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Vol. 36 / Issue 9 / September 2018

Judge Finds Lousiana Collision Shop’s Business Practices ‘Unethical’ and Violation of UTPA

Discussion at CIC Highlights Dramatic Changes Coming to the Industry

by Staff, WBRZ

by John Yoswick

A judge has decided that a prominent capital area body shop’s business practices and advertisements were in violation of the Louisiana Unfair Trade Practices Act. WBRZ first reported on a lawsuit filed back in May that alleged Owens Collision misrepresented the contract customers signed and held vehicles longer than necessary “to increase non-repair fees.” It also claimed that Owens marked up the cost of parts and bills for unreasonable fees.

Court records say Judge Todd Hernandez found the business’s refusal to allow customers to view their

vehicles while in Owens’ possession “absurd, unethical, unscrupulous and has proven to be substantially injuriSee Unethical Practices, Page 10

CO Hail Repair Shop Is Accused of Insurance Fraud, Forgery by Eric Ross, KOAA News 5

News 5 Investigates uncovered a local hail repair tent on the southeast side of Colorado Springs that may

have committed insurance fraud and forgery after signing a customer’s insurance check and failing to finish the job. Vernon Jones dropped his car off at AAG Auto Hail Repair in June, but said the company has made excuses and delayed repairs. He said he asked for his truck and unsigned insurance check back so he could take his business elsewhere. That’s when he learned someone from the company had already See Insurance Fraud, Page 12

Michael Simon, director of strategic accounts for Bosch Automotive, is the latest to remind the industry that the absence of any dash warning lights doesn’t mean a vehicle doesn’t need to be scanned. “And the diagnostic codes do not point to a repair, only a symptom,” Simon said at the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) in Atlanta in August. “If a doctor takes your blood pressure and your blood pressure is high, what does that mean? He’s got to figure out if it’s hypertension, is it stress in life, or what’s going on. It’s the same thing with codes. What does that code mean? It says something isn’t working right, but it still requires you to diagnose.” In his presentation at CIC, Simon

made it clear that he was speaking personally rather than as a representative of Bosch. He said the advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) in new vehicles today are part of the automakers’ learning mode on the road to autonomous vehicles. “This is the start of the biggest economic and social shift of the last 100 years,” he said. “Think about how many businesses and people will be affected by this technology change.” To offer some perspective on the transformation that is likely to occur in the coming decade, Simon reminded CIC attendees what the key new features were of the best-selling car 10 years ago: the 2008 Toyota Camry. “It had some darker wood; the See Discussion at CIC, Page 22

U.S. Sen. Doug Jones Says He’s Hoping to Halt Proposed Auto Tariffs by William Thornton, AL.com

On July 18, U.S. Sen. Doug Jones said he and Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) are working to craft a “solution” to proposed tariffs on imported automobiles, which they say could negatively impact U.S. jobs. “We hope to introduce that proposal as early as next week, after consulting with our automotive manufacturers and working with our colleagues to grow bipartisan support for this legislation,” Jones said in remarks on the Senate floor in Washington. “I realize that folks affected by these proposed tariffs are looking for a silver bullet to stop them dead in their tracks. Right now, the only silver bullet in this case is for the President to change his mind and recognize how many jobs are at risk because of these proposed tariffs. Until that hap-

pens, we’re going to fight to protect what our states and our workers have earned.” Jones’ comments occurred as segments of the auto industry are converging on the nation’s capital to lobby against the proposed tariffs. The push is coming at the same time the Commerce Department has two days of hearings scheduled on the tariff issue. In May, President Donald Trump directed the Commerce Department to begin an investigation into whether imported vehicles and auto parts constitute a national security threat. The administration is reportedly considering a 20 to 25 percent tariff on imported vehicles. More than 2,300 comments were collected during the investigation period. Segments of the auto industry, as well as Jones, Sen. Richard Shelby See Hearings on Tariffs, Page 14

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SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

CONTENTS

5 Arrested in Fake Car Crash Scheme in Lafayette, LA by Staff, The Daily Iberian

5 Arrested in Fake Car Crash Scheme in Lafayette, LA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 AR Body Shop Is Complete Loss Due to Fire . . . 8 Caliber Collision Refurbishes Donated Vehicle

the Next Generation of Auto Body Techs . . . 40 Phillips - The Power of Leadership — Tips on How To Be a Great Leader . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Roistacher - Ask the Auto Body Attorney: September 2018. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

for Tucson, AZ, High School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 CARSTAR Business Group of AZ, Enterprise Work to Help Cure Cystic Fibrosis . . . . . . . . 20 CO Auto Body Shops Backed Up for Months From Hail Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 CO Hail Repair Shop Is Accused of Insurance Fraud, Forgery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Fear of Hail Leads to Creative Vehicle Protection in El Paso County, CO . . . . . . . . . 17 Hansen’s Collision Center Recognized as Business of the Month in Richfield, UT . . . . . 6 Hodges Collision Center in TX Names Brandon Fisch as Director of Operations . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Join ABAT at 4th Annual Auto Body Trade Show, Education Days . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Judge Finds Lousiana Collision Shop’s Business Practices ‘Unethical’ and Violation of UTPA . . 1 Loveland, CO, Collision Repair Student Places 3rd at SkillsUSA Competition . . . . . . 10 Mahnke Auto Body Welcomed by Salida, CO, Chamber of Commerce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Service King Opens 15th Arizona Repair Center . . 9 Service King Opens 40th DFW Repair Center. . . 6 Sisk - Regional Association Event Announcements: September 2018 . . . . . . . 30 Truck Thefts Increase in Southern AZ . . . . . . . . 6 UT Collision Repair-Focused Student Earns Gold Medal in National Competition. . . . . . . 20 Vandalism Victims May Be Covered by Insurance in OK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

NATIONAL ‘Will Your Self-Driving Vehicle Need a License?’ . 4 After the Donation: Retired Marine Pays it Forward as His Mission Continues. . . . . . . . 50 BASF Brands Getting a Facelift . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 CREF Announces Fall Career Fair Schedule . . . 49 CREF Announces New Board of Trustees . . . . . 14

Attanasio - Dylan Maki Has Real Fish Stories to Tell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Attanasio - To Facebook or Not? Answers From Experts for Body Shops . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Ledoux - 120 Years of Body-Building Changes . 26 Phillips - All-Female Body Shop Encourages

We thank The Daily Iberian for reprint permission.

www.autobodynews.com

Deadline for NABC Awards Nominations . . . . . 49 Did the John Eagle Decision Change Anything? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Discussion at CIC Highlights Dramatic Changes Coming to the Industry . . . . . . . . . . 1 Ford Commits to Spending $4 Billion on Autonomous Vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Ford Has To Pay Nearly $300 Million Because Of Fatal Takata Airbags . . . . . . . . . 49 From Stay-at-Home Mom to Collision Center Manager: Lynn White Celebrates 24 Years . . 18 Good News: Your Tesla Model 3 Is Finally Ready. Bad News: It May Take Weeks To Get It Serviced . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Nelson Glass Tools Announces New Glass Bot Quartermaster Tool . . . . . . . . . . . 55 New PPG Videos Display Diversity Commitment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Senators Want to Sneak Safety Exemptions for Self-Driving Cars Into Law . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 The Complexities of Truck Collision Repair . . . 52 Trump Administration Seeks to Freeze Fuel Economy Standards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

COLUMNISTS

Louisiana State Police detectives with the Insurance Fraud/Auto Theft Unit assigned to the Lafayette field office arrested five people July 23 for staging a vehicle accident for insurance money in 2015. According to Master Trooper for Troop I Brooks David, the initial investigation revealed that in December 2015, five people participated in a staged vehicle crash involving a passenger car and a rental vehicle near Ville Platte. Those arrested included Sheba Williams, 32, of Opelousas; Lucinda Williams, 26, of Ville Platte; Melanie Malveaux, 36, of Mamou; Delores Bias, 24, of Eunice, and Winston Dupre, 66, of Pollock.

U.S. Sen. Doug Jones Says He’s Hoping to Halt Proposed Auto Tariffs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Uber Drops Self-Driving Trucks Soon After Debut in Autonomous Car Shift . . . . . . . . . . 60 What Is the Future for New, Used Car Sales Claims? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

REGIONAL

The crash involved five adults and three children between the ages of 9 and 15, according to David. The alleged goal of the staged crash was to generate fraudulent insurance claims for intentionally damaged property and fake bodily injuries. At the conclusion of the investigation, detectives obtained arrest warrants on charges of insurance fraud, filing a false police report and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile.

Publisher & Editor: Jeremy Hayhurst General Manager: Barbara Davies Contributing Writers: John Yoswick, Janet Chaney, Toby Chess, Ed Attanasio, Chasidy Sisk, David Luehr, Stacey Phillips, Victoria Antonelli, Gary Ledoux Advertising Sales: Joe Momber, Sean Hartman, Bill Doyle, Norman Morano (800) 699-8251 Office Manager: Louise Tedesco Digital Marketing Manager: Bill Pierce Art Director: Rodolfo Garcia Graphic Designer: Michelle Lucas Online and Web Content Editor: Rochelle Beckel Accounting Manager: Heather Priddy Editorial/Sales Assistant: Randi Scholtes

Serving Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, New Mexico, Arkansas, Colorado, Arizona, Utah 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. ©2018 Adamantine Media LLC.

Audi South Austin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Audi Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . 53 AutobodyLaw.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 AutoNation Chevrolet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 AutoNation Chrysler-Dodge-JeepRam NRH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 AutoNation Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge-Ram of North Phoenix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 AutoNation Collision Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Axalta Coating Systems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Berge Ford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Big Mike Naughton Ford . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 BMW Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . 55 Bob Howard PDC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Chapman Chevrolet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Chevyland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Chicago Pneumatic Compressors . . . . . . . 6 Christopher’s Dodge World . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Christopher’s Mitsubishi . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Classic BMW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Classifieds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Courtesy Chevrolet-Isuzu. . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Covert-Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram. . . . . . 16 Dallas Dodge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Dent Magic Tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Diamond Standard Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Dominion Sure Seal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Don Carlton Auto Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 ECS Automotive Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Emich Chevrolet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Emich Volkswagen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 EMS Automotive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Equalizer Industries, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Finnegan Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge . . . . . . . . . 2 Fisher Acura . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Fisher Honda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Flatirons Subaru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7, 27 Ford Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . 57

GM Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . 59 Greeley Subaru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 GYS Welding USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Honda-Acura Wholesale Parts Dealers. 28-29 Hyundai Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . 61 Kia Motors Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . 51 Larry H. Miller Chrysler-Jeep-DodgeRam/Sandy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Launch Tech USA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Malco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Mazda Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . . . 60 Mercedes-Benz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13, 32-33 Mercedes-Benz of Littleton . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Mercedes-Benz Wholesale Parts Dealers . 61 Mirka USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Mitsubishi Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . 58 MOPAR Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . 35 North Freeway Hyundai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Part of the Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Peak Kia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Polyvance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 PPG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Ray Huffines Chevrolet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 RBL Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Rickenbaugh Volvo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Robaina Industries, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 SATA Dan-Am Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Schmelz Countryside. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes . . 11 South Pointe Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge . . . . . . . 8 Spanesi Americas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Subaru of Little Rock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Subaru Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . 49 Symach. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Toyota of Laredo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Toyota Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . 56 Volkswagen Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . 60 Young Chevrolet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Autobody News Box 1516, Carlsbad, CA 92018 (800) 699-8251 (760) 603-3229 Fax www.autobodynews.com editor@autobodynews.com

autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Senators Want to Sneak Safety Exemptions for Self-Driving Cars Into Law by Angie Schmitt, Streetsblog USA

A group of senators led by South Dakota Republican John Thune wants to let companies rush selfdriving cars to market before any federal safety standards related to autonomous systems have been drafted.

A coalition of 65 consumer advocacy and street safety organizations has warned against the bill known as AV START, which would preempt state and local safety regulations of self-driving cars without spelling out any federal safety rules (although it would allow U.S. DOT to draft some). In addition,

the bill would exempt AVs from many safety standards that apply to all other cars. Each manufacturer would get an allotment of 100,000 vehicles to sell for use on public streets within three years. In a letter sent to Senators July 16, the coalition—which includes the American Public Health Association, America Walks and the League of American Bicyclists— demands the addition of public safety standards before the legislation is enacted. But Thune, the Commerce Committee chair who represents one of the most rural, least-populated states in the nation, wants to include the AV START language as a rider to the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill, which is viewed as a must-pass. The maneuver would prevent debate and an up-or-down vote on AV START as stand-alone legislation. The rush to pass AV START See Sneak Exemptions, Page 12

‘Will Your Self-Driving Vehicle Need a License?’

Act, a pending initiative to centralize rules for testing and then deploying In an attempt to legislate the testing self-driving vehicles. “Have any of these laws changed and ultimately the impending regular use of self-driving vehicles, a lot of anything that is happening on the government entities are weighing in, ground as automakers and others perfrom Congress to individual states and fect their prototypes?” asked session moderator Eric Paul Deneven some cities. nis, a CAR analyst. It prompted attorney “Not really,” said panJennifer Dukarski to ask elist Brian Daugherty, whether the law can keep up chief technology officer for with technology. the Motor and Equipment “It usually doesn’t,” Manufacturers Association. she said, answering her own Dukarski called the pendquestion. ing federal legislation “too Dukarski was among “States and cities slow. It’s not going to get you participants at a session tiare creating tled “Will Your Self-Driving regimes that are so there.” A goal of the bill is to Vehicle Need a License?” at restrictive,” Jennifer avoid a patchwork of state and local laws on self-drithe Center for Automotive Dukarski said. ving cars. Research’s annual ManageCredit: Roger Hart Basically, the bill tells ment Briefing Seminars. In one way or another, 36 states states and cities, “You don’t have to have become involved in overseeing do this, we already have,” said fellow autonomous vehicle testing, particu- panelist Bryant Walker Smith. “States and cities are creating larly on public roads. There are federal agency guide- regimes that are so restrictive,” said lines on matters such as whether self- Dukarski of the Butzel Long law firm driving cars will still need steering in Ann Arbor, MI. She also holds an engineering degree. “In my state, the wheels. Congress is considering the so- little city of Canton is creating its called Autonomous Vehicle START own regulatory framework of how by Steven Finlay, Wards Auto

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Uber Drops Self-Driving Trucks Soon After Debut in Autonomous Car Shift by Mike Brown, Inverse

Uber is pulling the plug on its autonomous trucks just four months after it demonstrated the vehicles shipping freight across Arizona. The ride-hailing firm has shifted plans dramatically ever since one of its autonomous cars killed a pedestrian in March, and the company told Inverse it now plans to exclusively focus on passenger vehicles. Uber bought autonomous truck firm Otto in October 2016, with CEO Travis Kalanick claiming it was part of a shift into services that “serve and elevate humanity.” Uber dropped the Otto branding in May 2017, with plans to use a 64-channel spinning lidar array on Volvo trucks using Uber’s inhouse software stack. The company revealed on March 6 that its vehicles were already moving freight across Arizona, but just 12 days later, an autonomous car killed a 49-year-old woman in Tempe, AZ, leading to an immediate halt of all self-driving vehicle operations. “We’ve decided to stop development on our self-driving truck program and move forward exclusively with cars,” Eric Meyhofer,

and when autonomous vehicles can operate in town.” Overreaching government reaction to new technology is old news, said Smith, a law professor at the University of South Carolina. He also is an engineer and heads a task force on on-road autonomous vehicle standards. He noted that the island of Nantucket, MA, banned automobiles in their early days. “It didn’t last because people wanted their vehicles,” he said. Daugherty said, “Regulators are struggling. You have a tug-and-pull situation. You have overreach by some people who are swimming outside their lanes.” Session panelists also discussed the inevitability of automakers facing lawsuits if a self-driving car malfunctions, causing an accident. Some of those already have occurred in test situations. A pedestrian was killed in one such incident. Smith said, “It’s safer than the one that’s just failed. That’s historic. In the early days of automobiles, when the original spokes broke, they made them thicker. When steering wheels snapped and speared drivers

head of Uber Advanced Technologies Group, told Inverse. “We recently took the important step of returning to public roads in Pittsburgh, and as we look to continue that momentum, we believe having our entire team’s energy and expertise focused on this effort is the best path forward.” The company is not dropping Uber Freight, its non-autonomous initiative that matches human truckers with shippers in a similar vein to its passenger offerings. Uber Freight continues to grow, doubling its load volume every quarter and tripling the size of its team since launching in May 2017, but the company has decided that it does not need to develop autonomous trucks to remain competitive in the space. Beyond trucks, Uber is planning to gradually return to public roads. It recently started operations in Pittsburgh again in manual mode, following a large round of layoffs for 100 existing operators. As for the employees working on the trucks, Uber plans to move them to other areas of the autonomous car business or offer them relocation or separation packages. We thank Inverse for reprint permission.

in accidents, that was fixed, too. It’s something companies do.” Dukarski touted the self-regulating effectiveness of industry oversight in autonomous car development. She said, “People say, ‘Isn’t that the fox watching the henhouse?’ Maybe it’s time to let the fox do that.” Yet, she noted, work remains in preparing self-driving vehicles for the real world of transportation. She recalled a test-drive mishap in Detroit three years ago on a road that had both lane markers and tar lines. “The vehicle followed the tar lines and almost ran into another vehicle,” she said. As automakers and other companies such as Google’s Waymo continue to develop their versions of self-driving cars, “these vehicles are constantly monitored and upgraded,” Smith said. Dukarski, who had sparred with Smith on some issues during the session, responded, “I couldn’t agree more with that.” We thank Wards Auto for reprint permission.

www.autobodynews.com

autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Service King Opens 40th DFW Repair Center

Service King Collision Repair Centers® recently announced the company has officially opened its 40th repair center in the DFW metroplex. The more than 22,000-square-foot, brand-new facility is located in Fort Worth, TX, at 7933 Ederville Rd. “This is another proud moment for the Service King family as we stride forward in our continued strategic expansion across our home market,” said Jason Peel, Service King Market vice president. “With a rich history in the community that spans over 40 years, we are excited to offer our customers and business partners with yet another convenient location for a best-in-class collision repair experience in the DFW area.” As a national leader in high-quality collision repair service, Service King has provided trusted collision repair to its DFW customers since the company”s founding in 1976. The organization is proud to serve customers at locations in 24 states nationwide. The company has also been recognized as one of DFW”s Best Places to Work for 15 straight years by the Dallas Business Journal.

