Around ASA
ASA-Ohio inspection program helps consumers
Earlier this year, ASA-Ohio and the Car Care Council implemented the Certified Vehicle Inspection pilot program. The program provides motorists with a reliable unbiased appraisal of the overall condition of vehicles they are interested in purchasing or selling. The service includes a comprehensive evaluation of more than 150 inspection points and is performed by inspection centers selected by a peer committee under the direction of the Car Care Council. To date, the program has 18 inspection centers enrolled with several more pending approval. According to Don Midgley, Car Care Council president, the program is doing very well and the council is pleased with responses from ASA-Ohio members. He also said that the inspections have uncovered numerous needed repairs. In some cases, motorists found that the repairs were covered under the vehicle warranty, thus resulting in large savings.
The council plans to expand the program in 1998. Midgley said the council is enthusiastic about the future of the program and believes the program will add four additional states early next year.
Member honored
Tim Yarbrough, owner of Tim's German Auto in Fort Worth, Texas, was referred to as a "Hometown Hero," by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Staff writer Beverly Bundy, praised Yarbrough's shop for the outstanding service the business has shown her for the past 11 years.
The article mentioned all the employees of Tim's German Auto and thanked them for their honesty and professionalism. The article went on to say, "In these days of banks phasing out tellers, restaurants refusing to train their servers and department stores neglecting to man their departments, it's pretty heroic for service folks to be as kind and respectful to their customers as they are to one another."
Tim's German Auto has been an ASA member since 1995.
Northeast Texas chapters provide workplace safety training
The ASA-Dallas, Tarrant, Denton and Garland, Texas, chapters have formed the Tri-County Committee to develop and execute workplace safety training for all chapter members. The committee's objective is to offer top-notch training and information for ASA members to comply with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations. The chapters plan to hold a day of training that would satisfy requirements for annual training of employees in the various aspects of hazardous chemicals and workplace safety.
Detailed curriculum has not been finalized; however, the committee has an outline and would like to offer this ASA member-only training in late February or early March 1998. Committee members are optimistic that the training could be provided at a minimal or no additional cost to members through supplier support, and that the program could become an annual event with participation from ASA chapters nationwide.
Members encouraged to attend EPA meeting
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4 is sponsoring a Pollution Prevention/Green Manufacturing Conference to be held Nov. 17-19, at the Marriott Marquis hotel in Atlanta, Ga.
The conference will include presentations by industry leaders on how to reduce and even eliminate hazardous waste generation, solid waste, wastewater discharges and air emissions. Sources of free technical assistance and information will also be presented.
The conference is open to everyone and is free of charge, however, advanced registration is required. For more information on the conference, call (404) 562-9362.
ASA-Minnesota announces dental benefit
ASA-Minnesota is providing dental insurance policies to members and their employees. The program, offered through Hanratty & Associates, covers 100 percent of preventive services, 80 percent of basic services and after a year of participation, 50 percent of major services.
The program is voluntary, but does require a minimum of three people per business for eligibility. Coverage starts immediately following enrollment.
New address
ASA-Texas moved its office Sept. 20. The new address for ASA-Texas
is 814 San Jacinto, Suite 303, Austin, Texas 78701. The telephone and fax numbers remained the same.
ASA-Texas can also be reached via email and the Internet. The email address for ASA-Texas is asat@internetMCI.com and the Web site address is http://www.adwizards.com/asat.
Reminder of the Month
ASA will soon begin preparations for the 1998 Membership Directory.
To ensure the accuracy of your listing, please verify that the information in the 1997 issue of the directory is correct. ASA uses your physical address, if it is on file, for the listing. If you have changes to the listing or would like to verify the physical address ASA has on file for you, please call the ASA Membership Department toll-free at (800) 272-7467.
The deadline for submitting changes to directory listings is Dec. 31, 1997. The 1998 ASA Membership Directory will be published in April and sent to all members.
ASA, Mitchell offer Collision RepairWorks benefit
ASA and Mitchell International are offering Mitchell's CD-ROM version of Collision RepairWorks Electronic Book to ASA members at a savings of $170.
The Collision RepairWorks Electronic Book provides collision members with Mitchell vehicle dimension and repair information. The electronic book allows members to access more than 100,000 technical service bulletins, on topics such as vehicle frame dimensions, unibody service and repair, air bag repair and safety information, brakes, steering, and air conditioning and heating.
Along with the electronic book, subscribers receive database support direct from the information editors. The software can be purchased by ASA members for a one-time annual fee of $829; the regular price for the software is $999.
The $170 savings is available to ASA members until Dec. 15, 1997. Members who already have Collision RepairWorks can still save $170 on any other Mitchell collision print product to which they currently do not subscribe. For more information, call Mitchell International at (800) 238-9111, ext. 8508.
National News
ASA and the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR) are offering the Uniform Procedures for Collision Repair (UPCR) on CD-ROM, to association members at a reduced cost. ASA members receive a $50 savings off the retail price of $295. ASA shops that are I-CAR Gold Class facilities receive an additional $50 savings, making the price $195. The UPCR outlines industry-accepted, uniform repair procedures for technicians, insurers, suppliers, vehicle makers and educators. Seventy procedures in 21 content areas have been developed and reviewed by hundreds of industry professionals. By April 1998, there will be approximately 150 procedures in nearly 40 content areas. Subscribers will receive quarterly issues and updated procedures. To order, ASA members should call I-CAR customer service toll-free, (800) 422-7872.
Editor's note: The following letter was sent to Don Toomey, ASA-Florida executive director. Karl Davis, owner of Karl's Advanced Automotive, is president of the ASA-Volusia/Flagler county chapter.
Dear Mr. Toomey:
I am writing you to praise one of Florida's ASA member facilities, Karl's Advanced Automotive, located in Omond Beach, Fla. This facility helped us out with a long distance problem in a timely manner with the utmost concern for our customer. We had done some major engine repair on a Plymouth Voyager, which included replacing some cam plugs. The vehicle had returned to us a few days after the initial repair with a leaking cam seal. We repaired the leaking seal and sent the customer down the road. The customer called us from Florida while on vacation, complaining of a major oil leak. We looked through the ASA Membership Directory and found Karl's Advanced Automotive, which the customer said was near his location. After a brief conversation with Karl, the customer's vehicle was examined and the cam seal, which we had replaced a second time, was leaking again. Karl was able to replace the cam seal successfully in one day and get the customer back to his vacation. Karl's did not request a credit card number ... our being an ASA member was good enough for him to accept a check. It is good to know that there are ASA members of this caliber all over the country that are willing to help out in a time of need. After all, isn't this the type of cooperation ASA is striving to attain? We are proud to be an ASA member and you should be proud to have Karl's Advanced Automotive as an ASA member in your state.
Respectfully, |
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AutoInc. Magazine ®, Vol. XLV No. 10, October 1997