New Jersey Automotive June 2023

Audi dealers strive to make you an Audi Genuine Parts fan

• Audi Parts Professionals are your subject matter experts on collision parts, replacement components and mechanical items.

• Many Audi dealers offer technical service support hotline access that can reduce your repair times and help you meet an on-time promised delivery.

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Helping

Ciocca Parts Warehouse

8 Minneakoning Road

Flemington, NJ 08822

Toll Free: 800-221-1256

Fax: 908.782.1795

rmuir@cioccadealerships.com

www.cioccaparts.com

Paul Miller Audi 179 Route 46 East

Parsippany, NJ 07054

Toll Free: 800.35.MILLER

Parts Direct: 973.575.7793

Fax: 973.575.5911

www.paulmiller.com

Bell Audi 782 Route 1 Edison, NJ 08817

732.396.9360

Fax: 732.396.9090

DCH Millburn Audi

2211 Millburn Ave

Maplewood, NJ 07040

Toll Free: 800.553.9250

Direct: 973.762.0262

Fax: 973.762.2381

www.dchmillburnaudi.com

www.bellaudi.com

Town Motors Audi

400 South Dean Street

Englewood, NJ 07631

201.227.6506/6536

Fax: 201.541.0314

www.townmotors.com

Jack Daniels Audi of Upper Saddle River

243 Route 17 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

201.252.1500

Fax: 201.254.1552

tbabcock@jackdanielsmotors.com

www.jackdanielsmotors.com

Audi Bridgewater 701 Route 202-206 N Bridgewater, NJ 08807

929.600.9156

Fax: 908.595.0237

parts@audibridgewater.com

www.audibridgewater.com

P.O. Box 734 Neptune, NJ 07753

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Charles Bryant 732-922-8909 / setlit4u@msn.com

2021 - 2023 OFFICERS

PRESIDENT

Jerry McNee, Ultimate Collision Repair, Inc. 732-494-1900 / ultimatecollision@att.net

COLLISION CHAIRMAN

Dennis Cataldo, Jr., D&M Auto Body 732-251-4313 / jr@dnmautobody.com

MECHANICAL CHAIRMAN

Keith Krehel, Krehel Automotive Repair, Inc. 973-546-2828 / krehelauto@aol.com

TREASURER

Tom Elder, Compact Kars, Inc. 609-259-6373 / compactkars@aol.com

SECRETARY

Thomas Greco, Thomas Greco Publishing, Inc. 973-667-6922 / thomas@grecopublishing.com

BOARD

Brad Crawford, Livingston Collision, Inc. 973-992-5274 / livingston.collision@gmail.com

Gary Gardella, Jr., County Line Auto Body 732-363-5904 / countylineautobody@gmail.com

Dave Laganella, Peters Body and Fender 201-337-1200 / petersbandf@gmail.com

Sam Mikhail, Prestige Auto Body 908-294-1985 /prestige@goldcar.us

Ken Miller, 821 Collision, LLC (973) 949-3733 / kmiller@821collision.com

Danielle Molina, Perfect Bodies Collision Center (973) 777-7881 / Danielle@PerfectBodiesCollision.com

Ted Rainer, Ocean Bay Auto Body 732-899-7900 / ted@oceanbayautobody.com

Anthony Trama, Bloomfield Auto Body 973-748-2608 / anthony@bloomfieldautobody.com

BOARD ALLIED

Joe Amato, The Amato Agency 732-530-6740 / joesr@amatoagency.com

Mike Kaufmann, Advantage Dealer Services 973-332-7014 / mkaufmann@advantageds.com

PAST PRESIDENT ATTENDING

Jeff McDowell, Leslie’s Auto Body 732-738-1948 / chacki@aol.com

LOCAL NEWS

16 AASP/NJ Members Earn Spartan 300 Recognition from Collision Advice

16 Congratulations to 2023 New Jersey Super Lawyer Mitchell Portnoi!

NATIONAL NEWS

20 Shop Calls on Labor Rate Hero for Aid against Insurance Bullies by Chasidy Rae Sisk

NATIONAL FEATURE

24 AASP Leaders Connect, Collaborate and Collect Info at National Board Meeting by Alana Quartuccio

COVER STORY

30 Not-So-Good Hands: Allstate Drops the Ball on P&M Rates, Sublet Scan Costs by Chasidy Rae Sisk

LOCAL FEATURE

PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER

Thomas Greco / thomas@grecopublishing.com

VICE PRESIDENT/SALES DIRECTOR

Alicia Figurelli / alicia@grecopublishing.com

EDITORIAL/CREATIVE COORDINATOR

Alana Quartuccio / alana@grecopublishing.com

MANAGING EDITOR

Chasidy Rae Sisk / chasidy@grecopublishing.com

OFFICE MANAGER

Donna Greco / donna@grecopublishing.com

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

Joe Greco / joe@grecopublishing.com

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Published by: Thomas Greco Publishing, Inc.

244 Chestnut Street, Suite 202, Nutley, NJ 07110

Corporate: (973) 667-6922 / FAX: (973) 235-1963

@grecopublishing

34 Future of Vo-Tech: A Collision Instructor Roundtable Part 2 by Chasidy Rae Sisk

AUTOMOTIVE RECYCLERS ASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEY

41 Wharton Insurance Briefs by Mario DeFilippis COVER STORY

Joe Amato, Sr.

