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New Jersey Automotive | July 2022 | 5
6 | New Jersey Automotive | July 2022
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 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
PUBLISHER Thomas Greco / thomas@grecopublishing.com SALES DIRECTOR Alicia Figurelli / alicia@grecopublishing.com EDITORIAL/CREATIVE COORDINATOR Alana Bonillo / 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
VOLUME 52 NUMBER 7 | July 2022
CONTENTS 10 OUT OF BODY (AND MECHANICAL) EXPERIENCES
14 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
12 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
42 NJA ADVERTISERS’ INDEX
LOCAL NEWS
16 D&M Auto Body Wins Spanesi Welder at NORTHEAST® 2022 20 AASP/NJ Members Get a Jump Start on Audi Materials and EV Technology by Alana Quartuccio Bonillo
LOCAL FEATURE
24 From Mr. Fix-It to Mr. Live-It: One Repairer’s Journey to Retirement by Alana Quartuccio Bonillo
VENDOR SPOTLIGHT
26 Condition Now Combats Negative Vehicle History Reports with Repair FACTS by Chasidy Rae Sisk
COVER STORY
30 Navigating the Storm: Shops Prepare for the EV Evolution by Chasidy Rae Sisk
AUTOMOTIVE RECYCLERS ASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEY 40 Wharton Insurance Briefs by Mario DeFilippis
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Charles Bryant • Mario DeFilippis • Dennis Cataldo • Mitch Portnoi • Ron Ananian • Keith Krehel • Jerry McNee • Jacquelyn Bauman
Published by: Thomas Greco Publishing, Inc. 244 Chestnut Street, Suite 202, Nutley, NJ 07110 Corporate: (973) 667-6922 / FAX: (973) 235-1963
www.grecopublishing.com NEW JERSEY AUTOMOTIVE is published monthly and is sent to AASP/ NJ and ARANJ members free of charge. Subscriptions are $24 per year. NEW JERSEY AUTOMOTIVE is published by Thomas Greco Publishing Inc., 244 Chestnut St., Nutley, NJ 07110. The editorial contents of NEW JERSEY AUTOMOTIVE are copyright © 2022 by Thomas Greco Publishing Inc. and may not be reproduced in any manner, either in whole or in part, without written permission from the publisher and/or editor. Articles in this publication do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Thomas Greco Publishing Inc. Stock Images courtesy of www.istockphoto.com.
Joe Amato, Sr. Ron Ananian Jim Bowers Charles Bryant Don Chard Guy Citro Pete Cook Ed Day Dave Demarest Phil Dolcemascolo Tom Elder Bob Everett
Alicia Figurelli Thomas Greco Dan Hawtin Rich Johnson 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
New Jersey Automotive | July 2022 | 7
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OUT OF BODY (AND MECHANICAL) EXPERIENCES
Dean Have you ever tried to explain to your kids (or their kids) that, years ago, there were only three major television stations to choose from? Sure, some of us were lucky enough to have channel 5 (WNEW), channel 9 (WOR), channel 11 (WPIX) and channel 13 (WNET – even then only for English Lit fans lol). We were especially lucky if we had channels 41 and 47 for Lucha Libre wrestling. But for most, the big three were channel 2 (CBS), channel 4 (NBC) and channel 7 (ABC). Who would have imagined that 50 years later, we’d have hundreds of channels (or apps as they are now called) available at our fingertips? These days, they have channels for everyone and everything. Do you like golf? There’s the Golf Channel. Do you like racing? There’s the NASCAR Channel. Football? The NFL Network. And on and on. I am personally looking for the “Stay-up-all-night-junk-food-loving-publisher” Channel. It’s probably out there somewhere. Anyway, one app out there that ranks among the most popular is, of course, Netflix. I can remember when Netflix
by THOMAS GRECO, PUBLISHER
was just a DVD rental service for people who were too lazy to go to Blockbuster. Now, it’s a giant film studio on par with Disney and Apple. Like most of these apps, once you sign up for them, you can get lost for days just going through all the choices they give you. I mean, I have watched everything from Stranger Things to the Wizard of Oz on this app. Problem is, even if you have Netflix, you can’t get all the stuff you would like. To be able to do that, you have to also sign up for Apple or Hulu or Amazon or…. get my drift? And every one of them charges a monthly fee. If you used to think your cable bill was high, you’re in for a rude awakening with the new streaming frontier. Once you sign up for these apps/channels/cons (all of the above), of course, you also have to create a unique password. Now honestly, I can’t remember my wife’s phone number (thanks iPhone), yet all these services want you to remember a freaking password with six capital letters, four lowercase letters, two numbers, seven symbols and your first born grandchild’s middle name. At least it seems that way. Once you get past that step, you can add multiple people to the account. Obviously, I added my wife, daughter and son. One night a few weeks ago, my son and I decided to watch something on Netflix. When I logged in, I saw my name, my wife’s name, my daughter’s name and my son’s name. Then I saw someone named Dean. Waitaminute. I turned to my son and asked, “Who the f#$k is Dean?” He had no clue. So I clicked on the name to see what shows Dean was watching. I thought maybe I could figure it out that way. Not a chance. Obviously, we had been hacked! Nothing pisses me off more than getting hacked. All of my accounts got hacked very early in the pandemic, and if not for an alert on a late Saturday night, I would have lost everything. I was livid. I went into the Netflix settings and tried to delete the Dean account. It wouldn’t let me do it. BUT it did let me change some of the settings. I’ll be damned if this idiot was going to hack my account. I said to my son “screw this guy” and changed all the languages to Chinese. Next time this thief logs in, he’s gonna have to take a crash course in Mandarin if he wants to watch Breaking Bad. We had a good laugh at this fool’s expense and continued on pg. 34
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New Jersey Automotive | July 2022 | 11
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Whose Money Is It? by JERRY MCNEE Inflation has been kicking our butts lately. The cost of living index has increased exponentially, averaging around eight percent – everything costs more than it used to, and we’re all feeling the effects. Yet, body shop rates don’t move. Most industries calculate rates using the cost of doing business and factor in the current supply and demand ratios, but that’s not how we operate. These days, most shops are busy enough that we could definitely charge more if we functioned like other industries. So, why don’t we? Insurance companies function as a hub that limits our growth in this respect. Our rates don’t move because they don’t allow it…but it’s not just their fault. It’s also ours! Recently, I chatted with an insurance appraiser who told me, “For every guy like you who asks for a different rate, 50 other shops just accept the rates we write without a single question.” Immediately, I assumed that these were employee-run shops with absentee owners, but he assured me that’s not the case at all. In fact, he insisted that he’s seeing more owners involved in their businesses than ever before. That actually makes sense because we can’t find help, and if we find qualified technicians, we can’t afford to pay them. Nobody wants to enter this field anymore. Yet, a bigger problem contributes to this dilemma: For many years, the majority of these shop owners enjoyed the luxury of sitting back and collecting checks. Maybe nothing has changed in their facilities outside the externally increasing costs, but if they’re not paying attention – if they don’t know their KPIs, the expenses they need to consider and the true breakeven cost to run their business – they’re cutting their own throats. Dare I say, most don’t know these figures; they don’t have the time because they refuse to spend the time identifying and tracking it. Well, why should the insurance company care about your shop’s profitability if you don’t care? It ultimately affects you, not them, so whose money is it anyway? At my facility, my posted door rates range based on the type of vehicle in need of repair, but that detailed price list is completely ignored by insurers. An insurance company
