Service Station Garage Management July 2009

Service Station & Garage Management .COM

SSGM JULY 2009

More Than Rubber:

Changes in Belt and Hose Technology How to Retire Wealthy The Recession and Performance Exhaust

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Bosch now offers the best in Wheel Service Equipment to the aftermarket! Get your business rolling with the best aligners, tire changers and wheel balancers in the industry. For more information on quality Bosch wheel service and diagnostic equipment visit us on the web at www.boschdiagnostics.com or call 800-618-4729.

Š 2009 Robert Bosch Inc., Canada. All rights reserved.

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July 2009

Vol. 39 No. 7

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

Marc Gadbois (416) 510-6776 marc@ssgm.com Circulation Manager

Selina Rahaman (416) 442-5600 ext 3528 srahaman@bizinfogroup.ca Subscription Inquiries

Gail Page (416) 442-5600 ext 3549 Production Manager

Steven K. Hofmann (416) 510-6757

See Page 12

Print Production Manager

See Page 16

Phyllis Wright

Vice President Canadian Publishing

Belts and Hoses

Alex Papanou

Changing technology, market forces means challenges for technicians. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

President Business Information Group

Bruce Creighton

Performance Exhausts

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

Can the performance exhaust business thrive in a recession?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Subscription rates: Canada $51.95 + GST + applicable taxes per year; $82.95 + GST + applicable taxes for 2 years; single copy price $7.00 + $0.42 GST + applicable taxes.

USA $91.95US per year; single copy price $10.00US. Foreign in US $93.95 per year. All rights reserved. Printed in Canada. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, either in part or full, including photocopying and recording, without the written consent of the copyright owner. Nor may any part of this publication be stored in a retrieval system of any nature without prior written consent.

Health and Safety How to help keep your technicians healthy, productive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Meunier on Management How to retire wealthy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

CAT Does it make sense to replace the fuel pump or the hanger assembly alone? . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Departments Editorial. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Jim’s Rant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Garage of the Year Nomination Form . . . . . . . . . . 33 Baywatch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Advertiser’s Index/Solutions to June Puzzles. . . . 35 Crossword. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Internet Directory/Sudoku. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Last Word. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada, through the Canada Magazine Fund, toward our editorial costs.

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program towards our mailing costs.

PAP Registration No. 11028

4 SSGM July 2009

From time to time we make our subscription list available to select companies and organizations whose product or service may interest you. If you do not wish your contact information to be made available, please contact us via one of the following methods: Phone: 1-800-668-2374, Fax: 416-510-5148 E-mail: jhunter@businessinformationgroup.ca Mail to: Privacy Officer, Business Information Group 12 Concorde Place, Suite 800, Toronto, ON Canada M3C 4J2 ISSN #0381 548X “Postmaster: Please forward forms 29B and 67B to 12 Concorde Place, Suite 800 Toronto, ON M3C 4J2 Return Postage Guaranteed” Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 40069240 Return Postage Guaranteed.

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OE fit and performance.

Because aftermarket is never an afterthought.

At Walker, we produce our aftermarket emissions components under the same roof as our original equipment. Using the same strict standards and processes. So you get high-quality mufflers, converters, pipes and systems with the same precision fit as the originals. Every time.

www.walkerexhaust.com

© 2009 Tenneco

|| Tom’s Editorial

People want quality.

Independents can and must deliver that quality to survive.

By Tom Venetis, Editor

Car buyers today are not interested so much in the brand of vehicle purchased, but the quality of the vehicle – and that emphasis on quality is what will be the deciding factor on where these car owners will take their vehicles to be maintained and repaired.

T

his won’t be another doom-and-gloom editorial. You’ve probably had enough right now from this editor on the troubles of the automotive market. So I’ve decided to see if I could find some good news to relate to you for a change – the bad news can wait until sometime after August when everyone is back from their vacations. Okay, enough kidding … now onto the good news.

In a recent New York Times article, Micheline Maynard points to a bright spot amidst all the economic troubles of the North American auto industry. While the Detroit Three struggle with declining market shares, sales and bankruptcy, small auto makers are showing a surprising robustness, growing market share and building buyer loyalty. Companies such as Hyundai and Nissan are growing in popularity, with Hyundai and its Kia brand, for example, taking 7.3 per cent of the American market.

Last year, these two brands only made up five per cent of the American market. This trend seems to be happening with others, including such well known brands as Volkswagen, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

Some of this increase can be laid squarely on the fact that these car makers have a range of well-made small- and mid-sized fuel-efficient vehicles which people who are looking to buy a new car are moving towards. But Maynard points to something else that is driving these sales: car buyers are less focused on brand loyalty and more focused on the quality of the vehicles. Maynard quotes a range of car buyers who have purchased these vehicles, often for the first time, and did so because they were impressed by the quality of the vehicles and the range of vehicles available to them by theses smaller players. One fellow, who had never once considered looking at a vehicle

by Hyundai, is now glad he did. He took to the Hyundai Veracruz, a crossover, which he says for fit and finish is the best he has ever driven.

What does this mean for Canadian independents? For one thing, if the sales trends translate to Canada, these changes mean new revenue streams for shops. People will need these vehicles repaired and maintained, and shops that are up-to-speed on these vehicles’ technologies and systems will benefit as they can generate new revenues by servicing these vehicle makes. Let’s remember the remark Maynard makes about quality: Car buyers today are not interested so much in the brand of vehicle purchased, but the quality of the vehicle – and that emphasis on quality is what will be the deciding factor on where these car owners will take their vehicles to be maintained and repaired.

Loyalty is a rather fickle thing. It is not easily won and it can be quickly lost. But once it has been gained, the rewards are something that can be measured on the bottom line. Independents that can gain the loyalty of these new car owners who are willing to invest in quality, and will take their vehicle to someone who delivers quality service, will see long-term revenues increase, and independents will ride out this downturn and come out ahead when things turn around and grow even more.

Have an opinion? letterstotheeditor@ssgm.com 6 SSGM July 2009

www.ssgm.com

|| News Briefs Continental Tire launches marketing support program Continental Tire Canada, Inc. announced the launch of its Continental General Marketing Support Program. The website is dedicated to serve dealers and distributors and offers attractive, high-quality POS signage, displays, communications material as well as valuable merchandise.

“Our goal is to support our customers the best way possible. After launching our online training initiative, Engage 360, in January, the Marketing Support Program will be the second web-based marketing tool we launch

within only five months,” said Maiti Leinss, marketing coordinator of Continental Tire Canada. “We are very proud to be able to make such a strong commitment in the recent economy.”

Dealers can log in via internet or extranet, using the same ID and password for all applications. While basic items will be offered for free, however supplementary items can comfortably be paid via credit card. All orders placed through the Continental General Marketing Support Program will be eligible for co-op dollars.

Provincial brake standards act to be read in Ontario legislature In a press conference at Queen’s Park, MPP Guelph Liz Sandals alongside ABS Friction CEO Rick Jamieson outlined Bill 181, an amendment to the Highway and Traffic Act that, if passed, would drastically change how aftermarket pads are manufactured, distributed, and sold in the province of Ontario. The act is essentially a two-fold proposal calling for minimum provincial standards for aftermarket replacement brake pads and that any aftermarket brake pad sold in Ontario to be asbestos-free. Recently, Bill 181 advanced to its Second Reading and was debated by the Ontario Legislature at Queen’s Park.

“The brake pads manufactured in Ontario are safe, but not all brake pads currently sold in Ontario are necessarily safe,” said Liz Sandals, MPP for Guelph. “My Private Member’s Bill seeks to ensure that Ontario drivers have safe and reliable brake pads.”

While there are voluntary standards in place by the Automotive Manufacturers Equipment Compliance Agency (AMECA) and many brake pads are Brake Effectiveness Evaluation Procedure (BEEP) certified, many consumers and trades people are shocked to discover that there is currently no brake standards set by the federal or

provincial government. Currently, the only standards in place apply exclusively to the original equipment manufacturers of new vehicles. If passed, the act would require cars equipped with aftermarket brake pads meet specified safety standards.

