Eastern Automotive Warehousing/Auto Machinery - Autosphere

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS

Not What They Used to Be

BRAKE ROTORS

Correcting Lateral Run Out

SEMA AND AAPEX

Four Pages of Photos!

December 2009Volume 7, Number 8, $5.95www.autosphere.ca

PM 4

0014

105

Eastern Automotive Warehousing/Auto Machinery

95 Years Strong!

David, Doug, and Ron Vaughan

www.va lvo lin e .co m

More ASE-certified top mechanics use Valvoline in their own cars.*Mechanics can use any oil they want. They choose the one with a proven reputation for quality, protection and a history of innovation. Valvoline.

Only one person works on his car.

And only one oil works in his engine.

100 YEARS UNDER THE HOOD.TM

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Client Valvoline Canada

Client Contact Dennis Favaro (905-855-6500)

Creative Contact Jeff Maguire (403-398-5642)

Publication/Issue CASP

Filename Valvoline_ASE_Mech_EN_CASP.pdf

Date June 16, 2009

10 Exide BatteriesMore Than Batteries!

12 AIA CanadaAttention ASPs & Jobbers!

14 Eastern Automotive Warehousing/Auto Machinery95 Years Strong!

20 McFarlane AutomotiveFrom Tech to Jobber

22 Create a World Class Job Description And Hire for Keeps

23 Redline Detection Redline Does It Again!

24 SEMA in ColourBeautiful and Unusual Engines

26 AAPEX in Las VegasA Lot to See and Learn!

28 SuspensionBe Sure to Verify First

29 In Extreme TemperaturesDo You Manage Crises, or Your Shop?

30 Spotlight on MOOGChassis Parts: Solutions that Mean Business

31 New TechnologiesAutomatic Transmissions—Not What They Used to Be

32 East Penn Battery CanadaDuracell AutomotiveBatteries Now in Canada

F E A T U R E S

I N E V E R Y I S S U E . . .

14 24 26

4 Editorial Know Your Parts

6, 8, 37Around the Industry

9 New Products

37 Advertisers

C O V E R P A G E

34 Lindertech 2009Luis Ruiz, Part 2

35 Brake RotorsCorrecting Lateral Run Out

36 EQUIP AUTO 2009International Grands Prix Awards for Automotive Innovation

38 Garage Business The Caregiver

2 0 1 0 E V E N T S C A L E N D A R

January 11-24North American International Auto ShowCobo Centre, Detroit, Ml❚ www.naias.com

January 16-25Montreal International Auto ShowPalais des Congrès, Montréal, QC❚ www.salon-auto.com

January 19-21MACS Convention 2010Rio Hotel and Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV✆ 1-888-746-6955❚ www.macsw.org

December 2009Contents

www.bluestreak.ca

Visit us on the world stage.

Our new international calling card.by

CASP BS_Intermotor Contents Page material

www.bluestreak.ca

Visit us on the world stage.

Our new international calling card.by

CASP BS_Intermotor Contents Page material

| www.autosphere.ca | December 2009 | CarCare Business | 3

T his was started in the fi rm belief that it’s not important where a product is made but rather who stands behind it. Many

name brand suppliers have taken up this initia-tive and wear buttons proclaiming they stand behind the “Know Your Parts” campaign. Most of these same suppliers operate in Canada and also stand behind their parts.

This was all initiated because of the concern about low-cost, off shore, generic auto parts coming into the aftermarket throughout the entire supply chain. In other words, the whole of the aftermarket could suffer if the public loses confi dence in the industry’s parts and services.

ResponsibilityAs a shop owner, you have a responsibility to your customers when parts are installed on their vehicles; not just “parts”—quality parts! Vehicles of today are made to last 20-25 years. You should install quality parts on their vehicle as a return on their investment to make the vehicle lasts longer, and make sure the client knows that this investment is certainly worthwhile.

Low cost, low quality parts may not meet safe operating standards and post a possible danger

Rémy L. Rousseau [email protected]

In the United States, the Automotive

Aftermarket Suppliers Association’s

(AASA) “Know Your Parts” campaign

is an initiative of the association

and the AASA Marketing Executives

Council (MEC).

Publisher & Editor Rémy L. Rousseau

Associate Publisher Shirley Brown

Contributing Editors Pierre Bissonnette, Éric Descarries, Brian Early, Pierre Lalonde, Dave Redinger, Frank Tonon

Production Management Valérie St-Cyr [email protected]

Graphic Design Monique Desbiens [email protected]

Revision Shirley Brown

Administration Wendy Allain [email protected]élène Côté [email protected] Prud’homme [email protected]

Circulation Management Nancy Belleville [email protected]

Sales Luc Champagne [email protected]

Nathalie Plouffe [email protected]

Réjean A. Rousseau [email protected]

Garth Vogan [email protected]

SubscriptionOne-year: $27.95 Two-year: $49.95 Three-year: $59.95

Published by Rousseau Automotive Communication455, rue Notre-Dame Est, suite 311Montréal, QC H2Y 1C9T : 514-289-0888, 1-877-989-0888 F : 514-289-5151

[email protected] www.autosphere.ca

CarCare Business Magazine is dedicated to serving the business interests of the maintenance and repair industry. It is published eight times a year by Rousseau Automotive Communication, a member of AIA Canada. Material in CarCare Business may not be reproduced in any form without written consent from the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertising and disclaims all responsibilities for claims or statements made by its ad-vertisers or independent columnists. All facts, opinions and statements appearing within this publication are those of the writers and editors themselves, and are in no way to be construed as statements, positions or endorsements by Rousseau Automotive Communication.

Printed in Canada ISSN no. 1920-731X Publications Mail Agreement no. 40014105. Return un-delivrable Canadian addresses to Rousseau Automotive Communication / Circulation Department, 455, rue Notre-Dame Est, suite 311, Montréal, QC H2Y 1C9

to your client and you, the shop owner, who will handle the installation. You don’t want to install brake pads that slow down the vehicle; you want to install brake pads that stop the vehicle when and where it is needed.

This will add up for you; when you put quality parts on vehicles, you’ll be getting a decent return on your investment. In turn, that invest-

ment can be reinvested in proper training, new technology, new equipment, etc. If you install low quality parts on vehicles, you know the profi t is less, therefore your

ROI is less—the warranty likely won’t hold up, you can’t rely on it or the parts.

Purchasing parts from the correct source is also important—buy quality parts from rec-ognized jobbers and distributors. They will stand behind their products. When you install low quality/inexpensive parts on vehicles, you stand apart from the automobile dealers who claim they install quality parts.

You could loseAt the end of the day, if you keep installing low quality/inexpensive parts, you stand to lose. How many times can you go back to the sup-plier with a warranty claim that’s not worth the paper it’s written on?

Change your business outlook—install quality parts on your customers’ cars that you know will keep them safe, and purchase those parts from the most reliable source. It’s one way to make your business more successful.

Here’s another tip: Check out our website www.autosphere.ca—it contains all the latest news, events, products, and information on today’s automotive issues.

And we have renamed CASP; please have a good look at the aptly named CarCare

Business.

EDITORIAL

Know Your PartsKnow Your Parts

FSC PO

SITION

À REM

PLAC

ER

4 | CarCare Business | December 2009 | www.autosphere.ca |

Atlas Tire Wholesale Inc.

6290 SHAWSON DRIVEMISSISSAUGA, ON L5T 1H5

TEL (905) 670-9791FAX (905) 670-0581

EASTWEST140 McLEVIN AVE., # 6 & 7SCARBOROUGH, ON M1B 3V1

TEL (416) 292-8202FAX (416) 292-8177

[email protected]

www.tiredistribution.com

YOUR SOURCE FOR BRIDGESTONE TIRES

BLIZZAK WINTER TIRES

WS-60W965MZ-03LM-60LM-50LM-25LM-22DM-Z3DM-V1

GO THROUGH

SLEET, ICE AND SNOW

WITH BLIZZAK

Wells Launches Free Web-based Diagnostic Guide for ABS Trouble Codes

Wells Manufacturing launched the automotive service industry’s first free comprehensive, Web-based diagnostic guide covering every popular ABS trouble code on domestic, Asian, and European vehicles manufactured since 1996.

Available 24/7 at www.wellsmfgcorp.com, this new resource goes beyond simple code descriptions to provide de-tailed, application-specific diagnostic recommendations. The Wells team will continually update and expand trouble code listings and related information to help users more quickly identify and re-solve ABS-related issues.

Wells now also offers a dramatically enhanced guide to OBD II powertrain trouble codes. This free guide through the Web site, provides comprehensive, vehicle-specifi c diagnostic recommenda-tions by code as well as corresponding cause(s) listed in probability sequence. To use the new Wells ABS and power-train trouble code guides, simply follow the “Technical” and “Trouble Codes” links at www.wellsmfgcorp.com.

Heath Breedlove Joins Beck/Arnley

Beck/Arnley announced that Heath Breedlove has joined the company as its new vice president of retail and program group sales. In this position, Breedlove calls on and fa-cilitates sales growth with

program groups and retailer customers businesses. Prior to joining Beck/Arnley, Breedlove served as regional director of store sales for General Parts Inc., where he managed sales activities for more than 20 CARQUEST Auto Parts stores.

NaviGates—Online Parts Database Unveiled

Gates Corp. has unveiled a new online parts application database—NaviGates. This database enables users to easily search Gates’ complete line of OE quality aftermarket parts by vehicle category, VIN, or part description—all via an Internet connection.

The next-generation NaviGates provides application information for virtually any vehicle catalogued by Gates. This includes passenger cars, light trucks, medium/heavy-duty trucks, buses, refrigeration units, farm tractors, lawn and garden equipment, snowmobiles, ATVs and more.

NaviGates also gives users access to the Gates industry-leading VIN Decoder, prod-uct photos, routing diagrams, tech tips, training videos, and promotional materials. Download the NaviGates application by visiting www.gatesnavigates.com.

Federal-Mogul Helping Maximize Chassis Service Opportunities

Federal-Mogul Corp. is helping aftermarket distributors, jobbers and service providers maximize the growth of their chassis busi-nesses through the addition of hundreds of new MOOG replacement steering and suspen-sion products.

