Autobody News SouthEastern edition July 2010

Southeast Edition Florida Georgia Alabama Mississippi

28

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VOL. 1 ISSUE 5 JULY 2010

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The Georgia Collision Industry Association Georgia Governor Signs Texting Ban Compiles GA Labor Rates Through Surveys Georgia joins 27 other states in passing gional manager for PCI. “House Bill 23 The Georgia Collision Industry Association (GCIA) held its 4th Annual labor rates survey for Georgia in June. This was the first year the association utilized an online survey option as well as a phone method.

Flat labor rates were collected for body work, paint jobs, mechanical jobs, frame work and materials from several different shops throughout the counties of Georgia. This year the GCIA took out a lot of their other questions pertaining to shop size and employee count and just concentrated on labor rate figures.

The GCIA was very pleased with their choice to have an online survey this year according to Howard Batchelor, Executive Director of the GCIA. “The online survey made it that much easier for people, they could do it on their

own time,” said Batchelor.

The information gathered from the 2010 GCIA Labor Rates survey was presented at the Richmond chapter of the Washington Metropolitan Auto Howard Batchelor Body Association (WMABA) meeting on June 17. The results from this survey will also be presented to the Georgia Insurance Commissioner’s Office for review. The hope is that this information will help body shops negotiate their labor rates fairly with insurance companies.

See GCIA, Page 11

Kendrick Paint & Body Locations in Georgia and South Carolina are Now “GreenLink Shops” CCAR awarded Kendrick Paint & Body with their “GreenLink Shop” certification for its locations in Augusta and Martinez, Georgia and Aiken, South Carolina.

The GreenLink Shop status, an extension of CCAR’s CCAR-GreenLink® Environmental Compliance Assistance Center and S/P2 (Safety and Pollution Prevention) E-learning Program, aims to promote consumer confidence in local automotive repair facilities’ environmental and safety techniques.

Kendrick Paint & Body, which was founded in 1952, operates 3 facilities in Georgia and South Carolina, all of

which received this certification.

“We are excited to be recognized as GreenLink Shops,” said Keith Brown, owner of Kendrick Paint & Body, “The feedback from customers and employees has been all positive, and we see the GreenLink Shop as a reward for our efforts to be environmentally responsible.”

Kendrick’s Operations Manager David Clark said that one of the benefits of going through the GreenLink Shop Program was that the company and employees were able to learn how to dispose of any waste incurred in the See Kendrick, Page 5

laws banning drivers from sending text messages while driving. The governor signed House Bill 23 which prohibits young people under age 18 from texting or using cell phones while driving.

He also signed Senate Bill 360 which prohibits drivers over 18 from texting. These bills become effective July 1, 2010. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that nearly 6,000 people died in 2008 from crashes involving a distracted or inattentive driver, and more than half a million were injured. Research also shows that the worst offenders are the youngest and least experienced drivers: men and women under 20 years of age.

“These laws are a positive step forward in the effort to make our roadways safer,” said Micaela Isler southeast re-

aims to assist our least experienced drivers in Georgia to be as safe as possible by banning cell phone use. The use of cell phones while behind the wheel is a significant source of distraction, but it represents one of many distractions that can lead to a crash.

By passing Senate Bill 360 Georgia is sending a strong message that all drivers have a responsibility to exercise good judgment in all of their driving activities. Although news media has focused attention on cell phone use and texting; navigation systems, eating and drinking as well as personal grooming can all serve as distractions that compromise road safety.”

Georgia joins Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Nebraska, Vermont, Wisconsin and See Texting Ban, Page 9, see also p. 6

Allstate Ratchets Up Southern Region Recruiting for Second Straight Year Allstate Insurance Company appointed dozens of exclusive agents in the company’s Southern Region last year. Now, the company is ramping up its recruiting again – looking for at least 60 more Southern Region agency owners this year.

In 2009, more than 50 new agents opened Allstate agencies across the Southern Region. This year, Allstate hopes to surpass that goal by focusing on professionals that may feel limited in their careers and are looking to start their own business in a recession resilient industry.

“We see a significant opportunity in the current economy to attract mid-career, mid-level managers to own and operate their own business and represent Allstate,” said Jim Conlan, Allstate’s Southern Region recruiting director. “We’re working with business brokers and through our own recruiters to find professionals with financial or sales backgrounds, who are dedicated to customer service.”

Candidates need a minimum of $50,000 of liquid capital to invest in their agency. Even with the hints of an economic recovery underway, some po-

tential applicants are unsure if now is the right time to invest money needed to open a small business. That’s why recruiters are focusing on the stability of investing in the Allstate brand.

“Allstate is unique among all other insurers because its agents own the economic interest in their business,” said Conlan. “Allstate agents can sell the economic interest in their agency.

No other branded insurer has this option.”

Allstate’s Southern Region recruiting goals for 2010 are segmented by area across the states: State Approx.

Tennessee Kentucky Arkansas Louisiana Mississippi

Recruiting Goal

20 10 10 10 20

These target states and areas represent key consumer touch points in Allstate’s broader strategy to aggressively expand the provider’s auto insurance presence statewide, while staking a See Allstate, Page 9

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Contents

Allstate Ratchets Up Southern Region Recruiting for Second Straight Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Arlington, TX, GM Plant to Open in Summer . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Attanasio - San Francisco Body Shop Draws Hybrid-Owners with Niche Expertise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 BMW and VW Recall Vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 CAA Chapter Meeting Hears ‘A Perfect Storm’ . . . . . . . 17 California Prop. 17 Defeated, but Insurers Not Done Yet 18 Carmakers and Suppliers in E-Car Parts Power Struggle. 33 Causey - Body Shops Going Green . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Chrysler Recalls almost 700,000 vehicles . . . . . . . . . . 10 Coulomb Technologies’ Electric Vehicle Infrastructure . 31 Delaware May Become Next to Require Low-VOCs . . . . . 32 Enterprise Holdings Commits to ‘Lean and Green’ . . . . 34 EPA Moves to Curb Greenhouse Gases . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Evans - Building A Numbered Red Mist Car . . . . . . . . . 24 Franklin - QUALITY Might Not be Number One . . . . . . . 16 Georgia Insurance Verification System Crashes . . . . . . . 7 Georgia Governor Signs Texting Ban . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 GM Recalls 1.53 Million Cars, Trucks for Fire Risk . . . . 29 Gonzo Weaver --- There’s a New Wrench in Town . . . . 20 Gullo Toyota of Conroe, TX Wins Toyota Certified Collision Center of the Year Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Hey Toby! - Heat? On a Toyota Front Frame Rail? No Way! 23 Holden Auto [Wichita Falls, TX] Shows ‘Mom and Pop’ Shop Alive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 House & Senate Moving to Give Auto Dealers a Break on Oversight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 I-CAR Announces New Role-based Training Model July 21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 I-CAR, CCC award $5,000 scholarships to three students. 9 Kendrick Paint & Body Locations in Georgia and South Carolina are Now “GreenLink Shops” . . . . . . . 1 LKQ Knows ‘It’s Not Cheap or Easy Being Green’ But Sees Quick Cost Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Louisiana Law Allows Mechanical Breakdown Insurers to Provide Windshield-Policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Lower Car Sales is “New Normal” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Lowest True Cost to Own® Vehicles for June 2010 . . . . . 33 Maryland Bill to Curb Salvage Issues Gets Signed

by Governor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 McGee, Webster - It’s Friday and I can’t get the door glass to work!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Mobile Lift Jack - Easily, Safely and Economically . . . . 15 Nissan North America Launches National Wholesale Parts Rewards Loyalty Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Oklahoma May Have Cell Phone or Texting Restrictions 39 PCI Calls on Rhode Island Governor to Veto SB 2508 . . 39 PPG Circleville, OH, employees support local schools, organizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 PPG Launches First Use of New Automotive Waterborne Paint Process In United States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Pro-Spray - Utah’s Unique Auto Body Voluntarily Picks Pro-Spray’s H2O Waterborne . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Reaction to ‘Operation Straight Body’ Sting in Orange County . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Rhode Island General Assembly Approves Senate Bill 2508 . 39 Schroeder - ICC Collision Centers Opens El Mirage, AZ, Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Schroeder - Premier Collision Center in New Orleans, LA . 14 Senate Commerce Committee Passes Distracted Driving Bill 30 State-of-the-Art Auto Management Training Facility Opens at Cerritos College, Norwalk, CA.. . . . . . . . . . 38 Survey Shows Talking and Texting While Driving on Decline—Several States and U.N. Take Action.. . . . . . 7 Texas Auto Theft Numbers Drop 2.5% . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Texas’ Distracted Driving Laws . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Texting & Under-18-Cell-Use While Driving Illegal in Georgia. 6 Texting OK in Florida and Alabama, Legislators Baulk . . . 6 The Georgia Collision Industry Association Compiles GA Labor Rates Through Surveys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 TRW Airbags Are on a Third of Vehicles Earning Highest NHTSA Rating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 U.S. Driving Tops Pre-Recession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Weekend-long Hailstorm Caused Wide- Spread Damage in the Clovis, NM, Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Widening Vehicle Age Gap Drives Product Differences . . . . 21 Yoswick - Leaner, Faster, Smarter: “It Can’t Be Lean if it’s Not Clean” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Southeast

Indexof Advertisers

Publisher & Editor: Jeremy Hayhurst General Manager: Barbara Davies Editorial Assistant: Erica Schroeder Contributing Writers: Tom Franklin, Stefan Gesterkamp, John Yoswick, Lee Amaradio, Toby Chess, Mike Causey, Dan Espersen, Tom McGee, Jeff Webster, Rich Evans, Ed Attanasio Advertising Sales: Joe Momber, Christina Shubert (800) 699-8251 Art Director: Rodolfo Garcia Serving Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and adjacent metro areas, Autobody News is a monthly publication for the auto body industry. Permission to reproduce in any form the material published in Autobody News must be obtained in writing from the publisher. ©2010 Adamantine Media LLC.

Autobody News

P.O. Box 1400, Oceanside, CA 92051-1400 (800) 699-8251 (760) 721-0253 Fax www.autobodynews.com Email: news@autobodynews.com

Aegis Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Auto Body Guru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Autoland Scientech . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

BMW Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . 33

Kia Motors Wholesale Parts Dealers . 9

Mazda Wholesale Parts . . . . . . . . . . 31

Mercedes-Benz of Gainesville . . . . . . 8

Mercedes-Benz of Naples . . . . . . . . 10

City Hyundai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Mercedes-Benz Wholesale Parts

Crown Automobile Company. . . . . . . 7

Mitsubishi Wholesale Parts Dealers . 12

Ford Wholesale Parts Dealers

Nalley BMW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Edwards Chevrolet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 FL, GA, AL, MS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Garmat USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

GM Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . 30

Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Mobile Lift Jack. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Nissan Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . 37

Performance Radiator . . . . . . . . . . . 14

SATA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Greenway Dodge-Chrysler-Jeep . . . . 3

Soft-Sanders from Style-Line, Corp . 25

Gus Machado Ford . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Tameron Hyundai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Greenway Ford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Honda Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . 36 Hyundai Wholesale Parts Dealers . . 34 I-CAR Education Foundation . . . . . . 38

Stivers Ford-Lincoln-Mercury . . . . . . . 5

Taylor BMW. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

VIM Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

4 JULY 2010 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Arlington, TX, GM Plant to Open in Summer According to reports by the Associated Press, General Motors Co. said June 17 that it will keep most of its U.S. factories, including the Arlington Assembly Plant, open through the normal twoweek summer shutdown to meet demand for some of its vehicles.

The automaker will keep nine of 11 assembly plants open to make 56,000 more vehicles that are in high demand, such as the Buick LaCrosse luxury sedan and the Chevrolet Traverse large crossover vehicle.

GM said in a statement that the company is trying to reduce waiting time for dealers and customers to get vehicles.

In addition to Arlington, plants that will stay open from June 28 to July 9 are located in Bowling Green, Ky.; Fort Wayne, Ind.; Hamtramck, Mich., Kansas City, Kan.; Flint, Mich.; Delta Township, Mich.; Lansing, Mich.; and Wentzville, Mo. Automakers have traditionally shut down plants for short periods during the summer while switching production of model years and to manage vacation time for workers.

The company has kept some locations open during the summer shutdown, but company spokeswoman Kimberly Carpenter said GM is keeping far more open this summer than it has during recent years. To help meet the increased demand, GM is also expected to increase the staff of temporary workers, Carpenter said.

GM is recovering from a tumultuous 2009, during which it filed for bankruptcy and accepted nearly $50 billion in federal aid. Its sales have rebounded in recent months, including a 17 percent rise in May. That was fueled by models like the Buick LaCrosse, which posted a 212 percent spike in sales last month.

The two GM plants that will have a summer shutdown are in Lordstown, Ohio and Shreveport, La. Carpenter said the Lordstown plant needs time to change over from the Chevy Cobalt to the Chevy Cruze models.

The Shreveport facility recently lost production when the Hummer brand was discontinued, and it makes a small pickup that is not in high demand.

Continued from Front Page

Kendrick

shop properly.

“We’re reaching out to a younger generation that is more concerned about the environment,” said Clark. All 3 locations are using waterborne paints to reduce their environmental impact as

well as recycling old tires and metal scraps.

All 3 Kendrick shops are the first GreenLink Certified Shops in the Southeastern area.

Kendrick Paint & Body is also a participant in the GEICO Auto Repair Xpress ® (ARX) program. CCAR and GEICO are partnering to promote the “GreenLink Shop” designation for

GEICO’s ARX facilities across the United States.

Repair facilities seeking the GreenLink Shop recognition must maintain high standards of excellence in environmental, health and safety (EHS) practices in four categories: business operations, employee training, safety compliance and environmental management. The CCAR

initiative recognizes both auto mechanical service facilities and collision repair shops, with separate criteria established for each type of business.

For more information on the CCAR GreenLink Shop program, go to www.ccar-greenlink.org/gls or call tollfree to 1-888-476-5465. See also articles posted at www.autobodynews.com.

Front of the Augusta, GA shop

Mike Griswell (Glass Shop Tech)

(left to right) Ricky Leverette, Kenneth Clinton, Derrick Johnson (Detail Shop)

Scott Johnston (Mech. Shop Manager)

Andre England (Painter)

Joey Hall (left) and Chris Lucas (Parts Department)

Terry Maddox (Body Tech)

Inside of the Augusta, GA shop

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Texting & Under-18-Cell-Use While Driving Illegal in Georgia...

Georgia SB 360, also known as Caleb’s Law, named after a teen who died in a December car crash while texting and driving, has been signed by Governor Sonny Perdue. The law forbids texting while driving in the state of Georgia. The state now joins 27 others that have enacted similar bans. The Georgia law applies not just to writing a text message while driving, but also to the sending of it or the reading of “any text-based communication” on a “wireless telecommunications device.” Wireless telecommunications device means a cellular telephone, a textmessaging device, a personal digital assistant, or a stand alone computer. Starting July 1, drivers who are caught reading, writing or sending any kind of text message, including emails, could face a $150 fine and a point on their driver’s license.

No under-18 Calls While Driving The Governor also signed a separate law, House Bill 23, that forbids anyone under 18 from using a cell phone while driving. Young drivers caught using a cell phone while behind the wheel may be fined $150, and if they become involved in an accident while on the phone, the fine doubles to $300.

The bill provides the following revised penalties for violations: ● Aggressive driving 6 points

● Reckless driving 4 points ● Unlawful passing of a school bus 6 points ● Improper passing on a hill or a curve 4 points ● Exceeding the speed limit by more than 14 miles per hour but less than 19 miles per hour 2 points ● Exceeding the speed limit by 19 miles per hour or more but less than 24 miles per hour 3 points ● Exceeding the speed limit by 24 miles per hour or more but less than 34 miles per hour 4 points ● Exceeding the speed limit by 34 miles per hour or more 6 points ● Disobedience of any traffic-control device or traffic officer 3 points ● Too fast for conditions 0 points ● Possessing an open container of an alcoholic beverage while driving 2 points ● Failure to adequately secure a load, except fresh farm produce, resulting in loss of such load onto the roadway which results in an accident 2 points ● Violation of child safety restraint requirements, first offense 1 point ● Violation of child safety restraint requirements, second or subsequent offense 2 points ● Violation of usage of wireless telecommunications device requirements 1 point All other moving traffic violations which are not speed limit

... Not So in Florida and Alabama, Legislators Baulk

Two lawmakers have dug in their heels on texting while driving legislation, effectively killing texting bills in Florida and Alabama.

In Florida, the chairwoman of the House Finance and Tax Council says the primary bill that would ban texting and driving is “intellectually dishonest.” She refused to allow a vote on its merits.

Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale, says HB 41 is “not stalled. It’s dead.” (HB 41 is the companion to SB 448, which is moving ahead in the Senate.)

Bogdanoff’s objection is because the bill bans behaviors that she says are already covered under state careless driving laws.

Like many opponents of distracted driving legislation, she has called for a bill that covers less dangerous activities like putting on makeup—a bill that could never pass.

“Never mind the fact that more than a dozen bills on the topic were offered during this session, or that Gov. Charlie Crist was poised to sign a texting ban,” the Sunshine State News wrote in blasting Bogdanoff.

Bogdanoff is an attorney. She admits to texting behind the wheel and notes that we are a “multitasking society now.”

Bogdanoff email: ellyn.bogdanoff@myfloridahouse.gov Rep. Doug Holder, R-Sarasota, a coauthor of the bill, told the St. Petersburg Times: “What can you do when someone just locks

down and says, ‘I am not going to move forward,’ which she clearly has done?”

“What happened in Florida is just appalling to me,” said Jennifer Smith, the president of the survivors advocacy group FocusDriven.

In Alabama, hopes for a text messaging while driving ban were crushed when a band of lawyers serving in the Senate insisted on inserting language that favors plaintiffs in crashes linked to texting.

Sen. Roger Bedford, D-Russellville, was the ringleader—an attorney who is a key player on the Senate Judiciary Committee and had support of its chairman— another attorney.

An insurance company objected to the lawyers’ provision, which presumed negligence on the part of a text-messaging driver in a crash. (More lawsuits meaning more attorney fees.) The debate brought the distracted driving plan to a halt as time ran out on the legislative session.

The bill, HB 35, had easily won approval in the state House and had broad support in the Alabama Legislature. The Huntsville Times editorialized: “Opponents of this ban should be ashamed of themselves for killing this life-saving bill. …

Bedford, Alfa (the insurance group) and whoever else torpedoed the text ban law are wrong. … (Their) excuses, frankly, don’t make sense.”

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Survey Shows Talking and Texting While Driving on Decline—Several States and U.N. Take Action

Nationwide Insurance has conducted a survey on mobile phone use while driving. U.S. drivers have cut back on talking and texting, thanks in part to distracted-driving laws, legislation and awareness, according to the survey. About 40 percent of drivers who admit to texting while behind the wheel say they do it less frequently than they did a year ago.

Of the 47 percent of drivers who say they engage in phone conversations while on the road, 30 percent reported that they do it less than last year.

While the time spent on these distracted driving behaviors apparently is down, the percentage of people who admit to texting and talking while behind the wheel held steady.

“This is the first survey we’ve seen showing drivers making positive changes in their behavior, but there are still too many drivers who either don’t realize just how dangerous distractions behind the wheel are, or are willing to take that risk,” said Bill Windsor, Nationwide’s associate vice president of Consumer Safety.

Nationwide has done a number of studies on distracted driving behaviors. In this survey, Harris Interactive spoke with 1,005 drivers, enough to provide a representative sample for the nation.

The survey relies on self-reporting, always a problem with illegal or dangerous behaviors. “The stigma now associated with distracted driving may also have fewer peo-

ple willing to admit they do it,” Windsor says.

Hands-free devices are used by about half of the drivers in the West, where California and Washington are among the states that require their use for motorists using cell phones. In the Midwest, the percentage of drivers who said they used hands-free frequently was only 13 percent.

Overall, 65 percent of the drivers said they rarely or never used hands-free attachments for cell phones. Other finding in the distracted driving survey: ● Drivers who made more than $100,000 a year were more than twice as likely to use hands-free devices than those who made less. ● Two-thirds of those who use hands-free accessories say they feel safer while driving and talking. ● Drivers with touch-screen cell phones are more likely to talk and text. 40 percent of them say it makes text messaging and dialing easier than with conventional cell phones. ● Curiously, 18 percent say they have programmed a GPS device while driving, almost the same percent who report that they look for radio stations while behind the wheel. ● Putting on makeup — often cited as a danger by opponents of distracted driving bills — registered with only 3 percent of drivers.

The survey of adults 18 and over was conducted between April 20 and 27.

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There could be trouble for some Georgia drivers who changed or added an auto insurance plan in June.

The Georgia Electronic Insurance Compliance System, which allows law enforcement officials to verify a driver’s insurance information in the field, crashed early last Sunday, according to the Chattanooga Times Free Press.

The crash, which was caused by a burst water pipe on the roof of the state’s Department of Revenue building in Atlanta, rendered the system unable to process updates to the system from insurance companies across the state that came after midnight on Sunday June 5.

While the problem has since been repaired, the Times Free Press said it will leave those drivers who made insurance transactions after midnight on Sunday June 5 without updated information until the middle of next week.

Because Georgia requires all drivers have insurance, the paper said, this incident highlights why it is important for all drivers to carry up-to-date proof of insurance in their car.

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Other States Take Action In Connecticut, Gov. Jodie Rell approved her own plan to toughen existing distracted driving laws, ending the previous law’s policy of forgiveness for some first-time offenders. Connecticut had already outlawed text messaging while driving, handheld cell phone use by adults and all cell phone use by teenage drivers. Fines for violations now increase to $100 (first offense), then $150 and $200 instead of the current $100. Also, the law’s wording specifically bans texting while driving, reportedly not clear before.

In Vermont, Gov. James Douglas signed into law a ban on text messaging and on cell phone use for drivers under 18. Fines start out at $100 for first offenders and then escalate to $250. The laws are effective immediately.

In Kansas, a ban on text messaging while driving has been signed into law by Gov. Mark Parkinson. The ban goes into effect Jan. 1.

Municipalities have also introduced their own local ordinances. Clemson, S.C.; Missouri City, Texas; and Belpre, Ohio, are the latest cities to ban texting.

Even the United Nations has taken action. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has pushed for a global initiative to stamp out distracted driving. Ban also has ordered the U.N.’s 40,000 staffers to stop texting while behind the wheel of U.N. vehicles.

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1800 Montgomery Highway S. - Hoover, AL 35244 www.autobodynews.com | JULY 2010 AUTOBODY NEWS 7

Shop Snapshot

Erica Schroeder is a writer and editorial assistant for Autobody News in Oceanside, CA. She can be reached at eschroeder@autobodynews.com.

ICC Collision Centers Opens El Mirage, AZ, Location with Erica Schroeder

ICC Collision Centers is proud to announce the grand opening of their new El Mirage, AZ, location. The shop hosted an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday, June 5, 2010 to mark the grand opening of this new state of the art

The facility is strategically located in the greater Northwest Valley in order to expedite turnaround times and allow a fullservice customer experience. In addition, ICC offers a 10 day free car rental, lifetime transferable registered warranty, 18 month

part to be conscious of their impacts on the environment in their shops; the California locations are using waterborne paints and most of the parts they use are recycled in all locations.

“Providing the highest level of service to our customers and vendors in the

The ICC Colllision Center front desk in El Mirage

Outside the El Mirage ICC Collision Center

From Left to Right: Jacques Pilavian, Team Lead; Matthew Gorges, Arizona Regional Manager; Sean Darcy, VP of Business Development; Sam Mirabile, Director of Operations; Tracey Collins, Arizona Business Development Manager; Ed Hovsepian, Los Angeles Regional Manager, at the El Mirage grand opening

facility. The event, which was open to the public, ran from 10:00 A.M.-2:00 P.M. at 12555 Northwest Grand Avenue El Mirage.

Attending were Mayor Michele Kern of El Mirage, Arizona; Sam Mirabile, Vice President of Operations; Sean Darcy, Vice President of Business Development; Ed Hovsepian, Los Angeles Regional Manager and local business officials.

free paint maintenance program, convenient rental car at locations provided by Hertz and towing is available.