While no Ontario manufacturers are using Asbestos in the manufacturing of brake pads it can still be found in parts manufactured in other jurisdictions, leading many brakes shipped from Canadian, U.S. and overseas markets to contain asbestos. This remains especially hazardous for service technicians and workers who regularly clean the dust from worn brake pads inside the wheel wells. Over time this can lead to asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma and lung cancer if the worker is not properly protected.

“This is a good first step and I want to thank MPP Sandals for taking the initiative and showing leadership on this important public safety issue,” said Rick Jamieson, CEO of ABS Friction Corp. “Our industry is proud of our commitment to high standards that ensure the safety of Ontario drivers and our employees.”

For more information regarding AMECA standards go to www.ameca. org.

The May winner of the SSGM Synthetic Mythbusters quiz presented by Castrol is Bernard Pellerin, Carquest Gentilly Ltee., Becancour, Que. The June winner is Tina Kennedy, Canadian Tire, Fort Erie, Ont. Both will receive prize packs from Wakefield Canada, distributors of Castrol products in Canada.

See page 13 for this month’s Mythbusters Quiz.

8 SSGM July 2009

Chrysler, Fiat finalize alliance

Chrysler Group and Fiat Group finalized their global strategic alliance. Fiat will contribute its technology, platforms and powertrains for small- and medium-sized cars, allowing the company to offer an expanded product line including environmentally friendly vehicles increasingly in demand by consumers. Chrysler will also benefit from Fiat’s management expertise in business turnaround and access to Fiat’s international distribution network with particular focus on Latin America and Russia.

“This is a very significant day, not only for Chrysler and its dedicated employees, who have persevered through a great deal of uncertainty during the past year, but for the global automotive industry as a whole,” said Sergio Marchionne, who was named chief executive officer of Chrysler Group LLC. “From the very beginning, we have been adamant that this alliance must be a constructive and important step towards solving the problems impacting our industry. We now look forward to establishing a new paradigm for how automotive companies can operate profitably going forward.”

Under the terms approved by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York and various regulatory and antitrust regulators, the company previously known as Chrysler LLC formally sold substantially all of its assets, without certain debts and liabilities, to a new company that will operate as Chrysler Group LLC. Chrysler Group in turn issued to a subsidiary of Fiat a 20 per cent equity interest on a fully diluted basis in the new company. Fiat’s equity interest will increase in increments by up to a total of 35 per cent in the event that certain milestones mandated by the agreement are achieved, but Fiat cannot obtain a majority stake in Chrysler until all taxpayer funds are repaid.

www.ssgm.com

THERE’S A REASON YOU LOOK TO US FOR EXACTING STANDARDS. THE SAME REASON MANY OE MANUFACTURERS DO. Our extensive line of shocks and struts cover the unique ride profile of virtually every vehicle out there. Each product is carefully designed, built and tuned to provide OE-style ride and handling.

Ride Safe.

SavingSquirrels.com

©2009 Tenneco

|| News Briefs

For 35 years, Shad’s R&R has raised money for Muscular Dystrophy research and the 2008 Shad’s R&R Golf Tournament raised a total of $150,000 setting a milestone for the event; it has now raised over $3.5 million for vital research. Of the $150,000 raised, $25,000 will go to the Ontario Equipment Program and $125,000 to research. This year’s tournament took place on June 12 at the Kleinburg Golf and Country Club.

NACE, CARS expands conference NACE and CARS have developed an expanded 2009 conference program for collision and mechanical repair professional this fall, without a price increase.

The Las Vegas events will deliver a total of 84 sessions (or 138 hours) of education for industry professionals for the same cost as 2008.

Topics will cover how facility owners and managers can stay ahead and focus on their businesses during the current economic climate. Sessions will be offered in both 90-minute and three-hour timeslots. Tracks include management, vehicle repair (collision),

technical (mechanical) and women’s professional development.

There are NACE-specific and CARSspecific sessions, but any registered attendee has access to any session they wish to attend. Additional timeslots were added to the Thursday, Friday and Saturday overall schedules to provide more choices to fit individual agendas.

Management sessions are expected to be the most universal selection among both collision and mechanical professionals. These subjects generally cross the boundary of industry segmentation and pertain to both business-models in a similar fashion.

Wix Filters adds 87 new product numbers in

Wix Filters has made available 87 new product numbers in the first quarter of 2009 across light duty, heavy duty and industrial applications. Filters for foreign nameplate applications led the list, with more than 35 new air, oil, cabin air and fuel filter product numbers for Mazda, Honda, Hyundai, BMW, Porsche, Audi, and Volks­wagen, among other brands.

“In the first quarter of 2009 our ongoing line expansion placed an emphasis on new filters for foreign nameplate brands and our new Wix/No-Toil filters for motocross and ATV applications,” said Patrick Enniss, product development manager for Wix Filters, which is 10 SSGM July 2009

celebrating its 70th Anniversary in 2009. “Our engineers and product development department strive every day to provide our customers with the best possible filtration options for vehicles and machinery in every sector, which leads to the creation of more than six new Wix Filters’ product numbers each week.”

The new filters in the first quarter of 2009 include air, cabin air, fuel, hydraulic and transmission filters covering applications from John Deere Tractors and Cummins Engines to Mini Coopers and the new Hyundai Genesis. Visit www. wixfilters.com for more information.

Both the upcoming International Autobody Congress & Exposition (NACE) and the Congress of Automotive Repair & Service (CARS) are sponsored by Automotive Service Association (ASA) and co-located at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, November 4-7, during the second annual Automotive Service & Repair Week (ASRW).

Wakefield Canada appoints Ian Hutchison as brand manager

Wakefield Canada recently announced the appointment of Ian Hutchison to the position of brand manager, automotive. Prior to joining Wakefield, Hutchison served as senior manager, marketing/retail partner relations with Purolator Courier. He has previously held senior positions working with top tier companies as group account director with the Mosaic Group and as national marketing manager with the Rogers Group of companies.

In his new position Hutchison will be responsible for strategic marketing of key Castrol’s automotive brands and channels. Working with Wakefield’s sales and marketing teams, Ian will manage the conception, development, and delivery of marketing initiatives within the automotive segment. www.ssgm.com

Trade mulTiple

parT numbers .

for one When you order a Pro Series Timing Kit from CRP Automotive, you’ll not only get a genuine ContiTech belt — you’ll also receive all the other parts needed to do a complete timing belt and water pump service, including a hydraulic damper when one is required.

All in one box, with one SKU number.

Pro Series Timing Kits also come with a limited warranty identical to the timing belt change interval as specified by the original car manufacturer. Just another reason to ask your Parts Supplier or a CRP representative for a complete list of applications today.

for more information, visit www.proserieskit.com © 2008 CRP Industries Inc. All rights reserved.

ContiteCh

Rein Automotive

Pentosin

|| Belts and Hoses

More than

Just Rubber How are changes in the belts and hoses market affecting technicians

By David Halpert, Assistant Editor

12 SSGM July 2009

E

very year SSGM devotes at least one article entirely on the diagnosis, maintenance and repair of automotive belts and hoses. Now while no two belts and hoses are the same, and each serves a different purpose, you can imagine that speaking ad naseum about what to look for on a damaged belt or how to replace a worn hose can get a little repetitive for the experienced technician.

However, in the coming years, we can expect sweeping changes coming to fruition as technological advances as well as new innovations out of OE will affect how these product categories are

bought, sold, and, most importantly, perform once they hit the aftermarket.

One such example is the many lines of self-tensioning belts coming onto the market. Gates’ Micro-V Stretch Fit Belts, for instance, shows just how fast technology is shifting at the OE and aftermarket level. Their belts are engineered with EPDM (ethylene propylene diene M-class rubber) construction, an aramid-engineered undercord, and a flexible polyamide tensile cord within, making them stronger than previous models.