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representative complained about my estimate: “Your severity is too high; you’re the only one.” Blah, blah, blah. You know the script. When I directed him to the posted door rates right outside my office, I could hardly believe my ears at his response! “We don’t look at those rates. We could care less about them. We only look at subrogation numbers,” he informed me. Insurers express similar word tracks all the time…and lots of shops believe them! But it’s not completely true. The problem is that insurance companies are excellent at hiding proper payments. When a shop actually receives its posted door rate, that increase is typically buried in the body of the estimate, so it’s not clearly evident that they paid that higher hourly rate. At my shop, I’ve actually seen insurers refuse to pay my estimates. After I send them my bill, they pay the customers directly. Seems like extra work, but there’s a reason. They know that if they directly pay my shop’s rates, that information can be shared with the Variable Rate System, and everyone who subscribes to that organization will have access to evidence that they DO pay for that. They don’t want our proof out there. Insurers intentionally send uninformed appraisers to our shops. These guys have no clue and no authority; they’re puppets who can’t make decisions, and that’s done as a tactic that would be referred to as purchaser price fixing in any other field. Insurers hire field appraisers to negotiate claims, yet, they rarely give them the authority to negotiate. They brainwash these men and women to believe “I only have to pay the price that I can get it done somewhere else.” That’s absolutely ridiculous! No industry should be able to use contracted rates to control an entire market, yet that’s exactly what they do. And we allow them to manipulate us. Sure, we may get frustrated and cry about it a bit, but if that’s all you’re doing, you’re part of the problem. And it’s your problem; it’s OUR INDUSTRY’S problem. Why should the insurance industry care if we’re able to pay our bills, compensate our staff and support our families? It’s not their money, after all. NJA
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
This Is Not the Time to Go It Alone by CHARLES BRYANT It’s no secret that certain things going on these days are things that members of the collision industry have never seen before. Maybe it’s related to the COVID-19 pandemic, or maybe certain people just want everyone to think it’s related so they can use it as an excuse for the improper practices that we have all been seeing lately. A typical example is the practice of insurers insisting that collision shops accept estimates based solely on photos, rather than an actual physical inspection of the vehicle and face-toface negotiations. When the pandemic was at its peak, certain insurers stated they would not come out to the collision shop to inspect damaged vehicles because of the pandemic; they claimed it was too dangerous and they would not expose their employees to such danger. Insurers had been attempting to change over to photo estimates long before the COVID-19 pandemic came along, but when it did, the rhetoric changed over to, “We can’t come out to the shop to perform a physical inspection because it’s too dangerous.” As such, collision shops started to go along with the insurers, took photos of the damage and sent them along with an estimate. When this first started, the insurers were actually preparing their response estimates fairly close to the estimate prepared by the shops. It is now obvious that it was a strategic plan by many insurers to match or come close to the shop’s estimate in the beginning in order to get the photo estimating concept accepted. Many shops trusted that this new system could expedite the process since the estimates that the insurers prepared were fairly close to those the shops sent in. Well, that didn’t take long to change! Within a matter of months, the insurer’s estimates started to change – not a little bit, but drastically. Now, the insurers’ estimates prepared via 14 | New Jersey Automotive | July 2022
photos are nowhere near the shop’s estimates. Plus, now that the concept has become somewhat regular or accepted, the process that this was meant to expedite has had the opposite effect. Initial estimates and supplements now take much longer. Plus, it’s often taking eight to 10 supplements to get close to what it takes to repair a damaged vehicle because the insurers are preparing estimates for a fraction of the shops’ estimates. For example, a shop might submit an estimate or a supplement for $10,000 along with multiple photos of the damage, and they will get back an estimate or supplement from the insurer for $1,500. When the shop complains, they seem to get the same old answer: “Well, that’s all we can write based on the photos sent in;” it usually takes anywhere from seven to eight supplements and weeks of time to reach an amount that the shop needs to repair the vehicle, causing
delays that are simply unacceptable. To make things worse, by the time the insurer finally addresses all the damage based on small supplements one at a time, the vehicle is often declared a total loss, and the insurer will say they won’t pay storage until the vehicle becomes a total based on the last supplement. WRONG! Or some insurers will pay a buildup of storage charges caused by the delays and then attempt to deduct the charges from the insured’s or claimant’s total loss settlement, telling the claimant that they will have to collect the money back from the shop because they improperly charged the storage. WRONG again! Well guess what? Regulations that govern fair claim settlement practices and other methods can prevent these improper practices and many more that are currently taking place. AASP/ NJ has helped many of our members deal with and resolve these improper
practices. I could go on and on, pointing out the issues that are taking place and being blamed on the pandemic, but what’s the use? The point is that this is the time for the collision/automotive industry to support one another and deal with these and more issues as a team in a united effort. AASP/NJ has so much to offer that many in the industry are not even aware of. Just to give those who are not involved an idea of just how valuable membership can be, we now have a health insurance program that is saving our members a tremendous amount of money, as well as a Garage Insurance Program and a Workers’ Comp Program that is not only saving members money, but which also has a dividend tied to it where they get a dividend back at the end of the year in some cases. AASP/NJ has a Hotline that members can call all day, every day to get immediate answers to problems such as some of the issues mentioned above. AASP/NJ has a Legislative Watch where we monitor legislation that gets presented, so we can support legislation that is likely to help the industry and fight to prevent legislation that is likely to hurt the industry. AASP/NJ is constantly hosting training meetings to address the latest challenges involving modern vehicle repair. Just last month, we held a meeting which allowed attendees to receive a training certificate that will qualify them for their NJ Auto Body License renewal this fall, and we will also be issuing an assistance package to assist our members with the NJ Auto Body License Renewal that often changes from year to year.
