New Jersey Automotive November 2017

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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)

HAVING YOUR

VOICE HEARD: 2017 NJA Industry Survey Results

November 2017 $595

• When You Are Proven Wrong in Court • NORTHEAST® 2018 Expands to Second Level

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We Appreciate Your Business!

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P.O. Box 734 Neptune, NJ 07753 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Charles Bryant 732-922-8909 / setlit4u@msn.com 2017 - 2019 OFFICERS PRESIDENT Jerry McNee, Ultimate Collision Repair, Inc. 732-494-1900 / ultimatecollision@att.net COLLISION CHAIRMAN Dennis Cataldo, Jr., D&M Auto Body 732-251-4313 / jr@dandmautobody.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 Billy Aiello, Lee’s Auto Body 732-634-6161 / repairs@leesautobodyinc.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 908-789-2020 / mikhail@goldcar.com

Ted Rainer, Ocean Bay Auto Body 732-899-7900 / ted@oceanautobody.com Anthony Sauta, East Coast Auto Body 732-869-9999 / ecabofnj@aol.com

Anthony Trama, Bloomfield Auto Body 973-748-2608 / anthony@bloomfieldautobody.com BOARD ALLIED Joe Amato, The Amato Agency 732-530-6740 / joesr@amatoagency.com

Mike Kaufmann, Advantage Dealer Services 973-332-7014 / mkaufmann@advantageds.com PAST PRESIDENT ATTENDING Jeff McDowell, Leslie’s Auto Body 732-738-1948 / chacki@aol.com

PUBLISHER Thomas Greco / thomas@grecopublishing.com SALES DIRECTOR Alicia Figurelli / alicia@grecopublishing.com EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Joel Gausten / joel@grecopublishing.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR Lea Velocci / lea@grecopublishing.com

EDITORIAL/CREATIVE COORDINATOR Kristen Dalli / kristen@grecopublishing.com

OFFICE MANAGER Donna Greco / donna@grecopublishing.com

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Charles Bryant • Mario DeFilippis • Jeff McDowell • Mitch Portnoi • Ron Ananian Keith Krehel • Jerry McNee • Bob Dirkes

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 © 2017 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.

CONTENTS

VOLUME 47, NUMBER 11 | November 2017

10 OUT OF BODY (AND MECHANICAL) EXPERIENCES 12 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 16 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE 18 NEW MEMBERS

22 22 31 54 70

COLLISION CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE I-CAR CALENDAR NEWS FROM POLYVANCE IN MEMORIAM: Anthony Campanella, Jr. NJA ADVERTISERS’ INDEX

41 COVER STORYby Jacquelyn Bauman HAVING YOUR VOICE HEARD:

THE 2017 NJA INDUSTRY SURVEY

LOCAL NEWS by Kristen Dalli 26 Igniting Change in the Industry: AASP/NJ Annual Meeting Recap 30 NORTHEAST® 2018 Expands to Second Level 30 American Honda Hosts Collision Repair Integrity Event 31 AASP/NJ’s County Line Auto Body Featured On Channel 12 News NATIONAL NEWS by Joel Gausten 35 Greco Publishing Alerts Honda to Revise Position Statement on Steering 37 $31.5 Million Verdict Hits Texas Body Shop EASY WRITER by Larry Montanez III, CDA 53 When You Are Proven Wrong in Court AUTOMOTIVE RECYCLERS ASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEY 63 Wharton Insurance Briefs 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 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

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OUT OF BODY (AND MECHANICAL) EXPERIENCES

HATER

I was talking to someone recently and they called me a “hater.” A hater? Sure, I’ve heard the word before. It’s a word that had to have come into existence pretty recently. I mean, I don’t remember hearing the word until a few years ago. So I looked it up. Here are some definitions according to the Urban Dictionary:

A person that simply cannot be happy for another person’s success. So rather than be happy they make a point of exposing a flaw in that person.

A word that 11-15-year-olds use to describe anyone who dares to have a different opinion on a subject, usually something such as a band or a show on television.

A word used to describe those who hate others for irrational reasons, for the sake of hate itself.

And my favorite:

A pathetic term used by idiots to describe anyone who has a different opinion to them.

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by THOMAS GRECO, PUBLISHER

Dictionary.com defines a hater as a person who has an intense dislike for another person or thing. Good old Webster’s defines it as…well, I tried to find it on the Webster’s Dictionary website, but they wanted to charge me for it. So much for that. (Unlike the majority of newspaper publishers, at least they know their content is worth something.) A sidebar to this is when I did a Google search for “hater,” I found a dating app called Hater that matches people who hate the same things. AMAZING! So where did this word come from? According to author Marcus Reeves, “hater” is derived from the term “player hater.” That phrase first surfaced in the late 1990s, as hip-hop music was becoming mainstream. Player hater was the term given to those who work against or criticize the make-it-by-any-means-necessary ethos of any successful person. The phrase was eventually shortened to hater, encompassing anyone who criticized a person’s success or business practices. (I knew it!)

But so what? When did hate become a crime? (Oh crap. I forgot there are such things as hate crimes. As if

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murder isn’t murder? Ugh.) You know what? There are a lot of things I hate. Does that make me a bad person?

For example: I hate paying bills.

I hate people that don’t pay their bills.

I hate cancer.

I hate the owner of the pizza place I’ve boycotted for over two years.

I hate artichokes.

I hate Miss Gilbert. (My seventh-grade Science teacher who failed me twice.)

I hate macaroni.

I hate heart disease.

I hate my former business partner who forged my name on checks made out to my company.

I hate fish.

I hate Twitter. A couple things about Twitter: 1) Remember that old saying, “opinions are like assh#les - everyone has one?” I absolutely believe that was the inspiration for Twitter.

Think about it. 2) Don’t you think if someone pulled the plug on Twitter, we’d all be better off? Unfortunately, it’s like a drug. Addicting.

I hate beets.

I hate watching golf and soccer.

I hate getting up early. (As if ANYONE didn’t know that.)

I hate firing people.

I hate war. (I’ve been watching the Vietnam War series on PBS. Heartbreaking.)

I hate ungrateful people.

I hate when people brag on Facebook.

I hate losing my hair.

I hate bugs.

I hate when people don’t realize what a precious gift life is.

I hate when millionaires playing a kid’s game kneel for the national anthem.

I hate when drivers don’t wave after you let them slide in front of you.

I hate when my kids are unhappy.

I hate politicians who only care about getting re-elected instead of making things better.

I hate the Beatles. (Not! Just making sure you’re still reading!)

I hate that I can’t find a news source that isn’t biased. I used to read five newspapers a day. Five! Now I don’t read any. And it’s not because of the Internet. It’s because there’s no longer a thing called objective journalism.

I hate that people I love are dying too young.

I’m sure there are many more things I could list, but I think you get the point. Fact is, if I had to write a list of things I love, it would take me about 20 years. So read this with a grain of salt. After all, I would really HATE it if you didn’t like this article. NJA

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

TIMESUCKERS

by JERRY MCNEE

Our job is to repair the vehicle and determine the best way to make that possible; the insurance industry’s job is to pay for it.

Seems pretty simple, right? Well, I don’t have to tell you how difficult it’s becoming to stick to this philosophy right now. Just before writing this message, I got off the phone with someone on the other side of the fence who claimed that our invoice for paint and materials was our “opinion,” and not what was truly needed to properly complete the repair. I spent a good chunk of time I don’t have explaining to this person that we painted a threestage color. What’s next? Will I have to start charging negotiation fees just to get paid to get a customer’s vehicle back on the road? This is just one example of the type of time wasting that goes on every day at a time when our facilities are already maxed out with stress and logistical headaches.

The issues surrounding paint and material costs get even more frustrating when you consider that the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance issued a bulletin years ago that stated the following: Since the costs of paint and material vary widely, the methods traditionally used by insurers to provide allowances for paint and material costs may, in some instances, be inadequate or recessive, resulting in repair estimates that do not provide a sufficient allowance to restore the vehicle to its condition immediately prior to the loss.

Insurers are expected to provide repair allowances that are sufficient to restore damaged vehicles to their preaccident condition. The use of available paint and materials cost calculator

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mutual cooperation. Now that photo estimating is here, these personal interactions are disappearing. It’s hard to have a real discussion with someone who’s 32 states away. It’s yet another needless waste of time to have to explain manuals and programs to determine something to someone who is miles away allowances is encouraged to assist and sticks to whatever company insurers in achieving consistent “guidelines” are placed in front of them. compliance. The Department is monitoring When someone just sits at the other end of insurer claim practices to confirm that a computer or fax machine and reads allowances for all aspects of the repair from a script, it’s nearly impossible for us process are sufficient. to do business the right way.

As complaints are received by As we’ve seen with the recent lawsuit insurers and the Department, our Office of in Texas, it is critical that every repair Consumer Protection Services will be facility in this country follows OEMconducting appropriate reviews during the recommended procedures. If you look market analysis and market conduct back at the late Greg Coccaro’s nowexamination process. Insurers are famous case with Progressive, you’ll expected to be prepared to justify their clearly see that the jury concluded that an repair allowances. insurer’s estimate has no bearing on how a vehicle will be repaired.

