Radiator April 2024 Issue

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Winter is coming, grasshoppers

You’re probably familiar with the tale of the ant and the grasshopper. That’s the one where the ant is busy over summer, getting ready for the harsh winter. While the lazy grasshopper goes to the cricket and has his mates round for a BBQ.

Something like that, anyway. So, when winter comes, the ant is smug and full of food, while the grasshopper is freezing in his fibro house, living off specials from Pak ‘n Save.

Now is the time to be more like the ant, less the grasshopper. Because in a business sense, winter seems to be encroaching.

The last few years have been busy times. Staff shortages have meant working to full capacity, high levels of productivity, and an ability to sometimes pick and choose your work.

But it’s also a reflection that the full effects of recession on spending have not, to date, been felt.

It would appear that’s about to change.

Earlier this month, confirmation came that we are in (minor) recession. And as more and more homeowners face mortgage rate rises – or indeed, the prospect of selling their property – spending is going to slow down.

Good news if you’re the Reserve Bank, with its tunnel vision focus on inflation.

Less good if you’re in the automotive sector.

Because there’s a real chance that when consumers come to

the workshop, they’ll defer that service their car needs. They’ll try and drive on those tyres just a bit longer, even though they’re borderline bald, and those brake pads can last a little longer too, eh. Maybe they’ll just be driving less. And as most of our fleet is still ICE, that means less spent at the pump. And less spent in the shop on site. As long as there’s no rust in that ding in the fender, why bother getting it fixed if it’s not covered by insurance? That money can be used for more essential items.

For some people, perhaps it’s time to review whether it’s a good idea to drive at all. Public transport is viable, and who cares if it’s late and you’ve caught Covid -19 off your seat-mate if it means you can make the mortgage payment?

So the question is, how prepared are you for a change in consumer spending?

If you haven’t already, now is the time to be planning and putting in place steps to counter it. Obviously, that means making sure you’re in solid shape financially. Look at business expenses, and where savings can be made.

But it’s also a good time to look at the top-line. Think about your advertising. It’s a well-recognised fact that people spend less on marketing in a recession. In fact,

modern wisdom is that you should do the opposite –businesses that advertise in tough times, not just good, will actually reap the benefits of attracting cautious consumers. Look at what MTA offers. Our HR team can help you run your eye over your team, and how you can support and strengthen them. The last thing you need right now is staff turnover, or to tolerate someone that isn’t pulling their weight any longer.

Are you maximising the MTA member benefits? There are ways of saving money and sweetening the pot for your employees. Take full advantage – that’s what they’re there for!

In good times, but especially in the tough ones, remember MTA is here to support you all. Even grasshoppers.

The SGM will be conducted over Teams – a link will be sent to you closer the time. If you are not familiar with Teams, please contact MTA for assistance.

A copy of the proposed, revised rules and bylaws, including an explanation of key changes, will be emailed to you no later than Wednesday 1 May. This gives you three weeks to review and consider the changes. Please also use the time to ask us any clarifying questions prior to the meeting.

'The Government’s draft transport strategy is extreme and damaging'

In recent issues of Radiator, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere have shared their plans and policies with members.

In the last of the series, Green Party Transport and Infrastructure Spokesperson Julie Anne Genter answers our questions. Answers have been abridged for length.

What are your priorities for transport for this term in opposition?

My priority is, as always, to advocate for practical and effective solutions to the largest challenges we face. Climate change is an existential threat, and we have the opportunity to massively improve people’s lives while reducing harmful pollution. My priorities for transport in opposition are to provide a voice for the large number of Kiwis who want safe streets; an issue that never should’ve become divisive and political!

MTA recommends the WoF regime is reviewed. Currently, any vehicle registered after 2000 is on a 12-month warrant –that means we have vehicles 22 years old only being inspected once a year. MTA recommends any vehicle over 15 years old, or that has travelled 200,000km needs a

WoF every six months (apart from some classic or vintage vehicles). Would you support a review of this, even if it means working with Government?

Yes, I would support a review of our current WoF regime. As a member of the Parliamentary Transport and Infrastructure Committee, I welcome any collaborative efforts to make our roads safer.

Similarly, the emissions testing section of the WoF has been labelled a ‘joke’ by some of our members who test vehicles. Do you support a plan to put more emphasis on emissions testing as part of the WoF, and regular servicing, to reduce harmful emissions?

I wholeheartedly support a plan to put more emphasis on emissions testing under the WoF. Our transport emissions have gone unchecked for too long and are

having extremely detrimental impacts on both our planet and people. Air pollution from vehicle emissions alone results in 2,247 premature deaths, nearly 9,400 hospitalisations, over 13,200 cases of childhood asthma and more than 330,000 restricted activity days each year in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Many people are looking for ways to do their bit for the environment, but not everyone can afford a new, low emissions vehicle, even with Government incentives. The Clean Car Discount has gone, so what would you like to see done to ensure New Zealanders keep buying electrified or low emission vehicles?

I commend anyone attempting to do their part to help the environment, whilst acknowledging that not everyone can afford an electric vehicle, especially without the rebates of the clean car discount. I currently have a members bill in the ballot that would exempt zero emissions vehicles from Fringe Benefit Tax, as a different financial incentive to keep up the momentum of electric vehicles into the national fleet. This would have flow-on benefits with many company cars being sold after only a few years into the secondhand vehicle market

Would you support a scheme that penalises heavy emitting vehicles?

I have supported schemes in the past to clean up our heavy vehicle fleet. This was through my support of the introduction of the Euro 6/VI standards.

Many people do not know how polluting their vehicle currently is. Would you consider further moves to monitor and reduce CO2 and NOx emissions from within the existing vehicle fleet using emissions testing and repairs/servicing to ensure individual vehicles are as fuel efficient and non-polluting as possible?

Yes, absolutely. Education and increased awareness play a large part in social change. I would support further moves to monitor and reduce emissions where possible through emissions testing and repairs and servicing.

Is a scrappage scheme on your radar, and what would it look like? Would there be a social equity aspect to help lower-income families get into low emission vehicles?

As a part of the larger Clean Car Upgrade Programme, the Green Party would work to support lower income families access low

emission vehicles via new scrap-and-replace trial, as well as leasing of low emission vehicles.

Our sector is facing an ongoing skills shortage. What would the Green Party do to address it and what do you see as the quickest, best solutions?

The Green Party recognises the importance of a diverse economy and believes that the best way that we can support skilled workers in all sectors is to provide them with the conditions to pursue their training, and respective field, free of barriers. We assure this by providing an Income Guarantee for All; a commitment that no matter what, your income will never fall below $385 per week, after tax. This will allow students to pursue quality education and training programmes that increase sector capacity at all levels, both within and outside of the formal education system.

What do you consider a realistic target for road fatalities and how should NZTA Waka Kotahi achieve it?

I support the Road to Zero goals – this approach has solid evidence and countries like Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Canada and the Australian state of Victoria have massively reduced deaths and series injuries by adopting a vision zero approach.

Additionally, I would like to continue to see increases in well-signalled safety cameras on high-risk roads to encourage responsible driving, as well as more raised pedestrian crossings and larger footpaths.

The coalition Government has recently announced Road User Charges for EVs at $76 per 1,000 km. What effect do you think the charges will have on EV ownership and is it a fair price to be paying?

At the select committee – which only had a few days to consider the changes – we heard concerns from a huge number of affected people and a unified position from the vehicle industry to reduce the proposed rate for both EVs and PHEVs.

As it happens, the Labour amendment to reduce the rate for PHEVs from $52 per 1,000km to $38 that we supported was passed unanimously (an accident on the part of Government members), and the Transport Minister has indicated he will keep that reduced rate [since confirmed – Editor].

The rate for EVs is still too high, and we are moving an amendment in the Committee of the Whole House to reduce the rate to $60 per 1,000 km, as recommended by so many in the submissions to the select committee.

What are your thought on the draft transport strategy?

The draft transport strategy is extreme and damaging.

It will send New Zealand back to last century’s failed policies that led to New Zealanders having to spend more money on imported cars and fuel per capita than any other country in the world.

We can of course improve the safety and maintenance of our existing roads, and there is a huge opportunity to move more people and goods, at lower cost. We do that by investing far more in frequent, fast and affordable public transport and inter-city rail (and ferries) and designing our neighbourhoods so people don’t have to use cars for every short trip.

As you begin a new term, what is your message to MTA members?

Aotearoa New Zealand can get better outcomes from our transport systems AND radically reduce harmful pollution that is affecting our climate and our heath. To do that, we do need real political leadership and to embrace new approaches when it comes to planning and funding of transport infrastructure. I look forward to continuing to work with MTA members on practical solutions that will help us as a country tackle our greatest challenges.

Tyrewise scheme

detail

With the scheme up and running, members registered for the scheme can look forward to the free collection of end-of-life tyres from 1 September this year.

The scheme is designed to ensure the tyres go to registered processors and manufacturers so they get a second life in a new product.

Initially the scheme will cover all pneumatic and solid tyres for use on motorised vehicles such as cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles, trailers, caravans, all-terrain vehicles, tractors, forklifts, aircraft and offroad vehicles, whether they’re imported loose or already on a vehicle.

There are plans to bring a second scope of tyres for products like bicycles, and non-motorised equipment, such as prams, as well as pre-cured rubber for retreads, into the scheme at a later date.

Consultation on scope two tyres is expected in late 2024.

Fees and payment

There are different levels of fees for the various uses of tyres. Importers and onshore tyre manufacturers are required to pay a tyre stewardship fee on all regulated tyres entering the New Zealand market from 1 March 2024.

The Ministry for the Environment (the Ministry) and the NZ Transport Agency NZTA (Waka Kotahi) are responsible for collecting the fee. From April 2024, invoices for the fees will be sent out on a monthly basis. The invoices will be for tyres imported during the previous month.

It must be paid no later than the 20th day following the month in which the invoice was issued. This can be done by bank transfer or direct debit into the Ministry’s tyre scheme bank account.

New vehicle registrations

NZTA Waka Kotahi collects the fee on tyres attached to on-road vehicles and trailers when they are

first registered in New Zealand; the fee is included on the vehicle registration invoice.

This is a one-off payment for the tyres on the vehicle at the time of its first registration. Any subsequent new tyres fitted to the vehicle will already have had the fee paid when the tyres were imported so there is no fee to pay.

If you believe you have been charged the fee incorrectly for your motor vehicle class, contact NZTA.

Fines

If you are an importer or manufacturer and you don’t pay the fee, you may be prosecuted, and fined up to $100,000. Payment reminders are provided prior to enforcement action.

The aim is to recycle tyres into a range of products.

Beaming with success

There’s one brand of car at the heart of MTA members Naveen and SJ Mohon’s lives and the father and son mechanics share their passion for it every working day.

Naveen and SJ own Apex Automotive on Auckland’s North Shore and cater to a range of customers and a broad range of cars.

They’re South Africans living in New Zealand, but it’s a Germanengineered car that brings them the most satisfaction – the BMW, or ‘Beamer’.

“BMWs are my life and soul,” SJ

says. “They are what I am most passionate about - I love them.”

Naveen has been in the industry since he left school in South Africa and his vast automotive knowledge has rubbed off on son SJ, who apprenticed to his dad, when they bought the business 12 years ago.

“I worked as a mechanical engineer for the government in South Africa prior to coming here,” Naveen says.

“I used to do the work on all the ambulances.”

Naveen moved his family to New Zealand for a better life and better opportunities 23 years

“I did a lot of work on BMWs back in South Africa. The first automatic to manual conversion I did was with SJ when he was eight years old, he was right under the car with me and he loved it,” he says.

“Here, we do engine rebuilds and gearbox rebuilds, warrants, and we are low volume certifiers and have put state-of-the-art equipment into the workshop.”

SJ says he’s following his true calling. “I’m a car enthusiast first and a mechanic second.

“For me it’s about the passion before the work; I don’t see the work as work.

“If I’m not working on customers' cars, I’m working on my own cars after hours.”

Beamer projects

And when it comes to working on BMWs, that passion comes in handy.

