Southeastern September 2015 Issue by Autobody News

Southeastern Edition Florida Georgia Alabama Mississippi

Virginia Tennessee North Carolina South Carolina

YEARS

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Three-C Body Shop in OH Wins Lawsuit Against American Family Insurance Three-C Body Shop in Ohio recently won a lawsuit against American Family Insurance. On September 29th, 2014, during a bench trial in the Court of Common Pleas of Franklin County, Ohio, Civil Division, American Fam-

granted, and on April 29, the Magistrate reversed his earlier judgment and ruled in favor of Three-C Body Shop. The facts surrounding this matter stem from when the vehicle owner had a vehicle towed to Three-C Body shop

“We are happy that our customer [the vehicle owner] did not need to come out of pocket for work that was clearly owed by American Family,” —Bob Juniper, Owner and President of Three-C Body Shop

ily, the Plaintiff, levied a complaint against Three-C Body Shop. On April 10, 2013, American Family Insurance filed a lawsuit for replevin against the shop due to a dispute arising from Three-C Body Shop’s billing. On January 21st, 2015, the Magistrate ruled in favor of the insurer. Three-C’s legal team filed a Motion for Reconsideration, which was

for repair. During the repair process, American Family Insurance, recognizing they had not properly evaluated the cost to repair, and after reviewing Three-C’s blueprint deemed the vehicle a total loss. On September 19, 2011 the insurer made a settlement with the vehicle owner (their policy holder), took title/ownership of the vehicle and on See Three-C Body Shop, Page 46

TV News Reports on LA Body Shop Owner Saying State Farm ‘Forces Him’ to Use Recycled Parts by Kiran Chawla, wafb.com

P.O. BOX 1516, CARLSBAD, CA 92018

See State Farm Forces, Page 46

Miles Paint & Body Shop in LA said his customer’s car insurer State Farm is not allowing him to use OEM parts on his 2014 Kia Sedona. Credit: WAFB

Change Service Requested

A body shop owner is warning drivers that if you get in a wreck, your car insurance policy might only pay for aftermarket or recycled parts. A 2014 Kia Sedona has been at the Miles Paint & Body Shop in Baton Rouge for three weeks after the driver ran into the back of another vehicle. It now needs a new condenser and radiator,

VOL. 6 ISSUE 7 SEPTEMBER 2015

Mike Chaney Defeats John Mosley for MS Insurance Commissioner in GOP Primary by Clay Chandler, The Clarion-Ledger

Incumbent Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney likely secured another term on August 4, defeating Clinton businessman John Mosley in the Republican primary. Chaney and Mosley had sparred over insurers’ ability to dictate vehicle repairs at body shops. Mosley, whose family started Clinton Body Shop almost 40 years ago, said a series of complaints he and other body shop owners had taken to Chaney’s office regarding insurance companies moving the target as to what they would and would pay for was the primary reason he ran to unseat the incumbent. Neither returned cell phone messages on the night of August 4.

Mosley’s crusade began right after a 2013 hailstorm did millions of dollars in damage to vehicles and buildings in the Jackson area. Insurers were less than clear about what repair procedures were covered, Mosley said, John Mosley (File an issue he took to photo), owner of Chaney in a meetClinton Body Shop, ing attended by ran for Insurance Commissioner representatives of of Mississippi. State Farm Insurance, the company Mosley labeled as the worst offender. The summit seemed to iron out the issues, but it wasn’t long before the insurer reverted. Making the probSee Mosley Defeated, Page 36

FACA / Ray Gunder Real-Time Labor Rate Survey is Underway in Florida, Other States Also The Florida Auto Body Collision Association (FACA) has joined forces with Ray Gunder to sponsor the Ray Gunder Real-Time Labor Rate Survey in Florida. In so doing, FACA supports Florida shop owner, Ray Gunder of Gunder’s Auto Center Inc.’s selection of an innovative young company, National AutoBody Research (NABR), to conduct a series of nationwide Gunder Labor Rate Surveys. One reason is NABR’s Survey Methodology, a second is its unique Survey Criteria, and a third is that its Survey Results are viewed in real-time. The FACA / Ray Gunder Real-Time Labor Rate Survey has two primary purposes. First, to provide Florida collision repair shops with the current Prevailing Market Rate Ranges (PMRR’s) in their markets which more

accurately reflect labor and shop rates than does one single “prevailing rate.” Second, based on their cost of doing business, to provide Florida auto body repairers the opportunity to enter the

fair and reasonable labor and shop rates they would charge to attain sufficient profitability, if insurers did not adversely influence their rates. See Labor Rate Survey, Page 54

Presorted Standard US Postage PAID San Bernardino, CA Permit #2244

2 SEPTEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Contents

COLUMNISTS Attanasio - Body Shops Nationwide are Joining the Blog Party . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Luehr - Why Past Success Could Be Holding You Back. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Yoswick - ‘MSO Symposium’ Panels Presented Ideas on Human Resources, Customer Satisfaction . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Yoswick - CIC Committee Working to Eliminate Hidden Costs of Parts Procurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Yoswick - Farmer’s COD Program, CARSTAR’s Growth, Estimates 10 Years Ago, Texas Rate Survey . . . . . 40

NATIONAL 4th Annual Aftermarket Telematics Challenge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 AkzoNobel Launches U-Base for U-TECH Basecoat System for Commercial Builder and Refinish Markets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Allstate Delivers Sharp Drop in Operating Earnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Apple is Building Self-Driver, Looking to Test in Bay Area. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Automotive Writer Speculates About Why the AL vs Steel Repair Cost Debate Won’t Be Resolved Soon . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Behind-The-Scenes Look at MI Factory Where Ford F-150 Is Manufactured . . . 49 Carmakers are Keeping Data from Tech Partners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Car-O-Liner and AudaExplore Hold Seminar on Trends in Fixed Operations . . . . . . . 16 Employee Shot at Paint and Body Shop in TX . 12 Enterprise Releases Second Quarter Rental Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 EstimateScrubber.com Releases Invoicing APP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 GM Invests $1.4 Billion for Arlington Plant Upgrades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Hot Topics Discussed During Mitchell’s Q3 Industry Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 July Auto Sales Surge Due to Pickups and SUVs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Mike Anderson Reminds Industry That “We Don’t Know What We Don’t Know” . . . 30 Mopar Helps Dealers with New Service Capacity Tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 More Stringent Auto Recalls in 2015 are ‘New Normal’. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Nevada Shop Owner Films Pilot Show for Reality Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 New ALLDATA President Discusses OE Repair Info with Associations and Insurers at NACE 2015 . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Nissan Donates $1M and 10 Autos to Habitat for Humanity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Ohio Body Shop Leaves Truck Unfinished After 4 Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 PartsTrader and State Farm Credited with Increased Chrome Bumper Sales for LKQ . 14 Rio Hondo College No Longer Offering Collision Repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Takata’s Plans For Airbag Components. . . . 3 Texas Law Enforcement Vehicles Hard Hit by Takata Airbag Recall Say TV News Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Three-C Body Shop in OH Wins Lawsuit Against American Family Insurance . . . . 1 Two UTI Campuses in AZ Named Schools of Excellence by ACCSC . . . . . . . . . . . 12 U.S. on Pace for Deadliest Driving Year Since 2007, Says National Safety Council . . . 52

Now that Takata has begun replacing defective airbags in up to 34 million vehicle recalls, regulators and consumers alike are wondering, how safe are the new parts, and how long will they last? That is why the Japanese air-bag manufacturer is in the process of proposing a plan to address these concerns. However, the details have yet to be released to the public. Out of the 37-page document posted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website on August 11, 35 pages are redacted (blank) due to confidentiality issues. NHTSA’s Gordon Trowbridge said the agency will hold a public hearing this fall, which regulators intend to coordinate. U.S. officials have described the Takata recall as the largest in our country’s history, affecting 11 automakers. The shrapnel that can spew out from exploded airbag inflators has resulted in at least eight deaths and more than 100 injuries. Although the cause is unknown,

it is believed the ammonium nitratebased propellant plays a role. Humidity is a trigger, so states with a more tropical climate are being pri-

oritized for replacement parts. A digital campaign to raise awareness is also in the works. Takata plans for both initiatives to eventually go national. There are several updates to the Takata recall in this month’s issue including a story on Texas Law Enforcement having to park some official vehicles due to lack of parts. Fiat Chrysler is supposedly expediting those parts orders.

Publisher & Editor: Jeremy Hayhurst General Manager: Barbara Davies Assistant Editor: Stacey Phillips Online Editor: Victoria Antonelli Contributing Writers: Tom Franklin, John Yoswick, Janet Chaney, Toby Chess, David Brown, Rich Evans, Ed Attanasio, Chasidy Sisk, David Luehr Advertising Sales: Joe Momber, Sean Hartman, Bill Doyle, Norman Morano (800) 699-8251 Sales Assistant: Louise Tedesco Art Director: Rodolfo Garcia

Audi Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . 42 Axalta Coating Services . . . . . . . . . 55 BASF Corporation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 BMW Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . 49 Car-Part.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 CarcoonAmerica Airflow Systems . 12 CCC Information Services . . . . . . . 23 Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA). . . . . . . . . . . 39 Chief Automotive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Classifieds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Coggin Deland Honda . . . . . . . . . . 18 Crown Automotive Group . . . . . . . . 35 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet. . . . . . 21 Diamond Standard Parts, Inc . . . . . 25 Eco Repair Systems of North America, LLC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 EMM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Equalizer Industries, Inc . . . . . . . . . 30 Ford Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . 43 GM Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . 53 Gus Machado Ford . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 H & S Autoshot Mfg. Co . . . . . . . . . 21 Hendrick Automotive Group . . . . . . 17 Hendrick BMW/MINI . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Hendrick Dodge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Hendrick Honda Bradenton . . . . . . 22 Honda-Acura Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27, 28-29 Hyundai Wholesale Parts Dealers. . 38 Jon Hall Chevrolet . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Serving Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina and adjacent metro areas. Autobody News is a monthly publication for the autobody industry. Permission to reproduce in any form the material published in Autobody News must be obtained in writing from the publisher. ©2015 Adamantine Media LLC.

Autobody News

Southeast

by Victoria Antonelli, Online Editor

Indexof Advertisers

REGIONAL $25 Million Invested in New FL Audi Dealership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 67-Year-Old Unlicensed FL Insurance Agent Arrested. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 ABRA Auto Body & Glass Expands in Georgia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Assured Performance Collision Care Certifies TN CARSTAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Birmingham Police Ask for Public’s Help in Fatal U.S. 280 Hit-and-Run, Suspect Charged. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 BMW Building New Auto Body Shop in Spartanburg County, South Carolina. . . 24 Charlottesville, VA Police Seek Suspect for Car Theft from Body Shop . . . . . . . . 4 CREF Awards $8,000 Tool Grant to VA Collision Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 FACA/Ray Gunder Labor Rate Survey in Florida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 FL Shop Certified to Work on Hybrid Vehicles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Flood Damage Causing Long Car Repair Wait Times in Tampa, FL . . . . . . . . . . . 18 GCIA to Host Collision Advice’s Mike Anderson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Mike Chaney Defeats John Mosley in MS GOP Insurance Primary . . . . . . . . . . 1 NC’s Surry Community College Offers Repair Classes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Pinson Council Has Second Thoughts Regarding Incentive Deal for Auto Body Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Service King Hosts U.S. Representative Diane Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 State Senator’s Tire & Auto Service Center Opens in GA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 The Hybrid Shop in VA Expands Into Asia Market. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Three Auto Dealerships and Body Shop in GA Burglarized . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 TV News Reports on LA Body Shop Owner Saying State Farm ‘Forces Him’ to Use Recycled Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Takata’s Plans For Airbag Components

Box 1516, Carlsbad, CA 92018; (800) 699-8251 (760) 603-3229 Fax www.autobodynews.com Email: news@autobodynews.com

Kernersville Chrysler-DodgeJeep-Ram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Kia Motors Wholesale Parts Dealers. 47 Land Rover South Dade . . . . . . . . . . 6 Lexus Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . 48 Mastro Subaru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Mercedes-Benz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Mercedes-Benz Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 MINI Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . 49 MOPAR Wholesale Parts Dealers . . 33 Nalley BMW. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Performance Automall . . . . . . . . . . 31 Porsche Wholesale Parts Dealers . 48 PPG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Prime Supply, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Radley Chevrolet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Rick Case Automotive Group . . . . . 45 Rick Hendrick Dodge-ChryslerJeep-Ram. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Riverside Ford-Lincoln . . . . . . . . . . 32 Safety Regulation Strategies . . . . . . 6 SATA Spray Equipment . . . . . . . . . 19 Subaru of Gwinnett . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Subaru Wholesale Parts Dealers . . 51 Tameron Hyundai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Unicure Spraybooths . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Urethane Supply Company . . . . . . 26 Valspar Automotive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Volkswagen Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

www.autobodynews.com | SEPTEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 3

State Senator’s Tire & Auto Service Center Opens in GA

Legacy Ford of McDonough, GA, owned by District 10 State Senator Emanuel Jones, D-Ellenwood, celebrated the grand opening of its new Quick Lane Tire & Auto Service Center in August. The business will create 10 to 15 new jobs in Henry County. The facility had a complete renovation, which cost nearly $2 million. The new 54,000 square-foot facility is located adjacent to the dealership and is on 3.2 acres. Community leaders, as well as local and regional Ford representatives were present including Mayor Billy Copeland, Henry County Commission Chairman Tommy Smith, members of the Henry County Chamber of Commerce and the Rev. E.W. Lee of Shiloh Baptist Church. “We are committed to going further for our community and with the addition of our new Quick Lane services, we aim to attract new customers every day as they look for a trusted service source,” said Jones. The center is located at 507 Industrial Blvd., McDonough, GA 30253.

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Ohio Body Shop Leaves Truck Unfinished After 4 Years

A Cleveland County couple in Oho is still waiting to get a truck back that they took to a body shop to have painted in 2011, according to wbtv.com. The 1968 Chevy truck was brought to Xtreme Kustomz in Shelby, Ohio by Harold and Margaret Scott in 2011. Harold’s father had owned the truck and the couple inherited it after he died. According to wbtv.com, they wanted to repair some rust spots on the truck and have it re-painted. The Scotts paid $2,500 for body work to be done to the truck including replacing the fenders, repairing rust spots, fixing dents and dings, a new two-tone paint job and a sprayon bed liner, according to a 2011 invoice. After four years, the truck is still inside the garage at Xtreme Kustomz. Eric, a manager at the shop, told On Your Side Investigates that the car needed more work than originally thought. The body shop told wbtv.com that it had already invested more than $2,500 worth of work into the truck. Harold said he would like the truck restored back to the way it was when his father bought it in 1968, according to wbtv.com.

GM Invests $1.4 Billion for Arlington Plant Upgrades

In its largest single plant investment in the U.S. this year, General Motors announced $1.4 billion for a range of improvements to its Arlington Assembly Plant to more competitively produce high-quality full-size SUVs. The investment allows the plant to be reconfigured with a new paint shop, body shop and general assembly area upgrades. Construction is expected to begin this summer and take approximately three years to complete. Production schedules for Chevrolet Tahoes and Suburbans, GMC Yukons and Yukon XLs and Cadillac Escalades will be unaffected by the construction. “This super-sized investment reflects GM’s commitment to our fullsize SUV customers who expect nothing but the absolute best from us and their vehicles,” said Cathy Clegg, GM North America Manufacturing and Labor Relations Vice President. “Today’s investment will contribute to Arlington Assembly’s winning tradition marked by strong customer focus, innovative thinking and teamwork.” Since 2011, GM has invested nearly $2 billion in manufacturing improvements at Arlington Assembly including this announcement, the launch of the current full-size SUVs and a new stamping plant. “I have seen first-hand the suc-

Charlottesville, VA Police Seek Suspect for Car Theft from Body Shop

cess that is possible for a city when GM supports the communities where they work and live,” said Arlington Mayor Jeff Williams. “The city of Arlington has benefited tremendously from the strong business and foundational support from GM. This new investment in Arlington solidifies its continued stewardship and commitment to our community.” This has been a monumental year for the more than 60-year-old assembly plant. Arlington Assembly celebrated its 10 millionth vehicle build, hosted GM’s Board of Directors and provided $100,000 in GM Foundation grants to local community organizations. Meanwhile, the UAW-GM team continues to work regular overtime in the only GM plant to make award-winning full-size SUVs for Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac customers globally. “By working together, the UAW and GM are making a difference in communities across the United States,” said UAW Vice President Cindy Estrada, who leads the union’s GM Department. The announcement is part of the $5.4 billion GM announced it would invest in U.S. manufacturing over the next three years. Approximately $4.5 billion of the $5.4 billion has been identified, leaving about $900 million to be announced by year-end.

The Charlottesville Police Department is investigating a stolen vehicle from the parking lot of Cosner Brothers Body Shop located at 1538

Prime Supply Inc.

tain surveillance footage from the area. The photos are of a suspect in the area of the vehicle when it was stolen.

Prime Auto Tools offers a full lineup of compact tools to meet a wide range of automotive maintenance and repair needs.

The shirtless suspect was captured from multiple angles on camera

East High Street in the City of Charlottesville, VA. On July 24, the Charlottesville Police Department received a report of a blue 2007 Toyota Yaris with a Virginia license plate of KJF-4724 as being stolen from the back parking lot of Cosner Brothers Body Shop. Investigators were able to ob-

The Charlottesville Police Department is asking for the public’s assistance in identifying the suspect. If you are able to identify this suspect, contact Crime Stoppers at (434) 977-4000 or Detective Kirby at (434) 970-3513. If you come into contact with the stolen vehicle, call 911.