AASP/NJ currently has a credit card processing program that is saving members a bundle and is gearing up to launch an addition to the program which will save members even more. We also have a Labor Pool for shops to find employees and for employees to find jobs, as well as a Members Only section on our website that is loaded with helpful information that members in the industry can’t find anywhere else. At the present time, the automotive industry is under siege. Insurance companies are reporting record-high profits, while collision shops are struggling to pay the bills. Automobile manufacturers are charging for the information required to repair the modern vehicles coming into shops today, and many insurers are attempting to avoid reimbursing shops for the cost involved. The problems facing our industry today affect every automotive business, both collision and mechanical, no matter how large or small. And since no one individual could possibly begin to solve these problems alone, each member of the industry should join in a collective effort to protect their business investment. Simply put, this is not the time to go it alone. I strongly urge anyone in the automotive industry, especially the collision industry, to join AASP/NJ today. If you have an interest in joining or if you are a member and know someone with an interest in joining, please feel free to call AASP/NJ Executive Director, Charles Bryant on the AASP/NJ Hotline at (732) 922-8909. NJA
New Jersey Automotive | July 2022 | 15
LOCAL NEWS
D&M Auto Body Wins Spanesi Welder at NORTHEAST 2022
The NORTHEAST® 2022 Automotive Services Show boasted three days of excitement for collision and automotive repair professionals as they perused aisles filled with the industry’s latest and greatest tools and equipment, but as the winner of a Q5.2 three-torch MIG/MAG welder from Prize Sponsor Spanesi Americas, Dave Rush (D&M Auto Body; Rockaway) will continue to reap the benefits of participating in AASP/NJ’s flagship event for years to come.
“I was really surprised – not only that I won but that Spanesi would give away such an expensive piece of equipment at the show!” exclaimed Rush. “Spanesi Americas was excited to give away our Q5.2 three-torch MIG/MAG welder during the 2022 NORTHEAST Trade Show,” explained Timothy W. Morgan, COO of Spanesi Americas, Inc. “Spanesi is dedicated to giving back to the collision repair industry and supporting local trade associations across the United
(L-R): Dave Rush & Ronnie Brooks of D&M Auto Body pose with their new Spanesi Q5.2 welder
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States and Canada. Along with the educational portion of the event, this was another incredible opportunity to interact with the show attendees and local businesses.” Valued at $8,000, Spanesi’s Q5.2 is a multi-function welding machine with three torches: steel, silicon bronze and aluminum. Combined with full digital controls, the product provides premium welding quality on all materials in both MIG/MAG and pulsed/dual-pulsed MIG welds. “When NORTHEAST event management approached us with this opportunity, we knew that it would make an impact…not only for the AASP/NJ trade association, but also for the event in a very positive way,” added Karl Kirschenman, director of corporate communication and technology for Spanesi Americas, Inc. “Spanesi understands the need for collision repair facilities to have the proper tools and equipment to perform OEM specified repairs. The Q5.2 is a ‘must-have’ welder in the shop with its ability to join silicon bronze, steel and aluminum substrates.” Although Rush invested in an equivalent welder three months before NORTHEAST, he sees the Spanesi welder as a great way to increase throughput, and he looks forward to putting the new Q5.2 welder through its paces. “Having a second welder of this type will help our productivity by being able to have two techs welding at the same time, plus it will eliminate a tech waiting for the welder to free up,” he said. “With our shop being Tesla and Ford Aluminum certified, this welder will definitely get a workout!” Plans are underway for NORTHEAST 2023, scheduled for March 17-19, 2023 at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, NJ. Visit aaspnjnortheast. com for updates on next year’s event as they become available. NJA
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LOCAL NEWS
by ALANA QUARTUCCIO BONILLO
AASP/NJ Members Get a Jump Start on Audi Materials and EV Technology Change is constant in the collision repair world. A repairer can never fully be ahead of the game with everevolving vehicle technology, but they can do their best to get a jump start on what’s coming. Dozens of interested New Jersey repairers showed up for AASP/NJ’s training event last month at the Holiday Inn in Clark to hear from Mark Allen (manager of collision, equipment & EV after sales service at Audi of America) who painted a very real – and in some areas, frightening – picture of what they need to consider as materials and technology continue to advance in ways that will clearly alter the way a shop approaches repairs. Allen shared his biggest frustration: repairers who lack knowledge when it comes to researching repair procedures. “What personally drives me insane is hearing people claim they don’t know where to find repair instructions,” a baffled Allen admitted, adding that many have the mindset of “the man didn’t give it to me. That’s like a woman walking around with a ham under her arm, claiming she’s hungry because she doesn’t have any bread.” He reminded the collision repair audience they should be looking at the procedures for every repair. “We’ve had a war, COVID and supply chain issues, and all of that may have led to OEMs having to change things in these vehicles which may have also required altering the repair instructions.” He pointed to resources for finding repair information such as OEM1 Stop. To further demonstrate his point about having tools at one’s disposal, Allen reached into his pocket to pull out gap gauges, “a super high tech tool” necessary in these repairs. “If you go into the OEM repair procedures, every model has the gaps on the body panels. With everything except an A8, if you get more than one millimeter side to side or top to bottom, something is bent.” On an A8, only a half-millimeter means something is off. He used an example of a vehicle that had visible damage; however, a deeper inspection showed damage an untrained eye would miss…one component was a millimeter and half off side to side. The car would have never taken an alignment, and it would never be right, according to Allen. In addition to making sure the right procedures are being used, repairers have to also know what they are working with. “Knowing what you are getting into is going to affect your business. Having the information to sell the job -– and explain it – is worth every bit.” He referred to materials such as advanced and ultraadvanced high strength steel. “The structures are getting stronger and stronger and stronger to protect the occupants, but we have to know what we are working on before we go and look at the repair 20 | New Jersey Automotive | July 2022
