39 minute read
MECHANICAL CHAIRMAN’S
The Super Car That Almost Was – AMX 3
by KEITH KREHEL
When I was a teenager, there were four common car brands made in the United States. The Big Three were: GM, Ford and Chrysler, and the small straggler, American Motors (AMC). I always had a soft spot for AMC, possibly because I saw them as underdogs in comparison to the others. Some of their cars were good-looking and sporty, like the first AMX muscle car and the Javelin. Then there were, in my opinion, unique-looking and perhaps cute cars, like the Gremlin, while others were just plain ugly, like the Matador and the Pacer. I’m quite sure my wife would not have gone on a date with me in one of those dogs. In the late 1960s, AMC was in financial trouble, and they knew it. They had suffered huge losses, their product line was underwhelming, and more importantly, they were underselling. AMC’s product line was deemed dated technically and dull. In order to liven up their product line and attract younger customers, they wanted to build a high performance mid-engine sports car much like Ford. Seeing how the GT 40 had helped the Ford brand, AMC sought similar success so they created the AMX 3 to compete with the upcoming Ford Pantera. This vehicle was a team effort with the body design and drive train from AMC, chassis and suspension from Giotto Bizzarini, along with Italdesign and BMW contributing in various ways. The car was to be built overseas by the German company, Karmann. Its price was supposed to be around $10,000 to $12,000, which was about three times the cost of the Mustang at the time but roughly half the price of the Ferrari 365 GTB/4 – a potential competitor. Dick Teague at AMC was credited with most of the design. Because AMC only had front engine, rear wheel drive production cars in its lineup, and since the AMX 3 was to be midengine, AMC outsourced a lot of the chassis design. The car was designed with a maximum speed of at least 160 mph, which at first was unobtainable due to “body lift” at high speeds, much like the prototype Ford GT40, but after modifications to a second proto type, 170 mph was reached with performance comparable to the Ferrari 365 GTB/4 – no small feat. The car was presented at the New York Automobile Show on April 5, 1970, but by that summer, AMC abandoned the project without explanation after about only six cars were built. Possible reasons for its cancellation: 1. AMC had just endured the longest labor strike in its history, depleting the resources needed. 2. The AMC 3 project itself was deemed unprofitable, and the car could not be produced at the planned cost and would have sold for well over the price of the Pantera, its direct competition in the states; however, Halo cars, in my understanding, are not always expected to be profitable but more importantly help promote the image of the company (thanks, Craig). 3. Possible intervention by competition, allegedly Ford, recognized the superiority of the AMC 3 over the Pantera and “persuaded” AMC to stop the project. As I have written earlier, the Ford Pantera was heavily flawed from the factory and required several modifications to prevent overheating, as well as to correct other issues. The AMX 3 may have been the better car; they sure looked similar. No telling what the outcome would have been had the car seen production. Maybe American Motors would still be in business today (doubtful,) and retro Gremlins could be commonplace and perhaps even retro Pacers (more doubtful and outright scary).
Specifications are below:
Production: 1969/1970
Designer: Dick Teague Mid-engine, rear wheel drive
Engine 390/4 bbl V8 295 HP
Length: 175.6”
As the image here shows, the AMX-3 (bottom) resembled the Pantera (top)
Width: 75.6” Height: 43.2” Weight: 3,090 lbs A American M Motor X eXperimental 3 third version
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Photo credit: Fuelcurve.com (https://fuelcurve.com/amx3/
Four Decades of Service: Acme Nissan Parts Manager Gary Sinay Retires
Gary Sinay has most certainly earned his retirement.
This month, he wraps up a 42-year career as manager of the Acme Nissan parts department where he’s garnered memories, accomplishments, much success and great relationships to last a lifetime, and he is excited to enter the next chapter in his life. His retirement became official just days shy of the anniversary of his start date – February 4, 1980. Sinay recalls finding work in the automotive field at a time when he “needed to get responsible and find something to do.” He had worked different odd jobs before realizing it was time to settle into something. In need of work, he learned about automotive parts through a state-funded program that allowed him to earn and learn. He remembers the moment he got called to his first job interview. Sinay was in class when a fellow student suddenly began to have an epileptic seizure. Despite the chaos of the health emergency, an instructor walked in and asked if anyone lived near Woodbridge; anxious to leave the scene, Sinay immediately spoke up affirmatively, and off he went to start a short stint at Woodbridge Datsun. Not too long after, Sinay became engaged with the Acme Datsun team (that later became Acme Nissan) who wanted him to come on board. He joined as parts manager, and the rest is history.
