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SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDITION
Online Edition at
www.partsandpeople.com
SC
Serving Southern California Automotive Parts & Service Professionals Volume 5 Number 10 October 2011
Fast Undercar expands by maintaining
a customer-driven environment
by Dick DeLoach
Ventura, Calif.—Fast Undercar
was founded in 1996 as a two-step
distributor dedicated to providing a
high level of customer service, said
Bruce Douglass, president and
CEO.
“Our mission was to be the
premier supplier of top-quality
automotive products to professional
installers and provide the highest
level of customer service,” Douglass
said.
The business plan worked, he
said. “Two years later we had six
locations and established a franchising
model that has proved to be very popular
among automotive industry professionals
seeking an ownership opportunity.”
The model for the company, which now
has 32 franchises in California, Oregon,
Washington, and Idaho, was developed
from a lifetime of experience in the
undercar parts and service industry,
Douglass said, and improved by listening
closely to customer suggestions.
“We are acutely aware that our success is
tied with that of our professional installer
customers,” he said. “That’s really what
The retail sales staff at Fast Undercar in Ventura, includes,
from l., Andrew Gonzales, Tino Morales, Kevin Adkinson, and
John Watkinson.
being a customer-driven organization is
about.”
Listening to customer feedback in the
early years quickly led to a series of
changes that Douglass said helped define
how the company did business going
forward.
“We changed our strategy to offer an
immediate delivery model so that as soon
as a ticket is pulled, the part is on the road
— many times in as little as 10 minutes —
to any of our more than 20,000
professional accounts,” he said.
Douglass said a typical delivery is a
single line item on a single
invoice. “That’s a model
most other distributors would
be hard-pressed to support
due to the significant
additional capital they must
commit to inventory and
administration,” he said.
In the case of Fast
Undercar, its level of
customer support has been
both a powerful competitive
advantage and a foundation
for growth, he said.
Additionally, Douglass
said he has focused on providing the
highest possible fill rate and a lifetime
warranty. “I look at Fast Undercar as a
‘service business’ because that’s essentially
what we provide in the form of an order fill
rate that’s consistently above 97 percent.”
Continued on page 24
Martin Senour’s training centers
provide hands-on product training . . . 3
Martin Senour has been the
exclusive supplier of
automotive refinishing
products to NAPA Auto
Parts stores for more than
85 years.
INSIDE Parts & People
More than 14,500 circulated
COLLISION REPAIR
Pages 17-23
Prestige owner says success comes
to those who work, not wait . . . . . 17
Pat Shrewsbury said his business
philosophy is pretty well summed-up by the
recent Chrysler advertising slogan, “Good
things come to those who work.”
Collision Repair Training Notes . . . 21
. . . . . . . . . . .
Coming focus issues
November
Engines & Engine Rebuilding
(OE, Remanufactured & Performance) /
Heavy-Duty Trucks
December
New Technology & Design
ONLINE
More photos and
articles at
partsandpeople.com
Turbo Wholesale Tires focuses on SUV
and performance applications . . . . 11
Turbo Wholesale Tires is an ultra
high-performance tire specialist that’s
expected to reach $200 million in sales
this year.
Cutting-edge design and development
combine for Hunter’s success . . . . . 13
Tire industry remains strong as
registration grows for this year’s GTE . . 3
Innovation keeps KYB shocks
and struts ahead of the curve . . . . . . . 7
KYB adds hundreds of new
shock and strut applications,
including the industry’s first
and only line of shocks and
struts designed for ESCequipped
vehicles.
Honda’s 2012 Civic EX Coupe
continues as a model of consistency . 16
BG Products refocuses on fuel
and breaks ground on new facility . . . 25
BG Products President Darin Greseth
explains how relocation is integral to
long-term expansion of the company.
Cooper’s Keys to Auto Repair Profits . 30
Mechanical Repair Training Notes . 34
PRSRT STD
U.S. Postage
PAID
Columbia, MO
Permit No. 353
Auto Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Tesla sales are electric and Chevrolet
celebrates 100th anniversary in November.
EPWI names its ‘Vendor of the Year’
and ‘Representative of the Year’ . . . 35
People & Places . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Collision Repair / Suspension, Alignment, Ride Control & Tires Focus Issue

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Page 2 October 2011 Parts & People www.partsandpeople.com

Collision Repair / Suspension, Alignment, Ride Control & Tires Focus Issue
Martin Senour’s Western region training center provides hands-on training
by Dick DeLoach
Corona, Calif.—In 1925, Martin Senour
Automotive Finishes became the exclusive
supplier of automotive refinish
products to the National
Automotive Parts Association
(NAPA), said Gilbert Daniel II,
Martin Senour’s market sales
manager for the Western region.
“Since then the company has
continued to broaden its
products and services to NAPA
customers, including a complete
line of advanced technology
paint, coatings, and complete
paint systems for automotive
refinishing,” Daniel said.
By providing highperformance
interior and
exterior coatings, along with associated
products, Daniel said the company now
serves a variety of customers.
“We sell to automotive jobber
Gilbert Daniel II,
Martin Senour
Automotive Finishes
western region sales
manager, says the
region’s sales are up
more than 16 percent
in 2011.
distributors, collision repair facilities,
dealerships, fleet owners, refinishers,
production shops, auto body builders, and
original equipment
manufacturers,” he said.
To support its collision
customers, Daniel said Martin
Senour operates five training
center locations across the
country. “We utilize our Reno
training center for training in
the West,” he said.
Daniel said training center
personnel are equipped with
the latest tools to train both its
sales staff and its customers.
“The [Reno] training center
manager, Clint Baker, was a
former Martin Senour sales
representative,” he said.
“In the field, our representatives utilize
spray guns, measurement tools, and shop
analysis kits to demonstrate our products,
train, and troubleshoot for our customers.”
To aid NAPA Auto Parts store sales
associates, Daniel said Martin Senour
training centers offer hands-on product
training as well as in-store training.
“Online access is a huge part of business
today, and Martin Senour’s website
includes a lot of resources for NAPA and
our customers’ benefit,” he said.
The website has videos on new product
announcements, paint and repair techniques
and procedures, electronic versions of
product data sheets, and material safety data
sheets, Daniel said. “There are a lot of
resources that our customers can utilize free
by visiting our website.”
To stay on the leading edge of the market,
Daniel said Martin Senour consistently
launches innovative products. “They
include our Vortex Premium Waterborne
line, IPC clears, Planet Color Barrett-
Jackson Collector Color Series, Finish 1
Factory Pack System, Prism Premium Fleet
System, and just recently our VOCcompliant
Pro/Base system.”
Pro/Base is a solvent-borne system that
Daniel said complies both with national
rules and low-VOC laws. “It utilizes our
Prospector color match tool to give shops
an alternative to value line systems with
limited color match capabilities,” he said.
Daniel said the new Pro/Base line fits
between the Premium Tech/Base Vortex
systems and the Crossfire offering.
The Vortex waterborne system continues
to convert new customers across America,
he said. “We have seen shops decide to
convert to waterborne regardless of their air
district regulations,” he said. “The recent
launch of Pro/Base has also been a
success.”
Shops that are considering a conversion
to the Vortex waterborne system will
receive a shop analysis before installation,
Daniel said. “The shop analysis provides
Continued on page 20
Tire industry remains strong as registration grows for GTE 2011
by Rob Merwin
Bowie, Md.—Registration is up for the
Global Tire Expo (GTE), sponsored by the
Tire Industry Association (TIA), compared
to last year, said Roy
Littlefield, TIA executive vice
president. The event,
scheduled Nov. 1-5 at SEMA,
will be in the South Hall of the
Las Vegas Convention Center.
“The greatest growth at
SEMA has been in the tire
industry section for the past
few years,” Littlefield said.
“We’re up in registration for
booth sales and exhibitors. We
could have upwards of
125,000 attendees, up from
123,000 last year. It’s really
amazing and very
encouraging.”
Attendees can expect to discover new
products, areas of opportunity and
profitability, and develop relationships, he
said.
“All the tire manufacturers will be there,
though not all will be exhibiting,” Littlefield
said. “Many will be holding functions,
meetings, events, and receptions.”
He said SEMA and GTE are so big that
there is always opportunity to see something
or meet someone new and gain industry
insight.
“It can be easier for someone from
Vermont to talk to someone from Utah and
learn from one another because they aren’t
directly competitive,” he said.
“[GTE] could have
upwards of 125,000
attendees, up from
123,000 last year. It’s
really amazing and very
encouraging,” says
Roy Littlefield, TIA
executive vice
president.
One of GTE’s largest draws are the
educational sessions offered, Littlefield said,
the subject matter of which is determined by
TIA members. This year features expanded
tracks with some of the
world’s top experts, he said.
“The most popular sessions
in recent years have included
TPMS (tire-pressure
monitoring systems) and our
dealer panel discussion,
‘Successful Tire Dealers Share
Their Secrets,’ which has
always been popular,”
Littlefield said.
According to the session
agenda, the dealer panel begins
with each speaker providing a
presentation on what led to
their success. They will then
engage with other panelists in
an exchange of ideas with audience
members.
Littlefield said he also anticipates that
sessions on “going green” will be popular,
which include two tracks on sustainability
and environmental best practices:
“Sustainable Tire, Battery and Automotive
Shops” and “Environmental Best Practices
for the Tire, Battery, and Automotive
Dealer.”
TIA committed to members
“TIA does a lot of training in general,”
Littlefield said. “We’ve trained more than
60,000 tire technicians over the years, and
now, in January, we’ll have a lot of classes
online. It’s a tremendous commitment
financially for TIA, but it’s one of our
strengths.”
TIA’s involvement in government affairs
and association representation are equally
important, as is health care, Littlefield said.
“We just introduced a new health care
program for members,” he said. “We
probably get more calls on health care
insurance more than anything else. You
want to be there for everybody because
everybody has a different reason to join
TIA.”
While GTE is experiencing growth in
attendance, TIA has been expanding its
membership base as well, Littlefield said.
“Each year for the past three years we’ve
added 500 new members, and we now have
about 6,000 total. Some are chains, buying
groups, and one-shop dealers — we have
quite a mix.”
Buying groups, as in other industries,
have come to play an important role for
smaller dealers, Littlefield said.
“Consolidation continues to be a constant
change over recent years for the industry,”
he said. “Larger dealers are buying smaller
dealers and smaller dealers are entering
buying groups. Because of buying groups,
smaller dealers are able to remain
competitive, which is hard to do without
them.”
Another developing trend that Littlefield
noted is the globalization of the tire market.
There are companies in India, Brazil, and
Mexico that are now exporting tires to the
U.S., he said.
Littlefield said there had been a sharp
increase in Chinese tire imports a few years
ago that many in the industry had made
investments in, “but unfortunately, President
Obama was convinced to place a strong
tariff on them in 2009 that impacted that
supply.
“People made investments to bring those
tires here and were depending on them to
meet demand,” he said. “They met safety
standards and offered the consumer an
inexpensive option.”
On Labor Day, it was announced that the
World Trade Organization (WTO) upheld
Obama’s 2009 decision to impose additional
tariffs on imported Chinese consumer tires,
which are set to end Sept. 26, 2012.
“We’re disappointed in the recent ruling,”
Littlefield said. “We oppose any kind of
tariff like that. It’s my understanding that the
additional tariffs will extend to more tire
sizes.”
Continued industry success will rely
heavily on training and education of tire
technicians and professionals, Littlefield
said.
The TIA annual meeting at GTE will
include the announcement of three Michelin
scholarship winners. The scholarships,
awarded annually and merit-based, total
$20,000, and the recipients are children of
industry dealers, Littlefield said.
“The students coming out of high school
who receive them are very impressive,” he
said.
For more information on GTE and TIA,
visit www.tireindustry.org. n
Parts & People October 2011 Page 3

Parts & People
The Monthly Regional Publication
For Southern California
Automotive Specialists
Volume 5 / Number 10, October 2011
Publisher: Lance Buchner
Associate Publisher: Michael Anderson
Managing Editor: Rob Merwin
Contributors: Jerold B. Smith,
Dick DeLoach, John Yoswick,
Matthew Sevart
Graphic Arts Director: Mario Waller
Printer: Tribune Publishing Co. Inc.
Parts & People is published monthly by
Automotive Counseling & Publishing
Company, Inc., a Colorado corporation.
ISSN 1083-771Z
Corporate Office
Automotive Counseling & Publishing Co., Inc.
PO Box 18731, Denver, Colorado 80218-7310
800-530-8557
President/Publisher: Lance Buchner
National Sales Director & Associate Publisher:
Michael Anderson
Director of Sales Development and Marketing: Art Wolfe
Founded by Lance Buchner and Dave Lucia.
www.partsandpeople.com
Office Manager: Amanda Buchner
Web and Production Manager: James Faust
Circulation: Tracy Buchner, tracy@partsandpeople.com
Subscriptions are free to all automotive-related Southern
California regional business owners and managers;
$36 per year, per edition to all others.
For mail renewals or change of address, please include
mailing label.
e-mail: tracy@partsandpeople.com
Reproduction of any of the contents of this publication
by any means is prohibited without specific written
permission of the publisher.
Copyright 2011, Automotive Counseling & Publishing
Company, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Publisher’s Statement
Restoring productive wealth, value, and confidence
Small business indexes such as the National Federation of
Independent Businesses (NFIB) report that small business
confidence continues to drop. The NFIB reported that
confidence dropped for the sixth month in a row.
Expectations for real sales growth and general business
conditions were the major contributors to the decline. Coupled
with a continued decline in consumer confidence, as reported
by a recent University of Michigan report, a stagnant to
deteriorating economic environment is increasingly imminent.
The realization that there is no stimulus, public or private,
coming for the revitalization of consumer demand seems to be
settling in. No effective stimulus means fewer customers and
tight cash flow.
Productive wealth and a functioning consumer economy
remain captured in a web of Wall St. theft, counterfeiting,
fraud, prosecutorial non-accountability, drug-moneylaundering,
and malfeasance.
Debt that can never be paid back is not an asset. The holders
of the debt are insolvent. This parasitic, fraudulent wealth
accumulation destroys real value by diluting and corrupting
productive wealth and becomes most predatory toward the
weakest, the old, and the young, while damaging the general
economy, national and local.
As has been written many times in the last three years, until
the crimes of the financial industry, the too-big-to-fail banks,
are prosecuted, there will be no cleansing of the system, no
balancing of the scales, no sustained recovery, no resumption of
sufficient money on Main Street.
Finances require balancing in order to be coherent and
functional. If balance sheets are bogus, based on false or
fraudulent valuations, and a nation’s treasury is needed to
balance the accounts, no amount of austerity, taxation, or
cannibalization of public assets will correct the imbalance.
What other way is there to redress systemic imbalance other
than declaring the parasitical central banks insolvent and
allowing the FDIC to audit and resurrect the system?
As with any parasite, the host becomes convinced it cannot
get on without the parasite. In this case, parasitical debt creates
scarcity, which leads to fear and economic paralysis.
Fraudulent debt, open and unapologetic, results in a collapse
of trust and legitimacy in the economic system on many levels.
If the debts are determined to have been created through fraud,
the debts should be dissolved.
Civil court cases are under way. Criminal court cases should
follow nationally as will international tribunals. Just as the
banks attempt to liquidate or take balance sheet ownership of
properties to which they show no real title ownership, they also
attempt to force repayment of fraudulent debt worldwide.
They deserve more than fines and financial haircuts. Perhaps
their time is up.
Cell phone and texting-related collisions
drive business
Recent reports from the field reveal that the extent to which
cell phone usage and texting while driving is increasing the
number of vehicle collisions is significant.
Major insurance companies are expanding DRP capacity as a
result of the surge in business. What improved rear end lighting
took away from the industry, mobile texting and phone chatting
may give back.
If you have been waiting for acceptance into any DRP
program, check back with the insurance company, they may be
accepting new shops into their programs to keep up with the
increase in demand. n
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Page 4 October 2011 Parts & People www.partsandpeople.com

Cooper Tire awarded $1.5 million grant from the US Department of Energy
Findlay, Ohio—Cooper Tire & Rubber
Co. announced that the U.S. Department of
Energy's (DOE) Office of Energy
Efficiency and Renewable Energy has
awarded the company $1.5 million for the
development of advanced fuel efficiency
technologies during the next three years.
The grant was one of only five awarded by
the DOE in the Fleet Efficiency category,
and calls for the development of an ultra
lightweight tire that delivers a minimum 3-
percent improvement in vehicle fuel
efficiency.
Cooper will use the funding to accelerate
the development and refinement of
innovative tire design, construction,
materials, and reinforcement technologies
focused on the replacement tire market.
The grant will allow the company to
further enhance its technical capabilities
and product offerings.
Hyundai, Lexus,
and Subaru
top rankings in
NADA survey
McLean, Va.—Coinciding with vehicle
quality scores reaching an all-time high,
new-car dealer satisfaction with their
respective automakers increased this year,
says the National Automobile Dealers
Association (NADA) in its latest survey of
more than 15,360 franchises.
“We appreciate the time dealers take to
answer the survey,” said Carroll Smith,
chairman of NADA’s Industry Relations
committee. “They should feel reassured that
NADA, as the voice of the dealer, makes
sure their opinions are presented twice a year
to senior executives at all of the auto
manufacturers. The high level of attention
and importance the manufacturers place on
the dealer responses is impressive.”
The Dealer Attitude Survey, conducted by
NADA’s Industry Relations group, measures
dealers’ sentiment on the value of their
franchises, automaker policy decisions that
affect the dealership, and the automakers’
field staff who visit dealerships.
Hyundai finished in the top overall spot
for the second consecutive survey period,
with affiliate, Kia, finishing fourth, according
to NADA’s 2011 winter survey results,
which measured dealer sentiment in January
and February. Toyota’s Lexus division
dropped to the second spot, which ended 26
consecutive survey periods in the top slot.
Subaru finished third for the fourth
consecutive time. Mercedes-Benz ranked
fifth. n
Cooper will partner with DOE’s National
Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL),
the nation’s premier laboratory for research
and development in renewable energy and
energy efficiency, for modeling and
computational analysis of the new
technology’s impact on improved tire
performance. Development of the new
technology will be carried out in Cooper’s
Findlay, Ohio-based technical center and
plants in the U.S.
Chuck Yurkovich, Cooper’s vice
president of global technology, said, “We
are excited about the opportunity to further
accelerate our development of innovative
technologies that brings significant
improvements in fuel efficiency to the
market while increasing overall customer
value. This is an important step in the effort
to reduce our national energy dependence
on foreign sources of oil and raw materials.
“This grant accentuates a renewed
commitment and emphasis by Cooper to
leverage its technical capabilities.
Ultimately this will bring increased value
and benefits to end-users. It presents the
opportunity to expand our efforts beyond
traditional areas and ultimately to bring
new lightweight, fuel-efficient products to
the public much more rapidly.”
Cooper’s aggressive new product
development was illustrated recently with
the launch of a record number of new
products in 2011, including the Cooper
Zeon RS3-A ultra high-performance tire,
which was recently recognized by a
prominent consumer testing organization as
the best available in the market and an
excellent consumer value. n
Parts & People October 2011 Page 5

