March 2020 Northeast Edition by Autobody News

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Massachusetts Committee Hears Testimony for House Bill 4122 by Chasidy Rae Sisk

On January 13, the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure heard House Bill 4122, an update to the state’s current Right to Repair law, designed to better address the needs related to increasing prevalence of telematics in vehicle technology and repairs. AASP/MA has expressed support for HB4122 as part of its endeavors to improve the collision repair industry in Massa-

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chusetts, and Executive Director Lucky Papageorg attended the January hearing to urge legislators to support the measure which, he argued, would grant information to independent shops that could improve cycle times. House Bill 4122 proposes additional verbiage be inserted into the current Right to Repair law from 2013: “Commencing in model year 2022 and thereafter a manufacturer of motor vehicles sold in the ComSee House Bill 4122, Page 24

38 YEARS

AUTOBODYNEWS.COM Vol. 10 / Issue 12 / March 2020

NORTHEAST 2020 Promises to Clarify Attendees’ View of the Collision Repair Industry by Chasidy Rae Sisk

The 43rd installment of AASP/ NJ’s NORTHEAST® Automotive Services Show is scheduled to take place at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, NJ on March 20–22. The largest automotive services show on the East Coast, NORTHEAST attracts thousands of automotive and collision repair specialists eager for the event’s educational offerings and the opportunity to visit well-known vendors on the

trade show floor. AASP/NJ Executive Director Charles Bryant stated, “We are once again looking forward to NORTHEAST. I can’t wait to attend the trade show, because it’s the number one place to see every new type of equipment and any new service being offered to our industry. There is no better event that allows the shops that are looking to keep on top of their game than NORTHEAST. I hope to see every member of AASP/ See NORTHEAST 2020, Page 28

March 20-22. AASP/NJ

SPECIAL

AASP/NJ Meeting Provides Update on Employment Law by Chasidy Rae Sisk

On January 15, AASP/NJ members met at the Holiday Inn in Clark, NJ, to learn about recent employment law changes. The meeting featured

David M. Bander, Esq., Executive Director of the Policy Office for the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, who shared information and tools shop owners need to maintain their businesses’ compliance with the new regulations. Bander said, “There has been an explosion of activity over the past two years under the Murphy adminSee AASP/NJ Meeting, Page 26

PERMIT #288 ANAHEIM, CA

PAID

Change Service Requested

by Chasidy Rae Sisk

On February 6, Harris County Precinct 8-1 Justice of the Peace Holly Williamson issued a ruling upholding a Texas collision repairer’s request for discovery into State Farm’s rate calculations and a variety of other estimating practices, in addition to denying State Farm’s motion to dismiss. In a hearing the day before the ruling, “(T)he Judge explained that definitions, the profile of the estimating software, how the prevailing rate is determined and the training of the appraisers is not a trade secret or confidential information,” explained Larry Cernosek, owner of Deer Park Paint and Body in Pasadena, TX. Cernosek is actively pursuing a $10,000 lawsuit against State Farm which alleges that the insurance company committed tortious interference by its refusal to compensate the collision repair facility for procedures deemed necessary by the shop on five

separate repair jobs. The lawsuit was filed in August 2019, and in October 2019, despite State Farm’s objections, Williamson granted Cernosek’s requests for discovery related to the insurer’s labor rate calculations, and its adjusters’ training, as well as definitions of “reasonable and customary,” “prevailing rate in the market area,” and “pre-accident condition.” In December 2019, Cernosek requested State Farm’s estimating profile on the claims at issue in the case in addition to information on the inclusion of p-pages and OEM repair procedures in the insurer’s estimating software. Williamson approved his request after Cernosek provided support in the form of four letters he received from the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) which indicated the department’s inability to adequately address complaints against other insurers. In a letter Cernosek received in See Tortious Interference, Page 34

P.O. BOX 1516, CARLSBAD, CA 92018

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Texas Collision Repairer Pursues Tortious Interference

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2 MARCH 2020 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

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CONTENTS AASP/NJ Meeting Provides Update on Employment Law ��1 Accelerating education: Middlesex County Vocational-Technical Student Jump-Starts Career with Jaguar Land Rover ��12 Bloomfield, NJ High School Students Test Drive Their Automotive Skills for $30k in Scholarships ��16 District Court Judge Weighs In On Boycott Lawsuit and Dismisses Some Claims ��22 Fire Breaks Out at Auto Body Shop in Catasauqua ��8 Governor Murphy Signs Legislation to Boost Use of Electric Vehicles in NJ ��26 Massachusetts Committee Hears Testimony for House Bill 4122 ��1 Mobile 101 Auto Body Expands: Just Over the Line in Stamford ��6 New Jersey Dealerships Continue To Unite To Support The Valerie Fund ��8 Rare Totals, No DRPs, and $10,000 Repairs at Glick Fire Equipment Co ��14 Save Rite Auto Neighbors Appeal, Ask Judge to Stop Auto Shop’s Expanded Operation ��10 Signature Auto Group is Now a Full-Service

AUTOBODY

CARSTAR President Predicts Increased Importance of OEM Certification in Future ��57

ltedesco@autobodynews.com

CIF Donation Helps Military Veteran Restore

800-699-8251

His Sense of Purpose After Retirement ��36 CIF’s Campaign of Caring Gifts $10,000, Thanks Donors ��60 Collision Repair Education Foundation Offering Over $150,000 in Grants and Scholarships to Collision Students ��32 Coronavirus Expected To Heavily Impact Global Car Industry ��60 CREF Invites Dealers to Become Part of the Solution with New Initiative ��70 Dave Luehr’s Next FREE Elite Webinar Series: “CCC ONE Estimating Features & Tips,” with Jason Kitchen of CCC ��76 Father and Son Win Maaco Cup Award ��68 FHD Repair Forum March 24th-25th Details ��22 From Prison to Collision: The Jabari Hayes Story ��54 Gerber Collision & Glass Opens Repair Center in CO ��34 January CIECAcast Explores Future of Claims

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

REGIONAL

Call or Email Now for Rates:

Publisher & Editor: Jeremy Hayhurst General Manager: Barbara Davies Contributing Writers: John Yoswick, Janet Chaney, Toby Chess, Ed Attanasio, Chasidy Sisk, David Luehr, Stacey Phillips, Victoria Antonelli, Gary Ledoux Advertising Sales: Joe Momber, Bill Doyle, Norman Morano, Kelly Hall (800) 699-8251 Office Manager: Louise Tedesco Digital Marketing Manager: Bill Pierce Art Director: Rodolfo Garcia Graphic Designer: Vicki Sitarz Accounting Manager: Heather Priddy Editorial/Sales Assistant: Randi Scholtes Office Assistant: Dianne Pray

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. ©2020 Adamantine Media LLC. Autobody News P.O. Box 1516, Carlsbad, CA 92018 (800) 699-8251 / (760) 603-3229 Fax www.autobodynews.com editor@autobodynews.com

Accudraft Paint Booths �� 80

Lusid - General �� 21

Accuvision-3D �� 7

Malco �� 16

Acura of Westchester �� 52

Matrix Automotive Finishes �� 5

Albert Kemperle, Inc �� 11

Mazda Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 76

Audi Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 75

McGovern Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge-Ram �� 30

AutoNation Collision Parts �� 23

Mercedes-Benz of Atlantic City �� 59

Axalta Coating Systems �� 10

Mercedes-Benz of Fort Washington �� 59

BASF Corporation �� 19

Mercedes-Benz of Paramus �� 42

Bical Auto Mall �� 48

Mercedes-Benz of West Chester �� 59

BMW Wholesale Parts Dealers ��64-65

Mercedes-Benz of Wilmington �� 54

and Collision Repair Market ��30

Cadillac of Mahwah �� 56

Mercedes-Benz Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 71

Judge Weighs in on Emergency Motion ��69

Car-O-Liner �� 27

MINI Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 66

Leading the Ethical Revolution in the

CARSTAR �� 37

MontiPower Americas, Inc �� 26

Collision Repair Industry ��46

Carworx �� 6, 29

MOPAR Wholesale Parts Dealers ��44-45

More Bad News at Nissan ��76

CCC Information Services, Inc �� 49

Motor Guard Corporation �� 18

NORTHEAST 2020 Promises to Clarify

Central Avenue Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge-Ram �� 35

New Holland Ford �� 43

COLUMNISTS

Attendees’ View of the Collision

Certified Automotive Parts Association �� 15

New Holland Toyota �� 18

Anderson - Few Collision Repairers Are

Repair Industry ��1

Cherry Hill Dodge-Chrysler-Jeep-Ram �� 38

Nissan/Infiniti Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 74

Classifieds �� 78

Northstar Kia �� 58

Lincoln its First Luxury Electric Vehicle ��4

Colonial Automotive Group �� 61

Nucar �� 63

Roy Seay Named 2019 Maaco Cup Winner ��16

Courtesy Mitsubishi �� 62

Porsche Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 68

Symach to Develop New UVA-LEDtronic

Criswell Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge-Ram �� 22

PPG Refinish �� 13

Eckler’s Automotive �� 47

SATA Dan-Am Company �� 39

ECS Automotive Concepts �� 31

Schultz Ford �� 50

Empire Auto Parts �� 28

Security Dodge-Chrysler-Jeep-Ram �� 14

Equalizer Industries, Inc �� 15

Spanesi Americas �� 20

Ford Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 72

Subaru Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 69

GM Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 67

Steck Manufacturing Company �� 24

Honda-Acura Wholesale Parts Dealers ��40-41

Sunmight USA Corporation �� 53

Hyundai Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 70

Symach �� 12

INDASA USA �� 8

Tasca Automotive Group �� 55

Infiniti of Norwood �� 60

Toyota Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 66

Innovative Tools & Technologies, Inc �� 51

True Wheels, LLC �� 17

Jaguar Land Rover Cherry Hill �� 32

USI of North America �� 33

Keco Body Repair Products �� 25

VIP Honda �� 57

Kia Motors Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 73

Volkswagen of Newtown Square �� 18

Kia of Attleboro �� 62

Volkswagen Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 77

Kundert Volvo �� 46

Westbury Jeep-Chrysler-Dodge-Ram-SRT �� 9

Launch Tech USA �� 79

White Plains Volkswagen �� 24

Featured Demo of SCRS’ Blueprint

LKQ Corporation �� 2

Yonkers Kia �� 34

Optimization Tool ��6

Long Automotive Group �� 36

Operation, with Allstate Insurance, Auto Body Repair, and Auto Inspection Services ��18

Separating Out Scanning Time Versus Diagnostic Time ��48 Anderson - Understanding and Performing Required Test Drive Procedures Isn’t an Option ��58 Attanasio - Automotive Artwork Adds Class to Your Waiting Room ��62 Ledoux - The 1980’s – The Evolution of the “Patch Panel” ��42

Rivian’s Partnership with Ford will Bring

Technology ��57 Tesla China To Resume Giga Shanghai Production On Feb. 10 As Government Steps In To Aid ��68 Tesla’s Focus on Batteries is Being Proven Right, and Other Carmakers are Paying

NATIONAL AirPro Diagnostics Launches 24/7/365 Service ��15 Allstate Asks Court to Deny Latest Motion to Compel ��66 Amazon’s First-Ever Electric-Powered Delivery Fleet Set for 2021 Launch ��72 ASE Announces New Officers for 2020 ��18 ATMC Announces New Officers for 2020 ��20 Audi Recalls Vehicles Equipped with Takata Non-Azide Inflators ��72 Brandon Honda wins DealerRater’s 2020 Award ��70

the Price ��4 Texas Collision Repairer Pursues Tortious Interference ��1 That’s It! He’s Had it! Part 2 ��52 Universal Technical Institute’s Core Automotive Program Outfitted With Volvo’s Advanced and Electrified Vehicles ��74 WIN Opens Registration for 2020 WIN Educational Conference ��74 WMABA’s 2020 Membership Dinner Meeting

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Rivian’s Partnership with Ford will Bring Lincoln its First Luxury Electric Vehicle by Joey Klender

Rivian has teamed up with Ford to develop and produce an electric vehicle for Lincoln: Ford’s luxury brand that has produced comfortable and stylish sedans and SUVs since 1917.

Rivian R1T in Blue� CREDIT: Revian

The vehicle will be Lincoln’s first attempt at an all-electric car, but not its first attempt at battery-operation in its vehicles. Lincoln has manufactured two plug-in hybrid SUVs in the past and is aiming to take on a project that would create a vehicle that would not operate on petrol-based products.

The vehicle will be manufactured on Rivian’s “skateboard” platform that is comprised of the Lithium-ion batteries being packed in the car’s floor. Rivian will produce the skateboard design at its plant in Normal, Illinois. However, neither company would confirm if the Lincoln EV would be produced in a Rivian or Ford factory. Ford has broken into the electric car market by producing a number of its own battery electric vehicles (BEV). The company stated in March 2018 that it would be creating 16 electric vehicles and 40 electrified vehicles by the end of 2022. After unveiling its F-150 EV in July and the Mach-E in November, Ford seemed to be transitioning its product line toward more sustainable options. However, the company decided to put a hefty $500 million investment into Rivian. When Ford joined forces

with the Plymouth, Michigan-based electric car maker, they stated the companies would work jointly to produce an electric car. Rivian CEO RJ

Scaringe stated the partnership would help move the world toward environmentally-friendly modes of transportation. “This strategic partnership marks another key milestone in our drive to accelerate the transition to sustainable mobility. Ford has a long-standing commitment to sustainability, with Bill Ford being one of the industry’s earliest advocates, and we are excited to use our technology to get more electric vehicles on the road,” Scaringe said in a company press release. Ford is not the only large company to inject a large sum of money into Rivian’s future plans to produce sustainable electric cars. Amazon decided to contribute with a $700 million investment into the company,

along with the purchase of 100,000 electric vans that will eventually deliver the company’s packages. In the company’s most recent investment round, Rivian rallied a total of $1.3 billion in total investments. The partnership between Ford and Rivi-

an will do what RJ Scaringe intends it to do: accelerate the transition to sustainable forms of transportation. While Tesla continues to hold a sizeable lead in the electric vehicle sector on the heels of its Q4 2019 earnings call, Rivian seems to be gaining some momentum through the support of some of the world’s biggest companies. We thank Teslarati for reprint permission.

Tesla’s Focus on Batteries is Being Proven Right, and Other Carmakers are Paying the Price by Simon Alvarez, Teslarati

As more and more automakers begin the transition to electric vehicles, it is becoming increasingly apparent that Tesla’s intense focus on batteries was right all along. Tesla’s strategies have always been criticized and examined under a microscope, and the company’s decision to build Giga Nevada, a facility dedicated to battery production for the Model 3, was no exception. But as veteran automakers like Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz are now finding out, investing tons of effort and resources on batteries matters a lot. Tesla is among the industry’s most vertically-integrated companies. Similar to Apple’s consumer electronics and SpaceX’s rockets, most of what goes inside a Tesla electric car is designed and built in-house. Tesla is so serious about this; the company actually made its own seats. The same is true for the electronics that goes inside every Tesla. They are so different and superior to off-the-shelf components that teardown expert Sandy Munro compared them to the electronics of

a literal fighter jet. A lot of Tesla’s resources are dedicated to its battery improvements. Teslas stand tall among their rivals in the EV marketplace today primarily due to their efficiency and range, and this is made possible by the company’s battery tech. The company is not showing any signs of stopping too. Tesla has acquired several companies that could further improve its batteries, such as Maxwell Technologies and Hibar Systems. The electric car maker is even looking to produce its own batteries, with reports indicating that work is already underway to develop custom cells for Tesla’s next generation of vehicles and products. It’s a difficult pill to swallow, but veteran automakers have reached a point where they must honestly admit that when it comes to batteries, Tesla has a notable lead. The very representation for this idea is the Porsche Taycan, an otherwise excellent high-performance electric vehicle whose ~200-mile EPA range is an Achilles Heel. Porsche, similar to other EV makers, opted for off-theshelf batteries for the Taycan, and it

shows. The car performs beautifully, and it’s arguably the only EV that can beat a Model S fair and square in a race, but it simply does not have the range or the efficiency to beat Tesla’s flagship sedan on all metrics. It’s not just about the battery tech and specific cell chemistries either. Over the years, Tesla also had the foresight to secure ample battery supply for its vehicles and products. From Panasonic, which has been Tesla’s partner since its early days, to CATL, which is the company’s partner for Giga Shanghai, the electric car maker has made careful preparations to ensure that its vehicles and products will always have enough batteries. Other EV makers are not as fortunate. This is one of the reasons why the Jaguar I-PACE, one of the most decorated vehicles in modern auto history, actually stopped production for a week. Just like the Taycan, the I-PACE is actually a pretty decent EV, with its plush interior and aggressive exterior. But behind the I-PACE’s looks lies off-the-shelf batteries that are also used by other companies. This meant that when LG

Chem could not supply enough cells for the vehicle, Jaguar had no choice but to stop the vehicle’s production temporarily. The Mercedes-Benz EQC is in the same boat. Once deemed as a potential “Tesla Killer,” the EQC’s production target for 2020 was halved by the German automaker from 60,000 vehicles to just 30,000 units. The reason was something that is pretty familiar: Daimler just could not secure enough batteries. Even companies like Dyson and Aston Martin, both of which had plans to make EVs, eventually suspended their efforts to enter the electric car market. Tesla is not a perfect company by any means. CEO Elon Musk would be the first to admit that the company has made many mistakes over the years. But for all its delays and production issues, there is very little that can be criticized about Tesla when it comes to its batteries and the company’s foresight in improving them and securing their supply for years to come. We thank Teslarati for reprint permission.

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Mobile 101 Auto Body Expands: Just Over the Line in Stamford Since starting his Greenwich-based Mobile Auto Body 101 out of the now familiar orange and black truck, John Castellana, Jr has been busy traveling to homes, office parks and businesses to perform body shop services. The business has been successful, growing in employees and clientele. “His two biggest complaints are that he can’t keep up with phone calls and emails because he’s so busy doing the work,” said John’s father, also named John Castellana. Business has been so good that this week John Jr announced the opening of a Mobile 101 brick-andmortar location just over the line in Stamford at 368 West Ave (close to exit 6). John Jr, a Greenwich native, said it had always been his dream to have his own body shop, but it wasn’t until an unlucky incident that he found the ideal location. “I got a flat coming off the highway,” he recalled. “I pulled up here and asked for help. Then I got talking to one of the guys.” As his car was being tended to, John Jr had a chance to wander

around inside the body shop and have a look at the facility. His imagination soared. “I had been thinking about expanding Mobile Auto Body 101 and I asked if the owner wanted to sell,” he recalled.

aspect to the Mobile 101 truck, with the busiest months starting in March, Castellana will operate the new fivebay body shop, spray booth, and frame shop for heavy collisions in all weather.

if a car has heavy damage it can be dropped off at 368 West Ave by a tow truck at any time.

