New Jersey Automotive September 2021

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE ALLIANCE OF AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE PROVIDERS/NEW JERSEY (www.AASPNJ.org) AND THE AUTOMOTIVE RECYCLERS ASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEY (www.ARANJ.org)

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4 | New Jersey Automotive | September 2021

New Jersey Automotive | September 2021 | 5

CALL: 1-800-221-1256

800-221-1256

6 | New Jersey Automotive | September 2021

P.O. Box 734 Neptune, NJ 07753 EXECUTIVE DI­REC­TOR Charles Bryant 732-922-8909 / setlit4u@msn.com

VOLUME 51 NUMBER 9 | September 2021

2019 - 2021 OFFICERS PRESIDENT Jerry McNee, Ultimate Collision Repair, Inc. 732-494-1900 / ultimatecollision@att.net

CONTENTS

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

10 OUT OF BODY (AND MECHANICAL) EXPERIENCES

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

14 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

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 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

16 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE 18 COLLISION CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE 46 NJA ADVERTISERS’ INDEX

NATIONAL NEWS

22 A Dream Come True: Auto Students Bring Joy to Kidnapping Survivor

by Joel Gausten

COVER STORY

26 Where Have All the Workers Gone? Frustrated Shops Go

Short-Handed as Labor Pool Drains

by Alana Bonillo

“SMALL, MEDIUM, LARGE” 30 Your Best Tech Goes MIA...

JUST FOR FUN

32 What is the Funniest Customer Experience You’ve Had?

by Alana Bonillo

LEGAL PERSPECTIVE

38 An Update on Court Reopenings PUBLISHER Thomas Greco / thomas@grecopublishing.com SALES DIRECTOR Alicia Figurelli / alicia@grecopublishing.com EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Joel Gausten / joel@grecopublishing.com EDITORIAL/CREATIVE COORDINATOR Alana Bonillo / alana@grecopublishing.com OFFICE MANAGER Donna Greco / donna@grecopublishing.com PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Joe Greco / joe@grecopublishing.com

by Mitchell H. Portnoi, Esq.

AUTOMOTIVE RECYCLERS ASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEY 43 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 © 2021 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

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 | September 2021 | 7

8 | New Jersey Automotive | September 2021

New Jersey Automotive | September 2021 | 9

OUT OF BODY (AND MECHANICAL) EXPERIENCES

Why Not?

by THOMAS GRECO, PUBLISHER Are we ever going to be done with this COVID-19 crap?

As I write this, we are in the final stages of planning the 2021 NORTHEAST® Automotive Services Show. You know, the show that was supposed to take place in March 2020? The show that was supposed to take place in August 2020? Here I sit wondering again as I write these words if the show will take place. Don’t get me wrong. I am very confident it will, but after the last year and a half, who the hell knows. My best hope is that you’re reading this on the morning of September 10, preparing to come see the best show of its kind at the Meadowlands during the weekend. With a little luck and a little faith, that’s exactly what will happen. (Then again, you may get this issue after the show takes place because, you know, all the mailboxes have gone missing…)

It’s hard for me to believe that I was the same age as my son when I went to my first NORTHEAST show in 1985 (and now he’s laying this magazine out for us). I was 24

and an innocent pup. I didn’t know a damn thing about how vehicles are repaired. Actually, I probably still don’t know a damn thing about how vehicles are repaired. But you guys sure do. And it’s been my job for the last 36 years to put your words into print. I kinda know how to do that.

That first NORTHEAST was pretty daunting. I had never been to a show like that. Thankfully, there were people like George Petrask and Ron Mucklow (shout out to Ron and George, who I know still read New Jersey Automotive all these years later!) and the late George Threlfall around to guide me through. Thirty-six years is a long ass time. So many people. So many vendors.

So many speakers. So many stories. So many facilities (actually four).

The journey has had plenty of bumps along the way.

Moving from the Hilton to the Sheraton. From the Sheraton to Suffern. From Suffern to Secaucus (and the lawsuit that came along with that move). Breaking up brawls at the continued on pg. 34

10 | New Jersey Automotive | September 2021

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12 | New Jersey Automotive | September 2021

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.

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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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Installing Audi Genuine Parts contributes towards improved cycle time that makes both your customer and their insurance company happier.

Helping you do business is our business. Order Audi Genuine Parts from these select dealers.

Flemington Audi 213 Route 202/31 Flemington, NJ 08822 Toll Free: 877.657.2787 Fax: 908.782.1795 email: rmuir@flemington.com www.NJPARTS.com

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

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 www.bellaudi.com

Audi Brooklyn 211 63rd Street Brooklyn, NY 11220 Phone: 718.492.6400 Fax: 718.492.8899 rmerchant@audibrooklyn.com www.audibrooklyn.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

New Jersey Automotive | September 2021 | 13

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Cash Isn’t the Answer

by JERRY MCNEE As we approach the end of summer, there is good news and bad news for the collision repair industry.

On a positive note, shops all over the country are telling me that they’ve returned to pre-COVID-19 numbers. In fact, most of the facilities I talk to are booked out at least a month right now. Although this looks great on paper, this growth in work is causing more stress than usual. Why? Because a lot of us don’t have the employees to handle the load.

