Workshop Magazine Issue 24

HISTORY BOYS: EXCITING TIMES FOR TOP MOTORSPORT TEAM

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ISSUE 24 |

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£2.50 | WORKSHOPMAGAZINE.CO.UK

SEPTEMBER 2017

INVESTIGATION

EMISSIONS TESTING

RATED & RANKED

Does VW’s dieselgate fix really change the way a car drives?

Butane torches and socket sets on test

S C E P S & POSH UNDER THE BONNET

truly remarkable m to an Ph ce oy -R lls Ro w ne e th es ak m at th h Space-age tec

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BLACKBALL MEDIA HASLAR MARINE TECHNOLOGY PARK, HASLAR ROAD, GOSPORT, PO12 2AG T: (023) 9252 2434

EDITORIAL HEAD OF EDITORIAL REBECCA CHAPLIN

rebecca@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @believebecca

CONTENTS. 16

10

PRODUCTION EDITOR DAVE BROWN

dave@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @CarDealerDave

FEATURES EDITOR JACK EVANS

jack@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @jackrober

SENIOR STAFF WRITER DARREN CASSEY

darren.cassey@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @DCassey

STAFF WRITER SIMON DAVIS

simon.davis@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @SimonDavisNZ

HEAD OF DESIGN GRAEME WINDELL

graeme@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @graemewindell

On a roll: The top technology that makes the new Rolls-Royce Phantom such a remarkable car

46

Workshop Magazine Awards: Get involved and you could be a winner in December!

34 40

The Judge delivers his verdict on the problems you have sent in

Our Kev: We’re facing big challenges ahead... with gormless Michael Gove leading the way!

Expert view: Socket sets and butane torches rated and ranked

ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER JON HICKEY

j.hickey@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @cardealerjon

ACCOUNT MANAGER TOM ADAMS

tom.adams@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @_WorkshopTom

FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION finance@blackballmedia.co.uk

SUITS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER JAMES BAGGOTT james@thebaize.com Twitter: @CarDealerEd

MANAGING DIRECTOR ANDY ENTWISTLE andy@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @CarDealerAndy CONTRIBUTORS Felicity Bestwick, John Bowman SUBSCRIPTIONS If you know someone who would like a FREE copy of Workshop Magazine, email the details to subs@workshopmagazine.co.uk and we’ll do the rest.

DISTRIBUTION Workshop Magazine is distributed to a database of up to 10,000 service and repair sites, franchised car dealers, independents, car manufacturers and suppliers.

Company No. 6473855 VAT No. 933 8428 05 ISSN No. 1759-5444 Workshop Magazine is published by Blackball Media Ltd (Company No 6473855) and printed by Warners. All rights reserved. Conditions of sale and supply include the fact that Workshop shall not, without our consent, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise disposed of in a mutilated way or in any unauthorised cover by way of trade or affixed to or as any part of a publication or advertising, literary or pictorial matter whatsoever.

Workshop Magazine is fully protected by copyright.

Nothing may be reproduced wholly or in part without permission.

37

New products: All the latest gear

Welcome

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THIS month we’ve got a cracker of an issue for you, packed with some incredible historic racers, converted campers, the latest example of ultimate luxury motoring and more tools you’ll want to get your hands on!

The world of motoring feels very different since we last spoke, a mere month ago, but we’re still bringing you the best features and reviews to keep you going.

Jack Healy has taken a tour around the Jerba conversions workshop near Edinburgh to find out what goes into building homes on wheels, such as the one you can see in the picture above.

Meanwhile, Adam Weller has been chatting with Steve Briggs – he’s the man behind Chamberlain Synergy Motorsport, and his knowledge when it comes to fixing vintage racing metal is unrivalled.

Let’s face it, when cars like that are pushed to the limits on track – or even crashed – you soon learn how to get them going again – and how to do it fast!

Turn to p37 to read all about the latest tools and tech

Conversion kings: The company that supplies its customers with a whole new lifestyle on the market. Then we’ve got more fantastic reviews, where our man Craig Cheetham has put both butane torches and socket sets through their paces.

The latest in luxury that I previously mentioned?

It’s a model that most of us won’t get close to (let alone under the bonnet of )... the newly revealed Rolls-Royce Phantom. We’ve got a rundown of the clever kit that, we’ve got to admit, we’re glad we won’t have to work on! Turn to p16 to find out exactly what we’re talking about.

And finally, don’t forget to make your nominations for the Workshop Awards, which take place on Monday, December 11. (And please note, that’s the day after my birthday and I will be accepting gifts.) The deadline for entries is October 31, which is coming around fast!

Enjoy the 48 pages of this month’s issue...

Rebecca Chaplin, Head of Editorial WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

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NEWS.

SO DOES THE VW EMISSIONS FIX REALLY AFFECT PERFORMANCE? INVESTIGATION It’s now two years since the dieselgate scandal hit the headlines... and we’re still dealing with the fallout from it. Rebecca Chaplin reports.

I

t seemed nothing was ever going to go right for Volkswagen. Just as the manufacturer appeared to be emerging from the dieselgate scandal by carrying out software updates to sort out emissions issues with its customers’ cars, it faced another barrage of damaging publicity.

The reason? Several owners were complaining that those updates were negatively affecting the way their cars were performing. Cue another critical piece on BBC One’s Watchdog and a fresh round of VW bashing in the press.

However, Workshop Magazine has carried out tests that would appear to show the procedure does not have a negative effect on performance.

Around 1.2 million cars in the UK have been affected by the diesel emissions scandal – half of which have been given the fix.

Owners aren’t forced to have the work done but workshops are updating software when cars go in for routine servicing or other mechanical work.

Service and repair professionals across the country are on the front line in all this, and it’s led to them taking a certain amount of faceto-face flak from disappointed customers who claim their vehicles have become ‘undriveable’ afterwards – whether that’s because of low power, poorer fuel consumption or weak acceleration.

That’s not something that should happen, of course. In a brochure supplied to US customers, and in relation to the fix, VW has said: ‘No significant changes to key vehicle attributes are expected, including fuel consumption, reliability, durability, vehicle performance, driveability, or other driving characteristics.’

We decided to put these claims to the test by studying the changes in a car that was put through the upgrade.

The subject of our test would be a December 2009-registered Skoda Yeti with a two-litre TDI

04 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

engine, manual gearbox and 4x4. After persistent letters from a Skoda garage requesting that it be brought in, we’d been tipped off that the Yeti would finally be having its emissions work done.

Before that happened, though, we got on the phone and arranged some dyno time with Devil Developments in Littlehampton, West Sussex.

According to the seven-year-old car’s original stats, it should be putting out 170hp.

The first run on the dynamometer showed that the car actually exceeded that with 175.8hp registering on the computer, but it’s often the case that cars will have slightly more or less power within a specified tolerance.

The test was run on a Friday morning, with the work due to be undertaken the following Monday. We then planned to test the car again on Tuesday to see if there was any difference.

The ‘fix’ takes different forms depending on the engine fitted. Cars with VW Group’s 1.6-litre TDI unit will need replacement parts but most will only need a software update.

A UK VW spokesperson confirmed: ‘Most affected vehicles require only a software update though some also require hardware modifications. These take the form on some cars of the addition of an airflow stabiliser in the engine air intake pipe to improve the accuracy of airflow measurement and the attachment of mass dampers to fuel injection pipes to change their frequency of vibration.’

In some cases, owners are reporting that their cars are suffering from issues such as the DPF filter blocking faster than it used to, or in one case that a car lost all power on a motorway.

As reported by The Sun newspaper, the RAC had attended the motorist and said this was because of an injector failure on the car that had recently been updated.

The Yeti we were testing spent a morning at the Skoda garage receiving its update and was then returned to Devil Developments.

Again, it was run on the dynamometer three times, demonstrating that peak power was still

PICTURES: JON REAY

TEST RESULTS very close to 170hp. As can be seen in the graph, there is a slight fluctuation at the top but it still topped out at 172.3hp. Enough to be a definite difference? Not really.

Looking at the torque curve, where the car had previously reached peak torque and sustained this through the revolutions before tailing off, it now had a slight dip. This does suggest that there had been a slight change but it’s unlikely most motorists would be able to tell.

We quizzed the owner of the car to see if he or his wife had noticed any difference. Again, although he stated he hadn’t had enough time with the car to answer definitively, he hadn’t been aware of any change to the way it handled or that there had been any efficiency changes.

It’s a great result for Volkswagen and its sub-brands such as Skoda, but it doesn’t entirely explain away the claims of those who said they have had problems. VW has refuted those claims, incidentally, saying the problems were pre-existing issues or that the affected cars hadn’t had all their scheduled servicing work done over the years.

In reality, only a very small percentage of

Our sevenyear-old Skoda is put through its paces to see if the emissions fix has affected its performance in any way.

Right: The test results showed that any‘before and after’ changes were negligible

FtLb

HP

400

After ‘fix’

350 300 250

400

Before ‘fix’

350 300

Torque

200

250 200

Horse power

150

150

100

100

50

50

1850

2200 2550 2900 3250

people have reported issues with their now-fixed cars. Unfortunately, in some cases they have been so drastic they have made headlines.

Workshop Magazine will be following this story to bring you a more up-to-date picture as things develop. If, as in Germany, it becomes a

3600 3950 4300 4650 RPM

requirement that affected cars are put through the update, life could become a lot busier for Volkswagen garages here in the UK... n Have you had customers reporting issues with their cars since having the emissions update?

Email rebecca@blackballmedia.co.uk WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

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06 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

NEWS ROUND-UP. What’s been making the headlines at workshops around the United Kingdom?

STOCKPORT:

Eight repair and maintenance bays have been included in the development of a new Skoda dealership in Stockport, opened recently by national dealership group Lookers. The facility, which represents an investment of more than £1 million, features a new car showroom with space for eight vehicles, a 120 used car display, customer parking and a children’s play area. Scott Innes, general manager at Lookers Skoda, said: ‘We can’t wait to push on and establish the new site.’

| ADVICE |

GREENOCK:

A vehicle repair workshop that was established in Greenock without permission has been ordered to close.

Inverclyde Now reported that planners threw out a retrospective change-of-use application for the Mearns Street premises, as it breached planning policies. The applicant said the workshop didn’t generate much noise as it only had space for two cars. However, planners said it would mean too much activity and noise for a mainly residential area. An appeal can be lodged.

WEST MIDLANDS:

Midwest Motor Factors is sponsoring Bilston Town FC for a second year. West Midlands-based Midwest is heavily involved in the local community and the club’s ground is within 200 yards of its Bilston branch. The sponsorship will put Midwest in the spotlight and offer great promotional opportunities. Midwest branding will be on show at the ground and its logo will be on the players’ shirts. The team plays in the Premier Division of the West Midlands (Regional) League.

GLOUCS:

Mechanics Gareth Talbot and Chris Morgan came to the rescue of a tearful girl whose arm was trapped in the seat mechanism of a Renault people carrier. The pair, who work at Citroen dealership Thompson First in Bowbridge, Stroud, acted quickly and calmly to free the child. Talbot said: ‘We took all the stuff out of the boot and dismantled the seat to buy enough space to free her arm.’ It’s thought the youngster and her family were on holiday in the area.

They returned with chocolates and a card to say thanks.

IGA issues warning over web business directories scam THE Independent Garage Association has issued a warning about an online business directories scam.

It says there are many ‘listings’ website offers that all follow the same basic pattern: there’s a low introductory deal plus pages and pages of ‘terms and conditions’ tying people in to a ‘rollover’ contract and much higher charges in the second year.

The association, which is the largest and most prominent representative body in the independent garage sector, says it has now been contacted by members about a variation in the practice. Although the details vary slightly between cases, the principle remains the same.

Garages receive a call from a directory listing website demanding payment for a contract’s second year.

However, it probably won’t have dealt with the company before and won’t have signed a contract with it.

The payment that is demanded will be quite small – £100 to £300 – and, having uploaded a listing for the garage, the scammers will often draw attention to it to convince the garage that it has done business with them.

If payment isn’t made, they then become more and more aggressive, calling numerous times and threatening action in the county court.

The IGA is urging members to call its helpline on 0845 305 4230 if they have experienced this and the RMI legal team will step in.

| DAMAGED CARS |

Huge increase in pothole problems ESSEX:

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has a new authorised repairer in Colchester, offering specialist support to local van customers and fulfilling the brand’s Working With You promise to provide the service needed at the right place and the right time.

Situated in the large, purpose-built VW Passenger Cars site at Colchester Inchcape, the new authorised repairer extends the number of dedicated authorised repairers to 25, on top of 72 full van centres.

THE quality of the UK’s roads may be worsening, according to data from the RAC’s Pothole Index which shows there has been a 31 per cent increase in pothole-related faults attended by its patrols in the second quarter of 2017 compared to the same period last year.

During April, May and June, RAC patrols went to the aid of 3,565 motorists whose vehicles had suffered broken suspension springs, damaged shock absorbers or distorted wheels – issues that could be attributable to poor roads – in contrast to 2,725 similar breakdowns in the same three months of 2016.

WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

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BUTTS OF BAWTRY Butts of Bawtry are a long established company specialising in the importation and distribution of quality workshop equipment for the automotive sector.

Because of their experience in dealing with a very diverse customer base, Butts are able to respond in a very flexible way to meet differing requirements from all types of customer, offering a unique service spanning small hand tools to large items of installed equipment.

Supply of appropriate equipment The Semad range of Coil Spring Compressors is an excellent example of a carefully researched product which has exceeded customer expectations, with over 1,000 units in regular use in the UK. Designed to ensure complete operator safety when removing coil springs, the Simply range of Coil Spring Compressors is equipped with a number of safety systems.

• A restraint cable • A safety cage with micro switch safety cut out • A unique system of ‘claws’ to grip the spring

There are cheaper coil spring compressors – but none safer!

Multi Site Procurement Working with multi-site customers Butts can provide a secure portal where sites can order an approved list of products without having to contact head office. Spend limits, order values, Regional Manager authorisation facility are available to restrict spend while allowing centres to get on with the job.

Contact our sales team for more information.

Your branding here

One Stop Shop • Vehicle lifts, with posts, without posts, whatever capacity We look forward to • Bespoke tools boards receiving your enquiry • An air ring main and compressor • Special tool kits with tools, boxes, foams Your logo Anything and everything for your vehicle workshop. here

STATION YARD | STATION ROAD | BAWTRY | DONCASTER | SOUTH YORKS | DN10 6QD

www.buttsofbawtry.com | info@ buttsofbawtry.com | 01302 710868 08 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

NEWS. | CLICKMECHANIC |

Supply deal struck with Euro Car Parts ONLINE car repair marketplace ClickMechanic has entered into a supply agreement with Euro Car Parts. With this alliance, ClickMechanic offers a competitive trade account to mechanics and garages alike, giving them access to Euro Car Parts’ complete catalogue of 130,000 parts from more than 200 branches nationwide.

