SSGM November 2014

Service Station and Garage Management READ BY AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR SHOP OWNERS AND TECHNICIANS SINCE 1955

NOVEMBER 2014

Battery Boost Columbia Auto Service

AAPEX Charts the

Future of the Aftermarket

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SSGM Service Station and Garage Management

EDITOR Tom Venetis (416) 510-6790 tom@ssgm.com TECHNICAL EDITOR Jim Anderton jim@ssgm.com

November 2014

Vol. 44 No. 9

what’s inside

CONTRIBUTING WRITER Andrew Brooks PUBLISHER Marc Gadbois (416) 510-6776 marc@ssgm.com SALES MANAGER Jay Armstrong (416) 510-6745 ACCOUNT MANAGER Jim Petsis (416) 510-6842 CIRCULATION MANAGER Selina Rahaman (416) 442-5600 ext 3528 srahaman@bizinfogroup.ca SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES Roshni Thava (416) 442-5600 ext 3555 ART DIRECTOR Choo Hwee Kuan PRODUCTION MANAGER Steve Hofmann (416) 510-6757

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PRINT PRODUCTION MANAGER Phyllis Wright VICE PRESIDENT CANADIAN PUBLISHING Alex Papanou PRESIDENT BUSINESS INFORMATION GROUP Bruce Creighton

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o o of e b er ree e or

AAPEX Connected vehicles, demographics are changing the aftermarket ................12 Connected Car Getting onto the information highway ................................................................... 16 Shop Profile Columbia Auto Service of Kitchener-Waterloo .................................................... 22 Identifix Technical Tip Duramax synchronization issues..............................................................................25 TACT Effective billing and effective behaviour gets effective results ....................... 26 Cardone Technical Tip Easing the stress of steering complaints ................................................................28 Batteries Making sure batteries are in top condition.............................................................29 Cylinder Honing The perfect finish to cylinder honing ...................................................................... 31 Oil Report European oil specifications and what they mean ............................................... 32

Departments

Editorial ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 4 News �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 6 Baywatch ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 34 AAPEX News............................................................................. 35 Advertiser Index ����������������������������������������������������������������������� 38 Internet Directory ��������������������������������������������������������������������� 38 *For BlackBerrys: Go to your BlackBerry messenger and select Scan Barcode. *For iPhones: Use the App Store to download Beetagg Reader Pro.

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage.

In association with CANADIAN

AUTOMOTIVE Technician

November 2014 SSGM 3

14-11-12 11:06 AM

|| Tom’s Editorial

Better Branding Through Better Searches T

By Tom Venetis, Editor

Over 70 per cent of respondents said they use online searches to not only find local businesses, but uses those searches to research those businesses before going to them.

Accurate information is the key to attracting potential customers. If information about your business is inaccurate - the location is misstated, for example - that inaccurate information will drive those customers away.

oday’s consumer is incredibly tech-savvy and they use any number of methods – apps, online directory searches etc. – to find out about your business and where you are. Having accurate information is the key to getting a person’s business. Not having accurate information or out-of-date information will cost you revenue – lots of revenue.

A recent study by the U.S.-based Placeable, a marketing firm that uses location data to drive brand equity, asked more than a thousand consumers and marketers how online searches and information both drive persons to a local business and more importantly what drives them away from a local business. Over 70 per cent of respondents said they use online searches to not only to find local businesses but to research those businesses before going to them. Accurate information is the key to attracting potential customers. If information about your business is inaccurate - location is misstated, for example - that inaccurate information will drive those customers away.

This is especially important on third-party sites such as the online Yellow Pages, for example. Yes, your website may have accurate information about you, your services and your location. But if a third-party site has misstated information about your business or location you will not even see that customer.

I’ve seen this many times. Many third-party sites and directories often have inaccurate information about local businesses, from the location of a favorite bakery to the phone number of a local service operation. Sometimes, I see misstated information about who is the owner of the business or a site that is still operating when it is well known in the community that it shuttered some time ago.

This may seem trivial. Isn’t it more important that my information on our company website is accurate? Yes, it is important . . . very important. Just as important as keeping your site updated with fresh information about your services and specials, useful information about vehicle maintenance and highlighting the skills and expertise of your technicians and service writers. But it is just as important that other sites have accurate information about your business. Remember, many people when looking for a vehicle service operation will not type the name of your business first into the search engine at the first go. Most likely it will be something closer to ‘garage’ followed by the general location they are living in. They will get dozens of service shops listed, with postings from third-party directories showing up first on the list of results. Because those results are first, a person will likely click on them first and a decision about whether to take their business to your shop will be made from what they find. If the information is inaccurate in any way, you have lost that business.

This is why we need to focus on more than just putting up a website. We need to invest in better search engine optimization and in ensuring that information about our businesses is accurate on third-party sites. Businesses that fail to do so “run the risk of not only missing out on new customers, but jeopardizing their relationships with existing customer as well,” the Placeable study finds.

What do you think?

Have your say and speak your mind! letterstotheeditor@ssgm.com 4 SSGM November 2014

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14-10-31 11:33 AM

|| News Briefs BMW Opens New Dealership in Brampton

BMW Brampton officially broke ground on a new BMW dealership in Brampton, Ontario that will service Brampton, Caledon, Orangeville and surrounding areas. The ceremony included remarks from dealership general manager, Mr. Francesco A. Policaro, Mayor Susan Fennell, Mr. Robert Arnone of R.H. Carter Architects and the president and CEO of

BMW Group Canada, Mr. Hans Blesse.

“BMW is a brand that I have always aspired to be a part of, and today my dreams have become a reality as

WORLDPAC, Autologic Build Integrated Diagnosis to Parts Ordering Service WORLDPAC announced a global strategic alliance with Autologic Diagnostics, a provider of comprehensive automotive diagnostics and expert technical support. Autologic has integrated WORLDPAC speedDIAL online cataloguing functionality into its market-leading diagnostic devices.

Now, Autologic users that are also WORLDPAC customers can diagnose a vehicle, check parts availability at any time, confirm pricing and place orders direct through their Autologic devices.

This will create the industry’s first seamless process from initial diagnosis to parts sourcing and vehicle repair.

This collaboration will enable independent repair facilities to better manage the ever-increasing complexity of European vehicles. The combination of Autologic and WORLDPAC’s speedDIAL catalogue will deliver a deeper level of diagnosis and a straight-through diagnose-to-fix process.

“Joining forces with WORLDPAC is going to save our shared customers a great deal of time and money in many direct and practical ways,” said John Conoley, chief executive officer of Autologic Diagnostics. “WORLDPAC represents a fine fit for us and by integrating their service into our devices we will, overnight, extend the value of our devices into new areas of the technician’s workflow.”

“The collaboration between WORLDPAC and Autologic has been long standing and this latest integration of speedDIAL with Autologic will greatly increase the customer’s shop efficiency along with vehicle through-put. We can now say that we have a real solution for accurate European and British vehicle diagnosis along with providing the right part at the right time,” said Mario Recchia, SVP marketing at WORLDPAC. In practical terms, the WORLDPAC service will be accessed through a single, always accessible button, on the Autologic device. All WORLDPAC customers will need to do is enter their existing account number. VIN numbers will then be exchanged seamlessly with WORLDPAC to ensure the right parts are ordered for the vehicle being diagnosed.

The new service will be available to existing Autologic and WORLDPAC customers from October 2014 and will form part of the next scheduled software update 6 SSGM November 2014

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we broke ground on a facility that we believe will become one of the most exciting showcases for BMW this side of Munich,” said Francesco A. Policaro, general manager for BMW Brampton.

Located on the east side of the 410 at Mayfield Road, the dealership is scheduled to open its doors in late 2015.

“BMW Brampton will be the 46th BMW retailer in Canada when its doors open in late 2015,” said Hans Blesse, president and CEO, BMW Group Canada. “Brampton is a growing and vibrant market, and we’re certain the Policaro family’s significant investment will be well received by the community. As an established family business focused on providing exceptional customer service, we know the Policaro way of doing business has a lot in common with ours. The Policaro’s are an excellent fit with BMW, and we look forward to seeing them grow and prosper in Brampton, Caledon and the surrounding markets.”

The 60,000 square foot facility at the corner of Highway 410 and Mayfield Road will offer guests a striking brand atmosphere and exclusive automotive retail experience that will also include an ‘M’ certified retail experience dedicated to BMW performance.

ANCO Official Wiper Blade of NHL Federal-Mogul Motorparts, a division of Federal-Mogul Holdings Corporation, announced that its ANCO Wipers brand is returning as the official wiper blade of the National Hockey League (NHL) for the 2014-15 season. This exclusive relationship has helped ANCO engage with millions of hockey fans and vehicle owners in key markets throughout North America and communicate the vital role wipers play in vehicle safety.

“The right blades matter when you’re behind the wheel during a rain storm, driving in snowy conditions or when you need to clear your windshield of debris, and they absolutely matter in continued on page 8

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14-11-03 9:22 AM

|| News Briefs

continued from page 6

the lightning-fast action of an NHL game,” said Mike Proud, director of marketing, North America, FederalMogul Motorparts. “We were confident that this message would resonate with fans when we began our NHL relationship in 2013, and we were right.

This innovative program has helped ANCO dealers connect with safety-conscious consumers in each NHL market and beyond.”

The geographic footprint of the NHL – with 18 of 30 teams based in comparatively high-precipitation northern cities – is ideally matched to the North American wiper market, enabling Federal-Mogul Motorparts to develop and deploy innovative local promotions and other highly targeted campaigns to attract consumers to dealers who sell and install ANCO products, according to Proud. This approach enabled the brand to sell a record number of NHL-themed promotional packs in 2013 by engaging with both dealers and consumers through an array of interactive programs.

ANCO will continue its sponsorship of a variety of NHL events, including the 2015 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic, and contests, and premium ANCO products will be featured in broadcasts and online advertising and social media activities. “Hockey fans are incredibly passionate about the sport, and the NHL and our other hockey-related programs help us gain attention for a very important safety message – that replacing worn wipers with best-in-class ANCO products can help you stay safe on the road,” Proud said.

“We are thrilled to have the ANCO brand return as a partner, as their NHL themed promotions amplify our presence in key times throughout the year,” said Brian Jennings, chief marketing officer and executive vice-president, NHL. Akebono Commits To U.S. Aftermarket Ceramic Brake Pad Manufacturing Akebono Brake Corporation is continuing its commitment to the United

States with its ultra-premium ceramic disc brake pad line manufactured in the U.S. This enables Akebono to maintain superior quality and proprietary control throughout the manufacturing process, a valuable advantage over its competitors who manufacture their products in low-cost countries.