John Castellana Jr and some of his auto technicians at 368 West Ave in Stamford. Jan 21, 2020. Credit: Leslie Yager John Castallana Jr and his father John Castellana at the new brick-and-mortar location for Mobile Auto Body 101, located at 368 West Ave in Stamford. Photo: Leslie Yager. Credit: Leslie Yager

Initially the answer was no, but Castellana persisted. “I came back a few times and got to know the owner and employees. Then, finally he agreed to sell,” he said. Castellana says the location is ideally located close to Greenwich. And while there is a seasonal

Inside the new brick-and-mortar location for Mobile 101 Auto Body. Jan 21, 2020 Photo: Leslie Yager. Credit: Leslie Yager

“We went from two auto technicians to six,” John Jr said. “We’ve hired really good high quality technicians. They’re very conscientious.” The Castellanas said they plan to continue to keep the Mobile 101 truck on the road, bringing the body shop to the customer. “We’ll do that and run this facility as well,” John Jr said, adding that

“If we’re closed, just drop it off. We’ll square it with the tow company the following morning,” John Sr said. “We can do both mechanical work and auto body work now: tune ups, suspensions, brakes, exhaust and body work,” he added. Mobile 101 Auto Body is located at 368 West Ave, in Stamford, 06902. Tel. (203) 517-7728. We thank the Greenwich Free Press for reprint permission.

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New Jersey Dealerships Continue To Unite To Support The Valerie Fund Children battling cancer and blood disorders are thankful for the millions of dollars raised When the New Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers (NJ CAR) first launched a special fundraising initiative in 2014, the organization never could have predicted it would become an ongoing partnership that has raised more than $2 million for The Valerie Fund and hundreds of children with cancer and blood disorders. New Jersey’s new car and truck dealerships have long been generous champions of philanthropy, supporting hundreds of charitable causes from local sports teams to national organizations. “New Jersey’s 510 neighborhood new car dealerships are incredibly generous and contribute nearly $16 million each year to hundreds of worthy organizations” The Valerie Fund’s mission to support children with cancer and blood disorders resonated with so many dealerships because they have such a long history of supporting the communities in which they operate. Over the last

5 years, more than 200 dealerships throughout New Jersey have embraced the Valerie Fund campaign. In showrooms throughout the State, salespeople have shared their enthusiasm for The Valerie Fund with customers who were made aware of the dealerships’ donations following test drives and vehicle purchases. Some manufacturers even matched those contributions. “New Jersey’s 510 neighborhood new car dealerships are incredibly generous and contribute nearly $16 million each year to hundreds of worthy organizations,” said Jim Appleton. “Our members’ ongoing relationship with The Valerie Fund is a testament to the incredible work the Fund does to support thousands of children and their families in New Jersey.” The Valerie Fund’s mission is to provide individualized care to children with cancer and blood disorders at medical centers close to home because the organization believes the most effective way to heal these children is to treat them emotionally, socially and develop-

mentally, as well as medically. The Valerie Fund was founded over forty years ago, in memory of Valerie Goldstein, and with the tremendous growth of the organization, her parents have seen their vision realized. The Valerie Fund’s seven Children’s Centers comprise the largest network of healthcare facilities for children with cancer and blood disorders in New Jersey, and one of the largest in the nation. The Centers provide caring, comprehensive, state-of-the-art outpatient health care to more than 6,000 children and their families each year. “I am so proud of the auto dealers of New Jersey for coming together across all brands to support the more than 6,000 children and families who benefit from the treatment and support provided by The Valerie Fund each year,” said Judy Schumacher, President of Schumacher Chevrolet Group in New Jersey. For more information visit: www. TheValerieFund.org Obtained via Businesswire.

Fire Breaks Out at Auto Body Shop in Catasauqua Firefighters battled a blaze at a business in Catasauqua, Lehigh County morning. Fire was reported shortly before 7 a.m. in a structure at Force 1 Towing & Auto Body in the 400 block of Wood Street, emergency dispatchers said.

Credit: Mike Nester for 69 News

Flames engulfed something in a garage on the property and heavy black smoke billowed out the garage door. No injuries were reported, but initial reports from the scene indicated someone was inside trying to put the fire out and refusing to leave. We thank WFMZ 69 News for reprint permission.

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Save Rite Auto Neighbors Appeal, Ask Judge to Stop Auto Shop’s Expanded Operation by Lindsay O’Laughlin, York Dispatch

Three neighbors who live near Save Rite Auto Sales and Service in Newberry Township have asked a judge to reverse a 2018 decision by the township’s Zoning Hearing Board that granted relief to the auto repair business. Michael Haugh, Chadd Ettline and Anthony Balek each live in the 300 block of River Road. Save Rite Auto, owned by Thomas Reed, is at 275 River Road. The neighbors filed their appeal Dec. 26, 2018, at the York County Prothonotary’s Office. After nearly a year of legal filings, the lawsuit was assigned to Common Pleas Judge Todd R. Platts for review. Haugh, Ettline and Balek contend that Reed’s two expansions at the business in recent years were illegal and have made it difficult for them to enjoy their properties because of paint fumes, lights and noise from vehicles driving in and out of the auto shop. Reed bought the property at 275 River Road in 2012 and later approached the township to ask about

expanding the business. The township’s zoning officer issued building permits to Reed in 2014 to add onto the existing repair shop and in 2016 to build an auto body shop, but never told him he would need to apply for a zoning variance or special exception. After receiving complaints from neighbors, the township issued a violation notice to Reed on July 18, 2018, for not having the proper zoning allowances. Reed appealed the violation, citing the fact that the township had issued building permits for both of his expansions. So the zoning board held a hearing Sept. 28, 2018, at which the township admitted its former zoning officer had issued the building permits erroneously. In its Nov. 26, 2018 decision, the zoning hearing board ruled in Reed’s favor. The board found that Reed acted in good faith when he submitted his applications for building permits and that he believed he was meeting all requirements based on the instructions of the then-zoning officer.

“The Applicant did take sufficient efforts to investigate prior uses on the property and Zoning Ordinance requirements by contacting the proper officials who reasonably could be expected to be knowledgeable,” the board stated in its opinion.

Save Rite Auto on River Road in Newberry Township. Credit: Bill Kalina

Reed testified at the hearing that he and his wife had invested more than $446,000 into the business based on those permits, and that if the township were to revoke the permits and shut down the expanded services, the couple would lose everything. According to the zoning board’s written decision, the Reeds invested more than $490,000 in construction, equipment and mechanical improve-

ments. The zoning board found that because Reed had acted in good faith, had invested significant funds based on the township’s issuance of permits and would not be able to recover his investment, Reed should be granted a variance and allowed to continue operating the expanded business. The board did issue stipulations with its decision. Reed is not allowed to build any new structures or expand any of the existing buildings, and the business’ hours of operation are limited to 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Reed must also comply with the balance of the township’s zoning ordinance. John M. Ogden, the attorney representing Reed, and Anthony T. Bowser, the attorney representing the three neighbors, did not respond to requests for comment. Stanley J. Laskowski, solicitor for the Newberry Township Zoning Hearing Board, declined to comment, as did Newberry Township Supervisor Anthony Miller. We thank York Dispatch for reprint permission.

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Accelerating education: Middlesex County Vocational-Technical Student Jump-Starts Career with Jaguar Land Rover by Bruno Tedeschi, ROI-NJ.com

After Rafael Miranda graduated from the auto program at Middlesex County Vocational Technical School in Perth Amboy, he landed a job working at an independent repair shop. Not long after, he got a call from one of his teachers at the school, asking if he was interested in an apprenticeship with the Ray Catena Jaguar Land Rover dealership in Edison. Miranda jumped at the opportunity. Over the summer, the service manager at Ray Catena sponsored and enrolled Miranda in the 12-week Technician Apprentice Program at Jaguar Land Rover North America headquarters in Mahwah. “The training from Middlesex County was very helpful because it got me ready for this apprentice program,” Miranda said. “I’ve learned a lot more about cars and the Jaguar Land Rover brand. I never thought I’d be here fixing luxury cars.” Charles Willis, training programs supervisor for Jaguar Land Rover North America, said auto dealers like Ray Catena are looking for the next generation of technician, one who is inspired, educated and has a passion for learning. “This is a good career to get into, especially now with the advancement of electric vehicles,” Willis said. “We’re looking for the next generation of technician to take on the next generation of technology. The students coming out of high school right now are in a great position to learn all of these new systems. There is a need for technicians at Jaguar Land Rover retailers and retailers in general.” Finding young people who want to work in the auto service industry is becoming increasingly difficult. Auto dealerships nationwide are facing a shortage of mechanics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates there are 750,000 auto techs and mechanics across the country. The industry will need another 46,000 more techs by 2026 to meet demand and respond to attrition, according to the bureau.

Techs working in a dealership in 2016 earned from $29,024 for a lube tech to $69,703 for a master technician, according to the National Automobile Dealers Association. Service advisers earned a median salary of $62,333, according to NADA.

dation learning for our programs,” Willis said. “Our technician apprentice program relies on candidates coming in with some experience so they don’t get lost and we have to retrain them with all the basics skills,” Willis said. “We want to build on the education that they received from the vocational school.” Jaguar Land Rover has four levels of training for its technicians. Technicians typically start at Level Zero. Upon completion of the 12-week Technician Apprenticeship Program, Miranda earned Level 2 certification and has also completed several Level 3 classroom courses to beRafael Miranda, who graduated from the auto program come a Level 3 associate at Middlesex County Vocational Technical School in Perth Amboy, at the Jaguar Land Rover North America technician — completing a headquarters in Mahwah. Credit: Bruno Tedeschi career path in three months that can take as long as three The modern auto repair shop at years. a dealership is much different than Willis said Jaguar Land Rovthe dimly lit, dingy, disorganized repair shops of yesteryear. The repair shop at Jaguar Land Rover in Mahwah looks more like a hospital operating room, except cars are the patients. It is brightly lit, organized, spotless and filled with electronic diagnostic equipment. Willis said entry-level employees have a variety of experience. Some have previous work experience at an independent dealership, others attended post-secondary technical schools and some come directly from vocational-technical schools. Perth Amboy Tech and the other county vocational-technical schools throughout the state align their automotive technology programs with the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence, or ASE, the industry group that certifies automotive professionals. High school students are able to earn entry level certifications as part of their automotive technology program. “The motivation for us to find technicians at the vocational school level is because they already have been exposed to the core basic curriculum that’s required as the foun-

er North America LLC is looking to create collaborative partnerships with other county vocational schools. This training program is a path for automotive technology students to become a Level 1 certified Jaguar Land Rover Technician while still in school. “When students graduate, they can hit the ground running and be that much more accelerated on their path to becoming a Jaguar Land Rover technician,” Willis said. Starting as an auto mechanic is a good entry point for a career in the automotive industry, Willis said. “The technician’s career is very wide and diverse. The career ladder at a Jaguar Land Rover retailer can take you anywhere within the business,” Willis said. “About 80% of all the service managers and upper management personnel at a retailer have been technicians at one time.” We thank ROI-NJ.com for reprint permission.

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Rare Totals, No DRPs, and $10,000 Repairs at Glick Fire Equipment Co. By Ed Attanasio

Next time you see a fire truck flying down the road with lights flashing and sirens blaring, think of Glick Fire Equipment Company with six locations and 105 employees across

Firematic B.R.A.T. brush trucks, among others.

runs a total crew of three. They work on vehicles that range in weight from 24,000 lbs. to 83,000 lbs., and are eight ft. wide, 11 ft. high, and 35 ft. long on average. Some of the vehicles in his shop right now are worth more than $1 million, so they almost never total-out depending on the severity of the damage.

Fixing $1 million vehicles means few totals and repair tickets as high as $90,000

Glick Fire Equipment Company provides fullbody shop services on emergency vehicles manufactured by Pierce Manufacturing fire apparatus, Demers, Braun & Crestline ambulances, and Firematic B.R.A.T. brush trucks

Pennsylvania. Providing emergency vehicle sales, service, and parts, and featuring full body shop services, Glick represents Pierce Manufacturing fire apparatus, Demers, Braun & Crestline ambulances, and

The only thing Glick and the conventional collision repair industry have in common is the fact that they both fix vehicles. Other than that, they are completely different business models because at Glick, they don’t have to deal with DRPs, and repair tickets can range from $5,000 to $100,000. Body Shop Supervisor Scott Deaver, age 44, runs a crew of five: four combo techs and a one C Level tech. His counterpart in western Pennsylvania, Jerry McMahon,

To get top-notch combo techs, Glick has to start recruiting early on

“We have had only one total in the four years I’ve been here,” he said. “There is very little depreciation with these trucks, which means we have to fix them all.” While most body shops are constantly looking for cars to keep their

crews busy, Deaver’s work is scheduled out for the next six months, he said. Everything is either OE or custom-made and each job is unique. “I have a background in restoration and high-end collision repair, and this job is a lot like that,” Deaver said. “This is a fully custom industry because every single one of these trucks is custom-built. These things aren’t built like tractor-trailers or anything else. You have a lot of dissimilar metals all on the same vehicles including stainless steel, steel, and many of them have aluminum bodies. The bumper assemblies, all of the emergency equipment–it’s very specialized and so our guys have to be versatile.” Because Glick works on vehicles that most shops won’t touch, Deaver’s relationships with insurance companies differ dramatically from how things work in the conventional body shop world. “A lot of fire departments are insured, either by the township or by themselves. There are a handful of insurance

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companies specifically for emergency equipment, but in most cases, they are very easy to work with.”

The crew at Fire Glick’s body shop is (from top) Chris Taylor, Derek Shreiner, Supervisor Scott Deaver, and John Fernandez

Most crashes involving fire trucks are caused by distracted drivers, Deaver said. “I see it all the time, and my first thought is, how do you not see a huge truck with flashing lights and sirens? Really?” Luckily, there have been zero fatalities in any of the fire truck accidents that Deaver and his crew have worked on.

The business recently celebrated its 32nd anniversary. In November of 1987, the Glick family decided to roll the dice and turn their living room into their offices. It was a perfect match, with Dave Glick’s knowledge and experience as a former firefighter, and with Sue Glick’s financial management background. Within just three years, the company had to move into a two-story office with a two-bay service facility in Smoketown, PA. In the next years to follow, the business expanded its capabilities and accommodated rapid growth by adding two additional service bays and a separate parts department. The company subsequently added another facility 12 years later with nine service bays, a full-time fabrication area, an extensive parts warehouse, and attached administrative offices. Since then they’ve experienced steady growth leading up to their current six locations. Some repairs at Glick involve a period of exploration and some serious CSI, just like figuring out one big puzzle, Deaver said. “That means we get a lot of supplements. We are dealing with large bumper assemblies

and we can’t know what to fix until we get in there and see it firsthand. In many cases, there are compartments in those bumpers containing emergency equipment, like hydraulic lines and electric reels, that have to be taken out and apart before you can even get into that front end.” Returning a fire truck back to its pre-accident condition is never a slam dunk and that includes the paint and other graphics that have to be precise and to spec. “Did you know that there are more than 100 reds out there? So, color matching can be problematic at times. We also must do things like graphics, lettering, and gold leaf. Everything we do is OE or better or it does not leave here.” There will always be job security for Deaver and his crew because fires and other emergencies will always be a part of their lives. When it starts raining or snowing, your average body shop’s owner can anticipate a few more cars as a rule. Deaver gets the same feeling when he hears a siren out in the distance, hoping for the best but anticipating anything that might come his way.

AirPro Diagnostics Launches 24/7/365 Service AirPro Diagnostics, LLC the leader in remote diagnostics, scanning, programming and ADAS calibration solutions, announced the company’s official launch of its 24/7/365 service to the automotive aftermarket world-wide. “Knowing the importance of timely service to the repair community, we want to make sure whenever there is a need, we are there,” stated Josh McFarlin, AirPro Diagnostics vice president of strategic business operations. “AirPro has consistently delivered industry leading service and industry-first solutions to the repair community to increase shops’ efficiency and lower their costs while reducing cycle time with OE level repairs.” The launch of the 24/7/365 service is the natural next step in the company’s commitment to providing cutting-edge technology and service to repair facilities throughout the US and Canada.

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Bloomfield, NJ High School Students Test Drive Their Automotive Skills for $30k in Scholarships Over the weekend, Universal Technical Institute in Bloomfield welcomed over one hundred high school students from the New York Metropolitan Area to test their automotive knowledge in the campus’s annual Top Tech Challenge. The winning team received a full scholarship to UTI to learn in-demand skills for an industry that is facing significant labor shortages and is in need of new talent. On February 8, fifty-one teams of two competed from thirty-seven high schools. Students engaged in written and hands-on testing on vehicle parts, brakes, diagnostics, and electrical systems, using UTI’s state-of-the-industry equipment and facilities. The top six teams received UTI scholarships ranging from 25 to 100% percent of tuition costs, and the best three teams additionally received Snap-On® tool sets for their high schools valued at up to $2,365. The winning teams hailed from Thomas Edison Career & Technical Education High School (1st and 3rd place), Granville Junior/Senior High School (2nd), Monmouth County Career Center (4th), Morris

County School of Technology (5th), and Sayreville War Memorial High School (6th).

Top Tech 1st Place. Credit: Universal Technical Institute

“These students have really applied themselves to their passion, and their knowledge and skills reflect this. They will be a credit to the auto and diesel industries when they enter the workforce,” said Steve McElfresh, UTI-Bloomfield Campus President. “Unfortunately, high schoolers pursuing these careers often do not enjoy the same level of institutional and social support compared to traditional 4-year colleges. We take great pride in programs like the Top Tech Challenge, without which a lucrative, fulfilling career in auto tech might not have been possi-

ble for some students.” Outdated perceptions of what it means to be an automotive or diesel technician can hold young people back from pursuing careers in field, while employers in the New York/ New Jersey area ̶ and across the nation ̶ are facing critical skilled labor shortages. According to projections by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there will be, on average, more than 120,000 job openings in the automotive, diesel and collision repair industries each year from 2016 through 2026. As part of its work to meet industry demands for trained technicians, UTI partners with more than 30 of the nation’s leading transportation manufacturer brands, who help shape the curricula, offer tuition support packages for students, and outfit campuses with the latest vehicles and the same tools and sophisticated technology graduates will see and use on the job. More than four out of five UTI graduates are employed full-time in their field within a year of graduating. We thank Tap into Bloomfield for reprint permission.

Roy Seay Named 2019 Maaco Cup Winner Roy Seay was always a car enthusiast, but it wasn’t until after 30 plus years in the banking business that he decided to become an independent business owner and Maaco franchise owner. “I always loved cars, I worked on my Dad’s car with him and on my own show cars,” said Seay. “When I was ready to leave banking for a new career, I did my research around the opportunities in the automotive industry. Maaco had a great success record and the best return for the dollar.” In 2005, Seay and his wife Shelia opened the first Maaco in Lubbock, TX, and with the help of the Maaco team’s coaching and support, along with their national advertising program, the business began to grow. Seay’s shop is now a multimillion-dollar producer, and he has won several regional awards along the way. His accomplishments were recognized by being named one of the two Maaco Cup winners for 2019.

