Workshop Issue 14 by James Baggott

OUR KEV: THE DAY I GOT THAT SINKING FEELING WITH AN OLD CITROEN BX GTi

ISSUE 14 | NOVEMBER 2016

£2.50 | WORKSHOPMAGAZINE.CO.UK

+ INVESTIGATION

TAXI TESTS

RATED & RANKED

The town that could be facing an MOT revolution

Wrenches and socket sets put through their paces

+ FAULT FINDER

LIGHT RELIEF

What to do when an ESP bulb won’t go out

PLUS: The professionals’ verdicts on battery jump packs

LEGAL ADVICE Test-driving a car for a customer? You’re being watched FEATURE

ROCKET SCIENCE Faster than a fighter jet: the astonishing story behind the car that could set an unbreakable record

Think Filters. Think Blue Print. Blue Print provides the automotive aftermarket with an exceptional offer of oil, air, fuel and cabin filters. • Extensive range of over 1,800 filters • Constant research and development • Designed and manufactured to meet OE standards • All filters undergo stringent and regular quality checking • Industry-leading online catalogue with OEM level accuracy

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CONTENTS.

EDITORIAL

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

HEAD OF NEWS & FEATURES REBECCA CHAPLIN rebecca@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @BelieveBecca

PRODUCTION EDITOR DAVE BROWN

dave@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @CarDealerDave

NEWS EDITOR JACK EVANS

An un-fare proposal? Testing times for garages as a local council tries to take taxi MOTs in-house

jack@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @jackrober

SENIOR STAFF WRITER ANDREW EVANS

STAFF WRITER LAURA THOMSON

laura@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @lauramayrafiki

HEAD OF DESIGN GRAEME WINDELL

graeme@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @graemewindell

ADVERTISING

jon@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @CarDealerjon

SUITS

SALES MANAGER JON HICKEY

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER JAMES BAGGOTT

ACCOUNT MANAGER TOM ADAMS

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

FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION finance@blackballmedia.co.uk

james@thebaize.com Twitter: @CarDealerEd

MANAGING DIRECTOR ANDY ENTWISTLE andy@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @CarDealerAndy

CONTRIBUTORS Alex Wells, Jon Reay, John Bowman, Chris Jervis 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 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.

PICTURE COURTESY OF FLOCK LONDON

andrew@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @snavEwerdnA

Bloodhound SSC: One of the most incredible engineering projects on the planet

Our Kev: We were so glad our customer didn’t witness this farce at our workshop!

How I Made It: Harry Charles changed his life with persistence and a lot of hard work

Welcome

HOW do you go about building a one-off car that’s not only super-quick but can travel faster than a low-altitude fighter plane? Andrew has been finding out this month on a trip to Bristol to see the incredible Bloodhound SSC and the extremely talented engineers behind the concept of doing Mach 1.4 on wheels – and you can read his interview with the crew and driver on page 20. Definitely not breaking any land-speed records recently were Jon and Laura, who’ve been on the annual Bangers4Ben rally organised by our sister title Car Dealer. The trek from Dover to Maranello and back, via some of the best driving roads that the Alps can offer, required the teams to buy a car for no more than £750 and creatively decorate it, raising money for Ben, the charity for the automotive industry, when the cars are auctioned off at BCA. Find out more on page 46. Laura’s been looking at a fascinating project car this month, as Bentley sets its apprentices the task of restoring a classic T-Series 6¾.

Fault to Fix: Make light work of a problem with VW group cars

Put through their paces: Our expert tester Andrew looks at socket sets and adjustable spanners – and our panel of mechanics assesses battery jump packs I’ve been over to Enfield to talk to Harry Charles about how he went from being laid off as a vehicle painter to running his own very successful car body repair business, and looking into reports that Scarborough council is going to require all local taxis and private hire vehicles to undergo MOTs in-house, taking business away from local testing centres. Under the product-testing microscope this month are adjustable wrenches and socket sets, while our expert panel has been looking at battery jump packs ready for the winter deluge of flattened batteries. It’s the usual packed issue of Workshop, with legal advice from The Judge, Autologic’s Fault Finder and a tale of towing woe from Our Kev. We hope you have as much fun reading it as we’ve had putting it together.

Rebecca Chaplin, Head of News and Features WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

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NEWS.

SCARBOROUGH FAIR? TIMES LOOM FOR MOT

INVESTIGATION The consistency of MOT tests has been brought into question by Scarborough council, which wants to take over the process, but REBECCA CHAPLIN finds the local authority rather reluctant to discuss the pressing questions thrown up by such a move.

“

carborough Borough Council is looking to take MOT testing for taxis and hackney carriages in-house and it’s caused uproar in the area. There are an estimated 600 taxis operating there and they have to be MOTed twice a year to retain their licences. This equates to more than £42,000 in revenue for the council – revenue that local businesses should be taking a share of. The council released a draft policy in early October that included changes to how the taxis and hackney carriages will receive licences to operate in Scarborough. Under item 3.4 of the Draft Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Policy, it reads: ‘All MOT tests and vehicle licence compliance checks shall be carried out at Scarborough

The consistency of existing MOT tests is of concern to us, particularly considering the results from snap inspections we have conducted since October 2015. JONATHAN BRAMLEY, ENVIRONMENT AND REGULATION MANAGER AT SCARBOROUGH BOROUGH COUNCIL

04 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

Borough Council’s garage, Dean Road Depot, Dean Road, Scarborough, YO12 7QS. ‘Any MOT tests or licence compliance checks carried out by any other garage/testing centre on hackney carriage or private hire vehicles shall not be accepted.’ For taxi firms and garages in the local area, the biggest issue is cost. Those affected have already organised a petition that has garnered more than 250 signatures. Workshop Magazine has asked the questions why and how will this change work? In the draft policy, the council explains that the standard of vehicles transporting people in the local area is crucial, but its reasoning is worrying. ‘Licensed vehicles are often used by people who are vulnerable, for example: the young, elderly, disabled, those who have consumed too much alcohol or are in an unfamiliar place or

TESTING MARKET because the destination is remote and isolated,’ reads the draft policy. ‘The fit and proper test is therefore vital in protecting the travelling public, enabling them to have confidence in the taxi and private hire trade.’ Jonathan Bramley, who as Scarborough council’s environment and regulation manager is the author of the draft policy, was unwilling to comment to Workshop Magazine about the topic but he did explain some of the council’s concerns to Yorkshire Coast Radio. ‘We are aware that the proposed requirement for all private hire and hackney carriage MOT tests and compliance checks to be undertaken at our own depot in Scarborough is of concern to some of those operating in the trade. However, it is for good reasons that we are proposing this change,’ said Bramley. ‘Presently, an MOT may be undertaken at any MOT-certified garage anywhere in the country, with the additional compliance checks being undertaken by our licensing officers during a twoweek period, twice a year. ‘The consistency of existing MOT tests is of concern to us, particularly considering the results from snap inspections we have conducted since October 2015, where faults were found with vehicles which had only recently undergone and passed an MOT test. We do not think this is an acceptable situation for vehicles entrusted with carrying members of the public.’ Workshop Magazine contacted both Scarborough council and the DVSA to find out whether any action had been taken against the garages which, according to the council, had been found to be supplying MOT

MOT tests mean valuable income for garages but Scarborough council has other ideas certificates it was unhappy with. Despite our numerous requests, though, the council has so far been unable to supply any evidence to verify this. However, the DVSA’s MOT service manager, Neil Barlow, explained that they hadn’t been notified of the council’s concerns, stating: ‘DVSA is unaware of poor MOT test quality in that area, and if there is any intelligence we would welcome receipt of it and investigate. We will not hesitate to remove the licence of any garage that is failing to meet the required standards.’ We also queried: n The number of spot checks that were undertaken in the past 12 months; n How many found the taxi or hackney carriage to be unsafe; n What those issues were. Again, though, Scarborough council did not comment on this. As reported by Bramley, the legislation requires taxis to undertake a second check with Scarborough council’s licensing officers within a two-week period. He argued that doing things this way is, in part, to combine two aspects of the test and make the process easier for taxi drivers. ‘The revised vehicle testing process we are proposing would combine both test elements into one comprehensive inspection at our depot,’ he said. ‘Not only will this provide consistency in terms of tests, it will negate the need for drivers to attend separate MOT and compliance visits. It would also allow us to set inspection criteria above that specified in a standard MOT test – for example, the testing of fixings and

equipment fitted to vehicles that have been modified to carry wheelchairs. ‘At present, there is no form of certification that assesses whether such modifications have been undertaken safely and in accordance with manufacturers’ instructions, so we could improve this significantly.’ The DVSA confirmed that the council was within its rights to set the testing criteria for taxis in its area. Barlow explained: ‘Local authorities can determine the regime that best suits them for checking the roadworthiness of taxis. ‘The DVSA has a responsibility for ensuring the quality of testing in MOT garages – and will conduct checks in response to indicators of risk of poor-quality testing or intelligence.’ This is not something isolated to Scarborough, though, with councils nationwide advising taxi drivers to go to selected garages which are approved to undertake MOTs on taxis and hackney carriages. A decision about the new Scarborough policy is due to be made on November 9, with local private hire and hackney carriage trades encouraged to respond to it. Those opposed to the changes can also sign the petition, and links to both can be found on the Workshop Magazine website at workshopmagazine.co.uk Responses to the survey will then be viewed by the council and, if approved, the changes will be implemented in January 2017. Bradley added in his radio interview: ‘We know that for the vast majority of licensed drivers customer safety is of paramount importance, so we hope they can understand that the changes we are proposing are simply a way of us ensuring those same high standards are maintained consistently throughout the borough.’ WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

| 05

NEWS. | CONVENTION |

NGK Spark Plugs wins supplier title NGK Spark Plugs (UK) Ltd is celebrating winning a prestigious supplier award. The leading provider of original equipment spark plugs, glow plugs, and NTK Lambda and other engine management sensors was presented with A1 Motor Stores’ (AIMS) Component Product of the Year award at the AIMS Convention held in Verbania at Lake Maggiore, Italy. It was presented to NGK deputy general manager for sales and business development Tim Ward and Stuart Bayne, who is sales manager – north. Ward said: ‘It is fantastic to have received such a coveted award from AIMS members, with whom we have enjoyed a long and successful relationship over many years.’

| INITIATIVE |

Lifetime warranty for range of parts EURO Car Parts is to offer a first-tomarket lifetime warranty on a wide range of mechanical parts. The initiative will provide repairers with an extra profit opportunity, with the warranty bought from Euro Car Parts and then either sold on to the vehicle owner or used as a marketing tool to further improve their offer. Martin Gray, Euro Car Parts’ UK chief executive, said: ‘This is another example of our commitment to the independent aftermarket. It gives customers another reason to seek the services of independent repairers.’

| BOOM TIME |

Busy times for team at Nebula Systems THE team at Nebula Systems Ltd are busier than ever as they continue to work through enquiries generated at Automechanika Frankfurt. The world-leading aftermarket show saw Nebula introduce MECH5, their game-changing diagnostics platform for independent garages, to a global aftermarket audience. The next-generation diagnostics system is a secure, cloud-based, vehicle data analytics platform that can help garages access the wealth of data within the ECUs of modern vehicles from any device through the cloud.

06 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

From left: Chloe Barnett, Gemima Christodoulou-Peace, Kieran Daniel, Prince Michael of Kent, Dawn Swales (Nationwide Just Car Clinics), Andrew Mallery (Mercedes-Benz UK Apprentice Academy and Technical Training Centre), Saskia Charnock , Dexter Truscott and Andrew Gault

IMI honours ‘best of best’ apprentices with awards But the government is urged to help drive up standards by rethinking cuts to state funding for some training courses

he ‘best of the best’ apprentices in the motor retail sector have been honoured by the Institute of the Motor Industry at its Outstanding Achievers Awards 2016. The winners and finalists were chosen from more than 100,000 learners within the IMI network of 660-plus centres, with the aim of recognising apprentices that had excelled in their courses. The IMI said the winners were future leaders and current role models, setting a benchmark. The event at the IMI headquarters in Hertford was attended by learners as young as 15, as well as parents and guardians, tutors and IMI patron Prince Michael of Kent. IMI chief executive Steve Nash said: ‘The finalists of our awards work in a sector where advancing technologies put skills in high demand and where high customer expectations mean that having the best personnel is vital to the success of a business. The finalists who have reached this stage form a vital part of the future of an industry which is a critical part of the UK economy.’ However, all isn’t rosy, according to Nash. ‘The future is bright for these individuals,’ he said. ‘But we have a concern that it will be less positive for those coming up behind them –

by ANDREW EVANS @snavEwerdnA and the employers looking to address the ever-widening skills gap. ‘The Department for Education and Skills published proposals in August that would cut state funding for some vocational training courses for 16- to 19-year-olds by as much as 50 per cent. ‘Many businesses fear they won’t be able to secure apprenticeship places at these new rates because the courses won’t be economically viable for providers to run. The changes are due to be implemented next May and, coming on top of the introduction of the new Apprenticeship Levy and the introduction of a new type of apprenticeship which requires employers to take on the administrative burden, we feel more time is needed to make sure employers fully understand and are ready for the changes. ‘We are urging the government to ease back on the timescales, allowing employers to catch up and work with organisations like the IMI to develop a full suite of new standards under the new funding model, rather than artificially force the pace by slashing the funding for existing frameworks.’