4 SEPTEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

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www.autobodynews.com | SEPTEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 5

The Hybrid Shop in VA Expands Into Asia Market

The Hybrid Shop (THS) announced on August 4 its international expansion to the Asia market through its new dealer partner, Optima Werkz. With three full-service workshops in Singapore, Optima Werkz is a full-service automobile services company that will join an international network of dealer partners. Optima Werkz can now fully service hybrid and electric vehicles and provide THS’s hybrid Battery Pack Conditioning service. This green service restores up to 95 percent of the battery pack’s original power and energy, while driving increased fuel economy over the vehicle’s lifetime. “We are so proud to be a dealer partner of THS and to have the opportunity to provide the globallyleading hybrid battery conditioning services in Singapore,” Optima Werkz’s Managing Director, Jason Ang stated. Dave Crawford, CEO of The Hybrid Shop, stated, “It is also a very exciting time for THS. We are currently exploring expanding our network into Australia and are attracting interest from business across Europe and Asia as well.”

CREF Awards $8,000 Tool Grant to VA Collision Program

Monroe Technology Center’s (MTC) Auto Collision Program in Virginia is the recipient of an $8,000 tool grant donated by the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF). CREF contacted the program’s instructor, David Williams, to inform him of their surprise grant. “The foundation surprised us outof-the-blue about this,” said Williams. “Within a couple weeks, we have already started receiving some of the tools, which is fantastic for our students. To stay current with industry standard, we need donations like this to offer the best real-world training we can to these high school kids.” Caliber Collision, formerly known as Craftsman Auto Body, also played a part in MTC’s auto collision program receiving this tool grant. “Craftsman has proven to be one of our biggest supporters over the years,” said Williams. The CREF’s mission is to secure and distribute charitable donations to support endeavors that promote, qualify, and properly train employees entering the collision industry. The foundation has the support of more than 1,000 corporations, businesses, associations and individuals.

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6 SEPTEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Assured Performance Collision Care Certifies TN CARSTAR

CARSTAR Russom’s Dyersburg was certified on July 27 by Assured Performance™ Collision Care, a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization, for maintaining the tools, equipment, training, and facility necessary to repair participating automaker brand vehicles back to the manufacturer’s specifications. In achieving their certification, CARSTAR Russom’s Dyersburg is now officially recognized by Assured Performance, FCA, GM, Enterprise, Ford, Nissan. With the certification, Collision Care service is now available in the Dyersburg, TN area. Less than five percent of body shops across the nation are able to meet the requirements. “We’ve worked hard to stay ahead of the curve in the collision repair industry,” according to Brad Russom, Owner of CARSTAR Russom’s Dyersburg. “This official certification demonstrates that commitment to our customers. We take pride in our highly trained technicians, who use the latest tools and equipment to deliver a top quality repair and the best customer service.”

ABRA Auto Body & Glass Expands in Georgia

ABRA Auto Body & Glass announced on July 24 it acquired Prestige Collision Specialists in Decatur, Georgia, just outside the Atlanta area. ABRA’s national portfolio of repair centers now includes 311 locations in 23 states. ABRA’s President and CEO, Duane Rouse, said the company is fortunate to have served the Atlanta area and the state of Georgia for many years. “It is rewarding to see the demand for our innovative service model continue to grow in our well-established markets.” Executive Vice President of Business Development at ABRA, Tim Adelmannm said the company recognizes the loyalty its insurance partners have shown over the years. “Our insurance partners have been supportive of us and we are committed to delivering high-quality repairs, superior customer satisfaction, and industry leading results.” Interested parties in major markets should contact Scott Gerling: sgerling@abraauto.com or 763-5856210. For franchise opportunities in small and midsize markets contact Mark Wahlin: mwahlin@abraauto .com or 763-585-6315.

www.autobodynews.com | SEPTEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 7

3 GA Auto Dealerships and Body Shop Burglarized

Three Valdosta, Georgia auto dealerships and a body shop were burglarized in July, according to authorities. Police said they are searching for suspects and trying to determine if the incidents are connected, according to an article by valdostadailytimes.com.

Bennett Motors on Ashley Street

The Valdosta Police Department responded to Folsom’s Body Shop at 7 a.m. in reference to a burglary. Capt. Bobbi McGraw said the owner stated the offender appeared to come into the building through a previously damaged window. The drink machine inside the shop was damaged, and a black Nissan maxima was missing as well as several car keys. The Maxima was later located at a home. Police were not able to locate anyone in the area who could provide

information about the car, according to valdostadailytimes.com. McGraw said crime scene personnel from the Valdosta-Lowndes Regional Crime Lab are collecting evidence from the scene of the burglary and from the vehicle. Police then responded to Pop’s Auto Sales at 7:45 a.m. in reference to a property damage report. McGraw said an unknown person or person broke the front middle garage glass divider, the front entrance droor and interior glass door. There was nothing reported missing. At 8:30 a.m., police responded to a reported burglary and vehicle theft at Bennett Motors, authorities said. McGraw said the front doors of the business had been broken into and some vehicle keys were missing as well as a 2012 Toyota Camry. Police later located the stolen Camry and the vehicle was processed for evidence. At noon, officers responded to Langdale Honda Kia in reference to damaged property. Two vehicles on the lot had broken windows and damaged steering columns.

8 SEPTEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

GCIA to Host Collision Advice’s Mike Anderson by Chasidy Rae Sisk

On Monday, August 24, the Georgia Collision Industry Association (GCIA) will hold an informative meeting at the Doubletree Hotel in Atlanta, GA with special guest speaker Mike Anderson of Collision Advice presenting “Positioning Yourself in the Collision Repair Industry.” Howard Batchelor, Executive Director of GCIA, excitedly anticipates the valuable information Anderson will share at the meeting. He stated, “Mike knows more about our industry than anyone else I know. His enthusiasm and passion for our industry always provides attendees with something they can take away and implement in their own businesses.” At the GCIA meeting, Anderson will teach attendees what it takes to

thrive in the collision repair industry, rather than merely surviving, by focusing on the three C’s: CSI, Closing Ratio and Cycle Time. His presentation will also explore the role of OEMs in the future of collision repairers in regards to manufacturer certifications, and Anderson will discuss the concept of virtual steering and how it impacts attendees’ businesses. The meeting will begin at 6:30PM with dinner preceding the presentation. The cost for association members is $15, and non-members will pay $30. To register to attend, contact Howard Batchelor at howard@gcia.org with your company name and number of attendees. GCIA 770-367-9816 www.gcia.org

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Pinson Council Has Second Thoughts Regarding Incentive Deal for Auto Body Shop The Pinson City Council has walked back, at least temporarily, a decision to grant tax incentives to a chain of auto body repair shops in Alabama, according to an article written by Robert Carter, njeffersonnews.com. Carter reported that the council voted unanimously on August 6 to rescind a vote three weeks prior to give incentives to Joe Hudson’s Collision Centers, but to delay that action for 30 days. The business was considering locating in a vacant store on Pinson Blvd, he said. Council member Robbie Roberts, who presented an argument before the original vote on why the shop should not be given the incentives, proposed rescinding the first vote because of possible issues with the zoning of the property. Council member Joe Cochran suggested they delay that rollback in order to consult the Planning and Zoning Commission. Roberts agreed, and both the motion to rescind and the amendment to delay passed unanimously. Roberts addressed the issue about whether the property — which was home to a Big 10 Tires location for several years — was zoned prop-

erly for a shop that would provide more than just “minor repairs,” the terminology used in the regulations for the parcel’s zoning. The current zoning of the property is highway commercial, which also contains prohibitions against outdoor storage. The original incentive package called for a lease of a portion of cityowned land located behind the old Big 10 store. Joe Hudson’s asked for that land to store cars awaiting repair. That area would be out of view from the street and surrounded by a privacy fence, Cochran said. The leasing fee on the land would be waived if Joe Hudson's met certain sales targets each year, according to njeffersonnews.com. Carter reported that several Pinson residents attended the meeting to speak against the move. Local resident Deborah Helms complained that a body shop so close to nearby houses would hurt residential property values in the area. Others said that city officials had tried for several years to attract restaurants and similar businesses to that part of the city and a body shop would make restaurant developers less inclined to locate there.

Birmingham Police Ask for Public’s Help in Fatal U.S. 280 Hit-and-Run, Suspect Charged

The Birmingham Police Department arrested a Tuscaloosa man in connection with a fatal hit-and-run accident on U.S. 280 in Alabama on Aug. 5, according to an article written by Molly Davidson, shelbycountyreporter.com. Michael Terry Canty III was arrested and charged with one felony count of leaving the scene of an accident with injuries, which has a $100,000 bond and misdemeanor criminal tampering with a $20,000 bond. According to court documents, Canty allegedly struck a pedestrian while traveling on U.S. 280 eastbound and fled the scene. The Birmingham Police Department received a call regarding the accident at 5:39 a.m. on Aug. 5. After Birmingham Police officers and Shelby County Sheriff’s Office deputies reported to the scene at U.S. 280 and Key Drive, the victim, Margaret Allison Elliot, was discovered. Elliot died of injuries sustained in the hit-and-run collision. Davidson reported that following the collision, Canty allegedly “immediately left the scene” and drove to Brown’s Garage and Body

Shop in Tuscaloosa where he “attempted to have the damage to his vehicle fixed, informing the body shop that he had struck a deer,” according to a bond recommendation form filed in the Shelby County District Court by the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office. Canty has a history of criminal driving charges or convictions, including two counts of leaving the scene of an accident, six counts of driving under the influence, four counts of failure to appear, four counts of driving while suspended, four counts of speeding and one count Michael Canty of reckless drivwas in the Shelby ing, the bond recCounty Jail as of ommendation press time on form lists. bonds totaling $120,000 If anyone has information regarding this hit and run traffic fatality, they are asked to call the Birmingham Police Department at 254-6555 or CrimeStoppers at 2547777.

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Service King Hosts U.S. Representative Diane Black

Service King hosted U.S. Representative Diane Black (R-Tennessee) for a visit to its location in Mt. Juliet, TN on August 10. Representative Black spent the day touring the location and engaging with teammates about Service King’s recent growth and its leader-

(l to r) Shawn Crouthamel, Will Johnston, Matt Billington, Congressman Diane Black, Mike Abbott, Lindsey Vicini, and Steve Feltner

ship role in providing career opportunities to job seekers across the country interested in automotive repair. “It was a privilege to tour the Service King Collision Repair facility in Mt. Juliet and meet with employees—from auto body specialists, to call center representa-

67-Year-Old Unlicensed FL Insurance Agent Arrested

Florida’s Division of Insurance Fraud announced the arrest of a 67year-old unlicensed insurance agent August 10, according to the Orlando Sentinel. They allege that Julia Shurdom was working for Absolute Insurance Services with a suspended license when she committed the fraud. According to the state, a client who purchased homeowners’ insurance in 2013 and 2014 discovered that her home was not insured. An investigation showed she had used the money for personal profit, according to a department news release. During the investigation, they discovered she had already been under investigation by another state agency, which had suspended her license and found other fraudulent transactions. Shurdom was booked into Orange County Correctional Facility on July 20, with a bond of $6,500 on charges that include scheme to defraud, uttering a forged instrument, and violation of a suspension order. She faces up to 15 years in prison. Attempts to reach Shurdom by the Sentineal were not successful. She sold her agency in May.

tives, to the company’s senior leadership,” said Black. “I especially appreciated the opportunity to learn more about Service King’s pilot career training program that is offered to students at a nearby high school. While the program is still in its early phases, I know this hands-on training will be instrumental in providing young students with the skills they need to find a stable, good-paying job right out of high school. It is encouraging to see how Service King is making a significant investment in the lives of students here in middle Tennessee and I am excited about the future of this worthwhile endeavor.” Black also discussed the many innovative initiatives Service King is currently undertaking, including its Mission to Hire, the Apprentice Development Program and Nashville’s very own START educational program at Franklin High School. “Our teammates were honored to host Congressman Diane Black,” said Chris Abraham, Service King CEO. Service King currently operates 15 collision repair centers throughout the state of Tennessee in addition to its locations across a total of 21 states.

FL Shop Certified to Work on Hybrid Vehicles

Able Auto Repair LLC is now certified to work on hybrid vehicles. The company is an independently owned and operated service, founded in 2007. Chris DeLoney, one of the owners and founders of Able Auto Repair LLC, said, “We’re pleased to be able to go that extra mile to assist our customers. So many car manufacturers are coming out with hybrids these days that it just made sense for us to become certified to repair them.” The certification in hybrid vehicle repair enables the company to perform services on electrical systems used to run electric cars, as well as other issues that hybrid vehicles may experience. Certification in hybrid automobile repair is an advanced education course and includes a program of comprehensive topics.

NC’s Surry Community College Offers Repair Classes

Surry Community College in NC will be offering three Collision Repair and Refinishing classes for those who would like to work on refinishing a car, but do not wish to take autobody courses for college credit. Classes started Aug. 17 and run through Dec. 17. The classes prepare individuals to apply technical knowledge and skills to repair, reconstruct and finish automobile bodies, fenders and external features. “Students are welcome to bring their own project to work on,” explained lead instructor Jeff Boles. “The instructor will walk the students through proper techniques as their skill level increases. The classes are mainly hands-on with light book study.” All classes are being held at the Dobson campus in the B-Building. Advanced registration and advance payment are required. Each class has a $183 fee. Call (336) 386-3398 for more information.

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A new Audi store opened in Fort Lauderdale, FL, replacing a smaller one in Lighthouse Point. The Qvale Auto Group invested $25 million to develop the 158,000 square-foot dealership at 1200 N. Federal Highway, according to sunsentinel.com. The new store employs more than 50 people with plans to top 80 this year. It has a capacity for 500 vehicles and has a car wash and 22 lanes in its service area with room to grow. It also has cutting-edge systems like radio frequency IDs for vehicles serviced there, executives said. This allows the service department to recognize a customer’s vehicle. The tiny ID tag placed on a car’s rear-view mirror helps the store pull up information from the customer's repair records and identify a loaner car when the customer’s vehicle enters the service area. Founded in 1947 by Norwayborn Kjell Qvale to import European cars, the Qvale family business now owns and operates 18 dealerships, including its two Audi stores in Broward County. The auto group is based in San Francisco in California and expanded to South Florida in 2010.

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Two UTI Campuses in AZ Named Schools of Excellence by ACCSC

Universal Technical Institute announced on August 4 that four of its campuses have been awarded the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) School of Excellence Award for the 2014-2015 academic year. UTI campuses in Avondale, AZ; Rancho Cucamonga, CA; Houston, TX; and Motorcycle Mechanics Institute in Phoenix, AZ are among only 24 schools receiving the award this year and will be recognized as recipients of ACCSC’s highest honor at the 2015 Professional Development Conference on September 9 in Arlington, VA. Universal Technical Institute’s Motorcycle Mechanics Institute in Phoenix was one of two Arizona schools honored with the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) School of Excellence Award for the 20142015 academic year. “Strong student outcomes are ACCSC’s key metric of success, and have been UTI’s primary objective since we opened our doors 50 years ago,” said Kim McWaters, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Universal Technical Institute. “This recognition reinforces our commitment to producing consistently strong outcomes for our students. Our manufac-

turer partnerships, expert instructors and state-of-the-industry facilities provide our graduates with the training they need to succeed in today’s hightech transportation industry.” The School of Excellence Award recognizes ACCSC-accredited schools for their commitment to the expectations and rigors of ACCSC accreditation, as well as the efforts made by the institution to maintain strong student outcomes. ACCSC-accredited institutions are eligible for the School of Excellence Award every five years, pending they meet the conditions of renewal of accreditation without any findings of non-compliance, satisfy all requirements necessary to be in good standing with the Commission, and demonstrate that the majority of the school’s graduation and employment rates for all programs meet or exceed the average rates among all ACCSC-accredited institutions, which includes 700 institutions across the United States, Puerto Rico and abroad. “Through the School of Excellence Award, ACCSC recognizes UTI’s commitment to delivering quality technical training programs that provide students with the high-tech, industryspecific skills they need to succeed in today’s transportation industry,” said

Christopher Lambert, Associate Executive Director of ACCSC. Since 1965, UTI has graduated more than 190,000 students for work in the automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle and marine industries. Offering a variety of technician training programs across 12 ACCSCaccredited campuses, UTI has a consolidated graduate employment track record that consistently exceeds the average rate of employment among all ACCSC-accredited institutions. Four out of five UTI graduates find employment in their fields of study within one year of graduation. UTI campuses that have been honored with the ACCSC School of Excellence Award include NASCAR Technical Institute (2013-2014); UTI Lisle, IL, (2013-2014); UTI Exton, PA., (2011-2012); UTI Glendale Heights, IL., (2009-2010) and UTI Avondale (2008-2009). Additionally, UTI’s Sacramento campus was honored as a School of Distinction for the 2007-2008 academic year. “UTI is thrilled to be acknowledged again with ACCSC’s highest institutional achievement award and we congratulate all our students and staff for their commitment to excellence,” added McWaters.

Employee Shot at Paint and Body Shop in TX

A paint and body shop worker was shot by an upset customer in northwest Harris County, Texas, according to an article written by Alex Green, click2 houston.com.

Authorities said the shooting was reported around 3 p.m. in the 9800 block of Veterans Memorial Drive. According to Harris County deputies, the gunman was upset that the shop did not have his car ready. Green reported that the customer then took out a gun and shot the shop worker in the hand. The shop worker was treated on scene. Others joined in and attacked the shooter. The shooter was taken to a hospital, and there was no word of his condition, as of press time.

