Auto Motivation - Summer 2010

M O T I VAT I O N 

Tomorrow’s Trade news, TodaY! FROM UK PaRts alliance summer 2010 

Dream 

team! 

Make us a part of 

your winning line-up 

with this World cup 

special issue! 

Win! 

a Fantastic 

3" teleVisiOn 

name the england starting eleven 

to play the Usa on June 12th and 

you could be in with a chance 

of winning a television, 

beer fridge or a slab of beer! 

see page 22 

shOcKing scRaPPage 

shocking images of the scrappage scheme 

– find out more on page 10 

tURning JaPanese? 

asian cars are no longer made solely 

in Japan – find out more on page 28 

BRaKing 

How many workshops put quality over 

low prices? – find out more on page 32 

• neWs Pages • a DaY in the liFe • BUsiness BUilDeR • QUiZ • + MUch MORe… •

Tomorrow’s Trade news, TodaY! FROM UK PaRts alliance 


WelcOMe 

For the next few weeks you won’t be 

able to avoid the World cup, and we at 

automotivation are getting involved too. 

One of the world’s greatest sporting events 

shows the very best in sporting skills, but 

it also reflects the way UK Parts alliance 

works, having the right people for the 

job working together to deliver the best 

possible results. 

The state of the UK’s roads should be giving 

everyone cause for concern, whether they’re 

driving a car, riding a motorbike or cycling. 

There have been some true horror stories in 

the press about potholes appearing overnight, 

but what’s frightening is the shocking lack 

of response from local councils in carrying 

about 

automotivation… 

©2010 UK Parts alliance all material published 

in automotivation is copyright and unauthorised 

reproduction is forbidden. automotivation 

is published on a controlled circulation basis. 

whilst due care is taken to ensure the content 

of automotivation is accurate, the publishers 

and printers cannot accept liability for errors 

or omissions. 

Promotions/competitions are not open to employees 

of UK Parts alliance, members or company whose 

trading terms expressly forbid such arrangements. 

out repairs. How long do we have 

to wait for nationwide action to sort 

things out? 

of course bad roads can bring more 

work to the independent garage, but 

putting right the damage caused 

by lazy councils’ intransigence 

simply isn’t right, and not something 

we welcome. That doesn’t mean 

workshops shouldn’t check a car’s 

suspension when it comes in for a 

service – in fact it’s important to do 

so, and advise on any parts, such 

as shock absorbers and springs, 

that could need replacing. 

away from the state of our roads, and on to 

the state of the UK car parc: the scrappage 

Incentive scheme has now ended, and 

there are plenty of people who are saying 

not a moment too soon. Like it or not, the 

scrappage scheme did nothing to help the 

environment, or help motorists on a budget. 

rather than helping to keep people mobile, 

and support the workshop trade, all it did 

was prop-up overseas car makers and their 

UK dealerships. 

win-win? more lose-lose I’d say. 

David Bowen 

Marketing Manager – UK Parts Alliance 

Unit 4, Rabone Park, Rabone Lane, 

Smethwick, West Midlands B66 2NN 

Tel: 0121 565 6100 Fax: 0121 565 6101 

Email: enquiries@ukpa.net 

Website: www.ukpa.net 

Regular features… 

neWs Pages 04 

BUsiness BUilDeR 18 

Oil, lUBRicants & aDDitiVes 

BUsiness BUilDeR 

Vehicle sPeciFic cOOlants 

PRODUct FOcUs 

asian PaRts 

PRODUct FOcUs 

BRaKing 

BUsiness BUilDeR 

tOOls 

Other features… 

20 

28 

32 

36 

cheaP PRODUcts 9 

don’t compromise on quality, 

we take a look at turbo-chargers 

shOcKing scRaPPage 10 

we take a look at the 

controversial scrappage scheme 

esPeciallY FOR YOU 14 

specialist parts from UK Parts alliance 

Fgas legislatiOn 16 

Is it all a load of hot air? 

cOMMa Oil 18 

specific oil offering from Comma 

Be the englanD ManageR 22 

Guess the starting eleven and be in for a 

chance to win a great football package 

FOOtBall cRaZY 24 

How will the world Cup 

affect your business? 

On the ROaD 26 

Launch of allparts mobile technical centre 

a DaY in the liFe 30 

of a & a Car service Centre in Llanelli, wales 

the Final Whistle 38 

Jamie Baulch talks football! 

General enquiries call 080 242 428 log on www.automotivation.info or email enquiries@automotivation.info summer 2010 

3

NEWS 


XXX Mill aUtOQUiP • ces (UK) • caMBeRleY 

ces (UK) sponsors motor events 


Don’t think 

dealer… 

think Mill 

ces (UK) is throwing its weight behind 

motor sport events and shows during 

the summer, sponsoring several high 

profile prestigious classic car rallies. 

These include the north wales based 

Three Castles rally, which lasts three days 

and takes in snowdonia’s fi nest roads and 

scenery. There’s also the Classic rally 

association’s Classic marathon (which 

starts in Beaune, lasts for over six days and 

ends in Biarritz) and the Historic endurance 

rally organisation’s summer Trial, which 

is based in worcester and open to 

pre-1983 cars. 

Ces (UK) returns to the Cholmondeley 

Pageant of Power (17-18th July) and is 

supporting november’s rally of the Tests, 

which recalls the gruelling UK based rallies 

of the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s. 

WIN! 

WIN! 

Time to dust off that duffel coat and fl at 

cap and start scouring the ads for a cheap 

morris minor… 

les Davis retires 

les Davis, retiring 

after 20 years 

West of england UK Parts alliance 

member Mill autoquip flew the flag at 

March’s exeter Mechanex exhibition. 

With around 1000 visitors the trade 

show brought suppliers, distributors 

and workshop staff together to 

discuss new products and services. 

Mill’s message to workshops was 

‘Don’t think dealer think Mill.’ 

“It is fantastic to see that the south 

west is recognised as a thriving 

automotive repair sector in the UK by 

some of the world’s most prestigious 

automotive brands,” said assistant 

managing director mike stevenson. 

“It is essential that independent garages 

are given the opportunity to purchase 

and fi t top quality parts which are readily 

available from mill and other UK Parts 

alliance members, instead of those 

which come from the main dealers. 

Independent garages that work closely 

with parts suppliers like mill can fi t 

the very best the industry has to offer 

– but at a more competitive price than 

a main dealers.” 

camberley’s commercial Director les 

Davis has retired after 20 years service. 

his replacement is Bill Johnson, who 

began his career working in a Mercedes- 

Benz dealership and after several years 

in the ReMe working on tanks, joined 

Bosch as a sales executive, ending up 

as sales Director for Beissbarth and 

Bosch test equipment. 

Les davis has worked in the motor industry 

for 45 years, spending 19 years with Brown 

Brothers, six years with Gordon spice 

(ending up as marketing director), followed 

by 20 years at Camberley, including a stint 

as sales and marketing director and then 

Commercial director. He’s going to have 

a busy retirement, spending time with his 

family and in France. 

Bill Johnson 

“Everyone at the UK 

Parts Alliance and 

Automotivation join 

Camberley to wish Les 

well in his retirement.” 

4 

summer 2010 

General enquiries call 080 242 428 log on www.automotivation.info or email enquiries@automotivation.info

NEWS 



ces (UK) • Fleet FactORs 

ces (UK) training evenings 

opportunities that operating to best practice 

brings,” steve mcCann says. 

Customers at Ces (UK) recently opened 

Cannock branch were invited to a chassis 

evening at local dealership motorhouse. 

“It wasn’t what we were expecting. 

WIN! 

WIN! 

we thought they’d be pushing sales like 

everyone else does but there was a lot of 

technical info in the session,” said Terry 

marshall of walstell services. 

northwest based technicians are 

flocking to ces (UK) chassis evenings. 

Backed by Oe suppliers, the ‘chassis 

tour’ covers technical development 

and looks at electronic systems as 

well as alignment, braking, steering 

and suspension. 

Presented by Ces (UK) Trading director 

steve mcCann, the technical evening 

covers duty of care and best practice, 

and looks at new technology, such as 

Forward Collision warning and electro 

Hydraulic Braking. 

