Maintenance Matters

March 2013

10 Filter & Fluid Selling Strategies • Selling Sensors Before the Light Comes On • Shining a Light on Visibility Maintenance •

Maintenance Chronicles: Fall / Winter Sales Comparison & Good Customers Wait for Service

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maintenance

MATTERS

March 2013

[ Maintenance Chronicles ]

Chronicling Two Weeks of Maintenance Services Profiling Two Shops’ Maintenance Workflow: Jenkintown, Pa. [page 2] Kansas City, Mo. [page 20] We’ve documented the maintenance service workflow at two independent repair shops to showcase the sales and profit potential in vehicle maintenance services, and provide useful advice to help you sell preventive maintenance to your customers.

[ Selling Filters And Fluids ]

Top 10 Filter & Fluid Selling Strategies [page 8] Follow these 10 easy steps to help you capitalize on the profit potential in key maintenance areas of filter and fluid services.

[ Lights On For Safety ]

Shining Light on Visibility Maintenance Opportunities [page 12] Don’t wait for headlights to dim and burn out before you talk to your customers about replacing them. Most headlights will dim over time and should be replaced every five years to ensure the best lighting performance.

[ PLUS ] O2 Sensor Sales [page 15] Compressor Maintenance [page 18] Maintenance Matters March 2013, Volume 2, Number 1: Published by Babcox Media, Inc. 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333 U.S.A. Phone (330) 670-1234, FAX (330) 670-0874. www.babcox.com. 䊚 2013 by Babcox Media, Inc. Publisher, Jim Merle, ext. 280; Editors, Mary DellaValle, ext. 221; Andrew Markel, ext. 296; and Ed Sunkin, ext. 258.

Share your thoughts and comments about the content of this publication.

E-mail us at maintenancematters@babcox.com.

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[ Maintenance Chronicle ]

By Ed Sunkin, editor, Underhood Service magazine

Servicing the Changing Seasons In this Maintenance Chronicle, we take a look at how one shop’s maintenance schedule differs from changes in the seasons. This six-bay Eastern U.S. shop located in Pennsylvania recorded its maintenance service workflow over a two-week period in September of last year and January of two-week period, this year. down from 161 vehicles seen at the Based on the shop’s data, we shop during the two-week period in feel this information can be helpful to September. other shops that experience changing Reasons for the decline in the number seasons and weather patterns, and of vehicles serviced are unclear, howevdrastic temperature fluctuations, espeer research from other sources has cially when it comes to parts inventory. shown that most vehicle owners address While this information may not be as vehicle maintenance in the spring and reflective of a shop in southern Califorfall months. nia or Texas, our Pennsylvania shop faces weather-related services that are Average Vehicle Age Some Things Stay common to a majorithe Same…

4 years or less: 16% ty of shops across the nation.

Overall, most of the 5-6 years: 32% For our sample maintenance data 7-9 years: 45% shop, overall car reflects consistency 6% 10-12 years: count was 152 vehiin the number of 13 years or older: 1% cles in the January services performed

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March 2013 | Maintenance Matters

[ Maintenance Chronicle ] between the two seasons. For example, the shop recorded 20 air filter replacements in the fall time period, and 18 in the two-week winter timeframe.

There were six hose replacements during the two weeks in both September and January, and transmission service was about the same, with 10 vehicles needing to be serviced in the fall and 12 vehicles in the winter.

Tire replacement sales were nearly equal, with 21 vehicles in the fall period being serviced and 23 vehicles getting new tires in the January period.

“Most of the tires we sell are sold from either a safety check or state

inspection,” the shop manger said.

And do the techs physically check tire pressure on vehicles even though they may have a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS)? Absolutely.

“The threshold for turning on the TPMS light is broad enough that fuel mileage savings can still be obtained by verifying the pressure is at spec, regardless of the warning indicator,” he continued.

Fuel injection system cleaning was performed on four vehicles in the fall period, with three vehicles getting the same treatment during the two-week winter timeframe.

