LKQ of Washington invests $2.5 million in recycling ... - Parts & People
LKQ of Washington invests $2.5 million in recycling ... - Parts & People
LKQ of Washington invests $2.5 million in recycling ... - Parts & People
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
NORTHWEST EDITION<br />
<strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> Northwest Regional Office<br />
P.O. Box 46937, Seattle, WA 98146-0937<br />
Onl<strong>in</strong>e Edition at<br />
www.partsandpeople.com<br />
NW/C<br />
Serv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>Wash<strong>in</strong>gton</strong>, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska Volume 103 Number 11 November 2011<br />
<strong>LKQ</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Wash<strong>in</strong>gton</strong> <strong><strong>in</strong>vests</strong> <strong>$2.5</strong> <strong>million</strong> <strong>in</strong><br />
recycl<strong>in</strong>g facility, boosts Northwest presence<br />
by Michael Anderson<br />
Renton, Wash.—In a bid to<br />
provide better service and<br />
higher-quality recycled parts<br />
to customers, <strong>LKQ</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Wash<strong>in</strong>gton</strong> is <strong>in</strong>vest<strong>in</strong>g <strong>$2.5</strong><br />
<strong>million</strong> <strong>in</strong> a new production<br />
build<strong>in</strong>g at its Buckley<br />
automotive recycl<strong>in</strong>g facility.<br />
“The <strong>in</strong>vestment <strong>in</strong> the<br />
operation is to improve<br />
product quality by reduc<strong>in</strong>g<br />
potential damage <strong>in</strong>curred <strong>in</strong><br />
transferr<strong>in</strong>g parts from other<br />
operations,” said Cory<br />
Anderson, general manager<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>LKQ</strong> & Keystone Seattle,<br />
the company’s aftermarket<br />
division, and <strong>LKQ</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Wash<strong>in</strong>gton</strong>, the<br />
recycl<strong>in</strong>g arm. “We want to buy cars <strong>in</strong><br />
this market, keep them <strong>in</strong> this market, and<br />
sell the parts <strong>in</strong> this market.”<br />
This practice has reduced the amount <strong>of</strong><br />
vehicles and parts shipped between the<br />
Seattle market and <strong>LKQ</strong> Foster Auto <strong>Parts</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong> Portland.<br />
The Buckley recycl<strong>in</strong>g facility, formerly<br />
known as Walt & Vern’s Truck <strong>Parts</strong>, was a<br />
strategic acquisition last summer, Anderson<br />
said, which elim<strong>in</strong>ated the need to shuttle<br />
PRSRT STD<br />
U.S. Postage<br />
PAID<br />
Columbia, MO<br />
Permit No. 353<br />
Cory Anderson, general manager <strong>of</strong> <strong>LKQ</strong> & Keystone<br />
Seattle and <strong>LKQ</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Wash<strong>in</strong>gton</strong>, says that with the<br />
addition <strong>of</strong> Akzo Nobel pa<strong>in</strong>t, they are now a one-stop<br />
shop for collision repair facilities.<br />
vehicles purchased <strong>in</strong> Seattle to Portland<br />
for process<strong>in</strong>g, then shipp<strong>in</strong>g the parts back<br />
for distribution.<br />
“Used parts create a bit <strong>of</strong> a logistical<br />
challenge, mak<strong>in</strong>g it hard to ensure that<br />
top-quality parts are delivered,” Anderson<br />
said. “They require a lot <strong>of</strong> attention to<br />
protect them from shipp<strong>in</strong>g damage. We<br />
put a tremendous amount <strong>of</strong> attention to<br />
deliver<strong>in</strong>g our parts from specialized<br />
trucks, transfer pallets, and foam.” The<br />
delivery team is also tra<strong>in</strong>ed to ship<br />
Electronic Service Requested<br />
PARTS & PEOPLE (Northwest Region)<br />
P.O. Box 46937<br />
Seattle, WA 98146-0937<br />
recycled parts, he added.<br />
In addition to erect<strong>in</strong>g the new vehicle<br />
process<strong>in</strong>g build<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> Buckley, complete<br />
with truck docks, Anderson said they’re<br />
also mak<strong>in</strong>g sure the dra<strong>in</strong>age system for<br />
the 10-acre yard is up to date and current<br />
with state regulations.<br />
Along with recycled automotive parts,<br />
<strong>LKQ</strong> & Keystone Seattle <strong>of</strong>fers new<br />
aftermarket and remanufactured collision<br />
parts, sold under the Keystone brand, as<br />
well as Sikkens, Lesonal, and Wanda<br />
pa<strong>in</strong>t, which arrived shortly after <strong>LKQ</strong><br />
Corp.’s acquisition <strong>in</strong> May <strong>of</strong> Akzo<br />
Nobel’s distribution bus<strong>in</strong>ess, Anderson<br />
said.<br />
S<strong>in</strong>ce <strong>LKQ</strong> & Keystone Seattle were<br />
already sell<strong>in</strong>g associated pa<strong>in</strong>t products<br />
and parts, and consider<strong>in</strong>g bus<strong>in</strong>ess<br />
relationships with body shops were<br />
already <strong>in</strong> place, mak<strong>in</strong>g the transition to<br />
Cont<strong>in</strong>ued on page 20<br />
INSIDE <strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong><br />
More than 11,800 circulated<br />
H&H Diesel specializes <strong>in</strong> eng<strong>in</strong>e work<br />
and fuel <strong>in</strong>jection service . . . . . . . . . . 3<br />
The Milton, Wash.,<br />
diesel specialists<br />
provide eng<strong>in</strong>e<br />
rebuilds, fuel <strong>in</strong>jection<br />
products and service,<br />
and extensive repair<br />
and mach<strong>in</strong>e shop services, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g<br />
expanded gas-eng<strong>in</strong>e work.<br />
HDAW 2012 to emphasize company<br />
culture; registrations on the upsw<strong>in</strong>g . 3<br />
Automotive Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g Expo 2012 changes<br />
date from March to February . . . . . . . . 5<br />
Latest tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g and equipment keeps<br />
Medford repair shop up to date . . . . . . 7<br />
Dave Facciuto didn’t<br />
<strong>in</strong>tend to open an auto<br />
repair shop but a stream<br />
<strong>of</strong> loyal customers<br />
persuaded him<br />
otherwise.<br />
COLLISION REPAIR<br />
Pages 15-18 C1-C4<br />
Ra<strong>in</strong>ier Collision benefits from<br />
two Puget Sound locations . . . . . . . 15<br />
Dick and Eva Bennison,<br />
owners <strong>of</strong> Ra<strong>in</strong>ier<br />
Collision & Ra<strong>in</strong>ier Auto<br />
Repair <strong>in</strong> Gig Harbor and<br />
Port Orchard, say two<br />
locations allow for<br />
reduced cycle times.<br />
Nissan launches collision program for<br />
<strong>in</strong>dependents and dealers . . . . . . . C-2<br />
New certification<br />
program is open to<br />
dealer-owned and<br />
<strong>in</strong>dependent collision<br />
shops.<br />
Cont<strong>in</strong>uous improvement means us<strong>in</strong>g<br />
problem-solv<strong>in</strong>g teamwork . . . . . . C-2<br />
Th<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g outside the box and chang<strong>in</strong>g the<br />
culture to one <strong>of</strong> teamwork and problem<br />
solv<strong>in</strong>g will lead to success for collision<br />
shops.<br />
New MSO event at NACE proves<br />
to be a popular draw . . . . . . . . . . . C-4<br />
Collision Repair Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g Notes . . . 17<br />
ONLINE<br />
More photos and<br />
articles at<br />
partsandpeople.com<br />
Auto Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9<br />
Recently Driven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12<br />
The Nissan NV 3500 is stylish, <strong>of</strong>fers immense<br />
cargo space, and handles well.<br />
ASRW attendance is up <strong>in</strong> Florida . . . 13<br />
Mechanical Repair Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g Notes . . 19<br />
Everett truck dealership provides<br />
added services at new facility . . . . . 21<br />
Motor Trucks Inc. <strong>in</strong> Everett<br />
provides sales, parts, and<br />
service for new<br />
International trucks, and<br />
service for nearly every type<br />
<strong>of</strong> diesel powered truck.<br />
Run to the Sun event tests 25 sports<br />
and performance vehicles . . . . . . . . . 24<br />
Calendar <strong>of</strong> Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25<br />
Cooper’s Keys to Auto Repair . . . . . . 27<br />
<strong>People</strong> & Places . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28<br />
Eng<strong>in</strong>es & Eng<strong>in</strong>e Rebuild<strong>in</strong>g / Heavy-Duty Trucks Focus Issue
Page 2 November 2011 <strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> www.partsandpeople.com
Eng<strong>in</strong>es & Eng<strong>in</strong>e Rebuild<strong>in</strong>g / Heavy-Duty Trucks Focus Issue<br />
Diesel specialist services varied clientele with eng<strong>in</strong>e work and fuel <strong>in</strong>jection<br />
by Jerold B. Smith<br />
Milton, Wash.—H&H Diesel Service<br />
Inc. has been provid<strong>in</strong>g diesel service for<br />
47 years, said Gary Wolfe, general<br />
manager <strong>of</strong> the firm. Founded by brothers<br />
Slade and Gary Holmes <strong>in</strong> 1964, the firm<br />
purchased property and built a facility<br />
near I-5 <strong>in</strong> Milton <strong>in</strong> 1969, said Owner<br />
Jackie Holmes, who said her husband,<br />
Slade, was killed <strong>in</strong> an airplane crash 15<br />
years ago.<br />
Sitt<strong>in</strong>g on a 4.5-acre site with plentiful<br />
space for the trucks the firm services,<br />
H&H operates three departments at the<br />
bus<strong>in</strong>ess: fuel <strong>in</strong>jection sales and service,<br />
mach<strong>in</strong>e shop services, and<br />
truck/equipment repair, said Wolfe, who<br />
was with the company for 11 years, left<br />
for other endeavors, and returned to help<br />
run the firm after the death <strong>of</strong> Holmes.<br />
“Fuel <strong>in</strong>jection is the biggest part <strong>of</strong> our<br />
Owner Jackie Holmes is pictured with her bird, Toby, and<br />
General Manager Gary Wolfe at the front parts counter at<br />
H&H Diesel <strong>in</strong> Milton.<br />
bus<strong>in</strong>ess,” he said. “We sell fuel <strong>in</strong>jection<br />
parts to a variety <strong>of</strong> loyal customers and<br />
provide outside sales from Centralia to<br />
Aberdeen and all <strong>of</strong> the Tacoma area.”<br />
The parts department<br />
has an <strong>in</strong>ventory <strong>of</strong><br />
$725,000, mostly stocked<br />
with fuel <strong>in</strong>jection<br />
products, Wolfe said.<br />
“Our technicians are<br />
factory-tra<strong>in</strong>ed and can<br />
provide exceptional<br />
service on fuel <strong>in</strong>jection<br />
systems,” he said. The<br />
firm <strong>of</strong>fers<br />
remanufactured,<br />
exchange, or new units<br />
and is an Alliant Power<br />
fuel <strong>in</strong>jection dealer, as<br />
well as a Bosch Service<br />
Center, and dealer for l<strong>in</strong>es<br />
such as Clevite, Cumm<strong>in</strong>s, Denso, Delphi,<br />
Stanadyne, and other products, he added.<br />
“Our fuel <strong>in</strong>jection bus<strong>in</strong>ess is steady<br />
and grow<strong>in</strong>g, and we have five <strong>in</strong>jectionshop<br />
employees,” Wolfe said, add<strong>in</strong>g that<br />
the company has <strong>in</strong>vested heavily <strong>in</strong><br />
tool<strong>in</strong>g and test equipment to service the<br />
needs <strong>of</strong> customers that range from fleets<br />
to dealers to repair specialists.<br />
“We get a lot <strong>of</strong> bus<strong>in</strong>ess due to the use<br />
<strong>of</strong> bio fuels, which can ru<strong>in</strong> an <strong>in</strong>jection<br />
system if not used properly.”<br />
With 17 employees, H&H is housed <strong>in</strong><br />
an 8,000-square-foot build<strong>in</strong>g that has a<br />
parts department, <strong>of</strong>fices, three-bay<br />
service center, fuel-<strong>in</strong>jection center, and<br />
mach<strong>in</strong>e shop, Wolfe said. The service<br />
shop, with three technicians, handles 75-<br />
100 vehicles a month, many <strong>of</strong> those<br />
pickups, but they work on a variety <strong>of</strong><br />
vehicles and equipment, he said.<br />
While the firm used to repair a large<br />
number <strong>of</strong> eng<strong>in</strong>es, Wolfe said that<br />
bus<strong>in</strong>ess has dropped <strong>of</strong>f over the years,<br />
Cont<strong>in</strong>ued on page 6<br />
HDAW 2012 to emphasize company culture; registrations are on upsw<strong>in</strong>g<br />
by Rob Merw<strong>in</strong><br />
Bethesda, Md.—More than 1,700<br />
managers and executives from 17 countries<br />
attended last year’s Heavy Duty<br />
Aftermarket Week (HDAW) <strong>in</strong> Las Vegas,<br />
and event organizers said they expect<br />
numbers to <strong>in</strong>crease<br />
for HDAW 2012,<br />
which will have the<br />
theme, “Corporate<br />
Culture: The<br />
Foundation for<br />
Success.”<br />
“Currently, we are<br />
see<strong>in</strong>g a 30-percent<br />
<strong>in</strong>crease for same-time<br />
registration,” said Cochair<br />
Mike Betts,<br />
president <strong>of</strong> Betts<br />
Spr<strong>in</strong>g Co., <strong>of</strong> HDAW<br />
2012, which will be at<br />
the Mirage <strong>in</strong> Las<br />
Vegas on Jan. 23-26.<br />
“The outpour<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong><br />
comments regard<strong>in</strong>g<br />
this year’s theme and<br />
“The network<strong>in</strong>g<br />
opportunities are<br />
numerous and not<br />
to be missed.<br />
Nowhere are the<br />
real leaders <strong>of</strong> our<br />
<strong>in</strong>dustry<br />
assembled<br />
together <strong>in</strong> one<br />
place like they are<br />
at HDAW,” says<br />
HDAW 2012 Cochair<br />
Mike Betts.<br />
the reformatt<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> our educational program<br />
is overwhelm<strong>in</strong>gly positive,” Betts said.<br />
Co-chair Ken Duval, president <strong>of</strong><br />
Canadian Wheel Industries, said HDAW<br />
cont<strong>in</strong>ues to grow <strong>in</strong> importance and is the<br />
<strong>in</strong>dustry’s premier meet<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
“When HDAW was first developed, we<br />
understood that it would take a few years to<br />
create <strong>in</strong>dustry-wide momentum for the<br />
event and to establish credibility,” Duval<br />
said.<br />
“I believe that 2010 was a watershed year<br />
for HDAW,” he said. “S<strong>in</strong>ce that meet<strong>in</strong>g,<br />
HDAW has achieved the status that was<br />
envisioned <strong>in</strong> the early days <strong>of</strong> its <strong>in</strong>ception;<br />
hence, the <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> the registrations.”<br />
The co-chairs were challenged to develop<br />
a theme that connects what is important and<br />
relevant to the distributor and supplier<br />
community, they said. Last year’s theme<br />
revolved around leadership, and they said it<br />
was important to have HDAW 2012 build<br />
on that foundation.<br />
Betts said that aside from connect<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>in</strong>dustry distributors and suppliers, “it is<br />
<strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>g when one looks <strong>in</strong>side their own<br />
bus<strong>in</strong>ess each year. You identify what is and<br />
isn’t work<strong>in</strong>g, and you build on your<br />
strengths and what you learn from your<br />
analysis.”<br />
“We had just f<strong>in</strong>ished read<strong>in</strong>g Tony<br />
Hseih’s book, ‘Deliver<strong>in</strong>g Happ<strong>in</strong>ess,’<br />
about the importance <strong>of</strong> corporate culture,”<br />
Duval said. “Mr. Hseih is the CEO <strong>of</strong><br />
Zappos and places great emphasis on<br />
company culture and core values.<br />
“The more we thought about the book,<br />
the more it became evident that this theme<br />
would be a natural progression from the<br />
leadership theme <strong>of</strong> 2011,” he said.<br />
Duval said that all <strong>of</strong> HDAW 2012 will<br />
concentrate on the impact <strong>of</strong> company<br />
culture, from keynote speaker Robert<br />
Richman <strong>of</strong> Zappos to its education<br />
sessions.<br />
Richman, product manager <strong>of</strong> Zappos<br />
Insights, ranked by Fortune Magaz<strong>in</strong>e as<br />
one <strong>of</strong> the “Top 100 Companies Best to<br />
Work For,” will share how Zappos learned<br />
to serve its two most valuable assets:<br />
employees and customers, Duval said.<br />
Betts said Richman will devote much <strong>of</strong><br />
his keynote to describ<strong>in</strong>g the unique culture<br />
at Zappos. “His presentation will hit home<br />
with many owners and managers <strong>of</strong> the<br />
bus<strong>in</strong>esses,” he said. “The ‘Y’ generation,<br />
which is the future <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry, looks at their<br />
jobs <strong>in</strong> a way that is uniquely different than<br />
past generations.<br />
Times are chang<strong>in</strong>g,<br />
and we as an <strong>in</strong>dustry<br />
must change to be<br />
relevant <strong>in</strong> the<br />
future.”<br />
Betts said three <strong>of</strong><br />
the four 60- and 90-<br />
HDAW Co-chair<br />
Ken Duval says that<br />
all <strong>of</strong> HDAW 2012<br />
will concentrate on<br />
the impact <strong>of</strong><br />
company culture,<br />
from the keynote<br />
speaker to its<br />
education sessions.<br />
m<strong>in</strong>ute educational<br />
sessions are also<br />
centered on corporate<br />
cultural issues.<br />
He said one<br />
session, “The Culture<br />
Key: Innovation,<br />
Accountability, and<br />
the Human Art <strong>of</strong><br />
Bus<strong>in</strong>ess,” led by Edgar Papke, will be a<br />
“game changer.”<br />
“The takeaways are real and will hit<br />
home with all the leaders and managers <strong>in</strong><br />
attendance,” he said. But, more<br />
importantly, he cont<strong>in</strong>ued, the audience<br />
will realize how the right culture <strong>in</strong> their<br />
bus<strong>in</strong>ess is the difference between success<br />
and a less than desirable atmosphere.<br />
“In almost all cases, the proper culture<br />
delivers the best results and the most<br />
satisfy<strong>in</strong>g work environment,” Betts added.<br />
“Without the right culture, it is nearly<br />
impossible to have the k<strong>in</strong>d <strong>of</strong> teamwork<br />
that leaders work and wish for.<br />
“We are confident each session will<br />
deliver the audience with significant<br />
takeaways.”<br />
With HDAW hold<strong>in</strong>g four educational<br />
sessions, organizers have opened up<br />
additional time for more one-on-one<br />
meet<strong>in</strong>gs between suppliers and<br />
distributors, which are also expected<br />
exceed the more than 1,600 held dur<strong>in</strong>g<br />
HDAW 2011, the co-chairs said.<br />
“One-on-one meet<strong>in</strong>gs are a critical<br />
component <strong>of</strong> HDAW,” Duval said. “Both<br />
manufacturers and distributors value the<br />
opportunity to meet privately to discuss<br />
<strong>in</strong>dividual issues. The one-on-one meet<strong>in</strong>gs<br />
are the best vehicles to achieve that end.”<br />
The value ga<strong>in</strong>ed by attend<strong>in</strong>g the<br />
product expo, the scheduled one-on-one<br />
meet<strong>in</strong>gs, and the educational sessions are<br />
<strong>in</strong>valuable, Betts said.<br />
“The network<strong>in</strong>g opportunities are<br />
numerous and not to be missed. Nowhere<br />
are the real leaders <strong>of</strong> our <strong>in</strong>dustry<br />
assembled together <strong>in</strong> one place like they<br />
are at HDAW,” he said.<br />
“This year is the seventh year for<br />
HDAW, and each new year has been<br />
stronger than the last,” Betts said, “and that<br />
has to do with the collaborative nature <strong>of</strong><br />
event organizers, Heavy Duty Distribution<br />
Association (HDDA), Automotive<br />
Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA),<br />
and Commercial Vehicle Solutions<br />
Network (CVSN), as well as 10 other<br />
sponsor<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>dustry organizations that<br />
work on the overall agenda and plann<strong>in</strong>g<br />
for the conference.<br />
For more <strong>in</strong>formation, go to<br />
www.hdaw.org. n<br />
<strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> November 2011 Page 3
<strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong><br />
The Monthly Regional Publication<br />
For Northwest<br />
Automotive Specialists<br />
Volume 103 / Number 11, November 2011<br />
Publisher: Lance Buchner<br />
Associate Publishers:<br />
Jerold B. Smith and Michael Anderson<br />
Manag<strong>in</strong>g Editor: Rob Merw<strong>in</strong><br />
Contributors: John Yoswick,<br />
Daniel Sachs<br />
Graphic Arts Director: Mario Waller<br />
Pr<strong>in</strong>ter: Tribune Publish<strong>in</strong>g Co. Inc.<br />
<strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> is published monthly by<br />
Automotive Counsel<strong>in</strong>g & Publish<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Company, Inc., a Colorado corporation.<br />
ISSN 1083-771Z<br />
Northwest Edition<br />
P.O Box 46937<br />
Seattle, WA 98146-0937<br />
Phone: 206-935-3336 Fax: 206-937-9732<br />
Toll Free: 800-850-9232<br />
e-mail: jerry@partsandpeople.com<br />
Corporate Office<br />
Automotive Counsel<strong>in</strong>g & Publish<strong>in</strong>g Co., Inc.<br />
PO Box 18731, Denver, Colorado 80218-7310<br />
800-530-8557<br />
President/Publisher: Lance Buchner<br />
National Sales Director & Associate Publisher:<br />
Michael Anderson<br />
Director <strong>of</strong> Sales Development and Market<strong>in</strong>g: Art Wolfe<br />
art.wolfe@partsandpeoplecom<br />
Founded by Lance Buchner and Dave Lucia.<br />
www.partsandpeople.com<br />
Office Manager: Amanda Buchner<br />
Web and Production Manager: James Faust<br />
Circulation: Tracy Buchner, tracy@partsandpeople.com<br />
Subscriptions are free to all automotive-related Northwest<br />
regional bus<strong>in</strong>ess owners and managers; $36 per year,<br />
per edition to all others.<br />
For mail renewals or change <strong>of</strong> address, please <strong>in</strong>clude<br />
mail<strong>in</strong>g label.<br />
Reproduction <strong>of</strong> any <strong>of</strong> the contents <strong>of</strong> this publication by<br />
any means is prohibited without specific written<br />
permission <strong>of</strong> the publisher. Copyright 2011,<br />
Automotive Counsel<strong>in</strong>g & Publish<strong>in</strong>g Company, Inc.<br />
All rights reserved.<br />
Publisher’s Statement<br />
Trade shows reveal emerg<strong>in</strong>g trends<br />
and bus<strong>in</strong>ess cycles<br />
One <strong>of</strong> many def<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g benefits derived from attend<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>dustry<br />
trade shows is the identification and articulation <strong>of</strong> emerg<strong>in</strong>g<br />
trends, changes, and bus<strong>in</strong>ess cycles <strong>in</strong> the participat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>dustry<br />
segments.<br />
Whether it be the large, national shows and conventions <strong>of</strong> the<br />
fourth quarter or the tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g-rich regional shows, at each event<br />
the take-away from the whole is usually greater than the sum <strong>of</strong><br />
its parts.<br />
Exposure to the full spectrum <strong>of</strong> the shows — the tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g, the<br />
products, peers, speakers, and suppliers — is a key component <strong>in</strong><br />
fram<strong>in</strong>g a vision <strong>of</strong> the future for experienced show attendees.<br />
Some trends and directions are cutt<strong>in</strong>g-edge while others are<br />
time-tested but still current.<br />
Renew<strong>in</strong>g vertical <strong>in</strong>tegration<br />
One outcome, sometimes overlooked or unrecognized, is the<br />
renewal and recognition <strong>of</strong> the vertical <strong>in</strong>tegration <strong>of</strong> the parts<br />
and service <strong>in</strong>dustry. The vertical channel <strong>of</strong> the supply cha<strong>in</strong><br />
and parts distribution, from manufacturers through distributors to<br />
the shops, conta<strong>in</strong>s added value and efficiencies not always used<br />
to full advantage by shop owners.<br />
The mature, competitive structure <strong>of</strong> the supply channel<br />
rema<strong>in</strong>s a systemic strength <strong>of</strong> this <strong>in</strong>dustry and, arguably, a<br />
primary reason why the <strong>in</strong>dustry has weathered the economic<br />
downturn to the extent it has dur<strong>in</strong>g the last three years. It’s<br />
been, after all, world-class for many decades.<br />
