Service Station and Garage Management September 2010

Service Station & Garage Management .COM

SSGM READ BY AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR SHOP OWNERS AND TECHNICIANS SINCE 1955

Don’t Let This Happen To Your Customer Selling Winter Maintenance

SEPTEMBER 2010

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

September 2010

Vol. 40 No. 8

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 28

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

Shop Software Why your shop should avoid off-the-shelf, budget systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Winter Maintenance

AWARD-WINNING MAGAZINE

Don’t leave customers stranded this winter. Selling preventative winter maintenance. . . . 14

Phil Sasso Finding an Employee that Fits, Part 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

CAT Mixing OAT-based antifreeze with conventional glycol types can lead to engine damage … or does it? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Departments Editorial. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Jim’s Rant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Baywatch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Garage of the Year Nomination Form . . . . . . . . . . 36 Internet Directory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Advertiser’s Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

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|| Tom’s Editorial

Canadians keeping their wallets closed T

By Tom Venetis, Editor

Canadians are feeling the pinch of an economy that has slowed down, high personal debt levels, creeping inflation … this has resulted in many keeping their wallets closed and thinking hard about what expenses need to be curtailed or cut entirely. One such expense is automotive maintenance and repair.

6 SSGM September 2010

he J.D. Power and Associates annual Customer Satisfaction Survey has been released and while I will be looking at the study in greater detail in our next issue, I wanted to take a moment to write briefly about two of the more interesting findings in the survey.

The first is spending by Canadians on vehicle maintenance and repair which has dropped from 2009. J.D Power and Associates pegs the figure at $1.4 billion across the industry, driven by two factors: Canadians spending less on services and a decrease in overall number of service visits, particularly for vehicles between four and seven years old.

That should not be a surprise. Canadians are feeling the pinch of an economy that has slowed down, high personal debt levels, creeping inflation, along with uncertainty as to how long interest rates will remain low. All this has resulted in many keeping their wallets closed and thinking hard about what expenses need to be curtailed or cut entirely. One such expense is automotive maintenance and repair. I’ve have had people tell me they are deferring repairs that are not safety related, or driving less frequently in order to extend the times between maintenance work and such things as oil changes. Drivers are also becoming more price-conscious. I’ve had some independents tell me that they are seeing an increase in the number of people price shopping amongst service operations.

This means independents have to invest more time and effort on customer education on the dangers and higher costs of postponing vehicle maintenance or pushing the oil change too far; as well as developing more effective programs for bringing customers into the shop. Shop owners should also be going through their customer databases to find and target those vehicle owners who will become long-time customers and bring repeat business. This likely means cutting some or even a lot of customers who are infrequent or one-time users of your services; but those that remain will mean greater profits for the business.

The other finding that caught my attention is the high ranking Canadians gave to such operations as Jiffy Lube. It came in amongst the top five ranked brands. This is something that the industry should pay attention to. For some time, Jiffy Lube has been moving aggressively into expanding beyond its traditional work of oil and fluid changes. While that still remains its core business, many locations offer wheel balancing to battery and fuel-filter replacement, and even cabin air filter changes. I recently had this done on a car of mine just to see how well the staff could do the work. The staff was professional, offered a range of filter and parts options, explained why the work was recommended and did that work quickly and efficiently. And I received a free coffee and newspaper as well.

I also chatted-up a couple of other customers who were doing similar work and all expressed their satisfaction with the service they received; and they were prepared to come back for those kinds of services again in the future.

What does this mean? Independents who are now facing, by what I’m seeing on the ground and what this study suggests, is a changing and more competitive automotive service landscape.

What do you think?

Have your say and speak your mind! letterstotheeditor@ssgm.com www.ssgm.com

THE FOCUS IS ON YOU Maintaining your competitive edge takes focus. You must focus on continuing your skill-set development, mastering the latest repair techniques, improving customer service procedures and staying in-tune with the industry. This year’s CARS shares your focus and is all about YoU. CARS is your resource for everything related to automotive service and repair. CARS delivers high-quality education, unmatched networking opportunities and exhibits featuring the top industry manufacturers and suppliers.

CARS 2010... Focused On Being Your #1 Resource For Getting Answers And Solutions ✔ ALL NEW! ASRW Forum and Reception – addressing the most important industry issues and best practices ✔ Essential educational sessions led by experts in their field ✔ Power-packed schedule – four full days of value and take-away techniques ✔ 3-hour class times for technical topics requiring more detailed instruction ✔ Valuable networking time with industry leaders and fellow colleagues ✔ Top manufacturers and suppliers exhibit the latest equipment, products, services and technology ✔ Free on-floor education, product demos and OEM Pavilion with brand reps on-hand for expert consultation ✔ Co-located with NACE - The World’s Collision Repair Event - giving you an all-access pass to more exhibits and industry training

Visit www.CARSevent.com for all the details and program information.

ExpoSition: October 11-13, 2010 ConfEREnCE: October 10-13, 2010 Mandalay Bay Convention Center Las Vegas, Nevada USA

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CARS is held during Automotive Service & Repair Week (ASRW) and co-located with NACE.

REGISTER ONLINE TODAY! Go to www.CARSevent.com to register by the August 17th “Early Bird Deadline” to get the best deal – the best value – and to book your housing early!

|| News Briefs Monroe ‘Shocktober’ Savings Program Returns For Fall Car Maintenance Season

The vehicle repair season has arrived and the Monroe shocks and struts brand from Tenneco is celebrating it by bringing back its iconic “Shocktober” promotion, an exclusive offer to motorists replacing ride control components this fall. Available from September 1 through October 31, 2010, the Shocktober promotion will give consumers who purchase four qualifying Monroe Reflex or Sensa-Trac shocks and struts and Gas-Magnum shocks for the same vehicle, a mail-in rebate for the cost of one (1) unit.

The promotion also is available for several Rancho products, including RS9000XL, QuickLIFT, and RS5000 shock absorbers. The rebate does not include installation/labor costs and offer is good only on qualifying products. Rebate will be equal to the lowest cost unit (up to the current Monroe and/or Rancho suggested list price).

The fall promotion complements the Monroe brand’s 50,000-mile/80,000kilometer ride control replacement campaign, which encourages consumers to replace worn shocks and struts at 50,000-miles/80,000-kilometers.

For Monroe “Shocktober” mail-in redemption forms or for more information, visit www.monroe.com during September and/or October, call 1-800218-1596 (US) or 1-800-565-9919 (Canada) or write to Monroe Marketing, One International Dr., Monroe, MI 48161.

NGK Spark Plugs Canada Limited Announces New National Marketing Manager

NGK Spark Plugs Canada Limited (NGK) announced the appointment of Robert (Bob) Matthews to the position of National Marketing Manager.

Mr. Matthews has been with NGK since 2004 in various senior roles with the company and brings over 23 years of experience in the Automotive Aftermarket, National Accounts and OES business.

His experience includes 15 years in the sales and marketing of a major brand of brake products, which is 8 SSGM September 2010

enabling NGK to successfully bring to market its brand new line of Akebono Brake Pads.

In his new role, Matthews will be responsible for directing all Canadian Marketing initiatives, and for the planning and execution of these initiatives on both the national and regional levels.

Long-Time Aftermarket Veteran Passes Away

Jim Asthon passed away peacefully at Grand River Health Centre, K-W Hospital, on Monday, July 19, 2010 at the age of 56, beloved husband of Rae Anne and father of Jim ( Julie), Kendal, and Kelly (Wray). Jim was employed by Britton Automotive for 29 years.

He was a longtime member of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #530 where he was installed as the Deputy Zone C2 Commander in 2009 and was a president (2004-2009).

Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid In Ontario This Year

A new era in sustainable mobility begins in Ontario, as Toyota Canada delivered a Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid (Prius PHV) to its provincial testing partners.

Toyota Canada and provincial partners the Province of Ontario (Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Transportation), Ontario Power Generation, the City of Toronto and the AUTO21 Network of Centres of Excellence were all on hand to officially ‘plug-in’ to the future.