“Akebono’s fully validated braking solutions follow the most stringent quality standards, enabling us to have exclusive control of our manufacturing, testing and technology right here in the U.S.,” said Ken Selinger, director of aftermarket sales and marketing, Akebono. “Our commitment to U.S. manufacturing and the economy has solidified Akebono’s position as an industry leader in many areas. We have proven our commitment to leading with innovation as the inventors of Akebono ceramic technology and the first to market fully compliant low-copper brake pads that were 16 years ahead of the upcoming 2021 regulations.”

With the most application-specific friction formulations in the market, Akebono’s Pro-ACT, EURO and continued on page 10

Dayco Names Tom Hart Senior Vice-President of Dayco Production System Dayco Products announced the hiring of Thomas Hart as a senior vice-president of the Dayco Production System. Mr. Hart will now lead Dayco’s enhancement of lean processes in order to accelerate its continued excellence in manufacturing.

“We are pleased to have Tom Hart join our senior leadership team as he brings over 30 years of experience in leadership positions at several diverse and complex organizations,” said John Bohenick, chief executive officer, Dayco. “His leadership experience includes a strong track record of transformational initiatives, innovations in processes and mentoring organizations on lean manufacturing principles.”

Hart most recently launched lean programs at Ford, Gates and SKF. The Dayco Production System will drive the underlying foundation of the business model for Dayco, including 8 SSGM November 2014

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all core processes, such as manufacturing, supply chain, RD&E, sales and all support functions. Hart will utilize his vast experiences to drive continuous improvement throughout Dayco.

Dayco is currently building new facilities, ramping up production in recently opened facilities and launching multiple programs simultaneously in most of its facilities. Over the past year, Dayco has also completed, and integrated into its business, acquisitions of assets from Metavation, LLC in the United States and Mexico and of Precision Parts in Australia and North America that have strengthened the company’s global footprint and product offering. Hart’s vast experience in lean processes, program launches, manufacturing knowledge and experience will help Dayco develop “best-inclass” lean manufacturing capabilities throughout its global organization.

“Our team is excited to embark on the journey to lean with a focus on continuous improvement,” said Mike Kamsickas, president of global operations, purchasing and quality, Dayco.

“Tom brings a career of lean knowledge, many success stories and an infectious level of energy focused on lean manufacturing.”

“At Dayco, we pride ourselves as ‘The Original Power in Motion,’ a powerful team aligned in motion to move our customers forward to be more successful,” said Bohenick. “We believe our journey now to lean processes will increase the power we have to reduce costs, eliminate waste and improve quality.”

Hart will be based at the Dayco office in Concord, Ontario, and will have global responsibilities for the Dayco Production System.

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14-11-12 1:45 PM

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14-10-31 11:36 AM

|| News Briefs

continued from page 8

Performance Ultra-Premium ceramic brake pads are OE-engineered to enhance the model-specific performance demanded by each vehicle.

More than 40 per cent of the vehicles

rolling off assembly lines in the U.S. are equipped with Akebono brakes.

Akebono applies its OE technologies and extensive R&D to its aftermarket products that are known throughout

Goodyear Experts Suggest Winter Tires to Avoid Slipping, Sliding For many people, the coming winter season means a welcome opportunity to ski, skate, sled and slide. However, Goodyear officials recommend those types of activities should be confined to the slopes and rinks, and not practiced on the highways.

One of the best ways to avoid slipping and sliding in a vehicle this winter is to improve the contact points between the vehicle and the road surface. For many motorists, that means selecting new tires with improved tread grip.

In severe winter areas, many motorists opt for a seasonal changeover that employs true winter tires to combat the expected ice and snow “The bottom line for consumers is being aware of the severe winter driving conditions they might face,” said Steve Rohweder, Goodyear director of consumer tire technology. “Based on past experiences, do they feel their winter weather is moderate enough to choose a year-round tire, or are they mandated to use winter tires? Or do they face sometimes severe winter weather, and they prefer the peace of mind offered by true winter tires?”

Whatever tire is chosen, Ian Law, professional ice racer and lead instructor at the ILR Car Control School in Ontario, Canada, offers advice for motorists who will be faced with potential slippery driving conditions this winter: Match your driving speed to the current conditions. If conditions are challenging due to a slippery road surface or reduced visibility, decrease your speed.

Additional factors to consider when adjusting speed are the condition of the vehicle, its tires and your driving abilities.

Plan ahead and try to anticipate potentially dangerous situations. When approaching a curve or potentially slick area of the road, use the brakes effectively.

Be alert to other vehicles. Maintain enough distance between your vehicle and the one ahead of you.

If visibility is poor, remember to use your lights.

Set the vehicle cabin to a comfortable temperature.

Be as smooth as possible, avoiding sudden braking and steering responses.

Avoid overconfident driving, and avoid overestimating the vehicle’s capability simply because it is equipped with anti-lock brakes, four-wheel drive, traction control, winter tires or other safety devices.

“Preparation – of the vehicle and the driver – is the key for winter driving,” said Law. “When it comes to driving on the changing road conditions, ranging from dry, wet, icy and snowy, one of the most important factors to consider are the tires. It doesn’t matter if it’s a front-, rear- or four-wheel drive vehicle; it will perform better if the vehicle has good tires. For many drivers during the cold months from November to March, this means purpose-built winter tires.”

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the industry for their unmatched noise, vibration and harshness control.

“The most important measurements for our customers are quality and availability,” added Selinger. “With a less than one per cent warranty rate and a 99 per cent fill rate, Akebono leads the industry with customer commitment and satisfaction.”

Trico Now Offers Four New Part Numbers Trico Products Corporation announced that four new parts numbers have been added to the TRICO Force product line.

The premium high-performance beam blade now offers the 25-251, 25-281, 25-290 and 25-291 parts numbers for a total of 16 SKUs. The 25-251, 25-281 and 25-291 parts numbers are unique blades designed to fit vehicles with opposed wipe systems and specialty beam wiper arms, including push button, pinch tab and side pin configurations. Additionally, the 25-290 part number is a 29-inch blade engineered to fit the industry’s latest vehicle designs including the BMW i3 and the C-Max, Focus, Transit and Transit Connect from Ford. Beginning with 2012 vehicle models, the four new parts numbers have been applied to 4.2 million vehicles on the road today.

TRICO Force features the patented VorTec aerofoil that controls airflow and transfers wind force downward to provide maximum contact between the wiper blade and windshield. With a robust superstructure for durable, allweather performance, this swept-wing spoiler slices through turbulence caused by cross winds to deliver a clearer wipe and excellent visibility in all driving situations.

TRICO Force is available in lengths of 14 to 29 inches, and each SKU is packaged with one connector to fit the 12 leading, standard and specialty wiper arm styles. For more information on the TRICO Force beam blade, visit tricoproducts.com/force.

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2014-04-01 2:50 AM PM 14-10-31 11:39

|| AAPEX

The Road Ahead for the

Aftermarket

Demographic shifts, rapid technological change will profoundly impact the North American aftermarket

By Tom Venetis, Editor

I

f you want to see how the North American aftermarket is going to change, take a moment and look at your smart phone. That single device has changed how people communicate and interact with each other and businesses, and has changed how many go about their daily work and private life.

That device and the impact it has made is also changing how people are thinking about their vehicles and what exactly the role of the vehicle is.

The aftermarket is now coming to grips with that change.

Victor Canseco, managing director, America; managing director global sales with Delphi Automotive, electronics and safety division, points out that smart phones have been one of the most quickly adopted consumer electronic devices ever to hit the world marketplace. “Smart phones are the biggest change agent today with over one billion smart phone devices out in the market today,” he continued. “It is the single fastest piece of technology ever adopted. About 70 per cent of Internet traffic today takes place on and through smart devices such as smart phones 12 SSGM November 2014

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and handheld tablets. [People] are using them to build communities of relationships. Look at the adoption of Facebook and Twitter.”

Canseco added vehicle makers are also rapidly putting advanced electronics and systems into their products. It is a combination of both providing the driver with safety and monitoring the health of the vehicle, and giving them a seamless way to connect to their smart devices.

“Today, your typical car has 50 computers, 250 connections and 3,000 terminals, which is more than the Space Shuttle had,” he continued. “The vehicles on the road are some of the most complex electronics out there. As we look into the future, things will get more complex as the connected car will be interacting in seamless ways with other electronic devices that people have on them. When it comes to connected infotainment today, it is about a US$2 billion market, and at the end of the decade it will be US$12 billion.”

An IHS Automotive study (www.ihs.com) confirms Canseco’s remarks. IHS found that infotainment will grow considerably over the next six years. For example, display www.ssgm.com

14-11-12 11:14 AM

AAPEX || audio infotainment systems will reach 25.4 million units in 2020 worldwide, outpacing traditional in-vehicle navigation systems. Two reasons were cited for this rapid adoption: the growing use of rear-view cameras in vehicles that will soon become mandatory and vehicle makers putting in applications that can be accessed directly by a person’s smart phone.

Canseco added that in the future, vehicles will come standard with crash avoidance technologies, wireless connectivity and advanced cellular networks. This will allow vehicles to both provide a safe driving experience and allow persons in the vehicle to remain connected with their work, friends and family.

This is confirmed in a recent study that was put out by KPMG and was cited by Ron Rossi, director, market research at Auto Care Association in his presentation to attendees at AAPEX this year.

The KPMG International Global Automotive Executive Survey 2014 Rossi cited looked in greater depth at major vehicle trends around the globe and what consumers are expecting from vehicles in the coming years. The study found that, “not surprisingly, in-car technology solutions are in greater demand, as people expect a seamless extension of their home or office in-car, either via proprietary software or through plug-ins for mobile devices. Currently, these features do not come cheap, so automakers may have an opportunity to improve their margins through such added value services – as well as gaining greater control over essential auto technologies.”

When consumers were asked what factors will influence their vehicle purchases in the future, the KPMG study whose findings Rossi concurred with - found that 69 per cent said that plug-in solutions for speech recognition and mobile Internet devices were top of mind, followed by 65 per cent opting for vehicle-bound Internet technologies and 53 per cent citing telematics.

