North Hollywood Auto Repair benefits from location ... - Parts & People

New Technology, Products & Practices Focus Issue
Bill’s Quality Auto Care expands by embracing the latest tools and technology
by Dick DeLoach
Simi Valley, Calif.—Bill Garcia,
owner of Bill’s Quality Auto Care,
said he has always tries to stay on
the leading edge with the latest
tools, equipment, and technology
since the shop opened in 1993.
Garcia, an ASE master technician
before moving into management,
said keeping up with rapidly
changing technology hasn’t been
easy — or cheap. “I’ve seen huge
changes in how we service vehicles
and what we use in my 35 years in
the auto repair business.”
However, Garcia said his goal from the
beginning was to provide the best service
possible to his customers, which meant
investing heavily in the shop, including
getting, and keeping, the right staff.
“It’s important to have the right tools and
equipment, but without properly trained and
motivated employees, it means nothing,”
Garcia said. “We have weekly meetings
where everyone gets to discuss issues and
new ideas.”
Technicians and service writers are given
access to more than 100 hours of training
Bill Garcia, owner of Bill’s Quality Auto Repair,
says he owes his success to having the right
equipment and a top-notch ASE-trained staff.
per year at no charge to the employees,
Garcia said.
“The training ranges from automotive
repair to service advisor training,” he said.
“Technicians receive training from
ACDelco, Motorcraft, Denso, Autologic,
ATG, WORLDPAC and Specialty
Undercar, onsite and in nationwide training
facilities, which has required travel across
the country at times.”
Garcia said he also provides all specialty
tools and equipment, 401(k), health care
benefits, Costco membership, uniforms,
paid vacations, paid ASE testing, profit
sharing, and bonus programs.
The shop’s service writers have received
training from Elite Worldwide. “Two of our
service advisors, Joe Shaw and Alex
Foreman, have also gone through the
Masters Program established by Bob
Cooper at Elite and have both had extensive
phone training
as well,” he
said, adding
that they use
ROWriter for
invoicing.
As for
equipment,
Garcia said he
purchased the
latest Hunter alignment system at the
SEMA show, and has installed new Rotary
lifts, purchased from Airdraulics. “We buy a
lot of equipment from them,” he said. “Dan
Tracy Jr. gives us great service.”
Garcia has also invested in numerous
diagnostic tools including a DRB3, three
Autologic tablets for BMW, Volvo,
Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, and Land Rover, a
Tech II, IDS, Snap-on Versus, and a VAG
“Our customers know that all
we use is nitrogen for filling
tires and we’ve never charged a
dime; it’s part of our
commitment to quality service.”
COM Toyota Tech Stream. “I also spend
several thousand dollars a year on software
updates,” he said. “We’ve yet to get
involved in new Chrysler scan tools simply
because we don’t get that many of them.”
Garcia said that nearly 11 years ago he
designed and installed a dual air/nitrogen
system for the shop with two 10-HP dualpiston
compressors, a
five-HP backup
compressor and two
50-gallon tanks in an
enclosure outside the
shop.
“Having the
compressors outside
really improves the
quality of life in the
shop,” Garcia said. “There’s enough noise
in a shop as it is.”
He also installed a Branick Nitrogen
generator system with an Eaton Air Chiller
(which removes moisture and contaminants
from the air); ran two air lines to every bay:
blue for compressed air and green for
nitrogen; and installed an Eaton nitrogen
tire inflator system.
Continued on page 6
Ford, Jeep, Scion, and Mustang take top honors at SEMA ‘hottest cars’ awards
by Daniel Buxbaum
Las Vegas—Chris
Kersting, SEMA president
and CEO, presented the
SEMA “hottest car”
awards at a ceremony,
Oct. 30, at the SEMA
show.
“The SEMA award
helps guide consumers
toward the hottesttrending
and mostaccessory-friendly
vehicles on the market,”
Kersting said.
The SEMA
organization has paid off as a winning
SEMA President and CEO
Chris Kersting (l.) presents
the “Hottest Sport
Compact” award to Scion
Corporate Manager Jacie
Dane at the 2012 SEMA
“hottest cars” award
ceremony.
proposition for consumers, he said, noting
that OEMs are now consistently providing
the aftermarket with blueprints and tech
sharing tools for their vehicles, which
allow for more reliable and cost-effective
customization.
“This has resulted in a high-quality
product, fast turnaround, and the
manufacturing of accessory-friendly
vehicles,” he said. “The specialty
equipment market reached nearly $30
billion in North American retail sales in
2011, marking the second year of growth.”
Achieving top honors in the “Hottest
4X4/SUV” category was the Jeep
The 2013 Scion FR-S has proven to be a solid
canvas for customization, as Toyota and Subaru
have provided the aftermarket with blueprints to
many of the car’s systems, said Chris Kersting,
SEMA president and CEO.
Wrangler. Highlights for the 2012
Wrangler include the fitment of Chrysler’s
3.6-L Pentastar V-6 engine, which gives the
SUV a boost to 285 HP.
The “Hottest Truck” award was given to
the Ford F-Series, which features an
optional twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V-6
engine that offers the performance of a V-8
with improved fuel efficiency.
Receiving the award for “Hottest Car”
was the Ford Mustang, which retains
classic muscle car proportions, largedisplacement
engines and a solid rear axle
in most configurations.
The all-new Scion FR-S took home the
prize for “Hottest Sport Compact,” a feat
considering it’s its
first year on the
market. The FR-S
and its twin, the
Subaru BRZ, were
popular choices for
tuners at this year’s
SEMA show.
“These vehicles
provide the best
canvas for
customization and
offer the latest in
new products,”
Kersting said of the
four award winners.
“SEMA is always looking for new ways to
stoke the market. We take what’s great,
and make it even better.” n
The Ford F-150, which remains a topselling
vehicle in the U.S., was deemed as
the “hottest truck” at this year’s SEMA
show.
Look for an overview of the
in next month’s issue
The Jeep Wrangler, shown here with a
retrofitted Cummins six-cylinder diesel
engine and Borg-Warner turbochargers,
offers an excellent canvas for aftermarket
customization, said Chris Kersting, SEMA
president and CEO.
The Ford Mustang, which retains oldschool
muscle car architecture, took the
award for “hottest car” at SEMA 2012.
Parts & People December 2012 Page 3