Ron Ananian

Jim Bowers

Charles Bryant

Don Chard

Guy Citro

www.grecopublishing.com

Pete Cook

Ed Day

Dave Demarest

Phil Dolcemascolo

Tom Elder

Bob Everett

Alicia Figurelli

Thomas Greco

Dan Hawtin

Rich Johnson

Mike Kaufmann

Wes Kearney

Nick Kostakis

Jim Kowalak

Keith Krehel

Joe Lubrano

Michael Lovullo

Jeff McDowell

Sam Mikhail

Ron Mucklow

George Petrask

Russ Robson

Jerry Russomano

George Threlfall

Cynthia Tursi

Lee Vetland

Paul Vigilant

Rich Weber

Brian Vesley

Glenn Villacari

Stan Wilson

AUDI QUEENS 30-35 College Point Blvd. Flushing, NY 11354

Wholesale Direct: 929.297.0788

audiqueens.com

MERCEDES-BENZ OF BROOKLYN 1800 Shore Pkwy. Brooklyn, NY 11214

Wholesale Direct: 718.258.7055

mbofbrooklyn.com

MERCEDES-BENZ OF CALDWELL 1220 Bloomfield Ave. Caldwell, NJ 07006

Wholesale Direct: 973.808.0204

mbofcaldwell.com

JAGUAR BROOKLYN 809 Neptune Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11224 Wholesale Direct: 929.583.6492 jaguarbrooklyn.com

JAGUAR GLEN COVE 70 Cedar Swamp Rd. Glen Cove, NY 11542

Wholesale Direct: 516.758.5598

jaguarglencove.com

JAGUAR HUNTINGTON 1249 E. Jericho Tpke. Huntington, NY 11743

Wholesale Direct: 631.824.8899

jaguarhuntington.com

JAGUAR SOUTHAMPTON 355 Hampton Rd. Southampton, NY 11968 Wholesale Direct: 631.614.7655

jaguarsouthampton.com

LAND ROVER BROOKLYN 809 Neptune Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11224

Wholesale Direct: 929.583.6492

landroverbrooklyn.com

LAND ROVER GLEN COVE 70 Cedar Swamp Rd. Glen Cove, NY 11542

Wholesale Direct: 516.758.5598

landroverglencove.com

Concerted Efforts

A couple months ago, I had the opportunity to see the legendary Smokey Robinson in concert. Honestly, my expectations weren’t that high. After all, he is 83 years old. But to my pleasant surprise, Smokey has still got it. He looked great and sang even better. But that got me thinking. With so many of the artists from the ‘60s and ‘70s getting pretty old and dying off, it gave me pause to think back to some of those who have passed that I had seen and some who are still going in their 70s and 80s.

I’ve been very lucky in that I have seen just about every artist I have ever wanted to see. The exceptions, of course, are the Beatles (they stopped touring when I was five, though I’ve seen Paul, George and Ringo), John Lennon (he never toured) and Elvis (I was 11 the last time he played around here).

But I did get to see Michael Jackson with and without the Jackson Five. He was great. I saw Prince a few times. Dynamic performer, but his tendency to do long jams got boring after a while. One show, he even spent the vast

Greco Publishing has successfully served the automotive repair industry for over 30 years in print, online and as an association liaison. Our team handles all pre-press production in-house, from ad design to editorial layout.

Greco Publishing also provides a variety of services to cover our clients needs and facilitate their day-to-day business.

by THOMAS GRECO, PUBLISHER

majority of it on his jazz compositions. Not fan-friendly at all. I saw David Bowie twice, and like many memories, the mind plays tricks on you. Yes, he was Bowie, and yes, he had a great presence, but his live shows were average (at least they were in the ‘80s and ‘90s).

Sometimes, the experience is more memorable than the concert itself. When I first saw Wings in 1976, seeing one of the Beatles live was thrilling enough. The fact that he only played five Beatles songs didn’t matter (although he changed that tune the next time he toured the US and played about 25 Beatles songs).

My girlfriend (and later wife) played a part in many concerts. Our first one was John Waite and Scandal. But she must have gotten used to me pretty quickly because not long after, she started falling asleep at shows like Grand Funk Railroad and Vanilla Fudge. Another Prince show was especially memorable. We were sitting in the upper deck at Madison Square Garden, so we would ask to borrow some binoculars from the people sitting next to us. As the Purple One started his set, my wife, looking through the binoculars, turned to me and said, “Isn’t that____? And who is that woman he’s holding hands with?” I took the binoculars and saw that down on the floor in the first row was a very married relative who was with someone other than his wife. I just shrugged and gave the binoculars back to our neighbors. The next family party was very interesting.

There used to be a fantastic concert hall in Passaic, NJ called the Capitol. Almost every band played there. As I have mentioned before, that was where I saw my first concert (Sha Na Na). Some other great memories include the Heart concert where my buddy “Cricket” jumped on stage to kiss the lead singer, Ann Wilson. The bouncers were on him immediately and threw him out the side doors. He still says that was a highlight of his life. I remember a Halloween show with the Tubes and Utopia mainly because they had a costume contest that was won by a woman dressed as a used tampon. I know. Gross, right? But pretty damn creative.

Another place that is long gone is the Bottom Line in Greenwich Village, NY. I met my brother-in-law there for a Lou Reed show. When I got to our table, he asked if I had trouble parking. I said “Yes, I found a space that just said ‘no standing.’”

THOMAS GRECO PUBLISHING

Helping the Customer Address Short Pays

Up until the last year, I’ve always been able to negotiate with the insurance adjusters who came into my shop. But something has drastically changed. And it’s not just their unwillingness to negotiate either! When insurers insisted on short paying a claim, the difference was only a couple hundred dollars between my final repair bill and the check they’d cut. Now, though, I’m seeing vast differences…We’re talking $5,000 checks for $10,000 repair bills! Recently, I’ve had a

number of claims with a short pay of $9,000 or more each.

It can be daunting when this happens, and I know I can’t be the only one – plenty of you are probably facing the same types of situations with insurers. Maybe our repair plans look a little different, but if you’re being thorough and documenting the procedures you’re following, you don’t deserve to get shortchanged on claims that come in your door. For some of us, that means charging the customer a copay, which is one

option.

by JERRY MCNEE

But the customer is being harmed when they’re under-indemnified for a claim. They shouldn’t find themselves in a worse financial position after an accident when their insurance contract is supposed to make them whole again. Meanwhile, that money that rightfully belongs to the consumer is turned into the insurer profits center as they unjustly enrich themselves.

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There’s another option: Educating your customer about their right to invoke the Appraisal Clause takes the shop out of the equation and can help protect that customer. Two appraisers decide on the cost of the repair, and if they can’t agree, an umpire comes in to settle the difference. There are only a few options for your customer.

We aren’t asking for anything we don’t deserve, but as professionals, we are expected to repair their vehicle safely and properly. Labor operations we’re requesting don’t belong to the insurer; they belong to the customer whose policy promises to restore their vehicle to its preaccident condition. The insurer isn’t your friend or the consumer’s friend, and they don’t care who you are or what you do. They have one objective: to indemnify the claim. They don’t care that we have to invest into our shops to repair these vehicles safely. Do they even care if the vehicles are repaired safely? It doesn’t always seem to be the case.

