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Five OEM Representatives Explain OEM Certification at NORTHEAST 2016 by Chasidy Rae Sisk
On Saturday, March 19 at NORTHEAST 2016 in Secaucus, NJ, Aaron Clark of Assured Performance Network moderated “Body Certification and You: An OEM Panel Discussion.” The panel shared information about each OEM’s requirements and
Aaron Clark of Assured Performance moderated
goals in addition to answering attendees’ questions. It was comprised of representatives from five different automotive manufacturers: Mark Mandle from Ford, Brian Wayne of Chrysler, American Honda’s Gary Ledoux, Mark Zoba from Nissan, and Audi’s Mark Allen. Each OEM representative began with a brief explanation of the company’s certification program. First, Allen explained that since Audi began using different materials in 2007, such as aluminum and high-strength steel, they realized they needed a network of shops that have been trained to properly repair their vehicles and have access to the necessary tools to do so. Since then, they have developed a See OEM Panel, Page 50
Repairer Driven News Notes Hyundai is an Exception in Not Providing OEM Collision Repair Instruction
“We want our customers to know we have their well-being in mind after they have been in a collision,” Hyundai customer satisfaction Executive Vice President Frank Ferrara said last year. “Hyundai owners benefit from this program through the assurance that centers will ensure the fit, finish, durability, safety and value of the vehicles being repaired. Having a network of recognized shops is critical to make sure our cars are repaired properly.” See Hyundai Repairs, Page 22
Change Service Requested
P.O. BOX 1516, CARLSBAD, CA 92018
Since 2015 Hyundai has had a “Recognized Collision Repair Center” network administered by Assured Performance to indicate which body shops it feels are truly qualified to fix its vehicles correctly. “This program ensures both independent and Hyundai dealershipowned collision repair centers have the training, tools, equipment, and facilities needed to properly repair Hyundai vehicles after they have been involved in a collision,” Hyundai said at the time.
VOL. 7 ISSUE 2 MAY 2016
NORTHEAST 2016 a Resounding Success! by Chasidy Rae Sisk
Each year, AASP/NJ’s NORTHEAST Conference and Tradeshow seems to get bigger and better. This year was no exception, with an agenda filled with respected industry speakers and a sold-out trade show floor. NORTHEAST 2016 was held on March 18–20 at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, NJ. The event attracted over 5300 attendees, including exhibitors. Charles Bryant, Executive Director of AASP/NJ, said, “It appears to be the best show ever. During and since the show, I have received nothing but positive comments about the show and have heard numerous plans from vendors to go bigger next year. In short, I am extremely pleased with the show outcome and grateful to all who made it possible.”
At 1 pm, NORTHEAST 2016 began with an annual favorite—the East Coast Resolutions Forum and Leadership Meeting. Over 50 attendees, including representatives from over a dozen industry associations, explored some of the largest issues impacting the collision repair industry. Topics included photo estimating, aftermarket parts, consumer awareness, and short pays, along with a variety of legislative issues. Later, Keith Manich, Director of Collision Services for the Automotive Training Institute, taught “Building and Sustaining Standard Operating Procedures for Collision Repair.” In this session, attendees learned about common errors among shop staff who are not properly informed of the oper-
ational requirements needed to be profitable in the collision repair industry. They were then provided with the steps needed to create a structured production environment. Manich gave an encore presentation from 3-4:45 pm that day. Afterwards AASP/NJ presented “Advanced Material Repair in 2016 and Beyond,” a course led by Dave Gruskos from Reliable Automotive Equipment, Larry Montanez III of P & L Consultants, and Doug Richman from Kaiser Aluminum on behalf of the Aluminum Association. Tom Elder introduced the speakers as “three of the industry’s foremost experts in the world.” “Advanced Material Repair in 2016 and Beyond” began with Gruskos, who spoke on safety, as well as gluing and riveting processes. In order to reduce fuel consumption and lower emissions, the weight of a vehicle needs to be reduced, and this can be achieved through the use of low-density materials, targeted use of high-strength materials, and integrated lightweight construction. Using steel was the old way, but the future will include energy-efficient, lightweight designs achieved through the use of a mixture of materials; however, when aluminum and steel are mixed, repairs require multiple glues and rivets, Gruskos said. Looking at the new mixtures, Gruskos predicts that welding won’t be as widespread in vehicle construction or repairs, leaving bonding, in conjunction with rivets, as the only alternative. The future will see cold joining with glue used everywhere that rivets are used, but with many different rivets, a variety of tools and machines will be required to be able to fit them, and rivets are very specific to the manufacturer. Discussing which glues to use in specific situations, Gruskos said, “You’re either doing it See NORTHEAST Events, Page 30
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2 MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
REGIONAL
AASP-PA Annual Shop Survival Summit . . . . . 6
Allston Collision Center Announces
New Addition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
ASA's Annual Business Meeting Scheduled
for April 25-27 in Washington D.C. . . . . . . . 3
ASA’s Annual Business Meeting Scheduled for April 25–27 in Washington, D.C.
Sterling, Recycled Parts Market Share,
Chinese OEMs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 NATIONAL
AASA Hosts Connected Cars Panel at
Vision Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Cars Damaged at Northeast Philadelphia
ASA Hosts Online Demo of New OEM
Direct Paint & Collision Earns Official
ASA Management & Tech Service
Glenmont, NY Auto Shop Planning Expansion . 12
Attanasio - Women Shop Owners and Female
Industry Voices Concern Over Massachusetts
Auto Care Association & CARE Testify
Investigators Eye Arson as Cause of Massive
BASF’s Glasurit 90 Line Introduces
Maaco of New Hampton, NY Earns Honda
Caliber CEO Accepts Prestigious National
Certification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
H&V Collision Centers Hosts Easter Celebration. 8 Auto Policy Filed by AIB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Colwyn Blaze . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Certification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Man Accused of Selling Drugs at
Resource Center. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Repair Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Consumers Get Help from AskPatty.com. . 66
on Telematics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
New Boosters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Award Recognizing Company’s Support
of U.S. Military . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Sarasota, NY Auto Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
CARSTAR’s Bob Keith Receives I-CAR Award . 74
Norwalk, CT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Communication Was Key at Mopar Masters
Man Arrested After Chase Through
ME Auto Collision Students Donate Wheelchair-
Accessible Van to Oxford Hills Graduate . . 24
METAL HEAD: Port Man has Vehicle Restoration
Business in Rising Sun, MD . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
NJ Body Shop Owner Gets an Offer He
Can’t Refuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Collision Financial Services Offers 0% Loans . 68 Guild Annual Meeting in Las Vegas . . . . . . 62
ETI Hires Rick Matz as Technical Manager . . 62
Farmers Insurance Launches All-New Claims Filing to Maximize Ease of
Use for Customers Nationwide . . . . . . . . . 76
Golden Oldie Vehicles Soar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
NY Shop Owner Named 2016 Democrat
Herkules Adds Two New Lifts to
Peterbuilt Technician Institute Expands
ITW Evercoat Launches New Body Filler . . . . 67
of the Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
BossLifts Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
to UTI’s Exton Campus in PA . . . . . . . . . . 15
Michigan Moves on Self-Driving Testing
Distributor of the Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
NABR Launches VRS Labor Rate Survey in HI. 70
PPG Names Color Systems in RI Platinum Revere, MA, Residents Oppose Building
Use for Special Garage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
SCTC Students Against Destructive Decisions . 12
Service King Continues Growth, Partners with Wentworth’s Collision & Mike’s
Auto Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Sisk - American Honda Hosts ProFirst Lunch
Facility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
NHTSA Won’t Consider Takata Impact
in Recalls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
PDA Expands Team with New CFO
Appointment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Polyvance Finishes First Day of LeMons
Race in AL, Releases New Plastic Repair
Workstation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
and Learn at NORTHEAST 2016 . . . . . . . . 42
PPG Refinish Continues Commitment
Certification at NORTHEAST 2016 . . . . . . . 1
RAND Corp. Report Says Calling Driverless
Sisk - Five OEM Representatives Explain OEM
Taped Argument in Greenwich, CT Body Shop
Results in Arrests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
COLUMNISTS
Attanasio - Body Tech in Montana Paints
a Second Career as an Artist . . . . . . . . . . 52
Attanasio - The Little Things Go a Long Way
with Customer Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Attanasio - Turtles, Dolphins, Gators, Oh My!
FL Shop Steps Up to Help Non-Profits. . . . 58
Phillips - Utah Shop Stresses Importance of OEM Certifications and Educating
to Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Cars Safer than Human Drivers is
Statistically Impossible . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
RDA Adds New Member to NH Network . . . . . 8
Recap of Mitchell Industry Trends Report:
The High Cost of High Tech . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Repairer Driven News Notes Hyundai is an Exception in Not Providing OEM
Collision Repair Instruction . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
SCRS Board of Directors Meeting Held . . . . . 72
Self-Driver Navigates Roads in Total Darkness . . 4
Sherwin-Williams’ New Custom & Restoration
Websites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Customers About Parts Usage . . . . . . . . . 34
Toyota Establishes Third Autonomous Driving
Success! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Why Are Online Reviews Important to
Sisk - NORTHEAST2016 is a Resounding
Yoswick - ASA Lobbyists, Allstate Acquires
US Research Institute in MI . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Your Auto Body Shop? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
sociation address. ASA members are also invited to participate in Lobby Day on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, April 27. During this time, members will have an opportunity to visit congressional offices, as well as attend briefings on Capitol Hill. The attendee registration fee for the ASA Annual Business Meeting and Lobby Day is $99.95 and includes the Monday night reception, Tuesday luncheon and Wednesday Lobby Day. Housing and transportation arrange-
Publisher & Editor: Jeremy Hayhurst General Manager: Barbara Davies Assistant Editor: Stacey Phillips Online Editor: Victoria Antonelli Contributing Writers: Tom Franklin, David Brown, John Yoswick, Janet Chaney, Toby Chess, Ed Attanasio, Chasidy Sisk, David Luehr Advertising Sales: Joe Momber, Sean Hartman, Bill Doyle, Norman Morano (800) 699-8251 Office Manager: Louise Tedesco Sales/Research Associate: Cass Heckel Art Director: Rodolfo Garcia
Indexof Advertisers
Repair Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
The Automotive Service Association (ASA) will hold its annual business meeting April 25–27 at The Westin Crystal City Hotel in Arlington, VA, near Washington, D.C. The event will kick off with a Welcome Reception on Monday evening, April 25. All ASA members are invited to attend an open board meeting Tuesday, April 26, from 8 a.m.-noon. The meeting will be followed by a recognition luncheon and the swearing-in of the 2016-2017 board of directors. Dan Risley, ASA president/executive director, will deliver a state-of-the-as-
Acura of Westchester . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Amato Agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Atlantic Hyundai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Audi Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . 77 Axalta Coating Systems . . . . . . . . . . 5 Bald Hill Chrysler-Jeep-DodgeRam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Baystate Chrysler-Jeep-DodgeRam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Bergey’s Wholesale Parts . . . . . . . . 19 BMW Wholesale Parts Dealers . 64-65 Bonding Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Cadillac of Mahwah . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Car-Part.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 CarcoonAmerica Airflow Systems. . 46 Carstar Automotive, Inc. . . . . . . . . . 21 Central Avenue Chrysler-JeepDodge-Ram. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA). . . . . . . . . . . 45 Cherry Hill Audi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Cherry Hill Porsche . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Cherry Hill Volkswagen. . . . . . . . . . 27 Chief Automotive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Classifieds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Clay Auto Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Dent Fix Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Dent Magic Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Diamond Standard Parts . . . . . . . . 39 Ditschman/Flemington Auto Group. 49 Dominion Sure Seal, Ltd. . . . . . . . . . 6 Eco Repair Systems of North America, LLC . . . . . . . . . . 34 EMM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Empire Auto Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Equalizer Industries, Inc . . . . . . . . . 42 Fitzgerald’s Lakeforest HyundaiSubaru. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Ford Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . 58 Fred Beans Parts . . . . . . . . . . . 69, 80 Fuccillo Kia of Schenectady . . . . . . 63 Gary Rome Hyundai-Kia . . . . . . . . . 24 GM Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . 75 Herkules Equipment Corporation. . 16 Honda-Acura Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40-41 Hyundai Wholesale Parts Dealers . . 66
See ASA’s Annual Meeting, Page 36
Serving New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Northern Virginia, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts 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. ©2016 Adamantine Media LLC. Autobody News P.O. Box 1516, Carlsbad, CA 92018 (800) 699-8251 (760) 603-3229 Fax www.autobodynews.com Email: news@autobodynews.com
Northeast
Contents
Infiniti of Norwood. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Kia Elite Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Kia Motors Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Koeppel VW-Mazda . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Lexus Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . 72 Long Automotive Group . . . . . . . . . 53 Lusid Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Mazda Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . 74 Mercedes-Benz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Mercedes-Benz of Atlantic City. . . . 37 Mercedes-Benz of Fort Washington . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Mercedes-Benz of West Chester . . 37 Mercedes-Benz of Wilmington . . . . 50 Mercedes-Benz Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 MINI Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . 62 Mitsubishi Wholesale Parts Dealers. 76 MOPAR Wholesale Parts Dealers . . 43 NACE / CARS Trade Show . . . . . . . 29 Nissan/Infiniti Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Orio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Polyvance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Porsche Wholesale Parts Dealers . . 70 PPG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Providence Lacquer & Supply Centre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Reliable Automotive Equipment . . . 10 Safety Regulation Strategies . . . . . 36 SATA Spray Equipment . . . . . . . . . 31 Security Dodge-Chrysler-Jeep-Ram . 7 Subaru of Morristown . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Subaru Wholesale Parts Dealers . . 79 Tasca Automotive Group . . . . . . . . 55 Thompson Organization . . . . . . . . . 57 Toyota of Morristown . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Toyota Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . 44 Valspar Automotive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 VIP Honda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Volkswagen Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Volvo Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . 68 Wagner Auto Group . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Westbury Jeep-Chrysler-DodgeRam-SRT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
www.autobodynews.com | MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 3
Self-Driver Navigates Roads in Total Darkness
A self-driving car has successfully navigated winding desert roads in complete darkness in trials in Arizona. The Ford Fusion Hybrid tipped around a closed circuit in the dark—with its headlights off. It could do so because of LiDAR technology—a series of sensors that make a 3D map of everything around but doesn’t rely on visible light.
Ford Fusion
Jim McBride, Ford technical leader for autonomous vehicles, says LiDAR “allows autonomous cars to drive just as well in the dark as they do in the light of day.” The car drove at night through the Arizona desert without human interference and with its headlights switched off, to test the limits of its artificially intelligent navigation system. The new LiDAR system is made by Velodyne, a company that Ford has been closely working with for a decade. These sensors shoot 2.8 million laser pulses per second, to scan the surroundings precisely. The car uses
high-resolution 3D maps in conjunction with the LiDAR sensors to pinpoint itself on the map, all in real time. In addition, the car also uses a conventional radar which gathers additional information and enhances the sensing capabilities of the vehicle. Wayne Williams, research scientist and engineer at Ford said,” Inside the car, I could feel it moving, but when I looked out the window, I only saw darkness. As I rode in the back seat, I was following the car’s progression in real time using computer monitoring. Sure enough, it stayed precisely on track along those winding roads.” LiDAR addresses the need to recognise objects, road signs and signals, which is especially difficult in the night. Also, irregular signage standards and bad weather make it difficult for autonomous vehicles to perceive the road ahead. This LiDAR equipped Ford Fusion Hybrid can drive in practically any condition.The cost of these LiDAR systems are high at present, but Ford’s CEO, Mark Fields says the advancement in this technology and the downward trend of technology costs in general, will make it a viable option for full scale production cars in the future. For 2016, Ford plans to triple its autonomous car fleet, to 30 Ford Fusion Hybrids.
Michigan Moves on Self-Driving Testing Facility
Michigan is making a bid to retain its title as the auto capital of the world, even as the industry turns more toward connected and autonomous vehicles. The former Willow Run General Motors powertrain plant in Ypsilanti Township is becoming a development and testing site for autonomous vehicles called the American Center for Mobility, the first facility of its kind in America that brings together government, industry and academia on the technology. The state of Michigan is expected to provide $20 million in funding toward the $80 million development of the Willow Run site, which is a joint initiative between the Michigan Department of Transportation, Michigan Economic Development Corp., UM, BLM and Ann Arbor Spark. The center will feature a 2.5-mile loop that will serve as a simulated highway with ramps, bridges, merge lanes, signs, changes in elevation and potentially a curved tunnel, Maddox said. Vehicles will be able to travel at highway speeds up to 80 mph. It will also feature a large configurable intersection and areas to simulate urban, suburban and commercial area (a mall or freight center) as well as an offroad section for possible military vehicles.
In May, Ann Arbor Spark was awarded a nearly $250,000 grant to develop a plan for the center at Willow Run. The grant was awarded as part of a program by the U.S. Department of Commerce. In Michigan it is legal to test driverless-cardriverless cars on public roads under Public Act 231 and Public Act 251, both of which were signed in 2013 and went into effect soon thereafter. Referred to as “automated motor vehicles” under the law, in order to operate them (for the purpose of testing and refining the technology), here are some of the guidelines which govern the use of self-driving cars in MI:
● Autonomous vehicles must be properly insured under the no-fault law; ● Transporters of these vehicles must carry the requisite public liability and property damage insurance; ● The vehicles can only be operated by designated individuals authorized by the manufacturer of the technology; ● The person operating the self-driving vehicle must be present and must be able to take control of the vehicle at all times; and ● The human operator must also be properly licensed to operate a motor vehicle in MI.
4 MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Celphy Gets Pulled Over Dark Driving in AZ.
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www.autobodynews.com | MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 5
METAL HEAD: Port Man has Vehicle Restoration Business in Rising Sun, MD by Lisa Tome, heraldandchronicle.com
When he was five years old, Mike Schafer stuck his first butter knife in a broken appliance and he was hooked. “If I could get a butter knife in it, I would take it apart. When I was a kid, my dad would give me carburetors and tell me to work on them. If you would give me something broken
ical shop,” he said. He previously worked at other shops and settled on opening a shop in Rising Sun because “this is Main Street USA. I like the history of this building. This was a Chevrolet dealership,” said Schafer. He hails from Baltimore and lives in Port Deposit. He met with Sonny, the building’s owner, in hopes of renting the building.
“Some of these we are doing completely nut and bolt. Some of them, we are fixing them up for people to sell,” — Mike Schafer, Schafer’s Restorations
and a butter knife, I was set for days,” said Schafer. Decades, and a whole lot of experience later, Schafer’s tools are more complex and his shop a lot bigger, but he is still fixing things. In January, he put his knowledge to work opening his own business, Schafer’s Restorations, at the former Spicer’s Cycle on Rising Sun’s West Main Street. Schafer is a certified master body technician with 25 years experience. “I’ve been working on cars my whole life. My dad owned a mechan-
“This is a niche. I’d been working in body shops but nobody wanted to do the old stuff. You’re building the past and giving people back their history,” he said. “It’s easier to do collisions (repair) but you’re losing the craftsmanship. I always wanted to do the stuff that nobody wanted to do.” In the shop last week, he had a 1969 Buick Grand Sport, 1963 VW Beetle, 1968 GTO convertible, 1929 Model A pick-up, and a 1961 VW Beetle. His focus right now, is fixing up historic cars for people. He said if given the opportunity, he’d “flip” cars.
6 MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
“Old cars are an addiction,” he said. “Some of these we are doing completely nut and bolt. Some of them, we are fixing them up for people to sell,” he said. In addition to restoring cars, Schafer is also building a team. He is working to get a group of mechanically-minded staff to make the work on the classic cars more efficient. Richard Berry is working in the shop as a technician. Luke Mahan, is a homeschooled teen working in the shop as an intern. “I’m learning the ropes. We’re working on old junk and making it beautiful,” said Mahan. Not everything he restores has four wheels. He also works to restore old Coke machines and refrigerators. He has also worked to make old gas pumps new again. “I’m a throwback kind of guy,” he said. “If it’s made of metal, we’ll mess with it.” “If you learn to work with your hands, it’s a major league sport. Auto body is artistic - painting, welding, and body work. The trades are dying off. We’re doing things the proper way. And with hot rods there are no rules as long as it’s safe,” he said. We thank www.heraldandchronicle .com for reprint permission.
AASP-PA Annual Shop Survival Summit
The Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of Pennsylvania announced that the annual Shop Survival Summit (previously TechTrain) will take place at the DoubleTree in Lancaster, PA June 3-5. The weekend-long event will kick-off Friday with the annual board and delegate meetings during the day and early evening with a pool party for families in the evening. Saturday morning will begin with Keynote Speaker Barry Barrett, from RLO Training, with technical and management classes offered in both the morning and afternoon. After dinner on Saturday, attendees will attend a vendor show where they can see new products, have the chance to win great prizes and connect with other attendees while their families hang out “at the boardwalk” playing games and winning prizes. Sunday will again offer more training opportunities for both management and technicians, as well as a special peer- to-peer roundtable for shop owners and their partners. For information, visit http://www.aasp-pa .org/training/shop-survival-summit2016.aspx, call 717-564-8400, or email SSS2016@aasp-pa.org.
www.autobodynews.com | MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 7
H&V Collision Centers Hosts Easter Celebration
ASA Management & Tech Service Repair Training
RDA Adds New Member to NH Network
Maaco of New Hampton, NY Earns Honda Certification
H&V Collision Centers brought the Easter Bunny and treats to 60 inner city children as part of an Easter Celebration for Albany N.Y. Boys and Girls Club in March. H&V Collision Center is a large family and independently-owned and operated collision repair facility in New York’s Capital Region. H&V has partnered with families and organizations to support the health, safety and education of youth in the Capital Region, including donations of refurbished cars for families with children dealing with medical issues. “We were very excited to team up with an outstanding organization like the Boys and Girls Club of Albany and sponsor a big Easter celebration that was fun and enjoyable for the kids and their families,” said H&V’s Vartan Jerian Jr. “We have been proud to support many worthwhile organizations and families with children. H&V is very excited about this new partnership with the Boys and Girls Club, and to support the outstanding work done by Boys and Girls Club in our region and across the country,” added Jerian.
