Service Station Garage Management June 2009

Service Station & Garage Management .com

SSGM JUNE 2009

The challenges of the oil change with new engine technologies

Selling the brake job Batteries evolving

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June 2009

Vol. 39 No. 6

what’s inside

Editor

Tom Venetis (416) 510-6790 tom@ssgm.com Assistant Editor

David Halpert (416) 510-6784 dhalpert@ssgm.com Technical Editor

Jim Anderton jim@ssgm.com Art Director

Ron Taylor Publisher

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See Page 12

Print Production Manager

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Phyllis Wright

Cover Story: Oil Report

Vice President Canadian Publishing

Alex Papanou

Changing engine designs, hybrids mean new challenges for the lowly oil change . . . . . . . 12

Bruce Creighton

Service Station and Garage Management is published 12 times per year. A Division of BIG Magazines LP.

Batteries Battery makers rising to the challenge to meet the energy demands of today’s cars. . . . . 16

Brake Report The before and after of the brake job and sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Meunier on Management Profitable in six minutes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Tire and Wheel Report Jim Anderton takes Michelin’s and Dunlop’s tires out for a road test. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Departments Editorial. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Jim’s Rant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Baywatch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Garage of the Year Nomination Form . . . . . . . . . . 42 Advertiser’s Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Solutions to May Puzzles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Crossword. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Internet Directory/Sudoku. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Last Word. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada, through the Canada Magazine Fund, toward our editorial costs.

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|| Tom’s Editorial

Are we up to the challenge?

Y

By Tom Venetis, Editor

I noted that while the problems at General Motors, Ford and Chrysler will result in fewer dealership service operations, that did not necessarily mean the competition from them will diminish. In fact, the competition will become fiercer.

ou all have now heard the news about the major North American car makers closing dealership operations. Last issue, I alluded to this possibility and now it has become official. General Motors announced it will cut over 1,000 of its dealerships across the U.S., with even more to follow as it struggles to reduce it’s network of dealers down to a little over 3,000. In Canada, it is estimated that some 40 per cent of its dealerships will be cut. Chrysler is making similar large cuts to its dealership network, leaving many Canadian operations feeling very nervous about the future right now.

Too many, the problems of the domestic auto makers and the continuing economic doldrums means bright opportunities ahead for independents, as dealerships closing will take out service and repair competitors and people will hold onto their vehicles longer, resulting in more repairs. But are we up to the challenge?

In my article last month on the changes happening to the automotive landscape, I noted that while the problems at General Motors, Ford and Chrysler will result in fewer dealership service operations, that did not necessarily mean the competition from them will diminish. In fact, the competition will become fiercer, as the remaining operations will aggressively go after car owners taking business to independents.

This was confirmed by Ryan Robinson, senior manager of research for J.D. Power and Associates. Robinson told a group of NAPA Autopro shop owners while independents scored highly in customer service surveys by J.D. Power, they rate abysmally when it comes to customer follow-up, a key to continuing customer loyalty and repeat business. Too many independents do not know how to communicate with customers after they have left the shops, or to use customer information to generate repeat business.

This is a failing that gives dealership service operations a means of getting more business into their bays. The reason is dealership operations spend money and effort getting to know their customers, mining service histories and ownership data to continually communicate with people and to sell on-going maintenance services.

I’ll give an example. Our local Honda dealership sent a letter to my wife reminding her the Accord purchased a few years back was scheduled for its mandatory emissions test as her license plate was coming up for renewal. Since passing the emissions test is a requirement to renew the license plate, the dealership service operation could schedule, at her convenience, a time to conduct the test. Included with that service was an oil and filter change at a discount.

The dealership can do this because it uses customer service and vehicle ownership information to solicit business and to regularly ask about the quality of their service and ways to improve. If I were to ask independents if they could tell me which of their customers were in need of an emissions test and could contact them to offer the service along with an oil and filter change, I know most cannot do so. Most cannot tell me what customers thought of their service, except to say that “They seemed happy,” or to follow-up with them in any way, either by a letter, by email or text message.

This lack of effective customer communications along with poor usage of customer service information is a problem that has to be tackled if independents are to gain success in this time of transition in the automotive market.

What do you think?

Have your say and speak your mind! letterstotheeditor@ssgm.com 6 SSGM June 2009

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|| News Briefs

GM files for bankruptcy, Chrysler sale approved In a move that has been talked about and prepared for in the last month, General Motors Corp. officially filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

The official announcement came as no surprise as media reports and comments from the carmaker’s spokespersons and automotive industry analysts have made it well-known that the 100-year-old automaker would likely enter bankruptcy protection in order to quickly restructure and to further secure government assistance.

President Obama’s administration announced it will give the struggling automaker US$30 billion in additional taxpayer funds while taking a nearly 60 per cent stake in the company once it restructures. The plan is to quickly restructure the company and move it out of bankruptcy in some 60-90 days.

The government has already given the

company some US$19.4 billion in December of last year.

“The General Motors board of directors authorized the filing of a Chapter 11 case with regret that this path proved necessary despite the best efforts of so many,” a company statement said. “Today marks a new beginning for General Motors. The board is confident that this New GM can operate successfully in the intensely competitive U.S. market and around the world.”

The company will close 11 plants and idle three others in an effort further reduce capacity and to clean-up its balance sheet.

In a press conference, President Obama said the bankruptcy “will take a painful toll on many Americans who have relied on G.M.” “I will not pretend the hard times

are over,” the president told assembled reporters, adding the reorganization and the plant closings, while painful, are a necessary sacrifice that needed to be made in order for the company to survive and to move forward in developing and producing high-quality and fuel-efficient cars In related news, a U.S. bankruptcy judge has approved the sale of nearly all of Chrysler’s assets to a group headed by Fiat. Judge Arthur Gonzalez gave his approval to the US$2 billion sale of assets to a new company that will be 68 per cent controlled by a healthcare trust run by the Untied Auto Workers with Fiat controlling a 20 per cent stake in the company and the Canadian and U.S. governments having control over the remaining 12 per cent. Chrysler filed for bankruptcy protection on April 30.

Sudbury Area Business Named Top Shop at Ontario NAPA Convention Jamie’s Autopro Auto Service in Val Caron, Ont., was named the Autopro of the Year at the 2009 Ontario NAPA Autopro Convention in Niagara Falls, Ont. Owners Jamie and Donna Ernst gave strong words of support for the benefits they received through their association with the Autopro program.

Calling NAPA a “silent partner in their business,” the owners say that it has helped their 16-year-old business in every way imaginable.

Jamie Ernst selected the Dave Meunier training as one highlight. “The three-day training from Dave Meunier was the single biggest thing we have done for our business.”

Wife and co-owner Donna Ernst says that the management services have helped on a number of levels. “We can plan here in advance and be a lot more consistent,” she says. “ProShop has shown how we can manage our shop and our employees better.”

Other Autopro shops honoured included Leadership Award winners Roy’s Service Centre, Orangeville, Ont., Bob Berg Autopro in St. Catharines, Ont., and Dr. H Automotive in 8 SSGM June 2009

Etobicoke, Ont. Attendees of the convention were treated to a full day of business training and exposure to Autopro programs, as well as trade show exhibits.

Among the days’ events was the freeform Business Development Group session. Dave Redinger, owner of Dr. H Automotive and a key facilitator at the session, said that the biggest concern of many shops was grants and funding — “how to qualify and how to get it,” he said.

That fact was also a highlight of the J.D. Power and Associates session on the Autopro “360 Program,” which enables shops to discover where they may be lacking in customer service and how to improve.

Frank Meiboom’s M&R Auto in Trenton, Ont., served as a case study for the presentations. Though his is an excellent shop with an excellent customer service score, Meiboom still found that subscribing to the site analysis uncovered some deficiencies and ways to address them.

Meiboom said that the service cost him $1,700, but he was able to recover some $1,500 of that through munici-

pal business grant programs.

The benefit was that, from September to March, the facility raised the number of customers who rated their experience above average to 44 per cent from 33 per cent, with specific improvements in service advisor interaction.

“This isn’t a Trenton thing,” said Ryan Robinson of J.D. Power and Associates. “It’s not an Ontario thing.

It’s a Canada thing.

“We need to excite and delight and keep exceeding customer expectations.

We want to keep customers coming back so we can keep taking as much money as we can out of their wallets.”

The organization also rolled out its Autopro television commercials, which feature seniors engaging in youthful activities as a way to show how the organization can keep cars young.

Auto-Camping takes on Fuchs

Auto-Camping Ltd. announced it has been chosen to be the exclusive distribution partner for Fuchs branded automotive engine, transmission and gear oils in Canada. www.ssgm.com

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|| News Briefs Valvoline makes appointments, expands in Western Canada

Valvoline Canada has announced two recent appointments. Bryan McIntyre has joined Valvoline as territory business manager of DIFM sales for the Hamilton/Niagara and Thunder Bay territory. McIntyre will report to Michael Paul, national DIFM sales manager for Valvoline Canada. Also, Scott Demay has been appointed to the newly created role of Valvoline specialist, chemical business manager, where he will report to Mark Coxhead, general manager of Valvoline Canada.

An 18 year veteran of the company, Demay will be responsible for driving the introduction of Valvoline Professional Series (VPS) automotive service chemicals. Valvoline Canada also announced a strategic sales alliance with Specialty Sales & Marketing Inc. (SS&M) for the distribution of the Valvoline family of products in Western Canada. Starting June 1st, 2009 SS&M will work as an integral part of the Valvoline Canada sales group to market Valvoline lubricants, Zerex antifreeze, VPS service chemicals and Eagle One appearance products in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.