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PartsTrader and State Farm Credited with Increased Chrome Bumper Sales for LKQ Since State Farm implemented PartsTrader as its electronic parts ordering partner, its use of aftermarket parts appears to be changing based, in particular, on increased chrome bumper sales. Last summer State Farm released a document titled “Replacement Parts Promises” which suggested new aftermarket and recycled parts policies. Now, more details have been revealed of State Farm impacting the growth of aftermarket chrome bumpers from quarterly financial statements by LKQ. LKQ CEO Rob Wagman told analysts during LKQ’s most recent July 30 quarterly conference call that chrome bumper sales were up nearly 16.9% and attributed it to the nation’s No. 1 auto insurer. In previous conference calls Wagman has cited State Farm purchasing aftermarket chrome bumpers as a factor in increased sales, as recorded in the Seeking Alpha website’s transcripts of the calls. State Farm has been out of general aftermarket purchasing since October of 1999, when the company “temporarily” suspended the use of aftermarket crash parts. At the time Edward B. Rust, chairman and chief executive officer State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, said, “We don’t want

our policyholders caught in the middle of the lawsuit-driven confusion and misinformation about the quality of the aftermarket parts we specify. To prevent that from happening, we’ve decided that the best course for now is to begin specifying only crash parts made by auto manufacturers.” In a consumer document released July 2014 called “Replacement Parts Promises” on the State Farm website, the company says: “We're committed to your satisfaction regarding new non-original equipment manufacturer (non-OEM) and recycled parts used in the repair of your vehicle. Below please find additional information regarding the State Farm promise of satisfaction.” A link to a PDF entitled All States but Indiana is viewable at https: //www.statefarm.com/claims/resources /auto/replacement-parts-promises. The linked document states in part that “State Farm® keeps the promise of “Good Neighbor” service every day as we pay individual claims. Our promise includes a commitment to your satisfaction regarding new non-original equipment manufacturer (non-OEM) and recycled parts used in the repair of your vehicle. “When a damage estimate is prepared, it may include competitively

14 SEPTEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

priced, readily available new nonOEM parts, recycled parts or new parts provided by the manufacturer of your vehicle.” Wagman told investors on April 29, 2014, that the insurer’s return to aftermarket parts with certified chrome bumpers came “in close conjunction” with its partnership with PartsTrader. On Oct. 30, 2014, LKQ CEO Rob Wagman cited “again really good growth on chrome bumpers” for the third quarter, with the company up 22.4 percent likely partly because of State Farm interest. He also told investors that GEICO had just become the No. 2 auto insurer, and “they’re very active users of our products.” On Feb. 28, 2015, Wagman reported a 22.3 gain in fourth-quarter 2014 chrome bumper sales and told analysts LKQ was “cautiously optimistic” State Farm would use more aftermarket parts. Despite the big 2014 first quarter of chrome bumper sales, purchases of the parts were still up 19.5 percent, Wagman said April 30. “We continue to really raise the number on the products they (State Farm) are writing in the aftermarket, in the bumpers,” Wagman said. “Looking at these particular part types, year-over-year sales of after-

market chrome bumpers were up 30 percent in January, 29 percent in February and 33 percent in March. While some of this increase may be weatherrelated, we believe that some of the increase is related to State Farm’s new policy regarding aftermarket certified chrome bumpers. We continue to have open dialogue with State Farm, and we hope that they will continue to expand their use of our aftermarket product offerings.” Wagman later said in the call that LKQ wasn’t involved in the decision. “They came upon this on themselves, and they did it in conjunction with the rollout of PartsTrader,” Wagman said, according to the transcript. “And as PartsTrader has gone across the country, obviously, we’ve seen more and more sales. Our reps that are on PartsTrader reviewing those estimates know about those 2 part types and are pushing them hard.”

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www.autobodynews.com | SEPTEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 15

Car-O-Liner and AudaExplore Hold Seminar on Trends in Fixed Operations by Victoria Antonelli, Online Editor

The presentation, held at NACE, began with an industry flashback to 40 plus years ago. Pulling and heat, mild steel, paper estimates, and a non-existent internet were just a few of the hang ups older generations can remember dealing with on a daily basis. Now, more than ever, time drives efficiency on the shop floor. Every new collision repair system is designed with decreasing cycle time as the top priority.

Car-O-Liner/AudaExplore PowerPoint

To ensure that other tasks don’t slip to the wayside while technicians are rushing to clear and refill the bays, Dave Scribner, Car-O-Liner techni-

Car-O-Liner/AudaExplore PowerPoint

cal director, Dan Trahey, manager of technical training at Car-O-Liner, and Gordon Henderson, vice president of collision repair services at AudaExplore, have some suggestions for body show owners: ● Increase insurance count ● Invest in employees ● Invest in training ● Attract, grow & retain the best technicians

Surveys conducted by the Collision Repair Education Foundation and I-CAR every three years “confirmed the need for a continual supply of qual-

ified entry-level technicians, while also showing changes concerning business operations and the collision repair technician workforce.” Tools that can aid in accomplishing the above goals include: ● Increasing the profit margin ● Driving CSI improvement ● Driving industry leading KPI’s ● Creating uniform and positive customer experience ● Expanding related add-on services

According to the business statistics side of the previously mentioned

survey, in the last six years “the industry has experienced a market size reduction of 3,047 shops (7%) to a current count of 40,488 shops.”

Other significant points of change according to the Car-O-Liner and AudaExplore presentation include: ● Digital measuring & validation ● Body tolerances decreasing ● Much less pulling, more replacement ● HSS, aluminum, carbon fiber evolution ● Bonding and riveting ● Measuring, universal anchoring and “fixturing” required on more vehicles ● Increasing OEM certification programs ● OEMs driving more repair procedures ● Stand alone 3D measurement ● “Triage” estimates

16 SEPTEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

● Upper and lower measurements ● “Before” and “after” validation

The reps from Car-O-Liner then discussed how math data provides for a more complete damage analysis, and how insurance “robotics” can lead to a faster repair decision. Henderson then covered latest industry trends: Luxury Specs on High-End Vehicles: ● Computer-driven efficiency ● Collision avoidance tech ● Focus on infotainment ● Increased complexity

Car-O-Liner/AudaExplore PowerPoint

● Semi-autonomous safety

Due to the high percentage of accidents caused by human error (90 percent), the driver assist technology trend is becoming the most prominent. According to Henderson, OEMs are planning on reducing accidents by 80 percent through the implementation of these programs. AudaExplore data shows that by 2020, 80 percent of vehicles will be cognitive automated, bringing manual assistance down to 20 percent. As recently as 2014, these See Seminar on Trends, Page 18

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Continued from Page 16

Seminar on Trends

Flood Damage Causing Long Car Repair Wait Times in Tampa, FL

Improve the customer’s experience by: ● Provide automated, electronic updates on the status of repairs on their terms ● Increase kept informed and net promoter scores ● Reduce waste in phone-tag

Drivers throughout the Tampa Bay area are facing weeks of wait time for very basic car repairs. Repair shops are now reporting record numbers of cars coming in with water damage. Drivers like Jamie Kiner are waiting to get cars fixed after an accident but has seen the huge numbers of cars in the shop due to water damage. “Everybody in Tampa knows somebody whose car is flooded,” Kiner said. The back lot of Bedrock Collision in Seminole Heights is a graveyard of Credit: WFTS Tampa Bay gutted cars, drying out. “I got in a car accident at a really inopportune time be- drivers can do before heading right to cause it’s hard to get your car fixed the repair shop with water damage. right now,” Kiner said. “If the floors mats get wet, “We had almost 150 cars at our they’ll hold moisture in there,” Fenlocation because of flood damage,” ley said. “If you take them out, put a said Ira Fenley of Bedrock Auto Body dry towel on it, just the normal, you & Collision. driving it and putting your feet down Fenley said water can damage will absorb that water into that towel.” critical safety features of your car and But in some cases a repair shop most often you will need to see a is inevitable, Fenley said. He says

statistics were reversed. So, what can be done to stay ahead of the game, or even just keep up with it? According to the PowerPoint presentation, use predictive analytics to: ● Leverage thousands of data points ● Provide guidance and support ● Increase operational consistency ● Every dollar that flows to the bottom line starts with the estimate

Lastly, Scribner, Trahey and Henderson encourage shop owners to: ● Embrace change in order to thrive ● Invest in people, training, equipment certifications ● Change how we engage with consumers ● Mindset of operating a growing business ● Leverage software and technology

by Lauren Rozyla, ABC Action News

cars that have standing water should see a mechanic. Fenley also recommends getting a check if your vehicle is making a strange noise or is shaking or jerking. Fenley says that could signal engine trouble. “Anything can happen,” Fenley said. But unfortunately for drivers so many people are in the same predicament it could still mean weeks of repairs, Fenley said. He says to avoid water damage like this make sure you go very slow over puddles and potholes, not more than three or four miles an hour.

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Nevada Shop Owner Films Pilot Show for Reality Series ‘Every accident is a unique story to be told’ by Stacey Phillips, Assistant Editor

The McCarran Auto Body team was hard at work, as usual—back in January 2015—painting, welding and sanding. It was a typical day. The only difference was that the employees were being videotaped for a possible TV reality series. Jerry Wientjes, Jerry Wientjes owner of McCarfrom McCarran ran Auto Body in Auto Body Sparks, NV, said that Bishop Lyons Entertainment made the commitment to produce the series for nationwide distribution. CEO Andrew Bishop and President David Lyons, the executive producers of the series, are currently in discussions with national cable networks in anticipation of airing episodes in 2016. “The premise of the show is behind every auto accident is a unique story to be told,” said Lyons. “The series follows outrageous and comical stories as seen through the eyes of the

customers and employees.” Lyons said that after working with Jerry and his team, they noticed Jerry’s personal connection to his clients is what makes him so successful. “His ability to draw stories out of his customers and give them the reassurance that he will make it better is a strong driving force that not only makes for a great show, but also a tremendous business,” he said.

the repair process showed an unsightly car being rolled into the shop and re-appearing minutes later completely repaired.” He began toying around with the idea of creating a show that was both informative and entertaining. Years earlier he had discussions with his wife’s uncle Bill about reality TV. Bill was a seasoned Hollywood writer for many hit shows in the ‘70s and ‘80s.

“The series follows the outrageous and comical stories seen through the eyes of the customers and employees” —Executive Producer David Lyons Wientjes said the premise is three cars, three stories and a lot of camaraderie. He is a reality TV show fan himself. He said that he noticed that the process of repairing a car is rarely shown, and never in any detail. “I thought it would be so helpful to educate the public about what goes on in the repair process,” said Wientjes. “Until now all representations of

“He would say that inspiration for a plot often comes from real life situations,” said Wientjes. “Sometimes the chemistry is just right and it works.” He recalls Bill telling him, “You can’t make this up!” Realizing that a body shop is not the ideal backdrop for filming, Wientjes and his crew spent countless hours sprucing up the place. This included

removing clutter, painting walls and floors. Although McCarran Auto Body had been producing and airing commercials for more than two decades, Wientjes quickly discovered it would not be easy to find a film crew with the experience and equipment required that had any interest in filming for days at a body shop. The first few calls were less than encouraging. In fact a producer suggested that he just get a “Go-Pro” and do his own filming. Finally he got a break. After contacting Sam Breen, and John and Brian of CID Media (a local production group), they agreed to come to the shop and film for a few hours to see what would transpire. After the first day, they were optimistic and agreed to return for more filming. As the days turned into weeks a show began to emerge. Wientjes said it was certainly not an easy process. “We would meet before filming and come up with a concept for that day,” he said. “Inevitably something unexSee Reality Series, Page 22

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www.subaruofgwinnett.com 20 SEPTEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Automotive Writer Speculates About Why the AL vs Steel Repair Cost Debate Won’t Be Resolved Soon

“Here’s why we won’t really be able to answer the question of aluminum vs. steel repair costs for a long time,” writes Richard Truett for Crain.com. ● There are too many different kinds of vehicle accidents. The F-150 is going to have to be crashed thousands of times in every conceivable way before we’ll really know about the true cost of repairs. In all likelihood, some repairs will be less and some will be more. ● There are too many insurance companies with different levels of coverage. One body shop operator recently told me many insurance companies don’t distinguish between steel and aluminum repairs. He said it takes longer to repair aluminum and often the owner of the vehicle has to pay the difference between the repair cost and the insurance payout. ● Body shops charge different labor rates. ● The investment needed in tools and facilities to repair aluminum is substantial, more than $100,000 in many cases as body shops have to buy the tools, train the technicians and build a separate area to fix the aluminum-bodied trucks. So, some body shops may be charging a premium to

fix the truck and pay off their investment. “To Ford’s credit,’ says Truett, “the company has made repairs as easy as possible by creating hundreds of small repair panels that can be stitched in to the F-150’s body. And these parts are shipped with the repair instructions. That saves time. “But in many cases, repairing an aluminum panel is more complex than fixing a similar steel panel. The 2015 truck’s body is held together with rivets and adhesive, which usually takes more time to repair than a steel part. Here’s the bottom line: If it turns out there is a significant difference in repair costs for the new truck, Ford will likely do whatever it takes to keep the F-150 competitive. The stakes are simply too high in the highly profitable, hyper-competitive U.S. truck market. We don’t really don’t have enough information to definitively say the new F-150 is more or less expensive to fix.” For the full article go to: http:// w w w. a u t o n e w s . c o m / a r t i c l e / 20150731/BLOG06/150739949/itstoo-early-to-settle-aluminum-vs.steel-repair-cost-debate

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www.autobodynews.com | SEPTEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 21

Continued from Page 20

Reality Series

pected would happen, and we would just go with it. By the time the first show was complete we had developed a very comfortable relationship with the film crew, so they were able to film us just being us.” Wientjes said that during the course of filming their first show he had a meeting with his longtime friend and attorney Curtis Coulter. “Coulter has an uncanny way of communicating his vast knowledge of the law,” he said. “Knowing that I could not myself say things of a legal nature, I asked Curtis if he would mind being in my show.” Coulter agreed and has become a regular fixture, imparting valuable, relevant information on each segment. A final addition to the show were his dogs; Nicholas, a seven-year-old Coton DuTulear, who dutifully greats visitors at the shop each day, and Kachi, his two-year-old Akita. “The magic they created in editing was unbelievable,” said Wientjes who is very pleased with the result. With the first show complete; they were ready to air it. Three 30-minute episodes have aired on local stations 2 and 21 every Saturday and Sunday. They are cur-

in January. A crew of 10 worked tirelessly, putting in 12-hour days. “This was truly a production,” said Wientjes. “The professionalism and work ethic of the crew was truly

ceived my first custom painting book from Jon.” Wientjes moved to Montana in the 1980s and worked at Classic Auto Repair before re-locating to Palm

Jerry Wientjes, Owner of McCarren Auto Body in Sparks, Nevada, mixing paint at his shop while a TV camera man looks on.

outstanding.” They shot about 60 hours of footage to create a 26-minute pilot show for a potential reality series. “My crew and I agreed it was such a positive experience for us to work with them, said Wientjes. After they were finished, his office assistant Cheryl discovered that the crew had many, many accolades. “The crew had been so down to earth and easy to work with, we had no idea of the magnitude of their previous success. Probably better that we didn’t know, we were already a little nervous.” Wientjes grew up in Minnesota. His father purchased a car for him during high school—a 1968 Camaro. “It needed a paint job but I couldn’t afford it so I said that Terry McNary doing structural pulls at McCarren I’d have to get a job at a body Auto Body. shop.” It was at A&G Auto rently available to watch online on Body in Rosemount, MN. you tube. (First episode: https://www While he worked there, he was .youtube.com/watch?v=5MRsXmtu taught to pinstripe and letter from Dv8) Lloyd Vinge and learned custom After the first two shows were painting from Jon Kosmoski (House filmed, Bishop-Lyons Entertainment of Kolor) who brought his cars to became interested in producing a Vinge for custom striping and letterpilot. They sent their “A Team” from ing. “I would always be hanging Los Angeles to McCarran Auto Body around and watching Lloyd, and re-

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Springs, CA, and finally settling in Reno, NV, where he met his wife Julie. He started working at McCarran Auto Body in 1993. When the shop became available in 1995, he decided to obtain it. By 2003, the 10,000

square foot strip mall location became a parking challenge due to no fenced parking. That same year a former cab company facility became available. It sat vacant for several years and Wientjes said it was in pretty rough shape. However, the location was ideal and it had a 1.5 acre fenced yard, thus eliminating the task of moving cars out every morning to start work and securing them back inside the shop at the end of the day. After a few months of extensive remodeling, they relocated. “Life has been so much easier with this configuration. We went from two roll up doors to 16,” he said. “I’m hands on. I’m a painter, I’m a body man, I do everything,” said Wientjes. He said this helps him get everything accomplished in the shop in case someone is sick or he needs to help out. Since filming the episodes, Wientjes said business has increased and customers now need to schedule appointments in advance. When he first began filming he said he didn’t feel comfortable in front of a camera, said Wientjes. “Now I just do my job. I just forget about it and go to work,” said Wientjes.

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www.autobodynews.com | SEPTEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 23

BMW Building New Auto Body Shop in Spartanburg County, South Carolina by Trevor Anderson, Herald-Journal/GoUpstate.com

BMW’s plan to beef up its body shop is beginning to take shape. The Germany-based automaker is constructing a 527,000-square-foot body shop at its Spartanburg County plant. BMW Manufacturing Co. spokeswoman Sky Foster said the facility will “contain some of the most advanced technology in the automotive industry,” including more than 650 robots. Foster said the body shop, which is the third at the plant, is part of the $1 billion expansion announced by BMW in March 2014 to increase the plant’s output, start production of the X7 sports activity vehicle and create 800 jobs. Foster did not say whether the facility will be used to house X7 production, rather that it will be used to “accommodate future capacity.” She said the company will construct a 1,800-foot conveyor that will transfer welded bodies from the body shop to the main building for finishing, painting and assembly. Construction and tooling is sched-

uled to be completed in 2017, Foster said. The company also will build a visitor parking lot with more than 120 spaces around the Zentrum. The project should be completed in October, she said.