Sinay truly appreciates the family-run single franchise business that all began with the late owner and founder: Paul Jaskowski, Sr. Currently, his sons Paul Jaskowski II and John Jaskowski own the business, and Sinay also worked closely with them. Sinay enjoys fond memories of watching the current owners’ sons grow up from small boys into men who are now also part of the operation. He attributes the success Acme Nissan has achieved to the family-run teamwork. Sinay is thankful to the owners for always being enthusiastic about the parts department. “Paul, Sr. always saw the future in the backend of the business, not just in selling cars. That was a big plus. I always had the support of the family.” Sinay looks back fondly on what he most definitely considers “a good run.” One of the many highlights of his career has been helping the business grow. Upon first coming on board, he was told to focus on wholesale. And that he did. He picked up the phone and made some good calls, and things really took off. Another key was getting involved with the Auto Body Distributing Co. as a preferred dealer. “Suddenly, we were selling parts like crazy!” he recalls. “We had to add trucks. We had to add drivers. We had to add inventory. It just started growing, and it was pretty cool. When you are successful, it feels good. I always enjoyed what I was doing. When you get to see the fruits of your labor, it’s a nice feeling.” Longevity is a common trait at Acme Nissan. In addition to the members of the Jaskowski family, Sinay has members in his parts department who have been with him for decades. “I have four guys who have each been there for over 30 years,” he exclaims. “That’s kind of unique. I don’t think many dealership parts departments have people staying in the business for so long. Without those guys, I couldn’t have done all this. I give kudos to my employees and the good support from the owners. Without them, this wouldn’t have been possible.” Where will one find Sinay now that he won’t be behind a desk in the parts department? Most likely, he’ll be found with some bait and a rod in hand as he takes part in his favorite pastime – fishing. “It’s my passion,” says the newly retired parts manager. “I plan to spend my time fishing either here locally in New Jersey, or maybe I’ll go down to Florida and fish in the ponds or go with the guys to the Everglades. Maybe I’ll get to do some international fishing too.” With travel on his mind as a second activity to partake in, Sinay hopes to explore Spain, Portugal and perhaps Italy. When asked what he’ll miss most from his 42 years at Acme Nissan, Sinay says it’s the people. “It’s like a family, and with family, you get used to being with them. Also, I’ll miss the customers. I’ve known some of them for so many years. If I get them on the phone, I immediately get a smile on my face and say ‘How you doing? How you been?’ Some I’ve been talking to for about 40 years.”
As he closes out his career, Sinay has one last message to share: “I’d just like to thank the owners, all the employees and my staff for their support and help all these years as well as the loyalty of all our customers who stuck with me and the dealership for four decades.”
The ongoing technician shortage poses a problem for many collision repair facilities around the country, and most can agree that the resolution begins with the youth who will become the industry’s future. Unfortunately, many schools’ collision programs are underfunded, while students struggle to pay post-secondary tuition. The Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) seeks to alleviate some of those burdens by facilitating the industry’s generosity in the form of its Collision School Career Readiness Benchmark Grants as well as its Student Scholarship awards. In 2021, CREF awarded $329,000 in grants to over 80 schools, recognizing those programs that excel at educating students, but which require additional financial assistance due to constrained school budgets, providing funds to purchase the tools, equipment and supplies necessary to enhance their students’ learning experience and elevate the caliber of their graduates. The 2021 Student Scholarships benefitted 30 students with more than $100,000 awarded in financial assistance to ensure those students are able to continue their education, preparing them to pursue a successful career
Past Collision Repair Education Foundation grant winners include Thomas A Edison Career and Technical Education High School (Jamaica, NY)
in body shops around the country. Applications for CREF’s 2022 School Benchmark Grants and Student Scholarships are now open, with a deadline of March 2, 2022. To apply for a Benchmark Grant or Student Scholarship, or to learn more about supporting CREF’s efforts to promote the industry to future generations, visit CollisionEducationFoundation.org.
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Working Hard for the Money: NJ Shops Weigh in on Current Challenges
It’s a brand-new year, but many of last year’s problems have rolled over into 2022 and contributed to a unique situation: Shops can’t keep up with the increased workload and are struggling to deal with the overwhelming number of jobs bombarding their facilities. The overabundance of vehicles in need of repair is exacerbated by the continuing supply chain disruptions and shortage of qualified help. When the pandemic began and for months afterward, historically low repair volumes left repairers twiddling their thumbs, but now those same collision repair professionals face backlogs that stretch out months into the future, longer hours to meet customer demands and the pressing need to keep vehicle owners informed about the progress of their repair amid increasingly frustrating delays outside the shop’s control. So, what are NJ shops’ biggest obstacles right now, how are they dealing with them, and how will they leverage the lessons they’ve learned to position their businesses for success in the future? “My team and I are working a ton of overtime,” shares Anthony Dellapietro (Tony D’s Auto Body; Atlantic Highlands). “I’ve been waking up at 3am to get to the shop by 4:30am to get work done before everyone else arrives. I’m dead on my feet, but the work needs to get done, so what else can we do?” “We’re completely overwhelmed,” laments Richard Rutigliano (Lacey Collision, Inc.; Lanoka Harbor). “I’ve run out of room in our parking lot to accept more vehicles.” It seems like most shops are filled to max capacity these days, but the excess of work isn’t unique to NJ. A recent CRASH Network study found that the national average scheduling backlog increased from 1.7 weeks pre-pandemic to 2.6 weeks in the third quarter of 2021, while the shops reporting a backlog decreased from 57 percent to five percent.