16 MARCH 2020 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

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Signature Auto Group is Now a Full-Service Operation, with Allstate Insurance, Auto Body Repair, and Auto Inspection Services New York City’s leading auto leasing company, Signature Auto Group, known for offering a large selection of vehicle makes and models online, has this week confirmed that their business now offers Allstate Insurance and an official full-service auto body repair shop with inspection services. Including everything from Allstate Insurance and the Allstate Good Hands Repair Network, to a full body shop for wear and tear restoration, tire changes, etc., Signature Auto Group has the ability to make any customer feel happy, safe, and protected on the road. “We don’t want our customers to run all over the city, looking for different service providers when they can enjoy everything in a true one-stop-shop,” said Vladimir Shpigelman, Managing Director at Signature Auto Group. “That’s why we’ve worked hard to onboard experts in everything needed to tune up a car in the shortest possible timeframe.” Signature Auto Group is the first leasing company in NYC to

have such a partnership with a provider like Allstate. Thanks to this Allstate partnership, Signature Auto Group’s team can now provide its customers with quality insurance. Now every Signature Auto

Group driver can enjoy the coastto-coast coverage and reliability of Allstate, not to mention access to the Good Hands Repair Network for any kind of car troubles, anywhere in the U.S! Signature Auto Group has also added a full-service auto collision center to its business. “Auto Group Collision” ensures fast, reliable, and accurate car ﬁxes and body tune-ups due to wear-and-tear, as well as accidents! “It can be hard to predict what’s going to happen out on the

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open road. Other drivers aren’t always vigilant or careful, which means we can end up in car accidents that damage our cars,” said Shpigelman. “We want our drivers to know if this happens to you, you can bring your car into our shop and we’ll get it tuned up as quickly as possible.” Lastly, Signature Auto Group is also an oﬃcial Carco Photo auto service inspection facility. Now drivers can bring their cars in to conﬁrm that the vehicles are properly valued and insured through a physical inspection, which is critical for ensuring all cars and motorcycles on the road are safe for driving. “We do it all right here at our facilities,” said Shpigelman. “We want you to spread the word – and don’t forget to check out our website. We’ve worked hard to make it a comprehensive shopping experience where you can buy and lease a car, all without leaving your home.” For more information, visit: https://signatureautoworld.com/.

ASE Announces New Officers for 2020 The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) has announced the oﬃcers for its 2020 board of directors. The new chair is Bobby Bassett, North American national training manager, Gates Corporation. Mark Polke, manager of sales and consulting, Bosch Workshop Concepts, North America, Robert Bosch LLC, is vice chair; Brad Pellman, president, Pellman's Automotive in Boulder, Colorado, is treasurer; and Glen Nicholson, senior director, learning and development, TBC, is secretary. Tom Trisdale, vice president, quality, Toyota, serves as past chair. Also announced were newly elected board members. Tom Palermo of Preferred Automotive Specialists begins a term on the board of directors, while Jason Rainey of the NAPA AutoCare Program will serve on the board of governors. Stepping down as their terms expire are Annette Sykora, Jamie Bulli, Mike Phillips and Rafael Garcia.

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PA AG Shapiro Sues Company for Bogus Vehicle Repair Warranties by J.D. Prose

PA attorney general seeking restitution for alleged victims of Delta Auto Protect, which sold vehicle repair warranties. Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said that his office has sued an extended automobile warranty company and its Philadelphia-based owner to win restitution for consumers and repair shops allegedly scammed by it. “Many customers of Delta Auto Protect of Exton have complained to my office, and they’re not happy,” Shapiro said in a statement. “From phone calls to emails and letters, consumers have let us know how unresponsive this defendant has been to them. This rude and illegal treatment of customers is unwarranted. We are listening, and we are taking action to get their money back.” Delta is accused of selling vehicle service and repair contracts to consumers across several states, but refusing to honor them or refund any money. Shapiro’s statement said that Delta is operated by Omega Vehicle

Services LLC and managing member Charles Seruya. Delta, Shapiro said, operates a “virtual” office supposedly based in Chester County. The civil lawsuit filed in Philadelphia County Court seeks restitution for Delta customers who bought warranties and did not receive the

promised coverage, paid out-ofpocket costs for repairs or sought to cancel policies, but did not receive refunds. Also, the suit seeks restitution for vehicle repair shops that were not paid by Delta. Specifically, the lawsuit alleges that Delta advertised “24/7 customer service” in sales pitches, but avoided

consumers calling about payments by not returning message, re-routing calls or leaving them “endlessly” on hold, the statement said. Delta would also require consumers to remove negative online reviews of the company as a condition for receiving payments, Shapiro’s statement charged. Lehigh County resident Carolyn Ames said in the statement that she has been calling Delta every week for a year and it has yet to pay for her car repairs. “Delta is impossible to reach,” she said. “If I do get through they hang up and they never return my calls.” Any consumers who contracted with Delta and did not receive the promised services should submit a complaint to the attorney general’s Bureau of Consumer Protection online or by calling the Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-800-441-2555 or emailing scams@attorneygeneral.gov. We thank The Times Online for reprint permission.

ATMC Announces New Officers for 2020 The ASE Training Managers Council (ATMC) has announced the new officers and members for its 2020 board of directors. The new chair is Laura Lyons, president and CEO, ATech Training; vice chair is Glenn Dahl, manager–technical development, Bridgestone Retail Operations; treasurer is Josh McFarlin, vice president of strategic business operations, AirPro Diagnostics and secretary is Tim Zilke, president and CEO, National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE). Jim Goepfrich, industry advocacy and development manager, DRIVE, serves as past chair. Joining the board of directors for a three-year term are: Michael Williams from Daimler Trucks North America, Rick Hill from FCA and Chris Chartron from Toyota Motor Sales. Other directors include Colin Duncan from Great Dane and Rob Morrell from WORLDPAC. Transitioning off the board after valued service are Ron Kato from Toyota Motor Sales and Jim Boyd from Southeastern Freight Lines.

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District Court Judge Weighs In On Boycott Lawsuit and Dismisses Some Claims by Emmariah Holcomb

U.S. District Judge Nicholas G. Garufis dismissed some and allowed some of the claims against urethane manufacturer, Sika Corporation, in an ongoing boycott lawsuit, though the judge said some of the claims were time-barred in the lawsuit’s complaint. O.E.M. Glass Network Inc. and Brooklyn Wholesale Glass Inc. (known together as OEMGN) have alleged a group of suppliers including: Mygrant Glass Company Inc. (Mygrant), Interstate Glass of Amityville NY LLC (Interstate Glass), Metro Glass Distributing Inc. (Metro Glass), Xinyi Auto Glass North America Corp. (Xinyi), Vitro S.A.B. de C.V., Vitro Automotive Glass LLC, Vitro Automotoriz, Fuyao Glass America Inc. (Fuyao), Auto Temp Inc. and Sika Corp were behind a boycott. “Defendants Xinyi and Sika argue that plaintiff’s antitrust claims against them are barred by the Sherman Act’s four-year statute of limitations. The court agrees as to Sika, but not as to Xinyi,” a portion of Judge Garufis’ order reads. “Under

the Sherman Act, a plaintiff must file suit within four years after a cause of action accrues.” According to court documents, Sika explicitly refused to deal with OEMGN, and explained why, prior to February 9, 2015. The amended complaint’s only other allegations against the urethane manufacturer are that it “refused to sell products to OEMGN after OEMGN contacted it on February 9, 2015 and again on June 28, 2018.” “Such bare allegations, without more, do not support any conclusion other than that these refusals were reaffirmations of Sika’s clear refusal to sell to OEMGN-due to pressure from Mygrant-beginning in 2014,” Garufis said. The tortious interference claim against Sika was not dismissed, the Judge said all of the defendants were “adequately alleged to have intentionally diminished the ongoing business between third party suppliers and OEM – and between each of the other defendants and OEM –through coercion.”

against two auto glass distributors and several manufacturers alleging they conspired against the N.Y. companies and boycotted them in an attempt to eliminate it from the market. In April 2019 the courts extended time for the defense to file a response to claims made against them by OEMGN. Then in May 2019 there was a combined motion to dismiss filed by the defendants, to which OEMGN expressed an opposing view. An amended complaint was filed in October 2019 by OEMGN, however several of the original allegations remained in the amended version. Most recently, in January 2020, Vitro Automotriz filed a document to dismiss OEMGN’s amended complaint.

Case Background In February 2019 OEMGN filed suit

We thank glassBYTEs.com for reprint permission.

Going Forward Currently Judge Garufis has approved some and denied some of the allegations made by OEMGN against Sika. Look to a future edition of glassBYTEs for continued coverage of the suit.

FHD Repair Forum March 24th-25th Details The HD Repair Forum announced the release of its’ educational programand agenda (www. hdrepairforum.com/agenda) for this years’ installment of the only event dedicated to the heavy-duty collision repair market. The two-day event is filled with a fast-paced agenda, with speakers from industry leading companies and individuals driving change in the industry. Some of the topics include: • Frame, Cab, and Trailer Repair • Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), Scanning, and Diagnostics • Business Strategy and Employee Relations • Steering, braking, and other key repair knowledge The speakers and content for this program are a derivative of the work, input, and direction of the HD Repair Forum Advisory board www.hdrepairforum. com/advisory-board.

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House Bill 4122 monwealth, including heavy duty vehicles having a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 14,000 pounds, that utilizes a telematics system shall be required to equip such vehicles with an inter-operable, standardized and open access platform across all of the manufacturer’s makes and models. Such platform shall be capable of securely communicating all mechanical data emanating directly from the motor vehicle via direct data connection to the platform. Such platform shall be directly accessible by the owner of the vehicle through a mobile-based application and, upon the authorization of the vehicle owner, all mechanical data shall be directly accessible by an independent repair facility or a class 1 dealer licensed pursuant to section 58 of chapter 140 limited to the time to complete the repair or for a period of time agreed to by the vehicle owner for the purposes of maintaining, diagnosing and repairing the motor vehicle. Access shall include the ability to send commands to in-vehicle components if needed for purposes of maintenance, diagnostics and repair.” The bill also defines telematics, “any system in a motor vehicle that collects information generated by the operation of the vehicle and transmits such information… utilizing wireless communications to a remote receiving point where it is stored,” as well as mechanical data: “any vehicle-specific data, including telematics system data, generated, store in or transmitted by a motor vehicle used for or otherwise related to the diagnosis, repair or maintenance of the vehicle.” While addressing the committee, Papageorg explained the vital need for current repair information since shops accept liability for en-

suring vehicles perform as intended. He specifically pointed out the need for access to current, up-to-date information to avoid issues such as an accidental electrocution taking place, specifically when dealing with electric vehicles. Referring to the “tremendous pressure” insurance companies place on collision repair facilities to improve cycle time, Papageorg suggested, “If we had that information readily available to us, we can cut down on that cycle time. Cycle time is paramount to collision repairers. It is critical for them to have timely information readily available at their shops as opposed to them having to send vehicles out and add to the overall expense of the repair and cause delays.” Papageorg also stressed that shops have the correct tools but still need current information for the vehicles which “changes daily.” OEM trade groups have taken an opposing stance on House Bill 4122, arguing that independent shops already have access to all necessary information for repairing vehicles. Wayne Weikel, Senior Director of

State Government Affairs for the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, insisted, “There is a level playing field when it comes to access of repair information, and a level playing field guarantees consumer choice.” Robert O’Koniewski, Executive Director of the Massachusetts State Automobile Dealers Association, agreed, “The current law [from 2013] works fine.” The committee also examined House Bill 4302, the result of a ballot initiative that’s nearly identical to House Bill 4122, but interested parties are hopeful that the Legislature will address this issue, rather than allowing such a complicated question to go to the ballot. House Bill 4122 was filed by Representative Paul McMurtry (D – Dedham) who told the committee, “Make no doubt about it. This is a consumer protection bill that closes a loophole on a matter that wasn’t dealt with in 2012 and quite frankly probably wasn’t well understood how reliant our automobiles would become on telematics.” Committee Co-Chair Representative Tackey Chan (D – Quincy)

pointed out that, rather than being a loophole, the exclusion of telematics from the 2012 Right to Repair legislation was a concession made by collision repairers during negotiations. The Massachusetts Right to Repair Coalition, of which AASP/MA is a member, supports the bill and has also collected over 100,000 signatures to ensure an initiative petition to enact the revised law reaches the 2020 ballot. Thomas Hickey, the Executive Director of the Right to Repair Coalition, stressed the need for revisions to the Right to Repair law to ensure consumer safety when vehicles are repaired at independent auto body shops. “Cars are becoming computers on wheels. Ninety percent of vehicles have wireless technology that [neither] consumers nor independent repair facilities have access to,” he said. “This has nothing to do with personal information. This is about mechanical information necessary to diagnose, repair and maintain a car. We’re hoping the Legislature take up this bill, but if they don’t, we’re fully prepared to move to the ballot for November 2020.”

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Governor Murphy Signs Legislation to Boost Use of Electric Vehicles in NJ Governor Phil Murphy signed comprehensive legislation (S2252) that establishes goals and incentives for the increased use of plugin electric vehicles and infrastructure in New Jersey.

“Increasing the use of electric vhicles is a critical step to secure New Jersey’s clean energy future,” said Governor Murphy. “By establishing aggressive goals and strong incentives for electric vehicles, we are repositioning our economy and state for a clean future. Today, I am proudly signing bipartisan legislation that will transform New Jersey’s transportation sector and modernize our infrastructure to support our goal of reaching 100 percent clean energy by 2050.”

The legislation creates a “Light Duty Plug-in Electric Vehicle Rebate Program” to encourage the purchase of light-duty plug-in electric vehicles over a ten-year period. The rebates will provide up to $5,000 per vehicle and will be funded by approximately $30 million from the Clean Energy Fund each year. The bill authorizes the use of Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative funds as well. “Today’s bill will put more electric vehicles on the road and keep them running throughout the Garden State,” said New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Catherine R. McCabe. “This is more than just a win for electric vehicle owners, it is a big leap forward in reducing emissions in New Jersey, giving us cleaner air and helping to reduce the damaging effects of climate change. We thank the Governor and New Jersey’s legislature for taking this bold step, leading the nation toward a greener future.” Obtained via nj.gov.

Continued from Cover

AASP/NJ Meeting istration. We’ve seen things like the minimum wage increase, paid sick leave, wage theft law, and the equal pay act. All of these important laws affect you as employers, and there is probably more to come.” Reviewing the Earned Sick Leave Law, applicable to most NJ employers, Bander discussed how much time must be provided to employees, and he explained what information about the law is required to be posted in their place of employment. “If you are an employee working in New Jersey, you are covered by the Earned Sick Leave Law,” he noted. “It provides employees with time to care for themselves or family members, and employers have to ensure that their policies at least meet the minimum required [by law].” In response to attendees’ questions, Bander identified which events qualify as sick time, discussed the rules regarding holiday pay, and explained the qualifiers for black-out dates. He also explored disciplinary

options when an employee abuses sick time. When an attending shop owner suggested having employees sign timecards at the end of each week, Bander agreed it was a good idea since it ensures the shop has documentation in case of an investigation. “It shows that not only did you pay your employees, but you had them sign and acknowledge,” he encouraged. “You are playing by the rules.” NJ’s Family Leave Law recently managed an increase in the amount of paid leave, now requiring employers to pay 85% of a protected team member’s average weekly salary, compared to the two-thirds previously required. Bander explained what aspects of the changes impact shop owners as employers and noted that maternity leave is the most frequently used type of paid family leave. For more information on AASP/ NJ, visit aaspnj.org. www.autobodynews.com

UPDATED DAILY

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NORTHEAST 2020 NJ at the show.” For the third year, AASP/NJ will collaborate with the Washington Metropolitan Auto Body Association (WMABA) to provide some of the nation’s best educational seminars through the Collision Professional Repairer Education Program (P.R.E.P.). “WMABA aims to bring the most relevant and timely education available to the NORTHEAST show for all participants coming from near and far,” said Jordan Hendler, Executive Director of WMABA. “We want to cover a variety of subjects that pertain to each key employee type in the repair shop – from front office to technician to owner. Not only is NORTHEAST the premier education event for the entire East Coast as far as learning a lot in a short time, but it is also a great place to make new industry acquaintances who can strengthen your peer group. It’s important to revitalize your mind with the latest in technologies, processes and how to maintain that culture throughout the year.” On Friday afternoon, AASP/ NJ host the annual NORTHEAST East Coast Resolution Forum and Leadership Meeting, moderated by LIABRA Executive Director Ed Kizenberger. The forum is open by invitation only and is limited to only collision repair professionals who are currently members of participating trade associations. At 3 p.m. on Friday, Ford Motor Company and I-CAR® will present an OEM workshop entitled “Ford Discusses Accessing Repair Information, Collision Sectioning Procedures for Aluminum.” Panelists will include Ford’s Senior Engineer for Paint and Body Repair Gerry Bonanni and Adam Gair, FCSD Collision Technical Operations Manager for Ford Motor Company, along

with I-CAR Instructor Pete Fryzel. Three options will be available on Friday night at 5 p.m. Industry veteran Frank Terlep will present “Test Drives Done Right! Why and How to Perform, Manage, Document and Get Paid for Test Drives,” while Bill Enross of cPrax Marketing will share information on “Tackling Online Storefront Presence for the Collision Repair Business.” BASF’s Business Development Manager John Shoemaker will also be sharing valuable collision repair industry information in his presentation on the first evening of NORTHEAST 2020. At 7 p.m., “Utilizing the Vehicle Owner’s Manual to Educate Consumers and Insurers, and Special SCRS Blueprint Optimization Tool Preview” will be presented by Mike Anderson of Collision Advice and the DEG’s Danny Gredinberg. On Saturday morning, attendees seeking educational opportunities can choose between Gredinberg’s “Commonly Missed Items in Estimating – SCRS Blueprint Optimization Tool Utilization,” “How to Control the Money in Your Collision Business in 2020” with ATI’s Matt Winslow, and “Getting and Staying Certified – OEM Repair Requirements and Relationships Intertwined,” presented by Dave Gruskos of Reliable Automotive Equipment. “The Life of a Certified Repairer: An In-Depth Panel Discussion with Nationally-Known Certified Repairers” will explore the various aspects of OEM certification implementation as well as panelists’ personal hurdles and successes. The discussion begins at 12:30 p.m.; panelists have not yet been announced. Saturday afternoon’s sessions, beginning at 3 p.m., cover various aspects of the industry. “Documenting for Repair Process and Liability, Building a Bulletproof File, and Improving Processes Over Time” will be the topics of discussion during the seminar with Mark Olson of VECO

Experts. Car-O-Liner’s Kelly Logan will explain “Structural Identification for Profitability – Knowing and Understanding Structural Damage,” and “Build Great People: Creating an In-House Technician Development Program” with Charlie Whitaker of Akzo Nobel will help shop owners define a career path for employees. A collection of industry experts will discuss the importance of safety systems in “The Wide World of ADAS: Panelist Discussion of Advancements in Safety Systems, Diagnostics and Calibration” at 5 p.m. on Saturday. At 10 a.m. on Sunday morning, Enross will deliver an encore of his Friday night training session. Additionally, Chuck Olson of AirPro Diagnostics will share information on “Scanning and Calibration – Getting It Right for Successful ADAS Diagnostics Rebooted for 2020,” and Paul Stern from Liftnow Automotive Equipment will discuss “Safety System Alignment: A New Focus on Body Shop Profitability.” The trade show floor always promises around 100 industry ven-

dors and suppliers, and during NORTHEAST 2020, it will be open on Friday evening from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m., on Saturday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., and on Sunday from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. AASP/NJ will host its annual Exhibitor Appreciation After-Party on Friday evening after the show closes, and Sunday will feature a variety of fun for all ages during the 12th Annual NORTHEAST Family Day. Sponsors for NORTHEAST 2020 include BASF, Innovative Solutions & Technology/Pro Spot, and Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes. AASP/NJ President Jerry McNee urged collision repairers to focus on their futures in the industry: “Register now. It is the largest show of its kind, and it is right in your own backyard. NORTHEAST is jam-packed with all the relevant products, training and information you can’t get anywhere else. It’s the best bang for your buck.” For more information about AASP/NJ, visit aaspnj.org. For more information about NORTHEAST 2020 or to register, visit aaspnjnortheast.com.

