New Jersey Automotive November 2021

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W H Y Z A M O R A’ S A U TO B O DY M A D E T H E S W I T C H

BUSINESS PROFILE

ZAMORA’S AUTO BODY Frederick, Maryland Andy & Eric Zamora ~ Owners

3 85 5 6 3 75

LOCATIONS EMPLOYEES PAINTERS PAINT BOOTHS PREP DECKS VEHICLES PER WEEK

Andy Zamora

“We demoed four waterborne paint lines and found PPG had the best product, the best technology, and the most technical support.”

“The color chips are an identical match, so there’s little need for sprayout cards. This saves us money on paint and labor.” “We increased our throughput by 10% or around 30 to 40 more vehicles per month.”

PERFORMANCE YOU CAN COUNT ON The PPG Logo, Envirobase and the Multiple Cubes Geometric Design are registered trademarks of PPG Industries, Ohio, Inc. ©2021 PPG Industries, Inc. All rights reserved. www.envirobase.com


Co-celebrating decades of creating chemistry between two industry leaders

Here’s to 235 years of combined service excellence This year, as Albert Kemperle Inc. celebrates its 80th anniversary, BASF also celebrates its 155th anniversary. We are proud of our decades of partnership with BASF and years of serving the auto paint and body industry together. Kemperle’s founders would be proud of this relationship and the growth their company has experienced because of it. Today, as we look forward to many more decades of service to our customers, we find ourselves filled with gratitude. The creativity, hard work, and sense of responsibility of the people working for our two companies have made us what we are today. Thank you for your many years of loyalty.

626 E. Elizabeth Ave., Linden, NJ 07036 414-416 Madison Ave., Paterson, NJ 07524 631 Clifton Ave., Toms River, NJ 08753 100 Melrich Road, Cranbury, NJ 08512 4 Emery Ave., Randolph NJ 07869

Phone: Phone: Phone: Phone: Phone:

(908) (973) (732) (609) (862)

925-6133 279-8300 797-3942 860-2800 244-4818

Fax: (908) 925-4344 Fax: (973) 279-9030 Fax: (732) 797-0774 Fax: (609) 860-2801 Fax: (862) 244-4822 www.kemperle.com


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CALL: 1-800-221-1256

800-221-1256

6 | New Jersey Automotive | November 2021


P.O. Box 734 Neptune, NJ 07753 EXECUTIVE DI­REC­TOR Charles Bryant 732-922-8909 / setlit4u@msn.com 2019 - 2021 OFFICERS PRESIDENT Jerry McNee, Ultimate Collision Repair, Inc. 732-494-1900 / ultimatecollision@att.net COLLISION CHAIRMAN Dennis Cataldo, Jr., D&M Auto Body 732-251-4313 / jr@dnmautobody.com MECHANICAL CHAIRMAN Keith Krehel, Krehel Automotive Repair, Inc. 973-546-2828 / krehelauto@aol.com TREASURER Tom Elder, Compact Kars, Inc. 609-259-6373 / compactkars@aol.com SECRETARY Thomas Greco, Thomas Greco Publishing, Inc. 973-667-6922 / thomas@grecopublishing.com BOARD Brad Crawford, Livingston Collision, Inc. 973-992-5274 / livingston.collision@gmail.com Gary Gardella, Jr., County Line Auto Body 732-363-5904 / countylineautobody@gmail.com Dave Laganella, Peters Body and Fender 201-337-1200 / petersbandf@gmail.com Sam Mikhail, Prestige Auto Body 908-294-1985 /prestige@goldcar.us Ken Miller, 821 Collision, LLC (973) 949-3733 / kmiller@821collision.com Ted Rainer, Ocean Bay Auto Body 732-899-7900 / ted@oceanbayautobody.com Anthony Trama, Bloomfield Auto Body 973-748-2608 / anthony@bloomfieldautobody.com BOARD ALLIED Joe Amato, The Amato Agency 732-530-6740 / joesr@amatoagency.com Mike Kaufmann, Advantage Dealer Services 973-332-7014 / mkaufmann@advantageds.com PAST PRESIDENT ATTENDING Jeff McDowell, Leslie’s Auto Body 732-738-1948 / chacki@aol.com

PUBLISHER Thomas Greco / thomas@grecopublishing.com SALES DIRECTOR Alicia Figurelli / alicia@grecopublishing.com EDITORIAL/CREATIVE COORDINATOR Alana Bonillo / alana@grecopublishing.com MANAGING EDITOR Chasidy Rae Sisk / chasidy@grecopublishing.com OFFICE MANAGER Donna Greco / donna@grecopublishing.com PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Joe Greco / joe@grecopublishing.com

VOLUME 51 NUMBER 11 | November 2021

CONTENTS 10 OUT OF BODY (AND MECHANICAL) EXPERIENCES

18 MECHANICAL CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE

14 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

46 NJA ADVERTISERS’ INDEX

16 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

LOCAL NEWS

20 AASP/NJ Member Shop Employee Wins 2020 March Taylor Award by Chasidy Rae Sisk 23 In Memoriam: Matt Calafiore & Chris Walker 30 AASP/NJ 2021 Annual Meeting Highlights

SMALL, MEDIUM, LARGE

32 Would You Drop Everything for Your Oldest Customer?

COVER STORY

34 AASP/NJ Insurance Plan Improves Member Shops’ Physical and Financial Health by Alana Bonillo

AUTOMOTIVE RECYCLERS ASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEY 45 Wharton Insurance Briefs by Mario DeFilippis

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Charles Bryant • Mario DeFilippis • Dennis Cataldo • Mitch Portnoi • Ron Ananian • Keith Krehel • Jerry McNee •  Jacquelyn Bauman

Published by: Thomas Greco Publishing, Inc. 244 Chestnut Street, Suite 202, Nutley, NJ 07110 Corporate: (973) 667-6922 / FAX: (973) 235-1963

www.grecopublishing.com NEW JERSEY AUTOMOTIVE is published monthly and is sent to AASP/ NJ and ARANJ members free of charge. Subscriptions are $24 per year. NEW JERSEY AUTOMOTIVE is published by Thomas Greco Publishing Inc., 244 Chestnut St., Nutley, NJ 07110. The editorial contents of NEW JERSEY AUTOMOTIVE are copyright © 2021 by Thomas Greco Publishing Inc. and may not be reproduced in any manner, either in whole or in part, without written permission from the publisher and/or editor. Articles in this publication do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Thomas Greco Publishing Inc. Stock Images courtesy of www.istockphoto.com.

