Ignition Magazine Australia | May 2021

Upgrading Tools and Equipment - by Jeff Smit Buying new equipment for your workshop can be a substantial investment, but isn’t it exciting? Who doesn’t love the look, feel and smell of new equipment? But that’s superficial – what really matters is that new equipment means you are keeping up with, or perhaps getting ahead of, the game and the result of that must mean greater efficiency and profit.

Repair and diagnostic equipment is the lifeblood of every automotive repair workshop. Age, wear and tear, and taking advantage of new equipment capabilities to increase productivity mean that shops must routinely consider when it’s time to expand and upgrade.

Survival into the next five to ten years will warrant investment in tools, equipment and training. Those who don’t commit to this investment will struggle to survive.

Any statistics you read about car ownership in Australia are flashing green lights for the auto aftermarket and the repair workshops that are gearing up for it. In January this year, just under 80,000 new cars were sold, and that is 11 percent higher than January 2020. The COVID-19 lockdown had a lot to do with the built-up demand.

It’s not just the number of vehicles, but the range of makes that workshops are expected to cope with. On top of that, each make has its own technology profile. The vehicles now finding their way into the aftermarket workshops (yes, cars still need servicing and still break down) are full of specialised and sophisticated electronics.

To efficiently diagnose and repair these vehicles will require the purchase of new tools and equipment, with training on top to teach staff how to use them.

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