Memphis, Tenn., – Aug. 7, 2017 – AutoZone^®  has been awarded a multi-year contract as the exclusive provider for automotive parts and supplies by Region 4 Education Service Center, Houston, TX. The agreement is available through the cooperative purchasing organization, National Intergovernmental Purchasing Alliance (National IPA™).

Cologne, Germany, 6 February 2018  – ALLDATA Europe GmbH, an affiliate of ALLDATA LLC, an AutoZone company, has signed a reseller agreement with Autologic Diagnostics Ltd. headquartered in Oxford, England. Autologic is a world leader in advanced aftermarket automotive diagnostics.

ELK GROVE, Calif., Sept. 26, 2017 – ALLDATA, an AutoZone company, announces its ‎newest technology platform that features extensive, integrated updates to ALLDATA Repair^® and ALLDATA Collision^®. One of those is the addition of Interactive Color Wiring Diagrams that give technicians the option to work with non-OE AND factory-direct wiring diagrams, functionality exclusive to ALLDATA. This integrated technology platform now offers customers:

A growing issue shops face is the increasing cost of the research and documentation to certify they have repaired the car to OE specifications. AutoBodyNews.com has written an informative article about the surprising results in 2018’s first “Who Pays for What?” survey. It also quotes Mike Anderson of Collision Advice about his observations regarding how shop estimators and sales are directly impacted by today’s environment.

In the spirit of April Fools’ Day, four of our Tech Tips are true … and two are pranks. But which two? Find out by clicking each one to unlock the true Tech Tips, or the pranks.

The Car Care Council highlights two months during the year to focus attention on the importance of car care and preventative maintenance – National Car Care Month in April and Fall Car Care Month in October.

April is the optimum time to remind your customers to get their cars ready for spring driving, summer road trips, and to deal with any lingering issues they might have put off over the winter months.

For many of you this is old news. You’ve been programming modules to do the right thing at the right time for years. But for some of you, just disconnecting a battery gets you thinking, “What will this break?” Welcome to the world of relearning and reprogramming.

ELK GROVE, Calif. – Sept. 24, 2018 – PTEN (Professional Tool & Equipment News) magazine recently announced that ALLDATA, an AutoZone company, had won two 2018 PTEN Innovation Awards; one for ALLDATA Diagnostics in the Scan Tools category, and one for ALLDATA Collision Advantage in the Computers and Software category.

Windham Body Shop, located in New Albany, Miss., has gone through a few location changes but is currently housed in a 6,000-square-foot building that employs eight. In the past year, the shop has implemented new processes, including blueprinting.

Who ya gonna call? ALLDATA Tech-Assist^®. Especially now that ALLDATA has expanded its diagnostic and repair hotline service, hiring additional technicians at its Elk Grove headquarters and at new hotline call centers in Georgia and Texas.

One of the biggest trade shows in the automotive industry is right around the corner: SEMA 2018 is taking place October 30– November 2 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. With over 3,000 products in the New Products Showcase, educational seminars, product demonstrations, special events, and networking opportunities, the list of stuff to do is overwhelming. We’ve done the research and compiled a list of tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your SEMA experience.

As Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma wreaked havoc throughout the Texas and Florida regions, they left a tremendous amount of destruction and debris in their wake—including nearly 1 million damaged or submerged cars, with Hurricane Harvey destroying between 300,000 to 500,000 vehicles and Hurricane Irma destroying another 200,000 to 400,000 vehicles.

U.S. used-vehicle sales will rise in 2018 on swelling off-lease returns, while new-vehicle volume will decline modestly, forecasters say.

Because dealerships typically generate bigger margins selling used vehicles than new ones, U.S. franchised dealers will be better positioned for the change than the manufacturers and suppliers of new vehicles.

Today, the number of screens people will interact with is more than at any other time in history. From smartphones to computers, and tablets, there is no shortage of technology for us to have to keep an eye on. However, there is one more medium adding another screen consumers have to pay attention to.

ALLDATA has added more than 300,000 non-OE interactive color wiring diagrams to its flagship automotive digital repair solutions, ALLDATA Repair^® and ALLDATA Collision^®. The addition of these non-OE interactive color wiring diagrams augments ALLDATA’s factory-direct wiring diagrams, and technicians can easily toggle between the two for comparison.

ALLDATA is very proud to announce that its newest bundle, ALLDATA Collision Advantage, won 1^st place for SEMA’s Best New Product Award, Collision Repair and Refinish Product category.

The racing checkerboard flooring at the ALLDATA booth turned out to be symbolic of the fast pace on the SEMA show floor. It’s no wonder the action was non-stop – there was more to talk about than ever before, including our new branding, “Automotive Intelligence.” What else was new?

Professionalism isn’t just a catch phrase at Foreign Affair; it’s a well-defined standard. Owner Robert McKenney defines professionalism as not only an expertise in your craft, but a thirst for advancing your skills.

In addition to all the excitement at the ALLDATA booth, there was a lot going on at SEMA. A lot. Here are some of our favorite “Best of” recap articles to give you a sense of its total auto immersion. 

There’s been considerable buzz about a $42 million verdict handed down on a Texas dealership body shop that didn’t follow OEM procedures for a roof repair on a 2010 Honda Fit.

ELK GROVE, Calif., Oct. 26, 2017 – ALLDATA, an AutoZone company, is marking its 11th year at the annual SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) exhibition with the launch of ALLDATA Diagnostics. This next-generation technology turns a tablet (Android, Windows 10, or iOS) into a powerful, professional scan tool – an industry first. It’s the only scan tool solution with ALLDATA Repair^® or ALLDATA Collision^® built in, which means that codes link directly to relevant OEM articles, as well as ALLDATA’s new interactive color wiring diagrams.

