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May 30, 2008
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Class Action Status Upheld In Suit Against The Hartford - The
Connecticut Supreme Court has decided that a lawsuit by auto body
repairers, alleging The Hartford improperly steers customers to certain
repair shops, can proceed as a class action.
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The New Breed of Autoparts - Aluminum use in auto parts is not
restricted to exotic sports cars, meaning the costs of repairs might be
going up
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Automotive Parts and Service Association of Illinois Joins QPC in
Support of H.R. 5638 - Introduced in March 2008, the bill would
amend Title 35, U.S. Code (Patents) to provide design patent exemption
for alternative repair parts used for the purpose of repairing a vehicle
to its original appearance, protecting consumers from monopolies imposed
by the large automakers in the aftermarket collision parts market.
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Safety at What Price? - A number of new gadgets to improve vehicle
safety are in the works, causing collision repair centres and insurers
to wonder how much it will cost to repair the new technology
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Global Notes, Schedules and Statements Filed in Diamond Glass Bankruptcy
Case -
glassBYTEs™: The Global Notes and
Statement of Limitations, Methodology and Disclaimer Regarding Debtors'
Schedules and Statements has been filed in Diamond Glass' bankruptcy
case, though the documents note the potential for amendment in the
future because "the Debtors relied on financial data derived from their
books and records that was available at the time of such preparation."
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Carstar branches out - Carstar Collision is expanding to better
serve customers with the recent purchase of River Valley Auto Inc. --
According to Carstar owner Dan Williams, the March acquisition is a
perfect fit with his auto collision and paint business, which just
happens to be located two doors down at 260 Northland Dr.
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First Class Services Rides PPG-Finished Truck to "Big-Rig Build-Off"
Victory - Randy Stroup, president and CEO of First Class Services,
Lewisport, KY, was the winning custom truck builder in the 4th annual
Stars and Stripes “Big Rig Build-Off” truck beauty contest at the
Mid-America Trucking Show held in Louisville at the Kentucky Exposition
Center. Stroup said,
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NCMA Raises $6,500 for the Aftermarket Foundation - The National
Catalog Managers Association (NCMA) raised another $6,500 for the
Aftermarket Foundation at its 35th annual Knowledge Exchange conference
this month in Tampa, Fla. Beginning in 2004, the organization has used
its annual meeting as an opportunity to raise money for the Aftermarket
Foundation, the industry’s only charity organization.
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$10,000 College Scholarship Introduced for Goddard School Grads: 2008
winner exemplifies spirit of company founder - The Anthony A.
Martino Memorial Scholarship is named for the company's late founder,
the entrepreneur who started several well-known franchises including
Aamco Transmissions, Inc., and Maaco Auto Painting & Bodyworks, Inc. The
scholarship recognizes student achievement in the spirit of Martino,
whose life exemplified hard work and dedication.
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Vo-tech students give police vehicle an "arresting" new look - NJ:
The borough's police department received a professional quality paint
job on a previously unmarked car, but this was not done by your standard
auto body shop.
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Pull-A-Part brings in the crowds - Armed with wrenches and the will
to save some money, Clevelanders flock to the Pull-A-Part salvage yard
on West 130th Street. -- Everywhere you look people are smiling. Ask
why? They will gladly tell you how much money they are saving.
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Honda Motor sees higher steel prices but won't hike prices on existing
cars - Japan's second-largest carmaker Honda Motor Co. expects a
sharp rise in its steel costs but is not planning to hike prices on its
existing cars or remodelled products to reflect higher steel prices, the
company's chief executive said on Thursday.
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Honda saving US jobs by switching models - Honda will meet growing
U.S. demand for small cars while maintaining North American jobs by
moving production of two bigger models from Canada to Alabama, Chief
Executive Takeo Fukui said Thursday.
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19,000 to take buyouts at GM - Another wrenching downsizing is under
way at General Motors Corp. as the struggling auto giant scrambles to
reinvent itself into a smaller, leaner company less reliant on pickups
and SUVs.
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Auto woes worsen - After years of restructurings, more cuts needed;
$4 a gallon gas is the game changer
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Quadriplegic Dr. David Garcia to Testify at Senate Hearing on 'Roof
Crush' in Rollovers - David Garcia, a complete quadriplegic as a
result of injuries sustained in an automobile rollover in 1996, will
testify at the Senate Hearing on 'roof crush'scheduled for Wednesday,
June 4th from 10 to 11:30 AM in room 253 Russell Senate Office Building,
Washington, D.C. The hearing is open to the public and the news media.
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Auto Shop Owner Spots Possible Hollywood Hit-And-Run Car - A
Lauderhill auto shop owner said the car involved in a hit-and-run in
Hollywood that was caught on tape may have turned up in his body shop.
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Marlboro man and his family's company plead guilty in auto-theft ring
- NJ: A Marlboro man and his family's company have pleaded guilty to
their roles in a stolen automobile trafficking ring, authorities said.
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Who Benefits From Higher Gas Prices? Auto Insurers - As the
increasing cost of gasoline forces U.S. drivers to cool their love
affair with their cars, auto insurers may see a silver lining in the
breakup: fewer accidents.
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DOT: Driving sees sharpest drop on record - “I think there’s more of
an active desire to cut trips or do everything with one trip to cover
several things,” said Kathleen Schmatz, president and CEO of the
Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association. The Bethesda-based group
published a study on driving habits in November, with 90 percent of
respondents saying they were driving less, 31 percent saying they were
carpooling more, and 24 percent saying they were taking public
transportation more often.
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Utah Law Can Send Uninsured Vehicles to Impound Lot - A new state
law allows police to impound any vehicle that is on the road and not
insured. Before, police could only issue a citation for driving without
insurance. Now officers can write the ticket and take the car, too.
May 29, 2008
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CRA Asks Members To Voice Opposition to AB 2825 - The CRA is urging
its members to voice their opposition to AB 2825 immediately by calling
their representative in the State Assembly. If you don't know your
Assembly representative, or need a phone number, please consult the
Assembly Roster.
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View Floor Amendments to AB 2825
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Key MA Legislative Committee Gives OK to Right to Repair Bill; Independent
Auto Repair Shops Applaud Pro-Consumer Legislation - Legislation now
heads to Ways and Means Committee for review
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Midwest Glass Shops Stand By to Repair Tornado Damage -
glassBYTEs™:
Many cars and homes stand glassless in Parkersburg, Iowa. Those are
the lucky ones. More than 200 homes and business were destroyed by a
severe tornado that struck the area on May 25. Six people died as a result
of the Iowa tornado.
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Mitchell 1 Adds Electronic Parts Ordering Information Section to Web Site
- Mitchell 1 has added a Parts Ordering Information section to its Web
site under the heading Program Distribution Group. With connections to the
leading aftermarket parts distributors, professional technicians can
connect with their current supplier of choice with the simple click of a
mouse.
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OEConnection Chosen as a Leading EDGE Company - OEConnection LLC, a
technology leader in parts exchange and analysis solutions for the
automotive original equipment (OE) replacement parts business, has been
selected by The Entrepreneur's EDGE as a Leading EDGE company for a second
consecutive year. This award recognizes middle market companies for the
value they create for northeast Ohio.
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Texas Automobile Dealers Association Rep Receives Legislative Award -
Victor Vandergriff was one of the founders of the Consumer Choice in
Autobody Repair organization. He was the Texas Automobile Dealers
Association liaison to ASA during the insurer-owned shop legislation
debate in Austin, Texas, and currently is the legislative chairman of the
Texas Automobile Dealers Association.