“BMWs are not for the fainthearted,” Naveen says. And he has passion aplenty. He’s recently completed a ground-up rebuild on a convertible E30. Finished in blue, it took four years to complete, and was chosen by his daughter as her wedding car.

ago, spending two years working in Rotorua before moving to Auckland to work for Honda, then the AA doing compliance and road services.

Sick of the constant road services shift work and with SJ turning 18 and out of a job, he decided it was time for them to get into business together and indulge in their passion for BMWs.

Naveen knew he was partnering with a dedicated worker. SJ had been crawling under cars with him since he was a toddler, so Naveen put him through his mechanical apprenticeship.

“I doubt I will ever get rid of it as I put too much into it and my daughter wants it if it is going to go anywhere,” he says.

He’s also rebuilt a rare E30, a factory manual gearbox version that had been hit in the rear, and says it’s a keeper.

SJ’s love of the brand runs deep. He’s owned a range of ‘Beamers’, a 1987 35i, 1987 535i, a 1986 325i and a 1988 325i cabriolet. And there’s a range of customers from both ends of the spectrum who share his passion, he says.

“There’s the older gentlemen with his BMW and the young generation who are crazy about them, but don’t know anything

SJ and Naveen Mohon in their Wairau Valley workshop.

Naveen with his rebuilt E30.

BMW 635 CSI, SJ's unicorn car.

about them and need people like us who know everything about them.”

SJ did briefly branch out on his own with a successful mobile airconditioning franchise, but he missed the workshop and his dad.

He sold it and the upside was he could bring the air-conditioning skills he’d learned into the business.

“There was no passion in it, I started feeling like my soul was wasting away.”

He has his own vision for the future of the business and sees it expanding and becoming more than a fatherand-son operation.

“I want to move to bigger premises, I love seeing classic cars kept on the road and that’s going to be part of the vision for the future,” he says. Asked if there was only one car he could own, SJ says, it would be a BMW E24 635CSI.

“That’s the unicorn for me, but without that I would take a BMW E30 over anything. You can’t get the same feeling driving anything else.”

Tamara Silk, still queen of the track

Despite a season of challenges for MTA-sponsored drag racer and New Zealand’s fastest women Tamara Silk, she still managed to light up the track with a personal best time and in top alcohol drag racing.

Last year Tamara beat previous record holder Karen Hay’s 2014 run of 6.340 seconds with a time of 5.853 seconds over the quarter mile, which equates to a speed of 109.59 metres per second, 245 mph or 394 km/h.

“It has been very mixed and unfortunately we have been chasing our tails this season with electrical gremlins in the car,” Tamara says.

“There have definitely been some highs and lows and I did end up getting runner-up in the championship.”

Her pinnacle of the season came during the third round of the New Zealand series. Tamara achieved a personal best of a 5.79 second run at 250 miles per hour or 420 kilometres per hour in metric, well

and truly cementing her position as New Zealand’s fastest woman.

“I was pretty chuffed to get to the 250 mark, that has been a milestone for me.”

It was also Tamara’s daughter Lacey’s first season racing at the track and Tamara couldn’t have been prouder.

“She did four runs in the car and did amazing and just loved it and the fastest she did was 22 mph.

“It was all about getting her comfortable in the car, getting her used to the lights and, if she wants, next time we can increase the power output.”

With the season finished there’s a few weekends off before work starts on preparation for the next season, which begins in December.

“We will pull apart the engine and send parts away to get serviced and because of the issue we have had with electrical we are going to rewire the car to eliminate any problems going forward.”

Once the season starts up again

Tamara sees it as an opportunity to do even better.

“We will be definitely trying get that number a bit lower. I think we can still squeeze a little bit more out of the car,” Tamara says.

“We would love to get a low 5.7-second pass, and that’s probably all we can get out of the car without breaking the engine.”

Naveen works on the brakes of a customer’s car.

SJ is serious when it comes to BMWs.

The motto on Naveen’s BMW.

The MTA Bright Blue Badge sits proudly on Tamara’s dragster. Tamara Silk, record breaker.

Power Trip a game changer

An app designed to optimise EVs for private and fleet use has caught the eye of MTA member and EV champion Dave Boot.

Called Power Trip, Dave – who owns EVCity in Christchurch - says the app has potential as a sales tool for MTA members to give would-be EV owners confidence in their purchase.

“I got involved because I wanted a route planner, I wanted to reverse-engineer sales by putting a customer's travel information into the app and show what model and EV battery size best suited their needs,” Dave says.

“It gave real world range and made a huge difference to the customer's understanding, and it also showed what battery degradation was most likely to be expected during the vehicle’s ownership.”

The app is the brainchild of Richard Heaps, owner of one of the first Nissan Leafs to come into the country and rider of an electric Harley-Davidson.

Richard has developed the app into a fleet optimiser, which helps organisations with fleets of all sizes transition from ICE vehicles to EVs. It is proving popular, with Kāinga

Game Plan: Take the headaches out of figuring out how to reduce your fleet's emissions by letting your data do the work.

Link your telematics data to Game Plan and you'll quickly see where the biggest opportunities for impact on emissions are, be they replacing vehicles, changing up your transport habits, or removing poorly utilised vehicles from the fleet.

Ora using it to assess their fleet of around 1,000 vehicles.

“They can look at how an ICE vehicle in their fleet is being used and simulate what its energy consumption would be had it been an electric car.

“They have transitioned upwards of 30 percent of their vehicles from ICE to EV.

“It’s a big help with decisionmaking. There is no point in giving someone who has to do 150 kilometres a day a 24-kilowatt hours car. It,helps get the right fit for the job,” he says.

How it works

There are three elements to the app. Game Plan takes the headaches out of figuring out how to reduce a fleet's emissions by letting existing fleet data do the work.

Fleet managers can see where the biggest opportunities for impact on emissions are, be they replacing vehicles, changing transport habits, or removing poorly utilised vehicles from the fleet.

Then comes Optimiser. Once EVs are in the fleet, staff can use the plug-and-play EV route planner and charging infrastructure map. It lets drivers experiment with different trips, routes and vehicles to create optimised itineraries and confidently manage their EV charging en-route.

The Driver part of the app encourages safe, fuel efficient and low emissions driving while rewarding low-emissions transport choices, the aim being to transform punitive monitoring of driving behaviour into an engaging and rewarding experience for drivers.

Electric cars are two valuable products in one, the battery and the vehicle, and new battery stewardship regulation is emerging across the world. Track, understand and maintain the health of your battery with Power Trip.

Once you have EVs in your fleet, bring staff up to speed quickly with Power Trip's interactive, plug-and-play EV route planner and charging infrastructure map. Let your drivers experiment with different trips, routes and vehicles to create optimised itineraries and confidently manage their EV charging en-route.

Power Trip CEO Richard Heaps with COO Mark Hargreaves.

Fleet managers can also track, understand, and maintain the health of the battery.

Future development of the system is aimed at the heavy transport sector using the existing platform but catering to EV trucks, enabling transport operators to upload their routes and data and work out what new developments in EV heavy transport could suit their needs.

Range anxiety

Richard’s journey to build the app was driven by his desire, “to do something to make the world a better place,” he says.

With degrees in physics and mathematics, Richard knows his way around a spreadsheet and used those skills to plot his first drive in a Nissan Leaf.

“I picked it up from the boat and my first trip was to drive it from the

dock in Auckland to Wellington,’ Richard says.

He spent two hours planning the trip on spreadsheets using the cycling feature on Google maps to calculate elevations, what speed he would be travelling, and the amount of energy used.

But he hadn’t realised the elevations he was using were flipped.

There were charging stations in Cambridge and Hamilton, but he blew past them thinking he had plenty of reserves to get to Rotorua, but then a hill loomed large in front of him.

“The sign I passed said 50 kilometres to Rotorua and I only had 50 kilometres of charge left and a big hill to climb, that’s when I realised my mistake.”

It was real range anxiety stuff and

Dave

to make it to the charging station he calculated his speed needed to be 40 kilometres an hour for the last 50 kilometres.

He made it with 2 percent charge left – and the idea for Power Trip.

What you're telling us

Every month we reply to members’ questions and comments drawn from conversations with the MTA team. Do you need advice or an answer on something? Radiator would love to hear from you. Please email simon.bradwell@mta.org.nz.

"I see you guys are pretty busy at the moment in the media and it’s great to see MTA’s CEO on the TV representing us"

Thanks for the positive comment, we take great pride in representing the industry on many levels, it is an important function of MTA to give a public voice to our thousands of members.

"MTA’s Coast to Coast Golf Day was great, even though I’m not a competitive golfer. It was lots of fun, it was also a great chance to catch up with other members".

We take our hats off for Coast to Coast regional coordinator Jodie Worsfold for all her hard work. They day was a huge success thanks also to the local sponsors who came on board, without them it would never have happened.

"While hard copy is becoming a thing of the past it is still very relevant to have something tangible to hold in your hands. When one of us see something interesting or important, the magazine will often get handed between people so we can all see the same story or occasionally read aloud".

"I don’t do warrants, but I do the repairs once a car has failed, it is such rewarding work, customers leave happy and think I’m God at the same time"!

It’s great to hear members getting praise from the public for their service, you could always rename your business The Garage of God or The Great Vehicle Redeemer, the possibilities are infinite.

"I am wanting to advertise for staff, what options are available from MTA to help with this"?

We have situations vacant advertising space in Radiator magazine and the good news is it is free to members, additional to this, a member can also place their advertisement on MTA Toolbox.

www.mta.org.nz

For situations vacant advertising in Radiator please email peter.woodcock@mta.org.nz.

ADVERTISING RATE

Radiator is the membership magazine of the Motor Trade Association, the leading voice for the automotive industry.

Every month 3,500 automotive business owners and managers receive Radiator. MTA also delivers Radiator to key decision-makers in the automotive sector. Potentially, Radiator has a pass on readership of 28,000, including our online version.

"Do members pay for the Te Reo courses"?

MTA has been asked to do more Māori related courses by members, and the online Te Reo course is free.

It is heartening to hear from our recent survey, comments showing Radiator is being shared around. We take great pride in the content with the aim of catering to all members with a variety of subjects covered each month.

Radiator content combines interesting profiles, colourful features, specialist advice and industry insights. The magazine‘s full-gloss printed A4 format is the ideal size – easily read, handled and referred to

If you want eyes of advertising

Boot, EV City.

Richard wants to make a positive difference where ever he goes and often it is on his first generation Electric Harley Davidson.

Tickled pink after car theft

Many MTA staff love vehicles as much as you do, and have a story to tell about them. This month, Marketing Administrator Genevieve Zerf.

I got my first Hybrid just before lockdown in 2020. Having a limited budget, I found a little Japanese import, a little white Toyota Aqua. It was a great car. So great in fact, that while I was at work, someone decided they wanted to take it for themselves. I found an empty parking space where I left my car just that morning. With the help of the Police and the insurance company, I was able to replace my car within two weeks. When I was thinking of purchasing a new car, I know I wanted another Aqua. I found one in particular that stood out to mea pink model. I brought the image and specs to work to get the opinion of a very respected colleague, Tony Everett. He said, “Gen, you don’t pick a car for the colour”, but after looking at the specs, he agreed that it would be a worthwhile purchase. I wanted a colour that would be harder to blend into the crowd, but also a colour I really like with an added bonus of making others wince a little. So I got the pink Aqua. My kids named it Pinky Pie (Editor’s note – Gen’s love of pink is famous in the MTA office. See the picture of her desk on this page. Where do you even buy a pink keyboard?).

They did find my old car a few weeks later with the ignition damaged. So, yep. That’s my little car story.

Coast to Coast golf success

The first day of March brought a bright sunny day at McLeans Island for the MTA Coast to Coast golf tournament. With an EV City sponsored first prize of $2,000 and a trophy to claim, this was more than a fun day out; competition was fierce (but friendly)!

Pro golfer and former NZ Open champion Mahal Pearce gave some tips on how it’s done and oversaw our Gallagher sponsored closest to the pin competition.

