Monday - March 31, 2008

• Denham co-authors auto-body repair bill - State Sen. Jeff Denham, R-Merced, recently co-authored Assembly Bill 2825, a consumer-protection measure by Assemblyman Wilmer Amina Carter, D-Rialto.
• NHTSA Acknowledges Latest Glass Recall - glassBYTEs: The National Traffic Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) has acknowledged the recall filed by Process Polymers Development (PPD) for a piece of glass from DOT 430 and DOT 628.
• Mentor firm's designs drive West Coast deal - Mentor-based DCR Systems is looking to the West Coast to spread its assembly-line approach to automotive collision repair. -- The company signed a development and licensing agreement with California-based 6LK Collision LLC to run repair shops using DCR’s designs.
• Tennessee Collision Repairers Association affiliates with SCRS - The TCRA is one of the newest state repairer associations and fill an industry representation void in Tenn. TCRA President Bob Mitchell said interested repairers met for over a year to discuss the importance of being in an association.
• Revved up: Grant benefits BRCP auto collision repair class - Blue River Career Programs has purchased new equipment for its Auto Collision Repair Technology class thanks to a $54,500 Moving Forward grant from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.
• Project donates vehicles to domestic violence victims - Auto Value stores and Bumper to Bumper Certified Automotive Service Centers teamed up to help Charity Cars in the effort, according to Shelly Miller of Auto Wares and general manager of the campaign.
• Jeff Gordon Race Results: Goody’s Cool Orange 500 - The DuPont Performance Alliance web address appeared on the television panel of the No. 24 Chevrolet Impala SS during race.  Consumers who visit www.PA24.com can find a Performance Alliance auto body shop where collision repair is a simple three-step process.
• Happy AAAniversary - AAA Auto Salvage is a member of several state and national recycling organizations including the Automotive Recycling Association. In addition the company keeps on the forefront of education by being involved with I-CAR.
• Earl Scheib Announces Operating Results for the Third Quarter of Fiscal Year 2008 - Earl Scheib, Inc. reported its results for the third quarter and nine months ended January 31, 2008 of the fiscal year ending April 30, 2008.
• BASF Classic Car Colors restore classic cars to their former glory - The color archive, which is the largest in the world with over 200,000 colors, plus experience gained from over 100 years of history as a leading automotive refinish manufacturer, provide the basis for Classic Car Colors from Glasurit, a BASF Coatings refinish brand. In connection with the COLOR-PROFI System (CPS) matching colors for vehicles of any age can be identified – even for "veterans" from the turn of the century, as tests at classic car meetings have demonstrated.
• CEO paints bright future for PPG's Springdale plant - Growth in its coatings business will keep the Springdale coatings and resin plant in PPG Industries' future, according to Chairman and CEO Chuck Bunch. -- "We'll paint just about anything now, whether it's a wall, a car, wood, a beer can," Bunch said.
• Travelers and RIFCO Announce Strategic Alliance For Auto Repair and Maintenance Finance in Canada - Travelers Acceptance Corporation and RIFCO Inc. yesterday announced the formation of a strategic alliance whereby the companies will together work to assure that vibrant consumer finance solutions for Repairers, Garages, Repair Centres, Repair Shops, and Auto Maintenance Centres will be provided under Travelers Automotive Aftermarket Finance Program.
• Axle posts help-wanted ads - Company official denies replacement workers sought; ads are for expected post-strike openings.
• UAW lost 73,500 members in 2007 - Ranks hit lowest level since 1941
• GM cashes in with made-over Malibu - Revamp raises car's value, moves it up midsize ranks
• Fed rules claim to pre-empt injury suits - The Consumer Product Safety Commission says you can't sue a mattress maker if your mattress bursts into flame despite meeting CPSC standards. Companies making sport utility vehicles would get similar protection from suits brought by people injured or the families of those killed in rollovers under National Highway Traffic Safety Administration proposals for stronger roofs. -- Plaintiffs' attorneys call it "silent tort reform." But it's part of tension existing since the nation's founding: conflict between state and federal law.
• Progressive Takes #1 Spot on Auto Insurance Customer Respect Study - Online car insurance customers looking for a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T, don’t have to look any further than progressive.com according to a recent study by The Customer Respect Group (CRG). The group ranked Progressive #1 for positive Web-based customer experiences.
• Customers Have Options When Settling their Claim - Allstate’s claim practices focus on customer choice.
• Sam Whiteman Promoted to claims field director of the Midwest Region of Allstate Insurance - He will oversee Allstate's claims operations in the three-state Midwest region, which includes Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin. He replaces Allan Robinson, who has been promoted to president of Sterling Auto Body Centers, a company that is affiliated with Allstate.

