Workshop Magazine: Issue 31

OUR FLEET: PONDERING THE TWEAK OR NOT TO TWEAK QUESTION

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ISSUE 31 | APRIL 2018

£2.50 | WORKSHOPMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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New products Four pages of the latest gear for your garage

Coming up What’s on at Automechanika Birmingham

ENGINE ROOM

HORSE POWER Was Ferrari’s normally aspirated 458 unit the ultimate swansong?

UNDER THE SKIN

Revealed: Clever tech behind the new Range Rover PHEV

AGAINST THE CLOCK

Changing an engine in less than two hours

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CONTENTS.

EDITORIAL HEAD OF EDITORIAL REBECCA CHAPLIN

rebecca@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @believebecca

PRODUCTION EDITOR DAVE BROWN

dave@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @CarDealerDave

FEATURES EDITOR JACK EVANS

jack@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @jackrober

SENIOR STAFF WRITER DARREN CASSEY

darren.cassey@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @DCassey

STAFF WRITER RYAN HIRONS

ryan@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @RyHirons

HEAD OF DESIGN GRAEME WINDELL

graeme@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @graemewindell

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Tech special: How this year’s Geneva Motor Show gave us a fascinating glimpse into the future

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New for you: Four pages of the latest workshop products

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The Judge: Even a little knowledge of the law is so useful

Our Kev: The rogue establishments using MOT changes as a pure profit opportunity

ADVERTISING

48

Our fleet: A full valet for the XR2

SALES MANAGER JON HICKEY

j.hickey@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @cardealerjon

ACCOUNT MANAGER MICHELLE SEARLE

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FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION finance@blackballmedia.co.uk

SUITS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER JAMES BAGGOTT james@thebaize.com Twitter: @CarDealerEd

MANAGING DIRECTOR ANDY ENTWISTLE andy@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @CarDealerAndy

CONTRIBUTORS Felicity Bestwick, John Bowman, Jess Ernerth SUBSCRIPTIONS If you know someone who would like a FREE copy of Workshop Magazine, email the details to subs@workshopmagazine.co.uk and we’ll do the rest.

DISTRIBUTION Workshop Magazine is distributed to a database of up to 10,000 service and repair sites, franchised car dealers, independents, car manufacturers and suppliers.

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12

Bike adventure: Latest instalment from intrepid duo

Welcome

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THERE is little in life that doesn’t become 10 times harder with a bit of added time pressure. We certainly know that to be true here at Workshop magazine. As I write this, we’re putting the finishing touches to this edition to make sure it’s on its way to the printers before the Easter weekend.

However, putting together a 52-page mag doesn’t really seem that daunting when you consider what Adam witnessed with the Synchro Racing team at the Silverstone 24-hour race. Those 24 hours might sound like a long time, but when your car is running for hour after hour and things go suddenly wrong, every second counts. It’s an exciting read as we relive the team removing, repairing and reinstalling the race car’s engine in less than two hours.

You’ll have seen it on the cover, but we’re taking a look under the skin of the pioneering hybrid-powered Range Rover this month. It’s a first for the brand, and it seems the almost-electric off-roading SUV is certainly getting buyers excited.

Automechanika Birmingham: Why this year’s event will be better than ever We’re bringing you all of your favourite regulars, too. Andy and Sean’s motorcycle trip across the globe continues, and we’ve got a wide variety of new products for you to check out.

Elsewhere in Issue 31, we take a look at some specific suppliers and find out how they are working to improve technology in the workshop. Turn to page 38 to read about how you can expect more from rotating electrics and page 40 for some very useful workshop apps.

This month in our fleet section, the XR2 has been getting some TLC from TCV (Ted’s Car Valeting), the Legacy FINALLY got its winter tyres on – just in time for the snow – and Taylor the Swift might be getting some modifications very soon…

Enjoy the issue.

Rebecca Chaplin, Head of Editorial WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

| 03

BIG PICTURE.

| RANGE ROVER PHEV |

Under the skin Jack Evans looks at the technology under the shell of the Range Rover PHEV – the latest luxury SUV to have been given an electrified powertrain.

THE Range Rover is well known for being one of the best SUVs on the market and Land Rover hasn’t stopped there.

The new Range Rover PHEV comes with a plug-in hybrid set-up for electric, zero-emission driving, while joining the trend of luxury SUVs with electrified set-ups, such as the Porsche Cayenne Hybrid and Bentley Bentayga Hybrid.

It mates a 296bhp, 2.0-litre petrol engine with an 85kW electric motor for a maximum power figure of 399bhp. That’s good for a 0-60mph sprint in 6.4 seconds and a top speed of 137mph – or 85mph if travelling on electricity alone.

There are two driving modes available with the PHEV. The first is Parallel Hybrid mode, and this is the default setting.

Here, the driver can choose whether to optimise battery charge or prioritise fuel economy.

Entering a destination into the sat nav while in this mode activates Predictive Energy Optimisation, which uses built-in GPS altitude data to anticipate the mode that is better for fuel economy. For instance, it’ll use all-electric power when it senses that the car is about to enter an urban environment.

Then there’s EV mode which, predictably, sets the car to run on just electric power, using the energy stored in the battery.

Land Rover claims a combined fuel economy figure of 101mpg. The reality, though, is very dependent on how you drive. If you charge the car nightly and the majority of your journeys are within the 31-mile electric range, you might hardly need to use the petrol engine. In solo cruising with a discharged battery, though, you can achieve a more realistic Range Rover economy figure of 24mpg.

The Range Rover isn’t just good for those behind the wheel, either. It features 17 connection points throughout the cabin, including USB, HDMI and traditional 12-volt plugs.

It even has a wi-fi connection capable of providing the internet to up to eight devices.

As you’d expect with a Range Rover, comfort has remained high up the list of priorities. The front seats can be adjusted in 24 ways, while even the armrests are heated – ideal for colder mornings. The seats also feature a massage programme, which has 25 settings, provided by ‘hot stone massage’ technology in the seat backs.

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Petrol engine

Lightweight 296bhp 2.0-litre Ingenium unit

Inverter

Turns the DC voltage from the battery pack into AC current, which feeds the electric motor

Battery

13.1kWh prismatic cell lithium-ion battery mounted beneath the boot floor

On-board charger

7kW charger fed from plug-in point discreetly located behind front grille

Electric motor

85kW motor provides maximum torque from zero rpm, giving greater control during low-speed all-terrain manoeuvres

| RANGE ROVER PHEV IN NUMBERS |

GENEVA TOP TECH REVEALED SEE OVER PAGE

399bhp

640Nm

31 miles

101mpg

Combined power output

Combined torque output

Electric range

Combined NEDC cycle

64g/km CO2 Combined NEDC cycle

2hr 45min Full charge from zero WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

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NEWS.

Audi – Italdesign pop.up next

Cars of the future

We’ve seen autonomous cars and we’ve seen flying cars – but this has to be one of the first times that we’ve seen the two combined.

The pop.up next concept has been designed to transport people via both road and air, and features a two-seater ‘pod’, which can be attached to either a car or a flying module. Its aim is to help solve congestion issues in urban areas.

Workshop Magazine travelled to this year’s Geneva Motor Show and found there were some incredible technological advancements on display. Jack Evans reports.

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his year’s Geneva Motor Show threw up some impressive pieces of technology that look certain to shape the future of the motoring industry – autonomous cars and even vehicles that can fly appeared at this year’s event. We paced the halls and took a look at some of the most interesting and hightech concepts to come from the 2018 Geneva Motor Show. Here they are.

Volkswagen I.D. Vizzion

The fully autonomous Vizzion concept is the latest in Volkswagen’s I.D. range of cars, and is set to be available in 2022. Though initially offered with conventional controls, the car is designed to be operated via augmented reality, gestures and voice commands.

Hyundai Nexo fuel cell

Nissan IMx Kuro

Hyundai’s Nexo fuel cell vehicle made its European debut at Geneva, and comes as the world’s first dedicated hydrogen-powered SUV. It sits on an all-new platform designed for hydrogen power from the ground up rather than being adapted from a traditional chassis.

Capable of travelling close to 500 miles on a single tank, it also features autonomous capabilities.

The IMx Kuro is an evolution on the IMx concept showcased at the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show. Now, it features a dark grey colour scheme but also, more importantly, a range of Nissan’s cutting-edge technologies, including Pro Pilot fully autonomous functionality. It also gets Nissan’s brain-tovehicle technology, which allows the car’s system to predict actions by monitoring the driver’s brainwaves.

Renault EZ-GO

Renault’s EZ-GO is another electric autonomous concept to feature at Geneva – but this one has been created with ridesharing in mind. Inside, there’s a wide open cabin with space for up to six passengers. As it’s capable of Level 4 autonomy, there’s no need for a driver – and this makes for a more spacious interior.

06 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

NEWS ROUND-UP.

| autoVHC |

What’s been making the headlines at workshops around the United Kingdom?

SHEFFIELD:

NEWRY:

Northern Ireland will be getting its first drive-through service centre next year as part of expansion plans announced by Portadown-based Shelbourne Motors. The company is planning to construct a new £5 million multi-franchise complex in Newry as it celebrates its 45th anniversary. As well as the drive-through facility, the new service centre being built as part of the plans will have a 28-bay service workshop designed to provide customers with a fast and convenient servicing experience with an emphasis on quality and efficiency.

A service advisor at JCT600’s Volkswagen Sheffield dealership is set to run the London Marathon on April 22. David Hancock will be taking on the challenging 26-mile run in aid of motor trade charity Ben, who he turned to when a serious back injury in October 2016 left him struggling physically and financially, which in turn caused stress, depression and anxiety. At last December’s Ben ball, a short film on Hancock’s story was shown in which he paid tribute to the charity, saying: ‘I really don’t know where I’d be if it wasn’t for those guys.’

BOLTON:

An extensive redevelopment of Porsche Centre Bolton has seen its workshop gain four ramps to reduce service lead times. The refurbishment, for an undisclosed sum, also means it now boasts a vastly extended parts department that has increased stock on site and a new spacious vehicle handover bay. Customers will benefit from two new state-of-the-art Direct Dialogue Bays, which give the option to talk openly with a technician before any work starts and are aimed at providing greater peace of mind about any agreed service.

HEREFORD:

The latest Schaeffler Repxpert training event has been heralded as a ‘great success’ by those in attendance. The event, held at the Repxpert Academy in Hereford, looked at timing systems, front end auxiliary drive systems and wheel bearings, in collaboration with INA and FAG. INA and FAG product specialist Tim Adams hosted the session, which featured a mix of interactive theory, and discussions about how the various systems operate. The event sought to help technicians adapt their skills, and help them get more hands on with the systems.

Big drop in demand for servicing at franchised dealers THE UK franchised dealer sector saw a significant drop in demand for servicing and repairs during the fourth quarter of 2017, with more than 323,000 fewer vehicles being presented to UK dealerships by the end of the period.

According to data collated by autoVHC, the average number of vehicles being presented to aftersales departments dropped from 277 in October to 211 in December.

This followed consistent monthon-month falls in the number of vehicles being presented since September of last year, with numbers dropping in October, November and December respectively. Across the UK’s 4,900-strong network, this drop equated to a total of 323,400 fewer vehicles being accepted into workshops over the course of Q4, representing a 24 per cent fall in business.

December proved to be a particularly poor month for aftersales activity. Although traditionally a quieter spell, the data from autoVHC, which sampled 500 UK dealerships, revealed an eight per cent drop in activity when compared with monthly figures for December 2016.

Chris Saunders, business unit director at autoVHC, said: ‘The fact that the data reveals consistent monthon-month falls over the entire course of Q4 is worrying. The poor figures for December are further emphasised by the fact that they represent a significant drop on activity from the same month the previous year.’

| AUTOELECTRO |

Availability and quality highlighted KENT:

E-Type UK has opened a bodyshop at its HQ in Hadlow, near Tonbridge. The company, which specialises in Jaguar E-Type sales, restoration, maintenance and upgrades, said the facility would bring all of its operations in-house and enable all servicing to be carried out in a single location. To accommodate it, the site’s showroom has been moved to an adjoining building.

The bodyshop will be able to reproduce original Jaguar factory-spec paint colours for E-Types.

Parts used will have been manufactured to Jaguar specification.

AUTOELECTRO, the UK’s largest independent remanufacturer of starter motors and alternators, will be highlighting how it is consistently delivering a premium-quality range and why availability is top of its agenda at the A1 Motor Stores Trade Show. UK sales manager Nick Hood and Antony Hirst, who is part of the sales team, will be travelling from the company’s Bradford HQ to join other approved suppliers and meet some new and familiar faces from A1 Motor Stores’ network, all meeting at Whittlebury Hall on April 19.

WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

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NEWS. Tech that gives top athletes the edge makes driving Mustang more fun IT’S WHAT helps athletes with disabilities stay stable as they snowboard and ski. And now it is being used in the new Ford Mustang for a better driving experience.

For amputees who have lost a leg above the knee, Magnetorheological fluid (MRF) enhances artificial knee joints so they better absorb impacts – and enables them to react more quickly following a high-impact landing. The use of MRF in Mustang’s MagneRide suspension shock absorbers, or dampers, ensures the car is fun to drive and has a smooth, refined ride.

Sensors monitor road conditions

and electromagnets control iron particles suspended in oil within the shock absorbers.

The magnetic field is automatically adjusted 1,000 times per second to align the particles in individual dampers so they are firmer for sharp cornering, or softer for more comfortable cruising.

‘Athletes compete in challenging conditions where control is everything. Similarly, with Mustang, MagneRide helps drivers to react to changing conditions in real time by delivering exactly the right response for each situation,’ said Joe Bakaj, vice president, product development, Ford of Europe.

New MS-RT Transit Custom offers practicality and performance style Influences from Ford’s works-backed rally team result in a version of the UK’s most popular van that has a sporty feel

by TRISTAN SHALE-HESTER

F

@tristan_shale

ord’s works-backed rally team has launched the MS-RT Transit Custom – a van designed to combine practicality with performance style.

