Northeastern Norrtheastern Edition E d i t i on Connecticut Delaware Maine Maryland Massachusetts New Hampshire
New Jersey New York Pennsylvania Rhode Island Vermont
36
YEARS
www.autobodynews.com ww ww.autobodynews.com
Auto Body Shop in Chicopee, MA, Helps People Affected by Hurricane Harvey
by Tashanea Whitlow, WWLP-22News
On Sept. 2, R.T’s Auto Shop, a Hampshire county auto body shop, became the center of the relief effort to help people affected by Hurricane Harvey. Trevor Bleau, co-owner, told 22News, “We honestly didn’t think it was going to be this big, but that’s a great thing. When this sort of tragedy happens in Texas, this [relief effort] needs to happen, so why not here.” Due to the outpouring of support, the auto shop has been unable to work for the last two days. “Car after car after car. I mean at one point, we had three or four cars in the parking lot
waiting to be unloaded.” Their only job now is collecting donations. One by one. Bag by bag. Vitals products such as formula, toiletries, clothing—some still with the tags on them were all collected, including water. From the oldest to the youngest, all hands were on deck. “Because if we needed it, they would probably help us out,” said Bleau. Despite being more than 1,800 miles away, Harvey victims were on the minds and hearts of people in western Massachusetts. John and Sheri Skill of Belchertown told 22News, “We’re just watching it and
Collision Repair Instructor Shares Harvey Experience
Harvey Flooded two-thirds of the homes in Jeff Wilson’s neighborhood
in Houston who started his career in education in 1995, shared his experience with Autobody News. See Instructor Reports, Page 38
P.O. BOX 1516, CARLSBAD, CA 92018
Hurricane Harvey tore through Houston at the end of August, causing an estimated $70 to $200 billion worth of damage and taking the lives of 70 Americans. It was the first hurricane to make landfall in the United States since Hurricane Wilma in 2005. Harvey was also the wettest tropical hurricane on record in the United States, with peak accumulations of 51.88 inches. The resulting floods destroyed hundreds of thousands of homes, displaced more than 30,000 people, and prompted more
than 17,000 rescues. Jeff Wilson, a collision repair instructor at Kingwood Park High School
Change Service Requested
by Victoria Antonelli
Hurricane Harvey Wreaks Havoc on Houston, Affected Body Shops Report on Damage by Chasidy Rae Sisk
When Hurricane Harvey hit the Southeast part of Texas during the weekend of August 25–27, many small towns along the coast were utterly devastated and destroyed.
See R.T.’s Auto Shop, Page 3
More Harvey Coverage p. 18, 37, 52, 63; IRMA Next Month; SEMA Coverage p. 14, 26, 44, 52
VOL. 8 ISSUE 7 OCTOBER 2017
Credit: Patch.com
However, the most damage was sustained in Houston due to the city’s large size and denser population. Homes, vehicles and businesses were
flooded, and at least 45 Houston lives were lost as Harvey unleashed its fury on the Lone Star State. Harvey hit the Texas coast on the evening of Aug. 25 as a Category 4 hurricane, with winds as high as 130 mph, ravaging the coastline. Houston residents awoke on Sunday to flooding that turned roads into rivers. John Kopriva, President of the Houston Auto Body Association (HABA), reported, “We normally get about 50 inches of rain annually in Houston, but during Harvey, we got 53 inches in just a few days.” Kopriva’s shop had 3 feet of water in the back of the building, but fortunately, he had moved all his customers’ vehicles to the front of the building, and neither his nor his children’s homes sustained damage. Others were not so lucky. Several See Shops Affected, Page 20
Hurricane Harvey Ravaged Cars and Trucks — Bad for Drivers, Good for Automakers by James F. Peltz and David Montero, McRee Ford, Dickinson, Texas Los Angeles Times
with his insurance carrier yet; he’s been busy helping his parents clean out their wind-damaged house along the coast. He said he doubts he’ll get much anyway and is instead hoping
Perry Smith tried to race Hurricane Harvey. He lost. Now his white Toyota Corolla sits with a broken axle in the parking lot of a Strips convenience store in Rockport, Texas. It is, he admits, probably the end of the road for his trusty car with almost 190,000 miles on it. “The hurricane was right Harvey created epic flooding throughout Houston and on my tail,” Smith said. “It southeast Texas. Credit: Robert Gauthier, Los Angeles Times caught me. It lifted the back of the car up and I was looking down for some assistance from the Federal at the road through my windshield. Emergency Management Agency. Still, Texans already have filed Then—bam—it slammed back down more than 100,000 storm-related and that was it.” See Harvey Ravage, Page 28 Smith, 56, hasn’t filed a claim
Presorted Standard US Postage PAID San Bernardino, CA Permit #2244
2 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
COLUMNISTS Antonelli - High School Student Shares Plans for Future Amidst Hurricane Harvey Recovery . 52 Attanasio - Veteran Shop Owner Energized by Son and Daughter at Panel Craft . . . . . 32 Attanasio - Young Painter Creates “Girls Behind the Gun” to Support Women in Collision Repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Phillips - How to Improve Body Shop Profit Using Sensible Goals: The ‘Power of One’ . . 54 Phillips - Riding Wave of Change: Hawaii Shop Shares Initiatives That Will Take Family Business Into the Future. . . . . . . . . 48 Yoswick - CCC Defends Shift to Secure Share, Faces Tough Questions from CIC Task Force . 30 Yoswick - Talk of Other Insurers Requiring use of PartsTrader Goes Back Five Years . 56
NATIONAL 180BIZ Webinar Focuses on ABCs of Employee Retention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 3M PPS World Cup Features 10 of the World’s Best Car Painters . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 A Half-Million Flooded Cars and Trucks Could be Scrapped after Hurricane Harvey . . . . . 18 AACF Helps Aftermarket Victims of Hurricanes . 37 AAPEX 2017 To Host Technology and Telematics Forum V5.0. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 All New SEM Website Delivers Best in Class Experience, Just Like Its Products. . . . . . . 68 Allstate and Travelers Likely Spared From Worst Hurricane Irma, Harvey Damages . . 63 ASA Announces Must-Attend Training Events at CARS@AAPEX . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Attorney John Eaves Jr. is ‘Extremely Excited’ about Reversal by Eleventh Circuit . . . . . . 51 BASF Glasurit paint on winning Porsche at Pebble Beach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Bouncie Smart-Device Turns Any Vehicle into a Connected Car . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Bud Crawford’s Conviction for Property Damage Reversed in NE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Caliber Collision Announces Changing Lanes Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 CAPA Releases New Online Complaint Form . 57 CARSTAR Names Top Shops at Annual Conference in Charlotte, NC . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Certified Collision of Long Island™ Earns Tesla Certification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Charley Hutton’s Color Studio Recommends Innovative Tools & Technologies, Inc. . . . . 68 CHEMSPEC USA Releases NextGen Color Selector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Chief® Introduces the MultiMig 190 Welder
for Mild Steel Repairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Chip Foose Demonstrates the 3M™ Accuspray™ Spray Gun System. . . . . . . . 39 CIF Rallying to Support Industry Flood Victims of Hurricane Harvey . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Collision Repair Instructor Shares Harvey Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Collision Student of the Year Nominations due Sept. 22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Color Compass University Partners with AMi . 76 Consumer Watchdog: New Federal Robot Car Guidelines Threaten Highway Safety . . . . . . 4 CREF Fundraiser Co-Hosted by PPG Raises $120,000. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Darin Smith Discusses His SEMA Battle of the Builders Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Don’t Settle Your Auto Insurance Claim Until You Have All The Facts . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Driven Brands Raises Money for Hurricane Relief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Driven Brands’ President Resigns: Industry Awaits News of Successor . . . . . 60 Eleventh Circuit Reinstates Body Shops’ Lawsuit Against Insurers, Attorney “Extremely Excited” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Estify Adds Industry Veteran Toan Nguyen to Executive Team . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Fourth Annual SEMA Battle of the Builders to Feature Top Customizers in Three Categories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 GFS Releases Booth Shield Peelable Booth Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Graveyard Carz Reports Alleged Theft and Illegal Sale of SEMA 2016 Plymouth Barracuda. . 66 HDDA Developing Product Data Standards for Heavy Duty Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 High standards, Next-Level Service at Neshaminy Collision & Auto Repair in PA . . 16 House OKs Bill to Allow Thousands of Self-Driving Cars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Hurricane Harvey Ravaged Cars and Trucks — Bad for Drivers, Good for Automakers. . . . . 1 Hurricane Harvey Wreaks Havoc on Houston, Affected Shops Report on Damage. . . . . . . 1 I-CAR® Launces New Art and Science of Estimator Interactions Course . . . . . . . . 70 Industry Invited to Sponsor Work Uniforms for Local High School and College Collision School Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 More than Half of Vehicle Owners Think Self-Driving Cars Are a “Good Idea” . . . . . 66 MyPriceLink Providing Dynamic, Real-Time Pricing, Receives Patent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 New SEMA Program Supports Automotive Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Project Underdog Heads to Auction, Actor’s Project to Benefit SEMA Scholarships . . . . 44 Remy Donates to AACF to Help Industry Members Rebuild from Major Hurricanes . . 60 Richard Rawlings of “Fast N’ Loud” Has a New TV Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 SCRS and March Taylor Memorial Fund Award SkillsUSA Gold Medalists Tool Scholarships . 70 SEMA Show New Products Showcase Features Expanded hours, Buyer Happy Hour . . . . . 14 Seminars Give Hawaii Body Shops Opportunity to Learn Advanced Techniques and Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Spanesi Americas Partners with MB Motorsports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Special Events Provide SEMA Showgoers With Education, Networking . . . . . . . . . . . 14 TV Personality Jessi Combs Credits WyoTech for her Success. . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 YourMechanic Announces New Chief Technology Officer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
R.T’s Auto Shop
they have nothing. And one lady caught me, and she says, ‘I wanna go home, but I don’t have one.’ And I can’t fathom having that.” The Skills spent more than $350 on brand new pillows, sheets, Pampers and children’s toys. “I wrote on some of the items, just so they know that Massachusetts is thinking about them and we all care,” said Skill. Hurricane Harvey left a million Publisher & Editor: Jeremy Hayhurst General Manager: Barbara Davies Contributing Writers: John Yoswick, Janet Chaney, Toby Chess, Ed Attanasio, Chasidy Sisk, David Luehr, Stacey Phillips, Victoria Antonelli Advertising Sales: Joe Momber, Sean Hartman, Bill Doyle, Norman Morano (800) 699-8251 Office Manager: Louise Tedesco Digital Marketing Manager: Bill Pierce Art Director: Rodolfo Garcia Graphic Designer: Michelle Lucas Online and Web Content Editor: Rochelle Beckel Accounting Manager: Heather Priddy Sales Assistant: Randi Scholtes
people without a place to call home, and at least 47 dead. “Our brothers and sisters down in Texas need us right now. It’s been a great outpouring of support from our local community, so we just wanted to help and make that a reality,” said Dave Kopazz of Ware. On Saturday at noon, a convoy of trucks, bound for Texas, will pick up every donated item. “We’re friends and neighbors being good friends and neighbors,” said Kopazz. We thank WWLP-22News for reprint permission.
Acura of Westchester . . . . . . . . . . . 48 AIRCAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Amato Agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 AMH Canada, Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Atlantic Hyundai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Audi Fairfield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Audi Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . 69 Axalta Coating Systems . . . . . . . . . . 2 BASF Corporation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 BMW Wholesale Parts Dealers . 64-65 Cadillac of Mahwah . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 CarcoonAmerica Airflow Systems. . 29 Central Avenue Chrysler-JeepDodge-Ram. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA). . . . . . . . . . . . 9 ChemSpec USA, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Classifieds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Colonial Automotive Group . . . . . . 67 Crashmax Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Dent Magic Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Dominion Sure Seal . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 ECS Automotive Concepts . . . . . . . 36 Empire Auto Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Equalizer Industries, Inc . . . . . . . . . 17 Eurovac, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Ford Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . 70 Fred Beans Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Fuccillo Kia of Schenectady . . . . . . 55 GM Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . 71 Heritage Chrysler-Jeep-DodgeRAM Owings Mills . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Herkules Equipment Corporation. . 18 Honda-Acura Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40-41 Hyundai Motor America. . . . . . . . . . 32 Hyundai Wholesale Parts Dealers . . 74 Infiniti of Norwood. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Insta Finish Car Care . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Kia Motors Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Koeppel Mazda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Lancer Insurance Company . . . . . . 39 Long Automotive Group . . . . . . . . . 57 Lynnes Auto Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Malco. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Malouf Chevrolet-Cadillac. . . . . . . . 20 Mazda Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . 70
Serving New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Northern Virginia, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and adjacent metro areas. Autobody News is a monthly publication for the autobody industry. Permission to reproduce in any form the material published in Autobody News must be obtained in writing from the publisher. ©2017 Adamantine Media LLC. Autobody News P.O. Box 1516, Carlsbad, CA 92018 (800) 699-8251 / (760) 603-3229 Fax www.autobodynews.com editor@autobodynews.com
Northeast
REGIONAL AASP/NJ’s Take On Infamous Texas Court Case. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Atlantic Cape Community College Receives $2,500 for Scholarships from NJ Body Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Auto Body Shop in Chicopee, MA, Helps People Affected by Hurricane Harvey . . . . . 1 CARSTAR Opens First Location in New York City. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Jeff Tech Automotive Collision Shop in PA Receives Donation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Maaco Collision Repair and Auto Painting in Maple Shade, NJ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Patterson Body in NY Aids Putnam SPCA . . . . 6 Philadelphia I-CAR Committee Raises $46,000 to Support Collision Repair Education Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Roxbury, NJ, Shop Seeks Generous Person Who Needs a Better Car . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Travel Center and Auto Body Artist Help Animals in Dansville, NY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Continued from Cover
Index of Advertisers
Contents
McGovern Chrysler-Jeep-DodgeRam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Mercedes-Benz of Atlantic City. . . . 25 Mercedes-Benz of Fairfield . . . . . . . 61 Mercedes-Benz of Fort Washington . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Mercedes-Benz of West Chester . . 25 Mercedes-Benz of Wilmington . . . . 58 Mercedes-Benz Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 MINI Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . 66 Mirka USA, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Mitsubishi Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 MOPAR Wholesale Parts Dealers. 46-47 Motor Guard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 MWMtools.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Nissan/Infiniti Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Nucar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Ourisman Chrysler-Jeep-DodgeRam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Polyvance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Porsche of Fairfield . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Porsche Wholesale Parts Dealers . . 79 Proline Tool & Supply. LLC . . . . . . . 23 Providence Lacquer & Supply Centre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Reliable Automotive Equipment . . . 63 SATA Dan-Am Company . . . . . . . . 13 Saw Mill Auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Schultz Ford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Security Dodge-Chrysler-JeepRam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Sorbothane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Spanesi Americas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Subaru Wholesale Parts Dealers . . 72 Tasca Automotive Group . . . . . . . . 49 Toyota Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . 76 Valspar Refinish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 VIP Honda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Volkswagen Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Westbury Jeep-Chrysler-DodgeRam-SRT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Wizards Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Yonkers Kia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
www.autobodynews.com | OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 3
House OKs Bill to Allow Thousands of Self-Driving Cars Automakers would each be allowed to operate up to 100,000 self-driving cars per year on U.S. roads, and states would be prevented from passing laws to prevent them from doing so under a bill that was approved Sept. 6 by the U.S. House of Representatives. The measure, approved on a voice vote, would allow the Secretary of Transportation to grant exemptions to federal motor vehicle rules that require cars to have human operators. Initially, 25,000 cars per automaker could be operated if companies can prove they meet existing safety standards for traditional cars. After a 12-month period, the number of exemptions per manufacturer would increase to 50,000, and it would go up to 100,000 in the third and fourth years. The current limit for such exemptions to federal auto standards is 2,500 cars for two years at a time. Under the bill approved Sept. 6, exemptions to federal auto standards would be limited to three years at a time. The measure, which goes now to the U.S. Senate, was approved after weeks of backroom negotiations between Republicans and Democrats on the panel over issues involving the number of test vehicles that would be exempt from federal safety standards requiring a human to be in control of the car and the length of time for which those exemptions would be valid. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle said the compromised legislation will boost safety of U.S. roads, and also represented a rare bipartisan con-
U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, DDearborn, added, “This wasn’t something that was thrown together at the last minute. A lot of time has been spent addressing everybody’s concerns.” The bill passed Sept. 6 requires the U.S. Secretary of Transportation to issue a rule requiring automakers to submit a safety assessment certification for their self-driving cars within two years of passage of the measure. In the interim, the legislation directs carmakers to submit letters to the National Highway Traffic Safety Ad-
ministration that mirror a set of 15 guidelines that were recommended by the Obama administration in 2016. The guidelines called for automakers and technology companies to voluntarily report on testing and safety to federal regulators before autonomous cars are sold to the public. Under Obama’s proposal, automakers would have been required to report how they were tested, how the systems work and what happens if those systems fail before self-driving cars are allowed to roll on U.S. roads. Democrats in the House had sought to greatly reduce the number of exemptions that would allow automakers to put thousands of self-driving cars on the road in the immediate future, but they said they could live with the compromise that calls for gradually increasing the number over several years. “Self-driving cars have the potential in the future to reduce deaths and injuries from car crashes, particularly those that result from driver distraction,” Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., said. “This bill allows for testing and deployment of self-driving cars to help the United States reach that potential sooner.” Automakers praised lawmakers for moving the bill to increase the number of self-driving cars that can be operated on U.S. roads. General Motors Co. said in a statement that the measure “represents good progress toward a law that will facilitate realization of the safety, mobility, and environmental benefits of self-driving vehicles.” The company added a caveat that “more work is needed” before the bill is signed into law, how-
The new Federal autonomous vehicle policy released today poses a threat to highway safety, Consumer Watchdog warned and the nonpartisan nonprofit group called for the enactment of enforceable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards specifically covering self-driving cars. Dubbed a “Vision for Safety 2.0” and released by Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, the new policy emphasizes the voluntary nature of the new federal guidelines. “This isn’t a vision for safety,” said John M. Simpson, Consumer Watchdog’s Privacy Project Director. “It’s a roadmap that allows manufacturers to
do whatever they want, wherever and whenever they want, turning our roads into private laboratories for robot cars with no regard for our safety.” The new Department of Transportation and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration policy focuses only on voluntary guidance for Level 3, Level 4 and Level 5 selfdriving cars, not Level 2 technology where only some driving technology is automated, Consumer Watchdog noted. “This a serious short-coming and ignores the fact that Level 2 technology, like Tesla’s Autopilot, has killed people,” said Simpson. “How the
human driver monitors and interacts with Level 2 technologies is potentially life threatening and requires Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.” The DOT claims the revised voluntary policy “incorporates feedback received through public comments.” “This simply isn’t true,” Simpson said. “There hasn’t been a NHTSA public hearing on autonomous vehicle policy since President Trump was inaugurated and the highly touted DOT Advisory Committee on Automation in Transportation (ACAT) has not even met and has been completely ignored by Trump’s appointees.” The new robot car guidelines raise
by Keith Laing, Detroit News Washington Bureau
sensus in a typically bitterly divided Washington. “This legislation on autonomous vehicles ...will go a long way to taking the human error out of driving and making roads safer for all Americans,” said U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph. “Forget about the Jetsons, it’s over. The future of the autonomous industry is here, and this bill will give the automotive industry the tools to revolutionize how we’re going to get around for generations to come.”
The measure, approved on a voice vote, would allow the Secretary of Transportation to grant exemptions to federal motor vehicle rules that require cars to have human operators. Credit: Gene J. Puskar, AP
ever. Safety groups complained the exemptions give automakers too much freedom to test self-driving cars on roads with other drivers. “This bill leaves a Wild West frontier by pre-empting the states’ ability to do anything to protect consumer safety, while there is nothing yet at the federal level,” said John Simpson, Consumer Watchdog privacy project director. The legislation prohibits states and other local jurisdictions from adopting regulations related to cars’ design, construction, software or communication. States still would be allowed to regulate registration, licensing, liability, education and training, insurance or traffic laws. Michigan had already taken steps to position itself as a haven for selfdriving car testing: last year, the state legislature passed into law a measure that allows robotic cars to be operated on any Michigan road without a driver behind the wheel. Supporters of the measure moving now in Congress anticipate the U.S. Senate will take up a similar version of the self-driving measure this fall. Lawmakers in the upper chamber have said they also are working on a bipartisan bill to regulate self-driving cars. They have released a set of principles that call for prioritizing safety, promoting innovation and strengthening cybersecurity, but have not agreed on specific language.
questions for state regulators, Consumer Watchdog said. For example, proposed self-driving rules in California mandate that manufacturers would have to file a federal safety assessment with NHTSA. The new guidance, however, says states should not codify any portion of the voluntary guidance in their regulations. “The DOT and NHTSA ‘Vision for Safety 2.0’ tells auto manufacturers to think about a few things involving robot cars and then do whatever they want,” said Simpson.
We thank the Detroit News for reprint permission.
Consumer Watchdog: New Federal Robot Car Guidelines Threaten Highway Safety
4 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
www.autobodynews.com
www.autobodynews.com | OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 5
Patterson Body Shop in NY Aids Putnam SPCA by Eric Gross, Putnam County Courier
The Putnam SPCA in Putnam, NY, recently purchased a used 2008 Ford Crown Victoria to replace its former 2004 Ford patrol car with more than 185,000 miles on its odometer.
Ross said the SPCA faced a challenge–”to find a business willing to donate its time and expertise and repaint the car.” Stan’s Auto Body Shop on Route 22 in Patterson came to the rescue and performed the miracle.
Ken Ross thanks the owners and staff of Stan’s Auto Body for its generous donation. Credit: Ken Ross Jr
SPCA Police Chief Ken Ross explained the “‘new’ used vehicle had several challenges to overcome” since its mileage exceeded 115,000 and it needed mechanical work. The vehicle was also rusting and its paint was peeling. “Added to our woes was the fact that half the car was blue and the remainder was painted white,” the chief said.
The chief said the staff removed the rust and repainted the entire vehicle at no cost to the SPCA. “Christmas has come a bit early for our nonprofit. We are so pleased that the donation will allow us to continue the SPCA’s important work across our county,” the chief said. We thank Putnam County Courier for reprint permission.
Atlantic Cape Community College Receives $2,500 for Scholarships from NJ Body Shop
The Atlantic Cape Community College Foundation recently received a $2,500 donation from Lou Altobelli, owner of Rio Auto Body of Rio Grande, NJ. This was the fifth
ond-year Cape May County resident who is a full-time business major with financial need and a minimum GPA of 3.0. In past years, Altobelli and his company have supported the Atlantic Cape Foundation Golf Tournament and the Restaurant Gala. He serves as a trustee on the Atlantic Cape Community College Foundation and served as co-chair of the college’s 2014 and 2015 Scramble “Fore” Scholarships Golf Tournament Committee.
For more information about the Atlantic Cape Foundation and giving Louis Altobelli, owner of Rio Auto Body, presents the opportunities, contact final installment of $2,500 to Dr. Barbara Gaba, president Maria Kellett, Senior of Atlantic Cape Community College Director of Resource and final installment of a $12,500 Development & Community and pledge to Create Opportunity—The Alumni Outreach, at (609) 463Capital & Scholarship Campaign 3670 or mkellett@atlantic.edu, or for Atlantic Cape. visit: The Rio Auto Body Scholar- www.atlantic.edu/about/foundation ship is presented annually to a sec- .htm. 6 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Jeff Tech Automotive Collision in PA Gets Donation
and stretching our budget in the area.” The Jeff Tech vocational-technical The backpack program was also school joint operating committee in the recipient of several donations. Reynoldsville, PA, was informed of These include donations of $50 some big donations at its meeting in from Sandy Hose Company No. 1, early September. $500 from Fraternal Order of Eagles in Punxsutawney, and $1,000 from Fraternal Order of Eagles in Brookville. In a related matter, the committee approved a recommendation that the proceeds from donations given to Jeff Tech for the 20162017 backpack program, in the approximate amount of Jeff Tech Vocational-Technical School Administrative $761.58, be retained in the Director Barry Fillman looks over a recent donation of committed fund balance 3M products for use in the Automotive Collision Shop that was established for the It was noted that administrative holiday banquet and other charitable director Barry Fillman accepted sev- events. The proceeds will be availeral donations, including one of 3M able to help fund the backpack proproducts for use in the Automotive gram in future years, according to the Collision Shop from the Collision Re- information on the meeting agenda. pair Education Foundation in the apWe thank Courier Express for proximate amount of $3,000. reprint permission. “The 3M products are current supplies used to prepare the vehicles for painting,” he said, when asked for FREE comment. “As many of these items 4x Monthly E-Newsletter. are consumable, it is a big boost to our program having them available www.autobodynews.com by Eric Hrin, Courier Express
www.autobodynews.com | OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 7
CARSTAR Opens First Location in New York City CARSTAR Auto Body Repair Experts, North America’s largest Multi-Shop Operator Network of independently owned collision repair facilities, announced the opening of its first two locations to serve New York City drivers.
On Long Island, CARSTAR Celebrity Chase is located at 191 Earle Ave., Lynbrook, NY 11563. The owner is Mike Manning and his son, Mike Manning, Jr. is also opening a satellite location at 476 Merrick Road, Oceanside, NY, 11572 for convenient estimates and drop-offs. “After being in business for some 30 years on my own, it’s great to now be part of a team of like-minded owners across the country who are all looking at the same opportunities and addressing the same challenges,” said Manning. “Together, we can all build our businesses in our local com-
munities.” CARSTAR Celebrity Chase is a family-owned-and-operated business that has been serving the Long Island and Queens communities since 1982. As a family-run business, it understands the stress an accident can cause and works as an advocate with insurers to eliminate some of the headaches. CARSTAR Celebrity Chase will work with its customers and their insurance companies through the entire process to make sure their vehicle is repaired correctly and efficiently by their expert body shop technicians. “Opening two locations to serve New York City is a significant milestone for our CARSTAR network,” said Michael Macaluso, President, CARSTAR North America. “With the addition of New York, CARSTAR now serves almost every major metro area in North America. We are proud to welcome Mike Manning to our CARSTAR family, and honored to have him lead our brand in America’s largest city.” For more information on CARSTAR, visit carstar.com.
AASP/NJ’s Take On Infamous Texas Court Case
One of the most pressing issues currently affecting every aspect of the collision repair industry comes out of Dallas, TX. The now-infamous court case in which attorney Todd Tracy and his clients sued John Eagle Collision Center for more than $1 million due to negligence has made headlines on countless news outlets, and speaks to a number of concerns collision repairers face every day. The body shop in question bonded a replacement roof to the couple’s 2010 Honda Fit rather than using the welds, as per the Honda OEM repair procedures. The couple was trapped inside the burning Honda after crashing into a hydroplaning 2010 Toyota Tacoma. The case sheds light on common insurer/repairer relations, and people across the nation have been keeping an eye on the effects this case will have on the collision repair industry. As for AASP/NJ, both President Jeff McDowell and Executive Director Charles Bryant spoke to the proceedings in Dallas. “As far as the facts of the case go, nobody’s going to know what the real truths are until this gets to
court,” McDowell opined. “This is definitely a big up wake-up call to the industry as a whole—not just to the collision repairers, but to the insurance industry as well.” Bryan agreed that the lawsuit is bringing significant attention to body shops regarding insurance companies, and what they will and won’t pay for. “The shops should be the ones deciding what it takes to repair the car, and they should be getting paid to do it,” Bryant said. “Insurance companies come in, and they’ll only pay for certain things, and it really is causing people to have unsafe cars. “I think it’s very important someone addresses situations of insurance companies dictating how cars get repaired and limiting payment to what they want to pay for. That’s a job for qualified collision repair shops. The job of the insurer is to insure, but also to pay for these cars to be repaired correctly and safely—not to come out and dictate. They’re shifting what their position is and acting as if they have rights they just don’t have. Hopefully this case brings out these kinds of concerns throughout the industry.”
