PROFIT CENTER: Sprayed & Paid
Sprayed-on coatings aren’t just limited to bedliners. Applications are so diverse you might just end up creating a whole new market.
TECH TIPS: Fixing a Rattle in the Honda Element Tailgate
It’s the little things that can alter a customer’s perception of a collision repair facility. After you repair a vehicle, the customer may come back with something he or she hadn’t noticed before. It must be your fault, right? Not necessarily! Sometimes a problem already exists with a vehicle, and the only way you could
EDITOR’S NOTES: Customer Service 101
A CARSTAR executive once told me that he advises franchisees to train their front-office staff to come out from behind the counter and greet each customer warmly and enthusiastically when they arrive at the store. That might seem trivial to some, but I’m a firm believer in that approach based on a recent experience I
PUBLISHER’S PERSPECTIVE: Remain Calm, Everyone!
It seems like every time I turn on the radio or TV or pick up a newspaper, doom and gloom news about the economy abounds. Banks, auto makers, this group and that group are waving the red flag and saying that their industry is being devastated by the current economic woes. Frankly, I’ve just about
COVER STORY: 2009 Industry Profile
The award-winning BodyShop Business Industry Profile is back with a vengance, offering reliable statistics that will help you put your finger on the industry’s pulse.
TECH FEATURE: Power with Plasma
The plasma cutter may be mysterious to many, but its functions are undeniable, especially when it comes to cutting heat-treated alloys like boron steel.
Legislative Lowdown
Federal – The U.S. House of Representatives is considering a bill that would remove the federal antitrust exemption from the insurance industry. In repealing the exemption, the Insurance Industry Competition Act would give the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) the authority to apply antitrust laws to anticompetitive behavior by insurance companies
TECH TIPS: Repairing the ’06-’09 Buick Lucerne Front Door Lock
Too many times during a busy day, we often overlook what may be an important update or new procedure for repairing a vehicle. Manufacturers’ updates, Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) and recalls can offer critical information for the estimator or technician. TSBs help shop personnel keep abreast of common problems or solutions that have been discovered
Don’t Wait for Waterborne
I recently asked a shop owner if he had switched over to waterborne or low-VOC basecoats yet, and his response took me by surprise. “Tailpipe’s this big,” he said, making a circle with his thumb and index finger. “A spray gun nozzle is this big,” he then said, making a much smaller circle. “EPA’s always
Get Busy When Slow
All I keep hearing out there is how everyone has been so busy due to the harsh winter weather we received in many parts of the country this year. But I suspect that when spring breaks and gas prices spike this summer, there will once again be a dearth of repair work and many shops
Letters to the Editor
The New DRP I was confused by your January 2009 cover story [“The New DRP,” pg. 22]. There are so many reasons why DRPs should be banned, and even though the article touches on the fact that many people in the collision repair industry feel that way, it takes on a defeated tone. Rather than
Legislative Lowdown
Federal – The U.S. Department of Justice recently released the final rules for the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS), created by a 1992 law to prevent title washing. The rules, which were effective April 1, require insurers to report vehicles that have been declared total losses under state law and by their own