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NORTHEAST™ Trade Show Leadership Forum gave attendees a certificate toward NJ Auto Body License renewal. Nick Attendance at the recent NORTH- Halliday, sales manager for Nucar EAST™ trade show, at the Meadow- Wholesale Parts Distributors, facililands in Secaucus, NJ, was 20% tated the seminar with Jim Mickle higher than last year, which was up from General Motors. Aaron Schulenburg, Executive Director of SCRS was heard to say: “The forum provides a tremendous opportunity for us to pull together key leaders in the collision industry, here in the northeast area of the country, and talk about issues that really matter to our members. The event and NORTHEAST as a whole enables us to share information and ultiAASP/NJ Exhibiting at their own show, NORTHEAST™ mately make this business betfrom the year before. Some seminars ter, both now and in the future.” Heard and seen at the show were were overflow seating and organizers had to pull in extra chairs for people other familiar figures in the industry. Several took the mike at the Northeast who arrived late were standing. There were some direct benefits Leadership forum. One person we all wanted to hear associated with presentations, such as “Hybrid Aftermarket Service,” which See Northeast Show, Page 46 by Chasidy Sisk and Janet Cheney
VOL. 2 ISSUE 1 APRIL 2012
Nearly 200 Congressmen and Senators Write in Opposition to China’s Auto Parts Practices On March 16, a group of 188 U.S. lawmakers led by U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) urged President Obama to crack down on “predatory” Chinese pricing practices, which they said are threatening the U.S. auto parts industry and could cost the U.S. more than a million jobs. “We cannot wait until further damage is done,” the nearly 200 members of the House and Senate— including all the Democratic members of the House Ways and Means Committee—said in a letter to President Obama. “Seventy-five percent of the jobs in the automotive sector are in auto parts, and these jobs are at risk in every state in the nation.” The Congressional letter encourages Presidential action against Chinese predatory trade practices in this sector to be one of the “first and highest priorities” of his Administration’s recently created Interagency Trade
L A I C SP E
E U S S I T PAIN
Enforcement Center. The lawmakers praised the administration’s creation of the Interagency Trade Enforcement Center to promote a more coordinated effort, which they say will provide the United States additional resources to examine China’s and other nations’ trade violations. This effort, unlike any that have taken place in recent memory, asks the Administration to further investigate the barriers that China has adopted and initiate appropriate action to level the playing field. The complaint is supported by the United Steel Workers. “Most trade cases are filed by the private sector after substantial injury has occurred. China’s practices in this sector have already caused harm, but the goal is also to alter its policies before the complete decimation of our domestic industry. In these critical economic times, we must take every appropriate action to address unfair See Chinese Auto Parts, Page 38
of 3 issues
GIES ECHNOLO T H S I N I REF P A IN T &
U.S. Senate Passes Transportation Bill with Highway Safety Provisions The U.S. Senate has passed Senate Bill 1813, a two-year transportation bill worth $109 billion to go toward highway construction and auto safety initiatives. The House of Representatives has not completed work on its highway bill and may take up the Senate bill. The Senate legislation includes the following:
● revises highway safety improvement programs ● directs the secretary to establish requirements for regularly recurring updates and approval of state strategic highway safety plans ● requires the secretary to issue guidance to states on establishing perSee Highway Safety, Page 57
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2 APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Contents
NATIONAL 22 West Virginia Schools to Integrate I-CAR Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 275,000 Subaru Forester SUVs From 2009–12 Recalled For Rear Seat Belts Failing to Lock Properly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 ABRA Auto Body & Glass Expands Operations into TN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Assured Performance Network Offers Other OEM Rewards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Automotive Recyclers Assocation Supports Licensed Buyers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 CARSTAR Expands Sales and Marketing Teams . 30 Chrysler Launches Certified Collision Repair
PAINT SPECIAL
Texas stop sign
Neosho, MO
Jackson, MI
Laurens, SC
Upstate, NY
Austin, MN tornado Publisher & Editor: Jeremy Hayhurst General Manager: Barbara Davies Assistant Editor: Erica Schroeder Contributing Writers: Tom Franklin, David Brown, John Yoswick, Lee Amaradio, Rich Evans, Janet Chaney, Toby Chess, Mike Causey, Tom McGee, Ed Attanasio, Chasidy Sisk Advertising Sales: Joe Momber, Sean Hartman (800) 699-8251 Sales Assistant: Kristy Navarro Art Director: Rodolfo Garcia
2012 Ridler® Award Winner Features BASF’s Glasurit® Paint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Airbrush Artist JoAnn Bortles is Writing Her Seventh Painting Book . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 BASF Advises Shops to Join the Move to Waterborne Coatings Now . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Bobby Alloway’s 5 Essential Tips for Achieving a Flawless Black Finish . . . . . . . 52 Custom Painter Charley Hutton Explains Step-By-Step How to Create Realistic Wood Grain Effects With PPG Products. . . 10 PCL Has Been Primed Since 1929 with Clear Solutions for Shops . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 RBL Products New Pre-Treat System . . . . . . 39
Amato Agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Audi Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . 61 BASF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 BMW Audi of Turnersville . . . . . . . . 45 BMW Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . 51 CCC Information Services . . . . . . . 17 Central Avenue Chrysler-JeepDodge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Chief Automotive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Classifieds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 CSS USA, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 DCH Family of BMW Stores . . . . . . 31 DuPont . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Equalizer Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Ford Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . 50 Fred Beans Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Fuccillo Auto Group. . . . . . . . . . 22-23 Garmat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 GM Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . 56 Healey Chevrolet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Hoffman Services, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . 25 Honda-Acura Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32-33 Hyundai Wholesale Parts Dealers . 55 Jaguar Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . 62 Kia Motors Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Koeppel VW-Mazda . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Lazare Kia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Lexus of Massapequa. . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Lexus Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . 54 Matrix System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Maxon Hyundai. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Maxon Mazda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Serving New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware 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. ©2012 Adamantine Media LLC. Autobody News P.O. Box 1516, Carlsbad, CA 92018 (800) 699-8251 (760) 721-0253 Fax www.autobodynews.com Email: news@autobodynews.com
Northeast
COLUMNISTS Cheney - Class Auto Center: An Aptly Named First Class Operation. . . . . . . . . . . 53 Chess - CAFE Standards Will Affect More Than A Shop’s Miles Per Gallon . . . . . . . . 36 Franklin - Sprucing Up Your Shop For Spring. 18 Insurance Insider - ‘Survival of the Fittest’ Also Applies to Collision Repairers . . . . . . 62 Nigro - Feather, Sand and Fill: Paint Operations Body Shops Perform But Don’t Get Paid For. 40 I-CAR - Oil Spill at the I-CAR Tech Centre in Appleton, WI, Raises Awareness. . . . . . . . 58 Sisk - County Line Auto Body: NJ Shop Grows From Chicken Coop to Multi-Building Complex. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Sisk - The NORTHEAST™ 2012 Trade Show: All About the Seminars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Weaver - What If You’re Looking for More than One Waldo? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Williams - Maxon Hyundai-Mazda: Father-to-Son Dealership Serves NJ and NY . . . . . . . . . . 56
Facility Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Fix Auto Appoints Tim Clark as Senior VP, Insurance Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Guardian Auto Glass acquires Glass Specialty Company of Bloomington, Illinois . . . . . . . 26 Gyant Compliance Launches ‘Vocwebmanager’ Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Helpful Documents, Tools And Information Only a Click Away for Shops. . . . . . . . . . . 48 Hyundai Recalling 2011-12 Sonata Hybrids For Rear Seat Belt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Infiniti Launches National Certified Collision Repair Network. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Infiniti Recalls 2003-05 Q45 Sedans. . . . . . . 18 Iowa Shop’s Action and Iowa Collision Repair Association, Established in 2005, Starting to be Heard Statewide . . . . . . . . . 51 LQK Has Record Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Mexico Implements New Mandatory Auto Insurance Laws . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Mitchell’s Claims Triage is Available to Carriers. 30 Montana Collision Repair Specialists’ Legislative Record . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Nearly 200 Congressmen and Senators Write in Opposition to China’s Auto Parts Practices . 1 Nissan Leaf Nationwide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Performance Racing Industry to be Sold to SEMA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 PSE Appoints Guy Barnes as VP, Sales & Marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Ray Gunder to Sponsor Free Legal Seminar for Collision Repairers in Lakeland, FL . . . 43 The Levan Group—Where Crash and Mechanical Parts Intersect . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 TopTech Finder Unites PDR Techs with Body Shop Managers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 U.S. Senate Passes Transportation Bill with Highway Safety Provisions . . . . . . . . . 1 UPDATE on Tow-for-Pay Scam, “Evangelist Jerry Bratt” and “Jacqueline Harris” . . . . . 59 Verifacts Symposium Recognizes Achievement, Industry Unknowns, and Negotiation. . . . . 60 Women’s Industry Network Holds Planning Meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Indexof Advertisers
REGIONAL 36 in NY Allegedly Involved in Auto Insurance Fraud Scheme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 American Auto Salvage & Recycling Opens Auto Shredder in Millville, NJ . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Connecticut Bill Adds Subsection to Require Recycled or A/M Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Delaware Bill (HB 242) Prohibits Insurers from Exploiting Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Fire Consumes Pennsylvania Automotive Service Garage, 1 Injured . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Jiffy Lube Heartland Acquires 12 New Locations in the New York Market from Suffolk Lube Centers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Lehigh Valley Collision Repair Association to Hold April Meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Mt. Kisco, NY, Body Shop Catches Fire, Possibly a Careless Cigarette . . . . . . . . . . . 6 NORTHEAST™ Trade Show Leadership Forum . 1 Pennsylvania Parts Manager Active in Suicide Awareness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Pennsylvania Texting While Driving Ban Takes Effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Rhode Island Bill Would Delete Anti-Steering Legislation Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Winter vs Auto: Let Spring Begin
Mazda Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . 52 Mercedes-Benz Wholesale Parts Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Mercedes-Benz Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Metric Subaru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Millennium Hyundai . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 MOPAR Wholesale Parts Dealers . . 13 Nissan/Infiniti Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Nucar Mazda. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 PCL Automotive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Plaza Auto Mall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Porsche Wholesale Parts Dealers . 61 PPG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 RealParts.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Safety Regulations Strategies. . . . . 46 SATA Spray Equipment . . . . . . . . . 28 SCA Appraisal Company . . . . . . . . 63 Scion Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . 54 Security Dodge-Chrysler-Jeep . . . . 20 Solution Finish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Stadel Motors Volvo . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Star-A-Liner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Subaru Wholesale Parts Dealers DE, South NJ, PA. . . . . . . . . . 14-15 Subaru Wholesale Parts Dealers North NJ, NY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Thompson Organization . . . . . . . . . 41 Toyota Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . 46 VeriFacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Volkswagen Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Volvo Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . 60
www.autobodynews.com | APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS 3
Pennsylvania Parts Manager Active in Suicide Awareness Parts and Service Manager Rob Cottle of Stadel Volvo in East Petersburg, PA, will again walk in an 18-mile walk in San Francisco, CA, on June 9
The “Remembering Ryan” walk group from last year
as part of the Out of the Darkness Overnight, an event that raises money for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. The goal of this journey, which will begin at dusk and finish at dawn, is to raise funds for suicide prevention, mitigate the stigma surrounding suicide and its causes, to encourage those suffering from mental illness to seek treatment, as well as to show support for the families and friends of the 30,000 Americans who die by suicide and the 20 million people that suffer from depression each year.
Jiffy Lube Heartland Acquires 12 New Locations in the New York Market from Suffolk Lube Centers
Heartland Automotive Services, Inc., America’s largest Jiffy Lube franchisee, has announced its expansion in the New York market with its acquisition of 12 locations in the Long Island area. In February, the company completed the purchase of the locations from Suffolk Lube Centers, Inc., which owned and managed the Jiffy Lube locations. “Last year at this time, New York became a powerful new market for us as we expanded into the area with our first Jiffy Lube locations,” said Brett Ponton, Chief Executive Officer at Jiffy Lube Heartland. The new Heartland Jiffy Lube locations in New York are located in: Selden, Riverhead, Port Jefferson Station, Huntington, Patchogue, Commack, Farmingdale, Saint James, Shirley, Huntington Station, Deer Park and Rocky Point. All of the employees across the newly acquired stores were invited to remain in their current positions following the acquisition. In many instances, Heartland brings new health care insurance and retirement benefits to employees not previously available to them. This acquisition is part of an aggressive acquisition strategy the company embarked on in 2011.
Cottle is asking for donations and support of this effort. Donations are tax-deductible and can be given at Cottle’s personal fundraising webpage, http://theovernight.donordrive.com/in dex.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.participant&eventID=501&participantID=3848 Cottle is walking as a part of the group called “Remembering Ryan” and will be walking with his friend Debi, who lost her son by suicide four years ago. “I hope that you’ll share this incredible journey with me—by supporting me in my fundraising efforts,” said Cottle. The net donation proceeds will support the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s programs and mission. AFSP is a small foundation, and much of their funding comes from The Overnight. According to AFSP, “Every dollar you raise will help you save the life of a child, a parent, a sibling or a close friend.” For more information about AFSP, please visit www.afsp.org. For more information about the Out of the Darkness Overnight please visit www.theovernight.org.
American Auto Salvage & Recycling Opens Auto Shredder in Millville, NJ
American Auto Salvage & Recycling, a fourth-generation recycling company based in Cape May, N.J., held an official grand opening for its auto shredder in Millville, N.J. American Auto Salvage started a new company, called American Iron & Metal International, to operate the auto shredder. Joe Silipena Jr., president of American Auto Salvage, says the new, 12-acre facility that is housing the auto shredder includes an American Pulverizer shredder with a Hustler conveyor and an Eriez eddy current downstream system. The downstream system will be totally enclosed in an 80,000-square-foot building. The company says that it is one of only a handful of companies that presently operate a shredder with a totally enclosed downstream system. Silipena says that the auto shredder will be powered by two 2,000horsepower motors. One news report says that American Auto invested around $6 million on the auto shredder. Silipena adds that in addition to an auto shredder, American Iron & Metal will operate as a traditional scrap metal recycling facility and accept both ferrous and nonferrous metals. Plans call for the shredder to operate five days a week.
4 APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Pennsylvania Texting While Driving Ban Takes Effect
Pennsylvania’s texting while driving ban, signed by Gov. Tom Corbett in December, took effect March 8. Drivers will now risk fines if they send text messages from behind the wheel, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. Reading or sending of e-mails and Web surfing are also included in the ban. Although drivers are still permitted to talk on their handheld phones, which police say will make enforcement tougher. “The Pennsylvania State Police anticipate the law will educate lawabiding citizens on the dangers of texting and driving and will hopefully create voluntary compliance by the majority of motorists,” said Maria Finn, a State Police spokeswoman. The Pennsylvania law also makes texting a primary offense, which means that police may pull over a driver for texting alone. Those who are caught will be fined $50 but will not receive points against their license. The new law makes Pennsylvania the 38th state to prohibit drivers from texting. The law does not pertain to GPS devices, or systems that are physically or electronically integrated into vehicles, or devices attached to mass transit vehicles.
Lehigh Valley Collision Repair Association to Hold April Meeting
The Lehigh Valley Collision Repair Association will hold a meeting for their members on April 4 at 6 p.m. at Daku Auto Body in North Catasauqua, PA. Jeff Anton with CCC Information Services will be discussing the features of CCC’s latest estimating system, CCC One. He will also address questions regarding the product. Two presentations on paint materials will also be given. They will focus on how you can track your usage to determine your profit margin and how to then establish a basis for billing out your jobs. The meeting will also feature an update from I-CAR regarding their latest offerings in the association’s market. The group will also have a 50/50 drawing to benefit the Association. Pizza and refreshments will be served. For questions or directions call Matt at 610-253-1528. Please RSVP to lvcollision@gmail.com or Matt at the number above to secure your seat. For more information please visit www.sites.google.com/site/lvcollision.
www.autobodynews.com | APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS 5
36 in NY Allegedly Involved in Auto Insurance Fraud Scheme
Federal and local authorities in New York announced charges on March 1 against 36 defendants—including 10 doctors and three attorneys—allegedly involved in a systematic scheme to defraud auto insurance companies of more than $275 million under New York’s no-fault insurance law, according to Insurance Journal. According to the indictment, those involved in the scheme allegedly created fraudulent medical clinics to defraud insurance companies under the state’s no-fault law. The charges include conspiracies to commit racketeering, healthcare fraud and money laundering dating back to around 2007. The majority of defendants were arrested on February 29, according to news reports. “While purporting to be legitimate medical care clinics specializing in treating patients, the no-fault clinics were, in fact, medical fraud mills that routinely billed automobile insurance companies under the no-fault law for medical treatments that were either never provided and/or unnecessary, because the patients did not medically need the treatments,” according to the indictment unsealed on
February 29 in U.S. District Court in Manhattan. The indictment also stated that these clinics are not owned, operated and controlled by licensed medical practitioners. Instead, the actual owners, operators and controllers of the clinics were individuals who were not licensed medical practitioners and who were not identified on documents filed with New York State authorities. The indictment also alleges that these clinics allegedly received cash kickbacks for each referral from other individuals who fraudulently owned, operated and controlled similarly fraudulently incorporated entities. These additional treatments included physical therapy, pain management, audiology, neurology, psychology, magnetic resonance imaging, x-rays, acupuncture and chiropractic medicine, among others. The indictment also stated that these clinic controllers also allegedly referred the patients to personal injury lawyers, so that lawyers could file personal injury claims and lawsuits on behalf of the patients to obtain additional funds separate and apart from the $50,000 available to each patient under the no-fault law.
Mt. Kisco, NY, Body Shop Catches Fire, Possibly a Careless Cigarette
Delaware Bill (HB 242) Prohibits Insurers from Exploiting Data
Fire Consumes Pennsylvania Automotive Service Garage, 1 Injured
Connecticut Bill Adds Subsection to Require Recycled or A/M Parts
Firefighters put out a blaze on the roof of a Mount Kisco auto body shop that may have been sparked by an errant cigarette. The fire was reported at 2:57 pm on March 8 at Simone Bros. Auto Body. It did not involve any cars at the adjacent Nissan dealership. About 50 Mount Kisco firefighters responded, as well as firefighters from Bedford Hills. No injuries were reported, and the cause is still under investigation. Mount Kisco Fire Chief Mike Boles said a cigarette may have started the fire, but the investigation is ongoing.
A fire of undetermined origin caused extensive damage to Heddings Ford World, an automotive service garage in Potts Grove, PA, and sent one worker to an area hospital for treatment of burns. The fire started just after noon March 1, according to the Sunbury Daily Item. Owner Jeff Heddings said the fire apparently started in or around one of the service bays and spread throughout the interior of the concrete block building.
As more insurers begin offering payas-you-drive insurance options in which vehicle driving patterns are tracked by the insurer through a device hooked to the vehicle’s on-board diagnostic system, a Delaware bill (HB 242) would prohibit the release of such data by insurers to others, and would prohibit insurers from using the information for anything other than consideration for premium discounts, unless the policyholder gives consent. Any violation of the bill would charge the violator with a Class G Felony.
Raised Bill 387 in CT calling for the use of alternative parts as the primary means of repair on state vehicles. The amendment reads: (j) In performing the requirements of this section, the Commissioners ... shall use recycled, remanufactured or aftermarket parts as the primary means of maintenance and repair of the state fleet, provided the requirements of this subsection shall not apply to any fleet vehicle under the management of the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection.
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Rhode Island Bill Would Delete Anti-Steering Legislation Language
Rhode Island is becoming a legislative battleground for competing interests between shops and insurers. No fewer than six bills have been introduced this year in an attempt to modify the state’s unfair competition laws. In January, H 7688 introduced a classification system: creating “three (3) classifications of full collision licensees based upon the amount and type of equipment maintained and used by the auto body shop, the number of certified technicians employed by the auto body shop, certification and compliance with environmental agencies such as the EPA.” This bill also required different labor rate surveys for each classification. H 7690 introduced “three (3) business days advance notice to the insurer adjusting the claim for damage to the vehicle for the purpose of allowing the insurer an opportunity to appraise and photograph the vehicle prior to dismantling” and bolstered the insurance fraud statute by requiring shops and insureds to certify that repairs have been made in accordance with the insurer’s appraisal and indemnifying the insurer for repairs not made at the request of the insured. Now, bill H 7782, introduced Feb. 16, would amend the state’s unfair competition law by deleting the section of the law that requires insurers
to inform insureds or claimants of their right to use the shop of their choice. The deleted section (15) reads: (15) Requiring that repairs be made to an automobile at a specified auto body repair shop or interfering with the insured’s or claimant’s free choice of repair facility. The insured or claimant shall be promptly informed by the insurer of his or her free choice in the selection of an auto body repair shop. Once the insured or claimant has advised the insurer that an auto body repair shop has been selected, the insurer may not recommend that a different auto body repair shop be selected to repair the automobile. An auto body repair shop may file a complaint with the department of business regulation alleging a violation of this subdivision (15). Whenever the department of business regulation has reason to believe that an insurer has violated this subdivision (15), the department shall conduct an investigation and may convene a hearing. A complaint filed by an auto body repair shop must be accompanied by a statement written and signed by the insured or claimant setting forth the factual basis of the complaint, and the insured or claimant must voluntarily appear and testify at any administrative proceedings on the complaint.
