GLOBAL INDUSTRY TRENDS Why There’S Value in Knowing What’S Happening in the Collision Industry Around the World

June 2015 Appalachian Automotive Report 1

VOL 25, NO 8 www.AutomotiveReport.net june 2015 Monthly News for the Local Automotive Industry in East Tenn., West N.C., Southeast Ky., North Ga., and parts of Va., S.C. and Ala., including Body Shops, Mechanical Shops and Dealers.

GLOBAL INDUSTRY TRENDS Why there’s value in knowing what’s happening in the collision industry around the world

2016 Dodge Viper ACR 3 Bluegrass Auto Body 8 1938 Dymaxion 14

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AutoMechanika: A world of 2016 Dodge Viper ACR available for order collision repair information

By John Kasper ple I checked out, as I had been reading his articles in Motor Service or Motor/Age for Automechanika is a trade show that years. It was nice to put a voice to the face travels the globe with 14 events in 13 and see if the pics really matched the per- different countries. In total they garner son (they did). Some other names — like 16,000 exhibitors, 600,000 visitors and Vince Fischelli, Bernie Thompson, Larry link together 120 trade associations. If Montanez, and Tony Martin — may catch you’re looking for an excuse to be a world your attention, as many writers from every traveler, you may want to consider Dubai, field of the car and truck business were Moscow or Shanghai to catch the show, there. Some 120 different seminars were which is custom-tailored for every loca- held over the three-day run of the show, Auburn Hills, Mich. - Viper enthusiasts can now place their orders for the fastest street-legal Viper ever. tion. For more info on upcoming shows, with many of the 2,000-plus attendees Unveiled at the revamped Conner Avenue Assembly Plant in Detroit, the American Club Racer model of the visit the Automechanika website. coming in just for the free training with the iconic, hand-built American supercar will have a starting U.S. (MSRP) of $117,895. Originally introduced in If you didn’t make it to Automechanika top names and organizations in the indus- 1999 and last available for the 2010 model year, the Viper ACR has a long-standing legacy as the ultimate Chicago in April, you can plan for the try. Sessions covered all aspects of the street-legal track car for club racing. The new 2016 model honors that performance legacy with significant 2017 show. I attended this year’s show in repair industry, from electronics (a lot of aerodynamic and suspension upgrades, new Carbon Ceramic brakes with six-piston calipers and high-per- Chicago, and here are some highlights: that) to management and public relations. formance tires specifically designed for ACR. Powered by hand-built 8.4-liter V-10 engine rated at 645 horse- Training Clearly there was something for everyone power and 600 lb.-ft. of torque – the most torque of any naturally aspirated sports-car engine in the world. During the entire show, there were train- in your shop to improve themselves. ing seminars going on. Many of the pre- Trade Show Shelby GT350 raises the bar for handling senters were tech writers from magazines There were over 450 exhibitors and you’ve been reading for years but have many of these were international. Seeing never had the chance to meet in person. so many companies from the global mar- Mitch Schnieder was just one of the peo- ket puts some perspective on the place of United States in the repair industry. Makes you feel like we aren’t as big as we believe we are. A few companies that caught my attention were ENEOS, who is the OEM motor oil supplier for many of the Japa- VOL. 25, NO.8 • June 2015 nese car lines, and Bizol, who is a major Editor European oil supplier. It could be that I Barry Forkum was picked out by these fellows because Publisher / Advertising Director of the Valvoline Crew Chief jacket I had www.autodeadline.com Garnett Forkum on, as it was still winter in Chicago, but they had some interesting comparisons to Art Director The all-new Ford Shelby GT350 builds on Carroll Shelby’s original idea – transform Mustang from a great Allen Forkum American-made oil. Speaking of oil, the Continued on page 7 everyday car into a dominant road racer, elevating it to a new level. Shelby GT350 raises the bar significantly Copy Editor over the already very capable 2015 Mustang GT performance pack, combining the best technologies and Tom Williams most thoroughly engineered components to create the most athletic Mustang ever built. “When we started working on this car, we wanted to build the best possible Mustang for the places we most love to drive – Contributors Tom Williams, John Cox challenging back roads with a variety of corners and elevation changes, and at the track on weekends,” said Buster McNutt , John Yoswick NEXT ISSUE Raj Nair, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development. “Every change we made to this car was Jay Hirsch, Tony Nethery, John Kasper driven by the functional requirements of a powerful, responsive powerplant – nimble, precise handling and Advertising Sales Industry Stats massive stopping power.” Tom Williams 615-757-3042 • Fax: 888-607-0921 and Trends [email protected] www.AutomotiveReport.net Our annual compilation of some of the current stats CONTENTS ADVERTISER Appalachian Automotive Report is published every and trends within the indus- month by AutoGraphic Publishing Company, Inc. Copy- FEATURE STORY right 2015. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any try – and what they will likely Ford contents, graphic or editorial, without permission is pro- mean for collision repairers global industry trends hibited. Member of Associated Press. AAR accepts no Ford Powertrain — 2 responsibility for opinions of writers or for claims made moving forward. By John Yoswick — 4 by advertisers. Views expressed by writers are not nec- Empire Ford Lincoln — 7 essarily those of the publication. AAR is mailed free of COLUMNS charge to independent repair shops in East Tenn. and GENERAL MOTORS neighboring counties of Ky., Va., N.C., Ga., S.C. and Ala. AutoGraphic’s Automotive Report newspapers are also TONY TALKS: By Tony Nethery — 5 Bachman Chevrolet — 16 published for the regions in and around Nashville, Mem- Does your marketing phis, Birmingham, Atlanta, New Orleans, Dallas, Hous- Reeder Chevrolet — 6 ton, Kentucky and Southern Indiana. Direct comments and suggestions to: 1121 Airport Center Drive, Suite 101, SPARE PARTS: By Buster McNutt Scoggin-Dickey — 10 Nashville, TN 37214. MEASURE UP? Lovebugs, Bats-on-a-String and Zero NIssan Gravity Functions — 6 This publication is free to any automotive repair facility and/or automotive related business. If you would like Consistent, targeted parts Tri-Cities Nissan — 9 to be added to our mailing list, please send your busi- advertising can help you not DEPARTMENTS subaru ness card to AutoGraphic Publishing 1121 Airport Center only maintain current market Drive, Suite 101, Nashville, TN 37214 or email Garnett at 16 [email protected]. share and current sales lev- SHOP PROFILE: By Tom Williams Bachman Subaru — els but can help you reach Bluegrass auto body — 8 VOLKSWAGEN For accounting questions, contact Barry Forkum via new levels as the economy email at [email protected] or call. improves. RACING NOTES — 12 Bachman Volkswagen — 16 PHONE: (615) 391-3666 • FAX: (615) 391-3622 E-mail: [email protected] volvo For advertising information, RECALLS — 13 Volvo of Memphis — 2 contact Tom Williams at other 1-615-757-3042 REARVIEW: 1938 Dymaxion — 14 [email protected] CAPA — 2 Autographic Publishing Company

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PUBLISHING CO 4 Appalachian Automotive Report June 2015 Feature Story