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WMABA’s 2020 Membership Dinner Meeting Featured Demo of SCRS’ Blueprint Optimization Tool by Chasidy Rae Sisk

On January 23, the Washington Metropolitan Auto Body Association (WMABA) hosted its 2020 Membership Dinner Meeting at McCormick & Schmick’s Restaurant at National Harbor, MD. Attendees heard WMABA’s “State of the Industry” address from Executive Director, Jordan Hendler, including thoughts on current industry trends and local issues. She covered the bases of membership and involvement while also touching on the importance of the association working with schools and repairers to attract new people to the industry.

“Our members are mostly those repairers who want to stay abreast of issues, support advocacy, and utilize the comradery of the association to find ways to improve their business and the industry at large,” commented Hendler. “The most important av-

enue for improvement in any repair business today is keeping up with technology, education and recruiting. Our WMABA mission is to improve the overall business conditions, and 2020 will hope to see great strides for us in these areas.” Board member Barry Dom was joined by SCRS Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg to provide a demonstration of SCRS’s Blueprint Optimization Tool (BOT) which has already been lauded as a gamechange for the collision repair industry and was awarded the “Best New Collision and Refinish Product” at SEMA 2019. During the meeting, the presenters went into “detail on what it can do and how it can streamline the estimate process for repair planners and estimators and how this can be done among multiple stores for consistency across the board, which is a huge thing for repairers,” according to Dom. BOT was developed as a result of repairers’ need for a more user-friendly tool than the Guide to Complete Repair Planning document, launched in 2011 as a working

list of potentially missed operations which has grown from a few hundred line items to over 1000 items. Schulenburg explained, “It presents

cedures that have to be followed for a particular OEM. Schulenburg noted that collision repair facilities can also use BOT to train estimators.

“The most important avenue for improvement in any repair business today is keeping up with technology, education and recruiting...” — Jordan Hendler a challenge to take an estimate and compare it against a list of 1000 items, so we took the list and developed an automated solution that would read your estimate, automatically recognize things that you captured, and pull them out of that list.” “Now, instead of 1000 items, you have maybe 20 or 30; it narrows the field a bit,” Schulenburg continued. “It then allows you to go through and select the items you want. With one keystroke, it then pushes it back into the estimate. These are all pretty large evolutions of the product that create a lot more efficiency and automation.” BOT can also be categorized by OEM so repairers can set up the system to identify a specific set of pro-

Schulenburg stated, “Vehicles today are really complex. The blueprinting process we go through is also complex, and it’s really easy to miss operations and line items that you will be performing in your facility that you want to make sure are captured in the blueprint process. It’s key for anyone performing repairs or anyone writing sheets on the damage to make sure they aren’t leaving items on the table that they should otherwise be capturing.” More information about SCRS’s Blueprint Optimization Tool can be found at scrs.com. For more information about WMABA and the association’s future events, visit wmaba. com.

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January CIECAcast Explores Future of Claims and Collision Repair Market by Chasidy Rae Sisk

On January 21, CIECA offered a CIECAcast webinar entitled “It’s 2020: Where Are Claims and the Collision Repair Market Heading?” with Sean Carey, President of SCG Management Consultants. In addition to setting expectations for the collision repair industry in 2020 and beyond, Carey discussed how to prepare for the changes on the horizon. CIECA Executive Director Ed Weidmann began the webinar by welcoming attendees and introducing Carey who started with a reminder that everything he’d be sharing was “just one man’s opinions” based on his years of experience with the industry. Before looking forward, Carey looked back, discussing trends in recent years, such as the prevalence of OEM certifications and manufacturers’ increased focus on their role as a stakeholder in the collision repair industry. “Over the past few years, we’ve

seen OEMs setting up and providing industry support in the form of repair guidelines and updated websites, and they’ve also built customer networks and established partnerships with industry constituents,” Carey said. “As OEM stakeholders change, the assets they bring to the market begin to change, allowing OEMs to deploy assets to secure the future of their businesses – anything is possible in this great new world.” Looking at the possibility of vehicles making an insurance claim, Carey shared that all OEMs now have access to utilize this technology, connecting to the vehicle, dispatching emergency assistance, and beginning the insurance claim process. Recapping the “shifting sands of time,” Carey explained that OEMs became more active in 2018, developing networks, emphasizing the needs for scans, and getting engaged in parts procurement. In 2019, the collision repair industry focused on capability networks, ensuring shops are focused on the customer and doing the right thing. There

were also changes in allegiance as the industry built relationships with OEMs to acquire access to critical information. Carey predicted that data driven claims will be the focus in 2020, and in 2021, the industry’s emphasis will be on efficiency. Predicting that 2022’s collision repair industry will see a new model following the car, capturing opportunities, and retaining brand customers, Carey shared some demographics related to cars, “the gift that keeps giving,” and pointed out, “It is an economic lifeblood for all of us. We’re in the business because of cars, yet we’ve disrespected the vehicle for the past 10 years.” OEMs sell 17.1 million units annually, and used car sales total 40 million each year. Over 200 million vehicles are insured with $246 billion in direct premiums written, and the collision repair industry invoices nearly $40 billion each year. Carey warned, “The number of collision repair orders is set to decline as total losses increase and frequency de-

clines, and the average repair order cost of $3,250 is likely to increase significantly due to vehicle sophistication.” Carey then explored the prevailing conditions for OEMs, insurers and collision repairers as the new decade begins, cautioning repairs to “anticipate the most rapid and radical changes the industry has ever seen.” Prevailing conditions for OEMs include closer customer relationships and accountability for the full experience, including the outcome of a collision event. Connectivity also creates a direct customer relationship for insurers, but in terms of accountability, Carey suggested, “There’s an overreliance on cost controls, and because managing claims is so expensive, insurance companies are exploring new claims models, such as digital images, self-reporting, and ‘touchless’ claims.” Due to technological advances, both industries require new expertise and are enjoying new opportunities. Carey expressed the firm

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presurnew rs to radever

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belief that the business objective for OEMs and insurers are focused on a safe and proper repair, improving the customer experience, and brand retention. He then discussed the impact of brand defection for both groups, nothing that 36% of consumers switch vehicle brands after an accident and 41% switch insurers. “The cost of failure is a common enemy,” Carey noted. Looking at prevailing conditions for collision repairers, Carey said, “You are the proxy of the customer, and as such, you must advocate for the customer. From the moment you take control of the vehicle, you are accountable for the full experience: customer contact, repair quality, vehicle performance, vehicle appearance, cost control, and customer satisfaction. Shops need to keep up with new expertise required, including calibration, procedures, parts, equipment, estimating, ADAS and so on. New opportunities exist, depending on where you focus, but your business objectives are a safe and proper repair, getting paid for all services performed, staying on top of changes in the industry, the wel-

fare of your business and staff, and customer/brand retention.” “For the past decade, we’ve kind of been getting the job done, but this changed everything,” Carey continued, referencing the Seebachans’ 2017 lawsuit against John Eagle Collision. “From a jury perspective, from the perspective of the ordinary public, the vehicle manufacturer is the expert on everything about the vehicle, including how it should be repaired. As a result, automaker trade associations released a policy statement calling for all collision repairers to follow OEM procedures.” Carey proceeded to explore the key topics for 2020 and beyond. He identified the tail winds as diagnostic pre and post scans becoming more mainstream and the insurance industry slowly beginning to accept these changes. He said, “Additionally, the scanning process has the potential to uncover necessary operations and parts that otherwise might have not been captured. With calibrations to follow, the OEMs and repairers can expect more opportunities.” Identifying what he called the

crosswinds, Carey said, “ADAS features have the insurance industry in a conundrum. On the one hand, they are reluctant to refuse legitimate requirements, but on the other hand, they don’t believe every requirement is legitimate. Regarding repair procedures, there’s a focus on safe and proper repairs which is being heavily promoted by the OEMs. Despite the seemingly obvious imperative to repair the vehicle per the OEM recommendations, insurers and insurance commissioners are using the full might of their political and legal lobbying to refute the need, citing premium increases and an anti-competitive repairer ecosystem. Unfortunately, they are more skilled at lobbying in this area than the OEMs.” The headwinds are the connected vehicle and brand insurance which is anticipated to be released by at least five of the top OEMs within the next year. “This provides the OEM with an opportunity to control repair criteria with their new vehicles through their chosen carrier,” Carey said, warning, “Other carriers will react negatively. In an

already highly competitive market, the insurers will see this as a significant OEM threat to their domain.” Regarding the focus in 2020, Carey believes OEMs will continue to support the market by making certification aspirational, attainable and affordable and by seeking breakthrough relationships with insurers without compromising safe and proper repairs. Insurers are facing a new future and can expect chaos in the claims adjustment process as they begin to exit claims management as it currently exists. Carey advised collision repair facilities to “continue to do the right things. Become advocates for your customers’ vehicles and validate your repairs. Prepare for beyond 2020 by investing in the right people, the right tooling and the right information. Repair each vehicle safely and properly, and profits will follow.” Identifying three inevitabilities, Carey said, “OEM procedures will dominate the headlines, forcing shops to embrace complete and proper repairs. As insurers cede the claims management space to what they’ll call AI, it will be supplement

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hell for some time, and the link between first notice of loss, vehicle brand insurance, and the connected car will unsettle the market.” Collision repair shops should focus on “brand integrity and providing a consistent customer experience,” Carey advised. “Prepare for nothing less than safe and proper repairs. Reduce exposure by documenting and validating that you’re doing the right thing. The industry needs to do a better job of validating every step that needs to be taken. Printing the repair procedures isn’t a repair plan; it doesn’t get the job done. Check the repair procedures, write the repair plan, and only then can you write an estimate.” “Don’t expect certified programs to deliver cars to the door – this is not a DRP replacement – but consider how you will use your supply chain partners to support your efforts,” Carey added. “Remind OEMs and insurers that your role is a critical touchpoint for the customer experience and their customer retention as well as your own.” Carey also recommended that collision repairers network, partner

and reach out to support organizations in the industry. “Don’t try and go it alone,” he insisted. “Take advantage of all the things these organizations are monitoring on your behalf. Become part of the collision repair industry community because you won’t be able to keep up with all of this on your own.” “Our world will change radically over the next two years,” Carey concluded. “It starts with all shops focused on doing things right all the time, and then we’ll see the evolution of changes, supported by technology.” The next CIECAcast is scheduled for Thursday, February 13 at 11 a.m. CST and will feature Collision Advice’s Mike Anderson. The webinar is entitled “Using Technology to Thrive and Not Just Survive in 2020,” and topics will include eliminating human disruption, how AI will impact collision repair facilities, electronic quality control checklists, text reminders, updating customers by utilizing technology, and much more. For more information on CIECA and its webinars, visit www.cieca.com.

Collision Repair Education Foundation Offering Over $150,000 in Grants and Scholarships to Collision Students The Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) 2020 grant and scholarship application period is now open to high school and post-secondary collision students who will be attending career and technical schools and colleges in the

rector of Operations and Administration, said, “Thank you to the industry for continuing to step up and support collision students around the country with these awards. We have seen direct impact of these awards for future collision industry

fall. The Foundation and its industry supporters offer over $150,000 in grants and scholarships annually, as part of their mission to promote collision repair education and create quality candidates for entry level job opportunities. Application information for CREF grants and scholarships is posted online. This year’s deadline to apply is February 20, 2020 and winners are chosen and notified by phone or mail in April and May. Melissa Marscin, Collision Repair Education Foundation Di-

employees. Those students without debt or with a filled tool box upon graduation definitely have an advantage.” The Collision Repair Education Foundation aims to support collision repair educational programs, schools, and students to create qualified entry-level employees and connect them with an array of career opportunities. For more information, contact Melissa Marscin at scholarships@ed-foundation.org or 888-722-3787, Ext. 282.

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Tortious Interference July 2015 regarding his complaint against GEICO, the TDI wrote, “In regards to your concern about the definition of reasonable charges, whether associated fees are reasonable depends upon the facts associated with each individual claim, [we] cannot provide a standard definition for reasonable fees.” The letter also said, “It is never our desire to have consumers pursue their complaint through the civil court process. However, there are times when the parties involved remain in disagreement after we have completed our reviews. When we are unable to resolve the dispute between the company and the claimant, the venue for resolution of such matters is the civil court system.” An April 2018 letter from the TDI to Cernosek regarding his complaint against Allstate said, “TDI does not determine what the exact Labor Rate is or should be in a particular geographical area. When two parties continue to disagree one what is a reasonable cost or price for a particular service, the ultimate resolution must be obtained in a court of law.” In response to Williamson’s decision to grant his request, Cernosek said, “It’s going to be unbelievable when they produce those documents. It could be volumes. The good thing

is all the documents [will be] in the case file and will remain there for our industry’s benefit.” On January 3, 2020, State Farm filed a protective order, attempting to prevent Cernosek from commenting directly on the case to media, plus the insurer submitted a motion to dismiss the case, arguing that Cernosek “lacks the legal standing to assert [his] plead cause of action and cannot prove all elements of its cause of action against State Farm.” Regarding Cernosek’s claims of tortious interference, State Farm objected: “State Farm’s actions have no bearing on Plaintiff’s contract with the vehicle owners. In the vast majority of cases under Texas law for a tortious interference case, the contract that was interfered with was void or not completed due to the defendant’s interference[…] This is not the fact here. The vehicle owners brought their vehicle to Plaintiff, and the vehicle owners chose to have Plaintiff complete the relevant repairs despite the fact that Plaintiff’s charges exceeded the amount of damages State Farm would pay under the relevant policy of insurance. After the repairs were completed, Plaintiff released the vehicle back to the owner. “Plaintiff has maintained all of its rights pursuant to the contract with the vehicle owner,” State Farm’s argument continued. “Plaintiff has chosen to not pursue its rights under the contract for repair with the

vehicle owners[…] Instead of pursuing its own contractual remedies with the vehicle owners, Plaintiff is alleging that State Farm has tortuously interfered with its contracts with the vehicle owners.” At the same time, State Farm offered two affidavits from employees; one declared various items to be trade secrets, while the other employee asserted that the company’s Audatex license is confidential. State Farm argued, “The new evidence shows that State Farm’s objections based on trade secrets were valid and Plaintiff’s purpose for discovery was harassment and invasion of property rights.” State Farm’s requests delayed delivery of discovery documents which were due 30 days after the order on December 5th. In response, Cernosek expressed, “[The] Defendant is now trying to stall the Discovery ordered by the Court for no reason when the Court has ruled based on arguments that the Court did not accept as an excuse not to answer the discovery.” During the February hearing, Williamson also dismissed three claims of tortious interference that Cernosek

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had brought against State Farm, noting that the claims involved the insurer’s policyholders but neglecting to elaborate. She wrote, “The court finds that the Plaintiff cannot maintain its cause of action of tortious interference as to these three claims/customers.” Williamson also denied Cernosek’s third additional request for discovery, though she granted his motion to compel discovery and ruled against State Farm’s request for a protective order regarding discovery. The next trial will be held in March 2020, and Cernosek noted, “We now have thirty days to amend the pleadings and another hearing will be held in the future on the amended pleadings.” State Farm’s policies prevent the insurer from commenting on pending litigation. In March, Cernosek will also be attending mediation for a tortious interference lawsuit he filed against USAA in August 2019. The lawsuit seeks $10,000 for “payment of all reasonable and necessary charges” to restore four vehicles “back into pre-accident condition.” Stay tuned for more details as the lawsuit proceeds.

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Gerber Collision & Glass Opens Repair Center in CO The Boyd Group Inc. announced that it has opened a repair center in Littleton, Colorado. This location previously operated as a warehouse and office but has been converted to a state-of-the-art collision repair facility.

Highway 85. “We are eager to provide high-quality service to customers in this region at this brand-new repair center,” said Kevin Burnett, COO of Gerber Collision & Glass. “The opening of this facility allows us to

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CIF Donation Helps Military Veteran Restore His Sense of Purpose After Retirement by Stacey Phillips

Military veteran Sterling Keith and his wife, Rebecca, found they were facing some unexpected challenges in 2014. Sterling was suffering from traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Meanwhile, Rebecca was unable to work due to health issues. As part of Sterling’s medical retirement process, he was helping to restore a WWII ambulance with Operation Comfort. The organization works “to promote an inclusive and positive environment where wounded, ill and injured service members of all service branches, active duty and veteran, as well as their immediate family can recover and get involved in the community.” When the organization learned that Sterling’s work tools were stolen during one of his deployments to Iraq, they reached out to the Collision Industry Foundation (CIF). Established in 2001, the charitable foundation is dedicated to raising, managing and donating funds to provide emergency relief to collision

repair professionals who have been impacted by natural disasters or other catastrophic events. Michael Quinn, president of the CIF Board of Trustees and senior vice president at AirPro Diagnostics, is passionate about the work CIF performs.