It becomes apparent the advance of this new belt design brings a unique

www.ssgm.com

Belts and Hoses || set of challenges for technicians. Selftensioning belts, while they appear similar to the standard V-belts, are not interchangeable. Similarly, they are sized shorter than the standard v-ribbed belts and some require special components to be installed under the hood.

While these belts on average last longer and wear more gradually this has also made them more difficult to diagnose with a simple visual inspect.

Cracking, fraying and chunks missing has largely been replaced with less noticeable wear including rib wear, belt seating, and pulley fit (see sidebar for more details).

Changes in the automotive market

This year is shaping up to be a very poor one for automotive sales. Frost & Sullivan is projecting a 10-year low for North American new vehicle sales, coming in at roughly 15.8 million units overall. However, some estimates

Enter the SSGM

of new vehicle sales this year for North America are projecting sales to be as low as 10 million. While the figures are dismal for many, the diminishing sales of new vehicles presents opportunities for the independent technician as consumers hold on to their current vehicles longer. This means these vehicles will have to be serviced more as the wear on their parts increases, especially on the belts and hoses, and the various systems they work with. “One area that shops should be mindful of is the system repair. For example, when performing a timing belt replacement, service technicians should be inspecting the entire system and suggest that all components be replaced at the same time (timing belt tensioners, idler pulleys, and even the water pump if driven by the timing belt),� says Randy Chupka, marketing manager for Gates Canada Inc. “In almost all instances of a timing belt failure, the root can go back to an unreplaced failed component causing an

Synthetic Oil

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:_________________________________________ www.ssgm.com

July 2009 SSGM 13

|| Belts and Hoses

Gates’ Micro-V Stretch Fit Belts are self-tensioning and are engineered with EPDM construction, an aramid-engineered undercord and a flexible polyamide tensile cord within.

In 2007, CRP Automotive introduced Pro Series ContiTech Timing Kits. All 80 kits come complete with a ContiTech timing belt, hydraulic tensioners (when applicable) or idlers, retaining clips and a water pump.

14 SSGM July 2009

unnecessary trip back to the shop.”

These difficulties aren’t isolated to the technicians, however, as one of the chief concerns many manufacturers have with belts and hoses is urging the public on the importance of regularly getting their vehicle serviced.

“One of the challenges is driving consumer awareness for preventative maintenance. Various products under the hood affect the belt drive such as pulleys, tensioners, and alternator decouplers. Many don’t think of this when having their belt replaced and the investment required to prevent further failure in the system is small,” says Marc Therrien, account executive, consumer products for Goodyear Engineered Products Canada, Inc. “As the dealership that also serves as a repair facility closes in a particular market, existing dealership clientele will turn to traditional (independent) technicians for previous repair needs.”

“In the last three quarters we’ve seen many companies in the industry work to reduce their inventory to keep their balance sheet as healthy as possible,” says Monika La Prete, marketing manager for CRP Industries under their Continental ContiTech brand.

“Many technicians are focusing on working with suppliers that can give them good order fill so they can keep a very lean inventory.”

In 2007, CRP Automotive introduced Pro Series ContiTech Timing Kits. All 80 kits come complete with a ContiTech timing belt, hydraulic tensioners (when applicable) or idlers, retaining clips, and a water pump.

While this package has been well received by the technicians using them, Monika touches on some of the other recent technological changes affecting the belts and hoses market.

“With regard to hoses, we’ve seen many late model cooling hoses with thermoplastic fittings on their ends that plug into the vehicle components or act as housings for switches. These fittings make installing and removing the hoses very straightforward, but we have seen them fail much sooner than older style hoses which use simple clamps to connect to components. Due to these problems many technicians are www.ssgm.com

Belts and Hoses ||

Improved Design Means More Difficult Diagnosis

changing hoses earlier as preventative maintenance rather than waiting until they start leaking or rupture.

“Service intervals of many timing and accessory belts have been getting higher over the last few years. We now see many manufacturers going with timing belt replacement intervals of over 100,000 miles and multi-ribs that have intervals of 60,000 miles. Since the life expectancy of belts in these vehicles is so long and most vehicles now have interference engines, the consequences of using cheap components can be much higher. We’re seeing many more technicians change not only the belts but also the related idlers and tensioners when they do one of these jobs.”

Goodyear Engineered Products recently added the Poly-V Import Kits with 55 SKU’s. Each kit contains an OE exact dimension Poly-V belt and tensionser as well as bonus instructions and a packet of hand cleaner.

The opportunities for today’s technician can be best described by Randy Chupka: “Related sales opportunities exist every day in shops. When replacing a tensioner, replace the belt. When replacing an upper hose, replace the lower at the same time. If service technicians take a ‘systems’ approach to servicing a vehicle they will provide their customers with many years of trouble-free driving.”

SSGM www.ssgm.com

For decades technicians have spotted problems with belts (i.e. cracking, fraying, chunks missing, frayed edges) based on a visual inspection. Cracking, fraying, and chunks missing were all part of gradual belt wear. However, with newer technology coming out of OE while types of belts may appear fine on the surface up-close they may not be performing up to snuff.

Ten years ago EPDM (ethylene propylene diene M-class rubber) construction replaced Neoprene because EPDM wears gradually and loses less material as it spins around the various pulleys of the drive system. In these cases, the wear is hardly noticeable unless the belt is removed and examined closely.

Rib Wear – Material loss results in the belt riding directly on top of pointed pulley tips. The belt can be sheared or slip off the drive.

Belt Seating – Material loss results in the belt seating further down in the pulley. This reduces the wedging force necessary to transmit power.

Pulley Fit – Material loss reduces clearance between the belt and the pulley.

Water and debris have difficulty passing between the two. Hydroplaning of the belt can result.

Be sure to inspect the belts at 80,000 kilometers. It’s also a good idea to look for obvious wear like chunk-out, cracking and pilling. But it should be remembered, EPDM belts can appear good yet their performance compromised thanks to material loss from wear. Changing the belt when other components of the drive system are replaced is recommended. This practice helps avoid come-backs and assures your customer of many miles of troublefree driving.

Special thanks to Gates Canada.

The following picture displays the difference between a new self-tensioning V-belt (above) and a worn self-tensioning V-belt (below).

July 2009 SSGM 15

|| Exhaust

Where’s My Performance Exhaust?

What role does the performance exhaust market play in the midst of a recession

By David Halpert, Assistant Editor

W

ith summer already in fullswing, it appears many performance enthusiasts are holding onto their wallets a little tighter this year as consumer confidence recedes in the wake of a tough recession. With people holding onto their cars longer — and increasing replacement rates for bolt-on exhaust systems is one result of this trend — performance exhaust is stuck between a rock and a hard place. The market either has to rely on a contingent of loyal customers or deep discretionary pockets oblivious or unaffected by the economic downturn.

While year-to-year sales for performance parts and systems has seen consistent growth since the early-1990s, this year we can expect a slow down in this category as new vehicle sales slump in North America. How did the performance exhaust market get to where it is today and what lies in its future? To answer this we’d have to take a closer look at the factors that affect this product category in the larger scheme of the automotive aftermarket.

Challenges in performance exhaust

One glaring truth is that very few independent garages and service centres install custom-fit performance systems.

Not because they don’t have the necessary parts, tools or skills to do so; but because the tasks that come with participating in this specialty market will either cost too much or take too much time to complete.

“One of the aspects of [the performance exhaust] is it might require 16 SSGM July 2009

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|| Exhaust some custom fabrication. If the technician is not prepared to do that then the job would otherwise become a bolt-on exhaust system. The difference here is the installation component,” says Gary Nix, director of marketing for AP Exhaust Products Inc. “Secondly, it’s meeting that customer’s expectation and what that performance is going to be, whether it’s true measurable performance, sound quality, an appearance issue, or something else altogether. It’s a lot about sizing up the customer for exactly what they’re looking for and trying to deliver the right product for that need.”