The other day, I had an insurance No matter what anyone says, the estimator write for a door that even Ray simple truth is that it’s our estimate – not Charles could have seen needed to be the insurer’s – that will stand up in court. replaced. Instead, it was written to be Maybe it’s time for us to devote some repaired. It’s completely beyond belief. If space in our facilities for a “quiet room” an insurance company’s job is to cover a where insurance appraisers can look up loss, why is it that they go into a shop and OEM repair procedures on the spot and write such poor estimates? If my shop actually write them. If shops are able to looks at the car and writes a proper and look this stuff up every day, why can’t complete estimate, we throw away our they? time the second that document is If you’re a member of AASP/NJ, know chopped to pieces by an insurer. This is that the Board members are dealing with not the way to be rewarded for our diligent the same frustrations that you are on a and professional work. Our industry no daily basis. The only way we can ever longer has the time to sit back and let this hope to rise above these issues is to work kind of nonsense continue. together and stay up to date with the These days, it’s a full-time job simply major events impacting our industry. to manage photos. At our shop, we’re Please reach out to me or anyone else on averaging between 40 and 190 photos for the Board when any of the problems a repair. Are we paid for the time and effort described in this message – or any other that goes into this? Of course not. dilemmas, for that matter – push you to the While I’m on the subject of pictures, breaking point. We’re here to help, and we the scary rise of photo estimating creates can only win this fight as a united front. As a slew of new problems for us. Over the your new AASP/NJ president, I look years, we’ve been able to build forward to working with you in changing relationships with quite a few insurance this industry for the better. appraisers. These people have NJA relationships with us based on trust and

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

This $31.5 Million Wake-Up Call Cannot Be Ignored

by CHARLES BRYANT

I’m sure that anyone paying attention to the collision repair industry has heard about the lawsuit in Texas against John Eagle Collision Center for their improper repair of a 2010 Honda Fit. On October 2, the jury awarded the couple injured in the accident $42 million in damages. John Eagle was found responsible for 75 percent of the liability in the judgement, or $31.5 million.

John Eagle made the decision to panel-bond the replaced roof instead of following the manufacturer’s procedures that required the roof to be welded on. The crux of the case, according to plaintiff attorney Todd Tracy, is that the body shop “made a conscious decision” to deviate from Honda’s repair specifications when it chose to glue a new roof onto the haildamaged vehicle, citing pressure from State Farm to keep costs down.

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$31.5 Million Verdict Hits Texas Body Shop

by Joel Gausten

October 2 brought the conclusion of easily the most talkedabout court case in auto body history, when a Texas jury found John Eagle Collision Center in Dallas guilty of negligence in the improper repair of a 2010 Honda Fit that led to permanent injuries for the driver in a subsequent collision. The driver, Matthew Seebachan, and his wife, Marcia, were awarded 75 percent of a $42 million verdict (or $31.5 million) for their ordeal. (The other driver in the accident, Jack Jordan, was found responsible for 25 percent of the $42 million, but he was not involved in the case and is not legally obligated to pay this amount.)

Four years ago, the Seebachans were driving their used Honda four days before Christmas when they were struck head-on by a hydroplaning pickup truck. Within moments, the couple’s vehicle was engulfed in flames while they were trapped inside. Although they were miraculously pulled from the car in the nick of time, Matthew suffered fourth-degree burns and Marcia experienced trauma that survives to this day. Following the crash, the Seebachans learned that the car’s previous owner had the roof replaced at John Eagle. This news came as a shock, since the Fit had a clean CARFAX report when they purchased it from the dealership. Worst of all, they were informed that the roof had been replaced using industrial adhesive – not through welding as defined in Honda’s OEM repair procedures. The couple then sued the collision center, arguing that when the roof separated, one of the walls curved enough to puncture the gas tank under the driver’s seat. A lawsuit against State Farm – the insurer involved in the original repair – was also filed but later withdrawn. NJA

Photo courtesy of prnewswire.com

The lawsuit contended that the force of the collision caused the vehicle’s improperly repaired roof to buckle, which set off a chain reaction: The car’s safety cage collapsed and the fuel tank below the driver’s seat ruptured. Trapped behind the steering wheel, the driver of the vehicle (Matthew Seebachan) remained conscious as flames enveloped his feet and lower legs before a motorist pulled him from the burning vehicle. Another motorist rescued his wife (Marcia Seebachan) through the passenger window of the car.

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE In a deposition that was published

in Repairer Driven News, John Eagle

Shop Manager Boyce Willis asserted that the shop’s repair procedures are “guided by insurance.” He testified that if you brought your car into his shop, “the insurance company’s going to dictate … how we’re going to repair your car.” The attorney then wanted to clarify with Willis that the insurance

It’s time that the collision industry simply says no to the undue influence that insurers seem to think they have over repairers. The shops should be the ones deciding what it takes to repair the car, and they should be getting paid to do it.

company cannot trump the OEM specifications.

Willis’ response? “Yes, they can.

By not paying the bill.”

I would imagine that Willis believed the shop couldn’t be held liable for any damages that resulted from incorrect repairs, because he was not paid to perform the correct repair. I am sure this shop got the surprise of a lifetime. I constantly hear collision shops say, “I am not going to perform repairs that I am not being paid for.” I can certainly understand why a collision shop would take this position. However, I have trouble understanding why certain collision shops will repair a vehicle when they have not reached an agreement with either an insurer or the vehicle owner to be paid for all procedures that are required for a safe and proper repair.

For years, I have watched members of the collision industry allow insurers to come into their shops and sway the repair methodology by limiting what they will or will not pay for, just as John Eagle claims happened in this case that resulted in a $31.5 million lesson. I have run a hotline answering collision member shops’ calls for over 24 years. I constantly hear that insurers continued on page 37

NEW MEMBERS Lentz Auto Body, LLC Belford, NJ 18 | New Jersey Automotive | November 2017

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Flemington BMW 216 Route 202/31 Flemington, NJ 08822 PH: 877-657-2787 Fax: 908-782-1795 njparts.com/bmw

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Wide World BMW 125 East Route 59 Spring Valley, NY 10977 PH: 877-817-3895 Fax: 845-425-5080 wideworldofcarsbmw.com

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Circle BMW 500 Route 36 Eatontown, NJ 07724 Parts Direct: 732-440-1235 Fax: 732-440-1239 wholesale@circlebmw.com circlebmw.com

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BMW of Bridgewater 655 Route 202/206 Bridgewater, NJ 08807 PH: 908-287-1800 FAX:908-722-1729 bridgewaterbmw.com

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CALENDAR

NOVEMBER 1 Hazardous Materials, Personal Safety & Refinish Safety CollisionMax, an ABRA Company, Pennsauken NOVEMBER 2 Steering & Suspension Damage Analysis Holiday Inn & Suites, Parsippany Automotive Foams Britland Auto Body, Bridgewater NOVEMBER 7 Measuring Innovative Solutions & Technology, Lincoln Park Replacement of Steel Unitized Structures Hampton Inn by Hilton, Mt. Laurel NOVEMBER 8 Plastic & Composite Repair Allstate Insurance, Wall Township Wheel Alignment & Diagnostic Angles CollisionMax, an ABRA Company, Pennsauken NOVEMBER 11 Squeeze-Type Resistance Spot Welding RK Chevrolet, Vineland

NOVEMBER 13 Understanding the Cycle Time Process Reliable Automotive Equipment, Belford NOVEMBER 14 Sectioning of Steel Unitized Structures Hampton Inn by Hilton, Mt. Laurel NOVEMBER 15 Vehicle Technology Trends & Diagnostics Overview Allstate Insurance, Wall Township Squeeze-Type Resistance Spot Welding CollisionMax, an ABRA Company, Pennsauken NOVEMBER 21 Steel Unitized Structures Technologies & Repair Innovative Solutions & Technology, Lincoln Park NOVEMBER 29 Aluminum Exterior Panel Repair & Replacement CollisionMax, an ABRA Company, Pennsauken Corrosion Protection Allstate Insurance, Wall Township

For more information, visit i-car.com

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COLLISION CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE

THE FAMILY BUSINESS

You could say that I have been in this industry since birth.

My father was heavily involved in a number of trade associations in the State of New York (ABCG, LIABRA, NYSACTA) from when I was a kid. I’ve known other shop owners and members of this industry for so long they feel like family. I grew up watching the battles fought, both won and lost, against insurance companies. I’ve seen countless hardships involved in running a small business.

I grew up listening to the same complaints and the same problems on these same issues over and over again, without ever receiving an appropriate solution. I watched as overhead increases, and then more, and then even more got taken off the bottom line.

I feel as though for too long we have cared too much about “our” customers and their vehicles that we repair. It seems like we’re missing out on an opportunity that we can use to our advantage by getting “our” customers involved.

How many of you have explained the process of repair, and the alphabet soup of acronyms that are plastered all over our estimates to your customers?

Once I give meaning to OEM, A/M, LKQ, Opt OEM, Recond. parts, or whatever it might be written on the customer’s estimate, and print out a position statement from the manufacturer on said parts, I have now involved the owner of the vehicle in the repair process. The goal is that the owner will see the difference, and be willing to voice their opinion on their vehicle, giving us another weapon in the daily battle.

