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CCC Drops Proposed Charges, Makes Other ‘Secure Share’ Changes by John Yoswick
Following months of industry criticism as well as recent strategic announcements from its competitors,
CCC Information Services said in late December that it was making significant changes to its new “Secure Share” data exchange requirements scheduled to go into effect in April. CCC had said that beginning next
spring, all CCC ONE collision repair shop estimate data transfers to thirdparties—such as shop management systems, rental car companies or CSI providers—would have to go through Secure Share (rather than shops sharing the data directly as they do now), and those third-parties would have to pay CCC $0.50 for each estimate they received. CCC has now halted plans for the $0.50 toll. The company also said that contrary to its announced plans, it will still allow such data transfers to be done via the commonly used “EstiSee Secure Share, Page 4
Two New I-CAR Modules Emphasize Construction Materials and Materials Types, 9 New Courses Offered
The Vehicle Construction Materials module will look at introducing the learner to how vehicle makers use a variety of materials to transfer collision energy around the passenger compartment, while Material Types looks at the different types of materials used and how they impact vehicle design. “Vehicle makers use a variety of materials to transfer collision energy around the passenger compartment to protect the occupants,” read a statement from I-CAR. “This course introduces how those materials are used and to how to identify them. From difSee I-CAR Courses, Page 28
Change Service Requested
P.O. BOX 1516, CARLSBAD, CA 92018
The constantly evolving and everchanging construction of vehicles means bodyshops need to know how different materials affect collision repair. I-CAR is looking to address this with the launch of a new course that aims to educate technicians on how different materials impact their work. The I-CAR course—Vehicle Construction Material Types—is described as an excellent core course for repair technicians and estimators alike. It covers most modern vehicles and their repair techniques. The online course will be split into two modules: Vehicles Construction Materials and Material Types.
VOL. 8 ISSUE 11 FEBRUARY 2018
Todd Tracy Energizes Audience at AASP/NJ Seminar On January 9, the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of New Jersey (AASP/NJ) hosted Todd Tracy—the attorney famous for winning the plaintiffs in the John Eagle case $42 million—for an exclusive seminar at the Gran Centurions Banquet Hall in Clark. Tracy presented “The Anatomy of a Lawsuit: The Crucial Details for the $42 Million Verdict,” taking attendees through the step-by-step process of the lawsuit, in addition to leaving them with tips to bring back to their own shops to avoid being hit with their own multi-million dollar judgments. “I think it’s really important to have somebody like Todd here, so everybody can hear what he has to say firsthand,” AASP/NJ President Jerry McNee said at the meeting. “I think it’s important that we share information and we learn. What you’re going
to do with this information when you leave here is going to make all the difference.” Tracy’s fiery, passionate attitude was evident right from the start, as he
Todd Tracy presents “The Anatomy of a Lawsuit” to AASP/NJ
began his session by emphasizing to attendees that they need to become active industry participants if they expect anything to change. See Todd Tracy, Page 62
Veteran MSO Owner Again Runs for Governor of Maine by Ed Attanasio
Shawn Moody, owner of Moody’s Collision Centers, announced that he is running for governor of Maine in late November. While many shop owners are worried about their cycle times and car counts, Moody is working to make changes in a state where he opened his first shop back in 1977. Today, Moody’s Collision Centers offers 11 locations throughout Maine. Moody, 58, ran for governor as an independent in 2010, when Maine’s current governor, Paul LePage, was elected to his first term. Since then, Moody has registered as a Republican and is one of the 16 candidates running. Even though he is considered an outsider with little political experience, Moody is gaining local support and will be campaigning throughout
the state until party primaries take place in June. Moody is supportive of the current governor’s efforts, but wants to
MSO owner Shawn Moody hopes to be the next Governor of Maine as a Republican candidate. He formerly ran as an independent.
take them to the next level while continuing on the same path, he said. “My goal is to take what LePSee Maine Governor, Page 16
Presorted Standard US Postage PAID San Bernardino, CA Permit #2244
2 FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
REGIONAL
Introduced in Missouri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
3D Collision Centers Works to End Distracted
Applications Open for 2018 University of the
AASP/NJ Prepares for Highly Anticipated
ASA Supports U.S. Congressman’s Vehicle
Auto Repair Contest Showcases Lucrative
Auto Care Association Accepting Scholarship
Body Shop Fire Damages Three Businesses,
Auto Care Association Promotes Joe Register
Career & Tech Co-op Program Benefits
Auto World Goes ‘Back to the Future’ With
Cars Take Brunt of Damage as Storm
CARSTAR North America Names Jeff
NORTHEAST 2018 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Skills in Laconia, NH. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 29 Vehicles in Frederick, MD. . . . . . . . . . . 21 Students, Employers in PA . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Recovery Continues in Fall River, MA . . . . 15
Cops Hunt for Serial Car Vandal in
Aftermarket Foundation Scholarships . . . . 63 Data Access Bill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 to Vice President, Emerging Technologies. . 56
VW Microbus Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Labanovich as Associate VP, Operations
for CARSTAR Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Ridgewood, NY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
CCC Drops Proposed Charges, Makes
Crack Down on Insurance Fraud . . . . . . . . . 6
Cooper Color, Inc. Body Shop Supplies
Collision Repair Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Driven Brands Names Chris Kozina as
Repaint Police Car in MA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Driverless Car ‘Guidelines' Allegedly
Vehicles for Veterans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Elon Musk Promises Tesla Pickup Truck
Anthony Thomas Sauta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Fire Guts Auto Body Shop Filled With
AASP/NJ Seminar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Gerber Collision Opens New Locations
Governor of Maine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
GM To Make Autonomous Car Without
DA’s Office in MA Awarded $25,000 to Morning Fire Damages Colora, MD,
Northeast Metro Tech Students Repair, NY Collision Center Repairs Donated
Obituary for AASP-NJ Board Member
Todd Tracy Energizes Audience at Exclusive Veteran MSO Owner Again Runs for
COLUMNISTS
Attanasio - The Legend of Lavell Chisum,
Creator of Chief EZ Liner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Ledoux - OE Certification Programs - Ford . . 30
Phillips - How an AMi-Accredited Designation Can Help Industry Professionals With
Essential Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Phillips - Model Vehicles With Emerging Technology Will Rely on Pre- and
Other ‘Secure Share’ Changes . . . . . . . . . . 1
Offers Services in St. Louis . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
President, Paint & Collision. . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Not Working . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
in Tweet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Cars in Evanston, OH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
in Ohio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Steering Wheel, Pedals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
IGONC Triangle Chapter Honors Past
Presidents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Major Car Companies Settle Takata Airbag
Lawsuit for $553 Million . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Meet Hundreds of Entry-Level Candidates
at CREF’s Career Fairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
MS Acts to Shield Buyers of Flooded Vehicles. 3 Progressive Evolves its Service Centers
for Customers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Post-Scanning, Recalibration . . . . . . . . . . 46
Service King Apprentice Program Registered
to Attract Business Using Social Media . . . 39
Skill-Loan Helps Auto Techs Find
Sisk - Management Success Teaches Shops
NATIONAL
$1.6 Billion Toyota-Mazda Plant Planned
for Alabama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
3 Varying Assessments of Wholesale Car
Price Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
by US Department of Labor . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Supplementary Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
The Future of Takata Airbag Claims . . . . . . . . 72
The Sad Pathway to Airbag Injury . . . . . . . . . 38
Two New I-CAR Modules Emphasize
Construction Materials and Materials
Types, 9 New Courses Offered . . . . . . . . . . 1
AASP-MO Studies Vehicle Systems’
U.S. Auto Sales Forecasted to Fall Below
AGRR Magazine Survey: What’s the Cost
Uptick in Domestic Auto Sales; Vehicle Repair,
Anti-Safety Inspection Legislation
Urgent.ly Announces Collaboration With CCC . 4
Alignments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
of Doing Business? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Publisher & Editor: Jeremy Hayhurst General Manager: Barbara Davies Contributing Writers: John Yoswick, Janet Chaney, Toby Chess, Ed Attanasio, Chasidy Sisk, David Luehr, Stacey Phillips, Victoria Antonelli, Gary Ledoux Advertising Sales: Joe Momber, Sean Hartman, Bill Doyle, Norman Morano (800) 699-8251 Office Manager: Louise Tedesco Digital Marketing Manager: Bill Pierce Art Director: Rodolfo Garcia Graphic Designer: Michelle Lucas Online and Web Content Editor: Rochelle Beckel Accounting Manager: Heather Priddy Editorial/Sales Assistant: Randi Scholtes
Index of Advertisers
Driving in PA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
17 Million in 2018 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Insurance Prices Also Increase . . . . . . . . . 68
insured cars may show up in NICB’s VINCheck® database, the ones that didn’t have insurance are likely to be sold by the original owner for a few hundred dollars and then cleaned up and retitled by an unscrupulous dealer who will resell it for a few thousand dollars with no indication that the vehicle suffered any flood damage,” said Chaney. “It’s truly a buyer beware situation.” The Insurance Department and repair shops that are members of the state’s collision repair association are working together to offer free inspections for potential buyers. To view a video report on the program, vist the following URL: http:// bit.ly/2DakNJA
A Few Old Shops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Acura of Westchester . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Amato Agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Atlantic Hyundai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Audi Fairfield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Audi Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . 65 BMW Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60-61 Cadillac of Mahwah . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 CarcoonAmerica Airflow Systems. . 38 CCC Information Services . . . . . . . . 5 Central Avenue Chrysler-JeepDodge-Ram. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 ChemSpec USA, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Classifieds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Colonial Automotive Group . . . . . . 51 Diamond Standard Parts, LLC . . . . 11 ECS Automotive Concepts . . . . . . . 24 Empire Auto Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Equalizer Industries, Inc . . . . . . . . . 33 Flemington Auto Group . . . . . . . . . 17 Ford Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . 50 Fred Beans Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Fuccillo Kia of Schenectady . . . . . . 45 GM Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . 59 GYS Welding USA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Healey Brothers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Honda-Acura Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36-37 Hyundai Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Infiniti of Norwood. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Insta Finish Car Care . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Island Clean Air, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Kia Motors Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Killer Tools and Equipment Corp.. . 15 LKQ Corporation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Long Automotive Group . . . . . . . . . 26 Lynnes Auto Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Malouf Chevrolet-Cadillac. . . . . . . . 16 Mazda Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . 66
Serving New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Northern Virginia, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and adjacent metro areas. Autobody News is a monthly publication for the autobody industry. Permission to reproduce in any form the material published in Autobody News must be obtained in writing from the publisher. ©2018 Adamantine Media LLC. Autobody News P.O. Box 1516, Carlsbad, CA 92018 (800) 699-8251 / (760) 603-3229 Fax www.autobodynews.com editor@autobodynews.com
Northeast
Contents
MS Acts to Shield Buyers of Flooded Vehicles
The Mississippi Insurance Department and the Mississippi Collision Repair Association have teamed up to protect residents from buying cars damaged by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Officials say thousands of flood-damaged vehicles have made their way from Texas, Louisiana and Florida into Mississippi to be eventually sold to unsuspecting buyers. Many of the cars have been sold to unscrupulous dealers or dismantlers who will clean them up, retitle them and sell them for a quick profit. According to Mississippi Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney, the biggest threat is from cars that were not insured for flood damage. “While those
McGovern Chrysler-Jeep-DodgeRam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Mercedes-Benz of Atlantic City. . . . 53 Mercedes-Benz of Fairfield . . . . . . . 57 Mercedes-Benz of Fort Washington . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Mercedes-Benz of West Chester . . 53 Mercedes-Benz of Wilmington . . . . 30 Mercedes-Benz Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 MINI Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . 58 Mitsubishi Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 MOPAR Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40-41 Nissan/Infiniti Wholesale Parts Dealer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Nucar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Ourisman Chrysler-Jeep-DodgeRam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Polyvance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Porsche of Fairfield . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Porsche Wholesale Parts Dealers . . 63 PPG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 ProLine Tool & Supply, Inc.. . . . . . . 21 Providence Lacquer & Supply Centre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Robaina Industries, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . 29 SATA Dan-Am Company . . . . . . . . 19 Schultz Ford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Security Dodge-Chrysler-JeepRam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Spanesi Americas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Subaru Wholesale Parts Dealers . . 71 Symach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Tasca Automotive Group . . . . . . . . 49 Toyota Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . 52 VIP Honda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Volkswagen Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Westbury Jeep-Chrysler-DodgeRam-SRT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
www.autobodynews.com | FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS 3
estimate they receive. Secure Share, ticom is a “data scraper” that collects, first, but not the only, related to data critics said, also gave CCC unprececompiles and sells information from sharing by CDK and Reynolds. Cox dented access to what information is dealership management systems, Automotive, the parent company of being sent to which vendors, including with the permission of the dealers Kelley Blue Book, Autotrader and mate Management Standard (EMS)” some CCC competitors. whose data it gathers. It is now suing Manheim, filed suit in December data export file rather than requiring “They will know which CSI comtwo companies—Reynolds and against CDK, saying the company is the use of the newer “Business Mespanies are successful, and they will Reynolds, and CDK Global—that colluding to eliminate competition sage Suite (BMS)” data export file. know who [those compadominate the market for in the market for compiled data This will allow third-party vendors nies’] customers are,” Jack dealership management sys- from dealership management sysmore flexibility in implementing sysRozint of Mitchell Internatems. In recent years, both tems. Other dealership groups and tems to accept BMS files. tional cited as an example, Reynolds and CDK implebusinesses that rely on dealership CCC also said it has made changes noting that CCC competes for mented technology to block data from those systems also have to its terms of agreement in an effort to business with other CSI data scraping. The two comfiled similar suits against CDK or alleviate some of the other concerns providers in the industry. panies, Authenticom’s anReynolds. voiced by industry vendors. “And if they want to target titrust suit alleges, also “CCC is committed to facilitating those products and customers, formed agreements to allow CCC Moving Forward Jack Rozint efficient, collaborative and secure comthey now have a perfect plateach other’s own data analytWhether those lawsuits played into of Mitchell munication between our customers and form to do it.” ics subsidiaries—which comCCC’s decision is unclear. For its International said the business partners,” CCC’s Mark Mitchell and AudaExpete with Authenticom—to part, CCC is working to put a posihis company will Fincher said in a written statement anplore also added to the pres- continue to support access the data from the other tive spin on the changes it has made the “EMS” data nouncing the changes. “We’ve had onsure on CCC to amend its company’s system, while to the Secure Share program as the export file rather going discussions with customers and plans for Secure Share by pledging not to help any other April deadline for its required use apthan requiring the industry stakeholders on the best ways vowing to continue to supbusiness gain access to one proaches. use of the newer to do that, and [this] announcement is port data exchanges using another’s systems. “Repairers and application “BMS” data export file in response to that feedback.” EMS (while also moving toThose who had previously providers will now have more choice ward using BMS) with no purchased compiled data and flexibility in how they work with additional fees. from Authenticom said they have seen one another,” CCC’s Fincher said in Change Faces Criticism Since first announced more than a year “We see no compelling reason at their monthly bill for such data rise announcing the company’s changes. ago, elements of “Secure Share” drew this moment to stop supporting from the $35 they had been paying fire from various segments of the inEMS,” Rozint said at CIC in Novem- Authenticom to more than $700 to redustry, often voiced at the quarterly ber. “There is somewhere between 100 ceive the data from Reynolds or CDK. www.autobodynews.com Collision Industry Conference (CIC) and 200 different services and applicaAuthenticom’s lawsuit was the meetings. tions that consume EMS data today. CCC’s support for use of BMS Those applications and services are Urgent.ly Announces Collaboration With CCC (rather than EMS) was widely praised, fundamental to processing claims, rebecause the newer standard pairing cars and ensuring that Urgent.ly, the only global, digital road- matically dispatch towing services, side assistance platform, announced it and route the vehicle to the appropriate gives the user more control our industry is operating effiis working with CCC Information location for total loss processing or reover which portions of the ciently without the need to Services Inc. (CCC) to contribute road- pair; which can help curb unnecessary data from an estimate are rekey data. EMS can be comside assistance data and services to tows, storage fees and rental car costs, shared. It can limit a parts municated securely, as can CCC’s recently launched connected slash cycle times and increase cusvendor’s access, for example, BMS. Neither one of them data exchange. tomer satisfaction. to only the portions of the eshas inerrant security built That exchange, CCC™ X, helps “We’re excited to work on innotimate needed to accurately within. We don’t see any reaconvert connected data into actionable vative new solutions with great techexperiences for consumers, insurers, nology providers like Urgent.ly,” said fill the parts order (while not son at this time to cut off Mark Fincher of OEMs and others. CCC X will inte- Mac Fraser, General Manager of including, as an EMS file EMS, and so we won’t.” CCC Information grate Urgent.ly data into software-dri- Telematics, CCC. “The goal is to drive Services said the does, data relative to the cusSecure Share was also facven services to enable the automatic value back to consumers and business company was tomer and labor times). ing push-back from a variety dispatch of the company’s more than partners alike.” dropping its plans But critics felt CCC’s for added fees and of segments of the industry. 39,000 connected roadside assistance Urgent.ly CEO & Co-Founder scheduled elimination of the making changes to General Motors’ John Eck, vehicles to the scene of accidents to Chris Spanos said, “The combination ease, speed and drive new efficiencies of the Urgent.ly and CCC ONE platoption to use EMS as of for example, said his comother elements of into collision and claims manage- forms will help deliver significant April 2018 was arbitrary and its “Secure Share” pany was concerned about the data exchange ment. value, cost savings and superior cusunnecessary. Some third“impact on the [parts] prosystem Powered by the CCC ONE™ plat- tomer experience to CCC’s insurance, party vendors not set up to recurement process for our form, CCC X is the gateway for lever- automotive and repair facility cusceive data via BMS said that that dealer network.” Dan Friedman of aging connected car data within the tomers as a powerful solution to help change alone, even aside from the Enterprise said his company wouldn’t broader CCC network to drive a new reduce claims expense, provide faster $0.50 fee they would have to pay CCC participate in Secure Share and vowed era of connected car programs. The in- service and increase customer loytegration of Urgent.ly’s Intelligent alty.” for each estimate data file received, instead to “keep collaborating and partTowing Solution™ will enable autoThe CCC network includes more was an undue expense. nering with businesses that believe in mated dispatch of Urgent.ly’s conthan 350 insurance companies, dozens Others felt the mandatory transfer open technology platforms.” nected towing vehicles to accident of automotive OEMs and more than of data files through CCC gave the scenes. Insurers will understand when 24,000 repair facilities, making it easy company too much control, in theory Other Data-Sharing Lawsuits a collision has occurred, quickly en- for them to tap Urgent.ly’s network of enabling CCC to decide which third- CCC’s about-face may also have been gage policyholders at the accident more than 39,000 digitally connected scene, determine the likelihood a ve- service vehicles for roadside services party vendors or “applications” are in influenced by some lawsuits related to hicle is a total loss or repairable, auto- and collision solutions. the system and able to receive a shop’s data-sharing arrangements in another data, as well as which portions of the automotive industry segment. AuthenContinued from Cover
Secure Share
4 FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
www.autobodynews.com | FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS 5
Auto Repair Contest Showcases Lucrative Skills in Laconia, NH by Adam Drapcho, Laconia Daily Sun
Troy Miner has known he wanted to work on cars for a living since as far back as he can remember. For Ethan Adriance, the ambition to become an automotive technician came to him much more recently—when he discovered that he could make a good living by fixing cars, and wouldn’t have to take on the debt required for a four-year college degree. Miner and Adriance, both seniors at Laconia High School and enrolled in Huot Career and Technical Center’s automotive program, are among the state’s 20 top automotive students who competed in a hands-on competition held at Lakes Region Community College. The 2018 High School Automotive Technology Contest, which will began at 8 a.m. Jan. 13, presented 10 identical Toyota Camrys, each with the same malfunction, to be solved by two-person teams. Miner and Adriance, who scored first and second among Huot students on a written exam prepared on behalf of the New Hampshire Automotive Dealers Association, represented the Huot Technical Center. In fact, not only did Miner and Adriance earn top marks for Huot, but they were also among the best in the state, said Steve Clavett, Huot Automotive teacher. Their scores, collectively, were tied for second-best in the state. During the contest, teams had four hours to diagnose and fix the
problem afflicting each Camry. Points were awarded based on the accuracy and speed at which the problems were identified, documented and resolved. Points could be lost if tools were used incorrectly and if safety rules were violated.