As shop owners and technicians, we care…we have to because these are our customers, and the liability for an unsafe repair falls on our shoulders. Try asking the insurer to back you because you didn’t correctly repair your customer vehicle properly “because they won’t or didn’t pay for a procedure” and watch how fast they start pointing! So, it’s in our best interest to help

The Downside of Disappearing Shop Classes

A long, long, LONG time ago, when I was in junior high school, I took offered “shop” classes at any opportunity. I remember taking wood, metals, drafting (on paper, of course), along with electricity class (despite the math involved). These were basic classes, but I really enjoyed them and learned a lot. In high school, I took as many shop classes as I could schedule while still participating in college preparatory programs. Out of all the classes I took, auto shop was my favorite. Clifton High School had a good program at that time and a great teacher. I enjoyed shop classes so much I went to college to teach industrial arts. After graduating, I interviewed and toured many high schools but held out for my preferred auto shop teaching position.

At the time, most high schools at least possessed some shop classes. Eventually, I landed a job teaching high school “Power Mechanics – Auto Shop.” The shop classes my department taught were of high value, as:

1. Not everyone is content with sitting at a desk or, nowadays, in front of a monitor.

LYNNES AUTO GROUP WHOLESALE DEPARTMENT

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Parts: 800-782-7597

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2. These shop classes were introductory and provided students with exposure to different trades with no commitment to a technical high school program or trade school.

3. As witnessed by today’s labor shortage in the trades, we still need people to fix and maintain cars, repair them after accidents, as well as build and remodel homes, etc.

4. These classes gave students an alternate route, rather than college, and an opportunity to work with their hands to make a living.

I was told many of the students in my class had behavior problems in other classes but not in auto shop. This was not necessarily due to my classroom management skills but likely because I was teaching a subject they were actually interested in and some were already employed in. For example, many times a nonshop teacher would pass through and ask me if I handled various “problematic” students – most were not a problem, and some of were actually “stars” in class. I often saw enthusiasm when students realized it was a “shop day” – usually Thursday and Friday – where they would be involved in hands-on activities such as using tap and dies, performing compression tests, setting ignition timing, etc.

Most of my students were more interested in working with their hands than diagramming a sentence or discussing the last chapter of Wuthering Heights (a classic bore) in English class. Quite honestly, I could relate to Healthcliff’s (a main character in the book) agony and suffering as I felt the same being forced to read the book! LOL (Sorry, Lauren!)

Fast forward to today, and I see many schools have reduced or eliminated shop classes. In my opinion, this is a mistake and a disservice to both students and society as it eliminates exposure to possible career paths and has contributed to today’s technician shortage.

As last I knew it, my auto shop has been converted into a weight room, and the electronic shop is now a computer room. I understand that computer training is a great idea, but a basic understanding of electricity is vital to most trades as well as to homeowners. Most of us will own and operate cars throughout our lives, but the same cannot be said for lifting weights.

This “college for everyone” mentality, which neglects the trades, has contributed to the current technician shortage as not enough people are being introduced to the trades.

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AASP/NJ Members Earn Spartan 300 Recognition from Collision Advice

Congratulations to AASP/NJ member shops Autotech Collision Service (Sewell), County Line Auto Body (Howell) and Collision Correctors (Bayville) which all received recognition from industry icon Mike Anderson’s Collision Advice’s Spartan 300 group during the inaugural Spartan Symposium event held in Texas last month.

Awards were given to shops all around the country during the two-day event. Fourteen OEMs were present – some of which took part in presentations and panel discussions – and various speakers and vendors were also present.

Autotech Collision Service received awards for the following: Best Refinish Estimates, Best Body Repair Estimates, 100 percent OEM Parts Usage and Best Quality.

AASP/NJ Board member Gary Gardella had both of his businesses take home awards. County Line Auto Body was recognized for “Over the Top Google Reviews” and Collision Correctors won “Overall CSI.”

Autotech Collision Service Owner Dean Massimini

relays how proud his team was to receive the awards, especially being recognized for using OEM parts and best quality as he felt those two things truly represent what his business is all about. He pointed out roughly 10 out of 150 shops received the 100 percent OEM award. Regarding the Best Quality recognition, Massimini says, “This award was extra special for us since it was based on Mike Anderson’s visit to our facility and how our quality compares to other shops he has visited across the country.”

The purpose of the Spartan group is to bring together likeminded individuals to take a stand for safe and proper repairs and change the course of history.

NJA’s Mitchell Portnoi Named a 2023

New Jersey Super Lawyer

For the 11th year in a row, Mitchell H. Portnoi of The Law Office of Mitchell H. Portnoi P.C. (MHPPC) appears on the 2023 New Jersey Super Lawyers list. The honor is earned by five percent or less of a state’s lawyers, based on the publication’s annual nomination, research and blue-ribbon review process which includes a statewide

survey of lawyers, an independent research evaluation of candidates and peer reviews by practice area.

Portnoi is a longtime supporter of AASP/NJ and frequent contributor to New Jersey Automotive

MHPPC is also proud to announce that Kyle S. Reed, an associate in the firm, has been named to the 2023 New Jersey Rising Stars list, an honor for which no more than 2.5 percent of Garden State lawyers are chosen.

Congratulations to the legal team at MHPPC!

TALES FROM THE CRYPT

Have you had a bone-chilling experience with the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance (DOBI)? Did their lack of concern about safe and proper repairs leave you cold with dread about how many lives could be lost on Garden State roadways? New Jersey Automotive wants to hear your horror stories! Email chasidy@grecopublishing.com to share your tale.

(L-R) AASP/NJ’s Dean Massimini (Autotech Collision Service) and Gary Gardella (County Line Auto Body and Collision Correctors) display their Spartan awards. NJA

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16TH ANNUAL LOU SCORAS MEMORIAL GOLF OUTING

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19

Knob Hill Country Club, Manalapan, NJ

11:30am Registration & Lunch • 1pm Shotgun Start

5:30pm Cash Bar • 6pm Dinner

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This year’s outing is dedicated as always to the memory of Lou Scoras of Holmdel Auto Body. A portion of the proceeds from this year’s event will be put toward a collision industry scholarship fund.