Joe Amato, Sr. Ron Ananian Jim Bowers Charles Bryant Don Chard Guy Citro Pete Cook Ed Day Dave Demarest Phil Dolcemascolo Tom Elder Bob Everett

Alicia Figurelli Thomas Greco Dan Hawtin Rich Johnson Wes Kearney Nick Kostakis Jim Kowalak Keith Krehel Joe Lubrano Michael Lovullo Jeff McDowell Sam Mikhail

Ron Mucklow George Petrask Russ Robson Jerry Russomano George Threlfall Cynthia Tursi Lee Vetland Paul Vigilant Rich Weber Brian Vesley Glenn Villacari Stan Wilson

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OUT OF BODY (AND MECHANICAL) EXPERIENCES

God Wants Me to Fly by THOMAS GRECO, PUBLISHER Buckle up folks, we’re in for a hell of a ride. Actually more like a HELL ride! Like everyone else, the past 18 months have been one long panic-demic for me, just as much as a pandemic. Throughout this shit storm, I’m sure your stress and blood pressure levels have gone through the roof like mine. Needless to say, after the NORTHEAST® show, I was looking forward to getting away to try and relax for a week. My family and I had decided to head back to our happy place in Orlando a few months ago. When I started booking the trip, the prices were through the roof, like everywhere these days. Renting a car was over $1,500! So, I figured I’d be smart. Amtrak’s Auto Train allows you to take your car with you, and since booking an overnight room with the car costs way less than the price of the car rental, I booked it. The catch: You have to drive from New Jersey to Lorton, Virginia to get to the train. In order to get the cars on the train, you have to be at the station by noon if you’re smart. They stop boarding at 2pm. I decided to drive the four-hour trip the night before (as you know, I am much more awake at 11pm than 11am). Only thing was, I forgot that I had tickets to a comedy show in New York that night. So, the (stupid) plan was to drive into the city, see Jim Jefferies, drive back home, pack, be on the road by 11pm and arrive in Lorton by 3am. You know what they say about the best laid plans? Just as we left the house to get onto Route 3 east, a torrential rainstorm hit. We were literally driving blind. Cars were drifting in and out of their lanes, and my wife was holding on for dear life, begging me to turn around. I turned up the stereo to drown her out and continued toward Manhattan. We finally made it to the parking garage. By the time we walked (I’m too old to run) to the theater, we were drenched. We enjoyed the show and left a puddle. I got home, loaded the truck and took off for Virginia. The rain, which had eased up, apparently was just waiting for me to get on the Turnpike. I wasn’t 10 miles from home when the second wave hit. For the next five hours, I was barely able to see while making sure the 18-wheelers passing me at 80 mph didn’t turn me into a sandwich. I pulled into the hotel around 3:30am. There was a little old lady working behind the desk who barely spoke English. She said she couldn’t check me in because the computers were rebooting. I looked at her and played puppy dog instead of the angry New Jersey guy. Somehow she figured out if she could write down my credit card number she could give me the key. You’d think I would have noticed as all these warning signs kept 10 | New Jersey Automotive | November 2021

popping up. But no. When I got to the room, something was off. There were no curtains on the window, and the shade was all the way up. I went over to it, and there were no strings. I tried to pull on the shade, but it wouldn’t budge. It was one of those electric ones, but I had never seen one of them in a hotel. I went into the bathroom to find it was a handicapped bathroom. Something wasn’t right. I went back down to my friend at the front desk and explained that I couldn’t get the shade down and it would be impossible to sleep. She told me to pull the strings. I said there were no strings. “Listen, I’m going across the street to get something to eat. Please see if you can figure this out or call someone.” Twenty minutes later, I returned. “It’s too late to call anyone. Have you tried pulling the strings?” I just ignored her, took my fries and went back to the room. As I was getting closer, I noticed a metal sign by the front of my room. It said something like, “This room is for sight-impaired…” WTF? There are 200 rooms in this hotel. The parking lot is empty, and this is the room they give me? It was 4:30am. Before I went to bed thinking I’d have to sleep with a pillow over my head, I gave the shade one more shot. I noticed that there was a white block on the wall next to the window. I took my room key and scanned it by the white block and...the shade went down. I felt like I won the lottery. The next day started off pretty good. The handicapped shower was very cool. And for once, I was early for the Auto Train. I pulled into the station and said, “Good morning!” to the guy at the entrance. He gave me a dry look and asked my name. He checked the list, handed me my credentials and just before I drove away said: “Is that a 2021?” “Yes, I just leased it a few months ago.” “Okay. That’s not going to fit on the train.” “What?” “Nope. These new Chevys are too big.” “Are you f#$king kidding me? I just drove all the way from New Jersey. Why didn’t they tell me this when I registered the truck online?” “It’s your responsibility to measure the car, not ours. Please bring it to the side, and someone will tell you your options.” I was like, this has to be a joke or maybe he’s just a dumb security guard. I pulled up, and a nice woman came over with a measuring tape. She measured the car and walked around to my window.


“I’m sorry, Mr. Greco, this will not fit on the train.” “This is insane. What am I supposed to do?” She said I had two options: They could refund me the entire price, or I could take it somewhere and get one of the door mirrors removed and try to make it back there before 2pm. “This is a brand new truck! Besides, where the hell am I going to find someone to take off the mirror in time for me to get back here in an hour?” She said there was a gas station up the road that may do it. You can imagine the rage I felt. All the other options went through my mind. If I take the refund, I could drive straight to Florida. Another thing I’m too old to do, so that was out. I could drive back to New Jersey and take the regular train out of Newark the next day, but I was in no shape to drive another four or more hours back home. So I decided to find this gas station and see 1) If they could do it and 2) If they could do it immediately. The place was called Laurel Hill Car Care. I walked in, and of course the mechanic was out to lunch. So I sat there absolutely boiling. When he returned, I explained the situation. He was incredibly nice and said, “Don’t worry; we can do it and get you out on time.” As they were taking the mirror off, he said they got at least three or four of these jobs a week, that Amtrak is screwing their customers by not telling them ahead of time. That made me even more furious. Not only because of their