The Refinish Distributors Alliance (RDA) welcomes their newest member, Automotive Supply Associates (ASA) d.b.a. Sanel Auto Parts, with headquarters in Concord, New Hampshire. With this addition, RDA continues to grow their membership across 30 states. ASA is a fourth-generation family-owned business, which was started over 96 years ago. The company operates a central distribution center in Concord and ships to 38 company-owned stores in New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine daily. They are an Axalta single line Champion distributor and are a current member of the Axalta Jobber Council. Bob Mosher heads up the PBE division for ASA. The daily operations are managed by third-generation owners David T. Segal and Bobby Segal. Those interested in joining RDA/ IMPACT should contact Robert McKenzie, Jr. at 731-217-9081 or via email at robertemckenzie@me.com. For information on RDA/IMPACT, visit www.rda-impact.com or contact Melisa Jolls at 908-251-5713 or email: meljolls@earthlink .net
The Automotive Service Association, with the support of ASA Pennsylvania, put together a training program, that took place in Philadelphia at the DoubleTree Airport Hotel April 8 9. The event brought a full day management session dedicated to shop owners and managers on Friday and service repair training to the technicians and service advisors on Saturday. Both days included AMiapproved course content. The Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA), the Auto Care Association, and the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) have partnered with ASA to build and sponsor these events. Sponsors included: AutoZone, Auto Care Association, Babcox, Bolt On Technology, Gates, NAPA, Pronto, The Group, NAPA, Gates and Federated Insurance. I-CAR also offered a full-day class for collision repair, titled “Vehicle Technology & Trends 2016,” taught by veteran instructor, Ed Staquet. For more information about ASA Regional Events, visit the ASA website.
Maaco of New Hampton, in New Hampton, NY, has become the first Maaco location to earn an OEM certification with their completion of the Honda ProFirst program. The ICAR Gold shop was recruited by Honda after a visit showed that they had the equipment, personnel, and facility capable of performing at the high level of quality required by the program. To qualify for the Honda ProFirst program, the shop had to meet certain knowledge and skill requirements, which they had through their I-CAR Gold status. Technicians then had to take Honda/Acura specific I-CAR classes. While Maaco of New Hampton already had most of the required equipment in place, they did have to make a small investment in new tools. They also had to meet a 300-item list of requirements and pass an independent party inspection. “To be the only Honda/Acura certified shop in the Orange County area, and the first Maaco shop in our system, is great for our business and customers,” said Kevin Calnan, who co-owns Maaco of New Hampton with Melissa Fimognari.
8 MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Allston Collision Center Announces New Addition
An award-winning automotive repair company, Allston Collision Center, recently announced the addition of a new service to their list of auto body repair shop’s skills. The company is now able to provide area residents with aluminum auto body repairs with their new MultiTool Aluminum Repair Station. The recently-acquired tool will allow Allston Collision Center to provide aluminum body repair services as more automotive manufacturers increase aluminum usage. “Our technicians routinely receive training and attend extended education classes to help Allston Collision Center stay abreast of advancements in the automotive and collision repair industry,” said Elaine O’Neill co-owner of the company. “By acquiring the Multitool Aluminum Repair Station, it allows us to extend our repair services and assist more people throughout Boston with their body repair needs. Many manufacturers today are building vehicles using aluminum in both their body work as well as mechanical components,” she added.
Auto Care Association & CARE Testify on Telematics
The Auto Care Association and the Coalition for Auto Repair Equality (CARE) applauded the Rhode Island House Legislature for considering legislation (HB 7711) that would require car companies to provide car owners with the ability to control where information transmitted by vehicle telematics systems is sent. Testimony jointly submitted by the associations for a hearing held March 29 by the House Committee on Corporations outlined some of the extensive benefits of telematics to the auto care industry, including the ability for shops to obtain diagnostic data from a vehicle before it arrives at the shop, which could improve service bay efficiency and speed the vehicle repair process. However, the associations pointed to the fact that, “All of the data available from embedded systems currently goes to the vehicle manufacturer, allowing them, and only them, to reap the benefits of this technology.” For more information, contact Aaron Lowe at aaron.lowe@auto care.org.
www.autobodynews.com | MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 9
Man Accused of Selling Drugs at Sarasota, NY Auto Shop
A man was arrested on Cadillac and Mercedes durApril 8 and accused of selling the search. ing drugs from an auto Detectives then exebody shop, the Sarasota Pocuted a search warrant at lice Department reports. Betancourt’s home in the According to police, 1200 block of 32nd Street Melquisedec Betancourt and report finding 557 Jr., 31, was arrested at MB grams of powder cocaine, Melquisedec Customs Auto Shop, 1940 94 grams of rock cocaine, Betancourt Jr. 11th St., following an ina firearm, $25,000 in cash Credit: Sarasota vestigation into illegal drug and an Infiniti. sales from the business. De- Police Department Betancourt is charged tectives say they seized 23 grams of with several felonies, including trafpowder cocaine, 13 grams of rock co- ficking in more than 400 grams of caine, 293 grams of marijuana, 2 cocaine, possession of marijuana grams of ecstasy, $745 cash and a with intent to sell and possession of a firearm by a felon. The case remains under investigation. Copyright 2016, Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Reprinted by express permission of the Herald-Tribune Media group.
Sarasota Police detectives report finding drugs, a firearm and cash during a search of a home in the 1200 block of 32nd Street on April 8. Credit: Sarasota Police Department
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Service King Continues Growth, Partners with Wentworth’s Collision & Mike’s Auto Body
Service King Collision Repair Centers announced in March that the organization has expanded its locations in the Washington D.C.-Baltimore market. This includes partnering with Wentworth’s Collision Works and its pair of repair centers in southern Maryland, as well as Mike’s Auto Body, Inc., a singlelocation operator in Waldorf, Maryland With the announcement, Service King now provides customers with 11 locations across the DC-Baltimore market as the organization continues a period of accelerated growth. Service King and Wentworth’s officially agreed upon and finalized terms of the merger March 18. The two collision repair centers included in the deal are located at 12860 H G Trueman Rd in Lusby and 27725 Three Notch Rd. in Mechanicsville. “This is an important market for the Service King family and we believe that is reflected in our steady, concerted growth in the area,” said Market Vice President Matt Robbins. “Wentworth’s Collision and its team match that strategic initiative seamlessly as they have served the community with superior service and quality repairs for more than 10 years. This partnership
will only improve our service and continue Service King on its mission to be the collision repair provider of choice.” Through its 10 years of serving local customers and business partners, both Wentworth’s Collision Works locations have earned I-CAR Gold Class certification. The company’s partnership with Mike’s Autobody was announced March 23. “Service King is committed to serving our neighbors across the DCBaltimore market,” said Robbins. “Partnering with excellent collision repair providers who share our vision for superior service and quality repairs allows us to achieve that. Mike’s Auto Body and its staff are an example of just that. We look forward to a bright future together as one team.” Mike’s Auto Body, an I-CAR Gold Class certified collision repair center, has served the Waldorf area for nearly 30 years and works with most major insurance carriers. The 25,000 square foot facility is located at 2431 Old Washington Road.
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Industry Voices Concern Over Massachusetts Auto Policy Filed by AIB by Stacey Phillips, Assistant Editor
A standard auto policy was recently withdrawn by the Automobile Insurance Bureau (AIB) of Massachusetts soon after it was filed due to pressure from two state associations, according to industry reports. Sources said that the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of Massachusetts (AASP/MA) and the Statewide Towing Association of Massachusetts (STA) had concerns over issues such as labor rates, towing and storage, damage to someone else’s vehicle and bodily injury. The AIB has since filed a new policy that will be reviewed by the Rating Bureau and the Department of Insurance. Autobody News contacted the AIB and learned that the policy will become public record once the division accepts it for filing. Companies will then have the opportunity to adopt some or all of the new policy. According to industry reports, both the AASP/MA and STA have been working together to stay informed throughout this process on behalf of their memberships and consumers. In addition, the sources cited a news release that stated, “AASP/MA and STA will remain vigilant during this review
process and will take every appropriate opportunity to weigh in on the policy.” The auto policy has not been updated since 2008. Many in the industry have voiced concerns over the new proposed policy. In regards to labor rates, the language to the collision, limited collision and comprehensive sections were changed. The document stated, “The cost to repair the auto is the competitive price, which we secure from a licensed repair facility under our direct payment plan.” The implication, according to various reports, is that the insurer will calculate the rate based on its referral shop program. An article in Repairer Driven News included information about an AASP-MA news release that stated, “While consumers assume the actual cost to repair their vehicle will be covered at the time of an accident, this language change leaves consumers having to pay the difference between the actual labor rate and the rate of reimbursement.” The proposed document also clarified what would be paid for towing, recovery and storage. “The amount we will pay for towing, recovery and storage of your auto will be limited to the amounts, including all fees, established by the law or by regulation of the Mas-
Glenmont, NY Auto Shop Planning Expansion by Larry Rulison, Timesunion
T.A.C.S. Autobody, the popular auto repair shop on 9W in Glenmont, is looking at an expansion that could double its space. The family owned shop, first started in 1979 by Erwin Ungerer, has submitted plans to the town of Bethlehem for a new 10,955 square
T.A.C.S. on Route 9W in Glenmont is looking to expand
A rendering of the new T.A.C.S. facility, with the existing garage at right
foot facility. The new building would be built next to the existing one, on land
owned by the family. Two existing homes on the property would be demolished, according to the plans. We would like to thank timesunion for reprint permission.
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A Google maps picture of the existing T.A.C.S. property. The red outline is where the new building is planned.
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12 MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
sachusetts Department of Public Utilities for the removal of motor vehicles by policy order or from private property.” It further stated, “We will not pay for any liability assumed under any contract or agreement.” The policy also included new language that addressed damage to someone else’s property. The following sentence was added: “The amount we will pay does not include compensation for damage to your auto or towing or recovery of your auto or any decreased value or intangible loss claimed to result from the property damage.” Industry reports said that, “This change will leave motor vehicle owners responsible for all costs associated with removal of their vehicle and restoration of the property to pre-accident condition.” New language was also added in regards to bodily injury. “We will not pay for punitive or exemplary damages,” the proposed policy said. This could potentially have adverse implications for drivers who have caused accidents as well as those who were injured. Autobody News reached out to AASP/MA in regards to the auto policy and was told that legislative priorities could not be shared at this time.
NY Shop Owner Named 2016 Democrat of the Year
Robin Morreale, owner of Collision Enterprises in Niagara Falls, NY, was named the 2016 Democrat
(l to r) John Ceretto, NYS assemblyman 145th district; Diana Kastenbaum, candidate for US Congress 67th district; Rob Morreale; and Nick Forster, Niagara County democratic chairman
of the Year by the Town of Lewiston Democratic Committee. He was honored on Sunday, April 17 at the Niagara Falls Country Club in Lewiston. Morreale was elected to the town board in November 2015 and took office in January.
www.autobodynews.com | MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 13
Revere, MA, Residents Oppose Building Use for Special Garage by Sue Ellen Woodcock, Revere Journal
A Broadway business owner is trying again to get the city to approve one nonconforming use, a commercial garage to another non-confirming use, a special garage, which will include a spray room and residents have made it clear that they don’t want either. On the night of April 4, the City Council heard from attorney Lawrence Simeone, who represents James Stvil, of 95 Lincoln Ave., Saugus, owner of the auto body shop at 851-855 Broadway, Revere. In November 2012, Stvil filed a request with the City Council for a special permit for an auto body shop at 851-855 Broadway. Another request sought to alter an existing non-conforming use for the purpose of operating a special garage auto body. The council denied the request and consequently, Stvil challenge the decision in court. The judge in the case determined in May 2015 that the case should go back to the city council for a decision. Simeone said $1.1 million in improvements are proposed for the property, including a controvercial spray booth. He said the spray booth, worth $100,000, is the same kind used by
Essex Aggie. “There is no noise and little to no odor,” Simeone said. He added that there would be no cars parked outside during operations. There would be new windows, new exterior, two technicians, one personnel staff. Simeone said the shop would be open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for car pickup.
James Stvil was arrested in December of 2010 in Revere, on charges of entering without breaking with intent to commit a felony and possession of burglarious tools. In May of 2010, Stvil was also arrested in Chelsea and charged with sexual conduct for a fee in a sting operation. Folsom Street resident Lenny Amerault asked the council to deny the requests. He said they are open
“He wants to be a good neighbor,” Simeone said. But Stephanie Beatrice, representing the neighbors, said Stvil has been operating without an occupancy permit, outside normal business hours, and playing loud music at night. “He also has a dishonest character and an arrest record,” Beatrice said, before submitting a petition from 52 residents asking the council to deny the application. According to old issues of the Revere Journal and Chelsea Record,
until 10 p.m. and all day Sunday. “Since 1978 it’s been a horror story,” he told the council. “The only reason they’re here is because his back is against the wall,” said Paul McSweeney, of Folsom Street. Attorney Ira Zelesnic, who has represented the city and the council in this case, said the principal use of the building was the storage of busses. The prior use was commercial auto storage. “There needs to be a certificate of occupancy,” he said.
Folsom Street resident Lenny Amerault asked the council to deny the requests. “Since 1978 it’s been a horror story,” he told the council
14 MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Chief Fire Inspector Dan Maniff said there has been a total disregard for rules and regulations that need to be followed. He noted no fire protection (which Maniff said had been ripped out), obstructed egresses, questionable waste oil storage and a lack of permits. He noted that his property at Furlong was cited in 2006, 2009, 2011 and 2013. Maniff said the property at 851855 Broadway is hazardous and in dangerous condition. Councillors stated their own concerns about the property. Councillor Arthur Guinasso said there are a couple of businesses in the area that seem to inundate the neighborhood. Councillor Robert Haas Jr. said he would like the building inspector to come in front of the council. Councillor Joanne McKenna voiced concerns about the spray booth, fumes and toxicity. Councillor John Powers said he supports the neighbors, while Councillor Anthony Zambuto said the spray booth is the least offensive part of the request. The council voted to send the issue to the council’s Zoning Subcommittee which will meet again on May 9 at 5 p.m. in the city council chambers. We would like to thank Revere Journal for reprint permission.
Peterbuilt Technician Institute Expands to UTI’s Exton Campus in PA Peterbilt Motors Company is now offering its advanced training program to students at Universal Technical Institute’s (NYSE: UTI) Exton, Penn., campus. The program is already in
Ralph Wells, Peterbilt Advanced Training Manager at Universal Technical Institute, speaks to local dealers about the Peterbilt Technician Institute and the stringent qualifications needed in order to be accepted into the program
place at UTI campuses in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas; and Lisle, Ill. In 2014, Peterbilt collaborated with UTI to create the Peterbilt Technician Institute (PTI), a comprehensive program to give students who have completed UTI’s core Diesel Technology education program advanced, specific training in Peterbilt trucks and technology. During the 12-week program, students get exclusive classroom and hands-on instruction in diagnosing,
maintaining and repairing the full line of Peterbilt trucks and PACCAR engines, and in customer service, dealership shop operations, and laws and regulations. Peterbilt dealerships sponsor qualified PTI students and place them in service technician positions when they complete the program. “The Peterbilt Technician Institute has been extremely successful for Peterbilt, its dealer network and the many graduates now with successful careers as professional service technicians. We are pleased to build on this success with the addition of the Exton, Penn., location,” said Darrin Siver, Pe-
Craig Kendall, Recruiting Manager at The Pete Store, LLC, speaks with Peterbilt Technician Institute student Jeffrey WilsonChandler about the demand for skilled diesel technicians
terbilt General Manager and PACCAR Vice President. “PTI provides our dealers with a strong resource for em-
Ralph Wells, Peterbilt Advanced Training Manager at Universal Technical Institute, speaks with Peterbilt Technician Institute student James Waters about local diesel recruiters and employers
ploying highly skilled, comprehensively trained and fully certified technicians to help ensure the highest levels of customer satisfaction.” By the year 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor projects there will be more than 1.2 million jobs in the automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle and marine industries. To reach that total, the transportation industry will have to fill more than 37,000 technician job openings on average every year.
“The addition of the PTI program at Exton reflects the shortage of diesel technicians industrywide and will help train the next generation of qualified and certified Peterbilt technicians,” said Chuck Barresi, Senior Vice President of Customer Solutions at Universal Technical Institute. The PTI program is part of UTI’s manufacturer-paid manufacturer-specific advanced training program.[3] Each PTI class is taught by a dedicated UTI instructor with support from Peterbilt, which has more than 300 dealerships throughout North America. Applications for future class enrollment are currently being accepted for all three PTI locations.
Jeffrey Walters, Branch Manager for Hunter Jersey Peterbilt South, introduces himself to Peterbilt Technician Institute student Oswaldo Almanza and speaks about the demand for skilled diesel technicians
www.autobodynews.com | MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 15
Investigators Eye Arson as Cause of Massive Colwyn Blaze by Rick Kauffman, Delaware County Daily Times
The inferno that decimated the Delaware County Business Plaza in Colwyn may have been purposely set, state police said on March 21. “It’s an active investigation of arson,” said Trooper Robert Pomponio of the State Police Skippack Station Fire Marshal Unit. Pomponio said there were “numerous” auto body shops that operated within the plaza and it was unclear exactly how many of those shops were actively conducting business. When asked about chemicals or supplies in the structure that fueled flames that roared 60 feet in the air, Pomponio declined to speculate. “We don’t entirely have a list of chemicals or flammable liquids that are used by the repair shops or other businesses operating,” Pomponio said. “We don’t have a list of all the businesses yet … it’s unclear the number of tenants.” Darby Fire Co. No. 1 Chief Dan Traban said his crew lost 12 complete sets of turnout gear in the fire —
hoods jackets, pants boots and gloves — plus 31 lengths of 50-foot hose. “All 12 sets were condemned after three separate wash cycles,” he said after receiving a call from Choice Cleangear on its inability to clean the suits.
Arson suspected in Colwyn blaze that decimated the Delaware County Business Plaza.
“I went down there and witnessed it myself,” Traban said. “It was impressive how destroyed they were.” When asked what chemicals were to blame for the damage to the suits, he said it was “all from the auto body shop,” with “oil, gasoline, transmission fluids and anything that would relate to a vehicle.” In addition to Darby Borough, Traban said that he is aware Collingdale Fire Cos. No. 1 and 2 and Tinicum
Cars Damaged at Northeast Philly Repair Shop
obviously it was set that way to where it just didn’t pick it up.” Police in Northeast Philadelphia are Owners Dave and Angelo looking for the vandals who dam- DeMarco say it’s not the first case of aged almost two dozen cars. vandalism, but the damage has never Twenty-one vehicles were found been to this extent. damaged in the back lot at the Maaco “If I was to put a number on it, auto body shop on the 9900 block of I’d say its anywhere from $5-10,000 in windshields ...easily,” Angelo said. Dave explains, “I believe it’s some youngsters in the area that are running back and forth on these railroad tracks and I just think we gotta police it a little more back here.” The DeMarcos had to call customers on that Friday to let them know their cars now A car shows damage after vandals wreak havoc at a had additional damage. Philadelphia Maaco auto body shop. Maaco is coverBustleton Avenue. ing the entire cost of the new damage. Dave DeMarco tells us, “Right But these brothers have had enough, away we go to the cameras to see and they’re beefing up their security. what went down, and apparently the “Hopefully this gets out and way the cameras were set up, it did- whoever did this is watching, to let n’t catch these guys on how they them know that we are going to have were walking along all the cars. You some tight surveillance here and we can see the footprints going along the are going to keep a lookout,” said hoods.” Dave. So far, police have no susAngelo DeMarco says, “It’s set pects. Thanks to 6ABC/Action News up on a motion-type detection, and for reprint permission. by Chad Pradelli, 6ABC/Action News
16 MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Township Fire Co. also lost fire gear. In all, more than 20 departments from around the area and Delaware responded. Traban estimates the expenditures will cost Darby Fire Co. No. 1 around $49,000, and this all comes as the financially distressed Colwyn Borough has been without an active fire department, instead relying on Darby Fire Co. without an actual contract. Two days after the fire on March 11, Darby Borough Manager Mark Possenti said that Colwyn officials failed to respond to a hand-delivered letter expressing intent to suspend service in Colwyn due to its lack of liability insurance. Darby Borough got no reply until two days before the deadline. “I went to a council meeting expecting a vote and I was told they weren’t ready to vote,” Possenti said. Possenti said that Darby Borough has not requested back expenses and is rather looking to establish a deal moving forward. “They still collect a fire tax in Colwyn,” Possenti said. “We’re asking to be compensated for our services
… I can’t justify it to the residents who pay a fire tax (in Darby), it’s unfair to the residents in our town.” Tina Mason, the newly appointed borough manager for Colwyn, said the borough would hold a special meeting to vote on a contract that will enable Darby to assume fire duties for Colwyn. “We certainly are working towards the direction of making an agreement,” Mason said. In searching for potential businesses that currently operate within the plaza, dozens of auto body shops, past and present have posted addresses of 522 Ellis Ave. in Colwyn. Some having moved; others have inactive numbers. The Plaza is owned by John Cacciutti, who Pompino said has not yet been reached by investigators. “We haven’t tried yet. We want to coordinate between state police and CID,” he said. However, a spokesperson from the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office confirmed late Monday that the Delaware County Criminal InSee Colwyn Blaze, Page 18
www.autobodynews.com | MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 17
PPG Names Color Systems in RI Platinum Distributor of the Year PPG Automotive Refinish has recognized Color Systems of Warwick, R.I., as its 2015 Platinum Distributor of the Year. Bob Wenzinger, director of the PPG Platinum Distributor program, presented the award at the annual PPG Platinum Distributor Conference held February 25–28 at the Green Valley Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. Steven Choiniere, Color Systems president and owner, and sales manager Steve Lauro attended the conference and accepted the honor on behalf of the company. Michael McGarry, PPG president and CEO, and John Outcalt, PPG vice president, Global Automotive Refinish, also participated in the presentation. “We are proud to present the Distributor of the Year award, an annual award that exemplifies the tradition and success of the Platinum Distributor program,” said Wenzinger. “The award recognizes a company for outstanding performance, loyalty, product knowledge, and customer service and support. Color Systems has excelled in every area. It is a privilege to honor Color Systems as the Platinum Distributor of the Year.” “When the award was announced I was extremely surprised and genuinely delighted,” said Choiniere. “Not for myself but for everyone at Color Systems.
