February 2022 Northeast Edition

40 YEARS

NORTH E AS T E DITIO N

AUTOBODYNEWS.COM

CT / DE / ME / MD / MA / NH / NJ / NY / PA / RI / VT

NORTHEAST 2022 Educational Program Announced As excitement continues to build for the NORTHEAST® Automotive Services Show set for March 18-20 at the Meadowlands Exposition Center (MEC) in Secaucus, NJ, the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of New Jersey (AASP/NJ) has added even more for automotive professionals to get enthused about with the unveiling of the 2022 educational slate.

The largest regional automotive show of its kind in the Northeast will feature a three-day educational program designed to give collision repairers everything they need to be successful in their business in 2022 and beyond. AASP/NJ is excited to announce the return of Kristen

Felder of Collision Hub and Larry Montanez of P&L Consultants to its flagship event this year.

Collision Hub will present four featured courses: “Total Loss Basics” will give repairers an understanding of the total loss handling practices and the potential pitfalls of failing to document, while “RO Documentation Realities” explores what repairers should and should not be documenting on estimates with photos and in logs. “Estimating Strategies for Productivity” will cover tools and strategies for writing accurate estimates faster and teach attendees how to use those strategies to bring See NORTHEAST 2022, Page 16

Toby Chess Shares Best Practice Documents for Collision Repairers

by Toby Chess

This is the first installment of Toby Chess’s newsletter, in which he will share more than 100 Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for auto body shops, tools, trends in repair and anything he thinks could help shops improve.

Chess suggests printing out each SOP and putting them in a book. He said Steve Morris had a great idea to print them out for each operation being performed on a repair and have the technician sign and date them, and place them into the customer’s file.

These SOPs will standardize your repairs, increase efficiency and quality, reduce comebacks, improve estimate quality and add to the bottom line.

Here are the first five in the series: 1. Best Practices Before Accepting Used Painted Parts 2. Best Practices for Applying Weldon Aluminum Studs 3. Best Practices for Preparing Aluminum for Repair and/or Welding Part 2 See Toby Chess Shares, Page 26

Vol. 12 / Issue 11 / February 2022

General Motors Launches Online Parts Sales

GM is launching a new online parts marketplace, making its catalog of 45,000 repair and maintenance parts more convenient for Chevrolet, GMC, Buick and Cadillac owners.

The newly available parts catalog includes oil filters, engine and cabin air filters, batteries, brake pads, accessory belts, cooling hoses and windshield wiper blades, among other parts.

Building on General Motors’ investment in digital commerce, GM’s online parts store combines the most convenient aspects of online shopping and physical retail into one experience. Customers can choose home delivery or pick up their order

at one of more than 800 participating dealers, where staff is available to answer questions.

Parts purchased through GM’s online store are eligible for Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC rewards programs, earning customers points that can be used to pay for parts, accessories or Certified Service at participating dealers. Buying through GM’s online store also provides customers with confidence they are purchasing original equipment ACDelco and GM Genuine Parts compatible with their vehicles.

“Making our parts available online marks another step in transformSee Online Parts Sales, Page 25

National Survey of Auto Body Shops Finds Revenues Going Up but Concerns Rising as Well

by John Yoswick

A national survey of collision repairers in the final two months of 2021 found well over half of shops (58%) expected their full-year sales to outpace 2020, with nearly one in five shops predicting they would end 2021 with a year over year increase of 20% or more.

However, the survey, conducted

by CRASH Network, found about a quarter of shops (23%) predicted 2021 sales will fall short of their 2020 numbers, with nearly one in 10 saying they expect to be down 20% or more compared to last year.

“Parts availability and increase in total losses has pushed business down,” said one East Coast shop owner.

“We have plenty of work to increase our numbers, but not enough employees to get it completed,” said a shop owner in Oklahoma. “We are running a 10-week backlog with over 70 cars in-process.”

“Business is picking up, but now sales are limited by parts and

lack of technician staff,” a Southern California shop owner concurred.

“I need two body techs and another prepper in the paint shop.”

The survey found the upward trend in business optimism over the past year came to a halt in the fall.

The majority (61%) said they are “not very” or “not at all concerned” about their business still operating a year from now, and that was up from 43% a year earlier, but down slightly from 64% in mid-2021.

Three in 10 of the shops acknowledged being “somewhat” concerned, up from 24% in two surveys earlier in 2021. About 10% described themselves as “very” or “extremely” concerned about their business viability, down from 26% a year ago, but unchanged from last spring.

“Inflation is going to take a huge bite out of profits,” a Massachusetts shop owner predicted, saying he was “somewhat” concerned about the shop’s future.

Still, most shops expect to make it through 2022.

See National Survey, Page 27

PERMIT #288 ANAHEIM, CA

PAID

Change Service Requested P.O. BOX 1516, CARLSBAD, CA 92018

PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE

MINIMIZE LOSS Material Usage Rate Labor Waste Theft

Our team and systems work to minimize each

Warranty Re-work Indifference

MATERIALS

TOOLS

TECHNIQUE

Hundreds of supplier relationships

SPEED / QUALITY

OPTIMIZED LABOR / IMPROVED CYCLE TIMES

Careful inspection, monitoring, measurement and reporting

Industrial Finishes has experts on staff

Industrial Finishes provides training, education & SOPs

LEARN MORE AT WWW.INDUSTRIALFINISHES.COM

2 FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

CONTENTS

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. ©2022 Adamantine Media LLC.

Acura of Westchester ������������������������������������ 42

Long Automotive Group �������������������������������� 17

Audi Wholesale Parts Dealers ������������������������ 63

Mazda Wholesale Parts Dealers ��������������������� 56

Axalta Coating Systems ����������������������������������� 7

Mercedes-Benz of Paramus ��������������������������� 54

BMW Wholesale Parts Dealers ����������������� 44-45

Mercedes-Benz of Wilmington ����������������������� 37

DCR Systems Sponsors Matrix Trade Institute � 27

Cadillac of Mahwah ��������������������������������������� 25

Mercedes-Benz Wholesale Parts Dealers ������� 57

Energy Commodity Prices Increased by 59%

Car-O-Liner ������������������������������������������������������� 9

MINI Wholesale Parts Dealers ����������������������� 46

Car-Part.com �������������������������������������������������� 24

MOPAR Wholesale Parts Dealers �������������� 40-41

Central Avenue Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge-Ram ���� 21

New Holland Ford ������������������������������������������ 39

Certified Automotive Parts Association ���������� 10

New Holland Toyota ��������������������������������������� 48

Circle BMW ��������������������������������������������������� 20

Nissan/Infiniti Wholesale Parts Dealers ���������� 52

Classifieds ������������������������������������������������������ 62

Northstar Kia �������������������������������������������������� 30

REGIONAL

Auto Insurers Embrace AI at Scale in 2021 ������� 4

AASP/NJ to Present OEM Certification Success

BMW’s New Car Changes Color ‘With the

Seminar in January ������������������������������������� 10 Dealership Group Acquires Rickards Restorations and Autobody in Delaware ����� 14 Fire Destroys NY Auto Repair Shop ������������������� 8 Maryland Auto Insurance Releases New Risk Management Initiative �������������������������������� 10 New York Becomes Latest State to Pass Peer-to-Peer Car Sharing Law ����������������������� 6 NORTHEAST 2022 Educational Program Announced ���������������������������������������������������� 1 NY Gov. Proposes Tax and Regulatory Relief for Small Businesses ����������������������������������� 17 NYC’s Private Sector Vaccine Mandate in Effect as of Dec. 27 ������������������������������������� 16 Pennsylvania Legislation Would Allow Self-Driving Car Testing on Public Roads ����� 18 Pennsylvania’s Highways Rank Near Bottom

Touch of a Button’ ��������������������������������������� 61 Boyd Group Completes CEO Plan �������������������� 62 Caliber Named to Best In Business List ���������� 24 Chevy Bolt Class Action Lawsuit Says Cars Unsafe ������������������������������������������������ 30 Collision Engineering Program Gets Grant ������� 20 Collision Repair Industry Thought Leaders Share Innovative Ideas During IDEAS Collide Showcase: Part 2 ���������������������������� 42

in 2021, EIA Reports ����������������������������������� 55 Ford Develops Job Aids for ADAS with Glass and Without �������������������������������������� 18 Future of ‘Double-Fronted Beetle’ on Route 66 in PA Up in the Air ������������������������ 24 G&C Auto Body Donates 7 Cars to Continue

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

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

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

of U.S. ��������������������������������������������������������� 12

Gene Crozat’s Legacy of Giving ������������������� 50

Pre-Registration Open for NORTHEAST 2022 ���� 8

General Motors Launches Online Parts Sales ���� 1

Colonial Automotive Group ���������������������������� 35

Nucar ������������������������������������������������������������� 19

Woman Gives Birth in Tesla Driving on

Get Used to Chip Shortages: They are Not

Courtesy Mitsubishi ��������������������������������������� 22

Open Road Acura of East Brunswick �������������� 26

DePaula Chevrolet-Ford ���������������������������������� 55

Open Road Chevrolet �������������������������������������� 36

Eastchester Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge ������������������ 14

Ourisman Chevrolet ���������������������������������������� 14

Empire Auto Parts ������������������������������������������ 18

Ourisman Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge ����������������������� 6

Equalizer Auto Glass Tools ������������������������������� 6

Packer Norris Parts ���������������������������������������� 29

Flemington Auto Group ���������������������������������� 43

Porsche Wholesale Parts Dealers ������������������� 61

Ford Wholesale Parts Dealers ������������������������ 53

Rafferty Subaru ���������������������������������������������� 28

Roadway Updates ��������������������������������������� 22

GM Wholesale Parts Dealers ������������������������� 49

Rockland Nissan �������������������������������������������� 28

Rivian Shows Off First Delivered R1S �������������� 22

Hoffman Auto Group �������������������������������������� 23

Schultz Ford ��������������������������������������������������� 47

Honda-Acura Wholesale Parts Dealers � 31, 32-33

Spanesi Americas �������������������������������������������� 5

Hyundai Wholesale Parts Dealers ������������������ 50

Subaru Wholesale Parts Dealers �������������������� 60

Autopilot ����������������������������������������������������� 20

Going Away Anytime Soon ������������������������� 20 GM Introduces Used Vehicle Shopping Tool ���� 28

COLUMNISTS Anderson - Can You Meet Collision Repair Shop Customers’ Changing Expectations of Service? �������������������������������������������������� 34 Yoswick - Do Automakers, Insurers See Auto Body Shops Meeting Both DRP and OEM Certification Requirements? ������������������������ 48 Yoswick - Fully Automated AI Collision Repair Estimating ‘Not There Yet’ ��������������������������� 36

Mercedes-Benz Previews Solar EV Concept Car with 620-Mile Range ���������������������������� 56 National Survey of Auto Body Shops Finds Revenues Going Up but Concerns Rising as Well ���������������������������������������������������������� 1 New Hampshire Gets Federal Funding for

Root Insurance Partners with Tractable ����������� 22 SEMA Group Announces Rebrand ������������������� 25

NATIONAL

SEMA Launches Online Library ����������������������� 60

‘Cheap’ Volkswagen ID.4 Coming ‘in the

SEMA President and CEO to Retire ����������������� 34

Industrial Finishes and Systems ����������������������� 2

Symach ���������������������������������������������������������� 10

Sony Getting Serious About EVs, Debuts

Infiniti of Norwood ����������������������������������������� 38

Toyota Wholesale Parts Dealers ��������������������� 58

Jaguar Land Rover Cherry Hill ������������������������ 16

USI of North America ������������������������������������� 64

Kelly Jeep-Chrysler ������������������������������������������ 8

Valspar Refinish ��������������������������������������������� 11

Kia Motors Wholesale Parts Dealers �������������� 51

Volkswagen Wholesale Parts Dealers ������������ 59

Kia of Attleboro ���������������������������������������������� 22

White Plains Volkswagen ������������������������������� 48

Kia of Coatesville �������������������������������������������� 27

Wrenchers ����������������������������������������������������� 15

Kundert Volvo ������������������������������������������������� 12

Yonkers Kia ����������������������������������������������������� 34

$35,000 Range’ ������������������������������������������� 37 2 More Automakers Cross Finish Line in Race to Fulfill Automatic Braking Pledge ��������������� 4 Advantage Parts Solutions Appoints Executive � 14

SUV Concept at CES ����������������������������������� 28 Toby Chess Shares Best Practice Documents for Collision Repairers ����������������������������������� 1

Albert Kemperle, Inc. Joins Wesco Group ������� 18

Top Electric Car Predictions for 2022 �������������� 58

ASE Celebrates 50th Anniversary ������������������� 61

U.S. Lawmakers Propose Bill Making Staged

Author/Teacher Trains and Mentors the Insurance Adjusters of the Future ��������������� 38 Auto Body Shop Owner Steps into World of Consulting ����������������������������������������������� 46

Collisions Federal Crime ������������������������������ 30 Volkswagen will Launch EV Bus on ID. Platform March 9 ������������������������������������������������������ 62

LKQ Corporation ��������������������������������������������� 13

autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS 3

2 More Automakers Cross Finish Line in Race to Fulfill Automatic Braking Pledge Twelve automakers are ahead of schedule in meeting a voluntary pledge to equip nearly all the light vehicles they produce for the U.S. market with automatic emergency braking (AEB).

Ford/Lincoln and Honda/Acura installed AEB on more than 95% of the vehicles they produced between Sept. 1, 2020, and Aug. 31, 2021, joining 10 other automakers that fulfilled the voluntary commitment in previous years.

The others to cross the finish line early are Audi, BMW, Hyundai/Genesis, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Subaru, Tesla, Toyota/Lexus, Volkswagen and Volvo.

Two additional automakers exceeded the 90% threshold. However, five of the 20 participating automakers equipped fewer than three-quarters of their vehicles with AEB. The 20 manufacturers submit progress reports annually until they meet the target as part of the commitment brokered by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). They pledged to equip at least 95% of their light-duty cars and trucks with the crash avoidance technology by the production year beginning Sept.

1, 2022. Light-duty vehicles are those with a gross vehicle weight rating of 8,500 pounds or less.

“The final sprint these lagging automakers are making shows that a rapid rollout of advanced safety features is possible,” said IIHS President David Harkey. “With the Ford and Honda brands hitting the target, this essential safety feature is now on a huge number of affordable, top-selling vehicles.”

Though they fell short of the target, Mitsubishi and Nissan/Infiniti installed AEB on nine out of 10 vehicles they produced last year.

Kia just missed that mark, equipping 89% of its vehicles with the technology. Maserati also made big strides, boosting its percentage of AEB-equipped vehicles to 72% from 48% a year earlier.

The voluntary commitment doesn’t specify phase-in milestones. However, General Motors, Jaguar Land Rover, Porsche and Stellantis—the company created by the recent merger of Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot—will need big gains to meet the 2022-23 target for light-duty vehicles. In the past year, they equipped fewer than two-thirds of the units they produced with AEB systems that meet the performance requirements of the voluntary commitment.

Along with Mitsubishi, two of those companies, Jaguar Land Rover and Stellantis, are among the three that made the most progress in 2021. Mitsubishi raised the portion

of its vehicles equipped with AEB to 92% from just 39% last year. Jaguar Land Rover boosted its tally to 60% from zero. Stellantis raised its total to 43% from 14% in 2020.

“It is good news for consumers that city-speed AEB now comes standard across most models, but Stellantis, GM and the other lagging companies really need to pick up the pace,” said David Friedman, vice president of advocacy for Consumer Reports. “The next step should be for NHTSA to set standards that ensure all automakers’ AEB systems work effectively at highway speeds and stop for pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable road users both during the day and at night.”

Separate from the manufacturers’ commitment, Consumer Reports also tracks the proportion of models on which AEB is standard equipment across all trim levels, as opposed to their overall production volume. Its latest information shows several automakers are making cityspeed AEB standard equipment on 100% of their models, guaranteeing the technology will be included on all new vehicles.

To fulfill their present commitment, manufacturers must attest the AEB system on their vehicles meets certain performance standards.

The forward collision warning feature must meet a subset of NHTSA’s current 5-Star Safety Ratings pro-

gram requirements on the timing of driver alerts.

The AEB must earn at least an advanced rating in the IIHS vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention evaluation. To earn that rating, the system must slow the vehicle by at least 10 mph in either the 12 or 25 mph test or 5 mph in both of the tests.

Many manufacturers’ standard systems earn a superior rating in the IIHS test. A significant portion of new vehicles can also detect and avoid pedestrians—a requirement for the IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK and TOP SAFETY PICK+ awards.

Along with light-duty vehicles, automakers also committed to installing AEB on vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 8,501 t0 10,000 pounds by September 2025. Six automakers reported producing vehicles in that range for the U.S. market in 2021. Among them, Ford equipped three-quarters of its vehicles with AEB, Stellantis 13% and Nissan/Infiniti 12%.

IIHS expects the voluntary commitment to prevent 42,000 crashes and 20,000 injuries by 2025. The estimate is based on IIHS research that found front crash prevention systems with both forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking cut rear-end crashes by half.

Source: IIHS

Auto Insurers Embrace AI at Scale in 2021 CCC Intelligent Solutions, the SaaS platform powering the P&C insurance economy, on Jan. 7 provided an update to its 2020 insurer AI adoption report, which shows significant growth in AI adoption in auto claims across key metrics.

The company reports a 50% year-over-year increase in the application of advanced AI for claims processing. The company also reports more than 9 million unique claims have been processed using a CCC deep learning AI solution, growing more than 80% in 2021, and the number of claims using four or more of its AI applications grew 6X year-overyear.

CCC also announced insurer adoption of its industry-first AI-powered touchless estimating solution, CCC® Estimate–STP, has doubled to eight national insurers since launching the solution in October. Today, more than 95 U.S. auto insurers are actively using CCC’s AI-powered capabilities.

“The data paints a clear picture of an industry embracing innovation and insurers activating AI at scale,” said Shivani Govil, chief product officer, CCC. “As our industry becomes increasingly complex and consumer demand for personalized experiences grows, AI has become essential.

Discrete applications of AI are

4 FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

giving way to broader use cases and more intelligent automation.

The sharp increases in the use of multiple AI applications and the rapid adoption towards fully touchless estimating are evidence of the industry’s digital transformation, which CCC is proud to lead, supporting our customer’s ability to redefine the insurance experience.”

The sharp growth in AI-powered claims is driven by an increase in the number of insurers using AI solutions and the expansion of applications for AI across their business, including estimating, audit, total loss handling, casualty and fraud detection. The number of insurers using at least one of CCC’s

AI-powered solutions grew nearly 30% year-over-year.

A leader in AI-informed solutions, CCC’s application of AI expands beyond claims decision making. CCC’s solutions leverage AI to improve customer interactions, streamline operations and digitize assessments. Whether applying language recognition to better engage consumers, computer vision to assess medical bills, or deep learning to accelerate decisions across the claims lifecycle, CCC continues to apply AI to improve policyholder interactions and operations across the network.

Source: CCC Intelligent Solutions

Big. Gray.

Available Today.

The Spanesi® 106 EXT Structural Straightening Bench is designed for larger and longer vehicles. The 106 EXT easily accommodates large work vans, light and medium duty trucks, and full-size SUVs. The 106 EXT is included in OEM certification programs around the globe. Contact Spanesi Americas for a current and complete list of programs.

Spanesi Americas, Inc. 123 Ambassador Dr. STE 107 Naperville, IL 60540

2022 - 02 Autobody News Spanesi FP Ad REV1.indd 1

106 EXT

Structural Straightening Bench 106 EXT Structural Workstation Includes: 7 Crossbars 14 Mounting Locations Bench With Rack Gears Lift With Control Box Loading Trolley Positioning And Ascending Ramps Pulling Column Universal Jig System Loading Capacity Length Width (Up To) Pulling Force

5,000kg (11,000lbs) 6m (19.7’) 2.1m (7’) 10 Tons 224-SPANESI (224-772-6374) www.spanesi-americas.com facebook.com/spanesiamericas

autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY 12/16/21 NEWS 5:13 PM5

New York Becomes Latest State to Pass Peer-to-Peer Car Sharing Law

by Steve Bittenbender, The Center Square

A new law in New York now allows for peer-to-peer car sharing in the state, a move proponents claim will provide new economic opportunities for residents.

Car sharing allows residents to offer their personal vehicles for short-term rentals.

Gov. Kathy Hochul signed S6715/A2349 into law in late December. Sponsored by Sen. Neil Breslin, D-Albany, and former Assemblyman (now Acting Secretary of State) Robert Rodriguez, D-Manhattan, the new law allows companies managing peer-to-peer programs to purchase group insurance. It also establishes taxes that will be used to fund mass transit and public transportation programs.

“Economic progress is often driven by marshaling available resources more efficiently rather than simply creating new resources,” wrote Breslin, who chairs the Senate Committee on Insurance, in the bill’s justification statement. “And history has taught us that when technological progress leads to more efficient

Montana Williams, the chamber’s director of state and local public policy, told Hochul studies show most vehicles are not in use up to 95% of the time, and those idled vehicles can take up a lot of land within cities.

“Peer-to-peer car sharing services put privately-owned vehicles to more efficient use by repurposing underutilized cars and cutting down on the need for individual car ownership, garages and storage,” Williams wrote.

Thousands of upstate New Yorkers do not own vehicles and need public transportation to meet their daily needs. However, public transportation systems Heavy traffic backs up on the Williamsburg Bridge aren’t always easily accesduring rush hour in New York City in 2016. The bridge sible or provide service to connects Lower Manhattan with the borough of Brookplaces individuals need to lyn. Credit: Ryan DeBerardinis/Shutterstock.com visit.

Williams also noted car sharing

In a letter sent to Hochul urging her to sign the bill, the chamber said can provide residents with an addipeer-to-peer car sharing will promote tional source of income to mitigate more effective use of private vehicles the impact the COVID-19 pandemic and can ease transit issues across the has had on them economically. state.

The new law will take effect 90 production, such technologies have the potential to make a positive overall economic impact.”

The legislation had the support of the Chamber of Progress. It’s a national technology public policy organization that counts companies like Amazon, Apple, Google and Uber as corporate partners.

days after Hochul signed the bill into law, which happened Dec. 22.

According to Turo, a car sharing service, New York became the 11th state in the country to enact a law in 2021 regarding peer-to-peer car sharing. In all, more than 20 states now allow the practice.

“Car sharing promises to be an important new part of our economy as it taps into our technological resources, and I believe it will further serve New York’s transportation needs,” Hochul said in her approval memo.

Hochul did work with lawmakers to incorporate an amendment that covers gaps in group insurance requirements and makes sure participants don’t have their personal insurance voided because their vehicles are used in car sharing programs.

“We applaud Gov. Hochul and members of the New York legislature for supporting consumer choice and innovation by enacting this law, and we look forward to working with regulatory agencies to bring peer-topeer car sharing to the Empire State,” Turo CEO Andre Haddad said in a statement.

Every Part Should Be a Perfect Fit. Go With the Original.

-Capable of lifting up to 300 lbs.

-Equipped with two PowerPumps™ for continuous suction -Enables one technician the ability to remove and replace windshields

AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER AT www.equalizer.com

Choosing Repair Parts Doesn’t Have to be Puzzling.

™

SENTINEL

Mopar® Collision Parts When your customers need collision repair parts, offer them the original equipment designed for their Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep®, Ram or FIAT ® Brand vehicle – Mopar®. Using aftermarket or salvage parts on their vehicles puts them at a higher collision risk and can influence the integrity and overall quality of their vehicle.

Keep your customers safe and satisfied with your repair services.

Go with the original. Go with Mopar. Call us first for all your parts needs!

OURISMAN CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM 12430 Auto Drive Clarksville, MD 21029

(410) 988-9570 Fax: (410) 988-9591 Mon.-Fri. 7:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.

Sat. 7:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

We Accept orders through Collision Link, OE Connection, Parts Trader, OPS Trax, CCC & Repair Link.

THE EASIEST ONE-PERSON AUTO GLASS SETTING DEVICE EVER MADE

©2021 FCA US LLC. All Rights Reserved. Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Mopar and SRT are registered trademarks of FCA US LLC.

6 FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com 68833_NEW1_Q_AB.indd 1

6/28/21 12:03 PM

A X A LT A C O A T I N G S Y S T E M S

More coverage in every can.

Unlike other basecoats that can require up to six coats, Cromax® XP delivers full coverage in as few as two coats. It’s easy to learn, use, and even repair—if ever needed. Cromax® XP is the ideal solventborne system for those who value quality and simplicity.

Experience the difference.

axalta.us/xp

Copyright © 2021 Axalta Coating Systems, LLC and all affiliates. All rights reserved.

autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS 7

Fire Destroys NY Auto Repair Shop

by Alice Kang, NBC5 News

An automotive repair shop in northern New York was destroyed by a fire Jan. 10.

Crew members with the South Plattsburgh Fire Department responded to reports of a blaze just before 6 p.m. at Simpson’s Auto Repair, located in Schuyler Falls, NY.

“Firefighters arrived on the scene to find a well-involved fire in the business,” the department later wrote in a social media post.

Firefighters worked through single-digit temperatures in an effort to contain the fire. The building was deemed a total loss by crews; no injuries were reported during the response.

The cause of the fire was determined to be accidental, according to South Plattsburgh fire officials.

Crews from the town and city of Plattsburgh departments were also dispatched to the scene. Additional aid was requested from six other departments in the area.

