SOUTHWEST NEWS (352)
Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Louisiana
Autobody News SouthWestern print edition is mailed to 7,000 body shops monthly
New Texas Toll Road Opening in November Will Allow 85 Miles Per Hour Speed Limit
Written by staffThe Texas Transportation Commission has approved a speed limit of 85 mph for a 41–mile toll road between two of the state's largest metropolitan areas —the Interstate 35 corridor between Austin and San Antonio. The new toll road is scheduled to open in November.
Opponents say the higher speed limit will give people leeway to drive enough faster.
Higher Rates Kick In for Texas High-Risk Auto Insurance (TAIPA)
Written by staffRegulators announced in May that the Texas Automobile Insurance Plan Association (TAIPA), the state-run coverage program for high-risk motorists, would be increasing overall rates by 24.1 percent.
The program offers private passenger auto policies for motorists who have been turned away by other insurers because of traffic violations or incidents on their driving record.
Insurers Likely to Overcharge Long-Term Customers Says Texas Study
Written by staffA consumer advocate study from Texas “strongly supports” the notions that shopping around for an auto insurance policy can produce savings for a policyholder and that the longer a policyholder stays with a company, the stronger the likelihood they’ll be paying more than they should.
A policyholder who stays with the same company for more than eight years, according to estimates from the study produced by the Office of Public Insurance Counsel (OPIC), could save 19 percent on annual premiums when switching insurers.
‘Is TDI Commissioner Kitzman Biased towards Insurers?,’ State Farm Investigated
Written by staffEleanor Kitzman, commissioner of the Texas Department of Insurance, is being accused of having a bias toward insurance companies as the result of removing consumer protections in health insurance rules, attending a campaign fundraiser held by an insurer, and for suggesting that the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association increase premiums. Her accusers include lawmakers, consumer advocacy groups and the Texas Medical Association, according to reports in the Texas Tribune.
Kitzman, who was appointed to her position, worked in the insurance industry for more than 20 years, but the article said that she believes the knowledge and experience she gained from her years in insurance help her in her position as insurance commissioner.
“I have friends who work in the insurance industry, but that’s not how I make decisions,” Kitzman told the Texas Tribune.
Discovery Channel's 'Texas Car Wars' to Rev up Primetime TV this Fall
Written by staffDiscovery Channel's new one-hour series, "Texas Car Wars," travels deep in the heart of Texas and into the fast-paced world of auto-flipping. Four extremely competitive auto body shops will engage in full-on bidding wars to find the most valuable jalopies and turn them into resell jackpots. The new eight-episode, one-hour series premiered on Sept. 6.
Austin, TX, one of the car auction hot spots of the U.S., is where the junk cars of yesteryear get a last chance to hit the road. The world of auto-flipping is a risky business and the stakes are high as each auto body shop faces off in auction showdowns. The teams only have 10 minutes to do the most basic inspection, but they are not allowed to start the cars. Will the cars have workable engines? Will the buyers discover a hidden gem? Or will they go broke before they even reach their auto garage? Watch as one man's junk, truly becomes another man's treasure.
Texas Car Wars follows the bidding wars between four Texan auto shops that are known for their fearlessness at each auction. Watch as they each take very different approaches to auto-flipping. Watch which garage made the most money in each episode as they flip junk cars into one-of-a-kind automobiles.
New WreckCheck Mobile App Takes the Guesswork Out of Auto Accidents
Written by OID staffThe Oklahoma Insurance Department is highlighting a new tool to help drivers who are involved in a crash.
According to the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office, more than 69,000 wrecks occur every year in Oklahoma. However, according to a July 2012 survey from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), many Americans do not know what steps to take or basic information to share — or not share — after an accident. They may even put their identities and safety at risk by sharing too much personal information. The new WreckCheck mobile application from the NAIC can help eliminate that risk.
NM Court Upholds $10M Punitive Damages In DWI Death
Written by staffThe New Mexico Court of Appeals has upheld $10 million in punitive damages for the family and estate of an Albuquerque man killed by a drunken driver in 2003.