regulations. Specifically, the committee recommended By John Yoswick licensing of “loss assessors” and a requirement that they provide With the pace of change in details of all structural or the collision repair industry, safety-related repairs to a it can be sometimes be a chal- national database for ran- lenge for shop owners to stay dom audits of repair qual- up-to-date on what’s happening GLOBAL ity. It recommended that in their own market and country, only OEM parts be used let alone on what shop owners for a vehicle still under in other countries are facing. Yet INDUSTRY manufacturer’s warranty, there is often value in keeping or notification from the an ear on the collision industry insurer to the consumer outside the United States. TRENDS if non-OEM parts are to Why? Russell Thrall, the edi- be used on a vehicle still tor of the online CollisionWeek Why there’s value under warranty (in which news website, said PartsTrader case it is the assessor’s is just one example. Though it in knowing what’s job “to ensure the part is made plenty of headlines here in fit for purpose”). And it 2013 and 2014, PartsTrader got called for a mandate for its start in New Zealand years happening in the vehicle manufacturers to before setting up shop here. supply repair specifica- “No one here really knew collision industry tions to repairers. about it, but all of a sudden it Although the commit- became very important to us tee found that the rate of here in the U.S.,” Thrall said. around the world poor-quality repairs was So what are some of the higher at shops with some trends and technologies happen- insurer ownership, it did ing within the collision industry not call for a ban on such elsewhere. Fasten your seatbelt ownership, believing the for a quick worldwide tour. other recommendations in Parts handled differently else- the report will adequately where address those issues. While vehicle repairs themselves may and have found shops are more willing to in repair negotiations. Similarly, it found that DRP-like agree- not vary widely from country to country, repair parts they previously would have “When I send my field guys into a repair ments between shops and insurers offer insurer practices certainly do. And just just replaced. In Greece, he said, repair facility and they say [the shop] should be some benefits for consumers, so rather as widespread use of PartsTrader was versus replace jumped from 50 percent repairing this part, not replacing it, [the than a ban, it suggests more requirements brought into both the New Zealand and to 63 percent after insurers began buying shop] simply says, ‘No,’” Funk said. “The for consumer disclosure of the agreements U.S. markets by an insurance company, parts. body shop manager contacts the general and tougher penalties for practices that other insurer practices elsewhere some- Repairers as agents manager of the dealerships who contacts prevent consumers from exercising their times make their way to our shores. This Parts practices aren’t the only thing that AIG and says, ‘Keep your guys out of my right to choose a shop. is becoming increasingly likely as more sets other markets apart from the U.S. In a shop or I’m pulling my book of business But the committee also found that insur- insurance companies become global enter- growing number of Asian and Latin Amer- and going with this other insurance car- ers “exert price pressure on repairers prises. ican countries, Funk said, a repair facility rier.’ So you have to walk a fine line.” which has [resulting] effects for the quality Joe Funk is vice president of global per- (frequently a dealership) has a contract to Could such an arrangement ever make of repairs,” and recommended that Aus- sonal auto claims for just one such insurer, not only perform collision repairs for an its way into the United States? tralia’s “Small Business Commissioner” AIG Property and Casualty. He has his fin- insurer but also to be the sales agent for “We’ve actually gone exploring: Are assist repairers “in negotiating contract ger on the pulse of the ways insurers and that insurer’s policies. Dealers, for exam- there any roadblocks, are there any regula- terms with insurers.” repairers interact in many markets outside ple, may sell an insurance policy with tory issues, or any collusion issues [related It also recommended improving trans- North America. a new car, and the buyer “may not even to] the dealership selling the policy,” Funk parency for consumers by giving them In Latin America, Russia and some other know who his insurance carrier is,” Funk said. “So far we haven’t found any. It’s more access to digital images of repairs, markets, for example, insurers source and said. The customer just knows insurance is just not something that’s traditionally been and the creation of a rating system and buy all parts for the repairers, Funk said. included in his monthly payment, and if he done.” “name and shame” registry for shops and Why are shops in those markets willing is in an accident, he brings his car back to Government calls for changes assessors. — and in some cases, eager — to give the dealership. As some shops here push forward with One market difference between Aus- up that profit source? In poorer countries, Karen Fierst, an industry consultant who lawsuits, legislation and calls for regu- tralia and the United States is that two Funk said, the shops don’t have the capital has had clients in several Asian markets, latory action to curb what they see as insurers in Australia hold a combined 60 to pay for the parts upfront, in particular said insurance is sold through dealerships unwanted involvement in the industry percent market share there; that’s more where insurance payment can be 60 to 75 in China as well. She said many people in from repairers, the government in Austra- market share than the top six insurers here days out. China may be just getting their driver’s lia is already paying close attention to the in the U.S. have, combined. Parts are also harder to source in many license and buying their first car all at the industry there. Associations speaking together of these countries, he said; in Argen- same time and “don’t have a clue about Last summer, seven months after a gov- Collision repairers and their plethora of tina, for example, average part delivery how to buy insurance, so buying it at the ernment-created committee was formed to state, regional and national associations time can be three or four weeks. In such dealership is actually a value-added” ser- investigate the relationship among Austra- may have something to learn from their instances, insurers are able to use volume vice. Fierst said the dealership may sell lian shops, auto insurers and consumers, counterparts in the United Kingdom: the purchases to improve the supply chain, several different policies, but in any case, the committee issued a sweeping 166- power of working together. requiring parts suppliers, for example, to “the insurers have much less market lever- page report recommending some dramatic Earlier this year there, two associations, provide delivery guarantees. age than they do here.” changes. the National Association of Bodyshops In some countries using such systems, Like Fierst, Funk said independent shops The committee, for example, said it (NAB) and the Vehicle Builders and shops receive some minor commission on selling policies often have both insurance “found that a significant number of vehicles Repairers Association Limited (VBRA), parts, Funk said, usually just 1 or 2 per- sales agents and estimators in their front are subject to poor quality repair work.” announced they will stand united, using “a cent. But they also can forego the expenses offices. This offers customers one point of This highlights the need, the report states, single authoritative voice,” to take on what associated with parts managers, parts contact, and offers the dealership or shop for better accountability for adjustors and they called the “ever increasing challenges tracking and parts invoicing. commissions (sometimes 25 or 30 percent) the country’s 12,000 licensed repairers, faced by the collision repair sector.” Insurers using such a system, Funk said, on policy sales. a better balance of power between shops “We will each maintain a distinctive obviously reduce parts costs through vol- Funk acknowledged the arrangement and insurers, more transparency for con- Continued on page 10 ume discounts. But they also reduce fraud, gives a shop or dealership more leverage sumers, and more enforcement of existing June 2015 Appalachian Automotive Report 5

Father and son team up to Tony Talks grow auto body shop

By Cathy Griffith it up for good,” he said. Time Management Jake volunteers for Watson Fire Protec- By Tony Nethery and use all your employees effectively, EFFINGHAM, Ill. — It’s only been six tion District and hopes his experience on months since Jake Buhnerkempe opened the St. Louis department can be of some unless every single employee is cross Everything we do in the collision J&R Collision on the south side of Effing- use. trained to do every job in your busi- shop today seems to revolve around ham with his father, Roger, and already Besides running a business and fire- ness. Jake is looking to grow the business as fighting part time, Jake also still manages the concept of time. Body shops train Last of all, you have to track and demand increases. his St. Louis shop, spending one or two their technicians, buy the latest tech- invoice every completed operation. It’s no wonder. Roger’s Body Shop had days there a week. nology in tools, and spend a lot of You can schedule, execute, and com- been a staple in Effingham since 1980, “They’re definitely different in the money on management and estimating municate perfectly; however, if only changing locations a couple of times be- way you market each and the way each is software, all in an effort to be more eighty percent of what you complete is fore finally settling in Effingham Indus- ran, but the basics are still very much the productive. Somehow all of this is still invoiced, it will be difficult to be prof- trial Park. Roger sold the business in 2002 same,” he said. not enough to satisfy the customer or itable. Over the last few years, I have and started a business that was a departure Jake admits he’s not one to sit idle. A the insurer, and even more importantly reviewed nearly two hundred estimates from the auto body business — excavat- trait he says he inherited from his father. many shops are still struggling to be for accuracy of operations. Each time ing. “Dad had the shop (Roger’s Body Shop) profitable. All the while customers and judgment times were not changed, Son Jake had grown up in his father’s for 22 years, but we always joked he put insurers are asking for shops to com- and replacement parts and part prices auto body shop. Although he liked work- about 40 years of work into 20. I was for- plete repairs faster. Considering shops were not changed. All that was added ing in the shop, he decided to pursue an- tunate to get that work ethic from him,” he are paid according to the time they to these estimates were operations that other passion — firefighting. said. bill on the invoice, faster is certainly were omitted according to the proce- After volunteering for a couple of local As Jake concentrates on growing the not better, unless we can bill for more dure pages for the estimation software business, he said the hardest part is not fire departments, Jake decided to get ex- units in the same time period. In order used or operations recommended by having a more hands-on role. perience working for a big city. He tested to do this, there are three things we the manufacturer of the vehicle. Some for the St. Louis Fire Department and “I still very much would rather be out in must do. of these procedures were even recom- was soon hired. The job, however, meant the paint booth painting or banging on the First, you have to make use of every mended or required by some insurers. a unique work schedule. Jake worked fender of a car,” he said. minute of the work day. Scheduling One example of this would be repair- 24-hour shifts, logging only 10 calendar Even though Jake would rather be repairs all the way through the process days a month. So, he decided to pursue his working on a vehicle, he knows his time is ing pinchwelds after a pull. More than is key. You have to know what each other passion with the days he had off. In needed working on the businesses and less fifty times estimates had pull time as department is capable of and achieve 2010, he opened Jake’s Collision repair. working in them. well as “setup and measure” listed in “At first, it was going to be a hobby for “I still like to get out there any chance I as much balance between departments the repair operations but there was no something to do. Days I wasn’t working at can,” he added. as possible to prevent bottlenecks. time to repair the pinchwelds. Another the fire department I was going to do work Jake believes the number of people who Cars cannot sit in the parking lot for example is weld in panels as a line for friends and family. It just kept growing were served by his father’s shop and are part of a day while your employees do item with no repair time on the adjoin- and growing,” he said. now coming to the new shop is a testament administrative tasks. ing panels. The result of these types of After working for the St. Louis Fire De- to the close-knit community in which he It is necessary for shops to figure out omissions led to an average of twenty partment for six years and the arrival of lives. a way to complete the administrative percent of a shop’s time, which trans- his first child, Jake and wife Sarah realized Jake and Roger want to continue to fos- tasks before the vehicle arrives, and lates to profit left on the table. Each they wanted to move back to their home- ter that connectivity by giving back to the put the vehicle immediately into the time I reviewed one of these estimates town to raise their family in the close-knit community through a couple of projects repair stream. Repair plans are abso- with an owner they agreed that at least community they grew up in. they have planned. One will be contribu- lutely necessary as soon as the repairs five percent of what I found could “We always talked about getting back tions to charities or hosting charity events are started. If the repair process is not probably have been collected. Since in the industry, getting back in this area,” at the shop. blueprinted delays are almost certain. these were cars that had been repaired, he said of conversations with his father. Another the business will launch in the Once repairs are completed, billing at least five percent could have been “Once it’s in your blood, it’s always in coming weeks is a local version of the and delivery need to be as efficient as added directly to the bottom line. I do makeover shows that have become popu- your blood. I grew up in a shop. I was possible. not know any business owner who can lar. The shop will make over a vehicle for around it from the time I could walk and Second, you have to communicate afford to allow five percent to escape talk. You tend to always want to gravitate a deserving individual free of charge. and negotiate successfully. Even if their business. toward it.” “We got a lot of exciting things in the you schedule, plan, and execute per- When it comes to managing time, So, Jake joined his father and started works,” said Jake. “We have stacks and fectly, it is not enough if you do not whether it is making sure we are using J&R Collision. stacks of ideas and plans of things we communicate this to the customer and The move, however, meant Jake would want to do. It’s really going to help us our time wisely, keeping our custom- insurer. A repair that is completed per- have to hang up his fireman’s helmet after stay involved in the community because ers informed on how we are using their fectly in three days is still late if the six years with the St. Louis Fire Depart- that’s what it’s all about. We couldn’t do time, or making sure we are getting ment. But he wouldn’t have to give up this without a great community like this. customer was expecting it in two. It paid for the time we invest, it is time firefighting altogether. That’s what drives our success.” (AP) • is also necessary for you to negotiate management and it is crucial. “I got that bug in me, so I couldn’t hang the needed time to do the repairs, and If you are challenged with any of all the administrative operations, with these three items you may want to seek the insurer. Not doing so will result in outside help; after all, you probably Porsche opens North American HQs in Atlanta poor cycle time scores with the insurer. don’t have enough extra time to change We typically don’t think of negotiating it yourself. • ATLANTA — A German automaker has opened its North American headquarters in with the customer on scheduling. We metro Atlanta. just try to get them in the door when Tony has worked in the collision industry Porsche officials were joined by Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal and others for the open- we can, however it is more critical for over 35 years. Tony currently works ing of the $100 million Porsche Experience Center near the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta than ever to get away from the “Mon- as Business Development Manager for International Airport. day through Friday” scheduling. Cars Interstate Marketing Inc. Tony is also The 27-acre facility is located on the former site of a Ford Motor Co. assembly plant need to come in every day of the week Tennessee’s busiest I-CAR Instructor that was in production for almost 60 years. The facility is the automaker’s largest invest- and leave every day of the week. What and the Executive Director for the Ten- ment outside of Germany. other business takes all their orders on nessee Collision Repair Association. The Porsche Experience Center includes a 1.6 mile driver development track, a driv- Monday and makes all their deliveries Call 731-394-5628 or E-mail Tony at ing simulator lab, a retail store for Porsche branded items, conference and event space, on Friday? It is impossible to do this [email protected] and a restaurant. Officials say the facility will also include a classic car gallery and restoration center along with technical training facilities. (AP) • 6 Appalachian Automotive Report June 2015 Spare Parts