While new vehicle technologies are putting pressure on the aftermarket to try and stay ahead of the curve so as to be able to diagnose and repair these advanced vehicles, other factors are also putting pressures on the aftermarket.

One of the biggest is demographics. Two factors are at play here. One is the aging baby boomer generation; the other is the Millennial generation, that growing cohort of 20-30 year olds.

David Portalatin, executive director of industry analysis, automotive aftermarket for The NPD Group Inc., said these two groups are changing the automotive landscape in North America in profound ways. He first asked how many people amongst the over 100 journalists, attendees and industry experts had gotten their driver’s license on their 16th birthdays. Nearly everybody’s hand went up.

“Now contrast that with today’s Millennial generation,” he said. “Would it surprise you to know that today only 37 per cent of 16 year olds have their driver’s licence? The www.ssgm.com

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previous high mileages driven by the older generation was because you had the baby boomers driving two cars and going to work which was a distance from their homes.

As they shift to their later years and retirement, their driving habits change. We would like to see the 75-80 million of the Millennial generation adopt those same behaviours. That is what we would like to see. The reality is that this generation is on a different level: they are not driving at the same age, they don’t own cars at the same rate as the earlier generation did. They live much more urban lifestyles. Even though this group will take its place as the largest generation of licensed drivers, don’t assume that this generation is going to be driving and owning vehicles at the same rate as the earlier generation.”

Today’s Millennials are looking to live in more urban environments and to shorten their commutes, while using more continued on page 14

November 2014 SSGM 13

14-11-12 11:15 AM

|| AAPEX

continued from page 13 public transportation when it is available. Those who do decide to own a vehicle are making a conscious choice to own a used vehicle, or to hold on to their existing vehicles for much longer. Today’s average vehicle age is nearing 12 years. Portalatin said that while consumers are still reluctant to spend due to slow economic growth and a sluggish job market, they are willing to spend dollars on keeping their older vehicles running smoothly. This translates into consumers being primed for buying premium, highquality aftermarket products that help maintain the value of their vehicles and improve performance. This includes investments in engine additives, premium high-mileage

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synthetic motor oils and filters, and wipers and lights.

“Even a price-conscious consumer will value a high-priced, premium product in order to extend the life of their most valuable asset,” he added.

“It is small price to pay. Why would a consumer who is driving an old car pay four times more for a refrigerant than he has to? It is because of the value that they see in their vehicle.

They want to extend the life of their vehicle. The consumer has re-valued the age of a car and what it is worth.

The conventional wisdom was [that] at 10 years old it was time to change the car. That has changed fundamentally.”

This means aftermarket service operations and sellers of aftermarket parts need to focus on selling and educating drivers on the value of premium, high-quality parts and services. People are willing to pay more if they believe they are getting value for those dollars.

“There is a huge bias to the quality segment amongst consumers,” Portalatin continued. “They are willing to spend a bit more for the differentiated offering. I can go down to WalMart to buy a coffee maker for 29 bucks. But the fastest growing market segment for coffee makers is for those over 100 dollars.”

SSGM www.ssgm.com

14-11-12 11:16 AM

“Highest Overall Customer Satisfaction among Service Provider Brands, Four Years in a Row”*

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* NAPA AUTOPRO received the highest numerical score among service providers in the proprietary J.D. Power 2011-2014 Canadian Customer Commitment Index (CCI) StudiesSM, tied in 2013. 2014 study based on responses from 19,902 consumers measuring 29 providers and measures opinions of owners of 4-12 year old vehicles who had their vehicle serviced at the dealership or after-market facilities. Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of consumers surveyed February-June 2014. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com

p 15 napa.indd 15

14-10-31 11:42 AM

|| Connected Car

Highway Getting onto the information

By Mark Stephen, Editor, Canadian Plastics

The epic mash-up between the fast-paced world of information and communication and the slow, deliberate world of vehicle manufacturing has produced the connected car, the next key step in the evolution of the automobile. But as new waves of technology revolutionize the experience of drivers and passengers on road trips, errands, and the commute to work, automakers and parts suppliers might just find their businesses turned upside down.

16 SSGM November 2014

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continued on page 18

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|| Connected Car

J

continued from page 16

ust as you can’t keep that dog and cat hair on your clothes from migrating into the car, dammit, the digital revolution isn’t stopping at your vehicle’s door either.

Young — and young at heart — drivers want to stay connected behind the wheel, which is why vehicle manufacturers and technology companies are combining expertise to develop connected cars that are equipped with Internet access, a wireless local area network (LAN), and special technologies that tap into the Internet or wireless LAN and provide additional benefits such as automatic notification of crashes, notification of speeding, and safety alerts.

And as the rolling hot spot becomes the new normal, it’s creating both opportunities and challenges for the automotive industry and its parts suppliers.

And new alliances are forming at speeds that put Survivor contestants to shame. Google Inc. announced a partnership with GM, Honda Motor Co., Hyundai Motor Co., and chipmaker Nvidia Corp. to bring the Android operating system to cars; and Apple is already working with BMW AG, Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz, GM, Nissan Motor Co., Honda, and others to bring its iOS operating system to cars through devices such as the iPhone.

OBSTACLES AND OPEN ROADS

But before automotive execs and OEM presidents start pricing new beachfront mansions in Maui, there are one or two grey areas that remain to be settled as the symbiosis of car and IT progresses. The first relates to product identity, and strikes at the heart of what it means to be an PUTTING THE WEB BEHIND THE WHEEL OEM — specifically, what networked mobility means for These may be relatively early days for connected cars, but the existing superiority of OEMs, and whether they can there’s no denying their place as one of the key next steps in maintain it in the face of the gazillion emerging technolothe evolution of the automobile. The number of cars con- gies of the networked age. Simply put, if the tech companected to the Internet worldnies get to define the terms of wide will increase by more than the connected car, automaksixfold in the next few years, ers risk losing control of their from 23 million today to 152 own cockpits and the revemillion in 2020, according to nue that will flow from them. research firm IHS Automotive.

“The worst-case scenario for By 2018, the firm continued, the automakers is going to a generic interface where you one in five cars on the road plug your phone or iPad into will be “self-aware” — able to the centre console,” said Jerdiscern and share information emy Carlson, a senior analyst about its mechanical health — with IHS Automotive. “They and wireless and/or digital techwant to differentiate their cars. nology will be embedded in 88 per cent of new cars globally by 2025. North America is They’d rather not compete strictly as value appliances.”

One of two outcomes seems possible, each based on conforecast to be the largest region for growth, moving from an estimated 100,000 units in 2025 to nearly 3.5 million units sumer perception. In the first, the car itself becomes the mere in 2035 or a 29 per cent worldwide share. Are we talking carrier of mobile Internet-compliant devices — the worstbig money? You bet. This shift is expected to generate some case scenario just mentioned, in which OEMs only provide major profits in the coming years, with global revenues pro- their vehicles as wireless online access systems, with virtually jected to reach US$20 billion by 2018, according to a recent no control over the transmitted contents and intended uses. report from market analyst firm Juniper Research. That’s In the second outcome, the car itself becomes a mobile Internot chump change, and there’s more: the revenue and profit net-compliant device and creates its own value perception via possibilities of the connected car go beyond the thousands networking. For automakers, this is hugely preferable. “The of dollars automakers charge for these high-tech options. By big advantage for OEMs is that, by using these proprietary 2017, one-quarter of all automakers will earn money from software solutions, they can largely retain control over the e-commerce transactions drivers make from the car, accord- contents and services offered,” said Sebastian Paas, IT expert ing to a January 2014 study by the Center of Automotive and partner with KPMG. “With open source-based software, Research. by contrast, they could only communicate using providers Small wonder, then, that automakers are pouring approved by them via the interfaces offered in the car.” billions into connected car development. In June 2014, The second grey area centres around the Mario AndrettiGeneral Motors, Volkswagen AG’s Audi luxury line, and like speed with which the information and communication Tesla each revealed plans to offer Web connections in their industry is evolving. The potential problem, in a nutshell, cars, including Wi-Fi hot spots for tablets and laptops. is that the auto industry has adopted development times of At the 2014 North American International Auto Show three to five years for its products, and operates strictly within in Detroit, GM touted its 4G LTE-connected Chevys its model cycles; modern communication devices, meanwhile, while Ford introduced more applications that work with can be obsolete within six months. “To be able to carry out a its voice-activated Sync system, including those that allow diverse number of conceivable functions in the longer term, drivers to activate a home security system from the car. continued on page 20 18 SSGM November 2014

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www.ssgm.com

14-11-12 11:20 AM

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14-11-03 10:31 AM

|| Connected Car

continued from page 18

the connectivity unit in the car must be updateable,” Paas continued. “To do this, either the communication unit will have to be replaced, and so must be no bigger than a conventional smartphone; or the unit acts in the vehicle as a mixture of router, radio, and telephone, and becomes updateable in the form of a renewable memory unit through flash updates.”

How can automakers respond? Well, it might not be so hard after all. “The primary concern of the OEMs is to have cars with a six-year lifespan that can be updated every year to keep them technically current,” said Steve Rodgers, president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association (APMA). “The solution is for the auto parts makers to show the OEMs how to make rapid changes to a vehicle’s CAN bus architecture and add new features and applications every year that will keep it competitive.”

into hot spots; ditto for whether the car manufacturers or the Internet providers will win the war for product identity.

Regardless, Canadian auto parts makers seem optimistic on the whole about the rise of the connected car, especially after the near-death experience of the Great Recession. “APMA’s member companies are definitely excited about the technologies and opportunities, and the ways to differentiate themselves, that connected cars provide,” Rodgers said.

Sounds like they’re more than ready to cruise the information highway.

SSGM

ON TOUR APMA’s connected car is making the rounds

ARE YOU EXPERIENCED?

One big advantage for the car manufacturers and auto parts makers is obvious: IT corporations don’t know how to build complex automobiles, and the new arrivals on the auto industry scene have a steep learning curve ahead of them.

“Connected cars are a good opportunity for auto parts molders — including the Canadian shops — because a lot of these components can be manufactured locally, are a significant value-add, and are an area in which we can be competitive,” Rodgers said. “Many of the new companies coming into the connected vehicle technology industry are either small start-ups or come from the aerospace industry, and neither group is necessarily familiar with what it takes to build an automotive prototype or with what an OEM is looking for in a prototype. In production alone, where per model around 8,000 individual parts have to be combined 2,000 times per working day, the experience of wellversed auto experts is indispensable.”

But it won’t be a cakewalk, either.

