Holiday Greetings

Say hello to Chevy Volt

Toyota Prius is an ugly automobile “In fact, it’s the ugliest car on the road today!” exclaimed Andrei, an automotive enthusiast and my son. In spite of that Toyota Prius took an American car market by a storm. Consumers love to save money on gas, but more than that, they like to feel like they are doing their part to protect the environment. Even state government got in on the band wagon of saving mother earth for a spell, issuing stickers for Prius owners to roam on diamond lanes of busy California freeways without passengers, just to encourage citizens to purchase these vehicles.

Say hello to Chevy Volt, a fully hybrid Chevrolet designed to compete with Prius on technological level. Volt, however, is no comparison to its ugly grandfather when it comes to looks; a sleek aerodynamic design could compete with any sports sedan on the road today.

The whole production of our shop stopped when Ruben Maldonado, company vehicle operations coordinator for General Motors, dropped one off to remove promotional decals. “What do you really think?” I asked admiring exciting new design.” It’s beyond awesome,” said Maldonado who gets to test all the new GM vehicles first hand.

According to Chevrolet people Volt is an electric car that uses gas to create its own electricity. Plug it in, let it charge overnight, and it's ready to run on a pure electric charge for up to 40 miles with gas and emissions free. After that, Volt keeps going, even if you can't plug it in. Volt uses a range-extending gas generator that produces enough energy to power it for hundreds of miles on a single tank of gas.

Americans want something better; here it is. Volt has a revolutionary propulsion system that takes you beyond the power of regular battery.

Stay tuned as Volt unplugged will come to a Chevrolet dealer near you.

Burbank Body Shop Back to School Promotion.

Weather you want to send your son or daughter back to school in a shiny vehicle without scratches or would like to take care of a fender bender repair that you have been putting off because of the economy stop bye Burbank Body Shop and give us a chance to take care of your vehicle.

Burbank Body Shop back to school promotion is offering a complimentary in and out detail of your vehicle for any customer who brings their car for repairs in the month of August and September. Yes, that’s right a detail valued at $150.00 for any one who will bring in their car for repairs in the month of August and September (minimum repair is $400.00).

Please call us at 818 845 0901 and speak to Norma Medina to set up an appointment.

Not all automobiles are created equal.

The Ford GT is an American legend and certainly one of the most aggressive and smoothest looking muscle cars ever. The original 1996 Ford GT40 was called a Ferrari Killer. Most people define it as a sports car, but I like to define it as an American Muscle Car. The Ford GT really brings out the true colors of America and what the country is about - hard work and muscle! Recently, famous car publisher and appraiser Dave Kinney predicted that the 2005 and 2006 Ford GT are destined to become the hottest sellers at car auctions because demand for the high end supercar was simply never filled, especially with it remaining so coveted in Europe. Car collectors are being told to keep a sharp eye on the Ford GT as a perennial contender for the most sought-after on the market! In 2006, the last year it was manufactured, Ford produced exactly 1601 GT’s.

So imagine my surprise when I got a call earlier this year, from a friend and a long time customer Bob Massman who lost control of his 2006 GT in a post rain condition and hydroplaned; damaged the front end of the vehicle and needed my help. The sleek beast painted midnight blue with white stripes was in sad shape when it was transported to the shop on the flat bed tow truck.

We have never fixed one of those vehicles before, but I figured “How hard could it be?” All modern automobiles have the same basic construction; frame, sheet metal, engine transmission, suspension, interior. I had a lot to learn. The Ford GT features many new and unique technologies, including super plastic-formed aluminum body panels, roll-bonded floor panels, a friction-stir welded center tunnel, a "ship-in-a-bottle" gas tank, a capless fuel filler system, one-piece door panels, and an aluminum engine cover with a one-piece carbon-fiber inner panel. The mid-mounted 5.4 L Modular V8 engine is all-aluminum with a Lysholm twin screw-type supercharger. It features a forged rotating assembly housed in an aluminum block designed specifically for the GT program. But the most challenging part about this repair was not the new technology employed, but obtaining information on repair procedures.

Information service providers such as Mitchell and CCC have volumes of repair manuals for most vehicles on the road today. With current technological advancements this information is readily available to body shops in most cases with just a click of a button on a desk top computer. However finding repair manual for GT was like trying to climb a very steep mountain without guide or any gear. Even main office of Ford Motor Corporation found my request challenging.

With the initial hurdle behind, we had to stress test the aluminum frame; to make sure there were no cracks and that the structure was not compromised in any way. Everything had to be removed from the front end to expose the frame to complete the test.



When I asked our shop manager George Mondragon what was the most challenging part of the repair, without any hesitation, he summed it up in one word:” Parts!” Indeed getting parts was troublesome. Every nut and bolt every bracket, every hose, as well as all major parts had to be special ordered and shipped directly from Detroit, Michigan.