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continued on pg. 26

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

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

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

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

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

The Cost of Doing Proper Repairs by JERRY MCNEE Insurance companies like to tell shops what’s included and not-included, and entirely too often, they want to argue about charges for important operations, such as scans and procedures, because they claim, “That’s the cost of doing business.” Well, with technology in today’s vehicles surpassing us at rates we’ve never seen before, most shops in this country are not properly repairing vehicles! Let me explain: Writing a proper repair, even on the smallest job, is extremely time-consuming, and the ability to perform that repair - by buying the tools, systems and subscriptions needed - costs a lot of money, as you know. A 2020 vehicle at my shop needs a bumper cover and taillight replacement, as well as a small repair on the quarter panel. The insurer’s estimate was better than I expected at $4,300, but I always write my own estimate. That includes pulling repair procedures, and insurers object that subscriptions to those programs are “the cost of doing business,” yet I wouldn’t have those associated costs without that vehicle being in my shop, so how can it

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possibly be a cost of doing business?! Now, a lot of shops would simply take this small repair into the shop and begin working on it - because who hasn’t repaired thousands of bumpers, right? - but this job actually requires three ADAS calibrations, one safety calibration and one operational calibration. That’s 40 pages of documentation, just for those procedures; that doesn’t take into account all the other repair procedures for the rest of the repairs! After I pull, print, PDF and understand that information, I have to transfer it to the estimate. Then, it has to be reviewed by the blueprinter who will follow along during disassembly to pick up anything I couldn’t physically see during my initial inspection. The production manager, along with the technicians from each department that touches this car, will review everything. As the car is reassembled, my shop manager is going to examine that documentation again to make sure everything is calibrated correctly. Lastly, our QC manager test drives and continued on pg. 40


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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

Talk about a Backfire! by CHARLES BRYANT Can anyone imagine what it would be like if an insurance company were to process claims without sending an appraiser to a collision shop or to people’s homes to inspect a damaged vehicle when a claim is reported? Can anyone imagine the cost savings to an insurer by eliminating the process of sending either a staff appraiser or an independent appraiser out to inspect a damaged vehicle, record the damage and prepare an estimate, then negotiate an agreement on the cost of the repair with a collision shop that will perform the repairs? When considering such a system or the cost savings derived from eliminating the process of a staff appraiser physically going out to inspect a damaged vehicle to prepare an estimate, one would have to consider quite a few related costs, such as, a staff appraiser’s salary, their vehicle, gasoline, tolls, the camera - and I could go on and on, but I think you get the point. Eliminating the use of an independent appraiser would also result in a great amount of money saved. Well, that is exactly what happened recently: Insurance companies suddenly eliminated both staff appraisers and independent appraisers who would normally go out and inspect damaged vehicles, take pictures, prepare estimates and negotiate an agreement with collision shops on the cost of repair. This was all done on the premise that such changes would result in expediting the repair process and getting people back into their repaired vehicle much, much faster. Unfortunately, eliminating the appraiser, be it staff or independent, has actually had an opposite effect. Automotive collision and comprehensive claims are backed up in the collision shops and are actually taking three or four times longer - and sometimes more - to get to the process of determining the cost so that the collision shop can complete the repairs and get the customer back in their repaired automobile. Based on actual calls to the hotline, insurance companies are preparing photo-based estimates for a fraction of the actual repair cost, which would’ve been determined correctly had a qualified appraiser been dispatched to inspect the damage, prepare an estimate and negotiate an agreement with the repair shop. 16 | New Jersey Automotive | November 2021

Again, this was all done on the premise that eliminating the appraiser and performing the inspection via photos would save time and expedite the repair process. Once again, I repeat, the elimination of the appraiser and the creation of preparing estimates based on photos has caused and continues to cause major delays in the repair process; it is costing consumers thousands of extra dollars in rental charges because of the process delays resulting from the photo estimating process. On top of the delayed repairs, the use of photo estimating in lieu of a physical inspection sometimes impacts total losses; in some cases, it takes weeks to determine that the damaged vehicle should be considered a total loss! In turn, this can result in storage charges reaching into the thousands of dollars. This shift from personal inspection to the photo estimating process came about all of a sudden. Insurers obviously failed to consider the impact it might have on the claim settlement process - or intentionally ignored the effect this process might have on consumers who are paying dearly for auto insurance and are at the mercy of their insurance provider when their vehicle is damaged by another driver. The question is: What are we going to do about it? I would be the first to admit that eliminating the physical inspection of the vehicle and replacing it with photo estimating would be a fabulous step in the right direction IF that process worked the way everyone seemed to think that it would, in reality, we’re not at the point where artificial intelligence has been developed enough to take over the process of appraisers physically inspecting the vehicle and preparing a damage estimate. Maybe photo estimating will work sometime in the future, but that time is NOT now! Period. So, what are we going to do about it now? I would welcome any suggestions from AASP/NJ members (or anyone for that matter) who might have a suggestion or would like to discuss this major issue that the collision industry and consumers are now faced with. I can be reached on the AASP/NJ hotline at (732) 922-8909. NJA


®

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MECHANICAL CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE

Drag Racing: An Unexpected Thrill

Years ago, upon getting out of “heavy debt” from a business expansion (constructing a building), I decided to buy another “neat” car. I intended to purchase a Corvette similar to the 1981 I had previously owned. At that time, a friend of mine approached me about purchasing his 1983 Lotus Turbo Esprit, similar to Roger Moore’s 007 car (which was displayed at Guniwheel’s booth during NORTHEAST® 2021). He wanted to sell it but keep it in the family, so I obliged. Shortly after the purchase of the Lotus, that same friend asked me to drag race him — legally at a track, of course. After years of putting him off, I finally agreed, pretty much just to quiet him down as drag racing held no allure for me despite being a car enthusiast. I didn’t really want to go due to my preconceived notions; I did not think that drag racing would be challenging because it seemed pretty easy to drive in a straight line for a quarter mile. Anyone could do it, so how fun could it be? I would be proven wrong later. Many of my following races were against his current car, a late-model GTO – a rebranded car known as a Holden Monero in Australia and that sports a big American V8. The two cars could not be more different, with the Lotus being a mid-engine nimble supercar, while the Holden/GTO is a classic American muscle car. Certainly, a quarter-mile race would favor the muscle car.