Friday - March 28, 2008

• Honda takes a stand against aftermarket parts - America Honda has spoken out against the use of aftermarket or alternative parts on Honda and Acura vehicles. The company released a position statement recommending the use of original equipment replacement parts to "ensure that the parts and components were designed and built to provide the same fit, function, safety, and structural integrity as when the vehicle was initially made."
• Plan would deny information to claimants after an auto accident - CA: Anti-consumer legislation authored by Sen. Patricia Wiggins, D-Santa Rosa, would keep consumers in the dark about auto repair options, depriving them of the ability to make informed choices.
• What are the long- and short-term benefits of education? How do you market the wonderful training and education your technicians offer to your customers? - AutoInc: According to Toni Slaton, Automotive Management Institute (AMI) executive director, "Training is an investment with many short- and long-term benefits including increased employee loyalty, reduced call backs, increased productivity, higher customer retention, a strengthened reputation and increased profitability."
• ICBC recognizes 22 collision repair shops for outstanding customer service - In 2007, 22 of ICBC's accredited express repair shops won AutocheX Premier Achiever Awards for excellence in customer satisfaction. The winners were recognized, out of 9,000 entries across North America, for achieving customer satisfaction ratings of 98.8 per cent or higher.
• City inspectors hit auto body shop row - MA: A 50-member squad of inspectors, police and code enforcers cracked down on a blighted strip of auto body shops on New England Avenue in Dorchester this morning, towing cars, checking the water supply and shutting down two illegal shops.
• Body Shops Must Cut Cycle Time; Podcast Gives Tips - Auto collision repair shops need to fix cars faster to boost profits and keep customers happy, and expert Kent Carlson provides key tips on reducing cycle time in a new podcast from Scene Genesis.
• Omaha Beef To Team Up With CARSTAR For Make-A-Wish Fundraiser - Omaha, NE - The Omaha Beef professional indoor football team in conjunction with CARSTAR will hold a fundraiser to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation, beginning at this Saturday's game against the Sioux Falls Storm.
• Customer says body shop charged for part not replaced - TX: In November, the Tarrant County Auto Theft Task Force and Haltom City detectives raided Collision Masters Paint & Body on Watauga Road, seizing computer hard drives and paper records. -- The investigation continues, and no charges have been filed, authorities said.
• Iowa IGA Chapter Holds Training Class - glassBYTEs: The Iowa Chapter of the Independent Glass Association (IGA) held its fifth annual auto glass installation class on March 19-20. Twenty-five people attended the class, which kicked off on March 19 with instruction by Gilbert Gutierrez of Equalizer Industries in Round Rock, Texas.
• Glasstech to Feature Automotive Glass Systems at China Glass 2008 - glassBYTEs: Perrysburg, Ohio-based Glasstech Inc. will feature its advanced auto glass processing systems at China Glass 2008, April 10-13, at the China International Exhibition Center, Beijing, booth 0101.
• Auto Parts Business Fire Ruled Arson - PA: Fire investigators in Lackawanna County say someone intentionally set fire to an auto parts business in Eynon, destroying the building.
• Salvage yard's permit denied, but business may continue - TX: Auto Parts Mexicano, formerly 390 Collision Repair and Auto Salvage, is at the center of the controversy and has been there since the city's planning and zoning commission voted 5-0 Monday night to deny the permit.
• American Axle CEO says could move work out of U.S. - American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings will shift its manufacturing out of the United States if the auto parts supplier cannot reach a deal with striking workers to slash wages, the company's CEO said in a newspaper interview.
• SORL Auto Parts Reports 36% Revenue and 40% Net Income Growth for 2007 Year - 2007 Annual Revenues Exceeded US$100 Million for the First Time
• Audi Renews Partnership with Carfax - Audi of America today announced that Carfax will continue to be the vehicle history information provider for the Audi Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) program.
• Winner of Ford Motor Company Drag Race to Receive Mustang 'Pink Slip' at Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach Auction - Ford Also to Auction Cars with Proceeds to Benefit to “Salute to Education” Program
• Strike Could Shut Down GM Car Factories - The increasingly bitter monthlong strike at auto parts maker American Axle and Manufacturing Holdings Inc. is starting to hit General Motors Corp. where it hurts.
• Wreck-chasing all the way to the ER - IL: Donna Wiley, of Oak Forest, was in an emergency waiting room Friday night after her daughter's car accident on the Chicago Skyway when a tow truck driver suddenly appeared. -- "The only other thing the tow truck driver asked me was the name of my insurance company, which is Allstate. He seemed pretty happy about that."
• Senate unanimously passes bill to punish auto insurance fraud - NY:  By a vote of 61-0, the State Senate passed legislation sponsored by Senator William Larkin (R-C, Cornwall-on-Hudson) designed to reduce insurance fraud and to ensure that all motorists possess valid auto insurance coverage. The bill also strongly increases the penalties for insurance fraud.
• FCCI Insurance Group Deploys Guidewire ClaimCenter - FCCI Insurance Group (FCCI), a premier provider of comprehensive property and casualty insurance for the commercial business owner, and Guidewire Software®, a leading global provider of solutions to property and casualty insurers, today announced that FCCI has successfully deployed Guidewire ClaimCenter® as its all-in-one claims system. FCCI has elected to implement ClaimCenter using a phased approach with this initial deployment supporting commercial auto claims.

Thursday - March 27, 2008

• Class in Employment Suit Against ABRA Grows; ABRA Files Memorandum Regarding ERISA Claims - glassBYTEs: Two more former ABRA Auto Body and Glass employees have joined the class in a suit filed against the company. The suit alleges that the company required customer service managers (CSMs) and customer service representatives (CSRs) to work overtime without pay and that it did so by misclassifying them as "managerial," which exempted them from overtime pay.
• AIA Supports Legislation Maintaining Competition And Choice For Consumers In Auto Parts Market - The American Insurance Association today said a bill that clarifies patent law by allowing the aftermarket automobile parts market to continue is good for consumers.
• ASA Launches Web Page to Assist Insurance Complaints - The Automotive Service Association (ASA) has launched a new section of its legislative Web site that allows consumers and shop owners to easily access their state insurance regulatory agency Web sites. Also included on the new Web page is the specific name of the agency, contact information, the Web site address for the agency, and a link to instructions for filing a complaint for that particular state.
• ASA 2008 Annual Convention to Feature Benefit Provider Networking Reception - Attendees of the Automotive Service Association's (ASA) 2008 Annual Convention will have an opportunity Friday, May 2, to meet and mingle with some of the sponsored benefit providers who provide products and services to ASA members.
• ABC15 Investigation leads to arrest in ID theft case - AZ: An ABC15 Investigation into Valley ID theft has resulted in the arrest of a man suspected of stealing bank information from area auto body shops, and using it to forge checks.
• Business event will aid charity - Kurt's CARSTAR Collision Center in Maryville is gearing up to host its second-annual Business After Hours event May 8 as a fundraiser for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
• Local Businesses Will Sponsor Iraq Coverage: the Countdown is On! - Two Oregon businesses, Kadel's Auto Body and the Best Little Roadhouse in Salem, will be sponsoring some of the only media reports coming out of Iraq that specifically cover the Oregon Guard soldiers during their year long tour.
• Boyd Group Income Fund Q4 2007 Earnings Call Transcript - For the year ended December 31, 2007, revenue increased 7.9% to $197.6 million compared to $183.1 million in the same period a year ago. Our increased revenue resulted largely from strong same-store sales growth both in Canada and the US, as well as the new sales generated from start up collision Center repair centers in the US.
• NAPA Auto Parts converts 100 shops to waterborne system - NAPA Auto Parts (UAP Inc.) recently announced that Murray Chevrolet Cadillac of Medicine Hat, Alberta, is the 100th NAPA/CMAX customer to have converted to waterborne basecoat paint.
• What automotive colors are hip in Asia? - The automotive market in Asia is recording the world’s highest growth rates. BASF Coatings is facing the new challenges there and has boosted its activities in the region considerably.
• Number of service bays will fall over next four years - There will be 13,000 fewer light vehicle service bays by the year 2012, according to the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association's (AAIA) recently published Aftermarket FastForward 2012.
• Manheim’s Total Resource Auctions to Acquire Four Salvage Companies - Manheim’s Total Resource Auctions announced this week that it will acquire four salvage auction companies, including a total of 11 locations. The companies to be purchased are Klode Salvage Distribution Center, S.A.I.S.C. Inc., Sapulpa Auto Pool and SourceOne Solutions.
• Georgia Salvage Owners Giving Recyclers a Bad Name - Three Columbus, GA auto salvage business owners were jailed Friday after being arrested on several charges stemming from the Wednesday inspection of five businesses by Columbus police, the Georgia Secretary of State's office, the Georgia Department of Revenue and the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
• Law firm bills Plastech more than $1 million - Financially troubled supplier Plastech Engineered Products Inc. owes its Chapter 11 legal team more than $1 million in fees and expenses for work done in February.
• Major alliances in the auto industry - Ford Motor Co.'s sale of its Jaguar and Land Rover brands to Tata Motors Ltd. Wednesday was part of a wider trend. U.S. automakers have acquired and divested more than a dozen foreign automakers in the last few decades. Here are some of the major deals.
• Provision Interactive and Daihatsu Team Up to Create Car of the Future With 3-D Warnings - Provision Interactive Technologies, a subsidiary of Provision Holding, has partnered with Daihatsu, a Toyota company owned by Toyota of Tokyo, to implement a 3D holographic dashboard in Daihatsu's latest concept car.
• GM Agrees to Settle Class-Action Lawsuits Tied to Engine Coolant - Under the settlement, GM would reimburse class members between $50 and $800 for repairs linked to Dex-Cool, an orange coolant that GM included in cars and trucks beginning in 1995.
• VIN Cloning Hits Home in Detroit - Three Detroit men have been charged in what prosecutors say was a car theft ring that conned 119 people out of more than $1 million.
• Gas Mix-Up Affects Hundreds - Diesel Fuel Accidentally Delivered
• State Farm goes to trial over denying policy benefits in auto collision - In 2003, Carolyn Henderson was injured in an automobile collision when an "underinsured motorist" swerved into her lane. After the incident, Henderson petitioned her insurance company, State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance, for her policy benefits but claims she was unjustly turned down.
• Auto insurance bills will increase April 1 - TX: Drivers who carry the minimal liability coverage for bodily injury and property damage will be paying higher premiums for a higher level of mandated coverage that goes into effect next month.