“Our facility is laid out for lean processes. We have very quick turnarounds and that helps get our customers back on the road,” said Tracey Collins, Business Development Manager for ICC. ICC Collision Centers is also doing their

Northwest Valley is essential to our success, and we’re pleased to offer a dedicated location to better serve them,” states Matt Gorges, General Manager of ICC

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Collision Centers, Arizona, “We look forward to making a long-term contribution to the Northwest Valley economy.”

ICC Collision Centers Avondale location has been in Arizona for four years and has built a reputation as a top level service center. Established in 1986, ICC Collision Centers

The grand opening ceremony at the El Mirage ICC Collision Center

has 10 locations located in the heart of California and Arizona. Over the past 28 years, ICC Collision Centers has grown a reputation of being one of the premier auto collision centers in the business. For more information go to www.icccollision.com.

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Continued from Front Page

Texting Ban

Wyoming as the states to pass laws that ban all drivers from sending text messages this year.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, The use of all cell phones by novice drivers is restricted in 27 states and the District of Columbia.

Text messaging is banned for all drivers in 28 states and the District of Columbia. In addition, novice drivers are banned from texting in 8 states (Al-

abama, Delaware, Indiana, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Texas, and West Virginia).

“Driving safely is a matter of personal responsibility,” said Isler. “PCI supports initiatives that increase awareness about the hazards of distracted driving and identifies steps that motorists can take to prevent distractions from affecting their driving performance. We appreciate the legislators in the House and Senate for passing HB 23 and SB 360 this passed session and commend Governor Perdue for signing these important bills into law.”

Continued from Front Page

Allstate

stronger claim in items like boats, recreational all-terrain-vehicles and motorcycles. Allstate is currently the second largest auto insurer in the nation with more than a million cars and trucks insured in the states of Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi.

Interested candidates can apply to become an Allstate agent by logging on to www.allstateagent.com or by calling 1877-711-1006.

I-CAR, CCC award $5,000 scholarships to three students I-CAR Education Foundation and CCC Information Services Inc. has announced the winners of three $5,000 scholarships.

The CCC Michael Salvatore Memorial Student Repair Technician Scholarships help students pay back tuition costs and are awarded to those who are currently enrolled in an Industry Training Alliance school that is using the CCC Estimating System.

The scholarship recipients are: Michael Allen Cornelison, Universal Technical Institute, Houston; Ryan Kelley, Fox Valley Technical College, Appleton, Wis.; Nicholas David Roueche, Bridgerland Applied Technology College, Logan, Utah.

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www.autobodynews.com | JULY 2010 AUTOBODY NEWS 9

Chrysler Recalls almost 700,000 vehicles

Chrysler is recalling almost 600,000 minivans and Jeep Wranglers in the United States and another 100,000 elsewhere because of brake or wiring problems that could create safety problems, the company and federal regulators said.

Chrysler said it is recalling 288,968 Jeep Wranglers from the 2006 through 2010 model years due to a potential brake fluid leak.

It also is recalling 284,831 Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country minivans from the 2008 and 2009 model years because a wiring problem can cause a fire inside the sliding doors.

Another 76,430 Wranglers and 34,143 minivans are being recalled in Canada, Mexico and other international markets, Chrysler said.

Neither problem has caused any crashes or injuries, Chrysler Group LLC said.

It was the second notable recall in the past week for Chrysler. The company recalled nearly 35,000 Dodge Calibers and a limited number of Jeep Compasses last week to fix a potential problem with sticky gas pedals, the same issue that has afflicted millions of Toyotas.

The recall comes five weeks after U.S. safety regulators opened an investi-

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gation into potentially sticky accelerator pedals in Chrysler vehicles, based on five consumer complaints.

Chrysler said in a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that some of its 2007 model-year Caliber and Compass vehicles, manufactured between March and May of 2006, might have been equipped with faulty accelerator pedals.

In the latest recall, the front inner fender liners on the Jeeps can rub against the brake fluid tubes and cause a leak.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said the leak could lead to a partial brake loss.

The minivans can have improperly placed wires that can come into contact with sliding door hinges that could cut through the insulation, Chrysler and NHTSA said.

Chrysler spokesman Nick Cappa said the defect could lead to a fire inside the minivan door “in rare instances.”

Chrysler will notify owners and dealers about the repairs, which will be made free of charge. The recall is expected to start later this month.

The Wranglers affected by the recall were made from May 15, 2006 through August 9, 2009, according to NHTSA. The minivans were made from February 2007 through September 2007.

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BMW And VW Recall Vehicles

BMW and Volkswagen AG recalled vehicles in the U.S. this month for defects that could cause fires, the federal auto-safety regulator said.

BMW recalled 1 Series luxury cars for a flaw in front-seat safety-belt retractors that could ignite, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said. The notice didn’t say how many vehicles are affected.

The problem stems from too little clearance between the insulating material surround the seat belt tensioners and the tensioners themselves. BMW is concerned that after an accident, the insulation could overheat and catch fire.

2011 BMW Series 1

Affected vehicles include all 1-Series cars built between January and May 2010 as well as some other 2008-2011 1-Series models. Both coupes and convertibles are subject to the stop-sale order and potentially the recall.

BMW is still investigating the matter, though it has already approved dealers to

make repairs on existing stock. Owner notification is expected to begin shortly. The fix involves removing the offending insulation.

2009 VW Routan

Volkswagen recalled 15,902 Routan minivans because rear-door latches can short-circuit and catch fire.

The recall affects vehicles built between June 2008 and July 2009, which may have an improperly routed wire harness that allows the lower sliding door hinge bracket to make contact and wear through the wire insulation. This contact with a 12-volt power feed circuit could cause a short circuit within the latch mechanism of the sliding door. This could lead to a fire within the rear sliding door if the latch overheats.

Volkswagen will inspect the sliding door wire track assembly and power drive unit and repair or replace components if needed. The service will be performed for free. For more information, owners may call Volkswagen at 800-822-8987 or NHTSA’s hot line at 888-327-4236.

GCIA

Continued from Front Page

For information on labor rates for other states please search autobodynews.com.

Delaware May Become First State Other than California to Require The Transition To Low-VOCs, Suggesting Waterborne

Want to Contribute to Delaware this Southwest Edition? is working on amendments to 7 The proposed regulation also specifies “This is a tool for body shops,” said GCIA Hears Insurance Commissioner CanDE Admin Code 1124, Control of Volatile that cleaning solvents must have a VOC Batchelor, “shops can use this to fairly ne- didates Organic Compound (VOC) Emissions. content not greater than 25 grams per liter. gotiate their rates.”

GCIA members the many candidates These amendments fall into two categories: However, “special cleaning solvent” for use Batchelor also mentioned that before running for the Georgia Office of In1) amendments associated with federal in difficult cleaning tasks with VOC content r@autobodynews.com publisher@autobodynews.com Control Techniques Guidelines (CTGs), and no greater than 350 g/l may be used up to the GCIA started doing this survey 4 years surance and Safety Fire Commissioner, 2) amendments to reduce VOC emissions to 2.5 percent of the preceding years annual ago the only company to compile any has additional candidates scheduled to aid Delaware in attainment of Federal and coating usage up to a maximum of 40 gallabor rate information was State Farm In- speak at the June 23 meeting. GCIA State air quality standards. lons per year. surance Company. reminds members and non-members Delaware has therefore become the proposed regulation requires nonThis survey was done to calculate the that this office Promote your business with Promote your businessThe with and the insurance infirst East Coast state to act upon the resolu- atomized application techniques, HVLP, prevailing labor rate for a regular, walk-in dustry has a big influence on collision tion recently adopted by the Ozone article Trans- electrostatic an exclusive article featuring an exclusive featuringor airless spray application excustomer; no contracted rates with insur- owners’ businesses and livelihood. port Commission (OTC) to adopt cept for airbrushing or “applications of coatyour products or services. products or services. ance companies were to be taken in to ac- This type of presentation is an opporLow-VOC (volatileyour organic compound) ings to cover finish imperfections equal to To advertise imely count. tunity to meet the candidates, learn regulations similar to those in California. or less than one inch in diameter.” Or, the Momber Not only docall theseJoe results help shopsat: more about them, and ask questions so The proposal to amend 7 DE Admin Code coating use is less than one ounce. every negotiate their labor rates, they also serve you can make an informed decision at 1124, Section 11.0, Mobile Equipment ReIn Jan. 5, 2010 the Department proeds! as a record of how shops are making their election time. pair and Refinishing was published in the posed an amendment to Code 1138 that will May 1 edition of the Delaware Register of affect surface coating operations that spray incomes. After the results e-mail: are collected the Candidates Seth Harp and Stephen CALL: Joe Momber Call for details! jmomber@autobodynews.com Regulations. apply coatings that contain any compounds shops are sorted by their reported annual Northington have confirmed.

Rick Col- for details!

A public hearing on the proposal was of cadmium, chromium, lead, manganese or sales figures and their rates are compared. lum said that he would try to be there but www.autobodynews.com been scheduled for June 10. nickel.

REE It is no surprise that in the past years shops may arrive late and Tom Knox has inWith a compliance date of January 1, This proposed new section is based on with higher labor rates had the higher an- quired but not confirmed as of this writtion. nual sales earnings as well.

2012, the proposal includes a prohibition of a federal rule that the EPA promulgated at ing. sale, distribution and use, specific VOC lim- 40 CFR Part 63 Subpart HHHHHH. The its for different product categories, HVLP purpose is to provide increased protection and gun cleaner equipment requirements, for Delaware citizens against potential adtraining for any technicians using coatings verse health effects linked to a long term exRegister Your Email for Our and recordkeeping requirements. The re- posure to cadmium, chromium, lead, quirements are similar to those suggested in manganese, or nickel compounds. This the recently approved OTC resolution and amendment does not apply to facilities that those currently in place in regulated areas in apply surface coatings to motor vehicles at www.autobodynews.com California. (auto body shops) or mobile equipment.

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House & Senate Moving to Give Auto Dealers a Break on Oversight According to reports made by the Associated Press, the political clout of 18,000 auto dealers scattered nationwide was too much even for President Barack Obama to resist.

House and Senate negotiators putting final shape to a sweeping overhaul of Wall Street regulations all but agreed June 22 to exclude auto dealers from the oversight of a consumer financial protection bureau.

“The political reality is that those of us who have fought against an auto dealer carve-out can’t prevail,” Representative Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill. The House bill approved last December contained an exemption for auto dealers, among others, from lending regulations issued by the proposed consumer agency.

The Senate did not, but the sentiment was there. In a 60-30 nonbinding vote last month, senators called for the auto dealer loophole.

Under a compromise offered by Senate Democrats Tuesday, auto dealers would still be covered by federal truth-inlending rules that would have to conform to regulations adopted by the consumer agency.

The Federal Reserve, which oversees truth-in-lending regulations, could adopt

different rules but would have to explain its decision. At the same time, the Federal Trade Commission would be given authority to write new rules for auto dealers under accelerated procedures.

But the bottom line would be that auto dealers would be exempt from direct supervision by the consumer financial protection bureau.

The exclusion would not apply to auto dealers that provide their own financing, such as Carmax, or to giant auto lender GMAC. The Senate compromise, if accepted

by House negotiators, would be one of President Barack Obama’s most high profile losses in his efforts to overhaul Wall Street regulations.

The main contours of the House and Senate bills generally match the administration’s goals, but Obama has personally lobbied against efforts to carve auto dealers out of the consumer agency’s jurisdiction.

The administration has even made a national security case, arguing that military personnel have been especially prone to predatory lending schemes by car dealers.

Auto dealers have used their high visibility in their local communities to fight

inclusion in the bill. They say they only process the loans and then turn them over to other lending institutions to administer and service.

The National Auto Dealers Association continued to press for the House exclusion, objecting to the Senate proposal’s requirement that the Fed’s truth-inlending rules hew to those issued by the consumer agency and that the FTC be given the authority to write auto dealer rules on a fast track.

“There is no indication or evidence that the Fed has not done its job in protecting consumers seeking auto financing,” NADA spokesman Bailey Wood said. “Eliminating the existing safeguards is a sweeping change that Congress shouldn’t attempt at the eleventh hour.”

Travis Plunkett, legislative director of the Consumer Federation of America, said the Senate compromise creates a dual track system, one for auto dealers and another for all other lenders that could result in regulatory gaps.

The discussion on excluding auto dealers is one of many negotiations under way in a joint House-Senate panel that is working out differences between the House and Senate bills.

Panel members must still iron out some of the most difficult differences, including how to regulate the complex securities known as derivatives and how far to go in restricting the investment activities of banks.

On June 22, Rep. Barney Frank, the joint committee chairman, and Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd prodded the panel to conclude its work by Thursday in time for Obama’s appearance before the Group of 20 nations in Toronto this weekend.

“It would be a grave error for the U.S. to do things where we could be gamed by other countries,” Frank, D-Mass., said.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner made a similar point while testifying before the Congressional Oversight Panel, an independent committee established to look over Treasury’s financial rescue fund.

Geithner stressed the need for the United States to shape a consensus on international financial regulations.

“The reforms Congress is about to enact will be a good model for the world and will give us enormous credibility in trying to, again, pull the world to those higher standards,” he said.

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John Yoswick is a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon, who 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).

He can be contacted by email at jyoswick@SpiritOne.com.

Leaner, Faster, Smarter: “It Can’t Be Lean if it’s Not Clean” with John Yoswick

Much of what gets written and talked about regarding “lean” in collision shops focuses on recommended changes in the office and body department. But streamlining in those areas will only lead to backlogs if some lean-thinking isn’t done in the paint shop as well.

“If an organization is truly going to be lean, the whole organization has to be leanfocused,” Amjad Farah, manager of business development for BASF Automotive Refinish and a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, said. “There can’t be one part that’s not.”

Farah and other experts on lean processes within the collision-repair industry weighed in recently on what’s different within the paint departments of shops implementing lean-focused problem solving to improve productivity. Here are some of their key suggestions. Standardize the processes.

Farah said one signal a shop is thinking lean is when he sees a clear chart on the wall of the paint shop showing, for example, exactly what products and exact ratios the shop is using for its clearcoat.

“There’s no ambiguity and it’s very specific to that shop: Here’s how we do it here,” Farah said.

Part of reducing waste is standardizing the best practices, he said, clearly defining—even using photos when appropriate—products and processes to be used, and what quality standards must be met.

This reduces time-wasting conflicts about, for example, what grits are used to finish body work or primer.

It also can eliminate the need to stock multiple brands and variations of different products “preferred” by different employees. Should such standardization of materials come from the top of the organization down, or be left to employees to develop?

A little of both, Farah said.

“Management needs to get employees together and talking about it, so the employees can determine what’s best overall once they understand the goal,” he said. “Lean is about continuous improvement. That won’t happen if you’re not empowering employees to find better ways to do things, or if you haven’t shown them

you’re going to listen.” Don’t wait to match.

Eighty percent of the time wasted in the paint shop involves color matching, Steve Feltovich, manager of collision business consulting for Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes, said.

“So you start to minimize the waste on color issues by getting ahead of it rather than letting it get ahead of you,” he said.

One key to this, he said, is ensuring the paint shop has—and is using—all the color tools available through the paint manufacturer. But just as lean-thinking shops try to eliminate delays in the process through “blueprinting”— a complete disassembly of the vehicle up-front to identify at the start all needed parts and processes—Feltovich said color matching should start before the vehicle reaches the paint shop.

“Get color identification done during pre-planning and blueprinting process[es] so it’s proved out well before the car arrives in the paint department,” Feltovich said. Involve your paint supplier.

Another source of potential waste in the paint shop: excess inventory of paint and materials. Feltovich said SherwinWilliams’ branches can work with shop customers on what is sometimes called a “kanban” inventory management system.

“Kanban is a Japanese word that really only means signal,” Feltovich said.

“The goal is to have just the products and amount of products on hand that you need, to have minimums and maximums established, and a signal system in place that indicates when you’ve used something and when it will need to be replenished.

It’s about just-in-time stock and inventory management.”

Such a system could be electronic, using a barcode system and computerized inventory, or as simple as a tagging system on paint and materials cabinets in the shop.

The system is less important, Feltovich said, than keeping the goal in mind: having just what you need when you need it.

“When you reduce inventory and over-stocking, your people also become more conscious of what they use,” he said.

“It changes their behavior. They tend to become more conservative, more conscious of waste and in doing things right the first time because they don’t have excess material to throw at their mistakes.”

Get organized.

Once you’ve eliminated unneeded or overlapping products and materials from your paint inventory, put what your techs need at their fingertips, suggested David

Knapp, senior manager of business solutions for PPG Industries. Knapp said it may be helpful to have a paint prepper, for example, keep a list of every tool and product he uses for a week. Then go through the list and identify the items that he uses every day. Those are the items that should be included on a “point-of-use” cart, always within easy reach.

Knapp said Mission Viejo Auto Collision in Mission Viejo, CA, took the idea one step further.

“Using the list of what they used every day, they cut the shapes of those items out of a piece of foam they bought at an upholstery shop, and put the foam on the top of the cart,” Knapp said. “They dropped those items into the foam, and now there’s not room for anything else, so it avoids the cluttered mess I see on prep carts in many shops.” Provide information visually.

Knapp said even in shops where language barriers aren’t an issue, providing information to employees in ways other than just writing can help reduce wasteful mistakes and oversights. PPG’s “lean” training, he said, includes “visual mapping,” using symbols and markings on the actual vehicle to indicate, for example, what panels are to be blended, what should be done with pre-existing rock chips on a hood, etc.

“One extra piece of visual mapping that affects the paint shop could be ‘loose parts,’” Knapp said. “A body man might remove a bumper cover or mirror or molding that may need to be painted. Make that part of the mapping process. Write down on the drivers’ window of the vehicle how many loose parts there are, so the paint department makes sure they’re in the booth at the same time.” Look for wasteful, nonvalue-added processes.

Steve Trapp, collision services development manager for DuPont Performance Coatings, said waste in the paint department can be as basic as using 2-inch masking tape when 1.5-inch or narrower will do the job.

“You see people still papering the car instead of just using plastic to mask even through the plastic is now sufficient to keep [overspray] paint from flaking off,” he said. “You can now just tape the plastic right to the blend area, so that whole activity of masking the car with paper is no longer necessary.”

Changes in products and processes, he said, have similarly eliminated the need for wet-sanding. Choosing the right size See Leaner, Faster, Smarter, Page 16

www.autobodynews.com | JULY 2010 AUTOBODY NEWS 13

Erica Schroeder is a writer and editorial assistant for Autobody News in Oceanside, CA. She can be reached at eschroeder@autobodynews.com.

Shop Showcase

Premier Collision Center in New Orleans, LA, Mixes Environmentally Friendly Processes With Traditional Customer Service Methods with Erica Schroeder

Premier Collision Center in New Orleans, Louisiana opened in 2008 in the eastern New Orleans area to better serve customers after Hurricane Katrina. Beyond being the only shop in the area to use ONXY HD waterborne paints, Premier Collision Center also uses environmentally friendly products, sells damaged bumpers back to their suppliers, utilizes paint less dent repair processes and recycles old tires and bumper plastics in order to reduce their hazardous emissions and waste.

When asked why Premier made the decision to go with waterborne paints when they opened in 2008, collision center manager Raymond Ducote said, “Most car manufacturers are using it more and more now, so we saw the opportunity and jumped on it.”

Ducote also mentioned that he felt the color and clarity of waterborne paints were superior to solvent-based paints and worth the investment.

Premier Collision Center is a Toyota certified collision repair shop; they also

works with 4 dealerships in the area: Premier Honda, Premier Kia of Kenner, Toyota of New Orleans and Premier Nissan of Metairie. With 12 employees working out of a 9500 square-foot shop, Premier Collision Center is able to see about 100 to 120 cars per month.

Ducote said the shop opened in 2008 in the eastern New Orleans area because that area had not been rebuilt back to its pre-hurricane condition yet and a body shop was desperately needed to service customers in that area. This location also enables them to service the New Orleans metro area as well as other surrounding communities.

Premier Collision Center also works with insurance company Direct Repair Programs (DRPs) to best service the customer’s needs. Premier is able to pull in about 1 million in total sales annually.

Since Premier Collision Center is a Toyota certified shop they are required to use all of the latest tools and techniques.

Kneeling Left to Right: Louie Carle, Reggie Bergeron Standing: Raymond Ducote, Donnie Lejeune, Ricky Mauroner, Melvin Henry, Troy Robert, David Grerin, Trieu Hoang, Walter Cannon

Their state of the art facility uses state of the art equipment, including; the laser measuring system Portal, spot resistant welders and waterborne painting tools as well as a completely computerized paint matching system. They also provide online

repair tracking for their customers so they can monitor their vehicle repairs in real time online.

For more information please visit Premier Collision Center’s website at www.premierautomotivecollision.com.

PERFORMANCE RADIATOR Looking For That First Time mee Fit?

The main shop area of Premier Collision Center

The front desk and waiting room area

> Fast Delivery > Knowledgeable Staff > Great Service > Commitment to Quality > OEM Fit and Function

$ One of the shop’s waterborne painting spray booths

The inside of the shop, one of the car lifts is shown

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The front of the shop

14 JULY 2010 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

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Shop and Product Showcase

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

Easily, Safely and Economically: Mobile Lift Jack is a Best Helper with Ed Attanasio

In the busy daily life of a body shop, a product that will make techs’ lives easier while saving time and money is a breath of fresh air. In this frenetic, deadline-heavy existence, a useful piece of equipment can help a shop to meet its cycle times and exceed even the most discerning customers’ requirements. Time is the key and without enough of it in the average day, saving it is a big issue in every body shop on the planet.

That’s why shop owners, techs and even hobbyists flock to a product such as the Mobile Lift Jack, distributed by Ikotec USA. “It’s all about safely lifting vehicles and moving them around the shop easily,” Conrad Egerter, owner of Ikotec USA said.

“The jack is small, so it takes up very little space. It runs on electricity so it uses less energy as well. It’s our signature product and we’ve received great reviews on the Mobile Lift Jack from shops throughout the country.”

Ikotec USA has the master distributorship in the USA, Canada and Australia for the Ikotec Mobile Lift Jack, an innovative and unique lifting system for automobile, truck and motorcycle maintenance and repair, Egerter said. Within the past two years,

the company has sold more than 1,000 Mobile Lift Jacks in Europe alone, he said.

The Mobile Lift Jack will be showcased at the November 2010 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas and on PowertBlocktv.com, Egerter explained.

The Ikotec 3000 Mobile Lift Jack can lift cars easily, quickly and using less energy

“We’re proud to be associated with this product, because it works and that’s the bottom line. You’ll be able to see it and use it at SEMA and that’s the best way to understand everything it can do. When people see it for the first time, they automatically start thinking about different ways they can use it in their shops.”

MobileLiftJack.com These jacks are truly unique and provide a safe working environment in Garages, Body Shops, Inspection Stations, Tire Stores etc.

• All Electric • Portable • Only weighs 135 lbs.!

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Based on the company’s literature, Ikotec currently has three Mobile Lift Jack models. The Ikotec 1000 is a revolutionary way to lift foreign or sports cars, cars with little ground clearance, or cars with fiberglass trim and moldings with very little chance of damaging the vehicle.

The Ikotec 3000, the most popular model, is a 110-volt all electric wheel lift with 15 different attachments that has a lifting capacity up to 2,250 lbs per column and will lift a vehicle in approximately 35 seconds. The company’s largest lift jack is the Ikotec 6000, a 110-volt wheel lift that can lift industrial size vehicles up to 6000 lbs per column.

“Each product is designed for easy operation,” Egerter said. “They allow users to lift cars, trucks and motorcycles quickly and economically. With built-in safety features, these jacks are truly unique and provide a safe working environment in garages, body shops, inspection stations, tire stores and for the at home do-it-yourself mechanics.”

The Mobile Lift Jack was invented by Christian Koch 20 years ago, Egerter said.

After for nearly a decade of perfecting and changing it, the sixth or seventh version of the lift hit the public in 1999. Since then, Ikotec obtained the exclusive Northern American distribution rights to the entire line of Mobile Lift Jacks, he explained.