For consumers, this means any job involving the performance side of the market will fall into the hands of a speciality equipment shop.

Bosal North American Inc. is one of the major players in the OE / aftermarket exhaust systems and parts market. Two years ago, the manufacturer made the decision to get out of the performance exhaust business altogether—although it maintains they still do a small portion of performance in the U.S. Joe Mercanti, Ontario and Western Canadian regional sales manager for Bosal, started out in their performance exhaust division and goes on to explain what led to the widespread prolifera-

tion of performance exhaust products as we know it today.

“Why a lot people went to performance exhaust is because, for one, the regular exhaust business was down. So that gave the muffler shop (or the specialty shop) an alternative,” continues Mercanti. “People would buy a brand new truck right off the lot, bring it to a muffler shop, and say change the exhaust system. They discovered they could create a new market by offering a performance exhaust system.”

For two decades it seemed all parties were satisfied. The muffler and speciality shops offered the parts and labour for people willing to shell out the disposable income to buy them, and in turn consumers could chose from a wide array of parts, systems, and accessories as manufacturers added entire product lines and divisions to meet the demand. Granted it took a while for the performance exhaust market to became over-saturated with products, all the meanwhile the term ‘niche’ quickly became ill-equipped to describe a market amid a growing proliferation of products.

“The market got flooded,” says ­Mercanti, “You have MagnaFlow which is doing very well because they keep their marketing effort up, then you had Tenneco with their DynoMax brand,

which does very well because they kept it separate from Walker. Also, you got Cherry Bomb with Maremont that’s also doing very well. As a manufacturer you’ve got to be able to stand behind your product and say, ‘We’re going to put the resources behind that.’”

Keep in mind that in addition to RD and manufacturing, there are also costs associated with advertising, packaging, and branding materials, marketing which is usually bolder, flashier, and oftentimes more expensive to produce.

Because performance items are discretionary rather than necessary, expensive products in the specialty equipment market will ebb and flow depending on the current state of the economy. This makes performance exhaust particularly vulnerable to sudden downturns.

“There is a direct correlation between performance and new vehicle sales. One popular trend was that someone would buy a 2009 Ford pickup and have a performance exhaust system placed on it,” continues Gary Nix, “Now when you go from 15-16 million cars being sold to 9-10 million, all of the sudden what you’ve done is you’ve got a whole lot less of these new cars showing up at the shop to be souped-up. It’s not just somebody bringing in their old pickup to have a performance exhaust put on it. A lot of that business is brand new vehicles.

“I think certainly for those manufacturers where most of their business is in performance I think they’ve seen some pretty significant declines. People have other things to spend their money on other than a muffler and it’s pretty evident in tough times people are going to spend their money on their needs not their wants.”

Finding new markets with new products, fuel economy

Under its Xlerator line, AP Exhaust Products Inc. offers a complete line of high-performance mufflers, cat-back systems, mandrel bent high-flow pipes and installation accessories.

Xlerator premium all-welded high performance mufflers are produced from heavy gauge, high quality aluminized steel. They are designed to deliver superior flow and maximum power and provide a deep mellow tone without unwanted cabin noise.

18 SSGM July 2009

For manufacturers that offer a general service line of products where performance is a smaller component will likely not see significant swings in terms of volume. However, for companies that deal primarily with performance exhaust products will likely experience changes in not only what they sell but www.ssgm.com

Exhaust || who they sell to.

Some manufacturers have been looking abroad for potential new markets for their products. Jones Exhaust Systems, for instance, has been liaising with the U.S. Commerce in an effort to increase their market internationally. Since November they’re currently in talks with possible new accounts in Poland, the Netherlands, Panama and Saudi Arabia. “We saw that the potential for overseas customers to buy our products and a quality that they believe is excellent. So we said to ourselves we need to do more than just the AAPEX or the SEMA show to try to reach these people. We’ve even got trips set up to meet with the top warehouse distributors in those countries,” says Jim Cartwright, national sales manager for Jones Exhaust Systems, Inc. Many manufacturers here at home believe that it’s possible for the general service technician to compete in performance exhaust market without adding to their time or their costs. Cherry Bomb, the performance division of Maremont, is undergoing an effort in rebranding its catalytic converter line and will also be launching a new accessory program underneath the Cherry Bomb label.

“I encourage the general repair shop that may not have gotten into performance to promote the fact that it’s available through the manufacturer, and to not be cautious about it because the systems that Cherry Bomb offers are very much direct fit and very easy to install, where you don’t have to have that pipe bender or other specialized equipment,” says Jim Fox, national sales manager for Maremont Canada. “If people see you and the fact that you can do performance exhaust, then they assume regular exhaust must be easy for you.”

So what can we expect in the near future? Not surprisingly as more dealerships are being given their pink slips and consumers hold onto their cars longer, we’ll likely see higher replacement rates for one-piece exhaust system, which bodes well for the repair centre technician. However, according to a recent report in the June issue of SEMA News Magazine we could see www.ssgm.com

new opportunities in the used vehicle market as greater percentages of performance enthusiasts purchase upgrade products for their aging vehicles, which include air intake and exhaust. Also expect to see the sales for tuners, programmers and chips go strong in the summer months from such manufacturers as enthusiasts look for easy, inexpensive ways to save on fuel economy.

“People are listening to the fuel

economy message more than ever.

Because there can be some significant fuel savings by improving the flow of your exhaust system,” continues Fox. “You see people not buying that new vehicle but they may be willing to spend more on the old vehicle to improve it. I guess there’s some caution, but from what I’ve seen there’s still a lot of opportunity still happening with [performance exhaust].” SSGM

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July 2009 SSGM 19

If you’re playing lift roulette, the odds are against you.

Protect your business.

Your techs. Your reputation.

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Uptime means revenue, and well-maintained lifts work harder and longer, keeping the cash flowing while protecting your most vital business asset – a productive staff. A lift inspection, performed by a Rotary-trained inspection specialist, can uncover potential equipment problems while they’re still quick fixes. In some states it can even reduce your insurance premiums.

Who wins? You do, with maximum lift performance, and the profit that comes with it.

Avoid potential injuries and costly fines.

Equipment breakdown is a common – yet preventable – cause of on-the-job injuries. Some provincial regulatory

agencies require lift inspections. Is your lift certified?

Properly installed? Regularly maintained? A lift inspection provides the documentation that answers those questions quickly and hassle free.

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Rotary Lift maintains an extensive nationwide network of factory-trained service professionals. They have the expertise to provide thorough lift inspections as well as the documentation that says your lift meets ANSI standards for performance and operating safety. If a problem requiring parts, repair or replacement is identified, you’ll receive a quote on the spot.

From annual inspections to installation, maintenance and repair, your highly qualified lift protection team is nearby, available to respond to your future lift needs 24/7.

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|| Health and Safety

Keeping technicians healthy, safe on the job

By Nestor Gula

K

eeping customers happy and satisfied is the key to success in any business. The best way to ensure this is to keep the workers happy and healthy. A sick or injured employee will back up work, force some jobs to be rushed and really disrupt the operations of any garage.

Although there is little an owner or shop foreman can do to prevent an employee from getting sick there is a lot they can do to prevent them from getting injured on the job.

There is another financial incentive to avoid injuries at work. Jorgen ­Mueller the owner/operator of Kipling Car and Truck Service, a medium-sized shop in west end Toronto, pays about $6,000 a year for coverage to the Workers’ Compensation Board. “Any claim that you make, your premium goes up,” he said. “Not only do you have someone away from work for two on more weeks, you end up paying more.”

Simple things can help you avoid any extra premiums. “Most small businesses do not keep a clean shop,” said Mueller. “This is real important.

