Northern Michigan Body Shop Association Trade Show Set for May 12, 2012
The Northern Michigan Body Shop Association has announced that it will be sponsoring a trade show to be held May 12, 2012 at the Emmet County Fairgrounds in Petoskey, Mich. Hours are 10 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Admission is $3 per person (12 and under free). A vast array of body shop and paint products, vehicle repair
Livin’ the Dream
For Neal Bateman, collision work pays the bills. But his real love is restoring cars, which he makes more than just a hobby at his shop.
Collision Repair: A Lost Art?
Some say the art and craft of collision repair has disappeared and that we’ve become an industry of “parts changers.” But it may just be that the definition of what a “craftsman” is has changed… because the industry has changed.
Diary of a Bad Collision Repair
Bad collision repairs are allowed to take place, pure and simple. Greed and not caring allow them to take place. And I’ve seen my fair share.
A History of Automotive Finishes
Waterborne paint took many years to develop. Let’s take a look back at the very first refinish coatings and the events that occurred to lead to its development. Part 1 of a 3-part series.
9 Steps to Protect Your Shop from DV Claims
Post-repair inspectors, on average, see proper repairs one time out of every 100 inspections. Sloppy repairs are on the rise – and due to insurers forcing shops to carry liability insurance policies often exceeding $1 million, so are attorneys looking to hold shops accountable.
Lowering Your Overhead
Earning money is one thing. Keeping it is another. You’d be surprised what shops can do to reduce overhead besides raising door rates
Shrewd Player, Poor Payer: Progressive’s “Concierge” Program
Despite Progressive’s hardball reputation, it’s had no trouble recruiting shops for its “concierge” program – which eliminates all shop/customer contact and makes Progressive liable for repairs.
Do you Know Watt?
I’ve seen a lot of weird electrical “incidents” during my career. (One buddy became a conductor due to his fascination with aluminum foil.) Although we don’t need to be electrical geniuses, we do need to know how to
troubleshoot and repair wiring problems.
Truce: Working with Insurance Adjusters
If you ever need to energize a bunch of bored shop owners, bring up working with insurance adjusters. This topic can incite a lively discussion among even a reserved group of repairers. That’s because everyone has a war story or two about an adjuster experience and they’re usually eager to share it. One of my