Our industry has always struggled with an employee shortage, but it’s reached a crisis level. For one thing, other struggling industries are offering insane incentives to get people to show up. (I’ve seen some businesses go as far as to offer gift cards to anyone who simply shows up for an interview.) This situation has led many shops to make concessions just to entice potential hires – including doing things they would never consider under normal circumstances. Frankly, some of the things I’ve seen and heard shops do are becoming downright dangerous.

To be blunt, there are people out there who’ve made too much money through unemployment over the past several

14 | New Jersey Automotive | September 2021

months, and they’ve become spoiled and entitled. I recently interviewed someone for an open position at my shop, and he demanded cash under the table and informed us that he’d only work three or four days a week at his discretion.

Really? What planet is this guy from? But as insane as this sounds, some shops are biting the bullet and agreeing to things this crazy just to get the work done.

Look, I sympathize with how bad it is out there. Hell, even my doctor is understaffed right now. But I wouldn’t be doing my job as president of AASP/NJ if I didn’t warn people not to pay workers under the table. Not only does this hurt honest businesses out there, but it also puts you at risk if/ when an employee decides to turn you in if things go south.

It’s tempting to go for instant gratification these days and just fill the open spots at your shop, but now is the time to stay strong and only bring in people who are interested in long-term careers built the right way. Our industry is already dealing with enough problems; none of us can afford to add another one to the pile.

NJA

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New Jersey Automotive | September 2021 | 15 5/27/21 5:03 PM

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

If It Isn’t Broken, Don’t Fix It!

by CHARLES BRYANT I have been involved in the collision industry for many, leaning toward this type of change for years. However, many years. In all that time, I have never seen claim now that COVID-19 has come along, insurers are blaming settlement delays as bad as they are right now. What do it on this. Some are taking the position that they can’t come you think may be causing them? out to inspect damaged vehicles because of it. Give me a Of course, everyone is going to say, “COVID-19” – just break! like COVID-19 is being blamed for everything else that On top of the fact that no one can prepare an accurate is going on lately. “The COVID-19 made me do it.” LOL! estimate on a severely damaged vehicle from a picture, Well, that argument just won’t hold water this time, even it is actually illegal for a collision shop to prepare an though some insurers might be attempting to make it. estimate on a damaged vehicle based on photos, phone Would you like to guess again? calls or by any manner other than personal inspection.

For as long as I can remember, insurers have This provision was put into the New Jersey Auto sent either a staff appraiser or an independent Body License Law for good reason: It is appraiser out to inspect a damaged impossible to prepare an accurate estimate vehicle, prepare an estimate and based on photos of the damage.

Well, negotiate the cost of the repairs with The reality is that insurers are likely the shop that is going to perform them saving billions of dollars by getting nothing could be when a claim is made. This process rid of their staff and independent has worked well over the years, appraisers and attempting to force further from the truth. and the regulations governing fair collision shops to perform the claim settlement practices require administrative services that they The elimination of the that the inspection be performed, should be paying for. appraisers and the negotiations are commenced and Insurers are also making the a good faith offer of settlement is claim that by changing the process personal inspection made within seven working days. from a personal inspection to photo This provision in the regulations estimates, they are expediting the of the vehicles has has kept the process timely and process. Well, nothing could be has resulted in people getting their further from the truth. The elimination caused major delays in damaged vehicles repaired and of the appraisers and the personal back on the road in a reasonable inspection of the vehicles has caused the claim settlement amount of time. Until now! major delays in the claim settlement process.

All of a sudden, insurers are refusing process. I have run a Hot Line here in to come out and inspect damaged New Jersey for over 25 years, and I have

vehicles, instead attempting to prepare never received so many calls relating to estimates of damage based on photos. On top claim settlement delays, not to mention the of that, they are attempting to force collision shops additional cost insurers are faced with in terms of to perform the tasks that their own staff or independent protective custody charges on vehicles that have been appraisers have been performing for at least the last 50 stalled in the collision shops waiting for repairs. In many years, including taking photos of all four corners of the cases, the vehicle is ultimately considered a total loss after vehicle, the VIN number, the interior of the vehicle and any five, six or seven sets of photos. prior damage – and all of this without any compensation At some point, photo estimates may become the way whatsoever. Naturally, collision shops are taking the of the future, but that time is not now! Once AI, or artificial position that they should be compensated to perform intelligence, is developed further to where an estimate of administrative services that insurers’ own employees can be accurately prepared using it, the collision industry or independent contractors have been performing and would welcome it. However, again, that time is not now. have been paid for, including that insurer providing the For the time being, “If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.” As usual, appraiser a car, gas, camera, film, etc. for many years.

AASP/NJ will be watching this situation and reporting back This is not entirely new. Many insurers have been to our members as it plays out.

“

”

16 | New Jersey Automotive | September 2021

NJA

Co-celebrating decades of creating chemistry between two industry leaders

Here’s to 235 years of combined service excellence This year, as Albert Kemperle Inc. celebrates its 80th anniversary, BASF also celebrates its 155th anniversary. We are proud of our decades of partnership with BASF and years of serving the auto paint and body industry together. Kemperle’s founders would be proud of this relationship and the growth their company has experienced because of it.

