New Jersey Automotive December 2015

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

TM

December 2015 $595

P&M ISSUES, SHORT-PAYS HIGHLIGHT AASP NATIONAL REPORT www.grecopublishing.com

QUESTIONS AND ISSUES ADDRESSED AT AASP/NJ ANNUAL MEETING

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P.O. Box 734 Neptune, NJ 07753 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Charles Bryant 732-922-8909 / setlit4u@msn.com 2015 - 2017 OFFICERS PRESIDENT Jeff McDowell, Leslie’s Auto Body 732-738-1948 / chacki@aol.com COLLISION CHAIRMAN Jerry McNee, Ultimate Collision Repair, Inc. 732-494-1900 / ultimatecollision@att.net 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 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 / trainer@verizon.net

CONTENTS

VOLUME 45, NUMBER 12 | December 2015

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

20 COLLISION CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE 22 I-CAR CALENDAR 62 NJA ADVERTISERS’ INDEX

NORTHEAST® SPOTLIGHT by Jacquelyn Bauman 24 PPG to Rock NORTHEAST 2016 VENDOR SPOTLIGHT by Joel Gausten 26 Experience Matters: A Look Inside Dover Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep LEGAL PERSPECTIVE by Mitchell Portnoi, Esq. 30 Arbitration - Friend or Foe?

Anthony Sauta, East Coast Auto Body 732-869-9999 / ecabofnj@aol.com

LOCAL NEWS by Jacquelyn Bauman 34 Advancements in Technology Require Educator Training

Anthony Trama, Bloomfield Auto Body 973-748-2608 / anthony@bloomfieldautobody.com

AASP/NJ UPDATE by Joel Gausten 36 P&M Issues, Short-Pays Highlight AASP National Report

Randy Scoras, Holmdel Auto Body 732-946-8388 / randy@holmdelautobody.com

BOARD ALLIED Joe Amato, The Amato Agency 732-530-6740 / joesr@amatoagency.com

Mike Kaufmann, Advantage Dealer Services 973-332-7014 / mkaufmann@advantageds.com PAST PRESIDENT ATTENDING Tom Elder, Compact Kars 609-259-6373 / compactkars@aol.com

PUBLISHER Thomas Greco (thomas@grecopublishing.com) DIRECTOR OF SALES Alicia Figurelli (alicia@grecopublishing.com) EDITOR Joel Gausten (tgpjoel@verizon.net)

MANAGING EDITOR Jacquelyn Bauman (jacquelyn@grecopublishing.com) ART DIRECTOR Lea Velocci (lea@grecopublishing.com)

OFFICE MANAGER Donna Greco (donna@grecopublishing.com)

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Charles Bryant • Tom Greco • Jeff McDowell Mitch Portnoi • Dave Laganella • Ron Ananian

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

www.grecopublishing.com

NATIONAL NEWS by Joel Gausten 40 SEMA 2015: NJ Shop Owners & Vendors Score in Las Vegas

COVER STORY by Jacquelyn Bauman

46 MyPriceLink Questions and Issues Addressed at AASP/NJ Annual Meeting NO BRAKES by Ron Ananian 50 The Blue Seal

The Alliance of Automotive Service Providers/New Jersey Joe Amato, Sr. Ron Ananian Jim Bowers Charles Bryant Don Chard Guy Citro Pete Cook Ed Day

HALL OF FAME

Dave Demarest Tom Elder Bob Everett Thomas Greco Dan Hawtin Rich Johnson Wes Kearney Nick Kostakis

Jim Kowalak Joe Lubrano Michael Lovullo Sam Mikhail Ron Mucklow George Petrask Russ Robson Jerry Russomano

George Threlfall Cynthia Tursi Lee Vetland Paul Vigilant Rich Weber Brian Vesley Glenn Villacari Stan Wilson

NEW JERSEY AUTOMOTIVE is published monthly and is sent to AASP/NJ and ARANJ members free of charge. Subscriptions are $24 per year. NEW JERSEY AUTOMOTIVE is published by Thomas Greco Publishing Inc., 244 Chestnut St., Nutley, NJ 07110. The editorial contents of NEW JERSEY AUTOMOTIVE are copyright © 2015 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. Cover and Images courtesy of www.istockphoto.com.

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OUT OF BODY (AND MECHANICAL) EXPERIENCES

Card Shark

by THOMAS GRECO, PUBLISHER

I have always been a fan of playing cards. I think, like most of you, the very first card games I learned were Go Fish, Old Maid and War, the last of which I can remember playing for hours and hours with my family and friends. How crazy is it that you probably couldn’t play those games in this day and age because their names would be considered offensive? I can just see college campuses filled with signs that say “Old Maids Matter” or “Make Poker, Not War.” But I digress.

Once I got a little bit older, I moved up from the kiddie games to the big table with the adults. My mom was a huge card player, figuratively and literally. (Spare me your letters; she would have laughed at that joke.) Not in an addictive kind of way, but I remember she’d invite a couple of my aunts over to the house every Friday night to join us for an evening of pizza from the Place-Which-Must-Not-Be-Named (see my message in the August 2015 NJA for the background on that story) and poker.

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I learned so many new games playing with that crew that regular poker was actually a rarity. We played everything from Seven Card Stud to Baseball (the phrase “threes and nines are wild, fours you get an extra card” is embedded in my brain) to Blackjack, Anaconda, Follow the Queen and even some screwy game my brother found (or, more likely, made up) called The Cross. When it was his turn to deal, there was always a noticeable groan from the table as he would put on a terrible French accent and announce, “La Croix.” In fact, I’m groaning now as I think about it. Of course, I can’t forget my mom’s favorite, No Peek. I don’t think she ever chose anything else.

Lots of memories flood in as I recall the fun times from those Friday nights. My Aunt Viola, who just celebrated her 93rd birthday (God bless Aunt Vi!), was a regular. She was always laughing, and she would take her cards and try to hide them in the cutest way. At that age, I wasn’t yet ready to be out cute-ed by anyone, so I started calling her “Virgin Vi,”

obviously not knowing what it meant. The room got quiet for a second, and everyone looked at me. It was a frigging long second. Finally, everyone started laughing and I was relieved. I asked what was so funny, but they just laughed.

I was 30 at the time.

Joking.

One night wasn’t so fun. My older sister, Gloria, made one of her rare appearances at home. (Since she had met her boyfriend at 16, we saw her more on milk cartons than at home.) She decided to sit in on the card game with her boyfriend. The game was No Peek (of course); when I turned up my last card to reveal a straight, I jumped up ranting and raving. The kid at the table had finally won a big pot of pennies! Alas, my sister tapped me on the shoulder and pointed to the one card remaining on the table. It belonged to her boyfriend. He turned it over and of course, it was the heart he needed to fill his flush. This stranger who had kidnapped my sister had now stolen my pot! I snapped and yelled, “You zit-faced jerk!”

WHACK! That was the sound of my sister’s hand making contact with my face.