Report says most consumers turn
to professionals for auto repairs
Houston—The majority of automobile
owners are do-it-for-me (DIFM)
consumers when it comes to auto service
or repair, according to recent research by
The NPD Group, a market research
company. The auto aftermarket research
report finds that the choice to have DIFM
auto services is largely due to the need to
maintain a car properly in order to keep it
longer, and a higher degree of trust in
professional auto services than do-ityourself
(DIY) auto repair.
The NPD report, “Consumers Shifting
Gears to Do-It-For-Me Outlets,” finds that
68 percent of today’s drivers say they will
have all automotive service and repair
performed by a professional. Twenty-nine
percent of consumers said they will
sometimes have professional auto service
and some they will do themselves, and 8
percent said they rarely have their auto
repair or maintenance done by a
professional.
“With consumers still focused on
spending only on those things they
absolutely need, many are finding
professional automotive service a
necessity in the family budget,” said
David Portalatin, industry analyst for
NPD’s automotive aftermarket unit.
“Reliable personal transportation is
something that most consumers must
have; it’s not a nice-to-have.”
Reliability is the operative word in the
minds of consumers when selecting an
auto repair professional. According to the
NPD report, which explores factors that
drive consumers to switch between DIFM
outlets, 88 percent of DIFM consumers
said trust in the work completed is a very
important influence in selecting an auto
repair outlet. Knowledgeable employees
and the reputation of the outlet or
automotive professional also rank high.
Although trust and reputation rank high
in the selection process, value appears to
be another key driver and the reason for an
increasing number of DIFM consumers
using car dealerships and tire stores for
their auto repairs and maintenance. The
report finds that consumers perceive those
outlets as bringing more coupons and
promotional offers to the table.
“The economy is forcing shifts in
consumer behavior and this is true for the
DIFM consumer,” Portalatin said.
“Knowing who is winning in the market
and how they are doing it will enable
suppliers and installers to collaborate to
craft winning strategies.” n
Court affirms injunction against
Satisfied Brake for trade secrets theft
Ann Arbor, Mich.—The U.S. Court of
Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has affirmed a
District Court order, granting a preliminary
injunction against Satisfied Brake Products
and Robert Kahan for misappropriation of
Affinia Group trade secrets. Affinia’s trade
secrets were stolen by a former employee at
Brake Parts Inc., an Affinia company.
In issuing its order, the Appeals Court
confirmed that Affinia’s brake pad
formulations are protected as trade secrets
and that Satisfied obtained those secrets
improperly through the payment to former
Affinia employee David Lewis. The U.S.
Court of Appeals said, “Lewis admitted that
between 2006 and 2008 he accepted
thousands of dollars from Kahan to
transmit BPI brake pad formulations, many
of which BPI had conspicuously marked as
confidential.” The U.S. Court of Appeals
said that while Satisfied Brake claimed to
have not actually used the Affinia
technology purchased from Lewis, an
expert witness “effectively concluded that
in each instance Satisfied had ‘cloned’ the
BPI analogue.”
“One of the greatest benefits we offer our
customers is ongoing research and
development that results in technical
advances within our products,” Terry
McCormack, Affinia president and CEO,
said. “We will take whatever measures are
necessary to assure that our investments in
proprietary technology are protected.
Vigilance in trade secret enforcement is in
the best interest of every ethical company
operating within our global economy.”
Affinia obtained a preliminary injunction
against Satisfied Brake in 2010 in the U.S.
District Court for the Eastern District of
Kentucky. Satisfied Brake appealed the
District Court decision to the U.S. Court of
Appeals which, on Aug. 11, upheld all of
the District Court’s finding in granting the
preliminary injunction.
The Appeals Court directly confirmed a
District Court finding that by using the
stolen Affinia technology, Satisfied Brake
“knowingly and illegally placed itself in the
position to be placed out of business.” The
Appeals Court also confirmed the District
Court finding that “the public has an
interest in the promotion of fair competition
and discouragement of unfair competition.”
To review the full text of the ruling by
the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth
Circuit visit www.ca6.uscourts.gov
/opinions.pdf/11a0563n-06.pdf. n
Page 6 October 2011 Parts & People www.partsandpeople.com

Engineering innovations keep KYB shocks and struts ahead of the curve
by Dick DeLoach
Addison, Ill.—The mission of KYB, a
supplier of shocks and struts for automakers
and the aftermarket, is to use its skills,
technology, and
human resources
to develop
products designed
to create a safer,
more efficient, and
more comfortable
society in the spirit
of “monozukuri,”
said William
William “Mac”
McGovern, KYB
director of marketing
and training, says the
company achieved
double-digit growth
in 2010 and that the
momentum is
continuing this year.
“Mac” McGovern,
director of
marketing and
training.
“Literally
translated, the
Japanese word
monozukuri means
the process of
making or creating,” McGovern said.
“Monozukuri’s full meaning embodies
craftsmanship, self-discipline, and
creativity.”
McGovern said it is an art, rather than a
science, requiring excellence and skill. “It is
this philosophy that serves as the
foundation of KYB’s motto: ‘Our Precision,
Your Advantage.’”
KYB began as Kayaba Research Center,
founded in Japan in 1919 by Shiro Kayaba,
McGovern said, establishing itself in the
manufacturing of hydraulic dampers.
“In 1974, a sales subsidiary was
established in the United States,” he said.
“Today, the company is known as KYB
America LLC, with 15 production plants in
Asia, Europe, and the United States.”
Last November, KYB launched a brand
identity campaign to help purchasers better
understand its products, called Original
Equipment for the Aftermarket (OEA),
McGovern said. “Often, a buyer doesn’t
know that there are significant differences
between replacement product brands,” he
said. “Some are strictly aftermarket and will
modify or even reduce a vehicle’s designed
performance.”
McGovern said dealership shocks and
struts are calibrated at OE specs, but when
an OE part is installed on a used vehicle
that has other wear it can’t restore
performance.
“KYB builds its aftermarket shocks and
struts on their OE assembly lines using the
same OE quality components, but then
calibrates them to help restore designed
performance — not change it,” he said.
“That makes KYB’s OEA ‘better than OE’
for used vehicles.”
McGovern said KYB’s commitment to
engineering innovation and manufacturing
excellence has helped the company become
the world’s largest supplier of shocks and
struts for new and used vehicles.
“Nearly one in every four autos built
comes with KYB shocks and struts,” he
said. “KYB earned double-digit growth in
2010, and the momentum is continuing this
year.”
Some of the biggest gains are in strut
sales compared to shocks, McGovern said.
“The percentage of strut-equipped vehicles
in service bays that are candidates for ridecontrol
service is rising rapidly.”
Strut replacement costs more than shock
replacement, McGovern said, so smart
buyers are more interested in premium
replacement parts. “KYB only offers OEM
or above quality and performance, which is
one of the key reasons for our growth and
market share increases.”
KYB provides ongoing training for its
parts and service customers on product
features and benefits, he said, which is
important but alone won’t increase
incremental sales.
Continued on page 8
INDUSTRY STANDARDS?
WE HIT THEM
In the past year KYB has added hundreds
of new part numbers for specific import
and domestic applications.
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Parts & People October 2011 Page 7

Engineering innovations keep KYB shocks and struts ahead of the curve
Continued from page 7
“The need, value, and purpose for
replacement shocks and struts, as well as
how to earn shock and strut sales, [form]
our primary training focus,” he said.
McGovern said his team routinely
conducts sales and technical seminars for
service professionals called “Ride Control
Solutions” to help customers sell more
shocks and struts.
“Sales become possible when the
technician and shop believe in the sale
because they’ve learned the facts about
what shocks do, how they wear, and why
the industry suggests replacements after
50,000 miles,” he said.
KYB provides a customer
communication tool with technical
information that McGovern said has earned
the reputation as the “best in the business”
from both professionals and motorists.
“KYB offers this training in seminar
formats as well as on-the-spot via iPad
technology.”
Even the KYB
point-of-purchase
kit, called the
“KYB Certified
Ride Control
Center,” is not
considered
advertising, he
said. “It’s a
customer
communication
tool box and
online training
videos aimed at
improving a
shop’s ability to
help the customer
understand how ride control works and
what happens when it wears.”
McGovern said that in the past year the
company has added hundreds of new part
numbers for domestic and import
applications rather than trying to reinvent a
different shock. “KYB does not believe in
adding more brands or reducing an OE
Have a need
for speed?
An increase in vehicles with Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) has lead KYB to
devote an entire section of its website to
the subject.
shock’s designed
capability,” he said.
Vehicle-designed
stability, control, and
handling should be
the professional’s
target, he said, if the
customer goal is to
keep their vehicle
operating as well as
the manufacturer
designed.
“However, KYB
does offer Gas-a-Just
and MonoMax
monotube shocks as a
performance upgrade
over the OE design for vehicles that came
equipped with twin tube shocks, he said.”
KYB also offers a complete corner
package called Strut-Plus, which
McGovern said has coverage for most
popular applications.
“Our main focus is on vehicles that need
some problem solving,” he said.
McGovern said the service professional
should understand
that there are often
many different OE
coil springs for the
same application.
“That makes
calibrating a
complete assembly
a challenge when
the goal is to
restore designed performance.”
Some manufacturers over-consolidate
part numbers, he said, and sacrifice
performance on vehicles that should have a
unique spring calibration. “KYB only offers
the Strut-Plus for applications when we can
provide a component that meets our high
standards.”
The newest trend McGovern sees in ride
control is Electronic Stability Control
(ESC), which he said could be the single
most effective life-saving vehicle
technology in the history of the automobile.
“Amazingly, very few people know what
it really is, how it works, and what the
motorist should know about it,” he said.
McGovern said first of all, there are no
wires attached to the shocks, a common
misconception. “Instead, an array of sensors
tells ESC when the vehicle isn’t going the
direction the driver intended, such as during
under- or over-steer conditions or just as the
tires begin to lose their grip.”
ESC instantly applies the correct braking,
reduces engine speed, and can keep the
vehicle in control, he said. “That is, if the
tires and ride-control components are
capable of doing their job well.”
ESC began appearing as optional
equipment in the late 1990s, McGovern
said. “More than 50 percent of all 2007
light-duty vehicles had ESC as standard
equipment and 100 percent of all 2012
light-duty vehicles must have ESC by law.”
What does this mean for shocks and
struts? “The majority are still nonelectronic,
but their performance is
monitored by the ESC system,” he said.
“As they become
weak and tire
control
performance
becomes less
responsive or
can’t grip the
road as well,
ESC won’t work
as well either.”
McGovern said KYB offers the
industry’s first and only line of shocks and
struts designed and built to help restore
original vehicle handling and performance
for ESC-equipped vehicles, not change it.
“KYB supplies more shocks and struts to
original equipment manufacturers than
anyone else in the world,” he said. “We
understand what OE suspensions with ESC
require to work properly and we provide the
same OE quality and performance
standards in our aftermarket products.” n
“Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
could well be the single
most effective life-saving
vehicle technology in the history
of the automobile.”
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Page 8 October 2011 Parts & People www.partsandpeople.com

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Parts & People October 2011 Page 9

Auto Notes
compiled by Jerold B. Smith
drivetrains, and the assembly plant is in
Henley, England. Next on the horizon is
the Tesla Model S, a battery-electric sedan
due out in 2012. Pricing will likely be in
the $49,000 range after rebates.
The Tesla Roadster continues its popularity among drivers who want a sporty electric
that has a range of up to 245 miles and zero emissions.
Tesla electric sales exploding. The
Tesla Motors 2.5 Roadster has plenty of
buyers according to the Palo Alto, Calif.,
automaker. Though the new model of the
$109,000 electric two-seater won’t be be
available by the end of the year, the 18
factory stores Tesla has worldwide have
been active with potential buyers. Its store
in San Jose is getting 5,000 to 6,000 people
a week visiting the showroom, while
Denver’s store is averaging more than
10,000 visitors.
One reason for high traffic is because
consumers can also be educated on electric
vehicle technology.
About 1,650 roadsters are currently on
the road in 31 countries. When production
finishes on the new model, about 2,500
Tesla Roadsters will have been made since
its introduction in 2008.
The Tesla Roadster chassis is made by
Lotus, Toyota provides the electric
100 years for Chevrolet. The
Chevrolet brand of General Motors (GM)
is celebrating its 100th anniversary in
November. Founded by well-known car
racer Louis Chevrolet and GM founder
William C. “Billy” Durant in November
1911, the first car from Chevrolet was the
1912 Classic Six. Chevrolet and its fans
have been participating in a 100-day
countdown celebration that ends on Nov. 3
(vote for your favorite Chevrolet of all time
at www.chevy100.com).
The 1969 Chevrolet Camaro remains one of the
most restored muscle cars of its era.
Over the years, the brand has set the
mark for trend-setting cars and trucks.
Some of those include the 1932 Deluxe
Sport Roadster, the post-war 1948
Chevrolet Pickup, the 1953 Corvette, the
1957 Bel Air (when “Chevy” was the
shortened brand name), the still popular
1969 Camaro, the 1970 Chevelle, the 2009
Corvette ZR1, and now, the car for the
times, the 2011 Chevrolet Volt.
Since its inception, Chevrolet has sold
more than 200 million vehicles worldwide
and today is the world’s fourth largest
vehicle brand. This year, it will introduce
The 1932 Deluxe Sport Roadster from
Chevrolet, with a rear rumble seat, set the
mark for style and sportiness for its time.
the all-new 2012 Sonic and next year the
Spark will hit the U.S. market, both small
cars that will appeal to those wanting high
fuel economy.
Show season begins. Fall marks the
beginning of auto show season and the Los
Angeles Auto Show is the
trend-setter for new vehicle
introductions and special
awards. The mid-November
show will feature more than
50 debuts of new cars and
trucks, about 20 of which
will be significant world
premiers. In addition, the
Design Challenge by
automaker design studios
will focus on designing
Hollywood’s new movie
car; and the 2011 Green Car
of the Year award will be
announced during press
days (Nov.16-17) at the show. Also, the
Motor Press Guild (MPG), the largest
automotive media group in the nation, will
announce its selection for the 2011 MPG
Vehicle of the Year.
Many of the vehicles shown at the LA
Auto Show are fresh from displays at
SEMA in Las Vegas in early November.
Other major auto shows with global and
North American debuts include the North
American International Auto Show in
Detroit (Jan. 15-23), Chicago Auto Show
(Feb. 10-19), and the New York
International Auto Show (April 6-15).
The 2013 Infiniti JX Crossover will be one of many
debuts at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November.
It has advanced design and technological features,
including a Moving Object Detection system and a
blind spot intervention system.
Price adjustment on
electric car. Mitsubishi Motors
North America has announced a
$1,135 price increase on the 2012
Mitsubishi i all-electric-powered
vehicle. The well-equipped entry
level i ES model is now $21,625,
while the premium-grade SE
version has a new net value of
$23,625, both after $7,500
federal tax credits. Even with the
pricing adjustment, the 2012
Mitsubishi i remains the most
affordable mass-market electric
car currently available. n
Page 10 October 2011 Parts & People www.partsandpeople.com

Turbo Wholesale Tires focuses on SUV, ultra high-performance applications
was a tremendous
opportunity in the ultra
high-performance (UHP)
and sport utility vehicle
(SUV) segments.
Still, business was
very difficult, he said.
“But many of the
immigrant gas station
owners referred their
friends and relatives to
me, and my business
grew.”
Sepetjian said the established
mainstream independent tire dealers in Los
Angeles didn’t know what to make of him
at first. “I decided to visit them and tell
them how I could help grow their
businesses with the rapidly emerging UHP
and SUV segments of our industry,” he
said.
Initially, he said he was met by rejection
but that eventually many of the established
independents started buying from him. “By
focusing on the ultra high-performance and
SUV niches, dealers quickly discovered I
had the proper tire they needed for their
specific application.”
TWT soon became “the source” for
UHV and SUV tires in the dynamic and
competitive Southern California tire
market, Septijian said, “and we watched
our business soar.”
After just a few years in business, TWT
had become a multimillion-dollar
company, he said. “In 2002, after opening a
larger warehouse in Irwindale, sales
surpassed $49 million. In 2010, sales grew
Continued on page 12
The Turbo Wholesale Tires management
team is composed of, from l., Sarkis
Sepetjian, president; Bill Fuqua, national
business development manager; and
Jesse Ortiz, general manager. Sepetjian
says sales will reach $200 million in 2011.
by Dick DeLoach
Irwindale, Calif. — Sarkis Sepetjian,
president of Turbo Wholesale Tires, is a man
of faith, which the Armenian Lebanese
Christian immigrant said has had a dramatic
effect on his station in life.
“My parents instilled in me the values that
I have today,” he said, “including the belief
that if something falters or fails in my life, a
new door of opportunity would open.”
That’s what Sepetjian said happened
when he traveled to Greece in 1976 and
landed a job in a shoe factory.
Sepetjian said he was doing well and soon
began exporting shoes as well as women’s
clothing from Greece to Lebanon. “The
business was very successful, so I decided to
come to the United States in 1982 and
expand my business,” he said.
When he arrived in the U.S., Sepetjian
said he had $3,000 in his pocket and the rest
of his capital tied up in women’s clothing.
“Unfortunately, I discovered very similar
styles of clothing were being imported from
China and sold in the U.S. at half the price.”
So Sepetjian said he was forced to
liquidate his inventory at a fraction of his
cost and started looking for a job. “I was
discouraged but still reliant on my faith,” he
said.
Sepetjian said that shortly thereafter, he
accepted an offer from a family friend to
“keep an honest eye on things” at his two
retail tire shops, one of them called Turbo
Tire in Los Angeles.”
Sepetjian said that by 1987, he had
become the owner of the business and
incorporated the company as Turbo
Wholesale Tires (TWT).
“At that time, gas stations had stopped
carrying their own company tires, so there
was a rare and unique opportunity for me,”
he said.
Initially, Sepetjian said, he started selling
low-cost tires but quickly realized that there
Parts & People October 2011 Page 11