There should be nothing in the way to trip over. Don’t have engines and transmissions lying around; put them in the proper place so you do not trip over them. We hold regular meetings about keeping the benches clean, the floor clean and swept up.” Although you might never want to eat off the floor of a service station, keeping it clean is important. “Absolutely no oil or antifreeze spills on the floor. We clean them up right away,” he said.

“We use this special stuff, Absorbal, we call kitty litter that absorbs the oil and any liquid. You are not allowed to wash the floor with water and soap so 22 SSGM July 2009

it goes down the sewer.”

He said treating any nicks and scratches right away is important to avoid infections and other complications. “We have three first aid kits — one in bathroom, one in office and one in the 4,400 square foot shop.” To augment safety, “We have a dress code that says no loose shirts, safety goggles and gloves.”

But not all dangers in a garage lie from a catastrophic accident or small embarrassing scratches.

Until the hearing goes, we take our ears for granted and frequently expose them to noises that can lead to permanent hearing loss. The father of occupational medicine, Bernardini Ramazzini in his book De Morbis ­Artificum (Diseases of Workers), published in 1713, noted that the most coppersmiths toiling away in the shops of Venice quickly started losing their hearing and eventually became deaf.

More and more research has been compiled about the unsafe aspect of working in a noisy environment. By its very nature, there is little a shop owner or a worker can do to reduce the noise levels in a service station. The machines and the work tend to be very noisy. Simple adjustments like placing the air compressor outside or even in a sound isolated room can cut down greatly on the ambient noise level in a the work area.

W o r k e r s should be encouraged to wear ear

protection at all times while working in the garage bays. There are many kinds of ear protection available on the market these days, from simple disposable earplugs to high-quality earmuffs.

There is no medical “fix” for hearing loss — once it is gone it is not coming back so everyone should be aware of that and work towards minimizing potential hearing loss.

Wearing eye protection at all times in the shop is a given. The old saying, “It’s all fun and games until someone loses an eye,” does not just apply to kids running in the hallways with scissors. There are all sorts of particles flying about and one does not want them in the eyes.

“When you are grinding something, that stuff flies out at 100 kilometers an hour,” said Mueller. “You have to have eye protection at all times.”

But there is another hazard with grinding – vibration. Although some see health & safety, page 26

www.ssgm.com

It’s 10 a.m.

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|| Jim’s Rant

Possibly the weirdest wrenchfest ever seen …

L

By Jim Anderton, Technical Editor

LeMons is an odd duck … road racing with Demo-quality cars, but it’s the stunningly bad machinery that makes it compelling.

et’s face it, when it comes to wrenching cars, there are three kinds of people: those that do it for a living, those that do it for fun, and if you’re lucky, both.

While do-it-yourself has waned in recent years as the vehicles have become more complex, there is a place where rank amateurs frantically fix the most pathetic machinery imaginable, using the weirdest, craziest and most unbelievable methods possible. Want an example? How about building a clutch plate out of sheet metal and old brake pads? Or a supercharger made with solar panels powering a 12V hair dryer? Or a busted rad replaced with unknown parts bungee-corded to the roof? O.K. the last one’s mine, but I have a good excuse: it’s the 24 Hours of LeMons.

This insanity is the brainchild of automotive journalist Jay Lamm and is a racing series that runs across the U.S. for some of the strangest race cars ever assembled … for 500 bucks. That’s the spending limit (excluding safety gear like roll cages and belts) to prepare a steaming heap of automotive garbage and then whale the bejeesus out of it on a race track. I recently tried this madness at RenoFernley Raceway in Nevada in an event called “Goin for Broken 2009.” It was twelve hours of racing over a Saturday and Sunday, with something like 80 cars competing on a full-size road course.

Surprisingly, except for the cars, it was real racing, with serious speeds and penalties for pushing and shoving. LeMons is an odd duck … road racing with Demo-quality cars, but it’s the stunningly bad machinery that makes it compelling. The pits are a sight to behold, with teams of amateurs tearing into busted cars in a frenzy of flying tools, swearing and cut knuckles … while the rest of the team barbeques steaks in the background. The ugly fix you see in the picture was all I could do to adapt an unknown wrecking yard radiator to a Fiero with Ford Taurus rad hoses connected with Home Depot irrigation fittings. It worked perfectly, but this green-flag flog wasn’t even an honourable mention in the heroic fix department. I saw overnight engine changes without a hoist or crane, blown cylinders “fixed” by removing the opposite piston and valve train to make a V-6 out of a V-8, a Corvair team attempting an engine rebuild on a blanket under the car, a Buick that went through three transmissions … you get the picture. As fun as driving a LeMons event is, watching the wrenching in the pits is absolutely epic, and worth the price of admission even if you don’t drive.

If you do take the wheel, however, race clean, because penalties for rough driving include tarring and feathering (honest) and having scrap metal welded to your car. If you’re really a piece of work they’ll just crush your car with a backhoe … literally. I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes. I’ll be back. Check out www.24hoursoflemons.com for details.

What do you think?

Have your say and speak your mind! letterstotheeditor@ssgm.com 24 SSGM July 2009

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|| Health and Safety

For details, visit heartheroar.ca or your nearest Canadian Tire.

Then fasten your seatbelt.

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No purchase necessary. Contest closes July 31, 2009. Contest open to Canadian residents who are over the age of majority. Skill testing question required. 100 Instant Win prizes available to be won divided regionally: 31 in the West & North (residents of BC, AB, SK, MB, YT, NU and NT); 47 residents of ON; and 22 in the East (residents of QC, NB, NL, NS and PE) each consisting of a $25 Canadian Tire gift card. Odds of winning an Instant Win prize depend on region and the time that the PIN code is entered. 3 Sweepstakes Prizes to be won consisting of 1 of 3 trips to a Race (ARV $3,330 CDN) for a chance to win the Grand Prize. Odds of winning a Sweepstakes Prize depend on the total number of eligible entries received during the Contest Period. One Grand Prize of a 2009 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe (MSRP: $66,145) available to the Semi-Finalists. Odds of a Semi-Finalist winning the Grand Prize are no greater than 1 in 3. Prize may not be exactly as shown. Full contest rules at: www.heartheroar.ca. CHEVROLET and CORVETTE are registered trade-marks owned by General Motors Corporation, used under license in Canada

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26 SSGM July 2009

SSGM, Canadian Technician 2.125" x 10"

Prizes include 1 of 3 VIP trips to a NASCAR® Canadian Tire Series race and Canadian Tire gift cards. Enter for your chance to win the grand prize 2009 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe.

top of the line grinders try to eliminate this vibration, it is still up to the user to have a proper set of gloves to protect their hands. In the most extreme cases, after prolonged exposure, one can get vibratory white finger (VWF) where serious nerve damage results in loss of senses of touch and persistent numbness and tingling in the fingers.

One set of gloves should not be used for all applications though. When working with chemicals and solvents care should be exhibited when selecting glove material. It is always handy to read the Hazardous Material Certificate that comes with most materials proof # and chemicals these days for the proper Client safety procedures to use.

As the most service bays generate dust, Creati ve Directorproper respiratory protection is necessary. Although this may cause a bit of concern amongst the cusArttomers, Director safety should not be taken for granted. Whenever a technician is grinding, welding or dealing with CopyWriter potentially hazardous substances, they should be wearing some sort of respiAccount Director protection. Using simple dust ratory mask bought cheaply at a hardware store might give you the visual sense Account Manager of safety but it might not provide any protective service. There are many reaProduti on Managerpriced high quality respirators, sonably from disposable masks to ones with replaceable charcoal filters that would McGill be perfect for any service garage.

Although welding is not done conProof Buddy in most service garages, it can stantly be one of the most hazardous activities that a technician can perform.