That kind of ended my love of card games for a while.

That is, until the day my dad had a couple of friends over and they broke out a deck of cards after a few drinks. They started talking about this old Italian game called “Breeska.”

At least that’s what it sounded like to me; it was actually

Briscola. They needed a fourth to play, so my dad asked me over and I sat down.

“The first thing you do is take out the eights, nines and tens,” he said.

What?

“The special suit that is selected at the beginning of the game beats all others.”

Huh? “The ace is worth 11 points, the three is worth 10 points, kings are four, jacks are three and queens are two.”

Hmmm.

“Everything else is worth nothing. First team to 120 points wins.”

Crazy, right?

Well, I took to the game pretty quickly. Ever since then, we get the cards out every holiday and play Briscola in tribute to my dad. I love that game; it will always remind me of him.

Oh, I almost forgot. You know what the suit that beats EVERYTHING in Briscola is called?

TRUMP.

☺

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

NJA

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

WHAT KEEPS US ALL GOING As you’ll see throughout this issue, topics to discuss this month. However, there is certainly no shortage of industry this time I’d like to use my space to

by JEFF MCDOWELL

invite our readers to reflect on the year we’ve had, both professionally and personally, and remind everyone that there is so much more to life than what lies within the walls of the shop, especially during the holidays.

The support and love of our family and friends is what keeps many of us going through the often-grueling life of a shop owner or industry professional.

And whether we realize it or not, our love and support keeps them going, too. The next time you get frustrated on the job, remember who you’re really working hard for. Above all, take time – not only this season, but every day – to make sure that they know how you feel about them. The holidays are meant for gathering around with those most important to us, and for making memories.

Don’t waste this time thinking about how you could have done a job differently or grumbling to yourself over an exchange you had with an adjuster last week. Really appreciate those closest to you around the holidays, and every day.

(Trust me; that job will still be in the bay tomorrow morning, so there’s no use in stressing about it at your holiday party!)

On behalf of AASP/NJ, I’d like to wish all of our members, supporters and readers a happy and healthy holiday season. We are truly thankful for your involvement and participation. I’m looking forward to another successful and profitable year for all of us!

NJA

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

Collision Industry Members – Read This Very Carefully

I have been involved in the collision industry for most of my adult life.

Since the day I started, I have watched the field struggle to thrive or even survive because of artificially suppressed Labor Rates. When I started right out of high school, I suffered because I could not get paid what I would have had I chosen another career path. However, like most in the industry, I loved repairing damaged vehicles, so I stayed. Later on, when I opened my own collision shop, I struggled to survive because I could not get paid enough to handle the bills and still prosper. Once I became a shop owner, I had to rely on work being paid for by insurance companies.

At my shop, I fought many battles with insurance companies and even threw a few appraisers out because of their unwillingness to negotiate. No matter how hard I tried or what tactics I used, nothing worked. Therefore, I struggled for many years trying to make a difference. The best day of my career was the day I joined my local auto body association. Once I was a member, I realized that I was not alone, and that the issues and problems that I had faced for years were the same for other collision shop owners. Everything changed when I met the woman I married. She was very educated and eventually came to work with me in the shop. Once she saw the many issues that I faced,

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she took to the library to try and find answers.

Between joining an association and marrying a very educated woman, my life in the collision industry started to change. I learned that there were rules and regulations that insurance companies were supposed to follow, but rarely did. Once I started to apply the rules and push hard to enforce them, I started to prosper. I was finally getting paid for things that I had never received compensation for before. Eventually, other shop owners started asking me for assistance in addressing similar problems. Although my marriage did not work and I wound up getting divorced after a few years, I owe my exwife a lot because she assisted in getting me out of the shop, into the office and eventually out of the collision business – but not the collision industry. In short, she was a good woman and changed my life. We were simply from different worlds.

When I left the collision industry as a shop owner, I opened a consulting business to benefit other shop owners. Eventually, that led to assisting consumers who were having problems getting paid for damage to their vehicles. Many in the industry may recognize the company name, Bryant Associates. My brother Jimmy and I helped both collision shops and consumers resolve auto insurance claim issues for about 12 years before we closed that business and I took the position as executive director for AASP/NJ. During this time, I learned more about the insurance industry than one could even imagine.

(I had to, in order to provide aid to my clients and resolve the problems they shared with me.) Although we had quite a few successes, for the most part, they were still one at a time; the next day, the same insurer would do the same thing all over again. What

by CHARLES BRYANT

we learned was that we could address each symptom but never solve the actual problem.

The insurance industry had stacked the deck long before we got there. The regulations that actually govern the conduct of insurers are written in such a way that they are only effective when it can be shown that an insurer has violated these regulations over and over again. Even then, it is left to the insurance departments to make the determination if the violations are a “general business practice.” Even if a general business practice is proven, the only thing that can happen to the insurer is that the Department of Banking and Insurance can fine them, if they choose to.

To add insult to injury, even when one can show beyond a reasonable doubt that the insurer has abused the regulations, the law does not allow for a private right of action. In other words, you can’t sue the insurer for blatantly violating the regulations unless you can prove bad faith, which is almost impossible due to the high standard of proof required. There was no way that two non-attorneys were going to change things, but we fought to the end. My brother is gone now, but I am still fighting.

During my career, I learned just how clever insurers are. They are in the business of gambling on what is likely to happen in the future. Insurers know that when a collision shop is dissatisfied with the settlement, it has no standing to sue the carrier to resolve the problem. Most collision shops don’t know this until they get to court. Instead, they would have to sue their own customer and the insurer would then come in on his or her behalf and defend their actions.

How likely is it that a collision shop is going to sue its own valued customer because his or her insurer won’t pay the bill for the repairs? It wouldn’t take

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE many of those suits for a collision shop to wind up with no customers left. The insurers know this, and this is one reason why the Labor Rates are so low - and why they have been behind where they should be for so long.

During my tenure as an advocate for the collision industry, I have seen and tried almost everything possible (including strong negotiations and legislation) to get these problems addressed and resolved, basically to no avail. Even when great legislation

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is proposed to solve a major problem, it usually goes nowhere. One might ask why. Well, insurers know if you put enough money in the right place, you can come out on top. So why would I continue to keep up the fight? What is going on here is just wrong; therefore, I will not stop fighting to make things right until I simply can’t fight anymore.

I believe the collision industry is finally with me – at the point where we either fight back or die.

I have listened to the problems of

the collision industry for over 20 years and heard every horrible story imaginable. Yet, when a solution was proposed, the members of the industry would usually just surrender, take whatever they could get and let it go.

Finally, this is no longer the case. Finally, certain shops seem to have turned over a new leaf to stand strong and fight back, regardless of the consequences.

I am convinced that the only way the problems of the collision industry will ever get resolved is in a court of law. The major problem is that when a shop attempts to go after a large insurer, that carrier will try to shut down the shop’s attempt by any means possible. I have seen this over and over.