We work very hard all year long, and we’ve been growing. Getting noticed for our efforts is rewarding and gratifying.” Color Systems is a second-generation family business. It was started in 1982 by Choiniere’s older brother, Michael, as an offshoot of the fam-
(l to r) Michael McGarry, PPG president and CEO; Steven Choiniere, Color Systems president and owner; Steve Lauro, Color Systems sales manager; John Outcalt, PPG vice president, Global Automotive Refinish
ily’s successful auto parts business, Carparts, Inc., which was established by their father, Frank, in 1971. Steven Choiniere, fresh out of college, joined Color Systems at the time of its inception. The two companies operated side by side in the same building, as distinct entities, with separate staffs. In 2008, the auto parts business was sold so the brothers could concentrate on
18 MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
paint distribution. In October of 2011, Color Systems decided to promote only PPG products and became a Platinum Distributor. “It was the best business decision we ever made,” Choiniere said. “Going single-line with the best paint company in the world was smart. I’m very happy we did what we did.” The company, with its 14 full-time employees, has since established itself as the go-to paint distributor among collision centers throughout Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts. The company said that much of its success can be attributed to its emphasis on building customer relationships that are based on trust and service, a practice that reflects the company’s marketing tagline, “More than just paint.” Customers receive the complete support of Color Systems’ technical staff. Consequently, more than 95 percent of Color Systems’ collision customers, despite being located in non-regulated regions, are using the Envirobase High Performance brand, according to a company press release. For information, call (800) 6476050 or visit www.ppgrefinish.com For further information, please contact Cynthia Schauer, schauer@ppg .com / (440) 572-2800
Continued from Page 16
Colwyn Blaze
vestigation Division “isn’t involved in (an) arson investigation.” Pomponio mentioned Colwyn Fire Marshal Rufus Stokes was involved with the investigation the day following the fire but could not comment on his ongoing involvement. An attempt to reach Stokes, who according to his LinkedIn page also serves as fire marshal for Darby Borough, Yeadon and Millbourne, was made following the fire, but he has not responded to a request for comment. The Skippack barracks is involved in the investigation while Trooper John E. Stewart Jr. of the Pennsylvania State Police Fire Marshal Unit in Media is out of town until March 30. Pomponio said once Stewart returns he will conduct a follow-up investigation and the two barracks will work jointly with Delaware County CID. Pomponio estimates the cost of the damage to the Delaware County Business Plaza to be in excess of $500, 000. Thanks to Deleware County Daily Times for reprint permission.
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NJ Body Shop Owner Gets an Offer He Can’t Refuse walk away into the night quite yet, but maybe soon.” Well, soon became next year, Joseph Rodi, 78, is the owner of Rodi’s Auto Body in Cherry Hill, NJ and happy when Wawa made Rodi an offer he to say that he is living the American could not refuse, he explained. “They Dream. He’s proud of his two sons who are giving us enough money so that work in the business and of all the we can step away, at least for now. I things he has achieved through his shop have always lived by my version of in its 56 years of existence. And that’s the Golden Rule and that says, ‘he who has the gold makes the rules.’ In why the Rodi family and many members of the community in Cherry Hill this case, Wawa offered me a lot of were a little concerned when Wawa, a gold, so they make the rules. If we large retailer, started looking at Rodi’s decide to open up somewhere else, property and subsequently approached we will do it, but for now, we just him to purchase his shop and the strip want to take this money and enjoy it.” mall he also owns nearby. Enjoying the money means that The proposal was for a 5,600square-foot super store with a gas sta- Rodi and his family will be able to tion with an adjacent site that would be visit the place of his birth in Calabria reserved for future construction of a Italy. Talking about it made Joseph a 6,000-square-foot retail center and little emotional, which makes sense, Rodi’s initial response was an em- especially when you know his amazing journey. phatic “no.” Joseph Rodi is a true American But things changed considerably on March 21, when the town’s plan- success story. He was born in Italy, the ning board held a hearing to review eldest of five children. When he was the application for the 2.5-acre site 11, his father passed away, leaving and to say the least, Rodi was pleased him to support his family. In 1956, about the end result. “It was a win for Joseph, his mother, two brothers, and us,” he exclaimed. “They made us a two sisters left Italy for a new life in America. Although no one in considerable offer and we the family spoke a word of said yes. We will be here for English, Joseph, then 17, was at least another year, but we filled with hope to achieve are happy with the way it the American Dream. His came out. The planning family was greeted by relaboard’s decision is very fair tives who brought them to and I think everyone won South Camden, New Jersey, with this one.” Shop Owner Joe to begin their new life. A Wawa representaRodi came from Rodi took a job in a baktive could not be reached Italy in 1956 and for comment about the pro- thanks to a recent ery where he labored 15 sale to Wawa, a hours a day, seven days a posed store, which would large retailer, he week. After several months, be the chain’s fifth outlet will soon be able he tired of the back breaking in Cherry Hill. Plans show to return to visit work and chose to return to that a new convenience store his homeland of the trade he knew and loved will be constructed where Calabria for an Rodi’s Auto Body sits today extended vacation — auto body repair. He worked for several years and that a fueling station will replace Rodi’s Mini Mall, where honing his skills at several shops in the tenants include a bartending school, a area while taking trade classes at night at Camden’s Woodrow Wilson High title business and a hair salon. Rodi wasn’t initially enamored School. In 1965, he put $100 down on about the idea of having to either a parcel of land in Cherry Hill and move or close his shop, but in the opened Rodi’s Auto Body in an existend, the deal was too attractive to ing barn on the site. Word grew walk away from. “I’ve been here 53 quickly of his quality work and cusyears,” he said. “I guess I intend to tomers flocked to his business. In three stay here to my last breath. I have short years, Joseph was so successful worked hard for many years to be a that he was able to sell the business to good business partner with the com- pursue other endeavors. In 1975, the munity here and have built a reputa- buyers defaulted and Joseph was back in the auto body business — this time tion for being honest and fair with all to stay. of our customers. I’m not ready to by Ed Attanasio
20 MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Joseph has made many friends over the years and has been active in many civic and philanthropic causes in Cherry Hill. His community service includes 16 years on the Camden
Rodi says he is living the American Dream and the collision repair industry has been a big part of it all
County Planning Board, terms on New Jersey’s Economic Development Commission, and four years as a member of New Jersey’s Racing Commission. Joseph also served four years on
the Board of Directors of Cooper Medical Center. Rodi has also been the recipient of many honors over the years. One that he is most proud of is being named Man-of-the-Year by the Sons of Italy in 1998. More recently, in 2006, he earned his Doctor of Business Administration from Somerset University, which is pretty impressive since he was 68 at the time. In roughly 12 months time when Rodi’s Auto Body will be closing its doors, Joseph Rodi will finally take a deep breath and figure out his next move after consulting with his two sons and one daughter. But the first thing they’re doing to do is return to Italy for an extended vacation, a “bucket list” item that will take priority, he said. “Once I see the check, I will believe it,” Rodi said. “And then we can go back to Italy, because home is where the heart is. It has been a great journey and we’ve made so many great friendships over the years. I could complain, but why? I’m a happy man and I have had a great career in this industry.”
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Continued from Cover
Hyundai Repairs
However Hyundai remains the only major American OEM lacking collision repair instructions for U.S. auto body shops, according to the 2016 I-CAR Technical Information Matrix released recently, and as reported by SCRS’ Repairer Driven News. However, plans are in the works to finally change that, according to the OEM. Hyundai on confirmed a set of U.S. procedures doesn’t exist. However, one is coming, Hyundai connected care publicity manager Miles Johnson told Repairer Driven News. “I know that we’re working on it,” he said. Johnson said he couldn’t provide more details at this point. More than 1,000 shops were certified on Hyundai’s OEM repair network; an I-CAR representative who’d worked on the matrix said he didn’t believe they could obtain U.S. procedures either. Johnson said the data just didn’t exist yet for the U.S. I-CAR teaches industry best practices for the increasingly advanced materials and technology inside later-model
Hyundais. A shop current with training and equipment—and with “Ask I-CAR” bookmarked—should be able to deliver an expert repair. But what happens in a shop whose techs need more guidance? And why would even the best shop want to rely purely on “I think this is correct” to fix the kind of complex vehicles being produced today? (For example, the advanced-high-strength steel Hyundai Elantra or hybrid-to-electric Ioniq?) The three major auto body trade groups have declared that OEM recommendations should be followed during a collision repair. I-CAR also supports OEM procedures as the “manual” for shops, though the organization also works to fill gaps in the information provided by automakers. I-CAR surveyed 34 OEMs for the 2016 matrix, a quick-reference chart indicating which automakers provide details on certain auto body topics or forbid certain actions (for example, using weld-through primer) during a repair. It also contains links to automakers’ technical information websites for easy shop access. Repairer Driven News can be accessed for free at http://www.repairer drivennews.com
Taped Argument in Greenwich, CT Body Shop Results in Arrests by The Greenwich Free Press
Greenwich Police responded to Classic Auto Body at 274 Mason St. on March 30 at about 2:00 p.m., on the report of a physical altercation between two employees. Investigation revealed that an argument over a rolling cart had taken place between employees Daniel Farquharson, 67, of 25 Homecrest Pl. in Stratford and Jean Francois, 58, of 2333 North Ave in Bridgeport. According to Greenwich Police, the argument, which was recorded by an interior surveillance camera, briefly turned physical and a short tussle ensued within the shop. Both Farquharson and Francois were issued misdemeanor summonses for Disorderly Conduct and released. They shared a court date of April 6 in Stamford Superior Court. Thank you to the Greenwich Free press for reprint permission.
Man Arrested After Chase Through Norwalk, CT by News 12CT
A Norwalk, CT man is facing several charges after police say he led officers on a chase through the city. Police arrested Marc Colligan on the morning of March 23 after he drove off from J Cox & Son Autobody Shop, allegedly without paying his bill. Officers say Colligan would not pull over after they found Marc Colligan him driving on North Main Street. They say he eventually stopped on Martin Luther King Drive. Police say Colligan is facing several charges including reckless driving. He is due in court April 1. Thank you to News 12CT for permission to reprint this story.
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ME Auto Collision Students Donate Wheelchair-Accessible Van to Oxford Hills Graduate by Leslie Dixon, Advertiser Democrat
Camo is Eddie Curtis’ favorite color. So it wasn’t difficult for the students and staff at the Oxford Hills Technical School’s automotive collision repair technology class to figure out what color to paint the van they were secretly restoring for him. On Tuesday, March 29, the 2000 Dodge 3500 van was presented to George Edward “Eddie” Curtis III of Oxford—a 2011 graduate of Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School and the auto collision repair tech program—and his family—in a surprise ceremony at the school.
Oxford Hills Technical School students shake hands with graduate Eddie Curtis. The students collectively felt honored to have had the opportunity to restore an accessible van for Curtis
transportation.” The students repainted the van with camouflage stripes down the side, replaced the carpet and put a seat in the back so a passenger could ride with him. Curtis rode the side lift and wheeled inside the spacious van. “Phew, he fits!” a student com mented. Curtis’ brother, Danny Rock, said the family’s current van is “in very bad shape,” so the new van came not a moment too soon. Steeves estimates he, his assistant Jeff Tucker, and his students have spent more than 200 hours, repairing and repainting the vehicle. To get Curtis to the school without ruining the surprise, Steeves said Curtis was told he was going to be picked up by the school district’s handicapped accessible van to see a special airbrush demonstration. Steeves said Curtis was excited about the “opportunity” that was originally scheduled for March 25, when an ice storm closed school for the day. Curtis’ family including his mom and her husband, Alan Larrivee, father, George Curtis Jr., his brother, sister, Megan Batcheldor, and grandmother, Jennie Jacobson, were all in on the surprise and thrilled. “Mr. Steeves and the school are just incredible,” said his mom. “They taught him how to spray [paint] and they keep in touch with him.”
Curtis has been wheelchair-bound most of his life and needs a vehicle equipped to handle his specialized chair. “He stopped walking when he was 2,” said his mom, Patricia Larrivee. “He has spinal muscular atrophy—a form of muscular dystrophy.” “I knew Ed was into camouflage,” said his former instructor Fred Steeves, the Oxford Hills Technical School Auto Collision Repair program instructor, of the decision to paint the dark green van with a camo detail. Curtis was speechless when he realized why he was there. “I’m at a loss for words,” he Members of the auto collision repair technology said. “Wow ... it’s amazing.” class at Oxford Hills Technical School gather around The auto collision students Eddie Curtis, for whom they restored an accessible were not.”It’s awesome” doing van. Curtis graduated from the class a few years ago something like this, they said. The students and staff refurbished None of the students know Curtis as he graduated a few years ahead of the van through the National Auto Body Council’s (NABC) Recycled them. “It’s good to do something for Rides program, a nationwide program someone who needs it ... we really like in which collision repair companies, insurers, suppliers and vendors collabmaking someone’s day,” said one. “Their life!” chimed in another. orate to refurbish and donate vehicles “It feels good to make a difference and to individuals, families and service orgive someone transportation ... safe ganizations in need.
24 MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Sherry of Moody’s Collision Center presents Eddie Curtis with a gas card “that won’t fill it” but will help toward the use of the restored van
Businesses in Maine have refurbished vehicles through this program but this is the first time a Maine school has participated and the first high school program ever to participate, said school officials. Steeves said he got involved with Recycled Rides several years ago. The van was refurbished with the help of multiple donors. The donors include the Dave Forgues family of Auburn, who donated the van, Superior Paint Supply Co., Keystone/LKQ, Intertek Transportation
Technologies, Oxford NAPA, Gary’s Auto Salvage, Lashin’s Auto Parts, Certified Automotive Parts Association, Moody’s Collision Center, OHTS AC II and III, Steve Bedell, the Whitman family, and the Steeves family. The students who worked on the van include Alex Akers, Emit Hoyt, Ryan Lowe, Zac Nelson, Brandon Smith, Travis Tripp, Devon Gammon, Dustin Vezina and Anthony Whitman. Jeff Tucker and Steeves were the instructors. Where will he go first in his new wheels? “Everywhere.” We thank the Advertiser Democrat for reprint permission.
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26 MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Polyvance Finishes First Day of LeMons Race in AL, Releases New Plastic Repair Workstation
Polyvance, formerly Urethane Supply Company, completed the February 2016 24 hours of LeMons race at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama. “This was a fun team-building exercise for our company,” said Polyvance President Kurt Lammon. “The 24 Hours of LeMons is all about mak-
The Polyvance race team during the LeMons Race at Barber Motorsports Park
ing real racing affordable by limiting the price of the car to $500, excluding safety equipment.” The Polyvance race car, bought from company employee Fortunato Ruiz, was a 1997 Nissan 200SX that had been damaged by a tree that fell on it in the tornados that struck Rainsville, Alabama on April 23, 2011. “The car was a real trooper,” said
company Vice President Keith Lammon. “It had nearly 200,000 miles on it and the compression was so low you could turn the engine over by hand with the spark plugs in. We had to weld the front bumper with our nitrogen plastic welder and fabricate a rear window out of acrylic since the tree busted it out.” The Polyvance race team finished in 52nd place out of 93 cars, and would have placed in the low 40s except for a CV joint that went bad on the morning of March 13. “Luckily the local parts store had an axle on the shelf, so we dove in there and fixed it and were back on the track in an hour and a half,” said manufacturing employee Mason Martin. “It was a setback in terms of our finishing place, but it added to the team-building experience, for sure,” said Kurt. “Our most important modification was the brakes,” said Scott Bixler, Polyvance’s R&D and tech support manager. “We swapped the stock brakes, which looked like they should have been on a golf cart, for some big Wilwood brakes with four piston calipers. They lasted the whole weekend with no fade.” Polyvance’s race car survived the weekend unscathed, so the team is
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there and race with us,” said Kurt. “We haven’t got the money to sponsor NASCAR teams like some of our esteemed peers, but I guarantee we had more fun than they did writing their checks!” For more information on the 24 Hours of LeMons series, visit www .24hoursoflemons.com Polyvance also announced a new plastic repair workstation. According to a company press release, “The new
6075 Bumper Mate 2 from Polyvance makes it easy for a repair technician to hold floppy plastic bumper covers solidly in place so repairs can be made most efficiently. One technician can fixture the bumper and do the needed repair work without any additional help, maximizing the shop’s productivity.” Weighing only 12 pounds, the Bumper Mate 2 is constructed in the USA of a plywood table top and aluminum extrusions. It can be folded open and rested on top of a common folding work stand. The aluminum extension arms support the ends of the bumper and the cutouts in the table top make it easy to secure the bumper cover using spring clamps or bungee cords. The table can be dropped down with the extension arms resting on the chains to support the bumper in a facedown position so work may be performed on the backside of the bumper easily. The rectangular cutouts in the table top allow for awkwardly shaped headlights to be stabilized as well. The 6075 Bumper Mate 2 is available from auto body jobbers and equipment distributors around North America. Suggested list price is US$425.00. Questions? Contact Kurt Lammon at 800-633-3047.
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Historical Snapshot
—John Yoswick is a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon, who has a body shop in the family and has been writing about the automotive industry since 1988. He is the editor of the weekly CRASH Network (for a free 4-week trial subscription, visit www.CrashNetwork.com). Contact him by email at jyoswick@SpiritOne.com.
ASA Lobbyists, Allstate Acquires Sterling, Recycled Parts Market Share, Chinese OEMs with John Yoswick
20 years ago in the collision repair industry (May 1996) At the 1996 Automotive Service Association annual convention in Washington, D.C., the association brought together a panel of attorneys to address complex but critical questions, such as if preferred provider networks a violation of antitrust laws. Don Randall, who retired in 1993 as ASA lobbyist and legal counsel, moderated the discussed and reminded ASA members that it is often difficult to provide “black and white” responses on legal issues.
In 2006, Don Porter was a national claims consultant with State Farm and a speaker at the Automotive Recyclers Association event. He retired from State Farm in 2012, and in 2014 became CEO of the United Recyclers Group
“The law is not an exact science,” he said. “It is an ever-evolving, live institution. Randall asked the panel: Do laws allow insurers to establish direct repair programs, or could such relationships be seen as an illegal “tying arrangement,” tying the purchase of a policy to the consumer’s agreement to use certain shops for repair? “I’m not sure we have an answer to that now,” George Slover, an attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division, said. “All that the antitrust statute says about this is one sentence: no contracts, combinations or conspiracies in restraint of trade.” David Snyder, an attorney with the American Insurance Association, said he felt the law was more clear on insurance programs. “These types of plans have already been repeatedly challenged in federal and state courts, and repeatedly upheld under the antitrust laws,” Snyder said.
– As reported in Collision Expert
15 years ago in the collision repair industry (May 2001) Allstate acquisition of Sterling Collision Centers, a consolidator with 39 collision repair shops in seven states and nine metropolitan areas sent shockwaves across the industry much like State Farm’s non-OEM parts verdict. “It will change the industry, one way or the other,” predicted John Rattan, a multi-shop owner in Dallas, Texas. “If Allstate succeeds, you’ll probably see other consolidators selling out. If they don’t buy or open any more shops, it will answer the question once and for all about insurers owning body shops.” – As reported in Autobody News It’s not clear the question has been answered once and for all, but a 2003 law passed in Texas prohibiting insurers from owner body shops there largely put the brakes on Sterling’s growth as an Allstate subsidiary. Sterling added fewer than two dozen shops in the 13 years it was owned by Allstate, though it did double its sales to about $200 million by 2014 when it was acquired by Service King. Rattan remains CEO of The Body Shop, a 3shop operation in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area.