CIF recipients at the January gala in Palm Springs, CA: Becky and Sterling Keith, and Jeff Wilson

“Providing assistance to our industry families fills a vital need, helping them recover from whatever disaster they are faced with,” said Quinn. “We are proud to carry on this work on behalf of the industry.” When CIF volunteers heard of Sterling’s situation, Quinn said they

contacted Snap-On for assistance. “Snap-On generously collaborated with CIF to replace Sterling’s tools as well as provide a custom toolbox for him,” said Quinn. They presented the toolbox to Sterling in 2015 during the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) in Palm Springs, CA. Shortly after, Sterling was told by Veteran’s Affairs and the U.S. Army that he could no longer work in the auto body industry. Since then, he has used the tools to restore Model A cars and trucks where they live in Texas. “When I retired, I felt useless and went into a very deep depression,” said Sterling. “Receiving the tools has given me purpose again and pulled me out of my depression. I’ve gone from seeing no future to being excited about life again.” Sterling’s military career spans three decades, first in the U.S. Navy where he served during Desert Storm. During this time, he also graduated from Nashville Auto Diesel College and began working in the auto body repair industry. He

then joined the U.S. Army where he was deployed four more times with the National Guard in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The 2020 CIF Board of Trustees

When he returned from his last deployment in 2010, he was offered a full-time position with the Army, which he accepted and worked until his medical retirement process began. Rebecca said CIF’s donation of the tools has changed their lives. Since retiring, Sterling has been able to spend time focusing on automotive projects. In October 2019, he entered a 1961 Harley Davidson and Model A truck he restored in the Texas Masonic Retirement Center

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(TMRC) Family Day/Annual Classic Car & Motorcycle Show in Arlington, TX, and received first place for the bike and third place for the truck. “None of this would be possible without the very generous donation through CIF,” said Rebecca. “It gave him the tools to restore cars and trucks and bikes, but in turn that restored his sense of purpose after retirement.” Due to the TBI, Rebecca said Sterling often has challenges remembering things and can get frustrated easily. “The tools and ability to work on those Model As gives him an outlet for that frustration,” said Rebecca. “Seeing him so much more relaxed and genuinely happy has had a profound effect on our whole family. The stress is not all the way gone, but we have learned many more ways of handling the stress.” Petra Schroeder, the secretary on CIF’s board of trustees, recalls when she first talked to the Keiths and learned about their situation. “It was a heartbreaking story,” said Schroeder. “Initially, they were both devasted when they found out

he couldn’t work anymore. We have learned in many ways that if you have some kind of issue, mentally or physically, if you get your mind off of the particular situation, it will help the overall healing process.” Schroeder said it is rewarding for CIF to help those in need. “The Collision Industry Foundation is there to help our brothers and sisters in the industry,” she said. Sterling and Rebecca both highly recommend that industry members faced with catastrophic events reach out to CIF for assistance. “Anyone within the industry can fall on hard times, suffer from a natural disaster, or find themselves in need for various other reasons,” said Sterling. “CIF has numerous contacts who can assist with helping those individuals get back on their feet, get back on track and find a renewed sense of purpose in their lives,” added Rebecca. “We hope to spread the word to never give up and keep working towards your goals even if those goals have to change along the way.” The couple recently attended the 10th annual CIF Gala held in

Palm Springs, CA, following the CIC meeting in January. This year, the gala took place at a larger venue, The Bank, and Schroeder said there was record attendance. In addition to holding a silent auction to raise funds, a special drawing was held to win a “Big Green Egg Smoker” package donated by Nexsyis. “The CIF Gala was just amazing,” said Sterling. “It was an honor to be able to attend. We met so many people and made new friends.” Rebecca said, “It was a very big self-esteem boost for Sterling to have so many people admire his work on the Model As and his overall progress.” Schroeder and the Keiths have stayed in touch after their initial meeting five years ago. “When I saw Sterling again at the gala event in Palm Springs, it was really priceless to me to see the smile back in his eyes,” said Schroeder. CIF encourages anyone in the industry who knows of a colleague in need to reach out to CIF. “Just one call, email or text is enough to alert a small team within CIF who will get together and dis-

cuss what is possible to help,” said Schroeder. “When disaster happens, we would like for everybody in the country to be our boots on the ground and help us find victims of these natural disasters we can assist,” said Schroeder. There are several ways to support CIF and those in the collision repair industry. Online forms are available on the CIF website for yearly, quarterly, monthly and one-time donations; Schroeder said that two CIF donors recently set up recurring monthly donations. CIF can also supported by shopping on Amazon Smile! After signing up, a small portion of purchases (0.5%) goes to CIF. In addition, members of the industry have taken initiative to find ways to bring awareness to CIF, such as Dave Luehr of Elite body Shop Solutions, who held a birthday fundraiser on Facebook and Frank Terlep who is donating a portion of the proceeds from every paperback he sells of his new book, “Auto Industry Disruption: Who and What is Being Disrupted and What to Do About It!”

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HONDA CONNECTICUT

NEW

Lia Honda of Enfield Enfield

800-221-3131 860-741-3401

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

MAINE

Berlin City Honda South Portland

800-640-6685 207-774-6685

D sba

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

Prime Honda Saco

207-391-7910 207-282-0900

Dept. H anth

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

Criswell Honda

Dept. H ms

Germantown

866-738-2886

Dept. Hours: M-Thu 7-9; Fri 7-7:30; Sat 8-6 hondaparts@criswellauto.com MASSACHUSETTS

Dep

LIA Honda Northampton Northampton

800-369-7889 413-586-6043

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

De rt22h

ACURA MASSACHUSETTS

Acura of Boston Brighton

800-254-1169 617-254-5400

Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5:30; Sat 8-5 bruce.fisher@acuraofboston.com

Acura of Peabody

NEW

D kristen

Peabody

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

D m

800-878-3600 978-532-9110

D b

40 MARCH 2020 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

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

NEW JERSEY

NEW YORK

PENNSYLVANIA

Clinton Honda

Sussex Honda

Lia Honda of Williamsville

Shadyside Honda

877-657-2787

800-842-0557 973-579-3500

877-659-2672 716-632-3800

800-468-2090 412-390-2908

Annandale

Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5 chrish@clintonhonda.com

Honda of Turnersville Turnersville

800-883-0002 856-649-1584

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

Hudson Honda West New York

866-483-6917 201-868-9500

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 7:30-5; Sun 8-3 anthony.perrone@hudsonhonda.com

Newton

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

VIP Honda

North Plainfield

908-753-1680

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-3 kevinh@viphonda.com

Williamsville/Buffalo

Dept. Hours: M-Thu 7:30-8; Fri 7:30-5; Sat 8-5:30 liaparts@liacars.com

Ray Laks Honda West Seneca

716-824-7852

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-8; Sat 7:30-5:30 ekuznicki@raylaks.com

NEW YORK

Brewster Honda

Apple Honda

Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 kbennett@liacars.com

800-960-9041 717-848-2600

845-278-4177

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5 shadysidehondaparts@hotmail.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

PENNSYLVANIA

Brewster

Pittsburgh

Roslyn

800-682-2914 215-657-3301

York

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

Madison Honda

Dick Ide Honda

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

800-648-0293 973-822-1710

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

Baierl Honda

802 Honda

724-940-2006

802-223-9700

Madison

Dept. Hours: M-Thu 7-8; Fri 7-6; Sat 8-6; mschumer@madisonhonda.com

Rossi Honda Vineland

800-893-3030 856-692-4449

Rochester

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

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

Syracuse

Route 22 Honda

Lia Honda of Albany

973-705-9100

800-272-6741 518-482-2598

NEW JERSEY

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

315-471-7278

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 9-1 parts@lamacchiahonda.com

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7:30; Sat 8-5 rt22hondaparts@route22honda.com

Berlin

Lamacchia Honda

Dept. Hours: M-F 6:30-5; Sat 7:30-3 dave@rossihonda.com

Hillside

Wexford

VERMONT

Albany

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

NEW JERSEY

NEW YORK

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Acura Turnersville

Park Ave Acura

Curry Acura

Baierl Acura

888-883-2884 856-516-6060

888-690-7621 201-587-0028

800-725-2877 914-472-7406

800-246-7457 724-935-0800

Turnersville

Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 kristen.powell@penskeautomotive.com

Bill Vinceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bridgewater Acura Bridgewater

908-704-0307

Dept. Hours: M-F 8-7; Sat 8-4 mattn@bridgewateracura.com

Elite Acura Maple Shade

856-722-9600

Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 bmartinsen@group1auto.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

Scarsdale

Wexford

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

Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-1 johnsabella@baierl.com

Paragon Acura

Davis Acura

718-507-3990

866-50-ACURA 215-943-7000

Woodside

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

Smithtown Acura St. James

888-832-8220 631-366-4114

Langhorne

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

Sussman Acura Jenkintown

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

800-826-4078 215-884-6285

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

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with Victoria Antonelli

In Reverse with Gary Ledoux

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

The 1980’s – The Evolution of the “Patch Panel” In the early 80’s, the term “patch pan- available were fenders for the Chevy el” was still being used to describe Chevette and Citation. non-OE sheet metal body panels used Fueling the “patch-panel” market, primarily to replace rusted-out rocker a number of aftermarket parts suppliers with Garybuckets Ledouxbegan to emerge. panels, floor pans, headlight and the like. (In the 50’s, 60’s and Some sold direct to shops, while 70’s, rust was a major problem. A car some sold through jobbers. Some could be only three years old, be me- claimed that their parts were better than chanically sound, but with rust holes OE, while some claimed some really already poking through rocker panels poor-fitting parts were in the supply and fender wells, hence the need for stream – but “not carried by their company.” Some suppliers noted that they “patch panels.”) concentrated more on service rather trade magazine An early 80’s with Stacey Phillips article noted that when the Big 3 than the part’s quality. Some suppliers were changing sheet metal design noted that they offered a longer warevery model year, it didn’t make fi- ranty than the OE to relieve any apprenancial sense for the aftermarket to hension that a potential customer may make fenders for such a short-run have. It was the “Wild West” days of of a vehicle model. However, with the “patch panel” market. Chevy pick-ups keeping the same By 1984, “patch panels” were with Ed Attanasio basic body design for many years, it starting to have an impact. One trade now made sense to invest in tooling magazine noted “Crash parts used to to make the fenders in the aftermar- be a one source buy-OE parts from ket. Also cited as recently becoming the local dealership. But seemingly,

OE Shop Certification

Shop Management

overnight, alternative buying sources have become available to collision shops… It’s a growing business that someday is going to be big business.” Also, in 1984, an ad for Collision Parts Distributors of Grand Rapids, MI touted availability for hoods, fenders, doors and grills for Datsun, Honda, Toyota, Mazda, Volvo, Audi, BMW, Fiat, Peugeot, Mercedes, Renault and Volkswagen as well as popular Chevy, Ford and Chrysler applications. A mid-1984 ad for Keystone body parts promoted front fenders for 80-84 Ford pickups, tailgates for 73-80 Chevy pick-ups and front fenders for 80-84 Oldsmobiles. The aftermarket body repair panels market was rolling. During that time, conspicuously absent from the growing number of trade magazine articles dedicated to the burgeoning body repair panel market was the mention of insurance companies and their insistence that

the shop use more aftermarket parts. But that wouldn’t last long. By 1985, insurers began to prescribe aftermarket parts as a way to reduce severity and cost. In the summer of 1986, a trade magazine article about the difference and growing controversy over OE versus aftermarket crash parts notes that it is “…the touchiest and most controversial situation to hit the collision repair industry many years.” The article notes that some people see no difference. The OE’s claim that the aftermarket parts do not measure up, do not fit properly, are not properly rust-proofed and have less then desirable primer on them. The aftermarket claims that their parts are comparable to OE at lower prices and saves consumer’s money. The article notes that the controversy about aftermarket VS OE did not really start until body shops were forced, by the insurance

Auto Body Attorney with Bruce Roistacher

Truck Topics with Gary Ledoux

National Associations with Stacey Phillips

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com Prio not g ket and to ca tima caus ket be lo sons labo whe at a lowe ance it als body term They fend Afte ting the r snip icize Ford unde

companies, to use aftermarket VS OE. Prior to that, aftermarket parts were not given a second thought by most. Once they discovered aftermarket parts and the cost savings, more and more insurance companies began to call for aftermarket parts on an estimate. This, according to some, has caused a cost decrease for aftermarket parts. Aftermarket parts tend to be lower in cost for a number of reasons including, economies of tooling, labor costs (being made in countries where unions don’t exist), and priced at a niche-carving rate. And while the lower costs affect how much an insurance company has to pay for a claim, it also reduces the amount of money a body shop makes on parts. Shop owners maintained that aftermarket parts are not the same quality. They say they have to slot aftermarket fenders and other parts to make them fit. Aftermarket proponents note that slotting must be done on some OE parts, the result of a bad body pull. (Let the sniping begin!) Aftermarket parts were also criticized for inadequate rust-proofing. Ford Motor Company tested parts under a 500-hour salt spray test. Ford

noted that generally, the aftermarket parts did not hold up. They said that OE’s use a superior rust-proofing treatment that is not economically feasible for aftermarket suppliers. Aftermarket opponents say that aftermarket parts are available only on a limited scale. While General Motors may carry 17,000 designated collision parts, aftermarket suppliers will have about 420 part numbers.

dealer for better parts prices. It didn’t take long for dealer parts managers to figure this out and reduce the discount extended to a shop that only bought “dealer-only” items. What was left out of the argument, in many cases, is the consumer. Insurance companies claim they save the consumers money by using aftermarket parts. Detractors of this idea claim that insurance premiums

“We are getting parts with certified stickers and the parts still don’t fit. When people promote something that it is not, it is fraud in any other industry.” — John Loftus Aftermarket suppliers carry only the most popular parts while the OE has to have every possible part available, something that also contributes to the higher overall price of an OE part. Having limited availability of aftermarket parts causes other problems for shops. A shop may be put at odds with their OE parts supplier if they only use that supplier for the hard-to-get parts. This could put them at an economic disadvantage if the shops want to negotiate with the OE

were never reduced because of the use of aftermarket parts. OE’s maintained that their reputation was at stake and at the very least, consumers have a right to be informed what parts go on their cars. A GM spokesperson said that ninety-nine out of one hundred customers have no idea what parts are being used in the repair of their car. In 1986, some in the industry tried to get I-CAR to take a stand on the use of aftermarket parts. In the fall of 1986, I-CAR announced

that it will take no position regarding aftermarket versus OE parts. Jeff Silver, then I-CAR’s executive vice president noted that “I-CAR can best serve its constituency by providing a forum for discussion” and not taking a position for or against aftermarket parts. Many in the industry were dismayed, but understood the reasoning behind the decision. In response to the growing tide of aftermarket parts, General Motors took out a full-page ad in a collision trade magazine condemning the use of aftermarket parts and at the same time announcing a price reduction on many fast-moving body parts. In yet another full-page industry ad, Nissan made a stance against the use of aftermarket parts. Among other things, the ad emphatically noted, “Nissan believes that until a law is passed requiring imported imitation parts to be inspected and certified, the use of such parts should be discouraged.” In December, 1987, the Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA) was formed as a non-profit corporation. CAPA acquired the Aftermarket See Patch Panel, Page 50

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Leading the Ethical Revolution in the Collision Repair Industry by Stacey Phillips

When Jeff Peevy was named chairman of the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) in 2019, he placed an empty chair on the stage at each meeting. The chair represented “the consumer,” those who are in accidents and have their cars repaired. During the last CIC meeting of 2019 in Las Vegas, Peevy filled that empty chair with special guests Marcia and Matthew Seebachan. The Seebachans were the owners of the Honda Fit that was in

Jeff Peevy, chairman of the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) and president of the Automotive Management Institute (AMi)

the accident resulting in a $42 million lawsuit. Peevy and his wife, Marie, interviewed the couple about their experience as well as the human impact of poor repair decisions. Following the impactful interview, Dave Luehr, owner of Elite Body Shop Solutions, invited Peevy to talk about the personal impact of the interview during an Elite Body Shop Academy webinar. Peevy’s presentation also included recommendations on how collision repair businesses can lead the ethical movement in the industry. “Listening to the discussions at CIC, I started to realize that more times than not, the consumer, the motoring public and their families are riding in vehicles our industry repaired and get very little consideration during our discussions,” said Peevy, who is also the president of the Automotive Management Institute (AMi). “I thought it would be important for us to keep the people riding in the vehicles that our industry repairs at the forefront of our decisions and discussions.” Peevy realized how a cross-section of the industry began to refer to the chair. “I’m really proud of attendees

at CIC for respecting what that chair represents,” he said. Many have read industry publications and heard presentations about the Seebachans’ experience and Peevy said the young couple was often looked at as people out of a storybook. “My goal with the empty chair was to make the people who have impacted our industry real,” he explained. What Peevy didn’t realize when he set up the interview was how it would impact him personally. He soon learned that his daughter and son-in-law are the same age as Marcia and Matthew, and had purchased a preowned Honda Fit vehicle around the same time as the Seebachans. Also, Peevy’s daughter is going to school to become a licensed clinical social worker—the same job held by Marcia. These parallels resulted in the experience becoming more personal to Peevy and he recognized that the accident could have happened to anyone. “I don’t think I was fully prepared for what it would do to me and I probably have become a little less compromising around doing the right thing and making sure we think about the vehicles we are repairing,” said Peevy. Leading the Ethical Revolution During the Elite webinar, Peevy asked attendees to consider whether they place the value of human life at the top of everything. “We’ll typically say ‘yes,’ but then follow up with a ‘but’ and blame some other segment of the industry,” observed Peevy. “We always need to put the value of human life above all else. I believe it’s unethical if we do anything that jeopardizes anyone in the cars we repair.” Peevy shared a quote from Marcia Seebachan that she said during the interview at CIC. “One of the things drilled into us from day one in any social work course is our code of ethics and part of that is only using evidence-based practices with our clients…” she said. “We are trained to look into practices and theories and methods that are supported by evidence and there has been research and proof showing why this intervention is effective with this

specific diagnosis or need with a client and I just can’t fathom practicing any other way.” Peevy said the same is true in many professions. “Somehow, in our industry, we’ve taken liberties and not always used evidence-based practices and OEM procedures,” said Peevy. “I think OEM procedures are probably the closest thing to evidence-based procedures that we have. We can all agree there is a lot of research and design that goes into the design of vehicles.” As a result, he recommended that collision repair businesses ready to help with the ethical revolution in the industry, start with OEM procedures. An essential part of this is educating consumers. “The law says consumers have the right to decide where to take their car … they often get help from family and friends,” said Peevy. However, he pointed out that the majority of those making the recommendations are unqualified and as a result, the consumer’s life can be put

in risk. “We need to do what we can to educate consumers because they are put in the position to make a decision and more than likely will be uninformed,” said Peevy. Then, after making that choice, consumers are asked if they are happy with the repair. Although cycle times and Customer Satisfaction Indexing (CSI) are important, Peevy said just because consumers say they are happy with the repair and received the car on time, the carpet is vacuumed and the paint is shiny, those are not assurances the vehicle was repaired correctly and safely. “We don’t really have any good measurements,” said Peevy. He encourages collision repairers to think about how to best address this in the future. During the interview, Peevy said Marcia shared a vital observation. “She said that getting hit by a car was an accident; the extent of the injuries were not but based on deciSee Ethical Revolution, Page 50

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with Stacey Phillips

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.