When I posed the same question to our lead technician Sergio Hernandez, he smiled and said:” Putting everything back together and aligning everything, especially the doors." All the trim with special clips had to be installed just right on one piece door panels in order for them to provide maximum insulation from the road noise at high speeds.

A few months and several gray hairs on my head later, the beautiful beast was back together again with all the repairs and tests behind us, it was ready to go on the road. “No offence, body,” said Bob as he was picking up his prized automobile: “But I hope I don’t have to see you here anytime soon.”

Detailing your vehicle.

California drivers are notorious for loving their cars. They install ostentatious, oversized chrome rims, add little devices to improve the performance of their engine, install aerodynamic kits for the same purpose or simply for vanity. And finally California drivers like to show their vehicles by driving around. In the old days they used to cruse Whittier Boulevard to look at other vehicles and show off theirs. Today they are more discreet, but if you get around Wilshire Boulevard around Beverly Hills you will see that Angelinos spend insane amounts of money on their automobiles and they insist on them looking pristine. All car washes and detail shops in Los Angeles are buzzing with activities, especially on a sunny day which only occurs about ninety percent of the time.

According to Wikipedia : Auto detailing is the performance of an extremely thorough cleaning, polishing and waxing of an automobile, both inside and out, to produce a show-quality level of detail. It can be practiced for personal satisfaction, and it is also performed to prepare a car for car shows that feature the appearance of cars. Besides improving the appearance of cars, detailing helps to preserve the car, and thus, increases resale value.

Just about every self respecting Angelino when asked if he has a good detailing guy, says: “I have got a guy. He is the best. Make sure you tell him I gave you his number and he will take care of you.”

Most of these guys do not have a business license, but they do have a van or a truck that says “Angel’s Auto Detailing.” The industry is not regulated; anybody who thinks they can do the job can become an auto detailer. So consumer needs to be aware, especially in lieu of the way the modern vehicle paint has evolved in California.



Most modern cars use a clear coat paint system. The pigmented layer of paint, whether a solid color, metallic or pearlescent, is covered with a layer of clear paint to provide a higher gloss and a "deeper" look. Because of the environment and new OSHA regulations today’s clear coat is water based and needs to be treated with special care.

The surface of any paint, even clear coat, is vulnerable to scratches and oxidation. Polish not only gives the finish its gloss, but it feeds the paint with oils to prevent it from drying out. Polymers in the polish fill in minute scratches in the clear coat layer, restoring its clarity.

So how do you know who to trust, especially when it comes to a final finish of your favorite vehicle? Avoid carwashes. They have a lot of vehicles come through, but they do not usually have an expertise or the time to dedicate to detailing your vehicle. On the other hand a detail shop with a location is usually a good bet, because detailing is what they specialize in and since they have a location and a business license they would be more inclined to handle customer’s problems or concerns. If you are going to use mobile guy and a referral from a friend or a co worker, please also use common sense and ask questions to make sure detailer knows what he is doing.

So to conclude this story, as every self respecting Angelino I must tell you: “Do I have a guy for you!” His name is Antonio Aguilar. He used to work for our shop as a paint apprentice for several years. He then decided to branch out and started his detailing business. Antonio works at our shop so you as a customer get double protection; he stands behind his work and so do we. And finally his intimate knowledge of modern paint translates into a professional detail job for you. He does our vehicles and our customers vehicles. So come bye say hello, meet Antonio and see if he could make your automobile shine for this summer.

Whose car is it anyway?

At least once a week a poor soul drives in to our shop with a wrecked car stating the same thing: “They told me to get three estimates.”
They say curiosity killed the cat, but I can not help myself and ask the same question anyway: “Who are they?”

The answers differ from my husband, my uncle, the guy that hit me to my insurance company, a rental car company, city of Burbank. Whoever it is, they do not seem to have much regard for your time. Unless it is you who wants to check out a few different repair facilities so you could pick the best match, getting three estimates is a waste of time.

They ask you to get three estimates, so that they could pay you the lowest one and be done with you. By agreeing to do it you the consumer, sign up to work for them for free.

Remember three things Number one; your time is very valuable. Two, the law does not require you to get more than one estimate. (If they want you to get more than one they could hire an independent appraiser and have him look at your vehicle at your convenience at their expense.). And three: whose car is it anyway? You are not required to use any particular shop. You, the owner, choose the body shop to perform the repairs.

Why do I bring this up? Because just as often as I hear: They told me to get three estimates,” customers say: ‘They told me to take it to another shop.”
And then they apologize: “I know we have done business in the past, but the insurance company told me that they could not guarantee the work, unless I took it to their shop.”

