Service Station & Garage Management November 2010

Service Station & Garage Management .COM

SSGM READ BY AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR SHOP OWNERS AND TECHNICIANS SINCE 1955

NOVEMBER 2010

Where Are They Now:

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WESTERN CANADA (800) 644-9129 EASTERN CANADA (800) 463-8749 USA (800) 888-9982 ext.5470

November 2010

Vol. 40 No. 10

what’s inside

EDITOR Tom Venetis (416) 510-6790 tom@ssgm.com TECHNICAL EDITOR Jim Anderton jim@ssgm.com PUBLISHER Marc Gadbois (416) 510-6776 marc@ssgm.com SALES MANAGER Jay Armstrong (416) 510-6745 ACCOUNT MANAGER Jim Petsis (416) 510-6842 CIRCULATION MANAGER Selina Rahaman (416) 442-5600 ext 3528 srahaman@bizinfogroup.ca SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES Roshni Thava (416) 442-5600 ext 3555 ART DIRECTOR Ron Taylor PRODUCTION MANAGER Steve Hofmann (416) 510-6757

See Page 14

PRINT PRODUCTION MANAGER Phyllis Wright

See Page 18

VICE PRESIDENT CANADIAN PUBLISHING Alex Papanou PRESIDENT BUSINESS INFORMATION GROUP Bruce Creighton

The Complete Brake Job Doing it right will have customers coming back to your shop. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Where Are They Now?

AWARD-WINNING MAGAZINE

SSGM celebrates 10 years of Garage of the Year by looking back at its award recipients. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Growing Your Sales Phil Sasso looks at how to improve customer satisfaction to grow your business. . . . . . . . 26

CAT Technical Editor Jim Anderton explains why you should not use torque too much. . . . . . . 30

Departments Editorial. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Jim’s Rant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Baywatch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Internet Directory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Advertiser Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

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|| Tom’s Editorial

EV technology slowly, very slowly making headway E

By Tom Venetis, Editor

If people believe the vehicle will give out and leave them stranded on the side of the road after a trip to the dentist, picking up the kids from soccer practice and running a few errands, the environmental credentials of an EV wear thin very quickly.

People believe they are getting something of a lesser vehicle with EV technology and they are not willing to pay extra for it.

6 SSGM November 2010

lectric Vehicles (EVs) are slowly making their way into the market, very slowly. While hybrid vehicles like the popular Prius have been gaining mainstream acceptance, full EV vehicles are only now appearing in anything resembling a consumer-oriented vehicle. I won’t bother to go into the controversy surrounding the Volt, if it is a true electric vehicle or as some claim a much-improve hybrid.

My colleague David Booth, writing in the National Post, has an insightful piece about this debate, delving into the complicated engineering around the vehicle’s engine system and the rather poor public relations promoting the Volt, which has unfortunately muddied the waters around what is, in fact, a very good vehicle by all accounts.

Regardless of the technology, electrified vehicles have a long way to go before they get anywhere near the acceptance of existing hybrid technologies. There are several reasons for this. While the technology for all-electric vehicles exist, many people are not right now willing to pay for it. James B. Treece at Automotive News pointed to a Nielsen survey. It found a majority of Americans are interested in buying an electric vehicle, but with one caveat -- sixty-five per cent of those said they would not pay more for such a vehicle. There was even a little twist.

Amongst those interviewed who said they would pay more for an electric vehicle, the amount they would willing spend was only about US$5,000 more than an equivalent gasoline vehicle.

The problem lies in the perception that these vehicles have a limited range. If people believe the vehicle will give out and leave them stranded on the side of the road after a trip to the dentist, picking up the kids from soccer practice and running a few errands, the environmental credentials of an EV wear thin very quickly.

People believe they are getting something of a lesser vehicle with EV technology and they are not willing to pay extra for it; and certainly not the same that they would for a standard gasoline vehicle.

None of this is surprising. But I believe something is missing. What will drive this electric vehicle technology forward or cause it to fail is not the technology itself; or even the cost of that technology. It is something much simpler: the price of oil. As long as North American gasoline prices remain relatively stable and the cost of oil per barrel does not go significantly over $100 and stay there, then there will never be an incentive for people to buy this technology. And even if the cost of a barrel of oil does go over $100 and gasoline prices increase, if those increases happen gradually people actually become accustomed to the higher prices.

When gasoline in major metropolitan areas went to $1 a litre a few years ago, it was shocking; howls of outrage echoed for days. Now, a dollar or more per litre is considered normal; anything less is greeted with the bemused smile of someone remembering a time when chocolate bars were 25 cents.

To prove my point, one only has to look at the history of compact, fuel-efficient vehicles in the United States. When the OPEC crisis hit in the 1970s and people stood in long lines to buy gasoline, the market for gas-saving cars grew dramatically. In the 1980s and 1990s when gasoline became cheap, what were the popular vehicles? The gas-guzzling SUV and the military-style Hummer.

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|| News Briefs Oshawa Assembly Plant Adds 600 Jobs to Meet Strong Customer Demand for the Chevrolet Equinox

In order to meet customer demand, Chevrolet Equinox production will increase yet again with over 600 employees beginning work on a third shift at the Oshawa Assembly Plant.

Just weeks after the start of regular production for Equinox in Oshawa, the third shift marks the final stage of the previously announced suite of capacity increases for the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain, two of North America’s fastest-selling vehicles.

“In one-third of the time it would normally take, our teams at Oshawa and CAMI have quickly implemented innovative solutions to satisfy incredible customer demand for these popular vehicles,” said Kevin Williams, president and managing director of General Motors of Canada. “The successful implementation of these unique capacity increases reflects the new agility and customer focus that drives every business decision we make.”

In keeping with the longstanding reputation for quality and productivity that the award-winning Oshawa Assembly Plant has earned, a portion of the new shift will overlap the preceding shift for the next two weeks.

This will ensure that best practices are passed on during third shift ramp-up, leading to the highest-possible quality of vehicle builds.

Sales for the Equinox have increased over 72 per cent in Canada and over 77 per cent in the U.S., where more than 85 per cent of production is exported.

Mitchell 1 Introduces Manager and ManagerPlus v6.4

Mitchell 1 has introduced the Manager and ManagerPlus v6.4 — the next generation of the company’s popular shop management software. Manager is a new technology platform which improves upon Mitchell 1’s existing industry-standard Manager v5 software.

“Mitchell 1’s Manager and ManagerPlus offer an integrated approach to automotive shop productivity to help shops project a professional image, 8 SSGM November 2010

increase car count, increase revenue per RO, improve communications within the shop and maintain profitability,” said Anton Jagers, product manager for Mitchell 1.

Highlights of new capabilities provided by Mitchell 1 Manager v6.4: now compatible with 64-bit editions of Microsoft Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP; Microsoft SQL based database provides enhanced stability and wireless capability; eleven new online parts ordering catalogs are available for Manager SE v6.4 — this is in addition to the industry leading number of electronic catalogs already accessible through Manager v5. More are being added regularly; easily integrates with new electronic parts catalogs as they become available. Additional electronic catalogs are instantly recognized by Manager SE v6.4 when loaded and are ready for integrated high-speed online ordering from within the management system.

Also included is VIN decoding through CARFAX makes it easier to identify the vehicle’s configuration and helps make sure the correct parts are ordered from the supplier; modernized screen grids make it easy to find data faster. Grids can be easily searched, sorted, and rearranged. Individual cells can be easily edited on the fly directly on the grid; a customized color shop logo can be included on Estimates, Repair Orders, and Invoices; and an integrated emailing function makes it quick and easy to email Estimates, Repair Orders, and Invoices to vehicle owners.

iATN Knowledge Base Exceeds Three Million Records

The International Automotive Technicians’ Network (iATN), www.iatn.net, recently exceeded three million records in its Knowledge Base, a collection of automotive repair databases that contains real world technical information generated by iATN members.

“The content in the Knowledge Base spans approximately 15 years and is based on the actual repair experiences and discussions of iATN members working on vehicles in the shop,” said Brent Black, iATN founder. “This

real world information makes the Knowledge Base a unique and essential resource for automotive service professionals.” The Knowledge Base contains the FIX Database, which includes help requests, replies, and fixes to thousands of vehicle problems submitted by iATN members; Web Forum Archives with previous discussions from iATN’s more than 20 forums covering topics on shop management, tools and equipment, technical theory and technical tips; and the Waveform Library with its waveforms, vehicle specific test data from scan tools and other instruments, photos, videos and technical documents.

The Knowledge Base is searchable by many search criteria, including make, model, vehicle year, system, VIN, symptoms or keywords. In addition, relational information features are being added to several areas of iATN, including the recently introduced Related Documents & Media feature that searches all of iATN for other fixes, forum posts and files tied to related vehicles based on engine package. iATN has more than 72,000 active members from 154 countries, and these members collectively share approximately 1.6 million years of experience.

