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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)
TM
November 2014 $595
www.grecopublishing.com
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P.O. Box 734 Neptune, NJ 07753 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Charles Bryant 732-922-8909 / setlit4u@msn.com 2013 - 2015 OFFICERS PRESIDENT Jeff McDowell, Leslie’s Auto Body 732-738-1948 / chacki@aol.com COLLISION CHAIRMAN Dave Laganella, Peters Body and Fender 201-337-1200 / petersbandf@gmail.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 Jerry McNee, Ultimate Collision Repair, Inc. 732-494-1900 / ultimatecollision@att.net
VOLUME 44, NUMBER 11 | November 2014
CONTENTS
8 OUT OF BODY (AND MECHANICAL) EXPERIENCES 10 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 11 SPOTLIGHT ON NJA
12 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE 16 MECHANICAL CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE 58 NJA ADVERTISERS INDEX
NORTHEAST® 2015 SPOTLIGHT 18 AASP/NJ Unveils New Website Design for NORTHEAST® 2015 VENDOR SPOTLIGHT by Joel Gausten 20 Nucar Wholesale Parts: Dedication and Experience from the Top Down
Sam Mikhail, Prestige Auto Body 908-789-2020 / mikhail@goldcar.com
LEGAL FEATURE by Mitch Portnoi, Esq. 24 Workers’ Compensation - A Primer
Anthony Sauta, East Coast Auto Body 732-869-9999 / ecabofnj@aol.com
NATIONAL FEATURE 28 Test Drive: NJA Takes Toyota’s Latest for a Spin
Anthony Trama, Bloomfield Auto Body 973-748-2608 / anthony@bloomfieldautobody.com
FEATURE 36 Scam Alert: Why Your Shop Could Be at Risk
Ted Rainer, Ocean Bay Auto Body 732-899-7900 / trainer@verizon.net
Randy Scoras, Holmdel Auto Body 732-946-8388 / randy@holmdelautobody.com
Brian Vesley, Valtek, Inc. 973-278-1444 / bdvesley@valtekinc.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 Tom Elder, Compact Kars 609-259-6373 / compactkars@aol.com
PUBLISHER Thomas Greco (thomas@grecopublishing.com) DIRECTOR OF SALES Alicia Figurelli (alicia@grecopublishing.com) EDITOR Joel Gausten (tgpjoel@verizon.net)
MANAGING EDITOR Jacquelyn Bauman (jacquelyn@grecopublishing.com) ART DIRECTOR Lea Velocci (lea@grecopublishing.com) OFFICE MANAGER Sofia Cabrera (tgp4@verizon.net)
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Charles Bryant • Tom Greco • Jeff McDowell Mitch Portnoi • Dave Laganella • Ron Ananian
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
COVER STORY by Joel Gausten 44
Privacy in Repairs: Will “Black Boxes” Change the Industry?
THE LIST 48 If You Won the Lottery, What Would You Do with the Money? NO BRAKES by Ron Ananian 52 The Cycle of Repair AUTOMOTIVE RECYCLERS OF NEW JERSEY 55 Wharton Insurance Briefs The Alliance of Automotive Service Providers/New Jersey Ron Ananian Jim Bowers Charles Bryant Don Chard Guy Citro Ed Day Dave Demarest Tom Elder
HALL OF FAME
Bob Everett Thomas Greco Rich Johnson Wes Kearney Nick Kostakis Jim Kowalak Joe Lubrano
Michael Lovullo 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 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 © 2014 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. Images courtesy of www.thinkstockphotos.com
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OUT OF BODY (AND MECHANICAL) EXPERIENCES
CAN I HAVE MY SPORTS BACK? by THOMAS GRECO, PUBLISHER
Seriously. Can I have my sports back? I love sports. Always have. Always will. Football, baseball, basketball, boxing, hockey and tennis - if I can find a game to watch, I’m good. Now, I don’t like all sports. You can keep soccer, NASCAR, golf and a whole bunch of others. That doesn’t mean I don’t respect them. If you like to watch those sports, more power to you. But unfortunately, in today’s 24/7 social media/cable newsdominated world, when it comes to sports, the actual games are the last thing you hear about. I’m just going to use a few recent examples to prove my point. Let’s start with America’s favorite sport: Football. Football
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is a passion of mine. Played it, coached it, watch it, love it. But over the last year or so, the game itself has been lost in the media. Concussions. Ray Rice. Racist team names. Child Abuse. Sexual assault. I can go on. But let’s take these five subjects one at a time. There has been a massive campaign to have the NFL compensate former players who may have suffered brain damage due to playing professional football. The argument is basically that the NFL was negligent in letting the players know the potential dangers of the game. HELLO? If the object of the game is to knock the living crap out of each other, there is bound to be some brain damage. Did these players not figure that out before they
ever put a uniform on? Look, I’m not unsympathetic to these guys, especially the older ones who didn’t make any money in the early days. But come on. It’s football! I just hate the hypocrisy and greed. If the issue was negligence (which the entire debate is based on), then why aren’t these players suing their colleges? Or their high schools? Or their towns where they played recreation football? We all know why. They go where the money is. As for the players of this century? Please. High risk, high reward. Ray Rice? Any guy who hits a woman is a dirt bag, a coward and a criminal. There’s no hidden facts or agenda about any of that. So what’s the big debate about? I’ll tell you what the big debate is
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about. The media always wants to spread the blame in order to extend the story. First, they went after his wife. Look, the woman is no brain surgeon for marrying the guy after he decked her like Mike Tyson, but she is in no way to blame. Then, they went after NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. By the time the news cycle had ended, I thought Goodell had thrown the punch. Vultures. The Washington Redskins. Any time you deal with racist topics, you are treading water. I am obviously not Native American, so I can’t tell you if the word is an insult or not. All I know is that, as someone who has been on this earth for 54 years, throughout those 54 years, if you said “redskin,” the only thing that would come to my mind would be the football team. I can’t be the only one to think like that since no one ever brought it up as a racist term until maybe three or four years ago. But now you have announcers and newspapers and websites refusing to use the word. Effing hypocrites. I hate it! Adrian Peterson. If you hit your child hard enough to leave marks, you should go to jail. End of story.