[ Maintenance Chronicle ] Winter

Fall Maintenance Item . . .Week 1 . .Week 2 . . .Total Car Count . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79 . . . . . . .82 . . . . . .161

80 . . . . . . .72 . . . . . .152

LOF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 . . . . . . .45 . . . . . .89

43 . . . . . . .37 . . . . . .80

Air Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 . . . . . . .11 . . . . . .20

8 . . . . . . . .10 . . . . . .18

Fuel Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 . . . . . . . .5 . . . . . . .11

4 . . . . . . . .13 . . . . . .17

Cabin Air Filter . . . . . . . . . .5 . . . . . . . .5 . . . . . . .10

2 . . . . . . . .1 . . . . . . .3

Coolant Flush . . . . . . . . . . .6 . . . . . . . .5 . . . . . . .11

10 . . . . . . . .7 . . . . . . .17

Trans Service . . . . . . . . . . .6 . . . . . . . .4 . . . . . . .10

4 . . . . . . . .8 . . . . . . .12

Wipers (Sets) . . . . . . . . . . .11 . . . . . . .11 . . . . . .22

9 . . . . . . . .9 . . . . . . .18

Ignition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 . . . . . . . .3 . . . . . . .7

2 . . . . . . . .3 . . . . . . .5

Hoses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 . . . . . . . .3 . . . . . . .6

3 . . . . . . . .3 . . . . . . .6

Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 . . . . . . . .6 . . . . . . .13

6 . . . . . . . .10 . . . . . .16

Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 . . . . . . .15 . . . . . .20

12 . . . . . . .14 . . . . . .26

Suspension . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 . . . . . . . .3 . . . . . . .8

4 . . . . . . . .11 . . . . . .15

Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 . . . . . . .9 . . . . . . .21

13 . . . . . . .10 . . . . . .23

Battery Replacement . . . . .1 . . . . . . . .7 . . . . . . .8

9 . . . . . . . .11 . . . . . .20

Fuel Injection Cleaning . . . .2 . . . . . . . .2 . . . . . . .4

1 . . . . . . . .2 . . . . . . .3

While Some Things Are Different‌ However, it was interesting to review the contrast in particular services from September to January.

One of the biggest changes was the number of battery replacements in the winter period (20), compared to the two-week September period (8). This does support the theory of cold temperatures and their affect on hardstart/no-start issues.

The January period also saw an increase of vehicles that needed lighting replacement (26), over the number

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Week 1 . . .Week 2 . . .Total

March 2013 | Maintenance Matters

of vehicles (20) that were serviced with lighting components in the fall period.

This could be attributed to vehicles being operated more often during dark hours, as daylight is reduced in January compared to September.

Another service increase that made sense to our editors was the number of coolant flushes performed in January (17) versus September (11). Using the manufacturer-recommended coolant/antifreeze mixture is vital to vehicles that operate in cold-climate conditions.

And while fuel system cleaning was

[ Maintenance Chronicle ] Percentage of vehicles that came in for service for the cooling system based on regularly scheduled maintenance.

only component replacements to eight vehicles in September, that number nearly doubled to 15 suspension-system services in January.

We can only conclude that the potholes and road conditions common to the winter months may have contributed to this increase in undercar services.

Percentage of vehicles And, the effects of salt on underhaving a cooling car components during the winter system/overheating months also could have conproblem due to a failed tributed to this increase. water pump or broken When talking with our Pennsylserpentine belt. vania shop owner, he reported that personnel perform a lot of mainteabout the same during each time nance-related services following vehicle period, as noted earlier, the number of inspections, and those components replaced inspections translated into jumped significantly in service opportunities.

January. In the September “Besides coming in for timespan, 11 fuel filters annual state inspections, were replaced. Of those reTop 5 ways customers schedule maintenance we had several customers placed, eight were done as appointments with the who were going on trips a scheduled maintenance profiled shop: and requested vehicle item (based on mileage,) 1. E-mail health checks. Also, there versus replacements due to 2. Website were customers who came fuel system repair/fuel 3. Text Messages in due to the change of pump replacement.