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO REGISTER, visit aaspnj.org, scan QR code above or contact the AASP/NJ Administrative Office at (973) 667-6922 / aaspnj@gmail.com

Shop Calls on Labor Rate Hero for Aid against Insurance Bullies

Under-indemnification: Any collision repair professional can affirm that this issue runs rampant among insurers who pressure shops to accept lower rates or even reduce the quality of repairs. But shop owners have grown increasingly fed up with carriers’ attempts to bully them into submission – and the most savvy often turn to National AutoBody Research’s (NABR) Labor Rate Hero for data and support to get paid what they deserve.

Greg Melartin (Matt’s Body Shop and Tire Service; Spring Valley, MN) found this to be a very effective route earlier this year when Progressive Insurance underpaid a claim by $416.57, rejecting the $76 labor rate invoiced by the shop and claiming their reimbursement of $65 per hour was based on “prevailing rate.” Rather than accepting the lower labor rate, the shop owner pursued the matter in small claims court where Senior Judge Jeffrey D. Thompson questioned “what is the ‘prevailing rate?’ and how is the prevailing rate to be determined.”

In response, Melartin provided Judge Thompson with data from Labor Rate Hero (laborratehero.com), demonstrating that the “prevailing rate” claimed by Progressive was “not reasonable or anywhere near what the rates in this market actually are. I didn’t argue for my rates; I simply argued that their rates were bogus. These big companies could double their total claims payout per year, and their CEOs would still be able to eat filet mignon for every meal. It’s not going to hurt anyone if they held up their end of the bargain and assumed all costs for the satisfactory repair of covered vehicles. Ultimately, the court ruled that Progressive’s rates were unreasonably low and entered Judgment in my favor.”

I charged the customers the difference, and Progressive took notice because I’ve made it very clear with them and all insurers that my estimates are based on the OEMs’ best practices; that’s how we do things in this shop. I scrub my final bill to ensure it’s accurate, and if they don’t pay my invoice, I will co-bill the customer. This is a business, not a charity, and I’m not going to cut repair quality to meet a bill-payer’s wishes to lower the bill. I’m going to deliver the quality the customer wants, and their carrier should pay the whole bill. In many cases, insurers do reimburse customers that pay out of pocket above their deductible when the customer stands up for themselves.”

LABOR RATE

Melartin changed his business practices last year after finding that he was losing money trying to appease insurers while maintaining repair quality he could take pride in. “Rather than reduce quality, I decided to charge the difference. Customers understand these things if you explain the process to them, and they believe we should get paid for materials and our hard work. Instead of arguing with the insurer, break down your labor rates, justify the value in your business, provide supporting documentation and submit a reasonable estimate. Repair the car, and leave it up to the customer. Many of them will gladly pay the difference, and in some states, shops can opt to have them sign an assignment of proceeds. Sometimes, the insurance company just issues the customer a refund.”

“This court accepts Labor Rate Hero as the proper rate authority for this case, which shows that this type of labor in the area goes from a low of $65/hour to a high of $76/hour with an average of $73/hour. Accordingly, Progressive is at the low end, and Matt’s is above the high end. The court accepts the average of $73/hour as reasonable reimbursement,” Judge Thompson wrote, determining that Matt’s Body Shop was entitled to $238 plus $80 in court costs.

According to Melartin, he has noticed a change in the insurer’s behavior since his victory. “In the past few months, they’ve only underpaid one claim by 16 cents… on a $17,000 repair! Considering they were underpaying $6,000 claims by $1,000, I’d say their behavior has changed. When they underpaid a few claims before that,

Consumers purchase insurance based on the assumption that their car will be taken care of after an accident. “The insurer makes them believe that but then tries to convince them that the body shop is in the wrong for charging a fair amount for the work performed. Shops are often reluctant to charge a fair amount because they don’t want the customer to get angry and take their business elsewhere, but if we educate them and stand behind our bills, they won’t. Our job is to deliver the quality our customers deserve, not to cut corners to save money for the insurance company.

“We’ve been the victim of the insurance industry’s bullying for too long, and it’s time that we stop letting them bully us into conducting cheap repairs,” Melartin added. “When shops stand up for themselves, they tend to get what’s coming to them. Isn’t it about time that we stand up to those insurance bullies and start collecting what we’re worth?”

AASP Leaders Connect, Collaborate and Collect Info at National Board Meeting

At the end of April, state affiliate leaders of the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers (AASP) gathered at the I-CAR Chicago Technical Center (CTC) in Vernon Hills, Illinois for a full day of learning, sharing and interacting during the national association’s first meeting of 2023.

AASP/NJ’s Tom Elder (Compact Kars; Clarksburg) and Ken Miller (821 Collision; North Haledon) made the trip out to connect with fellow members of AASP National, tour I-CAR’s newly unveiled CTC and to share the goals and efforts of the Alliance with colleagues from around the country including Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Conversation went back and forth around the room as the leaders shared their experiences within their own membership groups along with information and education related to ADAS, Right to Appraisal, photo estimating, storage and administration fees and the liability repairers face if cars are not fixed to OEM standards.

AASP/NJ consistently works to lead its members toward the best resources available. Elder shared news of the association’s solid educational program they have instituted over the past three years with roughly 10 meetings annually – some virtual and some in person –which they have managed to put together at minimal cost.

Currently, the association is working to educate their member shops on Right to Appraisal (RTA) as there is an increasing problem with under-indemnification in the Garden State. Vehicle owners have the right to request RTA if an estimate is not significant enough, and shops across the state are seeing huge differences between what shops are writing and what insurers are willing to pay…often variances of thousands of dollars! “It’s not just a difference of a few hundred dollars,” Elder stressed. “Unfortunately, the number of people currently using RTA isn’t enough to make an impact on the insurance industry.”

Another huge issue is insurers’ unwillingness to pay for storage on totalled vehicles. Miller and Elder have

seen insurers steer vehicles out of shops if an agreement is not reached, while the shop’s cost for storage and administrative fees rack up. Miller called the action “overly egregious” that an insurer would be willing to spend $5,000 to pull a vehicle from a shop just to save $10 on a labor rate.