Today, as we look forward to many more decades of service to our customers, we find ourselves filled with gratitude. The creativity, hard work, and sense of responsibility of the people working for our two companies have made us what we are today.

Thank you for your many years of loyalty.

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COLLISION CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE

Be Informed, Stay Involved

by DENNIS CATALDO, JR. With the Senate approval and pending House approval of HR 3684 – better known as the ‘‘Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation in America Act’’ or the ‘‘INVEST in America Act” – I decided to thumb through the 1,934 pages of light reading and see what major areas directly pertained to our industry besides the overall improvements of road, bridges and highway infrastructure.

If passed by the House and signed into law by the President, the “INVEST in America Act” would give the Department of Transportation about two years to mandate the following items as it pertains to automotive safety in the United States. All of these items have a direct effect on the way we diagnose, repair and return vehicles to our customers: Section 10101 would allow the Department of Transportation to mandate a safety warning for occupants of hot cars. “The warning required […] shall include a distinct auditory and visual warning to notify individuals inside and outside of the vehicle of the presence of an unattended occupant, which shall be combined with an interior haptic warning.” Additionally, a third-party study mandate that older vehicles be retrofitted with this newer technology is pending.

Section 10102 - Rulemaking to install automatic shutoff systems and rollaway prevention technology in motor vehicles. This would set an idle limit on all vehicles as a means to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning and excessive greenhouse gases. It would also require technology to be developed that would detect the

18 | New Jersey Automotive | September 2021

driverless or unattended rolling of a vehicle and stop it.

Section 10103 - 21st Century Smart Cars. This would require the following collision avoidance systems on every new vehicle sold in the US: Forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking, rear emergency braking when backing up, rear cross traffic alerts, lane departure warnings and blind spot warnings. It would also mandate the use of smart headlamps, automatic high beams and adaptive headlamp systems. These systems are nothing new, and I’m sure most of you have dealt with them.

Just be aware that going forward, it will now be standard equipment on every vehicle you touch. You have the responsibility to the vehicle owner that you give the vehicle back with everything working and calibrated correctly.

Also tasked under the 21st Century Cars provision would be funding research for advanced crash systems, such as Direct Driver monitor systems to prevent distracted driving, steering assisted lane keeping and automatic collision notifications for emergency responders. Not only would responding emergency crews know the location of the vehicle collision, but they would also have immediate access to the crash data to assess potential injuries and emergency response. All this technology could become standard vehicle equipment in as soon as four years.

Section 10104 deals with updates to the Five Star Safety Rating System and how the previously mentioned collision avoidance technology performs in new vehicles compared against one another. continued on pg. 44

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NATIONAL NEWS

by JOEL GAUSTEN

A Dream Come True: Auto Students Bring Joy to Kidnapping Survivor Back in 2003, Troy Berry couldn’t wait to gift his granddaughter, Amanda, his 1986 Monte Carlo SS on her 16th birthday. He and Amanda had spent years bonding while working on the car, which she loved almost as much as she loved him. Tragically, Amanda was kidnapped the day before her birthday and subsequently held captive for an entire decade before finally escaping. The story made national headlines and put Amanda in the media spotlight, but she was just excited to be back with her loved ones and have an opportunity to continue working on the car.

Sadly, Troy was soon diagnosed with dementia; as a result, he struggled to remember Amanda before he passed away. Despite losing her beloved partner in car restoration, she kept the Monte Carlo, which by that time was in a greatly deteriorated state. Fortunately, collision repair students at Max S. Hayes High School MGM SUPPLIES AD_NJA0720.qxp_Layout 1 6/23/20 2:00 PM Page 1 in Cleveland would not let the vehicle fade into history.

Under the guidance of auto body instructor Greg Boykin, dozens of students put in hundreds of hours – including

on Saturdays – to fully restore the vehicle as per I-CAR standards. Although the Monte Carlo was ready to be revealed by early 2020, the class’ planned unveiling at the Summit Racing Equipment I-X Piston Powered Auto-Rama that March was shelved in light of COVID-19.

Thanks to the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF), the revamped Monte Carlo was finally unveiled publicly for the first time during a special ceremony at the July Collision Industry Conference (CIC) in Cleveland.

Appearing on stage prior to seeing the upgraded Monte Carlo, Amanda expressed her deep appreciation for every student who gave of themselves to provide this special gift.

“First and foremost, thank you to my grandfather, who’s now in Heaven. He’s watching down, and he watched all of you guys do all the hard work. For that, I’ll be forever grateful and thankful. This is a dream come true that I actually didn’t think would ever come true.”

NJA

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New Jersey Automotive | September 2021 | 23

COVER STORY

Where Have All the Workers Gone?

Frustrated Shops Go Short - Handed as Labor Pool Drains Good help is truly hard to find – but New Jersey shops can’t even seem to find any help at all.