BMW Manufacturing Co. has begun work on another addition to its manufacturing facility in Greer. The automaker is building a 527,000square-foot body shop. Crews work on the expansion. Credit JOHN BYRUM/ john.byrum@shj.com

Foster said when the new lot is completed, the current visitor lot will be used for additional associate parking. “Since we are adding 800 new jobs by 2016, we need additional parking spaces,” she said. Last March, the automaker said the expansion will boost BMW Man-

24 SEPTEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

ufacturing Co.’s output by 50 percent to 450,000 cars a year and increase the plant’s workforce to almost 9,000 associates, making it the world’s largest BMW factory. The local plant, which celebrated its 20th anniversary last year, is the “center of competence” for BMW’s X model lineup, including the X3, X4, X5 and X6. It produced 32,478 vehicles in July, according to the company. It boasts more than five million square feet of production space on a 1,150-acre campus, as well as its own Energy Center, on-site Family Health Center and 24-hour security and firefighting departments. BMW has invested nearly $7 billion in the plant to date, the company said. About two-thirds of the vehicles produced at the plant are shipped to more than 140 markets worldwide. The plant was named the nation’s top automotive exporter in 2014. Its exports totaled $9.2 billion last year, a 13 percent increase compared with its 2013 value, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. In March, the plant celebrated the completion of its three-millionth ve-

hicle since production began in 1994. The South Carolina Ports Authority announced in February plans to build a 60,000-square-foot site operations center for BMW next to the plant’s main entrance near the intersection of Highway 101 and Interstate 85. “What is so exciting is that the fact that this validates their decision in 1992 to build their first plant outside of Germany in South Carolina,” said David Britt, Spartanburg County councilman. “It was a leap of faith… We have become the No. 1 plant for BMW in the world. Make no mistake, we build the finest automobiles in the world.” Britt praised local residents for their resiliency in the wake of the textile industry’s demise. BMW’s expansion was one of several large projects announced during 2014, including Toray’s new $1 billion carbon fiber plant in Moore and a new Bass Pro Shops store across from the BMW plant. In total, the county landed 14 projects last year worth nearly $2.4 billion and 2,114 jobs. The momentum has continued this See New BMW Body Shop, Page 31

www.autobodynews.com | SEPTEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 25

Apple is Building Self-Driver, Looking to Test in Bay Area

Apple is building a self-driving car in Silicon Valley, and is scouting for secure locations to test it, according to Britain's Guardian newspaper. Documents show the oft-rumoured Apple car project appears to be further along than suspected. Reportedly, engineers from Apple’s secretive Special Project group met in May with officials from GoMentum Station, a 2,100-acre former naval base near San Francisco that is being turned into a high-security testing ground for autonomous vehicles. In correspondence obtained by the Guardian under a public records act request, Apple engineer Frank Fearon wrote: “We would ... like to get an understanding of timing and availability for the space, and how we would need to coordinate around other parties who would be using [it].” Apple declined to comment. GoMentum Station is on the old Concord naval weapons station still guarded by the military, making it “the largest secure test facility in the world for testing validation and commercialization of connected vehicle (CV) applications and autonomous vehicles technologies to define the next generation of transportation network infrastructure.”

EstimateScrubber.com Releases Invoicing APP

VehicleOwnersGuide.com, announced the release of the first of its’ ScrubberApps—a joint development with Saint-Gobain/Norton Abrasives to develop the Norton Invoicing App. The Norton Invoicing App allows estimatescrubber.com subscribers to create an invoice for seam sealers, corrosion protection, foams, accessories, metal bonding, bumper/ plastic repair. The Norton Invoicing App 1) automatically imports R.O, vehicle and owner information from the scrubbed estimate, 2) allows building the invoice with point and click technology, and 3) prints “the” Saint-Gobain/Norton Invoice using current retail pricing. The App is provided at no extra cost to estimatescrubber.com subscribers. “The Norton Invoicing App helps our customers create invoices supporting their materials usage on an RO basis. The invoice will have the Saint-Gobain/Norton logo and current retail prices. You just select the products and quantities used to build the materials invoice. It will help our customers more easily document their materials usage using our invoice format and current retail prices.”, said Randy Vidal, National Accounts, Norton/Saint-Gobain.

26 SEPTEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Allstate Delivers Sharp Drop in Operating Earnings

Allstate Corp.’s 2nd Qtr operating earnings fell 41% on lower auto insurance margins and seasonally high catastrophe losses. Operating earnings are a widely watched benchmark for the insurance industry because they exclude realized capital gains and losses from companies’ investment portfolios, among other items that aren’t considered recurring on a quarterly basis, reported nasdaq.com. The decline in operating earnings reflected a broad-based increase in the frequency and severity of auto accidents by state, risk class and other factors. One of the largest drivers of Allstate’s disappointing performance was its higherthan expected auto claims costs; the company paid more in quarterly claims than it collected in premiums. The last time that happened was in the fourth quarter of 2012, when Hurricane Sandy sent auto claims skyrocketing. But there’s no natural disaster to blame this quarter. In a conference call with analysts last week, Allstate CEO Tom Wilson and President Matthew Winter attributed the increased claims to more drivers putting in more miles on the road, according to Crain.

Carmakers are Keeping Data from Tech Partners

Carmakers are limiting the data they share with technology partners Apple and Google through new systems that link smartphones to vehicle infotainment systems, defending access to information about what drivers do in their cars, according to reports in straitstimes.com. Car companies hope that the vehicle data will one day generate billions of dollars in e-commerce, though they are just beginning to form strategies for monetising the information. Apple and Google already make money from smartphone owners by providing a variety of products and services, from digital music to targeted advertising, and connecting phones to car systems will almost certainly extend their reach. But as infotainment systems such as Apple’s CarPlay and Google’s Android Auto become more widespread, car companies hope to keep tech providers from gaining access to a wealth of potentially profitable information collected by computer systems in cars. Some car companies have specifically said they will not provide Apple and Google with data from the vehicle’s functional systems—steering, brakes and throttle, for example.

www.autobodynews.com | SEPTEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 27

Please contact these dealers for your Honda or Acura Genuine parts needs. HO ND A AL AB A M A

FL O RIDA

FLOR ID A

GEO RG I A

Holman Honda of Ft. Lauderdale

Gwinnett Place Honda

F T. L A UDERDAL E

800-277-8836 678-957-5151

Jerry Damson Honda

Classic Honda

Hu n ts vi lle

O r l an do

800-264-1739 256-382-3759

888-893-4984 407-521-1115

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-5:30; Sat 8-4 Rkeel@damson.com

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 8-4 parts@classichonda.com

Serra Honda

Coggin Deland Honda

B ir m in g h a m

D e l an d

800-987-0819 205-949-5460

800-758-0007 386-626-1811

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5; Sat 8-3 mpowell@serrahonda.com

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-5 gbennett@cogginauto.com

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 7:30-4 robbutton@rickcase.com

Ed Morse Honda

South Motors Honda

FL O RI D A

AutoNation Honda Clearwater Cle a rwa t er

R i v i e ra Be a ch

800-232-1098 561-844-8089

888-205-2564 727-530-1173

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 7:30-5 tonyrocha@edmorse.com

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 8-5; Sun 10-3 santosr1@autonation.com

Headquarter Honda

AutoNation Honda Hollywood

800-497-2294 407-395-7374

Ho lly wo o d

800-542-8121 954-964-8300 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 7-5; Sun 9-5 hernandeze@autonation.com

Braman Honda of Palm Beach G re en a c re s

888-792-7189 954-763-7157 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5:30 rguido@holmanauto.com

Rick Case Honda Davie

877-544-2249

M ia mi

888-418-3513 305-256-2240 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-7 mfranceschi@southhonda.com

Du lu t h

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-5 gphwholesaleparts@hendrickauto.com

Honda Mall of Georgia Bu f ord /G win net t

678-318-3155 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 7-5 cdunlap@penskeautomotive.com

Milton Martin Honda Gain esv ille

770-534-0086 678-989-5473 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6 robertthomas@mmhonda.com

Nalley Honda C l e r mo nt

Dept. Hours: M-F 8-7; Sat 8-5 pepe.guevara@headquarterhonda.com

Hendrick Honda Bradenton B ra de n to n

877-706-2021 941-752-2123 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-7; Sat 8-4 Kris.kitzman@hendrickauto.com

888-479-0695 561-966-5185

Hendrick Honda Daytona

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-4:30 parts@bramanhondapb.com

800-953-4402 386-252-2301

D a y to n a Be ach

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-4 Hondadaytonaparts@hendrickauto.com

Un ion City

GEOR GIA

Carey Paul Honda S ne ll vi ll e

770-985-1444 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 7-6 gperkins@careypaul.com

Ed Voyles Honda M ar i e tta

800-334-3719 770-933-5870 Direct Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 7-6 hondaparts@edvoyles.com

Gerald Jones Honda

866-362-8034 770-306-4646 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-7; Sat 8-5 hondawp@nalleycars.com

Southern Motors Honda Savann ah

888-785-8387 912-925-1444 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-6; Sat 8-5 angela@southern-motors.com MI SS IS SI P P I

Patty Peck Honda

A ugus ta

Rid g elan d

800-733-2210 706-228-7040

800-748-8676 601-957-3400

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-5 tdunn@geraldjoneshonda.com

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-5 pmartin@pattypeckhonda.com

AC U R A AL AB A M A

FL O RIDA

GEOR GIA

GE OR G I A

Jerry Damson Acura

Duval Acura

Jackson Acura

Hu n t svil le

Ja ck s o nvi ll e

Ro swe l l

Savann ah

800-264-1739 256-533-1345

800-352-2872 904-725-1149

877-622-2871 678-259-9500

800-347-0596 912-232-3222

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-5:30; Sat 8-4 Rkeel@damson.com

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 8-5 cecil.adams@duvalacura.com

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 7:30-6 kmcmillan@jacksonacura.com

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-2 Tim.johnson@acuraofsavannah.com

Rick Case Acura

Nalley Acura

FL O RI D A

Acura of Orange Park J ack so n vi ll e

888-941-7278 904-777-1008 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-8; Sat 7-5; Sun 9-3 msweeney@acuraoforangepark.com

F o rt La u de rda l e

M ar i e tta

800-876-1150 954-377-7688

800-899-7278 770-422-3138

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-5 rubenramos@rickcase.com

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 7-5 byoung@nalleycars.com

28 SEPTEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Southern Motors Acura

N O . CA RO L IN A

Flow Acura Win st on -Salem

800-489-3534 336-761-3682 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-1 www.flowacura.com

NO . C AR O LI N A

NO . CAR OL INA

Apple Tree Honda

Metro Honda

As he v ille

I n di a n Tra i l

800-476-9411 828-684-4400

866-882-9542 704-220-1522

Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 appletreeparts@hotmail.com

Dept. Hours: M-F 6:30-6:30; Sat 7-4 www.copytk.com

Burlington Honda

Vann York Automall

B u r lin gt on

High Point

800-822-5108 336-584-3431

336-841-6200

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6:00; Sat 8-1 parts@burlingtonhonda.com

Crown Honda Southpoint Du r ha m

855-893-8866 919-425-4711 Dept. Hours: M-Thu 7-11; Fri 7-6 Sat 7-5; Sun 11-5 www.southpointhonda.com

Hendrick Honda Ch a r lo t t e

800-277-7271 704-552-1149 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 8-5 rob.thomas@hendrickauto.com

Leith Honda Ra le ig h

800-868-6970 919-790-8228 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 7:30-5 parts@leithhonda.com

McKenney-Salinas Honda G as t on ia

888-703-7109 704-824-8844 x 624 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30 parts@mshonda.com

N O . CAR OL IN A

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-3 SO . CARO LI NA

Breakaway Honda

TEN NE SS EE

V IR GIN I A

AutoNation Honda West Knoxville K no xvi l le

800-824-1301 865-218-5461 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6 rossd1@autonation.com

Bill Gatton Honda Br is to l

800-868-4118 423-652-9545 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 8-1 hondaparts@billgattonhonda.com

G re e n vi l l e

800-849-5056 864-234-6481

Wolfchase Honda Ba r tle t t

Dept. Hours: M-F 8-6; Sat 8-5 fmarshall@breakawayhonda.com

800-982-7290 901-255-3780

Midlands Honda

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7 ekerr@wolfchasehonda.com

C o l u m bi a

877-273-4442 803-691-8585 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 7-4 www.copytk.com

Piedmont Honda

Colonial Honda C he ste r

800-564-9836 804-414-1960 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-7; Sat 8-4 rreese@i95honda.com

800-849-5057 864-375-2082

Duncanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hokie Honda

TE NNES SEE

Airport Honda Alcoa

800-482-9606 757-431-4329 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-7; Sat 8-5 fox@hallauto.com

Hendrick Honda Woodbridge Woodb rid g e

703-690-7777 Dept. Hours: M-Fri 7-6 Sat 8-5; Sun 10-4

Valley Honda Stau n ton

800-277-0598 540-213-9016 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 9-5 bwimer@myvalleyhonda.com

West Broad Honda Rich m on d

VIRGINIA

A n de r so n

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-5 swhite@piedmontcars.com

Hall Honda V irg in ia B each

800-446-0160 804-672-8811 Dept. Hours: M-Thu 7:30-6:30; Fri 7:30-6; Sat 8-3; Sun 11-3 wbhonda@aol.com

C hr is tia n burg

800-979-9110 540-381-3200 Dept. Hours: Mon-Fri 7:30-5:30 Sat 8:00-5:00 rthompson@duncanauto.net

800-264-4721 865-970-7792 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6:30; Sat 7:30-5 parts@airporthonda.com

NO . CARO LI NA

VIR GIN IA

V IR GIN I A

Hendrick Acura

Performance Acura

Crown Acura of Richmond

Ch a r lo t t e

C h ap e l H i l l

Ri chmo nd

Falls Ch u rch

800-768-6824 704-566-2288

888-788-7301 919-942-3191

800-523-4411 804-527-6865

800-550-5035 703-824-5785

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-5 justin.taylor@hendrickauto.com

Dept. Hours: M-Th 7-7; Fri 7-6; Sat 8-5 performanceparts@hendrickauto.com

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-5 thoover@crownauto.com

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6:00; Sat 8-6; Sun 10-5 jimgraf@radleyauto.com

Leith Acura

Radley Acura

Karen Radley Acura

Ca r y

Wo o db ri dg e

800-868-0082 919-657-0460

800-355-2818 703-550-0205

Dept. Hours: M-F 8-6; Sat 8-4:30 parts@leithacura.com

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 8-3 coreythompson@radleyautogroup.com

www.autobodynews.com | SEPTEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 29

Mike Anderson Reminds Industry That “We Don’t Know What We Don’t Know” by Stacey Phillips, Assistant Editor

Mike Anderson, President of Collision Advice, was the guest speaker during a Future Guild 21 webinar hosted by VerifFacts Automotive in July. In his presentation, “You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know,” Anderson addressed the importance of why every vehicle repaired, no matter how minor the work is, must have the OEM information researched prior to completing the repair plan and fixing the vehicle. In addition, it should be scanned before and after the repair. Anderson said he decided to conduct the presentation after traveling around the country on behalf of Axalta Coating Systems. “It was alarming to me how many people I ran across, both insurers as well as shops, that were really not aware of some of the things it took to put a vehicle back to pre-accident condition,” he said. During the seminar, he said his goal was to create awareness for shops, OEMs, insurers and jobbers. He highlighted specific repair procedures that need to be completed on various vehicles, including Honda, Kia, Hyundai,

Toyota and Mazda

Repair vs Replace Anderson said he has noticed an emphasis on all parties in the industry on the repair versus replace components. “It seems like the two major components repairers want to repair more often are the front and rear bumper covers,” he said. “I definitely take my hats off to companies like Urethane Supply Company. I used to be a skeptic but I’m a believer,” said Anderson. “I do believe a proper repair can be made on a bumper cover and put it back to pre-accident condition with the technology that exists today.” However, he said it’s important to be cautious. “We need to be aware when we can and cannot use any plastic materials where sensors mount,” he said.

OEM Information He encouraged listeners to take advantage of the options available in regards to researching OEM repair procedures. These include Alldata, Audatex TechFocus, CCC One Repair Method, Mitchell’s TechAdvisor, and OEM websites such as OEMon-

30 SEPTEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

estop.com. Many of the OEMs charge hourly, daily and monthly rates to access the information. GM, Ford and Chrysler are available free of charge. “If you are writing an estimate and using a damage analysis software such as Mitchell, CCC, AudaExplore or Alldata, it is beneficial to have the OEM methods software you utilize integrate with your estimating system,” said Anderson. “In my opinion, with every single vehicle that you write you need to make sure you are looking up what the OEM says in regards to the repairs and inspections required after a collision because we don’t know what we don’t know.” During the presentation, Rick Leos from Toyota commented that Toyota launched the Total recommended repair procedures within Mitchell, which provides all of the data. He recommended encouraging more OEMs to join in and participate as well.

Dash Lights Anderson also addressed what he referred to as his biggest passion. He said many shops and insurers think that if there isn’t a warning light on

the dash, everything is OK. “If there are no warning lights on the dash, that does not mean that there are no problems with the vehicle,” said Anderson.

Dash lights will not always tell you what’s wrong with the vehicle: ● Dash lights are not diagnostics ● Only alert drivers to current emissions, safety systems or maintenance intervals ● May not illuminate until the vehicle is driven a specified distance ● Some self-tests need to fail multiple times before a warning lamp or driver message is displayed ● Some systems and options will be disabled due to a stored code ● Some vehicle system retain failure records to help you determine if a condition is accident related Examples of problems that DO NOT illuminate a warning light: ● Auto/Express Windows ● Adaptive Cruise Control ● Window Indexing ● Mirror Functions ● Satellite Radio Reception ● Passive Entry

● Hands Free Calling ● Parking Assist ● Object Detection ● Auto A/C Blower Functions ● Passenger Presence

Scan Tools Anderson stressed the importance of using scan tools to ensure vehicles are fixed properly. “We need to figure out what’s wrong with the vehicle before we ever take it apart,” he said. “We recommend any vehicle that is in a collision no matter how minor should be scanned before and after repairs.” When a vehicle is in an accident, even if it does not have an airbag deploy, even if the vehicle is unoccupied, Anderson said they must get a zero-point calibration or a similar calibration that requires the use of a scan tool. He said it would be beneficial if the industry adopted four types of scans: an inspection scan, a diagnostic scan, a completion scan and a follow up scan.