Gyant Compliance Launches ‘Vocwebmanager’ Application Gyant Compliance, a division of Gyant Group, a Lake Forest, CA, based company, announced Feb. 9 that it has launched a New VOCWEBMANGER Application for the Collision Repair Industry. “Gyant Compliance developed VOCWEBMANGER due to experiencing first-hand challenges of compliance that McLaren Unibody, my father in law’s old shop had faced with AQMD,” said Jon Gypsyn, CEO. ”I witnessed auto body shops struggling with tracking VOC’s, expiring permits, keeping up with new regulations, getting fines for being over their VOC limits, and scrambling for product last minute with no central system for all of their environmental needs,” Gypsyn continued. “It took three years to develop the VOCWEBMANAGER web application, and there were several considerations in the development of the VOCWEBMANAGER,” said Mike Ramirez. “It needed to be web based so that there would not be a need for extra equipment, or interference with existing software programs. It had to be user friendly for the painter to operate. The painter adds the usage amount, and with a
click the VOC’s are automatically calculated and populated into reports. It needed to keep track of inventory and send an email alert when the shop was low on product and allow them to order with a click. It had to alert the shop when they were nearing VOC limits or when permits were expiring. It needed to store MSDS and technical data sheets, and be able to update owners on new regulations that affected their business with access anywhere at any time. In other words, it needed to be the compliance and inventory tracker all in one place and that’s exactly what the vocwebmanager accomplishes, added Ramirez. Gyant is an environmental compliance company focused on emissions tracking, reporting and carbon footprint management. The company operates and maintains a web-based VOC and CO2 Monitoring & Tracking System to assist clients in complying with governmental regulations and guidelines. The web application also complies with COSHH, HAPS, and HSE regulations. VOCWEBMANAGER streamlines monitoring and reporting in real time at any time. For more information contact: amclaren@gyantgroup.com
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Parts Dept. Hours: Monday - Friday: 8am - 5pm parts@lexusmass.com www.autobodynews.com | APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS 7
BASF Advises Shops to Join the Move to Waterborne Coatings Now Environmental legislation and increasing restrictions on VOC emissions continue to transform the coatings industry and collision repair business. Waterborne paint systems have become more prevalent as the best way to radically reduce greenhouse gasses. At BASF, this environmental breakthrough has also become an opportunity for product and service innovation to add superior value, helping increase shop safety, productivity, quality and, ultimately, customer satisfaction.
Innovative BASF Products Leads As a world leader in automotive refinishing products, BASF introduced one of the first waterborne systems with the launch of the Glasurit® 90-Line™ in 1992. Ahead of its time, the highperforming 90-Line began a revolution that has not only made many collision repair shops more environmentally friendly, but has improved quality and throughput — through ease-of-use, low material consumption, fast-drying formulas, better hiding and easier blending. Moreover, the fact that approximately 70 percent of all new cars are finished with waterborne paint make 90-Line an ideal system for repair. And when it comes to quality, it’s reassuring to know that the world’s finest automobiles—including Mercedes-Benz and BMW—have waterborne paint. In addition, ultra-luxury cars such as Maybach and Rolls Royce are hand sprayed at the plant with 90-Line. For collision repair centers that demand high productivity, superior quality and cost efficiency, BASF’s RM® automotive finishes continue to be the right choice. R-M’s low-VOC waterborne basecoat—Onyx HD™ — has been used by many independent collision repair centers and car dealerships for almost two decades. The system brings next-generation processes into the shop, while offering excellent versatility, durability and cost effectiveness along with superb color matching with BASF’s proprietary COLOR-MAX® system. And, Onyx HD does all this while meeting today’s most stringent VOC regulations at local, regional and national levels. The combination of R-M’s fast drying primers, high gloss “no-bake” clears and Onyx HD low-VOC waterborne basecoat reduce cycle time and
energy consumption while helping preserve the environment. Being green with Onyx HD can actually save
you some green, helping make the business case to switch to the waterborne system.
More Than Just Great Products BASF’s Glasurit® 90-Line™ and RM® Onyx HD™ paint products are supported by industry-leading lifetime warranties, along with technical training programs, advanced color information systems and business management programs. SmartTrak® is a state-of-the-art color management system that provides fast and accurate color formulas. It’s designed to help increase shop profitability and productivity through color updates, inventory and stock control management, formula customization, cost and low-VOC tracking, advanced reporting and more. The company’s comprehensive VisionPLUS® program is an industryleading suite of value-added programs geared specifically for collision repair centers. This full-service toolkit helps collision center managers and owners monitor, grow sales, streamline business operations and gain a solid competitive edge in the industry. And, VisionPLUS Online is a turnkey tool that allows collision repair centers to track, analyze and advance their business in real time. This allows for immediate and continuous improvement, increasing shop productivity and profitability.
8 APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
keep in mind the following advantages: • Reduced basecoat solvent emissions by approximately 90 percent • Increased quality and customer satisfaction • Improved color matching • Improved throughput • Applied with conventional spray equipment and easy to clean up • Improved safety (less toxicity, lower odor and reduced flammability) • Reduced hazardous waste Before you make the final decision to change to a waterborne paint system, it is important to be aware of not only the advantages of using waterborne technology, but also key differences when compared to a solvent system. There are many questions a shop should ask before switching to waterborne coatings. Let the experts on Waterborne Automotive Finishes from BASF answer them for you. For more information about switching to waterborne, contact your BASF representative by calling 800825-3000, or visit www.basfrefinish.com.
Better to Lead Than Follow the Pack In the U.S., some state and local jurisdictions are taking the lead in regulating automotive refinishing emissions. California and Delaware, for example, have developed practice standards for shops to reduce VOC emissions. And, as a further indication of things to come, Canada has already required all shops to switch to waterborne basecoats. Clearly, shops would be well advised to stay ahead of coming legislation and switch to waterborne systems before it becomes mandated. When considering conversion to a waterborne paint system, be sure to consult with your BASF representative. Beyond the regulatory considerations,
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Custom Painter Charley Hutton Explains Step-By-Step How to Create Realistic Wood Grain Effects With PPG Products Charley Hutton, custom painter extraordinaire, explains how to create a realistic, wood grain look with a few simple tools and PPG Envirobase® High Performance basecoat. A painted wood-grain effect is one way to add a distinctive look to your custom build. In this step-bystep article, Charley will show you how to paint a panel with one style of wood in the center, framed by another wood grain look. Creating the wood grain effect is about having the right tools. You’ll want to have a variety of sponges, some with loose density for creating larger grain, and others more dense for tighter grain. Sea sponges are ideal. You’ll also need a choice of brushes, preferably inexpensive ones with stiff bristles. The brushes are used to create very tight grain lines, what we call the “dry brushing” technique. And finally, you’ll need an airbrush and compressor for shadowing and highlighting.
Of course, like learning any special effect technique, it will take some practice to get the technique down. “Some of the techniques I’ve learned actually came by accident,” said Hutton. “For example, Paul Stoll, PPG’s custom painter/trainer, and I discovered a cool trick while doing a ’49 tin woody. We didn’t like the look we were getting, so when we went to wipe the paint off, it smeared and created a really nice wood grain effect— and I’ve been using this technique ever since.”
The Paint Two colors of basecoat are needed for the wood-grain look—a dark, reddish brown (T442 Woody Brown at 800.0 pts. and T430 Green 100.0 pts.) and a lighter tan color (T429 Trans. Golden Yellow at 940.0 pts., T442 Brown 40.0 pts. and T430 Green 20.0 pts.) In my case, Hutton uses PPG Envirobase® High Performance basecoat and he says it works wonderfully. “I especially like the fact that if you apply some paint and you don’t like the effect you’re getting, you can easily re-wet again with more waterborne color, giving yourself a fresh start,” said Hutton.
10 APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Painting the Outer Frame (1) Hutton starts with a white basecoated panel, masked off to create a center panel. Each end of the outer frame should be masked with mitered corners, typical of wood frames. (2) Start with the top and bottom portions of the frame. Wet your finer sponge with the lighter tan color, squeezing out the excess by pressing it into the side of the mixing cup. Then, simply drag the sponge across the surface in one direction, repeating the process several times. Next, we need to mask the outer frame to create a beveled look. With ¼-inch tape, mask from the side where you want the light source to appear to come from. Do the
same with the bottom edge. Then mask the frame panels, leaving only the bottom edges of the frame exposed. (3) Then, as the paint begins to dry and get sticky, drag your gloved hand across the painted surface. As it begins to drag it’ll create authenticlooking grain with that knotty look. After dragging all the way across the panel for several strokes, start from the center and drag, and make smaller swipes in succession, gradually tapering your strokes to short swipes. If the paint starts to set, just re-wet it with more waterborne paint. (4) After finishing the top and bottom of the outer frame, mask the corSee Hutton, Page 28
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Northeast News
Chasidy Rae Sisk is a freelance technical writer from Wilmington, Delaware, who writes on a variety of fields and subjects, and grew up in a family of NASCAR fans. She can be contacted at crsisk@chasidyraesisk.com.
The NORTHEAST™ 2012 Trade Show: All About the Seminars with Chasidy Rae Sisk
I attended my second consecutive Beginning with the assumption AASP/NJ Northeast Trade Show, ofthat quality work will make a shop ficially show number 36, on March 9 stand out, Olson admits that this with Chasidy Rae comes Sisk with a price since standing out and 10 at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, NJ. As I too much will make competitors try to spend more time at these kinds of knock you down. He notes that people events I begin to appreciated how will know a shop for two reasons: if much there is to learn in this complithey do something really great, or if cated business of collision repair. It is they do something really bad. a very educational and useful event Drawing on his seminar from last that collision repairers should make year, Olson reminded attendees that the effort to attend next year if possithere are things that people know, ble. things that they are aware they do not My focus this year was to cover know, and then there are things that the seminars which included waterthey are unaware that they don’t borne technology, nitrogen welding, know. Addressing several attendees triage blueprinting, and managerial directly, he proved his point by showcourses. I was especially curious on ing that there are many rules in the inhow they had been updated from last dustry that shop owners are not aware year. If you didn’t see my coverage of of since the rules change constantly. last year’s show it might be worth a He stressed that this business is all quick review as several of the speakabout understanding the rules of colliers drew upon their previous presension repair. tations. Check out my story at An example Olson gave of auto autobodynews.com, search ‘Northeast body technicians being unaware of 2011’ (select exact phrase). rules was the case of weld-through primers. Most weld-through primers state on their label not to weld Shop Differentiation: How to Make through, and they must be dabbed on Your Shop Stand Out, with Mark Olson In a presentation geared for shop owneven though they come in a spray can. ers and managers on how to more sucSee last year’s coverage for more decessfully promote their facilities and tails. to set their shop apart from local comThough the rules change conpetitors, no one has more of the necstantly, technicians are held accountessary experience and background able to the current rules, so they need than Mark Olson, COO of VeriFacts to stay up-to-date. Shop owners or Automotive and a well-known indusmanagers should acquire information try speaker for a couple of decades. from the vehicle manufacturers or an Olson is an accomaftermarket service that acquires the plished expert in information from the manufacturers many specialties in on every car, for every repair. This is collision repair but their responsibility since the manufachas particular ex- turers will not alert shop owners when pertise in vehicle they change their rules. While Olson damage assess- admits that many mistakes result from ment, proper repair shop owners and technicians being Verifacts’ methods and colli- unaware of the current regulations, Mark Olson sion industry this can be aided by knowing everyforensic analysis. thing about a car from the very beginStarting with a reminder that ning of the job, when they first write shop owners will get no business if the estimate to ensure a quality repair. they do not remember to ‘ask for the “The goal of any repair is to put car keys,’ Olson focused on the goal the vehicle back into the same state to obtain more business. With the de- and shape as it was so it performs the cline in the number of industry shops, same way in the next collision as it did his seminar attempted to show shop in this collision and is cosmetically owners and managers what it’s going correct,” said Olson. to take to stay in business. Switching topics to that of the
Shop Showcase
12 APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
counter culture of quality, Olson reinforced that a “quantity culture” is one in which shops focus on throughput, cycle time and profits, assuming quality will take care of itself. Asking questions such as “how soon?”, “how fast?” or “how much?” sends the message to technicians that quantity is more important than quality. Olson believes it is necessary to establish a new culture with a balance between quantity and quality where there should be a shift from “going through the motions” to everyone being committed to the process. It is the responsibility of each employee to deliver a quality repair to the customer. Though he insists that everyone wants to do the right thing, doing so requires everyone knowing what the right thing is. The four components to a positive repair experience are thorough damage assessment and customer
communication, internal quality control stage checks and peer inspections, pre-delivery inspection and estimate review, and well-defined customer delivery protocol. Concerning customer communication, it is useful to learn the customer’s preference for communicating to best provide customer service; some customers might prefer a personal phone call while others find an email or text to be sufficient. VeriFacts also suggests using a stage-check verification in which the technician and a peer inspector signs off at each step of the repair: Body, Refinish, Assembly, Sublet, Interior & Exterior Clean-up and Final Inspection. This will help reduce the number of unsatisfied customers and increase your CSI. Olson put it simply: “this is about exposing your excellence.”. Some key ways to show the world that a particSee Trade Show, Page 20
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www.autobodynews.com | APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS 15
Shop Showcase with Chasidy Rae Sisk
Chasidy Rae Sisk is a freelance technical writer from Wilmington, Delaware, who writes on a variety of fields and subjects, and grew up in a family of NASCAR fans. She can be contacted at crsisk@chasidyraesisk.com.
County Line Auto Body: NJ Shop Grows From Chicken Coop to Multi-Building Complex County Line Auto Body in Howell, NJ, has been a successful shop for nearly thirty years, but recently they have made several major improvements to the business.
Founding owner, Gary Gardella Sr. is putting his faith in his two sons: co-owners Rich Gardella and Gary Gardella Jr. His close connection with his sons has led to some major decisions in the business designed to benefit County Line Auto Body and their customers. In 1982, Gary Gardella Sr., along with a partner, opened County Line Auto Body as a two-bay shop that literally had been converted from a chicken coop. From the very beginning, Gardella and his partner had high expectations, working hard to show local customers through their dedication and determination that they would provide quality auto body repairs, despite the shop’s chickenish appearance. Over time, the coop shop expanded, and new employees were hired as customers shared their experiences, leading to repeat customers and new clientele. Some years later when Gardella and his partner split up, Gardella dedicated even more time and energy into his business; however, it was difficult to run a thirty-man operation with little management to draw upon. Luckily, his two sons decided to join the business in 2001. Rich Gardella, 24 at the time, was finishing college, while Gary Jr., at 21, was working in the shop. Both young men had spent years around the business, working for their father after school and during their summers. Between the paint and detail shops, they understood the basics of the business. Rich attended school in order to learn estimating, while Gary Jr. took on the role of production manager.
During this time period, Gary Jr. also became involved in sport compact drag racing, beginning a successful career lasting eight years during which he won several championships and set several national records. When the popularity of the sport diminished in 2008, he became involved in drift car racing, both across the country and overseas. His team became one of the best in America. A few months ago, Gary Jr. decided to step out of motorsports due to a lack of program partners, and is now able to focus all of his energy on the family business. Since his sons became co-owners, Gary Sr. says they have “helped to take the business to another level.” The three Gardella men work closely with their shop teardown manager, Jay Crisson, to make County Line Auto Body the best it can be. Gary Sr. runs the paint shop and any other shops that are short-handed while Rich manages the office, Gary Jr. is in charge of production, and Jay manages teardown and assembly. With his sons’ involvement, Gardella has recently begun making several big changes to his thirty-year-
old business. The shop has begun using a new management system and is improving paint efficiency with the DuPont Cost Tracking System. The Gardellas have also been hard at work updating and preparing for the delivery of new shop equipment. And where better to house said equipment than a new building? Gary Sr. has a new building underway for their complex. They broke ground in September 2011, plan to continue the building through April, with a June 2012 completion. County Line Auto Body employs thirty technicians. The shop consists
16 APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
of multiple buildings on one property, totaling thirty-five production bays. The newest building will add an additional 8000 square feet to the work area. Gary Jr. adds that he “is in the process of marketing and advertising through social media and local print magazines, something County Line has not done before. Rich has been working on developing strategies for up-selling customers, which is new to County Line, introducing the shop to outside mechanical work. The only
mechanical work previously brought in was strictly related to collision losses, but now the shop has a great mechanic and are beginning to introduce our customers to many more services, setting County Line up as a “one-stop-shop.” The large shop has plenty of hardware for major repairs, including four Chief frame machines, one Celette frame machine, and one Car-O-Liner Speed frame machine. They also have two spray booths and one edging booth, along with spot, MIG and TIG welders, alignment computers, tire machines, and wheel balancers. By leveraging the size of the shop, the number of technicians and the extensive equipment, County Line Auto Body completes between 180 and 200 repairs monthly on average. The shop is I-CAR, ASE, BMW, Nissan and GTR certified. County Line Auto Body uses DuPont paints, and though they receive a large mix of vehicles, they do not typically have problems with color-matching. Says Gary Jr., “Color matching is an area where we have put a lot of effort to excel. Like most shops, we do run into color matching issues here and there; however, one phone call to our DuPont rep, and we are able to trou-
bleshoot and resolve the difficulty quickly.” When contemplating current trends in the industry, Gary Jr. notes that County Line Auto Body has seen a difference in the demands of direct repair programs with a lot of their guidelines becoming stricter which, in turn, produces more work for their writers. Additionally, some DRPs are requiring cars to be torn down within twenty-four and fortyeight hours, a time constraint that places an added demand on scheduling and maintaining completion dates for previously scheduled vehicles. As he considers the auto body industry’s future, Gary Jr. states “for many collision shops, I see it being a race to the bottom. Many shops I know of have been looking to continue and grow their relationships with DRPs. Yearly, DRPs are expecting shops to produce more, with the same monetary figure and the cycle downward continues, which is making it very difficult for many newcomers to keep up with the demand.” County Line Auto Body is well aware of the stress caused by trying to keep up with each DRP’s guidelines as they are affiliated with DRPs for twenty different insurance companies. Gary Jr. claims, “it seems to me we get into the conversation of hiring new writers once a month because of the increase in demand, deadlines and criteria.” Despite all the stress caused by managing so many DRPs, County Line Auto Body maintains a positive attitude as they focus on customer service and increasing contact with customers to meet their expectations. The Gardellas have even made plans to get out and see the AASP/NJ Northeast™ Trade Show, a luxury they have not previously been able to indulge in. (See related coverage this issue.) County Line Auto Body 278 Alexander Ave. Howell, NJ 07731 732-363-5904 www.countylineautonj.com
www.autobodynews.com | APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS 17
On Creative Marketing
Sprucing Up Your Shop For Spring with Thomas Franklin
It’s been said that a picture is worth a covered with fabric or used to display thousand words. Yet, with today’s promotional posters, they can be a digital cameras in cell phones, even, significant visual asset in an otherpictures are worth less than a dime a wise drab room. If the office or waitdozen. Yesterday’s promotional ing area is uncomfortably small, a pieces, flyers, brochures and even mirrored wall gives an illusion of website pages, all may have nice larger space and also reflects light to photos, but people are less impressed brighten a dimly lit room. with them these days. To really make Although a body shop is in the with Dick Strom an impact on a potential source of re- automotive painting business, it’s ferral business, you need to get them surprising how many shops fail to adto come to the shop and see the real equately paint their buildings, drivething. One live contact is easily ways and equipment. Just painting worth more than a thousand pictures. the spray booth doors makes them With spring arriving, this could look newer and better maintained at a be a good time to spruce up the shop glance. The same is true of the paint and push for some live visits by re- storage room. Older equipment like ferral coordinators you’ve been chas- ancient frame machines and welding ing. Over the winter some aspects of equipment can be spruced up quickly your shop may have fallen into disre- with a coat of the metallic paint you pair or worse. Getting an entire shop use on vehicles every day. Dealership Lee Amaradio Jr. are more likely to have identishowcase-readywith is generally not an shops easy task. Spare parts storage and the fying signs over bays indicating body paint mixing room may have become work, frame work, welding, etc. major eyesores. Walk through the Dealership driveways also usushop and imagine you have an insurally have painted lines to direct cusance executive or dealership owner tomers to various parts of the facility. walking along with you. Try looking But an independent shop can add a at your place from his or her eyes and perspective of professionalism by take some notes. These could be the adding a few signs around to desigimprovements that make the differnate how various bays are used and ence in how your shop is valued as a perhaps some painted lines on driveplace to refer customers. ways. These simple cosmetic measwithinterior-decoratSheila Loftusures will make a major difference to A few standard ing measures can make a major dif- visitors accustomed to well organized ference in how your shop is and generally very clean offices. perceived. If you often have spare While these improvements parts or some other eyesore in your might be made to impress an insuroffice or waiting area, a useful device ance executive or dealership owner, to hide that kind of thing is the room other changes might be added for divider. These are generally just a more specific visitors. Some shops couple of free-standing 2’x 6’ or 3’x have begun to take advantage of the 6’ panels hinged together, but de- “baby boom generation” achieving pending on how they’re painted or the status of “seniors,” and looking
Opinions Count
Action Counts
Tom Franklin has been a shop sales and marketing consultant for fifty years. He has written numerous books and provides marketing solutions and services for many businesses. He can be reached at (323) 871-6862 or at tbfranklin@aol.com. See Tom’s columns at www.autobodynews.com under Columnists > Franklin
for ways to alleviate physical problems that can come with aging. Special handicap access elements around the shop can assist an older person taking a shop tour and the shop could profit from offering and installing handicap-assistance devices like power running boards. Driving schools have begun to multiply as public schools drop driver training classes. Some shops invite student drivers in to look at heavy hits to alert them to what can result from hazardous driving. A shop showcase might add a display to that effect. Also a shop that caters a bit to mothers and parents should consider adding some child-entertainment items that could be emphasized when showing a mother or parent around the shop. This kind of convenience can make a major difference when a prospect is comparing competitor shops in your area.