10 years ago in the collision repair industry (May 2006) Don Porter, a property and casualty claims consultant with State Farm, kicked off the morning session of the Automotive Recyclers Association Mid-Year Business Development Conference outlining his company’s interest in increasing the amount of salvage parts used in repairs—and what he believes individual recyclers and their industry as a whole can do to increase their sales of parts for use in collision repair. Based on his company’s numbers, recycled parts as a percentage of total parts sales has remained stagnant – at between 12 and 13 percent—from 2003 through 2005, while the aftermarket segment is rebounding to reach a similar market share (after declining to a low of 9.2
28 MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
percent in 2000). Porter said in order to increase the use of recycled parts, an automated approach to sourcing those parts is necessary, to provide immediate availability and condition information and to reduce the number of contacts to individual recyclers by shops and insurers. Convincing shops to use more of the parts, he said, will require helping shops identify “best in class” recyclers that use systems to ensure on-time delivery of the correct part in the described condition. – As reported in Autobody News Spending on recycled parts peaked at just over 14 percent (of total dollars spent on parts) in 2001 according to data from Mitchell International, then has drifted downward back to between 12 and 13 percent, just as it was when Porter spoke at the recycler event. (Non-OEM parts, on the other hand, have increased steadily to a account for more than 16 percent of
total parts dollars.) Porter retired from State Farm in 2012, and in 2014 became CEO of the United Recyclers Group.
5 years ago in the collision repair industry (May 2011) Speaking at an industry event, Greg Horn of Mitchell International offered a look at some of the vehicles that Chinese automakers—a number of which have plans to enter the U.S. market— currently produce. Horn said Great Wall Motors is predicting a U.S. launch in 2015, following the model used by Kia some years ago, with sales in several states and entry into the rental fleet. The company will use feedback from that limited launch to make improvements before selling on a broader scale. Horn said the expected low cost of early Chinese vehicles in this country will likely lead to more totals than See ASA Lobbyist, Page 44
www.autobodynews.com | MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 29
Continued from Cover
NORTHEAST Events
the right way, or you’re not.” Gruskos listed four reasons for gluing and riveting: 1. Avoids welding as much as possible 2. Prevents corrosion after welding 3. Obtains a very rigid connection 4. Repair times are reduced by approximately 30 percent
Gruskos spoke about riveted joins, self-piercing rivets, and the shape of the dyes. As he finished up his presentation, he noted that while the same steel welder can be used on vehicles from multiple OEMs, that is not the case for aluminum which requires the use of a different welder for each manufacturer since they use different materials, and it’s important to know the differences. Gruskos stressed the importance of training on these variances: “You need to know when to say no and send the car on, or get the training you need to be able to repair it.” The seminar continued with Doug Richman, Vice President of Engineering and Technology for Kaiser Aluminum as well as Technical Committee Chair-
man of the Aluminum Association’s Aluminum Transportation Group, who began “Driving Innovation with Automotive Aluminum” by stating, “If you can’t successfully repair these materials, our materials can’t be successful.” According to Richman, there are 450 different grades of aluminum in production worldwide, and with 1300 combinations of materials, it’s impossible to properly repair aluminum without following OEM guidelines. Covering the past 50 years, he showed that aluminum growth averages have seen yearly increases and stressed, “Aluminum is not a new material in the automotive industry.” There are many aluminum-intensive vehicles due to the need to make them lighter without making them smaller. Aluminum is driving the creation of a new segment of ultra-luxury SUVs. Richman believes that multimaterial vehicles are the new norm of the industry. He said we will see more parts made this way as each vehicle part is now being scrutinized for optimum performance. Richman added that aluminum materials aren’t the same, so it isn’t easy to identify a specific material in the field. He concluded with a brief explanation of
30 MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
several aluminum products and alloys. Two additional seminars beganlater. Tony Nethery, the business development manager at COLORMATCH, a PBE distributor serving the Southeastern U.S., presented a one-hour session entitled “Effective Training for Shops” sponsored by the Refinish Distributors Alliance (RDA). It outlined what collision repair training is required, and which optional training best fits their needs, and will also return on their investment. Nethery gave an encore of this presentation on Sunday afternoon. Beginning at the same time Friday night, John Niechwiadowicz of QLC Inc. and Jerry McNee of Ultimate Collision Repair taught a two-hour, fee-based course on “Maximize Your Estimates.” Their interactive seminar was the second installment of their annual NORTHEAST estimating seminars. Attendees had another chance to attend on Saturday afternoon. In an evening session, General Motors’ Jim Mickle described repairing and replacing structural components on GM vehicles in “GM Structural Repair.” Next, Axalta Coating Systems sponsored “Positioning Yourself in the Collision Repair Industry,” presented by Collision Advice’s Mike Anderson
who explored how shops can overcome the challenges of today’s marketplace. Friday’s seminars concluded with “Variable Rate Systems” as Sam and Richard Valenzuela of National Auto Body Research discussed this innovative technology. The evening concluded with the NORTHEAST Exhibitor Appreciation After-Party, giving vendors a chance to network and socialize. Saturday afternoon’s sessions began with three sessions opening at the Embassy Suites by Hilton next door to the Meadowlands, I-CAR hosted two courses that began at 8:30 am: 2015 Ford F-150 Structural Repair Training Course (FOR06) and Vehicle Technology and Trends 2016 (NEW16), presented by I-CAR’s Peter Fryzel and Mike Bonsanto, respectively. “Increase Profits, Lower Cycle Time/Supplements with Triage Estimating” also began at 8:30 am. It was facilitated by Metropolitan Car-OLiner and presented by Larry Montanez of P & L Consultants. Montanez explained that the OEMs’ need to create lighter, faster, fuel-efficient vehicles that are safer has led to the use of aluminum in vehicle construction, new airbag locations and seat belts that grab the passenger faster. Since 2001,
www.autobodynews.com | MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 31
Honda has been using Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE). Montanez took participants through proper repair procedures, focusing on Honda metallurgy and MIG brazing. While discussing the importance of using scanning tools to increase accuracy and lower cycle time, Montanez reminded everyone that new technology makes vehicles run like computers, so it’s unrealistic to expect systems to function properly after a crash. In response to shop arguments that they can’t afford a measuring system, Montanez said, “Then you need to open a different type of business - you can’t kill people because you don’t have the money for proper equipment.” While touching on changes in materials and the need to check OEM procedures in order to correctly repair a damaged vehicle, Montanez described an estimate as an opinion, while a blueprint is more accurate since it requires research. A blueprint should begin by cleaning the vehicle and taking photos. The triage process allows technicians to prioritize when certain items on the vehicle should be repaired. Blueprinting should be completed at the beginning of the process, and then the shop can identify the materials needed to repair the vehicle. Montanez encouraged shop owners to be organized and create checklists to save time. This ensures that the technicians know which step to take next. He stated, “With the different types of metals and grades being used, this can cause vehicles to act differently in collisions and you can’t tell what’s wrong by the body lines. With cars becoming a lot more accurate, you need to measure the vehicle to uncover all its damage.” At 10 am, Aaron Clark from Assured Performance Network moderated “Body Shop Certification and You: An OEM Panel,” with a panel consisting of Gary Ledoux from American Honda, Mark Mandl from Ford, Nissan’s Mark Zoba, Mark Allen from Audi, and Chrysler’s Brian Wayne. As the group discussed the importance of OEM certifications and their networks of repair facilities, they touched on training requirements, equipment needs, the differences between aluminum and steel, and how a shop can market itself after being certified. Shortly after the OEM panel began, Steve Feltovich of SherwinWilliams presented “Competing with the Talking Car - Virtual Steering.” Discussing the increasing emergence of connected car technologies, Feltovich examined the three ways these
changes will impact the collision repair industry: how they’re manufactured, how they function and how they’re repaired. He also provided suggestions on using these techniques to remain competitive in the industry. Simultaneously, “Photo Estimating Comes to the Northeast” was moderated by Kristen Felder of Engage Target Media and included commentary by C. J. Przybyl, President of Snapsheet. This session explored the developments related to insurers accepting photo-only damage appraisals. Przybyl stressed that these repairs are very independent-driven and requires adherence to OEM procedures, claiming “photo-based estimating is no difference than in-person inspections. It’s just as good. We’re here to get things going quicker and smoother and to keep the customer happy.” An insurance representative complained about this claim, stating that a photo-based appraisal could be as good as her knowledge of a physical inspection, given the significant investment she has put into training. She pointed out that many consumers don’t know what to photograph because they’re unaware of which items may be damaged. Przybyl explained that his company uses appraisers with years of experience who try to do the same assessment from photos, but they rely on the body shop to tear down the vehicle and provide the information necessary to restore it to its pre-accident condition. He also confirmed that there are cases where a photo-based appraisal indicates the need for an on-site inspection, and appraisers will be sent to do this. Felder contributed to the conversation by reminding attendees that the 9.5 day field requirement is challenging and the number one reason for photo-based estimates is customer service and demand. Building on Przybyl’s statement that 95% of shop estimates require supplements, Felder stated that the supplements she sees from shops are as large as those from photo estimates, differing only by an average of $300. At 11:45 am Ford’s Gerry Bonnani covered the improved repair elements of the new 2015 F-150, including enhanced service information, available training and recommended repair tools and equipment; he repeated this session on Sunday morning. At 1 pm, Larry Montanez presented “OEM Collision Repair Procedures vs. Industry Standards: A 2016 Update,” as he explored what has and hasn’t changed over the
32 MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
past four years. At 2:30 pm, Mike Anderson presented findings from his shop surveys on procedures for which they are reimbursed in “Who Pays for What? Survey Results.” Also at 2:30 pm, the Refinish Distributors Alliance (RDA) sponsored Tony Nethery’s “Estimating Following OEM Guidelines” where he described the differences between the “normal” repair process and OEM methods to produce a “correct” repair. In addition to encore performances of several presentations from earlier in the weekend, two courses ran from 4-5PM. Doug Richman and Jim Dickson from the Aluminum Transportation Group discussed the “Aluminum Industry and ICAR Join Forces to Address Collision Repair Knowledge,” providing insights on aluminum use in modern vehicle designs and how aluminum use impacts repair procedures. In the only session unrelated to vehicles and the repair process, Jody Gatchell, owner of A & J Collision Repair, presented “The Customer Encounter” on behalf of Management Success which explored “the customer and the experience they have. Last year, my shop had its best year ever, and I credit that to the customer experience. I
hope you’ll look at the customer experience differently than before.” While explaining that the customer experience is crucial for the present and future of your shop, Gatchell noted that how customers perceive others’ experiences can make or break your business. The goal is to have happy, loyal customers who value your service, and your product is a satisfied customer who will return and refer others. Cars don’t have problems; they don’t care if they stay wrecked forever - the customers are the ones with the problems! Put yourself in the customer’s shoes and deliver what they’re expecting plus more.” Stressing the importance of a memorable customer encounter, Gatchell tasked owners with establishing a system to ensure all customers’ needs and wants are addressed and handled properly every single time. Shop personnel should be friendly, helpful, observant, organized and communicate well, and the team must understand what’s expected. Service advisers need to listen carefully to the customer and acquire the necessary information to know how to exceed their needs. Turning to productivity, Gatchell See NORTHEAST Events, Page 36
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www.autobodynews.com | MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 33
Shop Strategies with Stacey Phillips - ASSISTANT EDITOR
Utah Shop Stresses Importance of OEM Certifications and Educating Customers About Parts Usage Karl Schmidt has managed Go Collision Repair’s body shop in Salt Lake City, Utah since 2007. The familyowned business was founded by Karl Otto Schmidt in 1936, and is currently owned by Walter Schmidt. Autobody News spoke to Karl about the importance of OEM certifications and how he educates customers about the difference in parts.
Can you tell us about Go ColliQ: sion Repair and your primary area of focus?
and one of the very few that have chosen to become certified by various OEMs.
Our shop, including our sister What is the importance company Schmidt Signs, has of having OEM certifiA: Q: been in business for more than 70 years. cations and what was entailed
With almost 30 employees, we strive to do what is best for the customer, despite the insurance companies’ demands. We have tailored to fleets and their refinish needs for years as many customers utilize custom paint and graphics as part of their identity. During the past eight years, we have added about 5,000 square feet to the body shop, dedicated just to cars, giving our operation about 11,000 square feet total space. Our main focus has always been graphics and painting but now In addition to collision repair, Go Collision focuses on we are proud to be one of Salt graphics, lettering, pinstriping and bedliner, as well as light repair and full refinishing on heavy haul equipment Lake City’s premiere shops
34 MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
to get certified?
The OEM certifications are not critical… A: yet. However, if you can’t
The family-owned business in Salt Lake City, Utah was
qualify for them now, you founded by Karl Otto Schmidt in 1936 will not be in business in the do them.’ Technology is changing and next five years. Cars are becoming so I want to be on top. We are not perfect, complex and we need to be tooled for the proper repair. In our quest to be- but we are progressing. come OEM certified we have invested In addition to collision repair, in some tooling and training that are what other services do you expensive, but it is needed to help enoffer and how does this complement sure air bag timing and proper repair. I know it is not business as usual your collision repair shop? even though many would love to tell In addition to collision repair, customers they have been doing rewe offer graphics, lettering, pinpairs for ‘20 years and I know how to
Q: A:
www.autobodynews.com | MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 35
striping and bedliner. We also do light repair and full refinishing on heavy haul equipment. Customers always ask why we also focus on signs and graphics as it seems unusual, but it is all about the fleet and our ability to serve them. It has worked well for us being a one-stop shop.
I noticed that you were having Q: a contest to win free Utah Jazz tickets with a customer's repair. Have
you offered contests in the past and what is the benefit of doing this for your business?
A:
We have been known to give away items on our website, but that is such a small part of the importance of the web site. It is really only to grab the customer’s attention when they have questions about getting their repairs done. How do you educate your cusQ: tomers about the difference between OEM and aftermarket usage?
customers know some of the schemes the insurance company is going to do to help mitigate the claims. I tell them that
During the past eight years, Go Collision has added about 5,000 square feet to the body shop
I work in their best interest and not for the insurance companies. I also let them know about our relations with the parts manufacturers and how they like to help, which ensures customers have OEM parts on their cars. I spend time letting consumers know that insurance wants to mitigate claims, and sometimes does not represent what is truly best for the consumer, or their vehicle. Consumers like knowing that someone is looking out for them.
How do I educate my customers? A: Wow, that is a big question. I Is there anything additional you need to start off by saying that we are not Q: would like to share with readers a DRP for any insurance company. I let about your business or the industry? Continued from Page 32
NORTHEAST Events
advised attendees to complete what’s on the work order, handle customer-required items, complete the job in a timely manner, communicate and clean the vehicle. To stay on top of productivity, you need to know the status of every vehicle and give the customer plenty of notice when it comes to pick up. During delivery, present the vehicle to the customer, show them the work that was completed, point out any customer-required item, review all documents with the customer and ask for a testimonial. Gatchell also emphasized the importance of customer/employee interaction, and he said that 92% of consumers regularly read online reviews, and 51% will select a business with positive reviews. Asking for the review right after the transaction is important since response rates decline the longer you wait. Rather than worry about negative reviews, Gatchell suggested turning them into free good publicity by responding to them, apologizing for the customer’s bad experience and being willing to address. Concluding, Gatchell said, “It’s your
responsibility to take care of the customer’s needs and wants, not the customer’s. Your customers are the best marketing tool you have so take care of them and address all their concerns. Take your time, ask questions and listen. Be organized, and have fun!” The NORTHEAST 2016 Trade Show floor was open on Friday from 5 pm until 10 pm, on Saturday from 10 am through 5 pm, and Sunday from 10 am -2 pm. On Saturday, BASF’s booth featured KC Mathieu of KC’s Paint Shop who was featured on Discovery Channel’s “Fast N’ Loud with Gas Monkey Garage.” On Sunday, AASP/NJ featured Family Day with fun activities for children. The trade show floor was sold out with over 120 exhibitors, including 3M, American Honda, BASF, Central Paint, CMA Refinishing Solutions, Enterprise, Induction Innovations, Killer Tools and Equipment, Nucar Wholesale Parts, Orio, Pro Spot, ProLine Tool & Supply, Reliable Automotive Equipment, Team PRP, USI of North America, Valspar and many, many more. Next year, AASP/NJ will host NORTHEAST 2017 on March 17-1.
36 MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Utah is really hurting when it A: comes to consumer protection and the insurance commissioner’s
stance on who is important to protect. The insurance is well represented in Utah and that is not a good thing. I do know we as body shops need to do more together to help our industry both as a group and at the state regulation level. For more information, contact Karl Schmidt, manager at Go Collision, at 801-486-0193. Continued from Page 3
ASA’s Annual Meeting
ments are the responsibility of each attendee. The official registration form and housing information are available on the ASA website: www.ASAshop .org/annualmeeting. For more information, contact David Lowell at (817) 514-2900, ext. 111, or davidl@ASAshop.org. For ASA membership information, visit www.ASAshop.org. You can also visit ASA’s legislative website at www.TakingTheHill.com
PPG Refinish Continues Commitment to Training
PPG Automotive Refinish will offer an expanded array of classes throughout 2016, with subjects ranging from basic and advanced product line training to custom painting techniques, business management, shop operations and customer service. “PPG’s commitment to training is the strongest in the industry,” said Randy Cremeans, PPG director of training. “We understand that training is a continuous process; it’s never complete, especially with the ongoing changes we see in this industry.” Courses will be available in 16 state-of-the-art PPG Business Development Centers in the United States and Canada. Specific locations are being upgraded with new equipment and remodeled to accommodate the increased demand. PPG trainers will also travel to numerous vocational schools, PPG distributors and other PPG-affiliated locations across North America. For more information about PPG Automotive Refinish training classes, schedules, locations and course descriptions, call (800) 6476050 or visit www.ppgrefinish.com
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7018 East Blackhorse Pike, West Atlantic City, NJ 08232 www.autobodynews.com | MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 37
Toyota Establishes Third Autonomous Driving US Research Institute in MI Dr. Gill Pratt, CEO of the Toyota Research Institute (TRI), announced on April 7 that Toyota will establish its third TRI facility in the U.S. The new facility will be located in Ann Arbor, near the University of Michigan (U-M) campus where it will fund research in artificial intelligence, robotics and materials science. Joining the TRI facility established last January in Palo Alto, CA working with Stanford (TRI-PAL), and in Cambridge, MA working with MIT (TRICAM), TRI-ANN is scheduled to open in June and target a staff of approximately 50. “TRI was drawn to Ann Arbor because of the strength of the university; the utility of Mcity and the Mobility Transformation Center which we currently sponsor; the promise of the future American Center for Mobility at Willow Run; and the proximity to, and synergies with, our two well-established Toyota Technical Centers nearby,” said Pratt. The Toyota Technical Centers have been conducting research in the area of autonomous cars for more than a decade. A group of about 15 team members will transfer to the new TRI-ANN facility when it opens. U-M Professors Ryan Eustice and Edwin Olson are joining TRI-ANN as the area leads for map-
ping/localization and perception, respectively. Both will be based at the Ann Arbor office, and will retain their U-M faculty positions. “Sensor hardware and algorithms are improving at a tremendous pace. TRI researchers will push the frontier even further, with the goal of providing safer vehicles and more helpful robots in the home,” said Olson. Eustice added, “Ann Arbor is a fantastic location for TRI to expand its autonomous driving efforts. We will benefit from Toyota’s existing team and U-M’s research talent and facilities where we can perform extreme-limit testing in a wide variety of environments.” Although the focus of each of the three facilities will be broad, each will feature a different core discipline. TRI-ANN will focus primarily on fully autonomous (chauffeured) driving. TRI-PAL will work on what may be termed “guardian angel” driving, where the driver is always engaged but the vehicle assists as needed. TRICAM will dedicate a large portion of its work to simulation and deep learning. With initial funding of $1 billion, the Toyota Research Institute has four mandates. First, it will strive to enhance the safety of automobiles with the ultimate
38 MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
goal of creating a car that is incapable of causing a crash, regardless of the skill or condition of the driver. Second, it will work to increase access to cars for those who otherwise cannot drive, including seniors and those with special needs. Third, it will help translate Toyota’s expertise in creating products for outdoor mobility into products for indoor mobility; moving people and goods across the country, across town, or across the room. Finally, TRI will accelerate scientific discovery by applying techniques from artificial intelligence and machine learning, particularly in the area of materials science. Using computation and machine learning, it hopes to accelerate scientific discovery in this area, lowering costs and improving performance of future mobility systems. TRI is also pursuing collaboration with other automakers, IT companies, suppliers, research labs and universities to jointly develop autonomous technologies. “Where we need autonomy to help most is when the driving is difficult,” said Pratt. “It’s this hard part that TRI intends to address. Toyota’s goal is safer mobility for all, at any time, in any place, and the tremendous improvements in quality of life that such universal mobility can bring.”
