Ignition Magazine New Zealand | July 2021

MARCH JULY 2021

TOP 5 STARS G N I S I R ISTs FINAL !

NCED U O N AN e on See mo1r0 Pg

FUTURE RIDE TOYOTA' S LQ

2021 Capricorn State Of The Nation Coming soon! See back page.

2021 KIA STINGER GT SPORT GT by name, GT by nature

BUDGET BOOST:

Could we see a postCOVID apprenticeship boom?

VR SIMULATORS A motorsport ‘choose your own adventure’

Take another l k

ezi-parts

It’s now even easier to find vehicle parts with CAP ezi-parts.

New Features: • Get the right part the first time with more accurate vehicle descriptions • Search fields will pre-populate when you enter the plate number • Preferred Suppliers can tell where Members are located for faster service

It’s free! To get started, login to capricorn.coop and click on CAP ezi-parts.

CONTENTS JULY 2021

5 Breaking Down Repair Times Capricorn Service Data

7 Building Protection Don’t let a ‘best guess’ spell disaster for your business

9 Balancing The Demands

How to balance different demands of your job

10 Top 5 Finalists 12 Future Ride 14 Budget Boost Meet your 2021 Capricorn Rising Stars

12

Toyota’s LQ, as close to KITT as we’ve come

could we see a post-COVID apprenticeship boom?

16 2021 Kia Stinger GT Sport

GT by name, GT by nature

20 To Paddle Or Not To Paddle

One of the most divisive issues at the top level of Australian motorsport

22 Member Ride

VR Simulators! A motorsport “Choose your own Adventure”

24 Asking the right

22

diagnostic questions A diagnostic process which is worth repeating now, more than ever

C A P R I C O R N I G N I T I O N J U LY 2 0 2 1 3

David Fraser Group CEO

CEO’s message

It has been a challenging year. For those of us in the automotive industry, the challenges we face don’t end when this pandemic is finally and safely in the rear-view mirror.

This past year, the world over, we have seen the impact of leadership in all its many colours and configurations. We’ve seen good decisionmaking, bad decision-making and inertia – and we’ve seen the realtime effects of each. We’ve seen leaders who rose to the challenge, those who failed, and those who failed, learned, changed course, and did better.

As we emerge from the pandemic we must follow the examples of the best leadership we have witnessed over the past year and rise to meet the challenges we face – both as an industry, and in our own businesses.

These challenges are numerous: the electrification of vehicles, changing technology, lower profit margins, shortages of qualified technicians, and maintaining any kind of work-life balance. Now is not the time to bury our heads in the sand. Just like the response to Covid, if we don’t act today, our situation will be worse tomorrow.

As an industry, we must consider what’s just beyond the horizon that could impact our businesses. We can focus on the near-term challenges first, but we need one eye on the long-term. Capricorn will, of course, be right there alongside our Members and the industry as we tackle these issues. We are stronger together, after all.

As business owners, we can take action to ensure we’re resilient in the face of change: we must keep reinvesting in training and development for ourselves and our teams and keep reinvesting in the tools and equipment we need to work on modern-day vehicles.

We must also learn to balance and prioritise our time, be open to reinventing our business models as necessary, know who our customer is (and isn’t), and most importantly never be afraid to ask for help when we need it.

As leaders, we can all take small steps to help ourselves rise to the challenges ahead of us. For me, that means reviewing my diary daily and giving myself time to think about the decisions I need to make.

It means being willing to adapt, take risks, give luck a chance, and seek advice.

The advantage we in the automotive industry have, that leaders dealing with the pandemic did not, is that we can see our challenges laid out on the road ahead of us. We have time to react – but we must start now.

Yours in cooperation,

David Fraser Group CEO 4 C A P R I C O R N I G N I T I O N J U LY 2 0 2 1

Follow us today by scanning the QR code or by searching ‘Capricorn Society’ on Facebook

Capricorn Service Data repair times explained Capricorn Service Data, powered by Autodata, assigns a time estimate to both repair and service items. In this article the Autodata technical team breaks down repair times and how you can customise your estimates to get the best result.

The increasing complexity of vehicles makes having access to independent repair times a must – not just to get a sense of how long the technician is likely to spend on a job or to provide an up-front quote but also to pre-screen work after an initial conversation with the customer in order to gauge whether it’s right for you and your customer.

You’ll find repair time in Capricorn Service Data by selecting 'Technical Information’, choosing the make and model of vehicle then selecting ‘Repair Times’ under the ‘General’ column (typically at the far right of the screen). Start typing in the search box in the Repair Times module to see times for a component and related jobs.

Capricorn Service Data uses the industry standard decimal system. So, for example, 0.5 hrs is 30 minutes, while 2.3 hrs is 2 hours and 18 minutes. A good rule of thumb is 0.1 hrs is 6 minutes – 10% of 60 minutes – which lets you easily calculate that 0.9 hrs is 54 minutes.

Repair times are taken from official manufacturer recommendations and are based on times taken in a clean room with a new vehicle, with procedures carried out by engineers specialising in that

marque. As vehicles age, bolts become stuck and parts accumulate grime, repair times will lengthen, and the time taken can also depend on the experience of the technician and familiarity with the model.

Capricorn Service Data allows you to apply a modifier of up to 200% to repair times, which can be applied on the Settings page (found under your user icon at the top right of the screen). This will apply to all service and repair times in the product and will be reflected in estimates generated by the estimate calculator.

Capricorn Service Data comes free with your Capricorn membership (normally worth over $1,000 per annum) and grants access to repair times, technical data, service illustrations and much more for over 34,000 models and 142 manufacturers.

Depending on component location and make, repair times for the same component can also vary considerably. For example, a thermostat removal and installation can take anywhere from 12 minutes to upwards of nine hours, depending on the model.

•

Ian Ivory, Autodata’s Content Support Team Leader in Australia, explains: “In general you’ll want to set the repair times adjuster to between 30% to 40% based on the complexity of the jobs your workshop handles and staff experience. For a general service workshop, 30% will often feel right; remember, that’s 30% on top of the manufacturer figure, which will be using a showroom model that hasn’t been on the road.”

Get more repair information Autodata Diagnostic & Repair is the top level of Autodata’s workshop application, offering even more specialised repair information for garages, including:

• • • •

Diagnostic trouble codes with common faults and fixes to help you get started Full-colour interactive wiring diagrams Control module pin data and component testing values Engine management Electronic component locations

For more information or to upgrade to Diagnostic & Repair, login to Capricorn Service Data and click on the Autodata upgrade button at the top right hand of the screen or speak to your Area Manager.

C A P R I C O R N I G N I T I O N J U LY 2 0 2 1 5

GOLD RUSH WINNERS ANNOUNCED!

Parts Connection Preferred Supplier Bonus Points Promotion Capricorn Preferred Supplier, Parts Connection, continues to give back to Members with their generous prize pool of Capricorn Preferred Supplier Bonus Points worth $30,000.

Members who purchased from any Parts Connection member received a lucky gold nugget card which put them in the running.