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ASA-Arizona Named ASA Affiliate of the Year - During the Automotive
Service Association’s recent Celebration of Excellence awards ceremony in
Santa Clara, Calif., ASA presented its Affiliate of the Year Award to ASA-Arizona
for its outstanding accomplishments across a broad range of categories.
ASA-Arizona was selected for its excellence in membership growth,
educational events, participation in ASA national programs, legislative
activity and overall contributions of its membership to the automotive
service industry.
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CARSTAR names Evans assistant VP - CARSTAR Franchise Systems named
Paul Evans assistant vice president, director of field development. He
joined the company three years ago as a regional service manager in the
Northeast and most recently served as director of franchise development.
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Body Shops Go Mobile - A minor accident in a parking lot, a too-close
encounter with another car's door. -- Small dents and scratches hurt cars'
resale value, but few owners make repairs.
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Driver's Auto Repair Continues to Grow - When you fix cars right the
first time and provide the very best customer service, success in the auto
repair industry is sure to follow. The recent expansion of Driver's Auto
Repair is
proof of that.
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Kentucky Company Uses Water To Increase Gas Mileage - Just add water -
that's what one Kentucky company has been doing to help increase a car's
gas mileage. -- Fix-it Auto Repair sells and installs hydro-assist
technology.
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DuPont Automotive Systems Named Top Toyota Supplier - Toyota recently
presented a top supplier award to DuPont Automotive Systems, which provides
coatings to major automotive manufacturers globally.
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Stunningly beautiful, individual and completely “in”: R-M’s CARIZZMA is an
absolute must for custom refinishing - First waterborne tuning paint
complies with all legislation for solvent reduction – Presentation at Golf
GTI meeting at Lake Wörthersee in Austria
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BASF wins Volkswagen award as eco-friendly supplier - BASF has
received the “Group Award 2008” in recognition of its role as top supplier
to Volkswagen (VW). Dr. Stefan Marcinowski, member of BASF’s Board of
Executive Directors, was presented with the award by Prof. Martin
Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen
Aktiengesellschaft, and Francisco J. Garcia Sanz, member of the Board of
Management of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft responsible for procurement.
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Whiplash protection - BMW has recently started using crash-active
headrests whose kinematic skeleton is made primarily of BASF's engineering
plastics.
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ArvinMeritor Files For Tax-Free Auto-Parts Spinoff - Arvin Innovation
will specialize in body and chassis system parts and already has contracts
to supply sunroofs, latches and wheels.
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American Axle expects to cut 2,000 US factory jobs - American Axle and
Manufacturing Holdings Inc. said Wednesday it will cut more than half of its
U.S. hourly work force, or 2,000 jobs, through early retirement and buyout
offers, plant closures and layoffs.
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Stamping operations key to Ford Flex ride and quietness - Automotive
stamping operations rarely grab the limelight. But with the new Ford Flex
coming to market this summer, the untold story behind the vehicle's quiet
ride is happening at Ford's Buffalo Stamping Plant. The sheet metal plays
a major role in the vehicle's world-class fit and finish, which
contributes to the quiet ride by eliminating wind noise and squeaks and
rattles.
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MyDealerLot, AeroScout and EIS Announce Successful Vehicle Tracking
Project at ADESA, Inc. - RFID Solution Delivers Real Time Inventory
Management for Thousands of Vehicles at Automotive Auction Sites
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Great Valley auto dealer closing - Sacramento auto dealership Great
Valley Chrysler-Jeep-Mazda-Isuzu is going out of business, the dealership
is reporting on its Web site.
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Don't Sell Your SUV; Kelley Blue Book Data Reveals Costs May Outweigh
Gains - Increasing gas prices have encouraged consumers to trade-in
their SUVs for smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles, but it is important
to examine the big picture before making a final decision.
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Police investigate catalytic converter theft - NE: About 100 catalytic
converters valued at around $10,000 have been stolen from Star City Auto
Salvage over the past five months.
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Stakes mount in fight over 'insurance scoring' - A five-year battle
over whether insurance companies in Florida should be allowed to charge
higher rates or even deny coverage to people with poor credit histories is
headed back to the courts.
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Allstate Recognizes Best in Company - Well-Rounded Performance Drives
Results and Rewards High Achievers
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Buffett vs. Greenspan - Two financial heavyweights, Warren Buffett and
Alan Greenspan, recently weighed in on the health of the U.S. economy.
May 28, 2008
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2008 Legislation Wrap-Up: Anti-Steering Laws See Both Successes and
Failures -
glassBYTEs™:
As many of the 2008 spring legislative sessions come to a close,
the industry has seen a number of anti-steering bills and other
industry-related legislation moving through legislative bodies across the
United States.
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AASP-MN Bill Prohibiting Estimating Database Manipulation Signed By
Governor - On May 8th, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty signed into law
legislation proposed by the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers,
Minnesota (AASP-MN). Senate File 3508/House File 3822 prohibits insurers
from unilaterally and arbitrarily disregarding a repair operation or cost
identified by an estimating system. The legislation will become effective
on August 1, 2008.
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Mid West Collision Industry Forum - June 18, 2008 - Holiday Inn Select
- Columbia, MO -- Speakers include: Mike Anderson of Wagonwork
Collision Centers - Positioning Yourself in the Collision Industry
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Travelers and CARSTAR Automotive Canada Partner to Provide Consumer
Finance for Collision Repair Nationwide - Under Travelers Automotive
Aftermarket Finance Program, the partnership gives CARSTAR Automotive
Canada franchise locations point of sale financing for their customers for
added choice and a hassle free repair experience.
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Anderson Receives Chairman’s Award of Excellence - Mike Anderson,
Wagonwork Collision, Alexandria, Va., was the recipient of the Chairman’s
Award of Excellence presented during the Automotive Service Association’s
Celebration of Excellence ceremony May 3.
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Upon Further Review -
glassBYTEs™:
"One of this writer's sources of amusement is reading or listening
to consumers trying to review an auto glass installation, whether online
or on the radio. What is horribly apparent is that the American public
knows far more about the social habits of hotel heiresses than they ever
want to discern about a common auto repair. In short, most people don't
know and really don't care a great deal about their choices of auto glass
vendors. To me it makes far more sense to upgrade that ignorance as we try
to bootstrap this industry's reputation forward." —Neil Duffy: View
from the Trenches
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Honda Aftermarket Parts Position Statement - NABA: American Honda
Motor Co, Inc. has made the following recommendations for repair of Honda
and Acura unibody vehicles.
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R-M launches HB 004 SLOW and HYDROMIX SLOW - By launching two new
additives for its Onyx HD line, BASF Coatings further strengthens its
position at the forefront of waterborne automotive refinish paint
technology.
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And Baby makes three . . . - BASF Coatings at the world’s toughest car
racing event – great success with three cars on the racetrack
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Sartorius Receives "Excellent Supplier Award" from PPG Industries -
Since 2004, Sartorius has been supplying electronic paint-mixing scales to
the automotive refinish business of PPG.
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Beware of fly-by-night mechanics - Kevin Deubach, owner of American
Auto Body in Greeley, said there are storm chasers from outside the state
who come in, set up repair shops in tents or in small rented spaces, and
offer to do repair work at reduced prices.
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He's hooked on painting autos - Mario Trettenero didn't follow the
most direct route to his trade, but he clearly remembers the moment his
journey began.
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Former Loveland man recreates his 1960s-era hot rod - Vehicle will be
at Goodguys Colorado Nationals car show
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April, May showers bring business to mechanics - But some aren't
saying rain, rain go away.
