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The all-new 2012 Ford Focus will launch exclusive airbag technologies that enhance protection for front seat occupants in the most common frontal and side crashes.

The suite of new innovations includes Ford’s next-generation driver-side airbag with enhanced chest protection technology.

The new airbag uses a reconfigured curve-shaped tether system that pulls in the lower section to create a “pocket” to help lessen the impact of the airbag on the driver’s chest and ribs in frontal crashes.

Ford’s innovative side airbags feature unique shoulder vents that stay open and reduce pressure for smaller occupants who typically benefit from reduced forces. Taller occupants whose shoulders block the vent could benefit from the higher pressures.

Focus also will be Ford’s first car ever to feature front passenger airbags with adaptive venting technology that diverts some of the gas from the airbag inflators through vents outside of the airbags.

The restraints control module — the control center of Ford’s advanced safety systems — adjusts the level of venting based on seat position.

The new passenger airbag is designed to help enhance head and neck protection by better matching deployment force with occupant size.

This innovative system uses a small pyrotechnic device to force open the vent and can provide less pressure in the airbag when it’s sufficient to help protect the occupant.

“This is Ford’s most advanced airbag system we’ve ever equipped a car with, and it is designed to help protect occupants even better in the most common types of crashes,” said Sue Cischke, Ford group vice president, Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering.

“Each of these airbags uses innovative technologies to help better customize airbag protection to the occupant.”

The new airbag technologies debut as standard equipment on the all-new 2012 Ford Focus, which goes on sale early next year in North America. They will be rolled out to other Ford vehicles in the next few years.

For more information please visit www.ford.com.

CARSTAR held their 2010 National Media Conferences on Tuesday, September 14, to discuss the changes the company is making in order to better compete in the current economy.

Chairman and CEO Dick Cross began the conference call by outlining CARSTAR’s forecast for the coming year. He said that the successful shops are going to need to not only provide extraordinary performance, but also be able to document it and be prepared to show it to customers.

“We think our collision industry is going to change,” said Cross.

The new-car dealer groups in Dallas and Tarrant counties have merged into the Dallas Fort Worth Metropolitan New Car Dealers Association according to reports made by the Dallas Morning News.

Dealers voted overwhelmingly to approve the merger, which is significant because the association will represent about 250 dealers in 11 counties with annual sales of more than $10 billion. The new association is the largest dealer group in the state and should have a strong voice in state and national legislative affairs that affect the auto business.

“D-FW is now viewed as a single market, with many of our dealers having franchises in both Dallas and Tarrant county areas,” said Sam Pack, former chairman of the New Car Dealers Association of Metropolitan Dallas and a driving force in the formation of the new group.

Pack, who owns Ford dealerships in Dallas, Tarrant, Collin and Denton counties, and other dealers began considering the merger about nine months ago after Drew Campbell retired as president of the New Car Dealers Association of Metropolitan Dallas after a 25-year tenure.

Lee Chapman, 50, the former president of the Tarrant County dealers association, will head the new association. The primary goals of the new association are largely unchanged — promoting and representing new-car dealers.

“I’m really excited,” said Chapman, who was president of the Tarrant County group for 26 years. “This is one marketplace, and we want to help dealers sell more cars and help consumers have a positive sales experience.” Among other initiatives, the new association intends to call more attention to dealers’ good deeds — “everything they return to the community, from supporting Little League teams to donating to hospitals,” Chapman said.

Fort Worth and Dallas-area dealers will still put on separate new-car shows. With annual sales approaching 400,000 vehicles, dealers in the Dallas-Fort Worth region sell as many vehicles as those in some small states.

“It just made sense to combine two smaller associations into one of the biggest and strongest in the nation,” said Tom Durant, a board member of the former New Car Dealers Association of Greater Tarrant County and owner of Classic Chevrolet in Grapevine.

Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes announced it will hold its next A-Plus™ University ‘Winning the Keys’ Estimating and Profitability Workshop in New Orleans on October 26 and 27, 2010 at the Renaissance New Orleans Arts Hotel in Louisiana.

To meet the challenges collision repair facilities face in today’s economic climate, Sherwin-Williams designed its ‘Winning the Keys’ workshop to specifically increase business at the front end of the body shop. It focuses on three critical profit areas of importance to a successful collision facility: customer service, selling skills and estimating.

The workshop has been specifically designed for collision repair facility owners, managers, estimators and customer service representatives who are interested in improving their closing ratio and creating loyal customers.

Attendees will learn to utilize proven sales techniques that have been custom-tailored to the collision repair industry and designed to improve the effectiveness of their selling skills during the estimating process.         The workshop also provides each attendee with detailed information and the tools necessary to write and negotiate more profitable estimates.

“Winning the Keys is a great class. I have already tripled the amount of money spent on the class in the first three days on additional charges we were not being paid for,” said Dennis Johnson, Body Shop Manager, Freedom Super Body Shop, Chesapeake, Va.

The ‘Winning the Keys’ course has been built by leading collision repair industry professionals and will offer attendees the opportunity to share best practices with their industry peers throughout the two-day learning session.

Breakfast and lunch will be provided each day with a group dinner scheduled for the first evening. Course curriculum includes the following: Achieving Service Excellence, The Road to Sales Success and Estimating Solutions for Profit.

“We are very excited about this A-Plus University offering,” said Brandon Devis, A-Plus Network Program Manager for Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes.

To register for the A-Plus University ‘Winning the Keys’ workshop online, go to www.sherwin-automotive.com. For more information on the A-Plus Network, call (216) 332-8580.

ASA Texas is warning shops that labor and other services are disallowed in calculating cost of goods sold for tax purposes. All shops are allowed to claim is the actual parts used for the repair. However, because this is such a common “error” in filing among auto repairers, Texas tax authorities are going to target auto repair shops in particular. The Comptroller’s office announced it will audit 29,000 businesses for the 2008 year. It has hired, or plans to hire, almost 500 auditors.

A shop owner in Tomball who was going through a franchise tax audit was unaware of this exclusion and after his CPA did recalculation of his tax liability, discovered it would cost him an additional $7300.
The Texas comptroller website has posted the following message:

“Franchise tax audits for report years 2008 and 2009 are now in full swing, and we’ve noticed that many entities in the service industry are incorrectly electing to use the cost of goods sold deduction to determine margin.