The list of lucky winners this month include; 50,000 Preferred Supplier Bonus Rewards Points Allan Kellett Panel & Paint 100,000 Preferred Supplier Bonus Rewards Points Manukau Auto Electrical Greenmeadows Panelbeaters 250,000 Preferred Supplier Bonus Rewards Points Advanced Automotive 1,500,000 Preferred Supplier Bonus Rewards Points Moselle Panel & Paint A big thank you to all Members who participated in the campaign! The promotion runs until 30 November, so there is still plenty of opportunity to win.

SUPPLIER PROFILE CERVUS VAPORMATIC

Cervus Vapormatic is owned by the Cervus Equipment group of companies that specialises in supporting the equipment industry in Canada, Australia, and NZ.

Zone serviced: North Island Website: vapormatic.co.nz

As of 1 March 2021, Cervus Vapormatic is excited to be the Vapormatic distributor covering the North Island of NZ and will continue to operate from the same conveniently central Hamilton location. Vapormatic continues to be the local distributor for aftermarket parts specifically focused on the primary industry. They offer a comprehensive range of more than 30,000 quality tractor parts, combine parts, trailer parts, tools, and accessories for all makes.

Customer-focused, Vapormatic is committed to delivering its company values of quality, availability, service, and affordability. A quality product, great availability and industry-leading service all combine to create excellent value. With a large volume of stock housed at the warehouse, many items in stock are available for next-day delivery and can be ordered 24/7 via the website or email, or by directly contacting their dedicated customer service team.

NEW PREFERRED SUPPLIER

6 C A P R I C O R N I G N I T I O N J U LY 2 0 2 1

GET IT SORTED CHECKLIST Carried out by: The Boss Sorting the workshop Vehicle Inspection Checklists ts

Building Maintenance Checklis

rd Sheets

Equipment Maintenance Reco Material Safety Data Sheets

Sorting the staff Employee Details Form e

Recruitment and Interview Guid Meeting Record Sheet

Sorting the customer service s New Customer Letter Template Post Service Letter Templates Customer Service Guides

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Comments Available in AutoBoost Found it in AutoBoost Safety first!

In AutoBoost too

Comments So important these days Got it in AutoBoost Yep, this one’s there too

Comments Got it in AutoBoost Downloaded from AutoBoost Boost too

A good read! Found them in Auto

An exclusive Member benefit!

AutoBoost your business. oboost Login to capricorn.coop/aut

AutoBoost your Business Access ready to use checklists, forms and templates to better organise your business.

Login to capricorn.coop/autoboost

TM

Make your workshop a more rewarding place to work.

Upgrade the staff kitchen with a new Bugatti Diva Espresso Machine. Just one way you can use your points with Capricorn Rewards.

Spend your points at capricorn.coop/rewards

Participation in the Capricorn Rewards Program is subject to the Capricorn Rewards Terms and Conditions available at capricorn.coop/tc.

How great workshop managers balance the demands of their role

How good are you at balancing the different demands of your job?

Our landmark State of the Nation 2020 Report found that, for 29% of Members, balancing the many different calls on their time was one of the top five challenges they faced in their business.

It’s easy to understand why. The average workshop has 4.5 members of staff and 3 hoists and sees 30 vehicles a week, so workshop managers and owners are doing everything from taking calls, giving quotes and allocating jobs to finding new staff, doing the accounts and keeping across the changes in technology that will affect their business.

How to become more efficient and profitable So how do the most successful workshop owners balance all these differing demands on their time?

Workshop Whisperer Rachael Evans spends her working day helping automotive workshop owners and their businesses become profitable, efficient, well-oiled machines. It starts, she said, with a shift in perspective.

“This often comes back to the belief that many workshop owners have around them not being a business person, but rather a technician,” she said.

“In my experience, great managers don’t emerge, but great leaders do. And I find success comes once they’ve made peace with the fact that their greatest role is to coach their people, not to be spread so thin across all areas of the business that they have a finger in every pie.

“When you’ve got a finger in every pie, you’re so busy that you end up micromanaging, which upsets the people who work for you who want a bit of autonomy and a bit of responsibility.”

Rachael said workshop owners need to get good at recognising where they can fit into the business, and that’s about understanding where they can generate the most money. Often, that’s off the tools.

“Those business owners, they mature, in a way, and recognise that their business will grow if they can help grow their people,” she said. “So, delegate to them, give them the types of skills that you need them to have.

“If you try to do everything yourself, the business isn’t going to work properly.”

A simple exercise to transform your business

Rachael recommended using a tool called the Eisenhower Decision Matrix.

“Essentially you write down all the tasks you’re currently doing for the business and they go into four boxes,” she said.

There are lots of versions of the matrix (indeed, Rachael has created her own, specific to automotive workshops) but broadly, the four boxes are: • • • •

Do: Do it now Decide: Schedule a time to do it Delegate: Who can do it for you?

Delete: Eliminate it.

Rachael said she uses the matrix to get workshop owners to think about what they do and don’t need to be doing — including the things they don’t want to do but have to, and the things they love to do but should not be spending time on.

“As a business owner, you end every day tired,” she said. “You fall back into doing the things that feel comfortable, even though you’ve long since passed the time when you should have handed it over to someone else.”

See “do, decide, delegate, delete” in action

Rachael said she has seen the Eisenhower Matrix help transform many workshops and their operations.

“We have one business owner who inherited a 50-year-old business from his father, so he’s been running it for decades and he just could not leave the business for absolutely any reason while the doors were open,” she said.

“He was actually the bottleneck in the business because he still had a role in just about every function.

“Fast-forward four years, and he does not need to be in the business for anything. He can lead it remotely, if he likes. But he chooses, through passion for the business, to pop in and speak to the manager. That’s his only role. Everything else is set up.”

Rachael said learning how to balance the different demands on his time, and to understand his role more clearly, had completely transformed that business owner’s life.

Forty-six per cent of Members told us in the State of the Nation having a good work-life balance and being able to take time off were the top two challenges they faced in running their business. Fifty-two per cent said having a good worklife balance was one of the top ways they defined success.

Learning how to balance the differing demands of your role is the key to unlocking that success.

C A P R I C O R N I G N I T I O N J U LY 2 0 2 1 9

CAPRICORN

APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR

TOP 5

Stars

RISING STARS ANNOUNCED

Thank you to everyone who nominated their apprentice!

A record -breaking 600 plus Members let their apprentices know just how much they are appreciated by nominating them as a Capricorn Rising Star.

This is a great news for the industry, with so many outstanding individuals identified as workshop leaders of the future.

In many cases, the nominated apprentices are already acting as leaders in their workshops. We heard from many who were taking on advanced jobs, normally reserved for qualified repairers.

Others stepped up when it counted, running the workshop on their own in times of crisis. We were also inspired by the many nominees who have overcome difficult circumstances to stay dedicated to developing their craft and repaying the faith their workshops have shown in them. All nominees demonstrated outstanding passion for the industry and a strong commitment to going above and beyond to deliver the highest levels of service for customers.

Rising Stars Judge and Capricorn CEO Automotive, Brad Gannon, stressed the value of supporting apprentices.