THE WINNERS OF THE 2016 IMI OUTSTANDING ACHIEVERS AWARDS Approved Centre of the Year Winner: Mercedes-Benz UK (Apprentice Academy and Technical Training Centre) Finalists: Derby College, New College Lanarkshire Specialist Centre of the Year Winner: Nationwide Just Car Clinics Outstanding Student in… Light Vehicle Winner: Gemima Christodoulou-Peace Finalists: Harry Garraway, Hannah Mills, Paul Tempest, Zackary LaurenceGutteridge Heavy Vehicle Winner: Dexter Truscott Finalists: Adam Fairhurst, Luke Sims Bus & Coach Winner: Brian Henderson Body Repair Winner: Andrew Gault Finalists: Aiden McCarthy, Kyle Harbour Paint Winner: Chloe Barnett Finalist: Jessica Wallis Fast-Fit Winner: Alexander Robertson Finalist: Darius Harrison Non-Technical Winner: Kieran Daniel Finalists: Daniel McBeth, Elliott McAnally Young Student of the Year (14-16) Winner: Saskia Charnock Finalist: Daniel Swallow

NEWS ROUND-UP

| PERSONNEL |

Schaeffler announces staff appointments

What’s been making the headlines at workshops around the United Kingdom? STOCKTON:

A young woman is on track to fulfil her ambition to become a motor vehicle technician after securing an apprenticeship with Jennings Kia in the north-east of England. Lucy Mallon, 17, is the first female apprentice motor vehicle technician to be taken on in the service department at the Jennings Kia dealership on Concorde Way in Stockton. Lucy said: ‘I have always wanted to learn about how an engine works.’

BELFAST:

LINCS:

Employees at Eminox Limited raised more than £3,000 for Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice with sponsored events. Fundraising started with an 80-mile bike ride, which raised more than £2,700. This was followed by a cake sale at the company’s manufacturing and office facility in Gainsborough, which raised a further £355. The company manufactures exhaust after-treatment systems that are retrofitted on buses.

Ignition specialist NGK Spark Plugs (UK) Ltd held its 25th Northern Ireland Golf Day with 24 players competing at the Royal Belfast Golf Club. It was a case of old rivalries being resumed as many of the competitors had taken part in the company’s inaugural Northern Ireland Golf Day in 1992 at Ballyclare Golf Club. After the tournament, the group enjoyed dinner and presentations at the famous Deanes Meat Locker Restaurant.

| BRIDGESTONE |

Firm celebrates back-to-back titles GLOBAL tyre manufacturer Bridgestone is celebrating backto-back Tyre Manufacturer of the Year titles from the National Tyre Distributors Association (NTDA) for the first time. In an awards ceremony held at The Vox Conference Centre in Birmingham, Bridgestone walked away with not only the Tyre Manufacturer of the Year trophy but also the Staff Training & Development Award. NTDA chief executive Stefan Hay commented: ‘This is another fantastic result for Bridgestone.’

BIRMINGHAM:

Engineering students are set to benefit from a new educational partnership formed between two colleges and MG Motor UK. The agreement with South and City College Birmingham and neighbouring Bournville College will see MG provide four branded MG3 3Form Sport models for use by the colleges along with surplus vehicles for students working towards motorsport and engineering qualifications.

CORNWALL:

Halfords has apologised after a fire broke out in a van which had just had a new battery fitted. Benjamin Lean’s Ford Transit Connect van started to burn after the task was carried out at the chain’s Camborne Retail Park branch. Halfords said: ‘There was an underlying issue with the vehicle’s alternator, unrelated to the battery fitting.’ The company apologised because Mr Lean experienced sub-standard customer service after the incident.

AUTOMOTIVE replacement part specialist Schaeffler has announced two new staff appointments at its UK offices. Matt Selby has been promoted to the position of northern regional sales manager. Selby joined Schaeffler Automotive Aftermarket in 2007, working as territory manager and key account manager. Joining Schaeffler will be Rebecca Dixon-Kennedy, who takes up a role as marketing and digital media executive at the company’s marketing office near Birmingham. The Schaeffler Group generated sales of 11.2 billion Euros in 2013 and employs more than 80,000 personnel worldwide.

| ACQUISITION |

Ring Automotive buys Carnation Designs

LONDON:

A blaze at Danphil Tyres in Lamb Lane, Hackney, destroyed the workshop and five cars on the premises, as well as causing damage to nearby buildings including a converted office. The fire broke out around lunchtime on Saturday, October 22, with 10 fire engines and more than 70 firefighters from the London Fire Brigade attending and continuing to damp the fire down overnight. The cause is as yet unknown.

RING Automotive, a leading lighting and auto electrical supplier, has announced the acquisition of Carnation Designs. The agreement sees Ring acquiring the trade and specified assets of Carnation Designs, a supplier of power management and equipment control systems for the special purpose vehicle market, allowing both organisations to pool their resources and skills to develop the business. Carnation Designs will benefit from access to increased investment and support in new product development, while for Ring the move will reinforce its position within the aftermarket and vehicle conversion sector. WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

| 07

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10314

NEWS.

Academy support for independents Euro Car Parts delighted to unveil new training initiative

uro Car Parts has unveiled its Euro Academy, designed specifically to support the independent garage. Boasting IMI-certified training, the unique and innovative technical resource is a membership-based initiative and encompasses a technical phone helpline plus an online diagnostics database that includes a reference library of previous faults. The database grows every day, with more than 2,500 repair details added weekly. Supported by training specialist Grup Eina, the Euro Academy covers all areas of vehicle maintenance, including electrical, electronic, mechanical and diagnostic fault-finding. For master technicians, courses take place at one of ECP’s IMI-approved training centres, which boast more than 30 cars fitted with electronic fault simulators and are all able to replicate real-life vehicle issues.

The ground-breaking An Euro Academy academy programme covers training three levels of vehicle membership. Level one offers unlimited use of helpline time, as well as access to Euro vehicle troubleshooting and online assessments for technicians. Level two adds to that with a two-day training course, while level three offers three two-day training courses every year. The first 200 garages to sign up for the initiative will receive a weekend package to attend Autoinform Live, including hotel accommodation and dinner with the Euro Car Parts team, to be held over the weekend of November 19 and 20. Martin Gray, UK chief executive at ECP, which supplies parts for cars and LCVs, said: ‘Euro Car

Parts is passionate about the UK’s independent garage network, and by investing in programmes such as the Euro Academy, we want to make sure our trade customers are well-placed to further build on their far-reaching levels of quality and service. Working in partnership with our members, we will continue to invest in and develop the Euro Academy to ensure that the independent garage sector is robustly positioned for the transport infrastructure of the future.’ Membership is available via the ECP branch network and paid for in monthly instalments.

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| 09

NEWS. | COMPETITION |

Garage owner’s delight at car prize D & S AUTOS Ltd has become the first trade customer to win a new Peugeot 108 car in the ‘Cars and Stars’ promotion from GSF Car Parts. Delighted garage owner Chris Kellett arrived at the Northampton branch to pick up his shiny prize. ‘Cars and Stars’ – GSF’s biggest ever trade promotion – started in September and offers Love2Shop vouchers worth £100, £250 or £500 based on hitting individual 1, 2 or 3 star spend targets, across each of the three months until the end of November. Kellett said: ‘We found out we’d won about 10 days ago. To hear you’ve reached

| ROADWORTHINESS |

Consultation under way on exemptions for more vehicles THE Department for Transport has opened up a consultation on whether to extend MOT exemptions for historic vehicles. At present, vehicles manufactured before 1960 are exempt from the annual test of roadworthiness, but a new European Roadworthiness Directive may bring this date considerably nearer to the present, covering many more cars classed as being ‘vehicles of historic interest’ or VHIs. As things stand, the EU directive would apply to vehicles manufactured or registered for the first time at least 30 years ago, but the DfT prefers a cut-off date of 40 years of age to bring the exemption in line with the rolling 40-year exemption from Vehicle Excise Duty. The directive is due to come into force in May 2017. Until ‘Brexit’ negotiations reach their end, the UK remains a member of the EU and is obliged to adhere to EU legislation. While the proposals are based on the notion that those who keep classic cars maintain them to a higher standard, the move is not without its critics. Quentin Willson, journalist and spokesman for FairFuelUK, said: ‘You’re talking here about cars like the Escort Mk1 and the Cortina. ‘They were hardly at the zenith of rustproofing or technical efficiency and need constant maintenance. To think that we could see 1970s Fords, Vauxhalls or Hillmans taking to the road unsupervised really worries me.’

10 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

the monthly target and won £500 is great. I was absolutely over the moon when I heard I’d won the car too.’ The car was given away as part of a monthly prize draw which sees all customers achieving any target eligible. The main prize each month is a new Peugeot 108 – ideal as a courtesy car or family run-around – whilst five lucky winners will also be invited skiing by GSF Car Parts to France’s luxurious Val D’Isere resort in March 2017. Chris added: ‘We’ve been dealing with GSF now for nearly 20 years. It’s a really good relationship.’

The car was handed over at GSF Car Parts’ Northampton branch

A prosthetic leg, a dodgy CD... and a bit of banter Young driver burst out laughing when he saw mickey-taking advisories on MOT paperwork

hen Tommy Miller put his 14-year-old Volkswagen Golf in for its MOT test, he was resigned to the fact it would probably fail. What he wasn’t expecting were three mickey-taking advisories on the official paperwork he received after the test had been carried out. The tester reported that Miller looked like the fictional children’s character Tintin, criticised his taste in music after a CD was left in the car while it was being tested, and even cracked a joke about the prosthetic leg he wears. Luckily perhaps for the garage

by DAVE BROWN @CarDealerDave concerned, 18-year-old Miller saw the funny side and burst out laughing when he saw the document, according to a report in the Daily Star newspaper. The fun began when Miller, who works in a petrol station, put his Golf in for its MOT test at a garage in Kirkwall on the Orkney Islands. When the time came for it to be picked up, he sent a friend in on his behalf to collect the car, which he’d bought for £50 three months ago. It turned out that the friend,

| TYRE SAFETY |

British drivers ‘taking serious risks’ TYRE defects are now the cause of half of all vehicle defect offences for which drivers receive licence penalty points, according to new analysis by Kwik Fit. Data collected by the company from British police forces showed that in 50 per cent of offences in 2015 where the vehicle was declared defective and the driver subsequently received penalty points, a tyre defect was to blame. This figure has increased

from 40 per cent in 2013. The overwhelming majority of these offences were due to tyres having insufficient tread. Roger Griggs, communications director at Kwik Fit, said: ‘These figures reveal that some drivers on British roads are taking serious risks. We would encourage drivers to pay much closer attention to the condition of their tyres – after all, they are the only things keeping their car connected to the road.’

Craig Savage, knew the mechanic, Chris Simpson, and the pair hatched a plot to have a bit of fun. Miller told the Star that Savage emerged with the bad news, adding: ‘Make sure you look at the advisory note.’ He added: ‘I took one look and burst out laughing. I thought it was hilarious.’ Miller’s taste in music was mentioned as there was a CD by German dance music act Cascada in the car – and the prosthetic leg was there because Miller lost a leg to bone cancer two years ago. Strangely, the advisory said Miller ‘must drink beer from it’. Simpson said: ‘It was just a bit of banter.’

| PROMOTION |

Andrew becomes bodyshop boss at repair centre

Mercedes-Benz says Carl is its top truck technician ‘The final was intense but also enjoyable and informative. I was surprised and delighted to emerge as the victor’

A MEMBER of staff at Jennings Ford has been promoted to a managerial role within the wider company. Andrew Gills, 49, from Winlaton in Gateshead, is now bodyshop manager at Jennings Motor Group’s Eslington Park dealership accident repair centre. He has 33 years’ experience in the motor industry and for the past six years has been developing his skills and knowledge working as assistant bodyshop manager at Jennings Ford. He said: ‘I am delighted with the promotion and am looking forward to the many challenges ahead.’ Gills will be responsible for the day-to-day running of the department, which will include working alongside a nine-strong team and ensuring all work is carried out to the highest standard. Group service and bodyshop manager Brian Johnston said: ‘Andrew’s extensive experience and knowledge in aftersales made him the ideal candidate for the position of bodyshop manager.’ The group also operates Ford accident repair centres at its Stockton and Middlesbrough dealerships.

| EMERGENCY |

Garage damaged as tyres go up in flames A TYRE blaze damaged the workshop at a Midlands vehicle repair business. Three crews and around 15 firefighters were called to M&J Motors in Dobbs Street, Blakenhall, Volverhampton, on October 7 to tackle the fire, which saw around 40 tyres go up in flames. A West Midlands Fire Service spokeswoman said: ‘We were called to the garage at 8.06pm. Forty tyres outside were on fire. It caused a little bit of damage to the garage. ‘Two crews from Wolverhampton and one from Fallings Park attended. Police attendance was also requested. Firefighters left at 9.06pm.’

by REBECCA CHAPLIN @BelieveBecca

ercedes-Benz dealer Intercounty Truck & Van knows that it offers the highest standards of care, thanks to technical specialist Carl Nash – 2016 MercedesBenz Truck Technician of the Year. The 40-year-old saw off the challenge from front-line workshop professionals representing other members of the brand’s franchised UK network to claim the award. Nash is based at Intercounty’s Peterborough branch but as the company’s ‘resident expert’ he also assists the service teams at its other workshops in Milton Keynes, Wellingborough and Toddington in dealing with particularly difficult-todiagnose or challenging issues. His prize is a ‘dream ticket’ to the United States. Details of the trip are still being finalised but his itinerary is likely to take in visits to various operations owned by MercedesBenz’s parent company Daimler, including the Detroit diesel engine factory, the Daimler Trucks North America research and development centre in Portland, Oregon and a state-of-the-art Freightliner

Carl Nash, right, is presented with his award by Sam Whittaker dealership in Salt Lake City, Utah. More than 100 technicians entered the competition, by submitting answers to a theory test. The field was then whittled down until six finalists remained. The ‘last men standing’ faced off in a tough day of practical challenges at Mercedes-Benz UK’s Wentworth Park complex near Barnsley. Nash, who joined Intercounty Truck & Van 10 years ago as a vehicle technician, said: ‘The final was intense but also enjoyable and informative. The challenges were tough and I was surprised and delighted to emerge as the victor. Now I can’t wait to get on that plane to America.’ Peterborough depot manager Jason Booth said: ‘As many satisfied customers can attest, Carl’s level of

expertise is outstanding and he is a real asset to our workshop team. He thoroughly deserves his success.’ Nash’s trophy was presented by Sam Whittaker, director of customer services and operations at MercedesBenz and FUSO Trucks, who said: ‘In winning the accolade of MercedesBenz Truck Technician of the Year, Carl has shown a great level of knowledge and understanding of our products and our brand. ‘Over a series of theoretical and practical tests, he and his fellow finalists demonstrated an extremely high level of technical skill.’ Whittaker added: ‘We are incredibly proud to know this exacting standard of work is carried out daily within our dealerships, to help keep our customers’ vehicles working at peak performance.’

| ACQUISITION |

Euro Car Parts takes over Andrew Page business assets EURO Car Parts has acquired all the business assets of UK automotive parts distributor Andrew Page Limited. Together with parent company LKQ Corporation, it has taken over 102 Andrew Page branches, its national distribution centre and corporate office. Euro Car Parts chief executive Martin Gray said: ‘I am delighted to confirm that the future of the Andrew Page business, which

celebrates its UK centenary next year, has been secured. ‘We remain committed to assuring that the iconic Andrew Page brand continues to thrive and will remain separate from Euro Car Parts, but will benefit from our UK infrastructure and inventory, and the financial support of the LKQ Corporation.’ Gray added: ‘I am thrilled to confirm that Mark Saunders will remain as managing

director of Andrew Page and we are committed to retaining all team members.’ LKQ board member Sukhpal Singh Ahluwalia, who founded Euro Car Parts and is LKQ’s UK chairman, said: ‘The acquisition by LKQ firmly demonstrates our ongoing commitment to the UK market, which includes an investment in Euro Car Parts’ brand new 1.6m sq ft distribution centre in Tamworth.’ WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

| 11

NEWS.