Turbo Wholesale Tires focuses on SUV, ultra high-performance applications
Continued from page 11
to $135 million, and we expect to
reach $200 million in 2011.”
Over the years, TWT has added
the most popular tire brands,
Sepetjian said, including Pirelli,
BFGoodrich, Goodyear,
Michelin, Dunlop, Continental,
Cooper, Uniroyal, Falken,
Fullway, Nitto, Hankook,
Yokohama, Bridgestone, and
Lexani.
Septijian said he kept the
original L.A. location open and
started opening increasingly
larger warehouses, most recently
settling into its new 290,000-
square-foot warehouse and
offices, with 96 docks.
“This location has enabled us to maintain
a stock of 700,000 to 850,000 tires and
expand our applications to include off-road,
light-truck, and metric tires,” he said.
In 2008, Sepetjian said he incorporated
TOOL AND EQUIPMENT
www.ServiceTechTools.com
The huge warehouse at Turbo Wholesale Tires in Irwindale
keeps 700,000 to 850,000 tires in stock at all times, President
Sarkis Septijian says.
Lexani Tires Worldwide and started
developing unique tire sizes for that brand.
“We also started producing our own line of
ultra high-performance tires called
Lionhart,” he said. “We will also be
introducing another new UHP tire line
“Automotive Equipment
Specialists Working
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Automotive Lift Sales, Install & Repair
In-Ground Lifts, Mobile Column Lifts, Midrise Lifts, Truck Lifts
Hydraulic Scissor Lifts, 2 Post Lifts, 4 Post Lifts with Modern Design
called Lizetti at the SEMA Show.”
“One of the most recent sizes
Sarkis has designed is the new
Lexani 295/23ZR28,” said Bill
Fuqua, national business
development manager. “It has the
same overall diameter as the
275/25ZR28 with a lower aspect
ratio, and it’s wider so it can carry
more weight.”
TWT has a fleet of trucks that
make deliveries twice a day, Fuqua
said. “To better serve our
customers, about a year ago the
original L.A.
warehouse was
converted to a
‘will call-only’
warehouse,” he
said. “All calls come
through the Irwindale
office, but the customer
can pick up the order in
L.A.”
Fuqua said the
company plans to open
several 10,000-15,000-square-foot will callonly
warehouses in the next few years in
Southern California and eventually in
Northern California.
“These will be very low overhead
locations with maybe only two or three
people, so they’ll be profitable,” Fuqua said,
“By focusing on the
ultra high-performance
and SUV niches, dealers
quickly discovered I had
the proper tire they
needed for their specific
application.”
The 290,000-square-foot Irwindale warehouse, which
houses the offices of Turbo Wholesale Tires, has 96
docks for fast pickup and delivery.
“and they’ll also be in locations close to the
dealers so they can come in and pick up
their order quickly.”
Sepetjian said most of the company’s
telephone sales consultants started in the
warehouse, so they know the products they
sell and they receive training from tire
manufacturers.
“About 90 percent of our sales people
worked in the warehouse, then became
drivers, then moved into sales, and if they’re
good enough, like Jesse Ortiz, our general
manager, into management.”
“We promote from within so new
employees know they
can rise in the company,
which makes good
employees more
motivated,” Fuqua said.
In addition, he said
the company receives
ongoing training from
tire manufacturers. “For
example, Falken, Pirelli,
and Cooper come in
bimonthly and give a
two-hour training seminar on new tire sizes,
features, benefits, new trends, and
marketing.”
Fuqua said that after the seminar, the
employees take a test to receive certification
as “Ultra High-Performance Specialists.”
“So our guys are well versed on the tires
they sell and what’s
happening in the tire
industry,” he said.
“I believe you should treat
all employees and customers
with the same respect you
would expect for yourself,”
Sepetjian said.
“I have been blessed with
tremendous success, but I
have always been humble,
which I attribute to my faith
and the values my parents
instilled in me,” he said. n
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Page 12 October 2011 Parts & People www.partsandpeople.com

Cutting-edge design and development combine for Hunter’s success
by Rob Merwin
St. Louis—Denny Bowen, director of
Product Management for Hunter
Engineering, an award-winning
manufacturer and seller of undercar service
equipment, said
his company
has one simple
message: “We
offer the most
innovative
equipment on
the market to
speed and ease
service and
improve shop
efficiency and
Denny Bowen, director
of Product Management
for Hunter Engineering,
says HawkEye Elite
systems has already
received two awards
and is on track to be the
most successful system
in terms of sales in the
company’s history.
profitability.”
In order to
develop that
innovation —
incorporated in
Hunter’s
alignment
systems, lift
racks, wheel
balancers, tire changers, brake lathes, and
lifts — Bowen said the company’s R&D
department has played a central role since
its beginning in the 1930s.
“Our founder, Lee Hunter Jr., wanted his
company to be known as more than just an
equipment manufacturer,” he said. “He
chose ‘Engineering’ in the name to convey
the spirit of the company as a problem
solver. Hunter now employs the largest R
& D department in the industry.”
Hunter continues to meet challenges as
vehicle manufacturers advance vehicle
design and implement more computercontrolled
handling systems that can be
directly affected by adjustments of
alignment, Bowen said.
“Hunter introduced CodeLink as a direct
link between the mechanical adjustments
of alignment and the electronic adjustments
required by most OEMs to reset these
systems,” he said. “CodeLink integrates the
resetting process into the normal
alignment, so it can be done quickly and
easily.”
As the landscape of vehicle design
continues to evolve, Hunter is adapting its
training classes accordingly, Bowen said.
Current alignment training includes
advanced adjustment techniques to
enhance tire life and ride quality, OEspecific
procedures, and the proper service
of vehicles with computer-controlled
systems such as electronic stability control,
electric power steering, and adaptive cruise
control, he said. Bowen added that Hunter
will be exhibiting at this year’s SEMA in
Las Vegas where they will be displaying its
full line of undercar service equipment
with experts available to demonstrate their
features and benefits, including its
Hawkeye Elite systems.
“The systems have features that are
really unmatched,” he said. “Our
QuickGrip wheel adaptors install in
seconds by gripping the tire tread instead of
the rim edge, removing potential damage
from metal-to-metal contact. Plus, the
entire adaptor and target assembly weighs
only six pounds.
“Three-dimensional targets and highresolution
cameras provide measurements
and adjustment updates on-screen, and our
roll-forward compensation, exclusive to us,
allows a technician to compensate all four
wheels and capture initial measurements in
one motion.”
HawkEye Elite systems also include the
largest and most comprehensive vehicle
database in the industry, Bowen said. “And
our WinAlign software offers the most
patented software features of any system on
the market,” he said. “When matched with
an FIA (fully integrated alignment) lift,
HawkEye Elite communicates between the
aligner and lift to automate tasks once
performed manually.”
Since its release in March 2011,
HawkEye Elite systems has already
received two awards and is on track to be
the most successful system in terms of
sales in the company’s history, Bowen said.
Those sales are supported by more than
600 sales representatives — the largest in
the industry — and by its network of
training centers, as well as a conference
and demonstration facility, he said. n
Parts & People October 2011 Page 13

Rotary Lift introduces Wireless Mach 4 that eliminates need for cords, cables
Madison, Ind.—Mobile column
lifts are one of the most versatile,
cost-effective solutions for lifting
any vehicle for service. But they
have one major weakness —
cords. Power cords and
communication cables get in
technicians’ way, slow lift setup,
and are vulnerable to damage that
can leave a lift unusable.
Using patented technology, Rotary
Lift’s new Wireless Mach 4
mobile column lift does away with
cords and cables. Each Wireless
Mach 4 column is powered by
batteries and communicates with
the other columns wirelessly. As a
result, technicians no longer have
to worry about knocking the lift
out of service by running over the
cords or getting one hooked on a truck
bumper. Wireless Mach 4 also reduces trip
hazards and makes lift set-up a snap, said
Doug Spiller, Rotary Lift heavy duty
product manager.
Rotary Lift’s new Wireless Mach 4 mobile column lift
uses patented technology to eliminate the need for
power cords and communication cables between
columns, making the lift easier for technicians to use
reliably. Wireless Mach 4 is the only wireless mobile
column lift equipped with back-up communication
cables that can be used in place of the wireless system
with the flip of a switch.
“The lift is a tool that technicians use to get
the vehicle into position to do their real job:
truck maintenance and repair,” Spiller said.
“Making the lift as fast and easy to use as
possible lets technicians get to work more
quickly, which improves overall shop
productivity and drastically reduces
vehicle downtime. Our time and
motion studies have shown that
Wireless Mach 4 provides a
productivity improvement of more than
30 percent over similar lifts, saving an
organization more than $7,600 in labor
costs annually.”
Wireless Mach 4 is faster and easier
than other mobile column lifts to set up,
operate, troubleshoot, retrofit, and
update. Technicians using Wireless
Mach 4 make one trip around the lift at
the beginning of a shift to turn it on and
configure it, and then spend the rest of
the day concentrating on vehicle
maintenance and repair, he said.
Technicians can operate the entire lift
using a patent-pending control panel on
any of the columns. The panel features an
intuitive graphic layout of the column setup,
onboard diagnostics, easy-to-read
LEDs, and one-touch controls.
Wireless Mach 4 is available in sets of
four or six columns. Each column has a
rated lifting capacity of 18,000 lbs. and is
powered by two deep-cycle marine
batteries. Lifting and lowering of all
columns is automatically synchronized.
Wireless Mach 4 can raise a vehicle 70
inches in 78 seconds. The lift can be used
anywhere in the shop — including wash
bays — as well as outside, Spiller said.
Wireless Mach 4 lifts are equipped with
back-up communication cables that can be
used in place of the wireless system with
the flip of a switch. The wireless system
can also be retrofitted to existing Mach 4
mobile column lifts, he said.
Wireless Mach 4 has locking
mechanisms every three inches and a lowerto-lock
function. Its adjustable forks can
handle a wide range of wheels without
bulky adapter sleeves. Optional extended
forks are available for supporting inboard
tires on dual-wheeled axles.
Rotary Lift’s Wireless Mach 4 mobile
column lift is made in the U.S. It has been
third-party tested by ETL and ALI certified
to meet ANSI safety and performance
standards. n
AASA applauds Senate passage of bill
Research Triangle Park, N.C.—The
Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers
Association (AASA) applauded the
Senate’s vote in favor of legislation that
will modernize and update the nation’s
patent system. The bill now goes to
President Obama, who has announced that
he will sign the bill into law.
“Full service automotive aftermarket
suppliers rely on a healthy and vibrant
patent system in order to innovate,” said
Steve Handschuh, president and COO of
AASA. “The revisions in this bill, which
represent the most sweeping changes to our
nation’s patent system since the 1950s, will
streamline the existing system, making it
easier to get patented goods to the
marketplace.”
Two of the most important aspects of the
legislation in improving the quality of
patents are the Patent and Trademark
Office’s (PTO) new fee-setting authority to
set the level of fees already permitted by
statute on a cost recovery basis, and the
creation of a “Patent and Trademark Fee
Reserve Fund” in the Treasury Department.
This will give PTO more control over its
funding and do more to ensure that fees
paid to them will be used by the agency in
reviewing and approving patents, ending
the present diversion of funds that
effectively results in a tax on innovation.
The new authority will allow the agency to
address the 700,000 backlog of patent
applications that are currently awaiting a
first review. n
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Parts & People October 2011 Page 15

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Honda’s 2012 Civic EX Coupe is model of consistency
by Rob Merwin
The ninth generation of Honda’s
compact Civic 2DR EX Coupe,
recently tested by Parts & People, has
been redesigned for 2012, though the
improvements are subtle, whether you
are a consumer or technician. But that
should not detract from the Civic’s
reputation for reliability and
innovations.
Under the hood, new powertrain
technologies include a re-engineered
single overhead cam (SOHC) 1.8-L
inline four-cylinder design with 16
valves, i-VTEC, and a dual-stage intake
manifold with enhanced fuel economy.
The engine, which produces 140 HP at
6,300 RPM, and 128 lb-ft. of torque at
4,300 RPM, has an estimated EPA
city/highway fuel economy rating of
28/36 MPG when equipped with the
five-speed manual transmission, as
tested. It features a high-rigidity
aluminum block with low-friction
internal components.
Increased use of
high-strength steel
The coupe features a rigid and
lightweight unit-body design made possible
by increased use of high-strength steel. The
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The 2012 Civic Coupe 2DR EX is just as
aerodynamically efficient as its appearance suggests,
resulting in the improved fuel efficiency, reduced
emissions, and the improved handling we discovered
at higher speeds.
rigid body allows for noise and other
disturbances to be more efficiently isolated
by bushings and other dampers throughout
the vehicle, though when we tested the car,
there was still considerable road noise.
The unit-body structure — introduced in
the 2006 model and enhanced for 2012 —
enables the vehicle’s fuel economy and
disperses crash energy in frontal collisions,
according to the company.
The 2012 Civic integrates the
manufacturer’s most advanced safety
technology, including the Advanced
Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body
structure with two-row side curtain airbags
and front side airbags in every model and
trim level.
The ACE body structure improves
occupant protection and crash
compatibility in frontal crashes, and the
ACE design uses a network of connected
structural elements to distribute crash
energy more evenly throughout the front of
the vehicle.
ACE also increases the likelihood of the
two vehicles’ bumpers absorbing energy in
a collision, including larger and smaller
vehicles and those with differing bumper
heights, the company said.
Aerodynamic improvements
The 2012 Civic Coupe 2DR EX is just as
aerodynamically efficient as its appearance
suggests, resulting in the improved fuel
efficiency, reduced emissions, and the
improved handling we discovered at higher
speeds.
The improvements, the manufacturer
said, are the result of extensive modeling
and testing conducted during the design
process and include a guide under the front
bumper that directs airflow into the engine
compartment for cooling; lightweight
plastic parts under the engine bay, fuel
tank, and parts of the rear underbody to
improve airflow; and a new flat underfloor
that improves aerodynamic efficiency by
helping air to move over, around, and
under the vehicle — resulting in a 3.4-
percent lower coefficient of drag compared
to the 2011 Civic.
Chassis
The 2012 Civic chassis has
improved the driving experience
as well as passenger comfort and
safety. It features Honda’s
MacPherson strut front and
multilink rear suspension systems,
along with motion-adaptive
electric power steering for steering
performance and improved
efficiency.
We discovered that the chassis
also helps provide a more
responsive vehicle. It also affords
additional interior space in the sedan while
the overall length, width, and height are the
same as in previous models, according to
the manufacturer.
The chassis results in a slightly shorter
wheelbase (reduced 1.2 inches in the sedan,
to 105.1 inches; and reduced 1.1 inches in
the coupe, to 103.2 inches), which lends to
the increased overall maneuverability.
Wheels and Tires
The 2012 Civic uses new tires that are 5
percent lighter with 10-percent
improvement to the rolling resistance
coefficient (RRC) as compared to the
previous model tires.
Constructed of low-mass tread material,
thinner sidewalls, and an optimized
structure, the new tires help reduce fuel
consumption while maintaining
comparable durability and projected
service life.
Instrumentation
All 2012 Civics are equipped with an
“Econ” button that modifies several
operating parameters of the vehicle to
further improve fuel efficiency. With Econ
mode activated, the “Drive-by-Wire”
throttle system provides a more gradual
response, and climate control operation is
altered.
Every Civic also has a “Maintenance
Minder” system that tracks service-related
items based on vehicle use. Maintenance
Minder automatically indicates when
standard service should be performed
based on actual driving conditions.
Seating
Similar to previous generation Civics,
the 2012 models can accommodate five
passengers. The two front seats have been
completely redesigned with a more
supportive seat construction, and the coupe
has deeper side bolsters than the sedan.
Overall, the sporty Honda Civic 2DR EX
remains a model of consistency and is a fun
drive to boot. Not bad for the $20,475 price
tag on the model we tested. n
Page 16 October 2011 Parts & People www.partsandpeople.com

Collision Repair
Long time shop owner says success
comes to those who work, not wait
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Pat Shrewsbury says hard work and industry involvement have been key aspects of his
30 years as a shop owner.
by John Yoswick
Westminster, Calif.—Pat Shrewsbury
said his business philosophy is more or less
summed up by a slogan in a recent Chrysler
advertising campaign.
“There’s that ad that says, ‘Some people
say good things come to those who wait,
but the truth is, good things come to those
who work,’” said Shrewsbury, who along
with his wife, Olga, own and operate
Prestige Quality Collision Repair. “That’s a
pretty true statement.
The people who are
successful work for it.”
Shrewsbury hasn’t
shied away from work
in the 30 years he’s been
a shop owner. In
addition to continuing
as an ASE-certified
technician and the shop’s painter, he was an
I-CAR instructor for more than a dozen
years, teaching the organization’s painting,
detailing, and workplace hazardous
materials courses. He’s served on the
advisory board for a college collision repair
training program, and helped teach color
matching there. He’s been a long-time
member of the Society of Collision Repair
Specialists (SCRS) and a founding member
of the Collision Industry Electronic
Commerce Association. And he’s a twotime
past president of the Orange County
Chapter of the California Autobody
Association, having also served in other
leadership roles within the chapter as well.
Shrewsbury said having launched his
business during a tough economic period in
the early 1980s and operating during
several other downturns has served him
well in recent years.
“I’ve always tried to give
back to the industry,
because if you want a
better industry, you’ve
got to build it.”
“I’ve seen so many shop owners, after
things have been good for six months or a
year, suddenly have a boat or an airplane or
a lot of new equipment debt, and then,
boom, when things drop, they have serious
problems,” Shrewsbury said. “We’ve
always managed to stay fairly humble. We
never had it real easy or real, real hard. It’s
been a long time since we really had to
struggle.”
That said, Shrewsbury last year
restructured the shop’s
lease, squeezing
production into 4,500
square feet to bring the
company’s overhead
more in line with the
reduced amount of work
available. But his
experience also helps him
remain optimistic about the future.
“I think that’s the biggest thing, not
getting over extended and just realizing that
if times are good, it may not be good
forever, but on the other side, things always
seems to come back after they have been
bad,” he said. “It’s not going to come
around overnight, but things will gradually
get better.”
The Shrewsburys have three employees,
including a lead technician, Billy Gauze,
who has worked with them for more than
20 years. The shop was among the first in
the state to begin using Sherwin-Williams’
waterborne paint line, serving as a test site
for the paint company.
“It was nice that they felt confident
enough to let us try it in a real-world test,
and it went off without a hitch,”
Shrewsbury said. “We’ve used Sherwin-
Continued on page 18
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Parts & People October 2011 Page 17