1 0 C A P R I C O R N I G N I T I O N J U LY 2 0 2 1

“Completing an automotive apprenticeship is no easy undertaking. With a shortage of qualified repairers to go around, it’s never been more important that we support and encourage our apprentices. Capricorn Rising Stars is an easy way for Members to show their apprentices that they have a bright future ahead of them, to maintain their passion for automotive and keep them committed to a long career in the industry.”

Of course, there can only be 5 finalists. Capricorn sincerely congratulates Ben Brown, Adam McDonald, Jordon Dodge, Paige Scully & Thomas Rutzou, who have all been selected as this year’s Top 5 Rising Stars. Stay tuned for the August edition of Ignition, where the overall winner will be announced.

Capricorn would also like to thank our program sponsors, Castrol, Repco and The Workshop Whisperer, who kindly donated some generous prizes for the winners and their nominating workshops.

What their employer had to say: Paige is our Rising Star because she rises to the challenges.

She takes on difficult jobs be it on trucks, buses, vans and cars. Paige also tackles new technology with confidence and although still in her first year she helps the other mechanics with the latest tech jargon. Paige has set herself high goals and is willing to do what is needed to achieve them.

JARROD WALKER JORDON DODGE --MARK EURODODGE PRESTIGE AUTO REPAIRS

What their employer had to say: Adam is committed to becoming the best tradesman in the industr y. He demonstrates this day-by-day by helping all stakeholders with technical faults and loves finding solutions for the difficult problems.

He will make a positive difference in our industry and is a Rising Star.

THOMAS RUTZOU- JAG & BRITISH PRESTIGE SERVICE

ADAM MCDONALD - VOLTAIC AUTO ELECTRICAL

What their employer had to say: Taking on Ben as our apprentice is the best thing we have done.

He is passionate about not only his mechanic side of the job, but also has a lot of ideas and vision that is helping us to grow our business.

As Ben develops his skills and learns the administration side, we would not hesitate to leave him in charge when the need arises.

PAIGE SCULLY -KRUPIC AUTO REPAIRS

BEN BROWN - CWR MOTORSPORT

MEET THE TOP 5 FINALISTS

What their employer had to say: Jordon was recognised as the Volvo 2nd year, apprentice of the year in 2019. He has completed the MTAQ EV accreditation and the RACQ Patrolman and Towing accreditation.

His ability and attitude has allowed him to work independently and multi task across all facets of the business including parts, customer service, auto electrical and mechanical.

What their employer had to say: Tom fits in very well with our workshop te a m a n d b u s i n e s s values. His enthusiasm for getting the job done proficiently and properly is admirable, and exactly what a business owner needs from their employees. We are very proud to have Tom on our team and are behind him to further his career goals and realise his potential within the industry.

Toyota’s LQ

AS CLOSE TO KITT AS WE’VE COME If you’re of an age where you can remember the old TV show Knight Rider, buckle up: KITT is here.

Sure, the Toyota LQ doesn’t look much like the customised 1982 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am that every single kid on the playground was obsessed with in the 80s. But its artificial intelligence capabilities are about as close to KITT’s as modern car designers have managed to create so far.

Toyota says the LQ — which was first released as an electric concept car in 2019 — uses advanced technology to “build an emotional bond between car and driver”.

Apparently, the combined capabilities of the car’s AI, its (SAE Level 4 equivalent) automated driving system and its personal assistant (called Yui) allow the car to learn from the driver and then deliver a highly personalised driving experience.

The LQ will talk to you, just like KITT talked to David

1 2 C A P R I C O R N I G N I T I O N J U LY 2 0 2 1

Hasselhoff. It’ll be able to change settings based on your mood – from the lighting and music to the air con and seat position. Through its facial recognition technology it’ll know if you’re tired, or if you’re not paying attention.

Apparently, it’ll even have a conversation with you about your favourite topics, to stop you falling asleep.

According to some sources, the concept has a 54.3 kWh battery pack, powering a 150 kW and 300 Nm motor for a 300 km range, and it’s powered by the same EV unit Lexus is using in the UX300e SUV. For all its technology and intuition, the LQ does diverge from KITT in at least one area: the famous Knight Rider car was a work of fiction. And while many concept cars are a little bit of make-believe, the LQ looks set to become a reality.

Depending on who you believe, the car was meant to be a common sight around the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

FUTURE RIDE Image Credit: Mercedes Benz.

Obviously, that Olympics was postponed, so we may never know for sure, but with Toyota a major sponsor of the games, it is plausible they planned to do exactly that.

By May last year rumours were hot that Toyota was about to put the LQ into production – including Yui and the other spooky, sci-fi, intuitive Knight Rider-style technology the concept car promised – by the end of 2020 and start sales in 2021.

That talk hasn’t materialised into anything concrete as yet (although Toyota has announced plans to launch two new EVs in the US later this year, so there’s still time).

But there can be little doubt Toyota — like many other car manufacturers — is taking the EV future of motoring very seriously indeed. Toyota aims to expand to 70 electrified models and 15 BEV models by 2025.

The company has also been working hard on battery technology and says it has now developed solid-state batteries which could fully charge an EV in 15 minutes and provide twice as much range as the lithium-ion batteries commonly used in EVs to-date. That could revolutionise EVs – including any planned LQ. Whenever Toyota finally releases the LQ into the marketplace, they’ll be missing a trick if they don’t get David Hasselhoff to launch it.

C A P R I C O R N I G N I T I O N J U LY 2 0 2 1 1 3

Budget boost: could we see a postCOVID apprenticeship boom?

Australia and New Zealand are emerging from the global pandemic relatively unscathed compared to the rest of the world which has allowed both countries’ 2021-22 budgets to include measures beyond COVID-19 recovery.

But what do their announcements mean for your business? And for the automotive industry more broadly?

In Australia, the main headlines were around $16 billion in tax cuts to small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) over the next few years. The Government also extended tax incentives to encourage businesses to invest in equipment and machinery.

New Zealand’s “Wellbeing Budget”, as the Government labelled it, contained very little in terms of big-ticket items for SMEs. However, the extra, almost $280 million going towards vocational training may help give a much-needed boost to the number of apprentices joining the industry.

Analysing the budget announcements, Capricorn Chief Financial Officer Wes Smith said Australia’s budget should be seen as a positive one for Members, as it will build on measures implemented over the past 12 months. And will encourage SMEs to play a lead role in Australia’s economic recovery.

He also welcomed additional funding for training and apprenticeships in both countries. The Australian Government has allocated $2.7 billion to extend the Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements program, which is a wage subsidy to reimburse businesses up to $7,000 per quarter for 12 months, for taking on new apprentices.

“This makes it more affordable for Members to bring on new talent into the industry,” Wes said. “While it is difficult to predict whether this will have a positive influence on the aftermarket labour shortage, the Government are making it easier for businesses to bridge gaps in skill sets. And that is a step in the right direction.