Your Turn
Infiniti Shop Recalls Showcase 2003-2005 Q45 Sedans
withHighway JanetTraffic Chaney The U.S. National tors used in the Infiniti Q45 luxury Safety Administration and Nissan car. Nissan says it believes about North American has issued a recall 5,777 Infiniti Q45 sedans may have warning for 2003-2005 model year this issue with front side air bag Infiniti Q45 cars, according to Con- electrical systems. Nissan will nosumer Reports. The luxury sedans tify Q45 owners of the recall startmay have electrical wiring that, over ing March 12. Owners will be time, may develop a resistance instructed to bring in their recalled which prevents the front seat- Infiniti Q45 sedans to local dealermounted side air bags from deploy- ships. Mechanics there will inspect ing during a collision. and modify the side air bag wiring According to NHTSA, the free of charge. For more information fault lies with the wiring connec- call 800-647-7261.
Industry Overview with Janet Chaney
18 APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
While all of these improvements would significantly help sell your shop to prospective referral source visitors, the impact on shop personnel shouldn’t be overlooked. Sprucing up a work bay and perhaps making some improvement in the appearance of standard worker clothing tells a technician his or her work is valued and especially appreciated at this time. This same technician is likely to also present a better P.R. image when people are coming through on a tour. Efficiency studies have shown that personnel in general perform better in well organized, attractive spaces. You may have started out to simply make improvements to impress anyone coming through on a shop tour, but you could also be pleasantly surprised to find that your improvements have reduced cycle time and made a major difference in your financial bottom line.
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www.autobodynews.com | APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS 19
Continued from Page 12
Trade Show
ular shop is great is through word-ofmouth, Internet, especially social media, and advertising. It is also useful to give customers tours of the shop, just as giving an insurance company a tour to demonstrate flow, equipment, special certifications and so forth is helpful in convincing them to add your shop to their DRP and refer their business in your direction. VeriFacts’ research finds that shops tend to improve in quality over time. The typical pattern shows an improvement in quality, followed by a drop before the shop finds a steady pattern. Olson emphasizes that it only takes a month to create a habit which is necessary for those looking for sustained change over time. The manager or owner drives this pattern, and if they enforce a particular behaviour for a solid month, employees are more likely to accept this as habit and continue adhering to it. Discussing quality dimensions, Olson says the five key elements are repair planning, equipment, materi-
als/parts, process consistency and repair quality. Repair planning means ensuring that the shop has the requisite systems, credentials and access to repair information, while the equipment aspect concerns making sure that essential equipment is well-maintained, accessible and working properly. Shops should make sure the correct materials and parts are being utilized also. Process consistency entails setting up and enforcing standard working procedures “to ensure consistency and sustainability of repair outcome,” and for repair quality, “the assessor will verify repair quality by observing in-process vehicles and technicians’ work to validate conformance to VQ standards.” A process that Olson recommends implementing is working on cars using the OEM recommendations. It is necessary to follow manufacturers’ instructions by-the-book as they have reasons for their requirements, and disregarding their rules can lead to unsafe repairs. The fact that mistakes occur in this area is a failure of the process, not a failure of technicians, according to Olson. He claims that there needs to be consistency in
20 APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
the market for shop owners to expose their excellence.
OEM Procedures v. Repair Standards Decisions for Estimology: Part 1 OEM Repair Procedures vs. Repair Standards was a two part seminar, given by Larry Montanez III of P&L Consultants and IACDA, which addressed repair standards: where they are now and what’s likely in the future. Many OEM’s repair standards were covered, including discussion of the OEM positions, Larry Montanez III repair procedures and the potential development of repair standards within the industry. Montanez broke his seminar into two parts beginning with P&L’s mission statement: “Our training programs will assist the Collision and Insurance Industries to work together during all stages of a physical damage claim in a spirit of fairness, intelligence, cooperation and accuracy. This will help to serve a vehicle’s owner, the mutual customer, with fast, safe and pre-loss
condition repairs that are fiscally reasonable under OEM and industry accepted practices.” Montanez began with the OEM’s self interests: liability protection, component failure supported by testing, government regulations, consumer advocates, IIHS crash testing and NHTSA investigations, lawsuits and court decisions, and warrantee/defects attributed to design flaws. OEM position statements were created for the purposes of or because of OEM liability protection, components failures supported by case studies, lawsuits and court decisions, re-engineering design flaws, ensuring safe repairs and product, copyright and trademark protection. Getting specific with OEM guidelines from several manufacturers: Montanez illustrated that Acura/Honda forbids the use of aftermarket or alternative components as well as the replacement of structural components. They forbid the use of salvaged airbags or other components, as well as sectioning frame components, bonding, and steel or aluminum wheel repairs.
Audi dictates which spot welders and bench systems can be used as well as specific repair equipment, specific training for ASF and steel, specific welding, and repair procedures and parts. They also specify the use of OEM components and wheels and define structural repair. BMW specifies the use of spot welders, bench systems, repair equipment, rivet-bonding, steering gear damage, and other repair procedures and parts. They also demand certain training for steel and dictate the use of OEM components and wheels, a specific body filler thickness and PDF requirements. Chrysler/Jeep’s OEM guidelines require certain weld bonding procedures, structural component usage, and the use of heat during repairs while prohibiting reconditioned wheels and salvaged air bags. General Motors forbids the use of salvaged airbags and reconditioned wheels, but they allow recycled OEM components. They specify panel bonding procedures, clipping procedures and PDF procedures. Montanez discussed the OEM guidelines of several additional manu-
facturers, but most were some variation of the above. More importantly, he advised where to find the repair procedures. In addition to OEM websites, shop owners or managers can go to i-car.com or nastf.org. Both provide links to OEM websites, or they can go to ALLDATA collision’s website which provides access to approximately 95% of OEM information online. Montanez emphasizes the importance of acquiring OEM information for each repair made in a shop. Noting that “repair standards are made up by people who are trying to appease a different group of people who have no business being involved in collision repair, and who are just looking to save money on it”, Montanez noted that if repair standards are created, they should be decided scientifically by a group including repair specialists, engineers, and so forth. He specifies that creating repair standards are only a good idea where none exist and the manufacturer refuses to release any. OEM repair standards cannot be rewritten to save money because, as Montanez reminded his audience, “when you start playing around for money, you’re risking peo-
ple’s lives.”
OEM Procedures v. Repair Standards Decisions for Estimology: Part 2 Continuing his seminar on OEM and repair standards, Larry Montanez III of P&L Consultants and IACDA focused his second session on the pros and cons of developing General Repair Standards, as well as the legal issues involved, how they should be developed and who should develop them. Opening with the topic of who wants repair standards, Montanez explained that collision repairers want them because they are untrained and too lazy to search for them on OEM websites. MLO shop owners want them to make insurance “partners” happy, since insurers desire repair standards because they are greedy and covet savings. Aftermarket suppliers are also driven by greed and the desire to make sales, while many industry associations are influenced by insurers. However, Montanez insists that the idea of creating repair standards is not completely wrong. The pros of creating repair standards are as follows: more available
procedures, lower insurer costs, lower severity, fewer totaled vehicles, more repaired vehicles, better insurer relations, more use of used parts, more sectioning procedures and more parts options. Meanwhile, Montanez listed the cons as: more improper repairs, more liability exposure, more fatalities, more injuries, more diminished value lawsuits, more shop lawsuits, dangerous to motorists and more bad business decisions. If repair standards were created, Montanez insisted that it should begin with the formation of an independent group comprised of OEM representatives, collision repairers, engineers, physicists, metallurgists, industry experts and I-CAR Tech Center’s Jason Bartanen and Steve Marks. Additionally, repair standards should only be created where none currently exist and only after a request letter to the OEM has failed. They should also be supported by crash testing and computer animated drawings, and they should be reviewable every six months. Montanez points out that this process should not include insurance companies because “no one cares See Trade Show, Page 24
www.autobodynews.com | APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS 21
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Continued from Page 21
Trade Show
what the insurance companies think.” Using a case study of a business decision, Montanez talked about a 2006 Nissan 350z which was sold after chroming the factory rims. One month later, in October 2006, the owner was driving northbound on Rt. 405 in Los Angeles while an LAPD motorcycle traveled southbound when wheel separation occurred, causing the wheel to hop the median and hit the police officer, throwing him 150 feet from the point of contact. When the car’s owner purchased the vehicle at a local dealership, he was offered a chrome rim package, and the job was sublet. (Search ‘Nagel’ at autobodynews.com for this story from 2011.) Unfortunately, Nissan has prohibited chroming on their rims since the mid-1990s since they noted a change in metallurgical properties which caused problems with holding strength. The dealership paid $2.75 million between the salesman, the owner and the technician, while the $20 million case against the sublet
jobber, owner, technician and even driver is still pending. Montanez claimed that every shop that uses an outside rim source promotes improper repairs. In the case of improper repairs, liability falls on the repair facility, the owner personally, the technician (in some states) and sublet jobbers. The supplier can also be sued, but the insurer will never be in the courtroom for an improper repair. In the instance of liability, safety factors are important, so only the OEM guidelines matter. OEM procedures are derived using the scientific method which includes research, experiments, analysis and so forth. Their engineering design process works as follows: define the problem, brainstorm, background research, specify criteria or protocols, create alternative solutions, choose the best solution, develop a design proposal, build a prototype or mode, test and evaluate or redesign, refine and retest, create or produce, and finally, communicate the results. The goal behind these engineering principles is to keep the occupants safe, therefore it is very important not to change the parameters of OEM guidelines. Shops should also heed
24 APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
manufacturers’ repair areas. In closing, Montanez defined the cost of business, specifying that materials are not a cost of the shop. These should be paid by the insurance company or customer, so shops should never ignore OEM procedures to cut costs as this could lead to unsafe repairs which could result in injuries or deaths to the occupants as well as potential claims against the shop. P&L Consultants can be found at pnLEstimology.com. Drying Waterborne: What You Need to Know NOW Taught by Tom Beck, CEO of Future Care, the seminar about Drying Waterborne taught many important principles concerning how to properly dry waterborne paints. Since Beck has been involved in the conversion to waterborne since 2003, his goal in this seminar was to teach attendees Tom Beck about the realities of converting to waterborne in an attempt to best prepare them for the
transition. Beck began by showing that friction slows down the air touching the surface, thus there is a small area surrounding a car in a paint booth where air velocity is decreased. This is the friction micro barrier which extends two to three inches around the car where the air is pulled in tight. In order to dry waterborne paint, it is necessary to open up this micro barrier. Laminar air flow is air that moves in one direction, and though this is what is used in spray booths, it is the enemy of waterborne which needs a multi-directional air flow in order to dry efficiently and effectively. Though air velocity is more important than temperature, increasing air velocity and temperature is even better. When researching how to best dry waterborne, Beck found that while increasing the amount of air, cubic feet per minute, by adding fans will reduce dry time, it increases energy consumption, thus costing more money. Switching tactics, he investigated the effectiveness of increasing the speed of the air, linear feet per minute, and found that it is a very useful method in drying waterborne, even
more so if the temperature is also increased. By offering a system with multiple nozzles, he is able to accelerate speed and increase the temperature of the air simultaneously. An issue with waterborne paints is the rate of evaporation as water dries slower than solvent-based paints, evaporating chemically at its own pace. Humidity is the enemy of waterborne paint, as is the dew point which is the point at which the air cannot hold any more moisture. Thus, it becomes necessary to condition the air to accepting more moisture in order to dry waterborne paints more effectively. Warm air is less dense than cold air and is thus able to absorb more moisture. Unfortunately, cold air settles lower to the ground since it is more dense, and this leads to an ineffective method of drying paint when using a downdraft air flow which will push air down over the car, causing the ends of the car to dry much faster as more air is being pushed through these small spaces between the vehicle and the walls of the booth. Accelerated Drying Systems can reduce flashoff and energy costs be-
cause they increase productivity by allowing more cars to be processed through the booth. Beck classifies systems that use compressed air, such as hand-held dryers, as stage one systems which consume a lot of energy. Stage two systems do not use compressed air. Such systems include ceiling fans, booth pods and Jun-Air QADS. Jun-Air’s Quick Accelerated Drying Systems (QADS) provide twice the velocity of a booth pod, plus they increase the air temperature by thirty degrees by redirecting the hottest possible air from the plenum down to the car. Beck said the temperature will need to be greatly increased in a system that forces air downward in order to reach the goal of 140°F in bake mode, but since cold air sinks and warm air settle on top of it, the lower surfaces of the car will still not reach the necessary temperatures for the paint to dry properly. This is critically important as the paint will move if a clear coat is applies before 100% of the water in the paint is evaporated. By bringing air from the plenum through ducts on the side of the booth, the QADS allow all surface areas on the vehicle to reach the nec-
essary temperature to dry effectively. Additionally, the QADS contains a ionization bar which neutralizes static electricity within the booth. Since static electricity is the enemy in the spray booth, the QADS system disperses positive and negative ions in the air, allowing flake to orient properly so that the paint will look the same in all places. The system can be retrofitted with AFC, Accudraft, Blowtherm, Future Cure, Omia, SprayBake, Sunkiss and Welbuilt, among others.
Painting With Blended Nitrogen Michael Haydell, President of Haydell Industries, taught the seminar on painting with blended nitrogen to teach the secrets of painting with nitrogen technology instead of compressed air, claiming that it will cause a significant Michael Haydell drop in the use of wet materials, a dramatic increase in booth through-put and a large decrease in the cost of booth exhaust filters. During the seminar, Haydell discussed his company’s nitrogen tech-
nologies compared to general compressed air spraying systems. Because of moisture, temperature and static changes, the viscosity of painting material changes each time it is sprayed, and it is therefore not repeatable in every instance. Additionally, a typical air compressor builds static, and colder, dry air is more statically charged which results in the material separating once applied to the substrate. According to Haydell, “static is making the material do what it wants it to do, not what the painter wants it to do.” He adds that this is the case regardless of whether the reducer is solvent-based or waterborne. Showing two videos to compare spraying with compressed air and with nitrogen, Haydell demonstrated that with compressed air, some parts of the substrate were never touched by the paint, even after three coats. Meanwhile, the substrate was fully covered in only two coats when applied with Haydell Industries’ perfect fluid carrier. As another means of showing the perfect covering technique of his fluid See Trade Show, Page 42
www.autobodynews.com | APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS 25
PCL Has Been Primed Since 1929 with Clear Solutions for Shops by Ed Attanasio
When it opened its doors more than eight decades ago, Pacific Coast Lacquer (PCL) Automotive was providing products for body shops painting automotives such as Ford Model A’s, Hudson Roadsters and Austin 7’s. Today, the brands and names have changed,
but PCL still markets a wide range of paint-related products to the collision industry, including surface cleaners, pre-treatment coatings, primer surfacers, primer sealers, single stage topcoats, aerosols and solvents. The body shop business has changed in a big way since 1929, back in the days before DRPs or labor rate surveys. But according to Ruben Laguna, PCL’s Director of Sales and Marketing, quality products backed by solid customer service is still a formula for success and longevity. Since being hired by the company in 1988, Laguna
has seen PCL grow and change with the times and is proud of the company’s role by providing solutions for body shops that are 100% compliant and make financial sense as well. “I tell my customers that our products offer all three things: Performance, quality and price,” Laguna stated. “That’s why they represent a
great value across the board. You can save money, but are you sacrificing quality or performance as a result? And just because you pay more, does that necessarily mean you’re getting real value?” Manufacturers of automotive refinishing products have come and gone over the years and PCL is proud to be the only manufacturer of its type still doing business in California. By developing new products through its extensive R&D efforts at its headquarters and factory in Los Angeles, PCL has developed a wide range of innovative products, including several that can be used with both solvent and waterborne paint systems,” Laguna explained. Body shops make up 85% of PCL’s total revenues through more than 300 paint suppliers and jobbers statewide. The company’s best-selling products are its primers and clears and within the last few years, the manufacturer’s flat black and flat clear topcoats have become extremely popular, especially with customizers making the fashionable trend more commonplace. Twenty-four years ago, changes in California’s environmental laws drastically changed the types of solvents that had to be used for cleaning paint guns. PCL quickly became the number one provider of these types of solvents in the California market, because they were able to change rapidly and adhere to the new requirements quickly. In addition, all of PCL’s compliant cleaning solvents adhere to South Air Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) Rule 1171, which began requiring more waterborne cleaners starting in 1999. All of PCL’s products are designed to meet and/or exceed local and national environment and air quality laws and requirements, according to Laguna. Exemplary hands-on customer service has long been a key element to
are very easy-to-use, so most of our customers don’t require training. But if they want it, we will come out there and train them right at their shop. We back every product we make and that’s why we’ve been serving the automotive industry continually for so long.” By making products that have become invaluable to body shops throughout California over the decades, PCL has survived several recessions without taking a hard hit, Laguna said. “Between 2007 and 2008,
buses, trucks and recreational vehicles and now has more than 75 locations throughout the United States. Glass Specialty began operations in 1957 and currently provides auto glass replacement and repair services from multiple servicing locations across Illinois.
Ron Talley, current CEO of Glass Specialty will serve as vice president and managing partner of the new company. “We at Glass Specialty are excited to partner with Guardian Auto Glass and look forward to expanding our business in Illinois and in adjacent communities,” said Talley.
PCL’s continued success, Laguna explained. “If you use our products, you also get our knowledge and our years and years of experience. We respond
quickly to questions and concerns without fail, and if one of the body shops using our products gets cited for some reason, we’re there to represent them and address the violation. It doesn’t happen very often, because we formulate our products to be 100% compliant across the board, but when it does, we do everything we can to rectify it.” Training in order to learn the application techniques associated with any of PCL’s products is also always available, Laguna said. “Our products
when the economy took a beating, we increased revenues by 20-25%. When times are lean, more body shops buy our cleaners, primers and sealers particularly, because they know they will do the job, saving them time and money.” Susan Simmons is a 30-year veteran of the automotive paint industry and is the store manager of FinishMaster in Montclair, California. Servicing approximately 200 Southern California body shops, Simmons has been working with PCL since she entered the field, she said. “PCL has definitely found several niches over the years and by providing compliant products at affordable prices, they’ve done very well,” Simmons said. “We sell their primers, surfacers, sealers, clears and solvents to a wide range of different customers, from custom shops to doit-yourselfers to hobbyists, restoration shops and of course, regular body shops. We get customers who call us all the time and ask specifically for PCL’s products, especially their flat black paint fast-drying product.” Simmons values the support and accountability offered by PCL, she said. “Paul Casanova is my PCL rep, and he is always available and willing to help us in any way. He has assisted us in training and on numerous special projects. If we ever have any issues with PCL products, Paul is there to do whatever it takes to make it right. If there is any hint of trouble, he replaces the product without question. PCL definitely follows through and stands behind all of their products, which makes working with them a no-brainer.” PCL Automotive 3150 East Pico Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90023 (800) 752-1566 www.pclautomotive.com
Guardian Auto Glass acquires Glass Specialty Company of Bloomington, Illinois Guardian Auto Glass LLC announced February 27 it has formed a new company, Guardian Auto Glass Bloomington, LLC to acquire the assets of Glass Specialty Company based in Bloomington, Illinois. Guardian Auto Glass provides glass repair and replacement services for automobiles,
26 APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
“Glass Specialty is a well established business with experienced and dedicated employees,” said Marc Talbert, vice president and managing partner of Guardian Auto Glass. “This new partnership will provide Guardian Auto Glass the opportunity to expand our footprint.”
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Continued from Page 10
Hutton
ners off before doing the sides. Be sure to “under mask” a bit, which in the end will create a darker line highlight. Then, using your sponge and gloved
(7) Airbrush the areas left unmasked. This will darken them and create the illusion of shadows. (8) After creating the darker shadow lines, re-mask over the lines in preparation of creating a lighter, highlight line. Once you airbrush the unmasked areas of the frame, making
13 hand, create the wood-grain look on the side panels, as you did on the top and bottom. Remove the masking on the corners and allow the paint to dry. (5) Next, we need to mask the outer frame to create a beveled look. With ¼-inch tape, mask from the side where you want the light source to appear to come from. Do the same with the bottom edge. Then mask the frame panels, leaving only the bottom edges of the frame exposed.
