape.” He said purchasing this particular Chevy C10 wasn’t by accident.

Shown in this undated, but recent photo, is a “before” photo of the 1966 Chevy C10 pickup truck that Western Iowa Tech Community College automotive technology and auto body students are rebuilding for display at the upcoming SEMA show in Las Vegas. Photo provided to Sioux City Journal

“The truck was originally built in 1966, the same year that (WITCC) was founded,” Sampson said. “This is a tribute to the school.” For Preston, having a truck displayed at the SEMA Show is the equivalent of being in the Super Bowl. “I’m one of the students who will be going to Las Vegas for the SEMA show,” he said. “This is gonna be so much fun.”

CARSTAR Wins Best Auto Body Shop in Wichita, KS, for Second Time

Collision Specialists CARSTAR was voted the First-Place Winner for “Best Auto Body Repair Shop” in the Transportation category.

This is the second year in a row CARSTAR was chosen by the Wichita Eagle. The 2017 Reader’s Choice Competition is sponsored by the newspaper. Each year, the publisher collects votes on the “best” businesses and services in Wichita. The 170 categories range from transportation, food, entertainment, health, medical and service providers. This was the seventh year for the competition, hosted by the local newspaper. “Our Wichita locations are honored that voters chose CARSTAR as the Auto Body Shop Winner,” said Greg Petersen, owner. “The staff at our two locations work tirelessly to provide excellent customer service and quality collision repairs. We are

excited that our customers agreed and voted for us.” The Reader’s Choice competition is a pure, audited, popular vote. It is Wichita’s largest and most established contest. Voting took place from July 21–August 14. People voted online or by filling out special paper ballots, making it more secure and validating the results. The highly anticipated winners and favorites were announced in a supplement in the Wichita Eagle, published Sept. 22. Collision Specialists have two CARSTAR franchise locations in Wichita. CARSTAR was chosen the “First-Place Winner” in the Auto Body Repair Shop category by receiving the most votes. Collision Specialists CARSTAR also received the prestigious Integrity Award Winner in 2013 from the Better Business Bureau.

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Unlike Preston, Joseph Hauswald has attended several SEMA shows in the past. “SEMA shows are the best,” the 20-year-old WITCC automotive technology student said. “But when I go this year, it will be different. I’ll be able to say I had a hand in building one of the entries.” In addition, all of the automotive technology students will be eligible to compete in the SEMA show’s “Battle of the Builders” competition and may have their work critiqued by celebrity judges such as Chip Foose, star of TV’s “Overhaulin”‘ series. Though Hauswald knows it will be a long shot to even make it into the top 40 of “Battle of the Builders,” he’s keeping his fingers crossed. “I never thought my class would be invited to customize a vehicle for the SEMA show, but that happened,” he said. “Just goes to show what can happen.” And, if Sampson has his way, what happens in Vegas won’t stay in Vegas. “We have an auto program in a small community college in Iowa,” he said. “Being asked to build a truck for the SEMA Show for the first time is something we’ll remember for the rest of our lives.” We thank Sioux City Journal for reprint permission.

www.autobodynews.com | NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 17

Central Ohio Companies Find Ready Workforce in Recent Refugees by Danae King, The Columbus Dispatch

Bob Juniper was close to giving up on finding enough quality employees when he got a call from Community Refugee and Immigration Services a few years ago. Tara Dhungana, employmentservices program manager at the Columbus refugee resettlement agency, was on the other line with a proposal for Juniper, the owner of Three-C Body Shops. Dhungana said he had refugees who could work for Juniper and asked if he was interested. “I was a little skeptical,” Juniper said, but he agreed to talk with them. Now, Juniper has three employees through the partnership he later formed with CRIS, and they’re all great, he said. “I’m always amazed by how motivated they were and how positive they were,” said Juniper, who has put the organization on the lookout for the next refugee interested in collision repair. “I’ve been super-impressed with them. I tell the CRIS folks to call me anytime and I’ll make room for one of them.”

Kahled Alhedar pulls a pallet while working at a distribution center in Groveport. Alhadar is a Syrian refugee who got his job through Staffing Leadership Group. Credit: Joshua A. Bickel/ Columbus Dispatch

Juniper’s experience is one that more central Ohio employers are having as they reach out to local agencies, or local agencies reach out to them. Immigrants and refugees from all over the world live in Columbus. Two local agencies resettle refugees, and two others also help them find employment once they’re here. Refugees, almost 1,000 of whom have settled in Columbus since October 2016, are providing an alternative workforce to many area companies that either can’t find skilled labor or that are committed to maintaining a diverse workforce. Although refugees often speak English as a second language and may

need certain time off for religious holidays, those “barriers” to employment are often outweighed by the positives of hiring the population, area employers say.

migrated from Kenya with his parents, who are originally from India, when he was young. AEP believes, among other things, that “our employee workforce should represent the community we serve,” Dias said. Marcus Gorman, who works for CRIS to help refugees find employment, visits local companies “to educate employers about roles refugees can play” and explain the benefits of hiring refugees. Jewish Family Services, resettlement agency US Together and the Ethiopian group also help place refugees in jobs. Debela Midjena, an engineer from Ethiopia now working for AEP Ohio, checks out how line crews work so he can “They’re hard-working, better do his sytem design to accomodate them. Credit: they show up, and they do a Tom Dodge, Columbus Dispatch good job,” said Jill Kuhlman, “These immigrants had better vice president of the Staffing LeaderEnglish skills than I thought they would ship Group, which places employees in have,” said Juniper, who was warned by temporary positions in the logistics inCRIS that there might be a language dustry. She has been working with Jewbarrier. Now, his employees who are ish Family Services for about a year to refugees are learning faster than averplace refugees. age employees, with one at the level of “The feedback from clients has a three-year trainee after only two years been really positive,” Kuhlman said. at the company. Often those placed in temporary jobs “It’s been absolutely seamless,” Juniper said. That sentiment is similar to how Debela Midjena has felt about his new job at American Electric Power Ohio. Midjena, 38, originally from Ethiopia, fled almost certain persecution in his native country years ago and then more recently came to the United States to be with his wife. At first, he struggled to find employment as an engineer in central Ohio, living in Michigan to work there for three years before he was hired on in May by AEP in Ohio. Midjena got the job after being connected with the company through Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services. “I see America as a land of opportunity. If you try to look for it, you can find the job,” he said. “You have to show the talent, you have to use every chance you get ... Everyone has to have a connection.” Selwyn Dias, vice president of distribution operations at AEP, formed a relationship with the Ethiopian group this year when the executive director approached him. “When he described the struggles immigrants have when they come to America, I could relate to that because I’m an immigrant,” said Dias, who im-

18 NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

will be hired on full-time and promoted. Refugees work in a wide range of industries, including logistics, hospitality and child care, Gorman said. “There’s a shortage of labor,” he said. “There’s an American population that is unable to meet the requirements of employers like background checks, drug testing, or if they are, they’re just not willing to take an $11-, $12- or $13-an-hour job.” The shortage is making employers get creative, Gorman said. The agencies meet with employers and explain the population, its barriers and benefits—at no charge. Having refugees as a workforce is an advantage for Columbus, central Ohio and the state, he said. “From a diversity perspective, it brings a whole new dynamic to the region,” he said. Some disagree, saying refugees take jobs from American workers and are bad for the economy. “American workers are being characterized as drug addicts who don’t want to work and immigrants See Ready Workforce, Page 22

www.autobodynews.com | NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 19

Lawsuit Filed Against Kentucky Dealership for Alleged Deceptive Business Practices by Stacey Phillips

A Kentucky car dealership has been accused of engaging in “unfair and deceptive practices that harmed Kentucky consumers,” according to a lawsuit filed in early August by the state’s Attorney General, Andy Beshear. More than 140 complaints were received by the attorney general’s Office of Consumer Protection and/or the Better Business Bureau against The United Group, also known as Auto Plaza USA. “These complaints support allegations that the business engaged in conduct that violates the Kentucky Consumer Protection Act by representing to the consumer, both verbally and through written contracts, that the sales price of their vehicle included all taxes and fees owed when instead the business failed to remit the correct usage tax amount on more than 1,400 consumer sales,” said Beshear. According to the lawsuit, which was filed August 2 in Fayette Circuit Court, the Nicholasville business collected vehicle usage taxes from customers between 2012 and 2016, and then falsified documents in order to avoid making the correct

payment to the Kentucky Department of Revenue. “As a result, customers received delinquent tax notices from the department and left owing a tax bill that, in many cases, they had already paid to the defendant,” said Beshear. Allegedly, the defendant’s documents included a Buyer’s Order as well as an Affidavit of Total Consideration, which is the form sent to county clerks for tax collection. The purchase price written on the Affidavit of Total Consideration “did not reflect the actual purchase price of the vehicle as paid by the consumer,” the lawsuit stated. Auto Plaza is also accused of charging consumers a “document and customer service fee” of $489 but allegedly failed to perform the services accurately. “Auto Plaza’s conduct constitutes unfair, false, misleading or deceptive acts or practices in violation of the Kentucky Consumer Protection Act…” according to court documents. “The enforcement of consumer protection laws helps not only consumers, but also businesses that follow the law,” said Beshear. “An ethical business should not have to compete with those that cut corners.”

20 NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

The attorney general’s office is seeking damages from The United Group that include approximately $465,000 in restitution for customers who incurred additional unpaid usage tax liabilities and $685,000 for those affected by the fee allegedly charged by the dealership. “We expect business owners to be honest and follow the law,” said Beshear. “We want to send a strong message that those who deceive Kentucky families and then try to turn and look the other way will be held accountable.” On Sept. 8, The United Group (Auto Plaza USA) filed a motion with the court to change the venue from Fayette County to Jessamine County, where the defendant runs its principal place of business. “Each sale which is the subject matter of this action took place in Jessamine County, Kentucky, and all determination of the amount of sales tax due on each sale were made in Jessamine County. Jessamine County is the ONLY county wherein venue over this action is proper,” the court records stated. Autobody News will continue to follow this case.

AASPI Elects 2017-2018 Officers by Chasidy Rae Sisk

Continued from Cover

$42M Verdict

Tracy said that he is now going after State Farm, the insurance company that covered the Seebachans at the time of the accident, in a new civil suit. He strongly believes that based on this case, he will be able to prove that the shoddy repair was directed by the insurer. “The message is that you had better do the repairs at OE standards, because if you don’t you might get sued big-time,” Tracy said. “The OE procedures from I-CAR are the industry’s Bible, so this is what happens when you don’t follow the Bible. I want the insurance companies out of the collision repair industry now, and the decision in this case is a definite step in that direction.”

Tracy Law Firm Expands Actions Tracy and the Seebachans have refiled a lawsuit against State Farm for its alleged role in influencing the roof repair, which used an adhesive instead of being welded. According to John Eagle’s body shop director Boyce Willis, State Farm wouldn’t pay the shop unless the

repair was done according to its specifications as opposed to Honda’s. Boyce Willis said in a deposition that the facility in 2012 bonded a replacement roof to a 2010 Honda Fit in clear contradiction to the OEM repair procedures. (Willis insisted he knew using the 3M 8115 panel bonding adhesive was a better repair, as did the defense during the trial.) Ford GT engineer and plaintiff consultant Neil Hannemann wrote that in his expert opinion, the failure of the roof of the Seebachans’ 2010 Honda Fit during a crash compromised the overall structure and collision energy management of the vehicle—contributing to the Seebachans being trapped inside and a subsequent fire. “According to John Eagle’s corporate representative, in sworn testimony taken on July 7, 2017, State Farm dictated to John Eagle how the car was to be repaired, i.e., to use adhesive rather than spot welding,” the lawsuit read. “Furthermore, according to John Eagle’s corporate representative, State Farm can ‘trump’ the OEM (Honda) specifications because the repair facility needs to get paid. However, profits should never trump safety.”

The Seebachans filed suit against State Farm in August but dropped the suit a few days later as not to interfere with the timeline of their case against John Eagle. “No insurance company should ever dictate to a collision repair center or body shop how to repair a vehicle. To do so is extremely negligent, and shows a wanton disregard for human life and the safety of others,” Tracy argued. “John Eagle did not repair the subject 2010 Honda Fit to Honda’s body repair specifications due to State Farm’s instructions, threats, and/or coercion.” The couple is suing the insurer for negligence and breach of warranty. “This case is bigger than money,” Tracy said to Dallas News. “This case is about industry-wide change.”

Tracy Firm to Discuss Suit at SEMA “The Anatomy of a Lawsuit: The Cru-

cial Details of the $42 Million Verdict” on Wednesday, Nov. 1, will feature Tracy Law Firm attorney Todd Tracy at SEMA. According to SCRS, Tracy’s presentation of the case can: ● Help collision repair businesses avoid their own “$42 million dollar verdict.”

● Help clarify the facts that led a jury to conclude that OEM procedures were paramount.

● Define how business decisions made in the course of repair can have dramatic effect on both the repair outcome and ultimate responsibility. “Anatomy of a Lawsuit” will be held from 10:30 a.m. to noon Nov. 1 in Ballrooms D-E of the Westgate Las Vegas, located right next to main SEMA venue Las Vegas Convention Center.