Wes also said the automotive aftermarket had performed “incredibly well” in both Australia and New Zealand throughout the pandemic. He said that was due to: • • •

An increased car-parc; traveller staycations increasing vehicle usage in the midst of national and international border restrictions; and consumers holding onto their vehicles for longer (whether that be due to limited vehicle availability or the financial uncertainties of the future impacting new car purchases).

“This should remain relatively steady in the shorter term, providing external circumstances remain unchanged,” Wes said. “However, geographical and technological developments are expected to have an enduring effect on the automotive aftermarket industry in the medium-longer term.

“The changing make-up of vehicle types on the road presents a challenge for the automotive aftermarket in a post-pandemic world. While shifts in both the way vehicle sales are conducted and what exactly is being sold makes the impact of these changes difficult to predict, we will not likely see rapid uptake of new technologies without Government support.”

The New Zealand Government had been predicted to introduce a “feebate” program, which makes electric and low-emission vehicles cheaper to buy and petrol and diesel vehicles more expensive, but this was not announced. However, there is a $302 million pot of money set aside as “a regime to incentivise the uptake of low-emissions vehicles”, which some have suggested could mean “feebate” is still on the cards.

Wes said Members should think about what the budgets mean for their business and, “where possible, take advantages of SME budgetary incentives to best position themselves for the future.”

This article is for the purpose of information only and does not constitute financial or taxation advice. It is important for Capricorn Members to seek the advice of the appropriate professional in relation to their specific circumstances.

“This presents an opportunity for Members to bring new workers into the industry at a significantly reduced cost.”

Wes said Members should think about what the budgets mean for their business and, “Where possible, take advantages of SME budgetary incentives to best position themselves for the future.”

1 4 C A P R I C O R N I G N I T I O N J U LY 2 0 2 1

IT’S 7000 PLUS AUTO REPAIRERS... ...who have each other’s backs

Join us!

Capricorn Members can access mutual protection that unlike profit driven insurance, is owned by and run for, the same auto repairers who are part of it.

See how you’re better off with mutual protection through Capricorn Risk Services.

0800 555 303 | info@capricornrisk.com | capricorn.coop/risk Products sold through Capricorn Risk Services Pty Ltd include discretionary risk protection and general insurance products. Discretionary risk protection is issued out of Australia by Capricorn Mutual Ltd. Before deciding to acquire discretionary risk protection you should consider the Product Disclosure Statement to see if it is appropriate for you. This can be obtained from Capricorn Risk Services via capricornrisk.com. General insurance products are issued by a range of insurers and are available through Capricorn Risk Services Pty Ltd as a member broker of PSC Connect NZ Limited.

Capricorn Risk Services is a registered financial services provider (390466) and a corporate Authorised Representative (No. 460893) of Capricorn Mutual Ltd (AFSL 230038).

TM

DRIVELIFE

2021 KIA STINGER GT SPORT GT by name, GT by nature Written by DriveLife online

It’s one of those hero cars that everyone looks at. When launched in 2018, the Kia Stinger turned heads with a design that seemed more European than Korean. And that’s not to mention the performance. While it was offered with a turbocharged, 2.0-litre fourcylinder engine, most buyers went straight to the 3.3-litre, twin-turbo V6 model - and who could blame them.

2021 brings a slight refresh for the Stinger, and Kia sent us a V6 model to test for a week. For this year, there’s a ‘full-width rear lighting signature’, redesigned tail trim and exhaust outlets, a new 10.25” infotainment system, and additional safety systems like Lane Follow Assist, Forward Collision Avoidance with Junction View, Safe Exit Warning, and Blind Spot Collision Avoidance Assist.

the updated Kia Stinger GT Sport to make sure it’s still as good as it ever was.

The engine is unchanged for this year, other than an Electronic Variable Exhaust Valve system fitted only to the GT Sport model, helping the car to produce a deeper exhaust note in Sport mode and a more subdued exhaust note In Eco or Comfort mode. This does give the car a small bump in power. There’s also remote engine start fitted to the 2021 models. The 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder Stinger motor is completely unchanged.

This means the standard equipment list is very long, and makes the Stinger excellent value. That standard equipment includes Launch Control, Forward Collision Avoidance (with cyclist, pedestrian and junction capablity), Lane Keep Assist (using a line or the road’s edge), driver attention alert, Lane Follow Assist, blind spot collision avoidance (rear), rear cross traffic alert, Blind Spot View Monitor, Safe Exit Assist, Hill Start Assist, an electric park brake with auto-hold, tyre pressure monitoring, keyless entry and start, automatic high beams, front and rear

With my heart set on ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’, I spent 600km behind the wheel of 1 6 C A P R I C O R N I G N I T I O N J U LY 2 0 2 1

THE RANGE You get to choose from two Stinger models, the GT Line and the GT Sport.

Interestingly, there’s almost no trim differences between the two – it’s all about the drivetrain.

parking sensors, a 360-degree camera system, LED projection headlamps with cornering function, LED daytime running lights, heated and electrically folding exterior mirrors, LED tailights, LED puddle lamps, chrome-coated quad exhaust pipes, leather seats, a heated steering wheel with 4-way electric adjustment, 8-way electric front seats with 4-way electric lumbar adjust, electric cushion adjustment for the driver’s seat, and electric bolster adjust for the driver’s seat.

But wait, there’s lots more. Add to that LED interior lighting, an electric sunroof with an electric blind, a 10.25” central touchscreen display, a 15-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, SatNav with live traffic updates, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability, a colour heads-up display, Qi wireless smartphone charging, adaptive cruise control with stop/start, dual zone AC, automatic headlights and wipers, and lastly an electric tailgate with handsfree operation.

The Stinger GT Line has a 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder turbocharged engine that manages 182kW of power and 353Nm of torque. The GT Sport has the twin-turbo V6 at 3.3 litres and this puts out 274kW of power and 510Nm of torque. Both run an 8-speed automatic gearbox, and the GT Line will get to 100km/h in 6.2 seconds while the GT Sport does it in 4.9 seconds.

Other mechancial differences between the two include a limited slip diff for the V6 model, and that’s it. Trim-wise, the only difference is that Nappa leather is used on the V6. The Stinger GT Line is priced at $69,990, while the GT Sport is $79,990.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS With our test car finished in HiChroma Red, the Stinger continues to turn heads.

Everywhere I went people – ok, mainly car guys and girls – would spin to watch it go by.

It’s a big car, make no mistake, and this adds to the power of drawing in any passersby.

There’s lots to like about the look of the Stinger; Those diffusers at the rear, along with four real exhaust tips – nothing fake here – catch your eye. Side on, front on, whatever - it’s stunning.

On the side just behind the front wheels are some air vents. Just like the exahust tips, there’s nothing fake about them. You can see the ducting from the front brakes feeding hot air into the vents.

The rear side of the car has those reflectors coming quite a long way forward, and it’s a distinctive Stinger trademark. In fact, I’d go as far as to say there’s nothing else on the road like it. It doesn’t matter what angle you spy the car from, you instantly know it’s a Stinger.

THE INTERIOR The sporty exterior is carried over to the cabin, with three bullet air vents right there in your face, in centre of the dash. They

certainly add a bit of sportiness and class to the cabin, along with the brushed alloy finish on the centre console, doors and dash.