MS-RT – M-Sport Rally Team – has used the wide range of technology at its disposal to let van drivers go about their daily commercial duties with the feeling that they are also driving a sporty vehicle.

On the outside, the van has undergone a full front bumper and grille replacement, with integrated fog lamps, an extreme front diffuser, wide body arch extensions, sills, rear diffuser and rear spoiler. All the parts are manufactured at MS-RT’s factory in Pontypool, south Wales.

Also included in the package are a twin sports exhaust system, exclusive exterior decals and 18-inch Anthracite OZ Racing alloys with 103 XL load-rated Hankook Ventus S1 evo² tyres, as well as Eibach performance lowering springs.

These components improve handling and responsiveness while maintaining the Transit’s payload capacity, says M-Sport.

The performance theme continues inside, with handcrafted nappa leather and suede seat facings, and a sports steering wheel with carbonfibre inlays. The rally-style aesthetic is completed with MS-RT-branded floor mats and dash clocks.

The MS-RT Transit Custom comes with the Ford SYNC 3 infotainment system and satellite navigation as standard, in addition to dual

08 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

side-loading doors, load space lighting, a 230volt power converter, parking sensors, reversing camera, heated windscreen, heated seats and upgraded HID headlights with integrated daytime running lights.

Under the bonnet is a 2.0-litre diesel engine, producing 167bhp and 405Nm of torque. This powertrain can be paired with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission.

Several different cabin layouts are available, including a two-seat panel van, three-seat panel van, five-seat double cab and six-seat double cab, as well as a choice of long or short wheelbases and a tailgate or twin back doors.

Ed Davies, founding director of MS-RT, said: ‘The new MS-RT Transit Custom takes an already excellent van and turns it into something really special, which owners are bound to cherish and which businesses will use to make their brands really stand out.

‘We’re extremely excited about the launch of the new Custom and what it means for MS-RT, as well as our many loyal customers.

‘In addition, it’s also great news for the British economy, as every single vehicle is hand-finished in our factory in Pontypool.’

Full details of pricing and specification for the MS-RT Transit Custom will be announced soon.

5-7 June 2018, NEC The UK’s leading exhibition for the automotive aftermarket

How efficient is your garage?

Move your business forward with skills training, product demos, the best deals on equipment and tools and stacks of business advice ... all for free. Late night opening on Wed 6 June just for garages – until 7pm. Register free today.

In association with

Register using code WOR for your free ticket at www.automechanika-birmingham.com

WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

| 09

NEWS.

Automechanika Birming New initiatives, more networking and extended opening hours for 2018 event

T INDEPENDENT garages from across the UK are being urged to enter Automechanika Birmingham’s renowned ‘Garage of the Year’ awards which are now open for entries, celebrating the unsung heroes of the aftermarket.

Sponsored by the Independent Garage Association and run in partnership with Garage Wire, the competition is open to all garage businesses up and down the country. Entrants may enter more than one category, explaining why their garage deserves to win the much-coveted prize, with the chance to walk away with £1,000.

The six categories are: • Best Small Garage • Best Large Garage • Best Community Initiative Award • ‘Auto-mechanik’ of the Year • Technology Innovation Award • Business Innovation Award Garages can enter online at bit.ly/GOTY-18 but must do so before the deadline of April 30.

Winners from each category will be announced at a special dinner to be held in the Directors’ Lounge at Aston Villa Football Club on June 5.

All garages shortlisted will receive two free tickets to attend the dinner, sponsored by Elta, EDT, AA Garage Guide, Autologic and The Parts Alliance, with its braking brand Bendix sponsoring drinks. Finalists will get to find out who has been crowned overall Garage of the Year winner at the event itself on June 6.

Simon Albert, managing director of Automechanika Birmingham, said: ‘These awards present garages from all over the UK with the unique opportunity of recognising the hard work and contribution they give to the automotive industry. They are often the unsung heroes, and it’s a fantastic way to celebrate and champion the diversity of UK garage businesses. We strongly encourage all garages to get involved to be in with the chance of picking up £1,000 at the event.’

The competition forms part of a larger offering for garages at the 2018 exhibition. The organisers have introduced a dedicated Garage Quarter featuring suppliers of tools and workshop equipment, services and innovative products as well as a Garage Social area.

his summer, Birmingham will again become the central hub for the UK’s automotive industry as it unites with Automechanika Birmingham, bringing thousands of visitors to the region.

For the third year running, the UK’s leading trade exhibition for the automotive industry will be making a welcome return to Birmingham NEC on June 5 to 7, where an increase in visitors is anticipated thanks to a raft of new initiatives, networking opportunities and extended opening hours for automotive repair garages.

With UK manufacturing continuing to climb up the global rankings in a postBrexit era, it currently helps power the engine of the West Midlands (£17.5 billion) and East Midlands (£15.9 billion), with its strength across the aerospace and automotive sectors.

With this in mind, Automechanika Birmingham represents the ideal opportunity to continue to support this growing market in a central, accessible and relevant location, also bringing the sector to a city synonymous with the motor trade with the region’s heritage immersed in automotive growth and success.

To help leverage this global economic potential, this year’s event is launching a facilitated meetings programme to allow visitors to prearrange meetings with exhibitors, ensuring that visitors maximise their time and that an increase in the number of business conversations is held on exhibitor stands. More than 500 exhibitors are due to attend for 2018, with 85 per cent of 2017 visitors intending to return to the exhibition, which will house a newly improved layout.

What’s more, organisers at this year’s show have widened the appeal across the aftermarket sector, including a new, dedicated Garage Quarter, hosting tools and garage equipment

suppliers looking to meet the growing number of independent garages attending the event.

The West Midlands is no stranger to the automotive trade with global brands Jaguar Land Rover Automotive PLC, MG Rover Group and more recently Aston Martin dominating the UK automotive industry’s history.

Simon Albert, event director of Automechanika Birmingham, said: ‘After last year’s success with a turnout of around 12,000 visitors, we’ve no doubt that this year’s event will cement Automechanika Birmingham’s position as the UK’s most valuable meeting place for the automotive industry, uniting the very best of the UK aftermarket and vehicle production sector.

‘The importance of the UK automotive industry to the economy is evident, particularly now more than ever. As we believe the sector will provide a key role in our global economic standing, we’re now calling on regional businesses to get behind the event and support the UK automotive industry.’

Many of the exhibitors will announce special show deals, offers and competitions. Visitors can benefit from an enhanced programme of live events featuring live technical demonstrations, free training and keynote speakers.

This year’s event will welcome vehicle production exhibitors in Hall 6, aftermarket suppliers in Hall 20 and a dedicated Garage Quarter in Hall 19.

Register for your FREE ticket online at bitly.com/ Auto-tickets

“

We’re calling on regional businesses to get behind the event and support the UK automotive industry.

SIMON ALBERT, EVENT DIRECTOR

Automechanika Birmingham is the UK’s leading exhibition for the automotive aftermarket 10 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

ham is not to be missed!

Garage Quarter – what you need to know AS we report elsewhere on these pages, Automechanika Birmingham will this year feature a not-to-be-missed Garage Quarter.

A dedicated hall featuring more than 130 tool and garage equipment suppliers, it will be a one-stop shop for great deals and offers on the latest products.

Among the highlights will be: • Garage Social – a networking area to catch up with peers and talk to like-minded business owners.

• Specialist Demo Hub – a dedicated area for live demos on collision repair.

• Business Services Village – a special area to answer all those questions about how to run your business better, including contributions from the AA Garage Guide,

Attendees were able to network with similar-minded exhibitors and think about their marketing

Exhibitors fired up with just weeks to go!

AUTOMECHANIKA Birmingham hosted its Exhibitor Day at Birmingham NEC on March 1, showcasing to exhibiting companies the raft of opportunities available to them to get the most out of their return on investment.

The day, which drew a high number of exhibitors from across the aftermarket, independent garage and vehicle production sectors, also provided the opportunity to highlight the many exciting initiatives planned for 2018, including the new layout, the ‘Garage Quarter’ and the ‘Stand Awards’.

Event Director Simon Albert kick-started proceedings with an event overview. He encouraged exhibitors to use tips on how to make the most of pre-show marketing with the help of the organising team, be operationally prepared and make best use of the networking facilities available.

Andy Amor, global sales and marketing manager of Revive Turbo Cleaner, said: ‘Automechanika Birmingham’s Exhibitor Day has left us feeling inspired. It’s given us the tactics and tips for making the most of our stand and, most importantly, getting the most out of our investment.

‘It was a fantastic opportunity to meet with the press and network with similar-minded exhibitors all in one location.

‘We are looking forward to kick-starting a marketing campaign to tell our existing and potential customers about what we have to offer at the 2018 event.’

Key speakers were also invited to impart their expertise to

the audience, including Peter Lawton, senior section manager of the SMMT. He provided an Industry Update, featuring an overview from 2017, and an insight into market trends and future challenges faced by the industry including Brexit, air quality and capitalising on technology. He also covered the pivotal role the SMMT plays in supporting the motor industry.

He was followed by Simon Naudi, CEO of Answers Training International Ltd, who encouraged exhibitors with tips and tactics to invite their customers and engage new customers with a desirable stand design.

Exhibitors also gained exclusive insight from a case study from regular exhibitor TR Fastenings, presented by Glenda Roberts, the company’s global sales director.

Roberts shared best practice and encouraged exhibitors to prepare a full marketing campaign in order to attract their existing and new customers to their stand at the exhibition.

There were also a number of event suppliers in attendance offering discounts to exhibitors on furniture packages, stand designs, catering and scanners to capture visitor data.

Exhibitors also took the chance to benefit from some fantastic networking opportunities over lunch.

Albert said: ‘The day was a resounding thumbs-up, with advice from a host of industry experts, enabling our exhibitors to leave armed with plenty of information to help make their show offering a huge success.’

D-Grease, Pro-moto, EDT Automotive, Aston Scott, Lexcom Information, The Motor Ombudsman and Whocanfixmycar.com.

• Workshop Training Hub – including technical talks and live demonstrations from: - Frank Massey: Mechanical systems and chassis diagnosis; - James Dillon: Profitable vehicle diagnostics – the golden hour; - Andy Crook: Changes in actuator control methodology.

• Live demonstrations: - Delphi will tell you all you need to know about diagnostics; - Hella will deliver the latest on ADAS; - The IMI will talk hybrid and electric vehicles; - Valeo are planning to showcase the latest clutch developments; - Don’t miss Snap-on with alignment.

There will be extended hours in the Garage Quarter on Wednesday, June 6 until 7pm, plus free parking for independent garages at the NEC and free breakfast upon arrival (limited availability and based on a first come, first served basis).

and vehicle production industry. Find out more online at automechanika-birmingham.com WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

| 11

FEATURES.

PART 6

The Karakoram Highway – a road that is simply immense

Our motorcycling mechanics, Andy Gove and Sean Tubby, had a memorable time in Lahore, as we reported last month, and now they’re heading towards China...

To the Chinese border Sean Tubby

A

fter deciding that our route to the Chinese border would take in the Khunjerab Pass, we set off from Lahore. Our plan was to head along the motorway that leads to Islamabad and then towards Taxila, before making our way up the Karakoram Highway towards Abbottabad and beyond.

Things were going well and we were making good time until we reached a toll plaza, where we were frantically waved down by the police and told that the motorway didn’t permit motorcycles.

Up until a few years ago, you could ride on this road if your bike was over 500cc.

This has now changed and motorcycles are banned altogether. This issue threw a rather large spanner in the works and we had to do a quick U-turn, retracing our steps and exiting at the first junction. We then became lost fairly instantly.

After eventually finding the route towards Islamabad on smaller roads, back through the centre of Lahore, we cracked on.

By the time we reached Islamabad it was dark, and the idea of riding further north was not one that appealed to us too much, so we parked up on the side of the road, sat on the kerb, and ate some biscuits.

Around 10 minutes (half a packet of biscuits) later, a car pulled up and a gentleman asked us what we were doing. Imagine a nice-looking housing estate, with a pair of grubby bikers sat on the pavement, eating biscuits in the dark. I guess it looked rather odd. Our new friend, Major Qaisar, then invited us to sleep on his porch on a

“

couple of camp beds. He was very apologetic as he explained that, normally, he would offer his spare bedrooms, but his daughters had locked them while they were away, studying in London, and he could not get inside. Classic.

We were given dinner and water, a place to wash and, after waking up to the sun beaming directly onto our faces, breakfast in the morning.

We hit the road early and headed north towards Chilas, camping that night on the side of a mountain, in a secluded spot.

We woke up in the morning to find that we were on someone’s land, and also just off the main school route from the nearby village.

Hearing the sound of your padlocks being rattled on your panniers, and then falling out of your tent to see 20 schoolkids stood around your bike isn’t a smooth start to the day. They seemed friendly enough, but after hearing them shout to their friends and family in the nearby village, we imagined that another large group of people were about to arrive, so we packed up and set off.

That day gave me some minor motorcyclebased grief, when my bike, nicknamed Barb, decided to cut out.

The battery was good (phew), but after grabbing the fuel pump and cranking the engine, there was no movement at all (the pump should pulse as it delivers the fuel to the carburettors).

Luckily, I knew this was a common issue with Africa Twins and I had packed a spare set of points /contacts in the toolbox. There is an upgrade kit for these models (one of them has been fitted to Andy’s bike, Florence), but I chose to keep the original pump and just accept the fact that, at some point, a potential roadside repair would be necessary. This was considerably cheaper than the new, upgraded pump, with the

It’s best not to stop. Also, you need to keep your eyes peeled for large rocks hammering down the mountain 12 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

A roadside repair under way

Some lads in a tea truck took pity on us repair kit coming in at around £15. The only issue with changing the points on these fuel pumps, particularly on the side of the road, is that one of the wires is soldered in place.

The obvious tool for the task would be a soldering iron, but this is rather awkward to carry for one specific and rarely-required repair. I’d packed a jet flame lighter and a thin flat blade screwdriver with this repair in mind, however, and, after 45 minutes, we were back on the road.