8 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
1932 Packard, Once Owned by FDR, Restored by Wayne Carini of Velocity Network’s “Chasing Classic Cars”
On Sept. 5, The Velocity Network aired an episode of “Chasing Classic Cars” with Wayne Carini, fo-
cusing on the restoration of a Model 905 Packard Touring Car. The car was owned by Franklin Delano Roosevelt while he was governor of New York. The New York State Museum in Albany, NY, purchased the car during Roosevelt’s second term as governor, shortly before he
was elected president in 1932. Wayne Carini and the Chasing Classic Cars team were chosen by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to get the car running again. It was a rush job, expected to be completed within 10 days. The state of New York wanted to use it to commemorate official New York state events. On April 27, a week after the car was restored, Governor Cuomo drove it across the newly restored Kosciuszko Bridge in New York City’s outer boroughs, to commemorate the first trip across the new bridge after the restoration. The New York State Museum released a statement saying that this was the first time the car had been driven since 1982.
www.autobodynews.com
UPDATED DAILY
www.autobodynews.com | OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 9
Travel Center and Auto Body Artist Help Animals in Dansville, NY love car shows too, so we got ahold of some of our friends and asked The Dansville Travel Center had a them to bring their cars. We know a special car show fundraiser for the lot of classic car owners. So we Hornell Humane Society on Sept. 9. wanted to get them together to help with nonprofit.” The Dansville Travel Center plans on doing this again on the same weekend after the Dansville Balloon Festival to help Juvenile Diabetes or the Wounded Warriors. Jim Schleich of Dansville drove his 1993 Honda Civic to the car show with his nephew, Noah Schleich’s artwork. Noah Schleich of Dansville got his start in Noah Schleich (left) shows off his art on his uncle (right) airbrush art when he Jim Schleich's car. Photo by Hasmine Willis was in the Mount Morris Dansville Travel Center em- Boces’ auto shop program. ployee Sherrie Donohue likes raising “I have been doing this kind of money for nonprofit organizations. art for about four years now,” he said. A couple years ago they had a “I learned this kind of art at Boces. It car show for the Rochester Children’s takes me about three to four hours to Hospital. This year they wanted to do each piece.” focus on a local organization. Schleich loves doing this kind of “I chose the Hornell Humane auto body work. Airbrushing vehicles Society, because I really like what is his favorite kind of art. He also they stand for,” Donohue said. “We works on a canvas. by Jasmine Willis, Genesee Country Express
10 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
I did another vehicle to advertise at the Mount Morris Boces with flames and an auto trade banner,” he said. “I love doing this kind of art the most. My uncle let me do the Joker on the hood of his car. I want to do about six more Marvel characters on his car.” Schleich said he really loves doing the black and white photos the most. “I find the photos online and work on sketching from them,” he said. “It is kind of like being a tattoo artist, only I am doing this on a car or canvas.” Schleich said he would like to enter more of his work into car shows like this. “I have gotten really into it in the last year, and I would like to enter more car shows,” he said. “I also want to be in the Dansville Artworks, and have my own shop.” Schleich is also up for anyone recommending things to him for their vehicles or a canvas. “I think it would be more fun if people recommended what they would like me to do for them,” he said. “This is all free hand work. I sketch out the image to have a basic outline. I airbrush it with all the de-
tails.” Dansville Expressive Ink has hired Schleich to work on different things for them during Halloween, such as costume airbrushing and even a zombie wedding. Schleich’s love for airbrushing started around 2009 when he started doing designs on bikes. Schleich has won prizes for his work in the SkillsUSA competitions Boces put on. His work varies in price due to length and time spent on them—anywhere from $40 to $80 or canvas work. “Nobody else does this kind of stuff here, so it would be really cool to have a shop,” he said. “Some of the guys here at the car show want me to do something on their cars.” If you are interested in Schleich’s artwork you can reach him at noahsart687@gmail.com. We thank Genesee Country Express for reprint permission.
FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM:
@autobodynews
Philadelphia I-Car Committee Raises $46,000 to Support Collision Repair Education Foundation On Thursday, June 8, the Greater Philadelphia-area I-CAR committee held its second annual fundraiser at the Scotland Run Golf Club, in Williamstown, NJ, to benefit the Collision Repair Education Foundation and local collision repair school programs. More than 160 people participated in the golf tournament, evening banquet and silent auction. Over $46,000 was raised to support the Foundation and local education initiatives to improve the availability of trained, entry-level technicians in the market. “I would like to thank all the participants and sponsors for helping to expand the possibilities for many young people in the Philadelphia area,” said Lisa Ferguson, Northeast Regional Operations for ABRA Auto Body & Glass and chair of the Greater Philadelphia-area I-CAR committee. “Our goal is to change the working environment at the shops by investing in education, having better learning conditions, mentoring programs and the proper tooling to learn their craft.” Sponsors of the event included: PPG, Platinum Sponsor of the Event; 3D Bodyworks; ABRA Auto Body &
Glass; Airright Technologies; Bergey’s Wholesale; Bill Flannery Automotive; Brandywine Coach Works; Caliber Collision; Conicelli Dealerships; Elite Electronics; Enterprise Rent-a-Car; Euromotorcars
The Philadelphia-area I-CAR committee raised over $46,000 at its second annual golf outing in June to support collision repair school programs in its market through the Collision Repair Education Foundation. (l-r) Clark Plucinski, executive director of the Collision Repair Education Foundation, receives the big check from Lisa Ferguson, ABRA Auto Body & Glass; Joe James, Bill Flannery Automotive and Pennsylvania Chair for I-CAR; and Mike LeVasseur, ABRA Auto Body & Glass.
of Devon; Fred Beans Auto Group; Gerber Collision & Glass; Innovative Solutions & Technology; K & S Towing; LKQ Corporation; Matrix Electronics; Mercedes Benz of AC, FW & WCMike & Allison LeV-
asseur; Norton; Paul’s Towing; Service King Collision Repair Centers; Sherwin-Williams. According to Ferguson, the bulk of this year’s funds will go to supporting the Hodgson Vo-Tech Auto Body program with smaller amounts going to other schools in Southeastern Pennsylvania. In addition to equipment and curriculum support, the committee is starting a new initiative to pay for 10 students to graduate with their I-CAR points, making them more attractive to prospective employees. Last September, the committee raised more than $30,000 at its inaugural event, bringing the total raised from the two events to over $76,000. Clark Plucinski, executive director of the Collision Repair Education Foundation, thanked the committee for its continued support of the local schools and challenged other local groups to
work with schools in their market to help improve the prospects of young people training for a career in the collision industry. “The work of the Philadelphia I-CAR committee directly benefits young people studying for a career in the collision industry by improving the facilities, equipment and curriculum in their school programs,” said Plucinski. “The committee’s hard work will benefit both the students and the industry, collision repairers, insurers and suppliers that are in such desperate need of trained, entry-level employees. I urge other local groups to follow the committee’s example and launch an effort to assist collision schools in their local market.” For more information on how you can participate on the committee or next year’s event, contact Lisa Ferguson at lferguson@abraauto.com.
FREE 4xwww.autobodynews.com Monthly E-Newsletter. Subscribe Today! www.autobodynews.com
www.autobodynews.com | OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 11
Roxbury, NJ, Shop Seeks Generous Person Who Needs a Better Car by Fred J. Aun, TAPinto Roxbury
Knight’s Automotive Repair of Roxbury is again seeking nominees for the annual Wheels to Prosper program, in which a refurbished used car is given to an altruistic person needing a new set of wheels.
Mary Marx, 2016 Wheels to Prosper Car Recipient, and her family, along with Nancy and Peyton Knight, owners of Knight’s Automotive Repair in Ledgewood, NJ. Credit: Mary Axelson
The Ledgewood shop hopes to get nominees by Sept. 30, said coowner Nancy Knight. The vehicle will be donated before the end of the year. “We have a car,” Knight said. “It’s a 2008 Honda Civic that we’re going to be refurbishing.” She noted Knight’s doesn’t work alone in restoring the cars it donates. Ken’s Auto Body of Ledgewood will
detail the Civic and perform any body work needed. Knight said Lakeland Auto Parts and Denville Transmission also partner in the program, and she noted that Knight’s customers often donate money, and sometimes cars. Knight’s has been participating in the national Wheels to Prosper initiative since 2010. Knight said the six people who’ve received vehicles are quite special; selfless types who will give the shirts off their backs to help others, even if it means driving a jalopy. “We are looking for a deserving community member,” Knight said, noting nominees don’t have to be Roxbury residents, but should be from the vicinity. “We’re looking for that person who does for others—that caring, giving person who may be experiencing a difficult time without a vehicle. Most of the time, these types of people won’t help themselves.” Potential winners need not be active in a bunch of local organizations and well-known, Knight said, painting a picture of unsung heroes who don’t make a big deal about their efforts. “They can be helpful to family members, their church or synagogue or
12 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
volunteer with community charities,” she said. “That’s who we like to see: somebody who gives selflessly to the community, but needs a car.” Those who know somebody worth nominating can send a brief description of the person they have in mind to Knight’s Automotive. The
Mary Marx, 2016 Wheels to Prosper Car Recipient. Credit: Mary Axelson
nominations should include a name and contact information along with information about the person giving the nomination. Nominations can be submitted by email to the following: service@knights autorepair.com or by mail to: Knight’s Automotive Repair 171 E. Main St., Ledgewood, NJ 07852 We thank TAPinto Roxbury for reprint permission.
Maaco Collision Repair and Auto Painting in Maple Shade, NJ, Acquired
39 North Capital, LLC, through its affiliate 39N Maaco Holdings, LLC, has acquired the Maaco location in Maple Shade, NJ. With this transaction, 39N Maaco now owns seven Maaco paint and collision centers across the Northeast. Maaco Maple Shade plans on offering several specials throughout the year on auto body repair and paint needs. Maaco Maple Shade fixes routine dents and dings, provides superb painting services and makes structural repairs through its expertly trained team of technicians. All structural repairs are backed by a lifetime warranty, and painting packages come with varying price points and warranties. Notably, Maaco Maple Shade holds a Heavy Duty license to paint and repair trucks, buses and other oversized vehicles. Maaco Maple Shade is located at 652 Buttonwood Ave., Maple Shade, NJ 08052. The store hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. Please visit: www.maaco-mapleshade.com for more information.
www.autobodynews.com | OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 13
Special Events Provide SEMA Showgoers With Education, Networking As a four-day trade show, the SEMA Show has seen a trend in buyers attending the premier automotive event in Las Vegas, NV, for multiple days, with many participating the entire week of the SEMA Show. To accom-
modate the growing interest of buyers and provide the greatest return on investment, activities and special events are scheduled to take place each day of the 2017 SEMA Show, Oct. 31-Nov. 3. “We recognize that buyers have choices as to which industry events they attend, and we’re grateful that they are investing in the SEMA Show,” said Peter MacGillivray, SEMA VP of events and communications. “To ensure that attendees get the greatest value for their investment, the entire week of the SEMA Show is filled with multiple networking events, special activities and a comprehensive educational program.” The events and activities at the SEMA Show, beyond the business that
takes place on the trade show floor, are: Education Seminars: SEMA Showgoers have more than 60 sessions from which to choose, with the flexibility to select from a variety of days and times Monday–Friday, Oct. 30–Nov. 3. Topics focus on online marketing, customer service, staffing, and accounting, and the content focuses on the industry’s unique needs by targeting small businesses in the automotive aftermarket. This year, an increased number of seminars are available on Friday, Nov. 3. SEMA Reveal: New for 2017 is a media sneak peek of select vehicle builds. Held during the Exhibitor Appreciation Reception on Monday, Oct. 30, the SEMA Reveal will give media exclusive access to about 10 noteworthy vehicles debuting at the SEMA Show. New Products Breakfast: Open to all SEMA Showgoers on Tuesday, Oct. 31, 7:30 a.m., the breakfast is where winners of the Best New Products are announced. Buyers can get a jump on what’s hot in the marketplace and winning exhibitors can promote the honor. Tickets are free, but space is limited and must be reserved in advance. NHRA Breakfast: Hosted by the NHRA, the annual breakfast features
SEMA Show New Products Showcase Features Expanded hours, Buyer Happy Hour
As the No. 1 destination for attendees at the SEMA Show, the 2017 New Products Showcase will feature expanded operating hours, a Buyer Happy Hour and enhancements to make it easier than ever for buyers and media to visit. Located along the skybridge between Central and South Halls, the SEMA Show New Products Showcase will be open to Showgoers from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day of the event – one hour before opening and one hour after closing – and will include a New Products Happy Hour on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. “The New Products Showcase is an essential part of the SEMA Show. Thousands of buyers and media visit the Showcase to discover leading trends, and participating exhibitors rely on it as a tool to generate awareness of their products and brand,” said Peter MacGillivray, SEMA VP of events and communications. “Even beyond the brand awareness, we’ve seen a direct correlation between buyer visits to a booth and exhibitors that have products in the Showcase.” Buyers and media will be able to visit the New Products Showcase when it opens at 8 a.m., then hit the
Show floor immediately when it opens at 9 a.m. each day of the Show. While at the New Products Showcase, buyers and media will also be able to utilize scanning devices to create a personalized list of products they see in the Showcase that are of particular interest. Details for the products scanned will be provided to attendees when they return the scanner, complete with company name, booth location and more. Another option for maximizing one’s visit to the New Products Showcase is to attend the New Products Happy Hour on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday evening. Complimentary beer and popcorn will be available to buyers and media from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., and visitors will also be able to use the scanning devices during this time. The New Products Showcase is expected to include nearly 2,000 product entries, and all exhibitors qualify to submit one entry at no cost. There is also a “featured products” category for exhibitors to enter products that may not meet the qualifications for a “new” product. Entry forms and details can be found at www.semashow.com or contact sales@sema.org, 909-396-0289.
14 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
iconic race car drivers in an informal setting. SEMA Showgoers can sign up for free tickets during registration, but space and tickets are limited for the event taking place Wednesday, Nov. 1. SEMA Industry Awards Banquet: Held annually on Thursday evening of the SEMA Show, the ban-
quet is where the industry’s most prestigious awards are presented. With 3,000 industry professionals and celebrities in attendance, winners are announced for the SEMA Person of the Year, Manufacturer of the Year, WD of the Year, Rep Agency of the Year, and Gen-III Innovator of the Year. The 2017 Hall of Fame inductees are also honored, and this year’s entertainers are legendary musicians Jimmie Vaughan, Billy F Gib-
bons, Jeff Beck and Michael Anthony. SEMA Cruise: When the SEMA Show closes on Friday evening, vehicles from the Show roll out of the Las Vegas Convention Center, creating the world’s most unique parade of cars and trucks. With bleachers set up, the public is invited to join Showgoers as nearly 1,500 customized vehicles emerge after being on display to the trade-only for the past four days. SEMA Ignited: In addition to serving as the destination for the SEMA Cruise vehicles, SEMA Ignited, also known as the official SEMA Show after-party, includes drifting demonstrations, the filming for a nationwide TV special, crowning of the SEMA Battle of the Builders winner, celebrity appearances, vendors, music and food. Showgoers are invited to celebrate and unwind for free using their SEMA Show badge, while consumers are invited to purchase tickets to this extravaganza. Additional details about these activities and all special events at the 2017 SEMA Show can be found at www.semashow.com/special-events.
www.autobodynews.com | OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 15
Certified Collision of Long Island™ Earns Tesla Certification
Certified Collision of Long Island is the sister shop of Precision Auto Works of Long Island City, NYC’s only Tesla certified shop. Certified Collision of Long Island and Precision Auto Works’ owners and technicians completed more than 500 hours of training in the original Tesla Certification Program at the Tesla factory in Fremont, CA. George Anastasopoulos, an owner of both Certified Collision of Long Island and Precision Auto Works, said, “I’ve been repairing Teslas since the first Roadster came in to our NYC shop in June 2011. My partner, Bill Kalosinis, and I are thrilled to achieve Tesla approval at our Long Island location since we built this shop from the ground up with Tesla repair in mind.” Eric Ross, Partner/Manager and Tesla factory-trained and certified technician, said, “Tesla vehicles can’t be repaired in a typical body shop environment and pose unique challenges for both aesthetic and safety reasons. When a customer chooses Certified Collision of Long Island, they can be confident they are keeping their family safe since we can rebuild their vehicles to the original specifications and structural integrity.”
High standards, Next-Level Service at Neshaminy Collision & Auto Repair in PA by Liz Johnson, Bucks County Courier Times
Josh Cohen of Neshaminy Collision & Auto Repair says his customers have high standards—but his are even higher. “That’s why they come back to us. And they tell everybody else,” said Cohen, whose 42-year-old business is continually being named Best of Bucks. Started in 1975, Cohen’s father ran the business as he was growing up in Forsythia Gate in Middletown, PA. After getting a degree in business and marketing from Kutztown University, he joined the shop, bringing a different expertise that has led to the auto shop’s expansion to include an independent insurance agency, a car rental company and auto repairs. “People bust my chops all the time and say, ‘How can you give advice in a body shop when you’re not working on the cars?’” Cohen said. “But let me ask you, if you have a fire at home or an auto accident, has the insurance agent ever worked on a home hit by fire or a damaged automobile? No. I’m here to help the customer make educated decisions to help from a financial standpoint. For example, do we place a claim or not and how will it affect my rates? Yes, we’re excellent at working
16 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
on cars, but there’s more to it than that.” Cohen, who also owns TLC Insurance Agency, LLC, loves the consulting part of the businesses. “The agency is operated independently of the body shop,” Cohen said. “It helped since I have considerable insurance experience along with my agency partner, Jason Lagler, who has 18 years’ experience working for them and in sales as well.” There are plans to expand the Penndel, PA, location, adding another paint shop, a separate office for the insurance agency and the rental agency. The diversified business allows him to offer services other collision centers can’t, he said. “I can do what they can do. They can’t do what I do,” he said, in regards to other insurance agents and going from collision into the insurance field. “Why not make it a one-stop shop like Amazon? I see a trend going back to that, helping make people’s lives easier in this busy world, building on trust and delivering on time.” In addition, Neshaminy Collision relies on its long-time employees, whose workmanship has a lifetime warranty. “We have great techs here and it isn’t easy keeping good techs in this
business,” Cohen said. “One of our guys has been here for 36 years. That’s a testament to how we treat people. Technicians tend to float around. The guy that’s been here for 36 years left briefly over 10 years ago and worked for one of those super high production type of body shops, which are about quantity over quality. He worked there for a month and came back. He said he wanted to come home. He’s been here ever since.” Cohen said he’s grateful for the work of his partner and employees— Nick Addeo, Jason Lagler and technicians, Ray Russell, Dave Leslie, Steve Reppert, Timmy Wallace, Kris Cullen, Marc Lees and Cody Turner “for helping make and take Neshaminy Collision to these heights. It takes our whole team to make it happen.” “I want to take this to another level,” Cohen said. “I’m hoping my kids get into the business. Up until then, I just want the quality of workmanship to remain at this level and to just please everyone who comes in with their automotive and insurance needs.” Neshaminy Collision & Auto Repair is located at 10 Lincoln Ave., Penndel, PA 215-752-8220. We thank Bucks County Courier Times for reprint permission.
Bud Crawford’s Conviction for Property Damage Reversed in NE
Pankonin upheld the boxer’s conviction for disorderly conduct. Boxing champion Terence “Bud” In December, County Court Judge Crawford no longer faces 90 days in Marcena Hendrix had found the 29jail for his role in an April 2016 con- year-old boxer guilty of disorderly confrontation at an auto body shop in duct and causing property damage Omaha, NE, a district court judge during an altercation at a body shop. The ruled August 23. charges were misdemeanors. She dismissed a trespassing charge. She sentenced Crawford— the undisputed world champion junior welterweight boxer—to 90 days, and ordered him to pay $6,000 in restitution and undergo random drug and alcohol tests. Pankonin said it would be up to the county court to decide whether restitution was still proper, based on Crawford’s disorderly conduct. Attempts to reach Crawford and the body shop owner Boxer Terence “Bud” Crawford leaves court in June for comment were unsuccessafter his attorney presented reasons that Crawford’s ful. Omaha City Prosecutor sentence in a 2016 incident wasn't appropriate. Credit: Matt Kuhse said he would Ryan Soderlin, The World-Herald not appeal Pankonin’s deciJudge Kimberly Miller Pankonin sion. reversed Crawford’s conviction for “In the grand scheme of things, property damage and the requirement one conviction was maintained. He’s that he serve 90 days in jail as a condi- still going to ... be on probation for a tion of probation, according to court year,” Kuhse said. “I think everybody documents. needs to kind of bring this to a close. by Andrew J. Nelson, World-Herald
He needs to serve his sentence. We need to get the victim his restitution.” Crawford and the body shop owner, Michael Nelson, both agreed that on April 4, 2016, Crawford went to Extreme Custom Fleet & Auto at 56th Street and Sorensen Parkway intending to reclaim a car. The shop had performed a $2,500 paint job and other work on a 1984 Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Crawford had paid half as a down payment but later refused to pay the rest, complaining about the quality of the work and the six months the vehicle had spent in Nelson’s garage. Crawford and a few friends went to the shop and told Nelson they were taking the car. Nelson testified that he had placed the Monte Carlo on a hydraulic lift and left a 600-pound engine underneath to discourage Crawford from taking the car. Crawford was able to lower the car to the floor after pushing the engine out of the way by himself, Nelson said. Nelson said Crawford caused $3,300 in damage to the hydraulic lift, and fluid spilled onto the shop floor. Nelson said that he felt intimidated by the boxer’s presence but that Crawford never physically threatened
him. The incident was captured on a surveillance video that was played at trial. Crawford and his attorneys appealed the sentencing. Pankonin, in dismissing the property damage count, wrote in her order: “The evidence presented during the trial does not establish who caused the damage to the hydraulic lift.” Regarding the disorderly conduct count, Pankonin wrote that there was enough evidence to convict Crawford. “The evidence clearly shows the defendant used intimidation, and at times force, to accomplish his goal.” The restitution sentencing was also not done properly, the judge wrote. “The court simply ordered the defendant ‘to pay the restitution as set forth in the presentence investigation.’ ... A sentencing court cannot just rubberstamp information provided in the (report).” We thank Omaha World-Herald for reprint permission.
FREE
4x Monthly E-Newsletter.
www.autobodynews.com
www.autobodynews.com | OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 17
A Half-Million Flooded Cars and Trucks Could be Scrapped after Hurricane Harvey by Justin Kavanagh, Car History Check Experts, MyVehicle.ie
Car dealers stateside are expecting a huge surge in business once Houston gets back on its feet. Used-car values are already at a record high, and prices could climb even higher over the next couple of weeks due to the tighter supply. Thousands of cars and trucks have been totaled, with water up to their windows and in some cases, over the roof.
The flooding is so extensive that it is estimated that a half-million vehicles may wind up being scrapped. Jonathan Smoke, the chief economist for Cox Automotive, said, “This is worse than Hurricane Sandy. Sandy was bad, but the flooding with Hurricane Harvey could impact far more vehicles.”
After Hurricane Sandy hit New York and New Jersey in October 2012, there were an estimated 250,000 vehicles that had to be written off and scrapped. The New York metropolitan area may have a bigger population than Houston, TX, but the number of vehicles per household is much higher in Houston, hence double the number of cars written off. With so many vehicles in the flood zone, insurance companies will be busy handling claims and sorting out insurance payouts for flood victims so they can buy new vehicles. Car prices could climb even higher over the next couple of weeks due to the tighter supply in the Houston area, but not all of the flooded vehicles will wind up being scrapped. Many will be cleaned up and resold, often without the new buyer realizing they are buying a salvaged car or truck. Frank Scafidi with the National Insurance Crime Bureau said, “It’s going to happen, that’s inevitable. Look at all those vehicles floating around. There are people who will try to take advantage of the situation.” The resale of repaired flooded
18 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
cars is not illegal in the US, as long as the flood damage is disclosed on the title to buyers. After Hurricane Katrina, thousands of rebuilt flood vehicles were sold to unsuspecting buyers
with titles that had been washed or reissued in a different state. “We didn’t see this on a huge scale until Hurricane Katrina,” said Scafidi. “Since then, the public awareness of the problem is greater, but with thousands of flooded vehicles it’s hard to prevent this from happening.” We thank Car History Check Experts, MyVehicle.ie for reprint permission.
FREE
4x Monthly E-Newsletter.
www.autobodynews.com
CHEMSPEC USA Releases NextGen Color Selector
ChemSpec USA, LLC., is proud to announce the release of its 2nd generation Professional Color Selector. The redesign of the PCS system is a direct result of the company’s dedication to color excellence and efficiencies in improving the lives of their customers in the USA and worldwide. The Professional Color Selector™ system consists of over 5,600 color chips for solid and metallic color refinishing. Included within are 265 color updates for 2017. The swatches are arranged in color chromatic sequence to easily compare the color swatch to the color directly on the vehicles surface. This allows for the painter to make a correct color choice quickly and accurately for improved efficiency. Each swatch is manufactured with our original paint and applied with a spray gun to get a truer to life, accurate match. The chips feature a newly laminated coating for improved durability and prevention of solvent ingress. For more information on ChemSpec USA, call 800-328-4892, email us at sales@chemspecpaint. com, or visit our website chemspec paint.com. Stop by our SEMA Booth # 10677.
www.autobodynews.com | OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 19
Continued from Cover
Shops Affected
Houston area dealerships were completely flooded with all inventory lost; however, no casualties have been reported in the automotive community. Many shop and dealership employees, as well as the general Houston population, have experienced major property losses, with homes and vehicles suffering severe damages or being completely destroyed. Greg Luther, one of HABA’s Directors, noted, “A few guys in our shop had personal damage, and none have flood insurance, but employers are being as helpful and understanding as possible. Also, the National Automobile Dealers Association stepped in with some donations to help them. “Harvey damaged 140,000 homes and at least 280,000 vehicles in Harris County alone, plus half a dozen other counties were impacted by the floods, and over 80 percent of the flooded homes don’t have flood insurance. Still, it’s amazing how fast the city is recovering.” Jill Tuggle, Executive Director of the Auto Body Association of Texas (ABAT), said, “In the days immediately following the hurricane, many people were unable to get to work due to flooded roads and highways. Some of the water has since receded, and some people are able to return to work, but we haven’t gotten word on specific shops and how much damage was sustained. I can’t imagine the emotional toll this has taken on business owners and team members alike. Many are still trying to assess the damage done to their homes, remove debris and water from damaged surfaces, and determine what type of insurance coverages they have—or don’t have— all while trying to make sure they can continue to earn a paycheck to replace basic necessities and feed their families. That’s a large burden to bear.” Fortunately, most ABAT shops are located in areas that received minimal impact from the storm, but the association has decided to donate all proceeds from raffle sales during August’s Texas Auto Body Trade Show to Harvey Relief and will be organizing a campaign to help in the upcoming weeks alongside HABA and CIF. HABA’s Legislative Advisor Larry Cernosek estimated that around 500,000 vehicles were flooded in the Houston Metropolitan area, but “the
biggest problem is insurance companies are writing $900 estimates that barely cover towing and require supplements, arguments and complaints to fix these cars people bring in to be repaired. The insurance companies should work with the shops that do the repairs, but it’s just getting worse every day.”
ricane Harvey hit Texas, Kopriva added, “Here we are, 23 days after the initial storm coming on shore, and Houston is still dealing with the aftereffects of Harvey. In some areas of the city, it is projected that there is a possibility that it will take 10 months or longer before things finally get back to normal. In downtown Houston,
A dumpsite in Houston for residents to discard property damaged during Harvey’s assault on the city
Debris broke the windows of Cernosek’s shop, allowing 6 inches of rain to get in, but he easily pumped it out. He also lost some personal property, a boat and jet skis, during the storm, but knows that others had it much worse with up to 6 feet of water being reported in some homes. Because of the sheer volume of damaged vehicles and the subsequent number of rental cars needed, the repair process has been slowed down while rental cars are being transported to Texas in an attempt to meet demands. Although 18-wheelers are bringing more supply hourly, the list of customers waiting for rental car availability keeps growing. Kopriva said, “The number of damaged and flooded vehicles continues to rise. As flood waters recede, more cars are being discovered, straining the availability of rental cars. Repairers have back logs of customers waiting to drop off their vehicle for repair, but not until a rental is made available.” Traffic is also horrendous, according to Kopriva, who says roads are overloaded, but no one seems to know why. Due to the increased traffic, there have been more accidents, but the lack of available rental cars continues to be an inconvenience for consumers. Also, due to Harvey’s destructive path, several large oil refineries have been closed, causing a gas shortage felt across the state, as well as increased prices. More than three weeks after Hur-
20 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
many parking garage basements still hold flood water and are slowly being pumped dry and aerated to prevent mold. Bayous are just now starting to recede back to normal levels. Numerous subdivisions that never had a history of flooding were covered due to
emergency release of water from area reservoirs to prevent potential breach in levies and spillways. Around Houston in rural outlying areas, the city is using military C-130 aircraft to spray for the control and to combat mass mosquito infestation, which is a growing problem.” Still, amidst all the chaos and heartbreak, Harvey resulted in one positive thing. “It pulled everyone together,” Kopriva shared. “I have a number of friends who took their boats out to help others evacuate, and it seems everyone reached out to help one another, even at risk of their own lives. Despite all the loss and tragedy, everyone came together to help one another and show that not even this massive storm can divide us.” Among the many organizations collecting donations for victims of Hurricane Harvey, CIF is offering disaster relief, and information is available for those who need assistance or anyone interested in contributing at: collisionindustryfoundation.org/disaster -relief/. See story this issue.
www.autobodynews.com
Fast Daily Delivery to Northern, Central and Southern New Jersey
• Large Inventory of Genuine GM Collision Parts • Professional and Experienced Wholesale Staff
800.769.6256 732.821.1108 732.821.1517
LOCAL FAX
www.malouf.com
GENUINE
PARTS FROM GENUINE
Parts Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30am - 5pm; Sat. 7:30am - 1pm
kdiperi@malouf.com
PARTS GUYS
1975 Route 1 South North Brunswick, NJ 08902
www.autobodynews.com | OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 21
Young Painter Creates “Girls Behind the Gun” to Support Women in Collision Repair Connie Manjavinos, 25, started her career as a detailer at a CarMax in her hometown of Virginia Beach, VA, seven years ago. Recently, she was honored as one of the world’s top painters at the 3M Automotive Aftermarket PPS World Cup in Detroit, MI. It has been an unexpected and wonderful journey for Manjavinos as she pursues her dreams
her a full-fledged painter. “I transferred out there to be a detailer, but with the idea that I would become a painter there,” she said. “After that first week I started going over to the paint department to learn as much as I possibly could. At that point, they really hadn’t figured out a role for me, so I was getting paid as a detailer, but I was in the paint department for 6–8 months. I learned everything from masking, unmasking, how
while providing a support network for female painters worldwide and gaining national attention for her work. Right out of high school, Manjavinos wanted to become a police officer, but she knew that in the interim, she would need to get what she called a “big girl job”. After exhibiting her ability to learn quickly along with a knack for painting, Manjavinos seized an opportunity to transfer to another CarMax location in Colorado, where they were seemingly willing to make
to buff fresh paint, primer, bodywork, PDR—and then into the booth. I became an unofficial part of their paint crew, but I was just waiting for a job. So, when the position as a painter finally opened up, I got it, because I was already doing it all anyway. After a while, I became the paint manager there.” With original plans of attending school to study Administration of Justice and riding along with the local police department, Manjavinos then
by Ed Attanasio
“I want to learn it all and play a role in this industry as it changes” — Connie Manjavinos
22 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
as well as planned, Manjavinos said. decided to pursue a new direction to“I was learning under a guy who ward collision repair—and she’s happy had no desire to teach me, so it was that she did. “I saw that I could do this, so I de- definitely very frustrating,” she said. cided to step up and give it a real try,” “But, I kept plugging away and after she said. “It makes me happy when about eight months I could see that people see my work and say, “Wow, a there was no chance of becoming the girl did that.’ I am only 5” 2’ and I number one painter there, even though weigh a little more than 100 lbs., but the head painter was retiring and they when people see me banging out these cars, they are kind of surprised, and I love that!” After leaving her job at CarMax, Manjavinos landed a job at a vehicle restoration shop called Emmel’s Enamels in Denver, CO, where she was allowed to learn how to paint cars the right way, she said. “I had to commute a couple hours every day and I definitely took a financial hit to work there, but I wanted to learn from these people, and I Connie Manjavinos was the only female painter featured did. After eight months there, I at the 3M Automotive Aftermarket PPS World Cup in Detroit, MI, in August decided that I was ready to jump into collision repair,” she said. had promised me the position. When I So, she got another job at a body asked them directly if I was going to shop in the area, but things did not go eventually move up, they said no.