4.

Phone seasons,� noted the shop In January, the shop 5. In Person manager, who continued performed 17 fuel filter that his techs use several replacements during its methods to accomplish retwo-week log period. laying future maintenance The most notable jump needs to their customers. was in suspension services. “The first method is at While the shop logged

25%

75%

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March 2013 | Maintenance Matters

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[ Maintenance Chronicle ] Number of wiper sets replaced during the two-week period in the fall.

10%

The percentage of customers who stopped by and were sold wiper blades for their vehicle when it was raining.

the point of sale. When our technicians review a customer’s vehicle, they determine what the vehicle needs at the time of inspection.”

According to the manager, this

includes parts that require immediate repair or replacement, as well as any scheduled maintenance.

“The technician then looks at items that will be of concern as time goes by and documents it on his paperwork. Any recommended work that’s not performed or future maintenance needs are addressed when the customer takes delivery of his/her vehicle, and an attempt to schedule the vehicle for a later date is made.”

The manager reported that he uses an e-mail program that sends out reminders to its customers of both service recommendations, as well as any factory-scheduled maintenance. MM

About our Profiled Shop Our profiled shop is a state-of-the-art, six-bay, NAPA AutoCare Center in Jenkintown, PA, about 10 miles north of Philadelphia, that its owner says uses the best diagnostic tools available to meet and exceed automotive repair industry standards.

Providing Enhanced State Inspections and full emissions testing at the shop, the owner maintains ongoing, professional training programs, along with an extensive in-house library, that is available to its technicians.

The shop provides all facets of automotive maintenance and repair on import and domestic vehicles. This includes state inspection and emissions testing, electrical and diagnostic driveability prob-

lems, and dealer-scheduled maintenance. They also perform body work.

The ASE Blue Seal Shop reports that in 85% of repair instances, it provides less than a 24hour turnaround time. The repair facility also offers its customers on-site truck, van and car rental, and towing service.

Shop techs have various awards and distinctions, including: • AAIA/ASE World Class Technician • ACDelco Master Technician Status • A.S.E. Master Technician Certification • Member, Society of Automotive Engineers Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Maintenance Matters

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[ Filters Strategy ] By Andrew Markel, editor, Brake & Front End magazine

Top 10 Filter and Fluid Selling Strategies Being able to sell and upgrade fluid and filter services is critical for boosting the profitability of any shop. Below are 10 things you can and should do to improve your overall maintenance sales.

1

Start by selling the most expensive filter or fluid first. It is easier to sell down than trying to sell up.

When you start with the lowest cost filter or fluid, you reinforce a “that is good enough for me� customer mentality.

3

Show & Tell. Dirt sells in the filter game. If a driver sees how dirty their filter or fluid has become, they are more likely to replace the item. Explain how a clean filter can extend the life of their engine and boost their vehicle’s overall performance.

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March 2013 | Maintenance Matters

2

No customer wants a lowquality oil or filter. If you ask any customer what they want when it comes to servicing their vehicle, they will always say they want the best. No consumer will say they want products that are low quality or just merely adequate. Recommending the bare minimum does a disservice to you and your customers.

4

Record attempted sales and estimates that are not sold. If a customer does not approve a filter or fluid service, make a note in your database. It is not a mark of failure for the shop, but rather an investment in the future when they come back.

[ Filters Strategy ]

5 7

Extended-interval oil changes require a premium filter. What kills a filter during an extendedinterval oil service is not the capacity of a filter to catch contaminants. It is the abuse from being under pressure for an extended period of time. When a cold engine starts, the oil pressure may exceed 100 psi.

This could cause the metal canister, filter media and drain-back valve to flex. On some restricted filters, it could cause the center tube to collapse. When an oil or fuel filter is on a vehicle for an extended period of time, it might undergo twice as many cycles as a normal filter.