Sayreville. I am not going to repeat the details of this story here. If you aren’t aware of it, please Google Sayreville football. I don’t have a word to describe this incident. It’s just so f#$king SICK. I have been in plenty of locker rooms where we did some crazy things. Some kids would urinate in others’ shampoo. Others would force kids who hadn’t “matured” yet to dress in the stalls. I even remember one of the bigger kids putting me in a headlock until I almost passed out one time in junior high. Looking back, I can’t justify any of it. But none of it compares with what went on in Sayreville. My son plays high school football. To think that he could have been a part of something like that (either way), oh man. I just can’t. SICK BASTARDS. I could go on. Basketball? I was enjoying the NBA playoffs earlier this year, then the Donald Sterling thing came about. And again, it’s the hypocrisy that gets me. I can remember reading about what a racist scumbag Donald Sterling was in a Sports Illustrated article 20 years ago. Yet, he makes a racist statement in a private conversation that TMZ gets ahold of and the guy is forced to sell his
business? That’s a scary thought. What’s worse are the “heroes” of the situation. The NBA Commissioner who threw Sterling out and took his business? He’s been a part of the NBA for decades. Never heard him say a thing about Sterling before. The coach who held everything together? The guy could have coached anywhere in the league, but two years ago he decided to take Sterling’s money. Guess the discrimination lawsuits filed against Sterling over the last two decades didn’t bother him then. The star point guard/player’s union rep who wanted to boycott? He was a free agent a year ago. Could have played anywhere. You guessed it. He took the racist’s money. Seems to me that, unless it’s convenient, the only true color these guys care about is green. Then we come to baseball. Since ARod was gone, thank God the year was relatively quiet except for the canonization of Derek Jeter. ONLY KIDDING. Jeter deserved everything he got and more. A true class act. Something today’s sports world is sorely lacking. So please. Can I have my sports back? NJA
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Don’t Get Left Behind PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
I have a flip phone, and I’m proud of it. The fact that I don’t use a smart phone has become a bit of a running joke between some of the AASP/NJ
Board members and myself. I’m perfectly happy using my cell phone for its intended purpose - to make and receive calls. I don’t personally have a need to post photos, watch kitten videos or crush
by JEff MCDOWELL
candy. I use my computer for emailing and web surfing, and treat my cell phone like a phone. And it seems in our industry, I’m among many people who feel the same way. But although I may not be standing on line for an iPhone anytime soon, I do have a very high appreciation for technology. And unfortunately, that’s where many industry members and I part ways in our thinking. In repairing vehicles for a living, I feel it’s necessary to accept and adapt to technology when it’s prudent or, in the collision repair industry’s case, critical - to do so. Too many seasoned industry veterans around here think they know better, or that “I’ve been repairing cars this way for 40 years, so I don’t need to relearn anything.” Well, that’s a dangerous way to think, especially when your reluctance to change could mean the difference between life and death. The truth of the matter is that the materials, procedures and even the vehicles themselves are constantly evolving. If we as repairers aren’t evolving just as quickly, we’ll soon find ourselves left behind. AASP/NJ is committed to helping our members stay ahead of the curve, and will be planning some in-shop trainings in the coming months to keep you informed and educated on these innovative products and processes. Stay tuned to future issues of New Jersey Automotive or AASP/NJ’s website, www.aasp nj.org, for details. Still think you know better? Tell me… how will you repair the 2015 Ford F-150 when it comes through your shop doors next year? That’s what I thought. I hope to see you at a future training event.
Happy Thanksgiving
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SPOTLIGHT ON NJA
Several prominent Board members have noted the popularity of New Jersey Automotive among high-ranking individuals in the industry. Recently, Tom Greco, president of TGP, the publishing company behind New Jersey Automotive, received a letter (see below) from MVC Chairman and Chief Administrator Raymond Martinez, in response to editorial he posted in the September 2014 issue. “It’s great to see that someone like Chairman Martinez reads our magazine,” says Board member Brian Vesley of Valtek, Inc. “It’s a clear demonstration of how important it is to have a monthly publication voicing the industry’s concerns.”
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Taking Back Control of the Collision Industry EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
by CHARLES BRYANT
Unlike a person who holds a job working for someone else, the business owner does not get paid vacations, sick leave, raises or bonuses in the same manner that someone working for the business receives. The business owner earns those perks when the business does well. At the same time, the business owner is never guaranteed to have a paycheck waiting for them at the end of the week. Because of this, it is crucial that the owner maintains control of the business. In reference to these examples, the collision industry is no different than any other type of business. However, over the years, the collision industry has lost control and it is devastating the industry. They have unknowingly surrendered to the insurance industry. It is the insurance industry that sets the rates that the collision shops charge for their services. It is the insurance industry that determines what services shops ultimately get paid for - regardless of whether or not the shop agrees. In essence, the collision industry has turned the decision-making process that normally comes with business ownership over to them. Unfortunately, the insurance industry has no interest in making sure the prices that shops charge allow for a fair and he best thing about being in business for yourself is the freedom that comes with being in a position of ownership. reasonable profit that will enable the shop to thrive. Instead, the insurance industry is constantly attempting to cut more corIn a self-owned business, one has the ability to set the ners in an attempt to raise their own profit level, rather than hours that the business will be open to the public, what the concerning themselves with the shop’s best interest. business will charge for the products or services the business It is amazing that the insurance industry has been able to supplies, who the business caters to and so on. At the same strip members of the collision industry of the privilege of settime, the business owner has to be prepared to deal with the stress that comes with that role. When the business is thriving, ting their own rates and charging what will keep their busiall is good; when things get slow, the stress level automatically nesses thriving and profitable. What other type of business has rises, forcing the business owner to take action in order to sur- a third-party standing between them and their customer, dictating what the customer will ultimately pay for the services and vive the hard times. products the business sells? It is common for an insurer’s apIn order for a business to be successful, the owner has to praiser to come to a shop, look at a damaged vehicle, discuss set the price for the products they sell or the rate they charge for the service they provide to an amount that the public is will- how the vehicle will ultimately get repaired and dictate how much the shop will get paid for the services being provided to ing to pay. Determining the prices or rates that the market will bear is often a difficult task, and is usually accomplished by al- the customer. This defeats the whole concept of going into business for oneself rather than working for someone else. lowing the prices and rates to seek their own level. If they are What’s interesting is how the insurance industry has been able set too high, people are not likely to give that business their patronage. On the other hand, if the prices or rates are set too to accomplish this. Over the years, the insurance industry has created a sort low, the business will fail. It is crucial for the business owner to of imaginary world that the collision industry has simply acstay on top of this aspect of the business and seek to set or cepted as reality. Insurance companies consistently come to adjust their rates and prices to just the right level. collision shops and say things like, “We don’t pay for that,” or Another component of becoming successful and creating “We only pay this much for that.” Insurance representatives a reputation that draws in consumers is the level of customer service and customer satisfaction the business delivers. There constantly prepare estimates that list vendors they want the shops to utilize. They then tell the shops that, if they don’t puris no better advertisement than word of mouth. When a cuschase the parts from the vendor listed, the insurer will not pay tomer is treated really well and talks about the level of service any additional cost incurred. Appraisers continually dictate or the quality of the product they received from a local business, other potential customers are bound to give the business how they want vehicles to be repaired, and state that they will only pay to have the job done according to the estimate they a try. If the business owner can maintain this level of service and quality, the community will begin to learn of their reputation have prepared, including the type of parts for which the insurer and automatically flock there. Once the business has an estab- is willing to pay - like used or aftermarket as opposed to new lished reputation, the business can be marketed based on that OEM parts. These decisions are more often than not being made by an insurance appraiser that could not even remove a notoriety.