The Ikotec 3000 has fans throughout the world that are more than willing to praise the product.

To say that Richard Schomaker is a car aficionado is a major understatement. He has 12 cars in various stages of rebuilding and owns a series of garages at his home near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He’s currently working on a ’64 Studebaker Avanti and he’s been using two of his Mobile Lift Jacks to implement the restoration of this prized classic car.

“These lifts are really slick,” Schomaker said. “I’ve owned them for almost two years and I couldn’t do without them. It’s all about the mobility. I need to be able to move these vehicles fast and easily and the Mobile Lift Jack is the perfect equipment for the job.

There’s no air required, which means they’re no seals to break. It’s all powered by electricity and we love that aspect of it.”

With so many cars that he’s restoring simultaneously, Schomaker likes the fact that the Mobile Lift Jack works fast and never needs a break, he said. “It lifts a car in roughly half a minute. Time is money when I am working on my cars, because I can only be in one place at any time, but these lifts work quickly, which means I can spend more time doing what matters.”

Schomaker values the Mobile Lift

Jack’s portability more than anything else, he said. “We can move this thing all over the shop. Sometimes I’ll wheel them into my driveway. I can go as far as an extension cord will take me. We use it a lot to hold a door on a car or lift up a vehicle’s rear end to remove the gas tank, it’s so versatile and easy to use.

That’s the key of the Mobile Lift Jack.”

Sonny Palermo has owned Palermo Auto Body in Wexford, Pennsylvania for 30 years, he said, and he fixes approximately 80 vehicles per month out of a 16-bay shop with eight employees. Palermo purchased a Mobile Lift Jack and fell in love with it after using it just one time, he said.

“I bought a Mobile Lift Jack about two years ago and I saw right away that it was really convenient. Anything that will make my life easier is something I want. We restore a lot of classic cars here, and this lift allows us to move vehicles around the shop in a pinch.”

“If you want to lift something and do a specific repair, this lift can do it,” Schomaker said. “It’s so versatile and adaptable. I’ve purchased several of the accessories and it’s allowed me to do so much more with the product.”

Portability and ease-of-use are the two main reasons why shops say they value the Mobile Lift Jack

A wide range of accessories for the Mobile Lift Jack are available to enable users to perform various procedures, including wheel sleds, hitch adapters, door supports, jack stands, quick fit plates, plane plates, sill supports, shop crane adapters, spring compressors, transmission adapters, tuning sills and motorcycle attachments.

Ikotec USA is represented internationally by distributors in Spain, Germany, Italy, France and Poland as well as the in the USA, Canada and Australia. The company is the exclusive manufacturer of the products using American manufactured motors and parts and are assembled in the USA, which insures quality control and cost containment. The product can be viewed at www.mobileliftjack.com and information is available through Conrad Egerter, Ikotec USA at 412-427-8031.

Ikotec USA 184 Babcock Boulevard, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15209; (412) 427-8031

www.autobodynews.com | JULY 2010 AUTOBODY NEWS 15

On Creative Marketing with Thomas Franklin

Tom Franklin has been a sales and marketing consultant for forty years. He has written numerous books and provides marketing solutions and services for many businesses. He can be reached at (323) 871-6862 or at tbfranklin@aol.com.

See Tom’s columns at www.autobodynews.com under Columnists > Franklin

QUALITY Might Not be Number One Draw for Consumers I was recently helping a shop update their website, and checking out numerous other shop websites in the process. One characteristic stood out in most of them: their primary emphasis was on their QUALITY of work.

This struck me as curious because many customers have indicated to this shop that their main concern was how fast they could get their car back, and with selfpay customers, it was price that was most important. Very few mentioned quality.

In recent years, it seems in many business areas speed and prices have triumphed over quality. Fast food establishments far outnumber other restaurants, and while quality may be a minor concern, price and speed of service are what counts. Today’s marketplace is dominated by “instant” services: photos, cleaning, car washes and even tune-ups and oil-changes. Given this preponderance of concern for speed and price, I found it curious that these factors were rarely mentioned on collision repair websites I visited. Of course there was some mention of “cycle time,” but I never found this trumpeted as THE reason to visit the shop.

So is quality dead as a primary characteristic when marketing a shop? Of

course not, but when visiting dozens of shops, I was surprised to find that some of the busiest shops were better at marketing than quality of work. Of course possibly it was due to the large volume of jobs that there were more returns and re-dos. I’ve also found this discrepancy to be true of some other professionals I’ve worked with.

A mediocre attorney was always busy because he excelled at promoting himself. I even went to a highly promoted dentist who was incredibly busy, but the dental work I received was far below the quality I’ve received at a small dental facility.

I’ve observed that those businesses that manage to attract a large volume of customers concentrate heavily on marketing. This is not to say they neglect the quality of the work they deliver, but when advertisements all loudly proclaim the great quality of their services or products, perhaps viewers come to believe that they’re all about the same. And if there isn’t any significant difference in quality, why not simply choose on the basis of price and speed?

So what might these observations mean to a shop owner about to spend time and money on advertising and promotion?

I would say the number one take-away is

don’t underestimate the importance of a full-time focus on marketing. Many shop owners started out in production themselves. They are naturally concerned with the quality of work their shop produces and marketing is probably not as comfortable a skill as production quality. Nevertheless, if marketing is properly viewed as the tool that brings customers in the door, it has to be elevated to the number one position whether the shop is slow or not.

The next take-away might suggest a change of focus for their website. Anyone surfing the web looking for a collision repair facility is unlikely to be swayed by assertions of superior quality that are fairly uniform from one collision repair site to the next. It’s also likely that this surfer wants to eliminate the time it would take to travel around to various shops or to even call them. The web surfer is obviously concerned with time and speed. Finally, why do people purchase products and services on-line rather than from a local shop or store? Abundance of choices is certainly a factor, but when narrowing down those choices, price is likely to be the deciding factor.

And so we come to the final question: What can a shop owner say on his or her

website that will bring in the prospect looking for price and speed of service? The offer has to be credible, so some sort of guarantee must be included. “Lowest price” generally means nothing. An offer of a percentage discount is also useless.

These days people automatically assume the product or service has been marked up another ten percent before that percentage is deducted. One effective approach might be to mention that insurance companies always demand a parts and labor discount.

The website could promise the customer he or she will receive the same discount the shop offers insurance partners.

Speed of service is a trickier proposition. I’ve visited shops that publicize a turn-around time based on the price of the job: Under $500, 24-hour service; under $1000 two-day service, etc. One shop offered to reduce the price of repair by a percentage for each day they exceeded the estimated time. Another offered some sort of rebate if the job wasn’t completed on time. A shop owner might not want to offer these terms to anyone other than a prospect on the web. But given the reasons prospects surf the web, this focus on price and speed are most likely to bring the prospect in the door.

Continued from Page 13

said, can be to move resources. If the prep team may not have a vehicle ready to go for the next booth cycle, someone from detail may be pulled to help out. The real key, however, Trapp said, is [to] not look at that 96 minutes as a deadline but as a signal.

“If you’re not achieving that flow, it’s your signal to stop and ask ‘why didn’t we,’ and the answer is the next problem you look to solve,” Trapp said. “You look for ideas to make that happen, to remove the barriers.” Focus on the whole.

Trapp cautions that any single such idea may not be the right answer to immediately implement within a shop.

“You really first have to look at what problems you’re having,” he said. “If a change doesn’t address the particular constraint you’re having, it may be a good idea but not what you should be doing first. For a true lean-thinker, it’s all about solving a problem, not just implementing ideas.”

At the same time, the paint company experts agree, the paint department shouldn’t be ignored during implementation of lean processes elsewhere in the shop.

“For a shop that’s truly working on lean, it has to lean throughout, not just in body, not just in paint, not just in the office,” Farah said. “It’s as if there were a

string that ties every part of the shop together. When one part of that string moves, it all needs to move, or the string is going to break. If an organization is truly going to be lean, the whole organization has to be lean-focused.”

It starts with ‘cleaning house’.

Perhaps the first step in getting “lean” in the paint shop is some simple housekeeping, Steve Feltovich, manager of collision business consulting for SherwinWilliams Automotive Finishes, said.

“It cannot be lean if it’s not clean,” Feltovich said, saying the industry has a mixed record at best in maintaining a clean working environment. “You can’t see all the problems through that dirt.

Scales encrusted with months and years of paint ... yet they think that’s going to give an accurate measurement and color match? Or mixing machines so messy and disorganized you can’t quickly make sure every toner is pushed in when that mixing machine is spinning to make sure it’s properly mixed.”

Lean operators, Feltovich said, understand that there are first health safety risks to an unclean paint shop. But they also have processes in place, for example, to prep and clean vehicles thoroughly be-

fore they are brought into the booth, rather than just masking over the dirt and bringing it into the booth — and potentially into the paint job.

Booth maintenance—making sure fan blades and lighting fixtures are cleaned, and filters are changed regularly —also is part of lean, Feltovich said, because it drives down energy use.

“It’s got to be bright. It’s got to be clean,” agrees Amjad Farah, manager of business development for BASF Automotive Refinish, when asked about paint shop cleanliness as part of “lean.” “That helps ensure you don’t make mistakes.”

Farah said two of the pioneers in workplace time management were Frank and Lillian Gilbreth, a husband-and-wife team researching in the late 1800s and early 1900s. He said while Frank focused on process, Lillian understood that “the psychology of the worker within that process had a huge impact on output.

“So if you have a really good process but really anxious, frustrated and angry people, it’s just not going to be as effective as one in which people are happy and energetic,” Farah said. “Having a clean, bright area to work in does have an impact on the psychology of your workers.”

Leaner Faster Smarter

DA sander can reduce the repair area.

Can’t fully mask a car because you still need to be able to drive it through the paint shop?

“What if you used magnets to hold the plastic down so you can still drive it into the booth, then quickly pull the magnet off and reposition the plastic and use strip magnets to hold it down,” Trapp suggested. “That’s a good lean-thinking solution.” Schedule smarter.

Trapp said one key aspect of lean production is “flow,” developing a steady, level stream of work moving throughout the shop each day. If the goal is to process $200,000 in sales in a 20-working-day month, for example, and the average job is $2,000, the goal for the paint shop is to produce five cars per day. In an 8-hour day, that means a car should be moving into the booth ready to spray every 96 minutes.

“So many shops don’t think that through,” Trapp said. “Their paint shop ends up with nine cars on Thursday, so the painter stays late, trying to make flow.”

One way to achieve consistent flow, he

16 JULY 2010 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

The Right Cause

Mike Causey is a consumer advocate and lobbyist for the Independent Auto Body Association (IABA), in addition to Non-profits such as alternative healthcare groups (Citizens for Healthcare Freedom, NC Reflexology Association), Organic farming and Healthy Eating. Mike is a writer and speaker on numerous consumer issues and legislation. Mailing address: Causey & Associates, P.O. Box 16725, Greensboro, NC 27416 Email: gocausey@aol.com Phone: (336) 210-1947

Body Shops Going Green Means They Should Also Go Lean with Mike Causey

The recent craze among businesses of all stripes is to use terms such as “green� or “organic� when marketing their respective goods or services. The trend has extended to industries such as collision repair, which is testimony to the marketing appeal of the process because automobile repair shops are often viewed as part of what some call a “dirty� industry.

What is the real definition of ‘Going Green?’ According to one online environmental website: “Going green� means to pursue knowledge and practices that can lead to more environmentally friendly and ecologically responsible decisions and lifestyles, which can help protect the environment and sustain its natural resources for current and future generations.

That’s quite an ambitious definition, but who doesn’t want cleaner air and cleaner water? When it comes to taking steps to help the environment, small steps can make a big difference in each business.

Obviously auto body shops are not organic in the same sense as growing or selling food, and won’t advertise the “organic�

label. However, the “going green� term is gaining ground with body shops from coast to coast, and, increasingly, customers appear to be taking notice.

Although many types of businesses now “paint themselves green� in their selfpromotions and advertising, body shops going green seem to gain even greater attention from consumers.

In Clemont, New Jersey, Dan’s Auto Body has a truck with a billboard that reads, “Dan’s Auto Body has gone green.

Call and see what we mean.� Dan’s Auto Body of New Jersey has been using waterborne paint for some time, as their truck billboard reflects.

In Dallas, Texas, Bodywerks, an 85,000-square-foot body shop that claims to be “the largest body shop in the U.S� (average repairs of 500 vehicles a month) became one of the first dealership body shops in that part of the country to switch from solvent-based paints to waterborne paints. Waterborne paints will likely be required in all U.S. body shops within the next decade since it is more eco-friendly and less

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toxic than conventional paint systems.

In Oregon, Ohio Community College (Owens CC) upgraded its auto body shop to “prepare students for environmentally friendly careers and teach students how to reduce harmful emissions with ecofriendly paint products,� as reported by WTOL television reporter Chris Vickers.

Owens’ “experimental green auto body shop is the first in the Midwest to feature BASF’s new waterborne basecoat technology which greatly reduces the industrial contribution of ozone,� says Vickers.

A BASF spokesman says waterborne is just as efficient as their solvent-based product while the water reduces the amount of harmful material by nearly 70 percent.

Some reports have suggested that waterborne paints cause fewer health problems such as headaches among workers and substantially reduce the amount of chemicals and fumes in the paint process.

Much of the state of California and some cities in Oregon and Washington require waterborne paints. Ford, GM and Chrysler use the waterborne paints. These waterborne systems are required through out Europe and Canada.

John Harris Body Shops, with several locations in South Carolina, is Going Green.

They have made it their “goal to leave a green footprint in South Carolina and help our

environment. Constantly we are looking for ways to recycle our waste without compromising quality. This is one more reason John Harris Body Shop is the right place to have your vehicle repaired.�

John Harris Body Shop promotes that: ▪ 95% of all Cardboard is Recycled ▪ 95% of all plastic bumpers are recycled ▪ 95% of all scrap metal is recycled ▪ JHBS has equipped all office and technical staff with computers so paper files do not have to be generated ▪ All documents are stored electronically (eliminates file cabinets and paper storage) ▪ 100% of Steel and Aluminum wheels are recycled ▪ 85% of Batteries are recycled ▪ 100% of Paint Waste is recycled ▪ 75% Fluids such as antifreeze, oil, transmission fluid and power steering fluid is recycled Consider what you can do to help your shop become more environmentally friendly by taking steps to go green. Maybe you don’t want to get a herd of goats to mow your grass, as Google does at their corporate headquarters, but you can change your light bulbs to the more energy efficient ones and educate your workers about recycling, etc.

Increasingly the green and lean movements are becoming more aligned so that it’s hard to implement lean in the sense of improving production efficiency and minimizing waste, without also considering how to green your business at the same time.

Dale Delmege, Executive V.P. of Operations for Mitchell until 1994, gave a presentation called “A Perfect Storm,� which had elements that will be included in a June 28th issue of Claims Magazine, under the title: “Watch Out For That Fourth Step.�

With more than thirty years in the collision industry, Delmege promised to enlighten the group on what to do about the situation where 40,000 shops in the U.S. are competing for the declining amount of collision repair work that could easily be handled by 8,000 shops.

Delmege’s initial premise was that of those 40,000 shops, less than 25% were really restoring repaired vehicles to a manufacturer’s standard for a pre-accident condition. He said repairs by the majority of shops have hidden repair flaws, defects and omissions, many of which can compromise the safety of the vehicle on the road. He also pointed out that most of those shops are paid the same for faulty work as the shop that does it right. He noted that today’s quality-conscious consumer who demands organic food, as-

bestos-free products, perfectly safe child car seats and the ultimate in other safe products and services for her children, would not tolerate the hidden flaws in collision repairs if she knew about them. He asserted that a shop that does it right and effectively communicates that difference between his shop and others could command far more business and a fair price for the quality of work delivered.

To reinforce his premise, Delmege noted that he had traveled to the U.K. to see for himself if reported positive changes in the British collision repair industry had really occurred. He concluded that they had, mainly because they are dictated by a new government practice of certifying shops.

Those shops are now required to have proper tools, equipment, training for technicians and consistently repaired vehicles to exacting standards. A seal of certification is issued to compliant shops and those that fail to pass regular inspections lose their certification. Insurance companies in the U.K. will no longer grant a DRP to a shop that does not meet these certification standards.

CA Chapter Meeting Hears ‘A Perfect Storm’ Presentation from Dale Delmege

www.autobodynews.com | JULY 2010 AUTOBODY NEWS 17

U.S. Driving Tops Pre-Recession

The latest government figures show that U.S. road traffic increased in April bringing the number of total vehicle miles traveled (VMT) to within 98 percent of the record highs reached prior to the beginning of the recession, based on a 12-month moving average. The total number of miles driven in the US during the month of April 2010 rose 3.1 billion miles, or 1.2 percent compared to April 2009, putting the April 2010 total well above the pre-recession levels reached in 2007 during the month of April. Total VMT for April 2010 is estimated to be 255.9 billion miles according to the Federal Highway Administration, 3.5 billion miles more than the 252.4 billion VMT in April 2007.

Lower Car Sales is “New Normal”

Thomas King of J.D. Power and Associates spoke in Fort Worth, Texas, at the National Automotive Finance Association’s annual conference. King was asked what we can expect as an annual sales rate in future. He thinks equilibrium for new retail sales is about 12 million. In the early years of this century, the sales rate was artificially inflated by aggressive incentives, he explained.

King forecasts 9.7 million new retail sales this year, 11.3 million in 2011 and 12.5 million in 2012. If you add fleet sales to the total two years from now, that’ll come to 15 million light-vehicle sales. Profitability means lower volumes, lower incentives and higher transaction prices.

California Prop. 17 Defeated, but Insurers Not Done Yet

The Los Angeles Times has reported that a $16-million campaign spend by auto insurers, primarily Mercury Insurance, to ease regulations may not be over despite state voters’ decision to reject Proposition 17. It would have allowed drivers to take their continuous-coverage discount with them if they switched carriers. Voters defeated the initiative 52% to 48%, despite campaign funding that allowed insurance industry supporters to outspend opponents 12 to 1.

The hard-fought battle was waged between consumer advocates, who said the measure would increase premiums, and insurers, led by Mercury Group, which contended in an advertising blitz that the proposition would cut rates.

Consumer Watchdog of Santa Monica hailed the measure’s defeat as a sign that voters are wary of letting big business intrude into the citizen initiative process that allowed the proponents to get the issue on the ballot.

But spokesmen for Californians for Fair Auto Insurance Rates, the ‘Yes on 17’ campaign, said they were disappointed and signaled that they might carry on the fight for regulation revisions they expect to bring more business their way.

Mercury Chairman George Joseph, who for years has been struggling to get the changes through the Legislature and survive court challenges, says he’s not sure what his next step might be.

“We have to convince people … that

18 JULY 2010 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

this is a good thing for consumers. I don’t think we made this clear enough,” Joseph said, repeating the campaign’s message that more than 80% of insured motorists would benefit from being allowed to take their loyalty discounts with them to a new insurer.

Mercury provided the vast majority of the Yes on 17 funding, used to bombard drivers with the message that passage would correct “a flaw in the law” and spur more competition among insurers.

Proponents failed in their attempt “to scam California drivers by authorizing surcharges that voters made illegal in 1988 when they passed Proposition 103,” said Harvey Rosenfield, founder of Consumer Watchdog and author of the ballot measure that has regulated car insurance rates for 22 years.

“This is a victory not just for motorists in California, but a broader victory for California voters, who have made it clear they don’t intend to let insurance companies or utility companies or other big corporations subvert the people’s initiative process,” Rosenfield said.

The Campaign for Consumer Rights spent about $1.3 million to urge voters to reject the Mercury-backed measure.

The campaign warned voters that passage would eventually raise rates for new drivers, military personnel serving out of state and anyone who quit driving for a while to save money or take public transpiration.

Opponents also said the threat of higher rates

for those already paying top dollar for car insurance could lead to more uninsured drivers on the state’s roads.

Coupled with defeat of Proposition 16, a measure backed by Pacific Gas & Electric Co., which would have required voter approval before cities could get into the electricity business, voters sent a strong message that their voice in the political process cannot be bought, Rosenfield said. The insurance industry backers stood their ground despite Proposition 17’s failure.

“Voters missed an opportunity to extend an auto insurance discount that could have lowered auto insurance rates for millions of drivers,” said Mike D’Arelli, executive director of the Alliance of Insurance Agents & Brokers that backed the initiative.

“There is no doubt that extending the continuous coverage discount would have improved current auto law for consumers,” he said.

Kathy Fairbanks of the ‘Yes on 17’ campaign described its defeat as “a Pyrrhic victory” for opponents because they are being investigated by the Fair Political Practices Commission for what she said was an attempt to hide the source of $590,000 in contributions to the StopProp17 campaign.

Rosenfield dismissed the failed sponsors’ report of campaign finance irregularities as sour grapes and said his campaign would welcome the commission’s review because they have scrupulously complied with campaign laws.

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Holden Auto [Wichita Falls, TX] Shows 'Mom and Pop' Shop Alive Autobody News

July 2010

by Richard Carter, TimesRecordNews

But Holden, who has owned Holden Auto Center since 1985, did not go directly into the auto repair industry after graduating from Wichita Falls High School. Instead, he went to work at Ebner Brothers Packers, in the maintenance department in 1971, while he was still in high school. He worked there for six

On Nov. 1, 1979, Rice offered to sell him the station. Holden ran it until 1985 when a series of new laws for service stations made it too expensive for a little neighborhood business that didn’t sell much gasoline, he said. So he shut the gas station down and opened the auto repair garage. He and friend Joe Barrett built the

Randy Holden, owner of Holden Auto Repair, has been in business at the corner of Galveston and Holliday since 1979. The business handles general auto repair, brakes and air-conditioning work.

Photo credit: Torin Halsey/Times Record News

Mechanic Bobby Van Speybroeck (left) talks with Randy Holden while working on the fuel system of a customer’s vehicle.

Photo credit: Torin Halsey/Times Record News

Randy Holden talks with his wife, Harriett, in their business, Holden Auto Repair. They have been in business for 31 years.

Photo credit: Torin Halsey/Times Record News

years, maintaining refrigeration and doing general repairs.

It was in 1977 that his uncle, Charlie Rice, who had operated a little gas station since 1942 (Rice Oil Co.), asked him to run the station after he suffered a stroke.

first half of Holden Auto Center, next door to the service station. They added the second half in 1992.

“We are what you call a general repair shop. We do brakes, air conditioning, tune ups, water pumps, transmissions, and a lot of different things including engines. We do all makes. It doesn’t matter. You bring it, we work on it,” he explained.

Holden said the business has really changed over the years.

“When I first started you had carburetors and timing. Now you have fuel injection and so many electronics. You used to be a mechanic, now you have to be a technician,” he said. “In the old days, you would look at a car and you would say that it needs this. Now, unless you have a computer, you won’t be able to work on cars.”

Holden recently attended a school to learn more about working on newer model cars.

When Randy Holden was 9, he used to ride his bicycle to his father’s service station after school and help out by changing oil and washing cars. That was his introduction to the business world.

“My dad had a gas station on Iowa Park Road called Eddie’s Shamrock, and I started there when I was at City View school. We liked racing, so my dad always had race cars. So, we always tinkered with motors,” he said.

TRW Airbags Are on a Third of Vehicles Earning Highest NHTSA Rating When it comes to side-impact safety, TRW is shooting for the stars. The automotive safety supplier announced its airbag modules and enabling electronics technologies have helped nearly 35 percent of the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) side impact-tested vehicles earn five stars.

“Our airbag systems and components have consistently helped vehicles earn the highest rating in U.S. government testing, which shows that TRW’s technologies not only provide capable safety solutions, but can offer weight, packaging and cost advantages when it comes to competitive solutions,” said Peter Lake, executive vice president, Sales and Business Development for TRW Automotive. “With 50 of the 147 vehicles tested featuring TRW content and earning five stars, it’s evident that our airbags are effective, efficient and affordable.”

The NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) ratings determine a vehicle’s crash worthiness. Five stars indicate the highest rating a vehicle can achieve. Side-collision star ratings indicate the chance of a serious injury for the driver, front seat passenger, and the rear seat passenger (first and second row occupants).

TRW’s side airbags help protect the thorax, abdomen and pelvic area of the occupant and have an efficient initiating time and rapid airbag positioning.

The safety supplier’s curtain airbag helps to protect up to three rows of passengers in side and rollover accidents.

When coupled with a rollover sensor and TRW’s inflator solutions, the curtain airbag can help protect passengers in a rollover accident for up to six seconds while helping to mitigate occupant ejection.

For the first 20 years, Holden did all the work himself, with help from his wife, Harriett, who handled the books.

He now has an employee, Bobby Van Speybroeck, who had previous worked at the shop.

Like any longtime business, Holden has several regular customers.

Holden was born and raised in Wichita Falls. His mother, Ann, and his older sister, Debbie Linton, owned and operated Holden’s Bookstore in Parker Square for years. His sister now teaches at Rider High School.

Holden and his wife have been married for 37 years. He said they met at an ice cream social, then dated for five years in junior high and high school before getting married. They have a daughter, Shelley, and son Ronnie, who recently graduated from the University of Houston.

Following his father’s interest in racing stock cars, Holden’s stayed around the sport as a mechanic and a crew chief until two years ago. He now likes to race slot cars and ride bicycles. He rode in the Hotter‘N Hell bicycle ride last year for the first time and did 25 miles.

“I consider this a mom-and-pop place,” he said. “We have some very loyal customers and we are very thankful for them. Most are like family and we have chairs out to sit and visit.”

Holden said he plans on working for another 15 to 20 years.

“I don’t want to retire. Taxidermy me here, stand me up and I will be waving at people,” he said, laughing.

Holden Auto Center is located on 1903 Holliday. It is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Its telephone number is (940) 766-1465.

Reprinted with the kind permission of the Wichita Falls’ TimesRecordNews

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Free Monthly Newsletter at www.autobodynews.com www.autobodynews.com | JULY 2010 AUTOBODY NEWS 19

Gonzo’s Toolbox

There’s a New Wrench in Town with Gonzo Weaver

A Volkswagen Beetle was left in my parking lot one cold morning. It was one of my regular customer’s ‘01 diesel Beetle. All I knew of the problem was that it wouldn’t start.

“Let’s check a few things first,” I said.

I pulled out one of the glow plugs to check it for wear and tear and see if it was getting the necessary voltage to warm it up. All was well. In fact they looked fairly new. I checked to see if the resistance was correct… right on the money. I cracked open a fuel line to one of the injectors … no fuel…. No fuel?? Hey, wait a minute… isn’t that kinda necessary?? The tank was full, but no fuel pressure at the lines. One of the things to worry about with a diesel is air in the fuel lines…. Anytime these engines get any air in the fuel lines… oops… they will be hard to start or not start at all. Ask anyone with a diesel that has ran out of fuel how long it took to get it started again.

Well, before I start tearing into other possibilities, this would be a good time to shoot a little starting fluid down its throat and see if I can get a burp or two out of the little engine. I want to be sure there are no “mechanical” issues with the engine.

A couple of quick shots of ether and crank of the key and Shazaam!! Started right up…. Hold on hold on…. fuel is spurting everywhere.. Shut it off... Shut it OFF now!!

Looking under the fuel distributor you could see that the fuel was actually coming out of the two halves of the distributor.

Apparently the gasket or housing to the distributor has developed a major leak. My guess would be probably from the cold. Air was getting into the fuel lines, but once the engine spun fast enough to overcome the air rushing in from the bad distributor it then was able to start.

I called the customer and gave him the bad news. The biggest problem was cost. A fuel distributor isn’t a cheap part by any means. Luckily for the owner he was still covered under the factory 100K mile warranty, but barely. It was about 500 miles shy of going over the mileage. The obvious next step would be to have the car towed to the dealership. All the work could be completed under the warranty and save the customer from a huge repair bill. Nothing like a warranty when it actually pays off on an expensive part… I’m actually more relieved myself. It’s not the easiest job by any means. Oh, I’ll do it, but given a choice between changing a fuel distributor or taking a swift kick, I’ll take the swift kick.

At this point I’m through. I did my part, diagnosed the problem and sent it on to the proper repair facility to have it done.

What more should I do? Then the phone

rang, it’s the owner of the car.

He was quite calm on the phone.. I couldn’t believe what he was telling me.

In a very calm and collective voice the owner said, “The tech at the dealer says it needs new glow plugs, new glow plug relay, and a new glow plug harness.”

Once the initial shock wore off, I began to laugh. “You’re kidding me,” I answered, laughing the whole time.

“No, that’s what the man said,” he said, with a little smirk in his voice. He asked me, “Do you want to call them?”

“No, let’s see if they want to call me,” I replied. “I already know what’s wrong with the car. Let’s try this; ask them if they will guarantee the repair and make it right if that doesn’t fix the problem,” I told him.

“OK,” said my now-laughing owner.

“This ought to be a fun adventure. I’ll play along with ya.”

The phone rings again. It’s the tech from the dealer. I felt like it was one of those old western movies, where the bad guy strolls into the bar and says to the other cowboy, “This here town ain’t big enough for the both us.”

I could hear that “western” movie music in the background. I was waiting for the “call out” any minute now. It’s the old “I’m the dealer tech and nobody knows more than me.”

You know, I’m getting older, I may not be as fast as I use to be… but it’s still going to take more wrench than this spark plug has to get the best of this old gear head. If this guy would just listen to what he was saying, he could have figured out who the real cracked engine blockhead was. I’m getting a visual of him donning his dealership uniform and transforming himself into tat ta tat da…. SUPER MECHANIC!! I’m honored to be in the presence of such a marvel of the auto world.

Could I have finally met my match, am I to be put down at high noon like the Wild West gun slingers of old? High Noon, wrenches ready… let’s do this cowboy.

He proceeded to tell me that he had a code for an intermittent glow plug signal and that they had records showing that the glow plugs were changed at the dealership 2 years ago. Naturally, that was what was wrong with it. He didn’t need another shop to tell him that, because he was perfectly capable of handling the repair and that the only reason he was making this call is because it was company policy to verify complaints if the customer didn’t agree with their diagnosis. Holy Wrenches, Hombres, at least we have that going for us…

You know, there are times I’d just like to

20 JULY 2010 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

This is a new story by Scott “Gonzo” Weaver as posted on his website, www.gonzostoolbox.com. See his book “Hey Look! I Found The Loose Nut”, which provides a Good Laugh for Mechanics of Any Age. The book is available at amazon.com. Contact Gonzo at Gonzosae@aol.com give these snot nose, green horn, socket jockeys a quick thwack on the noggin. But, this kid was lucky, I wasn’t in the mood to belch out my usual “you’re too young kid, you’re going to need a little more grease in the right places before ya go messin’ with this old wrench” speech. Instead, I was going to give him another chance to rethink his diagnosis.

“How did you arrive at that conclusion,” I asked.

“I had a code for it, and these cars have a history of problems with the glow plugs,” he very proudly stated.

“Did you check the glow plug themselves?” I very calmly asked.

“Well, they were changed 2 years ago,” he answered. First mistake.

“Let me get this straight, you found a code, you didn’t check it, and now you want to change the part… is that it?” I said in a stern manner.

“I don’t need to check it, I already know,” he quickly countered.

“I hate tell you this, but that code is there because of me. I pulled the glow plug out and hand checked it. I even checked the resistance value on the glow plug and the incoming voltage. I didn’t see a thing wrong with the glow plug circuit. Did you by chance notice the raw fuel under the fuel distributor?” I asked in a even more stern voice.

“Yeah, I saw the fuel. I washed it off.” he answered confidently. “It started to stink up the shop. The car was directly under the shop heater and the other techs were complaining of the fumes. Not like it had anything to do with the repair anyway.

You guys’ are just a little sloppy, you should clean up things better next time.”

“That fuel you saw is from the fuel distributor housing,” I told him.

“Oh, you know, all these customers are all alike; they’re just trying to get stuff done for nothing while it’s still under the warranty. So, it’s no big deal,” he answered.

Oh please, don’t tell me this kid had the nerve to say that. It reminds me of all those comments that small children say to strangers in a crowded room. Usually out of context and never under the right circumstances and, most often, with their parents standing right there totally embarrassed by the whole thing.

Another mistake, keep going kid… it’s just keeps getting better.

“I think you should put this car back outside and check it in the morning after it gets good and cold. It’s going to leak again, that I’m sure of.” I told the new wrench.

“I’m going to have to ask my service writer about that, because I’m very sure of the repair work that I have already diag-

nosed. So, like I said... This is just a courtesy call... not a call to tell me how to fix it.” He said in a very insistent tone.

“OK fella, have it your way. I’m just trying to help you out. I didn’t spill a drop of fuel. That fuel you saw came from the distributor not from anything else.” I said, trying to get my point across.

“I understand, but you know, here at the dealership we have the most sophisticated equipment and can diagnose these problems better and quicker than you can,” he answered.

The mistakes kept adding up.About now I’m shining my wrenches for a showdown… somebody is going to get it, and it ain’t me.

I think, if I were him, I would be concerned that the glow plugs that were installed 2 years ago have failed again, seems pretty odd to me that the glow plugs wore out that quickly. But this young wrench head is strictly going by the code and not diagnosing the problem.

I told him, “Wouldn’t it be proper procedure to clear the code and then recheck.

Chances are it was a false code due to the fact that I had disconnected it earlier.”

He didn’t seem to be interested in my comments. As I expected, the dealership called the owner and told him that they were going to do “further” testing.

The next day the owner called me back again with even more astonishing news. “The dealer tech said that the raw fuel was from the glow plug that you took out,” the owner said laughingly. I figured the tech was trying to cover his tracks.

A week later the little ‘01 Volkswagen had a new fuel distributor and a happy owner.

All under warranty, and it didn’t need those new glow plugs replaced… imagine that.

This tech was just a young wrench with a chip on his shoulder. Trying to out wrench an old hand like myself was not a smart move. To top it off, the owner isn’t dumb about the whole thing either. A few more years under this young techs’ toolbox and he might just make it.

I guess you could say that there was a showdown at high noon. Holster those wrenches boy, you’ve got some more miles to put under the hood before you’ll be ready for another showdown.

I think it was a good lesson for the young ratchet head. Just because you’re dealing with an independent shop doesn’t mean they don’t know how to use those wrenches. So saddle up there youngster, I’m proud of ya, this was a good lesson for future endeavors. For me, the trigger finger is a little slower than it used to be… But I can still tell the stories… one wrench at a time.

Widening Vehicle Age Gap Drives Product Differences “Over the past ten years, the age gap between domestic and foreign vehicles on U.S. roads has widened. With the significant changes in annual new vehicle sales and mix since 2008, this age difference has shifted into overdrive.”

“The expanding age gap between domestic and foreign vehicles is creating differences in the types of products used in the repair and maintenance of foreign and domestic cars and light trucks in the U.S.” At the turn of the new millennium, there was a 1.9 year difference in the average ages of domestic and foreign light vehicles in the U.S. This age gap expanded to 2.2 years in 2007, and then exploded to 2.5 years at the beginning of 2010, as a result of new domestic cars and light trucks plunging in annual volume and sales share.

With foreign vehicles capturing approximately 55% of new unit volume in 2010, up from 42% share just five years ago and only 26% of 1997 new vehicle sales, the age difference between foreign and domestic vehicles in the U.S. will continue to increase.

Lang Marketing estimates by 2015 there will be more than a 3.6-year difference in average age between domestic and foreign cars and light trucks in the U.S.

Impact on Repair Products Used Sinking new domestic vehicle sales and the resulting increase in domestic vehicle age are changing the types of products used in the repair and maintenance of domestic vehicles.

Falling Dealer Repair of Domestic Vehicles Less work will be conducted by Dealers on domestic vehicles, reflecting the increasing age of domestic vehicles as well as the declining number of domestic Dealers.

This will shift more domestic vehicle repair to Independent (non-Dealer) Service outlets.

Less OE Product Use on Domestics, More Aftermarket Product Use As the Independent (non-Dealer) Service market captures an increasing share of repair and maintenance for domestic cars and light trucks, OE brand use for domestic vehicle repair will decline and aftermarket brand use will rise.

Secondary Impact of Older Domestic Vehicles While the increasing age of domestic vehicles will expand Independent Service market product volume, the growing age of domestic vehicles will also prompt

owners to seek more economical vehicle repair, with implications for the types of repair outlets they select as well as the products used.

“Value” Products for Domestic Repair Older domestic vehicles in the U.S. will increase the use of “value” brands, products which provide acceptable levels of quality, but have lower prices.

Shift in Brand Share In both the DIY and DIFM segments, “value” products will increase their domestic vehicle aftermarket product share over the next five years, as the average age of domestic vehicles increases, escalating consumer price sensitivity in terms of vehicle service and products.

Different Pattern for Foreign Vehicle Brand Use Increases in foreign car and light truck age in the U.S. will progress at a slower rate than domestic vehicle age gains, as foreign models threaten to expand beyond their present 55% share of new vehicle sales.

Foreign Dealers and Foreign Specialists Dealers will maintain a large share of foreign car and light truck repair, and Foreign

Specialists will continue expanding their foreign vehicle Service market share.

Both of these outlet groups prefer OE parts and parts produced by OE suppliers and foreign manufacturers. As a result, “value” products will not increase their share of foreign vehicle aftermarket product volume.

The only shift in product brand use in the foreign vehicle aftermarket will be an increase in Service market share of brands produced by OE suppliers as well as growth of selected foreign brands.

Growing Difference Between Products Used in Domestic and Foreign Vehicle Repair Over the next five years, “value” brands will increase their product share in the domestic vehicle Service and DIY Markets; while OE brand share will decline in the domestic vehicle repair market.

In contrast, OE brand share and share of aftermarket products from OE suppliers as well as foreign brands will remain strong in the foreign vehicle aftermarket, creating a brand dichotomy between the foreign and domestic vehicle segments of the Service and DIY Markets in the U.S. 'From Aftermarket Insight™ by Jim Lang, President of Lang Marketing Resources, Inc., www.langmarketing.com.'

www.autobodynews.com | JULY 2010 AUTOBODY NEWS 21

ALL OEM Information with Tom McGee and Jeffrey Webster

Tom McGee is National Account Manager for ALLDATA Collision. He has had a long career with I-CAR, including as President & CEO. Tom is an ASE certified Master Collision Repair/Refinish Technician. He has also run his own collision facility and been a career and technical school instructor. He can be reached at Tom.McGee@alldata.com. For other Tom McGee articles in Autobody News, go to: http://www.autobodynews.com/tom-mcgee/index.php — JEFF WEBSTER is an ALLDATA Technical Writer.

It’s Friday and I can’t get the door glass to work!

Its Friday afternoon, the vehicle owner is expected to pick her car up in less that an hour. That’s when you discover that the door glass isn’t operating properly. Panic sets in. How do you fix it quickly?

With the ever-increasing use of electrical and electronic systems in today’s vehicles, we are seeing an increase in the number of systems that need to be reset or re-initial-

ized. In some cases, there is some type of memory setting that can be programmed.

Technicians are quickly becoming responsible for recording the memory settings and returning them to where they were when the vehicle arrived at your facility.

All these systems need to be reset/re-initialized following repairs.

Let’s take a look at the procedures required to re-initialize the glass door on three different vehicles.

2008 Acura TL V6-3.5L Resetting the Power Window Control Unit Resetting the driver’s or front passenger’s power window is required when any of the following have occurred: • Power window regulator replacement or repair • Power window motor replacement or repair • Window run channel replacement or repair • Door glass replacement or repair • Power is removed from a power window control unit while the power window timer is ON. Using the Honda Diagnostic System (HDS) 1. Connect the HDS to the vehicle’s DLC. 2. Turn the ignition switch ON (II), then enter the vehicle’s VIN and mileage at the prompts.

3. Select “Body Electrical” from the “System Selection” menu.

4. From the “Body Electrical System Select” menu, select “Power Windows”.

5. From the “Mode” menu, select “Adjustment”.

6. From the “Adjustment” menu, select “Window P Reset” for driver’s side (pas-

senger’s side) power window.

7. Follow the prompts on the screen.

8. Confirm that the power window control unit is reset by using the driver’s (passenger’s) power window AUTO UP and AUTO DOWN function.

Bus\Testing and Inspection\Diagnostic Trouble Code Tests and Associated Procedures\B-CAN System Diagnosis Test Mode A.

leasing. If the express down and express up functions are successfully relearned, the power window should roll completely down and roll completely up.

3. Open the driver’s (passenger’s) door.

NOTE: Steps 4-7 must be done within 5 seconds of each other.

4. Turn the ignition switch OFF. 5. Push and hold the driver’s (passenger’s) power window DOWN switch.

6. Turn the ignition switch ON (II).

7. Release the driver’s (passenger’s) power window DOWN switch.

8. Repeat step 4-7 three more times.

9. Wait 1 second.

10. Confirm that AUTO UP and AUTO DOWN do not work. If AUTO UP and DOWN work, go back to step 1.

11. Move the driver’s (passenger’s) power window all the way down by using the driver’s (passenger’s) power window DOWN switch.

12. Pull up and hold the driver’s (passenger’s) power window UP switch until the power window reaches the fully closed position, then continue to hold the switch for 1 second.

13. Confirm that the power window control unit is reset by using the driver’s (passenger’s) power window AUTO UP and AUTO DOWN function. If the power window still does not work in AUTO, repeat the procedure several times, paying close attention to the 5 second time limit between steps. If it still does not work, go to B-CAN System Diagnosis Test Mode A. See: Powertrain Management\Computers and Control Systems\Information

• Ignition ON, lower each window to the full down position and hold each window switch at the full down position for 5 seconds.

• Raise each window to the full up position and hold each window switch at the full up position for 5 seconds.

• Verify that the express down and ex-

INITIALIZE POWER WINDOW CONTROL SYSTEM (POWER WINDOW REGULATOR MOTOR (ALL DOORS) CAUTION: When the power window regulator motor is reinstalled or replaced, the power window control system must be initialized.

Functions such as the auto up/down, jam protection and key-off do not operate if the initialization is not performed.

Without the HDS 1. Turn the ignition switch ON (II).

2. Move the driver’s (passenger’s) power window all the way down by using the driver’s (passenger’s) power window DOWN switch.

22 JULY 2010 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

2009 Cadillac CTS AWD V6-3.6L Express Window Programming and Setup Anytime battery power is lost or if the power window motor is replaced, the express down and express up features must be relearned.

Follow the procedure below to program the power windows:

Display

Default

Door Key P/W Up

ON

Door Key P/W Down P/W Down W/Transmit P/W Down W/Smart

ON

ON

ON

2008 Lexus Truck LX 570 V8-5.7L (3UR-FE) WINDOW / GLASS: POWER WINDOW CONTROL SYSTEM: CUSTOMIZE PARAMETERS 1. CUSTOMIZING FUNCTION WITH TECHSTREAM (REFERENCE) NOTICE: • When the customer requests a change in a function, first make sure the function(s) can be customized. •Be sure to make note of the current settings before customizing.

• When troubleshooting a function, first make sure that the function is set to the default setting.

A. Connect the Techstream to the DLC3.

B. Turn the engine switch on (IG).

C. Turn the Techstream on.

D. Enter the following menus: Customize Setting.

E. Select the setting by referring to the table below.

POWER WINDOW

Contents

Function that raises all the power windows when, with the engine switch off, a key is used to hold the driver door key cylinder to the lock position for more than 2.3 seconds

Function that lowers all the power windows when, with the engine switch off, a key is used to hold the driver door key cylinder to the unlock position for more than 2.3 seconds

Function that lowers all the power windows when, with the engine switch off, the unlock switch on the transmitter is pressed and held for more than 3.0 seconds Function that raises all the power windows when, with the engine switch off, the entry lock switch on the driver side door outside handle is pressed and held for more than 3.0 seconds

press up feature are working by pressing the power window switch past its first detent and releasing and pulling the power window switch past its first detent and re-

Setting ON/OFF

ON/OFF

ON/OFF

ON/OFF

HINT: When the battery is replaced, it is not necessary to initialize the power window regulator motor.

See It’s Friday, Page 37

Toby Chess is an I-CAR program instructor, Welding specialist, and former salvage yard operator. Toby is universally known in the collision industry for his charitable works, worthy causes, and magic tricks. He can be reached at tcspeedster@yahoo.com

Hey Toby!

Heat? On a Toyota Front Frame Rail? No Way! with Toby Chess

Hey Toby: Can you tell me how much heat can be applied to the front frame rail on a 2008 Toyota Tacoma. I had an adjuster said that I could use low heat if I monitored it.

—Mario from Whittier

Hey Mario—Toyota says no heat period.

Cold straightening only. You need to have the CRIB (Collision Repair Information Bulletin) from Toyota and give it to any insurance adjuster who wants you to heat structural parts in the future.

After receiving this note, I was thinking about importance of having the technical knowledge prior to writing an estimate. About the same time I was visiting with Marco Mamoine of Marco’s Autobody in San Gabriel (CA). Marco is one of the most anal individuals on doing repairs by the book. One time I watched him torque the rear bolts on the rear subframe on a BMW. When he was finished, he marked every bolt head with red paint (as per BMW guide lines). I don’t think the mechanics at a BMW dealership go that far. Well, when I got to the shop Marco and his mechanic were working on a 2010 Toyota Corolla. The engine need to be removed for access to the front frame rail. Both men had small picks, screw drivers, mirrors, lights and everything else under the sun on a service cart next to the car. They were trying to remove the engine wire loom that is attached to the fuse box on the left apron. I watched them for 15 minutes trying to find the release for the wire loom, but could not find it. I tried and Marco kept saying “don”t you break it” plus a few superlatives. I thought it would be to let him break it, so I backed off. After another 5 minutes he said that we needed to look up the removal procedures on TIS (Toyota’s Technical Information Service—www.techinfo.toyota.com).

We started searching the collision section, but the information was not there. I suggested that we look in the mechanical section and sure enough we found the procedures to remove and install the engine. On the fuse box there are 2 black wires that are attached with 10mm nuts.

Remove the nuts and 3 connectors and the whole engine wire loom comes off. Who would have guessed that two wires held in the unit. Back to car with the info and 1 minute later the wire loom was off.

Who would have guessed it. The cost for TIS is less than a dollar a day. Every body shop that works on Toyotas needs to subscribe and if you don’t believe me,

take this following test and see if you can answer the questions.

1. Technician A states that SRS pig tail on Toyotas is not repairable. Technician B states that Toyota allows repairs to the SRS wiring and a special kit is available. Who is correct?

A. Tech A only B. Tech B only C. Both Techs are correct D. Neither Tech is correct 2. Technician A states that Toyota does not approve of reconditioning wheels.

Tech B says that Toyota states in CRIB # 154 that no refinishing of an OEM is allowed. Who is correct?

A. Tech A only B. Tech B only C. Both Techs are correct D. Neither Tech is correct

3. Technician A states in CRIB # 170 that adhesion promoter is recommended on all OE raw plastic bumpers. Tech B states that flex additive is a substitute for adhesion promoter. Who is correct?

A. Tech A only B. Tech B only C. Both Techs are correct D. Neither Tech is correct

4. A 2009 Toyota Camry is involved in a collision. Technician A states according to CRIB #175 (Revised) that HSS occupant cabin reinforcement is repairable without heat. Technician B states the UHSS occupant reinforcements repairs are not recommended. Who is right?

A. Tech A only B. Tech B only C. Both Techs are correct D. Neither Tech is correct 5. How many SRS sensors are in a 2010 Toyota Camry?

A. 6 B. 7 C. 8 D. 9

6. A HSS replacement part is being welded. Tech A states that MIG welding is acceptable. Tech B states that STSW is acceptable?

A. Tech A only B. Tech B only C. Both Techs are correct D. Neither Tech is correct 7.

A HSS replacement part is being

welded into place. Tech A states that ER70S6 should be used on frame replacement parts. Tech B states that ER70S3 should be used for unibody components.

Who is correct?