Predictably, supply chain shortages play a large role in a significant portion of the backlog issues shops face as parts take weeks to arrive, making it impossible to provide on-site storage for all the vehicles waiting to be repaired. “There’s no longer enough space at the shop to perform a complete disassembly and write an estimate on every vehicle, only to wait weeks for the parts to arrive,” notes Dennis Cataldo, Jr. (D&M Auto Body; Old Bridge). “Instead, vehicles are triaged during the initial estimate phase, but while towed and non-drivable vehicles get disassembled, the cars with mostly cosmetic damage that are still safe to drive get patched together as best we can while we wait for parts. “I take a deposit for the parts and order what has been approved, and when the complete parts order arrives, I call the customer to bring the vehicle in so we can disassemble it and start the repair process,” he continues. “I try to electronically order as many parts as I can because I feel like it cuts down on some of the chaos and mistakes made on the parts side, plus it makes it easier to keep track of backorders. It also puts more accountability on the vendor somewhat.” “Parts delays are unbelievable,” adds Rutigliano. “Everything is on backorder, so we’re waiting weeks for parts. We’ve sent customers out with vehicles that are missing parts or still have damaged parts as long as they’re safe to be on the roads until we can obtain everything that’s necessary to complete the repair.” As the amount of work increases, parts aren’t the only thing missing from the equation. Shops desperately need more assistance in their shops and in their offices. “We don’t have enough help because we’ve been unable to find and hire anyone who wants to work,” Rutigliano says. “It’s discouraging how few young people are entering the field.” “Our office should have three or four more people to deal with the ridiculous amount of paperwork we have to process,” according to Dellapietro. “After nearly 20 years in business, the Labor Rate has only increased by $3, so we have to be creative to make any money, especially with insurers refusing to pay for so many items.” Efficiency is a vital component to meeting customer and insurer expectations (and always a challenge), but factors outside repairers’ control restrict their ability to do that. As photo and virtual estimates pervade the industry, initial supplements are often insufficient, inhibiting the shop’s ability to order parts upfront which causes further delays, but the need for a supplement – or more likely, multiple supplements – impedes progress and creates additional administrative burdens on repairers as well. “I’ve been watching what the insurance industry has been doing with virtual estimates for the past 10 years,” Rutigliano begins. “They are getting us to perform the estimating, which is their job, yet they want it done for free. I can’t believe they’re still telling us how to run our business! I think that insurers’ hope with virtual estimates is that the vehicle owner won’t fix that car or they’ll bring it to a shop that doesn’t write supplements so the carrier can save money. “My job is to create supplements,” he continues. “When you write a supplement after performing a full teardown, and you back it up with the right documentation, you get what you ask for. I complete a supplement on every single job.”
“Once in a while, we get an initial estimate that was written based on photos, but I typically refuse
Returns with a Bang!
It seems like it’s been an eternity since collision and automotive repairers have gathered to celebrate the final days of winter at the largest regional automotive trade show in the Northeast, but the countdown has finally begun!
Adding to the general excitement surrounding the return of the NORTHEAST® Automotive Services Show, scheduled for March 18-20 at the Meadowlands Exposition Center (MEC) in Secaucus, NJ, the 45th rendition of AASP/NJ’s flagship event promises more education, updated equipment and a better experience than ever before. Trade shows offer a great opportunity to network with industry peers and explore the latest and greatest tools and equipment available on the market, but NORTHEAST takes on sky-high ambitions to deliver what enlightened collision repairers truly need: world-class training and education to help repairers escape the black hole of technological advances and other challenges that often leave them feeling lost in the cosmos. “Let’s face it: No one knows everything, but NORTHEAST is a place where anyone in attendance can learn something to take back to their shop and implement immediately,” states AASP/NJ President Jerry McNee. “All classes are designed to educate attendees and give back
to the industry. If you attend one class that helps your shop generate additional income or improve your business practices, it’s a win-win!” NORTHEAST’s 2022 educational slate is geared toward addressing some of the most pressing problems orbiting shops to help them prepare to rocket into a brighter future. In fact, one of this year’s highlights will specifically focus on the industry’s future generation.