To mark the occasion, Rick Jennings, Assistant Deputy Minister, Energy Supply, Transmission and Distribution Policy, Cara Clairman, VicePresident of Sustainable Development, Ontario Power Generation, Joe Pantalone, Deputy Mayor, City of Toronto, Dr. Peter Frise, Scientific Director and CEO, AUTO21 Network of Centres of Excellence and Toyota Canada’s President Yoichi Tomihara were on hand for the delivery at Toyota Canada’s head office in Scarborough today.

“The McGuinty government is pleased to be a partner in this pilot project, which will help provide us with data needed to build provincewide charging infrastructure for electric vehicles - a core element of our Smart Grid vision,” said Brad Duguid,

Minister of Energy. “The Smart Grid will not only play an important role in achieving our goal of having one electric car for every 20 vehicles on the road by 2020, it will also make it easier to bring smaller renewable energy projects on-line under our Green Energy Act.” “As Ontario’s largest electricity generator, OPG would supply most of the electrons for plug-in electric vehicles like the Prius PHV,” said Tom Mitchell, President and CEO of Ontario Power Generation. “Optimally, cars would recharge at night when demand and price are low and there’s a surplus of nuclear, wind and hydroelectric power — sources that are virtually free of emissions that cause climate change and smog.”

Toyota’s Ontario partners will share their Prius PHV, which will be fitted with telematics equipment to record vehicle and hybrid system performance.

“Toyota Canada is pleased to deliver the first Prius PHV to our partners in Ontario, a province that has shown great leadership in planning for a more sustainable transportation future,” said Yoichi Tomihara, President of Toyota Canada Inc.

Tony Canade appointed to AIA Board of Directors

AIA Chairman of the Board, Brad Morris announced the appointment of Mr. Tony Canade from Assured Automotive to the Automotive Industries Association of Canada (AIA) Board of Directors.

Tony Canade will be filling the position left vacant earlier this year with the passing of AIA Director Rick Berg. “Because Rick was one of the driving forces behind AIA’s new strategic training partnership agreement with I-CAR International, we felt it was important to fill this role with an individual who was familiar with the needs of the collision industry,” stated Morris. He continued, “Tony is well known in the collision industry for his strong leadership skills and will well represent the collision repair industry in his role as Director on the AIA Board.”

Tony is currently the President of www.ssgm.com

News Briefs ||

Consumer-reported average annual expenditures on vehicle maintenance and repair services have decreased to $9.8 billion in 2010 from $11.2 billion in 2009, largely due to a significant decline in routine maintenance spending among owners of four- to sevenyear-old vehicles, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2010 Canadian Customer Commitment Index Study.

The study finds that the decrease stems from two main issues: a decline in the average amount spent per service visit and a decrease in the overall number of service visits, particularly for vehicles between four and seven model years old.

Per service visit, spending averages $287 in 2010, compared with $352 in 2009 - a decline of $65. While revenue from repair work has remained stable from 2009, revenue from routine maintenance has declined considerably in 2010.

“Stagnant economic conditions may be one reason owners might postpone expenditures, including routine vehicle maintenance,” said Ryan Robinson, director of the Canadian automotive practice at J.D. Power and Associates. www.ssgm.com

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J.D. Power Finds ConsumerReported Annual Spending on Vehicle Maintenance And Repairs in Canada Declines by $1.4 Billion From 2009

“There are also other factors contributing to this decline, including longer manufacturer-recommended service intervals, improved vehicle reliability and a slight decline in the average age of the three to 12-year-old vehicle fleet, due to strong new-vehicle sales during the 2006 and 2007 calendar years. It seems Canadian vehicle owners are becoming comfortable with the notion that they don’t need to do as much to maintain their vehicles as they once did.”

The study provides a measure of the service behaviours, satisfaction and loyalty of owners of three- to 12-yearold vehicles.

Overall customer satisfaction is determined by examining five key factors of the service experience: process of getting the vehicle in for service; service advisor performance; service facility; quality of work performed; and the process of vehicle return/pick-up.

Certigard (Petro-Canada) ranks highest in satisfying automotive service customers in Canada, receiving an overall index score of 869 on a 1,000point scale.

Rounding out the top five ranked brands are Goodyear Auto Centers (838); Jiffy Lube (835); OK Tire (832); and NAPA AUTOPRO (831).

Mister Transmission Appoints a New Director of Operations L: 2.165 x 10

Assured Automotive an organization that owns and operates 32 collision repair centres in the Greater Toronto and Surrounding Area.

He completed his studies in Business Administration at York University in 1990. He then went on to work as a Student-in-Accounts for a CA Firm in Toronto. In 1992 Tony joined an automotive organization which operated a collision repair centre and various dealerships. In 2002 Tony became an Equity Partner in Oaktown Collision.

In 2005, Oaktown Collision and Imperial Collision merged to form Assured Automotive. Tony is the Chairman of the Canadian Collision Industry Forum. Tony and his wife of 18 years Mary and their three children Jonathan, Bianca and Nicholas reside in Mississauga, Ontario.

Mister Transmission announced a new Director of Operations, Mark Degli Angeli.

Mark has been an employee at Mister Transmission for over two years in the role of the Regional Business Manager. His dedication and enthusiasm for the company has been proven to be successful in achieving the continued growth for the company.

Mark is a graduate of Georgian College and the Automotive Marketing Program at the CAI. His background in corporate, dealer and aftermarket segments of the automotive industry permits him to both meet and exceed expectations without losing focus on the needs of the customer or the overall success of the organization.

SSGM

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September 1 - October 31, 2010 © 2010 Tenneco

September 2010 SSGM 9

|| Software

Specialty Software

will be your Shop’s Saviour Standard accounting and managing software packages might make running your shop more difficult

By Nestor Gula

A

casual stroll down a computer store’s software aisle will reveal that there is a modest choice of accounting or business management software. Ignoring the ultra-cheap packages there are actually only two — QuickBooks and Simply Accounting.

But before you reach out to purchase such a package for your shop, you should really think if these off-the-shelf packages will help or hinder your business. Will they really reflect the nuances and the specialized needs of a vehicle repair facility?

“The only shop owners that are using QuickBooks, Sim-

10 SSGM September 2010

ply Accounting or similar programs are the ones that are being held at gunpoint by their accountants,” said Danny Lankar, owner and president of Autogence, the developers of Lankar Pro and Lankar Enterprise business management systems. “Their accountant is telling them ‘I know QuickBooks, I know Simply Accounting. I don’t care about your business. I just want you too make my life easy so you use this software.’”

The advantage of the Lankar system is that it is made specifically for automotive repair shops. Danny Lankar is a software engineer and his brother owned a repair shop where he was a hyper-gopher as he describes it. The Lankar system was created to address the failings of the standard accounting programs in a repair shop scenario.

“QuickBooks is what I call a two-tier management system. You have a customer and that customer can have many invoices,” said Lankar. “The thing that is needed for this service industry is a three-tier system. I can have a customer and that customer can have many vehicles; and many different machines. And each of those machines can have many invoices. You can’t do that with QuickBooks.”

“The second thing is that The Lankar Shop Management system is designed so you can record on all the areas of your business,” he said. “Kilometre usage, shop supplies, tax levies.

You can interface with the labour guide and do parts ordering online.”

In business for over 15 years, Lankar’s software is used by thousands of shops in over 14 countries according to Lankar.

“We’ve been doing this for a long time. The way it works is that the service advisor creates the work order and sends it to the technician. The technician hears a beep on his screen and sees the work that needs to be done. When they are done they make a note and it goes back to the service advisor who can then contact the customer that their vehicle is ready.”

The software will show how much actual work was done and how much bill time was done.

“It could show this by employees where someone might have billed 55-hours a work but in actuality they have worked 37-hours. You can see the margins by employee,” he said.

Based in Sherwood Park, Alberta, Costar offers a similar www.ssgm.com

Manage Your Business Your Way! LANKAR All-In-One Shop Management System

Professional Invoicing Accounting & Payroll Labour Guide / Maintenance Schedule Online Parts Ordering Inventory Marketing Shop Scheduling Ask Us About Transferring Your History to LANKAR

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|| Software one-stop system for autoshop management.