When it works, it’s great. Everyone gets what they want. When it doesn’t, I use it as an opportunity to upsell the customer to a better product.

You might not think about it this way, but we are in the business of selling automobile repairs. It’s about time we started to operate differently than our “fathers.”

NJA

NJA

by DENNIS CATALDO

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Igniting Change in the Industry:

LOCAL NEWS by Kristen Dalli

ANNUAL MEETING

RECAP

On October 24, industry professionals from across the state came together for AASP/NJ’s 2017 Annual Meeting at the Gran Centurions Banquet Hall in Clark. The meeting began with brief introductions from AASP/NJ Executive Director Charles Bryant and President Jeff McDowell before breaking for dinner.

The meeting reconvened with a Treasurer’s report from Tom Elder, and the election of a new slate of AASP/NJ officers.

Running unopposed, the association elected Jerry McNee as the new president, Dennis Cataldo as Collision Chairman and Keith Krehel maintained his position as Mechanical Chairman.

AASP/NJ re-elected Sam Mikhail, Ted Rainer, Anthony Trama and Joe Amato as Board members, and added Gary Gardella and Billy Aiello to the Board.

Elder then began the evening’s award ceremony, starting with the Russ Robson scholarship, created in memory of his friend and former AASP/NJ president.

“Russ was a great personality, a dear friend and had such a passion for education. He was an I-CAR instructor, he taught at a local vocational school, and we didn’t want to forget his name,” said Elder.

Nominated by new Board member Gary Gardella, this year’s recipient was Robert Kirk of County Line Auto Body (Howell).

Bryant then came up to present the Stan Wilson/New Jersey Automotive Body Shop of the Year Award to Brad Denning of Dobbs Auto Body.

“Brad has made an investment in the equipment and training, and he fights the battles every day and he doesn’t give up,” said Bryant. “And I’m very proud to have him as Body Shop of the Year.”

Guest speaker Robert The last award of the evening Palentchar of the was perhaps the most special, as Ombudsman’s office.

26 | New Jersey Automotive | November 2017

Bryant presented Jeff McDowell with the AASP/NJ Hall of Fame Award.

“This award is given to people who really put a lot into this industry.

We thought long and hard about it, but everything came right back to one guy. If Immediate Past President anybody ever deserved Jeff McDowell accepts AASP/NJ it, it’s Jeff McDowell.

Hall of Fame Award from Executive “We’ve been through Director Charles Bryant some really hard times, and Jeff guided us through everything,” Bryant continued. “He’s not only a great friend, but a friend of the industry. He’s incredibly knowledgeable about the industry, and so deserving of this award.”

Bryant then introduced the first guest speaker: Robert Palentchar from the Department of Insurance Office of the Ombudsman.

Palentchar described his division as primarily consumeroriented, and noted his main roles to be investigating consumer complaints and responding to inquiries.

“We try to educate consumers on issues that will help them deal with their insurance companies, that will help you — the body shop — bring things to our attention and review any concerns that you have.”

Palentchar’s presentation sparked an engaging dialogue for members in attendance, with many voicing their complaints and issues with filing claims. Bryant called on everyone in the room to continue being active and diligent in this fight, and hopes that as an association, change can happen.

Next to the podium was Allan Smith of I-CAR, who not only raved about the NORTHEAST® Automotive Services continued on page 67

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Audi dealers strive to make you an Au

• Audi dealers offer an expanded inventory of sheet metal, bumper covers and suspension items that will reduce your cycle time.

• Audi dealers can order non-stocked parts on Friday and have them available on Saturday to help speed your repairs.

• Audi Genuine Parts carry a limited 12-month warranty* to help ensure quality and reliability from your repairs.

Installing Audi Genuine Parts from an Audi dealer is priceless to your reputation and your custom 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

28 | New Jersey Automotive | November 2017

Classic Audi 655 North Macquesten Pky. Mount Vernon, NY 10552 914.663.2870 Fax: 914.663.2878 email: parts@westchesteraudi.com www.westchesteraudi.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

DCH Millburn Audi 2211 Millburn Ave Maplewood, NJ 07040 Toll Free: 800.553.9250 Direct: 973.762.0262 Fax: 973-762-2381 www.millburnaudi.com

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

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Town Motors Audi 400 South Dean Street Englewood, NJ 07631 201.227.6506/6536 Fax: 201.541.0314 www.townmotors.com

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Audi Manhattan 800 11th Avenue New York, NY 10019 212.515.8200 Wholesale Direct: 212.515.8275 www.audimanhattan.com

Cherry Hill Audi 2261 Marlton Pike West Cherry Hill, NJ 08002 Wholesale: 856.665.5660 Fax: 856-773-4077 email: parts@cherryhillimports.com www.cherryhillaudi.com

243 Route 17 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 201.252.1500 Fax: 201.254.1552 email: jmarcella@jackdanielsmotors.com www.jackdanielsmotors.com

New Jersey Automotive | November 2017 | 29

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LOCAL NEWS by Kristen Dalli

2018

Expands to Second Level With only a few months left until the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of New Jersey (AASP/NJ)-hosted NORTHEAST 2018 Automotive Services Show hits the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, the association is reporting this year’s event has garnered a considerable amount of attention through early exhibitor registrations and interest in the event. Following the 40th anniversary of NORTHEAST in 2017, AASP/NJ is excited to announce they’ll be stepping up their game to a whole new level with the expansion of the event. As the country’s largest regional trade show of its kind, the addition of the new-for-2018 NORTHEAST Pavilion section will nearly double the show’s size.

The expansion of NORTHEAST came after another record-setting turnout in 2017. With its fourth consecutive sold out show in the books, growing NORTHEAST was inevitable.

“An expansion has been in the works for years,” AASP/NJ Executive Director Charles Bryant says. “This felt like the right time for us to branch out to accommodate our incredible exhibitors, and we’re beyond excited to be able to do this.”

The NORTHEAST Pavilion will feature over 100 additional exhibitor booths, along with exclusive educational opportunities, special events and training, hands-on demos, a gourmet food court, and much, much more. As booth sales continue to exceed expectations, and the show dates get closer and closer (scheduled for March 16-18, 2018), it’s more important than ever to secure exhibitor space on the new lower level. As the inaugural show featuring the NORTHEAST Pavilion, AASP/NJ’S flagship event is on pace to have another historical, record-breaking year.

In making NORTHEAST 2018 a truly memorable experience for all in attendance, AASP/NJ has already secured some of the industry’s most sought after exhibitors. With early commitments from Accudraft, American

30 | New Jersey Automotive | November 2017

Honda Motor Co., I-CAR, Metropolitan Car-o-liner, Innovative Solutions & Technology/Pro Spot International and more, NORTHEAST 2018 is slated to be a weekend not soon forgotten in the automotive repair industry.

Collision Select Marketing Manager at American Honda Motor Co. Ed Mayer is already counting down the days until NORTHEAST 2018.

“I’ve been doing everything possible to start promoting [NORTHEAST 2018] within our ProFirst network,” Mayer shared. “We’ll once again be hosting our closed sessions, offering participants the same opportunity for education and involvement as in years past. We have five guest speakers lined up – all sure to draw considerable interest as highly respected pundits in the collision repair industry. We can’t share a lot just yet, but we’re as excited as ever about the show.”

While AASP/NJ is thrilled about the upcoming expansion and all the opportunities it creates, there is even more in store for NORTHEAST 2018.

For upcoming details and announcements and to learn more about the NORTHEAST 2018 Automotive Services Show, visit aaspnjnorth east.com. To find out more about AASP/NJ, visit aaspnj.org. NJA

American Honda Hosts Collision Repair Integrity Event

On September 19, 104 attendees gathered at American Honda’s Training Center in Mount Laurel for the manufacturer’s Collision Repair Integrity Event.

Led by American Honda’s Collision Select Marketing Manager Ed Mayer, the event featured presentations from I-CAR, Stan Mitchell and AG Energy Consulting, a selection designed to get shops to the next level regardless of their ProFirst certification status. Following a tour of the facility and the speaker presentations, guests were treated to dinner sponsored by Bill Flannery Automotive.

“The purpose of this event is to promote vehicle integrity,” Mayer shared.

“We want that Honda or that Acura to operate as designed. We got into the form, the fit and the function that goes into a

Ed Mayer of Honda emphasized the importance of safe, proper repairs

proper repair. If damage happens to our vehicles, they can be returned to preaccident condition as they ought to be.”

“Whether you’re ProFirst certified or not, we wanted attendees to have awareness of products, processes and all of those elements that make up a proper repair,” Mayer reported. “We want the information to be out there, and show people how to access it. It allows them to be qualified in the repairs, which helps their businesses and their consumers.”

Joe James of Bill Flannery Automotive echoed these sentiments, saying, “We’re just trying to bring that value to our customer.” As the Pennsylvania State Chair of I-CAR, James had established a relationship with Mayer, and together they decided to promote the value of OEM certification to countless shops.

“OEMs are getting involved with collision repair in a different way than in the past. To get involved with (American) Honda and with Ed Mayer, the networking we’re able to do, and the value we’re able to bring to our customers, it’s all about making them better. It’s about raising the bar, and making collision repair better all around. Getting that information right from an OEM is a pretty powerful source,” James shared.