Mark Allen (Audi of America) addresses AASP/NJ members at the association’s June 22 meeting. methodology and the attachments.” The introduction of electric vehicles (EVs) brings a whole other element to collision repair. Fixing these cars involves a lot more than batteries. “This is the point where I scare the crap out of you, and I should scare the crap out of you,” Allen seriously stated, stressing that electric shock has several severity ranges – none of which come without pain. “There are two types of currents, and it’s important to know what you are working with. One can boil your blood and fry your nervous system. The other will shoot you across the room and make you wish you were dead. You need to know what it is, so if first responders need to come in, you can tell them.” Dealing with these vehicles involves more than just training. A shop will have to follow a specific floor plan to allow room for safely working around the vehicle. That is on top of the equipment, protective gear and advanced knowledge one has to achieve in order to enter the world of high voltage. If not readily equipped and prepared, EV repair is something best left to the professionals, he advised. As more and more EVs are expected to roll out and today’s repairers need to know what to expect, Allen reminded the audience that “it may seem like I’m scaring you, but this is about making sure you know Audi is looking out for the safety of those who invest in fixing our cars.” All repairers who completed this training will receive a certificate which can be used toward their New Jersey Auto Body License Renewal this fall. NJA
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New Jersey Automotive | July 2022 | 21
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LOCAL FEATURE
From Mr. Fix-It to Mr. Live-It: One Repairer’s Journey to Retirement After 39 years running a successful collision repair business, hand, Berman paid the owner a visit to check it out. The owner Robbie Berman has hung up his toolbelt. had sold the business, but when the deal fell through, Berman And he’s never been happier. found himself purchasing the business at the young age of 20. “My whole life was about collision repair, and now I can’t That move would set the course for the next four decades of his even imagine ever going back because life is just so different life. now,” shared Berman while chatting on a mid-Thursday morning With his father joining him as a business partner for the before starting his day with a workout at the gym. first 17 years until he retired, Berman first started out only as a As he approaches the eight-month anniversary of selling mechanical repair shop, and nine months later, he moved heavily his Dover-based business – Robbie’s Automotive and Collision into auto body. Specialists – Berman’s life has done a complete 180. No longer For Berman, being part of the auto body world wasn’t just is his time consumed with a maniacal non-stop schedule, high about fixing cars. He immersed himself into the body shop blood pressure, frustrations from employees and wars with culture as a member of the auto body association, starting back insurance companies. in the 1980s with the Now, his days involve Garden State Automotive driving his 10-year-old Federation, which triplets to school, heading eventually became AASP/ to the gym and making NJ. time for the little things in “I had a great network life. And his blood pressure of friends in AASP/NJ. I has improved substantially. always had Charlie Bryant Life was very different to run things by. I attended when he first entered the some great seminars over auto body world. the years that helped me His career all started run the business,” he with a simple appreciation recalled. for taking things apart and Robbie’s Automotive putting them back together earned much recognition, - and of course - a love for including being honored cars! by his peers as the 2019 At just 13 years old, recipient of AASP/NJ’s At the 2019 AASP/NJ Annual Meeting, L-R: Tom Elder, Berman was already Stan Wilson/New Jersey Jeff McDowell, Charlie Bryant, Robbie Berman, Jerry McNee taking apart go-karts, bikes Automotive Body Shop of and mopeds. By the time he reached age 15, he would visit a the Year Award, but the achievement he is most proud of was mechanical repair shop in Rockaway, and that’s where he began “being able to turn something that was my passion into a very taking cars apart. successful business.” “I just loved cars! Cars were fun to me, and I wanted to do A smart businessman and dog lover, Berman also earned something that didn’t feel like work,” Berman reflected. “I love the himself the title of “the guy with the dogs on the bus.” challenge, especially when someone can’t figure out how to fix Many likely remember seeing those ads for Robbie’s something. That is when I loved to get involved the most.” Automotive, which featured the image of Berman and his pet A natural problem solver, the young repairer was often dogs displayed on the back of local buses. Along with the referred to as “Mr. Fix-It” while driving around on his moped to heartwarming image, it boasted his trademark slogan, “Anyone lend a hand to whoever needed something fixed. During high can remove dents, but we remove doubts.” school, he’d often be found in his parents’ garage, building and It was an outside-of-the-box way to get his name out there fixing cars while spending his spare time at the local Texaco aside from a billboard, which he felt was an object one never repair shop. looked at more than once. It’s not surprising that soon after high school, Berman “A bus is a moving target. You can’t help but see it. So, I opened his very own little repair shop, which he ran out of a fourrealized it was a great way to get the name out there. bay local gas station he leased. “I knew everyone adored animals. People tend to not But in 1983, bigger and better came his way. remember every face they see, but they always will remember A letter announcing that the Schwalb Tire Company – a dogs. It was a pretty cool thing, and it really proved how much company that had been around since the 1950s – was closing it meant to people. It was extra special since the dogs were my would change everything. very own.” Interested in the equipment the outgoing tire shop had on He was truly proud of his career until recent years when
24 | New Jersey Automotive | July 2022
by ALANA QUARTUCCIO BONILLO