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Auto paint guru visits Waterloo High - The automobile hood
custom-painted by nationally renowned airbrush artist Richard Markham
proved an inspiration for Tony Biffar's auto shop class.
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Auto parts store owner offers to buy wrecks - Parkersburg, Ia.— The
tornado beat the cars and trucks of Parkersburg into barely recognizable
shells. -- A spokeswoman for Allstate Insurance warned that people should
be careful about selling ruined cars.
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Ray Brothers Auto Parts Closing After 53 Years - Chattanooga,TN: In
business since 1955 and operating from the 3220 Rossville Blvd. location
since 1962, brothers George and Bob Ray have long been the go-to guys when
it comes to engine rebuilding components and expert engine rebuilding
machine shop services in the Tri-State area.
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Cost to maintain, drive a vehicle gearing up - Besides gas, motorists
face higher costs for maintenance, other products and services.
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Auto parts supplier adding 50 jobs - IN: A Michigan-based auto
supplier announced Tuesday morning it will invest more than $6 million and
add 50 jobs in Avilla because of increased business. -- Federal-Mogul
Corp. will invest the money to expand automotive lighting production at
the Avilla plant, a statement from the Indiana Economic Development Corp.
said.
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Modine Manufacturing sees higher sales in 2009 - Modine Manufacturing
Co., which makes auto parts and cooling equipment, said Tuesday it expects
net sales in fiscal 2009 to rise as much as 8 percent to between $1.9
billion and $2 billion.
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Ford to slash up to 12% of salaried jobs - Involuntary layoffs planned
as sales slump; Rising gas, steel prices stall turnaround
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Luxury brands top auto quality survey - Luxury brands once again
dominated an annual U.S. automobile quality survey by a California
research company, but total quality dropped for the first time in four
years, the company said.
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Congress to review car roof proposal - Panel will check NHTSA's plan
for tougher vehicle top strength standards to avoid rollover deaths.
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Nasty knockoffs: Dangerous fake products enter US at record pace -
Between 2001 and 2006, General Motors alone conducted 1000 investigations
and seized $44 million in counterfeit auto parts.
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Body Shop Robbed Four Times in One Week - SC: Mike Stallings is fed
up. -- "In my case, four times in one week is a little overkill," said
Stallings, the owner of Palmetto Collision.
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Vandals damage 5 vehicles at Olive Branch body shop - TN: Vandals
scaled a fence and caused extensive damage to five vehicles at Cross Roads
Auto Center in Olive Branch Sunday.
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Incentives for greener car repairs - UK: The Co-Operative Insurance
has called on the motor industry to repair rather than replace damaged car
parts whenever possible. -- The Manchester-based eco-insurer believes that
plastic parts such as bumpers and bonnets do not always need to be
scrapped.
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Insurance Commissioner Warns About Scam Artists - On Tuesday morning,
the California Insurance Commissioner joined local law enforcement
agencies in San Luis Obispo to demonstrate the "Swoop and Squat" technique
of staging a vehicle accident in order to commit auto insurance fraud.
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AutoClaims Direct Announces New Adjusting Division - AutoClaims
Direct, the leading strategic development firm to auto claims industry
today announced the addition of the corporation's new adjusting division.
A product of over two years in the making, AutoClaims Direct's claims
administration program focuses with laser like accuracy on preventing
leakage and settling claims quickly and efficiently.
May 27, 2008
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Free workshops in June for auto body repair businesses on environmental
health and safety - Next month, on June
4 and 5, 2008, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and its state and
local partners will offer free seminars in Washington, DC and Baltimore,
Md. to educate the auto body repair community on the latest environmental
regulations affecting their businesses. The workshop will also include
demonstrations in best practices by an experienced auto finisher, as well
as offer pollution prevention techniques that will save time and reduce
waste.
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Defend Yourself: A Commentary by Dennis Liphardt - AutobodyOnline: If
you have been reading my newsletter for very long you know that I am
totally against shops saving deductibles, paying for rental cars, paying
off tow truck drivers, agents or any other form of payola that is designed
to put more cars in a shop.
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Mechanics start their own blacklist - Over the years, the Internet has
been a big tool for consumers to sound off on companies they feel did not
provide adequate service or, worse, cheated them. -- Now, auto-repair shop
owners, often the focus of such complaints, are trying to use that idea
resource to expose customers they say rip them off, typically by not
paying for work provided.
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Oregon Collision Shops Give State Farm High Customer Service Marks -
State Farm and several smaller Northwest-based auto insurers continue to
be among the best at taking care of their customers after an accident. And
some of the other larger, best-known insurers --including Progressive,
Allstate, Safeco and Farmers Insurance -- are among the worst.
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Coalition Calls for Database of Salvaged Automobiles - ASA Joins
Industry Groups in Letter to Department of Justice
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Equalizer Goes Abroad -
glassBYTEs™:
Equalizer Industries president Eric Asbery, international sales
director Henri Goudsmit and senior technical advisor Gilbert Gutierrez
recently took a two-week trip to visit distributors across Europe. Among
their stops were Italy, the Netherlands, Germany and France.
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Diamond Auction Moved to June 19 -
glassBYTEs™:
The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware has approved
a consensual order moving the date of the auction for Diamond Glass until
June 19. As previously reported on glassBYTEs.com™/AGRR magazine, Belron
had filed a motion earlier this week requesting an extension on the time
to bid and for the date of the auction.
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Threat or Opportunity? - ASA President's Blog: Nearly 10 years ago, I
attended a seminar in Detroit on the emerging technology of telematics. I
remember thinking then that the convergence of communications and
transportation technologies made a great deal of sense because many
drivers are in their vehicles for extended periods of time.
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Watchdog: If there's a contract, there's a claim - TX: 1951 MG
T-series roadster sits in parts in boxes at auto body shop for four years
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Mechanics thrive in troubled economy - FL: With a soft job market,
struggling housing sales and rising food and fuel costs, it's no surprise
that many are maintaining older vehicles instead of buying new ones.
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Chop shop raided - Lawmen say the lot at 1621 Deep Creek Road, off
Clinton Road just east of the Cape Fear River, was being used as a chop
shop for stolen vehicles, including luxury vehicles stolen off dealership
lots.
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Police raid Bedford auto-body shop - NY: Bedford and Westchester
county police raided a Plainfield Avenue auto-body shop Thursday night,
though the reasons for the raid were unclear yesterday. -- The raid took
place at IFM Collision Center.
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Gasoline thieves cutting fuel lines - HI: Company vehicles with big
tanks are favored, though risk high for all
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Ex-cop, 2nd man charged in $1M insurance fraud - PA: The alleged
mastermind of an insurance scam that involved a Philadelphia police
officer was charged yesterday with defrauding 10 insurance companies of
more than $1 million through an elaborate scheme of fake car accidents and
fraudulent police reports.
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Couple sues car dealership after discovering undisclosed damage -
After being assured the Mazda 6S they bought for $15,000 had been in no
collisions, a Seacoast couple found paperwork in the owner’s manual
documenting two crashes and $15,000 worth of repairs to the 2004 sedan,
according to a Superior Court lawsuit.
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Keep Rates Down After Car Crash - A car accident can be a traumatic
experience and sometimes it is tough trying to figure out if you should
file an insurance claim.
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Wisconsin insurance complaints above average - According to the 2007
Insurance Complaints and Administrative Actions report issued by the state
Office of the Commissioner of Insurance, more than 8,000 consumers
contacted the office last year to file a complaint.
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State Farm expects $52 million-plus in Colorado tornado claims -
Hendershot said the expected payout for auto claims is about $22.5 million
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United Auto Insurance Group CEO and Founder Receives 2008 Ellis Island
Medal of Honor - Richard Parrillo Sr. recognized for philanthropy,
professional achievement and preserving heritage.