The company’s MOOG chassis brand engin-eering and product teams have introduced nearly 500 new components covering an ex-tensive array of popular late-model foreign-nameplate and domestic applications. In fact, 310 of the latest MOOG chassis product intro-ductions cover foreign-nameplate vehicles.

This year, F-M has introduced more than 130 new MOOG tie rod designs, over 120 addi-tional sway bar links and dozens of new ball joints, coil springs, control arms, strut mounts, bushings, and other precision-engineered com-ponents. The company has added nearly 1,000 new part numbers to the MOOG product line since 2008 and nearly 2,200 over the past fi ve years.

For additional information regarding MOOG steering and suspension products, visit the technician-focused Web site, www.moogprob-lemsolver.com, or contact your MOOG sup-plier. Visit www.FMe-cat.com for a complete product line part number look-up.

Succession Award to Marie-Josée RousseauIn the Lux 2009 contest, Marie-Josée Rousseau was pre-

sented with the Succession Award, Published Work for a photo of a tire recovery centre (using a Nikon D-200 camera). Said photo was part of a series on the environment and the auto-motive industry, published in a special edition on the environ-ment in 2009 by Rousseau Automotive Communication.

The artistic approach of Marie-Josée, who recently received a Diploma in Art History – Photographic Concentration, and who for the last several years has been contributing to the various activities of the aforementioned fi rm, is geared toward Quebec’s industrial landscape.

The contest, where close to 2,000 entries were submitted by 84 photographers and illustrators, was presided over by Frédéric Metz and Lino. The magazine Grafi ka dedicated a special edition to the contest organized by Éditions Infopresse, in cooperation with L.L. Lozeau. La Capic and AIIQ also participated in the event. www.infopresse.com/prixlux/resultats/2009

INDUSTRY NEWS


[email protected]


Atlas Tire Wholesale Inc.

6290 SHAWSON DRIVE

MISSISSAUGA, ON L5T 1H5

TEL. (905) 670-9791

FAX. (905) 670-0581

EAST

WEST

140 McLEVIN AVE., # 6 & 7

SCARBOROUGH, ON M1B 3V1

TEL. (416) 292-8202

FAX. (416) 292-8177

YOUR SOURCE FOR PIRELLI TIRES

PIRELLI WINTER TIRES:

YOUR BEST FRIENDS IN EVERY WINTER CONDITION.

Scorpion

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Winter

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Winter 210 / 240

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Snowcontrol

6290 SHAWSON DRIVE

MISSISSAUGA, ON L5T 1H5

EASTWEST

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FAX (416) 292-8177

TOLL FREE NUMBERS AVAILABLE

TOLL FREE NUMBERS AVAILABLE

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Winter Sottozero Serie II

(210, 240, 270) (210, 240)

Winter Sottozero

TN-December_2009.indd 11 11/13/09 8:56:03 AM

OTC Continues to Extend Pegisys Offerings

OTC announced that the company con-tinues to extend its Pegisys diagnostic platform with the release of its new ‘J’ Kits. Essentially, they bundle the latest technician-requested software and hard-ware enhancements, and is now included with every Pegisys purchase.

Based on direct input from technicians, new features include a 6-month initial subscription for Domestic/Asian enhanced

software with Pegi-s y s d i a gno s t i c information and all of the neces-

sary software cables, addi-tional diag-nostic repair

functionality and J2534 re-

programming capability, a 90-day sub-scription to Direct-Hit Technician, pow-ered by Identifi x, and a special trade in offer. Also, each new Pegisys purchased will receive a certificate for on-site tool familiarization and setup service from a certifi ed SPX trainer.

1-800-533-6127 / www.otctools.com, www.pegisysotc.com

KYB.com Wins Two AwardsKYB America was recently recognized

with two Automotive Communications Awards during AAPEX in Las Vegas. These awards are presented annually by the Car Council Women’s Board and supported by the Automotive Communication Coun-cil. They recognize companies who best provide automotive information through various media outlets. This year, KYB America’s new website, www.kyb.com, was recognized with the Best Website Award in the Business to Business Category and the Best in Show Award, also in the Business to Business Category.

INDUSTRY NEWS

software with Pegi-s y s d i a gno s t i c information and all of the neces-

Grote Introduces LightForm, the World’s First Flexible LED Lighting Film

Grote Industries introduced the first commercially available versions of its new LightForm fl exible LED lighting fi lm tech-nology during a press conference at the 2009 SEMA Show.

“At less than 1mm thick, LightForm flexible LED lighting film enables users to quickly and easily install LED lighting in tight spaces previously inaccessible to vehicle lighting and can even be sewn into fabric,” said VP of Sales and Marketing, John Grote. “Now customizers/restylers can achieve fantastic interior and exterior LED lighting effects.”

The new LightForm fl exible LED lighting fi lm is ultra thin, ultra pliable, allowing users to bend lighting around corners, over contoured areas and into complicated shapes. The LED strips come in power strips and extension strips and each power strip can illuminate up to two extension strips. www.LightFormLED.com

Success With Foreign NameplatesJohn Wamboldt of Albion Automotive is a Uni-Select jobber member and has had a

great deal of success recently selling Uni-Select’s Beck/Arnley foreign nameplate line. “Since Uni-Select got into this line, we’ve put in more inventory in order to give our customers what they need and we’re up substantial numbers with the Beck/Arnley line! I account this to having the product fi rst off, then being competitive and having very little investment involved. With that, we’ve been able to take the line and run with it and offer the service to our customers. A big plus here is that we have not hurt any of our other product lines.

“Uni-Select has the inventory with this great line, a good pricing structure, they built the program the right way and the Beck/Arnley representative is phenomenal to work with—part of our success with the line.”

Tenneco Aftermarket Team Receives Six Awards

Tenneco’s North American Aftermarket organization received six Automotive Communications Awards for excellence in business-to-business and business-to-consumer marketing and training during AAPEX in Las Vegas. Awards received by Tenneco included:

Business to Consumer

• Best Radio Commercial: Monroe Shocks & Struts, “Just the Way It Is”

• Best Educational Article: Monroe Shocks & Struts, “If Squirrels Could Talk About Car Maintenance”

• Best Car Care Clinic: Tenneco Technol-ogy Tour Monroe Ride & Drive events

• Best Educational Video: Monroe Shocks & Struts, “Wedding”

Business to Business

• Best Print Ad to Technician/Repair Audience Monroe Brakes campaign,

• Best Public Relations Effort: Monroe & Walker brands HTML eMail campaign


Quiet-Flow Muffl ers Now Integrated Under Tenneco’s

Walker Brand Tenneco has completed the integration of premium Quiet-Flow

stainless steel muffl ers into its Walker emissions control product line.

Available for a vast majority of top-selling domestic and foreign-nameplate applications, Walker Quiet-Flow SS muffl ers feature 409 stainless steel heads, shell, bushings, louvered tubes, and partitions. Each muffl er is manufactured in the same facility as premium original equipment units and is offered with a limited lifetime warranty and a 90-day “Safe and Sound” guarantee at no additional charge.

The Quiet-Flow SS product line is available and for more informa-tion please contact your Walker emissions control supplier or visit www.walkerexhaust.com.

Urea Diesel Exhaust SolutionBlue Def is a new environmental product de-

signed to meet the greenhouse gas standards set by the EPA for the end of 2010. It is a reagent diesel exhaust fl uid that, when combined as required with the new selective catalytic reduction system (SCR), converts gases into water and hydrogen. Safe for users and the en-vironment, Blue Def is a solution of 67.5% purifi ed water and 32.5% urea. Its consumption ranges between 2% and 5% of the total volume of diesel used. www.bluedef.com / www.societelaurentide.com

New Family of Radiator Stop Leaks

Rislone has launched a full line of radiator stop leaks in Can-ada including Powder Radiator Stop Leak; Liquid Radiator Stop Leak; Pelletized Radiator Stop Leak and Liquid Aluminum Cool-ing System Stop Leak.

The Powder, Liquid and Pelletized Radiator Stop Leaks use the same active ingredients, formulated for different applications. The powder comes in an easy-to-use tube that treats systems up to 11 litres. The liquid is sold in 300 mL bottles that treat 6- and 8-cylinder vehicles or fi x hard-to-stop leaks in 4-cylinder engines. The heavy-duty pelletized formula is designed to seal larger leaks in vehicles with 6-, 8- and 10-cylinder gas or diesel engines.

Liquid Aluminum Cooling System Stop Leak with Xtreme Cool is one of the few stop leaks that meet the stringent ASTM D6107 specs for engine cooling system stop-leak additives. It’s effective in cars, trucks, vans, SUVs, buses and RVs. One 479 g bottle treats 4-, 6-, 8-, and 10-cylinder engines. For larger systems, use one bottle for every 15 litres of cooling capacity.

Every Rislone Radiator & Cooling System Stop Leak is compat-ible with all types of antifreeze. The products are added directly to the radiator, with no fl ushing required. Get in touch with your Rislone representative.

Quiet-Flow Muffl ers Now Integrated Under Tenneco’s

Walker Brand Radiator Stop Leaks

SuperiorCustomerService

ApplicationSpecific Sourcing

OE Quality & Fit

Broad Vehicle & Part Coverage

ProductEnhancementsand Solutions

For nearly 100 years, Beck/Arnley has been a leading specialty supplier of premium quality, genuine foreign nameplate parts with the look, fit and performance of original equipment. Beck/Arnley offers broad vehicle and part coverage, product enhancements and solutions, and superior customer service, making life easier for professional import technicians. Because of Beck/Arnley’s commitment to excellence, the Beck/Arnley® brand is favored by import technicians everywhere, every time.

For nearly 100 years, Beck/Arnley has been a leading specialty supplier of premium quality,

Parts Made Right. Life Made Easy.TM

© 2009 Beck/Arnley Worldparts, Inc.

To learn more and find a distributor, visit www.beckarnley.com.

New Products

N elson Rombeiro is vice president and general manager of Exide’s Canadian division, and updates

us on the many good things going on at Exide globally, and particularly in the past five years.

“Our management team has been focused on stabilizing our business, while working closely with our customers to grow and improve their business,” states Nelson. “We’re putting a tremendous focus on the future in terms of product development, engineering resources and geographic expansion of our footprint.”