Painting the Center Panel (11) After it’s dried, re-mask the outer frame, and remove the masking from the center—you’re ready to create the wood grain effect on the middle panel. With the sponge, use the same technique as the outer frame to apply the color. Start at one end and drag the
14 it darker, the area covered by the tape will leave a lighter, highlight line. (10) Shadow and Toning. Next, reduce the same lighter color with a clear basecoat T490 at 2:1, and reduce 4:1 with reducer. This will make the color more transparent. Airbrush the outer frame panels to add tone and accentuate the grain in the wood. When the ¼-inch lines are www.autobodynews.com unmasked it will leave the lighter CHECK IT OUT! highlights.
sponge in straight lines across the panel. Keep applying coats and as the paint begins to dry, it’ll get sticky and cause the sponge to drag. This creates a streaked, grained look.
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(12) Now you want to add tone with a paintbrush and the darker, reddish shade of brown. Dip the brush into the mixing cup and tool it out, so little is left on the bristles. Using light strokes, swipe the brush across the panel, creating the darker streaks. First, apply strokes horizontally across the panel. Be sure to leave streaks to mirror the inconsistent color of natural wood. (13) Next, airbrush the panel in vertical, up ‘n down strokes. This is called “ribbing.” (14) If you’d like to add a simple logo, this is the stage to do it. Using the same paint you used to tone the wood, airbrush the cut-out of the logo. This will create a darker highlight around the letters, creating a debossed effect. For more information about the products used in this project, please visit www.ppg.com.
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Fix Auto Appoints Tim Clark as Senior VP, Insurance Services
Fix Auto USA announced the appointment of Tim Clark, CPCU, as senior vice president of insurance services. As a key member of Fix Auto USA’s senior management team, Clark will be charged with strengthening Fix Auto’s existing insurance relationships and implementing new strategic partnerships. In addition, Clark will oversee the Fix Auto insurance services department, including the Fix Full Performance Claims Solution (FFPCS) program. Before joining Fix Auto, Clark led Performance Claims where he was instrumental in launching the network management technology platform used by four of the top eight U.S. insurers. Prior to Performance Claims, Clark was the vice president of insurance services at Safelite Auto Glass, where he was responsible for developing Safelite’s claims outsourcing strategy for extending managed claims solutions to Property and Casualty insurers. Clark began his insurance claims career at Safeco Insurance, holding a variety of field management and corporate positions before becoming an elected officer of the company.
CARSTAR Expands Sales and Marketing Teams
CARSTAR Auto Body Repair Experts is expanding its corporate leadership and service teams to add industry experience and expertise, naming David B. James as VP of Marketing and Sharon Mazanec as Regional Service Manager for the Midwest. James is an award-winning marketing professional with over 15 years of experience leading corporate strategy and marketing initiatives. James brings a broad background in traditional and online marketing. Joining James on the CARSTAR Team is Sharon Mazanec, CARSTAR’s Midwest Regional Service Manager. Mazanec comes to CARSTAR with over 25 years experience in the collision repair industry and was recently named one of 2011’s Most Influential Women in the Collision Repair Industry by AkzoNobel. Mazanec has an extensive background in the collision repair industry including Allen Samuels Enterprises and Sterling Autobody Centers, among other collision repair companies in Texas.
30 APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
PSE Appoints Guy Barnes as VP, Sales & Marketing
Painters Supply & Equipment Co. (PSE) has announced the promotion of O. Guy Bargnes to the position of senior vice president, sales and marketing effective March 12, 2012. Bargnes has served as vice-president of sales and marketing since joining the company in June, 2010. “Guy has been instrumental in driving sales and market share growth of our automotive refinish business,” said PSE President, Patrick Mayette. “He has also lead PSE’s Learning Center initiative to deliver the best value-added programs to our customers.” Bargnes will be taking on additional responsibility in 2012 leading the development of the specialty coatings group which was recently announced at PSE’s national sales meeting. He will continue to represent Painters Supply on the following industry trade organizations: Automotive Aftermarket Industries Association (AAIA) where he is PBES Chairman until May, 2013, National Auto Body Council (NABC) and Collision Industry Conference (CIC). Prior to joining PSE, Bargnes held senior level sales and marketing positions at BASF Corporation.
Mitchell’s Claims Triage is Available to Carriers
Mitchell has announced the immediate availability of Claims Triage, a technology solution created specifically to streamline resource allocation decision-making for physical damage claims. Claims Triage allows insurance carriers to determine the most efficient resource for an assignment at First Notice of Loss (FNOL), thereby improving customer satisfaction by accelerating claims settlement. “Mitchell is continuously striving to improve the insurance claims experience with the most innovative solutions, driven by our data-centric approach to high performance claims management,” said Paul Rosenstein, Vice President for Mitchell. “Claims Triage is another compelling example of our commitment to serving the unique property claims needs of our insurance clients.” Claims Triage eliminates assignment guesswork by defining questions and criteria around the status of the vehicle. Claims Triage is fully integrated within Mitchell WorkCenter™. To learn more, please go to Mitchell.com/WorkCenter.
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www.autobodynews.com | APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS 33
Service, Diagnostic and Mechanical NEWS
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Infiniti Launches National Certified Collision Repair Network Autobody News
Infiniti has launched a new nationwide Infiniti Certified Collision Repair Network, a comprehensive program designed to recognize and distinguish body shops that meet or exceed standards for repair work, training, equipment and delivery of Infiniti customer service. The new certification program is open to both Infiniti retailer-owned and independent collision shops. “The purpose of the certification program is to provide the resources to help ensure consistency of the repair of Infiniti vehicles on a national basis,” said Carnie Colliver, senior manager, Parts and Service, Infiniti Americas. “Each Infiniti owner that comes into these certified facilities presents additional face-to-face opportunities to reinforce the Infiniti Total Ownership Experience.” The certification program will be conducted in conjunction with DuPont Performance Coatings (DPC), which will assist in the implementation of the program’s certification process, and I-CAR, the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair, which will conduct technician training. “Facilities that have the willingness to participate in this program must have the commitment to achieve higher standards in the collision repair industry. This program will be a platform to satisfy all aspects of their customers’ automotive service needs,” said Colliver. ● Infiniti Certified Collision Repair Facilities will be able to distin-
Chrysler Launches Certified Collision Repair Facility Program
NEW YORK • NEW JERSEY • PENNSYLVANIA • DELAWARE
guish their facility from non-Certified repairers, by an ever expanding marketing package including but not limited to: ● A shop plaque acknowledging to customers the facility is a member of the Infiniti Collision Repair Network and recognized as meeting the requirements set forth by Infiniti ● Customer marketing materials explaining the benefits of using the certified shop network for repairs and the use of OEM collision parts ● Exclusive website for Infiniti Certified Collision Repair Facilities to obtain program and technical information ● Infiniti owner awareness marketing initiative ● Shop locator for owners to identify Certified shops in their area “The overriding goal is to provide a better customer experience— with an assurance of safety through the repair process and facility standardization, and the financial preservation of the vehicle to help minimize diminished value after collision repairs,” added Colliver. “Certified network collision repair facilities will deliver a professional relationship consistent with the Infiniti brand—and enjoy the added prestige of being recognized by Infiniti as meeting our stringent factory standards.” For more information on enrolling contact the Infiniti collision group via email at: CollisionRepairNetwork@Infiniti.com
Chrysler Group’s Mopar Brand has announced that enrollment is now open for the newly launched Chrysler Recognized Certified Collision Repair Facility program. This program involves the services of Assured Performance Network and allows dealers and independent collision repair facilities to meet the qualifications necessary to be recognized by Chrysler as a collision repair facility of choice for its Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Fiat and Ram vehicle owners. Chrysler’s program is managed by Assured Performance Network and is designed to benefit OEM parts purchases and ensure customer satisfaction via Certificates of Authenticity (see sidebar below). Under the program, shops will become a “Chrysler Recognized Certified Collision Repair Facility,” and receive official signage from Mopar with Chrysler Group logos. The certification opens the shop for approval for other programs, not yet specified. Member shops will receive 5% rebates on 100% OEM Chrysler collision repair parts. When repairs are completed with OEM collision repair parts, a Write Certificate of Authenticity, to help the resale value of the customer’s vehicle, will be created for the customer’s records. Updates will be made to the CARFAX vehicle report showing 100-percent OEM parts were used in the repair, and that a Chrysler Recognized Certified Collision Repair Facility made the repairs.
Assured Performance Network Offers Other OEM Rewards
Chrysler joins GM and Nissan in the certified collision shop program managed by Assured Performance Network which is designed to benefit OEM parts purchases and ensure customer satisfaction via Certificates of Authenticity. Assured Performance Net-
work also offers member benefits which earn 5% rebates from GM and Nissan. GM and Nissan are providing an incentive and reward for shops to use more genuine GM and Nissan parts and less aftermarket. Members can receive a rebate
34 APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
of 5% off list price on GM and Nissan parts when you repair using 100% GM and Nissan parts on ALL repairs using GM and Nissan collision parts. Members can print and present a “Certificate of Authenticity” to their customers illustrating that
April 2012
Shops will also receive a business development report to help evaluate the business and identify key improvemments. “We announced earlier this year that Mopar would be changing the entire ownership experience of our vehicles, and this program is another important step forward,” said Tony Brenders, Vice President of Technical Service Operations, Mopar. “Working with Assured Performance Network, we will not only expand our repair capabilities across the U.S., we will also ensure that the work performed will be to the highest level of quality.” The new certification process requires key business standards including: ● Road to Gold: Attaining and maintaining I-CAR Gold Class Professional shop status ● Minimum welding standards: Owning and utilizing squeeze type resistance spot-welding equipment which duplicates the original assembly process ● Minimum measurement standards: Utilizing structural straightening equipment with three- dimensional measurements The program launches on March 26, 2012. Shops interested in beginning the certification process can visit: www.ChryslerCertifiedShop.com for more details and program registration.
you have used 100% Genuine GM and Nissan parts to repair their vehicle. The posting and auditing process is automated with 100% Write ESP (enhanced settlement process). For more information see: www.assuredperformance.net
Gonzo’s Toolbox
This is a new story by Scott “Gonzo” Weaver as posted on his website, www.gonzostoolbox.com. Gonzo has been serving the Tulsa area at Superior Auto Electric for over 27 years. See his book “Hey Look! I Found The Loose Nut”, which provides a Good Laugh for Mechanics of Any Age. The book is available at amazon.com. Contact Gonzo at Gonzosae@aol.com.
What If You’re Looking for More than One Waldo? with Gonzo Weaver
OK, I really do fix cars for a living. I tomer will take their car to a relative take a car that’s acting up, locate the or next door neighbor, or they’ll find problem, and make the appropriate re- the cheapest shop or the closest pair. Sometimes I haven’t a clue garage in their area. I’ll hear a cuswith Richard where to look when I start, but withArnold a tomer tell me they always go to a cerfew proper tools, a little ingenuity, tain shop for all their repairs, so they think nothing of going to a specialist and a whole lot of experience I’ll find for repairs. But, when that doesn’t the problem eventually. work it’s time to ask for a recommenIt’s like finding Waldo, that nerdy dation for a shop that can make the relittle guy dressed in red and white who pairs. Now, of course, this isn’t true travels a lot and specializes in challengwith Ed Attanasioof everyone. A lot of people have a ing people to locate him. He sometimes hides in plain sight. You’ll usually have family mechanic they have used for to look closely to find him. Except my years, while others believe the dealer“Waldo” doesn’t wear a red and white ship is the only place to go for repairs. cap to give himself away. My Waldo is Whichever or whatever way works for each and everyone is just fine with usually something to do with a compome. nent or part that with has failed, or has deErica SchroederOne way or another somebody cided to be difficult. I sometimes think has to find Waldo. When it comes to cars, Waldo that these weird repair jobs that end up can be pretty crafty. He can be hiding at my shop are like an elaborate game of in thousands of places. He can be “who can find Waldo first?” I’m not always the first guy to try under the hood, behind the dash, in the trunk, or under the seat. He can be and find Waldo. A lot of times a cus-
Jobber Journal
well concealed or under layers of components—carpet, plastic, or engine parts. With today’s cars he can even be inside a computer lurking about in the form of a corrupted bit of information. I never know where he’ll show up, but I’ll do my best to find him. The other day I was on a Waldo hunt for a whacked out gas gauge. The fuel gauge was stuck on empty on this ‘03 Ford Van. It came from another shop after they had given up on it. The shop had already tried a new sending unit in the tank, but it only lasted a day or two before the gauge quit again. So where is that little beanie cap wearing weirdo hiding this time? I started with behind the steering wheel. After doing the self test on the dash it was clear the gauge was not responding, so I broke out the gauge simulator and hooked it up to the fuel gauge. Even with the tester adjusted to 160 ohms (full tank reading) it never budged off of empty. Gotcha Waldo! You’re in the instrument cluster… aha! Got ya this time for sure ya skinny little twerp! I got the new cluster approved and installed it the next day. I hooked up to the scanner, checked that all the programming needed was done. That’s typical stuff… mileage, tire size, etc … not a big deal (with the right scanner, an IDS in this case or the dealer parts department can set most of it up for you when you order it. Actual programming needs vary from year to year, so be careful to follow all manufacturer’s directions). I was so convinced that I had this one I didn’t think I needed to recheck my work, so I was in for a surprise when the gas gauge didn’t move right away. I’ve seen this before. It can take a minute or two, or up to 20 minutes if the key was on while filling up the tank. I didn’t recall turning the key on when I was installing the new cluster, but by the time I had the van off the lift and backed out of the shop the gauge was working. Done, problem solved. Waldo, you’re out-of-here! Boy was I wrong. Seems old Waldo had to come back just a few days later. The gauge is back on empty again just as it did with the first shop. Now what is he doing? Waldo
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is a crafty kind of nerd. Is he messing with me? I’m about to “go mechanic” on his butt. Back to the gauge tester again. This time the gauge reacted with every movement and changed with every setting I could put it through on the tester. I knew the empty reading on this tank is around 15 ohms and a full tank is 160, so I should have a reading somewhere in between those readings from the tank sender. It was 16 ohms? Oh, come on. Is this tank empty? I gave the tank a couple of knocks with my knuckle “rap, rap, rap” and asked sheepishly, “You in there, Waldo?” I got an approval to drop the tank down to check it further. I could tell the other shop changed the tank sending unit. They had butt-connected the lead together (Gee, ya could have just disconnected it) but I did notice something rather strange about the sending unit. The float was bent around the fuel pump and an edge of the bail was trapped against the actual fuel pump bracket. Waldo is up to something here, and it’s not the sender. I grabbed a flashlight and looked down in the tank. There inside the tank is the tray that the fuel pump rests in. It’s mainly there as a way to control the sloshing affect of the fuel and to help give the gauge a steady reading. The only thing was the tray wasn’t staying in place. It had broken free from the bottom of the tank and was sliding back and forth as the van drove down the road. “Waldo, you’ve been a very naughty little fellow,” I said to myself. The only thing that made sense about the dash being bad was that somebody must have tried to send voltage back up the sending wires to the dash, and it probably knocked the gauge out. It wouldn’t have been hard to do with the gauge and fuel pump leads all in the same connector. Somebody could have easily (accidently I hope) crossed the wrong leads, which created another Waldo. While the original Waldo remained in hiding inside the gas tank the whole time. Now I just have to tell the customer where I found him at this time. Great, just great—two Waldo’s in two places in one car. I think I’ll let Waldo explain this one to the owner himself.
www.autobodynews.com | APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS 35
Hey Toby!
Toby Chess is an I-CAR program instructor, Training specialist, and former salvage yard operator. Toby is universally known in the collision industry for his work with first responders and advocacy for body shops and consumers. He can be reached at tcspeedster@yahoo.com
CAFE Standards Will Affect More Than A Shop’s Miles Per Gallon with Toby Chess
Ask most people about CAFÉ stanto look at the challenges for these dards and they would immediately steels. The first area is we need to think of food quality control. There is understand is the effect of heat on another meaning that you probably metal. know and it will drastically impact Heat applied to mild steel will inyour business, but you may not be crease its strength (once it cools). aware why it will. Heat applied to high strength steels CAFÉ stands for Corporate Averwill decrease its strength. Heat apwith David McClune age Fuel Economy-- the average miles plied to ultra high strength steels per gallon on an OEM’s passenger (UHSS) will destroy the steel. Recars and trucks. The standards for member these facts. passenger vehicles will rise from the national current 27.5 mpg to 35.7 mpg by 2015, while light trucks will go from 23.5 mpg to 28.6 mpg. My next question is how will the OEMs accomplish these figures? Car and trucks will be lighter and smaller, with a greater use ofwith aluminum, Johnplastics, Yoswick carbon fiber, magnesium and advanced high strength steels (60 percent of all steel in today’s vehicles is AHSS). These exotic materials are the reason that fuel economy will impact A couple of other facts that you body shops. need to remember: There are two Aluminum is being used on virtypes of energy behavior that we tually all makes and models built need to recognize when dealing with today, not only on upscale import today’s vehicles. The first one is ensports cars. The hood on a Toyota ergy absorption. This is the process Prius for example is made from aluof dissipating the energy by the dewith Richard Steffen minum. You will need to invest in formation of the part. As the part new tools and training to work with collapses, energy is lost as it travels increasing use of this metal. from front to back or back to front. This deformation is accomplished by use of laser welds (different thicknesses of metal or different metals attached together with laser welds), collapse zones and reinforcements. Most of the metal on today’s vehicles utilizes high strength steel with MPa (a megapaswith John Yoswickcal is a unit of pressure, which here is a measure of stiffness or tensile strength of materials) ratings between 440 and 590. The second
HEAT AFFECT ZONE
California Autobody Association
Year in Quotes
The design of energy transfer is to move the energy away from the impact without it deforming. This is accomplished by making the part extremely strong. Many OEMs utilizes ultra high strength steels in the cabin reinforcements (“A” pillar reinforcement, “B” pillar reinforcement and roof and rocker reinforcements). The MPa ratings are 600 and above with some metals reaching over 1400 MPa’s for these metals. You ask the question why are they using these super metals. The answer is simple. The government and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety demanded it. Let’s look at Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 216A.
MIG Weld
Spot Weld
The above 2 welds are fusion welds. The metal becomes molten (over 2200 degrees Fahrenheit) and when it cools, a ring forms around the weld known as the Heat Affect Zone. This area on high strength steel is weaker than its surrounding metal. In the case of ultra high strength steel, this area has a strength equivalent to the strength of mild steel, which has no energy absorption or energy transfer capabilities
Collision Repair Association of CA.
One method of reducing the heat affect zone is skip welding. A bead length of 25 to 38 MM is made (#1 weld). A second weld is made (#3) and the weld is closed by last weld (#2). Let’s look at what heat does to metal
I am going to heat the metal with an induction heater and monitor the temperature with a non contact thermometer. I will take a before and after reading with an instrument to test the strength of steels.
Transition Planning
Besides hand tools and aluminum stud guns, you will need to know how to weld aluminum and you may need to invest in a dedicated aluminum welder
Shop Showcase
with Karyn Even with an increase in theHendricks use of aluminum, the percent of usage is Note that the front of the Volvo has collapsed relatively small compared to the use and shortened length is evident, but there is no deformation in the passenger’s compartment of Advanced High Strength Steels. Steels (AHSS) will pose the biggest type of energy behavior that we deal problems for repairers and we need with is energy transfer.
Shop Showcase
36 APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
with David M. Brown
The IIHS devised a test to determine the strength of the “B” pillar to withstand roof crush in a roll over scenario
By the model year the government wanted a 2 ½ times gross vehicle weight to be placed at the “B” pillar, but the IIHS wanted 3 times and by model year 2012, 4 times. What happened was most manufacturers were able to meet the 2012 standards in 2009 and those vehicles received a 5 star rating. We now need to look at heat and its affect on these metals.
The first test was done on a front rail on a 2009 Toyota Camry which is high-strength steel and has a strength category of 440 MPa. The value of the steel is 16.9 which converts to a 440 MPa reading
The next part to be tested was a “B” pillar reinforcement from a Volvo XC90. The part is constructed of advanced steel alloyed with boron. See Hey Toby!, Page 38
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www.autobodynews.com | APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS 37
Continued from Page 36
Continued from Front Page
Hey Toby!
Chinese Auto Parts
A reading of 53.7 or 1380 was observed. Again the part was heated to 800 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 seconds
The steel was heated to 1000 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 seconds and allowed to cool naturally. A second reading was taken
The reading was 27 or 50 percent less on the point scale, but was a slightly above 600 MPa. Think about this. Fusion welding takes place at 2200 degree and this part was only heated to 800 degrees. Think what would have happened to the steel if it was heated to 2200 degrees? It would have lost all of its strength. This is why most manufacturers require the cabin reinforcements to be installed at factory joints and not sectioned
Readings were taken again after the part was allowed to cool naturally
The strength of the metal dropped to 250 MPa. It lost nearly 50 percent of its strength. This is the reason why Toyota states in their CRIB #175 -- “Do not use heat for straightening”
I want to end this with a couple of thoughts. You will need to invest in an inverter 3 phase spot welders. You will need to invest in obtaining data for all structural repairs. You will need to invest in Training, You will need to invest to be competitive and safe.
