See what makes us different ... and the same! In this issue’s “Generationally Speaking,” we feature RON HAUGEN, owner/president, and HEATHER ALBERTSON, service adviser, of WESTSIDE AUTO PROS in Des Moines, Iowa. See what makes us different … and the…
Every shop owner runs into ‘situations.’ How they handle them is important ... do you agree with these fellow ASA members? Dilemma: This scenario comes from a collision shop that we’ve been doing business with for more than 25 years.…
The speedometer drops off,” my friend Lee told me when he brought in a Jeep Grand Cherokee he wanted fixed. “Then the gauges quit and all the warning lights come on. This thing has been acting crazy on and off…
In the last issue (March-April) we introduced the idea of Service Readiness. Now, we’ll take a look at individual elements of this concept. Let’s begin with creating a Service Readiness Training Model designed to ensure that owners of late-model vehicles…
The past two years have been quite a ride. Your association has seen major change and made an unprecedented comeback. When Darrell Amberson, AAM, took over as chairman, he and the board had much to do. The ASA board and…
Public hearings set for proposed NAAQ ground-level ozone standards. On Nov. 25, 2014, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed new regulations designed to strengthen the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAAQ) for ground-level ozone. According to the EPA, the…
See what makes us different ... and the same! In this issue of “Generationally Speaking,” we feature Mark A. Clark and Keegan Niccum, service advisers for Chumbley’s Auto Care in Indianaola, Iowa. Chumbley’s Auto Care is owned by Tim Davison.…
Every shop owner runs into ‘situations.’ How they handle them is important ... do you agree with these fellow ASA members? Dilemma: This shop owner had just hired a new apprentice technician. The technician was supposed to change the automatic…
For the most effective diagnostics, don’t just rely on the codes to troubleshoot. Actual testing will give you a bird’s-eye view. Last issue, we talked about a problem created by technician error and made worse by hanging parts without knowing…
It’s been a busy legislative season in the nation’s capitol and around the country. Here are some news items about legislation moving through state legislatures in North Carolina and New Jersey. Be sure to visit ASA’s legislative website, www.TakingTheHill.com, for…
Let’s take a look at Kia. Is it easy to service? Kia was a poorly made car when this Korean car company brought its 1994 Sephia to America. Kia made cars for Ford/Mazda prior to 1994, but most people had…
To quote a good friend of mine, Mark Saxonberg from Toyota, “Service readiness is the act of having received the service training, information, tools and parts necessary to perform any diagnosis, repair and/or adjustment that might be required to support…
Welcome, ASA-Connecticut! The Automotive Service Association (ASA) has announced a new affiliate: ASA-Connecticut. Dan Risley, ASA’s president and executive director, in making the announcement, said: “We are extremely excited to welcome ASA-Connecticut – formerly known as the Connecticut Collision Repair…
At our annual meeting in April my term as chairman will end. Therefore, this is my last Chairman’s Message. Donny Seyfer will become chairman, and I assure you he is more than capable. There will be one or two new…
114th Congress, 1st Session – January 1-December 31, 2015 I. Monitor Legislation in the 114th Congress A. The Washington, D.C., office will advocate positions before the Congress in support of or in opposition to legislation as directed by the ASA…
Every shop owner runs into ‘situations.’ How they handle them is important ... do you agree with these fellow ASA members? Dilemma: This happened to one of my competitors last year: A lady brought in her 2001 Mitsubishi Montero because it…
More issues call for more diagnostic ‘what-ifs’ With the average age of vehicles on the road hitting an all-time high of 11.4 years, I continue to revise my path of diagnostic “what ifs?” The preponderance of age-related issues creates the…
