52 minute read
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Having limited availability of aftermarket parts causes other problems for shops. A shop may be put at odds with their OE parts supplier if they only use that supplier for the hard-toget parts. This could put them at an economic disadvantage if the shops wantto negotiate with the OE dealer for better parts prices. It didn’t take longfordealerparts managers to figure this out and reduce the discount extended to a shop that only bought “dealer-only” items.
What was left out of the argument, in many cases, is the consumer. Insurance companies claim they save the consumers money by using aftermarket parts. Detractors ofthis idea claim that insurance premiums were never reduced because of the use of aftermarket parts. OE’s maintained that their reputation was at stake and at the very least, consumers have a right to be informed what parts go on their cars. A GM spokesperson said that ninety-nine out of one hundred customers have no idea what parts are being used in the repair of their car . In 1986, some in the industry tried to get I-CAR to take a stand on the use of aftermarket parts. In the fall of 1986, I-CAR announced that it will take no position regardingaftermarketversusOEparts. Jeff Silver , then I-CAR’s executive vice president noted that “I-CAR can best serve its constituency by providing a forum for discussion” and not taking a position for or against aftermarket parts. Many in the industry were dismayed, but understood the reasoning behind the decision.
In response to the growing tide of aftermarket parts, General Motors took out a full-page ad in a collision trade magazine condemning the use of aftermarket parts and at the same time announcing a price reduction on many fast-moving body parts.
In yet another full-page industry ad, Nissan made a stance against the use of aftermarket parts. Among other things, the ad emphatically noted, “Nissan believes that until a law is passed requiring imported imitation parts to be inspected and certified, the use ofsuch parts should be discouraged.” In December , 1987, the Certified AutomotivePartsAssociation(CAPA) was formed as a non-profit corporation. CAPA acquired the Aftermarket Body Parts Association’s existing certification program with the intention of increasing its scope. The testing and quality assurance program used for certifying the aftermarket parts was developed in cooperation with the Detroit Testing Laboratory (DTL). By August, 1988, the legislative fight over OE parts versus aftermarket parts was in full swing. A trade magazine article notes that, at that time, some sort of collision parts legislation was pending in 30 states, and recently enacted in 12 states ranging from simple consumer disclosure to more complex regulations. Many states required disclosure to the consumer but did not require consent. Most laws did not require independentcertificationofthe aftermarket parts to determine whether or not they were of like kind and quality to the originals. Some laws required that non-OE parts carryawarning to consumers, most did not. The article ended with, “Pending legislation and enacted regulations have begun to appear in some states; however, it is still too soon to tell if they will provide any answers to this ongoing controversy.”
Despite the question of a consumer’s rightstohavenon-OEparts, abiggerissueoffit,finishandsafety was broiling in the body shops and within many shop associations; and the fact that there were so few aftermarket parts that were CAPA certified.
John Loftus of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists said, “Our members continue to report aftermarket sheet metal that doesn’t fitbutthe insurance companies continue to promote the parts. We are accused by the insurance companies and by others of not wanting to use the parts because of the money, but the fact is, the parts don’t fit. It comes down to fit and aftermarket parts manufacturers have failed miserably to bring the parts up to a standard. We are getting parts with certified stickers and the parts still don’t fit. Whenpeoplepromotesomething that it is not, it is fraud in any other industry .” Today, some35yearslater , many of the same questions and issues exist –andmayneverbesolved.
want to draw the viewer into a painting, giving them more, the longer they look.” Irvine’s work has appeared on the covers of the Mopar Collectors Guide and Muscle Car Enthusiast. He offers reproductions ofall ofhis paintings as limited edition prints, artist proofs and gallery edition canvases. David Snyder: David Snyder started drawing cars, airplanes and trains at the age of six. His passion for transportation history continues today . Snyder’s art portrays memories of growing up with cars from the ‛50s through the American Muscle era. He takes you down memory lane inviting youto ‟step rightin” to his paintings and visit the past. The period architecture, signage, oil cans in the garage bay - no detail is too small for Snyder. Known for his detailed images, he spends countless hours on research before beginning a painting. Other popular automotive artists of note include Kelly Telfer (pastels), John Ketchell (semi-abstract), Tim Layzell (30s and 40s cars), James Hart Dyke (watercolors), Dan Gwinnett (large canvases), Bobbie Crews (murals), Bill Bravo (commissions for classic car owners), Dan Reed (realism) and Tony Sikorski(sculptor). David Snyder’s images have been described as alive with “color and narration.” Continued from Page 50 Automotive Artwork
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The Women’s Industry Network (WIN ® ) is pleased to announce that registration for the 2020 Educational Conference is now open. This year ’s Conference will be held May 3-5, 2020 in Newport Beach, Calif. “Driving the Future,” the Conference theme, will be reflected throughout the agenda of the two-and-a-half-day event that brings education, connection and celebration to collision industry professionals each year .
“For our 2020 Educational Conference, we are excited to shake up our agenda a bit and offer more networking time,” says Wendy Rogers, Conference Committee Co-Chair. “We will be hosting a charity opportunity to give back to the community, and we will be taking our annual Scholarship Walk in late after noon that gives way to a short reception and a free night to explore and sample the restaurants and nightlife in fabulous Newport Beach, Calif.”
Register and receive the early bird price of $300 if you purchase before March 31st. After that, the member rate is $475 and a non-member ticket is $700. Attendance at the Most Influential W omen and Scholarship Winners Gala only is $80 per person. Room blocks are available at the Hyatt Regency Newport Beach for booking at the hotel until April 13th.