9 10

You are the expert. Your expertise is why the consumer came to your shop in the first place. Have confidence in what you are selling. If you do not, seek out online training from filter and lubricant manufacturers.

Listen to the customer. Most customers will tell you why they came to your shop for service.

It could be because of an upcoming vacation, guilt for pushing a service indicator too far or even a check engine light.

There is no such thing as an oil change for no reason at all.

March 2013 | Maintenance Matters

6

Know your media! Most filter manufacturers use a variety of filter media and construction methods to improve filters.

Modern filters will use special synthetic fibers to trap particles of a certain size. It is not just cotton or cellulous fibers anymore.

8

Look at the vehicle.

Does the vehicle have a trailer hitch? Did the driver push the limits on their last service?

Has the vehicle been modified? Sometimes the vehicle will tell you more than the owner.

10

Lifetime or sealed does not mean the fluid can’t be serviced. “Lifetime� to most OEMs is when the powertrain warranty has expired.

To drivers, lifetime means until the vehicle is driven to the junkyard.

[ Lights On For Safety ] By Ed Sunkin, editor, Underhood Service magazine

Shining Light on Visibility Maintenance Opportunities By the time you’re reading this article, the country’s clocks have already moved forward an hour in accordance with the Daylight Saving Time (DST) plan on March 10.

But what does DST have to do with automotive maintenance? Well, interestingly enough, DST was a byproduct of improving vehicle visibility and making roadways safer for not only drivers, but pedestrians as well.

In fact, DST was adopted not only in the U.S., but also in many other countries to make better use of the daylight in the evenings, as a means to reduce road accidents and injuries. Here in this country, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in 1995 estimated a reduction of auto-related accidents by 1.2%, including a 5% reduction in crashes that are fatal to pedestrians when the clocks “fall back.”

So, offering a visibility maintenance program for your customers is a good idea, no matter what time of the year.

Components most commonly attributed to vehicle visibility include wipers and lighting. While wipers are normally checked for wear each time a vehicle is in for an oil change, your customers should be advised to check their vehicle’s lighting weekly.

And much like wiper blades on a vehi-

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March 2013 | Maintenance Matters

Headlight Tip: Don’t wait for headlights to dim and burn out before you talk to your customer about replacing them. Most headlights will dim over time and should be replaced every five years to ensure the best lighting performance.

cle, headlights should be replaced in pairs.

Know Your Replacements While the latest trend in automotive lighting is LED (Light Emitting Diode) lights, most of the vehicles you see are conventional incandescent bulbs and headlamps that contain a tungsten filament inside a sealed glass bulb. Current flowing through the filament heats it up to around 4,000° F, causing it to glow brightly and give off light. To prevent the filament from burning up, the air inside the bulb is evacuated and replaced with an inert gas such as argon.

With halogen bulbs, the gas also

[ Lights On For Safety ] contains traces of iodine or bromine. This allows the filament to burn brighter and produce more light and a whiter light.

Traces of xenon may also be added to the gas, or the bulb may be tinted with a special coating to give the light a more bluish cast like that of HID (High Intensity Discharge) headlights.

The problem with conventional incandescent bulbs and halogen headlights is that they use too much current for the light they produce and give off a lot of waste heat. The bulbs also have a limited lifespan (around 1,000 hours or so), and the filament can break from vibration or being jolted.

HID headlights are about 2X as efficient as halogen headlights so they use much less current. But they do require a very high initial starting voltage (up to 25,000 volts!), which requires adding a special ballast and control electronics to the headlight circuitry. HID headlights do not contain a filament and use an electrical arc passing through a gas inside a high-temperature bulb to generate light, so they typically last 2X to 5X longer than ordinary headlamps. The downside is HID bulbs are expensive to replace.

