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?”
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.
Avoiding Dodge Charger Rear Deck Lid Problems
Your shop has just repaired a 2006 Dodge Charger LX that was damaged in the rear. The repairs included replacing the rear body panel, deck lid and rear fascia. Everything looks great, and the fit and finish are to OEM standards. You’ve taken all the right steps, and your customer has happily picked up the
Are You Throwing Away Money?
Every day, shops across the country donate their labor and product free of charge. Are you one of them? If you’re relying on a computer and the P-pages to do all your thinking for you, you’re losing revenue – and lots of it.
Auto Foam: Proper Application and Placement
Foam is showing up all over the modern vehicle. Although its presence adds a new level of complication to repairs, it’s imperative that it be reinstalled — and reinstalled correctly.
Examining the State of the Industry
Too many shops, not enough work, not enough profit, too much insurer involvement and not enough business expertise on the part of shop owners are all contributing to the sorry state that is the collision repair industry.
On the Spot
Due to the misconceptions and lack of knowledge regarding squeeze-type resistance spot welding and its equipment, we conducted a welding machine challenge — a test that would simulate working on a vehicle and help shop owners make
better decisions when purchasing a machine.
Is It Possible to Run a Body Shop Without Lying, Cheating and Stealing?
Point CounterPoint
An Incident at the Courthouse
Eighteen years ago, this stay-at-home mom got an auto body shop in her divorce settlement. Today, the story seems funny. Back then, not so much.
Aluminum Dent Repair – with a Stud Welder
Aluminum is not a new metal to the collision industry. The Model T Ford had an aluminum hood. The 1925 Pierce-Arrow was all aluminum. And many classic cars of the 1930s had aluminum parts on them. Why? Because aluminum allowed low-production automobile manufacturers to hand-form parts without the use of the costly stamping process. The