“we were delighted with the response 

from customers. our supplier partners 

showcased the chassis technology in some 

depth. at the same time garages have 

been quick to pick up on the sales 

“We liked the demos 

afterwards because there 

was no sales pitch, just 

good technical info and 

the chance to spend time 

with the experts.” 

“we were surprised about the tyre pressure 

monitoring system opportunities and we 

will definitely be pushing the sale of pairs 

of springs and checking the rear axle sets 

for wear. we liked the demos afterwards 

because there was no sales pitch, just 

good technical info and the chance to 

spend time with the experts.” 

Fleet goes 

interactive 

Fleet Factors has launched its new interactive website, 

which went online in May. it offers an online purchasing 

service backed by next day delivery. 

www.fleetfactors.co.uk 

“The website is bright, clear and simple to navigate 

and offers other services such as a branch locator, 

request for newsletters and catalogues, access to 

technical info and training as well as information on all 

available products, brands and services,” says scott norris, 

marketing manager. 


5

NEWS 


XXX cas • caMBeRleY 


cas Driving Force 

drivers completed resulted in high branch 

average scores along with many outstanding 

individual performance reports. 

The drivers themselves have benefi ted from 

a sense of pride in completing the course, 

which has been refl ected in improved 

WIN! 

WIN! 

levels of attitude and commitment. 

each 

of the Central auto supplies drivers have 

been awarded their certifi cate at special 

presentations conducted at each branch. 

central auto supplies are committed 

to giving their customers a top quality 

service. a way of achieving their goal is 

the continuous development and training 

of their staff. the recent decision to have 

all of their van delivery drivers go through 

the rigorous nVQ Delivery Driver course 

is testimony to that policy. 

The course contains not only the importance 

of safe driving resulting in improved fuel 

effi ciency which benefi ts the environment 

but also focuses on driver’s abilities to 

conduct themselves professionally in 

their daily working environment ensuring 

their customer requirements are met at 

all times. 

The depth of the measurement criteria 

covered 26 areas and the formal 

assessment that the Central auto supplies 

overall, 129 drivers completed and passed 

the course for their City & Guilds national 

Vocational Qualifi cation award in LeVeL 2 

nVQ (Carry and deliver Goods) Certifi cate, 

following their training by essential Partner’s 

assessors at each branch that commenced 

in november 2009 with completion being 

made in april 2010 for this programme. 

This initiative combined with the proven 

success of the tracking systems installed 

on the delivery vehicles since 2009 have 

shown through in improved levels of service 

to Central auto supplies customer base. 

camberley awarded iMi accreditation 

camberley auto Factors has 

been awarded the iMi’s approved 

assessment centre’ status. 

This recognition allows the UK Parts 

alliance member to offer the ImI’s 

automotive Technician accreditation 

Parts advisor training course to its staff 

which in turn helps create a career path. 

The ImI vets its approved assessment 

Centres thoroughly to ensure they can 

maintain the Institute’s standards. Potential 

centres have to prove they can deliver 

qualifi cations, and subject to an ImI approval 

visit which cover facilities, management 

systems and qualifi ed personnel. Following 

this process CaF is now able to offer the 

Level 2 award to its parts advisors. 

“we are delighted to be able to train 

our staff under this new scheme. 

not only does it help to qualify them with 

the tools they need for their everyday 

work, it also benefi ts our customers daily 

as they are safe in the knowledge that 

their CaF contact is adequately qualifi ed 

to help them with their transaction,” 

says CaF operations director, Brian Hall. 

The Camberley initiative comes at the right 

time, as Brian Hall explains: It is incredibly 

helpful that we are able to train our staff 

ourselves here at our own premises. 

It has been recognised that since its 

launch in 2008, fewer parts advisors 

have taken the course as they have 

needed to travel to an approved 

assessment Centre. 

“By becoming an approved Centre 

ourselves we have instantly removed 

this issue and in doing so several 

members of staff have already become 

aTa accredited, with plans to see many 

more of our sales staff undertaking the 

course over the next period of time.” 

6 



Tomorrow’s trade news, TODAY! FROM UK Parts Alliance 

Don’t send your customer’s 

engines to a watery grave! 


Modern diesel injection systems thrive 

on fuel that is almost completely free 

of contaminants. However, diesel fuel can 

contain harmful elements including the 

injection system’s arch enemy… water… 

which is responsible for corrosion 

and oxidation of injectors and other 

critical components. 

This problem, together with the continuous 

rise in injection pressures for common rail 

systems and the demand from vehicle and 

engine producers for enhanced component 

protection, has led MANN+HUMMEL 

to pioneer the development of a new 

generation of ultra-high performance diesel 

fuel filter media – Multigrade F. 

Multigrade F is a multi-layer filter media, up 

to 4 times more efficient than conventional 

filter paper. The key to its performance 

is the combination of hydrophobic (water 

repellent) superfine fibres to eliminate 

water ingress and a compressed layer of 

cellulose media that provides unparalleled 

contaminant retention. 

Multigrade F, the filtration media solution 

now adopted by many vehicle assemblers is 

employed in Original Equipment fuel filtration 

1 

systems supplied by MANN+HUMMEL. 

The very same levels of OE performance 

and efficiency are provided by Aftermarket 

fuel filters from MANN-FILTER. 

To ensure you offer your customer’s 

engines optimum protection against water 

and other fuel borne contaminants, replace 

the fuel filter according to the VA’s service 

interval recommendations and add value 

by offering MANN-FILTER with OE specified 

Multigrade F media. 

2 

1: Ultra-high performance 

diesel fuel filter media - Multigrade F 

2: A Typical OE fuel filtration 

module supplied by MANN+HUMMEL 

3: Genuine matching quality 

fuel filters from MANN-FILTER 

3 

CONTACT UK Parts Alliance 

CALL: 0870 242 4278 

General enquiries call 0870 242 4278 log on www.automotivation.info or email enquiries@automotivation.info Summer 2010


CALL: 0870 242 4278



Don’t compromise 

on quality 

turbochargers 

– can you get 

away with using 

cheap parts? 

cheap replacement car parts are all 

about compromise – their cut-price ticket 

is the result of lower quality somewhere 

along the line. On some parts that might 

be acceptable, but the increasingly 

complex design of modern cars means 

there’s less room for compromise than 

there once was. 

a good example of this is with 

turbochargers, and demand for 

replacements means there’s a wide 

choice on the market. some are fi rst rate, 

some are so-so, while others are a waste 

of space. 

BTn is an authorised turbocharger BTn also offer remanufactured versions 

distributor to the all major manufacturers of conventional turbos using 100% 

including Garrett, who are the preferred genuine oe parts, which are fully tested 

supplier to the vast majority of car makers, to oe specifi cation. all turbos are 

and the BTn range brings a strong profi t 

centre to any workshop. 

supplied with a fi tting kit and an oil-fi lled 

pre-priming injector to prevent start-up 

oil starvation. 

BTn new replacement turbos are brand 

new from the manufacturer and are 

exactly the same as fi tted by the oe and 

specifi cally match to the vehicles fuel and 

BTn new turbochargers are surcharge-free 

and are backed by a technical helpline. 

emissions system. 

Why can’t you repair a modern turbocharger? 

more and more cars are fi tted with 

turbochargers, and their performance hikes 

work particularly well with diesel engines. 

due to effi ciency and increase power 

delivered, car manufacturers have focused 

on engine downsizing whilst improving fuel 

effi ciency and reducing emissions. 

and like it or not, turbochargers are 

increasingly complex units, with the 

latest versions unable to be repaired to 

oe specifi cation. so, instead of offering 

rebuild units, UK Parts alliance members 

carry the BTn new replacement 

turbocharger range, which offers the 

same turbo as fi tted by the oe and keeps 

a car running as it should. 

it’s all down to the moving parts! 

the vanes in a turbocharger have to be 

set up for exact minimum airflow, and 

because a turbo is small and involves 

many parts and tight tolerances, 

rebuilding isn’t economically viable. 

“The vanes are then locked in this position 

for calibration. If the initial setting is wrong, 

the turbo won’t provide the correct boost 

at any speed – causing poor performance, 

increased emissions, excessively high 

temperatures and damage to the turbo 

and the engine through over boosting,” 

a BTn spokesman says. 