BASF’s Glasurit 90 Line Introduces New Boosters
BASF’s Glasurit® 90 Line automotive refinish introduced eight new Color Advance Boosters that increase efficiency and performance for challenging red, blue and green colors, according to a company press release. The boosters provide a higher pigment concentration to reduce the number of coats required to achieve a flawless repair. “Our Glasurit chemists developed these boosters to significantly improve hiding and still provide a high quality Glasurit finish for many tri-coats, metallics and vivid colors,” said Shefali Cromer, Glasurit market segment manager for BASF. “The boosters can reduce base consumption by up to 50 percent, resulting in lower film thickness, faster drying and reduced process times.” The Color Advance Boosters are available in three red, three blue and two green boosters. When added to the Glasurit 90 Line toners they enable a more even application and harder curing, allowing for better ease-of-use, improved tape resistance and easier sanding, according to the company. See http://www.refinish.basf.us /GlasuritColorAdvance
www.autobodynews.com | MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 39
H ONDA C ONN ECT I CUT
Lia Honda of Enfield E nf ield
800-221-3131 860-741-3401 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 8-4 jdoucette@liacars.com
Schaller Honda New Britain
800-382-4525 860-826-2080 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5; Sat 8-1 jkiniry@schallerauto.com M ARY L AND
Criswell Honda Ger m an t ow n
866-738-2886 Dept. Hours: M-Thu 7-9; Fri 7-7:30; Sat 8-6 hondaparts@criswellauto.com
O’Donnell Honda E llicot t City
410-461-5000 410-461-9654 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-6; Sat 8-5 bshortt@odonnellhonda.com
Ourisman Honda of Laurel Lau rel
800-288-6985 301-498-6050 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-7; Sat 7-4 ron.malitz@ourismanautomotive.com
AC URA M ARY L AND
Tischer Acura Lau rel
800-288-6983 301-498-3322 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-4 wholesaleparts@tischerauto.com M ASSA CHU SETT S
Acura of Boston Brig ht on
800-254-1169 617-254-5400 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5:30; Sat 8-5 bruce.fisher@acuraofboston.com N EW J ERS EY
Acura Turnersville Tu r ners v ille
888-883-2884 856-516-6060 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 kristen.powell@penskeautomotive.com 40 MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Please contact these dealers for your Honda or Acura Genuine parts needs. MA S SAC H U S ET TS
NE W J ERSE Y
N EW YOR K
P EN N SY LVA NI A
LIA Honda Northampton
Rossi Honda
Dick Ide Honda
Apple Honda
N or th am p t on
V i ne l a nd
Ro che s te r
York
800-369-7889 413-586-6043
800-893-3030 856-692-4449
800-462-0056 (N.Y.) 585-586-4919
800-960-9041 717-848-2600
Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 8-4 dstanisewski@liacars.com
Dept. Hours: M-F 6:30-5; Sat 7:30-3 dave@rossihonda.com
Dept. Hours: M-Thur 8-8; Fri 8-5:30; Sat 8-5 parts@dickide.com
Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 7-4; Sun 10-4 applehondaparts@appleauto1.com
NE W J E R S E Y
Clinton Honda An n a n d ale
Route 22 Honda H i l l si de
Lamacchia Honda
973-705-9100
S yra c use
315-471-7278
908-735-0900
Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7:30; Sat 8-5 rt22hondaparts@route22honda.com
Dept. Hours: M,Tue, F 7-6; W, Thu 7-7; Sat 7-4 chrish@clintonhonda.com
N o rt h P l a i n fi e ld
Lia Honda of Albany
908-753-1680
A lba n y
Honda of Turnersville Tu r n er sv ill e
800-883-0002 856-649-1584
VIP Honda Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-3 kevinh@viphonda.com NE W YO RK
Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 9-1 parts@lamacchiahonda.com
800-468-2090 412-390-2908
Wes t B a by lo n
Lia Honda of Williamsville W il l ia msv il le / Buffa l o
We st N e w Yor k
Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 7:30-3:30 babylonparts@aol.com
877-659-2672 716-632-3800
Brewster Honda
Dept. Hours: M-Thu 7:30-8; Fri 7:30-5; Sat 8-5:30 liaparts@liacars.com
Ma d iso n
845-278-4177 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 kbennett@liacars.com
We s t Se ne c a
Pit ts b urgh
Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5 shadysidehondaparts@hotmail.com
Sussman Honda Ros ly n
800-682-2914 215-657-3301 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-1 rendrick@sussmanauto.com
Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-8; Sat 7:30-5:30 ekuznicki@raylaks.com
Dept. Hours: M-Thu 7-8; Fri 7-6; Sat 8-6; mschumer@madisonhonda.com
NE W J E R S E Y
Ray Laks Honda 716-824-7852
800-648-0293 973-822-1710
Mont g omer yv ille
215-855-3587
Shadyside Honda
631-669-5800
Madison Honda
J.L. Freed Honda
Dept. Hours: M, T, W, F 7:30-5:30; Thur 7:30-8; Sat 8-5 apersaud@liacars.com
Hudson Honda
B re w s t e r
724-940-2006 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 johnryan@baierl.com
Dept. Hours: M-Thur 8-6; Fri 8-5; Sat 8-4 joseph.sciacca@jlfreed.com
Babylon Honda
Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 7:30-5; Sun 8-3 anthony.perrone@hudsonhonda.com
Wex f ord
800-272-6741 518-482-2598
Dept. Hours: M-F 8-6; Sat 8-4 sbaptist@penskeautomotive.com
866-483-6917 201-868-9500
Baierl Honda
NE W YO RK
PEN NS YLVANIA
PEN NSY LVAN IA
Elite Acura
Curry Acura
Apple Acura
Ma p le Sh ad e
S c ar s da l e
Yo r k
E mm aus
856-722-9600
800-725-2877 914-472-7406
877-5APPLE5 717-849-6639
877-860-3954 610-967-6500
Dept. Hours: M-F 8-6; Sat 8-5 parts@curryacura.com
Dept. Hours: M-F 7-5:30; Sat 7-3 parts@appleacura.com
Dept. Hours: M-F 7-5; Sat 8-5 mustafa@vinart.com
Paragon Acura
Baierl Acura
Sussman Acura
Woo d s i d e
Wexfo rd
Jen kint own
718-507-3990
800-246-7457 724-935-0800
800-826-4078 215-884-6285
Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-1 johnsabella@baierl.com
Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-1 rendrick@sussmanauto.com
Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 bmartinsen@group1auto.com
Park Ave Acura Ma ywoo d
888-690-7621 201-587-0028 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-6; Sat 8-3 jon.tangen@parkaveacura.com NE W Y O R K
Acura of Westchester We st ch est er
914-834-8887 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-8; Sat 8-4; Sun 9-4 acura.parts@yahoo.com
Dept. Hours: M-F 8-6; Sat 8-5; Sun 9-4 johnp@paragonacura.com
Smithtown Acura St. James
888-832-8220 631-366-4114 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 8-4 parts@smithtownacura.com
Lehigh Valley Acura
Davis Acura L a ngho r ne
866-50-ACURA 215-943-7000 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 8-4 markh@davisacura.com
www.autobodynews.com | MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 41
American Honda Hosts ProFirst ‘Lunch and Learn’ at NORTHEAST 2016 that shops need to acquire more work, and marketing is an integral part of inDuring NORTHEAST 2016 in Secau- creasing volume. cus, NJ, American Honda hosted a According to Felder, “Collision ‘Lunch and Learn’ event for shops repair is a local business. Research inparticipating in their ProFirst certified dicates that a repair center’s customer program. Over 40 attendees gathered base is located within an average 6.2 to enjoy lunch and to listen to presen- mile radius from the shop’s location. tations on Brand Strategy As such, Felder suggested and Honda’s Customer Supthat shops use last year’s data port, delivered by Kristen to determine where their cusFelder of Engage Target tomers are coming from in Media and Chris Tobie of order to zero in on how those American Honda. The gathcustomers are finding your ering commenced with Gary shop and why.” Ledoux, Assistant National In the collision repair inChris Tobie of Manager of Collision Parts dustry, validation is an imporAmerican Honda Marketing and ProFirst Ad- writes I-CAR’s HON tant component in attracting ministrator for American customers. Consumers will training Honda, expressing gratitude elicit recommendations from to those who took initiative to become friends and family, and then go online a Honda ProFirst certified shop. to validate that recommendation before Felder began her marketing pres- making a final decision. This validation entation by noting that those present comes through reviews, search engine are among the one percent willing to queries and social connection. make the extra effort to obtain the Felder added, “Most consumers training and equipment needed to go online with two names so you’re properly repair vehicles. Agreeing to not competing with every shop in your the importance of shops seeing a re- market - you are generally competing turn on their investment, she indicated against one other shop for validation. by Chasidy Rae Sisk
42 MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Our objective is to understand the three forms of validation so you can implement these practices in your business.” Beginning with online reviews, Felder observed that yelp.com is a popular review site, but while the average net promoter score for other industries is 56 to 60 percent, the score is 75 percent for the collision repair industry. This is because insurers got involved and drive those numbers up. According to Felder, “The number one way to drive business in your doors is to sign up for online review services.” Felder recommended www.auto bodyreviews.com because it outranks yelp in Google’s ratings. This site verifies the reviews, allows a shop to highlight its certifications, and also provides the option of pushing the ratings/rankings out to the business’s social media pages as a means of providing constant content which serves as validation autobodyreviews.com guarantees a return on investment, or they will provide a refund. Turning to search engines, Felder explained, “SEO is an algorithm which
gives you a ranking on the search engine. To rank higher on Google, it’s important to have a well-optimized website and social media presence.” Felder also cautioned, “The average consumer clicks one page on your website, usually your homepage. Is everything they need to know about your business on your homepage? If not, you must reevaluate it, your homepage needs to tell your story.” Because Google wants the best, organic sites for their users, the traffic created on social media also impacts a shop’s ratings. Felder urged attendees, “Take social control! Consumers visit your social media pages to get to know you and decide whether they want to pursue a relationship with your business.” Explaining that shops need Facebook, YouTube and Twitter pages to add news and value to the lives of their followers, Felder noted that those under 30 years old also spend a significant amount of time on Instagram. Since most of Honda’s customers are under 35, ProFirst shops should also use this tool in their marketing stratSee American Honda Hosts, Page 44
www.autobodynews.com | MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 43
Continued from Page 42
American Honda Hosts
egy. Social media is imperative because the average person accesses Facebook eight times each day, spending an average of 45 minutes on it each time. Elaborating on how to effectively use Facebook for marketing, Felder indicated the need to post once every four days, but she cautioned against sharing links since this content is not original and is prioritized lower. Rather than paying to boost your post, Felder recommended beating the algorithm by sharing a short link in the text of the post along with an original photo and a summary of the linked article since businesses receive higher rankings based on the amount of original content they post. She added, “Posts with photos receive more engagement, and this method allows you to engage with consumers in a creative way.” Felder next stressed that releasing videos is important, citing a forecast that, by next year, 87% of all internet traffic will be video consumption. When comparison shopping, 93% of consumers find videos helpful, and 71% feel that watching a video produced by a shop leaves them with a positive impression. Additionally, 58% of consumers believe shops that produce videos are more trustworthy. Because YouTube links receive low prioritization on Facebook, Felder recommends embedding videos into the news feed. She suggests working with local film schools to create Continued from Page 28
ASA Lobbyists
repaired vehicles. But the success of any of the Chinese automakers here will largely be dependent on their ability to set up the replacement parts infrastructure that is needed, Horn said. Sterling Motors and Daihatsu, he said, failed largely because a lack of parts availability led to repair delays and total losses.
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unique, original videos to show your value as a shop and explain why you’re the expert on their vehicle. She also reminded attendees that it’s important to display something in their shops to show why they’re different since not every customer has committed to a decision when they enter the shop. In closing, Felder addressed attendees: “Becoming a Honda ProFirst shop and acquiring your OEM certifi-
ual.” Tobie then dove into specific examples of some recent changes to Honda vehicle construction. The 2016 pilot door stiffener ring is constructed of 1500 MPa steel, and if damaged, it must be replaced as a single assembly. No sectioning is allowed on the 2016 Civic rear frame rails; this must also be replaced as a complete assembly only. Tobie predicted, “We’re going to see the use of more highstrength steels because they are a lighter weight, but they also rust easier so technicians will need to apply corrosion protection.” When the availability of collision parts doesn’t match the market’s needs, Tobie explained that Honda elicits parts configuration and availAttendees were all from ProFirst shops, certified by Honda ability feedback from the cation means you took the initiative to market, develops a parts review learn how to fix these cars better than process which can be applied to the anyone in your market, and you need problem, and after creating a new to capitalize on that. service part, revises BRM sectioning Next, Ledoux introduced Amerito allow for a proper repair at minimal can Honda’s Chris Tobie who writes cost. Tobie next explored the use of I-CAR’s HON training. Tobie preultra high-strength steel, describing sented “Honda and Acura Collision the information bulletin Honda reRepair Industry Support Update 3/19/16.” Beginning with body structure, he noted that there has been a lot of changes over the past couple years. Since 2015, Honda models include different steels which require welding restrictions, and the addition of 1500 MPa steel changes how a car is repaired. According to Tobie, “The only way to know this is by utilizing Body Repair News and the body repair man“The folks that have the best infrastructure for supporting their brand will be the Chinese brands that survive going forward,” Horn said. – As reported in CRASH Network (www.CrashNetwork.com), May 30, 2011. Despite Great Wall Motors’ optimism five years ago, it has yet to sell a vehicle in the United States. The company has been plagued in recent years with quality issues, recalls and unpopular models, but it remains China’s largest sport utility vehicle maker.
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leased to dealerships to explain the special repair processes required for these materials. This bulletin cautioned that using improper equipment and procedures can result in unsafe repairs. Honda has identified all current service parts containing ultra highstrength steel and are applying the necessary instructions to all impacted parts. Tobie advised attendees that ProFirst shops can access this information through tech line support with 95% of Honda and Acura questions being answered through published information. He gave a demonstration of Honda’s Service Express site which is available to ProFirst shops and provides the same information to which dealerships have access. Honda collision repair training courses are delivered through I-CAR, and their roster will soon include HON15e: Honda and Acura A/C Collision Repair. These modules have received positive feedback from surveyed participants. Ledoux closed the Lunch and Learn by thanking attendees for their dedication to delivering high-quality repairs to American Honda drivers, and he sent them on their way with gifts featuring the ProFirst logo.
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Why Are Online Reviews Important to Your Auto Body Shop? Google, Yahoo! or Bing search in your local market. Terlep said that 88 percent of conEvery month, nearly 10 million consumers search online for auto body re- nected consumers trust online reviews pair shops and related services. One of as much as personal recommendations the first things they see are online re- from people and 90 percent said that positive online reviews influence their views. buying decisions. Whether your organizaIn 2015, a company tion has two, 200 or 2,000 lonamed Review Inc. surveyed cations, Frank Terlep, foun1,000 consumers and found der and CEO of eMarketing that consumers trust online Sherpas, said that online rereviews much more than any views are extremely imporother marketing and advertistant to your business. From Frank Terlep. ing mediums, including webhis experience over the years, File photo. sites, newspaper, television he said they can improve customer engagement, a company’s brand and the yellow pages. “A brand is no longer what we tell and increase online referrals. He cited data collected from the consumers it is – it is what consumers Bazaarvoice network in 2015, which tell each other it is,” said Scott D. Cook, said a business with one review can the founder of Intuit and a board memexperience a 10 percent increase in ber of eBay and P&G. “But the sad news is that 87 persales, a business with 50 reviews can have a 30 percent increase and busi- cent of small businesses like most of nesses with 200 reviews can see a 44 you on this call don’t really have a formal process in place to ask for and percent increase. capture online reviews,” Terlep said Terlep recently held a webinar disduring his presentation. cussing the importance of online reOver the last few months, he has views and offered tips on how to have your business appear on page one of a found that review sites now occupy 40 by Stacey Phillips, Assistant Editor
to 80 percent of all first page links. With an abundance of different review sites on the web, businesses might wonder what review sites are the most important to focus on. “The review sites that consumers use the most and see the most and know the most are the ones that matter the most,” said Terlep.
handouts, email, your website, Facebook, mobile apps and in some cases, in-house kiosks. He strongly recommended that a delivery review request handout be given to a customer when their vehicle is delivered. Another effective way he found to
Some of the more popular ones he mentioned include Yelp, Google, Yahoo!, Bing, Facebook, Citysearch, Yellow Pages and Judy’s Book. What steps should a business put in place to get more online reviews? “Just ask!” said Terlep. “If you want to get reviews, you need to let the customer know that reviews are important to your business.” He said it’s also important to make it easy and convenient for consumers to give you a review and let them know which sites you would like to get the reviews on. He suggested using signage, POS materials, verbal requests, delivery
ask for online reviews is by sending an email or text. Currently, the average open rate for an email is 18 to 22 percent; while a text has a 98 percent open rate and is usually read within five minutes. When asking for a verbal review, Terlep said there are eight must dos: 1) Always get permission before sending a review request. 2) Ask at the peak of your customer’s happiness with your service. 3) Let your customer know that you’re asking for a “favor.” 4) Let your customer know how
“Eighty-eight percent of connected consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations from people.” — Frank Terlep
See Online Reviews, Page 60
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Golden Oldie Vehicles Soar by Jim Lang, Lang Marketing
Golden Oldie Vehicles Soar “Cars and light trucks 15 years and older will be the fastest growing vehicle age group in the U.S. over the next four years (2016 through 2019). More than 11 million light vehicles 15 years and older will be added to the nation's VIO (vehicles in operation) by the end of 2019, an unprecedented 17% surge.” “Rapid growth of older vehicles will influence four key aftermarket dynamics: parts proliferation, product volume, where vehicles are repaired and the product brands used to repair them.” – Jim Lang
Older Vehicles On The Rise Virtually all VIO (vehicles in operation) net growth in the U.S. over the next four years (2016 through 2019) will be generated by vehicles 15 years and older. This boom in the oldest segment of the vehicle population reflects the increasing life-span of vehicles on U.S. roads. Improved vehicle design, advanced engineering and more durable materials combine to extend the operational life of cars and light trucks produced since the mid-1990s.
Longer Vehicle Life Despite record gains in annual vehicle sales over the past six years, vehicle scrappage rates remain low relative to the historic surge in new vehicle sales. Although new car and light truck annual sales rose 70% between 2010 and 2015, the annual rate of light vehicle scrappage has trended downward. The high costs of vehicle replacement and moderate gas prices at the pump are helping to keep older vehicles (which often are less fuel efficient than newer models) on the road longer, increasing their population. Since 2013, average pump prices have annually declined, reducing the financial incentive to replace older gas guzzlers with new, more fuel-efficient vehicles.
Golden Oldies Dominate VIO Growth Virtually all car and light truck VIO growth on U.S. roads between now and the end of 2019 will be generated by the surging population of vehicles 15 years and older. This historic increase in the number of older vehicles will influence
four key aftermarket dynamics: parts proliferation, annual product volume, where vehicles are repaired, and the product brands used to repair them.
Parts Proliferation Rises With cars and light trucks lasting longer and the older-vehicle population rising, Manufacturers, Distributors, and Retailers must maintain parts inventories for older vehicle age groups for much longer than they ever have before. This is increasing parts proliferation as parts for new vehicles are being added to inventories at the same time that parts for the large and growing group of vehicles 15 years and older must be maintained At the end of 2015, there were approximately 66 million light vehicles at least 15 years old in the U.S. By 2019, the number of cars and light trucks 15 years and older will climb more than 17% (up 11 million) compared to 2015.
Aftermarket Volume Grows Older cars and light trucks use more aftermarket products per-mile than younger light vehicles. Rapid growth of this high-age vehicle group will boost aftermarket product volume, especially with the recent surge in annual miles driven (2015 total mileage rose 3.5%).
Independent Repair Outlets Boosted Fast-growing older vehicles are adding to the repair and maintenance volume of Independent (non-Dealer) outlets, as older vehicles are disproportionately taken to Independent outlets for repair rather than to Vehicle Dealers.
Aftermarket Brands Gain Strength The growth of older vehicles (15 years and up) is positive for aftermarket brands (as opposed to OE brands) for two reasons. First, older vehicles have a disproportionate share of their repair and maintenance performed at Independent (non-Dealer) outlets which generally use aftermarket brands to repair these older vehicles. Second, aftermarket brands are used with much greater frequency than OE brands for older-vehicle repair because owners of these vehicles are generally more cost conscious than consumers with newer model
48 MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
cars and light trucks. Aftermarket brands are generally less expensive than OE brands both in the DIFM and DIY markets.
Six Major Takeaways ■ Cars and light trucks 15 years and older will comprise the fastest growing vehicle age group in the U.S. over the next four years. (2016 through 2019).
■ Virtually all the growth in VIO (vehicles in operation) over the next four years will be generated by the oldest vehicles aged 15 years and up.
■ The growing number of older vehicles on U.S. roads demands that Manufacturers, Distributors, and Retailers maintain inventories of parts www.autobodynews.com for older vehicles over a much longer CHECK IT OUT! time than ever before, increasing parts proliferation.
■ Since older vehicles use more aftermarket products per-mile than younger cars and light trucks, growth of vehicles 15 years and older will boost aftermarket product volume.
■ Independent (non-Dealer) outlets will benefit from older vehicle growth, since consumers are much less likely to take them to Dealers for repair (because of higher prices) than they are to take them to Independent (non-Dealer) repair outlets.
■ Owners of older cars and light trucks are more cost conscious about vehicle repair than are owners of latemodel vehicles. This will boost sales of aftermarket (non-OE) brands, which are generally less expensive then OE brands.