Shop owners who recognize and participate with<br />
manufacturers and distributors <strong>in</strong> the channel not only benefit <strong>in</strong><br />
the short term but are also rewarded with a sense <strong>of</strong> trend and<br />
direction <strong>of</strong> the market or emerg<strong>in</strong>g technological challenges and<br />
the correspond<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>dustry response to such directions.<br />
It’s no surprise, really, to discover that at many booths there are<br />
programs tailored to fit the current needs <strong>of</strong> shops and <strong>in</strong>itiatives<br />
<strong>in</strong>tended to address current market and <strong>in</strong>dustry conditions. The<br />
disappo<strong>in</strong>tment is that more shop owners and managers do not<br />
recognize and benefit from the value and benefit created and<br />
packaged for them.<br />
Appreciate value to sell value<br />
For those who dismiss or dim<strong>in</strong>ish the importance <strong>of</strong> the trade<br />
shows, judg<strong>in</strong>g shows purely by attendance, it should be po<strong>in</strong>ted<br />
out that there is a value <strong>in</strong>herent <strong>in</strong> the gather<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> the <strong>in</strong>dustry<br />
— peer attendees and those who tra<strong>in</strong> or exhibit — that goes<br />
beyond simple short-term results. There is value <strong>in</strong> renewal,<br />
<strong>in</strong>dustry identification, and participation as a learn<strong>in</strong>g experience<br />
unto itself for all <strong>in</strong>volved.<br />
There is no specific tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g or sem<strong>in</strong>ar available to appreciate<br />
trade shows and conferences. It is to be experienced by each<br />
attendee <strong>in</strong> their own way and relative to their own needs, but, as<br />
we have witnessed over the years, it contributes to the formation<br />
<strong>of</strong> a personal, <strong>in</strong>dustry perspective <strong>in</strong>to which new <strong>in</strong>formation<br />
and response to chang<strong>in</strong>g bus<strong>in</strong>ess conditions can be adapted and<br />
def<strong>in</strong>ed.<br />
The whole is greater than the sum <strong>of</strong> its parts, and the value<br />
<strong>in</strong>herent is apparent to all who can appreciate value beyond<br />
purely short-term return.<br />
At a time when bus<strong>in</strong>esses are challenged to sell the value <strong>of</strong><br />
their services <strong>in</strong> order to ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong> or <strong>in</strong>crease prices necessary to<br />
<strong>in</strong>vest <strong>in</strong> technology, provide customer services, and meet<br />
<strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g costs <strong>of</strong> do<strong>in</strong>g bus<strong>in</strong>ess, <strong>in</strong>dustry trade show attendees<br />
benefit from the opportunity to appreciate the value <strong>in</strong>herent <strong>in</strong><br />
the <strong>in</strong>dustry itself and develop their own perspectives regard<strong>in</strong>g<br />
value.<br />
Perhaps a prerequisite to sell<strong>in</strong>g added value is to appreciate<br />
the value <strong>of</strong>fered by others.<br />
Attend one or more <strong>of</strong> the many trade shows and tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
events <strong>of</strong>fered this season and judge for yourself. n<br />
Over 1000 transmissions <strong>in</strong> stock and ready to deliver!<br />
We Supply:<br />
n Automatics & Standards<br />
n Foreign & Domestic - All Years, Makes, & Models<br />
n Transfer Cases<br />
n Differentials<br />
n Torque Converters<br />
n Hard & S<strong>of</strong>t <strong>Parts</strong><br />
Competitive wholesale pric<strong>in</strong>g –<br />
direct from the manufacturer.<br />
We <strong>of</strong>fer tow<strong>in</strong>g and <strong>in</strong>stallation services.<br />
Heavy Duty Applications for Tow<strong>in</strong>g<br />
and Industrial use.<br />
Now sell<strong>in</strong>g eng<strong>in</strong>es.<br />
Free Technical Support<br />
No upfront core costs<br />
We patronize local bus<strong>in</strong>esses,<br />
keep your money local.<br />
Transmission Remanufactur<strong>in</strong>g Co, LLC<br />
Locally owned s<strong>in</strong>ce 1981<br />
WASHINGTON<br />
710 <strong>Wash<strong>in</strong>gton</strong> Ave N<br />
Kent, WA 98032<br />
Toll Free - (800) 336-5525<br />
Local - (253) 872-8200<br />
www.trctrans.com<br />
Page 4 November 2011 <strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> www.partsandpeople.com
Automotive Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g Expo 2012 changes date from March to February<br />
by Jerold B. Smith<br />
SeaTac, Wash.—Generally held <strong>in</strong><br />
March, the Automotive Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g Expo<br />
(ATE) will be on Feb. 24-26 next year at<br />
the Doubletree Hotel near Sea-Tac Airport.<br />
As <strong>of</strong> press time, the education<br />
committee for ATE was f<strong>in</strong>aliz<strong>in</strong>g the more<br />
than 50 classes<br />
that will be<br />
featured at the<br />
tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g event.<br />
Sem<strong>in</strong>ars will<br />
<strong>in</strong>clude<br />
<strong>of</strong>fer<strong>in</strong>gs for<br />
owners,<br />
managers,<br />
service<br />
advisors,<br />
technicians,<br />
automotive<br />
Bus<strong>in</strong>ess/Career<br />
Consultant, Wellness<br />
Coach, Author, and<br />
Pr<strong>of</strong>essional Speaker<br />
Fred Schafer will<br />
address ATE attendees<br />
at the Saturday<br />
luncheon.<br />
educators, parts<br />
specialists, and<br />
others <strong>in</strong>volved<br />
<strong>in</strong> the<br />
automotive<br />
service and<br />
repair <strong>in</strong>dustry.<br />
Instructors<br />
for ATE will aga<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>clude the top tra<strong>in</strong>ers<br />
<strong>in</strong> North America to provide extensive<br />
management and technical classes rang<strong>in</strong>g<br />
from f<strong>in</strong>ancial issues to vehicle diagnostics,<br />
and weld<strong>in</strong>g to hybrid powertra<strong>in</strong>s.<br />
I-CAR will once aga<strong>in</strong> provide tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
for the collision repair trade <strong>in</strong> conjunction<br />
with the Pr<strong>of</strong>essional Development<br />
Programs (PDPs). A number <strong>of</strong> courses<br />
will be <strong>in</strong>structed by lead<strong>in</strong>g I-CAR<br />
tra<strong>in</strong>ers under the role-based PDP.<br />
ATE draws hundreds <strong>of</strong> service and<br />
repair pr<strong>of</strong>essionals from throughout the<br />
western U.S. and western Canada.<br />
The all-<strong>in</strong>clusive registration fee allows<br />
participants to attend as many classes as<br />
desired over the three days <strong>of</strong> tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g.<br />
Registration <strong>in</strong>cludes class materials,<br />
meals, and entrance to the Friday and<br />
Saturday even<strong>in</strong>g trade expo that features<br />
food and beverages.<br />
Registration also <strong>in</strong>cludes keynote<br />
speakers at the Saturday breakfast and<br />
luncheon. Noted coach and personal<br />
development tra<strong>in</strong>er Richard Fl<strong>in</strong>t will<br />
present “The Power to Be” <strong>in</strong> the morn<strong>in</strong>g,<br />
while Fred Schafer, considered one <strong>of</strong> the<br />
nation’s most dynamic speakers, will <strong>of</strong>fer<br />
“The Underdog Method to Success” dur<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Saturday’s lunch. Both will also present<br />
tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g classes.<br />
Exhibitors at the trade expo <strong>in</strong>clude parts<br />
and product suppliers, remanufacturers,<br />
equipment and tool providers, tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
firms, and other <strong>in</strong>dustry-support<br />
companies. Thousands <strong>of</strong> dollars <strong>in</strong> give-aways<br />
and prize draw<strong>in</strong>gs are provided for<br />
those who attend the expo.<br />
For <strong>in</strong>dustry pr<strong>of</strong>essionals who want to<br />
attend just the trade show, a $15 fee allows<br />
entrance on Friday or Saturday nights.<br />
The largest automotive service and repair<br />
tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g event on the West Coast, ATE<br />
provides the most dynamic class <strong>of</strong>fer<strong>in</strong>gs<br />
to meet the needs <strong>of</strong> today’s service and<br />
repair facilities.<br />
The education committee, consist<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong><br />
shop owners, technicians, and <strong>in</strong>dustry<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>essionals, strives to select the classes<br />
and sem<strong>in</strong>ars that provide the most<br />
comprehensive management and technical<br />
tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g available <strong>in</strong> North America.<br />
“ATE 2012 will add new classes never<br />
before <strong>of</strong>fered, as well as several new<br />
tra<strong>in</strong>ers that are highly regarded <strong>in</strong> the<br />
<strong>in</strong>dustry,” said Jeff Lovell, AAM, president<br />
and executive director <strong>of</strong> ASA <strong>Wash<strong>in</strong>gton</strong>,<br />
the show producer.<br />
“We work very hard to keep ATE fresh<br />
and <strong>of</strong>fer the classes that our <strong>in</strong>dustry<br />
needs to be both pr<strong>of</strong>essional and<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>itable,” Lovell said.<br />
Sponsored by ASA <strong>Wash<strong>in</strong>gton</strong>, the<br />
Northwest Tire Dealers Association, and<br />
the <strong>Wash<strong>in</strong>gton</strong> Automotive Wholesalers<br />
Association, the <strong>of</strong>ficial media sponsor <strong>of</strong><br />
ATE is <strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong>’s Northwest<br />
edition.<br />
The ATE web site is fully functional for<br />
registration to the event. A complete list<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>of</strong> classes, <strong>in</strong>structor bios, hotel<br />
<strong>in</strong>formation, exhibitors, and tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
sponsors will be detailed on the site<br />
(www.atetra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>gexpo.com). n<br />
See NAPA<br />
Products at<br />
ATE <strong>in</strong> February<br />
<strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> November 2011 Page 5
Diesel specialist services varied clientele with eng<strong>in</strong>e work and fuel <strong>in</strong>jection<br />
Cont<strong>in</strong>ued from page 3<br />
but the company still repairs and rebuilds<br />
some eng<strong>in</strong>es for trucks and specialty<br />
equipment.<br />
“We do keep<br />
busy with our<br />
cyl<strong>in</strong>der head<br />
bus<strong>in</strong>ess and<br />
have a good<br />
<strong>in</strong>ventory <strong>of</strong><br />
products on the<br />
shelf,” he said.<br />
On a recent visit<br />
to H&H, there<br />
were two Class 8<br />
diesel eng<strong>in</strong>es<br />
wait<strong>in</strong>g for bid<br />
approval from the<br />
customer for<br />
Keith Ste<strong>in</strong>born, an 18-year employee<br />
and manager <strong>of</strong> the fuel <strong>in</strong>jection<br />
department at H&H Diesel Service, works<br />
at one <strong>of</strong> the mach<strong>in</strong>es <strong>in</strong> the fuel<br />
<strong>in</strong>jection clean<strong>in</strong>g room.<br />
eng<strong>in</strong>e rebuild at a cost <strong>of</strong> about $20,000<br />
each, he said.<br />
In the three-person mach<strong>in</strong>e shop, most<br />
<strong>of</strong> the work is for diesel eng<strong>in</strong>es, but Wolfe<br />
said they service gas eng<strong>in</strong>es as well. “We<br />
work on cars, trucks,<br />
motorhomes, mediumduty<br />
trucks up to Class<br />
8, cranes, and other<br />
equipment,” he said.<br />
“We do a fair amount<br />
<strong>of</strong> work on oddball<br />
eng<strong>in</strong>es like tractors or<br />
specialty equipment.”<br />
Changes <strong>in</strong> the past<br />
10 years have altered<br />
how H&H provides<br />
service and how<br />
technicians are tra<strong>in</strong>ed,<br />
Wolfe said.<br />
“Trucks were slower to get<br />
electronic systems, and it has<br />
been a slow learn<strong>in</strong>g curve for<br />
us,” he said, “but we <strong>in</strong>vested<br />
<strong>in</strong> tool<strong>in</strong>g and have factory<br />
tools for Caterpillar,<br />
Cumm<strong>in</strong>s, Ford, General<br />
Motors, and Chrysler, plus we<br />
have a variety <strong>of</strong> lab scopes.<br />
“We have three scan tools<br />
just for Ford, as it represents a<br />
lot <strong>of</strong> bus<strong>in</strong>ess for us, and they<br />
are good about gett<strong>in</strong>g us<br />
repair data.”<br />
With advanced electronics<br />
and changes to diesel eng<strong>in</strong>es,<br />
Wolfe said all the staff has been <strong>in</strong>volved<br />
<strong>in</strong> extensive tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> recent years. “We<br />
take Bosch classes from Power<br />
Distribut<strong>in</strong>g, attend classes <strong>of</strong>fered by Jet<br />
We Are Your Fleet & Heavy-Duty Drivel<strong>in</strong>e Specialists!<br />
◆ We are your source for<br />
Automotive, 4x4, Heavy-Duty,<br />
Industrial, Mar<strong>in</strong>e, and<br />
Agricultural Drivel<strong>in</strong>es and PTOs!<br />
◆ Daily Delivery Service <strong>in</strong><br />
the Puget Sound area<br />
◆ Serv<strong>in</strong>g the Northwest<br />
S<strong>in</strong>ce 1972<br />
Seattle (206) 622-8760 • 1-800-552-7647 • Tacoma (253) 922-7350 • 1-866-4-UJOINT • Everett (425) 258-4013 • 1-866-U-JOINTS<br />
Jerry Eck, a technician at H&H Diesel Service for 24<br />
years, performs fuel-<strong>in</strong>jection service on a truck at the<br />
facility.<br />
Chevrolet, and attend other courses to stay<br />
current on chang<strong>in</strong>g technology,” he said,<br />
add<strong>in</strong>g that all tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g is paid for by the<br />
company.<br />
“Fuel <strong>in</strong>jection is the delicate part <strong>of</strong> the<br />
fuel system, and know<strong>in</strong>g how to repair or<br />
replace these electronically controlled<br />
systems is important so we can provide top<br />
quality service,” Wolfe said.<br />
Each system is different, with its own<br />
characteristics, he said, such as the GM<br />
four-micron filter that traps more particles<br />
and common rail systems that create their<br />
own technology issues. Chang<strong>in</strong>g fuel<br />
<strong>in</strong>jection filter <strong>of</strong>ten, every 3,000 to 5,000<br />
miles, is very important, he added.<br />
With a new lift <strong>in</strong> place, the first one <strong>in</strong><br />
the shop, Wolfe said, the shop will <strong>of</strong>fer<br />
extended services such as transmission<br />
work and service on more gas eng<strong>in</strong>es.<br />
With a major <strong>in</strong>vestment <strong>in</strong> factory and<br />
aftermarket tool<strong>in</strong>g and scan tools, the<br />
shop is able to perform additional work on<br />
vehicles and systems that were not<br />
considered <strong>in</strong> the past, he said.<br />
“We will cont<strong>in</strong>ue to keep up with fuel<br />
<strong>in</strong>jection systems and technology, buy<br />
needed tools and equipment, and cont<strong>in</strong>ue<br />
to tra<strong>in</strong> our people, most <strong>of</strong> whom have<br />
been here more than 10 years and many<br />
for over 25,” Wolfe said.<br />
“We have a great staff, and they seem to<br />
stay for a long time, so we must be do<strong>in</strong>g<br />
someth<strong>in</strong>g right,” Holmes said. n<br />
Technician Jerry Benner, 14 years at H&H<br />
Diesel Service, is a mach<strong>in</strong>ist <strong>in</strong> the firm’s<br />
mach<strong>in</strong>e shop division.<br />
Page 6 November 2011 <strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> www.partsandpeople.com
Latest tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g and equipment keeps Medford repair shop up to date<br />
Around the mid-<br />
1990s however, he<br />
said he began<br />
see<strong>in</strong>g automobiles<br />
becom<strong>in</strong>g more<br />
alike, mak<strong>in</strong>g it<br />
easier to widen his<br />
repair service.<br />
“You would<br />
f<strong>in</strong>d, let’s say, a<br />
Ford with a lot <strong>of</strong><br />
Bosch fuel<br />
<strong>in</strong>jection<br />
components on it,” he said. “We were<br />
already well versed <strong>in</strong> fuel <strong>in</strong>jection, which<br />
the imports did way early on. So when the<br />
American cars started to do fuel <strong>in</strong>jection,<br />
we already had good tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g at it, we<br />
already understood it.”<br />
Today, Facciuto said, he owns and<br />
operates a five-bay, 4,000-square-foot shop<br />
with seven employees. Among them are<br />
four ASE-certified technicians, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g<br />
himself, he said.<br />
“Each one <strong>of</strong> us tends to have a specialty<br />
that we’re good at. My specialty for a long<br />
time was Porsche. Mike Lesh does<br />
Volkswagen and Audi. Dave Lesh does<br />
GM, Chrysler, and Ford. So we cover a lot<br />
<strong>of</strong> ground that way,” Facciuto said. “My<br />
wife works as the <strong>of</strong>fice manager as well.”<br />
One <strong>of</strong> the most challeng<strong>in</strong>g tasks,<br />
Facciuto said, has been keep<strong>in</strong>g up with<br />
technology. But tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g programs <strong>of</strong>fered<br />
by local and national distributors help<br />
make it possible to stay up to date, he said.<br />
“We do a lot <strong>of</strong> tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g through<br />
companies like WORLDPAC,” he said.<br />
Cont<strong>in</strong>ued on page 8<br />
Owner Dave Facciuto (l.) says Jim<br />
Johnson is his primary customer service<br />
tech, and is usually the first person<br />
customers greet when they come <strong>in</strong>.<br />
by Daniel Sachs<br />
Medford, Ore.—Dave Facciuto said he<br />
never thought <strong>of</strong> mak<strong>in</strong>g auto repair a<br />
career until he needed to earn some extra<br />
cash while work<strong>in</strong>g on his bus<strong>in</strong>ess degree<br />
at Butler University.<br />
“To supplement my <strong>in</strong>come, I worked at<br />
a local garage do<strong>in</strong>g just basic, simple<br />
stuff,” Facciuto said. But when his job<br />
duties grew more complex, he said he<br />
decided to become ASE certified.<br />
Eng<strong>in</strong>e Performance and Brakes were<br />
two certification courses he completed, and<br />
he said he realized then that he really loved<br />
work<strong>in</strong>g on cars. “From there I just kept on<br />
work<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> shops,” Facciuto said.<br />
He said he started the bus<strong>in</strong>ess <strong>in</strong> 1989,<br />
but prior to open<strong>in</strong>g his own shop he<br />
received lots <strong>of</strong> formal tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g. “I’ve been<br />
to several factory tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g schools and I<br />
was actually the shop foreman for a large<br />
import specialty repair shop before open<strong>in</strong>g<br />
my own bus<strong>in</strong>ess,” he said.<br />
“As far as the bus<strong>in</strong>ess start<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> this<br />
valley, I was formally employed by a shop<br />
<strong>in</strong> town, and left that employment, not<br />
really <strong>in</strong>tend<strong>in</strong>g to start my own bus<strong>in</strong>ess,”<br />
Facciuto said. “But I had quite a clientele<br />
<strong>of</strong> people that liked me as a mechanic, so<br />
they kept call<strong>in</strong>g me and I felt like, ‘This is<br />
what I know how to do and I do it well,’<br />
and just grew <strong>in</strong>to it with so loyal<br />
customers.”<br />
Facciuto said he opened the doors at his<br />
current location <strong>in</strong> 2005.<br />
“For me, it was to start small and grow<br />
as the bus<strong>in</strong>ess grew, versus try<strong>in</strong>g to open<br />
this massive shop,” Facciuto said.<br />
“There’s that say<strong>in</strong>g, ‘If you build it,<br />
they will come.’ Well, you have to be<br />
careful <strong>of</strong> the economy when you say that.<br />
You don’t want to over-build, but you want<br />
to be big enough to take care <strong>of</strong> your<br />
customers.”<br />
At first, Facciuto said he worked only on<br />
imports. Thus, Dave’s Import Service.<br />
CYLINDER HEAD<br />
Keeps power <strong>in</strong> place<br />
VALVE COVER<br />
Easily-<strong>in</strong>stalled precision seal<br />
INTAKE MANIFOLD<br />
Seals vacuum-tight<br />
PREDICTIVE<br />
ENGINEERING<br />
EXHAUST HEADER<br />
Locks down escape routes<br />
OIL PAN<br />
Takes hold and stays put<br />
WATER OUTLET<br />
Conforms to conquer corrosion<br />
Component:<br />
MLS head gasket<br />
Applications:<br />
Dodge P7/R5 (1103L, 1103R),<br />
W9 (1186)<br />
Precisely located<br />
seal<strong>in</strong>g embossments<br />
Advanced polymer for<br />
superior fluid seal<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Fel-Pro ® Performance MLS head gaskets were<br />
developed to seal the <strong>in</strong>creased power <strong>of</strong><br />
today’s performance eng<strong>in</strong>es. Utiliz<strong>in</strong>g state<strong>of</strong>-the-art<br />
test<strong>in</strong>g and 3-D computer simulation<br />
to gather crucial head lift data, our eng<strong>in</strong>eers<br />
then “design <strong>in</strong>” features that accommodate<br />
actual eng<strong>in</strong>e conditions over a wide range <strong>of</strong><br />
operat<strong>in</strong>g conditions. Fel-Pro MLS gaskets are<br />
constructed <strong>of</strong> durable, full-hard sta<strong>in</strong>less steel<br />
for superior strength and recovery under the<br />
most extreme conditions (<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g supercharged,<br />
turbo, and nitrous oxide <strong>in</strong>jected<br />
eng<strong>in</strong>es). This material resists sear<strong>in</strong>g heat and,<br />
through application-specific eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g,<br />
distributes proper clamp loads across the<br />
seal<strong>in</strong>g surfaces. These gaskets also feature<br />
advanced polymer coat<strong>in</strong>gs that can withstand<br />
repeated vertical motion (scrubb<strong>in</strong>g).<br />
To request a free Fel-Pro Performance catalog,<br />
email publications@federalmogul.com.<br />
©2007 Federal-Mogul Corporation. All rights reserved.<br />
Full-hard sta<strong>in</strong>less<br />
steel layers<br />
The challenges a technologically advanced<br />
performance eng<strong>in</strong>e can place on its gaskets<br />
may be unpredictable. But not to Fel-Pro. Our<br />
team <strong>of</strong> dedicated eng<strong>in</strong>eers has one mission:<br />
Creat<strong>in</strong>g better ways to seal an eng<strong>in</strong>e,<br />
no matter what the environment.<br />
Today’s performance eng<strong>in</strong>es are designed to<br />
extract every last bit <strong>of</strong> power per cubic <strong>in</strong>ch.<br />
This puts newfound levels <strong>of</strong> stress, heat and<br />
high compression on their seal<strong>in</strong>g systems. So<br />
they require the latest <strong>in</strong> seal<strong>in</strong>g technologies.<br />
That’s what Fel-Pro delivers.<br />
You’ll f<strong>in</strong>d the latest <strong>in</strong> seal<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>novations <strong>in</strong><br />
all <strong>of</strong> our competition-proven products – from<br />
our active-layer MLS and coated, sta<strong>in</strong>lessarmored<br />
head gaskets to our easy-on-and-<strong>of</strong>f<br />
one-piece valve cover and oil pan gaskets.<br />
Each designed to handle whatever the future<br />
can throw at it.<br />
So the next time you build an eng<strong>in</strong>e, seal it<br />
with gaskets from eng<strong>in</strong>eers who know the<br />
unknown – choose Fel-Pro!<br />
ENGINE ENGINE & & PERFORMANCE WAREHOUSE<br />
ANAHEIM ALBUQUERQUE ANCHORAGE ANAHEIM ANCHORAGE OAKLAND DALLAS PORTLAND DENVERTACOMA<br />
HOUSTON<br />
(800) (877) 634-0969 767-0100<br />
(800) (505) 288-5573 761-0100<br />
(800) (907) 634-0969 563-7278 (800) (510) 288-5573 569-9802 (800) 284-5348 (503) 232-2270 (800) 888-8970 (800) 876-5152<br />
(800) 288-6548<br />
(714) (800) 634-3803 234-1410 (907) (800) 563-7278 876-5152 (214) 637-3301 Se habla español (303) 572-8844 (800) 650-1747 (713) 862-2929<br />
OAKLAND<br />
(800) 234-1410<br />
OKLAHOMA CITY<br />
(800) 937-3652<br />
PHOENIX<br />
(888) 272-0191<br />
PORTLAND<br />