Pre-Registration Open for NORTHEAST 2022 The Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of New Jersey (AASP/ NJ) is excited to announce pre-registration is now underway for the 2022 NORTHEAST® Automotive Services Show, which will be held in person March 18-20 at the Meadowlands Exposition Center (MEC) in Secaucus, NJ.

The 2022 show marks the 45th year that AASP/NJ will present its flagship event, which promises to once again deliver the experience, education and equipment that automotive professionals from all over the Northeast—and beyond—expect every March.

Interested participants can pre-register to attend for free by visiting aaspnjnortheast.com.

This year promises even more than before with new highlights and activities expected to truly make it a can’t-miss opportunity for every collision and automotive repairer.

Attendees can expect to see more than 150 vendors offering the latest equipment and tools when they walk the aisles in March. A healthy slate of educational courses will also be offered, keeping repair-

ers abreast of the latest trends and issues affecting the industry.

“The industry is facing a crisis unlike any that have come before,” said AASP/NJ Secretary and NORTHEAST Event Manager Thomas Greco of Thomas Greco Publishing. “Shops are packed with vehicles, but can’t get the work out the door due to issues brought on by COVID including a lack of technicians, insurance company protocol changes, OEM repair standards that need new equipment, parts supply chain problems, etc.

“The NORTHEAST show won’t solve all these problems, but it WILL give the shops guidance on how to deal with many of them.

Through networking with fellow shops, our educational slate, aisles and aisles of the latest equipment, paint and tools, there is an endless amount of opportunity to improve your business in every way possible at NORTHEAST.” AASP/NJ Executive Director Charlie Bryant agreed:

“No matter what you are looking for—equipment, training, tools and presentations on the latest tech-

THE RIGHT FIT FOR THE PERFECT FINISH. Check out MoparRepairConnect.com for resources, promotions and technical information.

nology—you will find it at the 2022 NORTHEAST Automotive Services Show. Plus, it’s a great way to start getting back to normal and say hello to so many that we have not been able to for so long. In short, this is an event that you don’t want to miss.

See you all there!”

“What might be most important of all, shops will be able to once again get together with their peers and other industry professionals to discuss what’s happening and how to survive in these uncertain times,” added Greco.

To pre-register and to keep up with the latest information and announcements about NORTHEAST 2022, visit aaspnjnortheast.com.

Source: AASP/NJ

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

Sign Up Free Today! www.autobodynews.com

PROTECT YOUR CUSTOMER’S INVESTMENT WITH ORIGINAL MOPAR PARTS. ®

Authentic Mopar Parts are built to fit perfectly and function properly every time. This ensures that your customers are getting the highest quality parts manufactured to meet the original specifications and safety standards of their vehicle.

Providing more peace of mind for each customer you serve. ®

KELLY JEEP CHRYSLER 353 Broadway, Route 1 North Lynnfield, MA 01940 (800) 278-8558 Fax: (781) 581-2490 kjcparts@kellyauto.com Mon.–Sat. 8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. ©2021 FCA US LLC. All Rights Reserved. Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Wagoneer, Mopar and SRT are registered trademarks of FCA US LLC. FIAT is a registered trademark of FCA Group Marketing S.p.A., used under license by FCA US LLC.

8 FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com 26510_COL10_H_AB.indd 1

We accept orders via CollisionLink, PartsTrader, OE Connection, OPS Trax and CCC One.

9/2/21 3:25 PM

CDR1 ALL-IN-ONE

COSMETIC DENT REPAIR WORKSTATION The alternative to expensive, heavy equipment for high-margin, light cosmetic repairs of small-to-medium auto body damage.

ALL-IN-ONE

PORTABLE AND VERSATILE

The CDR1 contains all the equipment and materials needed to perform light cosmetic collision damage repair quickly and efficiently.

Roll the workstation easily to where it is needed.

Its small footprint makes it the perfect addition to any workshop. Provide extended service to current customers and attract new ones.

INCLUDES THE UNIQUE CR235 COMBI SPOTTER 230V. WITH TWO SEPARATE GUNS THIS SPOTTER CAN EASILY SWITCH BETWEEN STEEL AND ALUMINIUM WELDING OPERATIONS

EFFICIENT

QUICK

PRECISE

Switch quickly between two dedicated guns, no need for extra equipment, the duo machine meets aluminium and steel welding needs.

Disassembly of the panel is not required, reduce spare parts orders and save up to 40% on repair time.

Minimi welding and decrease Minimize the chance of altering panels through heat or burn-through and eliminate the risk for compromised corrosion protection.

BASIC DRAWERS

ART. NO 50522

STEEL + ALUMINIUM

ADVANCED

ART. NO 50709

STEEL + ALUMINIUM + GLUE

MASTER

ART. NO 50710

STEEL + ALUMINIUM + GLUE + HOLDER KIT + PUSH-PULL

Scan the QR code to learn

more about the CDR1 autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS 9

AASP/NJ to Present OEM Certification Success Seminar in January

Maryland Auto Insurance Releases New Risk Management Initiative

The Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of New Jersey’s (AASP/NJ) training returns with “OEM Certification Success: Dos and Don’ts,” presented by Dave Gruskos of Reliable Automotive Equipment at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 19 at the Holiday Inn in Clark, NJ.

Over the past few years, OEM certifications have become increasingly crucial to the success of collision repair facilities. In today’s environment, OEM certifications are a necessity for facilities that want to stand out from the shop down the street.

Gruskos is a recognized speaker who frequently presents at AASP/NJ’s NORTHEAST® Automotive Services Show and SEMA. He will cover a list of topics related to OEM certification including: establishing and maintaining partnerships with the OEMs and sponsoring dealers; tool and equipment specifications; the role of the customer; the who, when, where, how and how much of training; blueprinting for repairs; repair procedures and more.

Maryland Auto has announced the launch of a new initiative aimed at mitigating losses for commercial auto drivers in Maryland.

The goal is to reduce accidents by educating commercial vehicle drivers about loss prevention, thereby, keeping insurance costs lower.

The focal point of this effort is a new portal on Maryland Auto’s website, [mymdauto.com/commercialresources]mymdauto.com/commercialresources, that provides information to consumers, specifically commercial vehicle drivers, on how to avoid aggressive driving and prevent distracted driving.

“Maryland Auto has identified behaviors that frequently lead to reported accidents and injuries among commercial auto drivers.

This information drove the creation of a portal of online content geared towards helping these drivers identify and eliminate risky behaviors on the road,” said Maryland Auto Insurance Executive Director Al Redmer Jr. Maryland Auto will also be

AASP/NJ Collision Chairman Dennis Cataldo Jr. recommends all repairers take the opportunity to attend this valuable training course.

“With technology evolving more and more, we will fall behind if we don’t put in the work to keep up,” said Cataldo. “AASP/NJ continuously works to bring valuable training to its membership to help them stay ahead and remain successful. We want all shop owners to take advantage of the training as it’s a good idea to get out there and find out what you don’t know.”

This meeting is free to AASP/ NJ members in good standing; non-members pay $75 per person.

For more information about AASP/ NJ and to learn how to join the association, visit aaspnj.org.

Source: AASP/NJ

www.autobodynews.com

UPDATED DAILY

YOUR ASSURANCE OF QUALITY

QUICKLY DRY ANY TYPE OF PAINT, PRIMER AND BODY FILLER SCAN HERE to watch the video

www.capacertified.org

10 FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

www.symach.com

sharing targeted educational materials such as training courses, downloadable materials and videos with their network of producer partners to circulate among their commercial auto policyholders.

“Commercial vehicle drivers likely spend a higher percentage of time on the road than other drivers and are therefore at a higher risk for accidents. Implementing safe driving practices and taking preventative steps can reduce these risks and go a long way in making the roads safer for all Marylanders—and keeping insurance premiums down,” said Redmer.

The initiative uses resources from government and nonprofit agencies, across the state, including the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the National Safety Council, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance and more.

Source: Maryland Auto

AUTOBODY

VIBRANCY, VALUE AND VERSATILITY Achieve it all with Valspar Refinish

Valspar Refinish combines best performance with best value, from primer to clear. With this solvent system, you will achieve color consistency, great coverage and hiding, and an overall quality finish—every time.

A brand by

www.ValsparRefinish.com

autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS 11

Pennsylvania’s Highways Rank Near Bottom of U.S.

by Victor Skinner, The Center Square

Pennsylvania’s highway system is among the worst in the nation, ranking 39th out of 50 states in the Reason Foundation’s Annual Highway Report.

The annual report examines the cost-effectiveness and condition of each state’s highway system using 13 categories: total disbursements per mile, capital and bridge disbursements per mile, maintenance disbursements per mile, administrative disbursements per mile, rural interstate pavement condition, urban interstate pavement condition, urbanized area congestion, structurally deficient bridges, overall fatality rate, rural fatality rate and urban fatality rate.

The Keystone State received its lowest rankings for structurally deficient bridges and urbanized congestion, which ranked 46th and 45th, respectively.

Pennsylvania was one of only five states that reported more than 15% of bridges to be structurally deficient, a figure 1.5 times higher than New York and three times higher

Dedicated Wholesale Staff

Competitive Wholesale Prices

urban interstate pavement condition, ranked 43rd, and administrative disbursements per mile, ranked 37th.

“Pennsylvania spends $102,329 per mile of state-controlled road.

Pennsylvania is 35th in total spending per mile and 24th in capital and bridge costs per mile,” according to the report.

“To improve in the rankings, Pennsylvania needs to reduce its percentage of structurally deficient bridges and its urbanized area congestion,” said Baruch Feigenbaum, lead author of the report and senior managing director of transportation policy at Reason Foundation. “Given the poor condition of its bridges and its mediocre pavement condition, the An expressway with vehicles near Philadelphia. state might consider repriCredit: Stephen Finn/Shutterstock oritizing its spending to toll lanes in Philadelphia and Pitts- focus more on roadway and bridge burgh, an area in which the state is maintenance. lagging behind peer states,” the re- “While it may be challenging for Pennsylvania to have low costs port read.

The Pennsylvania interstate and roadways and bridges in good system also received low marks for condition, the state needs to priorthan Ohio.

The 35.53 peak hours Pennsylvanians spend in congestion is more than six times higher than the 5.68 hours for Ohio drivers, though significantly better than the 53.60 hours New Yorkers spend stuck in traffic.

“The state … could improve its 45th place ranking in congestion by building variably priced managed

Exceptional Customer Service

Prompt & Dependable Delivery

Parts Dept. Hours Mon-Fri 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Sat 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM

itize bringing its infrastructure to a state of good repair.”

Pennsylvania, which operates the country’s fifth-largest highway system, received the best rankings for its rural fatality rate, which came in 10th, and overall fatality rate, ranked 22nd.

Compared with other states in the Mid-Atlantic region, Pennsylvania’s 39th-place finish was just above Maryland in 38th, as well as Delaware’s 44th place, New York’s 46th place and New Jersey’s worstin-the-nation ranking.

The state’s western neighbors, Ohio and West Virginia, fared much better, ranking 24th and 30th, respectively. Pennsylvania previously ranked 35th in 2016 and 39th in 2018 and 2019.

Nationally, North Dakota received the best marks overall this year, followed by Virginia, Missouri, Kentucky and North Carolina in the top five.

FREE

4x Monthly E-Newsletter.

www.autobodynews.com

KUNDERT VOLVO Parts Dept.

201.288.8895 www.volvoofhasbrouckheights.com 140 Route 17 N l Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 07604

Comprehensive inventory of high quality OEM

VOLVO GENUINE PARTS

12 FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

SPONSORED EDITORIAL Sponsored by: The CAR Coalition

It’s Time to Protect Your Right to Repair America’s Vehicles Car ownership has long been a symbol of independence and personal freedom in American society. Thanks to the work of the independent auto care industry, which employs 4.7 million people and includes independent manufacturers, distributors, repair shops, and parts stores, car owners can feel confident making repairs and investing in the longevity of their car. However, due to embargoed technology solutions and anti-competitive behaviors within the marketplace, local auto repair shops and some dealerships are feeling the pressure of high costs and unnecessary burdens as a result of car repair restrictions.

affordable automobile collision repair parts,” says Justin Rzepka, Executive Director of the CAR Coalition. “It’s time for Congress to get serious about solutions, including the SMART Act, to ensure businesses can offer the auto repairs their customers want.”

Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are increasingly using a range of tactics, like patent thickets, controlling telematics data, position statements, repair procedures, and trademarks, to force repair shops and dealerships to use OEM parts and to steer more business to their preferred repair networks. These practices not only severely limit consumer choice, but cause economic ripple effects for businesses nationwide.

The good news is that an overwhelming majority (78%) of vehicle-owning voters support federal right to repair legislation that protects against design patent abuse in the automotive industry, such as the SMART Act. And only 25% of voters believe that design patents should be used for common car items, like side mirrors and bumpers.

Reform is critical to restoring competition in the marketplace. Six automakers were among the top 20 U.S. design patent recipients in 2020. These automakers have drastically increased the number of design patents they’ve applied for and been granted over the past 20 years – roughly 250% in at least one case!

Repair restrictions on cars and other items have been skyrocketing in recent years due to OEMs increasingly misusing design patents to crowd out competitors in the marketplace. On top of that, OEMs are tightening their grip on vehicle data. These restrictions make it harder for businesses to offer alternative parts during the car repair process.

While some states, like Massachusetts and Illinois, have made promising strides in the growing automotive right to repair movement recently, there’s still work to be done.

One national solution is the bipartisan Save Money on Auto Repair Transportation (SMART) Act (H.R. 3664), which would allow for greater choice of quality, safe, and affordable aftermarket car parts – putting business owners and consumers alike back in control. The SMART Act would: • Reduce from 15 years to 2.5 years the time that car manufacturers can enforce design patents on collision repair parts, such as fenders, quarter panels and doors, against alternative parts manufacturers; and • Maintain business owners and consumers’ right to choose from a multitude of brands, prices, and products when purchasing parts and making repairs.

Importantly, the SMART Act maintains appropriate intellectual property rights for automakers by upholding the existing patent period in which automakers can enforce design patents against other automakers.

“Local businesses and consumers lose when 15-year design patents keep independent manufacturers from offering safe, quality, and

The SMART Act is currently sitting before the House Committee on the Judiciary, as local businesses cope with stress due to the pandemic and while inflation continues to drive up vehicle maintenance costs. Alternative parts are 26-50% less expensive than OEM parts, while also helping to decrease the cost of OEM parts by 8% through competition. These are reasons why the SMART Act will not only increase choice, but will also translate to lower prices for car repair parts.

In addition to the CAR Coalition, which includes American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA), Automotive Body Parts Association (ABPA), AutoZone, and LKQ, the SMART Act is supported by the Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety Coalition, National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC), Auto Care Association, RetireSafe, AARP, and more.

Last year was one of the biggest years for right to repair, thanks to hard work from businesses, advocacy groups, consumers, and government officials alike. In 2022, it’s time to build on the momentum to protect your right to repair America’s vehicles. Learn more about the SMART Act and get involved today: www.carrepairchoice.org/ take-action. autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS 13

Advantage Parts Solutions Appoints Executive

Dealership Group Acquires Rickards Restorations and Autobody in Delaware The Hertrich Family of Automobile Dealerships recently announced its acquisition of Rickards Restorations and Autobody in Millsboro, DE.

Rickards Restorations and Autobody has been a family-owned and -operated business, and a pillar of the community for several years, a tradition the Hertrich family is excited to continue.

Rickards Restorations and Autobody, located at 28656 Dupont Blvd., will now be known as Hertrich Collision Center of Millsboro.

“We are extremely excited to welcome the Hertrich Collision Center of Millsboro to our organization,” said Fred Hertrich IV. “Dayna and Ezra Rickards and the Rickards Restorations and Autobody team have created an excellent reputation for high-quality collision repair work and have done an outstanding job serving the collision repair needs of the Millsboro community for many years. We are very grateful for the opportunity to welcome the Rickards team to our family.”

The Hertrich Collision Cen-

ter of Millsboro marks the seventh Hertrich Collision Center on Delmarva. The 30,000-square foot facility has about 45 repair bays and two paint booths, and is equipped with the latest technology, ensuring the highest-quality repair work and short repair times.

Like all Hertrich Collision Centers, Hertrich Collision Center of Millsboro is a direct repair partner and accepts all insurance companies as well as customer repairs.

Hertrich Collision Center of Millsboro will offer free estimates, paintless dent repair, glass replacement, insurance assistance, towing and rental assistance. In addition, thanks to its highly trained team of I-CAR and manufacturer-certified technicians, all Hertrich Collision Centers offer a lifetime warranty.

“We understand that any situation in which a collision repair is needed can be a stressful one, and it is our goal to use our knowledge, experience and partnerships to make the experience as smooth and easy as possible. Customers always have the right to choose any repair facility they wish in the event of

a collision, and we are excited to continue the legacy Rickards has created of being the best choice in Millsboro,” said Hertrich. “We invite customers and the community to come see us at Hertrich Collision Center of Millsboro, and we look forward to serving all of your collision repair needs.”

The Hertrich Family of Automobile Dealerships now has 22 dealerships, 36 franchises and seven collision centers, and carries 19 manufacturers throughout Delaware, Maryland and New Jersey, representing a complete line of multi-franchise sales, service, parts, accessories and collision centers.

Advantage Parts Solutions, a global leader in delivering strategic automotive parts solutions, is pleased to welcome Paul Gange as president of North America to its global team of executive leadership. Gange joins the organization to accelerate the brand’s global sales and marketing strategy and vision throughout North American markets. Gange, a seasoned industry executive, joins as Advantage’s president of North America. In his role, he is responsible for the company’s operations throughout Canada and the U.S. Over his 25-year career, Gange held various executive roles, most notably as president and CEO of Fix Auto USA and with Mitchell International, an Enlyte company, and Audatex, a Solera company.

He is an accomplished keynote speaker at many U.S. and international events and has held several advisory board roles with information providers, insurers and various industry organizations.

Source: Advantage Parts Solutions

To learn more, go to hertrichcollision.com.

FOLLOW US ON

TWITTER:

@autobodynews

Your Trusted Source for All Your GM OEM Parts

COLLISION CONOUEST COLLISION PARTS HAVE

MET THEIR

MATCH.

THE MOPAR

®

PRICE MATCH. O.E. QUALITY AT AFTERMARKET PRICES.

• Comprehensive Inventory of Genuine OEM Parts • Fleet of 10 Dedicated Delivery Vehicles • Daily Deliveries to the Greater Baltimore/Washington DC Metro area • GM Trained Team of Wholesale Parts Specialists

OURISMAN

YOU ALWAYS GET YOUR WAY AT OURISMAN CHEVROLET.

800-358-7788

301-899-6990 Direct 301-899-9375 Fax Mon - Fri 7:30am-6pm Sat 8am-4pm

wholesale@ourisman.com

4400 Branch Avenue l Marlow Heights, MD 20748

www.ourismanchevrolet.com

Send your electronic insurance estimate to your local FCA US LLC dealer and get the parts that fit true and finish right. We price match* against aftermarket or salvage collision parts. Program includes fascias, headlamps/tail lamps, grilles, bumpers, fenders, hoods, wheels, mirrors, radiators and condensers. *Some exclusions apply. See dealer for details.

EASTCHESTER CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE 4007 Boston Road Bronx, NY 10466

ORDER HOT LINE: (914) 597-7018 Fax: (718) 881-3014 Mon.–Fri. 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Sat. 8:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.

WE COMPETE WITH AFTERMARKET PRICES!

FREE DELIVERY! ©2021 FCA US LLC. All Rights Reserved. Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Mopar and SRT are registered trademarks of FCA US LLC.

14 FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com 60453_COL22_Q_AB.indd 1

5/4/21 4:37 P

WE DON’T SELL THESE

Call Now for FREE catalog!

Check out the Full Catalog at www.wrenchers.com

Shop Equipment | Automotive Tools | Car Lifts | Wheel Service Ask about our price promise guarantee.

1-800-261-7729 © 2021 Wrenchers LLC. All Rights Reserved.

autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS 15

Continued from Cover

NORTHEAST 2022 consistency to the shop, and “Understanding Consumer Education” will open repairers’ eyes to the consumer mentality and the importance of presenting information in a way that enhances the customer’s understanding.

“Larry and Kristen without a doubt are two of the most skilled and talented educational presenters out there,” said AASP/NJ President Jerry McNee. “Their backgrounds are unmatched by most. Bringing them back to the show to host a few training classes is a huge benefit to all.

Who better to learn from? I am certainly looking forward to having them as part of this year’s NORTHEAST.” NORTHEAST’s 2022 educational program will also include “The Continuing Tech Shortage: How Do We Fix It?” featuring panelists Greg Settle of TechForce, Josh Laurent of Automotive Business Management, Keith Egan of Betag Innovation, Brandon Eckenrode of the Collision Repair Education Foundation and Bart Mazurek of CCC In-

telligent Solutions Automotive Services Group.

The panel, which will be moderated by Michael Bonsanto of Passaic County Technical Vocational School, will set out to address the serious man-power issue being felt by repairers all across the country.

An ADAS panel and a seminar on the appraisal clause are also scheduled, as well as a course for New Jersey collision repairers to earn a training certificate that will qualify them for renewal of their 2022 New Jersey Auto Body License.

McNee encourages repairers to attend these classes, as knowledge is key in running a successful business.

“Even if you go to one class, you are likely to take home at least three things that you can apply immediately and put it to good work in your facilities,” McNee said.

Badge registration for NORTHEAST 2022 is currently open; class registration is scheduled to open Feb. 1. For more information or to pre-register online for free, visit aaspnjnortheast.com. For more information on AASP/NJ, visit aaspnj.org.

Source: AASP/NJ

NYC’s Private Sector Vaccine Mandate in Effect as of Dec. 27

by Dan McCaleb, The Center Square

All workers in New York City will be required to show employers they have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, beginning Dec. 27.

Outgoing New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, in his last week in office, announced the mandate earlier in December. Unlike President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate on the private sector, which many courts have ruled is likely unconstitutional and which will be argued before the U.S. Supreme Court in early January, de Blasio’s mandate does not give workers the option of weekly testing.

Nearly 185,000 businesses in the city will be required to enforce the mandate, according to de Blasio’s office.

Business groups have blasted the order, saying they were blindsided by it and questioning its legality.

“Inconsistent policies at the federal, state and city levels are

not helpful, and it is unclear who will enforce a mayoral mandate, and whether it is even legal,” the Partnership for New York City, a nonprofit group representing 330 businesses that have more than 1 million workers in the city, said in a statement. “President Biden’s vaccine mandate on employers with over 100 employees is currently held up by litigation, and it is hard to imagine that the mayor can do what the president is being challenged to accomplish.”

Also on Dec. 27, the city will require children ages 12 and older to have two doses of a vaccine to be able to enter restaurants, fitness centers, entertainment venues and other places. That mandate already was in effect for adults.

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:

Autobody News

JAGUAR LAND ROVER CHERRY HILL parts

856.324.3630 856 324 3630

JAGUARLAND ROVER FINALLY TOGETHER IN CHERRY HILL

Jaguar Land Rover Cherry Hill

M-F 7:30am -5pm

2000 Route 70 East Cherry Hill, NJ 08003 www.landrovercherryhill.com

856.663.2800 Local 856.663.1663 24hr Fax jasons@Irch.com

16 FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

—

ALL THE PARTS YOU NEED, NOW IN ONE PLACE

• Comprehensive Inventory of Quality Genuine Jaguar and Land Rover OEM Parts • Professional and Highly Knowledgeable Wholesale Specialists to Help You • Free Daily Deliveries to the Greater Philadelphia / South Jersey Metro Area

NY Gov. Proposes Tax and Regulatory Relief for Small Businesses

by Steve Bittenbender, The Center Square

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul wants lawmakers to help the state’s small businesses recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

She outlined a multifaceted plan for small and emerging businesses in her State of the State speech Jan. 5 that included tax and regulatory relief. In addition, Hochul’s plan calls for offering loans at reduced interest rates and contracting opportunities to socially and economically disadvantaged businesses.

There are also initiatives to provide funding for early-stage businesses to try to keep those emerging enterprises in the state.

A cornerstone of the plan, being tabbed as the “Billion Dollar Rescue Plan,” is $100 million in tax relief for 195,000 small businesses. Hochul wants to achieve that through reforms that will widen eligibility and increase tax return adjustments that reduce gross income.

“These businesses are the economic engines of small towns and big cities alike,” the governor said.

“They’re what make our communities

unique and give them personality.”

Another proposed tax credit that would help some small businesses is one for restaurants and bars to offset costs they’ve incurred to offer outdoor dining to their patrons.

Restaurants and bars also stand to benefit from a regulatory reform Hochul has prioritized for this year’s legislative session. She wants lawmakers to pass this year include allowing those establishments to sell alcoholic drinks as part of “to-go” orders.

The state temporarily waived the prohibition during the early stages of the pandemic when restaurants were forced to close to in-person dining. It also helped keep many establishments afloat as they endured restrictions on indoor dining.

The permanent repeal of the “to-go” sales ban has been a priority for the New York State Restaurant Association. In a statement, its president and CEO thanked Hochul for making it a priority.

“These are difficult times that are not letting up,” Melissa Fleischut said. “The restaurant industry is being battered once again by another wave of

COVID-19, colder weather restricting dining options and widespread staffing challenges. New York State must find ways to support the industry.”

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul talks to reporters Oct. 5 in the Red Room at the state Capitol in Albany, NY. Credit: Mike Groll/Office of Gov. Kathy Hochul

More than three-quarters of New Yorkers support alcohol to-go, Fleischut said.