Ethan Adriance, left, and Troy Miner, both seniors at Laconia High School and students in Huot Technical Center’s automotive program, represented Huot on Jan. 13 in a technical challenge featuring the brightest automotive students in the state. Credit: Adam Drapcho, Laconia Daily Sun
There was more at stake than a trophy; contest winners were awarded financial aid at the New Hampshire community college of their choice, where, said Ross Gittell, chancellor of the Community College System of New Hampshire, students can gain the certifications necessary to begin a career. “These students can graduate with no debt and a great job, with terrific pay waiting for them as soon as their degree is in hand,” said Gittell. And, it’s an industry desperate for more technicians, said Peter McNamara, president of the NHADA. “We have hundreds of auto tech jobs available in New Hampshire right
DA’s Office in MA Awarded $25,000 to Crack Down on Insurance Fraud by Tashanea Whitlow, WWLP-22News
The Northwestern District Attorney’s office in Massachusetts was awarded thousands of dollars to crack down on insurance fraud. The Insurance Fraud Bureau gave the DA’s office a $25,000 grant to support efforts to identify and prosecute schemers who commit auto insurance fraud. Assistant Northwestern DA Steve Gagne said Helen Chen defrauded the state out of more than $100,000. Gagne said Chen fraudulently obtained insurance policies in western Massachusetts for more than 50 people in New York. “They were obtaining insurance policies for vehicles by claiming they
lived in Greenfield, Easthampton or Northampton,” said Gagne. Chen was found guilty, and the IFB of Massachusetts has awarded the DA’s office $25,000 to fight fraud for the last seven years. Through its community initiative, the IFB of Massachusetts has been able recoup through restitution or stop payments on more than $1 billion in fraudulent claims paid since 2003, saving the average driver around $162 a year. Schemes range from people claiming they were hit while parked to people using different addresses in exchange for lower premiums. We thank WWLP-22News for reprint permission.
6 FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
now, and these are great-paying jobs with average wages of nearly $60,000. This competition will showcase the best our state has to offer, but it also highlights a specific need in our industry. And employers will pay top dollar for top talent,” McNamara said. That’s music to the ears of students like Adriance, who decided last year that he would pursue a career as an automotive technician. He had grown tired of the insistence, repeated throughout his education, that he attend a four-year college and assume decades of debt in order to do so. But, when he started taking the first level of Clavett’s course last year, he found a more laid-back environment and a topic he enjoyed. “I found out I really liked working on cars, [and] I decided I wanted to make a career out of it,” Adriance said. “In this career, everything’s always changing—You’re always learning something new.” Miner, whose father has a DeLorean, never gave a thought to doing anything else with his life. “For me, it’s been all my life. There’s never been a point in my life
that I didn’t want to work on cars,” said Miner. “It’s sort of like a puzzle—You get the satisfaction of putting the puzzle back together.” Both Miner and Adriance have been accepted to Ohio Technical College in Cleveland, where they can earn their certifications and an associate’s degree in 18 months, then begin their careers. Once they’re ready to do so, they should have no shortage of job offers. In New Hampshire and across the country, there aren’t enough young technicians. Clavett said it’s an effect of changing culture. “A lot of the shortage exists because kids aren’t passionate about their cars anymore,” Clavett said. He teaches students aged 16 to 18, and only about half of them have a driver’s license, he said. Though they may not be passionate about cars, the draw of a goodpaying career without much student debt has proven to be appealing to Huot students. Clavett’s program is full, with a waiting list. We thank Laconia Daily Sun for reprint permission.
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www.autobodynews.com | FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS 7
3D Collision Centers Works to End Distracted Driving in PA As of September 2017, 3D Collision Centers officially launched its STOP Distracted Driving Campaign at local area high schools across Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties in Pennsylvania. By prominently placing a drastically damaged vehicle and a clear message on school property, it is 3D Collision Centers’ hope that these installations bring school and community-wide discussions to the forefront about this very concerning subject. Area Schools Act The STOP Distracted Driving Campaign is off to a great start. Oxford Area High School was the first to kick off the program. Lower Merion High School and TCHS Brandywine have participated for the past two months, and the program will continue at Henderson High School. There are also several more schools working on being part of this movement. The Buzz This topic is of importance to James A. Canaday, Oxford Area High School Principal. “Our goal in partnering with the STOP Distracted Driving Campaign was to plant a seed in the minds of our students that distracted driving
has real-life consequences. Along with the wrecked vehicle, during Homecoming Week we ran daily announcements to highlight the need to
impact. For me, to be talking about distractions and being able to point out the window to the damaged car, it gives the kids a real look at the con-
make good choices behind the wheel. I am confident that our partnership with the campaign made an impact on our students.” Oxford Area High School Highway Safety teacher Michael Pietlock mentioned, “As a teacher, any time that you can connect the lesson to something tangible, it provides more
sequences of their choices.” Lower Merion High School Highway Safety instructor Michael Borsch was happy to help coordinate the effort because this issue is one of great concern and discussed at length in his classroom. During the installation week, Mr. Borsch reported hearing students talk about the vehicle as
8 FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
they walked by, saying, “Man, that is awful—I hope they were wearing a seatbelt,” or “That’s why you don’t text and drive!” Mr. Borsch stated, “This topic is of extreme importance to Lower Merion High School, and we hope to continue with the program to help showcase what can happen when driving while distracted.” As part of a class assignment, Mr. Borsch asked his students to research this subject and to learn more about the effects of distracted driving. After reading the disturbing statistics on injuries and fatalities that can occur, one student promised, “To keep myself from being distracted, I can put my phone on do not disturb, listen to music, not eat at the wheel and have rules for my passengers.” 3D Collision Centers is hopeful that this program will serve as a clear reminder to all drivers to stop distracted driving behaviors such as texting, eating, talking on the phone, grooming, and operating the radio or navigation system, or any other activity that might divert their eyes away from concentrating on the road. Stopping these habits can dramatically reduce the amount of fatalities and injuries that occur.
Northeast Metro Tech Students Repair, Repaint Police Car in MA by Staff, Wicked Local Reading
Reading Police Chief Mark D. Segalla and Superintendent David DiBarri announced that students at Northeast Metro Tech completed a
The Ford Crown Victoria, which was repaired and repainted by Northeast Metro Tech automotive collision repair & refinishing students for the Reading Police Department, is pictured before and after repairs. Courtesy photo
project that involved repairing and repainting a vehicle for the Reading Police Department. Reading police officers brought their 2007 Ford Crown Victoria to
Northeast Metro Tech to be worked on by automotive collision repair & refinishing students in September. Tenth grade students Erick Menjivar Mejia of Chelsea, Jorge Benavides Chavez of Revere, Andrew O’Neil of Chelsea, automotive collision repair & refinishing instructor Robert MacGregor, Juan Valasquez Restrepo of Chelsea, Luis Barillas of Chelsea, Christopher Mendez of Chelsea, Jay Martinez of Chelsea and Payten Kiley of Melrose, tackled the project, which they showcased to Segalla on Dec. 8. “This vehicle was in serious need of some repair work, and instead of taking it to a body shop, we wanted to partner with Northeast Metro Tech to give students the opportunity to take on this task,” said Segalla. “We are always looking for ways to strengthen community relations, and we’re so pleased with how the vehicle turned out.” Students overhauled the Crown Vic by removing dents throughout the body, clearing away rust, replacing the front fender and giving it a fresh coat of paint. “Because these were 10th grade students who just picked their technical area of study last year, this was
their first big project in automotive collision repair & refinishing,” said MacGregor. “We appreciate partnerships like what we have with the
Barillas worked on fixing a hole that had formed on the right side back door, first grinding out the rust from the area, repairing it with fiberglass and body filler, and then priming it before the whole car was painted. Kiley spent her time removing scratches and dents and later preparing the car for its new paint color. “Since we had the car for a while, I think we all learned from our mistakes,” said Kiley. “It was a good car to start the year off Pictured, from left: Erick Menjivar Mejia, of Chelsea, with.” Jorge Benavides Chavez, of Revere, Andrew O’Neil, of Mendez focused Chelsea, Automotive Collision Repair & Refinishing inhis efforts on repairing structor Robert MacGregor, Juan Valasquez Restrepo, stretched metal on the hood of Chelsea, Luis Barillas, of Chelsea, Christopher of the car, and said that beMendez, of Chelsea, Jay Martinez, of Chelsea and cause it was the first time Payten Kiley, of Melrose, Reading Police Chief Mark the group got to work on a Segalla and Reading Police Armorer Patrick Dawley large-scale project, the exCourtesy photo/Reading Police Department perience was extremely Reading Police Department because worthwhile and beneficial. students got real experience working “When we first started, we didn’t on a vehicle, and they were able to know how to really do any of the body take their time learning the proper way work, and I think now we’re a bit more to repair different areas of the Crown confident seeing how great the car Vic. Plus, I think they really took pride came out,” said Mendez. working on a vehicle that would be We thank Wicked Local Reading used by law enforcement.” for reprint permission.
www.autobodynews.com | FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS 9
Career & Tech Co-op Program Benefits Students, Employers in PA by Natalie Reid Miller, Observer-Reporter
When Caitlin Thomson impresses her colleagues, it makes her day. “They’ll ask me if I know how to do something,” she said. “It’s nice to surprise them.” Thomson is not only a female in a male-dominated field, but also a student working with professionals who have decades of experience. Employed at Greene’s Road & Towing Services, the Burgettstown High School senior studies auto mechanics at Western Area Career & Technology Center (WACTC). She is one of 37 students in the center’s cooperative education program that allows students to work in their field while still in high school. “This is so beneficial, not only for the students, but employers as well,” said Lea Ann Fairall, WACTC cooperative education coordinator. The program combines classroom training with supervised, part-time employment related to students’ training and career goals. Students who participate are found to have a greater degree of confidence entering professional employment, and begin at a higher level of responsibility and higher starting salary.
John Bozic of Fort Cherry High School was selected as a Student of the First Quarter for the co-operative education program at WACTC. He is studying welding
As for employers, the program acts as a source of recruitment in highdemand fields and provides trained and motivated workers. “Students are coming out with ability,” said Henry Klinar, manager at McKean Heating and Plumbing. The HVAC contractor, located in Washington, has employed several WACTC students in the co-op program, and hired current employee
George Demnyan after he graduated from high school. The students, Klinar said, show maturity, and WACTC staff members are excellent partners.
“Here, you talk about stuff you’re going to apply in your job and life lessons,” said Thomspon. Roman Quinn, a Canon-McMillan student employed by Bobby Rahal
Lea Ann Fairall, front row, third from left, is the cooperative education coordinator at Western Area Career & Technology Center. She is pictured with students, front row, from left, Rhiannon Jackson and Sierra Nichols; middle row, Evan Gourley, Matthew Zrimsek, Stefan Pernisek, Michael Szewczyk, Lane Zook, Roman Quinn, Deven Harrison, Tylor Barker and Caitlin Thomson; and back row, Ricky Tucker, Eric Christopher, Seth Yater, Westin Kimble and Justin Bartoletti Photo by Natalie Reid Miller/Observer-Reporter
“The students are interested in the work and Lea Ann is great to work with. The instructors do a great job,” Klinar said. “This program does a great job in setting up students for a career.” Students selected to participate in the co-op program must display a competency in their field, have good attendance and grades and must be mature enough to handle a job on top of school. They are required to attend WACTC every Friday, alternating classes with Fairall and their instructor. “They have to juggle school work necessary for graduation and be able to handle working in a professional atmosphere. And they are seniors in high school, so they want to have fun and a social life,” Fairall said. “They have maturity.” When Fairall started the program several years ago, she was cold-calling employers to try to find opportunities for her students. Now, through word-of-mouth and successful pairings, she has about 30 employers with whom she regularly works. Fairall’s students—some of whom refer to her as “Aunt Lea Ann”—are just as complimentary of their instructor. “There’s nothing you can’t come to (Fairall) with,” said Rhiannon Jackson, a Peters Township student in the culinary arts program. “This prepares you for what life is going to throw at you.”
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BMW, said Fairall teaches practical knowledge, like how to call out of work professionally. “We learn things like how to deal with customers,” he said. “It makes me feel really good to have a success-
ful future.” WACTC programs of study include auto mechanics, automation robotics engineering, culinary arts, carpentry, cosmetology, collision repair technology, electrical occupations, emergency and protective services, health assistant, heating and air conditioning, masonry, machine shop, networking and welding. Students come from school districts in Avella, Burgettstown, Canon-McMillan, Chartiers-Houston, Fort Cherry, McGuffey, Peters Township, Trinity and Washington. Career training programs are different than they used to be, said Fairall. “There is still the stigma that these are kids who can’t get into college. That’s not true. These kids are smart, mature and professional,” she said. “They’ll tell you I run a tight ship. I need them to be good stewards so their employers know they can trust me. These student are performing at top-notch levels.” We thank Observer-Reporter for reprint permission.
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www.autobodynews.com | FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS 11
Product Innovation The Legend of Lavell Chisum, Creator of the Chief EZ Liner with Ed Attanasio
If there were a Hall of Fame for the inventors of collision repair equipment, there would be a whole wing named after Lavell Chisum, 92, the creator of the Chief EZ Liner. With rudimentary tools and a lot of common sense coupled with a burning passion to create things, Chisum’s frame machine is being used in body shops all over the planet. 2018 marks the 50th anniversary of Lavell taking the legendary original EZ Liner frame machine to market. The story all began when Chisum’s scholastic career ended at fifth grade because of his father’s travels throughout Texas to fix cars in the 1940s, which wasn’t ideal for his school schedule, he recalled. “I must have changed schools 13 times, which sure didn’t help anything. My dad was going around to small towns and fixing their wrecks,” Chisum
age, Alaska in the 1960s, Chisum began to see a definite need for straightening frames precisely and quickly, so he started looking around for a viable solution. “I had it all in my head for several years before I invented it,” he said. “One day, I thought if this thing works, boy, it would help me. I was not doing the kind of quality work that I wanted to, so I started coming in on weekends and designing the machine.” At first, Chisum drew lines on the floor of his shop to lay out the machine and then began experimenting with different set-ups and configurations. Then he ordered some metal and a hydraulic pump and began using it in the shop. Rather quickly, Glacier Lincoln Mercury in Anchorage brought him pickups to straighten and soon, they wanted one of his machines for themselves. “The people at the dealership hired me to operate the machine at their shop, and that was a great place to test it and develop it even more,” he said. “I did that there for a full year, and then started looking around for a facility where I could mass produce them. I made the first few in my front yard and my neighbors Chisum manufactured the EZ Liner for many years before weren’t real happy about that, selling the patent to Chief Automotive in 1972 so I began looking for somesaid. “But there weren’t many cars in where else to build them.” each little town, so he’d have to drive To show the world his new invento the next one and fix their wrecks.” tion, Chisum decided to crash the party Chisum’s journey took him at an automotive equipment show in through a handful of states as a youth, Los Angeles in 1968. including Alabama, Texas, New Mex“There were six or seven frame ico, Oklahoma, Colorado and even machine companies there, so I talked Alaska, among others. At age 18, he to all of them, including Bear, Marwas working for body shops during quette, Whitney and Guy Chart,” the week while competing in rodeos Chisum said. “Nobody got excited on the weekends, he said. about it, except for one guy from Min“I would go to shops to get work neapolis who understood what I was and they would tell me that I wasn’t old doing. They had a machine that was enough,” he said. “Age doesn’t have too big and it required a pit in the anything to do with it, I told them, and ground. He took me up to his suite at pretty quick they could see I knew what the trade show and showed me what I was doing. For nine years, I was a bull they were doing with the Marquette rider on the rodeo circuit and I got machine, and I thought, ‘Mine is betgood. After working with all of those ter!’ So, I began working with a combody shop owners, those bulls never pany that started making the machines scared me at all.” for me.” While running a shop in AnchorSo, after selling everything that
12 FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Ed Attanasio is an automotive journalist based in San Francisco, California. He can be reached at era39@aol.com.
he owned in Alaska and relocating to Minneapolis, Chisum hit the road to see if shops were actually using the EZ Liner. When he discovered that shops didn’t even know about the ma-
Lavelle Chisum invented the Chief EZ Liner in 1968, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year
chine, he realized that the company in Oklahoma building his machines wasn’t out there selling them. So, he went to a series of banks trying to get enough money to make them himself, and finally got lucky at the First National Bank in Claymore, OK, which gave him $5,000. Once he got his funding in place and took responsibility for the manufacturing, Chisum’s EZ Liner took off, and today is one of the most popular frame repair systems ever made. Chisum was honored as the Inventor of the Year in 1982 by the Patent, Trademark and Copyright Law Section of the Oklahoma Bar Association, in addition to winning other awards for his invention. Today, it is used in body shops in all 50 states and throughout the world. In 1972, he sold the EZ Liner’s patent to Chief Automotive, and two years later the company wanted to reSee Lavell Chisum, Page 48
We’re Looking for a Few Old Shops! Do you think you have the oldest, continuously-operated body shop in your area? Would you like to see your shop’s colorful history in print? If so, we want to hear from you. A Autobody News and collision industry journalist Gary Ledoux are working on a joint project to find, and highlight the oldest continuously operated body shops in America. Some shops may have sstarted out in the early 1900’s as a blacksmith or carriage shop. Some may have started as a mechanical repair service at a parking garage in New York or San Francisco during the 1920’s, and then turned to body work. In the latter part of the 1940’s, many ex-servicemen started body shops with skills they learned working on GI trucks and equipment. There are so many unique and interesting stories out there that should be recorded and preserved for posterity. Each qualifying shop submitted will be highlighted in Ledoux’ forthcoming book; YesterWreck: The History of Collision Repair in America. The estimated publishing date is the first quarter of 2019. No book of this sort has ever been published for the collision industry. This is a unique opportunity to be part of something special. Ledoux will provide a signed, first-edition copy of the book, upon its publishing, to any shop whose photos are used in the book. In addition, Ledoux will contact one shop from each of the five regions served by Autobody News for a complete interview and a feature story to be run in that region’s edition of the magazine. What To Send If you think you have the oldest continuously-operated body shop in your state please send us: • Shop’s Name • Address / City State and Zip • Phone number • Email address • Current owner’s name • A brief history of the shop, most importantly what year the shop was founded. Include the month if you know it. • Two to three photos of the shop, especially from its earliest days with any recognizable persons identified. These could be a picture of the front of the building, a group shot of everyone that worked in the shop at the time, people working on cars in the shop, etc. All photos should be scanned as a JPG with a minimum of 300 DPI. (Please do not take a telephone picture of a photo. The quality of such a photo cannot be satisfactorily reproduced.) All people in the photos should be identified if possible. Please send all information via email to yesterwreck@yahoo.com. For any questions, please contact Gary Ledoux @ yesterwreck@yahoo.com
www.autobodynews.com | FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS 13
AASP/NJ Prepares for Highly Anticipated NORTHEAST 2018 As NORTHEAST® 2018 draws closer, AASP/NJ is busily preparing for the association’s premiere annual event. Although the agenda is not yet available, expectations are running high due to the incredible success seen in recent years, as well as AASP/NJ’s
well as learn from the top speakers and educators from all aspects of our industry. “The key to the NORTHEAST show is that a majority of our industry doesn’t have the time to fly around the country. We live in the most densely populated region in the country, so there are thousands of shop [owners] who
decision to partner with the Washington Metropolitan Auto Body Association (WMABA) on a new educational series at this year’s show. According to AASP/NJ President Jerry McNee, “For over 40 years, we have presented the NORTHEAST show to provide an invaluable service to the automotive repair service professionals in the region. Our goal has always been to provide a regional event where our attendees can see all the newest technology and equipment as
would rather hop in their car and drive to a show and spend a day getting educated, seeing all the latest equipment and technology, and learning how to make their businesses better. That’s one of the biggest benefits of our show. Another big part of our success over the years has been our ability to locally provide training and education all under one roof. That has given us a proven track record.” NORTHEAST 2018 is scheduled for March 16–18 at the Meadowlands
by Chasidy Rae Sisk
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Exposition Center in Secaucus, NJ, and due to the many exhibitors that are always eager to participate in the trade show, the association has expanded into the second level of exhibitor booth space—the new NORTHEAST Pavilion. McNee shared, “Expanding NORTHEAST to another level opens so many doors for the future of the show. The Pavilion gives us more room for exhibitors and seminars, and it allows us the opportunity to provide the highest quality show for our attendees. “Between the new Collision P.R.E.P. program and the expansion to the Pavilion, we’re taking major steps with NORTHEAST 2018. It’s a very exciting time for the association. We’re looking forward to doing something we haven’t seen in an over 40-year history of NORTHEAST. We’re very excited for all of the new additions to the 2018 show. From the education to the vendors to the networking, if you’re in this industry, you can’t miss NORTHEAST. My advice is to sign up as soon as you can.” Registration is now open at www .aaspnjnortheast.com, and stay tuned for an in-depth look at this year’s agenda in our March edition.
