Risley is president of the Colleyville, Texas-based Automotive Service Association, a trade group that represents automotive service and repair professionals.

 

Crain's Detroit Business quotes his reasoning:  As automakers increasingly incorporate newfangled materials -- such as carbon-fiber reinforced plastic, aluminum and steel of varying strengths -- into their vehicles, repairing the vehicles requires sophisticated and expensive training, equipment and tooling.

 

"One vehicle could have up to 13 different types of substrates and could require different types of repair, depending on which type of substrate you're working on," Risley said. 

 

Manufacturers will make those things available to their dealers first, he predicts. 

 

According to NADA Data 2014, the annual financial profile of franchised new car dealership, 36 percent operated a body shop in 2013, up from 34 percent in 2012.