The ongoing technician shortage crisis has left many shops spinning on their axis, so repairers will be over the moon for “The Continuing Tech Shortage: How Do We Fix It?” a panel that seeks to confront the nebulous issues surrounding the lack of man-power eclipsing repair facilities all across the country. Michael Bonsanto (Passaic County Technical Institute) will moderate this panel which features a variety of experts: Brandon Eckenrode (Collision Repair Education Foundation), Keith Egan (Betag Innovation), Josh Laurent (Automotive Business Management), Bart Mazurek (CCC Intelligent Solutions Automotive Services Group) and Greg Settle (TechForce Foundation). Starting his career in a body shop, Bonsanto’s career journey eventually led him to become an I-CAR instructor before his passion for the next generation launched him
continued from pg. 29
into his current role as a vo-tech collision instructor. “
No one knows everything, but “Although the lack of qualified help has been a huge issue for the past 30 years, it’s even more important now due to the COVID-19 pandemic which has worsened the situation,” Bonsanto explains. “We can’t keep waiting for someone else to fix this problem for us; we have to come together and find a way to fix it as an industry. Collision repairers cannot afford to keep putting their heads in the sand and continue being unaware of what’s going on because that won’t solve this crisis. “Awareness is needed first and foremost; we have to realize there’s a problem in order to come up with a solution,” he continues. “Then, we need to figure out how to approach, tackle and solve it. We need to identify avenues for luring new techs into the industry and encouraging them to stick with it, and that begins by challenging the common image of shops as a grimy dungeon where techs are physically and mentally beat down. Collision repair has changed big time since yesteryear and offers a variety of career paths.”
The goals of the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) are to support collision repair educational programs, schools and students to create qualified, entrylevel employees and connect them with an array of career opportunities.
“Throughout my 20 years of industry experience, and specifically working with CREF for the last 12 years, my efforts are solely focused around helping to address the industry’s need for entry-level staff by investing in local collision school programs around the country,” Eckenrode notes. “CREF is in a unique position to coordinate and gather industry members from all segments, and through that combined support, our industry can have a bigger impact on assisting these collision school instructors who are facing limiting program budgets; however, the industry has high expectations on their graduating students’ skill sets. CREF is and will be an industry leader in addressing this issue and rallying industry support.” In addition to learning about CREF’s efforts to support collision school programs nationwide, attendees will discover some of the opportunities they have to get involved with their local schools. Eckenrode hopes the Continuing Tech Shortage panel will “help motivate industry businesses to get involved with their local high school/college collision programs, students and instructors as that will be key in helping to ensure that these programs are well supported. “The involvement of local industry members is vital to solving this issue. As the concerns around the ongoing ‘entry-level staff need’ is commonly listed as one of the industry’s major issues, there is no better time than now to start addressing this together with CREF and hear how you can help schools in your market.” NORTHEAST is a place where anyone can learn something to take back to their shop and implement immediately. As the vice president of consulting and services for CCC Intelligent Solutions’ automotive division, Mazurek’s responsibilities include “knowing the macro trends the industry faces, based on the millions of claims coming through our system combined with data from numerous other sources, and being able to speak to them to give the industry a better sense of the forces at play and why they may be subject to these forces without having any control over it. “There’s a lot of frustration among repairers about things that, unfortunately, they don’t have any control over since we cannot just immediately conjure up tens of thousands of additional techs; however, other forces at play make it more reasonable to find help,” he elaborates, adding, “A lot comes down to how much shops can afford to pay, but by looking at market trending, we can investigate some changes on the horizon that may give shops hope to increase their profitability which will provide an opportunity to hire more techs.” By providing attendees with some visibility into this topic, Mazurek hopes to offer attendees a glimpse at the bigger picture and “help them acquire some clarity related to why some of these trends are taking place.” The TechForce Foundation sets out to “help get young men and women through their education and into industry jobs as professional technicians, so this topic is our sweet spot,” says Settle, who has authored TechForce’s annual Technician Supply and Demand Report for the past four years. “I’m very familiar with the tech shortage, so I’ll share the trends, discuss the issues that led to the shortage and offer some suggestions about what TechForce believes the industry must do to alleviate that shortage.” After beginning his career as a technician and then advancing into a hiring role as service and parts director, Settle spent over two decades at Mercedes Benz USA where he developed an apprenticeship program and directed his efforts on the training side of the industry. “I have a lot of experience around the tech supply issue, and I’m also very passionate about solving it,” he notes. “The solutions the industry needs to solve this problem aren’t a great secret. In addition to the industry needing more resources to understand what’s causing the tech shortage, kids need to know what options are continued on pg. 34
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available in the industry and how to prepare themselves for a successful technician career. Many of them have no idea how many possibilities exist in this industry because a lot of kids only hear that they need to obtain a college degree, but that’s not necessarily true for the skilled trades where there’s much more demand.”