“As knowledgeable as they already are, established auto parts makers are going to have to become a lot more tech savvy in order to develop and maintain a clear understanding of the types of connectivity applications and features that consumers will want going forward,” Rodgers continued.

At present, then, it remains to be seen which companies and sectors will come out on top in the high-tech mash-up that’s transforming vehicles 20 SSGM November 2014

p 16,18,20 connected car.indd 20

Touring paid off big for Peter Frampton back in the 70s. Fast forward to today and some of Canada’s high-tech auto parts makers are hoping to get noticed as the country’s first connected vehicle hits the road.

Donated by Toyota Canada and assembled at the carmaker’s plant in Cambridge, Ont., the concept 2014 Lexus RX350 crossover was unveiled at APMA’s annual conference in Windsor, and is the result of APMA’s Connected Car Initiative.

Tricked out with advanced features and technology from 13 companies — ranging from established players such as Magna International, Leggatt, and Platt Automotive to such up-and-comers as B.R.A.K.E.R.S., Early Warning Systems Inc., and Weather Telematics — the car is designed to put Canada’s auto sector squarely on the autonomous vehicle map, according to APMA president Steve Rodgers. The car features an Internet connection, wireless charging capability, side- and rear-view cameras with 360-degree views, adjustable LED lighting, and alcohol lock interface that prevents a driver from taking the wheel after one too many pops. “Additionally, technology from Weather Telematics warns drivers of road conditions, including black ice, while a system from B.R.A.K.E.R.S. alerts drivers to emergency vehicles, flooding, tornado alerts, and bridge collapses,” Rodgers said.

From June through September, the car was featured at a variety of international automotive trade shows and taken to manufacturing plants in both Canada and the U.S. When not on tour, it’s housed at the University of Waterloo. And it’s not a one-off: APMA plans to launch similar future vehicle projects to incorporate a wider array of suppliers, emerging technologies, and automotive platforms to demonstrate autonomous capabilities.

“APMA’s connected vehicle program is meant to be a launch point for the promotion of Canadian innovation and technology on a global scale,” Rodgers said. “The contributing members have the opportunity to demonstrate the value of their products and services to global vehicle OEMs and show the world the power of Canadian ingenuity. Most importantly, the connected vehicle program will cultivate a cluster of like-minded Canadian industry groups to further innovation in the connected transportation industry, which in turn has the potential to create new jobs and other economic possibilities in Canada.”

To modify Peter Frampton, the connected car really is coming alive. www.ssgm.com

14-11-12 11:21 AM

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14-10-31 11:45 AM

|| Shop Profile

Success Through

Service A focus on customer service, and word-of-mouth marketing, have built Columbia’s brand

By Andrew Brooks

J

im Voigt, owner and general manager of Columbia Auto Service in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, understands the importance of customer service. It was one of the pillars of this family-owned enterprise when Voigt’s grandfather went into business in 1954 in this community about 80 kilometres west of Toronto. It remains the prime directive as the family’s next generation enters the business.

After starting out in 1954, Voigt’s grandfather took a position in the fuel industry, but Voigt’s parents returned to

22 SSGM November 2014

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the family mold by launching their own auto service business in 1968. Voigt and his wife Laurie bought the business from them in 1992, and now their daughter Sarah, a service advisor at Columbia, has become the fourth generation of the family to be in the business.

Several years ago Columbia took out a newspaper ad that showed Voigt’s grandfather in front of his original White Rose service station in 1954. Voigt got the ad blown up and hung it in the office. “One day a longstanding, elderly customer www.ssgm.com

14-11-12 11:49 AM

Shop Profile || came in and while he was sitting in the office he was looking at the photo,” Voigt recalls. “After a while he turned to me and said, ‘Jim, I just realized that your grandfather was the very first mechanic I ever went to – and you’re the last mechanic I’ll ever go to.’ That was a great moment for us.”

Voigt says the customer service ethic is in his blood. “I remember my grandfather always used to take me aside and tell me how to provide great customer service. That was always his specialty.

And my father from the start also stressed great service at a fair price. So you could say it’s the family mantra.”

The formula has been so successful that Columbia has continued to grow in spite of recessions and the loss of a keystone client several years ago – and in spite of not doing aggressive marketing through traditional channels. When Jim and Laurie took the helm in 1992, Columbia consisted of three service bays and was renting its 2,000-squarefoot location. Today there are nine bays, two tuning and detailing bays, a massive tire storage area, a rustproofing facility and a car sales operation, covering almost 10,000 square feet and keeping 17 employees busy. And Columbia owns the premises.

While Columbia is a very diverse business, maintenance is the core of what it does, Voigt says. They focus particularly on new vehicles, and Voigt is proud to say that many of his customers entrust the servicing of their new vehicles to Columbia from day one. While these customers prefer Columbia’s service to that offered by the actual dealerships, excellent relations with those dealers are a huge part of Columbia’s success.

“We do our best to have good rela-

tions with the dealerships,” Voigt says.

“If we notice something that’s covered by warranty, we can contact the dealership, and get the service done there at no charge to the customer.”

The car sales operation is a relatively small part of Columbia’s business, and the company carries a small inventory.

But even here it has imprinted its own service ethic on how it conducts business. “We specialize in finding new cars for our clients,” Voigt says. “So for example someone might come in and say they need a new car for one of their kids. We can find a vehicle through the daily rental auction, and through our dealer relationships we can explore their excess inventory.

We can usually find something pretty quickly.”

Customer convenience is also the motive for Columbia’s strategy of allowing customers to pre-book service appointments well in advance. This enables customers to know exactly when they need to bring their vehicles in as much as a year in advance. In addition to the convenience of a firm schedule, Columbia provides loaner vehicles for customers whose cars are being worked on, and also has a complimentary shuttle service to drop customers off and pick them up as required.

Growth has been pretty much uninterrupted since 1992; Voigt says in that whole time there was only one year where business flatlined. “We often consider ourselves somewhat ‘recession-proof.’ When times are tough people may stop buying new cars, but then they need regular maintenance even more so they can keep their older vehicles lasting a bit longer.”

Columbia has been fortunate to be situated right in the middle of Ontario’s

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p 22,23,24 shop profile.indd 23

14-11-12 11:49 AM

|| Shop Profile

continued from page 23

renowned “Technology Triangle.” The Kitchener-Waterloo area is famous as high-tech hub, with companies like OpenText, Agfa Healthcare and, most notably, BlackBerry Ltd. – formerly Research In Motion (RIM) – the makers of the BlackBerry. For many years, Columbia’s fortunes were closely tied to RIM’s.

“When RIM bought so many of the buildings around us, we were pretty much an island in the middle of the ‘Land of RIM,’” Voigt says. “Some people referred to us as ‘RIM Automotive.’ We did expand quite a bit as RIM expanded, but when they fell on hard times they sold all of those buildings, and people predicted that we were going to have a hard time of it.”

Instead, business boomed. Columbia was able to retain many of its RIM customers even as they were laid off and wound up working elsewhere in Kitchener-Waterloo, thanks in large part to the ability to schedule appointments, and the loaner cars and shuttle service.

24 SSGM November 2014

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“So we’ve continued to grow, and we’re set for another era of growth, I believe, because now new companies are moving into those old RIM buildings,” Voigt says.

“The whole area is being populated with potential customers who are new to us. We’re seeing a lot of new clients every day.”

Columbia’s word-of-mouth reputation has been a lifesaver. Voigt says it’s pretty common now for a new employee in a workplace to mention their car needs work and to have Columbia customers in the same workplace mention the great work that Voigt and his team can do.

“We run a few ads here and there in the local papers, and we do radio spots once in a while,” Voigt says, “but we’re successful enough that we don’t have to do a lot of marketing for new customers. We do it, of course, but we’re getting lots of new customers by word of mouth. Being in an area where people

come to work seems to be one good way of getting new clients.”

Columbia is a certified member of NAPA AUTOPRO Mechanical, and the NAPA name has a lot of trust.

“They’re a big part of our success,” Voigt says. “We get a lot of help and training from them, and they’ve taught me a lot about how to be a successful businessperson.” The support includes the “Peace of Mind Warranty” for 12 months or 20,000 kilometres on all repairs. “NAPA gives us a lot of tools to be successful and this is one of them.

You can call from anywhere in North America. Fortunately it isn’t needed very often, but when it is, it’s greatly appreciated.”

SSGM www.ssgm.com

14-11-12 11:54 AM

Identifix Technical Tip ||

Duramax Synchronization

By John Esau, Identifix GM Specialist Certified: ASE Master, L1, A/C Refrigerant Handling

I

recently took a call on a 2005 GMC C4500 Medium Duty truck with a 6.6L Duramax engine that would not start since a remanufactured engine was installed. The starter would crank the engine over but the engine would not run. The Engine Control Module (ECM) was setting code P0340: No Camshaft Position Sensor (CMP) signal for more than two seconds. The CMP and Crankshaft Position Sensors (CKP) were new. Using an oscilloscope, understanding the operation of the CMP and CKP sensors and their reluctor’s characteristics, and having a vehicle to compare test results with enabled us to diagnose the problem.

The 2005 Duramax ECM needs both the CMP and CKP sensor inputs for the engine to start so the code was cleared to see if it would reset. When the technician tried to start the engine, code P0340 reset.

CMP sensor power, ground and signal circuits were tested and all were confirmed to have no faults. I suggested using an oscilloscope, if the shop had one, to check CMP and CKP sensor signal voltage patterns to confirm the sensors were functioning properly. The tech said he had one, but did not use it very much and was hesitant to perform a diagnosis with it. I suggested this was a case in which the oscilloscope could be really helpful. He wanted to improve his oscilloscope skills and build more confidence with it, so he decided to use it.

The CMP and CKP sensors produce square-wave signals when their respective reluctors pass by the sensors. The CMP sensor reluctor has two large notches and one small notch.

The CKP reluctor has 57 evenly spaced small notches and one large notch equal in size to three of the small notches. The tech tested the CMP and CKP sensor signals at the ECM, superimposing the patterns on the screen. I was expecting him to see a CMP sensor signal with a flat line or maybe a pattern that had an improper voltage level that the ECM could not recognize. He stated the patterns looked good. I said it would be good to be able to look at the pattern from a vehicle with the same engine that was running normally. It was our lucky day—this was a fleet vehicle and an identical truck that ran was in the shop that he could test.