Sales of Higher-priced Brake Pads Poised to Drive Growth in the North American Friction

Research and Markets announced the addition of Frost & Sullivan’s new report “North American Brakes Aftermarket: Friction Parts” to their offering.

This service analyzes brake pads and brake shoes in the automotive aftermarket in the United States and Canada. It includes unit shipment and revenue forecasts, pricing analyses, distribution channel analyses, market share analyses, industry challenges, and market drivers and restraints. The base year is 2009. Forecasts are provided from 2010-2016, and historical data is provided for 2006-2008. Within brake pads, the market is further segmented into Good, Better and Best product lines, and by material type into semimetallic and ceramic/NAO. There are two companion services connected to this research. They are North Ameriwww.ssgm.com

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|| News Briefs can Brakes Aftermarket: Rotors and Drums and North American Brakes Aftermarket: Calipers and Hydraulic Components.

The North American friction parts aftermarket, which includes brake pads and brake shoes, generated manufacturer-level revenues of US$1,383.2 million in 2009. Increasing vehicle age, which puts more cars and trucks in the prime replacement period for brake components, and newer vehicle applications that require more expensive parts will drive future growth. Friction parts will generate steady growth for manufacturers and distributors in the aftermarket, with demand for premium pads and shoes growing at the expense of low-priced products.

As production has shifted away from North America, an increasing number of distributors, installers, and vehicle owners are willing to pay for higher product quality, better warranty terms, and reliable customer service rather than for a low-priced replacement part.

Once regarded as a high-performance upgrade, manufacturers now position their best lines as the new industry standard, notes the analyst of this research service.

Companies that compete mainly on the basis of price leadership have lost market share over the past two years, even in a poor economic environment.

In response to the markets current quality focus, suppliers must carefully align the pricing of their good, better and best line-up to support the value of their premium offerings.

Strong private-label competition from leading distributors threatens the brand value of traditional manufacturers.

Most retail and wholesale customers promote their own in-house brands at the expense of traditional suppliers, which have invested large sums to build brand loyalty. This trend diminishes the power of manufacturers to enhance their value, since the company name is no longer on the product.

Private-label brands such as NAPA, Carquest, Duralast, and Brake Best account for about half of friction parts sales in the aftermarket. That hurts 10 SSGM November 2010

traditional aftermarket brands such as Raybestos, Bendix, and Wagner, and forces manufacturers to compete with their own distributors.

Manufacturers must be prepared to position and defend the value of their brands against low-priced alternatives.

They should focus on superior product quality and customer service so that distributors, installers, and vehicle owners will pay more for a recognized brand. Suppliers still cannot afford to overlook the opportunities in private labeling.

However, the profit margins are lower in this market segment. Manufacturers are unlikely to survive over the medium to long term if their customers are not willing to carry the company’s own brand, which allows it to recover the cost of developing, testing, marketing, and supporting its products.

To drive growth, the aftermarket should identify and attract customers that have deferred the purchase of a new vehicle or maintenance of their existing car or truck because of the current economic recession, says the analyst.

Suppliers must also be able to demonstrate that their products will reduce service comebacks and drive repeat business. The best market entry strategy for manufacturers is to become a second- or third-line offering to warehouse distributors (WDs), carrying leading brands such as Wagner, Raybestos, and Bendix that serve area installers/technicians.

SPX selected by Chevrolet as home charging installation partner for new Volt

SPX Corporation announced that its SPX Service Solutions business unit has been selected by Chevrolet to serve as the exclusive provider of turnkey electric vehicle home charging installation services to owners of the new Chevrolet Volt.

SPX Service Solutions will offer Volt owners, Chevrolet dealers and fleet customers with a one-stop shopping solution to purchase and install the proper equipment to charge their plug-in electric vehicle. As the exclusive provider, the SPX electric vehicle

team will manage all aspects of home charging, including home surveys, 240V charge stations which will charge the Volt in approximately four hours, installations, permitting, utility coordination and post installation services as well as advising customers of special programs and incentives.

“SPX is proud to be Chevrolet’s national partner in supporting the launch of the Chevrolet Volt, positioned to leverage our nearly 100 years of automotive industry experience to provide Volt owners with a streamlined program for installing their home charging equipment,” said SPX chairman, president and CEO Christopher J. Kearney. “Electric vehicles are one of the most exciting breakthroughs of our time, and our involvement in this area of technological innovation and sustainability is consistent with our business focus and mission as an organization. SPX Service Solutions’ dedicated electric vehicle team has worked closely with Chevrolet to ensure the successful deployment and rollout of the revolutionary new Volt.”

“Charging at home is a great benefit of driving an electric vehicle, as it’s more convenient and costs less than stopping at the corner gas station,” said Tony DiSalle, Volt marketing director.

“By offering a dedicated customerservice team and working with SPX as our national partner for home and business charging solutions, Chevrolet will make it as convenient as possible for Volt customers to charge at home.

“Having already successfully completed consumer home charger trials in support of Chevrolet’s field-testing of the Volt, we’ve demonstrated that we have the experience and infrastructure in place to coordinate and complete home charger installations from start to finish,” said Tanvir Arfi, president of SPX Service Solutions.

“In addition, our knowledgeable customer service team is ready to help Volt owners upgrade to a dedicated 120-volt home charging outlet or install a 240volt charge station, and advise them on what steps they may need to take in order to qualify for reduced rates from their electric utility.” www.ssgm.com

|| News Briefs ASRW Industry Forum Proves Successful, Well Attended

Several hundred attendees engaged in lively discussion with leaders across the automotive industry in the new ASRW Industry Forum, held in conjunction with Automotive Service & Repair Week (ASRW). The forum concluded the first day of education at ASRW 2010, which included the International Autobody Congress and Exposition (NACE) and the Congress of Automotive Repair and Service (CARS) held Oct. 10-13 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.

The ASRW Industry Forum featured two concurrent 45-minute sessions: “Aftermarket Parts Quality: What’s In the Box” for the mechanical industry and “Certified Collision Repair — An Industry Perspective” for collision repair professionals; followed by a 30-minute networking break.

Two additional concurrent sessions followed: “Service Information Access: Right or Responsibility?” for the mechanical industry and “Diversity in the Shop: How to Work with People Not Like You” for the collision industry (moderated by Opening General Session keynote speaker Kelly McDonald).

The forum concluded with an hourlong reception mixer.

“We couldn’t be happier with the attendance, participation and response to this new event. It was the perfect start to a great week, and we appreciate everyone — the panelists, the sponsors and the attendees — who made this event a success,” said Ron Pyle, ASA president and chief staff executive.

Each moderated session featured panelists representing cross-sections of the automotive service and repair industry.

Panelists included shop owners, association leaders, insurance professionals and a variety of leaders from industry organizations. Participants were encouraged to ask questions throughout the presentation and for the first time were introduced to posing questions to the panels via new event texting technology.

The ASRW Industry Forum was sponsored by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), 12 SSGM November 2010

the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF), the Women’s Industry Network (WIN), the National Auto Body Council (NABC), the Automotive Management Institute (AMI) and the I-CAR Education Foundation.

Bosch announces new VP, GM of Automotive Aftermarket in Canada, affiliation with All Tools Canada

Bosch Canada announced the appointment of Niall Davidson as vice-resident & general manager, Automotive Aftermarket Division Canada (AA/SCA).

In this role Niall will be responsible for the overall management of Bosch Canada’s Aftermarket division. Niall joins Bosch with over 25 years experience in the Automotive Aftermarket industry. His background includes managing equipment and tool businesses in the United States, Asia/Pacific, Latin America, and in Canada.

In other Bosch news, Robert Bosch Inc. announced it’s affiliation with All Tools Canada as its Master Distributor for Ontario. The team from All Tools Canada brings a vast array of knowledge and experience to the Bosch Diagnostics group. They offer full product support and warehousing from the Vaughan facility. Product orders should be directed to their customer service group, who fully support all existing Bosch WD networks.

Toyota, Lexus Canada to bring more than a dozen new, refreshed vehicles to Canada in the New Year

Toyota Canada Inc. announced it will offer Canadians more than a dozen new or significantly refreshed Toyota and Lexus models in the coming year.

The first of these vehicles to be released include the 2011 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid and the refreshed 2011 Lexus IS series.

The 2011 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid feature updated styling and performance upgrades and new competitive pricing. The 2011 Highlander’s MSRP starts at $31,500 — a $1,750 reduction from 2010 models. What’s more, the vehicle now

comes equipped with more standard features.

Toyota Canada also announced a Touring Extra Value Package for 2011 RAV4. This adds a power moonroof, unique wheels, an upgraded stereo with steering wheel-mounted audio controls, XM Satellite Radio capability and sixdisc CD changer, premium cloth seats, and more — options valued at almost $3,000 but priced at only $1,765..