Tech ‘could deliver a £40,000 boost’ Way we manage vehicle maintenance will change for the better

ealer revenue could increase by £40,000 per site thanks to technology helping to reinvent the aftersales process, it has been claimed. Vehicle relationship management (VRM) specialist In-Car Cleverness reached the figure by estimating the aftersales benefit across the top 10 dealer groups and predicted that 2017 would prove to be a tipping point in the adoption of technology enabling the dealer, customer and vehicle to communicate in a completely transparent way. Thanks to longer service intervals and more reliable vehicles, the technology – which incorporates remote diagnostics – boosts customer contact, improves client satisfaction and minimises missed sales opportunities or routine maintenance, it says. In-Car Cleverness estimates that telematics-

driven VRM and remote diagnostics will increase aftersales revenues by 10 per cent in dealers that adopt the technology and actively promote the benefits to their customers, equating to an estimated boon of £4 million for the top 10 dealer groups alone – or roughly £40,000 per site. As well as boosting transparency and therefore trust, which keeps customers coming back, VRM ensures important maintenance work that would otherwise be put off or not carried out at all is remedied appropriately. In-Car Cleverness head of sales Paul O’Dowd said: ‘Just a few years ago, dealers started to migrate aftersales services to their websites, making the booking process easier for the customer. Telematics and vehicle relationship

Make sure you comply

Paul O’Dowd management, however, takes this to another level. It is a technology the whole sector, and the consumer, can and should get behind. It not only presents more sales opportunities but increases safety, trust and customer retention. ‘It can change the way we manage vehicle maintenance, laying bare information which was previously unavailable, unless the vehicle was plugged into a good diagnostics tool in the workshop. The inherent transparency of the system and greater trust it imbues will finally start making a real impact in 2017.’

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| 13

FEATURES. HOW I MADE IT

BODY REPAIR ON A MAMMOTH SCALE

REBECCA CHAPLIN visits Spraytech in Enfield to talk to company founder Harry Charles – and finds that sheer persistence has played a huge part in his success

arry Charles got out of bed one day and decided to change his life. He had been laid off from his job as a car painter and resolved to make his dream of having his own bodyshop a reality. ‘I got out of bed at 11 o’clock that morning,’ says Charles. ‘My son was crying, my wife was moaning, then I put the TV on and I saw Richard Branson’s advert where he said you could start something up in the morning and by the afternoon you could be in operation. ‘So I looked in the local paper, found a garage to let and rang them up. In the afternoon, I went down there and that’s how I started.’ That site might be way back in Spraytech’s history these days, but Charles tells me he’s living his dream and it’s more than he could ever have imagined. It doesn’t mean it’s not tough running Spraytech. The bodyshop, based in Enfield, north London, is now the largest of its kind in the

14 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

Spraytech’s base in Enfield, north London Greater London area and the second largest in the country. It’s not been the same story for other bodyshops, however, which have struggled to keep the work coming in. But Charles has proved that if you can establish the right connections, you can make a business viable, and he knew that to make good money

in his line of work he would need to build relationships with insurance companies. ‘It was all about marketing. I didn’t go to a school for marketing but 80 per cent of marketing is persistence. I was persistent. I just kept calling and asking them to take a chance on me. Eventually they said, “OK, come down and see us,”’ he tells me. This is now where the bulk of his business comes from and he’s created a production line for getting damaged cars back on the road as quickly as possible on his two-acre site, but that’s not always as easy as it seems. ‘I’ve been here for 10 years now at this new site. With our other site [next door] it’s a £4million investment.’ Spraytech started on a trading estate before outgrowing it and moving into what was previously a Vauxhall bodyshop, but it wasn’t long before it outgrew that, too. Charles says: ‘My sister

PICTURES: JON REAY

Harry Charles has 80 staff on the payroll these days was working for me at the time and I said, “I can’t work here any more, find me a freehold site” and when I came back she’d found me this.’ It’s been 15 years since Spraytech first opened its doors. Through its early years, Charles was spending almost all his time at the business. ‘I always had a dream that I wanted to run my own business. I went and saw this garage and it had an oven in it so I could eat there. For the first three years my wife didn’t see me. I was doing 18 hours a day sometimes,’ he says. ‘I would even sleep at work. In the day I would collect cars and bring them to the workshop, then

from six o’clock I would put my overalls on and work until two or three o’clock in the morning.’ Those were the days before insurance companies would come knocking on Charles’s door with more work than he could have dreamed of on start-up, when his customers were mostly main dealers. He explains: ‘I’d go to a main dealer, say there’s a dent there and a scratch there. I’d pick everything up – about 16 cars in a day – then at night I’d work on them. I had panel beaters that would come in after work to help me out but mostly I’d just be doing it myself.’

These days, Charles has 80 employees on his payroll and the place is bustling with cars and people. When we arrive there are vehicles in various states of disrepair scattered across the tarmac. We make our way past everything from a van to a Kahn Discovery Sport, an MG F and a Renault Megane to an Aston Martin Rapide S. The customer reception area is a hive of activity as people on phones assist insurance companies. While we wait to be seen, drivers arrive with their paperwork, keen to get on their way. With around 200 cars potentially on site at a time, this is body repair on a mammoth scale. ‘It’s getting tougher and tougher in this industry,’ says Charles. ‘Insurance companies want you to do their cars in 10 days. Sometimes that’s not possible. But if that’s the way they want it, that’s the way we’ve got to do it. I can’t argue.’ He adds: ‘The insurance companies will send us a notification and then the clock starts ticking. You’ve got a certain amount of time before you can bring the car in. For some insurance companies it’s five days, WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

| 15

FEATURES. HOW I MADE IT for others it’s less, I think. It’s not just that customers want their cars done quickly, they want them done properly.’ When a car arrives on site, it will begin an intensive journey. ‘Firstly, it’ll go through estimations, where the insurance company will be sent the estimated cost of fixing that vehicle,’ he explains as one of his team goes through the file for a car that is being processed on the day of our visit. He’s been round the vehicle, highlighting every piece of damage with photographs and recording a CitNOW video. These then go to the insurance company, which will say whether or not it is happy with the estimate. As he’s been so hands-on with everything in his business, I had to ask how he deals with remaining in charge but stepping back from the workshop. Not the case! Charles explains: ‘I’m still down there in the workshop every day because no-one can want it as much as I do.’ It becomes apparent that Charles knows everything about what’s going on in his business as he escorts us through the different areas. From the moment we arrive it’s easy to see what a handful this sort of operation must be to manage. The business is spread across a series of rooms catering for different aspects of the repair process, so it’s no wonder Charles has cameras in every room that he can keep track of from his office. Walking out on to the workshop floor, we first find ourselves in the area for cars that have been resprayed. The cars are checked over with a careful eye and retouched where needed, before being lined up with their shiny new paint to receive their final trim. On the other side of the room, cars are waiting to make their way into the spray booths. There’s no space wasted as the Spraytech team ensure they get the maximum work completed as quickly as possible. Today the final stages of a wheel refurbishment are taking place on a Fiat 500 that has clearly taken the brunt of another vehicle. The 500 is also waiting for fresh paint on its new panels. There are four spray booths in this area and more round the back, which keeps everyone busy. Charles leads us behind the cars and through a door in the corner, which takes us to the bodyshop room. Here, his team are bustling from car to car, fitting new panels that make it difficult to imagine the cars were ever involved in accidents. Speed is vital, so at Spraytech there are five

16 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

The business is spread across rooms catering for different aspects of the repair process

A production line has been created for getting damaged cars back on the road quickly people working in the parts department to keep on top of things. Looking around the car park at the array of panels missing from damaged cars, it becomes easier to start calculating just how many new parts they must need. For that reason, the team keep panels for popular cars in good supply so body repairers can pick them up off the shelf easily. ‘We’ve got a fast-track operation – little jobs, we take them straight in and get them done,’ Charles explains as he takes us through to the next bay. As we walk through the tightly packed area we move into the next space, where bodywork is being prepared for paint. A little further along, cars are being detailed. When you see all the cars amassed together like this, it’s easy to forget that each of these cars has a story – some quite distressing. ‘What I say is, sometimes you have to fix the customer before you can fix the car,’ Charles tells me calmly. ‘These people have been through a

traumatic experience and sometimes they’ll take that out on you. You’ve just got to let them shout and get it out of their system. It doesn’t always work but most of the time they’ll calm down.’ Videos have had a great impact on his business. Customers receive a video when their car arrives on site to let them see what will be done. In some cases this could be the first time a client has seen their car since an accident. Then, at the end of the process, Spraytech will send another video so the customer can see it in its new paint and panels, looking perfect again. The business has been growing impressively over the years but Charles is reluctant to see it expand any more right now. ‘I want to say yes, but at the moment I’m trying to do what I need to with the other site,’ he tells me. ‘I’ve had the other site next door for a year now and we’re trying to adjust to it. ‘Maybe in another year or so, when we’ve got that right, then I might start branching out again.’

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| 17

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FAULT FINDER.

CHRIS ROUTLEDGE OF AUTOLOGIC DISCUSSES DIAGNOSTICS

You don’t have to be psychic to solve ESP issue with Mk60 ABS

Make:

Volkswagen Group

Model:

Volkswagen Golf (2004-2009), Golf Plus (2004-2008), Touran (2003-2014), Audi A3 (2003-2012), Seat Leon (2005-2012), Skoda Octavia (2004-2013)

Fault:

Light could stay on once started, despite a flat or sluggish battery being recharged

Steering angle sender will not pass its basic setting procedure

s winter once again starts to threaten and the temperatures fall, it’s a reminder that this is the time of year where batteries are assaulted by the cold weather and start to go flat. Most of the time, a simple recharge – while inconvenient – will cure your woes, but for owners of certain Volkswagen Group vehicles, a new fault may reveal itself. For those cars fitted with the Mk60 ABS system, a flattened and recharged battery might result in an ESP light staying on after starting. This vital safety system prevents loss of control in certain circumstances and is probably more important in these winter months as road surface friction falls. In such cases, here is how to use AssistPlus to rapidly pinpoint and solve the problem. First, connect the Autologic AssistPlus and check for any relevant fault codes. Try to carry out the basic settings procedure for the steering angle sender. If this isn’t successful, the next step is to check the inputs into the ESP control unit. As you carry out the pre-requisite road test, the ESP control unit looks to check all of its inputs are correct – wheel speeds, steering angle, brake pressure, etc. If any of these inputs aren’t correct, the procedure will fail. A very common cause of a faulty input is the wheel speed sender information showing an error. Observe the live data on all four wheel speeds as you drive the car in a steady direction. The wheel speeds should all be within 1km/h of each other. If a sender drops off or jumps up on the live data, this indicates a problem and will need investigating. Likely causes are: wheel bearing damage, requiring replacement; sender units causing implausible signals, requiring

Common causes:

replacement; incorrect wheel/tyre size on one or more axle; ABS ECU defective. Should the ESP light remain active after a repair – for example, when replacing the steering rack with a remanufactured or second-hand part – you’ll need to follow the process below. The replacement steering rack (assuming that the correction generation of rack is fitted – this should be checked) should already have a torque curve inputted to it, and should just require the steering angle sender basic settings to be carried out. If this can’t be carried out successfully, please check the following adaptions in the steering assistance control unit:

Adaption channel 3: ABS system 0 = Mk 60 2 = Mk 60EC1 1 = No ESP fitted Adaption channel 4: Parallel parking system (Gen 2/3 rack only) 0 = Park assist fitted to car 2 = Park assist not fitted to car

Wheel bearing damage or sender unit issues

Adaption channel 9: Location of steering angle sender (Gen 3 rack only) 0 = Sender located inside the steering rack unit 1 = Sender located on steering column If the adaptions are set correctly, then carry out the ESP control unit input checks mentioned previously. You should now be able to identify the cause and repair accordingly.

WHO IS CHRIS ROUTLEDGE? Chris is master technician at Autologic Diagnostics Ltd. He discusses the most common vehicle faults – plus how to diagnose and fix them fast – in Workshop Magazine every month. WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

| 19

FEATURES.