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Auto Body Xperts Opens in Zeeland, MI by Austin. Metz, Holland Sentinel

Auto Body Xperts has opened a new 13,000-square-foot facility in Zeeland, MI. The new full collision space, located at 9389 Riley St. in Zeeland, is the company’s fourth location, joining locations in Holland, Hudsonville and Wayland. “Hudsonville was our first store, and we have been there for over 68 years,” said Mandy Beroza, general manager for Auto Body Xperts. “Zeeland has always been a community that is near and dear to us, so when the opportunity was there, we had the store in Holland and the workflow was there, so we wanted to make sure we are servicing the community that we live in.” Consideration for the new location began nearly three years ago, and the initial decision that had to be made was whether to buy an existing building or find property where the company could start fresh. The company ended up going the new building route in Zeeland, and they now offer full collision repair and free loaner cars with all repairs, auto detailing and mechanical work when damaged in an accident,

in addition to paintless dent repair to customers on a walk-in or reserved basis. The new facility has space to service up to 20 vehicles, which is comparable to other locations, but the

Auto Body Xperts has opened its fourth location at 9389 Riley St. in Zeeland. The new 13,000-square-foot facility can service up to 20 cars at a time and features brand new state-of-the-art equipment. Credit: Austin Metz/Sentinel Staff

new location offers brand new stateof-the-art facilities and tweaks made after talking with other shop employees. As part of the opening of the new location, Auto Body Xperts will hold a grand opening event from 4–7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 18. “We want people to see our build-

Team PRP Automotive Recycling Network Announces Further Expansion

Team PRP’s automotive recycling network continues to expand its nationwide footprint with the addition of three exceptional recycling facility partners.

The newest locations to join with its thriving organization are Carolina Salvage (Rock Hill, SC); Wayne Auto Salvage (Goldsboro, NC); and ABC Auto Parts (Riverdale, IL). Each of these locations is ideally situated near major metropolitan areas—Charlotte, Raleigh and Chicago. “I could not be more excited to announce the addition of three more fantastic facilities,” noted Mark Gamble, Executive Director of Team PRP. “Over the course of the last two years, Team PRP has added more than 20 new facilities. From the moment we began our earnest expansion, we have focused diligently on a quality over

quantity mantra. There is no doubt we have strongly adhered to this objective, as we continue to add to the Premium designated in the Team PRP name!” All Team PRP members must meet particularly strict standards required of all member facilities, undergoing a stringent vetting process and peer review. Further augmenting Team PRP’s high-quality network of parts trading and transporting, the addition of these newest top-tier facility locations will result in an increase in parts availability as well as providing greater efficiency and faster delivery times—providing great benefit to repairers and repair customers alike.

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Continued from Page 18

ings in the environment because body shops have been known as grungy environments in the past. That is not the case anymore,” Beroza said. “Now it is more family-friendly. We are going to have four food trucks at the event, a bounce house and cake. It is really for the community so they know that we are here, and to allow them to see the inside of the facility.” Along with servicing cars, Beroza said the company also tries to put an emphasis on making a difference in its communities. The company is currently running a promotion in which children can come to the different locations and get a free pumpkin. Last year, they ended up giving away 226 pumpkins to children in the community. “It really comes back to our family and how we were raised,” Beroza said. “We were always raised to give back. We have all had our battles in life with health and other things. We began asking how we could do good in our community.” For more information about the new facility and about Auto Body Xperts, visit them online at autobody xperts.com We thank Holland Sentinel for reprint permission.

Ready Workforce

are harder workers,” said Steve Salvi, founder of the Ohio Jobs and Justice PAC. “American workers work just as hard as foreign workers in general ... Families who have been defending this country in wars for generations deserve to have the first shot at these jobs ... You’re either going to have idle refugees or idle Americans.” Nadia Kasvin, director and cofounder of US Together, said the refugee community fills a large workforce gap in central Ohio that is not being met by American job seekers. “Employers do need a workforce, a reliable workforce that has a work ethic, that can pass a drug test,” Kasvin said. “We have that workforce.” We thank The Columbus Dispatch for reprint permission.

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Continued from Page 3

Launching Column

my full-time career managing one of the most respected body shop certification programs in the industry for an international company like Honda,” said Ledoux. “I’ve been blessed to work with so many terrific people at Honda, our great ProFirst certification team and all of the wonderful collision industry people with whom I’ve been able to interact. I’m looking forward to continuing to serve the collision industry in a different capacity.” Autobody News reached out to Ledoux to learn more about his career in the collision repair industry and find out what readers can expect in his new column.

Congratulations on your recent Q: retirement Gary! How did you get your start in this industry? Prior to Honda, I worked for several years at two automoA: tive jobbers that also sold paint and

body supplies, where I was first exposed to the collision industry. One of my first jobs was custom-mixing

pints of DuPont Lucite lacquer and DuPont Duco lacquer. Then, I sold new and used trucks at a Ford dealership, became a service advisor at another Ford dealership, and worked at various capacities including parts manager at dealerships for Honda, Acura, Mercedes, Toyota and Subaru.

What are some of the different Q: roles you held while working at Honda?

I started at American Honda on A: July 5, 1988 as a district parts manager for the Acura Division cover-

ing the New England region including NH, VT, MA, CT, RI and upstate NY. My main focus was ensuring parts departments were properly stocked and the parts managers were trained in the many newly opened Acura dealerships. A year later, I transferred to the southeast area doing the same job in FL, GA, SC, NC, VA and WV. I then accepted a job as a trainer for American Honda, moved to California and began working out of the national office. Forty weeks a year for the next six years, I traveled to different cities to train parts managers on proper parts department management,

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including inventory control, cost control and asset protection. I started working with Honda auto and Acura dealer parts managers and eventually included parts managers at Honda motorcycle and power equipment dealerships. At the request of our Export Department, I created materials and taught classes tailored specifically for our auto and motorcycle dealers and distributors in Central and South America and the Caribbean. In 1998, I accepted a promotion and began working in the Parts Marketing Department, concentrating first on the wholesale mechanical side of the business and then on the collision side. The last four years or so have been especially rewarding being on the leading edge of the current industry wave.

Is there a special memory you Q: would like to share during your time at American Honda?

As a young trainer for Honda A: covering basic parts department operations, I encountered an older gen-

tleman who had been a parts manager for 30-plus years. I was intimidated. “What can I possibly tell this guy that he hasn’t

heard a million times before?” I thought. At the end of the three-day seminar, he came up to me, shook my hand and said, “Thank you!” I asked what he was thanking me for. He replied, “Thanks for reminding me about all the basic things I need to do—but have since forgotten.” The moral is: “Basics matter.”

What prompted you to retire Q: and what can readers expect from your new column “In Reverse?”

What prompted me to retire? A: Thanks to some planning, some luck and the proper alignment of the sun

and stars, I just knew it was time. My last official day with Honda was October 1. Not one to waste time, I began writing for Autobody News on October 2. My ongoing column—“In Reverse”—will be launched in the November issue. It will focus, not surprisingly, on the history of the industry. Eventually, I’ll produce other feature articles covering all facets of the collision repair industry, including a closer look at OE certification programs.

We’ve heard about another you have been working Q: project See Launching Column, Page 26

www.autobodynews.com | NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 25

Michigan Residents May Soon Have More Auto Insurance Options

Continued from Page 24

Michigan is currently the only state that requires vehicle owners to buy unlimited medical insurance to cover injuries from automobile accidents, but residents may soon have other options. A new bill backed by Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and House speaker Tom Leonard would eliminate this requirement. Instead, motorists would have the option to carry unlimited coverage or choose to carry coverage at $250,000 or $500,000. These amounts are still much higher than in most states, with only New Jersey requiring a minimum of $250,000. Those who choose the option for $250,000 of coverage would be guaranteed 40 percent in personal injury protection fees, which is equivalent to a 20 percent reduction in the overall cost of purchasing a comprehensive policy and 50 percent lower than a basic policy. Senior citizens ages 62 and older who are on Medicare or other retiree benefits can choose one of the options, or decide against purchasing personal injury protection entirely for a cost savings of nearly 35 percent. Another cost-saving provision in the bill requires auto insurers to reimburse set

on for quite some time. Can you fill us in on the details?

by Sara E. Teller, Legal Reader

Continued from Cover

New Car Paint

plied in a 12-step process that involves a mighty 20 individual quality inspections—hence the limited daily production volume out of Lexus’ Motomachi, Japan factory.

It’s launching on special edition LC Structural Blue editions. A butterfly inspired it, says Lexus. The Morpho butterfly has, at least to the human eye, deep and

fees to health providers for treating auto injuries. Detroit has the highest car insurance rates in the United States, and Michigan’s annual average auto insurance premium is $2,394, the highest in the nation. “Forty-nine other states are doing just fine without this unlimited system,” said Mayor Duggan. “We have a chance to do something really important. We’re going to push really hard to make it affordable. It is a civil rights issue because we need people to be able to get to work. And with so many of the jobs not being near where people live, this is life and death to us.” Duggan added that the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association fund has almost enough money to care for the people currently in the system, and the new people going into the lifetime benefits system will pay far lower rates for the medical services they receive. “When we put fee schedule in, it will make MCCA more solvent,” Duggan said. “The MCCA costs will go down and not up.” “What was proposed today cuts costs on the backs of some of Michigan’s most vulnerable people,” John Cornack, president of the Coalition Protect-

shimmering blue wings, although they’re actually colorless—a lattice on the surface of the wings distorts light to make them appear blue. To replicate this, Lexus applies paint containing ultra-fine nano-structures in 15-micrometre layers. Normal metallic paint pigments reflect barely 50 percent of visible blue light. The ones in the new Structural Blue color reflect almost 100 percent. Each car carries 300 grams of paint pigment— within this, about 300 billion pigment flakes… But if you’re thinking that, actually, it doesn’t look all that impressive in the images, rest assured: Lexus adds that “it is designed to work on the eye rather than on a camera lens.” We’ll thus have to take the firm’s word for it that its 15-year labor was not in vain.

Thank you Motoring Research for reprint permission.

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ing No-Fault, said. “People who are paralyzed, people with brain injuries and children whose parents purchase these bare-minimum policies will all suffer under this proposal because they won’t get the care they need.” Despite receiving an overwhelming amount of support, the new legislation has been opposed by a coalition of healthcare providers, plaintiffs’ attorneys and patient advocates. Critics say those with paralysis and brain injuries would not “get the care they need.” Michigan Health & Hospital Association CEO Brian Peters called the legislation a “non-starter,” stating it’s unable to guarantee rate reductions for all drivers. Proponents countered that treatment would not stop for more extensive injuries but would be covered by their health insurer after medical bills have exceeded the amount allowed at $250,000 or $500,000. “We have a very broad coalition, and that’s what we need to get this done,” Speaker of the House Tom Leonard said of the proposed options. The GOP bill sponsor, House Insurance Committee Chairwoman Lana Theis, will begin hearings next week. We thank Legal Reader for reprint permission.

Launching Column

In the fall of 2010, I started a A: special project—writing a book about the history of the collision

repair industry in America. Nobody has done that before, and I thought it was about time. My objective is to provide an overview of the industry, the factors affecting it, and how it evolved from the early 1900s to today. I had to set the project aside for some time, but now, in retirement, I’ll go “full-steam” to finish it. I am still looking for any and all input from anyone in the industry, including company histories, product histories, old body shop photos, and first-hand stories about working in the industry, especially at the shop level. Gary Ledoux can be reached at: mayorclum@yahoo.com.

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Continued from Cover

Photo Estimating

estimates are so far off that repairs cannot begin until the insurance company comes out on a supplement.” “The major benefit to photo claims is that the consumer is in control of starting their claim, which makes them feel empowered, but that is where the convenience ends,” agrees Eric McKenzie, Director of Body Shop Operations for Park Place Dealerships. “The major drawback is that these estimates are being written significantly lower than they should be, and we are seeing estimates that are nowhere close to what they should be. For the consumer who elects not to repair their vehicle, they are being grossly underpaid for the money that is rightfully theirs from a claim, but when the vehicles do make it to a repair shop, it is adding significantly more time to the repair planning and supplemental processes.” Weighing in, Burl Richards, owner of Burl’s Collision Center, adds, “The estimates are grossly unrealistic—sometimes, only one-tenth of the actual cost to make the repair! In

theory, it would be a great way to save time if the shop could call in a supplement, get approval that day and continue with the repair, but it seems to put much more administrative burden and time on the shop, straining our relationship with the insurers, plus the insurer’s initial estimate is basically worthless, so we have to start from point A.”

$5,500 estimate on a keyed vehicle, but when they submitted photos as requested, the insurer returned a $265 estimate. When a customer brought in their Honda Fit that was hit by a Hummer H3, the insurance company provided a $1,000 estimate for which four hours of repair time was accounted. Berli’s Body and Fine Auto Finishes’ supplement countered with a $6,800

Richards believes that photo estimating only benefits the insurers, as they save money on hiring estimators and other associated costs. Kiffe agrees that photo estimating makes financial sense for insurance companies, but he points out that it also causes unnecessary friction between the shop and the insurance carrier. “The estimate is so far off that it’s really slowing down the process,” Kiffe said. Kiffe cites examples of these inaccurate estimates: The shop wrote a

cost for repairs needed to replace the lift gate and rear body panel. Although supplements are a normal part of the process, insurance companies are often taking days or weeks to respond, preventing the shop from moving forward or taking additional work. The Honda Fit was brought to the shop on Sept. 20, and a supplement was submitted two days later, but it took until Sept. 29 for the insurance company to approve the supplement, finally allowing the shop to move forward with repairs.

“The major benefit to photo claims is that the consumer is in control of starting their claim, which makes them feel empowered, but that is where the convenience ends,” — Eric McKenzie

28 NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Kiffe also worries about how photo estimating, designed to be convenient, actually negatively impacts the customer. “Our customers have been irritated about the poorly written estimates and concerned that the insurance company will pay for the repairs,” Kiffe said. “Customers lose trust in the insurance company when they see the final repair cost, which is sometimes 10 times the original estimate. Customers who unknowingly take their vehicles to an average repair shop don’t always receive a quality repair. Many shops may not supplement everything needed for fear that they will upset the insurance company. Some shops may not ask for more or will settle for the cheap estimate and cut corners thinking they are helping the customer, but in fact, they are exposing the customer to poor quality repairs.” While Kiffe’s customers found photo estimating to be convenient at first, the lack of financial fairness often causes them to question their insurers’ motives and grow frustrated with the delays associated with supplement approval. “Additionally, many customers may choose not to repair their vehicle.