First, they make it so expensive that the shop usually cannot afford to stay in the battle long enough to win. If that fails, they begin to play dirty. I won’t go into the tactics, but I can tell you they are low in anyone’s eyes. If you are going to take on a battle with an insurer, you had better have all your ducks in a row.

Right now, there are lawsuits all over the country against insurers for short-pay claims. The industry finally figured out a way to address the problems without suing their own customers. This is achieved by taking an assignment of the claim, which gives the shop the right to repair the damaged vehicle properly and sue the insurer on their own with little or no involvement on the part of the shop’s customer. In the end, all the customer is concerned with is getting his or her vehicle repaired safely and properly and in the least amount of time possible.

The good news is that this is finally working. Suits are being won.

More and more attorneys are realizing that they can make money by taking on the problems of the collision industry. As a result, the bad conduct of so many insurers is coming to light. The shop suing has the right to demand discovery, and the insurer has to produce internal documents that might otherwise never be known to the public. Now, insurers are more willing to raise Labor Rates and accept the use of paint and materials cost accounting

programs. It is the lawsuits that have caused these changes that we are seeing. This industry owes a few shop owners a multitude of thanks for being courageous enough to stand up and say, “I have had it and I am going to fight to the end.� The good news is that not everyone has to take this hard stand. It only takes a few who are relentless in fixing these problems that have plagued the collision industry for years. Those who are not in the position to take on these battles for whatever reason need to stand up behind those who are and to make an all-out effort to unite the industry. Stop fighting against one another and unite behind those who are jumping out in front of the bus, so to speak.

Right now, we are seeing Labor Rate increases in amounts never heard of before. Insurers are paying for operations that they would have never considered in the past. Trust me when I tell you that this is not just because they want to get along with the collision industry. The insurance companies are gamblers; they can

see clearly where this is going and are attempting to minimize the impact.

AASP/NJ is one of the associations that have fought for the betterment of the collision industry for years; every collision shop in the state should be a member supporting our efforts. My fellow members of the collision industry, please read this carefully: NOW IS THE TIME! If you are a collision shop owner and ever thought about joining a trade

association, now is the time. If you have ever thought about uniting the collision industry and supporting those who are out there fighting the battles on behalf of others, now is the time. If you ever want to see change in the collision industry, now is the time. Pick up the phone and call me to immediately join AASP/NJ. I can be reached at (732) 922-8909.

NJA

Welcomes our newest members: Pribit Bros Auto Body Service Little Falls Central Jersey Garage Piscataway Economy Auto, Inc. South Amboy Expert Collision Linden New Jersey Automotive | December 2015 | 19

COLLISION CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE

THE CHANGE IS JUST BEGINNING As of the AASP/NJ Annual Meeting on October 28, I have stepped into the position of collision chairman on the AASP/NJ Board of Directors. I am excited about this opportunity, and I believe it came at the best possible time.

At the time of this writing, State Farm increased their Labor Rate to $60 an hour, which is most definitely a plus. It goes to show that the shops that are filling out the Labor Rate surveys, either directly with State Farm or on the Variable Rate Survey, are making a difference. Insurers are finally taking notice. They have realized that they can’t take advantage of us for this long. The new rate that they are offering is at least closer to the true reflection of

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what it takes to properly fix a car. I believe that the rest of the major insurers will soon follow suit, since that has been the pattern in other parts of the country. When State Farm increased their rates in Texas, most other insurers did the same within three months.

Within eight months, they had all conformed. This is a result of shops pushing, requesting and asking for better reimbursement for our time and labor. I think this is awesome news and long overdue.

I’m urging shops to fill out these industry surveys. The results are showing up, proving that this method is making a difference. The Variable Rate Survey is free to fill out and takes less

by JERRY MCNEE

than 10 minutes. It is the easiest way to contribute to change in our field.

With the progress already being made, we need to change out our posted rates and start demanding all insurance companies to at least match this rate – and we need to do it today.

Lord knows how long it’s going to be before we see another increase. The blame for our low rates isn’t entirely on the insurance companies. A lot of our grief is due to our own lackluster efforts. We need to stand up for what’s fair and reasonable. A technician is making $30 an hour, even though the true cost is much more than that, yet continued on page 56

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CALENDAR

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Automotive Foams Reliable Automotive Equipment, Belford

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Ford F-150 Structural Repair Training Course (FOR06-1) Reliable Automotive Equipment, Belford Ford F-150 Structural Repair Training Course (FOR06-2) Reliable Automotive Equipment, Belford

DECEMBER 12

Aluminum Exterior Panel Repair and Replacement Reliable Automotive Equipment, Belford Rack and Pinion and Parallelogram Steering Systems Virtual Classroom

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Squeeze-Type Resistance Spot Welding Reliable Automotive Equipment, Belford Full-Frame Partial Replacement CollisionMax, Pennsauken Vehicle Technology and Trends 2016 LKQ Corp., Lakewood Steel Unitized Structures Technologies and Repair Virtual Classroom

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Overview of Cycle Time Improvements for the Collision Repair Process Reliable Automotive Equipment, Belford Adhesive Bonding Somerset Vocational High School, Bridgewater

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Hazardous Materials, Personal Safety and Refinish Safety Virtual Classroom

DECEMBER 14

Structural Straightening Steel Comfort Suites, Mahwah Measuring Virtual Classroom

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Sectioning of Steel Unitized Structures CollisionMax, Pennsauken Corrosion Protection Virtual Classroom

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Plastic and Composite Repair Somerset Vocational High School, Bridgewater Suspension Systems Virtual Classroom

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Waterborne Products, Systems and Application Virtual Classroom

DECEMBER 22

Developing the Team and the Business Virtual Classroom Full-Frame Replacement Virtual Classroom

DECEMBER 7

Adhesive Bonding Reliable Automotive Equipment, Belford

DECEMBER 8

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Structural Straightening Steel Comfort Suites, Mahwah

DECEMBER 29

For more information, visit www.i-car.com NJA

New Jersey Automotive | December 2015 | 23

to ROCK

NORTHEAST® 2016 SPOTLIGHT by Jacquelyn Bauman

NORTHEAST 2016

With PPG Industries being such a staple of the New Jersey automotive repair field, it is no wonder that they are so excited for the largest industry event on the east coast taking place in their own backyard.

After years of success at the NORTHEAST Automotive Services Show, PPG is planning for the large impact they are going to have at the 2016 installment (held March 18-20 at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus).

“This show attracts a good draw of customers from New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, which are some of our largest markets,” says Regional Manager Brad Panichella. “So it’s important that we attend and show our support.”

Of course, Panichella sees the largest benefit of NORTHEAST as the opportunity to interact with customers.

“Just as importantly, the show provides the opportunity to showcase the several new PPG products and tools that we’ve recently introduced,” he says. “By removing the distraction of being on the busy shop floor, show visitors can learn about what’s new at PPG and in our industry, and ways to run their repair processes more efficiently. For those unfamiliar with PPG and our offerings, it’s an excellent opportunity to learn about our products, programs and services.