Meeting the demandNelson continues, “Currently there is con-siderable activity in expanding our AGM product portfolio to meet the anticipated demand for micro hybrids and advanced vehicle applications. We’ve also developed AGM solutions to service the heavy-duty market with their growing APU systems, requiring batteries that provide addi-tional cycling capabilities. In addition to these nearer-term activities, Exide is also evaluating alternative advanced battery technologies. The company re-cently announced the start up of a new division; ReStore Energy Systems which will focus on renewable energy opportun-ities and the development of Lithium ion technologies.

“Bringing things a little closer to home with our Canadian business today, we are a market leader in Canada and enjoy a very strong balanced portfolio of cus-tomers across several segments. This demonstrates our ability to customize our programs to different channels and customers—one of our big strengths!

However, we won’t sit back as we believe strongly in continuous improvement and have invested heavily in the Canadian business. We have devoted resources to the expansion of certain facilities, new equipment and people development while looking to further enhance our footprint across the country. This multifaceted ap-proach allows us to continue to provide high levels of service to our existing cus-tomers while developing new customer partnerships now and in the future.”

Exide offers a lotExide’s approach to business is not to just sell a “black box” to a customer—their comprehensive approach provides much more. They offer innovative programs that help provide a competitive advantage for their jobber customers and increase demand at the installer level. Nelson says,

Exide Batteries

More Than Batteries!Exide Technologies has been in operation since 1888.

The company is constantly developing new technologies to

best serve their broad base of customers.

Shirley Brown [email protected]

“One of our strengths in the traditional aftermarket is our ability to work directly with our jobber customers to help increase their sales to the installer. We’ve also de-veloped innovative loyalty programs to improve penetration at the installer level. Along with the batteries, we provide test-ers, other equipment and promotions to the important installer segment. We don’t want to just sell the product and forget about it, we want to help our customers

grow—this remains one of our key objectives. We do this by providing a tremendous amount of detailing and jobber custom-ers’ support.

“The service that follows the pur-chase of the battery remains one of our key strengths. We typically provide a weekly store door delivery. With that delivery comes a whole menu of services including; delivery of batteries, core collection, pick up of war-ranties, review of merchandising and POP material to help deter-mine if customers would benefit from changes or improvements in their marketing approach—all important issues when dealing with a product such as batteries. In addition, we are good stew-ards of the environment by man-

aging recovery and recycling of lead.”

Other marketsIn addition to the automotive market, Exide supplies several different applica-tions to the industrial market. In many cases, Exide has the ability to be a one-stop shop for jobbers and their customers.

Nelson has been with Exide Technologies since 1992, mainly in the aftermarket, holding sales and national account pos-itions within the company through 1999. He then moved into the company’s OE sec-tor based out of Detroit where he was in-itially responsible for the heavy-duty busi-ness before becoming VP of OEM in 2001. He returned to the Canadian division near the end of 2005 to assume the role of VP and general manager of Canadian Operations of Exide Technologies.


Exide Technologies. Mississauga, ON L5N 0A6. Exide is a registered trademark of Exide Technologies.NASCAR® is a registered trademark of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc.

exide.com

Performance. That’s what you can expect in every Exide NASCAR® Extreme™ battery we build. The kind of ultimate performance provided by our advanced Silver Shield protection that stands up to heat corrosion and combines superior anti-shock design with long-lasting starting power. In other words, it keeps on going so you can too. Plus, the Exide NASCAR Extreme is backed by the industry’s best warranty. Want more positive news? Go to exide.com.

Calling your next appointmentfrom anywhere.

Calling a tow truck, stuck in the middle of nowhere.

EXIDE® Batteries. Start Positive. Stay Positive.™

+

–

A IA President Marc Brazeau and current AIA Chair John Watt held a press con-

ference in Las Vegas in order to present their newest study: “Hidden Potential Unmasked,” the Canadian Automot ive Aftermarket Demand Study. And wow, what a lot of dynamite information… especially for Automotive Service Providers and Jobbers!

A rosier future than you imagineMarc said, “This is the most important document to date that we have completed for the Canadian Automotive Aftermarket. Much specu-lation has been made about the future because of the economic situation. Well, the future looks a lot better than you may think! Underperformed main-tenance is a hidden market, and if fully realized, this market could almost double the size of our Canadian industry. We are losing business because we need to take a fresh approach to each vehicle that comes into the bay. Providing customer service means doing an inspection on all vehicles regardless of what symptoms they come in with and appropriately advising the vehicle owner on what their vehicle needs. This is not about upselling what is not required. It is about doing a better job of recognizing and communicating just what is needed now and what can be deferred with some idea of recommended intervals. Doing just what is asked is bad business and bad for the customer.”

Some important detailsJohn walked us through some of the details that are in the report the most outstanding of these was that “there is $10.33 billion of additional work that the industry is missing out on right now!That is a big number and may seem unreal-istic at fi rst until you stop and think about it. That number represents the whole fl eet on the road. Let me break it down further, by making this statement: Vehicles 4 to 12 years old are being “under serviced” by an average of $239 every time they visit an Automotive Service Provider. More intensive research into six specifi c prod-uct categories (brakes, wipers, batteries, oxygen sensors, shocks/struts, and cabin

filters) showed those services alone accounted for $116 of that number.

“For suppliers and distributors, the potential is equally alluring. Shops that do more maintenance and repair work buy more parts. The $2.5 billion dangling as low hanging fruit for suppliers through existing channels and customers, is that worth targeting? The report is clear. The work is out there to be done. The question becomes whether we in the aftermarket will seize the opportunity. The odds of success are certainly great. We have the customers, we have the techs, we, as an industry, can develop programs to help the ser-vice and repair community fully utilize both. Shops that are profi table pay their technicians better, buy equipment, train, and pay their bills on time.

Think about market potential“This report should cause the industry to step back and think through what market potential really means, how it affects their part of the supply chain and what strat-egies they are putting into place to ensure we begin to capture the vast amount of underperformed maintenance in the Canadian Aftermarket.”

It is absolutely achievable. If you are an AIA member, go to the AIA website www.

aiacanada.com and download the re-port—you’ll be amazed. Get started today on getting your share of that $10.33 bil-lion of additional work waiting to be done!

AIA Canada

Attention ASPs & Jobbers!Lots of things happen in Vegas… but not all of them stay in Vegas! Thank goodness, because

AIA Canada made a big announcement there and we’re printing it here.


IA President Marc Brazeau and current AIA Chair John Watt held a press con-

ference in Las Vegas in order to present their newest study: “Hidden Potential Unmasked,” the Canadian Automot ive Aftermarket Demand Study. And wow, what a lot of dynamite information… especially for Automotive Service Providers

A rosier future than you

Well, the future looks a lot better than you may think! Underperformed main- Some

important details

filters) showed those services alone accounted for $116 of that number.

“For suppliers and distributors, the potential is equally alluring. Shops that do more maintenance and repair work buy more parts. The $2.5 billion dangling as low hanging fruit for suppliers through existing channels and customers, is that worth targeting? The report is clear. The work is out there to be done. The question becomes whether we in the aftermarket will seize the opportunity. The odds of success are certainly great. We have the customers, we have the techs, we, as an industry, can develop programs to help the ser-vice and repair community fully utilize both. Shops that are profi table pay their technicians better, buy equipment, train, and pay their bills on time.

Think about market potential


T he Vaughan family of Fredericton, New Brunswick has a long history in the automotive repair business. In

1914, W.E. Vaughan and partner started Vaughan and Kitchen for the sale and repair of automobiles. His brother John, son Jack and other family members joined him. In 1946, Jack expanded the parts business and relocated under the name Auto Machinery & General Supply Co. Ltd. where sons Ronald and Carl eventually joined the family business.

In 1965, Ron and two partners formed Eastern Automotive Warehousing to handle the wholesale warehousing and distribu-tion to jobber accounts. His son Doug came on board in 1973 and currently Doug’s son David has made his mark in the family busi-ness… the fi fth generation of the Vaughan family to do so.

Auto MachineryAuto Machinery is one of the largest auto-motive stores in the Maritimes, with over 40 employees. Longevity among several employees marks this family run enter-prise as a good place to work and grow. Dick Richardson joined the fi rm in 1916 and stayed until his death in 1973. Other lifelong employees—George Tims, Stan Barr, Judd Lutes, Laura Savage, Douglas Spencer, Ken Harvey, Marven Briggs, Murray Goodine, Elwood MacKay, Audrey Goodine, and Everett Bridges—were loyal and appreciated members of the Auto

Machinery family whose dedication and expertise helped immensely in the early years of growth. Claude Gilks joined in 1968 and was the driving force behind joining Auto Value.

The Vaughan family and staff continues to provide a valuable service to countless service stations, parts stores, and retail purchasers.

Enter the 5th generationDavid Vaughan joined the company eight years ago and had an interesting back-ground before getting involved in the family business. He was a member of the Canadian National Snowboard Team and two-time junior snowboard champion be-fore a serious knee injury put him on the sidelines.

David tells us how Auto Machinery/Eastern Automotive has evolved over the years: “From the beginning, the busi-ness was a service centre, then went into dealerships, and eventually into the parts business with our first jobber store—Auto Machinery. In the 70’s, the business moved into the Industrial Centre where we still are today. This 16,000 sq. ft. building housed a jobber store at the front; the back part became Eastern Automotive Warehousing—the start of our warehous-ing business. We had a few stores around Atlantic Canada, but no banner program. As jobbers, a few different buying groups were looked at but none were a great fi t. Ten years ago we joined the Alliance group and became the Auto Value distribution centre for Atlantic Canada. That’s really where we’ve taken off!”

Customer relationships“We at Eastern are ‘people people’ and here in the east, business is strongly based on relationships. We know a signifi -cant number of our customers on a fi rst name basis because we deal with most of them daily. This customer relationship is one of our biggest assets—my Dad is one of the best PR guys in the city! The


95 years is a long time to be in business—but 95 successful

years is even better. Auto Machinery and Eastern Automotive

Warehousing have a big notch in their family business belts

due to their longevity and business acumen.

Eastern Automotive Warehousing/Auto Machinery

95 Years Strong!

A D V E R T O R I A L


fact that we’re a family business with fi ve generations of ties to our area, that we know what people want—because we ask them—and that we value customer ser-vice above all else, positions us very well in today’s market. Also, we have a faster reaction to economic trends in the Atlantic Canadian marketplace because we’re well positioned compared to those who aren’t from the area. We know the market, know our customers and can react to programs and challenges more effi ciently than our competitors. With Auto Value we’re given all the tools on the marketing side making us competitive with all the larger chains,” David tells us.

