CARS 2014: ‘Not Your Father’s Oldsmobile’

From ASA comes word that CARS this year "is not your father's Oldsmobile." This year's CARS will be held July 30-Aug. 2 in Detroit and, for the first time, the focus will be on younger techs. Each program at CARS this year has been handpicked with an eye toward making your shop better, said Donny Seyfer, chairman-elect of the Automotive Service Association, which sponsors CARS.

From ASA comes word that
CARS this year “is not your father’s Oldsmobile.”

It’s ALL NEW and promises
to be the best show ever.

This year’s CARS will be
held July 30-Aug. 2 in Detroit and, for the first time, the focus will be on
younger techs.

For example, there will
be a two-day, intensive program called the “Young Technician’s Symposium.”
Donny Seyfer, chairman-elect of the Automotive Service Association, which
sponsors CARS, reports the program will be “powered” by Bosch. “It’s the
brainchild of Bob Pattengale,” said Seyfer, “and will feature cutting-edge
learning techniques and thorough introductions to the electronic systems that
control modern cars. Targeting the two- to three-year tech, Bosch’s trainers
will use hands-on techniques mixed with classroom training to move young techs
from maintenance service and light repair to adding routine diagnostic skills
to their toolbox.”

Each program at CARS this
year has been handpicked with an eye toward making your shop better, said
Seyfer. Management sessions will be limited so that the “meeting after the
meeting” networking opportunities will be enhanced.

Seyfer said the “crown jewel”
of the CARS lineup will be Friday’s Telematics & Technology Forum sponsored by the Alliance of Automobile
Manufacturers. “We will bring you face-to-face with the future,” said Seyfer.
“Learn about what cars are doing today and tomorrow from the engineers who
build them. How does the independent repair shop fit into this world? You will
only know if you attend CARS and attend this session.”

Business has changed, said
Seyfer, “and things that were effective a few years ago are no longer working.”
To help bring attendees up-to-date, ASA is enlisting the aid of notables such
as Vin Waterhouse, Rissy Sutherland, Danny Sanchez and Margie Seyfer – experts,
all, in their respective fields.

Always a concern are
employee issues, including successfully integrating new employees into the
business. Bill Haas, industry consultant and trainer, has a new class that will
provide shop owners the tools they need to help new employees fit right in.

On the technical side,
since CARS 2014 will be in the Motor City, representatives from
Chrysler, Ford and General Motors will all be presenting classes. Pete Meier
will help you bring those lab scopes back out to aid you in diagnosis for a new
generation of cars.

“Speaking of diagnosis,”
said Seyfer, “we are going to push the boundaries of your diagnostic techniques
and understanding with presentations by Mark Warren and Chris Chesney – both
technical wizards. They will bring new programs that will take your
diagnosticians to areas many of them will find completely – that’s right, completely
– NEW.”

Seyfer said ASA’s board
of directors and members of the association’s Mechanical Operations Committee
“are excited” to present a different approach to training at CARS this year.
“We surveyed members, asking what their biggest challenges were in running
their business and repairing cars, and we took the dominant responses and
sought out trainers to provide insight and new skills to solve those problems.”

In short, said Seyfer,
CARS is built for shop owners. “It’s built for your technicians and it is built
for your sales staff,” he said. “ASA puts on a few ‘must attend’ programs each
year. This year, CARS will be at the top of that list. SEE YOU IN DETROIT!”

About the Events
Along with NACE | CARS
2014, a series of automotive repair industry events and co-located meetings
will take place July 28-Aug. 2, 2014. Early in the week there will be a series
of Board and other private meetings. Tuesday will feature a CIC quarterly
meeting. Wednesday will highlight the I-CAR Conference and Gala 35th
Anniversary Networking Reception. On Thursday and Friday, the NACE | CARS Expo
will take place, along with numerous NACE and CARS business and technical sessions,
the Collision Repair Executive Symposium (CRES), the Technology &
Telematics Forum, the Automotive Management Institute (AMI) graduation ceremony
and on-site I-CAR training. Technical presentations end at 3:30 p.m. Saturday,
August 2.

Technology & Telematics
Forum
Today’s automobile is the
most sophisticated technology owned by consumers. Automakers are designing
remarkable innovations into new vehicles, recognizing that technology provides
many solutions to meet consumer needs. Several of the world’s leading
automakers will join experts in vehicle security, telematics technology, and
diagnostics and repair to discuss how advanced technologies, connectivity and
the Internet are changing modern automobiles. An in-depth panel discussion
and keynote speaker will highlight the session, in addition to a technology
demonstration and workshop designed to discuss practical repair topics in the
modern shop.

International Autobody
Congress and Exposition (NACE) –
the world’s collision repair event – represents the only B2B event of its kind
specifically designed for collision repair industry professionals from around
the globe. NACE features a comprehensive educational Conference and Expo with
hundreds of diverse exhibiting companies displaying the latest equipment,
products, services and technology available to today’s collision repair
industry.

Congress of Automotive
Repair and Service (CARS) – the premier
event for automotive service professionals – features a high-quality education
lineup led by industry leaders, along with an exhibitor showcase of automotive
service and repair related equipment, products and services.

For additional event
information, visit www.NACEexpo.com or www.CARSevent.com.

When Your Shop Is Worth Much More Than You Thought

Although every sale of a shop in which I am involved has its own unique set of circumstances, which makes my job both very interesting and very challenging, Cowden Automotive stands out as particularly memorable because I was able to demonstrate to the long-time owner, Paul Cowden, that his business was worth about three times what he had initially thought.

Case Study: Owner of San Francisco-based Import Service Shop Delighted to Discover Just How Valuable His Business is to Qualified Buyers
I sometimes share case studies of the clients I have been able to assist in my role as an aftermarket business broker and provider of intermediary and advisory services. I do that when I think the story will provide a reader in similar circumstances with new insights or helpful information.
In the case of Cowden Automotive, Inc., I acted in a consulting capacity assisting the owner and his broker in valuing the business, creating a marketing plan, finding a qualified buyer, and arranging financing for the sale.
Although every sale of a shop in which I am involved has its own unique set of circumstances, which makes my job both very interesting and very challenging, Cowden Automotive stands out as particularly memorable because I was able to demonstrate to the long-time owner, Paul Cowden, that his business was worth about three times what he had initially thought.
Needless to say, delivering that kind of good news to a shop owner is a rewarding experience. Discovering that the sale of his business would result in his retirement nest-egg being substantially larger than he had ever thought was a fitting tribute to someone who had spent his entire working career as a busy automotive service shop owner.

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