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common goal to take care of the customer and their vehicle to ensure it’s repaired properly. Although our initiative isn’t about parts sales, we do believe that network of 167 certified shops. a solid, quality repair begins with solid, Allen said, “It’s not about wholequality parts, and we want to educate saling parts; it’s about taking care of our consumers to make the right decision.” customers and ensuring that their vehiAmerican Honda’s Gary Ledoux cles are repaired the right way. agreed that technological adThis evolution is because of vancements in vehicles rethe materials we use so this is quire additional training and why we recommend specific specific tools to ensure a equipment and tools, and we proper repair. In March 2015, also provide training for techHonda launched their ProFirst nicians, adding new courses as network of OEM-certified things change.” shops, and halfway through Gary Ledoux of Next, Zoba said Nissan their two-year build, they have American Honda discovered that directing vehiadded over 500 shops to their cle owners to their insurance companies, network so far. rather than taking part in repairing the “If you think things are intense vehicles, impacted owner retention. Nisnow, stay with us because it’s going to san recognized a need to take a more acget more intense,” Ledoux predicted. tive role in the repair process, so they When Chrysler saw a reduction in dealapproached 1100 shops to create a naerships—ess than 5 percent containing tional network geared at customer serva working body shop—Wayne said the ice and retention by educating the shops OEM created their certification program and ensuring they possess the proper to drive business to certified shops tools and equipment. through the use of their Mopar companAccording to Zoba, “Since the inion app. He said they have a great partsurance companies don’t care about our nership with the nearly 1500 shops on brands, we want to make sure the collitheir program, but Chrysler is still seeksion repair industry is aligned in our ing to expand their network. They have Continued from Cover
OEM Panel
a real need to see “vehicles returned to the customer in as close to pre-accident condition as possible. When customers have issues with their repairs, 60 percent of them trade their vehicle within a year, and 63% of those trades see a change in brands, so our goal is customer retention.” Ford also identified a clear need for OEM-certified shops. According to Mandl, “The F-150 is the top-selling vehicle in the U.S., so we need a network who is able to perform a high-quality repair of this aluminum-intensive vehicle. Ford strives to support our customers, and that support shouldn’t stop when they’re in an accident; we want to develop happier customers who will stick with our brand, and in order to do that, we also have to support the shops on our program with the necessary training. We’ve developed a significant footprint of Ford-certified shops, and our network is continuing to grow.” Observing that the OEMs seem to share a common theme of customer service and retention, Clark noted that insurance companies are always concerned with protecting their interests, but OEMs and body shops share the same concern. He asked the panel to elaborate on the difference between the
OEMs’ and insurers’ outlooks. Mandle responded first, stressing that the consumer is at the center of Ford’s decisions. “It’s all about the customer’s experience. Shops are essentially rebuilding our vehicles one at a time so we’re asking them to make an investment in the proper repair strategy. The insurer, OEM and shop need to try to come together to make the best possible decisions in order to provide good customer service to our mutual customers.” Zoba agreed that “it all comes back to the customer. We can go down the same path or take the path of making sure each vehicle is repaired right. We are helping the collision repair industry find a different perspective, and together, we can make sure the customer is getting a fair shake and their vehicle is repaired as it should be so everyone within the process can continue to do the right thing.” Honda has ten marketing managers across the country whose goal, according to Ledoux, is to recruit shops and help them reach the right level of repairs. He stated, “We are working with these businesses to bridge the gap beSee OEM Panel, Page 56
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Day Job/Night Job Body Tech in Montana Paints a Second Career as an Artist with Ed Attanasio
Mark Robbins, 57, has been a body Billings, MT, Robbins calls himself a technician most of his life and he “starving artist,” although he has sold loves every aspect of it, but his real some of his work and has a few pieces passion is art—from airbrushWickert cre- on display in art galleries, as well as with Gary on people’s bodies in the form of tattoos. Robbins found his artistic muse all on his own and has never taken an art class. “Everything I’ve learned in my life is self-taught,” Robbins explained. “I wanted to learn how to do airbrushing, so I just started doing it. I love to paint different things and explore new methods, because that’s the part I really enjoy. The art is a great release for me and therapy, in a way. Every time I get an idea about how to Twenty-five artists were chosen to paint these paint something, it’s exciting, and five-feet-tall Grizzlies for the city of Cody, WY and Mark Robbins, a body tech at Blue Body then when I see the finished product, & Paint in Billings, MT was honored to be it’s very satisfying.” involved In the old days, all of the work ations to elaborate tattoos and all the was done by hand, but now technolway to painting sculptures of some of ogy has changed that, Robbins said. the West’s most beloved wildlife. “When I first started airbrushing, it Working at Blue Body & Paint in was very popular and everyone was
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where as good, because it lacks depth and ends up looking like a decal. For people who want fast and inexpensive that works, but I tell them I don’t do that.” Robbins will paint anything— trucks, muscle cars, classic vehicles, vans, motorcycles, even furniture and
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t-shirts, just to name a few. He also does glass etching for local businesses in Billings and there are also a few people walking around town with tattoos that he designed. Robbins said he always “messed around with oil paints” and enjoyed drawing as soon as he was old enough to pick up a crayon. But, doing murals on cars didn’t happen until a school buddy asked him to put a medieval scene on his ride. “He had a 1967 Pontiac LeMans and it was turquoise,” Robbins said. “I painted a dragon with a castle in the background on the big hood of that car and after I finished it, I said wow—I can do this. After that, I go a lot of offers and started doing murals for people all over town. I did a lot of El Camino tailgates back then with scenes with pirates and castles in the clouds, for example.” After refining his processes, Robbins’s creations became more involved
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either doing it or trying to do it. It was time-intensive and projects might take days or weeks. But, now with stencils and vinyl graphics, they can do it in hours. The finished product isn’t any-
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Ed Attanasio is an automotive journalist based in San Francisco, California. He can be reached at era39@aol.com.
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and intricate. “I free-hand the illustration, then outline the entire image in white paint. Then, I fill in the colors and the details by misting colors over
Robbins was also commissioned to paint four sculptures of Big Horn Rams for the National Bighorn Sheep Interpretive Association in Dubois, WY
the top of it. It really stands out and the colors pop, because of the white undercoat. That’s how I get that 3D effect that people really seem to like.”
Robbins has always been enamored with the art of the late artist Frank Frazetta, who was an American fantasy and science fiction artist, noted for comic books, paperback book covers, paintings, movie posters, LP record album covers and other media. Best known for painting dragons, muscle-bound warriors and semiclad women, Robbins has done his share of Frazetta-inspired art over the years. After tasing some success with his art, Robbins got hooked and now he hopes to make it part of his eventual retirement plan. “I’m not really thinking about retiring right now, but when I do, I at least have something to do with my spare time. The art has changed my life, because now whenever I look at any piece of art, I see things that I did not see before, like certain colors or shading or shapes, whatever.” With five grown children and five grandchildren and a wonderful wife who supports his art, Robbins is happy, but he still wants to take his art career further, if he can. “I’ve been married for 35 years now and my wife Robyn has supported me every step of the way,” he said. “She
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always encourages me to do more art and take chances with it. I have sold a few pieces and now I want to sell more. Every time I do a mural or a
Robbins loves trying new things, including window etching for his friends and customers
tattoo, I get excited. Seeing the finished product is so satisfying—it’s just like painting a car and knowing that you did a great job!” In 2012, Robbins was able to use his artistic skills for a higher cause when he was asked to paint three sculptures of Bighorn Rams. “They gave us the money for the paint and supplies and then let me go at it. It’s great knowing that one sits in the National Bighorn Sheep Interpretive Association in Cody, WY. Then later, I did the same for a series of Grizzly Bears for an art collective project that also took place in Cody, WY. Twenty-five artists were chosen to paint these five-feet-tall
Grizzlies, so it was an honor to be included.” These animal creations brought Robbins some national acclaim and his role as the painter in each case was satisfying, he said. “If I can use my artistic abilities to help the community in any way, I’m willing to do it. “It has been a great experience painting these sculptures, so who knows what’s coming next?” Whatever the future does hold for Mark Robbins, it will undoubtedly combine collision repair, art, philanthropy and more for this Renaissance man. “I want to keep doing everything and creating art is a big part of that,” Robbins explained. Maybe one day he will be able to shed the title of “starving artist” and replace it with “fulltime professional artist,” so stay tuned.
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Media and Publicity for Shops The Little Things Go a Long Way with Customer Service with Ed Attanasio
Nancy Friedman is known through- perwork on this other job first.” Well, out the country as the Telephone Doc- that’s a big mistake. Multi-tasking is tor, but she is also a keynote speaker part of the job and it’s unacceptable to for large automotive companies a ever- make a client ASSISTANT EDITOR wait due to paperwith Staceyand Phillips customer service work. consultant for big Don’t ever tell a customer, “Sorry, corporations. She this paperwork has to go out right now.” takes businesses of Another mistake. You’ve just told the all sizes that are customer that you’re not a priority. If dropping the ball you’re under the gun with a looming whenStacey it comesPhillips to deadline, howEDITOR is that the customer’s with - ASSISTANT basic customer ser- concern? In the corporate world, they Nancy Friedman call it “job shifting” and it’s something (aka “The Telephone vice and turns them into thoroughbreds. I teach people how to avoid. Doctor”) works with automotive Her clients include When someone walks into your companies to CCARSTAR, Big place of business, or calls you while improve their O Tires, Goodyear, you’re working on something, drop customer service Tire Pro, Midas, everything for that person. Remember, and many other well respected auto- paperwork can wait, people should not. motive companies around the country. We’ve all been abused when we go We sat down with the doctor re- shopping and get ignored by clerks, so cently to discuss customer service in we know how that feels. Let’s not abuse the collision repair industry and ask our own customers and live by this simher why so many shops are ailing and ple rule: People Before Paperwork. need a little CSI therapy. In a busy body shop environment, some estimators and oHow can a company and its employees turn bad customer ther office people make mistakes by service into great customer service? hurrying. Plus, they make the customers feeling uneasy, with all of the rushing It takes practice like anything around. How do you teach people to else. But if your shop can emstay calm even when they’re overbrace an atmosphere where the cusloaded? tomer is #1 without exception, it will It’s human nature. We rush when quickly become part of the culture and we’re busy and that’s when we ingrained in your company. But they make mistakes. By being short with have to buy into it and you have to customers or rushing them through the create an environment that encourages process, even if you do a good job, they and rewards good customer service. will be left feeling intimidated and you One of your cardinal rules of won’t see them coming back. Take it customer service is called “Peoeasy. Remember, speed is not success! ple Before Paperwork”. Can you elabTrying to be “done” with a customer as orate? quickly as possible is seen as being rude and uncaring. Take your time with each As we all know in the collision and every contact. Hey, everyone’s industry, the insurance compabusy! That’s what it’s all about. Being nies started insisting that the shops do busy does not give you carte blanche to the lion’s share of the paperwork rebe rude. Remember, you meet the same quired with every repair. This has added people coming down, as you do going 2-10 more hours to the process on each up. They’ll remember you. (What’s and every car, depending on whom you worse than being busy? NOT being talk to. Now, this deluge of paperwork busy.) can be a problem for employees who Another problem is when body aren’t adept at multi-tasking. shop people talk to customers I heard one estimator say, “I using industry terms that they can’t poswanted to deal with the customer but I sibly understand. How can that be fixed? felt as though I needed to finish the pa-
Shop Strategies
Body Shops Giving Back
Q: A:
Q: A:
Q: A:
Q:
54 MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Ed Attanasio is an automotive journalist based in San Francisco, California. He can be reached at era39@aol.com.
Ever get a report from a comA: pany and not understand it? Some companies have jargon that
makes the CIA wonder what’s up. Granted, today’s customers are much more savvy about cars and collision repair. But focus groups prove that most of your clients don’t know what severity is or the difference between an OE and an aftermarket part. So, always be very careful not to use your own company jargon on your customers. You and your employees may understand it very well, but the customer may not. And you’ll only cause a lot of unnecessary confusion. Spell things out for your customers. Don’t abbreviate. Remember, don’t use collision industry language on civilians, because in most cases, it will only confuse them.
And whatever happened to all Q: of the little things that used to go such a long way when it came to
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customer service? Like saying thank you and smiling?
It’s so true! We need to remember that ‘Thank you’ and ‘You’re A: welcome’ are beautiful words. The cus-
tomer cannot hear them too often. However, if you’re telling your customers to “have a nice day,” please say it with meaning! I recently had a checkout clerk tell the floor to have a nice day. She wouldn’t look at me. Make eye contact when you’re saying something nice. Also, smiling goes a long way and can really make a customer comfortable quickly. Lead with a smile and you can’t go wrong and you’ll stand out from all of the frowners out there! It will also earn you many classic customer service points as a result. The customer needs to know that you want to work with them, no matter who they are, so smile and be friendly with everybody through the door and watch how positively they will respond.
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www.autobodynews.com | MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 55
Continued from Page 50
OEM Panel
tween Honda and the shops so our customers get their vehicles repaired right the first time.” Zoba added that Nissan does a lot of marketing with vehicle owners after a sale, promoting the use of their certified shops in the event of an accident. In addition to encouraging their dealerships to create stronger tie-ins, Nissan created a tool to direct customers to certified shops with market allocations designed to ensure the consumer has a positive experience. In order to make sure their customers understand the importance of a proper repair, Ford has undertaken the challenge of addressing this concern with the consumer from the time of purchase. Mandle stated, “It’s important for them to see this message on an ongoing basis so we’ve adopted our ‘always-on’ strategy to encourage dialogue.” Wayne also concurred on the challenges of providing necessary information to consumers, while Ledoux noted that Honda has employed a variety of tactics designed to encourage customers
to visit certified shops, including inserts, mailers and social media. Honda also directs customers to their consumer oriented website, collision.honda.com, where they can learn more. Audi has also enjoyed some success with social media campaigns, and Allen states, “We’re trying to get the word out and really make a point that it’s not about shiny paint anymore - it’s a health and public safety issue.” As Clark directed the conversation to the cost of becoming certified and the training required, each OEM explained some of their requirements. Ford and Chrysler each require certified shops to be I-CAR Gold Class and to take a few manufacturer-specific costs. All of the OEMs strive to reduce costs by utilizing common industry designations, and in regards to equipment, many of their required tools overlap with what is required by the other OEMs. Clark foresees more OEM-specific I-CAR classes being added to those prerequisites as time progresses. When asked about parts requirements and restrictions, Allen noted that Audi restricts certain structural parts because of “the high level of technical competency required to replace those parts.” Honda, Ford and Chrysler have
no parts restrictions as they are trying to make it easier to obtain parts. Although Nissan currently doesn’t have any restrictions on parts, Zoba noted that they are revamping the program, and he is uncertain what the future may hold in this regard. Nissan also offers pricing incentives through OPS Track Tools, and they offer a rewards program for rebates and discounts. Zoba said, “We do our best to balance and maintain the overall cost of the repair.” Next, Clark asked about certified shops’ ability to use the OEMs’ logos to advertise their affiliation. Due to legalities, certified shops cannot use an OEM’s logo; however, each manufacturer recognizes the value for shops, so they have all developed alternate logos for certified shops to use as a way of promoting their capabilities and demonstrating that they’ve received the manufacturer’s approval. Nissan and Honda have developed specific logos for their certified shops, while Ford and Chrysler are working on this initiative. While Audi doesn’t allow branding on the outside of a shop, they offer plaques for display on the interior which can be used within specific parameters.
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The OEMs are seeking additional ways to help their certified shops advertise as well, mostly through promoting consumer awareness. Ford’s website was recently updated with shop locations and information about OEM v. aftermarket parts. Mandl stated, “We want to help consumers understand the difference between original and imitation parts so we are arming them with the information they need to make an informed decision.” Nissan has also developed a website to educate consumers on their rights. Zoba informed attendees that Nissan also plans to launch a new consumer app soon with the intention of providing the customer with the information they need when they need it. “We don’t know when they may be in an accident so we’re hitting them constantly with awareness marketing in hopes that they’ll remember it after an accident occurs. All of the OEM representatives agreed that they choose shops for their certified programs based on the desire to improve the customer’s experience and retention. However, Allen pointed out, “We See OEM Panel, Page 60
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www.autobodynews.com | MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 57
Turtles, Dolphins, Gators, Oh My! FL Shop Steps Up to Help Non-Profits by Ed Attanasio
Body shops are asked to clear coat and/or paint all the time for charitable causes and many of them are sculptures of animals. This movement began back in 1986 when fiberglass lions were painted in different colors and staged throughout the city of Zurich, Switzerland.
JR Nocera is the owner Supreme Auto Collision in Naples, FL. When asked to clear coat 50 sculptures of Loggerhead sea turtles for a community art project called Turtles on the Town he said yes
Two years later, the lions were replaced by cows. The “CowParade” later became a hugely successful international public art exhibit that has been featured in major cities throughout the world. These sculptures of cows were decorated by local artists, and distributed in public places such as train stations, museums and parks. Since then, cities all over the world have gotten involved in these art projects to protect wildlife and raise money for animal preservation. In almost every case, they feature artwork and designs specific to the local culture, as well as city life and other relevant themes. After each exhibition in each city concludes, the statues are auctioned off and the proceeds donated to charity. From Bears in Berlin to Crabs in Baltimore; Buffaloes in Buffalo, Sharks in San Jose and Cats in the Catskills, these animal sculptures are now in the thousands. So, when a Florida body shop owner was asked to clear coat 50 Loggerhead sea turtles for a good cause, he wasn’t surprised, because he had already painted statues of dolphins, gators and pelicans for other exhibitions. The owner is JR Nocera, and the shop is Supreme Auto Collision in Naples, FL. To say the least, Nocera has never had any problems sticking his head out of his shell and telling the world about his 60,000 sq. ft. shop that takes up an entire city block. So, he
surely wasn’t going to hide in the sand when he was asked to paint 50 turtles gratis for the Turtles on the Town, a public art project and fundraiser on display in Naples and throughout Collier County. Supreme Auto Collision is a onestop shop, with a mechanical repair division, a car detailing department, a trim shop and even a Vespa scooter dealership in addition to being a body shop that fixes 200-300 cars every month while maintaining 13 DRPs. The shop is known for working on high-end vehicles, specifically Bentleys, Audis, BMWs, and Aston-Martins and is aluminum-ready, with its own separate clean room. With 30 employees, including his two nephews, Nocera, 48 is a secondgeneration shop owner with a son (age 10) who will hopefully get into the business one day. “My dad had a shop and we had a lot of mechanics in my family,” Nocera said. “My father still works here at age 73 and my brother Jimmy also works here. I started when I was 16 and quickly I knew that I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. Most kids at age 16 don’t know what they want to do, but I had my path right then and there. I hope my youngest can get into this industry one day, because I know that my daughter isn’t at all interested, which is fine.”
fiberglass-reinforced polyester from an original bronze sculpture, and they stand about five ft. tall. It takes a community of many different people and
All of the turtles will eventually be auctioned off to benefit three local non-profit organizations
organizations contributing different things to make a project of this size happen. Among those contributing were 50 patrons who gave $5,000 each to sponsor a turtle. While many of
these patrons are businesses that have their sponsored turtles on site for the public exhibition, other patrons are individuals and those sculptures are on exhibit at area parks and non-profits. Even though his shop is busy all the time, Nocera took the time to clear coat all of the 50 turtles, with the product donated by Axalta, the paint he uses on every vehicle he repairs. “It lays out real sweet,” Nocera said. “Those artists put so much time into these amazing creations, so we made sure that we did a great job for them. It was a team effort and all of our people stepped up. This is like the fourth time we’ve been asked to do something like this and each time I just can’t say no.” Without compromising his cycle time, Nocera called upon his crew to work a little overtime and get the turtles ready to roll onto the streets of Collier County. “They came out beautifully and we’re happy that we were able to be part of this community effort. I don’t know what they’re going to ask us to paint next–vmaybe manatees? Whatever it is, we’ll be there!”
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The 50 turtles were molded of fiberglassreinforced polyester from an original bronze sculpture, and they stand about five ft. tall
All of the turtles will be auctioned at a gala later this Spring, with proceeds to benefit the three non-profit organizations involved in the exhibition — the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, the Community Foundation of Collier County and the United Arts Council of Collier County. The project began as a way to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the community foundation, but once the project grew, more people swam into the project. The 50 turtles were molded of
58 MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
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OEM Panel
are going to market our certified shops, but we won’t engage in steering so it doesn’t necessarily mean our shops will get the work. We will market the correct shops and try to educate our customers, but ultimately, it’s the consumer who will decide which shop repairs their vehicle.” Nissan has developed a shop marketing tool that certified shops can purchase to market to their local customer database. Zoba said they are “trying to make it as easy as possible for shops to market to vehicle owners in their areas.” Although the OEMs plan to assist shops with marketing endeavors, they warned attendees not to rely on the OEMs to get more business and encouraged them to think outside the box when it comes to marketing their own shops. When questioned about insurers’ desire to use cheaper aftermarket parts in repairs, the panel stressed their desire to restore their customers’ vehicles to the safest possible condition. Conversation con-
tinued with information about how shops can get sponsored to become OEM-certified, the value of OEMs joining the Assured Performance Network, and equipment requirements. All of the OEMs claim that, rather than mandating the use of specific tools and equipment, they are attempting to set parameters for what is required to eliminate redundancies by creating synergies across the brands. Allen pointed out that the OEMs can’t guarantee that their certified shops will perform proper repairs and suggested, “Some of the answers need to come from within.” In closing, Clark reminded the collision repair professionals in attendance: “It is the moral obligation of the shop to repair each vehicle safely or to decide not to engage in a repair if they are not properly trained and equipped.”