One of the guys told me that he would never let his daughter become a painter, so I bailed and went back to work at Emmel’s Enamels for a short time.” Recently, Connie made another move from Colorado to Florida to work for Kiddy’s Classics Automotive Repair in Jensen Beach, FL. “It’s a great opportunity, and I am so excited,” she said. “I get to do everything here, [including] shadowing the owner who specializes in metal fabrication. I’ve learned a lot about heavy bodywork and restoration paint jobs here. They have a new painter there, and I have trained her to be my helper and become a painter so we can tagteam projects later. She is so happy to be learning, and I am delighted to help her after all of the things I had to go through.” To network with women who are either painters or work in some capacity within the collision repair industry, Manjavinos created an online group called “Girls Behind the Gun.” “I could see that the guys were getting major recognition for their work, but the women were not,” she said. “After a while, I started thinking, ‘Am I the only one out there?’ When I
started the group on Facebook and Instagram back in February of 2015, the ladies started flocking to it, and now we have 16,500 followers. It’s a place where women who work in this industry in any capacity can communicate, interact and share ideas.”
gaining momentum. “Painting is our shared obsession, and now we’re communicating back and forth on a daily basis,” she said. “It’s become something that we can hopefully build upon because we all need friends in this business.” Manjavinos has bigger and better plans for “Girls Behind the Gun” and looks forward to meeting new female painters at SEMA and other networking events this year. “Now I am reaching out to young women who are going to be the future refinishers of this industry; to encourage them and mentor them,” she said. “We need to work together and create a community where we can share information and set ourselves up for success. If young girls can find this career early in their lives, they can achieve so many things and even though they might encounter setbacks, we’ve got their backs. I want to focus on the future of ‘Girls Behind the Gun’ now to inspire them.” With a long career ahead of her, Manjavinos is ready for whatever happens next, she said. “I want to learn it all and play a role in this industry as it changes,” Manjavinos said. “That’s why I am try-
Manjavinos was going to be a police woman until she decided to become a car painter seven years ago
As Manjavinos connects with more and more female painters all over the world through her efforts on social media, her mission is quickly
ing to inspire women and help them as they take it to the next level. Right now, I am learning everything I possibly can to find out what I am really good at,
Manjavinos is using social media to connect with female painters and other women working in collision repair through “Girls Behind the Gun,” an online group she started back in 2015
and that includes metal work and every aspect of fixing or restoring a car. My passion for this business runs deep, and that’s why I love what I do every day!”
www.autobodynews.com
Visit Us at Booth #16607 Oct. 31 - Nov. 3rd The Standard Package Includes: Main Component, Box Attachment and Bushing Kit
Vehicle Dolly Heavy Duty Built with a Two Ton Weight Capacity
Lift King Shown in the stored position, only requires 3ft x 3ft of storage space
The Big Truck Special Includes: Main component and Semi Hood Attachment
Fender Paint Stand Easily adjusts to working height and stabilizes fenders durable and versatile
4 Shelf Parts Cart Great parts management system folds up for easy storage. (3 shelf cart also available)
Box Dolly Designed to easily move a pickup bed around the shop Made in the USA
Semi Hood Dolly Easily move a Semi Hood around the shop. Semi Hood Dolly in use (right)
www.prolinetoolsupply.com For more product information visit our website or call our business office.
989-315-8946 www.autobodynews.com | OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 23
3M PPS World Cup Features 10 of the World’s Best Car Painters by Ed Attanasio
Ten of the world’s top painters from Australia, Germany, Canada and the USA displayed their unique automotive artwork at the inaugural 3M PPS
repair, paint preparation, vehicle painting, paint finishing and vehicle appearance during the Dream Cruise. The 10 leading painters who featured their amazing artwork on car hoods during the event included:
3M’s Automotive Aftermarket Division invited 10 leading painters from around the world to illustrate their vision of classic car culture on a hood, using the 3M™ PPS™ System and other 3M automotive products at the 2017 Woodward Dream Cruise
World Cup at the 2017 Woodward Dream Cruise on Saturday, August 19 in Detroit, MI. Invited by 3M to illustrate their artistic vision of classic car culture on a hood using the 3M™ PPS™ System and other 3M automotive products, the painters made themselves available to discuss their creations at the Dream Cruise, where the unique hoods were unveiled. In a celebration of classic car culture, the 3M Automotive Aftermarket Division stole the show at the Dream Cruise with special guest Chip Foose, legendary automotive designer, who signed autographs for fans and gave advice to the 10 painters featured in the event. The 3M Demonstration and Education Mobile Operations (D.E.M.O.) trailer showcased its latest 3M solutions for automotive repair and maintenance with hands-on demonstrations for body
Pablo Prado, KandynChrome, USA; Jacob Miles, Milestone Paint & Body, USA; Connie Manjavinos, PassionateInk, USA; Clay Hoberecht, Best
lision repair side of the business, while and Body in Mt. Juliet, TN, started out painting cars with his father, and today others were up and emerging, such as owns a top tier custom shop. He was Connie Manjavinos, who is only 25 honored to be one of the 10 painters years old, and Pablo Prado, who is known as one of the top upand-coming lowrider painters on the West Coast. All of the 10 painters had begun working on their hoods two days prior to the Dream Cruise at the PPG Training Center in Wixom, MI, where they sprayed together and shared stories. When a reporter asked Danny Schramm, one of the German painters, if the Pablo Prado (right) from KandynChrome Custom Paint painters were sharing ideas and Designs with one of his lowrider creations at 2017 Woodward Dream Cruise secrets, he replied, “Yes, all of these painters have learned much from selected for the event, and spent a lot of time meeting the other painters. me already!” “This is a great group, because we To open the weekend, 3M held a reception dinner at the Ford Piquette all come from different parts of the world and have different ways of paintAvenue Plant to welcome the painters ing cars,” Miles said. “The attitude here before the hard work began. Built in 1904, the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant is, ‘Let’s work together,’ and we’re alwas the second center of automobile ready making arrangements to stay conproduction for the Ford Motor Com- nected well after this weekend is over.” Carmine De Maria from C.A.D. pany. The Ford Model T was created Custom in Melbourne, Australia has and first produced there in 1908. See 3M PPS World Cup, Page 29 Jacob Miles from Milestone Paint
The Smart Choice for Auto Body Coatings and Supplies! Carmine De Maria from C.A.D. Custom in Melbourne, Australia created a hood featuring a boxing kangaroo with a green and gold background
Body Shop, USA; Justin Jimmo, Refinish Network, Canada; Carl-André Giroux, Canada; Danny Schramm, SchrammWerk, Germany; Christian Wilke, Germany; Carmine De Maria, C.A.D. Custom, Australia and Shane Wanjon, Exclusive Image Paint and Body, USA. With painters from all over the planet, the event offered Detroit a unique opportunity to learn the art of automotive from 10 different perspectives. Some of the participating world-class artists were Carl-Andre Giroux, a painter from Quebec, Canada with his custom hood seasoned veterans on the col-
24 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
ROVIDENCE PACQUER & L Supply Centre
Call Call Us Us at: at: 401-943-1700 401-943-1700
Branch Location - MA 142 Chandler St. Worcester, MA 508.752.9700
Main Store - RI 1155 Park Ave. Cranston, RI 401.943.1700
Branch Location - CT 485 N. Main St. Norwich, CT 860.885.0700
www.ProvidenceLacquer.com www ww w.Pr w.Pr w. Prov ovid ov iden id ence en ceLa ce Lacq La cq que uer r.co r.co r. com m
Your Mercedes-Benz Wholesale Parts Connection Three Locations One Goal 100% Customer Satisfaction
G E N U I N E PA R T S
All the Time!
Allentown Fort Washington
Newark
www.YourMercedes.com ww ww.YourMercedes.co om
New York
Trenton Tre
Reading ng West Chester Lancaster
Philadelphia Phil d Wilmington Wilm ngton Atlantic City Atlan
Baltimore
MBPartssWholesale@YourMerced MBPartsWholesale@YourMercedes.com des.com e-Fax: 201-765-9760 D Direct 0
Call today for our New-Customer incentives Daily delivery to PA, NJ, DE and MD in our fleet of 8 trucks Look us up on Collision Link, Parts Trader and Repair Link Team of Mercedes-Benz Parts Professionals to better serve you Price Matching available on qualifying parts through Collision Link and Repair Link
Mercedes-Benz -Benz of Fort Washington hington
Mercedes-Benz s-Benz Mercedes-Benz ofof Chester hester WestWest Chester
Mercedes-Benz of Atlantic City
Parts Hours:
Parts Hours:
Parts Hours:
Mon - Fri: 7:30-6; Sat: S 7:30-5
Mon - Fri: 7:30-6; Sat: 7:30-5
Mon - Fri: 7:30-6; Sat: 7:30-5
267-419-1414 267-41 9-1414
484-313-1110 484-313 3-1110
Parts: Order Fax: 215-54 215-540-0263 40-0263
Parts: Order Fax:
404 Pennsylvania a Ave., Fort Washington,, PA 19034
1260 Wilmington Pike, West Chester, PA 19382 1
215-540-0263 215-5 540-0263
609-645-9310
Parts: Order Fax:
215-540-0263
6623 Black Horse Pike Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08234
www.autobodynews.com | OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 25
SEMA Student Career Day Focuses on Job Opportunities and Industry Growth
As the automotive aftermarket industry continues to grow and business demand for qualified employees rises, the second annual Student Career Day will bring SEMA Show exhibitors and
students passionate about the automotive aftermarket industry together during the world’s premier automotive trade show. Held on Monday, Oct. 30, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Westgate Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, the Student Career Day will include hundreds of high school and college students from across the country and more than 60 SEMA Show exhibitors. “Student Career Day is unique in that we focus solely on the automotive industry and bring students who are passionate about the automotive aftermarket,” said SEMA Senior Director of Education Zane Clark. “Many times, career fairs are limited to local opportunities and represent a number of industries. At
the SEMA Student Career Day, all participating companies are specific to the automotive aftermarket and represent a national footprint. Further, it is held against the backdrop of the SEMA Show, where students get the opportunity to learn more about our industry and experience it firsthand.” The 2016 program included more than 40 companies and 650 students, many of whom were offered jobs from the event. “It was exciting to meet the next generation of our industry and see their enthusiasm for what we do. They were all well-prepared, confident, and educated about our companies,” said ididit’s Kimberly Johnson, who participated in last year’s inaugural event. “I highly recommend that all SEMA member companies participate in SEMA Career Day.” Companies that sign up for Student Career Day to meet the future generation of the automotive aftermarket industry are provided a table, chairs, and basic signage. To register or for more information, email Clark at zanec@sema.org.
Fourth Annual SEMA Battle of the Builders to Feature Top Customizers in Three Categories
SEMA Show exhibitors enlist top vehicle builders to create custom cars and trucks that generate worldwide attention and stand out at the premier automotive trade show each year. More than 250 builders will compete in the fourth annual SEMA Battle of the Builders competition, with the finalists announced during the 2017 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, and the winner announced during the nationwide television filming at SEMA Ignited, Friday, November 3. “It’s great to see the amazing array of vehicle builds at the SEMA Show each year,” said Peter MacGillivray, SEMA vice president of communications and events. “It’s inspiring to watch the SEMA Battle of the Builders competition, as we meet the builders and learn about the products and stories behind the cars and trucks.” All SEMA Battle of the Builders competitors are recognized in SEMA Show publications and on signage at the event. Also during the Show, finalists are narrowed down in three categories (hot rod, truck and tuner), and the winner is announced Friday, Novem-
ber 3, at SEMA Ignited (www.semaignited.com), the official SEMA Show after-party where thousands of consumers join SEMA Showgoers. This year’s competition includes special recognition of builders 27 years or younger, named Young Guns, who enter the contest with a vehicle at the SEMA Show. The recognition serves to inspire and encourage young builders to pursue their passions and shine the light on up-and-coming customizers, including a select number of young vehicle builders who were awarded a Young Guns prize package from partnering consumer auto shows. The prize package includes an invitation to bring their vehicles to the SEMA Show and compete in the 2017 SEMA Battle of the Builders. The competition and its builders, vehicles and manufacturers are profiled in a one-hour television special that will air exclusively on the Velocity Network in 2018. Exclusive online footage is also posted at www.SEMA Show.com/botb, featuring additional behind-the-scenes stories and interviews.
26 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
New SEMA Program Supports Automotive Education
SEMA has launched a new program designed to support and engage highschool students in the automotive hobby. As part of the pilot program, high-school students will oversee and execute the build of an entire project vehicle, including tracking time, expenses and associated resources, using a pre-owned vehicle purchased and donated by SEMA. The project will create a self-sustaining program with the completed vehicle sold to raise money for the purchase of another vehicle that can be used for a similar project the following school year. “Our hope is that the one-time purchase and vehicle donation will initiate an ongoing program at the school and allow hundreds of students to participate over the years,” said SEMA Board of Directors Chairman Wade Kawasaki. “We are optimistic and excited about this program, and look forward to seeing what the students accomplish.” The pilot program began last month with the delivery of a ’15 4WD Jeep Wrangler Unlimited to students at the Santa Fe Early College Opportunities (ECO) Auto Shop Program in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Students have begun identifying priorities and creating a plan for the
project, which will be sold by the end of the school year in May 2018. “The Santa Fe ECO program is dedicated to training and preparing students for careers in the automotive industry,” said Auto Collision Technology Instructor Chris Coriz. “Having an actual vehicle to work on is incredibly valuable. We’re excited and appreciative to SEMA for supporting our program.” SEMA continues to support the project, and is helping to secure parts donations and volunteers to serve as mentors to the students. Those interested in supporting the project, or wanting more details should contact SEMA Senior Director of Education Zane Clark. As one of several SEMA programs designed to support and encourage youth in the automotive industry, SEMA hopes to be able to replicate the program at high schools throughout the country.
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:
Autobody News
Koeppel Mazda The Source for Mazda Parts! 57-15 Northern Blvd., Woodside, NY 11377 Parts: 3250 57th St., Woodside, NY 11377
• Value Products & Tires Available • Free Dedicated Delivery • Large Stock of OEM Parts Parts Dept.
718.721.9100 718.626.1427 Fax Hours: Mon-Fri 7:30am - 6pm; Sat 8am - 4pm
jvelez@koeppelautogroup.com
www.koeppelmazda.com
www.autobodynews.com | OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 27
Continued from Cover
Harvey Ravage
claims on their car- and truck-insurance policies, said Mark Hanna, a spokesman for the Insurance Council of Texas trade group, and some analysts estimate that figure will climb as high as 500,000. With hurricane season in full swing and the tally from Irma just beginning, Harvey has been projected to be one of the costliest disasters in U.S. history, with experts estimating damage could exceed $100 billion. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has even suggested that damage could reach $150 billion to $180 billion. About 15% of Texas motorists don’t have vehicle insurance, even though liability insurance is mandatory in the state. Of the remaining 85% of motorists, three-quarters of them carry comprehensive coverage, which would include protection against flooding, on their policies, Hanna said. “That’s very good news,” he said, for getting Texans back on the road. There are just slightly less than 14 million total passenger vehicles and 6
million trucks in Texas, according to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. Of that total, 3.5 million vehicles were registered last year in Harris County, which includes Houston, according to the DMV. “We’ll see people wanting to replace their cars in a pretty quick fashion” because Houston, much like Los Angeles, is a sprawling city heavily
new vehicles on dealer lots in Texas were damaged by Harvey, including 150,000 to 200,000 new vehicles in the hardest-hit areas such as Houston and Corpus Christi. Many of those new vehicles are trucks; Texas is the top market for new-truck sales in the United States. One dealership, McRee Ford in Dickinson, southeast of Houston, had
dependent on the car for transportation, said Jessica Caldwell, director of industry analysis at Edmunds.com. “You will see auto sales higher in the affected areas, probably for the rest of the year, with people needing to replace their vehicles,” she said. “It’s hard to go without a car in a place like Houston.” The typical surge in vehicle sales after a natural disaster provides some economic boost to the affected area. A month after Superstorm Sandy slammed New Jersey and New York, New York City-area vehicle sales jumped 49%. Edmunds estimated that 366,000
temporarily closed because all of its 500 new and used vehicles were damaged by the storm. But the Houston Automobile Dealers Assn., which represents about 175 franchise dealers selling new cars and trucks, said 85% of its dealers in Houston were fully operational with zero or minimal damage. “All but a handful of dealers I spoke to this morning are all open today at full service and regular hours,” association spokeswoman RoShelle Salinas said Aug. 31, only the second day of sunshine for Houston after Harvey’s deluge. “This is a great position to be in to help Houstonians get back
Our entire inventory is no longer available for sale. — McRee Ford, Dickinson, Texas
28 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
into transportation and on to moving about the city.” She said some dealers “have multi-story parking garages, and a lot of them put their vehicles into those garages” before the storm hit “so they wouldn’t suffer damage if the water was to rise.” For those dealers who lost cars, replenishing their lots with new vehicles “is not an issue” because “there’s an overabundance of new cars” in the U.S. market, Michelle Krebs, executive analyst for Autotrader, said in an email. “All of this inventory can be shuttled around the country,” Krebs said. “In fact, AutoNation, which has numerous dealerships in the Houston area that were hit by Harvey, said it would do exactly that.” But it could be a tougher situation for Texans who can afford only a modestly priced used car that’s a few years old, Krebs said. “Shortages exist in the very affordable [market for] 4- to 8-year-old cars,” she said. “That could spell trouble for consumers with few resources or with resources stretched.” It’s also unclear how rapidly flood-weary Texans will jump into the
market for another car. “The hard thing to figure out are the insurance claims, and how fast that process will work,” Caldwell said. “Most people can’t buy a new car while waiting for an insurance check for the old one.” Dealers also carry insurance to cover losses for the vehicles on their lots — notably for hail storms that are common in Texas—so the insurers would suffer the biggest financial hit from the storm, Hanna said. Dean Crutchfield, chief information officer at CDK Global, a provider of software and services to auto dealerships, said many Houston-area dealers removed or relocated their computers ahead of the storm “and now they’re coming back into their stores and trying to reestablish normal operations.” “One of the key themes we’ve seen is the dealers’ interest in maintaining their payroll operations” so that their employees don’t miss a paycheck even though car sales were disrupted by Harvey, Crutchfield said. And what of the flood-damaged cars? “Most of the vehicles are sold to parts companies who dismantle them and resell usable parts that were not damaged by the flooding,” the National
Insurance Crime Bureau, an insurance trade group, said in an advisory. But the bureau advised buyers to “be particularly careful in the coming weeks and months as thousands of Harvey-damaged vehicles may reappear for sale in their areas” across the nation, a problem that also occurred in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. That disaster led the bureau to create the free VINCheck database, which lets vehicle shoppers check a vehicle identification number to see if the car or truck was deemed “salvage” by an insurance company because of flood or accident or if it was reported stolen. Uninsured vehicles, however, would escape the insurance industry’s scrutiny. “Unfortunately, some of the flooded vehicles may be purchased at bargain prices, cleaned up and then taken out of state where the VIN [vehicle identification number] is switched and the car is re-titled with no indication it has been damaged,” the bureau said. “Buyers should have a vehicle checked by a reputable mechanic or repair facility before handing over any cash,” the bureau said.
Mark Holstein decided he would bypass insurance and dealerships altogether. The Port Aransas resident left his white 1980 Camaro in the garage during the hurricane as he high-tailed it out of there and headed for drier land in San Antonio in his truck. The low-to-the-ground sports car had been a labor of love for him over the years as he had refurbished the black leather interior and was working on replacing the transmission to give it better performance. After Harvey, the car took in 3 feet of water. Mold was growing. The engine had drowned in the salty Gulf of Mexico water. The flared exhaust pipes along the running boards were already caked in rust. Holstein, 59, said he wouldn’t bother with insurance. Instead, he said he’d just consider it another project. “I guess I’ll start over,” he said. “Something to keep me busy.”
Peltz reported from Los Angeles, Montero from Houston. We thank the Los Angeles Times for reprint permission.
Continued from Page 24
3M PPS World Cup
been painting for 25 years. A decade ago, he came to the U.S. and met with other painters. It reignited his career and he began focusing on customs, hot rods and full restorations as a result. The hood De Maria created featured a boxing kangaroo with a green and gold background. “Coming here is truly a big deal for me and for my company, because it’s recognition that’s coming from 3M,” he said. “I am representing Australia, which means I have to do a good hood that people will like, but it also shows my style and creativity.” Pablo Prado from Los Angeles, CA, is one of the hottest painters of lowriders in the country right now. One of the younger painters invited to be in the 3M PPS World Cup, Prado brought some West Coast flavor to the event. “I’m self-taught pretty much, and it’s really an honor to be meeting all of these other painters,” Prado said. “I’ve been doing this for around 10 years now and I basically do lowriders, so I appreciate seeing other styles and techniques.”
Th The Carcoon A W Features: tttur The T Th he C Carcoon Ca C arcoon America arco Amer Am A America eriiica ca Workstation W Workstation orkk ork ksttati kst ati tiion io i nF Fe F ea e eat atures: a tu es: tures: es
• A massive 179 square feet of filtration area. • Two huge input filters (over 36sf ) clean the air going through the Workstation.
• Four Paint Arrest Filters (140+ square feet) and two Activated • Charcoal Filters ensure the air going back into the environment is clean and EPA compliant.
Different Diff fferent ffe ren nt Sizes Sizes Sizes Available—Including: S Availab A Availabl ble le—IIncludin ncllud diing: g:
• 13’x11’—Parts, pieces and motorcycles. • 30’x14’—Any full size vehicle. • 35’x16’x12’5” tall—As above but also Sprinter vans, small boats, and smaller RVs.
• 60’x16’x12’5” tall—Full size RVs, boats, large trucks, etc. Lighting: LLighting: Ligh ghtiing g:
• Four large clear windows provide ample lighting. • Additional stand lights can be placed outside the booth.
A Smart Solution. The The Carcoon Car arco co oon on America Am A meric rica Workstation Wo orksta atio on works work wo orks ks the the he same sam sa me and and just ju ust as effectively eff ffecctivvely as as a cross-flow ccrros rosss--fl flow flo fl w paint paiint booth. ootth The Th T he Carcoon Ca C Carrco oon America oo Am me erricca Workstation Work W Work kstation kst ation n is is EPA E A Certified. Cer fi C fie ed Ideal Ideall for fo or the the busy bus b sy body b dy bod dy shop-mobile sh p-m mob bile technician/smaller techn tech hn nician/smaller nici ian n/sma aller shop sh hop ho p with w th limited lim l mited facilities. fa facil cilliti ities. es
866.910.0899 www.carcoonworkstation.com www.autobodynews.com | OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 29
Industry Insight with John Yoswick
—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.
CCC Defends Shift to Secure Share, Faces Tough Questions from CIC Task Force This summer, CCC Information Services defended the dramatic changes that the shift to CCC’s “Secure Share” system will bring to the industry, calling it necessary for data security, a step forward for the industry, and reasonably priced. “We’re a software company that builds software as a business,” CCC’s Mark Fincher said at the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) in Chicago in July, when asked about CCC’s pro-
Mark Fincher of CCC discussed “Secure Share” at the first CIC meeting CCC attended since a task force was formed based on concerns about Secure Share
jected profit from the 50-cent-perwork file fee that management system providers and other vendors will pay CCC when they receive a shop’s estimate data through Secure Share. “We think the price is fair and equitable for all the participants.” Fincher’s presentation in Chicago was noteworthy because CCC wasn’t represented at two previous CIC meetings this year at which a task force was formed to address industry concerns about Secure Share. The new data-exchange system went live this past spring, and as of next April, CCC users will only be able to transfer estimate data to others through Secure Share. That’s a change from the longstanding current method under which a CCC ONE user can transfer the data from an estimate—to a shop management system, a CSI provider, a rental car company, etc.—using a standardized “Estimate Management Standard (EMS)” file. In many cases, those third-parties have—with a shop’s permission—placed a “data pump” on the shop’s server to automatically pull the
EMS files the shop has agreed to share. CCC’s “Secure Share” changes this arrangement in several key ways. First, it transfers the data using a “Business Message Suite (BMS)” file, largely viewed as a positive change. The industry-developed BMS standard gives users more control over which portions of an estimate are transferred. It can limit a parts vendor’s access, for example, to only the portions of the estimate needed to accurately fill the parts order, rather than also including (as the EMS file does) information about the vehicle owner as well. But the required use of Secure Share for the data transfer means that by next April, shops will need to ensure any vendors or systems (CCC refers to these as “apps”) with which they share estimate data has completed the CCC approval process to be part of the “Secure Share Network.” Those system providers will then pay the 50-cent toll per work file each time they receive data from the shop. Fincher acknowledged CCC will recoup its development costs and profit from this arrangement, but declined to provide any of the company’s projections for the revenue Secure Share will generate. He focused on why CCC sees Secure Share as a necessary improvement for data-sharing within the industry, saying that first and foremost it helps ensure the security of estimate information. “We know this information is sitting on thousands of shop servers or PCs, [in some cases] unencrypted and accessible to third parties,” Fincher said. “In many cases, as a repairer you had no idea who was accessing that information. You may have known there was a data pump or two data pumps on your system, but you had no visibility to that.” Instead, keeping this information encrypted “in the cloud” and under CCC’s control, he said, helps ensure only authorized parties have access to it, and the BMS file transfer “gives repair facilities the ability to send just the relevant information” to different apps. “That app provider does not have
30 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
the ability to share that information with anyone that they want to,” Fincher also noted. “You retain control of that information as a repairer, and know its only going to be used for the purpose for which you designated.” If a shop chooses to terminate a relationship with an app provider, Secure Share ensures that a third party will no longer have access to the shop’s estimate data, Fincher said. “I’ve heard these stories that there was a company you were working with five years ago, but you terminated the relationship and moved on to a different software solution, but meanwhile that [old] data pump is still residing on your server, tracking that data, and you might not have had any idea that it’s pulling it,” Fincher said. “Now you have complete transparency with Secure Share.” Fincher faced some tough questioning from the CIC task force established in the wake of CCC’s announced
plans for Secure Share last fall. That task force developed a position statement that is supportive of the shift to the BMS file transfer standard, but critical of other limits on a shop’s sharing of estimate data. “Any third party that restricts or prevents industry stakeholders from accessing or using the data generated and permitted by the collision repair facility and industry stakeholders will adversely impact the industry,” the task force position statement reads. “In addition, it will inhibit advancements in technology, restrict competition and adds cost into the marketplace. Technological advances should enable sophisticated, secure and more collaborative data usage, not impede industry progress.” It is the shop’s responsibility to protect the privacy and proper use of the data, the task force acknowledges, but “the repair facility is entitled to and must have the freedom and flexibility
Over 1,000,000 Parts In-Stock!