When this happens, the insurance company that was supposed to protect them and cover them has now cheated them,” Kiffe notes. McKenzie adds, “Once a customer elects not to repair the damage, they get short-paid (most, probably unknowingly). Or they bring it to the repair facility where the claim takes longer to process, which does not benefit the consumer. We’ve even had several clients mention how poor they thought the initial photo estimates were written when they dropped their vehicles with us.” A greater consumer concern is the issue of safety that arises when a customer accepts a check based on the photo estimate. These individuals may opt to forgo the repair without realizing they’ve been short-changed, or worse, additional damage that could not be seen in the estimate may be present and cause safety concerns when the vehicle is driven. Consumers using their insurance carriers’ photo app for convenience are unlikely to be aware of how inaccurate photo estimates could impair the future safety of their families or lead to diminished value on their vehicle. After driving a damaged vehicle for a week, a college student asked

was so prevalent that the insurer’s estimate actually noted, “TIRE, Potential hidden damage, please ask your repairer to inspect when your vehicle is brought in for repairs.” This raises the important question of how insurers can write estimates when they acknowledge that they cannot determine the damage. “It is never advisable to write an estimate from photos because so much can be missed, and that is why we will not do so,” McKenzie stresses. “We have not seen a photo estimate yet that was anywhere close to accurate. It just takes more administrative time and downtime than a properly written initial estimate.” While advocates of photo When a Hummer H3 hit this Honda Fit, the insurer’s estimate included four hours of repair time and a estimating claim that there’s $1,000 cost, but the shop’s supplement indicated a no increase in the frequency total repair cost of $6,800 to replace the lift gate of supplements, shops are reand repair the rear body panel porting an increase in the away with a $44.19 check, but the final severity of supplements, as well as derepair amount will easily be above lays in approval of the supplement. $7,000 once completed, and the car This prevents repairers from ordering could possibly have side wall damage parts and starting the repair. Richards to the tire.” mentions an industry peer whose $900 The possibility of hidden damage original estimate resulted in a final apBerli’s Body & Fine Auto Finishes to repair a 2015 BMW that had a tire and wheel impacted by a cement wall. Kiffe shares, “This vehicle needs a quarter panel replacement and a right rear door shell. The estimate totals $1,044.19 with a customer deductible of $1,000, so the customer comes

proval of more than $9,000. “These photo estimates are ridiculously out of the ballpark,” Richards says. “They aren’t even close! Our supplement rate is pretty much 100 percent on every claim. They’re virtually never correct, and although they may seem more convenient for the customer initially, they take longer in the end due to the ridiculous amount initially written.” Kiffe concurred, stating, “We have not received a single photo estimate that was even close to what it would take to repair the vehicle, and we’re seeing that some vehicles are even making it to us when they should have been totaled upfront if a solid estimate had been written. We’re also experiencing delays because the majority of photo estimates are not accurate or even enough to start repairs.” “Being a non-DRP shop, we always experience insurer delays, and the only real change has been further supplement delays because there are now fewer field adjusters,” McKenzie explains. “The biggest issue is severity since the initial estimates are so far off. It just makes the insurance company look incompetent because the photo estimates are laughable at best.”

www.autobodynews.com | NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 29

Continued from Page 4

Who’s Liable?

in resolving the legal issues that will arise in connection with autonomous vehicles. Fortunately, modern products liability law is adequately developed to allocate fault for injuries and damages stemming from autonomous vehicle accidents, which will allow litigants to utilize the current law to answer the question of whether an autonomous vehicle is at fault for a collision. Moving forward, the legal framework for autonomous vehicle accident liability will be segmented into strict product liability, breach of warranty liability, misrepresentation liability and negligence liability.

Products liability litigation Strict liability is the dominant legal theory in products liability litigation, and is thus poised to be the theory most consistently applied to autonomous vehicle accident litigation. Strict products liability requires that: (1) the product was defective when it left the manufacturer’s control; (2) the product was unreasonably dangerous; and (3) the defect was the proximate cause of the injuries. As automobiles become more autonomous, manufacturing defects will likely represent a large portion of defect claims, as errors on the production line will never vanish completely. Here, manufacturers can be found strictly liable for manufacturing defects even if they have exercised “all possible care” in manufacturing the vehicle. Similarly, the automobile industry will almost certainly see an uptick in the amount of design defect claims asserted against designers and manufacturers of autonomous vehicles.

Breach of warranty liability Warranty theories of liability are also likely to increase. There are several different types of warranties that apply in the context of autonomous vehicles. First, express warranties will be created through promises made by the seller to a prospective buyer pertaining to the sale of the vehicle, including those created through written vehicle warranties, descriptions of the vehicle made during the sale process, or promises made in connection with the marketing and advertising of the vehicle. In addition, implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a partic-

ular purpose (that the vehicles or their technology will be fit for the purpose for which they are sold) will also apply in the arena of autonomous vehicle litigation.

Misrepresenting quality Misrepresentation liability regarding the quality of autonomous vehicles may also come into play in from accidents involving self-driving cars. Misrepresentation involves the communication of false or misleading information, and liability in this respect can occur when a person reasonably relies on the misrepresentation and sustains injury. For example, if an autonomous vehicle actually requires more human input and oversight than claimed by the manufacturer and this leads to a collision, responsibility for the accident may rest with the manufacturer under a misrepresentation theory of liability.

Negligence liability Finally, designers and manufacturers of vehicles can also be held liable under negligence theories in relation to autonomous vehicle accidents. Manufacturers owe a duty to use reasonable care in the design of their automobiles to avoid unreasonable risk of injury, and to minimize the severity of injury in the event of an accident. In addition, manufacturers also owe a duty to construct their vehicles without latent or hidden defects, which would encompass defective autonomous vehicle technology. Here, in addition to products liability-oriented theories, manufacturers would also face common law negligence liability where an accident occurred as a proximate result of a vehicle operating in autonomous mode, creating a new hybrid type of legal action involving a mixture of negligence and products liability theories.

Allocating fault between driver & vehicle Although autonomous vehicles are designed to operate on their own and without the use of a driver, many vehicles are being designed to place the operator in a position to assume control of a vehicle in a variety of circumstances, allowing drivers to effectively share operation of the vehicle with the automobile’s autonomous technology. Where vehicles are not operating in autonomous mode, but are being driven by a human, the driver will ordinarily still be subject to liability even in the context of an autonomous vehicle acci-

30 NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

dent. However, determining whether the driver or the vehicle was operating the automobile at the time of an accident may turn out to be a very thorny task, as it is not always entirely clear where the line between the driver and the vehicle falls. Accordingly, many lawsuits will involve suing both the driver and the manufacturer due to questions surrounding which party is at fault for the accident. In such instances, establishing liability on one party or the other might be difficult, causing some more complex lawsuits where car manufacturers and drivers identify each other as the responsible party for a collision resulting in injury or damage. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, along with the Society of Automotive Engineers, has developed a six-tiered rating system that classifies vehicles according to their level of automated function. Zero represents complete human control, and five denotes a vehicle operating in fully autonomous mode. Under this system, any accident occurring while a vehicle is driving at a level of automation of two or below will be deemed to be the result of

human error, as opposed to the vehicle’s autonomous technology. However, the NHTSA’s liability paradigm is merely advisory, and does not represent binding regulation. Ultimately, responsibility for classifying autonomous vehicles—and determining how to best allocate liability between driver and vehicle—will rest with the individual states. At what juncture this liability shifts from driver to vehicle will be a point of significant debate across the country in the coming years. States will be required to establish a liability scheme that does not dissuade the automobile industry from introducing fully autonomous vehicles to the consumer marketplace, while at the same time holding designers, manufacturers, and suppliers responsible for collisions caused by the vehicles themselves. The final word The appropriate approach to liability for autonomous vehicles is merely one of a number of difficult legal issues that will have to be addressed as autonomous vehicles become more prevalent on our nation’s roadways, and the law catches up with this rapidly advancing technolSee Who’s Liable?, Page 37

www.autobodynews.com | NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 31

Geoffrey Adams Crane

Mr. Geoffrey “Geoff” Adams Crane, 70, died Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017, in Olive Branch, MS. Born in Elizabeth, NJ, Mr. Crane lived in Olive Branch, MS, and the surrounding area most of his adult life. Mr. Crane was a Geoffrey Crane proud member of Getwell Road Church, and was well-known for his entries in many barbecue contests, his passion for cars, especially sports cars, and fishing on Lake Winnipesaukee, where he spent his summers both at Camp Wyanoke and with his parents. Mr. Crane was the former Director of Industry Relations in the Diamond Standard Brand Parts Group based in TN. Coleman Funeral Home of Olive Branch is in charge of the arrangements. Online condolences may be left on the Tribute Wall at www.colemanfuneralhome.com.

www.autobodynews.com

Mitchell Parts Extended with Strategic Integration Agreement with OEC Mitchell has announced it has extended Mitchell Parts and signed an integration agreement with OEConnection (OEC). The solution is designed to provide the industry with the largest, most accurate, OEM parts procurement solution and with a more streamlined parts procurement process directly through Mitchell Parts. Mitchell Parts is designed to simplify and streamline parts sourcing and ordering. The agreement with OEC broadens Mitchell’s existing network of part suppliers and now will integrate the most comprehensive OE Dealer network in the collision industry. Over 8,000 dealers across all automakers using OEC’s CollisionLink will process parts orders originating from Mitchell Parts. The integration with OEC delivers value to the industry by simplifying the parts ordering process, while helping to improve accuracy and cycle time. Olivier Baudoux, Vice President, Product Management & Strategy, Mitchell Auto Physical Damage said, “Mitchell Parts is another Mitchell cloud-based solution and reinforces Mitchell’s commitment to its rapid evolution to a full cloud and

32 NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

browser-friendly offering. We’re excited about integrating into OEC’s CollisionLink solution and robust dealer network. Our users will benefit from a streamlined parts procurement process, leading to shorter cycle times and a more consistent experience.” Bill Lopez, Vice President & General Manager, Collision for OEC added, “Mitchell has had a strong longstanding relationship with OEMs, and this agreement shows Mitchell’s commitment to delivering a best-in-class solution for the industry by more deeply connecting our dealer network with Mitchell repair facilities. Our mission has always been to streamline the dealers’ order fulfillment workflow in addition to driving incremental sales opportunities, and integrating CollisionLink with an estimating platform through Mitchell Parts will do just that.” Mitchell Parts, powered by uParts, is already available today to hundreds of repair facilities using Mitchell Estimating/Ultramate software and offers: • A cloud-based solution for realtime part pricing and availability for

all part types.

• One-click ordering from a national footprint of suppliers streamlines the claim process and helps facilitate safe and proper repairs on the vehicle.

• Seamless integration with Mitchell solutions to source and procure the right part at the right price.

• Real-time order tracking and messaging with suppliers.

• Supports free and open data exchange via BMS and EMS CIECA standards. Mitchell Parts will be available in Mitchell Connect, Mitchell RepairCenter and Mitchell Cloud Estimating in early 2018. Mitchell Cloud Estimating and Mitchell Estimating/Ultramate are already fully integrated with OEC’s patented MyPriceLink technology and are available today.

www.autobodynews.com

UPDATED DAILY

www.autobodynews.com | NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 33

H ONDA ILLI NO I S

Honda Superstore of Lisle Ch i ca go /Su b u rb s

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

Schaumburg Honda Automobiles Sch a u m b urg

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

Meyer Honda O â&#x20AC;&#x2122;F a l l o n

888-714-6739 618-206-2172 Dept. Hours: M-Sat 7-6 partsmeyerhonda1@gmail.com IND I AN A

Basney Honda M i sh a wa k a

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

Bob Rohrman Honda La fa ye tte

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

A CU RA OH I O

Columbia Acura Ci n ci nn a ti

800-654-3553 513-530-0698 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5:30; Sat 8-12 columbiaparts@mail.com IL L IN O IS

Acura of Libertyville Li b e rty vi ll e

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

Arlington Acura in Palatine Pa l a ti n e

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 34 NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Please contact these dealers for your Honda or Acura Genuine parts needs. I NDI A NA

M INNE SO TA

MIS SOU RI

O HIO

Bosak Honda

Buerkle Honda

Frank Leta Honda

Hig hla nd

S t . P aul

S t . L ou is

Be d ford

800-542-6725 219-922-3102

800-592-9514 651-484-0975

888-680-6025 636-336-5003

800-509-9057 440-786-3363

Dept. Hours: M 8-5; Tue 8-8 W, Thu, F 8-5; Sat 8-4 davepropeck@bosakmail.com

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

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

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-4 jayhondaparts@gmail.com

Luther Hopkins Honda

Honda of Tiffany Springs

Great Lakes Honda

Ho pkin s

K a ns a s C it y

Ak ro n

800-328-6016 952-908-8585

816-452-3221

330-633-8197 330-633-6060

Honda of Fishers F ishe r s

800-806-6404 317-299-3723 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-6 honda-west@att.com MI C HIG A N

Dept. Hours: M-Thu 7-9; F 7-6; Sat 8-4 tim.lewis@hopkinshonda.com

Richfield-Bloomington Honda R ichf ie ld

Pl ymo uth

800-328-2703 612-866-8197

800-824-4646 734-453-3600

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

Victory Honda

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

M ISS OUR I

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

Roper Honda Jo p li n

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

Superior Honda of Omaha O m ah a

Bommarito Honda

Ka la ma zo o

Ha ze lwoo d

888-342-1678 269-585-5812

800-731-8270 314-731-8270

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

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

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

Honda of Lincoln

Brookdale Honda B roo k lyn Ce nter

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

Ed Napleton Honda S t . P et e rs

800-875-4190 636-928-4400

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

Waikem Honda M a si l lo n

800-225-0281 330-478-4435 Dept. Hours: M 7:30-8; Tu-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 8-4