Shop owners all around the state are shouting, “We’re Hiring” and “Help Wanted,” but much to their dismay, no one seems to be listening. On those rare occasions where someone does respond to their calls for a variety of open positions (front desk coordinator, experienced body technician, painter, prep person, you name it), the candidates often aren’t serious about taking on the task.

Attracting new people to the industry has already been a challenge, and now it appears the pandemic has left the industry stricken with even more pain when it comes to hiring.

“I’m hearing from frustrated shops every day,” AASP/ NJ Executive Director Charles Bryant shares. “I’ve heard everything you can imagine, including, ‘We haven’t been able to get anyone since COVID-19.’ They just can’t find anyone to work.”

Many shops went into the pandemic already shorthanded, while others had to lay people off last year due to drained finances. Today, those shops remain down in staffing.

“Some shops laid people off and can’t even get them to come back,” Bryant adds.

26 | New Jersey Automotive | September 2021

The association has been helping by posting members’ job openings on its social media pages while also looking at whatever resources it can. Even the AASP/NJ Labor Pool is tapped out, with Bryant saying that he has “looked everywhere in the world to find people.”

Veteran shop owner and AASP/MA Treasurer Tom Elder (Compact Kars; Clarksburg) has good business coming in but is down too many employees to easily keep up. He’s getting the word out through vendors and manufacturers, Facebook, Monster and Indeed but getting absolutely nowhere. In fact, he says Monster and Indeed could be scams when it comes to being employment resources, as the companies keep sending along the same few people. He’s reached out to the suggested folks, but they don’t respond or just aren’t qualified.

“No applicants are coming in, and anybody who does apply is not qualified. It’s hard to find an experienced A-tech.”

In addition to needing an experienced tech, Elder could use the right people to fill a number of other positions, including detailer, painter, prep person estimator and additional mechanic.

The shortage isn’t necessarily new, as Elder has been down at least one person for over two years now. He knows

by ALANA BONILLO

it’s industrywide, as even his vendors tell him that every shop they talk to is “clamoring for people.”

“At this stage in my life, I can’t even fill in for all these guys who are missing. I can do a little bit of work myself, but I don’t have the energy and stamina to fill in for some of these jobs that need to get done.”

What’s behind such a serious shortage?

“I think the biggest thing that affected employment is that they put bonuses on unemployment. It encouraged people not to work.”

It’s been bad enough that shops struggle to pay people who are looking for compensation rates they can’t afford. But on top of the wage, the shop needs to also cover workers’ compensation insurance, health benefits and a portion of unemployment taxes. Elder says after all that, there just isn’t much left. Now, the dynamic has changed even more, with unemployed workers finding themselves benefitting by staying home.

“The lower-level jobs are still getting the $300 a week bonus […]

A guy making $60,000 a year is normally making $1,200 a week and is getting $735 from unemployment and a $300 bonus. How do you beat that when a guy was making $1,200 and coming to work?”

Sandor Taboada of Garfieldbased Victorio Auto Body is in the same boat when it comes to finding good help. Like Elder, he sees unemployment benefits playing a role in making it tough to get people on the payroll.

“There have been a lot of people casually looking. They are trying to look like they are looking for work, and then they just don’t show up. The unemployment benefits are affecting our hiring process, and people are trying to give the appearance that they are looking for work but aren’t really serious about it.”

Taboada has been using Craigslist and ZipRecruiter while also touching base with Bryant to try to get new people in the door.

“Finding serious candidates is tough; it’s the type of work we do. It’s long hours. In the parts department and [in regard] to the techs, it’s not climate-controlled. People have been locked up in the house, and now there’s not much summer left. Do you want to be working in a shop or on the beach? I think a lot of decisions are being made in

that way.”

Ted Rainer of Ocean Bay Auto Body in Point Pleasant says the recruitment issue has been building for a long time but has now escalated to the point where it is just out of hand. The longtime AASP/NJ Board member echoes the concerns of his fellow body shop owners.

“If someone is getting unemployment benefits, why do they want to come work in an auto body shop?”

Finding good people has been a struggle for so long that Rainer has started thinking outside the box for different ways to tackle the problem. The teenage daughter of a woman who used to do office work for his shops years ago has come on board part time to help him with everything from filing papers to scanning receipts and uploading photos, which has been a tremendous help.

Perhaps this summer job will prepare this young woman to run a shop someday.

“Instead of trying to find that one person who came from a shop and who has run a shop, we may need to take really small baby steps and go forward that way.”

Adding to the hardships is the fact that many shop owners have limited time to even properly sit down to find someone.

“We are being pulled in so many different ways and wear so many different hats that we don’t even have the time to put in. We are the janitor, the building manager, the director – the everything.”

With this employee shortage problem not likely to get much better, Rainer’s had to make sure he’s not putting too much on his shoulders. “[The words] ‘No’ and ‘Can’t’ aren’t in auto body guys’ vocabulary. We are always saying we can do it, but if you are biting off more than you can chew, you have to learn to say no […] The world is changing, and we need to change with it. We are a small place, and we pride ourselves on doing the job correctly.”

As summer comes to end, Elder is hopeful that things may soon improve, as generally many tend to want to get back to work in the fall.

“I think the crisis will ease up a bit in September.”