“This strategic partnership with SS&M will provide significant sales representation and expand the family of Valvoline products in Western Canada,” states Mark Coxhead, general manager of Valvoline Canada.

SS&M’s sales professionals will be working along with Jae Baragar, Valvoline Western region district manager. “The SS&M team is looking forward to expanding Valvoline sales in Western Canada, while working alongside the Valvoline team. SS&M views the Valvoline family of products as complementary strategic additions to our current sales portfolio,” adds John Vanstone, president of Specialty Sales & Marketing Inc.

General Motors to retain ACDelco Business

General Motors has decided it will not sell its ACDelco business.

The proposed sale was one of a number of initiatives tabled last fall as 10 SSGM June 2009

GM looked to build its balance sheet.

GM retained Merryl Lynch to handle the potential sale.

However, comment in the media has indicated that the tight credit markets had impeded what GM felt was an appropriate price for the business.

In a conference call, GM chief executive Fritz Henderson delivered the news.

“It’s a highly profitable business for us. It’s creating good, strong cash flow,” he said. “Our conclusion was that we weren’t going to get the value for the business. We’d rather keep it and grow it.”

The sale of the ACDelco business — which can count the fact that the brand is among the most recognizable in the world — would have been a complex was, as many of the resources are shared with GM, including facilities and people. While only speculative, it is possible that the combination of the state of the credit market and this fact kept many prospective bidders on the sidelines. Those bids which did come fell short of expectations.

The proposed sale was part of a multi-faceted divestiture program floated last fall that was expected to raise some US$4 to $7 billion and included the sale of the Hummer ­business.

Canadian Right to Repair bill passes, heads to committee

Bill C-273, the “Right to Repair Bill,” was passed by the Canadian Parliament late Wednesday by a vote of 248 to 17.

As is often the case for such bills, it has been referred to committee for analysis and discussion. In the case of Bill-273 it will be the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology that will handle the task.

In the run up to the vote on the bill, more than 9,000 letters were sent to Federal MPs seeking their support, the majority from independent garages.

The Automotive Industries Association of Canada, which spearheaded the initiative and pulled in support from another of other groups, thanked those industry individuals who took

the time to voice their concerns.

“For the past five years, AIA has worked diligently in cooperation with a number of partnering associations and groups to ensure that MPs, the media and the industry at large understood clearly the issue at hand. While there is still a lot of work ahead at the Committee stage, this vote is a clear indication that we have successfully shown to our elected representatives in Parliament that a legislated solution is the only real mechanism to resolve the Right to Repair issue going forward,” said association president Marc Brazeau.

Bills in committee are subject to a number of analysis and feedback from groups affected. The committee will report back to Parliament in the fall.

Following the passage of the bill, groups working toward a voluntary agreement reiterated their view that a voluntary agreement is preferable.

The groups, the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers Association (CVMA), the National Automotive Trades Association (NATA), and the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers of Canada (AIAMC), released a Letter of Intent on creating a voluntary agreement May 1.

“The vehicle manufacturers and distributors have overcome some major hurdles to get to a position where we can address legitimate service, repair, training and tooling information needs of the automotive aftermarket through a voluntary solution” said Mark Nantais, CVMA’s president. “When Bill C-273 was first introduced, our industry was challenged by the Minister of Industry to develop a voluntary framework to address the concerns being raised by the aftermarket automotive industry. We have responded aggressively and positively towards creating this voluntary framework that will ensure that all automotive manufacturers are providing this information in the near future. In fact, many companies are already making this information available today.”

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|| Oil Report

New vehicle technologies mean constant education on motor oils Hybrids, European name-plates require keeping up-to-date on the latest oil specifications

By Tom Venetis, Editor

M

otor oils are ever-evolving, changing to meet the requirements of new engine technologies. Many of today’s engines are made to exacting tolerances that are very sensitive to such things as oil and lubricant contamination. Some foreign nameplate engines are so demanding that only very specific formulations of

12 SSGM June 2009

engine oils can be used. Anything else is likely to cause problems, in some cases warranty-ending damage.

Then there is the growing number of hybrid motor vehicles travelling the roads. The way these systems operate, with the combination of gasoline and electric/battery motors, often raise a host of questions for technicians as to

which motor oils to use to ensure their proper performance and maintain a high mileage.

The hybrid challenge – not as difficult as one might think

What was once a rather exotic type of vehicle when first introduced in 1997 with the Honda Insight and the Toyota Prius, the hybrid car is now an established part of today’s motor vehicle fleet, with Ford rolling out its Escape Hybrid, Audi with the Avant and Honda with the Civic hybrid, for example. Like any new vehicle, many of these hybrid cars are now coming off of their original warranties and owners are turning to independents to maintain and repair them, with the most common maintenance work being the scheduled oil change.

Certainly, the way a hybrid car operates — where the vehicle switches between a conventional gasoline motor and a battery/electrical motor system — puts some unique strains on motor oils. Franz Walker, product manager with Auto-Camping Ltd., a warehouse distributor which specializes in European parts and lubricants, including oils, says the switching between the gasoline engine and the electrical battery means the motor oil is not constantly flowing in the engine. As well, because the engine will shut off when the vehicle operates on its electrical drive system, the engine will naturally begin to cool down only to suddenly heat up again when it kicks once more, which puts further stress on the motor oil.

Walker says this environment requires oil that is very robust, one www.ssgm.com

Oil Report || in today’s automotive marketplace.

Where other vehicle makes have taken a beating in vehicle sales with the downturn in the world economy, highend vehicle sales still remain relatively strong.

“We see the high-end vehicle market growing,” Li says. “We’ve seen Foreign-nameplate cars studies that show that the European need tender loving care, oil luxury market here is showing quite Amanda Li, marketing manager with positive numbers, compared to the Shell Canada Ltd., says foreign name T:4.5” overall vehicle trends right now.” plate vehicles are the one bright spot With this market, Li adds, techni-

for the hybrids, and the oil frequency change is the same as on a non-hybrid.

It is really all about fuel economy. If you have lighter-weight oil you will have less friction and the engine will be able to spin faster as opposed to using thicker oil.”

*Based on a severe sludge cleane upp test using SAE 5W-30. **As measured in ASTM Sequence IVA engine test using SAE 5W-50.

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that is able to maintain its alkalinity to control acid-build up caused by the start-stop operation of the gasoline engine, so as to protect the vulnerable soft metal parts.

So does this mean that a technician has to ask for exotic motor oil?

Taking a look through any number of online forums devoted to hybrid maintenance, there is often a great deal of confusion as to which motor oil to use. In fact, even though hybrids do operate differently from traditional gasoline-only vehicles, popular electricgasoline hybrids do not require any special, hard-to-find exotic motor oil.

“The Toyota hybrids and the Lexus hybrids, for example, will often recommend high-quality 5W-30 motor oil,” says Mark Ferner, team leader with Shell Lubricants, one of the company’s leading experts in lubricants and motor oils. “Even the popular Prius will ask for 5W-30 ILSAC-rated motor oil; so even that vehicle has no particular requirements above and beyond many of Toyota’s other vehicles.”

According to Ferner, what is most important to remember is the viscosity grade, as making the wrong choice could cause some engine trouble and decrease fuel-efficiency, which is the selling point of the vehicle.

“Our standard answer is that one should always use what is recommended in the vehicle’s owner’s manual,” says Dennis Favaro, marketing manager with Valvoline Canada Ltd. “Because of the vehicle’s technology, you are seeing more [manufacturers] recommending 5W-30 oil and on some it is recommended that you use a 0W-20 oil. And there are a growing number of synthetics that are coming out in that range.”

Craig Van Batenburg, CEO of the Automotive Career Development Center (www.auto-careers.org/index. html) and a well-known North American expert on hybrid vehicles says more hybrids are now moving to using 0W-20 oils.

“It used to be exclusive to Honda which started using 0W-20 and it was only available at dealerships,” Van Battenburg says. “But when it comes to engine oils, there is nothing special

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|| Oil Report cians need to be especially cognizant that many of these higher-end vehicles require very specialized oils and it is crucial that the oils and vehicles are matched correctly. Mismatching motor oil to a vehicle can have various consequences.

Last year, SSGM Magazine took a closer look at the subtle kinds of chemistry and blending needed for the oils recommended for foreign nameplate, luxury vehicles (SSGM August 2008).

It is not necessary to repeat all that information here once more, but it is critical to remember why motor oil and vehicle manufacturers spend so much time blending these special grades for specific vehicles. Simply the engines on these vehicles – and it should be stressed on many higher-end North American vehicles as well – are made to exacting tolerances, both to meet fuel

and emissions requirements mandated by governments, but also to perform optimally as well. In Europe, car makers and lubricant producers work handin-hand to get to the final motor oil product to market when these vehicles hit the road.

“Modern automotive lubricants are complex mixtures of base stocks and additives that must control wear, protect against deposits and rust, and remove heat,” says Chris May, research advisor with Imperial Oil Ltd. “Regarding oil quality levels, some OEMs only require oils that are licensed against API service classifications, for example, API SM or GF-4 for gasoline engines.

These can be identified by looking for the API service symbol ‘donut’ or certification symbol ‘starburst’ on the container. These gasoline engine classifications are backwards service-

able, meaning that an older car calling for an API SJ lubricant can use the ‘SM’ licensed oil. Other manufacturers have determined that additional performance requirements are necessary for proper operation with their engines as defined by their specifications, for example, GM 6094M, Ford WSSM2C930A, Chrysler MS-6395, MB 229.5, etc. Some European models may call for ACEA specifications (e.g.

A1/B1-04, etc). To meet these additional requirements, the oil may need special additives and/or base stocks such as synthetics.”