The tech tested the CMP and CKP patterns on the

www.ssgm.com

p 25 Identifix Tip.indd 25

Figure 1 Vehicle That Ran

Figure 2 - Vehicle That Would Not Start

Diagrams courtesy of Identifix

truck that ran and said that they had the same voltage levels and number of pulses as the truck that would not start. We seemed to be striking out. I asked him to send me the patterns so I could take a look at them. The CMP signal was not a flat line and the voltage levels were normal. Previously, I had seen issues with GM vehicles setting code P0340 because the CMP sensor pulses were too far out of time with the CKP signal to be recognized by the ECM. The technician’s patterns (Figure 1 and Figure 2) revealed that the short duration Yellow CMP sensor pulse occurred before the large gap in the Green CKP sensor signal on the engine that ran, but it occurred after the large gap in the CKP sensor signal on the engine that would not start. Something in the engine was not synchronized properly.

The technician removed the CKP sensor and placed the #1 piston on Top Dead Center (TDC). Then he turned the crankshaft by hand, counting the small reluctor notches as they passed by the CKP sensor opening until the large notch appeared in the CKP sensor opening. He performed the same test on the other engine. More notches passed by the opening on the engine that ran than on the engine that would not start. The CKP reluctor was incorrectly timed.

The patterns and test results were sent to the engine remanufacturer. They agreed with our diagnosis. The technician did not want to do anything to affect the engine warranty so the remanufactured engine was replaced with a different one. It started right up and ran normally. SSGM November 2014 SSGM 25

14-11-12 1:24 PM

|| TACT

Effective Billing and Effective Behaviour

gets Effective Results

By Murray Voth, TACT

B

efore you read this article make sure you have had a good sleep, a great cup of coffee and put on your reading glasses. I am going to shift gears and write an article about a key shop performance indicator that is not discussed much in the independent automotive sector. We are going to discuss “Effective Labour Rate.”

The most common measurement of technician performance I hear shop owners use is what I call proficiency.

Don’t know how many times I have heard a shop owner state, “I pay my techs for eight hours a day, and the best they produce is five hours.” In many cases, that is how much time they worked on vehicles; never mind how much of that was actually billed out in dollars. The technicians then reply, “But boss, I am working as hard as I can. I don’t understand!” What is missing in this discussion is the true measure of how well a technician has performed. On our way to understanding effective labour rate, we need to first discuss productivity and efficiency.

What is Productivity? What is Efficiency?

Productivity is the measurement of how much time technicians spend working on vehicles compared to the time they are at work, regardless of whether the time was billed or not. Most technicians work eight-hour days. See example below with a technician working four hours on vehicles that day.

Productivity = Actual Time ÷ Available time 4 ÷ 8 = 50% Productivity

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So what happened during the other four hours? In many shops, technicians act as service advisors, order parts, look up labour times, create estimates, answer the phones, give customers rides etc. Productivity is generally the responsibility of management and service advisors.

Efficiency is the measurement of how much time a technician takes to perform a particular service operation compared to the time it was sold for. See example below where the job was sold for five hours and the technician took four hours to perform the job.

Efficiency = Sold Time ÷ Actual Time 5 ÷ 4 = 125% Efficiency As you can see, when the technician actually had work to do they were able to complete it very efficiently. Efficiency is generally the responsibility of the technician, unless management has undersold the work. If both of these examples happened on the same day, the owner and the technician could have an intelligent conversation about how the day went and how profitable this technician was. Even though the technician was only 50 per cent productive, they were 125 per cent efficient, which is the industry benchmark.

In order to calculate productivity and efficiency one must be able to measure available time, actual time and sold time.

The only way to do this well is to use a time clock system.

Let’s Look at the Dollars Now that we have reviewed the benchmark methods of tracking and measuring time, we need to study this from the point of view of dollars. Like a wise person once said, you can’t deposit percentages in the bank, just dollars.

How we bill out our time is the point I am finally going to discuss. The end result of what we actually deposit in the bank is a combination of menu priced items, jobs priced out by the labour guides, diagnostic labour rates, oil changes, and all the time we discount or do not charge for. On average the independent automotive sector collects only 4.3 hours in dollars out of eight hours worked. This does not mean that technicians are not working all day or are not working hard; it means that their time is not being billed out.

Many shops charge around $15 labour plus oil and filter for an oil change.

If it takes a technician a half hour to perform an oil change that means the www.ssgm.com

14-11-12 1:25 PM

TACT || effective hourly rate for oil changes is $30 per hour. If a shop has a labour rate of $100 per hour, and the service advisor sells a job like four ball joints for five hours, the total labour charge is $500. If the technician performs this task in five hours, the effective labour rate is $100 an hour. If a bolt breaks that the technician needs to drill out and the whole job takes 5.5 hours, the effective labour rate is $91 per hour. (That is if the customer is not billed for this extra time, which happens all the time).

Service Operation

on cars. Having said that, going from 4.3 to nine hours is not something that happens quickly. But with hard work, good systems, and well-trained advisors, this can be achieved in time. Even seven billed hours out of an eight-hour day will make a huge difference to your bottom line.

Please follow along as I address the low effective labour rates in the services listed in the chart below. Any time we can combine an oil change (or a Maintenance Service as I prefer to call

Other Factors ($100/hour base rate)

Labour Dollars

Sold Labour Time

Oil Change Labour

Straight time

$15.00

0.5

Ball Joints

Straight time 5.0

$500.00

5.0

Ball Joints

Broken Bolt 5.5

$500.00

5.0

Ball Joints

Beat the time 4.0

$500.00

5.0

Diagnostic Rate

1.74 X Regular Rate

$100.00

1.0

Transmission Service Labour

Technician beats the time 0.9

$100.00

1.0

If a technician performs the ball joint operation in four hours, the effective labour rate is $125. We recommend using a diagnostic rate for electrical and drivability of 1.74 times your regular labour rate. That will have a significant effect on your effective labour rate. This is probably a good time to reevaluate your menu pricing for maintenance services like transmission services and winter tire swap overs.

You will find that if you have not done a competitive survey in a while that many of these packages have gone up in price in the market place. A good technician should be able to be very efficient with fluid exchanges and other maintenance services, especially if they can run more than one flush machine at a time. See the chart above for a better visual of what I am describing.

In order to achieve the gross and net profits required to succeed in this business, and be able to afford and attract the best technicians, we recommend a benchmark of 125 per cent for your effective labour rate. This means that as we come to understand and manage our technician’s time, we should be collecting nine hours of labour at our full rate for every eight hours they work www.ssgm.com

p 26,27 TACT .indd 27

them) with another service we raise our effective labour rate. We can perform a maintenance service with a winter tire change over, with a fluid flush, with a brake service or any other mechanical repair. When we do this we are only driving the car in and out of the shop once, we are only lifting it on the hoist once, and many of the different steps in each operation actually overlap.

When we create an estimate for a customer we need to make sure that we add an estimate factor of anywhere from five per cent to 10 per cent for unexpected things like broken bolts.

When a technician inspects a vehicle or diagnoses a concern, and knows that broken bolts on that operation are common, they need to inform the service advisor of that so extra time can

be added to the estimate. Even average technicians should be achieving 125 per cent efficiency, not just because they are fast, but also because the job has been sold for enough time.

Multiplying your regular labour rate by 1.74 gets you close to the 60 per cent gross profit required on each invoice.

Diagnosis is straight time, hard to beat the time when you are following an unknown problem like a bad ground or an electrical short. When you are diagnosing you are not installing and selling parts, which add to your gross profit.

Effective Labour Rate Identifying main$30.00/ Hour tenance opportunities $100.00/Hour on your client’s vehicles will also increase $91.00/Hour your effective labour $125.00/Hour rate. Using data$174.00/Hour bases like Identifix to inform your customer of the services $111.00 /Hour required by the vehicle manufacturer and performing regular inspections will lead to the results that you need. Machines can perform many of these services, so the technician efficiency really goes up, especially if they run multiple services at the same time.

To calculate your shop’s effective labour rate, divide your total labour sales for a period, such as a month, by the actual time your technicians work on vehicles. See this example with a shop at a $100 per hour posted rate: $30,000 labour sales divided by 315 actual hours = $95.24 per hour effective labour rate. This sample shop is on its way to the benchmark. I challenge all of you to do the math for your shop, find out where you are at, and then begin to make the changes that will get you the results you need.

SSGM

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. Contact Lee Meunier, toll free at 1-866-489-8228 (TACT) or by email Lee@proshopmanager.ca November 2014 SSGM 27

14-11-12 1:26 PM

|| Cardone Tech Tip

A Not-So-Remote

Possibility E

ver been stressed over a frustrating steering complaint?

Perhaps you even tried installing several different power steering pumps and/or steering units only to still have noise or lack of assist issues you can’t seem to repair! If so, you’re not alone.

Cardone Industries regularly fields this sort of phone call through its Tech Advisor Hotline. In many cases, the problem isn’t the pump or the steering unit — it’s the remotelymounted power steering pump reservoir.

The Problem Many late-model vehicles now use remote-style power steering reservoirs, which incorporate a fine-mesh screen to trap contamination and prevent it from entering the power steering system. The screen prevents contaminants from damaging healthy power steering components.

However, a major drawback to this design is that these reservoirs do not have bypass capability like an engine oil filter does. This means that once the screen becomes clogged, the system begins to starve itself of power steering fluid, leading to noise, lack of assist and/or premature power steering pump failure.

that once was caught by the screen is now allowed to travel through the pump then the lines and into the spool valve of the steering unit. This will almost certainly cause future problems in the steering system. The OE engineers included the screen for a reason – do not damage this simple, but vital element of the system.

The Right Solution The proper fix is to simply remove the reservoir and clean the screen with an aerosol carb cleaner or brake cleaner.

Once the screen is cleaned, use low-pressure compressed air to ensure the cleaning fluid has fully evaporated. If cleaning chemicals contaminate the power steering system, they can seriously damage O-rings and seals.

Once the reservoir is completely dry, make sure the screen is clear by pouring fresh power steering fluid approved for that vehicle through the reservoir. If it flows freely without restriction, the screen is clear.

Before re-installing a reservoir on units that bolt directly to the pump, make sure you lubricate the new O-rings that were supplied with the pump with fresh power steering fluid.

For remote reservoirs that connect to the pump via a fill hose, carefully inspect the hose to ensure it has not collapsed.