Hochul also wants to create an interagency council that would bring together representatives from Empire State Development, the State Department of Transportation, the Thruway Authority, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to find ways to encourage more women-owned and minority-owned busi-

nesses to participate in state projects that will get funding from the $1.2 trillion federal infrastructure bill Congress passed in November.

The National Federation of Independent Business issued a statement Jan. 5 supporting Hochul’s plans for small business and middle-class tax relief, noting more than 60% of small businesses are “passthrough entities,” meaning all of the company’s income is passed directly to the owner.

The proposed grant and lending programs will also help, said NFIB New York State Director Ashley Ranslow. However, Ranslow said more needs to be done to lift the burden off small businesses.

Namely, that means fixing the state’s unemployment insurance program.

“Sky-high unemployment insurance taxes are crushing small businesses and suppressing Main Street’s revival,” Ranslow said. “New York State must allocate billions of dollars in unspent federal aid to help lower small businesses’ UI taxes and restore the drained unemployment insurance system.”

Since 1927

Insist On Genuine GM Parts.

Direct:

800-982-2298

Fax#: 508-879-1212

parts@longauto.com www.longautoparts.com Hours: Mon - Fri 8am - 5pm

218 Turnpike Rd. Southboro, MA 01772

ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT FIT AND FINISH • CONFIDENCE • WARRANTY • Internet Based National Parts Locator • Over 2 Million in inventory • 40,000 sq/ft. Warehouse • 30,000 Part Numbers in-Stock • Fleet of 18 Wholesale Delivery Trucks GPS-Equipped • GM and ASE Certified Staff

• Snap-On Electronic Parts Catalog • Experienced and Accurate Sales Staff • Competitive Discounts • Liberal No-Hassle Return Policy • GM Bump the Competition Conquest Program • OE CollisionLink Dealer

The Right Part The Right Pri , ce, at The Right Tim e! autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS 17

Pennsylvania Legislation Would Allow Self-Driving Car Testing on Public Roads The Pennsylvania State Legislature is currently considering SB 965, legislation that would allow companies to test self-driving vehicles on Pennsylvania highways without a driver available to take over in an emergency.

This bipartisan bill, which was introduced with support from Pennsylvania Transportation Secretary Yassmin Gramian, is sponsored by the Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee Sen. Wayne Langerholc (R-Johnstown).

Proponents of this legislation believe it will make Pennsylvania a leader in the testing and manufacturing of autonomous vehicle technology, creating new jobs and generating revenue for the state.

Carnegie Mellon University President Farnam Jahanian commented on the proposed legislation, saying this bill could allow the state to become “a hub for the transformative technology of the future.”

The Automotive Service Association is asking Pennsylvania shops to contact their state representatives to urge them to consider

extending existing vehicle safety inspection laws to the deployment of autonomous vehicles.

Self-driving vehicles are an exciting part of the future of transportation. However, these vehicles must be held to the same standards as vehicles on the road today, to ensure they are safe for drivers and road users—both when they are deployed and long after they are in use.

“ASA supports the development and implementation of autonomous vehicles,” said ASA Chairman Fred Hules II. “However, autonomous vehicle legislation should not pass without proper vehicle safety provisions. New technology needs to be regularly inspected by qualified repair professionals to ensure that vehicle systems are working properly to keep drivers and other road users safe.”

In Pennsylvania, vehicles are required to get an annual vehicle safety inspection. In multiple studies, including a 2009 report from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, vehicle safety

Ford Develops Job Aids for ADAS with Glass and Without

by Rebecca Barnabi, glassBYTEs.com

Ford has developed three new job aids, two of which are for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems.

The job aids are intended to assist in ADAS repairs of Ford and Lincoln models.

On Target said information about the new job aids is intended as a reference only. Auto glass repairers are reminded when servicing or calibrating ADAS components, detailed procedures are available in the Ford Workshop Manual, and accessible on Motorcraftservice.com or the Ford Professional Technician Safety website.

The new job aids for ADAS with and without glass provide component description and location and the required steps for each ADAS. The troubleshooting guides “identify specific ADAS components, all associated abbreviations and descriptions of how the systems operate, while the glass version further illustrates where ADAS components are in relation

to the windshield or other fixed glass, such as the head-up display module, which is located on top of the instrument panel on the driver’s side at the base of the windshield.”

ADAS components may require additional calibration steps or programming after removal, replacement or service.

“Concerning the electrified fleet of Ford vehicles, we wanted to make sure repairers familiarize themselves with the unique repair characteristics of these vehicles, as well as the specialized tools, equipment, materials and precautions needed to repair them accurately and safely,” Ford customer service division U.S. collision manager Chris Wallace said in On Target.

“These job aids allow us to provide the critical information our technicians need upfront, before they even need it, though the job aids do not replace Ford OE repair procedures.”

(C) 2022 by glassbytes.com.

Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved. For more information contact www.glassbytes.com.

18 FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

inspections have been proven to reduce accidents, injuries and fatalities and improve vehicle safety on the roads. Subsequent state and university research has supported this same view.

Autonomous technology is intended to reduce user error and improve safety while driving.

However, these autonomous safety systems must be regularly inspected to ensure that they continue to function as intended after the vehicle is in use.

Existing vehicle safety inspection laws should be extended to cover any new autonomous vehicle technology deployed on public roads, both in Pennsylvania and in all other states considering similar legislation. These inspections ensure that vehicles with advanced automotive technology are safe after they are in use.

To send a letter to their state representatives, Pennsylvania shops should use this link: https://cqrcengage.com/asashop/app/write-a-letter?0&engagementId=513680 Source: ASA

Albert Kemperle, Inc. Joins Wesco Group Wesco Group, a leading paint, body and equipment distributor in the western U.S. and Canada, is pleased to announce Albert Kemperle, Inc. has joined the Wesco family of companies.

Kemperle Auto Paint, Body & Equipment was founded by Albert and Mary Kemperle, who opened its first store in Brooklyn, NY, in 1940. Over the decades, generations of founding family members continued to expand that single store into more than 50 locations in the eastern U.S.

Ronald Kemperle has joined Wesco as a principal partner and will continue to guide the group in the eastern U.S.

The combined Wesco family of companies, which includes Wesco, Color Compass and Kemperle, is one of the largest privately-held PBE distributors in North America, servicing customers from more than 118 stores, 13 distribution centers, 12 equipment divisions and 11 training centers.

Source: Wesco Group

EMPIRE AUTO PARTS

Spend more time running your business and less time worrying about your parts.

www.empireap.com

Lamps

Bumper Covers

Radiators

Hoods & Fenders

Door Mirrors

Steel Bumpers

Cooling Fans

Grilles & Bezels

NJ DISTRIBUTION CENTER

MA DISTRIBUTION CENTER

800.624.4561

888.366.5155

NC DISTRIBUTION CENTER

MD DISTRIBUTION CENTER

Serving CT, DE, MA, NJ, NY, PA, VT

800.318.5030 Serving GA, NC, SC, VA

Serving ME, MA, NH, RI, VT

888.700.8074

Serving DC, DE, MD, NC, PA, VA, WV

Parts Accuracy

Quality Assurance

Friendly Sales Team

Fast, Free Delivery

PARTS

Right on Time!

Tell us what you want and when you need them by, and we’ll get them to you.

What we offer: • 80 wholesale professionals ready to serve cturer deliveries • Same night manufacturer ry on-site • $6.2 million inventory y • Open 22 hours a day elivery y • Automated order delivery and tracking • Regional / national parts locating • 24 hr. return / creditt process

CLOSED 9 - 11pm

O OPEN OP PEN

Here to Help

with Any Parts Needs.

For new customer inquiries

PH: 800-633-6606 FAX: 800-346-5285 email: parts@nucar.com

email: parts@nucar.com or CALL Anna Todd at:

302-275-2591 “Call me with any questions you have”

Powered by:

www.nucarparts.com autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS 19

Woman Gives Birth in Tesla Driving on Autopilot

by Steven Loveday, Inside EVs

According to a recent article published by The Guardian, a new mother in Philly gave birth in a moving Tesla.

However, what’s more interesting is the birth happened in the front seat while the car was driving with assistance from Tesla Autopilot.

The publication said this may be the world’s first “Tesla baby,” and it’s “a good news story for Tesla, which has been plagued by bad publicity over safety concerns and workplace abuse.” Before jumping to conclusions and assuming this pregnant woman made unsafe choices, continue reading.

It was a situation that may have been unavoidable. The original story, published by the Philadelphia Inquirer, explained Tesla owners Yiran and Keating Sherry were heading to drop off their son at school when Yiran’s water broke.

They were stuck in traffic with no way to get to the hospital.

Apparently, the whole situation unfolded rather quickly. Yiran

was having contractions, which were increasing to the point they figured they would probably never make it to the hospital, though

Yiran was hoping to be able to wait until they got to the hospital to deliver the baby. She didn’t know whether she should try to push or try

“She was squeezing my hand to the point where I thought she was going to shatter it. I was [saying] ‘Yiran, OK, focus on your breathing.’ That was advice to myself, as well. My adrenaline was pumping.” — Keating Sherry stopping wasn’t really an option either. Traffic was creeping along, so Keating put the car in Autopilot and set the Tesla’s navigation destination to take them to the hospital, some 20 minutes away.

Keating kept a hand on the steering wheel as he tried to help his wife. He told the Inquirer:

“She was squeezing my hand to the point where I thought she was going to shatter it. I was [saying] ‘Yiran, OK, focus on your breathing.’ That was advice to myself, as well. My adrenaline was pumping.”

to hold back. However, in the end, she decided there was no turning back. As the car was arriving at the hospital, Yiran gave birth in the car.

Fortunately, there were no issues, Yiran was fine and the “Tesla baby” was healthy. While the couple considered naming the newborn “Tess,” they decided on Maeve Lily.

This is just one of those freak situations in which systems like Tesla’s Autopilot, or related technology such as adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist and automotive emergency braking can help in ways some may not expect.

Collision Engineering Program Gets Grant The Collision Engineering Program has received a $700,000 grant from ECMC Foundation to support the growth and expansion of the industry-leading program’s efforts. With foundational support provided by the Enterprise Holdings Foundation, the program is designed to attract and develop entry-level talent to fill essential roles within the collision repair industry and enhance retention and advancement.With nearly 100,000 new entrant collision technicians needed between 2021 and 2025, according to the TechForce Foundation, the Collision Engineering Program addresses the ongoing technician shortage and skills gap.

The program replicates Ranken Technical College’s unique two-year apprenticeship model at schools across the U.S., preparing students for success by treating them as professionals from day one. Students gain real-world education working alongside industry experts while also earning their associate degree.

Source: Enterprise Holdings

Get Used to Chip Shortages: They are Not Going Away Anytime Soon

by Loukia Papadopoulos, Interesting Engineering

There’s no denying there is a global chip shortage.

In November, it was reported Japan had committed $5.2 billion toward providing support for semiconductor manufacturers in a bid to help solve the world’s ongoing chip shortage.

But is that enough? It seems not. During a recent earnings call, Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra told investors it is clearly not.

“Across the PC industry, demand for DDR5 products is significantly exceeding supply due to non-memory component shortages impacting memory suppliers’ ability to build DDR5 modules,” Mehrotra said. “We expect these shortages to moderate through 2022, enabling bit shipments of DDR5 to grow to meaningful levels in the second half of calendar 2022.”

What does this mean for consumers? Cars are more expensive, computer makers are struggling to keep up with consumer demand, and many products have been se-

verely delayed, such as the PlayStation 5, which is still impossible to order a year after its launch, according to Yahoo Finance.

COVID is partially to blame.

Carmakers assumed people would not want to buy cars during the pandemic and slowed down production, only to discover the opposite was true. COVID also forced the slowdown of many production lines such as those of chipmakers.

Companies are trying to do something about the crisis. Intel, TSMC and Samsung are investing in new factories but it will still take at least two years until they are up and running.

Experts are estimating the shortage will continue well into 2022 and 2023. Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger said he expects the situation to continue till 2023.

“COVID disrupted the supply chains, causing it to go negative.

Demand exploded to 20% yearover-year, disrupted supply chains and created a very large gap, and that exploding demand has persisted,” he said to Nikkei.

20 FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

THE HIGHEST QUALITY PARTS FOR THE HIGHEST QUALITY CARS. Over $1 Million in Inventory of Original BMW Parts.

Prompt, Professional, Courteous Service.

Fast Free Delivery to all of Central New Jersey.

We Accept Orders Through Collision Link.

Circle BMW Phone: 732.440.1235 Parts Fax: 732.440.1239 The BMW Store at the Jersey Shore since 1980.

Wholesale@circlebmw.com www.circlebmw.com 500 State Route 36 East, Eatontown, NJ 07724 Hours: M-F 7:30-5; Sat 8-3

©2022 BMW of North America, LLC. The BMW name, model names and logo are registered trademarks.

ORIGINAL.

JUST LIKE OUR PARTS.

Mopar® Parts. There’s nothing like them. Compared to aftermarket replacement parts, Mopar Collision Parts offer better fit, function and reliability. What an original concept.

RIGHT ON TIME PARTS – WE ARE YOUR ONE STOP SOURCE FOR MOPAR OEM COLLISION PARTS.

WHOLESALE DIVISION

1015 Saw Mill River Rd. Bldg. #5 Yonkers, NY 10710 P: (800) 967-5298 F: (914) 361-1508 Saturday Only: (914) 961-5424

Mon.–Fri. 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Sat. 8:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. www.centralave.com

©2021 FCA US LLC. All Rights Reserved. Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Mopar and SRT are registered trademarks of FCA US LLC. FIAT is a registered trademark of FCA Group Marketing S.p.A., used under license by FCA US LLC.

62457_COL20_F_AB.indd 1

autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS 21 1/7/21 1:18 PM

New Hampshire Gets Federal Funding for Roadway Updates

by Christian Wade, The Center Square

New Hampshire is getting another pile of cash from the federal government to help fix potholed roads and crumbling bridges and expand public transit options. The U.S. Department of Transportation is sending nearly $219 million to the state as part of the $1 trillion infrastructure and jobs law, signed by President Joe Biden.

“Many of our roads, highways and bridges have been lacking investment for too long, threatening the safety of drivers traveling to work, getting groceries and picking up their kids from childcare,” U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-NH, said in a statement. “It’s long past time we deliver a once-in-a-generation investment in our highways to boost safety and resilience.” Other members of the state’s congressional delegation who pushed for the funding praised the Biden administration’s decision to quickly distribute the funds.

“The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act makes good on decades of promises to invest in our communities, and I’m pleased that we are delivering the federal funds nec-

essary for New Hampshire to reduce congestion and improve safety and quality of life,” Rep. Chris Pappas, D-NH, said in a statement.

The DOT’s Federal Highway Administration announced Dec. 16 that $52.5 billion in federal funds were being distributed to states, tribal nations and territories as part of the infrastructure law. That’s a 20% increase over last year’s federal highway apportionments, the agency said.

“We are committed to delivering on the promise of the bipartisan Infrastructure law, and putting people to work modernizing our infrastructure and making it safer, more sustainable and more efficient,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. Biden visited New Hampshire in November to tout the infrastructure law, saying it will “improve the lives of tens of millions of working-class Americans while fixing roads, bridges and expanding internet access.” He gave the remarks from an aging span bridge in Woodstock that has been on the state’s “red list” of structurally deficient bridges for years.

Overall, New Hampshire stands to get more than $2.05 billion from the

Rivian Shows Off First Delivered R1S

by Mark Kane, Inside Evs

Rivian has released a little more detail about the first two R1S SUVs delivered in December, but remains mostly in stealth mode.

As it turns out, the first two were handed over to company CEO R.J. Scaringe and CFO Claire McDonough.

The first-ever R1T truck was delivered to Scaringe, and most of the initial R1Ts were delivered to Rivian’s employees.

It’s clear Rivian continues its strategy of delivering the first vehicles to employees and, as the ramp-up progresses, will expand to customers.

Such an approach might be

helpful to catch the last details that require refinement and improve quality before the world will take a look at the vehicle and provide independent reviews.

“We’re working towards ramping production over the next few months on our way to full volume production,” the company said. “Thanks to our team for all the hard work to make it happen!”

Rivian is an EV startup, which means it’s not easy for the company to launch its first products, especially as three products are being launched simultaneously— the R1T, the R1S and EDV van.

According to the recent Q3 2021 report, the company has some 71,000 pre-orders for the R1T and R1S. As of Dec. 15, 652 were produced and 386 were delivered, including two R1S. Production and deliveries are expected to miss the target of about 1,200 R1T and R1S combined by the end of 2021, so we have to wait for 2022 for a higher volume of thousands of vehicles per month.

22 FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Root Insurance Partners with Tractable

spending bill over the next five years, including at least $1.1 billion for highway upgrades and $225 million for bridge repairs, according to a breakdown provided by the White House.

The state will also receive at least $418 million to improve water and sewer infrastructure and at least $100 million to help provide broadband coverage. Another $45 million will be available to improve rail service.

Topping the list of infrastructure needs in New Hampshire are its aging roadways and bridges, many of which are in a state of disrepair, according to a fact sheet released by the White House.The Biden administration’s Infrastructure Report Card gave the state a C- grade, saying there are 250 bridges and nearly 700 miles of highway in poor condition.

Gov. Chris Sununu has welcomed the additional federal funding but has also pointed out that New Hampshire receives the lowest amount of money nationwide for highway programs under the federal government’s funding formula. He wrote to Biden ahead of his visit and called for a more equitable funding system.

Root Insurance, a leading U.S. insurtech, will use artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline and accelerate its claims operations using Tractable’s suite of AI solutions.

Root will launch the partnership with the AI Subro solution from Tractable to enable Root to assess and respond to subrogation demands more accurately and efficiently.

After testing market solutions head-to-head, Root chose Tractable, which specializes in AI for accident and disaster recovery, as its strategic partner to fulfill its ambitious AI strategy across its claims operations.

By integrating Tractable’s AI, Root will accelerate its end-to-end claims process, beginning with subrogation.

The collaboration joins together two of the most innovative players in the insurance industry.

Source: Root Insurance

• Competitive Prices and Competitive Prices and Dedicated Wholesale Staff!

Kia of Attleboro Discounts Discounts Always Always Find all your Genuine Kia Parts With Us

508.761.9300 PARTS

• Dedicated Wholesale Staff Free Dailyto Delivery • Fast, Free Fast, Daily Delivery MA & RI Mon-Fri 7:30am-6pm

to MA and RI

508.761.0768 Fax 795 Newport Ave. South Attleboro, MA 02703 fmedeiros@kiaofattleboro.com www.kiaofattleboro.com M W 8am-8pm fmedeiros@kiaofattleboro.com TU TH F 8am-5pm www.kiaofattleboro.com Find all your Genuine Kia Parts With Us

Kia of Attleboro

PARTS 508-761-9300

FAX 508-761-0768

795 Newport Ave. • South Attleboro, MA 02703

Courtesy Mitsubishi PARTS 508-761-9700 FAX 508-761-4285 16 Scott St. • South Attleboro, MA 02703

SAT 8am-4pm

Parts Hours

M, W 8am-8pm TU, TH, F 8am-5pm SAT 8am-4pm

Genuine OEM Parts for the Perfect Fit Every Time Find all your On-line Mitsubishi Parts With Us

www.drivecourtesy.com wbrown@courtesy-mitsu.com Parts Specialist: sean@mitsubishima.com

Committed to Excellence!

Find all your Genuine Mitsubishi Parts With Us

Parts Hours

M-F 8am-5pm SAT 8:30am-2pm

Call Our Parts Departments for All Your OEM Needs!

Auto Group

• 9 Dealerships - Fleet of 20 Delivery Trucks Covering 4 States • Over 4 Million Inventory - We Ship Anywhere • Where Quality Price and Service Meet WWW.HOFFMANAUTO.COM

Hoffman Ford Lincoln

600 Connecticut Blvd., East Hartford, CT 06108

860.282.0861

860.290.6336 Fax

fordparts@hoffmanauto.com M-F 7am - 5:30pm Sat 7:30am - 3:30pm

Hoffman Toyota 46 Albany Turnpike West Simsbury, CT 06092

750 Connecticut Blvd.

East Hartford, CT 06109

860.651.3393

860.290.6121

860.658.6801 Fax toyotaparts@hoffmanauto.com

lexusparts@hoffmanauto.com

M-F 7am-5:30pm Sat 7:30am-3:30pm

Hoffman Honda 46 Albany Turnpike, West Simsbury, CT 06092

860.651.3747

860.658.6210 Fax

hondaparts@hoffmanauto.com M-F 7am-5:30pm Sat 7:30am-3:30pm

Hoffman Audi of East Hartford 700 Connecticut Blvd.

East Hartford, CT 06108

860.290.6309 Fax

M-F 7am-5:30pm Sat 7:30am-3:30pm

Hoffman Nissan 46 Albany Turnpike West Simsbury, CT 06092

860.658.3370

860.651.9642 Fax

nissanparts@hoffmanauto.com

M-F 7am-5:30pm; Sat 7:30am-3:30pm

Hoffman Porsche 630 Connecticut Blvd., West Simsbury, CT 06108

860.290.5536 860.290.6101 Fax

860.282.0191

michael.belvedere@hoffmanauto.com

860.290.6355 Fax audiparts@hoffmanauto.com M-F 7-5:30 Sat 7:30-3:30

M-F 7am-5:30pm Sat 7:30am-3:30pm

BMW of Waterbury

Audi New London

133 Schraffts Drive Waterbury, CT 06795

490 Broad Street New London, CT 06320

860.274.5471 860.274.0671 Fax jason.herndon@hoffmanauto.com

ORIGINAL BMW PARTS

Hoffman Lexus

860.447.5090 860.447.5099 patrick.brady@hoffmanauto.com M-F 7-5:30, Sat 7:30-3:30

M-F 7am-5:30pm Sat 7:30am-3:30pm

autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS 23

Future of ‘Double-Fronted Beetle’ on Route 66 in PA Up in the Air

by Patrick Varine, Tribune-Review

With the exception of a few years in the early 2010s, the double-fronted Volkswagen Beetle, painted Hawaiian blue, has been a constant landmark along Route 66 in Salem Township, PA. Created by Excel Auto Body’s original owner, Ed Britz, in 1970, it has been repaired and replaced over the years, and now its future, much like the car itself, is up in the air.

Al Furney, who grew up in Delmont and bought Excel from Britz in 1979 after working there for two years, is heading into retirement. On Dec. 15, employees from Bill Anderson Auctioneers were showing more than 264 lots that were part of an online auction that ended Dec. 16.

The lots, however, do not include the car, which has a long history.

“Ed built the original in 1970, two years after opening the shop,” Furney said. “In 1980, we restored it while it was on the pole, replacing some parts and giving it a new paint job.”

Just like any other car that sits outside, the double-fronted VW is affected by the Western Pennsylvania weather.

The double-fronted Volkswagen Beetle mounted atop Excel Auto Body’s sign in Salem, PA, has been a landmark along Route 66 for more than five decades. Credit: Patrick Varine/Tribune-Review

“It gets a lot of salt from the road, especially from big trucks,” Furney said. “The salt spray just goes up and that’s what really causes problems.”

In 1994, Furney and shop workers purchased all the new parts they’d need to build a replacement.

“We were able to switch it in a week and hardly anyone even noticed,” he said.

In 2010, it was taken down for

24 FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

what Furney thought would be a quick round of maintenance, which eventually turned into a three-year hiatus before hoisting it back atop the sign in 2013.

Furney said he couldn’t imagine the property without it.

“That was our signature,” he said, “Everybody knew us from that car.”

The car is even listed on RoadsideAmerica.com, an online compendium of “offbeat tourist attractions.”

Furney has his own offbeat plans for retirement.

“I’ve been a partner in a hunting lodge in Alaska—Alaskan Adventures—for a lot of years,” he said. “I run the hunting division, so I’m planning on spending some more time doing that.”

As for the car, it was sold separately from the auction along with the buildings and property and purchased by Steve Hoy, owner of Hoy Concrete Construction in Export.

“I just have it up for a lease right now,” Hoy said. “I’m trying to find another body shop to go in there, but it hasn’t happened yet.”

Caliber Named to Best In Business List Caliber, whose automotive service brands include Caliber Collision, Caliber Auto Care and Caliber Auto Glass, has been named to the Inc. 2021 Best in Business list. Inc. Best in Business Awards honor companies that have gone above and beyond to make a positive impact. By leading with its purpose of Restoring the Rhythm of Your Life, Caliber was awarded a gold medal in the Extra Large Company Size (500+ employees) category and is the only auto services provider to be recognized.

Committed to its company mission to be the most trusted automotive service provider in every community it serves, Caliber led through the challenges of 2020 and 2021 by providing a safe workplace for teammates, continuing to serve customer needs and supporting each community it serves all of which continued to elevate the automotive repair and maintenance service experience.

Source: Caliber

ing the ACDelco and GM Genuine Parts brands,” said GM Customer Care and Aftersales Global Vice President John Roth. “Our premium parts are engineered with exceptional quality to provide assurance

market by 2030, and it anticipates significant revenue growth from its expanded e-commerce effort. GM launched online accessory sales in 2015 and sells all of its 5,000 accessory products online.

GM plans to offer parts, accessories, digital products delivered over-the-air and subscriptions through a single digital storefront.

to our customers. The launch of this trusted online sales channel extends that peace of mind to the parts-buying experience.”

GM forecasts online sales of parts and accessories will make up a $40 billion total addressable

For example, customers may use the store to purchase upgrades such as improved capabilities for the Super Cruise advanced driver assistance system and personalization themes for in-vehicle screens.