The agreement reflects ClickMechanic’s commitment to ensuring that its members receive the backing they need. This is a key initiative that has been developing for some time and ClickMechanic has taken a huge step forward in its ongoing goal of supporting the mechanics in its network.

| BMW GROUP UK |

Parts available at touch of a button BMW Group UK has launched a digital shop for customers to buy BMW and Mini parts, accessories and lifestyle products online.

By selecting their vehicle or entering its VIN number, customers can search on desktop computers and mobile devices for items specifically tailored to their car.

Customers can ‘click and collect’, where the item can be picked up from their chosen retailer, or ‘click and deliver’, which allows the item to be sent to their door using a tracked service. Secure payment can be made using a variety of methods, including credit and debit cards.

‘Why was my car taken on a tour of south Manchester?’

Mercedes-Benz launches investigation after customer complains that his car was mistreated

A

garage worker in the north-west of England took a customer’s car for an unauthorised night-time spin, according to its furious owner.

It allegedly happened after the customer, who has not been named, left his Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG at Marshall Mercedes-Benz in Bolton for a respray. The dealership told him his car would be taken to Blackpool, about 40 miles away, for the work to be carried out.

But when the owner looked at the GPS tracker app he had linked to his car after parting company with the vehicle, he saw that the £45,000 hyperhatch was in fact in the Fallowfield suburb of Manchester – even further from Blackpool than the Bolton garage.

Having contacted Mercedes-Benz’s

by TRISTAN SHALE-HESTER @tristan_shale head office, the customer and his partner spent an hour that night searching for his pride and joy, which he could see was being driven all over south Manchester.

The owner eventually managed to get the assistance of a police van he passed and an officer went with him to the address where the car had stopped. Finally, the customer found his beloved A45 AMG parked on the street outside the house of a Marshall Mercedes-Benz employee.

The unnamed staff member claimed he was intending to take the car to be resprayed in Blackpool the following day.

But the furious owner wasn’t having any of it and reclaimed his vehicle there and then. When he

was on his way home, he discovered the Merc had been left in sport-plus mode, indicating the driver probably hadn’t been treating the car as carefully as he should have been.

After complaining to Marshall Mercedes-Benz, the customer was offered a free tank of petrol as compensation, but he still intends to take his car elsewhere for the respray to be done. Speaking to the Daily Mail, the owner said: ‘To say I’m appalled is an understatement. I don’t want any compensation – but I feel my trust has been abused.

‘I just want people to know that they took my car miles away from the dealership. It’s adding mileage and using fuel for a start.’

A spokesman for Mercedes-Benz UK told the Daily Mail: ‘We are sorry to hear about the customer’s experience. We are investigating the circumstances around this case as we expect our retailers and their staff to treat customer cars with the utmost respect.’

Marshall Mercedes-Benz Bolton declined to comment when it was contacted by Workshop Magazine.

| SENTENCE |

Fraudster ordered to do community work A MECHANIC in West Yorkshire has been given a community order for taking customers’ money for parts but failing to deliver the products.

Leeds Crown Court was told that David Bray of TGS Motor Repairs in Huddersfield sold engines and parts on eBay. Customers paid up front but didn’t receive what they had ordered.

Bray confessed to four counts of fraud and was told to complete 200 hours’ unpaid work for the community.

He was also ordered to pay £4,600 in compensation at a rate of £200 per month.

Exol Lubricants to communicate better thanks to Pact EXOL Lubricants is investing in electronic trading via Pact, which the UK’s largest independent lubricants blender says will enable it to trade and communicate with automotive aftermarket customers more efficiently.

Through Pact – which is a joint

venture between eparts and TecCom – Exol will be able to connect with more than 2,000 buyer locations throughout the UK across a common trading platform.

Pact enhances the correspondence between an aftermarket supplier and motor factor considerably by

adopting and using automated procedures such as stock inquiries and ordering, the exchange of order acknowledgements, dispatch notes and invoices. It can connect single or multi-branch motor factor operations to the UK’s leading component suppliers using any business system.

WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

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NEWS.

WINNING A WORKSHOP AWARD WILL BOOST YOUR BUSINESS How can we be so sure? Well, just listen to previous winners of trophies at the Used Car Awards, organised by our sister title Car Dealer.

Tristan Shale-Hester reports.

W

e’ve mentioned before on these pages that the inaugural Workshop Awards taking place at The Brewery on December 11 follow in the footsteps of the Used Car Awards, which have been held each year since 2013 and continue to be massively popular.

The Used Car Awards are organised by sister publication Car Dealer Magazine – and one thing The Brewery has it all as a venue for the Workshop Awards – we’ll see you there! that many winners have told us is that picking up a gong delivers a huge boost for their business. between two or three dealers that have similar information about the award on it and the video Ross Quirk is the director of Quirk’s Car cars. Having an award behind us probably of the presentation. It’s certainly been a positive.’

Company in Wickford, Essex, and the company encourages them to deal with us by giving them So there you have it. A triumph for your collected the trophy for delivering the Best the peace of mind that we’re going to look business or a member of your staff at The Brewery Used Car Customer Care last year. after them in the right way.’ on December 11 will definitely help you attract Quirk told us: ‘It was a very proud St Albans Car Centre won the more customers and make more money. moment. There was a sense of Used Car Dealership of the Year And you’ll get one of our very cool hand-made It’s definitely been a achievement. The recognition for award for dealers that stock fewer trophies to put on display at your premises. contributing factor all the hard work and effort that than 50 cars. Its dealer principal, We can’t emphasise enough that it could be to drawing in new you put in to make people happy Andrew Enstone, said: ‘Winning YOU walking proudly up to the stage at The and create the best customer care was completely shocking. We customers.

Brewery in London. was just lovely.’ didn’t expect it at all. We couldn’t Please don’t think these awards are for ‘other ANDREW ENSTONE Have there been any direct believe it. It was very pleasing and people’ – we are genuinely looking to recognise benefits to the business? Quirk told us: made us feel that the hard work had and reward those garages that are doing their best ‘We get a lot of recognition from customers paid off. We were really happy. day in and day out to deliver excellent service who are prospecting us as a dealership. It ‘It’s definitely been a contributing factor to and look after their customers in the best way definitely helps with people who are choosing drawing in new customers. Our website has possible. Don’t delay, enter today!

”

Here’s Johnny! And he could be handing YOU your trophy!

OUR host for the evening will be none other than motorsport legend Johnny Herbert, pictured left, who, as well as being a former winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, is among an exclusive club of British drivers to have enjoyed a successful career in Formula 1.

If you’re triumphant on the night we’ll pull out all the stops to give you the credit you deserve, with extensive

coverage of the event in our magazine and video interviews as well. Check out the page on the right and you’ll see the categories you could be nominated in.

To be in the running, you’ll need to put yourself forward or be nominated by a colleague, supplier or customer. It’s as simple as that. Then you could be on your way to some well-deserved success!

Rebecca Chaplin, head of editorial at Blackball Media, the publisher of Workshop Magazine, said:

‘Entries are rolling in for the inaugural Workshop Awards but there’s still plenty of time to get involved. The ceremony itself will be a fantastic occasion and we’re really looking forward to it.’

Stuart James, director of headline sponsor the IGA, said: ‘I would urge everyone reading this to get involved. Winning a Workshop Magazine Award will not only give the individual or business concerned a welcome shot in the arm, it’ll also prove invaluable from a marketing and promotional perspective.’

TO SPONSOR AN AWARD CALL THE WORKSHOP TEAM ON 023 9252 2434 10 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

AWARD CATEGORIES Car of the Year

There may well be other Car of the Year awards out there but this one is unique as it will be decided by service and repair professionals. Which cars do mechanics enjoy working on the most? Which are easy to get parts for and which are the most straightforward to maintain and put right? Those are some of the criteria that will be considered here.

Lifetime Achievement Award

We’ll be honouring a big hitter in the service and repair sector who has been involved in the industry for many years and has enjoyed a distinguished career. Judging will be based on the nominations we receive, along with supporting statements.

Outstanding Achievement of the Year

This special award looks to recognise the personality in our sector who has achieved something truly remarkable, whether it’s a one-off act that really made a difference or a consistent effort that truly deserves this prestigious accolade.

Product Innovation of the Year

This is for a great new product introduced to our industry over the past year that has proved to be a boon for the garages and workshops of the UK. If it saves time, boosts business and is clever and convenient, it could be our winner.

Workshop Manager of the Year

We’ll be looking for superb bosses who have really made a difference in their workshop. If they have driven growth in their department, helped turn around a struggling business or introduced innovation and new ideas to help things run smoothly, we want to hear more!

Technician of the Year

Brilliant with brakes?

Excellent with electronics?

That’s what our winner in this category will need to be. We know there are thousands of talented technicians out there, and we’ll be looking for the best of the best. Nominate yourself or a colleague you know and respect.

Independent Garage of the Year

Five regional champions will be crowned in this category.

There will be awards for Scotland, Northern Ireland, Northern England, Southern England and Wales. Our winners here will have undergone a rigorous judging process involving analysis of feedback websites and mystery shopping.

Independent Garage of the Year (Overall Winner)

One of our five regional winners will take the overall crown and become our Independent Garage of the Year for the whole of the UK.

Specialist Garage of the Year

Do you focus on a particular marque or model, or perhaps cars from a certain country? Are you a specialist in your field? And is your business thriving and well thought of by its customers? We’re looking for operators who are efficient, technically competent and well organised to lift this particular trophy.

Trade Tyre Retailer of the Year

We’ll be looking for favourable online reviews, a user-friendly and responsive website, and easy availability of leading makes of tyres. Great customer service, the option of mobile fitting and great aftercare will all be part of the mix, too.

Classic Car Restoration Garage of the Year

With the definition of the word ‘classic’ seemingly expanding to include more makes and models than ever before, the number of operators in the field has grown, too. Companies that really know their onions and are prepared to go the extra mile for their customers will excel here.

Workshop Website of the Year

Gone are the days when a home page containing just words and pictures was enough to cut the mustard. That all-important and crucial information still needs to be there, of course, but customers these days expect much, much more – and rightly so.

Fast-Fit Centre of the Year

Fast-fit centres occasionally attract negative headlines but we know they do plenty of work that is top quality and fairly priced. Their websites tend to be strong, with investment from national companies behind them, but which fast-fit centre is the best of the best?

Apprentice of the Year

Do you employ a youngster who is a possible star of the future in the service and repair industry? We’ll be looking for someone who is just taking their early steps on the career ladder but who already shows bags of promise and potential, is keen to learn and is willing to help.

Motor Factor of the Year

This one is for a supplier to the industry. Motor factors are invaluable one-stop shops for everything a workshop could need, from parts to tools to consumables. We’ll be looking for a company that really delivers – and we mean that quite literally! Quality products and efficient service will be key when the judges look at the entrants in this category.

Manufacturer Warranty Scheme of the Year

The best warranty schemes provide genuine peace of mind and turn promises into action when things go wrong. The factors the judges will be taking into account here include the duration of the warranty, the level of cover provided and any additional benefits that exist.

Most Reliable Car

Social media may be a dark art to some but used effectively platforms such as Twitter and Facebook can really help build a business and take it to the next level. Using social media can be an amazingly effective form of marketing, too – and we’ll be looking for the best practitioners.

The judging in this category will be based on our research into the least repaired/recovered cars over the 12-month period leading up to our judging process. We’ll be comparing actual numbers with the overall parc of each model to get a totally accurate picture, analysing data from multiple sources to ensure our winner is truly deserving. One thing’s for sure, the winner of this category will be shouting about their success.

MOT Centre of the Year

Equipment Supplier of the Year

Social Media User of the Year

MOTs are the foundation upon which many a successful workshop is built. Of course, the rules and regulations mean everyone should adhere to the same standards, but there is still room for the best to stand out. As with other categories, we’ll be looking for great customer service, user-friendly websites and general all-round excellence.

Ramps, tools, protective clothing… there’s a lot to consider for any new workshop before the first car even comes through the doors. And, of course, existing businesses may well be looking to upgrade and update their equipment on a regular basis. This is bound to be a hard-fought category – but who will take home the gong?

TO ENTER, FILL OUT THE FORM ONLINE AT bit.ly/WA-2017

(CASESENSITIVE)

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NEWS. | FUND-RAISING |

National Windscreens staff get on bikes to support colleagues FIVE National Windscreens staff members are taking part in the annual Pedal for Scotland cycle ride to raise money for charities supporting two of their colleagues.

Andy Rae, director of operations for Scotland, will be joined by four National Windscreens technicians from Scotland in the 45-mile charity ride between Glasgow and Edinburgh on September 10.

He said: ‘One of the company’s regional directors in Dumfries, Robbie Cloy, is currently on dialysis three times a week and is waiting for a kidney transplant, so we wanted to support him and raise awareness about this disease and the devastating effects it can have on people.

‘We can all see the massive impact the regular visits to hospital are having on Robbie and so we are cycling in aid of the National Kidney Federation, which campaigns for improvements to renal provision and treatment as well as providing national patient support services.

‘The other charity we are supporting is Epilepsy Scotland because regional director Evelyn Newlands’ son Kevin sadly passed

away last year due to this condition and the charity has helped his family to deal with the loss. In his memory, we are taking Kevin’s bike on the charity cycle ride.

‘I’m sure many customers will want to support our fundraising efforts, which we hope will make a real difference to the many

From left, Bruce Robertson, Andy Rae and Steven Wynn other people diagnosed in the UK every year with kidney disease and epilepsy.’

The other four staff members taking part in the charity cycle ride are Bruce Robertson (Glasgow fitting centre assistant manager), Steven Wynn (Glasgow fitting centre supervisor), Robert Innes (vehicle calibration

technician) and Calum Wilson (office administration).

Find out more about Pedal for Scotland at pedalforscotland.org and support the team on JustGiving at bit.ly/pedal-24 Sponsorship forms are also available at National Windscreens centres in Scotland.

Calum Wilson (left) and Robert Innes are getting behind Epilepsy Scotland

IAAF boss accuses government of double standards over diesel

Chief executive says automotive industry is having to play on an uneven field when it comes to tackling air pollution

D

rivers are being used as a scapegoat for air pollution, according to the chief executive of the Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation.

Wendy Williamson told Workshop Magazine that the government was demonising diesel cars because motorists were an easier target than other sources of pollution.

‘Seven or eight years ago, everybody was encouraged to buy diesel cars by the government of the day because they were effectively doing less damage to the planet from a CO2 perspective,’ said

by TRISTAN SHALE-HESTER @tristan_shale Williamson. ‘I do think we need to address the very serious issue of air pollution, but I find it very frustrating when the government does a U-turn, and they’re not looking at electrifying the rail network, certainly in the north, in favour of keeping diesel [trains]. To a certain extent, the government has double standards when tackling the whole issue of air pollution.