Over time, it is common for this fill hose to soften, which allows it to collapse and starve the pump for fluid, repeating the same problem the clogged screen presented. If the reservoir is damaged or cannot be cleaned properly, Cardone offers many popular reservoir part numbers.

SSGM CARDONE is here to help you!

Running into installation problems? Can’t figure out which Cardone part you need. Call Cardone’s Tech Advisor Hotline at 888-280-TECH (8324) Mon-Thu 8am-6pm, Fri 8am-5pm EST

As you can see in this photo, the screen is almost completely obstructed and will not allow a sufficient flow.

For a video version of this article, scan this QR code:

The Wrong Solution Unfortunately, some vehicle owners and technicians punch a hole in the mesh screen to allow fluid to once again flow freely into the pump. This may temporarily solve the problem, but is a very dangerous repair method. All the debris 28 SSGM November 2014

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www.ssgm.com

14-11-12 1:27 PM

Batteries ||

Power Profile Temperature extremes are a significant threat to battery performance

I

By Andrew Brooks

t’s always a good idea to ensure that a vehicle’s battery is in top operating condition. With the approach of another Canadian winter, many drivers will be especially aware of the need for a secure power source – but, in fact, extreme heat is the greatest threat to automotive batteries.

“Heat speeds up all chemical reactions,” says Bob Osinski, director of retail sales for Exide Technologies. “Because a car battery works by using a chemical reaction, motorists with older batteries might get stranded by premature failure during a relentless heat wave. High outside temperatures, combined with stop-and-go traffic on overheated pavements, can drive the under-hood temperatures to more than 200°F [93°C].”

When you consider added heavy electrical loads such as air conditioners, power windows and stereo systems, Osinski says, hot summer conditions can be deadly for a car battery.

However, either temperature extreme poses a challenge.

Drivers should make sure the battery is fully charged. They should also be reminded of the importance of keeping the engine well maintained year-round. Basic steps for battery health include getting regular tune-ups, changing the oil and keeping the radiator fluid topped up, watching for battery terminal corrosion and making sure all connections are clean and tight. Service centres should emphasize the importance of having the battery tested. If the car is difficult to start, check the electrical system; if any component is in marginal condition, it’s probably time to replace it, Osinski adds. Cracks or holes in the battery container, the cover or the vents are major warning signs.

Service centres can help motorists avoid trouble in cold weather by reminding them to drive the car long enough to recharge the battery, while trying to avoid frequent stops and starts over a short period of time, Osinski says. “To efficiently recharge a battery while driving, motorists should minimize electrical loads, such as windshield and rear window defrosters, radio, extra lights and electric windows.”

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One of the most important developments in battery technology is the advent of new battery charger products.

These eliminate much of the worry over battery conditions at any time of year, but especially during cold weather. “If the battery is connected to a quality maintainer product, like an OPTIMA Digital 1200 or Digital 400, nothing else needs to be done,” says Scott Parkhurst, OPTIMA Batteries media relations. “It can be disconnected or removed from the vehicle, but this is not necessary unless the vehicle’s storage location will be exposed to freezing temperatures for extended periods.” While it happens rarely, automotive batteries can freeze, doing severe and permanent damage.

The traditional battery charging process is fraught with guesswork. “Without properly testing the battery before beginning a charging regimen, recharging levels and times are guesses,” Parkhurst says. “The hope for most technicians is that the battery will acquire enough of a charge to be maintained by the alternator/regulator in the vehicle. If there are issues with the vehicle’s voltage regulator, overcharging can still occur, of course, and the alternator should only be maintaining the battery anyway.”

The newer chargers remove much of this guesswork. That guesswork was one reason OPTIMA chose to engineer all-new battery charging products with their Digital 1200 and Digital 400, employing computer-controlled charging algorithms.

Evaluating the condition of the battery, and then giving it the proper level of charge for the ideal time to maximize its capacity is a very complex procedure, and computerization makes the task a lot easier.

“It’s best to use a charger to bring it up between 12.5-13.0 volts, and then let the alternator maintain it from there. If the battery is incapable of holding a charge at that level, it requires replacement,” Parkhurst says. “Chargers are simply the safest continued on page 30

November 2014 SSGM 29

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|| Batteries

ProMax Ceramic Plus Brake Pads are 2021 Compliant

continued from page 29

and best possible way to test and charge 12-volt batteries of all kinds – flooded and AGM, SLI and Deep Cycle. Other concerns facing technicians – like the dangers of spark creation and potential hydrogen combustion as a result – are also minimized by the no-spark technology engineered into every OPTIMA Digital Charger.”

An added benefit of the newer charger technology is the availability of printouts showing the state of the battery. “If technicians are able to explain what the various information on the printout is reporting to the consumer, it can justify sales,” Parkhurst says. “Naturally, consumers aren’t anxious to spend money to replace a component that’s still functioning, so the printout provides legitimate evidence of impending failure.” However, many shops that can produce printouts don’t use them, while many others can’t produce printouts at all since the capability still isn’t generally offered as a standard product feature.

Hot and cold

ProMax Ceramic Brake Pads are 2021 Compliant

ProMax Semi-Metallic Brake Pads are 2025 Compliant

ProMax Drum Brake Shoes are 2025 Compliant

Precision Brand Precision Engineering Precision Performance

®

www.autopartsdepot.ca

One significant cold-weather threat is degradation of cranking capacity. “Battery Council International statistics indicate that when the outside temperature is 80°F [27°C], a fully-charged battery has 100 per cent of its power available to start the car,” says Exide’s Osinski. “When the temperature drops to 32°F [0°C], a fully-charged battery only has approximately two-thirds of its power available. And at 0°F [-18°C], that same fully-charged battery has only 40 per cent of its power available to start the vehicle.

This clearly emphasizes the need for motorists to keep their battery fully charged.”

While heat causes deterioration of the battery’s plate through corrosion from the inside out, extreme cold attacks and strains the battery’s cold cranking availability, says Gale Kimbrough, manager of engineering and technical services, Interstate Batteries Inc. Kimbrough says the second leading cause of automotive starting battery failures is plate paste sulfation from inactivity or short drive times.

Kimbrough also advises caution when using battery chargers. “Don’t connect a charger across the battery in a vehicle unless you are sure the charger’s voltage regulation stays below 16.0 volts,” he says. “A battery charger which has a high voltage regulation level – above 16.0 volts – may damage some components of a vehicle’s sensitive electronic control system. Older chargers are often inefficient because they don’t incorporate solid state technology which better controls the voltage spikes and currents to the battery.”

Kimbrough says drivers and technicians should never rely on the alternator to finish recharging a battery. “Alternators should be considered a maintainer, not a battery charger. The alternator is there to primarily provide power for the vehicle’s accessories. Its secondary job is to provide power for the battery. The alternator’s voltage regulation is set for the vehicle’s accessories and is not high enough for medium or deep discharge levels.”

OPTIMA’s Parkhurst points out that using an alternator to recharge a deeplydischarged battery – something that happens in any common jump-start scenario – places a tremendous strain on the alternator and shortens its lifespan, which is a far more expensive repair than replacing a car battery. “In fact,” he adds, “many alternator manufacturers post warnings on their boxes telling consumers not to use alternators to recharge dead batteries.”

Vehicle industry innovations and batteries go hand-in-hand, Kimbrough says.

“Recent vehicle modernizations like start-stop technology require a battery that can deliver three to five times the number of starts of an ordinary vehicle while providing deeper cycling characteristics. EFB [Enhanced Flooded Batteries] and AGM batteries will be required to properly power these vehicles. Most flooded and even AGM batteries produce thousands of cranks but can only produce 20 to 25 deep cycles – leaving a light on and discharging the battery to a no-start condition. We now have AGM pure lead batteries that not only produce high cold SSGM cranking amps but also hundreds of deep cycles.” www.ssgm.com

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14-11-12 1:29 PM

Contributed Article ||

The Perfect Finish

High-Performance Piston Rings Require “Fool-Proof” Cylinder Honing

By Ed Sullivan

“W

hile unquestionably vital to performance, the piston ring is sort of the poor stepchild of the high-performance engine,” says Keith Jones, technical expert at Phoenix-based Total Seal. “They get blamed for just about everything. If there is a compression problem, it’s the piston rings. If there is oil consumption, it’s the rings. I wouldn’t be surprised if the rings got blamed for a flat tire on the way to the race track.”

Jones knows a lot about piston rings and racing. Since 1967 his company has been manufacturing high-performance piston ring sets installed in racing engines used in competition events ranging from IRL (Indy), NASCAR, World of Outlaw sprint car and other racing classes. To stay informed of customer needs and satisfaction, Jones actively solicits feedback from customers, particularly questions concerning performance and critical installation procedures.

Except for its standard automotive line, the countless different ring sets that Total Seal offers are for customized engines, each having many individualized requirements, including cylinder block materials and piston ring designs. Of those, it is particularly important that the piston rings precisely maintain 100 per cent contact with the walls of the block’s cylinder bores. Otherwise, performance problems such as compression blow-by and oil leakage can cause severe, if not catastrophic, problems.

Providing the needed consistent contact between piston rings and cylinder bore almost always requires resurfacing of the bores in racing applications, either because the bores are not perfectly round, have been damaged by previous ring or piston failure, or other wear factors. In any such cases, resurfacing the bores can be a challenge.

“High-performance engine blocks have changed a great deal over the past couple of decades,” Jones says. “One of the most noteworthy changes is the hardness of the block metal, which can be several times harder than it used to be. This has dramatically affected cylinder ring installation requirements because it is now crucial for the customer to achieve proper ring fit inside the cylinder bore at the time of installation.”

Jones explains that in the old days, when engine blocks were composed of relatively soft metals (e.g., 150 Brinell hardness), installers could usually rely on piston rings to adjust to cylinder bores by wearing into the bore surfaces after installation. www.ssgm.com

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However, this approach is no longer realistic because today’s engine blocks are much harder (e.g., 330 Brinell), while the high-performance rings are considerably softer with lower tension. The combination simply doesn’t permit that kind of ‘break-in’ technique.

To facilitate proper cylinder bore surface preparation and piston ring-to-bore fit, Jones and other high performance ring manufacturers and distributors recommend the honing of cylinder bores to exacting tolerances (within a few microns).

This procedure ensures that excessive compression blow-by and inadequate cylinder bore oil retention are avoided at the outset.