We’re excited to bring you another exclusive automotive repair software solution that will ensure your estimates are as complete as possible and OEM-accurate – the first time. ALLDATA Collision Advantage combines our best collision repair solutions – ALLDATA Collision^® and ALLDATA Estimate Integration. And it works with all three major estimating systems.

ALLDATA is marking its 11th year at the annual SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) exhibition with the launch of ALLDATA Diagnostics. This next-generation technology turns a tablet (Android, Windows 10, or iOS) into a powerful, professional scan tool – an industry first. It’s also the only scan tool solution with ALLDATA Repair^® or ALLDATA Collision^® built in, which means that codes link directly to relevant OEM articles, as well as ALLDATA’s new interactive color wiring diagrams.

On Thursday, July 27, ALLDATA partnered with Google’s Automotive Marketing team to provide a free one-hour webinar on “Best Online Marketing Practices” for automotive shops, presented by Google Product Specialist Matt Krystofik.

I would like to become a neurosurgeon. It looks like fun, and I hear it pays well. A simple online search reveals that, assuming half of my undergraduate works applies, I’m in for 6 years of school and 6 years of residency. For a few hundred thousand and a loss of 12 years of my current income, I’ll be ready to go – when I’m 62. It’s hard to imagine a break-even on this investment. And besides, I love automotive diagnostics almost as much as I think I would love neurosurgery.

Automotive technology continues to advance at a rapid pace, not just under the hood, but throughout the entire vehicle. Given this ‘Technical Tsunami,’ it’s difficult for collision repair technicians and estimators to spot and accurately assess the full extent of repairs needed if they don’t have the most up-to-date training.

For years, people have been writing about Millennials and their impending impact on the way dealerships do business but here’s a little news for you: the Millennial generation is now.

You want to work on your classic car, but you don’t have a good place to do it. There’s not enough space to work, or it’s too much noise and mess, or other cars need to come into the garage at night. Sound familiar?

ALLDATA Collision Advantage combines our best collision repair solutions – ALLDATA Collision® and Estimate Integration. And it works with all three major estimating systems.  

Recently ALLDATA had a chance to speak with Barry Burkholder to find out what makes his business thrive in a competitive market. The owner of Barry’s Paint Shop is a man with vision. His forward thinking involves utilizing the latest technology and educating his employees.

It’s mid-summer already – can you believe it? For folks across the country, including your customers, that means a road trip could be in the works. You want your customers’ vehicles to be well prepared before they head out, which could mean extra service work coming in for you. You also want them to have a great time once they’re out on the road.

Going to NACE Automechanika Chicago? Still thinking about it? Here’s another great reason to attend: ALLDATA’s own Jean-Luc Sauriol will be teaching an in-depth class titled, “Unlocking Fuel Trims: The Analysis of Fuel Trim Corrections for Drivability Diagnostics.” Fuel trim results from the adjusting of the powertrain control module (PCM) which maintains a balanced air/fuel mixture ratio. Fuel trim is usually displayed as a percentage reading on a scan tool.

ALLDATA Expands European Distribution of ALLDATA Repair Through CAB Group’s platform to Streamline Mechanical and Body Work from Estimate to Vehicle Repair

It is the middle of Summer and cars with air conditioning issues will be descending on shops in droves. Are you ready? In this Fixed Ops article, Eric Shultz addresses what you need to know about refrigerant R-1234yf, which has entered the U.S. market. “

The Women’s Industry Network (WIN) wrapped up its 11^th annual conference this past May with great success. WIN is a non-profit organization dedicated to encouraging, developing, and cultivating opportunities to attract women to the field of collision repair while recognizing excellence, promoting leadership, and fostering a network among the women who are shaping the industry. The theme for this year’s event, held in the Mile-High City of Denver, Colo., was “Be Extraordinary.” 271 women attended the conference – more than half the total WIN membership, and the highest attendance to date. And yes, there were a few men, too. WIN welcomes all!

She’s been on every major network news show. She’s featured in countless YouTube videos. She even has her own Tedx Talk.

The “she” is Patrice Banks, a self-proclaimed “sheCANic,” and owner and founder of Girls Auto Clinic, an automotive repair shop by women, for women. And she’s usually seen in her trademark bright red heels.

At the 2017 Alliance of Automotive Service Providers/New Jersey (AASP/NJ) Conference and Tradeshow, Mike Anderson of Collision Advice debuted a condensed version of a new seminar on “100% Disassembly and Parts Mirror Matching.”

While we can’t show you the seminar, freelance writer Chasidy Rae Sisk provides a detailed recap of the one-hour event in this Autobodynews.com article.

Automotive repair industry veteran John Shoemaker writes in a recent Aftermarket Business World™ article that, “ … we need to rethink the way we discuss repairs with insurers. We need to step away from negotiating a repair based on opinion and desire, to educating how a repair should be accomplished using OEM processes.” He goes on to cite examples of how using OEM-specified repair procedures helped to turn the tables and easily convince an insurance adjuster to accept the shop’s recommendations, which were based on OEM information. We couldn’t agree more.

The first “writing” part of the job requires the Service Writer to translate what the Customer is saying or “reporting” into a format that can be easily read and understood by the technician.

Having a dedicated, solid service writer is key to the growth and success of any repair shop. He or she is the point person – the one who is on top of everything, knows where all the vehicles are, when the parts are arriving, when the technicians are going on break and what time each customer is picking up. Really… they do it all.