Lexus Canada is also bringing new products and pricing to market for the 2011 model year. All IS series sedans have been refreshed for the 2011 model year with new styling, additional features and a reduced MSRP by an overall 6.5 per cent. The recently launched Lexus IS 350 AWD luxury sport sedan, new for the 2011 model year and starting at an MSRP of just $44,950, joins six other models in the IS family.

Ford Motor Co. Posts Profit, Accelerates Plans To Cut Debt: Reuters

Ford Motor Co. posted a higher-thanexpected quarterly profit and accelerated plans to cut debt and borrowing costs to bring the automaker closer to an investment-grade credit rating.

Ford, which expects to be solidly profitable in 2010, said it repaid US$2 billion of debt in the third quarter, expects to pay off a debt to a union retiree healthcare trust fund and has launched an offer to encourage holders of two issues of its convertible notes to exchange them for shares, in an effort to further reduce its debt.

Ford shares were up 1.8 per cent in trading after the release of the earnings results and debt-reduction plans.

The automaker said it now expects cash on hand in its automotive business to at least match its debt by the end of 2010, a year ahead of a forecast it gave in July.

“Overall, we are moving from fixing the fundamentals of our business and weathering the downturn to growing the business profitably around the world,” said Alan Mulally, who became Ford chief executive officer four years ago.

SSGM

www.ssgm.com

|| Brake Report

Doing a

Complete Brake Job Customers will remember the efforts you made in doing a complete job and will reward you with on-going business

14 SSGM November 2010

By Tom Venetis, Editor

B

rake work is one of the most common of shop jobs, a sure-fire revenue and profit earner. The classic and tried-and-true sales pitch is the ‘complete’ brake job: you tell your customer that when they come in for brake work, you will do a complete and expert job that will let them leave safely from the shop and satisfied with the work.

But what is a complete brake job?

www.ssgm.com

Brake Report || Start by listening

Pierre Lalonde, bilingual technical support specialist with Affinia Canada said the first thing is to have the service writer or attending technician have a chat with the vehicle owner.

Listen to their complaints and even take the vehicle out on the road with the owner.

This will give the technician a better idea of what exactly is happening with the vehicle’s brakes and, most importantly, it is a wonderful opportunity to engage with the customer to find out how they are using the vehicle. Do they use the vehicle for light, moderate driving within the city or are they using the vehicle to pull heavy loads such as a trailer up to the cottage; are they driving on city streets most times or do they spend most of their driving time on the highway with aggressive braking? This will provide the opening to discuss different friction materials and to help them decide on what would be best for their vehicle and the driving conditions they encounter.

During that road test the technician should also pay attention to the brake pedal and if it feels off, or soft and mushy when applied; and to ask the owner if they have noticed the same thing. A soft-feeling brake pedal or one that sinks much too slowly may indicate a problem with the master cylinder and it is a good time to mention that you would like to take a look at it when the vehicle is back in the shop, as a worn master cylinder must be replaced for the safe operation of the vehicle. Once the vehicle is back in the shop, take a look as well as the brake fluid for any discoloration as it may be a sign of moisture contamination, as well as the levels. Low brake fluid levels may indicate a leak somewhere or a worn lining. Finally, take a quick look at the brake lights as non-functioning lights could be as simple as a blown bulbs or a misadjusted brake switch. Either way, all of this is part of a complete brake job and doing these checks increases customer satisfaction with the work.

“When performing a brake service, do it right,” recommend Lalonde. “No www.ssgm.com

Bosch’s QuietCast pads feature a rubber-core shim that promotes silent operation. Bosch’s brake pad program, with 789 part numbers, will provide 95 per cent coverage for all makes and models of Asian, Domestic and European automobiles, light trucks and SUVs throughout the United States and Canada.

Affinia has released new packaging for its Raybestos PG Friction products, Professional Grade Ceramic and Professional Grade OE-Matched. The Professional Grade Ceramic uses ceramic friction material that matches or improves on the OE ceramic formulation. These pads achieve strong and silent braking with low dusting, improved pedal feel and enhanced responsiveness. Professional Grade OE-Matched uses semi-metallic and NAO friction material that matches OE and is engineered to restore factory performance. Premium shims dampen noise, while OE-or-better slots and chamfers provide a smooth, quiet ride.

half-steps, no short-cuts. Brakes are all about safety. Be conscientious, be thorough and your customer will benefit from a job well done.”

Then take a look

Domenic Sagmbelluri, ACDelco product analyst, operations manager with the ACDelco Technical Assistance Centre added once the vehicle is in the shop and the tires have been removed, take a moment to look at the whole system to make sure there is nothing wrong with any other parts of the vehicle that should be pointed out to the vehicle’s owner.

“The technician should (then) perform a brake inspection and check the components for worn or seized parts,” he added. “This will better prepare the technician to provide to the customer a better recommendation of what repairs are necessary with no unforeseen issues later.”

One thing to look for is uneven brake pad wear as such problems can indicate problems with the brake system. Inner pad wear usually happens with the piston cannot retract properly, possibly because it is binding in a

ACDelco’s Advantage line of brakes and rotors offer premium fit, form and function in the aftermarket brake category at an economical price.

scored cylinder or there is a disjointed or worn piston seal, or even that the pad is ridding on a corroded caliper bracket. Outer pad wear happens if the caliper bracket or pins are corroded or even lubricated previously with the wrong lubricant.

“Scored rotors and discoloration, uneven pad wear are signs of a poor November 2010 SSGM 15

|| Brake Report return of the caliper piston,” added Lalonde. “Rust on caliper hardware is not good so they will have to be replaced. Using a wire brush will never remove burrs off slider pins and any torn or ripped-off rubber boots will have to be replaced.”

A sticky piston or a hydraulic problem could be the cause of both pads on one side to be thinner than the pads on the opposite side. The side with the premature wear could also have been caused by a brake hose having been damaged in some way.

It is also good to remember that such problems may have their source higher up in the hydraulic line than the brake hose on the side where the pad is showing the wear. To take one example, a faulty ABS modulator may not allow the release of pressure.

Lalonde recommend that technicians also keep this piece of advice at the ready: always replace hydraulic parts by two.

Installing a new part with an old part still on the vehicle will cause an

imbalance in the braking system.

“Wheel cylinders, brake hoses and calipers should be replaced as a pair,” he said.

And sometimes, a problem can be caused by faulty design by the vehicle’s designers. What looked like a decent design on paper is, in fact, a problem when the vehicle hits the road and encounters the real world.

Rotors should also be carefully looked at as uneven wearing of the pads caused by hydraulic or other issues could have warped the rotor surface. If it is warped, it should be replaced.

Warping should be carefully monitored on new vehicles as many are now starting to come with new kinds of rotor designs that are lighter in weight in order to help with fuel economy.

Finally, it is recommended that after replacing the brake pads, a “break-in” or “burnishing” procedure be done. Affina provides a technical bulletin (BPI 09-05) for its Raybestos brake pads.

This procedure is to properly condition the pads and rotors and does at least three things to the pads and the rotors: physically and thermally converts the composition of the pad and or rotor surfaces; smoothes the asperities of the mating surfaces; and heat cycles the entire pad structure.

Making the job easier

Brake makers know that one of the greatest complaints of technicians is not having all the parts needed for a job.

To help in this regard, there has been an effort to include all the necessary parts in the box, including prelubricated parts in many instances.

ACDelco’s Sgambelluri pointed to the company’s Durastop line of brake pads the come with all of the hardware and lubricants in one package. The Raybestos Professional Grade brakes come with attached shims, application-specific slots and chamfers and other necessary hardware.

SSGM

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16 CO104_SSGM_1110_HP_Geek_wDLA.indd SSGM November 2010

1

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|| Garage of the Year Anniversary

Award winners doing well despite the tough economy SSGM Magazine revisits the garages that won the Garage of the Year award in the past 10 years

By Nestor Gula

W

e all like to keep up with what is new and relevant to our lives: what new cars are on the market, what are the cool new tools and other such interesting bits of news and technology.

However, if you have been paying attention to the other news, for example world news and economics, you will have realized that there some problems in the world. Are we in a depression or a recession?

No one knows for certain. Perhaps our grandchildren will know when they are reading about it in their history classrooms many years from now.

Yes, like singer/actor Tom Waits has said many times, “Times are tough all over.” However, if you run your shop and your life wisely these tough times are survivable.

Here at SSGM Magazine, we have been giving a Garage of the Year award for the past ten years; yes, from those so heady and optimistic times at the cusp of the New Millennium through to this great economic meltdown. As this is the tenth year of our award, we decided to revisit the past winners and see how life is treating them.

The good news is that all the past winners are still in business.

The even better news is that their businesses are all thriving and growing.

You would not expect too many changes from last year’s winner Bento’s Auto & Tire Centre Ltd. located just west of downtown

18 SSGM November 2010

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|| Garage of the Year Anniversary Toronto. He did set up two televisions tuned to the World Cup over the summer for his customers, although none were located on the shop floor. The 71-year-old owner, Bento de Sao Jose is not resting or planning a retirement party just yet. “I’m going to add a Rapid Lube service to the business,” he noted. He said this will be a good feature for his existing customers and will bring in new customers. “Everything has to be modern.”