Since 1946
DISM# 7109630
CAL O L E E FR VERY! DELTrIi-State Area g Y - To N aily Shippin and D
Guaranteed Quality Q y Recycled y and Inspected OEM Parts / 6-Month p Warrantyy on all Mechanical Partss
Doors Clips Mechanical Drive Trains Rebuildables
SELL ELL YOUR CAR! W We Buy B Cars for Cash. r Hours: M-F 8am - 6pm; Sat 8am - 2pm Call ou onal i s Profes les Crew. t Sa Exper bla Español 914.968.8276 Fax Se Ha
800.227.1111
Request a Quote
12 Worth St., Suite #1 Yonkers, NY 10701
Visit our store and our website: www.sawmillauto.com See all we have to offer and download coupons! We accept:
to utilize the data as they deem appropriate, [including] the ability to copy or export data to separate servers, trading partners or online data warehousing services, without approval from a third party.” Dan Risley of the Automotive Service Association, one of three chairs of the CIC task force, asked Fincher if data security really has been a problem within the industry during the decades in which the current data exchange system has been used. “There has not been a significant compromise from a security perspective,” Fincher acknowledged. “But we don’t want to be in a reactive mode. We are processing thousands of files per day, and there are thousands of collision repair facilities that are using this data that is sitting unencrypted. The last thing we want to do is be in a reactive mode.” Shouldn’t a shop have the right to share its estimate data as it chooses, Risley asked Fincher. “Unfortunately, it’s not just the shops that own that data,” Fincher said. “There are others who claim ownership of that data, and we have a commitment to secure the data of all
of our customers and other providers we work with who provide us that source data.” Risley said one alternative that he has heard is being worked on is a system in which the shop exports a PDF
Dan Risley represented a CIC task force formed to address concerns related to CCC’s “Secure Share.”
file of an estimate to a third party that then translates that file back into a data file the shop can share. “We agree there are other alternatives that could exist to share this information,” Fincher said. “As long as it’s within the guidelines of the contractual agreement that the repair facility has with CCC, then absolutely…
NEW CHIEF MI200T
[But] it’s also important to understand other contractual relationships that as a repair facility you might have with insurance companies, and look at those DRP agreements to see what your limitations are. There is specific language about what and who you can share information with.” Risley acknowledged CCC has been responding to some of the concerns raised by the industry about Secure Share, reviewing its contract language with app providers that some vendors found troubling, and potentially establishing an advisory board to allow for ongoing feedback. Still, following Fincher’s presentation, 70 percent of CIC attendees in Chicago voted to not disband the task force, believing “there is additional work to be done.” CIC Chairman Guy Bargnes praised the task force’s work. “Regardless of your position, your thinking on this issue, the work done by this task force…absolutely exemplifies…CIC’s mission: To discuss issues, to enhance understanding, to find common ground,” Bargnes said. “That’s the objective of CIC, to bring more information.”
Driven Brands Raises Money for Hurricane Relief
The Driven Brands Charitable Foundation (DBCF) has partnered with parent company Driven Brands’ retail automotive brands to help raise funds for Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma relief through the American Red Cross. Driven Brands’ participating companies include CARSTAR Auto Body Repair Experts, Maaco, Meineke Car Care Centers, Take 5 Oil Change and 1-800 Radiator & AC. Franchisees, employees, vendor partners and customers can visit the Driven Brands Charitable Foundation site or any of the participating brand websites to donate. Proceeds will benefit the American Red Cross relief efforts in both regions. “Hurricane Harvey continues to have a devastating impact on Texas and Louisiana, while we are just seeing the impact on Florida,” said Noah Pollack, executive vice president and general counsel for Driven Brands. “Our thoughts are with our franchisees, their staffs and families in the storm zones and the millions of people whose lives have been disrupted by rain, wind and floods and who are now facing a lengthy clean-up and restoration.”
NEW CHIEF
Premium Squeeze Type Resistance Spot Welder with Inverter Head
Guaranteed LOW PRICES!*
Serving Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey and Delaware
Crashmax
Equipment
www.crashmax.com * Lease Financing Avvailable
The most worldwide OEM approvals in the industry! AUTHORIZED CHIEF AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGIES DISTRIBUTOR
866-796-6656 Call for your no obligation measuring demo today! www.autobodynews.com | OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 31
Shop Showcase
Ed Attanasio is an automotive journalist based in San Francisco, California. He can be reached at era39@aol.com.
Veteran Shop Owner Energized by Son and Daughter at Panel Craft with Ed Attanasio
David Habu, 55, is the owner of Panel Craft, a 30-year-old shop in Berkeley, CA. He started as a high schooler with a one-piston compressor on wheels and by 18 years old, had a small shop with one employee. Four years later, he opened Panel Craft. By working hard and learning everything he could on his own, Habu was able to take his passion for classic cars and use it to fix vehicles for his customers throughout the East Bay.
(l to r) Brianna, David and Brenden Habu now run the show at Panel Craft in Berkeley, CA
He calls himself self-trained, but Habu’s work is well-known throughout the East Bay for being precise while focusing on the customer, rather than simply placating the insurance companies. One of his Yelp reviews said it best when Vijay R. wrote, “Dave isn’t a big city shyster, he’s just an honest guy who grew up in an honest town at an honest time. Talk to him and you get the feeling that he’s always been that way and doesn’t appear that he has any need or desire to change.” However, change is on the way, and Habu is prepared for it. Now, with seven employees and his two children, Brianna, 25, and Brenden, 22, on staff, Habu has undergone a Renaissance and is finding a new purpose for his business, he said. “To be honest, I was thinking about winding this business down and retiring, because I have been in this industry since I was 16,” he said. “But, when I saw that my children might want to get involved and eventually take over the shop, I found some new energy and decided to stay in it to work with my kids.” Brianna and Brenden are now an integral part of the business, but it was
not a path their father originally anticipated. “They started helping out around here when they turned 18, but I never wanted them to have careers in this industry, because it can be a roller coaster at times,” Habu said. “But, they seemed to like it and they want to learn, so I figure, why not?” With Brianna concentrating on the front office while Brenden manages the shop floor, Dad has served as a mentor for his kids, and now they have plans to open a second location in the nearby city of Oakland. “Brianna is very good at organizing, and she’s got the ability to work well with people,” Habu said. “Brenden has a knack for everything technical, and I think he was born with it. He never went to school for it, so it’s intuitive and it’s been great, because he is bringing all of this new technology to the shop.” Not exactly known as an early adopter to technology, David Habu is now being a little more open-minded about things such as computers and automotive diagnostics. “For many years, I fought it all— the computer, management systems, the Internet—I figured I knew it all anyway,” he said. “But, my kids have helped shed a different light on this business and it’s helped us. I still do write some things down once in a while, but I’m getting better!” To fast-track their growth and impending expansion, the Habu family decided to join the California Autobody Association (CAA) to become more involved in the industry and network with top shops all over the Bay Area, Brianna explained. “We want to be on top of everything, because we realize that eventually the smaller shops will be fading away if they don’t stay current,” she said. “By joining CAA and meeting these successful people, we are associating ourselves with the best shops in the area. We have attended several of their events since joining, and we love the idea that these other shop owners are willing to help us.” One valuable lesson Dad has taught his children is to do repairs the right way without being coerced by
32 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
the insurance companies. “We don’t have any DRPs here, and we’re making more money without them,” he said. “I am not afraid to tell them that if you want me to fix the car the way you want me to, then you can
The Habu family has plans to open a second location in Oakland, CA, before the end of the year
warranty the vehicle. But, then they tell me that they’re not repairing the car, we are. If I am going to warranty that vehicle, I am going to do it right and usually I get exactly what I want. I’ve lost money fixing cars correctly quite a few times, but we’re not ever going to skimp on quality to save a few bucks,
because it’s the only way I know.” By networking with other professionals in the collision repair industry throughout the East Bay, Habu is able to survive without DRPs. “I have relationships with the local car dealerships, service writers, mechanics and techs at other shops and other people attached to the industry, and they give us referrals,” he said. “When someone recommends us, that’s an obligation to the customer and to the person who referred us for the work. We take that very seriously.” David Habu is transitioning from a boss to a mentor and he couldn’t be happier, because his children are learning a trade he’s been doing his entire life. “I am seeing it all now through their eyes, and that is wonderful,” he said. “I am going to support them every step of the way and do everything I can to set them up for ongoing success.”
www.autobodynews.com | OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 33
Eleventh Circuit Reinstates Body Shops’ Lawsuit Against Insurers, Attorney “Extremely Excited” by Katherine Coig, GlassBytes
Five auto body shops, who claimed several insurance companies fixed repair prices, have had their case reinstated by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. The shops, which are located in different states throughout the country, originally had their case dismissed by a federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida based on insufficient evidence proving the insurers have an agreement to fix prices. However, on September 7, the Eleventh Circuit reversed the dismissal. The repair shops allege State Farm, as well as nine other insurers, “depress the shops’ rate for automobile repair,” by setting a market rate which would only benefit the insurance provider. The shops also claim the insurers steer consumers away from non-compliant auto shops, violating federal antitrust and state tort laws. According to court documents, the Eleventh Circuit elected to move the lawsuit forward, stating the shops supplied reasonable allegations to sup-
port their claim of an agreement among insurers to set a market rate for repairs. The market rate—allegedly devised by State Farm—is determined by the market labor rate and market material costs, both of which are set by the insurance companies, the document states. “The insurance companies use the market labor rate that one company, State Farm, determines by using a method that is unverified and the results of which State Farm manipulates,” the documents reads. “Also, the insurance companies depress the market material costs by pressuring body shops into using inferior parts and into offering discounts and concessions.” The document says State Farm uses a “half plus one” method to determine market labor prices. This method calculates the total number of employees or work bays (whichever is fewer) in a market area and lists the shops from fewest employees or bays to the shop with the highest. After the list is totaled, the half number, plus one, is chosen to set the market rate. Therefore, if there are 10 auto reSee Suit Reinstated, Page 51
34 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Martin Senour Paints Announces 2017 Fourth Quarter Training Schedule Martin Senour Paints has announced its 2017 fourth quarter training schedule, featuring courses held at training centers nationwide. The curriculum is designed to provide collision repair industry professionals with advanced knowledge in their field. Shop owners, managers and technicians, as well as NAPA jobbers, will learn about cutting edge best practices for utilizing systems, maximizing profits and increasing productivity. “The only way to thrive in this industry is to be constantly learning,” says Jeff Hartl, Martin Senour National Sales Director. “We offer these training courses to help collision repair professionals, and those who service them, at all skill levels grow their business and better serve their respective customers while increasing productivity and profits.” The fourth quarter offering continues the training focus on Color Adjustment and Blending. The class content covers a combination of procedures, theory and application for practical shop experience and for refinish technicians and paint special-
ists to learn about new product updates and maximizing color application. All participants will receive personal safety equipment, as well as product and color training materials for use and future reference. There are also courses specifically designed for fleet refinishers and NAPA jobber personnel who service the collision repair marketplace. Other courses being taught by Martin Senour professionals during the fourth quarter of 2017 include: ● Painter Certification ● Pro//BASE™ Refinish System Painter Certification ● Color Match Simplicity ● Jobber Level 1
For more information regarding Martin Senour training or its paint products, visit martinsenourautopaint.com or call 1-800-5266704.
www.autobodynews.com
www.autobodynews.com | OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 35
Spanesi Americas Partners with MB Motorsports Spanesi Americas, a global industry leader in Collision Repair, has partnered with the sole surviving original team in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, MB Motorsports. Timothy Morgan, COO of Spanesi Americas, sees parallels between his company and the team. “MB Motorsports has a long, long history of finding young talent and grooming them for their future in NASCAR. At Spanesi Americas, we have been involved with the Collision Repair Education Foundation since our inception, and myself for over 20 years, supporting collision repair, equipment and process to high schools and colleges,” he said. Spanesi Americas specializes in supplying design, equipment and training for collision repair facilities. Spanesi Americas offers consulting, training and 3D plans through customized solutions and innovative processes. Spanesi products are innovative, highly technological and offer excellent performance in quality, productivity and profit. In conjunction with Spanesi technologies, the techni-
Bouncie Smart-Device Turns Any Vehicle into a Connected Car
Bouncie, a developer of innovative products and applications for the automotive industry, announced the launch of a connected vehicle device that provides drivers with access to valuable data from their automobile, and helps them become safer drivers in the process. Today’s automobiles are computers on wheels, producing large amounts of data that can be difficult to access or understand. With Bouncie, drivers can plug into the power of a connected car and view helpful information such as trip histories, driving habits, vehicle location, and maintenance reminders. The Bouncie smart-device plugs into the On-Board Diagnostics port (OBD) of a vehicle, through which the smartphone app provides a clean, simple way to view the information it retrieves. Drivers and families can access useful information and features such as: Driving Data - Bouncie delivers real-time insights into driving habits. By monitoring key elements such as hard braking events, rapid acceleration, average speed and trip history, parents can guide their teenager to becoming a
safer and more reliable driver. Vehicle Location - Drivers can view their vehicle’s location at any time. Plus, Bouncie can help parents create driving zones with Geo-Circles that alert them when family members enter or leave a designated area. Vehicle Health and Diagnostics Bouncie constantly keeps track of vehicle health. If anything mechanical ever needs attention, drivers will receive an alert on their smartphone, so they can manage the little things before they become big problems. Vehicle information - Bouncie helps manage all the important information about family vehicles in one place and reminds drivers when it’s time to update and renew insurance policies, vehicle registrations, licenses and more. Bouncie’s smartphone app helps families manage all of the vehicles in their household and gives them access to important safety features such as roadside assistance and maintenance reminders. When family members are connected to their vehicles, they have the peace of mind that they’re connected to one another even when they’re miles apart.
36 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
cian is able to repair a damaged vehicle within factory OEM specifications. “Timothy is absolutely correct,” says team owner Mike Mittler. “Both our organizations are heavily involved in developing young talent, so we have that synergy going forward. In addition, the people who purchase and utilize their equipment are the same people who fill our grandstands and watch our races week in and week out.” Adds Morgan, “There couldn’t be a better time to launch this partnership, as the Collision Repair Education Foundation and ASE will hold their third annual Cars, Careers, & Celebrities Expo event on Friday, September 15th at Chicagoland Speedway.” MB Motorsports is the sole surviving original team in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, having competed in every season since the series debuted in 1995. The team has given many young drivers their start in NASCAR, including Sprint Cup Series winners Carl Edwards, Jamie McMurray, Brad Keselowski and Regan Smith.
GFS Releases Booth Shield Peelable Booth Protection Global Finishing Solutions® (GFS), a world leader in innovation for paint booth and finishing system technologies, has released Booth Shield™, a complete line of peelable coatings for protecting paint booth walls, windows, lights and floors.
“GFS is excited to offer our customers a fast, easy solution for booth protection and overspray capture,” said Mick Ramis, business unit manager at GFS. Compatible with all types of booths, Booth Shield provides a bright,
clean finish on paint booth surfaces and ensures prime visibility while working inside the booth. Booth Shield Peelable Translucent offers a protective coating for white pre-coated steel booths, windows and lights. Booth Shield Peelable White brightens and protects both galvanized and white pre-coated paint booths. Easy to apply and remove, and providing longlasting coverage, Booth Shield offers significant advantages compared to traditional paper wrap. The liquid coatings can be sprayed or rolled onto the surface and built up to desired thickness. Most wall applications are complete with just one coat of Booth Shield, and floor coatings can withstand heavy-duty traffic after just two layers. “Booth Shield dries quickly after application, allowing you to resume full use of your booth within a couple hours,” continues Ramis. In addition to improving booth brightness and appearance, Booth Shield creates a safer spraying environment by trapping overspray and minimizing fire hazards caused by
excess paint accumulation. When it’s time to remove and replace the booth coating, simply score the edges and
peel Booth Shield off your surfaces. The coating can be peeled off walls and floors in large sections, compressed and disposed of normally. Choose from a complete line of Booth Shield wall and floor prep coats, peelable white wall coats, peelable translucent wall coats and peelable floor products to quickly and easily protect your investment.
INFINITI OF NORWOOD
LIKE US ON
FACEBOOK :
Autobody News
AACF Helps Aftermarket Victims of Hurricanes
The Automotive Aftermarket Charitable Foundation (AACF) is taking immediate action to expand urgent storm response efforts for aftermarket families in the wake of hurricanes Irma and Harvey. “We are actively working with SEMA, the Auto Care Association, and others to continue identifying aftermarket families in urgent need, and a number of families have already been provided with urgent funding,” said AACF President Bob Hirsch. “We understand that many are still without power and basic supplies, so we’ve also launched a simple application on our website to make it easier for families to apply and receive help using a mobile device.” AACF recently allocated $250,000 from its reserve funds to address the needs of families in storm-affected areas in addition to donations received, as historic hurricane events and flooding continue in many areas of the country. “Aftermarket families are going to need a lot of help,” said Joel Ayres, Executive Director of AACF. “With tens of thousands displaced, and more than 7 million people currently without power in Florida alone, it’s clear this is going to be a long road of recovery.”
888.340.4442 FX
781.702.6804
Proud Recipient of the 2013 Award of Excellence for outstanding customer service
√ 24-Hour Delivery √ Full Parts Inventory √ Overnight UPS Service √ Serving All of New England √ Call before 7pm for Next Day Delivery Genuine Infiniti Parts and Accessories deliver model-specific engineering, enginee perfect fit, reliability, and like new performance for your vehicle you would expect from an Original Equipment ent Manufacturer. Genuine Infiniti Parts and Accessories fit the first time, helping you save time and money. “You have my guarantee of personal service. We do what it takes to get the right Infiniti parts to you u on time.” -Kevin Donnelly, Parts Manager
866 Boston Providence Highway Norwood MA www.autobodynews.com | OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 37
ASA Announces Must-Attend Training Events at CARS@AAPEX
The Automotive Service Association (ASA) has announced a significant new opportunity for all automotive repair professionals to learn about the biggest changes in the industry since the advent of mass-produced vehicles.
Continued from Cover
Instructor Reports
“I can say for certain that in my personal sub division over 2/3 of the homes, including mine, flooded,” said Wilson. “The entire community was affected and many were displaced due to flooding.” Wilson added that many homes closer to the West fork of the San Jacinto river are completely gone. “The homes were washed away from their foundations,” he explained. “Many people are in hotels, renting
In partnership with AAPEX and AVI, ASA is proud to present CARS @AAPEX, Nov. 2-3 at the Sands Convention Center in Las Vegas. It’s an event designed specifically to teach shop operators how to understand and adapt to the revolutionary changes taking place in vehicle technology so their businesses will thrive and grow. “The future belongs to those who can do more than repair a car,” said Donny Seyfer, organizer of CARS@ AAPEX. “It belongs to those who can
apartments or homes close to the community that weren’t damaged by the storm, and others are doing as I am, living in an RV in the driveway.” It’s been close to three weeks since Hurricane Harvey hit, and many people are still in limbo. “All of us are sitting waiting for responses for the resolutions to the issues of rebuilding,” Wilson said. “Fortunately, my family has flood insurance and will rebuild.” However, that wasn’t the case for everyone. “Many families in the area do not [have flood insurance] because they felt
38 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
understand the technology and connect the dots with the opportunities it offers. Shop owners need to become industry analysts. CARS will get them up to speed and show them how to embrace the changes.” ASA has responded to the challenging issues surrounding these new technologies by creating a comprehensive program featuring exclusive and extensively researched content that presents knowledge-based instruction on attracting and building technicians equipped for the future
that since it didn’t flood in the past, they were safe,” he explained. Humble Independent School District (Humble ISD) in Houston has five high schools; out of the five, only three opened for the first day of class on Thursday, September 7th and the other two opened on Monday, September 11th. Wilson explained that there are two sister campuses in the Kingwood area; Kingwood Park High School, where Wilson teaches, and Kingwood High School. “Unfortunately, Kingwood High School received most of the damage of
and how new and existing competitors are changing their game plans to capture shop operators’ market share. A thoroughly updated version of the Technology and Telematics Forum will be held. Authoritative guest presenters Dr. Anuja Sonalker, a recognized expert on cybersecurity issues, Robert L. Redding Jr., ASA’s Washington, D.C., representative, Bill Long, AASA president, and Aaron Solomon, CEO, Mobile Devices in France, are some of the presenters for this dynamic, three-hour session.
all the schools; it completely flooded,” said Wilson. “The campus has been closed until further notice to rebuild.” Wilson said students who attended Kingwood High School are being transported to Summer Creek High School on a split schedule day. “Kingwood Park High School, which houses the collision and refinishing program, received minimal damage, including roof leaks and secondary water issues,” he explained. “Luckily, it never flooded.” As far as the role of local body shops in the recovery process, Wilson See Instructor Reports, Page 69
Chip Foose Demonstrates the 3M™ Accuspray™ Spray Gun System
Automotive legend Chip Foose, along with Andy Boyd, U.S. Marketing Manager at 3M Paint Booth Solutions, demonstrated the 3M™ Accuspray™ Spray Gun System with Standard PPS™ at NACE Automechanica 2017 in Chicago. During the demonstration, Chip Foose said, “When you are actually using this system, get your paint cup ready with paint in it. When you’ve got that all assembled, if you are doing custom work, you can have 15 different colors here with the tips on them by simply popping the lid off. With a rag, you can wipe the gun and it is easily cleaned for the next color.” The 3M™ Accuspray™ Spray Gun System with Standard PPS™ is a combination of convenience, versatility and efficiency. It is an all-in-one solution for the mixing, measuring, filtering and spraying of primer, sealer, base and clear coat. This system features the Accuspray™ ONE Spray Gun—a lightweight, composite spray gun body that is molded in one piece, eliminating the complexity, wear and cleaning of small parts and pieces. The spray gun uses a series of replaceable, transparent atomizing heads, which can be reused 5—10 times and then simply removed and replaced. This af-
fords the performance of a brand-new spray gun on demand and at a fraction of the price.
Atomizing heads are available in 1.3 mm and 1.4 mm sizes for sealers, primer surfacers, basecoats and topcoats; a 1.8 mm size for higher-viscosity materials such as primer and gel coats; and a 2.0 mm size for heavyduty applications using fluids like adhesives, undercoats or industrial coatings. And fast, easy controls for fan diameter, fluid and air pressure allow for quick adjustment across jobs from spot repairs to full panel coverage requiring up to foot-long vertical or horizontal spray patterns. This equipment works with the standard PPS™ system of reusable paint cups and disposable lids and liners, so you can be done with cleaning paint cups forever. Unlike conventional paint cup systems, the 3M™ PPS™ (PDF, 706.89 Kb) eliminates the need for mixing
paint in additional paint mix cups and then transferring the paint through a separate filter into a paint reservoir. This is an important advantage because waste occurs every time a user transfers paint through mixing cups and filters. When using PPS™, you place the disposable liner within the re-usable PPS™ Cup. Then, simply mix the paint in the PPS™ disposable liner, snap the disposable lid (with the pre-welded filter) in place and attach the locking collar to complete the PPS™ System. With just these few simple steps, you’re ready to start spraying. PPS™ allows the painter to spray consistently 90° to the part, no matter how the part is positioned. This makes material transfer more consistent, limits paint overspray and lowers paint consumption. Because PPS is a closed system, you can operate in any orientation—e.g. 360 degrees. After spraying, the painter can use a sealing plug to seal and protect paint materials or simply discard the disposable lid and liner, leaving only the adapter and spray gun to clean. Discard the disposable lid and liner in the appropriate approved waste containers specified by the paint manufacturer (or local government requirements). Use a
small amount of solvent for cleaning the spray gun and the PPS™ adapter. Shops are often experiencing a 70 percent reduction in cleaning solvents when using this disposable paint system, which means solvent cleaning savings and solvent disposal savings. Most guns can be cleaned with less than 3 oz. of solvent. Specifically designed PPS™ stainless steel metal adapters allow painters to use the PPS™ system with virtually any spray gun (PDF, 310.09 Kb). Painters have also the option to use the 3M™ Accuspray™ ONE spray gun (PDF, 3.69 Mb), which requires no adapters. Technicians have found that this spray gun further reduces cleaning solvent usage and cleaning and maintenance time. Because the painter uses a new disposable lid (with welded-in filter) and disposable liner for each mix, there is less risk of outside contamination due to mixing, filtering, and clean-up. Using a fresh lid and liner with each paint job, rather than washing out reusable components, often improves overall productivity in prep and clean-up time by as much as 15 percent. For more information visit: http:// bit.ly/2xgDxXv
www.autobodynews.com | OCTOBER AUTOBODY NEWS 39
H ONDA C ON NEC TI CU T
Lia Honda of Enfield E n fie l d
800-221-3131 860-741-3401 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 8-4 jdoucette@liacars.com
Manchester Honda M a nch e ste r
800-442-6614 860-645-3115 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-5; Sat 8-4 gabe.llantin@manchesterhonda.com
Schaller Honda N ew Br i tai n
800-382-4525 860-826-2080 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5; Sat 8-1 jkiniry@schallerauto.com MAI NE
Berlin City Honda So u th P or tl a nd
800-640-6685 207-774-6685 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30 mmmparts@berlincity.com
Prime Honda Saco
207-391-7910 207-282-0900 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Th. 7:30-7; Sat 7:30-4 klavalle@driveprime.com MAR Y LA ND
Criswell Honda Ge r m a n town
866-738-2886 Dept. Hours: M-Thu 7-9; Fri 7-7:30; Sat 8-6 hondaparts@criswellauto.com AC URA MAR Y LA ND
Tischer Acura Lau rel
800-288-6983 301-498-3322 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-4 wholesaleparts@tischerauto.com MAS SAC HUSET T 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 JE RSEY
Acura Turnersville Tu r ners ville
888-883-2884 856-516-6060 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 kristen.powell@penskeautomotive.com 40 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Please contact these dealers for your Honda or Acura Genuine parts needs. M AR Y LAN D
NE W J ERSE Y
N EW YORK
P EN NSY LVAN IA
O’Donnell Honda
Madison Honda
Dick Ide Honda
El li co tt City
Ma dis on
R o che st e r
Wex ford
410-461-5000 410-461-9654
800-648-0293 973-822-1710
800-462-0056 (N.Y.) 585-586-4919
724-940-2006
Dept. Hours: M-F 8-6; Sat 8-5 bshortt@odonnellhonda.com
Dept. Hours: M-Thu 7-8; Fri 7-6; Sat 8-6; mschumer@madisonhonda.com
Dept. Hours: M-Thur 8-8; Fri 8-5:30; Sat 8-5 parts@dickide.com
Ourisman Honda of Laurel
Rossi Honda
Lamacchia Honda
Lau re l
Vin elan d
S y ra cu se
800-288-6985 301-498-6050
800-893-3030 856-692-4449
315-471-7278
Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-7; Sat 7-4 julio.cruz@ourismanautomotive.com
Dept. Hours: M-F 6:30-5; Sat 7:30-3 dave@rossihonda.com
M AS S AC H U SE T T S
LIA Honda Northampton No r thamp to n
800-369-7889 413-586-6043 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 8-4 dstanisewski@liacars.com NEW JERSEY
Clinton Honda Ann a ndal e
877-657-2787 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5 chrish@clintonhonda.com
Honda of Turnersville Tur ne rsvi l le
800-883-0002 856-649-1584 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-6; Sat 8-4 sbaptist@penskeautomotive.com
Hudson Honda We st Ne w Yo r k
Route 22 Honda Hi lls id e
973-705-9100 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7:30; Sat 8-5 rt22hondaparts@route22honda.com
VIP Honda
Lia Honda of Albany A l ba ny
800-272-6741 518-482-2598 Dept. Hours: M, T, W, F 7:30-5:30; Thur 7:30-8; Sat 8-5 apersaud@liacars.com
No rt h P lai nfi e ld
Lia Honda of Williamsville
908-753-1680
W il l ia m sv il le / B u f f al o
Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-3 kevinh@viphonda.com NE W YO RK
Babylon Honda Wes t B a by l o n
631-669-5800 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 7:30-3:30 babylonparts@aol.com
Brewster Honda B re ws t er
845-278-4177 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 kbennett@liacars.com
866-483-6917 201-868-9500
877-659-2672 716-632-3800 Dept. Hours: M-Thu 7:30-8; Fri 7:30-5; Sat 8-5:30 liaparts@liacars.com
Ray Laks Honda
Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 johnryan@baierl.com
J.L. Freed Honda M o ntg o m e r yv il l e
215-855-3587 Dept. Hours: M-Thur 8-6; Fri 8-5; Sat 8-4 joseph.sciacca@jlfreed.com
Shadyside Honda Pi tts bu rg h
800-468-2090 412-390-2908 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5 shadysidehondaparts@hotmail.com
Sussman Honda Ro sl yn
800-682-2914 215-657-3301 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-1 rendrick@sussmanauto.com V E RMO NT
802 Honda Be rl i n
We st S en e ca
802-223-9700
716-824-7852
Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5; Sat 8-Noon hondaparts@802cars.com
Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-8; Sat 7:30-5:30 ekuznicki@raylaks.com P EN N SYLVANIA
Apple Honda Yo r k
800-960-9041 717-848-2600 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 7-4; Sun 10-4 applehondaparts@appleauto1.com
Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 7:30-5; Sun 8-3 anthony.perrone@hudsonhonda.com
NEW JERSEY
Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 9-1 parts@lamacchiahonda.com
Baierl Honda
NE W YO RK
PEN NS YLVANIA
P EN N SY LVA NI A
Elite Acura
Curry Acura
Baierl Acura
M ap l e Sh ad e
S c ar s da le
Wexfo rd
Jen kint own
856-722-9600
800-725-2877 914-472-7406
800-246-7457 724-935-0800
800-826-4078 215-884-6285
Dept. Hours: M-F 8-6; Sat 8-5 parts@curryacura.com
Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-1 johnsabella@baierl.com
Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-1 rendrick@sussmanauto.com
Paragon Acura
Davis Acura
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 N E W Y OR K
Acura of Westchester We st che s te r
914-834-8887 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-8; Sat 8-4; Sun 9-4 acura.parts@yahoo.com
Woo d si de
L a ngho r ne
718-507-3990
866-50-ACURA 215-943-7000
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
Sussman Acura
Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 8-4 markh@davisacura.com
Lehigh Valley Acura Emma us
877-860-3954 610-967-6500 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-5; Sat 8-5 mustafa@vinart.com
www.autobodynews.com | OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 41
Seminars Give Hawaii Body Shops Opportunity to Learn
Larry Montanez instructed attendees at two seminars hosted by the Automotive Body & Painting Association of Hawaii
Seminars Give Hawaii Body Shops Opportunity to Learn Advanced Techniques and Procedures by Stacey Phillips
The Automotive Body & Painting Association of Hawaii hosted two seminars in September instructed by Larry Montanez from P&L Consultants. On September 7, body shop owners, managers, technicians and estimators across the Hawaiian Islands attended “Tech Night-Repairing Cosmetic Aluminum.� It was held at Island Fender in Honolulu, which is owned by Van Takemoto. During the evening event, Montanez gave an overview of proper aluminum repair procedures and techniques for outer panels with cosmetic damage, which was followed by a hands-on demonstration. Two days later, on September 8, Montanez led an estimating class at
the Pagoda Hotel in Honolulu focused on metallurgy, crash management and advanced damage report writing. Attendees had the opportunity to learn about the different strengths of steel and aluminum, including their functions and designs, different attachment methods, reparability and the specialized equipment required. Montanez also covered diagnosing damage and pre-measuring and prerepair diagnostic scanning as well as how vehicles absorb, transfer or manage applied collision energy forces. For more information about P&L Consultants, contact info@PnL Estimology.com. For details about The Automotive Body & Painting Association of Hawaii and upcoming events, contact ABPAH@hawaii .rr.com.