“Section 171.1012 of the Texas Tax Code specifically provides that, in determining the cost of goods sold, the term “goods” means real or tangible personal property sold in the ordinary course of business and does not include services. The Tax Code does not allow a cost of goods sold deduction for entities that provide services such as dry cleaners, law firms, parking facilities, rental services, towing companies, etc.

Franchise Tax Rule 3.588(c)(8) does allow a cost of goods deduction for transactions that contain elements of both a sale of tangible personal property and a service; however, an entity may only subtract as cost of goods sold the costs otherwise allowed in relation to the tangible personal property sold.

For example, an auto body shop offers the service of car repair and in the process of the repair, replaces some of the car’s parts. If the auto body shop elects to use the cost of goods sold to determine margin, the shop can only deduct the cost of the car parts. The labor related to the repair of the car is not allowed as a cost of goods sold.

If an entity that is not eligible for the cost of goods sold deduction elected to use this method for prior years’ reports, the entity must amend the reports. The compensation deduction, however, is not available for the prior years’ reports. The election language in Tax Code Section 171.101(d) does not allow a change in the method of computing margin to a cost of goods sold or compensation deduction after the due date of the report.

These entities that originally elected to use the cost of goods sold method must amend and use the 70 percent method to determine margin or, if total revenue is not more than $10 million, may use the E-Z Computation to determine tax due. The E-Z Computation does not allow a cost of goods sold or compensation deduction in computing margin but instead applies a lower tax rate of 0.575 percent directly to apportioned total revenue.

In future years, entities that do not sell real or tangible personal property in the ordinary course of business may choose the compensation deduction over the 70 percent method or the E-Z computation. The compensation deduction, detailed in Franchise Tax Rule 3.589, includes W-2 wages and cash compensation paid, net distributive income reported to natural persons and employee benefits provided.”

ASA wants to address this interpretation of cost of goods sold by contacting the Ways and Means Committee of the Texas House and our representatives. Contact Charles Parker, Director, ASA Texas at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

NACE’s 2010 keynote speaker Kelly McDonald—a recognized expert on multicultural marketing and business trends and a former dealership sales executive—will address increasing diversity in the workplace and a changing workforce and customer base during the Opening General Session. Sponsored by DuPont, from 8:30–10 am on Monday, October 11, followed immediately by the opening of the NACE and CARS show floor. McDonald will address the vast array of differences in the workforce these days and how businesses can work cohesively with their customer base, their employees and their labor force as a whole.

“The consumer really has the power of choice,” McDonald told Autobody News. She detailed how consumers have so much choice and information available to them online that businesses really need to cater to a customers needs, preferences and styles to win their business.

For businesses, the bar is set higher than ever and the customer is fully in charge: they have specific expectations about service, convenience and communication. The multilingual needs of our country are more apparent than ever and the businesses that meet those needs will have a significant competitive advantage in the marketplace.

McDonald’s presentation will be focused upon key generational segments and the Hispanic consumer. Attendees will learn about the Four Levels of Acculturation and the importance of relating to different cultures.

Kelly McDonald is a recognized expert on multicultural marketing and business trends. McDonald also worked in the automotive industry for over 20 years with brands like Toyota, Nissan and Subaru in their sales and advertising department. She has knowledge of parts and services as well as industry terminology.

McDonald’s speaking client roster includes: Toyota, Sherwin-Williams, Harley-Davidson, State Farm Insurance, AAA Travel, BlueCross BlueShield, and dozens of financial organizations and associations.

McDonald will not be holding any seminars after her keynote speech titled; “The Changing Face of Your Business—Inside and Out” but will be moderating one of the forums on Sunday, October 10.

More information about McDonald’s services can be found at www.mcdonaldmarketing.com. McDonald will be publishing her first book, “How to Market to People who Are Not Like You” in March of 2011.

Other speakers that will host some industry seminars are: Angie Kilbourne, Bob Cooper, Tony Passwater, Chris Ortiz and Richard Flint.

Chris Ortiz will speak on October 12th from 4:00 pm–5:30 pm on Introduction to Lean Auto Body. The seminar will focus on the 8 Wastes of Lean, Body Shop Performance Metrics, 5S and the Visual Body Shop, Kanban and Material Replenishment and Repair Flow.

Ortiz will also speak on October 13th from 7:30 am–10:30 am on 5S and the Visual Shop. This course is a highly detailed curriculum covering the implementation of 5S and the visual workplace. 5S is an aggressive organization and cleanliness philosophy that has a profound impact on productivity and maximizing time. It is the foundational element of LEAN auto body and will be the catalyst for future ongoing improvements. Highly visual with lots of pictures of body shops and non-body shops. This is the most important LEAN auto body course.

Chris Ortiz, President Kaizen Assembly, LLC, can be contacted at 360-715-2129 or 360-224-9245 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Visit www.kaizenassembly.com.

Bob Cooper will speak on October 10 from 1:30 pm–4:30 pm on THE BEST PAY PROGRAMS ON EARTH!™. Bob Cooper is an expert on keeping employees producing at peak performance. Cooper’s company works with successful shop owners and dealerships around the world. He will share some of their best-kept secrets when it comes to compensation programs.

Cooper will also speak on October 12 from 7:30 am – 10:30 am on STOP DREAMING & START ACHIEVING™. Cooper will share the leadership skills he’s learned from the most successful clients, and then used throughout his own career. Starting off as a technician, Cooper has grown a company that now spans the globe. Nowdays he speaks to many Fortune 500 companies, universities, and to the United States Army.

Cooper is the founder and president of Elite;  a worldwide company that helps auto shop owners build more profitable, successful businesses. Cooper was one of the first to predict automobile leasing, the trend toward maintenance, the growth in remanufactured components and the resurgence in dealerships targeting the service business. He also created a website to provide affordable downloadable business building solutions in both English and Spanish. To learn more about Bob and Elite, visit their website at www.EliteWorldwide Store.com or call (800) 204-3548.

For additional event information, contact Hanley Wood Exhibitions at P.O. Box 612128, Dallas, Texas 75261-2128 or call 888.529.1641 or 972.536.6444.

NACE and CARS run from Oct. 10–13. For more information about NACE and CARS go to nacexpo.com and carsevent.com.