“We are placing software and

Continued from Cover

Online Parts Sales

digital services at the center of every part of our business,” said GM Chief Digital Officer Edward Kummer.

“The future of GM retail lies at the intersection of digital and physical e-commerce. Whether it’s selling parts or vehicles, GM will meet our customers where it’s most convenient for them.”

The parts and accessories online store is built on one of three platforms that form the foundation of GM’s digital commerce transformation. In the future, in partnership with dealers, GM’s digital retail platform will allow customers to shop, purchase and finance electric vehicles entirely online, with the option to transition to an in-store experience at any point in the process.

GM is also extending its subscription services platform to support new recurring revenue opportunities with forecasts to grow that business. These initiatives ladder up to the $20 billion to $25 billion in annual software and services revenue opportunities GM announced at Investor Day in October.

SEMA Group Announces Rebrand The Young Executives Network (YEN), a SEMA group dedicated to cultivating talent in the automotive aftermarket, is now the Future Leaders Network (FLN).

The new name more accurately reflects the network’s 1,142 membership, which includes employees ranging from entry-level staff to managers, and trade workers, executives and business owners.

FLN Chair Nick Caloroso said the former Young Executives Network name did not accurately reflect the group’s membership.

The new Future Leaders Network name puts the focus on the group’s purpose and goal: Growing and supporting individuals to become successful leaders, regardless of their actual job title or position.

Membership is open at no cost to all employees under the age of 40 who work for a SEMA member company.

Source: SEMA

Source: GM

Your #1 Source for GM Collision Wholesale Parts • Free Delivery to Northern New Jersey, Rockland, Westchester, Orange and Putnam Counties in New York and the Bronx

• Register with Cadillac of Mahwah to Receive an Introductory Discount on Your GM Parts Order

• A “Bump the Competition Conquest” Dealer

• Extensive Inventory of Genuine GM Parts

201.579.6497 201.579.6506 FAX

www.cadillacofmahwah.com

Parts Hours:

Mon. - Fri. 7:30am - 5pm Sat. 8am - 3pm

319 Route 17 North // Mahwah, NJ 07430

autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS 25

Continued from Cover

Toby Chess Shares 4. Best Practices for Two-Sided Bumper Repair Using Adhesives 5. Best Practices for Using 2K Epoxy Primer Here is Toby Chess’s newsletter: On Oct. 15, Dana Caldwell wrote an article for Repairer Driven News about why people pick the collision repair shops they do. The results were an eye opener.

You would think insurance driven would be No. 1, but in fact it was last in the survey. Sixteen percent choose their auto body shop due to word of mouth.

As you know, I spend a lot of time in body shops for I-CAR welding tests and most of us are reactive instead of proactive. How many of you have a written SOP for checking in a vehicle? How many have a written SOP for keeping your customer informed? How many have a written SOP to do a 48- to 72-hour followup after the car has been picked up?

How many have signed job descriptions for each position in your shop?

With some people choosing word of mouth, we need to do things better, and the easiest way to accomplish this is the use of written SOPs. I have more than 75 SOPs, and I will be adding 50 more over the next couple of months.

I have three example stories to drive my point home.

This was a used door from a well-known wrecking yard. The dent at the molding reduced the price by $50. I put my PDR light on it and asked the owner “Do you think that is a one-hour dent?” His answer was, “Probably not, more like two hours.” I used my light to circle all the dents—five more.

I asked him who is going to pay for the additional labor, prime and materials for the door. That door needed between five and six hours of repair. His tech made $50, he lost a couple hundred dollars of sales and he increased his cycle time because the tech was not working on the customer’s door but a used door instead.

I have an SOP on handling used sheet metal in the future, so this does

not occur again.

Moving on, the next example I would the highlight is aluminum dent repair using a weld-on pulling pin.

I received a call from Erik Spitznagel, owner of Dent Fix Equipment. He sold an aluminum repair station to a shop in the Midwest. The body shop was trying to pull out a dent on a cab corner on a 2017 Ford F-150. The problem was the pins would not stick and they were “blowing” holes in the aluminum.

I called the shop owner and asked him what procedures he was using. He did not know, but got his tech on the line. The technician said he sanded the panel to bare aluminum using a 120 grit DA sander.

When the pin did not stick, he increased the voltage and blew a hole in the panel. He did another one with the same results.

I told him the recommended steps. First and foremost, the aluminum needs to be cleaned with a stainless steel brush, to prevent galvanic corrosion. I explained the small brush works the best to remove aluminum oxide from the weld site. Next, the site needs to be cleaned with good wax and grease remover.

Step three is to apply one silicon stud and one magnesium stud, turn the power setting to 3 and see which one sticks the best. After destemming the proper stud, load a pin into the gun, pushing it down with end of the stainless steel brush. Grease on your finger will contaminate the pin and it will not stick. I told the tech to make sure the pin was perpendicular to the metal.

I asked the manager if he would like a best practice sheet on the proper steps needed for aluminum stud installation and removal, and he said sure. He also said if there was a problem, he would call, which he never did. I have included this best practice as an attachment.

My third example deals with plastic repair using adhesives.

Recently, I received a call from a Kent Automotive sales representative. One of his shops called and told him the bumper repair they performed failed.

I made an appointment with the shop and I arrived a couple of days

26 FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

later. I asked the gentleman who repaired the bumper what steps and products he used. He gave an abbreviated version and I explained I needed the step by step process he used.

He said he removed the paint from the front side of the bumper with a 120 DA sander, but not the back side. He then cleaned the front and back side of the bumper with Prep-Sol. I explained to him that using a solvent-based wax and grease remover is designed to remove adhesives. The solvent will wick into the raw plastic and when the adhesive is applied, the solvent wax and grease remover will not allow the adhesive to stick. I explained a water-based wax and grease remover needs to be used.

I also told him he needed to sand the backside with 80 grit DA to abrade the plastic so the adhesive would adhere to it. He showed me the product he used for the back side, which was the wrong material. He used another manufacturer’s product for the front, and that manufacturer requires an adhesion pro-

moter before the application of the adhesive, which he did not use.

We went into the shop and I did a clinic on plastic repair. He brought me a water-based wax and grease remover from a different manufacturer. I explained to him that is probably OK but he needs to use one manufacture’s system, and using or mixing other companies’ products may interact and cause the repair to fail.

I have included this best practice as an attachment. If you want a bumper repair clinic on adhesives or nitrogen welding, I would be more than happy to come to your shop and conduct a clinic. There is not charge for this service. Just call 310-9957909 or send me an email at tcspeedster@gmail.com.

In conclusion, if the three shops had SOPs in place and they were followed, these failures would not have happened.

My next column will deal with creating your own SOPs.

One final request: please let know what are your thoughts on this or if you have ideas that you want to share.

We have you Covered Front and Back with

ACURA GENUINE PARTS

Open Road Acura of East Brunswick

Parts:732.238.0777 24 Hr Fax 732.238.5466

robert.talbot@openroad.com www.openroadacuraofeastbrunswick.com

• Competitive Pricing • Free and Fast Delivery • Knowledgeable Wholesale Parts Staff • Acura Genuine Parts

Mon-Fri 8am-5pm

•

Sat 8am-4pm

1041 NJ Rte 18 South l East Brunswick, NJ 08816

“Scheduling out two months,” a North Carolina shop owner said.

An optimistic Minnesota shop manager pointed to his shop’s fivemonth backlog of work and “plenty of business in our area,” though he did acknowledge concern that 75%

Continued from Cover

National Survey

“Our business is currently stronger than it’s ever been,” a Missouri shop owner said.

The survey found among the collision repair businesses that said they received a second-round Small Business Administration Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan in 2021, 70% said they have already received loan forgiveness. None of the shops surveyed reported having their loan forgiveness application rejected, but 20% said they still planned to apply to have the loan forgiven, and the remaining 10% were undecided about applying.

Among those who said they received a first-round PPP loan in 2020, 84% said the loan had been forgiven; the balance either had not applied for forgiveness, were awaiting approval or were undecided about seeking forgiveness, but again, none reported having their loan forgiveness application rejected.

FREE

“This company has made it through many ups and downs since it opened in 1984,” a Wisconsin shop manager said.

of the shop’s employees will retire within the next five to 10 years.

“Need fresh faces ASAP,” he said.

4x Monthly E-Newsletter.

Subscribe Today! www.autobodynews.com

DCR Systems Sponsors Matrix Trade Institute DCR Systems announced Jan. 11 the company is the first corporate sponsor of the Matrix Trade Institute’s Collision Program as a Foundation Level Partner.

The institute offers upskill industry efficiency training boot camps for employers that aim to help technicians reach the next level by improving their skills and learning efficiency techniques to help them become more productive and grow. The boot camps are paid for by employers.

DCR Systems, also based in Ohio, develops on-site accident repair facilities for auto dealers seeking to outsource this function as an additional fixed operation.

CEO Dustin Peugeot said the goal at Matrix is to align with forward-thinking operations like DCR Systems that have the vision to see a better way forward and the courage and commitment to deliver for their employees.

Source: DCR Systems

Kia of Coatesville 610.384.7700

• Large Inventory of KIA OEM Parts • Knowledgeable & Helpful Wholesale Staff • Competitive Pricing and Discounts • Free Delivery to PA, DE and NJ www.kiaofcoatesville.com jkiernan@jimsipalakia.com

We’ve Got the OEM Parts You Need Mon-Fri 7:30am-5pm Sat 7:30am-4pm

610.384.2171 Fax 2535 E. Lincoln Hwy Coatesville, PA 19320 autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS 27

Sony Getting Serious About EVs, Debuts SUV Concept at CES

by Dan Mihalascu, Inside EVs

When Sony unveiled the Vision-S electric concept sedan at CES 2020, everyone hoped it wouldn’t remain just a show car; after all, it looked production-ready and was too well thought-out to remain just a one-off.

Now, Sony finally said it is exploring an entry into the EV market, which is no big surprise given it has been testing the Vision-S 01 prototype on public roads since its reveal.

To remove any doubt about its intentions, the Japanese company just unveiled a second electric vehicle concept, the Sony Vision-S 02 SUV. Previewed at CES 2022, the Vision-S 02 uses the same EV/ cloud platform as the sedan prototype to offer a more practical vehicle with a roomier interior with seven seats. Sony said the Vision-S 01 and Vision-S 02 prototypes “will promote the accommodation of a large variety of lifestyles within a society where values are becoming increasingly

diversified.”

Looking at the Vision-S 02, the resemblance to the Vision-S 01 is obvious as the SUV adopts the same design language and cues.

While the sedan’s dimensions place it halfway between the Tesla Model 3 and Model 3, the SUV occupies the space between the Tesla Model Y and the Model X. The Vision-S 02 is 192.7 inches long, 76 inches wide and 65 inches high, with a generous wheelbase stretching at 119.3 inches. It rides on 20-inch wheels and weighs 5,467 pounds.

Inside, the dashboard design is very similar to the Vision-S 01 as well, consisting of three giant displays. The one on the left acts as an instrument cluster, the one in the middle is the main interface for the infotainment system, and the one on the right is for the front passenger. Second-row passengers have two additional screens at their disposal.

As with the Vision-S 01, the Vision-S 02 benefits from gadgets like seat speakers working with a streaming service compatible with

360 Reality Audio and a fully integrated digital video service, Bravia Core for Vision-S, which enables shared or individual video playback on the front panoramic screen and individual rear-seat displays.

In-vehicle entertainment also includes the ability to play PlayStation games through a remote connection to a console at home, in addition to the ability to play streaming games through the cloud.

Power comes from a dual-motor AWD powertrain making a total of 536 hp, enabling the electric SUV to reach a top speed in excess of 112 mph—37 mph lower than the sedan. The 0-62 mph sprint has not been revealed, but it likely takes more than 4.8 seconds needed by the Vision-S 01, which is 287 pounds lighter.

Sony’s Vision-S prototypes also place great emphasis on safety, thanks to an array of sensors offering 360-degree vision around the vehicle. These sensors include high-sensitivity, high-resolution, wide dynamic range CMOS image sensors and LiDAR sensors that

accurately sense three-dimensional space.

Sony said it is currently conducting functional verification tests in Europe toward the release of Level 2+ advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) on public roads.

This is truly exciting news for EV enthusiasts, as a giant technology company like Sony will no doubt help the segment grow further. In order to explore its entry into the EV market, Sony said it will establish an operating company, Sony Mobility Inc., in the spring.

“The new company will aim to make the best use of AI and robotics technologies, help realize a world where everyone can live in harmony with robots on a daily basis, fill people with emotion and contribute to society,” Sony said.

“With VISION-S, which contributes to the evolution of mobility, together with the autonomous entertainment robot aibo, and the drone Airpeak, Sony will seek to continue to create new value in a variety of fields.”

GM Introduces Used Vehicle Shopping Tool General Motors on Jan. 11 introduced CarBravo, a new way to shop for used vehicles.

CarBravo will elevate the shopping, buying and ownership experience by offering used-vehicle customers access to an expansive inventory, an omnichannel shopping experience and exclusive ownership benefits.

CarBravo will also deliver a seamless customer experience through GM’s new digital retail platform (DRP). The DRP will provide a simple and transparent shopping interface featuring clear dealer pricing, vehicle history reports and 360-degree views of the vehicle.

All CarBravo vehicles will be inspected and reconditioned to meet standards set by GM.

Customers can receive guaranteed online offers, from the industry standard Black Book, to buy their vehicles even if they do not purchase a vehicle through CarBravo.

Wholesale Parts Rockland Nissan Offers Quality Parts With A Level Of Service That Our Competitors Cannot Match

4700 West Chester Pike Newtown Square, PA 19073

610-353-6906 610-353-4116 24 Hr. Fax www.raffertysubaru.com raffertyparts@aol.com GENUINE SERVICE & PARTS

M-F 7:30am-5pm Sat 8am-4pm

n Delivery to PA, NJ and DE n Competitive Pricing & Discounts

Source: GM 28 FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Parts Hours Mon-Fri 7:30am−5:30pm Sat 8am−4pm ldesir@rocklandnissan.com

Fax 845-358-6049 608 Route 303 Blauvelt, NY 10913

845-358-3670

• Free Same Day Delivery to NY, NJ & CT (order by 11 am) • No Fee For Returns (some exclusions apply) • Wholesale Labor Pricing With Priority Dispatching For Coding And Programming • Price Matching on CCC One and OPS Trax • Your 100% Satisfaction is Our Most Important Priority

Order Parts Online at: www.rocklandnissan.com

www.packernorrisparts.com

8800 Citation Road Baltimore, MD 21221

6.5 MILLION+ INVENTORY OF FORD & MOTORCRAFT PARTS Parts Direct Phone Number

410-574-8305 OR

855-PNP-PART (855-767-7278)

Collision to Performance & Maintenance to Repair Wholesale Parts 24 Hour Fax

HOURS Monday-Friday 7:00am-5:30pm Saturday 8:00am-3:00pm

410-574-8389

parts@packernorrisparts.com mgillman@norrisautogroup.com lmiller@packernorrisparts.com

We have the Parts you’re looking for!

58 58+ 8 Daily D il D Departures t FREE Delivery to Parts of MD, DE, PA, NJ, DC and Northern VA Contact us to see if we can deliver to you! autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS 29

Chevy Bolt Class Action Lawsuit Says Cars Unsafe

by David A. Wood, CarComplaints.com

A Chevy Bolt class action lawsuit alleges the 2020-2022 Bolt EV and 2022 Bolt EUV are unsafe to drive due to a risk of fires from the batteries.

The General Motors Bolt class action lawsuit includes: “All persons who purchased the Class Vehicles in the United States or, alternatively, the State of California, for personal use and not for resale during the time period of four years prior to the filing of the complaint through the date of the court’s approval of the class certification motion.”

The Chevy Bolts are allegedly

not fit for normal use because the batteries may catch fire when the cars are fully charged or if they fall below 70 miles of remaining range.

The plaintiff says customers cannot park their cars indoor overnight because of a risk of battery fires, and the class action alleges GM “has done nothing to remedy this issue. Simply put, Defendant is prioritizing profits over the health and safety of consumers.”

California plaintiff David Kennedy leased a 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV in July 2021 for $31,995, paying a down payment of $6,000 and monthly lease payments of $271.65. The monthly lease payments will continue for 35 months.

The plaintiff says he entered the lease agreement under the assumption he would be able to safely store and operate the Bolt based on the advertised battery and mileage capacity.

About a month after he leased the Bolt, GM announced a Chevy Bolt recall because the batteries could catch fire when nearing a full charge. The plaintiff says he was told to limit the battery charge to

90% and to not let the remaining range drop lower than 70 miles.

The Chevy Bolt class action lawsuit also says the plaintiff was warned not to park the car indoors overnight due to a risk of a battery fire.

According to the lawsuit, the plaintiff thought he was leasing a safe vehicle that would be environmentally friendly and instead he can’t even charge the battery to full capacity.

“Defendant’s warning that consumers should not charge the Vehicles past 90% drops the advertised mileage capacity from 259 to 233.10 miles. Taking into consideration that consumers cannot allow the miles remaining on the Vehicle to fall below 70 miles, the battery range falls further to 163.10 miles—that is, 62.97% of the advertised mileage,” the class action lawsuit says.

The lawsuit alleges the plaintiff has been forced to make “unforeseen accommodations and take precautions that interfere” with his normal and expected use of the Chevy Bolt.

The Bolt class action further alleges the plaintiff has suffered constant anxiety and has lost sleep due to the risk of a battery fire that could destroy his Chevy Bolt. Additionally, the plaintiff argues he would not have leased the Bolt if he would have known it had serious defects that can cause fires.

As part of the Chevy Bolt recall, GM will replace the batteries once replacement batteries are available.

The Chevy Bolt class action lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California: David Kennedy v.

General Motors Company, et al.

The plaintiff is represented by the Clarkson Law Firm, P.C.

LIKE US ON

FACEBOOK: Autobody News

U.S. Lawmakers Propose Bill Making Staged Collisions Federal Crime U.S. Reps. Garret Graves and Henry Cuellar have introduced a bill that would make it a federal crime to stage a vehicle collision and fraudulently claim financial damages.

Graves (R-LA) and Cuellar (D-TX) say the legislation, the Highway Accident Fairness Act of 2021, would improve the safety of truckers and drivers on highways and protect trucking companies from the financial burdens of defending against or settling fraudulent insurance claims resulting from staged collisions.

According to a statement from Cuellar’s office, the bill would: • Assure fair and prompt recoveries for highway accident victims with legitimate claims Provide for federal court consideration of interstate cases of national importance under diversity jurisdiction • Maintain stability in the movement of interstate commerce and protect the public from the safety hazard of staged colli-

sions • Protect motor carriers and insurers from the financial burdens of defending against, settling or being found liable for fraudulent claims that result from staged collisions • Protect law enforcement agencies from expending resources dealing with the aftermath of staged collisions

The legislation is backed by the American Trucking Association.

Graves says the bill would lower auto insurance rates for Louisiana drivers. Graves cited a 2015 staged accident in New Orleans that resulted in a $4.7 million settlement against a trucking company.

“Louisiana drivers pay some of the highest insurance rates in America,” Graves said. “This is unacceptable and the solutions don’t require rocket science. Our bill will prevent criminal rings from further increasing the cost to drive and do business in Louisiana.”

30 FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Quality and Fit to Get Them Back on the Road

We’ll Help You Save Time, Increase Profits and Satisfy Your Customers

Northstar Kia

• Team of Kia Wholesale Parts Specialists • Competitive Discounts - Extensive Inventory

718.683.5300 Parts Dept.

Mon-Fri 7:30am-5pm 718.489.9889 Fax Sat 8am-2pm 46-05 Northern Blvd.

Long Island City, NY 11101 www.northstarkiany.com

Honda and Acura Genuine Parts is an online ordering portal for repair facilities to order parts directly from the Honda/Acura Dealer(s) of their choice $0 enrollment fee

Benefits for Repair Facilities:

Quick access to live inventory* in the Honda and Acura Genuine Parts catalog Easy streamlined ordering process saves your employees’ time so they can work on repairing cars *Available through most dealers

GET STARTED! CREATE YOUR ACCOUNT AT: GenuineHondaParts.Honda.com Click on the “My Account” button and then click “Register”.

For Account Help, Contact: HondaandAcurapartsportal@ahm.honda.com

autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS 31

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

HONDA CONNECTICUT

MASSACHUSETTS

NEW JERSEY

NEW YORK

Curtiss-Ryan Honda

Boch Honda

Madison Honda

Lamacchia Honda

800-523-4190 203-929-0635

833-319-6270 781-619-6791

800-648-0293 973-822-1710

315-471-7278

Shelton

Norwood

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-5; Sat 7-4 callen@curtissryan.com

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5 bh-wholesale@boch.com

Lia Honda of Enfield

LIA Honda Northampton

Enfield

800-221-3131 860-741-3401

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 8-4 jdoucette@liacars.com MAINE

Northampton

800-369-7889 413-587-2900

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5; Sat 8-3 dstanisewski@liacars.com NEW JERSEY

Berlin City Honda

Clinton Honda

800-640-6685 207-774-6685

877-657-2787

South Portland

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30 mmmparts@berlincity.com

IRA Honda Saco

Annandale

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Th. 7:30-7; Sat 7:30-4 klavalle@driveprime.com

240-864-0880

Vineland

800-893-3030 856-692-4449

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5 (W until 7); Sat 7:30-3 dlyons@rossihonda.com

Route 22 Honda Hillside

973-705-9100

Honda of Turnersville

Sussex Honda

800-883-0002 856-516-6262

800-842-0557 973-579-3500

Turnersville

Dept. Hours: M-F 8-6; Sat 8-4 mbivario@penskeautomotive.com

Hudson Honda 866-483-6917 201-868-9500

MARYLAND

Germantown

Rossi Honda

Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-2 abdulc@clintonhonda.com

West New York

Criswell Honda

Dept. Hours: M-Thu 7-7; Fri 7-6; Sat 7-5; Sun 8-4 jay.madisonhonda@gmail.com

Dept. Hours: M-Sat 8-5 rt22hondaparts@route22honda.com

Saco

207-391-7910 207-282-0900

Madison

Dept. Hours: M-Sat 8-5 mdasilva@hudsonhonda.com

Dept. Hours: M-Fri 7-7:30; Sat 7-6 hondaparts@criswellauto.com

Newton

Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5 realhondaparts@sussexhonda.com NEW YORK

Ide Honda Rochester

800-462-0056 (N.Y.) 585-586-4919

Syracuse

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30 parts@lamacchiahonda.com

Lia Honda of Albany Albany

800-272-6741 518-482-2598

Dept. Hours: M, T, W, F 7:30-5:30; Thur 7:30-8; Sat 8-5 mjerard@liacars.com

Lia Honda of Brewster Brewster

845-278-4177

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

Lia Honda of Williamsville Williamsville/Buffalo

877-659-2672 716-632-3800

Dept. Hours: M & W 7:30-7; Tu & Thur 7:30-6 Fri 7:30-5; Sat 8-5:30 mmiller@liacars.com

Ray Laks Honda Orchard Park

716-824-7852

Dept. Hours: M, Tu, Th 8-8; W, F 8-6; Sat 8-5 jmaybee@raylaks.com

Dept. Hours: M-Thur 8-8; Fri 8-5:30; Sat 8-5 parts@idehonda.com

ACURA MASSACHUSETTS

NEW JERSEY

NEW JERSEY

NEW JERSEY

Acura of Boston

Acura Turnersville

Elite Acura

Park Ave Acura

800-254-1169 617-254-5400

888-883-2884 856-516-6060

856-722-9600

888-690-7621 201-587-0028

Brighton

Turnersville

Maple Shade

Dept. Hours: M-Sat 7:30-6 bmartinsen@eliteacura.com

Dept. Hours: M-Thur 8-7; F 8-6; Sat 8-4 manny.aliagra@bernardiauto.com

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5; Sat 7:30-4:30 sbaptist@penskeautomotive.com

Acura of Peabody

Autosport Acura

Open Road Acura of East Brunswick

973-361-3117

732-238-0777 732-238-5466

Peabody

800-878-3600 978-532-9110

Dept. Hours: M-Sat 8-5 dbritt@acurapeabody.com

Denville

East Brunswick

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-4 erin@theautosportgroup.com

Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 robert.talbot@openroad.com

Bill Vince’s Bridgewater Acura

Open Road Acura of Wayne

908-704-0307

973-696-5151

Bridgewater

Dept. Hours: M-F 8-7; Sat 8-4 mattn@bridgewateracura.com 32 FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Wayne

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-4 jonathan.tangen@openroad.com

Maywood

Dept. Hours: M-F 8-6; Sat 8-3 ron@parkaveacura.com NEW YORK

Acura of Westchester Westchester

914-834-8887

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-8; Sat 8-4; Sun 9-4 acura.parts@yahoo.com

PENNSYLVANIA

VERMONT

Apple Honda

802 Honda

800-960-9041 717-848-2600

802-223-9700

York

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 7-4; Sun 10-4 applehondaparts@appleauto1.com

Berlin

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5; Sat 8-Noon hondaparts@802cars.com

Baierl Honda Wexford

818-332-7351

Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 markludwig@baierl.com

Shenango Honda Hermitage

800-858-0849 724-981-7106

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

Sussman Honda Roslyn

800-682-2914 215-657-3301

Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-1 rendrick@sussmanauto.com

NEW YORK

PENNSYLVANIA

Curry Acura

Baierl Acura

800-725-2877 914-472-7406

800-246-7457 724-935-0800

Scarsdale

Wexford

Dept. Hours: M-F 8-6; Sat 8-5 parts@curryacura.com

Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 cameronegerter@baierl.com

Paragon Acura

Davis Acura

718-507-3990

267-296-1000 215-943-7000

Woodside

Dept. Hours: M-F 8-6; Sat 8-5; Sun 9-4 parts@paragonacura.com

Smithtown Acura

Langhorne

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 8-4 frankp@davisacura.com

St. James

Sussman Acura

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

800-826-4078 215-884-6285

631-366-4114

Jenkintown

Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-1 rendrick@sussmanauto.com autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS 33

From the Desk of Mike Anderson with Mike Anderson

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

Can You Meet Collision Repair Shop Customers’ Changing Expectations of Service?