Elder and Miller also relayed highlights from the successful 2023 NORTHEAST® Automotive Services Show which achieved pre-pandemic attendance records.

During her report, AASP National Administrator Judell Anderson shared the recent success of the AASP-supported Database Enhancement Gateway (DEG), supplied by its administrator Danny Gredinberg. Highlights included the DEG’s newly refurbished website and the significant corrections made to the estimating systems as a result of the DEG’s efforts. She applauded the DEG for its large impact on body shops all across the country that will benefit from those corrections.

“I don’t think you can point to anything else that has the impact the DEG has,” Anderson praised, adding that if more repair professionals took the time to submit inquiries, it would be even greater.

Meeting at the I-CAR training center allowed affiliate leaders the opportunity to walk through the new facility courtesy of a tour led by Bud Center, director of technical products and curriculum.

Center relayed the specific design requirements that were needed for the facility, especially for its ADAS calibration training area. I-CAR worked closely with the contractor to make sure the floor was completely level and flat as per requirements of many manufacturers when it comes to their ADAS calibrations.

“A self-leveling product had to be poured, a little at a time, and then 3D lasers were put all over the floor to make sure it stayed level,” Center explained. In fact, the contractor they worked with admitted he had never been asked to produce a completely flat and level surface previously.

Tom Elder and Ken Miller

AASP/NJ’s Ken Miller and Tom Elder listen as I-CAR’s Bud Center (far right) leads a tour of the Chicago Technical Center

Lighting is another key factor in ADAS calibrations. The lighting in the room is designed to be dimmed, so it can be adjusted to match daylight. According to Center, there are many situations that require lighting to match outdoor lighting, and without it, it can take a lot longer to set a dynamic calibration.

As AASP members stopped to look at the equipment, tools and vehicles used in EV training, Center reviewed the five-day process that starts with understanding the basics of electricity through the teaching of building electrical circuits. Once the trainees have developed an understanding about the different things involved in high voltage vehicles, they will be able to test and diagnose so they know what to expect when working on a live vehicle. Once that understanding is reached, trainees can work on a live vehicle with the proper PPE.

“We have people coming through here and saying ‘My head hurts trying to take in all this information and understand it all,’” Center said of the intense program, adding that people will comment that EVs are not widely seen. “It only takes one vehicle to kill somebody,” he noted, implying that a safe repair is as much about keeping your techs safe during the repair as it is about returning a safe car to the customer.

An overview led by I-CAR’s Mike Mertes and Jeff Peevy on how “cutting edge” innovations, such as AI, can be possibly utilized in training evolved into an eye-opening discussion on how technology advancements could be used as a recruitment tool as the group considered the future of collision repair.

I-CAR is in the early stages of developing a virtual repair planning game that, once mastered, would put that person in a more advantageous position over the average person entering the field.

Cars are more computerized than ever before. Although most of the world may not realize it, technical process skills are needed in addition to hands-on skills, Peevy stressed. “Once someone envisions something with wheels on it, they automatically think one has to be good with their hands.”

Changing the look of the industry is necessary in getting a new generation into the fold, but the biggest hurdle with this might be changing which skill sets shops are focused on when recruiting new employees.

The AASP National Board plans to reconvene at the SEMA 2023 show in Las Vegas.

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Wholesale Parts

Not-So-Good

Hands: Allstate Drops the Ball on P&M Rates, Sublet Scan Costs

Don Harvey, manager for a North Jersey body shop, had been receiving compensation from Allstate Insurance on sublet-paid vehicle scans as well as paint and material costs for quite some time without experiencing any issues, but that changed earlier this year when he submitted a virtual assist supplement that has yet to be resolved, over three months later.

In response to the supplement, Allstate’s Ruby Felton promised to “get back to me and send the supplement, but she never called me to discuss any differences,” reports Harvey, who provided an invoice for the sublet scan and a vehicle-and-color-specific copy of the Mitchell paint cost calculation as documentation justifying his costs.

While Felton acknowledged, “Per the New Jersey Department of Insurance, insurance carriers, including Allstate, owe what is fair and reasonable to return your vehicle to pre-loss condition,” she simultaneously informed the vehicle owner that they could be responsible for the difference between the shop’s invoice and Allstate’s estimate. “Your shop has requested charges that are beyond what is reasonable and customary. Therefore, we are unable to honor your shop’s request. You could be responsible for these charges if your shop refuses to release your vehicle before the additional charges have been paid,” Felton wrote in an email to the customer. “The reason that you may be responsible for these additional charges is that Allstate pays for what is reasonable and customary in your market area.”

Although Felton also claimed, “Our attempts to negotiate the request were unsuccessful,” Harvey insists that no such negotiations were ever attempted.

According to Felton, Allstate has found that a 0.5 mechanical hour (a charge of $40) is sufficient for the prescan and the post-scan, thus she offered $80 for the two scans, despite the body shop producing an invoice from the sublet company for $250. Her offer of less than onethird of Harvey’s cost also disregarded his facility’s markup on the sublet operation.

She also declined the copy of Mitchell’s paint and materials calculation, provided by Harvey, because “The prevailing market rate for paint and materials is $35 per hour, per the labor hours calculated by a nationallyrecognized and industry-accepted estimating system to repair your auto.” She further claimed, “The shop is requesting an additional $208.09, which is also more than the market’s prevailing rate.”

So, how does Allstate determine “prevailing rate” anyway? “Our management team surveys market areas

twice a year to confirm the prevailing rates in each market area,” Felton explained in her email, yet Harvey “has never encountered one in my 53 years in the business. If they exist, AASP/NJ and I would both like to see these surveys!”

Unsatisfied with the lack of response received from Allstate’s team, Harvey reached out directly to Allstate CEO Tom Wilson to express his concerns with “a contradiction to previous acknowledgements with Allstate here in New Jersey in regard to both sublet invoicing for vehicle pre- and post-scans and paint material compensation for materials used.” He went on to ask Wilson to review the correspondence between Felton and the vehicle owner “to see if it contradicts Allstate’s position and make the adjustments to the supplement properly compensating for the repairs completed.”

