Air Repair: March 2006

              Rather than write a technical
article for Air Repair, I
thought it would be interesting
and perhaps more beneficial to shop
owners to tell you about how I improved
my Repair Effectiveness Index (REI)
and increased my business.
At the end of September 2005, we
were in the top five for overall REI
scores coupled with total repairs, but we
struggled in the beginning. The most
important thing we did was to attend
every meeting and class offered by the
Illinois EPA’s Outreach Program. They
provided some great insight on how I
could expand my business into this
relatively untapped market if I could fix
emissions failures. I was skeptical at
first, but after attending these FREE
seminars I realized the seminar sponsors
wanted to get these vehicles fixed as
much as I did. I found out that not only
did their techniques work, but that they
would advertise for FREE that I could
fix emissions failures. I made my
technicians attend classes along with me,
and I explained to them that the more
they knew, the more they could fix. In
the early days following the beginning of
the enhanced testing program, most tests
By Bob Haines, Owner of Bob’s Garage in Waukegan, Illinois
How My Shop Benefits from Emissions Testing
performed were IM240 tests along with
the occasional idle test. We cut our teeth
on some miserable repairs that came in
the form of RX-7s, Mustangs, and the
Oldsmobile Y-engine. It was hard to sell
people with an Oldsmobile Y-engine
everything they needed. Let’s face it;
some of these old cars aren’t worth the
cost to make the necessary emissions
repairs. When OBDII testing started in
2004, we had to kind of start over. It was
a whole new learning curve, but
Outreach was ready to provide more
FREE classes, and of course, we all
went.
The most important tool is know-ledge.
Emissions repairs have become at
least 25 percent of our shop income. Our
customer base and production have
expanded dramatically. Much of our
business comes from other shops,
whether the customer tells us or not.
Some customers have been to several
shops and have actually failed worse,
and we found out that in some cases
only a simple repair was needed.
When I first saw the Repair Facility
Performance Report, I knew that the
best shops would get the most attention
from potential customers. I knew that I
wanted to be in the book. We finally
strung enough successful repairs
together to be included in the book. The
next thing I knew I started getting calls
from people whose vehicle failed the
test. I let the state advertise for me. The
public will use the book to find you. I
think motorists are looking for a repair
shop that can fix their vehicle quickly
and with the least amount of expense to
them. So, I have found that my success
is from having the correct equipment and
taking advantage of the Outreach
program that provides FREE training
and advertising. Everyone benefits,
which results in clean air for all of us.
The Illinois EPA recently
announced the appointment of
Christopher P. Demeroukas
(center) as Manager of the Division of
Mobile Source Programs, which
includes the vehicle emissions test
program. The position had been vacant
since the retirement of Richard
Forbes.
New EPA Manager
Chris brings a wealth of knowledge
and experience to the position. He has
been with the Illinois EPA for almost 12
years. For eight of those years, he was
an attorney assigned to the vehicle
emissions test program. Chris also has
an extensive background in pro-curement
and contract law, and was
involved in the process of negotiating
and amending the current vehicle
emissions test contract.
The photo above was taken during a
recent visit to Envirotest Illinois by
Demeroukas, Steve Thorpe (left),
Mobile Source Programs Compliance
Assurance Manager, and Jim Matheny
(right), Technical Services Manager.
VOLUME 9 􀁑􅄠 NUMBER 1
MARCH 2006
CONTENTS
􀁑􅅈 How my shop benefits from
Emissions Testing
􀁑􅅎 New EPA Manager
􀁑􅄲 2006 Outreach Seminars
􀁑􅅍 Meeting the Enabling Criteria
is Crucial
􀁑􅅍 Mode 6 Information
􀁑􅅁 About Outreach’s
Seminar Instructors