For the next few days, we rode the Karakoram Highway which leads up to the China border.

This trip is largely about being on a motorcycle and experiencing some epic roads. The KKH is the best road we have been on to date, hands down. It makes the Transalpina (Romania) and the Grossglockner (Austria) look about as exciting as driving on the A34 on a Monday morning.

Quite simply, this road is immense. Not

The Karakoram Highway is incredible – not necessarily for its quality or ease of driving, but for its views, its jumps and its twists and turns

From left, we indulged in a spot of impromptu hill-walking; met up with some fellow bike riders; and enjoyed yet more local hospitality necessarily for its quality or ease of driving, but for its views, its corners and twists, its cambers, its jumps (yes, we got some serious air for the first time) and, for the most part, its lack of other vehicles to wipe you out. We rode through mountain ranges, passing the point where the world’s three mightiest mountain ranges meet (Jaglot), we rode over rivers, and also through rivers. It was bloody good fun.

I mentioned the quality and driveability not being amazing here; this is primarily due to landslides – whether they have happened, are happening, or are about to happen. Let’s just say that it’s best not to stop if you can help it. Also, you need to keep your eyes peeled for large rocks hammering down the mountainside!

Small towns we reached were characterised by the sort of automobile-based chaos we thought we had left behind. Bottlenecks seemed to

happen fairly consistently and several games of chicken occurred with oncoming vehicles, with them driving down the centre of the road.

As we rode closer to the China border, the temperature dropped. It was very cold. We had to fully kit up – winter gloves on, riding trousers over our jeans, the lot. Barb and Flo also had a few running issues at this point. The air was thin, to the point where we felt light-headed.

This lack of oxygen meant the air/fuel mix on the bikes was all wrong. The result? Throttles as flat as a pancake. We limped up further and further to the top and proceeded to complain about how cold it was. Upon arrival, every single tourist on the peak asked us for a selfie, or 20.

A bunch of lads in a tea truck took pity on us and invited us inside their wagon for a few hot cuppas and biscuits.

On the way back from the border, we took the

route towards Babusar. We walked to Babusar Top (4,173 metres high, at its peak).

This final climb on foot was tiring, particularly with motorcycle boots that were falling apart, but the view was incredible.

On the road back towards Naran, I spotted another Africa Twin on the side of the road, an RD04, the same as Barb. We met Atif, the owner, and his friend, Arif (on an XT600), and instantly bonded over the fact that we were riding old Africa Twins. It was all very exciting.

We mentioned we were camping and invited them to join us. Atif came back with an offer of a hotel room, as his guests, so we went along with that. We were probably due a shower anyway.

After a good sleep, and many a chat about motorcycles and touring, we went our separate ways and promised to visit Atif on our way back through Lahore, his home town.

WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

| 13

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14 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

NEWS.

Exciting new partnership

| SURVEY |

Youngsters more confident about car maintenance

AA Garage Guide in tie-up with Chargemaster

A

A Garage Guide has partnered with the electric vehicle charging provider Chargemaster.

The move comes as more and more garages express an interest in having a public electric vehicle charging station on their premises.

The installation of Chargemaster public charging points will be free to AA-certified garages.

Chargemaster is the official UK charging partner for most electric vehicle manufacturers and has installed more than 40,000 of its ‘Homecharge’ units to date, with all products designed and manufactured in the UK.

To support the scheme, AA Garage Guide is in the process of arranging EV training for all interested parties although, reassuringly, nearly 58 per cent of all member garages that took part in a recent survey had at least one member of staff already trained on hybrid and electric vehicles.

Olli Astley, managing director of garage services at the AA, said there was ‘enthusiasm out there for making sure that garages can cater for all of their customers’ needs’.

He added: ‘Fifty-five per cent of our garages are keen to offer electric car-charging as an added service, and just over 58 per cent have expressed

interest in hearing more about the EV/hybrid vehicle training that we are arranging on their behalf.

‘As this opportunity is free to all certified garages, being proactive and customer-focused is now even more rewarding with AA Garage Guide.’

David Martell, chief executive of Chargemaster, said: ‘We are excited about extending our partnership with the AA to include the provision of charging points for AA-certified garages. As well as helping to support the servicing of electric cars, having public charging points will attract other EV drivers, who could become future customers.’

Focus on AA Garage Guide, p43

YOUNG drivers are more confident than their parents when it comes to performing basic car maintenance, a new survey has found.

Insurance company LV conducted a poll of 1,003 motorists and found that 50 per cent of drivers aged 17 to 24 said they would find it easy to perform basic car maintenance. That confidence wasn’t as forthcoming with older drivers, though, as only 31 per cent of motorists aged 45 and over gave the same response.

The research contradicts the stereotypical view that older generations have a better mechanical knowledge than young people when it comes to repairing cars.

One reason for 17-to-24-year-olds having better mechanical knowledge is changes that have been made to the driving test curriculum.

The internet is another factor.

DRIVEN BY AIR.

Experience confidence www.pclairtechnology.com/80-years

A HORNGROUP BRAND

WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

| 15

Try Autodata now at www.autodata-group.com

IT’S CLEAR TO SEE WHY MORE WORKSHOPS TRUST AUTODATA Comprehensive and trusted access to technical information for service, maintenance, diagnostics and repair.

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142 manufacturers - 34,000 models - 600,000 technical procedures 136 manufacturers - 32,000 models - 550,000 technical procedures Autodata is part of the Solera Group. Visit www.autodata-group.com for more information.

16 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

NEWS. Accident repair group raises more than £42,000 for air ambulances NATIONWIDE Accident Repair Services is celebrating raising more than £42,000 for UK air ambulances during its year-long charity partnership.

The teams raised a total of £42,363.15, all of which will go directly towards helping air ambulances continue their life-saving work.

Air ambulances, which are involved in some 70 missions a day, don’t receive government or lottery funding so rely on charitable donations, and in March 2017 Nationwide branches voted to support the charity to help it continue to provide its services that have personally affected some of the teams.

From exercise classes to cake sales and even a tattoo, the Nationwide fundraisers rallied round, and with the added motivation of raising money for a local cause, many teams continued to improve on their total despite having already hit their target.

Nationwide chief executive Michael Wilmshurst, pictured, said: ‘It’s hard not

to be very proud of a team that works so relentlessly hard and still finds time to think about others and raise money for such a great cause.’

Staff were able to visit local air ambulance bases to meet the teams they were supporting and gain a better understanding of the work they do.

Bekki James, also pictured, corporate fundraising manager from Thames Valley Air Ambulance, said: ‘On behalf of Thames Valley Air Ambulance and our colleagues across the UK, I want to say a huge thank you to Nationwide Accident Repair Services for their support. Their generosity has helped us all to deliver advanced care to people in a medical emergency night and day, 365 days a year.

‘Our pilots, paramedics and doctors work together at the front line of saving lives. Every day, anyone in our communities could be in urgent need of our services. When the worst happens, our teams give patients the best chance.’

JLR looks to swell technician ranks with more ex-military personnel Initiative is part of manufacturer’s long-term plan to hire 1,000 former members of the armed forces by 2020

J

aguar Land Rover is extending its programme to recruit ex-military personnel as dealership technicians following a successful trial period.

The scheme, which the manufacturer is running in conjunction with charity Mission Motorsport, trains ex-service personnel for technical roles in the workshops of JLR dealerships across the UK. The trial phase of the programme was a huge success, with six ex-soldiers securing positions in JLR’s retail network.

The second stage of the scheme is to follow with another wave of trainees.

The programme is part of JLR’s long-term plan to hire 1,000 former members of the armed forces by 2020. The target was set in 2013 and, since then, 750 ex-service personnel have been recruited. Participants are given technical, electronic and mechanical training at the JLR Technical Academy in Warwickshire.

JLR has been working with Mission Motorsport since 2014, aiding the charity in its Armed Forces Engagement Programme, which has so far helped 800 ex-military personnel find employment.

Phil Cannell, JLR Technical Academy manager,

said: ‘This intensive, fast-track programme aims to capture the unique and transferable skills of armed forces personnel, giving them an opportunity to forge new careers as retail vehicle technicians.

‘It addresses the challenges of supporting the military into civilian careers while providing our retailers with the highest calibre of staff.’

Joshua Gelder joined the military aged 17 and took part in the training scheme. He now works at Inchcape JLR in Chester and said: ‘I applied for the opportunity because I knew Jaguar Land Rover had a strong connection with the military.

‘I wanted to find something that would develop the skills I had gained in the military and allow me to feel part of a team again. The course really helped take my practical and theoretical skills to the next level.’

Rob Lummis, head of employee experiences at JLR, added: ‘The project is the first time that we’ve looked directly at how we can link our ex-service personnel in this way with vehicle technician roles, and we’re really pleased to see these people have settled in so well in their new jobs.

‘We’d like to thank the retailers who have already signed up to this initiative. They’ve got some great technicians.’

Simon Broughton, head of business at Hatfields JLR in Liverpool, where two of the newly trained technicians have been employed, said: ‘For us to employ and train someone for a level two technician role would usually take around a year, so this programme is fantastic in securing the right people, in a timely way, to support our customers. Ex-forces personnel are very focused and structured thanks to the environment they’ve come from. Other retailers should consider signing up for this because the experience has been nothing but positive.’

WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

| 17

FEATURES.

All day and all of the night – How Honda workers pulled together for race track glory Adam Weller follows the Synchro Motorsport team through one of the UK’s most challenging races – the Silverstone 24 Hours.

I

n theory, putting together the recipe for a great motor race is simple. You need a good track, some great teams and drivers, and the ability to give those teams and drivers a lot of track time. It’s the first and last factors that allow the promoters of races and championships to attract the top teams, and there is certainly an art to putting together the right calendar of events.

One championship that traditionally puts together a very strong roster of circuits is the Creventic 24H Series, which dedicates itself to putting on some of the longest, most gruelling events and achieves the holy grail of track time in the process.

The Silverstone 24 Hours has become something of a staple within its calendar, having taken over the event from Britcar three years ago. The event, which famously hosted Top Gear’s trio of current day Grand Tourers in 2007, has changed a lot since that particular dose of worldwide exposure, though.

The event now has a distinct international flavour to its entry, alongside some established British endurance maestros.

Some of the teams elected to stay away this year, though, reportedly because of the decision to shift the race to the cold of early March. As such, only the most hardy and brave teams elected to set up shop at the chilly Northamptonshire venue. One such outfit was Synchro Motorsport.

With a history dating back well over 20 years, Synchro is well known in British motorsport circles as a unique, talented team that can wring supreme performance from almost any Honda. Why Honda? That’s because this team is composed entirely of

1818 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

volunteers who are employed at Honda Manufacturing UK’s Swindon plant.

The team’s dedication to motorsport is evident. Synchro exists as something of an after-school club for them, as they often work late into the evening or early in the morning ahead of race weekends.

And their hard work has repeatedly paid off over the years. Great results in the British Touring Car Championship and various endurance championships have been a constant source of motivation for the team.

Most recently, Synchro won the 2017 Creventic 24H Series A3 class, so as reigning champions the Silverstone 24 Hour would be their home round of the championship. To help matters, they did so with some help from a British Touring Car legend.

Regular drivers Alyn James – a powertrain development manager at Honda Manufacturing UK – and Dan Wheeler were joined by three-time BTCC champion Matt Neal, who has raced with them several times in the past.

The trio would be racing a Honda Civic Type-R FK2 – the previous generation of the Japanese hot hatch – as the new FK8 model Type-R they had developed over the winter was being readied when Honda decided to exhibit it at the Geneva Motor Show and didn’t make it back from Switzerland in time.

Both the FK2 and hotly anticipated FK8 are 80 per cent unchanged from the road car. The intake, suspension and some of the bolts are the only true modifications, aside from the obvious removal of interior trim and the addition of the mandatory roll cage. This was quite a contrast from

An early check-up in what would be a tough race

“

They work together, they play together, and though it’s been a hard slog this weekend, I haven’t seen a glum face on any of them.

WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

| 19

FEATURES.

The early stages – Sharing a wet track with £300,000 supercars can be tough some of the purpose-built racing cars the team would be pitting themselves against. And so, with warm clothing and a readiness to supply the team with hot drinks during the night shift, we followed Honda’s skunkwork factory race team as they took on the Silverstone 24 Hours.

The Saturday morning before the race was extremely wet after heavy rainfall overnight. The rain had stopped soon after sunrise but there wasn’t enough heat or sunlight for it to dry out before the 10.30am race start.

Most of the teams decided to begin the race on wet tyres. However, starting driver James and the Synchro Motorsport squad elected to go with slicks. James commented: ‘We think that, over the two-hour stint, that will play in our favour.

The others may have to make a pit stop to change on to slicks as it dries out.

‘There are faster cars in our class, so we have to try to be smarter in other areas.’

As the green flag waved at 10.30, the race

20 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

started slowly and treacherously for James, with the slippery conditions causing several sideways moments for the Civic. Unfortunately for the team, the damp tarmac dried very slowly despite there being no rain, and ultimately the gamble to start on slicks didn’t pay off.

After two hours of racing, the car came into the pits as per the Creventic 24H Series regulations, which state that drivers cannot be in the car for more than 120 minutes at a time. James handed over to Neal, who looked happy to get back in the car he had previously driven at Castle Combe.

On a track surface that was practically dry and a set of slick tyres underneath him, Neal started setting quick lap times – and with the pace as it was, it looked as though Synchro were still very much in the hunt, even after a tricky start.

However, just 40 minutes into Neal’s stint, alarm bells started to ring as the team gathered around their telemetry screen. The engine temperature was running above the 110 degree

threshold on the screen, and even though James was quick to point out that the car can run up to 120 safely, it was pulled in as a precaution.

A fuel hose was identified as the source of the issue and replacing it took 20 minutes. By the time the car returned to the track, it was 11 laps behind the class-leading BMW M235i, which also had a distinct pace advantage, being a purposebuilt race car. The goal now was to continue circulating, stay on pace, and hope that the cards would be dished out in their favour.