“even the apparently harmless act 

of opening the turbine housing will 

immediately lose this vital vane setting 

– rendering the turbo useless. That’s why 

Garrett doesn’t condone remanufacturing 

of its VnT turbos, and won’t supply 

spares to rebuild them.” 

so fitting a brand new unit is the bestpossible 

option, as BTn’s spokesman 

explains: “If you’re offered a rebuilt 

variable turbine turbo, it won’t have 

the correct parts or have been set up 

using the original manufacturer’s highly 

sophisticated calibration systems. 

It’s bound to fail, costing you dearly in 

time and goodwill. That’s why the only 

sensible replacement for a variable 

turbine turbo, is a brand new variable 

turbine turbo.” 


9



BMW 3-SERIES – 1996 

AUSTIN FX4 – 1995 

MERCEDES S-CLASS – 1997 

SUBARU FORESTER – 1997 

Shocking! 

– scrappage 

Richard Barnett talks about the 

controversial scrappage scheme 

Recent photographs in the national 

press of cars facing a scrap yard 

future summed up the rank stupidity 

and futility of the just ended Scrappage 

Incentive Scheme. 

As someone who’s written about the 

independent aftermarket since the mid- 

’90s, and who’s also a lover of older cars, 

the sight of countless BMWs, Jaguars and 

Mercedes-Benz (along with numerous small 

hatchbacks and family cars) festering on 

a redundant airfield was heart-breaking. 

Many of them could have provided another 

10 years’ loyal, reliable and economical 

motoring for drivers on a budget – or find a 

new home with those who just don’t want to 

splash out a healthy sum for a car. 

So that’s one reason why the patently stupid 

Scrappage Scheme never won me over. 

But was it really green? I doubt it, and that’s 

because the majority of a car’s lifetime 

carbon footprint comes when it’s made, not 

when it’s being used and repaired. 

Which meant the motor industry’s 

trade association, the Society of Motor 

Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), 

was quite happy to get older, perfectly 

reasonable cars off the road to appease 

its UK-based car making members, most 

of whom make the sort of cars that would 

10 

Summer 2010 



Aerial shot of Thurleigh Airfield 

– just some of the many decent 

cars gone to scrap 


ROVER MINI – 1990 

JAGUAR S-TYPE 

– 1999 

VOLVO S40 – 1996 LAND ROVER SERIES 3 – 1971 

hardly see sales being stimulated by a twogrand 

cashback. Do we honestly believe 

Range Rover, Aston Martin and Rolls Royce 

sales gained a useful leg-up? Of course 

they didn’t. 

So the kind of cars sold under the scrappage 

scheme tended to be made in the Far 

East or Eastern Europe. So much for nondriving 

Gordon Brown’s idea of protecting 

British workers’ jobs, because while the 

UK car making side was hardly made 

more secure, the components side hardly 

benefited either did it? 

Which again comes back to the SMMT, 

which is supposed to represent the entire 

UK motor industry, meaning not just the car 

makers but the independent aftermarket 

as well. If it did represent all segments of 

the motor industry, it would be sticking up 

for the UK’s component suppliers – and 

helping the independent aftermarket make 

the UK car parc much cleaner. 

So how could that have worked? Quite 

simply really: rather than subsidise money 

grabbing car makers who have, quite 

frankly, lined their pockets successfully 

year after year, why the hell didn’t the 

Government offer some strong support to 

the independent aftermarket? For instance, 

encourage people to have their car serviced 

properly – and at a pocket friendly price 

– while playing up the ‘green’ and economy 

aspects of a well maintained car. 

No doubt that wouldn’t be glamorous 

enough for Lord Mandelson or his newly 

acquired friends at the SMMT, who probably 

only ever go to a garage when they drop 

their car off for a service, and not as part 

of their job. 

How much would a concerted TV, radio and 

print media campaign cost? I haven’t got 

much of an idea, but I’m certain it would 

cost far less than subsidising a scrappage 

programme that kept plenty of people 

in jobs in car manufacturing across the 

Far East and Eastern Europe, while doing 

sod-all at worst, or at very best little, for UK 

jobs and the UK economy. 

What worries me is quite how detached 

from the real world the SMMT is: there 

seems to be very little appreciation of 

driving in the real world, where drivers 

have to watch every penny when it comes 

to keeping their cars safe and reliable. 

And I honestly don’t think the SMMT, and 

the car makers it represents, really care: 

if they do, I’d love to hear from them, so 

I can put over my points. They know how to 

get hold of me. 

Just don’t hold your breath, because 

I certainly won’t… 

Richard Barnett 

Automotivation magazine 

General enquiries call 0870 242 4278 log on www.automotivation.info or email enquiries@automotivation.info Summer 2010 

11


CALL: 0870 242 4278



light the way and pocket 

the profit… 

in BRieF: 

• Up sell – don’t just offer a like 

for like replacement, up sell 

to an upgrade bulb. 

• Opportunity – replacements 

are more complex, take the 

daunting task of replacing 

a failed bulb away from 

your customers. 

• Fit and Forget – the same 

Oe quality as supplied to the 

vehicle manufacturers. 

• Fully ‘e’ approved – halogen 

headlight bulbs. 

the beam help towards a potential hazard 

being seen sooner and ultimately the worst 

being avoided! 

The majority of vehicles manufactured have 

halogen bulbs fi tted as standard which are 

of oe quality. osram nIGHT BreaKer ® 

are an oe halogen headlight upgrade bulb, 

which means a standard H1, H3, H4, H7 

or H11 bulb can be easily replaced and 

upgraded to nIGHT BreaKer ® . 

with up to 90% more light, a 10% whiter 

light and a 35 metre longer beam, a simple 

upgrade gives ultimate light performance 

on the road ahead. You too will also profi t 

from the up sell. 

every time a car is in your workshop for an 

moT, service or routine maintenance offer 

an upgrade to osram nIGHT BreaKer ® 

from the world’s number one automotive 

lighting manufacturer – osram. 

available now from all UK Parts 

alliance Member branches. 

night 

BReaKeR ® 

gaRage PacK 

£95.00 each 

(exc. Vat) 

Replacing a light bulb that has failed 

used to be simple but in some modern 

day vehicles replacing a bulb can be a 

tough task that car owners don’t want 

to do and can not do themselves. 

now is the time for workshops to profi t 

from a simple bulb failure. It’s always easy 

to just offer a like for like replacement of 

a failed headlight bulb and you might not 

necessarily think about the quality and light 

output of the product you are fi tting. 

Lighting plays a very important part when it 

comes to safety on the road. The brighter 

the bulb, the whiter the light and the longer 

the night BReaKeR ® 

garage Pack includes: 

• a fully stocked acrylic stand 

(6 x h and 6 x h4 DUO PacKs) 

• an OsRaM Polo shirt 

• OsRaM stockist sticker 

• Bulb application Poster 

Profi t by offering your customers the chance 

to upgrade their headlights! 

The ToTaL r.r.P. value of the stand is 

£311.88 (inc. VaT) with an rrP of £27.99 

a pair of H7s and £23.99 a pair of H4s. 

so don’t miss the opportunity. 

ORDeR nOW! 

night BReaKeR ® garage Pack 

Order Ref: 510068 + gPacK 


13



especially 

for you… 

help with your specialist parts 

the mention of the term specialist parts 

will send many technicians into a frenzy 

– these aren’t the regular service items 

like brake pads, spark plugs and filters 

workshops see every day. 

But that doesn’t mean specialist parts 

are fi tted just once in a blue moon: 

they aren’t. However, they’re the type 

of part that might need seeking out, 

and there might be a need for some 

technical advice especially if it’s fi tted to a 

rarer car. 

Traditionally these parts were sourced from 

‘real’ specialists – perhaps one-marque 

parts suppliers – or from a main dealer. 

Bad news for any workshop, because that 

invariably means higher purchase prices 

and reduced profi t margin. not good. 

what’s more, UK Parts alliance’s 

philosophy of supply oe or oe-matching 

quality components means workshops 

are confi dent in the parts they are fi tting. 

The group don’t supply white-box products 

because of the problems they can cause: 

not being up to the job; risk of damage to 

other components; and, product failure 

damaging a workshop’s reputation (not to 

mention the hassle of returns). 