Golfing is thirsty work and Coast to Coast committee chair Dave Boot ensured each player was well ‘watered’ as he zipped around the course on his green machine, amidst much laughter.

Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, EV City, Auto Super Shoppe, Canopy Camping, Gallagher Insurance, and many others, the prize table was impressive, and no player left empty handed.

Hungry teams were well catered for with a buffet dinner and delicious desserts, all washed down with a beverage or two from the bar.

The highlight of the day was seeing busy business owners, and their teams take some time out to enjoy a social game of golf, some banter, and the camaraderie of their peers.

The winner’s trophy went to Mike Glen and his team from Caltex Redwood. This is sure to be hotly contested at next year's event, booked for 7 March 2025. We look forward to seeing you there.

Gen at the wheel of 'Pinky Pie'.

It’ll be a brave thief to pinch this one.

A buffet dinner was enjoyed by all.

Committee chair Dave Boot presents the trophy to the winners Caltex Redwood.

Johnny Hobson from Century Batteries. Rosies and Tandem Smash Panelbeaters won Auto Super Shoppes second prize.

Mulder, a young apprentice who’s going places. Mercedes shares her thoughts on work and life every second month in Radiator.

Pros and cons of technology

Technology is evolving around the world at a rapid pace. I remember having dial-up internet when I was younger, where you couldn’t use it if someone was on the home phone and God was it frustrating!

Now you get data wherever you go on your phone and in most cases a home phone doesn’t even exist.

Working in a dealership I am lucky enough to see first-hand the way cars are changing to be more advanced than we have ever seen.

However, being fresh to the motor trade industry I have also never known any different to the newer cars today as we don’t often see the older cars. When we do see them, they’re often the problem of the older guys who used to work on them daily and know them like the backs of their hands.

I suppose this is where the conversation of the positives and negatives of working in dealership vs garage begins.

When I came into the industry, I was unlike the rest of my mechanic

peers, I hadn’t worked on cars in my backyard all my life and I also hadn’t done a pre-trade course. That meant I came in fresh with no prior knowledge and no clue what was going on. Although in a way that could not be the worst thing, as I had no bad habits and work could train me the way they wanted, I think it has also made me quite comfortable with the main brands we see at our dealership (Hyundai and Isuzu).

Getting comfortable

Being comfortable in a brand can’t be the worst thing either; I know them well enough, I know what to look for and any common faults are something I understand.

However, recently I have noticed when I get to work on another brand vehicle I find it quite intimidating, like I’m looking at a foreign object. I think that comes from lack of confidence and just being comfortable in what I know. It’s silly really and something that I need to change if I want to be the best mechanic I can be.

taking the fun out of it all or is it the best thing since the day you stopped having to manually wind your windows up?

Getting dirty

The great thing about technology changing in vehicles is the way that the computers and communication systems can work to alert you of a fault and even tell you what that is or at least where to start looking. By recording the DTC number, you can even search it up in the brand website and it will give you possible faults and how to fix it.

Modern-day cars can make things so much easier when it comes to diagnosing a fault.

Car starts to overheat? You’ll know because a light will come up on your dash.

Flat tyre? You’ll know this too because the TPMS will pick that up and alert you.

And my personal favourite; cold day and you don’t want to leave your house? No worries, use your app to turn your car on so it’s nice and toasty for when it’s time to get in. This system will also scan your vehicle for major DTCs and alert you of any problems identified.

Basic examples of the great things these new cars can do, but is it

I haven’t been a part of the world where things were overhauled but it seems to me that these days it’s more of a replacement fix rather than a 'pull apart a component and get it going again'. This is much more efficient timewise, but I can’t help but feel it would be a lot more satisfying to get your hands dirty and successfully repair the fault. I wonder if this is the same situation for garages rather than dealerships. One thing I really enjoy is diagnosing faults. A negative to working in a dealership is many of the faults we see are faults we have seen before and therefore if I don’t know how to fix them, the foreman will. Time is money and there is nothing wrong with that, but I find I tend to miss out on the exciting diagnosis side because it’s a lot more time

efficient to tell my foreman the fault and then for him to tell me what will be wrong with the vehicle rather than allowing me to go investigating.

However, this also comes down to my lack of knowledge, I know as I learn more I will recognise faults and be able to diagnose myself as my diagnostic skills improve. Another great thing about technology is the way that I can learn a lot online too. Once you get past the first six minutes of youtubers introducing you to their 2-year-old grandchild the vehicle information can be quite valuable. (Haha).

Recently, since my Aussie trip, life has been quite quiet, although it's hard to compare to the month of January where I lived my best life as a GRM mechanic for a week. The feedback from my previous magazine column and the newspaper article has been amazing. Although we are in April, this year is just getting started. I can’t wait to see

Modern-day cars can make things so much easier when it comes to diagnosing a fault.

With a couple of the workshop boys at a friend's birthday party.

what the rest of 2024 holds for me and I especially cannot wait for rally season to begin!

Diagnostic tools are great, but they do take the fun out of finding faults sometimes.

One thing I really enjoy is diagnosing faults.

From wrecking to repairing for talented Tess

Finding the right staff to fit in with an established team environment can be challenging.

But when MTA member Marty Jarrett was looking for a general labourer capable of a range of tasks for his Levin panel repair business Marty's panel and Paint, he was amazed to strike the jackpot with the first interview.

Levin local Tess Allen had no formal qualification and only a bit of experience working on cars, but it took Marty just seconds to realise she was a perfect fit for the team.

“After she walked out the door, we realised how good she would fit in, so before she could get back in her car, we had offered her the job,”

Marty says.

“She was the only one we interviewed, and her personality came across really strong. We really liked her.”

Since then, he’s been blown away by her work ethic and abilities.

Tess is over the moon too, and says it’s the perfect place for her.

“It has my love of cars and travel

Tactile Tess

It was her love of cars and travel that set Tess on her journey to a job at Marty’s Panel and Paint. Doing something tactile had always appealed to Tess. She taught herself to upholster with YouTube as a tutor and used the newly discovered skill to fund her wanderlust around the country.

“I was struggling to find work in Levin at the time and did a bit of upholstery work in Wellington and then I hit the road.

“I converted my car into a car version of a camper and did the North Island for about six months and then jumped on a ferry and did the South Island,” Tess says.

Her first camper-come-car was a Mitsubishi Cedia wagon, later swapped for a Nissan Primera wagon.

She ended up in Dunedin with funds getting low, so she went door knocking and found a job at an automotive wrecking yard. It wasn’t top of her list as a career, but it was a chance to get her hands dirty working on cars and increasing her automotive knowledge.

“Next door was a workshop, and we would take two wrecked cars to make a warrantable one or people would come in for a part and I would fit it,” she says.

Tess hopes that now she has a foot in the workshop door, an apprenticeship might be the next step she takes on her career journey.

Smoko Stumpers

Test your knowledge with our fiveminute monthly motoring quiz.

1. What country is home to automotive manufacturer Mahindra?

2. Do tractors with windscreens need windscreen wipers?

3. How many F1 World Drivers’ Championship titles has Sir Lewis Hamilton won?

4. Who is the world’s largest tyre manufacturer?

5. What was Robert Craig Knievel better known as?

and campers all under the one roof, and seeing some of the customers' faces when they get their campervans back makes all the hard work worth it,” she says.

Tess had recently returned to her birthplace after a couple of years travelling the country, gaining valuable experience working at a wrecking yard.

“Since I was a young girl, I have loved old-school classics, the look of them, the sound of them and the smell of smoking tyres,” she says.

Answers

Ratings:

1/5: Put your L plates back on.

2/5: Hit the books, rookie.

3/5: Middle of the road.

4/5: Close but no cigar.

5/5: Congratulations, you’ve outrun The Chaser.

on page 58.

Tess turns up the heat on stripping decals from panels.

Taking on Taupō

With the ITM Taupō Super400 underway this month, motorsport fever has gripped enthusiasts and created a spike in demand for technicians and crew.

MTA member and specialist workshop International Motorsport (IMS) has three Porsche GT3 race cars in their racing team on the grid. And that’s just a small selection from their stable, thanks to a boom in interest and a now-or-never attitude from owners keen to test their skills and cars on the track.

IMS General Manager Nick Williams says over the past year

their line-up of four cars has jumped to 13 and he’s keen to recruit new members into the team.

“Interest is getting back to the level it was in the late 2000s,” Nick says.

Currently in the IMS stable there is something for everyone, he says: three FIA GT3 Audi R8s, a McLaren 720 FIA GT3, a Mercedes GT4, five Porsche 992 Cup Cars, a 991 Porsche a 997 and some Toyota 86s.

“It is pretty cool to have a TransTasman Porsche thing going on this year’s event,” he says.

Nick literally grew up at the racetrack. His dad Lyall has built the business up over 50 years, and it was preordained that Nick would be involved in motorsport when he came of age, but driving wasn’t his forte.

“One thing you learn in motorsport is everyone has their role, and it is very much a team sport and as long as everyone is working to the best of their abilities, that’s generally when you get good results.

“I’m much better doing my role than getting behind the wheel.”

Mechanics needed

IMS is different from most of MTA’s core membership of repairers. They run a full-time race team of mechanics and crew, as well as a repair shop, and the day-to-day work can be pretty exciting.

Corran Kain, IMS’s senior race-car mechanic, is tasked with finding new talent to join the crew.

He’s been in the job for five years and handles training and leadership of the crew at race events.

Corran’s a great example of the type of technician they are looking for. Prior to joining IMS, he was a country mechanic from a garage in the middle of nowhere and hadn’t any racing experience.

“To be fair I would rather have a mechanic who has had no motor racing experience because then there are no bad habits to get rid of,” he says.

The job is a one-stop motor racingservice, that preps the car, transports it to the track, and provides the tools and team to fix it and run it.

All the owners of these high-tech machines have to do is turn up with their race kit, suit and helmet, and the team does the rest.

For 15 to 20 weekends a year, they’re at various tracks around the country racing or testing cars.

“With the new generation cup cars in our stable, there is the potential for some of our customers to go and do some Porsche Carrera Cup rounds in Australia and some other international races,” Corran says.

Any potential race mechanic who has a broad knowledge from naturally aspirated engines with carburettors and distributors to the latest tech is just what he’s looking for.

Race pedigree

IMS founder Lyall Williams, has been in the business for almost half a century and over the decades he’s worked with an honour roll of world class drivers, including Denny Hulme, Stirling Moss, Jack Brabham, Jason Richards, Shane van Gisbergen, Craig Baird, Jason Richards and Jonny Reid.

Lyall was encouraged to get into the business by late Formula One champion Hulme, who stayed actively involved with Lyall and his team until his untimely death at Bathurst in 1992.

There’s a staggering 21 National Championship wins connected with IMS and with them an impressive array of race trophies on display at the company’s showroom. And it’s not all about racing. The business also sells top-of-therange modern marques, as well as customising, restore and repairing vehicles.

Repco Supercars Championship

The ITM Taupō Super400 is part of the Repco Supercars Championship (formally Australian Touring Car Championship) and is the premier motorsport category in Australasia and one of Australia’s biggest sports.

Globally, it is recognised as the best touring car category in the world and a leader in motorsport entertainment.

The 2024 season saw the longawaited introduction of Gen3, the biggest revision to Supercars’ technical regulations in a generation. With Holden gone, Chevrolet returned with its new Camaro, with Ford debuting its seventh-generation Mustang.

IMS founder Lyall Williams.

IMS General Manager Nick Williams. Action on the track for an IMS Porsche.

Corran Kain, IMS’s senior race-car mechanic.

The pit stop team at work.

One of the IMS stable of Porsche 992 Cup Cars.

Advocacy gets Excited!

The MG4 Excite 51 has collected accolades for its simplistic style and is one of the cheapest EVs on the market so to see just what all the fuss is about, MTA’s advocacy team, James McDowall and Maya Polaschek, took it for a spin.