Hopefully, that will indeed soon be the case and more shops will be able to take down those “We’re hiring” signs in favor of telling new folks, “You’re hired!”

“If someone is getting unemployment benefits, why do they want to come work in an auto body shop?

”

NJA

New Jersey Automotive | September 2021 | 27

28 | New Jersey Automotive | September 2021

New Jersey Automotive | September 2021 | 29

SMALL... MEDIUM... LARGE...

Welcome to New Jersey Automotive’s latest feature, “Small...Medium...Large.” Each month, we will present the same scenario to one small, one medium and one large shop and share their response verbatim. Does size really matter? Decide for yourself...

A longtime employee doesn’t show up for work and doesn’t call for two days.

It’s your best technician. What do you do?

Sq. Footage: 1,100 Employees: 4 80% DRP

Sq. Footage: 9,000 Employees: 8 75% DRP

Sq. Footage: 25,000 Employees: 35 80% DRP

Well, on the first day, I would call him and ask what’s going on. No response?

I would probably write him up. The next day, he’d be gone. I mean, if it’s two days, he can call you. But from my experience, that usually happens with the shitty guy, not your best tech. But it’s harder for me being a small shop. I am going to have to give a little slack, but if he just says it’s none of my business and if his attitude is really shitty, I’d probably let him go right there and then.

Now, if they’re gone for a week, the decision is pretty easy. I mean, what are they doing? They probably went somewhere else.

But again, as a small shop like mine, if it was the one guy I depend on tremendously, I’m kind of jammed, you know? It really depends on what they bring to the table. Also, as an employer in New Jersey, the laws are stacked against you. The employee really has all the leverage, so you have to figure that into your decision as well.

Luckily, I have never had to go through that.

You mean after I’ve cursed my brains out? If I don’t get a phone call from the tech who has been loyal and trustworthy, I usually call them and see what’s going on. Make sure that hopefully nothing tragic has happened. I try to see when he’s coming back. My next step is to maneuver people around to get the job done. Most of the time that would mean I would go and fill that position, whatever that position could be – doing some paintwork, bodywork, framework. In my situation, I kind of trade-off a little bit, and then I jump into that role to fill in the void.

When he comes back with no good reason for his absence, depending on how he catches me, that might be his last day. (laughs) I would hope that by calling him prior to that and having some kind of civil conversation with him, I would have already ironed out the details of where he was and what happened. The frustration is he could at least pick up a phone and just say, “Hey, I got an issue going on.

I’ll call you later,” since they all have a phone attached to them 24 hours a day.

But I’ve noticed over the years that this level of respect among employees is not there anymore. You know, the boss is the last person that they’re thinking about.

Not that I should be top priority, but you have responsibilities to your job. At least just say, “Hey, let me give that dummy over there a heads-up on what’s going on because he pays me every week.”

As far as affecting other employees, I try to keep my conversations private.

I don’t take things like that to the floor where everybody can hear. At the beginning of the year I try to update emergency information from them. I try to say, “These are some of the things I would like done.” Put it all on paper so they have a hard copy in front of them.

Not that any of them really follow that, but I feel like I’m trying to instill something on paper where they can see it. But again, it doesn’t always work. I try to not have that situation happen where it becomes contagious in the shop where the next guy wants to do the same thing as the other.

It depends on the situation. If he’s never done it and he’s my best tech, he likely doesn’t miss work. It’s the first time and he misses? Would I tolerate that from my best guy? If he did that regularly, absolutely not. I would expect that there was a legit excuse. I would talk to him about it. I wouldn’t just make a rash decision.

However, if he didn’t have an answer or said it was none of my business, that’s a different story. I mean, if my kids tell me it’s none of my business, I have to tolerate it. But I’m not going to tolerate it from an employee. It’s none of my business? It is my business. You work for me. So, they’d have to give me an answer. If not, they’d be gone.

I guess that’s an advantage of being a big shop. Years ago, when I was smaller, something similar like that did happen to me. I tolerated it, but I told myself I would never allow that to happen ever again. Like having somebody put a gun to my head and telling me, ‘Give me this or I’m gone.’ Once, my top guy put a gun to my head [figuratively] to give him more money and if I didn’t, he would quit.

Well, I tolerated it then because I had to. And even though I said I would never allow it to happen again, it has. You can’t help that. But I’ve never because I don’t like that feeling of being held hostage by someone I am paying.

We had a guy this year who wanted about five weeks off – two and half in February and again in June or July. We just told him, ‘You’re abandoning your job.’ I told my people, ‘No matter who he is, no matter how hard-up we are, we have to let him go.’ You can’t set that example. You can’t let that happen and let the other guys see it. If they see that he could do it, they’re going to feel they can do it. The guy’s got to go. He got fired. It hurts. But you have to do it.

You definitely have to suck wind as a smaller shop when it’s your top people, because the guys aren’t going to smaller shops. Guys are leaving for bigger shops, and that’s just the way the industry is going.

