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I-CAR Responds to Associations’ Questions on Repair Standards, Clarifies Stance on OEM Procedures Gaps I-CAR responded to questions posed by repairer associations regarding the training organization’s position on repair standards, as they relate to OEM repair procedures, and I-CAR’s ultimate decision not to take an active role in the identification of gaps in OEM repair procedures and forming a council to foster closing those gaps, something the association’s had requested of ICAR in 2011. In an April 12 letter to I-CAR, the three repairer organizations had questioned I-CAR’s reasons for not accepting this expanded role in the development of repair standards, and
questioned statements made by I-CAR that “seem to suggest a belief within ICAR that not all industry segments support using OEM repair procedures as a standard of repair.” I-CAR responded in the form of a letter addressed to representatives of the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers (AASP), the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS), and the Assured Performance Network. In the latest official response, ICAR reiterated its position that it “firmly believes that OEM collision repair procedures are the industry stanSee I-CAR Clarifies, Page 55
VOL. 3 ISSUE 2 MAY 2013
Repairer-Only Meeting Focuses on Shops’ Response to Key Industry Issues at April CIC Phoenix Meeting by John Yoswick
Insurer-mandated parts procurement systems, and I-CAR’s decision not to follow through with its plans to work with automakers to identify and close the gaps in existing collision repair procedures, dominated discussion at a repairer-only meeting held in Phoenix in April. Aaron Schulenburg, executive director of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists, led the “Repairer Roundtable” meeting, but said it was less tied to any one organization than to an over-arching goal of providing
PAINT AND REFINISH TECHNOLOGIES Second of 2 Issues
GM Wants Dealers to Stock More Service Parts, Parts Managers and Dealers Debate Costs and Discounts
program. GM estimates that the majority of dealerships will spend $6,000 to $10,000 to buy the additional inventory, but worried dealers also believe it may result in buying parts that won’t move as quickly as GM believes, wasting valuable shelf space as well as money. GM rolled out the program April 1 as an incentive designed to improve See GM Dealers’ Parts, Page 55
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General Motors is revamping its service parts program and giving incentives to dealerships to increase their inventory for more same-day repairs and to buy more of those parts directly from the factory, Automotive News recently reported. However dealers and their parts managers have expressed serious concerns about the inventory cost and impact of the Service Lane Parts
repairers a place to discuss and establish objectives without the influence of other industry segments. “I think our industry has become well-informed,” Schulenburg said. “There is a great network of information going in and out of the associations, and from the trade I-CAR Board member press. But just Dusty Womble being informed did not support board decision isn’t enough. We See Repairer Roundtable, Page 45
• Custom Painter Stories, p. 18, 46, 58, 60 • Training and News, p. 6, 10, 12, 22, 24, 36, 37, 44
LIABRA Held March Meeting at Greg and Bill’s Auto Body Shop in Medford, New York The Long Island Auto Body Repairmen’s Association (LIABRA) held its March 19 meeting at Greg and Bill’s Auto Body Shop in Medford, NY. The meeting was held in a Town Hall format with an open forum on claims handling problems and solutions. Members were invited to bring problems and solutions for discussion. Greg and Bill’s Auto Body has been a member and supporter of LIABRA for many years. Greg Smith established Greg and Bill’s in 1967 and it is a familyowned and operated business. Greg and his son Scott, along with a staff of six, take care of the day-today operations and Ed Kizenberger Greg’s wife Phyllis takes care of bookkeeping and finances. LIABRA thanks Greg Smith
and family for providing their beautiful facility for the meeting and Enterprise Rent-A-Car for the food and refreshments. LIABRA Executive Director Ed Kizenberger brought the meeting to order with the reading of an Antitrust Statement and cautioned members that any discussion of prices or repair hours and procedures was not permitted. LIABRA is very sensitive to the Antitrust Laws and Kizenberger reminded members that Body Shop Associations have been put out of business just because of accusations of antitrust violations. Kizenberger distributed a handout of the 30 most violated OHSA standards and gave a brief presentation on OSHA standards and compliance. In general, OSHA will not visit you unless there is a fatality at your shop or a complaint filed against you. See LIABRA March Meeting, Page 42
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