James is a hard man to convert to an EV; he would rather see a Tesla fitted with a V8 than drive a mainstream car, and he’s keen on BMWs, so driving the MG was a whole new experience for him. Maya has only driven one other EV for about 10 minutes, so she is pretty new to the whole experience.

James says

“I have driven a few EVs before, so this wasn’t my first experience in an EV, but they all are similar in the way the torque is delivered. It’s a good-looking car with good styling, and personally I am not a huge fan of leather, so it was nice to have cloth seats. The interior overall was nice, but it did take a bit of getting used to, and the little screen speedo and the tech and infotainment in the car was not overly impressive.

The existential problem in all EVs I think, is they are already priced in a premium space in comparison with ICE cars, so they are competing with ICE cars that have more features and that, in my opinion, puts them in a pretty perilous space.

The rear pillars had a blind spot and handling-wise it had plenty of power, but there was some understeer under heavy cornering. I did enjoy it, and driving around town, it was fun. There is also enjoyment in saving money while you drive and for the younger generation, if the price was better, it would be a car for them“.

Overall, I would give it a seven out of 10.

Maya says

“I did like it, it was easy to drive, suspiciously quiet and it had a nice look to the interior.

It was a bit simpler than some I have seen; I feel like a lot of cars have the large tablet in the middle of the dashboard and it’s too complicated for me, but I felt the control panel and the smaller screen in the MG were perfect for me.

It had regenerative braking, which was nice, and the racing-style steering wheel reminded me of a PlayStation game.

It has a luxury feel and a bit of class to it and there wasn’t too much technology to get distracted by.

I like the way it drove, it took no time to get used to it and it had plenty of power, but for me I need something with a bigger boot“.

Overall, I would give it an eight out of 10.

MG4 Excite 51

RRP $46,990 plus orc 51kWh battery, 125kW power, (Max) 250Nm torque, (max) 350km range (WLTP)

KEY FEATURES:

•4 speaker audio

•Driver's 6-way manual adjustable seat

•Range of up to 350km (WLTP)

•Electronic parking brake

•0-100km/h in 7.7seconds

•Rear wheel drive

•10.25-inch touchscreen

•7-inch digital cluster

•Android Auto and Apple CarPlay

•17” Alloy wheels with aero cover

•500KG towing capability

•LED DRL, headlights & tail lights

•60/40 split-folding seats

•Auto start/stop and keyless entry

•Vehicle to load functionality

•iSMART Lite

•4 Regenerative braking modes

•One-pedal driving

•Fabric seats

•MG Pilot - nine safety features

Looking the part in MTA blue, the MG4 Excite 51.

2023 Ineos Grenadier

When Defender was no longer a basic off-roader, Ineos devised a modern successor, the Grenadier. It’s the real deal, at home off road.

It’s not often you attend the launch of a new model AND a new brand simultaneously. To qualify that, a new European brand; that’s rare.

In this case it’s a group you might have heard of (Ineos) that is making something that reminds of a muchloved icon of off-roading, the former Defender 110. Its new machine is a reincarnation of sorts, designed to be as simple as possible to get the job done effectively and reliably.

Ineos Automotive has just launched its newcomer locally, the Grenadier Station Wagon. It’s a five-door and is set to be joined by a double-cab ute, the Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster.

Ineos is a British chemical giant and its boss, Jim Ratcliffe, is an off-road fan. He tried to buy the presses of the old Defender from JLR but was rebuffed.

So at the Grenadier pub he concocted the idea of a new hardcore off-roader.

To make it so, he inaugurated Ineos Automotive. The vehicle was named after the pub, which he subsequently bought

This is much more modern-day normal with decent performance, acceptable ride quality (for a body on frame design) and most of the mod cons; it’s no stripper. It does remind somewhat of the Defender 110 to behold though, especially from the A pillar back, with its upright panels and round rear lights. However, at the front the bonnet shape is different, while the headlights are more technical (LEDs).

At the rear is a 70:30 split rear door, the full spare attached to the larger section. It’s the familiar upright Defender feel inside too but everything else is novel. Behind the wheel, there are no instruments, just warning lights. The speedo and rev counter are in the upper right-hand corner of the infotainment touchscreen, easy enough to spot. Ask any Tesla owner. Not about the revs part perhaps. Below this is a series of buttons for the HVAC system while up above, aviation style, is another console for off-road controls.

It seems complex at first but familiarisation happens quickly. You don’t need to consult the touchscreen to drive the thing. Even volume and tuning are by conventional knobs, start up by key.

On the same simplicity front, there’s no adaptive cruise control, and no nav (it’s via wireless Apple or wired

Brand new and yet oddly familiar

Five years and a billion dollars later, we get to drive the finished product, as it had been envisaged, only back in 2021 the SW price was set at $93,000. Now it kicks off at $119k for the Utility Wagon and $120k for the five-seat Station Wagon.

Still, this is a far cry from the Defender 110 of yore, despite appearances. Firstly it shouldn’t leak at the first sign of rain and secondly you won’t be overtaken by trucks.

Android Auto). There are no road drive modes either. But it is welcoming inside, with leather trim and aluminium highlights.

Plus it has clever features: there are two horns, one for morons, the other a tooter to let pedestrians/horses know you’re coming without scaring them. And there are ‘Safari’ overhead windows, removable if you want.

Differences

Visibility out the back window isn’t flash, but external mirrors are fine for those

who can be bothered to use them. And you will because turnarounds aren’t flash either, at 13.5m, while there’s 3.5 turns lock to lock. On that, the engineers opted for recirculating ball steering because it works better in off-road conditions.

That also means Grenadier steering feels different on tarmac; there’s some freeplay about centre, and nothing in the way of self-centring. But you get used to this. It’s more in turnarounds that you notice how much wheel twirling is involved.

Words: Peter Louisson | Photos: Ineos

It’s so much better on road than the Defender ever was; the engines don’t roar at you, road and wind nose are well contained and acceleration isn’t glacial (0-100 in 8.8-9.8sec), particularly for something weighing 2.6-2.7 tonnes. Brakes are by Brembo so work well.

There are a couple of oddities. The shift lever looks BMW familiar because the powertrains are from the German. And ditto the wheel that’s sourced from BMW subsidiary Mini. Mention of BMW powertrains, there’s a 3.0 IL6 turbodiesel or turbopetrol. Your choice, no cost difference. The diesel makes 183kW and 550Nm, the petrol 210kW and 440Nm. They’re both strong down low.

Average fuel use is in the 14s for the petrol, and in the 11s for the diesel. Townies might opt for the petrol as there’s less lag off the line, while for off-roading you might choose the added grunt of the diesel.

Both are good in slow going though, and each is attached to a modified ZF eight-speed automatic transmission. There’s also permanent AWD with a lockable centre diff.

Taking to the trails

Riding high with 264mm of ground clearance, you have to clamber up to the driver’s seat through not especially large door openings. But these shut with a reassuring clunk. We noticed not a rattle, squeak or a buzz in any of the vehicles we drove. They’re solidly built.

The seats are wonderful, supportive Recaros, finished in cloth or leather,

and surprisingly are fully manual. That’s so you can wash out the interior safely. Always with simplicity, reliability and longevity as the guiding principles.

It’s the same for things like suspension; no airbags under there, just quality Eibach progressive springs and Bilstein dampers over Carraro beam axles. The set-up was finetuned by engineering partner Magna Steyr.

The Grenadier despatches the bumps well, and while not perhaps as pampering as air suspension, it coped well with the potholes on the metal roads, and up the rock-strewn (and coincidentally named) Ratcliffe Track. The long travel sorts out the worst of the gnarly stuff; sometimes you hit deep potholes and expect a thud but it never eventuates. It’s at its very best where it was designed to be, properly off road, some ascents over rocky terrain were certainly testing.

Even in the petrol version we initially drove with central but no front or rear locking diffs, this inched its way up inclines without any real hesitation, aided by the optional off-road rubber. Later, on the return trip in the diesel and up a more serious incline we selected rear diff lock.

While it hadn’t been scrambling for traction it was even more composed and secure once activated. The articulation is supreme on this too, helping to keep all four wheels on the ground and the vehicle inching forward in tricky going.

Curtailed front and rear overhangs mean generous approach and departure angles of 36 degrees. Along with decent ground clearance we didn’t touch down all day. It will wade through 800mm of water too. Hill Descent Control works precisely as expected and set speed is variable. The torque from both engines, tweaked by Ineos engineers, is something else, pulling solidly above 1,500rpm, especially the diesel.

Even on road, the transmission tends to hold a higher gear when you bear down on the gas pedal, lugging its way through, dropping a gear only when floored. Fuel use in the diesel was impressive; at the end of the day it suggested the tank was still full. The petrol we noticed was using around 20L/100km. Because of a caravan gremlin, we never got a shot at towing but it’s rated at 3,500kg braked.

Hankering for a modern premium mountain goat of an SUV that will go almost anywhere and get you

back in one piece? Ineos Auto has you covered with Grenadier, which also comes with a five-year unlimited kilometre warranty.

In brief

The Grenadier is built at an exMercedes plant in Hambach, France, on the German border. The Utility version has the rear windows blanked out, no rear seats and a cargo barrier behind the front seats.

A Trialmaster edition is optioned for extreme off-roading – raised air intake, 17-inch steel wheels, front and rear diff locks, BFGoodrich All-Terrain tyres.

The Fieldmaster variant is optimised for road and trail – 18-inch alloys, leather trim, heated seats, carpets, premium sounds, and Safari windows. Both variants cost $134,500 and come standard with the Smooth Pack

comprising alarm, front sonar, heated mirrors and auxiliary charge points. The off-road tyres and diff locks can be added to the base Station Wagon for $4,565. Skid plates and underbody protection come standard. Colours other than white add $1,105$1,510. A white or black painted roof adds $2,070. There’s underseat dry stowage and an optional lockable bin in the spare wheel.

Optional items include a rear ladder, mats and seat covers, rock sliders, light bars, and carriers/mounts for every imaginable item of sports equipment. Expect 5.5 tonnes of optional winching power should things get the better of you.

Model Ineos Grenadier 3.0 Petrol

Price $120,000

Engine 2,998cc, IL6, T

Power 210kW @ 4750rpm

Torque 450Nm @ 1750-4,000rpm

Drivetrain 8-speed auto, permanent AWD

0-100 km/h 8.8 seconds

Fuel Use 14.5 litres/100km

C02 Output 329g/km

Weight 2,643kg (claimed)

Blast from the Past

Behind the scenes

A guide to what happens once an LVV certification is signed off and the LVV Certifier sends the completed paperwork into the LVVTA head office.

Despite multiple press releases, Information Sheets, and even Radiator articles, there is still a misconception that once an Electronic Data Plate (EDP) goes on a vehicle, it’s finished and certified. This isn’t so – there’s a bit behind the scenes that needs to happen prior to an EDP being activated, and the associated data added to the Lookup function of the LVVTA website. Like we’ve said in previous articles, a vehicle isn’t considered certified until an AVI can scan the EDP and see the vehicle’s modification details online. We’re still fielding calls regularly from vehicle owners, where they’ve gone directly from the certifier to get a Warrant of Fitness, and they can’t understand why the AVI has failed their vehicle because the EDP has no data. So, here’s a quick overview of what happens between when the EDP is fitted to a vehicle at the final inspection, and the certifier is notified that the EDP is now live.

After a certifier completes their final inspection of a modified vehicle, they will compile and collate their inspection paperwork, photos of the vehicle and its modifications, and any required supporting information, and send it all to LVVTA head office for processing –this can take a few days to arrive. Every certification that comes

through undergoes a basic audit at the plating desk, to ensure that all of the modifications visible in the certifier’s photos are listed on the main forms that outline what the certifier is covering, and that the required form-sets (the checksheets used to assess the modifications to LVV requirements) are present and filled out correctly.