Inspection Scan: increases estimate accuracy and helps identify any electronic equipment and avoid unnecessary repairs. It also helps insurers

save money because it helps diagnose things that aren’t accident related and can even prove fraud in some cases from the consumer’s standpoint.

Diagnostic Scan: can save time and increases productivity by keeping diagnostic and repair functions inhouse. It can also reduce cycle times and confirm component operation with an output test.

Completion Scan: saves time and increases productivity by keeping programming and calibration functions in-house. It can reduce liabilities and may improve Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) scores.

Follow-up Scan: used for accuracy and part of the quality control process. Many symptoms and diagnostic trouble codes can re-occur and are conditional depending on road tests and functional use of affected systems.

Trends in Vehicle Technology He shared information provided by his friend Jake Rodenroth of ABRA and Chuck Olsen from Collision Diagnostic Services. In 1981, vehicles had one controller, nine sensors and

only a few actuators. The 2008 Ford F-150 had 20 controllers, 50 sensors, 40 actuators and three networks. Anderson briefly discussed technologies that are either already on the road or in the development stage including active safety system technologies; radar technology such as adaptive cruise control; pedestrian detection; and driver state assessment systems that monitors eye closures, head position and distraction levels with a combination of alerts. If uncertain about any repair procedure, Anderson said it’s important to do the research. One option he mentioned that might be helpful is the new I-CAR feature on their website called Ask I-CAR. “If you’re not sure, and can’t find what you are looking for, we have the moral obligation to contact I-CAR, VeriFacts or the OEM directly. Don’t make a decision without contacting someone qualified.” He also encouraged participants to research videos on YouTube and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s website: www.iihs.org For more information, contact Mike Anderson at mike@collision advice.com or Farzam Afshar at: farzam.afshar@verifactsauto.com.

Continued from Page 24

New BMW Body Shop

year with several more projects announced, including Rite Aid’s Southeast distribution center, Kobelco’s excavator plant and Dollar Tree’s distribution center at Upstate Corporate Park, an industrial park shared by Spartanburg and Cherokee counties. “BMW changed South Carolina,” Britt said. “We became an international community, county and state because of them… We have proven to the world that this is the place to do business. It doesn’t matter if you are making the world’s-finest carbon fiber or world’s-finest excavators. This is the place to do business. And that is because of our people.” Britt said there are more economic development projects in the pipeline. He expects to see BMW’s investment in Spartanburg continue. “I predict more great things to come for Spartanburg with BMW,” he said. “I think they will do more and more in their growth than we can probably dream of.” Thank you to the Herald-Journal/ GoUpstate.com for permission to reprint this article.

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Lean Operations

David Luehr is the owner of Elite Body Shop Solutions, LLC, a collision business consulting firm based in Nashville, Tennessee. He is a 30 year veteran of the collision repair industry. David is an expert in Body Shop Operations and specializes in Lean, and Theory of Constraints methods. Email him at dluehr@msn.com

Why Past Success Could Be Holding You Back with David Luehr

alities I find that there is a great deal of confidence surrounding themselves, their business operations, and the skills they possess as leaders. The dogged determination, the courage to face difficult situations, and absence of fear in asking for more from life propel these people to a level of success higher than the average person. While these are great qualities that will continue to help them in the future, what these individuals often don’t understand is that they may have become successful despite of some of their inferior qualities. Because they are so confident overall, the not so great qualities get lumped into their overall belief system along with the good qualities as an overall success “formula.” In other words, they see no need for change within themselves because what they have been doing has been working fine. At least up to now. What is ironic in this scenario is that these same successful leaders are the very ones that are usually com-

One of the most fascinating career experiences for me was also one of the most difficult. It was called a 360 Degree Evaluation. I thought maybe it was called a 360 Degree Evaluation because when the results were read aloud to me about my management performance, that’s how hot it felt in the room! In those days I was in auto body operations management for a large company that rightfully believed that a healthy culture involved giving all employees a voice. The price for this culture was of course that the employees had the opportunity to evaluate their managers, yikes! The benefit was powerful and has profoundly affected my leadership style to this day. Now in my business as an industry mentor and consultant, I work with very successful people daily. These people are often your typical “type A” business folks that have accomplished a great deal in their lives already. Typically when dealing with these person-

plaining about how difficult it is to get their own people to accept change when in reality they are the most stubborn ones! This takes me back to the 360 Degree Evaluation. This method has become my most powerful weapon in my arsenal for getting leaders out of their own way of achieving big-time success. I am reminded of my own utter disbelief years ago in that hot office when I get to share employees’ real feedback with their disbelieving bosses. I don’t mean to make light of this process, because it is not easy for even the most battle-hardened body shop manager, it can rock their world in a big way! Growth can of course be difficult but well worth it for those serious about living up to their true god given potential. So how can leaders overcome this curse? The short answer is AWARENESS. When a person can come to grips with the fact that their beliefs may be holding them back, there are a couple ways fix it.

1. Be curious! I strongly encourage those that want to be hugely successful to balance their confidence with an equal dose of curiosity. We are no longer living in the Industrial Age and things are changing way too fast to become educationally complacent. How cars are repaired and the methods used to lead people in the modern “Conceptual Age” requires a completely different skillset than most people currently have. It doesn’t have to be a “scary” thing, but future success will require an open mind, and a willingness to learn. I believe curious people will someday rule the planet.

2. Be brave! Those that have thick enough skin to hear the truth about themselves will also benefit greatly. How do people know what to change to? How do they identify areas in their personalities and skillsets that may need some help? See Holding You Back, Page 37

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New ALLDATA President Discusses OE Repair Info with Associations and Insurers at NACE 2015 by Victoria Antonelli, Online Editor

Over the past eight years, ALLDATA, a provider of OEM service and repair information since 1986, has expanded its predominantly mechanical focus to the collision repair sector with the addition of ALLDATA Collision. This new and improved program allows users to access a single source of up-to-date OE-direct repair information. The company’s database is available online and features information on more than 33,000 engine-specific vehicles from year 2000 to present. Featured OE procedures include sectioning and structural repairs, handling of new materials and panel removal and replacement. In March 2015, Mitchell Major, Mitchell Major president of became president of ALLDATA ALLDATA after holding various positions at ALLDATA’s parent company, AUTOZONE, for 10 years. Autobody News spoke with Major while he attended NACE CARS 2015 in Detroit, MI. “NACE has been a great opportunity to talk to people on the user side of the equation, such as associations and insurance carriers, and understand their thoughts about OEM information,” said Major. “My perspective is that I can’t imagine a world in which you would not want to be using OEM data repair information on the collision repair side, particularly if you walk the collision floor and see the complexity of the structure of vehicles.” Major said he began his career at AUTOZONE on the inventory supply chain side, where he ran replenishment for several years. He then moved

over to the operation store side before taking over the role of vice president of stores. While serving as VP, Major was responsible for 900 stores across the country, and because of that, he said he spent a lot of time out in the field talking to both DIY and commercial B2B customers. “This position gave me a deep familiarity with the concerns and opportunities on the shop side of the business,” said Major. “When I started at ALLDATA, I began filling in the blanks on the software end.” Major said that since a lot of collision shops are still not using OEM information, the liability for shop owners continues to increase. “Many collision shops are small independents without the resources of national chains and aftermarket information fills that need,” he said. “OEs are certainly changing and adapting to the market place, including customers of ours, when it comes to pricing. It's an ‘adapt or die’ universe we live in, when it comes to the economy, and everyone is going to have to change and roll with the punches.” In order to prevent incorrect repairs, which could lead to consumer injuries or even death, Major said he and the rest of the product team make a point to speak with industry members to find new ways to make OEM data that much more compelling. “Typically, if you go to a shop and say, ‘My check engine light is on and I need to understand what's going on here,’ they’ll go out and write it down on a paper pad, then they’ll go in and key it into the computer, and it takes a lot of time,” said Major. “This creates a huge opportunity to streamline that whole process. Whether you’re mechanical or collision, you want to turn the bays; you want to get the cars in and out,” he

continued. “Most shops have two or three bays, which gives you limited physical space and limited technicians. ALLDATA Collision is available online, on either desktop computers or mobile devices, so it can be checked nearly anywhere in the shop. [Simplifying those steps] increases cycle time and productivity, which in turn increases profit.” Tanushree Sircar, marketing manager at ALLDATA, explained that their customers span a wide range of backgrounds and age groups. While the younger generations adapt to new techTanushree Sircar, nologies faster and marketing manager prefer using mobile for ALLDATA devices, some technicians are more comfortable with older technologies. “The convenience of accessing this information is what’s interesting to everybody,” said Sircar. “The ability to access quality OEM information through their desktop or Android or iOS device, making the repair process

much easier and faster, is what makes our customers willing to change and adapt to the new technology.” Instead of paying for classroom time to keep technicians up-to-date on the latest vehicle trends and models, “you can just turn on ALLDATA Collision, and the system will lead you through the process so you don'’ make an incorrect repair. Our product roadmap is all about a training-free solution. It’s as easy as making a purchase from eBay or Amazon,” added Major. Another tool ALLDATA has implemented to help make life easier for technicians is the online database Community. According to Sircar, Community allows technicians to log on and ask other technicians detailed questions about the OE repair process and specific issues. She added that the database has recently reached 70,000 users in just two years. ALLDATA is based in Elk Grove, CA. For more information on ALLDATA Collision, visit their website at http://www.alldata.com/collision or contact the company’s marketing manager, Tanushree Sircar, at tanushree.sircar @alldata.com / 800-829-8727.

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The Auto Care Association (ACA) and the Equipment and Tool Institute (ETI) say applications are now being accepted for the 2015 Aftermarket Telematics Challenge. Now in its fourth year, the challenge seeks to recognize the best examples of aftermarket technology in telematics. This is the first year the challenge is being co-sponsored by ETI. “The Auto Care Association established the Telematics Challenge in 2012 to demonstrate that the auto care industry can provide the technology and solutions today for vehicle telematics,”

said Kathleen Schmatz, president and CEO, ACA. “We see the telematics initiative as a very big task for ETI members and the aftermarket as a whole in the coming years and there will be many challenges and opportunities along the way,” said Greg Potter, executive manager, ETI. Applications can be found at: www.autocare.org. They must be received by Friday, Oct. 2. The winner will be announced at AAPEX and the winning entry will have a $10,000 scholarship awarded in their name to the Aftermarket Foundation.

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Continued from Cover

Mosley Defeated

lem worse was insurers’ ignoring an opinion from Attorney General Jim Hood that Mosley said affirmed his position. Chaney countered with data his

office gathered after the hailstorm that showed that, out of 100,000 claims filed (about 60,000 of which were for automobiles) a total of “50 or 60” complaints arose, all filed by three body shops, he said. He said last week that further investigation into the issue was a possibility, but any inquiry would not start until after Tuesday’s

primary. Who did and did not appear on the candidates’ campaign finance reports became an issue, too. Mosley said he would not accept contributions from the insurance industry because he questioned the ethics behind money given by those the commissioner would regulate.

“How can it not?” Mosley responded when a reporter asked if he thought Chaney was influenced by insurers’ donations. I see that campaign contribution, what am I going to think? That cloud of doubt is hanging there.” Chaney said he regulates the industry “with a pretty strong hand. Most

Autobody News reached out to John Mosley on August 5 and August 13 for further comments on the campaign results:

“I was strong as long as it was he and I involved, but when State Farm started sending out letters and having agents call their insured, things went south.” Mosley went on to explain, “A few weeks before the election, a good friend, who is a State Farm agent, called to tell me he had just left a meeting of agents called by State Farm. The topic of the meeting was the future of State Farm, but he said it quickly turned to three hours of this is John Mosley, this is what he has done (my lawsuit in the 90’s and the MDL) and this is what he might do if he is elected. The agents were told that if I was elected, State Farm would leave the state of Mississippi. These agents were told how they could help the effort to defeat me and save their businesses by donating to the State Farm PAC and by talking to

their insureds about the election. They were probably not the only company working against me, but they were the one I received the letters and phone calls about. At any rate, I wonder what State Farm didn’t want me to know as the commissioner.” Mosley said he sent Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney a letter congratulating him and asking if they could meet to discuss some of the insurance issues consumers face on Mississippi. As of 8/13, he had not received a response. “I shined a light on many issues and the commissioner will have to think about what he should do. If he doesn’t work harder for the people, I will be back in four years,” said Mosley. “In the meantime, I intend to help spread the word to the citizens of Louisiana [so they know] to expect

this type of behavior intent on interfering with Matt Parker’s campaign.” Autobody News reached out to Mississippi State Farm media contact, Roszell Gadson, who stated, “State Farm, as a company, does not support state and local candidates for office. Our independent agents are free to engage in the political process as they see fit.” Jack Weatherly of msbusiness.com. reported that Chaney also put nearly three times as much funding toward his campaign as Mosley. Out of the $448,121.11 in total expenditures, $279,180 came from campaign contributions, while $98,959.88 was a carryover from his 2011 campaign. Mosley contributed $158,000 from his own pocket.

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of mine comes from agents who have a vested interest in rates not going up. For 35 years, Mosley’s run a body shop, and most of his money comes from payments to consumers from insurance companies to get their cars fixed. So indirectly, he’s getting insurance Mississippi’s Inmoney.” cumbent Insurance Chaney did not Commissioner Mike Chaney. Credit: The respond to a cell Clarion-Ledger phone message on the night of August 4. Mosley said on that night if he had it to do over again, he would have started his campaign earlier. He announced his run in February. “I ran hard and talked about the issues. I congratulate him and these issues I brought up are issues that affect everybody in Mississippi. I’ll be right back four years from now if things don’t change.”

We would like to thank The Clarion-Ledger for permission to reprint their article.

www.autobodynews.com

Continued from Page 32

Holding You Back

Nissan Donates $1M and 10 Autos to Habitat for Humanity

Ten years after its first donation to Habitat for Humanity, Nissan has announced a $1 million grant to help build affordable, sustainable homes and to support Habitat’s disaster response efforts. Nissan’s contributions to Habitat for Humanity in North America amount to more than $13 million over the past 10 years. “Having a permanent home allows a family to realize stability and a sense of community,” said Nissan Senior Vice President Scott Becker. “Nissan employees engage directly with those families by making personal commitments of their time and effort in Habitat home builds. This partnership is a tangible example of how we carry out our corporate vision to build a sustainable future for all Nissan stakeholders.” A portion of Nissan’s contribution will be used to double Habitat’s Mobile Response Unit fleet to 10 units, boosting its capacity to quickly support U.S. affiliates and their long-term recovery efforts following natural disasters. “The generous donation from Nissan and the volunteers who continue to work alongside those in need of decent housing makes such a difference in the lives of Give us your opinion on families and communities,” said Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International.

There are two main tools I like to use. The first I have already mentioned. The 360 Degree Evaluation is a great way to get to the truth if people in the organization trust the process and have no fear of retribution from superiors. Shops could probably create their own employee survey, but companies tend to get more accurate and relevant feedback when a 3rd party company provides the service. 3. Use science! The second tool that I use with all my clients is the tti Trimetric Assessment.

This is an incredibly insightful tool that can give leaders and their employees a scientific look at personality traits, behaviors, values/motivators, and skills. If leaders are serious about getting to the next level in their careers and moving closer to reaching their potential, this is a great place to start! For those successful people that are wondering why things may not be progressing as you would like, I invite you to consider the advice in this article. Be aware, be curious, be brave, and use science. As always my associates and I at Elite Body Shop Solutions are always here to help you find the resources you need to win! Contact me at: david.luehr@elite bodyshopsolutions.com

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Industry Insight with John Yoswick

—John Yoswick is a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon, who has a body shop in the family and has been writing about the automotive industry since 1988. He is the editor of the weekly CRASH Network (for a free 4-week trial subscription, visit www.CrashNetwork.com). Contact him by email at jyoswick@SpiritOne.com.

‘MSO Symposium’ Panels Presented Ideas on Human Resources, Customer Satisfaction Attracting, training and retaining qual- lision Repair Education Foundation ity employees was among the topics said that organization is doing several tackled at this year’s NACE “MSO things to help attract more people to Symposium,” a half-day event in De- careers in the industry. The Foundation with Ed Attanasio troit in July that focused on the needs is involved with the national associaof multiple shop operators (MSOs), as tion of school guidance counselors, for well as those who aspire to become an example, to help educate them about MSO. careers in the industry. The Foundation is developing a national job board, and is launching a series of career fairs across the with Ed Attanasio country to help students and shops connect. The Foundation is also working to attract military veterans to training in the industry and to educate employers about veterans’ benefits that can help those with Ed Attanasio vets transition to careers in the Darrell Amberson (l) and Max Sorensen in panel industry. discussion Several panelists said reDuring one panel discussion at the quiring entry-level employees to event, for example, Max Sorensen of spend several weeks as a porter or deMinnesota-based ABRA Auto Body & tailer at a shop helps the employee get with Attanasio Glass explained how hisEd company has a feel for the business and the shop get a 300-module “learning management a sense of the employee’s chances for system” that covers subjects ranging success. from how to greet a customer coming “You get a good feel about whether into the shop to preparing final billing they have a good attitude, do they show of an insurer. Employees can use the up on time, that kind of stuff,” Kevin system to learn new skills, or use the Burnett, vide president of operations system as a “refresher” when they have for Gerber Collision & Glass, one of the questions. largest MSOs in North America, said. That can prevent both the shop Darrell Amberson of LaMettry’s Collision, an MSO in the Minneapolis, and the employee from make an larger MN, area, moderated the panel discusinvestment in training, etc., before they sion, and said that while large MSOs know if it’s a good fit for both, panlike ABRA can have staff devoted to elists said. employee training and development, his company is not that large. Entry-level pay an issue “So we’re looking at developing a But Eckenrode also said the industry training department using some resineeds to address that fact that its dent experts to help train some of other entry-level wages often aren’t always people,” Amberson said. That in-house competitive with those in other trades. training will become part of a formalThat’s allowing other technical trainized career path the company is develing programs and trades to attract stuoping to offer to entry-level employees. dents away from collision repair. He “Knowledge is a company assets, said the Foundabut knowledge has a shorter and shorter tion is working to shelf-life,” panelist Jeff Peevy of the help collision reAutomotive Management Institute said, pair training proemphasizing the need to hire those who grams understand will seek out continued training. “But the need to focus learning is the cure for that. The willstudents on fewer ingness and capability to learn is the skills – the skills Brandon Eckenrode that will help the only true source of a sustainable competitive advantage.” students be more immediately proBrandon Eckenrode of the Colductive in shops.