Weight Engine Displ. Horsepower Torque Configuration Transmission

by KEITH KREHEL

Photo courtesy of Keith Krehel

That night, we drove to Island Dragway in Hackettstown to participate in Friday night street legal races. After getting the cars checked over by their staff, we immediately drove over to the grudge match lanes, where they allowed us to designate our competitor. I found this alarming and outright scary since I could not see the length of the track in the evening light and did not get a chance to walk the track as I had expected. The track attendant then signaled me up to the start position, which was difficult to see with bifocals. (Old age stinks!) Being clueless, I asked, “Do I wait for the light to turn green?” To which he responded, “If you do, you’ve already lost the race.” And so, the night began. On the first run, I lost – by a lot – since I took my foot off the gas; Comparable Specs I think I actually hit the brake before even reaching the ’83 Lotus GTO end of the quarter mile! As I started to catch on after a few 2,696lb 3,677lb runs, I found it exhilarating and began beating the GTO 2.3 liter 6 liter often, which surprised me because the Lotus would be 205 400 more at home on a road course track than a drag strip. 194 395 Since that day, I have learned a lot. A drag race is Mid-engine RWD Front engine RWD short (15 seconds or less), so there is little margin of 5 Speed 5 Speed error. One small mistake and you will lose, unless your continued on pg. 42

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LOCAL NEWS

by CHASIDY RAE SISK

AASP/NJ Member Shop Employee Wins 2020 March Taylor Award VeriFacts Automotive recently announced the winners of the 2020 March Taylor Awards, which includes an AASP/NJ member shop employee who won for Outstanding Craftsmanship in the category of Vehicle Damage Repair Planner: Anthony McNee of Ultimate Collision Repair (Edison). “March Taylor did many great things for the collision industry and is one of our industry’s heroes due to his dedication to quality and doing the right thing,” stated VeriFacts Automotive CEO Farzam Afshar. “It’s an honor to recognize others who are also making a difference in the industry, and repair planning is one of the most important categories we recognize. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail - without a plan to repair the car, it’s difficult to successfully perform the repair.” “A good repair begins with understanding the damage and then determining how to best approach the repair methodology from the vehicle manufacturer to ensure it is restored to the same condition it was in before the

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Anthony McNee (left) displays March Taylor Award, pictured with VeriFacts coach, Matt Duzel. Photo courtesy of VeriFacts Automotive

accident,” Afshar added. “We are very happy to recognize this young man for his repair planning skill.” “Being selected for the March Taylor Award feels really good,” McNee said. “I’ve spent a lot of time training, continued on pg. 43


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LOCAL NEWS

In Memoriam Matthew J. Calafiore Matthew J. Calafiore of Avon-By-The Sea, NJ, a veteran of the auto body industry for almost 50 years, passed away October 2 at the age of 66 following a brief illness. Calafiore most recently worked as an adjuster at AASP/NJ member shop Compact Kars in Clarksburg, NJ. Born in Newark, he spent most of his childhood in Ocean Grove. He served in the U.S. Navy for two years. Calafiore is survived by his wife Kimberly Fahey-Calafiore, his daughters Christine Etoll-Calafiore Stratton (husband Brad) and Keim Elizabeth Micucci (husband Andy), five grandchildren, siblings, nephews and a long list of friends.

Christopher Walker Christopher S. Walker, owner of Walker Tech Autobody, an AASP/NJ member shop in Butler, NJ, passed away on September 6 at the age of 54. Chris was well loved by his “guys” and his customers. His passion for restoring muscle and classic cars led him to co-found the “Street Dominators of North Jersey” car club. He is survived by his wife of 24 years, Eileen, his daughters Kylie and Julianne, his mother Marie (husband Frank Racanelli) and his father Dana (Tex) Walker (wife Linda). He is also survived by his brother Michael Walker (wife Christina), nephew John, niece Charlotte, stepbrother Wayne Bal, his in-laws Peter and Bernadette Macagne, brother-in-law Christopher Macagne (wife Christine), nephew Sean and extended family. AASP/NJ and New Jersey Automotive extend their condolences to the Calafiore and Walker families.

NJA

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OUT OF BODY (AND MECHANICAL) EXPERIENCES continued from pg. 11