Mayer hoped attendees would leave the event with a better understanding of American Honda’s dedication to proper repairs.

“Hopefully participants realized the breadth of American Honda’s commitment to safe, quality, proper repairs for consumers. Additionally, we hope that they realize the supports in place for any shop that chooses to do the right thing.

The information is out there – they just need to go get it.”

NJA

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AASP/NJ’s County Line Auto Body Featured on Channel 12 News

Richard Gardella of County Line Auto Body

On Monday, October 9, the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of New Jersey (AASP/NJ) member shop County Line Auto Body (Howell) was featured on Channel 12 News in a segment regarding the increased number of deer losses in Monmouth County. In speaking with owner Gary Gardella, the news crew showed up unexpectedly on Monday afternoon.

“They were planning to go to three or four different shops that day, but we happened to have 10 or 12 deer losses in the shop at the time, and so they were able to get the full story with us, and didn’t need to go to any other facilities,” Gardella said.

Richard Gardella, Gary’s brother, told Channel 12 that County Line can see anywhere from 10 to 20 deer-related accidents per week during this time of year, known as rutting season, or mating season. Typical repairs of these accidents cost customers roughly $2,000, which can change depending on the size of the deer, where the car was hit and the overall value of the car.

“You almost don’t have a choice when it comes to having a crazy deer jump out in front of your car,” Richard Gardella shared with Channel 12. “All I can say is drive cautiously and keep your eyes on the road.”

This was County Line’s first experience with a TV news crew, and according to Gary, it didn’t go unnoticed by the customers.

“We’ve done interviews with local newspapers, but this was the first time being on TV. I was pretty surprised when they told me, especially because they just walked in randomly,” Gardella shared.

“We heard a lot from customers, and that was really nice to see. A lot of customers stopped in, told us they saw it, and that was exciting.”

To watch the full segment of County Line Auto Body, visit newjersey.news12.com.

NJA

NEWS FROM

Polyvance’s

NEW NITROGEN WELDER LINEUP

Polyvance is announcing a major overhaul of its Nitro Fuzer line of nitrogen plastic welders, which will now include a fully functional, entry-level product, the 6085.

Its two existing models, the 6085-C and the 6080-CG, will now include a free bumper workstation. Polyvance’s revised product line now offers an option for every budget.

Welding with nitrogen gas creates the strongest welds possible because it eliminates oxidation of the plastic during the welding process. Think of it like TIG welding for plastic – no oxidation, no burning, no contamination. The hot nitrogen gas melts the plastic cleanly for optimal fusion.

Nitrogen plastic welding is the latest technology for repairing all sorts of automotive plastics like bumper covers, headlight tabs, fenders and underhood plastics. Shops all over North America have discovered the advantages of doing their own plastic repairs - faster cycle time, higher gross profit and lower severity, among many others.

The Polyvance Nitro Fuzer line of welders offers an option to every shop and every budget. The new entry-level 6085 is the nitrogen welder with a nitrogen bottle regulator, so it’s ready to be used straight out of the box. The 6085 does not include the MIG cart, so it’s ideal for placement on a bumper workbench – or it can be mounted on any commonly available MIG cart. The MSRP for this unit is $2,995.

The mid-level 6085-C includes the 6085 welder and is mounted on Polyvance’s made-in-USA heavy-duty MIG cart. It includes a full selection of plastic welding rod, a starter roll of aluminum tape and a hand seamer tool. It now includes a 6075 Bumper Mate 2 workstation for the same price of $3,995.

The top-of-the-line offering, the 6080-CG, has a nitrogen generator, so it eliminates the need for nitrogen bottles. It now includes a bunch of new components, including the Bumper Mate workstation, a cart cover, the 6146 Bumper Pliers Kit, two carbide cutting burrs and the 6066-TA nitrogen tire filling adapter kit. This system has a new lower MSRP of $5,995.

Every Nitro Fuzer features digital encoders to precisely control the temperature of the nitrogen and airless welders.

They also feature hassle-free, automatic switching to nitrogen gas flow, eliminating waste of bottled nitrogen gas. Precision regulators combined with an analog flow gauge gives the technician ultimate control over how much gas is used in the welding process. Finally, a low-pressure safety switch prevents the heating element from overheating if the gas flow drops too low. All of these features add up to a machine that’s both versatile and easy to use.

Polyvance, the pioneer in automotive plastic repair since 1981, was the first company to commercialize nitrogen plastic welding in 2006. To this date, Polyvance has delivered more nitrogen plastic welders and trained more technicians in their use than all other companies in the industry combined.

To make sure your technicians are productive right away, every new Polyvance Nitro Fuzer welder includes free courtesy training from a Polyvance-trained instructor.

Polyvance also offers paid follow-on training that is approved as part of the I-CAR Industry Training Alliance program. NJA New Jersey Automotive | November 2017 | 31

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32 | New Jersey Automotive | November 2017

Mazda of Lodi 130 Route 46 East Lodi, NJ 07644 Phone: 866-716-0511 Fax: 973-594-4933 www.mazdaoflodi.com

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NJA1117.qxp_NEW JERSEY AUTOMOTIVE 10/26/17 11:49 PM Page 33

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For Toyota Genuine Parts please call one of these authorized local Toyota Dealers: Toyota of Hackensack 278 River Street, Hackensack, NJ 07601 Toll Free: 888-PARTS-28 Direct: 201-488-5756 Fax: 201-487-2618 www.toyotaofhackensack.com

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Glen Toyota 23-07 Maple Ave, Fair Lawn, NJ 07410 Toll Free: 800-444-1959 Direct: 201-791-1133 Fax: 201-703-5652 parts@glentoyota.com www.glentoyota.com

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NATIONAL NEWS by Joel Gausten

Greco Publishing Alerts Honda to Revise Position Statement on Steering We respond to our readers, and the manufacturers respond to us.

For well over a year now, this publication has devoted considerable space to publicizing various OEM position statements on the importance of pre- and post-repair scanning. We have also focused attention on the struggles that many shops have faced when seeking compensation from insurers for performing these critical procedures. Recently, we began receiving calls from readers who voiced concerns over an apparent trend that we never could have predicted.

In July 2016, American Honda Motor Co. issued a position statement entitled, “Post-Collision Diagnostic Scan and Calibration Requirements for Honda and Acura Vehicles.” In this document (available online at oem1stop.com), the manufacturer clearly states that all vehicles involved in a collision (which is defined in the statement as “damage that exceeds minor outer panel cosmetic distortion”) must have the following minimum diagnostic scans, inspections and/or calibrations done to avoid improper repair: • A preliminary diagnostic scan during the repair estimation phase to determine what diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) may be present so proper repairs may be included.

• A post-repair diagnostic scan to confirm that no DTCs remain. (Any repair that requires disconnection of electrical components to perform the repair will also require a post-repair diagnostic scan to confirm if the component is reconnected properly and functioning. Damage that requires body parts replacement will always require a post-repair diagnostic scan.)

• Some safety and driver assistive systems will require inspections, calibration and/or aiming after collision or other body repairs.

Honda made it a point to ensure that the words “all” and “must” appeared in boldface type, but it somehow appears that even a document as clearly stated as this one can be subject to misinterpretation by insurers. Calls to our offices have indicated that some insurers have been arguing that because “Issued: July 2016” appears at the top right of Honda’s position statement, it only applies to 2016 vehicles and newer.

With news of such an odd occurrence hitting our desks, we went straight to American Honda Motor Co. for its official stance on the “only 2016 and newer” argument. Not surprisingly, our inquiry quickly ignited a discussion within Honda, whose research confirmed that other shops beyond those who contacted us were facing the exact same issue.

As a result of our outreach efforts following direct feedback from our readers, Honda is in the process of revising their position statement on scanning to include language that specifically indicates that the document applies to any model-year Honda and Acura vehicle that is capable of being scanned. This includes all 1996-current model years, certain 1994-1995 model year vehicles that contain 16-pin OBD II connectors and certain 1992-1995 model-year vehicles that contain three-pin diagnostic connectors. The manufacturer plans to officially release and distribute the revised document as soon as possible.

Although scanning has become a huge topic in the industry in recent times, Honda has been offering

recommendations on the matter in its repair procedures for the past 25 years.

“Between ’92 and ’95, we had a three-pin diagnostic connector that allowed scanning and testing of the major systems in the vehicle,” explains Scott Kaboos, Honda’s assistant manager of collision marketing. “In ’94 to ’95, some of our vehicles went to the current 16-pin OBD II; by 1996, all of our models were equipped with the OBD II connector, which is current until today.”

In 2004, Honda entered the realm of issuing collision-related statements on scanning when they began stressing the importance of recalibrations for the occupant classification sensors in the passenger seats in its vehicles (including the Accord) after a collision. The company’s view on preand post-repair scanning has remained unwavering ever since.

With technology in the automotive industry often changing at a mindboggling pace, Kaboos is one of many who believes there is simply no time left to waste on a debate between a shop and an insurer over the date of a position statement.