Hansen’s Collision Center Recognized as Business of the Month in Richfield, UT by David Anderson, The Richfield Reaper

A homegrown business has found itself continuing to expand in its first four years of operation in Richfield, UT. Hansen’s Collision Center was recognized as the Richfield Area Chamber of Commerce Business of the Month July 11. Starting with a small staff four years ago, the collision center set out to build a reputation for quality work delivered in a timely manner, according to owners Brady, Kim and Corey Hansen. It started with the Hansen brothers deciding to strike out on their own. After years of working in the auto body industry and seeing how much potential for growth there was, they started looking for ground. Each step of the business has led to the next, Brady said. First, the Hansens hired a small staff to do the best possible work they could repairing vehicles. With a single paint booth, the crew was able to build a reputation for quick turnaround times. Soon the shop was full, and the Hansens had to expand.

Truck Thefts Increase in Southern AZ by Lupita Murillo, News 4 Tucson

In the United States, statistics show a vehicle is stolen every 45 seconds, and more often during the summer time. In Southern Arizona, there has been an increase in auto thefts, especially trucks. Detectives with the Pima County Sheriff’s Department told News 4 Tucson thieves are targeting trucks for the parts. The older trucks are the more popular ones among thieves. “Super duties, such as the 92s and the 97 1/2s, which are the older body style, trucks with the 7.3-liter diesels are targeted because of their motor,” said Arson/Auto Theft Detective Jesse Comeau. Comeau said thieves are selling parts like motors for a much cheaper price than you would find at a reputable auto repair shop. He said in many cases, customers may not even know they are buying a stolen motor. Some thieves do not have to work hard to steal the vehicles; the owners make it very easy. Thieves stake out convenience stores, where people tend to leave their motors running. “Some of these vehicles are left running for the air conditioning systems to remain on, and the 6

vehicles are left unsecured. Trucks are relatively simple to break into as well,” Comeau said. Being this close to the border, a lot of stolen vehicles are taken into Mexico, where they are used for criminal activity, like human or drug smuggling. Guns are also heading to Mexico in record numbers because people leave them in their vehicles, which are sometimes left unlocked. “These weapons are being used in various crimes here and mostly being transported to Mexico where they are sold down there for a lot more money than you can sell the weapons here,” Comeau said. Vehicle thefts do not only impact the person who had their car stolen—they affect everyone on the road. “The more times the insurance companies have to pay out, they’re going to have to get that money from somewhere,” Comeau said. “That, in return, falls back on all of us that have insurance.” Pima County Sheriff’s detectives said they cannot stress this enough: Be sure to lock your vehicles and to keep all valuables out of sight. They also recommend installing an anti-theft device. We thank News 4 Tucson for reprint permission.

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

“This is about as empty as you’ll see this shop,” Brady said, walking through a body shop lined with vehicles, fenders, doors and hoods all in various stages of repair.

Brady Hansen explains how a new frame rack can be used to straighten the frames of semis that are involved in serious accidents. The frame rack is part of a dedicated semi repair shop that is set to open later this summer

Brady said the business has built relationships that have resulted in contracts with large truck companies, insurance agencies and even the Utah Department of Transportation. Hansen’s sandblasts the rust from snowplows and repaints them. The salt and water that snowplows

are exposed to in the course of their job results in corrosion that can lead to structural failure, so maintenance is key to making the machines last. The addition of contracts, as well as the ongoing foot traffic, resulted in Hansen’s having to add another building with an additional paint booth and a sandblasting facility. Not long after, a third building dedicated to nothing but sandblasting was built. Finally, the business’s newest venture is its largest expansion yet: a dedicated diesel shop with a paint booth large enough for an entire semi. The shop also has a frame rack— the first in south central Utah—which can straighten bent frames on a semi. “It could tear a car to pieces,” Hansen said. In addition to specialty equipment for repairing semis, the new shop will have its own office. Hansen’s just hired its 18th employee. In four years the business has grown from a single building to a complex. “Determination can get anything done,” Brady said. We thank The Richfield Reaper for reprint permission.

autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

AR Body Shop Is Complete Loss Due to Fire by Staff, KAIT-TV in Jonesboro, AR

A fire early the morning of August 17 destroyed an Osceola, AR, auto body shop. Investigators were on the scene trying to determine what sparked it. Assistant Fire Chief Hill with the Osceola Fire Department told Region 8 News they received the call to McCarn’s Body Shop, 630 S. Walnut St., around 6 a.m. Despite his crew’s best efforts, he said it was a “complete loss.” No one was injured; however, the chief said a customer’s wrecker was in the shop and burned. “Everything inside is gone,” Hill told KAIT-TV’s reporter. As of August 17, they do not know how the fire started. Region 8 News will have more information as details emerge. Follow them on Twitter and Facebook for up to the minute updates. We thank KAIT-TV in Jonesboro, AR for reprint permission.

Hodges Collision Center in TX Names Brandon Fisch as Director of Operations

Steve Guinn, president/CEO of Hodges Collision Center in Texas, announced that Brandon Fisch was named Director of Operations in an ongoing effort to strengthen the Hodges Collision management team. Fisch joins Hodges Collision from Caliber Collision, where he worked for three years. He made a major career change before working in the automotive collision industry, initially working as a recognized

Brandon Fisch

chef in New York City where he was named a James Beard Finalist. Wanting to get back to Houston, he opened The Burger Guys restaurants in Houston and was named the Youngest Chef by My Table maga-

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

zine’s annual feature “Best Chef in the City” category.

Eventually closing the restaurants and wanting a more normal schedule to raise a family, Fisch said, “I always loved seeing the looks on our guests’ faces when I presented a meal, and I realized that people have the same happy look when they see their previously damaged car, now in brand-new condition. I love providing customers with a positive experience, and Hodges Collision fits the bill. “I also believe strongly in the concept of Servant Leadership, where the leadership pyramid is flipped upside down so that the managers can better mentor and encourage their employees. It really has a positive ef-

fect on the organization.” “We are so pleased to have Brandon in a leadership position at Hodges Collision Center,” noted Guinn. “His management style and experience is so valuable to us, and his belief in Servant Leadership has had a positive impact on our team. He believes in a great customer experience, and that is the foundation of Hodges Collision. We are looking forward to growing the company with his insight.” Having grown up in The Woodlands, TX, Brandon now lives there with his wife and three young sons. He is an avid golfer, loves coaching his son’s soccer team and is a motorcycle street road racer enthusiast. Fisch is an active member of Woods Edge Community Church.

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Join ABAT at 4th Annual Auto Body Trade Show, Education Days

The 4th Annual Texas Auto Body Trade Show and Education Days will be held at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, TX, from Sept. 14–16. Attendance of more than 800 is expected.

“This show is absolutely going to blow people away,” stated Burl Richards, president of Auto Body Association of Texas. “We are bringing the ‘best’ to this show so shops can get all the information to do a safe repair and get paid for it.” Texas Attorney Todd Tracy will bring his three Honda Fit crash test cars to the event and present beside them on the show floor Saturday. The Texas Auto Body Trade Show will be open for three days this year, beginning Thursday afternoon with a national association meeting. This will be conducted in

an interactive roundtable format to discuss how associations can be more effective and bring about a call to action to work closely together to achieve industry goals. Thursday evening will commence with an industry gathering in Fort Worth, dinner, and drinks. Last year’s gathering at Billy Bob’s was a huge hit, and 2018 promises to top that. “The show will be packed with unique offerings this year,” said ABAT Executive Director Jill Tuggle. The tradeshow floor will feature an OE showcase called “Gasoline Alley,” the 3M demo semi truck, unique cars, celebrity appearances and so much more. Exhibits are bigger and better this year, bringing equipment, cars and more technology to the floor. The very popular Friday night Welcome Reception will bring more surprises for attendees to prove they have what it takes. Saturday will be the first Texas Auto Body Trade Show Classic Car Show. This incredible display of the “classics” will be right outside the

showroom floor, and attendees will have the chance to vote their favorites into the final judging. This year, Texas is bringing more important education to shops and especially technicians. “Technicians are invited at no charge, and we are looking forward to a very technician-centric show,” Tuggle said. The nationally recognized line-up of speakers will deliver impressive and powerful messages. “This education program is designed so that all segments of the industry will leave the event with knowledge and enthusiasm, and to know where you are going and that you are not alone,” Richards said. The historic Will Rogers Memorial Center is a perfect place for the 2018 Texas Auto Body Trade Show. Will Rogers’ message speaks to us: “Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there.” For more information, please go to www.abat.us

Service King Opens 15th Arizona Repair Center

Service King Collision Repair Centers® recently announced the company has officially opened its 15th Arizona repair center. The new facility, located at 1265 E. Pecos Rd. in Gilbert, AZ, continues Service King’s ongoing national growth strategy and strategic expansion across the greater Phoenix market. With the announcement, Service King officially expands to 15 convenient repair centers across the market and locations in 24 states across the U.S. The over-20,000-square-foot facility is outfitted with state-ofthe-art equipment in a new convenient South East Valley location. “This is another proud step for Service King as we continue to expand our footprint across the Phoenix market,” said Ryan Downs, Service King market vice president. “We are excited to open the doors to this bestin-class facility and look forward to providing our customers and insurance partners with the superior quality and service they have come to expect in the market.”

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Loveland, CO, Collision Repair Student Places 3rd at SkillsUSA Competition by Pamela Johnson, Loveland Reporter-Herald

Loveland, CO, Collision Repair Student Places at SkillsUSA. Jo Boden loves muscle cars. She bought her first project vehicle, a 1982 Chevrolet Blazer, when she was 14 years old and is known for her shiny, souped-up, large-tired ride. She loves her vehicle, and she loves the surprised looks she gets when a petite, 5-foot 3-inch woman steps out of the cab.

Loveland High School graduate enrolled in Aims Community College during her senior year of high school, she decided to try out automotive collision repair.

Wearing medals she won for regional, state and national collision repair technology, Jo Boden poses for a portrait with her 1982 Chevrolet Blazer in Loveland. Credit: Jenny Sparks, Loveland Reporter-Herald

Jo Boden talked about some of the body work she has done on the fender of her 1980 Chevrolet Camaro Z28. Credit: Jenny Sparks, Loveland Reporter-Herald

She also loves working on and restoring cars. When the 18-year-old recent

She literally fell into the field she now loves and at which she excels. In June, the Loveland teen finished third in the National SkillsUSA competition for secondary collision repair. She competed through Aims’ automotive program, in which she is still enrolled. To get to the national competition in Louisville, KY, she placed first in both district and state. She competed nationally against

46 other collision specialists, including six other women. Over several days, the students completed metal, plastic, welding and structural repairs as well as written estimates, a mock interview and a written test. At the end of the competition, Boden placed third overall doing something that she loves. Boden, who grew up with a father who was interested in hot rods, and an artist mother, said collision repair embraces both of those worlds. She said tackling a unique problem with a repair allows her to be creative and use her love of art while still working with cars. “It’s art work, and it is restoring something,” said Boden, who enjoys the challenge of a tough repair. “I fell in love with it.” She continues in the automotive program at Aims and is working fulltime at an auto body shop while also working to fully restore a 1980 Camaro Z28 that she bought to fix all on her own. She added, “I finally understand the quote, ‘If you love what you do, you don’t work a day in your life.’” We thank Reporter-Herald for reprint permission.

A string of vandalism cases across the north side of the city have been reported to Ardmore, OK, Police since they occurred July 30. APD Sgt. Brice Woolly said there have been about 17 reported victims so far. The alleged vandals have caused hundreds of dollars in property damage by shooting at homes and vehicles with what is believed to be a BB gun. The incidents appear to have happened in the northeast and northwest neighborhoods near Turner, Freeman, Wandering Way and Hidden Path. “Those areas were hit hard,” Woolly said. “We are trying to get video from some places around the area to see if we can at least get a description of the vehicle, as the subjects are most likely driving around.” Those affected have reported windows being shot out of their vehicles. For those with full coverage insurance, this may be covered. “Always call your insurance company first,” said Brent Owens, 10

shop manager at Solley’s Collision Center. Owens said depending on the vehicle and what glass replacement is needed, repairs can sometimes be made the next day. In some cases, though, items may have to be special-ordered. “Some may have glass coverage on their policy,” Owens said. Even if you only have liability, Owens said it’s worth it to go by and get an estimate. “I try to help folks when I can,” Owens said. If anyone affected is in a bind, Owens said he may be able to help. Whether affected by this instance of apparent vandalism or otherwise, Owens said he is happy to help walk customers through the process of getting an estimate and insurance payout on needed repairs. We thank The Daily Ardmoreit for reprint permission.

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ous to its customers.” In response, the judge ordered that the business allow customers full access to their vehicles during regular business hours. He also said Owens was prohibited from misrepresenting the terms and conditions of its contracts in the future. The judge dismissed the individual claims filed against business owner Greg Owens. We thank WBRZ for reprint permission.

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Insurance Fraud

cashed his check and received more than $5,470. Jones alleged the signature on the insurance check is a forgery and pointed out that his name is spelled incorrectly. News 5 Investigates compared the alleged forgery to Vernon’s known signatures and noticed discrepancies. After our investigation, we learned Colorado Springs police were called to “keep the peace” so Jones could pick up his Dodge truck from the repair tent. News 5 has reached out to Colorado Springs police to find out whether a criminal investigation is underway. We are waiting to hear back. Tips to Avoid Getting Ripped Off: • There are many legitimate businesses out there. However, it’s important to check the history of the business. If the business is advertising that they are a BBB-accredited organization, call the Better Busi-

ness Bureau and verify that information.

• Make sure you get a contract in writing that shows the date you droped off your car, along with an estimated pickup or repair time frame. • If you are going to a “pop-up” hail repair tent, ask whether the company has an actual business address or storefront locally. Some companies may be from out of town, and while that is perfectly legal, it could pose problems if you have a dispute down the road and the company is no longer available to answer your questions. • If you suspect insurance fraud, you should report it immediately to law enforcement, your insurance company and the Colorado Attorney General’s Office.

No one from AAG Auto Hail Repair could explain to News 5 who signed Jones’ check and why his name was misspelled on the back. We thank KOAA News 5 for reprint permission.

Mahnke Auto Body Welcomed by Salida, CO, Chamber of Commerce by Staff, The Mountain Mail

Salida Chamber of Commerce recently welcomed Mahnke Auto Body, 716 Park Ave. in Salida, CO, to its membership with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Mahnke Auto Body has six locations, mostly on the Front Range, and a 40-year history in the business of collision repair. Sam Mahnke said the auto body industry is evolving, and cars are not getting any easier to fix with all of the technology and safety standards involved. Formerly Clyde’s Auto Body, the business was bought by Mahnke in January. The local business is managed by Tony Sewott. Rick Shovald, former owner of Clyde’s, said he knew he intended to retire and wanted to find a new owner. He said Mahnke set the bar for training in the collision repair industry and has a great reputation in the metro Denver area, so he reached out to Sam Mahnke. Mahnke came 12

to Salida, took a look and decided to purchase the business. Mahnke kept on employees from Clyde’s and added new employees.

Mahnke Auto Body is welcomed to membership in Heart of the Rockies Chamber of Commerce with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Credit: D.J. DeJong

Shovald, who continues to work at Mahnke, said he is glad to be out of the front of the shop and back in the back, where he can work on cars, which is what he enjoys.

For more information about Mahnke Auto Body, call 539-7359 or visit mahnkeautobody.com. We thank The Mountain Mail for reprint permission.

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

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Sneak Exemptions

before safety standards are enacted is proceeding despite the killing of Elaine Herzberg by a self-driving Uber car in Tempe, AZ, this spring. A National Transportation Safety Board report revealed that Uber had programmed the car not to brake in certain situations and that the backup driver was watching TV on her phone at the time of the crash. Jason Levine, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, a consumer advocacy group, said the coalition doesn’t oppose selfdriving cars but wants to ensure safety protections are in place before laws legalize sales to the public. “The promise is that these are going to be safer,” he said. “There’s no requirement that these be even as safe as what we have right now. That’s really a problem.” Even Keith Crain, the longtime publisher of Automotive News, thinks lawmakers are shirking their duty to protect the public: “Autonomous vehicles may

provide the opportunity to save even more lives and prevent more injuries. But they must also adhere to the same strict standards that exist today. “It is bad enough that automakers are testing these vehicles on public roads. To even think about manufacturing these vehicles for the public without meeting today’s standards is simply irresponsible.” The coalition has proposed nine changes to the AV START legislation, including a mandate that data recorded in crashes be disclosed, and a requirement that AVs pass a “vision test” showing they can process visual information about their surroundings. Human drivers must also demonstrate that they’re licensed. We thank Streetsblog USA for reprint permission.

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Caliber Collision Refurbishes Donated Vehicle for Tucson, AZ, High School Students at San Miguel High School in Tucson, AZ, had lots to cheer about at their first school pep rally Wednesday, August 27 at 3 p.m. when they kick off Fall sports and the arrival of a newly refurbished school van donated by Caliber Collision and Allstate Insurance.

repair companies, insurers and others in the collision industry who team up to refurbish and donate vehicles to individuals and nonprofit organizations in need. Associates at Caliber Collision volunteered personal time to refurbish the van as another way to restore the customers

San Miguel students participate in a unique corporate work study program where they learn the skills necessary to be successful in a professional career while earning money to support the cost of their college preparatory education. The van, donated by Caliber Collision and Allstate as part of the nationwide Recycled Rides program, will provide students with safe and reliable transportation to get back and forth between school and their jobs. The Recycled Rides program is a collaboration between collision

and communities they serve to the rhythm of their lives. According to Nicola Hartman, director of advancement & corporate at San Miguel, the school is responsible for transporting all 350 of its students in the Corporate Internship Program to their workplaces throughout Tucson. Several of the school’s current vehicles are showing signs of aging and becoming unreliable. The Recycled Rides van donation will help ensure that the students get to work and classes on time and reinforces

“We respect and admire the commitment that San Miguel students demonstrate through their participation in the Corporate Internship Program,” — Mitch McMaster

CO Auto Body Shops Backed Up for Months From Hail Damage by Krystal Story, KRDO

Thousands of cars damaged by the hail storm on August 6 won’t be able to get repaired as quickly as their owners would like. Auto body shops across the Colorado Springs, CO, area are backed up for months, still fixing cars from the hail storm in June. The Phil Long Collision Center said it is booked until February for the first storm, and with this new event, could extend that further. Duane Meszler, the general manager, said, “This most recent storm is just going to piggyback onto the last storm starting in February and schedule from then on, and the bad thing about these storms is [that] the length of repair time for

each vehicle can be upwards of four to six weeks.” The easiest and quickest repairs are the windshields. They usually take 24 hours to get replaced. Other damages, such as dents from the hail, can take four to six weeks. In most cases, people without vehicles could just rent a car, but even that has a severe shortage after the hail storms. U-Save Car and Truck Rental employee Joyce Krivda said, “We bought more cars, and we’re still sold out.” Now, some of their fleet is coming back from customers with hail damage. We thank KRDO for reprint permission.