If you are not yet a member, join today or before March 31st for $95 and you will be eligible to purchase a ticket to the confer ence at the member rate.
More information to come regarding speakers and session topics. To register for Conference and view the agenda, please visit thewomensindustrynetwork.siteym.com/page/Conference. WIN is a 501(c)(6) not-forprofit organization. WIN recogniz es excellence, promotes leadership, and fosters a network specifically for and among women.
For more information go to www. womensindustrynetwork.com. Continued from Page 44 He’s Had it! Part 2
and former shop owner Mike Quinn now serves as the Senior Vice President for Business Development for AirPro Diagnostics. Quinn said, “We can all see which way this industry is going. The future is in those companies that service a car’s electronics. Right now, this is handled by people who are more versed in the mechanical side of the auto repair business because they have had to deal with it longer. What they may not be as familiar with is the protocols and nuances of the collision repair business. That’ s where the collision industry veterans could help.” To amplify comments from Frank Terlep and Mike Quinn above, Tim Ronak, industry veteran, former shop owner and now a business consultant for AkzoNobel noted, “One of my favorite sayings is ‘Learn or die.’ Everyone’s role in the collision industry is changing and evolving. Whether you are staying in your shop, or going somewhere else, you need to keep up with the industry and the technology.” Bruce Cooley , now retired, has over 40 years in the collision repair industry having worked for DuPont and Sherwin Williams, and has called on hundreds of body shops. Cooley maintains that, among shop owners there are those that are self-employed, and those that are entrepreneurs. The entrepreneurs tend to concentrate on business concepts and business models. They employ people to do the actual work, as opposed to doing the work themselves and thus are quite adaptable to alternative but related businesses. Cooley says, “It is the entrepreneurs, those who are really engaged in the industry who will have the easier time transitioning to a different but related business. But because of their entrepreneurial spirit, may have a more difficult time simply working for someone else – especially when they have been the sole decision maker for their business for so long.”
Leave your shop – or stay? It’s a harrowing question. With fast-changing technology and an ever-evolving business and socio-economic climate, it’s a challenge either way . Have you “Had it?”
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Military veteran Sterling Keith and his wife, Rebecca, found they were facing some unexpected challenges in 2014. Sterling was suffering from traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Meanwhile, Rebecca was unable to work due to health issues.
CIF recipients at the January gala in Palm Springs, CA. (l to r) Becky and Sterling Keith, and Jeff Wilson
As part of Sterling’ s medical retirement process, he was helping to restore a WWII ambulance with Operation Comfort. The organization works “to promote an inclusive and positive environment where wounded, ill and injured service members of all service branches, active duty and veteran, as well as their immediate family can recover and get involved in the community .” When the organization learned that Sterling’s work tools were stolen during one of his deployments to Iraq, they reached out to the Collision Industry Foundation (CIF). Established in 2001, the charitable foundation is dedicated to raising, managing and donating funds to provide emergency relief to collision repair professionals who have been impacted by natural disasters or other catastrophic events. Michael Quinn, president of the CIF Board of Trustees and senior vice president at AirPro Diagnostics, is passionate about the work CIF performs.
“Providing assistance to our industry families fills a vital need, helping them recover from whatever disaster they are faced with,” said Quinn. “We are proud to carry on this work on behalf of the industry.”
When CIF volunteers heard of Sterling’s situation, Quinn said they contacted Snap-On for assistance. “Snap-On generously collaborated with CIF to replace Sterling’s tools as well as provide a custom toolbox for him,” said Quinn.
They presented the toolbox to Sterling in 2015 during the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) in Palm Springs, CA. Shortly after, Sterling was told by Veteran’s Affairs and the U.S. Army that he could no longer work in the auto body industry. Since then, he has used the tools to restore Model A cars and trucks where they live in Texas.
“When I retired, I felt useless and went into a very deep depression,” said Sterling. “Receiving the tools has given me purpose again and pulled me out of my depression. I’ve gone from seeing no future to being excited about life again.” Sterling’s military career spans three decades, first in the U.S. Navy where he served during Desert Storm. During this time, he also graduated from Nashville Auto Diesel College and began working in the auto body repair industry . He then joinedthe U.S. Army where he was deployed four more times with the National Guard in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
When he returned from his last deployment in 2010, he was offered a full-time position with the Army, which he accepted and worked until his medical retirement process began.
Rebecca said CIF’ s donation of the tools has changed their lives. Since retiring, Sterling has been able to spend time focusing on automotive projects. In October 2019, he entered a 1961 Harley Davidson and Model A truck he restored in the Texas Masonic Retirement Center (TMRC) Family Day/Annual Classic Car & Motorcycle Show in Arlington, TX, and received first place for the bike and third place for the truck.
“None of this would be possible without the very generous donation through CIF,” said Rebecca. “It gave him the tools to restore cars and trucks and bikes, but in turn that restored his sense of purpose after retirement.” Due to the TBI, Rebecca said Sterling often has challenges remembering things and can get frustrated easily.
“The tools and ability to work on those Model As gives him an outlet for that frustration,” said Rebecca. “Seeing him so much more relaxed and genuinely happy has had a profound effect on our whole family. The stress is not all the way gone, but we have learned many more ways of handling the stress.” Petra Schr oeder, the secretary on CIF’s board of trustees, recalls when she first talked to the Keiths and learned about their situation. “It was a heartbreaking story,” said Schroeder. “Initially, they were both devasted when they found out he couldn’t work anymore. We have learned in many ways that if you have some kind of issue, mentally or physically, if you get your mind off of the particular situation, it will help the overall healing process.”