“Customer faith in engine management 

product is extremely important due to 

the technical complexity of the parts 

and potential ambiguity of diagnostic 

equipment” says UK Parts alliance product 

manager Jim Joyce. “supply a denso, Bosch 

or nGK unit, which is identical to the unit 

removed from the car and the workshop will 

be much more confi dent, especially if there 

is a wider problem on the vehicle that 

requires further investigation. 

UK Parts alliance recognises the 

need for specialist parts at short notice 

and is making great strides to be the 

complete specialist parts solution with 

a range and depth of products to meet 

demand, particularly with early adoption 

parts. In addition, UK Parts alliance’s 

state of the art alliCat electronic 

catalogue system provides a competitive 

edge through intelligent cataloguing and 

onscreen parts identifi cation. 

according to Jim Joyce, regular 

catalogue updates help provide a full 

offer. “we can also source from our niche 

manufacturers before our competition have 

availability, giving our customers a better 

service,” he says. 

one example out of the numerous of 

parts covered by “engine management”: 

There are over 2,400 lambda sensors 

available from UK Parts alliance – other 

suppliers tend to have only around 1,000 

in their offering. 

Currently 2009/2010 models are being 

catalogued, allowing us the opportunity to 

say “Yes”, even when an aftermarket part 

number hasn’t yet been released. 

First to market 

and supporting 

the range 

UK Parts alliance is at the 

forefront of delivering the latest 

engine management products, 

such as lambda sensors, air 

Mass sensors, egR Valves giving 

its workshops customers the 

opportunity to compete on a level 

playing field with main dealers. 

“We are also first to market with 

new range availability, such as the 

latest Denso offering, and many new 

Diesel lambda applications from 

the likes of ngK & Bosch. this is 

due largely to our suppliers seeing 

us as good technical partners,” 

Jim Joyce says. 

“we also have an ability to solve any 

issues extremely quickly, using our 

telesales feedback capability. Feedback 

is sent from branch level, distributed 

to the relevant product manager, and 

resolved for the next release of alliCat, 

through the use of our own catalogue 

maintenance system.” 

14 




CALL: 0870 242 4278 

15



16 





fgas legislation 

is it all a load of hot air? 

green driven legislation has affected the 

gases used in a car’s air conditioning 

system, and how they are handled. 

The r12 gas traditionally used in vehicle 

air conditioning systems has been banned 

from use since the beginning of 2001, and 

the march of gas legislation continues, with 

r12 replacement gas r134a, and this too 

is now the subject of green legislation. 

July 4th sees the introduction of new 

legislation affecting the containment and 

reduction of F-gases, and from that date 

any technician working on a car’s air 

conditioning has to be certifi ed to handle 

that gas. a whopping £5000 fi ne can be 

imposed on any law-breaking garages. 

meanwhile other goings-on have affected 

the supply of Tetrafl ouroethane – a fi re at a 

factory in asia, contamination in a european 

factory and a strike in a French factory have 

led to prices rising by 50 percent in the fi rst 

quarter of the year. Pundits are predicting 

further price rises and are saying the price 

will be unstable in the foreseeable future. 

Tetrafl ouroethane supplies will remain 

restricted and this has led to lower quality 

products hitting the market, but UK Parts 

alliance members are sourcing from 

high-quality suppliers to ensure only the 

best product is available. 

The increasing number of cars with air 

conditioning means plenty of earning 

opportunities for workshops, but to 

maximize their profi ts, workshops need 

to use the right equipment. 

Texa and Bosch have air conditioning 

diagnostics machines that offer benefi ts 

not found on cheaper equipment. 

Make sure you have the correct 

equipment by July 4th 2010 

Both units are ‘plug and play’, in that 

they can be connected to a car’s air 

conditioning system and left to do the 

job, allowing a technician to get on with 

other tasks. 

The Konfort 610E Bus is similar to the 

650, but has a larger (32kg) reservoir 

and a more powerful 170 litres per 

minute dual-stage vacuum pump. 

Texa’s Konfort Evolution 600 series 

is designed to meet the most recent 

legislation, including an SD card that 

stores vehicle data and gas/oil usage. 

The current best-seller is the K650E, 

which offers recovery and recycling; 

evacuation and vacuum check; 

high-performance vacuum pumps; 

automatic service hose emptying and 

three-metre service hoses. 

Bosch has a two-pronged offering 

with its ACS601/ACS650 units which 

boast simple navigation; powerful, 

easy-to-read status indicators and 

a utility space for tools and documents. 

The 650 has a larger tank, more 

powerful pump and an additional 

pressure gauge for monitoring 

bottle pressure. 


1

BUSINESS BUILDER 



Oils, PeRFORMance lUBRicants PaRts & aDDitiVes 

Be specific… 

Oil and coolants 

offering from 

comma 

CO 2 

the government’s scrappage scheme has 

ended and all the economic indicators 

point to tens of thousands of car owners 

hanging on to their present vehicle 

rather than trading it in for a new one. 

This looks certain, says Comma, to benefi t 

independent workshops by generating 

additional servicing opportunities, with 

engine and cooling systems high on the 

job sheet of preventive maintenance work 

necessary to keep vehicles performing at 

the peak of their potential and in a safe, 

roadworthy condition. 

everything’s specific now 

Top quality motor oils and coolants are 

fundamental to engine longevity, reliability, 

economy and performance, but it’s vital to 

be using the correct products for any given 

application. “Because contemporary cars 

and LCVs now vary widely in their lubricant 

requirements, the market has permanently 

settled on fully and semi-synthetic enginespecifi 

c oils that should logically be 

regarded as part numbers and ‘fi tted’ 

strictly by application,” says Comma’s sales 

& marketing director, mike Bewsey. 

Coolants are also heading in the same 

direction, says mike, pointing out that the 

Vw Group has recently introduced the fi rst 

manufacturer-specifi c advanced organic 

additive technology (aoaT) coolant – of 

which, Comma’s Xstream G40 is offi ciallyapproved 

by Vw – for all post 2005 Vw, 

audi, seaT, skoda and Bentley models. 

“where Vw leads, other manufacturers will 

surely follow soon, so we’re witnessing the 

coolants application landscape becoming 

just as specifi c in terms of compliance with 

Vm’s requirements as it already is with 

engine oils,” says mike. 

18 






PeRFORMance Oils, lUBRicants PaRts & aDDitiVes 

It means that reliable and accurate 

applications data is absolutely essential. 

over 67% of vehicles in Comma’s application 

guide now require an engine-specifi c oil and 

it has now become virtually impossible for 

technicians to know and remember the 

details of every application. Fortunately, 

Comma’s defi nitive application Guide lists 

oil, coolant, gear oil and brake fl uid 

applications for all models of passenger car 

and LCV dating back over 30 years. 

Better still, every product listed in the 

data is covered by Comma’s unique written 

guarantee, so if you’re targeting in-warranty 

vehicles under the opportunities extended 

by eU Block exemption, you can be 

absolutely confi dent that you’re using 

exactly the right products for any given 

application. This is especially true of 

vehicles requiring an aCea ‘C’ category 

reduced-saPs oil for the protection of 

3-way catalytic converters (CaTs) and diesel 

particulate fi lters (dPFs). 

Comma’s Workshop Application 

Guide & Catalogue, plus an A2 

workshop poster featuring the 

ticket giveaway are supplied 

FREE to members of the Comma 

Professional Partner Programme. 

If you’re not already a member, ask 

your UK Parts Alliance distributor 

CO 2 

for full details. Alternatively you can 

contact Comma Oil by email 

on workshop@commaoil.com 

or by phone on 01474 325 990. 

Application data is also available in 

full by vehicle registration look-up, 

on-line at www.commaoil.com 

comma’s £2 million motorsport 

ticket promotion 

always keen to put its products to the test 

on the race track, Comma is celebrating 

its continuing Technical Partnerships with 

the FIa Formula Two championship and 

motorsport Vision (msV) with a massive 

‘motorsport Ticket Giveaway’ promotion 

in 2010. 

Promotional packs of 4.5ltr or 5ltr 

Comma Performance motor oils will carry 

a promotional neck tag printed with a 

unique code. once the pack is purchased, 

the promotional code can be revealed and 

redeemed online at www.commaoil.com 

for a free entry ticket to one of many top 

flight msV events from may to november. 

