Damaged Goods
Fact: Consumers won’t pay as much for a vehicle that’s been wrecked and repaired as they will for a vehicle that’s never been in an accident. This market condition – or stigma as some like to call it – diminishes the vehicle in value, regardless of how expertly repaired it may have been.
The Incredible Shrinking Industry
After a buying spree in the late ’90s and a struggle to integrate acquired shops into a “corporate” culture, consolidators are getting back on track and preparing to grow again. But this isn’t a death sentence for all independents.
Is the Industry Suffering from Widespread Billing Fraud and Repair Defects
Editor’s Note: Some background: In 2000, California’s Department of Consumer Affairs, Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) launched an Autobody Inspection Program after Gov. Gray Davis signed legislation (2000-S.B. 1988) requiring the BAR to conduct a pilot program to determine the extent of autobody fraud in the state and to then recommend solutions to the legislature.
Lights! Cameras! Roll ‘Em!
Autobody lobbyist Mike Causey is all about action. Whether working on anti-steering legislation, running for state-wide office or working as an extra in a Disney movie, he’s never bored.
Profitable by Popular Demand
Shops upselling their owners on accessories.
Not All Wheel Alignments Are Created Equal
The process of aligning a collision-damaged vehicle is much more involved thanperforming a maintenance alignment. If thecustomer hasn’t hit anything, the technician can make many assumptions.But making assumptions about a collision-related four-wheel alignment will put your shop on a crash course. Ever since rear adjustable suspensions became commonplace in our industry, the argument has raged
Stacking the Odds In His Favor
Leonard Lassak’s pancake philosophy.
Seoul Survivor: Auto Body Repair Division of the World Skills Competition
Vo-Tech student Lee Geiger of Wisconsin will represent the United States in the auto body repair division of the World Skills competition this fall in South Korea. Here’s how this small-town student braved turbulent weather and showed he had the right stuff to take on the world.
A Reluctant Informer and the Hardest Hit
An Oregon body shop technician’s keen eye and decades of repair experience played a vital role in the apprehension of a driver responsible for the hit-and-run death of a 12-year-old girl. But it was more than knowledge of the job. It was his first-hand knowledge of knowing what it was like to lose a child.
The Unofficial Collision Repair Dictionary
Many terms are used every day at our shops, but their true meanings are often muddled by the craziness of our business. A quick check of the dictionary can get us back on track.