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the importance of punctuality and responsibility. “We respect and admire the commitment that San Miguel students demonstrate through their participation in the Corporate Internship Program,” said Mitch McMaster, Caliber Collision vice president of operations. “Caliber’s purpose is to restore the rhythm of our customers’ lives, and we hope this gift of transportation will do the same for San Miguel students as they prepare for a bright future and successful careers.”

“At Allstate, we are committed to giving back to our local communities and are thrilled to support the valuable work and academic opportunities that students gain at San Miguel High School,” said Edmund Marquez, Allstate agency owner in Tucson.

Hearings on Tariffs

and Gov. Kay Ivey, among others, have made comments opposing the tariffs. Ivey, in a letter to Commerce Sec. Wilbur Ross, said Alabama’s auto segment could lose up to 4,000 jobs as a result. Jones said he [remembers] when Alabama did not produce any automobiles; yet the state is now the nation’s third-leading auto exporter. “Now let me be clear—while the United States faces any number of threats from adversaries on any number of fronts, foreign automobiles and auto parts are not a threat to our national security,” he said. “But you know what is a threat? A 25 percent tax on the price of these imported goods.” Auto industry figures say the proposed tariffs would adversely affect American automobiles because many models produced domestically use imported parts, which they say would drive up the cost for consumers. Tariffs would also inspire retaliatory tariffs in other countries, See Hearings on Tariffs, Page 17

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autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Did the John Eagle Decision Change Anything? by Gary Ledoux

The John Eagle decision of October 2017 was one of the most momentous in the history of the collision repair industry in America. Because Dallas-based John Eagle Collision Center did not follow OE repair procedures to repair some hail damage on a 2010 Honda Fit, resulting in severe physical and emotional harm to owners Matthew and Marcia Seebachan in a subsequent accident, attorney Todd Tracy represented the couple in a civil lawsuit which they won, forcing the shop to pay $31.5 million in damages. Almost a year has gone by since then. Plenty of magazine articles have been written and seminars have been provided by Tracy and auto body associations about the effects of the lawsuit and how shops can protect themselves from experiencing a similar situation. Some ad-hoc conversations with shop owners and spurious social media postings by both shop owners and techs indicate that some shops have

taken the John Eagle case seriously and made some positive changes to their SOPs. Others seem to have taken the “It’ll never happen in my town” attitude. Based on the John Eagle decision and other recent industry trends, including use of OE parts, pre- and post-scanning and recalibration, Autobody News wanted to get a clearer picture of what shops are actually doing to determine if the industry is indeed changing … or not. Survey Methodology Near the end of July 2018, Autobody News sent an email survey to approximately 15,000 body shops at random. Over the following several days, 157 shops completed the survey for a response rate of about 1 percent—not an overly large response—but the results are eye-opening. Survey Questions The same questions were asked under two different circumstances: 1) What the shop’s policy was prior to the John Eagle case (before Oct. 1, 2017), and

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

2) What their policy was after the John Eagle decision became known (after Oct. 1, 2017). Note: The question of pre- and post-scanning and recalibration was not the main focus of the John Eagle case. However, the question of scanning and recalibration began to get more attention about the same time and is still a topic of debate for a complete and safe repair, so it was included in this survey. Questions included: * What percent of the time did you look up and follow OE repair procedures? * What percent of the time did you use new, OE parts for repair? * What percent of the time did you perform a pre- and post-diagnostic scan? * What percent of the time did you recalibrate those devices requiring recalibration based on a post-repair scan? To get a better perspective, shops were also asked about their DRP associations and how many they had. The results were: 28% - 0 DRPs 26% - 1-3 DRPs

28% - 4-6 DRPs 8% - 7-10 DRPs 9% - 10+ DRPs To get an idea of a shop’s size, we also asked how many shop employees each respondent had. The results were: 30% - 1-7 employees 32% - 8-15 employees 18% - 16-25 employees 20% - 25+ employees Survey Results For brevity, we are publishing overall shops (includes all responding shops), smallest and largest shops by employee count, shops with no DRP associations and those with the most DRP associations. Numbers reflect statistics prior to the John Eagle decision and after the John Eagle decision. What percent of the time did you look up and follow OE repair procedures? At the core of the John Eagle decision was whether or not the shop followed OE repair procedures. After some explanation, even a jury of laypeople understood the concept and See John Eagle Decision, Page 34

Continued from Page 14

Fear of Hail Leads to Creative Vehicle Protection in El Paso County, CO by Scott Harrison, KRDO

With storms expected the week of August 12 in El Paso County, CO, vehicle owners tried a variety of methods to protect their automobiles or prevent further damage. Specialized hail blankets are available at

some stores and online, but they can be expensive. Drivers tried anything that might withstand the impact of larger hailstones, such as those that fell in two area storms this summer. Cardboard, blankets and even bubble wrap from packages were some of the materials being used. But many auto body repairmen said shelter is the only true protection. “I’ve seen people use mattresses on their vehicles,” said repairman Joe Larma. “But my ad-

vice is to park your car in a garage or under a carport. If you have too much stuff in your garage, then it’s time to clean it out. It’s not easy to find a material that will absorb the impact from a serious hailstorm.” John Bailey lost one of his two vehicles in the June hailstorm, replaced it and has taken steps to protect them from future storms. “Luckily, I wasn’t home during the last hailstorm,” he said. “But an overhang I made out of a tarp got shredded. I put blankets on the top of my vehicles, cardboard on the rear windshields and cushions on the front windshields.” Bailey said he plans to buy a carport and have it installed soon so that he can park both his vehicles under it. Gena Taddy said both windshields in her minivan broke during the hailstorm that took place the week of August 5. She has had the damage repaired but sees no need to cover her van. “With my hail replacement, I got a six-month warranty,” she said. “So if it happens again, they’ll fix it. I also upped my insurance to full coverage, so I’m good to go.” We thank KRDO for reprint permission.

CREF Announces New Board of Trustees

The Collision Repair Education Foundation announced the appointment of three new members to its Board of Trustees, including: Doug Irish, Fayetteville Technical Community College; Mark Helvenston, Insurance Auto Auctions; and Steve Schmidt, State Farm. Jeanne Silver, chair of the Foundation Board of Trustees, said, “We are pleased to welcome the new trustees to the Collision Repair Education Foundation board. The diverse viewpoints that come from a blend of industry segments add to our mutual efforts on behalf of the students and their schools.” Industry members interested in joining the Collision Repair Education Foundation’s roster of supporters to assist high school and post-secondary collision school programs and students should contact Director of Development Brandon Eckenrode at 847-463-5245 or Brandon.Eckenrode@ed-foundation.org

Hearings on Tariffs

further impacting American exports, critics contend. Among the activities slated for later this week in the capital: More than 30 vehicles built in the U.S. by international automakers will motorcade past the Capitol and to the Department of Commerce July 26. One of them will be Mercedes’ GLE, made at Mercedes’ Vance plant. Seven auto trade groups are participating in two days of events coinciding with the hearings and have paid for advertisements in publications, including The Wall Street Journal. The ad comes as an open letter to Trump, thanking him for his support of the industry but urging another strategy to protect U.S. jobs. “While we understand that you are working to achieve a level playing field for trade to create more jobs, raising tariffs is the wrong approach,” the ad states. We thank AL.com for reprint permission.

autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

From Stay-at-Home Mom to Collision Center Manager: Lynn White Celebrates 24 Years by Ed Attanasio

In male-dominated industries like collision repair, women are often paid less for the same jobs that men hold, and only a low percentage make it to the top of the career ladder. In many cases, it’s still a goodold-boy system in the body shop world. But Lynn White, 59, has been thriving in it for almost a quarter of a century and isn’t even remotely thinking about retirement. She’s the manager at Walker Collision Center in Alexandria, LA, a town that is proud to be at the precise center of the state. With 14 employees in a shop that repairs approximately 150–200 cars every month, it’s a busy place, but this sea-

Lynn’s husband, Buster, works right across the street at Walker GM, so they’re able to have lunch together on a regular basis

soned veteran isn’t afraid to jump in when needed. White always strives to be better at her job because she knows that someone is waiting to take it if she isn’t always on top of her game. At age 35, White decided to jump back into the working world with both feet, an existence with which she was already familiar and anxious to pursue. “Being a stay-at-home mom is a tough job, believe me,” she said. “When the kids started going off to school, I knew I wanted to work, and since my husband was working in the same industry as a service manager, I thought, ‘Why not?’ I know the business, and I had a lot to learn, but I thought I could succeed if I worked hard and went for it.” Hard work has never been an 18

issue for White, she said, and that’s and one of the largest insurers in this why she hit the ground running when area is down to just one person out she landed her first job at an inde- in the field.” pendent body shop in 1994. Although she did encounter a “My family had a business for little pushback from her male counmany years in Forest City, AR, selling tobacco and candy wholesale to momand-pop grocery stores,” she said. “It involved driving around and visiting the stores, and I developed a real work ethic during those years. In my job now as a collision center manager, Lynn White (center) runs a crew that is easy to work with you need sales and interper- at Walker Collision Center in Alexandria, LA, she said. In sonal skills to keep every- fact, they recommended her for the management spot after the previous one was laid off one happy and on the same page, and I learned a lot about sales terparts during her first decade in back then.” the industry, White said that most of During her formative years in everyone was wonderful as she moved the collision repair industry, White up the ranks. held almost every position in a shop “My crew consists primarily of except for being a metal technician men, and I have never had a problem or a painter, she said. with any of them,” she said. “They “I started originally working as actually recommended me for the a receptionist at Freeman Enterprise manager position after letting one in Memphis, TN, and the owner guy go, which meant a lot. We have there, Larry Freeman, was incredi- mutual respect for each other, and ble,” she said. “He taught me everything, and prior to that all I knew was how to put gas in the car and drive it. He sent me to training school to be an estimator and how to work with State Farm, which was their main DRP at the time. I was writing supplements and ordering parts, and I was there for 19 years. It was a great learning experience because I still use a lot of the things I learned there today at Walker Collision Center.” The Walker Automotive Group has six dealerships in Louisiana featuring Mercedes Benz, BMW, Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge, RAM, Toyota, Kia, Honda, Buick, GMC and Mitsubishi. White likes working for a strong company with extensive support that focuses intently on customer service, she said. “Some of the biggest changes in this industry have to do with customer service and using the technology to do a better job,” she said. “The insurance companies are doing everything virtually now and pulling adjustors out of the field. The oneon-one interaction is lost, but in other ways it’s made things easier. A lot of the estimates are now being done through photo estimating apps,

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

that’s why it works so well. If I ask them to do something, they do it and never balk for a second, so it’s been a great experience.” With two other women working on her crew, White offers advice for others who want to enter the business. “We have one woman in customer service and another in parts, and they’re great employees,” she said. “I tell them that their goals are achievable, so learn as much as you possibly can and don’t give up if someone tells you that you can’t do something.” Without any plans for retirement, White wants to work at Walker Collision Center as long she can. “I want at least 6–7 more years; why not?” she said. “I can’t stay at home—I would go crazy! My husband, Buster, works right across the street at Walker GM, so we get to eat lunch together, which is nice. I like what I’m doing and this is an exciting time to be working in the collision repair industry, so I’m hoping to be here for quite some time.”

autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

UT Collision Repair-Focused Student Earns Gold Medal in National Competition by Barbara Christiansen for Daily Herald

When Scotty George graduates from Utah Valley University in August, there will be pinstripes in his future— but they won’t be on his suit. They will be on vehicles. He is graduating with a degree in technology management, which he said is like a business management program but with emphasis on a trade, which allows the individual to have a particular focus. “You pick an industry and specialize in that,” he said. “My emphasis is on collision repair and street rod. There is some use of diesel mechanics and welding.” It’s hard to say whether he picked the field or if it picked him. George bought a 1968 Ford F-100 truck when he was 15 years old. He bought it from a neighbor after doing odd jobs to save money for the purchase price. “I’d come home from school and instead of working on my homework, I’d just kind of stare out the window across the street at this old blue truck, dreaming of owning it and what it could be with some work,” he wrote on his blog. He eventually purchased it. “I did a lot of my own experimenting with the truck, the ideas, resources and knowledge that a teenager has, and as time went on, apprenticed a master mechanic, got a job at a body shop prepping for the painting, got into pinstriping, and suddenly all of the modifications I made in high

“Each day, they have you do something a little different,” he said. “We did written tests [and] a pretend job interview. We spent time at four different stations: painting, color-matching, repairing scratches, priming and masking a car. We also had an estimating exam.” George participated in the national competition last year and finished in seventh place. He studied and practiced, particularly in the areas he saw room for the most improvement. This year, it brought the results he sought—first place on the national level. “I was excited,” he said about hearing the results. “They read off third place, then second and first last. When I didn’t hear my name initially, I thought I probably got fourth. My goal was to Portrait of Scotty George, a gold medal winner in the make sure I came in better national SkillsUSA competition for automotive refinishing than last year. I found out that technology on Wednesday, July 25, 2018. Credit: Savanna Richardson, UVU Marketing all that time and extra studying paid off.” With the gold medal safely in hand, the classic vehicle, but is still spending George is back to working on his truck. time restoring it. And the more he “I came here with the intent to does, the more there is to do. patch a couple holes in the doors,” he He is in a good position to do the said. “I was in a welding class at that work, having just finished top in the time. I got those taken care of and I nation for college students in the SkillsUSA contest for automotive refinishing technology. UVU sent its top three students in the field to a state competition in April. The first place winner in the state had the chance to compete on the national level, which was a week-long in Louisville, KY. school that were really ‘cool’ to me at the time ended up making a lot more work for me down the road to fix,” he said. That truck has been with him for 12 years—nearly half his life. The catch is that he’s not driving around in

CARSTAR Business Group of AZ, Enterprise Work to Help Cure Cystic Fibrosis

The CARSTAR Business Group of Arizona, along with Enterprise Rent-A-Car, is taking big strides against cystic fibrosis, thanks to a

grant from the Enterprise Holdings Foundation. Members of the CARSTAR Business Group of Arizona gathered as part of CARSTAR’s annual Shine Month. Enterprise presented 20

a $1,500 check to support CARSTAR’s charitable efforts to fund research, treatment and advocacy for cystic fibrosis. Across North America, CARSTAR has made fighting cystic fibrosis its cause. Over the past two decades, CARSTAR has raised more than $3 million for cystic fibrosis-related initiatives. With the help from the Enterprise Holdings Foundation, CARSTAR will continue its efforts to help support the mission to cure cystic fibrosis. “As a group, we work together to give back to our community,” said Eric Grossman, owner of CARSTAR Eric’s Auto Center in Tuscon, AZ. “We appreciate our partners at Enterprise Rent-A-Car supporting our efforts to help families with cystic fibrosis with this donation.”

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

kept looking around. ‘Let’s try this. Now I can do this,’ I thought. It kind of evolved into redoing most of the entire truck. But when I am done, I will have a [much] nicer finished product. “The longer it stayed here, the more carried away I got. I have had it here close to three years. It was a running, driving truck when I brought it down here. I have upgraded the suspension, brakes and engine. It should ride like a modern car, with the engine making better power. It is my drive and passion—I want to make it better than it was. I have posted pictures of the progress on it. Some people are following it, and it has actually helped me get my job. Sharing it online kind of served as a portfolio or resume.” He recommended the program for those interested in the field. “I have learned a lot and gained a lot from being here,” he said. “I think the greater accomplishments have come to me from being in this program. There is a lot of support for people coming into this industry. Meeting and networking with the people has been invaluable.” We thank Daily Herald for reprint permission.

autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Continued from Cover

Discussion at CIC

backseats reclined; there was an optional stability system, and I think that was one of the first years where a hybrid version was available,” Simon said. “Now look at the 2018 Camry. The notable features include a bird’s eye view camera with perimeter scan. A pre-collision system that’s not just stopping the car, but stopping the car and trying to swerve out of the way. Lane departure alert and assist is standard. Automatic high beams. And dynamic radar cruise control.”

Use of Aftermarket Tools Discussed But during the question-and-answer session that followed, trainer and consultant Mike Anderson of Collision Advice challenged Simon’s assertion that an aftermarket scan tool is adequate for collision repairers. He said in his experience, use of an OE scan tool or service is the only way to determine if a vehicle is subscribed to a telematics system like OnStar, and if so, temporarily disable the system during repairs. “If I have a vehicle that’s connected to the internet, and I do not disable that OnStar-type system, it will generate emails to that consumer

He said the electrification of vehicles has been slower than he expected, but that by 2028, there will be an estimated 120 million electric vehicles on the road. “Next year you will see a lot of [electric] cars with a 300-mile range,” he said. “And charging time is getting better …You can get 180-mile charge in about 20 minutes.” Far fewer people will own their own car, he said, when they can page a driverless vehicle to pick them up. “The car [population] will probably be significantly smaller,” Simon said. “This one study I read said the 250 million vehicles in the U.S. in 2018 will drop to 33 million by 2050.” The number of hours those vehicles will be on the road, however, will increase by 400 percent. Returning to the topic of scanning, Simon said a pre-repair scan of vehicles gives collision repairers the information needed to “design a reliable work flow.” He said a good aftermarket scan tool will “cover about 95 percent of what’s out there,” though he acknowledged that may not include a current model year vehicle when it first hits the road. “In cases where the tool doesn’t cover it, there are companies that offer services where you are connected to the OE tool,” he said. “You also can partner with shops that may have the OE tool.”