Valvoline’s Favaro relates one specific instance where mismatching a motor oil to a vehicle caused significant and expensive problems.

“I have a friend in Europe and he sees people coming to him with diesel engines that have their turbos fried because people mismatched the oils and other lubricants for that vehicle,” he says.

There are various other examples, Favaro says, but it is important to remember that oil companies have now created a range of educational materials, specification sheets and online resources that will prevent these kinds of costly mistakes from happening.

One such resource is provided by Imperial Oil for its Pennzoil line of oils and lubricants, an oil selector program (http://ew5.earlweb.com/search. php?site=52) which allows technicians to match oils to vehicle makes. Other oil manufactures provide updated spec sheets and vehicle manufacturers regularly provide updates on what oils and lubricants can be used with their SSGM vehicles.

Reference List Auto-Camping Ltd. www.autocamping.ca Imperial Oil Ltd. www.imperialoil.ca Shell Canada Ltd. www.shell.ca Valvoline Canada Ltd. www.valvoline.com

Add your knowledge, expertise and experience. letterstotheeditor@ssgm.com 14 SSGM June 2009

www.ssgm.com

|| Batteries

Batteries Evolving As cars become energy hogs, battery makers develop new ways to maintain reliability, power

By Tom Venetis, Editor

16 SSGM June 2009

M

odern cars are becoming energy hogs. With all the gadgets, computer controls and entertainments systems – not counting all the other do-dads, noise makers and other pieces of electronic claptrap people attach or hook up onto them – the lowly car battery is often abused with trying to keep the car operating, showing where the driver is on the GPS and entertaining the kids

with the umpteenth viewing of some Barney DVD on the player in the back.

OK, I exaggerate a bit – but only by a bit. The Barney DVD only gets played about five times before Dad goes utter bonkers, pulls to the side of the road and throws the offending shiny disc like a Frisbee into oncoming traffic; if not himself in the process.

Still, joking aside, today’s car battery is very much put upon. There are

www.ssgm.com

Batteries || more electronics and computer systems today running a conventional automobile than ever before, and it’s only going to get more complex.

Greg Shull, marketing development manager with Interstate Batteries, only has to point to the proliferation of computer processors on vehicles today to illustrate the strains being put on batteries.

“According to our Technical Services Group, there is a car today that has some 80 processors,” Shull says.

“We have vehicles now that have computer-controlled security systems to entertainment systems, vehicles that are pulling together Bluetooth, cellular phone technology and computers. All of these systems and devices pull more (power) from the car battery, even when it is not running.”

Often termed ‘parasitic loads,’ this constant tapping into the car battery to keep things running means the battery is always being drained, leaving them partially charged. In the short term, this is not much of a problem for traditional batteries, but over time, this continual draining begins to physically affect the battery. Known as sulfation, this is when a lead-acid battery loses its ability to retain a charge after being in a state of partial charge over a long time. How does this happen? Well, it is due to the chemistry involved in lead acid batteries and how they work. Lead acid batteries make electricity through a double sulfate chemical reaction, where the lead and lead dioxide material of the battery’s plates react with the lead sulfate which the plates are immersed within.

In a new car battery, this lead sulfate remains in a form that is amorphous and is very easily converted back to lead, lead oxide and sulfuric acid when the battery is recharged regularly. But if the battery is always being tapped for power and remains over long periods of time in a partially-charged state, then the lead sulfate crystallizes onto the battery plates, making the plates less conductive to electricity. This also makes it much more difficult to return the battery to a full charge and for the battery to produce a steady, consistent electrical charge. www.ssgm.com

Mil Ovan, senior vice-president, cofounder of Firefly Energy Inc. says this sulfation effect is sometimes known as a memory-effect, and battery makers are developing new kinds of battery designs to overcome the problems caused by sulfation.

That solution is abandoning the traditional design of car batteries with their positive and negative plates. Firefly instead developed the Microcell composite foam grids that are suffused in lead oxide slurry. This technology forms the basis for the company’s Oasis battery, which is currently being tested in American trucking fleets, and allows for more surface area to be created than conventional plates, improving the battery’s recharge capabilities and helping eliminate the memory effect of the sulfating-effect that is seen in conventional batteries, according to Ovan.

“Our battery design has the ability to handle a deep discharge and pop right back up to its original charge over many discharges and over many more cycle times than traditional designs,” Ovan adds.

Ovan says the design gives the batteries a longer lifespan, more efficient power and is better suited for more extreme environments of cold and heat.

Exide Technologies has also opted to develop a new kind of battery design in order to provide car owners with more reliable power and longer life. If one were to open up the company’s Orbital battery the first thing one would notice is the abandonment of the traditional battery plates. Instead, one would find six tightly-wound orbitec grids and acid-permeated viterous separators — tightly wound cylin-

June 2009 SSGM 17

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18 SSGM June 2009

ders instead of plates. What this means for a car owner is the design will not allow any contamination to enter the cells thereby compromising the battery’s life and energy performance, and the isolated cells will then have a greater reliability.

“This battery is going to be for applications where there is more involved than starting the engine,” says Paul Cheesman, vice-president of research and development and engineering with Exide. The Orbital is proof # ideal for vehicles that come with a lot Client of electronic gadgets and other systems that are known to drain power, even when Creati ve Directorthe vehicle is idle or parked.

Not every battery manufacturer has moved away from the traditionArt Di alrectorbattery design. Interstate Batteries continues to improve the traditional automotive battery design with such CopyWriter enhancements as a PowerFrame positive grid. The PowerFrame is made to Account Director all of the plates are within high insure tolerances and to improve consistency.

The negative plate has been enhanced Account Manager to reduce the effect of internal heat and the electrolyte mixture has also been Produti on Manager in order to better handle dischanged charges, and to more effectively accept recharges after a particularly severe McGill discharge.

“Because of those improvements Proof Buddybattery technology is improving, our offering longer life and performance,” SSGM says Shull.

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|| Batteries

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dal

Reference List Exide Technologies www.exide.com Firefly Energy Inc. www.fireflyenergy.com Interstate Batteries www.interstatebatteries.com www.ssgm.com

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|| Jim’s Rant

Blue Chip to Buffalo Chips B

By Jim Anderton, Technical Editor

The media says they built cars people wouldn’t buy, or that quality was too low. Neither is true.

y time you read this, it will almost seem normal: General Motors in bankruptcy. While this outcome for what was once the world’s leading industrial enterprise is now “old news,” the real story behind the story is either being suppressed, or is simply ignored. What killed GM? The mainstream media says it’s because they built cars people wouldn’t buy, or that quality was too low. Neither is true. GM has had competitive products across every vehicle market segment for at least five years and made a fortune in the high-profit light truck/SUV market.

Technologically, their products were similar to their competition and achieved high consumer satisfaction ratings for the last half decade. Look at mainstream media coverage and you’d think they’re talking about 1995.

Did they screw up a decade ago? You bet. I owned a ’93 Oldsmobile Achieva that was truly horrendous; but we’re taking about 1993 for Pete’s sake … what about now? Another “red herring” perpetrated by the media is that unions killed GM. The fact is, modern assembly operations are highly automated and GM vehicles were often selling at lower prices than their competition … consumers didn’t reject the cars because they didn’t like the CAW. What really happened is the result of a disease that could wreck our whole economy, yet is unspoken by the Canadian press: Greed Capitalism.

In the “good old days” sound, conservative management that delivered solid growth made companies like GM the pinnacle of the equity investment world.

Not now. The new breed of institutional investor, driven by greed for massive bonuses, demanded and got big returns now and to Hell with the future. “What have you done for me this quarter?” was the watchword, while companies like Toyota and Honda ran R&D programs with timelines that extended to decades.

The markets drove GM towards short-term gain then threw them in the ditch when the economy collapsed.

What’s the lesson here? There really isn’t one, since the big money players ultimately control industrial capital and don’t care what happens beyond the next bonus cycle. And GM is only one example. Unless we do something to slow down the insanely rapid capital flows and predatory trading practices of investment banks, fund managers and their industry, no manufacturing business is safe.

This isn’t free enterprise, it’s a form of Socialism for the big money investors … squeeze out every drop, then discard and move on, maybe to China … remember this when you go to the polls, because it might be your job next!

What do you think?

Have your say and speak your mind! letterstotheeditor@ssgm.com 20 SSGM June 2009

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|| Brake Report

Braking the Mould How to deal with customers before and after a brake job

By David Halpert, Assistant Editor

I

n Canada, a brake pad can be purchased anywhere from $20 to $120 depending on where you get your car serviced. In the U.S., the average brake job performed at an independent service centre (once everything is added up) averages to roughly US$275.

Now for those technicians that opt to save a couple of bucks by not inspecting the hardware or purposely choosing an economy brake pad over a premium line, the question then becomes what is the difference between the cost of the part and the cost of the actual brake job?

Brake pad replacement is one of the cornerstones of the service repair industry, and an important one too.

According to a 2007 Outlook study carried out by DesRosiers Automotive Consultants Inc., 31.8 per cent of respondents had their brakes repaired with 73 per cent of the work performed at a professional service outlet for the year 2006.

Explaining the features and benefits of brakes is one thing; ensuring a level of trust and understanding between you and your customer is another matter altogether. Whenever a customer hands over their vehicle to you the independent there’s an unspoken agreement that they will be

22 SSGM June 2009

receiving a high quality of service, and the question you must ask yourself is this, “Am I doing everything to ensure the best possible brake job?”

What to Ask?

Discussing brake pads with another technician has its advantages. You don’t have to needlessly go over the different friction formulations appropriate for certain applications and the benefits that come with having a premium pad placed on a vehicle; but for your customers, where price is at the forefront of their minds too often, how do you relate to them? What is recommended by every brake expert and manufacturer is to assess the needs of the consumer through a brief series of questions followed by a quick visual inspection of the vehicle.