Mas! No Mas!? Me? I doubt I could get ten down in a single serving, although Lovebugs, I did get my little brother to eat fifteen earthworms because Bats-on-a- I promised to take him fishing, which String and has to be the ultimate irony since I only had fifteen earthworms. Zero Gravity So my new plan was to tie a half dozen bats to the front of my truck and let them intercept the By Buster McNutt lovebugs before they got to the windshield. Ah, summer is upon us, and love, or Note to SPCA: I rather lovebugs, are in the air. Twice a year learned my lesson Florida is invaded by millions of roman- last time; I did not tically-inclined beetles that, during their superglue them to the three-to-four week mating season, put on hood, so don’t even their little beetle headphones, listen to their go there! After a diet little beetle Barry White music, and, to use of bland mosqui- technical terminology, “get it on.” Which toes, bats must think would be perfectly acceptable if they did highly-acidic love- all this in the privacy of their little beetle Acid) off your vehicle’s finish is some- company — wreck caused when post- bugs taste something like spicy Mexican Motel Sixes — but no, they not only do where between a Dodge Challenger SRT coupled lovebugs trapped in cabin air filter food — I know their production greatly this in broad daylight, but while flying at Heckcat’s zero-to-60 time, and the amount compartment chewed through wall, and increased when I mounted that humming- the same time! We are talking an ongoing of time that Carly Fiorina will be taken proceeded to chew through number-seven bird feeder on the roof and filled it with onslaught of beetle mile-high clubbers! seriously as a presidential candidate. green wire in wiring harness, which just Corona beer. Before you ask, I have no I’m told that the swarms of paired-up Local auto parts stores actually sell happened to be … the airbag triggering idea why you can’t find roof-mounted bat lovebugs are so thick that they can actu- Frederick’s of North Central Florida mesh wire. Where is that Geico lizard when you feeders, not even in the “As Seen on TV” ally be seen from the International Space auto bras to block the lovebugs from get- really need him — obviously not enlisting section at Walmart. Where’s that Pocket Station, which certainly answers one of ting though the grill openings and clogging the aid of his stunt-double lizards to pluck Fisherman gadget guru when we really my most vexing questions: “What exactly up the radiator. The fact that they sell year those little two-for-one tasty treats out of need him? do they do in the International Space Sta- round makes me wonder if there is not the air before they do a high speed come- Long story short (you’re welcome) the tion once they’ve mastered zero-gravity some “re-purposing” going on here, but apart on your windshield! (No, we’re not bat thing worked too well. Turns out the toilets?” then again maybe we should just credit this going to do the joke about what’s the last SPCA does have a long memory, so they I should also add that the newly-fertil- to global warming and let it go. But you thing that goes through a bug’s mind when “showed up” at my door with a cease-and- ized lovebug eggs are highly acidic, and have to wonder... it hits your windshield.) desist on using bats for lovebug control. the bugs themselves are highly attracted to Air filters don’t stand a chance. Dur- And to be honest, you seldom see Love- Something about lovebug eggs being rich automotive fumes, which makes me won- ing lovebug season the door-to-door filter bug Florentine on any of the menus at in saturated fats, and the six bats had all der if the highly-acidic little beetle babies salesmen are as thick as, well, as thick as your typical lizard diners and dives. I’m tested positive for Type A Bat Diabetes. aren’t confusing underhood batteries with lovebugs. And if you have a newer vehicle thinking all that acid would give them Since they’d never taken them in for test- a mosh pit at a Justin Bieber/Miley Cyrus with one of those cabin-air filters, you’re heartburn, and, to the best of my knowl- ing, I asked how they could possibly know concert. doubly dunked. In addition to having to edge, lizard-approved Alka-Seltzer is still this. Seems that bats suffering from Type Needless to say, highly-acidic, con- take half your dashboard apart to get to the in the laboratory-testing stage, although A Bat Diabetes give off a different color joined, flying lovebugs whose little love- filter, there is also an excellent chance that what they would be testing it on is beyond ultraviolet “signature” when seen from bug minds are not all that concerned with some of the lovebugs got through alive, me (I’m thinking the laboratory rat union … you guessed it: the International Space basic navigation skills at the time, and and once uncoupled, they are not happy would squish that one in the bud). Station. automotive windshields, paint, radiators campers! Plus, post lovebug love making, But bats on the other hand, love Love- Different signature my hind feathers. and air filters are not going to play all that they get the munchies something fierce. bug Sushi. Sure, their main food source is I’m 99.9 percent sure none of those bats well together. Experts say the maximum And, as luck would have it, their favorite mosquitoes, but c’mon, how many million could read, much less sign their names. amount of time that should pass before snack food is, wait for it.... plastic! Right, mosquitoes can you eat in a day before And we wonder why public support for the you should wash the SLA (Splat Lovebug try turning that claim in to your insurance the Roberto Duran comes out and it’s No space program has declined…. •