[during repairs] and I will get consumer complaints,” Anderson said. Chuck Olson of AirPro Diagnostics, which offers remote scanning services, said there are manual procedures to disconnect telematics systems. And Jim Silverman of the Automotive Training Institute said that while he respects Anderson, he is concerned about the concept of arguing for the use of only OE scan tools. “I think everybody in this room needs to think about it: If we promote using only OE scan tools, if we tell the OEs we agree with that, then the next step is using only OE shops,” Silverman said. “They’re going to say only use our shops. I don’t think any of us want that.” During the discussion, Jake Rodenroth of asTech, which also offers remote scanning services, said the industry may be so focused on the issue of scanning that fundamental repair elements are being overlooked. “In our [ADAS] calibration center in Dallas, we are seeing a high failure rate of vehicles that have been repaired in collision shops and brought in for calibration,” Rodenroth said. “In terms of radar cameras and things like that on the front of the car, we’re seeing about a 30 percent failure rate. The vehicles weren’t straight enough for calibration. And we’re also seeing about a 50 percent failure rate on blind spot calibration.

“I think everybody in this room needs to think about it: If we promote using only OE scan tools, if we tell the OEs we agree with that, then the next step is using only OE shops,” — Jim Silverman

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

As a repair community, we need to check ourselves. We’re still an industry that fights over whether the car is going to get measured or aligned. When you have systems that are pulling reference materials based on the center line of the car, that’s a little bit of an issue.” Also at CIC In other news and discussion at CIC in Atlanta:

• Jeff Peevy, president of the Automotive Management Institute (AMI), was named the new chairman of CIC for 2019. Peevy, who spent 16 years with I-CAR prior to taking the helm at AMI in 2015, currently co-chairs the CIC’s “Education and Training Committee.” He was selected by the previous CIC chairmen to succeed Guy Bargnes, who led the conference in 2017 and 2018.

• Jon Ruttencutter of the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security) discussed the issue of counterfeit automotive parts. He showed video

of tests conducted on counterfeit airbags, in which the bags failed to deploy, deployed late, broke away from the steering wheel or launched projectiles into what would be the interior of the vehicle. “We have yet to test a counterfeit airbag that works properly,” Ruttencutter said. Collision repairers can get more information or report suspected counterfeit airbags through the agency’s website (www.iprcenter.gov).

• Bill Garoutte, CEO of the National Auto Body Council (NABC) said that since 2007, NABC’s Recycled Rides program has resulted in more than 1,700 vehicles being rehabbed and donated to people in need. The program is on track in 2018 to average one car per day. Anderson of Collision Advice said the 294 shop locations that participate in 20 groups he leads for Axalta Coating Systems have committed to repairing and giving away 300 vehicles on a single day next year. Recycled Rides is one of NABC’s initiatives to “exemplify the professionalism and integrity of the collision repair industry.”

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autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Bruce Roistacher has tried in excess of 100 jury trials in federal and state courts. He is a former NYC prosecutor and has previously represented insurance companies, which can be a great advantage to his automotive clients. Bruce can be reached at Bruce@AutobodyAttorney.com or by phone at 866-Law-MANN.

Auto Body Attorney with Bruce Roistacher

Ask the Auto Body Attorney: September 2018 I want to thank all of the shop owners around the country who have favorably responded to my initial column from last month. If you have a question or concern about any legal issue that may arise in your business, don’t hesitate to contact me at 1-855-Law-Mann or contact Autobody News. Although I can’t give legal advice, I can give a general opinion about your issue and point you in the right direction. In this edition, I want to explain some very basic definitions of terms that you may see me discuss in future columns. You may experience some of the following in your day-to-day business:

1. OEM – This is simply Original Equipment Manufacturer parts and equipment that may be marketed by a manufacturer. However, these parts

are assembled and installed during the construction of a new vehicle. They are in contrast to after-market parts, which are subsequently installed, e.g.., Champion sparkplugs, Kinsler fuel injectors, BMP engine blocks. You have to be careful because many auto parts are sold through multiple brands, causing some vehicles to have non-OEM parts. This area contributes to much of the litigation that is currently taking place, i.e., the State Farm case that I discussed in my prior column. Another topic that unfortunately occurs is the situation where insurance companies short shops on payments regarding OEM vs. after-market parts. Shops should fight back! There have been successful verdicts and settlements around the country on this issue and many others. 2.

CAPPING – Watch out for com-

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

panies capping labor rates and paint materials itemized, such as PaintEx. They may have no legal basis in capping or even outright rejecting your hard-earned payments – they add up! Gamesmanship by the insurance industry is alive and well, i.e., their latest word game is called a calculator. Why, you might ask? It’s simple and means nothing. PaintEx is a presentation that falls under the gaap rule (generally accepted accounting principles). These are the same rules that every insurance company uses every day. PaintEx is only one example of many that insurance companies attempt to reject because it saves them money and at the same time takes money out of your pocket. 3. UNFAIR PRACTICES – Insurance companies will deny, delay and try to defend and use methods such as steering, totaling and negotiating un-

fairly. The insurance companies will keep getting aggressive unless shop owners push back.

4. ASSIGNMENTS – Assignments from your customer, the insured, are crucial to obtain and must be legally sufficient. They legally put you, the shop owner, in the legal position of your customer for negotiating and subsequent litigation with insurance companies, if required. Each state may have their own requirements, which must be followed precisely.

5. SHOP SAFETY – Lately, the entire topic of environmental rules and regulations has become extremely important in your day-to-day business. This is particularly common regarding respiratory protection and hazard communication. My suggestion is to issue written warnings to your employees to create what we call informed consent.

This can later be used as evidence to prove that legal and sufficient notice of any potential danger has been given to your employees. Remember, employee safety is a must and proper safety equipment and environmentally acceptable chemicals have to be used, as both Federal and State agencies may visit your shops for inspection. They have the power to commence legal action against your shop, which could lead to fines and even put your permits or license in jeopardy. 6. TOTALING – In their neverending effort to “tighten the belt,” the practice of totaling, i.e., when insurance companies declare an automobile too damaged for repair when you know that it is repairable. This process obviously saves the companies the expense of parts and labor. The result? You lose business. Insurance companies have long used the method of favoring certain shops, perhaps in your area, to obtain favorable rates. Although it is perfectly understandable that any business has an absolute right to make profits, cut

expenses and costs and deal with certain companies, they can’t do it by illegall and/or unfair means. That applies to small businesses as well as to the largest companies in the world that have faced scandal or criminal conviction, such as Archer Daniels Midland, Bankers Trust, BP, British Airways, GE, International Paper, Samsung, Sears Roebuck and Company, Tyson Foods, VW, Waste Management and many more. Let me be clear: It is my opinion that the time has come that shop owners who have suffered serious financial loss due to any unfair practice by an insurance company begin to take legal action in an attempt to recover their hard-earned gains. 7. TORTIOUS INTERFERENCE WITH BUSINESS – If not criminal, almost every state recognizes the principle of tortious interference with business relations. This concept can be known by different names such as “intentional interference with contractual relations” or a “tort of negligent interference,” depending on the state that your business is in. It happens when one entity inten-

tionally damages someone else’s contractual or business relationship with a third party, causing economic harm. It can also occur if it happens without intent but in a negligent manner. Courts have held that tortious interference of business relations can occur when false claims against the business are made, which can affect reputation that drives business away. Each state requires proof of certain factors, including proof of damages or the harm caused. If proven, there might even be punitive or a punishing award that may increase any judgment rendered. Examples are when insurance companies or appraisers intentionally or negligently comment or publish untrue statements that downgrade a particular shop for another to a potential customer. The aforementioned scenario has been the subject of litigation around the country, and there have been some large verdicts that have been returned against insurance companies.

8. DEFAMATION – Very close and part of the above concept is the area of defamation.

Reputation is a valuable asset in any business. A damaged reputation can result in significant financial hardship. As previously stated, statements made to a third party about a particular shop—if untrue and actual damages can be proven that are directly related to those false statements—can be used to prove a claim of defamation. States obviously vary. However, the usual requirements are the following: (1) your reputation must be harmed and you must be able to prove it; (2) the statement must be false and you must be able to prove it; (3) you must identify the entity or person who made the statement; (4) you must have suffered provable damages directly relating to the above. The above are only an introduction to some of the most common legal issues that have wound up in our courts, and many have involved insurance companies and/or their appraisers. If you feel that you have been the victim of any of the aforementioned actions by an insurance company and have suffered damages directly related to their actions, you should consult an experienced attorney for legal advice. See you next month!

autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

In Reverse with Gary Ledoux

120 Years of Body-Building Changes The first auto body designers and builders represented what was already an old established craft. People had been traveling in wheeled carriages for hundreds and hundreds of years. But at the dawn of the 20th century, they would be powered not by horses or some other draft animal, but by some sort of motive power. It mattered little to early body builders if vehicles were propelled by a gasoline engine, electric power or steam. Their task was to create a conveyance that would carry people—period. The body builders contended that if the carriage designs of the late 1800s were good enough for horses, they were good enough for engines. And so it was that wood was the first automotive substrate. One of the earliest references to an automotive body comes from the story of a doctor in Youngstown, OH. In June 1895, Dr. Carlos Booth experienced a runaway situation with his wagon and team of horses. Not wanting to experience that again, he designed motor vehicle and commissioned a local shop to build it. Among its many features was a “body designed to hide the engine and the mechanisms of the vehicle.” (This is perhaps the earliest reference to an automobile body that served primarily as an aesthetic portion of the vehicle.) He is purportedly the first doctor in American to make house calls in a motor vehicle. It’s unknown if his car ever needed body work. A short time later, in 1897, a car named the Hugot hit the street with a wicker body. It was certainly lightweight. The bad news was it couldn’t take much of a hit. The first U.S.- built auto to use a steel body (in the midst of a world of wooden bodies) was the 1901 Eastman Steamer. The first to have an aluminum body was the 1902 Marmon. Both the Eastman and Marmon were built with all-wood frames to which metal panels were pinned. For the most part, cars were primarily made of wood or wood and some steel. The wooden body panels of

Gary Ledoux is an industry veteran with 48 years’ experience in the automotive and OEM collision parts industry. His column appears exclusively in Autobody News. He can be reached at YesterWreck@yahoo.com

those early cars restricted body designers. Wood can only be steamed and bent into simple curves. When applied to wooden frames, the body panels of one make of car looked pretty much like those of any other make. When sheet steel and aluminum came along, this sameness in appearance started to change. If you think using adhesives to hold car bodies together is something new in the 21st century, think again. Body engineers used caseinbased glue to hold early wooden body members together on the Cadillac, Columbia, Locomobile and Peerless from 1898 to 1904. Casein is a chemical found in milk, which is highly water-resistant. Many people point to 1979– 1980 as the beginning of the age of the unibody car. However, in 1916 the Ruler Auto Company manufactured 3,000 unibody vehicles dubbed the Ruler Frameless. Body members were fashioned into tubular form to give metal the rigidity it needed to do without a frame. The engine and suspension members rested on a platform. In October 1919, the Detroit Auto Dealers Association held the first “Closed Car Salon” auto show featuring only closed-body vehicles. Open-body vehicles were the norm of the time, but more and more were closing them. Oddly, many people did not like closed-body vehicles and considered them too ostentatious, not unlike “riding around in a display case.” The enclosed body, largely made of wood, was a cabinet-maker’s work of art. However, building it was arduous and time-consuming. The final product was not light, silent, nor especially durable. But it gave rise to the need for body technicians. The growing use of stamped metal parts would soon speed the process of coach-building. By the 1920s, some wood and sheet metal was being replaced with a new material—Vehisote. Not unlike the use of aluminum today, Vehisote was lighter weight and more versatile for the growing size of ve-

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

hicle and light truck bodies. The Agasote Millboard Company was founded in England in 1909, producing a sort of fiberboard made from recycled paper and glue formed into 4 X 8 foot sheets under extreme heat and pressure. (This sounds a lot like today’s plywood.) The process was brought to the U.S., and in 1915 various car companies began using the large sheets to create roofs on cars made of both wood and steel. The sheets were also known as “Vehisote,” part of the “Homosote” family of products. Vehisote was a favorite material for building truck bodies in the 1920s. By the 1930s, most car companies were using the body-on-frame car-building format that would last for more than 40 years! But not everyone “got the memo.” In 1940, the Budd Company of Detroit was the first to create what is known today as a uni-

body construction vehicle. Nash Motors was the first automaker to contract with Budd for the new body format. And then there was this: Time magazine of August 25, 1941 reported, “The first plastic car was shown by Henry Ford in Dearborn last week. His plastic, consisting of 70 percent cellulose, derived from hemp, sisal and wheatstraw, with a resin binder, is made of soybeans, wheat, cotton, hides, plus a few imported, now hard-to-get ingredients including cork, rubber, tung oil. The material was supposedly lighter than steel and could withstand 10 times the impact.” It sounds like the “grandfather” of high-strength steel. In 1943, Boeing Aircraft Company designed an automobile slated for post-war production. Its design, not surprisingly, was heavily influSee 120 Years, Page 34

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1260 South Colorado Blvd // Denver, CO 80246

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VOLVO 777 Broadway // Denver, CO 80203 5995 Arapahoe Ave // Boulder, CO 80303

Parts: (303) 443-2919 Fax: (303) 442-1342 Hours: M-F 7am-8pm; Sat: 8am-5pm parts@flatironsimports.com

Parts: (303) 628-1409

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Toll-Free: (800) 274-0985 ext 226 Parts: (303)-415-1528 Fax: (303) 443-8826 Hours: M-F 7:30am-6pm; Sat: 8am-4pm wholesaleparts@fisherauto.com

Fax: (303) 534-7308 Hours: M-F 7am-6pm; Sat: 9am-1pm gmparts@rickenbaugh.com

2033 South Wadsworth Blvd // Lakewood, CO 80227 6025 Arapahoe Ave // Boulder, CO 80303

Toll-Free: (800) 274-0985 ext 228 Parts: (303)-443-3883 Fax: (303) 998-6274 Hours: M-F 7:30am-6pm; Sat: 8am-4pm wholesaleparts@fisherauto.com

Parts: (303) 986-2245 Fax: (303) 989-3490 Hours: M-F 7am-6pm; Sat: 8am-4pm gmcollision@emichauto.com

autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

P HONDA ARIZONA

Chapman Honda Tucson

800-461-6744 520-202-5770 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-4 carlkeefe@chapmantucson.com

Earnhardt Honda Avondale

800-350-6537 623-463-4380 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-9; Sat 7-6 gluna@earnhardt.com COLORADO

Honda of Greeley Greeley

888-903-1101 970-506-2795 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-7; Sat 8-4:30 parts@hondaofgreeley.com

Mile High Honda Denver

800-548-4730 303-369-7800 Dept. Hours: M-S 7-6 lhoover@autotree.net LOUISIANA

Superior Honda Har vey

800-943-4227 504-368-5687

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-5:30 parts@superiorhonda.net ACURA ARIZONA

Acura of Peoria Peoria

866-347-4507 623-792-2559 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 7-5 dcavanaugh@vtaig.com COLORADO

Mile High Acura Denver

800-548-4730 303-369-7800 Dept. Hours: M-S 7-6 lhoover@autotree.net

Pikes Peak Acura Colorado Springs

800-456-9568 719-955-1715 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-4 joe_benson@pikespeakacura.com

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Please contact these dealers for your Honda or Acura Genuine parts needs. LOUISIANA

TEXAS

Walker Honda

Bankston Honda

McDavid Honda Irving

Alexandria

Lewisville

Ir ving

Dallas

318-448-8255 318-445-6677

800-344-8611 972-219-0021

800-492-4464 972-790-6003

877-466-3272 214-328-3891

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 8-5 www.bankstonhonda.com

Dept. Hours: M-F 8-6 srichardson@mcdavid.com

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 8-5 darryldotsy@rustywallis.com

Fiesta Honda

Honda of San Marcos

Wholesale Parts Direct

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30 hondaparts@walkerautomotive.com NEW MEXICO

Garcia Honda Albuquerque

800-677-6632 505-260-5002 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8:30-5 Jscott@garciacars.com OKLAHOMA

Don Carlton Honda Tulsa

800-722-2379 918-622-9670 Dept. Hours: M-Sat 7-6 hondaparts@doncarlton.com

Fowler Honda Nor man

San Antonio

800-727-8705 210-340-0831

Cleo Bay Honda

Howdy Honda

Honda Cars of McKinney

Kelly Grimsley Honda

McKinney

844-453-5594 432-334-6632

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 7-5 Gene.chenault@hendrickauto.com

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-9; Sat 8-4 parts@fowlerhonda.com

Honda of Frisco

Ardmore

580-226-1000 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 7:30-2 travis.pierce@fentonmotors.com

LOUISIANA

Frisco

866-442-2711 972-731-3176 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 7:30-5:30 cedgar@mcdavid.com

Dept. Hours: M-F 8-6 sales@wholesalepartsdirect.com

Austin

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 7-3 partsmgr@howdyhonda.com

972-569-4276 972-569-4222

800-234-4441 512-458-2910

877-941-6513 512-443-4300

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

866-369-5376 405-573-5719

Fenton Honda of Ardmore

866-392-1313 512-392-1313 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 9-5 csmith@hondasanmarcos.com

877-253-6229 254-699-2478

Austin

San Marcos

Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-5 hondaparts@safiestahonda.com

Killeen

Rusty Wallis Honda

Odessa

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-12 april@kellygrimsley.com

Russell & Smith Honda Houston

800-833-0180 713-663-4266 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-6; Sat 7-4 ggregory@russellsmith.com

TEXAS

UTAH

Acura of Baton Rouge

Autonation Acura

David McDavid Acura

Baton Rouge

League C i t y

Plano

Salt Lake City

866-733-2861 225-756-6166

800-749-6227 713-371-4700

972-964-6044

800-234-0875 801-323-0492

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

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 8-5 CarranzaB1@autonation.com

Walker Acura

David McDavid Acura

Metairie

Aust i n

800-359-8555 504-465-8555

800-575-3553 512-401-5976

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-2 parts@walkeracura.com

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 8-5 mkratky@mcdavid.com

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 8-5 dgrajczyk@mcdavid.com

Sterling McCall Acura Houston

713-596-2337 713-596-2338 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-7; Sat 7:30-4 jlambert@sterlingmccallacura.com

Jody Wilkinson Acura Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-5 rick@jodywilkinson.com

Mike Hale Acura Murray

800-292-4595 801-263-0202 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 7:30-5 pgoold@mikehale.com

OKLAHOMA

Don Carlton Acura of Tulsa Tu l s a

888-550-7278 918-664-2300 Dept. Hours: M-Sat 7-6 acuraparts@doncarlton.com

autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Associations Assembling with Chasidy Rae Sisk

Chasidy Rae Sisk is a freelance technical writer from Wilmington, Delaware, who writes on a variety of fields and subjects, and grew up in a family of NASCAR fans. She can be contacted at crsisk@chasidyraesisk.com.