“Being at the show allows us to see new products that are being introduced into our market,” he adds. “It helps

improve our customer relations because we are able to see customers we wouldn’t normally see since they are often busy working in their shops. It allows us to bond with our customers, or walk around and look at tools that can make their shops run more efficiently. We get to spread the PPG brand to those who aren’t that familiar with our products.”

These reasons and more were the driving factors behind PPG’s decision to expand their presence significantly at the 2016 show. The company will be greatly expanding their booth size and rolling out their PPG Show Truck, where they will be showcasing all that the company has to offer.

“Our truck is supplied with all of our paint information, along with samples of our colors,” Panichella states. “We wanted to show our customers that we appreciate them, and what better way than to have the truck at our booth?”

PPG is excited about the new opportunities that this increased presence will present to them and their customers at the show. With a coloring contest for the children as well as new products for collision centers and commercial applications, their booth is certainly not one to be missed this year.

“I’m looking forward to seeing our customers at the show and showing off the truck,” he says. “We should have a really good turnout this year.”

NJA

The new, eye-catching PPG Show Truck will be supplied with a wealth of product information and samples of the company's color offerings to better inform their existing and potential customers.

Photo courtesy of PPG

Registration for the NORTHEAST 2016 Automotive Services Show is now open at tinyurl.com/NE16reg. The show will be held March 18-20, 2016 at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, NJ. For more information, please visit aaspnjnortheast.com.

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Networking.

Education.

Innovation.

Technology.

IT’S ALL HERE. AASP/NJ’s

March 18, 19, 20, 2016 | Meadowlands Exposition Center | Secaucus, NJ Online FREE Registration in NOW OPEN!

www.aaspnjnortheast.com New Jersey Automotive | December 2015 | 25

EXPERIENCE MATTERS:

VENDOR SPOTLIGHT By Joel Gausten

A Look Inside Dover Dodge/ Chrysler/Jeep

The Dover Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep parts team. (L to R: Bobby Freeman, Alex Acevedo, John Bozek, Matt Lawson, Jeff Anderson, Shawn Roberts, Doreen Bourdette, Ozzie Rivera and Janet Frazier)

T

Dover Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep boasts $1.5 million in parts to accommodate customers’ needs.

here are a lot of strong wholesale operations in this industry, but very few are $1.5 million in parts stored in a 30,000-square-foot warehouse strong. A thriving New Jersey institution, Dover Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep currently utilizes a fleet of 14 trucks to deliver high-quality OEM collision and mechanical parts from Northern New Jersey down to the Jersey Shore. Parts customers in Staten Island and Brooklyn also benefit from the dealership’s long-running commitment to prompt service, while Dover Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep is proud to be one of the top Dodge Chrysler Five Star Dealers in the Northeast.

“We’re never satisfied, and we’re always worried about the customer,” shares Dover Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep Parts Manager John Bozek, who has spent the last 26 of his 30 years in the parts industry at the dealership. “There are guys out there who

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just give out discounts, but we look for lasting relationships with our customers. We bend over backwards for them.”

With concerns over cycle time at an all-time high, the Dover Dodge/Chrysler/ Jeep parts department truly lives a philosophy of going above and beyond to ensure that their customers’ cars get repaired and back on the road as quickly as possible.

“If you need a part and we don’t have it, we’ll call around to other dealers, find the part, pick it up and drop it off to you,” Bozek says. “We want you to call us, and then we take care of everything for you.”

Dover Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep’s high service goals are achieved thanks to a 25person parts team that includes Bozek, Wholesale Manager Jeff Anderson and experienced parts specialists Ozzie Rivera, Bobby Freeman, Janet Frazier, Shawn Roberts and Matt Lawson. Together, they work to combat one of the industry’s biggest issues – the use of unsafe aftermarket parts. Thanks to a successful price matching program, Bozek and his crew are able to provide customers with genuine OEM parts for what those shops would pay for the aftermarket equivalent.

“We’re very aggressive at matching the aftermarket and trying to get guys to go OEM on everything,” he says. “If you’re not out there matching aftermarket prices, you’re going to be losing business.”

Looking ahead, Dover Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep will soon carry the Magneti Marelli Value Line of radiators and condensers built to OE specifications. This is in addition to the Magneti Marelli brakes they already stock for Ford, GM, Toyota and others.

Of course, great parts at great prices will only get a wholesale operation so far.

To truly succeed and survive in this industry, a parts department has to have the right people. When asked to identify Dover Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep’s greatest strength, Bozek was quick to express his pride over the individuals who comprise his team.

“I have the best crew that you can put together,” he says. “They care about the customer; they have one focus, and that is to help the shop get the job done.”

The Dover Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep parts department is open Monday through Friday from 8am to 6pm and Saturday from 8am to 3pm. For more information, please call (888) 676-6727.

NJA

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New Jersey Automotive | December 2015 | 29

LEGAL PERSPECTIVE by Mitchell Portnoi, Esq.

ARBITRATION -

FRIEND OR FOE?

There was a recent series of articles in the New York Times about arbitration. The general flavor of the series detailed the negative aspects of the practice. It talked about the arbitrations being placed in consumer contracts that are neither negotiated nor fairly discussed before being entered into by the parties – for example, a contract with a cell phone company where the arbitration may be contained in the fine print at the rear end of a 20-page contract.

From a small business owner’s perspective, however, there may be some very important aspects of an arbitration clause that can help a small business stay out of court and significantly short-cut potential

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Mike Lovullo Distributor for

and

Micro-Mix Paint and

extended litigation over smaller matters.

It is far better to be informed about your contracts than to leave this important aspect of your business to chance or use forms that may be outdated or in fact illegal. To discuss this and other aspects of your consumer contracts, please call me at the Post Polak Law Firm at (973) 228-9900.

NJA

Materials Calculator in Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Hudson Counties in New Jersey.

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LOCAL NEWS By Jacquelyn Bauman

ADVANCEMENTS in TECHNOLOGY REQUIRE EDUCATOR TRAINING

O

Above: Automotive technology instructors take e-learning program Electude on a “test drive.” Inset: Electude representatives William and Margaret O'Neill explained the ins and outs of the interactive education system.

ne of the most pervasive issues in the automotive repair field around the country is a significant shortage of new, qualified technicians entering the industry. So much has changed, not only in the profession, but also in the way that today’s students learn. To address all of these changes, Automotive Engineering & Design (AED) faculty Bob Magee and Ray Ferraro of Bergen County Technical High School - Teterboro (BCTHS - Teterboro) recognize that sometimes, an educator has to get an education. As a result, BCTHS Teterboro hosted two professional development training meetings on November 2 and 12 to bring the automotive repair educational experience up to date.

The November 2 meeting was a twohour Hybrid Vehicle Training workshop sponsored by the high school, Megatech Corporation, Educational Solutions Enterprises and John Colaneri, Joe Patano and George Monaco from the BCTHS - Paramus campus. Since BCTHS - Teterboro’s facility is one of the only schools that can

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provide alternative energies courses due to the presence of their Prius Trainer, it was an obvious choice to host the free workshop.