“We are a fully integrated program,” said Laine Colman, national sales manager at Costar Computer Systems. “It has a point of sale, payable receivables, inventory management, purchasing and will produce the financial statement in both electronic and paper formats.”

Colman added the Costar system is “predominantly found at the service counter and in the accounting office.

There are some shops that will take this system to the service bays but we see that they are used primarily up in the front office.”

He said that Costar imports and export data to popular Office formats.

Like the Lankar system the Costar application, “will pull down the appropriate labour times for job that is to be performed. Will track billable or book time versus actual time,” said Coleman. “The product ships with a tire guide information that is built in to the system. That data is updated regularly.

Filters and other (part) information comes from NAPA and other suppliers which the system is linked into.”

Both the Costar and the Lankar applications have effective and sophisticated Customer Relationship Man-

12 SSGM September 2010

agement systems built in. Coleman said their system, “will handle multiple vehicles for the same customer, and has functionality for customer follow-up by telephone, mail (or) postcard.

Lankar explained their system’s database could contain a copious amount of information on the customers’ vehicles.

He suggests that a telephone call is frequently more effective than an email or postcard.

“Occasionally there will be a technician who is idle. What we suggest is to get these idle employees to make a call for the personal touch. In one hour you will be able to get about twenty calls made,” he said. “They will be able to answer questions and make an appointment right away. This will generate business and build loyalty.

“When you’re talking about Mitchell 1 software, you’re really talking about two platforms,” said Nick Diverde, general manager for Shop Management Solutions at Mitchell 1. “First, our shop management systems, Manager, Manager Plus, and Manager Enterprise, help service businesses to track their jobs from estimate to invoice. Our information platform, OnDemand, helps service advisors and technicians find the estimating, maintenance, and repair data they need to service nearly every passenger car and light truck they might encounter.

We can also help technicians service mediumand heavy-duty vehicles.”

“Manager, Manager Plus, and Manager Enterprise are tightly integrated with our OnDemand product,” he said. “So service advisors can accurately estimate jobs and provide their technicians with the service data they need, like technical service bulletins, specifications, or color wiring diagrams.”

Both Lankar and Costar also integrate with Mitchell 1’s OnDemand system.

“OnDemand includes a number of tools to help service professionals find information fast, including a specifications index for every vehicle and a keyword search,” said Diverde.

“The best integration exists between our shop management and information products, which we conveniently bundle for shops in a package we call TeamWorks. Additionally, other shop management providers can interface with OnDemand.”

Another online tool that can help technicians solve repair and diagnostic quandaries is Identifix.

“We are a truly unique service. A stand alone Web Site,” said Aaron Cherrington, vice-president of Corporate and Channel Sales for Identifix, Inc. “We are the oldest and largest repair hotline that serves both the US and Canadian markets.”

Since 1987 they have taken over 3.6 million calls from technicians across North America helping them solve the most difficult diagnostic challenges.

“Today we have 45 guys broken up into five teams that take calls. They are separated by car lines so that if you call about a Ford you will speak to a Ford specialist who will know all the latest tools and diagnostic scan tools and has all the information available.

We actually have over 10,000 printed manuals at our site. We created a Web Site because we started seeing the same problems over and over. So we essentially created an archive.”

The archive has over 400,000 individual articles and covers virtually every vehicle that is in service.

“If it happened on a car then we probably have some information on it,” stated Cherrington. “We have our users confirm the accuracy of our procedures.” The archive database is constantly growing and technicians can access it from the shop or from home – wherever it is convenient.

SSGM

REFERENCE LIST Autogence www.lankar.com Costar www.costar.ca Mitchell 1 www.m1products.net Identifix Inc. www.identifix.com www.ssgm.com

|| Winterization

Winter Blues

Winter is tough on both drivers and independents. Don’t despair.

There are profits to be made in the winter months.

I

It used to be easy selling winter maintenance. When the dog-days of summer ended and kids began toiling away in the beginning weeks of school, most independents only had to put a sign out announcing winter’s approach and people would bring their cars in to get ready for the first snowfall.

While it would be easy for an independent today to put a sign out announcing winter maintenance, it would prove to be a tough sell to many car owners today. Part of the difficulty is the fact of the changed make-up of where many Canadians live.

14 SSGM September 2010

By Tom Venetis, Editor Since the 1950s, more Canadians have moved and are now living in large city-centres than in rural environments, with some 80 per cent of Canadians calling urban-centres home according to Statistics Canada in 2006. Depending on which urban centre a car owner lives, winter can seem to come rather late, with some cities reporting no snowfall until well into December or even January; and what snowfall there is can be slight. So this can give many car owners an impression that winter driving is not that much different from driving during the fall or spring, expect

for the shorter daylight hours and the leafless trees. Also, there is the everpresent sales pitch of ‘All Season’ on everything from tires to wiper fluid, adding an extra layer of confusion to the winter picture. If your tires and wiper fluid are ‘All Season’ what exactly is the need to winterize a vehicle?

This presents a unique challenge for an independent shop: how to convince those car owners who do not live in rural areas where severe winter weather is common that winterizing a car is as important as regularly changing the motor oil.

www.ssgm.com

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September 1 - October 31, 2010 © 2010 Tenneco

16 SSGM September 2010

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Morin added the key to preparing drivers for winter is to start by educating them about what they should be having checked and have readied in their vehicles for winter, something similar to a checklist.

This checklist can be used by service writers and technicians to more effectively sell winter maintenance and to upsell products and services. Take windshield wipers. These are probably the easiest item to first sell on to a vehicle owner as they are often the first items a customer can actually see problem with; or on which problems can be pointed out to a customer. Over time, wipers deteriorate and will produce uneven wiping as the wiper is unable to make a proper contact with the windshield. To a driver, the telltale signs of a wiper having reached the end of its useful life will be such things as streaking or chattering, said Randy Chupka, marketing manager with Gates Cana-

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50

Probably the easiest thing to do is to remind drivers – and to remind them often – that driving in winter is something that must be taken seriously.

Too often drivers are unprepared for the first snows and find themselves having all sorts of difficulties with their vehicles: poor-quality car batteries or ones that are damaged or failing can leave drivers stranded when the first cold-snap happens; wipers that are near the end of their useful life cannot effectively remove snow or ice making driving hazardous; headlights not functioning properly add to the dangers of driving in heavy snowfall conditions and at night; and ‘All Season’ anything, especially on tires is likely not to be very successful in heavy snow and ice conditions.

If a driver has problems believing all that, perhaps the service writer or shop owner can tell them the all-to-familiar story of the yearly up-tick in vehicles being towed into the service bays when the first heavy snows hit and drivers find themselves stuck on the sides of roads, in shopping mall parking lots or in minor fender-benders.

“All too often, drivers put off preparing their vehicle for winter driving until after the first major snowstorm,” said Dean Morin, communications manager, national public affairs, Canadian Automobile Association. “As you never know when the first major storm will strike, the key is to be ready before the snow arrives. As a general rule of thumb, for most regions of Canada, fall is a good time to begin the preparation process (and this may be even earlier in more Northern and mountainous areas where it gets colder quicker).”

Trico Winter Blades feature a protective rubber boot to help prevent snow and ice from clogging the blade. This allows the blade to maintain even pressure to provide a clean wipe and enhance driving visibility. Winter Teflon Blade has a rubber boot which protects the metal blade frame from becoming clogged with snow and ice. www.ssgm.com

Real. Authentic. Right.

Sure, there may be plenty of look-alikes out there, but there’s only one Monroe® Quick-Strut ®. Monroe was the rst to introduce a revolutionary one-piece design for quick and easy installation. Monroe Quick-Strut comes with everything you need for a complete job right in the box and features the same technology you’ve come to expect from an industry leader. Are you sure your one-piece assembly is real, authentic … right?

monroe.com kyp.aftermarketsuppliers.org ©2010 Tenneco

|| Winterization

TRICO’S exCluSIve SWIFT™ eaSy COnneCTIOn TeChnOlOGy makeS IT eaSy FOR TeChnICIanS TO InSTall, and TheSe bladeS FIT 96% OF vehICleS On The ROad.