And as the afternoon wore on, the team were trouble-free, rotating the drivers and preparing to settle in for the night stint.

After seven hours of racing, the track became slightly less busy, as a separate race for one of Creventic’s other championships came to an end, reducing the field of cars from 37 to 15.

Darkness had fully engulfed Silverstone by 7pm, and, with hot drinks aplenty and chairs set up for mechanic napping, the night shift began.

Quicker cars joined the first seven hours of the race

BTCC star Matt Neal had a minor moment in the evening when he missed his braking point and the car had to be pulled out by a rescue vehicle On the approach to the midnight hour, everything looked to be going well for Synchro.

The team was back up to third at the expense of a Belgian squad, who were running an eye-catching BMW Z3 Coupe, and the only notable moment happened with Neal at the wheel.

He said: ‘Some of the drivers in the [top-class] TCR cars are a little bit quicker than us. I don’t know whether the drivers are not as confident in the night but they catch you on the straights, and they should be quicker in the corners too, but overnight some of them are not.

‘They come behind you flashing the lights, and some just dive alongside you, underbraking into corners, so you’ve got to watch where they are. But in the bright lights it’s tough, and I was watching out for them heading into Vale and missed my braking point.

‘Because it’s so wet and boggy on the grass we had to be pulled out by a rescue vehicle, but we haven’t lost too much time.’

The car came back into the pits after the excursion, and while it was very muddy, all was well. However, three hours later, with James back at the wheel and a majority of the team asleep in the garage, things took a turn for the worse. James radioed in reporting major engine problems, and before long it was confirmed that the team would need to change the engine.

He entered the pit lane with the car billowing smoke from the inside, and within seconds of his arrival the team got to work…

After just one hour and 35 minutes of work, the team had changed the engine, as well as the gearbox, two driveshafts, the radiator and brake pads. They also performed a wheel alignment for good measure. To put that into perspective, another team running a Mini that was born into the world as a race car, and therefore allows for easier access to the car’s internals, took four and a half hours to perform the same operation.

After the fix, James, who was heavily involved with the engine change in his full race overalls, said: ‘There was a lot of smoke in the cabin, so I came into the pits as quickly as I could. I’ve said before, we have got one of the best pit crews – to do what we’ve just done in an hour and 35 minutes is just pretty impressive.

‘And now that we’ve finished, all the guys are cleaning and sorting their tools out and making sure their gear is ready, because you never know when that car might come back in.’

Even though having such a failure isn’t ideal, James pointed out that there are always positives to be taken from Synchro Motorsport’s outings, even if they face issues during the race. ‘It’s not ideal for us to have this mechanical failure, but the whole idea of Synchro is developing associates. We’ve got people in here who are

SPEEDY ENGINE CHANGE WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

| 21

FEATURES. normally working on frame assembly, welding or purchasing, and they wouldn’t work together in their normal day jobs.

‘So to have this type of activity where we work as a team, when we do go back into the office it can help that people from different departments know each other through this on the occasions where we do collaborate at work. They’re all great people, and there’s a good mix of personalities, and they all work really well together. It’s certainly a massive benefit.’

Shortly before the car came in for the engine change, fog started to blanket the circuit, and once it was back out, the mist was still there and getting thicker. With cruel inevitability, the red flags were waved, signalling a pause in the race just half an hour after the team completed their work on the Civic.

It was 1.30am when the race came to its temporary halt – and it would be another five hours before racing got back under way, with just under four hours to run.

As per Creventic 24H Series regulations, the cars are left on the starting grid, with no work permitted on them. As a result, there was very little for anyone to do in the garages, and inevitably every single chair in the pits soon had a slumbering mechanic occupying it.

Neal started the morning’s driving at a shade after 6.45am. His stint was fairly uneventful and he set strong lap times throughout. With 23 laps between the Synchro Civic, which was now fourth in class, and the car in third, it was now a matter of bringing the car home.

However, in another cruel twist, the second engine started to give out with an hour and a half left to run. Wheeler brought the car back in, and despite the mechanics’ best efforts, it wasn’t to be. A cooling problem had struck again, as it had for the previous engine, and there was no way to revive the car for the finish.

The team were still fourth in the A3 class and still have plenty of races left in their quest to take a second consecutive championship victory, but not reaching the chequered flag in what could well be the FK2 Civic Type-R’s final race had obviously stung the team.

As they took a slightly early bath, Neal spoke proudly of their commitment and skill. ‘It’s just a great bunch of guys with really good camaraderie.

Moments like that engine change, it just epitomises teamwork, which I think comes from the Honda ethos. They work together, they play together, and though it’s been a hard slog this weekend, I haven’t seen a glum face on any of them. They have a great, glass-half-full attitude.

‘It’s a shame we couldn’t have the old FK2 Civic Type-R go out with a win, but it wasn’t for the want of trying.’

He’s right. The Synchro team are well liked in the endurance racing community for their immense team spirit. They go full steam at any challenge and are as tight-knit, skilled and efficient as any professional racing team you care to mention. Not bad for a group of volunteers taking part for the fun of it.

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| HOW TO |

Change an engine 1. The driver hardly has time to get out of the car and the finely tuned mechanics already have the vehicle on its air jacks to begin inspecting and dismantling.

2. The engine is still hot from its last racing stint, but this doesn’t slow them down. Engine ancillaries, fuel lines and coolant hoses are removed.

6. With almost all the front end of the car removed, it becomes increasingly bare.

7. After 30 minutes and final checks complete, the engine is finally being prepared for hoisting from the Civic.

11. New engine on the hoist – time to rebuild the car.

12. Easy does it ... Even before the engine is in position, the team are fitting the fuel and coolant lines.

16. It lives again! Power, fuel and coolant are all in place, and after just 81 minutes the engine fires up.

17. The car is put back on its wheels as the team do final checks, including wheel alignment and pressure tests.

in less than two hours 3. One radiator out and a new one readied to go in.

4. As the team remove the failed engine, its damaged parts become scattered across the garage.

5. Mechanics, including the lovingly nicknamed ‘Little Leigh’, slide beneath to remove driveshafts, engine mounts and exhaust system.

8. Three minutes later, it is in the air and carefully removed.

9. As the team work to prepare engine number two, the engine bay, wheel arches, suspension and brake parts are carefully cleaned and inspected.

10. The garage is set out like a greasy operating theatre, with plenty of meticulously sorted and categorised tools – a mechanic’s paradise.

13. All hands on deck as the team work flat out to get the car on track.

14. No time is wasted as the team take this opportunity to service the entire vehicle so that everything is in perfect condition before its return to the track.

15. With the new radiator fitted it’s time for fluids and the final pieces of the puzzle come together.

18. And 14 minutes later, it is pushed out of the garage, with Matt Neal behind the wheel.

19. Finally, the team are back in business after an hour and 35 minutes of efficient yet frantic work.

20. You’d think now would be a time to rest, but the team are straight into cleaning and preparing the garage for the next pit stop.

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ESTABLISHED IN 1985 | PART OF THE STENHØJ GROUP

10549

INSIDE TRACK.

ADAM WELLER LOOKS AT MOTORSPORT ENGINEERING, DEVELOPMENTS AND NEWS

Sorry, McLaren – it wasn’t all the engine’s fault I n the wake of the Australian Grand Prix, McLaren’s performance has been lauded as a return to form for the Woking-based outfit and that’s understandable – to a point. A fifth-place finish for Fernando Alonso makes for happier reading than much of the news that has revolved around the team in recent years.

And while the Honda power unit was improving, the decision to switch to Renault was probably the best move from the perspective of short-term gains and stability.

However, let’s not forget that Alonso only found himself in fifth position thanks to a virtual safety car – the Spaniard has that to thank for the result just as much as Sebastian Vettel does for his victory, as neither had pitted when the effective race pause button was pushed.

Unfortunately for McLaren, there were some tell-tale signs that the MCL33 is a car that needs a lot of work. It would seem that the Honda engine wasn’t the only thing holding the team back.

The team’s race pace was better than their qualifying performance, but it seemed there was little opportunity for either Alonso or fellow McLaren driver Stoffel Vandoorne to advance beyond the fringes of the top 10 before pitstop woes for Haas played into their favour.

Once the VSC became a full safety car situation and the pack was bunched up before racing began once more, further cause for alarm became evident. Behind Alonso there was the Renault-

powered Red Bull of Max Verstappen, as well as both cars from the factory Renault outfit.

On fresh tyres, in race conditions, both of the other 2018 cars with Renault power looked quicker than Alonso, though they didn’t make their way past owing to the nature of the Albert Park circuit, where overtaking is at a premium at the best of times.

Since McLaren was confident that it had the best chassis last year, you’d have thought this year’s car would be faster than Renault and Red Bull once it was on equal ground from a power standpoint. The events of Australia do seem to suggest otherwise.

While I expect to see McLaren improve to the front of the midfield by the year’s end thanks to the quality of its driver line-up and resources at its disposal, I also believe we are seeing further symptoms of a deeper issue for the team, which dates back to before the Honda partnership began in 2015.

In 2013 – the final year of the V8 engine regulations – they didn’t score a single podium, despite having use of a Mercedes engine.

This paled in comparison to the Mercedes factory outfit, which scored nine podiums and three race victories that season.

The 2013 car was flawed, to the point where rumours of the team abandoning it in favour of the 2012 car persisted throughout the early stages of the season. Eventually, the team finished the season fifth in the constructors’ points.

2014 saw the first year of the V6 hybrid engine regulations that exist today, and also

The McLarens came fifth and ninth in Australia

Fernando Alonso marked the final year of the McLaren-Mercedes partnership in a year where the Mercedes engine was the best on the grid by a considerable margin.

However, just two podium finishes were achieved that year, both of which came at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix and, again, fifth was all the team could muster.

Then came the Honda years, and anyone who has followed Formula One recently knows exactly how difficult things were for both McLaren and the Japanese firm.

So what am I saying here? Well, my belief is that McLaren has been lacklustre for some time, long before Honda entered the equation.

And while the team has been quick to point out that the vast road car operation and customer GT racing programmes also running out of the McLaren Technology Centre have no effect on Formula One, it is an interesting coincidence that another significant downturn in fortunes came in the early stages of the 2009 season, when the road car arm of the company was working hard to develop the MP4-12C for release the following year.

Alonso stated that Australia would be McLaren’s worst race of the 2018 season. As someone who regards one of McLaren’s cars as the greatest Formula One car I have ever seen, I hope he’s right.

However, with the Honda scapegoat no longer there to fall back on, the team need to take a critical look at what’s happening within their own walls.

WHO IS ADAM WELLER? A self-confessed motorsport addict, Adam is a member of Blackball Media’s talented writing team, providing content for Workshop Magazine, sister title Car Dealer and various other publications and outlets.

WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

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JUST THE JOB.

BY GAVIN WHITE, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF AUTOTECH RECRUIT

Age counts for a lot, so don’t miss out on plugging that skills gap The benefits of having experienced and older workers in the automotive industry (and how to retain them)

W

ith the UK’s older working population only set to grow in the coming years, it’s time to re-evaluate how the industry deals with older workers, with a view to challenging them to develop their skills rather than sidelining them.

In recent years, the pension age has increased and we’re seeing more people work for longer than ever before.

For business owners, there could be the worry that employing an older, more experienced member of staff is counter-productive because they may soon retire, but this is just a misconception. According to a recent survey about employers’ attitudes towards the ageing workforce, 73 per cent of 1,000 people over the age of 55 believed they weren’t given enough encouragement to improve their knowledge and skills.

With a skills gap currently affecting the automotive industry and a shortfall of school-leavers entering the industry, it’s time to start noticing the potential of the older workforce and consider ways in which they can be retained:

• Appreciate expertise – They have years of knowledge, so showing your employees that you care about their opinion, skills and knowledge will give them an incentive to stay in work longer.

• Encourage learning and development – Offer them a variety of courses and training days to enrol on. Your industry is changing, so they should be developing their skills set along with it.

• Stay aware of your ageing workers’ retirement plans – Have a variety of contract types available so that if your older employees want to keep working, stay active and continue earning money but don’t want to work five days a week, you’re able to offer them the opportunity to work fewer hours or days.

• Be an attractive employer – Acknowledge your employees’ dedication to their job by offering them work perks, flexi-time and the opportunity to adjust contract types over time.

Even if your employees aren’t yet nearing the age of retirement, it’s still beneficial to have a strong understanding of how the older generation can enhance your automotive business.

Experienced candidates – such as those who are part of the older workforce – are in popular demand, Brexit is on the horizon, and we’ll soon be welcoming Generation Z into the workplace, which won’t be as experienced or have the people-management skills that older workers have. These are just some of the reasons why we should be re-evaluating how the industry deals with older workers, with a view to challenging them to develop their skills rather than sidelining them.

Who is Gavin White? After spotting a gap in the market for a recruitment agency dedicated to placing temporary workers in the motor trade, Gavin established Autotech Recruit in 2010. As an agency solely focused on the automotive aftermarket, Autotech Recruit supplies MOT testers and vehicle technicians on a contract and permanent basis. Seven years on and Gavin now employs more than 20 staff at the company’s head office, with a contractor network of 300 MOT testers and vehicle technicians, supplying workshops across the UK.

26 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

JOB DONE WITH LESS FUSS Autologic brings you industry-leading diagnostics equipment together with expert support from our OE trained master technicians – enabling you to tackle every job with greater confidence, efficiency and profitability.

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DIAGNOSTICS WITH THE EXPERTS WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

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ENGINEROOM.

ADAM WELLER REPORTS ON AN INCREDIBLE MOTOR THAT WON THE PRANCING HORSE FANS – AND AWARDS

Vocal and theatrical – it’s the height of Ferrari V8 magic

I

n a Ferrari, the engine is the heart and soul of the car. Just look at the Prancing Horse’s iconic V12, which has been woven into the brand’s lore since the very beginning.