T
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE fender, never mind replace, repair or paint one. Over the years, the insurance industry has convinced the majority of the collision industry that this is just the way things are supposed to work - that they somehow have the right to conduct business in this manner. Nothing could be further from the truth. In reality, the only way an insurer has the right to dictate how a vehicle will get repaired and how much the insurer will have to pay is if the insurer chooses the option in the
insurance contract to repair the property. That is, physically take the vehicle and have it repaired. Contrary to popular belief, if the insurer chooses this, they have the right to control all aspects of how the vehicle gets repaired: What type of parts will be used, how much they will pay for labor and materials and even who will make the repairs. The reason that insurers almost never choose this option is because along with the rights mentioned herein comes liability for any negligent repairs. In other words, if the
insurer chooses the option to repair the property or pay for the claim in repairs rather than in money, the insurer can be held liable for any negligent repairs that result in damages to another. For instance, if the insurer were to choose this option and they repaired a vehicle with a used suspension, and the suspension failed after the vehicle was returned to the owner, the shop as well as the insurer would be responsible for any injury that resulted from that accident. If the insurer DOES NOT choose the option to repair the property, they give up the right to control the repairs. They can attempt to negotiate with the shop of the insured’s choice, but the shop is under no obligation to comply with the insurer’s wishes on how to repair the vehicle or what those repairs should cost. As long as the repair shop’s charges are reasonable, the insurer is on the hook for the repairs. Unfortunately, over the years the insurance industry has brainwashed the collision industry into thinking that they have the right to dictate how vehicles get repaired and how much they will pay for the repairs. The problem is that the insurance industry has become too greedy and has pushed the collision industry into a corner. Had they been reasonable and acknowledged the changes in costs required to repair damaged vehicles properly, things would have never gotten this far. However, now the collision industry is fighting back with a vengeance. Lawsuits are being filed all over the country, and many shops bringing these issues to the courts are winning on short pay claims. On top of the smaller Assignment of Proceeds/short pay court cases, there are numerous larger, more complicated lawsuits already filed in various places around the country - and word has it that there are more to come. The Louisiana Attorney General has filed suit against State Farm. A multi-district litigation suit out of Mississippi has been filed against numerous insurers - six states have joined that suit, with many more states said to be joining soon. RICO has been added to a major class action suit out of Illinois against numerous insurers. Lastly, a former class action suit against State Farm for aftermarket parts that resulted in a $1.2 billion settlement that had been overturned after numerous appeals by State Farm is scheduled to be revisited continued on page 53
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MECHANICAL CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE
GOT SALT? As many of you recall, last winter was brutal here in the Northeast, with months of cold accompanied by heavy amounts of snow and ice. During a typical winter here in the US, one area, or perhaps two, get a heavy winter while many other areas are less active.
What made last winter unique is that pretty much the entire country had a significant winter, along with most of Canada, resulting in a huge consumption of salt. Because of this, many end users, municipalities and snow contractors ran low or completely out of
by KEITH KREHEL
salt. In some ways, it could have been worse here in the Northeast, as the snow and ice only subsided around the end of February, just as salt supplies were exhausted. If winter had continued even a couple of more weeks, things could have been much worse. Fast-forward to today, and salt supplies are still “unsettled.” Here’s why: Logistically, it takes more than six months to re-supply all of North America. The understanding in the industry is that it may take two years or more to bring product level back to pre“winter from Hell” levels. Presently, there is more demand than there is supply. Many wholesalers are not taking new customers and are not even selling to their present customers products that they did not purchase last year. Prices are up 10-40 percent, with some products on monthly allocation. Add to this the fact that (by my understanding) the world’s largest supplier of magnesium chloride has halted exportation of their product. SUGGESTIONS: Stock up early; purchase what you need now while it is available. Get enough to see you throughout the season, as the odds are that it will quickly become scarce if we see a significant winter.
Use it properly. A barrier coat prior to snowfall prevents snow from bonding to the pavement, allowing easy removal later, with less salt needed by the storm’s end. Remember, two light coats of salt are better than one heavy one.
If you plan on reselling, line up a reliable supplier, one who will likely have product - not necessarily the cheapest.
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NORTHEAST® 2015 SPOTLIGHT
AASP/NJ Unveils New Website Design for NORTHEAST 2015
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he Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of New Jersey (AASP/NJ) has recently unveiled a new website design at www.aaspnjnortheast.com to streamline the organization of the upcoming 38th annual NORTHEAST 2015 Automotive Services Show. NORTHEAST, which will be held March 20-22 at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, is the largest regional trade show of its kind in the country. A multitude of exhibitors and guests from around the world come every year - from Massachusetts, New York and New Jersey to Canada and Japan - to partake in this educational and networking event. This year, the number of exhibitors is growing faster than ever before, with booth sales already up 58-percent from where they were at this time last year. Because of this rapid influx of participants, the new website will showcase not only a new, sleek design to make it easier to locate desired information with minimum effort, but also a revamped floor plan page that will facilitate the management of the show for both the administration and the exhibitors. In the past, the floor plan page was a flat design depicting the general layout of the convention floor. The new page eliminates any potentially ensuing struggle or confusion through a user-friendly design that differentiates the various statuses of booths on the floor. The interactive page allows vendors to see which booths are occupied, unoccupied and reserved in the layout of the trade show in real time. “We’re bringing NORTHEAST to the next level,” says AASP/NJ President Jeff McDowell. “We’ve been consistently growing in size and we’ve finally found a way to help us accommodate the huge jumps we’ve had in participation. Our industry is constantly changing and becoming more technological. Here’s one way that we’re keeping up with it. Keep an eye out for other ways that we will be using technology to move things forward.” At the time of this writing, a number of vendors have already signed up, almost five months in advance for this event. These vendors include such industry heavy hitters as Accudraft, Metropolitan Car-O-Liner, Axalta, BASF, Valspar and ProSpot, among many others. Online preregistration opens on November 1. Check out the new website as well as future issues of New Jersey Automotive for updates this event. NJA
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Save the Dates for NORTHEAST® 2015! MARCH 20, 21, 22 Top-notch educational opportunities Over 150 industry-leading exhibitors Fun for the whole family, and more! Visit
WWW.AASPNJNORTHEAST.COM for details
Proudly Presented by
For more information on NORTHEAST, visit www.aaspnjnortheast.com, the NORTHEAST Automotive Services Show on Facebook, the NORTHEAST Automotive Services Show YouTube page (www.youtube.com/user/AASPNJ NORTHEAST) or on Twitter @AASPNJ NORTHEAST / #NORTHEAST2015. For more information on AASP/NJ, please visit www.aaspnj.org.
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VENDOR SPOTLIGHT by Joel Gausten
Dedication and Experience from the Top Down When it comes to the auto repair business’ relationship with OE products, no one understands it better than Nucar Wholesale Parts. For nearly 35 years, Nucar has been servicing tri-state area customers with OE parts, largely with the same core of dedicated employees. They have seen the good, the bad and the ugly of the business throughout the years, and have learned to adapt to shops’ needs. Over the decades, Nucar Wholesale Parts has grown to an 80-employee business with an 85,000-square-foot warehouse stocked with over $6 million of invested inventory. These high-quality parts are provided to shops thanks to a delivery fleet of 34 vehicles. Such growth is not only a result of good service and building lasting relationships with customers, but has also been accomplished by owners and upper management who are dedicated and committed to the repair industry.
Nucar’s current owner, Chris Dagesse, acquired the enterprise in 2010 largely due to its parts department. “After Chris met with the founding owner, Dave Greytak, and reviewed his business, it was clear to him that there was something special here at Nucar with our employees and our relationship with the repair business and our customers, [something] worth investing in,” says Dennis Davenport, Nucar’s general manager. “Nucar will continue to be committed to the industry and invest in our parts department, including the opportunity of a new warehouse in the future for better efficiency.” Along with the commitment from within Nucar, Parts Director Bill DiRusso and Operations Manager Bill Grasso know the importance of the factory/OE manufacturers’ investment in ensuring professional parts services. Both of them are repeating
members of GM and Mazda’s Parts Dealer Council, who elect top national performers in parts sales and experience to work on ways the manufacturer can help dealers fulfill their customers’ needs while helping them understand the business from the front lines. Currently, Nucar ranks nationally in parts sales, #1 with Mazda and #10 with GM. Through the support of these councils, better part availability and expediting has evolved. Additionally, Nucar provides competitive pricing, aftermarket price matching and technical training including GM-sponsored technical clinics held in Nucar market areas throughout the year. Besides the investment and dedication from management, Nucar knows that success in the wholesale business takes a sales team willing to make the effort to know and understand their customers.This includes appreciating how important those
Left to Right: Bill Grasso (operations manager), Bill DiRusso (parts director), Dennis Davenport (general manager), Bill Curren (NJ sales rep), Nick Halliday (sales manager)
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efficient parts deliveries are to a shop’s financial success. Part of Nucar’s support and commitment is seen in their participation in many area associations and gatherings. A member of AASP/NJ, Nucar is an ongoing vendor at the NORTHEAST® Automotive Services Show in Secaucus and a supporter of many of their customers’ events and charity endeavors. These special outings are regularly attended by Sales Managers Nick Halliday, Bill Curren and their countermen. “We believe in supporting our customers in many ways,” offers Halliday. “Such memberships and events give us an opportunity to personally meet and learn more about the business.” But with all this said, like their customers and other suppliers, Nucar constantly faces the daily challenges that come from being a part of a changing industry. “Whether it be with our customer processes, the competition, the control of the insurers and/or technology, there is no time for us to rely on the past,” shares DiRusso. “We must consistently and proactively change ourselves, our operation and our processes.” Unfortunately, some current industry trends are not always favorable. “PartsTrader has forced some of our customers to order elsewhere, and it is upsetting that some loyalty that has been built over years has gone away,” DiRusso says. “Earlier this year, we changed some advanced programming in our computer system, but later discovered that the basics of the system did not work for us. This caused many process issues, which hurt our service. So we changed back to our original system and are currently working on some new parts delivery management software that will allow us to better manage deliveries and delivery times, which is very important.” One thing is clear: Nucar is undaunted by change and is dedicated from the top down to serving the repair industry.