In North America there are approximately 210 million vehicles on the road equipped with conventional wiper blades.

And Trico Products makes it easy to sell, install and move more drivers to a more advanced blade. The new TRICO Tech™ is an Advanced Flexible Beam Blade™at a price that’s within most drivers’ budgets. And with 96% vehicle coverage, an easyconnection system and trusted TRICO® performance, more of your customers can drive with the best.

da. Chupka added service writers can also point to such things as worn or split rubber on the wiper, bent refill vertebra and wiper frames to show the customer why the wipers need to be replaced.

“It is recommended that wiper blades be changed every six months to maintain maximum driving safety,” Chupka said. “As an easy reminder, you should change your wipers when you change your clock at daylight savings times. It is also always recommended to change both wipers as the same time. This will help ensure clear driving vision from the entire windshield. And don’t forget the rear blade, which is found on most Sports Utility Vehicles. They too wear.”

Tom Vasis, group product manager, wiping systems for Bosch pointed out that winter is also a tough time for wipers, stressing all of a wiper’s critical components, and should be watch carefully as severe winter weather may mean having to replace wipers more frequently than in summer months.

“Ice on the windshield is the main culprit in winter deterioration of wiper blades,” Vasis said.

“If the windshield is iced up, trying to clear the windshield by activating the wipers – without first taking off the ice – will quickly damage the wiper blade rubber and make it less effective in

This beam blade is available in lengths from 16" to 28",with only one SKU per length.

As a first-to-market wiper blade innovator, Trico Products has always been the wiper brand that offers the best wiper technologies at affordable prices.

To stock up on TRICO blades, contact Gates Order Service at 519-759-4141 ext. 3360 Trico Products distributed by Zerex G-05 antifreeze/coolant can be used with Ford and Daimler Chrysler vehicles. Its HOAT chemistry combines conventional and organic acidbased chemistry to protect against rust and corrosion.

18 SSGM September 2010

www.ssgm.com

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A.PVL.SUPER.261.4C.01.qxd:A.PVL.SUPER.261.4C.01

5/21/10

11:43 AM

Page 1

Mobil Super 1000 Engineered to exceed OEM warranty requirements.

wiping rain, mist and snow form the windshield.”

Preparing a car for the winter months is also a good opportunity to upsell to more premium wiper technologies such as Bosch’s bracketless Icon or evolution wipers or Gates’ Trico Advanced Flexible Beam Blade wipers or the Trico 30 series.

Prints: 4 Color Process

Introducing a New Line of Premium Engine Oils

docket # SIMP_0017.01 SSGM This advertisement prepared by: McGILL PRODUCTIONS • May 21, 2010

|| Winterization

Anti-Freeze Confusions

Mobil Super 2000 Engineered for high mileage vehicles and longer oil drain intervals.

Engineered in Canada, Mobil Super 2000 is recommended for high mileage vehicles with over 120,000 km and provides guaranteed oil drain protection for 10,000 km or 6 months, which ever comes first.* www.MobilOil.ca

A.PVL.SUPER.261.4C 2.125" x 10"

Engineered in Canada for the latest engine technology, Mobil Super 1000 exceeds OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) warranty for every major gasoline car and light-duty truck manufacturer including turbo-charged engines.

Over the years, the trend in automotive lubricants, coolants and other materials has been towards greater diversity.

With the growing number of vehicles designed to exacting standards makers of various lubricants and other automotive fluids have rolled out a growing number of products that are made to be use for specific vehicle types and systems. For the service writer this has meant being on a constant learning curve to keep up with all the changes and specialized formulations. A mistake in mismatching a product to a vehicle can result in thousands of dolPROOF lars of damage.

Client Coolant is no different. A range now exists that can be confusing for ______________ both technicians and consumers alike.

But Director a few basic facts are important to Creative remember. ______________ Older coolants or IAT (Inorganic ArtAdditive Director Technology) coolants use silicate as the primary corrosion inhibitor. ______________ These inhibitors are fast-acting, but deplete over time. GM uses Dex-Cool, Copywriter and Organic Acid Technology (OAT) ______________ which has organic salts for corrosion inhibition Account Director and is silicate free. These inhibitors do not deplete in serve, but ______________ may fail to react quickly in fast corrosion conditions. Ford, Chrysler and Account Manager European manufacturers have chosen G-05 or Hybrid Organic Acid ______________ Technology (HOAT) that combines

#

1

Production Manager

Prestone’s LowTox Antifreeze/coolant provides performance durability and protection against corrosion of all cooling system metals. Its patented propylene glycol formula provides an added margin of safety for pets and wildlife.

silicates and organic salts together.

Asian manufacturers use phosphated HOATR technology (pHOAT) coolants, which combine phosphates and organic acids together without silicates for protection.

“As you can see, it is impossible to have one chemistry that will meet the requirements of all manufacturers,” said James Vitak, a spokesman with Ashland Inc., makers of Valvoline lubricants and coolants, including Zerex antifreeze.

“For example, GM requires an OAT chemistry that is silicate-free whereas Ford and Chrysler specify G-05 or HOAT chemistry that must include silicate. Manufacturers spend a lot of money to determine which chemistries are compatible and incompatible with materials found in their cooling systems. Choosing a coolant that is incompatible with the cooling system

______________ *Excludes severe service applications involving: racing and commercial use; frequent towing or hauling; extremely dusty or dirty conditions; or excessive idling. While under warranty change oil at the manufacturer’s recommendation.

Mobil, Mobil Super, Mobil 1 and the Pegasus design are trademarks of Exxon Mobil Corporation or one of its subsidiaries. Imperial Oil licensee.

20 SSGM September 2010

McGill

dal

______________ Proof Buddy _____________

Bosch’s Icon bracketless blades feature a “driver side” and “passenger side” – left and right – that conform to the windshield curvature of modern vehicles. This gives these blades the ability to hug the windshield and keep it crystal clear.

www.ssgm.com

Many of the world’s finest vehicles are filled with Mobil 1 g at the factory. y right

©2010 Exxon Mobil Corporation. Mobil, Mobil 1 and the 1 Icon are trademarks of Exxon Mobil Corporation or one of its subsidiaries.

Imperial Oil licensee. NASCAR is a registered trademark of The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing Inc.

Your vehicle may not have been filled with Mobil 1 at the factory, but it’s never too late to switch.

Mobil 1 can prolong engine life and save you money in the long run.

|| Winterization may lead to decreased performance and potentially expensive repairs.”

Along with correctly matching the formulation to the vehicle, service writer should also emphasize the importance of regular coolant flushes and proper matching of coolant and glycol mixtures. There is a myth amongst some drivers that coolants don’t have to be changed as often as motor oils, but a good ‘rule-of-thumb’ is that coolants should be changed every two years, and mixtures checked regularly, especially before the winter months, as over the hot summer months, drivers may have tried a bit of DIY fixings of coolant issues by pouring water into the mix to cool down an overheating engine.

Another thing to remember is regular coolant flushes and inspections are also a great opportunity to inspect hoses and the water pump, as well as the radiator for any signs of damage or deterioration, as an upsell opportunity for needed maintenance work or parts replacement may exist.

Batteries and Tires and Cold Weather

One of the effects of very cold weather is how it dramatically reduces the speed at which chemical reactions occur in a battery while at the same time increasing electrolyte resistance. So it is important to remember to remind drivers of how important it is to keep batteries fully charged during times of extreme cold weather. Batteries that are not fully charged or are in a discharged state are susceptible to freezing which will damage the plates.

It is also recommended that batteries be regularly checked to see what their cranking and cold cranking amp levels are. Cranking amps are the number of amperes a traditional lead-acid batter at zero degrees C can deliver for 30 seconds and maintain at least 1.2 volts per cell. This CA cranking amps figure determines how much power you will have to start a car in most weather conditions. In cold weather, a battery will have to produce more power so as to start the vehicle and other systems.