Every service counterman has a set of standard questions they ask when a new customer comes to the reception desk. Questions like is your customer hearing a lot brake noise? Are they the sole driver of the vehicle or does everyone in the family make use of the car (including the children)? Does your customer do a lot of city or highway driving as opposed to rural or country driving? However, it’s the more contentious questions like “Do you rest your foot on the brake pedal?” or “Do you have a tendency to make sudden stops?” that might irk some customers during the interview.

“That little interview can develop a trust between both parties,” says Ian Braunstein of Satisfied Brake Products Inc. “Typically, there will be an uneasiness on both ends.

However, establishing the trust factor will create a consumer loyalty as

well. And this isn’t just about brake pads. This is about everything. It’s an overall confidence with the service chain that [the customer is] dealing with.”

It is next recommended to do a quick 30-60 second visual inspection of the vehicle to give you a better idea of what you’re dealing with, and to answer some of the questions that may have gone overlooked in the initial customer interview. Is there a lot of dust on the wheels? Is there a tow hitch at the back that might indicate towing or hauling applications?

Is the car beaten-up? Is it an older car? Is it a luxury car?

This visual inspection can also help in making the up-selling to better or premium brake components and pads a bit easier.

“That old adage, ‘You get what you pay for,’ comes into play here,” says Kenneth Selinger, director of friction products, North America global aftermarket group for Federal-Mogul.

“Technicians might explain the differences in terms of brake system performance and what the customer can reasonably expect from an economy brake pad. Realistically, the economy pad will feature less sophisticated technologies that might affect NVH avoidance and control, pad and rotor life, and perhaps overall braking performance. If the customer expects the vehicle’s braking system to perform ‘like new’ after the repair, they would be better served by premium brake pads.”

While the features and benefits www.ssgm.com

Brake Report || between a premium brake pad and an economy line brake pad are obvious (i.e. less noise, less dust, etc.) many customers may not get passed that initial price point of a premium line.

“All people are looking at [when at the service counter] is their pocket book,” says Tom Fritsche, director of product management for Beck/ Arnely, “I think if the technician illustrates the various materials and what the stopping characteristics are on the vehicle based on their habits, they can very easily do an upsell.”

The Necessary Hardware

“Hang & Turn” is an expression used to describe the act of replacing brake pads without checking the associated hardware for any wear or damage. While manufacturers discourage such a practice, many technicians overlook the need to inspect the callipers, rotors, pistons, and clips in lieu of saving a few dollars on a repair.

“Checking hardware should part of every brake job. It should not [simply] be Pro Ceramic VS friction from Satisfied Brake Products, Inc. provides ultimate comfort and smooth stopping performance for late model vehicles and generates less dust, with corrosion-free characteristics for improved wheel aesthetics.

offered, it should be done,” says Eric Dussault, vice-president of operations for Alco Brakes Inc. “We’re not in the days anymore where we can slap on new brake pads and put them on the road. There’s too much in today’s braking system.”

This is particularly disheartening to customers that return to a garage a few weeks later complaining of noise, only to discover that their braking hardware wasn’t inspected at all.

One way to ensure repeat service with your customers would be to create a reference checklist for every brake job and to go over with your customer www.ssgm.com

what will be done on their car before and after you start the brake job, so that they know exactly what went into their car before the customer leaves your shop.

“If you ask a thousand customers at the end of their service as they pull out of the lot what parts were put on their cars or by whom, they wouldn’t know,” continues Braunstein, “[Customers] are going to your place to have their brakes installed based on a certain level of confidence.

Why not make that interaction a better experience for everybody?”

Another good idea is to have a lot of signage available that addresses some of the issues and solutions available to your customers before they even approach the counter. Most people respond better to visual queues than having something explained to them, especially something they know very little about. If you show your customers a picture of the kind of wear patterns that can occur with either brake pads or brake hardware it will definitely be an easier sell (or up-sell) than by simply explaining the differences to them.

There is also no shortage of deals or incentives technicians can offer to customers still adverse to purchasing premium brake parts.

“I think the most obvious incentives are discounts on additional services that complement a brake job,” says Federal-Mogul’s Selinger. “Tire rotation is a great example – the technician has to remove the tires during the brake job anyway. Other opportunities are an oil change, wheel alignment, exhaust system inspection, steering and suspension inspection – all of which can be conveniently performed when a vehicle is already on the lift.

Ultimately it depends on the creativity of the shops and service writers as well as their financial capability to offer incentives.”

“Friction is still one of the remaining categories that technicians still prefer to install premium products,” says

Federal-Mogul’s Wagner ThermoQuiet ceramic brake pads combine the features of FederalMogul’s ThermoQuiet technology, including the Integrally Molded Insulator (IMI), as well as the company’s Wagner EDGE technology.

Brian Fleming, director of marketing for Affinia Canada, “It has the greatest amount of wear and although the other components also play a major role in the performance and life of a brake job the friction is the one piece that can most affect the systems performance characteristics. Because of this premium friction is still the usual product of choice.”

Just remember, a bad experience at your shop can do a lot more harm than simply the loss of future business.

Word of mouth about your shop can be just as damaging if the needs of your customers aren’t properly met.

“If you establish some kind of rapport or at least a dialogue with your customer,” concludes Braunstein, “you’re going to best serve their interests as well as the interests your shop SSGM represents.”

Reference List Affinia Canada www.affiniagroup.com/wps/portal/ affiniagroup Alco Brakes Inc. webperso.mediom.qc.ca/~alco/ Beck/Arnely www.beckarnley.com Federal-Mogul www.federal-mogul.com/en Satisfied Brake Products Inc. www.satisfiedbrakes.com June 2009 SSGM 23

|| Meunier on Management

Growing your net profit, six minutes at a time

By Murray Voth,

S

TACT (Total Automotive Consulting and Training)

ix minutes, one-tenth of an hour.

We have been measuring time in the automotive world by tenths of an hour for decades. Our labour guides, estimating tools, billing practices and some payroll practices all depend on this unit of time. As familiar as this concept may be to a lot of shop owners, there is a related number that many in this industry are not aware of.

That number is “sold labour hours per invoice.” It is an important number to be able to measure in your business.

In my last article, I wrote about budgeting for a net profit. In the sample numbers we started with a shop producing 1.1 sold labour hours per invoice. By implementing changes that allowed them to collect 1.5 sold hours per invoice, it put $97,000 on their annual bottom line. Just so you know, the industry benchmark is 3.0 sold labour hours per invoice.

Let’s move from budgeting to reality. What are the changes we need to implement in our shops to affect sold hours per invoice? The first thing we need to do is to identify our labour leaks and the second is to identify and offer our clients legitimate maintenance services that we currently do not offer, or do not have time for.

First of all, labour leaks. How many inspections do we perform for free, how much diagnosis do we not charge for, how many times does it take us longer than we quoted to repair a vehicle because of age, rust and condition? Many of us do not charge the extra time, because we already gave an estimate, and do not want to be perceived as dishonest. These scenarios, along with being activity-based shops, prevent us from earning the profits we need. Imagine a technician working on 10 cars a day: calculate all the time taken to drive all of those cars in and 24 SSGM June 2009

out of the bays, time that is probably not getting billed out.

Why do so many shops still think they have to do inspections for free, just to get the work? Brake inspections are the first that come to mind. Some shops inspect the brakes for free, some charge for the inspection but credit it back if the customer gets the work done, and some leading shops charge for a complete brake system evaluation, performed by a qualified professional technician and get paid for it. Believe it or not, their clients see the value of the service.

If technicians perform a proper inspection of the whole braking system and report accurately what is needed, the whole shop is going to appear more professional and honest. Customers would much rather pay upfront for an accurate report of the condition of the brakes and receive an exact estimate of the total price for the job, than to be surprised with expensive updates throughout the day. Add up all the brake, cooling system and suspension inspections that you do not charge for in a month, take the time spent on those and multiply it by your labour rate and see the money you are leaving on the table. You do not need to raise your labour rate; you need to charge properly for what you do.

Let’s discuss the challenge of charging for diagnosis. When was the last time you stuck a screwdriver in your ear and leaned up against a valve cover gasket to diagnose a stuck valve. Now we have little black boxes that magically tell us everything that is wrong with the customer’s car. Even though we have invested tens of thousands of dollars in diagnostic equipment and information, we have decided that it is worthless. On top of that we have trained our customers to think that

diagnosis is cheap or free. “Sure,” we tell them “drop it off and we’ll check it out.” To overcome this misconception we need to understand how valuable our diagnostic capabilities are ourselves.

How do we deal with the jobs that take longer than we quoted because of rust, broken bolts, or other unexpected surprises? First of all, the optimism in the industry always amazes me. Today is the day that the studs on the Ford exhaust manifolds are not going to break, or at least that is how we quote out the job. Then they break and we either call the customer back for more money, or we eat the time. Either way, we are not demonstrating a professional process. There are not too many jobs that a shop has not seen enough times that they should know the challenges ahead of time before they create an estimate. Is it because of the time guides? Who said they were the Bible?

It is your business, you need to decide what you need to charge to be profitable and then make sure you communicate the value of what you need to do to the client. Our technicians need to be given the freedom and responsibility to inform the service advisors of any additional time needed for a job after they have performed an inspection or diagnosis and before the estimate is completed.

