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As a GM Master Repair Technician, John D. Melendez, president and owner of JDM Collision, understands the importance of following OEM procedures for a proper and safe repair. John's passion for collision repair started at an early age. Working alongside his dad, he took a liking to repairing the GM vehicles that came into their family-owned shop. Later, when he acquired his own facility serving the south side of Chicago, he brought the distinct advantage of GM training and experience working with the complexity of new cars to his business.

Propelling to the Next Level of Collision Repair

When John learned about the GM Collision Repair Network, he jumped at the chance to join. He had one goal in mind: “To propel ourselves to an upper level in which we're recognized as a proper repair center that truly has the consumers' best interest at heart.”

The process of joining the network and meeting the was straightforward for JDM. The facility and technicians were already up to speed on the equipment, standards and requirements needed to handle estimating, scanning and repairing modern GM vehicles.

“When Mitchell came out with having the actual procedures at our fingertips, that was a game changer.” — John D. Melendez

Repair Procedures at Your Fingertips

The network, in conjunction with Mitchell's Integrated Repair Procedures, has been a “game changer,” simplifying workflow and guiding technicians to the correct parts and procedures. Blueprinting, which John had never taken into consideration before, has changed JDM's entire repair workflow. As John describes:

"Having the repair procedures at our fingertips has made our process so much easier. For instance, if there is a section procedure available for rail or inner structure replacement, it's broken down item by item. If there isn't a section procedure available, we're focusing on the updated electronics, which we weren't before. So we identify any structural or integrity damage that might possibly be there that we never looked at before. The advantage of having that information is that it makes you look more in-depth. My hat's off to Mitchell and GM because they're giving us the proper information from a manufacturer standpoint to ensure we're going in the right direction for a quality repair."

Eye-Opening Total Loss

John tells the story of a particular situation with a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu that highlights the success of the program for his business. This wasn't a standard bumper ding; instead, the vehicle had been hit high in an uncommon type of collision. Electronics first identified that the control points weren't proper. During blueprinting, the technicians learned they need to disassemble the vehicle completely to check for indirect damage. That indirect damage inspection found that the unitized structure was compromised from the left rear end all the way up to the front passenger side seat, and inside of the floor carrying to the firewall. “That vehicle was a structural total loss,” said John. “Before, we would never look for something like this. I've found that researching and seeing what procedures have to take place really opens up your eyes to say, ‘let's make sure, let's check everything else, this vehicle is made this certain way.'”

“If you use the tools that are there, then you're reassuring yourself that you are doing things properly.” — John D. Melendez

As a business owner, John's number one priority is the safety of the drivers themselves. “If you use the tools that are there,” he said, “then you're reassuring yourself that you are doing things properly. I'd recommend this program to other shops a hundred percent!”

The Secret to Future Success

As JDM Collision looks to expand and innovate in the future to meet requirements for new, increasingly complex vehicles, John's continued focus will be on safety. “We're geared on quality, and over the years that has been the secret to our success.” This focus even goes beyond effective collision repair. It has inspired John to build an updated training center so he can use his in-depth vehicle knowledge to offer training to first responders so they can avoid potential injuries from the latest vehicle design technologies as they rescue people from accidents.

Do you have a story about proper and safe repairs as part of the GM Collision Repair Network? Share your story with us at OENetworkTeam@mitchell.com.