In his email, Harvey specifically noted that the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance (DOBI) has previously addressed the issue of paint and material costs in Bulletin No. 07-20, dated 10/25/2007, which states, “that the actual costs of paint and materials have increased over time and that some insurers’ allowances do not reflect the actual cost of the paint and/or material [...] resulting in repair estimates that do not provide a sufficient allowance to restore the vehicle to its condition immediately prior to the loss.”

Through the bulletin, DOBI also expressed the expectation for insurers to “provide repair allowances that are sufficient to restore damaged vehicles to their preaccident condition,” encouraging the use of paint and materials cost calculators and programs “to assist insurers in achieving consistent compliance.”

DOBI further indicated its intent to monitor claims practices to confirm that all allowances related to the repair process are sufficient, warning “Insurers are expected to be prepared to justify their repair allowances.”

After numerous emails to WIlson went unanswered, Harvey sent a letter via USPS, again commenting on the DOBI bulletin that Allstate seems to be ignoring. “Paint material calculators are color and vehicle specific, with many hours of research by third-party companies reflecting the actual cost to the body repair facility,” Harvey reiterated. “No two colors are the same, nor do they cost the same. The cost of material used for a vehicle with three-stage pearl white is not the same as a vehicle refinished blue metallic two-stage, let alone a three-stage pearl red, one of the most expensive colors we deal with. That is why the use of an independent paint calculator

continued on pg. 32

continued from pg. 31

is both accurate for the vehicle being repaired and refinished as well as being FAIR!”

He expressed confusion with Allstate’s change in position. “Throughout the years, Allstate has acknowledged the use of the Mitchell paint calculator and I am now told because Allstate has changed their arbitrary, unsubstantiated paint rate from $35 to $37 per hour, they will no longer acknowledge the use of a paint calculator here in New Jersey,” he continued, requesting Allstate justify their repair rate.

Further alluding to the market surveys, Harvey again asked to see a copy of the most recent survey for his market, noting that “the cost of paint material has skyrocketed over the past year and shows no sign of lowering. That is why the use of a paint calculator is both necessary and FAIR to all involved.

“I am not asking for something not done or supplied, only for what is verifiable and used to properly restore a vehicle to pre-loss condition. Paint applied to an automobile is the same as a part replaced and should be treated the same with a reasonable markup,” Harvey stressed. “At the arbitrary amount of $37 per hour, vehicles are getting paint materials below our cost, and as an insurer, you know selling something below cost does not make business sense.

“I respectfully request you look into this matter and correct a wrong being forced upon our industry here in New Jersey,” he concluded his appeal.

The shop’s invoice was based on documented costs with a markup added as indicated in Harvey’s letter. “We start our paint and material cost at $40 per hour and finalize when the repair is completed and all areas are refinished with the Mitchell paint cost calculator,” Harvey told New Jersey Automotive. “Pre/post and reprogramming scans with sublet invoicing have been acknowledged by all insurance companies (even Allstate) until recently. Interestingly enough, as this battle was underway, I did another virtual supplement where Allstate sent me their Mitchell paint cost calculation sheet, excluding a markup, which contradicted the response I have been receiving from their team on this claim. To date, the paint and sublet scan have not been resolved.”

Harvey firmly believes that a business deserves to turn a profit which means including a reasonable markup for replaced parts. As such, he views paint and material as a part that should reflect a reasonable profit margin. “Paint and material costs are increasing monthly as any facility purchasing will attest to. That is why an arbitrary

per hour multiplier is both inaccurate and unfair. I for one would like to see an insurance company JUSTIFY the rates they impose on this industry, or better yet purchase all the supplies needed to prepare and refinish the vehicles written.”

While Allstate has yet to produce the survey by which they’ve determined a “prevailing rate” of $40 for pre- and post-repair scans as well as a paint and material cost of $35 per hour, National AutoBody Research’s (NABR) Labor Rate Hero offers insight in the North Jersey market (though it’s important to note that some of the shops have not updated the website in up to four years, indicating that the amounts cited as likely lower than today’s costs).

Based on LaborRateHero.com, shops within a 25-mile radius of Harvey’s shop charge an average of $146 for scans, with a low-end charge reflected as $60. The highend amount charged for a pre-scan is $265, while a postscan can cost as much as $250. Paint and material costs show a range of $30 to $60 with an average of $42 per hour. These figures seem to substantiate the rates charged by the shop and call into question whether Allstate is dropping the ball when it comes to proper compensation.

Yet, an email Harvey received from Allstate’s Jerry DeGrendele took the position that “Allstate’s estimate is proper as per the New Jersey Department of Insurance regulations for both paint and materials, as well as scans,” calling into question whether DOBI will step up to defend shops and New Jersey consumers against these unsubstantiated and falsely suppressed rates. Based on last month’s cover story (you can read it at grecopublishing.com/nja0523coverstory), it seems unlikely.

“

“No two colors are the same, nor do they cost the same...That is why the use of an independent paint calculator is both accurate for the vehicle being repaired and refinished as well as being FAIR!”

In the meantime, it remains to be seen whether anyone actually cares about Garden State drivers, other than the shops fighting to ensure their vehicles are safely and properly repaired…shops that deserve to be compensated for their labors. But where are the “good hands” when it comes to paying to restore those cars to their pre-loss condition?

Future of Vo-Tech: A Collision Instructor Roundtable Part 2

Shops need more talented young people to come work in the field, but recent years have seen a significant decrease in the number of students interested in pursuing a collision career. What’s happening to cause this, and how can YOU make a difference in the industry’s future by getting involved with the next generation? New Jersey Automotive began tackling this touchy topic in May (available at grecopublishing.com/new-jerseyautomotive-may-2023) by talking to four local collision instructors: Michael Bonsanto (Passaic County Technical Institute Vo-Tech; Wayne), Sam Lopez (Piscataway Magnet Schools; Piscataway), Bob Magee (Bergen County Technical High School; Teterboro) and Mike Nickerson (Salem County Vocational Technical School; Pilesgrove).

They’ve already explained some of the changes they’ve seen and recruitment challenges they face, but now they share even more important information with the industry: why they need you to get involved and how you can do it as effectively as possible in a way that benefits your business and your industry now and in the future.