This quality is carried over into the entire interior of the Stinger. Kia have had wellfinished interiors for many years now, but the 2021 Stinger lifts it again. For example, there’s heated and cooled seats, controlled by a single alloy toggle switch, and even these two switches (one for each front seat) are beautifully made, and move with precision.

Each front seat has a tasteful ‘GT’ logo on it, to remind you this isn’t ‘only’ the 182kW four-cylinder model. There’s also electric cushion-length adjustment for the driver’s seat, for the tall people out there.

Still speaking of the seats, while the interior is very dark, there’s contrasting stitching on the seats, doors and dash. The pillars are a grey suede, as is the headlining. This means the interior is very dark, which possibly means sporty to Kia. The centre console is quite high too, adding to the sporty but closed-in feeling. At the rear of the centre console is a medium-sized cubby, complete with a removable shelf. It takes an SLR camera quite comfortably. There is a sunroof (not panoramic) with an electric blind to lighten up the inside if it’s sunny out.

Still on the quality side of things, just looking at the doors reminds me of an Audi. There’s a similar quality of finish, textures used and style. It looks brilliant, and while our Stinger GT Sport is touching $80K, it looks like it costs more than that.

Up front and centre is a Qi wireless phone charger, with a 12-volt socket and single USB port next to it. There’s a sliding cover over the whole lot to remove the temptation of looking at your phone while driving. Rear seat passengers have a reasonable amount of room, but it’s not as good as the Skoda Superb. There is plenty of width though, and your passengers in the rear will have access to a 12-volt socket and a single USB port as

The contents of and any opinions contained in this article do not reflect the opinions of Capricorn Society Ltd and Capricorn makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or reliability of any material in this article.

well. There’s a nice safety feature for rear passengers; Safe Exit Assist prevents the rear doors opening if the system detects a hazard approaching from behind the vehicle, such as a cyclist or another vehicle.

For younger passengers who might not think about this, it’s a great way to save wiping out a cyclist.

Feature-wise, you aren’t left wanting for much with the Stinger GT Sport. For its $80K, it’s very well equipped. For 2021 buyers now get a mood lighting system, where you can pick one of 64 colours of your choice. Let’s face it, it will be your kid’s choice, not yours, and that’s ok. New to 2021 is a frameless interior mirror. Easy access is fitted too, so since the steering wheel has 4-way electric adjustment, Easy Access will automatically lift the steering wheel up to accommodate you getting out of the car. It shifts right back down again when you get back in, of course.

The car has a big, wide boot at 406 litres with the seats up, and there’s a space saver spare under the floor.

THE DRIVE Upon driving off in the car, one of my potential dissapoinments with the Stinger would be the inclusion of fake engine noises.

You get to select from a variety of these; Enhanced, Natural, Soft, or off. Honestly, there’s not a lot of difference, and I ended up driving the car with the fake engine noise turned off. Yes, Enhanced does add a bit of baritone throatiniess to the exhaust note, but the engine sounds just fine as it is, all natural. It’s not raspy, it doesn’t bark and blip. The Stinger GT Sport is more classy than that, so there’s a nice 6-cylinder noise that reminds you of an 80s BMW straight six, and that’s a major compliment.

Just tootling about, the Sport is completely at home; it loves the Daily Drive, with gallons of torque and that silky smooth V6, it’s a joy to commute it. Well, mostly; that sexyas-hell rear quarter design does mean that

C A P R I C O R N I G N I T I O N J U LY 2 0 2 1 1 7

to be a bit of a Bart Simpson, making the driver grin while the car sticks and goes around corners better than it should, for its size. It is a big car and turn in isn’t as crisp as something like the Ford Fiesta ST, so it needs to be thrown at the corner a bit, but it loves it. And while it doesn’t sit absoutely flat on a tight bend, it does extremely well, with body-roll well controlled, and those Michelin Pilot Sport tyres sticking like something to a blanket. While it’s not AWD, the car’s low height helps to make it feel planted on the road.

there’s a major blind spot down the side of the car. This isn’t really an issue, as the car has a trick up its sleeve; Stick your left indicator on to change lanes, and the driver’s information display changes to a left-hand side blind-spot camera. A righthand lane changes turns the right-side camera on. Kia calls this their Blind Spot View Monitor. This is almost the same system we saw in the Hyundai Santa Fe a few months back, and it works very well.

Of course, this assumes you will use your indicators to change lanes, something that New Zealand drivers struggle with.

Still on that daily commute, the ride is unexpectedly good in anything but Sport mode. I wouldn’t say it glides over bumps and outholes, but I expected it to be a lot harder. Turning on Sport mode will change this compliance. On a weekday trip on a windy but bumpy road, I switched Sport mode on, as you do, but only lasted a few minutes before turning it off again. Sport mode is 100% for a smooth road.

I was going to wait for a bit before talking about driving the Stinger GT Sport as it should be driven, but I can’t wait. This car is superb on the Daily Drive, but it’s also a blast to drive on a quiet country road, where you can make the most of the performance and handling. And oh it handles, it stops, it goes – and it goes very well. Sure, you can mosy along in Smart or Comfort mode, but get to that favourite road of yours, stick it in Sport, and hang on. The Sport GT gets to 100km/h in 4.9 seconds, which isn’t incredibly fast by today’s standards, but it gets there so damn smoothly, revving right out to the redline at 6,000rpm, and sounding very nice while it happens.

While it doesn’t sound like one, the Stinger GT Sport reminds me of the CV8 Holden Monaro. Both cars love to get the tail out, and the car does it relatively easily if you push that right-hand pedal just a little too hard on a bend. For a big car, it loves 1 8 C A P R I C O R N I G N I T I O N J U LY 2 0 2 1

Part of this is the way the car gets the power down to the road. In his review, John thought the car had some sort of torque vectoring diff, but according to Kia it’s just a straight limited-slip diff. If it is, it works incredibly well.

But with a decent amount of power on tap, those Michelins on 19” alloys can’t cope with full-throttle acceleration in a straight line, I expect they’d leave a pair of black marks on the road. That’s what I’ve been told, at least. In fact, even at 50km/h in Comfort mode, punch that gas pedal and you may well hear some battle going on at the rear of the car, tyres vs. 510Nm of torque. The tyres don’t win.

And it isn’t just quick in a straight line, midrange is where the Stinger GT Sport really shines, with overtaking manouveres finished in a flash, and passing slower traffic on the motorway just a blip on the radar.

If there’s one small blip on that radar, it is off the line; floor it from a start, and there will be some hesitation before those twin

" THIS CAR IS SUPERB ON THE DAILY DRIVE, BUT IT’S ALSO A BLAST TO DRIVE ON A QUIET COUNTRY ROAD"

turbos spool up. It’s not a long time, but it’s not an instant rush of acceleration. It reminds me of the Audi Q7 in this respect; that car does exactly the same thing.