Maaco Collision Repair, Auto Painting Opens Location in Rochester, NY
Maaco Collision Repair and Auto Painting announced the opening of a new franchise, Maaco Auto Painting and Collision Repair at 1525 East Henrietta Rd., Rochester, NY 14623. It is owned by Gregg and Zak Sadwick. Maaco Rochester fixes routine dents and dings, provides painting services and makes structural repairs through its expertly trained team of technicians. All structural repairs are backed by a lifetime warranty, and painting packages come with varying price points and warranties. The facility is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Maaco Rochester location offers special discounts on its services for military members and veterans, senior citizens, community service and customer loyalty. Maaco works with all major insurance companies to schedule, inspect and seamlessly repair vehicles. Maaco's certified centers offer national or local fleets the services they need to keep them on the road.
Cars Take Brunt of Damage as Storm Recovery Continues in Fall River, MA by Kevin P. O’Connor, The Herald News
Pity your poor car. It has been through so much already, and it is barely January. Ice, slush, potholes, narrow streets, snow banks so high climbers are setting flags at the peak. Sand and salt. And the cold. Your poor car has been cold for weeks. “That’s the biggest thing so far,” said Aaron Gauthier of Henry Tire Service, 714 Globe St. “We’ve had a shortage of batteries recently. The cold weather came on so quickly, all the batteries failed all at once. “Plus people are complaining of vibration. That is probably just ice stuck to the tire.” The cold that started on Christmas persisted for well over a week, broken only on Jan. 4 when a foot of snow fell. Then it got cold again. At Saber Auto Body, 47 11th St., and Mike’s Auto Body, 535 Bay St., workers have been busy towing cars out of snow banks and away from accidents. The same held true at Carl’s Collision Center, 465 Globe St. “I definitely saw a lot of cars being towed in on Friday, Saturday and today,” said Carl Garcia, owner
of Carl’s Collision. “We are looking at a month before we get through all this work. “One insurance company we deal with is looking at this as a catastrophic loss, like a hurricane came through.
more bumpers to replace than anything else. We’re also getting calls about vibrations.” The vibration calls are often easy, he said. Snow or ice stuck to the inside of a wheel or tire will cause the car to vibrate at highway speeds. Mike’s Auto Body keeps a pressure valve attached to a hot water spigot so they can melt the ice. Usually that is enough, Penacho said. But tires are taking a beating, especially with the potholes that are suddenly everywhere. “There are a lot of potholes right now,” said Ryan Gauthier of ARG Wheels, 83 Development St., a company that will repair wheel rims that Scott Sinclair of Tiverton gives his pickup a quick have become dented or washdown at Sonny’s before headling out of town. misshapen from potholes. Credit: Herald News Photo, Dave Souza “With the low profile “The biggest problem I face is tires, most of the brunt from a potthat, because the insurance compa- hole goes to the rim. If you have low nies have become so lean, they are profile tires, it is much easier to damhaving a hard time handling all their age the rim. “We have a lot of work to do calls.” “We’ve been very busy,” said right now.” With temperatures above freezMike Penacho, owner of Mike’s Auto Body, 535 Bay St. “We’ve had ing for the first time in weeks, car
wash companies saw business finally pick up. “Yesterday wasn’t busy at all, but today we are moving,” said Joe Alzaibak, owner of Vic’s Car Wash, 235 John St. “We aren’t as busy as we should because of all the snow— It is hard to get down the street.” “It started slow today, but it was still cold,” said Jay Cabral of Kevin’s Professional Auto Detailing, 428 Quarry St. “When the weather gets warmer, I anticipate it will be busier.” But warmer weather will cause problems too, Garcia said. “For the next few days, it will warm up in the day and freeze at night,” he said. “There will be a lot of black ice out there. That is worse than a snowstorm. When you are driving, that catches you by surprise. “We’ll be busy.”
We thank The Herald News for reprint permission.
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www.autobodynews.com | FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS 15
Continued from Cover
Maine Governor Run
age has achieved and build upon it. We’ll continue to trim down government waste and take that money to strengthen the economy, so it’s definitely going to be good for the people and businesses that operate in Maine.” Moody has learned a lot since running eight years ago, he said, and is using the skills he gained as a body shop owner to hopefully win this time around. “Operating an MSO is like running a campaign, because you have to assemble a strong team and then empower your people to succeed,” he said. “As a shop owner, I expect things to happen fast, and in government, sometimes that does not occur. I’m a doer, not a talker, and [am] always looking for a viable and sensible solution for any problem, so I would love an opportunity to serve the people of Maine.” Moody opened his three-bay first body shop in Gorham, ME, in 1977, when he was still in high school. “I was a shop owner and I still couldn’t vote,” he said. “But jumping right in at a young age was a great way to learn the industry, and running
for governor is similar. I have never been afraid of any challenge, and that includes this next one.” Moody’s platform is built on jobs, economic prudence, how to deal with the opioid crisis, anti-gun control and other issues that Maine voters are concerned with. About jobs: “I know the best way for someone to succeed is to have a great-paying job,” Moody said. As an entrepreneur, I have helped create jobs all over the state. We need better-paying jobs and to embrace new opportunities. We simply cannot allow Augusta and our state government to fall back into a system of job-killing red tape and an attitude that tells job creators ‘no’ rather than offering our men and women entrepreneurs a helping hand. Give businesses what they need and get government out of their way.” Fiscal control: “We can’t mortgage our children and grandchildren’s future,” he said. “You know, some politicians here in Maine just want to keep borrowing, spending with no real long-term plans, and with just the hope that it will work out. If I ran my business like that, we would have been bankrupt a long time ago. Our rainy day savings fund is there to protect our state for the long term. Unfortunately, some irresponsible politicians think that it’s raining every day. Others
Obituary: AASP-NJ Board Member Anthony Thomas Sauta
Anthony T. Sauta, 59, of Wall Town- van, his three brothers-in-law, ship passed away suddenly Tuesday, Michael, John and Edward SulliDecember 19, 2017 at Jersey Shore van, and a multitude of lifelong Medical Center, Neptune. friends. Anthony was an entrepreneur Born in Neptune, he was a grad- in the automotive industry in the uate of the Neptune Township Public Shore area, operating both repair and Schools and went on to attend Kean collision Shops in several local towns. College. He had resided in He was a member of the Neptune City for many Chamber of Commerce of years before moving to Bradley Beach and a Board Wall Township 23 years Member for Alliance of ago. He was a CommuniAutomotive Service cant of the Church of the Providers. Anthony was an Ascension in Bradley avid power boat enthusiast Beach. He is survived by and a member of the his wife Theresa Sullivan NJPPC (New Jersey PerSauta, his cherished daughformance Powerboat Club), Anthony Sauta ter Brittany Sauta, dear Florida PowerBoat Poker brother Stephen Sauta and his dear Runs, and had many cherished friends sister Dianne Donato, and was a in the “Boating World.” Anthony encherished uncle to Jessica and Nick joyed attending events, i.e. Giants Donato. He is the son of Anthony Games, Travelling and Key West. He Sauta Jr., and he was predeceased ear- had an infectious laugh and smile that lier this year by his devoted, loving will never be forgotten. mother Frances “Woodsie” SanTo offer online condolences to tanello Sauta. He is also survived by the Sauta family, please visit his in-laws, Robert and Peggy Sulli- www.obrienfuneralhome.com.
16 FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
believe we can continue to just keep raising taxes on the Maine people or our job creators and there will be no repercussions for our economy and state, but that kind of thinking has to stop.” Supporting law enforcement in the fight against opioids: “We donated a van we fixed up in 1994 to the Gorham Police Department in a joint effort to launch the D.A.R.E program, and my business has partnered with local law enforcement in drug takeback efforts to help in the fight of opioid abuse. That is the same type of action I will take as your Governor. I will work with our law enforcement community to support their efforts to keep Maine people safe from crime and to fight the opioid abuse problem that has affected so many communities and families. We will support peer to peer recovery efforts that have worked so well with organizations like AA. We can’t turn a blind eye to this and hope that it goes away.” Gun control and hunting: “Maine has a long, proud outdoor heritage with hunting, fishing, hiking, boating, skiing, snowmobiling and many other activities. I have spent my life enjoying most of them. We have turned our back
on the blue-collar recreation activities like snowmobiling, motorcycles, motorsports and ATV. We will promote these and re-vitalize, especially our recreational economy across Western, Northern and Downeast Maine. As our next governor, I will work to protect our ability to enjoy Maine’s great outdoors and support our Constitutional 2nd Amendment rights. Every citizen has a right to keep and bear arms, and this right shall never be questioned. As our next governor, I look forward to taking the oath of office and defending the Maine Constitution, including Section 16.” Lowering health care costs: “High health care costs affect our families, our senior citizens and our small business job creators. We need to look for solutions. Senior citizens face co-pays. Families have high deductibles with insurance coverage. Our job creators struggle to provide benefits for their employees they want to support. Unfortunately, Washington is playing a heavy role in the health care of Mainers. A heavy hand from the national government makes it harder to use instate tailored solutions. However, I am committed to working toward solutions to this crisis.”
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www.autobodynews.com | FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS 17
Hey Toby!
Toby Chess is an I-CAR program instructor, Training specialist, and former salvage yard operator. Toby is universally known in the collision industry for his work with first responders and advocacy for body shops and consumers. He can be reached at tcspeedster@gmail.com
Obtain, Review Repair Data Every Time You Repair A Vehicle with Toby Chess
A 2016 Ford F150 that is damaged in the front is towed to your facility. See Fig 1.
Figure 1
You do a tear-down and start writing your preliminary estimate. Did you think to check the type of A/C refrigerant that is in the vehicle? Most likely not.
Figure 2
Well, this truck has R-1234yf and not R-134. Now this means that you need to sublet the recharge of the system if you do not have an R-1234 yf machine. Fig 2. Ok, now that you have this handled, you are ready to go. Question: How many of you would go to the Ford website and download the information pertaining to R-1234 yf? I would venture to say, unless you are a Ford dealer body shop, it probably would not enter your mind. Big mistake—and it could cost you a lot of money. Let’s see what for states about R1234 yf. “After installing the condenser core, 1.5 fl oz plus that amount (oil) collected during refrigerant recover is added directly to the inlet port to low side service port system charging. On page 21 of 22 from the Ford website on A/C service, there are 10 more scenarios that are outlined. One page on a notice in bold script states “Motorcraft R-1234 yf Refrigerant PAG Oil (YN-35) only must be used as a refrigerant system lubricant. Addition of
any oil other than Motorcraft R1234yf (YN-35) to the refrigerant system will damage the A/C compressor and contaminate the refrigerant system”. There is a lot more info, but I think you get the message, which is that you need to follow OEM procedures. Speaking of not following OEM procedures, recall that John Eagle Collision in Texas lost a court case to the tune of $42 million for not following the OEM-recommended procedures. If you have not read or heard of this case, shame on you. John Eagle Collision glued a roof to a Honda Fit, when the recommended (required) procedures stated that the roof should be welded. The vehicle was involved in another accident and the roof gave way, causing damage that should not have happened. The vehicle caught fire and both occupants were severely injured. The attorney that represented the plaintiffs, Todd Tracy, showed the pictures of the burn injuries to audiences at SEMA last year. It was sickening. Furthermore, both individuals are permanently disabled and no amount of money is worth that. I’m going to give a number of examples in this article about OEM repair information. I sincerely hope that when you have finished reading, you will search out the OEM repair procedures prior to writing and beginning the repair process, and not allow thirdparty entities to dictate a different repair to satisfy their bottom lines. Both of these Hondas (See Fig 3 and Fig 4) are identical platforms, ex-
cept the “A”,”B”, and Rocker reinforcements on the 2012 Accord are
Figure 5
high-strength steel, whereas the same parts on the 2013 Accord are ultrahigh strength—in fact, the strongest
steel found in vehicles today (1500 mPA) See Fig 5.
Let’s see what Honda says on its website.
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MPa steel (there is a change in 2018—more on this near the end of this article). The heat generated during MAG welding will significantly reduce the strength and structural integrity of 1,500 MPa steel parts.
Continued from Page 18
Repair Data
Parts made of Ultra-High-Strength Steel (UHSS/1,500MPa/USIBOR) must be installed as a complete part. No sectioning allowed. Ultra High-Strength Steel requires special welding equipment, procedures, and settings. See the welding section of the appropriate body repair manual. Failure to use the proper Figure 7
Figure 6
equipment or follow the proper procedures can result in an unsafe repair”:
Furthermore, Honda states the following: Observe these precautions when repairing 1,500 MPa steel parts:
• Never attempt to straighten damaged 1,500 MPa steel parts; they may crack.
• 1,500 MPa steel parts must be replaced at factory seams using squeezetype resistance spot welding
(STRSW). Do not section these parts!
• MIG brazed joints should be used only in locations not accessible by a spot welder.
• To assure adequate weld tensile strength, always manually set the spot welder to the specifications provided in the body repair manual
• Never do MAG welding on 1,500
Think about this scenario. Two weeks ago, your tech replaced a “B” post on a 2012 Honda Accord and now you have a 2013 Accord with the same damage and repair. Your tech does not have 2013 repair procedures and MIG/MAG welds the reinforcement and sections the part. The vehicle is involved in another side impact, the repair gives way and the safety of the occupants is compromised. What is your response going to be if you are sued?
procedures. See Fig 6, 7 and 8. Did you know that Toyota has eight collision repair information bulletins that need to be viewed when replacing a quarter panel? Unless you specifically ask for the “library,” you will be missing a lot of additional repair information. For example, at position 1 on Fig 7, CRIB 2018 states that Toyota wants adhesive between the quarter panel lip and the outer wheelhouse assembly,
Let’s move on to another example. You are replacing a left Figure 8 quarter panel on a 2015 Toyota Camry. but does not recommend panel bonding (substitute for welds) unless it is a You request the OE data—for example, ALLDATA. They send you the repair See Repair Data, Page 22
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Body Shop Fire Damages Three Businesses, 29 Vehicles in Frederick, MD by Jeremy Arias, Frederick News-Post
A fire that appears to have started in a Frederick, MD, auto repair shop early the morning of Dec. 20 damaged three
iber Collision auto body repair and paint shop at 502 Highland St. about 4:27 a.m. Dec. 20, said Battalion Chief Kevin Fox, a spokesman for the Frederick County Division of Fire and
“There was a significant amount of fire when we arrived. Our initial arriving crews reported fire through the roof, but the bulk of the fire was knocked at about 4:40 [a.m.], so it looks like they had it knocked in about 15 minutes,” Fox said. Crews remained on the scene for the next three hours to prevent the fire from re-igniting. The exact cause and origin of the blaze remained under investigation by the Office of the Frederick County Fire Marshal as of Dec. 20, according to Fox. Firefighters at the scene did determine that the fire was gas-fed and were able to bring the fire under control rather quickly by isolating the gas flow, Fox said. No damage estimate was immediately available in the aftermath of the fire, but Fox said the amount would likely be “significant” due to the number of businesses and vehicles involved. “So the fire was mostly contained in the collision shop, but there were actually three different businesses along with the vehicles,” Fox said. “It was in kind of a strip mall-type building.” We thank Frederick News-Post for reprint permission.
Fire marshals investigate a fire that affected three businesses Dec. 20 in the 500 block of Highland Street in Frederick, MD Staff photo by Dan Gross
businesses and 29 vehicles, according to Frederick County fire officials. Firefighters were alerted to the fire by a passer-by who noticed heavy smoke and fire coming from the Cal-
Rescue Services. There were no sprinklers or fire detection systems in the shop, and fire was visible when the first crews arrived, Fox said.
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Major Car Companies Settle Takata Airbag Lawsuit for $553 Million
Legal-Bay, The Pre Settlement Funding Company, reported that four major car manufacturers have resolved a class action lawsuit with more than $550 million in payouts. The settlement was resolved last spring, but additional lawsuits are currently being filed. Most recently, a $68.2 million settlement has been proposed with the Subaru Corporation. The plaintiffs claim that the automotive giant manufactured, distributed or sold certain vehicles containing allegedly defective air bags manufactured by the Takata Corporation. The faulty devices could allegedly rupture upon inflation, causing damage to the vehicle’s occupant compartment and/or affect deployment altogether. Chris Janish, CEO of LegalBay, says, “The Takata Airbag cases have been lingering for some time. It is tragic that some of the car and truck accidents resulted in wrongful death cases, and it seems Takata is starting to take some responsibility. However, many personal injury cases are still moving through the court system throughout the country.”
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Continued from Page 20
Repair Data
documented procedure (weld bonding is permitted) published in modelspecific repair manuals for collision damage. The circle in Fig 8 is what? Toyota wants two areas of the quarter panel attached using MIG Brazing, as shown in Fig 8. One of the CRIBs discusses the use of epoxy primer on the glass pinch weld in Fig 8. Moving on! What you are seeing is a front frame extension replacement on a 2013 Ford F150 (See Fig 9). What you cannot see is the weld penetration. See Fig 10 for example of the weld penetration.
Figure 9
The body shop welded two frame extensions using .024 welding wire and 120 volt MIG welder (See Fig 11). The other frame extension fell off
Figure 10
after two days. Did the shop pull down the data?
Figure 11
What you see in Fig 12 is the lack of penetration (red circle) on 3/16 mild steel using a .024 wire with 120 volt welder. Now let’s see what Ford
repair information has to say. You can see where the shop failed. They did not weld completely, used the
Figure 12
wrong wire and wrong welder. What would your defense be if you had to go to court? What you are looking at is a 2009 Honda CRV in Fig 13. The body shop
repairs for years to come and you could be held liable for injuries that may result in a future accident. Not following and/or documenting the repair procedures leaves you with your butt hanging in the wind. I want to look a little closer at Honda and its latest information. Do you know if Honda has a position statement on windshields?
The answer is yes. In December 2016, Honda issued a service news release article titled Aftermarket Replacement Windshields. It starts with the header “Affected Vehicles.” It then states “All models with Honda sensing systems.” “Replacing a windshield on a vehicle equipped with any of these Honda Sensing Systems:
• Chevrolet Malibu—OEM procedures call for STRSW, MIG plug and MIG weld brazing for the roof installation • Chevrolet Volt—OEM procedures call for STRSW, MIG plug welds and qdhesive • Chevrolet Traverse-OEM procedures call for STRSW & MIG plug Yes, you could use any method of attachment that you deem fit, but remember, you will have to live with the
22 FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
• Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS) • Road Departure Mitigation (RDM)
Make sure it’s an OEM replacement windshield. Depending on the model and trim level, these systems either use a camera that’s mounted behind the rearview mirror, or a combination of that camera and a radar unit mounted behind the front bumper or grille. Installing an aftermarket windshield may
• Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) • Collision Mitiga- Figure 14 tion Braking System (CMBS) cause these systems to work abnor• Forward Collision Warning mally (the camera won’t aim. We also (FCW) point this out in the owner’s manual).” • Lane Departure Warning (LDW) See Repair Data, Page 24
Figure 12a. Weld the joint completely around the perimeter, if fit and alignment are correct, using a Metal Inert Gas (MIG) welding machine capable of producing a minimum of 200 amps. Use 0.9-1.1 mm (0.035-0.045 in) ER70S-3 or equivalent weld wire that is compatible with mild (Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) 1010) steel
glued the replacement roof without reviewing the Honda OEM repair data (same scenario as the John Eagle Collision case). The OE procedures called for welding the roof. What you see is the roof separating from the side aperture. The body shop said that there was an adhesive failure, but when confronted with the OE repair data, the owner took full responsibility for repairs (had to buy another new roof). What do all three of the vehicles have in common? (See Fig 14). They are all 2017 Chevrolet models (Traverse, Volt and Malibu). All three have different procedures for replacing a damaged roof panel.
Figure 13
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Continued from Page 22
Repair Data
Scott Kaboos, American Honda collision manager, sent me this document from the 2018 Honda Accord re-
Figure 14a
pair manual. The most important part to you, as an owner, manager and/or estimator, is the first bullet point. No repairs to the bumper in the area in front of the rear radar units. You may
Figure 15
also want to consider not using an aftermarket bumper cover (could be thicker than the original part) or an ex-
change cover from a bumper recycler (again, you do not know what is underneath the primed repair bumper cover). It should be noted that there are similar statements by other OEMs. In the 2018 Accord body repair information, Honda states that the
hood is made from aluminum. “To prevent galvanic corrosion, some fasteners for aluminum parts are considered one-time use and must be replaced if removed as specified in the electronic service manual or body repair manual.” Again, you will need to read the OEM repair data prior to writing an estimate. Fig 15 shows MIG/MAG welding only at approved locations as specified in the BRM (Body Repair Manual). Again, you need to print out the documentation and make sure that your tech is following the OEM printed instructions. Also in the welding specifications, Honda states, “The welding wire used must have a tensile strength equal to or greater than the lowest tensile strength of the parts being welded. Typically, ER70S-6 wire has the minimum tensile strength of 483 MPa. It can
Figure 16. 2 Door Honda Civic 24 FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
be used when welding 440 MPa steel parts”. Repeating myself, you will need to go to the Honda website and determine which parts are equal to or less than 440 MPa steel. Scott Kaboos also
Figure 17. 4 Door Honda Civic
gave me a heads up on 2015 Honda Civic rear rails. The rear frame rail on the 2-door is 590 MPa steel, whereas the rail on the 4-door is 1500 MPa steel. The fivedoor hatch is a whole other animal. You will need different welders, wire and repair procedures for all three ve-
hicles. It is imperative that you have the repair procedures before writing an estimate and that your technician understands the procedures before beginning the repair process.
