More Jack-in-the-Box Hoods
If a sticker falls off a CAPA hood in the woods and no one’s there to see it blow away, is it still a CAPA-certified hood? CAPA will tell you no.
Don’t You Be the Judge
What do you do when an insurer only wants to pay half of what it actually costs to repair a vehicle? Charge for all the necessary procedures, educate your customer and take the insurer to small claims court.
Letters to the Editors
Does Your Shop Measure Up? Your article was incredible [“Does Your Shop Measure Up?” March 2002, pg. 40]! I found (literally) my first UMS the same way your picture showed it in early 1980 in a Toyota dealership in upstate Vermont. I had just closed my small shop because of the recession and was amazed
Don’t Be Another Face in the Crowd
“How can I make a higher profit margin in the body shop as the insurance companies are paying less and less?” – John Thompson, shop manager, Fix Auto Mall, Auburn, N.Y. There are only two ways to increase gross profit on a given sales volume. The first is to increase your bottom line, i.e. charge
Profitable by Popular Demand
Shops upselling their owners on accessories.
Vehicle Repair Nightmare: What Were the OEMs Thinking?
Technical feature by Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A.: The OEMs are working to make vehicles easier to repair – but it’s not an easy undertaking.
Would St. Peter Grant You a Porsche – or a Pinto?
Three men who died arrived together at the pearly gates, where Saint Peter greeted them by saying, “I know you’ve been forgiven for your sins because you’re all here. But before I let you into heaven, I have to ask you a couple of questions – and you have to be honest or you won’t
Save a Buck… Pass the Buck?
As the market demands cheaper, faster, better repairs, the concept of “better” can often be forgotten. But who decides what’s acceptable in terms of repair quality? And how close is close enough?
Weld It Right: Know the Best Gas Mixture for MIG?
Welding is probably the least understood repair procedure in the collision industry, yet it’s the most critical. Do your techs know the best gas mixture for MIG welding high-strength steel or the proper gun angle for making a lap joint? Are you sure?
Las Vegas or Bust: NACE 2001
NACE 2001 hits the jackpot with a solid line-up of seminars, a new action demonstration arena and entertainment by comedian Jay Leno.