I recently had the opportunity to meet in person with many of my 20 Group clients, and one of the things that came up was collision repair customers are not as patient as they used to be.

At the beginning of the pandemic, if you told a customer a part was on backorder, or a part would take longer to arrive because the supplier had reduced how frequently they were doing deliveries, they were pretty understanding.

What I’m hearing from auto body shops around the country is those same customers today are much more demanding, and they’re not so patient. They don’t care about supply chain issues or the shortage of employees. They just want their car repaired and back to them.

And I hate to say it, but unfortunately I believe that’s only going to get worse.

Which brings me to the topic of liquid expectations. You’ve probably heard that term. It basically describes that customer expectations in terms of service from a business are really shaped by their experiences with other companies.

If I can use the Starbucks app to order and pay for my coffee and have it ready and hot on the counter for me when I walk in, why can’t the local coffee shop around the corner offer me similar convenience and service?

In terms of our industry, I’ve been thinking about things I used to go get that now get delivered to my door. Take groceries. I may spend $100 on groceries, maybe $300 sometimes. Either way, my local grocery store delivers that to my house for free.

I get a prescription filled that costs me $7.99. My local pharmacy delivers that to my house. For free.

No delivery charge.

I believe it’s just a matter of time before customers are going to start saying: “I spent $4,000 with you, and I have to leave my job early to come pick up my car?” I think it’s just a matter of time before they’re going to want the same type of pickup and delivery service they are getting from all types of other businesses.

Now understand: I’m not saying I agree with this. I’m not saying it’s something we have to do or should be doing. But I believe collision repair customers are starting to

want and could start to expect and demand a “white glove” or “concierge” type of service experience from us.

I was on a call recently with an insurer who said they’re seeing that sort of expectation from customers in terms of the insurer’s DRP shops.

So what would that mean for your body shop? Well, it means having another one or two people, right?

We need to make sure they have a clean driving record and can have good interactions with customers. We’ll have some added liability if we’re driving customers’ vehicles back and forth.

We’re going to need to be profitable enough that we can offer that type of services. That goes back to a previous article of mine about employee wages where I said either

labor rates have to change, or shops have got to be paid for more not-included operations, or some combination of the two.

Alternatively, it may also be something we could have a fee for.

You pay $6.99 for a delivery by DoorDash. People spend that. So maybe it’s time we start offering pick-up and delivery for a certain dollar amount.

Either way, it also means we’re going to need to do much better in terms of quality control inspections of vehicles, because we don’t want to get a repair vehicle out to the customer’s home and only then discover an issue.

As I said, suggesting yet another challenge for collision repair shop operators isn’t something I like. But I just see this as one of the ways customer expectations are changing which we need to consider.

Yonker s Kia

Your Kia Pa Source rts

SEMA President and CEO to Retire Following more than 30 years of service to SEMA, President and CEO Chris Kersting will be stepping down at the end of January to enjoy retirement.

The move comes as SEMA concludes a successful 2021, delivering two of the nation’s largest in-person trade shows since the start of the pandemic—the SEMA Show in Las Vegas and PRI Show in Indianapolis.

Kersting joined SEMA in 1996 to lead the organization’s

Washington, D.C., office as vice president of legislative and technical affairs. He took the helm as SEMA’s CEO in 2002 and led the association through two decades of growth.

Beginning Feb. 1, Kersting will transition into an advisory role through July. SEMA executives Bill Miller and Mike Spagnola will serve as interim co-CEOs. Source: SEMA

34 FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

The Right Part Makes the Difference

Yonkers Kia 914.268.0279

Genuine Kia OEM Parts Fast & Free Delivery Efficient Service on All Orders Fax Your Order Today

914.652.7665 Fax www.yonkerskia.com

M-Th 7:30am-8pm F 7:30am-7pm Sat 8am-5pm 1840 Central Park Ave Yonkers, NY 10710

Wholesale Parts Network Our knowledgeable and helpful parts professionals want to earn your business and will provide you with the highest level of customer friendly service.

• We We stock over $2,000,0000 in collision colllision & mechanical parts • We We deliver throughout Massachusetts, Massachussetts, Rhode Island and New New Hampshire every day • Our Our reputation is built on providingg you the best SERVICE • Save Sav a e time, improve profits and keepp your your customers loyal • Place Pla lace any order on line with our parts order or form at buycolonial.com buy ycolonial.com • Daily Dai aily shipping available throughout New England Eng ngla land nd and and the the Northeast • Joinn our growing list of satisfied customers

Colonial Ford 147 Samoset St., Plymouth, MA 02360 Ph: 800-233-8109 / Fx: 508-830-1658 Hours: M-F 7:30-5; Sat 7:30-4

Colonial Ford of Marlboro 428 Maple St., Marlborough, MA 01752 Ph: 888-617-3599 / Fx: 508-460-3464 wtrottier@buycolonialfordmarlboro.com

Colonial Nissan 104 Mystic Ave. Medford, MA 02155 Ph: 781-395-3025 Fx: 781-475-5063 Hours: M-F 7:30-5 Sat 8-4

North End Mazda 747 Chase Rd. (Rte.13) Lunenburg, MA 01462 Ph: 800-322-1241 Fx: 978-582-9841 Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30 Sat 8-4

Colonial Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge-Ram 24 Coolidge St. (Rte. 62), Hudson, MA 01749 Ph: 978-568-8000 / Fx: 978-562-1213 Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 www.buymoparpartsnow.com Colonial South Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge-Ram 42 State Rd., Dartmouth, MA 02747 Ph: 508-984-1900 / Fx: 774-328-9915 Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-3 parts@buycolonialsouthcjd.com www.buymoparparts.com

Colonial Honda of Dartmouth

225 State Rd., Dartmouth, MA 02747

Colonial Volkswagen 89 Turnpike Rd. (Rte. 9), Westborough, MA 01581 Ph: 888-322-6570 / Fx: 508-616-0445 Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 7:30-4

Colonial VW of Medford 340 Mystic Ave., Medford, MA 02155 Ph: 781-475-5208 / Fx: 781-391-3506 Hours: M-Th 7-7; F 7-5; Sat 8-4 nmedeiros@vwmedford.com

Wellesley Volkswagen 231 Linden St., Wellesley, MA 02482 Ph: 800-228-8344 / Fx: 781-237-6024 Hours: M-F 7:30-5; Sat 7:30-4 wellesleyvwparts@aol.com Contact: Dan Bettencourt / Wholesale Parts Manager

Toll Free: 888-240-2773 Parts Dir: 508-997-2919 Fx: 508-730-6578 Hours: M-Th 7-7; F 7-5:30; Sat 8-4:30 jdelcolle@buycolonialhonda.com www.hondapartswholesaledirect.com

Cityside Subaru 790 Pleasant St., Belmont, MA 02478 Ph: 617-826-5013 / Fx: 617-489-0733 Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 8-4 parts@citysidesubaru.com North End Subaru 757 Chase Rd. (Rte.13), Lunenburg, MA 01462 Ph: 888-686-4387 / Fx: 978-582-9843 Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 8-4 parts@northendsubaru.com www.northendsubaru.com

Colonial Cadillac of Woburn 201 Cambridge Rd., Woburn, MA 01801 Ph: 781-935-7009 / Fx: 781-933-7728 Hours: M, T, Th, F 7-5; W 7-8; Sat 8-4 www.buycolonialcadillac.com Colonial Chevrolet 171 Great Rd., Acton, MA 01720 Ph: 978-263-3994 / Fx: 978-263-8587 Hours: M-F 7-5; Sat 8-4 parts@colonialchevrolet.com Colonial South Chevrolet 361 State St., Dartmouth, MA 02747 Ph: 508-997-6711 / Fx: 508-979-1219 Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 parts@colonialsouthchevrolet.com Colonial West Chevrolet 314 John Fitch Hwy., Fitchburg, MA 01420 Ph: 978-503-7480 / Fx: 978-345-1152 Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS 35

Industry Insight with John Yoswick

—John Yoswick is a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon who 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.

Fully Automated AI Collision Repair Estimating ‘Not There Yet’

Shop Showcase

A panel discussion at the Collision procedures for the specific vehicle.

Industry Conference (CIC) in Las “So not everything is AI. We comVegas in November included repre- bine it with the OEM procedures with Ed Attanasio sentatives from a number of technol- and our editorial data to produce that ogy companies touting the potential specific accurate estimate.” benefits—for auto body shops and In discussing what AI estimatinsurers—of artificial intelligence ing offers shops specifically, the (AI) estimating, but also acknowl- panelists noted the wide variance edging some of its current limita- in estimates often seen even when tions. with Ed Attanasio different estimators look at the same “We’re not there yet, 100%, vehicle. AI can help collision repair with straight-through processing,” businesses increase consistency in said Dune Pagaduan of Mitchell their estimating, Pagaduan said.

International, referring to AI being Panelist Jason Verlen of CCC capable of completing all estimates Intelligent Solutions said it also offers shops access to photos and inwith Ed Attanasio formation even before the customer arrives.

Social Media for Shops

SEMA Show Goes On

“So there’s huge increases and improvements in cycle time” and the customer experience, Verlen said.

“But it’s not like AI solves all the world’s problems.”

He noted the panel moderator talked about recently watching an estimating contest at a Texas trade show in which 16 estimators writing for a quarter panel replacement on a mainstream vehicle came up with 16 different estimates, ranging from 130 lines to 400 lines.

“So someone may ask me: ‘Is your AI accurate? Does it match what a human would do?’ My answer is: Which one of those [16] guys do you want me to match,” Verlen said. “That’s why I say AI is no magical bullet. That’s why we combine AI with build sheet data, with business rules, with insurer guidelines, and that’s how we come up with an estimate that’s reasonable

Media and Publicity for Shops with Ed Attanasio

Shop Strategies

Dune Pagaduan of Mitchell International said AI can help collision repair businesses increase consistency in their estimating

New Jersey’s Premier GM Parts Warehouse • Fleet of 6 Dedicated Delivery Vehicles

with Stacey Phillips

Jason Verlen of CCC Intelligent Solutions said without human interaction. “So is about 22% of repairable claims are currently AI real? Sure, it assists us in making processed through AI photo-estimating and automating decisions, thousands at a time…more quickly so that we He noted as recently as three shrink cycle time. But you still need years ago, fewer than 1% of vehicle experts, humans, to complete the claims involved photo-estimating. with Stacey Phillips whole process.”

“As of today, roughly 22% of He said AI systems can cur- repairable claims go through the rently write accurate estimates on process,” he said. “And we have “low-severity collisions.” some carriers on our system where “But when you get to higher over 70% of their repairable claims severity type collisions—more com- go through photo AI.” with Stacey Phillips CCC offers a product, Estiplex, more parts—then that’s the journey we have to go to get to that mate-STP, which, Verlen said, on 100%,” he said. “I think in the next low-impact collisions can write a two to three years, we’ll get there.” complete estimate with no needed

The panelists were asked if any review or changes by a human. BeAI system built on historical data yond that, he acknowledged, it’s still can identify substrates, systems and “a joint process between the human with Stacey Phillips OEM procedures for nearly new ve- and the AI.” hicles often involved in collisions.

But the AI does “make the pro “That is the challenge,” Pagad- cess much more efficient,” he said, uan said, noting historical data ide- in part by getting a consumer an esally needs to be paired with other in- timate faster, which in turn speeds formation in the system, like OEM their decision-making about choosbuild sheet data and OEM repair ing a shop and scheduling repairs.

to the situation.”

He suggested to “reduce skepticism” among new users, the systems’ thresholds should be set high at first so “virtually everything the AI generates on an estimate a human will agree to.” Then gradually loosen the thresholds to get more complete estimates, he said, after skeptics have “been trained to see that it does work” even if there are at times a “difference in opinion.”

Jimmy Spears of Tractable said his company’s artificial intelligence estimating system has become adept at quickly determining from photos if a vehicle is a total loss.

“One of things that AI does a wonderful job on is triage,” Spears said. “We’re in the high 90s of calling balls and strikes: Is this car repairable or is this car not repairable.”

For insurers, he said, the system

• Fast Free Multiple Deliveries to the Tri-State Area

Body Shops Giving Back

• Extremely Competitive Pricing & Discounts • Professionally Trained Staff of WS Parts Specialists

Tips for Busy Body Shops My SEMA

Shop Strategies with Victoria Antonelli

36 FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Toll Free:

800-981-9451 Hours: M-F 8am - 5pm Sat 8am-4pm

2675 US Highway 22 W UNION, NJ 07083-8505

Parts Direct: 908-686-2727 Parts 24 Hour Fax: 908-687-4267

www.openroadchevrolet.com Christopher.salgado@openroad.com

can produce 40% of initial estimates “without any further line items” needing to be added. An equal per-

Jimmy Spears of Tractable said his company’s AI estimating system has become adept at quickly determining from photos if a vehicle is a total loss

centage require review of one or two line items—with the estimate annotated as to what an appraiser needs to review—while the balance will require being handled “old school: have it towed, take the car apart and go classic blueprinting.”

Moving beyond that 40% of initial estimates “without any further line items” needing to be added will require greater access to vehicle-specific OEM build sheet data,

he said.

“If we get that, we’re going to have a greater understanding of that vehicle, the DNA of that car,” Spears said. “And then we’re going to have a much better understanding of what this car really needs, its repair process. We have got to solve the problem of build sheet data, and we’re in the right room for that.”

In the interim, he said, AI estimating offers benefits to more than just insurers. Tractable has a test going with LKQ Corp., he said, using the technology in a bit of a reverse way: helping determine which parts are not damaged on salvage vehicles.

It could also help collision repairers with the customer sales process, Spears said. Currently, estimators point a potential customer to a waiting area while preparing an estimate.

“Instead, they’re going to be able to quickly take some images of the car, and then while the images are being processed, they can take the customer around the shop and show the investment that you have” in equipment, training and certifications, Spears suggested. “When they get back to the desk, here’s the estimate.”

‘Cheap’ Volkswagen ID.4 Coming ‘in the $35,000 Range’

by Mark Kane, Inside EVs

Volkswagen closed 2021 with almost 17,000 ID.4 sales in the U.S. but the number could be four times higher, according to the company’s representative.

The company has more than 40,000 reservations but is supply constrained, as the cars are imported from Europe.

“We could have sold four times that amount,” Volkswagen Group of America CEO Scott Keogh said via Automotive News.

“What VW dealers are saying is that this is the most excitement they’ve had on the shop floor since 1998, when we brought the Beetle back.”

Currently, the Volkswagen ID.4 is offered in RWD and AWD versions, with a single 82 kWh battery version.

In 2022, the car will get an upgrade, including range, while the lineup will be expanded by a new, less expensive version with a smaller battery, probably 62 kWh or so.

This new entry-level ID.4 with RWD will start at around $35,000.

That would be about $5,000 less than in the case of ID.4 Pro.

The key element of Volkswagen’s expansion of the MEB-based electric cars is the Chattanooga, TN, plant, which will start production of the ID.4 later this year using battery cells from the new SK Innovation’s SK On plant in Georgia.

It will not be enough to replace 100% of the imports at the beginning, and made-in-Germany ID.4s will be sold through 2022:

“VW will continue to import ID4s into the U.S. from Europe as it ramps up local production of the BEV compact crossover in Chattanooga this year, with locally produced versions beginning to appear in dealerships in the second half of the year,” Keogh told Automotive News.

The good news for more than 4,000 employees in Chattanooga is a 10% wage increase in 2022.

The average return on sales in the Volkswagen dealer network in 2021, according to the article, was nearly 5%--three times more than in 2020. Hopefully, it will encourage to push electrification.

* Large Inventory of Genuine Mercedes-Benz and Sprinter Parts * Free DailyDelivery to DE, NJ, MD and PA * Attentive and Professional Service.

Call our Wholesale Parts Experts for All Your Repair and Collision Parts Needs

GENUINE PARTS

Mercedes-Benz of Wilmington

TOLL FREE PARTS:

800-800-1949 800-800-1949

PARTS PART PA RTS LOCAL LOCA LO CA AL L DIRECT: DIIR D DIRE RE EC CT T:

302-995-5030 302-995-5030

FAX: FAX FA X::

302-995-5033 302-995-5033

www.mbofwilmington.com parts@mbofwilmington.com

Hours: Mon. - Fri. 7:30 am - 5:00 pm Sat. 8:00 am - 2:00 pm 3801 Lancaster Pike / Wilmington, DE 19805

autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS 37

Author/Teacher Trains and Mentors the Insurance Adjusters of the Future

by Ed Attanasio

Some auto body shops appreciate insurance adjusters and their role in the collision repair industry, while others don’t necessarily feel the same way. But all seem to agree it’s a necessary job.

In the end, everyone wants the same thing—the safe repair of a vehicle back to its pre-accident condition.

According to Indeed.com, the responsibilities of an auto damage adjuster include evaluating the damage done to a vehicle and then determining what the insurance company will pay. They also add “a claims adjuster job is very stressful as it comes with lots of highly demanding activities. However, when you put in the hard work and dedication, the rewards far outweigh all the tough demands of the job.”

Chris Stanley, 36, is an author, career coach/mentor and the founder of Insurance Adjuster (IA) Path, a company that trains and mentors auto adjusters.

He lives on a 42-foot sailboat with his wife and three kids—ages 12, 8 and 1—who are homeschooled. He enjoys the freedom and

Author/teacher/mentor Chris Stanley created a company, IA Path, to set up independent adjusters for future success. His IA Playbook Series has quickly become the industry’s Bible

loves “traveling the open seas and feeling small in our big world,” he

said.

In addition to writing a series of books about insurance adjusters, he also writes Christian devotionals, memoirs, kids’ books and a variety of non-fiction.

Stanley was working as an adjuster for a PDR company in Colorado when he was recruited to become a supervisor at the same organization.

“The business grew to the point where we were working with 100 shops and dealerships and they needed someone to oversee the work,” he said. “It was definitely a major mental shift, where I went from writing estimates to managing techs, and after a while I said I want my life back! Plus, it was cold in Colorado.”

So, he purchased his boat and began enjoying better weather in Florida, with a career change in his immediate future.

“One of the great things about this lifestyle is we can go to wherever we want to be—whether it’s the Keys or West Palm Beach,” he

INFINITI OF NORWOOD

said. “Every year I always ask my children—do you want to live in a house on land or stay on the boat?

They always go with the boat.”

Around that same time, Stanley saw training programs for independent insurance adjusters were scarce or difficult to get into.

“I tried to help a friend who wanted to become an adjuster, and no one would take him, even though I taught him the basics,” Stanley said. “They told him you don’t have any experience. So, I started looking online to see if there was any information about how to enter the industry, but it was all about property and nothing about cars.”

Since 2016, Stanley has mentored more than 2,500 people, to create the next generation of independent adjusters and auto damage appraisers. His go-to book is called the “Auto Adjuster’s Playbook,” which Stanley called the industry’s Bible.

“It is based on a proven method to teach new people how to learn to write estimates,” Stanley said. “It

888.340.4442 FX

781.702.6804

Proud Recipient of the 2013 Award of Excellence for outstanding customer service

√ 24-Hour Delivery √ Full Parts Inventory √ Overnight UPS Service √ Serving All of New England √ Call before 7pm for Next Day Delivery Genuine Infiniti Parts and Accessories deliver model-specific enginee engineering, perfect fit, reliability, and ent Manufacturer. like new performance for your vehicle you would expect from an Original Equipment Genuine Infiniti Parts and Accessories fit the first time, helping you save time and money.

“You have my guarantee of personal service. We do what it takes to get the right Infiniti parts to you u on time.”

-Kevin Donnelly, Parts Manager

866 Boston Providence Highway Norwood MA 38 FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

has been used to teach hundreds of students through IA Path’s online training course, called the ‘Auto Adjuster’s Path.’

“Most people who venture into being an auto damage appraiser or body shop estimator are overwhelmed with learning about the parts of the car, repair processes and how to not look stupid,” he continued. “This book tells you what you need to know with plain English.

The ‘Auto Adjuster’s Playbook’ is field tested and contains industry recognized training and instructions by a 13-year veteran and reviewed by top industry leaders prior to its release.”

Other books in Stanley’s IA Playbook Series include “Audatex Adjuster’s Playbook,” “Networking Adjuster’s Playbook” and “Hail Adjuster’s Playbook.”

Stanley’s IA Path program is designed to get people up and running fast, he said.

“Whether it’s a Millennial looking for their first career or someone looking for their second or third career, I want to see them get work within 90 days in a rewarding indus-

try and write content to help them navigate their journey,” he said.

“We bring them in and get them to the point where they’re doing their jobs correctly, doing mock claims and handling the entire process from start to finish.

Stanley lives and works on a boat with his wife and three kids in Florida

“Whether an adjuster who is working as a staff or independent adjuster handling property, auto or desk claims—liability, bodily injury, etc.—there will be always be companies looking for their skillset.”

This past summer, IA Path hosted its first Adjuster Job Fair to allow adjusters and appraisers from

all aspects of the inspection industry to get interviewed one-on-one with dozens of hiring companies.

“One of the biggest hurdles for adjusters to getting work is getting in front of enough companies that have work opportunities,” Stanley said. “We decided to bring the companies to the adjusters so they wouldn’t have to track them down.

The event was 100% online utilizing a state-of-the-art platform and interviews will be conducted using the industry-leading Zoom technology. Adjusters scheduled online face-to-face interviews with 30-plus nationwide and regional hiring companies.”

The job fair was brand new territory for Stanley, but he’s never been afraid to take on new endeavors like this one.

“This type of event has never been done before online in our industry, for adjusters,” he said. “Typically, events are centered around the hiring companies or technology companies, but we wanted this to be all about the adjuster.”

The adjuster admission also included on-demand adjuster training,

live adjuster workshops and speakers.

“We have big plans for this platform in the future, but we’ll start with this first event and the follow up during the first quarter of 2022,” Stanley said. “The pricing was designed to offer opportunities to the adjusters year-round, not just for the three days of live online interviews.”

When he isn’t motoring around on his boat, Stanley is focused on creating the independent adjusters of the future.

“It’s a good job that can lead to a long and wonderful career, so if you’re smart, fast on your feet and detail-oriented, this might be a good match for you,” he said. “And I can show you how to do it!”

For more information, visit www. iapath.com.

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

Sign Up Free Today! www.autobodynews.com

Ford OEM Parts, Quality, Value & Peace of Mind Power Stroke Diesel Headquarters

800-367-3232 Call our Wholesale Parts Hotline Today!

717-354-4907 Parts Direct 717-354-9633 24 Hr Fax

Hours Mon - Fri 7:00am - 5:30pm Sat 8am - 12pm

• Over $1.5 Million in Inventory of Ford OEM Auto,

Truck and Power Stroke Diesel Parts • Manufacturer - Trained, Professional, Wholesale Staff Ready to Help You

• Free Daily Deliveries to Lancaster, York, Dauphin, Lebanon, Berks and Chester Counties • Internet Ordering Available via our Website www.fordparts.com/newhollandparts

New Holland Auto Group 508 West Main Street | New Holland, PA 17557

autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS 39

NOTHING BEATS AN O.E. FINISH. QUALITY MOPAR ® COLLISION PARTS READY TO INSTALL.

40 FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com ABN_Northeast_2pgSpread_2018.indd 1

ONLY MOPAR TESTS THEIR PARTS AS A COMPLETE VEHICLE SYSTEM TO PROVIDE OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE AND SAFETY. ®

Mopar® Parts are designed to precisely match the fit and finish of your customers’ vehicles. They protect your customers and your reputation; and because they’re easy to install, they also reduce your cycle time. For hassle-free installation and higher turn rates, use Authentic Mopar Collision Parts.