N EBR AS KA

Zeigler Honda

MI N NES O TA

Jay Honda

888-408-0911 402-408-1100

Li n co ln

800-742-7811 402-437-1201 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-5:30; Sat 7-12 hondaparts@hondaoflincoln.com

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

W IS C O NSI N

Russ Darrow Honda M i lwa u ke e

888-318-1671 414-586-5401 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 7-4; Sun 8-4 hondaparts@russdarrow.com

Wilde Honda Wa u ke sh a

800-526-3209 262-542-9300 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-9; Sat 8-4 wildehondaparts@gmail.com

Frank Fletcher Honda C ol um bia

573-818-3650 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 gropp@fletcherauto.com

IL L INO IS

IL LI NO I S

Continental Acura of Naperville

MIC HIGAN

W IS C O NSI N

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

Acura of Troy

Ho f f m an Es t at e s

Tr oy

Br oo k fi e ld

Chi ca go /Su b urb s

866-475-9280

630-960-2175

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

800-935-0923 248-643-0900

800-383-3936 262-439-6029

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

Dept. Hours: M-Th 7:30-6; F 7:30-5; Sat 8-4:30 patrick.murphy@zimbrick.com

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-5:30; Sat 8-4 bobw@conacura.com

Joe Rizza Acura

M INNE SO TA

Acura of Brookfield

Buerkle Acura

O rl a ndo Par k

Mi nneap ol i s

708-460-6369 708-403-7770

800-717-3109 763-488-1122

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

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

McGrath Acura of Morton Grove

Luther Bloomington Acura

Mo rto n Grove

847-470-2309

800-451-5078 952-887-0600

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

Dept. Hours: M 6:30-6; Tue-F 6:30-9; Sat 8-4 parts@bloomingtonacura.com

B lo om ing t on

www.autobodynews.com | NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 35

Day Job/Night Job Alan Johnson: Author, Artist, Pinstriping King with Ed Attanasio

By taking his experience in custom paint and expanding on it, Alan Johnson has made himself well-known for many things—such as his blossoming fine art career. He’s also an author, a teacher and known as one of the world’s leading experts in pinstriping, a unique art form that is 100 percent American. He is 71 years old and has his work placed in art galleries all over the world, while still going strong with no plans to retire. Johnson’s motto, which he tells anyone who’s interested in learning the craft of pinstriping, is to “just get the brush.” That is what he enjoys doing every day. Originally from River Plaza, NJ, Johnson worked his way through the Newark School of Fine Industrial Art in the 1960s by painting, airbrushing and lettering everything from fresh produce signs to cars at the local Raceway Park. His first shop was in a greenhouse at Julie’s Farm Stand on

Route 35 in Middletown, NJ, where he refined his skills on cars, motorcycles, guitars, helmets, boats, skis and even airplanes.

Alan Johnson, the owner of Alan Johnson Grafix in Blairstown, NJ, wrote How To Pinstripe, published by Motor Books

In 1968, he began his career as an Art Director at a New York advertising agency, working on big national

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

campaigns. Six years later, he decided that the commercial art world was not where he wanted to be, so he moved his family to the country and started his own business. His studio, Alan Johnson Grafix, is located in a restored barn and grist mill that was built in 1825. With all of his children grown up and out of the house, Johnson spends half the year in his other studio in Loveland, CO, so he can be near his sons and grandchildren. Today, Johnson is continually sought after for his 40 years of experience as an independent pinstriper and custom auto artist. He is a consultant for automotive paint and brush manufacturers and writes a series of “How To” articles for trade periodicals. He has his own line of signature brushes with the Mack Brush Company and is the author of How To Pinstripe, published by Motor Books in 2007. Johnson has been invited to Fin-

land, England and Scotland to demonstrate and pass on his knowledge of pinstriping, and enjoys sharing his skills with budding painters all over the planet. His book has been the definitive step-by-step guide on how to

Johnson’s lettering and pinstriping skills can be seen on this boat

perform a wide range of pinstriping projects, including information on how to prepare surfaces and how to experiment with asymmetrical design. Assisted by his wife, Judy, Johnson is able to dedicate all of his time

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to creating award-winning masterpieces that adorn vintage auto and boat restoration projects that have appeared in museums and private collections all over the country. Every year, he organizes and participates in five charity events, raising money primarily for children through the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Special Olympics. He is also one of the original organizers of the “Pinheads”, an elite group of master pinstripers. In 2009, he received the Pinstripe Legend lifetime achievement award for his unique artwork in the Kustom Kulture world. After painting on cars and boats for many years, Johnson decided to stretch his wings artistically when he began painting other images in his studio in Loveland, CO. Today, he sketches and paints southwestern landscapes and other subjects with bold colors. His experimental painting techniques and unique color sense are utilized in his fine art painting, all of which are well-known for their spiritual nature. “I decided to try other things, and it has really taken off from there,” he said. “I sell a lot of posters now through Fine Art America, and that is very satisfying. I still love custom painting cars, but this

In addition, Johnson said he instructs young artists on pinstriping and encourages them to pursue their creative sides. “I really enjoy teaching and showing people how I do the pinstriping,” he said. “Pinstripers and lettering people often tell me that my book is the best written on the subject, and of course that is very satisfying. Initially, I had to actually look at my hand to see how I do the pinstriping, so that I could relate it to other people. I had been doing it for so many years, I had to sit down and think about how I could write about the process so that readers could understand.” If you’ve been to a classic car show, you’ve likely seen With 42 years under his Johnson’s work more than a few times belt (or easel), Johnson looks Brush Masters in Chicago. Exciting back, but only for a moment. projects that he completed recently in“I’m just a kid from the New Jerclude a gold leaf lettering job on a sey shore who got this ability from 1929 Packard Speedster; gold leaf let- God, so I love sharing it and experitering , airbrush and pinstriping two menting with new projects and new restored 1960s Gassers for Ida Auto- techniques all the time,” he said. “I motive; gold leaf lettering on restored give these young people a brush and a classic wood boats, a 1934 Packard panel and show them how to convey for Pebble Beach Concourse at Stone their personality through the art. What Barn Restorations. can be better than that?” stage in my art career has really been amazing.” 2017 has been a great year for Johnson, full of activity and great reviews. Earlier this year, he painted and donated his artwork to two car shows— Pinstripe Legends in Milwaukee and

Continued from Page 30

Who’s Liable?

ogy. Ultimately, as vehicles become more autonomous, liability will shift from the operator to the manufacturer or the supplier of the vehicle’s autonomous technology systems. At what point this liability shifts and by how much will be heavily debated as states develop legislative and regulatory schemes to allocate liability for autonomous vehicle crashes.

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

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38 NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

www.autobodynews.com | NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 39

Industry Insight

—John Yoswick is a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon, who has a body shop in the family and has been writing about the automotive industry since 1988. He is the editor of the weekly CRASH Network (for a free 4-week trial subscription, visit www.CrashNetwork.com). Contact him by email at jyoswick@SpiritOne.com.

Forum Highlights How Much ‘Diagnostics’ Have Become Part of Collision Repair World with John Yoswick

The Advanced Technology and Diagnostic Repair Forum held last summer during NACE Automechanika in Chicago offered more evidence that the lines between “collision repair” and processes more traditionally considered “mechanical repair” continue to blur. Speakers included representatives of Bosch and Delphi, companies not regularly on the agenda at auto body events in the past. However, the focus was certainly on collision repairers, who made up most of the audience.

Matt DeWalt of Legacy Autobody Group said differences in how automakers organize and present collision repair information can create difficulties

Panelists, for example, discussed the increasing need for review of automaker collision repair procedures as part of the estimating or “diagnostic” process, as well as the difficulties that doing so can sometimes pose. For example, Matt DeWalt, coowner of Legacy Autobody Group, which operates four shops in Pennsylvania, said the significant differences in how automakers organize and present collision repair information is challenging. “It’s almost like we need training just on how to access the information,” DeWalt said. Other panelists agreed. Darrell Amberson, president of operations for LaMettry’s, a Minnesota-based multishop collision repair business, agreed that the technical repair information is out there, but “it takes way too much digging to find it” because it’s not as accessible as it should be. Vince Claudio of the Gerber Collision & Glass chain said shops sometimes have to check multiple sites to find all the information needed and confirm that it

is correct and current. “If we could bring that information together, and if it resided within the estimating system that we’re going to be using anyway, it would make it a lot easier to get the information that relates to that specific repair,” he said. State Farm’s Chris Evans seconded Claudio’s view, saying the industry’s “information providers” need to step up and provide more information “at the right time in the right place,” relative to repair processes. “It is an enormous mountain that they are going to be climbing,” Evans said of the task of incorporating more information in the estimating systems. “But if they are going to remain relevant and responsive to the marketplace, it’s going to be important that they become more sophisticated.” Labor times are only part of the equation, Evans said. The systems need to help shops and insurers understand, for example, when diagnostic scanning or systems calibration must be done. “If that is necessary, it needs to be part of the repair time that the information providers print out on an estimate,” Evans said. Part of that process, he said, is the automakers providing more guidance within specific repair procedures, rather than just position statements, when steps such as vehicle scanning are necessary. He said that would help alleviate shops’ liability concerns about when scanning is needed. “We don’t just need more posi-

systems are affected, you must do this, that or the other thing… If the vehicle needs to be pre- or post-scanned because some system…has been re-

yet. That gap between those two often causes the friction and tension that exists in the industry today.” All of this has triggered an evolution in the type of employee categories shops need in-house, Amberson said. “We’re accustomed to having body techs, painters, estimators, etc., but now we all need this really highcaliber technician who embraces the electronics, has a passion for it and wants to gain more understanding,” Amberson said. “It’s not your typical type of mechanic who can remove and reinstall engines and handle suspension work. This is a different breed of cat, so to speak. We now get into all sorts of calibrations, and understanding the systems and how they behave, and understanding where to look for the information, is the the kind of person we need to handle this type of technology.” Collision repairers are experienc-

Jake Rodenroth of Collision Diagnostic Services said the increasing complexity of vehicle technology is posing new challenges to the use of non-OEM parts

paired or was damaged, that should be in a technical repair procedure and it should be part of the overall repair process, not just a position statement. I know car companies are working toward that. But we’re clearly not there

See Forum Highlights, Page 45

Luther Hopkins Honda

aCompetitive Pricing aFree and Fast Delivery aKnowledgeable Wholesale Parts Staff aLarge Inventory to Serve You Better Luther Hopkins Honda 250 5th Ave. South Hopkins, MN 55343 Vince Claudio of Gerber Collision & Glass said collision repair shops often have to check multiple sources to find all the current technical repair information needed

tion statements,” Evans said. “We need specificity and detail: In the event of this type of accident, with this type of damage, when these advanced

40 NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

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www.autobodynews.com | NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 41

In Reverse

Gary Ledoux is an industry veteran with 48 years’ experience in the automotive and OEM collision parts industry. His column appears exclusively in Autobody News. He can be reached at YesterWreck@yahoo.com

A Monthly Trip Where Time and Space are Reversed to Revisit People, Places and Events with Gary Ledoux

The Seasons of the Industry Welcome to In Reverse, a new column for Autobody News. Each month, we’ll put time and space in reverse to revisit the people, places and events that brought the collision industry to where it is today. For many people, working in the collision industry must seem like an everyday grind that is always the same—a never-changing, endless stream of todays with the same challenges. Well… some things in the collision industry are the same today as they were 100 years ago, but much has changed. Historians and writers like to compartmentalize changes into periods or eras. In some instances, it is a specific point in time, perhaps a day or a month, that marks those changes. In other cases, it is a period of time defined by events or trends. Some are very distinctive, starting and stopping while others tend to run into one another. Whatever the case, it is interest-

ing to look at how these slices of time helped define the evolution of the collision repair industry. Consider the following:

Pre-1900: Although motor vehicle crashes were still a few years off, several companies that would later serve the collision repair industry had their start way before the automobile even existed.

1900–1910: Automobiles, or horseless carriages, were new—and everything about them was new. The infrastructure to sell, service and repair automobiles had to be invented. Subsequently, blacksmiths, machinists, bicycle mechanics and even plumbers and chauffeurs maintained and repaired cars. There was little, if any, distinction between mechanical and body repairs.

1910–1915: This period marked a

transition from the blacksmith or bicycle mechanic repairing a car under the shade of a tree to the earliest auto repair businesses. In large cities, automobiles had no place to park, especially if its well-to-do owner would be working in the downtown district for the day. The concept of the parking garage was born, imitating the liverystable model for horses. It did not take long for some enterprising people to figure out that an automobile parked for the entire day could very easily be serviced or repaired during that period—hence the birth of a term we still use today: repair garage.

1916–1925: Early automobiles were of the open-top variety. In snow-belt regions of the country, they were used only in the summer months and kept in the garage during the winter. Eventually, automakers realized the automobile needed to be drivable in all sorts of weather. Thus, during this pe-

riod, more cars began showing up at dealer showrooms with enclosed bodies. Driving year around meant more miles driven, in more inclement weather—and more auto accidents. C. 1939 > Steel, rather than wood, became the body material of choice and body-on-frame became the car-building design of choice. Some car makers would experiment with aluminum and fiberglass, but steel was king.

1941–1946: Life pretty much stood still while the Allies were making the world safe for democracy. But the stage was being set for an explosion of another sort—the post-war American economy, and the birth of the collision repair industry. 1946 >: In the post-war economic boom, the car industry took a giant leap forward. Those were heady days See In Reverse, Page 48

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BASF Supports Young Spray Painters as a Global WorldSkills Competition Sponsor

To support up-and-coming automotive refinish spray painters and young talent, BASF’s Coatings division is a global sponsor of the WorldSkills International association until at least 2019.