‘It is a really complex issue, and I think the new diesel vehicles of today are incredibly efficient.

‘They’ve still got a big appeal under certain conditions, particularly with Euro 6, where vehicle manufacturers have done a sterling job in terms of tackling many of the issues.

‘It is the automotive industry that always seems to get targeted and draws the short straw.

‘To move, for example, from a diesel train line to an electric one costs billions of pounds, so the government targets older diesel car owners instead.’

Williamson also talked about the scrappage schemes being offered by companies such as Ford, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

‘To be honest, I think these schemes are going to have relatively low appeal,’ she said.

‘All of them have only been in place for a short time and they don’t cover the whole range of vehicles, so I would say it’s manufacturers trying to generate publicity to drive their new car sales.

‘The last scrappage scheme was done at a time when new car sales were in the doldrums.

‘All garages have got their rights under block exemption in order to service and repair vehicles. Yes, with new cars, there’s less likelihood of repairs, but the aftermarket business is open from day one.’

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NEWS.

Kwik Fit loses its complaint over Mail on Sunday probe Newspaper ‘took care to publish accurate account of concerns raised in its investigation’

K

wik Fit has lost its fight against a probe by The Mail on Sunday that uncovered evidence of charging for repairs that were incomplete or unnecessary.

The undercover investigation, which was published in February this year under the headline ‘The great Kwik Fit fit-up’, saw the national newspaper use an independent expert to give five vehicles a thorough check before they were taken to Kwik Fit centres around the UK for servicing.

According to the newspaper, though, spark plugs that had been paid for weren’t fitted, anti-freeze wasn’t refilled sufficiently, tyres were

adjusted when it wasn’t essential – and Kwik Fit even let one car drive off with an oil filter that was leaking as the necessary part wasn’t available. It also said that one Kwik Fit employee had tried to scare its reporter into buying new parts that weren’t needed.

However, Kwik Fit said the newspaper had twisted what was genuine advice and complained to the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) – the regulator of the press – that the article wasn’t accurate, saying that what was a difference of opinion was reported as a deliberate bid to be fraudulent.

It also accused The Mail on Sunday of breaching privacy by using

a picture of one of its employees taken without them knowing.

But IPSO said there hadn’t been a breach anywhere, pointing out that Kwik Fit had had the chance to give its side of the story before the piece was published ‘and where a difference of opinion had arisen, the complainant’s position had been reported’.

It said the newspaper ‘had taken care to publish an accurate account of the concerns raised during its investigation’, having used a qualified expert, adding that the picture of the employee had been taken in a public area and didn’t reveal private information relating to him.

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NEWS.

PURE ECSTASY:

THE ALL-NEW ROLLS-ROYCE PHANTOM Now that the new Rolls-Royce Phantom has been unveiled, Tristan Shale-Hester explains what amazing new technologies the boffins at the Goodwood factory in West Sussex have been working on.

Suspension

Aiding the advanced spaceframe is the newest version of Rolls-Royce’s air suspension system. This technology is capable of making millions of calculations per second as it alters the electronically controlled shock absorbers in reaction to any body roll and acceleration.

16 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

Doors

The Phantom VIII has a touch-sensitive door system, which Rolls-Royce says allows your ‘valet’ to activate the automatic whispering close feature by lightly touching a sensor on the handle.

The seat you find yourself in after the door has closed is based on a classic Eames lounge chair from 1956, but owners can commission personalised seating, including a sleeper option.

Cameras

The Phantom VIII certainly keeps an eye out for trouble, as a stereo camera system mounted to the front windscreen scans the road ahead and makes adjustments to the suspension at speeds of up to 62mph. In addition, a separate four-camera system provides panoramic and helicopter views of the car.

Spaceframe

Beneath the Phantom’s colossal bodywork lies one of the most advanced components to be found in the Rolls.

The car has an aluminium spaceframe structure that makes it 30 per cent more rigid than the previous model.

Rolls-Royce says this makes driving the Phantom feel like a ‘magic carpet ride’.

Gearbox

Working in conjunction with the Phantom VIII’s massive engine is a ZF eight-speed automatic gearbox. What’s amazing about this is that it’s fitted with a satellite-aided transmission system. This means that the car analyses its geographic location and the driver’s driving style, and selects gears accordingly.

Engine

The centrepiece of the Phantom’s technical specifications is the new powertrain. The Rolls features a 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 engine, producing 563bhp and allowing for a 0-60mph time of 5.3 seconds.

Quite extraordinarily, this engine can deliver 900Nm of torque at only 700rpm.

This is because a low-end output at lower revs was required as part of the idea of creating ‘the most silent motor car in the world’.

Headlights

Headlights are one of the most standard features a car could possibly have, but on a Rolls-Royce nothing is ever ordinary.

The Phantom VIII’s headlights have a new laserlight system, allowing the driver to illuminate the road in front of them for up to 600 metres. This is also backed up by night-vision technology.

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NEWS.

Trophy triumph for restoration team A great result after wraps are removed from Pininfarina-bodied 1954 Jaguar XK120 SE at Pebble Beach Concours in the US

The team with the car under wraps before its unveiling in California

A

fter a full nut and bolt restoration taking 6,725 hours by world-class specialists Classic Motor Cars (CMC), the wraps came off this unique Pininfarina-bodied 1954 Jaguar XK120 SE in August at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California.

The car was well received by the crowd of collectors and aficionados gathered at the event and finished second in class O-2 Postwar Closed.

Peter Neumark, chairman of the Employee Ownership Trust that runs CMC, said: ‘A great result! It was a privilege to take the cover off this long-lost Jaguar at one of the most important Concours in the world. The car was admired all day and we are delighted to be bringing a trophy home as a further testimony to the skills, dedication and attention to detail that we have in our business.’

This XK120 features unique bodywork by famed Italian coachbuilder and design house Pininfarina. It was first delivered to a Mr Max Hoffman in 1954, who was an Austrian-born, New York-

18 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

by TRISTAN SHALE-HESTER @tristan_shale based importer of luxury European automobiles into the United States during the 1950s.

He was a petrol-head who inspired the production and refinement of several vehicles from the main manufacturers, which earned him entry into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2003. It is believed that Hoffman inspired Pininfarina to reinterpret the shapes of the XK and then unveiled it at the 1955 Geneva Motor Show.

After the reveal in Geneva, the XK appeared at the Autocar Show in April that year. Australian magazine Modern Motor reported that it was due to be exhibited at the Turin Motor Show in 1956, but it never arrived due to the owner wanting to take delivery of it.

David Barzilay, chairman of CMC’s operating board, said: ‘There is little trace of the car’s history, but we are certain that Hoffman was the supplying dealer, then first owner of the car and that there was only one XK120 by

Pininfarina produced, which makes this one of the rarest Jaguars in existence.’

In 2015, CMC purchased the car from a German gentleman who bought it in the USA in 1978 with the intention of restoring it.

Unfortunately, he never got round to the task and eventually decided to sell. CMC took on the challenge.

The specialists faced several hurdles during the restoration, from finding the original paint colour to remaking the bumpers and rear window screen.

During the pre-restoration inspection it was found that Pininfarina had used the original XK body as a basis, and that, at some point in its life, the car was painted Burgundy and had the seats covered with tan leather.

Barzilay said: ‘There were no signs of the original paint colour and it all came down to the last nut and bolt. When the front screen was removed, we discovered a small section of original paint and used it as a colour match.’

He added: ‘The interior trim door cards were missing, along with the carpets and the original colour of the trim, but we discovered a small sample of original Ochre tan leather when we stripped the car down.

This was colour-matched and the original type and colour leather was used to recreate the interior.

‘The shape and pattern of the door cards was created by looking at similar Pininfarina-designed cars from the period.’

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NEWS. | MARKET RECOGNITION |

TrustFord delighted to team up with the AA Garage Guide ONLINE search and booking site AA Garage Guide believes TrustFord’s decision to work with the platform demonstrates growing market recognition of the appeal of their ‘quality-led’ consumer proposition.

TrustFord, Ford’s car retail group and the UK’s largest dedicated Ford dealer group, operates a network of 65 UK dealerships employing 3,200 staff.

The business was attracted to join because of what AA Garage Guide’s business development director Jo Taylor describes as ‘a great fit’ in the two companies’ approach to business.

‘TrustFord quickly realised our focus on excellent customer service and quality of work not only resonates with consumers making decisions online but also aligns perfectly with their own brand values,’ said Taylor.

Stuart Cresswell, TrustFord service director, said: ‘Working alongside AA Garage Guide, we look forward to attracting even more AA members back into the franchise network, or introducing our main dealer service experience for the first time.

‘The transparency of AA Garage Guide enables us to clearly demonstrate we’re able to offer the excellent facilities and peace of mind that comes with main dealer car maintenance whilst also being price-competitive.’

AA Garage Guide has recently seen the number of outlets it features pass the 4,600 mark, with large numbers of both independent and franchised establishments involved.

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Boost revenue with wiper blade sales WITH summer drawing to a close, autumnal weather poses new challenges for road users, especially if wiper blades are in poor condition.

DENSO can offer workshops highquality products that will help them deliver excellent customer service and boost sales.

Nick Thomas, product manager at DENSO Sales UK, commented: ‘Highquality replacement wiper blades provide an excellent opportunity for workshops to promote better safety for their customers, and increase their sales in the process.’

20 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

The Carbon Clean process under way at James Jackson’s Central Garage in Fleetwood, Lancashire

Two new garages get on board with Carbon Clean

Machines are fully automated so technicians can work on cars while the process is running

T

he growing network of Carbon Clean centres has welcomed two new members. Needham Analysis in Stanton, Suffolk, joined on August 9, while James Jackson’s Central Garage in Fleetwood, Lancashire, joined on July 31.

Carbon Clean is a clever engine decarbonising system that works with tap water and both businesses will deliver the 30-minute treatments to tackle carbon deposits.

Accumulated carbon deposits in engines are associated with a range of problems such as loss of power, increased fuel consumption, noise, vibration and premature wear of engine parts – all of which Carbon Clean can effectively alleviate.

Instead of introducing harsh chemicals or expensive additives, Carbon Clean machines use

by DAVE BROWN @CarDealerDave electrolysis to produce a highly charged oxyhydrogen (HHO) gas mixture. This is delivered into the engine through the air filter to clean the internal surfaces by enabling both improved combustion and through the catalytic benefits of hydrogen in breaking down the deposits.

The machines that deliver the treatment are fully automated so technicians can work on the vehicle whilst the process is running.

Needham Analysis is run by Suffolk-based entrepreneur Roy Baker who offers remapping and tuning services within a portfolio of businesses.

‘We’re delighted to welcome Carbon Clean Centre Stanton,’ said

Chris Phipps, national sales manager.

‘Roy quickly recognised the benefits of starting with a clean engine before offering performance upgrades.

‘He’d looked at a range of units but was impressed with the speed, power and simplicity of our CC-16 machine.

‘Carbon Clean Centre Fleetwood were also actively researching engine cleaning services after managing director James Jackson had been impressed with results following treatment of a company van.’

Both Carbon Clean Centres will gain access to a business package that combines equipment, training and technical support.

A comprehensive marketing pack includes service folders, underbonnet stickers, branded clothing, window stickers, reception posters and a dedicated Facebook page too.

New guide tells you all you need to know about legendary Ferrari V12 engine IN celebration of Ferrari’s 70th anniversary year, JBR Capital – the independent finance provider dedicated to high-end vehicle finance – has produced a guide to

the fascinating history of Ferrari’s legendary V12 engine.

Darren Selig, executive chairman at JBR Capital, said: ‘The V12 is perhaps the ultimate engine,

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FEATURES.

BUILDING A DREAM Jerba Campervans is a small, family-run conversion company that takes pride in what it does and caters for ‘people who use a campervan every day’. And with more and more people opting for staycations within the UK, business is booming.

Jack Healy reports.

T

hey are buying a dream, rather than a product. It is a lifestyle.

That might seem rather a bold statement. After all, how could a simple vehicle lead to someone’s life being drastically altered? Well, that question can be answered in one of two ways.

Some might say no vehicle can do that; it’s just something to get you from A to B. But there is a community out there that understands what that statement means and how a campervan has the power to do exactly that.

Campervans have been around for quite a while now, but the most iconic of the lot is the Volkswagen Transporter.

In one form or another, it has been with us for almost 70 years and has enabled many people to enjoy holidays without having to book an expensive hotel every night. They are a home away from home, and conversion companies can turn the standard commercial vehicle into almost anything people want them to.

22 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

David Miller, customer support manager at one such company, Jerba Campervans, said: ‘Without a doubt, the Transporter is an iconic vehicle. Campervans are closely associated with VW Transporters so people just make that connection, which is a great thing for us. It is an aspirational vehicle; people want to own a Volkswagen campervan.’

The managing director of Jerba, Simon Poole, echoed Miller’s comment, adding: ‘I can’t see VW being knocked off the peg – it’s the van everyone wants. The strength of the VW brand is huge and the customers don’t want anything else. Even the emissions scandal hasn’t unstuck them.’

Hidden away in the countryside near North Berwick, about 30 miles east of Edinburgh, Jerba Campervans has been turning vans into these

little slices of home for more than a decade.

Originally, it worked on any van the customer wanted, but it decided to become solely a Transporter adaptation company and has become one of the top converters in the UK. After being a consultant fundraiser, Poole turned his passion for travelling and owning campervans into a business, setting up Jerba with wife Cath at the end of 2005.

‘I was looking for something different and started to research other conversion companies,’ Poole explained. ‘It became evident that at the top end of the market there were only a few companies operating, so I started to look at it from a commercial point of view.

‘Gradually, I formulated a plan, realising there

”

was a market for producing a ‘The main challenge with The vehicle itself is really good product. That was my the product though is the brilliant. It’s reliable, the vision right from the start. The price – it is expensive and has back-up from the dealers quality of the product is what it a much higher mark-up than is great and we solely has always been about.’ anything else, but it’s a greatconvert VWs. That air of excellence starts with quality product.’ With a team of the base product – Jerba only works 13 working on different areas of the with T6 models – and Miller, who is a vehicle, each of the 50 or so conversions former VW Commercial employee, said: Jerba undertakes every year is completed within ‘The vehicle itself is brilliant. It’s reliable, six weeks. Without knowing what was going the back-up from the dealers is great and on inside, a casual visitor to the factory would we solely convert VWs. assume it was a farm building.

‘We won’t convert anything else, because the When Workshop Magazine dropped in, it was Transporter is reliable. There aren’t really any full up with five conversions in progress, all at issues with it. different stages in their transformations. Some

Conversions are all quality-checked before leaving the premises were pretty normal vans; others were almost fully fledged campers.