To find out more about Nucar, visit www.nucarparts.com or email parts@nucar.com.
Above: Inventory is key to Nucar’s success.
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Right: As another service, Nucar hosts GM technical clinics in the tri-state area.
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LEGAL FEATURE by Mitchell Portnoi, Esq.
WORKERS’ COMPENSATION - A PRIMER I tend to write about topics that I am currently dealing with in my own practice, which is why my topic this month concerns workers’ compensation. I currently represent workers who have had an accident at their employment or who have been exposed to chemicals, toxins or industrial irritants (possibly loud noises) that can cause long-term issues such as pulmonary issues, breathing issues, hearing loss or even the functional loss of a portion of their body – whether it be a limb or the torso entirely. Once the worker is evaluated by their doctor (as well as a doctor for the insurance company representing the employer), the courts use a chart to determine the amount received by an injured worker for “permanency benefits.” These permanency benefits can run anywhere from nominal amounts for smaller injuries, to permanent disability benefits which can last the lifetime of an injured worker. In cases of a 100-percent disabled worker, these benefits can also extend to the dependents of the injured worker and may even extend beyond the injured worker’s life. It is important to understand that workers are entitled to benefits other than the permanency benefits indicated above. They
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are also entitled to medical benefits for the treatment of their ailments, as well as temporary disability for the time they are out of work. The medical benefits are rather self-explanatory; the only real issue is that the insurance company representing the employer is permitted to direct the medical treatment of the employee (the “petitioner” in workers’ compensation parlance). That is, if the insurance company wants to use Dr. X, then the petitioner must use that doctor or be forced to pay out of pocket for the doctor of their choice. Temporary disability will pay for 70 percent of an employee’s income while the employee is out of work and “under active medical treatment” for that authorized work-related injury. This 70-percent payment is also tied to a maximum amount of wages in New Jersey - for 2014, that maximum weekly amount is $843. Not coincidentally, that is also the maximum rate for “permanent disability” an injured worker may receive on a weekly basis. While the workers’ compensation system is often misunderstood, it is in existence for the protection of both the employees and the employers, and should be utilized as such. It provides for
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the security of the employer by protecting them against catastrophic injury through either fault, or no fault, of their own, and it is there for the protection of the employee by permitting benefits for which they may not otherwise be covered. The courts provide a watchdog component to the system, whereby benefits may be pursued in contested matters and attorney fees may be obtained by successful petitioners. The bottom line is that employers should not be fearful of the workers’ compensation system, courts or insurance companies, as they exist for everyone’s benefit. For more information regarding your workers’ compensation program and coverage, please do not hesitate to call me at (973) 228-9900. NJA
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NATIONAL FEATURE
T S E T
E V I R D
NJA Takes Toyota’s Latest
For a Spin
n October 15 and 16, New Jersey Automotive Editor Joel Gausten was among a select group of automotive journalists invited to test drive the all-new 2015 Camry, Yaris and Sienna at a special press event in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.
O
The new Yaris boasts an updated exterior, giving it a more dominating appearance on the road than that of its previous generations.
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L
ike the previous-generations’ design, the 2015 Yaris comes in threedoor and five-door liftback configurations, but the style is all new. The new model comes from Toyota’s ED2 design studio located in the South of France, where they know “Hot Hatches.” The new Yaris is also assembled in France, where they have been manufacturing the Yaris since 1999 for the European market. The new Yaris gets an aggressive new look with a horizontal chrome grille treatment that appears to continue right into the headlamp. The large grille opening gives this fun-to-drive car just the right touch of “mean” in its appearance. A lower windshield angle, short overhangs and wheels pushed out to the corners give the new Yaris a sporty, road-hugging stance. A highlight of the 2015 Yaris cabin has to be the improved interior design. High-quality fabrics and greater surface area, along with raising the front of the cushion, make them more comfortable on longer drives. Once behind the wheel, Gausten was amazed by how far the Yaris has come. “Although the Yaris has always been a dependable and affordable ride, I always felt the car could use a little more TLC in the visual department,” he says. “The new version of the Yaris not only looks better, but it feels better as well. With the 2015 edition, Toyota has finally developed the aesthetic charm - especially on the inside - that this great car has always deserved. Plus, it drives like a dream.”
When redesigning the Camry for 2015, Toyota went bumper to bumper and floor to roof, changing or re-engineering nearly 2,000 parts. Only the roof remains unchanged, and it caps off the boldest Camry body ever. That provides an idea of the scope of the transformation that also endows the new Camry with a stiffer body structure, enhanced aerodynamics and its quietest ride ever. The redesigned, upscale interior and advanced instrumentation with intuitive controls help to keep the driver safely focused on the road. The 2015 model is easily the best-handling and most comfortable-riding Camry ever. Beneath the bolder body lines, the Camry’s body structure has been bolstered with additional spot welds to enhance rigidity. Retuned suspension systems in all models put an edge on handling agility while taking the edge off bumps. And for the 45 percent of Camry customers who have been choosing the sporty SE model (and who are, on average, 12 years younger than other Camry customers), there’s even bigger news: The SE is joined by a sharper-handling XSE grade, with 18-inch wheels, suspension tuning and added luxury. Like the premium XLE grade, each of those sporty models is available with the choice of a 178-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine or the 268-hp 3.5-liter V6. The Camry Hybrid is available in LE, XLE and the ecofun SE grades. “Smooth is the best word I can use to describe the latest incarnation of the Camry,” Gausten says. “If you enjoyed the Camry of the past, you’ll want to
check out the 2015 edition for yourself. The engineers and designers at Toyota have outdone themselves this time.” The only family van to offer an allwheel drive option, the 2015 Sienna is the ideal choice for hauling a large family or loading up all your stuff for a weekend getaway. Inside, Sienna really shines with an array of upgraded interior appointments and new convenience features, allowing the family hauler to remain kid-friendly in a parents-rule environment. After the new and enhanced safety features, the one new Sienna feature for 2015 that will have moms and dads talking is the Driver Easy Speak option. If you’ve ever had the urge to use a bullhorn to carry your voice to back seat passengers, Driver Easy Speak is your dream come true. Using the microphone from the Sienna’s voice-command multi-media system, Driver Easy Speak conveys your voice through the audio system’s rear speakers. Combined with a standard conversation mirror integrated into the overhead console, Driver Easy Speak is the next best thing to having a hallway monitor in the van. “The 2015 Sienna is not only incredibly comfortable to drive, it offers something unique for parent drivers in need of a better way to balance navigating the roads in front of them and handling the action going on in the seats behind them,” offers Gausten. “I love the fact that Toyota puts so much thought into including special features to add just that little extra to heighten the driving experience.”