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Zurich Chief Schiro Says He'd Consider an Acquisition - Zurich
Financial Services AG Chief Executive Officer James Schiro said the
insurer would consider buying a smaller rival at the right price to expand
coverage of homes and autos on the U.S. East Coast.
May 23, 2008
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1 Million Settlement Proposed in ABRA Class Action Employment Suit; Court
to Hold Final Hearing on July 29 -
glassBYTEs™:
The plaintiffs in a class-action suit against ABRA Auto Body and
Glass have proposed a total settlement of $1 million. The suit, filed last
summer by two former ABRA employees, 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.
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Three More Auto Repair Groups Endorse Passage of Right to Repair Bill
- Repairers say law needed to protect independent shops and consumers
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Technical presentation highlights new developments for exterior automotive
coatings - Polyurethane coatings are the technology of choice for
performance, beauty and low-temperature cure characteristics in automotive
exterior applications. In a demonstration of its leadership in this area,
Bayer MaterialScience (BMS) LLC has developed new polyurethane raw
materials that can be used to formulate self-healing coatings.
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PPG to Build Automotive-Coatings Factory in Russia - PPG Industries
Inc., the world's second-largest auto-coatings maker, will build its first
car- paint factory in Russia to take advantage of the country's growing
market.
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DuPont Opens Performance Coatings Plant in Shanghai - Products from
the $80 million plant mainly serve the Chinese automotive-refinishing
market, and its products include industrial paint, refinishing paint and
original auto manufacture paint.
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Mitchell 1 Completes Second Quarter Updates to OnDemand5 Manager/ManagerPlus,
Version 5.9 Software - Mitchell 1 has made second quarter 2008 updates
to its popular OnDemand5 Manager/ManagerPlus, Version 5.9 software to
support a new integration to OnDemand5.com. This updated functionality
provides direct links from work orders to repair articles, technical
service bulletins (TSBs), maintenance times and descriptions, fluid
capacities, OEM parts, and labor times.
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Online Employment and Apprenticeship Program Launched - Canada: To
answer shop demands for more skilled and eager workers both now and into
the future, the collision repair trade association at www.ciia.com and the
www.apprenticesearch.com organizations have merged their offerings to help
shop employers in their hiring efforts.
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Diamond Granted Extension to File Financial Statements and Schedules -
glassBYTEs™:
The court granted Diamond Glass' motion for an order extending its
time to file its financial statements and schedules today.
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Manheim New England's New Body Shop Powers Growth - The recent
addition of a new state-of-the-art body shop at Manheim New England,
formerly known as American Auto Auction, is already reaping dividends and
an immediate return on its investment, auction officials report.
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LORD Receives 2007 Vendor of Year Award from IAMG - LORD Corporation –
maker of Fusor® Automotive Repair Adhesives – the leading metal and
composite bonding solution for automotive body repair – was recently named
2007 Vendor of the Year by The International Autobody Marketing Group (I.A.M.G.),
a national association of PBE warehouse distributors throughout the U.S.
and Canada.
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5 Collision Repair Information Bulletins for the Toyota Dealers - 5
Collision Repair Information Bulletins that all Toyota Dealers should
have, these informations are invaluable for Toyota owners moreover for you
that love to pimp your own ride. The download links are located below,
along with its short descriptions.
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Toyota MR2 Spyder Collision Repair Manual - This repair manual has
been prepared to provide essential information on body panel repair
methods (including cutting and welding operations, but excluding painting)
for the TOYOTA MR2, Applicable models: ZZW30 series.
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Grand opening of Mike Johnson's Collision Center marks latest DCR model
- Mentor, Ohio-based DCR Systems and Mike Johnson's Hickory Toyota paired
up to build a 12,000-square-foot accident repair center near the dealer's
Hickory property.
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Warsaw Zoners OK Automobile Dealer, Repair Shop Variances - IN:
Petitioner Ryan Orlacchio plans to buy land at 2425 Hendricks Street for
an automobile dealership and automobile body repair shop. He said the
dealer will be called Showtime Hot Rod and Restoration where used vehicles
will be sold.
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64th District GOP candidates paint Assembly race as insider vs. outsider
- CA: Kelly McCarty, co-owner of Carty's Collision Center, said she's been
lobbying for her industry for 10 years and, in that respect, is "no
stranger to Sacramento." She said she lobbied aggressively for SB1648, a
state bill designed to keep insurance companies from having ownership
interests in auto-body repair shops. The bill stalled in 2002.
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Students headed to repair contest - A Silver High School sophomore is
headed to Kansas City to represent the state of New Mexico in a national
Skills USA collision repair competition after taking first at state.
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NIADA Bolsters Lineup for Convention - To increase its influence and
broaden its educational reach, the National Independent Automobile Dealers
Association is teaming with other related associational groups to bring
even more people to its upcoming annual convention.
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Steel costs add to auto woes - They're expected to drive up vehicle
prices
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Industry's structural shift hits Ford hard - Consumer move to smaller
vehicles may mean more cuts, internal changes for ailing Detroit
automakers.-
Auto dealers group spent $450,000 lobbying in 1Q - The American
International Automobile Dealers Association spent $450,000 in the first
quarter to lobby on federal trade agreements and other issues, according
to a disclosure form.
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Get Gephardt – Bogus Paint Job - A window was left open while spraying
the paint and workers didn’t bother to cover tires. What’s worse, nobody
wanted to clean up the mess. -- Kristina Dickson says the whole mess
happened at Earl Scheib Auto, Paint, Body Collision Shop in Salt Lake
City.
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The Number of Hybrid Drivers in Massachusetts Jumps 36 Percent in Less
Than a Year - Travelers of Massachusetts offers key discounts for
those driving environmentally-friendly vehicles
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Farmers and Zurich #1 Insurance Group in California - California-based
Farmers Insurance, a subsidiary of Zurich Financial Services, announced
today its position as the largest all-lines insurance group in California.
Farmers’ growth combined with the growth of Zurich makes the enterprise
the largest property and casualty insurance group in California, according
to a report by the California Department of Insurance.
-
Allstate chief shows many facets of leadership - Thomas Wilson has a
New Age streak to his management style.
-
J.D. Power and Associates Recognizes Liberty Mutual Direct Sales Call
Centers for Customer Service Excellence - Liberty Mutual, the nation's
eighth-largest provider of auto and home insurance, has again been
recognized for call center operation customer service excellence under the
J.D. Power and Associates Certified Call Center Program(SM). Liberty
Mutual is one of a select few property and casualty insurers to be
certified for providing "An Outstanding Customer Service Experience" under
the program.
May 22, 2008
-
Fox Collision bankruptcy nears completion - The bankruptcy of a failed
collision repair chain is winding down, the estate's attorney said.
-
Car repairs can dismantle your warranty - A small fender bender could
end up costing you a small fortune, and it isn't in the cost of repairs.
California law contains a huge potential problem for consumers. You get in
an accident, your car is repaired and you think the trouble is past. It
usually is, but there is a downside very few consumers know about.
-
Arizona Governor Vetoes Bill Requiring Legislative Approval of Emissions
Standards - ASA: Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano vetoed legislation last
week that attempted to block state agencies from enacting vehicle
emissions regulations. Arizona H.B. 2017 would have prevented the Arizona
Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) or any state agency from
adopting government programs that would in any way regulate the emission
of greenhouse gas or motor vehicle fuel economy without specific
legislative authorization from the Arizona legislature.