The October issue of Consumer Reports ran an article called Are low-cost replacement bumpers safe? in which it stated “some safety experts are concerned about the internal bumper parts: a bumper beam, bumper isolators, foam, crush cans, brackets, and radiator supports. In a frontal crash, those pieces work together to properly transmit the crash pulse, or vibrations from impact energy that moves through the vehicle, to air-bag sensors and away from the passenger compartment to reduce or prevent injury.

“There’s a lot of engineering that goes into making a crash-protection system,” says David Zuby, chief research officer for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. “You can’t willy-nilly change those parts because the system may not work the way it was designed.”

The article went to say that “Ford reported that its engineers had found alarming differences in two aftermarket parts tested. One bumper bar was made of mild steel, instead of the ultra-high-strength steel that the original Ford part uses. A radiator support was made of plastic instead of the magnesium used in the Ford part. In computer-simulated crash tests, the fakes changed the timing of the crash pulse, which might affect air-bag deployment.

“Differences in material could result in a difference in the timing of the air-bag deployment,” says Mike Warwood, Ford’s parts marketing and remanufacturing manager. “The air bag might deploy earlier than it should or later than it should. Or it might deploy when it shouldn’t or not deploy at all when it should.”

“Ford’s testing follows a demonstration last year by Toby Chess, a master collision-repair instructor, who used a reciprocating saw to easily slice through an aftermarket bumper bar. The saw couldn’t cut through the original automaker bumper bar.”

Now a major automotive aftermarket association, ABPA, has responded to the Consumer Reports article.

Eileen A. Sottile, co-chair of the ABPA Legislation & Regulation Committee, issued the following statement:

“As a publication that purports to provide a “reliable source of information consumers can depend on to help them distinguish hype from fact and good products from bad ones,” Consumer Reports has sorely missed the mark with its piece, “Are low-cost replacement bumpers safe?,” featured in the October 2010 article, “Save on car insurance.”

The aftermarket collision parts industry maintains the highest standards of quality and safety in the parts we provide to the collision repair industry. In doing so, we also ensure that there is an economical parts option available in the marketplace — a benefit that is extremely important to most Americans, whether they are fixing their own vehicle or having work done by a repair facility. The availability of aftermarket parts also helps keep the prices of car companies’ replacement parts lower, allowing for more vehicles to be repaired rather than declared total losses, thus avoiding the financial stress car owners face when they are left to pay the balance due on the loans of their totaled vehicles.

Consumer Reports bases its highly questionable recommendation that consumers “demand that they [aftermarket parts] be replaced with original equipment,” on egregiously unscientific tests and unwarranted criticism from organizations that have a significant financial stake in the outcome of the debate on aftermarket parts: Ford Motor Company’s hypothetical assertions supported only by computer simulations of a couple of parts merely represent one more play by the company to create a monopoly for its own replacement parts; and quotes from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety appear to be based on presumption rather than actual research and factual data.

Rather than providing a reliable source of information for consumers, Consumer Reports is doing nothing more than re-reporting unsubstantiated hype from fierce competitors.

I expect this magazine to be held to a higher standard, and hope that Consumer Reports will involve the aftermarket industry in any future reporting on this issue and uphold its responsibility to draw its own unbiased conclusions.”

The 2011 Hyundai Elantra will join its larger sibling, the Sonata, in production at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama (HMMA) starting in late fall 2010. This change, along with the recent move of the Santa Fe to a production facility in Georgia, will further increase Hyundai’s overall U.S. production capacity, which was already producing over half of total U.S. sales volume.

“Hyundai’s philosophy is to build our vehicles where we sell them, and with the addition of the Elantra to our U.S. production mix we now manufacture our three most popular models right here in the U.S.,” said John Krafcik, president and CEO, Hyundai Motor America.

The all-new 2011 Elantra sedan will make its public debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show this November, while sales are scheduled to begin early next year.

Sonata is the best-selling vehicle in Hyundai’s U.S. lineup, with sales of 128,484 though the end of August, a 50% increase over the same period last year. Elantra sales through the same period of 90,960 are up 21% over the same period last year.

HMMA has consistently ranked as one of the highest quality plants in Hyundai’s worldwide operations and is an outstanding example of Hyundai’s focused commitment to quality.

This year Sonata was again ranked in the top-three in quality by the J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study in the competitive mid-size sedan category. The HMMA-built Sonata was also recently awarded Auto Pacific’s first-ever President’s Award in recognition of its record-setting consumer performance in 48 categories ranging from the basics of comfort and convenience, to performance and environmental friendliness.

More than 1,200,000 vehicles have rolled off the HMMA assembly line since production began on May 20, 2005.

“We’re thrilled to be adding another pillar of the Hyundai lineup to our production mix here at HMMA,” said Ashley Frye, director of production, HMMA. “We’ve been extremely proud to build both Sonata and Santa Fe on our assembly line, both of which have been hugely successful models for Hyundai in the U.S. and we hope to carry that momentum with us as we embark on the new 2011 Elantra.”

State Department of Transportation Policy and Projects Special Assistant Stephanie Carter September 7 in Gainesville advised Kiwanis Club members not to reject the new regional sales tax for transportation until they understand how it works and what it does.

The sales tax referendum goes before the voters in 2012, not this November, and a regional road project list won’t come out until next year. The 10 year, one cent sales tax goes into effect in 2013.

“Until you actually see the project list and what the one penny is going to fund, I think it’s a little short sighted to come out against the penny,” Carter said.

Last week Hall Farm Bureau members voted against the measure, fearing it could cut funding for Hall County projects.

Carter, who reports directly to Transportation Commissioner Vance Smith, said the new Transportation Investment Act would not stop the flow of funding.

“The money that is raised in this region stays in the region,” she said. “I think a lot of folks are afraid that the money raised here will build new interchanges in Atlanta and that’s not the case.”

Gainesville and Hall County are in the Georgia Mountains Region and Carter said monies raised in the region would go back into its infrastructure. Carter added that DOT would continue to spend money for transportation in Gainesville and Hall County.

Carter said 75 percent of the money is going to be spent on regional projects while 25 percent would go back to the region’s county commissioners and mayors.

On November’s General Election ballot this year there is a voter referendum that stretches funding for state transportation projects.