Another past winner who has not had much to change was the Auto Centre Dufferin County located in Shelburne, Ontario. Owner Steve Bowles had moved into his nine-bay, 6,000 square foot newly built shop in 2003. “In reality, not much has changed,” he said. “Business is good. We were always an Ontario Emission testing facility and we have added now, for our customer’s benefit, an authorized Rust Check program. That came in the spring of 2009. It is one

more service that we can provide to our customer.”

The winner of the first ever Garage of the Year prize Roy Rump from Ottawa, Ontario said, “Everything is the same except for the technology.” He also had a new purpose-built facility just before being awarded, in 1997. Besides new scanners and diagnostic and repair technologies he has acquired

2002 Modern Tire and Towing The Modern Tire and Towing team: (left to right) Del Kaupp, Jason Zopf, Rob Sciotti, Gerald Bastien, Regan Visser, Terry Allen, Brian Zimmerman, Wayne Lakerveld, Chris Wilson, Steve Ball, Wayne Ball.

2000 Roy Rump & Sons The Roy Rump & Sons team: Top left to right: Dave Rump, Roydon Rump, Diane RumpEgan, Roy Rump Sr., Cody Egan, Tom Belford. Bottom left to right: Jeff Newson, Frank Priori, Dan Powell

2001 Bruce Eccles Auto Service in Dundas Bruce Eccles has no problem with the term “mechanic.”

20 SSGM November 2010

2003 Sil’s Complete Auto Care Centre (formally, Sil’s Auto Diagnostic Centre) (L-R) Sil Sabucco, Carlo Sabucco, Cory Haight

2004 Pro-Tech Tire & Auto Pro-Tech Tire & Auto’s staff: front row/left to right; Ingrid Reim, Ed Curnew, Mike Risk, Kathy Jagt. back row/left to right; Nick Kobak, Jason Geddes, Paul Terveld, Mike Hales & Ed Jagt. www.ssgm.com

Garage of the Year Anniversary ||

2005 MSJ Automotive Up front at MSJ. Left to Right: Stefanie Sawatsky, John Sawatsky, Barb Pratt. Not pictured: Denny Courtney

2006 L.A.D.’s Auto Repair From Left: Larry Dansereau, founder of L.A.D.’s Auto Repair; David Dansereau, shop manger and technician; David Stefanec, service manager; Kyle Stewart, appointment coordinator and service advisor; Richard Dansereau, general manager.

2007 OK Tire & Auto Service (From Left) Tim Togeretz, Cathy Togeretz, Alexandra Cousins, Wyatt Astle, Nathan Frey (holding the Garage of the Year Award) and Dale Lucas. www.ssgm.com

to help diagnose and repair his customer’s cars better, he has just installed WiFi for his customers to use while waiting for their service to be completed.

Reflecting on the tough times in the economy, Tim Togeretz said, “We are happy to still be here as most of our competition has shut down.” His shop, in Kitchener, Ontario, OK Tire & Auto Service won the award in 2007.

Other than the disappearance of some of his competitors, “Not much is new,” he remarks. “We have upgraded a bit. In 2006, when we built the shop, it was state of the art so not much had to be done.”

2004 winner Ed Jagt from Barrie, Ontario recently closed off a part of his business since winning the award. “I closed the gas bar because I was losing too much money,” he said.

“I had it in 2004, but closed it last year.” His shop, Pro-Tech

2008 Auto Centre Dufferin County From Top Left: Bill Ferguson, Patricia Hunt, Steve Bowles, Lesa Netzke and Ken Copeland. Bottom Left: Brendan Blokyzl, Bryan Barink, David Boggs and Chris Ferris.

2009 Bento’s Auto & Tire Centre Ltd. Bento de Sao Jose November 2010 SSGM 21

|| Garage of the Year Anniversary

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Tire & Auto has had some positive changes though. Kevin, his oldest son, “is working in the shop,” he proudly said. “He was licensed last year and has been with the company since 2002.”

Although he still does not service diesel engines, Jagt is very proud of their move to get certified to service hybrid vehicles. “We are the first independent repair facility in Canada to be certified for all makes and models of hybrid cars,” he said. He took the courses offered by Craig Van Batenburg and because of the certification, “We have done a few hybrids and are doing more and more.

People come from miles around They come from Barrie, Collingwood, Brantford and Newmarket.”

If you are looking for Sil’s Auto Diagnostic Centre in Mississauga, Ontario, the 2003 winner, you won’t find them as they have had a name change. Carlo Sabucco, took over the business from his father Silvano. “He is fully retired and enjoying the non-working life,” said Carlo. “From Sil’s Auto Diagnostic Centre we changed it to Sil’s Complete Auto Care Centre. We did this from a legal side but primarily from a marketing side — it just has better appeal to the consumer.” He said that they still run a rewards program. “The customer gets three per cent back for service to put to the next service. It works like all the other loyalty cards.”

In Agassiz, British Columbia, the 2002 winner, Modern Tire & Towing has a new owner. Brenda Major bought the company over a year ago. # “I’ve proof been employed with the company forClientfifteen years before I bought it — I was the accounts manager,” she said.

Creative Difamily rector “The owned the company — and the shareholders, for succession reasons Art Director wanted to sell it to dispense of the company.” She said that in the past year, “customers have increased and we CopyWriter installed a new 24,000 pound hoist and have an air conditioning Accountimplemented Director service as this was not provided before.

We are doing more advertising in the Account Manager local newspapers. My husband, Fred, and I live in the community and are Prodution Manager very active in the community by volunteering here at different levels. This has McGill also generated customers to come back dal customers to come in.” and new

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22 SSGM November 2010 Publication: This file was prepared by

The economy has bee particularly harsh in Windsor, the centre of Canada’s car industry. 2005 winner, John Sawatsky said that his shop MSJ Automotive has been doing fine. “We have able to weather the tough times in the economy especially in our area,” he said. “Our business has not suffered because we have kept up our service at a high level.” His success can be linked to his ability to get service contracts from some local corporate fleets. “That is just 50 per cent of our business — the other half is retail customers,” he noted.

“The retail customers are who got us to where we are today.

We take care of them and stay diversified and not concentrate solely on the corporate clients. And they are the ones that keep us sharp.”

The story is a bit different in Calgary for Richard Dansereau of L.A.D.’s Auto Repair. “It is unbelievable. What economic downturn,” he asked. “It has been an upturn in fact.” The 2006 winner said, “This is our record year this year. We kind of exploded since we won the award.” The year they won the award they were a six-bay operation and, “by the time we are done all our expansion we will have 18 bays,” Dansereau said. “Things go better when the downturn comes because people are fixing their cars, keeping them longer instead of buying new ones.”

Bruce Eccles the owner operator of Bruce Eccles Auto Service in Dundas, Ontario has also been expanding since he won the award in 2001. “We are twice as big as in 2001,” he said. “I opened up a second shop three years ago. I took over a shop down the road — a four bay operation. My son Scott runs that. Everything is within a quick walk and I basically have 12 operating bays.” The reason for his success, he says, is to keep up with technology and to provide great customer service. “We are completely in tune with the new clientele. We use email, of course, but we are also on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube — we have a blog,” he said.

“We are the most advanced shop in Canada — bar none. I say that with complete confidence — there might be a shop that is tied but no one is ahead.”

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Odds of winning a prize depend on the number of eligible entries received during the Contest Period. Contest is open to Canadian residents only who are over the age of majority in their province/territory of residence. Some restrictions apply. For complete contest rules, privacy policy and entry details, visit retailers.winwithmobil.ca Mobil, Mobil 1 and Delvac are trademarks of Exxon Mobil Corporation or one of its subsidiaries. Imperial Oil, licensee.

|| Jim’s Rant

Better oil filtration, please F

By Jim Anderton, Technical Editor

Better full-flow products are the current answer, but I can’t help feeling that a big bypass cartridge filter would do the job better, longer.

If it clogs, no bypass valve is needed, as the system simply taps less pressure from its supply gallery.

ull-flow oil filters have been around so long that I doubt many in the trade remember anything else. Did you know that in 1955, the first of the legendary small-block Chevrolets didn’t have built-in oil filtration? That oversight was quickly corrected the following year when the engine grew from 265 to 283 cubic inches, but it’s curious that the filter was omitted in a high-wear, low oil quality era of the 1950s. In those days oil filtration was a hot topic when “bench racing” and the argument broke down into two opposing opinions: full-flow and bypass filtration. Full-flow, originally with canister and later with spin-on filters emerged as the standard, mainly because it filtered every drop of oil circulated in the system.

