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30
YEARS
Industry News You Might Have Missed in 2011 by John Yoswick
So much happens in the collision repair industry that it can be hard to keep up on everything. A few big stories get plenty of attention, but sometimes it’s the lesser-known stories that can have as big an impact on your business. As a new year kicks off, here’s a wrap up of some of the news stories from this past year that might have flown under your radar amid the dayto-day challenges of running your shop, but that could prove helpful for you to know about. ► 1 The Federal Trade Commission
last year issued a consumer bulletin related to the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. It states that use of nonOEM parts in itself cannot void a vehicle warranty. “Still, if it turns out that the aftermarket part was itself defective or wasn’t installed correctly, and it causes damage to another part that is covered under the warranty, the manufacturer or dealer has the right to deny coverage for that part and charge you for any repairs,” the bulletin states. For a copy of the bulletin, visit: http://tinyurl.com/3zvas3w
► 2 The Society of Collision Repair See Might Have Missed, Page 55
Northeastern Collision Industry’s 2011 Redux
See Industry Wrap-Up, Page 42
P.O. BOX 1516, CARLSBAD, CA 92018
From standards to stand-offs, economic hardship to successful expansion, the collision industry has certainly seen its fair share of issues this year. As everyone involved in this industry stares down the promises and hope a new year can bring, we asked some to look back and take a hard look at some of the issues they saw in 2011, and some they’d like to see less of in 2012. Audra Fordin, owner of Great Bear Auto in Flushing, NY, is wellknown for her informational activites throughout the industry and beyond. She is also the first female owner of
Great Bear, which has been in her family for over 80 years. She spoke with Autobody News about some of the issues she felt were plaguing the industry. “The industry as a whole needs better relationships with their customers, especially women,” said Fordin. Seeking to empower women and put control back in the drivers’ hands, Audra teaches a free monthly workshop: “What Women Auto Know.” Using an analogy to compare parts of the car to parts of the human body, her comprehensive course teaches women about maintenance, safety, tires, brakes, emergencies,
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by Erica Schroeder, Assistant Editor
VOL. 1 ISSUE 10 JANUARY 2012
www.autobodynews.com
NACE / SEMA / CARS / AAPEX
2011 RECAP
Where We Stand—The U.S. Automotive Sector by Scott Corwin, Evan Hirth, Jan Miecznikowski, Brian Collie, Patrick Mulcahy, and Mike Beck, at Booz & Company
For U.S. automakers and suppliers, the past year can best be described as 12 months of mixed results, leaving unanswered questions about the future direction of the industry and what is required for manufacturers and suppliers to thrive. In 2011, U.S. light car and truck sales will exceed 12.5 million, a nice bump from 11.6 million in 2010 and 10.4 million in 2009. And though the most optimistic analysts forecast that U.S. vehicle sales will rise to more than 14 million in 2012, that’s a far cry from 17.3 million at the turn of the
millennium. Last year’s U.S. sales figures might have been higher if not for the tsunami and earthquake in Japan and flooding in Thailand, which forced Toyota, Honda, and, to a lesser extent, Nissan to curtail production in virtually all of their assembly plants around the world. Auto sales growth is far more rapid in emerging nations such as China and India, with average annual sales gains since 2001 of 23 percent and 15 percent respectively. All of this should be good news for U.S. automakers, which have restructured their operations to be profitable at lower volumes in the U.S. General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler gained market share at the expense of the Japanese manufacturers, and the See Where We Stand, Page 38
Cindy Tursi, Former AASP/NJ Executive Director, Passed Away December 13th
Former Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of New Jersey (AASP/NJ) Executive Director Cindy Tursi passed away December 13. Tursi, who served the association from the 1988 through 2003, was 61. Born in Wheeling, West Virginia and a former resident of Hillsborough, NJ, Cynthia resided in Branchburg, NJ, for Cindy Tursi and her husband, Noel 24 years. She retired in 2008 and had been self-employed for detail and her commitment to wanting twenty years as AASP/NJ Association us all to be successful, she continually Manager. went over and above what was re“There aren’t enough words to dequired of her.” scribe what she did for the industry and AASP/NJ members and leaders for the association—it would take also paid their respects to Cindy Tursi. more of a book than a paragraph,” said “When I took over as Executive DirecAASP/NJ President Jeff McDowell. tor, Cindy was my mentor. I remember See Tursi, Page 34 “Through determination, attention to
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