30 | New Jersey Automotive | September 2021

NJA

INTRODUCING OUR NEW NORTHEAST DISTRIBUTORS A Message from Ron Olsson, Pro Spot International President It’s with great pleasure that I introduce you to our two new Northeast Distributors, Centerline and Collision Tools, as our only authorized distributors in the region. We’re proud to partner with such quality companies who have been leaders in the collision repair industry for 30 plus years.

I’m also very proud of our team and our current product offerings that have been leading our industry for so many years. Knowing what we have in development and the new technologies that we are working on, we will continue to revolutionize the collision repair industry for many years to come. And it means so much to all of us at Pro Spot to be being a “Made in America” manufacturer because of the competitive advantage that this brings.

As your trusted collision repair partner in the Northeast region for 30 years, we’ve been through a lot together and today, we’re stronger than ever. Know that you have my personal commitment that we will never disappoint you and we will never let you down. We appreciate your business and know that we are behind you 100%.

In closing, please make sure to verify that your welders are registered with Pro Spot to assure that your warranty is up to date and valid. Don’t hesitate to contact our team, or me directly and let’s continue to build the future together!

Sincerely Ron Olsson, President Meet our new distributors at NORTHEAST Trade Show September 10th - 12th, 2021 BOOTH #437

Contact Us Today!

Long Island, NY, Eastern PA, NJ

New England: CT, MA, NH, VT, ME

www.centerlinespraybooths.com johnjr@centerlinesraybooths.com 631-841-3200

www.collisiontoolsinc.com jackwcti@gmail.com 855-219-2022

Pro Spot International, Inc. 5932 Sea Otter Place Carlsbad, CA 92010 877-PRO-SPOT www.prospot.com info@prospot.com

JUST FOR FUN - WHAT IS THE FUNNIEST CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE YOU’VE HAD?

Customers of all different walks of life enter body shops daily. And every now and then, a shop may happen to encounter a customer who either had a circus-like experience, a whacky sense of time or perhaps a peculiarly high fashion sense that will leave them roaring with laughter for years to come.

Edward Day (Collision Restoration; Fairfield) couldn’t stop laughing when asked about his funniest customer experience.

“It was like the perfect storm!” he exclaims. “One of my customers thought he belonged on a runway in Milan.”

The man walked in sporting an Elvis haircut and a large pair of Gucci sunglasses with one-inch gold Gs on either side, making Day think he looked like Elton John back in the ‘70s.

“When he walked in the door, you knew something was wrong with him right away.” Things got even more interesting from there.

“In walks this bald guy five minutes later. Now, he keeps telling me how good he looks as he is rubbing his hand over his bald head!”

The bald man proceeded to go on and on about how he drank and smoked marijuana with Janis Joplin in 1967 and how it was the best day of his life. Then, he continued asking everyone if he looked good. At this point, Day was convinced the two were high as a kite.

“When they left, I looked at my co-worker, and we both said, ‘What the f**k just happened?’

Ed Janovsky (Mike’s Auto Body; New Brunswick) recalls a customer whose timing was so far off that it left him and others scratching their heads while holding back laughter.

This customer not only didn’t know what day it was, but he apparently slept through the day of his appointment.

“He walks in and says he’s here for his 1pm. I asked him his name, checked the schedule and told him I was actually dealing with my 1pm appointment now.

I told him it was Wednesday, and he said, ‘No, today is Tuesday.’”

The customer was insistent it was Tuesday and wouldn’t believe otherwise.

“He then says, ‘I went to bed late on Monday night; I just got up in time for this appointment. Today is Tuesday.’ The guy who was here for the 1pm Wednesday appointment and I just looked at him. He checked his phone and discovered he slept through Tuesday!”

Janovsky says the funniest part has to be what his other customer had to say about it.

“He says to the guy, ‘What drugs are you on? I need some of that!’

Jeff McDowell (Leslie’s Auto Body; Fords) chuckles when he recalls the time a vehicle was brought into his shop due to a run-in he’d never heard of before: The car had been crushed by an elephant that sat on it! Back in the days when the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus came to town, McDowell says the elephant apparently just got loose and decided to take a seat right down on a car parked on a street.

There were no massive elephant butt-prints visible, but “It looked like it got run over by a tank.” Clearly, the car was totaled.

He’s also seen many other “whacky animal hits” involving a wild turkey and bear cubs, but nothing was as humorous as picturing an elephant planting itself right down on a car.

NJA

32 | New Jersey Automotive | September 2021

Have an interesting tale to share with New Jersey Automotive?

Contact Editorial Director Joel Gausten at joel@grecopublishing.com!

Elton John Photo Credit: Billboard

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

Paul Miller VW of Bernardsville 118 Morristown ROAd Bernardsville, NJ 07924 Toll Free: 877-318-6557 Local: 908-766-1600 Fax: 908-766-6171

Douglas Motors 491 MORRIS AVE. SUMMIT, NJ 07901 PHONE: 908-277-1100 FAX: 908-273-6196 TOLL FREE: 800-672-1172 www.douglasvw.com email: douglasparts@douglasautonet.com

Trend Motors 221 Route 46 West Rockaway, NJ 07866 888-267-2821 fax: 973-625-4985 www.trendmotors.com email: dreinacher@trendmotors.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. ©2021 Volkswagen of America, Inc.