(800) 876-5152<br />
SAN ANTONIO<br />
(800) 423-2707<br />
TACOMA<br />
(800) 876-5152<br />
<strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> November 2011 Page 7
Brake Systems Inc.<br />
“POWER BRAKE EXPERT”<br />
• New & Remanufactured<br />
Bendix, Midland, & Foreign<br />
• Over 200 Part Numbers<br />
• Custom Remanufactur<strong>in</strong>g<br />
– Treadle Vacs<br />
– Hydro Vacs<br />
– Hydro Boost<br />
– Master Vac<br />
• We Specialize <strong>in</strong> Older<br />
Models<br />
BRAKE SYSTEMS INC.<br />
2221 NE HOYT • PORTLAND, OR 97232<br />
FOR MORE INFO SEE OUR WEB PAGE:<br />
www.brakesystems<strong>in</strong>c.com<br />
Ph: 503-236-2116 • FAX: 503-239-5005<br />
Toll Free: 800-452-5734<br />
Latest tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g and equipment keeps Medford shop up to date<br />
Cont<strong>in</strong>ued from page 7<br />
“They seem to encompass anyth<strong>in</strong>g that<br />
helps the auto repair <strong>in</strong>dustry, and they put<br />
on tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g courses once or twice a year.”<br />
Keep<strong>in</strong>g his employees <strong>in</strong>formed is one<br />
th<strong>in</strong>g, but they also need to have access to<br />
state-<strong>of</strong>-the-art diagnostic equipment,<br />
Facciuto said, add<strong>in</strong>g that his technicians<br />
buy a lot <strong>of</strong> their own Snap-on hand tools.<br />
“As far as our diagnostic equipment, we<br />
have a Snap-on Modis,” he said. “That’s<br />
their top-level diagnostic platform for<br />
electronics, and we have the Launch-Tech<br />
X431.”<br />
Facciuto was also enthusiastic about<br />
specialty <strong>in</strong>struments. “We have a BMW<br />
GT1 DIS pr<strong>of</strong>essional diagnostic tool,<br />
which is a BMW-specific factory scan tool.<br />
Then we have all the various transmission<br />
flush mach<strong>in</strong>es, fuel <strong>in</strong>jection flush<strong>in</strong>g<br />
mach<strong>in</strong>es, and coolant flush<strong>in</strong>g mach<strong>in</strong>es.”<br />
The newest addition to the shop is a<br />
Hunter alignment mach<strong>in</strong>e. “Hunter has a<br />
good reputation, and one <strong>of</strong> my techs<br />
actually teaches at Rogue Community<br />
College,” he said. “He teaches a front-end<br />
class, and they use a Hunter alignment<br />
mach<strong>in</strong>e. And the biggest th<strong>in</strong>g was that I<br />
got a good buy on it.”<br />
His ma<strong>in</strong> parts<br />
suppliers <strong>in</strong>clude<br />
WORLDPAC, NAPA,<br />
and one <strong>of</strong> the biggest<br />
local jobbers,<br />
Performance<br />
Warehouse. But what’s<br />
most important to<br />
Facciuto is the quality<br />
<strong>of</strong> the part. “That is No.<br />
1. It has to be as good<br />
as or better than the<br />
orig<strong>in</strong>al or it’s just not<br />
worth it,” he said.<br />
“Sometimes we’ll<br />
get a box that says<br />
made <strong>in</strong> Ch<strong>in</strong>a, and<br />
we’ll send it back. But there are certa<strong>in</strong><br />
parts you just can’t get anywhere else. For<br />
BMWs, Audi, and most <strong>of</strong> my European’s,<br />
I can buy the orig<strong>in</strong>al, made <strong>in</strong> that country.<br />
For the Japanese cars we can f<strong>in</strong>d good<br />
suppliers where the [water] pumps are<br />
made <strong>in</strong> Japan. And Japanese-made pumps<br />
are very good.”<br />
In recent years, Facciuto said, he has<br />
seen several changes <strong>in</strong> the <strong>in</strong>dustry, the<br />
biggest be<strong>in</strong>g advancement <strong>in</strong> technology.<br />
He said one <strong>of</strong> his customers recently took<br />
his Ferrari to a Portland dealer and quickly<br />
learned that the dealer couldn’t work on it<br />
because it had a carburetor. “So that’s how<br />
far technology has gotten.<br />
There’s not many <strong>of</strong> us old<br />
guys left that can still do the<br />
whole eng<strong>in</strong>e.”<br />
Northwest Automotive<br />
Trade Association (NATA) and<br />
Automotive Service<br />
Association (ASA) are two<br />
groups that he belongs to,<br />
Facciuto said. They make it<br />
possible for bus<strong>in</strong>esses such as<br />
his to pull resources together<br />
and communicate effectively,<br />
he said. “It’s really important<br />
for shops to communicate with<br />
one another, and that’s what<br />
Dave’s Import Service Shop Foreman David Lesh (r.) and<br />
Owner Dave Facciuto work on a 2005 Porsche Cayenne.<br />
these associations do. We can identify<br />
hurdles that we’re all fac<strong>in</strong>g, and deal with<br />
them as a group so we can become<br />
stronger.”<br />
There are no plans to expand, Facciuto<br />
said, but he did add how vital it is to have<br />
good employees and how fortunate he feels<br />
to be work<strong>in</strong>g with such a great crew.<br />
“These are can-do k<strong>in</strong>d <strong>of</strong> guys,” he said.<br />
“I’ve got guys that’ll just do anyth<strong>in</strong>g for<br />
you. I mean they’re just <strong>in</strong>credible. I<br />
couldn’t do it without them. I wouldn’t<br />
want do it without them. Every one <strong>of</strong> them<br />
will stay late and never compla<strong>in</strong>. That’s<br />
the most important th<strong>in</strong>g.” n<br />
Dave’s Import Service Bookkeeper Louise Brandes<br />
makes sure bus<strong>in</strong>ess runs smoothly by manag<strong>in</strong>g<br />
cash flow.<br />
When you’re look<strong>in</strong>g for quality parts<br />
and real-world market<strong>in</strong>g programs,<br />
call your Federated parts pr<strong>of</strong>essionals:<br />
Reliability, durability and safety are benefits you can’t see, but your<br />
customers will notice the difference. Use Kia Genu<strong>in</strong>e <strong>Parts</strong>.<br />
Your service customers may never see a cam shaft or tim<strong>in</strong>g belt, but when it<br />
comes to Kia Genu<strong>in</strong>e <strong>Parts</strong>, they will notice the difference the way their vehicles<br />
handle and perform. Kia Genu<strong>in</strong>e <strong>Parts</strong> are eng<strong>in</strong>eered to meet factory<br />
specifications and backed by the Kia brand. You know your bus<strong>in</strong>ess. We know<br />
our parts. Choose Kia.<br />
Contact your local Kia dealer for assistance and delivery <strong>of</strong> your parts.<br />
Puyallup, WA<br />
Kia <strong>of</strong> Puyallup<br />
253-286-8030<br />
866-447-2787<br />
Eugene, OR<br />
Kiefer Kia<br />
541-868-2590<br />
800-853-6947<br />
Gresham, OR<br />
Weston Kia<br />
503-665-2653<br />
800-231-5186<br />
Spokane, WA<br />
George Gee Kia<br />
509-343-3000<br />
866-937-2542<br />
Western <strong>Wash<strong>in</strong>gton</strong><br />
Seattle Automotive<br />
Distribut<strong>in</strong>g<br />
(800) 932-3500<br />
Inland Northwest<br />
Automotive Jobbers Supply<br />
Spokane, <strong>Wash<strong>in</strong>gton</strong><br />
(509) 624-2291<br />
S.W. <strong>Wash<strong>in</strong>gton</strong>/Oregon<br />
AED Inc.<br />
Portland, Oregon<br />
(800) 666-2660<br />
Eastern <strong>Wash<strong>in</strong>gton</strong><br />
P & F Automotive Warehouse<br />
Yakima, <strong>Wash<strong>in</strong>gton</strong><br />
(800) 572-0491<br />
Page 8 November 2011 <strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> www.partsandpeople.com
Auto Notes<br />
compiled by Jerold B. Smith<br />
This Kenworth T660 Class 8 truck has<br />
class-lead<strong>in</strong>g aerodynamics and is fuel<br />
efficient, but along with other heavy-duty<br />
trucks, the Kenworth fleet will have to<br />
reduce fuel consumption by 2018.<br />
better use <strong>of</strong> side airbags and<br />
stronger structures <strong>in</strong> cars<br />
and m<strong>in</strong>ivans; and newer<br />
designs <strong>of</strong> SUVs and<br />
pickups that align their<br />
front-end energy-absorb<strong>in</strong>g<br />
structures with those <strong>of</strong> cars.<br />
The National Highway<br />
Traffic Safety<br />
Adm<strong>in</strong>istration (NHTSA)<br />
had asked automakers to<br />
address the compatible<br />
design issues and the results<br />
were positive, IIHS <strong>of</strong>ficials said.<br />
Participat<strong>in</strong>g automakers <strong>in</strong>cluded<br />
BMW, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors,<br />
Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, Mercedes-<br />
Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, Suzuki,<br />
Toyota, and Volkswagen.<br />
“By work<strong>in</strong>g together, the automakers<br />
got life-sav<strong>in</strong>g changes done quickly,”<br />
said Joe Nolan, IIHS chief adm<strong>in</strong>istrative<br />
<strong>of</strong>ficer. “These new designs have made a<br />
difference on the road.”<br />
The study compared SUVs and pickups<br />
Cont<strong>in</strong>ued on page 10<br />
This 2011 Jeep Patriot is one <strong>of</strong> five small<br />
SUVs that were given a 2011 Top Safety<br />
Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway<br />
Safety. Most SUVs have been redesigned<br />
for improved crash issues with cars and<br />
m<strong>in</strong>ivans.<br />
New heavy-duty fuel requirements.<br />
In our August column, we cited the new<br />
CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel<br />
Economy) regulations for cars and light<br />
trucks announced by the Obama<br />
adm<strong>in</strong>istration. Recently, the first fuel<br />
efficiency and greenhouse gas standards<br />
for medium- and heavy-duty trucks were<br />
revealed, as well.<br />
The proposed regulations, to beg<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong><br />
the 2014 model year, are broken <strong>in</strong>to three<br />
categories: Comb<strong>in</strong>ation Tractors<br />
(tractor-trailers), which will be required to<br />
achieve a 20-percent reduction <strong>in</strong> fuel<br />
consumption and lower emissions by<br />
2018, compared to a 2010 basel<strong>in</strong>e;<br />
Heavy-Duty Pickups and Vans,<br />
which must achieve 15-percent reductions<br />
by 2018 (separate standards for gasol<strong>in</strong>eand<br />
diesel-powered vehicles); and<br />
Vocational Vehicles (delivery trucks,<br />
dump trucks, and school buses), which<br />
must achieve 10-percent reductions from<br />
2010 levels.<br />
Incentives will be <strong>of</strong>fered for early<br />
<strong>in</strong>troduction <strong>of</strong> advanced technology<br />
packages such as electric-drive vehicles<br />
on some truck models. The proposed EPA<br />
and DOT requirements are expected to<br />
save U.S. bus<strong>in</strong>esses $50 billion <strong>in</strong> fuel<br />
costs, reduce oil consumption by 530<br />
<strong>million</strong> barrels <strong>of</strong> oil, and reduce<br />
emissions by 270 metric tons over the<br />
lifetime <strong>of</strong> vehicles sold between 2014<br />
and 2018.<br />
SUVs and pickups safer. The<br />
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety<br />
(IIHS) announced Sept. 28 its f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>of</strong><br />
crash tests for SUVs and pickups. The<br />
results <strong>of</strong> extensive research and test<strong>in</strong>g<br />
show that both are vastly improved when<br />
<strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong> accidents with cars and<br />
m<strong>in</strong>ivans.<br />
Researchers attribute much <strong>of</strong> the<br />
improved crash protection to two issues:<br />
<strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> November 2011 Page 9
YOU’RE ON YOUR WAY<br />
WITH<br />
ANY ACDelco<br />
PRODUCT PURCHASE.<br />
START T EARNING<br />
YOUR<br />
earnPOWER POINTS TODAY!<br />
Auto Notes<br />
Cont<strong>in</strong>ued from page 9<br />
aga<strong>in</strong>st cars and m<strong>in</strong>ivans <strong>in</strong> models<br />
rang<strong>in</strong>g from 2000-2001 to late model<br />
vehicles and determ<strong>in</strong>ed that redesigned<br />
SUVs and trucks <strong>in</strong> newer model years<br />
were dramatically lower <strong>in</strong> crash deaths.<br />
The numbers were substantially better<br />
for SUVs than pickups which <strong>of</strong>ten carry<br />
larger and heavier loads than SUVs.<br />
The Mitsubishi Outlander Sport cont<strong>in</strong>ues to be a hot seller<br />
for the automaker. The model will be manufactured <strong>in</strong> Ill<strong>in</strong>ois<br />
next year.<br />
Mitsubishis are hot. Mitsubishi<br />
Motors North America (MMNA) said its<br />
September sales marked a 13-month<br />
<strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> units sold. Year-to-date sales for<br />
the first n<strong>in</strong>e months <strong>of</strong> 2011 are up 59<br />
percent, outpac<strong>in</strong>g overall U.S. auto sales.<br />
For September, sales <strong>of</strong> 5,803 units<br />
represented a 17-percent <strong>in</strong>crease over<br />
September 2010.<br />
“Consumers cont<strong>in</strong>ue to be drawn to the<br />
styl<strong>in</strong>g, performance, and fuel efficiency <strong>of</strong><br />
our Outlander Sport,” President and CEO<br />
Yoichi Yokozawa said.<br />
“Our momentum should be further<br />
enhanced as we launch a major advertis<strong>in</strong>g<br />
campaign that focuses on next year’s<br />
Outlander Sport launch at our U.S.<br />
manufactur<strong>in</strong>g facility <strong>in</strong> Normal, Ill., and<br />
November’s sales launch <strong>of</strong> the Mitsubishi<br />
i,” Yokozawa said.<br />
The launch will take place <strong>in</strong> the Pacific<br />
Northwest and California.<br />
Beetle R debuts. Volkswagen<br />
<strong>in</strong>troduced its new Beetle R Concept at the<br />
recent Frankfurt Motor Show. While<br />
specifics have not yet<br />
been released, <strong>in</strong>dustry<br />
analysts have said this<br />
model may be <strong>in</strong><br />
production next year.<br />
The Beetle has been<br />
described by VW as the<br />
“sportiest Beetle ever,”<br />
and with 20-<strong>in</strong>ch wheels,<br />
new front and rear<br />
fascias, two sets <strong>of</strong> dualchrome<br />
tailpipes, a rear<br />
spoiler, and other<br />
exterior detail<strong>in</strong>g, this is<br />
an excit<strong>in</strong>g model. It will<br />
most likely be equipped<br />
with a 2.0L turbo eng<strong>in</strong>e found <strong>in</strong> other<br />
VW models.<br />
The concept car shown <strong>in</strong> Frankfurt had<br />
rac<strong>in</strong>g-style seats wrapped <strong>in</strong> black leather<br />
and pedals with alum<strong>in</strong>um caps. Blue and<br />
black color accents were used as well.<br />
Volkswagen <strong>of</strong> America reported strong<br />
results for September, up 35.6 percent over<br />
2010 on sales <strong>of</strong> 27,036 units. For the year,<br />
U.S. sales are up more than 22 percent.<br />
The first <strong>of</strong> the Chattanooga, Tenn.-<br />
built Passats sold 3,176 units <strong>in</strong><br />
September. Clean-diesel TDI models<br />
accounted for 22.7 percent <strong>of</strong> U.S. sales<br />
for Volkswagen. n<br />
Use this QR<br />
code<br />
for more<br />
promotional details.<br />
The Beetle R Concept was displayed at the Frankfurt Motor Show and most likely will<br />
be produced next year for the U.S. market.<br />
Page 10 November 2011 <strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> www.partsandpeople.com
IT PAYS TO<br />
MAKE THE RIGHT<br />
CHOICE<br />
OPTIMIZE YOUR<br />
OPTIONS<br />
ACDelco Products<br />
Make It ACDelco<br />
Your customers have choices. With more than 84,000 high-quality ACDelco parts at your<br />
disposal, you do, too. Our Advantage, Pr<strong>of</strong>essional and Orig<strong>in</strong>al Equipment Service products<br />
meet almost every need and budget to help keep your customers on the road—and more<br />
importantly, keep them from go<strong>in</strong>g anywhere else. So no matter how much you see, you’re only<br />
see<strong>in</strong>g a small part <strong>of</strong> what we’re do<strong>in</strong>g for you. It’s all part <strong>of</strong> someth<strong>in</strong>g bigger. And reward<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
©2011 General Motors. All rights reserved.<br />
Independent Service Centers,<br />
Key Fleet and ACDelco Total<br />
Service Support members can<br />
beg<strong>in</strong> earn<strong>in</strong>g earnPower po<strong>in</strong>ts<br />
with the purchase <strong>of</strong> any ACDelco<br />
product now through December 31,<br />
2011. Start earn<strong>in</strong>g the po<strong>in</strong>ts that<br />
let you choose from more than<br />
3,000 onl<strong>in</strong>e items, gift cards<br />
to home improvement centers,<br />
restaurants, sport<strong>in</strong>g goods stores<br />
and much more. For more details,<br />
visit acdelcotechconnect.com.<br />
<strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> November 2011 Page 11
Recently Driven<br />
Nissan enters commercial market<br />
by Jerold B. Smith<br />
Nissan has charged <strong>in</strong>to the commercial<br />
vehicle market with several models <strong>of</strong> very<br />
usable light- and medium-duty vans that<br />
will meet a variety <strong>of</strong> bus<strong>in</strong>ess needs <strong>in</strong> that<br />
segment.<br />
Offer<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>in</strong>clude a NV 1500 van that<br />
starts at $24,950, followed by a NV 2500<br />
HD available <strong>in</strong><br />
both standard height<br />
and high-ro<strong>of</strong><br />
models, and the NV<br />
3500 HD, also<br />
available <strong>in</strong> two<br />
heights.<br />
Our tested unit<br />
was the 2012 NV<br />
3500 High Ro<strong>of</strong><br />
model that had an<br />
MSRP <strong>of</strong> $30,700<br />
(the standard height<br />
unit starts at<br />
The Nissan NV 3500 is stylish, <strong>of</strong>fers<br />
immense cargo space, and handles<br />
better than some cars we’ve tested this<br />
year.<br />
$28,550). To say we were impressed with<br />
this unit is an understatement <strong>of</strong> our overall<br />
satisfaction with the truck.<br />
Sharply designed, the NV 3500 High<br />
Ro<strong>of</strong> drives like a high-end car, with superb<br />
handl<strong>in</strong>g, corner<strong>in</strong>g, and turn<strong>in</strong>g radius.<br />
On the high-ro<strong>of</strong> model, cargo space is a<br />
whopp<strong>in</strong>g 323.1 cubic feet (234.1 cubic<br />
feet for the standard ro<strong>of</strong>) and adults can<br />
stand fully upright throughout the cargo<br />
area. Dual rear doors open at 243 degrees<br />
for easy access to the cargo area, and there<br />
is full access to the seat<strong>in</strong>g area from the<br />
cargo compartment.<br />
A large passenger-side slider door<br />
provides entry to the cargo area, which also<br />
features body-side trim panels and three<br />
high-voltage cargo lights. In addition, there<br />
are cargo floor D-r<strong>in</strong>gs plus two 12-volt<br />
and 120-volt power outlets.<br />
We loaded our test unit up and hauled a<br />
bountiful amount <strong>of</strong> household goods, with<br />
the extended height allow<strong>in</strong>g for<br />
cumbersome cargo to be easily stored.<br />
This full-length, fully boxed ladderframe<br />
truck is powered by a beefy 317-HP,<br />
516-L, DOHC, 32-valve V-8 eng<strong>in</strong>e that<br />
produces 385 lb-ft. <strong>of</strong> torque and vibrant<br />
acceleration. It’s mated with a five-speed<br />
automatic transmission that was both quiet<br />
and highly responsive when loaded or<br />
unloaded. No diesel-equipped NV 3500 is<br />
currently available.<br />
The chassis on the 146.1-<strong>in</strong>ch wheelbase<br />
NV 3500 <strong>of</strong>fers an <strong>in</strong>dependent strut <strong>in</strong> the<br />
front and a solid rear axle with rigid leaf<br />
spr<strong>in</strong>gs and rear stabilizer bar. It’s tight and<br />
reacted well <strong>in</strong> both city and highway<br />
driv<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
In the safety arena, the NV l<strong>in</strong>eup <strong>of</strong>fers<br />
dual-stage supplemental airbags, threepo<strong>in</strong>t<br />
seat belts, two-way adjustable front<br />
seat active head restra<strong>in</strong>ts, pipe-style steel<br />
side-door guard beams, and front/rear<br />
crumple zones.<br />
Add<strong>in</strong>g to the safety elements on the NV,<br />
there are four-wheel heavy-duty disc<br />
brakes, ABS, Electronic Brake Force<br />
Distribution, a Vehicle Dynamic Control<br />
system, traction<br />
control system, a tirepressure<br />
monitor<strong>in</strong>g<br />
system (TPMS), and<br />
vehicle security<br />
system with keylessentry<br />
power locks.<br />
Two adjustable<br />
capta<strong>in</strong>’s chairs <strong>in</strong> the<br />
front <strong>of</strong> the NV 3500<br />
allow for exceptional<br />
seat<strong>in</strong>g and leg room,<br />
with a center console<br />
splitt<strong>in</strong>g the two<br />
seats. The driver’s chair has an eight-way<br />
power sett<strong>in</strong>g with manual lumbar control,<br />
and the passenger seat folds down if<br />
required. Both are covered <strong>in</strong> waterresistant<br />
premium cloth.<br />
Three overhead storage areas are<br />
<strong>in</strong>cluded above the front w<strong>in</strong>dow, plus<br />
storage adjacent to the driver and passenger<br />
seats, as well as a back-door storage b<strong>in</strong>.<br />
Large sun visors for both front seats have<br />
storage clips for receipts. A camera assists<br />
with back-up maneuver<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
The exterior <strong>of</strong> the NV 3500 features rear<br />
comb<strong>in</strong>ation lights, multi-reflector halogen<br />
headlamps that provided genu<strong>in</strong>e front<br />
light<strong>in</strong>g capacity, large fold-<strong>in</strong> chrome<br />
mirrors with <strong>in</strong>tegrated convex spotter<br />
mirrors, chrome door handles, a nicely<br />
styled chrome radiator grille, chrome front<br />
bumper, UV-reduc<strong>in</strong>g solar front door glass<br />
and w<strong>in</strong>dshield, and 17-<strong>in</strong>ch steel wheels<br />
with all-season tires.<br />
While the NV 3500 has a 28-gallon tank,<br />
it does not have EPA fuel economy<br />
estimates. In more than 300 miles <strong>of</strong> city<br />
and highway driv<strong>in</strong>g, we averaged about<br />
13.5 MPG.<br />
Optional equipment <strong>in</strong>cluded a $190 rear<br />
door glass package (with rear defroster);<br />
all-season floor mates ($98); a side and<br />
curta<strong>in</strong> airbag package, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g frontseat-mounted<br />
side-impact airbags and head<br />
protection ($390); a tow package, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g<br />
front tow hooks, tow<strong>in</strong>g mirrors, Class IV<br />
trailer hitch, and heavy-duty battery ($460);<br />
and a $950 technology package with<br />
navigation system, CD/MP3 playback<br />
capability, XM Satellite radio, Bluetooth<br />
hands-free phone, and USB outlets.<br />
Even with the options, this rugged beast<br />
is priced under $35,000. n<br />
Page 12 November 2011 <strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> www.partsandpeople.com
Return<strong>in</strong>g to rotation, ASRW ’11 is deemed a success with <strong>in</strong>creased attendance<br />
Keynote speaker Chris Brogan, a bus<strong>in</strong>ess<br />
market<strong>in</strong>g consultant, speaker, and writer,<br />
tells ASRW attendees that us<strong>in</strong>g social<br />
media takes time, but so does any<br />
effective way to attract customers and<br />
referrals.<br />
hundred people who follow him on Twitter,<br />
ask<strong>in</strong>g what they’d like him to tell those<br />
who repair cars for a liv<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
Brogan said several recommended that<br />
shops build trust by educat<strong>in</strong>g customers<br />
and do<strong>in</strong>g simple th<strong>in</strong>gs like call<strong>in</strong>g<br />
customers when promised.<br />
“But the No. 1 word I saw over and over<br />
and over aga<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong> people’s tweets was<br />
‘honesty,’” Brogan said. “Be honest.”<br />
Brogan drew lots <strong>of</strong> laughter from ASRW<br />
attendees as he shared a number <strong>of</strong> his own<br />
suggestions:<br />
• Go digital <strong>in</strong> your shop wait<strong>in</strong>g area,<br />
<strong>of</strong>fer<strong>in</strong>g wireless Internet service and maybe<br />
even an iPod for customers to use. “<strong>People</strong><br />
aren’t go<strong>in</strong>g to walk away with them; you<br />
have their car,” Brogan joked.<br />
• Th<strong>in</strong>k <strong>of</strong> social media <strong>in</strong> a similar way<br />
— as an extension <strong>of</strong> the customer’s<br />
experience with your shop. Twitter and<br />
Facebook <strong>of</strong>fer a way for a customer to<br />
ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong> a relationship with you when their<br />
vehicle isn’t <strong>in</strong> your shop, Brogan said.<br />
“You want people to th<strong>in</strong>k <strong>of</strong> you before<br />
they’ve had their accident or they need your<br />
service,” he said. “You want to be top <strong>of</strong><br />