As you can see, charging for inspections and diagnosis, and estimating properly can add labour hours to a work order. As you bill out for this time, your profits will increase. You may have noticed that in each case, it takes time to inform and educate our clients to these processes and the value they represent. Where am I going to find the time you may ask? To put it bluntly you need more support staff, having a service advisor to technician www.ssgm.com

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|| Meunier on Management ratio of 1:1.5 will give you the time all vehicle systems. Changing brake to work with your clients. By the way, fluid is one of my favorites. All of my you pay for them from some of the personal vehicles have the brake fluid additional profits you earn on the addi- changed at regular intervals, even if the manufacturer does not recommend it tional labour.

And I have finally reached my sec- as a regular service. I have never had ond point. The opportunity to sell to change any brake calipers or brake maintenance services that we currently wheel cylinders since I have owned do not offer our customers, or do them. Talking to a cab driver in Moncnot have the time to perform. Many ton, New Brunswick, I discovered folks in our industry talk about how that he had 650,000 kilometers on a car repairs are such grudge purchases. Chrysler mini van, and was still using Vehicles break down at unexpected the original transmission. He has the and inconvenient moments; this costs transmission fluid flushed and the filter money that our customers did not changed on a regular basis. These are plan on spending. This comes from the services that are profitable to perform, philosophy of only fix what is broken. do not take our most expensive equipSomehow there is pride on the part ment or technicians, and actually save of some automotive shop owners and our customers money in the long run.

Some of you may be thinking that technicians that they only fix what is broken. They don’t realize how they I have lost my marbles, this industry are actually costing the consumer more makes money selling worn out or broken vehicle components you say. If you money and causing more stress.

I will only take the time to describe are right, then why does the average a couple of examples, but I hope you independent repair shop only show a can develop your AD own5/29/07 services 10:12 for net TACT 1/2 PG JUNE AM profit Page of 1 5.4 per cent each year,

year after year? We will always sell parts and other components, but we need to reverse the order in which we do things. If we sell labour first, we will also sell parts, maybe not the large ticket, low margin items, but lots of small, high margin maintenance items. How do we sell labour first? By starting with proper inspections and getting paid for them, by perform professional diagnosis and charging for it, and by offering maintenance services that prevent breakdowns and other costly repairs.

Do you see how vehicle maintenance and repair can become less of a grudge purchase? By being automotive maintenance professionals we can show our clients that we have their best interests at heart. When they sense that our passion is not to fix cars, but to keep cars from breaking, that seeing their car being towed in breaks our heart, and that keeping them from needing to replace a vehicle and having large monthly car payments brings us joy, they will flock to our shop. ssgm

Get back to enjoying your business!

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Dave Meunier’s Automotive Management Training and Consulting group is one of the most sought after providers of business solutions for shop owners in Canada.

Flexible training courses are offered across Canada and include:

The explanation, for the success of TACT students comes from a well tested common sense approach to managing every aspect of day to day operations, starting in the bays and working its way to the income statement.

Advance PROShop Manager Modules – Full day topic specific sessions designed to allow you to get answers to your own shop challenges.

Topics include: ● SHOP SYSTEMS & PROCEDURES ● ADVANCED SERVICE ADVISOR SKILLS ● PROFIT IMPROVEMENT STRATEGIES

Enrolling in one of Dave Meunier’s shop improvement courses will provide you with the confidence to analyze your business monthly to look for ways to improve profits and lower your stress.

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course will teach owners to take better care of your customer, save them money and allow your shop to be more profitable than ever before.

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Brought to you by TACT Total Automotive Consulting & Training Group 26 SSGM June 2009

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|| Tire & Wheel

Heritage Leverage Dunlop launches three new performance-oriented tires and cements the brand’s image further into their performance roots

By Jim Anderton, Technical Editor

F

or a global tire company, the Dunlop brand must be a challenging problem. In much of the world, Dunlop is a quintessentially British brand and here in Canada, where a large proportion of our immigrant population hails from nations with origins in the Commonwealth, it still has the English connotation. Whether you’re from the West Indies, South Asia, Great Britain or Australasia, you either rode in a Dunlop-equipped Morris, Vauxhall or Holden, or learned to drive in one. Compared to the United States, the brand perception of Dunlop is not likely to be neither European nor domestic … it’s British. This is a significant ace in the hole for the brand in Canada, especially where Dunlop focuses on the higher value end of the market,

SP Sport Maxx TT

Dunlop wouldn’t be Dunlop without a no-compromise sport tire and it would naturally carry the SP Sport moniker, this time the SP Sport Maxx TT. Available in 35 sizes by the time you read this, the SP Sport Maxx TT also uses the Jointless Band Technology but adds DuPont Kevlar in the lower sidewalls and includes a suite of performance enhancements collectively called Touch Technology. Touch Technology adds a flat tread profile, asymmetric design and a bead–fit design intended to improve driver feedback.

Given the extremely low profile fitments, a Max Flange

28 SSGM June 2009

which they have done with the rollout of several new tires at a recent launch at the BMW Performance Driving School in Greenville, South Carolina. Three important tires in the launch for this season are the Signature CS, SP Sport Maxx GT and the SP Sport Signature.

Shield sensibly protects rims. The tread pattern, with four wide circumferential grooves and almost no siping, is clearly intended for wet and dry summer performance, with huge shoulder blocks and a sharp shoulder transition suggesting that the SP Sport Maxx TT is intended for vehicles and drivers with advanced suspension systems and proper front end alignment … a camber and toe check would be advantageous when selling this sporting rubber. Sizes range from 225/50ZR16 to 265/35ZR22, so Dunlop clearly intends this tire to fit premium product without reaching down into broadline sedan territory. All sizes carry a 240 AA A UTQG rating with service descriptions from 92Y to 102Y. Astute dealers have by now noticed that Dunlop uses a branding strategy that’s a little different from their higher volume competitors in that tire platform families carry familiar variations on existing brand names, notably SP Sport and Signature. While many believe that the affluent Boomer market wants and needs newness to be reflected in new model names, Dunlop’s affinity for historical product monikers makes a lot of sense in a marketplace that’s increasingly crowded with new and unfamiliar brands. The tires are new, but the brand has been around a long time, a marketing advantage if exploited with proper sales floor merchandising, that never gets old. continued on page 30 www.ssgm.com

Performance You can TrusT Customers demand quality and reliability, and for years Goodyear Engineered Products has been there.

Dependable performance in every aftermarket product and service provided including Gatorback Poly-V belt.

Goodyear Engineered Products Belts & Hose is an official sponsor of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Ask about the 2009 Promotional Program business growth incentive with new merchandise and rewards.

w w w. G o o D y E A R E P. C o m / A f t E R m A R k E t

NASCAR Performance is a registered trademark of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. Goodyear Engineered Products in Canada is a proud supporter of The Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada. www.childrenswish.ca

The GOODYEAR (and Winged Foot Design) trademark is used by Veyance Technologies, Inc. under license from The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. Goodyear Engineered Products are manufactured and sourced exclusively by Veyance Technologies, Inc. or its affiliates. The Gatorback trade name is licensed to Veyance Technologies, Inc. by The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. Š2009 Veyance Technologies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Veyance Technologies Canada, Inc.

|| Tire & Wheel

SP Sport Signature

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to conclude that a tire that carries the names of both Dunlop’s broadline Signature line and the racy SP Sport would be somewhere between the two and that’s exactly where the SP Sport Signature lies, leaning a little to the performance side of the two. Available in 26 sizes from 205/65R15, commendably serving the dwindling 15-inch performance market, to the nearly ridiculous 255/35R20 size, a range that fits a huge performance sedan population with significant overlap into sports car territory. Speed ratings are H, V, W and Y depending on size, with H and V-rated product carrying 95,000 kilometer limited tread life warranty. Mercifully for dealers, the wild man W- and Y-rated sizes are tread life warranty-free making the youthful drift community a viable customer base.

UTQG’s are either 420AA A or 460AA A again depending on size and service descriptions range from 91V to 97Y. The SP Sport Signature shares the Signature CS’s Jointless Band Technology, but adds Hydro-Paddle, a tread technology that actively pumps water out of the contact patch.

Silica is a part of the tread compound, adding both wet and dry traction benefits, while the tread pattern shows several 30 SSGM June 2009

features aimed at the performance-oriented driver. While water channels through four circumferential grooves, tread blocks are substantial and are not heavily siped, with the beefiest segments on the outer shoulder. The shoulder itself is rounded, a feature often seen where tires are expected to see considerable cornering forces with less than optimal steering geometry. An interesting feature aimed at extending the effective tread life is full depth tread grooving. The SP Sport Signature should be a popular choice for import sport sedan owners who want to feel sharp turn-in and steering response, but don’t use their vehicles for weekend track day work, a market that’s potentially huge in urban and suburban Canada. But what about continued on page 32 the enthusiast market? www.ssgm.com

|| Tire & Wheel

Signature CS

With uncertainty about future fuel pricing and a shift away from traditional large SUVs, the Dunlop Signature CS aims squarely at the burgeoning crossover market with nine sizes (11 by the fourth quarter of this year) from 215-70R16 to 255-55R18. The most popular nine sizes address 60 per cent of current crossover fitments. The Signature CS carries a number of Dunlop’s trademark technologies: VersaLoad (consistency throughout the tire’s allowable loading), Jointless Band Technology (17- and 18-inch sizes; maintains tire roundness for a smooth ride) Evaqua Grooves (water evacuation from the contact patch) and MultiPitch Tread Design (reduced noise). The Signature CS carries a 500 A B UTQG rating throughout the size range with service descriptions from 99S to 109H. The 32 SSGM June 2009

tire is symmetrical and non-directional with black sidewalls.

The Signature CS carries a 95,000 kilometer limited tread life warranty. Advantages? This tire is clearly designed for urban/suburban crossover buyers, including those trading from minivans who are looking for ride comfort and wet braking with load ratings appropriate for the wide loading conditions possible in larger crossovers. For this market segment, Dunlop has sensibly made the tire non-directional and symmetric with black sidewalls, making rotation easy.