FREE 4xwww.autobodynews.com Monthly E-Newsletter. Subscribe Today! www.autobodynews.com
42 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
PARTS Right on Time!
Tell us what you want and when you need them by, and we’ll get them to you.
What we offer: • 80 wholesale professionals ready to serve cturer deliveries • Same night manufacturer ry on-site • $6.2 million inventory y • Open 22 hours a day elivery y • Automated order delivery and tracking • Regional / national parts locating • 24 hr. return / creditt process
CLOSED 9 - 11pm
O OPEN PEN OP PE N
Here to Help
with Any Parts Needs. For new customer inquiries, email: parts@nucar.com or call Nick Halliday at:
302-613-5593 “Call me with any questions you have”
PH: 800-633-6606 FAX: 800-346-5285
email: parts@nucar.com
Powered by: www.nucarparts.com www.autobodynews.com | OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 43
Project Underdog Heads to Auction, Actor’s Project to Benefit SEMA Scholarships Project Underdog, a highly customized ’72 Ford Maverick originally conceived by actor Sung Kang—known for his role as Han Seoul-Oh in The Fast and the Furious franchise—is finished, fine-tuned, revved and ready for auction. Sponsored by Shell and featuring Pennzoil, and supported by Ford Motor Co., Samsung, Nitto, GReddy, Rocket Bunny and Facebook, the unique vehicle build was completed at the SEMA Garage in Diamond Bar, California, with specialized tuning provided by Cobb Tuning, headquartered in Austin, Texas. Kang enlisted inner-city students Tony Chen, Alexis Hernandez and Christian Quiroz to successfully transform the unassuming “underdog” Maverick into a showcase performer and winner of a Ford Corporate Design Award for its significant contribution to vehicle design.
Debuting at the 2016 SEMA Show, the Maverick went on to continued refinement and a year-long media tour, which will now culminate at the October 19–21, Barrett Jackson auction in Las Vegas, where its sale will benefit the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Foundation. Providing financial support to young people pursuing automotive careers, the foundation delivers dozens of annual awards ranging from $2,000– $3,000 to deserving student recipients, with a $5,000 award going to a top achiever. The program also includes a loanforgiveness fund for employees of SEMA-member companies who are paying off loans from study at an accredited university, college or vocational/technical program. Since its inception in 1984, the memorial scholarship fund has granted $2.1 million to more than 1,200 students. Kang first drove the Maverick while shooting one of the Fast and Furious series’ installments in Brazil and immediately fell in love with the vehicle.
“The Maverick has always been The vehicle’s powertrain is based on the under-appreciated, overlooked and unreplacement of its outdated ’72 inline dervalued, but those who love her are six-cylinder engine with a new Ford loyal forever,” he explained. “This, EcoBoost 2.3L from a ’15 Mustang. and the chance to make a difference Originally rated at 305 hp, the Ecofor these students, is something I could Boost has been reworked to churn out stand behind.” in excess of 400 hp while delivering The actor had previously modern levels of efficiency, captivated fans throughout the fuel economy and lowered world when he documented a emissions. The high-achievprior vehicle build, the FuguZ ing engine is now mated to a 240Z, through videos in social six-speed Tremec T56 transmedia. In similar fashion, mission. A Currie Enterprises each step of the Project Unrearend and Baer brake sysderdog Maverick build was tem are other key performSung Kang recorded and presented in a ance upgrades. popular YouTube/Garage Monkey To create that unorthodox combionline video series filled with raw, nation, Kang and his student team behind-the-scenes footage, intimate leveraged advanced SEMA Garage reconversations and real-time progress sources, including 3D scanning and reports. But unlike the 240Z build, extensive CAD work to produce a Project Underdog was a markedly full-scale, 3D-printed “engine” that purposeful experience for Kang, who greatly aided in the prototyping and hoped that it would help spark greater fitment of the actual engine block. car enthusiasm among a new Meanwhile, the vehicle’s new bodygeneration of young people— work boasts flared wheel arches, a especially the disadvantaged. custom front bumper and forward“I feel like it’s been a long mounted black wing mirrors, all ridroad, but it’s been very reing on a set of deep-dish gold wheels. warding,” Kang said of the “Part of what we were trying to completed project. “The whole spirit of it was working with kids and making new friends. The most rewarding has been the transformation that I’ve seen with the kids. I think when we first met them, each of them had a different place they were coming from in terms of self-esteem—to see Alexis now at UTI as a student, to see his life transform in the sense of who he feels he is and what his contribution is to the community, and then to see Tony come out of his shell and be more extroverted. And today I found out that he actually bought a go-kart, which is pretty awesome. It’s another step forward proactively to pursue his dream. And then I talk to Christian periodically on the phone, and he’s aggressively attacking school and seems very positive about where he is in his life. Another rewarding aspect is all the new friends that have been made on the journey. That’s something that you can’t put a price tag on, this magic recipe that happens when you meet people that you actually enjoy working with.” The Project Underdog U3 Maverick is a showcase blend of humble, old-school hot rodding and leadingedge, new-school performance tuning.
44 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
show here is the engineering ability of the SEMA Garage,” said Mike Spagnola, SEMA vice president of OEM and product-development programs, who helped oversee the U3 Maverick’s development. “From the beginning, we scanned the engine bay and engine so we would know exactly how it would fit into the engine compartment. We got dimensions from Tremec and their CAD files, so we knew what it would take to put that transmission into the car. “The experience was something kind of new for us here in Diamond Bar. Our four SEMA Tech Transfer engineers at the Garage help members all the time to produce products, but they never had to do it themselves. It was neat to see them do that. It was a great learning process for us that will help us serve our members even better.” Spagnola is especially proud of the project’s unique incorporation of the latest vehicle technologies. “The Ford 2.3 EcoBoost engine was first introduced in the ’15 Mustang,” he said. “To our knowledge, this is one of the first transplants to go into a street car that’s street legal with
an aftermarket GReddy turbo on it. So we have a larger turbo, different tuning and all sorts of SEMA-member aftermarket products—all put into a ’72 Maverick, of all things. It’s a one-ofa-kind vehicle featuring the first cratemotor offering from Ford, the first harness wire kit, the first of a lot of things. It’s fun and an honor to be on that cutting edge.” Spagnola also noted that the build team paid careful attention to the Maverick’s tuning. “The engineers at Cobb did the tuning in successive baby steps,” he explained. “They took their time, running it up to 2,000 rpm, checking it, then to 3,000 rpm, checking it, and mapping as they went along, because this had never been done before. Again, this is really the first 2.3 EcoBoost to get transplanted into anything of this kind. To get the mapping right with all the aftermarket products that were incorporated into the vehicle was skilled work.” Project Underdog helped inspire its other sponsors to push their envelopes as well. According to Jesse Kershaw, product manager for Ford Performance Parts, the Maverick accelerated the development of a new
OE control pack, the electronic wiring kit that allows Ford’s late-model engines to be transplanted into non-original vehicles like the Kang team’s U3. “In this case, when the SEMA group decided to do Project Underdog and they contacted Ford [about making the new engine work in the Maverick], we said, well, we’re actually working on this great install kit that will make your life very easy there,” he explained, adding Ford had originally planned to debut its kit at the 2016 SEMA Show. With the Maverick also slated for a reveal at that same Show, Ford saw the project as the perfect chance to get some advance real-world feedback on the control pack in advance of its debut. Much of what Ford learned from the experience was eventually folded into the OE’s installation instructions, making the application easier for future builders. “What I liked about doing the Maverick with one of our 2.3L engines is that it’s a little unconventional,” Kershaw said. “I won’t say it can fit in anything, but if you can make it work in here, and you can work around the details and get all the small details right, the lessons learned here can be
applied to so many other platforms.” The vehicle’s updated styling emanated from Pure Vision founder and well-known vehicle builder Steve Strope, a longtime friend of Kang’s. Strope believes the out-of-box thinking that went into the project helped teach its team of inner-city students valuable lessons in overcoming obstacles. Such empowerment, he said, was always key to Kang’s vision for the build. “He was formulating the idea for this project and already had the terminology Project Underdog, because these kids he envisioned were underdogs,” Strope said. “They were not the stars of the world, the football team, the homecoming kings. They’re from the inner city and don’t get a lot of opportunity, but they like to work on cars.” With their handiwork now going to auction, the young team can experience not only the pride of a job well done but also the feeling of satisfaction that comes from giving back to the wider community, since the proceeds will benefit SEMA scholarship programs for other students like themselves. Spagnola said they won’t be alone in that satisfaction. A host of SEMA-
member companies contributed significant support, technologies and specialty equipment to the project (see sidebar), resulting in a true “underdog” performer that will also make its highest bidder proud. “It was fun to see the car go from the 2016 SEMA Show, where we were mostly interested in getting it to look right, feel right and get the design right, along with fitting the engine and transmission, and feeling the thrill of actually starting it,” Spagnola said. “It’s been a long journey, but now it’s really a car. It’s been upgraded with aftermarket knowhow into something streetable that’s got some terrific horsepower— the same or more horsepower that you used to get out of a V8 but from a fourcylinder that is half the size and weight. And that’s a great combination.”
Your leading source for NORTHEASTERN Collision Repair News! northeastern.autobodynews.com
www.autobodynews.com | OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 45
46 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
www.autobodynews.com | OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 47
Stacey Phillips is a freelance writer and editor for the automotive industry. She has 20 years of experience writing for a variety of publications, and is co-author of “The Secrets of America’s Greatest Body Shops.” She can be reached at sphillips.autobodynews@gmail.com.
Shop Strategies with Stacey Phillips
Riding Wave of Change: Hawaii Shop Shares Initiatives That Will Take Family Business Into the Future In Waipahu, Hawaii, employees from Oka’s Autobody and their families recently met at the local bowling alley for the company’s summertime family fun event. “We hope it helps bring our employees together in a different setting other than work,” said Brandon Okahara, co-owner of the body shop. “We often joke that we spend more time with these guys than our own families. You have to find that balance between working hard and still having family time outside.” Brandon and his siblings, Marlo and Kyle, have a good understanding of what it takes balancing family and business while working together. Oka’s was established by their father Eddie, uncle Fred and uncle Henry Okahara in 1965. The brothers ran the business out of a small three-stall garage and eventually moved into a 7,000-square-foot location after building up their clientele. When Fred re-
his time as the lead estimator. Marlo’s husband, Carl, also takes an active role in the company, leading future development. Together, the Okaharas have grown the family-run business, which now employs 25 and operates out of a 19,000-square-foot facility. Autobody News talked to the owners of Oka’s to learn more about the initiatives they have taken to help their shop stay successful as well as some of the challenges they have dealt with running a facility in Hawaii.
Q:
Operating a family business can be challenging. What steps have you taken to work together effectively?
Brandon: Like anything else, A: whether we are a family or not, I think there are always situations that
are going to come up where there is a difference of opinion. That has to be expected. The benefit, of course, is knowing that the other parties involved genuinely have a vested interest in the company. We can trust the fact that the decisions being made are for the right reasons. In that sense, it’s great. There are not a lot of times that you can be in that situation where you have trust. Our team is very structured in the way we run our business and it has helped us accelerate our growth. We regularly sit down as a family and go over our mission and goals for the business. The industry is rapThe Okahara family at Oka’s Autobody (l to r): Brandon, idly changing so we need to Carl, Marlene, Eddie, Marlo and Kyle. The shop stay in touch with each other received the SBA Family-Owned Small Business of and stay on top of what is the Year Award going on. There are a lot of tired, Eddie decided to buy him out. moving parts running a body shop. Our Meanwhile, his three children, Marlo, meetings help keep us focused on our Kyle and Brandon, began taking an end goal. We are able to bounce ideas active interest in running and expand- off one another and come to a consening the family business. sus. After retiring three years ago, Eddie and his wife Marlene handed What sets your body shop apart over the day-to-day operations of the from others in Hawaii? shop to their children. Now, Marlo works as the office manager, Kyle is a Marlo: I believe that what sets repair planner, and Brandon spends us apart from other shops on
Q: A:
48 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
the island is our customer service.
Brandon: For us, the main focus is always our customers. Whether it’s a phone call, face-to-face interaction or delivering a vehicle, we always remember why we’re here—for our customers.
The photo voltaic system installed by Oka’s creates enough energy to run the shop
I always tell our employees that they need to remember this might be the first accident the customer has been in and it can be stressful. It’s emotionally and mentally draining to get into
an accident and what they are looking for is somebody to help them. Fixing a car is just part of that process. You have to be empathetic to what’s going on and treat everybody as an individual. Put yourself into their position. What would you want to happen and how would you want the experience to roll out?
What methods have you found Q: to be most beneficial to operate the business? Brandon: Over the past couple A: of years, we have been going down the road of incorporating a lean
and processed-centered environment at the body shop. The way we process cars is by using a team concept. We have multiple body teams and the paint department operates as their own team as well. With new technicians coming in, See Riding the Wave of Change, Page 50
Acura of Westchester
HOURS:
Mon. - Fri.:
7:30am - 8pm
Sat.:
8am - 4pm
Sun.:
9am - 4pm acura.parts@yahoo.com
2155 Palmer Ave. Larchmont, NY 10538
Call or e-mail us Today!
• Large Inventory • Delivering to Westchester, Rockland, Putnam • NYC 5 Boroughs & Connecticut • Fast Free Delivery • Great Discounted Prices
914-834-8887 914-833-1812 FAX
www.acuraofwestchester.com www.oeconnection.com
www.autobodynews.com | OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 49
Continued from Page 48
Riding the Wave of Change
it’s next to impossible to be just one person and have a trainee with you all day long. It makes the job very difficult. At least this way if the employees operate as a team, there are multiple levels of experience working together so they can accomplish more. It helps with communication and the newer techs’ growth can also be a little quicker because there are different people who can help train them in different aspects. It has had its ups and downs of course but the guys seem to like to work together as a team.
Q:
With the shortage of employees in the industry, how have you found new talent?
ing without DRP programs. There should be a balance between whatever your business model is: DRPs, wholesale business, corporate business, etc. and having a strategic plan is also critical. We, as repairers, need to figure out how to diversify and that is something that we are working on daily.
What do you attribute your growth to over the last several Q: years?
Brandon: Over the past five A: years, our business has been trending upwards. We’re starting to make decisions that will allow us to be more profitable. We’ve found that
Eddie became involved in the Acoat group many years ago. The top North America shops get together and go over the mission and goals of the business and discuss financial planning. Although we are competitors, we talk about the common problems we have and ways to address them. That’s one of the biggest benefits. We have a core group of shops in Hawaii and we get together and are able to talk to each other honestly. We feel that an important aspect of running our facility is financial planning. In addition to attending the Acoat meetings, we go over finances on a regular basis during our family meetings.
The team at Oka’s Autobody
having an attitude of just getting the work done, putting a car out and collecting a check is not necessarily the best thing to do sometimes. We are really looking into the way we are managing and building the business. Hawaii is a very unique environment. The processes are very different from the mainland. For example, we have to accommodate for parts delays. If a part is not available on the island, it usually takes about five days to arrive. Shops also have to make adjustments due to space constraints.
How much of your business is Q: reliant on DRPs? How has financial planning been Brandon: Currently, our shop Q: instrumental in the growth of A: is heavily dependent on DRPs. your body shop? Probably 95 percent of our business is DRP driven. We’re working to bring Brandon: We have been workthat number down because we want to A: ing on incorporating a processbe a little more diversified. centered environment in our shop,
Carl: It’s important to have balance. If you think back to the history of body shops before consolidations, there were independent shops operat-
What are the benefits you have Q: realized since installing the system? Carl: It took us two years to A: fully research it. We talked to about 20 different companies and received quotes that ranged from hundreds of thousands of dollars to a million plus dollars.
Brandon: Finding new techniA: cians is very challenging. We decided that moving forward we need
to train our up-and-coming techs from the ground up. Recently, we hired four younger technicians that have little to no auto body experience. We also hired a student who will be graduating from Honolulu Community College’s auto body program this year. About two years ago, they began revising the college program in hopes of drawing more people. It’s a good thing that they are doing it but we are in the stage where we just can’t wait. We have been growing sales-wise over the past five years but if you don’t increase the number of people producing the work, it puts a little stress on the guys. They have the extra set of hands but it’s a different type of stress because on top of the work they are already doing they have to help train someone new. However, they are realizing that it’s an investment on their part as well.
ways been an important priority for us. For example, we have used waterborne paint for many years, have set up recycling programs for the business and done other things that are good for the environment as well as the employees at our shop. There were other collision repair centers looking at installing photo voltaic systems, which we kept referring to as solar panels. Everyone we talked to corrected us. We decided to find out more about it and eventually installed a system of our own.
which helped push us in the right direction. Our involvement in the AkzoNobel Acoat program has also been instrumental. They bring a lot of experience from multiple markets.
50 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Brandon: By installing the system, we have been able to almost completely remove ourselves from the power grid. The system creates enough energy to run the shop. It is also a way of providing sustainable energy and is good for the environment. One of the biggest benefits is that we were able to create a separate power company that helps fund our parents’ retirement. Part of this is doing a cost analysis of our different cost centers, looking at the averages and our profit and loss statements. Then we ask ourselves, “What can we do better?”
What are some of the initiaQ: tives you have taken as a result of your financial meetings?
Carl and Brandon: Going into A: 2008, we were already doing this type of financial analysis on a reg-
ular basis. The economy was in a little bit of a downturn and we began to look at how we could better manage the cost of doing business. One of the things that always seemed to stand out was our electric bills. They are much higher in Hawaii in general. The nation was focused on alternative energy sources at that time and there were grants being offered for progressive businesses that were doing things for the environment. Running a sustainable and environmentally-friendly company has al-
As a progressive company in Q: this industry, what are the shop’s priorities looking into the future? Carl and Brandon: ContinuA: ous training is crucial. We have used the same vendor since the late
1990s—Island Concepts. We count on them to train our employees throughout the year and keep everyone current. We provide I-CAR and ASE training to all of our technicians as well as participate in safety and equipment training. We also understand the importance of learning about sales and negation. We try to stay on top of everything. Training is expensive and we expect that it will only increase in the future due to the complexity of vehicles. We have no choice but to figure out ways of gathering extra profit whether that is through increasing prices or decreasing our operating expenses. It’s up to us to figure out how to catch that wave now and lay it out on the table and figure it out. As a family, our goal is to do that together to remain a profitable family business moving forward.
AAPEX 2017 To Host Technology and Telematics Forum V5.0
For the first time, AAPEX will host the Technology and Telematics Forum V5.0 to spotlight cyber security, Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communication, vehicle data and OE technology.
The Congress of Automotive Repair and Service (CARS) – sponsored by the Automotive Service Association (ASA) – and the Auto Alliance will present the forum for auto repair professionals, as well as professionals from other automotive aftermarket segments. AAPEX represents the $740 billion global automotive aftermarket industry and is held annually at the Sands Expo in Las Vegas. The forum, which is part of the AAPEXedu 2017 program, will show attendees how to protect their businesses, customers, employees and life from cyber attacks. Dr. Anuja Sonalker, founder of STEER Tech and cyber security expert, along with Donny Seyfer, co-owner, Seyfer Automotive, will provide the latest in-
formation on cyber security and how to avoid being a victim. Bob Redding, ASA Washington, D.C. representative, will lead a panel discussion on what’s coming to V2V and Vehicle to Infrastructure (V2I) communication. A 5G expert and a GM On Star staff member will participate in this discussion. Bill Long, president, Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA), and Aaron Solomon, CEO and owner, Mobile Devices Ingenierie, France, will address vehicle data, including who owns the data, who gets it and how auto repair professionals can use it. Seyfer will lead this discussion with a focus on the responsibilities and challenges of logging and sifting through the data of vehicles producing a terabyte or more of data per day. The forum will conclude with presentations by OEs on their latest technologies. It will be held Thursday, Nov. 2, from 9 a.m. to noon, PDT, at The Venetian, in Las Vegas. The forum is included in the AAPEX online attendee registration fee of $40 (U.S). To register, visit: www.aapexshow .com/news.
Continued from Page 34
Suit Reinstated
pair shops in a market area, the shop listed at number six would determine the market labor price. However, the document states it is unclear how the method determines a market area.
The shops that filed the lawsuit operate in various states, including Kentucky, Virginia, New Jersey and Missouri. Other insurers included in the lawsuit are 21st Century, Allstate Insurance Co., Geico, Hanover Insurance Group, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Mutual Insurance Co., Nationwide, Progressive, Travelers and USAA.
Atty John Eaves Jr. is ‘Extremely Excited’ About Reversal
Repairer Driven News’ writer John other states to join the litigation. The five cases had been dismissed Huetter has reported that an attorney for dozens of auto body shops nationwide without prejudice and appealed without said he expects the Eleventh Circuit being amended to correct what Presnell considered deficiencies. Court of Appeals’ favorable Another four cases— ruling Sept. 7 will lead even Leif’s v. State Farm (Oremore collision repairers from as gon), Rodenhouse v. State yet unrepresented states to join Farm (Michigan), Pacific the sweeping multidistrict Coast v. State Farm (Calisteering and antitrust case fornia) and Haury’s v. State against the nation’s largest auto Farm (Washington)—were insurers. John Eaves Jr. of dismissed mostly without Jackson, MI-based Eaves Law prejudice but were subseFirm said Sept. 11 he was “exJohn Eaves Jr. quently closed after not tremely excited” about the rul(file photo) being amended. Presnell ing reversing Middle District of Florida Judge Gregory Presnell’s 2015 refused to consider motions for attordismissals of eight collision repairers’ ney’s fees or sanctions on Leif’s, Rodenhouse or Haury’s until the Eleventh lawsuits in four states. Eaves said he was “really proud” Circuit reached a decision on the apof the collision repairers who “kept the peals. These lawsuits should presumfaith.” He said he expected shops in ably all be reopenable.
www.autobodynews.com | OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 51
Techs of Tomorrow
Victoria Antonelli is a freelance writer and model, based in Los Angeles. She has been writing for the collision industry since 2013. She can be reached at vantonelli.autobodynews@gmail.com.
High School Student Shares Plans for Future Amidst Hurricane Harvey Recovery with Victoria Antonelli
Kingwood Park, TX, native Cameren May discovered his love for “anything with a motor” when his dad brought home a 1981 Firebird for them to work on just two years ago. Now 17 years old, May is enrolled in the auto collision program at Kingwood Park High School, located in greater Houston. “Jeff Wilson, an instructor at my high school, came to me my freshman year after he found out about me rebuilding the Firebird with my dad,” May explained. “He knew my family through the Kingwood Park FFA program, and he talked to me during my AG class one day about his auto collision program.” According to Wilson, May holds ICAR certifications in both non-structural and refinishing. He is also OSHA and 6-H trained and certified. “Cameren is an outstanding young man both in and out of school,” said Wilson. “He is a student with impeccable ability and talent, and his collision
and refinishing skills are truly a sight to see.” May said his favorite project so far has been refinishing the Harley Davidson tin set during his spring semester in 2017. “I found metal forming and laying Bondo [to be] the most challenging,” he added. In addition to his involvement with the Kingwood Park FFA pro-
According to recent industry reports, and confirmed by Autobody News, LKQ Corporation recently began distributing OE parts. “LKQ is keenly focused on putting one more part on our extensive fleet and continuously evolving our one-stopshop solution for our North American customers,” said Terry Fortner, LKQ’s vice president of corporate accounts. “With OE surplus parts being part of our broad and deep alternative parts inventory, combined with the leveraging of our extensive distribution network, industry leading fulfilment rates, and superior customer service, we are delivering on that mission.”
LKQ is distributing these surplus parts on a limited basis. Fortner provided no indication on whether or not they intend on expanding this strategy beyond their current OE offerings. LKQ Corporation is a leading provider of alternative and specialty parts to repair and accessorize automobiles and other vehicles. The company has operations in North America, Europe and Taiwan. Fortner said LKQ offers its customers a broad range of replacement systems, components, equipment and parts to repair and accessorize automobiles, trucks, and recreational and performance vehicles.
Cameren May in Happier times
LKQ Vice President of Corporate Accounts Confirms Expanded Parts Offering
Advertise in our CLASSIFIED SECTION for $50 per column inch! Place an ad in our AUTOBODY MARKETPLACE section of Autobody News.
800-699-8251
ltedesco@autobodynews.com
52 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
gram, May also helps his parents with their horse boarding facility. “I’m also very involved in my youth group at our church,” May said. However, May and his family’s lives were turned upside down when Hurricane Harvey, the wettest and one of the most destructive tropical hurricanes on record in U.S. history, made landfall in Houston just three weeks ago. “Hurricane Harvey affected my family considerably. We lost pretty much everything on the first floor of my house,” he said. “We also lost my Mom’s 2015 GMC 3500, my Dad’s 2015 Chrysler 300 and my 1982 Chevy Silverado C-10.” May added that his home retained a total of 18 inches of water, while lower areas of his family’s 22-acre property were 10 feet under water. “We lost our tractors, a zero-turn mower, a Swisher weed eater and much more,” he said. May said that the Monday morn-
ing when the hurricane hit was when their property received the bulk of the damage. “Around 4 a.m., the water had risen 3 feet overnight and was already in our barn. By 7 a.m. that morning it was up to my calf, and at 1 p.m. it was up to my waist,” he explained. “By that night, our house had water and the barn had 4 feet in it.” May and his family are still in the recovery process, and expect a long road ahead before their property is back to normal. Luckily, May’s high school, Kingwood Park, received minimal damage, but is still in need of supplies (please see the related article on cover for more information.) As for future career plans, May said he wants to join the U.S. Coast Guard or the Texas National Guard sometime in the fall semester after he graduates high school. “My dream job is to own my auto collision / mechanic and custom paint shop someday,” he added.
Darin Smith Discusses His SEMA Battle of the Builders Project
Darin Smith has been building and restoring classic vehicles with DWS Classics for more than 20 years. He handles everything from nut-and-bolt restorations to custom-built vehicles. SEMA had a chance to preview the build he’s entering in the Battle of the Builders competition. Smith is
blending old school with new school in his custom-built ’64 Chevy pickup. The red-themed truck includes unique craftsmanship throughout and custom touches that will make the vehicle stand out in the competition. Smith says winning the SEMA Battle of the Builders competition would be an unimaginable honor. Open to all customizers with a car or truck on display at the SEMA
Show, the competition shines the spotlight on the amazing talents and craftsmanship of builders who have already proven themselves by being a part of the premier automotive trade event in the world. It allows enthusiasts and fans a chance to learn the stories behind the builds, get to know the builders and be inspired along the way. All builders with a feature or booth vehicle on display at the 2017 SEMA Show are invited and encouraged to participate. (Note that your vehicle must NOT be under embargo at the time of entry) Young, up-and-coming builders who are under the age of 27 (as of November 3, 2017) will receive special recognition as a ‘Young Gun’ in the competition, designed to spotlight and inspire future industry icons. Builders who meet the age requirements of a Young Gun but may not have a confirmed feature or booth vehicle for the 2017 SEMA Show may be awarded a ‘SEMA Prize Package’ from one of our regional partners and invited to compete in the competition in Las Vegas.
www.autobodynews.com | OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 53
Tips for Busy Body Shops
Stacey Phillips is a freelance writer and editor for the automotive industry. She has 20 years of experience writing for a variety of publications, and is co-author of “The Secrets of America’s Greatest Body Shops.” She can be reached at sphillips.autobodynews@gmail.com.