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“We’re going to do a better job of helping to instruct these school educators to not teach a mile wide and an inch deep,” Eckenrode said. Another panel during this year’s MSO Symposium focused on the use of customer satisfaction measurement to help manage MSOs. Jason Bertellotti of Mitchell International, said some of the highest customer satisfaction he sees are at shops that offer employee incentives based on customer feedback. One such company, he said, uses formalized customer follow-up interviews, but also asks customers before they leave the shop to fill out a card asking for one thing they truly enjoyed about the process. Anytime a customer mentions an employee by name on that card, that is shared with all the staff at daily meetings, and the employee receives some sort of incentive. “It’s all about creating the culture by talking about the customers’ expe-

Media and Publicity for Shops

38 SEPTEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

rience, not pressuring the customer to give you a ‘10,’” Bertellotti said. Dean Fisher, a CARSTAR franchisee and leader of the MSOs field service team agreed that pushing a customer to give you a high CSI rating – something he experienced when he recently purchased a new car – is less effective than just focusing on the customer experience. “You don’t sell CSI. You do CSI,” Dean Fisher Fisher said. Bertellotti agreed. Attempting to “manage the score” only communicates to your staff that it’s the score itself, and not your customer’s experience, that you care about. He recommends taking a step back, almost as a secret shopper, to see and hear what your customers are seeing and hearing. See MSO Symposium, Page 48

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Historical Snapshot

Farmer’s COD Program, CARSTAR’s Growth, Estimates 10 Years Ago, Texas Rate Survey with John Yoswick

and an abundance of late model vehi20 years ago in the collision repair cles with young drivers. industry (September 1995) Also at the Collision Industry Confer– As reported in The Golden with Chasidy Rae Sisk ences in Kansas City in September, Eagle, September 2000. CARSTAR Bob Matejzel of Farmers Insurance subsequently abandoned its growthsaid that although one of the company’s by-acquisition plans and sold many of regional offices has asked Chicago area its corporate-owned stores back to shops for price concessions in order to franchisees. It currently has about 440 participate in Farmers’ “Circle of Defranchises in 32 states and 10 Canawith Chasidy Raedian Sisk pendability” (COD) program, he did provinces. not foresee that happening elsewhere. “I do not see this as a wave of the 10 years ago in the collision repair future, at least I hope it is not,” he said. industry (September 2005) “Our program was instituted with no The information providers faced critconcessions. It’s still that way.” icism at the Collision Industry Con– As reported in ABRN. Matejzel, ference (CIC) for their proposed Chasidy Raesolutions Sisk and timelines for addressing who was among with the principle designers of the COD program, retired from the issue of shops having to rekey inFarmers Insurance just 15 months after surer-prepared estimates. making this statement and after 32 The CIC Electronic Commerce years with the insurer. The COD proCommittee outlined two types of scegram has changed significantly since narios in which shops should be able to that time. with Chasidy Raereceive Sisk insurer-prepared estimates electronically. In the first, the insurer’s estimate is prepared at the shop, so the file 15 years ago in the collision repair could be transferred to the shop’s estiindustry (September 2000) The consolidators have been seemingly mating system via a thumb-drive, the very open about their goals and business USB drive or even a CD or floppy disk. with Rae Sisk strategies – and about whatChasidy they look for The second scenario that leads to in the shops they acquire. CARSTAR, estimate rekeying is when the shop and for example, has announced an ambiappraiser are not at the same location tious 5-year growth plan for the Kansas- and cannot physically move the estimate based company. While most of its more file from one computer to the other. The than 250 shops are franchises, the comcommittee believes this is a more company plans to addwith 200 company-owned situation leading to rekeying than Chasidy Raemon Sisk locations over the next five years. is the “face-to-face” scenario. What will CARSTAR be looking In terms of the ability to copy an for as it acquires shops? Kam Nassar, estimate file to an external drive or the company’s chief financial officer disk or otherwise transfer it from one outlined a set of characteristics that computer to another within the shop, are fairly consistent with those de- Chad Taylor of Mitchell International with Chasidy Rae Sisk scribed by other shop consolidators. said his company offers such capabilCARSTAR, he said, will look to ac- ity now, and Bruce Yungkans of CCC quire shops that have: Information Services said Pathways - At least $1.5 million in annual 4.3, released in mid-October, would as revenues – preferably $2 million. well; Yungkans said CCC’s system - About 10,000 to 13,000 square would require a one-time set-up fee of with Chasidyca-Raeabout Sisk$150. feet of space, with the production pacity (or room to expand) to handle But Scott Jenkins of ADP drew in excess of $2 million a year in sales. fire from some CIC participants when - A computerized shop managesaid his company has no plans to crement system, and good accounting pracate such capability, preferring to put tices. “development effort” into addresswith Chasidy RaeitsSisk - A well-trained staff, and excel- ing the other type of scenario that relent relationships with customers and quires estimate rekeying. insurers. “What kind of ‘development’ does it - A visible, high-traffic location take?” Craig Griffin of Laney’s Colliin areas with high household incomes sion Center in El Dorado, Ark., asked

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with Ed Attanasio

Jenkins, pointing out that virtually all software allows a user to copy a file to a disk to transfer to another computer. “My assumption is since every other software in the world allows me to do this, that it’s more likely more difficult for you to keep me from doing that than it is to let me do it, other than you can’t charge me for it.” But Jenkins said ADP sees the ability to download an estimate from an insurer’s library as the solution that would address the majority of the estimate rekeying situations and has pledged to make this possible by next April. He said ADP currently has such a system in place for a shop in an insurer’s direct repair program; that capability, he said, will be expanded to shops not in a particular insurer’s DRP once the insurer gives a oneIn 2005, Craig time permission Griffin of Laney’s for the shop to do Collision Center in so. El Dorado, Ark., – As reported in questioned why Autobody News. shops couldn’t use an external drive or It would be several disk to transfer an years after this disestimate on an cussion before all insurer’s laptop to three information a shop’s computer. providers offered Griffin is still involved in his complete solutions family’s 2-location to estimate rekeycollision repair ing. ADP eventubusiness. ally sold off its estimating system business, which later became AudaExplore.

5 years ago in the collision repair industry (September 2010) The Texas Department of Insurance has received written responses from the state’s top five auto insurers to four pages of questions the Department asked about labor rate determination, shop referrals to consumers, DRP agreements, reimbursement caps or thresholds and other claims practices by the insurers. The insurers were asked, for example, how many DRP shops they have in Texas (State Farm = 636, Allstate = 388, Progressive = 277, GEICO = 56, Farmers = 285), and what percentage of their claims in 2009 went through DRP

facilities (State Farm = 50%, GEICO = 35.2%, Farmers = 32%, Allstate = 23.7% of 1st-party claims and 12% of 3rd-party claims; Progressive said it was providing this information to the Department in a supplemental response). The insurers were asked, “Does your company set caps or limits on the reimbursement rates for certain labor, services, parts and/or materials, e.g., paint?” State Farm and Farmers said they do not. Allstate said thresholds and pricing guidelines are negotiated individually with its DRP shops; for non-DRP shops, the company said, thresholds may be used and “additional costs are negotiated with the shop to arrive at an agreed repair cost.” Progressive said it has a “local payment authority” for its claims reps on paint materials, but said it is not a “cap” and “does not represent the maximum we’ll pay on a per vehicle basis.” The amount is sufficient for most estimates, Progressive said, but if the requested amount exceeds it, the claims rep should ask for supporting documentation and also may reference Mitchell’s paint and materials calculator “to confirm or negotiate any differing amounts.” GEICO, too, said it has no caps, only an authorization level on materials “to alert the adjuster to reviews any repair facility charges that appear abnormal in order to determine the appropriateness of such charges.” The Texas survey of insurers was prompted by a petition circulated by a handful of Texas shops asking the Insurance Department to request claims processing procedures and information from the insurers. Larry Cernosek, owner of Deer Park Paint & Body in Pasadena, Texas, presented the petition to the Insurance Department, and helped review drafts of the survey questions. All five of the insurers prefaced their responses to the Department of Insurance by saying the information and documents should not be disseminated beyond the Department. But Cernosek filed an Open Records Act request with the Department to receive copies of the responses. – As reported in CRASH Network (www.CrashNetwork.com), September 27, 2010.

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Social Media for Shops Body Shops Nationwide are Joining the Blog Party with Ed Attanasio

One of the items on my marketing toare long gone. Blogs are an ideal way do list for 2015 (January 2015 ABN) to enhance your Search Engine Optiwas entitled Get a Blog and I can’t take mization (SEO) efforts because Google credit for it, but there are more body indexes blog articles and will move with Ed Attanasio shop blogs out there now than ever in the collision industry. Four years ago, there were 156 million blogs in existence and today there are more than 180 million with world- Ed Attanasio wide. Shops that didn’t even have web sites now have them complete with blogs that contain weekly posts, sometimes more. Blogs are no longer a fad or even a trend—no, they’re here to stay and gaining traction more and more as they your company’s name up their rankstampede into the World Wide Web. ings by regularly sending its search spiA decade ago, people didn’t really ders through your blog. And with more take blogs seriously. They thought a players now in the SEO game, blogs blog was for amateur poets, soccer are all about getting companies to that moms or quilting clubs, but those days desirable first page of Google.

SEMA Show Goes On

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

It’s inexpensive to create a blog (using Word Press, for example) and linking it to your web site. In a busy shop, there are a lot of things going on to blog about, including employee birthdays, holiday events (such as a company costume contest for Halloween); new babies, I-CAR certifications, community mixers and so much more. Once you start searching out topics for blog articles, you’ll see that there is a wealth of great things for you to write about. With blogs now the norm rather than the exception, it’s hard to believe that many body shop owners still don’t know exactly what they are, so here is a rather brief description. A blog (a truncation of the expression weblog) is a discussion or informational site published on

Media and Publicity for Shops

the World Wide Web and consisting of discrete entries (“posts”) typically displayed in reverse chronological order. Until 2009, blogs were usually the work of a single individual or occasionally of a small group, and often covered a single subject. More recently “multi-author blogs” (MABs) have developed, with posts written by large numbers of authors and professionally edited. The rise of Twitter and other “microblogging” systems helps integrate MABs and single-author blogs into societal newstreams. Rich Pannazzo is the Chief Operating Officer at AutoBody-Review.com in Chino Hills, CA, a company that was created to increase capture ratios and instill confidence in consumers when referred to a body shop by DRP partners, dealers and previous customers. They help their shops find local shops nearby, tour their facilities and schedule an appointment quickly and easily using AutoBody-Review.com. In addi-

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tion, the company also assists body shop clients with marketing efforts— including blogs. “The collision industry is changing on multiple levels,” Pannazzo said. “Not only is their rampant consolidation happening at an unprecedented rate, there is also a significant change in the demographics of the typical collision repair customer. Crossgeneration communication skills are CEO Rich Pannazzo essential to any marat www.AutoBody keting initiative in -Review.com cites blogs as an our industry. Blogeffective way ging, for instance, for body shops to has become an efget their brand in fective way of getfront of consumers ting your brand in as well as helping their Search Engine front of consumers Optimization efforts as well as helping your Search Engine Optimization efforts. In order to be effective however, your Blog must be relevant, routinely updated and well-scripted.” “Collision repairers are not, by nature, good marketing professionals,” Pannazzo said. “And even a vast majority of marketing professionals are

not good collision repair marketers. Collision repair customers are unique because 95% of a shop’s business comes from insurance, dealer and customer referrals. Marketing to get 2% of the 5% that are left just isn’t a logical course of action, nor is it economically efficient. Companies such as AutoBody-Review.com have figured this out. Everything done to promote the brands represented by AutoBody-Review.com is specifically targeted at increasing the capture rate of the referral business being sent to those locations. Even down to the unique blogs posted for their thousands of customers each month. No two blogs are identical and each blog is tailored to the specific body shop that it is being written for.” Eric Gouldsberry is a Silicon Valley-based media consultant and owns EGAD, a company that designs web sites and adjoining blogs for body shops and large automotive companies that end up at the top of search results on a consistent basis. He has seen the incredible growth of the blog universe and the recent popularity of blogs among body shops large and small. “The Hummingbird algorithm went into effect during the summer of 2013 when Google announced the

change on the eve of the company’s 15th anniversary,” Gouldsberry explained. “It was their first major update to their search algorithm since 2010. At that time, people didn’t realize that it would lead to the explosion of blogs. Hummingbird is all about content and what they call ‘semantic search.’ Google now focuses more attention to each word in a query, ensuring that the whole query—the entire sentence or conversation or meaning—is taken into account rather than just a handful of keywords or word streams.” So, why are so many body shops finally coming to the blog party? “Body shops talk a lot to each other and they’re always looking at the shop down the street,” Gouldsberry said. “Look at all of the body shops that are gearing up to work on aluminum vehicles, for example? The shops that started doing blogs three to four years ago are in a prime position, because they’ve already established a top position. It won’t be easy to unseat those shops, but it’s never too late to improve your spot by blogging. If you’re thinking about a blog, I would tell you start today, because right now the stragglers are getting ready to enter the fray!”

July Auto Sales Surge Due to Pickups and SUVs

The industry kept on course for its best year in more than a decade last month after a disappointing June, driven by deliveries of SUVs and pickups as car sales lagged. Most major carmakers handily beat estimates, with the average analyst projection putting the annual selling pace at about 17.2 million vehicles, which would be the highest total since 2001. “Pickups and SUVs continue to keep new-car sales elevated,” Jessica Caldwell, director of industry analysis for car-shopping site Edmunds.com, told the Daily News. “In fact, July marks the 23rd month in a row in which trucks (together with) SUVs have outsold cars. Lower gas prices certainly are a catalyst, but the availability of cheap credit is helping consumers get into these more expensive vehicles,” Caldwell said. Buyers spent a record $47 billion on new vehicles in July, a 2.1% increase from last year, according to automobile pricing site TrueCar.com. Ford, which saw sales sputter in the first half of the year as the company faced production—and perception—problems transitioning its bestselling F-150 truck to a lighter aluminum body, reported a better-than-expected 5% jump in sales last month.

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Industry Insight

CIC Committee Working to Eliminate Hidden Costs of Parts Procurement with John Yoswick

A Collision Industry Conference (CIC) tronic parts procurement is just rapidly committee is working to identify some sweeping the industry. It’s not.” of the costs – for shops, insurers and parts vendors – associated variwith Ed with Attanasio The hidden costs ous inefficiencies related to the parts Turning to the committee’s process procurement process. The committee map, Farah said each step in the process views this as a key step in determining has risks that can add waste and costs what electronic parts procurement systo the process. For example, shops tems are – or aren’t – doing to reduce sometimes order both OEM and nonsuch inefficiencies. OEM versions of the same parts at the At CIC in with Detroit Ed in July, CIC same time in order to save time if the Attanasio Parts and Materials committee member non-OEM version proves unusable. But Amjad Farah of AkzoNobel Coatings receiving multiple parts and returning acknowledged that the entire parts orone adds costs for both the shop and dering process is non-value-added. parts vendors, he pointed out. “No one is paying us to order Choosing only parts offered by parts,” Farah said. “We get paid to the “best vendor” identified by the paint them or put shop can offer some efficiencies for with themEd on, Attanasio but we’re the shop, Farah noted, but can raise the not getting paid to total costs of the parts used, or – if the order the parts. So shop can’t pass those costs along – rethe process in and duce the shop’s profits. of itself is nonSimilarly, if a shop’s ordering devalue-added. But cision is based on price alone, one risk with Edhave Attanasio we still to do could be poor service from the vendor, Amjad Farah it. So the objective resulting in delays. here is to look at the entire process [to Ordering parts from multiple venfigure out how to] make it as efficient dors for the same job results in multias possible given that it has to be ple invoices to be paid. If it costs you done.” $25 to receive a part and process that During the meeting, the panel invoice, Farah said, and that happens shared a “process map” it is building on 75 percent of your repair orders, showing all the steps in traditional that can quickly add up to thousands parts ordering, looking at all the of dollars in costs. wasted steps and trying to establish When you look at the whole some idea of the costs these steps add process as a whole, Farah said, you to the process. quickly “come to the realization that John Bosin, chairman of the comas an industry we really need to find a mittee, said some of those initially reway to make the whole process more viewing the process map criticized the efficient for all parties involved.” fact that it still included fax or phone The committee’s work, he said, is orders. a start to building that awareness. “I want to assure you that while But Aaron Schulenburg of the some of us may consider faxing ‘20th Society of Collision Repair Specialists century,’ the fax is still very much said the issue is more complex than a alive,” Bosin said. “When you talk to “process map” might indicate, given parts suppliers, ask the often competing interests of shops, them how many insurers and vendors. Some insurer faxes they get a day mandates on shops regarding parts – with orders. Not or parts procurement systems – are a only is the fax magood example, he said. chine still being “What do we do as a group if we used, but the phone determine that certain processes create is being used and a inefficiencies and costs for some, while John Bosin lot of parts salescreating reductions in costs for others?” people and delivery people are carrySchulenburg posed, rhetorically. ing orders back into the office. We all But CIC Chairman Randy Stathink it’s super-streamlined and elecbler said he’d like to see the commit-

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SEMA Show Goes On

tee finish the process map to document the potential costs, then see whether and how the electronic parts procurement systems measure and track such potential inefficiencies so they can be reduced. “It’s one thing to say we need better cycle time, but if you don’t know the incremental steps in the entire process, and start to look at them incrementally, you can’t drive out the costs,” Stabler said, as an analogy. “So we may have electronic parts procurement models that do a good job sourcing by price, but do they look at all those other factors that can reduce the overall internal cost of operation?”. “Suppliers, repairers, consumers and insurers all pay for these inefficiencies,” Stabler concluded. “But if we don’t know the additional costs, then we’re going to continue to do it. That’s what I’m hoping to try to ferret out here.”