Wednesday - March 26, 2008

• State Farm Conducts National Survey of Customers Regarding Auto Glass Work - glassBYTEs: State Farm Insurance currently is conducting a 12-month-long survey of customers who have their windshields replaced using their State Farm policies. The survey, which began in February 2008, will run through February 2009, and is designed to review trends and improve customer service in this area of claims, according to Melissa Kern, glass claims team manager for the Bloomington, Ill.-based company.
• Lean manufacturing panel, insurer liaison to highlight SCRS Annual Meeting - ABRN: The 2008 Annual Meeting of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS), April 15-16 in Philadelphia, will feature a panel discussion on lean manufacturing followed by a presentation by Cindy Fillman, director of the Pennsylvania Office of Insurance Consumer Liaison, who will speak about the role of the Department of Insurance and how it can help collision repairers.
• I-CAR Reevaluates Operating Needs, Announces Limited Workforce Reduction - I-CAR, the Inter-industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair, today announced a limited reduction in force. The staffing reductions involve the I-CAR Tech Centre in Appleton, Wisconsin, and the I-CAR Training Support Center in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, and I-CAR’s field operations.
• Women of the industry to gather in Chicago - Managers, technicians, suppliers and students are invited to join the Women's Industry Network conference in Chicago next month.
• Quality Parts Coalition Welcomes Support of Ohio Valley Automotive Aftermarket Association - Quality Parts Coalition (QPC) today announced the Ohio Valley Automotive Aftermarket Association (OVAAA) has joined the ever-growing effort to secure permanent legislation preserving competition and preventing automakers from gaining a monopoly in the automotive collision parts industry.
• Florida Automotive Industry Association and Quality Parts Coalition Urge Florida Legislators to Stop Monopolies, Preserve Competition - Quality Parts Coalition (QPC) and Florida Automotive Industry Association (FAIA) last week met with Florida state legislators to emphasize the importance of preserving competition in the automotive aftermarket collision industry, urging state legislators to take the message to the federal level.
• Florida Automotive Industry Association Endorses the Quality Parts Coalition - The Quality Parts Coalition (QPC) announced the Florida Automotive Industry Association (FAIA) has joined the growing consortium of independent parts and industry organizations, insurance companies and consumer groups working to preserve competition in the automotive collision replacement parts industry.
• Environmentally-friendly auto painting service now available in Huntsville - The New Bickley Ford has announced that its Car Star collision centre will now use only water-borne paint instead of chemically-based ones. The company is the first in Muskoka to offer this service, which officially became part of its product line on March 21.
• ABRA’s Embry and Daube Earn National CPS Certification - ABRA Auto Body & Glass, a national damaged repair company based in Minneapolis, announced today that Cathy Embry and Eileen Daube, Account Executives for ABRA-Georgia, earned the National Standardized Child Passenger Safety (CPS) Training Program certification. This program certifies individuals as child passenger safety technicians and instructors.
• Video: PPG Industries Offers an Online Solution to Chips and Cracks - PROSTARSAutoCare.com is the online source for auto glass replacement
• Business ID Theft Cases On The Rise - John Roeckner has owned his auto body shop for 24 years.
• It’s really a woman’s world at Garrett Auto Repair - TX: If you are in Floresville and take your vehicle to be repaired at Garrett Auto Repair, be prepared to meet Janice Garrett. She will politely ask you to excuse the grease on her hands. She is the owner/mechanic of Garrett Auto Repair, located on U.S. 181 Business North, just inside the Floresville city limits.
• OESA President De Koker to Discuss ‘Shifting OE Scene’At 2008 Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium - Neil De Koker, president and CEO of the Original Equipment Suppliers Association (OESA), will present “The Shifting OE Scene from Detroit to Tokyo, to Shanghai, to New Delhi” at the 2008 Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS) on Tuesday, May 20, at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Chicago, Ill.
• Final Rule Published on State Failure to Submit Ozone Emissions Plans - ASA: Some States May Face Sanctions from U.S. EPA
• A month later, no end in sight to strike against Axle - The longest automotive strike in a decade turns 1 month old today, leaving American Axle losing millions, striking workers scrimping on $200 weekly strike pay -- and no end in sight.
• China's Auto Industry Agrees to Parts Recycling Program - China has launched a pilot program to recover and reuse auto parts. The country is looking to boost the amount of auto parts that are reprocessed as well as spur innovation in recovering and rebuilding parts.
• Not-so-secret weapon: GM's Chinese engines - GM has eliminated brand distinctions between its engines, saddling them with names unlikely to inspire songwriters, like Ecotec, Vortec and Northstar. But some owners of the Chevrolet Equinox, a "compact" sport utility vehicle built in North America, might be surprised to learn the origin of the engine under their hoods - it is made in China.
• Top engineer at Chrysler leaves company - One of Chrysler LLC's top engineers left the company Tuesday because of a dispute with senior managers, a person with knowledge of the situation said Tuesday.
• Honda recalls 80,000 Civics over handbrake safety flaw - UK: Thousands of cars were being recalled by a leading manufacturer yesterday because of a fault with the handbrake, which has led to dozens of cars rolling away from where they were parked.
• Vehicle Maintenance You Don't Want To Skip - Too busy to change the oil? You might want to think twice next time you let those 3,000 miles pass you by.
• Beware of Buying a Lemon - Well many of you could start seeing your tax returns soon, but if you're going to use the money for a new car make sure to get it checked out. If you don't you could end up spending several thousand dollars that car dealers won't cover.
• Floodwaters can do long-term damage to vehicles - MO: Hundreds, if not thousands, of cars were caught in flash flood waters last week.
• GEICO Offers 30 Scholarships for Presidential Classroom Programs - GEICO and Presidential Classroom are teaming up on a scholarship program that will bring more high school students to Washington, D.C. this summer to learn first-hand about the federal government, international affairs and public leadership from extraordinary, successful leaders and policy-makers.
• SafeAuto Insurance Offers Five Tips to Save Money on Car Insurance - SafeAuto Insurance Company offers drivers five tips to save money on car insurance. SafeAuto's tips are based on more than a decade of experience in the automobile insurance industry, offering state required insurance coverage to an underserved market.