So it goes extremely well, but believe me, it stops well too. Initially I hit the brake pedal too hard the first time I got behind the wheel. It didn’t feel like I was giving it too much pedal, so yes, they can bite initially until you get used to them. But man, get this car moving quickly and those brakes come into their own. With 350mm 4-pot Brembos at the front and 340mm 2-pot Brembos at the rear (all red callipers, of course), braking is not an issue.

There’s one issue with the Stinger GT Sport when driven with a bit of verve; while it has a heads-up display (HUD), you aren’t shown what gear the car is in or what what revs the engine is doing – no matter what Drive Mode you are in. This makes it difficult to know how close you are to the red line, without looking down to the rev counter. In a car like this with such an incredibly smooth engine, having those two pieces of information on the HUD in Sport mode (at least) is a must.

Unfortunately, during my week with the car, it rained most of the time, so with only two days of fine weather, I made the most of it. In the rain, the Stinger GT Sport can be driven sedately but a prod of the gas pedal at the wrong time will see the tail come out. Still, it’s all very controllable, as it can be with a rear-wheel drive car.

Speaking of Sport mode, one very nice touch is that when you slip the car into Sport mode, for the driver, the seat bolsters automatically come in to hold you more tightly. It’s one of those things that makes you wonder if actual ‘car guys’ helped design the Stinger GT Sport.

Both Stinger models are fitted with a 15-speaker, Harman Kardon audio system, and it’s brilliant. The audio quality excellent, and there are three Logic Surround modes: Reference, Audience, and Stage – all with very distincitve changes in the sound

DRIVELIFE

2021 KIA STINGER GT

quality. I did drive with the audio off most of the time in the car, forgetting just how good it is. The Stage setting really brings out the feeling of listening to live music.

The car’s LED-Bi-Function Projection Directional Headlights (say that in a hurry) are excellent, but not adaptive. Still, on a dark country road one night the headlights proved themselves to be very good, and having a cornering function for your headlights is always better. Our test car’s headlights did have one beam pointing up into the trees 50 feet off the road, but likely this was just a misadjustment.

It’s good to see that Kia have given both models adaptive cruise control as standard.

This will bring the car to a stop, unlike some other systems, but the adaptive cruise in this car can be somewhat jerky, especially when you come to a stop, then hit the cruise button to move off again.

The car seems to wait for a bit too long, then shoots forward, then brakes a little too hard to avoid hitting the car in front.

Some work needs to be done on this, as it detracts from what is a brilliantly smooth car on all fronts.

With two turbos, 3.3 litres of engine and six cylinders to feed, Kia suggests the GT Sport should use fuel at the rate of 10.2L/100km.

Over 600km of driving, I managed to get

11.4L/100Kms out of the Stinger, and I was impressed at that. For the performance at hand, that’s a very reasonable number.

ECONOMY

6

INTERIOR

8

PERFORMANCE

9

SAFETY

9

STYLING

10

VALUE

9

THE COMPETITION It feels a bit ridiculous to compare the Stinger GT Sport to these other cars, but if you want this much power or even close to it, in a 5-door liftback/fastback, this is what you are looking to pay. It just cements how much of a bargain this car is. The Skoda Superb is nipping at its heels, but there’s an almost 70kW difference in power, and that’s massive.

THE VERDICT For the $10K difference, I’m not sure why any buyer would go for the GT Line.

The V6-engined Stinger is so smooth, so powerful and yet so driveable, it’s a nobrainer.

•

STYLING

•

INTERIOR DESIGN, QUALITY

•

ABSOLUTE VALUE FOR MONEY

•

RIDE

•

STANDARD EQUIPMENT LIST

•

HANDING

•

BRAKES

•

HUD NO REV COUNTER OR GEAR SHOWN

•

NOT ENOUGH ROOM IN MY GARAGE FOR ONE

It will be forever compared to European cars that cost a lot more, because nothing comes close to it within its own price range.

The Stinger GT Sport has got so much going for it; incredible value, amazing performance and handling, superb looks.

It’s a wonder there isn’t so many more of them on the road.

The contents of and any opinions contained in this article do not reflect the opinions of Capricorn Society Ltd and Capricorn makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or reliability of any material in this article.

C A P R I C O R N I G N I T I O N J U LY 2 0 2 1 1 9

TO PADDLE OR NOT TO PADDLE

by Paul Marinelli

Who would have thought that one of the most divisive issues at the top level of Australian motorsport comes down to this: to paddle or not to paddle?

“Paddle” refers to the process of changing gears by using paddle levers mounted behind a steering wheel as opposed to using a prime-mover-inspired gearshift handle located towards the centre of the cabin.

Many of you are no doubt driving cars fitted with paddle gearshift controls these days, enabling any normally mild-mannered automatic car driver to flick into Lewis Hamilton spec, furiously clicking the levers and watching the numbers change on the dash as they turn corners or accelerate away from red lights.

Some of you — and it is a very declining number — are still operating a foot-operated clutch and a five- or six-speed manual gearshift, the good old-fashioned way to really drive a car, but not so much fun in peakhour Melbourne, Sydney or Auckland traffic.

In Supercars, the debate continues about their

2 0 C A P R I C O R N I G N I T I O N J U LY 2 0 2 1

proposed next-generation racing car blueprint, referred to as Gen 3. The idea is to bring the cars more in line with current high-performance sports cars on our roads. This is supposed to encourage more manufacturer involvement, given that only Ford is currently involved at that level. Commodores are still competing, but in line with the GM-engineered demise of Holden, the plan is to replace these with another current GM product, the Camaro. The idea behind Gen 3 is to accommodate these cars and to allow easier access for other manufacturers to become involved in the future.

It is also supposed to reduce the cost of building and maintaining Supercars, something that previous changes, particularly the most recent Car of the Future concept, spectacularly failed to do.

The process to make Gen 3 become a reality has not been simple. Along with the numerous engineering challenges, there are the problems of differentsized engines being able to achieve the same power output, aerodynamic equality and selecting the highly reliable yet lower maintenance components to be used as control parts across the board.

Of all the changes being made, the most interesting issue from the drivers and many diehard fans is whether or not to include electronically activated paddle gearshifts or to retain the current mechanically operated sequential gearshift system. In fact many fans were (and remain) upset with the change from the traditional H-Shift gearbox when sequential mechanical gearboxes were introduced.

Many drivers feel that the physicality of wrestling with a super-fast, very heavy and under-tyred racing car will be lost if all you need to do is hold onto the wheel and pull on paddle levers, as we now see in WEC / Sportscar or GT racing.

Even the art of heel and toe footwork by racing drivers (to avoid compression lock when shifting gears) won’t be required as this can also be actuated automatically by the electronics, as is the case with current high-performance road cars. One high-profile driver actually stated in a television interview that he thought this was the stuff of video games and that it had no place in real motor racing.

The team owners want paddle shifters, as the electronics that come with them make it virtually impossible to blow up an engine or gearbox through a mis-shift, which was meant to be the case with the sequential system, but this theory has since been spectacularly proven otherwise on more than one occasion.

Many fans don’t want paddles, as they enjoy watching their Supercar heroes at work through onboard vision that captures how busy they are behind the wheel, managing the sequential gearshifts, adjusting sway bars and brake bias controls all while being furiously chased by 24 other Supercar drivers.