And while the 12-cylinder is still the definitive Ferrari motor for many enthusiasts, the naturally aspirated V8 that powered the ‘baby’ Ferrari supercars for decades and finished its run with the 458 became a very well-respected and distinctive part of Ferrari’s range. It is the engine in the 458 that we will focus on for this piece.

The Ferrari V8 is one of the most distinctive eight-cylinder engines to have ever graced this industry, with its high-revving thrum distinguishing it from almost any other engine of similar architecture. The vocal, theatrical motor reached its definitive form in the 458, and would challenge any and all-comers when combined with the masterful mid-engine chassis of this brilliant car – it even matched the Ferrari Enzo hypercar for pace.

At 3,000rpm, this engine provides as much as the previous 430 did at its peak. As 3,000rpm is just a third of the way to the redline, that’s particularly impressive.

That says a lot for just how spectacular this 4.5-litre motor really is – 540Nm of torque and 562bhp would have been a pipe dream for any V8 road car at any other point in history, but somehow, the engineers in Maranello managed to find such power from their engine.

Their work only looks more impressive when you consider that the 458’s rivals, such as the Audi R8, Lamborghini Gallardo and the McLaren MP4-12C, all used more cylinders than the

“

What made the 458 stand out above all else was the engine note.

28 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

Prancing Horse, or used turbochargers in the case of the latter example. A critical part of the engine’s ability to perform so well was direct fuel injection, which had not been seen in a midengined Ferrari road car up to that point.

The world took notice of the engine in several ways. The 458 flew out of the factory doors at Maranello, and as with all good Ferraris, demand outstripped supply by some margin.

But perhaps most telling were its accolades. In 2011, the 458’s version of the naturally aspirated Ferrari F136 series of engines took two gongs at the International Engine of the Year Awards.

What made the 458 stand out above all else was the engine note. The purposeful, frantic yelp of the 4.5-litre engine in this car will make it very collectable in years to come, when such spectacular examples will be more of a memory than a modern marvel.

Here at Workshop Towers, we often get the pleasure of hearing this sound, thanks to Baize Group chief executive James Baggott. Since he owns one of these wonderful machines, he’s better placed to explain just how special this motor really is.

‘The 458 was the pinnacle of V8 mid-engined Ferraris,’

he told us. ‘Years of tweaking went into making the 562bhp unit the very best – and the studious work paid off.

‘It was the swansong for normally aspirated V8s from the Italian firm, the last in the line and, my word, so good for it. A glorious, howling engine note, a broad, ferocious spread of power throughout the rev range and a kick in the kidneys Bruce Lee would have been proud of.’

Regarding the 488 GTB’s switch from the F136 engine to a turbocharged powerplant, Baggott said: ‘While the replacement 488 GTB’s turbocharged unit is blisteringly faster still than the 458’s, it’s sadly lost some of its character. Most notably, the decibel level has been reduced and, with it, some of the soul-stirring emotion that makes driving a Ferrari a unique and very special experience. Yes, it may be landscapealteringly quick, enough to frazzle your brain’s ability to process information fast enough, but no-one would say the 458 was too slow.

‘That’s why, for me, the turbo-less 458 engine will always be the height of Ferrari V8 magic.’

The naturally aspirated V8 won Ferrari many plaudits

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CLUB.

LEGAL KNOWLEDGE WILL REALLY HELP YOU Q

ASK THE JUDGE: Ian Gardner, sales manager at automotive legal experts Lawgistics, offers some essential advice for any garage or workshop...

How can I avoid disputes with customers?

The Judge says: A basic understanding of the relevant law can help you avoid a dispute in respect of any car repairs or servicing work you undertake.

The contract When you are instructed to carry out repairs or other work, you enter into a contract to supply goods and services. It is a good idea to record in writing the instructions given, since it will be easier to see what was agreed in the event of a dispute.

Written or oral, such contracts contain both ‘express’ and ‘implied’ terms. Express terms can be specific and confined to a particular fault – for example, ‘fit new X-brand fuel pump‘, or general, as in ‘the engine is not running well and the brakes are hopeless; fix them’.

In addition, implied terms require that parts supplied must correspond with any description given, be of a satisfactory quality, reasonably fit for any intended purpose and as specified, and that the repairs will be carried out with reasonable care and skill and within a reasonable time.

Basic dos and don’ts • Signing up to/following the trading standards-approved

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code of practice could help to avoid disputes • Provide a quote or estimate in writing before undertaking any work • From the outset, establish precisely when the vehicle is required back by the customer • If there is a cost to prepare an estimate then tell the customer in advance of any work • Take a valid email address and mobile number for ease and speed of communication • Make a careful note of the fault or symptoms as described by the customer • Diagnostic work is not always free! Provide a written quote or estimate, as appropriate • Contact the customer by phone and/or email to confirm the diagnosis and provide a clear plan of action, preferably in writing, before commencing any repair work • Tell the customer immediately of any problem and cost increase • Request the opportunity to correct any faulty repair, but remember that the customer has the right to arrange for the work to be carried out elsewhere and claim the cost from you • Once started, do not stop work without taking legal advice

• Do not release a vehicle if payment remains outstanding • Do not promise what you cannot deliver • If you use a third party for repairs then you remain responsible to the customer, regardless • Servicing should be undertaken in strict accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations, unless otherwise agreed in writing Quotes and estimates If a firm price or quote is stated at the time of making the contract, then both you and the customer are bound by it.

That said, an estimate is often more appropriate. Generally, an estimate will not bind you, although it will be indicative of the eventual cost.

A reasonable price If no price is quoted then you can charge a ‘reasonable’ price for all work properly carried out. What is reasonable is a question of fact, and a court would decide such issue by reference to the work done, prevailing market rates, and any previous dealings with the customer.

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Autologic produces a successful fully integrated vehicle diagnostics support system. AssistPlus is a tablet containing diagnostics software, a PDF viewer, web browser and YouTube application to allow you to investigate vehicles, along with a full vehicle history on the device recorded against VIN. An on-board camera allows you to capture video and stills. Club members signing up to Autologic Assist will receive a month of additional support on top of their first year.

(To be continued…)

£100 off your motor trade insurance With 25 years of industry experience in the world of commercial vehicle insurance, Plan Insurance Brokers is the expert for the UK’s professional road users. Motor trade insurance is vital to keep your business moving, whether it’s your own vehicles or customers’ cars that you’re moving about – even if a customer’s car is involved in a fire or theft while in your care. Club members can receive an exclusive £100 discount on their motor trade insurance through Plan Insurance Brokers.

TO JOIN GO TO WORKSHOPCLUB.CO.UK OR CALL 023 9252 2434 AND 30 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

Are we obliged to pay for this customer’s cab trips?

Q

We took a car in recently for repair. The customer said she used it every day and needed the work done as quickly as possible. We managed to turn her car around in less than a week. Our customer testdrove the car before collecting and left happy. The following morning, she rang in and said the warning light that had been illuminated previously had come on again.

We apologised and managed to squeeze her in to have a look at the car the same day.

It turned out our technician forgot to recode the car. It was a simple mistake and easy to rectify but her car was with us for an extra two days. Our customer has now claimed her taxi fare for her work

commute over those two days. Is that something she is entitled to?

You did promise to complete the repair as soon as possible, but you did not agree that it would be done by a particular day. In legal terms, the parties did not agree that time was of the essence. It means you did not agree to recompense your customer for harm that a delay may cause. You simply stated that you would use your best endeavours to speed up the repair process. Had you agreed to a specific deadline, the expense of arranging a substitution for the car for the work commute would naturally have arisen and your customer would be entitled to recompense. The need for a taxi would be questionable, though, unless your customer had a good reason to avoid public transport.

A

Discount on software & free health check app

Free legal advice plus discounted membership

Dragon2000’s dealer management system is one of the most versatile and easy-to-use products on the market.

The software can help manage supplier and customer details, help you keep on top of your costs and ensure that your business is running as smoothly and as profitably as possible.

Workshop Club members are eligible for a 10 per cent discount on their first year of a Dragon2000 software subscription – and they get the free Vehicle Health Check app too.

As part of your membership, you will have a free telephone consultation with Lawgistics worth £100. You will also be signed up to Lawgistics’ basic membership package worth £95, have 25 per cent discount off Lawgistics products, get access to guidance notes and document templates and enjoy a discount off membership upgrades – £100 off the Small Business pack and £250 off the Professional membership pack – to better suit your needs.

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To find out more visit www.drapertools.com/wshp-apr

Strength in Quality WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

| 31

PRODUCTS.

Clarke Three-Way Lever Grease Gun How much: £15.59 (inc VAT) Where from: machinemart.co.uk

New for you

This manually operated side lever grease gun has performance equal to that of some larger air-operated systems. Its slim, linear design enables it to reach into awkward areas that would normally be difficult to access.

Height-Adjustable Mechanic’s Seat How much: £28.79 (inc VAT) Where from: machinemart.co.uk This height-adjustable mechanic’s seat from Clarke is designed to make car maintenance a more comfortable endeavour. You can sit in the comfort of your workshop while concentrating on whatever mechanical task you’re undertaking. As well as being heightadjustable, the seat features five easy-rolling castors for manoeuvrability and an easy-toreach tool storage tray.

39-piece Socket Set How much: £29.99 (inc VAT) Where from: machinemart.co.uk These specially designed flat drive sockets from Clarke come with a lifetime guarantee. They’re finished in high chrome vanadium and enable more than 30 per cent more torque to be applied.

Clarke Anti-Freeze and Coolant Tester How much: £4.79 (inc VAT) Where from: machinemart.co.uk Keeping a check on vehicle coolant systems is an important task for workshops, and this fluid tester from Clarke is the ideal tool for doing it. It’s uncomplicated to use and ensures any cars you work on have good engine protection at any time of year.

32 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

Flexipads Headlight and Tail Light Restoration Kit How much: £27.59 (inc VAT) Where from: machinemart.co.uk This Flexipads kit can be used on a vehicle’s front and rear lights. The pads remove scratches, abrasions and haziness from them and add a layer of protection to help keep them in showroom condition. The kit is highly effective for any repairs to vehicle plastics and acrylics.

Engine Diagnostic Fault Code Reader How much: £119.98 (inc VAT) Where from: machinemart.co.uk This handy device from Clarke is an essential automotive service tool. It’s simple to operate, but also suitable for professional use. The fault code reader connects to a vehicle’s ECU via a diagnostic link connector, allowing the user to access and retrieve important engine performance data to highlight any issues. It features a 2.8-inch colour TFT display, as well as a USB cable for quick and easy software upgrading.

Clarke Large Site Box How much: £274.80 (inc VAT) Where from: machinemart.co.uk This large storage box is ideal for use in your own workshop or when you need to take your tools off-site. No matter where you’re working, it will keep your tools safe and secure.

18-piece Polishing Kit How much: £35.98 (inc VAT) Where from: machinemart.co.uk This 18-piece kit is ideal for comprehensive vehicle polishing. It’s effective on most plastics, aluminium, steel, stainless steel and brass. Included in the set are buffing wheels, polishing buffs, wool-mounted points and polishing compounds. There are also a number of coloured soaps for working on different materials and during various stages.

WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

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PRODUCTS.

Laser Tools Grip Wrench Set How much: £117.05 (inc VAT) Where from: lasertools.co.uk This Laser Tools grip wrench set includes a pair of 11-inch large jaw pliers, nine-inch locking pinch-off pliers and 11-inch C-clamp pliers, making for a set of three pieces of equipment essential for numerous workshop tasks. The set is supplied in EVA foam with a plastic lid.

Laser Tools Ford and Volvo Camshaft Installation and Timing Tool Set How much: £362.71 (inc VAT) Where from: lasertools.co.uk

Brake Master Cylinder Cap Kit

The Laser Tools camshaft installation and timing tool set is compatible with 2.5-litre petrol engines from Ford and Volvo. It contains the tools needed to align the crankshaft and camshafts, as well as those required to hold the camshaft in the top half of the cylinder head and press the cam carrier to the head, making re-assembly quicker and easier.

How much: £301.75 (inc VAT) Where from: lasertools.co.uk The Laser Tools brake master cylinder cap kit is suitable for most brake pressure bleeders.

The adapters cover 90 per cent of current master cylinders and can be applied to European, American and Japanese marques, as well as universal parts.

BA Spanner and Socket Set How much: £44.21 (inc VAT) Where from: lasertools.co.uk The BA spanner and socket set from Laser Tools includes sizes ranging from BA0 to BA11. The set is supplied in EVA tool storage foam and all of the pieces are manufactured from chrome vanadium.

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Laser Tools AdBlue Transport Tank How much: £1,216.15 (inc VAT) Where from: lasertools.co.uk This free-standing fully mobile 75-litre AdBlue tank from Laser Tools comes with its own 12v powered delivery pump, hose and automatic shut-off valve. It’s made from polyethylene, so it’s resistant to impact, corrosion and UV rays. It’s fitted with large-diameter wheels which allow it to be manoeuvred across uneven surfaces, making it easy to fill up vehicles with AdBlue in any location.

Laser Tools BMW Balance Shaft Removal and Alignment Kit How much: £259.08 (inc VAT) Where from: lasertools.co.uk This kit contains all of the essential tools needed to remove, replace and time the balance shaft on the latest BMW 1.2-litre and 1.5-litre petrol, and 1.5-litre diesel engines. A copper mallet is required to drive out the balance shaft.

Air Pencil Die Grinder How much: £173.74 (inc VAT) Where from: lasertools.co.uk This Laser Tools air pencil die grinder can be used in conjunction with laser tungsten carbide burr sets. It operates at 70,000rpm and has a 3mm collet, 1,400mm air hose and 6.35mm air hose fitting. Recommended operational air pressure is 90psi. The device weighs 200g and comes with two spanners.

WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

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PRODUCTS.

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

ON TEST

Scangrip under bonnet light CRAIG CHEETHAM puts a ‘highly impressive’ piece of kit to the test in real-world conditions, not a laboratory-controlled procedure.

W

orking in dark corners of workshops or as a mobile roadside operative frequently calls for some additional lighting, but mechanics aren’t always afforded the luxury of a hardwired power source.