m<strong>in</strong>d and back <strong>of</strong> the head. It’s a really<br />
weird spot. It’s right about where people<br />
start go<strong>in</strong>g bald first.”<br />
• Keep it light and personable. Social<br />
media are about conversations, not just<br />
advertis<strong>in</strong>g, Brogan said. Comment and<br />
respond, don’t just post your own content.<br />
Send your emails from a person’s name at<br />
your shop, not just “<strong>in</strong>fo@” or “sales@”.<br />
Use a photo rather than your logo as the<br />
icon on your Facebook or Twitter accounts,<br />
Cont<strong>in</strong>ued on page 14<br />
by John Yoswick<br />
Orlando, Fla.—A new location and new<br />
features such as a symposium for multishop<br />
operators (MSOs) helped organizers <strong>of</strong> the<br />
2011 International Autobody Congress &<br />
Exposition (NACE) and Congress <strong>of</strong><br />
Automotive Repair & Service (CARS)<br />
attract about 2,000 more people than last<br />
year’s event did.<br />
“Com<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>to this year, we said if even<br />
one more person showed up this year than<br />
last year, it would be a success,” said Ron<br />
Pyle, executive director <strong>of</strong> the Automotive<br />
Service Association (ASA), which holds the<br />
two events together under the Automotive<br />
Service & Repair Week (ASRW) label. “But<br />
we went beyond that significantly.”<br />
After seven years <strong>in</strong> Las Vegas, ASRW<br />
organizers have returned to a rotation <strong>of</strong><br />
cities host<strong>in</strong>g the event, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g Orlando<br />
this year and New Orleans next October.<br />
Pyle said attendance was up about 15<br />
percent this year over last, putt<strong>in</strong>g it well<br />
above 18,000 people.<br />
The four-day event <strong>in</strong>cluded almost 90<br />
tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g sessions as well as a trade show that<br />
cont<strong>in</strong>ued to demonstrate the ongo<strong>in</strong>g<br />
impact <strong>of</strong> the economy and growth <strong>of</strong> other<br />
sales avenues; about 240 companies (30<br />
fewer than last year) filled a comb<strong>in</strong>ed<br />
50,000 square feet <strong>of</strong> booth space<br />
(compared to 90,000 square feet <strong>in</strong> 2009).<br />
But Pyle said the return to mov<strong>in</strong>g the<br />
show to locations other than Vegas clearly<br />
paid <strong>of</strong>f, with a significantly larger<br />
percentage <strong>of</strong> the attendees from the<br />
Southeast region <strong>of</strong> the country, and with 40<br />
percent <strong>of</strong> those who pre-registered<br />
<strong>in</strong>dicat<strong>in</strong>g they had not attended the event <strong>in</strong><br />
the past.<br />
Mak<strong>in</strong>g social media work<br />
Social media was a common topic at this<br />
year’s ASRW, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g a keynote address<br />
by Chris Brogan, a bus<strong>in</strong>ess market<strong>in</strong>g<br />
consultant, speaker, and writer.<br />
Brogan said that just prior to his ASRW<br />
address, he sent out a tweet to the several<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Mitchell 1 SocialCRM<br />
creates the magnetic pull your shop needs to keep your current customers and attract new<br />
ones. Through a f<strong>in</strong>ely<br />
calibrated comb<strong>in</strong>ation <strong>of</strong> verified ed consumer reviews, social media management, and proven<br />
follow-up communication programs, SocialCRM is the<br />
comprehensive and high-performance rmance toolkit your shop needs<br />
to energize your bus<strong>in</strong>ess for success.<br />
800.410.0529<br />
www.m1socialcrm.comom<br />
©2011 Mitchell Repair<br />
Information Company.The Mitchell 1 name is used here<strong>in</strong> by permission from Mitchell International, which<br />
h has no ownership <strong>in</strong>terest <strong>in</strong> Mitchell 1.<br />
<strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> November 2011 Page 13
Return<strong>in</strong>g to rotation, ASRW ’11 is deemed a success with <strong>in</strong>creased attendance<br />
Cont<strong>in</strong>ued from page 13<br />
he said. Keep your e-mails short — 250<br />
words or less — and about only one or two<br />
topics. Try to categorize your customer e-<br />
mail list <strong>in</strong> ways that let you send more<br />
relevant e-mails to different groups.<br />
• Solicit feedback, positive or negative.<br />
Ask customers to review you on Yelp or<br />
other sites, he said. If you get negative<br />
reviews, consider them an opportunity to<br />
publicly show how you address such<br />
customer concerns.<br />
Brogan said social media is not unlike the<br />
phone was 100 years ago — essentially a<br />
great new way to attract and reta<strong>in</strong><br />
customers if used effectively.<br />
“This social media stuff does take time,<br />
but prospect<strong>in</strong>g for customers and seek<strong>in</strong>g<br />
referrals always takes time,” he said.<br />
Panel discusses DRP agreements<br />
ASRW <strong>in</strong>cluded two forums, one for<br />
collision and one for mechanical, the<br />
even<strong>in</strong>g before the trade show opened.<br />
ASA Executive Director Ron Pyle says the<br />
growth <strong>in</strong> ASRW attendance shows that the<br />
decision to rotate the event to other<br />
locations, such as Orlando, was a good<br />
one.<br />
Each <strong>of</strong> the four representatives on a<br />
collision repair panel, for example, shared<br />
advice for shop owners consider<strong>in</strong>g whether<br />
to accept the terms <strong>of</strong> a direct repair<br />
program (DRP) agreement.<br />
Stacy Bartnik, director <strong>of</strong> field services<br />
for the Carstar franchise network, said she is<br />
concerned that many shop owners sign the<br />
agreements without fully read<strong>in</strong>g them.<br />
“I th<strong>in</strong>k this is especially true as bus<strong>in</strong>ess<br />
is down and repairers are struggl<strong>in</strong>g to get<br />
more work to their door,” Bartnik said. “As<br />
we all know, there are different elements <strong>of</strong><br />
different DRP contracts that appeal to some<br />
repairers and not to others.<br />
“So I th<strong>in</strong>k they get on these programs,<br />
and when bus<strong>in</strong>ess is good and they’re busy,<br />
they then start gett<strong>in</strong>g frustrated with any<br />
program that might not meet the format <strong>of</strong><br />
how they run their bus<strong>in</strong>ess,” she said.<br />
“We tend to do th<strong>in</strong>gs out <strong>of</strong> the need to<br />
get more work and not realize the<br />
consequences until we don’t need that one<br />
extra car each week from that <strong>in</strong>surer with<br />
whom we don’t agree on how they want us<br />
to do the work,” Bartnik said.<br />
George Avery, a claims consultant with<br />
State Farm, acknowledged that DRP<br />
agreements can be confus<strong>in</strong>g. His<br />
company’s agreement, for example, gives<br />
the <strong>in</strong>surer the right to require use <strong>of</strong> salvage<br />
parts, just as the company’s contract with its<br />
Attorney Andrew Rodenhouse told the<br />
ASRW audience that shops should take<br />
their experience with an <strong>in</strong>surer <strong>in</strong>to<br />
consideration before sign<strong>in</strong>g a direct<br />
repair agreement.<br />
<strong>in</strong>sureds does — yet State Farm chooses, for<br />
example, not to use salvage airbag<br />
components.<br />
Similarly, State Farm’s agreement with its<br />
DRP shops states that they may be required<br />
to use a particular estimat<strong>in</strong>g system, yet<br />
State Farm cont<strong>in</strong>ues to accept use <strong>of</strong> any <strong>of</strong><br />
the Big Three estimat<strong>in</strong>g systems.<br />
“We put that <strong>in</strong> the agreement so it could<br />
perhaps carry us <strong>in</strong>to the future, and if we<br />
ever needed it, it would be there,” Avery<br />
said. “But I understand that can be a little<br />
confus<strong>in</strong>g.”<br />
That’s why Avery encouraged shops to<br />
discuss any questions they have about the<br />
agreement with local claims personnel.<br />
Bartnik po<strong>in</strong>ted out to Avery, however,<br />
that sometimes local staff may not fully<br />
understand the agreements. Avery said that<br />
<strong>in</strong> such cases, he encourages shops to br<strong>in</strong>g<br />
those questions to the regional level or<br />
higher <strong>in</strong> his company.<br />
“You’re not go<strong>in</strong>g over anyone’s head,”<br />
he said, po<strong>in</strong>t<strong>in</strong>g out that some such<br />
questions even reach his <strong>of</strong>fice at State<br />
Farm’s national headquarters. “Go up the<br />
ladder to get the answers. I really encourage<br />
that.”<br />
Bob Redd<strong>in</strong>g, ASA’s governmental affairs<br />
representative <strong>in</strong> <strong>Wash<strong>in</strong>gton</strong>, D.C., said he<br />
encourages shops to have all DRP<br />
agreements reviewed by a local attorney.<br />
And one such attorney, Andrew<br />
Rodenhouse, whose family operates a<br />
collision repair bus<strong>in</strong>ess <strong>in</strong> Grand Rapids,<br />
Mich., agreed, po<strong>in</strong>t<strong>in</strong>g out that if anyth<strong>in</strong>g<br />
an <strong>in</strong>surance company representative tells<br />
you contradicts someth<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the agreement,<br />
the written terms will be what get upheld <strong>in</strong><br />
any disagreement.<br />
Rodenhouse said his other advice for<br />
shops consider<strong>in</strong>g a DRP agreement is to<br />
th<strong>in</strong>k about their experience work<strong>in</strong>g with<br />
that <strong>in</strong>surer.<br />
“If you’ve done some work for them <strong>in</strong><br />
the past, and the adjuster comes out and<br />
fights you on everyth<strong>in</strong>g, it’s not go<strong>in</strong>g to<br />
get better just because you sign a direct<br />
repair agreement,” he said. “Use your<br />
common sense and experience with what it’s<br />
like work<strong>in</strong>g with the local people for this<br />
<strong>in</strong>surance carrier.”<br />
ASA’s Pyle said hous<strong>in</strong>g reservations are<br />
already open onl<strong>in</strong>e for the 2012 event,<br />
scheduled for Oct. 10-13 <strong>in</strong> New Orleans.<br />
He said that unlike last year, several dozen<br />
exhibitors at this year’s event had already<br />
signed on for booth space next year. n<br />
It’s Com<strong>in</strong>g – Don’t Miss Out!!<br />
February 24-26, 2012 * Seattle<br />
www.ATETRAININGEXPO.com * 253-473-6970<br />
TM<br />
THE WEST COAST S LARGEST AUTOMOTIVE TRAINING & EXPO EVENT<br />
SPONSORED BY ASA-WA, NWTDA, & WAWA. PRODUCED BY ASA-WA.<br />
Page 14 November 2011 <strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> www.partsandpeople.com
Collision Repair<br />
In-house mechanical shop reduces cycle times for Ra<strong>in</strong>ier Collision<br />
Dick and Eva Bennison, owners <strong>of</strong> Ra<strong>in</strong>ier Collision & Ra<strong>in</strong>ier<br />
Auto Repair <strong>in</strong> Gig Harbor and Port Orchard, say hav<strong>in</strong>g two<br />
locations and an <strong>in</strong>-house mechanical department help keep<br />
cycle times low.<br />
by Michael Anderson<br />
Gig Harbor, Wash.—For Dick<br />
Bennison, cycle times are as important as<br />
quality repairs and high CSI. By means <strong>of</strong><br />
an <strong>in</strong>-house mechanical shop and two<br />
locations, Bennison<br />
said he and his wife,<br />
Eva, are able to<br />
satisfy both his<br />
customers and his 10<br />
<strong>in</strong>surance partners.<br />
Bennison said he<br />
owns two collision<br />
repair facilities,<br />
Ra<strong>in</strong>ier Collision &<br />
Ra<strong>in</strong>ier Auto Repair <strong>in</strong> Gig Harbor and<br />
Port Orchard, both I-CAR Gold shops.<br />
He said he sends heavy hits that usually<br />
need suspension work to the Gig Harbor<br />
shop and smaller jobs to Port Orchard<br />
shop, located <strong>in</strong>side <strong>of</strong> Grey Chevrolet,<br />
which adds up to greater efficiencies. The<br />
Gig Harbor location works on about 100<br />
cars a month, while Port Orchard<br />
produces 75, he said.<br />
Instead <strong>of</strong> sublett<strong>in</strong>g collision-related<br />
mechanical work to another repair shop,<br />
Bennison said he does it <strong>in</strong>-house and also<br />
resets his own airbags, sav<strong>in</strong>g vehicles<br />
from hav<strong>in</strong>g to be towed to dealerships for<br />
a reset. Own<strong>in</strong>g a tow truck is also a bigtime<br />
saver, he added.<br />
“Through word <strong>of</strong> mouth, we went from<br />
one technician to four technicians,” he<br />
said, add<strong>in</strong>g that he has four two-post<br />
Forward lifts, a Hunter alignment<br />
mach<strong>in</strong>e, and a Snap-on Modis scan tool.<br />
“It’s nice to set up the car and measure<br />
alignment damage so we can write as<br />
complete an estimate as possible,”<br />
“It’s nice to set up the car<br />
and measure alignment<br />
damage so that we can<br />
write as complete an<br />
estimate as possible.”<br />
General Manager Dave<br />
Watson said.<br />
After customers use<br />
Ra<strong>in</strong>ier for collision<br />
repair, Watson said,<br />
they discover the<br />
mechanical service and<br />
come back for oil<br />
changes and<br />
ma<strong>in</strong>tenance.<br />
With little<br />
competition <strong>in</strong> Gig<br />
Harbor, Bennison said,<br />
“If somebody f<strong>in</strong>ds us,<br />
they’re gett<strong>in</strong>g their car<br />
fixed here. We have<br />
friendly, good ‘people’<br />
people.” That is<br />
proven by the shop’s<br />
95-percent clos<strong>in</strong>g rate,<br />
he added.<br />
The couple employs<br />
19 people <strong>in</strong> Gig Harbor and seven <strong>in</strong> Port<br />
Orchard, Bennison said. While Watson<br />
serves as general manager, oversee<strong>in</strong>g the<br />
operations <strong>of</strong> both shops, Nate Diehl runs<br />
the mechanical division, he said.<br />
“Hav<strong>in</strong>g the dealer<br />
there <strong>in</strong> Port Orchard<br />
is huge,” Watson said.<br />
“We get a ton <strong>of</strong><br />
referral bus<strong>in</strong>ess.”<br />
“The biggest th<strong>in</strong>g<br />
we stress is quality<br />
and customer<br />
service,” he said. “If<br />
you take care <strong>of</strong> those<br />
two th<strong>in</strong>gs, everyth<strong>in</strong>g will follow.”<br />
Bennison, who also owned Riverside<br />
Collision <strong>in</strong> Kent for 10 years, admitted<br />
Before you buy, give the<br />
SMART-Plus a try!<br />
• Many OEM aprovals<br />
• SMART-Plus mode<br />
requires no setup<br />
perameters<br />
• Plug & play capability<br />
elim<strong>in</strong>ates<br />
learn<strong>in</strong>g curve<br />
Tecna 3664<br />
SMART-Plus<br />
that his ma<strong>in</strong> motivation for seek<strong>in</strong>g out a<br />
second location was because <strong>of</strong> the hourand-a-half<br />
commute from his home <strong>in</strong> Gig<br />
Harbor to the shop <strong>in</strong> Kent.<br />
In 2008, the Bennisons purchased<br />
Precision Collision <strong>in</strong> Gig Harbor,<br />
renam<strong>in</strong>g it Ra<strong>in</strong>ier Collision Inc. &<br />
Ra<strong>in</strong>ier Auto Repair, Bennison said.<br />
S<strong>in</strong>ce open<strong>in</strong>g, they’ve experienced two<br />
years <strong>of</strong> double-digit sales <strong>in</strong>creases,<br />
someth<strong>in</strong>g they anticipated because the<br />
Cont<strong>in</strong>ued on page 16<br />
Team Seattle<br />
Your Wholesale <strong>Parts</strong> Team<br />
3 Deliveries a day from Alderwood to South Tacoma<br />
<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g the Eastside! We also service Alaska & Hawaii!<br />
Call today for your genu<strong>in</strong>e Honda &<br />
Toyota mechanical and collision parts<br />
from the Pros at<br />
Team Seattle Downtown!<br />
Honda <strong>of</strong> Seattle<br />
DOWNTOWN<br />
(206) 382-8834<br />
Toll Free: 1-800-735-7206<br />
Fax: (206) 625-9744<br />
Email: parts@honda<strong>of</strong>seattle.com<br />
Toyota <strong>of</strong> Seattle<br />
DOWNTOWN<br />
(206) 382-8838<br />
Toll Free: 1-800-359-5635<br />
Fax: (206) 382-8823<br />
Email: parts@toyota<strong>of</strong>seattle.com<br />
Three deliveries a day dedicated to serv<strong>in</strong>g you.<br />
www.ldcequipment.com<br />
A must-have spot<br />
welder if you’re<br />
work<strong>in</strong>g on cars<br />
with high-strength<br />
steels<br />
A New Welder<br />
For New Steels<br />
QMT1000 Metal Analyzer<br />
www.qmt1000.com<br />
The most efficient<br />
method to assess and<br />
properly repair auto<br />
body damage on newer<br />
model cars.<br />
IN-SHOP TRAINING PROGRAMS<br />
877-862-4442<br />
Serv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>Wash<strong>in</strong>gton</strong>, Oregon &Idaho<br />
Kansas Jack • Tecna • QMT1000<br />
<strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> November 2011 Page 15
In-house mechanical shop reduces cycle times for Ra<strong>in</strong>ier Collision<br />
Cont<strong>in</strong>ued from page 15<br />
26,000-square-foot-shop was poised for<br />
growth, he said.<br />
“We still have room for two techs here<br />
as bus<strong>in</strong>ess grows,” he said. “Hav<strong>in</strong>g a<br />
nice, clean shop, we never have a problem<br />
f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g techs.”<br />
KEEP IT MINI<br />
Do the job right the first time.<br />
Orig<strong>in</strong>al MINI <strong>Parts</strong> ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong><br />
proper form, fit and function.<br />
Keep it genu<strong>in</strong>e. Keep it MINI.<br />
FURTHER PROOF THE WORLD<br />
REVOLVES AROUND YOU.<br />
Just as Bennison properly equips his<br />
mechanical techs, he said he does the<br />
same for his bodymen.<br />
The shop recently purchased a Tecna<br />
3664 Smart-Plus spot welder from John<br />
Leddy at LDC Equipment, Bennison said,<br />
add<strong>in</strong>g that he chose to buy it from Leddy<br />
because <strong>of</strong> his experience and knowledge.<br />
Daily Delivery from Bell<strong>in</strong>gham to Renton<br />
FREE FedEx Ground Shipp<strong>in</strong>g Anywhere <strong>in</strong> the Cont<strong>in</strong>ental U.S.<br />
For Orig<strong>in</strong>al MINI<br />
parts For Orig<strong>in</strong>al call: MINI<br />
parts call:<br />
Seattle MINI<br />
<strong>Parts</strong> Department<br />
MINI <strong>of</strong> St. Louis<br />
11550 Lake City Way NE<br />
Seattle, <strong>Parts</strong> WA Department<br />
98125<br />
206-588-4232<br />
125 S. Hunter<br />
Clayton, MO 63124<br />
Toll free 877-401-6464<br />
314-727-8877<br />
www.seattlem<strong>in</strong>i.com<br />
www.m<strong>in</strong>i<strong>of</strong>stlouis.com<br />
Mon-Fri 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.<br />
Sat 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.<br />
Open: Mon.-Fri.<br />
Serv<strong>in</strong>g Alaska, <strong>Wash<strong>in</strong>gton</strong>,<br />
Oregon, 7:00 a.m. Idaho, to 5:00 and Montana p.m.<br />
“You can pr<strong>in</strong>t out a sheet<br />
with every weld you make on<br />
the car,” he said, add<strong>in</strong>g that<br />
it’s an <strong>in</strong>telligent welder that<br />
duplicates factory welds.<br />
“It’s easy to use and has<br />
auto sett<strong>in</strong>gs with rapid scan,”<br />
Body Technician Stu Ochs<br />
said. “It will scan for<br />
thickness and steel type.”<br />
The Gig Harbor shop also<br />
houses three Black Hawk<br />
frame benches and two Shark<br />
computerized framemeasur<strong>in</strong>g<br />
systems, Bennison<br />
said. The shop’s three<br />
pa<strong>in</strong>ters spray PPG<br />
Envirobase waterborne <strong>in</strong> a<br />
Garmat side-draft pa<strong>in</strong>t booth<br />
and a double prep station, he said.<br />
S<strong>in</strong>ce mak<strong>in</strong>g the switch from solvent to<br />
waterborne basecoat with the help <strong>of</strong><br />
Gemeroy’s Auto Pa<strong>in</strong>t Specialty, a PPG<br />
Plat<strong>in</strong>um distributor, a year ago, Bennison<br />
said he now markets<br />
his shop as “green,”<br />
the only one <strong>in</strong> Gig<br />
Harbor. “They helped<br />
us right through it. It<br />
was a pa<strong>in</strong>less switch.”<br />
“The color match is<br />
better and simpler,”<br />
Watson said. “You<br />
have to stock fewer<br />
toners, so there’s a cost sav<strong>in</strong>gs there.”<br />
When it comes to parts, Bennison said<br />
he uses a variety <strong>of</strong> OEM new, used, and<br />
aftermarket units. Ma<strong>in</strong> suppliers <strong>in</strong>clude<br />
the Titus-Will group, the Larsen group,<br />
Lakewood Ford, Grey Chevrolet, Lexus<br />
<strong>of</strong> Fife, Mercedes-Benz <strong>of</strong> Tacoma, and<br />
BMW Northwest for OEM, he said. For<br />
Ron Harty, a pa<strong>in</strong>ter at Ra<strong>in</strong>ier Collision, pulls a PPG<br />
Envirobase toner from the pa<strong>in</strong>t bank. The shop<br />
converted to waterborne a year ago with the help <strong>of</strong><br />
Gemeroy’s Auto Pa<strong>in</strong>t Specialty.<br />
“The color match is<br />
better and simpler. You<br />
have to stock fewer<br />
toners, so there’s a cost<br />
sav<strong>in</strong>gs there.”<br />
aftermarket parts, GP Automotive <strong>Parts</strong> is<br />
the ma<strong>in</strong> supplier, as well as <strong>LKQ</strong> &<br />
Keystone Seattle, B&R Auto, and<br />
Gundie’s Auto Recyclers for used, he said.<br />
“We have enough room to store parts,”<br />
he said. “We don’t<br />
have to store parts <strong>in</strong><br />
cars.” Each<br />
workstation has<br />
shelv<strong>in</strong>g and b<strong>in</strong>s for<br />
parts, he added.<br />
To limit the amount<br />
<strong>of</strong> supplements,<br />
Bennison said the shop<br />
performs complete<br />
teardowns and tries to write a complete<br />
estimate and order the majority <strong>of</strong> parts at<br />
the onset <strong>of</strong> a job. n<br />
Don’t Throw Your Money Down the Dra<strong>in</strong>.<br />
Save up to 70% on fenders with Inf<strong>in</strong>iti’s Market Shield Program*<br />
More customers are demand<strong>in</strong>g that their vehicles be repaired to orig<strong>in</strong>al<br />
factory condition–someth<strong>in</strong>g only Genu<strong>in</strong>e Inf<strong>in</strong>iti <strong>Parts</strong> can provide. And with<br />
Market Shield discounts <strong>of</strong> up to 70% on OE fenders, now it's easier and<br />
more cost-effective than ever.<br />
INFINITI OEM<br />
REPLACEMENT FENDER<br />
Don't forget–cheap aftermarket parts are expensive.<br />
Every time you re-fit, re-sand or re-f<strong>in</strong>ish an ill-fitt<strong>in</strong>g part<br />
it's cost<strong>in</strong>g you money.<br />
87 years <strong>of</strong> comb<strong>in</strong>ed wholesale parts experience.<br />
Call Today<br />
For Details<br />
Kirkland, WA<br />
888-354-2297<br />
*Orders must be submitted through OE Connection or CollisionL<strong>in</strong>k.<br />
Ra<strong>in</strong>ier Collision Body Technician Stu<br />
Ochs welds an A-pillar on a 2007 Lexus<br />
RX350 us<strong>in</strong>g a Tecna 3664 Smart-Plus<br />
welder, which the shop recently<br />
purchased from LDC Equipment.<br />
Page 16 November 2011 <strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> www.partsandpeople.com
With Envirobase ®<br />
High Performance.<br />
Reign<br />
Did you know that more than 75% <strong>of</strong> today’s new OEM<br />
colors are applied with waterborne basecoat? That’s why it<br />
makes perfect sense to switch to the reign<strong>in</strong>g waterborne<br />
ref<strong>in</strong>ish technology to repair these f<strong>in</strong>ishes—Envirobase<br />
High Performance from PPG.<br />
With its non-stir, high opacity waterborne toners,<br />
Envirobase HP performs exceptionally <strong>in</strong> duplicat<strong>in</strong>g the color<br />
and smooth metallic appearance <strong>of</strong> new vehicle f<strong>in</strong>ishes.<br />
And your technicians will also f<strong>in</strong>d it easier to blend and faster<br />
to tape compared to any conventional solvent-based system.<br />
No doubt, when it comes to color-match<strong>in</strong>g today’s<br />
modern colors, Envirobase HP reigns supreme.<br />
Envirobase HP is approved<br />
by Chrysler for worldwide<br />
use <strong>in</strong> warranty refi nish repairs.<br />
<br />
color consistency<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
©2011 PPG Industries All rights reserved. www.ppgrefi nish.com<br />
<strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> November 2011 Page C-1
Nissan announces new collision repair program for dealers and <strong>in</strong>dependents<br />
by Rob Merw<strong>in</strong><br />
Orlando, Fla.—Nissan North America<br />
launched its nationwide Nissan Certified<br />
Collision Repair Network at the<br />
International Autobody Congress and<br />
Exposition (NACE), <strong>in</strong> Orlando, Fla., <strong>in</strong><br />