Settle hopes that he and the other panelists can “convey our knowledge to the audience about the reality of the problem and what can be done to improve the current situation, specifically how we can address it as an industry with real-world actions they can take to help solve the tech shortage and make a difference.”
“There’s a lot of useful information to be gleaned from informative presentations such as the tech shortage panel,” he points out, encouraging repairers to participate in the educational sessions offered at NORTHEAST 2022. “Of course, repairers want to network during the event – and there’s a lot of value in networking – but there’s plenty of time for that. You’re taking time away from the shop to attend NORTHEAST, so be sure to get the greatest benefit possible by spending time learning things to improve your business and your industry.”
“The collision repair industry is at a crossroads right now,” Bonsanto adds. “We can either help our industry grow by attracting more qualified help…or we can watch it implode due to the technician shortage. This crisis is no longer just touching the small businesses; it’s impacting larger organizations as well. The bottom line is that we need to figure out how to get new techs, where to get them from and how to keep them.” Attendees at NORTHEAST 2022 will also have the opportunity to participate in an exclusive Labor Rate panel discussion featuring Barrett Smith (Auto Damage Experts, Inc.), Sam and Richard Valenzuela (National AutoBody Research), Lucky Papageorg (AASP/MA), Burl Richards (ABAT) and Jerry McNee (AASP/NJ) as well as a panel on the Appraisal Clause which will include Robert McDorman (Auto Claim Specialists), John Walczuk (ZB Claim Services Inc.) and AASP/NJ Executive Director Charles Bryant. Tim Morgan (Spanesi Americas, Inc), John Shoemaker (BASF) and Chuck Olsen (AirPro) will be on hand to present a pair of classes on blueprinting and ADAS/calibration.
”If you attend one class that helps your shop generate additional income or improve your business practices, it’s a win-win!
Additional informative presentations will be delivered by Gerry Bonanni (Ford Motor Company) and Lee Rush (Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes).
NORTHEAST also offers NJ collision shops a chance to proactively obtain the training necessary for renewing their body shop licenses with Sunday’s “OEM Certification Success: Dos and Don’ts,” presented by Dave Gruskos (Reliable Automotive Equipment). A recognized industry speaker, Gruskos will cover topics related to OEM certification, including establishing and maintaining partnerships with the OEMs and sponsoring dealers, tooling specifications, training requirements, the customer’s role, blueprinting, repair procedures and more. “With technology evolving more and more, we will fall behind if we don’t put in the work to keep up,” AASP/ NJ Collision Chairman Dennis Cataldo, Jr. recommends. “AASP/NJ continuously works to bring valuable training to its membership to help them stay ahead and remain successful. We want all shop owners to take advantage of the training as it’s a good idea to get out there and find out what you don’t know.” Shops attending Gruskos’ class will receive certification that allows them to use the training session for their 2022 body shop license renewal.
“Collision shops in New Jersey are licensed by the NJ Motor Vehicle Commission, and licensed shops are required to renew the license every two years,” Bryant explains. “Part of the renewal process is to provide the NJ Motor Vehicle Commission with proof that the applicant has taken some type of training directly related to the auto body industry within the year prior to the application. There will be training classes held at NORTHEAST that will come with a training certificate which will satisfy the training requirement required to renew a collision shop’s license. The collision shop license renewal is coming up in September 2022, so collision shops will start to receive the renewal notices this July.” As anticipation for this year’s big bang of an event, McNee urges collision repair professionals not to miss out on the galactic mixture of education, experience and exhibitions at NORTHEAST 2022:
“NORTHEAST is the number one show in the country, bringing the best of the best to you right in your own backyard. Unless you’re afraid to check out the industry’s latest equipment or learn something new from some of the most skilled and talented educational presenters out there, why wouldn’t you attend? There’s something for everyone, and AASP/NJ hopes you’ll join us!”
More classes are being added to the schedule for NORTHEAST 2022, so be sure to stay tuned to New Jersey Automotive for all the information you need to avoid getting left lightyears behind. Rocket your shop into the future by pre-registering to attend at aaspnjnortheast.com.
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YOUR SHOP’S OVERLOADED WITH WORK. YOU ARE BOOKED FOR THE NEXT THREE MONTHS BUT YOU CAN’T GET THE WORK OUT. WHAT DO YOU DO?
