The Impact of Air Bags
With 60 million vehicles already equipped with air bags and more-advanced systems on the way, be prepared for repairs of these life-saving inflatables to affect your shop even more.
Creating a Winning Team
Note: The following article contains material
from Beau Hamilton’s Team Building seminar, which is conducted
for the collision repair industry and approved by ASA’s Automotive
Management Institute (AMI) for continuing-education credits.
Electrical Troubleshooting
Whether you’re working on a vehicle just involved in a collision or repairing one with a reoccurring electrical problem, a familiarity with strategy-based diagnostic flow charts
is critical.
Your Questions Answered
Searching for solutions to common shop layout problems? Search no more. These expert suggestions may be just what you need to solve your blueprint blues.
Clang! Buzzz… Tick, Tick, TICK!!!
Diagnosing and eliminating annoying interior noises will restore the sanity of tormented vehicle owners
The Two Faces of Japan
From ancient Shinto temples to modern-day skyscrapers, the Japanese relish technology, yet revere tradition. But with Japan’s collision repair industry changing with the times,
will the Japanese people also deviate from tradition to fight for their industry’s autonomy?
Among the Elite
Name: Elite Auto Painting and Body Repair Location: Modesto, Calif. Owner: Moises Martinez Established: 1994 Square Footage: 18,000 Number of Employees: 16 Repair Volume: 120 to 140 vehicles per month Average Repair Ticket: $2,100 Making good decisions has become a habit for Moises Martinez. Start with the 34-year-old’s decision to open his own shop after
Three of a Kind
In my 27 years in the industry, I’ve never seen paint problems more infrequently than I do today. Massive, critical paint failures are extremely rare in any shop that uses a single brand of automotive finishes from start to finish. The few times in the last couple of years that I’ve gone to look at
The Invisible Repair
Bringing a collision-damaged car back to preaccident condition in a fast, quality-oriented manner while still making a reasonable profit is the goal of every modern body shop today.
Buffing and Polishing
Everywhere you turn, it seems another vendor has a “new and improved” solution to the art of polishing an automotive paint finish. However, buffing and polishing are
skills that can improve dramatically with plain old practice.