Schroeder said it is rewarding for CIF to help those in need.
“The Collision Industry Foundation is there to help our brothers and sisters in the industry,” she said.
The 2020 CIF Board of Trustees
Sterling and Rebecca both highly recommend that industry members faced with catastrophic events reach out to CIF for assistance.
“Anyone within the industry can fall on hard times, suffer from a natural disaster, or find themselves in need for various other reasons,” said Sterling.
“CIF has numerous contacts who can assist with helping those individuals get back on their feet, get back on track and find a renewed sense of purpose in their lives,” added Rebecca. “We hope to spread the word to never give up and keep working towards your goals even if those goals have to change along the way.”
The couple recently attended the 10th annual CIF Gala held in Palm Springs, CA, following the CIC meeting in January. This year, the gala took place at a larger venue, The Bank, and Schroeder said there was record attendance. In addition to holding a silent auction to raise funds, a special drawing was held to win a “Big Green Egg Smoker” package donated by Nexsyis.
“The CIF Gala was just amazing,” said Sterling. “It was an honor to be able to attend. We met so many people and made new friends.”
Rebecca said, “It was a very big self-esteem boost for Sterling to have so many people admire his work on the Model As and his overall progress.” Schroeder and the Keiths have stayed in touch after their initial meeting five years ago.
“When I saw Sterling again at the gala event in Palm Springs, it was really priceless to me to see the smile back in his eyes,” said Schroeder. CIF encourages anyone in the industry who knows of a colleague in need to reach out to CIF . “Just one call, email or text is enough to alert a small team within CIF who will get together and discuss what is possible to help,” said Schroeder. “When disaster happens, we would like for everybody in the country to be our boots on the ground and help us find victims of these natural disasters we can assist,” said Schroeder . There are several ways to support CIF and those in the collision repair industry. Online forms are available on the CIF website for yearly, quarterly, monthly and one-time donations; Schroeder said that two CIF donors recently set up recurring monthly donations.
CIF can also supported by shopping on Amazon Smile! After signing up, a small portion of purchases (0.5%) goes to CIF. In addition, members of the industry have taken initiative to find ways to bring awareness to CIF, such as Dave Luehr of Elite body Shop Solutions, who held a birthday fundraiser on Facebook and Frank Terlep who is donating a portion of the proceeds from every paperback he sells of his new book, “Auto Industry Disruption: Who and What is Being Disrupted and What to Do About It!”
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From being a highly-recruited collegiate track star to a convicted felon, Jabari Hayes’s journey was a surprise to many people who knew him. He didn’t look like a gangster and everyone was impressed by his intelligence and engaging personality. But he got involved in a drug trafficking operation, which eventually led to a lengthy sentence in federal prison. And that’s where the story begins.
Upon his release from prison, Hayes landed a job at a body shop and learned an industry he knew nothing about before acquiring a shop himself. Today, he is the co-owner of Bavarian Collision in Atlanta, GA, a shop that
Jabari Hayes’s life story is featured in Miles in the Life
repairs 30-40carseverymonthoutof a 10,000 sq. ft. facility with 11 employees.
Hayes’ s life story is featured in Miles in the Life: The Story of a BMF DrugTrafficker, adocumentary that can be seen on Amazon Prime and has received excellent reviews. In 1994, Hayes was on top of the world as an All-American track athlete, a graduate of Morehouse College, and an up-and-coming entrepreneur with a highly successful valet service. Things were going well especially for a kid who was raised by a crack-addicted mother in the infamous Gowanus Projects in Brooklyn, NY.
Five years later, his life took a sudden and dangerous turn when he got involvedinadrugtraffickingoperation. It was run by the infamous Black Mafia Family (BMF), known then as the lar gest African American drug organization in the Southeast.
Driving a limousine and posing as a legitimate limo company, Hayes was moving huge amounts of cocaine. With so many quick money opportunities lying at his feet, he gradually found himself slipping more and more into the drug-running lifestyle of high-end vehicles, pricey real estate and more money than he could possibly spend.
His bosses liked him because he was punctual and reliable and soon Hayes was taking bigger and bigger risks. This caught the attention ofBMF’s kingpin, Duke, who then persuaded Hayes to transport one thousand kilos of cocaine in a luxury R Vacrossthecountry. Withafiancé andtheirfirstsonontheway,Hayes wants to make this his final runand exit the game once and for all.
But every tragic hero has a tragic flaw. Without spoiling the story, Hayes got caught and that’ s when things began moving in the wrong direction. When he was sentenced to 87 months, it rocked his world, but he decided to turn it into a positive experience, he said. “God has been watching me the whole time, even when things looked really bad. I got a good lawyer and the judge could see thatIwasnon-violentandafirstt ime o ffender. Otherwise, I might still be sitting there. I look back at it and I’m blessed, happy and grateful.” While serving his time in a minimum-security facility, Hayes wrote a book, took 22 classes and actually taught two himself.
Upon release, Hayes landed a job as an estimator for a body shop, and immediately hated it. “Working for that shop was more stressful than living in a crack house in Brooklyn in the 1980s—there was no comparison. The owner just threw me in there and figured I would just deal with it because I was fresh out of prison. Peopletreatex-offenders likeinfants becausetheyfigurewehavenoability to discern right from wrong. They forget that before you were incarcerated, you owned successful businesses, so you have to start all over again in many cases.”
But, amidst the chaos, Hayes began learning as much as he could about the collision repair industry before his entrepreneurial spirit kicked in. “Like they say , if you fail to plan you plan to fail. After two years, I was tired of all the sleepless nights, but I thought I could do this myself and the right way.”
