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Letter to the Editor
Tuesday July 31
ASA Contacts OEMs, Questions Raw Bumpers
ASA Contacts OEMs, Questions Raw Bumpers BEDFORD, TEXAS -- The Automotive Service Association (ASA) Collision Division recently contacted several original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), questioning their practice of supplying replacement flexible bumper covers or fascias in raw, unprimed conditions.
The OEMs contacted by ASA were Toyota/Lexus, Nissan, American Honda, Subaru, and Hyundai. All other OEMs supply primed bumpers.
Working on raw and unprimed bumpers is resulting in additional time and labor being expended on repairs. Before the bumpers or fascias can be used, a prime coat must be applied prior to applying a topcoat. This requires additional prep work, cleaning and heating the parts to remove mold release agents that would otherwise inhibit the primer from adhering.
Information providers do not differentiate between a bumper cover that is supplied in primed condition versus one supplied in raw condition. This is of concern to ASA and its member shops. Information providers develop the labor allowances used in the repair of these vehicles and to calculate estimates and repair orders.
There is significant additional work involved to prepare these parts to the initial primed condition.
Mike West, owner of Southtowne Auto Rebuild in Tukwila, Wash., and a member of ASA's Collision Division Operations Committee, said, "This issue has significantly cost our industry in unpaid labor to make these parts equivalent to their competition's completed parts.
"We're requesting that each OEM brings their parts up to the level of their competitors, by supplying replacement flexible bumper covers in a primed condition, suitable for our industry to prepare for refinishing," West said.
ASA anticipates positive responses from the OEMs to its inquiries.
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