SONIC BOOM BOYS ANDREW EVANS discovers that trying to break the land speed record these days really is rocket science. The stage is being set as Bloodhound SSC noses towards the power and the glory...

t may not look like much from the outside, but an industrial unit in Avonmouth, Bristol, is home to one of the most incredible engineering projects on the planet right now. Flanked by tile shops, joiners and a branch of Screwfix, there are very few exterior clues that this building contains a bleeding-edge meld of automotive and aerospace technology designed to take one man to more than 1,000mph in a car. The only subtle nod is a unit number sign printed in the project’s signature navy blue and orange colours. Avonmouth is the base of operations for the next British assault on the land speed record: Bloodhound SSC. Since the record was established in 1898, the UK has held on to the title for 82 years in total, including the current 33-year run. When it comes to land speed record projects, there can’t be any with a better foundation than Bloodhound SSC. Project leader Richard Noble was the man who recaptured the land speed record for the United Kingdom after 20 years of American dominance. By driving his Rolls-Royce Avon-powered Thrust 2 (Thrust 1 had crashed at RAF Fairford six years previously) to an average speed of 633.47mph in 1983, Noble beat the record that had been held for 13 years by Gary Gabelich’s rocket-powered Blue Flame by just over 11mph. Noble says: ‘When we got that record we were absolutely exhausted – the whole team was shattered – and then suddenly it was all over. One moment you’re protecting the course, the next everyone’s walking all over it. What I took from that is that you can do these big projects with small teams, if you get the right people.’ Noble followed up the success of the coppercoloured Thrust 2 with a truly remarkable project to not just take the land speed record but take it to an entirely new level. The clue was in the name, as Thrust SSC – or

20 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

The housing for the V8 engine and rocket motor that will propel Bloodhound Super Sonic Car – was aimed at taking a car beyond the speed of sound. ‘When we discovered the Americans were after the supersonic record, that was our next move.’ Thrust SSC was a landmark in more than just outright speed. The supersonic vehicle was created and conceived in an era where the world wide web was rapidly growing, and the team were early adopters – creating a website that hit more than 11 million page views a week at its peak. It was also an early experiment in crowd-funding, with the Mach 1 Club allowing interested members of the public to sign up. ‘Our website was the fifth largest in the world in 1997.’ says Noble. ‘We were the first in the world to do crowdfunding. ‘We had a real problem – we couldn’t get to America. We had the aeroplane, an Antonov which had been loaned to us, but we couldn’t afford the fuel. So we went out to all the followers and said “$25 a head please and we’ll give you a

fuel certificate signed by driver Andy Green”. ‘Andy had a hell of a job signing all these certificates, but the fuel flowed at 30,000 gallons a day. That opened our eyes – we realised we could do these projects.’ The team behind Thrust SSC were also pioneers of computational fluid dynamics (CFD). While CFD had been used before to develop aircraft, the supersonic car was the first ground vehicle ever to be developed using the technique, as the engineers and chief aerodynamicist Ron Ayers sought to understand what would happen to a wheeled vehicle at dangerous transonic speeds without having to find a wind tunnel capable of generating sufficient airflow. The CFD process was validated by rocket tests at Pendine Sands in south Wales. Noble adds: ‘Thrust SSC was a huge leap forward in innovation, creativity, the use of CFD, the rocket test programme – we were the first ever to do computation fluid dynamics for a car, 10 years

PICTURES COURTESY OF FLOCK LONDON AND STEFAN MARJORAM

FACTFILE

Bloodhound SSC uses a hybrid jet/rocket motor set-up, with the jet bringing the car up to 350mph and the rocket firing to take it to top speed.

A supercharged Jaguar V8 engine sits in the middle of the car, acting as a fuel pump for the rocket motor.

3 4 5

With the two power systems, the eight-tonne car will reach 1,000mph from rest in just 55 seconds. At its design speed, Bloodhound will cover the measured mile in 3.6 seconds.

Bloodhound’s front upright assembly, left, and aerodynamic composite bodywork ahead of Formula One, and that got us the car.’ was potent enough to turn Noble’s mind back Thrust SSC eventually met its target. Returning to the record and a potential defence. The to the same Black Rock Sands venue where first motions of the project were nicknamed Noble set his 1983 record, Thrust SSC’s driver, ‘Bloodhound’ after the surface-to-air missile that Wing Commander Andy Green, took the giant, chief aerodynamicist Ron Ayers had worked twin-jet vehicle to a combined average speed of on while at the Bristol Aeroplane Company in 763.035mph. Green exceeded the local speed of the 1950s and 1960s. The Bristol Bloodhound sound in both of his runs, becoming the first man formed a major element of the UK’s defence verified to have driven a car at above Mach 1. systems throughout that time, so it was a rather The record set by Noble and Green in 1997 appropriate nickname that ended up sticking. seemed unassailable – between the two men, the Tragically, Fossett died in 2007 when his plane record had been increased by more than 20 per disappeared in the High Sierra in California, but cent in 15 years with no challengers – but word development of the Bloodhound project was well came from across the Atlantic of a rival... under way. Noble comments: ‘We made it, and Legendary all-round record breaker Steve then we swore we’d never do this again. Then the Fossett had bought a prototype land speed late and great Steve Fossett decided he was record vehicle from Craig Breedlove going to have a go and he represented and intended to recapture the to us a real challenge. He’d got the record for the USA. money, motivation, experience – Breedlove was the first man When we got that record he’d got everything. in history to break the 400mph, ‘Sadly, he was killed in a we were absolutely 500mph and 600mph marks, and flying accident, but Andy and I exhausted – the whole the latest iteration of his Spirit realised that if we were going to team was shattered. of America car was, in principle, compete, what we’d better do is RICHARD NOBLE capable of 800mph. raise the bar so high they couldn’t The mix of Fossett and Breedlove come back!’

”

After covering the mile required for the record, it will then slow down to rest in around a minute, with a combination of air pressure, air brakes and parachutes. It then has to turn round and do it again in less than an hour!

The location is as important as the car, with Hakskeen Pan in the Kalahari Desert being chosen from 20,000 candidate sites following a satellite survey by Swansea University.

To create the 12-mile-long track, more than 16,000 tonnes of rocks had to be cleared by hand and a road was demolished.

Bloodhound will travel under its own power for the first time in a 200mph shakedown test at Newquay Airport in June 2017.

An attempt to break the land speed record will take place in October 2017, 20 years after Thrust SSC set the current mark, to gather necessary data for the 1,000-plus mph run the following year.

All of Bloodhound’s record attempts will be livestreamed from cameras around the car. WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

| 21

FEATURES.

ROCKET FUEL TANK

PICTURE: STEFAN MARJORAM

This stores the fuel for the Nammo jet engine used to accelerate Bloodhound to its top speed.

For the first few months, the entire project was shrouded in secrecy – it’s all well and good to say you’re going to beat a land speed record, but if it turns out to be beyond the realms of technology (or funding), it would be an embarrassing project to cancel. Noble adds: ‘It’s enormously more challenging. Thrust 2 was a very conventional vehicle, which ran up to and achieved its 650mph design speed – which was fantastic. Here we are talking about a 30 per cent increase and we’re going to learn a lot.’ It was a well-founded fear, too. The research phase almost saw the project shelved because of technical limitations, with Swansea University – also a major contributor to Thrust SSC’s design – keeping Bloodhound afloat with its aerodynamics research programmes. The institution was awarded a Founder Sponsorship contract as a result, giving it a prominent logo on the car. After this 18-month development period of the basic shape and layout for the car, Bloodhound SSC was announced in October 2008 at the Science

22 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

Museum in London by the then Minister for Science and Innovation, Baron Drayson. A five-day exhibition became the museum’s most successful live event – showing that the car had truly captured the British public’s imagination. The team behind Bloodhound is pretty tightknit – as per Noble’s comments about doing big projects with small teams of the right people. Mark Chapman, Bloodhound’s chief engineer, agrees, saying: ‘It’s a combination of having the right amount of skill and right people with the right tools to do these jobs. ‘My background is aerospace. I was on the Joint Strike Fighter before this and I’ve worked in America with Boeing. We’ve got a couple of guys who’ve come from Airbus and the Royal Air Force. Some of the guys come from the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) – we’ve got a relationship with the Ministry of Defence and we have a range of their skills coming through this on six-month rotations. They see this as a learning opportunity for them but also promotional for what REME can do. ‘Then we have a mixture of motorsport, rocket, space

NOSECONE

3D-printed from titanium, the nose is designed to punch the car through the pressure waves ahead of it.

and aircraft engineers. In the workshop we’ve got a huge range of skills, and fitting that team together is very different from a normal organisation.’ You’d probably expect then, with a team of engineers used to working on the most advanced vehicles on and around the planet and a project that’s pushing hard against the known boundaries of physics, that the Avonmouth workshop would be a hub of space-age techniques. Chapman notes: ‘Some of the companies that work with us bring their apprentices here almost to show them how things used to be done. This rear chunk of car is made of titanium and it’s all been hand-formed – the 2D curvature was rolled and then the final section of 3D was rolled on a wheeling machine

JET ENGINE

Taken from a Eurofighter Typhoon, it consumes 65,000 litres of air per second.

WHEELS

Made from a single piece of aluminium, these 900mm wheels will spin at more than 10,000rpm.

DRIVER

RAF pilot Wing Commander Andy Green is the only man to have driven a car above Mach 1.

by two guys, as was the aluminium fin. ‘This is a one-off car – there isn’t a prototype. There isn’t a way of making 10 and working out the manufacturing solution that fixes everything. We’ll get some parts that have to fit just-so, we’ll get them delivered close to tolerance and then get them fitted here – like how things used to be. ‘It’s quite nice to be able to showcase that, particularly to apprentices who assume everything’s done by computer. One of the guys who’s working here has machine skills that are second to none and the stuff he can do on a machine you’d struggle to replicate.’ While an astonishing amount of Bloodhound is made with old techniques – or ‘a man with a mallet’ as Chapman puts it – the car doesn’t

miss out on modern technologies either. The find the wobbly ones as the car’s settled over the titanium steering wheel and nose cone are last year.’ 3D-printed, while the cockpit systems are the An odder challenge is that the workshop – or latest in display technology – albeit backed up rather, one half of it – moves. Chris Dee, the by high-quality analogue Rolex clocks. workshop manager, explains: ‘We’re on a tidal But a wholly one-off project such as path for the River Avon. The building opposite Bloodhound isn’t just about engineering the car; had such a problem with it that they had to the machinery to build and service it simply move, but we didn’t realise it until we were in doesn’t exist. here and had put the surface table down. You Chapman adds: ‘The big, shiny blue and can’t actually see it – it’s a few thou, if that! orange thing is just the half of it. We’ve had to ‘We have on loan a laser alignment kit, so build a huge range of kit – you can’t go down prior to us doing anything where we need to to Halfords and say “I want a trolley to restart a know that the surface is flat we check all the jet car”. The fuel pumps on this car are running points and make sure it’s level. If we have to we 400V AC – aircraft fuel pumps – so we’ve had to jack the table up or put a shim under it.’ build our own. We’ve worked with Ifor Williams Alongside building the fastest racing car in to upgrade a trailer for a rocket refuel cart to the world, the team has had to build the fastest refuel the oxidiser tanks at the end of the run.’ racing track in the world. All land speed More than that, the car’s already records since 1931 other than Donald been built for a test fit and the team Campbell’s latterly obsolete 1964 has since taken it apart again. run have been set in the USA, This has posed a couple of either at Bonneville or the Black We have a mixture of technical challenges. Rock Desert. The space that motorsport, rocket, Chapman says: ‘It’s all handBloodhound needs means space and aircraft riveted, so we’ve been checking that those locations are engineers. the rivets. It’s very much a now insufficient and a hand-built car, so we’ve put satellite survey revealed MARK CHAPMAN probes in to check all the rivets and only one suitable spot on

”

WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

| 23

FEATURES.

the planet, in South Africa. Working with local government and the population, a track was cleared at Hakskeen Pan in the Kalahari Desert. The salt and mud flat is at the right elevation, with ideal surface composition and the perfect mix of altitude and temperature, but was peppered with small stones – any of which could be fatal to the car and driver at Mach 1.4. Just as the car is built by hand, the pan was hand-cleared too, with a team of locals removing more than 16,000 tonnes of stones over a 12-milelong and ¾-mile-wide area. With this team, Bloodhound has the very best chance of succeeding – but with Green attempting to drive a car faster than the low altitude flight speed record, could it spell the end of the land speed record? The team is undecided on that front. Chapman notes: ‘1,000mph may be, until something really changes, the limit. We’re already going 200mph faster than the engine is supposed to – a Typhoon at that altitude can only do 800mph – so we’re pushing the boundary of what the engine is capable of. To go faster, you’ll need pure rocket, but that’s expensive.’ Noble is already looking further too.

Richard Noble, third from left, with engineers on the Bloodhound SSC project ‘The limitations are geography and acceleration. Years ago, I had dinner with [Gemini and Apollo astronaut] Jim Lovell and he said the largest G he pulled was 9G for orbital injection. ‘People all over the world love their cars and it may well be that people will see this as a great success and try to do better.’ More than anything else, it’s this inspirational message that’s at the heart of Bloodhound. Back when the project was launched, Baron Drayson

had noted that there was a long-term shortfall in children taking science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects in schools, while Thrust SSC had caused a short-term increase. As Green explains: ‘It’s not just about going for another record. It’s about taking the oldest form of motorsport, telling a story about cutting-edge science and technology in the most exciting way possible, and presenting it to the next generation of young scientists and engineers.’