“I think there’s a lot of misinformation in our industry as a whole. We’ve taken things that we learned 20 years ago from different sources – I-CAR, ASE, trade publications, whatever it may be – and assumed that it applies to every model year after that. With so many changes coming in our body structure, ADAS [advanced driver assist systems], telecommunications and everything on our vehicles, what you knew about a car even five years ago probably doesn’t apply to fixing today’s car. I know that’s a hard thing for people to understand, but looking up the repair procedures for the year, make and model that you’re working on today is so important.”

NJA

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE continued from page 18 come into shops and say things like,

owners seem to have lost track of who

“We don’t pay for that,” or “We will

their customers are.

only pay X for that,” or “We only pay

Over the years, I have seen many

However, this is a wake-up call that the collision industry cannot just ignore and hope will go away. A $31.5

X per hour and the Labor Rate is not

things happen that I feel should be a

million price tag against almost any

negotiable.” Then there are the calls

wake-up call for this industry. And yet

collision shop would surely put them

reporting that an insurer will tell shop

eventually, things become status quo,

out of business. It’s time that the

owners where they should buy parts

and shop owners find ways to go on

collision industry simply says no to

or get services from. Collision shop

with their businesses.

the undue influence that insurers seem to think they have over repairers. The shops should be the ones deciding what it takes to repair the car, and they should be getting paid to do it.

The collision industry has been brainwashed for so long that they just seem to think there is nothing they can do

USA Importer & East Coast Distributor

about it, when in reality, nothing is further from the truth!

Now is the time to step up and say enough is enough. If insurers won’t pay to have damaged vehicles repaired safely and properly, repairers should refuse to do the job. The verdict of this case can act as the biggest and strongest negotiating tool. Shop owners should have hundreds of copies of this decision on hand to give to any appraiser that doesn’t want to pay for repairs that are compliant with OEM guidelines and necessary to bring the car back to pre-accident condition.

Even though John Eagle Collision got hit with $31.5 million worth of liability, this is not over. Tracy is now going after State Farm for their role in influencing Willis’ decision to stray from the Honda’s OEM repair guidelines.

One thing is for sure: We will be watching to see where things go from here.

Ted Dinnella 516-361-9220 www.collisionequipment.net

NJA

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New Jersey Automotive | November 2017 | 39

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NJA1117.qxp_NEW JERSEY AUTOMOTIVE 10/26/17 11:50 PM Page 41

Have you ever wondered what your shop is like in comparison to the one down the street? What are your competitors doing?

Where do you stand in the automotive repair field? Are the struggles you’re facing individual to you, or are they industry-wide?

Once again, New Jersey Automotive has asked the questions to Garden State shops that you want answered in an effort to keep you up-to-date on the latest industry trends and statistics. The 2017 NJA Industry Survey will help you get an idea of what’s happening in your field so that you can get a grasp on how to best run your business. Thank you to all the shops who took the time to provide their feedback. We hope you find this survey valuable.

HAVING YOUR

VOICE HEARD: 2017 NJA

Industry Survey Results

By Jacquelyn Bauman

SURVEY DEMOGRAPHICS

NJA1117.qxp_NEW JERSEY AUTOMOTIVE 10/26/17 11:50 PM Page 42

On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your current state of business?

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

13%

17%

28%

6%

14%

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Two years ago, only one percent of respondents rated their businesses at a 10.

Last year, this number reached 10 percent, and this year 14 percent of survey takers believe their businesses are the best they’ve ever been!

Where is your shop located?

Northern NJ: 44% Central NJ: 31% Southern NJ: 25%

How long have you been in business?

Collision Repair: 70%

Mechanical Repair: 5%

How many employees do you have, including yourself?

Where do you look to hire new employees?

Craigslist: 35% Indeed: 20% Word of mouth/referrals: 18% Everywhere: 10% Technical schools: 6% AASP/NJ Resources (Labor Pool, Hot Line, etc.): 6% Facebook: 2% Other: 3%

42 | New Jersey Automotive | November 2017

Percentage of shops this year that rate their businesses as ABOVE AVERAGE.

WHAT BEST DESCRIBES YOUR PRIMARY BUSINESS?

10 years or more: 94% 6-10 years: 3% Less than 6 years: 3%

1-5: 25% 6-10: 28% 11-20: 19% 20+: 28%

78

Restoration & Collision: 3%

Collision & Mechanical Repair: 22%

COLLISION

SHOPS:

No 21%

Yes 79%

Are you a DRP?

MECHANICAL SHOPS: Yes: 10%

Are you a Private Inspection Facility (PIF)?

No: 90%

NJA1117.qxp_NEW JERSEY AUTOMOTIVE 10/27/17 10:39 AM Page 43

89

Percentage of survey takers typically perform scans before and/or after a repair job.

If you answered “yes” to the previous question (you perform pre-/post-repair scans), do you typically: Hire a third-party vendor to perform scanning services:

21% Scan in-house using a third-party scanner:

53% Scan in-house using an OEM scanner:

26% Percentage of survey respondents who have witnessed a mobile repair shop in action.

47

If you answered “yes” where did you witness the mobile shop?

Many of those who answered “yes” to seeing a mobile repair shop in action noted that they were seen at local dealerships.

“I saw one at a local Toyota dealership in the parking lot spraying a car in open air across from a public park with children playing,” one shop owner dismayed. “They’re not held to the same safety standards as regular shops.”

Other shop owners explained that they’ve seen everything from scratch repairs to bumper repairs to wheel repairs and more. However, there was one thing every survey respondent agreed on.

“We’ve had to fix horrible repairs done by these parking lot hacks,” said a Little Egg Harbor shop owner. “It’s cheaper for the insurer because they don’t have to pay a supplement for any real damage. And the consumer doesn’t know better, so they take it there.”

What training have you and/or employees received over the past year?

I-CAR: 69% OEM: 25% Supplier: 28% Other: 7%

Percentage of facilities that

have NOT

undergone an OSHA inspection in the last 12 months.

94

How has steering affected your business?

“The effect of steering on my business has been massive,” said one Rockaway-based shop owner. “I’ve been forced to offset the loss of business by becoming a DRP shop.”

“Insurers steer claims away from our business because they don’t want to pay properly for rates or materials,” a South Jersey shop owner echoed. “It helps insurers control our industry and the overall cost of repairs. Almost 99 percent of the time we don’t even know that the customer was persuaded to take the car somewhere else.”

44%

of survey takers experience difficulty in getting properly compensated for scanning.

Even though 44 percent of respondents explained that – for the most part – they do find it difficult to get properly compensated for scanning, a majority of survey takers who regularly practice scanning on their jobs run into problems trying to get paid for their work.

“The scan needs to reveal some sort of relation to the damage of the vehicle before insurers will pay me for the work,” explained one shop owner. “Now that I use a thirdparty vendor, I get paid more than I was when I was using my personal in-house scanner.”

“Insurance companies require notice and approval prior to scanning,” noted an East Orange shop owner.

“Reimbursement is mostly a 10 percent markup. If you scan in-house, you may not see a return on investment any time soon.”

One Clifton-based repairer put it perfectly, though.

“It’s a fight, but I get paid in the end.”

If you have undergone an OSHA inspection in the last 12 months, please share your experience.

Although few survey takers had undergone an OSHA inspection in the past year, those that were inspected shared incredibly varied experiences.

“The OSHA inspection we went through this year was way more difficult than in years past,” remarked one shop owner from Howell. “They were a lot more stringent and strict on what they allowed than they had been.”

However, another shop owner from Hamilton found their OSHA experience to be an easy one.

“It’s not a problem if you keep your shop up-to-date,” he stated.

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44 | New Jersey Automotive | November 2017

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APPROXIMATELY HOW MUCH DO YOU SPEND ON PARTS ANNUALLY? $1-$100,000: 9% $101K-$500K: 34% $501K-$1 million: 27% $1 million or more: 30%

u Are yo ed/ certifi y l t n e curr an ized by n g o c re orm o perf t M E O irs? n repa o i s i l l co

Yes: 39% No, but I am working on certification/recognition: 47% No, and I am not planning on becoming certified/OEM-recognized: 14%

While a majority of survey takers are either OEM-certified or recognized, a surprising 14 percent of respondents declared that they are not taking any active steps toward becoming so.

“The cost of certification seems out of reach,” said one Old Bridge-based collision shop.

“We currently do not service many ‘high-end’ vehicles in our area, so I’m not sure there’s a market for it here. The return on investment doesn’t seem worth it.”

For the 39 percent of certified and/or recognized shops, the two most cited certification/recognition programs are Ford and Ford Aluminum (57%) and Honda ProFirst Certification (36%).

What is the approximate ratio of OEM to aftermarket parts you use?