October.<br />
The new certification program is open to<br />
dealer-owned and <strong>in</strong>dependent collision<br />
shops, which have the option <strong>of</strong> becom<strong>in</strong>g<br />
either Nissan-certified, Inf<strong>in</strong>iti-certified, or<br />
both, said Mark Zoba, Nissan’s manager <strong>of</strong><br />
collision parts sales growth.<br />
“We really want our dealer-owner base<br />
to beg<strong>in</strong> focus<strong>in</strong>g on us<strong>in</strong>g certified shops,”<br />
Zoba said. “We want the customer to know<br />
they can go to the dealer for everyth<strong>in</strong>g.”<br />
Currently, about 20 percent <strong>of</strong> Nissan<br />
dealerships are associated with a collision<br />
shop, Zoba said, and the long-term goal <strong>of</strong><br />
the program is customer focus and to align<br />
one collision shop with each <strong>of</strong> its<br />
dealerships.<br />
“Customers know they can purchase a<br />
vehicle at a dealership and get it<br />
ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>ed there,” he said. “But whenever<br />
there’s a collision, 80 percent <strong>of</strong> our<br />
dealerships have no direct l<strong>in</strong>e to a vetted<br />
collision shop — that’s what we want to<br />
establish.”<br />
Participat<strong>in</strong>g collision shops will be<br />
provided <strong>in</strong>centives for parts discounts, and<br />
dealership owners will be provided with a<br />
shop locater through which they can enter<br />
their ZIP code and be directed to a certified<br />
collision shop <strong>in</strong> their area, Zoba said.<br />
As part <strong>of</strong> the program, selected collision<br />
shops will “live up” to the brands and make<br />
sure customers are “taken care <strong>of</strong>, first and<br />
foremost,” he said. The program began<br />
development more than two years ago by<br />
“We want to make sure we get coverage <strong>in</strong> the major markets across the country with<br />
one shop, at a m<strong>in</strong>imum, for every one <strong>of</strong> our dealers depend<strong>in</strong>g on demand,” says<br />
Mark Zoba, manager, collision parts sales growth for Nissan.<br />
bench-mark<strong>in</strong>g different programs and<br />
us<strong>in</strong>g best practices <strong>of</strong> other OEMs, he<br />
added.<br />
Certified facilities will have the benefit<br />
<strong>of</strong> tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g and the ability to fix new<br />
technology, how to<br />
work with metals<br />
such as alum<strong>in</strong>um,<br />
access to all<br />
technical<br />
<strong>in</strong>formation, and<br />
repair procedures,<br />
he said.<br />
“Even some<br />
DRPs might not<br />
know some <strong>of</strong> the<br />
new technologies as they come out,” Zoba<br />
said. “With the electric Leaf there’s some<br />
“We really want our dealerowner<br />
base to beg<strong>in</strong> focus<strong>in</strong>g<br />
on us<strong>in</strong>g certified shops. We<br />
want the customer to know<br />
they can go to the dealer for<br />
everyth<strong>in</strong>g.”<br />
knowledge and tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g that needs to take<br />
place to ensure the safety <strong>of</strong> technicians —<br />
not just anyone can repair them.”<br />
Nissan has teamed up with DuPont<br />
Performance Coat<strong>in</strong>gs (DPC) to assist <strong>in</strong><br />
the implementation<br />
<strong>of</strong> the program’s<br />
certification process<br />
and the Inter-<br />
Industry Conference<br />
on Auto Collision<br />
Repair (I-CAR) to<br />
conduct technician<br />
tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g.<br />
“We’re the first<br />
program to<br />
implement the new I-CAR Gold Class<br />
tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g development so the shops that get<br />
certified must identify their work groups<br />
with<strong>in</strong> their facility and its specific tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
to those <strong>in</strong>dividuals,” Zoba said.<br />
“That’s unlike the past when I-CAR<br />
certification was a po<strong>in</strong>t system where a<br />
pa<strong>in</strong>ter might go to frame classes just so<br />
shops could get enough po<strong>in</strong>ts to earn their<br />
certification,” he said.<br />
“Now that I-CAR certification is focused<br />
on the responsibilities <strong>of</strong> each <strong>in</strong>dividual, it<br />
ensures that tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g is go<strong>in</strong>g to the right<br />
people and that all our shops have strong<br />
foundations — we’re happy to be the first<br />
ones to implement it.”<br />
Collision shops <strong>in</strong>terested <strong>in</strong> becom<strong>in</strong>g<br />
part <strong>of</strong> the network are required to obta<strong>in</strong> a<br />
dealer sponsorship, followed by an onl<strong>in</strong>e<br />
enrollment process that <strong>in</strong>volves provid<strong>in</strong>g<br />
a shop pr<strong>of</strong>ile, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g facility photos, <strong>in</strong><br />
order to establish that a shop can ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong><br />
the Nissan/Inf<strong>in</strong>iti brand, Zoba said.<br />
A DPC representative will then visit a<br />
facility for a standards audit, after which a<br />
shop will have 12 months to fill any<br />
exist<strong>in</strong>g gaps, he said.<br />
After successfully pass<strong>in</strong>g the <strong>in</strong>spection,<br />
a shop will be certified and a second<br />
review will be conducted <strong>in</strong> 12 months to<br />
ensure that those gaps have been satisfied,<br />
as well as be <strong>in</strong>formed <strong>of</strong> any new<br />
requirements for the follow<strong>in</strong>g year, Zoba<br />
said.<br />
“It’s a great opportunity for the shops<br />
and a way for them to differentiate<br />
themselves from other area facilities,” he<br />
said. “We want to make sure we get<br />
coverage <strong>in</strong> the major markets across the<br />
country with one shop, at a m<strong>in</strong>imum, for<br />
every one <strong>of</strong> our dealers depend<strong>in</strong>g on<br />
demand.” n<br />
Cont<strong>in</strong>uous improvement means implement<strong>in</strong>g problem-solv<strong>in</strong>g teamwork<br />
by Steve Birm<strong>in</strong>gham<br />
St. Charles, Mo.—To get to the top <strong>of</strong><br />
the collision <strong>in</strong>dustry and stay there<br />
requires teamwork and know<strong>in</strong>g how to<br />
cont<strong>in</strong>uously improve a shop’s procedures,<br />
said Mike Anderson, founder <strong>of</strong><br />
CollisionAdvice, at the 30th annual<br />
Missouri-AASP EXCEL Trade Show &<br />
Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g Conference.<br />
As an AMI-approved sem<strong>in</strong>ar presenter<br />
and past collision shop owner, Anderson<br />
knows <strong>of</strong> what he speaks. After 20 years<br />
own<strong>in</strong>g Wagonwork Collision Centers <strong>in</strong><br />
Alexandria, Va., he sold the bus<strong>in</strong>esses <strong>in</strong><br />
2010 and founded CollisionAdvice, a<br />
consult<strong>in</strong>g firm that <strong>of</strong>fers workshops and<br />
sem<strong>in</strong>ars .<br />
In his “Understand<strong>in</strong>g Cont<strong>in</strong>uous<br />
Improvement” sem<strong>in</strong>ar, Anderson showed<br />
collision shop managers and owners how<br />
they can improve their facilities’ cycle<br />
times and reduce a stressful environment<br />
by turn<strong>in</strong>g their organization <strong>in</strong>to a<br />
“problem-solv<strong>in</strong>g organization.”<br />
Anderson said the current state <strong>of</strong> the<br />
collision repair <strong>in</strong>dustry is such that shop<br />
owners must “th<strong>in</strong>k out <strong>of</strong> the box.”<br />
“In 2010 there were $48 billion worth <strong>of</strong><br />
automotive accidents and $20 billion <strong>of</strong><br />
those were declared total losses,” he said.<br />
“There were also $30 billion worth <strong>of</strong> cars<br />
to fix and <strong>of</strong> that amount, 25 percent were<br />
customer pay. That's more than it’s ever<br />
been <strong>in</strong> the U.S.”<br />
Anderson said that 25-percent figure was<br />
expected to grow to 40 percent by 2015,<br />
“and that means that right now, if 10 people<br />
come to your shop, 2.5 <strong>of</strong> them will not go<br />
through their <strong>in</strong>surance, either because they<br />
have a high deductible or they only have<br />
liability. That absolutely effects how we do<br />
bus<strong>in</strong>ess.<br />
“Here’s the deal: You can be a bus<strong>in</strong>ess<br />
that just survives, or you can be a bus<strong>in</strong>ess<br />
that thrives,” he said. “I don't know about<br />
you, but I choose to be <strong>in</strong> a bus<strong>in</strong>ess to<br />
thrive, not just survive. Shops that are<br />
thriv<strong>in</strong>g and not just surviv<strong>in</strong>g are do<strong>in</strong>g<br />
th<strong>in</strong>gs to really focus on that 25-percent<br />
customer pay.”<br />
Anderson said many <strong>of</strong> those shops <strong>of</strong>fer<br />
no-<strong>in</strong>terest f<strong>in</strong>anc<strong>in</strong>g for up to year while<br />
others <strong>of</strong>fer 90 days same-as-cash.<br />
“<strong>People</strong> are th<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g outside the box,” he<br />
said. “Last, but not least, some <strong>of</strong> them are<br />
<strong>of</strong>fer<strong>in</strong>g good, better, best options. They're<br />
not try<strong>in</strong>g to fix every car perfectly; they<br />
understand that some people who pay out<br />
<strong>of</strong> pocket might be look<strong>in</strong>g for a little less.”<br />
Cont<strong>in</strong>ued on page C-4<br />
PHOTO BY ROB MERWIN<br />
Mike Anderson, founder <strong>of</strong> CollisonAdvice,<br />
advises collision repair shop owners and<br />
managers on how to change their shop<br />
culture <strong>in</strong> order to <strong>in</strong>crease their pr<strong>of</strong>its at<br />
the 30th annual AASP-Missouri EXCEL<br />
Trade Show & Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g Conference.<br />
Page C-2 November 2011 <strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> www.partsandpeople.com
<strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> November 2011 Page C-3
New multishop operator event at NACE proves to be a popular draw<br />
by John Yoswick<br />
Orlando, Fla.—In what appears to be a<br />
w<strong>in</strong> for organizers <strong>of</strong> the 2011<br />
International Autobody Congress &<br />
Exposition (NACE), this year’s event<br />
<strong>in</strong>cluded its first day-long symposium for<br />
multishop operators (MSOs) <strong>in</strong> the<br />
collision repair <strong>in</strong>dustry.<br />
About 130 such MSOs attended, and<br />
their presence at NACE was noted by a<br />
number <strong>of</strong> exhibitors <strong>in</strong>terviewed as the<br />
show ended.<br />
In kick<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong>f the MSO symposium,<br />
consultant Marcy Tieger <strong>of</strong> Symphony<br />
Advisors noted that MSOs this past<br />
decade have developed the systems,<br />
tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g, and talent to provide the<br />
consistent performance among locations<br />
that make them attractive partners for<br />
<strong>in</strong>surers.<br />
While much <strong>of</strong> the <strong>in</strong>dustry reports that<br />
Matthew Ohrnste<strong>in</strong> <strong>of</strong> Symphony Advisors moderates a<br />
panel <strong>of</strong> representatives <strong>of</strong> four top multishop operators,<br />
which comb<strong>in</strong>ed have more than 412 shops.<br />
sales have been flat or have grown<br />
modestly, Tieger said, MSOs are<br />
averag<strong>in</strong>g 10-percent growth for the four<br />
quarters end<strong>in</strong>g earlier this year. “So<br />
MSOs are mov<strong>in</strong>g<br />
rapidly ahead <strong>of</strong> the<br />
pack,” she said.<br />
Matthew Ohrnste<strong>in</strong>,<br />
the manag<strong>in</strong>g director <strong>of</strong><br />
Symphony Advisors,<br />
<strong>in</strong>troduced a panel that<br />
<strong>in</strong>cluded representatives<br />
<strong>of</strong> four <strong>of</strong> the largest<br />
MSOs: ABRA Body &<br />
Pa<strong>in</strong>t, Service K<strong>in</strong>g,<br />
Caliber Collision<br />
Centers, and The Boyd<br />
Group (which operates <strong>in</strong><br />
the U.S. under the<br />
Gerber Collision and<br />
True2Form trade names).<br />
Ohrnste<strong>in</strong> cited news stories about those<br />
companies from just the previous month,<br />
<strong>in</strong> which all had opened or acquired new<br />
locations. Comb<strong>in</strong>ed, he said, those four<br />
alone have more than 412 shops, 7,200<br />
employees, and $1.26 billion <strong>in</strong> sales (<strong>in</strong><br />
what is estimated to be about a $30 billion<br />
<strong>in</strong>dustry).<br />
A lunchtime speaker focused on the<br />
<strong>in</strong>vestor view <strong>of</strong> MSOs, and a second<br />
panel exam<strong>in</strong>ed the chang<strong>in</strong>g relationship<br />
among MSOs, <strong>in</strong>surers, and vendors.<br />
Another panel discussed issues related to<br />
acquir<strong>in</strong>g and develop<strong>in</strong>g new locations.<br />
Ron Pyle, executive director <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Automotive Service Association (ASA),<br />
which hosts NACE, said participation <strong>in</strong><br />
the MSO symposium had exceeded<br />
expectations, that it will be a cont<strong>in</strong>ued<br />
part <strong>of</strong> NACE, and will rema<strong>in</strong> a session<br />
open only to MSO operators.<br />
Pyle said NACE will cont<strong>in</strong>ue to <strong>of</strong>fer<br />
sessions for s<strong>in</strong>gle-location owners<br />
look<strong>in</strong>g to expand <strong>in</strong>to multiple<br />
operations. n<br />
Cont<strong>in</strong>uous improvement means implement<strong>in</strong>g problem-solv<strong>in</strong>g teamwork<br />
Cont<strong>in</strong>ued from page C-2<br />
Anderson also noted that 785 collision<br />
repair shops closed <strong>in</strong> 2011, br<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>g the<br />
total number <strong>of</strong> shops nationwide to<br />
31,000. Reasons for those clos<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>in</strong>clude<br />
Our regional<br />
editions serve:<br />
NORTHERN<br />
CALIFORNIA<br />
SOUTHERN<br />
CALIFORNIA<br />
NORTHWEST<br />
• <strong>Wash<strong>in</strong>gton</strong><br />
• Oregon<br />
• Idaho<br />
• Montana<br />
• Alaska<br />
MOUNTAIN<br />
• Colorado<br />
• Wyom<strong>in</strong>g<br />
• W. Kansas<br />
• W. Nebraska<br />
• New Mexico<br />
MIDWEST<br />
• Missouri<br />
• Kansas<br />
• Nebraska<br />
• Iowa<br />
RIVER VALLEY<br />
• Missouri<br />
• Ill<strong>in</strong>ois<br />
• S. Indiana<br />
• W. Kentucky<br />
buy<strong>in</strong>g the equipment necessary to keep<br />
up with chang<strong>in</strong>g automotive technology,<br />
cash flow problems, comply<strong>in</strong>g with the<br />
EPA 6H Rule, and the need for new techs<br />
and the tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g required to operate, he<br />
said.<br />
More than just<br />
pr<strong>in</strong>t…<br />
Digital<br />
Turnpage<br />
Onl<strong>in</strong>e<br />
eNewsletter<br />
Our six regional editions are viewable <strong>in</strong> three digital formats.<br />
Whatever your flavor is, weve got you covered.<br />
www.partsandpeople.com<br />
Anderson said th<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g outside the box<br />
could <strong>in</strong>clude such simple ideas as keep<strong>in</strong>g<br />
a collision shop open on Saturdays and<br />
Sundays, add<strong>in</strong>g that the collision <strong>in</strong>dustry<br />
is one <strong>of</strong> the last types <strong>of</strong> bus<strong>in</strong>esses not to<br />
be open on weekends.<br />
Becom<strong>in</strong>g a thriv<strong>in</strong>g shop and not just a<br />
surviv<strong>in</strong>g shop requires many factors,<br />
<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g chang<strong>in</strong>g or improv<strong>in</strong>g a shop's<br />
processes by <strong>in</strong>volv<strong>in</strong>g the shop’s techs,<br />
pa<strong>in</strong>ters, and body men as a team to<br />
become a “problem-solv<strong>in</strong>g organization”<br />
and putt<strong>in</strong>g a solid management system <strong>in</strong><br />
place, he said.<br />
“The really<br />
successful body shops<br />
are return<strong>in</strong>g back to<br />
double-digit net<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>its,” he said.<br />
“They’re problemsolv<strong>in</strong>g<br />
organizations.”<br />
Anderson suggested<br />
us<strong>in</strong>g a cycle time tracker system, which<br />
can show where the repair process is<br />
slow<strong>in</strong>g down, help spur ideas to reduce<br />
those times, and solve cont<strong>in</strong>u<strong>in</strong>g<br />
problems.<br />
“If you don't measure it, you can't<br />
manage it,” he said. “The better chance for<br />
success is if you truly measure it. Measure<br />
where you’re at, implement an<br />
improvement strategy, and then see if it<br />
made a difference. Shops that really<br />
improve are constantly measur<strong>in</strong>g<br />
everyth<strong>in</strong>g all the time. That is the key to<br />
success.”<br />
Anderson said becom<strong>in</strong>g a problemsolv<strong>in</strong>g<br />
organization requires several tools,<br />
<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g “patience and dedication,” and a<br />
“The really successful<br />
body shops are return<strong>in</strong>g<br />
to double-digit pr<strong>of</strong>its.<br />
They’re problem-solv<strong>in</strong>g<br />
organizations.”<br />
will<strong>in</strong>gness to consider all shop employees<br />
a “team.”<br />
Shops should then adopt a five-phase<br />
system he called DMAIC (def<strong>in</strong>e,<br />
measure, analyze, improve, control),<br />
someth<strong>in</strong>g any shop can adopt, he added.<br />
DMAIC means the shop’s team must<br />
first def<strong>in</strong>e a problem <strong>in</strong> concrete,<br />
measurable terms, Anderson said.<br />
In the measure phase, critical measures<br />
necessary to evaluate the success <strong>of</strong> a<br />
project need to be identified and<br />
determ<strong>in</strong>ed, he said. In the analyze phase,<br />
the team can ensure that their<br />
measurements are<br />
accurate and the system<br />
or process is<br />
dependable and<br />
provides accurate and<br />
timely date, he said.<br />
Anderson said the<br />
improvement phase is<br />
entered once problem<br />
causes are identified and the team f<strong>in</strong>ds<br />
“creative new solutions.” In the control<br />
phase, the team can document the project<br />
so that new procedures are ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>ed<br />
throughout the organization, he said.<br />
“Attack the process, not the person,” he<br />
said. “Your job as a manager is to fix the<br />
process. If you decide to have standard<br />
operat<strong>in</strong>g procedures <strong>in</strong> your shop, there is<br />
four steps. Develop how you want th<strong>in</strong>gs<br />
done, tra<strong>in</strong> your staff, test them to ensure<br />
they reta<strong>in</strong> it, and audit for full<br />
compliance.<br />
“You have to ensure that people reta<strong>in</strong><br />
what they are do<strong>in</strong>g, but you have to audit<br />
to ensure people are do<strong>in</strong>g th<strong>in</strong>gs the way<br />
you want them done.” n<br />
Page C-4 November 2011 <strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> www.partsandpeople.com
Collision Repair Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g Notes<br />
BASF Automotive<br />
Ref<strong>in</strong>ish Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
For more <strong>in</strong>formation, contact your local<br />
distributor or representative, call the<br />
national tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g center at 800-201-1605,<br />
or visit www.basfref<strong>in</strong>ish.com.<br />
Vancouver ICBC-Burnby, BC<br />
• Nov. 1-Troubleshoot<strong>in</strong>g for Productivity<br />
• Dec. 6-Troubleshoot<strong>in</strong>g for Productivity<br />
I-CAR Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g Schedule<br />
For more <strong>in</strong>formation on registration<br />
and class times, call 800-422-7872 or<br />
visit www.i-car.com.<br />
Clackamas Community College-<br />
Oregon City, Ore.<br />
• Nov. 3-Collision Repair for Ford and<br />
L<strong>in</strong>coln Vehicles<br />
• Nov. 8-Steel Unitized Structures<br />
Technologies and Repair<br />
• Nov. 9-Squeeze-Type Resistance Spot<br />
Weld<strong>in</strong>g<br />
• Nov. 10-Collision Repair for Toyota,<br />
Lexus, and Scion Vehicles<br />
• Nov. 14-Air Condition<strong>in</strong>g<br />
• Nov. 15-Exterior Panels Damage<br />
Analysis<br />
• Nov. 17-Steel Structures Damage<br />
Analysis<br />
• Nov. 22-Vehicle Technology and<br />
Trends 2010<br />
• Nov. 28-Light<strong>in</strong>g, Start<strong>in</strong>g, and<br />
Charg<strong>in</strong>g Systems<br />
• Nov. 29-Damage Analysis <strong>of</strong> Advanced<br />
Automotive Systems<br />
• Dec. 1-Movable Glass<br />
• Dec. 5-Heat<strong>in</strong>g and Cool<strong>in</strong>g Systems<br />
• Dec. 8-Collision Repair for Honda<br />
and Acura Vehicles<br />
• Dec. 6-Inspect<strong>in</strong>g Repairs for<br />
Quality Control<br />
• Dec. 13-Restra<strong>in</strong>t Systems Damage<br />
Analysis<br />
Renton Technical College-<br />
Renton, Wash.<br />
• Nov. 3-Steel Unitized Structures<br />
Technologies and Repair<br />
• Nov. 7-Movable Glass<br />
• Nov. 8-Steel Unibody Front and Rear<br />
Rails, Floors, and Front Structure<br />
• Nov. 9-Hazardous Materials, Personal<br />
Safety, and Ref<strong>in</strong>ish Safety<br />
• Nov. 14-Squeeze-Type Resistance Spot<br />
Weld<strong>in</strong>g<br />
• Nov. 16-Recycled <strong>Parts</strong> for Collision<br />
Repair<br />
• Nov. 17-Steel Unibody, A, B, C,<br />
D-Pillars, and Rocker Panels<br />
• Nov. 21-Automotive Foams<br />
• Nov. 28-Advanced Material Damage<br />
Analysis<br />
• Nov. 30-Inspect<strong>in</strong>g Repairs for<br />
Quality Control<br />
• Dec. 1-Hail, Theft, and Vandalism<br />
Damage Analysis<br />
• Dec. 5-Adhesive Bond<strong>in</strong>g<br />
• Dec. 8-Vehicle Technology and<br />
Trends 2011<br />
• Dec. 12- Steel Unitized Structures<br />
Technologies and Repair<br />
Clover Park Technical College-<br />
Lakewood, Wash.<br />
• Nov. 3-Waterborne Products, Systems,<br />
and Application<br />
• Nov. 7-Exterior Panels Damage Analysis<br />
• Nov. 8-Measur<strong>in</strong>g<br />
• Nov. 9-Plastic and Composite Repair<br />
• Nov. 10-Hazardous Materials, Personal<br />
Safety, and Ref<strong>in</strong>ish Safety<br />
• Nov. 11-Vehicle Identification,<br />
Estimat<strong>in</strong>g Systems, and Term<strong>in</strong>ology<br />
• Nov. 14-Restra<strong>in</strong>t Systems Damage<br />
Analysis<br />
• Nov. 15-Recycled <strong>Parts</strong> for Collision<br />
Repair<br />
• Nov. 16-Collision Repair for Ford and<br />
L<strong>in</strong>coln Vehicles<br />
• Nov. 17-Advanced Material Damage<br />
Analysis<br />
• Nov. 18-Hail, Theft, and Vandalism<br />
Damage Analysis<br />
• Nov. 19-Electrical Circuits and DVOM<br />
Usage<br />
• Nov. 21-Steel Structures Damage<br />
Analysis<br />
• Nov. 22-Automotive Foams<br />
• Nov. 23-Replac<strong>in</strong>g Exterior Alum<strong>in</strong>um<br />
Panels<br />
• Nov. 28-Squeeze-Type Resistance Spot<br />
Weld<strong>in</strong>g<br />
• Nov. 29-Steel Unitized Structures<br />
Technologies and Repair<br />
• Nov. 30-Overview <strong>of</strong> Cycle Time<br />
Improvements for the Collision Repair<br />
• Dec. 3-Diagnosis, Test<strong>in</strong>g, and Repair<br />
<strong>of</strong> Common Electrical Loads<br />
• Dec. 5-Collision Repair for Honda<br />
and Acura Vehicles<br />
• Dec. 6-Electric and Electric Hybrid<br />
Vehicles<br />
• Dec. 7-Collision Repair for Toyota,<br />
Lexus, and Scion Vehicles<br />
• Dec. 8-Ref<strong>in</strong>ish<strong>in</strong>g Equipment and VOC<br />
Regulations<br />
• Dec. 10-Surface Preparation and<br />
Mask<strong>in</strong>g<br />
• Dec. 12-Steel Full-Frame Technologies<br />
and Repair<br />
• Dec. 13-Hybrid Electric and<br />
Alternative Fuel Vehicles<br />
• Dec. 14-Collision Repair for General<br />
Motors Vehicles<br />
Lake <strong>Wash<strong>in</strong>gton</strong> Technical<br />
College-Kirkland, Wash.<br />
• Nov. 3-Vehicle Identification,<br />
Estimat<strong>in</strong>g Systems, and Term<strong>in</strong>ology<br />
• Nov. 8-Frontal Impact Analysis<br />
• Nov. 10-Mechanical Systems Analysis<br />
• Nov. 16-Restra<strong>in</strong>ts, Interior, Glass,<br />
Side and Rear Impact Analysis<br />
Cont<strong>in</strong>ued on page 18<br />
<strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> November 2011 Page 17
