Why Aren’t People Pulling OEM Procedures?

This month, we “ASK MIKE” to share two, they think they’re smarter than there’s a signed authorization, we’re his thoughts on the industry’s lack of an engineer. Number three, they say saying, ‘You can trust me to do a safe adherence to OEM repair procedures. they don’t have the time because the and proper repair.’ You’re liable for that We at New Jersey Automotive hope you company they work for chooses to be a vehicle even if it changes ownership. find this following exchange useful, and DRP and says they have to upload an You’d like to believe that the John Eagle we encourage you to reach out to us if you have a question for Mike on this or any industry-related matter that he can answer in a subsequent issue. New Jersey Automotive: Obviously, vehicle technology is not going to stop advancing. As a result, repairers need to stay on top of what’s going on with these cars, and pulling the OEM repair procedures is the main part of that. I’ve heard feedback from some shops that are still not enforcing this; they tell me, ‘Our technicians know what to do.’ I’d imagine you’ve been encountering similar statements. How do you respond to that mindset? Mike Anderson: You’re right – most people are not pulling OEM repair procedures, and I’m very concerned about that. Let me start by sharing a short story. My friend’s son went into the Marines several years ago. He got off the bus at Parris Island, and the drill instructor ran up and started delivering shock and awe. He yelled, ‘Single file! Single file!’ Then, he said, ‘Pick up your suitcase! Put it down! Pick it up! Put it down!’ All of a sudden, my friend’s son laughed. That is the worst thing you can do on your first day of boot camp with a Marine drill instructor! The drill inspector grabbed my son’s friend by the ear and pulled him in front of a mirror. He made him point at the mirror and say, ‘I’m not ? estimate within two hours. That’s just ludicrous. I do training for several OEMs as well as training through Collision Advice. We show people photos of a vehicle that needs a quarter panel replaced and say, ‘We want you to write an estimate on this.’ I understand it’s a photo, but it’s done as an exercise to see how well they can identify the OEM repair procedures as well as notincluded operations. When we do that, we have 385 lines on our estimate, but the top 10 percent of trainees might have 190 to 200 lines on their estimate. The average shop has fewer than 100 lines. I can tell you that just for that one estimate – just replacing a quarter panel on a Toyota – we had 133 pages of information to research, pull, review and read. It’s very, very time-consuming. This wasn’t a 30-minute process – it was a five-hour process. I realize there are some challenges, but to not do it is unacceptable. The other thing that troubles me is that everybody is looking for an ‘easy’ button. You can’t just say, ‘I’ve fixed 20 of these cars; I know them inside and out and don’t have to pull the procedures.’ Things change. I’ve seen sectioning procedures change, and I’ve seen something was a one-time-use part one day but wasn’t the next day. We just can’t assume that because we fixed 20 cars last week that we don’t have to research them today. case was a wake-up call, but obviously it wasn’t. People just think they’re too smart for their own good. I teach factory training for OEMs, and I still research every single vehicle that I write an estimate on. If you’re saying you don’t have the time, then you need to have a conversation with your boss. If you’re saying you don’t know how to use the websites – gosh, man, we have free webinars and videos on my website that teach people how to do it. If you’re a Nissan/Infiniti-certified shop, you actually have free access – free access – to Nissan/Infiniti’s TechInfo. Toyota offers free access to its OEM procedures to its certified shops. There are resources available; people just need to want to use them. The two percent who are actually doing it right get pushback from third-party payers who say, ‘You’re the only one.’ Well, they are the only one! NJA: What do you think it’s going to take to get that number up to a respectable amount? We’ve already had the John Eagle case, and there have already been multiple conversations on this topic. It’s being stressed at the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) and elsewhere. What else needs to be done here? MA: Education, number one. We need to educate people on how to navigate the OEM websites, because they’re all different. Number two, people need stupid!’ Then, the drill instructor made NJA: Of course, we have a huge to have the time to do it. The days of him point the finger back at his own elephant in the room. I’ve had readers expecting an estimator to handle x chest in front the mirror and say, ‘You’re tell me that if they don’t get paid for amount of sales volume every month stupid.’ I’m not saying that collision something, they won’t do it. are over. The expectations need to repairers are stupid, but this isn’t a joke be lowered. There’s no way they can – it all starts with us. We all have to take MA: That’s insane! How would you like achieve that and be thorough in what personal responsibility. it if a doctor, a surgeon or someone they’re doing. Body shop owners and When somebody doesn’t pull the who works on an airplane said, ‘I don’t managers need to give their employees OEM procedures, it’s usually due to get paid for it, so I’m not going to do it’? the right amount of time to do it. Also, a few things. One, they don’t have Don’t forget that the consumer signs insurance companies need to recognize access to them. In that case, shame on an authorization for us to fix their car. If that they’re part of the problem, the shop owner or manager. Number we take that car in under a premise that especially when they want an estimate

uploaded in two hours. That’s not realistic. Technicians need time, training and the access to resources. Somebody asked me, ‘Why don’t all the OEMs standardize their websites?’ Well, they all think their way is the best way. You have a better chance of finding world peace than you do getting three different cultures from five different OEMs to agree. I read somewhere that it takes the average human being five to seven minutes to read a one-page technical document. Just to replace that quarter panel I mentioned earlier, I had 133 pages of OEM documents that I had to review and read. There was also the time it took me to find them. There are nuances to a repair; there are multiple pieces to this. Again, there’s no ‘easy’ button. You just have to take the time and quit complaining about it.