“we’ve designed the promotion so that 

independent workshops can offer their 

customers an added value incentive worth 

up to £42 when having their vehicle 

serviced,” said mike Bewsey. “It’s the 

biggest promotion of its kind ever mounted 

by Comma, and a great opportunity for 

workshops to attract and retain new 

business as well as rewarding existing 

customers. naturally, we’re backing it 

with an intensive consumer awareness Pr 

campaign, so we expect demand from the 

public to be substantial,” he said. 

70,000 Free entry tickets will be made 

available for race meetings at msV circuits 

across the country, including headline 

attractions such as the FIa world Touring 

Cars & Formula Two Championship, 

the mCe British superbike Championship, 

the dTm (German Touring Cars), 

the Cooper Tyres British F3/GT 

Championships and many more. 

“The use of our products in the extreme 

environment of top fl ight motor sport 

validates their quality and performance 

and demonstrates to consumers and 

technicians alike that they can fi t 

Comma products with confi dence” says 

mike Bewsey. 


19




Vehicle PeRFORMance sPeciFic PaRts cOOlants 

hotting up 

With days getting 

warmer it’s time 

to focus on coolants 

if drivers haven’t thought about their 

car’s cooling system now the days are 

getting warmer, they’ll be relying on 

you to check its condition and replace 

if necessary. 

since the 1990s many cars have used 

silicate-free organic acid Technology (oaT) 

coolants, which have a longer service life 

(up to fi ve years) and better corrosion 

protection than previous coolant types. 

the comma 

solution 

1st generation hybrid 

– silicate based 

Leading example: Comma 

Xstream ® G05 – Contains 

borate, nitrite and silicate. 

(Now principally confined to 

CV applications in Europe) 

CO 2 

2nd generation hybrid 

– silicate based 


Xstream ® G48 – Contains 

borate and silicate, 

but no nitrite, amines 

or phosphates 

Organic acid technology 

(Oat) – silicate free 


Xstream ® G30 – Organic 

Acid, NAP free and 

no silicate! 

The dramatically cold winter meant the 

coolant, radiator, hoses and thermostat 

had their work cut out – now it’s time to 

make sure the system is ready for the 

summer holidays. 

Changing coolant has, needless to say, 

changed, and new coolants are becoming 

increasingly Vm-specifi c. That means you’ve 

got to be using the right type, particularly 

on later cars. 

during the ’70s and ’80s hybrid technology 

was the coolant cutting edge. It used 

inorganic salt and borate, but the coolant 

reacted with aluminium engine components, 

which then called for inhibitor packages. 

a second generation hybrid was siliconefree 

and it’s still used by Bmw and Volvo. 

It offers rapid build up of protective layers 

but has a shortish service life – about 

three years. 

The successor, unsurprisingly known 

as advanced oaT, advances previous 

technology. “It combines the benefi ts of 

both oaT and hybrid technology. It builds 

up the protective layers very quickly, and 

they are very stable and durable,” says 

a spokesman from UK Parts alliance 

supplier Comma. 

advanced Oat – 

silicate package 


Xstream ® G40 – Organic 

Acid, NAP free, 

contains silicate 

Why are ‘application specific’ coolants now coming 

into the market, and what is different about them? 

Comma explains the technicalities… 

application specific coolants are coming to the market because OeM’s are 

constantly developing better engines. Better engines = better performance 

= more heat & energy produced by the engine. an antifreeze coolant has to absorb 

almost 1/3 of the total energy that is produced by the engine! these, then, are 

the reasons that made it necessary to develop new coolant technologies: 

• Thinner Castings for weight reduction • Better noise insulation caused higher 

temperature in engine compartment • smaller radiators for weight reduction 

• Increased antifreeze & coolant velocity • extended coolant change intervals 

20 





General enquiries call 0870 242 4278 log on www.automotivation.info or email enquiries@automotivation.info Summer 2010 21



Be the england 

Win! 

Manager! 

a Hat tRicK 

OF tOP PRiZes 

sponsored by 

Btn turbo! 

name the england 

starting eleven 

in our amazing 

competition 

name the england starting 

eleven for their first game 

against the Usa on 12th June 

and you could be in with a 

chance to win some fantastic 

prizes sponsored by Btn turbo!* 

1st Prize: 

37" Widescreen television 

2nd Prize: 

Beer Fridge and Beer 

10 Runner-up Prizes: 

a slab of Beer 

To be in for a chance to win simply fi ll 

in the information on the page opposite 

and either post to us or visit our 

website: www.automotivation.info 

email: worldcup@ukpa.net 

*Winners will be the closest match to the 

starting eleven and will be selected at random. 

TERMS & CONDITIONS – • No purchase necessary • Closing date 

5pm Friday 11th June 2010 • The winners will receive vouchers worth 

the value of the above prizes • The winners will be notifi ed in writing 

within 14 days • Promoter: Marketing Department UK Parts Alliance, 

Unit 4, Rabone Park, Rabone Lane, Smethwick, West Midlands B66 

2NN • Participants agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions. 

• The Promoter’s decision is fi nal and binding in all matters and no 

correspondence will be entered into. • No cash alternative • Prizes are 

for illustrative purposes only and may differ from those shown. 

• UK Parts Alliance reserve the right to withdraw this offer at any time 

without prior notice. 

22 





✁ 

Cut along line 

nB: Formation subject to change 

TERMS & CONDITIONS – • No purchase necessary • Closing date 5pm Friday 11th June 2010 • The winners will receive vouchers worth the value of the said prizes • The winners will be notifi ed in writing within 14 days • Promoter: Marketing 

Department UK Parts Alliance, Unit 4, Rabone Park, Rabone Lane, Smethwick, West Midlands B66 2NN • Participants agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions. • The Promoter’s decision is fi nal and binding in all matters and no 

correspondence will be entered into. • No cash alternative • Prizes are for illustrative purposes only and may differ from those shown. • UK Parts Alliance reserve the right to withdraw this offer at any time without prior notice. 

For your chance to win this fantastic prize, just fill in the details below and send back to us no later than 5pm 11/06/10 

Name ......................................................................................... Company Name ...................................................................... 

Position ...................................................................................... Address ................................................................................. 

.................................................................................................. ............................................................................................ 

Post code ................................................................................... Telephone ............................................................................... 

Fax ............................................................................................. Mobile ................................................................................... 

E-mail ......................................................................................... Website (if applicable) ............................................................ 

either post to us at: UK Parts alliance, Unit 4, Rabone Park, Rabone lane, smethwick, B66 2nn 

Visit: www.automotivation.info/worldcup email: worldcup@ukpa.net Fax: 0121 565 6101 

General enquiries call 0870 242 4278 log on www.automotivation.info or email enquiries@automotivation.info summer 2010 23



Football crazy 

could the ‘World cup effect’ 

benefit your business? 

Once every four years the country comes 

to a halt and all eyes are focused on the 

globe’s greatest sporting tournament, 

the World cup. 

Coverage across the world refl ects the 

pan-continental love of the ‘beautiful game’, 

but will it affect the aftermarket at all? 

Perhaps, but there’s little likelihood 

motorists will be foregoing a car service 

just because a match is being played. 

early rounds are more likely to lead to heated 

debates in the pub or in the workshop’s 

reception area and it’s important for 

workshop staff to keep their eye on the ball 

– not the one on the pitch, but the job in 

hand: we’ve already seen on much-loved telly 

soap Coronation street what can happen 

if a car’s left outside with a job half done. 

of course interest is likely to reach fever 

pitch if england progresses through the 

qualifying, but with job security being what 

it is there’s less chance of people throwing 

a sickie and staying at home, although 

workshop owners might be keeping a more 

than watchful eye on their technicians! 

People aren’t going to stop having their 

cars serviced and repaired just because the 

world Cup’s taking place, but it’s probably 

going to be a talking point for a good 

few weeks. we asked a few local garages 

what they thought about the world Cup. 

Who do you think will win 

the World cup? 

I have to say england, it’s probably our best squad and 

chance since 1966, I hope my thoughts are sound??? 