We asked David how different business was today as compared to 20 years ago. “Ten years ago was a turning point for us, but 20 years ago Eastern was much different because we weren’t quite sure of the com-pany direction. We had a warehouse with a few smaller customers and a pretty decent size jobber business. We were hovering between the jobbing and warehousing business. When we joined Auto Value, we decided to go hard into the warehousing business. We now have 14 Auto Value ban-ner-fl ying stores—none 10 years ago—and 18 Certifi ed Service Centres! We‘ve really started to grow the program.”

Still learning “I’ve been lucky to have two mentors—my Grandfather Ron, and my Dad, Doug. They’ve taught me so much. They come in everyday, both have different styles of management and it’s good to learn from each. In addition, they’ve both been very supportive of my desire to continue my education. Currently I’m enrolled in Leadership 2.0 at Northwood University

“We expanded our current location and now our new, modern facility boasts 32,000 sq. ft. In our area, I believe there will continue to be vast opportunities in the aftermarket. Many people are choos-ing not to trade in cars, opting to keep and maintain them. The current economic climate has shown people that with good maintenance they can hold on to their vehicle longer, eliminating a huge ex-penditure. Maintenance and repair equals longevity, resulting in more disposable cash and that’s a good thing. And here the aftermarket has a huge advantage. The industry has taken the right steps for us to go forward in the future by giving us the tools we need to help our customers keep their vehicles in good repair,” David says.

Getting involved“I’ve been involved with AIA since I started in the business and sit on the Atlantic Division board. I’ve been involved with YES, an amazing group of young people, and was honored with the AIA young executive of the year award in 2008. Through YES I’ve made many great con-nections. I encourage any young person to enter the aftermarket industry and they’ll surely find an occupation which is fun, fulfi lling and full of great opportunities,” David concludes.

Auto Machinery/Eastern Automotive Warehousing is an enduring family run business, which has grown with the times and will continue to evolve with new tech-nologies, products and the ever-present customer service. We certainly wish them at least another 95 years of success.

where I plan to continue on to get an executive MBA.

“I now deal with Auto Value and sit on some of their committees. They’ve defi n-itely given us the tools to become more successful and gave us what is pretty much a ‘turn-key’ parts store program we’d struggled with before. They’ve also given us a Certifi ed Service Centre program to stay competitive today. I have the oppor-tunity to talk to the ‘experts’ in the indus-try at meetings gaining valuable insight and knowledge from them—a big asset.

“We try to implement as many Alliance programs as we can, depending on the area of the store or service centre which can benefi t from and be best served by the program information. We use just about every program available somewhere throughout our organization—they’ve cer-tainly helped us grow our business suc-cessfully. All the programs are good ones; you just have to fi nd the one that fi ts. They provide enormous support.”

The futureThe future is important to Auto Machinery/Eastern Automotive Warehousing. “Auto Machinery has been around for a long time and does a very good job at servicing customers. We must be prepared to con-tinue the great service into the future with the goal to enhance our relationships even more. With Eastern Automotive, we’re looking to grow distribution—expanding more with corporate and independent locations into Nova Scotia plus targeting more growth here in New Brunswick. Our three stores in Newfoundland are doing very well, indicating a growth market in that province as well.


PHOTOS: STEPHEN MACGILLIVRAY, [email protected]


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Forming the Future1 888 910 8888www.spectrapremium.com

congratulations to eastern automotive Warehousing for 95 years of success

fuel modules

hanger assemblies

sending units

fuel tanks

fuel tank assemblies

filler necks

Congradulation Eastern Auto.indd 1 10/27/09 9:36:45 AM

Congratulations to Eastern Automotive

Warehousing

on 95 years

of success!


Congratulations on your

95th Anniversary,

with many more to come!

Congratulations for your 95th anniversary!

Congratulations to Eastern Automotive Warehousing on their 95 years of distinguished history.Continued success � om your � iends at Pico of Canada!

Andy Benner, Benner Sales Inc, 506-850-7446, [email protected]

Congratulations on your

95th anniversary!


Congratulations to Eastern Automotive Warehousing for 95 years of success!

From your friends at

Congratulations, Eastern

Automotive Warehousing,

on your 95th Anniversary!

Our Tribute

For over 100 years, our company has been at the forefront of the industry and of customers’ high

expectations, and we make it our ongoing mission.

With a proven track record spanning 95 years, Eastern Automotive Warehousing is truly

one of our esteemed partners, and for this we are sincerely grateful.

Congratulations for your 95th Anniversary!

Congratulations to Eastern Automotive Warehousing on their 95th Anniversary!

Congratulations to Eastern Automotive Warehousing

on 95 years of service to the Aftermarket.J.D.Coyle Sales Inc.


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Congratulations to Eastern Automotive Warehousingfor serving Canada 95 years!

Delphi Congratulates Eastern Automotive Warehousing on 95 Successful Years.


M cFarlane Automotive occupies 11,000 sq. ft. and employs seven-teen people, some of whom have

been there a number of years. “Doug Hammer, also a licensed technician, has been with me over 15 years and is assist-ant manager,” says Brian. “Lia Fewkes, our secretary, has been here 15 years also. My son Kyle started 8 years ago and works alongside me.

“We have a ‘shuttle run’ to Toronto daily to pick up parts at our supplier, Uni-Select and any directs, in order to distribute

to our customers who phone before 10:30 am. We have their parts to them by 1 pm which works out well.

People’s choice“I really like my job mostly because of our customers. They like dealing with us because we’re there for them—we deliver promptly, we give them great service, we look after them, if a problem occurs, we fi x it! In fact, we go the extra 10 miles for our customers. Many of them have been with me for 27 years—since I became a jobber. We have a perfect record with the Better

McFarlane Automotive

From Tech to JobberBrian McFarlane went from being a mechanic to becoming a

jobber: “I became a Bowes franchisee in 1982—a store on

wheels—and did very well. I went to a jobber store in Tavistock

in 1985, then moved to a New Hamburg location. Now I’m a

Uni-Select member and have been since December 2008.”

A D V E R T O R I A LShirley Brown [email protected]

Business Bureau and won second place in the Waterloo region as the people’s choice favourite auto parts store.”

Brian decided to join the Uni-Select group and hasn’t been sorry. “I can pick the lines I want to sell… they don’t dictate that to me. I know what my customers will purchase and it’s important to be able to source those lines quickly and easily. Uni-Select always has more than one line in stock, so it’s easy to pick what I know I can sell. I can also buy direct—if I have good volume in a certain line, then I can buy that line directly. This allows me to be more competitive. We pick up orders com-ing into the store by 10:30 am. Orders coming in after that are shipped to us by Uni-Select arriving overnight ready to deliver by 8 am.”

Help from Uni-Select Uni -Se lect has he lped McFar lane Automotive be more successful. “We have three chances of obtaining parts. We can


A D V E R T O R I A Lbuy direct and have more competi-tive pricing. They have a huge in-ventory, so what we want is usually always there.

“I really like it that Uni-Select is a Canadian company as well as doing inter-warehouse transfers. If Brampton doesn’t have it, Montreal will and they immediately send the product to Brampton. We’re also able to get product via quick-order directly from the manufacturer.”

Numerous garage programs“Uni-Select have numerous ‘garage’ pro-grams—Select Auto Expert is a great program that allows a loyalty rebate plus a good labour rate for warranty claims, and it’s done right away, not six months later. Merchandising aids are a welcome addition, as is the Air Miles program. Many programs are for our customers and certainly help them out.

“Uni-Select have set aside room in their huge warehouse and set up a fully equipped shop with equipment and tools. I can take my customers down there for a demo, let them go through that shop to see all the latest equipment. It’s a really neat idea and good sales have been made through that venue.

“I really like dealing with Uni-Select. They’re more fl exible—they listen. I can say, ‘Here’s what I want to do’ and run it by them. They give me a pretty quick answer and then go ahead and work with us... that’s support.”

Getting aheadUni-Select helps their jobbers and install-ers get ahead in business and to become more successful. “DAVE, another program, allows our customers to order online, to access our stock,” says Brian. “Soon our customers will be able to see the Uni-Select warehouse stock. We can also order electronically from the warehouse. Being a Uni member also allows us to work with National Accounts now and that’s been a great asset.”

Brian told us that many things have changed for the better over his 27 years in business. “Catalogues were always a pain to keep up with and now most manu-facturers have websites and Internet that you can go to to get the most current in-formation. This is something we use many times daily. McFarlane Automotive has its own web page and I put all manufactur-ers’ icons on it so our installer customers can access what we do—tech bulletins, updates, etc.”

Aftermarket is quality“The aftermarket is getting more quality conscious. There aren’t as many ‘lemons’ today! Aftermarket was thought of as lesser quality, but in a lot of cases it’s bet-ter than OE—we’re fi xing the premature failure parts. At McFarlane’s we believe in brand name products—it removes any doubt about what’s in the box!”

McFarlane Automotive has a training room in their facility that holds 50 people. Those attending trainings can walk around the shop, look at inventory, and obtain a

good idea of what McFarlane’s has to offer and what they do. Brian likes this set-up stating, “Educated custom-ers lower warranty rates!”

Training is bigT r a i n e r s f o r McFarlane’s cus-tomers are from the many manufac-turers associated

with Uni-Select as well as special trainers who teach courses like management. “As well as our website, we also have market-ing classes for our shop owners to show them how to be better businesspeople. We tell them to push ‘maintenance’ to their customers… stop the ‘highs and lows’ in their business! We ask them to make ap-pointments for preventive maintenance and book ahead, like doctors. The shop owners/their technicians must keep train-ing. Technicians need to keep abreast of all the new types of drive train management, equipment updates, scanners, fl ashing in-formation, etc. to get ahead. Training and correct equipment in independent repair shops is vital today. The aftermarket will continue to evolve so we must keep up.”