Customers select the spec for the base van then they can opt for a leather interior, multimedia system and other creature comforts, but the rest is handled by Jerba. Buyers choose the interior finishes for the floors and cabinets, followed by any additional features they would like to add, such as solar panels, extra sleeping space or perhaps a shower.

After arriving from Volkswagen, the vehicles are stripped out, the front seats are covered to protect them and the vans are wrapped in special film to prevent the paintwork from being scuffed and WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

| 23

FEATURES. scratched. The fitters then get to work on the vehicles, with five interior layouts on offer as well as an option to have a folding roof panel fitted for extra sleeping space.

With the panel van Transporter as the base, sections of the bodywork are cut out for the windows and optional folding roof sections and the outlines for the panel sections are drawn in. Then, depending on the options chosen, the electrics, plumbing and gas fixtures are fitted, with the flooring and windows following shortly afterwards. The customisable and professionally made panelling is added along with optional extras towards the end of the process, with every vehicle quality-checked to make sure the van is in the right condition before leaving the factory.

But Poole admits that even with its extensive checklist things can still be missed, and new issues are sometimes highlighted in its annual customer survey.

‘We have processes galore and if we do have a complaint we work out why that happened. We look at whether it was the product or whether it was a training- or method-related issue and make sure it doesn’t happen again.

‘We have a detailed checklist and if something new occurs it goes straight on the checklist.

‘It may only take 10 seconds to check but it means that we should never assume something is fitted properly. It adds a process, and being

24 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

Five interior layouts are available

A van in the early stages of conversion

thorough with that makes a big difference. People have different perceptions of quality, but with the time we take and the hours we spend looking at the finish of the jobs we do and how we make furniture fit, we definitely spend more time on these vans than other people do. We definitely do things differently.’

With the government’s intention to stop the sale of new pure petrol and diesel vehicles from 2040, this could have a serious effect on campervans and commercial vehicles in general, as many drivers use diesel-powered vehicles to do the work. But Poole doesn’t seem fazed by the change in mentality.

‘The switch to electric will happen one day as technology will allow batteries to last longer and be lighter, but at the moment in the commercial world – and ultimately campervans are commercial vehicles – there is nothing on the horizon that will suddenly mean we go electric.

‘If it happens, we would be straight in there and doing it, but I just can’t see it happening in the foreseeable future.’

And despite Brexit affecting many parts of the economy, Miller doesn’t seem concerned about his future prospects. He said: ‘If anything, it has probably been good for us as people are now happier to have UK holidays and have holidays at home. More and more people are discovering the joys of Scotland, Snowdonia, the Lake District

and the Peak District and want to spend time in the UK, which is good for us.

‘If I was sitting here, not looking at any of the papers, you would have no idea what’s going on with the economy. Whatever the economic climate, there are always people who have money.

‘They are looking and thinking that they are sick of being in a tent camping, they want a bit of luxury and want to get rid of the big car.

‘They’re thinking, ‘‘We’ll retire, we’ll go to Europe for two months’’. I would say 75 per cent of our customers fit that profile.’

But enjoying the great outdoors isn’t for everyone, and even with top-quality products such as those supplied by Jerba, not everyone will find owning a campervan fun.

‘Some people are just not into it and I get that,’ said Miller. ‘I have a friend who really loves walking but you couldn’t get him to spend a night in a campervan.

‘He wants a nice hotel and to have certain things and it’s just his way of doing things. All I can say though is try it before you knock it.’

And that’s the thing that customers know they are getting into with a campervan. It isn’t just a temporary thing, it can lead to a seismic shift in how people live. As Poole says: ‘They are, in effect, buying a dream rather than a product.

‘It is a lifestyle. Customers take a package away, not just a campervan.’

FIVE OPTIONS TO CHOOSE FROM THE five van layouts that are on offer give Jerba’s customers many different options to go for, with the price for the cheapest model – the Tiree – starting at £44,200. With all the choices available, customers can spend in excess of £75,000 with extras added and depending on which model they select. Here, the managing director of Jerba, Simon Poole, pictured below, explains more about it...

One conversion approaches completion

What would you say are the biggest technical challenges?

I would say the biggest challenge is understanding how the electrical system of the vans works. It’s hard to interfere with the ECU, but unless you install things in a particular way, you don’t get the best performance out of the charging of the leisure battery system, which powers the appliances and other custom-fitted equipment. At the other end of the scale is getting the best charge from the vehicle to the leisure battery system, because that has become more technical over recent times with the advent of stop/start technology and energy brake recuperation in all the BlueMotion vehicles.

Have things changed much in that respect?

It used to be as simple as changing a relay but that’s not the case now because the alternator cuts in and cuts out its charge according to a computation done by the manufacturer, which works out what’s the best energy-saving and fuel-saving graph for the vehicle as a whole. Our electrical engineers do a course at Volkswagen in Milton Keynes to get insight and knowledge on how these things work so that they can understand when they do something what impact it might have.

“

More and more people are discovering the joys of Scotland, Snowdonia, the Lake District and the Peak District and want to spend time in the UK, which is good for us.

DAVID MILLER

Equipment-wise, what would you say is the biggest challenge?

I’d say getting the seats fitted correctly. We import the seats that fold into a bed from a French manufacturer that has done all the tests and has got European type approval. For the fitting of the seats, you, as a company, have to design and fit your own fittings. We have to go through a design process as an engineering company to come up with a design that is economical, easy to fit and able to pass the tests.

We’ve now got a kit that we’ve had since 2012 and it’s a specially manufactured kit which is specific to our vehicles. VW is good on this front as well because when we switched over from the T5 to the T6 we had meetings and they told us what the plans would be for the floor and whether we would have to make a lot of changes.

WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

| 25

8/250

MIG WELDERS Quality machines from Britain’s leading supplier See online for included accessories

NOW

MODEL MIN-MAX AMPS EXC.VAT PRO90 24-90 £189.98 110E 30-100 £229.98 135TE Turbo 30-130 £249.98 151TE Turbo 30-150 £279.98 175TECM Turbo 30-170 £449.00 205TE Turbo 30-185 £489.00

INC.VAT £227.98 £275.98 £299.98 £335.98 £538.80 £586.80

FROM ONLY

£

FROM ONLY

.98 119EX.VAT .98 143INC.VAT

£

NO GAS/GAS MIG WELDERS

.99 194EX.VAT .99 233INC.VAT

£

MIG145

MODEL MIN/MAX AMPS EXC.VAT INC.VAT MIG 102NG* 35/90 £119.98 £143.98 MIG 145 35/135 £169.98 £203.98 MIG 180 40/160 £194.99 £233.99 MIG 196 40/180 £219.98 £263.98

MODEL AMPS 105EN 30-100 151EN 30-150 130EN 30-130 160EN 30-150

FROM ONLY

ARC ACTIVATED HEADSHIELDS

.99 54EXC.VAT .99 65INC.VAT

AMPS EXC.VAT 40-100 £54.99 65-160 £67.99 30-110 £69.98 60-200 £96.99 40-150 £71.99 50-185 £99.98 35-180 £147.99 40-210 £156.99

INC.VAT £65.99 £81.59 £83.98 £116.39 £86.39 £119.98 £177.59 £188.39

Stands come complete with bolt mountings and feet anchor holes FROM ONLY

NEW NEW ONLY

59EX.VAT .98 71INC.VAT .98

£

1/2"

TORQUE WRENCH - CHT141

.99 32EX.VAT .59 39INC.VAT

MODEL EXC.VAT INC.VAT EOBD Fault Code Reader £37.99 £45.59 Engine EOBD/OBD2 £49.98 £59.98 Fault code reader Engine Diagnostic & £104.99 £125.99 EOBD/OBD 2 Fault Code Reader

ANTI FATIGUE FOAM FLOORING • 6 interlocking foam tiles protect flooring & provide comfort when standing or kneeling • Each tile is 610x610mm £ .98 19EX.VAT & includes detachable, £ .98 yellowborders 23INC.VAT

Blast away paint, surface rust, scale, burrs, carbon & dirt & revitalise aluminium Min. air flow 10cfm Bench & floor standing models

HYDRAULIC BOTTLE JACKS

FROM ONLY

.99 7EXC.VAT .59 9INC.VAT

£

*Telescopic Range

£

MODEL CAP. CBJ2B 2 CBJ3B 3 CBJ5B 5 CTBJ5* 5 CBJ8B 8 CBJ10B 10 CTBJ10* 10 CBJ12B 12 CTBJ12* 12 CBJ15B 15 CBJ20B 20

FOR 6 TILES

JACK HEIGHT (mm) 148-276 180-350 185-355 220-495 190-365 195-375 210-525 200-380 235-580 205-390 217-407

EXC. VAT £7.99 £11.99 £14.99 £49.98 £17.99 £21.99 £69.98 £24.99 £89.98 £29.98 £34.99

INC. VAT £9.59 £14.39 £17.99 £59.98 £21.59 £26.39 £83.98 £29.99 £107.98 £35.98 £41.99

KWT-002-04

NEW

INC. 2X 4.0AH 430Nm Max Torque SAMSUNG LI-ION BATTERIES, £ .98 EXC.VAT CHARGER £ .98 & CASE INC.VAT

169 203

ALUMINIUM RACING JACKS Quick lift Non-marking nylon wheels Rubber contact pad - helps protect vehicle undersides CTJ1250AB

FROM ONLY

.98 139EX.VAT £ .98 167INC.VAT

HYDRAULIC PRESSES CSA10BB

FROM ONLY

94EX.VAT 113.99 £

.99

£

LOW INC.VAT *steel chassis ENTRY LIFTING ONLY CAP. EXC.VAT INC.VAT 85MM MODEL

1.25T £94.99 £113.99 1.8T £159.98 £191.98

2.5T £149.98 £179.98 26CTJ2500QLG* | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk 26675LH

Powerful ONLY HEADER heavy £ .98 59EXC.VAT duty corded £ .98 impact FOOTER 71 INC.VAT wrench Inc. 17, 19, 21 & 22mm sockets CEW1000 & carry case 1/2"

HUGE 450NM

FROM ONLY

.99 17EXC.VAT .59 21INC.VAT

£ £

HIGH FREQUENCY BATTERY CHARGERS

Energy efficient inverter, protects battery from high current HFBC12/24 damage Microprocessor provides appropriate charging rate Variable current output for quick, FROM ONLY .99 medium £44EX.VAT or trickle £ .99 53 INC.VAT charge MAX MAX MODEL CHARGE BATTERY EXC.VAT INC.VAT HFBC12 6 Amps 100Ah £44.99 £53.99 HFBC12/24 20 Amps 200Ah £79.98 £95.98

£

XEV16/100 †V-Twin *230V AIR DISP. MOTOR AIR EXC. INC MODEL cfm (HP) RECEIVER VAT .VAT XEV11/100(OL)†* 9 2 100ltr £369.00 £442.80 XEV16/100†* 14 3 100ltr £399.00 £478.80 XEV16/150†* 14 3 150ltr £429.00 £514.80 XEV16/200(OL)†* 14 3 200ltr £499.00 £598.80 XEV16/150(400V)†14 3 150ltr £499.00 £598.80 XET19/200 (OL)* 18 4 200ltr £599.00 £718.80 XE18/200 (OL)* 18 4 200ltr £559.00 £670.80 XEV26/200† 23 5.5 200ltr £699.00 £838.80 XE37/270 (OL)* 36 2x 4 270ltr £1149.00 £1378.80

BC520N

FROM ONLY Ammeter £ .99 Multi-position 64EX.VAT .99 charge regulator £ 77 INC.VAT Overload protection on charging cycle MODEL MAX AMPS CHARGE/BOOST EXC.VAT BC130C 15/120 £64.99 BC190 38/180 £94.99 BC210C 25/200 £109.00 BC410E 35/400 £129.98 WBC180 35/180 £129.98 BC205N 30/200 £179.98 WBC240 45/240 £159.98 BC520N 50/100 £179.98 WBC400 60/350 £199.00

CAT113

INC.VAT £77.99 £113.99 £130.80 £155.98 £155.98 £215.98 £191.98 £215.98 £238.80

FROM ONLY

.99 18EXC.VAT £ .79 22INC.VAT £

SELLER MODEL DESC. CFC500F 1/2 ton fold CFC100 1 ton fold CFC1000LR 1 ton long reach

£119.82 £29.99 £35.98

SELLER

MODEL DESC EXC.VAT INC.VAT PRO12C/ 1.2mm, £22.99 £27.59 14C/18C 1.4mm, 1.8mm PGF14/18 Pro, Gravity £26.99 £32.39 AP15 HVLP, 2.2mm £26.99 £32.39 PGF14 SP14/18C 1.4mm/ 1.8mm £27.99 £33.59

5 PIECE AIR TOOL KIT

2/3 TONNE TROLLEY JACKS

KIT1100

£

JACKS ALSO IN STOCK UP TO 5 TONNE

HEAVY DUTY LONG REACH JACKS

FROM ONLY

EXC.VAT INC.VAT £169.98 £203.98 £164.99 £197.99 £219.00 £262.80

Gravity Fed Spray Gun Air Wash Gun Tyre Inflator Air Blow Gun 5 Metre Air Recoil Hose

PRICE CUT

19EXC.VAT 23.98

£

CTJ3000G MODEL TYPE TONNE EXC.VAT INC.VAT CTJ2B DIY 2 £22.99 £27.59 CTJ2MB DIY + Case 2 £27.99 £33.59 CTJ2250LP* Low Profile 2 £39.98 £47.98 CTJ2001G Pro Garage 2 £79.98 £95.98 CTJ3000QL Quick Lift 3 £49.98 £59.98 CTJ3QLG Pro Instant Lift 3 £83.99 £100.79 CTJ3000G Pro Garage 3 £99.98 £119.98 * CTJ2250LP has a 2.25 tonne capacity, has a low entry of only 80mm and includes 2 sockets

£

Folding and fixed frames available Robust, rugged construction Fully tested Overload safety valve to proof load CFC100

CPSB100

TANK FLOW RATE EX. VAT INC.VAT VOLUME REQ. CPSB100 32 litre 6-19 cfm £139.98 £167.98 CPSB200 63 litre 12-20 cfm £169.98 £203.98

.99 164EX.VAT .99 197INC.VAT

£

22 27

MODEL

.99 22EX.VAT .59 27INC.VAT

INC.VAT £32.39 £26.39 £22.79 £41.99

SPRAY GUNS BEST

£

£

BEST

BEST

FROM ONLY

HUGE CHOICE IN-STORE/ ONLINE

FROM ONLY HUGE .99 CHOICE £ EX.VAT IN-STORE/ £ .59 INC.VAT ONLINE

INCLUDES SANDBLASTING GUN, DELIVERY HOSE, 4 CERAMIC NOZZLES AND SAFETY HOOD .98 139EX.VAT .98 167INC.VAT

WORKSHOP CAT117 AIR TOOLS

MODEL DESCRIPTION EXC.VAT CAT110 ½" Impact Wrench £26.99 CAT111 Air Orbital Sander £21.99 CAT113 3" Cut Off Tool £18.99 CAT117 13 piece ½" £34.99 Impact Wrench Kit CAT120 43 Piece Air Tool Kit £99.85 CAT121 Dual Action Sander £24.99 CAT123½" Reversible Air Drill £29.98

PRESSURISED SANDBLASTERS

£

FROM ONLY

.00 369EXC.VAT .80 442INC.VAT

£

BATTERY CHARGERS/ ENGINE STARTERS

FROM ONLY

CRANES ELECTRIC IMPACT WRENCH

CTJ1250AB CTJ1800A

MODEL DESC. TYPE EXC.VAT INC.VAT CSB20B Compact Cabinet Bench £109.98 £131.98 SB30 Large Cabinet Floor £299.00 £358.80

PROFESSIONAL SELLER QUALITY Built for tough daily use in automotive/industrial workshops * Available with/without 7 pce pin, bracket & pressing plate kit ‡ Adjustable polycarbonate safety screen # Economy model MODEL EXC.VAT INC.VAT 4 tonne bench# £139.98 £167.98 10 tonne bench* £198.00 £237.60 12 tonne floor*# £249.00 £298.80 20 tonne floor £329.00 £394.80 30 tonne floor‡ £649.00 £778.80 50 tonne floor‡ £1299.00 £1558.80

18V BRUSHLESS NEW IMPACT WRENCH Heavy-Duty, lightweight design 1/2" Square Drive

109 £ .98 131INC.VAT

£

Top quality belt driven air compressors for industrial & commercial users inc; garages, factories, workshops and farms. 10 bar/150psi max working pressure

Heavy duty steel construction sandblasters for the quick removal of surface rust, paint, dirt/grease etc.