38 APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
This “B” pillar reinforcement on a 2010 Toyota Scion is being replaced at the factory joint in the roof and it is not sectioned
trade practices by foreign countries,” said USW President, Leo Gerard. This letter follows action by the United Steelworkers (USW) and others to identify broad sets of practices utilized by China to protect its auto parts sector to the disadvantage of its competitors. The Congressional letter ratifies USW concerns and calls for immediate action. The USW represents about 850,000 workers in the United States and Canada in a wide variety of industries, ranging from glass making to mining, paper, steel, tire and rubber and other manufacturing environments. The United Steelworkers (USW) says that America’s auto parts sector continues to be threatened by unfairly traded auto parts imports from China and its policies that exclude US products from their markets. The USW lauds the 188 members of Congress who signed the Congressional letter, demonstrating broad political support behind intentions to stop China’s pro-
tectionist, predatory and illegal trade practices. The lawmakers included many from the auto manufacturing states of the upper Midwest, which will likely be important in Obama’s bid for reelection in November. They said China uses a “vast array of policies” to give its auto parts producers an unfair trade advantage. Those include Chinese limits on imports of foreign auto parts and subsidies that drive down the prices auto parts that are made in China, the lawmakers said. www.autobodynews.com “These tactics are working. ChiCHECK IT OUT! nese auto parts exports are rapidly growing and have increased almost 900 percent since 2000,” the lawmakers said. The appeal follows Obama’s recent decision to establish an interaadvertise gencyTotask force to boost U.S. enforcement of trade agreements. The call Advertising Sales at: lawmakers urged Obama “to use all 800-699-8251 existing authorities” to protect the e-mail: U.S. auto parts sector, but did not outadvertising@autobodynews.com line a particular course of action. www.autobodynews.com Advocates have said the administration’s options include bringing a case at the World Trade Organization
RBL Products New Pre-Treat System
or initiating an action under U.S. trade remedy laws that would lead to duties or other restrictions on imports from RBL Products has introduced its PreChina. treatment system in the automotive afThe USW also filed a petition termarket. The system is very simple. with the US government alleging that It consists of a water-based conversion the Chinese government unfairly facoating that is applied by wiping onto vors, through subsidies and other a bare metal surface. The product protrade measures, its domestic manufactects against corrosion and promotes turers of “green” goods like solar panadhesion. The directions are simply, els and wind turbines. The petition you just wipe the pre-treatment onto was filed under a section of US trade bare metal.the Thenindustry. let it air dry. The Give us your opinion on matterstheaffecting law—Section 301 of the Trade Act of average dry time is between 2–5 min1974—that was once a strong protecutes. You can then apply primer surtionist weapon but has basically gone face directly over the pre-treatment. It dormant since the advent of the World can be used on Hot and cold rolled publisher@autobodynews.com Trade Organization. metal, galvanized, stainless steel, aluminum, and other exotic metals. The pre-treatment system was developed as a substitute for wash, etch, and epoxy primer. Expensive primers and waiting for 24 hours, as well as To advertise adhesion and corrosion issues, are now The source for timely a thing ofcall the Joe past. Momber at: information that every The pre-treatment system chem800-699-8251 body shop needs! istry was developed and patented by e-mail: Henkel Corporation. RBL Products rejmomber@autobodynews.com CALL 800-699-8251 cently was granted exclusive rights to www.autobodynews.com convert the technology into pre-satuStart Your FREE rated wipes and markers. Henkel is the Mail Subscription. largest pre-treatment company in the
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world. The same process is used on every car produced since World War ll. publisher@autobo Every vehicle as soon as it enters the paint shop is processed by a multistage zinc phosphate dip and rinse sysPromote your and business tem before it enters e-coat primer. wit RBLan president, Ron Lipson exclusive article featurin stated “Theyour pre-treatment product puts products or services. back what was removed from the metal when grinding and sanding occurs. Once the industry understands the product and how it works it will become CALL: standardJoe on all bare metal Momber forredetai pairs. Insurance companies are going to mandate this800-699-8251 product where applicable.” For more information visit www.rblproducts.com.
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The Community-Focused Body Shop with Domenico Nigro
Domenico Nigro is the president of Nigro’s Auto Body, a very progressive shop for their community in Philadelphia. In addition to many productivity innovations, Nigro’s installs equipment for disabled drivers, has developed several phone Applications, and represents products which directly support charities such as United Way and the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Contact him at: nigroautobody@comcast.net.
Feather, Sand and Fill: Paint Operations Body Shops Perform But Don’t Get Paid For How much money are you losing each 6H rule. “On January 9, 2008, the EPA year by not charging for Feather, Sand accepted a new standard known as the and Fill (aka Feather, Prime and HAPs 6H rule to reduce the public’s Block)? If you’re charging nothing, I health exposure to Hazardous Air Polwith Janet Cheney can guarantee you $5,000 more in lutants (HAPs). The agency’s main obyearly profits if you follow this advice jective is to significantly lessen the and start getting compensated for the amount of HAPs released into the ennecessary work you’ve always been vironment during paint stripping or surface coating operations. doing. During such work practices, the Feather, Sand and Fill is a non-inmost dangerous chemicals, namely, cluded procedure that takes the surmethylene chloride (MeCl), cadmium, face from 150-grit level smoothness to the condition of a new, undamaged chromium, lead, manganese and panel that can then begin the refinish nickel compounds, represent significant risk to employee health if proper process. The labor and supplies used with with feather, prime and block engineering and administrative controls are not in place.” may fluctuate based on the nature of The 6H rule requires that this the repair area and should be considportion of the process needs to be ered when deciding which work needs to be performed. I will address the is- done by the paint department, in an sues many shop owners have in get- enclosed space, and is therefore a reting insurance companies to pay for finishing procedure, not a body repair this procedure, the laws involved, and process. This rule helps solidify Feather, Sand and Fill as a refinishing possible solutions to consider. In 2006, the Collision Industry process by definition of the law, but it Conference Estimating Committee de- still isn’t properly compensated for by fined feather, prime and block as the Insurance Companies. This means that any application of “non-included refinish operations that complete the process from 150 grit to primer that is sprayed through a HVLP the condition of a new, undamaged spray gun must be done by a certified panel... The body/paint labor and ma- painter, inside an enclosed spraybooth terials necessary to prepare the re- and billed as a paint procedure. But how should your shop charge paired area from 150 grit to the condition of a new undamaged part is and get paid for it? It is a judgment call that must be a valid and required step in the process. The labor and material al- negotiated on the spot. The repair lowances for these operations requires process only takes you up to the 150 an on-the-spot evaluation of the spe- grit level, but I have to get the panels to pre-loss condition before the refincific vehicle and damage.” Despite this clarification, shops ish process can take place. I am faced are still having trouble claiming this with this issue on almost every single process and being paid for the work job and I approach it by talking with and materials. Some insurance com- the adjuster directly. I say “If the Ppanies say that Feather, Sand and Fill Pages state that this is a necessary process to repair a job and bring it is included in the repair process, which simply isn’t true. In addition, back to pre-loss condition, then why would it not be covered?” So, first I often times, on many insurance comprove my point that it’s a necessary pany estimates, they state that feather, part of repairing the vehicle. I cite The sand and fill is included in the repair process, which directly contradicts the 6H rule that supports claiming it as a refinishing process. At this point, law, the P-Pages, and the logic of our business. Of course, the insurance some insurance companies will pay companies don’t want to pay for this for the operation, while others simply will not pay. In this case, the insurance costly operation becuase they’ve companies are forcing auto body haven’t had to pay for it for years. shops to break the law by not listing An even stronger argument can be made using the language in the federal the procedure as a refinishing process and therefore admitting to violating regulations imposed through the EPA’s
Shop Showcase
40 APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
the 6H rule. Failure to comply to the 6H rule can result in hefty, daily fines and even jail time. If your shop doesn’t report or charge for it, you are in a way admitting to breaking the law. Another typical response is that charging for feather, sand and fill is not competitive in the market, and because other body shops are allowing the insurance agencies to take advantage of them, they claim that all shops should folllow suit. I also hear “you’re the only shop that charges for this process,” which simply isn’t true. So the insurance company is literally telling us that because other shops aren’t recouping these costs, we should all lose the revenue and break the law. So how do you calculate the costs of FSF (or FPB)? A simple forumla that I’ve come up with over the years in the business, and doing my own time studies is as follows: I use .3 per repair hour to cal-
culate FSF. The example we’ll use is a 2 hour repair. 2 X .3 = .6, Refinish labor rate = $48 x .6 = $28.80, Paint and Materials = $27 x .6 = $16.20. Total costs associated with Feather Sand and Fill on a 2 hour job is $45. If a shop performs two of these each week, there is a yearly loss of $4680 a year. In addition, at a sales tax rate of 8%, the state is losing $375 a year for each shop not being paid for this process. If you simply use the formula above, your painter’s efficiency goes up and you’re no longer supplying these materials for free. Determine your repair times first, state this is only a repair process, first negotiate your body repair time and specify that this is only for the repairs, not for refinishing. Once that is established then you negotiate your time and costs for See Feather, Sand and Fill, Page 42
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Continued from Page 40
Feather, Sand and Fill
Feather, Sand and Fill by using my formula. This will increase your painter’s efficiency, it will increase the profitability of your paint supplies and it will add to your overall business success and bottom line. If you try these methods and they don’t work, you should show the adjuster the P-Pages, even reference this article. Ask the adjuster to prove to you that you don’t have to do this step which is required by all three estimating systems and established as an industry standard. What do they say? If you’re still not being compensated, have them call me. Write us, let us know if you’re charging for this operation. The only way for justice and fair compensation from insurers is through cooperation and unity among shop owners. Allowing the insurers to strong arm your bottom line is costing us thousands each year. A standard formula can be applied to all jobs that account for these costs in a fair and transparent manner.
Continued from Page 25
Trade Show
carrier, Haydell suggests putting optical enhancers in the primer and using black lights in the booth to see the spots that were missed. Likewise, if UV blockers are added to the base, it is easy to see where the optical enhancers are not covered under a black light, thus showing the ability to completely cover the substrate in only two coats when using nitrogen technology. Haydell Industries separates impurities at a gas level by temporarily separating the gases to redirect air’s properties. They also control temperature through their hose, allowing them to control viscosity by controlling temperature. By using less material, shops can release less VOCs into the atmosphere as well. Haydell also claims that his system is very low maintenance as long as the hose is not damaged by being run over. Overall, Haydell insists that by reducing coats and materials by 30–50%, shops can also save 20–30% in material costs by using nitrogen technology.
Performance Racing Industry to be Sold to SEMA
Performance Racing Industry (PRI), producers of the motorsports business magazine and trade show, finalized plans to be purchased by the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA). The transaction is set to close in late March 2012. With 20plus years of publishing and management experience at PRI, John Kilroy will serve as Vice President/General Manager of PRI and assume day-today operations for the group. All the operations, employees and offices will remain intact at PRI’s current location in Laguna Beach, California. “Steve Lewis launched the PRI concept a quarter-of-a-century ago, as an organization totally dedicated solely to the racing industry,” said Kilroy. “It was Steve’s dream that PRI continue to serve the racing community, and to ‘nest’ PRI with an organization that clearly understands PRI’s heritage and the role we play in how the racing industry conducts business. We are pleased to have found that strategic partner in SEMA.” The 25th Annual Performance Racing Industry Trade Show takes place November 29 - December 1, 2012, in the North/South Building of the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.
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CSS USA, Inc. Phone: (904) 567-3825 (866) 910-0889 www.carcoonusa.com info@carcoonusa.com 42 APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
ABRA Auto Body & Glass Expands Operations into TN
ABRA Auto Body & Glass, a Minnesota-based damaged vehicle repair company and industry leader continues its national expansion with the announcement of their newest franchise location in Clarksville, Tennessee, just north of Nashville. Final preparations are underway for the opening of ABRA’s 39th state-of-the-art franchise located at 855 Kraft Street in Clarksville. It will be one of the largest collision repair centers in the area with more than 21,000 square feet of repair technology and shop operations. The official opening is scheduled for April 2. Operations Director Dwayne Brown said, “We are combining two body shops into one and look forward to doing the ABRA way of business…we are quite impressed with the ABRA process and how well orchestrated it is.” The new franchise will be independently owned by the Wyatt-Johnson Automotive Group, one of Tennessee’s top GMC-Buick dealerships. Brown said the repair center will be a large and modern facility that can handle a great deal of volume.
THE CARCOON WORKSTATION
Ray Gunder to Sponsor Free Legal Seminar for Collision Repairers in Lakeland, FL As a result of overwhelming interest and questions from repairers and consultants across the nation, a Collision Industry Legal Seminar is being provided for collision repair professionals by Ray Gunder of Gunder’s Auto Center and Barrett Smith of Auto Damage Experts (ADE). This event promises to provide a unique opportunity for many as there has been a great deal of interest regarding the success repairers across the country have had in their efforts to aid their customers in the recovery of the full costs required for a proper and thorough repair. Together, Gunder and Smith are co-sponsoring this legal seminar and the duo’s legal counsel, Brent Geohagan, Esquire, will provide an open forum to offer information and to answer questions as to how repairers may improve their businesses and service to their customers, while lessening unnecessary interference, encumbrances and potential liabilities. “This will not be the standard training on “how to increase work
flow”, “cycle times” or “KPI’s” and such,” said Smith, “However, the information gained during this meeting will likely enable attendees to work much more effectively and to better serve the needs of their customers and their businesses through more efficient administrative processes while avoiding unnecessary legal liabilities. This information, properly employed, will likely result in greater profits and reduce operational costs and frustrations.” The intent of this seminar will be to provide information on legal basics including an overview of the much discussed processes involving the “Power of Attorney” and “Assignment of Proceeds” (aka Assignment of Benefits). Answers to attendee’s individual questions as to how it may benefit them, their business and their customers will be available along with other topics such as: ● Understanding the Repairer’s Legal Responsibilities ● Understanding the Customer’s Legal Responsibilities ● Understanding the Insurer’s Legal
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www.koeppelmazda.com www.autobodynews.com | APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS 43
Airbrush Artist JoAnn Bortles is Writing Her Seventh Painting Book ent. After he passed away unexpectedly JoAnn decided to honor his Airbrush artist JoAnn Bortles, who memory by taking a crack at becoming a professional custom painter. So owns Crazy Horse Custom Painting, and lives in Waxhaw, NC, started airshe moved to Florida, which then, as now, was a hot spot for custom painting and honed her craft. “Being around all these great painters made me really want to up my game,” said JoAnn. While in Florida JoAnn met and married her husband (now ex-) and they moved to Waxhaw in 1996. When she got to North Carolina, JoAnn realized it was a totally different game and since she was relatively unknown in the area she had a hard time finding people who would let her paint their cars. “Those first years in North Carolina were pretty rough,” said JoAnn. She painted hot rods, motorcycles, boats, just about anything she could. Then in 1998 JoAnn showed six motorcycles she painted at the Easyriders Bike Show in Charlotte, JoAnn astride one of her custom creations NC. The six bikes took home the six with a favorite spray gun, a SATA RP. The bike top trophies, including Best of Show. won Best Motorcycle Paint of the Year in 2005 This got the attention of one of the brushing her art onto motorcycles as a Easyriders Magazine editors and he teen in the seventies on a dare. A lifetold her if she did well at their show long interest in art led her to Parson’s in Columbus, OH, that the magazine School of Design in New York City, would do a feature story on her. but she eventually had to return to JoAnn’s Stevie Ray Vaughan tribute bike won Second Place Best of Show at the Columbus show, so the magazine did the article on her. The publicity from the article and her awards at Charlotte attracted many more customers and was a turning point for her career. JoAnn was featured in (and wrote her own articles for) Southern Living, Easyriders, VTwin, A close-up of the 1965 Impala SS that JoAnn painted in Las Vegas; this car has taken home several awards for Street Rodder, Hot Rod, best flames American Iron, Ironworks, suburban Connecticut to help out her Hot Bike, VQ, and many other magaparents. She had taken welding classes zines. in high school and became a certified She has also written no fewer welder after returning home. She than six books on custom painting worked various factory jobs for the with publisher Motorbooks. Her first next few years until the words “If book “How to Custom Paint Your you’re such a hotshot artist, why don’t Motorcycle” was published in 2005. you try and paint my bike tank?” JoAnn is currently working on her jolted her into the world of custom seventh book with SATA Spray painting. Equipment, to be titled The Complete Her painting career really took Guide to Automotive Painting: From off after the unexpected death of a Prep to Final Coat, which will have friend in 1993. Her friend David had a heavy focus on waterborne painting always pushed JoAnn to take her techniques, using PPG’s Envirobase painting to the next level, saying she waterborne paints in particular. should be more serious about her talThe book is slated to come out by Erica Schroeder
44 APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
and processes. The goal is to make the book answer any question about bodywork, painting and custom work. The book will be available through all SATA jobbers worldwide in addition to being sold on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other booksellers. JoAnn started using PPG The Stevie Ray Vaughan mural JoAnn won 2nd Place Best paints in 1995, and she says of Show with at the Cleveland EasyRiders Show in 1998 she couldn’t be happier with in 2013 and will have two main sec- their products. tions. The first half will focus on “PPG is without a doubt the most vehicle restoration from plastic re- user-friendly product I’ve ever used,” pairs to sheet metal to body restora- said JoAnn, “And that’s what makes it tion. JoAnn’s welding and the best bargain for painters. The high bodywork background will shape quality of PPG products actually save this how-to section. The second half painters time and money. PPG products make my painting life easier.” JoAnn stands behind her work and the durability of PPG’s products with a consumer guarantee on her work for 5 years. JoAnn also says that of all the waterborne paints she has used, PPG paints the smoothest with the tightest lines. She finds it especially The ‘67 Firebird JoAnn is restoring and customizing for unique for painting woodher seventh book. This is what the car looks like before any work has been done. The after photo will look far difgrain faux finishes. She also ferent. According to JoAnn, many of her projects look still uses PPG’s solvent-based something like this when she gets started. paints for some applications. will focus on custom painting using “Whether I’m using solvent or water, both waterborne and solvent tech- I use whatever works best for the niques. One of the main projects in painting situation,” said JoAnn. the book will be restoring a 1967 JoAnn also likes SATA Spray Guns. Firebird that has been waiting for She recalls first starting out using attention for 20 years. the cheapest equipment she could The car is “pretty rough” says find. Then when she met the people JoAnn, but by the end of the year she at SATA and tried out their products will have the car restored completely. she said she realized why you would pay more to use these guns. “Paint is so expensive,” said JoAnn, “When the paint is all mixed and you’re ready to go into the booth, is not the time to find that you have a problem with your paint gun. And time is money. Having good quality equipment makes all the difference.” Joann now uses SATA guns A close-up of some burlwood woodgrain Crazy Horse exclusively on her work. painted on a ‘46 Ford “Using good equipment The book will detail this process and changed the way I work,” said JoAnn. JoAnn hopes it will show her readers She is really thankful for some of her how manageable a big project can be other product relationships, including See Crazy Horse, Page 49 if approached with the right attitude
Mexico Implements New Mandatory Auto Insurance Laws
Two of the most popular Mexican destinations for US and Canadian tourists have passed new laws recently requiring drivers to carry auto liability insurance at all times. Baja California Norte (home of destinations such as Tijuana, Ensenada, Rosarito, and San Felipe) and Jalisco (home of destinations such as Guadalajara, Lake Chapala, and Puerto Vallarta) have passed laws requiring that all drivers carry liability insurance. Other states have had similar mandatory auto liability insurance laws in place for some time. Derek Kartchner, Vice President of Business Development for http://www.mexpro.com said, “We feel this is a good step towards solving a huge problem; whether in the US or in Mexico uninsured drivers create an unneeded burden at the time of an accident, and cost all drivers more. We applaud the states that have taken steps towards alleviating the number of uninsured drivers in Mexico, and encourage other states to do the same.” Jim Labelle, CEO of IIG said, “While this is an important law, we would also urge our customers to ensure they are protecting their own interests. Not only should visitors to Mexico purchase Mexico Auto Liabil-
ity coverage, but also Comprehensive and Collision coverage. We encourage all of our customers who drive to Mexico to obtain a similar level of coverage in Mexico that they carry in the USA or Canada." Labelle's firm has insured over 1 million US and Canadian plated vehicles since launching its website a little over ten years ago. Visitors to Mexico can purchase and print their policies in real time on http://www.mexpro. com. All policies sold on the site meet the new state requirements, and many other optional coverages are available to ensure that consumers are properly covered when driving in Mexico. For more information about these laws or to purchase a Mexico Auto Insurance policy visit http://www.mexpro.com or call 1- 888-467-4639.