RECORD-BREAKERS – AND THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME ... Thrust 2

Date: October 4, 1983 Speed: 633.468mph Power: 17,000lb thrust Where: Black Rock Desert, Nevada

24 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

Thrust SSC

Date: October 15, 1997 Speed: 763.035mph – the current record Power: 50,000lb thrust Where: Black Rock Desert, Nevada

Bloodhound SSC

Date: TBA 2018 Design speed: 1,050mph Power: 47,000lb thrust Where: Hakskeen Pan, South Africa

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Le Mans Cars Of The Future Could Turn Out Very Ugly

California Road Workers Have A Blast Clearing Rocks Away

Le Mans is the hunting ground of many wacky race concepts and these renders show us how future racers could look! Some of them aren’t that good-looking, to say the least. Go online to: bit.ly/SULemans

A storm in Mono County, California, caused large boulders to fall on to the Tioga Pass in the Sierra Nevada mountains. And this being America, how were they moved? Find out here. Go online to: bit.ly/SUrocks

Ken Block’s Gymkhana Nine Check Out Eight Of The Video In 360-Degree-O-Vision World’s Worst Traffic Jams Ken Block’s Gymkhana Nine was a headspinning orgy of car control, tyre smoke and Top Gear-esque cinematography – and now you can see it in full virtual reality. Go online to: bit.ly/SUBlock

Traffic jams on the way to and from the office are no fun at the best of times, but there are some unfortunate souls who’ve had to spend DAYS in their cars in queues. Go online to: bit.ly/SUTraffic

Driver Saves Woman’s Life By Honking His Horn

The Car That Lynk & Co Says Will Shake Up The Industry

Near misses don’t come much closer than this! The life of a pedestrian was saved in Australia when a driver honked his horn to warn her of a rapidly-approaching vehicle. Go online to: bit.ly/SUhorn

You probably haven’t heard of Lynk & Co – a car company that has been set up by Volvo’s Chinese parent outfit Geely. But they have got some very interesting plans for the future. Go online to: bit.ly/SUGeely

Revealed: Celebrities Brits Would Like To Buy Cars From

Bentley Bentayga Has The Coolest Headlight Washer

Have you ever wondered which celebrity would be the best to buy a car from? No? Fair enough. CarGurus have, however. And the results make interesting reading. Go online to: bit.ly/SUcelebs

With Bentley, you’re always guaranteed attention to detail, and the headlight washer on the Bentayga looks like something from another planet.. check it out! Go online to: bit.ly/SUwasher WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

| 25

FEATURES.

COLD CALLING Do winter checks bring in more business for a garage? ALEX WELLS casts a cold eye over the facts.

pselling and generating additional revenue are basics for any business – but you need to pick the right concept. Offering winter checks seems like a win-win situation. You are offering your customers a safety check that helps them get their car ready for rough roads and bad weather. At the same time you gain the opportunity to examine their vehicles – a situation that may lead to a potentially lucrative upselling opportunity. You can do it for free, or go one step beyond and offer a winter preparation service for a small fee – where you perform basic maintenance like inflating tyres, filling washer bottles and replacing wipers if necessary. National chains offer such a service. Let’s be honest, if the big boys can do it, dedicated independents can do it better. Is this the winter of our discontent where we give up on the idea? Or is the model still working?

Politics, economics and demographics Politics and economics may also be working against the winter check concept. Vic Clarke of Autocentre Rushden says: ‘What we find in our area is that with Brexit, everyone seems to be really worried about where they are getting money from and where their money is going. They are leaving everything to the very last minute. They just don’t want it doing until it’s at the point of no-return and then they’ve got to have it done.’ Then there’s demographics: ‘I think a lot of it is that the old-school motorist really isn’t about any more, those who used to regularly walk around and kick the tyres and check the oil and water. People just don’t seem to do that now. They just want to rely on what the car is telling them to do. ‘The problem is that the car is too clever, but at the same time it’s not clever enough.’ ‘We do between eight and ten MOTs a day. The oil level on most vehicles is on or below the minimum. ‘When we tell the customer, nine out of 10 say, ‘‘I didn’t have a warning light come up!’’ We try and explain to people that cars don’t always necessarily tell you what you want to know.’

Cold weather Is it a blip? Perhaps this just isn’t the year for winter checks. ‘Normally, this time of year is quite busy for us,’ explains Clarke. ‘Obviously we’d appreciate some cold weather – that would make things better for us. Speaking to other garages as well, they tell me they are having busy days but they are having quiet days as well, which is unusual at this time of year.’

26 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

X-BEX

Perhaps it’s not the concept, but how you use it. X-BeX is an independent Peugeot specialist based in Burgess Hill, West Sussex. Seasonal checks are part of their offering. According to founder Mike Reed, they fit in with their customer base: ‘The average age of our customers is quite high and they are from the generation that’s been used to pulling into a garage and getting their oil checked and their tyres done and that sort of thing. ‘Obviously those days are over, so from a service point of view that’s one of the reasons we make that offering. I think if we stopped doing it now the older customers would kick off a bit. ‘We offer it all year. We change it for the summer with the accent on the cooling system etc. In the winter we focus on de-misting and heating. We have two schedules and it gets changed on our website.’ X-BeX charges customers £19.99 including VAT for a check: ‘Most people are happy with that to get their car looked at. They pay £30 at the valeters over the road to get it Hoovered, washed and polished, which does put it in perspective.’ Is a winter check a concept that has outlived its usefulness these days? Clarke believes the relative lack of automotive knowledge possessed by younger people may present an opportunity to re-launch the winter check as a concept: ‘The slightly younger generation – those in their late teens and early 20s – feel a little bit embarrassed to come to someone like us to check their cars. ‘Because they are young, they feel they should know what they are doing, but they are the ones that don’t know. They feel embarrassed and don’t particularly want to ask for help.’

Genuine opportunities For Peter Welch, of Scotlands Ash Garage in Didcot, Oxfordshire, the MOT is the way to go for genuine upselling opportunities: ‘If I run out of work, I suppose I’d have to do winter checks to try to get people in. But as we speak, it’s 11.15 on

Your customers need to be well prepared for winter a Saturday morning and I’ve done six MOTs from 6am. My other four technicians have been in here since 7am and have done a service and finish-off jobs from this week and other different things. ‘I am fortunate that I’ve got an amount of people that will want to use us because they trust us and I’ve got enough business to do that.’

Upselling for the right reasons Welch believes in upselling – but for the right reasons: ‘What I find is that chains and bigger garages try to get you in to then upsell you something. Don’t get me wrong, we love to upsell

SCOTLANDS ASH GARAGE

AUTOCENTRE RUSHDEN

Family-run independent Scotlands Ash Garage is based in Didcot, Oxfordshire. While owner Peter Welch undertakes winter checks on request, it’s not something he actively markets: ‘When someone comes in and asks, ‘‘could you check my anti-freeze level etc?’’ we do it for them. At the same time we’ll check to see if it’s got enough strength in there. We’ll also check the oil and the water and the tyres if they ask. ‘We don’t advertise it though. ‘What I don’t like about our business is that people are saying ‘‘21-item winter check’’. Well, you’ve got 15 bulbs – headlight main beam, rear lights etc. ‘If you take all of these items into consideration, just by checking all your bulbs, your four tyres, your horn and your washers, that’s their winter check, and they haven’t done anything. ‘So I never really do a advert on our Facebook or our Twitter saying, ‘‘come to Scotlands Ash Garage and get a free winter check’’. ’

– ‘‘winter’s coming – come in!’’. It’s not a way to promote your business. ‘Cars are far more resilient than they used to be. Fifteen to 20 years ago, cars were serviced maybe two or three times a year. Now, service schedules are based on mileage or duration. If you look at Mini servicing, the car tells you what it needs, when it needs it. For me, a winter check is a gimmick, it’s old hat, Besides, nowadays we don’t seem to have the winters that we used to. ‘I believe we should be doing vehicle health checks as a matter of course, regardless of the season. In my view, and how I ran my business, was that any car that came in other than for a service or MOT always had a health check. It only takes 10-12 minutes if it’s done efficiently. ‘Obviously it also gave us an opportunity to upsell in an honest fashion, and notify our customers of items that may need to be seen to immediately or thereafter.’

Comprehensive to people but we are trying to do it in a way that they feel comfortable about it.’

The fairest of the seasons? Giving your customer’s car a once-over is clearly a good idea, but are we limiting ourselves if we start labelling the process by season? Aftermarket consultant Andy Savva thinks it should be an all-year-round practice: ‘There are a lot of garages trying to market winter checks now, but for me they’re old hat. ‘It’s a gimmick – winter checks, summer checks – a way of trying to comfort the consumer

For Mike Reed, of X-BeX in Burgess Hill, the seasonal check provides a comfortable mid-point between services: ‘Very often the customer says, ‘‘I’m not due for a service, but I tell you what, just give me one of those winter checks and cast an eye over my vehicle.’’ It’s quite comprehensive. ‘What makes me happy about doing them is on those odd occasions where we find something

Northamptonshire-based Autocentre Rushden has been offering free winter checks to customers for the past 10 years. Proprietor Vic Clarke observes: ‘We do put a board outside and we advertise on Facebook as well. It does bring us a few people in. We get regulars that want their oil level checked and their tyre pressures checked. However, it’s very rare we actually get people come in and say, ‘‘ooh, can I take you up on that offer that you’re advertising?’’ ‘When we first opened up and we put the board out, we certainly had a lot more people coming in for us to check their tyre pressures and make sure the lights were all working.’ Vic believes the MOT is more helpful: ‘The MOT is, without a doubt, a much better generator of additional work than the winter check. Obviously if we do fail an MOT, we like the customer to have the work done by us, but we’d never put pressure on anybody to have anything done by ourselves.’

that is potentially lethal, or shall we say ‘‘moneysaving’’ – catch something early before it turns into something major. Then I’m delighted. ‘From our point of view, we get a job, but we’ve also prevented an unwanted breakdown or a higher bill or even an injury, and maybe worse. So it’s very valid from our point of view, but if we did nothing but winter checks we’d be out of business in six months!’

Flexibility

X-BeX promote their seasonal checks on their website, on their ads and in correspondence with the customer, but it’s not the main thrust at any point: ‘It’s on the MOT and service reminder letters to customers, and there is a little flash on the left-hand corner of most of our ads.’ Reed is always careful to make sure customers do not use the service to cut corners: ‘I have a measure of how many we do and the number is increasing. ‘Sometimes I am a little concerned people are having this instead of a proper service, so we’ve got a very rigid record of their servicing pattern. If we think they have overstepped the mark from the servicing perspective we can say, ‘‘no, really that’s not enough on this occasion – you need a full service.’’ ’ It does offer a degree of flexibility though: ‘If somebody’s pattern has changed and they retire and go down to a few thousand miles a year, we can say, ‘‘have a winter check this year, and a full service next year’’. So you can Andy Savva help them make a saving.’ WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

| 27

FEATURES.

ON A CHARGE Battery technology is advancing at a rapid rate. ALEX WELLS reports on some of the latest developments.

atteries used to get little attention. Often no-one thought much about them unless they needed charging or changing. After all, there are far more exciting components on a car, aren’t there? No-one ever boasts to their friends about their new battery down the pub. A battery might get a mention if it goes wrong, in which case it becomes a cautionary tale. Not these days. Now, all the systems that make your car slightly nicer than their cars rely on the battery. And that pleasantly reasonable road tax you pay because of your car’s low emissions might essentially rely on the battery. As a result, in the past few years, batteries have undergone a transformation. New design principles and technological innovations have been applied. These have changed batteries, and you need to look at them with fresh eyes.

Opportunity So what’s so different? They don’t look any different, but inside the box it’s all change. Batteries have evolved in line with changes to the rest of the motor vehicle. Even before you get to hybrids, the battery on even the most ordinary car is very different to what you would have seen just a few short years ago. Understanding their construction and the demands being put on them will affect the way you work with them. This, in turn, will enable you to turn battery servicing into a profit centre. Let’s take stop/start as an example. Nearly all new vehicles are now fitted with a stop/start engine. While the technology can help reduce emissions at a local level, it’s not exactly kind to the battery. It will need to start the engine perhaps 50 or even up to 100 times in day. A traditional battery might need to start the car twice, or three times tops, on a busy day. If you’re in the aftermarket, you might think that gives you some time to skill up and tool up for the challenge ahead. Chances are, though, you’ve already seen stop/start in the workshop as it has been mainstream for a few years now. The future? It’s yesterday. Let’s catch up.

increased electrical demands and high levels of electrical consumers to support. The battery is asked to work harder than ever before due to new technologies such as Idle ‘‘Stop/Start’’ (ISS) and brake regeneration. ‘Types like the Enhanced Flooded Battery (EFB) are based on the conventional lead acid with some design enhancements that allow them to support these new systems installed on small entrylevel vehicles. Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) is a new design that features no free acid, increased plate surface area, a high degree of resistance to vibration and requires different charging regimes compared with traditional types,’ says Newham. It’s a new world, and it’s definitely in your customers’ interests for you to help them avoid battery failure: ‘The costs associated with a vehicle breakdown due to a faulty battery or discharged battery have increased greatly if you factor in vehicle recovery, cost to replace the battery at the roadside and loss of radio codes and other associated in-car memories.’

New systems This affects what you are able to offer the customer: ‘Installing batteries based on price is no longer an option as installing a battery of the wrong technology and specification will result in rapid failure. Modern vehicles also feature new battery management and charging control systems designed to maintain the operation of the CO2 reduction systems which begin to power manage if the battery is not programmed to the vehicle using a diagnostic platform. This results in the suspension of stop/start functions and the shutting down of non-critical vehicle systems such as comfort and convenience systems.’

Technology

Upselling batteries

Understanding the nature of batteries will help you work with them, and make money from them as a result. Ian Newham, training manager at Yuasa Batteries, comments: ‘Modern vehicles have

When trying to help your customers, you need to factor in driving patterns too. ‘Upselling of batteries is very important if the customer’s annual drive cycle features frequent short journeys. This type of drive cycle greatly

28 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

Testing times for batteries in winter increases the likelihood of premature battery failure due to damage caused by deep discharge, known as sulphation, and attempted recovery from deep discharge by the vehicle charging system which damages the positive plates. ‘If the battery is not tested regularly and its State of Charge (SOC) maintained above a threshold voltage of 12.40 volts, sulphation can very quickly take a grip and reduce the performance of the battery substantially.’

