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EVgo Selected by California for Proposed Grant Funding for DC Fast Charging Stalls at 5 Locations
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BrightDrop Opens First Dealership in California
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NABC Recycled Rides® Program, Crash Champions, GEICO, Enterprise Donate 3 Refurbished Vehicles to Orange County Recipients
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Magna, DuPont to Co-Host Women of Inforum@CES Networking Reception to Connect Women in Tech
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7 Members of LA-Based Fraud Ring Sentenced for Multimillion-Dollar COVID-19 Relief Scheme
Western News
Local news stories affecting the auto body industry in California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Hawaii, Alaska and Wyoming
CARSTAR Adds 30-Yr Old Escondido Shop to Network
CARSTAR Auto Body Repair Experts, one of North America’s largest multi-shop operator (MSO) networks, has announced the addition of CARSTAR Autopark Appearance Center of Escondido, CA, to its network of collision centers. Although new to CARSTAR’s national lineup, Autopark Appearance Center has served the “Hidden City” of Escondido for more than 30 years, and shop owner Scott Hillery has worked in the automotive industry since 1974. Bringing CARSTAR Autopark Appearance Center on board gives the company a strong foundation of collision centers in the Southern California area.
CARSTAR says the new store will benefit from the CARSTAR Management Systems, which provide resources to improve key business metrics such as cycle time, participation in CARSTAR’s 19 corporately managed DRP programs, and improved purchasing power from 45 corporately managed purchasing programs.
“We are excited to welcome Scott Hillery and CARSTAR Autopark Appearance Center to the CARSTAR network,” said David Byers, CEO of CARSTAR Auto Body Repair Experts. “We are thrilled to expand our presence in California with this new top-notch collision repair center.”
VQ Medallion Status for Drew Collision-Fix Auto & Glass
President Bill Drew of Drew Ford in La Mesa, CA, announced that the Drew Collision-Fix Auto and Glass has been awarded the coveted VQ Medallion for collision repair quality. The Medallion signifies recognition that the facility has achieved and sustained the highest possible quality in collision repair, as determined and documented by the independent repair inspection firm VeriFacts Automotive. There are only 54 collision repair businesses in the U.S. who have reached Medallion level. Drew Ford’s collision center is the first auto dealer of any brand to have its collision repair operation so recognized.
The monthly VQ inspections are unannounced and exceptionally rigorous. They exhaustively examine and record over 300 different aspects of the repair process, including equipment, repair materials, technical information, quality procedures and hands-on observed skills of the technicians. The Medallion rating must be continually re-earned with every inspection.
Bill Drew is the third generation to guide the Drew Ford dealership, which has operated in La Mesa for 85 years, starting as a garage that serviced and repaired model T’s, including body and fender repairs. The business became a Ford dealer in 1934.
Calif. Deposits $1.5 Million from Travelers Insurance
Travelers Insurance Regulators in California announced that the state is receiving more funds from an enforcement investigation they brought against Travelers Insurance for several violations that included denying discounts to eligible drivers.
Travelers agreed with regulators last month to settle the case for a total of more than $10 million in refunds and fines stemming from violations in the first seven months of 2006. Commissioner Dave Jones announced on July 3 that he deposited $1.5 million from the case into the state’s general fund.
Bay Area Voters Name Top 5 Auto Body Shops
ABC Channel 7 recently announced its 2012 Bay Area A-List. Voting took place in February and March and was conducted by ABC7 and CityVoter. With 72,000 votes collected, 113 body shops were nominated out of more than 2,500 auto body shops. The top 5 are:
Coming in at #1 is Spectrum Auto Body in San Francisco.
In second place is Fremont’s Maaco Auto Body and Paint. For the second year in a row, the shop has been honored by local residents as one the top five collision centers in the community. Last year, the shop placed first. The auto body shop serves Fremont, Newark, Union City and surrounding areas.
In third place is Cars Dawydiak in San Francisco, an authorized, dealer-approved body repair facility for Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Land Rover and Panoz automobiles as well as a Jaguar authorized aluminum collision repair center for structural and non-structural repairs.