Bypass filtration tapped pressure from a convenient gallery, filtered it and dumped the clean oil into the oil pan. Only a small percentage of the oil was filtered in any one circuit around the engine, so it’s a little like emptying an aquarium with a dip net … you get it all eventually, but it takes a few scoops.

Full-flow is better, right? I’m not so sure. Clog a full-flow filter and get into the bypass valve and the result is no filtration at all. Varnish and/or sludge the valve shut and it’s even possible to balloon or rupture the filter can, especially with cheap white-box parts. Bypass filtration, because it doesn’t act as a restriction in the oil system, can use more, finer filter media, allowing not only better filtration, but longer filter life. And with today’s long-life high tech engine oils, the additive packages last longer. Particulates, however, are hard to suspend and disperse in higher loadings as the drain interval gets longer and longer. Better full-flow products are the current answer, but I can’t help feeling that a big bypass cartridge filter would do the job better, longer. If it clogs, no bypass valve is needed, as the system simply taps less pressure from its supply gallery. You could even measure this back-pressure and sense remaining filter life with accuracy. Bypass filter kits were once popular aftermarket accessories and some were still around when I first picked up a wrench in the 70s. The problem with the aftermarket solution was and I suppose still is that you need to tap a gallery, find a place to mount the unit and then rig up the drain. The source could be as easy as “teeing” the oil pressure sender fitting, but getting the oil back into the pan is another matter. Drilling the oil pan is dangerous business, and who wants to pull it to weld or braze in a fitting just for an oil filter? And these days there isn’t much under hood room to mount the unit anyway, unlike my 1974 Slant Six Valiant. The kit I really wanted used, believe it or not, a roll of toilet paper as the filter medium. It was supposedly cheap and effective, but there was an issue bigger than hacking the engine’s oil system: putting up with the jokes from my buddies. I like bypass filtration, but not that much.

What do you think?

Have your say and speak your mind! letterstotheeditor@ssgm.com 24 SSGM November 2010

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|| Sasso

The Best Way to

Grow Your Sales How improving customer satisfaction can improve your bottom line

By Phil Sasso

I

f you’re like most performance shop owners and managers you’re always on the lookout for new ways to increase your sales.

You may think investing in advertising to bring in new customers is the best way to grow your sales. Advertising is important to building your brand, but that’s not the most important thing you need to do.

First you need to be sure you’re doing your best to create satisfied customers who keep doing business with

26 SSGM November 2010

you. That will naturally generate more sales.

Promoting your business without first looking at customer satisfaction and retention is like trying to fill a pool with a gaping hole in it. Think of every customer as a gallon of water. If you work really, really hard, you might be able to put water in the pool faster than it leaks out. But, if you want to go swimming and keep your water bills in check, patching the hole is a much more efficient solution.

In much the same way, if you bring in new customers but you don’t build loyalty, or they don’t refer your shop to their friends, you are not making the most of your marketing investment.

Smart performance shops know that it costs much more to get a new customer than it does to keep an existing one.

Reducing your customer turnover by as little as five per cent can boost your profits by 25 to 80 per cent, according to a classic article in Harvard Business Review. How? It has to do with the

www.ssgm.com

Sasso || lifetime value of a customer.

The lifetime value of a customer isn’t just about all the sales adding up to more dollars over time. Especially in a performance business, the amount of money a customer spends each time can grow, too.

First a customer might do a small job, say new valve covers or a new intake. As the customer’s confidence grows, often so does the number and value of each job, like porting heads or rebuilding an engine. With each sale your selling costs decline, since you spend less time convincing and more time doing the actual work. And, if you do good work, the referrals will flow — which is the final element of lifetime value.

As you can see, building customer loyalty can impact your bottom line in many ways: repeat business, bigger orders and new customer referrals. To build customer loyalty, you want to focus on increasing customer satisfaction.

Building Loyalty

I think I got more birthday cards this year from marketers than I did from family and friends. That’s not to say I don’t feel loved and appreciated. It just seems a lot more businesses love and appreciate me than I would have expected.

Communicating with your customer consistently is a great way to build loyalty. Doing a monthly or bimonthly mailing and/or emailing makes your customers feel connected to you. Mail a regular newsletter. Email coupons.

And, of course, send birthday cards.

Email services like ConstantContact.com can easily and inexpensively help you keep in touch with your customers and prospects. These email services have ready-to-use templates and offer comprehensive reports to measure the success of your emails.

To keep in touch with customers you just need to collect their contact information so you can build a mail/ email list.

Loyalty programs are another good way to show customer appreciation. You probably are part of at least one loyalty program, even if you’ve never heard www.ssgm.com

the term before. It includes things like restaurant punch cards, airline mileage programs or credit card bonus points.

Beth and I have a Speedway gas station rewards card. I laugh at how often we’ll go out of our way to fill our vehicle — and our stomachs — at Speedway. So, although I design marketing programs, I’m not immune from being influenced by them.

Although a punch card may not work for you, you might offer special bonuses to customers when they reach certain spending levels. You could give them gift certificates good for future purchases. Or you could give away promotional gear as a thank you like shirts, hats or travel mugs with your logo on them.

The goal is simple: reward loyalty.

Treat your best customers like VIPs.

Learn from Mistakes

Everyone makes mistakes. Most customers realize that and are willing to be forgiving, if you are proactive and respond promptly and attentively to their complaints. Ignore customer complaints at your own peril.

For every customer that complains, an average of 26 more customers won’t tell you that they are dissatisfied, according to a Research Institute of America (RIA) study for the White House Office of Consumer Affairs.

Only four per cent of unhappy customers will bother to complain — most will just leave quietly and never do business with you again. Why? Some people don’t want to make waves. Others don’t think it will make a difference.

Whatever the reason, it’s important to oil the squeaky wheels. And learn from them what you can do to increase your customer satisfaction. Successful shops don’t just do good work, they create happy customers.

The RIA study says that 70 per cent of complainers will do business with you again if the complaint is resolved — 95 per cent will stay loyal if they feel you resolved the problem quickly and completely.

It’s important to try to avoid treating a complaining customer as an adversary. Think of the complainer as an advocate representing other quietly

dissatisfied customers. Listen despite their possible angry tone or harsh words to understand why they’re frustrated. Have a system to quickly resolve problems. And make sure everyone on your staff who deals with customers is trained and empowered to resolve simple problems.

One approach is what I call the Triple-A method: Avoid interrupting as the customer explains the problem. (Letting them vent can help diffuse the situation.)

Acknowledge that you understand how your customer feels.

Ask them what they believe would be a fair resolution. (In most situations, the customer will ask for less than you would have offered.)

Remember: your customer has choices. Do everything you can to be the one he chooses.

• • •

Short Surveys

Want to build sales? Build your customer satisfaction.

Surveys are a great way to measure customer satisfaction. But long surveys can be overwhelming to customers who won’t take the time to complete them.

And who on your staff really wants to tally up all those results?

Worst of all, according to another classic article in the Harvard Business Review, decisions based on these survey results “don’t necessarily correlate to profits or growth.”

So instead of a long survey, give them a very short survey that asks just two questions. The most important: “On a scale of One to Five, how likely are you to recommend us to a friend?”

The next: “Why?” The answer to the first question is what marketers call your Net Promoter Index. Statistics show that the more promoters you have, the better the chances of your sales growth. The reason is that anyone willing to put their neck out and refer you to a friend is truly satisfied. The more satisfied a customer, the more likely they are to talk you up.

Start by using that simple two-question survey. You can put the questions on a small, self-addressed, stamped postcard, or you can email your cusNovember 2010 SSGM 27

|| Sasso tomer a quick two-question online survey. (SurveyMonkey.com offers free online surveys.)

Then, use your findings to improve your Net Promoter Index (customer satisfaction rating), and get more referrals.

Satisfied customers are your best source of continued growth. Continue to improve the way you do business and you’ll improve your profits, too.

Everyone’s Happy

Sometimes shop owners and managers become so focused on getting new customers that they risk alienating their current customers.

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With REDI-Sensor, you’ll always have the right part on hand in the shop – no waiting for parts delivery and virtually no “out of stock” delays. It comes pre-programmed and has a faster hunt and relearn process than our competitors’ sensors. You get a quicker, simpler turnaround for you and your customer.

It’s easy to take loyal customers for granted and get excited about new ones. We’re often lulled into thinking sales growth is built strictly on new customers. That’s rarely the case. Satisfied customers are the backbone of successful performance shops.

As we saw before, existing customers and referrals are usually more profitable than new ones. They’re usually cheaper to serve, since they need less educating.

They know and trust you already and know what they want.

And loyal, satisfied customers are more open to cross-selling of your other services. Once you’ve built a relationship with a customer and earned their trust, they are more likely to turn to you for advice on performance parts and services.

Every one per cent that you reduce customer turnover is one per cent fewer new customers you need to meet your overall sales goals.