LQK Has Record Results
LKQ Corp. has announced results for its fourth quarter and full year ended Dec. 31, 2011. Income for the fourth quarter was $56.1 million, a 36 percent increase over the 28 cents per share reported for 2010. For the full year 2011, income from continuing operations was $210.3 million.
TopTech Finder Unites PDR Techs with Body Shop Managers
TopTech Finder, an open job marketplace bringing together automotive repairers and paintless dent repair (PDR) technicians, announces its website is now available at: www.toptechfinder.com. By providing an online search engine to connect automotive repairers and qualified PDR technicians, TopTech Finder puts power and convenience back into the hands that count. In addition, because of the damaging storms in the Southeast and Midwest, TopTech Finder is waiving all fees on jobs posted in the month of March by body repair shops in effected states. TopTech Finder is the vision of CEO Jeff Herman, who developed the idea to help body repair shops easily connect with reputable PDR technicians to fix hail damaged vehicles. “When hail storms hit, a shop’s regular PDR resources are often overwhelmed with work. Shops are then forced to choose from techs who arrive at their door, without any knowledge of the tech’s reputation, quality of work, experience, or training. Shops have told me horror stories about handing that first customer car over to an unknown tech”, said Herman. “TopTech Finder solves this
problem by letting repairers investigate techs before they hire them.” Repairers of all types can post their PDR jobs for free on the site. They can then search for techs and see their online profiles. Tech profiles show qualifications including experience, training, certifications, and associations. If satisfied, repairers can invite techs to the job. Conversely, techs can search for and apply for jobs. Body repair shops, retail PDR businesses, hail teams and other repairers can create their free, no obligation account at: www.toptechfinder.com.
Nissan Leaf Nationwide
Nissan opened up sales for their Leaf all-electric vehicle to all states in the US on March 1, 2012. After the EV's initial launch in limited markets at the end of 2010 and a piecemeal, state-by-state roll out throughout 2011, the Nissan Leaf will finally be available to order all around the U.S. Nissan sent out a statement saying in part, “We are officially a 100% electric nation. Look out for an e-mail around 3/1/12 detailing when you can order your Nissan Leaf.”
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Continued from Front Page
Northeast Show
from was the owner of North State Custom, Greg Coccaro, who surprised a number of attendees with the revelation that he’s back to doing business with Progressive Insurance, despite the long and torturous legal battles between the two. Even though business is relatively slow for shops in the area, his Progressive Greg Coccaro work has actually picked up. Coccaro was told by a Progressive employee that “Progressive does not have a network of shops in New York any more, so the intense steering they practiced in this area has subsided.” Coccaro added, “I’m now repairing cars for Progressive’s customers once again.” Coccaro still owes some $500,000 in legal fees to defend his shop’s reputation and his own name. He hopes to be able to recover his losses due to the causes of action in his pending lawsuit against
Progressive. Another engaging speaker at the forum was Tony Lombardozzi with Automotive Collision Repair Services in New Hampshire, who repeated his message of self-sufficiency for the industry and his advocacy of independence from insurers through his presidency of the Coalition for Collision Repair Excellence (CCRE). Lombardozzi put it plainly: “The inTony Lombardozzi surer is not a third party to our contract with our customer and should not be involved in the repair process. What an insurer appraiser writes is meaningless. It serves no purpose in the repair process.” The executive director of showorganizer the Alliance Automotive Service Providers of New Jersey (AASP/NJ), Charles Bryant, agreed with Lombardozzi’s assessment of insurer involvement. Bryant underscored that repairers not negotiate with insurers. “Offer them a cup of coffee, talk to them about last night’s hockey
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game, and direct them to the car they want to write an estimate on,” Bryant said. “But don’t go back there with them and don’t negotiate the repair... You are the expert on how to repair cars, not the insurance comCharles Bryant pany. Write what needs to be done, make a proper and safe repair and bill fairly for your work.” Both stressed that repairers need to take responsibility for educating customers about the repair process and explain why the estimate the repairer wrote is the most reliable one. Janet Cheney gave a quick report on a couple of state’s associations that don’t always have the ear of the national trade press. See her article this issue (p. 50 and Janet Cheney 51). See also Chasidy Sisk’s column on NORTHEAST this issue.
Women’s Industry Network Holds Planning Meeting
The Women’s Industry Network (WIN) Board gathered in Dallas, TX, in late January to review the group’s activities in 2011 and plan for 2012 and early 2013. “This Strategic Planning meeting is a yearly event that we rely on to help keep us focused and on-track to achieve the goals we have set out for our organization,” said Board Chair, Victoria Jankowski. WIN will focus on these primary areas this year: enhancing the value of WIN membership and sponsorship; improving WIN’s web and social media presence to provide a more robust communication and educational vehicle for members and sponsors; forming a Task Force to conduct a needs analysis on our website and social media presence and make recommendations to the Board; increasing industry visibility of WIN, our activities and our members; providing a WIN presence at strategically significant industry events; making WIN promotional materials available upon request to WIN members who are willing to represent the organization at events of importance to them; establishing a more robust operational See WIN, Page 49
Automotive Recyclers Assocation Supports Licensed Buyers The Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA) says it recognizes the efforts of legislators in Florida and Utah who have made “significant steps to protect consumers and the environment by preventing untrained and unlicensed individuals from buying cars at salvage pools.” Last week, legislators in Utah passed SB 260, a bill that restricts purchases at auto salvage auctions to those with valid Utah business and sales tax licenses. That legislation also aids law enforcement by requiring reporting to the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System and the Utah Motor Vehicle Enforcement Division. Additionally, the bill creates a non-repairable category of vehicles that will serve to keep severely damaged automobiles from being repaired and returned to the roads. Keeping non-road worthy vehicles off the roads was at the heart of another salvage pool bill that passed recently in Florida. ARA opposes opening up auto salvage pools, and that they are taking steps to roll back efforts to make it easier for these vehicles to fall into the wrong hands. On March 20 legislators in Ohio will hear testimony on Senate Bill 273 that allows unlicensed and untrained
individuals to purchase cars at salvage auctions. This bill threatens Ohio’s environment as unqualified businesses attempt to handle, dismantle and dispose of environmentally-harmful products and hazardous materials such as mercury, oil, and gasoline. Senate Bill 273 threatens the safety and welfare of Ohio residents and other consumers by allowing damaged vehicles to be repaired cosmetically and sold to unknowing consumers who end up driving dangerous vehicles on Ohio roads. Moreover, the bill creates a competitive disadvantage for licensed recyclers in Ohio who go to great length and expense to stay in accordance with all local, state and federal laws and regulations. It will reduce the available inventory for licensed auto recyclers across the state as these vehicles are sold to unlicensed individuals at inflated prices in Ohio and around the country.
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22 West Virginia Schools to Integrate I-CAR Program
The West Virginia Department of Education/Division of Career and Technical Education will integrate the industry recognized I-CAR® Professional Development Program™ - Education Edition into the curriculum of all 22 secondary and vocational schools in the state of West Virginia. This marks two firsts for I-CAR. West Virginia’s initiative marks the first time I-CAR training will be used at a statewide level within a school system’s curriculum and West Virginia will be the first publicly announced adopter of the I-CAR® Professional Development Program™ - Education Edition. Students that receive this training will have the opportunity to benefit from a dynamic, role-relevant education that directly aligns with ICAR’s industry-recognized training program and a solid foundation to work from as they begin their collision industry careers. Kathy D’Antoni, West Virginia Assistant State Superintendent of Schools said, “Our vision is to grow a highly skilled and quality driven workforce that leads the way for a better tomorrow. The Business and Education segment must work together to make sure the curriculum
being taught in our career technical centers satisfies industry needs.” The I-CAR® Professional Development Program™ - Education Edition delivers a comprehensive, performance-focused training experience with three successive training levels, each referred to as an I-CAR ProLevel®. The West Virginia Department of Education/Division of Career and Technical Education has set a goal for its secondary and vocational schools to produce Non-Structural Technicians and Refinish Technicians who have successfully completed the first ProLevel by 2012-2013. By meeting this goal, students will be knowledgeable on many of today’s collision repair procedures and will be better prepared to enter the industry’s workforce. Bill Stage, I-CAR Senior Director of Segment Development stated, “I’m pleased to see that the West Virginia Department of Education/Division of Career and Technical Education shares the I-CAR Vision and recognizes the importance of education within the collision repair industry. Without proper training, we run the risk of improperly repairing vehicles, which can impact the driver’s safety.”
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www.autobodynews.com | APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS 47
Helpful Documents, Tools And Information Only a Click Away for Shops by John Yoswick
Looking for tips, tools and resources to help your business, defend your positions or do your part for the industry? Here’s a collection of links to sites, documents and information you may find interesting and useful. — Motor Information Systems has released a revised edition of its Guide to Estimating (http://tinyurl.com/7zhbvr3), its explanation of what is and is not included in its estimating labor times (the system used by CCC Information Services). Revisions made in the February 2012 version are highlighted in blue within the guide. The new guide, for example, indicates that recalibration of the steering angle sensor is not included in Motor labor times. Bumper labor times are now shown to include lamps when mounted to the bumper but not include optional equipment lamps or those not mounted to the bumper. Labor times for fender inner panels are now shown to include grinding, filling and smoothing welded seams up to 150 grit sandpaper. The guide adds electrical wiring to the list of non-included items on frame labor, steering column overhaul, trunk lid, lift gate and quarter panel times. Hinge pillar glass and moldings are now listed as included in cowl, hinge pillar and dash panel times. — I-CAR has actually lowered the cost of its online training (http://tinyurl.com/7rsb2sb) to make it comparable (on an hourly basis) to the fee for its live, classroom training. There are now more than four dozen online classes available, some vehiclespecific (such as “Ford F-150 Frame Replacement”) and others more general (such as “MIG Brazing”). — Although the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) said earlier this year it had found no discernable defect that led to two fires in Chevrolet Volts weeks after they crashed, it is standing by its recommendation (http://tinyurl.com/7jd88tu) that shops not store severely-damaged vehicles with a lithium-ion battery inside or within 50 feet of a structure or another vehicle. — Whether or not your shop participates in State Farm’s “Select Service” program, it can be interesting to check out the program’s revised shop
locator system (http://tinyurl.com/ 7yegybx) that policyholders, agents or claims personnel can use to locate a participating shop. Rather than locating shops based solely on proximity, the system now ranks shops based on their current performance score from State Farm (although those scores aren’t shown on the site). Interestingly, only three shops appear on first page of search results; users have to click through to subsequent pages (each of which lists five shops) to see additional shops - potentially including shops that could be much closer to their home or work than ones higher up on the search results. — Ask shops about their nagging concerns about the future, and chances are they’ll mention the increasing crash avoidance technology on new vehicles. They probably weren’t heartened by the fact that David Strickland of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently said his agency will decide next year whether to mandate vehicle-tovehicle communication technologies in new cars, which he said could address up to 80 percent of crash scenarios “We have been working on this notion for over a decade,” Strickland said, according to the Detroit Free Press. “We really do feel very bullish on the prospect of getting it on the ground.” But those who make a living based on auto crashes can take some measure of comfort from a recent report (http://tinyurl.com/7ujp5ws) from the Highway Data Loss Institute. It says that even with such mandates, it can take decades before new safety features are in 95 percent of vehicles on the road. According to the report, it won’t be until 2016 that 95 percent of vehicles have front airbags, for example, and until 2028 for side airbags. Based on that trajectory, forward collision crash avoidance technology won’t be in 95 percent of registered vehicles until 2049, the Institute predicts. — And just in case you want to read more about future vehicle technology, an article (http://tinyurl.com/ 6s88yp6) in a BBC news magazine asks, “How close are we to a crashproof car?” It quotes a Volvo technical adviser who says the automaker has pledged that after 2020, no one will be killed or seriously injured in
48 APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
one of the automaker’s new cars. And Wired magazine in February (http://tinyurl.com/7foslf4) featured a fascinating look at the “autonomous car,” one that essentially drives itself. — This may come under the sarcastic heading of, “Tell me something I didn’t know,” but the highly-publicized report (http://tinyurl.com/6ukvr4s) regarding paint and materials compensation methodologies released earlier this year also found that while average costs for paint and materials have grown by 50 percent since 2005, the average compensation rates paid by insurers have risen by only 23 percent. Much of the coverage of the study focused on the fact that it found that 64 out of 68 industry participants interviewed think the current way paint and materials compensation is calculated is a poor methodology. Only four people (including representatives of three repairer operations and one estimating system provider) rated the current system as “adequate” or “good.” The study concluded the current system is flawed in part because on smaller jobs, repairers do not receive adequate compensation, and for large repair jobs, insurers believe materials charges become excessive. The study, conducted by Richfield Associates and commissioned by ComputerLogic (which produces the PMCLogic paint and materials costcalculation system), included interviews with shops, insurers, suppliers, association executives, consultants and trade publication editors. —If you’re interested in some documents that challenge the insurance industry, the Consumer Federation of America issued a report (http://tinyurl.com/6phzony) earlier this year that says insurance premiums have become an undue economic burden on low- and moderate-income Americans, and that state regulators should do more to help reign in these costs. “What is undeniable is that high auto insurance costs for (these) households either impose a substantial financial burden or greatly limit economic opportunity, especially access to jobs,” said the report’s authors, who are a former Texas regulator and the executive director of insurance at the Consumer Federation of America. The report suggests lowering minimum liability limits, creating spe-
cial programs (as has been done in California and New Jersey) to help low-income Americans get cheaper insurance coverage, and eliminating policy pricing elements (such as education level and credit history) that hurt low-income households. Meanwhile, another recent report from a coalition of consumer groups says Insurers overstate their industry’s financial losses from natural disasters and otherwise manufacture perceived crises to allow them to dramatically increase premiums and profits. The report (http://tinyurl.com/ 7t6h8d2) says Americans have for 35 years been “victims of this industry’s little-understood economic cycle, created by anticompetitive (yet legal) underwriting practices, unique and opaque accounting policies and virtually unchecked power when it comes to regulation of insurance rates.” The report from Americans for Insurance Reform—a project of the Center for Justice & Democracy at New York Law School that includes nearly 100 consumer groups—said insurers are once again using disasters like Hurricane Irene to end a 5-year “soft market” of stable rates and heavy competition among insurers, and replace it with a “hard market” marked by extreme rate hikes. Insurers can overstate losses from disasters, the report says, because they are based on estimates of unknown future claims, which are, during “hard markets, wildly exaggerated.” The study’s authors point out that insurers make plenty of profit in both types of markets not through underwriting but through investment of surplus that has been set aside for future claims. That surplus has risen by a factor of almost 40, the study states, and totaled $580 billion in 2010. The report urges governments to require more data from insurers, gain more control over rates, and repeal insurer’s antitrust exemption under the McCarran-Ferguson Act.
John Yoswick, a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon, who has been writing about the automotive industry since 1988, is also the editor of the weekly CRASH Network (for a free 4-week trial subscription, visit www.CrashNetwork.com). He can be contacted by email at jyoswick@SpiritOne.com.
sometimes the customer is happy with the initial drawing. Then after customer approval she starts painting. Evercoat, Gerson, American Tape and JoAnn basically free-hands a Meguiar’s. lot of the art; sometimes she “Just being able to say I work uses Art Tool templates on with these companies is a very hum- more complicated projects. bling experience, it shows just how far “The templates are reJoAnn painted this 1939 Ford in 2005 with real fire flames, it was the first real fire paint that she did and it I have come,” said JoAnn. ally a time saver,” said won PPG's Top 5 Most Outstanding Paint in 2006 JoAnn says her process really de- JoAnn. She often uses a 2009, Best Painted Motorcycle of the pends on the vehicle she is working combination of templates, sketching on; she generally creates a pre-work and free-hand to get the look she Year in 2005 and 2012, and many other awards. drawing on the computer to show the wants. JoAnn will attend the SEMA client and get their input. Sometimes “Custom paint is only as good show this year and will also paint a JoAnn and the customer will collaboas what’s underneath it,” said JoAnn. rate on the design a bit here, and And in her shop, much of the body- 1932 Ford on Power Block TV’s Muswork and prep are handled cle Car section in the coming weeks. She is also a member of the SEMA by her assistant David Association and serves on their SBN Malkin. JoAnn has won dozens of Select Committee. For more information about awards for her work, including JoAnn and Crazy Horse Custom PPG’s Top 5 Most Outstanding Paint in 2006, Best of Painting, please visit www.crazyShow and First Place at the horsepainting.com. 2006 Easyriders Bike Show, GoodGuys Shows Best Crazy Horse Custom Painting Flames in 2005, Best Paint at PO Box 623 the Boardwalk Show at 2005 Waxhaw, NC 28173 JoAnn and her 2004 Crazy Horse Chopper which has Daytona Bike Week, Big Bear joann@crazyhorsepainting.com been driven hard. The paint job has held up extremely (704) 843-3780 well, a testiment to the work and product quality Car Show Best Flames in Continued from Page 44
Crazy Horse
Continued from Page 46
WIN
and governance structure for the Board of Directors; refining standards for Board nominations and subsequent executive appointments; refining the WIN nomination process and put additional form around the executive appointments. “This new executive appointment process will be implemented as the current term ends and the new one begins,” said Jankowski. The 7th Annual WIN Conference, “Be The Change!”, will be held on May 6-8, 2012 in Atlanta, GA. Keynote speakers for this annual conference will be Robyn Benincasa, an adventure racer, firefighter and motivational speaker, and Cathy Bonner, CEO of Service King Collision Repair Centers. Benincasa will present a keynote address titled “Extreme Change: Adapt, Overcome & Win As One,” in which she will share stories of triumph through adversity. Bonner will also present a keynote address titled “The Ten Commandments of Leadership.” For more details please visit www.womensindustrynetwork.com.
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www.autobodynews.com | APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS 49
Hyundai Recalling 2011-12 Sonata Hybrids For Rear Seat Belt
A recall of 2011–2012 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid cars was issued by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on March 8. According to the report, more than 14,700 of the Hyundai hybrid vehicles have rear center seat belts which fail to meet federal safety standards. However, Hyundai believes it doesn’t need to fix the seat belt issue with all Sonata hybrids—or notify all affected Sonata owner, as required by the usual federal safety recall procedures, due to the fact that the issue only affects Sonata hybrids manufactured after December 2010. According to the federal safety agency claims both the lap and shoulder portions of the rear center seat belts disconnect when occupants press the 3-point safety belt’s unlock mechanism—a violation of safety
standards. According to Consumer Reports, Hyundai claims it will fix the rear center seat belt issue in the approximately 1,633 new Sonata Hybrids still in dealer’s lots. But the company has filed a petition with the agency to not fix the approximately 13,095 hybrids already in owners’ hands “on the basis that the non-compliance described is inconsequential as it relates to motor vehicle safety,” said the NHTSA recall notice. Until NHTSA reviews and denies the Hyundai petition, Sonata Hybrid owners will not receive any notification from Hyundai that their vehicle may have this safety issue and that a fix is available. Owners can stay on top of federal safety recalls regarding their vehicles by subscribing to NHTSA e-mail alerts from the agency’s website: www.SaferCar.gov.
Montana Collision Repair Specialists’ Legislative Record by Janet Cheney
The Montana Collision Repair Specialists is an active association that is experiencing growth in membership this year. The association’s spring meeting is in Great Falls in April. Guest speakers will be Steve Bullock, Montana Attorney General, who recently announced his candidacy for Governor, and Jesse Laslovich, Chief Counsel for the Montana Securities and Insurance Division, who has announced his candidacy for Montana Attorney General. This association has a strong legislative history. Their most recent legislative victory was in 2010 when a bill was passed that ‘prohibits insurers from disregarding a cost item identified by an estimating system.’ In October of 2011, Montana State Auditor, (Insurance Commissioner),
sent an Advisory Memorandum to all Property and Casualty Insurers doing business in the State of Montana, advising them of the law and stating possible fines. MCRS Past President, Max Yates, owner of Yates Body Shop in Butte, Montana has served region, HD 74, as State Representative for the last two years. Representative Yates has also announced his candidacy to continue his seat in the State Legislature in 2012/13. For a state as large as Montana, this association stays very connected through telephone calls and email and jobber support. Fall and Spring Meetings are well attended, hosting at least 80 people. Many shop owners will drive 7-8 hours to attend a meeting. Membership is almost at 100 shops out of about 225 in the state. Not bad for a state that has more cows than people!
275,000 Subaru Forester SUVs From 2009–2012 Recalled For Rear Seat Belts Failing to Lock Properly
Subaru of America is recalling 275,000 Forester vehicles from the 2009 to 2012 model years. The models have rear center seat belt systems which do not meet federal safety standards and could inhibit the proper installation of child safety seats, said the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
NHTSA also says the automatic locking retractors in the rear center seat positions of the recalled Subaru Foresters do not lock properly. This increases the risk of injury to passengers sitting in that seat position during a collision. The seat belt flaw could prevent the proper installation of child safety seats in the rear cen-
ter section of Subaru Forester vehicles. Subaru will notify owners of Forester SUVs, manufactured from November 2007 to March 2012, who may be impacted by this federal safety recall in mid-April. Owners will be instructed to bring their recalled Foresters to local dealerships where mechanics there will
replace the rear center seat belt assembly with a new, modified automatic locking retractor for free. Consumers can call Subaru's toll-free customer support line (800-782-2783) regarding the recall campaign identification number WQA-37. Consumers can also visit the NHTSA website, www.SaferCar.gov.