ALUMINIUM OXIDE POWDER FROM ONLY FROM ONLY £9.98 EX.VAT £ .98 EXC.VAT £11.98 INC.VAT CSB20B

*’V’ Twin Pump EXC.VAT INC.VAT £89.98 £107.98 £94.99 £113.99 £109.98 £131.98 £119.98 £143.98 £139.98 £167.98 £209.00 £250.80 £259.98 £311.98

INDUSTRIAL AIR COMPRESSORS

For lead acid batteries *Automatic BEST charger SELLER - maintains optimal charging condition MODEL MAX EXC.VAT INC.VAT CHARGE AMPS LA4 4 £17.99 £21.59 LA6 6 £19.98 £23.98 AC80* 8 £33.99 £40.79

BLAST CABINETS

£

# With sanding belt *8" whetstone & 6" drystone MODEL DUTY WHEEL DIA. EXC.VAT INC.VAT CBG6RP DIY 150mm £32.99 £39.59 CBG6RZ PRO 150mm £42.99 £51.59 CBG6RSC HD 150mm £54.99 £65.99 CBG6SB# PRO 150mm £54.99 £65.99 CBG6RWC HD 150mm £59.98 £71.98 CBG8W* (wet) HD 150/200mm £56.99 £68.39

INC.VAT £19.19 £23.98 £28.79 £39.59 £46.79 £56.39 £77.99

PRO389 DIAGNOSTICS 62 PIECE 1/2"&1/4" FROM ONLY DRIVE £ .99 SOCKET £37EX.VAT .59 45 INC.VAT & BIT SET

5" Extension ONLY £ .99 bar 1/2" 23EX.VAT 3/8" adaptor £ .79 28-210 Nm 28INC.VAT

£

£

PRO360

£

STANDS FROM ONLY £47.98 INC.VAT

.99 15EX.VAT .19 19INC.VAT

£

TYPE EXC.VAT CHT203 16pce Metric £15.99 CHT302 24pce UNC/UNF/NPT £19.98 CHT303 28pce Metric £23.99 CHT304 33pce Metric/UNF/BSP £32.99 CHT774 37pce Metric £38.99 CHT527 32pce Metric £46.99 CHT776 76pce Metric £64.99

ONLY

INC.VAT £142.80 £179.98 £238.80 £190.80 £238.80 £250.80

High quality tungsten steel Supplied in metal storage case (except 16pce) FROM ONLY

SOCKET SETS Top quality chrome £ .99 24EX.VAT vanadium steel. £ .99 18 Sockets 8-32mm 29INC.VAT Reversible ratchet LIFETIME Comfort grip handle GUARANTEE

GRINDERS & STANDS 6" & 8" AVAILABLE WITH LIGHT

EXC.VAT £119.00 £149.98 £199.00 £159.00 £199.00 £209.00

TAP & DIE SETS

SEE FULL RANGE IN-STORE/ONLINE

5000KG CAPACITY

£

MODEL SIZE CAM24 24" CAM30 30" CAM36 36" BEST CAM5002 24" SELLER CAM6000 30" *110V CAM110* 30”

CAM5002

Activates instantly when Arc is struck Protects to EN379 Suitable for arc, MIG, TIG & gas welding

HUGE RANGE OF RATCHETS, SPANNERS AND SOCKET SETS

CAR TRANSPORTER LASHING

36"

HUGE FAN UP TO

.98 39EXC.VAT £ .98 47INC.VAT

£

ARC WELDERS

INC.VAT £233.99 £263.98 £281.99 £329.99

£

£

.99 17EX.VAT £ .59 21INC.VAT

£

EXC.VAT £194.99 £219.98 £234.99 £274.99

GWH4

FROM ONLY

.00 119EXC.VAT .80 142INC.VAT

£

£

*no gas only

For home user, automotive and industrial applications.

MODEL SEE THE EA110 FULL EA165 RANGE 115N ONLINE & EA200 IN-STORE 160N #Turbo fan 190N 190TEN# cooled 235TEN#

AC80

GIANT 12V BATTERY FANS CHARGERS

Uses flux cored steel wire, which creates own gas shroud as it burns 151EN FROM ONLY

£

MODEL MOTOR CFM TANK 8/250 2HP 7.5 24ltr 7/250 2 HP 7 24ltr 11/250 2.5HP 9.5 24ltr 8/510 2HP 7.5 50ltr 11/510 2.5HP 9.5 50ltr 16/510* 3 HP 14.5 50ltr 16/1010* 3 HP 14.5 100ltr

WHERE QUALITY COSTS LESS

NO GAS/GAS MIG WELDERS

Professional type torch with on/off control Thermal overload protection Turbo fan cooled Easy conversion to gas with optional accessories

£ .98 89EXC.VAT .98 107INC.VAT

£

.98 189EX.VAT .98 227INC.VAT

£

Superb range ideal for DIY, hobby & semi-professional use FROM ONLY

66SUPERSTORES NATIONWIDE

135TE GAS, TIPS, SHROUDS & WIRE IN STOCK

TURBO AIR COMPRESSORS

.98

£

INC.VAT WAS £26.39 inc.VAT

BOLTLESS QUICK ASSEMBLY STEEL SHELVING

Simple fast assembly in minutes using only a hammer FROM ONLY HEADER

.98 29EXC.VAT .98 FOOTER 35 INC.VAT

£ £

CTJ2GLS

150 KG

W NE

NEW

SAVE

10% 1

RA

EXT FROM ONLY

179EXC.VAT £ .98 215INC.VAT £

.98

MODEL TONNES EXC.VAT CTJ2GLS 2 £179.98 CTJ3GLS 3 £249.00 CTJ5GLS 5 £349.00 CTJ10GLS 10 £449.00

INC. VAT £215.98 £298.80 £418.80 £538.80

WHEN YOU BUY

4 SHELVING UNITS AND SAVE AT LEAST £23.99 INC.VAT

ASSEMBLES AS BENCH OR CORNER UNIT CHOICE OF 5 COLOURS RED, BLUE, GREY, SILVER OR GALVANISED STEEL

FAST, EASY FINANCE EASY TO USE WEBSITE VER ONLINE/IN-STORE NOW O

NEW

21,000

PRODUCTS ONLINE!

NEW

Provides essential home, garage and assistance Integral work light 57EX.VAT roadside air compressor Long life battery £ .59 69INC.VAT 910 includes START PEAK MODEL BOOST AMPS EXC.VAT INC.VAT 900 400A 900A £59.98 £71.98 910 400A 900A £69.98 £83.98 CLIPPJS NEW 200A 400A £74.99 £89.99 4000 700A 1500A £124.99 £149.99 EXTRA LONG 12/24 1000A@12V 2000A@12V £139.98 £167.98 1m LEADS 500A@24V 1000A@24V

BEST

SELLER

.99

CAR RAMPS FROM ONLY Lift cars £ .99 safely and 26EX.VAT .39 quickly Tough £ 32 INC.VAT angled steel PER PAIR construction MODEL CAPACITY EXC.VAT INC.VAT CR2 2000kg £26.99 £32.39 CRW25 2500kg £36.99 £44.39

AXLE STANDS Ratchet action for quick height adjustment Sold in pairs FROM ONLY #per £ .98 10EX.VAT single £ .18 stand 13INC.VAT

AUTOMOTIVE WHEEL DOLLY SET AWD1

.99 44EXC.VAT .99 53INC.VAT JETSTAR PER PAIR

£

3" CASTORS

INC.VAT £13.18 £26.39 £29.99 £38.39 £95.98

FROM ONLY

.98 59EX.VAT .98 71INC.VAT

£ £

.98 139EXC.VAT .98 167INC.VAT

INCLUDES METAL CUTTING DISC CCO14B

INC.VAT £71.98 £107.98 £149.99 £179.98 £215.98

HEAVY DUTY PETROL POWER WASHERS

£

£

£

£

• Fast accurate cutting of ferrous metals • Cuts material up to 100mm thick • Tough steel guard & base • Adjusts 0-45º for angled cutting

FROM ONLY

.00 219EXC.VAT .80 262INC.VAT

CAN DRAW OWN WATER

Honda & Diesel engine models in stock PRESSURE ENGINE EXC. INC. MODEL BAR/PSI HP VAT VAT Tiger1800 110/1595 2.6 £219.00 £262.80 Tiger2600 170/2465 4 £289.00 £346.80 Tiger3000 200/2900 6.5 £349.00 £418.80 PLS195 186/2698 6.5 £439.00 £526.80 PLS265 260/3770 13 £669.00 £802.80

HEAVY DUTY GARAGES/WORKSHOPS

IDEAL ALL-WEATHER PROTECTION

Ideal for use as a garage/workshop Extra tough triple layer weatherproof fabric Heavy duty powder coated steel tubing Ratchet tight tensioning

.98 59EX.VAT .98 71INC.VAT

£ £

FROM ONLY

MAX WEIGHT EXC. OUTPUT KG VAT 800W 9.3 £179.98 1000W 15 £229.98 1200W 12.4 £259.98 2000W 19.4 £369.00 2200W 26.6 £389.00

BODY REPAIR KITS

SIZE (LxWxH) 4.6 x 3 x 2.4M 4.9 x 3.7 x 2.6M 6.1 x 3 x 2.4M 6.1 x 3.7 x 2.5M 7.3 x 3.7 x 2.5M

EXC.VAT £229.00 £299.00 £289.00 £349.00 £429.00

INC.VAT £274.80 £358.80 £346.80 £418.80 £514.80

PARTS WASHER FLUID FROM £5.99 INC.VAT

INC. VAT £215.98 £275.98 £311.98 £442.80 £466.80

CS10BRK

FROM ONLY

£

* was £346.80inc.VAT MODEL KVA G720 0.7 G1200 1.1 PG2500 NEW 2.2 PG3800 NEW 3 PG3800DV* NEW 3 PG6500DVES NEW 5.5

FROM ONLY HEADER

.99 24EXC.VAT .99 FOOTER 29 INC.VAT

£

NEW RANGE HP 6.5 7 7 13

EXC.VAT INC.VAT £99.98 £119.98 £159.98 £191.98 £179.98 £215.98 £239.98 £287.98 £269.00 £322.80 £499.00 £598.80

INTELLIGENT AUTOMATIC CHARGER / MAINTAINERS

CB09-12

Keep batteries in top condition over a long period

MODEL STAGES BATTERY EXC.VAT INC.VAT CB03-12 3 6Ah-40Ah 12V lead acid £24.99 £29.99 CB09-6/12 9 Up to 80Ah 6V / 12V lead acid £39.98 £47.98 CB09-12 9 Up to 160Ah £59.98 £71.98 12V lead acid & calcium

PRO TOOL CHESTS & CABINETS

FROM ONLY The £ .98 ultimate in 67EXC.VAT £ .58 tool storage 81INC.VAT

2

MODEL DESCRIPTION CBB206B 6 Dr Chest 1 CBB209B 9 Dr Chest CBB210B 10 Dr Chest CBB203B 3 Dr step up CBB215B 5 Dr Cabinet 2 CBB217B 7 Dr Cabinet CBB213B 3 Dr Cabinet

EXC. VAT £97.98 £114.99 £129.98 £67.98 £199.98 £239.98 £189.98

FROM ONLY

MODEL DESCRIPTION EXC.VAT INC.VAT CMC36 Car creeper £22.99 £27.59 CMC40 With tool storage £36.99 £44.39 CMC45 With adjustable headrest£29.98 £35.98 CMC50 Folding car creeper £47.99 £57.59

VISIT YOUR LOCAL SUPERSTORE

ENGINE

.99 44EXC.VAT STANDS .99 53INC.VAT

FROM ONLY HEADER

MODEL MOTOR MAX FLOW EXC.VAT DFT12 12V 40l/min £149.98 DFT24 24V 40l/min £149.98 DFT230 230V 56l/min £189.98

INC.VAT £179.98 £179.98 £227.98

OPEN MON-FRI 8.30-6.00, SAT 8.30-5.30, SUN 10.00-4.00

MANSFIELD 169 Chesterfield Rd. South MIDDLESBROUGH Mandale Triangle, Thornaby NORWICH 282a Heigham St. NR2 4LZ NOTTINGHAM 211 Lower Parliament St. PETERBOROUGH 417 Lincoln Rd. Millfield PLYMOUTH 58-64 Embankment Rd. PL4 9HY POOLE 137-139 Bournemouth Rd. Parkstone PORTSMOUTH 277-283 Copnor Rd. Copnor PRESTON 53 Blackpool Rd. PR2 6BU SHEFFIELD 453 London Rd. Heeley. S2 4HJ SIDCUP 13 Blackfen Parade, Blackfen Rd SOUTHAMPTON 516-518 Portswood Rd. SOUTHEND 1139-1141 London Rd. Leigh on Sea STOKE-ON-TRENT 382-396 Waterloo Rd. Hanley SUNDERLAND 13-15 Ryhope Rd. Grangetown SWANSEA 7 Samlet Rd. Llansamlet. SA7 9AG SWINDON 21 Victoria Rd. SN1 3AW TWICKENHAM 83-85 Heath Rd.TW1 4AW WARRINGTON Unit 3, Hawley’s Trade Pk. WIGAN 2 Harrison Street, WN5 9AU WOLVERHAMPTON Parkfield Rd. Bilston WORCESTER 48a Upper Tything. WR1 1JZ