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... AutoMechanika Volvo prepares to send Continued from page 3 ‘Made in China’ cars to US API was there touting their M.O.M. pro- also have battery and charging/starting gram which informs customers of the oils system diagnostics, meaning less equip- By Joe McDonald centimeters (three inches) of rear seat leg- you really put in their car. ment investment and a cost that enables a room for buyers who have a driver and As much as I enjoyed bantering with technician to have his own unit. CHENGDU, China — On the verge of ride in back. the oil guys, most of the time I spent at On the electrical side of the repair busi- exporting the first “Made in China” cars to Volvo follows automakers including the show I was looking for the newest ness, OTC presented an interactive techni- the United States, Volvo is determined to Cadillac and Mercedes Benz that sell ex- technology. The Axalta Coating Systems cians challenge, pitting up to five techni- show they are as good as vehicles it pro- tended sedans for the distinctively Chi- caught my attention with an 11-station cians at a time against each other in solving duces in Europe. nese market of “rear seat customers.” paint booth with windows for spectators an electrical problem. Using computerized In contrast to its European factories that In June, the first U.S.-bound S60 In- to watch. Technicians were able to primer workstations, technicians challenged each check a few completed cars from each scriptions are to be shipped down the and paint miniature car hoods using their other and the clock to locate the correct batch, every vehicle that rolls off Volvo’s Yangtze River to Shanghai, then across UV primer and paint systems. While using diagnostic information and then select the 3-year-old assembly line in this city in the Pacific to the United States. Volvo ex- UV to cure your paint isn’t the newest tech correct solution. Times ranged from 1.75 China’s southwest goes through a five- pects to send about 5,000 per year to the out there, a handheld UV light that you minutes to 4.5 minutes, with many tech- hour battery of tests on a driving track. United States, according to Samuelsson. hold and pass over the primer in the same nicians returning through the day to see Once a month, or three times as often as in He said Volvo has no plans to “massively manner was interesting. Delivering a if their score had been beaten. OTC gave Europe, Volvo tears apart a finished car in export” but, since that model will be pro- 30-to-60 second cure time seems impres- techs an opportunity to test their product Chengdu to examine the quality of welds duced only in China, will send a few to sive, and I’m sure it would reduce booth and themselves at the same time. and other work. add to its U.S. lineup. time on each car you paint. Body shop techs had plenty of opportu- The effort to persuade Americans to Still, Americans are comfortable enough Tim Gerhard, founder of TG Products, nities to hone their skills at several interac- buy a premium car from China is a new buying Chinese-made products that the demonstrated his frame repair equipment, tive displays. While many were attracted step up in Volvo Car Corp.’s campaign to location of Volvo’s factory is unlikely to which straightens aluminum frames from to the booths to try your hand at alumi- establish itself as a global luxury brand matter so long as the company maintains the inside. A former body and frame tech- num welding, Pro Spot Welding Systems following its 2010 acquisition by Chinese its quality standards, said industry analyst nician from California, Gerhard brought brought in a display module to give you a automaker Geely. Yale Zhang of Auto Foresight, a Shanghai in frame sections that had been dented and shot at plastic welding. Bob Pluth, prod- “I have heard no customer ask me where research firm. “Many things are selling was straightening them on the spot. Con- uct manager with Pro Spot, demonstrated his car is built. It is built by Volvo and is in America that are made in China,” said sidering that many of the exhibitors were or let attendees try their hand at it. In the Volvo quality, and of course Chengdu will Zhang. “Now it’s just another one, a for- demonstrating aluminum repair technol- Tri-State area not much plastic welding is be exactly the same,” said CEO Hakan eign brand that is a car.” ogy, Gerhard was in the right place. going on and techs were eager to put some Samuelsson. “I am quite confident that we Exports of Chinese-produced cars to Right next door was The Dent Viewer time in on a technology they aren’t up to will demonstrate that.” the United States, even under a Europe- from Collision Edge Solutions. Invented speed on. The sedan due to be exported from an brand, are a milestone for the ruling by Tim Griggs, the Dent Viewer works Put Automechanika on your calendar for Chengdu is the S60 Inscription, based on Communist Party, which wants to see its with your flash on your smart phone or 2017, and here’s a few reasons why: Cost Volvo’s S60L, a version of the S60 sedan auto industry expand into global markets. camera to reflect a grid pattern onto the of training: free. If you look at the variety designed for China with an extra eight (AP) • painted surface of the damaged vehicle of training offered in 2015, you’ll see that making a quick picture of the extent of the there is something for everyone in your damage, ready to email to an insurance auto, body or truck shop. The SmartPhone estimator. Tim drew upon his numerous Automechanika app still works and is the Next Day Delivery years of expertise in the body repair busi- best place to see the variety of offerings. available for: AR, ness, from painting airplanes for Delta to Close up the shop for a three-day week- Volvo of Memphis AL, FL, GA, IL, IN, working with PPG to bring this and a few end, rent a van, or go for those cheaper .com KY, LA, MO, MS & TN other estimating aids to the market from travel plans you get when you book well his family run business. ahead of time. Perspective: Chicago is our Battery chargers and jump start packs nations third largest city. If you haven’t have been becoming smaller all the time. been somewhere this large, it will change Several booths displayed incredibly small your perspective. In this case, size matters. booster packs that demonstrate the state of McCormick Place is one of only a few battery technology. Many of these could conference centers that can host a show of hide in your sport coat and get anything this size, much less host the indoor weld- YOUR GENUINE short of a big-block Chevy started. Most ing and painting and still meet fire and VOLVO PARTS impressive is a line of pocket-size battery safety codes. chargers from CTEK. Andreas Naeslund, The international exhibitors and train- SOURCE who is the company president, demon- ers will expand your horizons on our place 7910 Trinity Rd @ Germantown Pkwy, strated and answered questions about their in the world. Expect to meet techs who Memphis, TN 38018 product line. With my knowledge of elec- came here to learn more about American 800-338-5481 tricity, I could understand that his charger cars. Prestige: To borrow an old term, be puts out more real DC than most anything the Doctor of Motors, and get treated like a Mechanical Parts Specialists I’ve encountered, making a smaller more Doctor for the weekend. Mechanical Parts Specialists efficient package possible. (If you’re won- Spending quality time with the most dering what I’m talking about here, put knowledgeable people in the business and • Free Delivery in Tri-City Area your scope on the charger and see how nighttime social activities with food and • We sell parts for all Ford and Lincoln cars, much of a flat line it makes.) Ten amps out entertainment at no cost. There couldn’t be trucks, and vans and Ford medium duty trucks of a unit you can carry in your coat pocket a better way to show your techs apprecia- is pretty impressive. The CTEK chargers tion for their skills. • 800-363-1744 GM built its 500 millionth vehicle in May 276-628-2127 FORD • LINCOLN KANSAS CITY, Kan. — General Motors is planning a celebration last month at the I-81, Exit 14, Abingdon, VA 24210 Fairfax Assembly Plant in Kansas City, Kansas, to mark the completion of its 500 millionth vehicle globally. Genuine Parts The auto maker says GM CEO Mary Barra and North America President Alan Batey were on hand May 4 for a news conference. 800-363-1744 The Fairfax plant builds the Buick LaCrosse and the Chevrolet Malibu. The plant • We sell parts for all Ford and Lincoln cars, trucks, and vans Ford medium duty trucks has about 3,900 hourly and salaried employees and recently completed $600 million in • Free delivery in Tri-City Area 276-628-2127 improvements, including a new paint shop. (AP) • Hours: 7:30 to 5, Mon.-Fri.; Sat. 8 to 12 Fax: 276-628-1345 Hours: 7:30 to 5 Mon. - Fri.; Sat. 8 - 3 QUALITY CARE Fax 276-628-1345 Vehicle serviced right on first visit. Recipient of the 2003, 2004, 2006 & 2007 President’s Award 8 Appalachian Automotive Report June 2015 Shop Profile

Bluegrass Auto Body (left) is located in Lexington, Ky. Third generation operators, Wes Lancaster and LeAnne Brooks in front of the High Street shop.

Receptionist and admin- strative assistant Tammy Burton (right) works at her desk.

General Manager, Mark Griffin at his desk at the South shop. (right)

Inside the South shop (below right).

By Tom Williams ful eye of long-time maintenance man Paul Caise. (This writer has seen race shops that Brother and sister Wes Lancaster and weren’t as clean.) LeAnne Brooks are third-generation oper- The grounds are landscaped and mani- ators at Bluegrass Auto Body in Lexing- cured. Customers feel at home in the deco- ton, Ky. Their grandfather Dale Lancaster rated and comfortable reception areas and started the business in December 1965. offices. At the south location, customers This year will mark 50 successful years can drive in to a modern service write-up with a bright future going forward. area similar to most high-end car dealer- Their father, Bill Lancaster, came into ships. And they won’t find barbed wire the business in the late ’60s and soon real- holding lots guarded by large snarling ized his place was in the office while his dogs. All vehicles, whether in the shop or dad handled the physical side of the busi- waiting to go in the shop, are stored inside ness. Bill Lancaster eventually took over and out of the elements. and continued to run the business until Both shops are equipped with Chief he passed away about four years ago. His racks, Velocity Measuring Systems, Chal- mother, Della Atwell, continued to handle lenger lifts, heated prep stations, and EZ the books and still checks in on Wes and Liners (two at High Street and three at the LeAnne from time to time. Their mother, south store). The High Street shop uses Jayne Lancaster, is the president and owner CWN spray booths while the south loca- of record but has turned over the keys to tion features Blowtherm booths. They Wes and LeAnne. But she still keeps a have used Sikkens paints exclusively for mother’s watchful eye on things from her over 20 years. winter home in Sarasota, Fla. They embrace most DRP programs and Wes started by sweeping floors 23 years are the number one Progressive Insurance ago and worked his way up to vice presi- shop in the state of Kentucky. They also dent. Dan Riffe was the general manager work very closely with Shelter, Met Life, and retired after 45 years. Wes ran the Grange, and Farmers’ insurance compa- south shop for 12 years, and last October nies. They rely on Lexington and Louis- he moved to the Hill Street store and took ville area dealers for most of their OEM the reins. Together, he and sister LeAnne, parts but are not opposed to using good who has been in the business since 1993, quality salvage parts when available. They handle the day-to-day operations, with shy away from the lower cost/lower qual- LeAnne in charge of all accounting duties. ity aftermarket market parts. In 1971, the company bought the High Without mentioning any names, they Street shop located near the University of prefer not to participate in any programs Kentucky at 1040 W. High St. That build- that require them to submit bids for their Bluegrass Auto Body has 23 employees Lexington after returning from the war in ing has survived over the years and has parts. According to Wes, those programs between the two shops. With three people 1946. They keep the crew happy by pro- even grown to approximately 20,000 sq. slow down the entire process with longer in each office, that leaves eight in the shop viding matching fund IRAs, health insur- ft. in three buildings. It doesn’t hurt their parts delivery times, which slows down at High Street and nine at the Ruccio Way ance, dental insurance, at least two weeks image that they are also next door to a the finish time and increases the amount of shop. High Street turns over 80 units per paid vacations, and they believe in paying high-end motorsports shop and a major car time their customers have to be in rental month and South turns between 100 and their people well. rental company. cars. He also does not like being told 120 units per month. And yet with only 17 They also see their team as family. Wes In the summer of 2003, Bluegrass Auto where to buy his parts and prefers to deal shop employees, this Lexington landmark and LeAnne are both grounded in the Body opened their second location on the with trusted suppliers. will do in excess of $6 million per year in church and offer weekly bible studies at south side of Lexington at 309 Ruccio Bluegrass does not use any water-based sales. each shop every other week. These meet- Way. It has a 30,000 sq. ft. under one roof, paints. They also have taken a wait and The key to their success is their employ- ings are primarily for the employees, but including offices, conference room and see attitude towards electric cars and alu- ees. In today’s market, finding qualified anyone is welcome. With two children shop. The south shop was built like a lot of minum body repairs. They feel both are techs presents a real challenge. Train- each, Wes and LeAnne find themselves modern houses today, with an open floor still in the early development stages and ing is important, and everybody has been involved with school activities and sports. plan concept. the industry needs to have a better grasp through many I-CAR courses. Bluegrass They are also active in the community. One might think that with an open floor on the inherent problems that are bound to has very little turn over (the average age As for advertising, Wes does quite a bit plan there would be a problem with air show up. All glasswork is sub-let but done of their crew is 50 years). Mark Griffin, of radio plus they have embraced social born contamination. Not at Bluegrass. on sight while alignments are sent out. the general manager at the south loca- media. Every bay, every workstation, even the They prefer to stay away from the restoration, has been with the company for over Bluegrass Auto Body has not only sur- prep booths, are almost operating-room tion business. A good restoration could tie 11 years. He grew up in the body business vived downturns in our industry across clean. The floors are swept through out the up critical areas of the shop for months or and worked for many years as a State Farm three generations but has prospered for all day, and cleanliness falls under the watch- even a year or more. appraiser. His father started a body shop in the right reasons. • June 2015 Appalachian Automotive Report 9