According to Carter Referendum (3) allows GDOT multi-year contracts on highway projects.

“So if a project is going to cost $100-million but it’s going to take three years to build they could fund it in Year One with $30-million, Year Two with $30-million and Year Three with $40-million,” Carter said. “Right now if we have to put aside that entire $100-million that money is tied up in that project even though it takes three years.If we could move to multi-year contracts it would allow us to get more projects out the door in this fiscal year and in the next and the next.”

David Maus Chevrolet in Florida, currently under construction, is proud to announce the launch of its new website www.DavidMausChevrolet.com.

The new website offers many great features by providing users with up-to-date information on the construction of the facility, interviews with the construction crew on the project, videos on events throughout the construction period and more.

David Maus Chevrolet will be the fifth dealership in the Central Florida area as a part of the Van Tuyl / David Maus Automotive Group. The construction company, RL Haines, is heading the project which will provide over 1,500 construction related jobs. The new Service Department will showcase 37 service bays with three heavy truck lifts and three detail bays. The entire line of Chevrolet vehicles will be available for sale with one of the largest inventories in Orlando.

For more information on the facility or to apply for a position at David Maus Chevrolet please contact the 407-302-8800 or visit www.DavidMausChevrolet.com.

David Maus Toyota Scion is open for sales and service with a location at 1160 Rinehart Road in Sanford, FL.

The all-new 2012 Ford Focus will launch exclusive airbag technologies that enhance protection for front seat occupants in the most common frontal and side crashes.

The suite of new innovations includes Ford's next-generation driver-side airbag with enhanced chest protection technology. The new airbag uses a reconfigured curve-shaped tether system that pulls in the lower section to create a "pocket" to help lessen the impact of the airbag on the driver's chest and ribs in frontal crashes.

Ford's innovative side airbags feature unique shoulder vents that stay open and reduce pressure for smaller occupants who typically benefit from reduced forces. Taller occupants whose shoulders block the vent could benefit from the higher pressures.

Focus also will be Ford's first car ever to feature front passenger airbags with adaptive venting technology that diverts some of the gas from the airbag inflators through vents outside of the airbags. The restraints control module – the control center of Ford's advanced safety systems – adjusts the level of venting based on seat position.

The new passenger airbag is designed to help enhance head and neck protection by better matching deployment force with occupant size. This innovative system uses a small pyrotechnic device to force open the vent and can provide less pressure in the airbag when it's sufficient to help protect the occupant.

"This is Ford's most advanced airbag system we've ever equipped a car with, and it is designed to help protect occupants even better in the most common types of crashes," said Sue Cischke, Ford group vice president, Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering. "Each of these airbags uses innovative technologies to help better customize airbag protection to the occupant."

The new airbag technologies debut as standard equipment on the all-new 2012 Ford Focus, which goes on sale early next year in North America. They will be rolled out to other Ford vehicles in the next few years.

Data drive new airbag design

Ford's new driver-side airbag was designed to enhance chest and rib protection based in part on Ford's biomechanical research. In particular, Ford found this type of enhanced chest protection technology would be especially helpful in more serious crashes.

"While seat belts and airbags provide proven protection for drivers of all ages, elderly drivers remain at higher risk of injury than younger drivers due to the nature of collision forces," said Frank Heitplatz, Ford supervisor of occupant safety integration. "Decades of biomechanical research at Ford continue to spur refinement of the safety technologies in our vehicles to further reduce the risks of severe injuries."

Focus's strength on safety

In addition to the new airbags, the new Focus's vehicle structure provides enhanced crash protection as well as improved vehicle dynamics.

High-strength steels comprise 55 percent of the Focus's body shell, and ultra-high-strength and boron steels make up more than 31 percent of its skeletal structure. These advanced materials help the structure meet crash regulations across world markets, while minimizing the vehicle's weight to help maximize fuel economy.

"High-strength steels were key to delivering the lighter weight and higher strength we needed for structural efficiency," said Shawn Morgans, Ford technical leader in body engineering. "We believe the materials used on the new Focus are setting a new benchmark in the small car segment."

Ford was the first automaker to begin airbag research five decades ago. It fielded an airbag test fleet in 1971, offered a driver-side airbag in 1985 and standardized driver and front passenger airbags in most vehicles by 1993. In recent years, Ford has introduced a variety of crash protection systems – ranging from canopy airbags to knee bolsters – designed to improve occupant protection. Ford has the most Top Safety Picks from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety of any automaker.

For more information please visit ford.com.

Toyota plans to offer six new gas-electric hybrid vehicles worldwide by the end of 2012, plus a plug-in Prius in the United States according to reports made by the New York Times.

In addition, the automaker and Tesla Motors will introduce an all-electric version of the RAV4 S.U.V. at the Los Angeles auto show in November 2010. It, too, will be available sometime in 2012, said John Hanson, Toyota national manager of environmental, safety and quality communications.

To read the full text of this article please click the link below:

http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/16/toyota-to-offer-six-new-hybrid-models-in-2012/

In a legislative move that has split the two California collision repair associations, California lawmakers approved SB 427 (Negrete, McLeod) which redefines the term "crash part" and increases the penalty on the failure to repair and fully restore an airbag to original operating conditions. The bill was supported by the American Insurance Association (AIA). “AIA feels confident in the language and the protections it will offer our members’ policyholders,” said Gibford.

This bill would define and redefine "crash part," "aftermarket crash part," and "original equipment manufacturer crash part," for purposes of the act and the motor vehicle replacement part provisions.

The bill specifies that an automotive repair dealer who prepares a written estimate that includes replacement of a deployed airbag and who fails to repair and fully restore the airbag where the consumer has paid for the repair, as specified, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine, imprisonment, or both.

The bill would require the invoice for work done by an automotive repair dealer to describe all service work done, parts supplied, and crash parts installed. The bill would make a statement of legislative intent regarding this requirement.

General Motors plans to recall about 400 idled union workers to its plant at Spring Hill to build four-cylinder engines for its mid-size crossover vehicles, according to reports made by the Associated Press on September 14.

A person briefed about the new jobs provided the employee count to The Associated Press and said the recall is due to increased demand for the four-cylinder engines. The person did not want to be identified because the plan has not been made public.

