Maryland Bill Regulating Salvaged Airbag Use Endangers Consumers, Repair Group Says
WMABA says it’s concerned bill would encourage insurers to call for salvaged airbags in repairs to cut costs.
Kentucky Shop Owner Who Dropped State Farm Says Business Just Fine
It has been seven months since Kentucky shop owner Rusty Barrett sent a collective gasp across the collision repair industry by dropping his State Farm DRP after a disagreement over a supplement, and he claims that despite most repairers’ predictions that he would die a sudden death, business is going great. “It saddens me to
California Repairers Gear Up for Class Action Suit Against State Farm
Approximately 80 people from 40 Northern California body shops met on Nov. 12 to discuss steering issues related to State Farm, and G & C Autobody owner Gene Crozat made it abundantly clear to those in attendance what he plans to do about it. “My intent is to sue the heck out of State
STRANGE BUT TRUE: Bird-Brained Driver Sinks Bugatti
The Bugatti Veyron is the fastest and most expensive production car on earth, but apparently, it’s no match for pelicans. On Nov. 11, 34-year-old Andy House of Lufkin, Texas, was driving a million-dollar 2006 Bugatti Veyron EB, one of 15 in the U.S., alongside a lake when he says a low-flying pelican startled him and
Airbag, Aftermarket Parts Model Legislation to Be Debated this Week
Model legislation covering airbags and aftermarket parts use will be debated by the National Conference of Insurance Legislators Property and Casualty Insurance Committee (NCOIL) beginning Thursday. NCOIL drew attention from collision repairers this summer when it introduced the model legislation, which is used as a base for legislation introduced in state legislatures. NCOIL’s Model Act
Georgia Shop Owner Murdered by Disgruntled Customer
A months-long conflict between a Tucker, Ga., body shop owner and a disgruntled customer ended Monday when the shop owner – George Tyrones, 46, of European Autocare Center – reportedly was murdered at his shop. Shop employees told police that the accused murderer, Troy Johnson, was unhappy with a repair performed by the shop and
EDITOR’S NOTES: Refining the Machine
Three sets of eyes bored a hole in me. I read in their glares that if I screwed up, I was going to get stomped. I started to sweat profusely but tried to will it away, knowing that moist fingers handling small LEGO pieces could surely lead to my untimely death. To make matters worse,
SUPER TECHNOLOGY ISSUE: Hybrids – It’s All About Training
The expense and time commitment necessary to get trained on hybrids is significant, but without it, you have no business repairing these vehicles.
AMI Announces 2009 Emil Stanley Merit Award Recipient
The Automotive Management Institute (AMI) and the Automotive Service Association (ASA) announced today that Terri Neely, director of operations for Nagy’s Body & Frame, Inc., Doylestown, Ohio, is the recipient of this year’s Emil Stanley Merit Award. The award honors Emil Stanley who was publisher of Automotive Body Repair News until his death in 1989.
AMI Announces 2009 Richard Cossette/Gale Westerlund Memorial Scholarship Recipient
The Automotive Management Institute (AMI) and the Automotive Service Association (ASA) jointly announced today that Scott Schaefer, body shop manager of Schaefer Autobody, St. Louis, Mo., is the recipient of this year’s Richard Cossette/Gale Westerlund Memorial Scholarship. Schaefer has worked in the collision industry for more than four years and is currently working on completing