ASCCA What You Need To Know

July 7, 2014

ASCCA Members of the Year: Larry and Laurie Moore!

Larry and Laurie Moore, of Larry's AutoWorks in Mountain View, the ASCCA Members of the Month in September 2013, were recognized at the summer conference as ASCCA's Members of the Year. The Member of the Year is chosen from among all the Members of the Month in the previous fiscal year.

In their own words:

"I got into auto repair because I was really hard on cars and they would break and since I was a student, I could not afford to pay to have them fixed. I worked my way through college building VW engines in my garage and eventually for a local engine building company.

Click here to read the rest of their statement, and also read about previous members of the month.

SoCal Crushing NorCal 14-6 in Countertop Display Contest!

As of July 6, the countertop display contest between the ASCCA's Northern California and Southern California shops is no contest -- SoCal is trouncing NorCal, 14-6, thanks to heavy participation by San Diego area independent auto shops. Chapter reps from the losing region will serve winners sundae desserts at the September Team Weekend. The deadline to submit photos to ASCCA staff member Phil Boerner is September 12, so there's still time to make it competitive. "Is the North sleeping at the wheel?" wonders Chapter 24 member Stuart Terry. "Is the South the only part of California that 'Has a Voice'?"

Contest Rules

Reminder: Minimum Wage Increased to $9 an Hour on July 1st

On July 1, the minimum wage in California increased from $8 per hour to $9 per hour. California employers should ensure that all hours worked as of July 1, 2014 are paid at the new higher rate. Employers should also review base salaries for all exempt employees to ensure they still qualify as exempt employees (i.e., they are paid at least two times the minimum wage, which works out to $37,440 annually). The minimum wage will increase again to $10 an hour on January 1, 2016.

California Releases Proposed Brake Pad Regulations (Auto CarE-News Capitol Report)

The California Department of Toxic Substances (DTSC) released on June 20 "informal draft regulations" to help implement the Brake Friction Material Law. Effective on Jan. 1, 2014, the law requires that brakes have only minimal content of certain substances including asbestos. Beginning in 2021, the law mandates that brake pads limit content of copper to 5 percent and in 2025 to .5 percent.

GM Recalling 8.4 Million More Cars -- This Time for Ignition Key Rotation Problem
(Automotive News)

General Motors is recalling another 8.4 million cars, from the 1997 to 2014 model years, for inadvertent ignition key rotation. Most of the cars are across seven full-sized models. This is a different problem than the previously acknowledged one of 2.6 million small cars with defective ignition switches.

New Car Sales Rate is the Highest Since July 2006 (R&W Insider)

Auto sales in June were better than expected, rising 1.2 percent for the month. The seasonally-adjusted annualized sales rate was almost 17 million vehicles, the highest since July 2006. This growth rate suggests that car buyers are still buying, despite the flurry of recalls this year. Low interest rates and a brighter economic outlook are among the factors responsible for this good news.

Having a Prioritized Plan is Essential to Improving Your Business (R&W Insider)

Failure to plan often leads shop owners into debt and out of business. You must have a prioritized set of goals and objectives pointing toward a pre-determined destination in order to succeed. The three essential elements of a prioritized plan are visualization, prioritization, and moving forward by looking back. The elements of this plan can be visualized as a pyramid of must do, should do, could do, and might do.

Thank You ASCCA Sponsors!