Most importantly, loyal customers are the most persuasive salespeople your shop can “hire.” Their enthusiasm for your work is genuine and often contagious. Referrals tend to be betterinformed, more trusting and ready to buy. And if you treat your customers right, generating these referrals costs you little or nothing.

How are you treating your customers? Are you building loyalty? Are you generating referrals? How can you improve? The answers can help improve your bottom line.

SSGM

REDI-Sensor is ready for installation, ready when you need it, ready now.

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28 SSGM November 2010 CO638_SSGM_1110_HP_RediSensor_v1_2.indd 1

Phil Sasso is president of Sasso Marketing Inc. (www. sassomarketing.com), a 20-year old technical marketing agency providing advertising, public relations and promotional services to tool and equipment marketers.

Subscribe to his free marketing tip at philsasso.com.

10/15/10 11:47 AM

SSGM BAYWATCH New Products

Ingersoll Rand Launches 2015MAX, 2025MAX Hammerhead Impactools Ingersoll Rand has launched the new 2015MAX and 2025MAX Hammerhead low-profile Impactools. The tool is designed for optimal performance, even in extremely confined spaces. With the power and speed of an impact and the reach of a ratchet, the Hammerhead continues the MAX tradition of offering air tools that provide professional technicians with best-in-class performance coupled with innovative features to deliver maximum power, control and access. With a head-height less than two-inches, 180 ft-lb of max torque and 7,100 rpm of speed, the Hammerhead offers the power of an impact, and all the capabilities of a ratchet. In addition to this combination of access and power, the Hammerhead also features a conveniently located forward/reverse collar, providing unrestricted access to easily change the direction of the tool

in tight spaces, where traditional tools frequently get jammed.

Knuckle-saver reactionless torque eliminates kickback, and further protects technicians’ hands while working in confined spaces. The 2015MAX and 2025MAX Hammerhead low-profile Impactools also feature a two-position power regulator and feather-touch trigger, which provide maximum control in even the most demanding of applications.

Ingersoll Rand www.ingersollrand.com

Beck/Arnley Expands Line of Control Arms Beck/Arnley’s brake and chassis product module has been recently expanded to include a total of 559 control arms to cover 6,823 import applications, according to Bob Anderson, vice president product management. Beck/ Arnley’s control arms are a direct OE replacement product that is designed to restore vehicle ride quality, as well as proper alignment and tire wear. Beck/Arnley’s control arms are made from premium materials and undergo stringent quality control and testing processes to ensure product excellence and reliability. New hardware and bushings are included, where applicable, to make the job easier for the technician.

Beck/Arnley www.beckarnley.com

Ken-Tool offers damaged socket remover kit One of a mechanic’s worst nightmares is removing a nut or bolt with damaged or rounded hex surfaces, or severely corroded and frozen threads. Ken-Tool now offers technicians the Twist Socket that grips positively into the surface of a damaged bolt head or nut to allow it to be removed by using an ingenious counterclockwise spiral grip surface integrated into the socket. The mouth of the socket has six or 12 fluted scallops which cradle the damaged hex head, with the spiral grip surface gently tapering toward the center to pull the socket downward as turning torque is applied. As more leverage is applied, a greater gripping force is delivered against the nut or bolt head.

The Twist Socket can be used with a ratchet wrench, a breaker bar or an air-impact wrench. The Twist Socket line encompasses a range from light duty, ¼-inch (6.35mm) to medium-duty 3/8-inch (9.5mm) to heavy-duty ½-inch (1.3 cm) drive applications.

Ken-Tool www.kentool.com

www.ssgm.com

November 2010 SSGM 29

CANADIAN

AUTOMOTIVE Technician

Recycle, But Don’t Reuse Some techs still reuse torque to yield head bolts.

They shouldn’t … here’s why

By Jim Anderton, Technical Editor

“R

educe, Reuse, Recycle” is a message we hear why did OEM’s switch? everyday in this environmentally-conscious era, There are several reasons. A major one is the move to but there are still a few places where reusing a light alloy block castings which have become thinner and part that seems good is still a terrible idea: head bolts. We thinner with each engine redesign. Distortion due to uneven all know about “torque to yield,” but a surprising number of clamp loads is a real hazard if heads are installed carelessly.

Canadian techs roll the dice by re-using these fasteners. How Another reason is increased bolt length. Modern OHC head serious is the warning to throw them away? Is it just market- designs are taller, and bolts have to reach down below thin ing hype to sell bolt kits? The answer involves just a little bit block decks and grab more substantial metal lower in the of basic metallurgy. crankcase. Longer bolts act like torsion bars, with lots of Head bolts, like all metals (and lots of other materials too) spring well below proper clamp loading. Even angle torqubehave in two ways under stress: elastic and plastic. In the ing may not give repeatable head clamping forces with long, elastic zone, at lower strains, (the rising part of the curve in thin bolts. Another issue is clamp force distribution. The bolt the diagram) the part stretches, but springs back to its origi- pockets available for washers are getting smaller and smaller nal shape and length when the stress, in our case bolt torque, as multi-valve heads are attached to shorter engines. With is removed. Exceed a critical stress limit, i.e. over torque a less surface area to spread the clamp loads, consistency is crubolt, and it behaves “plastically,” meaning it stretches, but it cial. Cylinder spacing is also decreasing, requiring high-tech won’t spring back to its original length. This is the flat part gaskets and special surface finishes to keep combustion presof the torque diagram. sure from blowing into Go too far, of course, adjacent cylinders and and the bolt breaks. For water jackets. It’s amazBOLT a hundred years, head ing that head gaskets last BREAKS as long as they do. bolts were used like any other fastener, in the With this difficult ELASTIC elastic range. They could sealing environment, REGION be torqued, untorqued CLAMPING why torque-to-yield FORCE and re-used indefinitely. when elastic bolts are a For the last twenty years, proven technology? Put PLASTIC however, the switch to simply, clamp forces are REGION torque-to-yield head much more consistent bolts made them disposwhen bolts are angle able parts. TTY bolts torqued to the yield aren’t cheaper than conpoint. Why? Because BOLT TORQUE ventional fasteners, so the clamp force remains

HOW A HEAD BOLT YIELDS

30 SSGM November 2010

www.ssgm.com

CANADIAN

AUTOMOTIVE Technician

Trouble waiting to happen. The Northstar V-8 has siamesed cylinders and only four bolts per cylinder for clamping … in a high-performance engine. Every bolt counts here.

consistent over a broad range of tightening angles and torques once the bolt begins to stretch. Get in to the yield zone and consistent clamping is almost assured, whether in your bay or on the assembly line. Can you get as good with conventional bolts? Yes, but under special conditions. This means perfectly clean and dry threads on the bolt and in the block, smooth, flat washers and bolt pockets on the head, plus the right amount of the specified lubricant on threads and washers. If you’re meticulous, it can be done … but then there’s the retorque issue.

Retorque or not?

All gaskets compression set, which means they get thinner when clamped down, and stay thinner when the clamping force is relaxed as the engine heat cycles. On older engine designs, this compression set is addressed the old-fashioned way: retorque the head bolts. Done properly, the new gasket is thermally cycled numerous times before the retorque procedure, which requires the same care as the original job.

And it’s obvious that once a TTY bolt is stretched, retorquing it will stretch it even more, possibly to the point where it breaks. The solution comes from the gasket industry. Aftermarket gaskets that are designed to eliminate retorquing (and often work with compromised deck and head surface finishes) eliminate this final resistance to TTY technology. And that’s a good thing for the bottom line too, since consumers expect the price of a head job to include any post-service checks. Retorquing is a bay clogging cash flow killing procedure that’s not necessary with modern engines.

If the price is throwing away a set of head bolts that might or might not give you more service, it’s cheap insurance.

SSGM

www.ssgm.com

This 2.0L turbo Ecotech head shows how little room there is for bolts. The mounting bosses aren’t much bigger than the bolt heads. Even clamping is designed into the head casting … if it isn’t distorted.

The future. This Cadillac 6.2L uses a seven-layer gasket from the factory. This leaves lots of room or compression set, so TTY is a given, as is a new bolt set every time.

November 2010 SSGM 31

SSGM BAYWATCH New Products

Bosch offers new and refurbished alternators Bosch now offers independent service shops both new and remanufactured Bosch alternators. The alternators carry a free two-year emergency roadside assistance warranty if the alternator fails — the ultimate peace of mind for motorists — which could be very valuable in the colder months, which places greater requirements on the alternator.

The alternators are end-of-the-line tested for proper turn on speed, voltage regulator functions, and full load test for amperage output at all RPM ranges to ensure performance and durability.

Bosch www.boschautoparts.com

Matco Tools Introduces the MD1012 QIKCODE Matco Tools has introduced the QIKCODE, the MD1012. This tool features a unique patented all-inone screen display and three-colour LED display for quick State Emissions readiness check and drive cycle verification; links to all OBD2 protocols including CAN, Keyword 2000, ISO 9142-2, J-1850 (VPW & PWM) to decode “Check Engine” light problems; displays Freeze Frame Data, Erase button turns off ‘check engine light’;’ and diagnoses enhanced engine and transmission diagnostic codes, and retrieves generic and manufacturer specific codes.