Long time shop owner says success comes to those who work, not wait
Continued from page 17
Williams since 1995, and we’ve been very
happy. They’ve always been very nice,
very helpful, and great people to work
with. I think the waterborne paint is more
forgiving than the paint companies initially
thought. We just took their advice and
didn’t have any real problems with it.”
Shrewsbury has similar praise for the
people he works with at a number of parts
Billy Gauze, who has been a technician at Prestige
Quality for more than 20 years, works on a Toyota
Prius.
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Timmons Subaru
(562) 595-4601
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VAN NUYS
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providers, including the Power Auto
Group and LKQ Corp.
He said the shop’s long history
results in a lot of repeat and
customer referrals. The shop also
receives referrals from several
mechanical repair shops and
participates in one direct repair
program with the Auto Club of
Southern California.
“We’re very happy with the
relationship with them,”
Shrewsbury said. “We don’t
have to use aftermarket
sheet metal parts, for
example. That makes it a lot easier
for us.”
Shrewsbury said one of his
longer-term concerns is the
changing demographics of the
population in his market and
whether his business will be able to
attract customers from the fastergrowing
segments.
“Fortunately, having the
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Joel Martinez finishes detailing a 2001 BMW 135i
the shop just repaired.
insurance relationship does help us with
marketing, because people still listen to the
insurance company over almost anything
else,” Shrewsbury said. “Back in the
1980s, we used to think we would always
keep the customer. Then we watched them
go away. We probably still get more work
directed away from us than toward us, but
that’s the way the business climate is.”
When asked what he might say if asked
to speak to a group of his peers in the
industry, Shrewsbury returns to his concept
of working hard, not just for your own
business but for the industry as a whole.
“I’ve always tried to give back to the
industry, because if you want a better
industry, you’ve got to build it, you’ve got
to help make it,” he said. “I hope I’ve
helped. I’ve certainly tried and I’m glad I
did it. It would be nice if more people
would do the same.” n
CAPA system tracks collision
parts and keeps part usage private
Washington, D.C.—The CAPA Tracker
provides collision repairers with the ability
to trace any CAPA-certified part, regardless
of who sold it to them. The CAPA Tracker
program was developed more than seven
years ago in direct response to collision
repairer concerns regarding potential
safety-related problems and how to address
them. The repairer-driven program keeps
shops in control, protects the privacy of
their own personal part usage, and, most
importantly, enables them to be totally
responsive to their customers should a part
problem be identified after the repair has
been completed.
The CAPA Tracker program tracks the
unique number on every CAPA Quality
Seal to the part used for a specific repair. In
the event of a safety problem, CAPA can
immediately notify the specific repairer
who used the part. The CAPA Tracker also
provides the means to identify any
irregularities with a CAPA Quality Seal
number referenced by a repairer. That level
of scrutiny is one of the measures CAPA
takes to ensure that there are no counterfeit
CAPA-certified parts on the market.
Currently, repairers can privately register
their part usage by Internet, fax, or mail. To
make the process more efficient and meet
the needs of the repairer community, CAPA
is working with shops to identify the types
of tracking tools that would best suit their
individual needs, such as an automatic
recording system which will involve
‘wanding’ the parts and automatically
recording the CAPA Tracker information.
The reason the CAPA Tracker is such an
effective traceability program is every
CAPA-certified part has a unique number.
Those numbers, unique to each part
manufactured, provides a multitude of data
associated with that part. There is no need
for a shop to be dependent on the seller’s
records or remember who the seller of the
part was for the system to work.
The CAPA Tracker is provided to
collision repairers by CAPA at no charge.
The program is just one of the many
facets of the CAPA Certification programs
designed to ensure that alternative parts
truly meet the quality demands of today’s
collision repairers.
Not only does the CAPA Certification
program enable the market to identify
comparable parts to car company brand
parts, but the CAPA Tracker offers more
value. Because of CAPA’s unique
individual part numbering system,
unavailable from any other program or
from the car companies, shops can be
specifically notified in the event of a
problem with their part.
Car companies, on the other hand, are
not able to track and trace individual parts.
When a recall is issued it is up to a dealer
to examine each and every vehicle to
determine if the offending part had been
installed.
“For a body shop or collision repair
facility, traceability is important,” said
Kelly McCarty, of Carty’s Collision Center
in
Ontario, Calif. “We are the professionals
that install the parts on our customer’s
vehicles. CAPA not only provides the
industry with certified parts, but it provides
the means to trace those parts directly to the
vehicle. As a business owner and a
collision repairer, I depend on the level of
quality that
CAPA Certification provides and the
CAPA Tracker ensures that I’ll be the first
to find out if a problem surfaces down the
road.” n
Page 18 October 2011 Parts & People www.partsandpeople.com

Back In
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toners and pigments to ensure dead-on color matching accuracy—
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Parts & People October 2011 Page 19

Martin Senour’s Western region training center provides hands-on training
Continued from page 3
readings from the shops compressor, filters,
and booth.”
Daniel said the success of a waterborne
shop is contingent on the owners’ decision
to make the necessary upgrades to their
shops. “Some upgrades are minor while
others are expensive,” he said.
“Compressor performance, air-line
efficiency, and an adequate booth impact
a shop’s production with a waterborne
system.”
A shop installation includes on-site
training by the local Martin Senour
representative, he said. “The painter is
also scheduled to attend the next Vortex
painter certification class at their nearest
training center.”
Daniel said on-site training consists of
spray gun application, product training,
and Formula Express website training.
“Formula Express is our web-based
formula retrieval system,” he said.
“A shop installation with on-site
training isn’t completed until the shop is
comfortable with the product. Our
representatives know the importance of
training and the impact it has on longterm
relationships with our customers.”
The Pro/Base system’s complete
offering of etch primer, surface
cleaner, adhesion promoter,
primer, sealers, and clearcoat all
using the same hardener is
appealing to shops, Daniel said.
“The simplicity of the system,
along with a solvent basecoat
with a color match tool, is the
reason for its current and future
success.”
To further help its customers,
Daniel said the Formula Express
website gives shops a cost by
RO report every time they need
it.
“The website also records
VOCs, which allows shops to
run monthly VOC reports,” he
said. “The website is updated nightly so
that all shops are using an up-to-date
system.”
NAPA also launched its NAPA
AutoCare Collision Performance Group
this year, Daniel said. “The shops attend
meetings hosted by Elaina Sachire of
Square One Systems.”
Daniel said Sachire was awarded “Most
Influential Woman in the Collision
Industry” in 2007. “Shops interested in
attending the meetings should contact
their local Martin Senour representative,”
This NAPA AutoCare Collision Center, Ace Car
Reconditioning in Tigard, Ore., uses Martin
Senour’s computerized mixing system.
he said.
Martin Senour also offers complete
paint-mixing systems to collision shops,
he said. “One very successful NAPA
AutoCare Collision Center, Ace Car
Reconditioning in Tigard, Ore., uses our
computerized mixing system.”
Daniel said the Martin Senour line has
also benefited from a focused effort by
NAPA to sell more paint, including the
creation of stand-alone paint, body, and
equipment (PBE) stores.
“NAPA continues to open stand-alone
PBE stores that focus only on the refinish
market,” he said, and do not stock any
automotive parts.
There were 15 stand-alone PBE stores
across North America in 2010, Daniel
said. “Albuquerque, Fresno, and
Sacramento are the three stand-alone
store locations for the NAPA Western
Region.”
An advantage that Daniel said NAPA
has over its competitors is its number of
locations. “NAPA has more than 6,000
stores, many of them in small towns that
other paint suppliers don’t service,” he
said.
“A number of NAPA stores are open
seven days a week and can also provide
shops with their aftermarket replacement
parts,” he said.
“There are four NAPA warehouses in
California alone and seven across the
western region. This means that NAPA
stores can pull Martin Senour product
from a nearby warehouse and have it to
their customers the same or next day.”
As testament to Martin Senour’s
success in the PBE market, Daniel said
the NAPA western region finished 2010 at
10.1 percent above 2009. “And we’re
currently 16.3 percent above last year’s
sales through August.” n
Page 20 October 2011 Parts & People www.partsandpeople.com

See us at NACE
in booth N1413
Parts & People October 2011 Page C-1

Mostly good news for US collision repairers six months after Japan quake
by John Yoswick
When Hurricane Irene hit
the East Coast in late August,
much of what occurred
differed from what was
forecasted. The storm’s fury
was much less than expected
in New York City, for
example, and the flooding in
Vermont was far worse.
Susanna Gotsch, an industry
analyst with CCC Information
Services, said much the same
can be said for the impact on
the U.S. collision repair
industry following March’s
earthquake and tsunami in
Japan. Though there have been
some minor and often unexpected
ramifications within the automotive
industry six months after the devastating
natural disaster, few of the more dire
predictions of disruptions have
materialized.
As Parts & People reported last spring,
Joe Skurka of BASF says a lot of behind-the-scenes
work has countered concerns about a shortage of the
Xirallic paint pigment produced in Japan.
the most obvious concern for U.S. collision
repairers was whether supplies of
replacement sheet metal or other crash
parts would be curtailed. But Gotsch and
others were also keeping an eye on what
repercussions the Japan devastation had on
availability of some paint products and on
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factors impacting the percentage of
vehicles being declared total losses.
Availability of pigment a ‘non-story’
In a plant just 28 miles from one of the
damaged Japanese nuclear reactors, a
German-based company had been
producing 100 percent of its output of
Xirallic, a patented pigment used in many
black, gray, and red metallic automotive
paints. That factory’s closure led Ford,
GM, Honda, Chrysler, and BMW to restrict
or halt dealer orders for vehicles painted
with Xirallic-containing colors, and led
some to wonder if shops might face
challenges in getting certain toners.
By May, however, concerns about
Xirallic-containing paint was lifting. Ford
and some other automakers were able to
find an alternative for the pigment, Gotsch
said, and the company producing Xirallic
was able to get the Japanese factory back
up and running weeks ahead of
expectations.
“That was an amazing feat by the
Japanese,” Joe Skurka, manager of OEM
and industry relations for BASF, said,
acknowledging in recent weeks that the
Xirallic issue had virtually no impact on
U.S. collision repairers. “Also, as soon as
the issue was known, inventory analysis
and allocation controls were established to
ensure no repair customers would be
affected. These have since been lifted, but
it prevented hoarding and possible
shortages. Going forward, we expect a
stable supply because a second production
location is coming online in Europe. But it
took a lot of behind-the-scenes work to
make this all pretty much a non-event in
the repair world.”
Other paint companies serving the
collision repair industry reported similar
situations. A spokesperson for Akzo Nobel,
for example, said the company’s global
color organization is “back to normal
operations,” and DuPont Performance
Coatings also said “supply has been
normalized and there were no product
outages that affected the aftermarket.”
Gotsch said one of the unexpected
outcomes of the Japan situation was that it
has served as a wake-up call for
automakers on the risks of relying too
heavily on a single supplier — or a supplier
whose production is limited to one area, as
was the case with Xirallic.
“It was a reminder for the automakers
and tier one suppliers that a little
diversification is good, both in terms of the
individual suppliers that they work with,
and also the geographic location of those
suppliers, and whether or not those
Continued on page C-4
Thermal Arc introduces its
three-in-one welding system
St. Louis—
Thermal Arc is
launching the first in
a series of three-inone
multi-process,
fully integrated
portable welding
systems designed for
many MIG, Stick,
and TIG applications.
The introductory
Thermal Arc
Fabricator 181i
portable system
delivers up to 180
amps of welding
output power.
Weighing less than
33 pounds in a small
compact system
enables superior
portability, and the
ability to go from job to job as easily as
from MIG to Stick to TIG welding.
The system delivers process flexibility
and performance for an wide range of
applications, and comes with a
comprehensive list of standard features
including the three welding process
The Thermal Arc Fabricator 181i sets a
new standard for portable welding
equipment delivering three-in-one
MIG, Stick, and TIG capability from
one integrated portable system.
capabilities (MIG,
Stick and TIG);
detailed weld setup
guide for optimum
welding performance
over a wide range of
materials and
shielding gases; digital
meters with preview;
variable voltage
control; metal feed
plate with quick
change drive rolls and
a receptacle for
connecting remote
control devices/spool
gun. The system is
made with Tweco and
Victor accessories.
“This new
technology and fully
integrated approach
with the three-in-one series delivers
superior features and value for our
customers while providing exceptional arc
welding performance across all three
welding processes,” said David Wilton,
vice president, Welding Products. n
Page C-2 October 2011 Parts & People www.partsandpeople.com

Behind every great bodyshop owner
stands a great paint brand.
Making a
strong organization ation even stronger, that’s what Process Center er Environments (PCE) from
AkzoNobel is all about. A set of operational practices uniquely designed and structured for the collision on repair
industry; PCE has enabled Brandywine Coach Works to see true bottom line benefits. “Akzo has been
very
good to us in terms of showing us new ideas, says David Schiltz, the owner of Brandywine. “We
can process
vehicles through much faster today,” said Schiltz, sighting a specific example of improvements resulting from
PCE. In the past it
sometimes took five days before we got started on a car. Today, we start working on every
car within 24 hours.”
To
find out more about how to speed up your
operations and increase your profits, visit us on the web
at
www.paintitwithwater.com.
water. .com.
CREATING TOGETHER
ER
Parts & People October 2011 Page C-3

Mostly good news for US collision repairers six months after Japan quake
Continued from page C-2
suppliers have any redundancy in
manufacturing,” Gotsch said. “When you
have all of your eggs in one basket and that
basket drops, all your eggs break.”
Parts concerns don’t materialize
The magnitude of the damage from the
disaster for Japan’s automotive industry
was staggering. Toyota alone, for example,
suffered significant damage to three
assembly plants, and 600 of its suppliers
(producing almost 1,300 parts that Toyota
uses) had plants damaged.
So the speed of the rebound and the lack
of real impact on collision parts availability
in the U.S. has taken many by surprise. As
it did last spring, CCC in August analyzed
its data for the average number of days it
took from parts being ordered to being
received, and it saw no significant changes
for the Japanese makes.
“I know that many of the automakers
pretty quickly created taskforces
responsible for tracking every single
component that was used in their vehicle
and finding out which suppliers were
potentially at risk,” Gotsch said. “They
looked at what parts those suppliers
produced, got an understanding how many
of those were parts in inventory, and
determined how many of those needed to
be put in for new (vehicle) production
versus held for repairs to ensure as little
disruption as possible. From everything
I’ve seen and read, none of the automakers
or their dealers experienced any significant
(parts) disruptions, even on a small scale.”
Susanna Gotsch says CCC Information
Services’ analysis has found no significant
change in parts delivery times in the
months following the earthquake and
tsunami in Japan.
The Lift ’N Rak Pro delivers eight tons of reliable
pulling power – without a heavy price. And since
it’s a pulling rack and lift in one, it can be used for
both collision and general repairs. Make the right
decision for your shop. Invest in the versatility and
dependability of the Lift ’N Rak Pro.
CERTIFIED
QUALITY
How much pull will
$7,363 get you?
Call 800-242-2448
or visit chassisliner.com/lrp/pp
The Lift ’N Rak Pro from Chassis Liner
Lift ’N Rak Pro features:
Tilt ’N Turn
Tower includes pump,
hose, ram and 10' chain with hook
Dual Ram
scissor lift with pump
4 adjustable unibody tie-downs
4 lifting pads and ramps
Down-pull attachment
4 wheel stands
Stabilizer bar for side pulls
Dolly wheel with cart
Easy fi t for small areas
(9' x 71")
Vehicle mix, values, and
total losses
Parts delays weren’t the only impact
collision shops were expected to see from
the Japan earthquake and tsunami. The mix
of vehicles moving off of dealership lots —
and potentially into collision shops —
definitely changed, at least for this year, but
again, not as significantly as many thought
in the spring.
Gotsch said real or perceived shortages
of new Honda, Toyota, and Nissan vehicles
have resulted in those brands having
smaller sales increases this year than some
of the domestic, European, and Korean
automakers. Toyota’s marketshare this year
is likely to be more similar to what it was
two years ago, she said. But, she said, it’s
hard to know how much of that is based on
the aftermath of the earthquake and
tsunami and how much can be attributed to
other factors — such as the exchange rate
(which makes Japanese vehicles less
affordable) or the fact that Toyota’s largestselling
models hadn’t been “refreshed” for
several years and are now competing with
newer models from other automakers.
Analysts last spring were also expecting
jumps in used car pricing as dealers
scrambled for something to fill their lots
amid real or perceived shortages of new
cars. Used car values indirectly impact
collision repairers because higher values
allow for more to be spent on repairs
before a vehicle is declared a total loss.
Gotsch said used vehicle prices were
historically strong even before the March
11 earthquake and tsunami, and there was
only a small and short-lived uptick in the
spring. Total loss frequency in the second
and third quarter of this year has been
basically unchanged.
So from paint and parts to total losses,
collision repairers in the U.S. have seen far
less of an impact than expected from the
devastation in Japan earlier this year. n
Page C-4 October 2011 Parts & People www.partsandpeople.com