Hayes (left) and his partner Mike Lembcke opened the doors at Bavarian Collision in Atlanta, GA in 2012
That’ s when Hayes met Mike Lembcke who owned a mechanical repair shop right across the street from where he was working as an estimator. “I was telling him about my ideas and how to approach the body shop business and he said let’s do it here. So Bavarian Collision opened in 2012
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Volkswagen of Downtown LA Los Angeles 213-747-7246 Fax: 213-222-1272 Ask for Carlos or Erasmo and we haven’t looked back since.” W ithout guardian angels helping him every step of the way, Jabari wouldn’tbe where he is withaflourishing body shop and a great future. “People stepped up and literally saved me,” he said. “My dad came and pulled me out of Brooklyn when I was a kid, because it was a crazy environment there,” Hayes said. “My mother was addicted to crack, so he brought me to live with him in St. Louis to get me away from it all. Then years later I met Mike, my business partner and we’ve worked hard to build a great business.”
Hayes is also embarking on a whole new career as an inspirational speaker with a positive message. “I want to talk to inmates and show them what I’ve done,” Hayes said. “I want to show them that they’re not destined to fall in the same traps as other inmates. They don’t have to be a stat. I made it in this industry, but it wasn’t easy. I made a commitment to myself and was willing to work harder than everyone else and I want to share that with others.”
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by Trevor English, Interesting Engineering Fully self-driving cars are almost here, so will the next generation ever really need to learn how to drive? Self-driving cars and autonomous vehicles are the next big thing in the automotive industry. All this innovation is begging the question, will kids of the future ever learn how to drive a car? self-driving vehicles will become commonplace on our roads in 10 to 15 years. The director of Google’s autonomous vehicle team has also posed that his main goal is to make sure that his 13-year-old son never has to learn to drive a car. This would mean that autonomous vehicles would be commercially available by the end of 2020 –an ambitious goal(that probably won't happen). Will Our Children Ever Learn How to Drive a Car?
Several leading experts predict that children born this year will never have to get a driver’s license, ac cording to Motor Trend. This prediction makes sense due to the fact that most industry leaders predict that
The potential for autonomous au tomobiles The thought of our children or our children’s children never driving a car seems almost absurd given the history of the automobile industry. Cars have always been, and arguably will be, a field of interest that sparks nostalgia, excitement, and good times. For many, driving a car is where the fun in cars sits. Many people don’t just drive to get places; they drive to have fun, to enjoy the experience. So then, if our children never have to drive a car, won’t they miss out on that unique experience? W ell, we have to look at the sit
uation from a couple of different perspectives. It seems highly unlikely that in 16 years, regulations will state that all cars must be self-driving. This would mean that there will still be options for those of us that want to drive cars or drive classics. In 16 years, however, it is highly probable that technology and regulation will allow for self-driving cars on the road, or even regulate that all new cars be self-driving due to improved safety.
Would having no human drivers be better? Our children may then have a choice to drive a car, but they will proba bly never have to drive a car if they don’ t want to. As a parent myself, I personally hope my children never have to drive a car for one main reason –safety. The crash rate for young drivers (16-19) is 2.7 times higher than for any other age group, according to the California DMV. In general, people are not great at driving, but teens are especially not great at driving. 94%of all motor vehicle accidents are because of human error. That means that 94%of all accidents
could hypotheticallybe stopped with the implementation of autonomous vehicles (ideally). Having a computer drive your car will be much safer than driving a car yourself. That's not an opinion, but a fact. We also have to look at this from another perspective, free time. Driving a car is arguably one of the most time-consuming tasks we do on a daily basis. Self-driving cars will bring us hours back to our day, stopping us from having to keep our eyes on the road. For kids of the future, I am hard-pressed to imagine that the majority of kids would want to drive a car undistracted rather than sit back and relax –probably on their smartphones, but that’s another issue entirely. So, will our kids have to get their driver’s licenses? Probably not, but I don’t see the option of driving cars fading anytimesoon. The future of automobiles will likely be auton omous, but the choice to drive a car will remain just that, a choice.
W e thank Interesting Engineering for reprint permission.
by Brad Anderson The coronavirus outbreak in China threatens to have long-lasting effects on the global car market with auto supply chain issues and a national slump in sales,CNN Business reports. Prior to the coronavirus, car sales in China have fallen for two consecutive years due to a slowing economy and the loss of tax incentives for electric cars. Since the deadly virus has spread, many large factories have been ordered to remain shut until next week as the Chinese government scrambles to contain the virus. S&P Global Ratings believes the outbreak will force car manufac turers across Asia to slash production by about 15 per cent in the first quarter . Companies with factories in the city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the virus, such as GM, Nissan, Renault, Honda, and PSA Group, are particularly exposed as the city and the rest of the Hubei province account for 9 per cent of total Chi nese auto production. Volkswagen is also at risk as it operates 24 factories making cars or parts in China, accounting for no less than 40 per cent of its global production. For now, the automaker says its planned deliveries to customers haven’t changed and that its supply chain “is on track to be fully functional in time for the start of production.” As the crisis continues, it will become increasingly likely that global auto supply chains will be damaged. Large automotive sup pliers such as Bosch, Schaeffler, ZF Friedrichshafen, Faurecia, and Valeo all have significant operations in China. Earlier this week, Hyundai made the drastic decision to suspend production at its South Korean factories because the coronavirus has impacted its supply of parts from China. “Even industries that appear to have low exposure to Chinese suppliers will almost certainly contain firms that are heavily reliant on inputs from China,” global economist at Capital Economics Simon MacAdam said. We thank CARSCOOPS for reprint permission. Coronavirus Expected To Heavily Impact Global Car Industry
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by Emmariah Holcomb U.S. Magistrate Judge Leslie R. Hoffman issued an order today that both grants and denies parts of an emergency motion filed in the ongoing battle between the plaintiff, Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate) and defendants, Auto Glass America LLC(AGA)anditsowner, Charles Isaly. Hoffman issued the ordertodaywhichfinds two exceptions in Allstate’s arguments.