“As a sponsor of the WorldSkills competition, BASF Automotive Refinish wants to encourage young talent to consider refinish painting as a profession,” said Marvin Gilfillan, BASF Vice President, Business Management, Automotive Refinish. “We’re focusing on promoting the next generation of automotive refinishers.” The WorldSkills competition will take place in the Middle East for the first time from October 14-19, 2017. Approximately 1,200 young people will demonstrate their skills in 51 individual competitions in Abu Dhabi. During the competition, par-

ticipants will exclusively use products from the comprehensive portfolio of BASF’s refinish brands Glasurit and R-M, depending on the country, as well as the RODIM brand range of paint-related products. “Our commitment emphasizes the significance and viability of a career as an automotive refinisher,” said Gillfillan. The competition, which also includes the international R-M Best Painter Contest, illustrates the diverse nature of the occupation, which calls for both craftsmanship as well as sustainable thinking and efficiency. To qualify for the final at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, in which 76 national WorldSkills associations will be represented, the candidates must win the national competition of their respective country. About 100,000 visitors are expected to attend the competition, including 10,000 international visitors, making the WorldSkills competition the biggest event ever to be held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. At the 2017 WorldSkills final, the automotive refinish contenders will compete using Glasurit premium brand products, exclusively. For more information visit: basf.com

CCC Uses a Single Photo to Process Smart Claims via Machine Learning Algorithms

CCC Information Services Inc. has introduced its CCC Smart Total Loss™ solution that uses and analyzes a single photo to help auto insurers predict a vehicle total loss in seconds, with superior accuracy, and without human intervention. The solution uses deep learning algorithms to help predict the most effective appraisal method for insurers, which improves triage decisions that can reduce related expenses and reduce the disruption caused by total loss vehicles at repair shops. CCC, the automotive claims leader who first went into production with machine learning capabilities in 2011, is now in market trials with carriers testing the first integrated solution that combines digital technology with powerful AI to bring decisionmaking precision and a streamlined experience to claims processing. “Claims that require little-to-no human intervention are an ambitious goal and one that needs to be approached intelligently and with the betterment of the industry, its participants, and consumers in mind,” said Barrett Callaghan, GM and SVP, Insurance Services Group, CCC. “The introduction of CCC Smart Total Loss is the first tangible step on a journey toward truly intelligent claims. CCC has processed

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more than 180 million automotive claims, and our work in AI and deepand machine-learning has been persistent and ongoing for nearly a decade. Not every claim can be fast-tracked, but through technology expertise, and deep claims insight, we can achieve a greater level of efficiency, quality, and service experience that is demanded in today's digital and consumer-centric environment.” CCC Smart Total Loss will be available for deployment in standalone mobile apps or integrated into insurers' mobile experiences. Users upload their photo—as instructed by their insurer—and have that photo analyzed by CCC's powerful AI engine. Smart Total Loss instantly analyzes damage against like photos, matching in make, model, year, and damage-type, returning a real-time response. Smart Total Loss is part of CCC Smart Claims™, a rapidly growing suite of intelligent claims management solutions. Smart Total Loss is powered by the CCC ONE® platform and is designed to be integrated into the workflow of the more than 350 carriers and 24,000 shops that use the platform today. For more see cccis.com/insurance-carriers/ smart-total/

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Continued from Page 40

Forum Highlights

ing an increase in the need to access information stored in the vehicle, just as their counterparts in the mechanical repair industry have done for years. Given that this information is legally considered to belong to the owner of the vehicle, collision repairers’ customer authorization forms need to evolve as well. “We obtain an authorization not only to access the data, but also to use the data,” DeWalt said, noting that even customers paying for repairs themselves haven’t declined having their vehicle scanned. “We incorporated some verbiage

into our customer authorization form that, first, gives us the authority to [access] information from the vehicle systems, and second, gives us the authority to share that with the insurer,” Amberson agreed. He said customers are increasingly safety-conscious and seem to embrace the need for shops to access vehicle information as part of repairs. He recalled one job his company retained—when the customer was being persuaded to go to a direct repair shop for the insurer involved—because the scanning processes had been explained to them at LaMettry’s. “They chose our shop because they liked the idea that we were scanning the car to make sure everything was done correctly,” Amberson said.

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Symach FixStation Installation Supports Plans by Carglass to Expand Into Auto Body Repair

Symach recently installed its versatile FixStation product in five Carglass® branches in Belgium. They include Ans, Anvers, Drogenbos, Hasselt and Charleroi. Each location now contains a double cabin as well as a paint mixing station.

Carglass®, a vehicle glass repair and replacement company, currently operates in 34 countries worldwide and is part of the Belron® family. Part of Carglass®’s long-term growth strategy includes offering auto body repair to its customers in Belgium and Luxembourg. “Our ultimate goal is to become the natural choice for glass and car body repair and replacement,” said Stefaan Hermans, operations director. “As Carglass® continues to expand its business and begins to offer auto body repair work to customers, Symach products will be an important part of our growth.” In April of this year, Carglass® acquired 15 additional locations in

Belgium from Care. Two of the locations were already using Symach equipment. Hermans said it was a natural decision to purchase the new FixStations following the acquisition. “We want to be top of mind for our customers so we can solve their problems and make it very convenient for them to have their vehicle repaired,” said Hermans. “We feel that Symach offers professional equipment that is efficient and delivers high productivity.” Symach’s FixStation with a Flydry robot works as both a spray booth and workstation. “It is truly a body shop in one box,” explained Osvaldo Bergaglio, CEO of Symach. “One multi-skilled technician can perform an average of four to six repairs per day without moving the vehicle, resulting in one repair every one and half or two hours.” He said this guarantees a keyto-key time of half a day. “Our goal is to provide customers with very low waiting times, while we repair their cars to the highest standards,” said Hermans. “Symach’s products are very professional and we feel that they will help us deliver exceptional work to our customers.”

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Media and Publicity for Shops

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

Why Are Shops Scaling Back Their Marketing Efforts? with Ed Attanasio

A few years ago, I spoke at a collision trade association meeting about marketing and advertising in the body shop world. One shop owner approached me after my talk. “Why do I have to spend money on marketing, because we get 150 cars every month from the insurance companies?” he asked. “We probably get five or six vehicles every year when people wander in here, but 99 percent of the time we get them through our insurance partnerships.” I’ve heard lately that more and more shops have decided to cut back on their marketing expenditures, because the economy is booming with no end in sight. Saving money by cutting costs is always a good idea, but what happens when things go sideways or when you lose a DRP or two for a wide range of reasons? Are you established enough in your region that marketing and advertising are no longer smart investments? I think it’s a good question, so I reached out to a group of shop owners from all over the country who are known for their marketing and advertising efforts. Why are they still in the promotional game while many shops have decided to shed at least part of their marketing budgets recently? Brad Zara, the owner of Zara’s Collision Center in Springfield, IL, has been aggressively marketing his highly successful business since day one. He is well-known for his series of humorous and engaging outdoor billboards and his strong presence online. “We continue to invest heavily in marketing and community support initiatives even though we are heavily DRP,” Zara said. “Our belief is that DRP customers still have a choice to make, in most cases, from a list of preferred shops in their area, so we want to be the most recognizable name on that list. Our approach to marketing is not intended to tell people what we do, as that’s already a given. We want them to know more about whom we are–established with a good sense of humor, and deeply rooted in our community.”

Lefler Collision and Glass is a third-generation, family-owned-andoperated, full-service collision and glass repair center with four locations in Indiana and Kentucky. Owner Jimmy Lefler said marketing is indispensable and that he approaches it through a combination of strategies. “We ask ourselves—what if the DRP model changed tomorrow? How long would it take for you to catch up to me on name recognition? Marketing builds trust from the community and creates personal relationships as long as you actually get involved in the events sponsored. I agree that you are wasting money if you do nothing more than just air TV and radio commercials. Part of our strategy is the use of social media. I personally look at customer reviews and online feedback prior to purchasing products and services.” Marketing Director Megan Williams at Lefler Collision and Glass Repair Centers agrees that without marketing, shops can lose control of their image and profits. “A huge part of our marketing strategy is just as much public relations as it is anything else,” Williams said. “Relying on DRPs to send us business is taking the control out of our hands, while maintaining positive marketing and public relations efforts helps us control and sustain our own revenue. Marketing plays a big role in promoting and cultivating a positive brand image and company culture, which is helpful when it comes to hiring and retaining employees. Also, many studies show that younger generations prefer to spend their money with companies that give back.” Jim Keller, President of 1Collision, headquartered in Milwaukee, WI, advises his network shops on marketing every day. Although he agrees that the industry’s method of gaining new customers is heading more in an electronic direction, some things will never change. “Yes, things are evolving quickly, but good old referrals from people to people will always be a big reason why some shops fail and others don’t,” Keller said. “Customers can

46 NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

still be heavily influenced by many things, and that’s not going to change just because the process is changing. As long as the consumer is able to make the decision or at least play a role in it, marketing is essential. The final arbiter is the customer and in many ways, the technology has made them smarter and more discerning. The technology has made us more independent and it enables us to make our own choices. Years ago, people would take their cars to the shops their insurance company recommended, but now they know more about their cars and many of them want to play a role in that decision.” Dino DiGiulio, owner of Body Best Collision in Sonoma, CA, does more marketing than some MSOs. “New shops come to town, the competition picks up and the MSOs are always looking to take more of the market,” he said. “So, if I’m not out there promoting my business,

the insurance companies are going to look around for the best deal they can find. Marketing is not something you can turn off and then turn back on when things change for whatever reason, because you never know when the next accident will occur.” DiGiulio saw the writing on the wall four years ago, so he started pursuing certifications and shedding DRPs, but his marketing budget has actually increased during that entire time. “I promote to my database, which is the best source of referrals we’ve ever used,” he said. “If you don’t promote your business, your shop will shrink. It may not happen tomorrow or the next day, but eventually you will look up and realize that you’re losing work to other shops that are marketing themselves better than you are.” See Marketing Efforts, Page 53

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Continued from Page 42

In Reverse

at General Motors, with chief body designer Harley Earl placing fins and chrome on everything. Cars went from black and muted greens and blues to vivid two-tone eye-catchers. Most in the auto industry in general, and collision repair industry in particular, agree that the post-war boom gave birth to what we know today as the modern body shop business

model. In the post-war boom, the term “Paint and Body” shop was born.

1962, September: For the first 10 orso years after WWII, the collision repair industry was simply a growing number of independent and disparate businesses spread across the U.S., with little or

nothing to hold them together as an industry. Gradually, small, local auto body associations and guilds began to emerge. Then, the industry began to coalesce. In September 1962, a major breakthrough occurred when the first industry trade journal, Auto Body News and Good Car Care magazine were published. Finally, the industry had a voice! Some local auto body associations published their own newsletters or magazines, but there had never been anything like this. With the magazine, industry leaders began to emerge.

1960–1974: Horsepower was exploding through the chromed grills of American cars that grew ever-larger with each passing year. Ten miles per gallon wasn’t a problem when gasoline was $0.25 per gallon. However, that all came to an end in 1974 with the first gas crisis. All of a sudden, small, imported cars were “in” and body shops had to learn how deal with this new breed of transportation. Accessing paint and body parts for imports became an instant issue.

1979–1990: Two gas crises within a

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short time of each other convinced America that their love affair with gas guzzlers was over. Small, lighter cars were the future. It was the advent of unibody construction and some new technology in auto building. Some shops thought it was a passing fad, and that body-on-frame construction would return. They were mostly wrong, and thus began the gradual but incessant reduction in the number of shops. Those who saw the future and embraced it knew two things: First, new body technology required new tools and equipment. For a few years, there was a tool and equipment purchasing frenzy, driving the popularity of collision trade shows such as NACE. Second, forward-looking shops discovered the need to train and educate themselves to stay up with the new technologies. This led to the formation of I-CAR in 1979.

1986: Body shops first encounter something some are afraid to repair or even touch—airbags.

1990 >: The 1980s might have seen the advent of the personal computer, but computerization didn’t start hitting

the collision industry until the early 1990s. In 1990, everyone had a “solution” to your problems and it was wrapped around some computer software system.

1997–2007: At the dawn of the new millennium, shops began to mature. Using computer-generated data, they became more business-savvy and sophisticated in their approach to business. This time period also marked the emergence of new accident avoidance technology to supplement existing accident mitigation technology.

1998 >: In the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s and even into the 1970s, most shop owners had one shop. A few brave souls had two, but it rarely went beyond that. In the 1980s, things began to change and the number of shops per owner began to grow. Around 1998, the term “consolidator” started getting a lot of use. This turned into the term MSO, or multi-shop operator. Medium-size shop chains were buying up individual shops. Larger chains were buying up smaller chains. There was no stopping the trend. Today, single entities own hundreds

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technicians needed to increase training to keep up with the technology.

Continued from Page 48

In Reverse of shops.

2007–2015: This period saw incredible growth in two areas: MSOs and litigation between shops and insurance companies. MSO growth was fueled by venture capital. Litigation was fueled by 40+ years of friction between shops and insurance companies in the wake of the landmark 1963 Consent Decree, and the fact that it was rarely, if ever, enforced. This was also a time that saw the growth of OE body shop certification programs.

2009 >: CAFÉ standards that had remained unchanged since 1990 began to creep up, causing automakers to look for ways to increase fuel economy. One way was by using more aluminum parts and high-strength steel parts. Collision

2015 >: Fifteen years into the new millennium, what once was old was new again. Aluminum vehicles, an idea first explored in the 1930s, would be resurrected in the form of a pickup truck—the Ford F150. Used to save weight to increase fuel economy and meet CAFÉ standards on the most popular vehicle in America, all of a sudden, aluminum was no longer just for exotic cars anymore. Aluminum was now mainstream, and it meant shops needed new tools and equipment to properly repair the aluminum bodies. For some, it felt like 1979 and the advent of the unibody car all over again. Over time, In Reverse will revisit each of these periods to see what brought us to today’s state of the collision repair industry. Be sure to visit this column each month!