All I can say is that you need to obtain and review repair data every time you repair a vehicle that has been in an accident. Protect yourself, and more importantly, protect your customer.
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www.autobodynews.com | FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS 25
NY Collision Center Repairs Donated Vehicles for Veterans Two wartime veterans were recognized for their military service and gifted with vehicles. These veterans have struggled since they returned from serving the United States. Both from Long Island and residing with their children and spouses, they began to feel the pain of not having a vehicle. From walking to doctor’s appointments for their sons, to struggling to buy food, to using their last monies for the bus fare, the two veterans were hit with challenge after challenge. It became imperative that this holiday season, they were granted something that could help them fight those personal battles. These two individuals, selected to receive a vehicle from the National Auto Body Council’s (NABC) Recycled Rides Program, were nominated by the VA and VFW (Veterans of Foreign War). Each individual was presented keys to his new vehicle during the breakfast ceremony, where tears of happiness were shed. The ceremony took place on Thursday, Dec. 21, at the United Veterans Beacon House on the grounds of Northport VA Medical Center. The cars were donated by GEICO Insurance and repaired by The Colli-
sion Centers’ employees, who donated and volunteered their time. Parts, paint and other material were donated to create an industry collaboration through the NABC’s Recycled Rides Program.
The Recycled Rides Program creates an opportunity for the collision industry to come together with likeminded organizations to raise awareness and offer support to those who need and deserve it most. Many are involved in the granting of a vehicle—from insurers, to collision shops, to parts vendors, to veteran service organizations. The program brings people together to make a positive change for others and ensures deserving citizens without safe and operational vehicles have cars or vans that meet their needs and the needs of their families. Today, a veteran mother can take and pick up her twins to school without
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worry. And a father can focus on getting to work, taking his children to doctor’s appointments and creating opportunities for his family that he had not been able to, by having a safe vehicle to drive. Joe Amodei, Recycled Rides CoChair, NABC Board Member, and President of The Collision Centers is proud of the organizations’ years-long work to honor and support America’s veterans and their families. “Veterans who served our nation bravely in both wartime and peacetime deserve our respect and our assistance as they make the transition from military to civilian life,” he said. “Having a safe, well–operating vehicle should not be one of the challenges they face coming home.” During the ceremonies, past State Commander Dennis Sullivan of the VFW also presented a check to the United Veterans Beacon House for its advocacy and care of America’s veterans. The ability to bring multiple organizations together for one cause is the true meaning of the holidays. The continued goal is to bring awareness and support to those people and veterans who are struggling every day.
Anti-Safety Inspection Legislation Introduced in Missouri
Missouri Rep. J. Eggleston, R-2, recently introduced House Bill (HB) 1444. If enacted, this legislation would repeal Missouri’s vehicle safety inspection program. In 2015, ASA hosted a safety inspection forum in St. Louis to draw attention to the importance of vehicle safety inspections by incorporating input from all segments of the automotive industry, including state vehicle administrators, policymakers, automotive repairers and other sectors of the automotive industry. Missouri and other state studies have shown the value of these vehicle safety inspection programs in terms of saving lives, preventing injuries and damage to property. Regular vehicle safety inspections by a qualified technician can identify and repair most safety issues that arise from normal wear and tear on the vehicle. If enacted, this bill will eliminate a program specifically designed to protect the motoring public. ASA opposes HB 1444 and encourages all interested parties in Missouri to visit TakingTheHill.com and click “Alerts” to contact their state representatives in opposition.
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Cops Hunt for Serial Car Vandal in Ridgewood, NY
items ranging from electronics to credit cards that were left inside the Police are on the hunt for a man re- vehicles. sponsible for breaking into dozens of On Jan. 10, police released surtaxis in Ridgewood, NY, in late De- veillance video of the suspect, who cember. was caught on camera breaking into a taxi on Seneca Avenue on a late December night. The man could be seen driving along the roadway in a silver Nissan Altima, either a 2016 or 2017 model, with damage to its hood and the left side of the front bumper. In the video, the man parks his car and calmly walks across the street to a black 2017 Toyota The suspect drives this damaged Nissan Altima, police Camry with TLC license say. Credit: NYPD plates. As of Jan. 10, 57 vehicles have Barely in the frame, he can be been broken into since Dec. 23, with seen breaking the left rear window the crimes occurring during the with some sort of object and unlockovernight hours in a section of Ridge- ing the door. After about 45 seconds wood bordered by Flushing Avenue to of rifling through the vehicle, he gets the north, Forest Avenue to the east, out without having stolen anything, Myrtle Avenue to the south and Cy- walks back to his car and speeds press Avenue to the west. away. The 104th Precinct met with a Of the 57 cars, 56 were app-based handful of taxi owners who had been for-hire vehicles with Taxi and Lim- victimized by the suspect in late Deousine Commission license plates. In cember. six of the incidents, the suspect stole According to reports, some of the by Christopher Barca, Queens Chronicle
cab drivers said area auto body shops had been busier than ever fixing the damaged vehicles, while Assemblywoman Cathy Nolan (D-Long Island City) said she will look into getting
A man walks back to his silver vehicle after breaking into the black one in Ridgewood in December. Police say he is the same person responsible for 56 other such incidents across the neighborhood Photo courtesy of NYPD
extra lighting on some of the area’s darker roadways, such as Grove Street. It is unknown why the suspect is targeting only for-hire vehicles. Anyone with information on the rash of taxi break-ins is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers hotline at 1 (800) 577-8477 or submit a tip online by logging onto nypdcrimestoppers .com. We thank Queens Chronicle for reprint permission.
Cooper Color, Inc. Body Shop Supplies Offers Services in St. Louis
Cooper Color. Inc. has been providing quality painting services since 1997, when the founder, David Cooper, acquired the former Gravois Auto Paint & Supply Co., which had been in business since 1935. Cooper Color, Inc. is a PPG Platinum Distributor that specializes in automotive, custom, commercial, industrial, and aerospace coatings. Cooper Color also offers aircraft primer and topcoats. The primer and topcoats used provide resistance to the corrosion, rain or chemicals that the aircraft may come in contact with. Cooper Color, Inc. also has body shop supplies at its St. Louis auto body shop. Technicians at Cooper Color receive the best training there is on body shop repairs in order to have the knowledge and expertise needed to get its customers back on the road again after an unfortunate accident occurs. Cooper Color, Inc. uses Deltron automotive finish on all automotive refinishes in North America.
www.autobodynews.com | FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS 27
Major Car Companies Settle Takata Airbag Lawsuit for $553 Million
Legal-Bay, The Pre Settlement Funding Company, reported that four major car manufacturers have resolved a class action lawsuit with more than $550 million in payouts. The settlement was resolved last spring, but additional lawsuits are currently being filed. Most recently, a $68.2 million settlement has been proposed with the Subaru Corporation. The plaintiffs claim that the automotive giant manufactured, distributed or sold certain vehicles containing allegedly defective air bags manufactured by the Takata Corporation. The faulty devices could allegedly rupture upon inflation, causing damage to the vehicle’s occupant compartment and/or affect deployment altogether. Chris Janish, CEO of LegalBay, says, “The Takata Airbag cases have been lingering for some time. It is tragic that some of the car and truck accidents resulted in wrongful death cases, and it seems Takata is starting to take some responsibility. However, many personal injury cases are still moving through the court system throughout the country.” Continued from Cover
I-CAR Courses
ferent types of metals to foams, adhesives, even structural glass, the student will learn how these materials are used in vehicle construction and how they impact collision repair.” In addition I-CAR is offering its “2018 Expedition and Navigator Aluminum Body Repair.” This Ford-developed 1-hour online course provides an overview of the Expedition and Navigator and the collision repair procedures. It is designed to educate technicians on repair and/or replacement procedures for exterior panels and frame components. The goal of the 2018 Expedition and Navigator Aluminum Body Repair Course is to give Ford- and Lincoln-trained body technicians the information needed to repair these all-aluminum vehicles. In October 2017, I-CAR introduced nine Vehicle and Technology Specific Training courses: - Camera Calibration, Inspection, and Initialization Requirements - Calibration Requirements for Blind Spot and Parking Assist Systems - Vehicle Technology and Trends
Driven Brands Names Chris Kozina as President, Paint & Collision Driven Brands will kick off 2018 with a new leader at the helm of its Paint & Collision division—Chris Kozina, Group President, a longtime executive with MillerCoors who brings extensive retail, marketing and management experience to the organization. Kozina, who joined Driven Brands in the fourth quarter of 2017, is overseeing the CARSTAR North America, Maaco Auto Painting and Collision Repair and Drive N’ Style brands, guiding more than 1,000 franchisees and retail locations in the competitive, evolving collision repair and appearance maintenance industry. He also serves on the Driven Brands’ executive team, reporting to CEO Jonathan Fitzpatrick. “Chris brings a wealth of knowledge and experience across a variety of functions and businesses, always while building high-performing teams and enduring relationships along the way,” said Fitzpatrick. “His leadership will help us realize our joint ambition in the Paint and Collision division of delivering operational and customer excellence, and accelerating our growth agenda.” Most recently, Kozina served as President and Chief Executive of Coors Distributing Company, a division of
2018 - General Motors (GM) Company Collision Repair Overview - Understanding Volkswagen Collision Repair - Steering Angle Sensor Overview and Diagnostics - Understanding Volvo Collision Repair - Using Vehicle Maker Repair Procedures - Windshields and Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS)
For a limited time, I-CAR is offering three convenient packages of these Vehicle and Technology Specific Training courses. For more information and to register using I-CAR’s new National Scheduling, launched in January 2018, go to I-CAR.com. Courses will be offered based upon the specific demand in each market. Courses in larger markets will be offered several times annually, while those in rural markets will be offered on a more limited basis.
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28 FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
MillerCoors and parent company MolsonCoors. As head of the company, he delivered record revenue and operating income, growing volume and market share in a flat category. He also served
Chris Kozina named new leader of Driven Brands Paint & Collision division
as a Director of Coors Distributing Company, including a term as Chairman of the board. Prior to that, he served as MillerCoors Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, as well as
Vice President of Marketing, Portfolio Strategy and Market Research, and Chief of Staff to the CEO. He also was part of the executive committee that merged Coors Brewing Company and Miller Brewing Company while serving as Chief Information Officer. Kozina started his career in management consulting, rising to partner at Accenture. He holds a Master’s degree in Education, Globalization and Educational Policy from the University of Illinois and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Finance, Investments & Banking, Real Estate & Urban Land Economics from the University of Wisconsin. He also completed the Advanced Management Program at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. He currently serves as Director and Advisory Board Member for Intelligent Beverages LLC as an Investment Committee Member for Bascom Ventures and as a Director of the University of Wisconsin Foundation & Alumni Association Board. He was a founding co-member of the University of Wisconsin Accenture Undergraduate Leadership Center Board and a Director of Marquette University’s STEM Advisory Board.
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OE Shop Certification
OE Certification Programs — Ford with Gary Ledoux
Gary Ledoux is an industry veteran with 48 years’ experience in the automotive and OEM collision parts industry. His column appears exclusively in Autobody News. He can be reached at YesterWreck@yahoo.com
For this month’s OE certification Ford: The main purpose is to assist conprofile, we spoke with Ford’s Lisa sumers with the ability to identify a Fournier, Collision Product Man- Certified Repair Provider that possesses ager, and Dean Bruce, Collision the proper tools, equipment, facilities Marketing Manager. and with Stacey Phillips trained staff required to repair automobiles to manufacturers’ specificaABN: Does your program have a spe- tions ensuring the fit, finish, durability, cific name? When was it started? value and safety of the vehicle.
OE Shop Certification
Ford: Our program started in 2014 as, more or less, an internal program for Ford and Lincoln dealers only. We wanted our dealers with Ed bodyAttanasio shops to with be “aluminum-capable” with the proper tools, equipment, a separate area for aluminum repair and so forth. This was all handled internally with our national staff and our own field personnel. EvenABN: What are the program requirements? tually, we knew we had to expand it, so in 2015 it became the Ford National Body Shop Network. This gave us a Ford: There is a comprehensive list of requirements. For space and brevity, more public presence. we will highlight some of the most ABN: What is the main purpose of the important [ones]. First, the shop must program? meet certain business requirements,
Shop Management
like being in business for at least five years or having a valid credit rating. They must also have Garage Keepers Insurance, have an electronic p-pages estimating system and offer customers a limited lifetime warranty on their work. The shop must be customercentric, use a third-party CSI system and utilize a rental car provider. The shop must be I-CAR Gold Class or equivalent, have a frame rack, spray booth and the ability to access OE repair procedures and document the same. The shop must have a couple of specific welders and must be able to document that someone is trained on their use. There is an additional list of requirements for those shops that wish to be approved for aluminum repair. ABN: What are the program benefits?
Ford: Ford’s national network of certified dealer-owned and independent body shops helps ensure that consumers
have a certified choice should they need to get their Ford vehicle repaired. The consumer still has a choice, but now they have a complete national blanket of certified body shops to choose from. This coverage creates the basis for a Consumer Referral Program (CRP). With national coverage, Ford can promote collision care providers based upon quality, safety and proper repairs. This is especially critical with the introduction of the F150 and Super Duties; built with an innovative, high-strength, military-grade, aluminum-alloy body. Shops with the right tools, equipment, training and modified facilities can distinguish themselves from those that do not have what it takes. Some of the benefits for Ford-certified dealerowned and independent body shops are: • Leverage Ford Brand: Official Ford-Certified signage • Official Ford Certification badges to promote and market the shop through use in marSee OE Certification Ford, Page 32
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Continued from Page 30
OE Certification Ford
keting, advertising, social media, online and recruiting. • Collision Care Marketing Tools: Access to a suite of Collision Care marketing materials to differentiate Certified Collision Repair Business from local competition, including press releases and Official Ford Certification signage. • Online Shop Locators & Appointment Requests: Benefit from being listed on multiple locators, including: Ford’s Consumer & Owner-Certified Shop Locators, Assured Performance’s Consumer & Insurance-Certified Shop Locators, Ford’s & Assured Performance’s Consumer Collision Care Smartphone Apps. • Ford Owner Marketing: Your Certified Collision Repair Business will be marketed as a preferred repair provider by Ford Motor Company to its consumers. This includes: Digital Display, Online Videos, 1:1 Owner Communications. • Ford Vehicle Owner Referrals: On-Demand Marketing, new vehicle owner referrals, insurer referrals, etc.
• Ford Collision Consumer Education: Ford’s consumer education marketing highlights the importance of using OEM parts and a Ford-Certified Collision Repair location. • Business Improvement: Process and feedback to ensure your shop continues to have what it takes to properly repair the new generation of Ford and Lincoln vehicles. ABN: What shops are eligible?
Ford: Any Ford dealer-owned or independent body shop that meets the general certification requirements and the Ford aluminum-specific requirements are eligible. ABN: Are any shops specifically ineligible?
Ford: Dealer body shops that are non-Ford branded that are on nonFord dealer sites are not eligible to be in the Ford National Body Shop Network. Any shop that does not meet the general certification requirements or the additional Ford aluminum requirements will not be eligible for the Ford National Body Shop Network.
32 FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
ABN: Must an independent shop be sponsored by a dealer? (If so, has that caused any problems?) Ford: Yes, all body shops that want to enroll in the Ford National Body Shop Network must have a Ford dealer sponsor. This requirement has not caused any issues to date.
ABN: Do you have any program partners such as Axalta, VeriFacts, Summit, Assured Performance or other? If so, what role do they play?
Ford: Yes, Assured Performance is our partner and they handle all the shop audits and the logistics. Once an audit has been completed and any gaps identified, Assured Performance follows up with the shop until the gaps have been satisfied.
ABN: Besides Assured Performance, do you have your own Ford field personnel to help drive the program?
Ford: We have our own Zone Managers that primarily call on our dealers and then another set of wholesale specialist representatives who call on the large wholesaling dealers. But nei-
ther of them work specifically on the certification program.
ABN: Do you have a magazine or some sort of periodical you share with your network shops? Ford: Yes, we send out a newsletter to all our network shops.
ABN: What is the fee for the program? Does the program run on an annual basis?
Ford: There is a $2,950 base certification fee for independent shops with an additional $500 marketing fee specifically for Ford. There is a $1,950 base certification fee for Ford dealer-owned body shops. There is no applicable Ford marketing fee for this group of shops and yes, the program runs on an annual basis. ABN: Do you inspect every shop and if so, who does the inspections?
Ford: Every shop is inspected once a year by Assured Performance people. ABN: Is there an optimum number of shops you want to have and if so, how
close are you to reaching that number?
Ford: Yes, we would like to have 100 percent coverage in every rural and suburban major market area and build a sustainable national network with complete demographic and geographic coverage. We plan to be at 100 percent penetration in 2018. Right now, the network is growing well organically because shops are inquiring about it on their own, or the dealers are pushing it or Assured Performance is pushing it. With that said, we would like to see a few more dealers step up. ABN: Have you had any shops drop out, and if so, why?
Ford: A few have dropped out since inception. Most have continued in the program because they find value in the network and have already made the investment.
ABN: What has been the biggest challenge in establishing the network?
Ford: The biggest opportunity, for our or any OE certification program, is overcoming apathy within the industry. While approximately 10–15
percent of the industry is well on its way to becoming OEM-certified (3,500 to 5,000 shops), the rest remain fixed on the past. Many shops claim they have a great reputation in their market and generate plenty of work without the cost of compliance and certification credentials. Many operate outside of the mainstream and don’t feel they’re part of the equation. A massive percentage of the market focuses on cosmetic repairs and/or low-cost, consumer-paid repairs and wrongly assume they don’t have to have the OEM-required tools, equipment and training to still be able to repair the next generation of vehicles. In addition, many shop owners see OE certification as another form of a DRP program. They want to see a return on their investment right away. They not only spent the money for the cost of the program, but may have spent thousands in equipment [costs]— and now they want to see truckloads of damaged Fords showing up at their door. The challenge is in getting the shops to understand that this is a longterm commitment. Over time, there will be plenty of aluminum Ford trucks to repair, and because they got in on the program now, they will be in the best
position to make those repairs and will be established as the go-to shop in their town. They are building today for a better future tomorrow. Unfortunately, not all shops can see that.
ABN: What is your biggest challenge in maintaining the network?
Ford: The aluminum F-150 launched in 2015, so for the first year or so, shops were not seeing an abundance of these aluminum trucks coming through their shops. So, it was a major challenge for the shops to see value in making an aluminum tool and equipment investment as part of the requirements to be Fordcertified (in addition to the general certification requirements). Most shops thought the Ford National Body Shop Network was valuable and wanted to enroll and be a part of the network, but they were “waiting” to get Ford-certified until they saw more F-150s coming through. Fast-forward to today—Shops are starting to see a rise in the number of aluminum vehicles coming through shops for repairs. We are also starting to see a rise in shops enrolling in the Ford National Body Shop Program. This only strengthens the importance of having a Ford National Body Shop
Network. Shops see the value of being aluminum-capable.
ABN: What do you see for the future of OE certification programs?
Ford: Some shops don’t see the value of Ford’s, or others’ certification programs because they may not bring immediate results. We started our programs the year the aluminum F150s came out, and of course it took a while for shops to start seeing them. Now, our Super Duty models are aluminum. Moving forward, other models in the Ford truck line will have high aluminum content. So for us, the future will bring more models, advancing technology, new repair procedures and more reason to be part of a certified program. The future of the OE certification programs will be stronger and, more than ever, the backbone to ensuring vehicles are properly repaired to protect the consumers. With vehicles becoming more advanced in material and technology, coupled with the introduction of telematics, the OEM is going to be playing a bigger role in the collision business. Author’s Note: In June 2015, See OE Certification Ford, Page 62
www.autobodynews.com | FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS 33
Historical Snapshot
—John Yoswick is a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon, 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.