How to Improve Body Shop Profit Using Sensible Goals: The ‘Power of One’ with Stacey Phillips
When John Shoemaker asks collision repair shops across the country about their financial goals, he is often told, “I’m going to increase company sales 10 percent.” When he asks how, they instinctively say, “by doing more repairs.” The business development manager for BASF Automotive Refinish Coatings North America said if you look at an average shop with $2.4 million in annual sales, a 10 percent increase would equate to $240,000 annually, or $20,000 per month. “Using an average repair of $2,600 as an example, the goal would require around eight more repairs per month,” said Shoemaker. “That’s reasonable, but is it sensible?” Shoemaker said that what is sensible is making more money on the repairs the shop is already doing. During a recent interview with Autobody News, he shared tips on how a collision repair facility can increase profits sensibly by making small incremental improvements. Much of this centers around changing a sale or cost by about 1 percent, which he refers to as “The Power of One.” Although it’s a small number, he said it can make a big difference to a business in terms of profit. Six key performance indicators to help overall profitability:
Sales per RO (repair order) Shoemaker often recommends that shops consider raising each RO by 1 percent. “If an average RO is $2,600 and you increase that by 1 percent, it would raise the average to $2,626 or $26,” he explained. When you multiply $26 by an average of 20 repairs per week, it equates to $520 in weekly growth. Earning an extra $520 each week for 52 weeks will add up to an additional $27,040 in profit.
Effective labor rate A body shop’s hourly rate is not necessarily its effective labor rate. Shoemaker said the effective labor rate is what a shop is actually earning. Although body, frame and mechanical work generally all have different labor rates, Shoemaker said often times shops bill insurance companies the body labor rate and don’t charge frame
or mechanical labor. He advises shops to charge for the particular skill being used based on the education and training the particular individual has received. “You need to make sure that you are charging your frame rate for your frame work, your mechanical rate for your mechanical labor and not including everything in body; that’s how you increase your effective labor rate,” he said. In addition, he said by increasing your effective labor rate by just $1, a shop can improve its annual revenue by $31,200 based on an average of 30 hours billed on a $2,600 RO.
Effective Labor Cost The effective labor cost—the hourly rate paid to technicians—works handin-hand with a facility’s effective labor rate. Shoemaker encourages shops to bring in lower-cost technicians to focus on the less technical jobs—for example, bumper repair. “There is an opportunity to make more profit on those smaller jobs, which is about 45 percent of a shop’s business,” he said. “If they can make more money on 45 percent of their business by using a lower-level and lower-paid technician to do these smaller repairs, that’s where they change their effective labor cost.” Based on an average of 30 hours per RO, he said reducing the effective labor cost by $1 can increase annual profits by $31,200.
Paint Hours per RO In regard to paint hours, Shoemaker said shops can often miss little things on estimates such as blending a gas filler door when repairing a quarter panel, refinishing a tail lamp pocket when replacing a rear body panel or rocker panel flanges to correct frame clamp damage. He said that currently, the average paint hour per RO is 7.8. “If we raise that by one to 8.8, over the year you can bring in an annual sales increase of nearly $73,000,” he said.
Paint and Material Sales Per Paint Hour Shops that increase their paint materi-
54 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
als sales per paint hour by $1 can also make a significant difference in their annual profits. When insurance companies cap materials, Shoemaker said it can drive down the actual rate. Using a common industry average of $27.63, he said shops can boost their annual sales by $8,100 by raising their paint and material sales per paint hour by $1.
Paint and Material Cost per Paint Hour In terms of the amount of paint materials used to do a particular job, Shoemaker often recommends that shops use a little less product. He has found that typically, there is about an ounce of paint left over after finishing the job. “If you are mixing less product, your cost for that job is going to be reduced even though you are still getting paid the same amount because you are eliminating the waste,” he explained.
He said it’s understandable that painters don’t want to be short on materials and go into the paint booth with less paint than they need to do the job. Therefore, it’s important to take into account work habits, pilferage and waste. Based on a benchmark of $13 to $14, reducing the paint and material cost per paint hour by $1 would increase annual profits by $8,112. In addition to these six KPIs, Shoemaker said the same concept of “The Power of One” can be applied to a business’s gross profit numbers, including total labor, parts, paint and materials, and total gross profit. For example, using 62 percent as a benchmark for total labor gross profit, Shoemaker said it would equate to $812,448 in gross profit using $1,310,400 as an average shop’s labor sales. “Employing ‘The Power of One’ and increasing the percentage by 1 to See The ‘Power of One’, Page 63
• We are the authorized insurance vendors for the AASP/Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of NJ. • Call us for competitive quotes. • Member only dividend & discount programs. • The Amato Agency is a full service agency representing most major insurance companies for all your insurance needs. Our goal is to reduce your insurance costs, without sacrificing the coverage you need. We will review your current program, check for adequacy and provide competitive alternatives.
www.amatoagency.com
Call Us Today at:
800-763-6574
Agency President Joseph Amato Sr.
to see how much $ we can save you!
4900 State Route 33 #103 Neptune, NJ 07753
Agency Manager & VP Joseph Amato Jr.
Your Guarantee of Protection and Exceptional Service for Over 40 Years.
FUCCILLO KIA OF SCHENECTADY
$250,000 in Body Parts in Stock!
Hours M, T, Th: 7:30-5:30 W: 7:30-7; F: 7:30-5; S: 8-5
518-847-0808 Huge Inventory
Free Daily Delivery
Amazing Discounts
Covering the Capital District, Northeast and all adjacent areas including MA, VT and the Southern zone.
www.fuccillokiaschenectady.com FAX 518-372-4589
3900 State St. Schenectady, NY 12304 www.autobodynews.com | OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 55
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.
Talk of Other Insurers Requiring use of PartsTrader Goes Back Five Years with John Yoswick
20 Years ago in the Collision Repair Industry (October 1997) In a meeting with the Automotive Service Association (ASA) earlier this year, Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA) Executive Director Jack Gillis outlined CAPA’s new standards and additional testing that will help ensure the quality of CAPA-certified crash parts. Gillis reviewed the plans with ASA in response to ASA’s dissatisfaction with CAPA’s performance. Gillis said that CAPA’s new standards officially went into effect in May of 1997. “Parts produced after this date will meet the needs of today’s collision repairers,” Gillis said. “Furthermore, additional testing and inspections should result in more consistency in CAPAcertified crash parts. The downside is that the new standards are so tough that as many as 40 percent of the parts currently certified could become decerti-
fied. CAPA is committed to pursuing the new, more stringent standards in spite of the many parts to be decertified.” – As reported in Professional Auto News. See also the news item from October 2012, exactly 15 years after CAPA’s 1997 standards upgrade.
15 Years Ago in the Collision Repair Industry (October 2002) While insurers’ involvement in the collision repair industry may not be the cause of fraud within the industry, Doug Walsh says it does make it more difficult to eliminate fraudulent activity. “You’re not in a free enterprise system,” Walsh, an assistant attorney general for Washington state, told attendees at the Collision Industry Conference (CIC), held in Seattle in mid-October. “The purpose of the free enterprise system is to have the consumer’s dollar chase the highest qual-
ity goods at the lowest price; that has nothing to do with your industry. The third party payer perverts it. The normal market forces are not operating.
In 2007, Tom Fleming of Mitchell International said his company would participate in the Database Enhancement Gateway (DEG) project
And as regulators, we’re confused about your industry because you’re finger-pointing between the insurers and the auto body craftsmen.” Walsh’s comments came during a panel discussion on ethics and fraud
within the industry, a discussion that raised at least as many new questions as it answered. “If insurance companies and auto collision repairers can get together and recognize their responsibility to the insured and the customer, and work to fulfill that, that’s the only way your system can work,” Walsh said. “Because market forces are not going to get rid of businesses that aren’t doing that.” – As reported in Autobody News. 10 Years Ago in the Collision Repair Industry (October 2007) The architects of the Database Enhancement Gateway (DEG) project applauded Mitchell International’s decision to collaborate with the DEG to collect broad industry data to identify, monitor and analyze wider collision industry trends and issues. The DEG is a joint effort between the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers (AASP), the Automotive Service Association (ASA) and the
Your #1 Source for GM Collision Wholesale Parts • Free Delivery to Northern New Jersey, Rockland, Westchester, Orange and Putnam Counties in New York and the Bronx
• Register with Cadillac of Mahwah to Receive an Introductory Discount on Your GM Parts Order
• A “Bump the Competition Conquest” Dealer
• Extensive Inventory of Genuine GM Parts
201.579.6497
Parts Hours: Mon. - Fri. 7:30am - 5pm Sat. 8am - 3pm
201.579.6506 FAX
www.cadillacofmahwah.com
mbuksch@cadillacofmahwah.com
56 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
319 Route 17 North // Mahwah, NJ 07430
Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS). It aims to create a single industry website to submit requests for reviews when technicians question the accuracy or a labor time or identify missing, incomplete or incorrect data within any one of the three information providers’ estimating products. It also would allow users to view responses from the database providers.
In 2007, Darrell Amberson worked to help establish the Database Enhancement Gateway as a representative of the Automotive Service Association. He is currently president of operations for Minnesota-based LaMettry s Collision
“Mitchell welcomes the formation of the DEG project as a vehicle for the collision repair industry to voice concerns and issues about sourced data,” said Tom Fleming, vice president of
industry relations for Mitchell. “Mitchell’s announcement is very good news,” said Darrell Amberson, a member of the ASA database task force. “We met with all three information providers in June, and there was some hesitancy on their part because we are in effect critiquing their service tool.” CCC Information Services is also supporting the project, while Audatex appears to be taking more of a waitand-see attitude to be certain the project makes sense for its business. – As reported in Auto Body Repair News. All three estimating system providers were eventually onboard with the DEG, and today the DEG website (www.DEGweb.org) now has a database of more than 11,000 inquiries (to which the information providers have responded) about labor times and other elements of the estimating systems. Fleming retired from Mitchell in 2010 after 25 years with the company.
5 Years Ago in the Collision Repair Industry (October 2012) Florida shop owner Ray Gunder received affirmative responses this month to two complaints he filed about non-
INSIST ON GENUINE GM PARTS
OEM parts certified by the Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA). CAPA acknowledged that it found fit problems with a front bumper cover for the 2010 Chevrolet Impala and that it has notified the Taiwanese manufacturer, Y.C.C. Auto Parts, of the “nonconformances” and “will work with the manufacturer in order to verify that the deficiencies have been corrected.” CAPA said it similarly found fit problems with a TYG Products rear bumper cover for the 2002 Honda Accord, has decertified the lot of those parts, and will work with that manufacturer as well to ensure the problems are corrected. – As reported in CRASH Network (www.CrashNetwork.com), October 29, 2012. Gunder, who also was an outspoken critic of many insurance company practices, filing dozens of lawsuits against insurers over the past decade, sold his Lakeland, FL, business to Car Guys Collision Repair this summer.
FREE
4x Monthly E-Newsletter.
www.autobodynews.com
CAPA Releases New Online Complaint Form
The Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA), a leader in aftermarket part certification, announced the release of its updated online complaint form. In response to market feedback, users now have the ability to upload and submit complaint part photos through CAPA’s website. CAPA’s unique complaint program was developed over twentyfive years ago, to allow the market to provide input on the quality of CAPA Certified aftermarket parts. “CAPA continually monitors the quality of parts certified to the CAPA standard and is pro-active in soliciting industry feedback through the Quality Complaint Program. This is an important tool for investigating certified parts which do not meet customer expectations,” said Deborah Klouser, CAPA’s Director of Operations. “We encourage repair shops and all other stakeholders to report any complaints about CAPA Certified parts to CAPA.” The complaint form can be found at the CAPA website, www .capacertified.org.
ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT FIT AND FINISH • CONFIDENCE • WARRANTY • Internet Based National Parts Locator • Over 2 Million in inventory • 40,000 sq/ft. Warehouse • 30,000 Part Numbers in-Stock • Fleet of 16 Wholesale Delivery Trucks GPS-Equipped
• Snap-On Electronic Parts Catalog • Experienced and Accurate Sales Staff • Competitive Discounts • Liberal No-Hassle Return Policy • GM Bump the Competition Conquest Program • OE CollisionLink Dealer
Call our Parts Dept. for more information:
The Right Part, The Right Price, at The Right Time!
800-982-2298 24 Hr. Fax:
Parts Hours:
M-F 8am - 5pm
508-879-1212
218 Turnpike Rd., Southboro, MA 01772 www.autobodynews.com | OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 57
180BIZ Webinar Focuses on ABCs of Employee Retention owners and managers have on the work environment, and creating strategies that foster an environment of trust, engagement and respect. White then corrected himself and instead identified employees as team members, since the word “employee” introduces a hierarchy, and people want to work with others, not for them, and know they’re part of something that makes a difference. A company’s culture is determined by how team members are made to feel at work, and while all companies have a culture, most are created by circumstances and reactions, whereas White encouraged attendees to create a company culture intentionally. White warned that team members
by Chasidy Rae Sisk
On August 30, 180BIZ’s Rick White taught a one-hour webinar on “The ABCs of Employee Retention,” during which 25 collision repair industry professionals learned some helpful tips on retaining good employees. White began, “A lot of attention is placed on finding and hiring the best employees, but the reason that’s necessary is because someone left. Good people leave because of managers, so we are going to look at ways to keep employees engaged and committed.” White defined the course’s objectives as identifying ways to keep the best employees, realizing the impact
BASF Glasurit Paint on Winning Porsche at Pebble Beach A 1952 Porsche 356 Reutter Cabriolet restored by Road Scholars, Durham, NC, won Best in Class (Post War Open) at the Concours d’Elegance in Pebble Beach, CA. This is only the second time a Porsche has won its class in a nonPorsche class. “Winning Pebble is the top of the mountain in the Concours d’Elegance world,” said Cam Ingram, owner of Road Scholars. “It’s like winning the Super Bowl. The last time a Porsche
1952 Porsche 356 Reutter Cabriolet -Best in Class (Post War Open) at the 2017 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Painted with Glasurit 55 Line in Fashion Grey
won Best in Class was in 2011 with the 1950 356 Gmund Coupe we restored.”
can smell a gimmick, which will make them feel undervalued and unappreciated. Instead, shop owners should strive to create an environment that fosters trust, inclusivity and respect. “People want to do work that matters for people who care about them,” White said. “Your staff members are internal customers who are there to help your external customers. Make your team your first priority, and you’ll create an environment where people come and never leave.” White worked his way through the alphabet, explaining how to create this type of culture. “Appreciating team members” was the first step to workplace im-
provements. White stressed the importance of development, goals, training and mentorship as well as balance with personal lives and having fun at work. Questions help managers understand their team members’ thoughts, and creating a dialogue makes them feel valuable. White concluded, “The biggest challenge is taking time to create a culture. You’ll be met with suspicion, so you have to be patient and show team members they really matter. What you want, you must first give. There are great people out there, and if you create the right culture where they want to come and stay, no one can lure them away!”
The 1952 Porsche is painted Fashion Grey in Glasurit 55 Line, which was the original color when the car was produced. “We love the finish and quality of Glasurit products,” said Ingram. “We use Glasurit paint because Porsche used it during production.” Only 294 Cabriolets were made in 1952. “We are so proud of Road Scholars and this history-making win, and want to thank them for being such a dedicated Glasurit customer,” said Dan
Bihlmeyer, BASF North America Marketing Director, Automotive Refinish. “Glasurit continues to set the standard for quality finishes.” BASF's Automotive Refinish business makes and markets coatings for the collision repair, commercial fleet and automotive specialty markets. Its paint products are supported by technical training programs, advanced color information systems and business management and planning tools.
* Large Inventory of Genuine Mercedes-Benz and Sprinter Parts * Free DailyDelivery to DE, NJ, MD and PA * Attentive and Professional Service. Call our Wholesale Parts Experts for All Your Repair and Collision Parts Needs
GENUINE PARTS
Mercedes-Benz of Wilmington
TOLL FREE PARTS:
800-800-1949 800-800-1949 PARTS PART PA RTS LOCAL LO L OC CA AL DIRECT: AL DIIR D RE ECT CT:
FAX: FAX FA X::
302-995-5030 302-995-5030
302-995-5033 302-995-5033
www.mbofwilmington.com parts@mbofwilmington.com 58 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Hours: Mon. - Fri. 7:30 am - 5:00 pm Sat. 8:00 am - 2:00 pm 3801 Lancaster Pike / Wilmington, DE 19805
LYNN ES HY UNDA I S E RV I CE , S E LE C TI O N AND V ALUE S I NCE 1 9 5 3
Delivering to the New Jersey area. Genuine Hyundai parts are built to the same standards as Hyundai vehicles. It’s no wonder they’re the driving force behind the most exhilarating vehicle on the road.
Large delivery fleet of 7 trucks for no-hassle deliveries
Parts: 800-782-7597 Email: John@lynnes.com
www.lynneshyundai.com
Hours: M-F 7:30am - 6pm, Sat 7:30am - 5pm 401 Bloomfield Ave. | Bloomfield, NJ 07003
LYNN ES N IS S A N E A S T S E RV I CE , S E LE C TI O N AND V ALUE S I NCE 1 9 5 3
Delivering to the New Jersey area. Genuine Nissan parts are built to the same standards as Nissan vehicles. It’s no wonder they’re the driving force behind the most exhilarating vehicle on the road.
GENUINE SERVICE & PARTS
7 experienced countermen ready to serve
Parts: 800-782-7597 Email: John@lynnes.com
www.lynnesnissan.com
Hours: M-F 7:30am - 6pm, Sat 7:30am - 5pm 318 Bloomfield Ave. | Bloomfield, NJ 07003
LYNNES S U BA RU S E RV I C E , S E LE C TI O N AND V ALUE SI NC E 1 9 5 3
Delivering to the New Jersey area. Genuine Subaru parts are built to the same standards as Subaru vehicles. It’s no wonder they’re the driving force behind the most exhilarating vehicle on the road.
Participating in:
Parts: 800-782-7597 Email: John@lynnes.com
www.lynnessubaru.com
Hours: M-F 7:30am - 6pm, Sat 7:30am - 5pm 318 Bloomfield Ave. | Bloomfield, NJ 07003
www.autobodynews.com | OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 59
Driven Brands’ President Resigns: Industry Awaits News of Successor
by Stacey Phillips
Following the departure of Jose Costa as president of Driven Brands Paint & Collision Group in August, employees and industry professionals have been awaiting the news of his successor. Costa left the company to “pursue other opportunities,” according to Deborah Robinson, director of corporate communications for Driven Brands, which comprises CARSTAR, Maaco and Drive N Style, a smaller mobile interior company. Originally from Venezuela, Costa joined Maaco in 2013 and headed the auto paint and collision repair provider for the next two years. During this time, he was fea-
tured on the Emmy Award-winning reality series Undercover Boss in January 2015, in which corporate executives go undercover in their businesses. Later that year, Driven Brands acquired CARSTAR Auto Body Repair Experts in the United States and CARSTAR Canada. Costa was named head of Driven Brands’ Paint & Collision Division. “The company remains committed to growing our business,” said Robinson. This includes increasing the number of CARSTAR locations to 1,000, as well as strengthening the Maaco brand. In March, Maaco celebrated the opening of its 500th North American store located in Dallas, TX.
Chief® Introduces the MultiMig 190 Welder for Mild Steel Repairs Chief® rounds out its welding lineup with the new MultiMig 190 welder, an entry-level model for low-carbon steel welding. The 220-volt transformer-based welder has the power to perform both structural and sheet metal repairs. With three control dials for wire speed, temperature and time, plus a built-in wire speed and temperature reference chart, the MultiMig 190 is easy to operate. The unit is mounted on an integrated cart for easy mobility around the shop, and comes fully assembled. “Many shops frown on 110-volt welders because they lack the power necessary for proper steel structural repair welding. Since a good portion
of the 250 million cars on the road today still contain mild steel, our customers were clamoring for an affordable 220-volt welder like the MultiMig 190 that they could devote to simple steel repairs,” said Mickey Swartz, vice president of global product management for Chief parent company Vehicle Service Group (VSG). “With the MultiMig 190 added to our equipment portfolio, Chief now offers a full range of welders, from basic up to the most state-of-the-art inverter/pulse welders for aluminum welding and brazing.” The MultiMig 190 comes with a welding torch and grounding cable, so it is immediately ready to start welding 0.6 to 0.8 mm steel weld wire.
TV Personality Jessi Combs Credits WyoTech
WyoTech graduate Jessi Combs is a television personality and car customizer who was co-host of the Spike TV show “Xtreme 4x4” from 2005 to 2009. She also appeared on the automotive TV shows “Overhaulin’” (with Chip Foose), “The List: 1,001 Car Things To Do Before You Die” and “All Girls Garage.” In 2004, she graduated from WyoTech (Wyoming Technical Institute) at the top of her class in the Collision & Refinishing Core Program, as well as the Street Rod Fabrication and Custom Fabrication and High Performance Powertrain programs. While a student at WyoTech, she appeared on one episode of “Overhaulin’.” The WyoTech marketing department hired her to build a car from the ground up in six months to debut at the Specialty Equipment Marketing Association’s (SEMA) show. This was her first professional job. On Sept. 8, Jessi Combs posted the following on her Instagram account: “@wyotech_edu is definitely still open and better than ever. Quality over quantity and education over $$. Lots of good things happening!” As a professional driver, Combs
OURCE PARTS S YOUR KIA
also races in several events and has experienced many accomplishments. She drove the North American Eagle (NaE) Supersonic Speed Challenger at the Alvord desert, claiming the women’s 4-wheel land speed record with an official run of 398.954 mph and a top speed of 440.709 mph in 2013. In 2007, a large piece of machinery fell on Jessi and fractured her spine while in her studio. Doctors predicted her life to be wheelchair-bound, but thankfully she made a full recovery. One of her latest projects is offering welding demonstrations. She appeared at Mayfair Park in Lakewood, CA, as part of the Stampede Car Show in August. The event was part of her Real Deal Workshoppes, a program she founded that supports women seeking to learn the automotive welding trade. Wyoming Technical Institute, (Wyotech), was founded in 1966 as an automotive-themed school, offering programs in automotive repair. WyoTech is nationally accredited and has locations in Wyoming, Pennsylvania and Florida. Programs in Marine Technology, and Motorcycle Technology are also offered as well as automotive.
The right part makes the difference.
Remy Donates to AACF to Help Industry Members Rebuild from Major Hurricanes
Remy Power Products has made a $10,000 donation to the Automotive Aftermarket Charitable Foundation (AACF) to help auto care industry members rebuild in the aftermath of the recent hurricanes. “Our hearts go out to the people who are suffering through the utter devastation caused by these catastrophic hurricanes,” said Dave Nichols, president of Remy Power Products. “We made this donation to the Automotive Aftermarket Charitable Foundation to show our support for fellow industry members who may have lost their homes, belongings and businesses, as they begin the
rebuilding process.” The AACF assists individuals and families of the automotive aftermarket who have fallen on hard times due to death, catastrophic illness, accident or disaster, and have exhausted all other available resources in maintaining a reasonable existence. In the days since the hurricane hit, the AACF has set up a program to specifically help those members of the industry who are victims of this tragic event. For donation to the Automotive Aftermarket Charitable Foundation or to seek assistance for someone in need, visit www.aacfi .org.
60 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Yonkers Kia • Genuine Kia OEM Parts • Fast & Free Delivery
www.yonkerskia.com • Efficient Service on All Orders • Fax Your Order Today
914.268.0279
Fax: 914.652.7665
Hours: Mon-Thur 7:30am- 8pm / Fri 7:30am-7pm / Sat 8am-5pm 1840 Central Park Ave. • Yonkers, NY 10710
FAIRFIELD AUTO COLLECTION Ph:
877-955-7278
A
PENSKE AUTOMOTIVE GROUP
Mercedes-Benz of Fairfield
Genuine Mercedes-Benz Parts. The Right Price, Right Now, From a Trusted Partner • Twice Daily Deliveries - Same Day Delivery on Stocked Items • Our Wholesale Department is committed to getting you the Genuine Parts you need so you can repair your customers Mercedes-Benz as fast and as possible • Join our Growing List of Satisfied Customers
Call us Today! Parts Dept. FAX
203-367-7030
203-330-2830
www.mercedesbenzoffairfield.com email: jrackliffe@penskeautomotive.com
Hours: Mon-Fri 7:30-5; Sat 8-3 450 Scofield Ave., Fairfield, CT 06825
Audi Genuine Parts Make Your Repairs Easier. • Professional, Knowledgeable and Attentive Staff Ready to Help You. • Competitive Pricing and Discounts. • As Our Customer, you Have Access to the Audi Technical Support Hotline.
Audi Fairfield 435 Commerce Dr., Fairfield, CT 06825 Phone: 877-955-7278 Fax: 203.330.7275 Hours: Mon. – Fri. 7:30am – 5:30pm / Sat. 8am – 3pm www.audifairfield.com ffldporders@penskeautomotive.com
Porsche of Fairfield #1 Genuine Porsche Parts Source in Connecticut Call us Today! Parts Dept. • We Stock Remanufactured Porsche Parts • Connecticut’s only “Premier Porsche Dealer” • Experience the Excellence 100% Porsche Don’t Settle for Less
FAX
877-955-7278
203-330-7275
www.porscheoffairfield.com email: ffldporders@penskeautomotive.com
Hours: Mon-Fri 7:30-5; Sat 8-3 475 Commerce Dr., Fairfield, CT 06825
www.autobodynews.com | OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 61
YourMechanic Announces New Chief Technology Officer
YourMechanic, the leading national team, where he is responsible for daily mobile car repair network, recently operations, recruitment, and execution welcomed Russ Muzzolini as Chief of strategic initiatives to create technolTechnology Officer (CTO). ogy-based solutions that deliver best-in“I am passionate about the oppor- class service. tunity to build a business that Prior to joining YourMeour mechanics and customers chanic, Muzzolini served as love to use,” said Muzzolini. CTO at Spire Global, Inc., a “This is an exciting time to satellite-powered data comjoin the team. YourMechanic pany. Under his leadership is changing the auto repair Spire designed, manufactured, industry by building a new and launched 30 nano-satelcategory in the automotive lites operating in low-earth service market.” orbit. This initiative included Russ Muzzolini Muzzolini is an expericreating systems to operate enced leader in software development, and communicate with the satellite fleet agile business scaling, and talent acqui- via a global network of ground stations. sition and retention. As CTO, Muzzolini Muzzolini also oversaw the developleads YourMechanic’s engineering ment of software for the fleet that per-
Richard Rawlings of “Fast N’ Loud” Has New TV Series Gas Monkey Garage is an auto restoration service in Dallas, TX, owned by Richard Rawlings. Rawlings will help garage owners make their businesses more profitable with his new TV series, “Garage Rehab,” scheduled to premiere on August 30 at 9 p.m. on the Discovery Channel. The show will include Russell J. Holmes as project manager and Chris Stephens as garage designer.
The crew will take over a garage for a short time, making all the business decisions with the goal of increasing profits. Rawlings, a native of Fort Worth, TX, was a firefighter, police officer and paramedic. He eventually left those jobs to open Gas Monkey Garage, a world-renowned hot rod shop that has produced cars for people around the world. Richard is a veteran of transcontinental road
forms multi-source data aggregation, storage, analytics, and data services for a range of customer use cases. He remains an Advisor to Spire. Muzzolini also worked at Shutterfly, a company he joined the same year it was founded. Over a tenure spanning more than a decade, he was instrumental in the growth of the business from an ecommerce startup offering a single product to a public company. At Shutterfly, he started as a senior software engineer and held positions of increasing responsibility, including Vice President of Engineering. In this role he built and led a multi-location software engineering team that was responsible for the image rendering and software systems
rallies, and won the Gumball 3000 and the Bullrun twice. He is the current world record holder in the Cannonball Run, having broken the record that stood since 1979. He covered the 2,811 miles from New York to Los Angeles in 31 hours and 59 minutes with an average speed of 87.6 miles per hour. FAST N’ LOUD had a very popular run on the Discovery Channel.
that generated more than $650 million in annual revenue. He earned a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Saskatchewan. Outside of work, Muzzolini enjoys winemaking, playing music in bands, and working on cars, including a 1971 Pontiac GTO that was given to him by his father on his 16th birthday. “YourMechanic is excited to welcome Russ to our team,” said Anthony Rodio, President and CEO of YourMechanic. “His experience with scaling highly talented teams and developing technical solutions to enable rapid business growth complement our strategic vision for the future of YourMechanic.”