NOW INC.VAT £117.58 £137.99 £155.98 £81.58 £239.98 £287.98 £227.98

£

.98 149EXC.VAT £ .98 FOOTERINC.VAT 179 £

INC.VAT £47.98 £119.98 £167.98 £191.98

1

DRILL PRESSES

.99 22EX.VAT .59 27INC.VAT

EDINBURGH 163-171 Piersfield Terrace 0131 659 5919 EXETER 16 Trusham Rd. EX2 8QG 01392 256 744 GATESHEAD 50 Lobley Hill Rd. NE8 4YJ 0191 493 2520 GLASGOW 280 Gt Western Rd. G4 9EJ 0141 332 9231 GLOUCESTER 221A Barton St. GL1 4HY 01452 417 948 GRIMSBY ELLIS WAY, DN32 9BD 01472 354435 HULL 8-10 Holderness Rd. HU9 1EG 01482 223161 ILFORD 746-748 Eastern Ave. IG2 7HU 0208 518 4286 IPSWICH Unit 1 Ipswich Trade Centre, Commercial Road 01473 221253 LEEDS 227-229 Kirkstall Rd. LS4 2AS 0113 231 0400 LEICESTER 69 Melton Rd. LE4 6PN 0116 261 0688 LINCOLN Unit 5. The Pelham Centre. LN5 8HG 01522 543 036 LIVERPOOL 80-88 London Rd. L3 5NF 0151 709 4484 LONDON CATFORD 289/291 Southend Lane SE6 3RS 0208 695 5684 LONDON 6 Kendal Parade, Edmonton N18 020 8803 0861 LONDON 503-507 Lea Bridge Rd. Leyton, E10 020 8558 8284 LONDON 100 The Highway, Docklands 020 7488 2129 LUTON Unit 1, 326 Dunstable Rd, Luton LU4 8JS 01582 728 063 MAIDSTONE 57 Upper Stone St. ME15 6HE 01622 769 572 MANCHESTER ALTRINCHAM 71 Manchester Rd. Altrincham 0161 9412 666 MANCHESTER CENTRAL 209 Bury New Road M8 8DU 0161 241 1851 MANCHESTER OPENSHAW Unit 5, Tower Mill, Ashton Old Rd 0161 223 8376

TYPE EXC.VAT Bench £39.98 Floor £99.98 Floor £139.98 Floor £159.98

£

FROM ONLY

LENGTH UP TO 24'

MODEL TANK CAP. CW2D 10Ltrs CW1D 45Ltrs CWM20 22.5Ltrs CW40 75Ltrs

CDP152B

£

10' RANGE NARROWER WIDTH GREAT WHERE SPACE IS TIGHT

.98 39EX.VAT .98 47INC.VAT

£

CHECK FRAME TYPE WHEN ORDERING

£

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| 27

FEATURES.

RACING CERT

The move by Chamberlain Synergy Motorsport to prepare and rebuild historic racing cars certainly proved a timely one for the business that had already been a success. We went behind the scenes at its busy base to find out more from team manager Steve Briggs...

Words: Adam Weller 28 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

PICTURES: MAL HAY

“

Endurance Legends is going to be great for us, and I think it’ll probably double our business.

STEVE BRIGGS

WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

| 29

FEATURES.

W

hen you reach the top of your game in the world of motorsport, finding a new challenge can be difficult. Oxford-based Chamberlain Synergy Motorsport moved on to keeping historic racers on track.

Chamberlain Synergy is a racing team that specialises in running and maintaining Group C race cars. With previous history in the FIA Sportscar Championship, Le Mans Series and the Le Mans 24 Hours, the transition to historic motorsport in the late 2000s was timed perfectly.

A highlight of the team’s time in ‘modern’ motorsport was its 2005 Le Mans Series success in the LMP2 category, where the team used a Lola B05/40 to claim both the drivers’ and teams’ championships. By this time, current manager Steve Briggs was well embedded in the team, having begun working there in 2002.

‘I started off in the industry with Jeff Goodliffe’s team in 2000. I was on a week-long placement as a mechanic there but quickly found myself working as the number one mechanic.

Through that, I started working with racing driver Bob Berridge while he was competing in the Thoroughbred Grand Prix.’

The Thoroughbred Grand Prix was the predecessor to what is now known as the FIA Historic Formula One Championship, in which Berridge had taken three championship titles at the end of the 1990s.

Competing with a 1982 Williams as well as a 1983 Ram, Berridge was racing relatively ‘new’ historic cars when he won his championships, and this would be a theme that would lead to Chamberlain Synergy’s well-timed move into the historic scene years down the line.

Berridge – along with Steve Briggs – joined up with Chamberlain Synergy during the team’s campaign in the 2002 FIA Sportscar Championship.

However, the championship was steadily shedding entrants and momentum, leaving Chamberlain Synergy to look for pastures new in 2004.

The pastures in question: the newly formed Le Mans Series. The car: a TVR Tuscan T400R. Powered

by TVR’s self-developed and slightly temperamental Speed Six engine, the Tuscan was a difficult project at times.

However, a double-finish at the Le Mans 24 Hours in eighth and ninth in class proved the team’s ability to run a car effectively in endurance racing.

During this time, Briggs was progressing through the ranks in the team. ‘I started at the

30 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

Historic Nissans and Jaguars come in twos at Chamberlain Synergy Motorsport... bottom as the number two mechanic, progressed to number one and eventually chief mechanic in 2008. I then became team manager in 2012.’

After the successes of 2005 with the Lola and a few seasons in LMP1, the team began to focus on Group C cars.

Many of Chamberlain’s fellow small teams from the Le Mans Series didn’t make it through the recession, though. While Briggs partially credits their survival to being a thrifty outfit – avoiding high-end transporters and expensive hotels, for example – Chamberlain Synergy’s new direction for 2009 was also a big factor.

The decision to focus on restoring, servicing and running Group C cars just as the formula became one of the flagship historic categories was inspired.

However, according to Briggs, the move away from modern motorsport was not made out of necessity.

‘We moved because we had hit our targets, and we didn’t see the point in continuing as Audi and all the

Engineer Andy Trim works on rebuilding a gearbox

big teams were in full flow. However, we knew our strengths lay in endurance racing. So Bob moved over to the Historic Group C/GTP series, and we now have three to five clients with several superb cars from Group C and similar categories.’

The focus in the workshop on a day-to-day basis is maintenance for the cars, ranging from standard checks and race preparation to full rebuilds and renovations.

A recent ‘guest’ at the Chamberlain Synergy base in Oxford was a Toyota 92CV. ‘That Toyota was one of the more difficult ones,’ Briggs said. ‘It came with no engine. The customer bought one but changed his mind and bought another one for us to use. The car came in a box of bits and we didn’t really know where any of the bits went. The engine in it wasn’t the correct one, so we had to find adapter plates and stuff like that.’

The full-time team is surprisingly small, with just two other employees working to maintain cars that were at the very cutting edge

The Chamberlain Synergy Motorsport workshop is poised to double its workload

THE GROUP C CATEGORY What’s it all about?

It was the top class of sports car racing – including the Le Mans 24 Hours – from 1982 to 1994. Manufacturers included Porsche, Mercedes, Jaguar, Nissan, Lancia, Mazda, Toyota and Peugeot. Engine choice was initially open, with the only restriction being a maximum of five refuelling stops per 1,000 kilometres during the 1980s. Formula One-derived 3.5-litre engines were adopted in 1991 but proved too costly, ultimately killing off the category.

Regulations similar to Group C were used in America – the class was known as GTP. Certain Group C cars are now worth millions of pounds – for example, a 1983 Le Manswinning Porsche 956 fetched more than £5m at an auction in 2015!

The chassis of a Creation LMP1 – the car is one of two Creations that may be heading to Spa WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

| 31

FEATURES.

ƒSteve Briggs joined Chamberlain Synergy Motorsport in 2002 and is now team manager

32 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

of motorsport less than 30 years ago. And while additional crew members are brought in occasionally, Briggs believes that having dozens of people on board is unnecessary.

‘You see the current teams in the world championship and there’s one guy who only deals with the struts, another who only does gearboxes – even when we were doing LMP1 we only had five full-time guys!’

More than 10 years on from Group C’s entry into the historic ranks, the scene’s focus is now starting to shift to the GT and Prototype race cars of the ’90s and Noughties.

Masters Historic Racing – one of the leading historic racing organisations in Europe – has elected to pull the trigger first, setting up a new series for cars built between 1995 and 2011, dubbed Masters Endurance Legends.

The first race for the new series is set to run at Spa-Francorchamps this September, and Briggs believes the series will greatly increase the work for Chamberlain Synergy, whose workshop is already littered with incredible cars.

‘It’s going to be great for us, and I think it’ll probably double our business.’

If that proves to be an accurate estimate, the Chamberlain Synergy workshop would be extremely busy, as it already has millions of pounds-worth of machinery on tap.

‘In the workshop at the moment we have – from a total of 20 – a Mercedes C9, Mercedes C11, Porsche 956, two Creations, a Jaguar XJR-12 and another seven coming.’

Those seven will be maintained by the team ahead of the race at Spa, and there’s potential for the pair of Creations – V10 LMP1 cars from the mid-2000s – to join the Belgiumbound convoy too.

While the Masters Endurance Legends concept will likely be positive for Briggs and the team, there is a degree of regret involved.

‘Several years ago, I had the idea to do exactly what Masters are doing now. I told Bob that there were so many cars from the ’90s and Noughties just sat around waiting for something, like the two Creations we just bought – they’ve been sitting in a barn since 2009.

‘Plus, when you go to America, an Audi R8 LMP [winner of Le Mans 2000-2002, 2004-2005] is already racing in historics. Here, the idea is that cars have to be 20 years old to be historic.

‘I thought it would be a great championship to run, as there are a lot of these cars about and they’re pretty cheap at the moment.

‘I spoke with Bob about it but I didn’t have the time, money or know-how to do it. The organisers of the Historic Group C/GTP series weren’t interested so I told Masters and now they’re doing it. I think it’s great, but oh, I wish I had done it myself!’

With the cars that the team raced ‘in period’ now becoming relevant in the historic community and Group C proving as popular as ever, the future looks bright indeed for Chamberlain Synergy Motorsport.

The Mercedes C11 as driven by Michael Schumacher in the 1990 season

WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

| 33

CLUB.

CUSTOMER IS SUING US OVER A JOB WE DID A LONG TIME AGO

Q

ASK THE JUDGE: Ian Gardner, sales manager at automotive legal experts Lawgistics, recalls a few of the more outlandish cases his firm has handled.

A customer is suing us for a clutch we fitted over FIVE YEARS ago. Can they do this? Is this the most outlandish court claim that Lawgistics has ever seen?

n The Judge delivers his verdict: Yes, they can sue you even after this length of time – but it is another matter entirely as to whether they will succeed in court.

In England and Wales, the law allows a party to sue for breach of contract for up to six years from the date that the contract was concluded. In this case, the clock started to run from the date that the clutch was supplied/fitted.

The person bringing the claim will need to produce evidence to demonstrate that it is more likely than not that either the part was defective from the outset and/or that it was not fitted with ‘reasonable care and skill’.

Quite how he can do that after this length of time is going to be interesting and one can only imagine that it is not going to be straightforward for him – especially in that the vehicle

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has been used over the five-year period in question and only recently was it alleged that there was a problem.

One wonders though: If this really was the case, how come the complainant did not suspect this five minutes after the event took place, rather than after five years?

Luckily, you have told us that you can show evidence of the customer purchasing the clutch to offset the second part of the claim that the original components were never actually replaced in the first instance.

This shows the importance of retaining paper records for longer than you may think is necessary.

Also, garages should always state on the order form the registration number of the vehicle that the component is intended to be used for.

You mention that the case is heading to court and we will be interested to learn what happens.

While we hope that the court will apply common sense and dismiss the claim, there can never be any guarantees when

one goes to court so you will still need to be vigilant.

As to whether this is the most outlandish claim we have ever seen here at Lawgistics, that is a definite ‘no’.

For example, we are presently helping a client defend a claim that comprises something along the following lines: Driving a car 596 miles to be repaired by a specialist at £21.86 per mile = £13,028.56. Yes, you read it correctly – £21.86 per mile and wanting compensation in excess of £13,000. We hope the consumer never starts a taxi company!

Whilst we often see optimistic consumers issuing various unreasonable demands, Lawgistics has an impressive track record of seeing huge claims reduced to those that are far more realistic.

And whilst it never formed a county court claim, one consumer trumped the lot when it came to their demands.

The individual only agreed to sell the car back to our client on the proviso that all their staff became members of the English Morris Dancing Society!

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£100 off your motor trade insurance With 25 years of industry experience in the world of commercial vehicle insurance, Plan Insurance Brokers is the expert for the UK’s professional road users. Motor trade insurance is vital to keep your business moving, whether it’s your own vehicles or customers’ cars that you’re moving about – even if a customer’s car is involved in a fire or theft while in your care. Club members can receive an exclusive £100 discount on their motor trade insurance through Plan Insurance Brokers.

TO JOIN GO TO WORKSHOPCLUB.CO.UK OR CALL 023 9252 2434 AND 34 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

Can I get my mechanic to pay up for his accident?

I

have a mechanic who reversed a customer’s car into a wall. There was a fair amount of damage and obviously the customer is not happy. I will probably make a claim on our insurance but is there any way I can deduct at least some of the costs from his wages? n The Judge delivers his verdict: Generally, the only deductions you can make from someone’s wages are those you are entitled to make by law such as tax and National Insurance or those ordered by a court under an Attachment of Earnings Order which may be, for example, for Child Support arrears or a debt. To be able to deduct an amount from an employee’s pay for losses you or your company have suffered, you

will need to either have the employee’s express written permission or a clause in their contract entitling you to make the type of deduction you want to make.

You would be unlikely to be able to deduct the entire amount of the damage but potentially you could deduct, for example, the insurance excess or the cost of any increase to your yearly premium as a result of the claim.

If you do have a specific contractual clause to enable you to deduct for damages caused by carelessness or negligence, then you can agree a payment plan through their wages. n Got a problem? Send an email to TheJudge@lawgistics.co.uk and you could see your problem dealt with in a future issue of Workshop.

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As part of your membership, you will have a free telephone consultation with Lawgistics worth £100. You will also be signed up to Lawgistics’ basic membership package worth £95, have 25 per cent discount off Lawgistics products, get access to guidance notes and document templates and enjoy a discount off membership upgrades – £100 off the Small Business pack and £250 off the Professional membership pack – to better suit your needs.