We’re happy to fill your order: CONNECTICUT

ARTIOLI CHRYSLER DODGE 525 Enfield Street Enfield, CT 06082 (888) 436-6727

MARYLAND

ANTWERPEN CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE RAM

6440 Baltimore National Pike Baltimore, MD 21228 (410) 788-1546 Fax: (410) 788-6724

CRISWELL CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE RAM

MASSACHUSETTS

KELLY JEEP CHRYSLER

353 Broadway – Route 1 North Lynnfield, MA 01940 (800) 278-8558 Fax: (781) 581-2490 kjcparts@kellyauto.com

MCGOVERN CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE RAM

777 Washington Street Newton, MA 02460 (800) 741-7563 NEW JERSEY

FRANKLIN SUSSEX AUTO MALL

84 Bureau Drive Gaithersburg, MD 20878 (301) 212-4453

315 Route 23 Sussex, NJ 07461 Order Hot Line: (855) 268-1207 Fax: (973) 875-9088

OURISMAN CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM

TURNERSVILLE CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE RAM

12430 Auto Drive Clarksville, MD 21029 (410) 988-9570 Fax: (410) 988-9591

WALDORF DODGE

2450 Crain Highway Waldorf, MD 20601 (866) 843-1905 (301) 843-1905

3100 Black Horse Pike Turnersville, NJ 08012 (856) 875-2627 NEW YORK

CENTRAL AVENUE CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE WHOLESALE DIVISION

1839 Central Park Avenue Yonkers, NY 10710 (800) 967-5298 Fax: (914) 961-4313

EASTCHESTER CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE 4007 Boston Road Bronx, NY 10466 (914) 597-7018

LIA CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE RAM 2116 Central Avenue Schenectady, NY 12304 (518) 579-3308 Fax: (518) 579-3380

NEMER CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE RAM OF SARATOGA

617 Maple Avenue Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 (518) 584-0058

ROCKLAND CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE 60 Route 304 Nanuet, NY 10954 (845) 623-1367 Fax: (845) 623-0903

VISION DODGE

920 Panarama Trail South Rochester, NY 14625 (585) 385-1275 Fax: (585) 385-6049 PENNSYLVANIA

NEW HOLLAND CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM 508 West Main Street New Holland, PA 17557 (800) 367-3232

Check out MoparRepairConnection.com for resources, promotions and technical information. ©2022 FCA US LLC. All Rights Reserved. Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Wagoneer, Mopar and SRT are registered trademarks of FCA US LLC. FIAT is a registered trademark of FCA Group Marketing S.p.A., used under license by FCA US LLC.

autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS 41 1/5/22 3:14 PM

Collision Repair Industry Thought Leaders Share Innovative Ideas During IDEAS Collide Showcase: Part 2

by Stacey Phillips

Total losses, the Database Enhancement Gateway, computer vision and sustainability were some of the topics discussed during the IDEAS Collide Showcase held during the 2021 SEMA Show.

First introduced in 2018 by the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) as part of its Repairer Driven Education (RDE) series, IDEAS Collide gives thought leaders from across the collision repair industry the opportunity to share innovative ideas.

This year, eight speakers talked about creative ways to help the industry evolve. This is part two of a twopart series. Part one was printed in the January 2022 issue of Autobody News.

Sandy Blalock, executive director of the Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA).

Sandy Blalock, executive director of the Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA), talked about the shared challenge the industry is facing with an increase in total losses.

She hopes the different segments can generate thought-provoking ideas on how to make meaningful changes.

“No matter what side of the issue we are, there is a consumer who has suffered a loss and it’s our collective job to find a way to make them whole again,” said Blalock. “Jeff Peevy [previous CIC chairman] will always remind us never to forget that empty chair; we all serve the consumer.”

Blalock said total loss frequency has been rising over the last several years in the U.S. According to CCC Intelligent Solutions’ 2021 Crash Course report, 20.5% of vehicles were deemed total losses in 2020.

“This means that shops missed out on the chance to repair one in every five vehicles,” said Blalock.

This is up from 15% in 2010.

The average totaled vehicle in 2020

had an actual cash value of $10,444; the average repairable vehicle was worth $16,657.

In addition, repair costs have also risen.

As insurance adjusters determine whether a vehicle is repairable or declared a total loss, Blalock said a number of factors weigh into the decision, including supplements and parts availability.

With more electric vehicles and cars with ADAS coming into collision repair facilities, Blalock said scanning and calibration will be required, adding additional costs to the repair and determining whether the car is a total loss. Repair vs. replace and salvage values will also play a role.

She shared some of the downsides to total loss, including the consumer owing more on the vehicle than it’s worth and fewer vehicles being fixed by the professional repair industry and auto recyclers.

“Total loss does not mean endof-life for a vehicle,” she said. “Repaired vehicles will be repaired by someone.”

From her research, Blalock has found as many as one out of 325 vehicles on U.S. roads today may be operating with a fraudulent title that has been “washed” to disguise the vehicle’s actual damage, flaws or identity. Research shows one in five vehicles sold outside of licensed dealer networks are not legal private property car sales, but are illegal sales of curbstoned vehicles.

“Curbstoning is essentially a flipping of vehicles often posing as a private seller,” she explained.

“Many of these vehicles have been purchased at salvage auctions by unlicensed entities, repaired and usually not to any industry standard, then sold to some unsuspecting consumer looking for a good deal.”

Blalock advises the industry to be aware of these issues and work together to come up with ways to address them.

As the administrator for the Database Enhancement Gateway (DEG), Danny Gredinberg shared information about the free industry resource.

42 FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

The DEG was developed to help improve the quality and accuracy of collision repair estimates through proactive feedback from the collision repair industry and other “end users” to the Information Providers (IPs) that supply the databases for the various estimating products. It is created, equally funded and maintained by the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers (AASP) and SCRS.

Danny Gredinberg, administrator for the Database Enhancement Gateway (DEG).

With today’s estimating databases being large and complex, the task of building complete and accurate labor times and labor notes for vehicles can be challenging. All three information providers use a variety

of methodologies to develop labor values. Gredinberg said this can often result in information that does not reflect real-world labor requirements of a repair operation. As a result, it can hinder the ability of an estimator to produce accurate repair estimates or blueprints that match the repair process.

The DEG is designed to offer estimating system users a more standardized and streamlined process for generating Database Inquiries (DI).

“It can help anyone to improve an estimate whether it’s a repairer, technician or even a bill payer,” said Gredinberg. “If they find an error in omission or accuracy in any of three estimating systems, we can help address those concerns and get accuracy.”

As the DEG administer, Gredinberg receives a lot of inquiries. One of the biggest challenges he sees is when a repairer writes an estimate in one database program and receives See Collide Showcase: Part 2, Page 52

Acura of Westchester

HOURS:

Mon. - Fri.: 7:30am - 8pm

Sat.: 8am - 4pm

Sun.: 9am - 4pm acura.parts@yahoo.com

2155 Palmer Ave. Larchmont, NY 10538

Call or e-mail us Today!

• Large Inventory • Delivering to Westchester, Rockland, Putnam • NYC 5 Boroughs & Connecticut • Fast Free Delivery • Great Discounted Prices

914-834-8887 914-833-1812 FAX

www.acuraofwestchester.com www.oeconnection.com

NJ PARTS OF FLEMINGTON

One Stop Collision Wholesale Parts MERCURY

A Superior Level of Customer Service With FREE DELIVERIES!*

1-800-221-1256 www.NJParts.com

Brought to you by...

Fax: 908-782-1795 *State and other restrictions may apply. autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS 43

YOU ONLY GET ONE CHANCE AT THE FIRST REPAIR. Connecticut BMW of Darien

BMW of Silver Spring Silver Spring

Darien 203-328-1325 203-978-0043 Fax M-F 8am-5pm wholesale@bmwdarien.com

301-890-3015 800-288-6982 301-890-3748 Fax M-F 7:30am-5pm wholesaless@mileone.com www.bmwofsilverspring.com

BMW of Waterbury

New Hampshire

Waterbury 844-895-6839 860-274-5471 860-274-0617 Fax M-F 7:30am-5:30pm Sat 7:30am-4pm John.musco@hoffmanauto.com

Maryland BMW of Catonsville

Catonsville 855-996-2906 410-818-2600 Fax M-F 8am-5pm www.bmwofcatonsville.com

BMW of Stratham

Stratham 800-989-5200 vfollansbee@group1auto.com www.bmwofstratham.com

New Jersey BMW of Bloomfield

Bloomfield 888-261-6471 973-748-8373 M-F 8am-5pm Sat 8am-4:30pm psantos@dchusa.com

BMW of Morristown Morristown 973-796-3145 973-796-3146 Fax M-F 8am-6pm

wholesaleparts.bmw@openroad.com

www.bmwofmorristown.com

BMW of Newton

Newton 973-579-6020 973-579-6702 Fax M-F 8am-5:30pm www.bmwnewton.com

BMW of Tenafly

Tenafly 877-276-9159 201-567-2712 Fax M-F 8am-5pm Sat 8am-4pm bmwtenaflyparts@penskeautomotive.com www.bmwoftenafly.com

©2022 BMW of North America, LLC. The BMW name, model names and logo are registered trademarks.

44 FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Circle BMW

Eatontown 732-440-1238 732-440-1239 Fax M-F 7:30am-5pm Sat 8am-3pm Wholesale@circlebmw.com www.circlebmw.com

Park Ave. BMW

South Hackensack 888-349-5168 201-291-2376 Fax M-F 8am-5pm Sat 8am-4pm al@parkavebmw.com www.parkavebmw.com

New York BMW of Bayside

Bayside 516-304-3733 516-570-4268 Fax M-Sat 8am-5pm bmwparts@bmwbayside.com www.bmwbayside.com

Original BMW Parts & Accessories.

Competition BMW

St. James 631-724-3322 631-265-0501 Fax M-F 8am-5pm Sat 8am-4:30pm asolla@competitionbmw.com www.competitionbmw.com

Habberstad BMW

Huntington Station 631-271-7488 631-271-7931 Fax M-F 8am-5pm Sat 8am-4pm parts@habberstadbmw.com

Keeler BMW

Latham 877-553-3909 518-785-4197 518-785-4710 Fax M-F 7:30am-6pm Sat 8am-4pm bmwparts@keeler.com www.keelerbmw.com

Pennsylvania Apple BMW

York 717-849-6597 717-843-2948 Fax M-F 7am-5pm Sat 8am-4pm applebmwparts@appleauto1.com www.applebmwofyork.com

Rhode Island BMW of Newport

Middletown 401-847-9600 401-841-0680 Fax M-F 7:30am-5:30pm gromani@metromotorgroup.com wwwbmwofnewport.com

When you repair a BMW, use the parts that are identical to those used in Series production – and just as reliable. Choose Original BMW Parts and Accessories.

Because you can’t repair your reputation.

autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS 45

Auto Body Shop Owner Steps into World of Consulting

by Ed Attanasio

I was at a California Autobody Association (CAA) meeting recently and I couldn’t help but notice a welldressed man at the front table.

It was an informational meeting with the Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) and after a few minutes I assumed he was a member of the BAR.

At one point, he scolded another auto body shop owner for asking a question. He said, “The customer is your customer, not the insurance company! I taught you that, but maybe you forgot?”

I almost laughed. After listening to him for a while, I could tell this guy is passionate about collision repair, as well as being very knowledgeable. I told myself I needed to meet him.

His name is Alex Kuang, owner of Redwood City Auto Body in Redwood City, CA. He wants to sell his shop to become a consultant and share his knowledge with the collision repair industry.

Kuang is the current president of CAA’s Golden Gate (San Francisco Area) chapter, and is trying to increase its membership by recruiting many of his friends who own or manage shops in the Bay Area.

Kuang came to the U.S. from China at age 10 in 1988 for a better future. His father was originally a

The collision repair industry has been good to Alex Kuang, but now he’s ready to change hats from shop owner to consultant

butcher, but when he immigrated to the Bay Area, he became a chef specializing in Hong Kong-style cuisine.

Today, Kuang wants the world to know he can cook, and if you don’t believe it, take a look at his Facebook page when you have a

moment, where he posts photos of his culinary creations regularly.

Kuang’s first job was as a painter, but he quickly decided he wanted to sell the paint instead of spraying it.

“I loved the product I was using and wanted to share the news, so I got a job with a distributor to educate other shops about it,” he said. “I did that for eight years and I learned so much because I was visiting multiple body shops every day. I was surprised to learn a lot of painters weren’t knowledgeable about the paint they were spraying. I told them the more you know the better you can be as a painter, and you could see it in the finished product.

I enjoyed helping them to becoming better painters and better managers.”

In 2010, Kuang made the move from employee to employer when he purchased Redwood City Auto Body.

“One of my customers called me and said he wanted to get out of the business and he offered me a very good price,” he said. “I was selling paint and I didn’t really know how to run a shop, but I was ready to

jump in. I was the new kid on the block in a competitive market, but I knew at least I could succeed by working harder than the guy down the street.”

The numbers showed Kuang’s passion and incredible work ethic were going to lead to healthy profits.

During his first month as the owner, the shop did $16,000 in volume, but within just five years, the number— pre-COVID—had grown to approximately $300,000 monthly.

Kuang is a major advocate of the right to appraisal, to say the least. It’s a technique he’s perfected over the years by learning from the experts and through trial and error.

Many shops stay away from it because they find out it’s complex and feel as though the insurance companies will win anyway, Kuang said.

It’s not an old scenario that happens every day in shops from NYC to LA. The body shop writes an estimate to fix the car, and then the customer’s insurance company comes in with a lower number. A lot of body shops will bite the bullet

Choose Original MINI Parts.

The Dealers Below Are Original MINI Parts Distributors

Maryland

New Jersey

New York

Pennsylvania

MINI of Montgomery County

MINI of Ramsey

Keeler MINI

MINI of Allentown

Gaithersburg 240-238-1204 Parts (240) 238-1493 Fax M-F 7:30-6:00; Sat 8-4 minipartsmd@ miniofmontgomerycounty.com

Ramsey 888-30-PARTS 551-777-5605 Parts (201) 760-5072 Fax M-F 7-6; Sat 7-4 cbetsch@driveprestige.com

Latham 877-553-3909 518-785-4197 Parts (518) 785-4710 Fax M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-4 miniparts@keeler.com keelerMINI.com

©2022 MINI USA, a division of BMW of North America, LLC. The MINI name, model names and logo are registered trademarks.

46 FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Allentown 610-820-2950 Parts (610) 336-8125 Fax M-F 8-5:30 parts@danielsbmw.com

and cover the difference, while others will figure out how to cut their costs to accommodate the insurance company’s appraisal.

Kuang learned a long time ago eating the difference was no way to run a successful business, so he decided to educate himself and learn how to write what he calls the “perfect sheet.”

His estimates are well-known for being thorough, accurate and designed to beat insurance companies when he goes up against them over short-pay claims. He builds a case even F. Lee Bailey would be proud of, with stacks of photos, texts, emails, OE repair documentation, schematics—you name it.

It’s the appraisal clause, or the right to appraisal, and you will find one in most automotive insurance policies. It gives the customer a method to dispute the estimate provided by their insurance company when their vehicle has been damaged or totaled.

It’s not new, but more shops are using it now because they can see it works as long as they dot their I’s and cross their T’s.

Kuang found out the hard way because the first few times he tried to implement the right to appraisal on a repair, he stumbled.

“I realized you have to document everything in detail and then have the information on-hand or the insurance company will always prevail,” he said. “They are just waiting for you to make a mistake, and they know that many body shops aren’t skilled at performing this process.

They got me a few times on storage fees, but never again. The appraisal clause is great for shops and customers, but insurers hate it.”

Just like he said at the CAA meeting, Kuang’s mantra is built on the concept the customer is the shop’s customer—not the insurer. But many shops forget that or ignore it.

When a policyholder decides to opt for the appraisal clause, it sets in motion an arbitration process that starts where both parties hire their own independent appraisers, Kuang explained. If the two appraisers are not able to agree on a specific number, which happens most of the time, they have to get a third-party involved to review their findings and

Diesel and Collision Part Experts

Over 1 Million Dollars of Ford and Lincoln OE Parts

FREE

8

Tri-State Delivery

conduct an additional inspection and assessment in many cases.

If two out of the three agree, that number is final and can’t be appealed.

Kuang has become highly adept at helping his customers navigate this tricky process and presents cases with a 99.99% success rate.

“We cannot do it ourselves, but we can assist the customer because otherwise the insurance company will eat them alive—I’ve seen it,” Kuang said. “The insurer and the policyholder are the ones who have to pay for the arbitration, so sometimes, customers are reluctant to do it. But we convince them that this is the only way for them to get paid for a proper repair.”

Initially, the appraisal clause was a system that worked well for shops who knew how to use it, but now it’s a little more complicated, Kuang said.

“The problems began when the insurance industry figured out how to beat it, and today some insurers have changed the wording in their policies to the point where it nullifies the appraisal clause altogether,”

he said.

Kuang is a maniac when following OE repair procedures to the tiniest detail because he knows his estimate will likely be analyzed in detail by at least two more sets of eyes. Often, he produces short videos highlighting OE repair procedures and calling out parts and processes often missed.

As a consultant, Kuang will enable more shops to use the appraisal clause and other techniques he has developed to get paid fairly on each and every repair. The insurance companies won’t likely appreciate his new role, but it’s never been a warm and fuzzy relationship anyway.

“Once they saw I knew how to succeed using this system, they started steering customers away from me—it was pretty blatant,” Kuang said. “The insurance companies have a long list of things they won’t pay for, and they don’t like it when they are smarter than they are.”

Kuang said he has big plans for his consulting company, and helping his shop clients to be smarter will be one of the first things he wants to achieve in 2022.

Delivery Vehicles

80 Route 304 Nanuet, NY 10954

845-623-5111

www.schultzford.net Hours: Mon - Fri. 7AM - 5:30PM, Sat. 8AM - 12PM autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS 47

Industry Insight with John Yoswick

—John Yoswick is a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon who 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.

Do Automakers, Insurers See Auto Body Shops Meeting Both DRP and OEM Certification Requirements?

Shop Showcase

A panel during the Collision Indus- companies adjusting the key perfortry Conference (CIC) in November mance indicators (KPIs) by which included representatives of two au- they are measuring direct repair with Ed Attanasio tomakers and two insurance compa- shops? nies addressing a topic that repairers In terms of cycle time and its and others discussed at a previous impact on customer satisfaction, CIC: can an auto body shop partic- Lindorfer said insurers aren’t lookipate both in direct repair and OE ing for shops to compromise repairs certification programs, and meet the to return vehicles faster. requirements of with both? Ed Attanasio “We still want safe repairs, and “I would never say that’s im- sometimes safe repairs take lonpossible, but it is very difficult at ger for whatever reason may cause times,” said Ben Cid, collision busi- that,” Lindorfer said. “We’re not ness manager for Mercedes-Benz. asking anybody to take a shortcut “There are shops that do it. When and not do what they should do.” you’re having to prove…why some- At the same time, she said, the thing needs to be done a certain way, growth of ADAS and other technolwith Ed Attanasio there’s a lot more time invested in ogy impacting repairs in late model doing that. Again, it’s not that it’s vehicles shouldn’t impact all claims impossible. But it definitely takes given the average age of vehicles on a lot more time on the shop’s side the road is 11 years. to really…prove what needs to be “Let’s remember that not evdone.” with Ed Attanasio ery car we repair is a new vehicle,”

Sandee Lindorfer, auto line di- she said. “We need to be sure we’re rector at Allstate, said she sees it as repairing that vehicle, regardless less of a challenge. of age, appropriately. As the mar “We have many [OEM-certi- ket changes and we [see] more and fied shops] within our Good Hands more of the vehicles that are more Network,” she said. “Between our complex, we’re going to see that network and the OEMs, we have the KPIs are going to change. We’ll with Stacey Phillips more in common than we have dif- change with those KPIs.” ferences. At the end of the day, we She said Allstate has adjustboth want our customers to have a ed cycle time measures “over the safe and proper repair. I don’t think years because of the complexity of that [needing to offer] proof of re- repairs,” and good communication between shops and insurers will repair procedures with is as great [an issue] Stacey Phillips as it may have been in the past when solve issues about vehicles that are repair procedures weren’t easy to “out of the ordinary.” get your hands on.”

“So I can’t speak for every in She said parts restrictions by surer; I can only tell you that we do the automakers are probably the reevaluate KPIs regularly,” Lindorfprimary area where there’s “friction er said. with Stacey Phillips Dan Tessadri, auto physical when a shop is trying to appease both the carrier and the OE.” When damage business consultant for those conflicts arise, she said, they CSAA Insurance, concurred. are addressed “case-by-case,” based “We look at the KPIs, at our on such things as “the contract that scorecards, on a yearly basis,” he we have with our customer” and said. “We look at the market and the state requirements. impact of the supply distribution and with Stacey Phillips “But there’s not too often that other factors like that.” we can’t come to some sort of agree- But panelist Pete Tagliapietra ment,” she said. of NuGenIT said those companies’

With CCC Intelligent Solutions practices don’t synch with what he and others documenting changes in sees in the auto insurance industry cycle time, “touch time,” parts costs as a whole. and other metrics, are insurance “When we look at scorecards

Social Media for Shops

SEMA Show Goes On

and KPIs across the industry, some of those KPIs haven’t been updated in 10 years,” Tagliapietra said. “So repairers [on those programs] are being held to the same KPIs.” He also noted while the average vehicle may be 11 years old, the average age of repaired vehicles is between 6 and 7 years old.

“That puts us at OBD-II and well into the new realm of technology as we know it today,” he said. “I think we need to consider that…You can’t look at KPIs based on the way we repaired cars in 1999, and hold [shops] to the same level, especially in terms of cycle time.”

Aaron Schulenburg of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists also told the panel he’s always surprised and concerned when anyone suggests it’s not more challenging now than it’s ever been for shops trying to “appease both sides of the

equation” when it comes to automakers and insurers, saying that’s the crux of nearly “every single call that I get every single day.”

He said he appreciated the automakers and insurers who at least took part in the panel discussion because the committee struggled to find people willing “to sit on the stage to talk about the things that really matter.”

“There should be more who do,” Schulenburg said. “If they’re not willing to, there’s a bigger issue in this industry that’s leading to shops being stuck in the middle.”

WHITE PLAINS VOLKSWAGEN

NEW HOLLAND TOYOTA

Media and Publicity for Shops Shop Strategies

FOLLOW US ON

TWITTER:

@autobodynews

Body Shops Giving Back

Tips for Busy Body Shops My SEMA

Shop Strategies with Victoria Antonelli

48 FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

410 Saw Mill River Road Elmsford, NY 10523

888.774.9926 914.372.7056 Fax

www.whiteplainsvolkswagen.com jmershon@whiteplainsvolkswagen.com

M-F 7:30am-5:30pm w/ Delivery Sat 8am-2pm No Delivery n

Free Daily Delivery n Professional Staff n Competitive Pricing n Extensive Inventory

528 W. Main Street New Holland, PA 17557

800-367-3232 717-354-4907

717-354-3906 Fax www.newhollandauto.com

M-F 7am-5:30pm n Wide Delivery Area n Competitive Pricing

INSIST ON GM GENUINE PARTS

Call Any of These Wholesale Parts Dealers Below Maryland

Massachusetts

New Jersey

New York

Ourisman Chevrolet

Mastria Buick Cadillac GMC

Open Road Cadillac

West Herr Chevrolet

888-572-1045

973-845-3014

973-538-6978 Fax

716-662-7707

MARLOW HEIGHTS

800-358-7788

301-899-6990 Direct 301-899-9375 Fax

M-F 7:30 am - 6 pm Sat 8 am - 4 pm wholesale@ourisman.com www.ourismanchevrolet.com

RAYNHAM

508-822-4074 Fax

M-Th 7:30 - 7:30; F 7:30 - 6 Sat 7:30 - 5 wholesale@mastria.com

New Jersey

Ourisman Chevrolet of Rockville

Barlow Chevrolet

800-345-4640

800-220-1452

ROCKVILLE

301-424-5332 Local 301-294-6381 Fax M-F 7 - 5:30

Massachusetts

Balise Chevrolet Buick GMC Business Elite SPRINGFIELD

413-233-2185

413-733-8617 Fax

M-F 8 - 5 lvazquez@baliseauto.com

Boch Chevrolet NORWOOD

DELRAN

856-461-8417 856-764-1498 Fax

800-982-2258 508-879-1212 Fax

M-F 7:30 - 5 tschube@longauto.com

Marty’s Buick GMC KINGSTON

800-870-7573

781-585-7570 781-585-2966 Fax

800-981-9451

908-686-2727 908-687-4267 Fax M-F 8 - 5; Sat 8 - 4

Christopher.salgado@openroad.com

MAHWAH

201-579-6497

201-579-6506 Fax M-F 7 - 5

732-821-1517 Fax

GREENCASTLE

717-597-2131

717-597-6932 Fax

347-218-9771

Mon-Sat 8 am - 5 pm parts@bayridgechevy.com

800-669-6256

800-769-6256

Blaise Alexander Chevrolet

800-435-9586

800-727-8357

NORTH BRUNSWICK

Pennsylvania

Tom Hesser Chevrolet

DePaula Chevrolet

732-821-5410 732-821-7549 Fax

716-688-5519 Fax

M-F 7:30 - 5; Sat 8 - 4 sgraham@westherr.com

BROOKLYN

Malouf Buick GMC NORTH BRUNSWICK

ORCHARD PARK

M-F 8 - 5; Sat 8-2 jsnyder@blaisealexander.com

New York

718-232-4488

Malouf Chevrolet Cadillac

508-820-9322

UNION

Cadillac of Mahwah

M-F 7:30 - 5 bchwholesale@boch.com SOUTHBOROUGH

Open Road Chevrolet

Bay Ridge Chevrolet

M-F 8 - 4:30; Sat 8 - 1 bsnyder@malouf.com

Long Cadillac

M-F 7 - 5 martin.kolbusch@openroad.com

M-F 7 - 6; Sat 8 - 4 pseay@barlowautogroup.com

800-559-9210

781-762-9210 800-991-1009 Fax

FLORHAM PARK

SCRANTON

570-558-3677 570-342-8645 Fax

M-F 8 - 5; Sat 8 - 2 mhanson@tomhesser.com

ALBANY

518-489-0184 Fax

M-F 7:30 - 6; Sat 8 - 5 parts@depaula.com

East Syracuse Chevy EAST SYRACUSE

315-437-5464

315-437-0878 Fax

M-F 7:30 - 5; Sat 8 - 3 partsdept@esyrchevy.com

M-F 7:30 - 5 kdiperi@malouf.com

Nielsen Chevrolet DOVER

973-366-1730

973-366-5867 Fax

M-F 7 - 4:30; Sat 8 - 4:30 parts@nielsenchevy.com

M-F 7:30 - 5:30; Sat 8 - 4 brucem@martysbuickgmc.com autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS 49

G&C Auto Body Donates 7 Cars to Continue Gene Crozat’s Legacy of Giving

by Ed Attanasio

The late Gene Crozat of G&C Auto Body died in 2016, but his sons have taken his zeal for helping others to the next level, and giving cars to those in need is a big part of it.

