Denver -- After a two-year absence, the Automotive Service Association of Colorado (ASA-CO) plans to once again hold a spring conference and expo. The event, scheduled for April 5 at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, features a host of technical and management training courses, said Donny Seyfer, ASA-CO's board chairman.
The event also features 24 tabletop exhibitors, showcasing their wares from wholesale parts to business services.
Buchtel Motors Auto Service Owner John Everest, a past president of ASA-CO and longtime board member, said he's pleased to see the recent revitalization of the association and the return of its spring expo.
"If you have to physically send techs, then you have the wrong type of techs working in your shop," said Everest, who has invited his entire crew to attend the Saturday expo. "There has to be a certain desire for them to participate in our industry.
"The idea of holding it at the museum is cutting edge and clever," he said, adding that the entire family can be included. "It's exactly what will help draw attendees.
"We have always hung our hat on bringing good training to Colorado," Everest said, citing the recent Ford Power Stroke 6.0- and 6.4-liter class presented by Bruce Amacker as an excellent example of the high-caliber technical courses ASA-CO attracts. He pointed out that to keep the attention of shops, it's important for the training to include technical mechanical and collision repair courses as well as management classes.
A course that Everest said he and his technicians have a particular interest in is the diagnosis of noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH), taught by Bob Pattengale, western region technical account representative for Bosch Diagnostics.
Use of the Bosch MTS 4100 NVH Analyzer will be covered, Pattengale said, which should save shops valuable diagnostic time and resources on road tests, which yield little or no useful information.
"Ford said (the Bosch MTS 4100) saved them $21 million in potential buybacks in one year's time," he said. The tool, combined with a technician's critical-thinking skills, can pinpoint many engine and undercar vibrations by determining rotational speeds of several vehicle components, from driveshafts to crankshafts, he said.
The NVH class is to be set up in the Tool & Equipment/Information Technology "pod," one of three areas where a presenter will speak for 30 minutes, Seyfer said. Others include business services and support, and government and compliance, she added.
The cost for each shop, regardless of how many employees attend, is $50. To register, contact Sarah Anderson, ASA-CO's executive director, at 303-202-5231 or e-mail her at sarah@asacolorado.org.