The lifespan of most lamps is limited by the life of the filament inside the bulb, which, in turn, depends on bulb design, light output, temperature, cooling and hours of use. Lamps used for turn signals, brake lights, interior lights and instrumentation are typically rated for longer serv-

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March 2013 | Maintenance Matters

Did You Know…

Lighting products are vital to safe operation of the vehicle, even in the daylight. Studies have shown that vehicles are much more visible to other drivers when the headlights are on, thus giving way to the trend of daytime running lights on many vehicles. ice, ranging from 700 to 5,000 or more hours. The reason these bulbs last longer is they don’t run as hot as headlamps.

Wiping Away Misconception There’s no disputing the safety advantages of periodically replacing headlights, so the next question is how often should wiper blades be changed? According to many industry experts, as often as necessary to maintain good wet-weather visibility.

For a motorist in a dry climate, a set of blades might last several years — provided the vehicle isn’t parked outside in direct sunlight for long periods of time. Sun rot can ruin a set of wiper blades in a matter of months in a hot climate like southern Arizona. Dust and grit on the windshield can also be very abrasive to the wiping edge on a set of blades, accelerating wear and the need for replacement. MM

15, 16 O2 Sensor Selling 3/1/13 2:57 PM Page 15

[ Oxygen Sensor Strategies ] By Andrew Markel, editor, Brake & Front End magazine

Using Fuel Trims to Sell More Sensors They Are The ‘Blood Pressure’ of Sensors Doctors use blood pressure to measure a person’s health. For vehicles, the equivalent of blood pressure are fuel trims. High blood pressure might not send a person to the hospital, but it can cause problems if it goes unchecked.

Similarly, if a vehicle has a high or low fuel trim it might not trigger a trouble code, but it can affect how the vehicle performs and can indicate problems with critical sensors like the O2 and Mass Air Flow (MAF).

A scan tool is like sphygmomanometer (fancy word for a blood pressure cuff) for the service bay and front counter when it is used to observe fuel trims.

While it is the “end-all-be-all” of the diagnostic process, it can help to uncover problems before they send the patient to the emergency room, or a car turning on its check engine light

a month down the road.

What is a fuel trim?

When a vehicle leaves the factory, it should have a perfect fuel trim because every sensor, seal and filter is new and within specification.

After the vehicle leaves the show room, the fuel trim will start to change. Fuel trims are controlled by the ECM and are derived from information from the O2, MAF and other sensors that measure factors that can influence the combustion process becoming too rich or lean.

The infor-

Maintenance Matters

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15, 16 O2 Sensor Selling 3/1/13 2:58 PM Page 16

[ Oxygen Sensor Strategies ] mation from the sensors is used to determine how long the injector is pulsed to hopefully spray the right amount of fuel into the combustion chamber. If the sensors detect a problem, they will adjust the pulse width of the injector so the mixture is not too lean or rich.

Every vehicle has two fuel trims, shortand long-term. The short-term fuel trim (STFT) refers to immediate changes in fuel occurring several times per second. The long-term fuel trim (LTFT) is driven by the short-term fuel trims.

LTFT is the STFT averaged over a longer period of time. A negative fuel trim percentage indicates a taking away of fuel, while a positive percentage indicates an adding of fuel to the mixture.

If an air filter is restricted, the ECU will take away fuel because there is less air, and a scan tool would show a negative fuel trim. If an intake manifold leaks and sucks in more air, it would add more fuel and a scan tool would show a positive fuel trim. Fuel trims can also be influenced by the health of the fuel pump and how much fuel is being delivered to the fuel rail.

The ECU will tune the fuel trim only so far before it cries for mercy and turns on the

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March 2013 | Maintenance Matters

check engine light and sets a code. If a vehicle has a LTFT that is plus or minus 10%, it could be the precursor to a problem with a sensor or a maintenance item. Also compare fuel trims between the banks on V6 and V8 engines.

Selling Sensors Is it possible to sell a new sensor before it sets a code, using fuel trim information alone? No, a doctor would not order a heart transplant because of high blood pressure.

He might look at the EKG or order an MRI to get more information.