Matco Tools www.matcotools.com

GE Lighting

Introducing GE Nighthawk Platinum headlights.

Suddenly, 11 PM looks a lot like 11 AM. ®

Help your customers put 90% more light on the road compared to GE’s standard halogen headlights with GE Nighthawk Platinum® headlights.

For more information, visit gelighting.com GE Nighthawk and GE Nighthawk Platinum are registered trademarks of the General Electric Company. ©2010 GE

327061-01 SSGM November 2010 1 key.7x4.875_SSGM.indd

www.ssgm.com 10/13/10 11:53 AM

SSGM BAYWATCH New Products

Katech Performance releases ZR1 Heat Exchanger Katech Performance announced the launch its High Capacity Heat Exchanger for 2009 and newer C6 ZR1 Corvettes. The ZR1 Heat Exchanger (KAT-6044) is twice as thick as the OE cooler, providing consumers with a greater cooling capacity and larger coolant volume. The result is lower intake charge temperatures and better performance.

Katech Performance www.katechengines.com

PIAA’s HID Shock Lamps available in 4- and 6-inch versions PIAA’s HID Shock Lamp technology now delivers the same big lighting performance in a smaller package, with the introduction of 4- and 6-inch versions of PIAA’s HID Shock Lamp. The new PIAA Shock Lamps feature a tough polyamide housing, with a glass-fiber reinforced mounting base. The 6-inch version (RS600) utilizes a hard clearcoated, unbreakable polycarbonate lens, while the 4-inch model (RS400) uses a hardened glass lens. Inside, the long-range HID fire-power comes from a potent PIAA 12-volt H3 35W HID bulb, directed by a computer-designed HID multi-surface reflector.

PIAA www.piaa.com

Pro-Fit Carry Systems announces “Cool Tool Carrier” lineup Pro-Fit Carry Systems announced the availability of their thigh tool carrier belt, the Pro-Fit Modular Leg Platform (MLP). This fully adjustable, one-size-fits all carrier is made from high quality, heavyduty nylon webbing, and Cordura, making it extremely lightweight and breathable.

The MLP attaches to the right or left thigh creating easy access to your most often-used hand tools. Loops allow for easy access to a wide variety of wrenches, screwdrivers, pliers, files, flashlight and cutters. The Pro-Fit Modular Leg Platform has a quick release hangar allowing speedy removal while keeping other belts in position.

Pro-Fit Carry Systems www.pro-fitcarrysystems.com www.ssgm.com

November 2010 SSGM 33

SSGM BAYWATCH New Products

2011 VDO Instrumentation Catalog features latest gauges and accessories The 2011 VDO Instrumentation Catalog is now available from Continental Commercial Vehicles & Aftermarket, manufacturer and supplier of VDO OE-engineered instrumentation and replacement parts for the custom vehicle market. In addition to showcasing all of the VDO instrument lines, the new 68-page full color catalog features over 300 new VDO products and represents the company’s latest offerings of instruments and accessories. The new additions include a wide range of traditional and new styles with crisp graphics, innovative designs, stunning dials, and a variety of bezel choices. The catalog features the new Viewline Onyx, Ivory and Sterling lines, Vision Silverstone, Black and Chrome, Cockpit White & Chrome, Cockpit and Cockpit White, and a group of Retro Look instruments, which is comprised of Heritage Chrome, Cockpit Royale and Series 1. Also included are VDO Direct Mount Pressure Gauges, Senders and Switches, Pressure Senders and Switches, Temperature Senders and Switches, Speedometer Senders, ALAS I and II Fuel Senders, Accessories and Service Parts.

Continental Commercial Vehicles & Aftermarket www.vdo.com/usa

Rancho releases suspension, leveling kit for Ford Super Duty trucks Rancho has released a suspension system and a leveling kit for 2011 Ford Super Duty F-250/F-350 trucks, including 1- and ¾-ton diesel and gas models. The new Rancho 4-in. suspension system (RS6524B) and 2.5-in. leveling kit (RS6525B) are available now at leading performance retailers nationwide. The new Rancho Ford Super Duty suspension system (RS6524B) features competition tubular radius arms that add exceptional strength and stability to the suspension system. The radius arms bolt directly to the OE mounting locations without cutting or welding. Compatible with up to 37-in. tires, the new Rancho system includes competition tubular radius arms; forged pitman arm to ensure optimal steering and reduced bump steer; reinforced front track bar relocation bracket; and rear leaf spring blocks. Rancho also released a 2.5-in. leveling kit (RS6525B) for the 2011 Ford Super Duty that provides maximum structural integrity. The kit – which fits up to 35-in. tires – features the award-winning, exclusive competition tubular radius arms that add exceptional strength and stability to the suspension system. The radius arms bolt directly to the OE

mounting locations without cutting or welding. The leveling kit also maintains proper driveshaft angles to minimize vibrations; maintains factory location of the rack and pinion and re-uses OE tie rod ends.

Rancho www.gorancho.com

Schaeffler Announces Expanded Line of LuK Clutch Products Schaeffler Group USA Inc. has announced the expansion of the LuK RepSet line of clutches, flywheels and hydraulic release systems. The LuK program now includes more than 750 clutch set and 180 flywheel SKUs, covering the North American vehicle population. Make and model coverage ranges from 1938 to current year models.

Schaeffler Group USA Inc. www.schaeffler-aftermarket.us 34 SSGM November 2010

www.ssgm.com

SSGM BAYWATCH New Products

Snap-on Roll Cab available in 11 colours Snap-on offers its KRL722A Roll Cab in 11 colours. The available colours are red, green mica, gloss black, royal blue, ultra yellow, candy apple red, electric orange, arctic silver, deep cranberry, deep purple and extreme green. The Snap-on KRL722A Roll Cab features an extended cab system that comes with two extrawide drawers (3-inch and 5-inch drawer depth) that span the full width of the roll cab; corner gusset design that strengthens the roll cab without reducing storage capacity; and heavy-duty drawer slides that support up to 261 lbs. per set.

An additional set of slides can be added to any 4-inch or deeper drawer (standard on 5-inch full width drawer). A Lock ‘n Roll system prevents drawers from drifting open when the unit is moved and twoinch mounting centers for maximum drawer arrangement flexibility.

Snap-on Autocom is a Swedish www.snapon.com

All-In-One dye pinpoints leaks in oil, oil-based fluid systems Tracer Products has developed a fluorescent dye — TP-3405CS Dye-Lite All-In-One dye — which improves leak detection in oil and oil-based fluid systems, including gasoline and diesel engine oil, gasoline, diesel fuel, automatic transmission fluid, power steering fluid, as well as hydraulic and lubrication fluids. The TP-3405CS DyeLite All-In-One dye assures optimum leak detection because it actually contains two fluorescent dyes. One fluoresces best under UV and the other under blue light.

Whatever type of inspection lamp is used, All-In-One dye will glow brilliantly and spotlight every leak — even a pinhole — in a system.

Tracer Products www.tracerline.com www.ssgm.com

company that is a world leader in the development of analytic and fault diagnostic equipment for electronic systems in motor vehicles. With Autocom’s diagnostic tools, repair shops can save both time and money and therefore do business more effectively. In several independent surveys, the best selling CDP Pro diagnostic tool is ranked at the top in ease to use, content, functionality and quality.

CDP Pro is a PC or Pocket PC based diagnostic solution with full functionality for reading and erasing fault codes, real time data, activations of components, adjustments, and programming, making Autocom CDP Pro one of the most flexible and powerful diagnostic tools available. The software contains a comprehensive database that is frequently updated with original data from vehicle manufacturers to guarantee the best quality, functionality and superior coverage.

For more information about Autocom products visit: www.v-garage.ca or call: 416-736-0319

About the CDP Pro • Fast, user-friendly and intuitive software for passenger cars, light and heavy commercial vehicles • The database includes the systems like: Engine, Gearbox, Service, SRS, Instruments, ABS, Climate control and Body control • Programming features such as: injectors, keys and remote controls • Safe identification of vehicles and systems with the aid of Autocom Intelligent System Identification - ISI • Bluetooth and USB connectivity are standard • Software available on CD/ DVD and the internet for PCs, or SD-card for handheld PCs • Handles all current communications standards for vehicle diagnostics • Intelligent System Scan (ISS) function - automatically scans through all the vehicle’s control systems • Help texts for available functions • Software and databases are available in several languages and updated periodically • The CDP Pro is manufactured in Sweden and comes with a Lifetime Warranty.