inconsideration but because I realized I’d have to find feeling sorry for me and told me to bring it in and they’d someone to put the mirror back on in Florida and then go see what they could do. When I pulled in, they were through the whole process again on my return. waiting for me. And as in Virginia, the guy told me that I headed back to the station and was waved through. Amtrak is screwing their customers because they do a Years ago, when my family would take the train with couple of these a week. Grrr. me (nowadays it’s “see you in Florida”), we used to get a A few hours later, I finally made it to Orlando. Now I bedroom. It came with two bunk beds and a bathroom/ could relax for a few days, at least until I had to endure the shower. This time I decided to get a “roomette” to save mirror swap again on the way home. And I did. My wife some money and regretted it the minute I stepped on and I had a good couple of days, and then my kids and the train (regret the roomette – that should be a slogan). nephews and nieces came down to join us. All 10 of us Picture your average coat closet. That’s all. That’s the size were having a great time during the week. Until Saturday. of the roomette. Plus since I was on the second floor, the As we were driving back to the hotel the night before, bathrooms were down a stairwell about three feet wide. my son asked if he and my nephew could use my car to This was gonna be fun! go play golf in the morning. Of course. Later on in the day, Everything was fine until it was time to go to bed. as I was just about to head down to the pool, I received an When I came back from the dining car to find my roomette urgent call from my son. set for sleep, my mouth went dry. Have you “Dad, we’re stuck on the highway. The ever been in one of those MRI beds? truck died.” Then you know what I saw. The bed “What do you mean the truck died?” was about two feet from the ceiling. “I don’t know. We were driving Unfortunately, When I climbed up into it, I couldn’t back and it just started chugging, and even turn over without sliding down we pulled over and now it won’t start.” the meds don’t put off of it first. How could I sleep? That’s “What are you talking about? That what they make prescriptions for! truck is a few months old. Put your Unfortunately, the meds don’t put your your bladder to sleep, cousin on the phone.” bladder to sleep, and in the middle of “I can’t understand it, we just left the night, I had to go. So, in the pitch the gas station…” and in the middle black of night, I had to climb off this “Wait. You filled it up with gas?” MRI bed, make sure I had my footing, “Yeah, it was getting…” of the night, put on my shoes and my mask to try “WHAT KIND OF GAS????” to make it down the Munchkin stairwell “Regular gas why…” I had to go. without pis…I mean killing myself. I “IT’S A DIESEL!!!!!!!!! Jesus Christ, never got to the second step. Sliding what is wrong with you guys? You know off that friggin thing, I lost my balance it’s a diesel!” and fell against the door and banged my head “Ummm...........Triple A is on the way…” against the glass. In a way, I was lucky. There was so I hung up and hurried back up to my room. I little room between the bed and the door that there was immediately started searching for repair shops that would no room for me to fall. I checked for blood, put my shoes repair an engine that was filled with the wrong gas. There halfway on and crawled out to the stairs. As I limped to the were a lot to choose from. Problem was that it was 5pm bottom of the stairs, out of nowhere, like Batman, came the on Saturday. None of them were open. But I did find one. attendant. Wouldn’t you know? It was good old Tuffy’s. They had a “It’s federal law to wear a mask at all times on Amtrak.” franchise not far from the hotel that was open until 7pm. “But I just have to p…” I called and explained (I seem to be doing that a lot), “Please put on a mask or I will have to…” and they told me to bring it in. I called my nephew and “Okay, okay.” son back and told them to have it towed there and that I Back up I went to my coffin, sorry, roomette, and got would meet them. During the two hours I waited for them my mask. to show up, I went through the gamut of emotions. Rage. Needless to say, it wasn’t a great sleep, and as the (How could they be so stupid?) Concern. (This might cost day broke, I remembered I had to find a repair shop in thousands to fix.) Worry. (How the f#$k am I gonna drive Sanford to put the mirror back on. Of course since it was home from Virginia with a faulty gas tank?) Shame (for Saturday, my choices were limited. I finally came upon a yelling at them). place called Tuffy’s, not far from the station, that opened The flatbed arrived and dumped the truck HALFWAY early. I called to explain the situation. At first, the guy into Tuffy’s garage. Why halfway? Because apparently was giving me the “you have to make an appointment once the new Tahoes die, there’s no override to get the and we’re all booked on Saturday” rap, but he ended up continued on pg. 38

26 | New Jersey Automotive | November 2021


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LOCAL NEWS

AASP/NJ 2021 Annual Meeting Highlights October 20, 2021 • The Gran Centurions Clark, NJ

Congratulations to the new Board and all 2021 award winners! Board elections, an awards ceremony and a CCC presentation - stay tuned for full coverage in the December 2021 edition of New Jersey Automotive!

Board: AASP/NJ’s Board welcomed newly-elected Board member Ken Miller. Seated (L to R): Dave Laganella, Sam Mikhail, Charles Bryant Standing (L to R): Keith Krehel, Brad Crawford, Gary Gardella Jr., Anthony Trama, Dennis Cataldo Jr., Ted Rainer, Ken Miller, Jerry McNee, Tom Elder, Jeff McDowell (not pictured: Joe Amato Sr., Tom Greco, Mike Kaufmann)

Stan Wilson/New Jersey Automotive Body Shop of the Year: AASP/NJ President Jerry McNee congratulates Collision Chairman Dennis Cataldo Jr. for D&M Auto Body (Old Bridge, NJ) being named 2021 Stan Wilson/New Jersey Automotive Body Shop of the Year.

Lee Vetland Award: AASP/NJ Treasurer Tom Elder received the 2021 Lee Vetland Award.

Hall of Famer: Alicia Figurelli, senior vice president at Thomas Greco Publishing, became the second woman in association history to be inducted into the AASP/NJ Hall of Fame.

Russ Robson Award: The 2021 Russ Robson Scholarship was awarded to high school senior Gavin Danitz.

30 | New Jersey Automotive | November 2021

AASP/NJ Past President Eddie Day congratulates Tom Elder (Katie Vetland in background).

NJA


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

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

YOU’RE SWAMPED WITH WORK, BOOKED TWO WEEKS SOLID. YOUR OLDEST AND BEST CUSTOMER COMES IN AND SAYS THEY NEED THEIR CAR REPAIRED IMMEDIATELY. WHAT DO YOU DO? Sq. Footage: 3,000 Employees: 4 0% DRP

Sq. Footage: 12,000 Employees: 10 50% DRP

Sq. Footage: 20,000 Employees: 27 20% DRP

I’d say we would tell them we would do the best that we can. We would try and get them in but tell them that there’s people in front of them. We’d explain to them that we would try to get them in within a reasonable time. If they were insistent, I would say, “I’m sorry. We can’t do it” - and kind of put it back on them. I can’t say there would be no exceptions. But under the situation where it’s either, you know, do it now or you’ve got to go? They’re probably going to go. But it would depend on what they really needed. If they needed a small repair that we could do quickly, then yeah, we would definitely do whatever we could. But if they’re talking about collision damage and they need to get it done now – a “drop everything else” sort of situation – that would be unreasonable. A small repair, something that we can do easily like reattaching the bumper or something to that effect? Yeah. Absolutely. We’re a hundred percent about our customers, but given that instance, I don’t know. I think most of our customers would understand. But a quick repair? We do that all the time. Honestly, we have people that say, “Oh, I have a ding” or whatever it is and “it’s going back to the dealer” or whatever. We need to do a paintless dent repair or something small, to that end? Yes, we would do it.

We’d fix the car. It’s as simple as that. It’s called loyalty. They are my customer. I built my business with them and other people like them with their vehicles, with their money. Why would I make them wait? As far as I know, they have been loyal to me. My particular shop is certified for six of the best European brands in the country. But that doesn’t mean I walk away from my Toyota Camrys. They’re the ones who got me here. And I would do everything I can to make sure they know I appreciate and value them just as much as any $100,000 vehicle owner. Even more so - like I said, it’s about loyalty.