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Continued from Page 46
Online Reviews
long this will take. 5) Let your customer know how you benefit from their favor. 6) Get your customer’s primary email address. 7) Tell your customer how much their offering to write a review means to you. 8) Tell them that you’re looking forward to reading their review. Terlep stressed the importance of responding to every review. Not only is it great for SEO (Search Engine Optimization), he said it demonstrates to the consumer that the reviews really are important to your business. eMarketing Sherpas specializes in digital marketing solutions for the collision repair industry. The San Diegobased company developed the Review Engine product in 2015, with the intent of helping businesses build, promote, protect and manage online reviews and reputation. The Review Engine software delivers reviews and reporting for businesses and can be set up to import a company’s estimating management software into their platform. It also in-
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“Because we use so many different tools and techniques to request and capture online reviews, your business can expect to see a 100 percent to 300 percent increase in the number of online reviews your business receives,” said Terlep. For more information, call 858547-8697, email sales@emarketing sherpas.com or visit http:www.emarketing sherpas.com.
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Communication Was Key at Mopar Masters Guild Annual Meeting in Las Vegas by Stacey Phillips, Assistant Editor
Parts and service directors across the country gathered in Las Vegas, Nevada March 29-April 1 for the Mopar Masters Guild (MMG) annual meeting. Susan McDaniel, newly elected president of MMG, said that communication was the main item on the agenda.
(l to r) Rick Cutaia, Susan McDaniel, Don Cushing from MMG
“We wanted to build a solid, up-todate database and get as many people involved as possible so that we could have great discussions about the current state of our businesses and help each other grow,” said McDaniel, who is the parts director at Bill Luke Dealerships in Phoenix, Arizona. With record attendance of 36 members, the group shared ideas and best practices during the four-day meet-
ETI Hires Rick Matz as Technical Manager
The Equipment and Tool Institute announced Rick Matz joined the organization as the technical manager. Matz will help manage the ETI TEKNET Library, including helping member companies understand the library and the data in it, and also helping to track down information from OEMs that may be missing. Matz will also be responsible for developing and gathering technical information and articles for the institute’s publications, coordinating the meeting activities of vertical groups and the technical committee, representing ETI in its cooperative efforts with other trade associations, and serving as the ETI representative at key SAE and ISO committee meetings that affect tool and equipment design and manufacturing. “Rick will bring us additional technical resources with his extensive background in automotive communications. His recent experience with our expanding telematics space is a big plus for our membership. With Rick’s addition, ETI will be much better outfitted for the challenges ahead,” stated Greg Potter, ETI’s executive manager. For details about ETI, contact Jessie Korosec at 248-6565085 or e-mail: jessiek@etools.org.
ing, which was held in conjunction with the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) annual convention. Mopar is the parts, service and customer care organization within Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Established in 1992, the MMG’s motto is “The exchange of information by like-size dealers in a non-competitive environment.” McDaniel said the goal is to strengthen themselves as managers in order to deliver the best service to customers. She said their conquest program still remains strong, referring to the FCA Match the Estimate – Price Matching Program. (FCA was formerly known as the Chrysler Group.) “Our collision shops present a copy of their original estimate and we can match the price to ensure that their customers receive quality OE parts on their vehicle,” she explained. “FCA is more competitive with their pricing than ever and driven to learn new ways to be even stronger in the marketplace.” Some of the highlights during the annual meeting included presentations from FCA/Mopar executives and supporting vendors. “We pride ourselves on building strong relationships with
Herkules Adds Two New Lifts to BossLifts Line
Herkules Equipment Corporation has two new vehicle lifts. The BossLift VLA06 provides pneumatic lifting power, while the BossLift VLH01 is the low-profile hydraulic lift offered by the vehicle lift line. Previewed at the SEMA Show last November as the T515, the VLA06 leverages the airbag technology of the company’s popular T200 (now VLA03) lift to offer a straight vertical lift with a raised height of up to 29 inches by using two platforms, each 31 inches by 67.5 inches, placed on each side of the quick lube pit. The VLA06 has a lift capacity of 10,000 pounds, and a lowered height of 4.25 inches. The company’s low-profile hydraulic lift for shops, the VLH01, was previewed last spring in prototype form as the T260. Like the VLA03, the VLH01 offers a straight vertical lift with a raised height up to 32 inches on two platforms, each 19.25 inches by 53.5 inches, with a lift capacity of eight thousand pounds (8,000 lbs.) and a lowered height of 4.625 inches. “Leveraging the technology and capabilities of our VLA03 lift, we developed two alternatives that offer similar functionality with the different capabilities our customers find valuable,” said Todd Bacon, Herkules president and CEO.
62 MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
our vendors to help each other grow,” said McDaniel. The third day of the meeting— March 31—began with a tribute to one of the MMG members who recently passed away. The guild celebrated the life of Crete Colby, on the day that would have been his birthday.
(l to r) Tiny Bubbles, Barbara Davies, Tony Strongarm
Elections were also held on March 31 and the following individuals began their two-year terms: President Susan McDaniel – Bill Luke CJDR; Vice-President Andy Reed – Autonation; Treasurer J.D. Ipsen – Ken Garff W. Valley CDJR; Secretary Matt Jarvis – Bald Hill DCJR
The week ended with a reception on April 1 themed “Gangsters and Flappers.” Members had the opportunity to dress up in their favorite costumes while discussing the previous few days of presentations. MMG will be celebrating its 25th anniversary beginning January 24, 2017. Two days later, they will hold their next meeting in New Orleans, LA, January 26-29. Until then, MMG plans to focus on its membership drive and community outreach programs throughout the year. McDaniel said the hope is to increase membership to 50 by next January. McDaniel encourages those who qualify to be Mopar Master dealers and have not yet been contacted to call her at 602-336-1557 or email smcdaniel@billluke.com. A list of qualifying dealers are listed on the Dealer Connect website (dealerconnect.com >>Home Page> 2016 Dealer Recognition Programs> Mopar Masters Tracking). For more information about the Mopar Masters Guild, visit: mopar mastersguild.com. Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Mopar and SRT are registered trademarks of FCA US LLC.
YOU ONLY GET ONE CHANCE AT THE FIRST REPAIR. Choose Original MINI Parts. Because you can’t repair your reputation.
These Dealers Below Are Original MINI Parts Distributors:
New Jersey
MINI of Mount Laurel Mt. Laurel
855-465-6267 Ext. 6 (856) 813-4622 Fax M-F 7-5; Sat 8-12
parts@MINIofMtLaurel.com
Maryland
MINI of Baltimore Owings Mills
855-578-9902
(410) 363-7158 Fax
parts@minibaltimore.com MINIBALTIMORE.COM
©2016 MINI, a division of BMW of North America, LLC. The MINI name, model names and logo are registered trademarks.
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3900 State St. Schenectady, NY 12304 www.autobodynews.com | MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 63
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bmwusa.com
(800) 564-8222
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www.ncountybmw.com
bmwusa.com
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Original Thought #78
YOU ONLY GET ONE CHANCE AT THE FIRST REPAIR.
CONNECTICUT
BMW of Bridgeport
Bridgeport 855-953-3111 203-394-6209 Fax M-F 7am-5pm
www.bmwofbridgeport.com
BMW of Darien Darien 203-328-1325 203-978-0043 Fax M-F 7:30am-4:30pm
matt.myslinski@bmwdarien.com
MARYLAND
BMW of Bel Air Bel Air 844-581-2752 443-640-1234 Fax parts@bmwbelair.com
BMW of Rockville Rockville 844-588-0150 301-984-1710 Fax
parts@bmwrockville.com
BMW of Towson Towson 844-595-0290 410-296-4852 Fax parts@bmwtowson.com
MASSACHUSETTS BMW of Sudbury Sudbury 800-338-3198 508-881-7578 Fax M-F 7am-5pm
wholesaleparts@herbchambers.com www.bmwofsudbury.com
BMW of Catonsville Catonsville 855-996-2906 410-818-2600 Fax M-F 8am-5pm
www.bmwofcatonsville.com
64 MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Wagner BMW of Shrewsbury Shrewsbury 866-438-3997 508-581-5940 508-845-6718 Fax M-Th 7am-5:30pm F 7am-5pm
djoyce@wagnermotors.com www.wagnerbmwofshrewsbury.com
NEW JERSEY
BMW of Freehold Freehold 732-462-6286 732-577-0518 Fax M-F 8am-6pm; Sat 8am-4pm www.bmwoffreehold.com
BMW of Morristown Morristown 866-9-BMW PARTS 973-796-3146 Fax M-F 8am-6pm
wholesaleparts.bmw@openroad.com www.bmwofmorristown.com
BMW of Mt. Laurel Mt. Laurel 856-840-1486 856-222-0506 Fax
BMW of Newton Newton 973-579-6020 973-579-6702 Fax M-F 8am-5:30pm
bmwofnewtonparts@gmail.com www.bmwnewton.com
Circle BMW Eatontown 732-440-1238 732-440-1239 Fax M-F 7:30am-6pm Sat 8am-3pm
Wholesale@circlebmw.com www.circlebmw.com
Flemington BMW Flemington 800-782-4269 908-824-9913 Fax
www.flemingtonbmw.com
• Original BMW Parts & Accessories Park Ave BMW South Hackensack 888-349-5168 201-291-2376 Fax M-F 8am-5pm; Sat 8am-4pm
al@parkavebmw.com www.parkavebmw.com
NEW YORK
BMW of Bayside Bayside 516-304-3733 516-570-4268 Fax M-Sat 8am-5pm
bmwparts@bmwbayside.com www.bmwbayside.com
Competition BMW St James 631-724-3322 631-265-0501 Fax M-F 8:00am-5:00pm Sat 8:00am-4:00pm
asolla@competitionbmw.com www.competitionbmw.com
Habberstad BMW Huntington Station 631-271-7488 631-271-7931 Fax M-F 7:30am-5:30pm Sat 8am-4pm
parts@habberstadbmw.com www.habberstadbmw.com
PENNSYLVANIA
Apple BMW York 717-849-6597 717-843-2948 Fax M-F 7am-5pm; Sat 8am-4pm applebmwparts@appleauto1.com www.applebmwofyork.com
Thompson BMW Doylestown 215-340-9823 215-340-9361 Fax
RHODE ISLAND
BMW of Newport Middletown 401-847-9600 401-841-0680 Fax M-F 7:30am-5:30pm
gromani@metromotorgroup.com wwwbmwofnewport.com
When you repair a BMW, use the parts that are identical to those
used in Series production and just as reliable. Choose Original BMW Parts and Accessories. Because you can’t repair your reputation.
www.autobodynews.com | MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 65
Social Media for Shops
Ed Attanasio is an automotive journalist based in San Francisco, California. He can be reached at era39@aol.com.
Women Shop Owners and Female Consumers Get Help from AskPatty.com with Ed Attanasio
When a car needs repairs, it’s likely that retail market by educating business a woman will be bringing it into your owners and repair professionals to the shop. Those numbers have climbed needs of their women customers. over the years and now the experts For consumers, the AskPatty.com with Ed Attanasio claim that 73% of all automowebsite is a safe and reliable tive repair customers are fesource for expert automotive male. In 2012, there were advice and research. For auto more women than men with dealers, tire dealers, collision driver’s licenses for the very centers, auto service and refirst time. On top of that, pair centers, the AskPatty.com with more Ed Attanasio women have become Certified Female Friendly® program is designed to train savvy consumers and can’t be Jody DeVere and certify automotive retail bamboozled anymore with established and service centers including technical terms and industry AskPatty.com a body shops, on how to attract, speak. decade ago to help women as body sell, retain and increase loyIn addition, the automotive repair world now has shop professionals alty with women customers. and also as - ASSISTANT EDITOR with Stacey Phillips The idea is that knowledge is more female shop owners, consumers of empowering and by doing a techs and estimators than automotive repair better job, more and more ever, but there is still much services women will be able to sucwork to do and that’s why ceed in a male-dominated industry. AskPatty.com was created to help. Jody DeVere is the CEO of With its headquarters in Thousand AskPatty.com and the founder of the Oaks, CA, AskPatty.com, Inc. aims to with Stacey Phillips - ASSISTANT EDITOR organization. She’s anationally-known revolutionize the women’s automotive
SEMA Show Goes On
expert on social media marketing to women as well as being a renowned journalist, car care expert and safety spokesperson within the automotive industry. Her life’s mission is to promote, mentor and support automotive careers for women and she speaks to groups including the American Car Care Council, Mercedes-Benz Corporate, the National Automobile Dealer Association (NADA), National Independent Automobile Dealer Association (NIADA), Car Care Council Women’s Board and the Association of Automotive Internet Sales Professionals. Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, AskPatty.com was started by DeVere when she saw a problem and began looking for a viable solution. “There was such a disconnect between qualified women and automotive businesses such as car dealerships, service departments and collision centers, for example,” DeVere said. “So, back in
Media and Publicity for Shops Shop Strategies
Body Shops Giving Back Maryland
ROUTE 2 HYUNDAI
Mon-Fri 7:30am - 6pm Sat 8am - 4pm www.gaithersburghyundai.com
301-670-1595 Fax
Mon-Thu 7:30am - 7:30pm Fri-Sat 7:30am - 6pm parts@rte2hyundai.com www.rte2hyundai.com
GARY ROME HYUNDAI
ACTION HYUNDAI
413-536-6349 Fax
908-237-0036 Fax
Gaithersburg 905 North Frederick Ave.
301-670-4881
Massachusetts Holyoke 1000 Main St.
800-559-7583
Mon-Thu 7:30am - 8pm Fri: 7:30am - 6pm; Sat 8am - 4pm www.GaryRomeHyundai.com
THE RIGHT PARTS
For Your Collision Job Visit these Genuine Hyundai Parts Dealers
Massachusetts
FITZGERALD LAKEFOREST HYUNDAI
HERB CHAMBERS HYUNDAI Auburn 107 Andover St.
800-767-1898 508-832-6026 Fax
Mon-Fri 7am - 6pm Sat 8am - 3pm pobrien@herbchambers.com www.herbchambershyundai.com
66 MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Leominster 743 North Main St.
888-240-3495 978-534-9933 Fax
New Jersey Flemington 180 Rte. US 202
908-782-8250
Mon-Fri 8am - 5pm fmondello@actionautogroup.com www.actionhyundainj.com
New York
ATLANTIC HYUNDAI West Islip 193 Sunrise Hwy.
631-587-1628 631-893-8491 Fax
Mon-Fri 8am - 5pm Sat 8am - 4pm www.AtlanticHyundai.com
2005 when I was at SEMA, I began to formulate a program to help women in this industry. I knew it had to be built on education, interactive training and it had to have a certification module.” With more women working in a wide range of other professions, DeVere knew that the auto repair industry needed to catch up. “After talking to literally thousands of women, I found out that they were so discouraged by the prospects of getting hired in this industry, that they weren’t even applying. So, we decided to flip the script and become a champion and advocate for women in these fields. For women in the automotive industry, we often serve as the first point of contact for those who are seeking the very best in car sales and service across the United States and Canada.” The AskPatty.com Certified Female Friendly® program enables women and female-owned businesses to improve their skill sets and increase
VISION HYUNDAI
Rochester 2525 W. Henrietta Rd.
800-295-7977 585-292-9724 Fax
Mon-Fri 8am - 8pm Sat 8am - 4pm www.visionhyundai.com
their revenues, DeVere explained. “For body shops, we teach women professionals about how to enhance their customer service through a series of internet 3.5-hour classes. There are 18 different modules and all of them are designed specifically for the automotive industry. It isn’t just testing either, we also provide training, interactive teaching and personal coaching. When it comes to succeeding in a retail culture— whether it’s a tire store, an aftermarket parts distributor, car dealership or a large collision center—there are many skills that are universal and will work in all these environments.” When women join AskPatty.com, they also get an opportunity to send questions to a panel of female automotive experts, access to a certified female-friendly automotive retailer search database of car dealers, tire dealers, collision centers and service and repair centers, as well asa wide range of educational webinars and other helpful information through the organization’s blog, according to DeVere. The message behind AskPatty.com is that women need to stick together and by doing so, they can revolutionize
the consumer experience for female consumers while becoming better owners and employees. “At AskPatty.com, we have a two-pronged mission and a big part of that is helping female consumers to become more informed and savvy about all things automotive,” DeVere said. “We want them to have a positive experience every time they take their car in for a repair. It’s still a male-dominated industry, but the game is changing, so we need to be as educated as we can as customers as well as owners and managers. In the old days, the men would take the car into the shop, but those roles have now changed and are constantly evolving.” What will AskPatty.com be doing in 10-15 years, when more and more women are in upper management positions with automotive-related businesses? “We’ve created a lot of trust with our members and women in general, by being transparent and proving that we really care about women, as both automotive professionals and consumers. So, I believe that the next decade will be amazing for women in this industry and that’s why we’re looking forward to helping them and enabling them to be even more effective and successful.”
ITW Evercoat Launches New Body Filler
ITW Evercoat announced the launch of Evercoat Commercial Ultra™ Body Filler, which has been developed to meet the needs of large industrial and commercial vehicle manufacturers including ambulance, fire truck, bus and train manufacturers. Evercoat Commercial Ultra Body Filler has been formulated to have a 10-minute work time and can be sanded in 30 minutes, allowing technicians to mix, spread, and work large quantities of body filler at one time. Evercoat Commercial Ultra can also be mixed with other Ultra products to meet customer requirements such as viscosity and cure times. “Until now, large industrial and commercial users have had to adapt existing products to meet their production requirements,” said Marvin Gillfillan, VP and general manager of ITW Evercoat. “Evercoat Commercial Ultra was developed in cooperation with industrial users to meet their exacting needs. Evercoat Commercial Ultra is available in one gallon containers (Part # 100181) and three gallon pails (Part #100183). For information, visit www .evercoat.com.
PDA Expands Team with New CFO Appointment
Jennifer Salazar joined Property Damage Appraisers’ (PDA) C-suite leadership team as chief financial officer. “Jennifer is the perfect addition to PDA’s family,” said Tom Dolfay, CEO of PDA. “She has experience across diverse industries including media, nonprofits, oil and telecommunications and in various roles such as accounting, IT, operations, planning and analysis as well as strategic development and execution. Her background adds a different perspective and allows the company to tap deeper into what’s important to customers.” Salazar is responsible for aiding PDA’s executive team in developing, implementing and executing PDA’s strategic business plan. She directs all strategic and tactical matters as they relate to responsibility for profit and loss management. She is also responsible for the finance department, including accounting, financial reporting, cash/treasury, accounts payable, accounts receivable, fixed assets, risk management and employee benefits. To learn more about PDA, visit http://www.pdacorporation.com/.
Your #1 Source for GM Collision Wholesale Parts • Free Delivery to Northern New Jersey, Rockland, Westchester, Orange and Putnam Counties in New York and the Bronx
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319 Route 17 North // Mahwah, NJ 07430
www.autobodynews.com | MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 67
AASA Hosts Connected Cars Panel at Vision
The Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA) held a panel on connected cars and the aftermarket during its annual Vision Conference. The panel discussed the future of vehicle-to-vehicle communications, the independent aftermarket supplier’s role with advanced vehicles and how the diagnostics community can better prepare for these advances. Panelists included: Nat Beuse, associate administrator, Vehicle Safety Research, National Highway Traffic Safety Administra-
tion (NHTSA). Donny Seyfer, AAM, chairman, Automotive Service Association (ASA) and co-owner of Seyfer Automotive Inc. Xavier Mosquet, senior partner and managing director, Boston Consulting Group. David Williams, senior planning manager, Marketing & Strategic Planning, DENSO. Following the panel, Seyfer said, “Emerging vehicle technologies continue to generate a high level of interest from industry leaders and policymakers alike.”
RAND Corp. Report Says Calling Driverless Cars Safer than Human Drivers is Statistically Impossible
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says more than 90 percent of car crashes are caused by human errors such as driving too fast, alcohol impairment, distraction and fatigue. NHTSA officials have said driverless cars could eventually lead to zero traffic fatalities, but RAND’s report calls that impossible given number of miles driven. How safe can autonomous vehicles be, given the statistics? The RAND report answers: “The answer is crucial for developing sound policies to govern their deployment. One proposal to assess safety is to testdrive autonomous vehicles in real traffic, observe their performance, and make statistical comparisons to human driver performance. This approach is logical, but it is practical? In this report, we calculate the number of miles that would need to be driven to provide clear statistical evidence of autonomous vehicle safety. Given that current traffic fatalities and injuries are rare events compared with vehicle miles traveled, we show that fully autonomous vehicles would have to be driven hundreds of millions of miles and sometimes hundreds of billions of miles to demonstrate their safety in terms of fatalities and injuries. Under even aggressive testing assumptions, existing fleets would take tens and sometimes hundreds of years to drive these miles —an impossible proposition if the aim is to demonstrate performance prior to releasing them for consumer use. Our findings demonstrate that developers of this technology and third-party testers cannot simply drive their way to safety. Instead, they will need to develop innovative methods of demonstrating safety and reliability. And yet, it may still not be possible to establish with certainty the safety of autonomous vehicles. Therefore, it is imperative that autonomous vehicle regulations are adaptive—designed from the outset to
evolve with the technology so that society can better harness the benefits and manage the risks of these rapidly evolving and potentially transformative technologies.