Cold Cranking Amps is the number of amperes a battery at –17.8 C can deliver for 30 seconds and maintain 22 SSGM September 2010

at least 1.2 volts per cell. As well as Cold Cranking Amps it is important to check for reserve capacity as this is the battery’s ability to produce a minimum vehicle electrical load to operate the vehicle in conditions such a winter driving. This is critical for drivers who need to be told that if their batteries do not have this minimum reserve capacity, or the battery is unable to hold that reserve capacity, they are likely to find themselves stranded someplace waiting for tow in the middle of a snowstorm.

And it could be a very long wait.

Winter tires are another thing to try to sell to a customer. While Quebec has mandatory winter tire legislation, other Canadian provinces do not. But even being stuck in snow drifts often is not enough to sell winter tires to most people. The reason most people give for not buying winter tires is not because they don’t know their advantages; it is because they often do not have a place to store their existing summer tires.

This is especially true in urban areas

where not every home has a garage or most condominiums have limited storage spaces where people can place their tires. What more shops need to be doing is finding a way to help vehicle owners store their existing tires during the winter months when switching to winter tires. Making this part of the pitch for winter tires will make the sale easier. An added benefit is that by storing a driver’s tires, one also has the means of selling other maintenance services: brake and suspension inspection, tire rotation, and spring maintenance services along with a range of other services. Once you have made that first winter tire sale, you may find yourself with a long-term customer that will bring long-term profits for the shop.

SSGM

REFERENCE LIST Ashland Inc. www.ashland.com Bosch www.bosch.com Gates Canada www.gates.com www.ssgm.com

Fall is definitely the time to buy!!

Hunter Engineering and Prema Canada are pleased to offer their customers some very special pricing.

Interested in a balancer, a tire changer or a brake lathe? How about all three? Well check this out!

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Add any Hunter Lift to your alignment purchase & save an additional $1,200.00 for a total savings of $2,700.00 Promotion is in effect from September 1, 2010 to October 31, 2010. Purchase orders must be in house at Hunter Engineering by the close of business on October 31, 2010 and must be for immediate shipment. No exceptions.

Cannot be combined with any other promotion or discount program.

Freight and applicable taxes are extra.

For information please call 1-800-268-6311 or go to www.premacanada.ca

|| Jim’s Rant

Petro Proliferation

By Jim Anderton, Technical Editor

In a perfect world, you’d have the good bulk tank product, maybe a mid–range semi-synthetic or premium mineral oil, and the full synthetic stuff at the top end … then you might add a specialty product like high-mileage oils.

What do you think?

Have your say and speak your mind! letterstotheeditor@ ssgm.com

24 SSGM September 2010

Manufacturers of motor oil have been trying to convince motorists for years that engine oils are not commodity products … “it’s more than just oil.” While that‘s certainly true technologically, it’s also been about branding and the ability of some brands to carry a consumer impression of higher quality or technology. That’s a good thing; we should always be able to offer our customers choices. There is a dark side, however and it’s coming from the other side of the fence, namely the OEM manufacturers.

The issue is the proliferation of oil specifications and the need to use very specific oils in many engines. If you thought 5W-20 in Hondas was a pain, wait until you see what’s coming. As engine designers come to grips with tightening emissions regulations that remove some popular additives like phosphates and the need for lower internal engine friction, they’re turning to the oil companies for special, highly stressed oils. You can see it inside the newer engines. Pistons have minimal skirts today, almost like racing parts of thirty years ago. Rings are extremely thin and run in close tolerance lands that need strict sludge and varnish control on top of better lubricity. And there are European environmental regulations that drive longer change intervals over there, meaning oils that are even more specialized … and expensive.

Then there’s the engine designs themselves: lighter, even higher redlines and the return of turbo-charging over cubic inches going forward. Long-stroke designs seem to have disappeared outside truck and Diesel units as makers of even mundane family sedans boast higher and higher horsepower figures. We all know that no four-door Camry or Accord owner is going to probe the peak of the power band over 6500 RPM … but the lube has to be able to stand it.

So what does the repair aftermarket do? The short answer is to stock more oil.

In a perfect world, you’d have the good bulk tank product, maybe a mid–range semi-synthetic or premium mineral oil, and the full synthetic stuff at the top end … then you might add a specialty product like high-mileage oils. Of course all would be 5W30. Now, you have to think about manufacturer approvals and oddball grades, too. Is it really necessary? To maintain engine warranties, yes, but in a world where gasoline octane ratings have been standardized, why can’t the major engine builders settle on two or three multi-grade motor oils? They can, but OEM’s will take that 1/10th of a mile-per-gallon even if it means a crankcase full of Chanel No.5. In this world, the best we can do is to use our knowledge of our customer base to plan ahead. Do you have the odd Mercedes or Volkswagen in your fleet? Try to book their oil changes well in advance to bring in the special lube you need, if you can’t justify the shelf space or cost of carrying it.

Consider noting the exact brand and type of oil you use on the work order … if you maintain a customer’s vehicle, the manufacturer’s regional service rep will suspect your work if there’s a warranty claim. Maybe keep the exotic bottled stuff out front, near the service desk … you may as well advertise your ability to maintain all makes, including rare models.

But do dust the bottles once in a while. To move oil, it should look as if it moves more than once every two or three years.

www.ssgm.com

|| Sasso

Part 2

Finding An Employee That Fits How to find a winner in a stack of résumés

I

f you’ve never hired anyone before, the process can be somewhat intimidating and overwhelming. In fact, even if you have hired someone before the process can be somewhat intimidating and overwhelming.

I hope this article will help take the “over” out of “overwhelming.” If you follow a simple, step-by-step approach, it can be a little easier process to navigate. In the July issue of SSGM, I covered gathering a pool of qualified applicants. The goal of this next stage of hiring is to identify “the one.”

That can be tough — especially if you don’t know what “the one” looks like. That’s why I stress having a job description to measure your candidates against. The objective isn’t just finding someone who has a list of skills and experiences. The objective is to find someone who is a fit for the personality of your shop — someone who can do the job well and that will make a good employee that you can get along with well.

Choosing The Best Prospects

Imagine you have a stack of resumes/ applications on your desk. The first step in the process is to turn that into two stacks: Maybes and maybe nots.

Don’t throw out the maybe nots, yet.

But focus on the maybes. Say you’re hiring for an experienced tech vs. hiring a entry-level counter worker. The tech will have worked in the field for a while. The counter worker may not have automotive experience, but have worked in sales or retail. Where the experienced tech will warrant more pay, the entry-level counter worker will require more training. On the other hand if you were looking for an entrylevel tech, you might be looking for someone fresh out of tech school with good grades and a steady part-time job history. There is no sure fire way to separate the likely candidates from the 26 SSGM September 2010

unlikely ones. But that’s why you’ll do a short phone interview and a longer face-to-face interview before you make any commitments.

Once you’ve identified the maybes, it’s time to make some calls to decide if they warrant an interview. The telephone interview process is a brief conversation with the applicant to decide if you feel it would be worth your time or theirs to meet. Remember you’re not just deciding if you feel they’re a fit, you’re trying to help them decide if your job will be a fit for them, too.

With such a large unemployment rate, this can be hard. A lot of people are willing to settle to get a job. You, on the other hand, should not be willing to settle.

Draw up a quick list of four or five questions to ask every applicant. These can be as general as “What made you want to become a technician?” to as specific as “Why do you want to work here?” Listen carefully to their answers and make notes on the side or back of their resume/application. It’s important to have detailed notes to keep each applicant straight. You want to listen to their answer and ask follow-up questions if any answer is unclear.

You also should consider having one or two specific questions for that candidate about their resume/application.

Perhaps it’s to clarify something like “It says you were a clerk and a supervisor at ABC Parts over your three years there.

How long were you a supervisor?” Or your question might be just to get more details about the personality of the candidate like “What was the hardest part of the job at ABC Parts?” Try to keep the call between five to 10 minutes.

Don’t look for long answers or ask hard questions. You just want to get a feel for each candidate’s personality.

Also, don’t call the candidate and just start firing off questions. Call or email them to schedule a 10-15 minute

phone call. If you’re candidate is working or has a busy personal schedule, you can’t expect them to take your call and comfortably answer your questions when they’re manning the counter at work or sitting at lunch in McDonald’s Playland with the kids. You need to be willing to call them before work, after lunch or even after hours to accommodate your candidate’s schedule, especially if they are already employed.