In fourth place is Mike Rose’s Auto Body located in Walnut Creek, and the fifth place winner is Uptown Body Shop in Oakland.
Precision Collision Adds Two
Precision Collision Auto Body, a multiple shop operator (MSO) headquartered in Bellevue, WA, announced it acquired two new collision centers in Tacoma, WA and Kennewick, WA.
The acquisition brings the Precision Collision Auto Body network to 20 locations in Washington.
“With increased growth over the past few years, Precision Collision is one of the fastest growing auto body companies in the U.S. maintaining excellent customer service,” said Mark Lovell, marketing director.
Court Rules California Couple Entitled to Diminished Value Claim Against Mercury Insurance
The Superior Court of the State of California has ruled that James and Patricia Scott are entitled to diminished value from Mercury Insurance Company, notwithstanding that their vehicle had been repaired. Judgment was entered, and no appeal was filed within 60 days as permitted by California law. Thus, the judgment was made final.
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Top 5 KCRA Channel 3 2012 A-List Sacramento Area Body Shops
In Sacramento, CA, KCRA Channel 3 viewers recently voted for their top five auto body shops for the 2012 A-List. More than 273,000 votes were collectd to determine the winners. Coming in first was Bertolucci's Body Shop. Bertolucci's Body and Fender Shop, located at 1717 Stockton Blvd., first opened its doors for business in 1948. Sixty years later, they are Sacramento's premier collision repair facility and one of the largest in the area, with a capacity to repair over 100 vehicles concurrently.
Runner-up is Kniesel's Collision Centers, a family-owned auto body business with three locations in the greater Sacramento area. Since 1968, the Kniesel family has been committed to quality repairs and great customer service.
CDI Conducts Illegal Contractor Crackdown
Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones announced that a statewide joint task force in the fight against California's underground economy has netted contractors allegedly operating illegally, resulting in 104 enforcement actions.
"Operation Underground took aim at the "off the books" activity of unscrupulous contractors allegedly operating illegally or without proper coverage for their workers," said Commissioner Jones. "In doing so, they not only failed to protect their employees, but they create unfair competition in California."
Watsonville Shop Owner Due Back in Court
The Santa Cruz Sentinel has reported that the owner of an auto body shop who prosecutors say bilked clients is due back in court on July 31 to set a preliminary hearing date.
Martin Calvario Moya, 48, was charged last month with several charges including forging documents, making false insurance claims and failure to have required workers' compensation insurance coverage for his employees.
Moya is the owner of Moya Auto Body Shop in Watsonville. The District Attorney's Office filed the charges after an undercover investigation that began earlier this year, conducted by representatives from the California Bureau of Auto Repair, the Santa Cruz County Auto Theft Unit and the DA's Investigations Bureau. The investigation was prompted by complaints from customers.
Moya is also charged with violating the terms of his probation. In April, he pleaded no contest to one misdemeanor count of check forgery and was placed on three years of probation. He was also ordered to serve 90 days in County Jail. That charge stemmed from a case involving his wife, Elena Moya, who pleaded no contest to felony grand theft by embezzlement. Prosecutors said that while working at the nonprofit organization Community Bridges, she embezzled thousands of dollars by taking checks from the organization and either cashing them herself or giving the checks to others to cash, including her husband.
Moya has pleaded not guilty to the current charges and is being represented by Salinas-based defense attorney Brian Worthington. He's currently being held in County Jail in lieu of $10,000 bail.
Haddick's Auto Body & Towing Hosts 2nd Annual Charity Hot Rod & Car Show
Haddick's Auto Body & Towing, in conjunction with the cities of Industry and La Puente, will hold its 2nd Annual Charity Hot Rod & Car Show at its primary facility on Saturday, July 14.
Sponsored by local businesses and larger corporations, the family-friendly event will feature food, games and a live band. Proceeds go to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Industry Station's Youth Activities League (YAL) program that supports and helps at-risk youth in the area with free after-school sports and activities. Last year's event raised $12,500 for YAL.