In addition, GM will announce that it is investing millions in the Spring Hill engine plant to build the next generation of the company's Ecotec four-cylinder engine, the person said. The factory already builds three four-cylinder engines.

GM spokeswoman Sherrie Childers Arb declined comment September 14 about the jobs but said a media advisory about a September 17 announcement at the plant in Tennessee was forthcoming.

The automaker laid off about 2,000 workers at Spring Hill last year and about 800 of those workers have relocated to GM plants in other states.

In the U.S., the engines built at the Spring Hill plant go into the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain midsize crossover vehicles, the Buick LaCrosse luxury sedan and the Buick Regal midsize sedan, all of which are selling well.

UAW Vice President Joe Ashton is scheduled to be in Spring Hill on September 17 to help make the announcement, the source said.

The prospect of GM adding jobs is also welcome news in Maury County, which had a 14.5 percent unemployment rate in July.

Debbie Hargis is the office manager at Bagsby Tractor and Truck Service in Spring Hill, which worked on trucks for a company that hauled vehicles for the GM plant.

She said the jobs are "going to help Spring Hill a great deal. When people get hired on, it creates more of everything for the area." She said "every business in this area has felt the effect" of the layoffs.

The Detroit Free Press first reported GM's decision to expand its engine building at the Spring Hill plant.

GM laid off workers last year when it moved production of its Chevrolet Traverse after a million dollar overhaul of the Spring Hill plant, where GM 20 years earlier started building the Saturn brand.

This column is part three of Rich Evans’ column continued from our September 2010 issue titled Building a numbered car exactly like the Red Mist in the movie “Kick-Ass.” To read this column with photos as a PDF CLICK HERE.

To read the previous parts to the column go to www.autobodynews.com > columns > Rich Evans.

As with last month’s (part two) article I’m going to go into some detail on the finishing of Woody’s Red Mist.
We left off with sanding with the Soft-Sanders™ blocks. I continue to use the same blocks, with my color sand system. I’m going to cut it down with 800, then cut with 1000 followed by 1200, then 1500, 2000, and finally 2500 sand paper. I come over it with the 6 inch DA on the areas I can reach with 3000. That just makes my buffing system a lot easier. So after 3000 (with the help of the 3M five step system that they call Perfect Finish. The 3000 grit sand paper is usually on a hook back, so I’m using a foam disk with the p3000, (PN02085, without the foam backing is PN02075).

I write this story as an example of what not to do. I also write this story as a fable, to protect the indignant. Therefore, it starts like this:

To view a PDF of this article please CLICK HERE.

I’ve been in private business long enough to gain quite a following from all over the city and surrounding areas. Most of it good, I hope… and then there are some of my customers that once they get to know me they’ll bring just about anything into the shop for me to repair.

To view a PDF of this article please CLICK HERE.

A reporter in Washington D.C. recently reported that Illinois Republican Congressman Timothy V. Johnson makes one hundred or more phone calls to his constituents every day. He calls from home, the office and the airport. He calls while waiting in traffic in his car, while working out on his treadmill, and while walking through the Capitol. He says, “I think a good many of my colleagues spend too much time talking to each other and not enough time talking to the people they represent.”

To view a PDF of this article please CLICK HERE.

An Ohio representative introduced an anti-steering bill to the state’s legislature in May, and, though it hasn’t moved forward since, Rep. Raymond Prior (D – Ohio) says that as the state’s summer break wraps up, he still has hope it could move forward when the session resumes in early November.

“Shortly after it was introduced the House and Senate broke for the summer break,” Pryor said. “So, we expect to be back in session possibly before the elections or right after the election on November 2. So we’re currently building support for the bill and we hope to have our first committee meeting and hearing on the bill probably the second week of November.”

If the bill, H.B. 527, becomes law, it will “prohibit auto insurers from requiring, recommending, or suggesting that a claimant on a policy have the claimant's vehicle repaired at a particular repair shop or by a particular person unless the claimant requests a recommendation or suggestion.”

Pryor says he decided to sponsor the bill after he was contacted by a local body shop owner.

“I sponsored the bill because one of my local body shop owners had contacted me with concerns that business was being driven away from [his business] to ‘preferred body shops’ by insurance companies,” says Pryor. “The insurance companies were allegedly telling prospective customers that he had talked with that they needed to take their cars [to preferred body shops] for quicker service … and folks were doing that.”

After some research, Pryor says he found the body shop owner who contacted him wasn’t alone.

“Come to find out there were several body shops that felt the same way,” he says.

And, though the bill hasn’t yet had a formal hearing, Pryor has seen some opposition to H.B. 527 already.

“[Insurers] haven’t been well pleased by any means and they’re offering to tell me all about their preferred shops … ,” he says.

The Independent Glass Association (IGA) issued a member bulletin today encouraging its Ohio members to get involved in support of the bill.

The Allstate Insurance Company September 2 released its sixth annual "Allstate America's Best Drivers Report(TM)." The report ranks America's 200 largest cities in terms of car collision frequency to identify which cities have the safest drivers, according to Allstate claim data.

This year's top honor of "America's Safest Driving City" is Fort Collins, Colorado. According to the report, the average driver in Fort Collins will experience an auto collision every 14.5 years, which is about 31 percent less likely than the national average.
"For the sixth year, Allstate is releasing the Allstate America's Best Driver's Report to facilitate an ongoing dialogue on safe driving," said Mike Roche, senior vice president, Allstate's Claim Organization. "We also want to recognize the city of Fort Collins for being the safest driving city in America, and we salute all of America's safe drivers, who help make our communities better places to live, work and raise families."

Fort Collins city officials credit their residents with earning the safe driving recognition.

"Once again, the people of Fort Collins have made me proud to live in this community," said Fort Collins Mayor Doug Hutchinson. "Becoming America's Safest Driving City takes quality roads and infrastructure. But more than anything else, it's the result of individuals taking responsibility for keeping our streets safe."

Auto crashes in general have declined over the last few years, but crash fatalities still average around an alarming 35,000 every year despite technological advances, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

"Human error is the biggest cause of accidents. It is vital for us to educate drivers across the country on the importance of being tolerant and attentive behind the wheel," said Roche.

The Report
For the past six years, Allstate actuaries have conducted an in-depth analysis of company claim data to determine the likelihood drivers in America's 200 largest cities will experience a vehicle collision compared to the national average. Internal property damage reported claims were analyzed over a two-year period (from January 2007 to December 2008) to ensure the findings would not be impacted by external influences such as weather or road construction.