McFarlane Automotive had an Open House/Trade Show at their new location in New Hamburg and Brian says that about 750 people turned up—more than they expected! “We gave away a fl at screen TV set, a Wii Station, BlueTooth and a deluxe 4-in1 safety coveralls. About 50 prizes in all were won. McFarlane Automotive is a little different in that we sell trailers (utility, ATV, car, equipment haulers, dump trailers, enclosed trailers, etc.) plus trailer parts. We also sell a full line of industrial, safety and maintenance products.”

Looks like McFarlane Automotive has come a long way from a ‘store on wheels’ back in ’82!

PHOTOS: VALERIE KROPF

McFarlane Automotive

S N A P S H O T . . .

ADDRESS

100 Bergey Court Unit B New Hamburg, Ontario N3A 2J5

PHONE 519-662-2063

FAX 519-662-6043

WEB www.mcfarlaneautomotive.com

EMPLOYEES 17

S IZE 11,000 sq. ft.

EXTRAS

Sells various types of trailers and parts, plus a full line of industrial, safety and maintenance parts.


T hese words refl ect the reality of one Nova Scotia employer looking to fi nd the employees he needs to grow

his business.

23% of employers have told the Canadian Automotive Repair and Service (CARS) Council in a recent national labour market survey, that it is somewhat diffi cult or im-possible for them to retain journeypersons or apprentices. This challenge is made more diffi cult by the fact that 66% of em-ployers in 2009 have no formal HR plan in place to deal with recruitment, retention, and training.

An effective staff retention plan starts with recruiting the right people using a world class job description. The best job descrip-tions are much more than a compilation of that job’s roles and responsibilities. They include:

1. A description of your company to give ap-plicants an idea of what your company does and how it fits into the community.

2. The reasons why employees will want to work for you, such as a pleasant work environment and satisfied customers. Do you offer flexible work hours, for instance? 51% of employees surveyed by CARS, who said they expected to leave their employer over the next five years, said they would very likely reconsider leaving an employer who offered flexible hours.

3. Information about salary ranges and benefits. Employees surveyed by CARS in 2009 name better salaries (80%) as the best incentive for staying with a company. Another 21% said that an increase in employer funded training would be a very effective incentive to stay.

4. The skills you want. Onboard electronics (81%) and hybrid electric vehicles are the two top priorities for skills or knowledge upgrading according to Canadian employers. For both technologies, 69% of employees say they will need “some” or “considerable” training.

5. Your expectations: Employers participating in CARS research focus groups spoke out about some expectations they have about employee attitudes, “We hire for attitude; we train for the rest.”

6. The education and training required: Will a Red Seal designation acquired 10 or 20 years ago suffice, or are there expectations for em-ployees to continuously acquire new knowledge and skills to keep up with the latest tools and technology?

7. What new employees can expect. National survey statistics indicate that employers and employees see the start of a new job differ-ently. 66% of employers say they gave formal orientation when they hired a new employee, compared to 58% of employees who say they were put straight to work without any formal introduction to their workplace.

To build a job description that pinpoints just the right skills sets you need, you can start at www.carsability.ca with the CARSability online self-assessments, built by industry experts for 34 aftermarket related occupations.

By: CARS Council www.cars-council.ca

Funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Sector Council Program.

Create a World Class Job Description

And Hire for Keeps“I have six cars a day left in my parking lot because I have only one technician in

my four bay shop. Because I can’t afford not to get these skills in my shop, I may

have to pay for a plane ticket, a referral fee of $900 to $2,500 and the cost of

service training to get the person I need.”

For additional Recruitment and Retention tools, check out these CARS OnDemand training mod-ules at www.cars-council.ca:

Business Management

Coaching

Creating a Motivating Environment

Disciplining & Terminating Employees

Empowerment

Handling Diffi cult Employees

Hiring Excellent Employees

Human Resources Management

Integrating & Motivating Employees

Managing Employees Strategically

Managing the Generations

New Employee Orientation

Recruiting & Selecting Employees

Retaining Excellent Employees

Teamwork

Time Management

Training – The Road to Success

Working in a Family Business

Writing a Business Plan


“R edline Detection created this tool based on an overwhelming demand from garage owners/tech-nicians for a guide to resetting the troublesome

computerized service lights on Mercedes-Benz vehicles after service was completed,” said Zachary Parker, Redline

Detection president. “Lights Out makes it possible for them to do this in less than 60 seconds. The feedback we’ve

received has been tremendous.”

Maintenance light reset“Luxury vehicles like Mercedes-Benz typically don’t come equipped with the information necessary to reset the maintenance light,” said Steve Rorick, owner, MB Elite Mercedes-Benz Service

& Repair and Master Technician. “These vehicles’ systems be-come more complex and require multiple steps to reset the main-tenance alerts. The computerized warnings often block other important information from the driver of the vehicle if they’re not reset.”

Much less expensive“As opposed to the Lights Out guide, the factory SDS scan tool costs more than $10,000,” added Rorick. “There’s no other tool available as complete, cost effective and user-friendly as Redline’s Lights Out guide to provide solutions to M-B maintenance alerts. Now technicians can quickly reset the lights on all these luxury vehicles, maintaining customer satisfaction and helping to grow business by building a reputation for providing complete and competent service.”

A boon for all repair shops“This product will allow all garages to perform Mercedes-Benz service,” noted Parker. “The tool can increase business without forcing garage owners to spend unnecessary dollars on factory scan tools. The Lights Out guide is easy to understand and avail-able to any technician seeking to provide their clients with the best results. Redline Detection is also in the process of expanding the guide to include additional vehicle makes and models.”

Redline Detection

Redline Does It Again!Redline Detection has introduced the “Lights Out” service light reset solutions guide for Mercedes-Benz. It provides techni-cians with step-by-step directions to quickly and easily reset the maintenance alert on nearly every Mercedes-Benz model today.

service was completed,” said Zachary Parker, Redline Detection president. “Lights Out makes

it possible for them to do this in less than 60 seconds. The feedback we’ve

received has been tremendous.”

Maintenance light reset“Luxury vehicles like Mercedes-Benz typically don’t come equipped with the information necessary to reset the maintenance light,” said Steve Rorick, owner, MB Elite Mercedes-Benz Service



SEMA in Colour

Beautiful and Unusual EnginesLas Vegas, NV. The SEMA

(Specialty Equipment Market

Association) Show aims at in-

forming visitors about all the

new products that have hit

or will be hitting the market

soon. But anybody in our in-

dustry will also stop and study

some of the engines powering

the many rods, custom, and

performance cars and trucks

on display. Here’s a pictorial

of what we found fun to ob-

serve at SEMA during the fi rst

week of November.

PHOTOS: ÉRIC DESCARRIES

2

1

3

4

5 6

7

Éric Descarries [email protected]


Franchise opportunities at www.mistertransmission.com

Worried about your future?Let us show you how you can own your own automotive business!

Starting at $35,000, fi nancing available (oac).

1 Seen at the huge Ford booth, two new V8s for the F Super Duty trucks, a 6.2-litre gas engine and further, a 6.7-litre diesel engine. 2 Remember the Chrysler Cross Ram intakes

of the sixties? Here is the modern iteration of that technology! 3 Would you believe a supercharged V12 Detroit Diesel engine in a hot-rod Peterbilt truck? 4 The supercharged

4.6 litre Ford V8 looks just right in the engine bay of a customized 1960 Ford Starliner. 5 How about a Toyota TRD V8 in a Scion…? 6 Impressive! A big-block Chevy V8 with

blower in the chassis of a traditional hot-rod. 7 How about this one—a six-cylinder diesel engine in a funny car! 8 What’s this—a Cummins engine under the hood of a 1968

Cadillac? 9 Ingenious! 10 Memories: a Ford Flathead V8 with Ardun heads (Ardun is from Zora Arkus-Duntov, the spiritual father of the early Corvettes). 11 Only at SEMA: a

twin-engine hot rod under construction! 12 Not an engine but a well designed front suspension for an off-road truck. 13 A very simple swap: a modern Chevy V8 in a vintage

Toyota Land Cruiser. 14 Does anyone remember Ford’s Indy SOHC V8 of the sixties? 15 Ford had its new FR9 NASCAR racing engine at its SEMA booth. 16 The Speed Demon

Land Speed Record car uses a Suzuki engine for motivation. 17 The GM Metric frame is now available as a reproduction unit. 18 The last word: an electric… hot rod?

8 9 10

11

14 15 17 18

16

12 13


AAPEX in Las Vegas

A Lot to See and Learn!For many years, the AAPEX

(Automot ive Af te rmarket

Product Expo) has been held

at the same time as the SEMA

Show. While SEMA is bigger

and “flashier” and aimed at

hot-rodding and performance,

AAPEX is targeted more to-

wards ASPs and technicians.

Consequently, there are fewer

spectacular cars at AAPEX but

there are many more useful

products and parts for today’s

mechanics and technicians.

Since the economy is a little

slower in the United States,

it came as no surprise to see

fewer custom cars at AAPEX,

but the crowd was there, eager

to learn more.



5 6

8

9

11

7

12

1 2

10


1 Permatex had its funny car at its AAPEX booth. (É.D.) 2 The 3M booth was very popular at AAPEX. (É.D.) 3 There were many new lifts shown at AAPEX. (É.D.) 4 Nothing attracts more visitors at a booth than a typical Monster Truck. (É.D.) 5 Is there any better way to present an alignment stand than with a hot-rod? (É.D.) 6 Federal-Mogul’s Robert Egan, VP, North American Global Aftermarket, and Brad Shaddick, director of Sales Canada. (S.B.) 7 Rick Benjamin (l.) and Chocolate Myers

were busy discussing on NASCAR at Sirius XM radio. (É.D.) 8 Malcolm Sissmore, VP Sales Delphi IAM North America, and Francisco (Frank) Ordoñez, president, Delphi Product & Service Solutions, and VP, Delphi Corp. (S.B.) 9 The salespeople at Pro Form looked very happy because they so had many customers visit them during AAPEX. (S.B.) 10 Jim Smith, Brad Smith, and David Fischmer at the Rotary Lift section of the Vehicle Service Group. (S.B.) 11 So many booths to see, so much to learn! (É.D.) 12 Exide’s Nelson Rombeiro, VP & general manager Canadian operations, and Matthew Wilson, director, Retail Sales & Marketing. (S.B.) 13 Doug Rockefeller and Bill Dennie of Tenneco had many new products to show their customers. (S.B.) 14 Spectra Premium had walls of new products on display… this is just one of them. (S.B.) 15 This could be AAPEX’s most interesting stands, the new products displays just outside the main room. (É.D.)