The court recently ruled there was enough evidence to support the damages against the parent company of an Albuquerque convenience store known as Alameda Meteor.
A vehicle driven by store maintenance worker Dean Durand crashed into Daniel Gutierrez, who was stopped on his motorcycle at an intersection. Gutierrez later died.
The court said Meteor knew Durand drank on the job and had bought alcohol at the store on the day of the accident. The court said the store’s actions “demonstrated a reckless disregard for the health and safety of others.”
Compensatory damages of $4.5 million were not an issue in the ruling.
The Northwest Louisiana Collision Repair Association will meet on September 11, 2012 at noon. The meeting will be held at the Magnolia Room at Louisiana Technical College. Lunch is provided by the College Culinary Arts Dept. and cost $7.00.
Dick McDaniel, with CAR-O-Liner & Garmat Paint Booth Equipment, will be the guest speaker. His presentation will include basic paint booth maintenance, trouble shooting problems, and conditions for proper booth operation.
Thanks for such a great turnout at last month's meeting! We will be watching to see how the State Farm PartsTrader pilot program evolves. We will give periodic updates at our meetings. If a major announcement happens, we'll be sure to send out a newsletter about it. Stay informed, come to the meetings, join the NWLCRA!
Be sure to start planning for the Christmas Party, which is going to be held at Fielder's Paint & Body.
Texas Body Shop Owner Creates Sculptures Out of Car Parts
Written by Melanie AndersonTo view a pdf file of this article with photos, click HERE.
What with running his shop and being the town mayor, Johnny Anders, 62, owner of Anders Paint and Body Shop, at 701 N. Swenson in Stamford, TX, doesn’t have much free time on his hands. But when he does have free time, he puts it to good use, creating larger-than-life metal sculptures out of car parts.
With no art background, Anders starting creating his whimsical sculptures from car parts back in the late 70s. He first created “Dino”—a 30-foot long, 8-foot tall Brontosaurus, inspired by the large automobiles of the day—the Pontiacs and Buicks that were called dinosaurs because of their size and fuel consumption. The sculpture is mostly made out of control arms, rocker arms, leaf springs and a piece pipe for the spine.
The Dino sculpture is located in the city park with two other of his projects, a millipede made out of car wheels and a 40-foot-long praying mantis. Two of his sculptures are located alongside the highway, beckoning passersby to stop awhile and visit Anders’ small town, population 3,400, located in northern Jones County in West Texas.
His favorite and “most fun” piece, he says, is his ‘97 Chevrolet pickup. Street legal, the vehicle has two front ends. Anders enjoys driving it around town and it’s been dubbed with a couple of names: “Coming And Going” and “Push Me Pull Me.”
The Carlyle Group has closed its deal to acquire Service King Collision Repair Centers.
Service King Collision Repair Centers, which operates nine locations in San Antonio, TX, was bought out by a consortium made up of The Carlyle Group and the company’s management.
CARSTAR Annual Event Set for Sept. 22 in San Antonio
Written by staffCARSTAR will hold its annual conference in San Antonio, TX, September 22-25 at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa. The Conference will include a vendor expo featuring manufacturers and service providers in the industry, a keynote address by nationally recognized Afterburner, a team of real fighter pilots who deliver powerful leadership seminars, and a general session address by five industry experts: Greg Horn, Mitchell VP of Industry Relations;
Robb Knott, Nationwide Insurance Claims Director; Jeff Peevy, I-CAR Director of Field Operations; Vincent Romans, CEO of the The Romans Group LLC; Matthew Ohrnstein, Managing Director of Symphony Advisors LLC.
More than 350 store owners and employees will join the CARSTAR corporate leadership team to plan for the growth of CARSTAR in the years ahead, celebrate the successes of the CARSTAR store owners, participate in training programs and share time together as North America’s largest MSO network. CARSTAR also is expecting claim executives from a majority of the top 20 personal auto insurers to be in attendance.