A weighted average of the two-year numbers determined the annual percentages. The report defines an auto crash as any collision resulting in a property damage claim. Allstate's auto policies represent about 11 percent of all U.S. auto policies, making this report a realistic snapshot of what's happening on America's roadways.

The Top Ten
For the first time in the report's six-year history, Fort Collins was revealed as the safest driving city.

Collision Likelihood      Average Years
Compared to National         Between
City & Overall Ranking            Average              Collisions
1.   Fort Collins, Colo.     -31.2% less likely                  14.5
2.   Chattanooga, Tenn.      -22.7% less likely                  12.9
3.   Boise, Idaho            -22.3% less likely                  12.9
4.   Colorado Springs, CO    -20.0% less likely                  12.5
5.   Knoxville, Tenn.        -19.5% less likely                  12.4
6.   Eugene, Ore.            -18.3% less likely                  12.2
7.   Reno, Nev.              -18.2% less likely                  12.2
8.   Huntsville, Ala.        -18.1% less likely                  12.2
9.   Lincoln, Neb.           -17.9% less likely                  12.2
10. Cedar Rapids, Iowa       -16.5% less likely                  12.0


Additional "Road" Scholars
Drivers in U.S. cities with populations of one million-plus are more likely than the national average to experience a collision. Motorists in Phoenix topped the list in this category making them the safest big city commuters.

Cities with More Than One Million Residents:

Collision Likelihood       Average Years
Compared to National          Between
City & Overall Ranking            Average               Collisions
74.    Phoenix, Ariz.        1.9% more likely                     9.8
103.  San Diego, Ca.         8.3% more likely                     9.2
159.  New York, N.Y.       28.6% more likely                     7.8
161.  Houston, Texas        29.5% more likely                     7.7
163   San Antonio,TX        30.2% more likely                     7.7
167.  Chicago, Ill.              32.3% more likely                     7.6
173.  Dallas, Texas           35.2% more likely                     7.4
183.  Los Angeles, CA      44.7% more likely                     6.9
187.  Philadelphia, PA       53.5% more likely                     6.5

To view the complete "Allstate America's Best Drivers Report," or to see previous year's results, log onto www.allstatenewsroom.com.

About Allstate
The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation's largest publicly held personal lines insurer. Widely known through the "You're In Good Hands With Allstate®" slogan, Allstate is reinventing protection and retirement to help more than 17 million households insure what they have today and better prepare for tomorrow. Consumers access Allstate insurance products (auto, home, life and retirement) and services through Allstate agencies, independent agencies, and Allstate exclusive financial representatives in the U.S. and Canada, as well as via www.allstate.com and 1-800 Allstate®.

Note: The Allstate data excludes cities in the state of Massachusetts. Other cities not represented by any zip codes found in Allstate data: West Valley, Utah, Coral Springs, Fla., Lakewood, Colo., and Pembroke Pines, Fla. The Allstate Best Drivers Report is produced solely to boost the country's discussion about safe driving and to increase awareness of the importance of being tolerant and attentive behind the wheel. The report is not used to determine auto insurance rates. A state specific adjustment was utilized for the Michigan cities to account for the unique coverage offered in that state.

Traffic deaths have hit their lowest level since 1950, the year fatalities behind the wheel began to be tracked, according to the latest government statistics and reports made by CNN Money.

Car crashes killed 33,808 in 2009, a nearly 10% drop from the year before, according to data from the Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

There were 33,186 deaths on U.S. roads in 1950.

The decline in fatalities occurred despite a slight increase in the number of miles actually driven. The fatality rate, meaning the number of deaths per vehicle mile driven in the country, was 1.13 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles driven, the lowest it has ever been, NHTSA said.

"At the Department of Transportation, we are laser-focused on our top priority: safety," Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement. "Today's announcement shows that America's roads are the safest they've ever been. But they must be safer. And we will not rest until they are."

Besides safer vehicles and an increase in people buckling their seatbelts -- 85% of drivers now use their seatbelts, LaHood said during a press conference -- a weak economy may also have been a factor in the reduction.

During an economic decline, people make fewer trips for entertainment and enjoyment and those trips tend more often to be deadly, LaHood said. Given that, traffic deaths will probably increase as the economy improves, he said, but they are not likely to return to past levels.

Alcohol-related traffic deaths, one of the leading types of fatal traffic accidents, declined by 7.4% between 2008 and 2009, NHTSA said. Last year 10,839 people were killed in Alcohol related crashes, the agency said, about a third of all traffic deaths.

Drunk driving will continue to be a major focus of NHTSA's auto safety efforts, NHTSA Administrator David Strickland, said.

"We will not rest until this deadly crime stops," he said in a press conference.

Deaths declined in all vehicle categories last year, LaHood said, including motorcycles. 850 fewer people died riding motorcycles in 2009 compared to the year before. This follows 11 years of increases in motorcycle deaths which Strickland attributed to states repealing mandatory motorcycle helmet laws. Strickland attributed part of the decline to better education on motorcycle safety as well as people taking fewer discretionary motorcycle trips because of the weak economy.

All traffic accidents, fatal or not, declined by 5.3% between 2008 and 2009, the agency said.

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for those between the ages of 3 and 34, NHTSA said.

Mercedes-Benz USA September 8 held a grand-opening ceremony for a new cutting-edge facility in Jacksonville, Florida. Strategically located less than three miles from the Jacksonville airport, the new Southern Region facility centralizes several business units into one complex for more efficient dealer support and correspondingly higher levels of customer satisfaction.

The recently constructed building totaling a combined 415,000 sq. ft., is a leased facility built to accommodate MBUSA's needs. It is located off Interstate 95 at 13470 International Parkway. MBUSA took official occupancy in July with four business units operating from the site including: Sales Operations Southern Regional Office; Parts Distribution Center (PDC); Quality Evaluation Center (QEC); and Learning & Performance Center (LPC). Approximately 160 employees work at the new facility, which incorporates innovative environmental systems and design using the same criteria as LEED certified buildings within each of the four business areas.