Few Collision Repairers Are Separating Out Scanning Time Versus Diagnostic Time It’s been just over a year since I wrote about the inconsistency in how shops are billing for scanning, and it’s still an issue that concerns me. The results of our “Who Pays for What?” survey this last October related to scanning charges are similar to those from a year earlier. In 2019, among the more than 800 shops responding to the survey, about 1-in-4 of those who perform scans in-house charge a flat fee. Nearly 50 percent charge up to 1.0 labor hour at a mechanical labor rate; but, the remaining 25 percent of shops scanning in-house were all over the map. There was similar variety in how shops bill when they use a remote scanning service. The real problem, I believe, is the inconsistency in what shops are including in that scanning charge. Shops need to separate scanning time from their diagnostic time. Scanning involves performing

the output or functionality test on the vehicle to gather the diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs). The diagnostic time begins once the scanning is complete. For example, say I scan a vehicle and it has seven DTCs. For each of those codes, I have to search for that code in the OEM repair procedures. I have to find out what it means. In some cases, it may be simple and clear, an indication that a certain part needs to be replaced. Oftentimes, the diagnosis is more complicated. The OEM information may site four to six or eight potential causes for that DTC, and I must go back to the vehicle and go through that list, one-by-one, to see which is the cause on that vehicle. The OEMs sometimes offer a flowchart for this process and navigating that takes some time. So, that vehicle with seven DTCs

will require ‘x’ amount of diagnostic time, far more than the vehicle where the scan finds no DTCs, but less than the vehicle where the scan finds 50 DTCs, each of which needs to be researched. It’s that variation in research or diagnostic time that I think many shops are missing. Here are some tips that may help with the diagnostic step. First, be aware that across manufacturers, DTCs begin with a letter that helps point you to the origination of the code. A DTC that begins with a “P” is powertrain-related. One that starts with a “B” is body-related. A “C” at the start of a DTC indicates it is chassis related. The one that’s a little less obvious is a DTC that begins with a “U,” which indicates it is network related. This refers to network communication, and collision repair work frequently causes such codes. It hap-

pens, say, when we unplug a component when we remove a door mirror or handle, remove a headlight, or then drive the vehicle from the body shop to the paint department. The control module is looking for that component we’ve unhooked and can’t find it, so it stores a “U” code for lost communication. These codes need to be cleared, much like a dirt nib needs to be taken out of the refinish. Such codes are sometimes referred to as a “cyber fingerprint,” because if you don’t scan the vehicle post-repair and clear those codes, someone down the road who scans the vehicle will be able to see what you’d removed without clearing the codes. The other tip I would offer is whether you are scanning vehicles inhouse or using a third-party provider, make sure you collect and save the See Scanning vs. Diagnostic, Page 66

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Patch Panel Body Parts Association’s existing certification program with the intention of increasing its scope. The testing and quality assurance program used for certifying the aftermarket parts was developed in cooperation with the Detroit Testing Laboratory (DTL). By August, 1988, the legislative fight over OE parts versus aftermarket parts was in full swing. A trade magazine article notes that, at that time, some sort of collision parts legislation was pending in 30 states, and recently enacted in 12 states ranging from simple consumer disclosure to more complex regulations. Many states required disclosure to the consumer but did not require consent. Most laws did not require independent certification of the aftermarket parts to determine whether or not they were of like kind and quality to the originals. Some laws required that non-OE parts carry a warning to consumers, most did not. The article ended with, “Pending legislation and enacted regulations

have begun to appear in some states; however, it is still too soon to tell if they will provide any answers to this ongoing controversy.” Despite the question of a consumer’s rights to have non-OE parts, a bigger issue of fit, finish and safety was broiling in the body shops and within many shop associations; and the fact that there were so few aftermarket parts that were CAPA certified. John Loftus of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists said, “Our members continue to report aftermarket sheet metal that doesn’t fit but the insurance companies continue to promote the parts. We are accused by the insurance companies and by others of not wanting to use the parts because of the money, but the fact is, the parts don’t fit. It comes down to fit and aftermarket parts manufacturers have failed miserably to bring the parts up to a standard. We are getting parts with certified stickers and the parts still don’t fit. When people promote something that it is not, it is fraud in any other industry.” Today, some 35 years later, many of the same questions and issues exist – and may never be solved.

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Ethical Revolution sions made by others,” said Peevy. As a result, Peevy said the lives of this young couple will be changed forever and they won’t have the quality of life they should because of these decisions. Marcia also made another statement that resonated with Peevy. “We were fortunate that we got the answers that we have because I think it would be intentionally naïve to pretend that there aren’t people who have been injured or had fatal accidents that weren’t impacted by something like this,” said Marcia. The bottom-line, according to Peevy, is to recognize that it’s all about choices and the decisions made by those who repair vehicles. Rather than beginning to work on a car as soon as it arrives at the shop, repairing it as best and as fast as possible, moving it through the shop and trusting it was done correctly, Peevy stressed the importance of following OEM procedures and doing every-

thing possible to repair the vehicle safely and correctly. This extends beyond liability and the economics of running a business. Peevy said that in some countries, there are bad accidents and vehicle owners still drive around because they are just trying to survive. If the cars are repaired, they are often patched up rather than repaired properly. However, in the United States, he said shops can afford to do it right without compromise. He recommended that anyone involved in the collision repair industry watch the video and digest what the young couple shared. “We need to stop some of the stuff we’re doing and really be sincere in reviewing everything we do to ensure human life is placed above all else,” he said. To watch the free replay of this webinar, visit https://daveluehr. mykajabi.com/products/dave-luehr -s-elite-webinar-series/categories /1931663/posts/6467462. The entire Elite webinar series is available by signing up for free using the following link: www.elite bodyshopsolutions.com/academy.

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That’s It! He’s Had it! Part 2 by Gary Ledoux

Owning and operating a collision shop today is a daunting task. It’s not uncommon to hear some owners say that they would just as soon get out and close their shop… but then, what would they do? In last month’s edition of Autobody News we produced part one of this two-part series on alternatives to operating a body shop. Here are a few additional ideas on alternative but related options and the conclusion of this series. Work For an OE: Car makers have a lot of people on the payroll - a lot of people with many talents, levels of education, experience and expertise. OE’s, at the national level, specialize in establishing dealerships, distributing cars, administering sales programs, warranty administration and ensuring a steady flow of spare parts. To do this they spend the majority of their time concentrating on their dealership network. Up until fairly recently, they spent little to no time on the collision side of the business and thus have few people who are well versed in it. A former body shop manager could provide expertise in any number of areas including field work, training, producing training or service materials, or administering body shop certification programs, just to name a few. Third Party/Consulting: Vehicle Collision Experts LLC, better known as VECO Experts, owned by industry icon and former shop owner, Mark Olson, offers a number of different consulting, training, coaching and auditing services to body shops. He also serves as an expert witness for court cases including collision and vehicle defects. In addition, he manages shop inspections for OE shop certifications programs for Subaru and several other OEs. To do this he employs over 20 associates…many of them former shop owners. Olson says, “I would like to have ten more former shop owners. Someone with 10 to 15 years in the business knows what they are doing… and do a good job at it.” Independent Consultant: It is not uncommon for a former shop owner

to lend their expertise to any number of different related companies who need a consultant on a part time basis, or to conduct a special project. Two that immediately come to mind, and are both former shop owners are Lou DiLisio of Automotive Industry Consulting, Inc. and the ever-popular Mike Anderson of Collision Advice. Technical Instructor: Doug Irish is the Department Chair for Collision Repair and Refinish Technology for

be passionate about, and talk to the booth representative. If they are not looking for new people, they probably know someone who is. In either case, it’s a great place to network. Website Design, Social Media and Promotion: To be “alive” in the business world today requires a well-designed and constantly updated website and appropriate social media presence. Some people are good web designers but know nothing about the collision

“If someone is looking to get out of their body shop and do something else, they first must be engaged with what they are doing now and where the industry is headed in order to be valuable to someone else.” — Frank Terlep the Fayetteville Technical Community College (FTCC) in Fayetteville, NC. “People become instructors for colleges, tech schools or high schools for a number of different reasons and in a number of different ways” says Irish. “But it’s good to have someone with several years’ experience and someone who knows the industry.” Irish notes that an instructor’s position will not command the paycheck that a shop owner’s will, but in many ways the job is less demanding, but, like any job, not without its challenges. Magazine Reporter: Since the 1970’s, scores of shop owners have authored magazine articles, some even had their own monthly column. Some did it while they were still running their shop, some after retirement. They wrote about everything from spray painting technique, to how to buy the correct equipment to tips for running an efficient front office… and everything in between. One thing they all had in common as writers – credibility. Representative for Other Industry Related Products: If you have never attended the ever-growing collision section of the SEMA show, take a few days next fall, book a room in Las Vegas and check it out. Just about every product you have ever used, or wanted to use in your shop is represented there. Find a product that you like, one that you believe in and can

business or how to relate to people. As a former shop manager, you definitely know the business, and know what to say (and what not to say) to potential customers. If you know how to produce websites and manage social

media, or know someone who does and you can manage their efforts, you have a ready-made and very lucrative business. Engage in Emerging Technologies: Industry veteran and author of the new book, Auto Industry Disruption, Who and What is Being Disrupted and What to Do About It, Frank Terlep notes, “If someone is looking to get out of their body shop and do something else, they first must be engaged with what they are doing now and where the industry is headed in order to be valuable to someone else. The future in this industry is electronics and you must watch the trends.” This includes autonomous cars, artificial intelligence, and alternative motive power and fuels. “AirPro Diagnotics is a good example of this emerging technology” noted Terlep. “They are diagnosing vehicle electronics from a remote location.” Industry veteran, former chairman for the Collision Industry Conference See He’s Had it! Part 2, Page 56

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From Prison to Collision: The Jabari Hayes Story by Ed Attanasio

From being a highly-recruited collegiate track star to a convicted felon, Jabari Hayes’s journey was a surprise to many people who knew him. He didn’t look like a gangster and everyone was impressed by his intelligence and engaging personality. But he got involved in a drug trafficking operation, which eventually led to a lengthy sentence in federal prison. And that’s where the story begins. Upon his release from prison, Hayes landed a job at a body shop and learned an industry he knew nothing about before acquiring a shop himself. Today, he is the co-owner of Bavarian Collision in Atlanta, GA, a shop that repairs 30-40 cars every month out of a 10,000 sq. ft. facility with 11 employees. Hayes’s life story is featured in Miles in the Life: The Story of a BMF Drug Trafficker, a documentary that can be seen on Amazon Prime and has received excellent reviews. In 1994, Hayes was on top of

the world as an All-American track athlete, a graduate of Morehouse College, and an up-and-coming entrepreneur with a highly successful valet service. Things were going well especially for a kid who was raised by a crack-addicted mother in the infamous Gowanus Projects in Brooklyn, NY.

Jabari Hayes’s life story is featured in Miles in the Life

Five years later, his life took a sudden and dangerous turn when he got involved in a drug trafficking operation. It was run by the infamous Black Mafia Family (BMF), known then as the largest African American drug organization in the Southeast.

Driving a limousine and posing as a legitimate limo company, Hayes was moving huge amounts of cocaine. With so many quick money opportunities lying at his feet, he gradually found himself slipping more and more into the drug-running lifestyle of high-end vehicles, pricey real estate and more money than he could possibly spend. His bosses liked him because he was punctual and reliable and soon Hayes was taking bigger and bigger risks. This caught the attention of BMF’s kingpin, Duke, who then persuaded Hayes to transport one thousand kilos of cocaine in a luxury RV across the country. With a fiancé and their first son on the way, Hayes wants to make this his final run and exit the game once and for all. But every tragic hero has a tragic flaw. Without spoiling the story, Hayes got caught and that’s when things began moving in the wrong direction. When he was sentenced to 87 months, it rocked his world, but he decided to turn it into a positive experience, he said. “God has been

watching me the whole time, even when things looked really bad. I got a good lawyer and the judge could see that I was non-violent and a firsttime offender. Otherwise, I might still be sitting there. I look back at it and I’m blessed, happy and grateful.” While serving his time in a minimum-security facility, Hayes wrote a book, took 22 classes and actually taught two himself. Upon release, Hayes landed a job as an estimator for a body shop, and immediately hated it. “Working for that shop was more stressful than living in a crack house in Brooklyn in the 1980s—there was no comparison. The owner just threw me in there and figured I would just deal with it because I was fresh out of prison. People treat ex-offenders like infants because they figure we have no ability to discern right from wrong. They forget that before you were incarcerated, you owned successful businesses, so you have to start all over again in many cases.” But, amidst the chaos, Hayes began learning as much as he could

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about the collision repair industry before his entrepreneurial spirit kicked in. “Like they say, if you fail to plan you plan to fail. After two years, I was tired of all the sleepless nights, but I thought I could do this myself and the right way.”

Hayes (left) and his partner Mike Lembcke opened the doors at Bavarian Collision in Atlanta, GA in 2012

That’s when Hayes met Mike Lembcke who owned a mechanical repair shop right across the street from where he was working as an estimator. “I was telling him about my ideas and how to approach the body shop business and he said let’s do it here. So Bavarian Collision opened in 2012 and we haven’t looked back since.” Without guardian angels help-

ing him every step of the way, Jabari wouldn’t be where he is with a flourishing body shop and a great future. “People stepped up and literally saved me,” he said. “My dad came and pulled me out of Brooklyn when I was a kid, because it was a crazy environment there,” Hayes said. “My mother was addicted to crack, so he brought me to live with him in St. Louis to get me away from it all. Then years later I met Mike, my business partner and we’ve worked hard to build a great business.” Hayes is also embarking on a whole new career as an inspirational speaker with a positive message. “I want to talk to inmates and show them what I’ve done,” Hayes said. “I want to show them that they’re not destined to fall in the same traps as other inmates. They don’t have to be a stat. I made it in this industry, but it wasn’t easy. I made a commitment to myself and was willing to work harder than everyone else and I want to share that with others.”

www.autobodynews.com

Continued from Page 52

He’s Had it! Part 2 and former shop owner Mike Quinn now serves as the Senior Vice President for Business Development for AirPro Diagnostics. Quinn said, “We can all see which way this industry is going. The future is in those companies that service a car’s electronics. Right now, this is handled by people who are more versed in the mechanical side of the auto repair business because they have had to deal with it longer. What they may not be as familiar with is the protocols and nuances of the collision repair business. That’s where the collision industry veterans could help.” To amplify comments from Frank Terlep and Mike Quinn above, Tim Ronak, industry veteran, former shop owner and now a business consultant for AkzoNobel noted, “One of my favorite sayings is ‘Learn or die.’ Everyone’s role in the collision industry is changing and evolving. Whether you are staying in your shop, or going somewhere else, you need to keep up with the industry and the technology.”

Bruce Cooley, now retired, has over 40 years in the collision repair industry having worked for DuPont and Sherwin Williams, and has called on hundreds of body shops. Cooley maintains that, among shop owners there are those that are self-employed, and those that are entrepreneurs. The entrepreneurs tend to concentrate on business concepts and business models. They employ people to do the actual work, as opposed to doing the work themselves and thus are quite adaptable to alternative but related businesses. Cooley says, “It is the entrepreneurs, those who are really engaged in the industry who will have the easier time transitioning to a different but related business. But because of their entrepreneurial spirit, may have a more difficult time simply working for someone else – especially when they have been the sole decision maker for their business for so long.” Leave your shop – or stay? It’s a harrowing question. With fast-changing technology and an ever-evolving business and socio-economic climate, it’s a challenge either way. Have you “Had it?”

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CARSTAR President Predicts Increased Importance of OEM Certification in Future by Chasidy Rae Sisk

CARSTAR President Dean Fisher predicted that, in 2020 and beyond, OEM certification will become increasingly important to the collision repair industry, during a CARSTAR-sponsored Body Shop Business webinar in late 2019. Stressing that OEM certification will be “very important,” Fisher anticipated the “dial will turn on” regarding OEMs’ aggressive recommendation of certified shops to customers. Fisher suggested this point will come when each OEM hits a national coverage saturation of approximately 3000-5000 shops. “Those [OEM certification programs] will become your next DRP, to some degree,” he said. Noting the “unprecedented rate” at which vehicle manufacturers are entering the industry, Fisher shared that OEMs have even begun taking interest in which rental vehicle consumers are assigned while their car is being repaired, pointing out their concern with customers being placed in a competitor’s brand, especially in a total loss situation.

He believes manufacturers will try to exert more control over this part of the customer’s experience going forward.

Fisher also observed that OEMs are well positioned through telematics platforms, such as OnStar, to intercept first notice of loss (FNOL) and the first communication with the customer right after an accident. How OEMs will handle the actual claim is still “up for debate,” according to Fisher who expects that insurers and OEMs will ultimately “embrace each other.” He suggested OEMs may handle the FNOL before passing the customer along to the insurance company for the claim. Although Fisher recognized that collision repairers are currently in a “crossfire” and “hybrid moment” between insurers and OEM demands, he stressed that vehicle manufacturers and OEM processes will be “very important” to collision

repairers. “We should not be repairing a vehicle without examining the OE repair guidelines,” he stated. Recounting how Ford moving a sleeve on a vehicle by six to eight inches just eight months after building the vehicle resulted in a significant reduction in injuries during collision exceeding 45 mph, “We need to recognize – they’re looking at that,” Fisher said. He emphasized that OEMs are constantly crash testing vehicles, and “they want us to make sure we’re fixing those vehicles in relation to that.” As these evolutions in the collision repair industry progress, Fisher reiterated the importance of OEM certification. While he admitted the return on investment for certification may not be immediately visible, he expressed the firm belief that collision repair facilities will soon do much more business through OEM certifications and OEM FNOL than today. Alluding to the famous Field of Dreams quote, Fisher urged shop to build up their certifications and training credentials, and “they will come.”

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with Stacey Phillips

From the Desk of Mike Anderson with Mike Anderson

Understanding and Performing Required Test Drive Procedures Isn’t an Option In a recent column, I talked about why I believe shops need to separate out their charge for vehicle scanning from their diagnostic labor to address the results from those scans. Another key item I feel a lot of shops are overlooking is conducting, documenting and potentially invoicing for is the increasingly complex process of performing required test drives. Our “Who Pays for What?” survey last summer, for example, found that while almost one-third (31%) of shops that bill for necessary test drives they conduct post-repair say they are paid for that procedure “most” or “all the time,” about 2 in 5 shops (38%) say they have never sought to be paid such test drives. The statistics are even worse for test drives that are done diagnostically prior to repairs; 1 in 5 shops (19%) said they are paid regularly for such test drives, but two-thirds of shops have never billed for those. I want to emphasize that my concern here is not whether shops are billing for test drives. My concern is that they are performing them as a required step to safe and proper repairs. “Test drives” aren’t what they used to be. In the past, you took a repaired vehicle out for a brief drive to check for wind noise, pulling conditions or vibrations. Now you’re doing that but also doing the drives to calibrate and confirm the function of advanced vehicle features and systems like adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitors lane departure warning systems, satellite navigation and traction control. That’s why a Collision Industry Committee has adopted a new definition for this type of test drive that they are calling a “dynamic systems verification road test.” The automakers vary somewhat in what the terms they use for what we generally call “test drives.” Some use that term, but others talk about “road tests,” or “actions tests.” Some automakers reference it by saying vehicles must be “brought up to operating temperature.” Despite terminology differences, it’s important to understand what specific requirements an automaker

has for the vehicle you are test driving. Does the OEM procedure, for example, specify: ▪ How far the vehicle needs to be driv-

en; ▪ How much time the vehicle needs to be driven; ▪ At what speed(s) the vehicle needs to be driven; ▪ What driving pattern needs to be followed; and or ▪ What road conditions are necessary. I recently was writing an estimate on a vehicle, and the OEM procedures said after I reinstalled the blind-spot monitors on the rear bumper assembly, I needed to test drive the vehicle in a straight line for two miles above 20 mph. On another vehicle, after we disconnected and reconnected the battery, an initialization required us to drive the vehicle for at least 15 seconds above 20 mph on a road that had clear lane markings. If you replace a windshield on a vehicle with a compass in the rearview mirror that may require that you drive the vehicle in a circle, or in a figure-eight, to recalibrate that compass. I have seen a procedure for one automaker’s vehicle that requires six different test drives at six different speeds and stopping patterns to see if the seat belts are working properly. Unlike the relatively simple test drives we did for free in the old days, these can be exacting and time-consuming procedures. Depending on whether your shop is in an urban or rural area, you may need to drive

miles away in order to meet the road and speed conditions required. Getting paid for them requires good documentation. I recommend estimators or repair-planners have dual monitors so they can copy the test drive requirements from the OEM procedures and paste them into a line note on the estimate or invoice. Some shops are using a cell phone camera or GoPro to document the test drive. Even the owner’s manual for many vehicles talk about necessary test drives. The last thing you want is a vehicle owner asking about a required test drive in their manual and not being able to show them that you did it. It’s also important that you let the customer know in advance about the test drives you will need to perform as part

of repairing their vehicle. One side note: When I owned my shops, once a year I would submit my employees’ driver’s license information to our company’s insurance company to ensure they could be allowed to drive vehicles on behalf of my company. You can’t risk having test drives conducted by someone with a suspended driver’s license. As always, what you decide to charge for is a business decision; but, understanding, performing and documenting the required vehicle test drives isn’t an option for safe and proper repairs.