For Jim’s driving impressions, log onto www.ssgm.com and go to the VideoPicks section.

www.ssgm.com

|| Tire & Wheel

Northern Latitude Michelin’s Latitude Tour aims at the Canadian SUV/Crossover market with an eco-friendly spin

By Jim Anderton, Technical Editor

H

ow do you select the “right” tire for your customer?

Do you choose by vehicle type; driving style; performance or value? All these attributes are part of the selection process and as the lines between light truck and car, fourwheel-drive and all-wheel-drive and performance versus utility blur, the process gets tougher. Is the BMW X5 a truck, a sports sedan? Is off-road grip and durability important? As crossovers and high-end SUVs now deliver performance at both the light-truck and passenger car ends of the spectrum, there is no such thing as a universal tire, making the sales process more difficult than ever.

Tire manufacturers, however, are building products that give dealers the latitude to fit a tire to an end user’s driving style. Michelin’s Latitude Tour is an example of a purposebuilt CUV/SUV tire that’s intended for a specific driver, namely the thousands of crossover and truck owners who are predominantly paved road drivers, but occasionally venture onto gravel or dirt secondary routes.

While crossovers are clearly intended for pavement driving and often wear passenger car replacement rubber, there is a good argument for pavement-optimized crossover/SUV tires. The Latitude Tour is designed around a non-lugged but heavily siped street tread pattern and a carcass with low rolling resistance, addressing the primary market triggers for the majority of urban/suburban drivers: ride comfort, wet grip and fuel efficiency.

The radial’s tread is dominated by five circumferential grooves flanked by gently scalloped shoulder lugs which are divided by interlocking sipes. The tread breaks gently at the shoulder and extends marginally into the sidewall leaving the impression of a broad, flat contact patch.

Michelin declares superior wear and rolling resistance performance to the Goodyear Fortera SA and Bridgestone

34 SSGM June 2009

Dueler HL Alenza (tested in the P265/70R17 size on a Chevrolet Tahoe) and greater wet weather performance than any light truck tire in the Michelin lineup, some five per cent better than similarly sized Michelin Cross Terrain product.

Available in 28 SKU’s from P235/75R15 toP255/60R19, the Latitude Tour carries OE fitments for Hyundai, Kia, GM and Ford. Service descriptions range from 105T to 108S with UTQG ratings between 600 and 720 with all at traction/temperature ratings of A B. Many popular sizes such as P235/70R16 are available in black wall and outline raised white letter sidewalls. The raised white letter is an outline “Michelin” that’s understated enough to satisfy conservative buyers who want to avoid the rock-crawler image of in-your-face LT sidewall branding. Michelin has identified typical SUV replacement fitments as the Buick Enclave, Ford Escape, Honda CRV and Nissan Murano.

The Latitude Tour carries a limited tread wear warranty of 110,000 km, by using a proprietary tread compound and “MaxTouch” construction to optimize the contact patch for long wear. Combined with the lowered rolling resistance, Michelin labels the Latitude Tour as a “Green X” tire, tapping into the popular eco-friendly marketing opportunity driven by climate change/CO2 issues and media criticism of the auto industry in general. Where does the Michelin Latitude fit into the firm’s marketing scheme? Essentially, it’s at the top for SUV/crossover fitments with list prices from C$210 to C$367, which isn’t cheap, but represents value on an appropriate fitment like the Buick Enclave…. here the Latitude’s OE presence should help dealers in the aftermarket, as manufacturers like GM and Ford have set the bar high for replacement rubber. How does it drive?

For Jim’s driving impressions, log onto www.ssgm.com and go to the VideoPicks section. www.ssgm.com

What’s the Right Solution for Headlight Aiming?

YOU BE THE JUDGE! Know the facts before purchasing a DOT mandated headlight aiming solution It’s a roll of the dice if the equipment is not approved for inspection programs A smart purchase is one that provides the optimal value

PANTHER OPT 5405

der in a e L s The t Sale e k r a M

In stock for same day shipment!

Design/Feature

OTHER Aimers

Polished Optical Grade Glass Lens

NO

No Deterioration or Discolouration of Optical Lens

SOME

Gradient Variance Lines

SOME

Xenon Headlamp Aiming

SOME

M.O.T. Approved for Inspection Programs?

SOME

Alignment Screen Not Susceptible to Sunlight Burn Holes

SOME

Bonus Dust Cover Included ($40 Value)

NO

Optional LASER Visor Alignment

NO

Priced right with the features and values that you need

NO

When reliability and value are priorities, depend on Canbuilt for your headlight aiming requirements!

For more information regarding Canbuilt’s portfolio of heavy-duty professional equipment and accessories, visit www.canbuilt.com Ph: 888-607-2926 or 416-749-6555 • Fax: 416-749-7597 • E-mail: sales@canbuilt.com

SSGM BAYWATCH New Products

Bridgestone showcases fuel-efficient Ecopia EP100 Bridgestone Corporation’s new Ecopia EP100 tire for passenger cars comes in sizes 195/55R16, 185/65R15 and 195/65R15, with plans to expand range in the future. The Ecopia EP100 employs the Ecopia compound (a new top rubber) which applies Bridgestone’s materials technology NanoProTech*2 to reduce rolling resistance. The Ecopia EP100’s rolling resistance is cut down 30 per cent, as a result the tire boasts the least rolling resistance of any Bridgestone tire on the domestic market. In addition, the tread pattern has rib-linked blocks and high-angle lugs for outstanding braking performance in wet conditions at a level equivalent to the B’Style EX. Bridgestone Corp. www.bridgestone.com

Air just met its maker.

Backed by our

Best in the business

Features the renowned TRI-MAX™ extreme-duty, three-cylinder pump which simply blows away the competition.

1-800-253-2363 www.bendpak.com/canada 36 SSGM June 2009

Bendpak/Ranger introduces combination brake lathe Ranger Products recently introduced the Ranger RL8500 complete lathe package that includes a lathe, bench, adapters, and other accessories. The RL8500 uses independent DC servo motors to control the cross feed and spindle feed drives eliminating the need for complex mechanical gear boxes and transmissions typically found on mechanically-driven lathes. The absence of gear-driven mechanical drives and variable-speed transmission devices reduces service and repair costs. Vibration and chatter from gears, bearings and mechanical drive parts — vibration typically transferred to the tool-tip leaving irregular cuts in the machined finish — is eliminated. Infinitely adjustable feed rates mean you have the ability to easily modify cut speeds with the simple turn of a dial.

This allows users to reduce or increase cuttimes for best finish results.

Bendpak/Ranger www.bendpak.com

Rotary Lift Web site is customizable, easier to navigate Rotary Lift has redesigned its Web site so customers can find the products and support they need more quickly. The revamped site, www.rotarylift.com, provides a variety of ways to access information, including an expanded top menu and buttons on the side of the home page. To help customers identify the right lifts for their needs, Rotary added the “Customized Information for Me” or “Just for You” options.

With this feature, the user simply chooses from a list of nine customer descriptions: “government purchaser,” “independent repair shop,” “municipality,” “car/truck dealership,” “transit agency,” “fleet,” “architect/engineer,” “enthusiast” and “commercial truck dealer/repair.” Making a selection instantly takes the user to a customized page containing links to the appropriate vehicle lifts, productivity tools, services and support. Product information includes specifications, photos, brochure pages, feature tours, photos and videos.

Rotary Lift www.rotarylift.com www.ssgm.com

SSGM BAYWATCH New Products

Matco Tools introduces the MT1811 short barrel air hammer Matco Tools has introduced a short barrel air hammer, the MT1811, with a controllable integrated chuck and feather trigger. The MT1811 features an integrated quick chuck on barrel, variable speed trigger for control; metal valve assembly for increased durability; lighter fluted barrel for easier use; spring vibration dampening system for comfortable use over extended periods of time; and centre handle design for superior balance.

Matco Tools www.matcotools.com

Katech offers high-capacity oil pump Katech Performance has developed a new LS7 Oil Pump that directly replaces the production pump found in the LS7 small-block. Katech’s LS7 Oil Pump (part number KATA5069-LS7) is hand-assembled and features 30 per cent greater scavenge capacity, which is designed to remove oil from the pan and put it into the tank faster for better oil control. The ported LS7 Oil Pump is blueprinted to precise tolerances, serialized and documented. It features a blue anodized front cover that is laser etched with the Katech Performance logo. Katech pre-lubricates the pump to ensure it is lubricated for the first start-up until the engine oil fully lubricates it.

Katech Performance www.katechengines.com

The only thing as tough as race day could be your every day

2X BETTER wear protection

from the Official Motor Oil of Jimmie Johnson, 3x NASCAR® Sprint Cup Series Champion, and Hendrick Motorsports. *

Real. durable. oil. © 2008-2009 SOPUS Products. Some materials © 2009 Pennzoil - Quaker State Canada Inc. All rights reserved. The likeness of Jimmie Johnson, the #48 Lowes Chevrolet car, and other related trademarks and copyrights are used with the permission of Hendrick Motorsports. *As measured in ASTM Sequence IVA test, using SAE 5W-30 engine oil.

www.ssgm.com

June 2009 SSGM 37

SSGM BAYWATCH New Products

Continental releases application-matched rotors, pads

The New Originals Original™ Work Gloves

Continental Commercial Vehicles & Aftermarket announced the release its line of ATE PremiumOne Disc Brake Rotors and Pads which are engineered to OE specifications for quality, fit and performance. They are applicationmatched to meet specific vehicle requirements. Instead of having to choose from a variety of grades and options, PremiumOne customers will receive the optimum rotor and pad replacement as specified by the original vehicle manufacturer.