Collision Repair Training Notes
I-CAR Training Schedule
For more information on registration
and class times, call 800-422-7872 or
visit www.i-car.com.
Keystone Collision-Norwalk, Calif.
• Oct. 1-Electrical Circuits and DVOM
Usage (English/Spanish Bilingual)
• Oct. 5-Electric and Electric Hybrid
Vehicles (English/Spanish Bilingual)
• Oct. 11-Inspecting Repairs for Quality
Control (English/Spanish Bilingual)
• Oct. 15-Hail, Theft, and Vandalism
Damage Analysis (English/Spanish)
• Oct. 18-Vehicle Technology and Trends
2011 (English/Spanish Bilingual)
• Oct. 20-Vehicle Technology and Trends
2010 (English/Spanish Bilingual)
• Oct. 22-Plastic and Composite Repair
(English/Spanish Bilingual)
Contact your local
Kia dealer for
assistance and
delivery of your parts.
• Oct. 25-Hazardous Materials, Personal
Safety, and Refinish Safety
• Oct. 27-Automotive Foams
(English/Spanish Bilingual)
• Nov. 1-Aluminum Panels and Structures
Damage Analysis (English/Spanish)
Gustafson Brothers Automotive-
Huntington Beach, Calif.
• Oct. 1-Color Theory, Application,
Tinting, and Blending
• Oct. 5-Structural Aluminum Design and
Repair Processes
• Oct. 12-Detailing
• Oct. 13-Vehicle Technology and
Trends 2011
• Oct. 19-Structural Aluminum Repair
Processes
• Nov. 2-Waterborne Products, Systems,
and Application
Allstate Insurance-Corona, Calif.
• Oct. 3-Electric and Electric Hybrid
Vehicles
• Oct. 6-Hazardous Materials, Personal
Safety, and Refinish Safety
• Oct. 10-Inspecting Repairs for
Quality Control
• Oct. 13-Overview of Cycle Time
Improvements for the Collision Repair
• Oct. 17-Corrosion Protection
• Oct. 20-Movable Glass
• Oct. 27-Stationary Glass
Mitchell International-San Diego
• Oct. 4-Inspecting Repairs for Quality
Control
• Oct. 6-Mechanical Systems Analysis
• Oct. 11-Collision Repair for General
Motors Vehicles
• Oct. 18-Vehicle Technology and
Trends 2011
• Oct. 20-Aluminum Panels and
Structures Damage Analysis
• Oct. 25-Waterborne Products, Systems,
and Application
• Oct. 27-Steering and Suspension
Damage Analysis
• Nov. 1-Recycled Parts for Collision
Repair
A & B Auto Repair Center-
Los Angeles
• Oct. 4-Bolted-On Part Replacement
• Oct. 11-Collision Repair for General
Motors Vehicles (Spanish)
• Oct. 13-Collision Repair for General
Motors Vehicles
• Oct. 18 or 20-Recycled Parts for
Collision Repair
• Oct. 25-Corrosion Protection (Spanish)
Continued on page 22
Simi Valley, CA
First Kia
805-306-1077 • 888-531-4785
Fax: 805-306-1085
Ontario, CA
Citrus Kia
909-390-0948 • 800-583-6975
Fax: 909-390-0982
Pomona, CA
Allstar Kia
909-664-2200 • 888-801-0768
Fax: 909-455-9016
Carson, CA
Car Pros Kia
310-221-9101 • Fax: 310-816-9811
Van Nuys, CA
Kia Sherman Oaks
818-670-7442 • Fax: 818-670-7484
El Monte, CA
Kia of El Monte
626-618-0555 • Fax: 626-443-9800
Escondido, CA
North County Kia
760-432-4054 • 800-494-5337
Fax: 760-432-4081
Santa Ana, CA
The Kia Depot
714-835-8350 • 888-317-3875
Cerritos, CA
Kia of Cerritos
562-860-2424 • 800-300-8998
Fax: 562-860-1784
Ventura, CA
Kia of Ventura
805-644-2241• Fax 805-644-0517
Fontana, CA
Valley Kia of Fontana
909-350-2700 • 888-606-5743
Fax: 909-350-2741
Valencia, CA
California Superstores – Valencia Kia
661-219-0515 • Fax: 661-254-4482
Beauty, reliability, durability, safety and ease of installation,
Kia Genuine Parts come with the factory quality you’ve come to expect.
Your business is built on the reputation of quality
workmanship. Why risk your collision repairs on
anything less than Kia Genuine Parts? With Kia, you get
collision parts that fit right the first time, every time. This
is because all Kia Genuine Parts are engineered to meet
the original factory specifications of your customers
vehicle. Always select a prime cut above the rest.
Choose Kia.
Parts & People October 2011 Page 21

Collision Repair Training Notes
Continued from page 21
• Oct. 27-Corrosion Protection
• Nov. 1-Detailing (Spanish)
North Hollywood Toyota-
North Hollywood, Calif.
• Oct. 4-Hail, Theft, and Vandalism
Damage Analysis
• Oct. 11-Corrosion Protection
• Oct. 18-Hazardous Materials, Personal
Safety, and Refinish Safety
• Oct. 25-Inspecting Repairs for
Quality Control
• Nov. 1-Overview of Cycle Time
Improvements for the Collision Repair
Sherwin-Williams ‘Winning the Keys’
workshop Nov. 16-17 in San Diego
Warrensville Heights, Ohio—Sherwin-
Williams Automotive Finishes will host
the next A-Plus University “Winning the
Keys” Estimating and Profitability
Workshop Nov. 16-17 at the Hilton San
Diego Resort and Spa.
Sherwin-Williams “Winning the Keys”
workshop participants will obtain the skills,
information, and tools necessary to increase
estimate profitability. Shop owners,
managers, estimators, and customer service
representatives interested in improving their
closing ratio and creating loyal customers
should attend.
The two-day, hands-on workshop covers a
variety of topics, such as:
• The customer experience
The Right VW Fit
The FIRST Time!
Timmons
OF LONG BEACH
Volkswagen
3950 Cherry Ave., Long Beach, CA 90807
M-F 7-6 • Sat 8-4 (No Delivery)
• The estimate — blueprint for profit
• Effective communication
• Increasing productivity and profitability
“Built by leading repair industry
professionals for collision repair
professionals, ‘Winning the Keys’ is custom
tailored to teach attendees customer service
and estimating,” said Troy Neuerburg,
marketing manager, Business Services for
Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes.
“Attendees will leave the workshop with the
necessary knowledge and tools to negotiate
profitable estimates and implement loyalty
while building sales techniques.”
To register online for the A-Plus
University “Winning the Keys” workshop,
go to www.sherwin-automotive.com. n
Real Volkswagen Collision Parts make your job
easier and your customers happier. With your
skill and our parts, every collision
repair will be a bang-up job.
Adding up to more repeat
business for both of us.
Timmons wants to
be your source for
Real Volkswagen Parts.
Ask for Tee or Bill
3 delivery trucks serving South Bay,
L.A., Orange County — Irvine to Brea
Parts@TimmonsLongBeach.com
Toll Free 1-888-489-5001
Fax 562-426-3550
Cuesta College-
San Luis Obispo, Calif.
• Oct. 4-Squeeze-Type Resistance Spot
Welding
• Oct. 18-Electric and Electric Hybrid
Vehicles
• Oct. 25-Hybrid Electric and
Alternative Fuel Vehicles
Sterling Autobody Center #85-
Placentia, Calif.
• Oct. 5-Surface Preparation and Masking
101 Collision-Westlake Village, Calif.
• Oct. 5-Steering and Suspension
Damage Analysis
• Oct. 12-Damage Analysis of Advanced
Automotive Systems
• Oct. 19-Advanced Material Damage
Analysis
• Oct. 26-Hail, Theft, and Vandalism
Damage Analysis
• Nov. 2-Corrosion Protection
Locrian Collision-
Thousand Palms, Calif.
• Oct. 5-Surface Preparation and Masking
• Oct. 19-Corrosion Protection
Sonshine Auto Body-
Victorville, Calif.
• Oct. 6-Recycled Parts for Collision
Repair
Puente Hills Auto Body-
City of Industry, Calif.
• Oct. 6-Automotive Foams
• Oct. 11-Movable Glass
• Oct. 18-Plastic and Composite Repair
Unicar Auto Body-
Pasadena, Calif.
• Oct. 6-Overview of Cycle Time
Improvements for the Collision Repair
• Oct. 13-Hail, Theft, and Vandalism
Damage Analysis
• Oct. 20-Advanced Material Damage
Analysis
• Oct. 27-Electric and Electric Hybrid
Vehicles
• Nov. 3-Hybrid Electric and
Alternative Fuel Vehicles
Moss Bros Dodge-
San Bernardino, Calif.
• Oct. 11-Advanced Material Damage
Analysis
Henson & Son Auto Body-
Escondido, Calif.
• Oct. 11-Hazardous Materials, Personal
Safety, and Refinish Safety
• Oct. 18-Vehicle Technology and
Trends 2011
Automotive Machinists Lodge-
San Mateo, Calif.
• Oct. 12-Detailing
• Oct. 19-Waterborne Products, Systems,
and Application
Wittmeier Auto Center-Chico, Calif.
• Oct. 13-Overview of Cycle Time
Improvements for the Collision Repair
• Oct. 22.-Trim and Hardware
Antelope Valley College-
Lancaster, Calif.
• Oct. 14-Movable Glass
• Oct. 15-Bolted-On Part Replacement
Fletcher Jones Motorcars-
Newport Beach, Calif.
• Oct. 19-Overview of Cycle Time
Improvements for the Collision Repair
Tehachapi Collision Center-
Tehachapi, Calif.
• Oct. 19-Recycled Parts for Collision
Repair
• Oct. 26-Hail, Theft, and Vandalism
Damage Analysis
Harry's Auto Collision Center-
Los Angeles
• Oct. 26-Color Theory, Application,
Tinting, and Blending
PPG Training
For more information and registration,
contact your local PPG or Nexa Autocolor
Distributor or Territory Manager,
Terresa Castañeda at 909-987-0924 or
visit www.ppgrefinish.com.
Fender bending
should happen
outside of
your
shop.
Not in it!
Ask for Miguel or Dana
3 delivery trucks serving
South Bay, L.A., Orange
County — Irvine to Brea
Parts@TimmonsLongBeach.com
Toll Free 1-888-489-5001
Fax 562-426-3550
Unlike aftermarket
imitations, Genuine Subaru
Body and Replacement
Parts fit perfectly every
time, competitively priced
and delivered fast. Make
your next Subaru repair
less labor-intensive —
Timmons: Your source for
Genuine Subaru body and
replacement parts.
Timmons
OF LONG BEACH
SUBARU
3950 Cherry Ave., Long Beach, CA 90807
M-F 7-6 • Sat 8-4 (No Delivery)
Keystone Automotive-
Ontario, Calif.
• Oct. 8-Vehicle Identification,
Estimating Systems, and Terminology
• Oct. 8-Surface Preparation and Masking
Rydell Chevrolet Collision-
Northridge, Calif.
• Oct. 10-Overview of Cycle Time
Improvements for the Collision Repair
• Oct. 17-Collision Repair for Honda
And Acura Vehicles
• Oct. 24-Collision Repair for Toyota,
Lexus, and Scion Vehicles
• Nov. 7-Measuring
Los Angeles Business
Development Center-Rancho
Cucamonga, Calif.
• Oct. 4-5-PPG Certification-
Envirobase HP
• Oct. 6-PPG Conversion-
Envirobase HP
• Oct. 10-11-Counter Person Workshop
• Oct. 11-12-PPG Color-
Envirobase HP (Spanish)
• Oct. 13 or 27-PPG Conversion-
Envirobase HP (Spanish)
• Oct. 26-PPG Conversion-
Envirobase HP n
Page 22 October 2011 Parts & People www.partsandpeople.com

BE THE HERO.
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Only Mopar® offers the authentic performance,
durability and precise fit of original equipment parts.
Rescue your customers from the perils of the
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CALIFORNIAA Carl Burger Dodge Chrysler
David Ellis Chrysler Jeep
Jeep World
21422 Roscoe Blvd.
Buerge Chrysler Jeep
8355 Hercules St.
Canoga Park, CA 91304
11750 Santa Monica Blvd.
La Mesa, CA 91942
(818) 348-7510
West Los Angeles, CA
90025
(619) 460-4011
4011
(310) 207-3161
Glenn E Thomas Dodge
Cerritos
Dodge Chrysler
Chrysler Jeep
California Superstores Alhambra
Jeep Ram
2100 E. Spring St.
Chrysler Jeep Dodge
18803 Studebaker Rd.
Signal Hill, CA 90755
1100 W. Main St.
Cerritos, CA 90703
(562) 595-9504
Alhambra, CA 91801
(800) 526-67276727
(626) 537-2420
Moss Bros Chrysler
DCH Chrysler Jeep Dodge
Jeep Dodge
California Superstores Valencia
of Temecula
1100 S. E St.
Chrysler Jeep Dodge
26845 Ynez Rd.
San Bernardino, CA 92408
23820 Creekside Rd.
Temecula, CA 92591
(800) 461-1085
Valencia, CA 91355
(951) 491-2140
(661) 779-5670
Motor Village LA
2025 S. Figueroa St.
Los Angeles, CA 90007
(213) 477-1842
© 2011, Chrysler Group LLC. All rights reserved. Chrysler,
Jeep, Dodge, Ram and Mopar are registered trademarks of Chrysler Group LLC. Printed in U.S.A.
Parts & People October 2011 Page 23

Fast Undercar expands by maintaining a customer-driven environment
Continued from page 1
Douglass said he didn’t offer a lifetime
warranty in the beginning. “Customers told
us they couldn’t keep all of the different
warranties straight, so we just went to a nohassle,
no-limits warranty regardless of who
made the part.”
Premium Porsche Parts
Volkswagen
of Downtown L.A.
1900 S Figueroa
Wholesale Direct
213-747-7246
Fax: 213-222-1272
Your #1 Resource
For Genuine Audi Parts
WORKERS' COMPENSATION
GARAGEKEEPER’S
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
MEDICAL
LIFE
DENTAL
VISION
COBRA ADMINISTRATION
401(k)
PERSONAL INSURANCE
He said his customers wanted to be
assured that they could take care of their
customers without confusion or concern.
“So we took a variable and made it a
customer-driven constant — end of worry.
Every part we sell is guaranteed to deliver
full customer satisfaction forever.”
Douglass said a key attraction for Fast
Porsche
of Downtown L.A.
1900 S Figueroa
Wholesale Direct
213-748-4624
Fax: 213-222-1278
Volkswagen Parts Delivered Fast
Audi
of Downtown L.A.
1900 S Figueroa
Wholesale Direct
213-747-7248
Fax: 213-222-1261
Brad Davis, Program Director
bdavis@armstrongprofessional.com
Undercar is its commitment to
investing in the latest technology to
provide a superior customer
experience.
Among the tools he said he uses is
a bar-code system for inventory
receiving and management, the latest
in electronic cataloging, Voice Over
Internet Protocol connecting all of
the branches, and automatic
inventory replenishment on a daily
basis.
“When an account calls us, they
know they will receive immediate
pricing and availability information
from an experienced counterperson,” he
said. “They also know with nearly 100-
percent certainty that their replacement
parts will be delivered immediately.”
What the customer doesn’t know,
Douglass said, is that the order has activated
a just-in-time replenishment process
involving an electronic purchase order that
is quickly transmitted to the manufacturer,
which restocks the appropriate store’s
inventory the next day.
Douglass said the basis of any customerdriven
organization is its employees and, in
the case of Fast Undercar, its franchisees.
“It’s all about personnel,” he said. “Having
the right people who are talented and have
the aptitude tied with a long-term
commitment to the industry.”
Training for employees and franchisees is
an ongoing process, Douglass said,
including on-site training using product
manuals and through online training offered
by most of its vendors.
“Training and other programs are no
substitute for a motivated individual,” he
said. “From the beginning, we wanted
owner/operators — someone who is
Your Endorsed Automotive Insurance Professional
www.cawa.org
800.575.6891
www.ascca.com
866.923.7767
Armstrong & Associates Insurance Services
800.632.2777 | www.armstrongprofessional.com
Woodland • Sacramento • SF Bay Area • Fresno • Los Angeles
Monroe shocks and struts are among the lines
moving well for Fast Undercar, company founder
Bruce Douglass says.
making a full-time commitment to the
business. Not just an investor.”
The outcome, Douglass said, is an
organization with people who are motivated
to take care of their individual customers
and are loyal to the larger organization.
“This is a group that really stands together,
which results in the best customer service
and strong supplier relationships.”
Fast Undercar offers nearly every major
brand of undercar products, but Douglass
said products from Monroe, Timken, Exide,
Raybestos, and Centric are moving well.
“This year we’ve also added engine
management components including
Standard Motor Products, NGK, Autolite,
and Champ filters,” he said.
A growing service trend Douglass said he
sees is the replacement of complete
assemblies such as control arms and halfshafts.
“Electronic Ride Control (ESC) is
still new to the aftermarket, although ridecontrol
companies recognize the potential
in future years.”
The biggest challenge on the parts side is
SKU proliferation, which Douglass said has
been a challenge for years and will
continue. “Service professionals are
challenged by the complexity and diversity
of suspension systems that integrate electromechanical
and other complex
components,” he said.
Douglass said nearly all of the company’s
downstream efficiencies depend on the
counterperson’s ability to provide
immediate, accurate pricing, and
availability information to his customers.
“We’re investing in a new graphical
electronic catalog from our solutions
provider, Activant, called ‘eCat’ which
includes thousands of product images, key
part specifications, technical service
bulletins, installation instructions, and other
information that will enhance the value we
provide to our professional accounts.
“If you boil it all down, it’s about
culture,” Douglass said. “That’s what
differentiates one organization from
another. Just about everything about Fast
Undercar is customer-driven.” n
Page 24 October 2011 Parts & People www.partsandpeople.com