larly gets emails from consumers wonder- to some of the best shops in the country. NASTF panel discusses ing why the shop they use isn’t Honda That’s my ROI.’” certified. As the lone shop owner on the panel, “Think about what that might mean for Wano said his ROI on automaker certifi- OEM shop certifications those shops in terms of ROI,” Ledoux said. cations has sometimes taken longer than Panelist John Bosin of I-CAR said his expected, particularly if there are fewer of By John Yoswick equipment jobbers. That’s part of the rea- organization has already published the certain vehicles sold in his market. That’s son, Ledoux said, that Honda’s program results of its studies into the improved why he’s tried to find programs that have In the same week that American Honda tries to give shops more flexibility to meet business performance that training offers some overlap in terms of the required announced a new collision shop-certifi- the program’s requirements. (http://tinyurl.com/icarValue). But he said equipment. But like the others on the cation program, the National Automotive “We went to Japan and asked them to certifications also have a human resources panel, he said the value is sometimes more Service Task Force (NASTF) held a panel give us the specifications for the needed impact. than how quickly the actual investment of discussion that focused, appropriately equipment, not the brand,” Ledoux said. “There is much better retention of dollars pays for itself. enough, on automaker collision shop cer- “So if you have a welder, for example, that employees, because they are getting “We’ve found over the years that a tification programs. meets these specs, I don’t care whether it’s trained, because there is an understanding body or refinishing tech can make it to a “I foresee more and more of this indus- a Lincoln Electric or a Pro Spot or a Miller that they are doing the right kind of work,” plateau relatively quickly,” he said. “With try focusing on the necessity for training Electric or what it is. If it meets the speci- Bosin said. “The employees are proud to the inception of these certified programs, and investing just to repair everyday cars, fications, you’re good to go.” be there.” there’s another level that’s obtainable to not just the luxury brands,” panelist Okla- Similarly, he said, Honda chose to Panelist Farzam Afshar, CEO of Veri- these technicians. It also helps us also homa shop owner Gary Wano said. “At make the required training, including spe- Facts Automotive agreed, saying it’s hard attract some of the best-of-the-best tech- some point in time these certifications cific courses Honda developed in-house, to put a price on the value of that pride. His nicians. We are known within our market aren’t going to be outside the norm.” widely available through I-CAR. Even the company’s program, which includes unan- areas as the only ones who have stepped The reason for the growth in automaker program’s requirement that a shop have nounced shop visits to inspect repaired and up, to make the investment in our facility certification programs, Wano said, is the the I-CAR “Gold Class” designation has in-process vehicles and provide techni- as well as our people. That says something. increasing complexity of the materials and some flexibility. cal coaching to employees, offers another There is ROI to be gained, but the cultural technology incorporated into a wider range “We recognize there are some very good benefit as well. piece is satisfying in itself.” • of vehicles. Shops want to make sure they shops that have had lots of training from “What’s the value of sleeping better at have the technology and training to prop- Mercedes or BMW or whoever and may night knowing you did the right thing?” John Yoswick, a freelance writer based in Portland, erly repair these vehicles, Wano said, and not be an I-CAR Gold Class shop, but are Afshar asked. “When I ask the shop own- Ore., has been writing about the automotive industry automakers want to protect their brands by still good performing shops,” Ledoux said. ers we work with why they do it when it’s since 1988 and is the editor of the weekly CRASH ensuring their customers have a positive “So we also say a shop can [alternatively] not required, they say, ‘I can sleep better at Network (for a free four-week trial subscription, visit collision repair experience and receive a be a VeriFacts ‘Verified Quality’ (VQ) or night knowing someone other than myself www.CrashNetwork.com). He can be contacted by complete, proper and safe repair. ‘VQ Medallion’ shop.” is looking at the job. My technicians are email at [email protected]. Honda’s Gary Ledoux, also partici- All of the panelists at the NASTF meet- being challenged and being compared pating on the panel at NASTF’s spring ing were asked to address what they see meeting held in Secaucus, N.J., said his as the benefits of the various shop certi- company’s new “ProFirst Certified” body fication programs and whether there is a Training, repair procedures not a shop program is a natural extension of its return-on-investment (ROI) for shops that ‘one-and-done’ deal similarly-named shop “recognition” pro- participate. Those involved with automaker certifications say that repairs procedures are gram launched in 2012. While the new Aaron Clark of Assured Performance, increasingly vehicle-by-vehicle specific with fewer procedures that cross over to program, which has a $2,700 annual fee, the third-party administrator for some other brands or models. includes efforts by Honda to inform con- automaker shop certification programs, “For somebody to think, ‘I went through hours of training to repair aluminum for sumers about certified shops, that’s not the acknowledged the ROI can be challenging Jaguar or Porsche or Tesla, so now I can fix the Ford F-150 is ludicrous,” said Aaron overlying focus of the program, according to measure, but the value is there. Clark of Assured Performance, the third-party administrator for some automaker to Ledoux. “This industry is stricken with every- shop-certification programs. “Because it’s a completely different material, and has “This is not about driving cars into the body being measured by one measuring a completely different set of repair procedures. Just don’t assume that you have the shops in particular,” he said. “This is about stick, with everybody being held to the knowledge set, because that is dangerous. It’s just like the technician who doesn’t getting the job done right, and making sure lowest common denominator,” Clark said. think he needs training at all because he’s been fixing cars for 25 years.” the car is fixed right, with the right tools “So what makes you different? [Certifica- Similarly, Oklahoma shop owner Gary Wano, whose shop holds a number of OEM and the right procedures for the right rea- tions indicate] you have separated your- certifications, said shops can’t look up the OEM repair procedure for a vehicle once sons.” self above and beyond the majority of and presume it’s the same the next time that model of vehicle is in the shop. Auto- One gripe some shops have had about the marketplace. The value is the culture makers, he said, continue to acquire crash data that can lead to changes in their repair automaker certification programs is that this develops within the business, and the procedures. each one includes a list of specific brands value of the business because of it.” “It’s not that the procedure before was wrong,” Wano said. “It’s just that they of equipment and OEM-proprietary train- Clark and Ledoux each said there also may see that if they apply additional rivets or put bonding in some area or eliminate ing that is required. Wano joked that his can be a cost to not being certified. Honda welding from the repair process, whatever it might be, that if that car is hit again, it shop, which is certified by Mercedes-Benz, lists its recognized (and now certified) reduces the inertia from going into the cabin. To say that anybody who trains or reads Jaguar, Land Rover, Volvo and Tesla, has shops on a consumer website (www.colli- a repair procedure today is going to know that car from now on is a fallacy.” • as many welders and rivet guns as some sion.honda.com) and Ledoux said he regu-