Yuasa Battery Look-up system Garages need to make sure they test the battery

KEEPING CUSTOMERS MOVING IN THE COLD Keeping batteries charged will prevent problems arising for your customers on cold mornings. ‘The only way to offset seasonal battery demands is by regular testing to ensure the battery has sufficient Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) available, known as the battery’s State of Health (SOH),’ explains Ian Newham. ‘This is because if a battery temperature drops to 0°C it will lose approximately 30 per cent of its ability to supply CCA based on temperature alone – regardless of how aged and worn it is. ‘Charge the battery to maintain State of Charge (SOC) above 12.40 volts when required or advise that the customer makes use of intelligent charging technology with a PULSE mode feature that remains connected to the battery at all times when the vehicle is unused and is capable of maintaining the battery voltage automatically and indefinitely.’

Gloves are essential day after that too. Hybrids have moved into the mainstream in recent years – and the idea of multiple batteries for specific tasks is not unusual. Factor in electric vehicles too, and you are looking at a whole new automotive dynamic. How should you be dealing with this?

Technological trends

on every car that comes in, and recharge as required. ‘Once replacement is required,’ says Newham, ‘question the customer regarding their driving habits. Then use the Yuasa Battery Lookup system to identify the correct battery reference and from the options, select a higher-specification battery to better accommodate the customer’s drive cycle needs.’ The Yuasa Battery Look-up system can be found at: fit.yuasa.co.uk

Electric Boogaloo It’s not just what’s happening today and tomorrow you need to think about – it’s the

The increasing number of electric cars on the road, combined with the creeping ‘hybridisation’ of mainstream internal combustion engine vehicles means garages will need to approach batteries differently. Often very carefully, perhaps wearing thicker gloves. These trends are going to affect you, as Andrew Marsh, director at technological consultants Auto Industry Insider, observes. ‘There are trends in motion that are going to result in workshops needing to work differently with batteries. Some of these are closer than you might think. The EU is moving to purge diesel engine sales in passenger cars before 2030 and petrol engines are not too far behind. ‘The answer? Increased use of energy that is outside tailpipe emissions, namely electricity. That in turn means high-voltage systems. ‘These range from 48V to more than 600V as higher voltage allows smaller and more efficient electric harnesses. ‘The upshot will be a step change in the number of vehicles equipped with powertrains featuring traction batteries. These will be anywhere from 1.3kWh for a conventional hybrid to more than 30kWh for pure electric vehicle with power controllers, inverters, likely to be DC step up as well as DC to AC conversion, and on-board charger systems too.’

Rubber sole This means you will definitely need rubber soles on your shoes: ‘Most high-voltage systems can be disabled via disconnection of the 12V battery, in some cases removal of a specific fuse and the master plug from the battery pack. The way to do this and the location of these features is vehicle specific – so getting methods is important.’ Then there’s key storage. That could get interesting: ‘Smart keys are going to need to be stored out of range from the vehicle. Most hybrids are capable of moving at low speed in complete silence, so if the power system is not disabled, it is possible to drive the vehicle by accident. They can also turn the system on if they are too close, so disabling the system will need to be something that is done as a regular procedure.’

Specific training Specific training will be required: ‘There is no uniform pattern to how high-voltage systems work, so information and training are important. Every garage will need to have at least one member of staff trained in how high-voltage traction systems work. ‘They then need access to vehicle-specific information to ensure it is disabled before service tasks start, and re-commissions the vehicle once the tasks are complete. ‘Work on qualifications is happening right now. The IMI is trying to get high-voltage expertise technicians licensed.’ Marsh concludes: ‘It’s not something you want to try without training. ‘If one just has a go, not only will there be a danger for individuals, but also a risk of significantly more expensive vehicle repair.’ WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

| 29

CLUB.

INVESTIGATE THOROUGHLY TO KEEP CUSTOMERS HAPPY

ASK THE JUDGE: Ian Gardner, sales manager at automotive legal experts Lawgistics, delivers his verdicts on problems that affect you.

navoidably, many of our clients contact us seeking help with complaints of a mechanical or technical nature rather than those that require legal interpretation, writes The Judge. While our primary function is to advise on the legal position created by a problem, sometimes we are also able to help our clients understand how the technical issue, once understood, might contain the answer to the legal question too. Take, for instance, a common problem – a turbo failure on a car brought to the workshop. In a recent case we were asked to handle, the client quickly diagnosed, then replaced, the faulty turbo. However, shortly after this it failed again. This time the oil supply was also changed, but a third failure caused a complete loss of faith in the garage, triggering a demand for a full refund and transfer to another workshop. The customer could not be blamed. As far as they were concerned, they really had lost trust in the repairers who appeared to have handed back to them a real pig in a poke.

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In the meantime, the garage was left with an unpaid bill for a seemingly incurable car. However, the car was not terminally defective, but was suffering a fault that lay hidden (a latent defect). The reason the turbo failed in the first place was because of oil starvation. That was diagnosed but, surprisingly, no-one asked WHY it was starved of oil. By replacing the turbo the first time, the problem was only temporarily cured. When it was realised after the second failure that oil was still not reaching the turbo bearings, the oil feed pipes were changed and the third turbo once again worked for a short time. The next failure occurred for the same reason – oil starvation, but this time, a full investigation revealed that the oil supply pick-up had become blocked. This almost certainly caused the first failure. Wisely, the other garage then checked the previously fitted new parts and found them to be blocked again, but by debris from the failed turbos, not by the same material that caused the first failure.

There are lessons here. When the first failure occurred, the repairers should have used logic to establish why the oil starvation had occurred. They ought then to have set out to explore and cure the root cause. Had they done so, they probably would have avoided repeat failures and a very angry customer who, in the end, invoked their entitlement to a full refund of the repair costs. They could have asked for more. Put simply, had this original failure been properly investigated at the start, leading to the replacement of all contaminated parts, in addition to the turbo, the customer would have received the service to which they were entitled, and their car made reliable. By asking a series of simple questions about why a failure has occurred, a dealer/repairer can avoid many of the bear-traps caused by taking the initial problem at face value, without making any further inquiries. After all, you really would not buy a pig, without looking into the bag first, would you?

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TO JOIN GO TO WORKSHOPCLUB.CO.UK OR CALL 023 9252 2434 AND 30 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

When bad behaviour might come back to haunt you... WITH dashcams becoming more widely used, here are two cautionary tales about the need for you and your staff to always assume that you are not alone when test-driving a customer’s car. In the first case, our client’s two employees were testing a vehicle that was either in for repair or had just been repaired by them. There was some good-natured banter between the two of them, along with one or two choice words. However, the customer returned fuming, stating that he had installed a ‘dash-cam’ that had videoed our client’s employees during all stages of the test drive. He was so annoyed that the episode rapidly ended up on the website of a national daily newspaper and attracted rather a lot of bad publicity! In the second (unconnected) scenario the customer returned to say that they were refusing to pay the repair bill. The customer’s justification was that her car had been fitted with an insurance tracker and that her insurance company had just sent her a text message to say that her car had been identified as driving at 45mph in a 30mph zone! At the exact time that she was sat at

VORTEX GO THROUGH SOCKET SET STOCK No. 71244

home waiting for her car to be returned after a repair and test drive. You don’t need me to spell it out. When test-driving a customer’s car, drive it as if that customer was in the front seat next to you – and adjust your behaviour (and speed) accordingly. Otherwise, every indiscretion you make or any words you utter may very well come back to haunt you. n If you have a dilemma that’s giving you nightmares, an issue that’s keeping you awake, or a dispute that won’t go away, send an email to TheJudge@lawgistics. co.uk and you may see your problem dealt with in these pages. And in the meantime, join Workshop Club!

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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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| 31

OUR PROJECT CAR.

ONLY THE ORIGINAL HIGH-QUALITY FACTORY SPEC WILL DO FOR THIS JOB, DISCOVERS LAURA THOMSON

Apprentices are raring to go on restoring rare Bentley T-Series

his month’s project car isn’t so much one man’s hobby but rather a group effort. A team of new apprentices at Bentley Motors’ Crewe headquarters have taken on the challenge of restoring a 1965 Bentley T-Series – almost 50 years after it rolled off the production line. And of course, nothing less than its original, high-quality factory specification will do. The 17-strong group will restore the car as part of the three-year Bentley apprenticeship learning programme on which they are enrolled. Using both modern and traditional car mechanical skills learnt during their studies, they will restore the car’s body, paint and engine. They will then complete and assemble the trim section. When the Bentley is finished, it will join the British carmaker’s heritage fleet and travel around the world representing the brand. Original factory specification on this striking example was a grey paint job, with chrome bumpers, grille, wheel hubs and detailing. Bentley’s signature winged emblem sits proudly atop the nose. The T-Series made its debut in 1965, and T-models continued to roll out of the factory right up until 1980. The early T1, however, only remained in production until 1970. During this period,

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just 1,004 of the cars were built, making it an extremely rare model in its own right. This exclusivity is further boosted by the accolade that it holds of being the first Bentley to feature a monocoque chassis. It’s powered by a 6750cc Rolls-Royce ‒ Bentley L Series V8 engine, which was a predecessor to the power unit found in Bentley’s present-day Mulsanne flagship. In its heyday, the model reportedly boasted a maximum speed of 115mph and was capable of achieving 0-62mph in 10.9 seconds. Despite being the successor to the carmaker’s S-Series, the T-Series was a completely different beast. The new steel and aluminium body allowed for more cabin and luggage space, while reducing the model’s exterior dimensions and weight. Mounted on subframes on all four wheels was an independent suspension, which featured automatic height control according to loading. Pressure for this suspension was supplied by a Citroen-patented triplicate hydraulic braking system, which was attached to the disc brakes on each wheel. Among the other new technologies the ground-breaking T-Series boasted were an improved automatic transmission, lighter power steering, eight-way adjustable electric front seats and a larger fuel tank.

With such a significant and complex model to restore, it would be understandable if the apprentices were daunted by it. But that’s not the case, according to Bentley master trainer Colin Jackson, who is leading the project. He said: ‘This is something everyone involved in can feel very proud of. Having the opportunity to bring back to life such an iconic Bentley doesn’t happen very often. ‘The challenge of restoring this car means that our apprentices will develop the traditional skills that Bentley is so famous for, and sets them up for their careers building Bentleys of the future.’ The apprentices are part of the latest intake of 36 to the apprenticeship scheme, which has been running for 40 years. Last month, the carmaker’s outstanding training and skills development programmes were recognised with a Princess Royal Training Award – part of the City & Guilds Group. Marlies Rogait, board member for human resources at Bentley Motors, said: ‘Bentley’s apprenticeship scheme offers a solid foundation to enable our trainees to learn and grow. ‘Working on one of the most iconic Bentleys from our illustrious past is a truly unique experience, and one which will enhance their skills and knowledge and help them become experts in their chosen field.’

PRODUCTS.

Plug It In

House of Wax

The new generation of KTS diagnostic tools from Bosch, the KTS 560 and KTS 590, now include technology which is currently only available on OEM diagnostic tools. Parallel channels allow the KTS to work with more than one CAN system simultaneously, making diagnosis faster. The KTS 560/590 are also the first independent aftermarket products with Diagnostics over Internet Protocol (DoIP) capabilities, working up to 200 times faster than high-speed CAN. This reduces upload times and improves workshop efficiency.

Waterless Wash and Wax is a biodegradable car-washing formula, chemically engineered to do away with the need for pressure washers or hosepipes. With no water required, Smart Polish Pro can be used indoors or out, saving around 480 litres of water each time it is used – saving money on water and drainage. One bottle can wash a car up to 12 times.

New for you Royal Oil

Mobil 1’s new ESP x2 0W-20 is a lowviscosity oil product that can help provide fuel economy benefits without compromising the performance and durability of petrol and diesel engines. Meeting the lubrication requirements set by OEMs such as Volkswagen, Jaguar Land Rover and Mercedes, the new formulation offers advanced engine protection and claimed fuel efficiency gains of up to four per cent.

Enter Sandman

Mirka is expanding its power tools range with the addition of the first small, brushless, battery-driven, spot repair, cordless sanders that have both orbital and random orbital movements. The new AOS-B 130NV and AROS-B 150 NV sanders are suitable for multiple sanding operations including finessing and primer sanding applications, producing a high-quality, consistently smooth finish. The tools come complete with spare battery, charger and two quicklock backing pads.

PRODUCT TESTS SOCKET SETS: P34

ADJUSTABLE WRENCHES: P36

Night Lights

Laser Tools has just introduced this COB (chip-on-board) LED worklight (part number 6760). The energysaving characteristics of the COB light source are demonstrated by energy consumption of just 15w while offering up to 1200 lumens for 2.5 hours – all while being cool to the touch. A battery ‘traffic light’ display warns when the battery is running low.

OUR PROS TEST BATTERY JUMP PACKS: P38 WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

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PRODUCTS. TEST 19

Socket sets A good socket set is a must for any workshop and ANDREW EVANS has been putting five of the most popular options through their paces.

hen it comes to indispensible tools in the workshop, sockets have to be right up at the top of the list. They’re probably the smallest tool you’ll regularly use, but sockets allow you to tackle any bolt or nut (or, with the right adapter, screw) anywhere on any vehicle. Any place a nut can be fitted, no matter how narrow the space or how recessed the location, a socket will find it – and regardless of what type of workshop you have, a good set is a must. There’s a huge variety of sockets out there, but we’ve been testing sets of what are probably the commonest type: the standard-height 3/8” square drive hex socket. With five sets on test, which would we keep for our own cars?

Draper Expert 19070 How much: £24.34 (inc VAT) Where from: drapertools.com

Laser 3501 How much: £28.49 (inc VAT) Where from: lasertools.co.uk There’s a huge range of socket sizes on this rail, with 17 pieces to fit everything from 8mm to 24mm, so the Laser set has the widest breadth here and are the closest you’ll get to an all-purpose socket set. They are another bi-hex set and are a good performer on all bolt types and with decent tolerances. It’s tough to separate them from our favourites here, so they’d make a great alternative.

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The Draper set here is a bi-hex set – two hexagons, turned 30 degrees apart from one another – so fitment is a little different from the standard hex socket. They do perform quite well on older and more rounded bolts and the 10-piece set covers the most common sizes from 8-19mm, but they’re easier to force off the new bolts than the other sets here and we’d probably look at one of the alternatives.