BG Products refocuses on fuel and breaks ground on new facility
BG Products is set to relocate its
operation from Wichita to El Dorado by
late 2012, which BG Products President
Darin Greseth says is integral to the future
growth of the company.
“The two plants will actually
be linked by pipe, and we
brought in rail spurs, so we can
bring raw material for less to try
to control our cost going
forward,” Greseth said. “These
were some of the strategic ideas
to help get the product here and
reduce transportation costs, and
they would not have been
possible from our existing
location.”
While the physical location of
BG Products is changing, Greseth said
the overall direction of the company is on
expansion, through a refocus on it’s core
of maintaining and cleaning gasoline and
diesel fuel systems.
“For many years, BG products was
known as the leader in fuel system
technology, and we need to get back to
dancing with the one that brought us
here,” said Greseth, adding that many
sales reps had begun placing too much
emphasis on BG’s maintenance machines,
rather than the fluids needed to extend the
life of the vehicle.
“The machines gave the sales reps the
opportunity to use and show off the
equipment, and not spend as much time
talking about our real purpose, which is
our chemistry. That was the reason we
were in the shop in the first place,” he said.
“We always viewed the equipment as an
avenue to do the service the best way, but
the chemistry is all designed to take a
mediocre or a standard fluid and take it to
the next level.”
Continued on page 26
by Matthew Sevart
Wichita, Kan.—After 40 years in
Wichita, BG Products is set to move its
operation, BG Products President Darin
Greseth said. Ground has already been
broken on a new state-of-the-art facility in
El Dorado, just 30 miles north of Wichita,
which will include a manufacturing plant
and distribution center.
Since the early 1970s, BG Products has
manufactured and distributed chemical
additives to extend the life of a vehicle,
from the engine and transmission to the
power steering and cooling system, and
everything in between, Greseth said.
“When the usable life
of the fluid is over, it creates
an opportunity and
options for what to do
next, and that’s where
BG comes in.”
Currently, BG Products covers
distribution throughout all of the U.S. and
Canada, as well as in 40 other countries.
After analyzing BG’s potential for longterm
growth, Greseth said the company
recognized that in order to increase
business and streamline the operation, it
was going to take a new location.
“We were planning and looking at
production levels for 10 years down the
road and we decided that if we were going
to expand the business, it would be best
not to do it from our current location,
which sits in the middle of the city right
next to the river.”
The new facility, which is slated to be
up and running by the end of 2012,
physically links BG Products with one of
its primary chemical suppliers, as well as
the rail line for direct access to materials,
Greseth said.
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Parts & People October 2011 Page 25

Exhaust
Accessories
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BG Products refocuses on fuel
and breaks ground on new facility
Continued from page 25
So in the last year, BG Products went
back to its regional distributors with an
initiative called “Focus on Fuel,” Greseth
said.
“The thing about fuel is every car or
truck, with a few exceptions, are
combustion type engines,” he said, “and
there is no combustion
engine that is 100-percent
effective. At some point, on
every car, they will leave
residue behind, which
always creates deposits,
which always gives us the
opportunity to maintain and
clean the fuel system,
restore performance, and
reduce exhaust emissions.
We were ‘going green’ long
before it was politically
correct.”
The idea, Greseth said, is to assist
repair shop customers in becoming
maintenance facilities, which all begins
with the oil change.
“Everything starts with the oil change,”
he said. “When you get a customer for an
oil change you get the opportunity to
maintain that customer two or three times
a year, and it also gives you the
opportunity to look over the car for other
maintenance services that are needed.”
And, although today’s vehicles are
designed to have fewer failures, Greseth
said they still
have issues. Oil,
transmission
fluid, power
steering fluid, or
a clean fuel
system is only
good for a
certain amount
of time, he said.
“When the usable life of the fluid is
over, it creates an opportunity and options
for what to do next,” he said, “and that’s
where BG comes in, because we have a
program and a plan to replace the original
OEM fluids with either a better quality
fluid or a better program than what they
were offered from the factory.”
To stand behind their programs and
products, BG Products began its BG
Lifetime Protection Plan in 2004 to give
repair shops and their customers peace of
mind, while bringing extended life and
efficiency to engines, transmissions,
brakes, steering, cooling, and climate
control systems.
“We’ll back all the major components
for the lifetime of the vehicle as long as
oil changes are done every 5,000 miles
with one of our oil products, or the
maintenance services are done in 30,000
mile increments,” he said.
Greseth added that his research and
development team is constantly testing
products in the field to give BG a
competitive advantage, and keep them on
Construction is underway in El Dorado at the future
home of BG Products. By late 2012, the new plant is
scheduled to be up and running, including
manufacturing and distribution facilities.
“Most of our competition is
interested in selling you some
stuff, but we’re very hands on
and we’re set up to be a true
partner with a business.”
top in the industry.
“We have a 2010 Taurus SHO that
we’re doing long-term tests on,” he said.
“We actually have a website,
www.Bgfueltest.com, that presents data
from the time the car was brand new. The
purpose is to see, No. 1, how does the
performance hold up, and secondly, what
kind of deposits form in the engine.
We’ve found there’s a tremendous
opportunity in what happens in that
engine in a very short amount of time. It’s
a great technology, great engine, but
there’s nothing they
can do to keep the
engine from forming
deposits. So what I’m
saying is every time
there’s a shift in
technology, there’s also
a major shift in
opportunity for BG.”
With the relocation
to a new facility in the works, and a
research and development team that keeps
BG Products on the cutting edge, Greseth
said it just boils down to the sales reps
continuing to develop lasting
relationships with customers.
“We’re not just a chemical company,”
he said. “We have designed our business
with almost 1,000 sales reps in the field in
the U.S and Canada, and our purpose is
not just to sell product, our purpose is
develop a relationship and partnership
with the shop. Most of our competition is
interested in selling you some stuff, but
we’re very hands on and we’re set up to
be a true partner with a business.” n
Page 26 October 2011 Parts & People www.partsandpeople.com

TIA and 170 business groups ask Obama to reconsider ozone rules
Bowie, Md.—The Tire Industry
Association (TIA) has announced that it,
along with more than 170 businesses and
business groups that together employ
millions of American workers, have sent a
letter to President Obama urging him to stop
the Environmental Protection Agency’s
(EPA) voluntary reconsideration of new
National Ambient Air Quality Standards
(NAAQS) for ground-level ozone.
Howard Feldman, American Petroleum
Institute director of regulatory and scientific
policy, cited a study by Manufacturing
Alliance/MAPI showing that 7.3 million
jobs could be lost by 2020 if the EPA moves
forward with a strict, new ozone standard.
He also cited a recent study by NERA
Economic Consulting that concluded, “Not
one of EPA’s estimates of the benefits of
reducing ozone to a tighter alternative ozone
standard is as large as the costs of attaining
that respective ozone standard.”
TIA Executive Vice President Roy
Littlefield said, “Now is not the time to
saddle our economy with the extraordinary
costs associated with the EPA’s proposed
national ozone standard,” and he asked
President Obama to “delay this
discretionary, out-of-cycle ozone standard,
and wait until 2013 before determining
whether a new standard is needed.”
Littlefield went on to say, “U.S.
businesses united in the opposition to the
new EPA standard understand that this
measure could have significant
repercussions in the job market and could
put a halt to operations aimed at finding
alternative energy solutions. The new
standard could have a significant impact on
not only businesses, but the American public
as a whole. TIA continues to work on the
issue and hopes that President Obama will
see that the last thing America needs at this
juncture is anything that could cause more
harm to the already fragile job situation.
“The president has a chance to show he’s
serious about his stated goal of improving
regulations and creating jobs,” Feldman
said. “Air quality has, and continues to,
improve under existing ozone standards —
there’s no need to move the goalposts now
in the middle of game. Changing the
standards now would put nearly the entire
country into non-compliance and force
millions more Americans out of work, but it
wouldn’t make us any healthier.” n
SocialCRM
is dedicated
marketing and
Internet visibility
Poway, Calif.—Mitchell 1’s SocialCRM
customer retention and new customer
acquisition service is dedicated to providing
the best and most comprehensive way of
reaching an entire customer database with a
unique marketing message, while attracting
new customers through authentic reviews
and increased Internet visibility, said Brian
Warfield, product manager for Mitchell 1.
Key new features of Mitchell 1’s
SocialCRM program include:
• Automatic customer reviews
• Review alerts
• Search-friendly review content
• Facebook page creation
“In a few words, Mitchell 1’s new
SocialCRM program is shop marketing
made simple — we do all of the work so you
can concentrate on running your business,”
Warfield said. “Our support agents set up the
SocialCRM service and monitor its
performance with extensive summary
reports. We help choose automatic e-mail
and postcard campaigns, and review the
SocialCRM summary reports. In addition,
we help create coupons and send targeted e-
mail blast campaigns.”
The features are available to current
Mitchell 1 CRM and eCRM customers.
SocialCRM’s customer review system
allows a shop’s customers to create reviews
of the service, which are automatically
verified as authentic customer reviews.
Those reviews, with keywords added to
optimize performance, create search enginefriendly
links, driving the shops search
visibility upwards where new customers can
find them. n
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• Meet over 4,000 innovative U.S. and international
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• Be a part of the 100,000+ industry professionals
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ideas and build their businesses. Visitors came from
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• Preview over 7,500 new products that will set trends
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Parts & People October 2011 Page 27

AAA survey says one in four Americans could not pay for a major car repair
Orlando, Fla.—One in four American
drivers could not pay for a car repair of
$2,000 if faced with one today, according to
the results of a survey released by AAA.
The survey also found one in eight would
be unable to pay for a repair bill of $1,000.
More than half of American drivers also
said they are holding onto their older
vehicle because they do not want the
financial burden of a new one. And, one
quarter of drivers admitted to neglecting
repairs and maintenance on their vehicles in
the past 12 months due to the economic
climate, which AAA Automotive experts
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say can greatly increase the likelihood of
their car needing a costly, major repair.
“Economic conditions have taken their
toll on many Americans resulting in them
neglecting their cars and leaving them at
increased risk for very expensive repair
bills,” said Marshall L. Doney, AAA vice
president, Automotive and Financial
Services. “Many Americans rely on their
cars for their livelihood and losing access to
them could be financially devastating
during an already troubling economic time.
“It’s important for drivers to not only
continue to maintain their vehicles, but also
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have a financial emergency plan in place
should they be faced with a sudden
unexpected auto repair bill,” Doney said.
According to the survey, 38 percent of
American drivers could pay for a $2,000
repair bill with funds in a savings account,
while 20 percent would pay with their
credit card. Eleven percent said they would
have to borrow money from their friends,
family, retirement, or home equity in order
to pay for a $2,000 repair.
Slightly more Americans reported being
able to pay for a $1,000 repair bill with 46
percent saying they could use savings and
22 percent using a credit card. Fourteen
percent would look to borrow from their
friends, family, retirement, or home equity.
AAA Automotive experts explain that a
$1,000, $2,000, or higher repair bill can
quickly appear — especially on older
vehicles that have not been properly
maintained. While repair costs can vary
greatly by make, model, and type of repair,
a transmission repair can be $2,000 to
$4,000, while an engine repair can exceed
$5,000. Major brake repairs may range
from $350 to $1,000 and a new set of tires
can run from $300 to more than $1,000.
AAA offers several services to help
members prepare for and save on costly
repair bills including:
• AAA Approved Auto Repair — AAA
inspects and approves nearly 8,000 auto
repair shops in the U.S. and Canada.
Approved shops meet tough professional
standards for customer service, cleanliness,
equipment, and training. All AAA members
receive a free maintenance inspection upon
request in conjunction with any other paid
service. Additionally, many AAA Approved
Auto Repair shops participate in the AAA
Show Your Card & Save program,
providing discounts on repair and
maintenance to AAA members. A listing of
nearby approved shops is available at
AAA.com/Repair.
• AAA Online Savings — AAA
encourages Americans to have an
emergency fund set aside for unexpected
expenses such as costly auto repair bills.
AAA offers an online savings account
through Discover Bank that provides easy
access to funds in the event of an
emergency. Additionally, the AAA Online
Savings Account offers special AAA
member-only interest rates, more than five
times the national average, according to
Informa Research Services, with interest
compounded daily for maximum earnings.
Members can open a AAA Online Savings
Account at AAA.com/Deposits.
• AAA Member Rewards Visa — For
those who pay for auto repairs with their
credit card, the AAA Member Rewards
Visa credit card offers members an
opportunity to earn vouchers good towards
auto repairs at AAA Approved Auto Repair
facilities. In addition to 2,500 bonus points,
members receive one point for every dollar
they spend, with triple points on AAA and
travel purchases and double points on gas,
grocery, and drug store purchases.
Members can redeem as little as 5,000
points for a voucher good at any AAA
Approved Auto Repair facility, allowing
that month’s repair bill to help pay for
future ones. Members can apply for the
AAA Member Rewards at
AAA.com/CreditCard.
The telephone survey was conducted
among a sample of 1,009 adults. The
survey has an average statistical error of
plus or minus 3.6 percent at the 95- percent
confidence level for all U.S. adults. n
Presell your
account by
advertising in
Our trade publication is written for automotive parts &
service professionals. We understand your business. Let
us help you get your sales and brand message out before
you hit the road. For advertising rates call 800-530-8557
or email art.wolfe@partsandpeople.com.
President Bush and Chrysler CEO to
speak at NADA and ATD in Las Vegas
Las Vegas–President George W. Bush
and Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Chrysler
Group and Fiat S.p.A., are the scheduled
keynote speakers for the 2012 NADA and
ATD Convention and Expo in Las Vegas
in February.
NADA Chairmen Stephen Wade and
Bill Underriner will also deliver industry
remarks. The inspirational address will be
provided by Aron Ralston, who had to
amputate his right arm with a knife to free
himself from a boulder after a hiking
accident. His autobiography “Between a
Rock and a Hard Place,” was the subject
of the film, “127 Hours.”
The 2012 convention, which runs Feb.
3-6, at the Las Vegas Convention Center,
will mark the first time that the NADA
and ATD conventions will be held
together.
The convention also includes workshop
sessions, franchise meetings, hundreds of
exhibits, and a new Social Connection
Zone.
“The exchange of ideas, updates on the
latest marketing concepts and networking
with fellow dealers at the convention is a
rewarding experience,” said Rick
Morrison, NADA convention chairman.
“There is no other event that offers
dealers and its managers so much at one
time in one location.”
To register online, visit
nadaconventionandexpo.org. n
Page 28 October 2011 Parts & People www.partsandpeople.com

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the fuel pump has a good power supply on the Gray wire and a
good ground on the Black wire.
2. Check for wire harness damage from being routed too close to the
front driveshaft.
3. Using the scan tool Fuel Trim parameters, disconnect the Mass Air
flow Sensor. If the Fuel Trim values return to normal, check for any
unmetered air leaks.
4. Block off the PCV tube and the brake booster hose. If the numbers
return to normal, check for air leaks in either of those areas. Refer
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Parts & People October 2011 Page 29

Cooper’s Keys to Auto Repair Profits
Eight keys to selling auto service professionally and ethically
1. Know your customers’ buying
habits. You’ll need to know your
customers’ buying habits
as well as their service
histories. You should
always request your firsttime
customers’ service
records, and should ask
them about their service
histories verbally as well.
Bob Cooper
This information can be extremely helpful
during any sales process, especially when it
comes to selling maintenance. Great doctors
are always interested in a patient’s medical
history, just as great service advisors are
always interested in a customer’s service
history. This information not only indicates
which maintenance services are due, but
will give you valuable insights to your
customers’ buying habits as well.
2. Have the right tools available.
People believe what they see, so whenever
possible, you should get your customers
visually involved. At Elite we are big
supporters of complete vehicle inspections,
proper documentation, and visually showing
your customers what was discovered. Since
third-party documentation is usually viewed
as a credible source, you should use your
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customers’ owner’s manuals, their service
records, and print-outs that show industry
recommendations, maintenance brochures,
and repair orders that illustrate the high cost
of repairs, failed components, and fluid
samples.
3. Emphasize the benefits. You’ll
need to know the key benefits of every
service you offer by heart. You’ll need to
know, in very specific terms that your
customers will understand, how they will
win by authorizing the maintenance services
that you recommend. You’ll need to make
sure they know it can maximize their fuel
economies, protect the value of their
vehicles, protect their warranties, help them
avoid unexpected and costly repairs, and
provide them with peace of mind in
knowing that they’ll have good, safe
transportation. Not only should you know
these benefits by heart, but you should write
down the benefits of each of your most
popular maintenance services, and then
review the list of benefits before each and
every sales presentation. When it comes to
selling maintenance, the overwhelming
majority of shop owners and advisors put
the focus of their presentations on the parts
and labor, and unfortunately, that’s a
mistake. As is true with all sales, your
customers will be motivated by the benefits
they’ll receive, not the parts and labor that
go into the job.
4. Be prepared to cost-justify. When
it comes to selling maintenance, one of the
single greatest mistakes that shop owners
and service advisors make is being
unprepared to cost-justify the services.
You’ll need to be able to quickly explain to
your customers, in clear financial terms,
why the service is a great investment for
them. Here’s an example: If you estimate
that a customer is going to invest $600 in
maintenance over the course of a year, then
you need to break that number down into a
daily amount. This way, when you are
recommending your services, you can
remind them that although they feel that
$600 is a good amount of money, they’re
going to be able to benefit from the service
for a long time. By following your
maintenance schedule over the course of a
year, the customer’s investment will end up
being just $1.65 a day ($600/365). In
essence, for less than a couple of dollars a
day your customer will protect their
warranty and the value of their vehicle. If
you are not prepared to cost-justify the
investment, then you can rest assured that
the only number your customers will hear
will be the price of the service. This will not
only lead to lost sales, but if your customers
don’t experience a breakdown within the
next few months (that is attributed to the
declined service recommendation), then
they’ll look at the service you offered as
nothing more than an attempt at an
unwarranted upsell.
5. Let the customer know you have
great news. When you call your
customers, make sure you begin your
presentation by telling them that you have
some really great news. This will not only
set the tone for your presentation and put
your customers at ease, but it will send a
strong message that, as a professional, you
feel the service you are about to recommend
is truly a great value.
6. Use an assumptive close. Instead
of asking your customers if they would like
you to perform the recommended
maintenance services, you should say, “All
that I’ll need is your go-ahead, and we’ll get
started on it right away.” Assumptive closes
send a strong message that there is no
logical reason for your customers to decline
the services that were recommended.
7. Schedule the next appointment.
There is no better time to schedule the next
appointment than at the time of car delivery.
Your customers are standing in front of you,
they feel comfortable with you, and it’s easy
for them to say yes. If your customers leave
without making an appointment, then
they’re going to be fair game for all of your
competitors. In addition, taking good care of
your customers’ vehicles is a process, not an
event, so it stands to reason that you’ll need
to see them again to perform the services
that will be due at that time.
8. Never put money ahead of
people. Customers are intuitive, and they
can quickly tell if a service advisor is
interested in their credit card or their wellbeing.
If you sell from your heart, and if you
never put money ahead of people, it will
show through every single time. Not only
will this help you increase your sales, but it
will help you generate lifelong customers at
the same time.
. . . . . . . . . . .
For the last 20 years, Bob Cooper has been
the president of Elite Worldwide Inc., an
ethics-based company that offers shop
owners sales, marketing, and management
solutions in the form of downloadable audio
training courses, seminars, and webinars,
coaching services, and service advisor
training. You can contact Cooper at
contact@eliteworldwidestore.com, or at
800-204-3548. n
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Page 30 October 2011 Parts & People www.partsandpeople.com