The legal battle has continued for more than a year, stemming from allegations that both AGA and Isaly allegedly pressured Allstate’s insureds into hiring them for wind shield replacements, while obtaining assignmentsofbenefits(AOBs). On February 6, 2020, Allstate filed an “emergency motion” for a protective order for one of its corporate representatives.
“Allstate does not seek to cancel the corporate representative deposition; rather, Allstate asks the court to limit the topics that AGA can inquire about at the deposition. With two exceptions, thecourtdoesnotfindAllstate’s arguments to be well-taken,” a portionofHoffman’sorderreads. According to the court, a party or person moving for a protective order must show “good cause,” but the need for the motion came into question. “The court questions whether Allstate’s motion truly constitutes an emergency. Allstate has been aware of almost all of the topics that AGA wishes to inquire about since Octo ber and agreed to the deposition date two months in advance. Allstate was alsoinreceiptoftheNoticeofDeposition since January 15, 2020, yet waited two weeks to contact AGA’s counsel to begin the meet and confer process, and then waited again until three business days before the deposition date to file the motion. Allstate’s protests to the contrary, this emergency was one of Allstate’s own making,” a portion of the order reads. Two Objections According to Hoffman, many ofthe topics listed in the deposition’s notice use the terms “claim” or “each claim.” Hoffman asserts thatthese terms are not identified in the deposition, and could refer to claims throughout the Judge Weighs in on Emergency Motion
U.S., or even internationally. The claims for relief are based in Flor ida and relate to Florida glass and windshield claims. For this reason the court agrees with Allstate that the terms “claim” and “each claim” are ambiguous and overly broad, according to court documents. “Allstate’ s Motion will be granted to the extent that the terms ‘claim’ and ‘each claim’ shall refer only to claims that originated in Florida. That is to mean, a glass and/or windshield claim thatwasfiledagainstAllstatein Florida, paid by Allstate in Florida, and/or was the subject of a lawsuit by AGA against Allstate in a Florida court,” a portion of the order reads. The court noted that all parties agreed that the relevant time period for this lawsuit is 2014 through 2018. Meanwhile the insurance company claimed, due to timing, there were attorney-client privilege concerns. “To the extent Allstate raises, those issues can be addressed via appropriate objection during depo sition. Allstate’s objections concerning confidentiality, and in particular any purported settlement agreements with other entities, can be addressed
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©2020 Porsche Cars North America, Inc. Porsche recommends seatbelt usage and observance of traffic laws at all times. by the parties’ confidentiality agreement. The court notes that Allstate nowhere ar gues the parties’ confidentiality agreement fails to provide sufficient protections,” a portion of the order reads.
All of the other claims in the emergency motion were granted, according toHoffman’sorder.
Case Background For more background on the case, see glassBYTEs’ prior coverage, including how the case started All state’s complaint, and yesterday’s story AGA and Isaly’s response to Allstate’s request for an emergency protective order for one of its corporate representatives.
Look to a future edition of glassBYTEs forcontinuedcoverageofthe suit.
W e thank glassBYTEs.com for reprint permission.
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The Collision Repair Education Foundation is excited to announce the creation of their new “Part of the Solution” initiative which provides dealers and dealer groups with an opportunity to support future technicians by donating leftover parts that would otherwise be discarded, allowing students to train on current model vehicles. “Our philosophy is a higher quality program will attract a higher quality student which will make for a higher quality industry employee,” stated Christen Battaglia, Director of Strategic Partnerships for the Foundation. “When the technicians entering the industry are well-trained on current vehicles, using modern equipment and tools, the entire automotive industry benefi ts.” Parts are the most frequent need reported by schools with collision repair education programs, including fenders, hoods, bumper covers and a variety of other parts. Without access to these parts, many students are learning on vehicles and parts that are at least a decade old, but with the frequent advances in technology, this leaves student unequipped for a successful career after graduation. Recognizing that most dealers trash thousands of dollars’ worth of parts monthly, the Foundation developed the “Part of the Solution” initiative in order to connect local schools with these dealers and dealer groups. CREF has compiled a list of over 500 schools across the U. S. in need of scrap parts that can be donated at little to no cost to the donor facility. “Hendrick Automotive Group is excited to partner with CREF’s initiative to provide students with current vehicle parts to practice OE repair procedures on that will better prepare them for today’s Collision repair environment,” said Roger Mesiemore, Corporate Director of Collision and Service Operations for Hendrick Automotive Group which has already signed on to support the future generation of technicians by participating in “Part of the Solution.” Dealers and dealer groups can also support future technicians by donating professional uniforms through the Foundation’s Student Technician Shirt Project. Supporters purchase professional Cintas technician shirts for their local collision education programs, receiving a logo patch on the shirt in recognition of their dedication to the industry. According to Battaglia, “Receiving professional uniforms fi lls students with a sense of pride and teaches them what it means to look professional in the workplace. It instills confi dence in them, reminds them that plenty of us believe in them, and reaffi rms that they will have support as they pursue their education and enter the automotive industry as well-trained professionals.” Industry members interested in supporting the Collision Repair Education Foundation’s eff orts to assist secondary and post-secondary collision repair training programs should contact Christen Battaglia at (302) 377-5202 or Christen.Battaglia@ed- foundation.org. The Collision Repair Education Foundation, founded in 1991, is a notfor-profi t organization dedicated to supporting collision repair educational programs, schools, and students to create qualifi ed, entry-level employees and connect them with an array of career opportunities. CREF Invites Dealers to Become Part of the Solution with New Initiative