Tuesday - March 25, 2008

• Spring Training - AutobodyOnline: Spring Training is what is missing in most DRP programs.
• Insurers Urge California Policyholders To Oppose Vehicle Repair Bill - Three insurance associations are urging Californians to contact their legislators to oppose a bill that they say would influence where consumers get their vehicles repaired following an accident. The bill, SB 1167 by Senator Patricia Wiggins, D-Santa Rosa, is scheduled to be heard Wednesday, April 2, 2008, before the Senate Banking, Insurance and Finance Committee.
• Anti-consumer Auto Repair Bill Deserves a “NO” vote - American Insurance Association (AIA), Personal Insurance Federation of California (PIFC), and Association of California Insurance Companies (ACIC): Californians are being urged to demand that their legislators vote against legislation that would deprive accident victims of making informed choices about getting their vehicles repaired.
• Car Enthusiasts Encouraged to Participate in Keystone's 2009 Calendar Competition - Keystone Automotive Industries once again encourages car and truck enthusiasts to submit one or more photos of their vehicle for Keystone’s 2009 Calendar Competition.
• Competing businesses link up to expand customer base - AZ: Nadine Grobmeier built a solid business through word-of-mouth and quarterly mailers. -- But when Grobmeier, owner of Airpark Auto Service in Scottsdale, was approached to be part of a new network of auto-repair shops in 2004, she agreed.
• Carfax Study Reveals Five Year Increase in Salvage Vehicles Across the Nation - ARA and the recycling industry have been working hard to fight back against these fraudulent buyers and illegal exporters.
• 2008 SEMA Show Open For Business - Register Now! - Registration for the 2008 SEMA Show, scheduled November 4-7, 2008 in Las Vegas, is open!
• Amica Announces Changes to Glass Program - glassBYTEs: Lincoln, R.I.-based Amica Insurance has announced a change in its glass program, effective March 1, 2008. Gerber National Glass Services will now serve in the role as Amica's glass program administrator for "in-program" glass claims. LYNX Services will administer "out-of-program" glass claims.
• Platinum Equity Motions to Dismiss Counterclaim Filed by PPG - glassBYTEs: Counsel for Platinum Equity, the Beverly Hills, Calif.-based company that had previously agreed to purchase PPG Industries' auto glass business and services unit, has filed a motion in the Supreme Court of the State of New York to dismiss PPG's counterclaim.
• Sherwin-Williams cuts profit forecast - Shares of Sherwin-Williams Co. fell as much as 7% early Monday, under pressure as the paint maker cut its first-quarter and full-year earnings targets to reflect lower sales in the U.S. coupled with higher raw-material costs.
• AK Steel Announces Price Increase for Carbon Steel Products - AK Steel said today that it will increase spot market prices for its carbon steel products by $50 per ton for all new orders, effective immediately.
• Solera Holdings Director Sells Stock - A director of Solera Holdings Inc., a software and services provider for the auto insurance claims industry, sold 26,776 shares, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing Friday.
• Strikers resent Axle CEO's raise - Striking workers are incensed that American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc. Chief Executive Officer Richard Dauch received an $850,000 raise in 2007 -- a 9.2 percent increase -- even as they are being asked to accept wage and benefit reductions of as much as 50 percent.
• Texans buy stake in Chinese automaker - The Houston Rockets owner hopes to duplicate that towering success in the automotive industry. -- In the latest venture through his Rocket Capital Investment company, Alexander has teamed up with San Antonio billionaire Billy Joe "Red" McCombs.
• The N.Y. International Auto Show: High-tech under the hood - Exhibits offer a preview some snazzy vehicular technology
• GM Considering 4-Cylinder Camaro - The general plans to revive the Camaro name with a retro-styled 2010 edition.  GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz told members of the press gathered at the New York Auto Show that “the drivetrain under consideration for the Camaro is the same high-performance one used in the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky roadsters. It’s a 2.0-liter turbocharged, direct-injected four-cylinder rated at 260 hp.”
• Ford purchases manufacturing plant in Romania - The Ford Motor Company has become the majority owner of the former Automobile Craiova vehicle manufacturing complex in Romania. The first Ford vehicle is expected to be produced sometime around the middle of 2009.
• Global Illusions - Some companies are just unlucky at some things. They try and they try but don't succeed. This comes to mind when Chrysler declares that it wants to expand its global reach beyond the 9% of volume now sold overseas.
• Tata to buy Ford brands - Formal announcement expected Wednesday on $2B deal for luxury Land Rover, Jaguar subsidiaries.
• Ten Toughest Cars On The Road - Consumers are finding vehicles able to withstand the daily demands of life in some unlikely places.
• Cooper Replacing 48,000 Tires, Second Recall In Eight Months - The company is voluntarily recalling 48,037 tires because of sidewall separation, Findlay, Ohio-based Cooper said in a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Monday - March 24, 2008

• Body shop place for vehicle owners to ask repair questions - Insurance estimators have more automobile accidents in a day than most consumers have in a lifetime, and that imbalance can mean trouble when it comes time to repair a vehicle.
• Nebraska Autobody Association Rejoins SCRS - The Nebraska Autobody Association (NABA) announced today that it will become an affiliate member of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS).
• Nebraska Student Receives 2008 Tom’s Body Shop Scholarship - The Nebraska Autobody Association Inc. today announced the recipient of the Tom’s Body & Paint automotive scholarship.
• Nebraska Woman Receives 2008 Russwood-Chrysler Scholarship - The Nebraska Autobody Association and Russwood Chrysler, Inc. today announced the first woman to receive an automotive scholarship.
• Allan Robinson Named President of Sterling Autobody Centers - Sterling Autobody today announced that Allan Robinson has been named its president. Robinson previously served as Claim Field Director for the Midwest Claim Service Area in Buffalo Grove, Ill., and brings over 20 years experience of product knowledge and leadership to his new position.
• A hailstorm of work - GA: Body shops try to put a dent in backlog of repairs from last week's damaging weather
• Ice storm still felt at body shops - OK: The new headlight at the end of the tunnel is still two months away for Bryon Barron and his automotive body shop in midtown Tulsa.
• A Hancock Park Body Shop and N&H Restorations have new owners - Los Angeles & Orange County, CA: The Hancock Park Body Shop was sold to Custom Auto Craft, Inc. for $250,000.00. The Orange County based N&H Restorations was sold to Edward Schaar, Jr. and Amroallah Karimian for the sum of $60,000.
• Northside Collision to open fifth shop - NY: Northside Collision Centers will open a fifth collision-repair shop next week to meet growing customer demand, including fleet accounts, and to facilitate further revenue growth.
• New EPA ozone standard will be a challenge for KC - By the end of the year, Brett Bailey's five Kansas City-area A&B CARSTAR shops will have switched to more environmentally friendly paints.
• Help Wanted; Results vary from coast to coast - Canada: The shortage of technicians and waterborne conversions are top concerns in Bodyshop Professional's 2008 Outlook Survey, but there is optimism that business will be better this year.
• ASA Annual Convention Management Seminars Designed to Lead Attendees to Stress-Free Work Environment - Early-Bird Registration Deadline is March 27
• Massachusetts state legislature extends consideration of 'Right to Repair' Act - On the heels of a recent Massachusetts statewide poll of independent auto repair shops showing overwhelming support for equal access to repair information, the deadline for consideration of the state's Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act (H.B. 296) has been extended for another 60 days.
• Repairs now available through AAA - March 17 marked the opening of AAA Car Care Plus, a repair shop behind Northtown Plaza in Amherst operated by the Automobile Club of Western and Central New York, known as AAA.
• Local students prepare for auto-repair competition in New York - At the National Automotive Technology Competition, competitors diagnose and repair cars that have had bugs installed in them.
• Independent Glass Association to Focus on Competitive Advantages at Annual Conference - glassBYTEs: Auto glass business owners attending the Independent Glass Association's (IGA) 2008 Annual Conference and Spring Auto Glass Show™ will benefit from several seminars in the conference's education track designed to help improve profitability.
• Sum More Than Its Parts - Chicago-based LKQ has parlayed itself from a niche business that offers cheaper, recycled auto parts, into a fast-track growth player.junkyard.
• Auto Body Shop Owner Hospitalized after Explosion - CO: An auto body shop erupts in flames and sends the shop owner to the hospital after an explosion ripped through the building. FOX 31's John Romero has the story from Englewood. (video)
• Arson At Tillsonburg Automotive Plant - Canada: Police and fire investigators in Tillsonburg, suspect arson in two fires at an automotive plant slated for closure later this year.
• ALLDATA and Ford Renew Information Agreement - ALLDATA is pleased to announce the renewal of their service information licensing agreement with Ford Motor Company.(r) The agreement allows ALLDATA access to the Original Equipment Manufacturer's (OEM) service information, and permission to distribute that information to the automotive aftermarket.
• Shiny cars, dull outlook - US automakers turn from SUVs and pickups as the economy weakens and gasoline prices increase
• Strong cars, tougher rescue - Today's cars save lives by cocooning motorists in reinforced alloys, impact-absorbing crumple zones and as many as a dozen air bags. -- But rescue officials and experts from around the United States also say the new technology can slow extrication of injured people.
• Interstate Insurance Agent Licensing Bill Introduced in Congress - Bipartisan Bill Aims to Establish a Standard Set of Licensing Rules
• Insurance Does Not Pay - The three car crash did a number on a Bartow man's antique automobile. He filed a claim with the company of the car that hit his.  Six months later he was still waiting when he called on Taking Action Reporter Jackie Callaway for help.
• Connecticut Lawyer Says Auto Insurers Using Stalling Tactics On Property Damage Claims - Insurer's real motive is to reduce personal injury payments, says Hartford, CT. lawyer John Haymond.