November 2010 SSGM 35

SSGM BAYWATCH New Products

Ken-Tool expands tire mounting lubricant line Ken-Tool announced the expansion of its line of tire service lubricants. The new Ken-Tool lubricant products are: Euro Paste, Heavy Paste, Tiger Paste and Ultra Lube.The four new products are formulated for professional use, particularly in fleet and off-the-highway applications. The products assist in the mounting process by lubricating the surface of the rim and tire bead. Additionally, the new products all contain rust inhibitors to protect steel rims, preventing the tire bead from bonding to the rim, helping to make mounting and demounting tires easier and improve shop efficiency. Euro Paste (p/n 35848) is a premium tire mounting lubricant which dries to tacky consistency and prevents rim slippage, and ships in an 8 lb. bucket. Heavy Paste (p/n 35840) is an economical, concentrated tire mounting and bead packing lubricant, makes up to 15 gallons of product, and ships in a 25-lb pail. Tiger Paste (p/n 35837) is formulated for commercial, Off-The-Road and other specialty equipment tires, and ships in a 7.5-lb bucket. Ultra Lube (p/n 35839) is a premium-level tire mounting lubricant and rim rust retardant product which has been compounded

for demanding applications, and ships in a 25-lb pail. Ultra Lube also is ideal for lubricating 5th wheels of Class 8 trucks, plus protecting mud flaps from deterioration.

Ken-Tool  www.kentool.com

Cadillac CTS Superpowers Airaid Filter Company is now offering the CTS intake system kits which offers 270 HP for the 3.0L and 304 HP for the 3.6 L V-6 Direct Injection engines. These kits come complete with a 1300CFM hand-made premium air filter; Cold Air Dam with a matte black finish combined it with a textured One-Piece Roto-molded intake tube and 100 per cent stainless clamps. Testing on the company’s in-house Mustang chassis dynamometer produced gains of nine horsepower and 7 ft-lbs of torque for the 3.0L and 10 horsepower and 8 ft-lbs of torque for the 3.6L over stock.

These systems also come with all the necessary hardware and complete instructions.

Airaid Filter Company www.airaid.com

DynoMax Ford F-150 system DynoMax Performance Exhaust has announced a brand-new stainless steel cat-back for 2009 Ford F-150 trucks, bringing high-performance, less restriction and a unique sound to the popular truck model. The DynoMax system for 2009 Ford F-150 trucks (p/n 39486) delivers power improvements while opening up exhaust flow. The system features three-in. mandrel-bent, 409-grade stainless steel piping, providing extended protection against corrosion. The new system also includes the latest DynoMax addition: a performance, show-styled double-walled, logo-embossed four-inch tip. Each DynoMax system includes all OE-quality hangers and accessories for a fast, easy installation.

The DynoMax F-150 system also features the Ultra Flo Welded

36 SSGM November 2010

muffler, a straight-through, unrestricted design that is dynoproven to support up to 2,000 SCFM and 2,000 horsepower.

These mufflers are 100-per cent welded and include Continuous Roving Fiberglass (CRF) technology to absorb unwanted interior resonance and provide a rich, deep performance tone.

DynoMax www.DynoMax.com

www.ssgm.com

SSGM BAYWATCH New Products

SPAL USA Offers High-Performance Fans For Mustang SPAL USA, a leading manufacturer of OEM and aftermarket electric cooling fans since 1959, offers three high performance fans for Mustang owners. Ideal for small-block Mustang engines, SPAL USA’s 16” High Performance Pull Straight Blade Fan (#30102120) offers a maximum airflow rating of 1,918 cubic feet per minute (cfm). The fan measures 15.75” across, stands 16.3” tall, is 3.39” deep and weighs 5.17 lbs. Small-block enthusiasts can also fit SPAL’s 16” High Performance Pull Curved Blade Fan (#30102049) designed to reduce noise and generate a maximum airflow rating of 2,024 cfm. For Mustang owners housing big-block V8 engines, SPAL offers the Dual 11” High Performance Pull Fan (#30102052) featuring a paddle blade design for increased airflow and reduced noise. The Dual 11” fan — which has a maximum airflow of 2,780 cfm -measures 23.46” across, 16.26” high and 4.25” wide. Weighing 10.56 lbs., the dual set-up combines two 11” fans in a custom fan shroud, allowing air from the vehicle to flow freely through the radiator core, optimizing fan effectiveness at lower speeds.

SPAL USA www.spalusa.com

OTC Introduces New Pegisys PC Scan with Netbook Kit OTC, an SPX brand, released its Pegisys PC Scan w/ Netbook Master Kit (P/N 3828DLX-NB), a complete turnkey solution for technicians who prefer a Windows-based diagnostic system.

This kit features OEM enhanced software on a Windows XP Netbook and offers the same scan functionality as the Pegisys handset. The Pegisys PC Scan with Netbook comes preloaded with Pegisys PC Scan software and includes the Direct-Hit Technician 90-day Test Drive subscription (P/N 3825-45) and sold with six months initial subscription for USA Domestic /Asian OEM enhanced software with Pegisys diagnostic information included. The OTC Pegisys PC Scan with Netbook is both SAE J2534-1 and -2 compliant, and the package includes the unique Modular Vehicle Communication Interface (MVCI) with exclusive AirBridge Wireless Technology that supports the latest technology and industry standards.

OTC www.otctools.com

THE NUMBER ONE SELLING USED-OIL FURNACE OF ALL TIME Escalating energy costs make your used-oil more valuable than ever before. On-site recycling can drastically reduce your energy costs while immediately increasing your cash flow.

INSIDE THE RED BOX What you see makes it a Clean Burn. What you don’t see makes it “burn clean.”

Our patented Clean Burn heat exchanger provides you with more heat from less oil. Only “The Red Box” includes 250 percent more surface area for greater heat transfer than any typical blast tube.

The result: More heat per gallon of oil.

The #1 Waste Oil Furnace In Customer Satisfaction

TM

DSI Installation and After Sales Support will ensure maximum savings for years to come

www.ssgm.com

www.deonsupply.com 1-800-824-4115 November 2010 SSGM 37

Automotive Internet Directory

Visit these companies directly at their web addresses or check out the growing list of Hot Links at www.autoserviceworld.com. To find out how your organization can be included in this directory and on the web, contact aross@jobbernews.com

AUTOMOTIVE PARTS & ACCESSORIES Goodyear Engineered Products www.goodyearep.com/aftermarket www.goodyearbeltsandhose.com The officially licensed belt of NASCAR. Gatorback, the quiet belt. You can never replace Goodyear quality.

NGK Spark Plugs Canada Limited www.ngksparkplugs.ca The World Leader in Spark Plugs, Oxygen Sensors and Ignition Wire Sets.

Used by 87% of the World’s OE Manufacturers S.B International Inc. www.sbintl.com “We keep engines humming”

HAND CLEANERS GOJO Industries, Inc. www.automotive.gojo.com GOJO is a leading manufacturer of skin care products and services for many marketing including automotive and manufacturing. GOJO continues to pursue a commitment of creating well-being through hand hygiene and healthy skin.

REFRIGERANT Duracool Refrigerants www.duracool.com Nationally Distributed by: Deepfreeze Refrigerants Inc. The Leaders in Hydrocarbon Refrigerant Technology.

Guaranteed In writing not to harm any Mobile A/C System. You can feel the Difference that Quality Makes. “Our Formula Never Changes”.

WAREHOUSE DISTRIBUTORS & BUYING GROUPS The E.R.I. Group www.theerigroup.com Canada’s Premier Machine Shop Buying Group

Kerr Machine Shop Group Inc.

TOOLS & EQUIPMENT AIR LIQUIDE CANADA INC. www.airliquide.ca Your one-stop shop for all your industrial gases and welding supplies.

www.kerrmachineshopgroup.com Buying group for machine shops and performance shops.

WAREHOUSE DISTRIBUTORS & BUYING GROUPS Bestbuy Distributors Limited

www.bestbuyautoparts.ca Independent buying group and warehouse distributor that allocates its profits to member shareholders and provides unbeatable value for independent jobbers.

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX Advertiser Page # Website ACDelco. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.ACDelco.com Aisin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.aisinaftermarket.com Autocom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.v-garage.ca Chrysler Canada. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.mopar.ca Deon Supply. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.deonsupply.com GE Lighting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.gelighting.com Imperial Oil Canada. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22,23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.imperialoil.com Matco tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.matcotools.com Mercedes-Benz. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.mercedes-benz.com Monroe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.monroe.com NGK Spark Plugs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.ngksparkpl;ugs.com OTC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.pegisysotc.com Robert Bosch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.bosch.ca Uni-Select. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.uniselectcanada.com VL Communications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.vlcomm.com VDO OE Replacement Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . salessupport-us@vdo.com VDO TPMS Repalcement Parts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . salessupport-us@vdo.com WORLDPAC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.worldpac.com 38 SSGM November 2010

www.ssgm.com

Mercedes-Benz Genuine Parts.

There are no substitutes.

Genuine Parts. Quality Service.

Visit www.mercedes-benz.ca or call 1-800-387-0100 to locate your nearest dealership.