Fixing Paint Damage on Ford 500s and Mercury Montegos
A valued customer just visited your collision shop and pointed out that the paint is wearing off the rear quarter panel dogleg area of his 2005 Ford 500. You’ve seen this before and questioned the reasons behind it but never knew that Ford had published a repair procedure for it. This article describes the repair
Spending Less Can Cost More
Our jobber meant well, but when he said we could save $100 per gallon on a cheaper clear, we actually ended up losing $2 per gallon.
MLOs on the Grow
New research suggests that consolidation will continue and multiple-location collision repair operators will continue to gain favor as insurers push DRP performance.
Make Way for Waterborne
The use of waterborne paint by body shops will soon be mandated in California’s South Coast Air Quality Management District. The technology is likely to reach everyone some day, so here’s what you need to know.
OSHA: When Safety is a 4-Letter Word
An OSHA inspector recently showed up to perform a ‘random’ inspection. He noted two minor violations and complimented us on our compliance, saying the average body shop has 12 violations. Because he said his report would reflect favorably on us, we mistakenly thought our fines would only be a few hundred bucks.
Proprietary Repairs
“Do you think that in the near future, other car manufacturers will follow Jaguar’s lead and require repair shops to be ‘certified’ to fix their vehicles?”
Blend vs. Full Paint
“Why is blend time 50 percent of the time as full paint time?”
Long Live the Oxyacetylene Torch
Some think the oxyacetylene torch is dead. But more than a few master techs consider it a vital tool in their arsenals, and you may too once you understand its versatility.
Small Steps Toward ‘Better’
Relentless, incremental, small improvements to the way you work are more effective than occasional big changes. It’s about gradual, daily movement toward a better way. It’s about continuous improvement.
Shifty Business: Cost Shifting
Not getting paid properly? Cost shifting is not the solution, and is just plain bad busiess.