he started to realize more and more just how much insurance companies and their ways began to interfere with being able to perform a proper repair. “I loved what I did. For a long time, it was good. And then so many things started to come to the surface. I was always in a tough spot between the insurance company and my customer. They used us to do their dirty work!” he stressed. For example, during Mercedes certification, he’d learn the proper methods for repairing their vehicles for the sake of safety and longevity… only to have an insurer kick the request for related repairs in the face with the all-too-often utterance of “We won’t pay for that.” He felt he had no choice but to work faster and harder. Robbie with Lee Vetland “I was running like a squirrel in a cage, chasing my own tail to get the car out the door in order to make a profit. You are in a constant race with yourself. That’s a terrible way to live.” At that point, Berman believed insurers were fueled only by cost consciousness and NOT quality, and especially not safety,
Robbie at a golf event with President Trump
so he knew that his time in the industry he loved would soon have to come to an end; because of his personality, he couldn’t perform the subpar work wanted by almost all insurers today. “I never really had an exit strategy,” he confessed. “I still grew my business every single day as if I was going to be doing this for the rest of my life, but with insurers continuing to combat me about fixing vehicles the right way, the cost of labor going through the roof and employees trying to run the show to the point that I felt like a puppet at times, I just knew I wasn’t going to be able to survive mentally or physically.” Add in the COVID pandemic and not even one application from a potential employee in a year, and it was time. By summer 2021, he had three interested buyers, and he came to what he feels is the right decision. Although he is enjoying the slower pace of retired life, he stays busy. Berman still owns the property that his former body shop is located on. He is devoting his time to Robbie with the triplets real estate, construction and consulting. “I have projects going on everywhere. I love to keep busy, and I’ve purchased more property since I sold the business. I’ve always loved to fix problems. So, I’m still doing that and still challenging myself every day. All the things I thought were fun about what I did, I am still doing. Every day, I do something fun.” Life may be slower, but Berman says he is “busier than ever” traveling and spending time with his family. He even recently became engaged! The thing he’s come to appreciate the most is time. “No matter how much money you have, you can’t buy time. Some people can try to buy happiness. It may be temporary happiness, but that’s not for me. What makes me happy is having time and living longer. The stress factor was turning up every week. “It’s such a stressful industry,” he elaborated. “I don’t think there are many industries that deal with what we do everyday! We are like the medical field now – no one wants to pay for anything. I experienced stress literally every day for the last 10 years, taking the fun away. The main reason I wanted to sell was to remove that from my life. My blood pressure and my cholesterol are down to perfect levels. Everything feels different now that life is slower and I just have the time to enjoy life and breathe.” As the summer gets underway, Berman is happy about not having to work for the first time in 39 years. Instead, he has plans to visit Europe with hopes of touring Greece and Croatia. “I get to spend more time with my family now and enjoy everything about life.” NJA
New Jersey Automotive | July 2022 | 25
VENDOR SPOTLIGHT
by CHASIDY RAE SISK
Condition Now Combats Negative Vehicle History Reports with Repair FACTS Imagine this scenario: Your shop writes an estimate and repairs the customer’s vehicle, and within a few days, information shows up in vehicle history reports from companies like CARFAX. The shop has no clue how it got there, and the customer is angry that their information was shared. How did they get that data? “More than 131,000 data sources across North America report information to CARFAX,” according to CARFAX Public Relations Director Emilie Voss. “The details associated with a single event on a CARFAX report may have been reported to CARFAX from several sources, both public and private. CARFAX recognizes the importance of accurate information, and therefore, the Help Center on carfax.com provides an easy, quick way to send CARFAX requests for data verifications and corrections.” But even if the information is accurate, vehicle history reports often negatively impact the value of customers’ vehicles. Condition Now offers a way for shops to mitigate that concern. “When a vehicle history report is pulled after an accident, it does not take into consideration whether you’ve written an estimate and repaired the vehicle – or whether that vehicle was repaired correctly,” observed Condition Now CEO Tom Allen. “Our report serves to update the vehicle history with important associated information. We inspect the vehicle and attach that inspection to the CARFAX or AutoCheck to demonstrate that the vehicle was repaired by a certified collision facility and is in better condition than the accident report indicates.” Although vehicle value always diminishes after an accident, “there’s a disparity between an improperly repaired vehicle and a well-documented, proper repair,” Allen emphasized. “Most people shop for vehicles that have never been in an accident because that’s what they’ve been trained to do, but in reality, the best value may be a repaired vehicle…assuming it was properly repaired by the right shop that is certified for that type of repair and used the best parts and components in the process.” Recognizing this, Condition Now reports provide a way for vehicle owners to retain some of their car’s trade-in value after a collision occurs. “A consumer who has their vehicle repaired at a certified shop by a well-trained technician using OEM parts certainly has some peace of mind…and that’s all well and good while she owns the vehicle, but it doesn’t help her sell it,” Allen pointed out. “It’s still just a car that had an 26 | New Jersey Automotive | July 2022
accident. But by providing her with the documentation that proves the car was repaired properly, with the right parts, she benefits from a higher trade-in value and sale price when it’s time to sell her car. The Condition Now report carries itself along with the vehicle for its lifetime.” In addition to alleviating a potentially tense encounter with the customer, Condition Now inspections offer a great tool for educating consumers on their rights. “We want consumers to understand that they have the choice of which shop to take the vehicle to; it is not the insurance company’s decision,” Allen stressed. “Traditionally, the customer takes their car to the shop that the insurer recommends – and we all know that’s going to be a DRP shop where they’ve negotiated rates and are able to use the least expensive parts possible. But the consumer doesn’t know any of that. “Condition Now provides a resource to help shops explain facts of the industry to their customers, enabling them to understand that they can take their car to the shop that is best equipped to safely repair their vehicle…and