While it’s still called the ‘plating desk’, engraved LVV certification plates (engraved plates) are no longer the core function – since 2021 and the introduction of EDPs, things have changed a bit. The main job of the plating desk staff is still to process certification paperwork, but this

completed vehicle, now, once the EDP information is uploaded, that’s it – the certification process is complete. This saves vehicle owners nearly a week’s worth of waiting time, once processing and couriers are taken into account. Many LVV Certifiers are now submitting their forms and photos digitally, which speeds up the process further – although understandably there are still some less tech-savvy certifiers who prefer the old paper and courier system.

Unless a certification undergoes a technical audit (and often, even if it does), for the most part, certification processing is turned around and the EDP made live the same day as the paperwork arrives in the building (digitally or via courier). Of course, the one big thing that’s outside the control of LVVTA staff is that until a certifier submits their paperwork we have no knowledge of a vehicle, so

it’s up to the certifier to ensure that everything is in order and get the paperwork to us promptly once they’ve finished their final inspection.

Complex modifications, or those submitted by a new certifier (or an existing certifier with a new level of certification category) undergo a compulsory technical audit, carried out by in-house technical staff. This ensures that the certifier is applying requirements correctly, and provides coaching for a certifier who is starting out. The role of the technical audit isn’t so that LVVTA staff can take responsibility for spotting everything potentially wrong with a certified vehicle, or certify it remotely – rather it is to make sure that a certifier has taken note of all of the modifications to the vehicle, and has assessed them to the correct requirements. Often, for a particularly complex vehicle it’s good to have multiple

sets of eyes cast over it, and the objective is to work with the certifier to ensure it’s right, rather than nitpick them for getting it wrong. We have several career mechanics, an engineer, and a fabricator on staff, who all carry out technical audits – so there is no suggestion of a lack of expertise among the people looking at the paperwork. There are no great wheels of bureaucracy here – the staff at LVVTA build, live, and breathe modified cars, and we aren’t the box-ticking pen-pushers that idle minds on social media make us out to be. We like well-modified cars as much as the people that build them.

Got a question that needs answering? Have a topic you’d like LVVTA to cover? Let us know what you’d like to see in an future LVVTA column at: info@lvvta.org.nz

now involves populating the fields of the online Lookup page with vehicle information, uploading the certifier’s photos of the vehicle and its modifications, and making sure that the certifier has covered everything they need to. Engraved plates are still used for vehicles on an existing engraved plate that are either being partially returned to standard, or being recertified for a wheel and tyre change –more information on the plate reprint process can be found in the February 2024 edition of Radiator.

Before EDPs were brought in, plating staff would need to produce and send the engraved plates for certifiers to fit to a

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The introduction of the Electronic Data Plate has meant that there is significantly less time between the final inspection of the vehicle, and the certification being finalised.

Avoid putting a foot in it

By Tony Hutchinson, HSE Connect

Nobody likes putting their foot in it, and for good reason. And sometimes, an errant step results in completely unexpected outcomes, including injury. When that happens in the workshop, it is absolutely essential that you’re able to demonstrate that you’ve taken reasonable and practical measures towards preventing problems and injuries.

Take the case of one of our HSE Connect customers running a busy vehicle servicing operation. This business had only come on board with us a few months prior when they had one of the most dreaded of incidents: a customer hurting themselves on the premises.

A trip of a lifetime

As is so often the case, a service technician was discussing a problem with the customer’s car. While they started out in the middle of reception, the mechanic said ”I need to go and check the vehicle.”

Not realising he wasn’t supposed to go into the workshop along with the technician, the elderly customer followed. Unfortunately, there wasn’t any signage (such as Multiple Hazards Area, Danger, Keep Out, Employee Only Area) warning him that this might be a bad idea.

On hearing an almighty yell, the mechanic turned around and discovered to his horror the elderly gent prone on the ground. He’d had a close encounter of the worst kind with the protruding arm of a hoist, with the trip laying him flat.

A rapid WorkSafe investigation

Tripping hazards are among the most commonly encountered problems in motor and other workshops, and you need to show that reasonable and practical measures preventing people from plummeting have been taken. Fortunately for this workshop, all their health and safety measures were up to speed and, with HSE Connect recording every action and initiative, they had the records to prove it. WorkSafe did indeed investigate. This process involved a detailed inspection which included assessing the barrier at the main entrance, warning signs (if any – in this case, signage was minimal), regular recorded toolbox talks, Standard Operating Procedures, training, and completed audits. Even though the reception was short on signage, WorkSafe investigators were satisfied that the mechanic shop had done everything reasonable and practical to prevent an accident, with the case being closed within seven days.

Records count!

An accident is among the worst things you want, and a WorkSafe investigation arguably a close second. Good health and safety measures mean preventing the injuries in the first place and minimising the disruption and potential cost (in monetary and reputational terms) of fines and adverse findings should something bad happen anyway.

The crucial factor, too, is having easily

accessible records of what you’ve done. That’s what got this workshop off the hook quickly, as it had everything necessary to show WorkSafe it takes H&S seriously.

The good news, too, is that the gentleman wasn’t seriously injured.

Tony’s Top Tips

• Record, record, record! H&S paperwork is a grind right up until you need it. HSE Connect makes record-keeping easy and digital, meaning it is searchable.

• We all do stupid things sometimes. Make ‘risk identification and mitigation’ a habit.

• Look out for others! See the point immediately above, if someone looks like they might be about to step on a landmine, help them out. Embarrassment beats a broken ankle.

• WorkSafe doesn’t want to punish you. They want to help make New Zealand’s workplaces safer. Don’t give them any reason to find issues with your workshop!

Peace of mind, thanks to HSE Connect Built specifically with WorkSafe in mind, HSE Connect’s easy-to-use software already provides peace of mind to hundreds of MTA members. Members get discounted pricing and free set-up. Find out more here: www.hseconnect.co/mta or call HSE Connect on 022 643 1832.

Award winner’s gateway to the automotive industry

For senior secondary school students still unsure of where to take their careers, Gateway programmes can provide an invaluable introduction to an industry they’re interested in. With a placement at an automotive workshop, MITO’s StartUp® programme offers Year 11 to 13 students the chance to earn on-the-job microcredentials approved by NZQA and credits towards NCEA Levels 2 and 3.

With an exposure to different trades through family, Ethan McGrail decided to pursue a career in the automotive industry. “I worked on old army trucks with my uncle. He collects them. We’d do a bunch of random jobs that I wouldn’t have understood at the time - things like changing fanbelts and radiators, stuff like that.”

“I heard of the Gateway course at my school because my brother had done something similar a few years before but for building.”

For Ethan, completing StartUp® gave him the push he needed to decide to pursue a career in the automotive industry. “I’d definitely recommend StartUp®. It gave me more information about the automotive industry and I met other people who had previously done it so I got information from them too.”

Through StartUp®, students get experience in a wide range of workshop procedures such as servicing, tyre replacement and safe work practices. They must also complete a range of eLearning unit standards, demonstrating knowledge of certain jobs and vehicle components.

“I liked how it was easy to find information and apply that to the questions,” Ethan says of the eLearning component of the programme.

When it came to the practical assessments, Ethan’s work placement had him do a host of different workshop tasks.

“I got to do a lot of tasks with a bunch of different people, learning all the different areas of the workshop. For a while I was in the tyre area. I’d be changing and repairing tyres with the tyre technician. A lot of bringing cars in, stripping the wheels off. Out of everything, I like the servicing side of things. That comes quite easy to me.”

The workshop had no shortage of exciting jobs for Ethan to get involved in. “One day, we got to remove some radiators on these sports cars that came in – a couple of Porsches and a Toyota Supra. That was pretty cool!”

Ethan made such a big impression that his Gateway teacher nominated him for the Prime Minister’s Vocational Excellence Award, which he was awarded in October 2023. “I was initially surprised, but it was a pretty good feeling to win the award,” he says. Launched in 2019, the award aims to raise the status of vocational education as a viable option for schoolleavers. The award winner also receives a monetary prize.

With school now completed, Ethan’s next goal is to get stuck into the industry. “I want to try and become qualified and hopefully know where to go from there!”

Automotive events 2024

Old Skool Kool 2024 Christchurch - 28 April.

Euromarque Motorsport Park, Templeton.

A day out exclusive to all Muscle Cars, Hot Rods, V8s, and old School Japs/rotaries/Euros built pre-1990. The idea is if your car came out with Chrome bumpers from factory, you're good to go!

Cruise - Roll Race - Burnouts - Powerskids - Show & ShineTrade – Entertainment. Admission - $30, Kids under 10 free Gates open 9am -5pm. Tickets available at the gate only. Strictly no pets or alcohol to be brought into the venue

RE:Ignite - Rotary Drag Racing/Burnouts/

Show & Shine - Sunday 21 April.

Napa Auto Parts Dragway, Meremere Gates open 9am-5pm - Racing begins 10am

Spectators: $25 - Kids 10 and under free. No alcohol or pets.

Prowear Nissan & GTR Festival Christchurch

Saturday 27 April.

Euromarque Motorsport Park, Christchurch.

ORANZ New Zealand Short Course Champs

Saturday 27 April 7am.

Rush Excavation Race Park, Feilding, Feilding and District.

King of the Park - Grand Finale at Waikaraka Family Speedway Onehunga, Auckland.

Saturday 6 May - 6pm

Ethan McGrail.

For those about to RUC

Last month, the industry jointly submitted on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill. This Amendment bill was brought in as the RUC exemption for light EVs was due to expire on 31 March 2024. Submissions were open for a very short time, from 5 to 7 March, to make sure that this bill was passed into law before the expiry of the exemption.

MTA made a submission of its own, with the key point being the need for equity in determining the amount that plug-in hybrids are paying, as the evidence suggested that the calculations the Government proposed weren’t quite right. We suggested that a rate of $42 per 1,000km was fairer for PHEVs. We also supported an amendment that would allow the RUC rate for PHEVs to be changed if it was determined that owners were paying too much, as PHEV owners should be contributing an equal amount to the national land transport fund, and not more. MTA also co-signed the joint industry submission, alongside MIA, VIA, AA, Drive Electric and Better NZ Trust, which was based on evidence that MIA has gathered on. The joint submission also suggested a lower RUC rate for PHEVs, also suggesting at $42 per 1,000km.  MTA has been calling for the Government to introduce RUCs for EVs, as we believe it is fair for all

road users to pay their fair share into the National Land Transport Fund. While the exemption was originally in place to encourage the uptake of EVs in the New Zealand fleet, we agree that it is now time for EVs to be contributing to the fund as well.

The Government took submissions seriously, agreeing to go even further than we had suggested by moving to a rate of $38 per 1,000km for PHEVs. We think the Government took the right approach by testing the rates through the select committee process, and ensuring the bill is more equitable for New Zealanders.

GPS keeps NZ on course

MTA is pleased to see the direction of the new Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport 2024-34, which closed for submissions earlier in the month. We are largely supportive of this GPS; it is ambitious and provides clear direction as to what the Government intends to do with land transport over the next 10 years.

MTA has long been critical of the National Land Transport Fund being used for rail, we think it is unfair that charges levied on our road users are used to subsidise rail projects, especially when roading needs so much investment. It is a positive outcome to see the amount of the fund being used for rail is going to be capped at the amount contributed through the

of $640 million towards road maintenance. The Government also wants to review the vehicle regulatory system. Our view is that the WoF standard is in need of a review as well, so we were pleased to see this commitment. In our submission, we highlighted the areas where we think WoFs need to be looked at.

Other important updates

Reintroduction of the Roads of National Significance programme. These are four-laned, gradeseparated highways, and the GPS commits to getting them done as quickly as possible. The roads are intended to support economic growth and regional development, projected to provide access to land for thousands of houses.

Safety Reversing speed limit reductions where it is safe to do so, and instead focusing on improving road safety through other strategies such as safer infrastructure, drivers and vehicles. This includes a Pothole Prevention Fund which will go towards resealing, rehabilitation and drainage maintenance, with a requirement that potholes be fixed within 24 hours, which will keep roads safer and reduce damage to vehicles. There will also be increased policing and enforcement of road safety, including policing of driver impairment through the introduction of roadside drug testing. Finally, reviews of vehicle regulation will ensure that the vehicles driven on New Zealand’s roads are safer.