Wholesale Parts

New Jersey Automotive | September 2021 | 33

OUT OF BODY (AND MECHANICAL) EXPERIENCES continued from pg. 10

hotels or on the show floor, having heart attacks, attempting a great thing that turned into a nightmare because of weather you had no control over.

Shit, some of those bumps were actually more like sinkholes.

But nothing – nothing – could have prepared us for COVID-19. Who

would have ever thought something like this would happen? And trust me, in the scope of things, I realize a trade show is just a speck when compared to the lives we lost and the people and businesses that have suffered.

But a trade show is a business. And the postponement of NORTHEAST

“

You’ve probably

gone back to Home Depot or Lowe’s by now.

I know you’ve gone to the grocery store. So why not NORTHEAST?

”

2020 hurt not only my business but AASP/NJ and a lot of our vendors’ businesses as well.

That’s why it’s time to get back to live. Look, I’m no doctor or scientist.

I’m not going to tell you whether to get vaccinated or to wear a mask here. I’m not going to sit here and tell you whether I think mandates or lockdowns work. I can only go by how it affects my family, my business and me. We all have to make our own decisions.

We have made the decision that the show must go on. You’ve probably gone back to Home Depot or Lowe’s by now. I know you’ve gone to the grocery store. So why not NORTHEAST? We have to get back to living again.

PS: I watched two incredibly relevant movies over the weekend: Charlie Wilson’s War (2007) and Absence of Malice (1981). One shows you how stunning (and dumb) we are to let history keep repeating itself. The other shows you why the media can do what it does without repercussions. I don’t know whether they’re fascinating or sad.

34 | New Jersey Automotive | September 2021

NJA

New Jersey Automotive | September 2021 | 35

Diagnostically speaking, there is no substitute.

Porsche technology.

Porsche Genuine Service & Parts.

Contact one of these authorized dealers.

Town Porsche 105 Grand Avenue Englewood, NJ 201-227-6505 Fax 201-227-6553 town-motorcar.porschedealer.com

Flemington Porsche 213 Route 202/31 Flemington, NJ 800-216-5124 Fax 908-782-9397 flemingtonporsche.com

Porsche Princeton 3333 Route 1 Lawrenceville, NJ 609-945-1500 Fax 609-945-1501 princetonporsche.com

© 2021 Porsche Cars North America Inc. Porsche recommends seat belt usage and observance of traffic laws at all times.

36 | New Jersey Automotive | September 2021

Paul Miller Porsche 3419 Route 46 East Parsippany, NJ 973-227-3000 Fax 973-575-8396 paulmillerporsche.com

Porsche Monmouth 280 Route 36 East West Long Branch, NJ 732-935-7600 Fax 732-935-7602 porschemonmouth.com

Manhattan Motorcars 711 11th Avenue New York, NY 877-661-1586 Fax 646-473-0798 manhattanmotorcarsporsche.com

New Jersey Automotive | September 2021 | 37

LEGAL PERSPECTIVE

by MITCHELL H. PORTNOI, ESQ

An Update on Court Reopenings With COVID-19 trends throughout New Jersey moving in an encouraging direction, the court system has increased on-site presence of the Superior and Municipal Courts and state court employees. As of June 15, up to 50

percent of judges and state court employees were present on-site in each vicinage. All state court locations opened fully to the public on August 2. On the same date, the Judiciary resumed 75 percent onsite court presence in all state court locations. The Judiciary was expected to increase by 100 percent on-site staff presence in all state court locations by September 7.

As per a state notice, “judges will continue to exercise discretion to permit remote viewing options in limited situations, including for interested parties and others who require an accommodation based on individual health needs.” Additionally, “judges will continue to address issues related to COVID-19 based on the circumstances of an individual case. For example, if a participant who is scheduled to appear for an in-person court event advises the court that they have tested positive for the virus, the judge may convert that particular event from an inperson format to a virtual format or may reschedule the event, as appropriate.”

All state courts had already expanded in-person services earlier in the summer, including extending hours for court users to make child support payments or other court-ordered payments, continuing availability of courthouse technology rooms and expanding availability of help desks for the public.

Should anyone have any questions about court openings or filings, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at (908) 228-8800, ext. 1007.

NJA

38 | New Jersey Automotive | September 2021

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Members can now enjoy the benefit of being able to get quick and efficient answers to their questions ALL DAY, EVERY DAY.

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AASP/NJ HOT LINE New Jersey Automotive | September 2021 | 39

40 | New Jersey Automotive | September 2021

FIT AND FINISH IS NO PLACE TO GET CREATIVE. CONTACT US TODAY FOR A COMPETITIVE QUOTE ON YOUR NEXT COLLISION REPAIR ESTIMATE. CENTRAL AVENUE CHRYSLER JEEP

1839 Central Park Avenue Yonkers, NY 10710 Order Hot Line: (800) 967-5298 Fax: (914) 361-1508 www.centralave.com COLLISION LINK, REPAIR LINK AND PARTS TRADER

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NIELSEN DODGE CHRYSLER JEEP RAM 175 Route 10 East Hanover, NJ 07936 Order Hot Line: (877) 890-9545

Check out MoparRepairConnection.com for resources, promotions and technical information. ©2021 FCA US LLC. All Rights Reserved. Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Mopar and SRT are registered trademarks of FCA US LLC.