A. Tech A only B. Tech B only C. Both Techs are correct D. Neither Tech is correct

8. A new hood is being replaced on a 2009 Toyota Camry. Tech A states that cavity wax is applied to the hood after painting. Tech B states that a soft chip primer is applied to lower front section of the hood. Who is correct?

A. Tech A only B. Tech B only C. Both Techs are correct D. Neither Tech is correct

Adhesive is used between the outer panel and the outer wheelhouse panel. Who is correct?

A. Tech A only B. Tech B only C. Both Techs are correct D. Neither Tech is correct 13. A Quarter panel is being replaced on a 2009 Toyota Camry. Tech A states that MIG brazing is used at the joint near the package tray. Tech B states that an OxyAcetylene torch with flux brass can be used. Who is correct?

A. Tech A only B. Tech B only C. Both Techs are correct D. Neither Tech is correct

14. A Center post is being replaced on a 2010 Camry. Tech A states that the “B” pillar reinforcement is sectioned 35mm above a reference point as per the reThe Above picture is depicts the inner frame rail on a 2007 Toyota Camry. A is the front part of the rail, B&C are laser welds pair procedures manual. Tech B 9. Technician A states that Toyota has a states that butt weld with backer is used. partial replacement part procedure for the Who is correct? inner rail. Tech B states that locations B A. Tech A only & C according to the Toyota Repair ManB. Tech B only ual are section locations. Who is correct?

C. Both Techs are correct A. Tech A only D. Neither Tech is correct B. Tech B only C. Both Techs are correct 15. A 2010 Camry has suffered sever D. Neither Tech is correct damage to the rear of the vehicle. Tech A states in CRIB #122 that rear body 10. Location A on the rail has minor dam- sectioning recommended because it age. Tech A states that in the Toyota Re- uses less welds and preserves more facpair Manual, the rail can be heated to 1150 tory welds and corrosion protection. degrees Fahrenheit with an only an induc- Tech B states in CRIB # 157 that the tion heater. Tech B states that cold OEM warranty is still valid with used straighten is allowed by Toyota on HSS. OE salvage parts, but is not covered Who is correct? with “imitation counterfeit” parts. Who A. Tech A only is correct?

B. Tech B only A. Tech A only C. Both Techs are correct B. Tech B only D. Neither Tech is correct C. Both Techs are correct D. Neither Tech is correct 11. What kind of section joint is used when section the above rail?

Answers: A. Tappered fillet 1.a 2.a 3.a 4.b 5.d 6.c 7.d 8.c 9.d B. Butt weld with backer 10.b 11.c 12.b 13.a 14.d 15.d C. Open butt weld D. Flanged fillet If you missed more that a couple of the questions, you need to subscribe to TIS 12. A Quarter panel is being replaced on and attend I-CAR’s POP 01 class along a 2009 Toyota Camry. Tech A states the with DAM 08. You can e-mail me at tcCRIB #176 (revised) allows use of adhe- speedster@yahoo.com and I will be glad sive bonding and weld bonding. Tech B to explain the correct answers. www.autobodynews.com | JULY 2010 AUTOBODY NEWS 23

Custom Corner

Rich Evans is the owner of Huntington Beach Bodyworks and an award winning painter and fabricator. He offers workshops in repair and customization at his facility to share his unique talents. For contacts and design samples visit www.huntingtonbeachbodyworks.com

Building A Numbered Car Exactly Like the Red Mist in ‘Kick Ass’ with Rich Evans

I got a really interesting request for a cool project from a guy out in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Woody Frees.

If you’ve seen the Nicolas Cage movie “Kick Ass” you may remember the car in there driven by the character Red Mist, which Galpin auto sports built. They bought a body kit from me which is actually nine pieces of the 19-piece Rich Evans body kit that are used to create the car I called the Hardcore Knight. See my previous columns in Autobody News for more on making that car and the kit.

Galpin built this superhero car which is now called the Red Mist so it was real interesting to get a phone call from Woody.

His kids had seen the movie. They’re 13 and 15 years old and they wanted that car!

Woody thought that would make a great bonding project for father and sons.

That caught my attention, and I said man, this will be something that they’ll work on together and actually never forget about it.

Woody went and bought a car out here in Long Beach, had delivered to the shop, so I could make it into a numbered car.

I get the painting and the body kit installed on this vehicle and gather up all the pieces to replicate the car to the exact specs in the movie and then ship a lot of the interior pieces; the grill, etc. that so they can finish up the project themselves back in Florida.

This is number seven of the hundred cars that I put out. I wanted to share this project with you guys and go through some of the steps that it takes to to do this project.

This will be part one of likely two stories.

The car arrives, wrong color

We’re going to start with a 2008 GT Mustang. Unfortunately Woody had tried to get a car the right color but it showed up in the wrong color. They make two different Ford reds, so it’s going to be a little more of a project just because we have to change the car color, but of course we have the capability of doing that here at Huntington Beach Bodyworks.

We’re going to put vertical doors on so I contacted my buddy Louie up at Vertical Doors Inc. and made an appointment. I’ve seen a lot of vertical doors and I’ve run into other projects down the line in repairing vertical doors where they’re welded on or they’re hitting or they’re damaging the car,

but I’ve found that Vertical Doors Inc. has the best product out there. They’re very professional in the way they do things and their scheduling. It took two weeks to get an appointment.

I took the front end off of this car because we’re not going to use this bumper. I took the fenders off so we could get through the process a little bit more and then, since we’re changing the base coat color, I painted the A pillars so when we put the new hinges on for the vertical doors I wouldn’t have to work around those.

Paint A pillars before the Vertical doors are installed

That will save me time in the long run.

Always think out what you need to do on your next step it’ll likely save you some time. Time is money and that’s what we’re all trying to save. Always seek a better way and keep up your quality.

I loaded up the car in my trailer from KC Sliders. The new trailer that I’ve got makes things really easy to load up. It takes 15 minutes to drive the car up, push a button, load it into the trailer, close it up, tie it down, and I’m on my way.

I’m about 40 minutes away from Vertical Doors (they’re off of Graphite Drive,1240 Graphite Dr, Corona, CA 92881). If you are looking at doing vertical doors go to www.verticaldoors.com for a look. These guys are the best in the business, guaranteed, and they have the best quality parts. There’s nothing else out there that can compare. As I get there he’s got his guys ready, as promised, right on time. I pull in and unload the trailer, drive it in. The guys get right to work. Louie and I head out to lunch, come back, and these guys are almost finished. It takes your car to a whole different level. The way the doors operate, they still swing open but then they swing up and it gives it a real cool look. Thanks to the guys at Vertical Doors, I’m back on the road by 3:30 PM and on my way back to the shop to put this vehicle up on a rack. It gives me a little bit more easy access to installing the Rich Evans body kit.

We’re going to install the left and right rockers, the left and right rear wheel flares, and the rear bumper. I need to remove the OEM bumper, put on the Rich Evans bumper. I need a reference point where the flare needs to be because we’re going to

24 JULY 2010 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

widen these rear wheel wells 2 inches. I take the rockers, to use the reference point, and I’ll clamp the rocker up on the front, then I’ll put in the natural mounting points to the pushpins so it holds itself up.

I’ll take the flare and set it up, line it up with the rear bumper, have it meet that rocker panel, and then I’ll scribe a line and follow the radius of the flare so I have a reference point. Then I take everything back off and grind the left and right quarter panels where the flares are going. I’m going about 2 inches above that scribe line just so I can get rid of all the paint, and then I’m going on the inside of the wheel well and grind that as well.

I notch a piece out and reuse the OEM lip of the rear wheel well and extended it out 2 inches. Then I’ve got a template where I make a replacement piece which is only at the top of the inner wheel well. We’re losing about 2 inches, so there’s a 2 inch gap. I come back and fill that gap flush so you can’t even tell that there was anything done.

Going on to the rockers, I grind it where I mold this body kit to the car. I think it looks a lot better. The kit’s made to snap into OEM parts and then you can use double-sided tape

to put the flares on and extend your wheels out so you get a little bit more meat on the ground. It gives it a little bit more of a muscle feel. We want that modern muscle look.

The steps on flaring out the rear wheel wells are 1) notch a piece out 2) take about an 11-inch piece of the wheel well and 3) cut up about an inch-and-a-half right at the line where that sharp edge is right on the wheel well and 4) cut there.

Hinges for the veritical doors

I’m usiing my Model# CP7900 pneumatic reciprocating saw from Chicago Pneumatics, and cut twice into the wheelwell. I saw all the way through the inner and the outer of the quarter. After doing that I’ve got a template. I’ll go inside and mark out the inner piece where I cut and I’ll use

the saw for that as well. So I cut the inner piece as you can see the notched piece that I’ve taken out in the photo.

Our Red Mist gets its wings

I go along that area and when I’m extending the wheel well the piece I’m cutting is going to have to move up so it fits directly to my flare kit to flare it out. I reinstall the flare kit after cutting. What I do is cut all the way up to that upper lip right before it meets the flare. I make about 10 cuts (every inch) that allow me to get a hammer up there and and massage those cuts so I can fit this piece back in. I take my rear flare, bolting it back up to the quarter panel, lining it up to the bumper and lining it up to the rocker panel. Now I’ve got a big hole and I’ve got that piece I cut out so I’ve ground that piece that I cut out, that 11-inch lip, and then I go to where I made those 10 notches. I hammer that until it hits flush to the flare. I take the piece that I’ve notched out, push it up there and it’s going to fit against that flare tight. Then it’s going to

come right up to the lip where I can put three clamps on it and that will give me the positioning where that notched piece needs to sit. It needs to come out so I’ll have a solid structure to mount the flare to. It becomes part of the car to give me a stronger structure for the vehicle. I tack a few spot welds that’ll keep it in place. I remove the flare. I come back and weld everything up and make sure I check it every once in a while to make sure nothing is moving. Then I cap off the front and the rear so we have no moisture whatsoever to corrode or rust up later on. I come on the inside of the wheel well and I weld that patch piece in there solid. I tack it up in the center part first and I’m using 20 gauge metal so I’ll be able to roll it and massage it with a hammer so fits perfectly and that gives me a nice little radius, and it allows it to look natural. If you look up there you wouldn’t be able to tell that it’s ever been changed. Then I come

Loading the new trailer

back and grind everything smooth. Obviously I take some weld-through primer and hit the insides of the metal so we don’t have any bare metal being exposed.

Now I’m ready to put the body kit on.

3M has got a new product out. Actually it’s not really a new product, more a modified product. It’s a short strand fiberglass reinforcement filler but now we can use it in the “bondo-mixing gun.” Officially that’s the 3M dynamic mixing system which I’ve been using it for about two years. If you

Working the flares on the lift

don’t know it go to 3M.com and look up the 3M dynamic mixing system. Phenomenal product, lessens your work time and time is money. It eliminates pin holes. One squeeze of the trigger and you’re mixed and ready to go. That’s the best thing. Staying up on technology and all these new products these companies are coming out with. I’m a big fan of 3M, which is just a phenomenal company. I’ve working with them for years and they don’t quit amazing me on the products they’re putting out. They’re really helping us, the end users, to be able to speed up our process, keep up our quality, and use fewer steps that allow us to make money and get on to the next project.

So I’ve been trying this new reinforcement filler out and compared to the way I used to do it before, I’m saving almost an hour-and-a-half to two hours installing my body kit. Before I’d have to mix it up, put it in a plastic bag, almost like cake decorating, and squeeze out and you know the rest.

This tool has helped me tremendously in every project I touch. Visit 3M.com and find the dynamic mixing system, it’ll definintely help you out. As I install this, obviously I keep the rear bumper there, and tape it where the flare meets the top of the bumper. That way it’ll get a perfect form to where it meets it, and then I can pull the bumper off and just pull the tape away and we’ll have a perfect mirror image of what needs to be to fit.

Note the cuts

Back to molding the rear flare. We talked about the rear bumper and the flare meeting the rear bumper and now on to the flare itself. Obviously there are 6 mouting points that I used, set screws to screw through the flare to the body. This way I have a reference point for putting the flare

exactly back to where it needs to be. Where it meets the rocker panel I have two screws going through the flare into the rocker panel and what I do is take the dynamic mixing system and the short strand fiberglass reinforcement filler and run a bead along the rocker.

I put the rocker on first and I clamp it up to the front. I’ve got the car up on the lift which allows me not have to get low to the ground and enough working room. I get the doors tilted up. I’m running the bead on the inside of the rocker. Then I’ll run a bead on the front part of the rocker and use the original OEM clips to clip that rocker to the unit structure where the old rocker molding used to go.

After doing that then I’ve got to support the bottom of the rocker with a floor jack so it doesn’t sag in any way. I get the flare and put the fiberglass reinforced filler on the inside of the flare. That’s on the outside where it’s going to meet the lip and right where it’s going to meet the quarter.

Also where it meets the rear bumper and meets up to the rocker panel. I use that so I can bond these panels all together and doing that takes two people. That way we can run the screws through the reference holes and screw it into place and also come back and nicely smooth out the fiberglass reinforcement filler to make for a better contrast when shaping this in the end.

I take three clamps and very lightly clamp them. I don’t want to clamp them too hard because they’ll warp the fiberglass flare.

Grinding

Then I let it set for a couple hours, at which point I’m ready for the next step which we’ll go into next column. We should be able to go through the painting process and the delivery process of this vehicle.

We’ve got wheels to do. We’ve got a scoop, the two tone, and the graphics to put on the side of it, as well as paint the car complete and take the mirrors, primer and block the mirrors out.

We’ve got the wing to put on and then all the other additional pieces to the project.

We’ll get through that next phase.

I’d like to thank VerticalDoors.com for getting me in and out of there, 3M for all the product that they supply me with. I’d like to thank Chicago Pneumatics for all the pneumatic tools that help me do my job quicker and also I’d like to thank Woody Friese and sons for such a great project and I look forward to moving this project out to Fort Lauderdale and see them complete it.

So another great project is underway. I’ll talk to you next month. Thanks guys.

www.autobodynews.com | JULY 2010 AUTOBODY NEWS 25

Reaction to ‘Operation Straight Body’ Sting in Orange County Critical of both Shops and DA The fallout from the Orange County auto body sting operation which swept up 53 shop owners and estimators earlier this month has already cost many of those implicated their DRP arrangements. Several major shops involved, with the notable exception of two of the state’s three Sterling shops owned by Allstate, Orange County, Calif, have already had DA Tony Rackuackas their DRPs cancelled by their insurer partners.

Details of the specific charges are still forthcoming, but those involved will likely be charged under CP code 550b(2), which reads, in part: (b) It is unlawful to do, or to knowingly assist or conspire with any person to do, any of the following: (1) Present or cause to be presented any written or oral statement as part of, or in support of or opposition to, a claim for payment or other benefit pursuant to an insurance policy, knowing that the statement contains any false or misleading information concerning any material fact.

(2) Prepare or make any written or oral statement that is intended to be presented to any insurer or any insurance claimant in connection with, or in support of or opposition to, any claim or payment or other benefit pursuant to an insurance policy, knowing that the statement contains any false or misleading information concerning any material fact.

A mitigating factor may be that most shops do direct estimates, in that they are written and sent directly to the insurance company by the body shop. Customers who come in off the street and just want a written estimate to take with them are usually using it as a bargaining chip with the other party to the accident.

Many experienced shop owners were clearly under the impression that if the estimate was marked “OR,” meaning “owner requested,” that they bear no liability for what is done with the estimate beyond that point. This case will thoroughly test the argument that if the estimate is written explicitly for the vehicle owner and given to the vehicle owner, then it is the vehicle owner who commits insurance fraud if he turns it in to the insurance company.

A number of the shops are joining together to combine their representation to counter the charges. One prominent attorney Dyke Huish, has publicly criticized the expense and public value of the sting operation, as well as the DA’s “grandstanding.” Said Huish, “I guess his feeling is innocent until proven guilty applies in the court room but not in public opinion

and the media.” Huish is representing at least six of those charged in the case.

The case formally began June 2 when 53 Orange County shop owners and estimators were arrested and booked in ‘Operation Straight Body’ following a 5-month undercover investigation by the OCDA Automobile Insurance Fraud Unit targeting auto body repair facilities. The Orange County DA, Tony Rackuackas, released the following statement on Thursday, June 3.

“Between January and May 2010, the OCDA conducted 152 undercover operations throughout Orange County.

2001 FORD EXPEDITION

Missing rear bumper

Dented rear hatch

“The targets for this operation were identified through the Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR), who provided the OCDA with a list of 141 auto body repair facilities that have had consumer complaints within the past three years. The additional targets were identified through referrals by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) and independent auto repair facilities that were not registered with the BAR. “Investigators arrested the defendants on felony insurance fraud charges on June 2, 2010, and June 3, 2010. The defendants have each been charged with one felony count of insurance fraud and face maximum sentences of five years in state prison if convicted. A complete list of defendants and the auto body repair facilities where they worked is available. The in-custody defendants who have not posted the $30,000 bail will be arraigned in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana. “From January to May of this year, the Auto Insurance Fraud Unit of the Or-

26 JULY 2010 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

ange County District Attorney’s Office conducted and coordinated Operation Straight Body—the largest case of auto body repair insurance fraud [investigation] in Orange County’s history.

“Operation Straight Body was an undercover investigation focusing on 141 auto body repair facilities suspected of engaging in insurance fraud, as referred to us by the Bureau of Automotive Repair and the National Insurance Crime Bureau. We also investigated seven unregistered auto repair body shops and a few selected stores.

“I am happy to report that most of the subjects that were contacted by our undercover investigators refused to engage in insurance fraud... [Ed—portions of the next part of this statement were later retracted, so we do not reproduce it here.]

“One of the defendants, after getting arrested, acknowledged that he is glad we did this investigation because the industry is out of control. This prosecution puts dishonest operators and anyone thinking about committing fraud on notice. We are watching them, and they will be prosecuted.

“I think consumers have the right to know which of the auto repair shops are conducting straight businesses and which are not. There is a saying: there is no honor among thieves. Dishonest businesses willing to rip off the insurance companies are more likely to rip off the customers as well.

We alternated using two different cars in two scenarios. The 2001 Ford Expedition we used was totaled by an insurance company after being involved in a rear end collision.

“As you can see from the pictures, the rear bumper is completely missing. Additionally, the Expedition was backed into a telephone pole, causing the rear hatch to have an indentation. The 1999 Mercedes Benz E430 we used was also totaled by an insurance company after being involved in a rear-end collision.

As you can see from the pictures, the left side of the bumper is not attached to the vehicle and is hanging freely. The vehicle has a large dent in the passenger side front fender. Using the Ford and the Mercedes, our investigators went to the auto body repair facilities asking for an estimate to repair the damages.

“The investigator would then ask if all the damage could be repaired under the same insurance claim, even though not all of the damages were caused by the “accident” that the claim was under. Two-thirds of the estimators did the right thing. They rightly advised our investigators that filing one claim for two separate, unrelated damages would constitute insurance fraud.

“Those who agreed to file damages under the same claim are now charged with felony insurance fraud, which carries the maximum penalty of five years in state prison. We went one step further using the

Mercedes Benz. Our investigators told the estimator that the vehicle was purchased with the rear end and front fender damage at an auction. The auto insurance was purchased after the damage occurred. The investigator then told the estimator that he needed an estimate to submit a claim to the new insurance company to fix the pre-existing damages.

“Again, the majority of the estimators refused, advising that this was insurance fraud. Those who completed the estimate despite knowing it was going to be used to commit insurance fraud are looking at a felony conviction and up to five years in state prison.

1999 MERCEDES-BENZ E430

Detached left side rear bumper

Dented front passenger-side fender

“One of the dishonest operators was so bold that he advised our undercover investigator how to inflict more damage to the car to maximize the claim. Some of the defendants charged are owners of repair shops and others are employees. We will continue to investigate whether these were orchestrated fraudulent schemes or just opportunistic crimes.”

One of those arrested, Sergio Perez, who owns USA Auto Collision in La Habra—said he was innocent when booked.

“I don’t have any idea about any insurance fraud. I’m doing everything OK. I don’t understand why they arrested me.

We write estimates according to what the client tells us,” said Perez, 44, who has owned the shop for eight years. “My record is clean and I do everything professionally. This surprised me.”

All those accused are innocent until a court of law, not the DA, says otherwise. See related article and CAA guidelines this issue.

Dyke Huish, Criminal Defense Attorney 949-837-8600 (Office)

Shop Showcase with Ed Attanasio

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

San Francisco Body Shop Draws Hybrid-Owners with Niche Expertise Giannini’s Auto Body in San Francisco’s Bay Area has learned that being green can lead to further green down the road, but that’s not the only reason why they do it.

By setting a high standard for doing anything and everything they can to prevent

Owner Mike Giannini (left) and Manager Joe Mason are working on more and more hybrids all the time at Giannini’s Auto Body in San Francisco

degrading the environment, body shops like Giannini’s are winning recognition and remaining busy year-round. They were an early adopter of waterborne, they run their shop using practices that are ultragreen and they’ve found a niche in fixing hybrids in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Hybrids are more popular in San Francisco than in most parts of the country.

“Toyota’s Priuses are very popular in the city and we’re seeing more of them coming through these doors all the time. Hy-

The 2011 Toyota Prius will be welcome at Giannini’s

brids are definitely becoming a bigger part of our overall business and we’re gaining a solid reputation for working on them,” Manager Joe Mason told Autobody News.

“We see it in our bottom line. We’ve seen a significant improvement in business and we’re working on more hybrids than ever. We run a green, clean operation. People feel better bringing their car here, because our shop is immaculate and they appreciate it the fact that we’re trying to run a green operation.”

“Two things hybrid owners are obviously very conscious about—running a clean company and using earth-friendly methods. At first, we were getting a few here and there and now hybrids make up 25% of our revenue. They’re part of our daily life now and we’re very comfortable and confident to be working on them.”

Giannini’s operates out of a 10,000square-foot facility, employs eight people and repairs an average of 40 cars monthly.

The company does approximately $1.4 million per year in business and the shop is growing at a steady rate.

In 2008, Giannini’s began fixing hybrids, and pretty soon the referrals began to pour in, Mason said. “We have two large, very well-known hybrid mechanical repair shops here in San Francisco—Luscious Garage and Pat’s Garage. They’re leaders in the hybrid movement in the Bay Area and they’ve been a great referral source for us.”

These hybrid specialists have made themselves available to Giannini’s for advice and assistance when needed, Mason said. “It’s very important that we’ve been able to call these people when we need information and they’re responsive and helpful—it’s refreshing. The hybrid circle is very connected around here and the people who work on these cars are a tight-knit group. They’re not super-competitive and they focus on the bigger picture. It’s not all about the money all the time.”

Learning the issues surrounding working on hybrid vehicles involves primarily safety precautions and processes that include safely handling high-voltage in wiring and connections, Mason explained. “It’s a simple rule—disconnect their electrical system and don’t re-connect until the car is re-assembled. Safety is number one, because if you’re not very aware of it, that’s when accidents can occur. We stress it with our techs every day, so they’ll never forget. By drilling it into their heads, it becomes second nature.”

PG& E has played a role in assisting Giannini’s movement to complete greenness by taking advantage of the utility’s rebate program, Mason said. “They gave us $100 per fixture for qualifying interior

high bay linear fluorescent fixtures. With potential savings of $140 per year in energy costs when replacing a 400 Watt standard metal halide light, a fixture like this can pay for itself in two years. So it just makes sense for a lot of reasons.

Customer service is always stressed by Rochelle Mercurio, the office manager at Giannini’s Auto Body

The new, more environmentally responsible lights provide a better working environment as well, according to Mason.

“We’re getting a more consistent light with better distribution with these high bay lights. The lights we have now also turn on faster and they’re much brighter. Our techs can see better now and that’s a big plus.”

Taking a green approach can also help his techs to be more productive and efficient, Giannini said. “We’re always looking for more ways to be greener overall and changing our lights helps the entire crew. If it’s something and it’s within our budget, we’ll do whatever we can to achieve it.”