A good inspection lamp, then, is part of your essential kit. And the latest model from Scangrip, available through Euro Car Parts, is one of the very high-end lights. Rather than clamping onto the vehicle’s battery like a portable lead light, this Scangrip Line Light uses LED technology, and is charged independently.

It has a service life quoted to be in excess of 100,000 hours and is capable of around half a day’s output on a single charge – though when we tested it, we left it switched on overnight in the boot of our test vehicle and it was still giving out good illumination the following morning.

The lamp itself uses built-in prisms to reflect the LED beam downward at a 75-degree angle, while the model’s clever mounting system means it can be twisted and adjusted to vary the spread and direction of light.

We used it to change the coil packs on a

customer’s Rover 25 in a service station car park at 10.30pm in order to replicate the conditions in which a roadside emergency breakdown operative may find themselves – so this was no laboratorycontrolled test.

In use, we found the lamp to fully exceed our expectations. Not only was the telescopic mount simplicity itself to use, stretching and adjusting to fit most car bonnets, but the equipment’s rubberised ‘claws’ allowed it to grip tightly to the bonnet without damaging the car’s bodywork.

The strong winds in which we were working did little to bother it – the lamp remained steady and didn’t flicker around, as we expected in the conditions.

It’s well constructed, too. The LEDs are secured inside an extruded acrylic tube which is resistant to shock and shattering, unlike traditional fluorescent tubes, while its light output is double that of a normal tube.

Switching it on and off is simply a case of twisting the handle at the end, with a choice of 50 per cent or 100 per cent light output.

It’s also demountable, so can be used as an extra-long hand lamp if needed, which is

particularly useful for inspecting components underneath the vehicle should the need arise.

Overall, it’s a highly impressive piece of kit, and while there are cheaper alternatives on the market, this is by far the best under bonnet light we’ve ever used. It’s something that will prove extremely useful in a workshop environment, and will transform the lives of emergency breakdown and recovery operators who, once they have used it, are unlikely to go back to an inferior design.

In short, this is one of the most effective tools we’ve tested so far this year, and worth every penny, despite the asking price.

Scangrip under bonnet light Product code: 562990250 How much: £196.99 Where from: omnipart.eurocarparts.com Rating: HHHHH

Euro Car Parts is the UK’s No. 1 supplier of car parts. Go online to omnipart.eurocarparts.com 36 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

GARAGEFOCUS .

BEING PART OF AUTOFIRST NETWORK IS BENEFICIAL TO US IN SO MANY WAYS

Partnership helps us meet every customer’s needs LAVENDER MOTORS, HAYWARDS HEATH

O

riginally founded by Bill Lavender more than 80 years ago, Lavender Motors is a successful independent workshop in Haywards Heath. With seven ramps, 15 staff and two MOT bays, the repairer is usually fully booked, a trend which shows no sign of letting up. The secret to its success, according to managing director Ryan Andrews, is the fact that it focuses just as heavily on the commercial aspects of running the workshop as the technical side.

Lavender Motors is situated on the high street with a clean and welcoming reception area.

When you enter, you are greeted by the friendly and professional receptionist. Although it is already an impressive area, Lavender Motors is about to refurbish the reception as part of its campaign to create a showroom-inspired environment that is very welcoming to the public and, in particular, female customers.

Ryan has been in the business for nearly 20 years, during which time transparency and modernisation have always been high on his agenda. Ten years ago, Lavender Motors launched its own interactive website that allows customers to book their MOTs online.

According to Ryan, having this convenient online service has had a huge impact on the number of new bookings that the business has received, especially for routine services like MOTs. Having an online presence and an open-plan reception area enables Lavender Motors to meet the same customer service standards as those set

by many high street retailers. All communication with customers is kept simple and the business goes out of its way to be responsive.

No-one wants to have to wait if they have a problem with their car, so Lavender Motors always tries to see vehicles within two days.

The workshop also has a fleet of courtesy cars which customers can access for free, including collection and delivery.

Joining Euro Car Parts’ Autofirst Network was part of that commitment to customer service, with the training, technical support and ethos of the organisation aligning with Lavender Motors’ objectives of offering class-leading customer service and technical support.

Ryan said: ‘We need to be able to service all makes and models. This is impossible without the right technical support. As a member of the Autofirst Network, we get access to training courses, a technical helpline manned by master technicians, and a library of previous faults and diagnostic issues through the Euro Academy.’

Another attraction for Lavender Motors is access to technical partnerships with brands such as Shell, Pagid and Klarius. The relationship means that Lavender Motors can access reduced rates and specialist introductions to new products directly from the manufacturer.

In the end, joining the Autofirst Network was a business decision for Ryan. ‘We have seen sales of perishables such as tyres take a nosedive, as people move to buying cheaper alternatives online,’ he said. ‘The real profit opportunity for

Managing director Ryan Andrews repairers is technical servicing. Investment in electrical faults and diagnostics training is vital if you want your business to thrive.

‘Partnering with the Autofirst Network means we have access to a huge range of equipment and technical support that allows us to meet the needs of every single customer.’

Lavender Motors was formerly owned by Ryan’s grandfather and, after he retired and sold the business, Ryan bought back into the business 18 years ago. Speaking about the heritage, Ryan said: ‘My grandfather used to say to me – it doesn’t matter what industry you’re involved in, just make sure you own the business. As workshop owners and repairers, we have a great opportunity to triumph in this industry, but we need to be investing and modernising to do so.

‘Luckily, Euro Car Parts has come along at the right time to help us do this.’

WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

| 37

FEATURE

ROTATING ELECTRICS

AUTOELECTRO EXPERTS ENSURE EVERYTHING KEEPS TURNING

Rebecca Chaplin looks at a firm keeping pace with the evolution of vehicle technology and thriving in remanufacturing starter motors and alternators Bradford-based Autoelectro is the largest independent rotating electrics remanufacturer and supplier in the UK. There are thousands of starter motors and alternators in stock for immediate delivery that will fit the likes of BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Porsche, Volkswagen, Ford, Seat, Toyota, Nissan, Mazda, Citroen, Honda and Hyundai.

The company has been a staunch advocate of remanufacturing over the course of its 30-year history but this hasn’t been without its problems.

A degree of confusion still surrounds remanufacturing and there are issues that have hampered its reputation – some new and a few that date back many years – including a simple definition of remanufacturing and how it differentiates from other product types.

Generally, the public misunderstand the difference between remanufactured and reconditioned – in fact, the two terms are regularly interchanged and muddled. Typically,

the remanufacturing process can be split into several steps: disassembling, inspecting, sorting, cleaning, reprocessing, reassembling then checking and testing.

Modern remanufacturing facilities have allowed the Autoelectro team of experts to assemble high-quality products – often with original design flaws ironed out. Its formula of re-engineering units from old ‘core’ is a costeffective and environmentally friendly option.

Because of the constant evolution of vehicle technology, which is determined by the likes of emission regulations, demand for better fuel consumption and more ‘gadgets’ fitted to a vehicle, Autoelectro has kept pace by investing heavily and working tirelessly to stay ahead of the curve by updating the design and operation of its remanufactured starter motors and alternators.

For example, stop-start technology is prevalent in modernday vehicles. Therefore, to ensure the durability of starter motors, as they are required to engage thousands of times

Alternators and starter motors from Autoelectro are at least as good as new

during their life cycle, Autoelectro has improved their design where an original fault existed.

As a consequence of changes in technology and the complexity of the modern starter motor and alternator, significant investment is also required to establish and maintain a high-quality remanufacturing facility. The need to invest has resulted in a reduction in the number of remanufacturing companies, but Autoelectro continues to thrive and can handle the ever-increasing number of variants, which have grown significantly over 30 years.

DEFINITIONS • New: A component manufactured or assembled using no pre-used parts • Reconditioned: Component returned to good condition by cleaning, patching or repairing • Used: Subject to previous use. No repairs or correcting of any problems that the product may have sustained • Repaired: Sufficient work carried out to make the component operational again • Remanufactured: The return of a used product to at least its original performance, with a warranty that is equivalent or better than that of the original product when it was new

Hella adds three-year warranty TO PROVIDE added peace of mind and as a demonstration of its confidence in the premium-quality products it supplies, Hella has introduced a threeyear warranty on the core-free range of new rotating units.

The Hella core-free programme, which encompasses more than 1,000 references, makes life easier as there is no need to return the faulty unit, so there is no need for a surcharge.

As a result, neither the workshop nor the motor factor has to deal with a complicated payment process, and technicians can fit the units and relax, knowing that the three-year warranty gives their customers a marketleading level of product security.

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Hella’s core-free range neatly dovetails with its Premium programme, which now has more than 2,200 references and provides high-quality, remanufactured units fully refurbished to OE specifications, using OE core and catering for all popular European applications.

All Hella starter motors and alternators undergo rigorous testing to stringent OE specifications, with more than 40 checkpoints on critical parts and processes, ensuring reliability.

By providing OE-quality units, Hella enables motor factors and workshops to offer customers a reliable ‘fit right first time’ product, minimising the time the vehicle is off the road.

FOCUS ON

EURO CAR PARTS

REACH FOR THE I-STARS AS NEW TECH BEGINS TO TAKE ITS TOLL EURO CAR PARTS

T: 020 3474 0500 W: OMNIPART.EUROCARPARTS.COM

Bill Stimson, technical sales director at Euro Car Parts, prepares repairers for a major change in rotating electrics work The advent of stop-start engine technology is placing additional demand on rotating electrics. Previously, an engine without automatic stop-start could be expected to undergo 50,000 stop-start events during its lifetime. Today, we are looking at a massive increase of as many as 500,000 stopstart events, pushing the starter engine’s performance and increasing failure rates.

As engine technology evolves, so too do electrical systems.

The introduction of I-StARS – or integrated starter alternator reversible systems – is about to affect the independent market significantly.

Unless you specialise in French marques such as Citroen and Peugeot, you probably haven’t had much demand for these systems yet – but that’s about to change. For the past seven years they have become an important part of new vehicles that are increasingly being serviced by the independent market.

Initially developed by Valeo, integrated starter alternator reversible systems offer several benefits to OEMs as they perform a more comfortable stop-start function than conventional methods. A belt-driven starter-alternator system shuts down the engine during idle phase and restarts it quickly and silently, resulting in minimal fuel consumption, emissions, vibration and noise during standstill.

The good news is that from a repair point of view, I-StARS require no more additional training or labour to replace than more conventional starters and alternators.

The exception is cars in the Smart range, which also have a control module attached that should be checked when replacing the I-StARS system. As with anything new, sourcing the right replacement part is essential.

Euro Car Parts has been preparing for I-StARS to become mainstream for several years and we have built up the largest range of aftermarket replacements available in the country.

The brands we cover include RTX, Lucas and Remy, among others.

As engine technology evolves, so too do electrical systems. The introduction of I-StARS is about to affect the independent market significantly.

Importantly for repairers, all rotating electrics from Euro Car Parts can be purchased with a lifetime warranty, covering either the part only or extended to include labour. The initiative provides repairers with an extra profit opportunity, with the warranty purchased from Euro Car Parts and then sold on to the vehicle owner, giving further peace of mind.

As vehicles become more complex, the demands on rotating electrics will increase, prompting more work for repairers as many older products begin to fail.

Understanding the products available and where to source them can help repairers prepare for opportunities presented by products such as I-StARS.

WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

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FEATURE

WORKSHOP APPS

AUTODATA PARTNERS WITH CARWEB FOR BETTER VRM ACCURACY Rebecca Chaplin discovers that 2018 is set to be another year of innovations to enhance servicing, maintenance, repair work and diagnostics across the automotive aftermarket.

AUTODATA, the provider of automotive technical information to professionals, has partnered with Carweb to enhance the accuracy of its VRM data.

The new partnership will give Autodata subscribers instant access to more accurate vehicle registration retrieval.

Max Lienard, chief strategy and innovation officer at Autodata, said: ‘The new partnership with Carweb will help our customers significantly reduce the potential errors in selecting the right vehicle even faster.

‘Furthermore, it brings us closer to having a VRM look-up that matches our 99 per cent coverage of vehicles on the road.’

Before the partnership, Autodata undertook a rigorous benchmarking exercise and found that Carweb provided six per cent more unique VRM matches than other providers. All data provided is refreshed on a weekly basis to ensure it is the most up-to-date on the market.

This complements Autodata’s ongoing development programme that brings their users the latest vehicle models and manufacturer updates of technical information, along with new information modules and feature enhancements.

Fernando Garcia, operations director at Carweb, said: ‘The team at Carweb help over 1,000 customers across the UK with VRM look-up and broader data services. We are always looking for new ways to add value to our customers and Carweb is rightly recognised as offering a best-in-class VRM look-up product together with other data cleansing and reconciliation

services. The new partnership with Autodata will boost workshop accuracy and efficiency.’

Both Autodata and Carweb are part of the Solera Group, a global leader in data and software. Solera’s automotive solutions cover the complete lifecycle of vehicles from purchase to salvage and everything in between.

Lienard added: ‘With new partnerships and collaborations on the horizon for Autodata, 2018 is set to be another year of great innovations to enhance how servicing, maintenance, repair and diagnostics are carried out across the automotive aftermarket.’

“

The team at Carweb help over 1,000 customers across the UK with VRM look-up and broader data services.

FERNANDO GARCIA

New digital damage assessment web app helps customers’ cars get repaired faster SERVICE Certainty has created a new app to reduce the length of time it takes for an insurer’s customer to have their car assessed if it’s damaged.

Service Certainty is the UK’s leading digital damage assessment imaging company. Its upgraded ‘Self-serve Motor’ web app offers customers a step-by-step tool to capture data specific to the requirements of their claim.

Reinforcing and expanding their long-standing working relationship, Covéa Insurance is the first UK insurer to launch the improved product which enables their customers to quickly and conveniently provide timely images of damage to their vehicles.