Gabriel launches ‘Share Your Independent Spirit’ photo contest on Facebook
The Original Gabriel (Ride Control LLC)
has announced the launch of its “Share
your Independent Spirit” photo contest on
Facebook. The contest runs from Sept. 8
through Dec. 5 on The Original Gabriel
page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/
theoriginalgabriel.
Troy, Mich.—The Original Gabriel
(Ride Control LLC), the originator of the
world’s first automotive shock absorber
in 1907, has announced the launch of its
“Share your Independent Spirit” photo
contest on Facebook. The contest runs
from Sept. 8 through Dec. 5 on The
Original Gabriel page on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/ theoriginalgabriel.
Gabriel is awarding $1,000 to the firstplace
contest winner and $500 to the
second- and third-place winners in the
voter-based contest.
“We want to champion the independent
spirit of ride enthusiasts all over
America,” said Lisa Bahash, president
and CEO, Ride Control LLC. “It is their
enthusiasm and passion for their rides
that Gabriel values and has encouraged
for many, many years.”
Participants are encouraged to share
their independent spirit with Gabriel by
showing off their “ride” on The Original
Gabriel Facebook page. Entrants are
requested to upload a photo of themselves
and their vehicle that depicts their unique
When you contact
our advertisers
Tell them you saw
it in
Parts & People
They will appreciate it
and so will we.
and independent spirit and passion for
their vehicles. To
enter a photo,
participants must first
“like” The Original
Gabriel page on
Facebook.
Viewers can peruse
a gallery of uploaded
photos until Nov. 14 when voting
begins. From Nov. 14 through Dec. 3,
anyone with a Facebook account can
vote for up to three favorite Gabriel
Independent Spirit photos each day.
Participants are
encouraged to have
their family and friends
vote.
Winners will be
announced on or
around Dec. 15 on
Facebook.
There are four phases to the contest:
• Entrants upload photos — The
Original Gabriel page will collect and
display the photos of all qualified
“We want to champion
the independent spirit
of ride enthusiasts all
over America.”
entrants from Sept. 8 through Nov. 11.
• Finalists selected — The Original
Gabriel will select up to 10 photos as
finalists between Nov. 12 and Nov. 13
• Voting takes place between Nov. 14
and Dec. 3
• Winners announced on or around Dec.
15 on Facebook
The contest is open to persons 18 or
older residing in the U.S. Contest rules
are available at the Original Gabriel
Facebook page. n
Mitchell 1 SocialCRM
creates the magnetic pull your shop needs to keep your current customers and attract new
ones. Through a finely
calibrated combination of verified ed consumer reviews, social media management, and proven
follow-up communication programs, SocialCRM is the
comprehensive and high-performance rmance toolkit your shop needs
to energize your business for success.
VISIT US AT
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©2011 Mitchell Repair
Information Company.The Mitchell 1 name is used herein by permission from Mitchell International, which
h has no ownership interest in Mitchell 1.
Parts & People October 2011 Page 31

Industry-wide product attribute project initiated by AAIA kicks off
Bethesda, Md.—AAIA has announced an
industry-wide project to define thousands of
product-specific performance and physical
attributes in support of resellers throughout
the aftermarket. Pricedex Software and
Direct Communications Inc. (DCi) were
chosen to provide project leadership and a
collaborative technical environment for
subject matter experts to use.
“Performance and physical attributes are
essential to help customers understand the
difference between products of different
grades, quality, and price,” said Kathleen
Schmatz, AAIA president and CEO. “The
expectations of customers for full, rich
content about products of all types have
never been higher. By commissioning an
industry-wide effort to define attributes for
products across all industry categories and
segments, AAIA aims to develop the very
best and most complete hierarchy available
anywhere. The scope of the AAIA effort
will include application and non-application
automotive products, tools and equipment,
performance and accessory products, paint
and collision products, and more.”
Scott Luckett, AAIA vice president for
technology standards, said, “We invite the
participation of subject matter experts from
across the full industry and from both
suppliers and their distribution and retail
partners. No one knows the product better
than the folks who make it. But no one
understands the needs and wants of the
customer better than their retail and
wholesale partners. We have designed a
process that will give everyone with
expertise an opportunity to contribute to
these attribute definitions.”
Pricedex Software and DCi proposed to
partner for the purpose of providing project
leadership and the software and online
technology to compile and manage the
resulting attributes. DCi has been actively
developing attribute definitions in the
performance and accessory segment for
many years and will donate their attributes
and expertise to the project. Pricedex
Software is donating software used to
manage hierarchical product information.
Upon completion, the attribute definitions
will be made an extension of the Parts
Classification database (PCDB) published
by AAIA as part of the industry data
standards. In addition, AAIA has agreed to
collaborate with The NPD Group and
members of the category management
committee to ensure close coordination
between this effort and the work on
attributes that has been done previously.
“We recognize that we are not the first to
take on this important project,” Luckett said.
“But we want to lead the broadest and most
inclusive attribute definition project in
service to all of our members in the vehicle
aftermarket. We believe the interests of the
industry are best served by eliminating the
redundant cost of supporting multiple
attribute hierarchies.”
To learn more about the AAIA Product
Attribute Project and to sign-up for project
updates and notifications, visit
www.aftermarket.org/Technology. n
Aisin to transfer aftermarket brake
product sales to Advics Group
Torrance, Calif.—Aisin World Corp. of
America (AWA) has announced that it will
transfer the sales and marketing of its
aftermarket brake products business to
Advics North America Inc.
In North America, Advics’ brake
products have been successfully marketed
by AWA through its sales network. As a
result, Advics brake products (pads,
calipers, brake hydraulics, and boosters) are
well received in the aftermarket, and are
known for quality and reliability, company
officials said.
The new arrangement means Advics will
now independently embark on sales,
service, and distribution of its aftermarket
brake products effective Jan. 1.
“This transition has been part of the
overall, combined strategy of Aisin and
Advics since the beginning,” said AWA’s
director of Aftermarket Sales, Bob Clark.
“We are taking the next, logical step in the
development of a relatively young, but
healthy company which enjoys a solid
foothold in the North American aftermarket
business.”
The Advics Group was established
globally in July 2001, when Aisin, Denso
Corp., Sumitomo Electric Industries, and
Toyota Motor Corp. joined together to
create a company to develop and sell
automotive brake systems. Aisin has since
produced and supplied components for
Advics’ brake system development.
Aisin and Advics will share exhibit booth
space at AAPEX, Nov. 1-3, in Las Vegas.
Clark said executives from both companies,
including AWA President Mike Saito, will
be on hand to discuss the transition. n
Zone Offroad introduces Jeep
four-inch suspension lift system
Coldwater, Mich.—Jeep Grand Cherokee
WK and Commander XK owners can now
take advantage of a four-inch suspension lift
option built to perform on and off-road,
company officials said.
Zone Offroad has announced the release
of its four-inch IFS lift kit. Designed and
manufactured in the U.S., the complete
system includes new steering knuckles,
drop crossmembers, and differential drop
brackets. The components maintain
factory operating geometry to ensure
compatibility with the factory ESP system.
The lift is achieved with front strut
spacers and new rear coils to maintain the
factory ride. Zone Offroad uniquely
includes greasable rear upper adjustable
control arms to provide the ability to
finetune an optimal pinion angle. A rear
track bar bracket is included to center the
rear axle.
The Zone kit also contains front and
rear sway bar links, brake line relocation
brackets, and rear shocks. n
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Page 32 October 2011 Parts & People www.partsandpeople.com

Ford and Toyota to collaborate on developing new hybrid system
Dearborn, Mich.—Ford Motor Co. and
Toyota Motor Corp. announced they will
collaborate on a development of an
advanced new hybrid system for light truck
and SUV customers.
Ford and Toyota have signed a
memorandum of understanding (MOU) on
the product development collaboration, with
a formal agreement expected by next year.
Both companies have been working
independently on their own futuregeneration
rear-wheel-drive hybrid systems.
The new hybrid powertrain will bring the
full hybrid experience of greater fuel
efficiency to a new group of truck and SUV
customers without compromising the
capability they require in their vehicles. Ford
and Toyota believe that their collaboration
will allow them to bring those hybrid
technologies to customers sooner and more
affordably than either company could have
accomplished alone.
“This agreement brings together the
capability of two global leaders in hybrid
vehicles and hybrid technology to develop a
better solution more quickly and affordably
for our customers,” said Derrick Kuzak,
Ford group vice president, Global Product
Development. “Ford achieved a
breakthrough with the Ford Fusion Hybrid,
and we intend to do this again for a new
group of truck and SUV buyers —
customers we know very well.”
Takeshi Uchiyamada, Toyota executive
vice president, Research & Development,
said, “In 1997, we launched the firstgeneration
Prius, the world’s first
mass-produced gasoline-electric hybrid.
Since then, we have sold about 3.3 million
hybrid vehicles.
We expect to create
exciting
technologies that
benefit society
with Ford, and we
can do so through
the experience the
two companies
have in hybrid
technology.”
The two companies also agreed to work
together on enablers to complement each
company’s existing telematics platform
standards, helping bring more Internet-based
services and useful information to
consumers globally.
The co-developed hybrid system will be
used in rear-wheel-drive light trucks arriving
later this decade. Ford and Toyota will
independently integrate the new hybrid
system in their future vehicles separately.
For years, Ford and Toyota have been
working independently on similar new rearwheel-drive
hybrid systems aimed at
delivering higher fuel economy in light
trucks and SUVs. When the two companies
began discussing the potential collaboration,
they discovered how quickly they were able
to find common ground.
“By working together, we will be able to
serve our
customers with
the very best
affordable,
advanced
powertrains,
delivering even
better fuel
economy,” Ford
President and
CEO Alan Mulally said. “This is the kind of
collaborative effort that is required to
address the big global challenges of energy
independence and environmental
sustainability.”
Toyota President Akio Toyoda added,
“Toyota is extremely proud to join Ford in
developing a hybrid system for pickup
trucks and SUVs. Not only is this tie-up
clearly one aimed at making automobiles
ever better, it should also become an
important building block for future mobility
in the U.S. By building a global, long-term
“This is the kind of collaborative
effort that is required to address
the big global challenges of
energy independence and
environmental sustainability.”
relationship with Ford, our desire is to be
able to continue to provide people in
America automobiles that exceed their
expectations.”
Each company will determine the
calibration and performance characteristics
of their respective light pickups and SUVs.
Both companies have also agreed to
collaborate on standards and technologies
needed to enable a safer, more secure, and
more convenient in-car experience for nextgeneration
telematics systems. The
telematics collaboration relates only to
standards and technologies, and each
company will continue to separately develop
their own in-vehicle products and features.
“Ford has made tremendous progress in
the area of telematics,” Kuzak said. “We
have unique and very good solutions today
with SYNC and MyFordTouch. Working
together on in-vehicle standards can only
enhance our customers’ experience with
their vehicles.”
Uchiyamada added, “Toyota has also
invested heavily in telematics in various
countries around the world, with services
such as the G-Book and G-Link. In the U.S.,
we have just introduced the accessible, easyto-use
Entune. By sharing our know-how
and experience, we would like to offer even
better telematics services in the future.” n
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Parts & People October 2011 Page 33

Mechanical Repair Training Notes
CARQUEST Technical
Institute Training
To register, contact your local CARQUEST
store or contact Pat Winters, Regional
director of Store Sales and Customer
Care, Riverside Store Group at 661-755-
8750 or e-mail pat.winters@carquest.com.
CARQUEST of N. Hollywood-
North Hollywood, Calif.
• Oct. 3-4-Advanced Diagnostic
Challenge
• Nov. 28-29-Electronic Transmission
Control Diagnosis
CARQUEST of Ontario-Ontario, Calif.
• Oct. 5-6-Vehicle Data Network
Diagnosis
La Mesa VFW Hall-La Mesa/
San Diego
• Oct. 12-13-Supplemental Restraint
System Diagnosis & Repair
Location TBD-Santa Barbara, Calif.
• Oct. 17-18-DSL-500 Ford 6.0 & 6.4
Power Stroke Diagnosis
Elks Lodge-Vista, Calif.
• Oct. 17-18-Advanced EVAP System
Diagnosis
Location TBD-Bakersfield, Calif.
• Oct. 24-25-Import Computer Controlled
Charging Systems
Elite Worldwide Seminars
and Webinars
Along with its seminars, Elite offers
webinars on different topics every month.
See below for title and link. For more
information, visit
www.eliteworldwidestore.com.
Location TBD-San Diego
• Oct. 5-9-Fly With Eagles II-seminar
Pay Programs That Work
• Oct. 20-10:00–10:55am PST
www.eliteworldwidestore.com/event/221/
pay-programs-that-work.html
ATRA Expo-Las Vegas
• Oct. 28-Yes You Can-seminar
AVI Convention-Las Vegas
• Oct. 31-The Secrets of Success
AVI Convention-Las Vegas
• Oct. 31-Turn Your Employees into
Superstars
Location TBD-San Diego
• Nov. 10-12-Elite Masters Program
Hunter Engineering
Training
For more information or to register,
call 800-448-6848 ext. 1 or visit
www.hunter.com.
Santa Fe Springs Training Center-
Santa Fe Springs, Calif.
• Oct. 19-21-Alignment Fundamentals
Level I
ASCCA Events
• Oct. 22-23-ASCCA Team Weekend in
Sacramento at Embassy Suites, call
800-810-4272.
Automotive Training Institute
Seminar
This AMI-approved seminar covers
essential material necessary to strengthen
and grow your business. For more
information or to register, call 888-471-
5800 or visit www.autotraining.net.
Embassy Suites-
San Luis Obispo, Calif.
• Oct. 23-Cash Profits Boot Camp
ATRA Powertrain Expo &
APRA International
Big R Show
Automatic Transmission Rebuilders
Association (ATRA) and the Automotive
Parts Remanufacturers Association
(APRA) will be once again co-hosting the
exhibits to bring you the largest
gathering of powertrain industry
professionals together under one roof.
For more information and registration,
call ATRA at 800-428-8489 or visit
www.atra.com or www.apra.org.
Las Vegas Hilton-Las Vegas
• Oct. 27-31-ATRA Powertrain Expo and
APRA International Big R Show
WORLDPAC Training
Institute
WTI provides advanced level diagnostic
training for independent repair technicians,
and training in the management of the
repair shop business. To register, call
800-888-9982 x5559 or visit
www.worldpac.com/wti.html.
Ramada Inn Express-San Diego
• Nov. 12-13-Toyota Prius Hybrid &
Toyota Hybrid Drive Systems
Hampton Inn and Suites, Burbank
Airport-Burbank, Calif.
• Nov. 19-20-Toyota Prius Hybrid &
Toyota Hybrid Drive Systems n
Page 34 October 2011 Parts & People www.partsandpeople.com

EPWI names its 2010 ‘Vendor of the
Year’ and ‘Representative of the Year’
Vail, Colo.—Engine &
Performance Warehouse Inc.
(EPWI) named SB
International (SBI) as its 2010
Vendor of the Year at the
company’s awards dinner
during its annual summer
conference in Vail, Colo., on
Aug. 4.
Fred Maten, regional sales
manager, accepted the award
for SBI, a key supplier of
cylinder head components for
EPWI. Maten was honored last
summer as Representative of
the Year for 2009. The Vendor
of the Year award is presented
to the supplier or manufacturer
based on scores in seven
categories from the previous
year. Categories include
distribution/sales policies,
pricing policies, inventory,
returns, labor claims, office
support, and shipping/
packaging. Past recipients of
the award include S.A. Gear,
Total Seal, Pioneer, B&P
Rods, Comp Cams, Cylinder
Head Center, Clevite Engine
Parts, Dura-Bond Bearing Co.,
Damper Doctor, Melling
Engine Parts, Joe Gibbs Racing, and
Howard Enterprises.
EPWI also named Lake Speed Jr. as the
2010 Representative of the Year.
Lake Speed Jr. is a certified lubrication
specialist and EPWI’s key sales and
programs management contact. He
accepted his award during the Thursday
night dinner with his wife, Elise, and sons,
Jackson and Benjamin, at his side. Speed
has provided customer seminars and
PHOTO BY LANCE BUCHNER
Fred Maten (l.), SB International (SBI) regional
manager, accepts the EPWI 2010 vendor of the year
award on behalf of SBI. Maten credited EPWI and
Paul Van Woensel for the collaborative efforts and
positive results achieved within the two companies’
long-standing business relationship.
PHOTO BY LANCE BUCHNER
Lake Speed Jr. (c.), certified lubrication specialist with
Joe Gibbs Racing, receives the EPWI representative
of the year from Paul Van Woensel (l.) and Dusty
Dodge.
clinics in all of EPWI’s warehouse cities,
as well as in other cities it serves. He was
also instrumental in Joe Gibbs Racing
being awarded EPWI’s 2008 Vendor of the
Year award. The Representative of the
Year is selected on a rotating basis by
region, using combined votes based on
scores in three categories: sales support,
distribution philosophies, and timely and
accurate follow-through. n
From l., Paul Van Woensel, president, EPWI; Lake’s wife, Elise, with sons, Jackson and
Benjamin; Lake Speed Jr., Joe Gibbs Racing; Dusty Dodge, director of marketing,
EPWI, pose at the company’s annual summer conference in Vail, Colo., Aug. 4, after
Speed accepted the 2010 Representative of the Year award.
Booth #3929
Parts & People October 2011 Page 35