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Coronavirus Expected To Heavily Impact Global Car Industry by Brad Anderson

The coronavirus outbreak in China threatens to have long-lasting effects on the global car market with auto supply chain issues and a national slump in sales, CNN Business reports. Prior to the coronavirus, car sales in China have fallen for two consecutive years due to a slowing economy and the loss of tax incentives for electric cars. Since the deadly virus has spread, many large factories have been ordered to remain shut until next week as the Chinese government scrambles to contain the virus. S&P Global Ratings believes the outbreak will force car manufacturers across Asia to slash production by about 15 per cent in the first quarter. Companies with factories in the city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the virus, such as GM, Nissan, Renault, Honda, and PSA Group, are particularly exposed as the city and the rest of the Hubei province account for 9 per cent of total Chinese auto production. Volkswagen is also at risk as

it operates 24 factories making cars or parts in China, accounting for no less than 40 per cent of its global production. For now, the automaker says its planned deliveries to customers haven’t changed and that its supply chain “is on track to be fully functional in time for the start of production.” As the crisis continues, it will become increasingly likely that global auto supply chains will be damaged. Large automotive suppliers such as Bosch, Schaeffler, ZF Friedrichshafen, Faurecia, and Valeo all have significant operations in China. Earlier this week, Hyundai made the drastic decision to suspend production at its South Korean factories because the coronavirus has impacted its supply of parts from China. “Even industries that appear to have low exposure to Chinese suppliers will almost certainly contain firms that are heavily reliant on inputs from China,” global economist at Capital Economics Simon MacAdam said. We thank CARSCOOPS for reprint permission.

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CIF’s Campaign of Caring Gifts $10,000, Thanks Donors Mechanicsville, Virginia - February 22, 2020 - In September 2019, the Collision Industry Foundation (CIF) introduced a “Campaign of Caring,” seeking to inspire the industry to

raise money for the Anchondo family. The family lost their son, Andre (23), and their daughter-in-law, Jordan (24), in the horrific mass shooting at a Walmart in El Paso on August 3, 2019. CIF reached its goal of raising $10,000.00 for the benefit of Gilberto Anchondo, owner of Colormaster Auto Body Shop, in El Paso, Texas. The money will go directly to Gilberto Anchondo to assist him and his immediate family as they continue to deal

with the grief, stress, and shock of the loss of their loved ones. Mr. Anchondo opened his body shop, Colormaster, in 1980 and has been in business for nearly 40 years. His two sons, Andre and “Tito,”, grew up working alongside their father, learning the special craft of the industry. Commenting on the donation, daughter Deborah Anchondo said, “The show of support for my father, Gilberto Anchondo and our immediate family has been remarkable and will not be forgotten. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who donated.” About CIF: The Collision Industry Foundation (CIF) is the 501(c) (3) charitable arm of the collision repair industry. We are dedicated to raising, managing, and donating funds to provide emergency relief to collision repair professionals who have been impacted by natural disasters or other catastrophic events. For more information visit: http://www.collisionindustry foundation.org

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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

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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 / MARCH 2020 AUTOBODY NEWS 61

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with Stacey Phillips

Shop Management with Ed Attanasio

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

Automotive Artwork Adds Class to Your Waiting Room Alan Fearnley: The paintings ‟Through my motorsports artof British artist Alan Fearnley focus work, I’m trying to capture the feeon classic and racing cars that feature ling that the spectator has watching people, architecture and landscape to the race, their favorite driver in accent the images. He has battle or the classic racecar at rest,” created more than a 100 Chenard said in his artist’s stateautomotive paintings on this ment. “I’m also trying to feature the subject, and 70,000-plus co- stories that give racing history depth pies of his works sold world- and texture.” Michael Irvine: Working priwide, as well as three books published of his work. Fe- marily with watercolors, Irvine is arnley’s style has been descri- known for creating clean and sharp But, what’s on the walls? with Gary Ledoux bed as impressionism, and I images that are alive with “color and What I often find are pictures of Little would bet that you’ve seen narration.” This approach to waterLeague teams, I-CAR and OE certifihis images on prints, posters, color, together with his background cations, rusty old traffic signs, plaques Paul Chenard is well-known for his racing images drawn by using pencils and pastels in illustration and his love of classic albums, calendars, etc. for the Employee of the Month or otPaul Chenard: Canadian artist cars, has turned Irvine into a major her forms of community or professio- Another cool way to give your nal recognition. These types of things waiting area that “wow” factor is with Paul Chenard’s fine drawings using player within the world of automotican reinforce your already stellar re- a mural. You can hire a local artist and pencils and pastels have been popu- ve art. “My goal is to continually chalputation, but are they really pleasing come up with a concept that is unique lar for more than 25 years. His pas- to the eyes? Putting all of these things and suited for your shop and your sto- sion is for the history of automobile lenge myself. I want to give the on your walls is nice, but in the end, ry. Many shops have murals on the racing, which eventually led to col- viewer something they cannot see many waiting rooms like miniexterior of their buildings, so why not lecting vintage toy racecars and then in ‘real life,’” Irvine said. “I always withlook Stacey Phillips See Automotive Artwork, Page 70 museums or large bulletin boards. one inside? The only thing is you bet- his illustrations. Remember that when any indi- ter like the finished product, because vidual enters your facility, he or she changing it isn’t as easy as moving a Competitive Prices and Dedicated Wholesale Staff! can potentially become a customer couple paintings or posters around. Discounts Always Find all your Genuine Kia Parts With Us for life. Stand out and impress them I once wrote an article about LuFast, Free Daily Delivery and begin the process on the right scious Garage in San Francisco, that to MA and RI foot. Of course, you’ll have to do a converted part of its shop into an art gallery featuring the works of local artists. They curate it carefully, rotate the images every few months and the owners must have good tasfrank@courtesyma.com te, because the art is always www.courtesyma.com A-List. Parts Hours If you want to do sometKia of Attleboro M, W 8am-8pm hing that’s a little more conPARTS 508-761-9300 FAX 508-761-0768 TU, TH, F 8am-5pm 795 Newport Ave. • South Attleboro, MA 02703 SAT 8am-4pm ventional, hanging automotiAlan Fearnley focuses on classic and racing cars that feature ve art is always a winner, in people, architecture and landscape to accent the images my opinion. Whether it’s a Genuine OEM Parts for the Courtesy Mitsubishi great job on their car, but that’s given. giclee or a print, it won’t be cheap but Perfect Fit Every Time FAX 508-761-4285 PARTS 508-761-9700 In a world where social media can you won’t need to apply for a small Find all your On-line 16 Scott St. • South Attleboro, MA 02703 help or hinder a business overnight, a business loan either. A giclee looks Mitsubishi Parts With Us good first impression is more import- more like the original and costs more, but digital prints are extremely afforant than ever. There are a handful of options for dable. decorating your walls in an attractive I have chosen four painters of www.drivecourtesy.com and uncluttered manner. In some wai- automotive art whose works appear in wbrown@courtesy-mitsu.com ting rooms, I’ve seen a series of black body shop waiting rooms all over the Parts Specialist: and white photos of their town featu- world. I like their work and have chosean@mitsubishima.com ring different scenes throughout the sen four with differing styles. When I Parts Hours years. They went to the local library, was in Italy recently visiting shops, I Committed to Excellence! M-F 8am-5pm made high-res copies of the photos, saw images created by at least two of Find all your Genuine Mitsubishi Parts With Us SAT 8:30am-2pm and then had them nicely matted and the artists that I’m featuring here. During my career as a journalist co- framed. It’s a smart move because the vering the automotive repair industry, message is that you’re connected to I have probably been in more than your community and hopefully vice 600 body shop’s waiting rooms, and versa. with Bruce Roistacher unless it’s an MSO, they’re all different. Some shops go over the top, with fountains, beverage bars, contemporary furniture and big-screen TVs, etc. Others hire interior designers to create a customer-friendly environment.

Auto Body Attorney

Truck Topics

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62 MARCH 2020 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

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autobodynews.com / MARCH 2020 AUTOBODY NEWS 65

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Allstate Asks Court to Deny Latest Motion to Compel by Emmariah Holcomb, glassBYTEs.com

Yesterday, Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate) filed a response to a motion to compel filed by Auto Glass America LLC (AGA) and its owner, Charles Isaly, alleging that the insurance company needs “to provide better answers to AGA’s first set of interrogatories served.” Allstate disagrees and has asked the court to deny that motion. Allstate filed the lawsuit last year, alleging AGA and Isaly, “tried to pressure Allstate’s insureds into hiring them for windshield replacements.” “AGA is improperly attempting to use the discovery process in this case to obtain documents and information that it can use in the hundreds of cases it has filed against plaintiffs (Allstate) in Florida’s state courts,” a portion of Allstate’s response reads. According to the motion’s response, the insurance company believes AGA and Isaly are attempting to broaden the scope of discovery in this case. Allstate also claims the information requested is irrelevant to the lawsuit.

“The amended motion to compel seeks documents that are entirely irrelevant and unrelated to the claims and defenses at issue in

this case, particularly with regard to Allstate Insurance. It also does not comply with the requirements of the local rules, with regard to the formatting and conferral requirements. Thus, Allstate requests that the court deny the amended motion to compel in its entirety,” a portion of Allstate’s response reads. Allstate also stated the previously requested W-2 forms were overbroad, when responding to one of the questions in the motion to compel. “Request No. 20 sought copies of 1099s or W-2 forms generated by

Allstate Insurance for services performed by AGIS…for conducting appraisals for the years of 20102018. As an initial matter, this request seeks documents that exceed the four-year statute of limitations (the parties have generally agreed that the relevant time period, for the purposes of discovery, is January 1, 2014, to date). Further, amounts paid to AGIS also are irrelevant because, as discussed above, no Florida court has recognized that as a basis for finding an appraiser to be disinterested. Also, this request is overbroad,” a portion of Allstate’s response reads. Case Background The case began last December when Allstate filed a complaint, alleging that AGA and Isaly, “tried to pressure Allstate’s insureds into hiring them for windshield replacements, obtaining assignments of benefits (AOBs) from insureds, submitting invoices to Allstate for excessive and unreasonable amounts and fil[ing] over 1,400 lawsuits for recovery of excessive and unreasonable amounts.” The court responded to a previous motion to dis-

miss, along with setting a mediation date for March 2020. Following the setting of a mediation date, AGA and Isaly filed a motion to compel in order to get answers for some of its outstanding questions, to which Allstate responded. In Allstate’s response several of the questions were deemed irrelevant from the insurance company and were not answered fully, according to AGA. From there, AGA and Isaly filed another motion to compel that if granted would require the insurance company to provide “better answers to its first set of interrogatories.” Currently Allstate has filed a response to AGA and Isaly’s motion to compel, asking the court to deny. Look to a future edition of glassBYTEs for continued coverage of the suit. We thank glassBYTEs.com for reprint permission.

www.autobodynews.com

UPDATED DAILY

Continued from Page 48

Scanning vs. Diagnostic “freeze-frame” or “snapshot” data. This varies by vehicle manufacturer. Some automakers capture “freezeframe data” that tells you the exact date, time and mileage when the fault code occurred. This can clarify what was crash- or repair-related, and what DTCs may be unrelated. Other manufacturers capture “snapshot” or “key-cycle” data, which tells you only how many times the keys have been turned on and oﬀ since the fault code occurred. This can be a little less deﬁnitive in determining what is claims related, but is still helpful to have. Capturing this data when you do a scan, or having your scanning-provider capture and provide it to you, can be a critical resource in billing for your scanning and diagnostic labor. I hope a year from now to be able to say I’m seeing more consistency in the industry in terms of separating the time for scanning and the time for the resulting diagnostic work.

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66 MARCH 2020 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

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Tesla China To Resume Giga Shanghai Production On Feb. 10 As Government Steps In To Aid by Randell Suba

Tesla is set to resume production of its Giga Shanghai factory in China on February 10, following a multiweek-long shutdown in response to the coronavirus outbreak. On Saturday, the Shanghai government said it would coordinate with the companies affected by the virus shutdown to bring production to usual levels as it tries to control the spread of the deadly virus that has already killed 700 in the country, Reuters reported. “In view of the practical difficulties key manufacturing firms including Tesla have faced in resuming production, we will coordinate to make all efforts to help companies resume production as soon as possible,” said Xu Wei, a spokesperson for the municipal government of Shanghai. The municipal government would also ask banks to extend loans and to give affected local small businesses and foreign companies preferential rates, and exempt those hit hard from value-added tax. During its recent Q4 2019 earnings call, Tesla expressed worries that

the production of the Model 3 in China will be delayed by 1 to 1.5 weeks as supply chains and communications were disrupted amid the coronavirus outbreak that started in Wuhan City, which is roughly 9 hours by land from Shanghai. The Chinese government has ordered Tesla’s Giga Shanghai shutdown until Feb. 9, way beyond the holiday period in the country that was supposed to end Jan. 30, over coronavirus fears. This prompted the electric carmaker to postpone MIC Model 3 deliveries scheduled for February or until the situation improves in the country. Other automotive manufacturers such as Hyundai, Toyota, Ford, Volkswagen, Daimler, among others were also affected by the order. According to Tesla China’s VP for External Affairs Grace Tao Lin, delivery could be pushed back perhaps as far back as Q3 of 2020. Tesla’s finance chief Zach Kirkhorn explained that the Silicon Valley-based electric carmaker does not expect a big hit on its finances because the MIC Model 3 only represents a small fraction of Tesla’s quarterly profits.

During the temporary shutdown of Giga Shanghai, Tesla used China’s version of Tiktok to deliver customer support and push useful content to educate interested consumers about Tesla vehicles. Tesla also offered customers free Supercharging amid the coronavirus public health scare to make it easier for drivers who want to travel away from affected areas. The $2 billion Giga Shanghai car factory started producing the Model 3 electric sedans 10 months after its groundbreaking in January 2019. It has a current run rate of 3,000 units per week and has an expected production of 150,000 units per year. Aside from the mass production of the Model 3 sedan, Tesla has also launched the Model Y crossover program earlier in January. Tesla’s battery supplier LG Chem also announced on Friday that it plans to partly resume output on Feb. 10 but its plan is subject to change. We thank Teslarati for reprint permission.

Father and Son Win Maaco Cup Award Jim Powell's son Jamie became his partner 10 years ago and the father-and-son team has delivered year-over-year sales increases the last eight years, while achieving Maaco Diamond Certification status. Diamond certification is the premier level within the Maaco system, meaning that the center has all the equipment and training necessary to repair the complex vehicles that are on the road today. Diamond certification also means the center and its technicians are I-CAR® Gold Certified and are qualified to participate in an insurance company DRP (Direct Repair Program) as well as Maaco’s national fleet program. The Powell’s commitment to excellence and continuous improvement, as demonstrated by their Diamond certification, is one of the reasons that they were selected as a Maaco Cup Winner. “Becoming Diamond Certified was very important to us and our objectives for continued growth,” said Jim and Jamie Powell.

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68 MARCH 2020 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

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Judge Weighs in on Emergency Motion by Emmariah Holcomb

U.S. Magistrate Judge Leslie R. Hoffman issued an order today that both grants and denies parts of an emergency motion filed in the ongoing battle between the plaintiff, Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate) and defendants, Auto Glass America LLC (AGA) and its owner, Charles Isaly. Hoffman issued the order today which finds two exceptions in Allstate’s arguments. The legal battle has continued for more than a year, stemming from allegations that both AGA and Isaly allegedly pressured Allstate’s insureds into hiring them for windshield replacements, while obtaining assignments of benefits (AOBs). On February 6, 2020, Allstate filed an “emergency motion” for a protective order for one of its corporate representatives. “Allstate does not seek to cancel the corporate representative deposition; rather, Allstate asks the court to limit the topics that AGA can inquire about at the deposition. With two exceptions, the court does not find Allstate’s arguments to be well-taken,”

a portion of Hoffman’s order reads. According to the court, a party or person moving for a protective order must show “good cause,” but the need for the motion came into question. “The court questions whether Allstate’s motion truly constitutes an emergency. Allstate has been aware of almost all of the topics that AGA wishes to inquire about since October and agreed to the deposition date two months in advance. Allstate was also in receipt of the Notice of Deposition since January 15, 2020, yet waited two weeks to contact AGA’s counsel to begin the meet and confer process, and then waited again until three business days before the deposition date to file the motion. Allstate’s protests to the contrary, this emergency was one of Allstate’s own making,” a portion of the order reads. Two Objections According to Hoffman, many of the topics listed in the deposition’s notice use the terms “claim” or “each claim.” Hoffman asserts that these terms are not identified in the deposition, and could refer to claims throughout the

Think Genuine Subaru Parts.

U.S., or even internationally. The claims for relief are based in Florida and relate to Florida glass and windshield claims. For this reason the court agrees with Allstate that the terms “claim” and “each claim” are ambiguous and overly broad, according to court documents. “Allstate’s Motion will be granted to the extent that the terms ‘claim’ and ‘each claim’ shall refer only to claims that originated in Florida. That is to mean, a glass and/or windshield claim that was filed against Allstate in Florida, paid by Allstate in Florida, and/or was the subject of a lawsuit by AGA against Allstate in a Florida court,” a portion of the order reads. The court noted that all parties agreed that the relevant time period for this lawsuit is 2014 through 2018. Meanwhile the insurance company claimed, due to timing, there were attorney-client privilege concerns. “To the extent Allstate raises, those issues can be addressed via appropriate objection during deposition. Allstate’s objections concerning confidentiality, and in particular any purported settlement agreements with other entities, can be addressed

by the parties’ confidentiality agreement. The court notes that Allstate nowhere argues the parties’ confidentiality agreement fails to provide sufficient protections,” a portion of the order reads. All of the other claims in the emergency motion were granted, according to Hoffman’s order. Case Background For more background on the case, see glassBYTEs’ prior coverage, including how the case started Allstate’s complaint, and yesterday’s story AGA and Isaly’s response to Allstate’s request for an emergency protective order for one of its corporate representatives. Look to a future edition of glassBYTEs for continued coverage of the suit. We thank glassBYTEs.com for reprint permission.