Some also see this as making Supercars become too close to GT3 specification sportscar racing, rather than being something that is and always has been extremely unique to Australia and New Zealand. It must not be forgotten that along this unique way and through outstanding

local engineering and parity developments, Supercars became (and still is) the most competitive Touring Car championship on the planet.

For me, motorsport is all about the challenge to be the absolute best driver with the best team and the most reliable equipment. The beauty of Supercars is that it is genuinely extremely difficult to drive them at the absolute limit. Only the very best master it to become frequent winners and champions. Simplification of this process doesn’t detract from the driver talent and teamwork needed to win, but it does impact the spectacle of the sport and takes away some of the originality that made it so successful in the first place.

Sadly, with the demise of locally manufactured cars, there is no doubt that Supercars has to change — the sport cannot continue to showcase cars that no longer exist.

Gen 3 has to take that next step into being relevant to the most exciting cars that are available on the market, while retaining some kind of truly Australian individuality. All of this has to be achieved without being too similar to other existing racing categories like GT / Sportscars or TCR. Supercars Australia has recently stated that the Gen 3 vehicle regulations will be in place by the 2022 season, although it is probably more likely that you won’t see the next iteration of our favourite racing cars on Australian and New Zealand racing circuits until 2023.

The contents of and any opinions contained in this article do not reflect the opinions of Capricorn Society Ltd and Capricorn makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or reliability of any material in this article.

C A P R I C O R N I G N I T I O N J U LY 2 0 2 1 2 1

MEMBER RIDE

VR SIMULATORS A MOTORSPORT ‘CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE’

2 2 C A P R I C O R N I G N I T I O N J U LY 2 0 2 1

Normally when we share a Member Ride with you, it’s a very definite thing. It’s a Monaro or a Camaro or an old Austin Healy.

But this month’s Member Ride can be almost anything you want it to be — from a touring car to a Formula 1 race car.

That’s because this month’s Member Ride is a virtual reality racing simulator, owned by longtime Capricorn Member Barry Punter.

Barry owns Online Autos in Osborne Park, Western Australia. The area is a real hub for auto businesses and, until recently, Barry’s business was the kind of place those of us who daydream about owning a sportscar would go to gawk at the beautiful machines for sale.

But all that has changed. “In November I had three Lamborghinis for sale in here,” Barry said. “Now I have six of these simulators and no room for any cars.”

The simulators were produced by Melbourne-based Motum — a company started by ex-race drivers — and are currently the only 6DOF (six directions of freedom) in WA. “The idea is that you can race each other,” he said. “But they’re basically the closest you will get to driving a racing car without having the expense of a racing car.

“You have virtual reality goggles on, so that puts you in the car — you move your head around and the scenery all changes; you check your mirrors and you can see the cars moving up behind you.

“Then, obviously, the simulator moves (in response to the virtual reality experience you’re having) and you get feedback through the steering wheel as well, so you feel all the lumps and bumps.”

These are some seriously cool toys, which cost $85,000 each. While Barry said he and his staff have to remind themselves that it’s not playtime, all the time, the purchase was actually a business decision. It was all about diversification.

“We still have the workshop, but we’ve diversified into this,” he said. “I thought ‘why not have a room full of toys and charge people to use them?’ ” Barry also owns a V8 drive business, where motor enthusiasts can drive a supercar around a racetrack, so he felt the VR simulators were a good fit for his business portfolio.

“I much prefer this because it’s much less harrowing on my nerves!” he said.

So, this month’s Member Ride isn’t an old classic or show-stopping street rod.

Instead, it’s more like a choose your own adventure book, where the car can be anything you want it to be. Whether that’s a touring car sweeping around Mount Panorama at Bathurst, or an F1 zipping around the Circuit de Spa at 19000 RPM, the choice is yours.

C A P R I C O R N I G N I T I O N J U LY 2 0 2 1 2 3

Asking the right diagnostic questions - by Jeff Smit Just when you thought vehicle technology had gone as far as it could go, the car makers surprise us with another innovation. For those of us in the repair and maintenance business, it means that the challenges of diagnostic work only get bigger and become more complex. So how to cope?

A few years ago, I devised my APPROACH diagnostic process, which is worth repeating now, more than ever.

P – Patience In diagnostics, patience is a virtue. A rushed diagnosis generally leads to unnecessary parts replacement.

A – Attitude The starting point for all challenging jobs. Diagnostics demand clear thinking and the right mindset for plotting the best way forward.

P – Preparation Time must be set aside for preparation, which must include the next step.

2 4 C A P R I C O R N I G N I T I O N J U LY 2 0 2 1

"If possible, go for a drive to experience the symptoms for yourself, but let the owner drive."

R – Research Technicians MUST be given time to research the symptoms and analyse the findings of any initial evaluation of the problem they are trying to solve.

the issue? Has the vehicle been in an accident or been to a panel shop recently? Have any remapping or programming changes been made to the vehicle?

Has the battery been replaced recently?

O – Organised More to do with the mind, although organising tools and parts is just as important. Being organised applies mainly to testing and system evaluation – what and how is the testing being done, and what results are expected.

Symptoms: When did the symptoms start? Did any warning lights come on and if so, how long have they been on? How does the vehicle drive? Have you noticed any changes in fuel economy? Is the vehicle blowing smoke, and if so, what colour?

A – Ask questions Nobody is expected to know everything about every car on the road, so take the time to ask questions of those who may be more experienced in a particular area or vehicle model. It is no shame to ask, and in fact many experienced technicians like being asked for their opinion.

Frequency: When did you first notice this problem? How often do the symptoms appear? Can you replicate the issues and, if so, how?

C – Confirmation and validation This applies to the workshop’s relationship with the owner of the vehicle and therefore will help consolidate the bond that ensures long-term loyalty to the workshop. Confirm repairs if possible with some form of validation that might be some corrected live data, an oscilloscope image, a photo or some sort of proof that a noted issue has been rectified.

H – Habit Diagnostic jobs become less difficult and time consuming if you turn new approaches to specific problems into a habit. Adopting good habits can often help to avoid potential headaches.

The most important of the above steps are Preparation and Research.

This is where time must be spent asking the right questions and compiling a detailed history of how and why the vehicle has ended up in your workshop.

Some workshops treat these stages so seriously that they have compiled a customer questionnaire that is filled out before the customer leaves the workshop.

The questions cover History, Symptoms, Frequency and Conditions.

Conditions: Does the fault occur at any particular time? What temperature is the engine when the fault occurs?

Do you notice any particular speed or engine load when the symptom appears? Do any particular conditions make the problem worse, for example, rain, cornering, or night-time?

There can be no end to the questions. Like a good detective at the murder scene, the more questions that are asked, the clearer the insight into the issue and the customer's concerns.

If possible, go for a drive to experience the symptoms for yourself, but let the owner drive. Perhaps there is a driving technique that could be contributing to the problem. Keep asking questions while taking this drive. The vast majority of customers will not tell you everything. Their mindset is to keep it simple, and that way it should be simple to fix, so therefore not a big invoice at the end.