NJA_FULL_2021.indd 1

New Jersey Automotive | September 2021 | 41 5/27/21 5:43 PM

MAINTAIN AN INFINITE INVENTORY OF ORIGINAL MINI PARTS. At your local MINI dealer, we believe that using Original MINI collision replacement parts will speed your repairs and increase your profitability.

Original MINI parts assure an absolute perfect fit and function.

Our wholesale parts team is here to make sure you find the exact Genuine Subaru Parts you need for every repair.

For Original MINI parts, contact any of these authorized MINI dealers.

MINI of Mt. Laurel 1311 Rt. 73 Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054 856-778-3000 Fax: 856-813-4622 MINIOFMTLAUREL.COM FACEBOOK.COM/MINIOFMTLAUREL

MINI of Manhattan 793 11th Avenue at 55th Street New York, NY 10019 212-246-7375 Fax: 212-315-9560 MININYC.COM FACEBOOK.COM/MINIOFMANHATTAN

© 2020 MINI USA, a division of BMW of North America, LLC. The MINI name, model names and logo are registered trademarks.

42 | New Jersey Automotive | September 2021

• Competitive prices • Fast, accurate deliveries • Genuine Subaru Parts that drive your business

Paul Miller Subaru 3469 Route 46 Parsippany, NJ 07054 Phone: 973-658-5714 Fax: 973-402-9591 mdaltilio@paulmiller.com www.paulmillersubaru.com/parts

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

ARANJ The Automotive Recyclers Association of New Jersey

Wharton Insurance Briefs

An insurance lawsuit can be a time-consuming and costly process. They are often unnecessary and may not require any legal involvement.

Implementing a few proactive strategies can help employers prevent an average claim from escalating into a major legal battle.

One: You should contact the insurance carrier/agent as soon as an employee notifies you of an injury or accident. Once you report the claim, the insurance carrier will begin the investigation process. It will complete a thorough examination of the facts, determine compensability and hopefully resolve the claim.

Two: Educate employees on your insurance coverage. Let them know your insurance carrier is focused on loss prevention. Maintain frequent contact with your employees to prevent adversity. Let them know you care and you’re looking forward to them coming back to work. Open communication creates an atmosphere of trust and cooperation.

Mario DeFilippis, AAI Vice President (732) 686-7020 (office) (908) 513-8588 (cell) mdefilippis@whartoninsurance.com

NJA

New Jersey Automotive | September 2021 | 43

COLLISION CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE continued from pg. 18

Section 10105 - Advanced drunk driving prevention technology. This would allocate money to research and develop methods to prevent drunk driving in the future. These include systems that could passively monitor the driver’s performance to identify an impairment, detect Blood Alcohol Levels higher than .08 and (if detected) limit the function of the motor vehicle entirely.

Section 10106 deals with limousine compliance with federal safety standards, which would require occupant restraints/seat belts for the passenger compartments and may require retrofitment on older vehicles. It would also require greater crashworthiness standards similar to the passenger vehicles they are modeled after.

Section10107 – A study to evaluate the performance of crash avoidance systems. “The Secretary of Transportation shall conduct a study to evaluate the performance of crash avoidance systems at detecting and classifying pedestrians, bicyclists and other vulnerable road users, including those with different skin tones that are representative of different racial and ethnic groups” Section 10108 – A study and report on motor vehicle lamps. This is a study to determine if the newest LED and laser technology headlights are too bright and may be damaging and distracting to drivers, especially elderly drivers.

Section 10109 deals with improvements to vehicle seatbacks to prevent failures during vehicle impact events.

Section 10110 would start the development regulatory framework for autonomous vehicles.

Section 10111 - Motor vehicle pedestrian and cyclist protection.

This would mandate minimum performance standards for the hood and bumper areas of vehicles to reduce injuries and fatalities suffered by pedestrians and cyclists who are struck by such vehicles.

In as little as two years, all of this technology could become mandatory

standard vehicle equipment. It has never been more crucial to stay on top of your repair procedures to ensure you are fixing vehicles correctly and safely. Stay involved with your AASP/NJ training events so you are aware of the changes in our industry.

NJA

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© 2019 Porsche Cars North America Inc. Porsche recommends seat belt usage and observance of traffic laws at all times.

New Jersey Automotive | September 2021 | 45

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1.800.292.RIMS (7467) 46 | New Jersey Automotive | September 2021

Lynnes Nissan East........................................... 11

Porsche Group................................................. 36 PPG................................................................. 3 Pro Spot........................................................... 31 Reliable Automotive Equipment......................... 24-25 Sherwin-Williams.............................................. OBC Spanesi............................................................ 19 Subaru Group................................................... 34 Town Motors.................................................... 45 USI of North America........................................ 4 Valtek............................................................... 46 VW Group......................................................... 33 Wheel Collision Center...................................... 46

New Jersey Automotive | September 2021 | 47

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