MAKING MOTORAMA HISTORY
JF Launier, founder of JF Kustoms in Osoyoos, British Columbia won the top prize at Toronto’s Motorama in March, taking home the Grand Champion award. Motorama Custom Car and Motorsports Expo—which took place at the International Centre in Toronto, Ontario—judged Launier’s design to be “the cream of the crop” of over 400 eligible vehicles. The 1967 Ford Mercury Cougar won first prize and a $5,000 cheque for its innovative custom build. On top of winning this Grand Champion award, Launier also recently won his fifth Great 8 finalist award as well as $1,000 at Detroit’s Autorama on March 1st. This win positions Launier as the builder with the most Great 8 wins in history.
AN EXPANDED HUE-RIZON
Color Compass Corporation has announced the opening of its newest location in Oshawa, Ontario. According to a recent press release, “this expansion marks a significant milestone for the company as it solidifies its commitment to serving customers in the Greater Toronto Area and beyond.” The new facility is located at 1155 Boundary Road, Oshawa and will offer a comprehensive range of products and solutions, including automotive paint, coatings and related supplies with the goal of catering to the diverse needs of professionals in collision repair, automotive refinishing and industrial applications.
IDOLIZING INDEPENDENT
A new Consumer Reports survey reveals that customers prefer independent shops over dealerships for automotive repairs. The survey– based on 10,973 responses from Consumer Reports members on 11,670 repairs at 36 auto repair chains, independent shops and dealerships–further revealed that Hyundai, Jeep and Kia scored lowest for overall customer satisfaction. Of Hyundai, Jeep and Kia customers, Jeep customers reported that repairs weren’t being done correctly the first time; while Kia customers downgraded their experience based on poor communication with repair staff. Also near the bottom of the rankings, Ford tied with Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and Nissan. Ford specifically scored low on repair pricing and the time needed to complete repairs. In the middle of rankings was GMC, Buick, Audi, Chevrolet, BMW, Dodge, Subaru and Cadillac. However, overall, consumers ranked independent repair shops the highest followed closely by dealerships such as Acura, Lexus, Mazda, Volvo, Toyota, Tesla and Honda.