Sq. Footage: 5,600 Employees: 6 60% DRP Sq. Footage: 9,000 Employees: 10 0% DRP Sq. Footage: 17,000 Employees: 24 35% DRP
Schedule accordingly. Get people in and do the best you can do. I mean, the guys are burnt, the guys are fried. You know you can only have them here so long. So, schedule accordingly.
The biggest challenges are not letting down your loyal customers and maintaining a quality repair. I’d rather have too much work than not enough work. Who the f#$k wants not enough work? My shop’s up to the challenge. I’ll take on too much work all day. With too much work I can pick and choose. We can be more selective with an abundance of work, right? Since we’re all having a hard time, I made sure I picked the direct repair programs that are the most fair. And I cater to my better direct repair programs. Everybody’s f#$ked up right now. You know that, right? I have enough people. We’re rolling in work. We’re cruising along. They’re coming in faster than we can work on them. That’s our problem. But I’ll take that over having an empty shop any day of the week.
Cry. I mean, that’s the reality of the world right now. So I manage customer expectations and I hit them up front from day one. If it’s a twoweek job, I tell them it’s going to be a month and half. If it’s a month’s job, I tell them you’re looking at every bit of three months. It’s honestly alI I can do. I just had a guy with a Honda Civic come in. He asked how long it would take. Normally it would be a two-week job. I told him two to three months. It’s coming up on two months tomorrow, and I’m still waiting on a radiator and a transport. I’m just trying to manage expectations as best as possible. So when I hit them like that at first, and I get the shell shock, I just explain, “Dude, I can’t make unicorns. If the manufacturer doesn’t service these parts, I can’t just make them up.” If you catch them up front, for the most part, they’re fine. If you don’t educate them day one, if you’re backpedaling or trying to explain the story on the backside, they get a little irritated. I’d rather have our shop overloaded with work than not have enough of it. Don’t get me wrong. I like when we’re at a better pace and we can actually, you know, take the time to maximize profitability on each job. But in the same sense, we just came out of two years of sitting on our thumbs. So, it’s kind of nice to get force-fed back into the swing of things and try to recoup some of those losses from the last two years. Raise my rates and pick a higher quality insurance company and get rid of all the lower end insurance companies. I would stop bringing cars in, and I would offer people whose cars with lower end insurance that were already at the shop the chance to come in and pick them up. When I have had this situation in the past, I would gracefully bow out before we started and normally blame it on the bad insurance companies. I’d tell the customer I didn’t want to get involved with fixing the vehicle if it meant dealing with the bad insurance company. I would give them the opportunity to come pick it up or tell them, ‘Look, I’m just going to be honest with you. It’s probably going to be close to six weeks. If you can’t wait six weeks and you think somebody could do it sooner, we prefer that you take it to them.’ Sometimes it’s just the reality check they needed. I’d rather have not enough work than an overcrowded shop because I just hate not being able to please the customer as soon as they come in. Honestly, when we have less work, we make more money because it gives me time to follow the job through the shop and get paid for everything. When you have so much work and everybody’s overworked, you’re going to have employees that are upset. They’re going to quit on you, and you’re not going to be able to get paid because you’re going to be pushing the cars out the door so quickly the insurance companies are going to say, ‘You didn’t give us the photos, you didn’t call us, you didn’t wait like you’re supposed to.’ They will blame it on you. So, I could probably make more with 25 cars in my shop a week than I could with 40.
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photo estimates,” states Dellapietro. “We used to do one supplement, and now we’re doing five or six. Supplements get lost or delayed, angering my customers; my secretary believes they’re punishing us, but when I get involved, they typically pay. I’m not playing their game, I’m just not doing it. I’ll play my game which is looking up the procedures and continuing to hit them up with supplements. I hold the license, and I’m the only one fixing that car, so I’m not allowing the insurers to make repair decisions for my shop and my customers.” Customer service is a vital component to shops’ success, and although shops strive to deliver the same experience clients have come to expect from their businesses, all the aforementioned concerns make it much more difficult to do so. “When I try to explain the parts delays to every customer, some understand, but others do not,” Cataldo discloses. “Aside from the obvious supply chain delays and tech shortage, perhaps the worst aspect of this situation is our inability to receive answers from people. We ask when we’ll receive a part or when an insurer will come out to inspect the vehicle, and we are consistently told, ‘I don’t know.’ It’s very frustrating because now we have no answers to share with our customers, and
it feels like we are trying to put out fires that we didn’t even create!”