In this whole relationship, remind yourself that you are the professional, and that asking the questions will help to diagnose the symptoms in the most effective and efficient way.

A customer diagnostic questionnaire sample accompanies this article, you can download it by visiting this article on cap.coop/caphub.

History: How long have you owned the vehicle? When was it last serviced? How long have the symptoms been present? Have any other technicians investigated

C A P R I C O R N I G N I T I O N J U LY 2 0 2 1 2 5

CAPRICORN CLASSIFIEDS Classifieds Advertising Guidelines Do you have a business for sale, have equipment that you need to get rid of, or are you just looking for a part that you haven’t been able to find? If the answer is yes, then you should advertise in the Capricorn Classifieds; it’s FREE to do so. See below for details.

• The Capricorn Classifieds are for Capricorn Members only to advertise. Payment is to be organised between advertiser and purchaser.

• Parts or equipment that relate to your business only may be advertised.

• Businesses for sale may be advertised.

• Cars for sale cannot be advertised.

• Classifieds are on a first come, first served basis.

Depending on the number received, your classified may Autoparts business for sale Northern Beaches.

Well established family run business of over 40 years. Owner retiring. Strong client base with loyal customers for on going business. Great potential for expansion. Call Joe 0411782745 Autosense Car Centre. Geraldton WA. Fully established, highly profitable, superb clientele, perfect coastal lifestyle, 2 hoists, brilliant workshop location, proven long term figures but growth potential huge if wanted.

Email autosense@m2data.com.au Mansfield Tyre Service Victoria -Tree Change Best location in town current owner retiring after 24 years. All plant and equipment including hoists tyre changers & balancers exhaust bender etc $110,000 (This is equipment value) plus SAV - Call Stewart 0408 352 995 Mechanical Workshop, Woodford Qld Fully equip family business servicing the community since 1995. Well established customer base, large 4 bay shed (long lease available) 3 hoists, office, amenities and wash bay. Enquiries 0408767366 or dawnevandriver@hotmail.com

not appear immediately.

• No positions vacant.

• No pictures to be submitted.

• By submitting the Online Capricorn Classifieds Ad Form, you acknowledge that the price of any goods or services shown is inclusive of GST.

Automotive Workshop in WA for Sale Due to the ill health of the owner it’s time to sell. Great business for a sole mechanic. Good clientele and great turnover. Call Rob 0400 200 080 POA Not a NSW opal mine, but an absolute gold mine!

Well established cash business in Lightning Ridge, includes all stock and equipment, WIWO $280,000 Phone Brad 0474 767 826 Automotive Workshop for sale, Eastern Suburbs Melbourne Established business of 35+ years. Mechanical servicing and repairs. Prominent location close to major shopping centre. 4 Hoists & equipment.

Expression of interest Call Russell 0417339617 D. and S. Moore, MJ Mechanical, Hobart TAS Fantastic Mechanical Workshop, an opportunity too good to miss!

Ph: Rob Davies – 0411 958 121 Mechanical workshop Newcastle NSW including Mainline AWD Premium Dyno, 2 hoists. Established business. E Safety inspection station. Owner retiring WIWO $110,000 email qik01@hotmail.com

Automotive workshop business for sale Hornsby area Sydney Large well established business of 11 years, Large customer base, long lease. Large workshop with good off street parking for many cars, 3 hoists, tyre machine, wheel balancer, wheel aligner, brake lathe and much more. Very Well equipt. Looking for WIWO sale $300,000. Call Gavin 02 9487 7346 Shoreline Panel & Paint One man band. Turnover averaging $230k.

Gross annual profit averaging $65k over the last 13 years. 180m2 concrete tilt panel workshop 28k per annum rent. Cartar lift, Commodore diesel heated spray booth. $150k for business. U2/12 Griffin Drive Dunsborough 6281. Call 0413 930 286.

Harris Best Panelbeaters Business, Marlborough NZ Expressions of Interest, long established busy panel shop in a prime location. Turn key operation. Wheel Aligner and Hoist. Potential to grow. Price $97K. Call Trevor 0272464108 all reasonable offers considered.

How to Advertise in the Capricorn Classifieds

1. Send an email to ignition@capricorn.coop with the following details: your Member number, business name, contact details and details of your advert (no more than 30 words).

2. Capricorn must receive your classified advert by the 16th of the month preceding the publication month. If we have not received your classified advert by this date it will be published in the following month depending on the number of adverts received.

3. Check out your advert and fellow Members’ classifieds in the next edition of Ignition.

Email: ignition@capricorn.coop Publisher's General Disclaimer All information, material and content contained in this edition of Ignition is provided or sourced by Capricorn Society Limited (“Capricorn”) for general information only and is not intended to be advice or comment on any particular matter or subject.

Before acting on any information you should consider the relevance of it to your own circumstances and, if necessary, take professional advice.

Capricorn makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or reliability of any material (including, without limitation, any third party supplier advertisement in respect of which Capricorn merely acts as a conduit) included in this edition of Ignition. To the fullest extent permitted by law Capricorn, its officers, employees, agents and representatives disclaim any and all liability to you or any other person for any loss or damage whatsoever connected with: (i) reliance on material in Ignition; or (ii) inaccuracy, error or omission in material in Ignition.

Capricorn, Stronger With Capricorn, Ignition, Capricorn Travel, Capricorn Mutual and the boomerangs device are trademarks or registered trademarks of Capricorn.

If you have any news or information that you think would be of interest to your fellow members, please send the information to Capricorn via email ignition@capricorn.coop.

Capricorn Society Limited ACN 008 347 313 Postal Address: Locked Bag 3003, West Perth WA 6872 Registered Office Australia: 28 Troode Street, West Perth WA 6005 Phone (08) 6250 9500 General Enquiries 1800 999 233 Members 1800 327 437 Suppliers 1800 005 322

N R O C I R P CA

Spot the Difference Find them all and win!

1st Prize: 4,000 points 2nd Prize: 2,000 points

LAST MONTH'S ANSWERS LAST MONTH'S WINNERS 1st Prize - 4,000 points Cartown Limited 2nd Prize - 2,000 points Wayne's Autofit

Email your answers to ignition@capricorn.coop before the 25th of July. Winners will be selected by a lucky hat draw of correct entries. Please ensure you include your Member number and email address when submitting your entry.

WORD Hunter

Find the 16 words hidden in the jumble. They could be horizontal, vertical, diagonal or backwards. See if you can find them all!

RESEARCH

MANUFACTURING

PREPARATION

PERFORMANCE

EXPERIENCE

ANNOUNCEMENT

MOTORSPORT

APPRENTICE

TOOLS

FINALIST

COMPONENT

NATION

QUALIFIED

COLLISION

INVEST

FUEL

C A P R I C O R N I G N I T I O N J U LY 2 0 2 1 2 7

Over 2,000 Capricorn Members told us what they really think about the automotive industry.

Find out what they said and how your business compares.

TM

State of the Nation 2021 coming soon to cap.coop/caphub