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Clarke PRO340 How much: £10.79 (inc VAT) Where from: machinemart.co.uk This bright set of sockets neatly sidesteps the problem of picking up a 15 when you need a 16 by having each socket in a different colour. Unexpectedly, the tolerances are among the best too – also proving a pretty snug fit in the real-world tests. They were not the best set when it came to rounded-off bolts, but otherwise performed well enough to be our favourites. The nine-piece set covers all of the most common sizes too, from 10-18mm.

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HOW WE TESTED THEM We’ve looked at the tolerances of the socket bores on a range of the most common sizes you’d use in an automotive setting – 10mm, 12mm and 17mm – by careful measurement with a set of calipers. After that, we looked at how the sockets fitted a range of bolt heads, including some rounded-off examples to see how effective they are in less-than-ideal conditions.

Sealey AK2741 How much: £23.94 (inc VAT) Where from: sealey.co.uk

Clarke PRO152 How much: £19.19 (inc VAT) Where from: machinemart.co.uk

With a novel ‘lock-on’ profile, the Sealey socket kit manages the second best tolerances here and the sockets we tried certainly fit snugly on to any bolt we tried. They’re also among the better ones for older and rounded-off bolts, so good for anything exposed to the elements and corroded. The 12-piece set is also slightly broader in scope – 8-19mm – than our winning Clarke set, so a very worthy runner-up.

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The 16-piece standard set includes Imperial and Metric sockets – eight of each – covering the most often used metrics (10-19mm), so should cover all the bases and give you some options with occasional Imperial fasteners. The tolerances are fine, if not up with the better sets here, and proved a decent fit on both old and new bolts. They didn’t do especially well on rounded-off bolts though, so don’t quite make our shortlist, but merit a decent score nonetheless.

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PRODUCTS. TEST 20

Adjustable wrenches ANDREW EVANS loves carrying out the product tests for Workshop Magazine so much, it’s always a wrench when he has to leave our testing lab at the end of his inspections...

lthough any good mechanic will have a decent set of spanners, every now and then you’ll be stymied by a strange bolt that you won’t have the right size tool for. Whether it’s an unusual size, a random imperial measurement or just something heavily rounded, there’s going to be one oddball fixing on any vehicle. When the inevitable happens, you’re going to want a good adjustable wrench. These all-purpose tools are great for any situation where you don’t have the right thing to fit and also where you don’t want to damage the fastener by clamping on pliers. You can also fix them to one side of a bolt while using your spanners or sockets to spin the nut.

HOW WE TESTED THEM Although fit precision is somewhat moot on adjustable spanners, we’ve been measuring the accuracy of the gauges with a set of calipers. We’ve also clamped the jaws of each halfway on to a metal shelf and measured the amount of force required before they start to slip.

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Laser 4921

Draper Redline 67589

How much: £8.69 (inc VAT) Where from: lasertools.co.uk

How much: £9.58 (inc VAT) Where from: drapertools.com

This is the most basic of the tools here. There are no bells or whistles such as a comfort grip and that does harm its chances slightly – we know which one we wouldn’t pick up with wet hands! It has the narrowest jaws of the lot too, only graded up to 19mm, but the scale is spot-on, so at least you know it’s at the size you’ve set it to. It didn’t do so well when it came to the slip test, perhaps because the jaws are slightly shorter, but it’s a good budget item otherwise.

Despite being broadly similar to the other Draper item here, the Redline wrench is by far our favourite. The scale is clear and easy to read, accurate and the jaws adjust as quickly as any other item here. It’s second to the Kennedy item in the slip test – and of course overall jaw dimensions, but otherwise it’s a brilliant little piece of kit.

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Kennedy Soft Grip 8”

Siegen S0854

Draper 88601

How much: £20.20 (inc VAT) Where from: cromwell.co.uk

How much: £19.14 (inc VAT) Where from: sealey.co.uk

How much: £10.78 (inc VAT) Where from: drapertools.com

As with the Siegen, this Kennedy tool is one of the two 8” spanners here. The 30mm jaws are smaller than the Siegen but larger than the others and, crucially, come with some small gripping points within the jaws. These allow it to withstand larger forces before slipping while still not damaging the fixing as pliers would. The scale is as accurate as any of the others here, and the jaws rapidly adjust between sizes, making this a great runner-up.

One of our two largest wrenches, the Siegen is more of a case of ‘size isn’t everything’ than the similar Kennedy. It certainly has the widest jaws here, rated to 40mm, and it has to take some points for that – but it takes a while to adjust between sizes. We found the gauge was fair for accuracy lower down the scale too, so although not our favourite of the eight-inch spanners it would be a good alternative.

The regular Draper item lags behind its Redline alternative in most areas, but otherwise it’s a solid tool. We like the fact that the scale is marked with numbers every 5mm instead of every 10mm on the Redline and the gauge is accurate enough too. It’s just about as good in the slip test as its sibling, but the slightly more sluggish operation of the adjuster and smaller comfort grip handle mark it down.

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PRODUCTS. TEST DRIVE

Garage test: Battery jump packs Our expert professional testers – Sean, Harry and Kev – give us their verdicts on three of the best-selling examples.

SIP Pro Booster 5024 Price: £613.80 (inc VAT) From: sipuk.co.uk

Sean It’s a heavy unit, but the leads are long enough for it to sit on the floor.

It has a handy 12v/24v switch and a clear digital display that’s easy to read – if you leave the switch in the off position it will accurately read the charge of the vehicle battery when connected. It’s easy to use, with nice heavy duty leads and easy access to the fuses if it should blow, and it can start just about anything. You can even use it as an arc-welder! Harry There’s no messing around with this. It’s 12v or 24v, you can clearly see the fuses, the leads are long enough to reach into just about anything with it on the floor – and they’re good, thick leads too. It’ll probably start anything! Kev It’s really useful to have the 24v option as well as the 12v and the digital charge display is really useful. You know where you are with this one – it’s going to start just about anything. Even knowing that it’s a more expensive bit of kit, this is the one you’d pick up if you went out to a call without knowing what you were going to.

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Sykes-Pickavant Pro Start 440 Price: £165.95 From: Sykes-Pickavant agent

Sean It’s a lightweight pack with a nice, compact design. The leads are short, but it sits in the engine bay nicely. The clips for the terminals can be a little uncomfortable and don’t open especially wide, but they’re heavy duty and clamp on well. There’s an LED light on the earth lead, which is a good idea, and the voltmeter also lights up and is damped to give a clear reading. There isn’t an on/off switch though, so it’s more easy to short the clamps. Harry This is a good bit of kit to have in your arsenal, as a quick option for jumping something – it might not get something going on a totally flat battery but it’d do a decent job on most things. The light-up gauge is a good thing to have if you’re sat at the side of the road in the dark trying to start something up. Kev We don’t like the fact that it’s got a blue terminal clip, which might confuse some people. Other than that, it’s a good little unit that you know will start most things without any fuss. The fact that the charge dial lights up is a good feature if you’re at a breakdown in the dark!

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Sean Tubby Southampton City College

The college trains apprentice mechanics and fulltime learners to industry standards across light, heavy goods and inspection.

Harry Smith Auto Tyre Centre, Gosport

A family-run, local one-stop garage, Auto Tyre Centre offers the full range of repair and replace services to keep your car running day-to-day.

Kev Grady North Eastern Tyre and Exhaust, Teesside

How Sean rated them: 1 SIP; 2 Sykes-Pickavant; 3 Clarke; 4 Sealey

How Harry rated them: 1 SIP; 2 Sykes-Pickavant; 3 Sealey; 4 Clarke

How Kev rated them: 1 SIP; 2 Clarke; 3 Sykes-Pickavant; 4 Sealey

Part of the Tyre Plus group of local rapid-fit garages across the UK, NETE has served the Teesside and North Yorkshire area for 80 years.

Clarke Jump Start 4000 Price: £143.98 (inc VAT) From: machinemart.co.uk

Sean The Clarke looks a little cheaper than the SIP pack but doesn’t

feel much lighter. It has decent length leads so for most things it can sit on the floor rather than in the engine bay, but the clamp grips seem to be too small to hold comfortably. The charge needle isn’t damped, so it flickers about for a while until it settles, making quick reading much harder. There’s a lamp in the casing, which is useful but it’s an older filament type and a little dim. Harry I’ve used these before and they’re not too bad. The old-school needle is a bit hard to read as it waves about. It’s a basic, 12-volt jump pack with decent cranking amps that’ll start most things no fuss – it’s the same sort of design as we’ve seen for the last ten years and it’ll do the job. Kev The Clarke is one of my favourites. I’ve used them before and they really pull their weight. The fact that the needle flickers about means it’s difficult to get an accurate reading, especially if you’ve used it a few times you might not know if you need to charge it or not.

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Sealey SL1S

Price: £239.94 (inc VAT) From: sealey.co.uk

Sean This isn’t as powerful as the others, so it’s not going to be a pack

you’d use regularly in a workshop – it wouldn’t start our totally flattened diesel Focus. It might be good for leisure use, or if you’ve left the lights on a car overnight. However, it works pretty well and doubles up as a charger for your mobile phone and has a good LED torch with an SOS flashing function, and has a cigarette lighter socket adapter for charging. Harry I’d have one of these in my own car – it’s a good thing to have. It’s nice and compact, it’ll get you out of some trouble and you can charge your phone off it too, which is nice. The leads are small, but they have a foolproof one-way plug and the unit’s small enough to have in the engine bay when you jump the car. Kev It’s a brilliant size – really convenient. You can have it anywhere you want, including in an engine bay and it’s got a decent torch, but it’s not going to start quite so much as the others – if you’re out on a call you’ll want something that you know you’ll put the leads on it and it’ll start, however flat the battery is. It’d be a good thing to have with you in your own car though.

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CLEPA

Premium Glow Plugs

OEM CUSTOMERS TRUST US. AND YOU?

We are at Mechanex Sandown on 8th and| WorkShopMagazine.co.uk 9th November 2016 at Stand K10. 40

www.hidria.com New e-Catalogue Part Finder http://glowplugs.hidria.com/

Premium Glow Plugs Striving for sustainable mobility and being aware of the demanding limits set by emissions regulations around the world, Hidria as Tier 1 supplier is able to develop, validate and deliver a wide product range of cold start systems that contribute to improved engine combustion control and lower emissions for Light and Heavy Duty applications.

Hidria manufactures and markets spare parts covering the entire diesel engine cold start programme. These spare parts are distinguished by their competitive sales conditions and premium quality.

The correct way to replace glow plugs 1. Use the right wrench for the glow plug and terminal 2. Take care that dirt around the hole for the plug could not fall into the cylinder

Low emissions

3. Make sure that the glow plug is correctly inline with the thread of the cylinder head 4. The glow plug must be tightened to the correct torque 5. The power connection nuts need to be tightened to the correct tightening torque

Quick start

Smart technology

WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

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OUR OE BATTERIES ARE JUST THE START

Give your business a positive boost - join our winning team. Drive your sales & margin with the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading battery manufacturer. + Award-winning products, supply & customer service + Industry leading online battery lookup New & improved! + Revolutionary E-Learning training courses New for 2016! + Garage focused battery check scheme Coming soon! + OE supplier to the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top vehicle manufacturers + UK market leader for vehicle & industrial batteries + More references than any other battery brand + High profile motorsport sponsorship programme + Free marketing resources for resellers + Number one for quality, reliability & performance + Year-round availability and choice

Trade lookup: fit.yuasa.co.uk Consumer website: www.yuasa.com 42 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

FOCUS ON

YUASA

NEW AND MORE POWERFUL, OUR LATEST BATTERY LOOK-UP SYSTEM YUASA T: 01793 833555 W: FIT.YUASA.CO.UK YUASA launched a brand new upgraded version of their industry-leading online battery look-up system – fit.yuasa.co.uk – at Automechanika Frankfurt. The fully updated, mobile-optimised website which boasts a ground-breaking photo number plate look-up feature and live technical support was made live across Europe at the event in September. Designed to help mechanics and technicians save valuable time and money, Yuasa’s powerful system has been remodelled to make it even more user friendly and ultra-fast. The system is free to use and can be accessed online at fit.yuasa.co.uk or by pushing a Yuasa USB Smart Button. Users can find the right starter or auxiliary battery for all vehicles by simply taking a photograph of its registration plate on their device. The system then uses automatic number plate recognition to identify the vehicle and find the correct battery. Registration or VIN numbers can also be manually entered. The system, which is already used by more than 75,000 mechanics and technicians, also features a rapid make/model search, a comprehensive battery cross reference search and advanced browse battery functions.