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Paul Massie Joins Assured Performance as VP, Network Management

Assured Performance Network announced that Paul Massie has been appointed Vice President Network Management and Integration for Assured Performance. Following his retirement after a 34-year career with Ford, Massie will be returning to the collision industry to help shepherd the introduction, use, and expansion of Assured Performance’s Certified Network Management systems. In his new position, he will assist existing and new strategic partners to leverage the turnkey systems and wide assortment of technically advanced network management solutions developed by Assured Performance. Most recently, Massie comes to Assured Performance as Ford’s US Quick Lane Manager where he developed and led efforts to grow the Quick Lane Stand-Alone facility network. Previously, he was the Powertrain and Collision Product Commodity Team manager where he led efforts to launch a certified/recognized body shop network capable of repairing Ford’s High-Strength, Military-Grade Aluminum Alloy F-150 and collision customer education. At Ford, he split his career between working with deal-

erships in the customer service/fixedoperations areas of their business and in Dearborn within Ford Customer Service Marketing, Sales and Service operations. He was also former Chairman of the OEM Collision Repair Roundtable and an active participate in CIC for many years. Scott Biggs, CEO and Founder of Assured Performance said, “Paul is a great addition to our team with his extensive knowledge and experience to help us drive all of our cutting-edge network management systems.” He added, “I’ve had the pleasure of working with Paul over the last 25 years so it was an honor to pull him back into our side of the industry and not let him get away to retirement.” Massie said, “I have had a wonderful career as an OEM employee and I am pleased in my next phase of life to rejoin the Collision Repair Industry with this new position at Assured Performance. It gives me the best opportunity to help drive initiatives that will make major improvements to the collision and claims industry and advance Assured Performance towards their vision.”

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Industry Insight with John Yoswick

Recent “Who Pays for What?” Survey Looks at Body Labor Operations, Estimating System Use, Training

Mike Anderson of Collision Advice than 1,000 shops across the country resaid his “Who Pays for What?” surveys sponded to the April “Who Pays” surcontinue to show that even when a sigvey on body labor operations. nificant percentage—or even a majorThe surveys break the results ity—of shops report routinely being down by 11 different geographic repaid for a particular “not included” opgions, and they have found some moderation, there can be many other shops est regional differences in shop billing not even putting it on their estimates. practices. Shops in the New England “Clean-up of old urethane” fol- region, for example, are more likely to lowing removal of glass is a good ex- charge for the “not-included” body reample of this. Although 37 pair operations than are shops percent of all shops taking in other U.S. regions. The the “Who Pays” survey in contrast is particularly clear April said they are paid for when New England is comthis operation “most” or “all” pared to the South Central reof the time when it is needed gion, where the percentage of and billed for, more than 60 shops saying they “never percent of the shops respondasked” to be paid for not-inMike Anderson ing to the question are not cluded body repair operations even billing for it. is the highest. Combining all 21 repair Similarly, 58 percent of shops body labor procedures asked about in said they are paid “most” or “all” of the survey shows that shops in the the time to “replace vapor barriers” South Central states did not seek paywhen it is necessary, particularly on ment on these procedures in 35.6 pervehicles with airbag pressure sensors cent of cases. That compares to just within the doors, but about 40 percent 20.8 percent of the cases in New Engof shops say they haven’t billed for land facilities. that procedure. Even though these two regions “If you don’t bill for it, you will represent both the “most” and “least” never be paid for it, yet the biggest likely to itemize “not-included” operapercentage of shops not billing for tions on invoices, shops in both regions these procedures say they never appear to have the same likelihood of thought of billing for them when they being paid for these procedures when they do include them on their estimates. In New England, shops reported being paid “always” or “most of the time” for these procedures in 64.5 percent of the cases, when they include them on their estimates. In the South Central region, that figure is just 3.6 are required as part a repair,” Anderpoints lower (60.9 percent), a differson said. “These surveys were de- ence that is not statistically significant. signed to help raise that awareness.” In addition to the body labor opThe latest of the 2017 “Who Pays” erations, the April survey also asked surveys, focused on aluminum repair shops about their choice of estimating and shop supplies, is being conducted and electronic parts systems; body throughout the month of October. Click labor and storage rates; and how much here (https://www.crashnetwork.com/ training shop employees receive. collisionadvice) for more information Nationally, for example, the meor to take the survey. dian number of hours of training proEach of the quarterly surveys, vided to technicians is 10 per year. A conducted by Collision Advice and discouraging 13 percent of shops adCRASH Network, focuses on a differmitted to providing zero hours of trainent aspect of collision repair, asking ing per year. Others are offering 40 or shops about which “not-included” promore hours to each of their technicedures they bill for, and about how cians, though that amount of training frequently each of the largest auto inis higher than that offered by 95 persurers pays for those procedures. More cent of all other shops.

52 NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

CRASH Network compared those findings to numbers reported earlier this year by the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) “Education and Training Committee.” The committee asked

annually, and European automakers called for even more, 23 to 76 hours. Paint manufacturers on average thought painters should receive about 24 hours of training each year.

About 54 percent of shops report being paid “always” or “most of the time” for “applying weld-thru primer,” up from 46 percent in 2016, yet more than 1-in-4 shops say they’ve never billed for that procedure

paint manufacturers and automakers how much annual training they believe technicians should be receiving. Asian vehicle manufacturers said technicians should get between 16 and 20 hours of annual training, while domestic vehicle manufacturers suggested 19 to 27 hours

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with multiple estimating systems compared to the prior year. About 26.5 percent of more than 750 shops answering the estimating system question said they had two or more systems installed, down from 34.1 percent who reported having more than one estimating system in 2016.

for 38.5 percent of Mitchell users. Although CCC had the highest percentage of users who said “quality of product” was the chief reason the shop chose that system, still nearly 1in-3 (32.4 percent) CCC users said the primary reason they chose CCC was to satisfy insurer requirements.

CCC appears to be gaining market share among estimating systems users as the percentage of shops having multiple systems appears to be declining

Anderson said more than 2,500 AudaExplore appears to have lost the most customers among those with shops have taken one or more of the two or more systems during this pe- “Who Pays for What?” surveys since riod, with a drop of 8.5 percentage they began in 2015, and he says they points in the number of facilities that often tell him that “just participating said they use that system. Mitchell International saw a drop of 4.8 percentage points. This trend may be due to shifting insurer requirements, given that 40 percent of AudaExplore users say the priAlmost two-thirds of shops say they are paid at their body mary reason they chose the labor rate to install a radiator, but installing an air condisystem is because an insurer tioning condenser is split more evenly between those requires it. The same is true being paid at a mechanical versus body labor rate

in the surveys is a great reminder of procedures they are performing every day, but may not be listing on estimates or invoices.” Shops can take the current survey (or sign up to be notified about future surveys) at https://www.crashnetwork .com/collisionadvice. The surveys each take about 15–20 minutes, and should be completed by the shop owner, manager or estimator who is most familiar with the shop’s billing practices and the payment practices of the largest national insurers. Individual responses are not released in any way; only cumulative data is released. At the website, shops also can download the results of previous surveys, reports that break down the findings by region, by insurer and by DRP vs. non-DRP. The reports also include analysis and resources to help shops better understand and use the information presented.

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Continued from Page 46

Marketing Efforts

Big Sky Collision Center, with two locations in Montana, is a second-generation business run by Matthew McDonnell, an owner who is surprised when he hears about shops that are cutting their marketing budgets. “We have these crutches in this industry, like DRPs, and after a while we rely on them too much,” he said. “We expect them to keep giving, but we are all one mistake away from losing a DRP, regardless of wherever you are. One bad comment by a customer and you can be dropped without hesitation, which does not seem like a true partnership, but that’s the reality of the situation. We try to educate our customers through videos and commercials, and they really do work. We have one DRP now—our business gets better every year and our promotional efforts are a huge part of that. If you look at the most successful shops in any area, they are the ones doing most of the marketing and advertising. So what does that tell you?”

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Tips for Busy Body Shops

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

How to Improve Your Interviewing Process & Hire for Keeps with Stacey Phillips

When Mike Davidson started his first day on the job at a car dealership in Arkansas, the business owner asked him to stand aside and watch him fully detail a GMC S15 pickup truck. It was a cold day in November, and 19-year-old Davidson recalls the owner demonstrating exactly how he wanted the job completed. That experience, which he refers to as “Wash the Truck,” has stayed with Davidson his entire career. Not only does the industry veteran ensure he gives his employees a clear understanding of his

expectations while on the job, but he also takes the time to hire employees who fit the culture of his business. Davidson, president of the American Skilled Labor Association and owner of Parkway Automotive in Little Rock, AR, recently spoke to shop owners and managers at an AkzoNobel Acoat Selected performance group meeting held in September in San Diego, CA, about how to improve their interviewing process. The presentation was part of the company’s early bird training sessions offered

As a result of his learnings over the years, Davidson developed a step-bystep process that he now shares with other small businesses across America. He said his seminar can be applied across any industry:

1) Prescreen Document: First, the prospective employee is asked by the office manager or service advisor to fill out a 10-question document with the absolute requirements of the company (e.g. driver’s license, do you smoke, how many driving violations in the last three years). 2) Application: A job-specific application is filled out. 3) Interview: The prospective employee is interviewed using questions developed by management and staff that will help determine if the candidate will be a good fit for the business culture. 4) Interview with staff: If the first interview is successful, the candidate is given an opportunity to talk to the staff and ask questions about the facility and how the business is run. Once that is complete, the staff meets to determine if the job applicant is a good fit for the team. Davidson said that at his business, it has to be a unanimous decision in order for the candidate to be hired. 5) Job offer: A thorough job description is prepared at this stage and compensation is discussed. 6) Tech report card: All staff members fill out a report card about the new hire after 30, 60 and 90 days to gain feedback about his/her performance. The new employee is also asked if there is anything the business is doing that is keeping him/her from doing a really great job. 54 NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

during the week-long event, which was attended by more than 200 body shop representatives, distributors, AkzoNobel employees and guests. Held twice a year, the performance group gives shops the opportunity to take time away from working in their business to work on their business. During his presentation, titled “Hiring for Keeps,” he shared examples of what he learned over his 35year career in the automotive industry, as well as the specific hiring process he developed after setting out to discover how he could improve the way he hired staff. Part of this was based on his learnings from Leadership IQ, an organization that focuses on leadership training. After reading books and completing video training over a oneyear period, he found that one of the common themes with successful companies, such as Southwest Airlines and Chick-fil-A, was the similarity in the

employees’ attitudes, no matter where they were located across the country. As a result, he incorporated what he had learned and put it into practice at his business. “No matter who we are as business owners, hiring the right people makes a big difference with the internal customers—our employees. We hire people for what they know; we fire them for who they are!” he said. “Some people, no matter how hard you try, just don’t fit the job.” The key, according to Davidson, is to hire employees who fit your culture rather than hiring someone primarily based on their skills. “I believe the people you hire are the people who are going to create consistency within your organization,” said Davidson. “Consistency creates your brand.” Although having excellent skills is very important, he also recomSee Hire for Keeps, Page 56

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Continued from Page 54

Hire for Keeps

mends owners/managers determine if prospective employees have the ability to get along with staff, understand the company’s strategy and structure, and share the same values. “If you have someone working on a customer’s car who doesn’t share your values, he or she is going to take shortcuts you don’t want, and is going to put out a product that you don’t want to be put out. Every time,” he said. Davidson discussed the interviewing techniques he uses on a regular basis. “You have to have a process in place and you have to have a system that will help you determine if the person is the right person for your organization,” he said. By altering the traditional interviewing method and listening to an interviewee’s answers, Davidson said it’s easier to discover if a person is the best fit for the business. He advised shops to eliminate what he referred to as “hypothetical” questions. Some of the examples he shared included: “What song best describes your work ethic,” “What kitchen utensil would you be,” and “How would you rate me as an interviewer from a scale of 1 to 10?” “None of these questions help determine who the person really is,” said Davidson. “Questions should have different responses from different candidates. If the answers are the same for everyone, you have the wrong question.” Other questions to be avoided include those that lead the interviewee on how to answer them. For example, rather than asking someone to talk about a time he or she had to adapt to a difficult situation, he recommended asking about a time the person was in a difficult situation. “Then, pause and give them an opportunity to think and let them answer the question,” he said. Davidson said the ultimate goal is to ask questions that reveal what every business should be looking for—a high performer. “There are two types of people who walk into an interview—the problem-bringers and the problem-solvers,” explained Davidson. “Your job is to decide which one of those people is sitting in front of you.” He classified them as low per-

formers and high performers. He described a low performer as someone who will hear a problem and do nothing more, whereas a high performer will offer a solution to the problem at hand. To tell the difference between the two, Davidson said that shop owners and managers need to change the way they listen during a job interview. A good first step is to interview

When Mike Davidson (left) presents “Hiring for Keeps,” he performs a live interview at the end of the seminar that demonstrates what you lvearn. During the presentation for AkzoNobel, he demonstrated a mock interview with Drew Holdren (right), Services Consultant Acoat Selected Services for AkzoNobel

your current staff to learn more about your culture. Not only does it allow you to identify the actions you want to see in your business, but it also helps you figure out the ones that you do NOT want in your business culture and that already may be there. Once you have figured out the characteristics for your culture, you can begin the interviewing process. Davidson said there are many benefits: You’ll deepen your hiring pool, discover untapped talent, reduce the risk of hiring the wrong people, and cut turnover. “It’s not easy work, but it’s important work,” he said. He advised owners to put on their “attitude eyes.” “We need people who can handle problems with the right attitude,” he said. “You have to find attitudes in your organization that identify the low performers and high performers.” Every question, according to Davidson, should be a cliffhanger. “It must be open-ended and conversational,” he said. “You must allow them to think.” When deciding where to hold an interview, Davidson recommended creating an environment that fosters dialogue rather than a monologue. It might mean meeting at a comfortable place like a Starbucks couch or sitting sideby-side in the conference room. “Avoid sitting across a desk, which is a physical barrier,” he advised.