Collision Repair Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g Notes<br />
Cont<strong>in</strong>ued from page 17<br />
• Nov. 21-Squeeze-Type Resistance Spot<br />
Weld<strong>in</strong>g<br />
• Nov. 22-Collision Repair for Select<br />
High Volume Vehicles<br />
• Dec. 13-Hazardous Materials, Personal<br />
Safety, and Ref<strong>in</strong>ish Safety<br />
Hannah Dealer Group-<br />
Vancouver, Wash.<br />
• Nov. 7-Electrical Circuits and DVOM<br />
Usage<br />
• Nov. 14-Collision Repair for Select<br />
High Volume Vehicles<br />
• Nov. 16-Restra<strong>in</strong>t Systems Damage<br />
Analysis<br />
• Nov. 21-Plastic and Composite Repair<br />
• Nov. 28-Detail<strong>in</strong>g<br />
• Nov. 30-Ref<strong>in</strong>ish<strong>in</strong>g Equipment and VOC<br />
Regulations<br />
• Dec. 5-Electrical Circuits and DVOM<br />
Usage<br />
• Dec. 12-Exterior Panels Damage<br />
Analysis<br />
• Dec. 14-Steel Structures Damage<br />
Analysis<br />
Bell<strong>in</strong>gham Technical College-<br />
Bell<strong>in</strong>gham, Wash.<br />
• Nov. 15-Movable Glass<br />
Wenatchee Valley College Skills<br />
Center-Wenatchee, Wash.<br />
• Nov. 15-Squeeze-Type Resistance Spot<br />
Weld<strong>in</strong>g<br />
• Nov. 16-Adhesive Bond<strong>in</strong>g<br />
PARTS<br />
THAT<br />
PERFORM<br />
QUALITY<br />
YOU CAN<br />
TRUST<br />
Precision For Collision<br />
Your source for<br />
CAR-O-LINER sales,<br />
service and tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g.<br />
800-922-5501 or 916-677-2885<br />
www.pfcequipment.com<br />
Striv<strong>in</strong>g to be #1 <strong>in</strong><br />
wholsale parts<br />
customer service!<br />
GENUINE PARTS<br />
We price match the aftermarket<br />
competition on select collision<br />
and mechancial parts.*<br />
*Some restrictions apply. Call for details.<br />
888-697-8049<br />
parts direct: 206-777-3708<br />
fax: 206-623-2156<br />
parts@stadiumnissanseattle.com<br />
8845 <strong>Wash<strong>in</strong>gton</strong> Blvd. • Roseville, CA 95678<br />
Wesco Autobody Supply-<br />
Mounta<strong>in</strong> Lake Terrace, Wash.<br />
• Nov. 9-Measur<strong>in</strong>g<br />
• Nov. 15-Hazardous Materials, Personal<br />
Safety, and Ref<strong>in</strong>ish Safety<br />
• Nov. 29-Overview <strong>of</strong> Cycle Time<br />
Improvements for the Collision Repair<br />
• Nov. 29-Equivalency Test<br />
• Dec. 7-Steel Unitized Structures<br />
Technologies and Repair<br />
• Dec. 15-Inspect<strong>in</strong>g Repairs for<br />
Quality Control<br />
West Sound Technical Skills Center-Bremerton,<br />
Wash.<br />
• Nov. 9-Collision Repair for Ford and<br />
L<strong>in</strong>coln Vehicles<br />
• Nov. 15-Steel Unitized Structures<br />
Technologies and Repair<br />
• Nov. 22-Measur<strong>in</strong>g<br />
• Nov. 29-Squeeze-Type Resistance Spot<br />
Weld<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Denver—Summit Consult<strong>in</strong>g Int’l (SCI)<br />
has announced its FastTrack process<br />
control system is now available as part <strong>of</strong><br />
the Toyota Certified Collision Center<br />
(TCCC) and Lexus Certified Collision<br />
Center (LCCC) programs. FastTrack<br />
allows those shops to proactively manage<br />
every vehicle <strong>in</strong> production and easily<br />
access and report on key performance<br />
Idaho State University-<br />
Pocatello, Idaho<br />
• Nov. 5-Light<strong>in</strong>g, Start<strong>in</strong>g, and<br />
Charg<strong>in</strong>g Systems<br />
PPG Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g Schedule<br />
For more <strong>in</strong>formation, contact your<br />
local PPG or Nexa Autocolor distributor<br />
or territory manager or visit<br />
www.ppgref<strong>in</strong>ish.com.<br />
Seattle Bus<strong>in</strong>ess Development<br />
Center-Kent, Wash.<br />
• Nov. 9-10-PPG Color<br />
• Nov. 15-16-Custom- Flames Design<br />
• Nov. 17-Custom- Airbrush<strong>in</strong>g Real Fire<br />
• Nov. 21-PPG Conversion-<br />
Envirobase HP<br />
• Nov. 29-30-PPG Color-Envirobase HP<br />
• Dec. 2-Nexa Conversion-Aquabase Plus<br />
• Dec. 6-7-PPG Certification-<br />
Envirobase HP n<br />
Toyota and Lexus adopt FastTrack<br />
<strong>in</strong>dicators <strong>in</strong> order to improve shop<br />
efficiencies, pr<strong>of</strong>itability, and customer<br />
service, company <strong>of</strong>ficials said.<br />
“We’re excited to roll out the FastTrack<br />
system to all <strong>of</strong> our certified dealers — it<br />
will play an important role <strong>in</strong> assess<strong>in</strong>g<br />
current operations and mak<strong>in</strong>g sure our<br />
collision centers are at the highest<br />
performance levels,” said Brad Brahe, body<br />
shop process improvement manager,<br />
Toyota Motor Sales USA. “The system is<br />
easy to use and can be customized to track<br />
metrics related to each shop’s operations so<br />
our shops can work more efficiently, which<br />
drives stronger bus<strong>in</strong>ess results and more<br />
satisfied customers.”<br />
FastTrack provides quick access to<br />
accurate <strong>in</strong>formation so collision centers<br />
can understand the impact their processes<br />
and personnel have on production levels<br />
and pr<strong>of</strong>itability. It is a flexible, web-based<br />
system that <strong>in</strong>tegrates with<strong>in</strong> a collision<br />
center’s exist<strong>in</strong>g production model.<br />
FastTrack allows shops to collect data and<br />
report on all repair records, and more<br />
effectively act on that <strong>in</strong>formation <strong>in</strong> order<br />
to improve processes across the entire<br />
operation. Shops can access a snapshot <strong>of</strong><br />
key <strong>in</strong>formation or complete reports so they<br />
can make decisions that will help drive<br />
better results. n<br />
Page 18 November 2011 <strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> www.partsandpeople.com
Mechanical Repair Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g Notes<br />
CARQUEST Technical<br />
Institute Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
To register, contact your local CARQUEST<br />
store or visit http://carquest.com/carquest/<br />
proCTIclassSchedule.html<br />
Location TBD-Salem, Ore.<br />
• Nov. 1-3-Supplemental Restra<strong>in</strong>t<br />
System Diagnosis & Repair<br />
Location TBD-Portland w/Tigard, Ore.<br />
• Nov. 1-3-Vehicle Data Network Diagnosis<br />
Location TBD-Medford, Ore.<br />
• Nov. 2-New Equipment Technologies<br />
Location TBD-Albany, Ore.<br />
• Nov. 3-Communicat<strong>in</strong>g with Confidence<br />
Location TBD-Eugene, Ore.<br />
• Nov. 8-10-DSL-500 Ford 6.0 & 6.4<br />
Power Stroke Diagnosis<br />
Location TBD-Gresham, Ore.<br />
• Nov. 15-17-Vehicle Data Network<br />
Diagnosis<br />
Location TBD-Vancouver/Portland/<br />
Interstate, Ore.<br />
• Dec. 6-8-Vehicle Valvetra<strong>in</strong>s:<br />
Operations and Diagnosis<br />
Location TBD-Yakima, Wash.<br />
• Nov. 2-3-Pressure Signature Analysis<br />
South Puget Sound Community<br />
College-Lacey/Olympia, Wash.<br />
• Nov. 8-9-Variable Valve Tim<strong>in</strong>g<br />
System Diagnosis<br />
Location TBD-Everett, Wash.<br />
• Nov. 14-16-Supplemental Restra<strong>in</strong>t<br />
System Diagnosis & Repair<br />
Renton Technical College-<br />
Kent/Freemont/Bellevue, Wash.<br />
• Nov. 15-17-Supplemental Restra<strong>in</strong>t<br />
System Diagnosis & Repair<br />
Location TBD-Spokane, Wash.<br />
• Nov. 21-22-Supplemental Restra<strong>in</strong>t<br />
System Diagnosis & Repair<br />
Bate College-Tacoma, Wash.<br />
• Nov. 29-Dec. 1-GM Duramax Diagnosis<br />
Location TBD-Pocatello, Idaho.<br />
• Nov. 28-29-Vehicle Valvetra<strong>in</strong>s:<br />
Operations and Diagnosis<br />
Location TBD-Boise, Idaho.<br />
• Nov. 30-Dec. 1-Vehicle Data Network<br />
Diagnosis<br />
Management Success<br />
Sem<strong>in</strong>ar<br />
These sem<strong>in</strong>ars focus on how to <strong>in</strong>crease<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>itability, advertis<strong>in</strong>g, and pric<strong>in</strong>g<br />
and how to f<strong>in</strong>d, hire, and tra<strong>in</strong> technicians<br />
and service writers. For more <strong>in</strong>formation,<br />
visit www.managementsuccess.com.<br />
Red Lion Hotel on the River-<br />
Portland, Ore.<br />
• Nov. 5-6-How to Increase your Pr<strong>of</strong>its<br />
WORLDPAC Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
Institute<br />
WTI provides advanced level diagnostic<br />
tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g for <strong>in</strong>dependent repair<br />
technicians, and tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the<br />
management <strong>of</strong> the repair shop bus<strong>in</strong>ess.<br />
To register, call 800-888-9982 x5559 or<br />
visit www.worldpac.com/wti.html.<br />
Shilo Inn Suites-Portland, Ore.<br />
• Nov. 12-Premium Customer Service &<br />
Pr<strong>of</strong>itable Sell<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Holiday Inn Express-SeaTac, Wash.<br />
• Nov. 15-16-SMART Groups<br />
Elite Worldwide Sem<strong>in</strong>ars<br />
and Web<strong>in</strong>ars<br />
Along with its sem<strong>in</strong>ars, Elite <strong>of</strong>fers<br />
web<strong>in</strong>ars on different topics every month.<br />
See below for title and l<strong>in</strong>k. For more<br />
<strong>in</strong>formation, visit<br />
www.eliteworldwidestore.com.<br />
Web<strong>in</strong>ar<br />
• Nov. 15-F<strong>in</strong>d and Hire the Superstar<br />
Techs and Service Advisors<br />
(10am-10:55am PST)<br />
Hunter Eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
For more <strong>in</strong>formation or to register, call 800-<br />
448-6848 ext. 1 or visit www.hunter.com.<br />
Seattle Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g Center-Seattle<br />
• Nov. 28-30-Alignment Fundamentals<br />
Level I<br />
Gresham Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g Center, Industrial<br />
Bldg.Room IT 33-Gresham, Ore.<br />
• Dec. 12-14-Alignment Fundamentals<br />
Level I<br />
ACDelco Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
For more <strong>in</strong>formation, visit<br />
www.acdelcotechconnect.com.<br />
University <strong>of</strong> Alaska-<br />
Anchorage, Alaska<br />
• Nov. 30-ABS Operation and Diagnosis n<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> November 2011 Page 19
WHEN YOU DON’T HAVE TIME<br />
FOR WRONG PARTS!!<br />
SCARFF FORD<br />
IN AUBURN<br />
WITH OVER 200 YEARS OF COMBINED PARTS EXPERIENCE<br />
THE RIGHT PARTS-THE 1ST TIME-ON TIME<br />
Orig<strong>in</strong>al BMW <strong>Parts</strong><br />
bmwusa.com<br />
1-800-334-4BMW<br />
ISUZU<br />
COMMERCIAL TRUCK SPECIALISTS<br />
WE HAVE ONE OF THE LARGEST ISUZU PARTS INVENTORIES IN THE NW<br />
DON’T WAIT FOR THE OTHER GUYS TO ORDER IT<br />
UNLIMITED Miles<br />
CALL US NOW!!!<br />
Call Scarff Ford <strong>in</strong> Auburn Today!<br />
Lt Truck & Car Direct 253-833-1507<br />
Med Truck Direct 253-929-3098<br />
Toll Free 1-800-543-2705<br />
Open OPEN TILL Until MIDNIGHT 7:00 PM MON-FRI<br />
WE ARE YOUR FORD<br />
POWERTRAIN HEADQUARTERS<br />
BMW<br />
Wholesale <strong>Parts</strong>:<br />
425-643-1976<br />
425-643-4544<br />
425-641-0235 Fax<br />
The Ultimate<br />
Driv<strong>in</strong>g Mach<strong>in</strong>e ®<br />
13617 Northup Way<br />
Bellevue, WA 98005<br />
parts@bmw-bellevue.com<br />
<strong>LKQ</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Wash<strong>in</strong>gton</strong> <strong><strong>in</strong>vests</strong> <strong>$2.5</strong><br />
<strong>million</strong> <strong>in</strong> Buckley recycl<strong>in</strong>g facility<br />
Cont<strong>in</strong>ued from page 1<br />
sell<strong>in</strong>g pa<strong>in</strong>t a natural one, he said.<br />
“We are aggressively grow<strong>in</strong>g our pa<strong>in</strong>t<br />
bus<strong>in</strong>ess <strong>in</strong> the <strong>Wash<strong>in</strong>gton</strong> market,”<br />
Anderson said, add<strong>in</strong>g that Patrick O’Brien<br />
manages pa<strong>in</strong>t distribution with two<br />
dedicated pa<strong>in</strong>t sales reps cover<strong>in</strong>g the<br />
region.<br />
“We want to be your one-stop shop for<br />
auto and collision repair,” he said, add<strong>in</strong>g<br />
that their target customer base varies from<br />
multiple body shop cha<strong>in</strong>s, <strong>in</strong>dependent<br />
body shops, rebuilders, to mechanical repair<br />
shops. Most <strong>of</strong> the <strong>in</strong>ventory <strong>in</strong> the<br />
Northwest is available for next-day delivery<br />
<strong>in</strong> the Seattle market, he added.<br />
Anderson works out <strong>of</strong> the Renton<br />
warehouse, which primarily distributes<br />
aftermarket parts and pa<strong>in</strong>t, one <strong>of</strong> four <strong>in</strong><br />
the Northwest market. The recycl<strong>in</strong>g<br />
division for the region is anchored by eight<br />
facilities, he added. Longtime Foster Auto<br />
<strong>Parts</strong> manager Terry Bohr serves as district<br />
manager, oversee<strong>in</strong>g all Northwest<br />
operations.<br />
Pacific Northwest acquisitions<br />
<strong>LKQ</strong> Corp. has also made several other<br />
key acquisitions this year <strong>in</strong> the Pacific<br />
Northwest market, Anderson said, po<strong>in</strong>t<strong>in</strong>g<br />
to the August purchase <strong>of</strong> YamatoPW, a<br />
production eng<strong>in</strong>e remanufacturer <strong>in</strong><br />
Bell<strong>in</strong>gham.<br />
Access to quality remanufactured eng<strong>in</strong>es<br />
will deepen with their exist<strong>in</strong>g powertra<strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>of</strong>fer<strong>in</strong>gs through ATK, a remanufacturer <strong>of</strong><br />
OEM replacement and performance crate<br />
eng<strong>in</strong>es, he said.<br />
Even though <strong>LKQ</strong> has always had reman<br />
powertra<strong>in</strong>, <strong>in</strong>ventory availability is much<br />
greater now, Anderson added.<br />
<strong>Parts</strong> Picker Jeff Walton scans a part <strong>in</strong><br />
the <strong>LKQ</strong> & Keystone warehouse <strong>in</strong> Renton.<br />
To better serve fleet customers and those<br />
work<strong>in</strong>g on heavy-duty trucks <strong>in</strong> the Pacific<br />
Northwest, Anderson said <strong>LKQ</strong> acquired<br />
Wholesale Truck <strong>Parts</strong> <strong>in</strong> Portland, and<br />
three Karl Wilson Heavy Truck yards <strong>in</strong><br />
Spokane, Chehalis, and Bill<strong>in</strong>gs, Mont.<br />
Earlier this year, <strong>LKQ</strong> Corp. also<br />
purchased three Barger-Mattson Auto Inc.<br />
yards <strong>in</strong> the greater Boise, Idaho, market, he<br />
said.<br />
“We keep add<strong>in</strong>g bus<strong>in</strong>ess units but<br />
rema<strong>in</strong> focused on efficiency,” he said.<br />
To get products delivered quickly,<br />
Anderson said <strong>LKQ</strong> runs 23 trucks out <strong>of</strong><br />
the 40,000-square-foot Renton warehouse,<br />
which is open 24 hours a day to keep<br />
service levels up <strong>in</strong> the region. A crossdock<br />
yard is situated <strong>in</strong> Burl<strong>in</strong>gton, Wash.,<br />
for logistical efficiency, he said.<br />
Although <strong>LKQ</strong> has sales people who<br />
specialize <strong>in</strong> particular segments, he said,<br />
“Every person <strong>in</strong> the Northwest has the<br />
ability to sell recycled and aftermarket<br />
parts.”<br />
“Our future plans are to cont<strong>in</strong>ue to<br />
expand bus<strong>in</strong>ess,” Anderson said. For<br />
2012, he said he’s work<strong>in</strong>g on approval to<br />
expand the Renton warehouse to 100,000<br />
square feet and receive city approval to<br />
house recycled parts. n<br />
Liqui Moly fuel additives pass the test<br />
Ulm-Lehr, Germany—The <strong>in</strong>dependent<br />
German test facility APL ran a series <strong>of</strong><br />
tests with Liqui Moly additives Injection<br />
Cleaner and Super Diesel Additive and<br />
certified that additives helped aga<strong>in</strong>st<br />
friction and fuel consumption.<br />
When Liqui Moly approached APL to<br />
exam<strong>in</strong>e their products, APL was<br />
surprised: Liqui Moly was the first and<br />
only company <strong>in</strong> the aftersales market to<br />
ask APL for voluntary tests <strong>of</strong> their<br />
products.<br />
Liqui Moly Injection Cleaner is a petrol<br />
additive to clean the <strong>in</strong>jection system and<br />
the valves. For the test, two eng<strong>in</strong>es ran for<br />
60 hours; one on standard fuel and the<br />
other with standard fuel plus Injection<br />
Cleaner. Dur<strong>in</strong>g those 60 hours the first<br />
eng<strong>in</strong>e collected 0.3 gram deposits <strong>in</strong> each<br />
valve. Those deposits cont<strong>in</strong>ued to grow<br />
and to impair the proper “breath<strong>in</strong>g” <strong>of</strong> the<br />
eng<strong>in</strong>e. The second eng<strong>in</strong>e with Injection<br />
Cleaner rema<strong>in</strong>ed practically clean with<br />
only 0.03 gram deposits. At the beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>of</strong> the test, the APL eng<strong>in</strong>eers were rather<br />
skeptical about the product, now they use it<br />
to clean their test eng<strong>in</strong>es.<br />
Liqui Moly Super Diesel Additive is a<br />
similar fuel additive designed for diesel<br />
eng<strong>in</strong>es. For that test, APL ran an eng<strong>in</strong>e<br />
for 32 hours on high-z<strong>in</strong>c diesel to force the<br />
development <strong>of</strong> deposits at the fuel<br />
<strong>in</strong>jectors. The other eng<strong>in</strong>e ran for 32 hours<br />
on diesel with Super Diesel Additive.<br />
“This product made everyth<strong>in</strong>g, really<br />
everyth<strong>in</strong>g, better,” APL eng<strong>in</strong>eers said.<br />
They decided to use it to clean their test<br />
eng<strong>in</strong>es, as well. n<br />
Page 20 November 2011 <strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> www.partsandpeople.com
Longtime truck dealership adds services at new facility <strong>in</strong> Everett<br />
by Jerold B. Smith<br />
Everett, Wash.—Motor Trucks<br />
Inc. has been an <strong>in</strong>stitution <strong>in</strong> the<br />
Everett area s<strong>in</strong>ce 1947, said Jam<strong>in</strong><br />
Woody, service manager at the<br />
dealership. The firm was<br />
purchased by Marshall Cymbaluk,<br />
a former service manager at an<br />
International truck dealer <strong>in</strong> Salem,<br />
Ore., <strong>in</strong> 1974 and last year moved<br />
from downtown <strong>in</strong>to a new<br />
40,000-square-foot facility <strong>in</strong> an<br />
<strong>in</strong>dustrial park, he said.<br />
While Everett serves as the<br />
company headquarters for Motor<br />
Trucks, Woody said Cymbaluk<br />
built a Mount Vernon store <strong>in</strong> 1984<br />
and expanded to Bell<strong>in</strong>gham with<br />
a store <strong>in</strong> 1990.<br />
In 1994, Cymbaluk added to the truck<br />
mix by purchas<strong>in</strong>g Kenworth Truck<br />
dealerships <strong>in</strong> Aberdeen, Marysville,<br />
SeaTac, and Yakima, Wash., as well as<br />
stores <strong>in</strong> Anchorage and Fairbanks, Alaska,<br />
Woody said.<br />
The Everett and Mount Vernon Motor<br />
Truck stores are authorized dealers for<br />
International Truck, while Bell<strong>in</strong>gham<br />
handles International and Kenworth brands,<br />
said Woody, who has served as service<br />
manager for 13 years and was a diesel<br />
Service Manager Jam<strong>in</strong> Woody (l.) stands with Technician<br />
Jacob L<strong>in</strong>dell, who is servic<strong>in</strong>g an eng<strong>in</strong>e on an<br />
International tow truck at Motor Trucks.<br />
technician <strong>in</strong> the Mar<strong>in</strong>e Corps prior to that.<br />
“We sell and service new International<br />
trucks, but we also sell used everyth<strong>in</strong>g —<br />
all makes <strong>of</strong> trucks,” he said. “We also<br />
service nearly every type <strong>of</strong> diesel-powered<br />
truck on the market <strong>in</strong> our service<br />
department,” he said, add<strong>in</strong>g that<br />
International is about half <strong>of</strong> their bus<strong>in</strong>ess.<br />
The move to the 5.5-acre site, developed<br />
by the Port <strong>of</strong> Everett, allowed Motor<br />
Trucks to expand its space dramatically,<br />
Woody said, from vehicle storage to added<br />
parts and service departments.<br />
The new facility, which opened<br />
Labor Day weekend <strong>of</strong> 2010, features<br />
two levels <strong>of</strong> <strong>of</strong>fice and work areas,<br />
21 service bays, a large retail area at<br />
the front <strong>of</strong> the store, an expanded<br />
double-decked parts storage area<br />
beh<strong>in</strong>d the retail counter, and tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
room, Woody said, add<strong>in</strong>g that the<br />
branch manager at the store is Jeff<br />
Cymbaluk, son <strong>of</strong> the owner.<br />
International Harvester started<br />
sell<strong>in</strong>g trucks and farm equipment <strong>in</strong><br />
1902, he said, later sell<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong>f the<br />
Harvester name to Case.<br />
“International is one <strong>of</strong> the lead<strong>in</strong>g<br />
nameplates <strong>in</strong> the <strong>in</strong>dustry, and <strong>in</strong> the<br />
Class 5 and Class 6 markets they<br />
consistently capture<br />
a high percentage <strong>of</strong><br />
sales,” he said. The Class<br />
7 market is also strong,<br />
with International sales<br />
captur<strong>in</strong>g between 39 and<br />
42 percent this year, he<br />
added.<br />
While Motor Trucks<br />
sells ma<strong>in</strong>ly medium-duty<br />
trucks, the mix <strong>of</strong> medium- and heavy-duty<br />
trucks is <strong>in</strong>corporated <strong>in</strong>to the 50 new<br />
vehicles sold each year, Woody said. A<br />
large percentage <strong>of</strong> used trucks are also sold<br />
“We service nearly<br />
every type <strong>of</strong> dieselpowered<br />
truck on the<br />
market <strong>in</strong> our service<br />
department.”<br />
each year, represent<strong>in</strong>g all brands, he said.<br />
In the service department, Woody said,<br />
are 19 technicians, all certified, and the<br />
parts department has n<strong>in</strong>e employees. Most<br />
<strong>of</strong> the 500-600 units serviced each month<br />
are medium-duty vehicles rang<strong>in</strong>g from<br />
delivery to service trucks, he said. On a<br />
recent visit, the shop was servic<strong>in</strong>g a UPS<br />
delivery truck, dump truck, tow truck, box<br />
units, a flat bed, and a variety <strong>of</strong> other<br />
vehicles.<br />
The service department <strong>of</strong>fers two shifts<br />
five days a week from 7 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.,<br />
as well as Saturday service from 8 a.m. to<br />
4:30 p.m.<br />
“We provide the shifts so vehicles that<br />
are used dur<strong>in</strong>g the day can be serviced<br />
dur<strong>in</strong>g the even<strong>in</strong>g hours<br />
so operators are not<br />
without their trucks,”<br />
Woody said, add<strong>in</strong>g that<br />
the Everett store services<br />
customers from the Seattle<br />
to north Everett areas, and<br />
even a few <strong>in</strong> the Cle<br />
Elum area.<br />
“Like cars, the warranty<br />
work on trucks has become less <strong>of</strong> an issue,<br />
but we still perform between 12 and 15<br />
percent warranty repairs on International<br />
Cont<strong>in</strong>ued on page 22<br />
NAPAPROL<strong>in</strong>k NowInteg<br />
Integrated With<br />
NAPA A TRACS<br />
NAPA APATRACS, the<strong>in</strong>dustry-lead<strong>in</strong>g shop management system, and NAPA PROL<strong>in</strong>k,<br />
the lead<strong>in</strong>g parts<br />
buy<strong>in</strong>g website, nowworktogetherwork asone. So you get the power <strong>of</strong>both, right<strong>in</strong>side TRACS –<br />
the hesystemthathasbeenhelp<strong>in</strong>g that has help<strong>in</strong>g shops boost efficiency for more than 20 years.<br />
What You Get:<br />
<br />
between TRACS and the onl<strong>in</strong>e PROL<strong>in</strong>k NAPA catalog<br />
<br />
<br />
local NAPA store and NAPA channel <strong>in</strong>ventory<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
– clicktoaddNAPA partstoestimatesanto and purchase urchaseorders<br />
checks checksotherstores, stores, DCsandevenNA<br />
NAPA PAsuppliers<br />
<br />
with more than 800,000 part images<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
and much more<br />
VISIT<br />
OUR<br />
WEBSITE:<br />
www.napatracs.com<br />
How to Get Started<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Simply loadthelatestTRACSrelease.<br />
latest CalltheNAPATRACSSalesnumberbelowora<br />
Sales below or ask yourservic<strong>in</strong>g<br />
NAPAAUTOPARTSstorefoAUTO PARTS for ordetails.<br />
| <br />
<br />
<strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> November 2011 Page 21
Longtime truck dealership adds services at new facility<br />
Cont<strong>in</strong>ued from page 21<br />
trucks each year,” he said.<br />
