Program open to both dealer an independent repair facilities. Includes specific facility, training and equipment requirements to repair the Cadillac CT6 along with annual on-site audits. General Motors (NYSE:GM) announced the launch of its Cadillac Aluminum Repair Network in conjunction with the upcoming production of the Cadillac CT6 at the end of 2015. The Cadillac […]
Bill to Abolish Massachusetts Appraiser Licensing Board Scheduled for Hearing Tomorrow
Proposed legislation would eliminate the independent body charged with regulation of appraisers. Non-OEM parts and repair facility choice disclosure bill also to be heard. A bill to abolish the Massachusetts Auto Damage Appraiser Licensing Board, (ADALB) before the Massachusetts Legislature’s Joint Committee on Financial Services, is scheduled for a hearing tomorrow, December 1 at 11 […]
NACE | CARS and Automechanika Chicago Scheduled for Same Week in Summer 2017
Chicago and Orlando trade shows scheduled for July 2017 will overlap. When the Automotive Service Association (ASA) announced that it was moving its NACE | CARS conference and trade show to the summer in 2014 in Detroit, away from its traditional fall time frame, the industry breathed a sigh of relief at not having two […]
Final Rule on Automotive Software Copyright Protection Exemption Excludes Repair Industry
Final rule by the Library of Congress gives consumers the ability to circumvent copyright protection on vehicle software, but excludes third-parties. Repair industry groups concerned it could impact independent repair facilities. The Library of Congress published its final rule on the Exemption to Prohibition on Circumvention of Copyright Protection Systems for Access Control Technologies in […]
Telephone Interview: David Byers, CEO, CARSTAR Collision Repair Experts
In our telephone interview, Byers discusses the sale of the collision repair facility network to Driven Brands announced yesterday. Yesterday, Driven Brands, Inc., a portfolio company of Roark Capital, announced that it acquired Kansas-based CARSTAR Auto Body Repair Experts. CARSTAR is one of the largest multi-shop networks of independently owned collision repair facilities in the […]
Massachusetts ADALB Overturns Ruling on Use of Video to Appraise Damage; Addresses Used Part Specification
Safety concerns led to repeal of last year’s advisory ruling by the appraiser licensing board on the use of photos and video. Issues new ruling cautioning appraisers on specification of used parts, such as suspension, that could impact safety. Following the appointment of three new members to the Massachusetts Auto Damage Appraiser Licensing Board by […]
Interview: Terry Fortner, LKQ Corporation
In our exclusive video interview, Fortner details a new legislative effort to hold OEMs responsible for recalls that may impact collision repair facilities. Larges scale recalls have become a troubling fact of life for vehicle manufacturers. In our video interview embedded below, Terry Fortner from LKQ Corporation details a new legislative effort to hold vehicle […]
U.S. Senator Reiterates Call to Investigate Auto Insurance “Scheme”
A frequent critic of both insurance companies and vehicle manufacturers, U.S. Senator Blumenthal of Connecticut asks Attorney General to investigate possible illegal practices by auto insurers. Asks for DOJ update on 1963 Consent Decree’s applicability to today’s marketplace. U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal announced yesterday that he sent a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder urging […]
CNN Report Highlights Poor Quality Parts and Repairs, Body Shop Lawsuits against Auto Insurers
Collision repair industry reacts to Anderson Cooper 360 segment in prime time warning of unsafe repairs due to poor quality parts and repair work. Antitrust lawsuits against insurers detailed. Viewers of CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360 segment broadcast last night were exposed to the controversies surrounding insurance company referral programs, parts choice and collision repair quality […]
Collision Repairers File 2nd Amended Complaint in Antitrust Suit against Auto Insurers
As expected, collision repairers have filed another amended complaint seeking to address concerns that led Judge to dismiss the case for a second time last month. Collision repair facility operators in Florida have filed a second amended complaint in their suit brought against more than 30 insurance companies. As CollisionWeek reported January 23, U.S. District […]