An increase in the Motor Vehicle Licensing Fee by $25 in 2025, and a further $25 in 2026, which will be the first increase since 1994, to keep up with inflation. This will be added to the pool of funding in the National Land Transport Fund Minister of Transport, Simeon Brown, has also placed an expectation on NZTA to urgently look at different ways of funding transport projects and investment, allowing projects to begin quicker. The Minister has also signalled that time of use charging (previously called congestion charging) and RUCs for all vehicles are being worked on for New Zealand. We expect these changes to be complex and take time to work through. MTA has offered to assist the Government on these policies

Track User Charges.

MTA has also called for increased investment in the resilience of our roads. With an increase in serious weather events across New Zealand, the maintenance of the road network is key for ensuring continual access and safety on our roads, and this is something the Government agrees with also. The GPS commits to an increase

Maya.polaschek@mta.org.nz

James.mcdowall@mta.org.nz

Managing drug and alcohol issues

Use of drugs and alcohol can lead to the employee putting themselves and others at serious risks while at work. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2003, both the employee and the employer have an obligation to keep the workplace safe therefore, employers must protect their employees from risks as is reasonably practicable.

and safe workplace environment to their employees; however, employees also have a duty to take reasonable care for their own and others' safety. They must always comply with reasonable policies and procedures that the employer has in place.

Pre-employment testing

It is a good practice to conduct pre-employment drug and

Prabha.raman@mta.org.nz

seek employee consent before conducting such testing.

Policies and procedures

We strongly recommend having a drugs and alcohol policy in addition to an overarching health and safety policy. The policy will help ensure a safe and productive work environment by prohibiting drug and alcohol misuse. The policy must contain the following:

misconduct may be made and a disciplinary action ranging from a written warning to dismissal from employment may be taken following an investigation process. The employee may also be suspended (on pay) from work during the investigation process following a consultation.

Keeping employees safe

Employers can take a proactive approach to keeping their employees safe by:

•having good management processes

•keeping channels of communication open with employees

•being aware of signs and symptoms of impairment

•introducing a culture of recognising and reporting risks.

Support measures

It is important to deal with matters of drugs and alcohol use at work in a sensitive and supportive manner.

•EAP services - You can refer an employee with such issues for counselling via Employee Assistance Program (EAP) services. This is free for all MTA members and their staff. The employee just needs to call 0800 327 669 to book an appointment and let them know that you are an MTA member.

•Refer to other counselling services/Programmes – The employee may be referred to other counselling services or rehabilitation programmes. Attending such programmes is at the employee’s discretion.

•Time off work – You can give

while they attend a rehabilitation programme and keep their role open for that period.

•Ensure that you communicate well with the employee and operate with empathy.

•Treating with dignity and maintaining confidentiality –There is often a stigma attached to employees battling drug and alcohol issues. Drug and alcohol abuse must be treated like any other mental health condition and therefore the employee must be treated with dignity. Employers must always keep such matters confidential.

Please contact MTA HR if you need

Time: the most valuable currency

One currency stands above all others in life, and that is time. Finding a balance with professional and personal time, the value of time becomes increasingly important. In an industry where we are seeing rapid advancements in technology along with increasing competition to find employees, mastering the art of investing time rather than merely spending it holds the key to unlocking full potential and success for many businesses. All of us have the same number of hours in each day. The difference is, how we utilise them in a way in which we think about time as a currency for our business and our people within our business.

A valid question is, what sets apart those who thrive from those who merely survive in business? The distinction is between investing time and spending time.

To invest time is to allocate it thoughtfully and purposefully towards activities that deliver longterm benefits. It involves setting clear goals, prioritising tasks, and maintaining focus from distractions. Alternatively, spending time can be viewed as consumption of hours without a strategic purpose or direction. Spending time rather than investing it can lead to procrastination, inefficiency, and missed opportunities for growth.

Success

Successful individuals understand the importance of investing time wisely. They recognise that time is valuable and a resource that cannot be replenished. Instead of seeking instant gratification, they make conscious choices that align with their goals, ambitions, and aspirations, they look ahead and plan accordingly to make sure their time investment has an ROI (return on investment) time needs to pay off.

Professional development extends beyond formal education. It encourages a lifelong commitment to learning, adapting, and evolving in a forever changing work environment. It is safe to say, time emerges as the ultimate currency that dictates success. Whether it’s dedicating hours to upskilling through online courses, attending workshops and seminars, or networking with industry peers,

every moment invested contributes to personal and professional growth, this investment most certainly pays off for an employer, especially when thinking about succession planning.

Thinking about time as a currency, plays a major role in upskilling our people and creating talented automotive technicians and professionals. The same can be said for professional development that continues after achieving formal qualifications in our industry.

People who recognise the power of time emerge as leaders and trailblazers. They become ambassadors of positive transformation, inspiring others to embrace a mindset of continuous learning and growth.

The bigger picture

Time is indeed the most important currency of the working generations, and for most of us we work a diary or calendar of jobs and tasks we need to complete. We often utilise the diary as a tick box of tasks, never really questioning if the task is an investment toward the bigger picture. If we view time in the same detailed format that we view our financial spreadsheets, or better yet combine the two effectively, progress could be much more satisfying and much less stressful.

VIRM update on number plates

In late December 2023, NZTA

Waka Kotahi introduced a registration plate inspection for WoF and CoF to begin in March this year. Up until mid-February, I fielded numerous phone calls, emails and discussed this issue in depth with our members during the Sector Manager nights we hosted throughout New Zealand. The general tone from our members was, "What is MTA doing about this, and MTA should be fighting back on this", well we were and we did exactly that from the original submission all the way through to February this year.

To give our members some further information around this, MTA was requested to supply a submission on this proposal, which we presented to NZTA in early 2023. We cited numerous issues around

what was being proposed, and highlighted concerns that would come from both the motoring public and our inspectors having to comply with this new rule, and we (MTA) would like to have further discussions around the rule to help identify issues before being asked to inspect the vehicle. This rule is exactly that, a rule that is in the Land Transport Act but until now, has not been inspected as part of the WoF. NZTA is not bringing in new rules; it has basically been requested to have this inspected as part of vehicle compliance.

So back to December 2023, when the floodgates opened from members unhappy about this amendment. We continued to have discussions and exchanged emails and phone calls with NZTA

about this amendment until the start of February, and when we received notification that this amendment had been postponed, we were pleased. Most members would have seen this either in our EDM or directly from NZTA.

In our EDM I stipulated, and I must reconfirm this here, that this amendment has been postponedit has not been cancelled.

In all the discussions I have held with our members around this issue either in person, over the phone or by email I have requested that our members assist us in our ongoing discussions by supplying us with actual, relevant cases that we can talk directly to and share with NZTA and the other Government departments involved in this.

To date I have received absolutely ZERO communications from our members in an effort to assist us in bringing a reasonable outcome to this situation.

I make this point because without input from members we are literally flying blind, we can’t get a positive outcome without good evidence.

I understand people are busy, but I would like to make the point that taking 10 minutes out of your busy day to help is far more productive than 10 minutes of complaining.

Loretta.thompson@mta.org.nz

Fuel containers and their risks

Cost of living pressures have combined with safety complacency to result in a spike in the number of portable container safety incidents at service stations. To avoid damage to people and property, all retail fuel operators should be communicating to their staff and customers the important safety measures that apply to dispensing petrol or diesel into a container that is not part of a vehicle.

Oblivious to the risks

The photo shows an extreme example of a customer filling a plastic container with fuel in order to save a few cents per litre before the tax was increased (this is not in New Zealand but is a good example of the lengths some people will go to).

For those of us who have been in the industry for some time, we know for a fact that people will do seriously odd things on a forecourt. Softdrink bottles, paper milk cartons, buckets and yes, plastic bags, have regularly been tried by fuel customers in New Zealand.

So we are in the 'real' camp, or at least, the 'we have seen worse' camp.

One of the scary ones we see far too often here, are large portable containers being filled on the back of utes and/or trailers, under the mistaken belief that as long as it is diesel there is no need to worry about static. In the middle of a

period of high heat (summer), wind and therefore environmental static, this particular trend is worrying, and all MTA service station members are reminded to talk to their staff about what to do if they see someone trying to fill large containers with fuel.

Requirements and risk

The requirements when dispensing fuel into a portable (one that is not attached to the vehicle as part of the vehicle engine) container are clear:

•That the container be of an approved nature (this is to ensure that it will structurally hold the fuel without melting it and causing a leak)

comply with the requirements of:

•That the container be of an approved size for the fuel

*no more than 25L for petrol, *unlimited for diesel (but there are some conditions to manage static ignition risks, see below)

•That the container be placed on the ground to fill (or the static be formally managed through an earthing strap or filling spear in the case of filling larger portable containers with diesel where it is not practical to place them on the ground).

Any container that does not meet these requirements is in breach and should not be allowed to be filled.

The portable container must

(a) AS/NZS 2906:2001 Fuel containers — Portable — Plastics and metal (NZ Standards); or

(b) ASTM F852:08 — Standard specification for portable gasoline containers for consumer use (Health and Safety at Work (Hazardous Substances); or

(c) a standard referred to in a safe work instrument.

Storing more than 50 litres

If you want to store more than 50 litres, you need to engage a compliance certifier to approve the storage location, WorkSafe NZ can assist. The compliance certifier will visit your site to confirm that the substance is stored safely, consistent with the

hazardous substances legislation. The compliance certifier will issue you with a location compliance certificate. (Source: WorkSafe NZ).

Responsibility

It falls to the service station operator to ensure that they are monitoring their forecourt and ensuring that customers are complying with these requirements.

The pumps should be shut down if the console operator knows or suspects that there is a customer in breach of these requirements.

It is important for customers to comply with these requirements, and for the staff onsite to be vigilant, because:

•the dispensing into a portable container creates static, and if the

container is not grounded then that static could cause a fire.

•inappropriate containers pose the risk of spills, vapour injuries and environmental contamination.

In the case of the video linked at the start of the article with the Irishman and his bags of fuel, the worst of these risks have not manifested and while we all have a chuckle at the clear stupidity on display, it is important that we also focus on ensuring that it is not allowed to occur at our members' service stations, because the risk of damage to property, environment and person is real and high, and can be managed through appropriate forecourt supervision.

Step away from the tools

It’s incredible how quickly April has arrived, what a start to 2024!

The recent inclusion of the Collision Repair Association (CRA) as a chapter of MTA heralds a fresh start, promising a journey of collaboration and streamlining for the betterment of you, our member. As we head into the unknown for some of us it is exciting, especially with the 111th Collision Repair Association conference on the horizon. Set against the backdrop of the Viaduct Events Centre, this year’s conference promises to be a game changer.

Past conferences

Reflecting on past conferences, I recall my first attendance at the CRA/Motor Body Builders Association Conference in Hamilton back in the 80s. Having been not long into my career, the experience was enlightening, as we explored industry and some of the advancements, such as the introduction of heated spray booths and innovative two-pack paint systems. A visit to some of Hamilton’s top panel shops including Mills Panel and Paint showcased the investment made by Kevin and Carol Mills that set a precedent for local businesses to strive for.

The conference symbolised the coming together of likeminded businesses, looking at the future, encouragement, and enjoyment

Larry.fallowfield@mta.org.nz

that remain integral to upcoming conferences.

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of attending and participating in numerous CRA conferences across New Zealand and Australia, each one upholding these core principles in diverse locations ranging from New Plymouth to Christchurch, Melbourne and beyond.

Outstanding event

For those who have yet to experience a CRA conference, 2024 presents a timely moment for you, and for those who have attended before, now is the time to join us at the Viaduct Events Centre for what promises to be an outstanding event.

Perfectly capturing the theme 'Sailing into the Future.' the venue, steeped in maritime history, has played host to some remarkable occasions, from the launch of Emirates Team New Zealand yachts to the Auckland boat show.