Brandon Honda has been awarded DealerRater’s 2020 Honda Dealer of the Year Award for the fourth year, as well as its sixth Consumer Satisfaction Award among Honda auto dealerships throughout Florida. The awards are based on Brandon Honda’s customer reviews of its customer service, quality of work, friendliness, pricing and overall customer experience, as posted on www. DealerRater.com during calendar year 2019. Brandon Honda has a cumulative customer satisfaction rating of 98%, with a score of 4.9 stars (out of a maximum of 5.0) over 8,796 lifetime reviews. “Car buyers have spoken and given Brandon Honda the highest satisfaction ratings among all Honda dealers in the state of Florida,” said DealerRater’s General Manager, Jamie Oldershaw. “The high quality and number of reviews of Brandon Honda speak volumes about the top-notch experience it provides its customers.” Brandon Honda wins DealerRater’s 2020 Award
by Emmariah Holcomb, glassBYTEs.com Yesterday, Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate) fi led a response to a motion to compel fi led by Auto Glass America LLC (AGA) and its owner, Charles Isaly, alleging that the insurance company needs “to provide better answers to AGA’s fi rst set of interrogatories served.” Allstate disagrees and has asked the court to deny that motion. Allstate fi led the lawsuit last year, alleging AGA and Isaly, “tried to pressure Allstate’s insureds into hiring them for windshield replacements.” “AGA is improperly attempting to use the discovery process in this case to obtain documents and information that it can use in the hundreds of cases it has fi led against plaintiff s (Allstate) in Florida’s state courts,” a portion of Allstate’s response reads. According to the motion’s response, the insurance company believes AGA and Isaly are attempting to broaden the scope of discovery in this case. Allstate also claims the information requested is irrelevant to the lawsuit. “The amended motion to compel seeks documents that are entirely irrelevant and unrelated to the claims and defenses at issue in this case, particularly with regard to Allstate Insurance. It also does not comply with the requirements of the local rules, with regard to the formatting and conferral requirements. Thus, Allstate requests that the court deny the amended motion to compel in its entirety,” a portion of Allstate’s response reads. Allstate also stated the previously requested W-2 forms were overbroad, when responding to one of the questions in the motion to compel. “Request No. 20 sought copies of 1099s or W-2 forms generated by Allstate Asks Court to Deny Latest Motion to Compel
Allstate Insurance for services performed by AGIS…for conducting appraisals for the years of 2010- 2018. As an initial matter, this request seeks documents that exceed the four-year statute of limitations (the parties have generally agreed that the relevant time period, for the purposes of discovery, is January 1, 2014, to date). Further, amounts paid to AGIS also are irrelevant because, as discussed above, no Florida court has recognized that as a basis for fi nding an appraiser to be disinterested. Also, this request is overbroad,” a portion of Allstate’s response reads.
Case Background The case began last December when Allstate fi led a complaint, alleging that AGA and Isaly, “tried to pressure Allstate’s insureds into hiring them for windshield replacements, obtaining assignments of benefi ts (AOBs) from insureds, submitting invoices to Allstate for excessive and unreasonable amounts and fi l[ing] over 1,400 lawsuits for recovery of excessive and unreasonable amounts.” The court responded to a previous motion to dismiss, along with setting a mediation date for March 2020. Following the setting of a mediation date, AGA and Isaly fi led a motion to compel in order to get answers for some of its outstanding questions, to which Allstate responded. In Allstate’s response several of the questions were deemed irrelevant from the insurance company and were not answered fully, according to AGA. From there, AGA and Isaly fi led another motion to compel that if granted would require the insurance company to provide “better answers to its fi rst set of interrogatories.” Currently Allstate has fi led a response to AGA and Isaly’s motion to compel, asking the court to deny. Look to a future edition of glassBYTEs for continued coverage of the suit.
We thank glassBYTEs.com for reprint permission.
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We thank CarComplaints. com for reprint permission.
Amazon is developing 100,000 electric-powered delivery vehicles in Detroit, due to hit the road by 2021. Amazon is pushing 100,000 electric-powered delivery vans, due to hit the road in 2021. Production
Credit: Amazon News
of emissions-free electric vehicles is underway in Plymouth, near Detroit. Part of The Climate Pledge, this massive order is Amazon’s push to meet conditions stipulated by the Paris Agreement 10 years early. The pledge obliges signatories to become net-zero carbon across their entire businesses by the year 2040, 10 years ahead of the 2050 goal of the Paris Accord. “We’re trying to build the most sustainable transportation fl eet in the world,” said Ross Rachey, the director of Amazon’s fl eet and products. “It also needs to be the most functional, the highest performing, the safest.”
For 18 months, Amazon’s transportation team meticulously assessed a variety of electric vehicle options for the lowest carbon footprint. But since Rachey’s team had to move at lightspeed to meet their deadline, they dispatched conventional options in favor of a totally new and customized electric vehicle. You could say their designs beyond convention are the state of the industry.