After each call rank the person on a scale of one to five. Remember, every candidate will be a little nervous. So cut them a little slack; but in five or 10 minutes, you should have little feel for whom you are talking to.

Once you’ve screened the candidates by phone, it’s time to meet the best candidates face to face.

It’s interviewing, not interrogating

Sort your candidate’s resumes/applications by rank putting your best candidates on top of the stack. You’ll want to invite the top candidates in for an interview. Schedule the interview, again being sensitive to your candidate’s schedule, making time for meetings before, during and after work hours.

Depending on the job, you might call in three to five prospects.

Set aside a quiet place for your interview where you’ll be free from interruptions. If you are the only person in the shop, it’s best to schedule your interviews outside of your working hours, lock your door and let all your calls go to voicemail. You want to give each candidate your undivided attention. It’s not fair to an applicant if their interview is interrupted while other candidates don’t have to compete for your attention. If there is a unexpected or unavoidable interruption, be sure to apologize and take that into account when making your decision.

When you meet the candidate try www.ssgm.com

Sasso || to set them at ease. Offer them a cup of coffee or glass of water. Make some small talk. Maybe take a couple minutes to show them around the shop a little before you sit down to the interview. Remember this is an interview, not an interrogation. Your job here isn’t to intimidate them. Your job is to pull out the real person. Being on a job interview is stressful, do whatever you can to make the candidate comfortable.

Have a list of 10 to 15 interview questions. I’d give you a definitive list of the best interview questions to ask, but every job and every shop is different. Although there is no definitive list, there are three common types of questions to cover: Experience – Ask questions about former jobs, classes or training. Try to get a feel for their technical knowledge and job skills.

Work Personality – It’s important to distinguish work personality from their personal life. Knowing someone likes jazz music and mountain biking may be interesting if you’re looking for a spouse. But if you are looking for an employee, stick to the job description. “What are your job strengths and weaknesses?” is a good general question to get started.

Goals & Ambitions – Someone who wants to “learn and grow” is always a better candidate than someone who just wants to “earn and go.” Ambition can be a powerful driving force, so find out what the candidate’s goals and dreams are in this field.

After the candidates leave, rank them on the one-to-five scale again to determine which ones you feel fit the job best. I tend to look for a good attitude over straight technical knowledge. I believe someone with the right attitude can always learn the technical aspects of most jobs (within reason).

Someone with technical skill cannot necessarily learn to have a good attitude. This may be my personal opinion, but I’m not alone.

Pencil & Paper Testing

“We believe that attitude predicts performance,” says Tom Cormack, president of Personnel Systems Corp. (www. persysco.com) and former Formula Car www.ssgm.com

Racer. His firm publishes a series of self-scoring, paper-and-pencil-based tests that help assess candidate’s general abilities, behavior and/or character.

You can hire a performance technician that does excellent work but doesn’t show up to work on time or is belligerent to other employees or customers, says Cormack. By giving a quick 15- or 20-minute test to your top two or three prospects you can possibly uncover things that didn’t come up in the job interview.

Once you narrow your field of candidates, you may want to call them in to take a brief pre-employment test.

Proven tests like those from Personnel Systems are available for order online and can give you a uniform method to measure candidates for likelihood of substance abuse on the job, negative work ethic or integrity issues.

“In today’s environment, many former employers are wary about giving a past employee a negative reference for fear of litigation,” says Cormack.

Non-discriminatory pre-employment screening surveys can provide a reliable indicator of factors like work ethic, reliability, trustworthiness and drug/alcohol attitudes. (Check with your legal advisor about pre-employment testing.)

Checking References

Next, it’s time to check references. Let me admit, I’ve failed at checking references and calling former employers for job candidates more than once in my own business. I’ve promised myself I’ll never neglect it again.

It may seem that no job applicant would give you a personal reference that would have anything negative to say about them. And in this legal environment, very few employers would risk saying anything negative about a former employee. But sometimes, it’s what they don’t say that can be as powerful as what they do. A raving review of a candidate can be a good sign; an empty, neutral review may speak volumes.

You may also find that your candidate has mislabeled his job title, misstated his salary history or miscalculated his employment dates by a

few months — or a few years. Some candidates may even list schools they attended but never graduated. Interpreting if these are innocent mistakes or not is all part of the hiring process.

Hiring (and Firing) Your New Employee

Once you’ve decided on a candidate, it’s time to offer him/her the job. For some positions and shops, you can do this with a simple phone call. Depending on your style, you may want to do it face-to-face instead.

You may also prefer presenting your salary and benefit offer in writing, so there’s no confusion. This can be done in person or with a follow-up email after you call to offer them the position.

For full-time positions, you’ll want to give them a few days to think about your offer. While a part-timer may start that afternoon, expect full-timers to take a couple of weeks before starting.

Allow anyone currently employed to give their employer at least two weeks notice. You’d want the same courtesy if you were on the other side of the table.

Finally, it’s best to consider having a trial period with any new hire. This can usually be 30 to 90 days where the employee understands he or she needs to meet certain job requirements to maintain the position. (Ask your legal adviser about any relevant laws) There’s nothing more painful than to have to tell a new employee he or she is not working out. Having a thorough hiring process can help you reduce the chance that you’ll have to do that.

On the flipside, there’s nothing more rewarding than calling an employee into your office and telling him that his trial period is over — and you’d like him to stay.

SSGM 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.

September 2010 SSGM 27

CANADIAN

AUTOMOTIVE Technician

Mixed Blessings Mixing OAT-based antifreeze with conventional glycol types can lead to engine damage … or does it?

By Jim Anderton, Technical Editor

“I

t’ll destroy your engine.” “You can’t mix Dex-Cool with regular antifreeze.” “You’ll void your warranty if you do it.” Sound familiar? Ever since the introduction of long life cooling system formulations there has been controversy about their use. What’s the truth?

Silicates versus OAT

Engine coolants are all glycol-based, mainly ethylene glycol, (with some propylene glycol products marketed for low toxicity) and protect the engine against boilover and freezing in the same way. The difference is in the way the products protect the cooling system against corrosion and unwanted side reactions that create sludging or attack gasket and seal compounds. That difference is in the additive package, which on long-life coolants is based on Organic Acid Technology. OAT-based coolants replace the silicates and phosphates of traditional coolants with more exotic organic acid compounds like sebacate and 2-ethylhexanoic acid. Unfortunately, the story doesn’t stop with the formulation change. Toyota has an extended life OAT product with added phosphates, while Honda uses a formulation that contains no 2-ethylhexanoic acid. Each is dyed a distinctive colour, but not all OAT long-life products are distinctively dyed, so colour is not a safe indicator if you’re using coolant from an unknown source.

What’s better?

Most consumers want the extended drain interval of a longlife OAT-based coolant, and they’re factory-fill anyway, so older silicate-based products are likely to disappear in the future … except for the DIY market. Unfortunately, topping off the coolant recovery tank is simple enough that anyone 28 SSGM September 2010

can do it and few consumers understand that the need to top off regularly means that there’s something wrong with the cooling system. Auto parts retailers sell low-cost silicate products that offer “all-metal” or aluminum compatibility, so the likelihood that a system in your shop has had silicatebased formulations mixed with OAT is high if they’re in your shop for a cooling system issue. The good news is that a quality silicate conventional coolant will mix with a longlife OAT product, but the combination is no longer long-life and will have to be replaced like a conventional coolant. It’s important to let the customer know this, as their owner’s manual states a drain interval that can be five years or longer with some claiming a change interval of 200,000km. That’s false economy on a lightly driven older vehicle as the additive package depletes over time regardless of how often or hard the car is driven. If they elect to go back to OAT after the repair, and a good tech should always encourage the factory fill coolant type, then it’s necessary to completely flush the old stuff out, something that’s probably already in the cards for a major repair, but possibly not for a quick heater hose issue or a cracked expansion tank, for example.