The two hours of Hybrid Vehicle Training, aligned with NATEF-required professional development, introduced attendees to basic hybrid theory, diagnostics and safety as it relates to instruction of high school automotive technology students.

On November 12, the school brought in William and Margaret O’Neill (Electude) to discuss the e-learning solution that has the potential to revolutionize the automotive education field.

Based heavily in video game design, Electude is an interactive virtual learning program created to help educate new technicians in the language they’re used to speaking.

“The students of today learn very differently than you and I learned,” offered William, who serves as Electude's technical training manager. “All they know is smartphones, tablets and their heads down, texting a mile a minute. Those big textbooks

mean nothing to them but to weigh down their cars.”

It’s for this reason that Electude was created. Incorporating a series of interactive modules allows students to learn about the complete vehicle from bumper to bumper, and teaches them how to repair and maintain cars with interactive animations and simulations.

“Students really seem to like this,” he explained. “They gravitate to the animations. They want to play with the simulations.”

Currently, the system has over 500 different modules (comprising over 450 hours of instructional material) with two or three new ones being added each week. These modules consist of a theory lesson, a computer simulation, a test, a link, a task sheet or an individualized, user-created lesson.

They cater to four different learning levels (from beginner to diagnostic specialist) and address a number of challenges that are often encountered in the classroom, such as students with reading difficulties (thanks to

a feature that will read the text out loud) or students who use English as a second language. (The system can be translated into 30 different languages.)

“The lessons are interactive with the student,” he said while demonstrating a live simulation of engine diagnostics on screen.

“Textbooks have flat images, so it’s often difficult for students to imagine, since in our world, everything is three-dimensional. With these animations and simulations, the students can see how everything works.”

The program tracks every one of the students’ moves on both the tests and the simulations. This allows teachers to tell when the students actually understand the content rather than when they are simply guessing by trial and error.

Catering to the industry education system already in place, Electude is Continuing Automotive Service Education (CASE)-accredited for instructor-led training and is compliant with NATEF standards.

Refusing to be anchored to just the classroom, Electude’s e-learning program is cloud-based and can be accessed anywhere there is Internet, making it easy for teachers to assign hands-on take-home work to automotive repair students.

The potential that this system could have on the automotive service field in creating a new generation of technicians is what drove the school to invite the demonstration to be held at the facility.

As Magee tells New Jersey Automotive, “We’re always trying to give our students the best information for a maximum learning experience so they can become great technicians.”

“Technology is coming along at a rapid rate,” William stated in his Electude demonstration. “Everything in this field is changing rapidly, including the automobile itself. It’s only logical that the education change with it.”

While Magee, Ferraro and their peers work to address the shortage of new technicians at the high school and post-secondary levels, it is the responsibility of the automotive field to take the education one step further. Introducing an internship program at your facility combined with an automotive repair curriculum near you can help to solidify a student’s passion for working with cars into a lifelong career. For more information about Electude, visit electude.com/en. For more information on educator training like the hybrid vehicle training seminar, visit esenterprises.net.

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AASP/NJ UPDATE by Joel Gausten AASP/NJ Treasurer Tom Elder (left) and Executive Director Charles Bryant (below) represented the association at the AASP National Board meeting in Las Vegas.

On November 4, AASP/NJ Executive Director Charles Bryant and Treasurer Tom Elder represented the association at the AASP National Board meeting in Las Vegas, NV. Held during the 2015 SEMA Show, the morning gathering provided AASP state affiliate representatives from across the US an opportunity to provide reports on their associations’ individual efforts and gain insight into what their peers in other areas are doing to improve the collision repair industry.

In his report, Bryant outlined an especially busy time for the association, which has been active on a variety of fronts on behalf of its increasing membership. In an effort to assist shops that have been experiencing issues receiving payment from insurers for paint and materials, AASP/NJ recently created a generic complaint form that members can fill out to identify instances when P&M short-pays take place. The association is hoping to build up enough complaints to demonstrate to the NJ Department of Banking and Insurance (DOBI) that the insurers’ unwillingness to properly compensate for P&M is a general business practice.

“We’ve been fighting that issue for a long time,” Bryant said. “We got a Bulletin in 2007 from the Department strongly recommending that insurance companies use [a P&M cost accounting program]...It was going pretty well until recently. Some of the insurance companies that were accepting it – or at least accepting the numbers generated from it – started to turn around.”

In related news, Bryant noted that a number of New Jersey shops have had success in using the Assignment of Proceeds in court to receive compensation from insurers when they paid less than what those collision facilities deserved.

“As a result of one company that got sued and settled, [that carrier] raised their rates automatically,” he said. “I’m talking triple what they were paying on certain cars. Other insurance

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companies have followed as a result of that.” Bryant added that AASP/NJ recently established a Legal Fund “to support people who we feel have a good case that needs to be supported.”

As discussed in last month’s New Jersey Automotive (“Remote Estimates: An Unfortunate Situation,” November 2015), AASP/NJ has expressed concerns over the growing practice of insurers using photo estimating. Bryant told his fellow AASP state representatives that “a lot of the insurance companies are doing it” and that the New Jersey association “is trying to do everything [it] can to fight it.”

AASP/NJ is also pushing back against the use of aftermarket parts. After receiving a complaint concerning primer peeling off an aftermarket bumper, Bryant sent out a notice to gauge how many other members were dealing with the issue. According to him, the response was so strong that “smoke started coming out of the fax machine.”

Bryant added that the association has been taking the aftermarket parts debate straight to the DOBI. “Even though we have a provision in our regulations that if [these parts] don’t fit that the insurance company has to pay for alterations when they are required, [the Department] is saying that that’s not what it means,” he explained. “[Their position] is that this [provision] is not a guarantee or warranty. I got in the middle of that, and we’re really going to battle with the Department on that at the present time.”

In addition to assisting members in various legal and regulatory arenas, AASP/NJ currently offers a Hot Line, an equipment exchange, a Labor Pool and a Civilian Service Award-winning Hit & Run Program. The association’s robust benefit roster includes discounted garage and workers’ compensation, credit card continued on page 56

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NATIONAL NEWS By Joel Gausten

With more than 170,000 people from around the world hitting the Las Vegas Convention Center on November 3-6 for the 2015 SEMA Show, it came as no surprise that a number of professionals from the AASP/NJ community were along for the ride. From major market vendors to association leaders, the Garden State made its presence known.

“This year certainly was busy – the busiest I’ve ever seen SEMA,” offered Sales Representative Nick Mattera from New Jersey Pro Spot distributor Innovative Solutions and Technology on the Show floor. “It just seems to keep growing and growing. This is always a great place to show new products, which Pro Spot did a lot of this year. They do a lot of hands-on here. This is the kind of show where you

Industry professionals relaxed at the Repairer Driven Education (RDE) Sky Villa After-party.