25% OEM, 75% aftermarket: 8%

75% OEM, 25% aftermarket: 50%

50% OEM, 50% aftermarket: 22%

100% OEM: 14%

WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT LABOR RATE? $50-55: 59% $68-73: 0 $56-61: 9% $74-78: 3% $62-67: 27% $79+: 2% WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR LABOR RATE SHOULD BE? $50-55: 0% $56-61: 3% $62-67: 17%

46 | New Jersey Automotive | November 2017

$68-73: 3 $74-78: 18% $79+: 59%

IN YOUR EXPERIENCE, WHICH INSURANCE COMPANY DO YOU FIND THE MOST DIFFICULT TO DEAL WITH, AND WHY? Progressive: 30% Allstate: 19% State Farm: 19% Geico: 13% Farmer’s: 6% Liberty Mutual: 5% All insurers are equally difficult: 5% Other: 3% While different examples were provided by survey takers on why each of these insurers are difficult to work with, one resounding answer occurred across all of the companies noted: A failure to negotiate. “[These insurers] constantly deny claims, refuse to pay for required operations and allow for less-than-quality parts,” explained an owner from Ramsey. “They don’t budge or negotiate on rates or materials. Plus, every one of them misinforms their customers and profit off the consumer’s misfortunes.”

However, one Jersey Shore-based shop believes that the secret to working with insurance companies is all in the relationships you build.

“Every insurance company has their quirks,” he said. “It’s all dependent on the relationships that you foster with the adjusters and/or re-inspectors.

How can it be difficult if everything is documented, organized, and you’ve lived up to your commitments?”

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52%

of those who took our NJA survey mentioned

INSURANCE COMPANIES as one of the principal issues affecting their shops.

97

Percent of survey takers are AASP/NJ members

58 Being a part of a larger entity can help in creating a better industry, as well as help in facilitating the way you run your business.

Of course, insurer control over the repair industry spans a multitude of problems, but 41 percent of survey takers agreed that stagnating Labor Rates and the inability to be paid properly to do a quality repair was the largest issue. Not surprisingly, steering was the second most recognized problem stemming from insurer interference.

“There are so many things lacking from every side of this industry,” said one shop owner. “There’s a lack of support from the Department of Banking and Insurance, a lack of concern from insurance companies, a lack of common sense from appraisers, a lack of support from the DMV body shop licensing department and a lack of knowledge about our work from the side of the consumer. When you layer all of these issues on top of the rapidly advancing technology and the desire for (but lack of ability to achieve) OEM certifications, you run into the mess we have in our industry today.”

“In my opinion, the cost of repairs is one of the most important things we’re facing as an industry,” reflected an Old Bridge shop owner. “The cost to repair vehicles is the highest it’s ever been, but insurers are paying us next to nothing to complete them. If we had certain certifications or certain training, we’d be able to negotiate for more, but we can’t afford to make those investments because we’re not turning enough of a profit on the jobs we are doing. It’s a vicious cycle.”

In addition to 97 percent of respondents being members of the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of New Jersey (AASP/NJ),

percent of survey takers also belong to additional organizations, such as the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB), the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS), the Automotive Service Association (ASA), Auto Body Distributing (ABD), and local Chambers of Commerce.

/3

2

Over two-thirds of survey takers indicated that their recent investments to stay up-to-date were in tools and equipment, with the majority stating that they purchased new, state-of-theart welders primarily for aluminum repair.

Other equipment investments ran the gamut from small purchases like scanners, to pricier upgrades such as frame machines and paint booths.

An Edison-based shop revealed that between training, new tooling and equipment purchases over the last year, they have poured over $2.4 million into upgrading the business.

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What method(s) are you currently using to track your business’s expenses and profitability?

CCC: 28% QuickBooks: 44% P&L Statements & Production Tracking: 3% Hand-written ledger: 6% CPA: 6% Mitchell ABS: 8% Other: 5%

HOW HAVE SOCIAL MEDIA AND DIGITAL PLATFORMS SUCH AS YELP AFFECTED YOUR BUSINESS? In this digital age, the number of “stars” you have online can affect your business one way or another. Shops who took the NJA survey had a variety of responses to this question, with some saying they are very positively affected by online reviews, with others disagreeing, saying they are negatively impacted by these online rating systems, and others saying they haven’t seen any result from them either way. Many of those who felt their businesses were influenced by these digital platforms, either positively or negatively, agreed that Yelp was the worst platform.

“I feel like Yelp is a scam,” conveyed a shop owner from Kearny. “A five-star rating on Google or Facebook is a superb benefit, and people love before and after photos, but Yelp doesn’t recommend any of our positive reviews, only our negative ones. We have a lot of legitimate reviews that they hide because they don’t feel the consumer would benefit from them.”

“Aside from Yelp, the Internet has been a very powerful tool for us,” agreed another repairer from Ocean Grove.

“We have been able to obtain a large amount of positive reviews on other platforms. Many customers have come in and stated, ‘I looked you guys up and you had great reviews.’”

HOW DO YOU PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS TO CURRENT AND POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS? Word of mouth: 43% Social media: 30% Print advertising: 19%

A

Direct mail: 4% Radio: 1% Other: 3%

In what instances do you use aftermarket parts?

In an ideal world, every single job that came through the door would have all OEM parts, and aftermarket would be a thing of the past. Unfortunately, we don’t live in this fantasy world, and sometimes using aftermarket parts is unavoidable.

For most survey respondents, the only time OEM parts aren’t used are when the insurer won’t price match or if the repair is being done on an older vehicle.

“If the insurer isn’t going to pay for a particular OEM part, and the customer is pinching pennies, we tend to use aftermarket parts,” one North Jersey shop owner elaborated. “We of course explain to them what using aftermarket parts would mean, and why they should get an OEM part if they can afford it, but we don’t want the repair to be cost prohibitive for them. At the end of the day, it’s all about the customer.”

How has photo estimating in the repair process affected your company?

Most respondents expressed that one of the largest problems with photo estimating is the significant cost of supplemental work that needs to be done.

“The estimates you get from these photo estimating systems are piss poor,” one Central Jersey shop responded. “Even the customers question their estimates.

Yesterday I received a snap sheet estimate that I had written for $1,152. The estimate they wrote was for $72! It’s impossible for them to write a fair estimate. The lack of experience is overwhelming. For the insurance companies, the only concern is cutting their expenses. And it’s the customer that’s losing out.”

“We have noticed that the estimates we get from this system are absolutely terrible,” shared a Monmouth shop owner. “We recently had one that was just one line. It was for a bumper. Of course, it ended up having severe structural damage and the final cost was above $5,000.”

While the cost of supplemental work was a very popular response, an overwhelming number of survey respondents indicated that it is the increase in cycle time and administrative work that’s mostly affecting their businesses.

“There’s an incredibly slow response time on large supplements,” one shop owner stated. “Cars are here longer because we have to wait for a supplement to be approved before we can begin further repairs. Then the customer gets upset and it becomes up to the shop to explain the repair process and parts usage to them, because it wasn’t explained by the insurer.”

“Every insurance company has their quirks,” he said. “It’s all dependent on the relationships that you foster with the adjusters and/or re-inspectors. How can it be difficult if everything is documented, organized, and you’ve lived up to your commitments?”

s the results from the survey indicate, insurance companies, stagnating Labor Rates and the inability to be paid properly for quality repairs continue to plague the collision repair industry. However, it is through initiatives such as New Jersey Automotive’s Annual Industry Survey that these issues can begin to be solved, and repairers can begin to see industry-wide changes. We hope this

survey has provided valuable insight into the current state of the New Jersey automotive repair field, and can be beneficial to your business going forward. Now more than ever it is important to be part of an organization like AASP/NJ – no change will occur by taking on the fight alone. It’s time to get industry professionals what they deserve.

NJA

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EASY WRITER by Larry Montanez III, CDA

WHEN YOU ARE PROVEN WRONG IN COURT (and It’s Too Little Too Late) October 2, 2017 is a day that will live in infamy in the collision repair industry. It was on this date that a Texas jury found John Eagle Collision Center in Dallas, TX liable for a selfcreated bonding procedure for the installation of a 2010 Honda Fit roof panel that was determined to be an incorrect repair. The jury also decided that John Eagle was liable for 75 percent of the damages sustained in an accident this vehicle endured, and it awarded the couple who was trapped inside the burning car $31.5 million. For much of the industry, this was not only shocking, but also a wake-up call for shop owners to realize how their liability can be exposed if they do not follow the recommended OEM repair procedures. As Erica Eversman (collision industry expert attorney), Kristen Felder and I have been saying for years (and we again reiterated on the Collision Hub Repair University Live show, “The Brewing Legal Storm,” presented by BASF and available on YouTube), the OEM recommended procedures are requirements.

The jurors believed that an OEM’s “recommended procedure” meant the shop must fix the vehicle that way or “they assume full liability.” This should make you pause and take notice, especially if you have been misled or misinformed about this, as people’s lives are at stake. In our opinion, this is going to get worse, as plaintiff attorney Todd Tracy will likely go after more cases involving poorly repaired vehicles. As he makes case law, more attorneys will follow his lead. We also need to realize the amount of poorly repaired vehicles posted on social

media every day. Many collision repair facilities and former industry personnel are performing post-repair inspections (PRIs) on a daily basis.

A small percentage of these incorrect repairs are uncovered by another auto body facility observing issues after an unrelated subsequent collision repair. Another percentage of these incidents comes from a vehicle owner noticing an issue such as, but not limited to: A color mismatch, a drivability issue, a leak, an issue with closure panel operation, etc. Then the vehicle owner brings the vehicle to a different shop than the one that performed the repairs, and these problems are discovered.