-
Online hotel reservations open for NACE - The online hotel reservation
for NACE is now open. The International Autobody Congress and Exposition (NACE)
runs from Nov. 5 to 8 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.
-- Online hotel reservations are offered through Travel Planners Inc., and
can be accessed through the NACE web site at www.NACEexpo.com or by
calling 800-895-3978.
-
Judge Calls Diamond Glass "Volatile, Competitive," Approves Modified Plan
-
glassBYTEs™:
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Sontchi called Diamond Glass a
"very volatile, competitive, people incentive business [that] is really a
poster child for a management incentive program" during a recent hearing
in the case its bankruptcy filing.
-
Herron Custom Paint and Body does collision repair - With over 50
years of experience between them Tim Herron and Tom Blick work at Herron
Custom Paint and Body on Highway K. The shop has produced national award
winning show cars.
-
Recycled Rides share stories, seek volunteers - ABRN: The inaugural
National Auto Body Council (NABC) Recycled Rides initiative was launched
last Thanksgiving and generated a lot of enthusiasm throughout the
collision industry and within the localities of the shops involved.
-
Just Car Clinics 4-mth turnover rises on overall and like-for-like basis
- London: Just Car Clinics Group Plc. said turnover for the first four
months of 2008 has increased on overall and like-for-like basis, adding it
continues to seek suitable acquisition opportunities.
-
America's Service Station Introduces Overnight Car Service - In an
effort to assist customers with managing their time, America's Service
Station in Atlanta, Georgia has added to their extensive list of
customer-friendly benefits.
-
AutoZone 3Q net income jumps 4.6% - Sales of products to mechanics and
auto-body shops increased 6.3 percent to $179.8 million, the biggest
quarterly hike since the 2004 third quarter. (scroll down page)
-
Cooper City: Students win scholarships via auto repair competition - Two
Cooper City High School students won a state title and more than $18,000
each in scholarship money for their ability to find and fix automobile
problems during a recent competition in Orlando.
-
Workers remain positive despite strike - Canada: Some 60 automotive
workers walked off the job in Oshawa late last week. Employees in the
service, parts and body shop departments of Mills Pontiac Buick GMC Ltd.
went on strike as of May 16 after talks broke down between the company and
the Canadian Auto Workers Local 222 union.
-
Workers hope Axle accord will pave way for return to work - About
2,000 American Axle and Manufacturing Inc. employees in Detroit will
finish voting tomorrow on a tentative contract settlement reached late
Friday night between the company and the United Auto Workers. About 1,600
workers at other Axle plants have already voted on the deal. If the
employees approve the contract and return to work, local auto parts
suppliers expect to gear up quickly.
-
Toyota Wants To Export SUVs, From America - Toyota Motor has long used
its home base in Japan as the main platform for worldwide export of its
cars.
-
Ford To Idle Michigan SUV Plant From June 23 To July 28 - Ford Motor
Co. will halt more pickup-truck and sport-utility vehicle production over
the next two months, a sign that falling U.S. consumer demand for the
vehicles still hasn't bottomed out.
-
Green Autos May Not Save You Money - Rushing to trade in your current
car for a smaller, more fuel-efficient model will likely cost more money
-- not save it -- according to an analysis by Consumer Reports.
-
Don't Wreck Your Summer Road Trip - AAA offers tips to keep you
driving smoothly during summer vacation
-
Traditional Summer Family Vehicle Vacation Better Deal Than Flying -
Even if gas prices hit $5 a gallon, the traditional family summer vacation
by vehicle costs less, is more convenient and is not as stressful as
flying, according to the Car Care Council. The cost for a family of four
traveling by car is about the same as one person traveling by air.
-
Subaru Forester Earns Highest Ratings in NHTSA NCAP Crash Tests - The
Subaru Forester received the highest possible safety rating - five stars,
for both frontal and side-impact crash tests for all seating positions.
-
Police warn of car repair scam - AZ: Prescott police officers are
warning the public to watch out for an auto body repair scam possibly
circulating around the city.
-
Car $tripped In Minutes - NE: Parts worth more to thief than if
vehicle intact -- This past winter, we learned of a major undercover
police investigation that exposed a chop shop in Council Bluffs. Police
processed property worth more than $1.4 million.
-
Innovation into the red - UK: Insurance services specialist Innovation
Group claims to see imminent improvements, after losing £800,000 in the
first half year. -- Even without these exceptional costs, which include
integrating the £590,000 purchase of parts of Dutch chemical group AKZO
Nobel’s Nobilias claims and fleet solutions arm, Innovation’s profits
would have been 33 per cent lower at £4 million.
-
Departed agents sue Allstate - Plans to consolidate offices, cut costs
and increase market share at Allstate Insurance Co. of Canada have hit a
major snag.
-
Insurance Industry Celebrates Women's Achievements - May 18-24, 2008,
marks National Insurance Women's Week, a celebration recognizing the
contributions women are making in all areas of the insurance industry.
May 21, 2008
-
Consumer Advocates, Auto Coalition Fight to Keep 'Rebuilt Wrecks' Off
Nation's Roadways - The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA)
has joined a diverse coalition of consumer protection, law enforcement,
and auto industry representatives to urge the U.S. Department of Justice
to finalize a critical rulemaking to help prevent rebuilt, wrecked,
flooded, or stolen vehicles from unknowingly ending up on a consumer's
driveway.
-
ASA Announces Collision Division Operations Committee - The Automotive
Service Association (ASA) has announced its 2008 Collision Division
Operations Committee. Darrell Amberson, AAM, Lehman’s Garage, Bloomington,
Minn., was re-elected as Collision Division director. As such, Amberson
serves on ASA’s board of directors and chairs the ASA Collision Division
Operations Committee. The position of Collision Division director is a
two-year term.
-
ASA Announces Mechanical Division Operations Committee - The
Automotive Service Association (ASA) has announced its 2008 Mechanical
Division Operations Committee. Rolf Werner, AAM, Werner’s Mastertek Auto
Repair, Aurora, Colo., was elected as Mechanical Division director. As
such, Werner will serve on ASA’s board of directors and chair the
Mechanical Division Operations Committee. The position of Mechanical
Division director is a two-year term.
-
ASA Announces New Board of Directors at 2008 Celebration of Excellence
- The Automotive Service Association (ASA) has announced its new board of
directors, installed during the association’s Annual Convention May 1-3 in
Santa Clara, Calif. The installation of the board took place during ASA’s
Celebration of Excellence May 3.
-
Get Back on the Road Fast After an Accident; GEICO Opens Auto Repair
Xpress in West Chester - PA: GEICO has recently introduced its Auto
Repair Xpress (ARX) program to the area at the Faulkner of West Chester
dealership, 705 Auto Park Blvd., to help serve local customers with
collision repairs. -- “The Auto Repair Xpress program is GEICO’s unique,
pain-free approach to collision repair,” said Shawn Burklin, vice
president of claims. “Our Auto Repair Xpress program was designed with the
customer in mind.”
-
Brief: CJJ Industries offers new Signature Hybrid - CJJ, Inc. of
Detroit Lakes is making available its new Signature Hybrid frame
straighter. -- The Signature is an automotive frame machine that comes in
three-, four- or five-tower configurations. CJJ, Inc., is a longtime
manufacturer of frame equipment that makes and sells the Signature frame
rack.
-
N.Y. Glass Shop Owner Banned from Continuing to do Business Under Current
Name; Neon Barred from Collecting Consumer Debts in State -
glassBYTEs™:
The state attorney general for New York, Andrew M. Cuomo, announced
yesterday that his office has obtained settlements with Neon Claims
Advantage LLC of Nebraska and Alan Moore, the former owner of the defunct
Quality First Auto Glass, in Amherst, N.Y.