We try to accommodate them the best we can. We’re upfront and honest with them based upon our workload. We’re booked through the second week of December right now. So a lot would depend on my technicians. I’d tell them, “Now is your time to step up,” because we have all the work. And that equates to paychecks and money. So, depending on the job, we would talk to one or two techs that we know are willing to stay and would do anything to make some extra money. We would certainly compensate them in order to do it. If the techs were available, we would do it. Absolutely. I have that scenario right now with three customers. So it’s nothing new. And we’re going to accommodate them. Maybe it’s not done in the five days that it should be. Maybe it’s going to take seven or eight days, but we will certainly accommodate them the best way we can. We would pre-order the parts. If it’s something that we can paint off the vehicle, we’ll paint the stuff off of it. We’d bring them in while they still have the car, swap it over and try to make that transition as smooth as possible for both parties to get it in and out the door.

NJA

32 | New Jersey Automotive | November 2021


New Jersey Automotive | November 2021 | 33


by ALANA BONILLO

COVER STORY

AASP/NJ Insurance Plan Improves Member Shops’ Physical and Financial Health

Running a business is hard work, especially these days – in the wake of a pandemic with an environment that forces shop owners to do whatever they can to keep overhead costs low, cutting costs is more important than ever. Then you factor in the extreme employee shortage which prohibits shops from easily finding any willing new participants to come on board, and an unacceptably low Labor Rate doesn’t help one bit. Automotive repair businesses can use all the help they can get. Well, AASP/NJ may have just found a solution to all of the above. Earlier this year, AASP/NJ worked with World Insurance Associates, Inc. to create and develop the AASP/NJ Health Care Plan via the Amato Insurance Agency. The locally known company with decades of experience became a part of the already-large-butstill-growing national company that is World Insurance Associates roughly three years ago. Together, they worked to establish this plan, which is now offered to all members who are in good standing. Shops who have made the switch to AASP’s plan are achieving savings in ways that help reshape their businesses. As Joe Amato, Jr., principal at World Insurance Associates, puts it, “People are just thrilled with it.” 34 | New Jersey Automotive | November 2021

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“We started the AASP/NJ Health Care Plan six months ago, and we have had tremendous success with this innovative product,” explains Amato. “Not only have we saved lots of money for the members who have joined the plan, but there are other great features, such as a national network, personalized service, easy enrollment and a variety of plan options.” The healthcare plan provides major medical group benefits for businesses, ranging from small owneroperated shops to megastores. The plan is open to shops with a staff as small as one employee to those as large continued on pg. 36


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COVER STORY continued from pg. 34

as a hundred-plus team operation. Product pricing ranges from as low as $310 per month for an individual to $932 per month for a full family, depending on underwriting LOW-COST consideration and HEALTH INSURANCE plan design. One of the AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVE TO IN ALL STATES AASP MEMBERS first things shops LARGE RESOURCES. LOCAL RELATIONSHIPS. should know is how Get the best of both worlds, with World. this plan opens the door to affordability right off the bat: World Insurance is licensed from coast to coast and has local representation in many states and works with just about every insurer on the market. According to Amato, “There are only a handful of options that allow small businesses to obtain health insurance in this state, and not all of those options are affordable.” This plan is now opening up new possibilities for members who were previously unable to offer insurance to their staff. “They pulled off the impossible,” shares longtime AASP/NJ member Joe Riccardi (Carlson’s Automotive and Body Shop; Jackson) who made the switch as soon as the plan was offered. “The coverage was much more affordable than Blue Cross. I was able to extend benefits to all my employees.”

“They saved me a bundle of money on the premium. The national network is a real plus. Good people to deal with,” adds John Zeleznik of Marlboro Auto Body & Coachworks, Inc. (Marlboro), echoing Riccardi’s sentiments in regard to affordability. By going with AASP/NJ’s plan via World Insurance, employees can avoid the loopholes and runarounds that tend to go hand-in-hand with gigantic companies. That won’t be the case with AASP/NJ’s plan. A dedicated customer service number with actual people answering the phone prevents plan participants from sitting on hold forever when calling with questions or issues, Amato explains. These people are available to answer issues with claims, billings or general coverage questions. Members and vendors of AASP/NJ are eligible for this plan, and enrollment is simple. Employees visit a secure HIPAA complaint portal to enter their information, and after World Insurance analyzes the employer’s needs, they quickly provide quotes in comparison to the current plan. Another longtime AASP/NJ member who signed on to the plan, Yoshio Sugawara (J.A. Auto Body, Inc; Belleville), is grateful to work with the World Insurance team: “Great service, great price, great people!” As the year comes to a close, now is the time to think about what can be done to make 2022 a better year. Making the switch to the AASP/NJ Health Care Plan could be the start to cost savings and employee retention for your business. To get started, call Joe Amato, Jr. at World Insurance at aaspnj@worldinsurance.com or (732) 530-6740, ext. 412. Not a member of AASP/NJ and looking to join up to take advantage of the plan? Contact AASP/NJ Executive Director Charles Bryant at (732) 922-8909 for more information. NJA

36 | New Jersey Automotive | November 2021


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OUT OF BODY (AND MECHANICAL) EXPERIENCES continued from pg. 26