56 NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Davidson shared examples of interview questions he has found to be helpful when determining low performers versus high performers, and offered insight about each one. “Could you tell me about a time you lacked the skills or knowledge to complete an assignment?” It fosters openness and encourages conversation. “Can you tell me about a decision you made that felt risky or you might fail?” Low performers always seem to play it safe, and high performers take a risk even if it means failing. “Tell me about a time when an organizational rule created a barrier to achieve an outcome you wanted?” Low performers, for the most part, do not like playing by the rules whereas high performers respect the rules. “Can you tell me about a time you didn’t have the information you needed to complete a project?” Low performers need constant handson attention, and high performers excel at getting the information they need to work independently. “Can you tell me about a time when you had to think outside the box?”

Low performers recycle the same thoughts over and over, whereas high performers generate unique ideas. “Can you tell me about a time you received negative feedback from a boss?” Low performers find ways to blame someone else for their problems, and high performers choose their words carefully and help solve problems. “Could you tell me about a time you were given an assignment outside your role?” This question helps determine if the prospective employee is a team player. Davidson said that no matter what questions you develop with the assistance of your team, there is a five-part question he always recommends including during the interview process. He calls it the “coachability question,” and stressed the importance of listening to each response carefully to help you get to know a prospective employee: 1) What is your boss’s name and can you spell it for me? 2) Tell me about xx as a boss. 3) What is something that you could have done differently to enhance your relationship with xx? See Hire for Keeps, Page 60

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California Autobody Association Prepares for AB 1679 ‘Fight of their Careers’ by Ed Attanasio

With AB 1679 now a “two-year” bill (see prior coverage at autobodynews .com), the California Autobody Association (CAA) is getting ready for what many body shop owners in the Golden State believe is going to be the fight of their careers. To prepare, the organization is asking current members to call upon other shops to help them take on this potentially disastrous bill as they enter 2018. In an announcement, CAA Executive Director David McClune briefed its membership on the current state of AB 1679. “The Assembly Appropriations Committee has delayed consideration on AB 1679 until next year,” he stated. “Yes, it’s good news, but the battle has only begun. We are still David against the Goliath insurance industry and whatever reincarnation of AB 1679 will appear next, we need your help. The insurance companies can re-introduce it in January and they likely will, but it’s good news that they didn’t come up with another bill this year. We can win this thing, but only if every shop, each staff member, each employee, and every family member does their part, and we are going to do everything we

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can to make it easy for each and every one of you to be heard.” McClune is calling for new members to join CAA and use the power of the organization to defeat AB 1679 in 2018.

“Every few years, we get a bill like this one that has the potential to change the collision repair industry in California in a big way,” he said. “If you’re a shop owner and you’re concerned about AB 1679—which you should be—this is the ideal time to join us.” McClune and CAA are poised and prepared to take on the insurance companies, backed by Insurance Commissioner David Jones. “AB 1679 is a serious threat to every body shop in California, be-

cause (it) will tighten the insurance industry’s grip over the auto repair process, weaken the only advocate (independent body shops) consumers have when dealing with their auto insurer, and cause cuts in employee pay and benefits, layoffs and more,” McClune said. “It is unfair and unreasonable. Simply put, AB 1679 threatens us and our livelihood and hurts consumers. A few big insurance companies want to lower our pay so they can ‘save consumers from higher premiums’ and make even bigger profits. In the long run, the auto repair industry will become less competitive because the insurance companies will completely control it. And we all know what happens to costs, wages and consumer protection when things become less competitive. “AB 1679 also takes away rights of consumers to freely choose their repair shop by weakening the existing anti-steering law. There is a reason that law was passed 14 years ago, and that reason has not gone away. On October 21 in Huntington Beach, CA, we will be holding a board meeting in order to devise a battle plan against AB 1679. We have David Jones in office for one more year, so the time to defeat this is now.”

Another proposed bill currently on CAA’s radar is a new regulation on electronic documentation and authorization that was discussed during a hearing held on Sept. 26. “It basically expands the current authorization definition, which allows the customer to provide authorization (that is) either written, verbal or electronic—digitally, magnetic, wireless, optical or electromagnetic, to name a few—so they want to make sure to cover all their bases,” McClune said. “Before, it was only allowed through writing, but now this new regulation will enable customers to use all three methods of authorization.” CAA recently added two new sponsors to its list of business partners— KPA and the Automotive Training Institute (ATI). KPA works with the collision repair industry to ensure that standards and regulations are followed by implementing a series of environmental and safety programs. ATI has been conducting management classes for body shops all over the country since 1980.

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Auto Care Association Identifies Alibaba as Notorious Market for Counterfeit Auto Parts The Auto Care Association submitted comments Oct. 2 urging the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to relist Alibaba and its family of e-commerce platforms, including Taobao and AliExpress, as notorious markets that facilitate the sale of counterfeit auto parts.

The letter was submitted as part of the USTR’s request for comments in identifying internet and physical markets based outside the United States that engage in copyright piracy and trademark counterfeiting for its annual Special 301 Out-of-Cycle Review of Notorious Markets Report. “Despite Alibaba’s efforts to address the proliferation of counterfeit products, our members report that their brand protection tools and enforcement program have been unsatisfactory,” said Bill Hanvey, president and CEO, Auto Care As-

sociation. “Not only do counterfeit products threaten the U.S. economy, and impact our members’ sales and brand value, but counterfeit auto parts do not comply with any safety regulations and are a danger to the safety of consumers.” The Auto Care Association submitted comments in response to member complaints regarding the proliferation of online supply chains based in China that allow the online distribution of counterfeit parts. These online B2B and e-commerce sites advertise branded counterfeit products for sale at rates that significantly undercut the margins of members’ original products. In its letter, the Auto Care Association outlined general principles that Alibaba should adopt to address the proliferation of counterfeit products on its various platforms. The Auto Care Association commends the USTR’s efforts to combat piracy and counterfeiting. The association looks forward to continuing this dialogue with the USTR and representatives from the identified websites to protect and enforce intellectual property rights.

Continued from Page 56

Hire for Keeps

4) When I talk to xx, what is he going to say about your strengths? 5) When I talk to xx, what is he going to tell me about your weaknesses?

Davidson also offered interview tips to consider: • Count to three before you speak to give the interviewee time to respond. • If you need clarification, ask questions such as: “Were others involved?” “Can you give me specifics?” “What was the timeframe?” “Where did this take place? Tell me more about what made you choose that action.” • Look for the warning signs of low performers: They want individual recognition, make excuses for why it won’t work, are quick to blame and eager to escape accountability, throw up their hands, have a negative disposition and are highly sensitive. • Look for character traits of high performers: They are highly collaborative, help one another without being asked, are self-directed learners, ask questions to gain greater clarity, and

go out of their way to support their peers. • Pronouns can often tell you a lot about a person. High performers will always talk about themselves and what they learned. Low performers talk about other people.

The ultimate goal, according to Davidson, is to find and hire employees with the right attitude and who fit the culture of your business. “You can’t do it quickly,” said Davidson. “You must do it methodically, have a process, assimilate the information, and then you’ll wind up making a really good decision. Hire the wrong person, and you just hired your weakest link.” This article was based on the presentation “Hiring for Keeps,” held during the AkzoNobel Acoat Selected performance group meeting in September in San Diego, CA. For more information and to schedule a presentation, contact Mike Davidson at 501-993-6121 or email at miked@parkwayautomotive.net.

For more information about the AkzoNobel Acoat Selected program, visit www.acoatna.com.

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Mercedes-Benz to Produce EQ Brand Electric Cars in the U.S. Tuscaloosa, AL, plant will manufacture SUV models for the company’s EQ brand and a new battery plant. Mercedes-Benz will set up electric vehicle production in the United States. The company plans to produce EQ-branded SUV models at MBUSI (Mercedes-Benz U.S. International), its Tuscaloosa, AL, facility.

At the time of launch, the EQ models will feature the latest status of automated driving always under the premise of safety and in compliance with the statutory regulations. In addition, a battery plant will also be built near the existing passenger-car plant ensuring availability of cuttingedge technology for future generations of Mercedes-Benz vehicles built in the U.S. In total, Mercedes-Benz plans to invest $1 billion in the expansion of

its industrial footprint in the region, most of which is slated for the electric initiative. It is expected that once completed, these investments will create more than 600 additional jobs. Final details of the plans are still being worked on in partnership with the state of Alabama.

Electric vehicles from EQ branded product Mercedes-Benz will start producing SUV models of the EQ brand in Tuscaloosa at the beginning of the next decade. EQ models will be integrated into the series production at the plant. This is possible because of the early investments in flexibility and technical equipment at the plant that offer trailblazing Industry 4.0 technologies. With the Tuscaloosa plant, Mercedes-Benz will have electric mobility hubs on three continents, serving customers’ demand around the globe. By 2022, the company will electrify the entire portfolio of Mercedes, offering customers at least one electrified alternative in all segments, from smart to large SUVs. The company is planning to offer more than 50 electrified vehicle variants. At the same time, Mercedes-Benz will be

continuously supporting the development of plug-in hybrids and the introduction of 48-volt-systems. The first EQ series model, EQC, will go into production in 2019 in Bremen, Germany. Technology and product brand EQ is an integral part of CASE, which stands for the intelligent combination of the strategic pillars of connectivity (Connected), autonomous driving (Autonomous), flexible use (Shared & Services) and electric drive systems (Electric). Fifth Mercedes-Benz factory to produce batteries The battery factory near plant Tuscaloosa will be part of the global battery production network of Mercedes-Benz Cars for local demand and export. In total, Daimler will invest $1.18 billion (more than 1 billion Euros) in the battery production network, which will also include production facilities in Germany and China. As in vehicle production, the battery production network will react flexibly and efficiently to market demand. This strategy ensures the ongoing availability of modern battery technology through local production hubs in Europe, China and the U.S. and puts Mercedes-Benz in a highly

competitive position for its electric initiative. Construction work for the new 1 million-square-foot facility in Tuscaloosa is expected to begin in 2018, with operations planned to start at the beginning of the next decade.

Mercedes-Benz Tuscaloosa plant MBUSI located in Tuscaloosa County, AL is the production location for the GLE, GLS and GLE Coupe SUVs around the world, as well as the C-Class sedan for North America. In 2016, the plant produced more than 310,000 vehicles. MBUSI currently employs more than 3,700 team members and supports 7,000+ jobs on the approximately 1,000-acre site. In September 2015, MBUSI announced a $1.3-billion plant expansion and new jobs to pave the way for production of future SUVs. The expansion makes plant Tuscaloosa one of the “smartest” automotive facilities in the world.

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www.autobodynews.com | NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 61

Chief Helps in Caliber’s Changing Lanes Program

Chief® will provide welding and computerized measuring equipment for Caliber Collision’s Changing Lanes program. Chief will give a MultiMig 522 MIG/MAG welder, an MI200T spot welder, a LaserLock LiveMapping system and two MultiMig 190 welders to each of the Changing Lanes programs near Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, North Carolina and Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas. Changing Lanes is the first program in the country to provide active duty service members with training and employment opportunities in the collision repair industry prior to transitioning out of the U.S. Armed Forces. The no-cost, 18-week career skills program with hands-on training results in job placement opportunities in Caliber Collision locations across the U.S. upon successful completion of the program. “Our service members have given so much to our country,” says Bob Holland, director of strategic relationships, Chief Automotive Technologies. “Chief is honored to be an active participant not only in Changing Lanes, but in helping to positively change the future of these fine men and women as they transition to civilian life.”

Affordable New Chief Wheel Alignment Equipment Ideal for Body Shops Controlling cycle times is crucial to staying profitable in the collision repair business. Yet, most shops today give up some of that control whenever they send a car to an alignment shop instead of doing the work in-house.

In a recent survey* of independent collision repair shop owners, 58 percent reported that they send out all their wheel alignment work. Most said they do so because they don’t have space available for an alignment bay and the alignment equipment itself is too expensive. Chief has changed all that. Chief’s new line of wheel alignment systems can be used on almost any lift or Chief frame rack already in the shop—no need to dedicate a bay and no massive towers to install. Quick checks can be done virtually

Illinois

MCGRATH CITY HYUNDAI Chicago 6750 W. Grand Ave.

773-889-3070

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

PATRICK HYUNDAI Schaumburg 1020 E. Golf Road

847-605-4055 847-619-4511 Fax

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

The RIGHT

COLLISION PARTS

For Your Collision Job. Visit these Genuine Hyundai Parts Dealers: 62 NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

anywhere, for faster, more accurate estimates. Plus, Chief wheel alignment systems cost less than half the price of legacy systems. “Sending out alignment work wastes time, stretches out cycle times and costs shops money,” says Lee Daugherty, director of collision sales, the Americas, for Chief parent company Vehicle Service Group (VSG). “Chief’s new line of wheel alignment equipment makes it affordable for shops to keep their alignment work in-house, so they maintain control of their customers’ vehicles, their cycle times and their costs.” Chief offers a choice of three wheel aligners. The C3080 3D is equipped with fixed cameras with automatic target search and recognition, tire-grabbing clamps and remote-con-

trolled sensors and can provide an alignment reading in just eight seconds. The C3060 CCD provides wireless efficiency as all the characteristic angles of both vehicle axles are controlled by means of four measuring heads with eight CCD sensors and infra-red transmission. The C6000HD is a fast, accurate, easy-to-use system suitable for larger commercial vehicles. All Chief wheel aligners feature portable consoles that can be positioned anywhere for maximum convenience. Unlike systems that require a large fixed tower, Chief’s tower-free aligners maximize available workspace and have no minimum bay space requirements. Chief systems provide automatic and instant target visualization. And while other systems only work on a dedicated lift at a single height, Chief systems can be used at any height.