(Left to right: Tom Elder [AASP/NJ], Gary Wano [SCRS] and Dave Gruskos [Reliable Automotive Equipment, Inc.])

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can sell that way and really show the products plugged in, working, welding. You’re able to show the value of the product and let the customer get a feel for it right there.”

In addition to enjoying heavy traffic from showgoers, Innovative’s SEMA experience included receiving a Sales Excellence Award for 2015 from Pro Spot during the manufacturer’s distributor meeting at the Westgate Hotel & Casino on November 4.

Mattera and fellow Sales Representatives Todd Witten and John Bluteau accepted the award on the company’s behalf. The accolades follow Innovative’s 2014 recognition as Distributor of the Year.

“That was our first year distributing for them, so getting that felt really good,” Mattera says. “Now, this new award just lets us know that we’re doing the right thing.”

Speaking from her company’s impressive booth in Central Hall, BASF Automotive Refinish Marketing Services Manager Tina Nelles also had a fantastic time at the Convention Center.

“This has been a really good week for BASF,” she said. “We had several different activities to expand our presence at SEMA. In addition to having our main BASF booth in Central Hall, we added a smaller booth in the Collision Repair section that focused on our value-added tools and services. We also partnered with Custom Upfits in the outdoor booth to perform spray demos. It has been an extremely busy week with a lot of excitement from all directions, allowing us a great deal of exposure. Our guests at the booth included Jay Leno, Chip Foose and Richard Petty; everyone had a lot of good conversations and a great time interacting with one another. We’re looking forward to seeing the positive results from our participation in this year’s Show.”

(Leno, Foose and Petty weren’t the only big names to take in SEMA. Other celebs spotted throughout the week include Social Distortion singer/guitarist Mike Ness, pro skateboarder Tony Hawk and TV personality Guy Fieri).

The crew at American Honda Motor Co. took advantage of their sizable presence at SEMA to promote the manufacturer’s new ProFirst Certified body shop program.

“Certification is important to us because our Honda and Acura vehicles are becoming more and more complex and sophisticated,” offers Gary Ledoux, Honda’s assistant national manager of collision parts marketing. “The technology today is advancing at a very rapid rate. In order to be able to fix these cars properly, you need to have proper training [and] access to the latest repair information, tools and equipment. The certification program helps us to promote proper repairs of our Honda and Acura vehicles.”

Not surprisingly, Honda’s devotion to proper collision repair resulted in a groundswell of interest on the SEMA floor.

Gary Ledoux, Honda’s assistant national manager of collision parts marketing, explained the company's ProFirst Certified body shop program on the Show floor.

Jay Leno (courtesy of BASF) and Guy Fieri (courtesy of Valspar/House of Kolor) were two of the famous faces to make an appearance at SEMA.

“There was a lot of traffic at our booth,” Ledoux says. “All of the Honda people we had there were busy with prospects practically every minute of every day. It was just an awesome response.”

Of course, the company’s desire to reach as many repairers as possible doesn’t end in Las Vegas. As 2015 comes to a close, Honda is already gearing up for major participation in AASP/NJ’s 2016 NORTHEAST® Automotive Services Show.

“We like to think that we’re bringing the same excitement, fervor and commitment to a regional show as we do to an epic show like SEMA,” offers Ledoux. “We’re not going to give the folks who are going to the NORTHEAST Show a scaled-down version of SEMA; we’re going full tilt! We were ready for SEMA, and now we’re ready for NORTHEAST.” A longtime SEMA supporter, AASP/NJ Treasurer Tom Elder has attended the annual event for nearly 30 years. Like many, he is greatly impressed by how much the Collision Repair & Refinish section has grown since 2010.

“Five years ago, we had an aisle and a half in the North Hall; now, we have the whole North Hall and most of the [Westgate] hotel!” he says.

SEMA 2015 was an especially active week for Elder, who represented AASP/NJ and Auto Body Distributing Co., Inc. (ABD) while also finding time to meet with various OEM manufacturers on behalf of his businesses, Compact Kars (Clarksburg) and Mercedes-Benz Collision Center of Freehold. Additionally, he joined AASP/NJ Executive Director Charles Bryant in representing the state association at the AASP National Board meeting on November 4 (see page 36). AASP National also served as one of the sponsors of SCRS’ Repairer Driven Education (RDE) Series at SEMA – something that Elder, a strong supporter of what the Society does on behalf of the industry, is happy to see.

“It’s a wonderful relationship between AASP and SCRS,” he offers. “[SCRS Executive Director] Aaron Schulenburg is a high-spirited, high-profile, friendly and non-judgmental character who has the best interests of the industry at heart. You couldn’t ask for better.”

When all was said and done, Elder was active at the Show and related events from 8am until 11pm on the first three days, putting in at least 10 miles on his feet on

Chris “Hawk” Wallingford REALLY likes SEMA.

November 3 alone. And he can’t wait to do it all over again next year.

“There’s something for everybody at SEMA,” he says. “You can’t lose going to that Show.”

Reliable Automotive Equipment, Inc. President Dave Gruskos, who presented an RDE class on “Removing, Replacing and Joining Advanced Materials” readily shares Elder’s enthusiasm.

“It’s been an honor to be part of SCRS,” he says. “[SEMA] is a great educational event; the shops that do not come here are missing out tremendously because they can only better themselves by being here.” NJA

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COVER STORY By Jacquelyn Bauman

Questions and Issues

ADDRESSED at AASP/NJ Annual Meeting

When GM announced their MyPriceLink initiative at SEMA 2014, the industry response was deafening. MyPrice Link.com is a website that hopes to enable real-time pricing up front in all three estimating systems by removing GM OEM list pricing from the open market. Although it was created to combat the use of aftermarket parts in the industry, the assumption from repairers around the country was that it would only further insurer demand for use of these parts in their repairs and allow insurance companies the opportunity to write for $0 on their estimates. GM was not ignorant of this reaction to their program and quickly went to work to address some of the concerns felt by automotive repairers. At the time of this writing, they were scheduled to relaunch the system on December 1.

AASP/NJ, ever cognizant of the needs of the local industry, felt it would benefit New Jersey repairers to hear information about this controversial system directly from the source. It is for this reason that the association invited GM’s John Eck (manager, wholesale dealer channel), courtesy of GM Wholesale Dealer Nucar, to speak at its 2015 Annual Meeting on October 28 at the Gran Centurions Ballroom in Clark.

“There have been a lot of misconceptions about MyPriceLink in the media and in day-to-day conversation,” Eck began. “People are saying that GM is doing away with list and trade prices. We are not. We are changing how list entry price is delivered to you through your collision estimating system, utilizing new technology that we created with our technology partner, OEConnection, which allows the list prices to be delivered live. It’s an opportunity for us at GM to change the conversation with insurers, estimating companies and our dealers.”