Industry Foundation Helped Storm Victims 5 Years Ago, Continues Today with John Yoswick
likely to be opposed by either shops or 20 Years Ago in the Collision Repair insurers. Industry (February 1998) A new Collision with Industry Conference “But if we don’t do it, we’re going Chasidy Rae Sisk (CIC) committee has been established to end up with three systems,” CIC to consider alternatives to the current Chairman Erick Bickett said. method of calculating refinish materials. – As reported in The Golden The committee, which will inEagle. A wide variety of alternative clude representatives of all segments methods of calculating refinish materiof the industry, was proposed by Calials have been proposed over the years, Chasidy Rae but Sisk fornia shop ownerwith Al Estorga. Estorga no single one has gained widesaid that late last year he attended a spread usage. Only about 1-in-5 shops, two-day meeting on the issue organfor example, report using an alternative ized by Motor Information Systems. materials calculator / invoicing system. “At the end of the (meeting), it was evident to everyone in the room 15 Years Ago in the Collision Repair that we needed to try to find an indus- Industry (February 2003) withsaid. Chasidy Rae Collision Sisk repair shops are being asked try solution,” Estorga to review their sales records for all non-OEM hoods manufactured by Jui Li for the 1995–2000 Toyota Tacoma and purchased between August 1997 and last March, and to notify those vewith Chasidy Rae hicle Siskowners that the hood, which was CAPA-certified, is being recalled. About 5,000 of the hoods could be involved in the voluntary recall, which is the first formal recall of a non-OEM crash part. It was found that In 1998, California shop owner Al Estorga with Chasidy the primary hood latch is not enproposed that the industry develop an alterativeRae ifSisk gaged, the secondary latch on the part to the existing method of calculating refinish materials, and was involved at CIC in developing may not be positioned properly to presome industry best practices for estimating vent the hood from flying up. Motor’s Phil Cunningham said The look into the part was launched his company hopes to avoid the confulast spring after it was reported that the sion that could result the develwithfrom Chasidy Rae secondary Sisk safety latch on one such hood opment of multiple refinish materials failed during a shop test drive of a vehicalculation methodologies. cle. Investigation by CAPA and the dis“You’d have Mitchell’s solution tributor found the distance between the and Motor’s, and I’m sure that ADP striker and the secondary hood latch was will jump into the fray and they will deoff by about one-tenth of an inch, velop their own,” Cunningham said. enough to keep the latch from catching with Chasidy Rae Sisk “So then you’d have three solutions out sufficiently to hold. there and a lot of confusion. What we – As reported in Northwest Autothought would be prudent is if before motive Journal. Both CAPA and parts we take off down the road to develop certifier NSF have developed partsour own solution, we should have a ditracking mechanisms for the nonalogue that says, ‘Can we have an inOEM parts they certify to assist in any with Chasidy Rae recall Siskof such parts. dustry solution that everyone can work with and avoid the confusion?’” The committee will have to address 10 Years Ago in the Collision Repair several concerns raised by CIC particiIndustry (February 2008) pants before moving further. First, any A U.S. House subcommittee held a antitrust or other with legal issues involved Chasidy Rae hearing Sisk last week on whether patent law in such an undertaking will have to be changes are needed to protect certain reviewed. Second, CIC participants industries. A coalition of insurers and questioned whether the methodology non-OEM parts makers and sellers is can change without changing the botcalling for a change to allow use of a tom line dollar figure, something that is matching exterior part to repair a vehi-
Associations Assembling
cle without infringing on patents the automakers hold on particular OEM parts. Speaking at the hearing on behalf of several consumer groups, Jack Gillis told lawmakers the change is
Southeast News
Western Associations
Southwest Associations Southeast Associations Northeast Associations Midwest Associations
In 2008, non-OEM parts proponent Jack Gillis testified at a Congressional hearing on legislation that would have reduced automakers’ ability to use design patents to restrict competition from non-OEM versions of crash parts
needed to maintain competition in the face of increasing patent filings by automakers, which, if allowed to stand, will drive up parts prices and the number of vehicles declared totals.
“Ford charges the same price for a fender as Dell charges for a high speed computer, flat screen monitor and color printer,” Gillis told lawmakers. “A simple grill for your Toyota costs the same as a combination flat screen TV and DVD player. A Sears refrigerator-freezer with an icemaker is the same price as an unpainted door skin from Chrysler.” – As reported in CRASH Network (www.CrashNetwork.com), February 18, 2008. The non-OEM parts industry has continued to fight for federal legislation that would slash design patent protection automakers’ hold on crash parts; the legislation was most recently the subject of a Congressional hearing in early 2016. Contrary to concerns raised by Gillis, however, the percentage of vehicles declared a total loss has remained fairly steady—between 14 percent and 17 percent throughout the last decade. See Industry Foundation, Page 52
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H ONDA C ON NEC TI CU T
Lia Honda of Enfield E n fie l d
800-221-3131 860-741-3401 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 8-4 jdoucette@liacars.com
Manchester Honda M a nch e ste r
800-442-6614 860-645-3115 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-5; Sat 8-4 gabe.llantin@manchesterhonda.com
Schaller Honda N ew Br i tai n
800-382-4525 860-826-2080 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5; Sat 8-1 jkiniry@schallerauto.com MAI NE
Berlin City Honda So u th P or tl a nd
800-640-6685 207-774-6685 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30 mmmparts@berlincity.com
Prime Honda Saco
207-391-7910 207-282-0900 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Th. 7:30-7; Sat 7:30-4 klavalle@driveprime.com MAR Y LA ND
Criswell Honda Ge r m a n town
866-738-2886 Dept. Hours: M-Thu 7-9; Fri 7-7:30; Sat 8-6 hondaparts@criswellauto.com AC URA MAR Y LA ND
Tischer Acura Lau rel
800-288-6983 301-498-3322 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-4 wholesaleparts@tischerauto.com MAS SAC HUSET T S
Acura of Boston Brig ht on
800-254-1169 617-254-5400 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5:30; Sat 8-5 bruce.fisher@acuraofboston.com N EW JE RSEY
Acura Turnersville Tu r ners ville
888-883-2884 856-516-6060 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 kristen.powell@penskeautomotive.com 36 FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Please contact these dealers for your Honda or Acura Genuine parts needs. M AR Y LAN D
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724-940-2006
Dept. Hours: M-F 8-6; Sat 8-5 bshortt@odonnellhonda.com
Dept. Hours: M-Thu 7-8; Fri 7-6; Sat 8-6; mschumer@madisonhonda.com
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Ourisman Honda of Laurel
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800-288-6985 301-498-6050
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M AS S AC H U SE T T S
LIA Honda Northampton No r thamp to n
800-369-7889 413-586-6043 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 8-4 dstanisewski@liacars.com NEW JERSEY
Clinton Honda Ann a ndal e
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Honda of Turnersville Tur ne rsvi l le
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Hudson Honda We st Ne w Yo r k
Route 22 Honda Hi lls id e
973-705-9100 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7:30; Sat 8-5 rt22hondaparts@route22honda.com
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Lia Honda of Albany A l ba ny
800-272-6741 518-482-2598 Dept. Hours: M, T, W, F 7:30-5:30; Thur 7:30-8; Sat 8-5 apersaud@liacars.com
No rt h P lai nfi e ld
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908-753-1680
W il l ia m sv il le / B u f f al o
Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-3 kevinh@viphonda.com NE W YO RK
Babylon Honda Wes t B a by l o n
631-669-5800 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 7:30-3:30 babylonparts@aol.com
Brewster Honda B re ws t er
845-278-4177 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 kbennett@liacars.com
866-483-6917 201-868-9500
877-659-2672 716-632-3800 Dept. Hours: M-Thu 7:30-8; Fri 7:30-5; Sat 8-5:30 liaparts@liacars.com
Ray Laks Honda
Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 johnryan@baierl.com
J.L. Freed Honda M o ntg o m e r yv il l e
215-855-3587 Dept. Hours: M-Thur 8-6; Fri 8-5; Sat 8-4 joseph.sciacca@jlfreed.com
Shadyside Honda Pi tts bu rg h
800-468-2090 412-390-2908 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5 shadysidehondaparts@hotmail.com
Sussman Honda Ro sl yn
800-682-2914 215-657-3301 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-1 rendrick@sussmanauto.com V E RMO NT
802 Honda Be rl i n
We st S en e ca
802-223-9700
716-824-7852
Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5; Sat 8-Noon hondaparts@802cars.com
Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-8; Sat 7:30-5:30 ekuznicki@raylaks.com P EN N SYLVANIA
Apple Honda Yo r k
800-960-9041 717-848-2600 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 7-4; Sun 10-4 applehondaparts@appleauto1.com
Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 7:30-5; Sun 8-3 anthony.perrone@hudsonhonda.com
NEW JERSEY
Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 9-1 parts@lamacchiahonda.com
Baierl Honda
NE W YO RK
PEN NS YLVANIA
P EN N SY LVA NI A
Elite Acura
Curry Acura
Baierl Acura
M ap l e Sh ad e
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Wexfo rd
Jen kint own
856-722-9600
800-725-2877 914-472-7406
800-246-7457 724-935-0800
800-826-4078 215-884-6285
Dept. Hours: M-F 8-6; Sat 8-5 parts@curryacura.com
Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-1 johnsabella@baierl.com
Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-1 rendrick@sussmanauto.com
Paragon Acura
Davis Acura
Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 bmartinsen@group1auto.com
Park Ave Acura Ma ywoo d
888-690-7621 201-587-0028 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-6; Sat 8-3 jon.tangen@parkaveacura.com N E W Y OR K
Acura of Westchester We st che s te r
914-834-8887 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-8; Sat 8-4; Sun 9-4 acura.parts@yahoo.com
Woo d si de
L a ngho r ne
718-507-3990
866-50-ACURA 215-943-7000
Dept. Hours: M-F 8-6; Sat 8-5; Sun 9-4 johnp@paragonacura.com
Smithtown Acura St. James
888-832-8220 631-366-4114 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 8-4 parts@smithtownacura.com
Sussman Acura
Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 8-4 markh@davisacura.com
Lehigh Valley Acura Emma us
877-860-3954 610-967-6500 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-5; Sat 8-5 mustafa@vinart.com
www.autobodynews.com | FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS 37
The Sad Pathway to Airbag Injury by Gordon Gibb, LawyersandSettlements
As Takata Corp. and its creditors continue to grapple with bankruptcy proceedings in tandem with a continuation of the supply chain for badly needed replacement airbag inflators, it’s instructive to look back from whence we came with regard to airbag injuries, lawsuits and recalls. A lot has happened in three years. In November 2014, Bloomberg News (11/14/17) undertook an exhaustive investigation of defective airbags associated with the Takata airbag recall. At the time, about 11 million vehicles had been recalled in the US over exploding Takata airbags and the sometimes catastrophic injuries that occurred in association with airbag failure. Globally, the recall count was 17 million in November 2014. Just over three years later, that number has jumped to nearly 70 million. Hundreds have been injured. As for loss of life, there had been a handful of deaths reported globally in 2014. That number has jumped to 16 as of today. When compared to the massive
recall of vehicles that carry the potential for danger, 16 appears to be a statistically low number. However, safety advocates correctly say that even one death is one death too many—especially in view of the events that led to how we got here. In the last year or two, in the face of increasing incidents and press reports associated with the alleged (at the time) Takata wrongdoing, public awareness over the defective airbag issues has intensified in kind. However, in 2014 Bloomberg reported that Takata and some of its automotive clients were doing everything in their power to keep things under the radar. Bloomberg found that five out of 12 lawsuits reviewed by the news agency were settled out of court. “It’s very murky,” said Ralph Nader, who has been advocating for auto safety since the mid-1960s. “There’s a lot there that escapes NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), escapes Congress, escapes the media, escapes the consumer groups. The best information is usually coming out of product-liability suits, but they’re settling out. There haven’t been any public trials
yet.” That was in 2014. Today, the lawsuits are mounting, Takata is a disgraced corporation and both vehicle owners and their manufacturers continue to scramble over replacing defective airbags in millions of vehicles before there are any additional injuries or deaths. As Takata goes through the various motions and machinations of bankruptcy, the focus is also on maintaining the capacity to manufacture replacement airbag inflators for those millions of recalled vehicles. It’s a ticking time bomb for anyone who drives or rides in a recalled vehicle. Back in 2014, when the issue broke wide open, The New York Times (11/19/14) detailed the circumstances that saw Takata favor the much less-expensive, but more volatile ammonium nitrate. “It shouldn’t be used in airbags,” said Paul Worsey, an expert in explosives engineering at the Missouri University of Science and Technology, in comments to The New York Times in 2014. The compound, he said, is more suitable for large demolitions in mining and construction.
“But it’s cheap, unbelievably cheap,” he added. The New York Times articulated the concerns of two former Takata engineers, who told the newspaper in 2014 that they, together with some other employees of Takata, had reservations about the use of ammonium nitrate. “It’s a basic design flaw that predisposes this propellant to break apart, and therefore risk catastrophic failure,” said Mark Lillie, a former senior engineer with Takata at its propellant plant in Moses Lake, Washington. “It was a question that came up: Ammonium nitrate propellant, won’t that blow up?” said Michael Britton, a chemical engineer who worked with Lillie at the Moses Lake plant. “The answer was: not if it stays in the right phase.” That reference to “the right phase” is telling, which we’ll get to in a moment. But first, as the Takata airbag injury issue continues to heat up, it’s instructive to drill down to the point at which Takata began to venture down the wrong path. Back in the day, airbag manufacSee Airbag Injury Path, Page 44
Th The Carcoon A iiica W kk ti Features Features: ttture The C The Th Carcoon Ca C arcoon America arco A Amer Am Ame errica ca Workstation W Wor Workstation Wo ork kstttat kst ati tiion nF Fe F ea e eat atures: a tu es: tures: es:
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38 FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
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Management Success Teaches Shops to Attract Business Using Social Media by Chasidy Rae Sisk
On Wednesday, Dec. 7, Management Success hosted a webinar titled “How to Use Social Media to Drive Traffic to Your Shop,” presented by Jim Saeli, Senior Consultant and Trainer, and Andre Darville, Senior Consultant specializing in social media and digital marketing. Saeli began by observing that the internet is so integrated in our daily lives that we can’t ignore it. Darville then pointed out that it has been made portable, so information can travel around with people everywhere they go. “With businesses, it’s about utilizing that information and maximizing your space to cast the widest possible net so people can find you. There’s much more opportunity these days,” Darville said. Social media and a strong online presence can help shops with car count, customer retention, public relations, becoming a DRP and finding employees. According to Darville, the two biggest reasons social media is ignored are a lack of knowledge and a lack of
time. The most popular social media sites are Facebook, Yelp, Google+ and Twitter. The Management Success team explored each site’s benefits for webinar attendees. Facebook boasts 214 million U.S. users, with the average adult spending more than 55 minutes per day on its website. Facebook allows shops to stay in contact with their customers, engaging them and “reminding them that you’re there for them. The more you work it, the more it works for you,” Darville said. “Getting your page claimed, properly set up and maintained is the solution,” Darville recounted. “Post something every single day. It only takes two to three minutes and can be related to anything. You can see what people like based on their feedback.” Some people love Yelp, while others hate it, but it has 84 million desktop visitors and 104 million mobile visitors, 80 percent of whom intend to make a purchase, and 98 percent of whom make purchases from Yelp businesses. However, “most businesses aren’t getting their fair share of this traffic,” Darville noted.
While there are 27.9 million small businesses in the U.S., Yelp only has 12 million small business listings, and only 2.1 million small business listings have been claimed, meaning nearly 10 million listings may not have accurate information. According to Darville, iPhone maps and Siri pull Yelp reviews so “it’s important to claim your page and ensure the information is correct, because customers are agitated when the information provided is wrong. Yelp also allows businesses to verify the services they offer, which is more effective.” Google+ has 300 million worldwide users and is ever-evolving, along with Google My Business. “Google+ is in the shadow of Yelp, but Google Maps and Android users use Google listings,” Darville said, and he also pointed out, “People use Google to search for things constantly, so claim your page to ensure they find your business. Google also takes related ratings into account and shares ratings from other sites, so it’s important to review and confirm your listing.” Social media is the modern version of word-of-mouth, so it is imperative
that businesses check their reviews regularly and calm angry customers who want to be heard in order to control the outside view of the shop. Darville advised against soliciting reviews since that can lead to being banned from the site. Saeli said, “The key thing is to deliver great customer service. Then, inform customers that you have social media and value their opinions, but don’t ask for a review if they had a bad experience until you fix it.” Darville added, “Don’t stress about negative reviews. Don’t respond publicly as the first course of action. Calm down and then figure out the best response. Sometimes, it works to apologize and offer to help, so attempt to resolve the situation directly with the customer in private. Sometimes, you can resolve the issue, and the customer will change their negative review to a positive review. “If that fails, respond publicly with an apology for the misunderstanding. Remember that the world is watching, so NEVER argue with the customer. Instead, ask if there’s anything you can See Management Success, Page 44
www.autobodynews.com | FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS 39
FIT AND FINISH IS NO PLACE TO GET CREATIVE. 40 FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
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Check out MoparRepairConnection.com for resources, promotions and technical information. ©201 FCA US LLC. All Rights Reserved. Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Mopar and SRT are registered trademarks of FCA US LLC. www.autobodynews.com | FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS 41
Industry Training
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 an AMi-Accredited Designation Can Help Industry Professionals With Essential Skills with Stacey Phillips
When talking about industry training, Automotive Services Association said Peevy. “We now have the ability most collision repairers typically as- (ASA) were looking for a way to forto offer training providers their own sume such training is technically ori- malize the training available. As a re- branded learning portals to help them ented. sult, AMi was set up to be an industry get their training to the market. The with Stacey Phillips However, a survey conducted late collaborator and supporter of training system works as a learning portal that last year by the Automotive Managetrainers can use to advertise to ment Institute (AMi) found that more their clientele as well as those than 30 percent of the essential skills who are working toward AMi a technician should have includes liscredit.” tening, communication and interperRecently, the organization sonal skills. The remaining 70 percent began awarding students with Stacey Phillips was shown to be technical knowledge credit for articles, videos and and know-how. podcasts though the Alternate AMi President Jeff Peevy said Methods of Learning (AML) After completing their credit hours, individuals may AMi has found that most technicians program. participate in an AMi cap-and-gown graduation ceremony tend to stay at the same shop longer if “A lot professionals are and are given a university-quality diploma they don’t struggle with listening, comreading, listening and watchmunication and interpersonal skills.Phillips providers and manage industry-recog- ing things they are learning from,” said with Stacey “If they lack developed skills in nized, role-based verifiable profes- Peevy. “We created a program we refer these areas, they tend to leave a shop in sional designations. to as Alternative Methods of Learning order to try to improve their environPeevy, a prior senior director at I- to recognize all of the different ways ment because they don’t have the skills CAR for 16 years, joined the national that professionals learn.” to talk or negotiate,” Peevy said. 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organOver the last couple of years, To address this widespread issue, ization in 2015 as president, charged AMi designations have been divided with Victoriathe Antonelli AMi offers industry professionals with growing AMi’s offerings and relinto mechanical service repair and opportunity to receive certificates and evance to the industry. collision repair. The typical timeline to designations in management, leader“Hiring someone is risky,” said receive a designation varies from sevship and customer service. Peevy. “You can invest a lot in the eral months to several years. When in“We are working to become the wrong person and they can hinder or dividuals complete their credit hours, overarching nonprofit that helps orreally hurt the culture in your business they may participate in a cap-andganize non-technical training for the and its reputation.” gown graduation ceremony and are with Victoria Antonelli industry,” said Peevy. He said that AMi seeks to mini- given a university-quality diploma. Currently, there are approximize that risk and offer a way to give By earning a professional desigmately 2,200 AMi-designated profesbetter insight into the person being nation, Peevy said it demonstrates that sionals and 2,000 pursuing a certificate hired, their overall philosophy about an individual is a continual learner, or designation. being a professional and what they are cares about maintaining his or her proWhether an individual is looking likely to know. fession and has a way to verify it. to gain knowledge about customer “AMi provides verifiable, role“We can impact a lot of people’s service or become an accredited auto- based credentials for customer service lives who maybe didn’t go to college motive manager or master-level esti- reps, office managers, general man- or have a certain level of education,” mator, a variety of AMi-accredited agers and estimators that you can ac- he said. live courses are offered throughout the tually confirm,” explained Peevy. After going through training and year at tradeshows such as NACE AuRather than create its own receiving a designation, Peevy said tomechanika and SEMA, as well as courses, AMi works closely with trainmany professionals have found they through associations. In addition, oning providers to standardize their eduhave not only improved their skills, line training courses are available from cation. but have also grown their businesses. industry experts such as Mike Ander“We’re a support mechanism for “The education I received through son, Mike Cassatta, Frank Terlep them to help organize their training, so AMi helped me transition from a techand more. it becomes meaningful and relevant nician to [a] management [position],” “We’re experiencing tremendous education,” said Peevy. said Anthony B. Brooks, the collision growth right now,” said Peevy. “OnTraining providers submit their center manager at Heritage Collision line alone is growing over 250 percent course information to AMi, which Center in Joppa, MD. “I found the a year.” then goes through a review process for training helped me navigate through AMi was established in 1989. At approval. A learning management sys- each step of my career path. I would the time, many business owners in the tem was recently created by AMi to strongly recommend that anyone in the collision repair industry didn’t have organize all of the courses offered. automotive industry look to AMi for experience in business administration “Building content, especially on- future training opportunities.” and management. Leaders from the line courses, can be very expensive, “ Maria H. Carrillo, owner of Car-
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rillo & Sons Collision Center in San Diego, CA, also shared her positive experience. “AMi courses have increased my knowledge and expertise as an owner. Attending AMi courses have given me more confidence in my leadership position.” Daniel Schnepper, general manager of Butler’s Collision in Roseville, MI, said he has improved his knowledge in customer service. “Through the different AMi courses I have taken, I have learned different ways to handle different customers, [and learned] not all customers are the same. Every customer has different characteristics and needs, [and I learned] how to handle all the different customer needs to provide them with a great experience. I have seen and taken great marketing ideas that help sell my business and boost our sales. I have learned how to deal with employees and help them feel needed, wanted and appreciated, creating a good, friendly work environment.” AMi accepts tax deductible donations from the industry through its Learning Foundation Program. “We’ve found that vendors and manufacturers really care about the sustainability of their customers,” said Peevy. “They are helping us offer education and designations to increase the professionalism of our industry, so they’ve supported AMi with donations to keep the cost of training as low as possible.” More information about AMi certificates, designations and the industry training offered can be found online: https://www.amionline.org/. To get started, Peevy recommends setting up a professional profile under the myAMI LOGIN link. After choosing the segment of the industry you are part of, the system will ask for your interests and what you would like to pursue, then will populate the required core competency courses that are required as well as the electives.