Mike Anderson is an Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM) and the former owner of Wagonwork Collision Centers, two highly acclaimed shops located in Alexandria, VA. He has served as a member of many industry organizations throughout his career, including the WMABA Board of Directors, the Mitchell Advisory Board, the MOTOR Advisory Board, the ASE Test Review Committee, the National Auto Body Council, the Collision Industry Conference and the Society of Collision Repair Specialists. Additionally, he is a past Virginia SkillsUSA chairman, serves as a facilitator for Axalta Coating Systems’ highly recognized Business Council 20 Groups in both the US and Canada and facilitates numerous courses for Axalta Coating Systems’ Educational Series. He currently offers expert industry consulting via his latest venture, Collision Advice (collisionadvice.com).

NJA

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As vehicles have evolved over the past century, so have the accessories and gadgets they come with.

We took a look into the past, digging deep to find some of the oddest and strangest features of motor vehicles from the olden days. Here they are, in no particular order.

Dashboard Coffeemaker Long before Starbucks coffee runs were a thing, there was one vehicle manufacturer that thought to feed the need for caffeine by way of offering a dashboard coffee-making device. The Hertella Auto-Kaffeemaschine was a rare feature that could be found in some Volkswagen Beetles. Not much is known about the nifty-looking device, including just how much power it took to heat coffee, but its porcelain cup featured a magnetic disc on the bottom that allowed it to attach to the machine. The device also mounted to the dash with a simple bracket. More than likely, it did not produce a good cup of coffee. Good thing we have Starbucks today!

Record Player Many readers may remember a time when vehicles featured cassette decks (or possibly the even rarer eight-track players), but record players? Believe it or not, back in the 1950s and 1960s, there were some vehicles that allowed drivers to spin vinyl while at the wheel. The “Highway Hi-Fi” was an option in the 1956 Chrysler, Desoto, Dodge and Plymouth. CBS Labs created technology allowing for specially made seven-inch discs to be played on a device that would fit in the car. Due to the disc’s very slow speed, each side would play about an hour’s worth of music. It went for roughly $200, which would be the equivalent of $1,700 in today’s world. In the early 1960s, Chrysler offered a more reasonably priced option by way of the RCA “Victrola,” which allowed drivers to play their own 45 records for the price of $51.75 (which would amount to $410 in 2021). A third option existed in the Norelco “Auto Mignon” player, which was priced in a similar range as the RCA model. We imagine lugging around a case of 45s was not ideal; therefore, the concept fell by the wayside.

Lit Cigarette Dispenser

Once upon a time, tobacco smoking was a hugely popular habit, leading some vehicle manufacturers to feature a cigarette dispenser near the steering wheel. Not only did the device supply the driver with a cigarette at their fingertips, but it lit it, too! The fact that it quite possibly could be a major fire hazard is perhaps why the device did not catch on. Today, one can’t even find an ashtray in a vehicle.

Do you know of any other odd or strange vehicle features? Let us know by emailing Editorial Director Joel Gausten at joel@grecopublishing.com.

The His ‘n’ Her Gear Shifter

Now this one is quite different! Back in 1968, Hurst Performance and the nowdefunct Oldsmobile teamed up to create a special-edition vehicle – the Hurst/Olds – that featured a console-mounted “His ‘n’ Her Gear Shifter,” a.k.a. the Hurst Dual-Gate shifter. According to Drivemag.com (bit.ly/ HurstGearboxes), only 515 of the “His ‘n’ Her” existed in two body styles. The shifter allowed the driver the choice between using the standard PRNDL setup and the ability to put it into muscle-car mode. Apparently, the idea did not stick with the average driver, as it became something preferred by drag racers instead.

Magnetic Pipe Dashboard Holder

Back in the 1940s and 1950s, pipe smokers likely made use of the magnetic-base pipe holder dashboard accessory. Not much can be found about its origination, but the vintage device had a magnetic base that worked with metal-dash vehicles back in the day. A seller on eBay is looking to unload these gems for roughly $13 (bit.ly/CarPipeHolder). Act now, pipe smokers; there were only two left at press time!

Images courtesy of David Hord via Instagram.com/thedrive, MacsMotorCityGarage.com, DriveMag.com, Classicandsportscar. com and eBay.com.