A very small percentage of incorrect repairs are associated with a collision event in which there is a significant injury (or death), such as we saw in the Texas case. Conversely, a large percentage of incorrect

repairs that result in PRIs start off as diminished value (DV) cases.

Generally, during the initial steps of the DV, incorrect repairs are discovered and the job becomes a PRI. Sometimes the incorrectly repaired vehicle is purchased from the vehicle owner by the liable insurer; this practice is generally associated with a direct repair program (DRP).

Other times, the facility who performed the incorrect repair will purchase the vehicle, and this can be associated with a DRP repair facility or an independent repair facility. In some rare cases, the insurer facility or the facility’s garagekeepers insurance company exercises their option to defend the case in a court of law. The following is an example of an incorrectly repaired vehicle involved in a court case; I was retained as an expert during the proceedings.

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EASY WRITER

2012 Nissan Maxima In 2014, the vehicle was impacted in the rear and forced into another vehicle in front. The vehicle sustained damage to the rear bumper assembly, rear body panel, front bumper fascia, left and right headlamp assemblies and radiator core support. The insurer to the third party at fault suggested the vehicle owner take the vehicle to a DRP facility, and the vehicle owner agreed. The repair facility replaced the rear bumper fascia, rear bumper reinforcement, rear body panel, front bumper fascia, left and right headlamp assemblies and the composite radiator core support. The vehicle was inspected for DV, but during the inspection, there were multiple unacceptable panel gaps and misaligned components observed. The engineering company I work for (Lange Technical Services) was called in for a forensic examination of the vehicle. This process revealed the following issues: Visual Examination

1. The front bumper fascia-to-hood panel gaps were excessively positive. The front fascia was not attached properly and moved up and down as the vehicle was operated, or it would move by just applying upward force by hand.

2. The left and right headlamps to front bumper fascia panel gaps at the undersides of the headlamps were excessively positive.

3. Both high and low air conditioning lines were missing.

4. The left and right tail lamps to left and right quarter panel gaps were not consistent.

5. The trunk lid did not open smoothly when unlatched.

6. The seam sealer to the rear area of the trunk floor to the backside of the rear body panel was inconsistent. The color to the backside of the rear body panel and rear portion of the trunk floor mismatched the adjacent areas in the rear trunk storage compartment area. The particle (cardboard-type) spare tire cover was fractured. Two trunk trim panel clips were missing and one was fractured, and a portion was separated and missing. There was seam sealer applied to the outside mating flanges of the rear body panel

54 | New Jersey Automotive | November 2017

where the plug welds or resistance spot welds would be placed to join the panels.

testified on the issues uncovered during the examination and testing that showed evidence to prove the incorrect repair attempts. The facility decided to bond the repair body panel on. During testimony, using the Nissan Body Repair Manual, we were able to show evidence for the following incorrect procedures:

1. The front bumper underside retainer clips were removed. We observed the clips were loose in their mountings, and evidence uncovered indicated the clips were reused.

2. Twelve inches of the sealer covering the gap between the rear floor pan and inside of the rear body panel was removed. After removal of the sealer, we observed a black substance between the panels. The black material was sticky and residue transferred to my finger upon touching the material. Removal of the seam sealer on the outside mating flange, in the same area of the sealer removed from the inside, revealed no indications of resistance welds or plug welds. We placed a flat-bladed gasket scraper between the backside of the rear body panel and rear floor pan gap where the black material was observed. We applied downward force by hand, and the scraper easily breached the black material. We continued to breach the material along the 12-inch span with little resistance. Black residue transferred onto the scraper. In the area where the scraper was placed, the panels were separated and there were no indications of welds. From the outside, I placed my hand and applied outward force. The rear body panel started to separate from the rear floor panel with almost no resistance. We continued with both hands until the panel completely separated from the rear floor pan and both lower areas of the rear quarter panels. It was determined that the vehicle was unsafe to operate, and the vehicle owner retained a rental vehicle.

1. The front bumper fascia was loose due to the reuse of the retaining clips. This also caused the excessively positive panel gaps of the front bumper fascia to the adjacent components. This was not a major safety issue.

2. The missing caps for the air conditioning high and low lines were due to carelessness by the technician. This was not a major issue.

3. The misalignment of the left and right tail lamps was due to incorrect repairs attempted to the left and right tail lamp panels. This is a concern if the vehicle was involved in a subsequent rear collision, where the displaced panels could cause the collision energy to travel in a manner not designed into the vehicle.

4. The repair procedures call for approximately 71 plug welds or squeezetype resistance welds. Evidence uncovered indicated none were performed. Examination of the adhesive bonding material showed evidence to indicate the material was not applied properly or the material was expired. This is a major concern if the vehicle was involved in a subsequent rear collision where the adhesive joining method would fail as the force was applied. As such, the collision energy would transfer to adjacent components in a manner not designed into the vehicle and could cause injuries to the occupants.

5. The repair facility’s only defense was that their technicians learned how to adhesively bond panels in the I-CAR ADH01 class. Unfortunately, the shop didn’t pay attention to the lessons on expiration dates and panel preparation.

Forensic Examination The client attorney gave us permission to destructively test the vehicle by removing components and the sealer. The following is what was discovered:

Court Case and Testimony Michael Anderson (Collision Advice) and I were plaintiff expert witnesses. Anderson testified about the estimate, final invoice and charges that showed evidence to indicate the repair processes and operation performed by the facility. I

Verdict The jury deliberated for eight hours. The original repair was approximately $4,700. The jury decision was in favor of the plaintiff for approximately $22,000. The decision included treble damages for

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consumer fraud, rental vehicle, loss of use and court fees.

The jury said that the shop was liable due to incompetency and refusal to follow the OEM repair procedures.

The following are other cases I worked on through my company, P & L Consultants:

2009 Ford Mustang: The vehicle was involved in a frontal collision event and sustained structural damage. The vehicle was repaired at a DRP facility under a first-party claim. Approximately six months later, the vehicle owner was having drivability issues and took the car back to the DRP facility four times, but that shop was unable to determine and resolve the issues. The vehicle owner then took the vehicle to a shop they had previously frequented.

The shop performed a PRI and discovered the front structure was displaced on the right upper and lower unirails. Additionally, the right strut tower was displaced. They also noted that the replaced upper uni-rail was MAG plug welded on incorrectly. According to the final invoice, the replacement uni-rail was procured from a totaled-out vehicle. I was called in to examine the vehicle and discovered the same issues as the facility technician. We also uncovered evidence during borescope examination to indicate the rear suspension was displaced, 25 MAG plug welds were unacceptable and no corrosion protection was applied. After my deposition, the DRP’s insurance company decided to purchase the vehicle from the insured and settle costs out of court.

2008 Land Rover LR3: The vehicle sustained frontal damage to the uni-body, front frame assembly and front suspension mountings. The vehicle was repaired at a dealership DRP shop as a first-party claim, but the third party was at fault. After the repairs, the insured had the vehicle inspected for DV. During the inspection, multiple issues were discovered. The vehicle was taken to a Certified Collision Repair Facility (CCRF) for a PRI. The facility discovered multiple fractures that were welded and displaced with indications of corrosion to the front bumper mounting and front suspension mountings. Threedimensional electronic measuring of the vehicle revealed the vehicle frame assembly was significantly displaced.

Excessive tire wear was also observed. I was hired to review the facility findings, documents, testing results and the OEM repair protocols and write an affidavit of their analysis. The dealership elected to go to court. This state allowed all inspection costs, attorney’s fees, loss of use and punitive damages to be attached. The verdict was significant; the jury awarded the plaintiff $438,000, which also included unfair and deceptive trade practices along with treble damages (consumer fraud).

1967 Ford Mustang Wide-body Custom: The vehicle was taken to a custom restoration auto body shop for fabrication of metal wheel flares, widened rear wheel wells, custom handmade front and rear molded in metal spoilers and a custom paint job. The shop determined the work to New Jersey Automotive | November 2017 | 55

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EASY WRITER the vehicle would cost approximately $55,000. During the custom work, the vehicle owner added some things, raising the cost to $75,000. Now this case is unique, as the vehicle was completed and the owner was very pleased. There were no issues with the custom work, but the vehicle owner never received any paperwork (officially notified in writing of the additional costs), and the shop was sued for consumer fraud laws for triple damages. I was retained to go over the repair and charges. The hours were clocked on a technician worksheet that was very accurate.

The charges were reasonable based on the amount of clocked hours, photographic documentation and video evidence provided.

Although the shop documented all the custom work, they neglected to put the additional costs in writing and have the consumer sign the authorization for the extra hours and craftsmanship. The case was settled out of court, with the customer only having to pay approximately $10,000 for the work.

The shop faced losing upwards of $225,000 if they lost the case in court. The attorney for the defendant (the shop) advised the shop owner to cut their losses, learn their lesson and settle.

As you can see, a legal tsunami is headed towards the collision repair industry. Please keep the following in mind:

58 | New Jersey Automotive | November 2017

1. Keep accurate paperwork, photographs and even video evidence of the repair.

2. Always follow the OEM recommended repair procedures (which is a requirement), protocols and positions.

3. The insurance company has no control over what replacement components you use, where you procure or purchase them from, what is repairable or is replaced and any other operations you are charging for. Only the vehicle owner can authorize or approve of the repairs you are charging for, regardless if you are a DRP, nonDRP or a custom repair facility.