What effect will the World cup have 

on your business (ie. absenteeism?) 

some staff will clearly want to watch the games, 

of course most will want to cheer on england (I Hope) 

this is a great opportunity to reinforce “team building” 

within the work force…technology allows games to be 

recorded and shown later. so if a game is during the 

working day we can watch it collectively when business 

closes. some of course will take a holiday, and be in 

the pub in the old fashioned way… 

Who do you think will 

win the World cup? 

spain – loads of super players and a great team. 

What effect will the World cup have on 

your business (ie. absenteeism?) 

with times of many matches after 5.00pm we should not 

see much loss of productivity, I think if england does well 

then my team will be in good spirits and work harder!!! 

are you promoting the World cup 

to your customers? 

we are offering free air fresheners 

and flags with any air con check. 

24 







It won’t be england. 

What effect will the World cup 

have on your business 

(ie. absenteeism?) 

Business will be much quieter as football in 

general is well supported north of the border, 

people won’t be thinking about servicing 

or repairing their cars and normal day to day 

life will change during the competition, 

we will catch up afterwards… 



Germany – a great tournament team. 



Getting out with my team will help team spirit so it 

should be a positive time for us. 



we are offering free footballs for a full service 

booked in the first week of the tournament. 



Brazil. 




I will be watching the football, none of the guys 

here like football so I will be the loner with the 

television in my office. How sad am I!? I cannot 

see the world cup affecting our business other 

than the van hire maybe. as all the games are 

in the evening apart from me it wont affect us. 



spain. 




englands progress will add a feel good factor 

but will tend to benefit leisure & retail, drinks, 

BBQ (depending on weather!!) food. we should 

see a slowing down during the height of world 

cup then busy period to make up for the 

backlog of cancelled and postponed services. 



Have not got a clue, england I hope. 

What effect will the World cup have on 

your business (ie. absenteeism?) 

not sure on impact. Last time I can remember some of 

the lads coming in early so they could get off and see the 

match and then coming back when it had finished. 



all cars serviced during the world cup registrations will 

go in a hat and the first 5 pulled out will win a free valet 

worth £40. 



who cares? 



we will be providing a safe haven where 

it won’t be mentioned or discussed, 

so we expect to be busy. 



no! 


25



On the road! 

allparts launch mobile 

technical centre 

allparts understands the technical 

challenges facing garages today and 

how vital it is to keep skills, equipment 

and information up-to-date in the face of 

increasingly complex vehicle systems. 

allparts technical centre was created 

specifically to provide the garage owner 

with the very latest expert advice and 

information on maintaining advanced 

modern vehicles – ensuring your 

business remains at the forefront of 

automotive technology. 

as vehicle technology processes 

accelerate, it became clear that it was 

no longer effective to attempt to “sell 

technology from the boot of a car” and 

then fi nd the tool you actually wanted 

was back at the branch; thus the mobile 

centre was born. 

operating exclusively within the allparts 

customer area and manned by new recruit 

Lee duffy, allparts Technical equipment 

sales manager, the LwB mercedes 

sprinter has been professionally equipped 

with storage systems for a broad range 

of diagnostic equipment and specialist 

workshop tools that are designed to help the 

technician identify the problem and complete 

a repair quickly and professionally. 

Lee joins allparts with a wealth of 

knowledge and experience in vehicle 

electronics and systems, having previously 

headed up the Bosch Technical Helpline 

and more recently run his own diagnostic 

service business. 

The mobile showroom is also fi tted with 

full electronic facilities allowing for localised 

training and demonstration of internet 

based systems allowing technicians to 

access sources of knowledge, information 

and support. 

leading diagnostic equipment: 

• Bosch, delphi & Texa 

• on-site diagnostic equipment 

demonstration 

• equipment set-up and support 

training solutions: 

• aTa accreditation 

• Bosch system training 

• delphi system training 

aTC can guide you on a massive range of 

specialist tools that will help your business; 

engine timing tools, chassis tools, 

fl uid equipment and much more. 

Call your 

local Allparts 

sales office 

for your copy 

of our new 

Workshops 

Solutions 

brochure 

specialist tools & equipment 

specialist tools designed and manufactured 

for the job make the difference between 

doing a job and doing a profi table job. 

26 



PRODUCT FOCUS 



asian PaRts 

turning Japanese? 

– i shouldn’t think so! 

asian cars are no longer made solely in 

Japan – there are thousands of cars on 

the UK’s roads made in Korea, Malaysia, 

or even in UK factories, but wherever 

they’re made, owners expect the highest 

levels of quality and reliability. 

UK Parts alliance offers a comprehensive 

range of highest quality parts from leading 

suppliers to keep those cars running just as 

their maker intended, but without the shock 

of main dealer pricing. 

a popular asian car is the pint-sized fi ve 

door daewoo/Chevrolet matiz, which has 

been around since 1998. It’s got a loyal 

following with drivers of all ages and has 

proved very reliable and economical, but the 

800cc engine fi tted in earlier examples has 

been superseded by a bigger, 1000cc unit. 

spark Plugs 

nGK 

Bosch 

air Filter 

Mann-Filter, aDl 

timing Belt Kit 

ina, Gates 

Radiator 

Valeo 

Oil Filter 

Mann-Filter, aDl 

Brake caliper 

Delphi, aDl 

tie Rod end 

Delphi 

Brake Pads 

Delphi 

28 



PRODUCT FOCUS 



asian PaRts 

Wiper Blades 

Bosch 

Batteries 

Yuasa 

all 

parts shown 

available from 

your local UK 

Parts alliance 

Member 

clutch 

luK 

Wishbones 

(lower) 

Delphi 

Brake Discs 

Delphi 

shock 

absorbers (f/r) 

Monroe 

springs (f/r) 

lesjofors 

Wheel 

Bearings 

FaG 


29



A Day in the Life 

of the A & A Car Service Centre, 

quality service based in Llanelli, Wales 

Llanelli is a former industrial town that’s 

seen the toughest of times, but it’s reemerging 

as a high-tech centre that’s 

looking to attract new businesses. 

Richard Barnett drops in on one business 

that’s drawing in new customers 

and putting motorists first. 

Llanelli’s car parc is mixed – from the very 

latest high-end executive saloons to older 

hatchbacks run on a budget – and that gives 

workshops plenty of variety. 

On the outskirts of the town, close to a 

premium residential development, is A & A 

Car Service Centre. It’s run by Phil Randall, 

who came to Wales from the South East 

more than 20 years ago. After a few years 

in a Nissan dealership, followed by a stint 

in a Halfords (which morphed into an AA) 

workshop, Phil opened his own business 

in 2004. 

When the AA workshop closed Phil was 

able to buy a lot of the equipment as part 

of his redundancy deal, and he’s putting 

it to good use. Today A & A employs five 

staff, has three ramps (plus the MoT bay) 

and, according to Phil, does everything 

apart from bodywork which he thinks would 

“get in the way” welding goes to the business 

next door. 

“When I started this business I was able to 

keep a lot of my customer base,” Phil says. 

“Last year was quiet but you can’t put that 

down to just one thing, but since Christmas 

business has picked up.” 

A & A is open from 8.30am to 5.30pm 

Monday to Friday and 9.00am to 5.00pm 

on Saturdays, but it’s not unusual for Phil 

and his team to be working well before or 

after those times. However, recent nearby 

building work meant getting to A & A was 

tricky, and Phil’s justifiably unhappy about 

the way he lost income. 

Plenty of work from local car dealers, 

as well as motorists, means the A & A 

workshop is busy from the moment it opens 

its doors, but Phil’s concerned that too 

many people try to start their own workshop 

30 





without having suffi cient experience: 

“The Government should consider a licensing 

scheme for technicians who are working on 

safety items. If a technician puts sawdust 

in the engine instead of oil that’s one thing 

but on a modern car safety systems are 

complicated and you need to have the skills 

to work on them”. 

moTs. If the work’s there 

and needs to be done, 

Phil and his team will 

carry on – the longer 

saturday opening hours 

works to their advantage 

when other workshops 

are closed. 

“There might be plenty of garages that are 

cheap but they aren’t qualifi ed – I’ve heard 

of cases where a technician has ordered 

wheel bearings and then asked the factor 

how to fi t them. we won’t take shortcuts 

when it comes to safety and we won’t 

do half a job.” 