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SPEAK TO ONE OF OUR TEAM WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

| 35

SUPPLIERS GUIDE.

IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A WORKSHOP SUPPLIER, YOU CAN FIND THE DETAILS OF SELECTED COMPANIES HERE

Welcome to your essential guide to leading suppliers

WORKSHOP Magazine is proud to publish the contact details of some of the key suppliers of products and services to the automotive repair industry – from components and parts providers to companies specialising in garage equipment, web design, online solutions and even legal advice for when a transaction goes sour.

Our guide to the industry’s must-have partners follows on from the success of a similar resource in our sister publication, Car Dealer Magazine.

This automotive repair, service and maintenance industry version will become just as indispensable.

Keep an eye on this space each month as we include more and more leading suppliers.

Diagnostic Equipment

Aftersales Software

Approved Schemes

eDynamix

RAC Approved Dealer Network

Garage Equipment

Garage Equipment

Garage Equipment

Butts of Bawtry

GEMCO

Pro-Align

Garage Equipment

Garage Management Software

Legal & Compliance

Straightset

Dragon2000

Lawgistics

Parts Suppliers

Parts Suppliers

Trade Bodies

Blue Print

Febi Bilstein

IGA

W: edynamix.com T: 0845 413 0000 E: enquiries@edynamix.com Info: eDynamix offers web-based applications providing a connected and simple-to-use platform in which dealers can manage a customer throughout the service lifecycle, including service plans, electronic vehicle health check, repair and finance plans, proactive follow-up, online bookings, MOT cleanse, VIDEO1st, aftersales surveys, and automated confirmations and reminders.

W: buttsequipment.com T: 01302 710868 E: info@buttsequipment.com Info: Butts of Bawtry is literally a ONE STOP SHOP for the garage or workshop. Offering a comprehensive range of Quality Garage Equipment from leading manufacturers, backed up by our team of trained and certified service and repair engineers. From a trolley jack to a complete workshop installation, Butts have the answer.

W: straightset.co.uk T: 01909 480055 E: paul.bates@straightset.co.uk Info: Straightset is the UK’s leading independent garage equipment company, providing best-in-class design, supply, installation and service of car and commercial workshops for nearly 30 years. We carry a vast range of quality equipment carefully sourced from top manufacturers within the EU and US and offer one of the most comprehensive aftersales services in the market.

W: blue-print.co.uk T: 01622 833007 E: adl-blueprint.bpic@bilsteingroup.com Info: As part of the Bilstein Group, Blue Print supplies OEmatching quality vehicle components, with strong Asian and American coverage. With more than 23,000 different parts in its range, from braking and clutch components to filtration, Blue Print covers a huge portion of the vehicle parc. Want to get it right first time? Think Blue Print.

Approved Dealer

W: rac.co.uk/getapproved T: 0330 159 1111 E: dealernetwork@rac.co.uk Info: Being authorised to use the RAC name as a badge of quality creates strong consumer confidence and increases profitability.

As an RAC Approved Dealer, you have access to one of the UK’s most respected motoring brands. There’s a range of RAC-backed products and services at your disposal, as well as a customer reach of more than 8 million RAC members to promote your dealership.

W: gemco.co.uk T: 01604 828500 E: sales@gemco.co.uk Info: GEMCO is the UK market leader and your one-stop shop for the supply, delivery, installation, training, calibration and maintenance of garage equipment. With the largest comprehensive range of equipment brands available for both car and commercial vehicle workshops, GEMCO provides top-quality garage equipment products and services to car and commercial vehicle workshops.

W: dragon2000.co.uk T: 01327 222 333 E: sales@dragon2000.co.uk Info: Dragon2000 supplies garages and car dealers with a multiaward winning Dealer Management System, time and efficiency monitoring and integrated websites for online service bookings.

Includes free APPraise mobile app for all users – for sending personalised VHC images & videos to customers’ phones to help increase upsold work and customer trust.

W: febi.com T: 01977 691100 E: enquiries@febiuk.co.uk Info: As part of the Bilstein Group, Febi Bilstein supplies a range of more than 25,000 different articles for all popular European vehicle models. From steering and suspension to rubber, metal and electrical, Febi Bilstein provides OE-matching quality components with first-time fitment and long service life. For quality, choose Febi Bilstein.

Nebula Systems

W: nebulasystems.com T: 01280 816333 E: sales@nebulasystems.com Info: Nebula Systems specialises in the development of advanced technologies for the automotive and future mobility industries.

We make vehicle data and systems more accessible so that a vehicle’s health, status and utilisation can be monitored, analysed, diagnosed and maintained, faster and more effectively, anytime and anywhere.

W: pro-align.co.uk T: 01327 323007 E: enquiries@pro-align.co.uk Info: Dedicated wheel alignment specialists, supplying, supporting and servicing the world-leading Hunter brand nationwide: Hunter aligners – Fast, accurate, reliable, unlocking business opportunities, delivering major income stream and rapid ROI Road Force balancer – A new service very few workshops deliver Tyre changers – Easy service perfection

W: lawgistics.co.uk T: 01480 445500 E: sales@lawgistics.co.uk Info: The motor trade’s leading legal firm, giving help and advice to our members and the industry in general. Passionate about fairness under the law. Our legal team are there to protect your interests.

Not anti consumer, just pro trader. Don’t miss our advice, which is published every month in Workshop Magazine. See pages 34 and 35 for The Judge’s contribution to this month’s issue.

W: IndependentGarageAssociation.co.uk T: 0845 305 4230 E: enquiries@rmif.co.uk Info: The Independent Garage Association is the largest and most prominent representative body in the independent garage sector. We are the voice of the industry in matters arising in UK and EU Government, and we help independent garages to thrive in all aspects of their business by offering advice, information and services.

TO HAVE YOUR DETAILS INCLUDED HERE CALL 023 9252 2434 AND ASK FOR WORKSHOP SUPPLIERS GUIDE LISTINGS 36 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

PRODUCTS. Laser Tools Alldrive socket and bit set How much: £65.69 inc. VAT Where from: lasertools.co.uk

New for you

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DeWalt DCD996P2-GB 18V XR combi drill How much: £407.99 inc. VAT Where from: machinemart.co.uk

Laser Tools AdBlue filling funnel

The DeWalt 18V XR lithium ion brushless hammer drill is a lightweight and compact tool designed for use in tight spaces over long periods of time. It has a high-speed transmission with three speed variations, meaning it can be used for a multitude of tasks.

It also has a 13mm keyless chuck with automatic spindle lock, and adjustable torque positions.

How much: £42.82 inc. VAT Where from: lasertools.co.uk This handy funnel from Laser Tools makes the irritating task of having to fill a diesel vehicle with AdBlue slightly less of a bother. It screws directly on to the AdBlue tank’s filler neck and has two valves – an anti-spill valve that opens automatically and a manually operated main valve.

Laser Tools flexible crow’s foot wrench How much: £15.17 inc. VAT Where from: lasertools.co.uk This Laser Tools flexible crow’s foot wrench has a half-inch diameter single hex and is made of chrome vanadium. It’s a traditional flare nut wrench, but with added crow’s foot functionality.

WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

| 37

PRODUCTS.

Gas cylinder lifter How much: £598.80 inc. VAT Where from: machinemart.co.uk This piece of equipment from Cylinder Lifter offers a simple solution to an all-too-common problem. It allows its user to safely add or remove a welding gas cylinder to or from the rear cylinder tray of a welding machine.

Laser Tools blower motor tools for Volvo and JLR How much: £117.36 inc. VAT Where from: lasertools.co.uk This Laser Tools heater blower installer and extractor is compatible with the Volvo S60, S80, V60, V70, XC60 AND XC70, as well as the Land Rover Freelander 2, Range Rover and Range Rover Evoque.

Teng TCMONSTER 1100-piece toolkit How much: £6,999.98 inc. VAT Where from: machinemart.co.uk This Teng monster toolkit has a 53-inch 10-drawer top chest which sits on top of a 53-inch nine-drawer roller cabinet, both of which have ball bearing slides and combination locks. In total, there are 95 tool trays containing more than 1,100 individual pieces.

38 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

Mini flexi ratchet socket and bit set How much: £56.70 inc. VAT Where from: lasertools.co.uk The mini flexi ratchet socket and bit set from Laser Tools is made up of six sockets measuring from 6mm to 14mm, eight assorted bits and one flexi ratchet. It comes in a nylon storage case with a zip fastener and hook attachment.

Knipex fully insulated cable shears How much: £47.99 inc. VAT Where from: machinemart.co.uk These Knipex shears are fully insulated and of professional quality, having been tested to 10,000V and insulated to 1000V AC and 1500V DC to allow for safe live line working. They have been forged from special tool steel, hardened and tempered. They are suitable for cutting, stripping and dismantling.

Tsurumi TET2-50HA petrol-powered water pump How much: £370.00 inc. VAT Where from: machinemart.co.uk The Tsurumi TET2-50HA water pump is a mobile, lightweight self-priming unit. It’s powered by a Honda engine and comes complete with hose connectors, a strainer and hose clips. It has a maximum flow of 520lpm.

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PRODUCTS. TEST 36

Butane torches The heat is on! Craig Cheetham looks at a range of torches that could be particularly useful to the home or mobile mechanic.

W

e’ve all been there. A stuck bolt that, no matter how much torque you apply to it, refuses to come loose. It has been there for years, and it’s not planning on moving any time soon…

At this stage, a mechanic’s options are limited – risk threading the bolt, drill it out, or apply a bit of heat to the union, in the hope that it makes the bolt expand more quickly than the thread and give up its purchase.

Lightweight, hand-held butane torches are, therefore, an essential piece of kit for the mobile or home mechanic, where a compressed air source might not be available.

They’re also pretty handy to have around the workshop, as they’re often smaller and more manageable if you need to apply heat to a difficult-to-access component.

As far as handheld torches go, there are two options: refillable units, or those that attach directly to a standard butane canister. The latter are quicker and easier to use as they don’t need to be frequently refilled and are often more heavy-duty, while the former are usually smaller, lighter and more manageable.

HOW WE TESTED THEM Using a 28-year-old Land Rover Station Wagon as our guinea pig, we had a rich supply of nuts and bolts that hadn’t been turned in a while, if not a generation.

We evaluated the torches on their ease of lighting, effectiveness and versatility, as well as how comfortable they were to handle, and how manageable they were when working in a tight space.

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Draper 78772 – 2-in-1 Soldering Iron and Gas Torch GT6

Sealey AK2957 – Maxi Butane Torch

How much: £74.38 (inc VAT) Where from: drapertools.com

How much: £65.94 (inc VAT) Where from: sealey.co.uk

The body of this unit isn’t the most comfortable, as the grip area also contains the butane reservoir. But the refillable torch is a winner in other ways. It’s small, can be squeezed into tight locations, and is capable of burning at up to 1,300 degrees Celsius, which is hot enough for most jobs.

It’s also a brilliant tool to have around if you’re unable to access an electricity supply, as it comes with a removable soldering tip. For mobile or roadside operators this gives the tool a dual purpose, as well as giving workshop users a way of accessing electrical connections in more awkward locations.

It’s a small tool, but one with myriad uses.

There’s no questioning the fact that this is the most heavy-duty of the torches we tested. It’s also the biggest, making it the most viable portable alternative to an oxyacetylene torch, suited to more demanding jobs. That said, its bulk is also a disadvantage, as it’s a chunky unit and – with the butane canister attached – it’s not as agile as some of the others.

For a mobile mechanic, this torch has quite a lot of merit, not least its anti-flare feature that keeps the burner flame steady and directly ahead of the gun.

But in a workshop application, it won’t do the same job as an oxyacetylene blowtorch. For roadside and recovery operators, however, it’s ideal.

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Sealey AK4042 – Butane Micro Heating Torch

Sealey AK2955 – Micro Butane Torch

Draper 78776 – Heavy-Duty Gas Torch GT10

How much: £32.34 (inc VAT) Where from: sealey.co.uk

How much: £47.94 (inc VAT) Where from: sealey.co.uk

How much: £60.55 (inc VAT) Where from: drapertools.com

Our initial impression of this tiny torch was that it simply wouldn’t be up to the job. With its plastic body akin to that of a cigarette lighter and its refillable butane reservoir, we believed it would be better suited to browning off desserts in the kitchen rather than freeing off stuck nuts in the garage.

But with a maximum working temperature of 1,300 degrees Celsius and a burner life of around half an hour from the refillable cylinder (you can top it up with lighter fuel), the miniature torch is a handy addition to the toolkit. It’s certainly not a blowtorch that you’d use every day, but it’s a handy and surprisingly effective bit of kit to keep in your toolbox.

This small but adaptable torch fits directly on to a standard self-sealing butane cartridge and has a maximum operating temperature of 1,750 degrees Celsius. The integral ignition and wide range of flame size adjustments make it suitable for most jobs, while the small head and fairly short nozzle mean it can also get to some well-hidden bolts.

It’s competitively priced, too, while the unit also feels chunky and well made. The dial to adjust the burner flame is very impressive, with a well-damped action.

There’s no safety cut-off valve, though, so once the torch is attached to the canister, it’s effectively a live gas appliance and needs to be handled as such.

The GT10 is outwardly very similar to the Draper GT6 and uses the same body and head, meaning 50 minutes of use from a full butane reservoir and a simple and quick means of refilling.

However, its advantages stop there. It’s a perfectly good blowtorch and is small and easy to use, but for less than £14 extra you can get the GT6 with soldering attachment, which is effectively the same tool with additional functionality.

The torches that fit on to a butane canister are the better overall performers in this test, and the other Draper product is by far the most versatile, making this one an also-ran.

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PRODUCTS. TEST 37

Socket sets If there’s one item of equipment that’s synonymous with garages of all shapes and sizes, it’s a socket set. Our tester Craig Cheetham put a few through their paces.

G

ood-quality sockets are an essential part of any workshop, and can often mean the difference between an easy job and a nightmare.

There are cheap socket sets aplenty on the market, but very few of them will be up to the job required of them in a proper garage environment.

Cheap sockets are prone to distortion or, worse, ruin the heads of bolts or nuts, while the use of cheap, overly malleable metals means they’re rarely suited to a long life.

However, you can still get some perfectly decent tools without having to spend mega bucks, especially for sockets that have a specialist purpose, such as undoing worn threads or attaching to unusual sizes.

We’ve also looked at an upper mid-market complete socket set, with wrenches, wobble bars and extensions included.

Draper Expert 16461 – Metric Socket and Socket Bit Set, 149 pieces How much: £174.54 (inc VAT) Where from: drapertools.com If you’re looking for a socket set that you’ll use every day and will be sufficient to complete most automotive jobs, then the latest offering from Draper’s Expert range takes some beating.

Supplied with ¼, 3/8 and ½-inch reversible ratchets, this metric set is intuitive and comfortable to use.