Key Findings ● Autonomous vehicles would have to be driven hundreds of millions of miles and sometimes hundreds of billions of miles to demonstrate their reliability in terms of fatalities and injuries. ● Under even aggressive testing assumptions, existing fleets would take tens and sometimes hundreds of years to drive these miles—an impossible proposition if the aim is to demonstrate their performance prior to releasing them on the roads for consumer use. ● Therefore, at least for fatalities and injuries, test-driving alone cannot provide sufficient evidence for demonstrating autonomous vehicle safety. ● Developers of this technology and third-party testers will need to develop innovative methods of demonstrating safety and reliability. ● Even with these methods, it may not be possible to establish with certainty the safety of autonomous vehicles. Uncertainty will remain. ● In parallel to developing new testing methods, it is imperative to develop adaptive regulations that are designed from the outset to evolve with the technology so that society can better harness the benefits and manage the risks of these rapidly evolving and potentially transformative technologies. “Our results show that developers of this technology and third-party testers cannot drive their way to safety,” Nidhi Kalra, co-author of the study and a senior scientist at RAND, said in a statement. “It’s going to be nearly impossible for autonomous vehicles to log enough test-driving miles on the road to statistically demonstrate their safety, when compared to the rate at which injuries and fatalities occur in human-controlled cars and trucks.”
68 MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Collision Financial Services Offers 0% Loans
In today’s collision repair industry environment, there is increasing pressure for customers to bear a greater financial burden for collision repair services. After-insurance deductibles, short-pays, balance billing and uninsured events are creating customer responsibilities that can easily reach into the thousands of dollars. “Payment arrangements are growing exponentially and maintaining these arrangements are no longer cost effective for collision repair facilities.” – Jeff Steigerwald, CPACollision Financial Services Payment Plans are designed to be an integral part of a collision center’s overall collection process. They work in concert with each shop’s current payment alternatives and business office operations. CFS customized programs relieve financing burdens and the billing and collecting effort of customer payable balances. CFS programs are offered to any customer identified by a CFS shop client as having the willingness and ability to pay, but needing additional time to do so.
● 0% Vehicle Repair Loans up to $2500.00 ● No credit check – guaranteed credit
approval ● Affordable payments - up to 2 year payment plans ● No pre-payment penalties CFS will fully assume the management of your current and future in-house customer payment plans. This option allows bodyshops to generate an immediate influx of cash while CFS takes over the dayto-day billing, collection and customer interaction for these plans. There is an increase in customers’ out-of-pocket expense and an increased burden on collision centers to offer customers creative payment alternatives. Today’s leading collision business focusing on increasing profits need to work with a creative partner to offer multiple payment options to their customers, including longer term payment plans. CFS provides a superior system to manage and collect the customer pay portion of collision repair bills. CFS’s system creates customer focused payment plans that are implemented while measurably improving a collision center’s collection performance. For more information, please visit www.info@collisionfinancial services.com
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NABR Launches VRS Labor Rate Survey in HI
In March, NABR announced the launch of the Honolulu VRS Labor Rate Survey, sponsored by the Automotive Body & Painting Association of Hawaii (ABPAH). The online survey is free for all Hawaii collision repairers and can be found at https://www.surveymonkey .com/r/hivrssurvey2 The VRS Labor Rate Survey provides collision repairers with an independent, third-party, trusted survey of labor rate data for all of Honolulu County (the island of Oahu). The VRS reports the true, market-based labor rate ranges throughout the area, based on shops’ actual prices, not on an artificially defined single prevailing rate for all shops. “The insurance industry has always reimbursed customers for the ‘prevailing’ or average shop rate,” said Van Takemoto, ABPAH board member and owner of Island Fender in Honolulu. “But with today’s complex vehicles, you need shops that have invested in the equipment and technical training to become certified repairers. These are not average shops, they are best-in-class repair facilities.” “All collision repairers are not alike,” said Sam Valenzuela, president of NABR. “Shops that make
huge investments in training, certifications, and state-of-the-art equipment deserve to get paid accordingly with sufficiently profitable labor rates. The VRS reveals that market prices for high-line collision repair facilities are higher than other facilities that don’t make these investments. In addition, other repairers who aspire to become better trained, certified, and equipped are now more enabled to do so, because the VRS can help them earn the rates and ROI they need to grow and prosper.” Hawaii is the 15th state to launch the VRS Labor Rate Survey, joining other states currently running the VRS Survey including Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, and Utah. Any collision repair owner or general manager may request a free, no-obligation demo of the VRS, to see firsthand how the system can help them charge and collect sufficiently profitable labor rates and get paid for more not-included procedures. For information, contact Valenzuela at 602-466-1900 / Sam@National AutoBodyResearch.com or visit www .NationalAutoBodyResearch.com.
Caliber CEO Accepts Prestigious National Award Recognizing Company’s Support of U.S. Military
Steve Grimshaw, CEO of Caliber U.S. Veteran’s Initiative, Heroes On Collision, was one of five leaders rec- The Water, Adaptive Training Founognized with the prestigious America dation, Semper Gratis, and Support First Series (AFS) 5 Star Award for The Enlisted Project (STEP). In addition, Caliber has develtheir corporation’s support of the miloped a collision repair military trainitary. ing program around the Grimshaw accepted the Veteran’s Opportunity To award on behalf of Caliber Work Act, training active Collision at the 2016 AFS duty service members prior Awards Ceremony and Nato separation. tional Security and EcoCaliber is actively nomic Symposium in Dallas, working with the military TX. at Ft. Bragg, North CarAs CEO, Grimshaw olina to recruit and train has spearheaded Caliber Collision’s efforts to sup- Steve Grimshaw, more than 50 active duty CEO of Caliber service members for Calport active military personCollision iber center manager, technel and military veterans across the U.S. through a variety of nician and customer service jobs in philanthropic and employment ini- 2016. Over the course of 2016, Caltiatives. Over the past four years, iber will also be expanding this proCaliber Collision has donated more gram to Ft. Hood and Ft. Bliss in than 80 vehicles, valued at approxi- Texas and Camp Pendleton in Calimate $800,000, through their Recy- fornia. “On behalf of our more than cled Rides program to active service and military veterans across the U.S. 8,800 teammates, we are honored to Caliber also partners with a host of have the opportunity to recognize best-in-class military organizations and give back to the many military serving today’s active service per- heroes who have sacrificed and given sonnel and military veterans includ- of themselves to serve our country,” ing Carry the Load, Allies In Service, said Grimshaw.
Genuine Porsche Parts... Only The Best.
The Dealers Below are Genuine Porsche Parts Distributors.
MARYLAND
NEW JERSEY
PENNSYLVANIA
Porsche Towson
Porsche of Cherry Hill
Porsche of Bucks County
844-588-0145
856-665-5660
215-343-4810
Towson, Md
410-296-4852 Fax
parts@porschetowson.com www.porschetowson.com
MASSACHUSETTS Porsche Norwell Norwell
781-261-5230
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Cherry Hill
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parts@cherryhillimports.com www.cherryhillimports.com
Porsche of Princeton Lawrenceville
609-945-1500 609-945-0501 Fax
www.princeton.porschedealer.com
www.porschenorwell.com
70 MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Warrington
215-343-5352 Fax
www.1800THOMPSON.com
N. VIRGINIA
Porsche of Arlington Arlington
888-600-3538
866-596-1124 Fax M-F 8:00am - 6:00pm S 8:00am - 4:00pm
parts@porscheofarlington.com www.porscheofarlington.com
Porsche: There Is No Substitute
MARYLAND
MASSACHUSETTS
King Volkswagen Gaithersburg
Volkswagen of North Attleboro North Attleboro
240-403-2300 Fax: 240-403-2398 M-F 7am-6pm Sat 8am-4pm
dprunner@vwking.com www.vwking.com
Ourisman VW of Laurel Laurel
301-498-6050 Fax: 301-498-0157 M-F 7:30am-7pm Sat 7am-4pm
ron.malitz@ourismanautomotive.com Ourisman VW of Rockville Rockville
855-417-4511 Fax: 240-499-2488 M-F 8am-5:30pm Sat 8am-5pm rockvilleparts@ourismanautomotive.com www.rockvillevolkswagen.com
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www.autobodynews.com | MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 71
Direct Paint & Collision Earns Official Certification Direct Paint & Collision Inc in PA has been officially certified by Assured Performance, a non-profit consumer advocacy organization. The Havertown auto body shop is now officially recognized by Assured Performance, FCA, GM, Enterprise, Ford, Nissan, Infiniti, and Hyundai for upholding manufacturer standards and specifications. Less than five percent of body shops in the US are able to meet the requirements to become officially certified and recognized by these automakers. “When an accident happens, the last thing you want to have to worry about is researching collision repair shops,” Direct Paint & Collision’s owner, Mike Mardinly, said. “Our certification is important in letting customers know that they can trust their vehicles with us, as we uphold the highest standards and specialize in all makes and models of vehicles.” The criteria for certification is based upon auto manufacturer requirements, which ensures that a vehicle is brought back to standards following an accident.
SCRS Board of Directors Meeting Held
On April 19, SCRS held an open board meeting in Seattle, Washington. The meeting was open to everyone wishing to learn more about the current state of the association’s activities and pressing industry topics. Attendees were not required to be a member of SCRS to participate. In addition to the regular committee reports, and updates of ongoing work SCRS is engaged in on behalf of its membership, the agenda featured another live education committee presentation led by committee chairman, Kye Yeung. The topic focused on understanding and identifying how energy flows through modern-day vehicles during a collision. Identifying structural misalignments and related damages as a result of energy transfer is a key component to restoring a vehicle to its pre-loss condition and a contributing factor in many post-repair inspections. Immediately following the meeting, SCRS invited active members of the association to cast their votes in the board of directors annual election process. As Autobody News went to press, there were four open board seats. Check autobodynews.com to find out the results.
NHTSA Won’t Consider Takata Impact in Recalls The chief U.S. auto safety agency says it won’t take Takata Corp.’s financial viability into account when it decides whether to expand further the largestever auto safety recall, Bloomberg news has reported. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will focus solely on safety, as it must under U.S. law, the agency said in a statement. NHTSA is reviewing the findings of three investigations into Takata’s airbag ruptures while the recalls are under way, it said. Those probes attempted to determine the root cause of the airbag failures, and the review could be the basis for future decisions related to the recalls. “NHTSA makes recall determinations based on safety, and safety alone,” agency spokesman Bryan Thomas said in the statement. “The agency will take all appropriate actions to make sure airbags in Americans’ vehicles are safe.” Takata’s costs could add up to $24 billion, according to a person familiar with the matter, or four times more than Tokyo-based company’s annual revenue. The figure is about $7 billion more than Jefferies Group LLC estimated in a February report. Takata said in a statement it’s still investigating the root cause and can’t accurately project its final costs.
Takata’s share price has plunged 49 percent this year. Automakers including Honda Motor Co. have recalled more than 19 million vehicles equipped with Takata airbags, the largest automotive safety recall in U.S. history. The airbag inflators can explode, sending shrapnel into the passenger compartment. More than 7.5 million inflators have been replaced, including 5.4 million by Honda, according to the agency. NHTSA has said Takata airbag inflators have caused nine fatalities in the U.S. by rupturing and spraying plastic and metal shards at motorists. The regulator is investigating all Takata inflators that use a chemical propellant that’s been banned from future models and is giving the company until as long as the end of 2019 to determine the root cause of the flaw or prove the inflators are safe. Moisture seeping into Takata’s inflators was determined to be the reason Takata airbags have ruptured by Orbital ATK, a researcher hired by a coalition of automakers that announced its findings last month. Challenges with determining root cause of the rupture issue have held back automakers and the supplier from deciding how the companies will divvy costs.
Sherwin-Williams’ New Custom & Restoration Websites
Sherwin-Williams classic “Speed Shapes” that continually rotates to showcase how the color changes as a vehicle travels through different light. This website provides search and customization features that allow users to pinpoint the exact color code desired. To inspire sharing pictures of cars, Sherwin-Williams also created a Killer Paint Job gallery. This gallery allows users to submit pictures and details of their Sherwin-Williams-painted vehicles. They are then showcased on the site and are searchable with the associated color. The second new website launched was an entirely new featured section of the Sherwin-Williams launched a Color Visualizer website sherwin-automotive.com as well as a Custom & Restoration website website. The Custom & The first new website launched Restoration website (http://www was an online Color Visualizer (http: .sherwin-automotive.com/custom //sw-rodandrestocustomcolor.com/). vrestoration/) now features details Following the success of the Rod & about exclusive Sherwin-Williams Restoration Color Collection, which color programs and gives behind-thewas introduced in 2014, Sherwin- scenes insights from their media cenWilliams took the 200+ colors within ter. Within the media center, they the collection and created one of the document step-by-step details of industry’s first color tools, mimicking project vehicles they sponsor as well as blog-like articles answering some the movement of a vehicle. Each color was applied to one of of the most sought after questions. 72 MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
All The Genuine Lexus Parts You Need For A Lexus Finish i
Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes recently launched two new websites focused on their color expertise within the custom and restoration market segments, according to a company press release. These websites give the public an inside look at industry partnerships, visuals of color, and application tips designed to improve a technician’s knowledge.
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www.autobodynews.com | MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 73
CARSTAR’s Bob Keith Receives I-CAR Award
CARSTAR Auto Body Repair Experts congratulated Bob Keith for being recognized by I-CAR as the recipient of their annual Founders Award. The award was given based on his dedication and service to ICAR at the recent 2016 I-CAR Volunteer & Instructor Conference held in Orlando, Florida. Keith is a member of the CARSTAR corporate team, serving as senior director-operations training, as well as the owner of four CARSTAR locations. He also has a long history of dedicated service to I-CAR, having held several leadership positions in the organization. “It has been an honor to serve with some of the best minds in the industry who regularly take off their stripes in order to make sure that ICAR meets its vision that every person in the collision repair industry has the information, knowledge and skills required to perform complete, safe and quality repairs for the ultimate benefit of the consumer,” said Keith. “We are fortunate to have someone with Bob’s experience as part of our team,” said Michael Macaluso, president – CARSTAR North America.
ASA Hosts Online Demo of New OEM Resource Center by Chasidy Rae Sisk
On Wednesday, February 17, the Automotive Service Association (ASA) hosted an online demonstration and press conference on a new tools resource, created in conjunction with the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers. Donny Seyfer, ASA Chair, conducted the information webinar about the new OEM Resource Center, a project that began several years ago. Recognizing that there is key OEM information that technicians are often unable to find, ASA collaborated with the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, which is comprised of 12 automotive manufacturers who collectively represent over 70 percent of all car and truck sales in the US, to compile all important OEM information in one location. Seyfer observed, “There are sites that do similar things, but there’s nothing else exactly like this.” Some information included on the OEM Resource Center addresses scan tool specifics, as well as calibration and programming updates, service information and training materials. According to Seyfer, “Manufacturers have names for things that defy classification so the industry needs an
authoritative position on where to find this information. With so many possible resources, finding the information you need can seem like an art form; though much of the information is free before paying for any kind of subscription, many people don’t know where to find it. The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers agreed to assist
with creating a special information portal, but the site was created by techs for techs. It was made to be super simple and easy to navigate.” From the launch page, industry professionals can click links to direct them to the OE’s landing page where they’ve highlighted the most important and useful information. Each OE has its own landing page with links to the most commonly requested information. All links have been tested to ensure they direct professionals to the most current, accurate information.
The Right Parts.
During this huge project, ASA also created a scan tool page for each OE which is updated with the “latest and greatest,” Seyfer said. Each scan tool page contains a link to direct users on how to bring the hardware and software and get support. While the information available is the same as what is found on OE websites, since that is where the user is directed, OERepairInfo.com focuses on what each OE does differently. Seyfer eexplained, “We organized it into those key things that can trip up the repair process or discourage a shop from taking on a new car line because they don’t have a direct source to the information they need to become ‘Service Ready,’ our pet industry term coined by Toyota’s Mark Saxonberg.” ASA is looking to add other OEs in the future, but there’s no timeline on that initiative. ASA’s goal was to make this resource “as comprehensive as possible,” Seyfer said. “With this resource, we’re getting the facts straight from the source - the OEs. It is our belief that this resource will cut down the guesswork when it comes to finding accurate, updated information in a timely manner.”
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74 MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
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www.autobodynews.com | MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 75
Recap of Mitchell Industry Trends Report: The High Cost of High Tech Mitchell recently released its first quarterly Industry Trends Report of 2016. The focus was on “The High Cost of High Tech.” Author Greg Horn analyzed repair cost inflation rates as reflected by total loss frequency, rising insurance rates and repair order costs. The following is an excerpt from the webinar Q&A. The full recording can be found on www.autobodynews .com.
Do you think crushed metals salvage value can hit rock bottom, and if so, will they rebound? When we talk about the bottom and crushed metal, salvage values are at a 10-year low, about $60 per ton. And that is influenced primarily because of the recession we’re experiencing in China. China was taking a lot of our scrap. That was the biggest market and that is down and it’s really dried up the shipping of crushed metal overseas. If you’re an insurance company, you’re seeing a big decrease in the overall salvage crisis. That’s because the bottom has really dropped out. When key currencies like the Chinese Yuan and Euro rebound against the U.S. Dollar, we will begin to see salvage values rise.
What will Bluetooth keys and a cellphone do to salvage values? Brilliant question. Yeah, I think what will happen is you’re going to have to have some sort of a valet key in order to be fully functional. Because, again, I think what we have is a problem with
The interesting thing is if you look at the 2016 Volvo S60 Inscription, that is actually fully assembled in China now so that is really the first Volvo to come in from China. And the smaller size Buick SUV is now officially coming in the spring of this year, so those are
the Bluetooth app. Again the phone dies or you lose your phone or what have you, there’s going to have to be some sort of fully functional valet key or fully functional fob that you would have to sell with the vehicle.
two of the first Chinese vehicles. The Volvo is here and the Buick is coming in the next few months.
What’s the percentage of total loss vehicles compared to all estimates written? It is right around 16% to 16.5% in the U.S. across all estimates written. And that is increasing as we see a softening of the actual cash value of the vehicles being appraised. Any update on the Chinese vehicles coming here?
Farmers Insurance Launches All-New Claims Filing to Maximize Ease of Use for Customers Nationwide
Farmers Insurance®, one of the nation’s largest multiline insurer groups, has announced the launch of the company’s all-new Enterprise First Notice of Loss (EFNOL) system to provide customers with a single platform to
more easily capture new loss information and advance the claims process. By accessing EFNOL through Farmers.com, Farmers Personal Lines customers can now report a loss and schedule needed services such as rentals, emergency services, and more. When the loss reporting process concludes, the system delivers a summary of key information, including selected repair facilities, the assigned claims representative’s contact information, and any scheduled services, to the customer’s computer or mobile device. Customers also can work with their local Farmers Insurance agent to access EFNOL together to report a claim. “The new platform is a big win
for our customers and agents,” said Keith Daly, chief claims officer for Farmers Insurance. “EFNOL reinforces our commitment to investing in new technology to enhance our customer experience and makes it much
easier for customers to report a claim and have up-to-the-minute insight into the progress of their settlement.” Designed with customer-ease top-of-mind, the EFNOL platform provides a streamlined process for customers who want to keep their agent involved in the claim process or who are looking for a self-service option through Farmers.com. For Farmers agents, the new platform allows them to easily report a loss, secure pertinent loss details, and help set up services for Farmers customers. For more information about Farmers Insurance, visit Farmers .com, Twitter and Instagram, @We AreFarmers, or Facebook.com/ FarmersInsurance.
76 MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Do you anticipate more auto manufacturers will move to highstrength steel similar to what we’ve seen on the Honda Civic? Absolutely. As we are in our first year of the new CAFE standards, 2016 was the standard that passenger cars have to achieve 39 miles per gallon, or the car manufacturer has to pay fines back to the federal government. We’re going to see common, high-volume cars get these types of high-strength steels in them that will definitely add to repair costs overall.
Are Honda Civic rockers high strength steel also? Yes. If you look at the roof and the B pillar, you can see that those are ultrahigh-strength steel. And then you look at where the B pillar goes into the center rocker, which they are not an ultrahigh strength but high-strength steel. So there are some requirements when you come to applying heat to the lower part where the B pillar meets the center rocker. So while the 1,500 MPa hot stand has to be replaced in its entirety, there are straightening and heat application limits on the 550 and 650 MPa steel as well. So it’s going to be a complicated repair. It’s absolutely imperative that a collision repairer refer to Mitchell TechAdvisor to make sure that they’re doing repair in accordance with the Honda technical bulletins. That is a great add on to your RepairCenter or WorkCenter Appraisal system because while you’re in the estimate you don’t have to leave the estimate to get out and look up the repair procedures. You can just right click and refer to the full repair procedures for that piece while you’re in the estimate. See more at: http://www.mitchell .com/news/id/1382#sthash.Onv9Cg2t .dpuf
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The following dealerships are eager to serve your needs. Call your local Subaru collision parts specialist today! Deep Inventory – Competitive Pricing – Genuine Subaru Quality Call Today! MARYLAND
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Mon.-Fri. 7:30-5; Sat. 8-2 subaruparts@lcmotors.net parts.lancastercountysubaru.com www.autobodynews.com | MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 79
80 MAY 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com