The 1Collision Network has announce the addition of Troy Waller Auto Body in Fort Dodge, IA, to its network of independently-owned collision centers in the Midwest. With the addition of Troy Waller’s, 1Collision Network now includes 20 facilities in Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

Troy Waller Auto Body is owned by Troy Waller and has been in business for over 23 years. Waller stated, “As MSOs and networks rapidly gain market share, I am excited to affiliate with a growing network of quality shops that provide my business with marketing and performance resources I would be hard pressed to find on my own.”

1Collision Network president Jim Keller commented, “Troy’s business has a great reputation in Ft. Dodge, has strong DRP relationships, and with the addition of his shop, the 1Collision Network expands to five locations in Iowa. We are proud to welcome Troy and his organization as our newest 1Collision Network partner.”

Scott Schaefer of Schaefer Autobody Centers in Fenton, MO, wants to build a new shop at 1290 Central Park Drive in O’Fallon, MO. The City Council Community Development Committee approved the zoning variance to make it happen. But O’Fallon Zoning Hearing officer and attorney Douglas C. Gruenke advised against granting the variance, and development director Ted Shekell and city administrator Walter Denton agreed. The site’s zoning is specific to auto sales.

Auto repair firm Nagy’s Collision Specialists has opened its first power sports facility. Formerly operated as B&L Motorsports in Wadsworth, OH, Nagy's Power Sports will service and repair motorcycles, ATVs, UTVs, snowmobiles, and golf carts. Former B&L owner Bob Gerberich, who has 56 years in the industry, will stay on board to assist with the shop, while Fred Seckel will use his more than 30 years of power sports industry experience to manage the location.

With the huge number of crashes this winter, auto repair shops in Minnesota are still swamped with weeks-long backlogs. Many repair shops are telling customers they will have to wait four to six weeks before they can even start working on their car or truck. Marwan Kawas is a manager at Heppner’s Auto Body, which has six locations in the east metro area. “This is my 15th year doing this, and this is the worst winter I’ve seen,” Kawas said. He says business is up about 30 percent. “Drivers don’t keep their proper distances when they’re on the roads. Sometimes it’s just inevitable, you know, especially with black ice.”

Kawas says people are often stunned by the cost of repairs. “Sometimes they think it’s just a bumper,” he said. “But when you factor in the price of the part, the paint, the labor, sometimes the little hidden damage, the broken clips…it adds up. You know, even just a bumper can be a $1,000–$1,500 repair. This one is more, actually, because it buckled on the hood, and there’s probably some inner damage as well, that’s probably a good $3,000–4,000 repair,” Kawas said, adding, “If your vehicle is severely damaged, you will likely be able to get help sooner than later. But if you can still drive your car, expect a long wait.” How long? “Weeks out, definitely,” he said. “And you’ll find it’s true across the metro area…we all have the same problem.”