The sockets themselves are made of hardened steel with a Chrome Vanadium finish and a knurled section to allow more confident handling with oily fingers.

In addition to standard sockets, the set comes with wobble bars, spark plug sockets and Torx, Hex, screwdriver and E-Socket fixings – it’s a pretty comprehensive piece of kit.

HHHHH

HOW WE TESTED THEM Using our trustworthy F-registered Land Rover as a project vehicle, we had all manner of gnarled nuts, rusted-on bolts and heavy-duty threads to deal with, along with a uniquely British confusion of metric and imperial measurements. Just the job for specialist sockets…

As well as ease of use, we assessed the sockets on their weight, quality and ability to be stored in an orderly manner, as well as any special features that made them stand out.

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Sealey AK2695 – Socket Set 12pc 1/2”SQ DR 6pt Walldrive Metric How Much: £35.94 (inc VAT) Where from: sealey.co.uk

Sealey AK 2742 – Socket Set 12pc 1/2”SQ Drive Lock-On Metric How much: £54.54 (inc VAT) Where from: sealey.co.uk Another simple but effective solution from Sealey, these ‘Lock-On’ sockets are specifically designed for removing bolts that have been chewed up or distorted by conventional sockets or air tools.

The insert part of the bit is ridged and stepped, with Sealey claiming it will give purchase on a bolt that’s up to 80 per cent worn. Indeed, on our test we managed to free off a fog light bracket with an almost rounded head as a result of a previous bodge, so they genuinely do work.

Our only real gripe would be the price – at £17 more than the Total Drive sockets, they’re quite expensive, but they’re also a very specialist application, and they work.

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Sealey’s ‘Premier’ range is good enough to be used daily. The sockets are nice to handle and have a knurled finish. The ½-inch drive set comes with 12 metric sockets of popular sizes ranging from 10mm to 24mm, meaning they can be used on wheel bolts and most suspension and steering components, though the lack of an 11mm socket was annoying.

Also, whilst you wouldn’t normally approach an 8mm socket with a half-inch drive ratchet, this is a common size for body panel mounting bolts, so it’s a notable omission.

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Sealey AK70612 – Socket Set 12pc 1/2”SQ Drive Total Drive How much: £37.14 (inc VAT) Where from: sealey.co.uk Sealey’s Total Drive sockets are brilliantly simple, with a multipurpose insert that works on a multitude of different fasteners.

All of the sockets are suitable for Spline, Metric Hex and Metric Bi-Hex bolts, while some sizes are also equivalent to TRX-Star, Whitworth, Imperial Hex and Imperial Bi-Hex. On our test vehicle, we managed to find a socket for every fixing we could locate above 10mm, our only criticism being that an 8mm socket in addition would make this probably the most versatile ½-inch drive set on the market. Like the metric set, the Total Drive sockets have a knurled finish to give extra grip.

Clarke PRO365 – 10 Piece 1/2”Drive AF Socket Set

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How much: £11.88 (inc VAT) Where from: clarketooling.co.uk These Clarke sockets are tremendous value, and in quality terms they’re significantly better than most of the products you’ll find at this price range.

However, they lack the attention to detail of some of the other sockets tested here. They feel less heavy duty and lack any kind of knurled area for additional grip, though Clarke’s ‘Lifetime Guarantee’ gives peace of mind.

But, that said, they’re tough enough for most applications and come with a mounting rack so they can be stored safely in the workshop. A good back-up set of imperial sockets to keep handy.

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OUR FLEET.

Subaru Legacy GT-B It's music to the ears as old speakers make way for some of Focal’s finest

I

f there’s one thing I can’t live with in a car it’s a rubbish stereo, and with a long journey looming earlier this month I decided that enough was enough: the Legacy’s rattling, distorted 15-year-old door speakers had to go.

To be fair to Subaru, I’m sure the nine-speaker standard system was pretty good in its day – it even bears the logo of McIntosh, a posh American audio company. And – most excitingly of all – it takes MiniDiscs. MiniDiscs!

With the door cards off though, it was quickly apparent that a decade and a half had taken its toll on the speakers. In fact, they’d literally disintegrated, so out they came, ready to be replaced by a shiny new set made by French company Focal.

Since I like to make life difficult for myself, I decided to run new speaker cables rather than use the existing ones. Staring at bundles of glossy new wire in Halfords, this seemed like a great idea. In practice though, kneeling on a cold concrete floor an hour into trying to force two wires through a rubber door boot shaped like a lower intestine, you start re-evaluating things.

That (eventually) done, the next job was to deaden the incredibly tinny door panels, so out came the Dynamat.

To be honest, I wasn’t convinced it’d actually do much, but with the mid-range speaker wired up and the door even just half finished, the difference in sound was night and day.

Last but by no means least came securing the tweeter somehow. Since there was no chance of screwing it into the same plastic sail panel bracket that the old one used, I cheated a bit and used something called Sugru – basically a self-curing putty that effectively turns into a flexible, rubbery Plasticine-type material. Still though, it works, so what do I care?

Many, many hours and several grazed knuckles later, I finally have a decent stereo. What’s more, it even drowns out the timing belt noise that I probably should’ve fixed instead. Win-win…

Getting wired for improved sound – but who’d have thought it’d be such a task?

Model: Subaru Legacy GT-B Blitzen Owned by: Jon Reay Engine: 2.0-litre twin-turbo petrol Bought for: $460 + shipping + tax (£2,300-ish total) Mileage: 81,500 Money spent this month: £310.87 Highlight of the month: Actually being able to listen to music in my own car.

MG Metro Turbo

W

ith an impending house move necessitating the Metro vacating its warm garage, I made the cunning decision to free up the space by dumping it on my long-suffering local mechanic.

My smugness soon faded. though, when he returned his diagnosis – head gasket blowing between cylinders three and four, valves that weren’t seating properly and a hole in the inner wing destroying all chances of an MOT. Other than that, he said, it was fine…

Fast forward a few days and things were going well, the cylinder head having returned from the

engineering shop with a light skim and shiny valves, while a quick tickle with the sparkly stick made the inner wing whole again.

Then it all went bad...

Turns out that as well as dumping its coolant into its oil, the Metro was also weeping antifreeze and Severn Trent’s finest through a metal pipe that connects the radiator to the water pump. This wouldn’t have been so bad if the pipe wasn’t obsolete and, as I’d discovered, is prone to rotting out.

That in turn meant that finding a serviceable, second-hand item was far from easy.

OUR WHEELS...

WE LOVE CARS AT WORKSHOP AND HERE’S THE PROOF. WE’VE WRITTEN ABOUT THEM AND EVERYTHING...

44 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

FORD FIESTA XR2

VW TYPE 3 FASTBACK

NISSAN ELGRAND

FORD THUNDERBIRD

by James Baggott Chief executive, @CarDealerEd

by Rebecca Chaplin Head of editorial, @believebecca

by Andy Entwistle Blackball Media MD, @CarDealerAndy

by Rebecca Chaplin Head of editorial, @believebecca

The Fiesta has got an MOT! Good news. But it’s been labelled ‘DANGEROUS’. Full story on that drama next month.

One battery pack and a couple of apprentices is all it took to get the VW fired up and moving again, as Becca explains above.

Taking the family to Center Parcs put a hold on any work. It performed perfectly, but this month I need to sort out the high-speed vibration.

The T-Bird remains stationary but it’s been a good opportunity to look at non-moving parts and establish what it needs to make it complete.

VW Type 3 Fastback A lengthy stint on a driveway finally comes to an end. Now for the MOT...

N

eglect is, admittedly, one of the worst things for a car – particularly if they’re classics. And as I have three (one so neglected it hasn’t even made it into these pages) and only so much time, things get bad quickly.

It feels like only a couple of weeks ago that my insurance ran out on the Type 3 but actually it was about three months. It was parked on my old driveway and fortunately I know the people who now live there, and they let me keep it there until it was back on the road.

I don’t think they were anticipating quite how long that would be, though…

Three magazines have now come and gone but the Type 3 hasn’t really moved – until now.

So, with a battery pack in hand I trudged over to get her going again. One turn of the key, definitely no power, but with the clips attached she fired into life.

I’ve got to admit the fact it was half-filled with petrol was an added bonus!

It sounds like an excuse but living next to the sea really doesn’t help. Brakes suffer badly, as does the metalwork.

You see, when I parked it up I hadn’t planned for it to stay on the driveway that long, so it was parked nose-first against a wall. I’d need to reverse it off the driveway, but was convinced it was in the wrong gear and I’d go ploughing into

Calls to various specialists drew a blank, but a chance look on a certain internet auction site threw a lifeline in the shape of a rather tidy, early Mk1 Metro being broken.

A couple of days and 30 quid later and the Mk1’s pipe was duly delivered to the garage.

So everything’s all good, right? Erm, no.

Said garage’s staff don’t seem to communicate and the pipe and the Metro have yet to hook up, my phone call asking if the car was ready to collect being met with a simple ‘Oh, we’ve got the pipe, then?’

Still, it’s been a fair while since I’ve driven the

SUBARU LEGACY GT-B

It's alive! The Type 3 is coaxed back into action, courtesy of a battery pack said wall. Fortunately, and I’m sure you have these in your workshops too, I had a couple of apprentices on hand to push it.

It’s now back in the Workshop Magazine car park and final MOT checks have been done.

Annoyingly, though, it’s summer and everyone seems to have decided to get their car MOTed, so I’ll be waiting another week for it to – hopefully – be approved for the road.

Model: Volkswagen Type 3 Fastback 1600E Owned by: Rebecca Chaplin Engine: 1.6-litre Bought for: £3,500 Mileage: 92,963 Money spent this month: £0 Highlight of the month: Hearing her fire into life once again.

Model: 1986 MG Metro Turbo Owned by: Christian Tilbury Engine: 1.3-litre, four-cylinder Bought for: £680 Mileage: 67,990 Money spent this month: £30 Highlight of the month: Finding the obsolete water pipe that ‘should’ put the Metro back on the road. car, so a couple more weeks of waiting won’t hurt.

It’ll also give me the time to recover from the news that the invoice currently sits at the thick end of £800. Ouch.

BMW 330D TOURING

MG METRO TURBO

NISSAN 200SX

PEUGEOT 205 GTi

by Jon Reay Multimedia manager, @JonReay

by Jack Evans Features editor, @jackrober

by Christian Tilbury Staff writer, @Christilbury1

by Darren Cassey Senior staff writer, @DCassey

by James Baggott Chief executive, @CarDealerEd

Two jobs are sorted for the price of one after Jon decides to install a thoroughly modern speaker system, as reported above. Result!

The BMW has developed a somewhat lumpy idle, so it would appear a rather large bill is beckoning. At least the car’s clean!

With a refurbished cylinder head and inner wing, the Metro’s on its way to recovery, as detailed above.

Shame about Christian’s wallet...

It’s been a quiet month after the large MOT bill. Twenty quid on an ignition coil to try to fix the misfire failed. Troubleshooting continues...

I’ve finally paid the bill for all the work Matt did to get the GTi running. My wallet is crying now it’s £628 lighter.

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OUR KEV.

OUR MAN ON THE INSIDE SPILLS THE BEANS ON THE GARAGE BUSINESS...

Can gormless Gove help us meet the challenges we face?

M uch has been made in the news recently of the government’s decision to ban the sale of new petrol- and diesel-only cars from 2040 onwards, but like all sensationalist stories, the media have left out some of the most important parts.

It doesn’t help, of course, that rather than announce the plans after a consultation period, or in the House of Commons, our illustrious leaders instead decided to wheel out that slimy toad Michael Gove to blurt on at the cameras about ‘dirty diesels’, wiping out, in one fell swoop, all of the hard work that some of the world’s best engineers have put into making the modern generation of diesel engines anything but that.

But then, much as when he was education secretary, Gove is squawking on about a subject he has no real idea or experience of, so this is no more than we can expect.

What is frustrating, though, is the knee-jerk reaction the ‘ban’ has caused in the media. After all, we’re talking about a law that will be implemented in 23 years’ time.

To put that into perspective, 23 years ago, Britain’s bestselling car was the Ford Escort – the 1.3-litre version of which came with an engine that was little developed from that of the 1959 Ford Anglia. Environmental controls came in the form of a catalytic converter, and you felt that you were doing your bit for the environment if you had a car that would run on unleaded petrol.

The Escort of the time came with an optional airbag, a tape player and, if you pushed the boat out, electric windows and central locking that worked off the key.

It was also one of the most fundamentally miserable cars ever made, but that’s a subject for a different column.

What I’m getting at here is that in 23 years’ time, who knows what technological developments will have come along to change things? And how many of the diesel-only cars that are leaving showrooms this month are actually going to still be on the road 23 years hence? The survival numbers will be minuscule. And, anyway, it’s not as if these cars will be banned from the road, you simply won’t be allowed to buy a new one.

I have no doubt at all that the car industry will evolve to meet these challenges head-on – it’s just another phase of evolution. But what concerns me more is how today’s young mechanics will be able to cope with them.

At the moment, the vast majority of plug-in hybrids and wholly electric vehicles are still within the care of main dealers. Most of these dealerships have technicians who are specifically trained in electric drive systems, but it’s not the kind of skill your average young mechanic is going to pick

up on his City and Guilds, at least not yet. And keeping an older car within the care of a main dealer when it reaches middle age is going to wipe out any potential cost savings it has at the pumps.

So where do we go from here? Historically, of course, us mechanics have had to adapt, to learn our way around ECUs, increasingly computerised diagnostic systems and fly-by-wire steering and braking systems.

These things are high-tech, but are also fundamentally straightforward in that they’re built into a car’s central control units. Unless it’s a major software meltdown, which does occasionally happen, we can still fix most things.

But as far as vehicle electrics go, we’re used to 12 volts, not upwards of 400 – and the difference between an electric shock and instant death is quite a big one.

In 2040, I’ll be 65. I may have retired, but all of these changes will start to evolve within my working life, and the knowledge and development of my staff is critical to the success of my garage.

So, if we’re going to accept that electric cars, be they wholly electric or plug-in hybrid, are the way forward, then we also need to put mechanisms in place to ensure that all those who are working in automotive workshops at the moment – and, critically, the youngsters coming into the trade – have all of the skills and knowledge necessary to work on them safely, and with half a chance of getting them going again when they inevitably fail.

I have every faith in their ability to learn and adapt – after all, an engineer’s job is to solve problems – but the government needs to put the right type of training and investment in place to ensure that happens.

And given Michael Gove’s track record when it comes to education, I can’t see it happening any time soon…

Environment secretary Michael Gove

WHO IS OUR KEV? If we told you, we’d have to kill you... What we can say is he’s been around for longer than he cares to remember and has a fund of stories to tell...

46 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

”

We can still fix most things.

But as far as vehicle electrics go, we’re used to 12 volts, not upwards of 400 – and the difference between an electric shock and instant death is quite a big one.

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