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4. The insurance company is almost never held liable for the repairs you attempt.

5. If the insurance company refuses to pay for a procedure, operation, an OEM component or a sublet repair, it is not your problem. It is the vehicle owner’s problem, but you can assist them.

Ultimately, the vehicle owner owes you for the work performed. The insurance company never pays you monies unless it is your own vehicle.

6. Learn your state insurance laws, rules and regulations, unfair claims settlement practices, consumer protection laws and the rules and regulations from the state agency that governs your repair facility. It is not your state’s Department of Insurance (DOI).

7. Check with your attorney that all your consumer paperwork is correct, and make sure protection is provided for you.

8. Hold Harmless Agreements will generally not hold up in court to protect your liability.

I hope this article has raised some questions for you to find the answers to some myths or misinformation. I also hope that I have convinced you to do some research and contact your attorney for a consultation. As always, please feel free to contact me if you have questions.

NJA

Larry Montanez, CDA is co-owner of P&L Consultants with Peter Pratti Jr. P&L Consultants works with collision repair shops on estimating, production and proper repair procedures. P&L conducts repair workshops on MIG & Resistance Welding, Measuring for Estimating and Advanced Estimating Skills.

P&L also conducts investigations for insurers and repair shops for improper repairs, collision reparability and estimating issues. Larry is ISO 9606-2 Certified for Audi and Mercedes-Benz and is a certified technician for multiple OEM collision repair programs. P&L can be reached by contacting Larry at (718) 891-4018 (office), (917) 860-3588 (cell) or info@PnLEstimology.com.

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ACTION HYUNDAI 180 US HIGHWAY 202/31 FLEMINGTON, NJ 08822 PH: 908-782-8250 FAX: 908-237-0036 E-MAIL: fmondello@flemingtonhyundai.com

hyundaipartsusa.com

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WAYNE HYUNDAI 1244 ROUTE 23 NORTH WAYNE, NJ 07470 PH: 973-646-0333 FAX: 973-694-1700 waynehyundai.com

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Flemington Volkswagen 213 ROUTE 202/31 FLEMINGTON, NJ 08822 TOLL FREE: 877-657-2787 FAX: 908-782-1795 rmuir@flemington.com www.NJPARTS.com

Linden Volkswagen 900 EAST ELIZABETH AVE. LINDEN, NJ 07036 TOLL FREE: 800-343-5116 FAX:908-486-4232 www.lindenvw.com GeorgeP@lindenvw.com

Crestmont Volkswagen 730 ROUTE 23 NORTH POMPTON PLAINS, NJ 07444 PARTS DIRECT: 800-839-6444 FAX: 973-839-8146 www.crestmontvolkswagen.com

Trend Motors 221 Route 46 West Rockaway, NJ 07866 888-267-2821 FAX: 973-625-4985 www.trendmotors.com email:dreinacher@trendmotors.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 www.paulmillervw.com

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

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email: douglasparts@douglasautonet.com

DCH Volkswagen of Freehold 4360 ROUTE 9 FREEHOLD, NJ 07728 PHONE: 732-810-7903 FAX: 732-637-8297 www.dchvwoffreehold.com email: dfilipe@dchusa.com

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ARANJ 2017 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 Rodney Krawczyk - Ace Auto Wreckers (732) 254-9816 aceautonj@comcast.net Executive Director Brian Snyder - Auto Recyclers of NJ (609) 714-2339 brian@aranj.org

ARANJ 2017 Board of Directors Mike Ronayne - Tilghmans Auto Parts (609) 723-7469 tilghmans@snip.net Mike Yeager - EL & M Auto (609) 561-2266 elandmauto@aol.com

Ed Silipena - American II Autos (609) 965-6700 esilipena@yahoo.com Harry Shover - Porchtown Auto (856) 694-1555

Norm Vachon - Port Murray Auto (908) 689-3152 portmurrayauto@yahoo.com Dylan Rinkens - East Brunswick Auto (732) 254-6501 ebautonj@comcast.net

ARANJ

The Automotive Recyclers Association of New Jersey

Wharton Insurance Briefs

How’s Your Worker’s Comp Statistical Information?

Worker’s compensation is a major part of every business’ annual expense. The rates are standardized in the state of New Jersey, and it is only affected by your own experience modification and risk surcharges, which are managed by the New Jersey state government and your insurance company. Due to the complexity of the industry’s rating and billing systems, it is common for errors to occur.

What happens when the state gets the wrong information from the insurance companies? How do you correct the errors that could increase your cost of insurance for three years or more? A complete evaluation of your company’s statistical records with both the state and the insurance company can be obtained. In most cases, there is no cost to you.

As always, please call me with any questions you may have on your current insurance program.

Mario DeFilippis, AAI, Vice President Wharton Group 800-221-0003 (ext.1320) (908)-513-8588 (cell) mdefilippis@whartoninsurance.com

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LOCAL NEWS continued from page 26 Show, but also spoke of I-CAR’s latest initiatives to educate the youth of the collision repair industry.

“In 2018, we’re going to be using— 99 percent of the time—career and technical schools across the country as our fixed site locations,” Smith shared.

“If we don’t save the schools and help the students and get more students in and train them, we’re really in trouble.

If we don’t get more kids trained properly in collision repair, then they’re not going to grow up to be you and me.

The pipeline stops,” Smith urged.

The last guest speakers of the evening were Robert Pignataro and Bob Plett of American Compliance, who informed members of the National Emphasis Program that’s caused an increase in OSHA inspections, and ways to combat fines and become OSHA compliant. To reduce fines resulting from OSHA inspections, American Compliance has teamed up with AASP/NJ to create a guide for all members to follow to get their shops aligned with OSHA regulations.

In Memoriam: Angelo P. Campanella, Jr. On September 20, the New Jersey collision repair community said goodbye to one of its strongest out-of-state allies with the passing of Angelo Peter Campanella Jr. at 58. A collision shop owner since the age of 18, he was the co-owner of Angelo's Auto Body in Stamford, CT for 40 years. An active I-CAR instructor, he taught students in Connecticut and New York. He was known for his integrity, honesty and kindness, and his efforts in the industry earned respect beyond his home state.

Larry Montanez, who served as a consultant for Angelo’s Auto Body alongside the late James Moy, remembers his friend’s commitment to bettering his business and the industry as a whole.

“Angelo had a family business and cared about what he did and how he did it.

He really wanted to make a difference.”

Anthony is survived by his wife, Lisa; their daughter, Brielle Campanella; his daughter, Christel Eye; grandchildren Christopher and Tyler; son, AJ Campanella; mother, Amelia Campanella; brother and business partner, James Campanella; and sisters, Susan Discala and Carol Santo. AASP/NJ and New Jersey Automotive offer the Campanella family our deepest condolences. NJA

continued on page 70

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ADVERTISERS’ INDEX

LOCAL NEWS continued from page 67 “What we do is help auto body shops stay out of the crosshairs of OSHA,” Pignataro explained. “We’ve been around for 27 years – I’ve been around since the beginning of OSHA – and right now, [this] is a very unfair situation.”

To close out the meeting, newlyinducted AASP/NJ President Jerry McNee addressed the audience.

“It’s easy to sell something if you believe in it,” McNee said. “I eat, live,

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breathe and sleep this every single day.

My door is always open, and I’m always willing to answer any questions.”

“I hope you guys will continue to come out and support the association.

Looking around the room tonight, there’s definitely strength in numbers. I don’t want anybody to think your colleague, your friend or the guy down the street is your enemy, because we’re all in this together.” NJA

1-800-NEW-PARTS Accudraft Acme Nissan Action Nissan of Flemington Amato Agency American Honda Motor Company Audi Group Axalta Coating Systems BMW Group BMW of Springfield Bridgewater Acura Cadillac of Mahwah Classic Audi Collision Equipment Company Collision Equipment Consulting Clinton Acura Crestmont Family of Dealerships Dover Dodge Chrysler Jeep Empire Auto Parts Estify Transfer Fenix Parts Flemington Audi Flemington Group Ford Group Future Cure Glen Toyota Hyundai Group Innovative Solutions & Technology / Pro Spot Klean Frame Lynnes Nissan East Maxon Hyundai Maxon Mazda Mazda Group Mike Kaufmann Dealer Group MINI Group Mopar Group NORTHEAST 2018 NUCAR Phillipsburg-Easton Honda Porsche Group PPG Princeton BMW Sherwin-Williams Subaru Group Subaru of Morristown Town Motors Toyota Group Toyota of Hackensack Toyota of Morristown Tri-State Luxury Collection Valtek VIP Honda VW Group Westbury Jeep Chrysler Dodge Ram SRT Wheel Collision Center

14-15 65 4 67 56 50 28-29 6 20-21 17 68 52 61 23 37 IBC 66 34 58 63 70 5 44 55 18 OBC 60 13 58 55 40 49 32 11 45 38 19 24-25 IBC 64 3 69 36 39 27 51 33 IFC 27 8-9 59 68 62 57 59

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