Calling the Database Enhancement Gateway’s information “invaluable” to both association members and the collision industry, the Carolinas Collision Association has joined the ranks of DEG Gold sponsors.

“CCA is extremely proud to partner with the DEG,” CCC President Kyle Bradshaw (K&M Collision) said in a statement Thursday. “The DEG is a great resource and tool that is a great benefit to our association. We realize the importance of educating our member shops and appreciate the invaluable information that the DEG provides not only to CCA’s members, but to the collision repair industry as a whole.”

The DEG is a free industry resource which allows collision repairers and insurers to ask questions about and suggest changes to the Audatex, CCC and Mitchell estimating services. It’s responsive and quick; either the DEG or the information providers typically will have answers for you within a few days — often within the same day.

Questions and responses also are preserved within a DEG database drawing from more than 17,000 past inquiries. Thus, it’s possible for estimators and adjusters to find answers to their queries within the archives and not even need to file an inquiry.

The DEG also contributes examples of relevant inquiries to the Collision Advice-CRASH Network “Who Pays for What?” surveys, and DEG Administrator Danny Gredinberg earlier this year began appearing alongside Collision Advice CEO Mike Anderson in a free Society of Collision Repair Specialists weekly video tip series.

The nonprofit is a joint effort of the national Alliance of Automotive Service Providers and the Society of Collision Repair Specialists. It’s also supported by sponsors and advertisers.

The Automotive Service Association and PPG sponsor the DEG at the Platinum level. CCA stands alongside ALLDATA, the Auto Body Association of Texas, the Kansas Auto Body Association, Nylund’s Collision Center, Redwood City Autobody and Spanesi at the Gold level. Silver-level sponsors include the Washington Metropolitan Auto Body Association and Auto Body Hawaii, and Integrity Auto Collision Fairfield and Osceola Autobody back the DEG at the Bronze level.

“We are all really proud to recognize CCA for sponsoring with a generous contribution to help invest in industry resources that are having a positive impact on their membership,” Gredinberg said in a statement Thursday. “CCA’s support of our program helps to maintain the DEG as a free resource for the Collision Repair Industry, and is a true testament to the commitment the CCA board of directors has made to their member base.”

In honor of the CCA, we present to you a fresh new DEG inquiry involving a vehicle built on the association’s home turf: a 2020 BMW X3. BMW builds the crossover at the longtime Spartanburg, S.C., facility South Carolina credits as a “game-changer” for the state’s manufacturing.

A DEG user on Jan. 13 wrote in regarding Audatex’s labor time for removing and installing an 2020 X3 roof rack.

“Currently, the luggage rack rail allows only .1 after the headliner is removed for this operation,” the user wrote. “Typical RI time for this type of part is .3 on other vehicle chapters with identical attachment process Once the headliner is removed.”

As the user described it, a repairer must access and remove three nuts after removing the headliner.

“(T)hese nuts are partially blocked by the SRS curtain air bag and drain tubes but can be accessed with removing either,” the user wrote. “(O)nce nuts are removed the luggage rack rail is safely lifted upwards and removed from vehicle.”

Audatex responded by adding another 0.2 hours to its “RAIL, LUGGAGE RACK” time. The IP said a March 2021 update would incorporate the change.

“The RAIL,LUGGAGE RACK (GN 0350/0351and 0553/0554) labor allowance has changed from 2.6 hours to 2.8 hours,” Audatex wrote. “All times are before option conditioning and/or overlap considerations.”

Images:

“DEG Welcomes CCA as Newest Gold Level Sponsor”

Database Enhancement Gateway, Jan. 21, 2021

DEG inquiry database

Featured image: The Carolinas Collision Association logo. (Provided by Carolinas Collision Association)