According to Eck, GM’s intention when revamping the program from its original form in 2014 was to maintain the company’s goal of keeping list prices out of the open

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marketplace while addressing the industry’s concern with affecting daily workflow.

“Last year, we made a decision to do this. We went to SEMA, and I ended up sitting in meetings for three days explaining our position,” he recalled. “We talked about what we were doing, what our strategy was [and] what was going to be the impact. We talked with associations like AASP National, and we found from them that the original program was very disruptive. It was outside of your normal workflow. It was ‘download this program, send this file up, retrieve the file and then repopulate it back into your estimate.’ It was a system that wouldn’t have worked for you. What we heard from all of our stakeholders was, ‘We get and understand your strategy, and we have no problem with that. But it’s the execution that we hold issue with.’ We went through a couple days explaining our position and the industry responded. They said, ‘We get it, but it’s too disruptive. Can you work with us?’”

Eck explained that GM reps flew home from SEMA 2014 on a red eye on Thursday and stopped the process from launching that Friday. In a spirit of collaboration, the company brought in representatives from the major estimating systems, the Dealership Management Systems (DMS) that their dealers use, insurance companies and various associations.

“We consulted everyone in the industry,” he said. “We worked with everyone who was willing to give us input and help us with integration. Ultimately, we redesigned the program so that it doesn’t affect workflow and still meets GM’s objective to remove list prices and deliver them in a different forum.”

The question of why GM sought so fervently to remove list prices from the market was immediately addressed. Eck explained, without hesitation, that some of the deciding factors in making this change were profits and market share.

“I’m not ashamed to talk about it,” he stated. “We want market share and we want to be profitable. We want our dealers to be profitable and we want you, the body shop, to be profitable. If we grow our market share, it’s a good thing. It means you’re using more OEM parts. It helps everyone make more money by using the original manufacturer parts.”

Eck noted that data protection is a key element in minimizing the effect of aftermarket parts on the industry. It is GM’s position that the information on the open market allows for these aftermarket companies to create a competitive product.

“For years, our data has just been fluid, free-flowing in the marketplace,” he stated. “Some of that data we don’t want to lock down, like repair information. We always want repair information free and accessible for body shops so they can repair our vehicles correctly. But some of our data…is used against us, and much of that data is price. Competitors get that information and they know where they need to be in a price and play. They reverse engineer their products to be competitive for what they need to be – producing aftermarket parts that take away our market share. [With MyPriceLink], we deliver list price on an as-needed, per-estimate basis. It won’t be a big file people can download, analyze and use against us.”

After making the changes to the system advised to them by various parts of the automotive repair industry, GM launched a pilot of the program on July 22 to a select group of dealers and estimating systems. GM considered this test successful.

“They are rendering and retrieving list price while you’re writing an estimate,” he explained. “And our dealers are able to manage work flow into their system, invoice you and help you procure your order.”

Of course, the biggest question of the night was how this initiative would affect body shops. Eck stated that, other than a new feature called Quote ID that helps dealers locate an order and retains the estimate for 120 days, the process would essentially be the same.

“The impact for a body shop is really zero,” Eck claimed. “You will write your estimate on December 1 the same way you write your estimate on November 30. You will create your estimate, put in the information, your estimating system will call into the price engine and it will start pulling the data that you need for that vehicle. When you start putting in a part number, it’s only a two-to three-second cycle.”

After going through the basics of the program, how it works and what effect it would have on body shops, Eck opened up the floor for questions. Immediately, hands all around the room shot up. The first question Eck received asked him to explain how GM believes that this system will help Top right: GM representative John Eck. Bottom left: AASP/NJ Executive Director Charles at all with minimizing the use of aftermarBryant (left) and President Jeff McDowell (right) awarded the Russ Robson Scholarship ket parts in the industry. to Michael Boffo of Elmer's Auto Body in Ephraim. continued on page 56 New Jersey Automotive | December 2015 | 47

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NO BRAKES by Ron Ananian

THE BLUE SEAL

My ASE recertification was due, so I spent last night at the test center. I tested in all eight automotive technician categories, and I’m happy to report that I passed.

Driving home, I was thinking about the test and how it’s changed over time. It used to be very “mechanical” in its approach. The tests have changed with the times, but so has the industry. The ASE website offers statistics on how many of each type of technician there are. General automotive techs number about 200,000; Master Technicians are in the range of 72,000. I’m guessing that the latter number may have parity with the number of people in Major League Baseball. Pretty small percentage of the population playing ball, isn’t it? Can’t the same be said about certified technicians? And yet now in 2015, even though we’re in such an “elite” standing, most vehicle owners don’t appreciate or recognize our expertise and efforts to be technically competent. It seems to me that to most customers, we are just another “process” they have to go through to drive a vehicle.

Auto repair is a national “process” performed at a regional level. Based on what I read and see around the country, the trend of people trusting this industry just isn’t there. This tendency of mistrust leads to other issues. The older the car gets, the less the owner wants to spend on it. Funny how that works. Most people pour dealer-recommended services into a vehicle while it’s under warranty very early in its life, but they change their attitude as the car ages. They think, “It’s an old car and not worth much. Time to save money.” Always an interesting comment every time I hear it.

And yet in my 43 years of repair experience (over 30 of them as an ASE Master), I believe this to be wrong. The time you should be more willing to spend money on a vehicle – if you plan to keep it and keep it safe – is later rather than sooner.

A new customer who had been recommended by a longtime client came in today. They had been carpooling together for the past six years. In all this time, she had a dealer-serviced and overly maintained vehicle. Now, later in its life, she was concerned about the way they were always “selling” her repairs. The question of need came up – as in, does it really need all this? This is how she landed on our doorstep along with her 2009 Acura and a list of concerns as pointed out to her by the dealer.

We dealt with it head-on with our standard safety checklist and module scan, along with a road test – the usual due diligence we, like many shops, are known for. It did indeed need some things, but the customer had a concern about “spending money now rather than just running it into the ground.” (I have often wondered just exactly what that phrase means. The ground? As in, riding on the road with no car in between? Sorry, losing focus… back to our story.) In the end, she decided at first she was going to

replace the car, but then decided to keep it. When she and her husband showed up, it was a 10-minute conversation about the perils and rewards of going either way. The husband was quick to point out to her that if she decided to keep the vehicle, I “stand to make a lot of money maintaining it, so maybe she should get rid of the car.” Really? I don’t know about you, but when I find someone competent and caring — a business clearly ready to conduct business and take care of my concerns — I generally try not to insult them.

In the end, after all the conversation and calm demeanor I could muster, after their praise of how nice the shop looked and how they appreciated my time, they announced they would be back for the problems as they came up. But to start, they would take it to the shop down the street from their house for an oil change, as they are cheaper than the dealer and closer than us.

“We need to start saving money; it is an older vehicle.” Huh? Now is not the time to start cheapening the process. Now is the time the little old man needs tender loving care, especially since they invested a small fortune over the past six years at the dealer with every service, BG product flush and tire rotation one car could muster. Now you start trying to save money?