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Looking away from the flame might mitigate some damage to the eye, but welding also releases UV rays which will burn the skin, like a sun burn, a potential lead to cancer. When welding, a full-face helmet, the new autodarkening helmets are excellent and much more convenient than the old helmets, proper welding gloves and jacket are a must. Heavy metal fumes such as lead, cadmium, manganese, chromium, beryllium, nickel, and others are released from molten metal when welding. All manufacturers recommend you wear a respirator behind the welding mask and not to have the welder’s head positioned right over the weld and in the path of the fumes.

Another word of note about welding is “when you do arc or acetylene welding, stay away from gas lines, brake lines — they have to be covered up,” said Mueller. “You can’t have someone working on a gas tank in one end of the shop and somebody else welding in the other. When you are working on tank you tell people.”

Staying safe and healthy in a work environment is mostly common sense and forces you to be precise and thoughtful in your procedures. Slowing down just a little to make sure that the work environment is safe is a lot more efficient and cost effective in the long run.

SSGM

Add your knowledge, expertise and experience. letterstotheeditor@ssgm.com www.ssgm.com

How healthy is your vehicle’s engine?

A healthy car depends on a healthy engine. And a healthy engine depends on the right motor oil.

From the makers of Mobil 1, the official motor oil of NASCAR, come 2 new motor oils – Super 1000 for newer vehicles and Super 2000 for high-mileage engines. Each specially engineered to enhance performance at specific stages of your car’s life. Premium performance and protection for the vehicle you drive every day. Ask for the Mobil product that’s right for you at your next oil change. www.MobilOil.ca Mobil, Mobil Super, Mobil 1 and the Pegasus design are trademarks of Exxon Mobil Corporation or one of its subsidiaries. Imperial Oil licensee. NASCAR is a registered trademark of The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing Inc. Chevrolet and Corvette are trademarks of the General Motors Corporation.

|| Meunier on Management

Freedom 100:

How to retire wealthy in the automotive industry

L

et’s start this conversation by asking a few questions. How many owners of independent automotive service facilities will have made enough money to retire by the time they are 65 years of age? How many shop owners could sell their businesses in the next five to 10 years for a profit? Besides making a living, did any shop owners get a return on their investment?

I know the answer for some is yes; but for the majority of shop owners, the answer would have to be no. This is a hard thing to face and to talk about. The most common question we ask each other in this industry is how busy are you? What does busy mean?

Does it mean that we have a lot of cars to work on or does is mean that the owner is busy putting out fires? The question should be how your profits are and what are your returns? Do you have time off, what is your stress level like?

Many times in life we are so busy that we don’t have time to plan. We are so focused on the task at hand that we don’t look to the horizon of the future. By saying we are busy at our shop we usually mean that we have lots of sales, or at least, a lot of cars going through the shop. How is it then, that when we look at our bank account or our balance sheet, we wonder where all the money is? I heard a great saying a while ago, “It does not matter how much money you take in, it matters how much you keep.” Seems obvious, but like many things in life, hard to accomplish. How can a shop with annual sales of a million dollars, not show a profit at the end of the year? Because the owner focused on sales, not on productivity, gross profit, net profit, return on investment, and good tax planning.

28 SSGM July 2009

Productivity is the ratio between how many hours a technician is available every day compared to how many hours management was able to keep him working on cars. For example, if a technician is available for eight hours, and they worked on vehicles for six hours, they are 75 per cent productive.

The other key factor was that management charge clients for all those hours.

Crunching the numbers

Efficiency is how long it takes a technician to do a job, compared to how long it was sold for. For example, if a technician is assigned a work order that has four sold hours on it, and they do it in three hours, they are 133 per cent efficient. The benchmarks we use in our training are 90 per cent productivity and 125 per cent efficiency.

In my last two articles, I have been discussing how to achieve net profits of 20 per cent, that in order to accomplish those net profits, a shop needs a gross profit of 60 per cent; and that in order to achieve those gross profits we need a technician productivity of 90 per cent. As I review those articles, I see that I have only touched on technician productivity and this needs an in-depth study. I have mentioned the statistic that the average technician in the industry is only 54 per cent productive, and I gave you a lot of hints on how to keep a technician productive by selling every tenth of a minute.

Because we want to retire well, we need to become experts at implementing this topic.

Before all the technicians reading this get upset by the statistic, we all need to understand that productivity is primarily management’s responsibility.

Technicians are primarily responsible for efficiency. Let me give you some definitions to clarify:

Another way to look at this, and succeed at this, is to look at each hour that a technician is available as an inventory item. Because the majority of independent shops pay hourly, shop owners have already purchased eight hours at the beginning of each day.

But unlike a mechanical part, they cannot be sold tomorrow if they are not sold today.

The question we should ask each other, is not how busy are you, but have you sold your entire labour inventory today? Many shop owners try to hold technicians accountable but measuring the number of hours they bill in a day, yet both the owner and technician wonder why it never gets past a certain amount.

Let’s look at the technician who billed six hours out of an eight-hour day. What happened to the lost two hours? How much time was spent by the technician ordering parts, looking up labour times, performing free parking lot diagnosis, driving cars in

By Murray Voth, TACT (Total Automotive Consulting and Training)

www.ssgm.com

Meunier on Management || and out of the bays? Do you see how cases, but for the most part, it is the technicians are working, just not because they perceive that they are not on the right stuff? Your challenge is to receiving value for their money.

Now comes the value question. learn the systems and procedures that capture your full labour inventory and How do we pin that down, what is value to the driving public? Four struts sell it all.

Another challenge that faces most for the cost of three, oil changes for shops when it comes to profitability is $19.99, pull engine codes for free? discounting. A lesson I learned from Believe it or not, that is what we have a mentor years ago goes as follows: if taught them to think is value; but our goal is to make a 20 per cent net when shops figure it out, they find it profit that means that each invoice was very different from that. Let me should have that profit built into it. list some of them, not necessarily in However, as soon as I offer a five, 10, order of priority.

The car is returned to the customer or even 15 per cent discount off of that invoice, I have given away my net cleaner than when it was dropped off. profit. And this industry is still only The customer is informed about the averaging between five and seven per repair process and kept in control of their money at all times. The vehicle cent net profit.

When discount a particular invoice, is completed when promised. The we are working for free. Why do you vehicle is fixed right the first time. A need to discount? Because the cus- comprehensive nationwide warranty tomer asks or you need to compete is made available and explained thorwith other shops? Have you ever asked oughly. We are happy to solve waryourself the question as to why cus- ranty issues for our customers, because an1inconvenience to our customers want discount?

Is it because TACT 1/2 PG aJUNE AD 5/29/07 10:12 they AM are Page they don’t have the money? In a few tomer and not to us. The invoice at the

end of the day is the same as the last estimate given.

I know of dozens of shops who carry out these quality practices day in and day out, and the “discount” word never comes up with their clients.

Again we have to use best practices and systems and procedures to be as organized as we need to be to carry this out.

If you recall we have been talking about retirement for shop owners, net profit, and return on investment. It is not about how busy we are, or how many cars we work on, it is ultimately about how much money we keep at the end of the day. My challenge to all of you is to rethink how you look at your business. We let so much of it slip between our fingers on an hourly basis and are not aware of it. I have given you two areas to work on, technician productivity and reducing discounts.

Both of these should add significantly to your bottom line and your pension fund.

SSGM

Get back to enjoying your business!

Learn how to improve your repair facility’s profitability, productivity and reduce your stress.

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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Just contact Carrie Murray, Toll Free at 1-866-489-8228 (TACT) or at cmurray@proshopmanager.ca

Brought to you by TACT Total Automotive Consulting & Training Group www.ssgm.com

July 2009 SSGM 29

Regular or De Luxe?

Does it make sense to replace only the fuel pump or the hangar assembly?

By Jim Anderton, Technical Editor

F

uel pump replacement is the backbone of most modern fuel system service and with most systems relying on tank-mounted immersion pumps, the hassle of the tank drop is an integral part of the ritual. Once out,

Fuel pump failure? This tank was about to eject itself onto the street courtesy of these rusted straps … OEM or exact fit aftermarket parts are the only sensible replacement choice here.