For more information on these vehicles, please visit www.toyota.com/yaris, www.toyota.com/camry and www.toyota.com/sienna.
NJA
The 2015 Sienna is a dream for families, showcasing a smoother ride while giving parents new options like Driver Easy Speak to help them rule both the road and the car.
The completely redesigned Camry not only received a bold refurbishment in its appearance; its body also exhibits more spot welds for enhanced rigidity.
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FEATURE
New Jersey Automotive has received reports from members that they have been contacted by sales representatives urging them to set up an in-shop meeting to discuss ways to improve their shop’s bottom line through this company’s slew of manage-
ment tools. Once in the shop, these representatives claim that the shop is in desperate need of these managerial consulting services, insisting on receiving a financial commitment from the shop to begin work right away. One reader tells New Jersey Automotive that he was turned off by the company’s “high-pressure pitch” and ultimately refused to allow them to work with his facility. “They said they wanted 15 minutes of my time,” says the shop owner. “It was quite smooth; they said, ‘We have a program for auto repair,’ and they make it sound like coaching. Two or three guys come down, and it’s not 15 minutes. They just sat me in my own place and didn’t let me go...It was very awkward, high-pressure and they were here for hours. They basically didn’t want to let go until I gave them a check. They sounded quite convincing, but I wasn’t going to give them a check.” By refusing the company’s advances, this shop may have avoided one of the most common and longest-running scams affecting small- to medium-sized businesses across the country. Here’s how it works: A representative from the company calls or
SCAM ALERT: Why Your Shop Could Be at Risk
If you’re a small- to medium-sized automotive repair or service shop, it is not uncommon for you to receive phone calls from companies offering you everything from tax services to sales consulting. Unfortunately, it is also easy to fall prey to companies that have only one objective – draining your shop of cash. 36 | New Jersey Automotive | November 2014
visits a business and talks the owner into having a meeting to review the shop’s financial status and possible areas of improvement. This review is typically offered for a few hundred dollars. Before the business owner knows it, the company has racked up thousands of dollars in charges without producing a single positive result. Perhaps the most high-profile example of this con was revealed in 2009, when Chicago Attorney General Lisa Madigan filed a lawsuit against International Profit Associates, Inc. (IPA), a Buffalo Grove, IL-based management consulting firm. The Attorney General’s Office alleged that the company used “wideranging deceptive practices to ensnare hundreds of smallbusiness clients into consulting service contracts that fail to fulfill the defendants’ promises to boost their clients’ bottom lines...IPA typically charges the small businesses tens of thousands of dollars for services that fail to provide any constructive or useful information and do not result in any increased profits...IPA allegedly targets businesses through telemarketing, offering an initial evaluation of a prospective client’s business for a nominal fee ranging from $300 to $2,500. Once on site for the initial analysis, IPA sales associates allegedly convince small business owners that their companies are in serious financial trouble if they do not immediately retain IPA for consulting services.”
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The suit also named International Tax Advisors, Inc., Integrated Business Analysis, Inc. and Accountancy Associates, LLC as defendants. Like IPA, these companies
were based in Buffalo Grove. “International Profit Associates takes advantage of small businesses by painting an inaccurate and dismal picture of their financial condition and then conning the business owners into hiring IPA consultants who promise to turn things around,” offered Attorney General Madigan in a press statement at the time of the suit. “It is an unfair and deceptive scheme that has played out hundreds of times, as reflected in the considerable number of complaints that my office has received from small businesses that lost tens of thousands of dollars to IPA.” “The only report the clients get is this particular review, which is really the invoice,” explained plaintiff attorney Robert
suit. “It says, ‘We did this, this, this and this. And oh, by the way, you owe us $12,000.’ The clients look at the total [and say], ‘What? You didn’t do anything.’” Other companies that appear to have
similar business practices have been the subject of complaints to the Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org).
New Jersey Automotive urges readers who are contacted by any third-party tax or business consulting company to research that entity before agreeing to a meeting or accepting any of their services. An educated business owner is a protected business owner. NJA
Reda during a Fox News report on the
Mike Lovullo Distributor for
and
Micro-Mix Paint and
Materials Calculator in Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Hudson Counties in New Jersey.
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THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A BETTER WAY TO BUY THE WORLD’S BEST ENGINEERED PARTS. For Original BMW Parts, contact one of these authorized BMW centers: JMK BMW 391-399 Route 22 E. Springfield, NJ 07081 Toll Free: 800-648-0053 Fax: 973-467-2185 www.jmkbmw.com
Princeton BMW 3630 Quaker Bridge Road Hamilton, NJ 08619 PH: 609-570-1611 Fax: 609-570-1602 www.princetonbmw.com
BMW of Freehold 4225 Route 9 North Freehold, NJ 07728 PH: 732-462-6286 Fax: 732-577-0518 www.bmwoffreehold.com
BMW of Roxbury 840 Route 46 East Kenvil, NJ 07847 PH: 973-627-7999 Fax: 973-598-0339 www.bmwrox.com
Flemington BMW 216 Route 202/31 Flemington, NJ 08822 PH: 908-782-2441 Fax: 908-824-9913 www.flemingtonbmw.com
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Prestige BMW 985 Route 17 South Ramsey, NJ 07446 Toll Free: 888-30-PARTS Direct: 201-327-8485 Fax: 201-760-5525 www.prestigebmw.com Wide World BMW 125 East Route 59 Spring Valley, NY 10977 PH: 877-817-3895 Fax: 845-425-5080 www.wideworldofcarsbmw.com
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Original BMW Parts
www.bmwusa.com
The Ultimate Driving Machine®
They’re called “Original BMW Parts” for good reason. For uncompromising precision and incomparable quality, your BMW center is your One-Stop shop for everything BMW.
Circle BMW 500 Route 36 Eatontown, NJ 07724 Parts Direct: 732-440-1235 Fax: 732-440-1239 wholesale@circlebmw.com www.circlebmw.com
Open Road BMW 731 US Highway 1 Edison, NJ 08817 Parts Direct: 732-692-6918 PH: 732-839-4505 Fax: 732-650-9815 www.openroadbmw.com
BMW of Mount Laurel 1220 Route 73 South Mount Laurel, NJ 08054 PH:856-840-1486 FAX:856-222-0506 www.bmwofmtlaurel.com
BMW of Bridgewater 655 Route 202/206 Bridgewater, NJ 08807 PH: 908-287-1800 FAX:908-722-1729 www.bridgewaterbmw.com
BMW of Morristown 111 Ridgedale Ave Morristown, NJ 07960 PH:973-796-3145 Fax:973-796-3146 www.bmwmorristown.com
Paul Miller BMW 1515 Route 23 South Wayne, NJ 07470 PH: 973-696-6060 Fax: 973-696-8274 www.paulmillerbmw.com
Park Ave BMW 530 Huyler Street South Hackensack, NJ 07606 PH: 201-843-8112 FAX:201-291-2376 www.parkavebmw.com
BMW of Newton 119 Hampton House Road Newton, NJ 07860 PH: 973-579-6020 FAX:973-579-9632 www.bmwnewton.com
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COVER STORY by Joel Gausten
F
rom major retailers facing customer data security breaches to celebrities seeing their private photos posted online for the world to see, concerns over ownership and protection of data have never been greater. In the midst of these issues, fast-moving legislation in the Garden State aims to establish the definitive owner of the data collected by a vehicle’s “black box” technology.
