Directions Debuts
This new monthly department is intended to give you a quick look at trends and viewpoints in the automotive service industry. We will be incorporating the former "Your Turn" section of the magazine into this page, and will be bringing you viewpoints and data from the Automotive Service Association (ASA) World Wide Web site. We hope you enjoy Directions.
Web Ways
As communicated on the Automotive Service Association's (ASA's) World Wide Web site: http://www.asashop.org
- "This is the first I heard about this association. I've seen signs up in shops, but I never really knew what it meant. Now I do." Jeff Kawa, Brookfield, Ill.
- "Hello from Kerrville! Glad to see ASA "on the Net." The pages look good and will be a great source for letting the public know more about ASA. We will be telling our customers about this site." Charles Parker Jr., Kee Motors, Kerrville, Texas.
Aftermarket crash parts used in a vehicle repair bring down the value of a vehicle when compared to repairs with original equipment (OE) parts, according to a new study commissioned by General Motors Service Parts Operations (GM SPO). The study found "imitation" parts used in a repair can cause a devaluation ranging from $740 if the vehicle is sold at a used car lot or traded in on a new model, to $1,670 in a consumer transaction. The study involved sessions in 14 U.S. markets with two separate groups, professional vehicle appraisers and consumers, estimating the value of 1994 Chevrolet Cavaliers, some repaired with OE parts and others with aftermarket parts.
The Automotive Service Association (ASA) is partnering with Front Range Community College (FRCC) in Westminster, Colo., and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop a "Green Shop Program." The details of this compliance assistance program are expected to be finalized during the first quarter of 1996.
How much CFC-12 is available to the automotive service aftermarket now that production of new R-12 for the U.S. market has ceased? According to Frank Allison, executive director of the International Mobile Air Conditioning Association (IMACA), approximately 75 million pounds of R-12 are available as of Jan. 1. Another 20 million to 30 million pounds of R-12 is stockpiled by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), but is not likely to be available to the aftermarket. By the end of 1996, Allison foresees a supply of approximately 29 million pounds, with shortfalls occurring by the end of 1997. Allison's conclusion is that retrofitting of vehicle air conditioning systems must accelerate.
The average age of cars and light trucks in the United States has reached 8.8 years, the highest in 50 years, according to James A. Lang, president of Lang Marketing Resources. Between 1985 and 1995, the average age of passenger cars in the U.S. fleet soared from 7.4 years to 8.7 years, while the average age of light trucks for the same period went from 8.1 to 8.8 years.
The Most Commonly Crunched Parts
According to General Motors (GM), the top 10 parts replaced during collision repair (in descending order):
1) Front bumper and components 6) Left front lamps 2) Hood panel and trim 7) Right front lamps 3) Radiator support panel 8) Right front fender and components 4) Left front fender and components 9) Left front door and components 5) Rear bumper 10) Wheels and wheel covers Your Turn
Next month we'll kick off the "Your Turn" section of this page with the following question:
- "What time saving tips do you use to help you manage your business?"
Future questions include:
- "Are consumers more understanding today about diagnostic charges than they were five years ago, or less understanding?"
- "To what extent should shop owners pay for technical education for their technicians?"
Please call us at (800) 272-7467, ext. 219 or 238, with your response.
ASA Main Page
AutoInc. || More Info About AutoInc. || Tech Tips || Tech To Tech
Collision Industry Issues || NACE Tops 30,000 || Verona's NACE Address
Directions || Market Share || News Briefs || News Briefs Extra
AutoInc. Magazine ®, Vol. XLIV No. 1, January 1996