Just to clarify the situation, since your insurance company does not physically repair your vehicle, they can not guarantee the work. The reason they insist you go to their shop is due to the fact that they have an agreement with that shop that would significantly lower their cost. If your goal is to save money for the insurance company, then by all means, go ahead and follow their instructions, but beware, you might end up with sub par repair.


Otherwise remember, the only one that can guarantee the work, is the body shop that actually performs the repairs. So use your time wisely. Go online and check body shops in your area, check testimonials or complaints, or call your friend or a neighbor and get a referral for a good shop. Whose car is it anyway? You bought it and you have a freedom of choice. So make the right one for you.

Matte Black paint finish, a hot new trend or return to the old.

In 1979, my friend Ed Fender restored his old El Camino. The old bird was all rusty, being parked for months at a time by the Pacific Coast Highway in San Francisco. Eddie put his heart and soul in repairing the rust, filling car with lead and straightening the body. It was a lengthy project which was performed as time allowed in the back yard garage. By the time Eddie was finished with body work he was broke and could not afford to get a decent paint job for the old bird, so he improvised and sprayed the whole vehicle with black primer. It turned out to look a lot better than Ed had expected. The old bird’s paint job was very popular with local gangsters and low riders from Mission boulevard. Eddy got offers to sell it on a weekly basis.

Thirty years later Matte black is back and it is back with a vengeance. Very high end vehicles, such as Ferrari’s and Rolls Royce’s turn up at car shows with a matte black finish. Two customers this year have inquired about matte black finish for their vehicles. Young man with a charcoal gray Chevy Silverado wanted to refinish it flat black, as he described it. Long time customer and a big time car enthusiast, Dave De Sousa asked me if I could paint his shiny black corvette in matte black. “It would look really hot!” exclaimed Dave: “I can’t wait to see it done.”
I had to investigate. Basically a matte black finish of today is a regular paint job with a clear coat that looks like satin or flat black. The cost is the same as a regular paint job, but because of flat black finish it requires more extensive preparation. Black finish is the hardest color to take care of on an automobile, matte black is even worth, because every little blemish on the paint is exposed. Obviously this paint is not for everyone, personally I would rather drive a white car; you do not have to wash it every day. But for real car fanatics this is a hot new trend that is spreading like wild fire.
What do you think?

Most Expensive Car Wrecks

#10. Bugatti EB110 ... $500,000
This 1992 $500,000 super-exotic Bugatti EB110 was being driven by a mechanic as part of its annual checkup. He claims there was an oil slick on the road which caused him to lose control and crash into a pole. The owner of the Bugatti is a famous feel good guru named Emile Ratelband. Not sure how good he was feeling after this wreck.

#9. Pagani Zonda C12 S ... $650,000
Only 15 Zonda C12 S were ever built, but that didn't stop this owner from driving it like a mad hatter. He crashed this beauty in the wee morning hours while driving in Hong Kong .
#8. Mercedes Benz SL 300 ... $950,000
The SL 300 Gullwing represents the very finest of Mercedes. The owner thought it would be a good idea to race this million dollar car on the streets of Mexico , at the annual La Carrera Panamericana race - limited to classic cars produced before 1965.#7. Jaguar XJ220 ... $1.1 Million
The XJ220 once held the record for highest top speed for a production car (217 mph).
#6. Ferrari Enzo ... $1.3 Million
The most famous Ferrari Enzo crash (shown above) was at Malibu , California in 2005, when the driver, Fat Steven Eriksson crashed the car at 196 mph.
#5. Bugatti Veyron .... $1.6 Million
The Bugatti Veyron is the most expensive production car in history. Only 300 are expected to be produced, and already two have crashed. Above is the first one. The driver thought it was okay to speed at 100 mph in the rain. He only had the car for one week.
#4. 1959 Ferrari 250 GT TDF ... $1.65 Million
This extremely rare classic car, the 1959 Ferrari 250 GT Tour de France , crashed into a wall at the Shell Ferrari-Maserati Historic Challenge in 2003.
#3. Ferrari 250 GT Spyder ... $10.9 Million
The record price for a 1961 250 GT California Spyder at auction was set on May 18, 2008 when a black one was sold for $10,894,900. So what is one doing buried in the sand? The unlucky owner had it stored near the beach when a Hurricane hit. #2. Ferrari 250 GTO ... $28.5 Million
The 1962-64 Ferrari 250 GTO became the most valuable car in the world. In 2008 an anonymous English buyer bought a 250 GTO at auction for a record $28.5 Million.The crash above represents a car worth more than the combined value of all 14 Enzos (see #6 above) involved in accidents. After a track event involving historic cars,the owner rammed into the back of another car after traffic slowed down.
#1. Tiger Wood's Escalade... $55 million and rising
The most expensive car crash ever?Final estimate to be determined by Elin Nordegren!