3 4

13 14 15


Pierre Bissonnette [email protected]

Pierre Bissonnette was the technical instructor for a major aftermarket manufacturer. He holds a teaching certifi cate in andragogy – which is the art and science

of helping adults, whose general education has been cut short, in their learning process.

Suspension

Be Sure to Verify FirstDetermining what is wrong with the suspension is sometimes a tricky job. Many items need to

be checked out fi rst before you can start the repair. We’re going to go over a few of them here.

2008 Buick Enclave Front Suspension (PHOTO: www.autodeadline.com)

T ires play a big part in suspension and now because it’s winter, we’ll concentrate on winter tires. They

aren’t necessary by law in every province, but they are a great asset in the cold and snow. A lot of people are under the misconception that winter tires are good forever—this is simply not so. They wear out just like your regular tires! A regular 4-season tire is made of “hard” rubber because the asphalt is usually warmer so it doesn’t wear as fast. With winter tires, you’re driving on ice, snow and cold as-phalt, so they’re made of “softer” rubber and if you drive with them on in the sum-mer, they wear down quite quickly. You must measure the thickness of the snow tire—it’s about 9/32-inch thick when new. When you check the tire it could be worn in the middle or just on the side, and this tells you a lot about the suspension. Tire wear will happen if the alignment is off. And we mustn’t forget the TPMS… you need to check to see if that light is “off” before you start working on the vehicle.

Enter wheels… People may also have two sets of wheels for their tires—one for the regular tires and one for the winters. You must be careful, as not all wheels are compatible with TPMS, especially the lower-priced steel wheels for winter tires. If this is the case, the TPMS light will be on when the

vehicle arrives in your repair shop. If you go ahead with suspension repairs at this point, you will disable the system!

Japanese and some domestic vehicles have a wishbone suspension and there is a specifi c way of checking the lower ball joints on these particular models. You need to refer to the manufacturers’ speci-fications for this repair because if you check like you do for a regular front-wheel drive car, you will not detect the lower ball joint wear.

Elliott suspension (Type A)Suppose the vehicle has an Elliott sus-pension (Type A) rear wheel drive… in this case, you must take the weight off the tires in order to check the lower ball joint. In other words, lift the vehicle from underneath the lower control arm close to the ball joint. Some manufacturers will ask you to check for radial play (l-r), some will ask you to check the axial play (up and down). This must be checked with a dial indicator. You need to also make sure that the wheel bearing is not loose. Again, refer to your manufacturers’ specs.

Be sure the wheels are hanging down when you check out the McPherson strut and the radial play. Don’t forget the upper strut bearing as it could be loose or it could be seized and when it is seized it

can look like a defective rack and pinion, but the only thing wrong is the upper bearing.

Greaseable?Remember, if the vehicle is greaseable it should be done before you inspect the front end. Be sure to check the inner and outer tie rod ends while the vehicle weight is on the tire. Then watch to see if it moves while you turn the steering, and, for good-ness sake, do not check them with a pry bar—this will cause play. If the vehicle is equipped with an idler arm, use the same procedure but check manufacturer’s tolerances.

Check the steering shaft to see that it is not loose in the column… if it is, you will hear a clicking noise. You also need to in-spect the u-joint as it could be seized (rack & pinion unit only). Be sure to take a good look at the stabilizer link/bar as this is a very high-wear item. And, don’t overlook the rear suspension; independent rear suspensions can have ball joints, outer tie rod ends, stabilizer links, and bushings. As you know, when aligning a four-wheel drive vehicle with independent rear sus-pension, you must start by setting the rear camber, if possible, and the rear toe, then proceed with the front wheels.


F or an automotive technician, coo-ling system verifi cation or mainte-nance involves many steps, which

include product knowledge. Many ele-ments or components are integral to a system. Properly maintaining and ser-vicing your customer’s cooling system should be added to your existing schedu-led program. In less than an hour, you can identify minor, inexpensive problems that will keep your customer safe on the road and have him returning for more preven-tive maintenance.

Maintenance schedules eliminate most of the need for crisis management and your customer will thank you for this.

In Extreme Temperatures

Do You Manage Crises, or Your Shop?We all know that customers only pay attention to the cooling system when it’s not working

properly, which can result in you, the shop owner, with a crisis to manage—the whole

process of getting the car into the shop, repaired, and ready for pickup ASAP is a juggling

act for everyone.

A BIANNUAL INSPECTION PROGRAM

1. Visually inspect underhood components.a) Radiator cap pressure test—to prevent over or lack of pressure

b) Coolant level, density, and Ph level—if out of specifi cation, replace the liquid

c) Belt and Tensioner—a belt spins approximately 4 million times in a year

d) Hoses and clamps—for deterioration

e) Thermostat—replace if over 2 years old

2. Bring the engine to normal operating temperature and…a) With the scan tool, observe the temperature and match to instrument gauges.

b) Inspect electric or clutch cooling fan operation for proper engagement.

3. In the vehicle, go through all air distribution selections:a) To ensure proper controls operation (vacuum or electric motors).

b) Check for loss of air distribution at different positions.

4. Temperature—move the temperature selector knob from cold to hot.a) Observe travel to identify a binding temperature cable.

b) Measure temperature output as per manufacturer’s specifi cation.

c) You can identify a defective water valve.

5. Operate the blower motor from low to high speed.a) Ensure all speeds are working properly.

b) Inspect for noise or chirping sounds.

Frank [email protected]

Frank Tonon is Product Training manager for Spectra Premium and he develops training courses on the components linked to automotive

cooling systems and air conditioning.


Spotlight on MOOG

MOOG® Chassis Parts: Solutions that Mean BusinessAs the industry’s recognized “Problem Solver®,” Federal-Mogul’s

MOOG chassis parts brand specializes in developing innovative repair

solutions that improve on original designs for superior performance

and faster, easier installation.


Chassis Parts:

T he MOOG brand’s trademark prob-lem-solving philosophy complements its close engineering relationship

with leading NASCAR Sprint Cup teams. And it explains why MOOG is the pre-ferred brand of NASCAR crew chiefs and professional technicians.

Join the MOOG ‘Problem Solver’ NetworkMOOG has brought its problem-solving approach to thousands of aftermarket professionals through the interactive www.

moogproblemsolver.com Web site. This ex-clusive online community of repair profes-sionals and counter people supports the efforts of every technician who helps re-store trouble-free steering and suspension performance on any of today’s domestic or foreign nameplate applications.

Plus, through its vast collection of “Problem Solver” and “Did You Know?” technical bulletins and F-M TEC online training, the MOOG brand helps after-market professionals remain up to date with the latest repair solutions for thou-sands of applications.

PROBLEM: Corroded Tie Rod Ends

Dodge/Plymouth Neon, Chrysler PT Cruiser

Technicians have found that the OE outer tie rod for 2001-06 PT Cruiser and 1995-05 Neon models features a stamped steel housing design that can allow water to collect in the cavity used for toe adjust-ment. Corrosion in this area can make wheel alignment difficult. The original design also features a plastic bearing and is not greaseable, both of which can affect service life.

SOLUTION: MOOG ES3173RL Outer Tie RodThe MOOG Problem Solver design fea-tures a solid forged housing that elimin-ates corrosion concerns and increases overall strength. It is greaseable to help extend service life and also utilizes a traditional castellated nut, cotter pin and wrench fl ats for ease of installation. The MOOG ES3173RL tie rod also features the brand’s patented pressed-in cover plate and metal gusher bearing design to provide long life.

PROBLEM: Front Coil Spring Failure

Ford Focus

Repair professionals have discovered that stress and corrosion issues on 2000-2007 Ford Focus models may cause front coil springs to fracture and fail, resulting in suspension noise and sagging.

SOLUTION: MOOG 80170, 80172 & 81030 Coil SpringsMOOG has developed three new Problem Solver constant rate coil spring designs for these applications. Each new MOOG coil spring features a larger diameter bar and additional coils to reduce stress and combat fatigue throughout the life of the spring. Additionally each MOOG coil spring features an enhanced anti-corro-sion coating to help extend service life.

For more information, contact: MOOG Chassis Parts, Federal-Mogul Corporation, www.moogproblemsolver.com

Here are two of the most recent MOOG “Problem Solver” designs now featured on this Web site—and now available through your MOOG supplier:


A s these words are being written, one of the most advanced

“regular” automatic trans-missions has to be ZF’s 8-speed hybrid transmis-sion. Thanks to advanced electronics and software controls, this gearbox outperforms most drivers with manual transmissions not only in per-formance, but also in fuel economy—when equipped with the optional start-stop function (which shuts the engine off when the vehicle is stopped at a red traffi c light), this transmission, according to ZF, is 11% more economical than its predecessor. According to Dr. Michael Paul, executive president, Technology at ZF, around half of the potential was achieved by reducing the activation energy of the transmission and by moving the operating point of the engine… all thanks to electronic controls! The 8-speed hybrid transmission by ZF communicates with other subsystems in the vehicle via a multitude of interfaces. “The transmission in a hybrid vehicle has up to 400 signal interfaces to other com-ponents,” says Dr. Paul.

Say hello to the toroidal transmissionRecently, many manufacturers opted for the new Dual-Clutch transmission, a really new way of making gears shift. But now, there is something even newer coming

up. You probably heard about tor-oidal transmissions in l ight machin-ery or in Formula One. Expect them sooner or later in regular passen-

ger cars. For now, they seem

headed towards medium-duty trucks as it was announced recently. As a matter of fact, British-based Torotrak has partnered with Allison Transmissions to develop a medium-duty truck transmission that will feature Torotrak’s full-toroidal transmis-sion technology. The system works with a full-toroidal variator that consists of a set of discs and rollers instead of a system of gears. Consequently, it makes the infi nite-ly variable transmission torque-controlled instead of ratio-controlled. According to Torotrak, this technology offers improved fuel-saving, emissions, and refinement benefi ts. Add to that an improved riding experience. Commercial vehicles will sure-ly be taking advantage of the Torotrak sys-tem but already, there are plans to include it to passenger cars and light trucks.