Further complicating the issue is the arrival of “Hybrid Organic Acid Technology” or HOAT products marketed as “universal” coolants under the “G-05” banner. HOAT products use a different organic acid package compared to straight OAT coolants and add a little silicate for fast acting corrosion protection and to address cavitation corrosion in aluminum water pump housings. Some HOAT products, however, are branded “low silicate” and use stabilizers to keep silicate precipitates from falling out of the coolant solution.

CAT, continued on page 30 www.ssgm.com

Brakleen

®

BRAKE PARTS CLEANER – WITH POWER JET™ TECHNOLOGY Premium Non-Chlorinated Formula

CRC Brakleen® is the best non-chlorinated, low VOC product on the market. This powerful formula removes brake fluid, grease, oil and other contaminants fast and effectively. Use on all brake related parts including rotors, cylinders, drums, linings, brake shoes, calipers, clutch discs and disc brake pads. Safe for ABS, disc and drum brakes.

NEW!t

Power Je Spray Nozzle TM

The Strongest Name in Brake Parts Cleaner Just Got STRONGER! CRC Brakleen® Premium Non-Clorinated Formula utilizes Power Jet™ technology. This new spray nozzle produces a burst of product that forcefully breaks away contaminants, while the formula cleans and degreases instantly. The strength behind the Power Jet™ spray nozzle means faster work, requiring less product per job. The ergonomically-designed Power Jet™ spray nozzle is easier to press, giving the user a quick, precise shot of product where needed.

Part No. Package Type Net Wt. Units/Case Unit Dimensions Case Dimensions Brakleen® Non-Chlorinated Brake Parts Cleaner – Premium Non-Chlorinated Formula ▲ 75050 aerosol can 14 oz 12 9.25H x 2.63W x 2.63D 9.7H x 8.3W x 11.1D 75055 pail 5 gallon 1 13.8H x 11.3W x 11.3D 13.8H x 11.3W x 11.3D

CRC Industries is a worldwide leader in the production of specialty chemicals for the DIY and maintenance professional, serving the automotive, marine, hardware, electrical, industrial, and aviation markets. CRC is ISO 9001:2008 certified and adheres to the strictest guidelines for quality in all facets of research, development, and production.

CRC®, Sta-Lube® and products denoted with ® and ™ are trademarks of CRC Industries, Inc.

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▲ This product is Extremely Flammable. Do not apply while equipment is energized.

CAT, continued from page 28 HOAT coolants are factory fill on many OEM vehicles from Europe as well as Ford and Chrysler. So what should you use? In every case, techs should refill with the same formula that the engine shipped with, which is almost exclusively OAT-based. Some older engines with brass or copper radiator or heater core parts prefer a silicate-based coolant but they’re far from common today. Shops can’t carry a dozen different OEM coolant types, and many use HOAT “G-05” coolants with good results. If the engine is truly exotic, consider ordering OEM coolant … it may be the same stuff in an expensive bottle, but the owner of that Mercedes may feel more confident if the colour matches the OEM fill.

What about Dex-Cool?

Dex-Cool is GM’s trademark for their formulation of OAT long-life coolant. Class action lawsuits in Canada and the U.S. regarding corrosion and engine sludging was settled

by GM and are engine specific, commonly to V-6 engines.

There is no scientific evidence that the coolant was the source of he problem, or that the coolant “ate” the gasket material, since the same formulation was concurrently used in millions of unaffected GM vehicles. The Dex-Cool brand suffered, although poor cooling system maintenance was and is the major engine killer.

A problem identified by GM early in the Dex-Cool saga was weak antifreeze mixtures. While this is more of an issue in the balmy south, the fact is that night-time low temperatures in the most populated parts of Canada don’t cool the mass of an engine’s cooling system enough between start ups to threaten a cracked block … your customer may be driving with as little as 30 per cent coolant and not even know it. This can happen when a flush procedure leaves excessive water in the block and the technician refills with the “correct” mixture, resulting in too little overall coolant.

The way to eliminate this error is to flush then fill with the correct proportion of straight coolant based on the cooling system capacity, then top off with pure water. Many service procedures specify premixing the coolant and water before adding to the system; but it’s hard to find a good reason for this in ratios where both components freely dissolve into the other, like water and antifreeze. It is important however, to warm the engine up to get the slug of water bypassed by the thermostat and heater core to mix well. And what about the water? Depending on your local supply, the hose might be fine. But in regions with high mineral content, the possibility that solids may precipitate out into the solution is real. Distilled water is the gold standard and if you use it, be sure to mention this to the customer, verbally and on the work order. Don’t want to go that far? More than one tech uses clean rainwater with excellent results. I use distilled, in the engine and in the coffee pot.

There are techs that use nothing but G-05 coolants in everything from a Ferrari to a Big Red ATV with excellent results. A few use strictly OEM products on modern engines.

Regardless of what you fill, the system must be properly 30 SSGM September 2010

Dex-Cool and oil makes a fine sludge in this GM 3800 V-6 … it’s a gasket issue, yes but not because of the coolant.

Modern formulations offer “all-makes, all-models” coverage … but it’s important to use a reputable brand. No-name counterfeits with little or no corrosion inhibitor additives are damaging to the customer’s engine and your reputation.

repaired and bled and must use a formulation specified by the OEM manufacturer. The Dex-Cool issue showed that the coolant is often blamed for clogged, leaking systems but in the end, it’s the shop that takes the credibility hit. Fix it right then add coolant from a reputable source and it’s like money in the bank.

SSGM

SSGM Technical Videos

SSGM’s Jim Anderton takes a look at a brake job on a 20-year old Honda Civic with Redline Automotive’s Jim Wolff. More videos available at www.ssgm.com. www.ssgm.com

SSGM BAYWATCH New Products

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 1300-CFM 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

Oil Leaks Are Easy to Find Tracerline’s Dye-Lite TP-3100 fluorescent dye pinpoints engine oil, hydraulic fluid, lubrication fluid, compressor oil and gearbox oil leaks. Simply add a small amount of TP-3100 dye to the system and allow it to circulate for several minutes.

Wherever there is a leak, the dye escapes with the oil and accumulates at the site of the leak. Scan the system with a high-intensity Tracerline ultraviolet or blue light lamp and the dye glows a

bright yellow color to clearly reveal the exact location of all the leaks. After the leaks have been repaired, scan the system with the light again. If there is no glow, it means that all the leaks were fixed properly. TP-3100 dye can remain safely in the system until the oil is changed, making it ideal for preventive maintenance.

Tracerline www.tracerline.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

www.ssgm.com

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

September 2010 SSGM 31

SSGM BAYWATCH New Products

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

PlastiKote Truck Bed Liner Aerosol Coating PlastiKote’s new trigger on its aerosol Truck Bed Liner coating will keep your hands clean and give your truck bed maximum protection. The features and benefits of the new Platsikote Truck Bed Liner Aerosol (264) include a permanent bond to the surface; resists abrasion and has textured, non-skid recycled rubber granules to help prevent slips and falls; flexible, textured surface minimizes cargo slippage, resists fading and withstands

extreme hot or cold temperatures; provides a hard, non-skid surface that will not warp or crack and is gasoline resistant; and helps prevent rust on the truck bed liner.

PlastiKote www.PlastiKote.com

Rislone Pelletized Radiator Stop Leak

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

32 SSGM September 2010

www.deonsupply.com 1-800-824-4115

The Rislone Pelletized Radiator Stop Leak uses a proven formula that has protected hundreds of millions of vehicles worldwide since 1947. It features patented Rhizex pellets that dissolve in minutes to solve most common cooling system problems, including internal, external and coolant-to-oil leaks in radiators, freeze plugs, gaskets, heads, blocks and heater cores. It is specially formulated to seal larger leaks better than other stop leak products. It also conditions the cooling system, inhibiting rust and corrosion, lubricating water pump seals and helping to control electrolysis, all of which reduce the risk of engine failure due to overheating or poor lubrication. Rislone Pelletized Radiator Stop Leak (p/n 31191) is compatible with all brands of antifreeze, including conventional green or blue (silicate-based) and extended life red/ orange or yellow (OAT/HOAT) coolant.

It works safely and effectively on plastic, aluminum and metal radiators, heater cores, blocks, heads, gaskets and freeze plugs.