Media and Publicity for Shops

44 SEPTEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

State of industry training Another panel discussion at CIC in Detroit focused on what was assessed by many as an abysmal rate of technical training among collision repair technicians. Several panelists cited an I-CAR statistic from several years ago that 69 percent of working technicians who weld in U.S. body shops lack formal welding training. “As an industry, we need to be ashamed of this,” Jeff Peevy of the Automotive Management Institute said. “And it’s not just the collision Jeff Peevy repair shops; it’s all of us involved in this. It takes time and resources to train your technicians, and all of us need to acknowledge that. Regardless of what segment we’re in, we need to take an honest approach and say, ‘Are we contributing to this problem, or are we a solution to this problem?’ This is an ethical issue, that we as an industry allow this to be okay. Shame on us as an industry.” Industry consultant and former shop owner Mike Anderson of Collision Advice said he thinks there’s a lack of a ‘training culture’ in the industry.

When he operated his shops, he said, he let new-hires know up front how many hours of trailing they were expected to complete each year. One night a month, he held after-hours training for the body department; another night was reserved for refinish department training, etc. “That allowed our entry-level people who had a desire to grow to stay after-hours for those classes,” Anderson said. “We also opened that up to SkillsUSA student in our local area, so they could attend, and that helped us recruit some of the best of the best.” Anderson said shops always blame the lack of training on time, which is understandable. “We have these unrealistic mandates put upon us that say we need to upload an estimate in x amount of hours,” Anderson cited as one example, “But if I do that, I don’t have time to research the OEM procedures properly. But is that really the reason? Or is it because I was never trained how to integrate OEM software into that process? It boils down to time and culture.” Independent consultant Roger Cada, a retired insurance company executive, suggested that increasing consumer awareness about the dangers of improperly repaired vehicles could help address the training issue. He said salvage yards have examples of cars that were repaired but later declared total losses because the vehicles were known not to be safe based on how they were “repaired.” He suggested that the industry could have the Insurance Institue for Highway Safety crash test such “repaired” vehicles to draw consumers’ attention to the need for safe repairs. “Show the consumer what poor repairs look like, because they don’t have a clue,” Cada said. “They’re not the experts. But if they take away that their family and friends who ride in that car are in danger, they will search out those repairers that are good.”

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October 5 took possession of the vehicle. Prior to this, Three-C Body Shop deducted its billing for services rendered from the amount received for the repair. Because the final billing was the same as the initial payment for repair, no monies were left for reimbursement to the insurer. The insurer contested ThreeC Body Shop’s billing, which prompted the legal proceedings. American Family filed a motion for replevin against Three-C Body Shop to argue the charges and to take possession of the vehice, of which they already obtained from the shop one year, six months and 24 days earlier. When asked why the insurer would attempt litigation to seize a vehicle they already possessed, Bob Juniper, Owner and President of Three-C Body Shop, stated, “It’s either one-hand didn’t know what the other-hand was doing and it was a false action, which is unlikely; We have been to court a number of times with American Family and find them to be quite inept in that venue. It’s more probable that the insurer used the action as a predatory practice to use the legal

system as a means to fight us on our charges and it was with intent that the insurer filed a motion with the court for a writ of replevin.” A writ of replevin is a prejudgment process ordering the seizure or attachment of alleged illegally taken or wrongfully withheld property. Where a dispute in billing is at question, the disputed amount is paid to the courts and the court issues a bond that enables the consumer possession of his/her vehicle and holds the funds in escrow until either the time passes or the matter is heard by the courts and settled. The repairer has a predetermined time (i.e. 60 days) of which to file a lawsuit against the customer to settle the dispute. Juniper said, “Some insurers have used and abused the legal system and employed a replevin in an effort to dare the repairer into filing a lawsuit against their customer to recover their billing. This generally results in a lengthy legal battle (as was ours) which the insurer will make as costly as possible. The insurers know that most shop owners are ill prepared and don’t want to file a lawsuit against their own customers and incur the legal costs, and as a result, the repairers often cave to the insurer’s pressures and reduce their billings. This often times results in the

shop merely accepting what they can for their billing and foregoing or “eating” the rest to avoid a replevin. Thereafter, the repairers accept what they’re given to avoid similar issues in the future. The insurer wins and the repairer loses. At Three-C we don’t play that game; we charge what’s competitive and reasonable and will do what is necessary to collect it and stop such behavior.” In this instance the court initially sided with the insurer and then reversed itself when the Magistrate learned that Three-C had relinquished the vehicle and American Family Insurance had taken possession of it well before the replevin was filed. The court found on behalf of Three-C Body Shop and that American Family was not entitled to any award. There was also a claim made by American Family against Three-C Body Shop for violation of the Consumer Sales Practices Act that the Court ruled in Three-C’s favor and dismissed it. American Family had 14 days to appeal the decision; they did not do so. “It is rare for a court to grant a motion to reconsider so it was a good win. We are happy that our customer (the vehicle owner) did not need to come out of pocket for work that was clearly owed by American Family,” said Juniper.

Given that more than 30 million vehicles are affected by the massive air bag recall, a few local vehicles may not seem noteworthy, but for a Sheriff’s department the recall is taking a toll. Included in the 30 million are 2005 to 2010 Dodge Chargers in use by many law enforcement departments across the United States. Texas law enforcement vehicles have not been spared the recall, according to TV reports by Dallas’ NBC5. Ten Ellis County Sheriff’s Department vehicles are not currently being used after Sheriff Johnny Brown ordered them out of service when he learned they fall under the massive nationwide recall of defective Takata airbags that when deployed can rupture internally with too much force and send metal fragments flying into the cabin of the vehicle. “We made the decision at the time to park all our 2010 units,” said Lt. James Saulter. “We don’t want a deputy getting hurt or somebody that’s been arrested getting hit with flying fragments, as well as we have folks that ride out with us, and we didn’t want anybody getting hurt.” Saulter said the department was

notified the parts to take care of the recall were not available. “It’s a huge impact,” Saulter said. “But we definitely want our citizens to know it’s not going to impact us being able to answer calls or take care of them.” NBC 5 reached out to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and was told the parts are now en route to Ellis County and service for those units is imminent. “Customer safety is a top priority at FCA US LLC. Accordingly, we are executing this recall campaign in the most expeditious manner possible, keeping NHTSA fully apprised of our progress,” said a statement from the company. With safety concerns looming, some departments immediately started repairs when the parts were available, including both Irving and Dallas police departments. In Dallas, about 530 of the departments Dodge Chargers fall under the recall, according to Equipment Building Services representative Charitta Johnson. However, Dallas Police did not remove any of the recalled vehicles from service. Johnson tells NBC 5 the recall did not instruct

that the vehicles should not be used. In Irving, 46 of the police department’s more than 250 vehicles are affected by the recall. The department has already repaired 10 of those units and is continuing repairs on others. “It really hasn’t affected us too bad. Some of these are unmarked, they might be in use by our detectives or not in use every day,” said Irving Police Department spokesman James McLellan. “Only a portion of those are marked cars, and those are being called in as they have the parts and paperwork for them, so it really doesn’t have an impact on our operations.” Chrysler Fiat Automotive also pointed out there are two airbag inflators that are subject to recall, Alpha and Beta. All deaths have been associated with the Alpha inflators. FCA vehicles have never been equipped with Alpha inflators, according to the company. The company is aware of an issue with a Beta inflator in a 2006 Dodge Charger, which resulted in non-life threatening injuries, according to FCA. Fiat Chrysler told NBC 5 they are not using Takata parts to replace the potentially defective inflators.

Continued from Cover

Three-C Body Shop

Texas Law Enforcement Vehicles Hard Hit by Takata Airbag Recall Say TV News Reports

46 SEPTEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Continued from Cover

State Farm Forces

and the front bumper was also damaged. Body shop owner Tim Elkins said the car owner’s insurance, State Farm, is not allowing him to use original replacement parts, but instead they are pushing after-market, or recycled, products. “They force these parts on us. They make us use them. They’ve gotten to where now they tell us where to buy the parts and who we have to buy them from,” said Elkins. Elkins said the damaged parts in the vehicle are necessary in running the brains of the car. “When the insurance company wants us to use reconditioned parts, that’s a part that’s already been damaged, already been broken and fixed. That’s not what was on this car when it came in here. I mean for that matter, I could fix what was on it. I mean that’s not what we should do. We should replace these parts with new parts. That’s what was on it when it came in. That’s what should be on it when it leaves,” said Elkins. Elkins said after-market parts depreciate the value of the vehicle, and he said the law states it could potentially affect the vehicle warranty as well. Kia, the dealership in the specific case, cannot legally void the 10 year, 100,000 mile warranty, but they can deny the warranty saying any damage was caused by the after-market products. “Any subsequential damages caused by these parts will be void, and I mean the dealership is going to look for reason not to repair something under warranty. That’s just something they do,” said Elkins. In his push to get new parts approved for his customer, he said he called State Farm and recorded the conversation. In one recording he provided to the Investigators, the State Farm representative told him, “Her policy does allow us to use non OEM parts or recycled parts on her automobile, but we do tell her if she does want to use OEM parts, she does have the option to pay the difference.” Elkins said he’s eating the difference. He said he orders original parts even if it costs him more, but State Farm only pays for what a recycled part would cost. Elkins showed the Investigators receipts where he ordered new parts. A new condenser cost him $539.62, but State Farm only compensated him for what an after-market part would cost with $133.99. Elkins paid See State Farm Forces, Page 51

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www.autobodynews.com | SEPTEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 47

Rio Hondo College No Longer Offering Collision Repair

Continued from Page 38

Autobody News learned in July that Rio Hondo College, in Whittier, CA will no longer be offering a collision repair curriculum starting January 2016. Earlier this year in January, Rio Hondo was one of 15 community colleges selected to run a pilot program to offer a four-year bachelor’s degree in Automotive Technology. It is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2016. Governor Jerry Brown signed legislation in 2014 making it possible for CA community colleges to set up pilot baccalaureate programs and Rio Hondo will be the only community college that offers a degree in Automotive Technology. Mike Slavich, the Division Dean of Career and Technical Education programs, said they will offer a technical track and a business marketing track. “What’s unique about Rio Hondo is their four-year program is in automotive technology,” said Gene Lopez, I-CAR National Fields Operation Manager. Lopez previously taught at Rio Hondo for Slavich. Although Lopez said he is pleased the automotive technology department will be offering this program for students, he also said it is unfortunate that the collision repair program is being discontinued. As a result, he said, “We don’t have an opportunity to continue to hire techni-

“See how you would perceive that, from the minute they drive on the lot, what it looks like,” he said. “All the way through how they are greeted, how they are talked to, whether they are given some empathy during the process and so forth.”

by Stacey Phillips, Assistant Editor

cians from Rio Hondo College. We don’t have an opportunity to have a student graduate with a bachelors degree that has any information on collision repair.” He was told by Professor Steve Tomory that the main reason was due to the program not having any student completers (no certificates or degrees) for nearly 15 years and minimal students were getting jobs with industry training such as ASE and I-CAR. Therefore, Tomory, who will be the faculty advisor, said it was not cost-effective to have a “hobby shop” program. Slavich added that the decision was made due to labor market data and the cost of the program. He recommends students interested in pursuing auto body repair attend the Cerritos or Cypress community college programs, which are both I-CAR certified. “We have plenty of capacity in the area,” said Slavich. He plans to market the bachelor degree program to students currently taking auto body at the two community colleges and will give them credit for their undergraduate work. “I’m hoping that we get students out of the auto body area; typically, students just get enough education to go to work so they don’t finish a degree or certificate,” he said. According to Rio Hondo, graduates will be equipped for jobs with auto manufacturers, car dealers or aftermarket companies that modify vehicles.

MSO Symposium

How to stay in contact Do customers prefer regular contact – including customer satisfaction indexing – by text, email or phone? Not surprisingly, the panelists said ‘it varies.’ David Kulkis, business development director for ABRA Auto Body & Glass, said he still believe phone calls are the best way to keep customers updated. Such calls give you an opportunity for a personal touch and to convey empathy, he said. Electronic communication can augment that, he said, and there are some customers who just don’t want the phone calls. That’s why it’s important to ask customers about their preference, Fisher

agreed, because automated texting or email may even be alienating some of your customers. “We find that younger customers prefer texting and email is great for them,” he said. “But there’s at least 40 percent of your clientele who want a phone call. They still want to communicate with you regularly that way.” Bertellotti agreed that a hybrid strategy is best, particularly when it comes to follow-up customer satisfaction indexing. “There’s a very high self-selection bias in email or any sort of electronic survey,” Bertellotti said. “People who are unhappy or extremely happy typically will take it – and always more of the extremely unhappy. So you self-select downward. The results are usually lower than they would be on the phone, and you miss all of the quality David Kulkis data in the middle. You never get their feedback and never know what’s important to them.”

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Behind-The-Scenes Look at MI Factory Where Ford F-150 Is Manufactured

by Stacey Phillips, Assistant Editor

Every 42 seconds a new 2015 Ford F150 truck is being ordered somewhere across the country. The Ford Rouge Factory, where the all-aluminum vehicle is built, is trying to keep up with this demand by producing 1,200 trucks a day.

The Ford Rouge Factory near Dearborn, MI

Autobody News toured the factory near Dearborn, Michigan while attending the NACE show in July. During the tour, participants learned the history of Ford Motor Company, got a close-up look at vintage Ford vehicles made there over the years and viewed the assembly line where the Ford F150 is constructed. A rooftop observa-

tion deck offers a panoramic view of the entire mile and a half site, which also includes a paint house and living laboratory. Inside the half-a-million square foot assembly plant, 2,000 workers build the Ford F-150 during two 10hour shifts. The factory was originally constructed in 1917 for $12 million and has been modernized over the years. Referred to by Ford as “the best selling vehicle in America,” the Ford F-150 is the only vehicle built at the Rouge plant. An elevated walkway above the assembly line allows viewers to watch the steps involved in constructing the trucks. It takes six hours to build an F150 and employees on the assembly line are allotted about 54 seconds to put on the new parts. Each truck is special ordered and pre-paid before even being built. There are over 500,000 different possibilities that can be ordered, including 14 colors, different engines, tires, suspensions and consoles. “There is a backlog because so many orders are coming in,” said one of the tour guides. “While they can build 600 of these in a 10-hour shift, there are 700 being ordered at the time they are

building the 600. It’s a good problem to have. There’s a lot of job security here.” Every single one is inspected and goes for a test run on the test track. After being been cleared, 60 percent are shipped by road and 40 percent by rail.

Ford participates in several environmental initiatives including using solar panels at the factory

It all started when Henry Ford began tinkering in a small shed behind number 58 Bagley Avenue in Michigan. Ford was the chief engineer at the local power plant and was determined to make a reliable car that everybody could afford. In 1903, he founded Ford Motor Company in a small factory. Five years later he introduced the Model T. Known as the “Tin Lizzy,” the au-

tomobile could handle the rough roads of the day and didn’t break down unlike other companies back then. It took a crew around 12 hours to assemble each one. Ford realized that he needed to find a way to manufacture more while maintaining quality. In Cincinnati, meat packers worked standing in line, each of them in charge of a specific job. Other factories, like textile plants, used simple conveyor systems. Studying these businesses, Ford experimented with the idea of using an assembly line at his own factory. “Instead of moving the man to the work, he brought the work to the man,” according to a video shown at the plant. “With his moving assembly line, Henry revolutionized the manufacturing process.” By 1915, the model T could be assembled in 93 minutes at Ford’s Highland Park plant. His workforce grew from 450 to 14,000. Today, Ford Motor Company manufacturers or distributes automobiles across six continents with about 187,000 employees and 62 plants worldwide. The company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. More information about the Ford tour is available online: http://www .thehenryford.org/rouge/index.aspx Original BMW Parts

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www.autobodynews.com | SEPTEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 49

Hot Topics Discussed During Mitchell’s Q3 Industry Report by Stacey Phillips, Assistant Editor

During Mitchell’s August review of its Industry Trends Report for the third quarter of 2015, Greg Horn, Vice President of Industry Relations and

Data Analytics, highlighted a variety of topics of interest to attendees. This included addressing rumors and misconceptions surrounding the new Ford F-150. Ford has announced discounts of up to $10,000 on the aluminum-bodied F-150, depending on trim level and power train. While some in the industry are saying this means slow sales and/or buyers are rejecting aluminum, Horn said this is a misconception. “In a new vehicle launch, car makers typically over product load top-of-the-line models.” He said the rebates are designed to “move a buyer up to the next level,” so they purchase a more expensive vehicle. The F-Series reported a modest gain this quarter, although overall sales are down 1.3 percent. Horn said much of this is due to a ramp up of production. “There was a lack of availability

Although the 2015 Ford F-Series continued to be the top-selling fullsize pickup truck in the United States during July, Horn said the Chevrolet Silverado is closing in. The Silverado showed the most improved for both

the month and year to date, selling 33.9 percent more in July this year than July 2014. He mentioned Chevy’s new ad campaign, which he described as “provocative.” During a new Chevy commercial, the Silverado and F-150 are compared. Chevy hired an independent firm, AMCI Testing, to document the cost and time for repairs. Based on the results, Chevy said it took twice as long and cost more to repair the Ford F-150.

more expensive. Horn plans to share these findings with Ford.