Now, it sets the stage for history to unfold once again, with a stellar speaker line-up including Stewart Darling, Doug Blair and Phil O'Reilly, breakout sessions, a partners programme, gala awards dinner and a trade expo. It will see over 400 delegates attend and 40 exhibitors showcasing the latest innovations in the collision repair industry.

Inspiring presentations

In the words of the organisers, step away from the tools and join over 400 members from around the country for inspiring presentations, exciting glimpses of the future and great social events.

For further details about the Collision Repair Association Conference taking place on 6-8 June 2024 at the Viaduct Events Centre, Auckland, please visit the MTA toolbox or the CRA website, or scan the QR code on the conference advertisement on the next page.

SPEAKERS INCLUDE

Over 400 delegates and more than 40 exhibitors are coming to Auckland for the Collision Repair Association conference 2024. Lead

Doug Blair Phil O’Reilly

This years CRA conference is being held at the Viaducts Events Centre, Auckland.

MTA’s proactive stance on qualif ications

MTA’s Learning Directory was launched late last year and provides a comprehensive platform that consolidates various training providers into a single, easily accessible location. It’s a compact initiative that aims to streamline learning opportunities for automotive businesses across 10 key portfolios.

These include business efficiency, human resources and employment relations, health and safety, mental health and wellbeing, and vehicle compliance.

The remainder are new talent pretrade and apprenticeship, emerging technologies and continuous development, literacy and numeracy, customer experience and sales, and environmental sustainability.

Opportunities

Within the directory, more than 150 training opportunities are available. They cover a diverse range of topics essential for keeping businesses and their staff up to date on key regulation requirements, or to assist in the upskilling of personnel within your business.

From mastering Google’s business tools to maximising value from your marketing investments, navigating the Privacy Act 2020 and privacybreach reporting, minimising conflict in the workplace, health and safety essentials, dealing with difficult customers, and insights into industryspecific initiatives, such as the Tyrewise programme, the training available caters to a variety of technical and professional needs.

In addition to facilitating access to

Larry.fallowfield@mta.org.nz

existing training, MTA has been actively engaged in strategic collaborations to shape future vocational education.

Loretta Thompson, the MTA's dedicated learning and development manager, has been working with some MTA members and Hanga Aro Rau Workforce Development Council (WDC) to identify industry-specific training needs.

The primary emphasis has been on renewing or introducing qualifications specifically tailored to the automotive sector, and the aim of this is facilitating the upskilling of existing personnel or engaging new individuals into the industry.

Three potential qualifications have emerged from industry collaboration and are all at New Zealand Certificate Level 4. They are an electric and hybrid vehicle apprenticeship, automotive sales, and grooming and detailing.

Through member discussions and database research, a previous qualification in vehicle sales from MITO surfaced.

Despite recently low uptake, current industry changes have emphasised its renewed significance with regulations.

These include compliant access to the motor-vehicle register and annual reporting related to it, privacy training, understanding the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act, Consumer Guarantees Act, vehicle emissions and energy economy labels, and safety ratings, to name a few.

And now road-user charges for battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids can be added into the mix.

New vehicles

With Q1 2024 now completed we see Toyota dominating with 7,002 and 28 percent of the registrations followed by Ford and Mitsubishi with 4,92, and 19 percent along with 3,979 and 16 percent respectively.

Ford Ranger topped the registrations at the end of Q1 with 3,432 and 21 percent, Toyota Hilux with 1,961, 12 percent and Toyota Rav4 rounded out the top three with 1,876 and nearly 12 percent market share.

Training essential

I believe that comprehensive training in automotive sales has become essential and, as technologies such as electrified vehicles become more mainstream, correct training will become essential for businesses.

Recognising the importance of industry input, MTA has taken a proactive stance in advocating for relevant qualifications. By engaging with the WDC and now initiating upcoming surveys among our membership base, the association is seeking to gauge industry interest and ascertain the potential value of these certifications to automotive companies.

These efforts aim to provide first-hand evidence of industry demands, thereby influencing the WDC’s priorities in introducing or reintroducing qualifications aligned with industry needs.

MTA’s commitment to fostering continuous learning and development in the automotive sector is represented through initiatives such as the Learning Directory and strategic partnerships with organisations like the WDC. By facilitating access to a diverse array of training opportunities and advocating for industry-specific qualifications, we are endeavouring to empower business owners with the knowledge and skills necessary to thrive in a dynamic and competitive landscape.

If you’re not an MTA member but you would like to have your say and to be a part of the association survey, please email me at larry.fallowfield@ mta.org.nz.

Total new passenger and new light commercial vehicle market in March saw 11,604 units registered, down 27 percent on March 2023; 7,561 were passenger and 4,043 were light commercial vehicles.

Brand performance

Toyota has continued its monthly dominance again in March with 28 percent and 2,390 units, Mitsubishi

came in second with 17.5 percent of the total monthly volume and 1,489 units, Ford rounded out the top three for overall registrations in March 2024 with 1,409 units and 16.5 percent. Ford Ranger topped the 1,000 units in March 2024 with 1,006 and 17.7 percent of the monthly registrations. Toyota Rav4 came in second with 791 registrations and Mitsubishi Triton with 681 units at 12 percent relegated the Toyota Hilux into fourth position for March 2024.

New 2024 Lexus LBX petrol

DRIVE TECHNOLOGY MIX

In fuel type category for Q1, ICE stayed high at 74.4 percent compared to 71 percent in March 2023, Hybrid was also strong in Q1 at 20.2 percent, EVs came up to 3.7 percent and PHEV came in at 1.7 percent in Q1 2024

Used

The used import passenger and light commercial vehicle sector saw March 2024 finish down 7 percent on March 2023, the sector is still running above last years Q1, with an 8 percent increase over Q1 2023 with 28,587 units verses 26,424 in Q1 2023. March 2024 saw a total of 8,943 passenger and 566 light commercial vehicles registrations.

Toyota was again the brand leader with 3,799, almost 43 percent of the units sold for the month of March 2024, followed by Nissan with 1,300, and Mazda with 1,228 registrations.

Brand and model performance

Toyota, Nissan, and Mazda were the top three brands again in March 2024 representing over 71 percent of the total registrations for the month.

The top three brands finished Q1 2024 with 66.8 percent of the year-to-date registrations.

Used Vehicle Market Passenger and Commercial

Motorcycles

Total new road motorcycle market sales are down on March 2023 from 862 to 659, down 24 percent. Registrations are also down on February 2024 by 17 percent.

Honda topped March 2024 with 88 units and 17 percent of the total month’s registrations; Suzuki came in second with 81 units and 15.7 percent and Yamaha stayed in the top three for the second month this year with 70 units and 13.5 percent of March 2024 registrations.

The new over 60cc class saw 518 units registered, down 107 units from last month and 141 units registered in the new under60cc category, down 32 units on February 2024 registrations.

Top 10 Used Import Brands - March 2024

The used space is reflective of the new market with the over-60cc class down from last month's 107 registered units to 77 for March 2024 and 19 under-60cc registered down from last month's 25 units.

Brand and model performance

Toyota, Nissan, and Mazda were the top three brands again in March 2024 representing over 71 percent of the total registrations for the month.The top three brands finished Q1 2024 with 66.8 percent of the year-to-date registrations.

The top-selling model in March 2024 was again TNT Roma, hitting the 40-unit mark again and just under 20 percent of the March monthly registrations. Honda CT125 came in second with 12.2 percent and the Forza Capri with 19 units rounded out the top three.

2018 Toyota HiAce with 106 units registered – 58 diesel and

DRIVE TECHNOLOGY MIX

ICE dropped in March 2024 with 52.6 down 4.7 percent from February 2024, Hybrid grew by over 5.2 percent from last month to 44.9 percent, EVs came in at 1.1 percent and PHEV 1.3 percent.

Situations vacant - North Island

Automotive technician/mechanic

TARADALE

TM Autos require an experienced technician/ mechanic. We offer WoFs,services, pre purchase checks in a well equipped workshop. The applicant will be confident in carrying out mechanical repair and diagnostic tasks. WoF inspector authority preferred. Hold a full NZ drivers license, NZ residency and pass police vet and drug test. Email CV to go.tmautos@gmail.com, or see Matt at TM Auto’s Taradale.

Automotive technician/WoF

TAUPO

Morrell Motors is an award winning, multi-franchise dealership requiring a qualified Automotive Technician to join our team. WoF certificate an advantage. Contact Mark Morrell, mark@morrellmotors.co.nz or phone 021 759 070.

Auto technician/WoF Inspector

PAIHIA

Want a job by the sea? Position available at a busy workshop We're looking for a qualified auto technician. Great remuneration and relocation support. E: brian@boiam.co.nz or call 029 238 4088

Automotive technician

WELLINGTON

European vehicle workshop specialising in Porsche. The role requires problem solving and diagnose faults in a wide variety of modern and classic vehicles. Work ranges from basic service and WoF through to engine and gearbox rebuilds, auto electrical, performance modifications and electric cars. Email CV and cover letter to office@powerhaus.net.nz. Phone: 04 499 8715.

Automotive technician/WoF

TAUPO

We are a busy workshop looking for a mechanic with recognised qualification in the automotive industry or acceptable time served. WoF certificate preferred. A team player with excellent communication skills. Email CV to: office@mainlandeng.co.nz

Motorcycle technician

AUCKLAND ( Takapuna)

Qualified technician required for busy Service department. Great team with a new well-equipped Service department. A WoF authority is preferred but not essential. Please contact Sandra –sandra@cyclespot.co.nz.

Senior technician

TAURANGA

Herbs Vehicle Repairs are in search for a Senior Technician to join our team in our Central Tauranga based workshop. If you are capable of carrying out all types of mechanical repairs in our busy workshop that will keep our customers happy then we would like to hear from you. Contact us at herbstauranga@gmail.com or call 07 577 6535.

Panelbeater

WANGANUI

Tom Ditchfield Panelbeaters & Restos are seeking a passionate, qualified panelbeater or 3rd year apprentice for our small shop with BIG results. Small to medium repairs with restorations also. Drivers licence and residency a must. Looking for the right person who wants to further their career. C.V required. Enquiries to tom.don66@mail.com or phone 027 308 0614.

Mechanic

PAPAKURA

Small busy workshop looking for a mechanic with recognised qualification in the automotive industry or acceptable time served. WoF authority a bonus. Great communication skills and able to work under pressure and without supervision essential. Phone Graeme 09 299 9706.

Qualified mechanic

BIRKENHEAD

Busy workshop looking for a qualified mechanic to work on various makes of cars. Hours: Monday to Friday 8am to 4:30pm. WoF authority preferred, but not essential.

Email CV to birkenheadcarrepairs@xtra.co.nz

Automotive technician

HAVELOCK NORTH

We require a mechanic with WoF authority, not frightened of being busy and can work on a variety of vehicles, be reliable and trustworthy. Email: mcclintockmotors2014@gmail.com if interested along with your c.v.

Automotive technician

NEW PLYMOUTH

A great opportunity for a motivated, qualified technician to join our growing team. You will have a full drivers license, be trade and WoF certified or have the ability to obtain. No weekend work required. Phone: 06 758 3535.

Automotive technician/mechanic

HASTINGS

DC Autocare require an experienced technician/ mechanic. We are Hastings’ VTNZ Certified Repairer. Full NZ drivers licence. NZ or equivalent automotive qualifications. (3rd year apprentices will be considered) Ability to work unsupervised. Email CV to admin@dcautocare.co.nz or contact Dylan 06 878 8138.

Automotive mechanic/ technician

MANUKAU CITY

We are a busy workshop who prides themselves on quality workmanship and customer service. Needs to be able to work unsupervised, have good diagnostic skills and be able to work on a wide range of vehicles and a full driver licence with New Zealand residency or a valid work visa. Email: workshop@autoking.co.nz. or phone: 09 262 1271

Mechanic/WoF Inspector

AUCKLAND

Busy Automotive workshop - Auckland Howick Central. Are seeking a mechanic with any experience. Contact Vlad: 021 261 2604 or email: info@somarservice.co.nz.