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... Global trends

Continued from page 4 among one of the poorest countries in the approach whilst establishing a unified world even before a 2010 earthquake and voice,” Frank Harvey, who leads the tsunami killed more than 100,000 people NAB, said. and destroyed 280,000 buildings. “We have always worked together when Some of those destroyed buildings necessary and expedient,” Malcolm Tagg, included those operated by Haiti Arise, a director of the VBRA, said. “VBRA and non-profit organization working to bring NAB working alongside each other more services and education — including tech- frequently will present a more cohesive nical career training — to young people in and authoritative approach to many of the Haiti. (Seventy percent of the population issues and challenges affecting sustain- there is between the ages of 8 and 25.) Haiti ability in the sector.” Arise was founded by a Haitian native who One of those challenges is a U.K. gov- as a child, after being abandoned by his ernment that, similar to that in Australia, family, ended up in an orphanage, thanks is very interested in seeing changes in the to a sponsorship by a family in Canada. He auto insurance and collision repair mar- eventually moved to Canada for college, Shop our Huge Inventory kets. One key proposal of concern to the then later returned to his native country to collision repair and insurance industry help others through the Haiti Arise organi- of OE Quality Parts at was one to establish some level of manda- zation he formed. tory quality inspection process; that pro- The technical school the organization Competitive Prices posal, however, was left out of the final set is now building will include a collision of remedies proposed by the “Competition repair training facility — and the industry and Markets Authority” (CMA). Although in North America has launched an effort to the CMA said it has concerns about help raise donations for that project. repair quality and the lack of a process The Collision Industry Conference and to assure consumers get quality repairs, it its sister organization in Canada are seek- found that such concerns did not directly ing donations of new or nearly-new tools impact competition, which was the man- and equipment. Tax-deductible finan- Transmissions dated focus for its investigation, and thus cial donations are also sought for bricks declined to include those initial proposals inscribed with the donor’s name that will • Over 500 Transmissions in Stock in its final recommendations. be incorporated into the new facility. • Same Day Shipping Buy a brick to help training It’s a way to impact the global collision The last stop on this global tour of the repair industry — and a country very much collision industry may be unexpected: in need — without leaving your shop. For Haiti. Located less than 700 miles from the more information, visit http://tinyurl.com/ southern tip of Florida, Haiti was already CIC-Haiti. • Toyota beats VW, GM for Engines top place in global sales • Over 2,000 Engines in Stock • Free Freight!* By Yuri Kageyama and quake disaster in northeastern Japan that hobbled its parts-supply chain and TOKYO — Toyota Motor Corp. is still factory production. at the top in global vehicle sales after Toyota President Akio Toyoda, the the first quarter, selling 2.52 million ve- grandson of the company’s founder, put hicles around the world, outpacing rivals ambitions for aggressive growth on hold Volkswagen and General Motors even as for some years after the recall scandal, Sheet Metal & Collision weakness in Japan dragged on its growth. which resulted in millions of vehicles be- The Japanese automaker has been the ing recalled, mostly in the U.S., for an ar- • $5,000,000 Inventory of GM world’s top-selling automaker for the past ray of defects. Collision Parts in Stock three years. No. 2 Volkswagen Group of But he recently said Toyota is ready to Germany reported in April that it sold 2.49 start growing again, although cautiously million vehicles for the January-March and gradually, focusing on shared parts period. across a variety of models that will allow Volkswagen edged out U.S. automaker the automaker to cut costs while honing in General Motors Co., which reported glob- on quality control. al sales of 2.4 million vehicles earlier in GM is embroiled in a defect problem April. of its own since last year, over problem Toyota’s global vehicle sales, according ignition switches. The Detroit-based au- to the number released April, 23rd, were tomaker, which includes Chevrolet, Opel, down 2 percent from a year earlier, as ve- Buick and Cadillac as its brands, was the hicle sales in Japan lagged. Volkswagen’s top-selling automaker for more than seven sales were up 1.8 percent year-on-year, decades until being surpassed by Toyota 1-800-888-4251 • sdparts.com while GM’s were up 1.9 percent. in 2008. The race among the three automakers is Volkswagen, which has Audi and Bu- intense, playing out worldwide, including gatti under its wing, has come from be- relatively new markets such as India and hind with fantastic speed in recent years,

www.chevrolet.com/performance China, although each of them emphasize including key markets such as China that the real competition is about coming where potential for growth remains great. out with good products, not beating rivals. In 2014, Toyota became the first auto- * Free freight only applies to the 48-states. Some locations are not serviced by the freight carriers, in these cases the carrier can often deliver to the nearest point of service and it is the customer’s responsibility to drive to that location to receive the freight. Toyota, and Lexus models, has had its maker in the industry’s history to sell ups and downs, such as a recall fiasco that more than 10 million vehicles around the began in 2009, as well as the 2011 tsunami world in a year. (AP) •

2015-Automotive-Report-Ad.indd 1 3/13/15 1:59 PM June 2015 Appalachian Automotive Report 11

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Want to see what happens to a replacement bumper that isn’t CAPA Certified? Check out the video at CAPAcertified.org/crash 12 Appalachian Automotive Report June 2015 Racing Notes Edwards’ win gives Gibbs Juan’s World! Montoya much to celebrate beats Power for Indy win

By Pete Iacobelli “We’ve taken a long time to catch up, By Jenna Fryer A.J. Foyt, who needed 10 years between I’m not saying we’ve caught up” to other his third and fourth wins. That first win CONCORD, N.C. — Joe Gibbs has had power programs like Hendrick Motor- INDIANAPOLIS — Juan Pablo Montoya for Montoya? It came when he drove for many special nights in football and auto sports and Stewart-Haas Racing, Gibbs insisted he had the best car in the Team Ganassi. racing. Few were bigger than last months said. “Over the last two races here, it’s a Penske stable even to his three team- This victory was almost certainly going showing in the Coca-Cola 600. big deal for us.” mates, who all believed they were legiti- to go to a Team Penske or Chip Ganassi The head of Joe Gibbs Racing had Edwards won his first Coca-Cola 600 mate contenders to win the Indianapolis Racing driver. With a combined nine cars plenty to celebrate: Kyle Busch returned with a gutsy call from crew chief Darian 500. in the field, the two owners showed over to points racing and finished 11th; Matt Grubb to pit earlier than most competitors With the same confidence he showed the last two weeks that their organizations Kenseth won the pole and ended fifth; and and stay on the track while the field was 15 years ago when he routed the field, were head-and-shoulders above the com- Denny Hamlin, the All-Star Race winner, diving in for full tanks and fresh tires. Ed- Montoya sliced his way through the field petition. fought for a title before finishing seventh. wards held off Greg Biffle over the final twice and won his second Indianapolis Proving that Indianapolis is their own The highlight, though, was Carl Ed- laps for his 24th career Sprint Cup victory. 500. personal playground, Penske and Ganassi wards’ first victory for his new JGR team For Edwards, the win was more spe- It was a far different scene from 2000, drivers led the majority of the laps in the in NASCAR’s longest race. cial because of what it meant to those like when the fearless Colombian was single, 99th Indy 500 and turned the final restart “In so many ways,” said Gibbs, the Gibbs, who took a chance the talented childless and using Indy cars as a stepping with 15 laps to go into a three-car thriller three-time Super Bowl winner with Wash- driver was capable of bigger things. stone to Formula One. But his career has between Penske teammates Montoya and ington and three-time NASCAR champi- “I have been stressed, you can ask the been a series of ups-and-downs through Will Power, and Ganassi driver Scott onship team owner, “it’s a big deal for us.” people close to me. I’m just so competitive F1, NASCAR and finally back to IndyCar Dixon. Things for JGR may get even bigger and I’m not happy with how we’ve per- with motorsports icon Roger Penske. Power finished second and Ganassi this season. Edwards becomes the third of formed and the results,” Edwards said. “I His win gave Penske his 16th India- drivers Charlie Kimball and Dixon were four Gibbs’ racers with a victory, just about feel like this is a gift. As much as I’ve been napolis 500 win, and first since Helio third and fourth. locking them into NASCAR’s 10-race, frustrated, this is truly a gift.” Castroneves in 2009. Penske also joined The two team owners embraced on pit year-end championship chase. Gibbs said Kenseth had made a big splash with sev- Chip Ganassi as the only owners to win road as Montoya headed to grab his bottle the program can now concentrate on get- en wins in 2013 when he, like Edwards, the Daytona 500 and the Indianapolis 500 of milk. ting Busch into contention after he missed left Roush Fenway Racing to join Gibbs’ in the same year. Ganassi did it in 2010; It was thought that the leader on the three months because of a serious accident crew. Joey Logano won the Daytona 500 for final lap would be a sitting duck, but Mon- at Daytona in February. Gibbs’ plans when Then the former champion was shut out Penske in February. toya didn’t care as he charged past Power he brought in Edwards as a fourth team are last season before rebounding with a win The 15 years between Indy 500 victo- with three laps remaining and stayed out taking shape in a big, big way. at Bristol’s spring race. (AP) • ries are a record for a driver, surpassing front until the checkered flag. (AP) • Harvick says a shakeup to schedule would help NASCAR’s 2015 class of TALLADEGA, Ala. — If Kevin Harvick ran NASCAR, he has decided ideas on how to move the sport forward. The reigning Sprint Cup champion would shake up the current 38-race schedule, ‘Next’ stars which remains largely intact each year with no new tracks added and very little race date variation. By Jenna Fryer and is the youngest race winner in ARCA Although he praised the current racing product and noted races at the end of last sea- history. son either sold out or were nearly sold out, Harvick said recently the current schedule is CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Rico Abreu, — James Bickford, a 17-year-old from “stagnant” and fans want more short tracks and road courses in the mix. the reigning USAC national champion California who was the K&N West rookie “I believe some venues need one race and that the schedule needs to be mixed up,” and winner of this year’s Chili Bowl, was of the year last season. Harvick said. “People like things that change. They don’t like stagnant things. In my among the 12 drivers named to NAS- — William Byron, a 17-year-old from opinion the most stagnant thing in our sport is our schedule and our venues that we go CAR’s latest “Next” class. Charlotte who leads the K&N Pro East to. You can beat a dead horse as much as you want, but it doesn’t come back to life.” The Next program, which is designed to season championship standings. There’s been very little change to the schedule since 2001, except for the addition of spotlight NASCAR’s emerging stars, has — Custer, a 17-year-old from California Kentucky Speedway in 2012. Kansas Speedway was added in 2001 to the Cup schedule. included in its previous four classes 2014 who holds the records for youngest pole Harvick wants Iowa Speedway put on the Cup schedule, and rattled off a list of road Sprint Cup rookie of the year Kyle Lar- award and race winner in both the Truck courses that would make good venues. He also supported the idea of visiting one ran- son and reigning Xfinity Series champion Series and NASCAR’s touring series. dom track a year. Chase Elliott. The class also includes for — Ruben Garcia Jr., a 19-year-old from Asked why nothing changes on a schedule that consists primarily of tracks owned by a second year Cole Custer, who became Mexico City who was the runner-up in last International Speedway Corp. and Speedway Motorsports Inc., Harvick smiled and said NASCAR’s youngest national winner last season’s NASCAR Mexico Series season “Two publicly traded companies.” (AP) • season at age 16 with his Truck Series vic- championship. tory at New Hampshire. — Austin Hill, a 21-year-old from Danica losing GoDaddy as primary sponsor Of the 28 drivers who have previously Georgia who won three consecutive K&N been part of the Next program, 21 have East races and led every lap in the opener CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It’s been at least a dozen years, by Danica Patrick’s count, competed in one of NASCAR’s three na- this year at New Smyrna Speedway. since she has had to worry about sponsorship for her race car. tional series and 11 are currently full-time — Jesse Little, an 18-year-old from There has never been a shortage of companies lined up hoping to use one of the most NASCAR drivers. North Carolina who won the pole at Bris- recognized drivers in the world to push their brand. Drivers must be between the ages of 15 tol in his 2015 K&N East debut. Now she suddenly finds herself in the same boat as so many drivers: In need of spon- and 25 and have demonstrated potential — Dylan Lupton, a 21-year-old from sorship to fund her ride in NASCAR’s top series. GoDaddy said last month it was leav- and desire to reach the Sprint Cup Series. California who, as the 2014 K&N West ing NASCAR at the end of this season, but will likely continue working with Patrick on They must also be actively competing in a championship runner-up, made his Xfin- a personal services agreement. NASCAR touring or weekly series. ity Series debut at Phoenix in March. The internet domain giant has been with Patrick in some form since 2007, and be- Joining Abreu in the class this year: — John Hunter Nemechek, a 17-year- came her primary sponsor in 2010 when she raced in the IndyCar Series for Andretti — Nicole Behar, a 17-year-old from old from North Carolina who earned six Autosport. GoDaddy moved with Patrick to NASCAR, and is in its third year as primary Washington who tied the series record for top-10 finishes in 10 Truck Series starts sponsor of her No. 10 Chevrolet in the Sprint Cup Series. highest finish by a female driver in the last year. Won the prestigious Snowball “I’m sad. I’m a little surprised and I’m sad,” Patrick told The Associated Press. “But K&N West Series with a second-place Derby Late Model race at Five Flags to say I didn’t imagine this was not a scenario would be a lie. It’s bittersweet. It’s going mark at Irwindale Event Center. Speedway in December. to be really weird to think I won’t drive the bright green, can’t-miss-it car next year.” — Kyle Benjamin, a 17-year-old from — Dalton Sargeant, a 17-year-old from GoDaddy’s decision has been a possibility for several years as the company looked South Carolina who is a development Florida who has four top-five finishes in at marketing strategies to grow its international reach. GoDaddy is in the final year of driver for Roush Fenway Racing. He won five combined East and West races. • its contract with Stewart-Haas Racing, which fields the car for the Patrick. (AP) his first K&N Pro Series race at Bristol (AP) • June 2015 Appalachian Automotive Report 13