Pelletized Radiator Stop Leak is available in case packs of six bottles.

Rislone www.rislone.ca 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

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

www.ssgm.com

September 2010 SSGM 33

SSGM BAYWATCH New Products

Snap-on Round Head Ratchet The Snap-on 3/8-inch 100-tooth round head ratchet (FHNF100) is the perfect ratchet for the professional shop technician. The Snap-on 3/8-inch drive swivel round head ratchet (FHNF100) features a swivel head which offers a variety of ratcheting positions including “straight on” for use as a ratcheting nut driver; a round head that is compact enough to get in tight quarters and features more gear teeth than the pear head design — increased tooth swing equals lower swing arc, so there is shorter movement between each tooth engagement; adjustable detent for swivel allows user to adjust for tighter or looser swivel; and comfort grip handle delivers comfort with style and resists most shop chemicals.

Snap-on www.snapon.com

Matco Tools Introduces MT1858 3/8" Composite Ratchet Matco Tools introduces a new 3/8" Composite Ratchet, the MT1858.

This tool features: 65 ft-lb of maximum torque ensuring there is enough power for tough applications. It features an innovative forward/reverse collar, variable-speed power regulator, adjustable exhaust and feathertouch trigger. An ergonomic coupling nut and composite handle ensure operator comfort even during extended use. The composite handle also insulates from the cold.

Matco Tools www.matcotools.com

34 SSGM September 2010

www.ssgm.com

1953-2007

Baja 1000 Winner Performance Steering & Suspension

Just playing in the dirt!

ELEGANT ENOUGH FOR YOUR CORVETTE, YET BUILT TOUGHER THAN A HUMMER!

XRF Inc., 10-294 WALKER DRIVE, BRAMPTON, ONTARIO, CANADA L6T 4Z2 XRF (USA) Inc., 4950 WILLS DRIVE, KIMBALL, MICHIGAN, USA 48074 WEBSITE: www.xrfchassis.com E-MAIL: info@xrfchassis.com

TEL: 800.483.8499 TEL: 877.674.4030

FAX: 905.451.0478 FAX: 810.388.1430

TORONTO ● MONCTON ● EDMONTON ● VANCOUVER ● DETROIT ● DENVER ● LOS ANGELES ● CARACAS, VENEZUELA XRF

Copyright

is the Trade Mark of XRF Inc.

2007 All Rights reserved by XRF Inc.

2010 SSGM Garage of the Year Presented by:

Now, We Do It All! Who has the best shop in Canada?

I Nominate:_________________________________

ValvolineÂŽ now offers a full line of Valvoline Professional Garage Name________________________________ Series automotive service chemicals. With Valvoline Name_______________________________ Professional Series, you get a comprehensive lineOwners of professional-grade products, services and solutions Address_____________________________________ Theall2010 SSGM Garage of the Year, presented backed by industry leading marketing programs.

Phone(____)_________________________________

by Valvoline, seeks to recognize thedelivers very bestmaximum value Valvoline Professional Series independent serviceand provider the Canadian to consumers helps in grow your bottom line. The reason I believe this nominee deserves this award is:

automotive aftermarket. Š, 2010, Ashland Canada Corp.

Anyone can nominate an automotive service provider. The award recognizes excellence in the areas of good business practice, training, customer satisfaction and community involvement.

____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________

My Name:__________________________________ Make copies and simply ask your customers, Address_____________________________________ suppliers, members of your community or even competitors to complete this form. Return all Phone(____)_________________________________ your nomination forms by fax or mail to SSGM ValvolineÂŽ now offersor a full line of Valvoline

by September 20, 2010, be nominated on- Professional Nominate your choice online at automotive service chemicals. With Valvoline lineSeries at ssgm.com. www.ssgm.com or Professional Series, you get a comprehensive line of complete and mail this form at left to: Theprofessional-grade finalists will be identified in theservices October and is- solutions products, SSGM Garage of the Year sueall of backed SSGM and winnerleading will be marketing announced programs. by the industry 12 Concorde Place, Suite 800, North York, in the December issue.

Valvoline Professional Series delivers maximum value ON M3C 4J2 or fax to: 416-510-5140

to consumers and helps grow your bottom line.

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 Inc. 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 Chrysler Canada. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.mopar.ca CRC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.crc-canada.ca Deon Supply. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.deonsupply.com Gates Canada Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.gates.com Imperial Oil Canada. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20,21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.imperialoil.com Lankar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.lankar.com Matco. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.matcotools.com Monroe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16,17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.monroe.com NACE/CARS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.CARSevent.com NAPA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19,25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.napacanada.com NGK Spark Plugs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.ngksparkplugs.com PREMA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.premacanada.ca Robert Bosch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . wwwbosch.ca Ross-Tech LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.ross-tech.com Veyance Technologies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.goodyearep.com VL Communications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.vlcomm.com WORLDPAC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.worldpac.com XRF Chassis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.xrfchassis.com www.ssgm.com

September 2010 SSGM 37

SSGM BAYWATCH New Products

Firestone offers Ride-Rite air spring kits Firestone Industrial Products Company announced no-drill Ride-Rite air helper spring kits are available for the 2011 Ford Super Duty F-250/F-350, fitting gas (part #2520) or diesel (part #2535) 2WD and 4WD models with the factory in-bed hitch. Designed to mount between the truck’s frame and the suspension, Firestone’s Ride-Rite kits use air pressure to help maximize the truck’s safe load carrying capacity, stability and ride quality. Featuring individual inflation valves for separate side-to-side or front-to-rear adjustment, the air helper springs also assist in leveling off-center loads. Firestone’s no-drill kits use the truck’s factory holes and include all the components necessary for an easy installation that typically takes less than one hour, including the brackets, air springs, hardware, air lines and separate valves. The Air-Rite air accessory system is also available to complement the 2011 Ford Ride-Rite kits, enabling drivers to make instant air pressure adjustments with the push

of a button installed on the dashboard.

Firestone Industrial Products Company www.ride-rite.com

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

Corsa offers Mustang performance exhausts A line of premium exhaust systems is now available from Corsa Performance Exhausts for the 2011 Ford Mustang, both V8 5.0L and V6 3.7L engines. The Corsa Mustang axle-back exhaust systems feature a dual rear exit design with 4-inch Pro-Series tips etched with the Corsa logo. Engineered using the company’s patented Reflective Sound Cancellation (RSC) technology, the new exhaust systems deliver a muscular sound with no unwanted interior drone. Corsa offers two distinct sound levels for the 2011 Mustang GT exhausts: the Sport Exhaust System (part #14316) is bold and robust on the throttle while the Xtreme Exhaust System (part #14317) produces a louder, more aggressive note. Corsa’s Mustang GT 5.0L systems are 18 lbs. lighter than stock and deliver a 153 per cent increase in flow, which results in a performance gain of 7 HP and 4 lb.ft. of torque. In addition to the GT 5.0L exhaust, Corsa offers a Sport Exhaust System for the V6 Mustang. Complete installation hardware and instructions are included with the 2011 Mustang exhaust systems and a Limited Lifetime Warranty protects the 38 SSGM September 2010

exhaust for the entire life of the vehicle.

Corsa Performance Exhausts www.corsaperformance.com www.ssgm.com

Diagnostic System

For VW/Audi/Seat/Skoda/Bentley

The German Motor Vehicle Supervisory Association DEKRA (www.dekra.de) performed a com*prehensive scan tool comparison test in March 2009. Ross-Tech's VAG-COM Diagnostic System was awarded 316 out of a possible 320 points -- the highest score of any tool in the test.

Ross-Tech, LLC

YOU CAN’T MAKE HISTORY WITHOUT THE RIGHT PARTS MOPAR . A LEADER IN THE FAST LANE …

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For the right part for your vehicle, see your local Chrysler, Jeep , Dodge and Ram dealer, or check out the full line-up of Mopar parts and accessories at www.mopar.ca. ®

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©2010 Chrysler Canada Inc. Chrysler and Dodge are registered trademarks of Chrysler Canada Inc. Ram, Mopar and Jeep are registered trademarks of Chrysler Group LLC, used under licence. ®

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