Regional Association Event Announcements: September 2018 Please see below for upcoming regional automotive association events taking place in September. ASA-CO To Host 2 Training Sessions ASA-CO will hold two exciting training opportunities in September. On Sept. 24 and 25, Greg Marchand will teach “Growing Your Customer Base” at Advance Auto Parts (CARQUEST) in Denver, CO from 6 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. each night. The course will explore the simple things that often get overlooked but can allow a repair facility to increase their customer base. Attendees will learn how to effectively use customer satisfaction, customer referrals, quality control and consistency to increase their customer base in a controlled and profitable manner during this interactive training seminar. On Sept. 26 and 27, Marchand will teach industry professionals

about “Exceptional Customer Handling Skills” in Fort Collins, CO. For more information about either of these training seminars, visit www.asacolorado.org.

ASA-CO To Host 1st Annual Golf Tournament On Sept. 16, ASA-CO will host its first annual ASA-CO Golf “Fore” ASA Green Tournament at the Homestead Golf Course in Lakewood, CO. In addition to a round of golf, the four-person scramble will feature contests, prizes and networking opportunities galore. Check-in begins at 7:30 a.m. with a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. Early bird registration is available for $110 per player ($440 for a team of four) until August 31. After August 31, the price is $125 per player ($500 for a team of four). Proceeds from the event benefit ASACO initiatives and its Automotive

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Student Scholarship Fund. For more information, visit www .asacolorado.org. ASA-Midwest To Host Leadership Summit From Sept. 7–9, ASA- Midwest will host its 2018 Leadership Summit at Lake of the Ozarks in MO. This event provides an opportunity for association members to share ideas, celebrate accomplishments and renew their commitment to industry excellence. For more information, visit www .asa-midwest.org. PPG’s Robb Power To Teach ASA-OH How To Optimize Performance Through Repair Planning From Sept.18–20, ASA-OH will host a workshop titled “How to Optimize Performance Through Repair Planning,” presented by Robb Power,

senior management of business solutions for PPG Automotive Refinish. Tuesday’s workshop will be held at Ohio Auto Kolor in Columbus, OH, with Thursday’s session taking place at ESC of Cuyahoga County in Independence, OH. During the workshop, Power will explain the impact traditional estimating processes have on collision business work flows, and he will provide detailed instructions and demonstrate the benefits of the Repair Planning Process as well as provide a list of dos and don’ts for successful implementation. The workshop is intended for shop management, estimators, parts personnel and technicians. It is available to ASA-OH members at a cost of $45 for members and $90 for nonmembers. For more information, visit www .asaohio.org.

St. Louis I-CAR Committee, CREF To Co-host Job Fair The St. Louis I-CAR Committee and the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) will co-host their 2018 Job Fair for the Collision and Automotive Industry on Friday, Sept. 21 from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. at Gateway Motorsports Park in Madison, IL. More than 650 automotive and collision students from local high schools and colleges plan to attend in addition to 650 local STEM students. Last year’s event attracted 1,487 students, and this year is shaping up to be competitively attended. Fees collected over the cost of the career fair will be distributed back to participating technical schools that fill out the paperwork for the CREF Make-Over Grant. For more information, contact Gene Slattery (gene@automotive technology.com) or Shelly Jones (sjones@abraauto.com). CCRE To Host Educational Seminar in Atlanta The Coalition for Collision Repair Excellence (CCRE) will host an ed-

ucational seminar on Sept. 28 and 29 at the Embassy Suites at the Atlanta Airport in Atlanta, GA. The weekend will focus on educational presentations, informative networking and the use and proper implementation of contracts and other documents. Industry professionals who attend can expect to gain an understanding on becoming more profitable in the current collision repair business environment and learn how to increase revenue and profits in order to pay for the high cost of equipment, training and technology. Topics will include state of the industry, contracts and documents, strategies and word tracks, implementing the CCRE process, damage analysis and job costing, time-based vs. value-based services, a roundtable discussion and much more. For more information or to register, visit www.theccre.com. MACA To Host 12th Annual Tailgate Party On Sept. 23, the Midwest Auto Care Alliance (MACA), formerly ASAMidwest as of Sept. 14, will host its 12th Annual Tailgate Party at Arrow-

head Stadium. Shop owners, vendors, managers, technicians and families are invited to watch the Kansas City Chiefs take on the San Francisco 49ers and enjoy a day of food, drinks and fellowship. More information is available at www.mwaca.org or www.asa-midwest .org. ARA To Host 75th Annual Convention and Expo The Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA) will hold its 75th Annual Convention and Expo on Nov. 1–3 at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort in Orlando, FL. Sponsored by Hollander, the event will feature more than 30 educational sessions taught by industry leaders. For more information, visit www .araexpo.org. AWAF To Offer Speed Mentoring On Sept. 26, the Automotive Women’s Alliance Foundation (AWAF) will hold a Speed Mentoring session at Faurecia’s North American Headquarters in Auburn Hills, MI. Attendees will enjoy the opportunity to break into small groups and spend 15-

minute mentoring sessions with six executive level women and men discussing key industry topics in an informal setting. For more information, visit www. awafoundation.org. AAAMS 2018 Business Conference To Be Held in Hilton Head Island, SC From Sept. 20–23, the Automotive Aftermarket Association of the MidSouth, Inc. (AAAMS) will host its 2018 Business Conference at the Hilton Head Marriott Resort and Spa in Hilton Head Island, SC. This year’s theme is “Sailing into the Future.” The conference will begin on Thursday evening with dinner and a cash bar. Friday will commence with a meeting for the AAAMS Board of Directors, Past Presidents and Past Directors, followed by a Conference Committee meeting and ending with a welcome reception. Saturday morning’s agenda includes seminars on the AAAMS Annual Business Meeting and Business Insurance/HR Services Program Update (IGO Insurance Agency), WebSee Event Announcements, Page 43

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Continued from Page 16

John Eagle Decision

the gravity of the situation. It seems that most of the rest of the industry did as well. On average, only 34.4 percent of shops used OE procedures 80 to 100 percent of the time prior to the John Eagle decision. After the John Eagle decision, the number roughly doubled for all categories except those with zero DRP programs, who were using OE procedures more to begin with anyway. What percent of the time did you use new, OE parts for repair? Of course, the use of OE parts has been an issue since the 1990s; even more so now with the advent of OE position statements calling for their use along with proper repair procedures. Overall, those shops using OE parts 80 to 100 percent of the time took a sizeable jump from 29.7 percent to 41.1 percent. The largest jump, from 23.4 percent to 57.4 percent was in the 1—7 employees category. Typically, smaller shops have fewer or no DRP associations, so that is less of an issue for them. Plus, a smaller shop would have more to lose if it encountered a lawsuit of the scope of the John Eagle case. Continued from Page 26

120 Years

enced by aircraft design, featuring a 75HP rear engine and an all-aluminum body. It never reached production, but its development underscores the fact that aluminum for cars bodies is not a new idea. In the 1950s, Chevrolet introduced the fiberglass-bodied Corvette. Studebaker would build its Avanti with fiberglass in the 1960s. Around 2006, car makers started combining aluminum bolt-on parts, like doors, hoods or trunk lids with bodies that were otherwise made of steel. It seemed like a unique idea at the time and a great way to save weight to increase fuel mileage—but it was certainly not new. In 1963, the Dodge Polara was available in a special package with weight-saving aluminum front fenders, bumper and hood with a custom hood scoop. The aluminum saved about 150 pounds, 34

What percent of the time did you perform a pre- and post-diagnostic scan? Overall Shops 1-7 employees 25+ employees 0 DRP programs 7-10 DRP programs Prior JE Post JE Prior JE Post JE Prior JE Post JE. The concept of pre- and post-repair scans has been around for years, but has only come to the forefront in the last couple of years due to the expanded use of ADAS systems. Overall, the process of pre- and post-scanning has doubled recently. It is unclear if the John Eagle case had anything directly to do with this, but if nothing else, it has made shops aware that they are solely responsible for correct repairs and the consequences of not doing so can be dire. It is interesting to note that the 7–10 DRP programs category, having the lowest percentage of shops conducting preand post-scans, jumped dramatically from 14.3 percent of shops to 57.1 percent of shops conducting pre- and post-scans 80 to 100 percent of the time. It is unknown if payment (or not) by the insurance company for the preand post-scan operation was a factor. What percent of the time did you recalibrate those devices requiring recalibration based on a post-repair scan? less weight for… “the 426 engine and automatic transmission to push down the drag strip or around a NASCAR track.” Some technicians consider use of “glue” or epoxy to keep pieces of a car together as too new and heretical and something that will never work. If a part is not bolted, riveted or welded together, how will it ever hold? Yet, in 1984 Volvo announced the use of epoxy to tack-weld body parts together, thus reducing the number of conventional spot welds from 4,000 to 500. Granted, body building, bodybuilding material and the way automobile bodies must be repaired have seen some dramatic changes in a relatively short time beginning with the Obama administration in January 2009, and the massive changes made to CAFÉ standards. But changes in the way vehicles are built and the way they need to be repaired have changed many times over the automobile’s history and will continue to evolve.

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Overall, this measurement took a sizeable jump from 53.8 percent of shops recalibrating 80 to 100 percent of the time to 77.7 percent. Again, one of the largest changes is the smaller shops, those with 1 to 7 employees, perhaps because they have the most to lose in a catastrophic lawsuit situation. Those shops with a large amount of DRP relations also had a large change, but only because they were recalibrating so rarely prior to October 2017. Here are some of the comments that accompanied the surveys Chris Norris of Weavers Auto Center in Shawneee, KS, said, “We need to stand up for the consumer that drives the vehicle. BTW we are the only ones!” Kime Collision of Standish, MI, wrote, “We have been doing this for years knowing that sooner or later everyone would have to. It looks like reality is finally catching up in our industry.” And then there was this anonymous word to the wise, “You have to be willing to let the vehicle leave if the Customer or Insurer is unwilling

to repair the vehicle correctly.” So… what can be said about the John Eagle decision and its effect on the industry? A year ago, many writers, consultants and pundits said it was a wake-up call for the industry. They said that shops had to pay more attention to OE procedures and proper repairs. If the above information, small sampling that it is, is to be believed, then it looks like not all, but many shops have “seen the light” and are using more OE procedures and OE parts. As for scanning and recalibrating, a recent CCC report of the first quarter of 2018 indicates a small increase in scans, less than what the above figures would indicate. However, CCC’s Susannah Gotsch is also quick to point out that just because there is no scan on the estimate, it doesn’t mean one wasn’t done. Will the swing to greater use of OE procedures be permanent? An educated guess says ‘yes.’ As long as technology continues to move forward and becomes increasingly sophisticated at a faster and faster rate, technicians will have no choice … if the car is to be properly and safely repaired.

autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Tips for Busy Body Shops with Stacey Phillips

Stacey Phillips is a freelance writer and editor for the automotive industry. She has 20 years of experience writing for a variety of publications, and is co-author of “The Secrets of America’s Greatest Body Shops.” She can be reached at sphillips.autobodynews@gmail.com.

The Power of Leadership — Tips on How To Be a Great Leader An important aspect of being a great tribute ideas, ask questions and challeader is knowing when and how to lenge how things are,” said Perlman. create what Ken Perlman refers to “If they don’t feel safe, they are going to hold back.” as “psychological safety.” Many of his favorite techniques “Pioneered by Amy Edmondson at Harvard University, psycho- are based on his 30 years of business logical safety is a belief that one will experience. He often shares them in not be punished or humiliated for the course he teaches at USC related speaking up with ideas, questions, to organizational design and creating high-performing teams. He concerns or mistakes,” said said they are easy to put into Perlman, managing director practice and can achieve imat CultureSync and a promediate results. fessor at the University of Perlman began his Guild Southern California (USC). 21 discussion talking about “It’s essential to high perwhat it takes to create an formance.” environment where people During a recent Guild Ken Perlman, 21 podcast sponsored by managing director feel comfortable speaking at CultureSync up and sharing what they VeriFacts, Perlman shared tips on how to be a great leader and believe. A large part of this centers foster an environment of psycholog- on the “rules of engagement.” “Whenever you are part of a ical safety. “As a leader, it’s your job to team or in a group, there are rules of make it safe for other people to con- engagement, whether they are written

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

or discussed,” he explained. “Sometimes they are unwritten, and we call them ‘culture,’ and other times they are written, and we call them guidelines.” He suggested implementing the “Family Feud” rule. Similar to the popular game show, Perlman said the Family Feud rule is when every answer an employee shares is honored and respected. “It’s a way of creating an environment that is a lot less risky for someone to speak up,” said Perlman. He also shared information about a research study conducted by Google that was undertaken to learn about their employees and what makes them successful. The study was explained in an in-depth New York Times article written by Charles Duhigg: “What Google Learned From Its Quest to Build the Perfect Team.” According

to the article, in 2012 Google studied hundreds of its company’s teams to find out why some were successful and others weren’t. “We had lots of data, but there was nothing showing that a mix of specific personality types or skills or backgrounds made any difference. The ‘who’ part of the equation didn’t seem to matter,” Abeer Dubey, a manager in Google’s People Analytics division, was quoted as saying in the article. “There was no direct correlation between who they put on a project and whether or not that project would be successful,” said Perlman. “What they learned was that it wasn’t ‘who’; it was ‘how.’” Summarizing the study, Perlman said Google found five key elements that separated high-performing teams from lower-performing teams. This included:

• Impact: Team members needed to feel their work really mattered and would create change. • Meaning: The work was personally important to the employees and their development. • Structure & Clarity: Employees had a clear idea of their roles and how they were connected to their coworkers to contribute to the greater good.

• Dependability: Team members could be trusted to accomplish their tasks on time and meet the company’s high standard of excellence. • Psychological Safety: Team members felt it was safe to take risks and be vulnerable in front of one another.

Perlman said teams that fostered an environment where employees could contribute openly were higher-performing. More recently, a Wall Street Journal article described research showing that “companies that scored in the top quartile on [management asking for ideas from employees and

encouraging employees to try new approaches], [experienced] on average more than five times the revenue growth of companies in the bottom quartile.” “Teams where someone made a mistake and they were punished disproportionally saw lower performance because people were holding back,” he said. “They weren’t sharing the wild idea; they weren’t disagreeing, and you saw a lot more group think and regression to the average opposed to striking out to do something bold and different.” As a result, Perlman encourages leaders to give some leeway to their teams. “You’re asking your employees to do something differently,” he said. “If it was easy and/or safe, they would have already done it. If it’s more complicated or risky, they might have some questions.” When looking at the same situation from an employee’s point of view, Perlman’s advice to those who feel they aren’t in a safe environment with their superiors is to start small. “Simply recognize the answer you want to give and the answer you

think is the right answer,” he suggested. Then he said to offer both: the safe answer and the one that might be different than the way things have been done. “That way, you’re being respectful and acknowledging that you know the answer that is going to end up being the right one, but saying, ‘I think we could do better,’” he said. When talking about exceptional leadership traits, Perlman used the example of “Pep” Guardiola, considered one of soccer’s best players and coaches and the current manager of Manchester City. Perlman shared some of the methods Guardiola used to enable him to achieve excellent results. This included being clear on the team’s goals, deconstructing complexity for them to make the goals simple to understand and enabling excellence by setting and modeling the standards. Perlman also brought up the various types of conflict that can arise and are important to be aware of: 1)

When goal incompatibility exists

2) Differentiation among team members (for example, language, experience or expertise) 3) Task interdependence when people are required to work together

4) Limited resources, which can lead to restraints.