"This new facility is an integral part of our commitment to more efficiently and effectively support our dealers so that they in turn can provide the unparalleled ownership experience that our buyers expect from Mercedes-Benz," said Ernst Lieb, president and CEO of MBUSA, who presided over the ceremony. "This facility represents our best thinking in terms of how Mercedes-Benz looks and functions."

The new complex incorporates the company's unique Autohaus design which has been adopted by Mercedes-Benz dealerships across the country. The modern aesthetic concept skillfully incorporates signature design elements in a way that is designed to promote interaction and create an appealing functional environment...

The new Jacksonville facility houses the following business operations: -- SALES OPERATIONS SOUTHERN REGION OFFICE -- The Southern Region MBUSA office supports 102 MBUSA dealerships with sales and fixed operations across 12 states including Florida, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Texas as well as Puerto Rico. MBUSA has three other regional offices in the U.S.: Parsippany, NJ, Rosemont, IL and Costa Mesa, CA. -- PARTS DISTRIBUTION CENTER -- A new addition to MBUSA's operation in Jacksonville, the Parts Distribution Center (PDC) supports approximately 70 MBUSA dealers in the Southeast with parts supply. The PDC will house about 15 percent of MBUSA overall parts inventory, shipping over 1.3 million lines annually. The company has four other Parts Distribution Centers in U.S.: Carol Stream, IL, Fontana, CA, Fort Worth, TX and Robbinsville, NJ. -- QUALITY EVALUATION CENTER -- With more than 70 personnel from various engineering and logistics disciplines representing a diverse collection of work experience and backgrounds, the Quality Evaluation Center in Jacksonville is one of only two operational units of its kind outside of Germany. The QEC team includes Daimler Quality personnel, placing engineers closer to the market and to the dealers served by MBUSA. This market proximity brings greater knowledge of market-specific issues directly into the quality management process through faster parts evaluation and feedback to Daimler development. Local parts analysis also helps to improve diagnostic tools and technical information while the resulting rapid feedback to dealers increases the diagnostic skills necessary for improved "Fixed First Visit" performance - a key customer satisfaction component. -- LEARNING & PERFORMANCE CENTER -- The Learning & Performance Center is a leading edge training facility for dealership and MBUSA personnel. MBUSA facilitates over 120 classes per year in the Jacksonville Learning & Performance Center, with a total of about a thousand participants from across the Southeastern United States. Classrooms, workshops, a computer lab, a virtual classroom webcast area, a student lounge, offices and a cafeteria are designed in an intelligent and integrated fashion all for the learners' benefit while at the same time providing increased operational effectiveness and efficiencies. MBUSA operates five Learning & Performance Centers in the U.S.: Houston, TX, Itasca, IL, Jacksonville, FL, Montvale, NJ, and Rancho Cucamonga, CA.

"I am extremely pleased that Mercedes-Benz chose Jacksonville for its Southern region headquarters," said Jacksonville Mayor John Peyton. "This is a testament to the favorable business climate we enjoy in our city and our talented workforce. I am proud to have Mercedes-Benz as a member of our business community."

About Mercedes-Benz USA
Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA), headquartered in Montvale, New Jersey, is responsible for the distribution, marketing and customer service for all Mercedes-Benz and Maybach products in the United States. MBUSA offers drivers the most diverse line-up in the luxury segment with 12 model lines ranging from the sporty C-Class to the flagship S-Class sedans and CL coupes and the SLS AMG supercar.

MBUSA is also responsible for the distribution, marketing and customer service of Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Vans in the US. More information on MBUSA and its products can be found at http://www.mbusa.com/ and http://www.mbsprinterusa.com/.

Repair shops in Oklahoma are still trying to catch up with the colossal amount of work left for them after the May 16 hail storms left thousands of cars in the area damaged, according to reports made by The Oklahoman. Now, almost 4 months later most body shops are just getting caught up with the work.

Cars made up about $80 million worth of damage costs for insurers, Southwest Insurance Information Services President Jerry Johns said.

"From an insurance perspective it will go down as one of, if not the most significant weather-related events since 1999," Johns said. "Obviously much of it was roof damage and things like that but vehicle claims were extremely high for those not fortunate enough to shelter their car or truck before it hit."

Some customers waited for weeks and even months to get their hail-damaged cars repaired, most body shops in the area were having people come in and schedule an appointment months in advance.

"We've slowed down quite a bit, to about 1/3 of what we had initially, but there's still a lot of work to be done," said Bob White, Manager for Body Works Inc. in Oklahoma City.

White said the focus after the storm was on cars that weren't drivable because of broken windshields. Now the focus is on less-serious hail damage, such as dented hoods.

"We're still pretty scheduled out until November but we're managing the jobs better than we were. Right after the storm we were scheduled out until December," said White, "We've even been able to call some people in ahead of schedule now that the jobs have tapered a little bit more than in the beginning."

White also mentioned that Body Works has been able to start working back with some of their collision work that had to be put on hold after the spring storm.

Some cars that haven't been repaired might have remained on the road and could potentially pose hazards. It's up to officers to decide whether to cite a driver for a cracked windshield, which is against the law in Oklahoma. Although tickets are most likely to be written when the vehicle damage might impede someone's ability to drive safely.

Johns said people with damage should make their claims as soon as possible. He said insurance adjusters likely will remain in Oklahoma for up to a year after the storm.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a measure August 30 allowing tens of thousands more Californians with environmentally friendly cars to drive solo in carpool lanes according to reports made by the LA Times and 10 News San Diego.

Lawmakers worked late into the night August 30, the second to last day of the 2009-10 legislative session. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger took some action of his own, signing into law a measure expanding the list of environmentally friendly cars that qualify for permits to use carpool lanes.

The measure will allow up to 40,000 more California motorists to drive solo in the special lanes. It also extends the lifespan of existing permits for hybrid and electric vehicles. The bill, SB 535 by Sen. Leland Yee (D-San Francisco) and sponsored by General Motors, would provide thousands of permits for new models of fuel-efficient cars.

Automotive Service and Repair Week (ASRW) announced on Sept. 8 that its 2011 event will be held Monday, Oct. 17 - Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2011, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV. The 2011 ASRW education program will begin on Sunday, October 16.

"In a year filled with changes in the automotive industry, we feel it's important everyone knows ASRW, NACE and CARS are here to stay," states Ron Pyle, ASA president and chief staff executive.