Seeking answers to getting Recalls recalled cars fixed quickly Compiled from AP, manufacturer, EPA and NHTSA news releases. VOLKSWAGEN Group America is recalling 6,204 2015 Golf, GTI and Audi A3 By Marcy Gordon & Tom Krisher General Motors, once fined by NHTSA vehicles to inspect and replace a potentially faulty fuel pump. for moving too slowly to recall small cars WASHINGTON — Robo calls, social with faulty ignition switches, was praised FORD Motor Co. is recalling 487,301 2013 – 2015 Ford Fusion and Lincoln media ads, personal letters from the CEO for using new methods to reach owners. MKZ vehicles and 2015 Ford Edge vehicles, which were sold or are currently and even a smartphone app are among GM said that as of early April, 70 per- registered in Northeastern states that expose the vehicle to road salt. The salt may ways auto companies are trying to con- cent of the U.S. small-car owners had corrode the electric power steering bolts and cause it to detach. Dealers will replace vince more customers to get repairs done been in for the service, 14 months after the bolts as required and apply sealer. on cars recalled for serious safety defects. the recalls began. The switches, which can The unusual steps were discussed at a slip out of the run position by surprise and MERCEDES-BENZ USA is recalling 5,058 2014 – 2015 Smart For Two vehi- forum held by government safety regula- cause an engine to stall, are linked to at cles. Certain of these vehicles may have steering-gear mounting bolts that could tors who are frustrated over what they say least 90 deaths. break during operation. Dealers will replace any suspect bolts. is an unacceptably low rate of recall re- GM started the recall slowly because pairs. its parts supplier had to equip factories to In some recalls for problems as serious make switches for 2.6 million cars like the as air bags that can spew shrapnel into Chevrolet Cobalt. drivers or fuel tanks that can rupture in a But GM customer relations executive Ford expands door latch recall Julie Heisel said it boosted the rate by go- rear-end crash, completion rates are below DETROIT — Under pressure from U.S. safety regulators, Ford is expanding a recall ing beyond the usual recall letter, adding 15 percent, six months or more after the of small and midsize cars to fix door latches that may not stay closed. e-mails, human and automated telephone recalls were announced. The recall now covers almost 546,000 Ford Fusions and Lincoln MKZs from the calls and social media. For example, the Those recalls involve millions of ve- 2013 and 2014 model years, and Ford Fiestas from 2011 to 2014. company checked its database of small- hicles, challenging automakers to find Ford Motor Co. added about 156,000 Fiestas to a recall announced last month. It also car owners against people using Face- replacement parts and the cars’ owners. determined that some of the Fusions and MKZs under recall were made at a factory near book, AOL and other social media sites, Regulators at times have fined automakers Detroit. Previously the company thought all the cars were made in Mexico. she said. for dragging their feet, while concerned Ford says a broken spring part can stop the doors from latching properly. The doors “When someone goes on one of those car owners are left waiting for repairs and also can open while the cars are in motion, increasing the risk of injury. websites and there’s a match, we push an worrying about their safety. Earlier this week, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration warned ad to that consumer” about the recalls, she On average, automakers fix three out of owners of the cars to get them repaired as soon as they get a notice from Ford. The com- said. four cars covered by a recall in 18 months. pany said notices should have started arriving the week of May 18. Dealers will replace One Ford official said the company is Mark Rosekind, head of the National all four door latches for free. developing an app to make it easier for Highway Traffic Safety Administration Ford reported two minor injuries from unlatched doors bouncing into people when cars to be repaired, while a Chevrolet chief since December, wants to get that re- they tried to close them. There also was one crash when a door opened and hit another dealer said he opened Saturdays for ser- pair rate to 100 percent. So he asked auto vehicle in a parking lot. vice and offered free oil changes. (AP) • companies and safety advocates for their NHTSA said that if owners find it difficult to close doors, their cars should not recommendations. be driven, even if it appears as if the doors have latched. Instead, the cars should be towed to a dealership, the agency said. Also, NHTSA warned that if a door pops open while the car is in motion, drivers should pull over and have it towed to the nearest Nissan expands air bag dealer. (AP) • recall after Louisiana injury Mitsubishi recalls cars for faulty defrosters NEW YORK — Mitsubishi is recalling more than 130,000 cars because of two sepa- By Tom Krisher Traffic Safety Administration of the ex- rate issues that could lead to reduced visibility for drivers and raise the risk of a crash. pansion on April 30th, he said. Nearly 77,000 cars are being recalled because the windshield defroster might fail as DETROIT — Nissan is adding 45,000 The recalled vehicles were sold or reg- a result of a faulty blower motor. The cars affected include Lancer model years 2009 to small cars to a previous recall after a Loui- istered in 12 high-humidity states and ter- 2011, Lancer Sportback model years 2010 to 2011, Lancer Evolution model years 2010 siana woman was injured by flying shrap- ritories including Alabama, Florida, Geor- to 2011 and Outlander Sport model year 2011. nel from an exploding air bag. gia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi and About 53,400 cars are affected by the other recall. Mitsubishi says head lights, tail The woman’s lawyer says that Sabra Texas and the territories of Puerto Rico, lights and windshield wipers may not work because of an unstable electronic control Wilson’s 2006 Nissan Sentra was not part the U.S. Virgin Islands, Saipan, Guam and unit. The affected cars include Lancer model years 2009 to 2010, Outlander model years of any recall, yet she suffered burns, cuts American Samoa. The humidity can cause 2009 to 2010, Evolution model year 2010 and Sportback model year 2010. (AP) • and hearing problems when the passenger the air bag propellant to burn too fast and air bag made by Takata Corp. spewed met- potentially blow apart metal canisters Chrysler recalling 58k manual Jeeps and Vipers al shrapnel after a minor crash in March designed to hold them. The problem has near New Orleans. been linked to six deaths and dozens of in- DETROIT — Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is recalling 58,833 older cars and SUVs The incident also raises questions about juries. with manual transmissions. whether other cars with Takata air bags So far, 10 different automakers have The recall covers 2006 Jeep Liberty and Wrangler SUVs and Dodge Viper cars pro- should be recalled, her lawyer, Kevin recalled over 17 million cars and trucks duced between Feb. 15, 2005, and Sept. 14, 2006. Of those, 43,874 were sold in the U.S. Dean, said in a statement. in the U.S. and 22 million worldwide be- The rest were sold in Canada, Mexico and overseas. The recall expansion covers Sentra cause of the air bag problem. FCA says a switch wire can break and cause the vehicles not to start. The vehicles compacts from the 2004 through 2006 There could be as many as 30 million may also move unintentionally if drivers don’t follow the company’s recommended model years in high-humidity states vehicles with Takata air bags across the procedures for starting the car. Drivers are supposed to engage the parking brake, shift mainly along the U.S. Gulf Coast. Nis- U.S. to neutral and depress the clutch before turning the key. The company says it is unaware san spokesman Steve Yaeger said the cars Wilson’s lawyer Dean said the recalls of any injuries or accidents related to the defect. (AP) • were added when Nissan found out about aren’t working and that the truth isn’t be- Wilson’s injury while analyzing field data. ing told about the number of vehicles in- VW recalls minivans to fix ignition In November, Nissan recalled more volved in the Takata problem. than 52,000 vehicles to fix potentially “Sabra’s injuries should compel Takata DETROIT — Volkswagen is recalling nearly 21,000 minivans for a second time to fix faulty passenger air bag inflator mecha- and the automakers to investigate every faulty ignition switches that can cause the vans to stall. nisms made by Takata. The recall included vehicle on the road and determine whether The recall covers roughly 18,500 Routan minivans from the 2009 model year and several Infiniti and Nissan models, includ- or not they are safe,” he said. another 2,200 from 2010. All were made for VW by Fiat Chrysler. ing some 2004 to 2006 Sentras. The cars Messages were left seeking comment The switches can unexpectedly slip out of the run position, shutting off the engines, added to the recall weren’t part of the pre- from spokesmen for Takata and the Na- knocking out power steering and brakes and disabling the air bags. vious one, Yaeger said. tional Highway Traffic Safety Administra- The same vans were recalled for the same problem last year but safety regulators Nissan notify the National Highway tion. (AP) • determined the fix wasn’t adequate. (AP) • 14 Appalachian Automotive Report June 2015 Rearview