an OEM-certified shop is going to deliver the highest quality repair for that manufacturer and champion for OEM parts, making the repair better overall.” Allen believes the industry’s future lies in OEM certification. “Certification is costly, but there are many benefits to it, including having the ability to fix a customer’s car right and also help them sell it for a reasonable amount when the time comes,” he said. “Providing a means for certified shops to create even more value for their expertise works in the shop’s interest, allowing the guys who’ve invested in advancing their knowledge and technology to collect the customer’s keys and obtain the documentation necessary to fight for quality repairs and get paid for their hard work.” Promoting collision repair professionals plays a key role in why Allen founded Condition Now and is also why his company is involved with both local and national associations, including AASP/NJ, the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers National and the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS). “Condition Now wants to help shops and consumers. Our goal is to do something positive for our industry,” Allen admitted. “We’re trying to accomplish more than merely selling inspections – we want to help push the industry forward and elevate this profession. It may seem cheesy, but if more cars are fixed better, everyone benefits down the road…and we’re all a little safer on the road!” Learn more about Condition Now at conditionnow.com. NJA
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New Jersey Automotive | July 2022 | 27 5/27/21 5:43 PM
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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
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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
New Jersey Automotive | July 2022 | 29
COVER STORY
Shops Prepare for the EV Evolution As electric vehicles (EVs) become increasingly prevalent on the roads, collision repair shops have begun seeing more damaged EVs in need of repair, but are EVs really that common? How will the increase in EVs impact shops? And how can auto body repair facilities prepare for and adjust to the morphological changes in the industry’s landscape without being submerged? Industry experts shared advice about how shops can prepare for the onslaught of constantly advancing vehicle technology in last month’s New Jersey Automotive (find their tips at bit.ly/NJAEV0622), but who better to provide practical recommendations for proactively bracing for impact from the “Technical Tsunami” than the shops that have already ensured the future viability of their businesses by investing in the tools, equipment and training to repair EVs? Three cuttingedge New Jersey shop owners offer insights on surfing the incoming wave of technology. How many EVs are actually out there? By the end of 2021, more than 64,000 hybrids and EVs had been registered in New Jersey, compared to 41,000 in 2020 and less than 30,000 in 2019 – proof that the EV evolution is well underway in the Garden State. “EVs and hybrids are basically the norm in this location because we’re among the few shops certified by Tesla and Rivian,” said Mike Daniel (Mountain View Auto Collision Center; Wayne). “The technology is there, and people seem to be trending toward EVs, especially as gas prices keep increasing.” “The change over the past five years has been surprisingly rapid; EVs are the number one car we repair in this facility,” Jerry McNee (Ultimate Collision; Edison) corroborated. “The government is pushing for it, and OEMs are looking in that direction. Every OEM is releasing EVs… There are probably 25 companies which most of us have never even heard of that are building EVs.” Agreeing that there’s “no doubt we’re seeing more EVs now than we were two years ago,” Eddie Day (Collision Restoration; Fairfield) noted that EVs are “cleaner but way more complex. The front engine bay is completely open, granting us more access to the structure compared to an internal combustion engine, but we also have to deal with software and firmware updates.” Preparing for the EV evolution requires shops to adjust their shops and business practices in a multitude of ways. Tools & Equipment Shops need to invest in different tools and equipment to work on EVs than they would need for repairing traditional vehicles. “The OEMs send their updated list of tools and equipment required each year, and those requirements are
30 | New Jersey Automotive | July 2022
‘do or die,’” according to Day. “If you don’t have that welder by the deadline, you’re shut off. There’s zero tolerance when it comes to equipment standards.” “When you need this frame machine or welder NOW, you’re easily looking at $150,000 or more in expenses without even mentioning very many tools,” McNee added. “We purchased multiple battery cables and all sorts of different electrical equipment as well as specific ADAS equipment,” Daniel shared. “Our multimeter allows us to shut down the high voltage (HV) and check the amperage level to make sure it’s safe to touch…and we have a shepherd’s hook to pull technicians off the car in case they do get electrocuted.” Training & Safety Investing in the proper training to ensure EVs are repaired properly and safely – for both the consumer and the technician – is imperative. As I-CAR’s Dirk Fuchs pointed out during the most recent Collision Industry Conference, “A mistake is not allowed when we talk about electric vehicles. Before I touch a car, even with PPE, I need to check the potential and measure. If I’m not verifying anything and I take the battery out of the chassis and it has an internal insulation error, I’m taking out my bonding strip, and all of a sudden, Dirk is the bonding strip between the battery and the ground. And that’s a problem. The unknown is what kills you. I think I know what I’m doing, but I have a deep respect for those systems. If I make a mistake, I’m dead, and I like being on this planet.” “Technicians repairing EVs must have the knowledge to know which wire can kill you and what needs to be shut down,” Daniel stressed. “We have to be electricians on top of everything else to repair these cars.” “The investment in training is constant and expensive,” Day stated. In addition to the outright expense to send technicians to training classes, shops contend with lost production hours while a valuable employee is out of the shop to learn how to repair EVs. “Training is more important than anything else when it comes to EVs,” McNee emphasized. “Even a simple panel dent may require disconnection of the HV system, which can only be done at the dealership, but most shops look at it as ‘just a dent.’ Insurers see it as ‘just a dent.’ But the process for repairing that dent is completely different when you’re working on an EV. Safety is the biggest thing, and shops have to be extremely cautious.” Facility Logistics Shops should also consider certain facility logistics as they prepare for EVs.