For instance, BMW has included the Torotrak technology in its ActiveHybrid concept car and Mercedes-Benz has also unveiled it in its BlueHybrid concept vehicle too. Who’s next?

New Technologies

Automatic Transmissions—Not What They Used to Be Unless you are in the business of restoring old cars, you can say goodbye to Powerglides, C-4s, FMXs, Turbo 350 and 400s, and the likes. There is barely any car or light truck left in the industry that is available with a three-speed automatic transmission and before long, even the four-speed trannies will be history. Right now, we are looking at fi ve, six, seven, and even eight speed automatic gearboxes and more and more automakers are adopting the CVT system for better fuel economy. And that’s not it!

Toroidal transmissions may very well be the way of the future.



W hy Duracell? Duracell has much more to offer than the power in-side the batteries; it’s the power

of their recognition, exposure, communi-cation, and loyalty that enables this brand to inspire confidence in the consumer’s mind. Consumers have known this name for 40 years and trust its reputation for long life, power and performance.

Alkaline battery leaderDuracell is the leading alkaline bat-tery brand in Canada. In Total Brand Awareness studies, Duracell surpasses the competition in terms of consumer trust and resonance. In today’s global market, Duracell has been classifi ed as one of the world’s most recognized brands.

This positive association with Duracell products significantly influences a cus-tomer’s decision to purchase a car battery with a name they already recognize. The instantaneous recognition fosters consum-er confi dence, which leads to increased battery sales.

Selling featuresOne key selling feature of the Duracell flooded battery line is extended Heat Protection technology. High operating temperatures wreak havoc on regular automotive batteries. Heat accelerates

the rate at which the acid inside the bat-tery eats away at the other components, thus reducing battery life. The average under-the-hood operating temperature has increased signifi cantly over the past several years as engine manufacturers have commanded higher output from smaller engine sizes, in order to maximize fuel effi ciency. Long trips, hot weather and extended idle times can further increase operating temperature. But while the summer months are most damaging to an automotive battery, the damage often does not become apparent until the fi rst cold snap when colder temperatures place higher demands upon the battery.

The EHP Extended Heat Protection tech-nology incorporated into Duracell’s fl ood-ed line will safeguard these batteries from higher under hood operating tem-peratures. Their superior resistance to internal corrosion extends both battery life and performance, particularly during the cold winter months when a battery is taxed the most.

Extra power demandsA home away from home, vehicles have more electronics than ever before. Powered windows and doors, an LCD screen for the kids, cell phone chargers and GPS systems all challenge the traditional automotive

battery to handle these extra power demands. Duracell AGM batteries with extreme power and 2x durability and dependability are specially designed to power factory installed vehicle electron-ics and anything else that plugs in or turns on. These AGM batteries also pro-vide superior power for high-performance equipment in tuner cars and offer superior vibration resistance for off-road vehicle adventures.

Duracell automotive batteries come with a 3-year North American roadside assist-ance program and a 3-year full replace-ment warranty as added value for the consumer.

Put the power of the Copper Top on your store shelves. Customers know the name and can count on Duracell power and per-formance. This level of customer loyalty allows you to spend less time trying to sell the battery and more time restocking the shelves.

Call East Penn Canada today at 1-800-668-9303 or email sales@eastpenncan-

ada.com for additional information about the new Duracell automotive battery line.

With winter right at our doorstep, many of your customers will soon be experiencing those

inconvenient and annoying no-starts due to a dead or dying battery. This year, consider provid-

ing them the option to replace their vehicle battery with one of Duracell’s brand new premium

Copper Top automotive batteries, available through East Penn Canada in both conventional

fl ooded and AGM formats.

East Penn Battery Canada

Duracell AutomotiveBatteries Now in Canada




All�new Duracell® batteries are here, to power the Canadianautomotive aftermarket — and your store’s profitability.

Crank up more sales with the new Duracell Extreme Powerbattery that utilizes AGM technology to deliver double the durabilityand dependability of standard batteries and maximize accessorypower. Meet your customers’ needs for long�life performance with

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Put CopperTop automotive batteries on your shelves today. For moreinformation contact East Penn Canada at 1�800�668�9303 [email protected].

©2008 Duracell. Duracell is a registered trademark of the Gillette Company, used under license. All rights reserved.

CRANK UP YOUR BATTERY SALESWITH THE NEW COPPERTOP

Available through:

1�800�668�[email protected]

ccb east penn v1.indd 1 11/18/09 2:09:22 PM

L uis’ employer, Mechanic’s Education Association, offers live technical as-sistance and mobile diagnostics,

in addition to the training implied by its name. Those services keep their staff in touch with real-world pattern failures, and allow them to develop diagnostic shortcuts.

Like many general-repair technicians, I don’t have enough of Volkswagen’s prod-ucts coming in the door of my “service to all makes and models” shop to have developed any real familiarity with their diagnostics.

Customers still expect us to be able to quickly and accurately fi x these vehicles, and that makes this kind of manufacturer-specifi c training highly benefi cial.

The alphanumeric basicsThose mostly familiar with the way that the domestics label their diagrams and scan tool data will find Volkswagen’s alphanumeric designations, well, com-pletely foreign.

As Luis explains, these designations are used to reduce any confusion about what

a part is, regardless of the language used. This makes a lot of sense, as Volkswagens aren’t just sold globally; they’re built in places as far flung as Germany, Brazil, China, and South Africa.

As an example, whether looking at a wir-ing or vacuum diagram, or even a diag-nostic tree, “N75” always refers to a boost control solenoid. This commonality means that the boost control solenoid on a Jetta has the same alphanumeric designation as the boost control solenoid on a Passat, even if their design or part numbers are not the same. Otherwise, even in English confusion could occur, as this part can also be called a wastegate solenoid.

Same applies for dataScan data displayed on Volkswagen’s VAG-COM scanner—or any that emu-late its functionality, such as the OTC Genisys—utilizes a similar logic, albeit numeric only. Data items are organized by three-digit “Group,” and then divided into four “Measuring Blocks.” Measuring Blocks can have varying functions (which are normally labelled on-screen).

For fuel control data—familiar to many

techs as “fuel trim” or GM’s old “block learn and integrator”—the four boxes would represent (in order, from 1 to 4): Bank 1 additive (basically “short-term”); Bank 1 multiplicative (similar to “long-term”); Bank 2 additive; Bank 2 multiplicative.

Without that kind of prior explanation, I’d probably only get a massive stress head-ache from trying to determine that one on my own!

Luis suggests that appropriate Groups can be most readily determined by consulting the diagnostic fl owchart for a DTC relating to the intended item.

Case studies tooAlthough I’ve tried to share the most useful concepts here, Luis’ presentation also included several case studies, as well as analysis and diagnostic methods for several common VW Group component failures, including mass airfl ow and igni-tion systems.

It turns out that while Luis’ New Jersey ac-cent may make him sound like a Soprano-style “Wiseguy,” this affable tech guru is actually just a wise guy.

Brian [email protected]

Brian Early is a full-time automotive technician in addition to his journalistic endeavours.

Lindertech 2009

Luis Ruiz, Part 2While Lindertech North’s location changed from Mohawk College in Hamilton to the Four Points

by Sheraton by Toronto’s Pearson Airport, the high quality of the training did not. New Jersey’s

Luis Ruiz proved his breadth of knowledge by presenting two very dissimilar courses: GM

Duramax 6.6 Diesel, and Volkswagen Engine Controls.

PHOTOS: BRIAN EARLYLuis Ruiz, Volkswagen Engine Controls trainer at Lindertech North 2009, explains how to identify and diagnose VW coil-on-plug ignition systems.


T he kit is an effective and proven product that will correct rotor lateral run out. The brake align kit consists

of a deluxe toolbox, a dial indicator gauge, hub cleaner pads, conical washers, and a black marker. A video is also included and these guys did an excellent job with it—it’s user friendly and simple to understand.

Pulsation plus…We all know that pulsation, steering wheel shimmy, and, most importantly, poor stop-ping distances can be unsafe, annoying, and eventually become a costly come-back. Whenever a rotor pulsation is felt, in most instances, it’s just one rotor causing the vibration—I’ve never seen or heard of four rotors causing the issue.

Disc align plates have been approved by GM since the year 2000 to correct lateral run out of the hub fl ange to the rotor hat of new or machined rotors. The disc align plates will allow you, as a technician, to meet the required maximum lateral run out of .002” or less.

Brake Align is rotor science at its best and this latest technology has proven to be ef-fective and reliable. In the past I have used the disc align plates on a few occasions and they’re awesome because they work.

What I like about this new technology is that it does not require the use of an on- the-car brake lathe therefore it will not re-move metal from the rotor because there is no machining involved. We often talk about drawbacks—on-car brake lathes are costly and it’s a substantial invest-ment. The Brake Align kit is a minimal expense and requires very little technical training.

The brake align plates come in different thickness sizes: .003”, 006” and .009”. You will be using the shim that will cor-respond with the total run out to be corrected.

Installation proceduresThey’re very simple, but let’s go over the procedures. First of all, the shims are used on hubless rotors and are located between the hub and rotor. The rotors must be machined and the surface must be smooth and parallel. Make sure that the mating surface is clean—no dirt or other metal particles. You can also use the wheel hub cleaning pads which come with the kit. Mount the new or machined rotor onto the vehicle hub. Secure and tighten all the wheel nuts to the proper specifi -cations. Mount the dial indicator to the steering knuckle so that the stem of the

dial gauge contacts the rotor friction area 1/2” below the rotor’s outer edge.

Now is the time to rotate the rotor and note the lowest dial indicator reading and set the dial gauge to zero. Rotate the rotor once more and note the highest defl ection amount of lateral run out, then remove the rotor. Mark the rotor and stud to the exact location of the high spot.

Select the correct Brake Align Correction Plate. Slip over the tapered correction plate between the hub and rotor—your point of reference is the “V” notch and the mark on the stud. Position the “V” notch towards the high spot. Re-check run out and road test the vehicle.

Please note: do not reuse the correction plates and do not use more then one plate behind the hub and rotor.

A word of adviceA brake job is not complete until time is taken to measure the lateral run out and the approximate time to check lateral run out is about 5 minutes or less.

All you need to know about Brake Align can be found on www.brakealign.com.

Brake Rotors

Correcting Lateral Run Out

Affi nia currently offers a Brake Align starter kit that

you will fi nd available in our tools and equipment

line. It’s a valuable tool for a technician.