“The Government 

should consider 

a licensing scheme 

for technicians 

who are working 

on safety items.” 

and while he’s keen to raise service 

standards, Phil remains mindful of his 

customer’s budgets, with some people not 

always being able to fork out. “I take the view 

that if it doesn’t need doing we won’t do it, 

but on the other hand we’ve been helping a 

single mum who’s got an old escort – she’s 

not got a lot of money but we’ll help her 

keep her car going,” Phil says. 

during the day plenty of cars are being 

dropped off for servicing, repairs and 

“I was here until 10pm 

last night and worked the 

other sunday – we’ll do what 

we have to do,” Phil says. 

“anyone in this business who 

says they don’t want to work 

those hours are the ones 

who want to go home at 

5pm on a Friday.” 

But it’s not just the 

philosophy of being 

dedicated to the job that 

drives Phil – so too does 

customer care. “There’s 

just not enough of it, 

especially with main 

dealers. It’s not all about 

the money, it’s about 

developing a rapport 

with customers.” 

and it’s that approach 

that is standing 

a & a in good stead 

for the future. 

Phil’s continuing to invest 

in the premises and its 

equipment to give Llanelli 

motorists a fi rst-class 

independent choice. 

“…the longer Saturday 

opening hours works 

to their advantage 

when other workshops 

are closed.” 


31

PRODUCT FOCUS 



BRaKinG 

Will 

customers 

pay more? 

Automotivation quizzed 

a variety of drivers with 

a wide selection of vehicles, 

across the country, for their 

view on the quality 

and choice of brakes 

available 

Fleet 

Driver 

What car do you drive? Ford mondeo 

How old is your car? 06, 4 years 

Where do you take your car to be 

serviced? workshop Chain 

and why? recognise the brand, 

quick and easy service, easily accessible 

When did you last get your brakes 

changed? 

3 months ago 

Were you given a choice of quality? Yes 

Would you pay extra for better quality? 

Yes 

Fleet 

Driver 

What car do you drive? Vw Golf 1.9Tdi 

How old is your car? Jan-04 

Where do you take your car to be serviced? 

Local Garage 

and why? Convenient reliable 

and excellent service 

When did you last get your brakes changed? 

rear pads & front discs January 2010 

Were you given a choice of quality? 

I can supply own parts so I control quality 


I would never want cheap products fitted 

Working 

Mom 

What car do you drive? range rover 

How old is your car? 2000 


Local independent garage 

and why? They give me a courtesy car, 

open late, friendly and helpful 


5 months ago 


no 


Yes as I have the 2 kids in the car with me 

so worth it on the safety side 

Working 

Mom 

What car do you drive? Vauxhall Zafira 

How old is your car? 5 years old 


dealer 

and why? Validate warranty, good service – 

I’m aware that I have a choice to use any garage 


4 weeks ago 

Were you given a choice of quality? no 


Yes, definitely on brakes 

everybody knows how important a car’s 

brakes are, but how many workshops 

always put quality over temptingly 

low price? 

of course it’s not just pads – discs too need 

to be changed on a regular basis, but it’s 

essential to change them well before they’re 

completely worn through. UK Parts alliance 

braking supplier delphi says when a disc is 

worn to almost its minimum thickness, both 

discs on that axle must be changed. 

always check for uneven wear, and even if a 

disc has plenty of life in it, check for corrosion 

lips on the inner and outer facings, because 

any corrosion build-up reduces brake pad 

effi ciency. That corrosion causes vibration, 

with workshops attributing the resulting 

noise to the pads rather than the disc. 

so what do drivers really know about their 

vehicle’s brakes? and when it comes to 

replacements, do drivers think about 

safety fi rst, or is cost more important than 

braking performance. 

automotivation quizzed a variety of drivers 

with a wide selection of vehicles, across the 

country, for their views. needless to say 

they make for interesting reading. 

Self employed 

man with van 

What car do you drive? mitsubishi L200 

How old is your car? 10 years old 


Independent Garage 

and why? Local, trustworthy and competitive 


Last summer 


no, just wanted good quality 


Yes 

32 



PRODUCT FOCUS 


M O OT TI VAT I I O I ON 

N 

BRaKinG 

Under 

25 Male 

What car do you drive? seat 1.4i 



Local independent garage to my work 

and why? Helpful, offer a courtesy car, 

reasonably priced, and they clean the car 


8 months ago 



depends if I had that money then yes, it’s a bit 

like tyres if I have money I will buy the branded 

version however if money is tight that month 

I will put the cheaper ones on 

Under 

25 Male 

What car do you drive? alfa romeo 

How old is your car? s reg (1998) 


Local Garage 

and why? 

Friend and neighbour works there 


not on this car since I got it 


Probably would be given a choice 


no 

Self employed 

man with van 

What car do you drive? LdV maxus 2.5d 



Local independent Garage which services 

both my car and van 

and why? Local, friendly and good service 


The van 3 months ago 



Yes if offered 

Retired 

Male 

What car do you drive? Bmw 5 series 

How old is your car? 06, 4 years 


serviced? Bmw specialist workshop 

and why? association with the brand, know 

that they’re going to fit quality oe spec parts 


changed? 6 months ago 


no 


Yes 

Retired 

Male 

What car do you drive? renault megane 1.4i 



serviced? Local independent garage that 

specialises in renault and Citroëns 

and why? Local, helpful, knowledgable, 

and they look after me on the price. 


changed? 1 month ago 



I always say to them not to fit cheap rubbish 

as I have fitted cheap disc and pads in the past 

and they did nothing but judder and squeal 


33



Round the bend! 

Steering racks from AMK 

AMK’s Top 10’s 

at-a-glance 

Steering is, along with braking, perhaps 

the most safety-critical area of a car, 

and it’s important for workshops to 

have a strong range of high-quality 

replacement steering racks – and not 

just at MoT-test time. 

UK Parts Alliance offers AMK racks (power 

and manual types) and power steering 

pumps. The range consists of 390 manual 

types and 670 power steering racks for 

both cars and light commercial vehicles. 

All AMK’s remanufacturing is carried out 

in a carefully controlled process: all units 

selected for remanufacturing are stripped 

down and all components are thoroughly 

inspected – those components that aren’t 

up to scratch are replaced with brand-new 

OE-specification types. 

“AMK has invested heavily in hydraulic 

systems and state of the art re-boring 

machinery in its production facilities. 

Stringent quality control inspections are 

carried out by experienced engineering 

personnel some with over 25 years 

experience throughout the reassembly 

process. Each power rack is subjected 

to hydraulic and road simulation testing 

beyond normal operating pressures, prior 

to the final visual inspection and packing,” 

an AMK spokesman says. 

Reassembly is carried out by experienced 

engineers, after which it is thoroughly 

checked and then visually inspected before 

being packed. 

And while AMK offers both manual and 

power steering racks, it also offers different 

types of power steering pumps. The move 

towards electrical-hydraulic units has seen 

AMK investing in new remanufacturing 

technology, including a dedicated area 

within the pump production department. 

“AMK now has available the first generation 

electrical-hydraulic pumps and development 

of the second generation pumps ~ more 

new part numbers will be released in the 

very near future,” AMK’s spokesman says. 

With a comprehensive offering AMK’s range 

supports the independent workshop’s trade 

and gives both drivers and installer peaceof-mind 

with this most safety-critical part of 

a car. 