Call orwww.autobodynews.com Email Now for Rates:

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Ohio

INDY HYUNDAI

CLASSIC HYUNDAI

800-592-5170

440-266-6750

Indianapolis 7101 E Washington St.

317-536-1552 Fax

Mentor 8460 Tyler Blvd.

440-266-6763 Fax

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

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

LUTHER BLOOMINGTON HYUNDAI

Massillon 3748 Lincoln Way East

Minnesota

Bloomington 4801 American Blvd. West

877-801-0641 952-377-2081 Fax

Mon-Thu 7am - 7pm Fri 7am - 6pm; Sat 8am - 4:30pm parts@bloomingtonhyundai.com www.bloomingtonhyundai.com

WAIKEM HYUNDAI

800-225-0281x1446 330-478-2800x1446 330-478-9957 Fax

Mon 7:30am - 8pm Tue-Fri 7:30am - 5:30pm Sat 8am - 4pm webbmcnutt@waikem.com www.waikemhyundai.com

ILLINOIS

MICHIGAN

(708) 720-8972

(517) 393-5700

Hawkinson Kia Matteson

(708) 720-0657 Fax

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

Raymond Kia Antioch

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

Kia of Lansing Lansing

(517) 393-6767 Fax

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

Seelye Kia of Holland Holland

(616) 582-1008 (616) 582-1009 Fax

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

M-F 8am-6pm rbundy@betterseeseelye.com www.seelyekiaholland.com

Kia of Des Moines

Lou Fusz Kia

IOWA Des Moines

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

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

KANSAS Midwest Kia Wichita

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

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

MISSOURI St. Louis

(877) 221-4151 (314) 595-4942 Fax

M, W, F 7am-8pm; Tu, Th 7am-6pm Sat 7:30am-4pm fuszkiaparts@fusz.com www.kia.fusz.com

Napletonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mid Rivers Kia St. Peters

(888) 816-9729 (636) 926-0683 Fax

Suntrup Kia St. Louis

Waikem Kia Massillon

(800) 727-8496

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NO. DAKOTA

M 7:30am-8pm Tu-F 7:30am-5:30pm; Sat 8am-4pm mmiller@waikem.com www.waikem.com

(314) 815-3060 Fax

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

Kia of Fargo Fargo

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

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

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

(330) 478-0900 (330) 478-9957 Fax

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

M-F 7am-6pm; Sat 7am-3pm bprinster@napleton.com pschnare@napleton.com www.midriverskia.com

www.autobodynews.com | NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 63

3M Files Lawsuit for Patent and Trademark Infringement

3M and 3M Innovative Properties Co. filed a lawsuit in the Western District of Wisconsin against Chinabased Thunder Finish Co. Ltd., alleging infringement of patent and trademark rights related to 3M’s PPS™ technology used in the automotive collision repair industry. The suit alleges certain Thunder Finish after-market spray gun paint cup products, which are made in China and sold in the U.S., infringe 3M patent rights directed to 3M™ PPS™ technology that enables the efficient mixing and spraying of coatings for automotive collision repair and other applications. The suit also alleges that Thunder Finish’s marketing materials for these products infringe 3M’s registered trademarks. 3M is committed to protecting its substantial investments in research and development and innovative technologies. 3M’s Automotive Aftermarket Division provides a comprehensive range of products and solutions to the collision repair industry, including its PPS™ technology that enables painters to mix less paint, reduce the amount of solvent used, and speed clean-up.

PPG-Painted Cars Capture Top ‘Shades of the Past’ Awards PPG-painted cars took home major awards at the recent Shades of the Past 35th annual Hot Rod Roundup and the Goodguys 31st West Coast Nationals. Both events attract some of the nation’s best custom car builds.

At Shades of the Past, held September 8–9 at Dollywood’s Splash Country in Pigeon Forge, TN, the Street Rodder Triple Crown of Rodding—consisting of three prestigious honors: Best Street Rod, Best Street Machine and Best Street Cruiser— drew a competitive field with PPG cars claiming two of the three major awards. The Best Street Rod award went to a 1932 Ford Tudor Sedan owned by George Poteet, Memphis, TN, and built by the capable craftsmen at Johnson’s Hot Road Shop in Gadsden, AL. Greg Chalcraft painted the Ford and gave it a rich, deep black finish using VIBRANCE COLLECTION® VP2050 DTM High Build Primer, DP90LF Non-Sanding Epoxy Primer Black and

DELTRON® 2000 DBC9700 Basecoat Black along with GLOBAL REFINISH SYSTEM® D8115 Matte Clearcoat, D8117 Semi-Gloss Clearcoat and D8152 Performance + Glamour Clearcoat. “Inferno,” a bright yellow 1969 Camaro owned by John Wilkus of Lakeville, MN, captured the Best Street Machine title. The Camaro was built and painted by the Roadster Shop, Mundelein, Ill., under the direction of Jeremy and Phil Gerber. Alan Palmer used ENVIROBASE® High Performance waterborne basecoat, Global Refinish System D8152 Performance + Glamour Clearcoat, OEM colors McLaren Volcano Yellow (code 937178) and Ferrari Argento Nurbur-

gring (code 36520), and Deltron DMD1683 Basecoat Black toner to give the car its award-winning finish. At the Goodguys 31st West Coast Nationals, a 1933 Ford Roadster dubbed “Renaissance Roadster” took home the top prize when it was named America’s Most Beautiful Street Rod.

The car is owned by Buddy Jordan of San Antonio, Texas, and was built by Steve Frisbie at Steve’s Auto Restorations in Portland, OR. The original design for the roadster came from a rendering by designer Chris Ito with

additional inspiration from Frisbie and another team member, designer David Brost. Painter Jay Spencer gave the Ford its candy-apple red and black appearance spraying an array of PPG refinish products. These included several products from the Deltron brand: 2000 DBC9700 Basecoat Black, DCU 2021 CONCEPT® Urethane Clear, and DMD1696 Coarse Silver Dollar Aluminum along with Vibrance Collection RADIANCE® II DMX214 Red Violet and DMX213 Red (Blue Shade) Dye and CRYSTALLANCE® VM4501 Silver from the glass flake collection. The Shades of the Past show includes hot rods, street rods, classics and customs up to 1972. PPG is a strong supporter of the event and its participants.

Audi dealers strive to make you an Audi Genuine Parts fan

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Missouri Kansas City Audi Kansas City 866.949.9500 Toll Free 816.941.4969 Direct 816.942.3156 Fax M-F 7am-6pm Sat 8am-5pm cfowles@molleaudi.com 64 NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

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

International Auto Crafters Nominated for Achievement in Collision Repair Excellence

International Auto Crafters has been nominated by Verifacts Automotive for the Shop of the Year: Achievement in Collision Repair Excellence (ACE). The ACE Award for exceptional collision repair centers recognizes remarkable collision repair facilities that consistently produce and deliver verified repair quality. Director of Sales for VeriFacts Automotive, Mr. Chris Dismukes, explains, “These shops have truly embraced a commitment to outstanding collision repair and a culture of quality that ultimately benefits the consumer during the time of great stress as a result of an automobile accident.” VeriFacts Automotive was founded to address the difference between a repairer’s potential to produce repair quality through the documentation of production inputs, such as repair equipment and current levels of technician training, versus verification of the output repair quality actually being produced. The VeriFacts Verified Quality (VQ) Program conducts independent third party verification, onsite repair procedure observations, technician skills coaching and provides comprehensive reporting on all findings.

Both Hurricane Irma and Harvey Damaged 1 Million Cars. What’s Next? by Shazir Mucklai, Equities.com

With Hurricane Maria damage still being assessed in Puerto Rico, the cost of the damage from Irma and Harvey has only recently become apparent. Many companies with a large presence in Texas have also taken a major hit. Estimates on the high side show Hurricane Harvey damages totaling at $180 billion and Hurricane Irma damages hitting $100 billion. If these numbers prove to be true, it could no doubt be one of the most expensive disasters in the history of the United States. As one can assume, most of the recovery-related expenses will go towards property damage. However, due to the massive flooding, vehicle losses will also be extremely costly. How Many Cars Did Each Hurricane Destroy? Both hurricane Harvey and Irma were Category 4 storms that made landfall within the same two-week span. Harvey destroyed an estimated staggering 400,000 vehicles, according to Cox Automotive estimates. Harvey and Irma submerged cars and property across the southern U.S. as the two Category 4 storms

made landfall within the same twoweek span. Hurricane Harvey destroyed 300,000 to 500,000 vehicles in Houston alone, according to Cox Automotive estimates. The cost of licensed cars lost in the storm—excluding ve-

hicles flooded while waiting in dealership parking lots—falls between $2.7 and $4.9 billion. Due to the sheer amount of property damage caused to vehicles, the aftermath of the hurricanes could help drive October as one of the best U.S. sales months this year. Additionally, through the end of the year, analysts have predicted that cars that were damaged and need replacement during Hurricanes Maria and Irma won’t be showing up for at least another month. “When you have hundreds of

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

thousands of people affected by an event of this magnitude,” said Edmunds analyst Jessica Caldwell, “not everyone will hit the market at once.” Insurance companies are also expected to take a massive hit on their P&L’s for the quarter. State Farm reported that it has sent a record 1,000 people to affected areas. Some insurance firms have also reported, on average, the cost of an interstate household move is about $4,300 (distance of 1,225 miles) and the average cost of an intrastate move is about $2,300 (4 movers at $200 per hour). State Farm stated that it has received almost 37,000 auto claims in Texas alone and has paid out more than $345 million to car owners impacted by Harvey. Furthermore, it has paid out only about $35 million to auto customers impacted by Irma, which made landfall in Florida about two weeks later. This will reduce its working capital significantly for the next couple of quarters, as it will have to downplay its cash.

MICHIGAN

We thank Equities.com for reprint permission.

• Original BMW Parts & Accessories

Erhard BMW of Bloomfield

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

BMW of Okemos

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

Erhard BMW of Farmington Hills

Farmington Hills 888-834-8635 248-699-3003

www.erhardbmwoffarmingtonhills.com

www.autobodynews.com | NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 65

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How Open Source is Transforming the Automotive Industry by Dan Cauchy, The Linux Foundation

One key benefit of open source is its ability to enable rapid innovation. Collaborating on non-competitive pieces of technology frees up resources, enabling companies to focus more on developing new products and services. We are seeing this play out now in the automotive industry as automakers are adopting open source software for core technologies like the infotainment operating system. This allows them to focus more resources towards the industry-wide race to develop new technologies, mobility services, and autonomous vehicles. According to the 2017 Autotrader Car Tech Impact Study, 53 percent of consumers expect vehicle technology to be as robust as their smartphone. Unfortunately, the automotive industry has fallen behind the smartphone in terms of features and functionality. Automotive innovation is too slow, time-to-market is too long, and there’s very little software reuse. Part of the problem is that today’s connected car uses approximately 100 million lines of code. Compare that to the Android operating system, which runs on 12–15 million lines of code,

and the average iPhone app, which uses fewer than 50,000 lines. It’s no wonder that the product development cycle for automotive companies is so much longer than for tech companies. According to some industry data, the development of an infotainment system traditionally takes 36–39 months. In that time period, three or four versions of iPhone and Android phones will be released. One of the main obstacles preventing automakers from innovating as quickly as tech companies is that the infotainment landscape is very fragmented. Imagine for a second if each PC or laptop manufacturer had its own version of an operating system; this would mean that application developers would have to make sure their software works with each manufacturer. What a mess! Yet this is exactly the situation we have in the automotive market. Each automaker has its own proprietary system that was built using a custom version of Linux, QNX, or Windows Embedded, and there’s very little code reuse. Innovating with Open Source To reduce this fragmentation, the Automotive Grade Linux (AGL) community at The Linux Foundation is building an open source platform that

can serve as the de facto industry standard. Sharing a common platform enables developers to build an application once and have it work everywhere. Automakers can focus on developing new products and innovative new features that can be brought to market faster. The AGL infotainment platform, the Unified Code Base (UCB), is quickly gaining momentum across the industry. Toyota has adopted the AGL platform for its next-generation infotainment system, which debuts on the 2018 Toyota Camry and will roll out to most Toyota and Lexus vehicles in North America. And we expect to see more products and vehicles with AGL roll-out over the next couple of years. AGL’s first focus was on infotainment, but we are planning to address all software in the vehicle including instrument cluster, heads-up-display, telematics, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), and autonomous driving. As the race towards self-driving cars continues to heat up, it’s become clear that the amount of code needed to support autonomous driving is too large for any one company to develop on its own. An open source platform for autonomous driving will help accelerate the development of self-driving technology while creating a sustainable

MINNESOTA

ecosystem that can maintain it as it evolves over time. The Linux Foundation believes the first step is to create an open, crowdsourced mapping database where automakers can contribute and access real-time 3D map data. AGL will soon be in millions of cars on the road. With the support of its rapidly growing community, The Linux Foundation hopes to drive the cross-industry collaboration needed to accelerate development for autonomous vehicles. Software has become one of the backbones of the automotive industry. It powers applications from infotainment to advanced driver assistance systems and autonomous driving. By bringing the industry together around a shared platform, AGL is enabling automakers to innovate faster, and quickly bring new products to market that will enhance the customer experience and impact the bottom line. We thank The Linux Foundation for reprint permission.

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SOUTH DAKOTA

Luther Bloomington Subaru

Courtesy Subaru

Direct (952) 887-0600

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

Bloomington

(800) 451-5078

(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

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

Waikem Subaru Massillon

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

Toll Free (800) 225-0281 x2189 Direct (330) 478-2800 x2189

(330) 639-0140 Fax Mon 7:30-8; Tue-Fri 7:30-5:30; Sat 8-4 dandager@waikem.com www.waikem.com

www.autobodynews.com | NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 67

68 NOVEMBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com