The company has now presented more than 200 vehicles to deserving individuals and families within the last 20 years and the number keeps climbing.

On Dec. 16, seven deserving Sonoma, CA, area residents experienced a life-changing event thanks

The Crozat family has given away more than 200 cars to deserving families within the last 15 years. In this photo, Shawn Crozat talks to the crowd while his brother Pat looks on

to the National Auto Body Council (NABC) Recycled Rides® program, along with car donor GEICO, G&C Auto Body and automotive refinish coatings partner PPG.

The presentation was held at the Sonoma County Event Center at the Fairgrounds in the Garrett Building.

More than 200 people were in attendance.

G&C Auto Body CEO Shawn Crozat is proud to continue his family’s legacy and knows his father would be smiling from ear-to-ear watching the presentations.

“Dad had a huge heart and wanted to help as many people as he could,” Crozat said. “He used to tell us that we are in a position to help others, and it’s a role we’re obligated to play. When you think about the fact that more than 200 people are driving vehicles around in the North Bay that they got through G&C, that is pretty amazing!”

Bill Garoutte, president and CEO of the NABC, is ecstatic about what G&C has achieved through its philanthropy over the years.

“What an honor to be part of a tremendous event with an organization that provides such incredi-

ble support for the community,” he said. “To gift more than 200 cars to area residents in need is an amazing milestone, and to present seven in one day by G&C Auto Body is truly remarkable.”

The seven recipients of completely refurbished vehicles included Stephanie, a single mom to two young children, who received a 2014 Honda Civic. Her partner of 15 years recently and unexpectedly passed away.

Stephanie was in need of transportation to continue her journey of stabilization with her children after the loss of their father. Stephanie and her son are living in a transitional house as they actively look for a place to live.

She heard about the Crozat Family Foundation and its benevolent giving from a person who recently received a vehicle through the foundation.

Sue, a single mom, was presented with a 2016 Nissan Versa.

She has been a single mom from the time her oldest was 3 years old.

Now, she is the matriarch of a multigenerational household consisting of herself, her two adult daughters and her grandson.

She owns a 1996 Toyota 4Runner with 300,000 miles and a blown head gasket and relies on her youngest daughter to drive her to work and her oldest daughter’s boyfriend to pick her up. She has been trying to save for another vehicle, but this gift of transportation will help her be able to get to work and not rely on others.

Cheyanne, a mother of two, was gifted a 2017 Hyundai Sonata.

She and two of her three children were living in Lake County, CA, when their house was deemed uninhabitable and they had to leave.

They also had to leave behind their older model vehicle that had stopped running.

Cheyanne said they left that house with the clothes on their backs and a few other personal items. She will use this car to help get her and her sons to medical appointments, and her youngest to school.

Shannon, a mother of three, received a 2016 Hyundai Elantra. She and her kids lost the home they were

50 FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

renting to wildfires in 2017. They have been living with Shannon’s parents since, but the home environment has become unhealthy for everyone and she is currently looking for a new place to live.

Shannon had two older, unreliable vehicles, one of which was a 2006 Chevy Tahoe with 246,000 miles and was falling apart.

Shannon currently holds one full-time job and two part-time jobs to cover living expenses. The gift of transportation will allow her to manage her children’s schedule and get to her jobs.

Mike, a single dad, received a 2017 Toyota Camry. Since his separation, he has been trying to rebuild his life while keeping up with legal fees, fighting for his share of custody of the kids, working full time and juggling the kids’ extra-curricular activities.

He drives a used truck he is struggling to afford. He was in need of reliable transportation so he can comfortably sell the truck he has a payment on without relying on friends and family for rides to maintain his job and his

Visit these Genuine Hyundai Parts Dealers

children’s quality of life.

Eva received a 2017 Volkswagen Jetta and will be using it to make her life easier.

Clara, a mom of three, received a 2018 Nissan Altima. She and her husband, Kristopher, and their three children are a blended family trying to get by with a vehicle that has been overheating and is constantly breaking down.

She is working full time as a security guard at Graton Resort and Casino, while Kris has been staying home with their youngest son until he recovers from a recent surgery.

Once all the follow-up doctor visits are completed, Kris will get back into the work force.

The new vehicle will allow them to more effectively manage family life, jobs and medical visits.

In addition to the vehicles, each recipient also received six months of full vehicle coverage from GEICO and six months of gas gift cards, six months of grocery gifts cards and $100 Target gift cards for each child See Legacy of Giving, Page 54

The RIGHT COLLISION PARTS FOR YOUR COLLISION JOB.

Connecticut

Massachusetts

Meriden 318 South Broad St.

Norwood 391 Providence Hwy.

MERIDEN HYUNDAI

BOCH HYUNDAI

203-935-0896

800-559-9210

Mon-Fri 7:30am - 5pm Sat 8am - 4pm parts@meridenhyundai.com

Mon-Fri 7:30am - 5pm bchwholesale@boch.com

203-935-0895 203-440-9969 Fax

781-762-9210 800-991-1009 Fax

ROUTE 2 HYUNDAI Leominster 743 North Main St.

888-240-3495 978-534-9933 Fax

Mon-Thu 7:30am - 7:30pm Fri-Sat 7:30am - 6pm parts@rte2hyundai.com www.rte2hyundai.com

We’ve Got Your Parts Covered 100% Genuine. No Exceptions.

Genuine Kia Parts* are specifically manufactured from original engineering specs to ensure the same exceptional quality, performance and safety as when you first drove your Kia off the lot. Plus, they’re covered by our 12-month Replacement Parts Limited Warranty.

CONNECTICUT

MARYLAND

Napoli Indoor Kia

Bob Bell Kia

Milford 203-876-3331 (203) 876-3325 Fax 8am-6pm Mon-Fri paulc@napolimotors.com

Gary Rome Kia

Enfield 860-253-5095 (860) 265-2674 Fax 8am-7pm Mon-Thu 8am-5pm Fri; 8am-4pm Sat parts@garyromekia.com

MASSACHUSETTS Kia of Attleboro

South Attleboro 508-761-9300 (508) 761-0768 Fax 8am-8pm Mon, Wed; 8am-5pm Tue, Thu, Fri 8am-4pm Sat frank@courtesyma.com www.courtesyma.com

Baltimore 800-638-4967 (410) 285-1376 Fax 7am-7pm Mon-Fri 7am-5pm Sat smelson@bobbell.com

NEW JERSEY Liberty Kia

Ramsey 201-818-8995 (201) 783-8848 Fax 8am-5pm Mon-Sat parts@libertyhyundai.com

NEW YORK Kia of Middletown New Hampton 845-374-6575 (845) 374-4718 Fax 8am-5pm Mon-Fri 8am-3pm Sat

nissankiaofmiddletownparts@yahoo.com

www.kiaofmiddletown.com

Find your local Kia dealership today at www.kia.com Northstar Kia

Long Island City (718) 683-5300 (718) 489-9889 Fax M-F 7:30am-5pm; Sat 8am-2pm www.northstarkiany.com

Yonkers Kia

Yonkers 914-268-0279 (914) 652-7665 Fax 7:30am-8pm Mon-Thu 7:30am-7pm Fri; 8am-5pm Sat

PENNSYLVANIA Brown Daub Kia

Easton 610-829-3020 (484) 546-0292 Fax 7am-5pm Mon-Fri 7am-3pm Sat parts@browndaubkia.com www.browndaubkia.com

Kia of Coatesville

Coatesville 610-384-7700 (610) 384-2171 Fax 7:30am-5pm Mon-Fri 7:30am-4pm Sat jkiernan@jimsipalakia.com www.kiaofcoatesville.com

Kia of West Chester

West Chester 610-429-3500 (610) 429-0164 Fax 7:30am-5pm Mon-Fri 7:30am-4pm Sat jkiernan@jimsipalakia.com www.kiaofwestchester.com

Outten Kia

Hamburg 610-562-4166 (610) 562-9436 Fax 7:30am-5pm Mon-Fri 8am-12pm Sat jhenne@outtencars.com www.outtenkia.com

VERMONT Berlin City Kia

Williston 800-684-5779 (303) 928-6905 Fax 6am-6pm Mon, Wed, Fri 6am-7pm Tue, Thu 7am-3pm Sat ableau@berlincity.com

*Kia Genuine replacement parts sold but not installed by an Authorized Kia Dealer are covered for 12 months from purchase date, regardless of mileage, for the part only, and any labor charge is the consumer’s responsibility. autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS 51

Continued from Page 42

Collide Showcase: Part 2 an insurance company estimate from another database program and nothing matches.

“The reality is that we’re never going to get an exact result from three different database products,” said Gredinberg. “They all talk differently and have different logic and P-pages. They will never line up to each other.”

He said it’s the estimator’s job to understand the system they are using in order to explain and justify the estimate to the vehicle owner.

Gredinberg encourages repairers to talk to vehicle owners on the front end, use the estimating system the way it is intended, and capture all of the included and non-included items.

“At the end of the day, the goal is for the consumer to get their vehicle fixed with the least amount of friction possible,” he said.

Gredinberg strongly encourages the industry to share any database by submitting a database inquiry: https:// degweb.org/deg-database-parent/ submit-a-database-inquiry.

Pete Tagliapietra, product director at NuGen IT, an OEC Company.

Pete Tagliapietra, product director at NuGen IT, an OEC Company, talked about leading-edge technologies, such as machine learning, computer vision, robotics automation and artificial intelligence (AI).

“What’s unfortunate to me is how these technologies seem to be left behind as far as collision repairers are concerned,” said Tagliapietra.

He challenged collision repairers to think outside of the box.

Tagliapietra shared an idea of using these technologies to capture images of a damaged vehicle and immediately access all of the OEM information required by a collision repairer to repair it.

In the current environment, Tagliapietra said repairers have access to individual OEM repair informa-

tion through the manufacturers’ websites. However, each OEM has its own format, and repairers often don’t know what to look for and where to find it. Alternatives include accessing information through OEM 1Stop; a third-party provider, such as ALLDATA or Identifix; or via estimating systems repair lines.

He talked about the possibility of accessing OEM repair information via computer vision. In this scenario, digital images of the vehicle damage would be uploaded to a computer vision central server. Once the images are analyzed, a collision shop could have the information available through the OEM website or a third-party provider within seconds.

“The premise of the idea is to give collision repairers all of the information needed to create a complete blueprint of the automobile before the estimate is written,” explained Tagliapietra.

In addition, reporting capabilities would be available. “Over time, you would be able to look at a certain year, make and model and understand what repair procedures are typically being used to repair that vehicle.”

Tagliapietra said all of this is possible with the technology available today.

“When you look at all of the different repair information opportunities, none of them bring all of the information that you need as a collision repairer to have access to them,” he said.

By using computer vision, Tagliapietra said collision repairers would immediately know all of the necessary repair procedures to include if a pre-and post-scan is required, as well as a recalibration. They would also have access to manufacturers’ position statements before writing the estimate and repairing the vehicle.

He encourages the industry to leverage the same technology used by other industries, such as insurance.

“Dreaming big is something we need to do in this industry,” said Tagliapietra. “Otherwise, we’ll fall behind and, in some cases, fall further behind.”

Michael LoPrete, vice president of global operations at Plastfix Inc., talked about sustainability and the future impact on collision repairers.

LoPrete shared a broad defini-

52 FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

tion of sustainability, which he described as meeting the needs of the present without compromising future generations’ ability to meet their needs.

“I think about sustainability as a journey to a place where we are able to complete vehicle repairs while

Michael LoPrete, vice president of global operations at Plastfix Inc.

eliminating all of our current waste streams,” said LoPrete. “I don’t think that there is a point that we’ll ever be finished.”

He shared what he referred to as the 3R’s of sustainability, in order of importance: reduce, reuse and recycle.

Examples of reduce include repairing something rather than replacing it, and conducting online training rather than incurring travel time. Reuse also refers to repair vs. replace, and LoPrete used the example of pur-

chasing a new cell phone as soon as it is introduced, even if a person’s current device is working perfectly well.

Recycling is often the first thing that comes to mind when people think of sustainability, but LoPrete said it has the smallest impact on sustainability initiatives.

He introduced the term “recoverability,” which he described as an item that has the capability of being recycled and then converted to a new product of the same type, such as glass or aluminum.

“The recoverability rate on those items is nearly 100%,” he said. With plastics, recoverability is less than 5% and includes specific products such as water and soda bottles.

The automotive aftermarket is reportedly the No. 2 generator of polypropylene waste globally and recoverability is close to 0%.

LoPrete said green consumers are driving the increased awareness of sustainability, and Greta Thunberg is a leading spokesperson for Generation Z. “Generation Z looks at the world through the lens of the sustainability triple bottom line, which includes

Genuine NISSAN & INFINITI OEM Wholesale Parts are Superbly Crafted to Strict Quality Standards.

THE FOLLOWING DEALERS PROUDLY STOCK GENUINE PARTS FOR YOUR NISSAN OR INFINITI REPAIRS.

NISSAN MARYLAND

NEW YORK

Bob Bell Nissan

Rockland Nissan

800-638-4967

845-358-3670

Baltimore

(410) 282-2432 (410) 285-1376 Fax M-F 7-7, Sat. 8-5 smelson@bobbell.com MASSACHUSETTS

Boch Nissan Norwood

781-619-7270 (781) 619-7280 Fax M-F 7-5, Sat. 7-4 rlindner@boch.com

Blauvelt (845) 358-6049 Fax M-F 7:30-5:30, Sat. 8-4 ldesir@rocklandnissan.com www.rocklandnissan.com

TRUST FORD PARTS CERTIFIED PARTS WHOLESALING DEALERS CONNECTICUT

MASSACHUSETTS

NEW JERSEY

NEW YORK

Hoffman Ford Lincoln

Colonial Ford of Plymouth

Malouf Ford Lincoln Mercury

Schultz Ford Lincoln

860-282-0861 860-290-6336 Fax

888-754-3380 508-830-1650 508-830-1658 Fax

800-959-6256 732-951-1429 Fax

845-623-5111 845-624-0075 Fax

EAST HARTFORD

Hours: M-F 7-5:30 Sat 7:30am-3:30pm fordparts@hoffmanauto.com

MARYLAND

Packer Norris Parts BALTIMORE

855-767-7278 410-574-8305 410-574-8389 Fax

Hours: M-F 7-5:30; Sat 8-3 www.packernorrisparts.com

PLYMOUTH

NORTH BRUNSWICK

Hours: M-F 7:30-5; Sat 7:30-4 www.buycolonialford.com

Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-1 fordparts@malouf.com www.maloufparts.com

Sarat Ford Lincoln

Nielsen Ford

888-809-5648 413-786-4474 413-789-3715 Fax

973-702-8000 973-875-7016 Fax

AGAWAM

Hours: M-W 7-6; Th 7-8; F 7-5; Sat 8-4 www.saratford.net

NANUET

Hours: M-F 7-12, 12:45-5:30; Sat 8-12 parts@schultzflm.com

PENNSYLVANIA

New Holland Ford

SUSSEX

NEW HOLLAND

Hours: M-F 8-6; Sat 8-3:30 gbraden@nielsenford.com

800-367-3232 717-354-9633 Fax Hours: M-F 7-5:30

NEW JERSEY

Ditschman/Flemington Ford FLEMINGTON

800-221-1256 908-782-1795 Fax

Hours: M-F 7:30-5; Sat 8-3 www.njparts.com

autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS 53

economy, environment and society,” he said. “Every decision they make tends to have filters that pass through all three of those things.”

Many say Generation Z is demanding industries be more responsible and accountable for their actions.

“The ones who do it in a meaningful way are positioning their businesses well to move forward,” he said. “The ones who delay taking action will have to catch up eventually because that segment of the population is only going to become a larger and larger piece of the audience out there.”

Moving forward, LoPrete encourages industry stakeholders to work together and make sustainability part of their strategic thinking to reduce the amount of waste being generated while still producing safe repairs.

“While we can do things individually that will make a difference, the reality is that the greatest impact will come if we work together,” he said. “Sustainability needs to be a topic of discussion; it can’t be left undiscussed.”

He challenged the industry to do the following: • Make sustainability an agenda item during meetings • Appoint a subject matter expert within your organization • Track and record your current waste and look at trends • Identify pathways for improvement • Involve other stakeholders in your conversations • Share initiatives broadly across your organization “If we begin thinking about sustainability from this perspective, we can make progress that will shape legislative actions, rather than being subjected to requirements from outside of our industry,” said LoPrete.

“There will be winners and losers across the stakeholder chain. The green consumer will make sure that happens. They will support the ones that make the right choices.”

Learn more about the SCRS Repairer Driven Education series: https://rde.scrs.com.

AUTOBODY

54 FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Continued from Page 50

Legacy of Giving to help make Christmas a little easier—all courtesy of G&C Auto Body and the Crozat Foundation.

NABC Recycled Rides is a unique program in which businesses representing all facets of the collision repair industry team up to repair and donate vehicles to individuals and families in need of reliable transportation. Since the inception of the NABC Recycled Rides program in 2007, members of the NABC have donated more than 2,750 vehicles valued at more than $38 million.

The late Gene Crozat started the Crozat Family Foundation in 2004 and it’s still going strong. He used to like to say, “It is our responsibility to help our fellow men.”

It started as a “Car-A-Month Giveaway” on various local radio stations and has grown into a foundation that provides support to the individuals and families they encounter when they meet through the company’s various car giveaways, accord-

ing to the foundation’s website.

There have been a few setbacks for the Crozat family since they lost their patriarch, but the business is still growing. Since Gene’s passing, the Crozat family has lost seven of their homes, which burned to the ground in two separate fires, including the house they all grew up in.

One thing Gene taught his four children—Shawn, Josh, Jamie and Patrick—and his beloved granddaughter, Maddy, is to make helping people a priority. Crozat took philanthropy to the next level, giving people cars, cash and even jobs at one of his shops in some instances.

The company has given away approximately 200 cars since it started the “Car-A-Month Giveaway” nearly two decades ago.

“We hope to help the recipients get back on the road of life, giving a reliable ride and additional support to those who have fallen upon misfortune or endured catastrophic, unforeseen events,” Gene Crozat said when he established the program.

“We strive to help create success where failure may have seemed inevitable.”

Energy Commodity Prices Increased by 59% in 2021, EIA Reports

by Bethany Blankley, The Center Square

The prices of energy, crude and gasoline all increased in 2021 from 2020, the U.S. Energy Information Agency reported. Prices increased because of higher demand and a range of other factors. By the end of 2021, commodities on the energy index traded 59% higher than they did on the first trading day last year on the S&P Goldman Sachs Commodity Index (GSCI), the EIA reported.

GSCI is a commodity index that tracks the performance of global commodities markets. It’s a weighted average that’s updated every year. In 2021, the energy index comprised 54% of the GSCI, with the two crude oil benchmarks, the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) and Brent, accounting for approximately 70% of the energy index.

WTI crude oil accounts for the largest share of the overall GSCI of more than 21%. Most GSCI commodity indexes increased by roughly 20%, with only the precious metals index declining in 2021. On a percentage basis last year, the energy index increased by more than double than the industrial metals index did. The only GSCI commodity

that increased more than the energy index was coffee.

Prices for petroleum products RBOB and ULSC increased the most in 2021, trading higher by 67% and 64%, respectively, compared to 2020.

RBOB is a reformulated grade of gasoline used as the benchmark for gasoline trading; ULSD is ultra-low sulfur diesel used as a benchmark for heating oil trading. Prices for crude oils on the WTI and Brent increased slightly less, by 62% and 55%, respectively, in 2021.

Several factors contributed to the higher energy commodity prices last year, the EIA noted, including weather disruptions such as the February freeze in Texas and Hurricane Ida, which greatly impacted production in the Gulf. Other factors included increased demand for gasoline and diesel and an ongoing demand for crude oil and natural gas greater than the rate of production.

Crude oil prices increased in 2021 with the spot price of Brent crude trading at $50 a barrel at the beginning of the year, increasing to $86 a barrel by late October. The 2021 Brent annual average of $71 a barrel was the highest it had been in the past three years. The

WTI’s average was $3 a barrel less than Brent’s in 2021.

According to EIA’s December 2021 Short-Term Energy Outlook estimates, U.S. crude oil production in 2021 decreased by 0.1 million barrels a day from 2020 and by 1.1 million barrels a day from 2019. The EIA also estimated petroleum inventories decreased by 469 million barrels globally in 2021, “likely the largest annual inventory withdrawal since 2007.” Rising crude oil prices and increased gasoline demand also contributed to the highest national average price for retail gasoline since 2014. The national average increased to $3.01 a gallon in 2021, with retail gasoline increasing by more than a dollar a gallon over the course of the year. At the beginning of 2021, the national average retail gasoline price was $2.25 a gallon. It then passed the $3 a gallon mark on May 17 after disruptions to the Colonial Pipeline. Gas prices continued to increase throughout 2021, with the average price peaking at $3.41 a gallon Nov. 8. The average retail price was $3.28 a gallon by the end of the year, more than a dollar more than it was at the start of the year, EIA reported. The lowest average of $2.67

Partner with Depaula Ford for all Your OEM Ford Parts

Your Source for GM Parts in NY State, Western MA, Western CT and Southern VT

P H :

M - F - 7:30AM - 6PM S - 8AM - 5PM

785 C A A , NY 12206

$1M+ Onsite Inventory of Genuine GM Parts Dedicated Wholesale Parts Professionals B : 518-489-7747 (100 Years Combined Experience) M : 518-489-7746 B : 518-489-0122 Fleet of 8 GPS Equipped Trucks parts@depaula.com for Daily Deliveries www.depaulachevrolet.com Competitive Pricing and Discounts

a gallon was in the Gulf Coast states, with Texas reporting some of the lowest gas prices all year. The highest average of $3.70 a gallon was on the West Coast, with California reporting some of the highest gas prices.

From Jan. 4 to Dec. 27, 2021, retail gasoline prices increased by 88 cents a gallon in the Midwest, $1.20 a gallon in the Rocky Mountains and $1.32 a gallon on the West Coast, the EIA reported. The spike in prices in the Rocky Mountains and West Coast resulted from refinery closures in those regions, which led to reduced output of gasoline and lower gasoline inventories, the EIA noted. Less production was compounded by the fact that demand increased due to more visitors traveling to national parks, also putting a strain on already lower gasoline inventories, causing prices for delivery and prices at the pump to go up.

One major contributor to high retail gasoline prices last year was high crude oil prices, the EIA pointed out.

The average crude oil price for 2021 was the highest it has been since 2018, due to reduced U.S. refinery capacity, and low gasoline inventories that couldn’t keep up with demand.

P H :

M - F: 7:30AM - 6PM SAT: 8AM - 5PM

799 C A A , NY 12206

P 518-489-1210 F : 518-489-0126 mhensel@depaulaford.com www.depaulaford.com

$1M+ Inventory Updated Daily 3 Senior Certified Ford WS Parts Specialists Ready to Assist You 8 Delivery Trucks and Priority Rush Delivery in Our Hot Shot Vans Internet Ordering Available on Our Website or via Ford

autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS 55

Mercedes-Benz Previews Solar EV Concept Car with 620-Mile Range

by Andrei Nedelea, Inside EVs

Battery electric vehicles could have increased range if they also had a solar component that ensured some charge went into the battery when hit by sunlight.

There are currently no mainstream manufacturers that offer an EV with meaningful solar charging, but Mercedes-Benz wants to change that with the Vision EQXX.

The EQXX is a sedan designed to drive more than 620 miles on one charge, but its battery pack is actually smaller than that of the longest range EQS. Mercedes doesn’t give the exact capacity, but it is just under 100 kWh, and it is thanks to solar charging it achieves the impressive claimed range.

Mercedes explained the solar array comprised of ultra-thin individual panels, which spans most of the vehicle’s roof, give the vehicle around 15.5 miles of extra range on an average day. If you’ve been following other solar EVs, then you will know companies state the average range gain, but you actually may get more on a really sunny day.

But it’s not just solar charging that allows the EQXX to achieve its super impressive efficiency and range numbers. Its remarkably low mass, which the manufacturer says is around 3,900 pounds, and low coefficient of drag also play a major part.

Sheer acceleration was not a key concern for this vehicle, although they did try to eke as much “go” out of the powertrain as possible, employing some Formula 1 tech to do it. It has a single electric motor that makes 201 horsepower, so factoring in its mass, we would estimate it sprints to 62 mph in around 7.5 seconds; top speed is not mentioned, but it probably won’t exceed 112 mph.

The manufacturer said it is also experimenting with an electric architecture that supports more than 900 volts, although it’s unclear if this will make its way into the production vehicle.

In the press release, Mercedes said being “tasked with pushing the envelope of technical feasibility on all levels, the battery development

team also decided to experiment with an unusually high voltage. Increasing the voltage to more than 900 volts proved an extremely useful research tool for the develop-

tures in the production version.

We expect the exterior design to make it to production virtually unchanged, although the interior seems more concept car-like, although it

ment of the power electronics. The team was able to gather a great deal of valuable data and is currently assessing the potential benefits and implications for future series production.”