Next-gen delivery and zero emissions If successful, this next-gen delivery van will reduce carbon emissions, improve driver safety, and bring technology and other design elements up to par for best-in-class driving experience. Constructed in Rivian’s plant in Normal, Illinois, the vans come in three sizes, and work with multiple battery types, to suit the disparate demands of specifi c delivery routes. “We are focused on driving effi ciency into every aspect of the vehicle design — everything from cabin heating to driver ergonomics to drivetrain design has been optimized for time and energy,” said R.J. Scaringe, CEO of Rivian. “And then the echo eff ect of this, of causing other logistics players in this space to also look at how they drive up effi ciency within their fl eet, will have a very large impact.” As a world community, we’re only on the cusp of the biggest industrial revolution ever — rivaled only by the last, in the 1900s. But the unique synergy of ambition, innovation, and global awareness could make the next few decades the most exciting time to be alive.
We thank Interesting Engineering for reprint permission.
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Dave Luehr’s Next FREE Elite Webinar Series: “CCC ONE Estimating Features & Tips,” with Jason Kitchen of CCC
Dave Luehr’s Elite Body Shop Solutions announces the next installment in the FREE Elite Webinar Series: “CCC ® ONE Estimating Features & Tips.” Jason Kitchen, CCC ® ONE Elevate Advisor, will present on Tuesday, February 25th, at 1 p.m. CST. To register, visit: https://event.webinarjam.com/register/8484qan. Those who are unable to attend the live event can watch the recorded webinar by joining the Elite Body Shop Academy for free at http://www.elitebodyshopsolutions.com/ews. This presentation will cover features and best practices to help CCC ® ONE users optimize their utilization of CCC ® ONE Estimating. Kitchen will cover estimating topics such as database options, guide, clear coat calculation and commonly missed items along with features like electronic parts sourcing to add effi ciencies to your estimating process. “We are excited to have Jason joining us to teach CCC ®
ONE users how to better use their estimating software,” said Dave Luehr. ‘A tool is only as eff ective as the skill of the user and using tools to their full potential results in less body shop chaos!’ Attendees of the Elite Webinar Series are always encouraged to bring their questions for the presenter to address and this webinar provides a unique opportunity to not only talk to someone who really understands CCC ® ONE but also interact with and learn from other users. Every month, the Elite Academy highlights a topic to keep collision repairers and those that serve them well-informed with relevant information required to be successful in today’s challenging business environment. The webinars feature a wide range of top industry leaders in an interactive and often entertaining format.
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Volvo Cars USA LLC has announced it will contribute 36 new vehicles to include twin-engine plug-in hybrid vehicles to Universal Technical Institute’s core automotive training program as part of its national Vehicle Lease Program for Schools initiative. TheeffortsupportsVolvo’sstrategy to work directly with UTI and other educational institutions to put stateof-the-industry technology into the hands of students training for transportation careers, and ultimately increase the number of skilled technicians inthefield. “For nearly 20 years, Volvo has trusted Universal Technical Institute to train the technicians who maintain and service its products across the nation,” said UTI Executive Vice President of Campus Operations Sherrell Smith. “This new program will give more students the opportunity to work on the latest technology in the market –ensuring they graduate from UTI ready to hit the ground running in a fast-evolving industry with high demand and earning potential.” The new cars –to be delivered across 1 1 UTI campuses nationwide –willsupportUTI’shands-ontraining with Volvo’s advanced technologies, such as collision avoidance and advanced electrical diagnosis. In preparation for this unique access to these state-of-the-industry vehicles, UTI is revising its core curriculum to ensure that all students have the opportunity to experience learning on the Volvo cars in the lab. “V olvo Cars sees an increasing demandforqualifiedtechniciansasthe companyisrapidlyadoptingelectrified powertrains across its entire lineup,” said Jeffrey Jennings, Senior Man ager, Technical Training at Volvo Car USA. “Getting our hybrid vehicles in the hands of future technicians is critical to the growth of our business.” Upon completion of UTI’ s core training programs, UTI students who wish to specialize in Volvo vehicles have the option to continue their studies through the 14-week Volvo Service Automotive Factory Education (SAFE) program, exclusively offeredatUTI’ s campusinA vondale, Arizona. Successful MSAT applicants often are sponsored by Volvo and local dealerships to cover the cost of tuition. After two years of employment, andASE Master Certification, they’reeligibleforMaster T echnician status.
UTI is unique for its 11 automotive Manufacturer Specific Advanced Training (MSAT) programs. The specialized manufacturer training and certifications that students receive through UTI’s MSAT programs, including the Volvo SAFE program, are acquired in just a few months and can often take two years ormoretogarnerinthefield. With more than 220,000 graduates in its 54-year history, Universal Technical Institute, Inc. (NYSE: UTI) is the nation’ s leading provider of technical training for automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle and marine technicians, and offers welding technology and computer numerical control(CNC)machining programs. The company has built partnerships with industry leaders, outfits its state-of-the-industry fa cilities with current technology, and delivers training that is aligned with e mployer needs. Through its network of 13 campuses nationwide, UTI offers post-secondary programs under the banner of several well-known brands, including Universal Technical Institute (UTI), Motorcycle Mechanics Institute and Marine Mechanics Institute (MMI) andNASCART echnical Institute (NASCAR Tech). The company is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona.