-
Belron Items to be Heard During Diamond Hearing This Friday -
glassBYTEs™:
The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware issued an
order yesterday granting Belron's motion that several of its motions be
heard at hearing this Friday, May 23, in the Diamond Glass bankruptcy
case.
-
Paint Manufacturer Spies Hecker Recognized for Training and Development
Programs - Spies Hecker, a brand of DuPont Performance Coatings,
recently received recognition from Investors in People (IIP) for its third
consecutive term for providing learning and development training and
programs to its employees.
-
PPG Ferrari red finish worn by 2008 Ridler Award winner - A PPG
Ferrari Rosso Corsa Red finish from PPG Industries’ automotive refinish
business adorns “Ferrambo,” winner of the 2008 Ridler Award, which honors
the most outstanding custom car making its debut at the Detroit Autorama
held annually in March. This is the second time in three years that a PPG
finish adorned a Ridler Award winner.
-
PPG launches paint-sale donation program to support China earthquake
recovery - Two days after announcing its donation of RMB 500,000 to
the Red Cross Society of China for earthquake recovery efforts, PPG
Industries has announced that for each can of Master’s Mark Paint, IVY
paint and Seigneurie paint sold in May and June, the company will donate
RMB 1 Yuan to aid in recovery efforts in the disaster area.
-
Open house at Automotive Restorations - Automotive Restorations Inc.,
one of the world's largest and most respected facilities for the
restoration, repair, storage and sale of classic, vintage and special
interest cars cordially invites automobile enthusiasts to view a
fascinating array of vehicles, tour our new 40,000 square foot
state-of-the-art facility, visit our workshops and speak with our expert
craftsmen and collector car specialists. -- The event will be on
Saturday, May 31 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
-
Hobby starts where job ends for bug-loving county man - As a
collision-repair specialist employed at Albert’s Body Shop in Lebanon,
Axarlis said he doesn’t do much restoration work.
-
Custom Painting - Basics of pearl, flake, colour shifting and
airbrushing
-
In-your-face Flex: Ford Expedition gets hip-hop makeover - Mega-size
sport utility vehicles are growing in popularity among the biggest names of
hip-hop. Not surprisingly, automakers want in on the action.
-
Platinum fund gets antitrust OK for Delphi unit - Platinum Equity
Capital Partners LP received U.S. antitrust approval to acquire the
steering business of bankrupt auto parts supplier Delphi Corp, U.S.
officials said on Tuesday.
-
Plastech to sell off businesses - Plans to auction property, sale of
interior unit likely to spell end for Dearborn-based auto supplier.
-
Honda says to launch hybrid-only car in early 2009 - Honda Chief Executive
Takeo Fukui told a news conference the company expected to post annual sales of
500,000 units combined of four hybrid models, adding that the company planned to
launch a hybrid version of its Fit subcompact car.
-
Porsche creates 2100 new jobs in Germany - Car manufacturer Porsche
plans to generate 2100 new jobs over the next year at its factories in
Germany, with the manufacture of its new Sport-Coupe Panamera model.
-
Peugeot’s First Car for China Features Plastics Fenders - SABIC
Innovative Plastics Noryl GTX resins provide high performance benefits for
front fenders and other automotive body panels.
-
Kbb.com Names 2008 Best New Road Trip Vehicles - From Sporty to
Family-Friendly, Editors Name Top 10 New Vehicles Best Suited for Road
Trips
-
Auto shops suffer theft - Vancouver,WA: In auto repair, there are all
sorts of bad news: “We don’t have the part you need,” or “That’s going to
cost a little more than expected,” or “We won’t have the car ready on
time.”
-
Thieves sawing car parts off in daylight hours - KY: Police are
tracking at least five different incidents of catalytic converters being
sawed off vehicles parked near Alexandria Pike in daylight hours in recent
weeks.
-
Mass. Insurance Agents Vow to Protect Right to Auto Policy Ownership -
Massachusetts independent insurance agents are unhappy about a state
ruling that they believe erodes their ownership of their customers' auto
policies and denies them proper payment on certain high risk policies.
-
Hanging on to the middle ground - With so much trouble and travail in
the world these days, it might be hard to muster sympathy for one more
forlorn group. But pause, if you will, to consider the plight of an
oft-maligned American figure. --The middleman. -- Nowhere was this
tension better illustrated than the recent announcement of the sale of
Seattle-based insurer Safeco to Liberty Mutual.
-
Allstate considers deals again - In comments following Allstate’s
annual meeting Tuesday, CEO Thomas Wilson said the Northbrook-based
company is shopping for insurers and other financial services firms.
Nothing imminent is on the horizon, he said, but Allstate would be
particularly interested in insurance companies that specialize in market
segments like policies for owners of boats, recreational vehicles and
motorcycles.
-
Allstate vs. Office of Insurance Regulation - Tallahassee, Florida --
There are more developments in the state's fight against one of the
largest insurance carriers in the Sunshine State.
May 20, 2008
-
New EPA Air Quality Regs Affect Shops by John Yoswick -
AutobodyOnline: Booths, HVLP and painter certification mandated under new
federal reg
-
Belron Motions for Extension of Deadline to Submit Bids for Diamond -
glassBYTEs™:
In addition, the company motioned to seal the extension motion, citing
that "the status of the discussions between [Diamond] and Belron is
described and detailed throughout the Bid Extension Motion …
-
OK, admit it, your ride has looked better - One of the great pleasures
of this job is being able to investigate the off-hand comments of others,
so I immediately began calling collision-repair analysts, spokesmen and
trade journalists to ask if and why this is so. -- Statistics from
Property Casualty Insurers Association of America show that the number of
paid claims per 100 auto policies dropped 7.5 percent from 2003 to 2007.
-
Attendees Give High Marks to ASA for Successful Annual Convention in
California - The Automotive Service Association (ASA) held its annual
convention May 1-3 in Santa Clara, Calif.
-
California Air Resources Board Hosts Automotive Cool Paints Workshop -
CARB Calls for Comments on Proposed Regulation
-
The outcome of a nine month 2NEWS Problem Solvers investigation - OK:
It has been more than a year since Nancy Rardin first took her daughter's
car to Gary Roberts at Gary's Auto Body in Sapulpa for repairs.
-
VeriFacts honors Coach of the Year - VeriFacts Automotive presented
its annual Coach of the Year Award to Don Peers, a 39-year veteran of the
collision repair industry from Nebraska. Peers is an ASE Master Certified
technician, earned his AAM (Accredited Automotive Manager) from AMI, is a
member of both the I-CAR and Nebraska Auto Body Associations Hall of Fame
and is an active I-CAR instructor.
-
New steel technology changes collision repair: are you ready? - New
technology in steel has revolutionized the way vehicles are repaired.
I-CAR offers two new courses that provide the technical knowledge you need
to identify and safely repair vehicles using new types of steel.
-
Save money register for the I-CAR Annual Meeting now - Early Bird
rates for the 2008 I-CAR International Annual Meeting expire on June 1.
Take advantage of discounted rates today!
-
Repair shop wins honour - Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada: A Burnaby
autobody shop is one of 22 recognized by ICBC for excellence in customer
satisfaction.
-
Aftermarket Standards Compliance Roadmap Unveiled at NCMA - Industry
Web Page Takes the Mystery Out of Customer Requirements
-
Mitchell 1 supports state Technician Skills Competitions - Mitchell 1,
a Snap-on Company, and their Tractor-Trailer.net service and repair
information system will again play a key role in three upcoming state
Technician Skills Competitions. According to the company, representatives
from Mitchell 1 will administer the service information skills station in
which each technician must compete, at the 2008 Arkansas, Tennessee and
South Carolina state competitions.