The battery pack is especially light for its capacity—just 1,091 pounds. It features an advanced thermal management system with an integrated heat pump and relies on what Mercedes calls cooling on demand, which “has been further developed for the VISION EQXX not only for optimal cooling based on the prevailing circumstances,” the automaker said.

“The exceptional efficiency of the electric drive unit means it generates only minimal waste heat. This helped keep the thermal management system extremely small and lightweight,” Mercedes said. “The carefully engineered interaction of aero-shutters, coolant valves and water pumps ensures the electric drive unit, comprising the power electronics, electric motor and transmission, maintains the most efficient temperature balance at minimum energy cost.”

Other cool EQXX features include a bespoke platform based on an F1-style lightweight subframe, wider front track, aluminum alloy brake disks and aero wheels shod in ultra-low-rolling-resistance tires that have also been aero-optimized.

And it’s clear because so much thought went into each and every part, we will see these all these fea-

does have seat belt buckles, so it seems like some parts are already close to final and already functional. The full-width screen that spans the width of the dashboard may also make it to production.

And if you were wondering what the XX in the EQXX’s name stands for, Markus Schäfer, mem-

56 FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

ber of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG, CTO responsible for development and procurement, explained that.

“As a halo car, it firmly establishes Mercedes-Benz as the luxury tech brand in the automotive world and beyond,” Schäfer said. “And the way we developed it is as revolutionary as the vehicle itself. VISION EQXX has seen the best minds from our R&D centers work together with engineers from our Formula 1 and Formula E programmes. They are proving that innovations from motorsport—where powertrains are already highly electrified—have immediate relevance for road car development.

“We are challenging current development processes with innovative spirit and outside-the-box thinking. This truly is the way forward.”

AUTOBODY www.autobodynews.com

The Right PARTS. A PERFECT Fit. Order Genuine Mazda Parts From These Parts Specialists in Your Area.

MARYLAND

VIRGINIA

Ourisman Mazda of Rockville

Brown’s Fairfax Mazda

855-417-4511

703-385-3994

Rockville

Fairfax

Fax 240-499-2488 M-F 8-5:30; Sat 8-5

Fax 703-591-5348 M-F 7:30-6

rockvilleparts@ourismanautomotive.com

Joe.wood@brownscar.com www.brownscar.com

www.rockvillemazda.com

Finish It Like a Masterpiece with

Genuine Parts

The Dealers Below Are Mercedes-Benz Genuine Parts Specialists: DELAWARE

MASSACHUSETTS

NEW JERSEY

RHODE ISLAND

Mercedes-Benz of Wilmington Wilmington

Mercedes-Benz of Burlington Burlington

Mercedes-Benz of Newton Newton

Viti Mercedes-Benz Tiverton

800-800-1949

833-768-5924

800-842-0557

M-F 7am-6pm Sat 8am-5pm

M-F 8am - 5pm

302-995-5030 302-995-5033 Fax

617-275-2182 Direct 781-229-1600 Main

parts@mbofwilmington.com www.mbofwilmington.com

parts@mbob.com www.mbob.com

M-F 7:30am - 5pm Sat 8am - 2pm

MARYLAND

NEW YORK

Mercedes-Benz of Annapolis Annapolis

Mercedes-Benz of Goldens Bridge Goldens Bridge

888-801-2369 443-875-0290 443-875-0315 Fax M-F 7:30am-6pm Sat 8am-1pm

rhamilton@mileone.com

914-232-8146 914-232-5733 Fax M-F 8am - 5:30pm Sat 8am - 2pm

888-302-2369 973-383-1284 Fax

realmercedesparts@mbofnewton.com

Mercedes-Benz of Paramus Paramus

800-544-5580 401-624-6181 401-624-4817 Fax M-F 7:30am - 5:30pm Sat 9am - 5pm eric@viti.com www.viti.com

888-30-PARTS 201-265-7808 201-483-2782 Fax

M-Th 7:30am - 7:30pm F 7:30am - 5pm Sat 8am - 5pm parts@prestigemb.com

dkorkatzis@mercedesbenzgb.com

Mercedes-Benz of Smithtown St. James

631-265-5339 631-265-8146 Fax M-F 8am - 5pm Sat 8am - 4:30pm

mlevantino@mbofsmithtown.com www.mbofsmithtown.com

autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS 57

Top Electric Car Predictions for 2022

by Scott Case, Inside EVs

It felt like 2021 was the year of the EV crossover.

Tesla’s Model Y quietly dethroned its Model 3 sedan as the best-selling electric car in the U.S. Three new entrants jumped into the top five EV sellers: the VW ID.4, Ford Mustang Mach-E and the Chevy Bolt EUV. Perhaps it should not surprise us, because Americans love their crossover SUVs.

But Americans love their pickup trucks more. I predict 2022 will be the year of the EV truck.

Why? The top-selling vehicle model across 30 states in 2021 was the Ford F-Series, and the numbers we’re talking about are five times what the Model Y has done.

That makes the F-150 Lightning the most important EV introduction in history. This is a mainstream vehicle that will do more to establish—for better or worse—the reputation of EVs in the minds of most Americans. That includes my wife, who placed her pre-order for the F-150 Lightning months ago, after turning up her nose at every offering from Tesla to date.

The Rivian R1T pickup truck and Tesla Cybertruck are interesting to watch as well, but they aren’t growing the EV buyer demographics and geographic reach in the same way as the F-150.

This got me thinking about 2022 and what we should expect to see this year. To help us look to the future, I asked some of the smartest, savviest EV insiders I know to share their top predictions for 2022:

Simona Onori is a Stanford University assistant professor of energy resources engineering and electrical engineering

Stacy Noblet is senior director of transportation electrification and a senior fellow with the Climate Center at ICF, a global consulting firm

Sahas Katta is founder and CEO of Smartcar, a company that enables the integration of apps and services with connected electric cars

Esther Perman is head of product at Recurrent. Prior to this role, Perman co-founded a startup that focused on driving EV adoption and was on the founding team for Zillow Offers.

Noblet’s Prediction: Used EVs Make Electric Mobility More Accessible One of the reasons EVs have not yet reached mainstream adoption at scale is because of the upfront costs associated with them. While EVs mean operational cost savings compared to fully gas-powered vehicles, the initial price tag is what gets most of a purchaser’s focus. Because of this, continued increase in EV adoption will rely on the second and third ownership market.

In 2022, we’ll see more consumers seeking out used EVs, and EVs finding their way to more middle and low-income households.

As supply chain issues persist, the availability of used EVs will help soften the impact of vehicle shortages and provide all of the benefits of new ones, but at a lower price point, making electrification more accessible for more consumers.

Katta’s Prediction: Software and Connectivity Will Personalize the EV Experience EV owners are generally early adopters and ahead of the curve compared to other traditional vehicle owners. If you drive an EV, there’s a higher likelihood that you see the OEM app on your phone as an extension of the driving experience and you look for third-party apps to enhance it.

Nearly all EVs shipped today offer connected services and, with 5G emerging, we’ll see faster connections and less latency.

This makes it easier to enable more complex APIs to become available, opening the doors for developers to build even richer and more creative apps for cars and their drivers.

58 FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Perman’s Prediction: New EV Shoppers Will Keep Demand for Leased and Used EVs High The next wave of new EV models adds more variety and options for early adopters, as well as the early majority. But for many of the “EV curious” shoppers, the perfect EV to match their lifestyle is still a year or two away. That won’t stop them from looking now, however; add in federal and state pricing incentives and increasing awareness of the environmental impact, and I predict shoppers—especially two-car households—will be willing to dip their toes into electric driving with leases and cheaper used models.

Onori’s Prediction: LFP Bounces Back in a Big Way Major automotive players—Tesla, VW and Ford, both in the U.S. and China—will increasingly lean towards lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) for EV batteries, to replace the higher energy density nickel-cobalt-based counterparts (NCA and NMC). This will bring down prices for the consumers and accelerate mass EV production worldwide.

LFP is a dated technology invented in the 1990s with lower energy density than NMC or NCA, but 2022 will be the comeback year of LFP battery technology, as a push to reduce the amount of cobalt used in batteries—to decrease global reliance on supply from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and address human right issues related to child labor in mines.

Reducing cobalt content could be done at the expense of higher nickel content, but that would be a recipe for thermal stability reduction and increased risk of explosion. LFP is cheaper, safer—higher thermal stability—cobalt-free, has less environmental impact, is fast-charge friendly and has a much longer useful lifetime.

Drawback? Because of their lower energy density, they offer a slighter shorter range. In my opinion, a small price to pay to accelerate the race for sustainability!

Perman’s Prediction: New EV Shoppers Demand Different Shopping Experiences

Tesla didn’t just disrupt electric car design; they changed expectations of the car purchase experience. In many states, Tesla’s online ordering and delivery eliminated steps that consumers like least; several OEMs have followed suit with online purchase reservations for upcoming models.

Add in the popularity of auto e-commerce sites with shoppers who hate haggling over price, and I predict we’ll see more and more consumers demand a shopping experience that reduces or eliminates time spent waiting at dealerships.

Dealerships who do embrace electric vehicles will win by helping consumers experience what makes electric so special, providing at-home charging solutions, and being the experts at answering questions about range and battery life.

Noblet’s Prediction: 2021 Commitments Become 2022 Realities It felt like 2021 was the year of EV commitments, with a lot of attention and money going toward EVs, in-

Do it Right!

Use These Dealers are Genuine Wholesale Parts Specialists.

Maine

Downeast Toyota / Scion BREWER

800-432-0220

207-989-4610 Fax M-F 7am-5pm; Sat 7am-4pm partsdepartment@downeasttoyota.com www.downeasttoyota.com

Fortune favors factory-original quality Parts: They’re our passion Crack into greater customer satisfaction with some help from OEM-quality Genuine VW Collision Parts.

CONNECTICUT

MASSACHUSETTS

Curran Volkswagen Stratford

203-378-6516

Volkswagen of North Attleboro North Attleboro

Fax: 203-380-3732 M-Th 8am-6pm; F 8am-5pm Sat 8am-2pm parts@curranvw.net www.curranvw.net

Fax: 508-695-0321 M-F 8am-5pm; Sat 8am-2pm kenr@driveavw.com www.driveavw.com

Lia Volkswagen Enfield

860-698-6890 Fax: 860-265-7840 M-F 8am-5pm; Sat 8am-12pm aguimaraes@liacars.com

MARYLAND Ourisman VW of Rockville Rockville

855-417-4511 Fax: 240-499-2488 M-F 8am-5:30pm; Sat 8am-5pm rockvilleparts@ourismanautomotive.com

www.rockvillevolkswagen.com

508-695-7131

NEW JERSEY Flemington Volkswagen Flemington

Paul Miller Volkswagen Bernardsville

908-360-1162 Fax: 908-766-6171 M-F 8am-5pm; Sat 8am-4pm aaitchison@paulmiller.com www.paulmillervw.com

PENNSYLVANIA Ciocca Volkswagen Allentown

610-791-4177 Fax: 610-289-7016 M-F 8am-5pm; Sat 8am-4pm cioccavwparts@cioccadealerships.com

NEW YORK Hudson Valley Volkswagen Wappingers Falls

845-298-2365 Fax: 845-224-3686 M-F 7:30am-5pm; Sat 8am-5pm

877-NJPARTS 877-657-2787

billsantoro@thepremiercollection.com

Fax: 908-782-1795 M-F 7:30am-5pm www.njparts.com

Platinum Volkswagen Hicksville

Open Road Volkswagen of Bridgewater Bridgewater

Fax: 516-822-4831 M-F 7:30am-5:30pm parts@platinumvw.com www.platinumvw.com

516-822-4800

908-685-1068 Fax: 908-685-1547 M-F 7:30am-5pm; Sat 8am-3pm vwb.parts@openroad.com www.openroadvwparts.com

Find an authorized Volkswagen dealer near you at vwwholesaledealers.com “Volkswagen” and the Volkswagen logo are registered trademarks of Volkswagen AG. ©2022 Volkswagen of America, Inc.

autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS 59

cluding the Infrastructure Bill, which allocated $7.5 billion toward EV charging infrastructure at a federal and local level.

2022 will be about following through on these commitments. To do this, we need to prioritize the buildout of charging infrastructure along corridors and across communities, which will be dependent on collaboration with utility companies.

We’re already seeing this in action at the local level with efforts like NYC’s Electrifying New York plan, which brings together the NYC Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, Con Edison and National Grid to ensure the city is properly prepared for EV investments.

We’ve also witnessed the emergence of regional and nationwide collaborations like the National Electric Highway Coalition, which represents more than 50 power companies aiming to increase EV accessibility.

In 2022, utilities will have a constant seat at the table and will provide governments and key stakeholders with valuable grid insights to ensure that efficient and equitable EV adoption is possible as federal fund-

ing makes its way into communities across the country.

Katta’s Prediction: Startups Make EVs Even Cleaner Let’s face it: an EV is only as clean as the grid that powers it. New companies and technology will help us optimize when and how we draw the energy that powers our vehicles. Software can’t eliminate the environmental footprint of transportation by itself, but it can make it easier to charge EVs with clean energy. Keep an eye on businesses like Rolling Energy Resources, which is already breaking ground on making this possible.

Noblet’s Prediction: Electric Fleets Visibly Shift to be the Rule Rather Than the Exception In 2022, we’ll see more interest from businesses in adopting electric fleets.

Fleet electrification makes economic sense—it can save them up to 40% on maintenance costs and up to 50% on fuel costs. Even with a higher upfront cost for vehicles and infrastructure, businesses will quickly realize the long-term benefits of turning their fleets electric.

Beyond cost savings, business leaders are also adopting more sustainable practices to support climate resilience efforts, which will be reinforced through fleet electrification.

Fleet electrification is important for reducing emissions in the sector due to the scale of impact and the greater number of miles traveled by fleet vehicles, which can significantly improve air quality in disadvantaged communities.

Now that more vehicle makes and models are available, fleets of all sizes and types will embrace electrification and start to convert their vehicles to EVs. Predicting the Future is Not Easy While these are very smart people and some of their predictions seem like sure things, nothing is guaranteed, and this is not an exhaustive list.

FREE

4x Monthly E-Newsletter.

Subscribe Today! www.autobodynews.com

MASSACHUSETTS

SEMA Launches Online Library SEMA launched a new online education library to provide the automotive aftermarket with easy and affordable year-round access to experts and leaders.

From technical details about advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and legislative and advocacy updates, to best practices and tips on common business skills and behind-the-scenes conversations with industry leaders, celebrities and icons, the new SEMA Virtual Education website at www.sema.org/education includes a comprehensive collection of educational webinars and resources targeted to the automotive aftermarket.

Employees of SEMA member companies will have the distinct advantage of being able to access most education at no cost or at a discount, but all sessions are available to anyone in the industry—regardless of SEMA membership status.

Visit www.sema.org/education.

Source: SEMA

NEW JERSEY

Cityside Subaru Belmont (617) 826-5013 (617) 489-0733 Fax

Liberty Subaru

Long Automotive Group

Mon.-Fri. 7:30-6 parts@libertysubaru.com www.libertysubaru.com

Mon.-Fri. 7:30-5:30 parts@citysidesubaru.com Framingham (800) 982-2298 (508) 879-1212 Fax

The following dealerships are eager to serve your needs.

Call your local Subaru collision parts specialist today!

Mon.-Fri. 7:30-5 tschube@longauto.com

Metrowest Subaru LLC Natick (888) 456-2200 (508) 745-2004 (508) 647-1539 Fax

Mon.-Sat. 7-9 parts@metrowestsubaru.com

Think Genuine Subaru Parts.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Belknap Subaru

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

60 FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Tilton (800) 358-4029 (603) 729-1300 (603) 729-1301 Fax

Mon., Wed., Fri. 7:30-5 Tue., Thu. 7:30-7; Sat. 9-3 awright@belknapsubaru.com

Emerson (888) 782-9493 (201) 261-3261 Fax

BMW’s New Car Changes Color ‘With the Touch of a Button’

by Grant Currin, Interesting Engineering

Personalization and self-expression are turning out to be major themes at CES 2022.

BMW’s big announcement Jan. 5—a technology that changes the color of a car with the touch of a

duction model of the iX Flow will be available soon, but vehicles with color-changing paint won’t be hitting showroom floors at car dealerships for quite a while—if they ever do. BMW described the chameleon-like exterior as an “advanced research and design project.”

A concept version of BMW’s iX Flow with color-changing paint. Credit: Interesting Engineering

button—shows the storied German automaker understood the assignment.

The company unveiled the tech on a concept version of its new 100% electric iX Flow SUV. A pro-

The color-changing paint is a new, flashy application of a familiar technology. Electronic ink, which enables the “electric paper” technology that powers e-readers like Amazon’s Kindle, drives the paint

BMW unveiled Jan. 5.

The ink is impregnated with microcapsules, about as thick as a human hair. White pigments within these microcapsules are negatively charged, and black pigments carry a positive charge. Input from the user shifts the electric field around the capsules, nudging some of the pigments to the surface where they change the color of the paint.

The technology is currently available in black, white and a few shades of gray.

“This [technology] gives the driver the freedom to express different facets of their personality or even their enjoyment of change outwardly, and to redefine this each time they get into their car,” according to Stella Clarke, who led the project within the company.

BMW also pointed to more practical applications. Since white paint reflects light, it could keep interiors cooler in hot weather, reducing the amount of energy needed for air condition. Black, on the other hand, absorbs light and could reduce the amount of power needed to keep a vehicle comfortably warm.

ASE Celebrates 50th Anniversary The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) has kicked off a yearlong celebration of its growth and many milestones achieved since its founding in 1972 by industry leaders who sought to recognize competent professional technicians and the repair facilities where they are employed. For half a century, ASE has worked to improve the quality of vehicle repair and service by testing and certifying automotive professionals, becoming the renowned independent non-profit organization striving to uphold and promote high standards of vehicle service and repair.

From its initial offering of four automobile tests in 1972, ASE today offers 57 tests and certifications from automobile and medium-heavy truck to transit and school bus, collision repair, parts, military and others. More than a quarter of a million individuals currently hold ASE certifications in these areas of the transportation industry.

Source: ASE

Porsche Genuine Parts and Service, only at your local authorized Porsche dealer.

MARYLAND Porsche Silver Spring

Silver Spring, MD 800-288-6982 301-890-3748 Fax wholesales@mileone.com

MASSACHUSETTS Porsche Norwell Norwell, MA 781-261-5230 781-261-5274 Fax porschenorwell.com

NEW JERSEY Flemington Porsche Flemington, NJ 800-221-1256 908-782-9397 Fax rmuir@flemington.com

Porsche Monmouth

West Long Branch, NJ 732-483-8560 M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4:30 avacchiano@penskeautomotive.com

NEW YORK Porsche Gold Coast Jericho, NY 516-758-0881 516-625-9185 Fax

M-F 8-6; Sat 8-12 steven@porschegoldcoast.com

Porsche Huntington

Huntington Station, NY 631-424-1310 631-272-1805 Fax

Porsche Manhattan

New York, NY 347-226-3913 212-208-0916 Fax parts@manhattanmotorcars.com

Porsche of Southampton

Porsche South Shore

Freeport, NY 516-277-0542 516-277-0543 M-Sat 8-5:30 mtotaram@mcgovernauto.com

Southampton, NY 631-204-2565 631-204-2559 Fax gspano@porscheofsouthampton.com

M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 parts@porschehuntington.com

©2022 Porsche Cars North America, Inc. Porsche recommends seatbelt usage and observance of traffic laws at all times.

autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS 61

Volkswagen will Launch EV Bus on ID. Platform March 9 German automaker Volkswagen will launch an all-electric take on its famous microbus from the 1950s on March 9. The all-electric Volkswagen ID.BUZZ will be the latest edition to the automaker’s expanding fleet of electric cars.

“We want to make Volkswagen the most desirable brand for sustainable mobility. The ID. BUZZ embodies this like hardly any other model,” VW brand CEO Ralf Brandstätter said. The ID.BUZZ will, of course, use Volkswagen’s MEB platform that has powered vehicles like the ID.3 and ID.4, which

Volkswagen Auto Group CEO Herbert Diess tweeted Jan. 6 that “The Legend returns on 03/09/22!”

The graphic then showed an outline of the all-electric VW ID.BUZZ, which will be officially unveiled in about two months.

have been widely popular in the European region.

Details regarding the vehicle are relatively scarce; Volkswagen didn’t offer an official press release or any media attention other than the listed tweets to give direction to the

by Joey Klender, Teslarati

vehicle’s imminent unveiling.

We do know the vehicle will be released in the U.S. in 2023. Pricing options are not currently available, and there are no indications of how many trims or configurations Volkswagen plans to offer. However, writers at automotive publication Car and Driver believe the van could start at around $40,000.

Volkswagen has made a valiant effort the past few years to expand its lineup of all-electric vehicles.

Instead of pushing EVs out on a non-dedicated platform, as it did with the VW e-Golf, Volkswagen began developing the ID. platform several years ago. It had its kinks early on, but Diess has stressed the importance of software in the coming age, along with the crucial nature of an accelerated push to electrification.

It has not won Diess many fans involved with German unions, but it has helped the automaker remain relevant as Tesla leads the industry, and other legacy companies, like Ford, continue to advance their platforms and product lines to be more competitive.

Boyd Group Completes CEO Plan Boyd Group Services Inc. on Jan. 4 announced the completion of its CEO succession plan, first announced in August 2019.

Effective Jan. 2, 2020, Brock Bulbuck moved into an executive chair role, and Tim O’Day succeeded Bulbuck and became president & CEO. Bulbuck remained in the position of executive chair for a two-year term to support the transition.

On Dec. 31, this term came to an end. Bulbuck will remain a part of Boyd Group Services Inc. as he continues to serve as a director on the board. “I would like to acknowledge Brock’s retirement from management at Boyd,” said O’Day. “Brock’s dedication and drive during his 28 years at Boyd were instrumental in building the business and consistently achieving the company’s growth goals.”

Source: Boyd Group Services Inc.

AUTOBODY MARKETPLACE Ditch the mask. Try our new line perfection tape.

Our new and unique line perfection tape is abrasiveresistant and allows you to achieve crisp, sharp body lines.

Sand directly on the durable tape surface without shredding.

As tape wears, orange appears to warn of wear-through.

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

• Works for blocking, sanding body filler and primer

> EASY TO USE <

• Chemical resistant • Conforms to contours

SAVES YOU TIME AND MONEY

• Helps eliminate the need for constant reapplication of tape • Saves time and material

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

Give it a try!

We’ll send you a free roll of Perfect Line with any online purchase.

(Expires 12/31/20)

www.crashwrap.com | 888.264.3770

The Secrets of America’s Is noblwe for aila Greatest Body Shops avpurchase! by: Dave Luehr and Stacey Phillips

The Book That Will Challenge Everything You Know About the Collision Repair Business.

Order your copy today and join the Body Shop Secrets community!

www.bodyshopsecrets.com For more information, contact the authors at info@bodyshopsecrets.com 62 FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

877.593.6959

Looking for Good Collision Personnel?

•1,262 Collision Techs resumes online •1,295 Painters resumes online •1,177 Estimators & Mgs resumes online •11,256 Mechanical Tech resumes online www.actautostaffing.com or 727-733-5600

MPD 30 Autowriter Posca Auto Marker Sakura Unipaint

$3.15 $3.95 $3.75 $2.49 $3.25 $3.85

or order online: www.markingpendepot.com

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:

Autobody News

FREE 4x Monthly E-Newsletter. Subscribe Today!

AUTOBODY

www.autobodynews.com

Audi Part Professionals are experts on collision parts, replacement components and mechanical items.

Order Audi Genuine Parts from these select dealers.

MARYLAND

Bell Audi

Paul Miller Audi

Audi Southampton

732.396.9630 732.396.9090 Fax M-F 8am-5pm Sat 8am-4pm dmcsorley@bellaudi.com

862.277.0009 973.575.5911 Fax M-F 8am-6pm Sat 8am-5pm www.paulmilleraudi.com Audiparts@paulmiller.com

631.204.2565 Tue-Sat 8am-5pm parts@audisouthampton.com www.audisouthampton.com

Audi Silver Spring

Edison

301.890.3015 800.288.6982 301.890.3748 Fax M-F 7:30am-5pm wholesaless@mileone.com www.audisilverspring.com

DCH Millburn Audi

Silver Spring

MASSACHUSETTS Audi Shrewsbury Shrewsbury

888.751.7214 508.581.5880 508.845.1642 Fax M-F 7:30am-5pm audiwholesaleparts@mcgovernauto.com

NEW JERSEY Audi Meadowlands North Bergen

201.408.2085 201.223.7842 Fax M-F 7am-6pm Sat 8am-2pm jpooler@bbmcc.com

Maplewood

800.553.9250 973.762.2381 Fax M-F 7:30am-6pm Sat 7:30am-4pm ddipalma@dchusa.com www.dchmillburnaudi.com

Parsippany

Southampton

NEW YORK Audi Brooklyn of Bram Wholesale Parts Network 866.770.5999 718.392.6570 Fax M-F 7:30am-5:30pm parts@lexusofqueens.com

Flemington Audi Flemington

800.221.1256 908.782.1795 Fax M-F 7:30am-5pm Sat 8am-12pm www.njparts.com

Regardless of the age of your customer’s Audi, Audi dealers have access to over 200,000 part numbers and are supported by a nationwide network of distribution centers to help ensure non-stocked parts are delivered the next day.

autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS 63

64 FEBRUARY 2022 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com