“Garage Rehab” is predicted to be another huge hit. Sign up to have your garage considered for the show visit: discovery.com/garage-rehab-casting For more information on Gas Monkey Garage visit: gasmonkeygarage.com/the-show For more information on Garage Rehab visit: discovery.com/tv-shows/garage-rehab
aSuperior a Superior Service aHuge Fleet of Delivery Vans aHighly Competitive Discounts aOver 30 Years Experience and $1 Million Inventory VIP Honda 700 Rt. 22 East N. Plainfield, NJ 07060
Start something special. 62 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
PH FX
908.753.1680 908.753.5135
www.viphonda.com
Mon-Fri 7:30am-6:00pm Sat 8:00am-3:00pm
Allstate and Travelers Likely Spared From Worst Hurricane Irma, Harvey Damages
Continued from Page 54
The back-to-back natural catastrophes of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma are proving to be little more than a minor calamity to the U.S. insurance industry, with big providers like Allstate Corp. and Travelers Cos. now projected to handle claims without even suffering a quarterly loss. Allstate, the biggest publicly traded U.S. property and casualty insurer by revenue, is likely to post a third-quarter profit of $0.84 a share, even after incurring roughly $1 billion of losses from Harvey, Irma and other disasters during the quarter, Credit Suisse analyst Ryan Tunis wrote in a recent report. The estimate came a day after Travelers, the third-biggest property insurer, said it expected $375 million to $750 million of losses from Hurricane Harvey. While the company made no announcement regarding Irma claims, the company is still likely to have a profitable third quarter, with earnings per share of $0.26, according to Credit Suisse’s Tunis. “Overall losses are expected to be both manageable and within modeled expectations,” Meyer Shields, an insurance analyst with the brokerage firm Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, wrote
63 would increase annual profits by $13,104,” he said. In terms of parts gross profit, using a benchmark of 25 percent would equate to $270,000 using $1,080,000 as an average for annual part sales. Shoemaker said that by increasing the percentage by 1 to 26 would bring an additional profit of $10,800. “I call it organic growth,” said Shoemaker. Rather than bringing in more cars to increase a shop’s sales numbers, he said shops can increase profits with the current work they have. “By looking at the small number rather than the big number, you can very steadily and sensibly grow your business,” he said. This article was based on a presentation by John Shoemaker, business development manager for BASF Automotive Refinish Coatings. For more information, email: john.a.shoemaker @basf.com.
by Bradley Keoun, TheStreet
in a report. The insurance industry’s ability to weather two of the worst storms in U.S. history without money-losing quarters shows how the companies have managed to adjust their underwriting in recent decades to minimize exposure to hurricane-prone areas—while pushing the riskiest policies onto state- or federal-backed entities such as the National Flood Insurance Program. Insured losses related to Harvey are likely to total $20 billion to $30 billion, according to Keefe Bruyette, even though some forecasters put the total damage estimate north of $100 billion. Harvey pounded the Houston area and parts of the Texas Gulf coast with more than 4 feet of rain after making landfall August 25, causing calamitous flooding. Irma battered Florida with strong wind, storm surges and heavy rainfall after originally coming ashore. One mitigating factor on claims, according to Tunis, is that mandatory evacuations in Florida in advance of Hurricane Irma’s landfall meant many vehicles were removed from affected areas before they could be flooded in the storm surge or heavy downpours. Some of the insurers also are covered by reinsurance, a type of backstop policy that primary insurance companies
buy from third parties such as Bermudabased XL Group Ltd. Indeed, insurers’ stock prices have already recovered much of their losses since the week of Sept. 3, when Irma was threatening to make landfall near Miami and destroy pricey Atlantic beachfront properties. Allstate shares, despite losing 3.5 percent in the past month, are still up 22 percent on the year. On Sept. 13, they slid 1.3 percent to $90.68. Progressive Corp., the fourthbiggest U.S. property insurer, is likely to suffer combined losses of $700 million from the two storms, saddling it with a third-quarter loss of $0.06 a share, according to Credit Suisse’s Tunis. Even so, the company is projected to remain profitable for the full year, at $1.85 a share. While most auto coverage includes damage from flooding, the analyst wrote that many of Progressive’s policies in Florida are probably “substandard,” meaning they don’t cover floods. A “modest risk” for the companies, according to KBW’s Shields, is that the industry could face political pressure to make payments to uninsured flood victims. We thank TheStreet for reprint permission.
The ‘Power of One’
www.autobodynews.com
Start Fixing “The Right Way” InvertaSpot InvvertaSpot GT Fully Fully Automatic Spot Spo ot Welder Developed De eveloped According Acccording to Car Manufacturers M Specifications. S
RAE
Reliable Automotive Equipment, Inc.
See Us at SEMA #10975 The Approved Appproved Rivet Gun • One Tool Does it All. • Has the Most OEM Approvals. Approvalls.
Phone: 732-495-7900 Fax: 732-495-7904 Visit us on Facebook > www.facebook.com/ReliableAutomotiveEquipment www.autobodynews.com | OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 63
Original Thought #78
YOU ONLY GET ONE CHANCE AT THE FIRST REPAIR.
MARYLAND
BMW of Bel Air Bel Air 844-581-2752 443-640-1234 Fax parts@bmwbelair.com
BMW of Catonsville Catonsville 855-996-2906 410-818-2600 Fax M-F 8am-5pm
www.bmwofcatonsville.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
NEW HAMPSHIRE BMW of Stratham Stratham 800-989-5200 603-772-9436 Fax
jmaxwell@group1auto.com www.bmwofstratham.com
NEW JERSEY
BMW of Freehold Freehold 732-462-6286 732-577-0518 Fax M-F 8am-6pm Sat 8am-4pm
www.bmwoffreehold.com
64 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
BMW of Morristown Morristown 866-9-BMW PARTS 973-796-3146 Fax M-F 8am-6pm
Flemington BMW Flemington 877-NJPARTS 877-657-2787 908-782-1795 Fax
BMW of Newton Newton 973-579-6020 973-579-6702 Fax M-F 8am-5:30pm
Park Ave. BMW South Hackensack 888-349-5168 201-291-2376 Fax M-F 8am-5pm Sat 8am-4pm
wholesaleparts.bmw@openroad.com www.bmwofmorristown.com
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
www.NJPARTS.com
al@parkavebmw.com www.parkavebmw.com
NEW YORK
BMW of Bayside Bayside 516-304-3733 516-570-4268 Fax M-Sat 8am-5pm
bmwparts@bmwbayside.com www.bmwbayside.com
• Original BMW Parts & Accessories BMW of South Albany Glenmont 518-465-1724 518-463-2422 Fax M-Th 7:30am-5:30pm Fri 7:30am-5pm Sat 8am-4pm
bmwparts@bmwofsouthalbany.com www.bmwofsouthalbany.com
Competition BMW St James 631-724-3322 631-265-0501 Fax M-F 8am-5pm Sat 8am-4pm
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
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 | OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 65
More than Half of Vehicle Owners Think Self-Driving Cars Are a “Good Idea” In a recently released study about autonomous vehicles, automotive marketing consulting firm AutoPacific found that 54 percent of vehicle owners think that self-driving vehicles are a “good idea,” and 23 percent are interested in owning one.
omy find the ability to relax or be more productive during their drive appealing, yet are also interested in being able to be in a more comfortable seating position. Interest, however, doesn’t come without concerns. Rejectors and acceptors alike share con-
“The incremental roll-out of autonomous driving through feature implementation is essential to its success” — Daniel Hall
The study contains results from more than 900 vehicle owners who were asked about various aspects of self-driving vehicles, and also explores consumer opinions, expectations and the role of semi-autonomous features. “The automobile is moving toward increasingly autonomous technology, from lane departure warning systems to cars that can completely drive themselves,” says AutoPacific president George Peterson. “AutoPacific set out to explore consumer opinions to help auto manufacturers navigate the best path to maximum customer acceptance.” Consumers interested in auton-
cerns over vehicle hacking and still want the ability to take over controls if needed.
The Road to Acceptance According to the study, consumers who reject autonomous vehicles do so mainly because they are uncomfortable not being in control of the vehicle and have concerns over reliability. While there will be early adopters of the technology, many vehicle buyers will wait until they see more market penetration, read reviews, hear from friends, and see safety statistics. “Consumers want proof,” says Peterson. “Many consumers like to see technology in action to know that
it’s [been] tested and proven. They read reviews. They pay attention to ratings. They want to know that a selfdriving vehicle is reliable and safe.” Seventy percent of autonomous vehicle rejectors say proven technology is needed for them to reconsider their interest, and 38 percent say their consideration would increase if selfdriving cars prove to be safer for all drivers, occupants and pedestrians.
The Role of Autonomous Features The continued implementation of autonomous features in vehicles of all types will also play a role in increasing consumer confidence and interest in fully autonomous vehicles. AutoPacific’s study finds that acceptors of autonomous vehicles are more likely to currently have autonomous features, such as active lane keeping assist and forward collision intervention, on their vehicle. “The incremental roll-out of autonomous driving through feature implementation is essential to its success,” says Daniel Hall, vice president at AutoPacific. “Many who reject the idea are rejecting full autonomy, yet consumer interest in autonomous features, such as collision intervention and automatic parking is
high, even for rejectors of full autonomy.”
Changing the Vehicle Ownership Model The AutoPacific study also looks at consumer acceptance of a self-driving vehicle service—similar to Uber or Lyft, but one that would pick them up on demand in an autonomous vehicle. Results show that 19 percent of vehicle owners would be interested in using a self-driving vehicle service – just 4 percentage points less than the interest in owning a self-driving vehicle. Consumers interested in a selfdriving vehicle service are mainly influenced by the ability to get to their destination despite limitations due to age, disability or impairment. While interested consumers are not yet willing to completely give up vehicle ownership for a reliable self-driving vehicle service, the potential future change to the ownership model is interesting. “Services like Uber and Lyft have already opened the door for hiring rather than owning a vehicle,” says Hall. “If the future also offers a reliable, self-driving vehicle service, we may see a significant change in the traditional ownership model.”
Graveyard Carz Reports Alleged Theft and Illegal Sale of SEMA 2016 Plymouth Barracuda
Mark Worman, the producer and director of the reality car restoration TV show “Graveyard Carz” on the Velocity network, reported the following through the “Graveyard Carz” Facebook account on August 24: “We believe the SEMA ‘Cuda VIN BH23G1B181333 OR License SEMA16, has been moved from the dirt floor-pole barn, pictured earlier this week, and has likely been sold. Our investigators have discovered that the car was purchased by someone in Colorado.” The 1971 Barracuda made its debut in the Mopar booth at SEMA 2016. The builders were Dave Rea and Mark Worman, known as cast members of “Graveyard Carz.” It was a very popular attraction at SEMA. OER Restoration Parts was the source of more than 350 of the parts. The bright green ‘Cuda has a modern 392 Hemi with a six-speed Tremec transmission, supplied by Silver Sport Transmissions. Built by “Graveyard Carz” and Magnum Force Race Car Fabrication, it also has a six-speed Magnum transmission. Additionally, the post stated: “Anyone who knows this person
or of the car’s location, please email our investigation task force at recoverysystem.or@gmail.com. For those of you who suggest this is a publicity stunt, you’re dead wrong. This is real. Our car was taken and we want it back.” Fans of the show showed support through their comments on the Facebook post, such as “I believe there’s a better than average chance of recovery–since this car has had a lot of publicity and fame,” and “Hope you guys find your car! Shared in Ohio,” and “Hope you get it back intact. A ton of hard work went into that car and it came out awesome!” The Facebook post also said: “We have a court order to support that this is real. We just want our car back. This will not be discussed in the show, we’re not capitalizing on our loss in any way.” Autobody News will follow up with breaking news updates on this story. Stay tuned. For more information on “Graveyard Carz,” visit: www.graveyardcarz.com
66 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Choose Original MINI Parts. maryland
Pennsylvania
MINI of Baltimore
MINI of Allentown
Towson 855-578-9902 (410) 363-7158 Fax parts@minibaltimore.com MINIBALTIMORE.COM
Allentown 610-820-2985 (610) 336-8125 Fax M-F 7:30-5:30 parts@danielsbmw.com
The Dealers Above Are Original MINI Parts Distributors ©2017 MINI, a division of BMW of North America, LLC. The MINI name, model names and logo are registered trademarks.
Wholesale Parts Network Our knowledgeable and helpful parts professionals want to earn your business and will provide you with the highest level of customer friendly service.
• We W stock over $2,000,000 in collision collllis ision & mechanical parts • We deliver throughout Massachusetts, W Massachus usetts, Rhode Island and New N Hampshire every day • Our O reputation is built on providingg you the best SERVICE • Save Sav S ave time, improve profits and keep ep your y customers loyal • Place any order on line with our parts order Pla lace or form at buycolonial.com buy ycolonial.com • Daily Dai aily ly shipping available throughout New England EEng ngla land nd and and the the Northeast • Joinn our growing list of satisfied customers
Colonial Ford 147 Samoset St., Plymouth, MA 02360 Ph: 800-233-8109 / Fx: 508-830-1658 Hours: M-F 7:30-5; Sat 7:30-4
GENUINE SERVICE & PARTS
Colonial Nissan 104 Mystic Ave. Medford, MA 02155 Ph: 781-395-3025 Fx: 781-475-5063 Hours: M-F 7:30-5 Sat 8-4
Colonial Ford of Marlboro 428 Maple St., Marlborough, MA 01752 Ph: 888-617-3599 / Fx: 508-460-3464 wtrottier@buycolonialfordmarlboro.com
Colonial Buick-GMC 66 Galen St. Watertown, MA 02472 Ph: 888-560-5337 Fx: 617-489-6875 Hours: M-F 8-5:30 Sat 8-4
North End Mazda 747 Chase Rd. (Rte.13) Lunenburg, MA 01462 Ph: 800-322-1241 Fx: 978-582-9841 Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30 Sat 8-4
Colonial Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge-Ram 24 Coolidge St. (Rte. 62), Hudson, MA 01749 Ph: 978-568-8000 / Fx: 978-562-1213 Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 www.buymoparpartsnow.com Colonial South Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge-Ram 42 State Rd., Dartmouth, MA 02747 Ph: 508-984-1900 / Fx: 774-328-9915 Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-3 ddupuis@buycolonialsouthcjd.com www.buymoparparts.com
Colonial Honda of Dartmouth 225 State Rd., Dartmouth, MA 02747
Toll Free: 888-240-2773 Parts Dir: 508-997-2919 Fx: 508-730-6578 Hours: M-Th 7-7; F 7-5:30; Sat 8-4:30 jdelcolle@buycolonialhonda.com www.hondapartswholesaledirect.com
Colonial Volkswagen 89 Turnpike Rd. (Rte. 9), Westborough, MA 01581 Ph: 888-322-6570 / Fx: 508-616-0445 Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 7:30-4
Colonial Cadillac of Woburn 201 Cambridge Rd., Woburn, MA 01801 Ph: 781-935-7009 / Fx: 781-933-7728 Hours: M, T, Th, F 7-5; W 7-8; Sat 8-4 www.buycolonialcadillac.com Colonial Chevrolet 171 Great Rd., Acton, MA 01720 Ph: 978-263-3994 / Fx: 978-263-8587 Hours: M-F 7-5; Sat 8-4 parts@colonialchevrolet.com
Colonial VW of Medford 340 Mystic Ave., Medford, MA 02155 Ph: 781-475-5208 / Fx: 781-391-3506 Hours: M-Th 7-7; F 7-5; Sat 8-4 nmedeiros@vwmedford.com
City Side Subaru 790 Pleasant St., Belmont, MA 02478 Ph: 617-826-5005 / Fx: 617-489-0733 Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 8-4 parts@citysidesubaru.com
Wellesley Volkswagen 231 Linden St., Wellesley, MA 02482 Ph: 800-228-8344 / Fx: 781-237-6024 Hours: M-F 7:30-5; Sat 7:30-4 wellesleyvwparts@aol.com Contact: Dan Bettencourt / Wholesale Parts Manager
North End Subaru 757 Chase Rd. (Rte.13), Lunenburg, MA 01462 Ph: 888-686-4387 / Fx: 978-582-9843 Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 8-4 parts@northendsubaru.com www.northendsubaru.com
Colonial South Chevrolet 361 State St., Dartmouth, MA 02747 Ph: 508-997-6711 / Fx: 508-979-1219 Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 parts@colonialsouthchevrolet.com Colonial West Chevrolet 314 John Fitch Hwy., Fitchburg, MA 01420 Ph: 978-503-7480 / Fx: 978-345-1152 Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4
www.autobodynews.com | OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 67
Charley Hutton’s Color Studio Recommends Innovative Tools & Technologies, Inc.
Charley Hutton began his custom car career at an early age, and is now widely recognized as a leading automotive fabricator and painter. Charley began his career working with the legendary Boyd Coddington, who had him work on the famous 1938 Lincoln “Led Zephyr.”
He appeared on the Discovery Channel’s “American Hot Rod” as Boyd’s body shop supervisor. In 2004, Hutton joined another legendary team, Foose Design, led by automotive icon Chip Foose. When working with Foose design, Charley worked on his first Ridler car, the 1936 Ford “Impression.” He also worked with Rad Rides by Troy, joining Troy and his team to work on the 1936 Ford “First Love.” In 2009, Charley, along with his wife, Teri, opened Charley Hutton’s Color Studio in Nampa, ID.
Charley has appeared on the automotive TV shows “Overhaulin’” and “Chasing Classic Cars.” He now makes personal appearances around the United States and around the world at automotive events. One of Charley’s favorite tool companies is Innovative Tools & Technologies in Minnesota. Recently, he demonstrated the assembly of a set of Innovative tool racks from the company for use in his studio, and shared it via social media. Innovative Tools & Technologies was founded in 1996 by Bryan Johnson. As an auto body technician for more than 21 years, he noticed the need for quality racks to hold plastic bumper covers. During his career, many shops placed the bumpers over trash barrels for painting. Bryan came up with a better way to support and secure bumpers during the repair and paint process by creating the SuperStand. This was the first of many innovative products, hence the name of the company. Currently, more than 275,000 Innovative products are in use throughout the U.S. and worldwide. Innovative’s customers range from small shops to large corporations to do-it-yourself individuals.
All New SEM Website Delivers ‘Best in Class’ Experience
SEM Products, Inc. unveils its new website with simplified navigation, powerful imagery, and amplified search tools to deliver a best in class experience, just like its products.
“We’re committed to delivering an exceptional SEM experience. Our products are engineered to the highest of standards. By extension, it’s critical our website delivers an exceptional customer experience as well,” says Andy Lewis, Director of Marketing. “The rapid consolidation within collision has created a new, more tech savvy, info-hungry consumer. Additionally, mobile has become an increasingly critical component of PBE’s digital space. We made the investment to ensure an industry leading .com exceeds the evolving information needs of our customers.” Visitors can easily drill into the specifics they seek via categories,
brands, or markets. Filtering and sorting tools quickly refine searches further. Product detail pages include every corresponding resource available, including the TDS, SDS, SOP, literature, how-to videos, and more. The Resources tab houses five sections of assets including SOPs /videos/literature, SDS/TDS search, training information, VOC rules, and formulas. Visitors can also learn more about SEM by reading through the About Us section and interacting with the company’s historical timeline. SEM designs intelligent products to reduce repair time, steps, and waste in every application. SEM PRODUCTS.COM now reflects the company’s “Built Better” brand promise.
UPDATED DAILY www.autobodynews.com
Finish it like a Masterpiece THESE DEALERS ARE MERCEDES-BENZ GENUINE PARTS SPECIALISTS. DELAWARE
è USE GENUINE MERCEDES-BENZ PARTS.
Mercedes-Benz of Wilmington
NEW YORK
Mercedes-Benz of New Rochelle
Mercedes-Benz of Smithtown
Wilmington
New Rochelle
800-800-1949
St. James
800-581-2705
631-265-5339
302-995-5030 Parts Direct 302-995-5033 Fax M-F 7:30am - 5pm; Sat 8am - 2pm parts@mbofwilmington.com
Mercedes-Benz of Atlantic City Egg Harbor Township
609-645-9310 215-540-0263 Fax
Mercedes-Benz of Fort Washington Fort Washington
267-419-1414
914-206-3797 Fax
631-265-8146 Fax
215-540-0263 Fax
M-F 8am - 6pm; Sat 8am - 5pm parts@mbnewrochelle.com
M-F 8am - 5pm; Sat 8am - 4pm mlevantino@mbofsmithtown.com
M-F 7:30am - 6pm; Sat 7:30am - 5pm mbpartswholesale@yourmercedes.com
www.mbnewrochelle.com
www.mbofsmithtown.com
www.mbofwilmington.com
NEW JERSEY
PENNSYLVANIA
Mercedes-Benz of Rochester Rochester
585-487-4090
585-334-3457 Fax M-F 7:30am - 6pm; Sat 8am - 1pm msempert@westherr.com
M-F 7:30am - 6pm; Sat 7:30am - 5pm mbpartswholesale@yourmercedes.com 68 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Mercedes-Benz of West Chester West Chester
800-220-7278
215-540-0263 Fax M-F 7:30am - 6pm; Sat 7:30am - 5pm mbpartswholesale@yourmercedes.com
Magna Unveils MAX4 Autonomous Driving Platform The hurdles to reaching high levels of vehicle autonomy might be in infrastructure and legislation, but not necessarily in technology development. Magna is proving just that by unveiling MAX4, a fully integrated, customizable and scalable autonomous driving sensing and computing platform that can enable up to Level 4 autonomous driving capabilities in both urban and highway environments. MAX4 combines cameras, RADAR, LiDAR and ultrasonic sensors with a compute platform that are designed for easy integration with any automaker’s existing and future platforms —including hybrid and electric vehicles. Additionally, Magna’s compute platform, scalable for high-volume produc-
Continued from Page 38
Instructor Reports
said he’s sure they’ve had their hands full. “The local area businesses are very busy dealing with flooded vehicles,” Wilson said. “There is a local vehicle disaster overflow staging area for flooded vehicles just north of Kingwood that seems to get fuller by the
tion, is flexible, upgradeable and fully functional with a fraction of the power requirements of alternative solutions. Magna has leveraged its full-vehicle expertise in its design of MAX4 to overcome traditional obstacles in the development and production of an autonomous driving platform. Crucially, integration of MAX4 retains an automaker’s existing design and styling freedom for their vehicle, including not taking up cargo space in the rear of the vehicle and personal space in the main compartment. “At the heart of this development is a desire to show the market Magna’s breadth of capabilities and an autonomous driving enabling platform with subsystems that do not compromise
day.” He explained that he always includes flood damaged vehicles in the curriculum at Kingwood Park High School. “But we seldom receive live vehicles with this type damage,” Wilson said. “I create real-world scenarios with the students and how its associated with insurance and the plan and procedures dealing with it.” When Autobody News asked Wilson what supplies were needed by the
the interior and exterior of a vehicle,” said Swamy Kotagiri, Magna’s Chief Technology Officer. “Our focus is on developing production-ready solutions that offer flexibility to integrate and the framework to enable Level 4 technology for when the market is ready.” One of the targets for Magna was to simplify the way drivers engage with autonomous driving systems, including the option of an intuitive and familiar cruise-control-like user interface that is controlled through the press of a button. A lighted display indicates the vehicle is in autonomous mode, and drivers can disengage that mode via brake pedal or an emergency button. Level 4 automation, according to SAE International, includes vehicles
collision repair program, he recommended the following items for donation: ● paint toners ● consumables like hardeners and reducers ● tapes and masking materials ● GFS paint booth filters ● DeVilbiss airline filtration coalescing, element and dessicant filter replacement Despite the severity of the situa-
that can perform all safety-critical functions for the duration of a trip in a specified operational design domain with no input from a driver, save for destination or navigation input. To compare, most of the vehicles on the road today equipped with some automation features are classified by SAE as Level 1 or Level 2, requiring active monitoring by the driver. Magna has been developing and manufacturing autonomous technology features for automakers since the 2000s. Most recently, it showcased its Level 3 autonomous capability with a 300-mile test drive that crossed an international border, during which the vehicle drove autonomously for 92 percent of the trip.
tion, Wilson remains positive about the recovery process. “As always, everyone in the community will pull together and we will rebuild and persevere,” he said. All donations are greatly appreciated and can be sent to: Kingwood Park High School attention J L Wilson 4015 Woodland Hills Dr. Kingwood, Texas 77339
Audi dealers strive to make you an Audi Genuine Parts fan • Your Audi customers expect quality and reliability from your repairs. Help meet those expectations by installing Audi Genuine Parts. • Audi dealers are supported by a nationwide network of parts distribution centers to help ensure that non-stocked parts are delivered the next day. Installing Audi Genuine Parts from an Audi dealer is priceless to your reputation and your customers peace of mind. Order Genuine Audi Parts from these select dealers:
Connecticut
New Jersey
Valenti Audi
DCH Millburn Audi
Flemington Audi
Paul Miller Audi
Watertown 860.274.9846 860.945.4987 Fax M-F 8am-5:30pm Sat 8am - 12pm
Maplewood 800.553.9250 973.762.2381 Fax M-F 7:30am-6pm Sat 7:30am - 4pm
Flemington 877.NJPARTS 908.782.1795 Fax
Parsippany 800.356.4553 973.575.7793 973.575.5911 Fax M-F 8am-6pm; Sat 8am-5pm
AudiParts@valentiauto.com www.valentiaudi.com
ddipalma@dchusa.com www.dchmillburnaudi.com
www.paulmilleraudi.com Audiparts@paulmiller.com
New York Audi Albany Latham 518.783.5554 518.213.8182 Mon - Sat 7:30am - 6pm audiparts@audialbany.com
Audi Brooklyn of Bram Wholesale Parts Network 866.770.5999 718.392.6570 Fax 7:30am-5:30pm parts@lexusofqueens.com
Audi Southampton Southampton 631.204.2565 Tue - Sat 8am - 5pm parts@audisouthampton.com www.audisouthampton.com
www.autobodynews.com | OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 69
I-CAR® Launces New Art and Science of Estimator Interactions Course
To better equip collision repairers with the knowledge and skills they need to develop and present quality repair estimates, I-CAR® has launched a new course designed to focus specifically on exploring the Estimator Professional Development Program™ (PDP) role. The course, The Art and Science of Estimator Interactions, will allow students to participate in activities that will sharpen their skills in communication, conflict resolution, estimating, and customer service. These traits are important in the repair process as the estimator ensures that customers fully understand the work that needs to be done, and they and the insurance company approve the estimate. The topics discussed will include how to properly communicate with the customer and the insurance company, complete the estimate, and obtain estimate approval. “Knowing how to give a proper and accurate estimate, all while maintaining excellent customer service, is a key part to gaining and maintaining business profitability,” said I-CAR Director of Curriculum and Product Development Josh McFarlin.
SCRS and March Taylor Memorial Fund Award SkillsUSA Gold Medalists Tool Scholarships As the industry and mainstream media report on increasing challenges related to shortages of skilled tradespeople, the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS), the March Taylor Memorial Fund (MTMF) and Snap-on are working to make sure that those entering into the collision repair industry—and working hard to excel in it—are both recognized and rewarded for their efforts. For the third consecutive year, SCRS and MTMF have partnered to provide a $1,250 tool scholarship to each of the SkillsUSA National Championship Gold Medalists in the high school and post-secondary levels to help the recipients secure tools they can use as they enter the trade. Automotive Refinishing recipients awarded include: • Dylan Ahrndt of Ridgewater College Willmar in Minnesota
• Dylan Wertz of Vanguard Sentinal Career and Tech Center in Ohio
Collision Repair recipients awarded
include: • Joel Hartstack of Southwestern Community College in Iowa
• Second-time recipient Alan Zimmerman of Vanguard - Sentinel Career and Tech Center in Ohio.
“Snap-on is a longtime supporter of SkillsUSA,” stated Greg Rintala, National Sales Manager, Snap-on Industrial - Education Sales. “SkillsUSA, along with the technical training programs in high schools and colleges in the USA, are part of the solution to the skills gap. Teaming up with SCRS and the March Taylor Memorial Fund to give these winners the professional tools they need will ease their way to learning their craft and performing their job when they get out in the workplace. That should help them lead a successful life with a dignified career supporting themselves and their families.” “This is a way to fill a very critical gap in the future of our industry,” SCRS Chairman Kye Yeung said in a statement. “We need to get kids and their families to see trades
as a viable future, because the country needs talented, ambitious kids to fill the technical roles in working on the highly sophisticated vehicles we are presented with. We want to honor and encourage the ambition these competitors have demonstrated, and I want to see SCRS working to help students like these find really rewarding careers in our industry.” In 2016, SCRS announced the launch of the SCRS Career Center (scrs.com/jobs) intending to help students such as those awarded, to be able to post resumes and connect with employers in the industry. The SCRS Career Center was created as part of an extensive network that includes the Auto Care Association and the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA). For more information about SCRS, or to join as a member, please visit scrs.com, call toll free 1-877-8410660 or email us at info@scrs.com.
www.autobodynews.com
The Right Parts. A Perfect Fit.