Thursday - March 20, 2008

• Glass Recalled by PPG Supplier Also Came from WGA, PPG Reports - glassBYTEs: The suspect glass parts recalled recently by Process Polymers Development (PPD) were sold to them by Paterson, N.J.-based importer Wholesale Glass Automotive (WGA), according to PPG's Doug Sharbaugh, manager, supply chain, for the North American automotive aftermarket.
• System might need a tuneup - CO: Some local body shop owners are on a collision course with the insurance industry, claiming insurers hurt their customers by steering them to certain approved shops and sacrificing quality along the way.
• Mitchell 1 Updates Activant-Powered Online Parts Sourcing and Labor Estimating Capability in Manager/ManagerPlus Software - As part of its first quarter 2008 updates, Mitchell 1 announces it has enhanced its Activant® eCatalog interface, which enables shop professionals using the Manager and ManagerPlus solutions to enhance operational efficiency through extensive new online parts lookup, sourcing and labor estimating capabilities.
• CCC Information Services Inc. Addresses Vehicle Salvage Pain Points With New, Innovative Features - "This integrated solution is expected to provide an easier, faster way to aggregate information to make a more informed total loss decision," said Debbie Day, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Product Management at CCC.
• Candidates sought for 10th Akzo Nobel Most Influential Women Awards -  Akzo Nobel is now accepting nominations for the 10th anniversary of the Most Influential Women in the Collision Repair Industry awards which takes place during the International Automotive Congress and Exposition (NACE) Nov. 5-8, 2008, in Las Vegas.
• Next Crew Webcast: Special Guest Brian P. Sullivan - CREW has announced that the guest speaker for the Thursday, March 20th Webcast will be Brian P. Sullivan, a recognized auto and property insurance expert and editor of Auto Insurance Report, a weekly insurance industry publication. Time:11:00 AM - 12:00 PM PDT
• Columbian body shop owner travels to the U.S. to take I-CAR training - Body shop owner William Moreno made the trek from Cali-valle, Colombia to Fort Myers, Florida to take Plastic Adhesive Repair (PLA02) last week.
• I-CAR training available at the Automotive Training Expo - Be sure to attend the 2008 Automotive Training Expo at The Doubletree Hotel in Seatac, WA, March 28 – 30 and take I-CAR training!
• Notice of Boyd Group Income Fund 2007 year end results conference call - Boyd Group Income Fund ("the Fund") will release its fiscal 2007 fourth quarter and year end financial results on March 25th, 2008 after markets close. --  The Boyd Group Inc. is the largest operator of collision repair centres in Canada and among the largest in North America.
• 'Tomboy' has drive to fix auto bodies - WA: BTC grad would like to own her own shop someday
• Businessman rewards altruist with car - NJ: In the driveway, Bobby O'Buck, his wife, Valerie and son, Erik, 18, presented Carmon with the keys to a metallic blue gray Dodge. They run the family-owned Bob O's Affordable Auto Body and Sales, 433 East Ave. The car will replace Carmon's 1991 Cadillac DeVille, part of which she said is held together with duct tape.
• Annual Convention Management Seminars Designed to Lead Attendees to Stress-Free Work Environment - The topics of the management seminars include keys to stress reduction, and getting beyond the frustration that shop owners often endure. ASA's Annual Convention will be held May 1-3 in Santa Clara, Calif.
• ASA Testifies in Opposition to Super Warranties - The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) held a third workshop March 18 in Tallahassee, Fla.
• Installer Certification Registration Deadline Next Week - The deadline to register for the SEMA Installer Certification Exams is Friday, March 21. The tests are ideal for business owners, installers, restylers and wheel and tire specialists looking to gain a quality advantage in the marketplace.
• Belron US Names Sprigler Director of Customer Experience - glassBYTEs: Ed Sprigler has been named director of customer experience for Belron US. Sprigler has worked within the vehicle glass business for nearly 12 years.
• Manheim's Total Resource Auctions announces major expansion - As part of a major national expansion, Total Resource Auctions, a subsidiary of Manheim, will acquire four salvage auction companies operating at 11 locations. The addition of these locations will expand Total Resource Auctions' coverage areas into new markets in Alabama, Oklahoma, Colorado and Wyoming and expand operations in Arizona, increasing the number of Total Resource Auctions locations to 55 across the United States and Canada.
• Mike Tully named president of AAA Arizona - Mike Tully, chief operating officer of AAA Arizona, has been promoted president of the auto club, the state's largest membership organization advocating for motorists and travelers.
• BMW to Buy More Car Parts From China, Shanghai Daily Reports - Bayerische Motoren Werke AG plans to buy 4.4 billion yuan ($622 million) worth of car parts from Chinese suppliers this year, 22 percent more than in 2007, the Shanghai Daily reported, citing Alfred Rupp, president and chief executive officer of BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd.
• Audi Unveils Custom-Painted Audi A5 at Audi Forum New York City to Benefit the G&P Foundation for Cancer Research - Audi R8 TDI Le Mans Concept to be Showcased at Event
• Ford employees have to decide on buyout or early retirement - On the last day for U.S. hourly workers to sign up for buyout or early retirement packages, Ford Motor Co. had a message for 54,000 of them: In the future, the company will not need all of you.
• Buying Wrecks, Salvaged Vehicles, Beware! - I have been retired from the auto collision repair business for nearly 18 years. I used to buy wrecks and repair them, then sell them to the general public...
• ICBC sold rebuilt write-offs - Canada:  The Insurance Corp. of B.C. failed to disclose to buyers the repair histories of the restored wrecks, an independent investigation reveals
• Conn. Bill Banning Credit Scores for Auto Insurance Dies in Committee - The bill would have made it illegal for companies to use credit scores to set insurance rates – in whole or in part – for Connecticut drivers. -- The bill had drawn the ire of insurer group who say that credit rating is one of the best methods of predicting a risky driver.