“The strongest thing in a business is customer relations,” Rutigliano believes. “We try our best to call the customer and keep them informed and updated on the status of their repair, but the delays outside our control are creating issues with rental coverage for many clients, so we’ve also been finding ways to help our customers extend their rental coverage.”
The concerns that shops face are numerous, but every challenge teaches lessons as repairers come out on the other side and we approach our “new normal.” Successful shops seek to implement those lessons moving forward to ensure their businesses are positioned for future efficiency and profitability. “I look at every car at various stages during the repair process to make sure my guys do the right thing, and if something isn’t done right, we take the vehicle apart and do it over,” Rutigliano shares his method for ensuring that repairs are performed properly.
“I charge for estimates and refuse to order parts without either having the vehicle in the shop or collecting a parts deposit,” Cataldo acknowledges. “I try to set the expectation that completing vehicles in three days has become a rare occurrence in today’s market. It seems like our ‘new normal’ really means ‘hurry up and wait.’” Dellapietro has a similar approach: “You have to do the scans; you have to do the blueprinting. ALLDATA is a great resource for identifying everything you need to check and collecting the documentation to get paid. We invest the time into researching every repair. Really, we have to lay everything out for these idiots who have no clue how to fix a car, yet we get no respect. They want to dictate procedures when it’s my license on the line. There’s a lot to do to get it right, but if shops all stuck together and did the right thing for our customers, our industry would change for the better.”
NJA
EMPIRE AUTO PARTS
Spend more time running your business and less time worrying about your parts. www.empireap.com
Lamps Bumper Covers Radiators Hoods & Fenders
Door Mirrors Steel Bumpers
Cooling Fans
NJ DISTRIBUTION CENTER
Grilles & Bezels
800.624.4561
Serving CT, DE, MA, NJ, NY, PA, VT
Parts Accuracy Friendly Sales Team Quality Assurance Fast, Free Delivery
AUTO GROUP WHOLESALE DEPARTMENT
Genuine Service & Parts
SERVICE, SELECTION AND VALUE SINCE 1953
Delivering to the New Jersey/New York area.
Genuine Nissan parts are built to the same standards as Nissan vehicles. It’s no wonder they’re the driving force behind the most exhilarating vehicle on the road.
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Parts: 800-782-7597
E-mail: John@lynnes.com www.lynnesnissan.com Hours: M-F 7:30am - 6pm, Sat 7:30am - 2pm 5 Alva Street | Bloomfield, NJ 07003 Our wholesale parts team is here to make sure you find the exact Genuine Subaru Parts you need for every repair.
• Competitive prices • Fast, accurate deliveries • Genuine Subaru Parts that drive your business
Paul Miller Subaru 3469 Route 46 Parsippany, NJ 07054 Phone: 973-658-5714 Fax: 973-402-9591 mdaltilio@paulmiller.com www.paulmillersubaru.com/parts
TOUCH
The Blueprint is Right in Front of You.
Electronic Measuring System
The Spanesi® Touch Electronic
Measuring System and Multibench Structural Repair Workstation are designed to work together seamlessly.
The Multibench allows technicians to drive most vehicles directly onto its low-profile ramps. After the vehicle is disassembled to evaluate the damage, the Touch rolls right up, letting the technicians gather measurement data in no time.
With its 10-ton pulling column, the Multibench also serves as a single-bay repair solution. Finally, technicians use Touch to check structural repairs and ensure proper OEM specifications are achieved.
Touch Electronic Measuring System:
Comparative Measurements Complete Documentation Mechanical Parts Measurements Suspension Parts Measurements User Added Points with Photos Vehicle Frame and Structural Items Wheel and Tire Alignment Checks
MULTIBENCH
Structural Repair Workstation
Multibench Structural Repair Workstation:
Loading Capacity 3,175kg (7,000lbs) Lifting Height 1.45m (4’ 9”) Lift Time (Ascension) 45 seconds Pulling Force 10 Tons
Spanesi Americas, Inc.
123 Ambassador Dr. STE 107 Naperville, IL 60540 224-SPANESI (224-772-6374)
www.spanesi-americas.com
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FIT AND FINISH IS NO PLACE TO GET CREATIVE.
CONTACT US TODAY FOR A COMPETITIVE QUOTE ON YOUR NEXT COLLISION REPAIR ESTIMATE.
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1839 Central Park Avenue Yonkers, NY 10710
Order Hot Line: (800) 967-5298
Fax: (914) 361-1508 www.centralave.com
COLLISION LINK, REPAIR LINK AND PARTS TRADER
DOVER DODGE
158 S. Salem St. Dover, NJ 07801
Order Hot Line: (888) 676-6727
Fax: (973) 366-0757
EASTCHESTER CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE
4007 Boston Road Bronx, NY 10466
Order Hot Line: (914) 597-7018
Fax: (718) 881-3014
WE COMPETE WITH AFTERMARKET PRICES! FREE DELIVERY!