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Continued from Page 39
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do. Take the customer experience into consideration and remember that sometimes people just have a bad day. Once you respond publicly, the review is permanent.” Management Success offers business analyses to help shops evaluate key points in their business, including their website, social media, finances, marketing, sales and production. Saeli closed with, “You care about what you do, and you all deserve to do well.” Management Success will hold its next webinar on “Setting Shop Resolutions,” scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018 at 3 p.m. PST. Registration is available at https://register .gotowebinar.com/register/164628 4853950135555. For more information on Management Success, visit www.management success.com or call 818-500-9631.
turers based their airbags on a propellant called sodium azide, which was volatile and toxic. Airbag manufacturers, including Takata, were looking for a safer alternative. They found it in a compound known as tetrazole, which was safer and environmentally friendly as well. Engineers at Takata saw it as the breakthrough they had been looking for, and they readied the updated product for their automotive manufacturing clients for the 1998 model year. But then, economics began to conflict with sound engineering principles. Tetrazole could only be manufactured in limited quantities, and tended to be expensive. Using tetrazole as an inflator compound may have met with a sound engineering profile. In the face of increasing competition for market share, Takata resumed the search for an alternative to sodium azide that would be less expensive than tetrazole and found one in ammonium nitrate. Engineers at Takata, however, raised red flags, and they only had to
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go so far as to quote explosives manuals and journals to make their point as to the volatility of ammonium nitrate, which “tended to disintegrate on storage under widely varying temperature conditions” with “irregular ballistic” consequences said Lillie, the former Takata engineer. According to The New York Times in its report three years ago, ammonium nitrate cycles through five solid states. As the vehicle goes from receiving the heat of sunshine to the cold of night, the temperature swing is large enough for the ammonium nitrate to change from one phase to another. Remember Lillie’s earlier comment above, with regard to the acceptability of ammonium nitrate provided it stayed in the same phase? As it turns out, that’s doubtful—especially in areas of high humidity. [Which is] why the defective airbag injury recalls have been focused on areas such as Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, Southern California and other areas with a similar climatic profile. Other airbag manufacturers stayed away from ammonium nitrate amidst the compound’s risk for volatility. Takata, however, allegedly saw dollar
signs with this cheap compound, and ran with it. The cheaper airbags powered by ammonium nitrate were a hit economically with automotive manufacturers, and Takata’s market share for airbags quickly grew, eventually helping Takata to become the largest single supplier to the automotive industry. It is alleged, however, that Takata never shared with anyone the reason as to why its airbags were less expensive, and no one apparently bothered to ask. The reservations of those engineers who spoke out against the use of ammonium nitrate were ignored. The sheer success of Takata supplying what turned out to be defective airbags that could lead to airbag failure, has contributed to the size and depth of the massive recall, as well as the near-impossible task of replacing millions of defective and potentially dangerous ammonium nitrate inflators. Until those inflators are replaced, the risks for airbag injuries will only continue—as well airbag lawsuits. We thank LawyersandSettlements .com for reprint permission.
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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.
Product and Process with Stacey Phillips
Model Vehicles With Emerging Technology Will Rely on Pre- and Post-Scanning, Recalibration As new vehicles are introduced to the Many body shops across the counmarket, often equipped with complex try wonder what new technologies their technology, the collision industry is employees should be aware of and how challenged withwith keeping up-to-date to work them into their daily workflow. Stacey Phillips with repair procedures. “There is a lot of buzz out there As a result, Jake Rodenroth, di- right now about emerging technolorector of industry relations for asTech, gies—not just on the electronic side, said that staying current as but on the metal and submuch as possible is crucial to strate side,” he said. “From a the success of a collision reprocess perspective, it starts pairer’s business.with Stacey Phillips with identification. As re“Collision repairers are pairers, we can’t get on the facing brand new models, same page with identificasometimes on the first tank of tion until we have product gas,” he said. “I think every knowledge and stay up-toJake Rodenroth shop needs to have some path date with modern vehicles.” to resolution. We’re the first line of deRodenroth said that identification fense.” can include ADAS and frequency-rewith Stacey Phillips Rodenroth and Doug Kelly, CEO ducing technology, which can be hidof Repairify, spoke about the imporden behind windshields, glass, mirrors tance of pre- and post-scanning and reand grills; structural identification calibration during a Guild 21 podcast maps of the different substrates on a sponsored by Verifacts Automotive in vehicle; hybrid and EV powertrains; January. Repairify is the company that and special tool requirements. created the asTech device. with Stacey Phillips Throughout the Guild 21 call, at-
Industry Training
tendees were asked to give feedback. they did so by looking up build data, When asked how many of their cus- and the remainder said they use antomers know what equipment options other method. are on their vehicles, 87 percent anDuring the presentation, Kelly swered “no.” stressed the importance of obtaining “I think you will see a shift in authorization from customers to perthose responses in the coming years as form work diagnostics, road tests and more millennials enter the potentially conduct off-site workplace and start buying calibrations. cars,” said Rodenroth. “They “It’s important that conare not intimidated by techsumers understand what innology. In fact, they embrace formation is being pulled and it.” how it might be shared,” said As a result, they are Kelly. “When doing diagnosknown to buy vehicles that tics, whether it’s with a thirdDoug Kelly contain an abundance of techparty or your own diagnostic nology and spend time understanding tool, you’re not pulling crash data. how every feature operates. You’re pulling all of the stored trouThose who participated in the call ble codes.” were also asked how their staff stays This includes the possibility of up-to-speed on current model vehi- revealing things that are wrong with cles. The majority (75 percent) said the vehicle unrelated to the accident. they did so through secondary sources Many consumers are concerned such as the Internet, OEM sites and about the information shared with dealers. Only 15 percent answered their insurance company.
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“Consumers don’t intentionally misrepresent loss, but they are not always aware of when certain systems go offline or how,” said Kelly. “It’s good housekeeping to let consumers know what you are doing, explain the process to them and get their permission.” A sample authorization form is available on the SCRS website, www .scrs.com, and asTech website at: https://astech.com/resources. A document is also available for repairers to hand out to customers to educate them about some of the systems available on today’s vehicles. This not only reminds them how complex vehicles are, but Kelly said it reinforces why diagnostic services, such as pre- and post-scanning and recalibration are important. “If you don’t know what’s on the car, you can misdiagnose certain issues,” he said. “Sometimes false positives indicate an issue when in fact that vehicle didn’t come equipped with that item in the first place.” Knowing the build data, understanding the tools and services being used, and ensuring they are up-to-date will all help in the repair of the vehicle.
• Airbag deployments are unique and can depend on many factors such as the number of occupants, their seat position, weight and if they were wearing seatbelts • Specialized concerns with hybrid and EV vehicles • Repair procedures that require scanning based on an operation being performed • Scheduling off-site ADAS calibration requirements proactively
Pre-scanning: Rodenroth said that some parties don’t think pre-scanning a vehicle is necessary, and suggested that those shops consider the following: • The role that trim levels can play
• How a pre-scan can help determine damage to the electronic components • Potential unrelated electronic issues like maintenance and warranty concerns
Repair planning Rodenroth recommended addressing the vehicle owner’s expectations up front so he or she understands how the vehicle is equipped and what’s required to make it whole again. “Consider repair vs. replace decisions very carefully, as many modern vehicles are constructed of non-repairable substrates and there is often limited reparability around ADAS components,” he said. When it comes to parts utilization and the decision to purchase OEM or aftermarket, he advised listeners to watch bumpers and windshields very carefully. “A lot of aftermarket windshields See Model Vehicles, Page 50
www.autobodynews.com | FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS 47
AASP-MO Studies Vehicle Systems’ Alignments
by Chasidy Rae Sisk
On Jan. 10, AASP-MO members met at Hunter Engineering for an educational seminar focusing on which vehicle systems are affected by alignments.
Hunter Engineering hosted AASP-MO’s meeting on how alignments impact a variety of vehicle systems
According to Ron Reiling, Executive Director of AASP-MO, “The event exceeded our expectations, and we had a great turnout with nearly 100 automotive service and repair professionals. AASP-Missouri meetings such as this help keep our members and their employees up to date with technology and changes in one of the fastest-changing industries in the world.” The meeting began at 6 p.m. with a meet-and-greet and dinner, followed by the training seminar beginning at 6:30 p.m. Training was
Gerber Collision Opens New Locations in Ohio
The Boyd Group Inc. announced the Dec. 15, 2017 opening of three collision repair centers in the west side suburbs of Cleveland, OH. The centers were previously operated as Suburban Collision Centers and are located in North Olmstead and Berea, two suburbs in Cuyahoga County. With a population of more than 1.2 million, Cuyahoga is the secondlargest county in Cleveland. The three new Gerber locations are within a five-mile radius of one another and are situated less than seven miles west of Cleveland’s international airport. “The opening of these three locations increases our presence by 50 percent in the Greater Cleveland area and allows us to serve new customers and our insurance partners west of the city,” said Tim O’Day, President and COO of the Boyd Group. “With the addition of three established locations, we welcome a number of skilled technicians to our team and are pleased to have former owner Angelo Papotto and team lead Jason Voldrich assisting with the transition. We look forward to providing the North Olmstead and Berea communities with the professional and friendly service our Gerber locations are known for.”
followed by a tour of the facility and social time. Reiling shared, “Hunter did an outstanding job with Larry Watson and Bret Spiller speaking about how alignment is directly connected with the vehicle safety systems on today's vehicles. They also gave us some insight into what’s coming down the road in the future. Hunter provided a great BBQ dinner. Thank you, Hunter Engineering, for the great event. The attendees enjoyed the presentation and were invited back for another technical class at Hunter.” AASP-MO members have also been invited to attend Lunch and Learn events hosted by newest associate member Original One Parts. These events will be held from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. with tours every 20 minutes on the following dates: Feb. 20, March 7, April 4, May 16, June 6, July 25, August 29, Sept. 12, Oct. 17, Nov. 14 and Dec. 12. Original One Parts will also be hosting an AASPMO meeting on April 11 at its facility. For more information on AASPMO, visit www.aasp-mo.org.
www.autobodynews.com Continued from Page
Lavell Chisum
turn it back to Chisum, he said. “They were having some trouble marketing it, but then they went out and hired a fella named Dick Mullen,
Little Lavelle (right) started out helping his father as he traveled throughout the Midwest to body shops fixing cars
who was a great sales rep and really turned it around. Pretty soon, the EZ Liners started selling like flapjacks,”
48 FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Morning Fire Damages Colora, MD, Collision Repair Shop
by Jane Bellmyer, Cecil Whig
Dozens of firefighters responded to a fire the morning of Jan. 14 that
Firefighters attack the fire at Mike Montgomery Auto Body inside and outside the Colora garage. Cecil Whig photo by Jane Bellmyer
caused $150,000 in damage to Mike Montgomery Auto Service & Collision Repair on Barnes Corner Road in Colora, MD. The call came in just after 10 a.m. With most of the fire under control quickly, firefighters began to peel away at the metal roof and walls of the Colora auto repair shop to make sure it stayed that way.
Chisum said. The following year, Chisum opened Leo’s Paint, Frame & Body in Alabama, where it was so successful that he started thinking about franchising the business. He eventually sold the shop to his manager, Joe Hudson, who went on to own 85 shops in five states within a 20-year period. In the 1980s, Chisum took part in establishing two MSOs, including Collision Automotive Repair Services with approximately 400 shops and later, Collision Center International with 500-plus shops, both of which lasted 5–6 years. Chisum’s good friend, Greg Marion, is an industry veteran who believes that Chisum hasn’t received enough credit for his role in the history of collision repair. “He was way ahead of everyone else in this industry in more ways than most people know, especially the younger people in the industry now,” Marion said. “His early visionary ideas of franchising multiple body shops and uniting collision repair organizations etched the template for today’s industry standards. Today, he lives on his social security in McAlester, OK. He would have made a lot more money, but he trusted some of the wrong peo-
Deputy Maryland State Fire Marshal Derek Chapman said the fire was ruled accidental. “It was an electrical event in a panel in the compressor,” Chapman said. The Community Fire Company of Rising Sun and Water Witch Fire Company were joined by Perry Point and Union Fire Company of Oxford, PA, at the scene. There were no reports of injury, although with temperatures hovering just below freezing, crews were mindful of pools of water becoming icy and checked on one another for the effects of the cold. Shortly after the fire, the auto body shop posted a statement on Facebook thanking customers and community members for their concern and praising the local fire departments for the quick response. “Small fire in the shop. Everyone is ok. Minor building damage,” the statement read. “Thanks for the concern and God Bless our local fire fighters, they are amazing!”
We thank Cecil Whig for reprint permission.
ple, including a patent attorney. If every technician who ever used an EZ Liner gave Lavell $5, he would be a millionaire many times over again.” Looking back, Chisum is proud of the EZ Liner, even though he isn’t a millionaire today. “No one understood what I was doing with this machine, but I never gave up, because I believed in it and knew it would work real good,” he said. “They still sell well today, and I’m not sure how many of them out there are in use right now, but I’m guessing 15,000 or more. I got royalties on it for 22 years and it was a great run, so I can look back and say, ‘Hey— I made this!’” Special thanks for Greg Marion for providing useful information for this article.
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Continued from Page 47
Model Vehicles
will have a plastic bracket that comes on that glass that is not serviced and can’t be transferred,” said Rodenroth. “If you are going to use aftermarket glass, you’ll want to confirm all things are in place.” During the call, attendees were asked if a shop should interpret, implement and audit OEM repair procedures into ALL repair activity on a damage report. Nearly 90 percent answered yes. “The key words are ‘all repair activity,’” said Rodenroth. “Some shops will look up structural procedures and airbag procedures, but won’t look up how to take a fender, hood or bumper cover off.” Recently, General Motors surveyed 827 collision repair shops and found that 80 percent didn’t pull repair information on every vehicle. Those who attended the Guild 21 call were asked why. Almost 45 percent said they rely on technician experience, 20 percent said the damage was minor, 15 percent said the information was hard to find/interpret, 10 percent answered that they didn’t have the time, and 10 percent answered other. In the field, Rodenroth said he has observed that shops don’t have time to pull the repair information for a variety of reasons—including having too much work or insurers putting pressure on them to get vehicles uploaded in a certain amount of time. “We always have time when something is wrong, whether it’s when the customer comes back and pays for a rental, or you have to deal with them when they are upset. Let’s take the time up front and make a good repair
plan and communicate efficiently, Rodenroth said. In addition, he said information is often hard to find and interpret. “I think that is mission number one for OEMs—to try and make that a little easier to find and even offer day passes to the repair info that a shop can purchase,” he said.
Post-scanning and calibration When it comes to post-scans and calibration, Kelly said, “You haven’t seen anything yet.” “What we’re going to enter into with this calibration piece will dwarf any sort of discussion you’ve had to date on a pre- and post-scan.” Kelly used the example of a Toyota Camry, reportedly the best-selling passenger vehicle. The 2018 model comes standard with an auto breaking feature. With the vehicle’s front-facing camera, any time a windshield is replaced or work is being done on the front of the Camry, a calibration is required. “It’s doubtful to me that many in the industry really fully understand the full scope of this,” said Kelly. “Our defense as an industry is partly that the OEs themselves haven’t really come to terms with how it is to be done.” Kelly recommended reading through the calibration repair procedures from each of the manufacturers to understand their differences and procedures. He noted that they are all “wildly different” and the recommended procedures sound like something from the Stone Age with plumb lines, string and measuring tapes. “Add to that the space requirements, and you set yourself up for a pretty complicated process,” said Kelly.“I know there are a lot of people in the industry, and certainly the
ASA Supports U.S. Congressman’s Vehicle Data Access Bill U.S. Congressman Earl “Buddy” Carter, R-GA, is developing an automotive data access bill that will create a stakeholder committee at the U.S. Department of Transportation, allowing policymakers to hear from all sides of the automated vehicle discussion and ensure the independent repairer has a seat at the table. Both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will be involved with the committee. If enacted, Carter’s bill would establish a congressional advisory committee composed of representatives of
the automotive aftermarket and other affected stakeholders. The committee is tasked with producing a comprehensive report on vehicle data, intellectual property protections, customer privacy, cybersecurity, vehicle safety, etc., within two years’ time. This bill would provide much-needed insight to Congress, as well as federal regulators. ASA supports this bill – all interested parties visit www.TakingTheHill.com and send a letter in support of Carter’s bill to their member of Congress.
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50 FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
dealer network who are trying their hardest to do their best to recalibrate these cars after an accident. Many, if not most, are not doing it correctly and they don’t even know it.” He said it isn’t an issue of people being mischievous or doing anything fraudulent. “They just don’t know,” he said. In addition, some of the repair procedures for today’s systems that are coming on vehicles are still being written while the cars are on the road. “There are certain safety systems out there that have a certain progression to them that the OEs themselves haven’t quite figured out how to test in real-world circumstances,” said Kelly. “As you go forward and you think about pre- and post-scans and where it fits in the continuum of us having to evolve as an industry, that’s just the table stakes—that’s just to understand what’s going on with the vehicle.” Kelly cautioned shops about what could happen if instructions aren’t followed. “My concern is that you’re going to be misrepresenting and potentially delivering back to the customer a car that’s not safe for the road,” he said. “At the end of the day, we all have the
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same goal in mind: to return back to the consumer a vehicle that is fit for use and is going to perform as planned. And heaven forbid, if it gets in a second accident, those systems will operate as designed. “The problem with the collision segment is that we get the newest cars in the worst possible condition. With the advent of all of the new electronics on cars and safety systems on cars, it’s hitting us harder than it is the general population.” Kelly encouraged collision repairers to talk to peers and local associations to help get the word out. “We owe it to our trading partners [insurers and vendors] and consumers to educate them on what car they have, what they bought, what the technology is, how it works and how it has to be repaired in the process of fixing those cars,” said Kelly. “If we don’t spend time educating folks, we are going to continue having these difficult conversations about who will or won’t pay and who will and won’t recognize certain repair procedures. Once we can have an open dialogue and talk to people about what’s involved in fixing a car, I think a lot of friction and issues [will] tend to go away.”