40 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

Over the past eight years, Service Certainty has worked with Covéa Insurance by providing the company with the ability to instruct a Service Certainty photographer to visit anywhere in the UK to obtain independent high-quality multi-purpose images for damage assessment for validation and estimation via its network of over 4,000 photographers.

Now, with the help of the dedicated web app, the insurer’s customers can take images of their own vehicle and upload them to Covéa Insurance engineers themselves, a more efficient solution for customers in their time of need.

In the news recently for their advancements with deep learning artificial intelligence for glass damage assessment, Service Certainty is now turning its AI lens to more general vehicle damage. However, it intends to withhold its implementation until such time as it can deliver the same levels of accuracy as those achieved with glass.

CEO of Service Certainty Liam Nye said: ‘We have been working with the team at Covéa Insurance for many years

now and they’ve always been the first to embrace new technologies and ideas.

‘Adding our latest web app technology to the suite of products we provide them with is testament to their forward thinking. A world where customers have technology in their hands that is capable of capturing good-quality footage or images is something that businesses should embrace.

‘We have always understood this and will continue to constantly evolve and integrate to make today’s technology available to our insurer and repairer clients without them needing to make changes to their existing procedures and infrastructures.

‘We pride ourselves on being the first company to market with remote image-capture solutions almost 10 years ago, and we haven’t stopped evolving since.’

Alastair Sherwin, motor engineer manager at Covéa Insurance, added: ‘We have a great working relationship with Service Certainty who are at the forefront of thinking when it comes to image-capture solutions.

‘We see them as an integral part of our customer service offering and their UK photography service has now been enhanced further with the new self-service imaging web app, to a point where we are now able to capture the majority of our total loss claims via their solutions.’

“

We have been working with the team at Covéa Insurance for many years now and they’ve always been the first to embrace new technologies and ideas.

LIAM NYE WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

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FOCUS ON

AA

OPEN UP MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUR BUSINESS WITH THE AA AA GARAGE GUIDE

T: 0808 278 6607 W: garageguide.theaa.com/workshopmag

Keep up with online search and booking trends with the Garage Guide Every day, our members turn to us looking for trusted recommendations for garages and advice about their vehicles. Our Garage Guide platform is a perfect place to connect great garages with drivers online for all their service, MOT and repair needs. We champion expertise and great garages who are always professional and deliver high standards constantly, listing by quality and high standards, never on price.

Signing up to our Garage Guide is completely free.

The many benefits include an online profile for your business, exposure to our members who require immediate repairs, low admin fees for job referrals, access to our unique pricing tool to save time quoting for work, as well as an enhanced reputation with valuable ratings and reviews.

Showcase your excellence with the Certified Garage programme Our Certified Garage programme is all about showcasing excellence. It’s an opportunity for your garage to be inspected to our standards and use AA branding, highlighting to customers your commitment to deliver excellent customer service.

The programme is offered on a monthly subscription basis which includes an annual inspection, branding for your garage and website, an enhanced listing on Garage Guide, and unrivalled marketing exposure in the AA App. We offer all that, plus inclusion into the 100,000 MOT and service reminder emails we send out to our members each month.

Our new Breakdown Repair Cover network For our Certified Garages, there is also an opportunity to join our Breakdown Repair Cover network. Garage and repairs cover is a product our members can purchase in addition to their breakdown cover through the AA to help pay for repairs after a breakdown. We have thousands of BRC claims a year from members, which presents a significant opportunity for you to receive new business to your garage if you choose to take part in this programme.

Get promoted at member breakdowns on the Tow-Ins Network Our nationwide tow-ins network gives you an opportunity to get involved when our members need immediate repairs. Our 2,500-strong patrol force is our members’ first port of call when finding and choosing a garage to be towed to when it’s not possible to repair their car at the roadside.

YOU could be showcased as a recommended garage on the devices used by our patrol force members – and you would also receive patrol referrals. There are no annual subscriptions or licence fees. The only cost is if a member is brought to your workshop by one of our patrols. You’d then pay a flat fee or a percentage of the final invoice.

To find out more about the above opportunities for your garage, call us on 0808 278 6607 or visit garageguide.theaa.com/workshopmag WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

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FOCUS ON

EDYNAMIX

THE CHALLENGES WE ARE FACING WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF GDPR EDYNAMIX

T: 01670 751201 E: enquiries@edynamix.com W: edynamix.com

The automotive sector is particularly affected

by GDPR because of its inherent franchise structure, which has led to many variations in processes and systems.

The key issues to overcome revolve around consent management and compliance management, which includes: • Embedding consent capture within daily processes Most dealer management systems do not easily allow you to capture consent as, generally, they are not customer-facing systems. Dealers may resort to capturing consent on paper forms and then manually transferring it to the DMS. This can lead to errors and loss of consent evidence if not managed properly, not to mention the additional time required to process this data.

• Capturing consent in multiple systems Many dealers have multiple systems that capture customer data, such as sales enquiry management, CRM, service plan, video tools, etc. If consent is being captured in each of these, then it can lead to duplication and potential mismatch of consent, which slows down the marketing process and could cause a breach of GDPR. • Updating consent for existing customers While it is possible to update consent already held for existing customers, to do so is incredibly difficult, as it relies on having evidence of opt-out options at point-ofdata capture (which most dealers don’t have). The only real option is to start gaining consent one by one as you see your existing customers through normal business.

• Measuring and managing consent Dealers who have already started the consent capture process are finding it difficult to measure important KPIs, such as capture rates and agreed contact methods.

These extremely important business KPIs need to be managed on a frequent basis to ensure consent levels remain consistently high.

• Compliance management To be compliant with GDPR, most – if not all – dealers will require a data protection officer (or DPO for short).

The DPO will be tasked with, among other things, mapping out the exchange of data, training staff on GDPR processes, managing data processors and much more. All of this can become overwhelming if it isn’t managed and stored centrally, as evidence of duty of care will be required if a complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office is made.

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iConsent At eDynamix, we recognise these issues as high priority, which is why we’ve built iConsent – our GDPR solution in an app. With it, you have a single repository of consent with multiple capture points that embed themselves within your daily processes. iConsent can work with multiple databases at once and consolidate records to produce a master consent record for each customer.

Case study For the pilot of iConsent, we asked a number of dealerships to use it in their showrooms to capture consent. The results taken from two months of data show that 48 per cent of consumers chose marketing by mail, with the highest choice being email at 68 per cent. Phone came in at 61 per cent, with SMS at 57 per cent. Overall, however, 90 per cent of customers chose to be marketed via at least one channel.

GDPR Cleanse Within iConsent is GDPR Cleanse. This feature provides a mechanism for full GDPR compliance when marketing your customers once consent has been captured using iConsent. GDPR Cleanse works with any DMS without the need for full integration and is equipped with a SAR console for easy handling of subject access requests. Right-tobe-forgotten management and full integration to the telephone and mail preference services can also be included for efficient removal of customer data on the eDynamix platform.

Connect Our Connect desktop and mobile application keeps you in touch with GDPR KPIs not only for consent, but also for overall business compliance management.

GDPR Compliance Manager Included within iConsent is our Compliance Manager tool that allows data protection officers to manage the entire process of GDPR compliance. Not only is there a customisable ‘live’ compliance check list, there is also a repository of useful information, as well as a secure ‘document locker’ to keep everything that is GDPR-related in one location.

Join an online GDPR/ iConsent workshop eDynamix will be running a series of online workshops soon to discuss GDPR and iConsent. Please visit our website to book a space at one of these. You can also book an on-site demo by contacting the eDynamix team via the details at the top of the previous page.

WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

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FOCUS ON

AUTOLOGIC

BMW PROGRAMMING – THE AUTOLOGIC WAY AUTOLOGIC

W: AUTOLOGIC.COM T: 01865 870 060

“

Speed and efficiency differentiate our approach; it takes a customer around 15 minutes to receive a file back.

BRIAN CHAFFE AUTOLOGIC is changing the game in aftermarket diagnostics. By combining dealer-trained technician expertise with comprehensive technology, Autologic goes beyond the diagnosis stage right through to fixing the car.

Autologic’s head of BMW, Brian Chaffe, is a keen advocate of Autologic’s Module Replacement, Programming and Configuration software.

With the ability to programme individual control units, it is a major tool for any workshop. It allows the user to recognise if an ECU has been replaced, or whether there is faulty or incorrect software. Much like a parts catalogue, it can be used to check if the correct parts are fitted to the car.

Brian explains what makes Autologic’s software unique: ‘We allow selective programming, so our customers can choose to programme or code a single control module.

‘Speed and efficiency also differentiate our approach; it takes a customer around 15 minutes to receive a file back, as

we have the ability to send the files directly to the Blue Box or AssistPlus Pro device.’

Brian continues: ‘We record all programming and coding capability. This allows our software engineers to fix any programming and coding issues they encounter in a realistic timeframe to meet the needs of our customers.’

Brian shares his top tip: ‘Before programming BMW vehicles, connect a suitable battery support unit and select the correct setting. If the vehicle is an E or F-series BMW and is equipped with Efficient Dynamics, the battery charge mode

should be used. Set the charge mode to a maximum of 14.8 volts and the current to 20 Amp/H higher than the Amp/H rating of the battery. If the E series vehicle is not equipped with Efficient Dynamics, the FSV or power supply mode must be selected, with a maximum voltage of 14.2 volts.’

Since launching in 2006, Autologic has supported more than 150,000 cars with programming and coding functionality and the priority now is to develop new ways to streamline the entire process.

‘We’re developing a faster procedure whereby the programming file can be integrated into the software,’ says Brian. This will speed up the current process even further.

Additional updates will be added to further enhance the BMW software coding and programming capability.

‘In the very near future, we’re adding all F series models to our software with G and I series models to follow shortly after,’ Brian concluded. Visit autologic.com or call 01865 870 060 for more information.

BRIAN CHAFFE, HEAD OF BMW AT AUTOLOGIC DIAGNOSTICS LTD BRIAN CHAFFE has more than 35 years’ experience with BMW. Starting as an electrical technician, he trained to become a fully-qualified technician, eventually ending his time at BMW as one of their senior technicians.

Autologic welcomed Brian 17 years ago as a diagnostic salesman. With his wealth of

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technical knowledge, he quickly progressed to join the training department, and then onto the technical support team, providing the expertise Autologic is renowned for.

Brian also shared some of his knowledge and expertise with US Autologic customers during a two-year secondment to Florida.

Finally, Brian secured his current role as

head of BMW, where he continues to use his skills to develop Autologic BMW software.

‘The best part of my role is working with people who are professional in the jobs they do,’ Brian, pictured right, said.

‘I work closely with our engineering lead, Andrew Taylor. He has helped me a lot through the years.’

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WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

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OUR FLEET.

James’s car was left looking spotless after valeter Ted Welford gave it a thorough going-over

Ford Fiesta XR2 Workshop Magazine apprentice and accomplished valeter Ted works his magic to get E721 WTU looking its best for the summer

W

ith the mighty Fiesta back in my hands after its sabbatical away with Matt The Mechanic, I thought it was only right to treat it to some TLC. Now as much as I like cleaning cars, sometimes I just can’t be bothered, so I enlisted the help of our resident car cleaning guru, Ted Welford.

Young Ted is just 19 – born some 12 years after the XR2 first turned a wheel in anger – so not only was this a cleaning job, but a lesson in automotive history too. Ted’s an apprentice here at Workshop HQ, but at weekends he likes to get out the contents of his car-cleaning cupboard and tackle the filthiest of cars ‘for fun’.

The XR2 had collected quite a bit of grime during its travels, so he was going to have his work cut out – not to mention be faced with the delicate issue of trying not to flake the paint off.

‘It isn’t by any means perfect,’ said Ted, in his trademark diplomatic style. ‘All those years of original paint have aged and ideally it needs sanding to get it perfect again.’

He also pointed out the blemishes on the

Model: Ford Fiesta XR2 Owned by: James Baggott Engine: 1.6-litre, petrol Bought for: £1,200 Mileage: 92,134 Money spent this month: £50 on a proper clean.

Highlight of the month: Seeing the car absolutely gleaming after Ted’s efforts. paintwork – some would call them freckles, others warts – but all I know is they litter the tailgate, bonnet and bottoms of the side panels.

‘There are odd rust bubbles and patches that need work,’ he said, by ‘odd’, obviously meaning ‘huge amounts of’.

‘On the whole, it’s impressive for a car of that age. In an ideal world, it could do with a respray as it’s an iconic car that is increasing in value.’

Thanks Ted, major apprentice points for making that final point.

And he’s right, the little XR2 is certainly rapidly ascending in price and it’s probably about time I spent some cash on it.

Ted was also quite shocked at just how much

plastic trim the Ford sports. I tried to point out that this was what made it so iconic – those side skirts and all-round spoiler the epitomes of Eighties cool – but he just saw it as more work.

‘Half the car seems to be plastic,’ he moaned.

Unfortunately not, I pointed out, otherwise it might have a little less rust…

‘Old cars always represent a challenge as they’re a lot more delicate than new cars,’ added Ted. ‘You’ve always got to triple check there’s no water left anywhere as everyone knows old cars and water don’t mix well!’

Good point, well made by the northern one.

Suffice to say, Ted did a superb job. The many different shades of red on the panels now seem to have some uniformity to them and it’s been left absolutely gleaming.

Naturally, to celebrate, I’ve put it back in the garage to gather some more dust at least until the weather turns, but I certainly plan to use it a little more this year now it’s actually back in my possession – and has a shine to show off.

Just try to ignore the rust patches if you happen to see me driving around in it.

OUR WHEELS...

WE LOVE CARS AT WORKSHOP AND HERE’S THE PROOF. WE’VE WRITTEN ABOUT THEM AND EVERYTHING...

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AUDI A2

FORD FIESTA XR2

SUZUKI SWIFT SPORT

FORD THUNDERBIRD

by Tom Wiltshire Staff writer, @mctreckmeister

by James Baggott Chief executive, @CarDealerEd

by Ryan Hirons Staff writer, @RyHirons

by Rebecca Chaplin Head of editorial, @believebecca

Tom’s A2 has been fully valeted and the online classified ads are now live, but at the time of writing nobody had made a decent offer.