This plastic safety clip ties the two spring lock retainers together. It’s a fussy part to remove, but resist the temptation to cut it away, because it’s a safety item where the fuel lines carry full fuel rail pressure.

30 SSGM July 2009

however, does it make sense to replace just the pump or the whole hangar assembly? SSGM tried it both ways with a Bosch aftermarket hangar assembly and stand-alone pump on a typical Ford tank.

Has someone been here before? This filler tube clamp has been off for years … corrosion and the slowly deteriorating rubber kept the seal tight enough to avoid an “evap” code, demonstrating that trouble codes can’t replace a good visual inspection of fuel system components.

The hangar assembly uses conventional bolts in this Ford application — but it’s not keyed, so mark the orientation of the top plate to the tank. Get this wrong by even one bolt in reassembly and there won’t be enough fuel line slack to mate up the connectors. You might only lose five or ten minutes, but every minute counts.

continued on page 32 www.ssgm.com

This is what quality aftermarket replacement is about … exact fit. Many name brand manufacturers (this unit is by Bosch) make the OE part in the first place, so this should be a “no-brainer.” If you have to modify or alter a direct replacement hangar assembly to make it fit, change your brand.

One part that you’ll have to make is the fuel line stub, which is cut from the supplied length. Save the rest for future repairs, but discard any used hose clamps and old line material even if it looks good. Both deteriorate with age in ways that aren’t always visible to the naked eye.

If you choose to change out just the pump, you’ll replace these crimped clamps with the supplied fuel injection clamps … don’t even think about substituting gear clamps for an in-tank pressure application.

This Bosch replacement pump is an exact fit like the hangar assembly and the same rules apply; if the fit isn’t exact, it’s the wrong part, or the wrong brand.

So what’s better, pump or hangar assembly? With the Bosch unit SSGM tested, both kits were complete and everything fit out of the box, so the additional bench time to add a stand alone pump was minimal. For an older vehicle, however, both the fuel sender and vapour sealing at the tank ring and connectors can be an issue, so the hangar assembly is still the preferred fix. Choose quality replacement parts and you can go either way with confidence.

32 SSGM July 2009

Every quality aftermarket pump maker requires the installation of a new fuel strainer “sock” to maintain warranty coverage and besides, it’s simply a good idea. If you’re installing just the pump remember that you may have to order the sock separately, and if you need to make a warranty claim (which is unlikely with modern QC processes) it helps to have that sock on the pump order.

Add your knowledge, expertise and experience. letterstotheeditor@ssgm.com www.ssgm.com

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

Behr Hella expands A/C coverage

Behr Hella Service has added over 40 A/C and engine cooling replacement parts to its thermal management parts program. The new parts will provide replacements for servicing late-model Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo and Volkswagen models. Behr Hella Service products are made to OE specs for vehicle specific fit, form and function. The line includes intercoolers, engine/transmission oil coolers, compressors, retrofit kits, A/C fittings and hoses, pressure switches, PAOOil 68, receiver dryers, expansion valves, condensers, condenser/radiator fans, HVAC blowers, O-Rings, PTCheaters, evaporators, Visco-fans, heater cores, radiators, expansion tanks, and Visco-clutches.

Behr Hella www.hellausa.com

Rotary offers calculator to price new/used lifts To help customers calculate and compare the costs of a used vehicle lift to a new one, Rotary Lift has created a Used Lift vs.

New Lift Cost Calculator. This free application is available on the Rotary Lift Web site at www.rotarylift.com/lift_cost_calculator.aspx.

To use the calculator, the customer simply inputs information about the used lift under consideration, including capacity, replacement parts costs, repair costs, removal costs, installation costs and lift price.

Then he or she inputs price and installation costs for a comparable new lift. The calculator then summarizes the cost results for both options side by side. (All costs and prices shown are in U.S. dollars.)

Rotary Lift www.rotarylift.com 34 SSGM July 2009

Tracer introduces leak detection lamp Tracer Products has introduced the Tracerline Tritan 365 — a multi-LED, broad-beam, true UV leak detection lamp. It works with all fluorescent dyes for automotive and truck systems, even difficult-to-fluoresce yellow dyes.

The Tritan 365 features three ultra-high intensity UV LEDs for fluorescent leak detection, plus a white light LED to illuminate dark work areas. The lamp’s broad-beam profile provides extra-wide area coverage, which is perfect for leak checking large radiators and condensers. Its compact head gets into cramped areas larger lamps can’t reach, with an inspection range of 20 feet (6.1 m) or more. The lamp is compact and lightweight, weighing just 16 ounces (454 g). A convenient three-way rocker switch allows easy control of the light sources and a lightweight, angled lamp body ensures fatigue-free inspections. Instant-on operation allows the lamp to reach full intensity. The Tritan 365 has an eight-foot (2.4 m) power cord with an AC plug, and is available in 120V, 230V, 240V and 100V models.

Tracer Proudcts www.tracerline.com

Corsa offers exhaust system for Pontiac G8 Corsa Performance Exhausts, a TMG Performance Products company, offers a straight-through catback exhaust system created specifically for the 2008-2009 Pontiac G8 GT 6.0L V8. The Pontiac G8 GT Exhaust System (part #14950) features an integrated “X” style crossover pipe and a dual rear exit with Twin 3-inch Pro-Series tips etched with the Corsa logo. Engineered using the manufacturer’s Reflective Sound Cancellation (RSC) technology, the system is acoustically tuned to eliminate any noticeable transition between the vehicle’s V8 and Active Fuel Management (AFM) engine modes. Complete installation hardware and instructions are included with the bolt-on Pontiac G8 exhaust system, which does not require welding or cutting to install.

Corsa Performance Exhausts www.corsaperformance.com

www.ssgm.com

SSGM BAYWATCH New Products

BendPak/Ranger rolls out wheel balancer Ranger Products, a division of BendPak Inc., has introduced a dynamic wheel balancer, the Ranger DST-1200. This wheel balancing system builds on previous technologies with several enhancements.

The DST-1200 adopts a 16-digit signal processor and single-chip architecture, providing an inherent boost in performance and accuracy.

The DST-1200 comes with multiple methods for inputting wheel parameters and both static and dynamic calibrations can be made automatically through a photocell sensor, allowing original data to be accessed after each use. Unique wheel parameter data can be saved in the system and the user can perform incremental distance and parameter diameter adjustments. As an added benefit for motorcycle and ATV enthusiasts, The Ranger DST-1200 features automatic conversion wheel parameters designed for their specific needs. The DST-1200 takes all the guesswork out of wheel balancing, as after six seconds, the LED display recommends the correct minimum weight and placement to achieve the sacred optimum balance.

Ranger Products www.rangerproducts.com/www.bendpak.com

Cardone offers powder-coated calipers Cardone Industries has released powder-coated, remanufactured brake calipers for automotive repair facilities.

Cardone’s line of Custom FX Red, Yellow and Black Powder-Coated Calipers are available in 360 powdercoated part numbers, including the newly released 2005-2008 powdercoated Mini Cooper calipers (part# 19-3284XR). Units come with all hardware needed for installation, and bracketed units include the powdercoated bracket.