Manual rack part numbers 

PART MODEL 

NO 

1 TS967 Vauxhall Corsa 

2 TS980 Renault Megane 

3 TS501 Austin Rover Mini 

4 TS969 Renault Clio 

5 TS726 Ford Fiesta Mk3 

6 TS757 Vauxhall Corsa 

7 TS1315 Vauxhall Meriva 

8 TS205 Fiat Punto Mk1 

9 TS733 Ford Escort Mk5 

10 TS220 Ford Fiesta Mk4 

Power rack part numbers 

PART MODEL 

NO 

1 TS325A Ford Fiesta Mk3 

2 TS1168 Ford Fiesta, Fusion 

3 TS190 Ford Focus Mk1 

4 TS169 Vauxhall Vectra 

5 TS1105 Audi A3 Mk1, VW 

6 TS103 Mercedes Sprint 

7 TS1121 Ford Transit 

8 TS1142 Ford Mondeo Mk3 

9 TS1107 Vauxhall Astra 

10 TS1026 Renault Master 

Power steering pumps 

PART MODEL 

NO 

1 PUM1145 Ford Focus 

2 PUM867 Nissan Interstar 

3 PUM938 Nissan 

4 PUM921 Ford Mondeo 

5 PUM805 Ford Transit 

6 PUM1124 Citroen 

7 PUM1061 Renault 

8 PUM1061 Citroen 

9 PUM500 Ford Focus 

10 PUM1204 Citroen Xsara 

34 




CALL: 0870 242 4278




DiaGnOstic PeRFORMance tOOls PaRts 

caRMan scan lite 

The Carman Scan Lite is a high quality, premium brand, 

hand held, Asian vehicle diagnostic scan tester with 

the addition of European software. 

sPeciFicatiOn 

• Compact hand held tester 256mb built in memory 

• LCd backlight 320 x 240 resolution 

40 columns x 12 lines 

• oBd-11, KwP-2000, sae-J1587 Compatibility 

• Canbus ready 

CO 2 

scan FUnctiOns 

• ems, airbag, aBs, body control, dashboard, chassis, 

Comfort, Immobiliser, diesel, etc 

• self diagnosis, fault code read, store and clear 

• Live data display, digital, graphic, min & max & store 

• actuator test and activation & flight record 

• service light reset, warning light reset, Coding and adaption 

sOFtWaRe 

• near oe software for Hyundai/Kia 

• new oe level on asian applications 

• additional software, european, Usa, australian 

• Update up to 4 times per annum via internet 

• no time out software & no “catch up” charges 

teXa OBD lOG 

This innovative little device plugs directly into the vehicle’s own diagnostic socket 

and records all functioning parameters and errors handled by EOBD protocol. 

we all know that some faults only occur under specific conditions, problems like power loss 

only in a certain rev range, or warning lights and sensors flagging faults under particular 

conditions. and we know these problems are almost impossible to solve in the garage. 

oBd Log records all such errors on an internal chip so that you can view them 

quickly and easily on your PC. 

You can simply install oBd Log in your car. oBd Log will continue to record all relevant 

data while your customer drives around normally. 

PicOscOPe 2 

anD 4 cHannel 

OscillOscOPes 

If you are looking for a more specialised electrical system tester, then the latest 

oscilloscopes from Pico are just what you need. Available in 2 channel or 4 channel 

versions, the latest models now feature USB connectivity, turning any laptop or PC 

with a USB port into a powerful diagnostic tester. 

Designed for ease of use, the main areas of coverage are: 

• Ignition, both primary and secondary 

• Injectors and fuel pumps 

• starter and charging circuits 

• aBs, crank and cam sensors 

• Lambda, airflow and knock sensors 

• Glow plugs and timer relays 

• Can bus and LIn bus system 

This powerful and flexible automotive diagnostic tool has been designed for ease of use 

so is equally suitable for both novice and expert users. The kit is ideal for a wide range 

of users including independent garages, breakdown/roadside recovery organisation and 

mobile tuning/repair services. 

The new UsB oscilloscopes feature a deep 512k memory with 20ms/s sampling rate 

and 12-bit resolution. The kit is supplied with Picoscope automotive software, with free 

upgrades. This software contains pre-loaded tests, reference waveforms and automatically 

sets up the oscilloscope ready to acquire a waveform. 

cOntact YOUR lOcal UK PaRts alliance 

MeMBeR FOR Details anD aVailaBilitY 

36 






PeRFORMance PaRts 

DiaGnOstic tOOls 

sMOKe PRO ® 

The world’s best selling smoke machine 

with OEM approved smoke technology. 

The smoke Pro ® will make you more money in less time. Customers say they make more 

money using the smoke Pro ® than any other tool in their workshop. 

Pressure Gauge – Verifies safe test pressure. Use the Flow Control Valve for leak down 

testing to identify small leaks or to confirm a complete repair. 

Flow Control Valve – adjust the amount of smoke to quickly pin point the location of the 

leak. Close completely to perform a leak down test for very small leaks and to confirm 

complete repair. 

Flow Meter – Provides a quick indication that a leak exists and allows eVaP "Pass/Fail" 

testing in minutes. 

Thick Smoke – Finds leaks faster. Users report the smoke Pro ® makes thicker smoke 

than any other smoke machine. 

Uses Mineral Oil – Common baby oil will not void manufacturers warranty. 

You get a very low operating cost. 

Rugged Construction – Built to last from billet aluminium and steel, the smoke Pro’s ® 

smart design will provide many years of service. 

Easy To Use – Connects directly to your airline and the vehicle battery. 

CO 2 

teXa DiaGnOstic tOOls 

TEXA provides a comprehensive range of diagnostic software for Car, Truck and Bike. Already 

recognised as the market leader in Truck and Motorcycle diagnostics, the IDC3 software platform 

provides users with a comprehensive coverage of the UK vehicle parc for both diagnostic functions 

and technical information. As well as traditional diagnostic functions, TEXA also provides ECU 

configuration, Injector coding, Key coding and adjustments across a wide range of vehicles. TEXA 

has also invested heavily in the UK market to provide technical support and technical training 

directly from the UK technical centre. 

naViGatOR tXt 

The naVIGaTor TXT is the latest diagnostic multibrand interface designed in house by 

TeXa. This new interface provides increased performance and high speed communication 

with the electronic control systems of Cars and Commercial vehicles. The development 

of this interface has been focused on reducing the communication times, and ensuring 

the tool is practical to use. 

The letter “T” stands for “Total” and this interface is in fact the most complete tool of 

the range. It allows access to vehicles from whichever manufacturer, and communicates 

with the axone Palm and axone Pad or a laptop pc wirelessly thanks to the integrated 

Bluetooth module. 

naViGatOR tXB 

motorcycles & Quads are catered for with the TXB. Thanks to the features offered by 

this wireless interface, it is possible to access the electronic systems on board by directly 

connecting to the diagnostic plug. 

By using the naVIGaTor TXB it is possible to perform operations such as: reading/ 

erasing the error messages, evaluating system parameters, resetting of service warning 

lights, adjustments to fuelling, key programming and much more. By using a wireless 

Bluetooth connection to communicate with the display unit the naVIGaTor TXB eliminates 

the need for cables. 

THE NAVIGATOR TX RANGE COMES WITH A STANDARD 

TWO YEAR WARRANTY & TECHNICAL SUPPORT 

cOntact YOUR lOcal UK PaRts alliance 

MeMBeR FOR Details anD aVailaBilitY 


37



Jamie Baulch 

Jamie Baulch (right) with Wyn Jones 

from GMF (left) 

i’m sure many of you will be tuned into 

the World cup – the world’s greatest 

sporting event. it’s compulsive 

watching, even if your team isn’t 

playing, because it shows the results 

of first-class teamwork. 

Part of the aftermarket’s teamwork is at the 

branch that takes your order. The guys on the 

phones and driving the vans know it’s important 

to get your order sorted and dispatched as soon 

as possible because you depend on turning the 

job around as soon as possible. 

Any football team has to work together to 

get results, and in many ways that’s the 

same when it comes to the businesses that 

make up the UK Parts Alliance. And of course 

there’s the teamwork between motor factors 

and workshops. 

In the UK Parts Alliance there’s strength 

through working as one, bringing together 

many different skills to create one fantastic 

offering. It’s like a team out on the pitch – 

players can’t go their own way, they’ve all got 

to work together to deliver the results. If you 

don’t – well, it’s a disaster! 

So every time someone drops a car off 

at your garage, there’s a whole lot of teamwork 

going on. People are working together to get 

the job done – in this case it’s not banging the 

ball into the back of the net, it’s about getting 

a car serviced and back on the road as soon 

as possible. 

Enjoy the World Cup – it’s bound to be a 

cracker! But remember the teamwork you see 

out there on the pitch is very similar to the 

independent motor trade. If you work together 

it’s not only satisfying, the results are pretty 

good too! 

38 




CALL: 0870 242 4278


CALL: 0870 242 4278

Auto Motivation - Summer 2010

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