To help technicians and customers identify the need for replacement, all ATE PremiumOne Rotors feature a RotorLife wear indicator that gives technicians a quick visual reference of rotor thickness. The wear indicator, which is created by elliptical grooves

that are machined into both rotor surfaces, also helps to reduce brake fade and extend pad life by enhancing the dissipation of heat and gases. A MetaCote protective coating is applied to help prevent rust and corrosion so the rotors maintain a clean appearance. ATE PremiumOne Disc Brake Pads are formulated to restore original equipment performance, reduce wheel dusting and extend pad life. The pad’s under-layer design helps to reduce NVH and improve quietness. All pads include shims, slots and chamfers as well as the applicable OE accessories for the complete installation.

Continental Commercial Vehicles & Aftermarket www.ate-na.com

Fidanza expands shifter line Fidanza has introduced a short throw shifter for the popular Scion tC (part #833240). Fidanza’s lightweight short throw shifters shorten the distance required to shift to the next gear, helping the driver be more prompt and accurate in gear progression.

This allows the vehicle to operate more consistently at an enhanced performance level. All of Fidanza’s short throw shifters are CNCmachined from high-quality aluminum and hardened steel.

Fidanza www.fidanza.com Mechanix Wear Canada TollFree 877.278.5822 email: info@mechanixwear.ca mechanix.com

38 SSGM June 2009

www.ssgm.com

SSGM BAYWATCH New Products

Beck/Arnley adds new product to Pentosin line

Beck/Arnley has recently added CHF 202 to broaden the coverage of its Pentosin fluid line. This new, synthetic oil-based hydraulic fluid is used on many of today’s European vehicles. Pentosin CHF 202 works with the most recent generation of hydraulic systems, including power steering, rear axle steering, hydro pneumatic suspension, stability and traction. It is recommended for Audi, Saab and Volkswagen, starting with the 2006 model year, and Volkswagen from the 2002 model year. The new fluid has a temperature range from -40 to +130 degrees Celsius. Pentosin CHF 202 joins Beck/Arnley’s two other Pentosin offerings; CHF 11S is a synthetic oil-based fluid and CHF 7.1 is a mineral oil-based hydraulic fluid that is typically used in hydraulic systems such as power steering and shock absorbers. CHF 7.1 has a wide operating temperature range from -40 to 100 degrees Celsius. It is primarily recommended for older applications, and is the original fill for Volkswagen, Audi, BMW and Mercedes Benz.

Beck/Arnley www.beckarnley.com

Fidanza aluminum flywheels for 2005-08 Ford Mustang 4.0L Fidanza’s aluminum flywheels are now available for the 2005-2008 Ford Mustang 4.0L V6. Made from high-quality 6061 T6 aluminum, the Ford Mustang 4.0L flywheel (#186401) weighs 11.5 lbs. and provides strength, heat dissipation and weight reduction. The flywheels feature a replaceable 1045 steel friction surface attached with military grade aerospace fasteners, which saves V6 owners time and money by not having to replace an entire flywheel. Fidanza flywheels are compatible with any type of clutch material, including organic, Kevlar, ceramic, metallic and sintered iron.

Fidanza www.fidanza.com www.ssgm.com

FIND YOUR FUTURE IN OUR FRANCHISE. Together, with our recognized name, state of the art business systems and operations support, we can help you get into a business of which we believe you can be proud.

Find out today about becoming a Certigard franchisee.

Call us at 1 888 541-7632

TM

Trademark of Petro-Canada

June 2009 SSGM 39

Franchisee Ad_3.375” x 10”_Trade Publication

SSGM BAYWATCH New Products

Rislone introduces head gasket chemical fix Rislone Inc. has introduced Head Gasket Fix, a solution to permanently repair head gasket and other major cooling system leaks by adding it directly to the radiator where it mixes with existing antifreeze/coolant. No flushing is required. Head Gasket Fix is effective in all gasoline and diesel engines. Rislone Head Gasket Fix uses formulas combining highgrade and specialty sealing liquids with various sizes of gasket-sealing particles to penetrate gaps and cracks, and then harden to permanently stop leaks. In addition to repairing blown head gaskets, it also fixes leaking cylinder heads, intake gaskets, cracked blocks and freeze plugs. It is compatible with all types of antifreeze, including conventional green or blue (silicate-based) and extended life (red/orange) or yellow (OAT/HOAT). The product also can be used in cooling systems containing only water. Rislone Head Gasket Fix works on aluminum and cast iron heads and engine blocks.

Rislone Inc. www.rislone.ca

Enter the SSGM

SPAL USA offers new power window push-pull switch kits SPAL USA has expanded its Power Window aftermarket product line with the introduction of its new Power Window Push & Pull Switch Kit. The Push & Pull Switch Kit (part #33040174) is a universal two-door kit designed to be flush mounted to nearly any vehicle door for a high-quality appearance and simple operation. The kit includes all of the components necessary for installation: three push-pull switches, one single frame, one double frame parallel, one double frame horizontal and wiring harness. The Push & Pull Switch Kit works with all OEM and aftermarket switches and offers thermal overload protection.

SPAL USA www.spalusa.com

l i O c i t e h t n Sy

CONTEST Test your knowledge of synthetic lubricants for a chance to win a Castrol Prize pack from Wakefield Canada.

Presented by More than ever, consumers are looking to keep their automotive investment running longer and more reliably. Do you know the facts to help them decide?

The use of synthetic lubricants can have a significant impact on the life of a vehicle.

True or False

Once a car switches to synthetic oil, it has to continue using it.

Most cars can use synthetic motor oils, whether new or old.

Synthetic oils resist oxidation better than conventional oils.

Synthetic oils are only designed for high performance engines.

Synthetic oils are only of benefit in hot conditions and climates.

Enter today for your chance to win a Castrol prize pack from Wakefield Canada.

RETURN THIS FORM TO US AT 416-510-5140 Name:_________________________________Business:______________________________________ Address:_____________________________________________________________________________ Phone:_________________________________Email:_________________________________________ 40 SSGM June 2009

www.ssgm.com

CHANGE CAN BE VERY COOL! What do DENSO, Sanden, Visteon, Delphi and CARQUEST have in common? How about the best selection of new air conditioning compressors in the automotive aftermarket, at new more competitive prices! O.E. sourced for an exact fit, every time and 100% tested to the strictest standards in our industry. Coverage: British, Domestic, German, Japanese, Korean, Swedish. The new CARQUEST A/C program beats the competition cold!

CARQUEST.ca

2009 SSGM Garage of the Year Presented by:

?

I Nominate:__________________________________________ Garage Name_ ________________________________________ Owners Name_________________________________________ Address______________________________________________ Phone (_____)_________________________________________ The reason I believe this nominee deserves this award is: ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ My Name: ___________________________________________ Address _ ____________________________________________ Phone (_____) _ _______________________________________

Nominate your choice online at www.autoserviceworld.com or complete and mail this form at left to: SSGM Garage of the Year 12 Concorde Place, Suite 800, North York, ON  M3C 4J2  or fax to: 416-510-5140

Who has the best shop in Canada?

The 2009 SSGM Garage of the Year, presented by Total Lubricants, seeks to recognize the very best independent service provider in the Canadian automotive aftermarket.

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

Make copies and simply ask your customers, suppliers, members of your community or even competitors to complete this form. Return all your nomination forms by fax or mail to SSGM by September 21st, 2009, or be nominated on-line at AutoServiceWorld.com.

The finalists will be identified in the October issue of SSGM and the winner will be announced in the December issue.

SSGM BAYWATCH New Products

Katech Performance releases LS7 forged pistons Katech Performance is now offering its forged LS7 pistons to suit any application. The pistons are made to pass 422-hour WOT (Wide Open Throttle) durability tests and are designed in-house and machined in Katech’s own CNC department.

Stocked in 9:1, 10.4:1, 11:1, 12:1 and 14:1 compression ratios, the company offers a piston for every LS7 application including engines with nitrous oxide and/or forced induction. Starting with specially made aluminum forgings manufactured of 2618 or 4032 material, the pistons are stronger yet lighter than production pistons.

Additional custom features including gas ports, large radius valve pockets, precision flatness ring grooves, antidetonation bands, accumulator groove, exact LS7 ring pack and land dimensions, tanged round wire pin locks and select hard-coat anodizing to minimize detonation as well as micro-welding of the top ring in high horsepower applications. Also, skirts can be Dart DCI MOS Teflon coated. Optional DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) coated pins are available to complete ultimate race durability packages.

Katech Performance www.katechengines.com

Wireless air command available from Firestone Firestone Industrial Products Company now offers Wireless Air Command – an air accessory system that provides an instant air source for Firestone’s Ride-Rite, Coil-Rite, SportRite and LevelRite air helper springs using a wireless control box.

The Wireless Air Command’s modular configuration allows users to easily adjust Firestone air springs both side-to-side and front-to-rear to maintain ride quality during varying load capacities and road conditions.

The system features three preset buttons that drivers can store for their most frequently used air pressure settings.

SUDOKU

by Myles Mellor and Susan Flanagan Firestone’s Wireless Air Command air accessory kit comes with the wireless control, standard duty air compressor Each Sudoku puzzle consists a 9X9 grid that has been s (#9283), valve block, wiring harness, tubingsofand fittings. grids of 3X3 squares.

To solve the puzzle each The manufacturer recommends mounting the valve-block in row, colum the numbers 1 to 9.

Puzzles come in three grades: easy, m a dry location, such as under the hood.