-
Universal Technical Institute Launches UTI Foundation - Non-Profit to
Award Approximately $1 Million in Scholarships to Students This Year
-
Scene Genesis AuditSentry Lets Auto Insurers Automatically Review Repair
Estimates, Enforce Audit Rules - Scene Genesis AuditSentry, software
that lets auto insurers easily review repair estimates for compliance with
audit rules, has been unveiled by Scene Genesis, Inc.
-
Lakeland Finishing expands painting facility - President Thomas Smith
said the company which paints interior and exterior plastic parts for
suppliers to Nissan, Honda, Toyota, General Motors and Chrysler, also is
considering an expansion of its processing capacity, perhaps later this
year.
-
Plastic Systems bucks slump in auto supply industry - Sure the auto
supplier industry is in turmoil, with some molders and mold-makers losing
the battle to stay in business as their customers struggle to sell cars
and trucks.
-
Chrysler purchasing seeks 25% cut in parts prices - Chrysler’s new
global sourcing initiative is centered around a 25% reduction in component
costs over three years by its key suppliers, according to a presentation
by John Campi, executive vice president and chief procurement officer, at
a special Town Hall Meeting last week for Original Equipment Suppliers
Association members.
-
Toyota, Nippon Steel agree to steel price hike: report - Toyota Motor Corp.
and Nippon Steel Corp. have reached a final agreement to increase the price of
steel sheets for vehicles by some 30% per ton, sources familiar with the matter
said Saturday, according to Kyodo News.
-
Regulators probe complaints of Ford Windstar fires - Safety regulators
examine 130 complaints of fires in engine compartments in Ford Windstars
-
Report: Economy is the key to auto insurance fraud, arson - BOSTON —
Automobile insurance fraud in Lawrence and across Massachusetts has
dropped dramatically since 2003, but law enforcement officials warn that
tough economic times ahead could result in an uptick in faked accidents
and arson for profit.
-
Possible scam investigated - A suspected scam targeting auto parts and
auto repair stores may have snared at least five businesses and possibly
more last summer.
-
Airbags save lives, reduce hospital costs - New airbags may cut costs
at U.S. hospital trauma centers as well as help protect people from
vehicle injury and death, researchers say.
-
Storms leave $50M in insured damages across the region - The cleanup
from last week's storms is largely complete and now the cost estimates are
rolling in.
May 19, 2008
-
7 On Your Side: Do Insurance Carriers "Steer" Auto Repairs? - If
you're in an accident, your insurance company will often send your car to
a "preferred" repair shop. It's supposed to save time and money, but
critics within the auto industry itself claim those shops sometimes cut
corners, and put drivers' safety at risk. 7 On Your Side's Chris Coffey
investigates.
-
Zeledyne Plans to Bring Three Product Lines Closer Together -
glassBYTEs™:
With the purchase of Automotive Components Holding Inc. by Zeledyne
Inc. last month, many are wondering what this might mean for the company's
products and structure. The new ownership plans bring its three brands,
OEM glass, aftermarket glass and its architectural line, Versalux, closer
together.
-
Boyd Group on growth trajectory - The Boyd Group Income Fund says it
intends to add four-to-six new collision repair shops every year for the
foreseeable future and to do so without adding new debt or raising new
equity.
-
ASA Publishes Report on Telematics Usage, Potential Effects on Independent
Repair Market - The Automotive Service Association (ASA) has published
a report focusing on the potential effects that telematics may have on
independent automotive service and repair businesses, including remote
diagnostics. The report also explores consumer usage of telematics
products and services, how a telematics system functions and its practical
applications.
-
Businesses join forces to feed children - Margaret Freer, one of the
owners of Freer Auto Body, always has an eye out for charities that help
the community. -- She recognized the need for a summer food drive for
children and decided to work with a group of business owners to conduct
the food drive this spring. The drive started May 1 and runs through
Thursday.
-
Business Profile: Big and small, Perry Legend Collision repairs them all
- Take a walk around Perry Legend Collision Repair building at the Lemone
Boulevard industrial park, and you can see what owner Bill Rajewski means
when he talks about "diversification."
-
'Hard work really does pay off' - Most executives opt for the corner
office with the picturesque view, but not Steve and Jimmy Kendrick. -- The
brothers and co-owners of Kendrick Paint and Body Shop Inc. prefer to be
front and center -- right in the midst of their loyal customers.
-
Garrett builds credentials as site for auto body work - The sun was
casting long shadows one late afternoon this spring as a handful of
teenagers decked in jeans, T-shirts and other work clothes marked out the
bed of a nondescript pickup truck in need of body work and a paint job.
-
Auto shop business booms with storm-damaged vehicles - It's been
another day of cleaning up after severe storms hit Central Texas earlier
this week. City crews and local residents have been busy cutting down
what's left of wind-blasted trees.
-
Father and son take a ride on the business side - Prescott,AZ: Mike
and Steven Sapone have a new business specializing in automotive paint and
body shop products.
-
Hands-on experience helps South Lyon High School student excel - Because
of his success at the Skills USA competition, Cain earned a full-tuition
scholarship from WyoTech worth $23,700, a full-ride scholarship from
Washtenaw Community College, a $1,000 scholarship from Universal
Technical Institute and a $2,000 from the Baran Institute of Technology.
-
BumperDoc Automotive Reconditioning Franchise Develops
Environmentally Conscious Techniques for Auto Body Repair
- The company utilizes waterborne paint, paintless dent repair,
rapid auto body repair, and plastic repair techniques to save
customers time and money while minimizing impact on the
environment.
-
Local Mechanics May Get All Car Repair Codes - MA: Critics Say
Move Would Increase Prices, Bureaucracy
-
Foreign demand puts premium on old auto parts - The last stop
before the crusher for the family sedan is often the salvage yard
-
Delphi sues Appaloosa for bailing out - Delphi Corp. on Friday
filed suit against an investment group led by Appaloosa Management
for refusing to honor its commitment of up to $2.55 billion that
would have helped the auto-parts supplier emerge from bankruptcy.
-
Interview with Paul Kim, eCarServices - Our interview this morning is
with Paul Kim, founder of eCarServices (www.ecarservices.com), a new
startup--funded by friends and family--developing an online site designed
to help people research prices for auto repair services. The firm is
launching a beta of its web site today, and we thought it would be
interesting to hear more about the company.
-
WAI Global Appoints Executive Chairman - Keystone Automotive
Industries CEO Purchases Ownership Position in Company
-
Ford invites students to design a 21st Century Model T - It bowed in
1908, but no one likely knows how long it took Henry Ford to develop his
Model T -- one of the most important automobiles ever produced.
-
Toyota restarts auto production in China's quake-hit area - Toyota Motor
Corp. has restarted auto production at its joint venture in Chengdu, capital of
China's quake-hit Sichuan province following a weeklong halt, said reports from
the central Japanese city of Nagoya on Monday.
-
Crude Reality: Auto dealers see changes in consumer preferences - With gas
prices reaching an all-time high across the state, many central Wisconsin auto
dealers are seeing a change in attitude when it comes to buying vehicles.
-
Used truck price drop hurts new pickups - Rising fuel prices and a
collapsing housing industry have sent used truck prices into a nosedive
that could threaten the launches of the new Ford F-150 and Dodge Ram
pickups
-
Vehicle repos in high gear - Loan defaults up sharply in throes of
sluggish economy -- Last year's 1.51 million repossessions marked one of
the biggest increases in a decade, 10 percent, and the growth is projected
to continue this year, to 1.6 million, said economist Tom Webb of
wholesale car auctioneer Manheim Consulting.