Cardone Industries www.cardone.com

Advertisers’ Index Advertiser

Page #

website

ACDelco. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40. . . . . www.ACDELCOCanada.com CRP Automotive. . . . . . . . . . . . . 11. . . . . . . . . . www.proserieskit.com Honeywell CPG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7. . . . . . . . . . . www.honeywell.com Imperial Oil. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26,27. . . . . . . . . . . . www.imperialoil.ca Mitchell 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23. . . . www.mitchell1.com/manager Moneris. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39. www.moneris.com/services today Monroe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9. . . . . . . . . . . . . www.monroe.com NAPA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17. . . . . . . . . . www.NAPAonlinecom

Advertiser

Page #

website

Quaker State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19. . . . . . . . . . www.quakerstate.com Robert Bosch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. . . . . . www.boschdaignostic.com Rotary Lift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20,21. . . . www.rotarylift.com/inspect/ca Thermofluid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31. . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.redtek.com Walker Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5. . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.walker.com Wakefield. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13. . . . . . . . . . . . . www.wakefield.ca WORLDPAC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3. . . . . . . . . . . . www.worldpac.com

Sudoku Solution

Solutions to June’s puzzles

www.ssgm.com

1

2

9

3

8

7

5

4

6

8 4

3 5

6 7

4 9

2 1

5 6

7 2

9 8

1 3

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6 3

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1 5

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4 9

3 2

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2 1

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5 2

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3 8

2 1

6 7

8 4

1 3

7 5

4 9

July 2009 SSGM 35

|| Puzzles CROSSWORD

by Myles Mellor

You know where to turn

36 SSGM July 2009

Across 1. Isuzu’s soldier?

7. Chrysler model that has been available in coupes, sedans and station wagons 12. Police officer tracking device 13. Speak formally 15. One, en francais 16. Newport’s state, down south 17. High performance German auto manufacturer 18. Forbidden things 22. “Who, me?”

24. Zags go-with 25. ___ Ghia, 1955-1974 Volkswagen convertible 26. Hesitation sound 28. __ Monde, French daily 30. Gas suppliers 32. Dodge’s pick-up 34. Show disapproval 36. Sportage and Spectra 38. Battery size 39. Skywards 40. Places for stickers 43. Jazz singing 45. “A” variation 46. Toyota model sized between the Corolla and the Starlet 47. ___le: look at longingly 49. This Ford model was a compact 4-door sedan manufactured and marketed for model years 1995-2000 52. Hummer, for one 54. Expression of surprise 55. Often needed for car purchases 57. Spanish appetizer 58. Mazda minivan 60. Stylish 61. Accounts receivable,

abbr.

62. Car alternative?

63. Cow sound 64. Santa sound, when repeated 66. Kia model 68. Beach water 70. Loudspeaker system, for short 72. Feather scarf 74. Dodge ___, Plymouth Horizon kin 75. Trade show 76. Geo model Down 1. Spare tire area 2. Operated, as a car 3. Overdrawn, abbr.

4. Boat equipment 5. ___ donna 6. Batman pal 7. Court arguer 8. “__ tu, Brute?”

9. Mercedes follower?

10. Ford truck 11. Refusals 14. Room, for short 19. Engine lube 20. Zeros 21. Motor sound 23. Being broadcast (2 words) 27. Electronics maker 29. Game arbiter, for short

30. Good grades 31. Desert watering holes 33. Car by another name 34. Gun or King?

35. Greek drink 36. Kind of lottery 37. Chevy’s celestial minivan?

41. Driving route 42. Ford SUV that was initially introduced as a competitor for the Jeep CJ-5 44. Stick shift cars have one 48. This Pontiac model was originally a mid-size car and later a compact car 49. Pony car manufactured by Chevrolet 50. Near the end of the year month, for short 51. Fiat Eurovan 53. Volt-ampere, for short 56. Body ___ 59. Stiffly neat 63. Navigation, old style 65. Kimono part 67. Engine running 69. Former lover 71. ___ wire 73. Wonderful Wizard locale 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 Goodyear Engineered Products www.goodyearep.com/aftermarket www.goodyearbeltsandhose.com The officially licensed belt of NASCAR. Gatorback, the quiet belt. You can never replace Goodyear quality.

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

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

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

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.

Premium quality at competitive prices.

Rotary Lift

www.rotarylift.com World Leader in Lift Productivity

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 Inc. Each Sudoku puzzle consists of a 9X9 grid that has been subdivided into nine Automont smaller Distributions Masters offers a number of charge, UV dye leak detection, and dryer offering www.automont.com grids of programs 3X3 squares.

To solve the puzzle each row, column and system box must contain each of Importer & Wholesale education and implementation colder vent temperatures, improved follow-up programs designed to takecome in three efficiency, lowereasy, head pressure and greater gas Distributor of German, the numbers 1 to 9. Puzzles grades: medium and difficult. bodyshops to the next level of success. mileage. Ideal for cars, trucks, SUVs and tractors.

Swedish and Asian Auto Parts.

Level: Medium

SUDOKU

Bestbuy Distributors Limited

by Myles Mellor and Susan Flanagan

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: Medium www.ssgm.com

Solution

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.

July 2009 SSGM 37

|| L ast Word

Partnering with independents

By Jim Bintas and Nick Bintas, co-owners of Toronto, Ont.-based Spark Auto

S

park Auto began as many businesses do — as a family affair. Our father, Stavros, began the business in 1967, specializing in auto repair and remanufacturing and rebuilding starters and electrical systems. Two years later, he was joined by his brother, Peter, and after some years, I and my brother Nick began to work there, helping in the growth of the business.

After, some time, we soon took Spark Auto in a new direction, starting in the late 1980s by opening a parts business to complement the repair business and then transitioning Spark Auto from automotive repair and remanufacturing to being a full-time jobber operation.

If someone asks what our success as a jobber is based on, I will have to honestly answer that is comes from the many years toiling as technicians

and owners of an established auto repair facility. We have never forgotten the amount of effort and time it takes to maintain and repair a vehicle, how much vehicle technologies have changed and what pressures that places on technicians. Twenty years ago, things were easier for the technician: there were fewer makes of vehicles on the roads and the underlying technology of vehicles involved fewer electronics and computer systems. Today, the number of makes of vehicles has increased, including more foreign and import nameplates, and the electronics and computer systems on today’s vehicles are daunting.

To repair and maintain such vehicles technicians have to update their skills and technical knowledge all the time, attend training programs and invest with their shop owners and managers

in the latest diagnostic equipment.

They also need the right parts and they need to be able to source them quickly.

Jobbers today have to understand these pressures and make sure to develop solid working relationships with technicians. In fact, we jobbers have to learn that technicians and shop owners are our partners in business, not simply clients. They not only buy parts from us, but they look to us to help them be successful. We have to be there to support them by making sure they get all the information they need on the latest motor vehicle technologies; that means we as jobbers have to keep in constant touch with manufacturers about what is the latest in their product lines, so we can pass that information onto the technicians when they call. As well, we also have to keep ready-at-hand all the parts and materials technicians need and make it available to them right away, which is a constant challenge, but one that has to be met if independent service shops are to remain profitable; and we also have to work at providing technicians with training programs and support through the suppliers. Success in this industry will come from everyone working together, thinking of each other as partners, not simply as clients and customers. When we can move beyond that, then this industry will thrive.

SSGM

Have something to say to our industry?

Let us know with the Last Word! tom@ssgm.com 38 SSGM July 2009

www.ssgm.com

This is Chris.

He’s busy running his garage and has a lot of things on his mind.

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1 Certain terms and conditions apply. Promotion runs until September 30, 2009 and is available only to new merchants located in Canada that enter into Visa, MasterCard and debit card processing agreements with Moneris and that rent terminal(s) from Moneris. Not valid with any other offer and subject to withdrawal at any time. Moneris reserves the right to determine qualified merchants and is under no obligation to approve a merchant for processing. The $150 rebate will be received approximately 6 to 8 weeks after a merchant begins processing credit and debit transactions with Moneris. Depending on volume of credit and debit transactions processed by the merchant with Moneris during the first 4 months, merchants may be eligible for an additional incentive up to a maximum value of $150 in the form of a rebate, cash or gift card as determined by Moneris. Moneris will contact merchants directly to inform them of any additional incentive approximately 6 to 8 weeks after the 4 month period. ®Moneris, Moneris Solutions and the Moneris Solutions Design are registered trademarks of Moneris Solutions Corporation.

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