Page 36 October 2011 Parts & People www.partsandpeople.com

People & Places
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
The California/Nevada/Arizona
Automotive Wholesalers
Association (CAWA) Annual
Membership Dinner and Scholarship
Fundraiser (sponsored by Motorcar Parts of
America) will be Oct. 30 at the Venetian
Hotel in Las Vegas from 6-9 p.m. The
CAWA Board of Directors Committee
Meetings will be Nov. 17-19 at the
Fairmont Hotel in Newport Beach.
For details about the meetings, contact
Julie Snyder at 800-332-2292, ext. 2, or
at programs@cawa.org.
Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp. in Cypress
is sponsoring Cornell University
athletics. Toyo Tire signage will be seen
around the Ithaca, N.Y., campus in
association with sports including football,
men’s hockey, men’s and women’s
basketball, and men’s lacrosse.
Edelbrock in Torrance announced
that QA1, makers of shocks, springs, and
other tubular suspension products, has
acquired its line of suspension products.
“Our suspension products will be a great
addition to QA1’s current line and will give
their customers a larger selection of highquality
components to choose from,” said
Vic Edelbrock, Edelbrock chairman.
Michael
Antonelli of
Vantage
Marketing
Global Inc. in
Grand Island,
N.Y., has been
appointed to the
CAWA Board
of Directors.
Michael Antonelli is
now a member of the
CAWA Board of
Directors,
representing Vantage
Marketing Global Inc.
“Michael
Antonelli has
worked for more
than 35 years in
the automotive
industry with GM
and Ford, and, in 1999, founded Vantage
Marketing Global Inc.,” said Rodney K.
Pierini, CAWA president and CEO.
The used OEM wheel company,
1-800EveryRim.com in Pico Rivera,
has expanded its warehouse to 30,000
square feet, more than tripling its wheel
supply space. “With a larger and more
efficient facility to house a growing
inventory of OEM factory wheels, our
customers will definitely notice a
difference,” President Billy Eordekian said.
The Care Shop in Chino and
Fitzgeralds Auto Care Center in
Costa Mesa have earned certification as
Automobile Club of Southern
California (AAA) Approved Auto
Repair (AAR) facilities. “The
certification means the repair facilities have
met the AAA-AAR program criteria for
technician certification and customer
satisfaction,” said Dave Skaien, AAR
program development manager. “The AAR
program examines all aspects of a repair
shop’s operation and awards approval to
only the best shops in the business.”
For the second consecutive year, The
AAA National Service Provider of
Excellence awards for top performance
by roadside service towing contractors
went to three Southern California towing
companies, including Redondo Beach
Towing in Redondo Beach, winner of
the gold award; Mandic Motors in
Huntington Beach, silver award
winner; and H.A.R. Towing and
Transport in Reseda, which took the
bronze award.
The Automotive Distribution
Network (ADN) has added
Automotive Parts Wholesale Inc.
(APW) in San Fernando to its national
network. “The signing of growing
companies such as APW is indicative of
the Network’s commitment to expanding
the Parts Plus identity into thriving
marketplaces across the country,” said
Mike Lambert, ADN president. “APW
joined Parts Plus to bolster its efforts as the
company continues to expand its footprint
and strengthen its presence in the two-step
market,” said Bobby Hilo, APW
operations manager.
Bossco International in San
Diego, makers of all-in-one portable
illuminators, has announced that Davis
and Associates will be representing the
company’s lineup of products. “I was sold
on Bossco products from the start,” said
Don Davis, CEO of Davis and
Associates. “As I go out into the market
place, I see all kinds of applications where
this innovative line can be used, and I’m
sure there are more ideas that I have not yet
thought of.” Clifford Wright, inventor
and CEO of Bossco, said, “We are not only
thrilled but honored to have Davis and
The used OEM wheel company, 1-800EveryRim.com,
in Pico Rivera, has expanded its warehouse space
to 30,000 square feet.
PHOTO BY ART WOLFE
Bobby Hilo, Automotive Parts Wholesale
(APW) operations manager, says he looks
forward to expanding the company’s
presence in the two-step market by
adding Parts Plus.
Associates representing our company.
Their success with major brands speaks
volumes.”
Elite Worldwide in Rancho Santa
Fe announced that certified service
consultant Doris Barnes is the
company’s newest sales trainer. Bob
Cooper, president
of Elite Worldwide,
said Barnes will use
her experience as a
service consultant
at one of America’s
premier Mercedes-
Benz dealerships to
help service
advisors increase
their sales and CSI
scores. “While with
Mercedes-Benz, she
maintained a
Master-level
Doris Barnes, a
certified service
consultant, is now a
sales trainer at Elite
Worldwide.
certification and was named AMG
specialist,” Cooper said. “She was also
selected by management to train other
Mercedes-Benz employees. It is truly an
honor to have a professional such
as Doris Barnes join our Elite
team.”
The California New Car
Dealers Scholarship
Foundation has awarded
$41,475 in scholarships to 103
California students enrolled in
post-secondary automotive
technology or automotive
management programs for the
2011-2012 school year, said
Doug Fuller, owner of Fuller
Ford in Chula Vista and
chairman of the California New
Car Dealers Scholarship
Foundation.
compiled by Dick DeLoach
NATIONAL
SEMA Vice President of Events and
Communications Peter MacGillivray
said 528 of more than 2,000 companies
exhibiting at the 2011 SEMA Show are
first-time exhibitors. He said the majority
of the first-time exhibitors are restyling,
racing and performance, and truck
segments. Complete show information
including a complete exhibitors list may be
found at: www.SEMAshow.com.
Polk has renewed its corporate
sponsorship of the Global Automotive
Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS) for
2012. Polk has been the corporate sponsor
of GAAS since 2003. GAAS 2012 is
scheduled for May 16-17 at the Hyatt
Regency O’Hare near Chicago. Polk will
continue to present the Polk Inventory
Efficiency Awards at GAAS in 2012. The
annual awards recognize and reward
outstanding aftermarket companies for
process improvements in inventory and
supply chain efficiency. Two companies
were honored with this year’s awards:
Veyance Technologies and
Automotive Parts Headquarters
Inc. (APH).
Snap-on Inc. has announced the
official grand opening of the IdeaForge,
a multimedia conference center in the
Innovation Works facility at the company’s
Kenosha, Wis., campus. The opening was
presided over by the Snap-on Chairman
and CEO Nick Pinchuk. More than 600
Snap-on associates and retirees
participated, as well as state and local
officials including U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-
Wis. IdeaForge will help the company seek
new ideas and fashion them into products
and services. The venue has several defined
areas, including the option to accommodate
different-sized groups and events, all with
audiovisual capabilities. The 7,000-squarefoot,
600-capacity facility is the third piece
Continued on page 38
From l., Kenosha Mayor Keith Bosman;
retired Snap-on CEO Robert Cornog;
current Snap-on Chairman and CEO Nick
Pinchuk; daughter in-law of Snap-on
founder Joseph Johnson, Mary Johnson;
U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis.; Johnson’s
grandson and Mary Johnson’s son, Greg
Johnson; retired CEO Jack Michaels; and
Alderman Ray Misner cut the ribbon at the
Snap-on IdeaForge grand opening.
Parts & People October 2011 Page 37

People & Places
Continued from page 37
of the Snap-on Innovation Center, along
with the Innovation Works and Snap-on
Museum.
Yokohama Tire Corp.’s BluEarth-1,
the company’s latest orange oil-infused
passenger car tire will be highlighted in a
special two-year exhibit at the Museum
of Science in
Boston beginning
this fall. The
“Making a
Greener Tire”
interactive
display, which
will be in the
museum’s
Transportation,
Renewable
Energy, and
Nanotechnology
Yokohama Tire Corp.’s
BluEarth-1 will be
highlighted in a
special two-year
exhibit at the Museum
of Science in Boston
beginning this fall.
area, revolves around the BluEarth-1s
technology, which combines oil extracted
from orange peels with silica and natural
rubber to form Super Nano-Power Rubber
(SNPR). This technology was first used in
Yokohama’s dB Super E-spec tire. The
BluEarth-1, available now in Japan and
Europe, will launch in the U.S. in 2012 in
three sizes for hybrids and other vehicles,
including the Toyota Prius, Mini Cooper,
VW Golf, and Jetta.
Edelbrock has announced the sale of
its suspension product line to QA1. The
acquisition will add more than 100 part
numbers to QA1’s shock absorber, spring,
and tubular suspension product offerings.
The purchase will include all
manufacturing equipment, raw materials,
current and future product designs, and any
existing inventory.
More than 400 auto recyclers from
across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and
Australia came to learn about new product
solutions at the Car-Part.com Industry
Conference in Fort Wright, Ky., on Aug.
4-6. Thirty-two classes were offered, nine
of which were new. Rob Rainwater gave
Attendees at the Car-Part.com Industry Conference
had more than 32 classes to choose from, presented
by recyclers, core buyers, and HR professionals.
insights into auto recycling sales
management and techniques. Industryrelated
classes were presented by recyclers,
core buyers, and HR professionals, and an
aftermarket quality program was discussed
by Dan Morrissey, Automotive Body Parts
Association (ABPA) chairman. D.J.
Harrington emceed the event.
Carstar Auto Body Repair
Experts and Airgas Inc. have
announced a National Preferred Supplier
Agreement for the supply of welding and
cutting gases, equipment and supplies, and
personal protection equipment to Carstar
facilities around the country.
Registration is now open for MACS-imize!
Energize!, the 32nd annual Mobile
Air Conditioning Society (MACS)
Convention and Trade Show on Jan.
18-20 at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino
in Las Vegas. More than 30 speakers and
30 sessions of automotive and heavyduty/off-road
mobile A/C and
high-tech
automotive training
will be offered at
the event.
The
Automotive
Recyclers
Dale W. Soos has
joined the
Automotive Lift
Institute as a senior
project engineer.
Association
(ARA) has selected
Ricky Young,
owner of Young’s
Auto Center &
Salvage of Benson, N.C., as the
Nominating Committee’s choice to serve as
executive secretary for 2011-12. Young
will be confirmed by ARA’s Board of
Directors at its annual meeting during
ARA’s Convention and Exposition in
Charlotte, N.C., Oct. 11-15.
Dale W. Soos has joined the
Automotive Lift Institute (ALI) as a
senior project engineer in the company’s
Cortland, N.Y., headquarters. Soos will be
responsible for completing the Lift
Inspector Certification Program and
implementing it. With the
growing demand for qualified
people to perform annual
safety inspections of
automotive lifts from industry
stakeholders such as lift users,
government regulators, and
the insurance industry, ALI is
developing an official
certification for those
inspectors.
The Timken Co. has
named Fernando Montano
its regional sales manager of
the automotive aftermarket for
the western U.S. Montano will lead a team
that sells Timken products to automotive
warehouse distributors and professional
installers. Montano will also manage and
train his sales force.
Michael Sype, an original-equipment
engineer with extensive experience in
light-truck, Jeep,
and SUV ridecontrol
development, has
been assigned to
lead Tenneco’s
Rancho product
Michael Sype has
been assigned to
lead Tenneco’s
Rancho product
development team.
development
team. Sype has a
strong background
in product
development,
program
management, and production.
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.
has announced that Stephen R.
McClellan has been named president of
the company’s North American Tire
business unit. McClellan will continue to
be responsible for North American Tire’s
consumer tire business until a successor is
named.
Beck/Arnley
has named Ross
Proffitt its new
marketing
coordinator. Proffitt
will assist with
creating sales
promotions,
execution and
fulfillment, as well
as coordinating the
distribution of
collateral marketing
materials including
signage. Proffitt
will also handle the re-launch of
Beck/Arnley’s social media campaign. He
reports to Paul
Farwick, vice
president of sales
for Beck/Arnley.
Bendix
Commercial
Vehicle Systems
LLC has added the
position of vice
Richard Beyer has
been appointed to
the new position of
vice president of
engineering,
research, and
development for
Bendix Commercial
Vehicle Systems
LLC.
Ross Proffitt has
been appointed
marketing
coordinator for
Beck/Arnley.
president of
engineering,
research, and
development.
Richard Beyer,
former Bendix
director of technical
sales, will serve in
the new post, which
will focus on strengthening the company’s
research and development network and
shaping product development strategy
through customer dialogue. Beyer will
work with product line and business unit
leadership at Bendix and its parent
company, Knorr-Bremse, based in Munich,
Germany, to help drive a stronger global
approach to product development and
technology advancement for vehicle and
system architecture. He will also serve as a
key resource for the Bendix government
relations team in its efforts regarding the
technological impact of federal and state
regulatory actions.
Vitor Margaronis has been named
marketing director for BASF Coatings,
North America.
BASF Automotive Refinish has
named Vitor Margaronis marketing
director for BASF Coatings, North
America. Margaronis is responsible for
directing the marketing activities of the
BASF Automotive Refinish, OEM,
Industrial, and Commercial Transport
Systems businesses.
In memoriam: The North American
Council of Automotive Teachers (NACAT)
has reported that former Executive
Manager Alfred W. Goodyear III, died
July 23 in San Diego due to complications
following a hip fracture. He was 83 years
old. Goodyear served as NACAT executive
manager from 1992 to 2005 and was
awarded the NACAT MVP award in 2003.
An avid tennis player and golfer
throughout most of his life, Goodyear also
became a musician after retirement,
playing, managing, and singing in musical
groups that included the Stardust
Harmonaires, Big John’s Big Sound, and
the Bernardo Heights Quartet. He played
clarinet as well as alto and tenor
saxophones. He is survived by his wife,
Ann, son, Scott; daughters, Sandra Falato
and Donna Pekar; and five grandchildren.
A more detailed remembrance of Goodyear
written by his good friend Jack Erjavec is
available at www.algoodyear.nacat.org.
In memoriam: Ed Wagner, former
director of the American Retreaders
Association (which became the
International Tire and Rubber Association
Continued on page 39
Page 38 October 2011 Parts & People www.partsandpeople.com

Continued from page 38
and later merged with TANA
to become TIA) died Sept. 7
in a hospice in Louisville,
Ky. He is survived by his
wife of 60 years, Martha, five
sons, four daughters, and
nine grandchildren. In 1968,
Wagner succeeded George
Edwards at ARA. He
managed the ARA Louisville
Conference for 20 years as it
grew to become one of the
top 200 industrial trade
shows in the U.S. During that
time, ARA’s membership
grew from 250 to more than
1,600 members. From 1956-
58, he served as the Retreading Institute
director at the National Tire Dealers and
Retreaders Association. For more than 30
years he also wrote for Modern Tire Dealer.
Wagner was inducted into the Tire Industry
Hall of Fame in 1998.
The National Institute for Automotive
Service Excellence (ASE) has
announced that Leigh Wilson has joined
the organization as vice president of
Marketing. This new position was created
as part of ASE’s commitment to integrate
enhanced marketing throughout its entire
family of organizations, with the goal of
providing a higher level of service and
support to the automotive professionals it
serves.
Eibach, known for its high-quality
springs, celebrates its 60th anniversary.
Eibach is best known for being a preferred
supplier for the world’s most demanding
auto manufacturers, top auto racing series,
including Formula 1 and NASCAR, and its
own brand of extreme-performance
aftermarket springs and suspension
components.
Eibach, known for its high-quality springs
and a supplier to auto manufacturers, top
auto racing series, including Formula 1
and NASCAR, and its own brand of
extreme-performance aftermarket springs
and suspension components, celebrates
60 years in business.
Al Goodyear, former executive manager of the North
American Council of Automotive Teachers, died July 23.
Here, he addresses attendees at a NACAT meeting.
Superlift has increased the firepower
on Red Jacket Firearms’ “Sons of Guns”
company trucks. Red Jacket’s “War
Wagon,” a 1986 Bronco and “Light Recon”
a 1996 Mitsubishi Mighty Max, have
custom bumpers and racks made by
Metalforms USA. Underneath, Superlift
outfitted the Bronco with its full four-inch
Twin-Traction Beam lift system and
Superrunner steering correction kit. The
Mighty Max has custom Superlift spring
spacers. Both rigs have Ramsey winches,
KC HiLites driving lights, Interco tires,
American Racing ATX wheels, Yukon axle
gears, Magnaflow exhausts, and Kicker
sound systems. n
“Sons of Guns” stars Vince Buckles,
Glen “Flem” Fleming, Stephanie Hayden,
Kris Ford, Will Hayden, and Joe Meaux
pose with Red Jacket Firearms’ custom
“War Wagon,” a 1986 Bronco and a .50
caliber rifle.
From l., Stephanie Hayden, Kris Ford, Joe
Meaux, Will Hayden, Vince and Glen
“Flem” Fleming pose with Red Jacket
Firearms’ custom 1986 Bronco and 1996
Mitsubishi Mighty Max. Also shown are a
.50 caliber rifle and an MG42 machine gun.
The Right Parts
The Right Staff
Wholesale Specialist
A.J. Santini
23 Years Ford Experience
Advertisers’ Index
1-800-Every Rim...........................................14
1-800-Radiator................................................2
AAPEX.....................................................27, 36
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APW ..........................................................6, 34
Armstrong & Associates Insurance..............24
ATRA Powertrain Expo .................................16
Automotive Service Councils of CA.............12
Big R Show ...................................................16
Bob Smith BMW...........................................30
Capital Wheels ................................................8
Catco.............................................................35
Chrysler LLC .................................................23
Demandforce ................................................15
Drew Hyundai ...............................................17
Drew Volkswagen .........................................17
Elite Worldwide .............................................32
Energy Suspension.......................................14
Engine & Performance Warehouse Inc........25
Exedy Globalparts Corp...............................13
Fairview Ford Sales Inc. ...............................39
Ford Powertrain Dealers.................................9
FordParts.com ..............................................40
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Galpin Wholesale Parts Division ....................4
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Identifix..........................................................29
Jasper Engines & Transmissions .................10
Kia Motors America ......................................21
Lake Chevrolet..............................................17
Magnaflow Performance Exhaust................26
Mahle Clevite ..................................................7
Mercedes-Benz of San Diego......................20
Mitchell 1...................................................5, 31
Mudlick Mail..................................................11
NAPA ProLink................................................33
PPG ...............................................................19
SEMA Show..................................................27
Service Tech Tool & Equipment....................12
SoCal GM Parts.com....................................32
SoCal Mercedes Parts..................................28
Southbay Volkswagen..................................30
Subaru of America dealerships....................18
Timmons of Long Beach Subaru.................22
Timmons of Long Beach Volkswagen .........22
VW Porsche Audi of Downtown LA .............24
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Parts & People October 2011 Page 39

Details. Details. Details.
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