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Better known as event data recorders, the black boxes found in the majority of vehicles on today’s roads record vital information that can be retrieved to better understand a vehicle’s operating condition at the time of a collision. Factors typically documented by a black box data recorder include speed, the brake system status, whether or not head or hazard lights were on, yaw rate, airbag deployment and even the number/position of occupants in a vehicle. Introduced on September 11 by Assemblyman Paul Moriarty (D-Gloucester), Assembly Bill 3579 states that “...no person, except the owner of the motor vehicle that contains the recording device, or the owner’s representative, may retrieve, obtain or use data recorded, stored or transmitted from the recording device,” with the exception of the following instances:
The owner of the motor vehicle, or the owner’s representative (such as an attorney or spouse), consents in writing at the time the data is retrieved, obtained or used.
The recorded data is retrieved or obtained by a law enforcement officer pursuant to a search warrant issued by a judge of the Superior Court, or upon order by a court of competent jurisdiction or another administrative authority having jurisdiction to issue such an order.
The recorded data is used for the purpose of improving motor vehicle safety, security or traffic management, including for medical research on physical reaction to motor vehicle accidents - provided that the identity of the owner, operator or other occupant of the motor vehicle is not disclosed with respect to the data. The disclosure of a vehicle identification number with the last six numbers deleted shall not constitute disclosure of the identity of the owner, operator or other occupant.
The recorded data is retrieved or obtained by a licensed new motor vehicle dealer, a motor vehicle repair or servicing facility and a technician or mechanic at such a facility, or the manufacturer of the motor vehicle, and used for the sole purpose of diagnosing, servicing or repairing the motor vehicle.
The recorded data is retrieved or obtained pursuant to a legally proper discovery request or order in civil action.
In addition to the above, “no person shall knowingly alter or delete data on a recording device, or knowingly destroy a recording device within two years after a crash event that resulted in bodily injury or death.” A person determined to be in violation of this law would face a civil penalty of $5,000 for each offense. The bill gained substantial momentum on October 2, when it was approved – with amendments – by the NJ Assembly Committee on Consumer Affairs. The bill was revised to state that a “recording device shall not include personal recording devices, such as video cameras, dashboard cameras or mobile telephones with recording capabilities.” Additionally, a new exemption was added to allow for emergency medical personnel to access the data: The recorded data is accessed by an emergency response provider and used for the sole purpose of determining the need for, or facilitating, an emergency medical response in the event of a motor vehicle crash, and assisting the emergency response provider in performing its duties.
Currently, the bill is awaiting review by the NJ Senate Law and Public Safety Committee. Assemblyman Moriarty, who tells New Jersey Automotive that he is sponsoring the bill independently without the urging of any one particular group or special interest, says that his support of this legislation stems from a concern over consumer privacy. “To me, it’s a security issue of who owns the black box and who should be able to get information from it,” he says. “If a car has a black box, it can basically tell everything that you’re doing, from when you’re putting your seatbelt on to how fast you’re accelerating. That’s pretty detailed and important information. A good question is, if you own the car, do you own the black box and who can have access to the information in that? It’s like your personal computer. As far as I’m concerned, there should be some statewide regulations on whose property it is, who can access that information and what they can do with it. It seems certainly reasonable that if somebody has to work on your car and needs to retrieve information from that, they might be able to do that as long as the information is not used for anything
except for analyzing a car. Any information that’s taken out of it shouldn’t be shared except if it is aggregated with other like information, and any detailed information is owned by the person who owns the car. If they wish to give it out, they can. If they don’t, they don’t have to unless there’s a subpoena. It’s pretty straightforward stuff as far as I’m concerned.” Additionally, Moriarty reasons that passage of the bill would go a long way in resolving legal disputes that could result from a motor vehicle collision. “If there’s a civil case where two people are disputing and suing each other, there may be a way to settle this dispute and find out what the truth might be by a judge saying, ‘Yes, let’s look at the black boxes,’” he says. “Under those circumstances, since it’s a civil action and a court sanctions that a subpoena should be ordered or signed to get that information, that should go forward. “Let’s say there’s a dispute as to what happened in a car crash,” he adds. “I say I was traveling across the highway, and I had a green light and you must have had a red light, and you just kept plowing through and we collided. You say the opposite, and no one was there to tell. There may be a way to re-construct the scene with the help of some of the data.” The idea of using black box data in auto crash litigation was established long before the current bill: In 2013, New Jersey-based actress Amy Locane (Melrose Place) was sentenced to three years in prison after being found guilty of vehicular homicide and assault by automobile in a 2010 crash that killed a 60-year-old woman. Prior to the conviction, Superior Court Judge Robert Reed allowed data collected from Locane’s vehicle on what caused the accident to be allowed as evidence in the trial. Naturally, this growth in black box event data recorders has had an impact on the automotive service and repair industries. As the black box discussion moves forward, AASP/NJ Mechanical Chairman Keith Krehel wants to see any legislation regarding this technology work to protect consumer privacy at all times. “I would hate to see where police would have the right to go into the black boxes and say, ‘A-ha! Here’s three speeding tickets!’” he says. Additionally, Krehel cautions that not every situation behind the wheel is as black and white as the information that
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COVER STORY might be documented in an event data recorder. “Let’s say the speed limit is 65 miles an hour on a street, and you’re doing 55 and weaving in and out,” he says. “Even though you’re not exceeding the speed limit, you’re causing a dangerous situation because you’re driving aggressively or worse, and you could cause an accident. But let’s say the guy’s driving on the Parkway at 7am in South Jersey, there’s nobody on the road and he goes a few miles over the speed limit. Is he causing a danger to society? Not really. He’s breaking the law, but he’s not really endangering people around him, [just] himself.” No stranger to dealing with data-related issues in his business, AASP/NJ member Tom Elder sees the proliferation of data-collection technology in vehicles as an opportunity to keep everyone honest. “The customer comes to me and says, ‘Ever since the repair job, the ‘check engine’ is on,’” he offers as an example. “On many cars, you can tell [the number of] key cycles and hours; [the data] gives you
some sort of a distance as to when the ‘check engine’ light came on. I fire it up on the computer and I see that the ‘check engine’ light’s been on for 97 cycles of the key. The car was in an accident and wasn’t drivable; nobody turned the key on and off 97 times. You do catch customers in lies all the time.” Elder says that data collected on vehicles can help repairers identify everything from odometer fraud to SRS malfunctions that occurred long before an accident – thus proving a customer wrong if he or she claims that an SRS light is on as the result of a repair. While black box data offers plenty of positives, its use introduces the possibility of something no body shop wants to tackle – delays in cycle time. For example, what happens if a customer’s insurer refuses to cover a claim because the data reveals that he or she was speeding or driving recklessly? “If this information is made readily available, more people are going to take in this information and use it to slow down
the body repair [process],” Elder says. “Whether that’s fair or unfair, I don’t know.” Unsurprisingly, this is one of many industry-related concerns to come to light in an era of driver data collection. What if a car you repaired is involved in a subsequent accident and your previous work is investigated for possibly affecting the performance of the car and influencing the collision? What if the data event recorder ultimately identified a performance-based problem caused by a prior repair performed at your facility? And what if a repair facility is able to use the vehicle data they retrieve from a customer as a marketing tactic to somehow keep that customer coming back to their place? These are serious questions to consider. Fortunately, Assemblyman Moriarty is open to hearing what auto professionals feel about this technology – and the goals of his current legislation. “I’m an open-minded person,” he says. “I always understand that sometimes we put together pieces of legislation with continued on page 53
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THE LIST
We reached out to some of our readers to find out what they would do with a few extra million in their pockets.