Wednesday - March 19, 2008

• Collision Repair Sector Gets Boost from GEICO - GEICO and the Auto Body and Painting Association of Hawaii (ABPAH) recently partnered for a new apprenticeship program aimed at improving training and providing job opportunities in the auto body field.
• US Alliance of Collision Professionals is newest SCRS affiliate - The US Alliance of Collision Professionals (USACP), a collision repair association headquartered in the greater Cincinnati area, is the latest affiliate to join the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS).
• 2008 I-CAR International Annual Meeting online registration opens soon - I-CAR: Be sure to register and join professionals from around the world as the collision industry gathers for the I-CAR International Annual Meeting, July 24 – 26, at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess in Scottsdale, Arizona.
• Congratulations to Sterling Autobody Center locations who employ all Platinum Individual technicians - I-CAR: A special congratulations to the following Sterling Autobody Centers and technicians. All technicians at each of these locations have earned the Platinum Individual designation.
• Most garages turn work down due to lack of information - MA: A poll conducted last week for the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers shows that 83 percent of repair shops reject at least one customer per month, or at least return them to a dealership, because the garages have inadequate repair information, software or tools. The poll was based on feedback from 113 auto repair shops in the state.
• Carlite® Demonstrates Replacement Value - glassBYTEs: As spring arrives vehicle owners' brace for the effects of spring weather - hail and road stones kicked up from potholes and road patches. Each year more than 11 million windshields and automotive glass products are replaced. In most cases, retailers, distributors and installers of automotive replacement glass see a significant jump in the demand for products and installation services.
• Technical center receives donation from local car dealer - Parkersburg,WV: A donation by a local car dealership will help train future technicians now attending school at The Wood County Technical Center. -- This is the first year for the Collision Repair program at the Wood County Technical Center.
• Instructor made difference in his student’s life, career - In the early 1980s, I was a student at the South Schuylkill Vo-Tech School. During my first two years, in the auto body repair program, my instructor was Raymond Thornton.
• Replacing PCs with Macs brings huge cost savings to auto repair firm - Dale Frantz, CIO of Auto Warehousing Co. spent a month explaining to employees and customers the many reasons for switching from PCs to Macs. Among those is the more than $1.82 million the company calculates it will save over the next three years. That's what it would cost to upgrade software licenses if the company remained on PCs.
• TIA section of SEMA Show gets new name - The Tire Industry Association (TIA) has announced that its Performance Tires & Wheels section of the Specialty Equipment Market Association Show (SEMA) will now be called Tires, Wheels & Equipment, or TWE, for short.
• NCCAR Names Simon Cobb as Chief Operating Officer - The North Carolina Center for Automotive Research (NCCAR) met another strategic development objective with the selection of its Chief Operating Officer (COO). NCCAR announced today that Simon Cobb, most recently the Director of North Carolina Operations for Lotus Engineering, Inc., is being named to lead business and program development for the NCCAR, the automotive testing and research facility located in the northeastern region of North Carolina.
• Auto parts manufacturer Howa USA Inc. has opened an 80,000-square-foot plant in Bowling Green, Ky. - The facility, which operates under the name American Howa Kentucky, will be used to produce dash insulators, headliners, sunshades and other interior products for auto manufacturers such as Toyota, Nissan and Honda. The plant is located in the Kentucky Transpark.
• Silver paint jobs good as gold for auto dealers - Buyers’ favorite car color for seven years running
• Ford Launches 'Warriors in Pink' Mustang for '09, Doubles Contributions To Race For The Cure - Ford Motor Company, which has dedicated more than $95 million in cash and in-kind contributions for breast cancer education and research for 14 years, announces today that it is doubling its contribution to Susan G. Komen for the Cure each time it sells a 'Warriors in Pink' package for the 2009 Ford Mustang.
• Toyota accused of unfair practices before Cambridge union vote - TORONTO -- The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace workers, trying to become the first union in Canada and the United States to win representation at a factory wholly owned by Toyota Motor Corp., said it filed unfair labour practice charges against the Japanese automaker for allegedly going too far in trying to persuade workers at its Cambridge, Ont. assembly plant not to unionize.
• Jag, Land Rover sale pending - Ford luxury brands' purchase by Tata Motors may be announced as soon as March 26.
• On final day for buyout, Ford holds breath for last-minute retirees - Sources in automaker, UAW say there are few volunteers for early exit.
• Bleak Forecasts for Ford and GM - As the New York Auto Show prepares to open, shares of battered U.S. automakers struggle amid growing economic uncertainties.
• High-Speed Steering Shimmy in Ford F-250, F-350 Probed - The Ford Motor Co.'s F-250 and F-350 trucks and Super Duty trucks are the focus of an investigation by federal safety regulators because of high speed shimmy and vibrations in the truck steering and suspension system that can send the big trucks swerving out of control.
• Ford Displays a Wreck to Score Safety Points - Even car novices should have no trouble identifying the Ford Taurus at this week’s New York International Auto Show. It’s the one with a crumpled hood and half of the front bumper missing.
• Lithia Motors Inc. under investigation - Lithia Motors Inc. is being investigated by its own auditors and an external accounting firm for irregularities in the way it reported car sales to manufacturers in order to qualify for earning incentives.
• National Auto Defect Law Firm Bisnar Chase Joins Lawsuit against Toyota in Fatal 4Runner Rollover Accident - The Arreolas are suing Toyota for the wrongful death of their son, Jonathan, who was involved in a Toyota 4Runner rollover accident.
• Hail Damages Hundreds of Lowcountry Cars - GA: "There are literally 300 dents just on the one hood of this car,” Bluffton Autobody’s Joey Mucia said while surveying a car.
• Hailstorm struck car dealers hard; insurance companies assessing damage - The storms that struck the Gainesville area on Saturday wreaked havoc by dumping hail on the lots of a number of the area’s new car dealers. -- Insured losses from the storm were not limited to car dealerships. Myles Mitchom, a spokesman for State Farm, the state’s largest insurer, said the company had initiated 2,000 claims on Monday morning from customers with homeowner and auto policies.
• State Farm donation to kick-start homeless center renovation - Company's foundation gives Billy Shelper Center $150,000
• House committee plans to move forward on auto insurance bills - House Democrats plan to take another stab at changing Michigan's auto insurance rules in an effort they say could make rates more affordable for those who need a break most.
• Allstate must cut California auto insurance rates 15.9% - Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner orders Allstate to roll back prices more steeply than the company had wanted. The insurer is considering a legal challenge.
• HSG to Administer Glass Claims for Nodak Mutual - glassBYTEs: Nodak Mutual Insurance Co. has chosen Harmon Solutions Group (HSG) to handle its entire auto glass claim processing needs, including first notice of loss (FNOL), after hours, order fulfillment and bill payment processing.