Average Appraisal Values & Estimates During the presentation, Horn discussed the average age of vehicles, actual cash values and actual appraisal values. Since 2002, the average age of a car has steadily increased and Horn said it has now hit a record high of 11.5 years old. Cars 16-24 years old also hit a record of 44 million units and cars on the road that are 24 years and older hit a high of 14 million. “We have an aging vehicle population,” said Horn. “We had thought earlier that with record new vehicle sales of 17 million units that this trend would reverse itself and we would start to see a newer average age. What’s happening is we have a record number of light vehicles on the road at 257.9 million.” This is up from 239 million five years ago. He attributed it to the fact

“I think we’re going to repair more vehicles than total out vehicles in this year,” — said Greg Horn

Horn pointed out that it may be a that fewer vehicles are being scrapped risky campaign for GM, since it uses aluthan before. minum parts on its existing Silverado. In When looking at the average age of addition, the company announced that it a vehicle being repaired, Horn said the will be using a predominantly aluminum second quarter of 2015 showed it was Register Your forThe Ouraverage actual cash structure in 2018. 7.42Email years old. Horn told attendees that after the value showed a record value of $14,794 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the appraisal value was $2,884. (IIHS) announced repair costs being When looking at auto physical higher for the F-150, Ford disputed this damage (third party losses) the average finding, saying their studies show that vehicle age was 7.77 years old. The avcosts are actually slightly lower for aluerage actual cash value was a record Register Email Our appraisal value minum vehicles. Horn pointed out that Your $13,983 and for the average the test used by the IIHS was unusual was $2,620. Horn said by looking at because they used two F-150s crashing these numbers it’s a good indicator of into one another (a 2015 steel-bodied the repair versus replace comparison. “I vehicle and a 2015 aluminum-bodied think we’re going to repair more vehione), which brings up the question of cles than total out vehicles in this year,” mass. He said it would be interesting to he said. see the same type of vehicle being used He then looked at the three factors side by side. that make up a repairable estimate: Horn also conducted a live poll parts, labor and paint materials. In the during the broadcast. Out of the 528 second quarter of 2015, he found that attendees, 70 percent participated in labor dollars were actually the largest the survey. When asked if the F-150’s percentage of the overall contribution aluminum structure will hurt sales, 73 to repair costs. percent said no. Ninety-two percent of In terms of the number of parts those who answered the poll said they used per repairable estimate, the OEM don’t think repair costs will be more percentage was down slightly at 66.47, for the F-150. In terms of insurance compared to the second quarter of rates, 65 percent said they would be 2013 and 2014. Meanwhile, there was

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Ford has announced discounts of up to $10,000 on the aluminum-bodied F-150, depending on trim level and power train

of all model ranges of the F-150. As production is now fully up to speed and they are meeting demand plus incentives, I think you are going to see the latter part of the year look good for the F-150. The average transaction price of an F-Series pickup was more than $44,000 per truck, which is $3,600 higher than last year. “The all-new F150 is turning twice as fast on dealer lots than the industry average for halfton pickups, as Ford continues building dealer stocks,” said Horn.

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an increase in aftermarket parts at 14.52 percent, and recycled parts at 12.95. Remanufactured parts, the lowest percentage of parts dollars, are mainly categorized into two categories: bumpers and alloyed wheels. Horn said the availability of these parts, due to the cost of remanufacturing and availability of plastic bumper covers, is significantly lower than a few years ago. There is also a growing trend using more aftermarket covers. “We’re starting to see the overall decrease in the percentage of parts dollars towards remanufactured parts,” he said.

Replacing Damaged Parts Mitchell’s feature article this quarter addressed, “How Often Are the Top Damaged Parts Replaced.” Horn said that out of the number of claims made through the repairable system, 68 percent had a bumper cover included. The replacement rate was 72 percent. “That is a very very high percent; 31 points then the next most replaced part, the fender.” He advised both insurers and repairers to look closely at how bumper covers are handled. He recommended they be efficient when ordering, replacing or repairing bumper covers. “You really need to focus on expertise,” said Horn. The third most common involved part is the bumper absorber. “The takeaway is to look at bumper covers, and make sure appraisers are making the optimal decision for that bumper cover, by whether is repair versus Be Seen Ourit Readers! replace,” said Horn. CALL Advertising Sales at: Mitchell’s Industry Trends Report can be accessed online: http:// www.mitchell.com/industry-trendsreport/itr-2015-q3-apd/index.html. advertising@autobodynews.com For more information, contact www.autobodynews.com Mitchell@lewispr.com.

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Continued from Page 46

State Farm Forces

$368.12 for a new radiator, and State Farm paid him $204.29. Sam Pleasant with the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office said they filed suit against State Farm last year in August. “State Farm has a pattern of deceiving consumers and also repair shops and primarily deceiving the consumers by not allowing them to choose which parts they are going to use to have their autos repaired,” said Pleas-

ant. She said consumers are deceived, but in the recorded conversation with State Farm, the representative told the body shop owner that they gave the customer a choice of paying more for original parts. Pleasant said the body shops have contracts with State Farm where they’re forced to use cheap and often unsafe parts. She said they’ve found they often use junkyard parts or overseas parts that do not meet manufacturer standards. “Case after case, we found that insurance companies are putting cost

and getting these repairs done quickly over consumer choice and safety,” said Pleasant.

State Farm sent a statement: “A vibrant, profitable auto collision repair industry is in the interest of State Farm. At the same time, we are advocates on behalf of our customers for reasonable repair costs. We believe repairer profitability and proper auto repairs that are reasonably priced can both be achieved. Claimants and our customers choose where their vehicles are going to be re-

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www.autobodynews.com | SEPTEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 51

U.S. on Pace for Deadliest Driving Year Since 2007, Says National Safety Council

The National Safety Council estimates traffic deaths are 14 percent higher through the first six months of 2015 than they were during the same period in 2014, and serious injuries are 30 percent higher. From January to June, nearly 19,000 people died in traffic crashes across the U.S., and more than 2.2 million were seriously injured, putting the country on pace for its deadliest driving year since 2007. Costs are also up. The six-month estimated bill for traffic deaths, injuries and property damage is $152 billion—24 percent higher than 2014. “Follow the numbers: the trend we are seeing on our roadways is like a flashing red light—danger lies ahead,” said Deborah A.P. Hersman, president and CEO of the National Safety Council. “Be a defensive driver and make safe decisions behind the wheel. Your life really depends on it.” While the high death and injury toll could be due to many factors, an improving economy with lower gas prices and unemployment rates herald increases in vehicle miles traveled. Average gas prices are 30 percent

lower than they were in 2014 and are projected to remain relatively stable heading into 2016. This generally means an increase in traffic; more people can afford to drive, and many travel longer distances and take vacations. To help ensure safety, the Council recommends drivers: ● Make sure every passenger buckles up on every trip ● Designate an alcohol and drugfree driver or arrange alternate transportation ● Get plenty of sleep and take regular breaks to avoid fatigue ● Never use a cell phone behind the wheel, even hands-free ● Stay engaged in teens’ driving habits. Teens are three times as likely to crash as more experienced drivers. Learn about your vehicle’s safety systems and how to use them. My Car Does What can help drivers understand the ins and outs of features such as adaptive cruise control, blind spot warning systems and backup cameras.

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The national average length of replacement rental (LOR) rose slightly in the second quarter of 2015 to 11 days overall, reversing a downturn seen in the first quarter’s data. Compared with the second quarter of 2014, the LOR increased 0.3 days and was up 0.5 days over the 5-year average. The quarterly data, gathered by Enterprise’s Automated Rental Management System® (ARMS), tracks the length of time replacement vehicles are rented to collision center customers and is con-

Mopar Helps Dealers with New Service Capacity Tool

Mopar is introducing a new “crystal cians/service advisors, technician ball” to assist FCA US dealerships in available hours and stall numbers, to preparing for and predicting the best match projected service lane traffic. strategies for enhancing the cus- The dealer can create scenarios and tomer experience, both now and in evaluate the changes needed to reach the future. The Mopar Service Ca- the optimum level of service. Dealpacity Analyzer is a powerful new erships can also examine operational online tool that helps dealers to as- efficiency and identify opportunities sess, plan and implement changes to for improving existing processes and the number of technicians, techni- eliminating waste or inefficiencies. cian hours, stalls and much more to A summary page allows quick combetter service customers. parison of how hypothetical plans “Providing a great customer ex- stack up to current capacity statistics. perience is at the core of what we do,” Mopar also offers tools to help dealsaid Pietro Gorlier, President and erships implement service capacity CEO, Mopar Brand Service, Parts changes. The brand is launching a and Customer Care, FCA. “That is new Service Capacity Guidebook as why this year alone we have sup- part of the Service Capacity Anaported the addition of more than lyzer to assist dealers in seizing ex1,300 technicians, 700 service advi- isting opportunities while avoiding sors and 500 service bays in our the pitfalls of a crowded service lane. dealer network, which overall is well The Mopar Career Automotive ahead of our targets. Now, the new Program (CAP) works in partnerMopar Service Capacity Analyzer of- ship with automotive tech schools to fers dealerships a ‘road map’ to more provide dealerships with a pipeline efficiently utilize these resources by for recruiting trained and skilled forecasting customer needs out to technicians. 2018 based on dealer-specific param“The customer journey is about eters.” Mopar partnering with our dealers to The algorithm-based Mopar ensure that we have the tools, the Service Capacity Analyzer allows people and the plan to continue to dealers to adjust capacity serve those who drivethe us,”industry. said GorGive us yourphysical opinion on matters affecting metrics such as number of techni- lier.

write us!

More Stringentpublisher@autobodynews.com Auto Recalls in 2015 are ‘New Normal’

U.S. automakers and other vehicle U.S. for electrical problems that can manufacturers overseen by the Na- prevent air bags from inflating; VW tional Highway Traffic Safety Admin- had determined it wasn’t a safety issue. istration already have recalled more Automakers are facing electronic than 32.4 million vehicles in nearly 500 issues they haven’t seen before. Fiat campaigns through early August, ac- Chrysler recalled 1.4 million vehicles cording to a Detroit News analysis of because of concerns they can be hacked To advertise Thedata source for timely government and automaker re- and controlled wirelessly. call Joe Momber at: ports, says David Shepardson, This year’s higher-than-normal information that writing every for the paper’s Washington Bureau. recalls also have800-699-8251 been boosted by air body shop needs! That’s still fewer than the 63.95 million bag manufacturer Takata Corp.’s decie-mail: vehicles recalled in 2014 in 803 cam- sion to declare more than 32 million jmomber@autobodynews.co CALL 800-699-8251 paigns. But it’s already topped the pre- vehicles defective in the U.S. See revious record of 30.8 million vehicles lated article this issue. More than 14 www.autobodynews.com www.autobodynews.com Start FREE recalled in all of Your 2004. Several au- million of those already had been reThe Northeast region led the nation with the highest Mail tomakers are onSubscription. pace for a record-set- called by automakers last year. LOR at 12.3 days, according to Enterprise ARMS data ting number of recalls. And the total New NHTSA Chief Mark Rosekind number of campaigns this year could caught the industry’s attention when he sidered a proxy for vehicle repair time. fort to highlight below-market-avercome close to last year. suggested in January that automakers the NEW Accounting for nearly one-third of could recall more vehicles Register Your Though an increase in accidents age cycle times and provideSee in 2015 than in Em critical all U.S. vehicle recalls this year is Fiat 2014. due to weather may have played a role performance data for consistent inChrysler. It has called back a companySean Kane, president of Safety in the second quarter LOR increase, dustrywide comparisons. The ARMS record 10.2 million vehicles this year Research and Strategies, an auto safety there were likely other contributing in- digital management platform enables in 24 recall campaigns in the United advocacy group, said agfluences, according to Frank LaViola, repair centers to bookwww.autobodynews.com rental reservaat NHTSA’s www.autobod States, including 77,000 new 2015 gressive posture is prompting carmakassistant vice president of collision in- tions and send vehicle status updates Chrysler 200s for an electrical problem ers to move faster. dustry relations for Enterprise. to insurance partners and customers. that could cause stalling. About 4 mil“There is a new normal,” Kane “While some regions, such as the In addition, repair centers can track, lion of the automaker’s callbacks are said. “Manufacturers are becoming Midwest, experienced wetter than nor- measure and forecast labor needs, and for Takata air bag inflators. much more diligent about fixing things mal weather conditions, others were generate monthly reports through The NHTSA has demanded re- that they would have been able to get below normal and still increased in ARMS. calls in several instances. In documents away with doing customer satisfaction LOR,” said LaViola. “So, we need to To learn more about the ARMS released Friday, Volkswagen AG dis- or dealer bulletins that NHTSA would look at other factors that may be driv- Automotive Suite, visit www.armsauto To advertise closed the agency had demanded the have accepted in past. Today, no one’s ing longer cycle time. Those could in- suite.com, which includes a privacy call Sean Hartman at: recall of 420,000 cars and SUVs in the even going to cut these corners.” clude technician shortages and training, policy. the complexity of newer vehicles being repaired and other issues, such as parts delays.” The Northeast region led the nation with the highest LOR at 12.3 days. The lowest LOR, 9.4 days, occurred in the Northwest The Mountain To region. advertise Region saw the largest increase in call Advertising Sales at: LOR, 1.2 days, due in part to the re800-699-8251 cent hail catastrophes in Colorado. Enterprisee-mail: began sharing length ofadvertising@autobodynews.com rental information with collision repair centers six years ago in an ef-

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AkzoNobel Launches U-Base for U-TECH Basecoat System for Commercial Builder and Refinish Markets

AkzoNobel’s Vehicle Refinishes business released a new U-TECH basecoat system U-Base, designed for the commercial builder and refinish markets. It is a two-component polyurethane basecoat system and replaces the Polybase and Polybase Plus systems. The U-Base basecoat system introduces four components: U-Base Binder, R300 Reducer Fast, R300

Reducer Slow and Metallic Wet Blend additive. These components work with the existing U-TECH toners to create an all-in-one system for basecoat and single stage applications. U-Base utilizes a simple mix ratio of 3:1:1 and offers a ready- tospray low VOC HAPs-compliant solution with less than 3.5 lbs/gal, making it a universal fit for all refin-

ish regulated markets. “For the painter, the system lives up to the U-TECH brand promise of Better process, better results,” said Kari Greason, commercial vehicle segment manager for AkzoNobel’s Vehicle Refinishes business in North America. “It is extremely easy to use. With the scale and size of jobs in this segment, most painters believe

that the better and more easily paint ‘wets up’ during application, the better the end result. This one product characteristic opens the door to multiple benefits including better flow and levelling, better hiding, faster coverage, faster dry time, less paint used, lower cost and ultimately a higher gloss level when the job is finished.”

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www.autobodynews.com | SEPTEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 53

Continued from Cover

Labor Rate Survey

Survey Methodology True Real-Time Survey by Geographic Area, Zip Codes, and Mileage. National AutoBody Research’s Variable Rate System surveys are performed continuously in real time rather than as a “snap shot” of rates measured at a fixed point in time as is done by other survey companies. The VRS technology determines labor rate ranges (Prevailing Market Rate Ranges or “PMRR’s”) down to the ZIP code level together with a mileage distance from the shop’s zip code which better reflects a shop’s competitive market. It is not limited to a state, county, city, or other predefined region.

Survey Methodology for the FACA / Ray Gunder Real-Time Survey

As soon as a shop completes the FACA Ray Gunder Real-Time Labor Rate Survey, Online its rates are immediately entered into the VRS system and the PMRR’s are computed in real time for searches of 100 miles from the zip codes centrally located in each of the 4 Regions (Northwest, Northeast, Central, Southern) (See Map). The VRS then computes the unique PMRR’s for each of the 4 Regions and the entire State of Florida (See Tables below). Among many analysis and comparisons that can be made, this unique computation of rates helps shops see how their rates compare with shops in the other Regions. 3 Shop Groups. For the FACA / Gunder Survey, three different groups of shops have been selected to be surveyed. The first group, “Total Shops,” includes all non-certified and certified shops. The second group, “I-Car Gold Class Shops,” is comprised of only

shops with I-Car Gold certifications. The third group, “Shops with Multiple Certifications Excluding I-Car Gold,” is comprised of shops with two or more certifications from the list of ASE, Verifacts, Assured Performance, or Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) factory certifications. The VRS differentiates between quality of shops to justify higher labor rate payments. Most insurance companies pay a single rate to shops, regardless of their level of training, certifications, and equipment. By contrast, the VRS methodology purposefully uses these factors to differentiate quality among shops, empowering them to charge higher rates than other shops with lower levels of training, certifications, and equipment. FRP Rates. FRP rates are the fair, reasonable, and sufficiently profitable rates that shops would charge if insurers did not adversely influence repair

labor rates. The FACA / Gunder Survey along with entering their current door / retail rates, provides Florida auto body repair shops the rare opportunity to enter their FRP rates based on their shop’s actual cost of doing business.

Survey Results Seen in Real Time FACA and Ray Gunder are also making the results available to the public. For the first time in the history of labor rate surveys in the Collision Industry, the collection and computation of rates can now be viewed continuously in REAL-TIME. The VRS documents these changes by a date and time stamp as seen below. The map provides a visual orientation of the location of the zip codes from which the 100 mile searches were conducted. For more information go to http:// www.nationalautobodyresearch.com/ labor-rate-surveys.html

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