One of those enhancements involved the installation of a vacuum system that eliminates dust throughout the shop, Mason said. “We have eliminated 95% of all the dust on the floor and in the air with this new vacuum system. It doesn’t go down the drain and it doesn’t go in our employees’ lungs, so it was a no-brainer. We recycle the filters and keep them out of the landfill. These types of changes are easy to make, because they pay off in so many ways.”

Being green is an advantage, but in the end, quality customer service still reigns, Giannini said. “There’s nothing more important than providing a great customer experience every single time. We get great reviews on Yelp and a ton of referrals, because we’ll always go the extra mile for everyone we work with. We learned long ago that being fair and honest is the key. We want people to come here again and again without hesitation, be-

cause long-term customers will be your backbone.”

Was there a large initial investment needed before jumping into the hybrids pool? “It was basically all about the training,” Mason said. “We put all of our people through the I-CAR classes. They cost $108 per class and all of us took four classes. There wasn’t any significant investment in equipment, so it was a very easy process. We were fully trained within a short time and the hybrids started coming quickly, so we hit the ground running.”

Giannini’s embarked on the journey to using waterborne paint well before most shops even thought about it, Mason said.

“It was a huge step and a smart move.

Many shops waited right up until they were forced to switch, but we did it more than two years prior to the regulations kicked in. We saw the value in waterborne and we gravitated toward it as soon as we can. It was an easy transition. We dropped the solvent and started using waterborne the same day.”

Giannini’s started their green movement by adopting a waterborne paint system two years before the laws took effect

What does the future hold for Giannini’s? “We’re focused on hybrids now that we’ve created a niche here,” Giannini said.” Our goal is to get to 80 cars per month, which we mean that we’d have to add a second shift. At that point, we might be able to consider moving to a larger new facility. We’re riding a green wave right now, and as long as we’ll never forget the most important thing—customer service— we’ll be producing quality work consistently and keeping our car counts where we want them to be. Being green isn’t expensive, because it pays off in the long run.”

Giannini’s Auto Body 625 Mariposa Street San Francisco, California 94107 (415) 864-2644

www.autobodynews.com | JULY 2010 AUTOBODY NEWS 27

Shop and Product Showcase with Ed Attanasio

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

Utah’s Unique Auto Body Voluntarily Picks Pro-Spray’s H2O Waterborne Jeremy Weller, owner of Unique Auto Body, started painting cars in his early 20’s, and he’s now 39, so he knows what he’s talking about with paint. Weller’s two shops in the Salt Lake City area in Utah paint an average of 10–12 vehicles daily, so he needs a paint system that provides accurate color matching with consistent quality throughout. After a decade of being with another paint company, Weller made the switch to Pro-Spray’s waterborne product—and it’s decision he’s extremely enthused about.

“We’re getting exceptional color matches with Pro-Spray that we couldn’t achieve before,” Weller said. “We didn’t feel like we were getting all of them 100% with our former paint supplier, so we started looking around. Getting away from the solvent as our main paint was a key move too.”

Unique Auto Body has now been using the Pro-Spray waterborne product for a year and a half and the new paint is already a welcome production partner.

painted with Pro-Spray H2O Waterborne, Weller stated. “We’re using very little solvent right now and we’re going to phase it out eventually. It’s a convenience issue right now, but we’ve had such a great experience with the waterborne paint that we want to use it to be as our sole paint.”

get proactive in this thing, why not?

We’re getting better results, so if we can help the environment at the same time, let’s do it.”

Has the conversion to waterborne helped his business overall, Autobody News asked Weller. “Yes, I hear our customers commenting about the waterborne

“... more shops [outside of regulated areas] want to convert all the time. Green is a huge issue and it’s going to get bigger, because shops can get better color matches.”

—Paul Reid of Pro-Spray

The changeover to waterborne met all the time. People in this area are into with some hesitation amongst his painters being green and we promote the fact that initially, but in the end Pro-Spray won we use the waterborne. If we can position them over, Weller said. “Painters are ourselves in a better light by using the Procreatures of habit. They were a little stub- Spray product, it’s well worth it. There are born and reluctant to change, but in the only a handful of body shops using waterend it’s been better for them, because now borne in the Salt Lake Valley right now they don’t have to breathe in all that sol- and we’re proud to be one of them.” vent all the time. You Pro-Spray’s Western Regional US can smell that solvent Sales Manager, Paul Reid, has seen more 100 yards away and you shops switching to waterborne in areas can’t even tell that this where the laws haven’t yet required them waterborne is in the to change over to low VOCs yet. room most of the time.

“It’s a new movement that we’re seeIt’s a huge bonus for my ing more and more,” Reid explained. “I’ve painters, because they’re converted at least 50 body shops outside Unique Auto Body embraced Pro-Spray’s H20 Waterborne product to acnow happier and if I can of regulated areas within the last year or cess its color-matching capabilities provide a safer working so, and I’m starting to hear that more shops Pro-Spray’s color matching capabili- and cleaner environment for them, it’s a want to convert all the time. Green is a ties has alleviated stress in both his loca- great thing.” huge issue and it’s going to get bigger, betions, Weller said. “I don’t have to worry Weller didn’t switch over to water- cause shops can get better color matches about showing a customer a car in the right borne because he had to in order to adhere from our products and the finished paint light anymore. These dead-on color to local laws, because Utah doesn’t require jobs are superior overall.” matches have built a sense of security with the use of waterborne paint. So, why did According to the company’s Web site, my painters, because we can now match he do it?

Pro-Spray® H2O Waterborne Basecoat these colors every single time.”

“The color matching aspect of the consists of 70 pigment-rich, shake-andUnique Auto Body’s two locations Pro-Spray initially attracted us to the pour toners formulated using advanced employ 25 people, including four seasoned product, because we saw that the matches European technology to deliver quick covpainters who know the score when it were so superior and that the depth and erage, precise color match, superior metallic orientation, easy comes to producing cars at a rapid rate. blending and fast dry Weller saw that his painters initially times, saving body shops bucked the change to the Pro-Spray H2O time and money.

Waterborne paint, but were quickly onPro-Spray waterborne board and using the new paint enthusiastipaint is part of a complete cally. line of low VOC automo“They saw the benefits and that’s Between its two locations in the Salt Lake City area of Utah, Unique tive surface preparation what motivated them,” Weller said. “If we Auto Body paints an average of 10–12 cars daily products, undercoats, can get a better finished product, it’s a big plus. Painters are very focused on doing the intensity of the finished product primers, clear coats, thinners, activators the best job they can, and if a certain type looked so amazing that it became a no- and ancillary products backed by userfriendly color formula software, technical of paint will help them do that—they’re brainer.” excited.”

Eventually, Unique Auto Body em- support and waterborne conversion, color Both shops still use solvent-based braced the Pro-Spray H2O Waterborne theory and painter refinishing training.

Weller’s painters were trained by Propaint for older vehicles, but every newer for its earth-friendly aspects as well, car that comes through the doors is Weller said. “We figured that if we can Spray’s experts and were using the H2O 28 JULY 2010 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Pro-Spray Waterborne within one week.

“Jim Wallace was the technical representative from Pro-Spray and he came down here and took us through all of the steps in a very clear and logical process. Paul Reid was also very involved in the training. We were up and running right away and they kept checking in with us to help us further.

If we had questions, they were right there to provide answers. They made the transition problem-free and that was a huge plus.”

Weller had to invest approximately $4,000 in equipment as part of the changeover to waterborne, but he sees it as a modest expenditure that will rapidly pay for itself. “We had to purchase some new fans for improved air movement and then my painters had to buy new guns, but other than that, that’s all we had to do. For what we’ve achieved here, this was a very small investment.”

Reid is happy every time when he sees that a new one of his customers has stepped. up to make the sage move to waterborne.

Quickly and fairly easily, Unique’s painters were up and running with Pro-Spray’s H2O Waterborne paint

“Jeremy is a former painter, so he knew what he was getting with the ProSpray H2O Waterborne product. He’s also a very hands-on owner, so he got right in there with his painters. This paint is so painter-friendly and the quality is so consistent with better color-matching capabilities, that this was a logical transition for Unique Auto Body. They’re seeing better results and producing better paint jobs, so it’s a win-win on every level.”

Unique Auto Body 11500 South Redwood Road South Jordan, Utah 84095 801-302-0966 798 West Center Street Midvale, Utah 84047 (801) 302-0966.

Maryland Bill to Curb Salvage Issues Gets Signed by Governor The Washington Metropolitan Auto Body Association (WMABA) is excited to announce that Governor Martin O’Malley of Maryland signed the crucial bill proposed

by Delegate James “Jimmy” Malone on May 20th, 2010 that will curtail many issues seen in the marketplace after the salvage bill in 2008 changed the salvage vehicle threshold.

www.autobodynews.com CHECK IT OUT! The signing ceremony was held on May 20, 2010 in the Governor’s Reception Room in the State House. Present were many WMABA representatives, key Delegate James Malone, and Gary Alexander of Alexander & Cleaver - WMABA’s lobbying firm.

WMABA played a pivotal role in suggesting and producing this legislation that will take effect October 1st, 2010.

This bill (HB 1199), which adds an exclusion to the threshold for “cosmetic damage” and “the cost of towing, storage or vehicle rental”, was successfully passed

About WMABA: The WMABA is a regional collision industry association, currently covering the areas of Maryland, Virginia, and Washington DC whose mission is to serve the best interests of collision repairers through leadership, education and initiatives that strengthen the professionalism and business conditions for the us professional collision repairer.

If Give your opinion on matters aff you would like to find out more information about WMABA and its activities, you can contact Executive Director Jordan Hendler (Phone: 804-789-9649 or Email: publisher@autobodyne jordanhendler@wmaba.com) or visit its website at: http://www.wmaba.com.

write u

Photo (L-R): front: Lt. Governor Anthony Brown, Senate President Mike Miller, Governor Martin O’Malley, House Speaker Mike Busch; rear: Gary Alexander, Rick Paukstitus, Don Beaver, Torchy Chandler, Jordan Hendler, Delegate James Malone, Laura Gay, Jay Givens

with majority support by stakeholders, as The last portion of the bill gives the insurer To advertise well as legislators in the recent legislative the reserved right to make a decision to call Advertising Sales at: session. total-loss the vehicle for economic reaThe bill also includes an amendment sons, which is in line with current policy to current law which [salvage] brands ALL language. e-mail: vehicles that are total-lossed by an insurer.

WMABA and other stakeholders will advertising@autobodynews.com This protects the secondary vehicle owner work with the Maryland MVA and State from unknowingly purchasing a previ- Police to define “Cosmetic” as it relates to ously totaled vehicle, as well as removingwww.autobodynews.com collision repair in the coming weeks. Upthe incentive to prematurely total-loss a dates on the finality of the process will be vehicle because of higher salvage value. sent as soon as they become available.

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SeeMillion the NEW GM Recalls 1.53 Cars, Trucks for Fire Risk

General Motors Co. is recalling 1.53 mil- year, prompting today’s action, the comlion cars and trucks worldwide because pany said. fires can be ignited by components that The National Highway Traffic www.autobodynews.com heat windshield-washer fluid.

Safety Administration had investigated a The company will disable the heat- windshield-wiper flaw before GM issued ing mechanism in the washers of Buick, the 2008 recall. The regulator in 2004 Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Hummer and fined GM $1 million, at the time its Saturn brands from model years 2006 to largest civil penalty, to settle charges the 2009, according to an e-mailed statement company failed to conduct a timely recall today. It said it will pay owners $100 for of about 600,000 vehicles for wipers that each vehicle because the feature won’t be stopped working or failed to turn on when available and the maker of the units is out needed. of business.

“One big recall probably won’t Micro-Heat Bankruptcy hurt GM if it’s just one big recall,” said Micro-Heat, which filed for bankruptcy in Jim Hall, a principal at 2953 Analytics 2008 after GM stopped offering its HotInc., a consulting firm in Birmingham, Shot wiper-fluid heater, was based in Michigan. “They have to market on so Farmington Hills, Michigan. GM in 2008 many fronts. The last thing they need said Micro-Heat should bear the $19.2 to do is counter market against a re- million cost of recalling 944,000 cars and call.” trucks for the earlier recall, according to Toyota Motor Corp., the world’s court papers in the bankruptcy filing. largest automaker, recalled more than 8 Today’s recall includes 1,365,070 million vehicles worldwide for defects vehicles in the U.S., 98,794 in Canada, that may cause unintended acceleration. 26,228 in Mexico and 38,093 exported to Following the recalls, U.S. regulators other countries, GM said. stepped up scrutiny of auto safety, and Vehicles included in the U.S. recall Congress is considering measures to are the Buick Enclave and Lucerne; tighten regulation of the industry.

Cadillac CTS, DTS, Escalade, Escalade GM’s heated windshield washer, ESV and Escalade EXT; Chevrolet Avawhich the company said was supplied by lanche, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe Micro-Heat Inc., was recalled in 2008 for and Traverse; GMC Acadia, Sierra, Yukon repairs. The automaker received five re- and Yukon XL; Hummer H2; and Saturn ports of fires in the components in the past Outlook.

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EPA Moves to Curb Greenhouse Gases From “Large Polluters”

The Environmental Protection Agency moved on June 10 to more tightly control air pollution from large power plants, factories and oil refineries, a step to limit emissions widely blamed for global warming.

The EPA said it is completing a rule requiring large polluters to reduce the amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that they release into the air.

Those emissions can boost many allergens and worsen smog, which can trigger asthma attacks and other respiratory ailments.

The rule would require companies to install better technology and improve energy efficiency whenever they build, or significantly modify, a plant.

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said the rule applies only to large polluters such as power plants, refineries and cement production facilities that collectively are responsible for 70 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States.

Jackson said the rule sets commonsense standards that will clean the air and protect public health, while avoiding burdensome regulations that could harm farms and small and medium-sized businesses.

“There is no denying our responsibility to protect the planet for our children and grandchildren,” she said in a statement.

Senate Commerce Committee Passes Distracted Driving Bill

The Senate Commerce Committee passed the Distracted Driving Prevention Act which directs the Secretary of Transportation to make grants to states that enact laws that prohibit, with certain exceptions, and establish fines for texting and handheld cell phone use while driving.

The bill requires a state that receives a grant to allocate at least 50% of those funds to educate and advertise to the public about the dangers of texting or using a cell phone while driving as well as enforce the distracted driving law. Up to 50% of the remaining funds can be used for other traffic projects.

Further, it requires the Secretary of Transportation to prescribe regulations on the use of electronic or wireless devices, including cell phones and other distracting devices, by operators of commercial motor vehicles and school buses and prohibit their use.

The legislation also directs the Federal Communications Commission to report to Congress on existing and developing wireless communications technology that may be used to reduce problems associated with distracted driving.

The bill will be paid for by redirecting money from the seat belt grant program which has been running a surplus.

“It’s long past time we unleashed our American ingenuity and started building the efficient, prosperous clean energy economy of the future.”

The EPA announcement comes a day after an energy and climate bill was introduced in the Senate that seeks to accomplish many of the same goals. But EPA spokesman Brendan Gilfillan denied any connection, saying “rules are ready when they are ready.”

The pollution rule will take effect in January, when industrial facilities that already obtain Clean Air Act permits for other pollutants will be required to obtain permits for greenhouse gases, if they increase those emissions by at least 75,000 tons per year.

Starting in July 2011, the rule would apply to any existing plant that emits at least 75,000 tons of greenhouse gases a year, or any new plant that emits 100,000 tons per year.

The rule comes as Sens. John Kerry, D-Mass., and Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., made public a long-delayed bill aimed at curtailing greenhouse gas emissions. The bill introduced on Wednesday would set a first-ever price on carbon dioxide emissions produced by coal-fired power plants and other large polluters.

The legislation aims to cut emissions of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping

I-CAR Announces New Rolebased Training Model July 21

I-CAR will host the 2010 I-CAR Industry Conference at the InterContinental Chicago O’Hare Hotel in Rosemont, IL. The event will be held on July 21 from 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m.

This year’s event will coincide with several other industry meetings being held during the same week. ICAR will introduce details of the new curriculum model that has been developed over the last two years based on inter-industry feedback.

Information around the overall structure, the roles that have been defined, the impact to recognition programs, and the transition plan will be announced at the event.

Dusty Womble, I-CAR Executive Committee and Board Member and Chairman of the International Advisory Committee stated, “The new role-based training model will allow the industry to focus on the training they need to do their jobs thoroughly and give them the opportunity to do it smarter, better, and faster.”

To register for the event, visit www.i-car.com/meetings. For questions regarding sponsorship opportunities or registration or for more information contact Jolinda Ottum, I-CAR Marketing Specialist, jolinda.ottum@i-car.com or 847-463-5247.

30 JULY 2010 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

greenhouse gases by 17 percent by 2020 and by more than 80 percent by 2050.

Both targets are measured against 2005 levels and are the same as those set by a House bill approved last year.

The Obama administration has long said it would prefer that Congress pass a bill to cut greenhouse gas emissions but has used the threat of EPA regulation to push lawmakers in states heavily dependent on fossil fuels to support the climate bill.

Many large utilities and other energy companies have said they want Congress to act, believing they would be in a better bargaining position with Congress than in regulations issued by the EPA. Even so, the energy bill faces a steep hill in the Senate. No Republican has signed on as a co-sponsor. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who had been working with Kerry and Lieberman, withdrew his support last week, saying it is impossible to pass the legislation in the current political climate.

The rule announced Thursday substantially raises the threshold amount of pollution required before greenhouse gas permits are needed. A proposal announced last September would have required permits for facilities that emit 25,000 tons per year.

Gina McCarthy, an assistant EPA administrator, said the change was made in

response to complaints that the earlier proposal would have affected many small and medium-sized businesses, and even large apartment buildings. Such limits “clearly were not appropriate,” she said.

Environmentalists hailed the pollution rule but industry groups and some GOP lawmakers called it a job-killer.

“Just as pollution standards for cars have spurred the auto companies to make hybrids and other cleaner cars, these standards will start to move America away from dirty, inefficient and outdated coal plants toward more efficient, cleaner energy,” said Emily Figdor, director of the global warming program at Environment America, an advocacy group.

A spokesman for Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said the EPA was overreaching its authority. Murkowski has threatened to introduce legislation blocking the EPA from regulating greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act. “Sen. Murkowski remains convinced that the (EPA) tailoring rule won’t stand up in court—that the agency can’t change a law that was passed in Congress,” said Robert Dillon, a spokesman for Murkowski. The senator remains committed to allowing all 100 senators a vote on whether they think EPA is the appropriate body to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, he said.

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Texas Auto Theft Numbers Drop 2.5%

Vehicle thefts among Allstate insured Texans dropped 2.5 percent last year, but the cars being snapped off the street are heading farther south of the border—even overseas. That’s why the state’s second largest auto insurer and police are urging drivers to tag and track their vehicles.

“More stolen vehicles are going as far as Guatemala and Honduras, even overseas, making them tougher to recover,” said Sergeant Trinidad Salazar, with the Houston Police Department. “Stolen trucks and SUVs sent across the border are typically being used for human and drug smuggling.

Stolen vehicles sent overseas are used for multiple reasons, including terrorism.

That’s why it’s important for the public to know how complex theft has become to drive home the seriousness of the issue.”

Auto Theft Breakdown by City Allstate’s numbers include partial, recovered and unrecovered vehicle thefts. Partial thefts involve parts stolen from a vehicle, recovered thefts are stolen vehicles that are found and unrecovered thefts are stolen vehicles that are never found.

While Allstate’s statewide auto theft number dropped overall in 2009, some major Texas cities saw increases.

Percentage Change from 2008 to 2009: Austin +12.9%

Dallas-Fort Worth -2.2% El Paso -20.2% Houston +15.6% Rio Grande Valley +6.2% San Antonio -21.9% Tyler-Longview +9.3% Waco-Temple-Killeen -10%

Top Texas Vehicles Stolen Trucks dominated the list of stolen Allstate insured vehicles in Texas last year: 1. Dodge Ram Pickup (2004) 2. Ford F150 (1997) 3. Honda Civic (2000) 4. Honda Accord (1994) 5. Chevrolet Extended Cab 4X2 Pickup (1997) 6. Ford F250 Pickup (2004) 7. Chevrolet Conventional Cab 4x2 Pickup (1988) 8. Ford F350 Pickup (2006) 9. Ford Taurus (1997) 10. Ford Explorer (2002) “No matter where you live or what you drive, car thefts impact us all,” said Oscar Meza, an Allstate agent in the Houston area.

“Vehicle theft is the number one property crime in the country, costing Americans—even those who are not direct victims—about $7.6 billion a year in higher auto insurance premiums, amount-

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ing to $200-300 for every policy holder each year. That’s why it’s critical to be vigilant and practice common sense when it comes to parking your car.” Auto theft specialists at Allstate recommend five tips to throw off thieves.

Park Smart: Park in a populated, well-lit area. Auto thieves do not like witnesses and prefer unattended parking lots.

Hide Your Things: Don’t make your car a more desirable target for thieves by leaving valuables in plain sight. Put them in the trunk or take them with you.

Lock-Up: Almost half of all vehicles stolen were left unlocked and one out of every five vehicles stolen had the keys in it. Roll up windows, lock-up doors and take your keys.

Make Your Mark: VIN etching—a permanent engraving of a vehicle’s federally registered vehicle identification number (VIN) on its windshield—makes it tougher for a thief to resell or take your vehicle across the border without replacing the marked glass.

Keep Track: High-tech tracking devices can alert you—and law enforcement—the moment an unauthorized user moves your vehicle.

The Allstate Corporation is the nation’s largest publicly held personal lines insurer.

Gullo Toyota of Conroe, TX Wins Toyota Certified Collision Center of the Year Award

Gullo Toyota of Conroe, Texas, has been named the Toyota Certified Collision Center of the Year. The Toyota Motor Sales, USA award is based on meeting Toyota’s highest standards for customer service and rigid criteria for productivity in numerous key areas of the collision business.

“We were a top four finisher last year, so we did some things differently from 2008 to 2009. In particular, we concentrated on the little things - keeping the customers regularly informed and having three sign-offs when filling out quality control checklists on finished vehicles to ensure better quality,” said Michael Cortez, collision center manager for Gullo Toyota. “We did not accomplish this on our own. I would like to thank Tony Gullo Jr. and family, Travis Rice with Gulf States Toyota, Dave Pyle with Toyota Motor Sales, USA and Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes (SWAF) for all their support through the years.”

Larry Mooney, area sales manager for SWAF noted that it is a great privilege to support the Gullo Dealership network. He added that this is the fourth time in the last five years that one of Sherwin-Williams’ customers has been the recipient of this award.

Coulomb Technologies to Create Electric Vehicle Infrastructure by Offering No Cost Home and Public Charging Stations as Part of a $37 Million Project

Coulomb Technologies today announced it will deliver free home and public ChargePoint® Networked Charging Stations for electric vehicles throughout the United States. The ChargePoint America program will provide nearly 5000 charging stations to program participants in nine regions in the United States including: Austin, Texas, Los Angeles, Orlando, Fla., Sacramento, Calif. and the San Jose/San Francisco Bay Area, and is a strategic partnership with three leading automobile brands including, Ford, Chevrolet and smart USA. Coulomb currently has the largest established base of networked charging stations worldwide with more than 700 units shipped to more than 130 customers in 2009. Installation of the ChargePoint charging stations for electric vehicles will begin immediately.

ChargePoint America will offer both home and public charging stations to individuals and businesses.

ChargePoint Network stations are network-enabled, capable of reporting energy usage and communicating over the network with Software Application Services and Network Support Services to activate capabilities such as: * Providing open access for all drivers using any standards-based RFID card

* Generating revenue for station owners to offset electricity and maintenance costs * Sending SMS or Email notifications to drivers for charging complete or interruptions in charging * Controlling access to eliminate energy theft and to enhance safety * Integrating with the utility Smart Grid for demand side management and preferred pricing Charging stations owners can set their own prices for charging through the Flex Billing™ system. The Flex Billing system enables station owners to set pricing as a function of time of day, calendar date, and driver - much like a parking meter. Those same stations can also be configured to provide “free” access to EV drivers.