Simplified honing solution Since bores differ widely according to block hardness, design and engine wear conditions, the proper honing of bore surfaces could become a tricky situation. However, Jones finds that rather than taking a fairly difficult and cumbersome approach of honing with conventional stones, he uses a tool that has cross-hatching capabilities instead. Cross-hatching capabilities are integral to the cylinder bore surfacing requirements of most internal combustion engines, ensuring that proper oil retention will be maintained in the cylinder bore walls at all times.

Using such a tool, parts such as carbide bushings, bore sleeves, hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders, and other cylindrical cavities can be surface finished on the production line or resurfaced in the field with little set-up time.

“We recommend this type of hone because it works very well, is easy to use with a hand-held drill motor, and is really fool-proof for the average consumer that is not an experienced machinist,” explains Jones.

SSGM Ed Sullivan is a Hermosa Beach, CA-based writer.

November 2014 SSGM 31

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|| Oil Report

European Oils Outlining the differences between European and North American oil specification Tom Venetis, Editor

W

hen talking about motor oils, there are two specifications that one needs to understand: API ILSAC and the European ACEA. Some use the two specifications interchangeably suggesting that the specifications are identical.

There is, in fact, a great deal of difference between the two. Understanding what those differences are will highlight how oils are blended to meet specific emissions and engine requirements.

API ILSAC vs. ACEA Let’s begin with a bit of background.

Motor oils are a combination of somewhere between 70 to 90 per cent base oil (which can be a mineral, synthetic or an unconventional oil) and 10 to 30 per cent additives. The base oil has three main functions: to provide a viscous film that prevents metal-to-metal contact in an engine, to remove heat and to circulate the additives throughout the engine and its components. The additive package includes such things as low-temperature fluidity boosters, high-temperature viscosity boosters, anti-wear and friction modifiers, detergents and dispersants,

32 SSGM November 2014

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and corrosion inhibitors.

In North America, oil specifications are decided upon by the American Petroleum Institute (API), a national trade association that covers the oil and natural gas industry across North America and the International Lubricant Standardization and Approval Committee (ILSAC), a joint effort of U.S. and Japanese automobile manufacturers. They decide on the performance standards that motor oils need to meet for the North American auto market.

In Europe, the European Automotive Manufacturer’ Association (ACEA) sets the performance standards for motor oils. The ACEA represents 15 European-based car, van and truck makers, and works with range of non-governmental, institutional and research partners. It cooperates with the European Council for Automotive R&D (EUCAR).

One of the obvious differences is that in North America the oil and gas industries have a say in how motor oils are to be formulated in order to meet vehicle requirements for emissions, efficiency and engine performance. In

Europe, the vehicle makers have a great deal of input, pushing oil specifications to meet the specific performance requirements of their engine designs and to meet European standards for emissions and performance.

Another difference is in the prevalence of diesel fuel in Europe for passenger vehicles. In North America, diesel is still only used in a small percentage of passenger vehicles.

“In North America, there are mostly gasoline engines. In Europe, on the other hand, there are lots of diesel cars,” says Oliver Kuhn, research and development specialist with Liqui Moly. “So the European ACEA specifications have to take into account things like diesel particulate filters which lead to certain implications regarding the motor oil.

As well, in Europe, car manufacturers are very influential. Regarding their oil specifications, they do not just follow ACEA standards, but go beyond them and issue their own oil specifications.”

Arnaud De La Hugues, product manager PCMO, Total Lubricants, says that the diesel specifications are a www.ssgm.com

14-11-12 1:32 PM

s

Oil Report ||

crucial one between API ILSAC and ACEA. “The last specification for diesel engines in North America, the API CF, is more that 20 years old today and diesel engines have evolved a lot in the past 20 years.”

“Another difference to take into account is the drain interval targeted,” Hugues continues. “In North America, the standard drain interval is between 8,000 km to 16,000 km whereas in Europe the average recommendation from car manufacturers is 20,000 to 50,000 km, or once every two years.

“When the API/ILSAC offers a one-specification-fits-all model, SN,GF-5, the ACEA proposes 10 different ones, A1, B1, A3, B3, B4, A5, B5, C1, C2 and C3, each with its own characteristics.”

Additive Packages Eni USA R&M Co Inc., makers of automotive lubricants and oils, wrote in a series of answers to questions submitted to them by SSGM that another difference comes down to the additive packages, that critical mix of lubricant enhancers and friction modifiers that blenders use to meet the requirements of engine makers and targeted specifications for performance and emissions.

“The engines which are used in the American specifications are General Motors and Ford of large displacement (3.6 to 4.6 litres) integrated by a Nissan 2.4 L engine and a lab engine. The engines used in the ACEA specifications are PSA, Mercedes Benz and Volkswagen engines of smaller displacement (from 1.4 to 2.2 litres), plus a Ford 4.6 L in common with API SN. “Therefore, although the parameters evaluated by API and ACEA at the end of the tests may be nominally the same - i.e. engine sludge, cam wear, oil oxidation, engine varnish, ring sticking and so on - these are evaluated via different hardware, furthermore with different test procedures. As test and corresponding engines are different, also their ‘appetites’ - to use the jargon of oil formulators - are different, i.e. the oil properties needed to pass apparently corresponding tests are different.”

Liqui Moly’s Kuhn adds that at the most fundamental level, the API ILSAC specifications and the additive www.ssgm.com

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packages the oil blenders use are based on gasoline engines only, which makes sense as gasoline engines are the most common engines used in passenger vehicles in North America. “ACEA, on the other hand, is for gasoline and diesel engines. An ACEA oil has to be suited for both fuel types. An ACEA oil suited only for gasoline cars is not permitted. Diesel creates more contaminants therefore the oil needs more detergents than oil for gasoline engines only. This extra amount of detergents interferes with the API testing scheme and would make an ACEA oil fail the API test.”

Total’s Hugues adds that ACEA specifications for the additive packages also need to take into account the longer drain intervals which are at least twice the distance recommended in North America, as well as protecting diesel engine components, “[and] be compatible with particulate filters for passenger cars, which have a big impact with designing an ACEA additive package.

This leads to the selection of different components to ensure, for instance, proper dispersant and detergent properties, but also protection of exhaust gas after treatment devices such as the diesel particulate filter.”

“Compared to API specifications, ACEA specifications have more of a focus on low viscosity, stay in grade oils with extended drain intervals which [are] rated for engines meeting Euro IV /Euro V emission requirements, and

running under very severe conditions,” adds Antonio Ramos, manager, marketing with Veedol. “Some European auto manufacturer will demand even more technology-specific motor oil formulations for their vehicles. Some manufacturers say the industry standards are great, but we are going to go an extra step and formulate specific oils for our engine because we have a particular type of technology. And oil formulators have to meet those demands.”

Eni added in their comments that the “API is concerned with preserving gasoline devices (three-way catalysts) only, and this is addressed by limits on phosphorus and sulphur. On the other side, ACEA has a sub-set of dedicated specifications with wider, more stringent compositional limits, to preserve also the life of diesel particulate filters. In order to meet these specifications, the oils have to be formulated with a completely different technology. These are the so-called lowmid SAPS oils. SAPS is an acronym for the chemical and physical parameters for which these limits are posed.

“Another difference is related to some aspects which are peculiar of more concern for one of the two realities only.

Unlike the ACEA, API tests the impact on the oil of ethanol, being significantly present in U.S. gasoline, and other aspects such as turbocharger deposits, behaviour of used oil at low temperatures and phosphorus volatility. European specifications, on the other side, do not address the above ethanol issues, but - unlike API - include some tests for which gasoline with five per cent FAME is used.” SSGM November 2014 SSGM 33

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SSGM BAYWATCH New Products

Milwaukee M18 XC5.0 Battery The M18 REDLITHIUM XC5.0 Extended Capacity Battery Pack from Milwaukee is made to deliver more work per charge and more work over the life of the pack than any other 18V battery on the market.

Upgrading to the new battery pack will instantly increase the run-time and durability of the user’s current M18 cordless tools, according to the company. Featuring a Milwaukee-exclusive design, the pack is protected against harsh jobsite environments. This protection routes water away from the electronics and out of the battery pack, extends run-time and life by minimizing heat, and prevents pack failures from vibration or drops. This advanced design also allows the battery to operate in extreme cold weather conditions (below O0F/-180C). Managed by Milwaukee’s REDLINK Intelligence, the battery also features overload protection to prevent users from damaging their cordless power tools in heavy-duty situations, while the discharge protection prevents cell damage. The M18 REDLITHIUM XC5.0 Battery will be sold as an accessory to the M18 System, and will have full system compatibility with all 60+ M18 cordless solutions.

Milwaukee Tool

www.milwaukeetool.com

ATP Transmission Rebuild Kits Rebuilding an automatic transmission is a big job. ATP Automotive transmission rebuild kits are the perfect solution to make transmission overhauls much easier and more efficient.

ATP Automotive transmission rebuild kits feature premium clutch material for smooth shifting, load stability and high wear resistance and steel plates that are manufactured to precise measurements for seamless installation and shudder-free performance. In addition, the gaskets, seals and O-rings are exact fit replacements. The parts are vacuum packaged to porous boards and sealed to ensure all components arrive complete and uncompromised.

ATP Automotive www.atpautomotive.com

Philips Vision LEDs Philips Automotive North America, a division of Royal Philips, has introduced its newest line, Philips Vision LEDs, as direct replacements for interior and exterior vehicle lighting. These new innovative LEDs are guaranteed to deliver years of dynamic lighting and are backed by a 12-year limited warranty. The LEDs feature an advanced design that not only provides a bright, well-focused beam on the road, but is also robust enough to handle extreme heat and high vibrations.

The new Philips Vision LED offering includes both interior and exterior applications, and the lights are available to replace brake and taillights, back-up, dome and glove compartment, side markers, trunk, and license plate lights. Philips Vision LEDs are available as direct replacements for the following lights: 168, 194, 12961, DE3021, DE3022, DE3175, 12854, 12844, DE3425, DE3423, 6411, 578, 211-2, 212-2, 3157, 1156, 1157, 921, 7443 and 7440.

Philips Automotive North America www.philips.com/visionled

Forward Lift CR14 Four-Post Lift Forward Lift has made several upgrades to its 14,000 lb. capacity CR14 four-post lift to improve operator ergonomics and lift durability. The improvements add rise height and include new lifting components and a stronger finish. The new CR14 four-post lift has a best-in-class maximum rise height of 78.75 inches. The high rise height provides more workspace under the vehicle for technicians. For improved durability, the redesigned CR14 four-post lift has been fitted with new heavy-duty, high-performance lifting cables and sheaves.