by CHASIDY RAE SISK “You really need to have enough room in and around your shop too,” Daniel urged. “A collision-damaged EV needs to sit outside for a certain period of time with a specific amount of space around it in case it catches fire. Lithium fires don’t go out; they burn long and hot. We’re fortunate to have a 40,000 square foot building on two acres, but can a six-bay shop really follow all that protocol?” “Do you have the right fire suppression system?” McNee posed. “Water won’t put it out. These little caveats continuously add up and cost shops more money as they prepare to tackle EVs.” EVs also need access to power during the repair process. “We installed five charging stations around the shop, plus two mobile stations for while the car is in progress, to keep the car maintained because customers receive low battery alerts and will call for an update,” Day revealed. “Most shops don’t have the power to support a resistance welder,” McNee contributed. “What will you do when you have EVs that need to be charged? I was fortunate that my electrician installed 800 amps in my facility a few decades ago, but there’s definitely a cost associated with upgrading the lines to accommodate EVs. Spending an additional $10,000 was certainly eye-opening, but we need places to plug these cars in. Unfortunately, businesses cannot add 800-amp service without proving the need for it, which includes township approvals and an electrical engineer to determine the location of the outlets, the distance from the power source and the right cables to use. It has cost me thousands, but I’m fortunate that I didn’t have to invest $50,000 in a new electrical panel and tie it into the grid.” Consumer Concerns Low battery alerts aren’t the only things causing concern for EV owners. Cost poses a hurdle for many vehicle owners since EVs are more expensive than traditional vehicles. “Tesla’s base model starts at $40,000 and increases, so we’re still seeing that as an elitist vehicle that not everyone can afford, and the most cost-effective EVs being developed aren’t as visually appealing,” Daniel acknowledged. Beyond cost for the EV itself, consumers will also need to anticipate the costs (monetary and otherwise) associated with these vehicles. Experts have long expressed reservations about the country’s ability to meet the infrastructure demands needed to sustain an influx in EVs, but consumers have their own series of concerns related to the grid and EVs in general. “In rural areas, charging stations are spread out, and in congested areas, there aren’t enough charging stations for everyone,” Day observed. “I hope this doesn’t turn into a situation like the Gas Crisis in the 1970s with people fighting over power.” California has been an early adopter of EVs, and as a result of the power those vehicles utilize, less electricity is available for other necessities. “They’re seeing rolling brownouts because they don’t have enough power to supply the grid,” according to McNee.
“If we have 200,000 EVs registered in New Jersey five years from now, we’re probably going to have rolling brownouts as well. Can you imagine shutting your shop down during the day because there’s not enough power in the grid?” “If half the neighborhood is charging their EV, what happens to our air conditioners?” Daniel asked. “Our current grid is not equipped for more than seven to 10 EVs per neighborhood. There aren’t many charging stations out there, but there’s a gas station on every corner, plus the quickest charge time takes 25-30 minutes. A family sitting in traffic on the way to the beach starts wondering when their vehicle will die, and that fear has led to a new term: range anxiety.” “Without the range being there, family road trips take a lot longer, limiting accessibility and leading to range anxiety,” Day agreed. “Most Americans love their automobiles, so that’s a huge obstacle that needs to be overcome.” The current infrastructure poses potential problems for vehicles other than EVs, though, as Daniel pointed out. “We’re seeing this type of technology in ALL cars, so what will those radars be reading on roads filled with potholes and faded lines or when there’s construction?” Shop owners also predict that it’s only a matter of time before corporate greed drives the cost of electricity as high as gas prices. “It cost $2-3 to charge an EV when they first came out, and then it went up to $8 before increasing to $18,” McNee recalled. “It’s only a matter of time before it costs $80 to charge an EV, and when you’re working on them in the shop, your costs increase. Since I operate during the day, I pay a premium demand surcharge as well.” Additionally, Daniel raised the question of “how green are EVs actually? Electric often comes from coal, not wind or water, and just because you don’t see it getting burned doesn’t mean it’s not happening. Add in the tanks, boats and trucks transporting materials and supplies, and I don’t think EVs are as ‘green’ as people believe.” “The Federal Government is pushing EVs as a way of cleaning up the environment, but there’s still a detriment,” McNee agreed. “They’re overlooking the big picture of the cost to produce these vehicles and the fossil fuels required to create the products. It’s a lot more complicated than it appears at first glance.” OEM Certification Because EVs are so complex – and extremely dangerous when repaired improperly – it’s not surprising that many collision industry professionals foresee OEM certification playing a more significant role in the future. “Vehicle manufacturers are absolutely concerned about their products being repaired correctly, so they’re starting to get more involved,” McNee reported. “Turning that battleship around won’t happen overnight, of course, but it’s important to have the correct tooling and training to correctly fix EVs, so OEMs are going to push certifications harder and harder. At the same time, insurers are lightyears away from writing continued on pg. 37 New Jersey Automotive | July 2022 | 31
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New Jersey Automotive | July 2022 | 33
OUT OF BODY (AND MECHANICAL) EXPERIENCES
THOMAS GRECO PUBLISHING
continued from pg. 10
watched our show. The next night, the phone rang. It was my daughter. “Dad, this is so weird. All the writing on Netflix is in a foreign language.” “Huh?” “Yeah, Zak (her boyfriend) signed in, and everything is in some Asian language.” “Hold on a minute. Zak is Dean???” She started laughing. “Um, yes.” “Why the f#@k would he call himself Dean???” “He likes to use different names for his logins.” The great mystery had been solved. I wasn’t hacked. I was dumbstruck. Meaning struck by how f@#king dumb it is to use a fake name to sign into my Netflix account! I set the language back to English, and from that point on, I have called Zak “Dean.” I don’t think he appreciates it, but if you’re going to be a part of this family, you need to have a sense of humor. Man, it was so much simpler when we only had three channels, wasn’t it?