Coulomb’s ChargePoint® Network, is open to all drivers of plug-in vehicles and provides authentication, management and real-time control for the networked electric vehicle charging stations. The network of electric vehicle charging stations is accessible by making a toll free call to the number on each charging station, or signing up for a ChargePoint Network monthly access plan. To locate available charging stations, visit mychargepoint.net and click “Find Stations.”

www.autobodynews.com | JULY 2010 AUTOBODY NEWS 31

PCI Calls on Rhode Island Governor to Veto SB 2508

Nissan North America Launches National Wholesale

a car. On average, it costs $2,818 —$460 Parts Rewards Loyalty Program more than the US average of $2,358.

Nissan North America,the Inc. (NNA) has tion is free for the shops). Each shop is Give us your opinion on matters affecting industry.

“ABARI has been chipping away at launched a national wholesale parts loy- then sent an I.D. number and instructions consumer choices and repair options that alty program on behalf of its Nissan and for online enrollment. Points are earned would control costs for several years,” said Infiniti dealer networks. Designed to in- with purchases, with rewards available O’Brien. “As a result of these bills costs crease Original Equipment Manufac- from just 20 points. continue to rise and with SB 2508 both turer (OEM) collision and mechanical Advantage DataSystemspublisher@auto Corporapublisher@autobodynews.com time and expense will be added to the reparts sales, the “Rewards Loyalty” pro- tion was chosen by NNA after an extenpair process. We will be asking Governor gram allows independent body shops sive review. The company’s unique Carcieri to step in and protect consumers and repair facilities to earn points that multi-brand loyalty platform allows from yet another self-serving auto body recan be redeemed for more than 3,000 shops to accumulate points from multipair measure that has been pushed through Promote your business premiums selected from an online cata- ple OEMs and suppliers, thereby earning the legislature.” log. Advantage DataSystems Corpora- more meaningful rewards. an exclusive article feat PCI is composed of more than 1,000 tion has been selected to administer the “We like the fact that shops can member companies, representing the program. earn points quickly and fromproducts multiple or servi your broadest cross-section of insurers of any To advertise “Encouraging independent shop sources, providing real value to the parThe source for timely national trade association. PCI members owners to purchase parts at: ticipants and encouraging them to sign callgenuine Joe OEM Momber write over $180 billion in annual pre-every through their local Nissan and Infiniti up with our dealers,” added Stukeninformation that mium, 37.4 percent of the nation’s propbody shop needs! dealers is a win-win-win,” said Ron berg. erty casualty insurance.

Stukenberg, senior manager, Wholesale Participating shops receive a e-mail: Member companies write 44 percent & Collisionjmomber@autobodynews.com Parts, NNA. “Our dealers monthly Nissan/Infiniti PartsJoe Reward eCALL: Momber for d of the U.S. automobile insurance market, benefit from increased parts sales and a mail statement with their points balance, 30.7 percent of the homeowners market, closer relationship with their local busi- points activity and participating dealer www.autobodynews.com 35.1 percent of the commercial property ness community, our Nissan and Infiniti promotions. and liability market and 41.7 percent of the owners benefit through the assurance “We are thrilled to be supporting private workers compensation market. that approved factory parts have been Nissan North America’s marketing efused in their repairs, and the shop own- forts to increase their OEM parts sales ers know they are getting quality parts through it dealer network,” said Bob plus an added reward.”

Kirstiuk, president, Advantage DataSysOnce Nissan and Infiniti dealers en- tems. “We’re excited to have Nissan as roll in the Rewards Loyalty program, the first vehicle manufacturer to take this they select the wholesale mechanical progressive step and look forward to program and collision repair network fa- more manufacturers moving in this same cilities they wish to include (participa- direction.” www.autobodynews.com at www.autobodynews.com

With passage of SB 2508 (see previous story), consumers could be facing increased hassles and overall higher costs in the auto body repair process unless Governor Donald Carcieri vetoes this legislawww.autobodynews.com tion, according to the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI).

CHECK “This legislation is badIT forOUT! consumers and we will urge the governor to veto the bill,” said Frank O’Brien, vice president, state government relations for PCI. “SB 2508 will add to the hassle of being in an accident by requiring the additional step of an independent appraisal in the repair process. The majority of repair jobs would need this extra step, To advertise adding and cost to a Sales repair process calltime Advertising at: that is already one of the costliest in the country.”

In recent years the Auto Body Associe-mail: ation of Rhode Island (ABARI) has presadvertising@autobodynews.com sured Rhode Island legislators to pass 15 various measures that have driven up costs www.autobodynews.com to consumers without improving the quality of repairs. Rhode Island is now the fourth most expensive state in the country to repair

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PPG Employees Support Local Schools, Organizations and Industries Foundation Donates $10,950 Total For 17 Employee Requests Employees at PPG Industries’ (NYSE:PPG) automotive coatings plant in Circleville helped to obtain $10,950 in grants through the PPG Industries Foundation for local schools and organizations in 2009 and to date in 2010. The employee-requested grants were obtained through foundation programs that recognize PPG employees’ participation in their communities.

Through a program called Public Education Leadership Community (PELC) grants, three PPG Circleville employees requested grants in 2009 to support assembly presentations of Carnegie Science Center of Pittsburgh’s “Ion Jones and the Lost Castle of Chemistry” program at Winchester Trail Elementary, Laurelville

Elementary and Pickaway Elementary schools. Also last year, a PELC grant supported a Literacy Night at Nicholas Drive Elementary School.

Any PPG employee may sponsor up to three PELC grant requests annually, to support projects meeting program requirements at public schools where they are involved.

Additionally in 2009 and to date in 2010, 8 PPG Circleville employees obtained 13 grants for eligible local organizations through the foundation’s Grant Incentives for Volunteerism by PPG Employees and Retirees (GIVE) program, which recognizes employee and retiree volunteerism with annual grants of $500 for an ongoing volunteer relationship or

$1,000 for serving on an organization’s board of directors.

Cozy Cat Cottage, Circleville Booster for Private Funding, the Hugh O’Brien Youth Foundation, United Way of Pickaway County, Pickaway County Community Action Organization and Workforce Services Unlimited Inc. benefited from the grants in recognition of PPG employees’ volunteer service.

“PPG is strongly committed to supporting the communities where its employees work and live,” said Dave Moss, plant manager for PPG Circleville and board member of United Way of Pickaway County.

“We are proud that our employees participate in the PPG Industries Founda-

tion’s employee programs to actively assist local public schools and nonprofit organizations where they have an interest.

It’s a great opportunity for us to give back to the Circleville community in ways that are personally significant to employees.”

Established in 1951, the PPG Industries Foundation demonstrates the values of PPG Industries by enhancing the quality of life in communities where the company has a presence.

Interests of the foundation, in order of priority, are education, human services, culture and arts, and civic and community affairs. PPG also supports charitable causes by encouraging employee volunteerism and executives’ involvement with nonprofit organizations.

PPG Industries, a world leading manufacturer of transportation coatings, has launched the first use of its next-generation B1:B2 waterborne paint technology in the United States.

PPG’s next generation B1:B2 (wet-onwet) compact process technology is currently in production at the BMW assembly plant in Spartanburg, S.C. This marks the first use of a waterborne compact process in a U.S. automotive manufacturing plant.

“We are proud to have launched this exciting process as a first in the United

States,” said Bob White, PPG director, global accounts – BMW. “Our waterborne B1:B2 technology highlights our dedication to helping our customers reduce the overall paint shop footprint and environmental impact, while achieving superior appearance and maintaining color flexibility.”

In the traditional automotive paint process, the application of pretreatment and electrocoat is followed by a primer layer. After the primer layer is cured, a topcoat layer of basecoat and clearcoat is ap-

plied and cured. This process has become a focus of technical brainstorming due to being both costly and time-consuming.

The next-generation B1:B2 technology works within BMW’s Integrated Paint Process and enables the customer to reduce the number of steps necessary to paint a vehicle by moving the traditional primer application into the topcoat booth.

This movement eliminates the dedicated primer booth and all related processing.

The B1 layer provides primer, filling,

chip and durability benefits. The B2 layer provides color and additional durability.

Both the B1 and B2 layers are applied weton-wet and do not require a baking or a heated dehydration process in between.

Compact paint processes such as the B1:B2 process from PPG generate substantial savings in capital and operating costs for automotive manufacturers by reducing the manufacturing footprint of a paint shop, reducing energy consumption, and increasing overall process efficiency.

PPG Launches First Use of New Automotive Waterborne Paint Process In United States

32 JULY 2010 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Carmakers and Suppliers in Electric Car Parts Power Struggle

According to reports from Reuters, electric cars offer a chance to develop lucrative new technologies, and suppliers would benefit from grabbing more of this work—but they will have to fight carmakers keen to hold on to control of future profits.

Over the years, suppliers have gradually taken on more of car development, now covering about 75 percent of the cost, but carmakers chasing elusive profits may want to reverse this trend to keep control of new electric vehicle (EV) technologies.

“In an electric vehicle, the engine, in which a carmaker has a greater share, is taken away, the gearbox is taken away, and an electric motor and, most importantly, a battery are added,” said Henri Trintignac, head of EVs at French parts supplier Valeo.

“If we imagine suppliers making 100 percent of the electric motor, electronics and battery, the carmaker’s share (of the cost of a car) would fall from 25 percent to around 10 percent,” said Trintignac, adding: “I don’t see them accepting that situation.”

Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Renault and its Japanese partner Nissan Motor Co., which are jointly investing in electric vehicles (EVs) to the tune of about 4 billion euros, has said he sees an EV’s battery as “the heart of the business.”

Estimates vary, but the battery accounts for between a third and half of the final price

of an EV. Nissan’s Leaf is due to go on sale in Europe early next year, while Renault’s electric Kangoo and Fluence will arrive a few months later.

Ghosn thinks electric cars could account for 10 percent of new vehicle sales by 2020, but many others are more cautious. HSBC analysts have estimated that EVs will win 4.5 percent of the total light vehicle market by then.

Batteries a potential gold mine Speaking at last year’s Frankfurt auto show, Ghosn said: “We won’t rely on someone else; we’re going to produce (batteries) internally.”

Supplying batteries to another carmaker was not out of the question either, Ghosn said. But while Ghosn may want eventually to be a battery maker, too, most carmakers’ access to this potential gold mine with its complex and specific technology will have to come through joint ventures with specialist suppliers.

Nissan itself already has a JV in place with Japan’s NEC Corp. to jointly develop the lithium-ion batteries for its Leaf EV hatchback, while Germany’s Daimler AG has a joint venture with Chinese battery maker BYD. Some carmakers are starting to think about what else they can claw back from supOriginal BMW Parts

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find it difficult to overturn the existing modus operandi, especially given the complexity of battery technology.

“In the Western model, the carmaker buys all the key components, except the engine and the gearbox. The customer buys a fairly complete system to integrate into the car,” he said.

“We think this is the model that some Western carmakers will continue to use because it is easier, they don’t need to make large investments,” added Searle.

IHS Global Insight analyst Tim Urquhart agreed, saying there would not be a “sea-change” in the relationship between carmakers and suppliers, with their existing knowledge of the myriad components an EV will need.

“The electric vehicle market is not just the batteries and the motors,” he said.

“It’s the lights, the heating, the air conditioning systems. All this has to be absolutely optimized because if you have components draining the battery you’re not maximizing the range and the capability of the vehicle.” And, while keeping control of technology is lucrative, it’s important to recognize the risks, as competing technologies battle for dominance in the early stages.

Warned Barclays Capital’s Church: “Not everyone is going to be spending the money in the right way.”

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Carmakers keep to keep control Barclays Capital analyst Kristina Church, who cited France’s Valeo and Germany’s Continental AG as leaders in electrical knowhow, agreed carmakers would not accept being “held to ransom” on certain technologies by suppliers.

“I think they (carmakers) are certainly looking to make sure that they have some control over the development,” Church said.

“They don’t want to just purely outsource it because they are aware that at some stage there will be a technology that becomes the technology of the future,” she added.

With carmakers keen to stamp their ownership on these technologies through joint ventures and partnerships, and early investment costs high, the arrival of electric vehicles will be more of a risk than a reward for these suppliers, Church said.

Saft’s Searle warned, however, that carmakers looking to explore new areas would

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pliers, said John Searle, CEO of battery maker Saft.

“They are starting to think about what they have to do to replace their engine knowhow,” said Searle. “We have noticed that some clients—not all—are starting to say to themselves “electrochemistry is too complicated, too different,” but perhaps systems integration.”

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www.autobodynews.com | JULY 2010 AUTOBODY NEWS 33

Enterprise Holdings Commits to ‘Lean and Green’ with Reduced Energy Use and Energy Costs by 20 Percent Over Next Five Years

Enterprise Holdings, North America’s largest and most comprehensive service provider in the car rental industry, has announced its commitment to reduce both energy use and energy costs by 20 percent over the next five years through a new sustainability initiative the company is calling its 20/20 Vision.

Through an upfront investment in energy-saving technologies and conservation practices, the company expects to decrease the environmental impact of neighborhood car rental branches and airport facilities it owns and operates through its regional subsidiaries. The company expects to reduce energy costs by $50 million.

“The 20/20 Vision aligns the interests of our customers, employees and partners with the long-term interests of our business by expanding our environmental commitment through every level of our operations,” said Lee Broughton, director of sustainability for Enterprise Holdings, which operates the Alamo Rent A Car, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and National Car Rental brands, “Proactively reducing our energy use and natural resource consumption not only decreases our impact on the environment, but also will result in cost savings to ensure the sustainability of our business.”

The 20/20 Vision was developed based on recommendations by Enterprise Holdings’ Chairman’s Task Force on Sustainability, a cross-section of the company’s departmental leadership, that is leading an assessment of the company’s operations to identify opportunities to make significant, positive changes.

Using these recommendations, operations managers throughout the company are developing energy and cost reduction goals. Initial changes, such as using more energy-efficient lighting and switching to energy-saving software tools, at the company’s headquarters in St. Louis and across more than 7,600 neighborhood and airport locations will lead to a dramatic reduction in the company’s energy use and costs.

“We have developed a lighting retrofit program to help operations managers measure and reduce the cost of lighting in branches. It’s simple to use: just plug in the number of light fixtures and the program automatically calculates the cost savings of switching from, say, T12 florescent bulbs and ballasts to enhanced T8 bulbs. They’re about 70 percent more efficient,” said Meghan Maguire, Public Relations Specialist at Enterprise, “We also feel strongly that we need to reduce the amount of water we are using within our operations. Our customers expect and deserve clean rental cars, and we want to become more effi-

cient in providing those in a way that uses the least amount of water. We are conducting a study on this topic currently.”

Enterprise Holdings began piloting the 20/20 Vision in select markets in 2009.

Based on the success of those pilots, the company is now rolling out the program companywide – nationally and internationally, across the Alamo, Enterprise and National brands.

“At our corporate headquarters in St. Louis, we invested $107,000 in energysaving lighting in our parking garage that we estimate will result in approximately 800,000 kWh of savings, and will save approximately $50,000 per year in energy costs. And at one of our administrative offices in Southern California, we invested $20,000 in new parking lot lighting that will result in more than 110,00 kWh of savings, and $14,000 of energy cost savings per year,” said Maguire.

This announcement marks the next evolution of the company’s industry-leading environmental platform that includes initiatives such as a customer carbon offset program; a pledge to plant 50 million trees over the next 50 years; an unparalleled fleet of fuel-efficient vehicles, FlexFuel vehicles, and gas/electric hybrids; the use of biodiesel fuel in its Alamo, Enterprise and National airport shuttle buses; and a commitment to alternative fuels research.

“Through our regional subsidiaries, Alamo Rent A Car, Enterprise Rent-ACar and National Car Rental operate the world’s largest fleet of fuel-efficient vehicles with approximately 410,000 vehicles that average a highway fuel efficiency rating of at least 28 mpg and more than 230,000 that average 32 mpg or better,” said Maguire, “In addition, we also have the largest fleet of hybrid vehicles in our industry: approximately 7,000 nationwide. Customers can reserve these hybrids online or by phone from nearly 100 Enterprise Rent-A-Car ‘hybrid branches,’ which carry a high concentration of hybrid vehicles and are located in 30 markets across the country, including the 10 busiest U.S. airports for business travel. And we continue to look for opportunities to procure more hybrids from the manufacturers.”

Since 2006, Enterprise’s environmental stewardship has resulted in:

* In its first year, customer participation in the company’s carbon offset program, along with a match from the company’s charitable foundation, generated $440,000 to fund several certified offset projects that work to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. With partner TerraPass, these

34 JULY 2010 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

projects offset 42,000 metric tons of carbon, which, based on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards, is equivalent to saving 4.8 million gallons of gasoline and 98,000 barrels of oil.

* Annual recycling of approximately 710,000 gallons of used motor oil and more than 676,000 used oil filters through the Alamo, Enterprise and National brand operations.

* In 2010, the planting of the 5 millionth tree through the company’s 50 Million Tree Pledge, a partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation and U.S. Forest Service.

* Recognition in 2009 by the Environmental Defense Fund for the company’s new rental transaction system at its more than 7,600 locations worldwide – a network of 45,000 energy-saving thin client terminals deployed through the company’s regional subsidiaries, which will enable the company to cut its annual carbon dioxide emissions by 6.5 million pounds – a reduction of nearly 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide per branch office per year.

* WeCar car-sharing technology – complemented by Enterprise Rent-A-Car’s extensive local car rental network – provides an environmentally friendly transportation solution, whether it is for an hour, a day, a weekend or longer. Totally automated and membership-based, WeCar serves local businesses, universities and government offices looking to enhance their fleet management operations and sustainability initiatives.

* Significant strides in alternative fuel research at the Enterprise Institute for Renewable Fuels focusing on the creation of biofuels from algae, soybean and camelina. Since the Institute was created in 2007 through a partnership between Enterprise and the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, it has been awarded approximately $75 million in additional research grants.

All told, over the past several years Enterprise Holdings and the Taylor family have contributed or pledged more than $120 million to environmental initiatives.

For more information about the company’s full environmental platform, visit www.keystogreen.com.

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Weekend-long Hailstorm Caused WideSpread Damage in the Clovis, NM, Area

Dime-sized hail dents to vehicles in the Clovis, NM, area on June 12 brought a truckload of work for insurance companies and body shops.

George Songer, owner of Rembrandt’s Auto Body Shop in Clovis, said he had received 256 claims in just one day on June 16.

“We’re so busy we can’t get to our collision repair we already have in,” Songer said. Songer also said he saw a lot of dime to egg-sized dents and mostly broken sunroofs, rather than broken windshields, thanks to the spring storm. He estimates that some cars coming in may also be totals.

Chuck Jones, a forecaster for the National Weather Service, said the storm dropped .62 inches of rain in Portales, making it the fifth wettest June 12 on record. An exact rain amount for Clovis was not available, but Jones said the storm most likely dropped “well over an inch” of rain.

The storm brought snow-like hail that blanketed the streets, which made for dangerous driving conditions over the weekend.

The hail damage is so widespread Songer said he can’t keep up with the number of claims coming into his directrepair shop. Songer said he has been writing a lot of estimates and is even glad to lose some of the jobs to insurance companies’ DRPs because they’re so swamped.

However, a fellow business in Albuquerque has more personnel on the way to help make the repairs. May Martinez-Hendershot, spokesperson for State Farm Insurance, said the company had a catastrophic loss team on the way from Albuquerque, and some of them are in Clovis.

Hendershot said as of 3 p.m. June 14, State Farm had received 360 auto claims and 80 homeowner claims in the Clovis area relating to the storm. Hendershot said the company is looking for a location to set up a drive-in auto claim center to make it easier for customers to file and process a claim.

Other counties in the area saw heavy rains and high winds throughout the week but did not experience any hail.

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www.autobodynews.com | JULY 2010 AUTOBODY NEWS 35

Texas’ Distracted Driving Laws Presently Limited to Teens and No Cell Phone Usage in School Crossing Zones, Except Locally

Two new laws are in effect: one banning teen drivers from using cell phones and text messaging devices; the other prohibiting drivers from using handheld cell phones in school crossing zones. Currently: ● Learners permit holders are prohibited from using handheld cell phones in the first six months of driving. ● Drivers under the age of 17 with restricted licenses are prohibited from using wireless communications devices. ● School bus operators prohibited from using cell phones while driving if children are present. ● Drivers prohibited from using handheld devices in school crossing zones. ● Dallas, Austin, Galveston, El Paso, Missouri City and Stephenville have enacted local distracted driving laws.

Missouri City’s ban on texting while driving went into effect June 1, 2010. Law applies when vehicle is stopped. Fines up to $500. The city posted traffic signs stating: “No Texts, Emails or Apps While Driving.”

Stephenville has banned text messaging and use of handheld cell phones while driving. The City Council considered a plan to ban all cell phone use by motorists, but rejected it during the April 6 voting. Fines will be up to $200.

El Paso prohibits texting and talking on a cell phone while driving in city limits. The City Council approved the ban on March 9 and it went into effect May 1. Hands-free cell phones OK. Fines up to $500. El Paso already outlawed use of handheld cell phones in school zones.

Galveston has banned text messaging while driving within city limits. Fines up to $500. The City Council voted to outlaw texting for motorists on Jan. 14 and the ban went into effect immediately.

League City’s plan to ban texting and handheld cell phone use while driving has been put on hold. The city attorney cited “legal issues.”

2009 Texas legislation: Texas House Bill 55: Outlaws use of handheld devices in school crossing zones. Would prohibit cell phone use by passenger bus drivers transporting minors unless the bus is stopped (minor wording change). Legislature gave final approval on May 29 and the governor signed it into law on June 19. The law became effective Sept. 1, 2009.

Texas House Bill 339: Prohibits drivers under the age of 17 with restricted licenses from using wireless communications devices, including cell phones and text messaging devices. Bill addresses numerous driver education issues in Texas. Approved by the House on May 6, 2009, and by the Senate on May 25. Legislature gave final approval on May 29

and the governor signed it into law on June 19. Law became effective Sept. 1, 2009.

Texas House Bill 662: Would outlaw the use of cell phones by drivers under the age of 18 unless a hands-free accessory is engaged. On Approved by the full Texas House on May 15 and sent to the Senate.

Left in committee.

Texas Senate Bill 1077: Companion bill to HB 339 (above) has been approved in the Senate and by the Transportation Committee in the House (May 15).

Texas House Bill 1158: Would make fines at least double the minimum for infractions committed while driving and using a handheld cell phone. “Left pending in committee.

Texas Senate Bill 582: Would prohibit drivers from using cell phones unless a hands-free accessory is engaged. Also would ban bus drivers from using wireless communication devices with a minor passenger onboard. “In committee” since Feb. 23.

Texas House Bill 1267: Would add text messaging to cell phone prohibitions on bus drivers. Also HB 1179. Both bills “left pending in committee.”

Texas Senate Bill 51: The legislation from state Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, would ban reading, writing and sending of text messages while operating a motor vehicle. It also would prohibit use of a wireless communication device for school bus drivers when a minor is present, except in emergencies. “In committee” since Feb. 10.

Texas House Bill 738: Would create an inattentive driving adjunct to existing laws that doubles fines for other traffic offenses. Cites a variety of behaviors such as texting, reading, writing, personal grooming, interacting with a passenger or pet.

“Left pending in committee.”

Texas House Bill 758: Would prohibit school bus drivers from using cell phones or texting while minors are aboard. “Left pending in committee.”

Texas House Bill 1649: Would ban drivers under the age of 18 from using wireless communication devices in the first six months of licensing, regardless of whether a hands-free device is attached. Also applies to motorcycle or moped drivers under the age of 17. “Lef tpending in committee.”

Texas House Bill 220: Would ban use of handheld wireless devices for all drivers and use of all wireless devices for school bus drivers. “Left pending in committee.”

Texas House Bill 219: Would outlaw use of cell phones at school crossings. “Left pending in committee.”

The Austin City Council approved a ban on texting while driving on Oct. 22, 2009, and then broadened it Dec. 17 to include other mobile devices, Internet surfing and use of all iPhone applications. Fines could be as high as $500.

The city of Burnet has outlawed use of

36 JULY 2010 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

cell phones and texting devices in school zones. Fines will be $200. The Burnet City Council approved the ban on Oct. 27, 2009.

Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, author of a handheld cell phone bill, says the House Transportation Committee simply isn’t moving these bills through. “I have tremendous amount of respect for Chairman Joe Pickett,” Martinez Fischer said. “But this doesn’t seem to be a priority in his committee.” Pickett responded that his committee was unable to resolve the overall issue of how to draw the line with distracted driving, a common position adopted by opponents of cell phone-driving bills. More accidents related to wireless devices could help the bills’ chances in 2011, Pickett told amarillo.com The House aired the legislative debate over text messaging and cell phoning while driving on March 10, 2009. “People, I think, are watching us,” said HB 55 sponsor Rep. Dan Branch, R-Dallas.

“We’re trying to find the right balance between public safety and, sort of, intrusion into civil liberties,” Branch told the House Committee on Transportation. The committee aboved Rep. Branch’s bill banning drivers from using cell phones in school zones.

Rep. Solomon Ortiz Jr., D-Corpus Christi, says of his HB 662: “This legisla-

tion will help limit distractions and keep teen drivers focused on the road. Teenagers already have enough on their minds as it is.”

“The communications companies have really come out strongly against my (handheld cell phone) bills in the past,” said Rep. Jose Menendez, D-San Antonio, who authored HB 1649.

The Texas ACLU opposes laws restricting use of cell phones and texting devices: “That’s more of a public education issue,” its policy director said. “There’s always going to be something that’s distracting drivers.”

State Sen. Jeff Wentworth, R-San Antonio, had planned to reintroduce in the 2009 session his bill that would require hands-free devices for drivers using cell phones. His bill passed the transportation committee in 2008 after testimony from a man whose wife was killed in an crash she caused while using a cell phone.

“It is probably going to take the whole Senate listening to that kind of testimony before we get a bill passed,” he told the Dallas Morning News.

San Antonio is in the middle of a one-year pilot program in which the use See TX Cell Use, Page 39

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LKQ Knows ‘It’s Not Cheap or Easy Being Green’ But Sees Quick Cost Benefits Many companies talk a big game when it to being a trendsetter in taking the green apcomes to being lean and green, but LKQ says proach to a whole new level.

LKQ operates from 290 facilities nait is 100% dedicated to saving fuel, electricity and recycling everything that the enormous tionwide and passed $2 billion for revenue in company can possibly touch, use, or produce. 2009. “In 2010, we’re headed to hit that numwith Schroeder It’s not easy being lean andErica green because it ber again and higher,” Steven Jones, Viceinvolves a considerable investment in time, President of LKQ’s West-Northwest Regions money and personnel to achieve sustainabil- said. Jones has been one of the prime movers ity and a high level of true greenness. But behind the company’s transition to becoming LKQ is dedicated to making the investment greener nationwide.

Jones attended a recent conference sponand leading the way among companies its size sored by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy, with John Yoswickin which most of the country’s Fortune 500 companies was represented. The subject of the conference was on newly constructed building sustainably, Jones explained.

“The experts told us that when we build new facilities, let’s try to educate ourselves on how to build them so that they’re sustainable,” he said. “By using re-used materials with Ed Attanasioand incorporating things that require less energy, we can become a better, productive and more responsible company. During this threeLights and skylights used together to provide a day conference, I learned that some of the brighter warehouse using considerably less energy most simple things you can do while conat LKQ structing new buildings can help you to save

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more power and be forward-thinking in every aspect of reusing and saving.”

The conference made a huge impression on Jones, who took the information back to LKQ for implementation. “It was a real eyeopener on many levels. Getting green isn’t easy, but in the end you win, because you save money and you save energy. One is good for the company and the other is good for everyone. We’ll be building approximately 50 brand new facilities from the ground up this year—warehouses, self-service and full-service salvage yards and distribution centers—throughout the country, to support our product.”

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A big part of this efficiency-focused reform involved changing LKQ’s lighting systems in new and existing facilities. “One prime example where we can save tons of money and energy is by embracing the newest lighting in our buildings. Most of our warehouses have 30-ft. tall ceilings. We want them high and tight to save space, because land is expensive and building new facilities is very costly.

In the past, we used metal halide and sodium vapor lights—if you go to most average warehouses, these are the lights you’ll find there. They use a ton of energy and they don’t put off that much light. A T5HO is a high output light designed for these tall warehouses, and it uses roughly 25% of the energy that the standard lights we used to have. To take it even further, we’ve equipped these lighting systems with motion sensors on every light. It’s now a law in California to incorporate to them in every newly constructed building because it makes sense and saves a lot of energy.”

Saving energy is a priority across the board, Jones said, which also includes the offices within every LKQ facility. “Each of our new offices now has two light switches, one for half-light and another for full light. So if

there’s a sunny day outside, maybe you only need to have half of the light running. All these little things added up can make a big difference in our consumption of energy, so we’ve embraced all of these policies in all of the construction of our buildings from the ground up.”

The savings derived from the company’s new lighting was apparent almost instantly, Jones said. “It’s a huge effort. For example, we installed T5HO lighting in a 100,000-squarefoot warehouse in Santa Fe Springs, CA, and we haven’t had a light bill exceeding $2,000 monthly since we opened it, although it is operating 18 hours per day. There are 70 people working out of that facility and the building’s energy consumption is considerably less than many of our older facilities. It’s just remarkable how much money we can save by designing these new facilities using the latest technology in energy-saving innovation. Of course it’s not cheap installing these types of systems in our new facilities, but they will pay for themselves if you do it right. For instance, those T5HO lights will get your money back within the range of 1-2 years, I would estimate.

But, it does take that initial investment.”

Tapping into natural light is another method of saving money and energy. “We’re also requiring that skylights be built into the warehouses, depending on the local codes in each city. It will run between 4-10% of the light derived from sky lighting a facility. And of course, that’s the most sustainable energy you can find and it’s free. Skylights aren’t cheap either, but in the end it’s not all about the cost. It’s about taking the environmental high road versus just the economics. You’re making a commitment that says ‘hey, we have to make a decision.’ You know we have to make a difference—that’s what we’re doing.

We’ve decided that being green does matter and [as a company we want to do] something that is the right thing to do that’s sustainable.”

The majority of LKQ’s trucks have idle shut down systems to keep them from idling too long. It’s another fuel-saving move by the corporation

LKQ is going green in every room, even in several of their bathrooms in some facilities.

“We’ve invested in Dyson hand dryers in the West region, a new device that allows us to eliminate the use of paper towels in all of our bathrooms. At $1,400 installed, these units aren’t inexpensive, but they’ll dry your See LKQ, Next Page

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LKQ

hands in ten seconds, so it saves energy and paper, of course. We made a decision that we don’t want to create a bunch of trash in our daily lives. Why cut down a bunch of trees to use paper towels when you can use a Dyson hand dryer and save. We’ve installed 15 of these devices in our buildings and the response has been outstanding. They’ll pay for themselves in roughly 16 months.”

LKQ has always focused on recycling and reusing everything, but now they’re even more adept at keeping car parts in circulation.

“Reusing something that somebody already used and rebuilding it to get it back into a vehicle is as green as you can get. This way, we keep them out of the landfill and make them usable once again, the way it should be designed. We’re also stocking re-manufactured products more than ever, including engines, transmissions, rear ends, steering gears, steering pumps, rack & pinions. We’re stocking all of these things, so that our end users don’t have to buy new ones. An entirely new transmission costs a ton to make, but our re-manufactured transmissions are just as good. Rebuilding one will use one-half of the overall energy it takes to manufacture a new transmission.”

Manufacturers buy cores from LKQ to rebuild their engines and transmissions, for example. “When a manufacturer wants a core, they call us. This way, we make sure that these

products ultimately get back into the main stream of commerce, so that they don’t have to build a new one.”

Saving energy, reusing, reconditioning, recycling and doing their part to help preserve the environment is LKQ’s ongoing commitment. “Being green never ends. It’s not a momentary thing or something we do to because it’s popular today. We’re in for the long-term and committed and that will never change.”

According to the company’s Web site, “LKQ is a leader in recycled auto parts and environmentally friendly business practices and recycled 492,000 vehicles last year. That is equivalent to recycling about 540,000 tons of steel, 47,000 tons of aluminum, and 13,000 tons of copper. Through its operations, LKQ helped to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 890,000 tons, which is about the same as the annual emissions of a city of 82,200 people.

“In addition, LKQ recently partnered with the Arbor Day Foundation to give its customers and anyone else interested in helping the environment an additional way to be green in our LKQ Get Green promotion. Anyone who visits www.LKQGetGreen.com between April 22 and June 30, 2010 and enters a valid email address will receive 1 tree planted in their honor. Customers can also print a savings coupon to use with their next LKQ recycled purchase. Those who use the coupon will receive $25 off their purchase or can choose to have 25 trees planted in their honor. Together with its customers, LKQ anticipates planting a forest at the conclusion of the program.”

2009–2010 I-CAR EDUCATION FOUNDATION

DONOR AND INDUSTRY PARTNERS

GEICO

®

THANK YOU. 38 JULY 2010 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

State-of-the-Art Auto Management Training Facility Opens at Cerritos College, Norwalk, CA

More than 300 auto industry representatives, community leaders, students, faculty and administrators celebrated the official grand opening of the 10,000 square-foot Automotive Partners Building at Cerritos College on Friday, May 21.

The event, held inside the facility’s glass-lined showroom, marked the culmination of years of planning, fundraising and collaboration between the college, public officials and local auto dealers. Cerritos College apportioned community bond funding toward the $5.1-million facility, and major private donors included the Southland Motor Car Dealers Association (SMCDA) and the Greater Los Angeles New Car Dealers Association (GLANCDA), who each contributed a half million dollars toward the facility. L. A. County 4th District Supervisor Don Knabe and the Conant Auto Retail Group each provided gifts of $100,000.

The building is the centerpiece of the $15mm auto training center on the Cerritos College campus. “Area dealers have long drawn talent from Cerritos College’s Automotive Technology Program -- now they join the college in offering management training,” explained SMCDA Executive Director Todd Leutheuser. “The future of their business starts here, in a deliberate

convergence of industry and education.”

In addition to the prominent show room that can exhibit vehicles and features a wall of video screens for training purposes, the building also features space for students and managers alike. Traditional classrooms and conference-style board rooms are equipped with video conference capability and wireless capability. A marketing media room seats up to 24 people and includes video and teleconference capability, and several board rooms.

Housed within the building are offices for Northwood University’s West Coast program center, which offers a bachelor’s degree program in automotive marketing and management for students who want to work in the auto industry. The program hosts its business and auto management courses in the classrooms, while providing walk-in academic guidance and program information directly from the new offices. SMCDA also has its offices inside the building, and area dealers will be able to schedule meetings and employee training at the facility.

Since 1932, the Southland Motor Car Dealers Association has represented the new franchised automotive dealers in the southern Los Angeles County.

Visit the association online at: www.smcda.org.

Thanks to our donors, the I-CAR Education Foundation provided $1.7 million in support to collision schools, students, and instructors in 2009.

ABM-Auto Body Management, Inc.ÊUÊAccurate Auto BodyÊUÊAdelmann, TimÊUÊAdvantage Collision CenterÊUÊALLDATAÊUÊ Amica Mutual Insurance CompanyÊUÊAngell, Laura and TerryÊUÊAtlanta I-CAR CommitteeÊUÊAtlantic Collision Inc.ÊUÊAutobodyAllianceÊUÊAuto Body Color Co, Inc.ÊUÊAutobody NewsÊUÊAutochexÊUÊBaker, DannyÊUÊBarrington, LoriÊUÊBartanen, JasonÊ UÊ BeccaÊ UÊ Bob Hastings Collision, Inc.Ê UÊ Body Craft, Inc.Ê UÊ Bradshaw Collision CenterÊ UÊ Broward County I-CAR CommitteeÊUÊBryn Mawr Auto Body, Inc.ÊUÊBurda, JoeÊUÊCalifornia State Automobile Association (CSAA)ÊUÊCalvo, AlbertoÊUÊ CAPA (Certified Automotive Parts Association)ÊUÊCarey, PhilÊUÊCARSTAR Automotive, Inc.ÊUÊCARSTAR Connecticut Business GroupÊUÊCARSTAR Scola’s Collision CenterÊUÊCARSTAR YorkvilleÊUÊCCARÊUÊChemSpec USAÊUÊChess, TobyÊUÊChief Automotive Technologies, Inc.ÊUÊChipotle Mexican GrillÊUÊClarity CorporationÊUÊCollex Collision ExpertsÊUÊCollisionWeekÊUÊ Col-Met Spray BoothÊUÊComSearchÊUÊCook, KirkÊUÊCopart Auto AuctionsÊUÊCorwith’s Auto Body, IncÊUÊCountry Insurance & Financial ServicesÊUÊCrest Industries, Inc.ÊUÊCross Country Automotive ServicesÊUÊCSi CompleteÊUÊCynCast, Inc.ÊUÊDeCleene, ValerieÊUÊDickerson, JohnÊUÊDorschel Collision CenterÊUÊDoyle, JoeÊUÊEckenrode, BrandonÊUÊEdelen, JohnÊUÊEMC Insurance CompaniesÊUÊEmerson Collision Service, Inc.ÊUÊErie InsuranceÊUÊEsuranceÊUÊEvans, ChrisÊUÊEvergreen Paint, Inc.ÊUÊExcel Auto Body, Inc.ÊUÊFibre Glass EvercoatÊUÊFinch, ThomasÊUÊFoothill Autobody, Inc.ÊUÊFort Washington Auto Body, Inc.ÊUÊFortner, TerryÊ UÊ Gerber Collision & Glass UÊ The Gorilla Glue CompanyÊ UÊ Goss Auto BodyÊUÊGoyke, KevinÊUÊGreenLeaf Auto RecyclersÊUÊGrove Body ShopÊUÊ Harden Auto Body, Inc.ÊUÊHarry’s Auto BodyÊ UÊ Hertz CorporationÊ UÊ Holman, PaulÊ UÊ I-CAR Executive Committee (Bruce Bares, Robert Keith, Tom Moreland, Elise Quadrozzi, Robby Robbs, Bill Stage, Dustin Womble)Ê UÊ I-CAR Education Foundation Executive Committee (Chris Evans, Chris Northup, Steve Seidner, Terry Fortner, Doug Webb)Ê UÊ IADA AssociationÊ UÊ IHOP RestaurantsÊUÊImpact Auto Body, Inc. UÊ Impact Vehicle Damage ErasureÊ UÊ International Epoxie & SealersÊUÊJ.C. Auto & Truck Parts, Inc.ÊUÊJ.D. Hendler and Associates LLCÊUÊJansen, BobÊUÊKasmer, JoyceÊUÊKaye, G. WalterÊUÊKeith, Robert and MargaretÊUÊKempfer, KenÊUÊKen’s Auto BodyÊUÊKent AutomotiveÊUÊKirschenman, KarlÊUÊKnell, MargaretÊUÊKottschade, GeralynnÊUÊKumler Collision Inc.ÊUÊLa Prairie’s Body ShopÊUÊLaRose, Jason and Ruth UÊLKQ CorporationÊUÊLopez, GeneÊUÊLoy, MichaelÊUÊMAACO Franchising, Inc.ÊUÊMarks, StevenÊUÊMarscin, MelissaÊUÊMerrick Road Collision Corp.ÊUÊMetLife Auto & HomeÊUÊMeyers, JamesÊUÊMike’s Autocrafts, Inc.ÊUÊMinutillo, Michael UÊMission Hills Collision Center, Inc.ÊUÊModern Auto BodyÊUÊMoreland, TomÊUÊMotor Guard CorporationÊUÊMulroy’s Body Shop, Inc.ÊUÊNACE – Int’l Autobody Congress & ExpositionÊUÊNelson, RandyÊUÊNorthern Virginia I-CAR Volunteer CommitteeÊUÊNorthup, Chris UÊNovak, RobertÊUÊNyiradi, JosephÊUÊOmaha I-CAR CommitteeÊUÊOttum, JolindaÊUÊParadise Chevrolet CadillacÊUÊPasswater, TonyÊUÊPerformance ClaimsÊUÊPincus, ShirleyÊUÊPlucinski, ClarkÊUÊPoole, JeffÊUÊPreferred Autobody, Inc.ÊUÊQuadrozzi, EliseÊUÊ Raintree Auto Body, Inc.ÊUÊRay, RonÊUÊReesman Body ShopÊUÊRdesign Plus, Inc.ÊUÊRheubert, RonaldÊUÊRon Wise Auto Body UÊSafe Auto Insurance CompanyÊUÊSCA Appraisal CompanyÊUÊSchmidt, StevenÊUÊSchuerman, ScottÊUÊSCRSÊUÊSeidner, Steve UÊSettle, GregÊUÊShaw, ErnestÊUÊSherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes Corp.ÊUÊSolmes, DavidÊUÊSouthtowne Auto Rebuild, Inc.ÊUÊSpringfield I-CAR CommitteeÊUÊStage, Bill UÊStilwell, Joseph GlennÊUÊSuperior Collision & Paint, Inc.ÊUÊSwygert, RonnieÊUÊTaylor, RoyÊUÊTorres, MarkÊUÊTotal Resource Auctions, A Manheim Co.ÊUÊToyota Motor SalesÊUÊTrue2Form Collision Repair CentersÊUÊTuuri, RickÊUÊTyson, MickeyÊUÊUltraWiz ToolsÊUÊUrethane Supply CompanyÊUÊVeriFacts AutomotiveÊUÊ Virginia I-CAR CommitteeÊUÊWalk’s Service CenterÊUÊWatz, WilliamÊUÊWebb, DougÊUÊWertz, MerleÊUÊWilson, DaleÊUÊZara’s Collision Center, Inc.ÊUÊZurich North America

Thank you for helping fuel the future of the collision industry.

888.722.3787

info@ed-foundation.org

Rhode Island General Assembly Approves Senate Bill 2508

The Rhode Island General Assembly adjourned its 2010 formal session by passing the Unfair Claims Settlement practices act, legislation requiring independent appraisal of damages exceeding $1,500, a bill that was opposed by the American Insurance Association (AIA).

The General Assembly approved Senate Bill 2508, the An Act Relating to Insurance—Unfair Claims Settlement Practices Act. SB 2508 was introduced on behalf of the Auto Body Association of Rhode Island (ABARI) and would require an independent appraisal on all cars with damages in excess of $1,500 by an appraiser unaffiliated with the repair shop.

“This session, like many that have preceded it in Rhode Island, presented a number of challenges to the insurance industry,” according to Laura Kersey, AIA assistant vice president, Northeast Region.

“No other state requires this kind of appraisal, and SB 2508 would only add time and costs to a repair process that is already one of the most costly in the country,” said Kersey “Unfortunately, Rhode Island legislators approved a bill that could increase repair costs for consumers, increase hassle for consumers and limit consumer choice.”

SB 2508 now awaits Gov. Donald Carcieri’s consideration, and AIA will urge him to veto this legislation.

AIA was pleased that the General Assembly failed to approve House Bill 7916, An Act Relating To Motor Vehicles—Insurance Rates, which would have prohibited an insurer from considering an applicant’s credit history in determining auto insurance rates.

Additionally, legislators refrained from acting on House Bill 7766, An Act Relating to Probate Practice and Procedure —Bonds of Executors, Administrators, and Guardians. AIA strongly opposed both bills and testified against HB 7766, which would have provided a cause of action on behalf of any principal or claimant covered under a fiduciary bond filed under a probate court order against the surety for wrongfully, and in bad faith, refusing to pay or settle a claim, or perform its obligations under the bond.

The major victory for insurers, however, came not on the legislative front, but on the judicial one. Last week, the Rhode Island Supreme Court issued a favorable ruling in Auto Body Association of Rhode Island v. State of Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation when it overturned the lower court decision and upheld the Department of Business Regulation’s interpretation of the labor rate survey statute.

“The Court appropriately recognized that the labor rate survey was intended to be just one factor for insurers to take into account in the setting of labor rates,” said Kersey.

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AIA had filed an amicus brief before the Court, which argued that the lower court decision constituted an impermissible rewriting of the labor rate survey statute and would have led to absurd and unintended results.

According to Kersey, “The original ruling in the lower court would have allowed a small segment of the auto body industry to arbitrarily set its own rates based on self-reported and unsubstantiated data. Our brief also raised constitutional concerns with the lower court decision, and noted that the decision could harm Rhode Island consumers by increasing repair costs.”

The Supreme Court also reversed the lower court’s ruling that the statute was ap-

Oklahoma May Have Cell Phone or Texting Restrictions

The Oklahoma House and Senate both have voted in favor of bills that address drivers’ use of handheld cell phones and texting devices. Currently there are no limits on cell phone use or text messaging. In front of both houses in 2010 are: HB 3250: Would ban the use of handheld cell phones and text messaging devices while driving in Oklahoma.

Cell phone users must employ handsfree accessories. Exempts GPS and navigation devices. Penalties up to $1,000 (fine and court costs). Approved by the House Public Safety Commitee on Feb. 24. Approved by the full House on March 10. Sent to the Senate.

(Tibbs, Morgan) SB 1908: Overall distracted driving bill. Cites cell phone use and text messaging. Sets enforcement at “secondary level,” with police not permitted to stop violators for this reason alone. Fine of $100 plus court costs of up to $35. Approved by the Senate on March 10.

(Sykes) HB 2611: Would prohibit text messaging by all drivers. Secondary enforcement. Fine of $250 plus two points/$500 three points. (Liebmann) HB 2857: Would outlaw text messaging and use of cell phones by drivers of public transit vehicles, including school buses. Also railway vehicles. $500 fine. (Wright) SB 1355: Would prohibit drivers 18 Continued from Page 36

TX Cell Use

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plicable to every insurer authorized to sell motor vehicle liability insurance in Rhode Island because this issue was not properly before the court. The lower court decision would have required insurers that don’t even write auto insurance in the state to undertake a labor rate survey. The Supreme Court decision effectively upheld the Department’s regulation which requires insurers that write more than one percent of the total premium volume of motor vehicle liability insurance in Rhode Island to participate in the survey.

“Fortunately, the Rhode Island Supreme Court gave the proper deference to the Department’s determination regarding the labor rate survey statute,” Kersey concluded.

of hand-held cell phones and text messaging are prohibited for drivers in 18 school zones. Fines for school-zone violations are as high as $200, as of November 2008.

Hollywood Park (San Antonio area) tabled a handheld cell phone ban on Feb. 17, 2009, saying: “Let the state make the decision.”

The Texas Department of Public Safety began tracking cell phone-related

years old and younger from text messaging while behind the wheel. Secondary enforcement, meaning traffic officers cannot stop violators for this reason alone. Fines of up to $100 and $250 (subsequent violations). (Paddack) SB 1843: Would prohibit text messaging by all authors. Fines up to $175/$500 (for subsequent violations).

Fines double after accidents. (Easley) SB 1386: Would ban text messaging by all drivers. Secondary enforcement.

Fines of up to $175 and $200 (for subsequent violations). (Garrison) SB 1906: Would outlaw use of “portable electronic devices” while driving, including cell phones and text messaging devices. Fine up to $150.

(Johnson) Gov. Brad Henry banned all state employees from text messaging while operating government vehicles. At a Capitol ceremony on Jan. 19, he urged the Oklahoma Legislature to take action on distracted driving, calling texting and driving “a recipe for absolute disaster.”

With HB 3250, Rep. Sue Tibbs, RTulsa, reintroduced her 2009 plan to ban text messaging while behind the wheel, adding use of handheld cell phones.

Rep. Randy McDaniel, R-Oklahoma City, said he plans to introduce a bill that would require schools to teach young drivers about the dangers of text messaging behind the wheel.

traffic accidents in 2000.

The Dallas council approved installing cellphone-ban warning signs throughout Dallas’ 651 school zones when it OK’d the prohibition in February 2008. Violators could be fined $200.

About two-thirds of Texas teenagers surveyed said they have talked on a cell phone while driving in the past six months, according to the state Transportation Institute. More than half said they had read or sent text messages while driving. A 2007 study said cell phone use was among the primary causes of fatal car crashes among teens.

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