Tuesday - March 18, 2008

• Virginia Governor Signs Bill That Makes Unreasonable Limits Set by Insurers an Unfair Practice - glassBYTEs: Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine recently signed a bill that will deem the setting of arbitrary and unreasonable limits on what an insurer will allow as reimbursement for materials as an unfair settlement practice. The bill will take effect on July 1, 2008
• Ashland offers DVD on truck collision repair - A free instructional DVD that demonstrates collision repair techniques for heavy-duty trucks using PLIOGRIP by Valvoline body repair system is available.
• Get Out Your Crystal Ball - ASA President's Blog: What about the current political process inspires anyone to believe the net result will be positive for small business? Without resorting to any partisan view, is there anything on the horizon that leads us to believe that congressional gridlock or wasteful government spending is going to suddenly end?
• Repair Quality Below Average in Progressive Concierge Shops - By: David A Williams, Auto Collision Repair Specialist and DV Expert
• Auto shops stay busy with cars damaged in hail storm - SC: Hail that ripped through parts of the north end of Hilton Head Island on Saturday meant a busy workday Monday for those at auto body shops and insurance agencies.
• Cherokee businesses: Don't fence us in - Tessner's family has operated Tessner Garage and Body Shop in Blacksburg since 1945. He said he thought the ordinance would include a grandfather clause.
• Revenue arrives on rough road as area auto-repair shops kept busy - The local economy may be driving through an extended rough patch, but for those who make their livings fixing automobiles, every bump in the economic road - and in the real one - puts extra bucks in their pockets.
• Earl Scheib, Inc. Announces It Has Retained the Investment Banking Firm of Wedbush Morgan Securities Inc. to Explore Strategic Alternatives - Earl Scheib, Inc., founded in 1937, is a nationwide operator of 98 automotive paint and collision repair shops located in 22 states and the District of Columbia. In addition, through a wholly-owned subsidiary, Earl Scheib, Inc. manufactures paint coating systems that are used not only by its paint and collision repair shops, but are also sold to original equipment manufacturers and used by architectural construction firms.
• Successful premiere of CARIZZMA in Paris - BASF: Customized refinishing is a must for tuning – but not without an eco-touch
• Green Technology -- Soliant Wins Environmental Award for Automotive Bright Film - Sustainable, Recyclable Alternative to Chrome Plating for Exterior and Interior Parts & Trim -- Soliant has an impressive 20-year history as a producer of paintfilm products. Automotive OEMs are showing great interest in Fluorex(R) bright film and paintfilm and are encouraging suppliers to adopt this green technology.
• Pilkington laying off 250 - American Axle strike, GM shutdowns shattering demand for automotive glass
• More talks, no news on axle strike affecting GM's Powertrain Transmission plant - MD: The labor dispute has idled General Motors Corp.'s Powertrain Transmission plant in White Marsh. Around 220 employees at the plant have been temporarily laid off as a result of the ongoing strike at the parts supplier.
• UAW Preps for Long American Axle Strike - Full bargaining teams for the United Auto Workers and American Axle and Manufacturing Holdings Inc. haven't met for a week, a strong sign that a three-week strike likely will continue, a labor expert says.
• ARC Automotive plans to cut 39 jobs - TN: ARC Automotive Inc, which employs over 350 hourly production employees, said this afternoon the layoffs are due to a downturn in the automotive market. ARC's plant is at 1729 Midpark Road in West Knoxville.
• Lear CEO gets boost in pay - Lear Corp. Chairman and CEO Bob Rossiter was paid $6.1 million in 2007, 31% higher than in the previous year.
• Questor sells AZ Automotive Corp. - AZ Automotive, based in Warren, is a tier-one metal body stamping and assembly supplier with annual revenue of more than $400 million.
• Opening Glance: Auto Suppliers - Shares of the major U.S. auto suppliers fell in early trading Monday, along with the broader market, as they reeled from JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s government-backed buyout of Bear Stearns Cos.
• Ford letter: Buyouts will help remake automaker for a better future - Take a buyout or not? That is the question weighing heavily at the moment on many of Ford’s more than 50,000 UAW employees. The window for employees to accept a buyout or early retirement package closes tonight at midnight.
• Ford Motor Company to Auction 'Knight Rider' Ford Shelby Mustangs at Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach - All Proceeds to Benefit to Ford’s “Salute to Education” Program
• VW looks for U.S. sites for auto plant - WOLFSBURG, Germany: Volkswagen is scouting locations in the United States as it considers whether to build a new production plant in North America.
• Family of man burned in car gets $3.2 million - KY: The jury on Thursday found Don's Auto Clinic and its owner, Samuel T. Barrett, negligent in repairing and inspecting Mulligan's vehicle.
• Arson suspected in fire at auto body shop - WA: A fire that burned through the roof of an auto body shop Saturday night is being investigated as arson, Ephrata fire officials say.
• High metal prices spur unauthorized car towing schemes - PA:  Harrisburg police say a woman recently noticed that her car had been tagged as abandoned and rushed down to the state tranportation building to clear up the problem. --When she got back, the tag was gone -- but so was her car.
• Are cops 'special equipment' in tow scams? - Predatory tow truck operators view Chicago police officers as "special equipment" in their scams.
• Avis Budget Group Implements Innovation Claims - Avis Budget Group , Inc., a leading provider of vehicle rental services, has gone live with Innovation Claims for all of its North American operations to support the company’s vehicle damage and liability claims.
• Procura Announces Strategic Partnership With Mitchell International - Procura Management, Inc., a provider of medical cost containment and managed care services to the workers’ compensation and automobile insurance industry, announced today that it has signed a partnership agreement with Mitchell International, Inc., through its Mitchell Medical division, which provides medical bill review, workflow solutions and decision support tools to the majority of U.S. automotive insurance carriers.
• Auto Insurance Firms Ranked on How They Treat Online Customers In Q1 2008 Customer Respect Group Study - The Customer Respect Group, an international research and consulting firm that focuses on how corporations treat their online customers, today released findings from its First Quarter 2008 Online Customer Respect Study of Auto Insurance Industry Websites.
• Paying Less - New automobile insurance rates kick in Monday for State Farm customers.  The company, which insures one out of four vehicles in West Virginia, plans to lower rates by an average of 4.9%.