truck into neutral. The guy had to literally push and pull some names and was determined to start calling people the truck while spraying water under the wheels just to get first thing Monday morning. In the meantime, I reached it off. Once it was off, the guys at Tuffy’s were even more out to both Amtrak and the hotel to see what the damage perplexed. They had no idea how to get it the rest of the would be if I needed to extend my stay. The hotel was way into the garage. They tried every tool in the place. It great. They said I could stay in my same room another wouldn’t budge. They suggested I call another tow truck day, but after that, it would depend on whether someone and bring it to the closest GM dealer. else had reserved the room. Amtrak said, “As long as you I sent my son and nephew back to the hotel (they were tell them before the train leaves, they can hold your money both very upset but no sense ruining all of our nights). Two and put you on the next available train.” Great. The Auto hours later, the next flatbed finally arrived (I’m surprised Train runs once a day. I hadn’t blown MY gasket). Problem was, the driver was My family left for home on Sunday afternoon, leaving new on the job. He had no clue how to get a vehicle with me to mope around all day. I did not feel like doing wheels that wouldn’t turn onto a tow truck. Not only was anything. I just hung out in the room waiting for Monday I feeling sorry for myself, I was feeling bad for the guys morning to come. Around 7am on Monday, the phone at Tuffy’s. They should have been home to their families rang. It was the dealership. hours ago. But they couldn’t leave with a freaking truck “Mr. Greco, we have your car. We should be able to halfway stuck in their garage. They couldn’t even close get to it this afternoon.” the doors! (God bless those guys. If you’re “Did you read my note? I have a train ever in Orlando and need repairs, leaving…” go to Tuffy’s. Genuine southern “Yes sir. But there’s no way we can sweethearts.) Finally, the boss of the get everything done today. Let me tow company showed up and again see if we can at least get a tech to rocked and rolled the truck onto the look at it this morning, and I will call The flatbed arrived flatbed. you back. If I were you, I’d cancel the The AutoNation dealership and dumped the truck train.” was about 10 minutes away, and A couple hours later, he called of course by that time, it was long back. HALFWAY into the closed. We jimmied the truck into the “Mr. Greco. Best case scenario, lot, and I left a long note explaining we drain the engine, clean and garage...apparently what happened in the key drop. replace all the filters, etc., everything Remember, this was Saturday. starts back up, and we can get you once the new Tahoes AutoNation didn’t open till Monday out of here by Tuesday. That would morning. And my train was leaving cost $1,480. Worst case scenario is that Monday afternoon... die, there’s no override the engine is damaged and we have Not only was my train set to leave to replace or rebuild it. That would on Monday, but the hotel room was to get them into neutral. cost $9,000, and I have no idea how up as well. So, if I couldn’t get the long that would take.” truck, I was screwed not only for a way What could I say? I told him to do home but for a place to stay. what he had to do and let me know. I I spent the rest of the night researching hung up and went back to my research. I everything I could about what happens when you put remembered that my nephew Anthony, who lives about regular gas into a diesel. And everything I read was three hours south of Orlando, worked for the Pro Golf depressing. If I was lucky, it would cost me around $1,500. Tour and had a lot of big ticket sponsors. Hmmm. Maybe If I was unlucky, it could cost anywhere from $10,000AutoNation was one of his sponsors. I went on to his 15,000. The way the trip was going, what do you think my company’s website and wouldn’t you know it. There they odds were? were. Big logo right in the middle of the sponsor page. I reached out to everyone I knew in the industry I immediately called him. No answer. I called again. No who might have advice or suggestions. And everytime answer. He texted instead. I finished the first sentence with “regular gas into my “Uncle Tom, what’s up? Everything okay?” diesel,” I heard things like, “Oh shit,” or “You’re f#$ked,” “Don’t you pick up?” or “Wow,” or “Hmmm...” Not an encouraging word in the “Playing golf with a client.” bunch. “I’m in a jam. Who do you know at AutoNation?” Then I started researching AutoNation. I discovered He laughed. “I’m with their CFO and CMO right now.” that they were one of the biggest dealer franchises in SERIOUSLY. THIS happened. the country. After over 30 years in this business, I had to “I need their help.” know SOMEONE who “knew a guy.” I managed to scribble “What do you need, mirrors?” (I guess he had already

38 | New Jersey Automotive | November 2021


heard the Amtrak story.) “My car is at one of their dealers. I need it fixed ASAP. I need to get home.” “I’ll ask them to make a call.” Another night of staying in the room and dreading the worst. At least now I had some hope. Tuesday morning, the phone woke me. “Mr. Greco, good news. We were able to drain the tank, change everything and you’re good to go.” (I never did find out if someone made a call or not.) You never saw someone pack so fast. I checked out of the hotel, took an Uber over to AutoNation and thanked the guy profusely. When I got into the truck, I felt like a gangster with a hit out on him turning on the ignition. Would it start? It did! As I pulled out of the dealer and headed towards Sanford, I looked to change lanes and realized...I forgot about the mirror. I pulled back into Tuffy’s, and a different guy behind the counter asked if he could help me. AGAIN, I explained, and he said he didn’t know if they could get to it that day. The train was leaving in two hours! Before anything could happen, the counter guy from the week before came out and calmed me down. He promised they would get it done within a half hour. I drove into the Amtrak station, and even before the guard could open his mouth, I held up the mirror in my hands and pulled away. I was smarter this time. I upgraded from a roomette to a bedroom so at least I wouldn’t have to leave my room to go to the bathroom or sleep in an MRI bed. When the train took off, I finally relaxed a little. We were moving for about 15 minutes when there was a sudden stop. “Attention all passengers, this is the conductor. Um, it seems that one of the engines is on fire. There’s no need to be alarmed. The fire trucks are on their way.” Now the trip from Hell actually had the fire to go with it.

By the time the fire was put out and a new engine was brought out to us, we had been stranded for four hours. At this point, what could I do but laugh? When all was said and done, the usual 16-hour trip to Virginia took 24 hours. I didn’t care – I just wanted to get home. In Virginia, I took the truck back to the gas station; they put the mirror on quickly, and I was on my way.

I whiteknuckled it all four hours, praying the truck wouldn’t die on Rt. 95. When I pulled into my garage Wednesday night, I was never so glad to be back in Nutley. What a f#$king ordeal. Thanks to all the people who did what they could to help me get through it. But you know what I take away most from all of this? God wants me to fly. NJA

New Jersey Automotive | November 2021 | 39


PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE continued from pg. 14

evaluates all the repair procedures to confirm that the repair was completed correctly. So, looking at the overall picture, a minimum of six people must read those procedures - that’s a lot of time and labor hours invested in this small repair. At this point, my estimate is at $7,200 - and it’s not complete yet! We haven’t even touched the vehicle. A

simple repair - bumper cover, tail light and minor work on the quarter panel could potentially be a $10,000 repair with an estimate that took five hours to write. “I got a clean scan, and everything is okay.” I hear that from shops and dealers all the time, and I have to question whether they are repairing that car