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copy of the Consent Decree to the State do business in Des Moines. Color All tionship with the DOI and Governor’s of Iowa and asked, ‘What are you going is a franchise that promotes collision office in Iowa and will move forward When Tom O’Mara, an Iowa shop to do about it? This is still enforceable.” repair work done in a parking lot under this year on the Governor’s request. result ofus thisyour meeting, the Governor owner, was told by an insurance com- As a Give This association hosting the to a tent. ICRA has been the introduced to the opinion on matters affecting industry. Want toisContribute pany that they were only going to pay requested that the Iowa Department of legislative process at the State Capital Midwest Auto Body Trade Show, him $52 an hour, even though his labor Insurance research three business prac- in Des Moines, working with the Na- March 28 at Prairie Meadows, in the www.autobodynews.com rate is $56, he became “mad as heck and tices in Iowa: collision repair labor rates, tional Federation of Independent Busi- Des Moines area. Admission is free, of storage. ness State Manager, Andy Warren. was notCHECK going to take it anymore.” He steering, and non payment there are management, technical trainpublisher@au publisher@autobodynews.com IT OUT! called the vehicle owner and read the This was last September. In December last year, six Board ing, and product demos. Over 50 venThis story made national news in Members of the Iowa Collision Repair dors are participating. We are very state law to him. The law in Iowa says that if the insurer writes an estimate or USA Today and may have helped open Association (ICRA) met with Iowa In- excited about this event. It is going to your has one written for them, and the repair a line of communication between Iowa surance Commissioner, Susan Voss and have great productPromote displays and lotsbusines of costs more than the estimate, the insurer collision repairers and the governor’s approximately twenty representatives of show specials andandoor prizes. article fe exclusive must pay the difference. The vehicle office. the insurance companies. The DOI recMost Iowa Community College your products or ser In only a few years, the ICRA has owner called insurer and insisted they Collision Repair programs will also ognized the association as representaTothe advertise To advertise The source for timely pay O’Mara’s bill. ThenSales O’Mara and asked at:have booths and bring their students to call Advertising at:called become an established and recognized tive of the collision callindustry Joe Momber information thateducaevery them to assist with the labor rate survey the show. Also, three of our dealership that supports the Iowa Governor’s office repeatedly state organization 800-699-8251 800-699-8251 shopnetworking. needs! in the next 30 days. and industry until he got a face to face meeting with tion, training,body Against the recom- members are bringing hot new cars to e-mail: Governor Terry Branstad. O’Mara had mendation of the ICRA, ae-mail: labor rate sur- the show room floor. Admission is free CALL: Joe Momber for advertising@autobodynews.com jmomber@autobodynews.com CALL 800-699-8251 to convince the governor’s aide first be- Sales Tax vey was done in that short period of and the ICRA is anticipating a great Reimbursement Legislation fore getting a meeting with the governor. Due to the abbreviated legislative ses- time and results have not yet been and enthusiastic crowd.800-699-825 www.autobodynews.com www.autobodynews.com Start Your He showed him estimates and letters he sion at the State For more information contact: Capital in DesFREE Moines posted. This is a work in process and we Mail claims revealed insurer threats against in 2011, the ICRASubscription. Sales Tax Legislation are looking for a better working rela- www.iowacra.com him, the last three years’ worth of price was tabled. Representative Tom Sands increases he has had to endure, and a has been working closely with ICRA copy of the 1963 ConsentSee Decree. “I NEW lobbyist Scott Weiser and has committhe Register Your Email for Our highlighted everything in the Consent ted that this initative will be first in line Decree that the insurers agreed not to do in the legislative docket in 2012. anymore,” O’Mara said. “I let them In 2008 ICRA stopped the Color know this is the thirdwww.autobodynews.com time I’ve given a All franchise from getting licensed to at www.autobodynews.com by Janet Cheney
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Bobby Alloway’s 5 Essential Tips for Achieving a Flawless Black Finish Bobby Alloway loves the color black. Alloway, who has been building and painting hot rods for years, was named the 2011 Autorama Builder of the Year at the 59th Detroit Autorama earlier this year. The award was just the latest in a long series of coveted accolades for the painter, including Goodguys’ Street Rod and Street Machine of the Year, the Don Ridler Memorial Bobby Alloway Award, America’s Most Beautiful Roadster, plus countless others. He was inducted into the Rod & Custom Hall of Fame in 2004. “It s rich, classy and doesn’t ‘hurt’ any car,” says Bobby. “No one ever says, ‘that s an ugly color’ when it s black.” Some painters avoid black because of its reputation for being unforgiving in calling attention to even the tiniest of flaws. Alloway maintains that the prep and painting process should be the same, regardless of whether the car is red, blue, white or
black. What is the secret to his flawless finishes? “The key is to not be in a hurry,” says Bobby. “Don’t take any shortcuts.” Here are some tips from the master himself:
per. “This is where most people make their mistake,” says Bobby. “They’re afraid they’ll remove too much material by using the coarse paper. You want to flatten it out so that all that’s left is sand scratches.
Tip 2: Choose the right black color. Bobby uses PPG Deltron®, and is currently a big fan of DCC9300 for single stage work and DBC9700 when using basecoat. “It s a rich black,” says Bobby. “It s also friendly to use and isn’t prone to ‘printing’ (the kind of unwanted imprint that can occur when you set a panel aside on a towel or rag).” For clearcoat, Bobby’s process includes PPG Concept® DCU2002. Where two to three coats of clear are recommended, Bobby and his team will apply additional coats.
This is where having five or six coats of material is essential, since three to four of them may be sanded off in certain areas.”
Tip 1: “Make sure the car is straight as an arrow,” says Bobby. He follows this rule religiously regardless of the paint color.
Tip 3: Get the fat out (aka any ‘orange peel’),” using 600 grit sandpaRX-8 2012
Tip 4: Sand single parts or panels using sanding blocks of varying sizes and shapes. Alloway’s hot rod shop uses many styles of blocks, but will also make a new one if needed for the project. “This doesn’t have to be expensive,” says Bobby, “You can make
them yourself depending on what you need.”
Tip 5: Sand, sand and sand some more. Follow the 600 grit with 800, 1000, 1200, 1500, 2000 and 2500 grit sandpaper. Do not skip a single step! Whereas three to four days of sanding might be typical, it is not uncommon for a vehicle in Bobby’s shop to be sanded for several weeks. The Alloway process requires a flow coat of DCU2002 which is sanded and buffed. For more information about Bobby Alloway, please visit www.allowaysrodshop.com. For more information about the products mentioned in this article, please see www.ppg.com.
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Fax 908-851-5631
718-626-7200 718-721-9100
Nucar Connection Wholesale Parts Distributors
Fax 717-569-0641
New Castle
M-F 8-6; Sat 8-5
Fax 718-626-1427
M-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 8-1
800-633-6606
www.mazdaoempartssuperstore.com
www.koeppelmazda.com
nineofdiamonds@comcast.net
www.nucarparts.com
Wayne Mazda Wayne
973-646-0333 Fax 973-694-1700 M-F 7:30-6; Sat 7:30-4 Largest Collision Inventory in North New Jersey Order your Genuine Mazda Parts from one of these parts specialists in your area. 52 APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Shop Showcase
Janet Chaney has been involved in the collision industry as shop owner and business consultant. She serves her clients through Cave Creek Business Development. Contact her at jchaney.cavecreek@gmail.com.
Class Auto Center: An Aptly Named First Class Operation with Janet Cheney
the ground up in 1990 by owner Ray Neveau. Neveau’s first shop was a very small two-bay shop in a dead end alley in Long Beach, however his impeccable reputation brought customers to his door. Erik Sumen was a ‘surfer’ kid who loved cars and knew of Neveau’s reputation, being very much in awe of him. Erik was fixing jet skis at home in his garage, when he found Ray Neveau in his little shop in the alley. Erik eagerly went to work for Ray as the ‘donut boy.’ Neveau then built Class Auto Center and their relationship has built this Erik Sumen outside the new Global Collision Center at business to where it stands VW of Garden Grove, CA tall today. This unique, upscale repair fabeacon to L.A. traffic on the 405 Freeway. The facility was built from cility does all the estimating, book-
Class Auto Center in Long Beach, California is aptly named—truly a first class operation. This 15,000 square foot shop stands out like a
keeping and management of the operation upstairs. As you walk into the hi-tech waiting room, customers are welcomed by a customer service rep-
The aluminum room at Class Auto Center in Long Beach
resentative and seated in a quiet and clean environment, while the business of running this business is done up stairs. Even parts are managed upstairs and moved by a freight elevator that ascends to the parts room and de-
NEW YORK
Metric Subaru
Huntington (631) 858-0316 Mon.-Fri. 7:30-5:30; Sat. 8-5 dave.metricparts@gmail.com www.metric-subaru.com
scends into a corner of the production area. There are no Direct Repair Relationships with insurance companies at Class Auto Center. They have strong relationships with their dealership partners and take excellent care of their mutual customers. This shop pays close attention to all details and they have a high customer return rate. Class Auto Center proudly has earned Manufacturer Certification from Mercedes Benz, Audi, Porsche and a a special Certification for the Nissan GT-R. The 15 trained technicians at Class Auto Center have the best manufacturer certified equipment available for them. They exclusively use Celette, the only fully authorized unibody and frame structure repair system for high end European motor cars. They use the new See Class, Page 61
NEW JERSEY
Liberty Subaru
Emerson (888) 782-9493 (201) 261-3261 Fax Mon.-Fri. 7:30-6 parts@libertysubaru.com www.libertysubaru.com
Lynnes Subaru
Bloomfield (800) 782-7597 (973) 429-3193 Fax Mon.-Fri. 7:30-6; Sat. 7:30-2 www.lynnessubaru.com The following dealerships are eager to serve your needs. Call your local Subaru collision parts specialist today! www.autobodynews.com | APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS 53
The Levan Group—Where Crash and Mechanical Parts Intersect line, every company starts looking harder for the “new, new thing”. By It’s like water and oil; church and being a one-stop parts source and exstate—the Democrats and the Repubpanding their inventories, companies licans. For many decades, there have are increasing profits and building a always been two disparate sources for larger, more loyal customer base. collision and mechanical parts. But The Levan Group, Inc. has been now, still mired in an economy that is in business for two decades and has improving but lagging, aftermarket five locations in California and Texas, parts distributors are starting to think so owner Kenny Levan has seen the outside the parts box and adding me- collision parts industry change and reinvent itself on many levels. That’s why he began incorporating mechanical parts into his collision inventory within the last several years. “We’re always looking for ways to increase our revenue, because once you rely totally on certain types of parts, you’re limiting yourself,” Levan said. “We discovered that our body shop customers want certain mechanical parts to supplement Inside Sales Rep Leo Puentes, Owner/Manager Kenny Levan and Sales Rep Andrew Knowles market a wide range of their crash parts. It’s a matter of both collision and mechanical parts at the Levan Group convenience and if we can chanical parts to their collision inven- match the prices they’re finding elsetory and vice versa. When ancillary where, it’s an easy decision for them.” revenue becomes vital to the bottom By offering a limited range of meby Ed Attanasio
chanical parts, such as radiators, lamps, window regulators, shocks, brake parts and struts, for example, the Levan Group has attracted a new group of customers, including nearby mechanical shops, walk-in cash customers and
more chemicals, clears, bondo and sand paper (he does not sell paint), we are appealing more and more to the growing DIY part of our overall business.” Owned and operated by six brothers, Kenny, Michael, Brandon, Andy, Harry, and Henry; each Levan oversees one location while Andy works at all five warehouses when required. It’s a hardworking family that came to the United States from Vietnam 33 years ago. In 1988, they started the Levan Group with little capital but lots of sweat, Levan said. “I came to this country Kenny Levan runs the San Jose, Calif. location for The when I was 13 and I always Levan Group. He started selling collision repair parts in tell people, I started working addition to his mechanical inventory to better cater to the do-it-yourself market and body shops looking for a the minute I got off that boat one-stop solution and haven’t stopped yet,” he a whole new business segment they said. “It’s a family business, so we had never tapped into before—the domake the decisions together and we it-yourself (DIY) market. work as a team. We’re always think“The DIY customers are starting to ing of new ways to make our company save money by doing repairs they better, and adding parts or supplies to would not consider before,” Levan said. our inventory has turned out to be a “Now, we get about 30% of our busiwise move. We carry mechanical parts ness from these people. And by adding at all of our Bay Area locations and tC 2011
ALL THE AUTHENTIC WHOLESALE SCION All The Genuine Lexus Parts You Need For That Trouble Free Repair, And Lexus Finish! These Dealers Below Are Genuine Lexus Parts Distributors:
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Thompson Lexus Doylestown
267-898-3333 (215) 230-3397 Fax www.1800THOMPSON.com
54 APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
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Atlantic Scion
Lancaster Scion
631-789-2041 Fax
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AMITYVILLE
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will be expanding to include Sacramento very soon. By the end of 2012, all of our Northern California locations will have collision and mechanical parts, as well as shop supplies.” Other parts distributors have merged collision and mechanical parts and seen it lead to more profits and additional customers as well. SSF Imported Auto Parts in South San Francisco is such a business, marketing both mechanical and collision parts with good results, according to Bill Foxworthy, the company’s Collision Parts Director. “When business slows down, both mechanical and collision shops start looking around for new sources of income,” Foxworthy explained. “Body shops obviously need mechanical parts to complete a lot of their repairs and more and more people are buying salvaged cars, fixing them up and re-selling them, especially with a lot of the higher-end imported vehicles we sell parts for.” SSF sells a fair amount of front end parts, water pumps, fans, bearings, condensers, wheel components and air conditioning parts to body shops. Conversely, mechanical shops are buying
more headlights, grill, emblems and other accessory-type body parts as needed, according to Foxworthy. It’s hit-and-miss and tough to track, but Foxworthy knows that SSF is providing a value-added feature by offering both. SSF sells collision parts for 80% of the car nameplates they also sell mechanical parts for, including BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volkswagen, Audi, Mini Cooper, Saab and Volvo.
Bill Foxworthy is the Collision Parts Director at SSF Auto Parts, a company that sells both mechanical and collision aftermarket parts for brands such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volkswagen, Audi, Mini Cooper, Saab and Volvo
“Sure, our mechanical lines are our bread and butter,” he said. “But we’re starting to see that the two types are slowly morphing together, so we
realize that we need to keep selling both. When business starts lagging, we see a spike in collision parts sales, so we know it’s a necessary part of what we’re selling. We’re in an age of convenience and shops realize time is money. If they can improve cycle times as a result, it’s a win-win, definitely.” Foxworthy has been in parts for several decades, so he has seen the parts industry change with the Internet and other technological advances, he said. “The auto repair industry has seen a lot of drastic changes, but in other ways they’ve been reluctant to change. Selling both mechanical and collision parts would be a logical alternative, especially when we’re all fighting for that extra dollar. But, it’s not the traditional way of doing things, so aftermarket distributors aren’t going that way. The overall attitude is we’re not going to change something that’s already working. But, we all know that’s shortsighted thinking.” By incorporating aftermarket collision parts into their inventory mix, Midway Aftermarket in Kansas City, Missouri has benefitted by the resurgence in the DIY market while appealing to body shops that want a mix
of recycled parts coupled with new aftermarket parts, Marketing Director Aimee Studna explained. “For more than 20 years, our salvage yard has been our core business,” she said. “Several years ago, we started identifying a need with our customers who wanted a mixture of recycled parts and aftermarket parts, both collision and some mechanic al parts, mostly air conditioning parts and radiators. Now customers ask about them and we sell them right alongside the crash parts and our recycled inventory. This way they get a mix of new aftermarket and recycled parts, which appeals to a lot of the insurance companies.” Can collision and mechanical parts co-exist together in the same warehouse? Will automotive shops of all types gravitate toward this onestop shopping approach to acquiring parts and how will the OEM’s react when it starts becoming more than just a minor trend? Stay tuned, because we’ve learned that if money is involved, people will adapt and quickly change their ways of thinking in the pursuit of increased profits and a bigger piece of the overall parts pie.
See these Hyundai dealers below for all your collision parts needs! NEW JERSEY
Hyundai Genesis 2012
QUALITY IS ALL WE THINK ABOUT. THAT AND QUALITY.
NEW YORK
Maxon Hyundai
Sport Hyundai
UNI ON
EGG HARBO R TOWN SH IP
Plaza Hyundai BROOKLYN
800-964-7281
877-594-5727
718-253-8400
908-851-5631 Fax
609-484-8983 Fax
347-492-8156 Fax
Mon-Fri 8am - 6pm Sat 8am - 5pm
Mon-Fri 7:30am - 5:30pm Sat 7:30am - 3pm
cisco@plazacars.com www.plazaautomall.com
www.hyundaioempartssuperstore.com
shawnm@sporthyundaidodge.com
Vision Hyundai Wayne Hyundai Auto Mall
800-295-7977
WAYNE
585-292-9724 Fax
973-646-0333
Mon-Fri 8am - 8pm Sat 8am - 4pm
973-694-1700 Fax Mon-Fri 7:30am - 6pm Sat 7:30am - 4pm
ROCHE STER
www.visionhyundai.com
Largest Collision Inventory in North New Jersey
www.autobodynews.com | APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS 55
Parts Profiles
Larry Williams is an innovative parts manager with national awards and over 30 years of experience in creating and managing profitable departments. He can be reached for consultation at ljoew2@gmail.com. To read all his columns go to http://www.autobodynews.com/columnists/williams-larry.html
Maxon Hyundai-Mazda: Father-to-Son Dealership Serves NJ and NY Maxon Hyundai-Mazda of Union, professional, this man knows the Swanson can be found making delivSix drivers are constantly delivNew Jersey is this month’s recomvalue of customer relationships, and eries to provide that extra personal ering parts, and five countermen are Automaker Actions and Announcements with Larry Williams
mended wholesale dealer. This dealer wants your business. with Jeremy Hayhurst services all of New Jersey, and parts Rick has been managing this of New York as well. This is another store since 1986, the start of Hyundai family store, a father-to-son dealerin the U.S.A. Maxon added Mazda in ship for over 60 years. A million dol1993. We talked about the improvelar inventory provides same day ments and the growth of both compaservice for most orders, and next day nies over the last twenty years. Rick withstandard Jeremy Hayhurst ordering is of course procesaid Hyundai wants to be known as dure. Open Monday through Friday, the manufacturer with the most loyal from 8 to 6 and Saturday from 8 to 5. customers while Mazda appeals to All of us in the automotive inthose that want to go Zoom-Zoom. If dustry have been aware of the con- you look in Rick’s driveway you’ll stant improvements in the products, find both products parked there! by every manufacturer. Warranty reRick uses every resource, includpairs have steadily decreased, scheding the internet to create business. uled maintenance has been reduced, Three internet sites accept orders that and as a result, customer retail and are shipped all over the country. He wholesale business has gotten more believes in the value of personal conimportant. tact, believing every one of his men is I talked to Rick Weber, the parts also a sales representative. When he is director, and was very impressed with not visiting customers as the Maxon his positive attitude. An experienced Wholesale representative, Justin
Autobody Tech
I-CAR Tech
touch. Rick himself will also take time to make a delivery, just to have that important face-to-face contact. Rick believes in using all forms of advertising, making sure that the Maxon Hyundai Mazda is a name that is remembered by the repair industry. He promotes business by using magazines such as Autobody News, and even direct mail. Rick manned their booth at the annual NORTHEAST automotive trade show all weekend just for the opportunity to meet and greet his customers. In order to devote more time to the wholesale business, he delegated his shop and internal sales to a separate manager, JP Pascual, who also handles the Mazda inventory. Rick wants the Maxon name to be the first thought whenever Hyundai or Mazda parts are needed, and it looks like he will succeed.
OUR PART S IN THE T R AINE D HANDS O F A P RO F Amaradio Explains CRA E S SI O N Lee Amaradio Jr. Togeth GMwith Parts
available for incoming orders. Not just order takers, over a hundred years of experience is available to their customers. If business continues to improve more employees will be added to crew. Awards for this parts department include twenty consecutive years in Hyundai’s Million Dollar Club, membership in AASP/NJ, and annual participation in the NORTHEAST Automotive Show. Rick also did a five year stint in the Mazda Service & Parts Advisory Board and has been a member of the Hyundai Parts Performance Guild nearly every year since 1992. This dedication to expanding his business is an example to others who also want to increase their wholesale revenue, another proof that the business is out there, you just have to want See Maxon, Next Page
AL
er it’s a M asterpiece!
Finish Second to None.
Consumer Callout New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
Healey Chevrolet
Royal Cadillac
Arnold Palmer Motors, Inc.