Notable changes to the event in 2010 will carry over to 2011, including the date pattern (Sunday - Wednesday) and the separation of ASRW from other industry events.

"ASRW provides such a tremendous value to all its participants, and we feel this event deserves its own week," continues Pyle. "NACE and CARS have a long-standing history as successful, standalone events, and we are confident the 2010 and 2011 events will be no exceptions."

The 2010 event is scheduled for Oct. 11-13, also at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.

Hyundai Motor America said August 31 it will shift manufacturing of its Santa Fe SUV beginning this fall from its plant in Alabama to one in West Point, Georgia run by Kia Motor Manufacturing, a move aimed at boosting production of Hyundai's popular Sonata sedan according to reports made by the Associated Press.

The automaker plans to increase production of the Sonata at the plant in Montgomery, Ala., said Hyundai Motor America spokesman Chris Hosford.

"We definitely wanted more production of Sonata at our plant in Alabama and the move allows us to do that," he said.

Hyundai Motor Co. and affiliate Kia Motors Corp. form the world's fifth-largest automotive group.

Hyundai's sales rose 6 percent last month from June and 19 percent from July 2009 on strong sales of sedans such as the Sonata. The company has said demand for the model has been so strong, it hasn't been able to keep up.

Its plan to increase production of the Sonata comes at a time when the automaker faces a potential Sonata recall.

The U.S. government launched an investigation into possible steering problems in the 2011 model involving roughly 16,300 cars.

Kia said production of the Santa Fe will begin next month at the plant in West Point, Ga., and ramp up on Oct. 1 with the addition of a second shift.

The plant will add roughly 700 employees, bringing the total to 1,900. Suppliers and other support companies in the area are also expected to add jobs.

Kia also builds its Sorrento SUV at the plant.

There will be no change in staffing at the Alabama plant.

Oklahoma-based car rental company Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc. raised its corporate adjusted EBITDA forecast for the full-year 2010 on September 7, citing strong operating performance in the months of July and August, and the continuing projections of lower fleet costs. The company also provided an update on fiscal 2011 outlook.

The Tulsa, Oklahoma-based company raised its fiscal 2010 forecast for corporate adjusted EBITDA, excluding merger-related expenses, to a range of $240 million to $260 million from the prior guidance in the range of $200 million to $220 million. The company had earlier raised it guidance in early July.

Dollar Thrifty attributed the increase to projected lower fleet costs, and the continued strength in operations and ongoing cost control efforts at the company.

The company also noted that it continues to expect vehicle rental revenue for the full year of 2010 to increase 1% to 2% from last year. Meanwhile, the company lowered its expected fleet cost target to a range of $230 to $240 per unit per month from the prior forecast of $245 to $255 per unit per month.

Meanwhile, the company also lowered its estimate for vehicle depreciation per unit per month to a range of $270 to $290 for the third and fourth quarters of 2010 from $300 to $310 per unit per month, citing continued strength in residual values and favorable trends in vehicle disposition results.

For fiscal 2011, Dollar Thrifty reaffirmed its previously announced fleet cost estimate of $300 to $310 per unit per month. The is expected to lead to corporate adjusted EBITDA for the full-year 2011 to range between $186 million and $198 million.

The company added that it expects the used car market in 2011 to be based on solid fundamentals, though less robust than now, as demand for used cars is expected to be firm, while supply is expected to be somewhat constrained.

Car rental companies are slowly recovering from the recession, which battered demand from business and leisure customers, after having struggled in recent years due to reduced travel budgets, falling used-car prices and large debt loads.

DTG closed Tuesday's regular trading session at $47.04, down $0.69 or 1.45% on a volume of 1.18 million shares, higher than the three-month average volume of 0.89 million shares.

The Association of International Automobile Manufacturers, Inc. (AIAM) supports passage of a bill by the California legislature to reduce copper dust from vehicle brake pads that can wash into urban watersheds. AIAM members worked closely with California lawmakers, industry organizations, municipal water agencies and environmental groups on SB 346 to find an approach to brake pad reformulation that protects the environment without compromising public safety.

“We believe SB 346 provides a balanced approach to achieving California’s environmental goals while maintaining vehicle brake safety,” said Michael J. Stanton, president and CEO of AIAM.

“Brake dust” can contain copper and other materials and is created by friction when the brakes are applied. SB 346, authored by Senator Christine Kehoe (D-San Diego), sets limits on the amount of copper used in brake pads starting in 2021. By 2025 there will be a virtual ban of the mineral. Owners of vehicles designed with brake pads containing copper will have access to replacement parts for the life of their cars.

“The bill establishes a challenging goal that we and our suppliers are committed to meeting,” said Stanton. “We thank Senator Kehoe for all that she has done to bring the various parties together on this bill.”

A St. Petersburg, FL, jury and judge sentenced Brandon Sutton to life in prison for murdering Vinson Phillips, a well known St. Petersburg body shop owner in 2007.

click to read Tampabay.com story

Autobody News will be attending as well as exhibiting a booth at NACE this year. We will be booth #1964; copies of our October 2010 issue will be available and we will have some of our columnists on hand. We look forward to seeing you there!

GM was the first of the major auto makers to report how tough it was to move new vehicles in August, recording a steep 24.9% drop in August vehicle sales. GM's decline was mostly in line with analysts' targets.

As GM moves toward a massive public offering, it posted sales of 185,176 cars and trucks, down from 246,479 a year ago. Excluding the brands that are no longer part of GM's future, sales fell 10.6% to 184,921 vehicles.

"Last year's Cash for Clunkers (CARS) program spiked industry sales in 2009, so results this August were not surprisingly a bit mixed," said Don Johnson, head of U.S. sales.

The rate is 18% lower than the 14.2 million recorded during last year's rebate program, which boosted purchases and made August one of the best sales months in 2009. In August 2009, the C4C promotion -- aimed at getting older, less fuel-efficient cars off the road in exchange for newer, more environmentally friendly models -- sparked big sales numbers, which are now skewing the year on year results.

Toyota Motor Corp. is expected to drop almost 30%. Last week, the company added 1.1 million Corolla and Matrix sedans to its recall woes, due to engine problems that could lead to unexpected stalls. When the industry's final numbers are tallied, the sales figure could prove to be the worst in almost three decades.