“In the service arena, we do everyth<strong>in</strong>g<br />
from light<strong>in</strong>g to electrical, brakes to<br />
eng<strong>in</strong>es,” he said. “Our goal at Motor<br />
Trucks is to take care <strong>of</strong> all <strong>of</strong> our<br />
customer’s needs.”<br />
In that ve<strong>in</strong>, the stores <strong>of</strong>fer mobile truck<br />
service with units constructed for that<br />
purpose <strong>in</strong> the service department, Woody<br />
said, add<strong>in</strong>g that the mobile service<br />
represents about 10 percent <strong>of</strong> overall<br />
service sales.<br />
Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g is an important element <strong>of</strong> the<br />
service department, Woody said, as trucks<br />
have transitioned to cleaner diesels and<br />
become more electronically controlled s<strong>in</strong>ce<br />
the mid-2000s.<br />
“No one has the same eng<strong>in</strong>e <strong>in</strong> their<br />
trucks today that they had <strong>in</strong> 2005,” he said.<br />
“Government regulations on diesel eng<strong>in</strong>es<br />
and fuel economy <strong>in</strong> 2007 and 2010 have<br />
changed what we work on today, so tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
for eng<strong>in</strong>es and the electronics on the trucks<br />
is very different than it was before.”<br />
Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g for technicians and support staff<br />
is a mix <strong>of</strong> class <strong>of</strong>fer<strong>in</strong>gs from<br />
International, Eaton, classes at Bates<br />
Technical College <strong>in</strong> Tacoma, and <strong>in</strong>-house<br />
web-based tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g, Woody said. “We have<br />
Insist on genu<strong>in</strong>e Toyota parts!<br />
<strong>in</strong>vested <strong>in</strong> extra tool<strong>in</strong>g<br />
and computers, and each<br />
technician has had<br />
hundreds <strong>of</strong> hours <strong>of</strong><br />
tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g over the past 10<br />
years,” he said.<br />
An <strong>in</strong>-house technical<br />
library provides tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
manuals, videos, and<br />
other materials for<br />
technician use, Woody<br />
said. In addition, an<br />
upstairs tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g room<br />
can accommodate 50<br />
people with tables and<br />
is used for Motor<br />
Trucks and other tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g, he said.<br />
The parts department, headed by Garrett<br />
Horgen, who handles parts for all three<br />
Motor Trucks store, provides delivery<br />
service from Kent to the Canadian border to<br />
the Cascade Mounta<strong>in</strong>s, as well as the<br />
Olympic Pen<strong>in</strong>sula, Woody said.<br />
The parts department has an <strong>in</strong>ventory <strong>of</strong><br />
about $850,000, Horgen said.<br />
Dur<strong>in</strong>g the construction <strong>of</strong> the new<br />
facility, Woody said ownership and<br />
managers were able to provide <strong>in</strong>put on<br />
design elements and fixtures that were to be<br />
<strong>in</strong>corporated <strong>in</strong>to the new build<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
“The build<strong>in</strong>g was designed to be<br />
environmentally friendly, and energy use<br />
was a major consideration,” he said. “We<br />
had a waste-oil burner <strong>in</strong> our old build<strong>in</strong>g,<br />
but we put <strong>in</strong> two Columbia waste-oil units<br />
from Northwest Industrial Equipment here<br />
<strong>in</strong> an upstairs control room above the<br />
service department.<br />
“Last year, we burned 9,000 gallons <strong>of</strong><br />
used oil. We heat the entire build<strong>in</strong>g with<br />
the units, sav<strong>in</strong>g on utility costs, and we<br />
don’t have the liability <strong>of</strong> recycl<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> oils<br />
with an outside firm,” Woody said.<br />
Clear-glass doors were <strong>in</strong>stalled <strong>in</strong> the<br />
service department to add additional light,<br />
and skylights <strong>in</strong> the 32-foot ceil<strong>in</strong>g provide<br />
more available light to the service area,<br />
Woody said.<br />
The parts crew at Motor Trucks <strong>in</strong> Everett at the retail parts<br />
counter are, from l., <strong>Parts</strong> Manager Garrett Horgen and <strong>Parts</strong><br />
Specialists Curtis Davis, Steve Lage, Darren Jopl<strong>in</strong>, and Jon<br />
Mattson.<br />
“We also t<strong>in</strong>ted the concrete gray to add<br />
to the light<strong>in</strong>g issue, and it all works very<br />
well. There are times we used very little<br />
energy <strong>in</strong> light<strong>in</strong>g the service area.”<br />
A fresh-air <strong>in</strong>take system was <strong>in</strong>stalled <strong>in</strong><br />
the control room so that fumes and air<br />
issues are handled well, and a dieselparticulate<br />
clean<strong>in</strong>g system was also<br />
<strong>in</strong>cluded <strong>in</strong> the service department, Woody<br />
said.<br />
An environmentally sound lube pit, the<br />
first <strong>in</strong> <strong>Wash<strong>in</strong>gton</strong>, dra<strong>in</strong>s <strong>in</strong>to a separator<br />
and does not allow for fluids to enter the<br />
service or work areas, Woody said. In<br />
addition, there are two air compressors that<br />
work as energy savers, and a water<br />
treatment system is <strong>in</strong> place as well, he<br />
added. n<br />
Technician Steve Phillips performs repairs<br />
on a Kenworth truck at Motor Trucks <strong>in</strong><br />
Everett.<br />
In depth Mechanical Inventory<br />
Broadway Toyota<br />
Local: 800-270-0679<br />
Oregon: 1-800-452-7443<br />
Out <strong>of</strong> State: 1-800-547-9700<br />
Fax: 503-284-7822<br />
parts@broadwaytoyota.com<br />
www.broadwaytoyota.com<br />
Page 22 November 2011 <strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> www.partsandpeople.com
☛<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
☛ <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> November 2011 Page 23
Run to the Sun event tests 25 sports and performance vehicles<br />
by Jerold B. Smith<br />
Marysville, Wash.—The Northwest<br />
Automotive Press Association (NWAPA)<br />
held its annual Run to the Sun event <strong>in</strong><br />
September to provide member journalists<br />
the opportunity to test-drive a variety <strong>of</strong><br />
sports and performance vehicles.<br />
Test<strong>in</strong>g over two days <strong>of</strong> the 2011 event<br />
<strong>in</strong>cluded 25 vehicles rang<strong>in</strong>g from true<br />
sports cars to performance-oriented<br />
SUVs.<br />
Included <strong>in</strong> the 2011 run were the 2012<br />
Acura TL SH-AWD, 2012 Audi A6 and<br />
A7, the 2012 BMW 650i Convertible,<br />
2011 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe, the 2012<br />
Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible, the<br />
2012 Chrysler 200C, 2012 Dodge<br />
Charger SRT-8, the 2012 Fiat 500<br />
Convertible, 2012 Ford Mustang Boss<br />
302, the Honda Civic Si Coupe, and the<br />
2012 Hyundai Genesis 5.0 R-Spec.<br />
Also, the 2012 Jeep Wrangler<br />
Unlimited Rubicon, the 2011 Kia Optima<br />
Turbo, 2011 Lexus IS-F, the 2011 Lotus<br />
Evora S, the 2012 Mazda5, 2011 Mazda<br />
RX-8, the 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS63,<br />
2012 M-B<br />
SLK350, 2011<br />
Mitsubishi<br />
Outlander Sport,<br />
2012 Suzuki<br />
Kizashi Sport, the<br />
2012 Volkswagen<br />
Beetle Turbo,<br />
2012 VW EOS<br />
Lux, and the 2012<br />
Volvo S60 R-<br />
Design.<br />
Over routes<br />
The 2012 BMW 650i Convertible was a<br />
top performer at the Run to the Sun event.<br />
This model prices out at just under<br />
$103,000.<br />
that began each day at the Tulalip Resort<br />
& Cas<strong>in</strong>o, the vehicles were driven by 25<br />
journalists <strong>in</strong> rotation over routes that<br />
<strong>in</strong>cluded freeways, country roads, and<br />
mounta<strong>in</strong> passes.<br />
While many <strong>of</strong> the sports cars <strong>of</strong>fered<br />
plenty <strong>of</strong> power and acceleration, the mix<br />
<strong>of</strong> hav<strong>in</strong>g vehicles such as the Wrangler<br />
Rubicon and Outlander Sport provided<br />
both the sport and performance attributes<br />
<strong>of</strong> SUVs. The Wrangler is a particular<br />
favorite for its high-pr<strong>of</strong>ile, <strong>of</strong>f-road<br />
capabilities, and fun driv<strong>in</strong>g experience.<br />
The throat<strong>in</strong>ess <strong>of</strong> V-8 eng<strong>in</strong>es <strong>in</strong> the<br />
Cadillac CTS, Camaro SS, Charger SRT-<br />
8, Mustang Boss, and others provided the<br />
thrill <strong>of</strong> boastful power and massive<br />
acceleration. The Acura, Audi, BMW,<br />
Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, and other models<br />
comb<strong>in</strong>ed dynamic powertra<strong>in</strong>s with<br />
luxury highway driv<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
The 2011 Lotus Evora S is a pure sports<br />
car that features amaz<strong>in</strong>g handl<strong>in</strong>g<br />
characteristics.<br />
Always a favorite to drive is the awardw<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Lotus Evora S, recreated with a<br />
345-HP supercharged 3.5-L V-6 eng<strong>in</strong>e.<br />
While it’s not the easiest sports car to get<br />
<strong>in</strong> and out <strong>of</strong> for larger drivers, once<br />
<strong>in</strong>side, the Evora exudes power and<br />
performance. A sport button allows the<br />
driver to control throttle response and<br />
Cont<strong>in</strong>ued on page 25<br />
Page 24 November 2011 <strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> www.partsandpeople.com
Run to the Sun event tests 25 sports and performance vehicles<br />
The 2012 Camaro SS Convertible driven<br />
at Run to the Sun had a 6.2-L V-8 eng<strong>in</strong>e<br />
and six-speed manual transmission.<br />
Cont<strong>in</strong>ued from page 24<br />
activate the exhaust<br />
bypass valve.<br />
Handl<strong>in</strong>g is tight and<br />
very responsive.<br />
Sport and<br />
performance equates<br />
to lesser powertra<strong>in</strong>s<br />
<strong>in</strong> vehicles such as<br />
the Fiat 500C,<br />
Mazda5, and Suzuki<br />
Kizashi, all favorites<br />
for style, eng<strong>in</strong>e performance, and<br />
exceptional handl<strong>in</strong>g characteristics. The<br />
third-generation VW Beetle Turbo<br />
provides its own stable driv<strong>in</strong>g<br />
experience with its 2.0-L eng<strong>in</strong>e and sport<br />
suspension.<br />
Always a popular entry, the Volvo S-60<br />
R-Design features exquisite handl<strong>in</strong>g and<br />
class-lead<strong>in</strong>g safety features.<br />
The comb<strong>in</strong>ation <strong>of</strong> vehicles, from the<br />
enjoyable Kia Optima Turbo and Hyundai<br />
Genesis sport model, to the reliable<br />
Honda Civic Si and the comfortable<br />
Mazda RX-8, proves that sport and<br />
performance can be comb<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>in</strong> a variety<br />
<strong>of</strong> vehicles based on the needs and desires<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>dividual motorists.<br />
While prices on the tested units <strong>in</strong> the<br />
Run to the Sun ranged from about<br />
$19,700 (Mazda5) to $112,000 (M-B<br />
CLS63), each vehicle tested provided its<br />
own unique qualities. They all get from<br />
po<strong>in</strong>t to po<strong>in</strong>t <strong>in</strong> the same amount <strong>of</strong> time;<br />
some just do it with a bit more luxury and<br />
convenience. n<br />
Calendar compiled by Jerold B. Smith<br />
Oct. 31-Nov. 5 * Automotive Aftermarket<br />
Industry Week (AAIW), <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g the<br />
AAPEX Show at Sands Expo (Nov. 1-3) and<br />
SEMA Show (Nov. 1-4) at Las Vegas<br />
Convention Center, Las Vegas. Visit<br />
www.aapexshow.com or<br />
www.semashow.com.<br />
Nov. 2-3 * General Meet<strong>in</strong>g, Collision<br />
Industry Conference (CIC), Las Vegas<br />
Hilton, Las Vegas. Visit www.cicl<strong>in</strong>k.com.<br />
Nov. 2-6 * 2011 Seattle International Auto<br />
Show, CenturyL<strong>in</strong>k Field Event Center,<br />
Seattle. Visit www.seattleautoshow.com.<br />
Dec.16-18 * Progressive International<br />
Motorcycle Show, <strong>Wash<strong>in</strong>gton</strong> State<br />
Convention Center, Seattle. Visit<br />
www.motorcycleshows.com.<br />
Jan.18-20 * 32nd annual International<br />
Convention & Trade Show, Mobile Air<br />
Condition<strong>in</strong>g Society (MACS), Rio All Suite<br />
Hotel & Cas<strong>in</strong>o, Las Vegas. Visit<br />
www.macsw.org.<br />
Jan. 23-26 * Heavy-Duty Aftermarket<br />
Week 2012, The Mirage, Las Vegas. Visit<br />
www.hdaw.org.<br />
Jan. 26-29 * 2012 Portland International<br />
Auto Show, Oregon Convention Center,<br />
Portland. Visit www.portlandautoshow.com.<br />
Jan. 26-29 * Semi-annual Retreat and<br />
Management Conference, ASA <strong>Wash<strong>in</strong>gton</strong>,<br />
Enzian Inn, Leavenworth, Wash. Call 253-<br />
473-6970 or visit www.asawa.com.<br />
Feb. 3-6 * 2012 Convention & Expo,<br />
National Automobile Dealers Association<br />
(NADA), Las Vegas Convention Center, Las<br />
Vegas. Visit www.nada.org.<br />
Feb. 9-10 * Tire Expo, sponsored by the<br />
Northwest Tire Dealers Association<br />
(NWTDA), Holiday Inn/Airport, Portland.<br />
For details, call 509-948-2433 or visit<br />
www.nwtiredealers.org.<br />
Feb. 24-26 * 2012 Automotive Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
Expo (ATE), Doubletree Hotel, SeaTac,<br />
Wash. Call 888-774-1253 or visit<br />
www.atetra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>gexpo.com. n<br />
<strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> November 2011 Page 25
GIVE YOUR BUSINESS NEW<br />
ENERGY<br />
ACDelco Pr<strong>of</strong>essional Electrical<br />
View our video<br />
to learn more<br />
about ACDelco<br />
alternators.<br />
Give the vehicles you service and your bus<strong>in</strong>ess a boost with ACDelco. Our alternators<br />
<strong>in</strong>clude 100 percent new regulators and our starters have 100 percent new solenoids<br />
on most <strong>of</strong> our top-sell<strong>in</strong>g models, plus the batteries that carry our name are virtually<br />
ma<strong>in</strong>tenance-free. With ACDelco, no matter how much you see, you’re only see<strong>in</strong>g<br />
a small part <strong>of</strong> what we’re do<strong>in</strong>g for you. It’s all part <strong>of</strong> someth<strong>in</strong>g bigger. And powerful.<br />
©2011 General Motors. All rights reserved.<br />
Page 26 November 2011 <strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> www.partsandpeople.com
Cooper’s Keys to Auto Repair Pr<strong>of</strong>its<br />
Trends <strong>of</strong> the <strong>in</strong>dustry: The future <strong>of</strong> your bus<strong>in</strong>ess<br />
There are a number <strong>of</strong> changes that are<br />
occurr<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> our <strong>in</strong>dustry, and there is no<br />
question that some <strong>of</strong> them will have a<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>ound, long-term impact. To name just<br />
two, automobiles are be<strong>in</strong>g built better<br />
and, as we all know, service <strong>in</strong>tervals are<br />
constantly be<strong>in</strong>g extended by<br />
the manufacturers.<br />
Although this is all good for<br />
consumers, better-built vehicles<br />
means they’ll need fewer<br />
repairs, and extended service<br />
<strong>in</strong>tervals means you’ll be see<strong>in</strong>g<br />
your exist<strong>in</strong>g customers less<br />
frequently <strong>in</strong> the com<strong>in</strong>g years.<br />
The way most shop owners Bob Cooper<br />
are deal<strong>in</strong>g with this is by try<strong>in</strong>g<br />
to persuade all <strong>of</strong> their customers that they<br />
need to br<strong>in</strong>g their vehicles <strong>in</strong> more<br />
frequently than the manufacturer<br />
recommends. They tell them that their oil<br />
needs to be changed more frequently and<br />
that it’s a good policy to have their<br />
vehicles <strong>in</strong>spected every 3,000-5,000<br />
miles.<br />
Although I agree with that reason<strong>in</strong>g,<br />
those shop owners are fight<strong>in</strong>g an uphill<br />
battle s<strong>in</strong>ce one <strong>of</strong> the many reasons<br />
people buy new vehicles is because they<br />
like the idea <strong>of</strong> extended service <strong>in</strong>tervals.<br />
So rather than try<strong>in</strong>g to fight this trend,<br />
I’d encourage you to understand it, and<br />
rather than try<strong>in</strong>g to sell each and every<br />
customer on the value <strong>of</strong> com<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> more<br />
frequently, I’d<br />
encourage you to<br />
take a different<br />
approach.<br />
First <strong>of</strong> all, as <strong>in</strong><br />
any bus<strong>in</strong>ess, you<br />
should explore<br />
every opportunity<br />
to provide additional services to your<br />
customers. They already trust you and<br />
your recommendations, so services such as<br />
door d<strong>in</strong>g removals, tire <strong>in</strong>stallations, glass<br />
repair services, cab<strong>in</strong> air-duct clean<strong>in</strong>g<br />
services, and detail<strong>in</strong>g services are good<br />
examples <strong>of</strong> other services you can <strong>of</strong>fer.<br />
Not only will services that enhance<br />
vehicle appearance or customer comfort<br />
put smiles on the faces <strong>of</strong> your customers,<br />
but at the same time those services will<br />
<strong>in</strong>crease your average dollar amount per<br />
RO, which will help <strong>of</strong>fset the fewer<br />
number <strong>of</strong> times you’ll see your customers<br />
throughout the year.<br />
When it comes to additional services, I<br />
would also encourage you to consider the<br />
trend <strong>in</strong> In-Vehicle Infota<strong>in</strong>ment (IVI)<br />
<strong>in</strong>tegration. This category <strong>in</strong>cludes<br />
accessories such as navigational systems,<br />
cell phone <strong>in</strong>tegration, MP3 <strong>in</strong>tegration,<br />
“You should explore<br />
every opportunity to<br />
provide additional services<br />
to your customers.”<br />
and communication systems.<br />
I f<strong>in</strong>d it <strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>g that technology<br />
seems to be well ahead <strong>of</strong> the auto <strong>in</strong>dustry<br />
at this time. However, you can rest<br />
assured that <strong>in</strong> the com<strong>in</strong>g years you will<br />
see more <strong>of</strong> this type <strong>of</strong> technology on<br />
vehicles, not less.<br />
That is because technology is<br />
an <strong>in</strong>tegral part <strong>of</strong> the lives <strong>of</strong> our<br />
emerg<strong>in</strong>g market: the Y Gens.<br />
Those are the people who were<br />
born between 1980 and 1990,<br />
and there is no doubt <strong>in</strong> my m<strong>in</strong>d<br />
that they are go<strong>in</strong>g to have an<br />
expectation that new vehicles<br />
will be able to provide those<br />
types <strong>of</strong> technological features.<br />
I am very confident that the<br />
manufacturers are go<strong>in</strong>g to f<strong>in</strong>d themselves<br />
<strong>in</strong> a position that <strong>in</strong> order to be competitive<br />
<strong>in</strong> the com<strong>in</strong>g years, they will be forced to<br />
<strong>in</strong>corporate more IVI features <strong>in</strong>to their<br />
vehicles.<br />
In order to be fully prepared for those<br />
trends, you will need to make sure that<br />
your service advisors are very well tra<strong>in</strong>ed.<br />
Any services that are not authorized dur<strong>in</strong>g<br />
a visit will more than likely be lost sales<br />
because it may be six months or longer<br />
before you see that particular customer<br />
aga<strong>in</strong>.<br />
By then, your service recommendations<br />
will either be forgotten, viewed as<br />
unimportant by your customers, or if they<br />
experience<br />
subsequent failures,<br />
they may very well<br />
have it repaired<br />
somewhere else.<br />
Worse yet, if it’s a<br />
safety item that you<br />
discover, and if it’s<br />
not repaired dur<strong>in</strong>g their <strong>in</strong>itial visit, your<br />
customers will be at an even greater risk.<br />
There is no question that the age-old<br />
expression, “We’ll take care <strong>of</strong> that the<br />
next time you’re <strong>in</strong>,” is go<strong>in</strong>g to vanish<br />
from our <strong>in</strong>dustry.<br />
Lastly, with the understand<strong>in</strong>g that you<br />
will be see<strong>in</strong>g the majority <strong>of</strong> your<br />
customers less frequently as time goes on,<br />
<strong>in</strong> order to keep your service bays filled,<br />
you will need to ensure that you have a<br />
well-constructed market<strong>in</strong>g plan <strong>in</strong> place<br />
that will br<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the right k<strong>in</strong>d <strong>of</strong><br />
customers.<br />
In order to stay ahead <strong>of</strong> your<br />
competitors, you need to <strong>in</strong>vest at least 60<br />
percent <strong>of</strong> your advertis<strong>in</strong>g budget <strong>in</strong>to<br />
nontraditional advertis<strong>in</strong>g programs<br />
(sponsor<strong>in</strong>g little league teams and charity<br />
events, host<strong>in</strong>g car care cl<strong>in</strong>ics, etc.), and<br />
you should <strong>in</strong>vest at least a fourth <strong>of</strong> that<br />
60 percent <strong>in</strong>to advertis<strong>in</strong>g programs that<br />
are directed toward the Y Gens.<br />
I’d also encourage you to avoid fight<strong>in</strong>g<br />
the evolution <strong>of</strong> automobiles and try<strong>in</strong>g to<br />
sell your customers on a service schedule<br />
that they have little or no <strong>in</strong>terest <strong>in</strong><br />
buy<strong>in</strong>g. Instead, look for other ways you<br />
can help them when you do see them by<br />
provid<strong>in</strong>g additional services.<br />
If the services you <strong>of</strong>fer are cosmetic <strong>in</strong><br />
nature, if they cater to the emerg<strong>in</strong>g<br />
market, or if they provide added comfort<br />
to the customer <strong>in</strong> any way, all the better.<br />
You will need to have talented, welltra<strong>in</strong>ed<br />
advisors, and there is no doubt that<br />
you’ll need to have a market<strong>in</strong>g plan <strong>in</strong><br />
place that will br<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> even more <strong>of</strong> the<br />
right k<strong>in</strong>d <strong>of</strong> customers.<br />
. . . . . . . . . . .<br />
For the last 20 years, Bob Cooper has been<br />
the president <strong>of</strong> Elite Worldwide Inc., an<br />
ethics-based company that <strong>of</strong>fers shop<br />
owners sales, market<strong>in</strong>g, and management<br />
solutions <strong>in</strong> the form <strong>of</strong> downloadable audio<br />
tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g courses, sem<strong>in</strong>ars, and web<strong>in</strong>ars,<br />
coach<strong>in</strong>g services, and service advisor<br />
tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g. You can contact Cooper at<br />
contact@eliteworldwidestore.com, or at<br />
800-204-3548. n<br />
Portland, Oregon<br />
Portland, Oregon<br />
Exchange Cyl<strong>in</strong>der<br />
➔ Exchange Cyl<strong>in</strong>der<br />
Heads and Cams<br />
Heads and Cams<br />
Complete Cyl<strong>in</strong>der<br />
➔ Complete Cyl<strong>in</strong>der<br />
Head<br />
Head<br />
Repair<br />
Repair<br />
Weld<strong>in</strong>g L<strong>in</strong>e<br />
➔ Weld<strong>in</strong>g & L<strong>in</strong>e<br />
Bor<strong>in</strong>g Specialists<br />
➔ Complete Import &<br />
Domestic Coverage<br />
➔ 12-Month/12,000-<br />
12-month/12,000<br />
Mile Warranty<br />
We Specialize <strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong> Hard Hard to<br />
to F<strong>in</strong>d F<strong>in</strong>d Cyl<strong>in</strong>der Heads! Heads!<br />
(503) 230-0852<br />
(503) 230-0852<br />
1-800-978-4323<br />
1-800-978-4323<br />
www.alum<strong>in</strong>umheads.com<br />
Congratulations to<br />
Motor Trucks <strong>in</strong> Everett<br />
on their new dealership facility!<br />
Jam<strong>in</strong> Woody, service manager at Motor Trucks <strong>in</strong> Everett, stands<br />
next to the two Columbia waste-oil fired boilers used at the dealership.<br />
Call us for <strong>in</strong>formation on used oil fired boilers<br />
and heaters for your bus<strong>in</strong>ess –<br />
Help the environment and save on utility costs!<br />
Now Available from<br />
NORTHWEST INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT, INC<br />