-
Sheriff Issues Warning Of New Scam - Murray, KY (WKYX) – The Calloway
County Sheriff’s Office is warning of another telephone scam hitting the
area. Sheriff Bill Marcum is putting the word out to warn people about
this particular scam, an automated message which claims to be an auto
insurance company and prompts the unwitting to update their personal
information.
May 16, 2008
-
Citing Fairness and the Threat to Their Jobs and Businesses, Independent
Auto Repairers Put Down Their Tools to Rally on Beacon Hill in Support for
Right to Repair - Big car companies still locking independent shops
out of some repair information
-
Missouri Anti-Steering Bill Meets Mixed Fate; Sen. Plans to Revive Next
Year -
glassBYTEs™:
The Missouri Senate's Small Business, Insurance and Industrial
Relations Committee voted yesterday to pass an anti-steering bill that
would require insurers to inform vehicle owners immediately on first
contact that they have the right to choose the repair facility of their
choice to repair their vehicles.
-
I-CAR and industry leaders take steps towards furthering the
organization’s new role in the inter-industry - I-CAR and industry
leaders took important steps on May 7 with the first meeting of the
Collision Repair Facility Industry Segment Advisory Council.
-
State Farm's Avery explains Select Service shop reductions - PBES
conference highlights lean production
-
Applying Group Power to Independent Body Shop Businesses - Part 2
-
Where to go to get your auto’s dings batted and smoothed away -
Kathleen Henderson, president of 21st Century Restoration and her husband,
John Henderson, co-owner and treasurer of the company probably know
everything you ever wanted to know about cars, but were afraid to ask. For
them, cars are a passion.
-
Lightning likely caused auto repair shop fire - TX: Forces of nature
kept area firefighters busy, left five people without jobs and burned a
local auto repair shop to the ground early Thursday morning, as heavy
rains and lightning filled the sky over Nacogdoches.
-
C-TEC student advances to national event - Kansas City, here Evan
Williams comes. -- Williams, 20, will compete in the national SkillsUSA
competition in June in Kansas City after he won the state competition for
automotive refinishing in April.
-
LKQ Corporation - Q1 2008 Earnings Call Transcript
-
Carfax Renews Partnership with Larry H. Miller - Carfax Vehicle
History Reports Available At All 42 Dealership Locations
-
Tata Motors Limited Intends to Compete in Multimillion Dollar Progressive
Automotive X PRIZE - The Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE -- a
competition designed to inspire a new generation of viable, super fuel-efficient
vehicles -- today announced that Tata Motors Limited of the United Kingdom has
signed an official Letter of Intent to compete. Tata Motors is now among more
than 70 teams from 12 countries and 22 U.S. states who have signed a letter of
intent to compete for a share of a $10 million prize purse.
-
GM, UAW reach deal in Delta site strike - General Motors Corp. has
reached a tentative labor agreement with the United Auto Workers union
local near Lansing that had been on strike nearly a month, the company
said.
-
CAW gets GM, Chrysler pact - New labor deals between the Canadian Auto
Workers and Detroit's Big Three will protect wages and save thousands of
union jobs, but also may threaten the long-term survival of Canada's
struggling auto industry
-
Toyota Prius Sales Top 1 Million While Company Bets on Green Building
- Toyota is celebrating two green milestones this month with sales of its
Prius surpassing the 1 million mark while at the same time, the carmaker
has earned the country’s first LEED-Gold certification of a dealership.
-
Dumping the pump - Consumers choosing fuel economy over cup holders --
The Toyota Prius became the 11th bestselling vehicle in the country.
-
2 arrested in phony car crashes - Los Angelos, CA: D.A. says false
claims raked in millions
-
Consumer Fraud Alert – Catalytic Converter Theft - GEICO Urges
Consumers to Take These Steps to Prevent Theft
-
Georgia Auto Insurance Legislation Leaves Regulator Out of the Loop -
Georgia Gov. Sonny Purdue signed a bill that will give automobile insurers
the ability to establish rates without the consent of the state's
Insurance Commissioner.
-
IllinoisAutoInsurance.com Helps Find Illinois Auto Insurance Through Local
Agents or Online - Residents now have the option of comparing Illinois
auto insurance rates through local agents or online.
-
Consumer Watchdog Warns HMO Regulator Not to Side With Insurers Over
Illegal Coverage Cancellations - Consumer Watchdog today said that
according to industry insiders the state's top HMO regulator is
considering a deal with Kaiser that would allow the company to avoid
paying for past medical bills for some patients whose coverage was
illegally cancelled when they got sick. The deal is also rumored to
include provisions designed to limit Kaiser's legal liability.
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Physicians Charge Health Insurer Merger Not In The Public Interest -
The physician organizations urged the court to critically scrutinize the
DOJ's decision not to bring an enforcement action challenging the
anti-competitive effects of the merger in Nevada's commercial health
insurance market.
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In Pennsylvania, Insurers Pay Primary Care Docs to Do More - From
Minnesota, the Health Blog State Health Reform Tour now heads to
Pennsylvania, where big insurers have signed on to the governor’s plan to
try changing the way primary care docs are paid.
May 15, 2008
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State Farm Practices Suffer Collision With California Class Action Lawsuit
- A class action lawsuit (Case #CV08-03184), was filed today in United
States Federal Court, Central District, alleging that State Farm Mutual
Automobile Insurance Company is enriching itself with payments rightfully
belonging to its insureds in violation of California law, particularly the
"Make Whole Rule."
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Iowa Bill to Create Consumer Advocate Bureau in State -
glassBYTEs™:
A bill that will create a consumer advocate bureau in Iowa was
signed into law on April 25 by Gov. Chet Culver. The bill, House File
2555, deals with a number of issues relating to the Iowa Insurance
Department.
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CCAR to Provide Online Training to ARA Educational Foundation - The
Coordinating Committee For Automotive Repair (CCAR) has been named to
provide online training programs to the Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA)
Educational Foundation.
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I-CAR determined to make changes based on industry feedback - I-CAR
took an important step towards its goal of being more customer-focused on
May 7 with the first meeting of the Collision Repair Facility Industry
Segment Advisory Council. I-CAR is diligently gathering feedback from the
industry to provide product and services that are effective, relevant,
contemporary, and meet the training needs across all industry segments.
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FIX Auto selects Summit Software as preferred partner - Summit
Software Solutions Inc was selected as a preferred provider of shop
management and business process improvement software for the FIX Auto
collision repair network.
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ASA Hosts Service Information Workshops in Massachusetts - ASA
Continues State Tech Education Program
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Iowa Auto Body Shop Sells Car to Rock Star - Julie and Bruce Steinberg
own the North Iowa Collision Center. In January they sold their 1969
Chevrolet Camaro at an auction.
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DuPont Provides Assistance to Earthquake Relief Efforts - DuPont is
donating products to the China Red Cross Foundation to assist with relief
efforts related to the May 12 earthquake in the Sichuan province of China
that has left more than 12,000 people dead and more than 26,000 injured.
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German elite university's hot Audi racer sports Glasurit brand paints in
white and titanium mat - Carmakers, university and suppliers join in
sponsoring BASF Coatings’ technical platform
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PPG celebrates 125 years of growth, leadership and innovation - “We
are very proud of our long heritage and our success over the years,” said
Charles E. Bunch, PPG chairman and chief executive officer, during an
April 23 webcast to nearly all PPG locatio
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