40 | New Jersey Automotive | November 2021

correctly because calibrations and repair procedures are still required. Even if you sublet that repair out to the dealer, YOU are responsible for their service and verifying all procedures are followed! Vehicles are evolving, and everyone needs to pay attention and be involved; there’s never been a more crucial time in this industry. Insurers continue singing the same tune: “We don’t pay for that, you’re the only one, and you charge more than anyone else.” Listen, no one pays me for anything that I haven’t performed, and if other shops aren’t smart enough to charge for everything they’re doing, that’s not my problem, though insurers use those shops against the rest of us. It’s kind of pathetic how often we’re our own worst enemies. I hope my math is off when I say most shops aren’t performing proper repairs, but only the shop itself can answer that question - are you pulling every repair procedure, to disconnect and reconnect the battery and remove a bumper cover and taillight you’ve removed thousands of times? If the answer is “no,” you cannot honestly say that you’ve properly repaired that car. Oh yes, I can hear some of you now; I’ll bet a judge or an attorney can answer that for you easily. A couple simple questions reveal who’s on top of their game and who’s just flying by the seat of their pants. The old-fashioned way doesn’t cut it anymore! I know it’s a hard pill to swallow nobody likes to hear that they’re doing something wrong - but here’s your wakeup call: If you want to get PAID as a professional, you need to ACT like a professional; you need to BE a professional!

NJA


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MECHANICAL CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE continued from pg. 18

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42 | New Jersey Automotive | November 2021

competitor errs worse. Case in point: During one race, my opponent shifted from first to second and back into first by mistake, instantly over-revving, which shut off the engine. As a result, he coasted to the end of the run. You must drive each car repeatedly to learn optimum shift points (manual transmission) to maintain maximum acceleration. I could feel this when staying in the proper power band during the race. Drag racing is more than just pressing the pedal to the floor and aiming straight. Knowing how much gas to give the car initially is critical to a good start. Again, you must drive the car repeatedly to get the right combination of RPM and throttle position to avoid wheel slippage or a poor start. While driving a car with over three times the horsepower as my Lotus (a Ford GT) one time, I was too aggressive with the gas, causing the car to start turning sideways and bringing me very close to the pesky Corvette I was racing. Luckily, we didn’t trade paint. All in all, the Lotus did surprisingly well that first evening, quite honestly not due to my modest talents but more likely due to the fact that a mid-engine places significant weight on the rear wheels, helping to get a good start from a standstill. Based on my memory, I usually finished in the 14-second range with speeds around 100mph. I enjoyed racing against the GTO and the many strangers who challenged me; we had fun, and no one took the race too seriously. I look forward to going again. If anyone reading this is interested in joining me for the next trip, either as a spectator or a competitor, please reach out and contact me. NJA


LOCAL NEWS continued from pg. 20

studying and traveling - learning is hard work, and it’s great to see that all that hard work pay off.” Although McNee has spent his summers in his family’s business since he was young, he cemented his decision to pursue a lifelong career in the collision repair industry just six years ago. “When I was about 20 years old, I decided to commit to this career path and started really learning from the ground up - sweeping floors, moving cars and ordering parts. Then, I began learning to write estimates and took on the role of damage repair planner about a year and a half ago.” “I wouldn’t be here without my team,” McNee continued. “They’re always there to answer my questions, and they’ve helped me learn to write a more complete ticket. I’ve been getting a lot of hands-on training after work as well, and I’m looking forward to learning as much as I can so I can continue to grow in this great industry.” NJA

is a distributor of high quality collision supplies sold at cost effective pricing.

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New Jersey Automotive | November 2021 | 43


Audi dealers strive to make you an Audi Genuine Parts fan •

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

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

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

Helping you do business is our business. Order Audi Genuine Parts from these select dealers. Flemington Audi 213 Route 202/31 Flemington, NJ 08822 Toll Free: 877.657.2787 Fax: 908.782.1795 email: rmuir@flemington.com www.NJPARTS.com

DCH Millburn Audi 2211 Millburn Ave Maplewood, NJ 07040 Toll Free: 800.553.9250 Direct: 973.762.0262 Fax: 973.762.2381 www.dchmillburnaudi.com

Paul Miller Audi 179 Route 46 East Parsippany, NJ 07054 Toll Free: 800.35.MILLER Parts Direct: 973.575.7793 Fax: 973.575.5911 www.paulmiller.com

Bell Audi 782 Route 1 Edison, NJ 08817 732.396.9360 Fax: 732.396.9090 www.bellaudi.com

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

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

44 | New Jersey Automotive | November 2021

Jack Daniels Audi of Upper Saddle River 243 Route 17 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 201.252.1500 Fax: 201.254.1552 tbabcock@jackdanielsmotors.com www.jackdanielsmotors.com

Audi Bridgewater 701 Route 202-206 N Bridgewater, NJ 08807 929.600.9156 Fax: 908.595.0237 parts@audibridgewater.com www.audibridgewater.com


ARANJ Board of Directors David Yeager - EL & M Auto (800) 624-2266 / elandmauto@aol.com Ed Silipena - American II Autos (609) 965-0987 / esilipena@yahoo.com Norm Vachon - Port Murray Auto (908) 689-3152 / portmurrayauto@yahoo.com Dillon Rinkens - East Brunswick Auto (732) 254-6501 / ebautonj@comcast.net

ARANJ Officers

President - Rodney Krawczyk Ace Auto Wreckers (732) 254-9816 / aceautonj@comcast.net 1st Vice President - Daryl Carman Lentini Auto Salvage (908) 782-4440 / darryl@las-parts.coms 2nd Vice President - Mike Ronayne Tilghmans Auto Parts (609) 723-7469 / tilghmans@snip.net Past President - Bob Dirkes Dirkes Used Auto Parts (609) 625-1718 / dirkesauto@gmail.com

ARANJ The Automotive Recyclers Association of New Jersey

Wharton Insurance Briefs

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, resulting in a cleanup or a third-party lawsuit. Insurance coverage is available to protect your assets. Dismantlers/recyclers and landowners can purchase pollution coverage to protect your business 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 downstream or down gradient. It can also cover the legal defense and judgment awards if a third party sues 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 (ext. 1320) (908) 513-8588 (cell) mdefilippis@whartoninsurance.com

NJA

New Jersey Automotive | November 2021 | 45


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46 | New Jersey Automotive | November 2021


New Jersey Automotive | November 2021 | 47


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