New Jersey Automotive: What hurdles are you facing as a collision instructor?

Michael Bonsanto: Budgetary constraints are definitely one of the largest hurdles that instructors face, but the value of strong advisory boards is totally underrated because they provide the necessary information to the administrators about what the program needs to be successful. An instructor can ask for new equipment and never get it, but when the advisory board explains what’s required to get these students ready for an industry career, they listen. It’s more likely to get approved in the budget when it comes from the industry. Schools can run a successful program with minimal equipment, but without an advisory board to help, the program never improves, and kids see nothing but a dingy old place they don’t want to spend their time which

absolutely impacts enrollment in a negative way. I want to applaud the effort of the passionate instructors around New Jersey who fight for their programs and do their damnedest to repopulate Garden State shops. And we all appreciate the help we get from the Collision Repair Education Foundation which aids in combating some of those shortcomings on the budget side.

Sam Lopez: There are always challenges in education. The question is how do we prepare for them ahead of time. Funding has always been difficult because our Middlesex County Magnet Schools District has five campuses and various automotive shops within them. This doesn’t even count other industrial shops like welding, carpetentry, plumbing, etc. These are great in my opinion, but I will always have a soft spot for the collision trade because of all the good people who helped me in this journey to this day. No one has all the answers, but I can proudly say that our district has taken the initiative to tap into those schools who want to get their students involved starting as early as the eighth grade. The buzz word we hear a lot is STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). We can use these initiatives because in this trade we see it on a daily basis, and we apply it everywhere from mixing and blending paint, welding on different metals and alloys, plastics and adhesives, nitrogen welding and spraying, frame straightening and measuring, just to name a few. Yet, we must get involved to showcase these for schools like mine which may be behind with certain equipment. I believe this way we can retain students and encourage them to pursue this as an honest living and a rewarding career.

Bob Magee: Definitely budget. It’s decreased significantly since I came on

board until it’s down to nothing; we can barely run the program. They took three-quarters of my budget away to invest in the aerospace program…99 percent of my students will drive cars, but I don’t know that any of them will be flying jets. But I have to go along with whatever the administration chooses. I’ve done what they wanted me to do, and I’ve given 150 percent.

Mike Nickerson: Our biggest issue is budgeting for new equipment and tools. We really need a new frame machine because our current one is shot, and it’s not always easy to get the money we need. Fortunately, we have a strong advisory board that helps us come up with ideas and find what we need most of the time.

NJA: How can body shops get involved with local vo-techs to ensure there’s a future workforce pipeline, and how does the industry’s involvement impact student morale?

MB: Again, advisory boards are vital to the schools. We all need more shops to get involved with their local vo-tech programs, and then it works on a quid pro quo basis. You show up to a couple advisory meetings each year and provide some feedback, and in turn, you get the opportunity to talk to the students and possibly get fed some graduating technicians. We want to help supply the workforce, but we need YOUR help to get there. That relationship works well for both sides, but it requires a little effort on the shop side. I’ve heard shop owners complain that a recent graduate didn’t know enough or didn’t fit into their culture, but doesn’t the same thing often happen when you hire a new technician from another location? Yet, you’re already paying them a hefty salary, so why wouldn’t you put that same effort into a brand-new technician who is eager to learn and probably has fewer bad habits to break? In North Jersey, we’re seeing a wonderful change with shops becoming more open to this incoming generation…and with the average technician age being 45 years old, it’s about time.

SL: As far as shops and their role with the new generation of techs, the pandemic reminded us about the critical

shortage of skilled labor across the country in a big way. In the school setting, this is no different, and it is a hard pill to swallow. But the beauty of this trade is the vast opportunities for those students who may not necessarily have the most up-to-date mechanical aptitude or skills. I remember a student who came to our school for one of our computer shops and decided he would join my program after cycling through four others. After all, we are a school of choice, and during his junior year, he competed and won the SkillsUSA refinishing competition at one of the vo-techs in New Jersey. To this day, he is working at a collision shop in Linden, and I am very proud of the dedication he has. I think with testimonials like his, we can persuade the public to understand how important this profession really is, including for their own safety as it pertains to repairs and public safety matters.

I always think about how advanced these cars are getting and how important it is to continue to learn and obtain certifications. In one of the recent AASP/NJ meetings, Tom Elder explained that the minimum entrylevel requirement for students should be I-CAR related certifications. We could include ASE too. This is just scratching the surface, and I want to point out that not all schools have the luxury of achieving this because many of them can barely run 90-minute classes and are only two-year programs. I cannot imagine having to cover all the material needed with so little time, yet many of these veterans have been doing so for years. Kudos to them.

BM: I used to have many shop owners who were friends –basically like family – and they sat on my advisory board, but then it came to the point where we weren’t putting as many kids into the industry, so they stopped participating, and I understand that. Even when seniors go out on internships, you’d think they should pick an internship in their major, but they’re not doing that. Maybe one or two do, but not the majority. I’ve had maybe 30 kids that I taught who are still doing great in the industry, working for BMW, Subaru and in private shops, and they keep in touch with me. It’s great when you can teach somebody, and they learn and better themselves. But the majority of my students didn’t stick with the industry because the interest just isn’t there. In a classroom of 20 kids, probably 15 are on their phones because there’s no drive; you can’t teach drive.

MN: Shops need to reach out and start hiring some

continued on pg. 38

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of these kids, even at a basic level of sweeping and washing cars. We’d also love for them to come in and do a presentation to talk to these kids about the industry and their local businesses because the kids need to hear more from the people actually doing the work. They need to see how things work in a real shop, so inviting our class for a tour or having a kid come out to clean up and work his or her way up the ladder would really build some excitement and help them see the potential for a future career in this industry. That’s definitely my plan for next year – to get more shops involved – now that we’ll have seniors who can participate in co-op training. Shops, if you need people (and we all know you do!), let’s get together and do something about it!

NJA: What role does the public’s perception of the collision repair industry play in the future of vo-tech education, and how can correcting this help solve the workforce shortage?