If You Won the Lotter y, What Would You Do with the Money?
“If I won the lottery, I’d take a long trip to nowhere in particular. “I’d buy a wave pool. I know I’d see everywhere I it sounds strange, but I took talked about going my kids to Dorney Park a when I was a kid. few years back and we were France, Italy, Mexico, all nuts for it. Even though China – wherever. I they’ve grown up a bit since then, I think we’d all still get just want to see the world. a kick out of that.”
“I’d take the money and open up four more body shops.”
“I’d pay to put my parents in a better place. They worked their whole lives to give me everything I had growing up, and I’m working now to do the same thing for them. But if the money just showed up on my door one day, it would definitely make life easier.”
“Retire and take my wife somewhere nice. Maybe somewhere tropical, but nothing too insane. I’m old. I want to take it easy.”
“Depending on how much I won, I’d buy a Cakewalk. It’s a 280-foot, 14-guest yacht that costs like $150,000,000. Does the lottery go up that high?” “Retire with my brother. I’m 71, he’s 75. Honestly, I wouldn’t even do anything crazy with the money. I’d just sit back and relax for once.”
“Pay off my debts and then donate the rest of it to the Alzheimer’s Association. I lost my dad to Alzheimer’s a few years back; I don’t want anyone else to have to go through that.”
“Pay for my kid’s college tuitions in full so they can go to the school of their dreams without being stuck with a massive pile of debt. Then, I’d take my wife on a roundthe-world trip.”
“Sell my auto body shop, buy one of those beautiful houses right on the water at the shore that are so big you can’t tell if they’re a house or a hotel, move in my family and spend all my time fishing.” “I hear you can buy a private island these days. That sounds pretty good to me. The less people I have to deal with, the better.”
Well, the first thing I would do is get a chunk of it in small bills and roll around in a pile of money. Let’s be honest, who hasn’t thought of doing that? And then I guess I’d have to do something responsible with it, like pay off my mortgage. 48 | New Jersey Automotive | November 2014
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NO BRAKES by Ron Ananian
THE CYCLE Of REPAIR
From ball joints to brakes to computer repair, the scale of different jobs in one week in auto repair is demanding and sometimes difficult. Isn’t it great? One of the things I love about repairing cars is the range of complexity and the challenges that are created on a weekly basis. Successfully overcoming these challenges is part of what makes a good mechanic better. The cream always rises and so must we to meet the challenges of the day, both in life and in work. This week, the shop was really humming. We had a ton of small repairs and some bigger ones too. It is funny how some jobs come in particular patterns – it always seems to work that way. One repair brings in a similar repair until the run ends and the next cycle begins. Just like in life, in auto repair things tend to come in threes. A 2011 Buick, a 2009 Toyota and a 2010 Honda all came in with complaints of steering wheel shake and shudder at highway speeds over 50mph when the brake was applied. Every car was road tested twice – before and after the repair. Faults were verified and estimated to repair; all of them were issues related to front brake rotors that had excessive run out. The faces of the rotors were not parallel and out of round. This can be caused by a few different things. Two of the vehicles, the Honda and the Toyota, had recent brake work done at another shop, and it’s interesting to note that the hardware for the calipers had no lube, were rusty and gritty and clearly were not replaced when the brakes were serviced. Keep in mind, if the pads don’t slide, they can stick and overheat the rotors, creating this very problem. It was obvious that the last mechanics had no attention to detail. Lastly, judging by the effort required for the impact gun to remove the lug nuts on all three cars, they were too tight and not evenly tightened. Once those three cars were taken care of, the cycle of repair shifted and moved on to something else. The next three vehicles to complete their cycle needed brake lines. Rust never sleeps and Old Man Time finally created some issues that fortunately happened when the owners were close to home. The drivers were local or pulling out of the driveway when the lines failed. Seems like we did so many brake lines this week – Bk31, Bk33, PAE-60 – all part numbers for inventory of fittings and lines that we sold, so many of which that I started to see them in my sleep. Some count
sheep, some count parts. The life of an auto mechanic is complicated. After a few days of brake rotors, lines and the usual oil changes and maintenance, fate decided to kick things up a notch and hand us three more vehicles, this time in need of computer replacement, reflashing and software updates. Out came the dealer-level scan tools, the battery charger and maintainer and several hours spent downloading, installing and following exact procedure for computer software updates. It is quite the culture shock from running brake lines or replacing pads and rotors. Clearly, we were running the gamut of what repairs are becoming as shops evolve and change. The last twist of the week was a ’99 Ford E150 van on Friday. Maybe it was supposed to happen this way: After having done all of the above repairs on separate vehicles, you guessed it...this one needed it ALL, including new ball joints. Who knows? Maybe next week, we’ll start doing ball joints and have a run of those. THE BOTTOM LINE IS... To be successful in both life and work, you have to be flexible, alert and ready. It is a cycle from one end of the scale to another; you never know what either of them will throw at you. If you have the ability to roll with changes and adapt, your chances of success increase exponentially. Thanks to technology, auto repair from both sides of the counter is evolving and changing by the minute. Shop owners and technicians, as well as our collective customers, are seeing extremely different procedures and repairs than just a few short years ago - a trend which is bound to continue. If we as repairers are not prepared to deal with the massive scope and scale of these different operations, we are bound to fail. Auto repair mirrors life; we must expect the unexpected. Beware of the evolving cycle and what it brings to the shop. Remember, life is like cheap underwear: You never know when it’s going to creep up on you, or drive in the door of your shop.
’Til next time, I’m Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor, reminding you that “Good mechanics aren’t expensive; they’re priceless.” Ron Ananian, owner of R\A Automotive in Waldwick, NJ (est. 1978), is heard weekly in 140 markets on his nationally syndicated radio talk show. He is a working technician and former AASP/NJ Board member. Beyond his radio show, Ron writes and speaks for the automotive industry at trade shows and events. Visit The Car Doctor online at www.cardoctorshow.com.
