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ASA examines State Farm's online parts ordering trial and its potential effect on ASA-member shops

17 May 2012 12:51:14 CDT

There's a lot of commentary currently in the industry regarding State Farm's plan to implement use of the PartsTrader LLC parts ordering tool in collision repair facilities participating in the State Farm Select Service direct repair program. Following the association's best practices in developments such as this, ASA is approaching the situation with an emphasis on gathering information, and is currently conducting a multi-segmented, fact-finding mission to ensure the information collected and provided to the ASA membership and the broader industry is as accurate and thorough as possible.

ASA holds annual business meeting in Texas

17 May 2012 12:51:14 CDT

The Automotive Service Association (ASA) held its annual business meeting May 7-8 at the Grand Hyatt DFW International Airport, located at the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport in north Texas. The primary focus of this year's pivotal event was the association's significance in the industry and its goal to remain relevant to the needs of today's members. To do so, the board of directors voted to amend the ASA bylaws, which was approved by the board and ratified by the ASA membership May 7 during the annual business meeting.

E15 alcohol fuel can wreck engines, auto groups' data say

17 May 2012 12:51:14 CDT

E15 fuel can wreck your engine, according to new data presented by auto industry trade groups. The government has approved the use of a blend of 15 percent ethanol and 85 percent gasoline, but that was premature, because testing wasn't finished, according to Auto Alliance and Global Automakers, Washington, D.C., trade groups that represent most car companies.

US regulators investigate Hyundai Elantra on air bags

17 May 2012 12:51:14 CDT

Hyundai Motor Co's Elantra sedan is the subject of a U.S. regulatory investigation into a complaint made by a driver who said a metal bracket from a side-door air bag cut the driver's ear in half. An investigation is short of a recall but could lead to one for an estimated 123,000 Hyundai Elantras from the 2012 model year.

2nd annual ASRW MSO Symposium quickly gaining momentum

17 May 2012 12:51:14 CDT

Planning for the 2nd annual MSO Symposium is well underway and sponsorships are selling quickly, positioning this event to repeat the success of its inaugural year in 2011. Designed for collision repair multi-shop operators and held during Automotive Service & Repair Week (ASRW), the MSO Symposium is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 12. Comprised of the International Autobody Congress & Exposition (NACE) and the Congress of Automotive Repair & Service (CARS), ASRW is scheduled for Oct. 10-13 at the Morial Convention Center in New Orleans.

Passing it forward

17 May 2012 12:51:14 CDT

When Mark Torres entered the collision repair industry to work with his brother in the 1980s, he was shocked to learn there was little else required of him beyond on-the-job training. "This trade that I love is missing certification for what we do," says Torres, who owns Tehachapi Collision Center in Tehachapi, Calif. "I knew at that point that that was something I wanted to pursue."

Those underinflated tires could kill you

17 May 2012 12:51:14 CDT

A new government study warns that as many as 1-in-20 crashes could be linked to tire-related problems, with underinflated tires posing an especially high risk of causing a problem. "Tire problems are inherently hazardous to vehicle safety," said the report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which based its study on crash data covering a three-year period from 2005 to 2007.

Vehicle diagnostics in collision repair

17 May 2012 12:51:14 CDT

If you're in the business of repairing vehicles after an accident, you're either in, or soon will be in, the vehicle diagnostics business. The proliferation of electronic components and data buses is forcing the collision industry to join the scan tool revolution. Approximately 67 percent of collision shops already own a scan tool.

AkzoNobel announces 2012 recipients of Most Influential Women in the Collision Repair Industry award

17 May 2012 12:51:14 CDT

AkzoNobel Automotive & Aerospace Coatings Americas has announced the recipients of the 2012 Most Influential Women in the Collision Repair Industry award. The awards program, which occurs annually, will be held July 19 in San Antonio. The 2012 MIW award recipients follow in the footsteps of past honorees holding leadership positions within the industry association, shop operation and service sectors of the U.S. and Canadian collision repair industry. They were selected for their contributions to the organizations they represent, the collision industry at large and their respective communities.

Not your father's auto shop class in La Puente, Calif.

17 May 2012 12:51:14 CDT

There are some things that haven't changed in auto shop — it's still loud and it's still dominated by teenage boys standing under cars, working with their hands. But in one La Puente High School in California, students also stand in front of a computer screen that displays information generated by a dynamometer.

Factory production up in April across US led by autos

17 May 2012 12:51:14 CDT

U.S. factory output increased in April, helped by a gain in auto production. Busier factories have driven stronger hiring this year and helped the economy grow. The Federal Reserve said Wednesday that factory production rose 0.6 percent in April, erasing a 0.5 percent decline in March.