His advice is to do something that he called Flip The Script (FTS). “For people who work together regularly, as someone starts talking we tend to think we know where they are going and we can finish their sentence,” said Perlman. “We actually stop listening and we wait for them to stop talking so we can argue, contradict or correct them.” Instead, Perlman said to stop thinking and just listen. “If you think you know what they are going to say, don’t play that tape that is in your head; listen to the words coming out,” he said. Not only will this help an individual understand what they are going to say, but it will also minimize the risk of missing what they are talking about. See The Power of Leadership, Page 43

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Day Job/Night Job with Ed Attanasio

Dylan Maki Has Real Fish Stories to Tell When Dylan Maki, VP at Maki Body & Glass in Grand Rapids, MN, isn’t landing big DRPs or luring in body repair work by stressing quality and top-notch customer service, he is a professional fisherman who competes in large tournaments nationwide. As Dylan, 25, continues his legacy by taking over the family shop from his father, Brian, who’s preparing to retire, he focuses on his career in collision repair, but he’s also crazy about fishing and the challenges it presents. Earlier this year, Dylan and his fishing partner, Joe Bricko, won the Minnesota State Fishing Championship on Lake Vermilion, which enabled them to compete in the 2018 AIM National Championship Shootout on June 1–2 on Chippewa

Dylan Maki, VP at Maki Body & Glass in Grand Rapids, MN, is a professional fisherman when he’s not running his family business

Flowage in Wisconsin. Only the best anglers out of three states— Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota—get to compete in the AIM Nationals, Dylan said. “They pick the top 10 in each state and by winning the state tournament, we qualified for the championship, and that’s where we wanted to be,” he said. “If you want to be a respected tournament fisherman, you have to get in this one because only 30 boats compete, but there are some of the best fishermen in the country there.” Finishing third in the AIM Nationals, Dylan and Joe caught a total 38

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

of 24.5 lbs. while the winning duo to be ahead of the game too because landed 32.49 lbs, which means that the competition is the best in the Dylan and Joe were only one big fish country. We prepare by getting out away from winning it all. there on the lake before the event to “First prize in this tournament is a new $50,000 fishing boat, and then it’s door prizes for the other top finishers” Dylan said. “It was good to get out there and compete, but you always want to win, obviously.” Chippewa Flowage’s third-largest lake is known as a “walleye factory”—a fish that Dylan has been pur- Dylan and his fishing partner, Joe Bricko, finished third suing relentlessly since he in the 2018 AIM National Championship Shootout on June started angling as a young 1–2 on Chippewa Flowage, WI. Here, the pair poses with Dylan’s parents, Kelly (far left) and Brian (far right) child. “Walleye fishing is challenging practice (also called ‘pre-fishing’) because they’re very versatile,” he and really study the conditions and said. “They can be found in deep where the fish hang out during cerwater and shallow water and know tain times of the day.” how to use infrastructure like trees, Collision repair done right reroots, aquatic plants—you name it. We are always looking at the walleye’s behavior to find out where it might be and learn more about the fish, but they’re unpredictable in many ways. Chippewa is also a very interesting lake that is 10 miles wide in many places with lots of tiny channels, little bays and small islands.” There’s a lot going on for Dylan when he’s not chasing walleye because Maki Body & Glass is always busy. Dylan multi-tasks and steps in when needed. “I’m head estimator and production manager, but when things get jammed, I’ll jump in and help with the production by fixing a bumper or whatever else it takes,” he said. Dylan’s grandfather, Rayno Maki, started the business in 1952, back when the average repair was roughly $350. Today, his grandson knows that to repair today’s vehicles correctly, it comes down to continual training and preparation—just like tournament fishing. “We stress training in a big way, so everyone here is I-CAR-certified because we always want to be at the forefront of this industry,” he said. “With tournament fishing, you have

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

quires an eye for detail and a passion for the art of returning a vehicle back into its pre-accident condition. Fishing requires similar skills, and that’s why Dylan loves both activities, he said. “I get satisfaction from both, and that’s why I love doing them. Doing a good job on a customer’s car is like catching a big fish!” he said. After finishing in third place at AIM National Championship Shootout, Dylan wants to compete again in 2019 and take the top prize home this time. “We are going to have to get better before then so that we can qualify again,” he said. “Right now we are ranked ninth out of 100 boats in Minnesota, but they only take the top five for the Shootout. We will need to have a few really good days to move up, but we’re pretty confident and there’s still plenty of time left.”

autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Shop Strategies with Stacey Phillips

All-Female Body Shop Encourages the Next Generation of Auto Body Techs When Hilary Noack was a teenager, she noticed a flier about a festival in Long Beach, CA, called Ink-N-Iron. At the time, it featured old custom cars, tattoos and music. “I thought to myself, ‘This embodies everything that I want my body shop to be someday,’” she recalled. “I’m going to name it Ink&Iron.” Fast-forward 12 years later, and Noack now operates Ink&Iron body shop in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, which focuses on restorations and minor collision repair work. One of the unique features of her business is that it is owned and operated by women. Plans are in place to expand to other locations in Canada and the United States with the first opening in Detroit, MI, in 2019. Autobody News talked to Noack about her body shop and how she encourages co-op students and apprentices to learn the trade.

Q: A:

Can you share how you started in the auto body industry?

I remember hanging around my dad when I was growing up while he was working on cars and tuning them up. I wanted to buy a car when I was 17 years old, and the only

From there, I transitioned straight into an apprenticeship program at Centennial College in their automo-

ample that women can do it. There was no reason why I couldn’t. Seeing what amazing work they did, how they had to work twice as hard for half the respect and hearing their individual stories of discrimination and how they overcame it was my motivation. I wanted to provide a safe, judgment-free work environment where we could all learn from each other as well as train the next generation of fe(l to r) Audrey Batson, Lindsay Tadros, Emily Noack, male techs. Hilary Noack, Alexandra Chiarore, Olivia DiGianfelice I opened Ink&Iron in and Kimberly Diem Hanh Cao April 2015. I now have an tive division. I began working at 427 apprentice, a licensed technician and Auto Collision, one of the largest body a co-op student who is getting high shops in North America, after com- school credit for helping at the shop. pleting the third and final level of my schooling for the apprentice program. What are your expansion plans? How did you decide to open your shop and employ only women?

I have known that I wanted to open my own shop since I started in the trade, but I knew it would need to be unique in order to stand out from the crowd. It was definitely a goal of mine. When I first started at 427 Auto Collision, I was the only female in the workplace. I was also the only female through all three levels of my schooling. By the time I left the body shop, about a decade later, there were about eight of us. I met some awesome girls and watched them go through the apprenticeship program Hilary Noack opened Ink&Iron body shop in Mississauga, there. I also taught a night Ontario, Canada, in 2015 school course in auto body one I could afford was a 1970 Oldsmo- repair at Centennial College. Later, I bile. It was pretty rusty, and I wanted taught the auto body apprenticeship to learn how to repair it. There was a full-time during one semester prior to body shop nearby where my parents opening my shop. I thought I should start a shop lived, and I asked if I could work there as a co-op student during my last year that was all-female and use it as a of high school. They said yes, and I way to encourage more women to join the trade and set a positive exthought it sounded so cool. 40

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Currently, I am operating one location, but I would like to see my business grow to include more locations in different cities. My goal is to have Ink&Iron locations all across North America! I often get told by girls that they wish there were something similar to what I own where they lived and that they would love to work in a place like this. I like being able to give co-op students and apprentices the experience to work in a shop and teach the skills they need. I think this gives them the confidence to be able to go out into this industry and feel like they belong and have a right to be here. I’m excited to open a location in the Motor City of Detroit next year. My husband, Dan Fournier, is from Detroit, and it’s a really cool city.

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What are some of the challenges of operating an all-female shop?

What is your advice to other shops who are dealing with a shortage of techs in the industry?

I definitely think you get the typical stereotypes and people crying that it’s sexist and women belong in the kitchen, or they bet there are just men who work here and the business is a front for something.

Q: A:

I absolutely agree that there is a shortage of techs. It’s the

What do you enjoy most about running your body shop?

I think it is the ability to do my own thing and plan my schedule. One of the reasons I wanted to be an entrepreneur is the freedom. It’s Monday morning and I’m excited to go to work. I’m here seven days a week, and I’m working on cars that I want to focus on. I love doing this type of work, and I have a good customer base. My job is fun. I absolutely love what I do, which is to provide a place that is a good environment to teach women and encourage the next generation. We’re friends here as well, and we’re all really close. It’s a positive workplace.

take on a co-op student or an apprentice. The apprentice programs offer many benefits. As an apprentice, you are getting paid as if you were a regular employee. There is an awesome incentive in grant money and they often offer grants to the employers too. I know it’s hard because this industry is so fastpaced; you need to get the car done quickly, but people need to take the time to train the next generation. So many people are retiring out of the trade; you have to put that investment into training people.

(l to r) Kimberly Diem Hanh Cao (apprentice), Hilary Noack, Audrey Batson (licensed tech) and Emily Bedford (co-op student)

same up here in Canada too. Everyone is dying for skilled labor, but at the same time, I know a lot of techs either who have zero industry experience or who have maybe taken a course, and no one will hire them. I think that employers need to

In this day and age, everything is very much going digital, and I think social media is a great tool. We currently have over 6,000 followers on our Facebook page. I found you have to be consistent when using social media and try to post

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What is the benefit of using social media to promote your body shop?

something every couple of days. It’s a great way to share your work and message. It’s also very visual. People love to see pictures of what you are doing. YouTube is also a great tool to use. I’m planning to make more videos of the repair process. I would love to take a build and film it from start to finish to give people an idea about how the process works. I think this will help educate our customers.

Q: A:

What is one of your biggest challenges at Ink&Iron?

One of our challenges is getting people to realize how much it costs to either repair or paint a car. People don’t understand the investment in materials or how much it costs. Sometimes, I have people who come by with the whole side of their car totaled and they ask if they can wait while it is being fixed. I find that we often need to educate customers on the repair process and why it costs so much.

www.autobodynews.com

BASF Brands Getting a Facelift

July 24, 2018 - BASF Automotive Refinish is updating its brand images, beginning with new product labels for productivity brand RM®, in Q3 2018. A newly designed logo for economy brand LIMCO®, as well as new labels for both Limco and BASF’s premium brand, Glasurit®, will follow later in the year. “As the world’s largest chemical company, our primary focus is on R&D and innovation,” said Marketing Director Dan Bihlmeyer. “We are also a twenty-first century organization, focused on leading edge facets of business from technology to communications to design. These new labels express BASF’s commitment to market leadership.” Glasurit’s newly designed labels are accompanying its 130th birthday in 2018 and R-M’s newly designed labels are arriving in time for its 100th birthday in 2019. For more information about BASF Automotive Refinish, visit www .basfrefinish.com.

Continued from Page 37

The Power of Leadership

If this can be accomplished, Perlman said the conversation becomes much different and usually is more effective. Wrapping up his presentation, Perlman highly encouraged everyone to connect with his or her most influential leader—let the person who had a significant influence on you personally and/or professionally know why they were influential and thank them. “If you have a chance to do it, make the phone call, shoot them an email or put up a Facebook post. Reconnect with them in some way,” said Perlman. “I’ve yet to be surprised or disappointed by their response.” For more information, email Ken Perlman: perlman@culturesync.net.

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New PPG Videos Display Diversity Commitment

PPG has posted two new videos reinforcing its solid commitment to workplace diversity — a key element of the company’s core values and a priority across all PPG Industries’ business units. The new videos are the latest installments in PPG’s Success through Diversity program that focuses on diversity in the PPG workforce. The new videos, each two minutes in length, feature Automotive Refinish team members Cristina Fronzaglia-Murray, PPG director of customer engagement & communications, and Erin Detchon, PPG technical sales trainee, discussing their positive experiences at PPG. The diversity videos are available for viewing on the Automotive Refinish YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/user/PPG Refinish They join the previously produced Power of Diversity video. For more information about PPG, call (800) 647-6050 or visit www .ppgrefinish.com.

Event Announcements

site Design and Social Media Program Review (Net Driven), Office Supplies Program Review (Kennedy Office), and Payroll Service Program Review (PrimePay). The afternoon will feature “Trends in the Aftermarket–Near Term and Long Term,” presented by Philip Atkins of Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA) as well as Roundtable Discussions facilitated by Atkins. On Saturday evening, AAAMS will hold its President’s Reception, followed by a banquet, awards Ceremony and AAMS Scholarship Live Auction. The conference will conclude on Sunday morning after breakfast with an inspirational message from Pastor Brett Myers of First Baptist Church. Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, visit www .aaamsonline.com/events.aspx.

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Media and Publicity for Shops with Ed Attanasio

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

To Facebook or Not? Answers From Experts for Body Shops People started jumping off the Facebook bandwagon after it was revealed that Cambridge Analytica was allowed to “harvest” user data without consent from Facebook users, compromising their personal data. Others are gravitating away from social media overall for many reasons and concentrating more on things such as blogs, email newsletters and other forms of original content to attract customers. But, for collision repairers, many have stayed put because Facebook is still a great way to promote their businesses. So, we recently asked Nick Schoolcraft, president at Phoenix Solutions Group, and Angel Iraola, owner of Net Business Consulting & Solutions, if body shops should still utilize Facebook and how to use it for optimum results. ABN: Should body shops still believe in Facebook, even though it has lost momentum recently due to the data breach?

Schoolcraft: The short answer is yes, and the main reason is that today’s consumer has become accustomed to living in a world of increased transparency. As unfortunate as these breaches are to our level of trust, consumers continue to interact with brands even after a breach has occurred. While trust has always been a commodity that is hard to come by, it’s important to understand the way Facebook approaches businesses vs. personal profiles. A personal profile represents you as a human being, while a business page represents your business. However, to have a business page you are required to have a personal profile to manage it. What is important to note is that Facebook cares more about the personal profile data than the data on the business’s page. Most shops don’t realize there is a difference between a profile and a page. This is why it’s critical to seek out an organization that understands the difference between the two and partner with them when diving into the digital marketing space. 44

Iraola: We have changed our customers’ approaches on Facebook and now are relying on other forms of social media as part of a marketing mix, but Facebook is here to stay and a necessary part of any plan we devise for body shops. Some consumers quit using Facebook initially after the breach, but many of them have returned based on our research. They were skeptical about Facebook but later realized that it was still the best way to connect with their friends and associates and find businesses and services quickly and easily. In the meantime, we are adding Instagram and LinkedIn to our marketing plans for our body shop clients, and both are working well. ABN: Maybe the question rather should be “Is Facebook (or any other social platform) the correct platform for your shop?”

Schoolcraft: Exactly. The focus should be placed on better understanding how social platforms can reaffirm your organization’s trust with a collision repair customer. By having a full understanding of which platforms work best for you, your shop will be able to use these tools to attract new customers and deliver growth to your business. Therefore, it is vital that body shops rethink their social strategy and begin developing social media content that is rooted in customer insights [and] aligning with their needs while further accentuating the shop’s customer-first mindset. Unfortunately, shops often misuse channels like Facebook by focusing solely on driving conversions (sales), rather than what the platform was initially intended for: community engagement. Consumers have begun to blur the lines between industries, meaning they expect the simplicity and convenience they encounter in one experience to apply to every experience, regardless of the difference in industries. Because of this, it’s vital that your brand has a presence on the channels that your prospective cus-

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

tomers use. And how you approach your activity on these channels is critical.

Iraola: Some shops are perfect for Facebook, because they support it through their in-house efforts and have a lot of things to post. They perform a wide range of community-related activities and are proactive with their philanthropy and maintain a blog that is connected to Facebook, so they’re posting new items all the time. We also suggest that they purchase Facebook advertising on a regular basis in order to get their name out in front of more people. Some shops think that all they need to do is establish a Facebook page and hope that people will find it on their own, but from our experience, it does not work that way. For a very small amount of money, they can get in front of a significant amount of

their current and potential customers in a highly focused and targeted way. You can specify users in a tight geographic area based on their interests, etc., so you don’t have to take a shotgun approach, which leads to more engagement, and you pay only for those people rather than people who may not be in your market. ABN: So, the days of businesses posting cute videos and funny photos on Facebook are over?

Schoolcraft: Yes. We have learned that collision facilities should not use Facebook as a tool to showcase their comedic talent or to share recipes, but rather as an outlet to provide information on how they can serve their community, as well as incorporating the differentiators a shop has over its competitors. The reason for See To Facebook or Not?, Page 55

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Good News: Your Tesla Model 3 Is Finally Ready. Bad News: It May Take Weeks To Get It Serviced by Russ Mitchell, The San Diego Union-Tribune

As Tesla ramps up its Fremont, CA, factory to escape what Elon Musk called “production hell” with its new Model 3 electric sedan, some customers are enduring their own state of suffering trying to get Teslas serviced.

Tesla service center in Costa Mesa, CA Credit: Allen J. Schaben, Los Angeles Times

Parts shortages, long repair delays and problems getting through on customer help lines have led to scenes of strife at Tesla’s service centers. At the entrance to the company’s Dublin, CA, center recently, an agitated Model X owner was trying to drop his SUV off for repair. A Tesla service agent said he couldn’t leave the car there because the facility was too busy. He could make an appointment to bring it in another time, maybe in a couple of weeks. “But I don’t want to drive it!” said Kaushal Bhaskar, a software engineer from nearby San Ramon who complained he sometimes couldn’t get the passenger door to open, while other times the door would open up all by itself—including once on the Interstate at highway speeds. “This is a safety concern for me!” Another service rep was assisting Mike, the owner of a red Model 3 with door-lock problems who declined to give his last name. He’d lock the car, walk away, and it would electronically unlock itself. That caused him to alter his vacation plans. “I couldn’t take it to Yosemite like that,” he said. The agent said Mike would have to leave the car there awhile: “The amount of cases I’ve got right now is unbelievable.” Service complaints are common at traditional automobile dealers, of course—even for new cars. But weeks-long waits for basic auto repair are rare, and months-long waits 46

for body parts are practically unheard of for all but the most exotic vehicles because spare parts from automakers and after-market manufacturers are stocked in inventory. Spare body parts for repair almost always are made by the original manufacturer, said Bill Hampton, editor of the industry trade publication Auto Beat Daily. But, he said, it’s not surprising that such parts aren’t a top priority right now at Tesla. “When you’re making dramatic efforts to manufacture 5,000 [Model 3s] in one week, you sure can’t say, ‘Hey, some guy in Topeka needs a new hood. Too bad,’” Hampton said. The parts shortage goes well beyond California. In Norway, the third-largest market for Tesla cars after the U.S. and China, some customers told Norwegian media they have been waiting months on body parts for their damaged Teslas. Musk addressed the Norway problem on Twitter on July 5, saying “Norwegians are right to be upset with Tesla. We are having trouble expanding our service facilities in Oslo especially. Can solve quickly with Tesla mobile service vans, but awaiting govt permission to do so.” He has not addressed problems in the U.S. or elsewhere. The Times asked Tesla to make a service executive available to talk about what the company is doing to improve customer service, but it declined. Only Tesla knows the full extent of its quality problems. J.D. Power, which ranks initial vehicle quality, measures all mass-market automakers except Tesla, which declines to provide quality data requested by the market research firm. A Tesla spokesman said in a prepared statement that the company’s own global satisfaction scores for service are above 90 percent. A new parts distribution service was opened this spring in California, the statement said, and while “call volumes have increased dramatically due to the overwhelming excitement around the Model 3, this hasn’t impacted our ability to respond to emergency roadside events.” Tesla has “plans in place” to hire

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

more staff in customer support “in the event they are unable to find their answers” at Tesla’s support site “or in their Tesla account,” the company said. And it plans to open a large new