For a technician, a LTFT that’s outside of the normal parameters is an indication that further corrective actions should be taken before any damage or loss of fuel economy occurs. This might include looking at sensor datastreams and PIDs. It could also lead to additional diagnostic tests like a fuel pressure or smoke test to find leaks. This will help you sell a sensor, and profitable diagnostic time in the process. MM

18-Compressor Maintenance MM 3/1/13 2:39 PM Page 18

[ Compressor Maintenance ] By Andrew Markel, editor, Brake & Front End magazine

Clean Air is Green Air Treat Your Compressor Like A ‘Customer’ Clean air is green air in your shop.

Clean air from a compressor can mean a tire is filled with moisturefree air which saves fuel by reducing rolling resistance. Clean air in the shop can also mean green in your pocket by reducing downtime and preventing comebacks.

How do you maximize your compressor maintenance? You should treat your compressor like a customer. Use your point-of-sale computer system to set up ongoing appointments for regular maintenance.

It’s also beneficial to track maintenance supply purchases like oil and elements so that you are not looking for the receipts during tax time.

Set up regular appointments for cleaning the compressor’s intake vents and perform regular intake filter replacement.

Also conduct weekly water separator element service and heat exchanger cleaning. Setting appointments for draining the tank may be overkill, but the person who turns off the light should be assigned to this important task.

Clean, moisture-free air is more critical in late-model vehicles. Since 2008, every light vehicle that’s built has a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) as stan-

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March 2013 | Maintenance Matters

dard equipment. The sensors are mounted in the rims. If there is moisture in the air, it could cause a comeback.

Why? Air containing moisture reacts differently, and with more moisture there is a greater rate of expansion and chance for contraction. A customer could have a tire replaced and the TPMS light could still come on after a cold-morning start or a highway drive if there is excessive moisture in the tire due to contaminated air.

TPMS sensors are also sensitive to oil and debris. Oil droplets and debris can enter into the diaphragm that measures pressure and can damage the sensor.

Treat your compressor like a customer because your compressor helps you take care of your customers. MM

[ Maintenance Chronicle ]

By Andrew Markel, editor, Brake & Front End magazine

A Case For Not Working Weekends Shop Secures Customer Base With Highly Skilled Techs Who Work a Five-Day Week The subject for this Maintenance Chronicle is a six-bay shop that started in 1984 with a focus on tires, but has made the transition to being a full-service repair shop that still sells tires. The shop is located 50 miles north of Kansas City, MO, in a metropolitan area with a population of approximately 125,000 people. The median income for the area is around $41,000.

The shop is open only five days a week. This could be seen as a liability, but most of the shop’s business is from returning customers who don’t mind waiting over the weekends. The shop is located in an area with a minimal amount of automotive chains or franchises. Most of the competition comes from other independents that also do not work on the weekends.

The key to this shop’s success is the staff. The shop has two highly

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March 2013 | Maintenance Matters

skilled technicians who can inspect, diagnose and repair the majority of vehicles that come through their bays. The shop prides itself on customer retention and being its’ customers sole provider for automotive service and repair.

With the rapidly changing technology in today’s vehicles, the shop owner realizes that his shop also has to change in order to keep up with vehicle service demands. Here are three key areas the

Bays: 6 Technicians: 3 Avg. Daily Car Count: 10.5 Peak day: 15 cars

[ Maintenance Chronicle ] Oil Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 Air Filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Fuel Filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Cabin Air Filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0 Coolant Flush & Fill . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Wiper Blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Ignition Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Hoses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Shocks and Struts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Battery Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Fuel Injection System Cleaning . . . .3 shop has had to address in the past 12 months: • Modern flush and fill equipment: Not only can it do the job faster, it can also help spot other leaks in hoses and coolers.

• Training: Maintenance items like cartridge oil filters can seem simple at first glance, but one missed O-ring can cost a lot more than the price of training.

• Tool for TPMS and Service Lights: Nothing is worse than having to send a customer away with a TPMS or other service light on because you do not have the right tool subscription or software. Update these items whenever a new version is available. MM