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$1.6 Billion Toyota-Mazda Plant Planned for Alabama Japanese automakers Toyota and Mazda announced that they have chosen Alabama as the site of a coveted $1.6 billion joint-venture auto plant that will employ about 4,000 people. A few months ago, Toyota jolted cities and states around the country when it revealed plans to build a factory along with Mazda, the smaller Japanese automaker, which currently has no U.S. plants. The manufacturing plant is to be built in the Huntsville area not far from the Tennessee state line. Alabama and North Carolina apparently were finalists for the huge factory, which is expected to begin operating in 2021. It will be able to build 300,000 vehicles per year and will produce the Toyota Corolla compact car for North America and a new small SUV from Mazda, the companies have said. Toyota and Mazda are forming a capital alliance and splitting the cost for the plant equally. The Huntsville area already has a Toyota engine factory that employs nearly 1,500 people. The decision to pick Alabama is another example of foreign-based automakers
building U.S. factories in the South. To entice manufacturers, Southern states have used a combination of lucrative incentive packages, low-cost labor and a pro-business labor environment since the United Auto Workers union, is stronger in Northern states. Alabama was tied with Tennessee as the fifth-largest producer of vehicles in the country last year, according to the Center for Automotive Research, an industry think tank in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The state produced 9 percent of the cars made in the U.S., the center said. “Alabama won a first place trophy today in being selected for that plant,” said Dave Sullivan, product analysis manager at AutoPacific Inc., an automotive research company. Sullivan said the factory itself is a huge asset for the state, but it will also cause economic ripples by bringing spinoff jobs at suppliers and service companies in the area. After reassessing the market, Toyota Motor Corp. has changed its plan to make Corollas at a plant in Guanajuato, Mexico, now under construction, and instead will produce Tacoma pickups there.
Continued from Page 34
clared total losses. “So just think of the effect on your business if you took out all the workin-progress you had and all the vehicles that were sitting in your lot, and you lost all that revenue, plus weeks of production,” Shaw said. “And because it was a natural storm, guess what? Insurance claims were denied. Two of the shops said they were denied within hours of the storm. These businesses had to take cash out of their pocket to just rebuild.” Funds donated will be used to help these shops replace computer systems or spray guns or whatever they lost, as well as buy replacement tools for technicians, Shaw said Those seeking assistance or wishing to make a donation can visit the Foundation’s website. “The time is now for the industry to help those in need,” Shaw said. – As reported in CRASH Network (www.CrashNetwork.com), February 11, 2013. The Collision Industry Foundation (http://collisionindustry foundation.org/) continues to help those in need within the industry, most recently providing assistance to Texas shops impacted by Hurricane Harvey last August.
Industry Foundation
5 Years Ago in the Collision Repair Industry (February 2013) The Collision Industry Foundation is seeking donations to assist shops dev-
In 2013, Bill Shaw was president of the Collision Industry Foundation and seeking donations to help those in the industry impacted by Superstorm Sandy
astated last October by Superstorm Sandy. PPG’s Bill Shaw, president of the Foundation, said some shops were without power for up to three weeks, and some were closed for up to seven weeks. Some were inundated with up to 6 feet of water, a combination of storm surge and sewer back-up, destroying equipment and resulting in all the vehicles on their property being de-
52 FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
CARSTAR North America Names Jeff Labanovich as Associate VP, Operations for CARSTAR Canada
CARSTAR North America announced that longtime CARSTAR franchise partner Jeff Labanovich has joined the corporate team as Associate Vice President of Operations for CARSTAR Canada.
Jeff Labanovich
Labanovich spent years as a successful CARSTAR multi-store operator in Oshawa, Ontario, having joined the network in 2005. He served as co-Chair of the CARSTAR Canada Advisory Council, and earned the Canadian Franchisee of the Year Award at the 2017 CARSTAR Conference. Selling his interests in the CARSTAR Oshawa facilities, Labanovich is fully invested in his new role. As Associate Vice President of
Operations, Labanovich will oversee operations across Canada, with a focus on key performance indicator (KPI) performance and franchise profitability. In addition, Labanovich will work with the executive team on developing and implementing new operation initiatives across the country, including the execution of the EDGE Performance Platform. “We are honored and very fortunate to have someone of Jeff Labanovich’s experience join our corporate team,” said Michael Macaluso, President, CARSTAR North America. “His decades of insight and understanding as a successful CARSTAR store owner will make him a vital member of our team and a fantastic resource for our CARSTAR franchise partners. We look forward to his many contributions to our brand and our success in the future.” A native of Ontario, Labanovich began his career in sales at Whitby Auto Wreckers, then worked as a manager at Clarington RPM and Copart before opening his CARSTAR location. He attended Carleton University.
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Auto Care Association Accepting Scholarship Applications
The Young Auto Care Network Group (YANG) and the Automotive Warehouse Distributors Association (AWDA), both communities of the Auto Care Association, are now offering young industry professionals a chance to experience first-hand how the Auto Care Association and various aspects of the auto care industry work through participation in the Next Step program. The Next Step program offers future leaders in the industry the opportunity to become involved in the industry and trade association by awarding scholarships to attend the Auto Care Association’s Spring Leadership Days, May 9–11, 2018 at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis in Atlanta, GA.
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Service King Apprentice Program Registered by US Department of Labor On Dec. 21, Service King Collision Repair Centers announced its fastgrowing Apprentice Development Program has officially received certification from the U.S. Department of Labor. Officials from the Department of Labor, Texas State Representatives and Service King teammates held an official signing ceremony commemorating the milestone on Dec. 21 at Service King’s National Support Center in Richardson, TX. “This is certainly a proud moment for the Service King family as we continue investing in the development and training of the next generation of skilled automotive technicians,” said Chris Abraham, Service King CEO. “The Apprentice Development Program has long been a vision of our company and we couldn’t be more proud to see its growth across the country. It’s our mission to equip aspiring technicians with a firm foundation of quality training, hands-on experience and ultimately a long, rewarding career as a Service King teammate.” The company’s certification comes on the heels of the White House Executive Order signed in June promoting the growth of apprenticeship programs across the U.S. Furthermore,
the Service King program was instituted to proactively combat a reported 13 percent decline in the population of automotive repair and maintenance workers between 2002—2014, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“I am so happy to have Service King operate in North Texas,” said State Representative Angie Chen Button. “Creating a skilled workforce is vital to our state’s economy and providing opportunities for job seekers.” As a certified apprenticeship program, Service King’s Apprentice Development Program positions itself to become eligible to receive federal workforce and education funds to reinvest into the growth of the program. Aspiring auto body technicians interested in Service
King’s Apprentice Development Program are encouraged to learn more by visiting ServiceKing.com/careers. According to the Department of Labor, certified apprenticeships help businesses develop highly skilled employees, increase productivity, reduce turnover and lower the cost of recruitment. Furthermore, apprenticeships provide customized training, safer workplaces as well as a stable and reliable pipeline of qualified talent. The Service King Apprentice Development Program provides incoming technicians with a hands-on training program featuring personalized instruction from an Apprentice Supervisor solely dedicated to the program. The program features an immersive and proprietary curriculum that promotes a focused learning environment. To achieve this, each class is capped at four apprentices per instructor. To ensure a real-world environment, all apprenticeships are hosted inside Service King Collision Repair Centers across the country. The program has been widely heralded in the media, and across the industry, for its success in attracting and training young talent, including recent coverage by Dallas CBS affiliate KTVT and the Dallas Morning News.
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www.autobodynews.com | FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS 55
Skill-Loan Helps Auto Techs Find Supplementary Work Skill-Loan LLC, a San Carlos-based Software as a Service (SaaS) company, announced the availability of Mechanics & Body Shops Marketplace V2.0 with a Premium Membership service for auto repair and body shops looking for full-time employees and a service for auto technicians looking to supplement their incomes with temporary or part-time work. Premium members can post jobs and find technicians, service advisors and service writers free of charge as part of their Premium Membership subscription. Auto technicians can be notified of short-term assignments posted by local auto repair and body shops or post their availability for work. The new release of the application ensures best fit between the employee’s skills and qualifications and what the shop owners are looking for. “On average, every auto repair employee is out of the shop four weeks of the year for vacation, sick days, jury and military duty and personal time off,” said Elie Massabki, founder and CEO of Skill-Loan. “With technicians contributing $1,000–$2,000/day in gross profits to a shop, shop owners are missing out on $10,000 to $20,000 in gross profits each year for each technician they employ. At the same time,
many technicians are looking for opportunities to supplement their incomes during their time off. Mechanics Marketplace helps auto repair shops put significant profits back in their pockets by having borrowed technicians and freelancers cover for their absent workers while helping technicians increase their incomes.” Skill-Loan had its first Northern California mid-Peninsula kick-off meeting on Dec. 19, 2017 with local members to learn how to best make use of the Mechanics & Body Shops Marketplace application and discuss common issues they would like to tackle as a group. While many collaboration ideas were discussed, shop owners unanimously confirmed the need for temporary and full-time technicians. Other regional networks are now being formed in various US cities and technicians are being introduced to the app. “The number one issue that keeps me and my general manager up at night is the availability of reliable and experienced technicians,” said Mark Schwartz, CEO and owner at Holland Car Care (www.hollandcarcare.com) in San Carlos, CA. “I think this is a nationwide problem and especially in the California Bay Area. I am pleased to fi-
Progressive Evolves its Service Centers for Customers
Progressive is making some changes to improve the convenience of its claims experience while supporting the double-digit growth in its personal auto business. In the coming months, Progressive will change the way it uses its Service Center facilities. The company’s 68 Service Centers will stop being a drop-off/pick-up point for customer vehicles. Current shops that support their local Service Cen-
ters will be invited to transition to the Progressive network of approved repair facilities. This decision to evolve the Service Centers is in response to shifting customer preferences and fast-paced environmental changes. This evolution will give customers choosing to have their vehicle repairs managed through Progressive the option of dropping off their vehicle at one of nearly 3,000 Progressive-approved shops that deliver customer service and repair quality consistent with the Service
Center experience. “I’m proud of our Service Center history and the millions of customers we served through that process. We’ve evolved our Service Center model over the years to make sure we’re doing the best job we can to meet our customers’ needs, and that evolution continues with this most recent change,” said Mike Sieger, Progressive Claims President. “We’ll have an even broader network of shops in more locations for customers to choose from, and we’ll continue to provide high-quality customer service and claims handling experiences.” Thanks to continued significant growth of Progressive’s business, all Service Center employees will be offered claims jobs, and most Service Centers will remain regional claims offices. This will enable Progressive to continue maintaining a local presence in the communities where it does business. Progressive’s limited lifetime guarantee, offered on all covered repairs completed through Network shops, will continue to apply.
56 FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
nally find a company that is focused on our industry and where I can go to find full-time employees, as well as technicians, to cover for my absent ones.” “As an 18-year independent, highend and European car service, repair shop and used car dealer, we do share employees and knowledge frequently from shop to shop. We work closely with factory dealers as well, especially for newer cars and more complicated programing. Mechanics Marketplace is an ideal platform to help me with both,” commented Zim Gwee, owner of Topline Automobile Inc. (www .toplineautos.com) in San Mateo, CA. “I have 28 years’ technician experience. I have invested heavily in high-end diagnostics equipment and I am excited about the opportunity to sublet services to and from other shops and recoup my investment faster.” The website name and logo have been changed to Mechanics & Body Shops Marketplace to better represent the businesses in the network. Technicians and auto repair and body shop owners can also find the company at www.autorepairjobs.net and www.car repairjobs.com. More than 100 body shops and 300 general auto repair shops are members of Mechanics & Body Shops Marketplace today.
Auto Care Association Promotes Joe Register to Vice President, Emerging Technologies
The Auto Care Association announced the promotion of Joe Register to Vice President, Emerging Technologies. He will be instrumental in changing the association’s profile in setting vehicle technology standards by working with his global
counterparts in industry standardssetting organizations, such as the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and SAE International. Register joined the Auto Care Association’s Technology department in 2016, serving as director, technology solutions, and brings more than two decades of experience in data and information technologies to the association.
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www.autobodynews.com | FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS 57
GM To Make Autonomous Car Without Steering Wheel, Pedals by Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge
General Motors plans to mass-produce self-driving cars that lack traditional controls such as steering wheels and pedals by 2019, the company announced Jan. 12. It’s a bold declaration for the future of driving from one of the country’s Big Three automakers, and one that is sure to shake things up for the industry as the annual Detroit Auto Show kicks off. The car will be the fourth generation of its driverless, all-electric Chevy Bolts, which are currently being tested on public roads in San Francisco and Phoenix. And when they roll off the assembly line of GM’s manufacturing plant in Orion, MI, they’ll be deployed as ride-hailing vehicles in a number of cities. “It’s a pretty exciting moment in the history of the path to wide-scale [autonomous vehicle] deployment and having the first production car with no driver controls,” GM President Dan Ammann told The Verge. “And it’s an interesting thing to share with everybody.” The announcement coincides with the tail end of CES, where a number of big companies announced their own plans to deploy autonomous vehicles, and right before the Detroit Auto Show, where the industry will have on display all the trucks and SUVs that make its profits. By committing to rolling out fully driverless cars in a shortened timeframe, GM is seeking to outmaneuver rivals both old and new in the increasingly hyper-competitive race to build and deploy robot cars. Ford has said it will build a steering-wheel-and-pedalless autonomous car by 2021, while Waymo, the self-driving unit of Google parent Alphabet, is preparing to launch its first commercial ride-hailing service in Phoenix featuring fully driverless minivans (though still with traditional controls). Unlike those other companies, GM provided a sneak peek at how its new, futuristic cars will look on the inside. In some ways, it’s the vehicular version of a Rorsharch inkblot test. The bilateral symmetry of the interior looks both unnerving and yet completely normal at the same time. Instead of a steering wheel, in its place is blank real estate. Under the dash, more empty space.
The automaker submitted a petition to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for permission to deploy a car that doesn’t comply with all federal safety standards. Am-
ing; consumer education and training; and federal, state and local laws. It’s a detailed, sometimes boring, sometimes fascinating look at how GM designs and programs its cars to handle all the mundane and insane things that happen on US roads. There are some standout elements in the announcement, such as GM’s argument as to why its testing in San Francisco is exponentially more important than its suburban testing. (Emphasis ours.) While we also test vehicles in Phoenix, our San Francisco GM and Cruise plan to deploy autonomous vehicles by vehicles predict an average of 2019 32 times as many possible inmann said the company wasn’t seeking teractions as those in Phoenix. Thus, an exemption from the Federal Motor San Francisco challenges our self-driVehicle Safety Standards—something ving system more because, as the numthe government caps at 2,500—just a ber of objects increase, there are new way around a few of the requireexponentially more possible interacments. tions with objects that the self- driving GM is proposing to “meet that system must consider. standard in a different kind of way,” For example, GM’s self-driving Ammann said. “A car without a steerChevy Bolts encounter 270 emering wheel can’t have a steering wheel gency vehicles for every 1,000 miles airbag. What we can do is put the driven in San Francisco, compared to equivalent of the passenger side airbag on that side as well. So it’s to meet the standards, but meet them in a way that’s different than what’s exactly prescribed, and that’s what the petition Genuine Mitsubishi seeks to get approval for.” Replacement Crash (Of course, the issue of exempParts are close at hand from the following tions from federal safety standards quality dealerships: may become moot if Congress passes a bill to lift the cap from 2,500 to 100,000. But as of now, the legislation is stalled.) GM made this announcement to herald the release of its first 33-page safety report to the US Department of Transportation. The feds suggested in 2016, and again last year, that tech companies and automakers working on self-driving cars voluntarily subMASSACHUSETTS mit a safety checklist to the government in order to help keep tabs on this Courtesy Mitsubishi fast-moving technology. GM is only the second company working on auSOUTH ATTLEBORO tonomous vehicles to have submitted 508-761-9700 its report, with Waymo being the first. (508) 761-0768 Fax GM breaks its safety assessment www.courtesy-mitsu.com into 12 sections: safety system; operational design domain; object and event detection and response; fallback (minimal risk condition); validation methods; human machine interface; vehicle cybersecurity; crash worthiness; post-crash behavior; data record-
58 FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
just six in Phoenix. The safety report excludes certain information, such as the number of times that human safety drivers were forced to take control of their driverless vehicles, or the number of accidents in which GM’s cars were involved. (Cruise Automation, GM’s self-driving unit, told California regulators that its cars were in six crashes in September 2017 alone. Under state law, companies with a license to test autonomous vehicles are required to disclose all accidents, even when they are not at fault.) Speaking of accidents, GM has not one, but two data recorders in each of its autonomous vehicles to store and protect information in the event of a crash. The collected data includes information from the car’s sensors, vehicle actions, and any malfunctions that occur. Like a black box recorder on an airplane, the data logging machine is designed to withstand catastrophic accidents. The report and the announcement about GM’s first fully driverless vehicle are sure to impress investors, See GM to Make, Page 66
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M-F 7:30 - 5 parts@depaula.com www.autobodynews.com | FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS 59
Original Thought #78
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60 FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
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Continued from Page 33
OE Certification Ford
Waikem Auto Body in Massillon, OH, reportedly received the first heavily damaged aluminum 2016 F150 truck in the country. The truck was a high-line, King Ranch model— about a $70,000 truck. The truck’s owner tried to drive the truck into a car wash that was not high enough, shearing off the roof, the rear of the uniside and the inner structure. The truck had only 4,000 miles on it. The repairs came to around $17,000.
Todd Tracy
“You need to be willing to have your face marred with blood, with sweat, with tears. You may go down in defeat time and time again, but eventually, if enough people get in the arena, you will overcome. This is the
termarket parts, one with a glued-on roof and one with OEM parts and performed an IIHS crash test. Both the aftermarket parts vehicle and the vehicle with the glued-on roof underperformed in every category – all of which were crucial to occupants’ safety – that Tracy tested for. “What does the test prove? And what can you use it for,” Tracy asked
right time in the right environment, and our customers want their vehicles Todd Tracy presents “The Anatomy of a Lawsuit” to AASP/NJ repaired the right way.” In addition to the lawsuit, Tracy showed attendees the results of a crash test he recently completed in California. He took a 2010 Honda Fit with af-
the audience. “You finally have test data that you can show to insurance companies.” “I thought that Todd was a very motivational, passionate and inspiring speaker,” shared Dean Massimini (Autotech, Sewell). “He reinforced my commitment to performing proper repairs by following OEM repair pro-
Continued from Cover
Fire Guts Auto Body Shop Filled With Cars in Evanston, OH by Staff, WCPO
A two-alarm fire caused a “catastrophic collapse” of the roof at Camp’s Collision Center at 1930 Dana Ave. in Evanson, OH, according to Assistant Fire Chief Tom Lakamp, who said about 70 firefighters arrived shortly after 5 a.m. Jan. 19 to fight the flames at the body shop, which was filled with cars. The cause is under investigation. No one was injured in the fire. We thank WCPO for reprint permission.
cedures, and to make sure our customers are properly reimbursed for them! We were always aware of the liability we accept when repairing customers’ vehicles, but some of his graphics really drove the point home.” “I commend Todd Tracy on his presentation to our association,” noted Frank Constandi of Northeast Collision (Plainfield). “It is clear that Mr. Tracy is trying to address some of the many challenges that our industry has been facing for years, nationwide. This industry is truly in need of an advocate, such as Mr. Tracy, to help us move forward in our uphill battle with the insurance companies. It is a long road, but I believe with the right people in our corner, we will get there...slowly.” “I hope you guys are all taking something home today,” McNee said at the end of the meeting. “At the end of the day, Todd’s right – it’s all about the customer. It’s about sharing information and knowing that there’s strength in numbers.” For more information on AASP /NJ, visit aaspnj.org. For more information on the NORTHEAST® Automotive Services Show, visit: aaspnjnortheast.com.
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M-F 7:30am-6pm Sat 8am-1pm rhamilton@mileone.com 62 FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
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Applications Open fpr 2018 University of the Aftermarket Foundation Scholarships
Applications are being accepted online for the 2018 University of the Aftermarket Foundation scholarships, which are awarded to students planning automotive aftermarket careers. The application process is entirely electronic through the UAF scholarship website, www.automotive scholarships.com. The deadline to apply is March 31, 2018. The University of the Aftermarket Foundation and more than 30 additional organizations award automotive scholarships. Your one complete online application will automatically be considered by every organization for which you meet their qualifications. More than 2,500 scholarships have been awarded by UAF and all the collaborating organizations since 1998. Students will be considered for UAF scholarships, and students from North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia will be considered for the AAACT Scholarship Fund scholarships as well, in any course of study. AAACT scholarships are open to any AAACT member in good standing, member’s employees or immediate family.