FRANKLIN SUSSEX AUTO MALL
315 Route 23 Sussex, NJ 07461
Order Hot Line: (888) 528-2200
NIELSEN DODGE CHRYSLER JEEP RAM
175 Route 10 East Hanover, NJ 07936
Order Hot Line: (877) 890-9545
Check out MoparRepairConnection.com for resources, promotions and technical information.
continued from pg. 12
Meanwhile, as we worry about getting paid, shops are causing much worse problems for the driver or passengers of that car because an OEM-recommended scan wasn’t performed to verify that all vehicle components are functioning the way the manufacturer intended. The customer doesn’t realize that they’re driving a ticking time bomb, and if they’re involved in a major accident, most consumers will chalk it up to the latest collision without ever realizing that some of the damage could have been prevented if the car was fixed right the first time. By mandating the rates they’re willing to pay, insurers are under-indemnifying our mutual customers, but the fact that they’re engaging in unfair claims practices flies under the radar because we aren’t including the people who are actually impacted by their bad behavior in our discussions.
Stop allowing insurance companies to dictate how you do business! We know that a bumper repair is no longer a simple bumper repair, and it’s time to let the customer know the same. We need to tell the customers that these are the procedures that the vehicle manufacturer recommends and which we need to perform in order to ensure their vehicle is safe to drive. We cannot continue to live in fear of standing up for the customer and for ourselves. Shops need to do the right thing, and that begins by educating our customers so that they can grab a sword and join us in the battle for their safety and well-being.
NJA
ARANJ Board of Directors
David Yeager - EL & M Auto (800) 624-2266 / elandmauto@aol.com
Ed Silipena - American II Autos (609) 965-0987 / esilipena@yahoo.com
Norm Vachon - Port Murray Auto (908) 689-3152 / portmurrayauto@yahoo.com
Dillon Rinkens - East Brunswick Auto (732) 254-6501 / ebautonj@comcast.net ARANJ Officers
President - Rodney Krawczyk Ace Auto Wreckers (732) 254-9816 / aceautonj@comcast.net
1st Vice President - Daryl Carman Lentini Auto Salvage (908) 782-4440 / darryl@las-parts.coms
2nd Vice President - Mike Ronayne Tilghmans Auto Parts (609) 723-7469 / tilghmans@snip.net
Past President - Bob Dirkes
Dirkes Used Auto Parts (609) 625-1718 / dirkesauto@gmail.com
The Automotive Recyclers Association of New Jersey
Wharton Insurance Briefs
Prevent cold weather injuries by staying warm. Staying warm can prevent hypothermia which occurs when your body loses heat faster than it can produce it. Here are a few tips to prevent hypothermia: Wear a hat or other protective covering. This will prevent heat loss from your head. Wear a scarf and mittens instead of gloves. Mittens keep your fingers together and help keep them warmer. Minimize activities that cause you to sweat. Wet clothes in cold weather can cause you to lose heat faster. Dress in layers of loose fitting and lightweight clothing. Polypropylene holds heat better than cotton and wicks the moisture away from your body.
Stay dry and get out of wet clothing as soon as possible. Remember that normal body temperature is 98.6 F, and hypothermia can occur as the body core temperature drops below 95 F. Stay warm and healthy.
Mario DeFilippis Vice President Wharton Insurance Group (732) 686-7020 (office) (908) 513-8588 (cell)
NJA
Co-celebrating decades of creating chemistry between two industry leaders
Here’s to 235 years of combined service excellence
This year, as Albert Kemperle Inc. celebrates its 80th anniversary, BASF also celebrates its 155th anniversary. We are proud of our decades of partnership with BASF and years of serving the auto paint and body industry together. Kemperle’s founders would be proud of this relationship and the growth their company has experienced because of it.
Today, as we look forward to many more decades of service to our customers, we find ourselves filled with gratitude. The creativity, hard work, and sense of responsibility of the people working for our two companies have made us what we are today.
Thank you for your many years of loyalty.
626 E. Elizabeth Ave., Linden, NJ 07036 Phone: (908) 925-6133 Fax: (908) 925-4344 414-416 Madison Ave., Paterson, NJ 07524 Phone: (973) 279-8300 Fax: (973) 279-9030 631 Clifton Ave., Toms River, NJ 08753 Phone: (732) 797-3942 Fax: (732) 797-0774 100 Melrich Road, Cranbury, NJ 08512 Phone: (609) 860-2800 Fax: (609) 860-2801