The cable system and hydraulic cylinder are conveniently tucked under the runways, which eliminates overhead obstructions while keeping everything easily accessible. The CR14 four-post lift is equipped with tracks on its runways that accommodate optional 7,000 lb. capacity rolling bridge jacks. The jacks greatly increase the versatility of the lift by enabling wheels-free tire, brake and suspension work to be completed. Other options for the CR14 four-post lift include a new alignment kit with 4.5 times more balls for more accurate alignments, and easy-to-adjust interlocking platform spacers that accommodate a wide range of wheelbases.

Forward Lift

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AAPEX News || Denso Introduces Innovative Iridium TT Spark Plug Denso announced a new line of spark plugs engineered to last more than 100,000 miles on the road, and provide more power and superior fuel economy.

The new Denso Iridium TT spark plug, with its unique Twin Tip Technology and patented design, delivers far less obstruction to the spark than standard plugs, allowing an omni-directional expansion of the ignition flame. Small electrode tips mean less spark interference and more complete combustion.

“With iridium overtaking platinum spark plugs as the new OEM standard, we knew the aftermarket needed a topperforming, high-value iridium replacement plug,” says Fran Labun, vice-president, sales group, Denso Products and Services Americas, Inc. “The new Denso Iridium TT spark plug is an innovative design that helps ensure complete combustion, even after many thousands of miles of use.”

The Denso Iridium TT spark plug has an ultra-small center electrode, a 0.4 mm needle tip, composed of a patented iridium-rhodium alloy that offers exceptional protection against corrosion and high-temperature oxidation. The ground electrode also has a needle tip – a 0.7 mm platinum needle that’s designed to resist oxidation and wear. These small electrode tips create less interference for the ignition flame to expand and fully complete the combustion process.

The Iridium TT’s Twin Tips allow the spark plug to create a larger spark concentration and explosion, which translates into more power and superior fuel economy.

Mitchell 1 Introduces Mobile ManagerPro With the new Mobile ManagerPro from Mitchell 1 and an Android tablet device, auto repair shops can now extend their shop management systems into the driveway and service bays with full wireless functionality and integration with Manager SE. VIN and license plate decoding enable service writers to seamlessly populate vehicle details in a matter of seconds, without writing anything by hand. The data collected on repair orders, www.ssgm.com

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estimates and digital multi-point inspections automatically shows up in Manager SE without any additional effort.

“Mobile ManagerPro gives shops a whole new way to add efficiency to their shop management system. This is a real-time, two-way shop management integration, giving service writers the option to start multi-point inspections, estimates and repair orders right at the vehicle — or anywhere within range of their wireless network — on a tablet,” said John Dwulet, senior product manager for Mitchell 1. “Mitchell 1 is delighted to bring this leading-edge mobile technology to our auto repair shop customers to help them further increase efficiency, accuracy and revenue.”

Service professionals will save time through the ability to add canned jobs, take and text vehicle photos, along with integration to parts and labor information, TSBs, symptoms and more.

Mobile ManagerPro also includes customizable multi-point inspections and reports, scheduling and digital signature capture for repair order authorizations.

Robert Pitt Joins Brake Parts Inc as VP Sales and Global Business Development Brake Parts Inc (BPI) has named Robert Pitt vice-president, sales and global business development. Pitt’s appointment was announced by Bruce M. Tartaglione, senior vice-president, global sales and marketing. Pitt will work out of the company’s McHenry, Ill. headquarters.

“We welcome Robert back to the Brake Parts Inc team as our vice president, sales and global business development,” said Tartaglione. “Robert is a talented sales professional who is perfectly suited for his new role. His extensive knowledge and experience in the auto care industry, along with his dedication and strong drive to serve our customers, will prove to be very beneficial as we continue to strengthen strategic business alliances and help our customers grow their brake business.”

In his new role at BPI, Pitt will lead sales growth initiatives for major customers in North America and Latin America. Before rejoining BPI, Pitt served as vice president of sales at Specialty Sales and Marketing

(SS&M) in Canada.

Pitt previously spent 12 years with BPI as vice president of sales, Canada and was responsible for all Canadian sales activities, including the oversight and direction of the BPI Canadian sales team.

OTC Encore Adds Bluetooth Tire Pressure Reset Expanding on its position as the industry’s first integrated scan tool for the Android platform, the OTC Encore has added compatibility with OTC’s 3834T Tire Pressure Reset (TPR) tool and the OTC 3895-07 HD standard starter kit, covering Class 4 – 8 Heavy Duty (HD) vehicles. Combined with several software updates this year, Encore is the highest-value lowest-cost diagnostic scan tool in North America. The software update, Version 1.3.1.14, is available now.

“When we debuted Encore, we had plans to make it the most comprehensive tool on the market in its class,” said Jim Fish, VP of global diagnostics for the Bosch Automotive Service Solutions brands. “Included software updates and the addition of available HD diagnostics and the exclusive Bluetooth TPR tool means the Encore can compete against scan tools twice its cost while retaining its lower price point and high value.”

Adding compatibility with the OTC TPR tool allows Encore to quickly register Tire Pressure Monitoring System sensors (TPMS) and diagnose vehicle issues related to TPMS. The TPR tool will wirelessly communicate with Encore via Bluetooth to enter each wheel’s TPMS sensor ID saving time typing while eliminating errors on ID entry.

Class 4 – 8 HD scan diagnostics coverage added to the Encore include the ability to read and erase diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) and view live data in DataStream for SAE standard truck protocols HD J1587 / J1708 and J1939 CAN for engine, trans-mission/ABS coverage and more. The 3895-07 HD kit includes a 9-pin Deutsch ca-ble, 6-pin Deutsch cable and a security card to unlock the software.

SSGM November 2014 SSGM 35

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SSGM BAYWATCH New Products

Snap-on SOLUS Edge Diagnostic Tool Professional technicians will have an advantage in the repair shop and be ready for anything that comes their way with the latest diagnostic tool from Snap-on, the new SOLUS Edge. With sophisticated functionality, advanced graphing features and an intuitive user interface, SOLUS Edge comes fully integrated with the all new SureTrack online resource to help technicians improve diagnostic accuracy and reduce repair time. SureTrack is a comprehensive source of expert knowledge that combines diagnostic experience, repair timesavers and verified parts replacement records harvested from millions of successful repair orders. In addition to SureTrack, the SOLUS Edge also allows access to the exclusive Fast-Track Troubleshooter, which puts millions of experience-based troubleshooting tips and timesavers right at the technician’s fingertips. The SOLUS Edge provides detailed trouble code definitions, live data, functional tests, relearns and adaptations with the ability to record all available live data parameters and graph any four on screen at once.

Snap-on http://diagnostics.snapon.com/SOLUSedge

Rotary Lift ATO7 Two-Post Lift

Denso Ignition Wire Sets

Rotary Lift’s new space-saving ATO7 7,000 lb. capacity two-post lift helps shop owners get more productivity out of tight spaces. The lift features an overall width of just 10 feet, 3 inches – 14.5 inches less than a traditional two-post lift – and enough lifting capacity to handle the majority of cars on the road. While its overall width is significantly narrower than a standard two-post lift, the ATO7 is designed to provide maximum drive-through space between the columns. Its 92-inch clearance is only three inches narrower than Rotary Lift’s bestselling SPOA10 10,000 lb. capacity two-post lift, leaving plenty of room for technicians to work.

To provide access to the vehicle’s interior and under-dash components, the ATO7 lift features a true asymmetric design.

The columns are each rotated 45 degrees toward the rear of the vehicle, which allows for maximum door opening space while keeping the vehicle’s center of gravity in line with the optimum load capacity of the columns. This reduces unnecessary wear and tear on the lift column, carriage and bearings.

Rotary Lift

Identical in fit, color, form, and performance to the original, factoryinstalled wire set, Denso ignition wire sets fit right, look right, and work perfectly.

Each wire is pre-cut to the proper length and is ready to install straight out of the box.

Denso First Time Fit ignition wires are products built and tested to OE-standard and offered to independent repair facilities by Denso.

Denso http://densoautoparts.com/ignition-wire-sets

www.rotarylift.com

Wagner TruView PLUS LED Mini Lamps The Wagner Lighting brand from FederalMogul Motorparts has introduced its latest innovative replacement lighting.

The Wagner TruView PLUS LED mini lamp offering includes three SKUs that together replace 20 standard mini-lamp part numbers. Each new lamp features a bulb-free design that virtually eliminates lamp damage caused by road shock and vibration to help ensure long life under even the most challenging operating conditions. Common uses for these “plug and play” replacement lamps include dome, map, instrument panel and other automotive interior applications. Wagner Lighting also offers a broad line of TruView PLUS LED replacement sealed beams for commercial vehicles and vintage applications.

Federal-Mogul Motorparts

www.federalmogul.com

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SSGM Service Service Station Station and and Garage Garage Management Management

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.com

Visit these these companies companies directly check outout thethe growing listlist of Hot Links at www.ssgm.com.

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To find out how your organization can be included in this directory and on the web, contact marc@ssgm.com To find out how your organization can be included in this directory and on the web, contact marc@ssgm.com.

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INTRODUCING

NEW

NOW WITH

with

Cor-Guard Inhibitors TM

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After 80 years of quality and innovation, Prestone has taken engine coolant technology to a whole new level • Improved Extended Life Technology to keep engines running longer in ANY make or model • Prevents Corrosion • Mixes with ANY color antifreeze/coolant • Will NOT void the manufacturer’s warranty

FRAM Group Canada Inc., 2430 Meadowpine Blvd., Unit 107, Mississauga ON, L5N 6S2

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MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICES REQUIRES THE RIGHT INFORMATION. FIND THE RIGHT INFORMATION ON BMW4IR.CA. Introducing bmw4ir.ca – BMW Group Canada’s portal for independent repair facilities performing quality repairs on BMWs and MINIs. Service your customer’s vehicle with confidence by having all the information you need – right at your fingertips, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

By signing up for bmw4ir.ca today, you will immediately benefit from: • • • • •

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Visit bmw4ir.ca today to setup your account, and register to enter the Star Approved Tires Promotion for your chance to win a BMW M Watch.

To learn more, contact your BMW or MINI Retailer.

BMW GROUP ©2014 BMW Canada Inc. “BMW”, the BMW logo, BMW model designations and all other BMW related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive property and/or trademarks of BMW AG, used under licence.

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