Monday - March 17, 2008

• California Anti-Steering Bill Amended; Hearing Date Set - glassBYTEs - An anti-steering bill under review in the State of California was amended and read this week in the Senate and re-referred to the committee on Business, Finance and Insurance.
• Database Issues Key Topic at Latest CIC - AutobodyOnline: Estimating database issues continue to be a key area of discussion at the Collision Industry Conference (CIC), and those challenging the database providers to make necessary changes are reporting some positive progress. by John Yoswick
• Auto body work is family business - IN: Nathan Thompson is working hard during the busy winter season at his family’s business. -- Thompson & Sons Body Work, 419 W. Delphi Pike, was founded by Nathan’s father, Bill, 28 years ago.
• Jeff Young Collision Center opens second location - TN: Twenty-five years ago, Jeff Young opened a collision center in Sparta. Four months ago, he purchased a second location and after a couple of months of remodeling, Jeff Young Collision Center opened on South Jefferson Avenue in Cookeville.
• Autobody shop paints the town green - Canada: Bernhard Rubbert owns an automotive collision repair and refinishing shop that uses an environmentally friendly paint system for vehicles.
• The Super’Stang on Parade at the Delray Beach St. Patrick’s Day Celebration - Tour has raised more than $180,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation®
• Charlie Fewell to Deliver Keynote Presentation at 2008 ASA Annual Convention - The Automotive Service Association (ASA) has announced that Charlie Fewell of Charlie Fewell & Associates, a training and consulting company, will be the keynote speaker for the 2008 ASA Annual Convention.
• Scholarship Opportunities! - Scholarships available to attend the first-ever Automotive Service and Repair Week (ASRW). ASRW is ASA's new initiative to co-locate the International Autobody Congress and Exposition (NACE) and the Congress of Automotive Repair and Service (CARS).
• NorthWest Arkansas Community College's Regional Technology Training Center collision repair program gets recertified  - Approval was received this week from the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation and The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence.
• Rating the Insurers - glassBYTEs - This week, as you may have noticed, we’ve started our own survey on glassBYTEs.com™: Rate the Insurers. The idea came from comments from many of our readers that we start something like this after we ran a story about a similar survey conducted among collision repair shops in Oregon.
• Training Your Manager in Waiting - The importance of training your manager in waiting. -- How do we train the second in command? More importantly, where do we find them? Hopefully, they are right under your nose.
• Grease Monkey Franchisee Starts Anew In His Home Town - Bill Dalton owned eight Grease Monkey franchises in the Seattle metro area. Today he owns one--a five-month-old, state-of-the-art facility in his home of Montgomery, Texas
• New industry defies economy - James City, VA: “They are putting up buildings quicker than I can count them,” Joe Krettler, general manager of Keystone Automotive Industries, said about an explosion of industrial growth at James River Commerce Center. -- Keystone serves 80% of the state from its plant, delivering as far south as the Outer Banks in North Carolina and over to West Virginia.
• PPG announces $1.55 billion debt offering - Proceeds to be used to repay SigmaKalon ‘bridge’ financing
• Audi approves eco-friendly BASF refinish paint system for after sales service in India - Audi announced its strategic collaboration in India with BASF, world’s leading chemical company, today.
• Will Your Next New Car Have Linux Inside? - "Many manufacturers are using proprietary systems. Linux is the newcomer. It has not been around long enough. It needs a large shift for the auto industry to more openly accept Linux in these areas," Peter Schulmeyer, director of strategy and microcontroller solutions for Freescale Semiconductor, told LinuxInsider.
• GM bringing back 1970s sport truck - Contest winner will name high-powered Pontiac
• Ross' turnaround saluted twice - Billionaire investor Wilbur Ross Jr. has received two awards for his turnaround efforts at his Dearborn auto supplier International Automotive Components Group North America.
• Would You Buy A Car From This Billionaire? - Two billionaire investors--Warren Buffett and Eddie Lampert--are buying into the auto dealership industry even though it faces one of its worst slumps in years. What gives?
• China rising: Its private firms set sights on rest of world - Just as the earlier arrival of Japanese companies changed U.S. manufacturing, over time Chinese companies could affect how their Western rivals approach innovation, competition and business itself.
• Big Three Auto Makers, Allies Urge Vigilance On Yen - U.S. auto makers and their congressional allies are warning the Bush administration to be on guard against possible moves by Tokyo to let some air out of the ballooning yen.
• 'Who really built your car? - Ask most motorists who built the car or truck they drive, and they're likely to mention General Motors, Ford, Honda or Toyota.
• Proposed auto roof rules rub with fuel mandates - Detroit News Editorial: Detroit's automakers have good reason to wonder whether the right hand of the federal government has a clue what the left hand is doing.
• Feds Investigate Fire Hazard in Mitsubishi Galant - Automatic locks can trap passengers in burning vehicle
• Urgent Fire Hazard Prompts Massive Pontiac, Buick Recall - Cars can catch fire even when parked and idle, automaker warns Don't park them in your garage!
• Strong vs Weak - IIHS Report: New Institute study establishes crucial link between roof strength and protecting people in rollover crashes
• 2009 Toyota Corolla is GOOD for frontal crash protection - IIHS: The Toyota Corolla was redesigned for the 2009 model year.
• 3 dealerships closed in raid - OH: Three auto dealerships are shut down as authorities said the owners have been aiding illegal immigrants in identity theft and buying cars without proper identification.
• Local businessman charged with fraud - A Chicago area businessman and a former General Motors executive were indicted for allegedly diverting roughly $80 million from GM from the sale of bulk aluminum to third parties in what the government said was an illegal fraud and kickback scheme.
• Forgotten, but not gone - Like something pulled from a time capsule, a '65 Mustang is corralled 20 years after it vanished from a street corner
• Hondas less at risk since chop shop bust - WA: A recent rash of Honda auto thefts has all but ceased since Monday when Yakima police busted what they believe was a base of operations for stripping stolen vehicles.
• Salvage dealers face charges - GA: Arrested in sweep looking for stolen cars at junkyards
• Stealing Insurance Broker Gets Weekends In Jail - NY: A 43-year-old former insurance broker was sentenced on Monday to spend weekends in jail for three months for stealing $9,000 in insurance premiums from 49 people in Saratoga, Warren and Washington Counties.
• AAA to issue refunds to settle suit over new-policy surcharges - Refunds averaging $187 are in store for 120,000 policyholders of the Automobile Club of Southern California who were charged higher rates on new policies from 1999 to 2004 because they could not prove that they were previously insured.

Friday - March 14, 2008

• How to Manage Supplements and Reduce the Cycle Time - Many collision repairers have accepted the fact that supplements are unavoidable and have treated them as a familiar part of the collision repair landscape.
• EPA Auto Body Refinishing Regulation - What This Means for Collision Shops
• Collision Repair Code of Ethics Update - For those interested in the next meeting to discuss the Collision Repair Code of Ethics, make plans to attend the Northeast Regional Autobody/Automotive Trade Show in Suffern, NY.
• Strengthen No-Steering Law - CT: Legislators should strengthen state law to stop insurance companies from steering clients toward certain motor-vehicle repair shops.
• New air quality standards will impact local businesses - Boise, ID: Parks Royal Body Works deals in many colors but it's the only auto body repair shop in Idaho to go green by using environmentally friendly water-based or waterborne paint rather than solvent-based paint that can cause ozone problems.
• AAIA Recognizes World Class Technici