MB: Vo-tech schools have been in existence for many years, and a lot of programs are stuck in older environments. While it may be functional, it fits the perception that many parents have of shops from 30 years ago: dirty, poorly-lit dungeons. It all goes back to those advisory boards that can explain the industry’s current expectations and help us get fresh paint, new spray booths and maybe even new equipment. Then, when we have an open house, it’s easier to promote the program as a highly technical trade with a bright future. It allows us to show that we’re not just banging on fenders all day long; this industry has many more things to offer with roles as painters, A-techs, estimators and now even ADAS technicians and scanning and recalibration professionals. That doesn’t even take into account jobbers, OEs and the many other career paths that are available since cars became computers on four wheels. There’s precision needed on new vehicles, but instructors need the industry to help us get our programs up to speed to make them more attractive before they get shut down due to lack of enrollment.

SL: The public’s perception of this trade seems to be changing rapidly, especially through the introduction of electric vehicles (EVs) in the market. We see that many car manufacturers are pushing for some type of EV model that uses advanced technology and materials that are exotic and at times irreparable. This is also the case

with your conventional modern vehicles, which means that the information on repairs of these vehicles must be available for dissection. There is also such an opportunity for manufacturers to tap into the high schools because of the critical shortage levels we are reaching. At our school, we have a saying that we were the best-kept secret, and I am very proud of our students. Even though there may be tough days ahead, I believe we have all the tools and resources to continue to strive for a better future for all involved.

BM: Just look at what someone flipping hamburgers makes, and then you want to pay a body man minimum wage to start when he’s doing skilled technology. An auto body professional is an artist who turns chicken shit into chicken soup. When you go to a doctor’s office, they “practice” on you, but a collision professional can’t practice on a car; they have to fix it! There’s nothing you can hide when you’re doing bodywork. A car comes in totalled and needs to look perfect when it leaves the shop, and it takes a true artist to do that. But people today don’t understand that. They want to frown on the people who enter the trades, which is sad, because what are you going to do when things break down?

MN: It boils back to that every time. They think we’re all grease monkeys, but today’s collision professionals truly are technicians who perform very skilled labor. Parents don’t believe shops pay well, so they discourage their kids from pursuing this trade. And if nobody does pay a decent amount, that stigma is going to stick with us forever. We need to offer apprenticeships to help students earn as they learn instead of sending them to trade schools where they graduate with a ton of debt and still don’t know half of what a shop actually wants them to know.

So, when’s the last time you got involved with your local vocational and technical school? Are you offering apprenticeships to local students? If you’re not doing anything except complaining about the lack of qualified help, you’re part of the problem! Become part of the solution by reaching out to your local vo-tech instructor(s) and asking a simple question: How can I get involved to ensure that our industry has a future supply of qualified workers? It’s likely a lot simpler than you’d think…and it pays in real help for your shop!

educate our customers about their Right to Appraisal, to support them on the backend and help them through these shenanigans.

Insurers need to be held accountable. Make sure everything is provided in writing. Verbal communication means absolutely nothing when it comes to accountability. I have never seen these types of actions from insurers in my career…insurance companies have turned the claims process into a profit center that doesn’t represent our mutual customers’ best interests. It’s time to educate our customers.

Rather than spending months negotiating through multiple supplements and trying to convince insurers

to add parts and procedures (which were provided on the original repair plan) to the final bill, educate your customer about exercising their rights within their policy to invoke the Appraisal Clause; this offers a whole new dimension of doing business. It’s a way for them to exercise the rights within their policies, which allows us to repair their vehicle properly without getting stuck in a battle that isn’t ours to fight. And I know that a lot of you just want to fix the cars, but think about it: If you could remove yourself from the friction of the short pay situation with the Right to Appraisal, wouldn’t this change the game?

OUT OF BODY (AND MECHANICAL) EXPERIENCES

continued from pg. 10

He laughed and said, “You idiot, it’s gonna get towed!”

“It said ‘no standing,’ not ‘no parking,’” I protested. I moved it anyway.

There are a lot of bands still chugging away on the road, and God bless them. The Stones are still at it. But like Bowie, I think they are average in concert. Amazing players – but the songs don’t sound like the records, and that always bugs me. Rod Stewart is always great because he gives you the hits and just the hits. But he, like Elton John, just doesn’t sound that good. Although the Eagles are still around and sound great, they aren’t the Eagles anymore. Since Glenn Frey died, they are really just Don Henley and his band. KISS is on their never ending tour. They are definitely still worth seeing if you’ve never been. Guns N’ Roses and Metallica aren’t my cup of tea, but they are still at the top of their game.

I could go on, but I’ll just end with my dear old friend Bon Jovi.

How delicately can I put this?

His voice is shot.

It might sound better in a rest stop.

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

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1st Vice President - Daryl Carman Lentini Auto Salvage (908) 782-4440 / darryl@las-parts.coms

2nd Vice President - Mike Ronayne

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Past President - Bob Dirkes Dirkes Used Auto Parts (609) 625-1718 / dirkesauto@gmail.com

The Automotive Recyclers Association of New Jersey

Wharton Insurance Briefs

The auto insurance marketplace is tightening. Increases in claims severity and frequency due to inflation, worker shortages and supply chain disruptions are causing the rates to rise. Another factor impacting the auto insurance marketplace is distracted driving. Several studies revealed the extent of distracted driving which increased by 30 percent in the last four years. Here are three examples that made the list:

1) Driving with a pet. Some drivers held their pets, gave them water or fed them while driving.

2) Video chatting while driving, checking social media, eating and even watching a movie while driving.

3) Taking work-related phone calls, texts or emails while driving. Any type of distraction – whether a device, a sleepless night or stress – can make a difference between reaching your destination safely. You can help make our roads safer by taking some simple steps, like putting your phone on Do Not Disturb while driving or speaking up when you see a driver engaging in dangerous behaviors and not calling someone when you know they are driving. As always, please call me with any questions or concerns regarding your insurance program.

DeFilippis AAI Vice President Wharton Insurance Group

800-221-0003 (ext. 1320) (908) 513-8588 (cell) mdefilippis@whartoninsurance.com

Mario

Co-celebrating decades of creating chemistry between two industry leaders

Here’s to 241 years of combined service excellence

This year, as Albert Kemperle Inc. celebrates its 83rd anniversary, BASF also celebrates its 158th 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.