A tent outside the Tesla factory in Fremont, CA, was pressed into service to ramp up Model 3 production Credit: Bloomberg via Getty Images

service center in Oslo later this year. Tesla cars have topped Consumer Reports’ owner satisfaction survey for the last two years, the company noted. Jeff Klein, a publishing executive in Northridge, said the hood and front quarter panel on his wife’s Model S were damaged in a March accident. Four months later, the car is still parked at a Tesla-certified repair shop, waiting for parts, while Klein makes monthly payments on

the lease. Klein didn’t need a loaner vehicle. “The general manager said it could take several months, that Tesla didn’t seem to realize that their cars might get in accidents and they had no parts inventory,” Klein said. “Their parts are made to order, just like their cars.” On Tesla online forums, customers complain about long hold times on Tesla’s customer service phone line and waits of sometimes hours to check the status on a car delivery or repair, or to ask for a refund on a car deposit. Some report Tesla doesn’t get back to them at all. Mathijs Kok of Bueren, Germany, said the company promised by phone someone would return his call to correct a windshield problem on his new Model S. No one called him back. The next time he had a problem—this one with unresponsive roadside assistance—Kok emailed the company. He never heard back,

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despite some follow-up reminders. Kok, who said he runs a customer support department at Aerosoft GmbH, a flight simulator software maker, called the email snub “nasty.” “The lack of callbacks was sloppy, almost certainly caused by too much work,” he said. “In a nutshell, it’s damned hard to get in contact and they have lacking procedures to make it possible for issues to be missed and not followed up in time.” Service problems are not new at Tesla. In August, the company’s president for sales, marketing, delivery and service, Jon McNeill, said on the Tesla Motors Club forum the company had “streamlined” customer service “to make contacting the right person at Tesla easier.” Six months later, McNeill quit Tesla to become chief operating officer at Lyft. In June, Karim Bousta, Tesla vice president of worldwide service and customer experience, left, as did David Erhart, senior director for reliability and testing. Tesla’s sales and service approach differs greatly from most automakers, which sell their cars to franchised dealers. Tesla owns and

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runs retail sales and service operations on its own. The company’s 74 service centers in the U.S. are complemented by Tesla Rangers, a mobile service program that dispatches service workers to fix some cars on site. The company also has pioneered “over the air” updates, where software updates can be beamed to the car without having to bring it to the dealer. Tesla executives have said this approach lowers Tesla’s capital costs. But accelerating production— to 53,339 cars of three different models in the second quarter, up 55 percent from a year earlier and almost a five-fold increase from the same period in 2015—may be overwhelming Tesla’s service resources. Add to that the wide variety of Model 3 quality problems reported on Tesla customer forums, including broken glass, bad paint jobs, body panel gaps, dead batteries, wind noise, dents, scratches and software problems including door locks and weirdly behaving touch screens. Tesla has one of the most rabidly loyal customer bases of any automaker, of course. The same forums

are peppered with praise for the cars and with Tesla service. And auto reviewers are near unanimous in their praise for the way the Model 3 drives. Consumer Reports relies on customer surveys for its own quality assessments. Mike Quincy, an automotive specialist at the research organization, called Tesla’s quality record “mixed.” “The good news is that the Model S has a new-car predicted reliability better than average,” Quincy said, referring to the mainstay Tesla sedan. “The bad news is that the Model X has proved far worse than average. Too few surveys have been collected yet to evaluate the Model 3.” If Model 3 quality proves subpar and service issues aren’t fixed, it could mean deeper trouble for Tesla as the company tries to go mainstream, according to Karl Brauer at Kelley Blue Book. Early Tesla buyers are “so in love with the car, they’d ignore things most buyers wouldn’t put up with, like delays for repairs or batteries that fail multiple times,” Brauer said. He suggested that Musk spend more time straightening out issues at

Tesla and less time on cave rescue operations or offering to fix water contamination problems in Flint, MI—Musk’s latest social cause. As the Model 3 broadens Tesla’s customer base, it may test the company’s “over the air” service model. At the Dublin service center, Bhaskar’s service rep said a review of his vehicle’s operational data, captured on Tesla’s cloud storage system, showed the door never opened by itself. “But I have seen it with my own eyes,” Bhaskar insisted. (The Times called the Dublin center three times to ask the service manager for comment. No calls were returned.) Bhaskar told the rep he’d take the car home and make an appointment, but wanted a written statement acknowledging the door safety problem. “We’re not putting this on paper,” he was told. “Here, that’s not the way business is done.” The issue was escalated, and after 45 minutes, Bhaskar was allowed to leave his car. He departed in a Mercedes-Benz SUV loaner. We thank The San Diego UnionTribune for reprint permission.

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Ford Has To Pay Nearly $300 Million Because Of Fatal Takata Airbags by Jay Traugott, CarBuzz

Although airbag supplier Takata has filed for bankruptcy, the after-effects of the fatal airbag recalls continue. According to Reuters, Ford has agreed to what’s described as a “socalled economic loss settle of $299.1 million.” This settled amount will

cover various forms of economic loss linked to the faulty airbag inflators, such as claims that vehicles were stated as being safe but really were not, and for cars that people had overpaid for despite the airbags. Many owners were forced to pay various out-of-pocket expenses. Ford isn’t the only automaker that agreed to a settlement, which has now climbed to a total value of around $1.2 billion. Other automak-

ers include Ferrari, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Mazda, Subaru and BMW. The defective Takata airbags have been connected to the deaths of at least 23 people and more than 290 injuries worldwide. The exact problem with the inflators is that they can explode, flinging metal shrapnel at passengers’ faces. A total of 21 deaths took place in Hondas, while two happened in Fords. The settlement Ford agreed to with affected owners takes into account specifics like lost wages, child care costs and vehicle repairs. Ford will also offer free rental or loaner vehicles to these owners as they wait for the necessary repairs. As of July 18, a total of 30 million vehicles in the U.S. still require repairs. The Takata airbag recall was the largest safety recall in auto industry history, affecting roughly 100 million inflators among 19 major automakers. Takata’s bankruptcy happened back in June 2017, but not before it agreed to a $1 billion settlement with the U.S. Justice Department. We thank CarBuzz for reprint permission.

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CREF Announces Fall Career Fair Schedule

The Collision Repair Education Foundation announced the fall schedule of career fairs for transportation students. The Collision Repair Education Foundation has partnered with the TechForce Foundation on high school and college transportation career fair events taking place this fall. The fall 2018 schedule includes: • St. Louis, MO (9/21) - Gateway Motorsport Park • Topeka, KS (10/11) - Washburn Institute of Technology • Whitestone, NY (10/16) Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association • Concord, NC (10/18) - Axalta Coating Systems Customer Experience Center • Columbus, OH (12/5) - Fort Hayes Career Center Companies interested in participating in one or more career fair events should contact Eckenrode at Brandon.Eckenrode@ed-foundation .org or 847-463-5244. Additional transportation career fair events will be planned for the fall 2018 school semester as well.

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Deadline for NABC Awards Nominations

The National Auto Body Council is reminding those interested in submitting nominations for the NABC Annual Awards Program of the upcoming Sept. 15 deadline. Nominations are being accepted in two award categories: • The Award of Distinction recognizes individuals who have gone above and beyond with their volunteerism, charitable and selfless acts of kindness and made a difference in changing and saving lives. • The Body Shop Image Award recognizes the most significant improvements made to a shop’s interior, exterior and operations and as a result, helped enhance the experience of the customer with the collision repair process. Online nominations for both awards are available online at NationalAutoBodyCouncil.org. For more information on the NABC Awards program, contact Peevy at marie.peevy@automotive trainingcoordinators.com or call 630-881-7945.

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After the Donation: Retired Marine Pays it Forward as His Mission Continues by Ed Attanasio

Iraq War veteran Josue GuerreroUribe received a completely refurbished 2017 Hyundai Elantra from Allstate and Caliber Collision in Costa Mesa, CA, late last year as part of the National Auto Body Council (NABC) Recycled Rides™ program.

Retired Marine Josue Guerrero-Uribe received a 2017 Hyundai last year from Caliber Collision and Allstate as part of NABC’s Recycled Rides program, so that he could help others

A retired member of the Marine Corps Infantry, Guerrero-Uribe was nominated by The Mission Continues, a nonprofit organization that enables veterans to continue their service in the community through a wide range of philanthropic activities. With his Elantra, Guerrero-Uribe was able to help more people and pay the gift forward, he said. “When I saw that the people at NABC, Caliber Collision and Allstate were doing such a wonderful thing for me with this car, I knew that I had to use this vehicle to help others,” he said. “It was a blessing and unexpected, so I realized right there that I could use it to further my work with The Mission Continues.” Before he received the Recycled Rides vehicle, Guerrero-Uribe said he was spending countless hours on public transportation traveling to participate in his volunteering activities. “I was taking buses and trains to different events, and then one day I was standing there in the rain and the people at The Mission Continues asked me, ‘How did you get here?’” he said. “When I told them I didn’t have a car, they recommended me to the Recycled Rides program, and then one day I got the call.” Since then, he has logged hun50

dreds of hours to help build sports fields and schools and teach financial management and English classes at various schools and libraries to some of Los Angeles County’s poorest residents with The Mission Continues. Less than 20 years ago, Guerrero-Uribe’s situation was a lot different than it is today. “I enlisted in the Marines in December 2000 at age 23, and was stationed at Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, CA, and then things happened quickly after that,” he said. “I entered boot camp in January, graduated on Mother’s Day, graduated from infantry school on the 4th of July and then joined my platoon in August—all in 2001. And then 9/11 happened. Everything happened so fast; I never even got a chance to unpack my gear.” To prepare for the aftermath of 9/11, Guerrero-Uribe was sent to the Twenty-Nine Palms National Training Center for one year to get ready for the harsh conditions of Iraq. In March of 2003, he became part of the first invasion of Iraq, but prior to that he was sent to Kuwait to construct “Camp Commando” and its entire infrastructure. “We built everything there; you name it,” he said. “It was just sand when we got there. One day, I remember carrying sand bags up to a

tion with the First Marine Expeditionary Force (1MEF) and Regimental Combat Team-1 (RCT-1) became part of a combat team.

rero-Uribe said. “They told us that we did such a good job in Baghdad that they were attached to Task Force Tripoli to take down the palace,” he said. “We were the first people there, and it was an amazing and heartbreaking thing to see. Here was a huge palace with waterfalls, marble flooring and gold-plated toilets everywhere, and just right outside the walls there was so much poverty and starvation. So much excess while the rest of Iraq was suffering—it was a humGuerrero-Uribe is often interviewed as a spokesperson bling experience.” with The Mission Continues One day in Iraq, Guer“We were the first ones who rero-Uribe jumped off a truck with a went through the middle of Iraq and mortar on his shoulder, landing awkended up in downtown Baghdad,” he wardly and blowing out his hip. “Something in my leg popped, said. “We took over the U.N. building in Baghdad, and it was very exciting. but I just kept going and ignored it,” We were on autopilot at that point and he said. “When I got back to the states, didn’t even know what day it was, but I realized that something was really wrong with it.” we kept moving.” Guerrero-Uribe got his “five secThe next stop was Saddam’s See After the Donation, Page 55 palace in Tikkrit, North Iraq, Guer-

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sniper’s tower, and I thought, ‘Wow, we’re an easy target right now.’ We were the laborers and also did the security 24/7 at the camp.” When the official bombing on Baghdad began, Guerrero-Uribe and his platoon, (Weapons Platoon, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marines) in conjunc-

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The Complexities of Truck Collision Repair by Susan L. Hodges, Transport Topics

Heavy-duty collision repair is becoming increasingly complex due to a variety of factors, including the conversion from steel to aluminum bodies, the changing componentry and design of trucks and the proliferation of onboard sensors. This added complexity is causing more fleets to consider outsourcing this type of specialized work, industry experts said. “It’s almost like repair shops have to be not only experts in repair, but in finding the repair information, depending on the year, make and model of the truck,” said Joey Fassett, general manager at Al’s Automotive and Truck Service Center in Exeter, N.H. On a typical day when a collision job rolls in, Fassett’s team does an inspection to identify all parts that may have been impacted. “Then we find out what pieces have to be replaced, what work must be done, and everything that goes into it for the insurance estimate,” he said. As Fassett’s team identifies the components, they also plan how to put them back together. “We have to follow all the specs required to make the truck roadworthy again so that everyone is safe,” he said. “Those specs are whatever research and due diligence repair shops do to ensure they’re addressing the right systems, using the right parts and materials, and following procedures in a way that conform to the initial integrity required of each component,” Fassett said. Jim Kolea, president of PennFleet Corp., a collision-repair company in Boothwyn, Pa., cites an example highlighting the importance of accurate repair. “Think about all of the sensors in a truck with crash-avoidance technology,” he said. “If any of those sensors are out of alignment by even one degree, it could cause an accident.” As for one large fleet, PepsiCo Inc. “does not own a body shop,” said Lee Kirby, senior fleet manager at the White Plains, N.Y.-based private fleet operator. “All of our equipment that has body damage is outsourced, and we have many shops we use at different locations we handle.” 52

PepsiCo has about 20,000 heavyduty trucks, Kirby said. “The big item we look for in collision repair is turnaround time or the amount of down time. Other than that, we are agnostic on how repairs get made.”

to be certified to weld on aluminum fleet sends all of its body work out. “We have enough problems get- ladder trucks, and you have to be reting all the mechanical done,” he certified every year.” Adler used to take collision-resaid. Colerain has 14 specialized pair jobs to a nearby truck dealership. heavy-duty vehicles in its fire depart- “But they didn’t know how to do alument alone, including lad- minum,” he said. He subsequently der trucks, pumpers, tankers visited several local repair shops, talkand a decontamination unit. ing to shop owners and examining the “All of our fire apparatus work being done. When a light-duty pickup truck is made of aluminum, and that takes special knowledge ran into a Colerain firehouse in June to repair,” Adler said. “Alu- 2013 and hit a pumper truck so hard minum is not only lighter that it moved the vehicle three feet and lasts longer than steel, it and caused $30,000 in damage, Adler behaves differently,” he said, had it towed to a shop that he now works with regularly. “This shop is noting that aluminum corChris Sterwerf and his father, Dennis Sterwerf, founder of Fairfield Auto and Truck Service, stand next to their rodes rather than rusts and second to none, and that truck was shop's repair-planning computer Credit: Fairfield Auto and still out almost two months,” he said. has different bonding propTruck Service Meanwhile, Johnson Equiperties than steel so the repair Kolea compares the technology protocols are different. ment currently performs repairs on in heavy-duty trucks today to that in “If you’re bolting on a light with Leonard’s Express trucks involved in personal computers. “It’s changing steel screws, for instance, the screws collisions less than 500 miles from almost overnight, but no one is writ- should be stainless steel because Farmington. Work on trucks involved ing repair procedures. We need to stainless doesn’t rust,” Adler said, in more distant crashes is outsourced make sure procedures are out there.” adding that the screws must be coated to shops in those areas. To that end, Robert Braswell, with a sealant to maintain the bond. Now, however, Johnson Equipexecutive director of American Truck- “Welding on aluminum is different ment is building a collision repair ing Associations’ Technology & Main- from welding on steel, too. You have shop at Leonard’s Express. The new tenance Council, said two new TMC task forces have formed to address the issue. “One will deal with turning the wrenches—creating guidelines and best practices to improve safety, qualThe right part makes the difference. ity and reliability of service,” Braswell said. The other group will develop “a road map of steps in the business process, showing what a customer should expect from the beginning to the end of the repair,” he said. One maintenance director thinks the guidelines are needed. “Most manufacturers have gone to composite plastic or fiberglass hoods, and the adhesives are different for each one,” said Kevin Adriaansen, director of maintenance for Leonard’s Express, a Farmington, www.northfreewayhyundai.com www. ww w.noorrtthhffre reew wayyhy hyun unnddaaii..coom N.Y.-based national truckload carrier with about 300 heavy-duty company trucks, and Johnson Equipment Sales and Service Inc., a sister company. • N.L.S. Delivery • Genuine Hyundai OEM Parts • “Aluminum is another challenge,” • Helpful Staff • 30+ Years Experience • he said. “Some can be straightened, but you have to watch how you heat it to Fax: 832.442.5174 straighten it. If a panel is compromised too much, you have to replace it.” Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-7pm; Sat 7:30am-5pm Mike Adler, fleet manager for 20440 I45 North • Spring, TX 77373 Colerain Township, Ohio, said his

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shop will house a paint booth and frame-straightening equipment, and employ up to six repair professionals. Adriaansen of Leonard’s Express said, “It’s being built to keep as much of the Leonard’s Express collision work in-house as possible, to turn the equipment around quicker and help control costs at the same time.” “With the addition of this shop, we’ll be able to do virtually all our repairs in-house,” he said. Johnson Equipment also does collision work for other fleets, and Adriaansen sees the trend increasing. “If you’re not going to do collision repairs internally, you need to partner with someone who’ll help you,” he said. “More fleets, especially larger ones, are doing this so they can get their equipment back on the road faster and mitigate some costs internally.” So quickly are the components and design of heavy-duty trucks changing that Chris Sterwerf, chief finance and operations officer at Fairfield Auto and Truck Service in Fairfield, Ohio, said large body shops are starting to em-

ploy full-time research-and-repair planners. “Traditionally, shops had one technician to handle a truck from beginning to end,” said Sterwerf. “But now the work is so sophisticated that you need an expert to disassemble and a repair planner to watch and work alongside with a computer, looking up repair information.” “Then the truck is passed on to a structure technician, then to the body department, then to refinishing, and then back to assembly to be put back together,” Sterwerf said, adding that ideally, the person who disassembled also performs the reassembly. Repair information can be hard to find, Sterwerf said. This is partly because manufacturers aren’t required to share it and partly because when the information is accessible, “it may be a lot of mechanical information but very little about collision repair.” Ted Burke, president of Dennis K. Burke Inc., a Taunton, Mass.based fuel distributor, said his company outsources all collision and body work to a network of vendors

scattered across the eight states on the fleet’s delivery route. “I think it’s more efficient to have this expertise outside,” said Burke, whose fleet operates 85 heavy-duty trucks. “We don’t have many accidents that require body work, so it’s not economically feasible for us to build up that kind of expertise inhouse. We only do maintenance work in our shop.” Sterwerf said that in his experience, “many fleets and dealerships don’t have body shops or have tried them and can’t sustain them.” “With the specialized equipment and the cost behind it — a frame machine can cost more than $200,000 and a paint booth can cost upward of $700,000 — you need a volume of work to substantiate those costs,” he said. Sterwerf also said fleets that do their own collision repair take on a lot of liability that can be diversified by outsourcing the work. “Because it’s hard to get repair information, you might not repair the vehicle properly, and that can come back to haunt you,” he said. Peggy Liao, a spokeswoman

for Decisiv, which develops software for the commercial vehicle market, believes fleets could benefit significantly from systems that streamline communication and collaboration between fleets and service providers. “By giving everyone in the service process visibility from beginning to end, you give all parties valuable information about how trucks behave and how to repair them, and you save time and money in the long run,” she said. Liao said Decisiv’s platform integrates with truck management systems to pull up a truck’s service history, warranties, repair notes and manufacturer details and put them all in one place. “And if a truck is broken down on the highway, the platform can gather the truck’s history and telematics information that’s entered into the system and tell you which dealers are nearby with availability of space, parts and technicians,” she said. Meanwhile, TMC’s task forces are starting their work. Sterwerf chairs the HD Collision Repair Guidelines task force. See Truck Collision Repair, Page 60

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Continued from Page 44

To Facebook or Not?

this is because social media is an element of the collision customer’s purchase journey and should be used that way—as a validating resource, rather than expecting it to be a conversion tool. While a well thoughtout and purposeful social presence can help in converting customers, it should not be considered this industry’s next silver bullet. It’s simply a piece of the overall marketing puzzle. Our research is further validated, as Facebook’s mission is “to give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together.”