Order Genuine Mazda Parts from these Parts Specialists in your area
DELAWARE
Nucar Mazda Wholesale Parts Distributors New Castle
800-633-6606 www.nucarparts.com
VIRGINIA
Brown’s Fairfax Mazda
MARYLAND
Ourisman Mazda Of Rockville Rockville
855-417-4511 Fax 240-499-2488 M-F 8-5:30; Sat 8-5
rockvilleparts@ourismanautomotive.com
www.rockvillemazda.com
Fairfax
703-385-3994 Fax 703-591-5348 M-F 7:30-6 thy.kong@brownscar.com www.brownscar.com
70 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
THESE DEALERS ARE GENUINE FORD PARTS WHOLESALE SPECIALISTS
NE W JE RS E Y
Ditschman/Flemington Ford-Lincoln-Mercury FLEMINGTON
877-NJ-PARTS 908-782-1795 Fax
Malouf Ford Lincoln Mercury NORTH BRUNSWICK
800-959-6256 732-951-1429 Fax
Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-1 fordparts@malouf.com www.maloufparts.com
INSIST ON GENUINE
GM PARTS Only Original Parts Protect The Vehicle’s Value.
CALL ANY OF THESE WHOLESALE WH PARTS DEALERS BELOW. Maryland
Massachusetts
New Jersey
New York
Criswell Chevrolet
Marty’s Buick GMC
Malouf Buick GMC
866-922-1636
800-870-7573
800-669-6256
East Syracuse Chevy
M-F 7 - 7:30; Sat 7 - 6 partssales@criswellauto.com
M-F 7:30 - 5:30; Sat 8 - 4
brucem@martysbuickgmc.com
M-F 8 - 4:30 aaiello@malouf.com
M-F 7:30-5; Sat 8-3 partsdept@esyrchevy.com
Mastria Buick Cadillac GMC
Malouf Chevrolet Cadillac
Potamkin GM
888-572-1045
800-769-6256
212-708-3127 Fax
GAITHERSBURG
301-590-1457 Local 301-670-0936 Fax
Massachusetts
Balise Chevrolet Buick GMC Business Elite SPRINGFIELD
413-233-2185 413-733-8617 Fax
KINGSTON
781-585-7570 781-585-2966 Fax
RAYNHAM
508-822-4074 Fax
M-Th 7:30 - 7:30; F 7:30 - 6 Sat 7:30 - 5 wholesale@mastria.com
M-F 8 - 5
NORTH BRUNSWICK
732-821-5410 732-821-7549 Fax
732-821-1517 Fax
M-F 8 - 4:30 jmorena@potamkincadillac.com
M-F 8 - 5 kdiperi@malouf.com
Nielsen Chevrolet
West Herr Chevrolet
716-662-7707
DOVER
973-366-1730
Long Cadillac
Cadillac of Mahwah
508-820-9322
M-Sat 7:30 - 4:30 dmarrash@nielsenchevy.com
201-579-6497
800-982-2258 508-879-1212 Fax
M-F 7:30 - 5 tschube@longauto.com
973-366-5867 Fax
201-579-6506 Fax
Open Road Chevrolet
mbuksch@cadillacofmahwah.com
800-981-9451
M-F 7 - 5
Flemington Buick Chevrolet GMC
NEW YORK CITY
212-708-3080
New Jersey MAHWAH
315-437-0878 Fax
NORTH BRUNSWICK
lvazquez@baliseauto.com
SOUTHBOROUGH
EAST SYRACUSE
315-437-5464
ORCHARD PARK
716-688-5519 Fax
M-F 7:30 - 5; Sat 8 - 4 sgraham@westherr.com
UNION
908-686-2727 908-687-4267 Fax
M-F 8 - 5; Sat 8 - 4 david.connell@openroad.com
FLEMINGTON
877-NJPARTS
877-657-2787 908-782-1795 Fax www.NJPARTS.com
www.autobodynews.com | OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 71
Don’t Settle Your Auto Insurance Claim Until You Have All The Facts
In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, insurance companies will use a bag of tricks to pressure the owners of flood and water-damaged cars into settling their insurance claims for far less money than their vehicles are really worth.
Hurricane Harvey Vehicle Claim Alert Flood and water damaged vehicles are typically declared a total loss. Insurance companies usually lowball policyholders into accepting offers for automobile storm claims that are 40 percent less than the actual value of the car, according to data in a presentation made by independent public insurance adjuster
Auto Claim Specialists to the Auto Body Association of Texas in Hurst as Hurricane Harvey first hit the state’s gulf coast. When car owners feel most vulnerable, insurance estimators use tactics to quickly settle claims with lowball offers by stating that it is “a one-time offer”. They also resort to threats of cancelling the claim or not providing a rental car. This is bad faith insurance adjusting. Do not be taken advantage of by these high pressure closing tactics by insurance companies. An estimated half-million vehicles received flood and water damage during Hurricane Harvey and its aftermath.
Advertise in our CLASSIFIED SECTION for $50 per column inch! Place an ad in our AUTOBODY MARKETPLACE section of Autobody News.
800-699-8251
ltedesco@autobodynews.com
Industry Invited to Sponsor Work Uniforms for Local High School and College Collision School Programs The collision industry is invited to help make “Back to School” more professional for its local high school
and college collision school programs by sponsoring Cintas work uniforms for students through the Collision Repair Education Foundation. Industry businesses can select the local collision school programs that they are already working with or the Education Foundation can help locate local programs for them. The work uniforms will add a new level of professionalism to programs during the 2017-2018 school year. A local collision student can be sponsored for $50 each and would be provided with a Cintas work shirt and pants. Those businesses that sponsor more than 20 uniforms for a school will have their corporate logo added as a patch to the front of the work shirts. The Collision Repair Education
MASSACHUSETTS
Liberty Subaru
Mon.-Fri. 7:30-5 tschube@longauto.com
Mon.-Fri. 7:30-6 parts@libertysubaru.com www.libertysubaru.com
Subaru of Wakefield Wakefield (781) 246-3331 (781) 587-0743 Fax
Mon.-Thur. 7-8; Fri.-Sat. 7-6 jbrown@subaruofwakefield.com www.subaruofwakefield.com NEW JERSEY
Flemington Subaru Flemington (877) 657-2787 (908) 782-1795 Fax
72 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
NEW JERSEY
Long Automotive Group Framingham (800) 982-2298 (508) 879-1212 Fax
The following dealerships are eager to serve your needs. Call your local Subaru collision parts specialist today!
Foundation will coordinate the work uniform orders and the sponsoring company will be invited to visit the school to meet the students and distribute the uniforms that they helped make possible when they arrive. Collision Repair Education Foundation Director of Development Brandon Eckenrode said, “We hear from instructors across the country that of all the support that we have been able to provide over the years, these student uniforms have made the most significant impact on collision programs. It changes the mindset of the students as they look like employed industry professionals, school administration and guests treat them with respect, and the students feel like a family. We invite you to help a local collision program in your local area by making these student uniforms possible.” Companies interested in sponsoring work uniforms for a local high school or college collision program should contact Collision Repair Education Foundation Director of Development Brandon Eckenrode at Brandon.Eckenrode@ed-foundation.org/ 847-463-5244.
Mon.-Fri. 7:30-5 bseymour@flemington.com www.njparts.com
Emerson (888) 782-9493 (201) 261-3261 Fax
Miller Subaru
Lumberton (609) 261-7844 (609) 261-7843 Fax
Mon.-Fri. 7:30-5 dseward@millertransgroup.com
CIF Rallying to Support Industry Flood Victims of Hurricane Harvey
The Collision Industry Foundation (CIF) is committed to working with all industry segments to deliver aid to victims of Hurricane Harvey. The CIF’s mission is to deliver emergency relief directly to collision repair professionals. CIF is calling on all shops, trade groups, equipment companies, paint companies, insurance companies and all other industry organizations that can assist in this relief effort. The CIF Board of Trustees has assembled a committee that will organize and facilitate the relief efforts. Michael Quinn has been appointed chair of this committee. “Michael led the industry’s relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina, as well as chaired other industry-wide charitable projects like Recycled Rides and the First Responder Emergency Extrication programs,” says Kelly Broderick, CIF Vice Chair and Vice President of Sales & Marketing with Dedoes Industries LLC. “We couldn’t have selected a better person to lead the Harvey efforts.” Within the last 48 hours, donations have started coming in from shops, individuals and companies, including: CCC Information Services,
Mitchell International and Parts Trader. We encourage others within the industry to support our efforts and donate. EVERY dollar counts and will help your fellow industry professionals! Donations can be made via collisionindustryfoundation.org, and no donation amount is too small. “We encourage all industry professionals to reach deep and make tax deductible donations to CIF so we can help those in need,” stated William Shaw, CIF chair and Director of Business Development US & Canada, PPG Automotive Refinish. “Please join us in sending our thoughts and prayers to those impacted by Hurricane Harvey. It’s time to roll up our collective sleeves and help our brothers and sisters in Texas and Louisiana.” To donate to the Hurricane Harvey Disaster Relief Fund or apply for assistance, please visit collisionindustryfoundation.org, or contact us directly at email: collisionindustryfoundation@gmail.com or Phone Toll Free (855) 424- 3243 - Direct (804) 4276982. CIF is utilizing all donations for emergency living and/or tool replacement expenses.
Collision Student of the Year Nominations due Sept. 22
The Collision Repair Education Foundation is currently accepting nominations for its “Collision Student of the Year” award. The deadline for nominations is Sept. 22, 2017.
Launched last year, the Collision Student of the Year award seeks to recognize truly outstanding students training for a career in the collision industry. Nominated students must currently be studying collision repair/refinishing at a school that has completed the Foundation’s 2017-18 Collision Repair School Solutions Survey. “We encourage instructors who would like to recognize the academic achievement, collision repair and refinish training success and drive of their best students to submit nominations for the award,” said Melissa Marscin, Director of Operations/Administration for the Foundation. Instructors who would like to nominate a student can download a nomination form from the Foundation’s website.
(www.collisioneducationfoundation .org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/ 2017-Student-of-the-Year-AwardApplication.pdf) In addition to an instructor endorsement, students must submit a one-minute video to the Foundation explaining his/her academic and collision course achievements, future plans for his/her career, and why he/she enjoys being in the collision industry. Winners of the Collision Student of the Year award and their instructors must be able to attend the Foundation’s reception on Oct. 31 at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, NV. The award will cover two nights of hotel each for the instructor and for the student, airfare (or mileage if driving), and meals.
LIKE US US ON
FACEBOOK : Autobody News
www.autobodynews.com | OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 73
Estify Adds Industry Veteran Toan Nguyen to Executive Team
Estify, the software company that is bringing efficiency and innovation to the collision repair industry, recently announced the appointment of Toan Nguyen as CIO/CTO/CSO. As Estify’s chief technologist, Nguyen will oversee the continued development of the company’s core products, Estify Transfer and Estify Pro, which simplify the rekeying process and generate repair plans that align with Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) documentation, respectively. He will be responsible for spearheading projects and cultivating strategies that cement Estify’s position as a forward-thinking industry leader. “Core to Estify’s success is our laser-focus on ensuring we have a world-class technology team that can very quickly understand the unique challenges of our partners and create technology to anticipate the needs of our rapidly changing industry,” says Estify CEO Rochelle Thielen. “Toan has become one of the best-recognized technology leaders in our industry by creating ‘first-of-its-kind’ technology and fostering industrywide collaborations that have been responsible for advancing major breakthroughs for repairers. We are
CREF Fundraiser Co-Hosted by PPG Raises $120,000
elated to have him at the helm of our technology and strategy team going forward.” An automotive industry veteran, Nguyen has spent 14 years in executive roles in the automotive space, where he has focused on application development, software and hardware engineering, big data analytics, and cloud computing. He joins Estify after an illustrious career at ABRA Auto Body & Glass in Minneapolis, where he was most recently the Chief Information and Strategy Officer. In his past roles, Nguyen has been responsible for multiple divisions and has helmed product development in addition to leading enterprise growth strategy. His combined interests in technology and the collision repair space attracted him to Estify. “Witnessing recent advancements in vehicular technology really motivated me to venture back into the software space,” says Nguyen. “I wanted to do something bold and disruptive within our industry, so Estify was an obvious company with which to partner. The ecosystem we’re building will completely change the landscape of how automotive companies operate.”
The annual Collision Repair Education Foundation industry fundraiser, co-hosted by the automotive refinish business unit of PPG, raised $120,000 through the support of attendees and sponsors.
Sponsors and participants enjoyed a day of golf at the Harborside International in Chicago, IL, on July 24, and the funds raised from this event will go toward supporting scholarships and grants for collision schools and students. “PPG is proud to support an event of this caliber,” said Domenic Brusco, PPG, Senior Manager, Industry Relations. “It’s an honor to bring together industry professionals from around the country and to assist the Foundation in making sure that collision repair students are well prepared for entering our industry. With the Education Foundation staff working towards another great event next year, I encourage industry members to participate through a sponsorship, by attending, or by donating items
Massachusetts 800-767-1898
908-782-8250
Mon-Fri 7am - 6pm Sat 8am - 3pm pobrien@herbchambers.com www.herbchambershyundai.com
ROUTE 2 HYUNDAI Leominster 743 North Main St.
888-240-3495 978-534-9933 Fax
PARTS
For Your Collision Job. Visit these Genuine Hyundai Parts Dealers: 74 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
New Jersey
ACTION HYUNDAI
508-832-6026 Fax
COLLISION
www.autobodynews.com
HERB CHAMBERS HYUNDAI Auburn 735 Southbridge St.
The RIGHT
for the raffle table and silent auction. This is a wonderful and important investment in our industry’s future.” “Through our incredible sponsors, attendees and volunteers, we had another great golf fundraiser event that will significantly assist in the Education Foundation’s abilities to support high school and college collision school programs. A special thanks to the automotive refinish professionals at PPG for their continued co-sponsorship,” noted Collision Repair Education Foundation Director of Development Brandon Eckenrode. The Collision Repair Education Foundation is already starting to plan for the 2018 event taking place in Atlanta, GA, in conjunction with NACE and Automechanika. The date and location should be announced in the coming weeks. Individuals and companies interested in getting involved with next year’s fundraiser should contact Education Foundation Director of Development Brandon Eckenrode at 847-463-5244 or Brandon .Eckenrode@ed-foundation.org.
Mon-Thu 7:30am - 7:30pm Fri-Sat 7:30am - 6pm parts@rte2hyundai.com www.rte2hyundai.com
Flemington 180 Rte. US 202
908-237-0036 Fax
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
CONNECTICUT
MARYLAND
Curran Volkswagen Stratford
King Volkswagen Gaithersburg
203-378-6516
240-403-2300
Fax: 203-380-3732 M-Th 8am-6pm; F 8am-5pm Sat 8am-2pm
Fax: 240-403-2398 M-F 7am-6pm Sat 8am-4pm
parts@curranvw.net www.curranvw.net
Valenti Volkswagen Watertown
860-274-9846 Fax: 860-945-4987 M-F 8am-5:30pm Sat 8am-12pm
VWParts@valentiauto.com www.valentivw.com
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
julio.cruz@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
MASSACHUSETTS Volkswagen of North Attleboro North Attleboro
508-695-7131 Fax: 508-695-0321 M-F 8am-5pm Sat 8am-2pm
kenr@driveavw.com www.driveavw.com
NEW JERSEY Flemington Volkswagen Flemington
877-NJPARTS 877-657-2787 Fax: 908-782-1795 M-F 7:30am-5pm
www.njparts.com
Open Road Volkswagen of Bridgewater Bridgewater
908-685-1068 Fax: 908-685-1547 M-F 7:30am-5pm Sat 8am-3pm vwb.parts@openroad.com www.openroadvwparts.com
www.autobodynews.com | OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 75
CARSTAR Names Top Shops at Annual Conference in Charlotte
For the first time at its annual conference, CARSTAR North America recognized both United States and Canadian CARSTAR owners and business groups throughout its network for their leadership and performance. In the categories for top system award winners, Michael Macaluso, President, CARSTAR North America, and Dean Fisher, Chief Operations Officer, CARSTAR Auto Body Repair Experts, presented three awards to CARSTAR stores for their achievements. The winners included:
Franchisee of the Year Franchisee of the Year is the highest award given in the CARSTAR system, and represents the best of the best that is CARSTAR. These two winners were chosen on criteria such as using all vendors possible, attending the annual conference, committing to the EDGE program, being image compliant, submitting reports on time online, and delivering consistently high CSI for the month and quarterly periods. For Canada, the 2017 Franchisee of the Year is Jeff Labanovich, owner of CARSTAR Oshawa Drake Street. He is a longtime franchisee with two locations, chair of the CARSTAR Canada advisory board, has delivered
Color Compass University Partners with AMi
The Automotive Management Institute (AMi), the industry’s leading provider and collaborator of management education for automotive collision and mechanical service repair professionals, announces Canadianbased Color Compass Corporation has partnered with AMi to increase Canadian access to collision repair administrative, customer service and management training, certificates and professional designations through its Color Compass University. “This relationship is consistent with the AMi strategic direction, to collaborate with training providers and learning supporters to ensure easy access to relevant industry-developed educational tracks and verifiable credentials for administrative-based staff,” stated AMi President Jeff Peevy. “We are excited and appreciative to Color Compass Corporation for their support and applaud their leadership position in the promotion of learning.” In the agreement, Color Compass University will promote the AMI core belief, mission and educational offerings and help strengthen the institute’s professional recognition programs throughout the Canadian Collision Repair Industry.
double-digit growth over the past several years, is very engaged in the community and has an excellent brand presence in the marketplace. In the U.S., the 2017 Franchisee of the Year is Sheila Samuels and her brother Jeff Samuels of CARSTAR Ideal and CARSTAR Arvada. They
are a leader in the market on systems and processes and an integral part of the Denver business group. They have one of the most beautiful facilities in CARSTAR’s system, they have embraced a scheduling program, they have engaged in the advanced EDGE process and they are getting ready for eco-lean. They have created a great shop culture with long-term employees, and are always a leader in the market on charitable donations.
Rookie of the Year The Rookie of the Year award is given in recognition to a new CARSTAR franchisee as it gets “up and running”
with CARSTAR. To qualify for the award, a franchisee must be in its first year with CARSTAR, have completed CARSTAR immersion and enthusiastically embraced the CARSTAR culture with active participation. For Canada, the 2017 Rookie of the Year is Ron Alberts / CARSTAR St. Stephen, New Brunswick. He has proven to be a very progressive thinker. He is a best-in-class location, is a true ambassador of the CARSTAR Brand, and is very integrated in the community. In the U.S., the 2017 Rookie of the Year is Kevin Raines, with CARSTAR Centre City and CARSTAR West Chester. Kevin opened two stores in the Cincinnati area late last year, becoming our 500th location, and is on track to open two more this year. Next Generation Award The Next Generation Award honors a second or third-generation CARSTAR owner who excels at leading a family business, continues to meet high performance standards, participates in key CARSTAR programs like the EDGE Performance platform, attends conferences and is image compliant. The 2017 Next Generation Award for Canada is presented to Joe and Paul Saputo, owners of CARSTAR
Ancaster. These recipients were one of the first CARSTAR Franchise locations in Canada. They have been very successful in transitioning the business from their father and mother and have grown sales by 25 percent since taking over the business. They have just recently opened their second location in Ancaster, Ontario. For the U.S., the 2017 Next Generation Award is presented to Jamie White, owner of CARSTAR Ken’s North and CARSTAR Dalton South. Jamie purchased both locations from his uncle, Ken White, in January 2017, and is now staged for additional growth. “It is an incredible honor to be able to recognize the achievements of these great shops, owners, and executives,” said Macaluso. “Our North American award recipients not only set a great example for other shops to follow, they also spread their knowledge experience throughout the entire CARSTAR network to help each and every one of our shops grow.” For more information on CARSTAR, visit www.carstar.com.
www.autobodynews.com Shift into Genuine Nissan and Infiniti OEM Parts
Parts You Need. People You Trust.
Genuine Nissan and Infiniti OEM Wholesale Parts are superbly crafted to strict quality standards. Genuine Mitsubishi Replacement Crash Parts are close at hand from the following quality dealerships.
MASSACHUSETTS
Courtesy Mitsubishi SOUTH ATTLEBORO
508-761-9700
(508) 761-0768 Fax www.courtesy-mitsu.com
76 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
The following dealer proudly stocks genuine parts for your Nissan or Infiniti repairs. THESE DEALERS are GENUINE WHOLESALE PARTS SPECIALISTS.
Maine
Downeast Toyota / Scion 800-432-0220 BREWER
207-989-4610 Fax M-F 7am-5pm; Sat 7am-4pm partsdepartment@downeasttoyota.com www.downeasttoyota.com
NEW JERSEY
ACTION NISSAN Flemington
908-782-8250 (908) 237-0036 Fax Mon-Sat 8am - 5pm
fmondello@actionautogroup.com
MASSACHUSETTS
PENNSYLVANIA
South Attleboro
Easton
Courtesy Kia
508-761-9300
(508) 761-0768 Fax
8am-8pm Mon, Wed; 8am-5pm Tue, Thu, Fri 8am-4pm Sat frank@courtesyma.com www.courtesyma.com
NEW JERSEY Liberty Kia Ramsey
201-818-8995
(201) 783-8848 Fax
8am-5pm Mon-Sat parts@libertyhyundai.com
NEW YORK
Kia of Middletown New Hampton
888-374-6575
(845) 374-4718 Fax
8am-5pm Mon-Fri 8am-3pm Sat nissankiaofmiddletownparts@yahoo.com www.kiaofmiddletown.com
Brown Daub Kia
610-829-3020
(484) 546-0292 Fax
Kia of Coatesville Coatesville
610-384-7700
(610) 384-2171 Fax
8am-5pm Mon-Fri 8am-12pm Sat Alan@kiaofcoatesville.com www.kiaofcoatesville.com
Kia of West Chester West Chester
610-429-3500
(610) 429-0164 Fax
8am-5pm Mon-Fri 8am-12pm Sat Alan@kiaofcoatesville.com www.kiaofwestchester.com
RHODE ISLAND Bald Hill Kia Warwick
800-822-3015
(401) 822-8135 Fax 8am-5pm Mon-Fri 8am-4pm Sat www.shopkiaparts.com
VERMONT
Berlin City Kia
Precise fit and finish, easy installation and a limited warranty direct
Williston
from Kia — all genuine
(303) 928-6905 Fax
advantages of Genuine
800-684-5779
6am-6pm Mon, Wed, Fri 6am-7pm Tue, Thu 7am-3pm Sat ableau@berlincity.com
Kia Parts. Your local Kia retailer has all the parts you need.
Outten Kia Hamburg
610-562-4166
(610) 562-9436 Fax
7:30am-5pm Mon-Fri 8am-12pm Sat jhenne@outtencars.com www.outtenkia.com www.autobodynews.com | OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 77
AUTOBODY MARKETPLACE
Stop wasting valuable time An extra hand for soldering • Base protects from solder splatters • Stores & dispenses from solder spools & tubes • Solder wires quickly & easy ALSO OFFERING Repair System
Call Us Today!
916-316-3672 info@therailsaver.com / www.tgproductstools.com
When all you need to do is move a vehicle, use:
> EASY TO USE <
SAVES YOU TIME AND MONEY
Go to www.forkliftwrecker.com and watch our video.
877.593.6959
looking for cardboard or cleaning mixing boards!
Clean Sheets® Mixing Boards are used by thousands of repair shops to mix epoxies, body filler, fiberglass, plastics, gel, putty and touch-up paint. • Prevents costly reworks • Bonded on 3 sides • Non-absorbing, heavy-duty paper with grip for mixing • Pays for itself the first week you use them!
Clean Sheets® “The Original Patented Mixing Pad
Since 1988”
Call your local Jobber or: 800-365-1308 www.cleansheetsmfg.com
Technical Representative
Automotive, Fleet, OEM & Light Industrial Finishes
Due to our unprecedented growth in the industry Lusid Technologies, Inc. is looking for Technical Sales Representa!ves in all areas of the North American Market. Candidates should be able to demonstrate excellent communica!on and hands on technical skills. Successful candidates will find themselves working in a progressive and highly mo!vated and well trained team of people. Travel is expected to be extensive and the package on offer very compe!!ve. For full details and applica!on requirements contact HR@LUSID.BIZ in the strictest confidence.
The Secrets of America’s Is noblwe for aila Greatest Body Shops avpurchase! by: Dave Luehr and Stacey Phillips
The Book That Will Challenge Everything You Know About the Collision Repair Business. Order your copy today and join the Body Shop Secrets community!
www.bodyshopsecrets.com For more information, contact the authors at info@bodyshopsecrets.com
Looking for Good Collision Personnel? •1,262 Collision Techs resumes online •1,295 Painters resumes online •1,177 Estimators & Mgs resumes online •11,256 Mechanical Tech resumes online
Call or e-mail now for rates: 800-699-8251 or ltedesco@autobodynews.com
ACTautostaffing.com or 727-733-5600 78 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
MyPriceLink Providing Dynamic, Real-Time Pricing, Receives Patent
OEConnection LLC (OEC), the leading automotive technology provider for original equipment manufacturers’ (OEM) distribution networks, recently announced the issuance of US Patent No. 9,747,481. This patent relates to MyPriceLink®, a service that delivers real-time dynamic list pricing on original equipment (OE) collision parts based on timing and local market conditions. “OEC continues to lead the way in pioneering new technologies that are revolutionizing the auto parts industry,” said Chuck Rotuno, OEC Chairman & CEO. “In 2001, we pioneered online collision parts procurement through our CollisionLink solution; in 2007, we introduced webbased parts conquesting technology through our Parts Marketing Administration (PMA) solution; and now we are providing real-time, dynamic list pricing through MyPriceLink. The combination of CollisionLink, PMA and MyPriceLink makes for a very comprehensive parts strategy for automakers.” OEC currently provides CollisionLink and PMA to 23 OEMs,
8,000 dealers and nearly 20,000 collision repair shops in the US and Canada, who use these solutions to complete nearly 400,000 transactions each month. Launched in December 2015, MyPriceLink currently fulfills 125 million pricing requests every day with an average response time of less than 0.5 seconds. MyPriceLink integrates with numerous collision estimating systems and dealer management systems, and is accessible through CollisionLink (for participating dealers), CollisionLink Insurance, CollisionLink Shop, or directly through participating collision estimating systems. “MyPriceLink is set to transform the industry,” added Bill Lopez, OEC Vice President & General Manager, Collision. “GM is currently using MyPriceLink to great affect and it won’t be long before every automaker makes using MyPriceLink standard operating procedure to more accurately and reliably present their parts pricing.” Several additional patent applications for MyPriceLink features are pending and expected to issue in the near future. Visit MyPriceLink.com.
HDDA Developing Product Data Standards for Heavy Duty Market
The Heavy Duty Distribution Association (HDDA: Heavy Duty), a community of the Auto Care Association, has announced that it will begin the formal creation of product data standards for the heavy duty (HD) aftermarket. Pre-
liminary development of these standards, which will improve product data communication across the entire HD market, is already underway. HDDA: Heavy Duty has contracted Pricedex Software Inc. to continue as its partner on this project. Additionally, the association will bring together volunteer product data experts from across 20 top parts categories to participate in subject matter expert subcommittees for the standards’ creation. This project was initiated to help independent HD distributors and their supplier community communicate product and system attributes more effectively to provide a faster, more ac-
curate experience for the end customer. In 2016, HDDA: Heavy Duty conducted a feasibility study for the standards’ creation. At AAPEX 2016 in Las Vegas, NV, Bill Hanvey, president and CEO, Auto Care Association, announced that the study produced a positive result for the ability to create HD standards. Since that announcement, several industry organizations, including the Technology & Maintenance Council of the American Trucking Associations, and multiple industry publications, featured the data standards project in articles and conferences. “Product data standards mean the heavy duty aftermarket, from manufacturer, to distributor, professional installer, and fleet maintenance managers will get the right part, at the right place, at the right time,” said Hanvey. “We want to reiterate to the HD marketplace that these will be HD standards based upon the way the marketplace looks up and presents its parts. We will seek the input and insight from distributors and data system providers, but particularly manufacturers wanting to communicate product data in a more efficient and consistent manner for all of their customers.”
Genuine Porsche Parts... Only The Best. The Dealers Below are Genuine Porsche Parts Distributors.
MARYLAND
NEW JERSEY
NEW YORK
Porsche Towson
Flemington Porsche
Porsche of Southampton
844-588-0145
800-216-5124
631-204-2565
Towson, Md
410-296-4852 Fax
parts@porschetowson.com www.porschetowson.com
MASSACHUSETTS Porsche Norwell Norwell
781-261-5230
781-261-5274 Fax M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
Flemington
908-782-9397 Fax M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm rmuir@flemington.com www.njparts.com
Southampton
Tue-Sat 8:00am - 5:00pm
gspano@porscheofsouthampton.com www.porscheofsouthampton.com
Porsche of Princeton Lawrenceville
609-945-1500 609-945-0501 Fax
www.princeton.porschedealer.com
Porsche: There Is No Substitute
www.porschenorwell.com www.autobodynews.com | OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 79
80 OCTOBER 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com