NJA
34 | New Jersey Automotive | July 2022
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New Jersey Automotive | July 2022 | 35
36 | New Jersey Automotive | July 2022
COVER STORY continued from pg. 31
professional tickets, so that’s another problem shops have to contend with.” McNee suspects that the drive toward certification will minimize insurer influence eventually. “The DRP model of fixing everything won’t work going forward. You can’t fix every vehicle that comes into the shop; you’re not going to be able to be everything to everybody. You definitely can’t be a slave to two masters.” Although Day does not think OEM certification will be necessary on every make and model, he feels that certification becomes necessary “when you start restricting parts. I suspect any parts around the battery are going to be restricted, but these certifications need to have teeth and mean something.” “Five years ago, you could fix anything without needing a certification, but as we move forward, OEM certification is likely to play a large role in where vehicles get sent because a lot of shops won’t be able to perform proper repairs on EVs,” Daniel suggested. “We have less than a decade before we’re really in trouble with technology and limited staff. What shops will be at the forefront of technology and also be able to afford the minimal number of technicians who will be around in 10 years?”
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Investing in the Future of EV Repair Collision shops that want to survive the Technical Tsunami continued on pg. 38
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New Jersey Automotive | July 2022 | 37
COVER STORY continued from pg. 37
need to invest the time, money and energy into preparing for the EV evolution now. “Shops want to treat EVs like a regular car, but they’re not recognizing the complexity and dangers related to these vehicles,” McNee lamented. “If a technician gets electrocuted, he won’t be able to tell anyone. Even if they don’t have the proper training, many shops refuse to give up the repair without
38 | New Jersey Automotive | July 2022
contemplating the repercussions it could cause. It’s time to rethink your business strategy because EVs are here.” “It cost us $55,000 for ADAS equipment just for one OEM, so it’s difficult for the average mom-and-pop shop to get into the EV space right now,” Daniel acknowledged. “A lot of older shop owners don’t want to bother, so they’ve decided to shut down or
sell to MSOs while they ride off into the sunset. There are currently 20,000 shops in the US, but that’s expected to decrease to about 17,000 facilities with an even smaller percentage of shops being equipped and trained to work on EVs. “Our industry is at a turning point, and shops need to decide whether they want to be in business in the next five years,” he continued. “If you intend to continue operating your shop, you should have already started investing in the future, so you’ve got some catching up to do!” “To be able to work on EVs, you need to invest in the equipment, which is expensive and will narrow down the number of operating shops across the country,” Day offered. “Prepare for tomorrow by installing a 60-amp charging station in your shop now, but understand that you’ll need to have at least three within the next few years. All the systems in these cars talk to each other, so if you let the car go down for a few weeks, the memory battery goes bad and drains the main battery, requiring a reboot which is very difficult. It’s better to keep it charged, but you have to be equipped to do that. “There’s a lot of factors that need to be considered, but it’s not all doom and gloom,” he added. “There’s a lot of opportunity in this technology…as long as you’re prepared to do it correctly.” “People often get defensive because they don’t like being corrected, but if you’re not truthful with yourself, you’ve only got yourself to blame,” McNee stated. “The shops that are going to succeed in the future are the ones who spent the time to get ready. They’re paying attention; they’re involved. I don’t believe most shops are prepared, but I’m not the one who should answer that.” McNee posed a question to New Jersey Automotive readers: “Let’s have the shops answer that question. Are you prepared based on the above information? If you haven’t started this quest yet, you’re 10 years behind the times!” NJA
AASP/NJ MEMBERS:
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AASP/NJ HOT LINE New Jersey Automotive | July 2022 | 39
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
40 | New Jersey Automotive | July 2022
ARANJ The Automotive Recyclers Association of New Jersey
Wharton Insurance Briefs With hurricane season in full swing, it’s important to have a program or be prepared for a windstorm. Here are a few basic steps to follow: Pre-Storm Precautions – Evaluate all building structures as to the damage they could sustain. Inspect the grounds for the condition of trees, as dead or dying trees could cause damage or injury during high winds. Develop a list of emergency phone numbers of contractors. Building Precautions – Close unnecessary openings, and make windows and doors weather-tight. Check for broken window panes, and nail down loose window framing. Inspect roof coverings and roof perimeter flashing. Secure or remove work in progress, temporary structures, trailers and scaffolding. Post-Storm Actions – Immediately initiate salvage activities. Develop plans to secure the facility against looters and trespassers. Always review and update your action plan annually. As always, please call us if you have any questions regarding your insurance coverages. Mario DeFilippis AAI Vice President Wharton Insurance Group
(732) 686-702 (908) 513-8588 (cell) mdefilippis@whartoninsurance.com
NJA
You’ve got the right tools, staff, technology and procedures to give your customers the best repair possible. The missing piece of the puzzle? Genuine Volkswagen Collision Parts. Contact an authorized dealer today and find your perfect fit. Flemington Volkswagen 213 Route 202/31 Flemington, NJ 08822 TOLL FREE: 877-657-2787 FAX: 908-782-1795 email: rmuir@flemington.com www.NJPARTS.com
Douglas Motors 491 MORRIS AVE. SUMMIT, NJ 07901 PHONE: 908-277-1100 FAX: 908-273-6196 TOLL FREE: 800-672-1172 www.douglasvw.com
Trend Motors 221 Route 46 West Rockaway, NJ 07866 888-267-2821 fax: 973-625-4985 www.trendmotors.com email: dreinacher@trendmotors.com
email: douglasparts@douglasautonet.com
Paul Miller Volkswagen 118 Morristown Road Bernardsville, NJ 07924 TOLL FREE: 877-318-6557 LOCAL: 908-766-1600 FAX: 908-766-6171 Email: aaitchison@paulmiller.com www.paulmillervw.com
Crestmont Volkswagen 730 ROUTE 23 NORTH POMPTON PLAINS, NJ 07444 TOLL FREE: 800-839-6444 fax: 973-839-8146 www.crestmontvw.com email: vwparts@crestmont23.com
“Volkswagen“ and the Volkswagen logo are registered trademarks of Volkswagen AG. ©2022 Volkswagen of America, Inc.
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New Jersey Automotive | July 2022 | 41
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42 | New Jersey Automotive | July 2022
New Jersey Automotive | July 2022 | 43
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