Iraola: We tell our shop clients that they should still have fun with their Facebook pages, because people still expect that from Facebook to a degree. But, yes—if you post too many funny videos or other trivial content, you might lose your relevance. Keep in mind that collision repair is not an impulse buy and that most people don’t ever wake up in the morning thinking warm and fuzzy thoughts about the experience of getting into a car accident. Your image on any social media should be similar to that of an attorney, a bank or a school where transparency, honesty and full accountability are key, so always take the high road when you post anything on Facebook.

Nelson Glass Tools Announces New Glass Bot Quartermaster Tool

Nelson Glass Tools, manufacturer of Glass Bot Systems, announces the newest product to their line of tools, the Glass Bot QuarterMaster. This new tool mounts to the outside of the glass part and using a man-made filament, quickly cuts through the adhesive and datum pins. No damage to

paint or moldings for successful R & I’s. The QuarterMaster is simple to use and faster than other methods, and is available in November 2018. Nelson Glass Tools is a northern California based tool manufacturer, specializing in auto glass removal tools. For more information visit: www.glassbot.net.

Continued from Page 50

After the Donation

onds of fame” while deployed in Iraq when he and his platoon were featured in “21 Days to Baghdad,” a special produced by the National Geographic Channel. “I’m at the end of it, saying ‘Hi Mom,’ and celebrating while carrying a mortar,” he said. “So, that’s the proof that I was there.” When Guerrero-Uribe’s tour in Iraq ended and he returned to the states, he was suffering from clinical depression and PTSD, among other problems. “Being in Iraq was a huge rush all the time, so when I got home I couldn’t adjust to the 9-to-5 pace of everyday life,” he said. “I had lost my tribe, and I was lonely and became very isolated. I was hiding my pain with pain killers and started quitting jobs or getting fired.” In 2015, he checked into the West Los Angeles V.A. Hospital and started turning his life around. “It saved my life because I didn’t want to admit that I was damaged

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goods,” he said. “I was headed for a dark place and without the help, I might still be there. They enabled me to reset my life and understand all of the things that I was hiding from.” Today, Guerrero-Uribe uses his vehicle to deliver other veterans to volunteer at a wide range of charitable projects through The Mission Continues. “I load the car up with vets from the Hollywood Veterans Center, and we go out to places like schools to get our hands dirty and build things,” he said. “There is something going on pretty much every weekend, and it’s a team effort and great therapy.” To continue his mission, Guerrero-Uribe recently submitted a fellow Marine’s name for a car through the NABC Recycled Rides Program. “His name is Mathew Shepherd, and he will be receiving his car this month,” he said. “He hasn’t missed any events and is working on himself, so he is a perfect candidate for a car, just like I was!”

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Trump Administration Seeks to Freeze Fuel Economy Standards by David A. Wood, CarComplaints.com

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have released their proposed vehicle fuel economy rule called the Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule for Model Years 2021–2026 Passenger Cars and Light Trucks. It’s the first step in setting fuel economy standards for 2021-2026 vehicles, standards much lower than those created by the Obama administration. According to the EPA, its April 2018 evaluation determined fuel economy standards should be revised for model year 2022–2025 vehicles because current standards are allegedly based on outdated information. The EPA claims it had no choice but to evaluate current standards because the Obama administration “short-circuited” the process and released its final emissions determination just days before leaving office. Now NHTSA and the EPA say they have had time to study the pros and cons of following current fuel economy standards and the available options included in the proposed rule. EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler said the most recent information and data were used to create a solution that will apply to all states, creating more “realistic standards” that “can save lives while continuing to improve the environment.” Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao also said the new rule creates more “realistic standards” that will bring “newer, safer, cleaner and more fuel-efficient vehicles” to the roads. NHTSA said a 2018 study shows the newest vehicles are also the safest compared to older models, with crashes in new models resulting in fewer injuries and deaths. According to the Trump administration, “correcting” current fuel economy standards will remove barriers that currently block consumers from buying new safer cars. NHTSA and the EPA claim current fuel standards are a contributing factor to the increasing cost of new cars that now average $35,000, and backers of the new plan claim keep56

ing current standards will add more than $2,300 to the price of a new car. EPA Assistant Administrator Bill Wherum said the Department of Transportation and the EPA estimate the proposed rule could lead to 12,000 fewer fatalities over the lifetime of vehicles built through 2029.

The proposal also claims other benefits of freezing fuel economy standards at 2020 levels, including a reduction of “societal costs” by $500 billion and savings of $253 billion from lower new car prices. In addition to the proposed ruling, the administration says California and states that follow it should not have the ability to set different fuel economy standards than federal rules. Current regulations allow California to set its own environmental standards and a state can choose to follow California’s laws instead of federal regulations. Wheeler said the rule will “create a 50-state solution that will enable more Americans to afford newer, safer vehicles that pollute less.” According to NHTSA and the EPA, the proposed rule will have a minimal impact on fuel consumption and the environment, but it’s estimated there will be a 2–3 percent increase in daily fuel consumption. As for the environment, the government estimates the following:  An increase from 789.11 ppm (parts per million) to 789.76 ppm in atmospheric CO2 concentration in 2100.  A 3/1,000 of a degree Celsius increase in global average temperature in 2100.

 A 8/100 of a percent increase in atmospheric CO2 concentration in 2100.

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Both agencies also claim there will be no noticeable impact to net emissions of smog-forming air pollutants. Those estimates are allegedly based on an average fuel economy rating of 37 mpg for model year 2021–2026 vehicles, compared to the 46.7 mpg for 2025 under the current standards. As can be imagined, not everyone sees the subject in the same favorable light as the Trump administration. A group of 20 attorneys general say they will sue to prevent any drop in standards. “The Trump administration just proposed rolling back limits on car pollution. If the rule is finalized, our coalition of 20 AGs will go to court to put the brakes on this reckless and illegal plan,” said New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood. Underwood said weakening the standards will harm the health of children and seniors while increasing the cost of climate change for every state. Fred Krupp, president of the Environmental Defense Fund, said

the proposal will cost the average family hundreds of dollars a year extra for gas, all while increasing air pollution. “The Trump administration’s proposal to slam the brakes on America’s successful Clean Car Standards is a massive pileup of bad ideas,” he said. And one Vermont driver chimed in when told of Trump’s estimates of savings with “societal costs” and administration claims about the minimal environmental impact. “It’s going to save $500 billion in ‘societal costs’? Well, I’d rather pay extra for a fuel efficient car versus one that gets 18 mpg but can order an iced mocha whenever I’m within two miles of a Starbucks. Meanwhile, VT just had the hottest July on record.” NHTSA and the EPA are accepting public comments for the next 60 days to listen to alternatives and ideas from U.S. consumers. We thank CarComplaints.com for reprint permission.

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What Is the Future for New, Used Car Sales Claims? by Susanna Gotsch, Property Casualty 360

U.S. auto sales for the first six months of 2018 were stronger than many analysts originally anticipated, but were driven in large part by growth in fleet sales while retail sales were essentially flat. Higher interest rates, some pullback by auto lenders, less consumer demand and higher gas prices were among the headwinds faced by the U.S. new vehicle market. However, it still managed to see an increase of 1.9 percent for the first six months of 2018 versus same period in 2017 (car sales fell by 11.8 percent, while light truck sales grew by 10 percent). Most new and used vehicles were financed, with average payments and loan term lengths hitting new highs, according to Experian’s “State of the Automotive Finance Market First Quarter 2018” report. Unfortunately, this means that many more people owe more money on their vehicles than they are worth, and the percent of new vehicle loans with negative equity also remains high, according to Edmund’s 2018 Automotive Industry Trends: Midyear Update. How will tariffs affect pricing? Growing issues with new vehicle affordability have been a key reason used vehicle sales have remained strong both in terms of volume and pricing. Despite significant increases in used inventory from large volumes of lease returns, wholesale and used vehicle prices have remained relatively stable, registering much smaller declines than many analysts had originally feared. The younger age and quality of vehicles coming back as lease returns have led to higher overall used vehicle transaction prices, which according to Edmunds.com, reached an average of $19.7K in Q1 2018 versus $16.7K in Q1 2013. The tariffs imposed by the U.S. on July 6 of this year and the threat of additional tariffs could drive up new vehicle prices even further, potentially slowing auto sales in the second half. The tariffs against China that went into effect in July add a 25 per58

cent border tax to Chinese-made vehicles made for U.S., and U.S.-made vehicles face a new 40 percent tariff in China. The U.S. is still working to determine whether it will impose tariffs on other countries, based on whether imports are threats to national security. About half of parts and vehicle imports come from Canada and Mexico, so any tariffs put on those countries could have severe impacts on U.S. auto sales. If prices on new cars are raised, more consumers might shift to the used market (annually only about 17M new vehicles are sold in the U.S.; in 2018 the U.S. is on track to sell 39.4M used vehicles)—where prices are already up due to more light trucks in the overall volume of lease returns into the used market. While analysts believe increases in new vehicle prices from tariffs won’t necessarily lead to an increase in used vehicle prices immediately, the tariffs would likely lead to lower depreciation rates for used vehicles, a factor that would lead to higher total loss vehicle values over time. Total loss vehicle values remain elevated so far in 2018, as the shift toward a newer, more expensive total loss vehicle population continues. Non-comprehensive total loss vehicle values are up over 3 percent for the four quarters ending Q2 2018 versus a year prior, and vehicles ages 0–6 years now account for 34 percent of total loss volume versus 29 percent in the four quarters ending Q2 2014. Total loss frequency also continues to rise, as the percent of total losses that were older than 15 years of age remains elevated at 15.4 percent, and among vehicle appraisals, total loss frequency increased across all vehicle ages.

Impact on Vehicle Repairs Vehicle repair costs also rose 3 percent in the four quarters ending Q2 2018, with the largest increases occurring among the newest vehicles. Growth in the number of labor hours per claim, the average hourly labor rate, the average number of parts replaced per claim and the average price paid per part are all contribut-

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

ing to higher repair costs overall. Volume share growth in segments like light trucks, European vehicles and newer model year vehicles where repair costs are higher are also contributing to higher cost overall. Yet while both repair costs and total loss costs continue to rise, the industry has begun to see a leveling off in claim frequency. The U.S. economy continues to be strong; unemployment numbers are at all-time lows, and the U.S. has seen registered vehicle counts grow again to nearly 1.3 vehicles per licensed driver, said Michael Wayland in his U.S. sales outlook on autonews .com. However, as growth in vehicle registrations has again surpassed overall growth in U.S. miles driven, the miles driven per vehicle (a proxy for “accident exposure”) have fallen, helping collision and property damage liability claim frequency to also taper. For example, repairable claim counts (excluding comprehensive)

for 2018 through June were up only 0.4 percent from the same period in 2017. Less severe winter and spring weather in many parts of the U.S. has also meant fewer overall losses. A comparison of the share of losses with primary impact of hail or water for the first six months of the year reveal a much smaller percent in 2018 versus several prior years. Comprehensive losses’ share of overall repairable and total loss claim counts fell in both Q1 and Q2 of 2018 compared to prior years. Assuming no major economic event, such as a full-blown trade war or recession, or no major catastrophe such as a Superstorm Sandy or Hurricane Harvey, data from the first six months of the year would suggest that 2018 will see little growth, if any, in accident and claim counts. However, given rising costs and repair complexity, both the insurance industry and collision repairers will remain under pressure to have the training and tools to operate effiSee Sales Claims, Page 61

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autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Ford Commits to Spending $4 Billion on Autonomous Vehicles by Jessica Miley, Interesting Engineering

Ford has signaled its dedication to the development of autonomous vehicles by announcing its plans to spend $4 billion on the sector through 2023. The carmaker has created a Limited Liability Company (LLC) called Ford Autonomous Vehicles LLC, which will host the company’s self-driving systems integration, autonomous vehicle research and advanced engi-

Credit: Argo

neering, AV transportation-as-a-service network development, user experience, business strategy and business development teams. The $4 billion budget includes dedicating $1 billion to autonomous driving startup Argo AI. The new company will be based out of Ford’s

Corktown campus in Detroit, headed by Sherif Marakby. Marakby will report to a board of directors chaired by Ford’s executive vice president and president of mobility, Marcy Klevorn.

Argo AI To Help Take Ford Into the Autonomous Car Market Argo AI is the brainchild of former Google Self-Driving Engineer Bryan Salesky and former Engineering Lead at Uber Advanced Technologies Group Peter Rander. Ford’s involvement in the group has been public knowledge since February 2017. The latest announcement of additional funding and the formation of the LLC shows that Ford is ready to mean business when it comes to autonomous vehicles. Previous research into the technology was spread across departments, but this latest move to bring all the parts together shows that Ford is moving towards a vision of commercial deployment of autonomous cars. Ford Looks to the Future of Electric Autonomous Cars “Ford has made tremendous progress across the self-driving value chain—

Uber Drops Self-Driving Trucks Soon After Debut in Autonomous Car Shift by Mike Brown, Inverse

SEPTEMBER 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

from technology development to business model innovation to user experience,” said Ford CEO Jim Hackett. “Now is the right time to consolidate our autonomous driving platform into one team to best position the business for the opportunities ahead.”

supply chain choreography and inventory leanness that rivals any industrial model in the world.”

Ford’s electric vehicle strategy includes making the charging process for electric vehicles effortless as well as rethinking car ownership models. Ford will also follow Tesla with over-the-air software updates to enhance capability and features of its vehicles as new software is developed. “The evolution of computing power and IT have helped bring great products to customers—from cars to tablets,” Hackett said. “We can now harness this technology to unlock a new world of vehicle personalization,

vehicle businesses. Detroit’s oldest neighborhood will see a new Ford grow out of a 1.2 million-square-foot space. Corktown is expected to house 2,500 Ford employees, most of whom will work in its emerging mobility team. In addition to being a space for Ford and its partners, the site will serve as a mix of community and retail space and residential housing.

Detroit’s Long Automobile History Will Continue With a New Electric Face Ford’s Corktown campus will become a hub for its electric and autonomous

“Ford has made tremendous progress across the self-driving value chain—from technology development to business model innovation to user experience,” — Jim Hackett

The Right Parts. A Perfect Fit.

We thank Interesting Engineering for reprint permission.

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WAC Meeting Energizes Members by Chasidy Rae Sisk

On July 17, Women in Automotive and Collision (WAC) hosted a meeting at Automotive Technology in Fenton, MO.

A dozen people attended WAC’s July 17 meeting to plan for the group to attend upcoming industry events. Credit: WAC

According to WAC President Shelly Jones, “The meeting was energizing! I enjoy working with this group of people on our common mission. We share ideas, we laugh, and Continued from Page 54

Truck Collision Repair

“The goal is to improve safety for the driver, fellow motorists and

we get things done. “A dozen people attended the July meeting, including two new members: Amy Redfield of Redfield Collision and Avery Hodge from Original One Parts. We now have 16 members and seven corporate sponsors. WAC member Jim Earnest, Weber Chevrolet, provided a delicious dinner for the group.” The main focus of the evening was planning for upcoming events that WAC will attend. The group will have a booth at the V8TV Drive-In Cruise on August 16 at Sky View Drive-In in Belleville, IL. “WAC member Kelle Oeste, of V8 Speed & Resto Shop, suggested the event as a great opportunity for WAC to get the word out about the great career opportunities within the automotive and collision industries,” Jones said. “We will be hosting a coloring contest to engage the children and handing out information to

technicians,” he said. “The more we have in black and white, the better.” Fassett of Al’s Automotive and Truck Service Center chairs the HD Collision Repair Roadmap task force. Kolea of PennFleet Corp. is a

Finish it like a Masterpiece

parents. This fun family event is being presented by V8TV. More information regarding this car cruise and movie night is available at www .v8tvshow.com.” WAC will also host a table at the Enterprise 2018 Golf Classic at Norwood Hills Country Club in St. Louis on Sept. 10. WAC Social Media Manager and Enterprise 01 Group Manager Tricia Belz provided this opportunity. Jones pointed out, “Many of the participants have a vested interest in the industry that we serve, so we hope to reach others that will join us in our mission. This will be a fun day of networking.” WAC’s next meeting will be held on August 21. More information about the group is available at https://www.facebook.com/groups/ wacstl/ (Women in Automotive and Collision) or on Instagram at WAC STLGROUP.

member of both.

Continued from Page 58

Sales Claims

ciently and effectively. Susanna Gotsch is director and industry analyst for CCC Information Services Inc. Contact her at sgotsch@cccis.com. The information and opinions presented are for general information only, are subject to change and are not intended to provide specific recommendations for any individual or entity. This article was originally published on PropertyCasualty360.com. Copyright (c) ALM Media Properties. All Rights Reserved. Republished here with permission.

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