ion that peo- tially, it’s like they’re drunk. But once ple could see you get used to it, it’s not so bad.” In “driving down March, Jeff and “his crew” drove the 1938 DYMAXION the road.” The Dymaxion from Nashville to the 2015 chassis for Amelia Island Concours in Florida a By Jay Hirsch Jeff’s Dymax- distance of 600 miles. the actual cause of the impact was a colli- ionn was built in Pennsylvania with refine- I had the distinct pleasure of riding in The Dymaxion car was a concept sion with a car driven by a Chicago South ments made at the Lane Musuem’s facil- the Dymaxion, which “is quite a trip” in car designed by Buckminster Fuller in Park commissioner who wanted a closer ity in Nashville. It was then sent off to the the physical and spiritual sense. Look- 1933. Fuller, born in 1895, was best look at the Dymaxion. The damage to the Czech Republic where Mirko Hrazdira ing out the front windshield makes tak- known for his geodesic domes. The Dymaxion and its reputation for being a built the wooden-body support structure. ing in the scenery an entirely different word “dymaxion” was a word used safe vehicle was already done, with initial Ecorra, a Czech company which special- visual experience. You have a field of by Fuller for several of his inventions. reports blaming a “freak car rolls over, kill- izes in restoring Tatras and restored Jeff’s vision between 280 and 300 degree,s Fuller took the words dynamic, maxi- ing driver.” There was never any mention 1947 T-87 Tatra, fabricated the aluminum and the sky is the limit without ever mum and tension and combined them about a second vehicle in the news report. skin for the Dymaxion. To stay as true to having to move your head. You sit into “dymaxion.” This first Dymaxion was eventually the original 1938 Dymaxion as possbile, a “high” in the “Max” but not as high as The story of the Dymaxion begins in repaired by Fuller and his small team of 1936 Ford Flat Head V-8 was used as the some modern day 4 x 4 pickups. The 1933 with Buckminster and culminates workers and designers. There were three power plant along with a Ford three-speed ride is smooth and comfortable, which in 2015 with Jeff Lane and the Lane original Dymaxion’s made. The first being manual transmission. Hydraulic brakes are is in no small part due to Jeff’s exper- Motor Museum tise with the vehicle. in Nashville, You cannot Tenn. go down the road The building or stop at any traffic of the original light without scores and first Dymax- of people smil- ion began in ing and waving at 1933. The car you. When parked, was hand-built, the Dymaxion is as it was a pro- like honey to flies, totype, and was except it is people to be displayed swarming about at the 1934 Chi- it. You do not own cago World’s a vehicle like the Fair. On its way Dymaxion — or any to the fair on Oct. in the Lane Motor 17, 1933, the Museum — and not Dymaxion was like people, for peo- hit by another ple will be all you car and flipped meet and talk with. over. It resulted The Lane in the death of museum has a col- the driver and lection of 400 cars, seriously injuring the two passengers. the one badly damaged in Chicago. Car used in place of the mechanical brakes of many one-off or limited production The vehicle that hit the Dymaxion was number two is in a Museum in Reno, Nev., the original Dymaxion. Anything related vehicles with a good percentage being driven by a local politician, and his and car number three changed owners sev- to safety has been updated. Radial tires are European cars rarely seen in the U.S., car was immediately removed from eral times and was supposedly scrapped in used in place of bias ply tires, seats have such at Tatra, Travant, along with mini the accident scene. The reports in the the 1950s. safety belts, etc. and micro cars, an Amphicar to name press the next day lay the blame on the Which brings us to the Dymaxion you As for the unique design of the Dymax- just a few. Not all are on display at Dymaxion’s unconventional design and see here and Jeff Lane of the Lane Motor ion, to say the interior is spacious would be one time, as the theme of each exhibit the fact it had two wheels in the front Museum in Nashville. Jeff Lane is a “car a slight understatement. Visibility out that changes. The museum is a great place and one in the rear that acted like a rud- guy” in the truest and purest sense of the front scenic cruiser windshield is superb, for “kids of all ages,” a place the fam- you can see the road three feet in ily can enjoy and it is educational in a front of you since there is no engine fun way. When was the last time you compartment. With its two front had “fun” as in enjoyment, lighthearted wheels being the “power wheels” pleasure. Go to the Lane Museum in and single rear-wheel acts like a Nashville, and you will know why Jeff rudder; driving and handling take always has a smile on his face. • some “getting used to,” in particular on highways where 18-wheelers have created “that ridge” in the cen- Specifications ter of a lane, where the single rear- steering tire is. In the 1930s, trucks Length 237” (19.75’) were not as big as today’s 18-wheelers and the weight they carry. As for Width 77” (6.42’) rear visibility, there is a periscopic Wheelbase 138” (11.5’) mirror in the roof above the driver Height 70” (5.8’) that affords 360-degree vision with Weight 3,450 lb no worry of an electronic failure Engine 1936 Ford Flathead It was said that if the Dymaxion had gone into production, Fuller V8 and his design team was going to go Horse power 85 with a conventional set up of front Transmission 3-speed manual floor der. term, although the cars in the museum steering and rear-wheels being the power shift The official investigation that fol- are not “museum” pieces — they are all or driving wheels. As Jeff says, “When Radiator Modern, aluminum lowed exonerated the Dymaxion and “drivers,” and indeed Jeff does drive them you’re pulling out onto a two-lane road, its design and lay the fault of the acci- around Nashville on warm, dry days. Cars you have to turn the wheel first, before you radiator in the original dent on the Dymaxion being hit by a are “fun” and meant to be enjoyed and that move. Then as you come out, you need to location car that was illegally removed from is one thing Jeff excels at. Being an aficio- turn back, because if you don’t do that, the Tire size 225/75 x 15 the accident scene. This “report” came nado of the oddball automobile, he thought rear end’s going to swing into oncoming out 60 days after the accident. It found there should be an example of a Dymax- traffic. Every time somebody drives it ini-

June 2015 Appalachian Automotive Report 15

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