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MASSACHUSETTS

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Cityside Subaru

Subaru of Keene

Belmont (617) 826-5013 (617) 489-0733 Fax

Mon.-Fri. 7:30-5:30 parts@citysidesubaru.com

Long Automotive Group Framingham (800) 982-2298 (508) 879-1212 Fax

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Keene (866) 832-0013 (603) 757-0013 (603) 719-0932 Fax

Mon.-Fri. 7:30-5:30; Sat 7:30-5 ztheodorou@fentonautosales.com NEW JERSEY

Flemington Subaru Flemington (877) 657-2787 (908) 782-1795 Fax

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Mon.-Sat. 7-9 parts@metrowestsubaru.com 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.

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Mon., Wed., Fri. 7:30-5 Tue., Thu. 7:30-7; Sat. 9-3 awright@belknapsubaru.com

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Lumberton (609) 261-7844 (609) 261-7843 Fax

Mon.-Fri. 7:30-5 dseward@millertransgroup.com autobodynews.com / MARCH 2020 AUTOBODY NEWS 69

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CREF Invites Dealers to Become Part of the Solution with New Initiative The Collision Repair Education Foundation is excited to announce the creation of their new “Part of the Solution” initiative which provides dealers and dealer groups with an opportunity to support future technicians by donating leftover parts that would otherwise be discarded, allowing students to train on current model vehicles. “Our philosophy is a higher quality program will attract a higher quality student which will make for a higher quality industry employee,” stated Christen Battaglia, Director of Strategic Partnerships for the Foundation. “When the technicians entering the industry are well-trained on current vehicles, using modern equipment and tools, the entire automotive industry benefits.” Parts are the most frequent need reported by schools with collision repair education programs, including fenders, hoods, bumper covers and a variety of other parts. Without access to these parts, many students are learning on vehicles and parts that are at least a decade old, but with the frequent advances in technology, this leaves student unequipped for a successful career after graduation.

Recognizing that most dealers trash thousands of dollars’ worth of parts monthly, the Foundation developed the “Part of the Solution” initiative in order to connect local schools with these dealers and dealer groups. CREF has compiled a list of over 500 schools across the U. S. in need of scrap parts that can be donated at little to no cost to the donor facility. “Hendrick Automotive Group is excited to partner with CREF’s initiative to provide students with current vehicle parts to practice OE repair procedures on that will better prepare them for today’s Collision repair environment,” said Roger Mesiemore, Corporate Director of Collision and Service Operations for Hendrick Automotive Group which has already signed on to support the future generation of technicians by participating in “Part of the Solution.” Dealers and dealer groups can also support future technicians by donating professional uniforms through the Foundation’s Student Technician Shirt Project. Supporters purchase professional Cintas technician shirts

David Snyder: David Snyder started drawing cars, airplanes and trains at the age of six. His passion for transportation history continues want to draw the viewer into a pain- today. Snyder’s art portrays memories ting, giving them more, the longer of growing up with cars from the they look.” Irvine’s work has appeared on ‛50s through the American Muscthe covers of the Mopar Collectors le era. He takes you down memory lane inviting you to ‟step right in” to his paintings and visit the past. The period architecture, signage, oil cans in the garage bay - no detail is too small for Snyder. Known for his detailed images, he spends countless hours on research before beginning a painting. Other popular automotive artists of note include Kelly Telfer (pastels), John Ketchell (semi-abstract), Tim Layzell (30s David Snyder’s images have been described as alive with and 40s cars), James Hart “color and narration.” Dyke (watercolors), Dan Guide and Muscle Car Enthusiast. Gwinnett (large canvases), Bobbie He offers reproductions of all of his Crews (murals), Bill Bravo (compaintings as limited edition prints, missions for classic car owners), artist proofs and gallery edition can- Dan Reed (realism) and Tony Sikorski (sculptor). vases.

for their local collision education programs, receiving a logo patch on the shirt in recognition of their dedication to the industry. According to Battaglia, “Receiving professional uniforms fills students with a sense of pride and teaches them what it means to look professional in the workplace. It instills confidence in them, reminds them that plenty of us believe in them, and reaffirms that they will have support as they pursue their education and enter the automotive industry as well-trained professionals.” Industry members interested in supporting the Collision Repair Education Foundation’s efforts to assist secondary and post-secondary collision repair training programs should contact Christen Battaglia at (302) 377-5202 or Christen.Battaglia@edfoundation.org. The Collision Repair Education Foundation, founded in 1991, is a notfor-profit organization dedicated to supporting collision repair educational programs, schools, and students to create qualified, entry-level employees and connect them with an array of career opportunities.

Brandon Honda wins DealerRater’s 2020 Award Brandon Honda has been awarded DealerRater’s 2020 Honda Dealer of the Year Award for the fourth year, as well as its sixth Consumer Satisfaction Award among Honda auto dealerships throughout Florida. The awards are based on Brandon Honda’s customer reviews of its customer service, quality of work, friendliness, pricing and overall customer experience, as posted on www. DealerRater.com during calendar year 2019. Brandon Honda has a cumulative customer satisfaction rating of 98%, with a score of 4.9 stars (out of a maximum of 5.0) over 8,796 lifetime reviews. “Car buyers have spoken and given Brandon Honda the highest satisfaction ratings among all Honda dealers in the state of Florida,” said DealerRater’s General Manager, Jamie Oldershaw. “The high quality and number of reviews of Brandon Honda speak volumes about the top-notch experience it provides its customers.”

Continued from Page 62

Automotive Artwork

The RIGHT

COLLISION PARTS

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

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ROUTE 2 HYUNDAI

Glen Burnie 7117 Ritchie Hwy.

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BOB BELL HYUNDAI

410-689-3038 410-766-1275 Fax

Mon-Fri 7:30am - 5:30pm bobbellhyundai.com

Leominster 743 North Main St.

978-534-9933 Fax

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Massachusetts BOCH HYUNDAI Norwood 391 Providence Hwy.

800-559-9210 781-762-9210 800-991-1009 Fax

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Finish it like a Masterpiece THE DEALERS BELOW ARE MERCEDES-BENZ GENUINE PARTS SPECIALISTS.

USE GENUINE MERCEDES-BENZ PARTS. DEL AWARE Mercedes-Benz of Wilmington Wilmington

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parts@mbob.com www.mbob.com

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Audi Recalls Vehicles Equipped with Takata Non-Azide Inﬂators by David A. Wood

Audi TT, A8, A6 and A4 vehicles need new inflators because airbags may underinflate.

Audi is recalling more than 116,000 vehicles equipped with non-azide driver inflators as part of Takata airbags at risk of not deploying properly. 2000-2001 Audi TT Roadster 2000 Audi TT Coupe 1999 Audi A8 1998-2000 Audi A6 1999-2000 Audi A4 Nearly 107,000 Audi vehicles are recalled in the U.S. and more than 9,100 are recalled in Canada. Owner recall notifications are expected to begin March 27, 2020, but concerned customers may call 800-253-2834 and ask about recall number 69AE. We thank CarComplaints. com for reprint permission.

Amazon’s First-Ever Electric-Powered Delivery Fleet Set for 2021 Launch by Brad Bergan

Amazon is developing 100,000 electric-powered delivery vehicles in Detroit, due to hit the road by 2021. Amazon is pushing 100,000 electric-powered delivery vans, due to hit the road in 2021. Production

Credit: Amazon News

of emissions-free electric vehicles is underway in Plymouth, near Detroit. Part of The Climate Pledge, this massive order is Amazon’s push to meet conditions stipulated by the Paris Agreement 10 years early. The pledge obliges signatories to become net-zero carbon across their entire businesses by the year 2040, 10 years ahead of the 2050 goal of

the Paris Accord. “We’re trying to build the most sustainable transportation fleet in the world,” said Ross Rachey, the director of Amazon’s fleet and products. “It also needs to be the most functional, the highest performing, the safest.” For 18 months, Amazon’s transportation team meticulously assessed a variety of electric vehicle options for the lowest carbon footprint. But since Rachey’s team had to move at lightspeed to meet their deadline, they dispatched conventional options in favor of a totally new and customized electric vehicle. You could say their designs beyond convention are the state of the industry. Next-gen delivery and zero emissions If successful, this next-gen delivery van will reduce carbon emissions, improve driver safety, and bring technology and other design elements up to par for best-in-class

driving experience. Constructed in Rivian’s plant in Normal, Illinois, the vans come in three sizes, and work with multiple battery types, to suit the disparate demands of specific delivery routes. “We are focused on driving efficiency into every aspect of the vehicle design — everything from cabin heating to driver ergonomics to drivetrain design has been optimized for time and energy,” said R.J. Scaringe, CEO of Rivian. “And then the echo effect of this, of causing other logistics players in this space to also look at how they drive up efficiency within their fleet, will have a very large impact.” As a world community, we’re only on the cusp of the biggest industrial revolution ever — rivaled only by the last, in the 1900s. But the unique synergy of ambition, innovation, and global awareness could make the next few decades the most exciting time to be alive. We thank Interesting Engineering for reprint permission.

www.autobodynews.com

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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

Ramsey 201-818-8995 (201) 783-8848 Fax 8am-5pm Mon-Sat parts@libertyhyundai.com

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Coatesville 610-384-7700 (610) 384-2171 Fax 8am-5pm Mon-Fri 8am-12pm Sat Alan@kiaofcoatesville.com www.kiaofcoatesville.com

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Universal Technical Institute’s Core Automotive Program Outfitted With Volvo’s Advanced and Electrified Vehicles Volvo Cars USA LLC has announced it will contribute 36 new vehicles to include twin-engine plug-in hybrid vehicles to Universal Technical Institute’s core automotive training program as part of its national Vehicle Lease Program for Schools initiative. The effort supports Volvo’s strategy to work directly with UTI and other educational institutions to put stateof-the-industry technology into the hands of students training for transportation careers, and ultimately increase the number of skilled technicians in the field. “For nearly 20 years, Volvo has trusted Universal Technical Institute to train the technicians who maintain and service its products across the nation,” said UTI Executive Vice President of Campus Operations Sherrell Smith. “This new program will give more students the opportunity to work on the latest technology in the market – ensuring they graduate from UTI ready to hit the ground running in a fast-evolving industry with high demand and earning potential.” The new cars – to be delivered across 11 UTI campuses nationwide – will support UTI’s hands-on train-

ing with Volvo’s advanced technologies, such as collision avoidance and advanced electrical diagnosis. In preparation for this unique access to these state-of-the-industry vehicles, UTI is revising its core curriculum to ensure that all students have the opportunity to experience learning on the Volvo cars in the lab.

have the option to continue their studies through the 14-week Volvo Service Automotive Factory Education (SAFE) program, exclusively offered at UTI’s campus in Avondale, Arizona. Successful MSAT applicants often are sponsored by Volvo and local dealerships to cover the cost of tuition. After two years of

“This new program will give more students the opportunity to work on the latest technology in the market – ensuring they graduate from UTI ready to hit the ground running in a fast-evolving industry with high demand and earning potential.” — Sherrell Smith “Volvo Cars sees an increasing demand for qualified technicians as the company is rapidly adopting electrified powertrains across its entire lineup,” said Jeffrey Jennings, Senior Manager, Technical Training at Volvo Car USA. “Getting our hybrid vehicles in the hands of future technicians is critical to the growth of our business.” Upon completion of UTI’s core training programs, UTI students who wish to specialize in Volvo vehicles

employment, and ASE Master Certification, they’re eligible for Master Technician status. UTI is unique for its 11 automotive Manufacturer Specific Advanced Training (MSAT) programs. The specialized manufacturer training and certifications that students receive through UTI’s MSAT programs, including the Volvo SAFE program, are acquired in just a few months and can often take two years

or more to garner in the field. With more than 220,000 graduates in its 54-year history, Universal Technical Institute, Inc. (NYSE: UTI) is the nation’s leading provider of technical training for automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle and marine technicians, and offers welding technology and computer numerical control (CNC) machining programs. The company has built partnerships with industry leaders, outfits its state-of-the-industry facilities with current technology, and delivers training that is aligned with employer needs. Through its network of 13 campuses nationwide, UTI offers post-secondary programs under the banner of several well-known brands, including Universal Technical Institute (UTI), Motorcycle Mechanics Institute and Marine Mechanics Institute (MMI) and NASCAR Technical Institute (NASCAR Tech). The company is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona. For more information, visit www. uti.edu. Like UTI on www.facebook. com/UTI or follow UTI on Twitter @ UTITweet, @MMITweet, and @NAS CARTechUTI.

WIN Opens Registration for 2020 WIN Educational Conference The Women’s Industry Network (WIN®) is pleased to announce that registration for the 2020 Educational Conference is now open. This year’s Conference will be held May 3-5, 2020 in Newport Beach, Calif. “Driving the Future,” the Conference theme, will be reflected throughout the agenda of the two-and-a-half-day event that brings education, connection and celebration to collision industry professionals each year. “For our 2020 Educational Conference, we are excited to shake up our agenda a bit and offer more networking time,” says Wendy Rogers, Conference Committee Co-Chair. “We will be hosting a charity opportunity to give back to the community, and we will be taking our annual Scholarship Walk in late afternoon that gives way to a short reception and a free night to explore and sample the restaurants and nightlife in fabulous Newport Beach, Calif. “ Register and receive the early bird price of $300 if you purchase before March 31st. After

that, the member rate is $475 and a non-member ticket is $700. Attendance at the Most Influential Women and Scholarship Winners Gala only is $80 per person. Room blocks are available at the Hyatt Regency Newport Beach for booking at the hotel until April 13th. If you are not yet a member, join today or before March 31st for $95 and you will be eligible to purchase a ticket to the conference at the member rate. More information to come regarding speakers and session topics. To register for Conference and view the agenda, please visit https://thewomensindustrynetwork.site-ym.com/page/Conference. WIN is a 501(c)(6) not-forprofit organization. WIN recognizes excellence, promotes leadership, and fosters a network specifically for and among women. For more information go to www.womensindustrynetwork. com.

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

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Audi Part Professionals are experts on collision parts, replacement components and mechanical items.

Audi dealers strive to make you an Audi Genuine Parts fan. Order Audi Genuine Parts from these select dealers.

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NEW JERSEY

Audi Bethesda

Audi Meadowlands

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Audi Albany

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Bethesda

Silver Spring

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Parsippany

Flushing

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NEW YORK Latham

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866.770.5999 718.392.6570 Fax M-F 7:30am-5:30pm parts@lexusofqueens.com

audiwholesaleparts@mcgovernauto.com

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More Bad News at Nissan by Rob Stumpf

Nissan is shrinking again. Not in the sense that it plans to build smaller cars, but that the Japanese automaker is downsizing its workforce in an attempt to stabilize a company at risk of circling the metaphorical drain.

On Tuesday, Nissan announced that it will reduce its U.S. workforce of 20,000 employees by offering buyouts to workers across its core and luxury brands. The automaker says that the buyout offer will be voluntary, available to both hourly and salaried workers aged 52 years and older. Nissan doesn’t specify

the number of employees that it plans to target, nor if there will be mandatory layoffs should that number remain unmet. This news comes just months after the automaker announced a nine-percent cut to its global workforce, placing 12,500 total jobs on the chopping block worldwide. It’s unclear if this round of buyouts is related to that decision. In summer 2018, Nissan reduced its North American production capacity by 20 percent due to declining sales. “Like many other automotive companies, Nissan North America is taking proactive steps to assess our structure, workflow, and operational efficiencies amid a challenging industry environment,” wrote Nissan’s head of sales and senior VP, Airton Cousseau, in a letter sent to dealers obtained by Automotive News. “This reorganization will create office synergies that will enable a leaner organization while still focusing on dealer profitability and your ability to continue providing a quality customer experience. You will continue to receive all the support you need.”

Buzzwords aside, this move is Nissan’s response to not only its own slumping sales figures but also an industry-wide downturn after a momentous decade of growth and positive cash flow. The auto industry as a whole is beginning to watch as consumers realize that they’ve had their fill–especially with new car sales not do-

Nissan Titan Platinum

ing so hot right now. According to CNBC, this downward trend means that manufacturers exited 2019 with one of the worst sales years since the 2008 recession. Restructuring is a sign that Nissan is looking to resize its company to a more appropriate proportion aligned with its current sales figures, a number which drooped nearly 10 percent last year. Forward-looking projections don’t look so great either. Nissan

Dave Luehr’s Next FREE Elite Webinar Series: “CCC ONE Estimating Features & Tips,” with Jason Kitchen of CCC Dave Luehr’s Elite Body Shop Solutions announces the next installment in the FREE Elite Webinar Series: “CCC® ONE Estimating Features & Tips.” Jason Kitchen, CCC® ONE Elevate Advisor, will present on Tuesday, February 25th, at 1 p.m. CST. To register, visit: https://event.webinarjam.com/register/8484qan. Those who are unable to attend the live event can watch the recorded webinar by joining the Elite Body Shop Academy for free at http://www.elitebodyshopsolutions.com/ews. This presentation will cover features and best practices to help CCC® ONE users optimize their utilization of CCC® ONE Estimating. Kitchen will cover estimating topics such as database options, guide, clear coat calculation and commonly missed items along with features like electronic parts sourcing to add efficiencies to your estimating process. “We are excited to have Jason joining us to teach CCC®

ONE users how to better use their estimating software,” said Dave Luehr. ‘A tool is only as effective as the skill of the user and using tools to their full potential results in less body shop chaos!’ Attendees of the Elite Webinar Series are always encouraged to bring their questions for the presenter to address and this webinar provides a unique opportunity to not only talk to someone who really understands CCC® ONE but also interact with and learn from other users. Every month, the Elite Academy highlights a topic to keep collision repairers and those that serve them well-informed with relevant information required to be successful in today’s challenging business environment. The webinars feature a wide range of top industry leaders in an interactive and often entertaining format. For more information about Elite Body Shop Solutions, visit www. elitebodyshopsolutions.com.

has also announced that it plans to switch its financial and sales reporting from monthly to quarterly. The automaker says that this move is to “provide a clearer picture of sales performance over a longer period of time,” permitting it to smooth out its sales over a three month period rather than report up-and-down trends, effectively removing the sting of poor numbers month-over-month. This is a method that has been adopted by other industry players (including Fiat-Chrysler, Ford, GM, BMW, and Porsche) over the past year to help investors look past declining month-to-month sales. Will smoother financial reporting and reduced costs be enough to save the automaker from itself and the market? Carlos Ghosn, the brand’s former CEO-turned-fugitive, has reportedly claimed that the writing has been on the wall for years, foreshadowing a company-wide bankruptcy by 2022. Meanwhile, dealers are begging Nissan for increased support and a better brand image before it all boils over. We thank The Drive for reprint permission.

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