Pierre Lalonde www.affi niagroup.com



EQUIP AUTO 2009

International Grands Prix Awards for Automotive InnovationEQUIP AUTO’s International Auto Trade Show, held

biennially in Paris, France took place from October 13 to 20. Here are the products that were granted the

Grands Prix awards for international innovation.

Piezo’s Diesel Injection System with Direct Metrology

Delphi – This technology uses a direct-acting concept in which the injector needle is set in motion by a piezoelectric ceramic actuator without the assistance of an elec-trohydraulic circuit, providing extremely fast opening and closing of the needle valve, vel-ocities reaching over 3m/s. The system allows 7 or more injection events per engine cycle. Available

Beamatic Premium Adaptive Front Lighting

Valeo – The Beamatic Premium allows motorists to experience excellent night

lighting without blinding oncoming traffic. It adapts the beam by bringing light to the sides of oncoming or preceding vehicles. Available in 2010

LPG Laserline Spark Plugs NGK – Designed for gas engines, it has an

iridium-tipped centre electrode, reducing the risk of damaging ignition coils. The anticor-

Guy O’Bomsawin [email protected]

Universal Wiper Blade Adapter

Bosch – This multifunctional adapter called Multi-Clip—the fi rst to be preinstalled—covers four types of different toplock and sidelock interfaces. Installing wiper blades is therefore a one-step, user-friendly process. Available

Multibrand Diagnostic Tool Actia Automotive – With a 2-hour life cycle

without recharging, and bluetooth-ready, a single click is all it takes the Multi-Diag

pocket to identify the top makes and models. Hooked to the OBD,

it carries out the most frequent electronic diagnostics. Avail-

able

High-frequency Ignition

Technology Borg-Warner Beru – This

high-energy magnetic field high-frequency ignition is said to cut fuel costs by 15% and reduce NOx by 80%. Available in 2013

Dual Mass Flywheel Checking Tool

LuK – This tool allows you to check the status of a dual mass fl ywheel, its side play and clearance angle without disassembly. Available

rosive shell is chromed, t h e g a p between

the electrodes is preset, and they react to lower starting volt-age. Available

OBD LogTexa S.p.A. – Small and inconspicu-

ous, it detects and records intermittent prob-lems while on the road. Simply connect to the OBD and it will analyze all data following the EOBD protocol. Any malfunction will trigger a red light. Available

Regenerating All-season Coolant

Chimirec – Thanks to microstraining, this concept allows techs to regenerate those li-quids in order for them to be reused as such, or as building supply or water treatment com-ponents; a valuable asset for the environ-ment. Available

rosive shell is chromed,

pocket to identify the top makes and models. Hooked to the OBD,

it carries out the most frequent electronic diagnostics.

able

Technology

PHOT

O : J

P HO

UDRY

TRANSLATED FROM ITS ORIGINAL FRENCH BY MARC-ALAIN NANTEL.


Advertisers IndexINDUSTRY NEWS

EPA Proposes to Approve New Refrigerant for Vehicle Air Conditioners

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will likely fi nd HFO-1234yf acceptable, subject to use conditions, as a substi-tute for CFC-12 in motor vehicle air conditioners under the Sig-nifi cant New Alternatives Policy Program (SNAP). SNAP requires any company seeking to sell any chemical or product, which is intended for use as a replacement for a Class I or Class II ozone depleting substance, to provide the agency with health and safety studies on the substitute at least 90 days before introducing the product into interstate commerce.

HFO-1234yf is considered a promising substitute for both R-12 and R-134a, currently in use in most vehicle air conditioners. Car companies are under increasing pressure from regulators, espe-cially in Europe, to eliminate the use of current refrigerants, such as R-134a, due to their high global warming potential. 1234yf has a global warming potential (GWP) of 4 compared to R-134a, which has a GWP of 1,430 and R-12 with a GWP of 10,890.

EPA is proposing certain use conditions for 1234yf based on fl ammability concerns. These include actions to prevent leaks into the passenger compartment, preventing high concentrations near power sources, as well as the use of unique fi ttings and warning labels. Flammability concerns also have led EPA to re-strict its SNAP approval to use of 1234yf only on new vehicles. However, the agency is accepting comments on the safety of retrofi tting vehicles now using either R-134a or R-12 with the new refrigerant.

To view the proposal, visit www.epa.gov/ozone/snap.

AASA, Brake Manufacturers Council Integrate

The Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA) and the Brake Manufacturers Council (BMC) announced an agreement to integrate the BMC as a product council of AASA. It will oper-ate under the leadership of the AASA Board of Governors.

“This agreement between the leadership of AASA and BMC will benefi t North American suppliers and create more collaboration among brake suppliers, whether aftermarket or original equip-ment,” said Steve Handschuh, AASA president and COO. “This agreement will create a unique forum for BMC members and will foster open discussions of common concerns and industry issues.”

“BMC members are excited about the opportunities that inte-gration with AASA opens,” said Pat Healey, president of the Fric-tion Materials Standards Institute (FMSI), who currently acts as BMC’s Executive Director. “The FMSI looks forward to continue to work with AASA and BMC on issues of common concern.”

AIA Canada www.aiacanada.com 23

Altrom Group www.altrom.com 27

ASC Industries www.asc-ind.com 17

Atlas Tire Wholesale www.atlastire.com 5, 7, 39

Auto Value www.autovalue.com 16

Beck/Arnley www.beckarnley.com 9

Bestbuy Auto Parts www.bestbuyautoparts.ca 31

Blue Streak www.bluestreak.ca 3

Dayco www.dayco.ca 17

Delphi www.delphi.com 19

Earth Day Canada www.earthday.ca/scholarship 13

East Penn www.eastpenncanada.com 32, 33

Exide Technologies www.exide.com 11, 18

Federal-Mogul www.federalmogul.com 18, 30

Gates www.gates.com 16

Hella www.hellacanada.com 19

JD Coyle 18

Mister Transmission www.mistertransmission.com 25

NAPA www.napaonline.ca 40

NAPA Centre of Excellence www.napaexcellence.ca 29

NGK Spark Plugs www.ngksparkplugs.ca 16

Parts Master 18

Pico 17

Prolab Technolub www.prolab-technologies.com/technolub_ang.htm 17

Recochem www.recochem.com 18

Shell www.shell.ca 18

Spectra Premium www.spectrapremium.com 16

Tenneco www.tenneco.com 17

Uni-Select www.uni-select.com 20, 21

Valvoline www.valvoline.com 2

Zurawel Patton Sample www.zps.ca 17


“It always surprises me when a manufacturer has a recall campaign and it’s per-ceived as a negative. When it comes to recalls, negativ-ity is all wrong. Recalls are basically product updates. Throughout the life cycle of any product, failure or oper-ating conditions may require changes in specifi cations.

“You must remember that these products (everything from cars to baby buggies) are used worldwide in a var-iety of conditions. As “in the field” information comes in, responsible manufactur-ers step up and rectify the situation. If you have re-ceived a recall notice from

your manufacturer, react to it positively. Take the time necessary and respond. The latest recall information (cars and trucks) is available at Transport Canada’s web-site: www.tc.gc.ca.”

Welcome recallsSo why am I so bullish on recalls? In our shop we make it a habit to verify recalls on the vehicles we service. We used to ignore recalls in fear of los-ing work, but as it turns out 99% of the recalls available to owners have either expired or don’t apply.

Now, by using the information supplied by NAPAfi x or Identifi x it’s easy to check not only for recalls, but for service schedules too, as well as maintenance requirements and reliability issues. We use this informa-tion as a conversation starter with the client. The counter staff take the time to

print out the information and more im-portantly go through it with the customer at the counter.

But why bother?

Calling Dr. FixitThese documents are a great sales tool. As the repairer, you and I are perceived as the experts, backed by documentation. Ever notice that the doctor or dentist never hands you a bill? Instead, the in-voicing is done by the nurse or the recep-tionist. Your relationship with the doctor or dentist is best described as that of a “caregiver” and his or her patient.

The same scenario is playing itself out at the service counter, except in this case the care is given to the vehicle with you play-ing the role of the concerned physician. The conversation between you and the customer is about how best to care for the ailing vehicle.

This is an easy way to sell the work that is required—not only work required immedi-ately, but future jobs as well. Example: swapping out a timing belt before the cold weather hits.

So, if you have the Identifi x service in your shop, use it for more than sourcing repair info. It’s a great sales tool when used properly, and a great way to build the relationships “caregivers” like us need in order to grow our businesses.

Garage Business

The CaregiverIf you’re not taking

advantage of recalls to

drum up more business,

you’re missing out.

This is an easy way to sell the work that is required—not only work required immediately, but future jobs as well.

Dave Redinger is a mechanic with over 45 years experience. He owns and operates his own shop in the Toronto area. Dave hosts “Dave’s Corner Garage”

seen on national television—Sun TV on Sunday mornings. Dave’s Corner Garage deals with automotive issues.

Dave Redinger [email protected]

T he following is an excerpt from an article I wrote for Sun Media’s 24 Hours newspaper. It was seen by

Sun readers across Canada, and I’d like to direct your attention to the point I made about the benefi ts of recalls:


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15 inch 225/55R 16 99T XL

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215/70R 15 98T SL 225 /65R 17 102T SL

185 /65R 15 88T SL 235 /65R 17 108T XL

195 /65R 15 91T SL 235 /55R 17 103T XL

205 /65R 15 94T SL 205 /50R 17 93T XL

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195 /55R 15 89T XL 18 inch

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SIZES AVAILABLE

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improved tread pattern:

Parallel central ribs to improve vehicle handling

Stable shoulder blocks with Force Transmission Links to increase performance

Circumferential central groove for fast drainage, slush expulsion and better self cleaning

increased sipe density and 3D Drop sipes:

More grip edges for better snow handling performance

nordic silica compound:

Innovative winter grip polymer for improved snow traction, performance and ice grip

Dealer Enquiries Welcome

e-mail: [email protected] www.gislavedontario.ca

Exclusive Gislaved Distributor for Ontario

Call (905) 670-7354 Ext. 270

ATLAS TIRE WHOLESALE INC.

TN-December_2009.indd 31 11/13/09 12:25:37 PM

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