As you can see above, James’s 80s hot hatch is looking good thanks to the efforts of young Ted, Workshop apprentice and expert valeter.

Ryan’s been thinking of giving Taylor a bit of a facelift but budgetary constraints have prevented him doing so yet.

Work is continuing on the T-Bird at Hard Up Garage in Fareham, Hampshire, and Becca hopes to be behind the wheel fairly soon.

Subaru Legacy GT-B

Suzuki Swift Sport

With a set of winter tyres, HS02 WSB makes light work of treacherous roads

Ryan has felt a desire to modify Taylor – but he’s managed to shake it off so far

I

t might have taken over a year, but I’ve finally had the chance to chuck on the set of Avon WV7 winter tyres that’ve been sitting patiently in the Workshop Mag Luxury LockUp – and what a month to test them out.

I’m new to this winter tyre thing – and to be honest I’ve always assumed four-wheel-drive and summer rubber is probably enough for a British winter – but the difference they seem to make is staggering. Tasked with shooting some ‘driving in snow’ footage for one of Workshop’s sister titles, cameraman Zaak and I decided to go against the advice of the Michael Fishes of this world and set off in search of some fresh snow.

As it turns out, the Beast From The East is no match for The Beast From The (Far) East: the Legacy took it all in its stride, unsurprisingly enough. On the country lanes we chose to shoot some video, everything almost looked too easy.

Without resulting to Subaru cliches, it almost felt like a rally car – albeit an estate-shaped one with a four-speed auto…

It was only the sight of rear-wheel-drive Sprinters and Transits struggling to stay in a straight line, let alone get up a slight incline, that gave away just how slippery the roads really were.

With the snow now gone (for a bit), they don’t feel any different in normal conditions to summer tyres either. It does make you wonder whether, if everyone chucked a set of winters on come December, we’d panic about snow quite as much as we do…

Model: Subaru Legacy GT-B Blitzen Owned by: Jon Reay Engine: 2.0-litre twin-turbo petrol Bought for: $460 + shipping + tax (£2,300-ish total) Mileage: 86,044 Money spent this month: £0 Highlight of the month: Using wonderful winter tyres!

SUBARU LEGACY GT-B

C

ar modification can become a slippery and highly addictive slope.

One moment you can be looking at upgrading the stereo system, and the next thing you know, a full turbocharger kit has been strapped to your little hatchback’s engine.

The temptation to tweak the Swift has become strong this month, although the fear of starting a perilous journey along the road to bankruptcy has just about been great enough to prevent me from doing anything – so far.

I’ve been looking into ways to increase the power output without changing any major components of the 1.6-litre M16A unit which currently produces around 125bhp. The easiest, and definitely the cheapest, option would seem to be to upgrade the standard paper air filter to a performance-focused replacement — but even this has led to me searching for a full induction kit, with prices heading into triple digits for very little gain down this route.

I’m also craving a little bit more volume from the car. Sure, it’s already a throaty little thing but I can’t help but feel an aftermarket exhaust system would give it the vocal cords it deserves.

For this though, prices can easily reach several hundred pounds, meaning rent sadly has to come first — as tempting as living in the car does sound.

One thing I can say for certain is that no

BMW 330d TOURING

MG METRO TURBO

major visual changes will ever be made to Taylor under my ownership.

A few searches on Instagram have led me to a sea of Japanese owners making their examples look bonkers and admittedly quite cool with wild body kits and big wings, but there’s a charm about the factory-fresh look that I never want to take away.

Potential modifications aside, the Swift is running just as well as the day I bought it.

We had a few battery-related hiccups over the winter, but they seem to have gone, with no more reluctant starts since the weather has begun to brighten up.

I’m heading to the press launch of the allnew version of the Swift Sport soon, and I’m planning to head up in Taylor to get a back-toback comparison. A lot of my car’s appeal comes from its naturally aspirated, free-revving engine, so I’m intrigued to see if the same effect can be achieved with the new 1.4-litre turbocharged unit. My fingers are crossed.

Model: Suzuki Swift Sport Owned by: Ryan Hirons Engine: 1.6-litre petrol Bought for: £3,995 Mileage: 32,344 Money spent this month: £0 Highlight of the month: Considering possibilities...

NISSAN 200SX

PEUGEOT 205 GTi

by Jon Reay Multimedia manager, @JonReay

by Jack Evans Features editor, @jackrober

by Christian Tilbury Staff writer, @Christilbury1

by Darren Cassey Senior staff writer, @DCassey

by James Baggott Chief executive, @CarDealerEd

Jon has been making good use of the Subaru’s four-wheel-drive and a set of winter tyres in the unseasonably cold weather.

Belfort has mostly been resting in the office car park. He did, however, perform a few rear-wheel-drive pirouettes in the recent snow.

Christian’s waiting for warmer weather to coax the Metro into life.

First, he’ll have to do something about the flat tyres and battery.

The S13 is out of hibernation! A new fuel filter has been fitted but the engine hesitation remains. Next up is the injectors.

Another quiet month for James’s other 80s hot hatch – it might be feeling rather neglected in view of the TLC lavished on his XR2 lately...

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OUR KEV.

OUR MAN ON THE INSIDE HAS HIS SAY ON THE GARAGE BUSINESS...

Bonkers new rule shouldn’t be exploited to make money I ’ve already touched on the changes that are imminent to the MOT test in this column, but it seems that one of my biggest concerns is already coming to fruition.

Under the new test criteria, which come into force on May 20, a car will instantly fail the MOT if the engine management light is illuminated. This, in my view, is utterly bonkers.

Yes, of course an EML shouldn’t be ignored – it’s your car’s own on-board diagnostic system telling you that something isn’t right. But in the vast majority of cases, if the light comes on and stays on, is orange rather than red, and doesn’t flash, then chances are the fault with your car is a minor one – a misread signal to the ECU detecting that the engine is over- or under-fuelling, or a reading from the crank or temperature sensor that’s outside of the electronic brain’s comfort zone.

In no way does this mean your car is unsafe to drive, which is what the MOT test is supposed to determine.

Usually, a quick read of the fault codes via a hand-held OBD reader (for EMLs only, these can be bought very cheaply indeed) will tell you what fault codes are stored and what they mean.

Often, simply cleaning up the sensors is enough to put things right. Quite often, simply clearing the code fixes things – all it takes is one erroneous reading to switch the EML on, and that can come from something as simple as a dirty plug, or even the engine running too rich or lean based on atmospheric conditions. It could be that there’s absolutely nothing wrong with your car.

I’m not saying we should all go around with our warning lights illuminated, I hasten to add. If it comes on, get it checked out. Most independent garages will do this for you very cheaply. For my best customers, I don’t even charge.

It takes two minutes, and if there is an underlying fault I know I’ll get their business when it comes to repairing the car, so I see it as a service I’m happy to provide to keep my paying customers happy.

But there are other unscrupulous outlets out there who see this change to the MOT rules as a pure and simple profit opportunity. A couple of the high street chains are already offering a ‘full diagnostic check’ for £25, citing the new MOT rules as a need to get this ‘essential check’ carried out. Technically, they’re right.

But at £25 for two minutes’ work, they’re on almost the same hourly rate as a premiership footballer, and I don’t think that’s right.

Sure, it’s a way of maximising profit, but when you consider that the vast majority of motorists have no

mechanical knowledge or interest in cars, what you’re essentially doing is preying on their lack of knowledge.

Finding and fixing a fault is what you should be charging them for, not using a hand-held gadget to read the codes off the ECU. In addition, I’ve heard a few unpleasant rumours circulating that certain garages or fast-fit centres are using the EML rule as an excuse to create extra revenue.

It’s reasonable to expect that an illuminated EML could mean you have a dodgy sensor, grubby spark plugs or a failing coil pack, but because most motorists have no idea how much (or little) work is required to replace these items, they’re using it as an excuse to charge extortionate amounts.

I won’t name the brand or the dealer, but a neighbour of mine was quoted £420 (£105 each) for parts and £240 labour to replace the coil packs on her compact hatchback.

That’s £660 plus VAT for a job that would take my apprentice less than an hour, using parts that – even if you insist on original ones – would be less than £30 per plug.

In the end, we did the job for her – £150 all in, including OEM-spec pattern coil packs and a new set of plugs while we were in there. And I still made money on the job.

Don’t get me wrong. I know that we all need to charge properly for our knowledge and labour, and it’s perfectly reasonable to add a small service surcharge on parts, as we have to make the phone call to order them, check they’re right and have to offer a standard guarantee, meaning that if a supplied part is faulty, it’s our duty to replace it, which can sometimes be labour-intensive.

But using a new MOT rule as an advertising gimmick to prey on customers who have no mechanical knowledge is unethical. Put it this way – we all have our skill sets, and there are people who do jobs I have no knowledge of, the same way they have no idea of how their car works.

I couldn’t be a nurse, for example, but I’d like them all to be able to get to work and continue to provide the amazing service they do without being fleeced by a greedy fast-fit centre or main dealer.

WHO IS OUR KEV? If we told you, we’d have to kill you... What we can say is he’s been around for longer than he cares to remember so certainly knows his stuff...

50 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

”

I’ve heard a few unpleasant rumours circulating that certain garages or fast-fit centres are using the EML rule as an excuse to create extra revenue . . .

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W: garageguide.theaa.com/workshopmag T: 0808 278 6607 E: sales@garageguide.theaa.com Info: Join our 500 garages already benefiting from our Certified Programme through an enhanced listing on the Garage Guide, referrals from our Patrols and BRC work.

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W: gemco.co.uk T: 01604 828500 E: sales@gemco.co.uk Info: GEMCO is the UK market leader and your one-stop shop for the supply, delivery, installation, training, calibration and maintenance of garage equipment. With the largest comprehensive range of equipment brands available for both car and commercial vehicle workshops, GEMCO provides top-quality garage equipment products and services to car and commercial vehicle workshops.

W: dragon2000.co.uk T: 01327 222 333 E: sales@dragon2000.co.uk Info: Dragon2000 supplies garages and car dealers with a multiaward winning Dealer Management System, time and efficiency monitoring and integrated websites for online service bookings.

Includes free APPraise mobile app for all users – for sending personalised VHC images & videos to customers’ phones to help increase upsold work and customer trust.

W: febi.com T: 01977 691100 E: enquiries@febiuk.co.uk Info: As part of the Bilstein Group, Febi Bilstein supplies a range of more than 25,000 different articles for all popular European vehicle models. From steering and suspension to rubber, metal and electrical, Febi Bilstein provides OE-matching quality components with first-time fitment and long service life. For quality, choose Febi Bilstein.

W: nebulasystems.com T: 01280 816333 E: sales@nebulasystems.com Info: Nebula Systems specialises in the development of advanced technologies for the automotive and future mobility industries. We make vehicle data and systems more accessible so that a vehicle’s health, status and utilisation can be monitored, analysed, diagnosed and maintained, faster and more effectively, anytime and anywhere.

W: pro-align.co.uk T: 01327 323007 E: enquiries@pro-align.co.uk Info: Dedicated wheel alignment specialists, supplying, supporting and servicing the world-leading Hunter brand nationwide: Hunter aligners – Fast, accurate, reliable, unlocking business opportunities, delivering major income stream and rapid ROI Road Force balancer – A new service very few workshops deliver Tyre changers – Easy service perfection

W: lawgistics.co.uk T: 01480 445500 E: sales@lawgistics.co.uk Info: The motor trade’s leading legal firm, giving help and advice to our members and the industry in general. Passionate about fairness under the law. Our legal team are there to protect your interests. Not anti consumer, just pro trader. Don’t miss our advice, which is published every month in Workshop Magazine. See pages 30 and 31 for The Judge’s contribution to this month’s issue.

W: progressrecruitment.co.uk T: 01603 717187 E: info@progressrecruitment.co.uk Info: Progress Recruitment Solutions provide specialist recruitment services for all automotive roles across the UK. Their experienced team will work with you to find the right candidate and offer a bespoke service tailored to meet the individual requirements of your business.

W: edynamix.com T: 0845 413 0000 E: enquiries@edynamix.com Info: eDynamix offers web-based applications providing a connected and simple-to-use platform in which dealers can manage a customer throughout the service lifecycle, including service plans, electronic vehicle health check, repair and finance plans, proactive follow-up, online bookings, MOT cleanse, VIDEO1st, aftersales surveys, and automated confirmations and reminders.

W: buttsequipment.com T: 01302 710868 E: info@buttsequipment.com Info: Butts of Bawtry is literally a ONE STOP SHOP for the garage or workshop. Offering a comprehensive range of Quality Garage Equipment from leading manufacturers, backed up by our team of trained and certified service and repair engineers. From a trolley jack to a complete workshop installation, Butts have the answer.

W: straightset.co.uk T: 01909 480055 E: paul.bates@straightset.co.uk Info: Straightset is the UK’s leading independent garage equipment company, providing best-in-class design, supply, installation and service of car and commercial workshops for nearly 30 years. We carry a vast range of quality equipment carefully sourced from top manufacturers within the EU and US and offer one of the most comprehensive aftersales services in the market.

W: blue-print.co.uk T: 01622 833007 E: adl-blueprint.bpic@bilsteingroup.com Info: As part of the Bilstein Group, Blue Print supplies OEmatching quality vehicle components, with strong Asian and American coverage. With more than 23,000 different parts in its range, from braking and clutch components to filtration, Blue Print covers a huge portion of the vehicle parc. Want to get it right first time? Think Blue Print.

W: IndependentGarageAssociation.co.uk T: 0845 305 4230 E: enquiries@rmif.co.uk Info: The Independent Garage Association is the largest and most prominent representative body in the independent garage sector. We are the voice of the industry in matters arising in UK and EU Government, and we help independent garages to thrive in all aspects of their business by offering advice, information and services.

TO HAVE YOUR DETAILS INCLUDED HERE CALL 023 9252 2434 AND ASK FOR WORKSHOP SUPPLIERS GUIDE LISTINGS WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

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