22023 - 70th Avenue S., Kent, WA 98032<br />
1-800-261-1041<br />
www.oilburners.com<br />
<strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> November 2011 Page 27
<strong>People</strong> & Places<br />
OREGON<br />
Oil Can Henry’s, based <strong>in</strong> Tualat<strong>in</strong>,<br />
has announced a jo<strong>in</strong>t campaign <strong>in</strong> western<br />
states with Universal Lubricants <strong>of</strong><br />
Wichita, Kan., to <strong>in</strong>crease motorists’<br />
awareness <strong>of</strong> proper vehicle ma<strong>in</strong>tenance<br />
and the economic benefits <strong>of</strong> us<strong>in</strong>g ECO<br />
ULTRA motor oil produced by Universal.<br />
The ECO ULTRA l<strong>in</strong>e <strong>of</strong> motor oil is ec<strong>of</strong>riendly<br />
and reduces the dependence on<br />
foreign oil, said the two firms. Oil Can<br />
Henry’s operates 88 service centers <strong>in</strong><br />
Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho,<br />
Oregon, and <strong>Wash<strong>in</strong>gton</strong>. The firm has a<br />
reputation as “The One You can Trust” by<br />
<strong>in</strong>volv<strong>in</strong>g customers <strong>in</strong> vehicle service and<br />
educat<strong>in</strong>g them on proper vehicle<br />
ma<strong>in</strong>tenance, <strong>of</strong>ficials said, add<strong>in</strong>g that Oil<br />
Can Henry’s is committed to reduc<strong>in</strong>g the<br />
impact on the environment by recycl<strong>in</strong>g<br />
used oil, antifreeze, and other fluids.<br />
Merles Saunders has retired after 31<br />
years as the automotive <strong>in</strong>structor at Vale<br />
High School. He was a legendary<br />
<strong>in</strong>structor from the small eastern Oregon<br />
town for plac<strong>in</strong>g first <strong>in</strong> more state<br />
competitions <strong>in</strong> the Ford/AAA Student<br />
Auto Skills competitions than any high<br />
school <strong>in</strong> the state, w<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g 24 state contests.<br />
Student teams from Vale also placed first <strong>in</strong><br />
the national Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills<br />
competition five times, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g 2011 <strong>in</strong><br />
Dearborn, Mich., and placed <strong>in</strong> the top 10 a<br />
record 18 times. The skills competition is a<br />
nationwide contest for high school juniors<br />
and seniors who are <strong>in</strong>terested <strong>in</strong> pursu<strong>in</strong>g a<br />
career <strong>in</strong> automotive technology. In 2011, its<br />
62nd year, the competition <strong>in</strong>volved 10,000<br />
students who competed for a record $12<br />
<strong>million</strong> <strong>in</strong> scholarships.<br />
The first week <strong>of</strong> October marked the<br />
kick-<strong>of</strong>f <strong>of</strong> a seven-week “Mitsubishi i<br />
100% Electric Experience” test drive<br />
tour <strong>of</strong> Oregon, <strong>Wash<strong>in</strong>gton</strong>, and California.<br />
The tour began <strong>in</strong> Portland as a market<strong>in</strong>g<br />
PHOTO BY MICHAEL ANDERSON<br />
John Leddy, owner <strong>of</strong> LDC Equipment, demonstrates<br />
how to use the Tecna Smart-Plus 3360 spot welder,<br />
designed for use on high-strength steels. The session<br />
was held Oct. 5 at Bates Technical College <strong>in</strong> Tacoma.<br />
campaign for the automaker’s <strong>in</strong>troduction<br />
<strong>of</strong> the all-electric i models this month at<br />
select dealerships.<br />
The Albany Indoor Swap Meet will<br />
take place Nov. 19 on Spr<strong>in</strong>ghill Drive <strong>in</strong><br />
Albany. The event draws hundreds <strong>of</strong><br />
vendors and thousands <strong>of</strong> buyers throughout<br />
the Northwest to the <strong>in</strong>door venue that<br />
features a full spectrum <strong>of</strong> automotiverelated<br />
products.<br />
WASHINGTON<br />
John Leddy, owner <strong>of</strong> LDC<br />
Equipment <strong>in</strong> Sumner, held a highstrength<br />
steel and welder<br />
demonstration at Bates<br />
Technical College on Oct. 5<br />
<strong>in</strong> Tacoma. The session,<br />
attended by the school’s Auto<br />
Body Rebuild<strong>in</strong>g & Ref<strong>in</strong>ish<br />
students, focused on proper<br />
repair tactics <strong>of</strong> vehicles with<br />
high-strength steels with a<br />
hands-on demonstration <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Tecna Smart-Plus 3360<br />
spot welder. “The enemy <strong>of</strong><br />
high-strength steel is heat and a<br />
hammer,” Leddy said. “You<br />
really have to know what type <strong>of</strong><br />
metal you’re weld<strong>in</strong>g on. You<br />
can’t assume its all mild steel.”<br />
compiled by Jerold B. Smith<br />
A “Hard Hat & High Heels” fundraiser<br />
and sneak peak at the progress <strong>of</strong> LeMay-<br />
America’s Car Museum (ACM) <strong>in</strong><br />
Tacoma was held Sept. 24, attract<strong>in</strong>g more<br />
than 650 ACM supporters. An auction <strong>of</strong><br />
more than 130 items raised $550,000 for the<br />
museum, which is set for a grand open<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong><br />
June 2012. The 165,000-square-foot facility,<br />
which sits on 3.5 acres, will feature more<br />
than 500 cars from the Harold LeMay<br />
collection as well as host<strong>in</strong>g meet<strong>in</strong>gs,<br />
conventions, parties, and educational events.<br />
“This was an important milestone because it<br />
signifies we’re open for bus<strong>in</strong>ess now even<br />
though the grand open<strong>in</strong>g is next year,” said<br />
David Madeira, president and CEO <strong>of</strong><br />
Cont<strong>in</strong>ued on page 29<br />
PHOTO BY DOUG LARSON<br />
Partygoers at the “Hard Hat & Heels” sneak<br />
peek event at LeMay-America’s Car<br />
Museum enjoyed an even<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> fun and<br />
fundrais<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
BE THE HERO.<br />
Save the day with Mopar® parts!<br />
Only Mopar® <strong>of</strong>fers the authentic performance,<br />
durability and precise fit <strong>of</strong> orig<strong>in</strong>al equipment parts.<br />
Rescue your customers from the perils <strong>of</strong> the<br />
aftermarket—signal your local dealer today.<br />
MOPAR®. BUY THE RIGHT PART.<br />
Chrysler Jeep<br />
Dodge Bellevue<br />
120 116<br />
th<br />
Avenuee NE<br />
Bellevue, WA<br />
98004<br />
(800) 395-1310<br />
Dave Smith Motors<br />
210 N. Division<br />
Kellogg, IA 83837<br />
837<br />
(877) 572-7870<br />
Tacoma Dodge<br />
Chrysler Jeep<br />
ep<br />
4101 S. Tacoma Way<br />
Tacoma, WA<br />
98409<br />
(800) 562-36888<br />
Tonk<strong>in</strong> <strong>Parts</strong> Center<br />
12155 NE Airport Way<br />
Portland, OR<br />
97220<br />
(877)<br />
RT-PARTS<br />
RTS<br />
(503) 546-6900<br />
Town own&Co<br />
Country<br />
Chrysler Jeep Dodge<br />
13733 Aurora ra Avenue N.<br />
Seattle, WA<br />
98133<br />
(800) 999-JEEP<br />
(206) 365-4930<br />
© 2011, Chrysler Group LLC. All rights reserved. Chrysler,<br />
Jeep, Dodge, Ram, SRT<br />
and Mopar are registered trademarks <strong>of</strong> Chrysler<br />
r Group LLC. Pr<strong>in</strong>ted <strong>in</strong> U.S.A.<br />
Page 28 November 2011 <strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> www.partsandpeople.com
Cont<strong>in</strong>ued from page 28<br />
ACM. Events at the museum, expected to<br />
draw some 425,000 visitors each year, are<br />
already scheduled <strong>in</strong>to 2014.<br />
Family, friends, and co-workers <strong>of</strong><br />
Stanley O. McNaughton, former CEO<br />
<strong>of</strong> PEMCO Insurance, gathered at the<br />
Pr<strong>of</strong>essional Automotive Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
Center (PATC) at Shorel<strong>in</strong>e<br />
Community College (SCC) to dedicate<br />
the facility’s corporate d<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g room <strong>in</strong><br />
McNaughton’s name. The room <strong>in</strong>cludes a<br />
portrait <strong>of</strong> McNaughton, and panels on the<br />
wall reflect his favorite say<strong>in</strong>gs that guided<br />
his life. McNaughton was a supporter <strong>of</strong><br />
PATC and a force <strong>in</strong> promot<strong>in</strong>g the center.<br />
Comments at the event, hosted by the Puget<br />
Sound Automobile Dealers Association<br />
Stan McNaughton (r.), <strong>of</strong> PEMCO Insurance,<br />
visits with Shorel<strong>in</strong>e Community College<br />
President Lee Lambert dur<strong>in</strong>g a dedication<br />
at the Pr<strong>of</strong>essional Automotive Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
Center <strong>in</strong> Shorel<strong>in</strong>e <strong>in</strong> honor <strong>of</strong> his father.<br />
(PSADA), <strong>in</strong>cluded those from<br />
McNaughton’s son, Stan, current PEMCO<br />
CEO, SCC President Lee Lambert, and<br />
Jason Courter <strong>of</strong> Honda <strong>of</strong> Bellevue, the<br />
PSADA president.<br />
As part <strong>of</strong> Toyota’s nationwide “100<br />
Cars for Good” campaign, Foothills<br />
Toyota <strong>in</strong> Burl<strong>in</strong>gton has donated a 2011<br />
Toyota Prius to Summit Assistance<br />
Dogs <strong>of</strong> nearby Anacortes. Along with<br />
the vehicle donation, Foothill’s dealer<br />
pr<strong>in</strong>cipal Pam Nelson has donated $5,000<br />
to the organization. Founded <strong>in</strong> 2000,<br />
Summit Assistance Dogs provides highly<br />
skilled mobility, hear<strong>in</strong>g, and pr<strong>of</strong>essional<br />
therapy dogs for people with disabilities.<br />
The “100 Cars for Good” program is the<br />
first Toyota <strong>in</strong>itiative that engages the public<br />
to determ<strong>in</strong>e how corporate philanthropic<br />
donations will be awarded. Toyota is<br />
donat<strong>in</strong>g 100 vehicles to deserv<strong>in</strong>g nonpr<strong>of</strong>it<br />
organizations based on votes from the<br />
public.<br />
Ford Motor Co.’s Seattle Region<br />
(<strong>Wash<strong>in</strong>gton</strong> and Oregon) reported that total<br />
September dealer sales were up 24 percent<br />
over 2010 and were dom<strong>in</strong>ated by a 37-<br />
percent <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> truck sales led by the<br />
redesigned Ford Explorer (up 885 percent)<br />
and the Ranger (up 300 percent). Overall,<br />
national sales for September were up 9<br />
percent versus the same month <strong>in</strong> 2010.<br />
A-Z Auto Repair opened <strong>in</strong> late<br />
September <strong>in</strong> Kennewick under the<br />
ownership <strong>of</strong> Mike Harvey, also the<br />
owner <strong>of</strong> A-Z Tow<strong>in</strong>g and The Bug Shack,<br />
another repair shop <strong>in</strong> Kennewick. A-Z will<br />
provide full-service repairs, tow<strong>in</strong>g, and<br />
vehicle sales.<br />
West Seattle Auto Works celebrated<br />
its one-year anniversary with an open house<br />
Oct. 1. Owned by Todd A<strong>in</strong>sworth and<br />
Cont<strong>in</strong>ued on page 30<br />
On hand, on demand.<br />
Genu<strong>in</strong>e Mercedes-Benz <strong>Parts</strong><br />
Do you need a hard-to-f<strong>in</strong>d part or<br />
component? Perhaps an alternator or<br />
starter for that older Mercedes-Benz<br />
model. For almost any part you need, we<br />
have it—or can get it fast. We’re your one<br />
source for nearly every Genu<strong>in</strong>e Part you<br />
need to provide complete repair on any<br />
Mercedes-Benz vehicle.<br />
Includ<strong>in</strong>g a 12 month/unlimited mileage,<br />
limited warranty with additional coverage<br />
for complete eng<strong>in</strong>es and transmissions.<br />
Never Compromise.<br />
Use Genu<strong>in</strong>e Mercedes-Benz <strong>Parts</strong>.<br />
We Have Hard-To-F<strong>in</strong>d <strong>Parts</strong>. Your Pacific Northwest Dealers Have You Covered!<br />
Phil Smart Inc.<br />
600 E Pike St<br />
Seattle, WA 98122<br />
888-MBPARTS<br />
206-329-5959<br />
Fax: 206-325-6906<br />
www.philsmart.com<br />
Mercedes-Benz <strong>of</strong> Bellevue<br />
11850 Bellevue-Redmond Rd<br />
Bellevue, WA 98005<br />
425-455-2139<br />
Fax: 425-637-8803<br />
mbparts@barriermotors.com<br />
Mercedes-Benz <strong>of</strong> Tacoma<br />
4001 20th St E<br />
Fife, WA 98424<br />
800-769-8183<br />
Fax: 253-896-9619<br />
www.larsonmercedes.com<br />
Mercedes-Benz <strong>of</strong> Lynnwood<br />
17800 Highway 99<br />
Lynnwood, WA 98037<br />
425-673-0505<br />
Fax: 425-673-5959<br />
www.mblynnwood.com<br />
Mercedes-Benz <strong>of</strong> Portland<br />
1605 SW Naito Pkwy<br />
Portland, OR 97201<br />
800-275-7276<br />
Local: 503-525-6229<br />
Fax: 503-525-6273<br />
Mercedes-Benz <strong>of</strong> Wilsonville<br />
25035 SW Parkway Ave<br />
Wilsonville, OR 97070<br />
503-454-5002<br />
Fax: 503-454-5012<br />
jeremycarter@lithia.com<br />
Mercedes-Benz <strong>of</strong> Anchorage<br />
1000 E Sixth Ave<br />
Anchorage, AK 99501<br />
907-277-3383<br />
Fax: 907-646-8656<br />
www.mercedesbenz<strong>of</strong>anchorage.com<br />
Wilson Motors<br />
1100 Iowa St.<br />
Bell<strong>in</strong>gham, WA 98229<br />
<strong>Parts</strong> Direct: 360-676-0177<br />
Toll Free: 800-634-1395<br />
Fax: 360-676-4831<br />
parts@wilsonmotors.com<br />
<strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> November 2011 Page 29
<strong>People</strong> & Places<br />
Cont<strong>in</strong>ued from page 29<br />
Chris Christensen, the full-service repair<br />
shop occupies for the former Swedish<br />
Automotive that moved three blocks south<br />
<strong>in</strong> 2010.<br />
The Seattle International Auto<br />
Show, one <strong>of</strong> the nation’s largest regional<br />
shows, will be staged Nov. 2-6 at the<br />
CenturyL<strong>in</strong>k Field Event Center <strong>in</strong> Seattle.<br />
The show will feature more than 400 new<br />
2012 model cars and trucks, and there will<br />
be test drive opportunities for Toyota, Kia,<br />
and Hyundai models. For details, visit<br />
www.seattleautoshow.com.<br />
Three ASA <strong>Wash<strong>in</strong>gton</strong> (ASA-WA)<br />
units held four “Lights-on” events <strong>in</strong> the<br />
state Oct. 1, provid<strong>in</strong>g free <strong>in</strong>spection and<br />
replacement <strong>of</strong> vehicle exterior light<strong>in</strong>g to<br />
motorists. The Whatcom County Unit<br />
reported <strong>in</strong>spect<strong>in</strong>g a total <strong>of</strong> 400 vehicles,<br />
247 at the Bell<strong>in</strong>gham site and 153 at the<br />
Everson location. Litter bags, ma<strong>in</strong>tenance<br />
brochures, and a list <strong>of</strong> local ASA shops<br />
were given to each participat<strong>in</strong>g motorist.<br />
The Spokane Unit <strong>of</strong> ASA <strong>Wash<strong>in</strong>gton</strong><br />
provided <strong>in</strong>spections to 148 vehicles with<br />
assistance from ASA member shops and<br />
automotive students from the Spokane Skills<br />
Center and Spokane Community College.<br />
The lanes at the Spokane “Lights-on” event<br />
handled 148 vehicles that had exterior<br />
light<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>spected and replaced as needed<br />
free <strong>of</strong> charge.<br />
The Bell<strong>in</strong>gham location for “Lights-on”<br />
checked light<strong>in</strong>g on 257 cars and trucks on<br />
Oct. 1.<br />
The Pierce County Unit handled 100 cars<br />
and trucks at its Lakewood “Lights-on”<br />
location with 50 volunteers, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g auto<br />
students from Clover Park Technical<br />
College and the New Market Skills Center.<br />
Free bulbs and light<strong>in</strong>g<br />
products were supplied by<br />
local parts stores <strong>in</strong> each<br />
area.<br />
Kev<strong>in</strong> Krecklow <strong>of</strong><br />
Mastertech Automotive <strong>in</strong><br />
Vancouver was one <strong>of</strong><br />
four Federated Car Care<br />
Centers <strong>in</strong> the nation to race<br />
aga<strong>in</strong>st dirt-track legends<br />
Kenny Schrader and<br />
Kenny Wallace at<br />
Schrader’s I-55 Raceway <strong>in</strong><br />
Pevely, Mo., <strong>in</strong> September.<br />
The four “rookie” drivers<br />
were w<strong>in</strong>ners <strong>in</strong> the annual<br />
“Get Dirty with Kennys<br />
Sweepstakes,” a contest exclusively for<br />
Federated Car Care Center members across<br />
the country.<br />
In memoriam: Terrance A. “Terry”<br />
Holmstrom, 62, <strong>of</strong> Olympia, died Sept.<br />
21. An Olympia native, he graduated from<br />
Tumwater High School <strong>in</strong> 1966 and<br />
attended Clover Park Technical College <strong>in</strong><br />
Lakewood. He began his automotive career<br />
<strong>in</strong> 1968 at a Firestone tire store as credit<br />
manager, and <strong>in</strong> 1976 he fulfilled his dream<br />
<strong>of</strong> own<strong>in</strong>g his own shop by open<strong>in</strong>g Terry’s<br />
Automotive <strong>in</strong> Olympia. Currently <strong>in</strong> West<br />
W<strong>in</strong>ners <strong>of</strong> the Federated “Get Dirty with Kennys<br />
Sweepstakes” pose with Federated <strong>of</strong>ficials and<br />
sponsored drivers at Kenny Schrader’s I-55 Raceway <strong>in</strong><br />
Pevely, Mo.<br />
Olympia, the repair facility is now be<strong>in</strong>g run<br />
by two sons, Tod and Robert. Terry’s<br />
Automotive has been an active member <strong>of</strong><br />
ASA <strong>Wash<strong>in</strong>gton</strong> (ASA-WA) s<strong>in</strong>ce 1994,<br />
and Holmstrom had served as treasurer <strong>of</strong><br />
the ASA-WA Southwest <strong>Wash<strong>in</strong>gton</strong> Unit<br />
for the past five years. He is survived by his<br />
wife, Stephanie, four children, and seven<br />
grandchildren. A Celebration <strong>of</strong> Life service<br />
was Oct. 1 <strong>in</strong> Olympia. Remembrances may<br />
be made <strong>in</strong> Holmstrom’s name to UWMC<br />
Transplant Services, c/o Suzy Duff, P.O.<br />
Box 356175, Seattle, Wash. 98195. n<br />
Page 30 November 2011 <strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> www.partsandpeople.com
Potter Webster / McKay Truck and<br />
RV Center opens <strong>in</strong> Albany, Ore.<br />
Potter-Webster Company celebrated the grand open<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> their newest parts and<br />
service location <strong>in</strong> Albany on Sept. 16. Potter Webster / McKay’s Truck and RV Center<br />
is located at 6225 Old Salem Road.<br />
Three hundred attendees enjoyed food,<br />
visited with 25 vendors, and won prizes.<br />
Advertisers’ Index<br />
ACDelco............................................10, 11, 26<br />
Alum<strong>in</strong>um Head Rebuilders .........................27<br />
ASA-WA ........................................................14<br />
BMW <strong>of</strong> Bellevue ..........................................20<br />
BMW Seattle.................................................22<br />
Brake Systems Inc..........................................8<br />
Broadway Toyota..........................................22<br />
Chrysler Jeep Dodge <strong>of</strong> Bellevue ................17<br />
Chrysler LLC .................................................28<br />
Drivel<strong>in</strong>es NW, Inc...........................................6<br />
Elite Worldwide .............................................31<br />
Eng<strong>in</strong>e & Performance Warehouse, Inc. ........7<br />
Exedy Global <strong>Parts</strong> Corp................................9<br />
Federated Auto <strong>Parts</strong>......................................8<br />
Foster Auto <strong>Parts</strong>..........................................19<br />
HDAW............................................................24<br />
Heads Up, Inc. ..............................................22<br />
Honda <strong>of</strong> Seattle...........................................15<br />
Identifix..........................................................32<br />
Inf<strong>in</strong>iti <strong>of</strong> Kirkland ..........................................16<br />
Jasper Eng<strong>in</strong>es & Transmissions .................12<br />
The classic truck and car show brought <strong>in</strong><br />
50 vehicles.<br />
Jet Chevrolet.................................................31<br />
Kia Motors America ........................................8<br />
LDC Equipment ............................................15<br />
McCurley Chevrolet Cadillac........................31<br />
Mercedes-Benz USA LLC............................29<br />
Mitchell 1.................................................13, 25<br />
NAPA Auto <strong>Parts</strong>.............................................5<br />
NAPA ProL<strong>in</strong>k................................................21<br />
Northwest Industrial Equipment, Inc............27<br />
Possy.............................................................30<br />
Precision For Collision..................................18<br />
Scarff Ford-Isuzu ..........................................20<br />
Seattle M<strong>in</strong>i ...................................................16<br />
Stadium Nissan.............................................18<br />
Total Lubricants USA Inc. ...............................2<br />
Toyota <strong>of</strong> Seattle ...........................................15<br />
Transmission Exchange Co............................6<br />
Transmission Rebuild Center .........................4<br />
University Volkswagen Audi .........................23<br />
Warehouse West...........................................14<br />
• OE-QUALITY, FIT AND FUNCTION<br />
The right part, the right fit. Better dependability and quicker, easier<br />
<strong>in</strong>stallations.<br />
• ENGINEERING<br />
Each GM Powertra<strong>in</strong> component <strong>in</strong>corporates the very latest eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g<br />
technology.<br />
• POWERFUL WARRANTY<br />
3 years/100,000 miles* for GM OE Powertra<strong>in</strong>. 2 years / 50,000 miles*<br />
for GM Performance <strong>Parts</strong> Eng<strong>in</strong>es. Warranty covers both parts and labor.<br />
• INDEPENDENT SERVICE CENTER WARRANTY<br />
The <strong>in</strong>stall<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>dependent service center may perform the GM Powertra<strong>in</strong><br />
warranty repairs.<br />
• WARRANTY FLEXIBILITY ADDS VALUE<br />
Warranties reside with the vehicle, not the owner, so vehicles can be sold<br />
with an added value <strong>of</strong> the warranty.<br />
• INSTALLATION SUPPORT<br />
GM, Ford and Chrysler makes it 3X easier for you to receive product,<br />
warranty, availability and purchase <strong>in</strong>formation, as well as technical support<br />
1-866-OE-PARTS (1-866-637-2787).<br />
Jet Chevrolet<br />
• Same-day /Next-day delivery<br />
to most areas<br />
• Low cost shipp<strong>in</strong>g to Alaska<br />
Federal Way, WA<br />
<strong>Parts</strong> Phone: 800-257-6655<br />
McCurley<br />
Chevrolet Cadillac<br />
Pasco, WA<br />
<strong>Parts</strong> Phone: 800-456-6257<br />
*Whichever comes first — from date and mileage <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>stallation by an<br />
authorized GM Dealer or a qualified service center. For over-the-counter<br />
sales, warranty beg<strong>in</strong>s on the date and mileage <strong>of</strong> retail sale. Contact your<br />
Genu<strong>in</strong>e GM <strong>Parts</strong> dealer for details.<br />
See your Genu<strong>in</strong>e GM <strong>Parts</strong> dealer for peace-<strong>of</strong>-m<strong>in</strong>d and competitive prices<br />
To l<strong>in</strong>k to advertisers www.partsandpeople.com See Advertisers’ Directory<br />
I would like to receive (cont<strong>in</strong>ue to receive) <strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> Yes No<br />
Bus<strong>in</strong>ess Name __________________________________________________________<br />
Your Name________________________________________ Title __________________<br />
Address ___________________________________________ Unit Number __________<br />
City __________________________________________ State ______ Zip ___________<br />
Phone (_____) _____________ e-mail ________________________________________<br />
Signature __________________________________________________ Date _____________<br />
Yes, In-Region Industry Pro FREE! Yes, Non-Region/Supporter $36.00<br />
Type <strong>of</strong> Bus<strong>in</strong>ess: (Circle one)<br />
Yes, Digital, Turn-Page Issue FREE!<br />
Collision Shop Dealership Distributor <strong>Parts</strong> & Equipment Stores Mach<strong>in</strong>e Shop<br />
Repair Manufacturer Other ________________________________________<br />
MAIL TO: Circulation Dept., <strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong>, PO Box 18731, Denver, CO 80218-0731<br />
Fax: 303-765-4650 E-mail: tracy@partsandpeople.com<br />
Subscribe onl<strong>in</strong>e at www.partsandpeople.com<br />
<strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> November 2011 Page 31
Page 32 November 2011 <strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> www.partsandpeople.com