845-298-8040 Fax
973-538-6978 Fax
724-537-7289 Fax
M-F 7:30 am - 5:00 pm Sat 8:00 am - 4:00 pm www.healeybrothers.com
M-F 7:00 am - 5:00 pm We Service Complete GM Line Chevy, GMC, Buick, Pontiac, Hummer and Saturn parts@royalcadillachummer.com www.onlyroyal.com
M, Th 8:00 am - 8:00 pm Tu, W, F 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Sat 8:00 am - 2:00 pm Apm.parts@verizon.net www.Arnoldpalmermotors.com
845-298-1255 POUGHKEEPSIE
973-845-3014 FLORHAM PARK
ALL OEM Information with Dan Espersen
56 APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
800-276-6867 LATROBE
2012 Ridler® Award Winner Features BASF’s Glasurit® Paint The 2012 Ridler® Award winner announced at Detroit Autorama® February 26 was the 1955 Ford T-Bird, owned by Dwayne Peace of Tyler, Texas. The car was painted with BASF’s Glasurit® 90-Line™ Brilliant Red waterborne paint.
The 2012 Ridler Award Winner from Detroit Autorama is the 1955 Ford T-Bird owned by Dwayne Peace featuring BASF’s Glasurit 90-Line Brilliant Red paint
“BASF’s Glasurit paint has been on six of the last 11 Ridler award winners,” said Vitor Margaronis, Marketing Director, BASF Coatings Solutions, North America. “We’re very proud of this achievement and the quality of our products.”
The list of products used to paint the car included Glasurit’s Epoxy 801-72, Polyester Filler1006-26, 90Line Waterborne Basecoat and HS Multi Clear 923-155. A total of 64 vehicles competed for the coveted award at the Detroit Autorama. Vehicles are judged based on three criteria: creativity, engineering and workmanship. “The execution of the plan and the quality of the build were outstanding,” said Butch Patrico, Cochairman of the Detroit Autorama and Ridler judging supervisor. Patrico also said the process for this build was similar to what a major manufacturer would do to build a prototype. “This was not a normal build. He didn’t follow a cookie cutter process.” The car was painted by Jacob Edens and Jeff Greening of Greening Auto Company in Nashville, Tennessee. “The entire painting process took about six months,” said Jesse Greening. “The color helped it show very well.” The Ridler award is named after Don Ridler, who started promoting
Genuine Nissan and Infiniti OEM Wholesale Parts are superbly crafted to strict quality standards. The following dealers proudly stock genuine parts. Call your local distributor today!
Autorama in the 1950s. With his expertise, Autorama became one of the top hot rod shows in the country. Following Ridler’s passing in 1963, a decision was made to create an award to honor his memory. The Ridler award has been given out to the best new creations since 1964. Cars must be shown for the first time to be eligible for the award. To learn more about BASF refinish products visit: www.basfrefinish.com. Continued from Previous Page
Maxon
it bad enough, and be willing to put out the extra effort. Ken, Hector, Mason, Pat, Justin, JP, and Rick are all waiting to fill your next Hyundai or Mazda order. Just dial 800-YES-MAXON. You’ll be glad you did!
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Shift into Genuine Nissan and Infiniti OEM Parts
Highway Safety
formance measures and targets for state highway safety improvement programs to reduce serious injuries and fatalities on highways. In addition, the bill authorizes highway safety research programs, including data collection, crash reduction projections, low-cost safety measures and safety policy studies. The House version of a highway bill currently has no new auto safety provisions. House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) has said the House will not consider the five-year, $260 www.autobodynews.com billion proposal to fund highways, but CHECK IT OUT! will consider a shorter-term bill.
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Finish it like a Masterpiece To advertise call Advertising Sales at:
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2012 GT-R
Continued from Front Page
See the N
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parts@infinitimbg.com www.infinitiofmechanicsburg.com
See the NEW
To advertise P E N N S Y L VA N I A Sean Hartman at: call
Autobody News Website 800-699-8251
e-mail: www.autobodynews.com Mercedes-Benz of Mercedes-Benz of shartman@autobodynews.com Fort Washington West Chester
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To advertise www.mboffortwashington.com call Sean Hartman at:
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www.autobodynews.com www.autobodynews.com | APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS 57
I-CAR Tech
This article first appeared in the I-CAR Advantage Online, which is published and distributed free of charge. I-CAR, the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair, is a not-for-profit international training organization that researches and develops quality technical education programs related to collision repair. To learn more about I-CAR, and to subscribe to the free publication, visit http://www.i-car.com.
Oil Spill at the I-CAR Tech Centre in Appleton, WI, Raises Awareness A small motor oil spill incident at the I-CAR Tech Centre in Appleton, Wisconsin in the spring of 2011 has raised our awareness of the many considerations involved with a material spill into the environment. What started as an accidental collision between a snowplow and a 55-gallon drum of
with the melting snow. A rainstorm further aggravated the situation. The company that provided the snow plowing offered to immediately come in and dig out all of the contaminated soil and stone, take it to a local landfill, and replace it with fresh new material. The offer was put on hold while we sought legal and other professional advice. We were informed with Lee Amaradio Jr. that because we discovered the contamination and it was on our property, we were responsible for immediate containment to minimize environmental impact. We were also responsible for addressing possible downstream contamination. A local civil engineering and enFigure 1 - The spill was discovered in the vironmental firm was hired to assess spring after the snow melt the spill. Their observation showed waste oil on an adjoining property re“visual and olfactory evidence of pesulted in an experience we would troleum contamination.” That initial never want to repeat. observation was verified by a core There were several steps and desampling. It was recommended that cisions that had to be made to assure wood chips and hay bales be layered proper cleanup. What was more on the visible spill areas in an attempt stressful than what we knew about the to contain it (see Figure 2). The engiincident was what was unknown. How neering firm added a ten-foot abfar had the spill traveled? Was the sorbent boom to the containment groundwater contaminated? What efforts. They were also required to inpublic agencies might have to be inform the Wisconsin Department of volved? How much was this all going Natural Resources Regional Spills to cost? Coordinator. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources was the only public with Dan Espersen agency that had to be involved with the incident. Numerous photographs were taken of the site, including aerial photographs. An early concern was that the oil had leaked into a ditch containing surface water (see Figure 3). Whether the oil had contaminated any groundwater was unknown until Figure 2 - Sawdust and hay bales were first weeks later.
Amaradio Explains CRA
Consumer Callout
ALL OEM Information
added to the site for containment
The Right Cause
We thought we’d share our expeCleanup rience to perhaps benefit another faA couple weeks after the initial obserMikea similar Causey vation, it was agreed that the snow cility that mightwith encounter incident. plowing company that first made the offer to remove the spill would be allowed to do so, but only under the Discovery and Initial Steps The spill was discovered in mid-April guidance and direction of the civil enas the snow melted (see Figure 1). A gineering and environmental firm. 55-gallon drum of motor oil in a parkExcavation began in May. Due to ing lot near the Tech Centre property the electrical and telecommunications was damaged by a snowplow during underground conflicts, it all had to be the winter. Some 30 gallons of spilled dug out by hand (see Figure 4). Nearly oil was carried off the pavement along six tons of soil were excavated,
loaded, and sent to a qualified landfill. The depth of the excavation varied, but it was no deeper than 6". By late May, the spill was entirely contained. By early June, all affected soil was removed. This had to be confirmed by another round of soil samples.
Figure 3 - There was a fear that the spill had migrated into a nearby drainage ditch
with Janet Chaney
Suggestions for a Similar Issue In case a facility encounters a similar issue, we can only suggest being forthright with the environmental authorities. It will do no good to try and hide the incident or ignore the issue. Contact the local agency and ask, “What do I need to do about an outdoor oil spill?” Similar to a vehicle owner involved in their first collision, a facility owner doesn’t know what to do when an accident occurs. We took the initiative to contact the local engineering firm to do a core sample. We then asked the firm what do we do next? Their advice was to take every effort to contain the spill. Being upfront about the incident is always the best approach.
The final 13-page report by the civil engineering and environmental firm, in color and spiral bound, contained the entire testimony since the firm was hired. An appendix included all the photos, lab analysis charts, and Conclusion statements from everyone involved. The affair required us to collaborate The firm’s final observation was with legal, engineering, and environsummed up in the statement: “Given mental firms that we had little or no the amount of oil released and the amount of contaminated material hauled away, the environment has been restored to the extent practicable.” The excavated area had to be backfilled with clean topsoil and seeded. The snow plowing company handled all the expenses for the spill cleanup, except for the initial core sampling that IFigure 4 - The excavation had to be done by hand due to CAR had authorized on its the obstructions in the area own. One of the last steps was receivcontact with previously. As it turned ing a final signoff from the Wisconsin out, the spill did not contaminate surDepartment of Natural Resources Rerounding groundwater. It was congional Spills Coordinator. That twotained and cleaned up in a relatively page report did not come until weeks short time. We hope this story of our after the final engineering report was experience will help whatever conprinted and delivered. The DNR retaminant spill situation you may enport stated that the spill was cleaned counter. up to the extent practicable, and no further cleanup is needed. The groundwater was not contaminated. The spill had not migrated into the drainage ditch. It was also noted that www.autobodynews.com no citations had to be issued in conCHECK IT OUT! nection with the spill. Final landscap-
Automaker Actions and Announcements
58 APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
ing of the area could then begin. The final cost to I-CAR was much less than what we had feared.
UPDATE on Tow-for-Pay Scam, “Evangelist Jerry Bratt” and “Jacqueline Harris” Last month we reported on the tow for pay scam going around and several more body shops contacted ABN to thank and update us. The invitation comes by FAX or from a deaf-services
basic scenario is that their car needs to be towed from another state to be fixed at your shop. But they need you to pay the tow bill before the car can be delivered. Several shops have received faxes
visit their mother. The fax also asks for the address of your shop. For example, Sherry at California Auto Body in San Diego, CA, received a fax from “Jacqueline Harris”
relay call. The relay call operator will call you and say a deaf person has need for your services. Calls have been reported in California, Florida and Georgia. Some names have changed but the
from someone using the names “Evangelist Jerry Bratt” or “Jacqueline Harris” repeating the basic scenario saying they had an accident in a Cadillac Escalade on their way to Kansas or to
on March 13 stating the same set up as the Jerry Bratt scam. The fax she received came from a number with a Dallas, TX, area code, but the faxes have not all come from the same num-
ber or area code. The scammer expects shops to pay a tow bill over a $1000 and they tell you the “wrecker” will only accept a moneygram. Sometimes they also request a credit card. Paula Chipman at GTA Auto Body in Chatsworth, CA, received the fax on the right. In the deaf or disabled relay version of the scam, Vivian from Chico, CA, reported that she had received this scam relay call: “This person had a similar scenario, they were from my town traveling to Texas in a 2008 Escalade and had an accident. After I asked for the tower’s phone number so I could contact them directly, she disconnected from the call. When I called AT&T they said the call was generated from a computer and there was nothing they could do about it. They could be in another country. This is not only a scam but a terrible way to use a disability as a means to rip people off.” Don’t fall prey but alert us if you receive this fax or are otherwise contacted. The reported sending fax numbers: 202-204-0669, 469-519-0414 and 678-250-9047.
www.autobodynews.com | APRIL 2012 AUTOBODY NEWS 59
Verifacts Symposium Recognizes Achievement, Industry Unknowns, and Negotiation teacher?” After the expected and silent answer of ‘no,’ Delmege answered his The fourth annual Verifacts Automo- own question: “No one remembers his tive Fix it Right/Fix It Smart Sympo- name, yet he unlocked the intellectual key that changed the world.” sium, was held February 23–24, at the This simple question set the tone spectacular Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort in Dana Point, California. This as Delmege invited the attendees to challenge conventional thought and invitation-only symposium was atexplore the future. The international tended by 350 collision professionals including shop owners, insurers, and line up of speakers and panelists came prepared to do that. related industry partners. A most unusual and gratifying segment of the Symposium was Verifacts recognition of other industries who have a proven commitment of quality and excellence. Dr. David Spong, who retired as President of Boeing Aerospace Support, is the only two-time recipient of the Malcolm Baldrige National (l to r) Larry Jeffries, CARSTAR Canada, Stacy Bartnik Quality Award, the only forCARSTAR USA, and Farzam Afshar, CEO of Verifacts Automotive at the NABC display mal recognition of the perIndustry veteran Dale Delmege formance excellence of both the was Master of Ceremonies for theday public and private U.S. organizations, and a half event. In opening the event receiving said awards from Presidents Delmege asked if anyone remembered Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. The the name of Albert Einstein’s math Baldridge Award is given by the Presby Janet Cheney
COLLISION REPAIR EPAIR PROFESSIONALS
Wanted.
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ident of the United States. Dr. William Buchanan, an Orthopedic Surgeon with Kaiser Permanente has been instrumental in pursuing continuous improvement in the organiza-
(l to r) Jeanne Silver CARSTAR Mundelein, Kristen Felder, Collision Hub, and Shawn Collins of 3M, share a moment at the Verifacts Symposium
tion with unprecedented success. Dr. Buchanan also serves as a volunteer on the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Air Rescue Program. Dr. Buchanan brought a video showing an intense display of what the LA Air Rescue people do and how critical systems and procedures are to this process of saving lives. Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca and the Los Angeles Sheriff’s
Department Aero Bureau were recognized for their exemplary Aviation Safety Management System. Verfifacts CEO, Farzam Afshar, recognized these three with the Verifacts “Role Model and Safety Award.” Several presentations followed. Negotiate Like the Pros, by Attorney John Patrick Dolan, was informative, uplifting and much fun. Attendees participated in a brief ‘survey’ identifying certain behavior styles. His message: be Tough, Shrewd and Cool Under Pressure. ‘Don’t roll over and play dead—there are other options.’ Fix it Right/Fix it Smart sounds like a simple formula, yet the challenge of the unknown from every industry segment was recognized. Discussion points revolved around the theme of unprecedented change. Recognizing the ‘firehose’ of information being thrown at the industry and how is this to be assimilated and used effectively, to identifying the balance of cost containment intersecting with new technology. As one industry representative confessed,
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“we are not sure even where we are going.” Selected industry partners displayed innovative products and were available for education and discussion throughout the event. Verifacts CEO, Farzam Afshar and COO, Mark Olson, are cofounders of the company. Their collective experience brings a high level of innovative thought, skills and industry knowledge to Verifacts Mark Olson, Automotive. The Verifacts COO, talks Symposium is a about the smart reflection of their way to fix a car industry message. This Symposium brought together a collaboration of information and an amalgam of industry minds melded together to work towards the ultimate goal of achieving better repairs, better processes, better relationships. In short, a better industry and Verifacts would say, ‘Exposing Excellence in Collision Repair.’ For more information see: www.verifactsauto.com.
Continued from Page 53
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Wielander-Schill Inverter Spot Welder. Two down draft paint booths are in a separate building in a corner of the pie shaped lot , just a few feet from the production building. Two prep stations are in the same building as production. Lead painter, Miguel, is a stickler for detail and expects very high quality from himself and his team of four. They use Spies Hecker exclusively, and recently updated their waterborne technology to
The team at Class Auto Center
the new Spies Hecker Permahyd Hi Tec. Aluminum repair is a condition of most Manufacturer’s Certification. All aluminum repairs must be isolated and completed in a no-contamination environment. Class Auto Class Auto Center in Long Beach has again taken a step towards exceptional quality and built it easy for everyone to follow protocol. their aluminum room in a completely “We follow repair manufacturers recommendations and do the repair right separate building. the first time,” Sumen states with con“We all take pride in what we do,” says Sumen, “we have long term fidence. This year, Sumen and Neveau employees and have built a culture of are tackling a new challenge. They working together.” You could hear the have opened Global Collision Center, located at V.W. of Garden Grove. friendly sound of agreement when This existing shop needed the business model, experience and enthusiwalking through this shop. Sumen asm of this team. The major remodel continues, “We are of this facility has brought it to the Class standard, although Global will family oriented and not be a Certified facility. It will sort things out so we work on all makes and models. can keep things simThere will be no Direct Repair ple in our employRelationships, at this time, at this ees lives.” Class store. The book of business will be Auto has a principled core that makes See Class, Page 63
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Inside Insurance
The Insider is a corporate-level executive with a Top 10 auto insurer in the U.S.. Got a comment or question you’d like to see him address in a future column? Email him at Auto.Insurance.Insider@gmail.com
‘Survival of the Fittest’ Also Applies to Collision Repairers with The Insurance Insider
the Certified program could result in The collision repair industry has too many body shops. I’m not sure anyone an improper repair and compromise would seriously dispute that. The your safety.” sooner we can ridwith ourselves of 15,000 Chasidy Rae Sisk body shops, the better all of us will be. Yes, it’s true, all of us will be far better off. This includes insurance companies, vendors, body shops themselves and consumers. How can wewith make Chasidy this happen Rae at Sisk a faster pace? That may be beyond the limited scope of this mastermind, but it wouldn’t be an Insider article without a recommendation or two, so buckle up and get ready. The car manufacturers should further develop their certification programs and join together as one voice to educate consumers at the point of purchase. “If your car is in an accident, you must take it to an OEM Certified Repair Facility to Sadly, that statement isn’t some guarantee a proper repair. Taking trumped-up idea to scare people. It’s a your vehicle to a body shop outside fact and the motoring public should
Northeast News Shop Showcase
know that while there are more than 35,000 body shops in the country, too small a percentage are prepared to repair aluminum, identify substrates, weld “exotic” metals and use proper-sectioning procedures. The complexities of today’s vehicles provide a significant challenge to repairers. And five years from now, the 2012 vehicles will look like a Model A does today. U n f o r t u n a t e l y, there aren’t a lot of people who fully understand the implications. Most industry pundits will probably tell you that I’m solely referring to the Mom-and-Pop body
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shops as being ill-equipped or lacking in necessary repair information. Au contraire, mon frère…I’m referring to shops that might be just like yours, maybe even most shops. I’m not trying to lose readers, just the shops that are clinging to their outdated business models and procedures like a mother bear to her cub. And since we aren’t likely to see car manufacturers creating sophisticated certification programs that virtually eliminate the bottomfeeders, there is an alternative. One that is probably a little more humane. For the Rhodes Scholars and my fellow Ivy league compadres, I offer you: The Darwin Theory. Yes, a concept so primitive that a caveman could follow along. Flo? Maybe not. It’s a simple but effective concept. Survival of the fittest is surely the answer to the ills of this over-pop-
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ulated industry. If you are from an area where deer are prevalent, you may be able to better relate to my body shop reduction initiative. In many states, deer have become a problem. There are too many deer and not enough predators to keep the population down. The answer to that problem is open season. How does this relate to body shops? I’m not suggesting open season where we shoot the weak and vulnerable. There’s no need to suggest that when we have a natural predator. Consolidators are the ying to the yang, the french to the fry, and the predator on the bottom-feeding body shops. Thankfully, the mega-mighty shops are slowly and steadily eliminating competition from the marketplace. It’s a slow, arduous process but one that will ultimately yield the positive result we all seek (even though you may not know you want it), which is fewer shops. Consolidators receive a substantial number of calls every month from shops looking to sell their businesses. It has become a buyer’s market, and those with capital are licking their chops but patiently
waiting. Why buy today when the price tomorrow is going to be a little cheaper? The Mom-and-Pop shops are dying a slow death, and the longer they wait to sell, the less they are going to get. Most insurance companies are happy to see the attrition of shops, although the rate of decline is less than desirable. This isn’t about eliminating the Mom-and-Pop businesses that we were once the backbone of America and still play a big role. It is about eliminating the undersized deer, the one with a limp and the one that can’t see very well. By eliminating the weak, the larger, more astute operators can continue to grow at a rapid rate. That will raise the overall quality and efficiency of shops in this industry. The shops that can better serve our customer. Ooops, I mean our mutual customer. The Insider is a corporate-level executive with a Top 10 auto insurer in the U.S.. Got a comment or question you’d like to see him address in a www.autobodynews.com future column? Email him at Auto.InCHECK IT OUT! surance.Insider@gmail.com.
Continued from Page 61
Class
built from customer referrals and dealership relationships. They will maintain their commitment of superior quality and customer service that will follow them from Class Auto Center. Global Collision is well equipped with a Chief Ez Liner, down draft spray booth and updated welding equipment. They will also use Spies Hecker waterborne Pernahyd Hi-Tec. Miguel, the lead painter from Class Auto Center will oversee the paint department in the new shop, as well. This facility has great curb appeal on a main thoroughfare in Garden Grove. Class Auto Center is an active member of the California Autobody Association, participating in the
Glendale Foothills Chapter. Erik Sumen also participates on the Governmental Committee for the Collision Industry Conference (CIC). Class Auto keeps its fans apprised with a Facebook page and it looks like there will be more social media for these shops in the future. Inspiring confidence with the customer, their business card reads: ‘Specializing in collision repair and cosmetic care of World Class automobiles.
Class Auto Center 3031 Cherry Avenue Long Beach, California 90807 562-595-6400 www.classautocenter.com
Global Collision Center 10800 Trask Avenue Garden Grove, California 92843 714-638-7444
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