The significance of OEM certifications really hit Matthew McDonnell, owner of three shops in Montana, when he spoke with his friend and mentor, Mike Anderson. Anderson went on to say that, in his opinion, body shops won’t even be able to touch a car without OEM certifications in the future.
Determined to stay relevant and compete in the future, McDonnell needed to find equipment that would last his shop for years to come. The equipment needed to cover a wide range of vehicles so he could potentially go after a number of different OEM certifications in the future without making another purchase.
“We knew that we had to buy a measuring and bench system, but one that focused on the most certifications,” McDonnell says. “We knew we were going to be growing in our state, and we wanted to have a product that put us in position to have more certifications.”
Before investing, McDonnell did research and reached out to a number of different people, including of course, his friend, Mike Anderson.
Car-O-Liner, with approval from more than 30 OEMs, was the perfect fit for McDonnell.
“It was a big push from some of my mentors when they mentioned this is what they were using,” McDonnell says.
Using Car-O-Liner’s bench and measuring system has allowed Big Sky to become the only Tesla-certified shop in the state of Montana.
Bench System
Car-O-Liner’s wide variety of benches and work stations allow shops to increase efficiency and improve processes. Available in a variety of options, they are built to fit any shop’s needs—no matter the size.
Car-O-Liner’s bench rack structural frame alignment options offer a number of different features that make it ideal. The racks can all be adjusted to a technician's desired height, the removable ramps allow proximity to the vehicle and the milled surface ensures there’s no slipping.
McDonnell uses the BenchRack6300 and the BenchRack5000 at his shop. The rack is approved for the wide range of certifications at all of McDonnell’s locations in Montana: Big Sky Collision Center, A&D Auto Body and Crash Repair.
Measuring Systems
Car-O-Liner also offers a few options for measuring systems, including its latest addition—Vision2 X3 Measuring System.
Vision2 X3 Measuring System can be used for point-to-point, absolute and 3-D measuring, providing quick and accurate diagnostic measuring, increasing throughput and decreasing cycle time. At Big Sky Collision, Vision2 X3 Measuring System has been utilized throughout the shop.
“I would recommend Car-O-Liner for how quickly you can set up, how accurate the measuring can be when you’re straightening a frame or upperbody,” says Buddy Neese, senior collision technician at Big Sky Collision.
“The more efficient you are at getting the vehicle ready for the next stage, the more beneficial it will be,” Neese continues “When you fix a car, it’s kind of like building a house—if you don’t have a good foundation, everything you build from there on up will be off.”
OEM and Industry Approved
“Car-O-Liner has the most OEM certifications in the market,” says Rob Moore, CEO of Big Sky Collision. “It’s allowed us to get Honda, Acura and Ford.”
Tesla is another one; without Car-O-Liner’s equipment, Big Sky Collision would not have become certified, which has been a major differentiator for the shop and a great way to reach an entirely new customer base.
By finding a supplier that covers a wide range of OEMs, McDonnell has been able to ramp up his shop’s certifications and will continue to do so in the future.