THE BOTTOM LINE IS… Having conversations like these with customers right after ASE certification is dangerous. I just finished answering close to 200 questions in a marathon that ranged from, “Where did the piece of copper come from inside the transmission?” to, “Where

continued on page 56

’Til next time, I’m Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor, reminding you that “Good mechanics aren’t expensive; they’re priceless.”

Ron Ananian, owner of R\A Automotive in Waldwick, NJ (est. 1978), is heard weekly in 140 markets on his nationally syndicated radio talk show. He is a working technician and former AASP/NJ Board member. Beyond his radio show, Ron writes and speaks for the automotive industry at trade shows and events. Visit The Car Doctor online at www.cardoctorshow.com.

“The Car Doctor” can be heard LIVE in the New York market. Tune in Saturdays, 2-4pm on WRCR AM 1700 for new shows!

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COLLISION CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE

AASP/NJ UPDATE

continued from page 36

continued from page 20

we are afraid to ask for anything more than what the insurance companies are offering.

I’m looking forward to seeing the rest of the changes that occur while I’m in the position of collision chairman. I believe that we can continue to shape the industry as long as we work together. There is strength in numbers and we need to present a unified front to get this industry to where we need it to be. If you want to be on the forefront of these changes as they hit, I highly suggest coming out to one of our Board meetings – we’re always looking for new blood.

For more information on when these meetings are held, please contact Executive Director Charles Bryant at (732) 922-8909.

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NO BRAKES

continued from page 50 did we connect the lab scope to display this pattern and what does it mean?” The next morning, I am dealing with backwash and nonsense trying to practice my trade and repair cars.

I very much believe in certification, but I am having a problem seeing the reward. Consumers need to be educated about this business, not beat up over it trying to get their vehicle repaired. Most of them don’t trust us, and that’s fine. I tell all new customers that they shouldn’t.

Let me prove to you why you can. Let me show you how I can repair your problem and keep you safe. Let me show you what a certified tech can do…After all, that blue seal has to mean something, doesn’t it?

Respect the patch – tough for them to see. Some days I feel like Rodney Dangerfield.

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processing, vehicle rentals and uniform services. For more information, contact Bryant at (732) 922-8909 or setlit4u@msn.com.

The AASP National Board meeting also showcased the ongoing collaboration between the national association and the Society of Collision Repair Specialists.

SCRS Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg gave a guest presentation to update affiliate representatives on the work the national groups are doing together via the Database Enhancement Gateway (DEG) to address database issues with the three major Information Providers (IP). These

endeavors include continued discussions with IPs on more global issues as well, with topics such as raw bumper prep, mechanical times inappropriately categorized as “body,” the ability to capture specialty Labor Rates (such as aluminum), welding times on advanced structures and feather, prime and block. Many of the more macro-level issues have been generated from feedback on the DEG “Top 10” list.

More information on AASP National is available at autoserviceproviders.com.

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COVER STORY

continued from page 46

“What it has done, in all honesty, is create a new relationship between GM and the insurance companies,” he answered.

“We are sitting down in a room with them and discussing these very things. We are able to [tell them that] this will help with cycle time, [and] we can decrease supplements if they allow more OE parts to be written. At first, it’s not going to make a difference right away. But we think very quickly we can help them understand the correlation between OE parts and the things they are looking for.”

Eck also fielded questions about the issue of data collection, a problem that concerned a number of shop owners in attendance. Eck attempted to assure everyone that the only data collected would be the vehicle DNA. The system would collect information such as the vehicle’s year, model, mileage, VIN, the part number of the part requested, the Quote ID and the state where the car is being repaired.

As the questions progressed, Eck faced more and more disapproval from the collision repair professionals.

“If you don’t use an estimating system that works with MyPriceLink, you would have to write the estimate in your system, go to CollisionLink with the estimate with blank prices, get the list price from CollisionLink, take those prices and go back to your estimating system and

them put them into your original estimate,” one anonymous attendee noted. A side comment joked sarcastically that you would need two hours to spend on each customer.

As the program launches nationally on the first of this month, the effects have yet to be seen in our market. New Jersey Automotive will watch MyPriceLink through its launch and follow up with any updates or information about this program that is rocking the collision repair field.

Prior to Eck’s presentation, the Annual Meeting opened with the usual association awards and recognitions. The Russ Robson Scholarship was distributed to Michael Boffo of Elmer’s Auto Body in Ephraim, Jerry McNee (Ultimate Collision Repair, Edison) was elected to the role of collision chairman on the Board of Directors, the Body Shop of the Year award was bestowed upon Tony Lake of Exclusive Auto Collision in Ramsey and the Mechanical Shop of the Year award was given to Mike Ierubino of Mike’s Auto Service of Gillette. Additionally, Dan Hawtin (Auto Body Craftsman, Inc., Island Heights) and Pete Cook (P&N Auto Works, East Orange and Citro’s Auto Body, Pompton Lakes) were both inducted into the AASP/NJ Hall of Fame.

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ADVERTISERS’ INDEX

62 | New Jersey Automotive | December 2015

Acme Nissan ........................................54 Amato Agency ......................................23 AP Media ..............................................11 Audi Group............................................32-33 Axalta Coating Systems ........................6 BMW Group ..........................................28-29 BMW of Springfield................................21 Bridgewater Acura ................................52 Cadillac of Mahwah ..............................37 CCC Comp-Est ......................................30 Classic Audi ..........................................18 Cosmos Ocean County Autowreckers ....12 Dover Dodge Chrysler Jeep....................IBC Empire Auto Parts..................................62 FASTLIGN® ..........................................27 Flemington Audi ....................................5 Flemington Group..................................31 Fred Beans Parts ..................................43 Future Cure ..........................................19 Grand Prix Subaru ................................61 Glen Toyota ..........................................OBC Hyundai Group ......................................55 JMK Saab/JMK Fiat ..............................48 Klean Frame..........................................35 Levittown Ford ......................................61 Maxon Mazda........................................4 Maxon Hyundai......................................45 Mazda Group ........................................57 Mercedes-Benz of Freehold ..................48 MINI Group............................................51 Mitsubishi Group ..................................53 Mopar Group ........................................58 NORTHEAST® 2016 ............................25 NUCAR..................................................14-15 Paul Miller Audi ....................................49 Porsche Group ......................................17 PPG ......................................................3 PPGMS ................................................30 Prestige Motors ....................................10 Princeton BMW ....................................13 Princeton MINI ......................................27 Reliable Automotive Equipment ..............39 Smart Witness ......................................20 Subaru Group........................................42 Town Motors ........................................38 Toyota Group ........................................59 Toyota of Hackensack ............................IFC Tri-State Luxury Collection ....................8-9 Valtek....................................................35 VIP Honda ............................................52 VW Group ............................................44 Westbury Jeep Chrysler Dodge Ram SRT...60 Wheel Collision Center ..........................62

New Jersey Automotive | December 2015 | 63