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE continued from page 14 soon, with allegations of wrongdoing by the insurer and the deciding judge. All of this litigation occurring all over the country is a clear indication that the collision industry is on its way to taking back the control that has been surrendered to the insurance industry. The bottom line is that one industry has no business controlling another. Collision shops that have been paying attention to all the litigation and understand how things are actually supposed to work will soon be leading what is being referred to as the New American Revolution by taking back control of the collision industry. This has been a long time coming, but it is well on its way now. We will be watching and keeping our members aware of the results as they happen. Stay tuned. NJA
COVER STORY
continued from page 46
all the best intentions, and some people who this will affect the most sometimes point out unintended consequences we didn’t consider. That’s why no bill should be rushed to a vote; there should be dialogue and several processes...There are a lot of different places where affected parties, stakeholders, et cetera can weigh in, and we always look forward to hearing from them because many bills get amended before they get to become law. We’re happy to hear from people in these industries if they think there’s something that can make the bill better or if they think there’s something in [it] that is detrimental or unintended.” The complete text of Assembly Bill 3579 is available at http://legiscan. com/NJ/text/A3579/2014. Assemblyman Moriarty’s recent voting record can be found at http://www.njleg. state.nj.us/bills/BillsBySponsor_ First_Prime. asp. NJA
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AudaExplore Introduces Predictive Analytics Solution with Launch of New Decision Science Platform
Predictive Solution Uses Data to Ensure Better Business Outcomes, Improving Efficiency and Productivity AudaExplore, the US business unit of Solera Holdings Inc. (NYSE: SLH) and a leading global datadriven solution provider to insurance carriers, repairers, dealerships, fleet owners and suppliers, has introduced a Predictive Analytics Solution as part of its new Decision Science Platform. The Predictive Analytics Solution, which is fully integrated with AudaExplore Estimate Check, is a real-time, datadriven solution that uses advanced algorithms to accurately automate business processes, increasing efficiency and productivity. It includes repair-versus-replace analysis and parts and labor relational modeling. The predictive product is part of Auda Explore’s Decision Science Platform, which improves performance by
leveraging data to predict business outcomes and drive actionable insights. The Decision Science Platform includes visualization tools that make it easier to spot trends, as well as mobile access for fast, onthe-go decision making. It currently offers estimating analysis for partial and total loss, parts and labor analysis to manage quality and costs and repair analytics to understand DRP performance, with additional tools to come. “Our Predictive Analytics Solution and our Decision Science Platform leverage 40 years of process expertise throughout the vehicle ownership experience to help reduce gaps in the decision-making process,” said Bill Groves, chief data & analytics officer at AudaExplore. “By accurately automating this process,
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our customers can become more efficient and provide better service to their customers.” A key feature of the Predictive Analytics Solution is its ability to predict when external sheet metal parts should be replaced versus repaired. AudaExplore models suggest that more than 20 percent of bumper covers and hoods that are replaced could instead be repaired. On average, it costs $300 more to replace a front or rear bumper cover rather than repair it. The cost variance rises to $479 for hood panels. By identifying parts to be repaired instead of replaced, AudaExplore’s Predictive
Analytics Solution could collectively save insurance policyholders millions of dollars annually while improving the customer experience, reducing settlement times and increasing trust among shops, insurers and the end consumer. Backed by AudaExplore’s years of industry experience and robust model deployment methodology, the Predictive Analytics Solution is made to be technology agnostic and scalable, and it can be implemented quickly with minimal IT engagement. For more information, visit www.audaexplore.com.
ABOUT AUDAEXPLORE: As owners expect greater service throughout the life of their vehicle, AudaExplore helps businesses reimagine the ownership experience through its proven data-driven solutions. By delivering global data, easy-to-use technology and deeper insights into the ownership lifecycle, AudaExplore is leading the industry in making insurance carriers, repairers, dealerships and fleet owners and suppliers more efficient and competitive. AudaExplore is a business unit of Solera Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SLH), the leading global claims solutions provider serving the automotive industry. For more information, visit www.auda explore.com or follow us on Twitter at @AudaExplore_.
ABOUT SOLERA: Solera is a leading global provider of software and services to the automobile insurance claims processing and decision support industries. Solera is active in 70 countries across six continents. The Solera companies include: Audatex in the United States, Canada, and in more than 45 additional countries; Informex in Belgium and Greece; Sidexa in France; ABZ and Market Scan in the Netherlands; HPI and CarweB in the United Kingdom; Hollander serving the North American recycling market; AUTOonline providing salvage disposition in a number of European and Latin American countries; IMS providing medical review services; Explore providing data and analytics to United States property and casualty insurers; Service Repair Solutions, a joint venture with Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe, that provides solutions for the service, maintenance and repair market; and I&S, a provider of software and business management tools, third-party claims administration, first notice of loss and network management services to the US auto and property repair industries specializing in glass claims. For more information, please refer to Solera’s website at www.solerainc.com.
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ARANJ 2014 Officers
President Bob Dirkes, Dirkes Used Auto Parts 609-625-1718 dirkesauto@gmail.com 1st Vice President Ian Szoboszlay, Ocean County Auto 732-349-0332 ian@cosmosautoparts.com 2nd Vice President Darryl Carmen, Lentini Auto Salvage 908-782-6838 darryl@las-parts.com 3rd Vice President Joe Goodman, Leesville Auto 732-388-0783 joeg@leesvilleauto.com Past President Norm Vachon, Port Murray Auto 908-689-3152 portmurrayauto@yahoo.com Executive Director Brian Snyder, Auto Recyclers of NJ 609-714-2339 brian@aranj.org
ARANJ 2014 Board of Directors
Mike Ronayne, Tilghmans Auto Parts 609-723-7469 tilghmans@snip.net
Marvin Leadbeater, Bamber Lake Auto 609-639-6500 marvinjsp@comcast.net Mike Yeager, EL & M Auto 609-561-2266 elandmauto@aol.com
Rodney Krawczyk, Ace Auto Wreckers 732-254-9816 aceautonj@comcast.net
Mike Caputo, Lacey Used Auto Parts, Inc. 609-693-0898 laceyautomike@aol.com
ARANJ
The Automotive Recyclers Association of New Jersey
Wharton Insurance Briefs An ARA Member
Owning a dismantling/recycling facility can be an environmental headache. Leaking fuel tanks, waste fluids and water runoff can migrate onto your neighbor’s property or into someone’s water supply, which could result in a compulsory cleanup effort or a third-party lawsuit. Luckily, there is insurance coverage available to protect your assets. Dismantlers/recyclers and landowners can purchase pollution coverage to protect their businesses against liabilities that may arise from a pollution condition. The policy would cover the cleanup costs of the pollutants, contaminated soil and water on the affected property. In addition, the policy can provide coverage for properties adjacent to your business, as well as properties down stream or down gradient. It also can cover the legal defense and judgment awards for a third-party lawsuit for bodily injury or property damage. These policies can be written for multiple years with various deductibles and coverage limits. If you have an interest in discussing this coverage further or have any concerns with your current insurance coverage, please contact me. Mario DeFilippis, AAI, Vice President 800-221-0003 (1320) • 908-513-8588 (cell) • mdefilippis@whartoninsurance.com
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Acme Nissan................................................6 Amato Agency..............................................7
Audi Group ................................................30-31 Axalta Coating Systems ..............................IBC
BMW Group ................................................42-43 Bridgewater Acura........................................38 Brogan GM Parts Center ............................8
Cadillac of Mahwah......................................41 CCC Comp-Est ............................................37 Classic Audi ................................................10 Clinton Acura................................................57 Cosmos Recycled Auto Parts ......................14
Crane Chevrolet ..........................................57 Cycan Industries ..........................................25 Empire Auto Parts ........................................58
Flemington Group ........................................19 Fred Beans Parts ........................................13
Future Cure..................................................16
Glen Toyota..................................................OBC Hyundai Group ............................................26 JMK BMW ....................................................5
JMK Saab/JMK Fiat ....................................41
Klean Frame ................................................58 LKQ..............................................................25 Maxon Mazda ..............................................27
Maxon Hyundai........................................32-33 Mazda Group ..............................................47 Mercedes Benz of Freehold ........................46 Mike Kaufmann Dealer Group ....................37
Mini Group ..................................................34 Mitsubishi Group ..........................................51 Mopar Group................................................4
NORTHEAST® 2015 ..................................18
NU-CAR...................................................22-23 Paul Miller Audi ............................................50 Porsche Group ............................................39 PPG ............................................................3
PPGMS ........................................................24
Prestige Motors............................................55 Princeton BMW ............................................15 Princeton Mini ..............................................9
Saw Mill Auto Wreckers ..............................56 Subaru Group ..............................................49
Town Audi ....................................................56 Toyota Group ..............................................35
Toyota of Hackensack..................................IFC Valtek ..........................................................53 VIP Honda....................................................38 VW Group ....................................................40
Wheel Collision Center ................................53
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