AGRR Survey: What’s the Cost of Doing Business? by Katherine Coig, glassBYTEs.com
Not getting paid in full for parts, time and labor is easily one of auto glass shops’ biggest grievances when it comes to working with insurers and Third Party Administrators (TPAs). This, at least, is according to a recent survey conducted by AGRR magazine. The cost of living varies greatly across the U.S., and for some rural or
small-town auto glass shops, what TPAs are willing to pay doesn’t cover all of the costs associated with operating a business. “Most TPAs do not take into consideration the higher expenses of the more rural shops, travel time and expenses,” one survey respondent
noted. “The operating costs go up and all the TPAs do is look out for their bottom line without consideration for the shops. Example: Where else in this country can you get a shop labor rate of $35 per hour and nothing extra for shop materials and such?” He’s not alone; it’s an issue body shops are dealing with as well. According to an ongoing multi-state lawsuit against several major national insurance companies by auto body shops, State Farm has allegedly determined a method to set a market rate for repairs. The lawsuit says State Farm uses a “half plus one” method, which calculates the total number of employees or work bays (whichever is fewer) in a market area and lists the shops from fewest employees or bays to the shop with the highest. After the list is totaled, the half number, plus one, is chosen to set the market rate. Therefore, if there are 10 auto repair shops in a market area, the shop listed at number six would de-
termine the market labor price. However, the document states it is unclear how the method defines a market area. “All TPAs treat those of us who are serving outlying rural communities as if we are in the city,” said another auto glass shop respondent, “rarely taking into account increased cost of doing business due to distance from suppliers.” Another commented, “Insurance companies say they have surveyed the labor and material rates in our area. They are not the least bit accurate. We operate in rural Colorado, and they try to classify us with the front-range rates. They need to be more accurate on their surveys.” We thank GlassBYTEs.com for reprint permission.
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www.porschenorwell.com www.autobodynews.com | FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS 63
3 Varying Assessments of Wholesale Car Price Changes by Nick Zulovich, Auto Remarketing
As 2017 wound down, J.D. Power Valuation Services, KAR Auction Services and RVI Group all shared their wholesale price analysis for what happened in November. The report that showed the greatest change came from J.D. Power Valuation Services, which indicated in its latest issue of Guidelines that wholesale prices of used vehicles up to 8 years in age fell by 4.2 percent in November. “November’s loss was more than anticipated,” analysts said in the report. “However, we expected some compensation towards the end of the year for the lift in demand and strengthening in prices associated with Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.” After three consecutive months of increases, the J.D. Power Valuation Services’ Seasonally Adjusted Used Vehicle Price Index declined in November, softening by 1.6 points or 1.4 percent to settle at 113.0. Through November, the index is down 5.9 percent compared to the same period in 2016. Meanwhile, according to ADESA Analytical Services’ monthly analysis of wholesale prices by vehicle model
class, values in November averaged $10,797. That figure represented a 1.6 percent drop compared to October, but a 1.2-percent lift relative to November 2016. KAR Auction Services chief economist Tom Kontos pointed out that almost all segments saw monthover-month average price declines,
although full-size SUV/CUVs had a noteworthy uptick despite higher gas prices. “Average wholesale prices in November were down month-overmonth more significantly than in October and, despite being up modestly on a year-over-year basis, are indicative of an end to the price boost from Hurricanes Harvey and Irma,” Kontos said in his latest installment of the Kontos Kommentary. “Retail used-vehicle demand was soft for the month as well, al-
U.S. Auto Sales Forecasted to Fall Below 17 Million in 2018
by Sean Szymkowski, GM Authority
Many automotive forecasters agree that the end is nigh for record vehicle sales. 2017 will likely mark the first time since 2009 that auto sales will fall instead of grow. Final numbers won’t be available until January, but early figures peg the figure at around 17.2 million cars sold in the United States, which is down about 2 percent from 2016. Next year, things will likely continue on the downward trend. Automotive News reported that annual vehicle sales will likely fall below the 17 million mark in 2018. That’s a major shift from what automakers have been accustomed to. It will also shift how automakers market new vehicles and how generous incentives may be. Thus far, the slow sales decline hasn’t worried automakers like General Motors because transaction prices have risen to create higher profit margins. GM still sees a steady market for new cars, and not a sharp decrease. Industry analyst Jessica Caldwell of Edmunds
made her predictions as well. “That period of growth that we had grown accustomed to is obviously over, and the industry is starting to rightsize,” she said. “We could see a fight for market share. They’re looking to keep their share, and if one company starts increasing their incentives, generally others follow.” Right now, analysts project 16.7 to 16.8 million new cars sold in 2018, though that figure could fluctuate due to increased takehome pay with the inbound Trump tax cut legislation. This year will be an important one for GM. The automaker will roll out the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado and 2019 GMC Sierra, and both play an integral part in the automaker’s healthy bottom line. The pickups also help finance mobility and self-driving car programs. We thank GM Authority for reprint permission.
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64 FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
though CPO sales were solid,” he added. “Lingering truck demand in Texas in the aftermath of Harvey may have again contributed to the strength of midsize SUV/CUV prices in November.” The team at RVI Group determined real used-vehicle prices (seasonally adjusted, 2– to 5–year-old vehicles) declined slightly on a year-over-year basis in November. According to the RVI Used Car Price Index, real used-vehicle prices (after adjusting for MSRP) fell by 0.1 percent in November when compared to November of the previous year. Similarly, month-over-month real used-vehicle prices declined by 0.1 percent. On a month-over-month basis, about half of the segments saw small gains in used car prices. “Prices for used vehicles are stronger than expected due to higher demand for both new and used vehicles after the hurricane season damaged approximately 1 million cars,” RVI Group said. Kontos offered more insights from ADESA’s November data when looking deeper into the market. Kontos pointed out that average wholesale prices for used vehicles remarketed by manufacturers were up
0.9 percent month-over-month and up 7.3 percent year-over-year. He also mentioned that prices for fleet/lease consignors dropped 2.3 percent sequentially, but ticked up 0.8 percent annually. Kontos went on to state that average prices for dealer consignors were down 4.2 percent versus October, and up 3.7 percent relative to November 2016. Turning back to Guidelines, J.D. Power Valuation Services projected how the December data might land. Analysts projected that wholesale prices of vehicles up to 8 years in age are expected to decline by approximately 1 percent. That forecast is slightly less than what analysts recorded a year earlier, which was a dip of 1.7 percent. In terms of its full-year expectations, J.D. Power Valuation Services pegged used-vehicle prices to drop by 5.6 percent in 2017, which would be 1.5 points higher than what the firm spotted for 2016. We thank Auto Remarketing for reprint permission.
www.autobodynews.com
IGONC Triangle Chapter Honors Past Presidents On Dec. 12, the Triangle Chapter of the Independent Garage Owners of North Carolina (IGONC) held its 2017 Christmas Party at the Peddler Steak House in Raleigh, NC.
night to put business aside and celebrate the holiday season with friends and colleagues. It was a wonderful evening, and our members always enjoy chatting in a less structured format. Everyone was glad to get the chance to meet in a more relaxed
IGONC Triangle Chapter President Steve Poole (left) presented plaque to past president John Keenan
IGONC Triangle Chapter President Steve Poole (right) presented plaque to past president Stan Creech
by Chasidy Rae Sisk
According to IGONC Executive Director Bob Pulverenti, “This is an annual tradition our members look forward to each year. We have a good crowd, and spouses, vendors and employees were all welcome. This year, there was a brief presentation of plaques to presidents from past years: Stan Creech of Creech Import Repair of Raleigh, and John Keenan of Dixie Trail Automotive of Raleigh. “The event was held simply as a
forum and talk on a more social level due to the more relaxed atmosphere of a holiday party. “Our association is successful, in part, because of the long relationships we have built with our members and vendors. It is important to build bonds in person and to give an opportunity for our members to meet with like-minded business owners for support and learning.” For more information about IGONC, visit www.igonc.com.
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Elon Musk Promises Tesla Pickup Truck in Tweet by Ethan Baron, The Mercury News
Even as Tesla struggles to deliver its entry-level Model 3 sedan to consumers amid plans to produce a compact SUV, an electric semi and a new Roadster, CEO Elon Musk is adding yet another vehicle to the company’s promised lineup. Responding to a wishful tweet from a Canadian marijuana-seed vendor who said, “Need an electric pickup truck please,” Musk pledged on Twitter that his Palo Alto electric car company would grant the Vancouver Seed Bank’s wish. “I promise that we will make a pickup truck,” Musk tweeted Dec. 26. “Have had the core design/engineering elements in my mind for almost 5 years. Am dying to build it.” Musk said in his tweet that the pickup would come “right after” the Model Y, which is to be a compact electric SUV, and is tentatively scheduled to go into production in mid-2019. The flamboyant CEO’s pickup truck confirmation follows his teaser from a July 2016 “master plan” document, in which he referred to a “new kind of pickup truck.” In April, Musk had tweeted that the pickup would be unveiled within 18 to 24 months.
After responding to the Vancouver Seed Bank—a company managed by a former would-be socialist politician who quit his Canadian federal candidacy over a video showing him dropping LSD—Musk gave some good news to a Twitter user who asked him if the pickup would be as large as, or larger than, the ubiquitous Ford F150 truck. “Similar total size,” Musk tweeted. “Maybe slightly bigger to account for a really gamechanging (I think) feature I’d like to add.” According to Ford, a standard F150 is about 18 feet long, 7 feet wide and about 6 feet tall. Another Twitter user chimed in with hopes that the Tesla pickup’s purported game-changing feature would be a toilet. Revelation of the apparently concrete plans for the pickup came soon after Tesla was roiled by another round of trouble. With every vehicle model so far plagued by production delays, Musk in November announced the entry-level Model 3 had been delayed as well, and was three months behind on its target delivery date. Coming after hundreds of job losses—described by Musk as performance-related layoffs and by some critics as retaliation for attempted
Meet Hundreds of Entry-Level Candidates at CREF’s Career Fairs
by Chasidy Rae Sisk
If you are an industry member facing an aging workforce or in need of additional entry–level staff, “you need to connect with the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) in 2018 to
Students at past career fairs connect with industry companies looking to hire new talent
participate in one of our scheduled career fairs and/or get involved with local schools,” says Brandon Eckenrode, Director of Development for CREF. As 2018 begins, the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) is gearing up for its next round of career fairs, which will be a bit different from how they’ve been in the past.
According to Eckenrode, “We are collaborating with TechForce Foundation to make these transportation career fairs, allowing us to invite participation from a wide variety of programs (collision, automotive service, heavy duty, diesel, etc.) Business students will also be invited to participate, and these events continue to be available to all collision repair industry members.” The first career fair in 2018 will take place in Tampa, FL, on Feb. 14, followed by the event in Miami, FL, on Feb. 16. On March 1, a career fair will be held in San Antonio, TX, while the career fair on March 16 will be held in Los Angeles, CA. Six career fairs are currently scheduled for April: Chicago, IL, on April 6; Phoenix, AZ, on April 7; Denver, CO, on April 12; Greensboro, NC, on April 18–19; Atlanta, GA, on April 24; and Boston, MA, on April 26. CREF and TechForce Foundation also hope to hold career fairs in Dallas, Houston and Nashville this spring, but dates have not yet been confirmed. To get more information on participation in these career fairs, contact Eckenrode at Brandon.Eckenrode @ed-foundation.org.
66 FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Continued from Page 58
unionization—the Model 3 delay was bad news for the closely watched firm, which in November also announced a $619 million quarterly loss, far higher than Wall Street had expected. The company is also facing three lawsuits alleging it ignored racism against black workers on its Fremont factory floor. But Tesla and Musk received a welcome boost later in November after announcing Tesla would make an electric semi-truck, leading a number of major companies, including Walmart and Pepsi, to put down deposits for the potentially revolutionary transport vehicles. In a surprise announcement during the semi-truck launch, Musk also revealed a prototype of a new Roadster, which he said would be the fastest production car in the world, going from zero to 60 miles per hour in less than two seconds and hitting a top speed of more than 250 miles per hour. Tesla is taking reservations for that road rocket, which is to sell for $200,000, or $250,000 for one of the 1,000 “Founders Series” vehicles. Musk said the Roadster would be available in 2020. We thank The Mercury News for reprint permission.
GM to Make
which have been bullish on the company thanks to its unique ability to scale its product. The automaker has been on a buying spree, acquiring both Cruise and LIDAR startup Strobe to help it become a “full-stack” autonomous car company. It also plans to roll out at least 20 new electric cars by 2023, a goal that puts it in a position to bring battery-powered driving to the mainstream. Ammann says it’s what gives GM a leg up over its rivals. “We believe this technology will change the world,” he said. “And we’re doing everything we can to get it out there at scale as fast as we can.” We thank The Verge for reprint permission.
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Auto World Goes ‘Back to the Future’ With VW Microbus Design by Daron Gifford, Automotive News
Many baby boomers felt a flashback in August when Volkswagen announced plans to start building a ‘60s-style microbus, called the I.D. Buzz, for delivery in 2022. The auto industry, however, is looking at the move as another small step into the future, as the vehicle’s electric-modular structure is becoming a popular prototype these days. Manufacturers and suppliers will need to monitor this possible paradigm shift closely; it could be a serious threat or a huge opportunity. How big of a shift? Imagine cars that are little more than a flatbed battery on wheels (think skateboard) with a variety of Legolike modules—pickup truck, minibus, luxury limo, camper, recreation vehicle or even air transport. (Airbus is working on the latter, believe it or not.)
Longer life That means instead of buying different vehicles, consumers can buy one cab-and-chassis battery and then snap on (or, more likely, bolt on) different top hats and modules. Such a system could increase the price of
one vehicle, but reduce the cost of two or more. The vehicles could also last longer than cars and trucks today. A
might have to be built larger to accommodate unused modules. For auto makers, part of what’s attractive about modular is that if they can get more vehicles off of a single platform or architecture, it drives down their amortized cost per unit, which helps improve their capital return on investment. For VW, because it’s trying to shrink its numbered platforms globally, modular also fits into its plans well, as they can have this one larger platform, on which The I.D. Buzz, shown as a concept, is part of VW's battery they can stick a box, or a electric lineup truck, or a passenger vehicle on top. (Tesla Inc., unbattery should run for 10 years (and surprisingly, perhaps, also is working can be used by utilities for storage af- on a modular minibus.) terward); fewer moving parts mean it could run well past 200,000 miles. Commercial use Someday, a million miles might be Manufacturers seem especially keen possible. Given the growing preva- to develop commercial uses. The I.D. lence of ride-sharing, miles will be- Buzz, for instance, comes in two come much more important to users models—one for cargo and the other than years on the road. for passengers, aimed at the ride-sharThe economic disruption from ing market. Amazon and UPS also are modular cars could be enormous for exploring the concept for freight and everyone—auto manufacturers, sup- container shipping, as are startups, pliers, even home builders; garages such as NEXT in Silicon Valley.
Uptick in Domestic Auto Sales; Vehicle Repair, Insurance Prices Also Increase by Katherine Coig, glassBYTEs.com
Domestic sales for new autos experienced an uptick November to December. According to the latest
figures from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), U.S. automotive unit retail sales increased by 6 percent, or 20,900 units, on a month-over-month basis.
Year over year, domestic auto sales dropped 18.2 percent—to 366.6 thousand in December 2017 from 448.0 thousand in December 2016. Here are the BEA’s latest figures: The Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) also updated the consumer price index for November 2017. The index for motor vehicle maintenance and repair increased year over year by 1.3 percent, while month-over-month figures remained stagnant. The index for insurance continues an upward trajectory, increasing by 8 percent on a year-over-year basis. October to November also increased, up 0.8 percent. Consumer Price Index: Insurance and Repairs The index for motor vehicle repairs and insurance. We thank GlassBYTEs for reprint permission.
68 FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
In the past, some auto makers used common platform architectures to achieve a degree of limited modularity. The RV customization industry has been utilizing Ford Econoline vans for years. And if you remember it, General Motors tried with the Pontiac Aztek and its optional camper pop-up. Then there is the Chrysler minivan, which has folding seats for cargo space and has spawned numerous imitators, as well as a devoted following. What’s novel about the I.D. Buzz, specifically, may be the ability to efficiently use space with a common unibody vehicle architecture for a variety of configurations, which should expand the utility of the modular concept well beyond what has been seen before. And who knows? Much the way VW’s Bug and Microbus changed the automotive world 50 years ago, the company’s I.D. Buzz could do the same in the 21st century. We thank Automotive News for reprint permission.
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Driverless Car ‘Guidelines” Allegedly Not Working by David A. Wood, CarComplaints.com
Auto safety organization Consumer Watchdog says self-driving car companies are taking advantage of the government’s hands-off approach to matters of safety by failing to provide reports about the safety of the technology. Since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) created its 12-point safety “voluntary guidelines” for autonomous companies, only Waymo (Google) has published a safety report. And even with that, Consumer Watchdog says Waymo’s report reads more like a marketing brochure than a detailed safety report of self-driving car technology. Instead of doing its job by creating and enforcing safety regulations that must be met by driverless car companies, NHTSA is allowing manufacturers to provide safety reports when they feel like doing it. Consumer Watchdog says this has made public highways nothing more than laboratories where humans are guinea pigs—proof that NHTSA’s voluntary guidelines don’t work. When a company doesn’t publish details about its autonomous technology because it doesn’t have
to, the public is left in the dark about what is taking place on local roads and highways. Consumer Watchdog says if it wasn’t for California, the driving public would know nothing about how self-driving technology is working. Driverless car companies in California require permits from the Department of Motor Vehicles and crash reports must be filed within 10 days of an incident. Additionally, yearly “disengagement reports” must be provided that explain when the autonomous technology failed. Seven companies were approved for testing of driverless cars in 2014, which required those companies to file disengagement reports with the California DMV by Jan. 1, 2016. However, today there are 19 companies that are required to provide reports. The DMV says it expects to release those reports in January 2018. Previous data indicates why human drivers are monitoring the skills of the computerized cars. For example, Mercedes-Benz drivers had to take control of the driverless cars 1,051 times out of 1,739 miles driven. We thank CarComplaints.com for reprint permission.
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The Future of Takata Airbag Claims by Jane Mundy, LawyersandSettlements.com
At the beginning of last year, Takata—the automotive parts company behind the largest automotive recall in the nation’s history—entered into a plea agreement with the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). The company then declared bankruptcy a few months later, setting off an avalanche of legal filings throughout the world, with an international corporate restructuring effort continuing to this day. “It’s critical to remember that as this process plays out, consumers have and will continue to be hurt and killed by rupturing airbags,” says attorney Frank Melton of Newsome Melton, PA. Unfortunately, things will continue to grow more complicated for those consumers in the months and years to come. “We are at a critical juncture in the Takata airbag litigation,” says Melton. “Over the next few weeks, the Delaware Court presiding over the Takata bankruptcy proceeding will review and rule upon Takata’s proposed reorganization plan; that ruling will have permanent ramifications for current and future Takata
airbag victims.” Melton explains that while the Takata-DOJ plea deal set aside a fund of money for current and future Takata airbag injury victims, that pot is very limited. “The headlines stated that Takata agreed to establish a $1 billion restitution fund. But only $125 million of
into a bankruptcy trust for compensation. “Channeling injunctions have been used in the past, but only rarely, and typically in the asbestos context,” explains Melton. “What is rather unique, and I think unheard of, in this case is that the proposed injunction would extend beyond just
that fund was set aside for consumers. The rest was earmarked for the auto manufacturers.” So where can consumers look for relief in the years to follow? The answer to that question is currently up in the air, and may very well be determined by the Delaware bankruptcy court. Back in November, Takata filed its proposed reorganization plan. Part of that plan calls for the imposition of a so-called “channeling injunction,” which would funnel current and future injury and death claims
Takata—the debtor—and would include third-party automakers that used Takata’s airbags in their vehicles.” The Bankruptcy Code only references channeling injunctions in one place—Section 524(g). This section was enacted back in the 1990s, and essentially acted to retroactively bless a bankruptcy court’s action in an asbestos proceeding. Notably, Section 524(g) is specific to asbestos, and contains several specific constraints on the use of a channeling injunction, including the require-
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“It’s critical to remember that as this process plays out, consumers have and will continue to be hurt and killed by rupturing airbags,” —Frank Melton
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ment that 75 percent of the current asbestos claimants vote in favor of the injunction. “The procedural mechanisms for asbestos channeling injunctions—including the notice and voting requirements—in Section 524(g) clearly do not apply to non-asbestos cases. So it’s not clear what procedures would have to be observed in the Takata bankruptcy proceeding, or whether such an injunction could or would ultimately withstand appellate review,” says Melton. The proposed Takata reorganization plan states that the channeling injunction will be subject to a separate vote. “The vote will take place in the next few weeks. That’s why it’s critical for consumers to contact an attorney immediately if they or a loved one may have a Takata airbag injury or death claim,” explains Melton. “The time for their voice to be heard is now; if they wait, it will likely to be too late to do what is necessary to protect their rights.” We thank LawyersandSettlements .com for reprint permission.
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www.autobodynews.com | FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS 71
72 FEBRUARY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com