Firestone Industrial Products Company Level: Medium www.ride-rite.com

Advertisers’ Index Advertiser

Page #

website

ACDelco. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OBC. . . . . www.ACDELCOCanada.com Affinia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27. . . . . www.RaybestosChassis.com Autocamping. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21. . . . . . . . . . www.autocamping.ca BendPak Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,36.www.rangerproducts.com/canada BMW Canada. . . . . . . . . . . . . . IBC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.bmw.ca Bridgestone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5. . . . . . . . . www.bridgestonetire.ca CARQUEST Canada . . . . . . . . . . 41. . . . . . . . . . . . www.CARQUEST.ca Goodyear Canada . . . . . . . . . . . 29. . . . . . . . . . . . . www.goodyear.ca Honeywell Consumer Products. 15. . . . . . . . . . . www.honeywell.com Imperial Oil. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18,19. . . . . . . . . . . . www.imperialoil.ca Mechanixwear . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38. . . . . . . . . . . www.mechanix.com Monroe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9. . . . . . . . . . . . . www.monroe.com

Advertiser

Page #

website

NAPA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31. . . . . . . . . . www.NAPAonline.com NGK Spark Plugs. . . . . . . . . . . . 25. . . . . . . www.ngksparkplugs.com Pennzoil. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13. . . . . . . . . . . . www.Pennzoil.com Petro Canada Certigard . . . . . . . 39. . . . . . . . . . . www.petrocanada.ca Quaker State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37. . . . . . . . . . www.quakerstate.com Robert Bosch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFC. . . . . . www.boschdiagnostic.com Sayco. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35. . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.canbuilt.ca Thermofluid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33. . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.redtek.com Valvoline Oil Canada . . . . . . . . . 11. . . . . . . . . . . . www.valvoline.com Wakefield. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40. . . . . . . . . . . . . www.wakefield.ca WORLDPAC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3. . . . . . . . . . . . www.worldpac.com

Solution

Solutions to May’s puzzles

www.ssgm.com

June 2009 SSGM 43

|| Puzzles CROSSWORD

by Myles Mellor

You know where to turn

44 SSGM June 2009

Across 1. Oil company 5. ___/Arnley, company whose tag line is “Parts Made Right, Life Made Easy” 8. Jeep, for example 10. British Princess 12. This may come on when you open your car door 14. Former student 16. Car’s temperature control 17. ___ Inc., the Canadian leader in the distribution, merchandising and remanufacturing of automotive parts 18. Crude ___, aka petroleum 19. Naval abbreviation 20. Car made abroad 21. Intel org.

23. Nautical measure 24. Used before a vowel 25. Firm, for short 27. The main structure of a vehicle 30. Lawyer title sometimes 34. Purple flower 36. Road sign 37. An__- freeze 38. Electrical giant 39. Pontiac Grand ___, this car was once Pontiac’s best selling car 41. The world’s largest supplier of automobile components 42. Winter tire covers 44. ___ gas, this gas is used to fuel appliances in an RV 45. Where the gas goes 47. Greek T 48. Field Officer, abbr.

50. Yard chore 53. ___ Technologies, a

global leader in stored electrical-energy solutions 55. Id number 57. Russian river 58. Road ___, car travel adventure 60. Most fresh 61. Poetic dawn 63. Police car 65. Gold symbol 66. Ford’s Hybrid SUV 67. One of the first vehicles sold under the Acura nameplate Down 1. ___ plugs, ignition system parts 2. College internet address ending 3. Speed regulation 4. Musical scale note 5. BLT part 6. Manual transmission necessity 7. Spectra maker 8. Walkway 9. Swedish car supplier owned by Ford 11. Subsidiary of 17 across 13. The largest member of 11 down 15. Driving dividers 22. The production vehicle to feature Honda’s

Integrated Motor Assist system 25. Evidence collectors 26. Nissan pickup 28. Rental car agency 29. Intense anger 31. You and me 32. Radio, abbr.

33. Extended play record, for short 35. Footwear 37. A convertible’s may be hard or soft 39. Historian cry of discovery?

40. ___ Trucks, one of the world’s leading truckmanufacturing companies 41. The color of Kelley’s book?

42. Bright metallic trim on your auto 43. Racing car feature?

46. Infiniti manufacturer 48. Last exam 49. Lyrical poem 51. Famous cookie 52. Italian volcano 54. Gross!

56. Breeding horse 59. Sound system, for short 62. Type of cola 64. Word of denial

www.ssgm.com

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 Brayden J C Ford 416-510-5206

AUTOMOTIVE PARTS & ACCESSORIES

HAND CLEANERS

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”

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.

LUBRICANTS & ADDITIVES Empack/emzone Automotive Care & Maintenance www.emzone.ca The high performance emzone product line is specially formulated for your detailing and maintenance needs. For maintenance: Lubricants, Brake Cleaners, Degreasers, and Coatings. For detailing: Glass Cleaners, Carpet Foams, Tire Shines and Auto Fresh.

REFRIGERANT ZEX AC Compressors Division of Mister Starter

www.misterstarter.com Remanufactured/New A/C compressors and Turbochargers/Superchargers for complete line of cars and trucks, DOMESTIC & IMPORTS. Custom Rebuilds also available for your needs.

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”.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING CARS COUNCIL www.cars-council.ca Smarter hiring, better personnel assessment, and training accessible 24/7. We are the CARS Council, a not-for-profit organization, delivering tools developed by industry for industry. www.cars-council.ca

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

Genius Tools

www.geniustools.net Genius Tools provides a complete line of hand tools, as well as power tools, tool storage, and other solutions for the toughest jobs in automotive and industrial markets.

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Rotary Lift

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Empack / emzone Refrigerants www.emzone.ca WAREHOUSE DISTRIBUTORS Eco-friendly, non-ozone depleting COLLISION REPAIR SUDOKU by Myles Mellor and Susan Flanagan and system safe. The emzone & BUYING GROUPS Masters School of Autobody Management quality A/C Refrigerant product www.masters-school.com line includes stop leak, system conditioner, oil Automont Distributions Inc. Each Sudoku puzzle consists ofofa 9X9 grid thatUV hasdyebeen subdivided intooffering nine smaller Masters offers a number charge, leak detection, and dryer www.automont.com education and implementation temperatures, improved Importer & Wholesale grids of programs 3X3 squares.

To solve the puzzlecolder eachvent row, column and boxsystem must contain each follow-up programs designed to take efficiency, lower head pressure and greater gas Distributor of German, of the numbers 1 to 9.

Puzzles come in three grades: easy, medium and difficult. bodyshops to the next level of success. mileage. Ideal for cars, trucks, SUVs and tractors.

Swedish and Asian Auto Parts.

Level: Difficult SUDOKU

2

Bestbuy Distributors Limited

by Myles Mellor and Susan Flanagan

3

8

2

5

7 8

9

2 8 4

7 5

1 3

3 7

3

2 6

7

1 3

2

6

4 4

www.ssgm.com

5

Each Sudoku puzzle consists of a 9×9 grid that has been subdivided into nine smaller grids of 3×3 squares. To solve the puzzle each row, column and box must contain each of the numbers 1 to 9. Puzzles come in three grades: easy, medium and difficult.

Level: Difficult

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

The E.R.I. Group www.theerigroup.com Canada’s Premier Machine Shop Buying Group Kerr Machine Shop Group Inc.

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

June 2009 SSGM 45

|| L ast Word

Working with independents to ensure better service

By Mark Griffin, Parts Manager for Parkview BMW, North York, Ont. www.parkviewbmw.com

I

’ve been in the automotive parts business for 26 years, but only four of them with BMW. I have to admit the brand is intoxicating and very easy to get passionate about because they make the ultimate driving machine. I believe that we need to keep customers loving their cars, and when they need service, they are not disappointed with the quality of service they receive from our facility or their independent shop.

More of the dealers across the country are realizing the importance of wholesale business. The difficultly with wholesale business is that you either have to be in it completely or not. The dealerships that are half in it or are trying to make a go of it have hit a lot of roadblocks and a lot of expense that doesn’t justify their means, and I’ve always found that when you’re really focused behind the wholesale business you can have great success; but if you’re half in the game you’re never going to reap the rewards.

Obviously, we have competition that is not with the other dealerships, but with jobbers and aftermarket companies that are very strong in the marketplace and do a very good job at holding us accountable to be at their level. I think we are striving in it and the more we get to their level of ser-

46 SSGM June 2009

vice, the more the independent service providers are going to use us as a first call as opposed to a second or third call. That’s really what it’s all about.

You want them to call you first.

It takes a special person to service the independent shops. Mike Whitman, my wholesale parts manager, for instance, has it down pat with the perfect mentality, demeanour and characteristics that a wholesale shop gravitates to.

Unfortunately, there’s too many of the dealership personnel out there that have to be always right, are a little bit blunt, are hard to get information out of, and are sometimes unwilling to go above and beyond the call of duty. This is what we don’t have. We have staff that will give 110 per cent all the time. In the end, it’s all about the relationships that will ultimately grow the business.

The economy is a challenge to say the least for all manufacturers. BMW is no different and we’re making cutbacks in our own way. We’re watching where we’re spending money. We’re

watching where our costs are coming from. But with our cars, there are so many second or third owners buying them at independent used car dealerships and non-BMW dealerships that there’s a market for a lot of wholesale growth. For the parts and service business in times like these usually they see some growth because customers are not buying new cars. They’re fixing their old vehicles at the independent service facilities.

I don’t need to do a lot of marketing of my business. I’m proud to say that my growth in this area is by word of mouth and that people hear on the street that Parkview is a dealership that will take care of them.

“Service Beyond Your Expectations” is Parkview’s motto to all our customers, including the independent shops.

Have something to say to our industry?

Let us know with the Last Word! tom@ssgm.com www.ssgm.com

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