For more information, visit www . uti.edu. Like UTI on www.facebook. com/UTI orfollowUTIonT witter @ UTIT weet, @MMIT weet, and@NAS CAR TechUTI. Universal Technical Institute’s Core Automotive Program Outfitted With Volvo’s Advanced and Electrified Vehicles “This new program will give more students the opportunity to work on the latest technology in the market – ensuring they graduate from UTI ready to hit the ground running in a fast-evolving industry with high demand and earning potential.” — Sherrell Smith
by Randell Suba Tesla is set to resume production of its Giga Shanghai factory in China on February 10, following a multiweek-long shutdown in response to the coronavirus outbreak. OnSaturday,theShanghaigov ernment said it would coordinate with the companies affected by the virus shutdown to bring production to usual levels as it tries to control the spread of the deadly virus that has already killed 700 in the country, Reuters reported. “Inviewofthepracticaldifficul ties key manufacturing firms including Tesla have faced in resuming production, we will coordinate to make all efforts to help companies resume production as soon as possible,” said Xu Wei, a spokesperson for the municipal government of Shanghai.
The municipal government would also ask banks to extend loans and to give affected local small businesses and foreign companies preferential rates, and exempt those hit hard from value-added tax. During its recent Q4 2019 earn ings call, Tesla expressed worries that the productionoftheModel3 inChina will be delayed by 1 to 1.5 weeks as supply chains and communications were disrupted amid the coronavirus outbreak that started in Wuhan City, which is roughly 9 hours by land from Shanghai. The Chinese government has ordered Tesla’s Giga Shanghai shutdown until Feb. 9, way beyond the holiday period in the country that was supposed to end Jan. 30, over coronavirus fears. This prompted the electric carmaker to postpone MIC Model 3 deliveries scheduled for February or until the situation im proves inthecountry. Otherautomotive manufacturers such as Hyundai, T oyota, Ford, Volkswagen, Daimler, among others were also affected by the order . According to Tesla China’s VP for ExternalAffairs Grace Tao Lin, delivery could be pushed back perhaps as far back as Q3 of2020. Tesla’s finance chief Zach Kirk horn explained that the Silicon Valley-based electric carmaker does not expect a big hit on its finances becausetheMICModel3 onlyrepresents a small fraction of Tesla’s quarterly profits. During thetemporaryshutdown of Giga Shanghai, Tesla used China’s version of Tiktok to deliver customer support and push useful content to educate interested consumers about Tesla vehicles. Teslaalsoofferedcustomersfree Superchar ging amid the coronavirus public health scare to make it easier for drivers who want to travel away fromaffectedareas. The $2 billion Giga Shanghai car factory started producing the Model 3 electric sedans 10 months after its groundbreaking in January 2019. It has a current run rate of 3,000 units per week and has an expected production of 150,000 units per year. Aside from the mass production of the Model 3 sedan, Tesla has also launched the Model Y crossover program earlier in Janu ary.
Tesla’s battery supplier LG Chem also announced on Friday that it plans to partly resume output on Feb. 10 but its plan is subject to change. W e thank Teslarati for reprint permission. Tesla China To Resume Giga Shanghai Production On Feb. 10 As Government Steps In To Aid
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Nissan is shrinking again. Not in the sense that it plans to build smaller cars, but that the Japanese automaker is downsizing its workforce in an attempt to stabilize a company at risk of circling the metaphorical drain.
On Tuesday, Nissan announced that it will reduce its U.S. workforce of 20,000 employees by off ering buyouts to workers across its core and luxury brands. The automaker says that the buyout off er will be voluntary, available to both hourly and salaried workers aged 52 years and older. Nissan doesn’t specify
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the number of employees that it plans to target, nor if there will be mandatory layoff s should that number remain unmet. This news comes just months after the automaker announced a nine-percent cut to its global workforce, placing 12,500 total jobs on the chopping block worldwide. It’s unclear if this round of buyouts is related to that decision. In summer 2018, Nissan reduced its North American production capacity by 20 percent due to declining sales. “Like many other automotive companies, Nissan North America is taking proactive steps to assess our structure, workfl ow, and operational effi ciencies amid a challenging industry environment,” wrote Nissan’s head of sales and senior VP, Airton Cousseau, in a letter sent to dealers obtained by Automotive News. “This reorganization will create offi ce synergies that will enable a leaner organization while still focusing on dealer profi tability and your ability to continue providing a quality customer experience. You will continue to receive all the support you need.”
Buzzwords aside, this move is Nissan’s response to not only its own slumping sales fi gures but also an industry-wide downturn after a momentous decade of growth and positive cash fl ow. The auto industry as a whole is beginning to watch as consumers realize that they’ve had their fi ll–especially with new car sales not do
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ing so hot right now. According to CNBC, this downward trend means that manufacturers exited 2019 with one of the worst sales years since the 2008 recession. Restructuring is a sign that Nissan is looking to resize its company to a more appropriate proportion aligned with its current sales fi gures, a number which drooped nearly 10 percent last year. Forward-looking projections don’t look so great either. Nissan has also announced that it plans to switch its fi nancial and sales reporting from monthly to quarterly. The automaker says that this move is to “provide a clearer picture of sales performance over a longer period of time,” permitting it to smooth out its sales over a three month period rather than report up-and-down trends, eff ectively removing the sting of poor numbers month-over-month. This is a method that has been adopted by other industry players (including Fiat-Chrysler, Ford, GM, BMW, and Porsche) over the past year to help investors look past declining month-to-month sales. Will smoother fi nancial reporting and reduced costs be enough to save the automaker from itself and the market? Carlos Ghosn, the brand’s former CEO-turned-fugitive, has reportedly claimed that the writing has been on the wall for years, foreshadowing a company-wide bankruptcy by 2022. Meanwhile, dealers are begging Nissan for increased support and a better brand image before it all boils over.
We thank The Drive for reprint permission.
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