Qualified mechanic

PORIRUA

Join our busy, friendly team at Porirua Motors. Contact Murray Phone: 04 237-4975 or directly to our workshop. Phone: 04 237-7979. 12 Norrie Street Porirua.

Senior technician/ Foreman

PAPAMOA

Work, play and enjoy life on the beach. Relocation costs may be subsidised. For a qualified, 10yrs+ experienced mechanic, we offer competitive pay. Send CV to jobs@coastalautos.nz.

Automotive technician

PAHIATUA

We are looking for a motivated, qualified technician to join our small friendly team. A WoF authority is preferred but not essential. Contact Kevin at laskeysauto@xtra.co.nz. or 021 803 238.

Service advisor

PAPAMOA

To ensure customers have an excellent experience, you’ll be a person who is passionate about providing outstanding customer service. Email your CV to jobs@coastalautos.nz.

WoF Inspector/technician

TAURANGA

Earn more money then you are currently, come and work with us. We offer a family friendly environment. Email: tauranga@midasnz.co.nz.

Phone: 021 102 9743.

Automotive tech/WoF Inspector

TE AROHA

Immediate start. Qualified or equivalent experience and WoF authority are required. We offer excellent working conditions. Please email CV to: service@summitmotors.co.nz or call Garth on 021 511 911.

Mechanic –

TAUPO AREA

Qualified mechanic required for busy workshop. Must be able to work unsupervised. A WoF authority is preferred but not essential. Great team with new, well-equipped workshop. Contact Heather on 027 244 2331.

Mechanic

KUMEU, RODNEY

Small busy workshop looking for a mechanic with recognised qualification in the automotive industry or acceptable time served. WoF authority a bonus. Great communication skills and ability to work under pressure essential.

Email Mike: admin@manukaautomotive.co.nz.

Mechanic/WoF inspector –

KAIKOHE

Looking for a qualified automotive technician with WoF authority servicing and mechanical repairs. Clean New Zealand driver licence.

Phone Richard 09 401 0155 or email CV to office@kaikohepanelbeaters.co.nz.

Automotive technician

GISBORN E

We are looking for an experienced technician who prides themselves on quality workmanship and outstanding service. By joining us you get a modern workshop with comprehensive diagnostic equipment and ongoing training and development with our Nissan, Isuzu and Hyundai franchises. Send your CV to Justin @ justin.kent@enterprisemg.co.nz.

Diesel mechanic

WYNDHAM

Enthusiastic diesel injection technician with common rail experience to join a thriving rural garage with a fully equipped diesel fuel injection facility. Generous package to reflect experience of applicant, with possibility for future investment into the business.

Email: redbarron222@gmail.com or ph 0272 417614.

Situations vacant

South Island

Mechanic/WoF Inspector BALCLUTHA

Seeking a full time qualified, motivated Automotive Technician to join our friendly team at our busy workshop, hours: Monday to Friday. Preferably with WoF authority. Full NZ drivers’ licence. We service all makes and models. Phone Allan Finch on 027 768 6697.

Automotive technician

TASMAN

We are looking for a Senior qualified technician to join our team. Preferably with WoF authority. We are a mechanical workshop/service station and an AA Breakdown contractor. We would be willing to offer assistance with relocation and finding accommodation.

Email chris.perrysauto@gmail.com with CV or contact owner Chris Atkins 021 540 286.

Automotive technician

KAIAPOI

A busy general repair workshop looking for an experienced technician, with a current WoF certificate. Contact Jason on 027 918 8685.

Automotive technician

SOUTH CANTERBURY

South Canterbury Honda service centre, after hours AA roadside contractor and carry out salvaging throughout the district. Must hold a full driver’s licence, have excellent diagnostic skills, time management and be a team player. Call Alan on 027 228 9584 or email alan@vaughanmotors.co.nz.

Automotive electrician

INVERCARGILL

We are looking for a qualified automotive electrician to join our small friendly team. 40 hour weeks. Email: service@dominionelectric.co.nz with CV.

WoF Inspector

NELSON

With over 30 years of experience, DS Auto Ltd is a trusted name in the Nelson automotive industry. We are seeking a qualified and diligent WoF Inspector to join our team. Competitive hourly rate offered. For further information please contact Derryl Henman 029 2412839 or email office@dsato.co.nz

Automotive technician

DUNEDIN

Opportunity for a qualified/experienced Automotive Technician to join our friendly team in our busy Dunedin workshop. WoF Certified preferred but would be happy to help you get qualified. Competitive remuneration. Contact Garry 0274 545 040 or email: bgapplegarth@xtra.co.nz.

Automotive technician

INVERCARGILL

New car dealership, Southland Vehicle Sales has a long term opportunity available for a qualified mechanic to join the team working on Kia and Hyundai vehicles. Please contact Mark Lee on 021 0832 3373 or mark@leerecruitment.co.nz.

Motorcycle technician

NELSON

We require a qualified technician to work us in our well-established Honda dealership. The successful applicant will need to be honest and hardworking, have a clean driver’s licence, attention to detail and the ability to work with our existing staff of nine. Contact Ian on 027 221 9162.

Businesses for sale

Automotive Workshop HASTINGS

Long established business since 1991 family owned and operated. 3-bay workshop all plant and equipment, SAM computer system, WoF, servicing, tyre sales and general repairs. Contact Clark 06 879 9487 email: clarkkelly@xtra.co.nz.

Automotive Workshop NORTHSHORE (O rewa)

Prime location/Long established business 3 Bays 2x2 post Hoist, 1x4 post Hoist WoF, Tyres, Batteries. Phone: 09 4265 783 021 022 45219 Email: orewa.auto2016@gmail.com

Ludemann Motors, Weston, OAMARU

Modern 360m2 building, fully kitted out. Quality offices, spacious workshop, lengthy and profitable business history. Located on the main street of Weston, top-notch work environment. Asking $265,000 Plus GST (if any). Business only. Contact Tony 027 435 5275 or Sam 022 062 9782.

Businesses for sale Services

Automotive WorkshopAUCKLAND (Howick Central)

Long time successful business. High customer base. 2x2 post hoists, one pit plus more. WoF site. For information email: info@somarservice.co.nz.

Automotive Workshop/Service Station – TASMAN

Situated in Mapua in the middle of the Tasman Bay. Lots of opportunity to grow an already very busy business. All equipment has been replaced over recent years. 20k invested this year alone. AA roadside contractor. Owner prepared to assist with transition. For information call Chris 021 540 286 or email chris.perrysauto@gmail.com.

Automatic Transmission Specialist - NEW PLYMOUTH

Current owner for 40 years. A very successful family business now for sale so owners can retire. Automatic transmission repairs, Power steering and general servicing and repairs. Currently working out of two workshops with the capability of reducing to one. SAM computer system and Excel run through the accountant. All hoists, specialist tools.

Grant: 0275 320 611 Email: automatics@xtra.co.nz

VIRM In-Service Certification Questionnaire pack

Training resource for prospective and current VIs. 14 questionnaires, marking and certificate of completion. Contact Fliss, Business Systems Sorted. Phone: 022 151 1243.

Email: fliss@businesssystemssorted.co.nz. www.businesssystemssorted.co.nz.

Need some help?

Simple, personalised H&S system, documented policies and procedures, hazsub inventories and office optimisation service - clearing the clutter! Contact Fliss, Business Systems Sorted022 151 1243.

Email: fliss@businesssystemssorted.co.nz. www.businesssystemssorted.co.nz.

To advertise your Situations Vacant or Business for Sale in this section please email: radiator@mta.org.nz. Free for members up to 30 words. If you would prefer a larger display advert, please contact Anne Nicholas 027 369 1264 - anne.nicholas@mta.org.nz

Let us drive your recruitment success

At Muster, we understand that recruiting top talent in the automotive industry requires a winning formula: a blend of expertise and cutting-edge technology. What really sets us apart is our personal touch. We believe in building meaningful relationships and making sure every interaction is tailored to meet your unique needs in the automotive industry.

Reach out to our team today! Ph: 09 394 7444 Freephone 0508 MUSTER info@musterrecruit.co.nz - www.musterrecruit.co.nz

Don’t have the tools for that tricky repair?

Andrea Andrew WoF Consultant

Email: andrea@wofconsultant.co.nz www.wofconsultant.co.nz National Service available • PRS, QMS and EVIRM Training Stress-free annual performance assessments• On-site AVI competency assessments (specific areas)

Phone: 021-2777-228

Smoko Stumpers

Answers from page 25.

1. India (Mumbai to be exact).

2. Yes. According to NZTA, agricultural vehicles with windscreens must have a windscreen wipe system

3. Seven, tied with Michael Schumacher.

4. Michelin (as at the end of 2022).

5. Evel Knievel

UPPER NORTH ISLAND

MIKE BURD Team Leader 027 539 4010 mike.burd@mta.org.nz

SOUTH AUCKLAND

MARK MOWBRAY 027 270 2665 mark.mowbray@mta.org.nz

LOWER NORTH ISLAND & UPPER SOUTH ISLAND

DANNY GARRICK 027 478 0593 danny.garrick@mta.org.nz

CENTRAL NORTH ISLAND

NICK MILLS 027 2099 494 nick.mills@mta.org.nz

LOWER SOUTH ISLAND

MIKE GREENE 027 497 1568 mike.greene@mta.org.nz

MEMBERSHIP SUPPORT

Member support team: 0800 00 11 44 mta@mta.org.nz

We encourage all members to attend the training courses, professional development opportunities or networking events taking place in their areas. Our region coordinators will let you know what’s on and when. They are also keen to hear your ideas for other training or get-togethers that you’d like to take part in.

The region executive committees meet approximately every six weeks and all MTA members are most welcome to attend. The more you get involved, the more you can benefit from membership. Just contact your coordinator or region chair to check the dates of the meetings in your region.

KAIMAI

Kim Preston Regional Events Coordinator Team Leader 027 280 0707 kim.preston@mta.org.nz

Dan Taylor Region Chair 022 014 7802 dan.taylor@toiohomai.ac.nz

CENTRAL WEST

James Candish Region Chair 027 226 3053 jc@vva.co.nz natalie.campbell@mta.org.nz

NORTHERN REGION

Amy Lai Region Coordinator 021 292 7652 amy.lai@mta.org.nz

EASTLAND

natalie.campbell@mta.org.nz

Shannon Morbey Region Coordinator 021 031 0075 shannon.morbey@mta.org.nz

Rob Wilson Region Chair 021 268 1781 rob@supershoppealbany.co.nz

Kelly Stephens Region Chair 027 366 0050 kstephens@hbtoyota.co.nz

COOK STRAIT

COAST TO COAST

SOUTHERN MAINLAND

Katrina Garrett Region Coordinator 021 225 5528 katrina.garrett@mta.org.nz

Leslie Baxter Region Chair 03 208 1234 leslie@carnabycars.co.nz

Region Coordinator 021 152 8232 jody.worsfold@mta.org.nz Region Coordinator 021 152 8232 jody.worsfold@mta.org.nz

AORAKI EAST COAST

www.evcity.kiwi 021 706 503 hamish.miller@op.ac.nz

L-R: Tony Allen, Grant Woolford, Bob Boniface (President), Sturrock Saunders, Ross Verry, Andrea Andrew, Joris Sanders.

Participating brands include:

WINNERS

Repco or Capricorn Trade Account during April to receive 1 entry into the draw. Each additional $100 excl. GST spent, will earn you another entry into the draw.

Everything You Need And More

The DEKRA Training Academy is an online Learning Management System (LMS) specifically designed to help you maintain your Quality Management System (QMS). Our packages are recognised by Waka Kotahi, ensuring your team maintains your WoF Authority. Whether you‘re taking your first steps or an experienced pro, our packages are designed to suit everyone.

dekratraining.co.nz hello@dekratraining.co.nz

MITO Job Hub

Connecting Jobseekers and Employers

Access the profiles of jobseekers actively looking for work in the automotive industry in your region and contact them directly.

Advertise job vacancies – and if it’s an entry-level role, we’ll feature it on the MITO Facebook page.

Register for free today!

mito.nz/jobhub