James Douglas, marketing executive at Yuasa Battery Sales (UK) Ltd, said: ‘Our brand new online battery look-up system is far more than just a battery finder. ‘It is the most powerful, user-friendly and fastest battery look-up resource available anywhere. ‘Along with having the widest coverage and greatest accuracy, we have developed lots of exciting advanced new features including photo number plate look-up and live technical support which allows users to chat to members of our technical team in real time whilst on the site. ‘Yuasa are committed to being more than just a battery supplier. We are constantly looking at new initiatives to help our customers get the information they need, offer great customer service and sell more batteries. ‘Our new mobile-friendly battery look-up tool will save our customers valuable time and money by allowing them to find detailed battery and fitting information quickly.’ Battery replacement has changed significantly in recent years, and the procedures involved for new vehicles are increasingly more complex and time-consuming. Yuasa’s new system displays a host of vital information such as battery type, fitting time and battery location in a clear and

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concise way. Furthermore, users can access detailed fitting instructions and battery information if required. For vehicles with advanced technology such as Start-Stop, the replacement battery must be the same specification as the OE battery, so the correct option will be displayed. For standard ignition vehicles, the system will present Yuasa’s good, better and best options with the corresponding features and benefits. A useful tool for upselling. To try the system visit fit.yuasa.co.uk

We are constantly looking at new initiatives to help our customers get the information they need

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FOCUS ON

BTR TRADE PRO

A QUICK AND EFFECTIVE WAY TO BANISH TRADE PLATE TRAUMAS BTR TRADE PRO T: 0113 815 0680 W: BTRPREP.COM If you have to use trade plates on a regular basis, it’s pretty likely that you’ll find them far more hassle than they ought to be. Traditional methods of fixing them to the car all have their drawbacks, from security to aesthetics to legality. Velcro and rubber strap fixings are slow; vacuum fixings need a clean surface to mount reliably; and magnetic fixings may not work at all. Even when mounted, the plates are easily lost and may not present at the correct angle. Worse still is the practice of just propping the plates in the windows. Aside from the fact that it could prove a dangerous projectile in the cabin if it slides over the dashboard, simply putting your plate in the window may land you in hot water for both failing to display the plate correctly and failing to obscure the vehicle’s own registration mark. The legislation surrounding trade plates is a little murky, but ultimately boils down to a couple of sections of the Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001. Trade plates must be fixed to both the front and rear of a vehicle, in the position designated for the purpose of displaying a registration plate, as near to vertical as is practical and readable from anywhere in a 21.5 metre arc from the car’s centre-line. Aside from the letter of the law is the consideration of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras. If a trade plate is in use and either not readable by such a camera or not obscuring the vehicle’s own registration plate, you could find a fine dropping through your letterbox. Without a secure way to fix the trade plate to the car, you might set out with a legal car but get back to find the plate has gone missing in transit – and incur a fine, to add insult to injury. With the existing solutions either impractical, unreliable or not strictly legal, the issue of trade plates was sufficiently irritating to Tim Ashton to require a new approach to it. Ashton comments: ‘I came to the conclusion that there had to be a better way. I was doing a little bit of buying and selling myself and I wanted to keep my trade plates. I started off designing an aluminium system just for myself. ‘When it came to laser-cutting the parts out, it was as cheap to do 100 sets as it was to do three sets, because the set-up is the major cost, not the material. So I got the 100 sets and went to a couple of dealer friends of mine. One guy in York had a mixed bag of really nice stuff, most of which had

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plates of different sizes – like Land Rover and Jaguar. ‘We did a process of him trying it, giving feedback and we went through an evolution where we got it as good as it could be – but ultimately it was aluminium and aluminium against paint isn’t very nice. ‘After talking to a few other people I found there was a market for it, so that set me down the road to finding if we could make something economical to make, which has got us to where we are now. What we were trying to do was create something that was legal, more presentable than what was kicking around and try to make it paint and trim friendly.’

What you see here is the fourth version of the tenth design, so it’s gone through a fair process of evolution!

44 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

The resulting TPH-2 Trade Pro Tool is a rapid-fit device, manufactured from nylon 6 and polypropylene injection moulded components that are far friendlier to paint and bodywork than the original aluminium design. Ashton adds: ‘What you see here is the fourth version of the tenth design, so it’s gone through a fair process of evolution!’ Able to mechanically lock on to any number plate that’s between 111mm and 215mm tall, regardless of how the plate is fixed to the car, the TPH-2 is an easy and quick way of securely fixing your trade plates on to just about any vehicle. Ashton estimates that for the average used car dealer, the TPH-2 will fit 95 per cent of stock, including models with square or unusually-shaped plates such as you’ll find on some Range Rover and Jaguar models. Only some Volkswagen Group models that have a styling garnish on the plate prove more of a challenge. Once the trade plate is slotted into the holder, it’s subject to mild tension from an adjustable nylon locking nut behind the plate, ensuring it can’t slide out accidentally. Fitting the TPH-2 to the car’s existing plate takes less than two seconds – with enough practice – and ensures that the

SIMPLE & STRAIGHTFORWARD Philip Welch, Philip Welch Specialist Cars The Trade Pro system is a very clever product that we use daily. They are easy to use with minimal fuss and very effective. Before this you had suckers that didn’t work half the time or plastic straps that flapped about – whereas this is a simple, straightforward system that’s very quick and effective. It’s just a case of hooking it over – it’s amazing that someone else hasn’t done it before. Nowadays, the automatic cameras will pick up the number plate, see it’s not taxed and you get a ticket automatically, whereas with these, in two seconds your car is legal and ready to go on the road.

plates are displayed in an appropriate, legal manner that would satisfy any ANPR system. Ashton notes: ‘We did these originally as a 3D SLS [selective laser sintering] print. We did a fair bit of testing with that, including all the silly things that are likely to happen and it stayed on fine – so long as the number plate is attached properly to the car!’ Entirely designed and built in the UK, the TPH-2 comes as a pair, each comprising a standard trade plate holder and standard plate clamp assembly, with a universal number plate adaptor. The adaptor has a measuring tool along one edge and labelled adaptor slots that allow you to mount the trade

plate holder in the right position for the plate size. Also included is a ‘recessed number plate tool’ that allows you to gently lever the centre of a recessed plate to allow the plate clamps to find a surface to mount to. For regular users of trade plates, the novel TPH-2 provides a quick, neat, legal and affordable solution.

Stephen Russell, Ringways Motor Group The product came to my attention from one of the members of our Retail Automotive Alliance who’d had a wonderful experience. They asked me to do a pilot and investigate how we could make our use of trade plates more efficient, more legal and, from a customer’s point of view, more professional. It deals with the legal elements, makes sure that the trade plates are secured and in the right place – on the front and rear of the car, covering up the existing plate. They’re the most sturdy pieces of engineering I’ve seen for this application, easy to fit, flexible for different sizes of number plates and very affordable. They certainly enhanced our customer experience and I’m very impressed with them. WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

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ROAD TRIP. BANGERS4BEN

THREE BANGERS, ONE TRIP TO ITALY – AND A SNAG OR TWO! The annual charity rally Bangers4Ben, organised by Workshop Magazine’s sister title Car Dealer, involves teams of motor trade professionals travelling across Europe on a four-day road trip in sub-£750 cars. Many of them are sponsored to raise money for the automotive industry charity Ben, and when the escapade is over, the cars are auctioned off to further boost its coffers.

This year, our intrepid participants travelled to the Ferrari factory in Maranello – and three of the teams were there to represent Workshop Magazine. Combine a line-up of bargain-basement bangers and a 2,000-mile round trip though, and not everything is going to go smoothly! Jon Reay and Rebecca Chaplin report.

Mitsubishi FTO

f you’re going to build a Batmobile that Batman himself would be proud of, you need to focus on performance as well as looks. It’s probably true that we focused on the latter more when working on our Mitsubishi FTO. Purchased months earlier for only £495, we’d set aside plenty of time to get our banger sorted but wanted to keep costs low to ensure the maximum return when it came to auctioning the bangers post-rally. On the expenses front, we managed to limit our large purchases to acquiring and fitting a new radiator, front discs and pads all round and

Gearbox gremlins affected our trip to Italy and back

46 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

new tyres – plus the odd Batman-branded car accessory (quite a few actually!) from Amazon. Fortunately, the aesthetics of the car didn’t involve much outlay. We had the car repainted in satin black, the dash was flocked – yes, you heard me right – with the Batman logo, we gave it LED lights underneath that flashed in different colours, added glow-in-the-dark touches and even made bat wings for the rear. (The Haynes manual of how to make your own replica along these lines will be coming later in the year.) However, there were some mechanical issues that we didn’t pay quite enough attention to.

These included reverse gear, which wasn’t particularly happy when we left the country, and by the time we reached Italy was really not in the best of shapes. As it turns out, the synchromesh was on its way out and with one rough gear change into reverse it was gone. As we crossed the border into Switzerland, we tried to change up to fifth and found that was no longer possible. It was only a matter of time before third gave up the ghost too. First and second were seriously unhappy, but the pair of us managed to nurse the Batmobile home to Portsmouth using mainly fourth and a little bit of second. Now we’re on the hunt for a new gearbox so we can get her back on the road and ready to sell to raise as much as we can for Ben!

Ford Ka

T Natty ginger fur adorned our SportKa-cum-cat

Daihatsu Hijet

his is the Mystery Machine that never quite was. It wasn’t the smoothest of set-ups for managing director Andy Entwistle as the little Daihatsu seemed to be running well, but would annoyingly cut out and then not start again. This turned out to be fuelling issue and after replacing the fuel pump actuator things seemed to be back on track. If you’re not familiar with the little Japanese van, we all thought Andy had gone a bit mad when he decided to take the 64bhp vehicle over the Swiss alps. It’s a bit top heavy and its top speed is a mere 65mph. That’s if you’re brave enough to take it above 56mph, because it’s at that point everything gets a little bit shaky. On the morning of Bangers4BEN he was en route to the ferry, but first needed to collect his co-driver. This took a little bit longer than imagined, as you might have guessed. With the first task of the morning complete and a passenger now in the van, the pair proceeded to Dover and made it.

he prep for our car was simple: stick it through a fast fit for a quick service, throw on a new tyre and glue on a bit of fake fur. Et voila – one SportKa-shaped cat that should make it to Italy and back. I was pretty happy with the £700 Ford, but the report back from Halfords was less than glowing. Old oil wasn’t a huge worry given the Ka’s resilient Rocam engine, but black power steering and brake fluid along with coolant described as ‘lumpy’ were more concerning. Having spent all our budget on ‘premium luxury ginger fur’ – thank you ebay – we settled on an oil and filter change and hoped for the best. Many hours of gluing and trimming later and we were on the road – but with old anti-freeze, a rubbish cooling system as standard and a load of added furry insulation, I was paranoid to say the least about the Ka overheating. It didn’t. What stopped us instead – 300 miles into France – was a newly-slipping clutch, which, high biting point aside, had felt fine up until this point. Deciding there was no chance of it climbing up an Alp without rolling back down again, we left the Kat behind until we looped back through France on our way home – nursing it back across into England on the final day. Still, at least it made it back…

The Mystery Machine was abandoned Only just though… The team got stuck in traffic and it was at this point that the Mystery Machine began to overheat. The delay meant they had missed the ferry all the other teams were on and had time to assess the situation. Confusingly there was water in the radiator but it didn’t seem to be heating up. With reluctance, the team came

to the conclusion that it was a faulty water pump this time and, even though they suspected they could make it across the channel, they imagined there was little chance of them finding a replacement part in France. So the Daihatsu was abandoned in a car rental car park but the team would not be defeated, and completed the trip in a Kia Cee’d. WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

| 47

OUR FLEET.

VW Type 3 Fastback Long list of jobs just got whole lot longer after a gruelling diagnostic session...

t’s gone from bad to worse for the Type 3 this month. A diagnostic session with a classic Volkswagen engine specialist has sent the list of parts from pricey to astronomical. Old Volkswagens are in a class I like to think of as old but accessible. With so many businesses offering vast quantities of new old stock and reproduction parts, it’s easy to get back on the road within a reasonably sensible time frame (on most occasions). There are other, more elusive, parts that are no longer manufactured though, and I seem to need all of them. Firstly, a vacuum distributor. What I thought was a problematic but straightforward issue with leaky injectors is actually a combination of things. The timing is way out, because the distributor isn’t working properly. So I need a new one, but they don’t make them. Strangely, or not so much perhaps, as Volkswagens seem to break constantly, our camper van had the same issue – but by a stroke of luck my partner found a working original. I’ve been reliably informed, though, that there is a new component on the market which should

Model: Volkswagen Type 3 Fastback 1600E Owned by: Rebecca Chaplin Engine: 1.6-litre Bought for: £3,500 Mileage: 92,280 Money spent this month: £150 Highlight: The anticipation of buying new parts, even if they’re going to cost an arm and a leg. work. At £160 it’s an expensive risk that I have no choice but to take. Interestingly it does have bluetooth though, so you can adjust the timing remotely from your phone. The horrendous way the Type 3 is running is linked to the exhaust too, or the large number of holes in it. We took a look underneath and the shoddylooking metal is more akin to Swiss cheese. Again, Type 3 exhausts are difficult to get hold

of. The usual fix is a later Type 4 exhaust which you can buy a conversion manifold for. This isn’t a great solution but I’m going to try one of Vintage Speed’s beautifully made stainless steel re-creations. Again, pricey. And then, of course, there are the injectors themselves which I mentioned before. No longer available, unless I want poor reproduction parts that will need replacing again in the not-toodistant future. Or I can convert it to carburettors, which will be on the whole a more substantial and effective fix. However, again, it’s the more expensive option. So if you look back to the Type 3’s first appearance in Workshop Magazine, you’ll spot a long list of jobs which we’re part way through but last week’s trip to the garage has just about doubled it. No more miles for the VW for a bit!

BMW 330d Touring It might be autumn, but Belfort is given a thorough spring clean in the sunshine THE sun has been out at Workshop HQ in Gosport, and with better weather came a more detailed look at the 330d. In short, I realised it had become almost impressively grubby. Having not moved for quite some time, Belfort had been claimed by spiders, whose webs hung from each wing mirror. He looked more like an installation than an actual moving car. Thankfully, my colleague Andrew is testing

some pressure washers for the magazine (I won’t reveal which one is the best just yet), and he very graciously allowed me to use one to get the worst of the detritus from the BMW’s exterior. With a deep layer of foam applied, a lot of the muck came off quite easily. The alloy wheels in particular came up a treat and now look a whole lot better – as does the rest of the car. Of course, just a pressure washer hasn’t got

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

FORD FIESTA XR2

VW TYPE 3 FASTBACK

NISSAN LEAF

HONDA CBR600RR

SUBARU IMPREZA STI

by James Baggott Chief executive, @CarDealerEd

by Rebecca Chaplin Head of content, @BelieveBecca

by Tom Barnard OnCue MD, @TomBarnardPR

by Laura Thomson Staff writer, @lauramayrafiki

by Jon Reay Multimedia manager, @JonReay

The Fiesta was pushed into a gap in the lock-up a few months ago and hasn’t moved since. Sad times. Let’s call it classic car preservation.

This month has been full of ups and downs. Although performance issues seem close to a resolution, there are other things to consider.

Done 1,260 miles without visiting a fuel station, except for Ginsters. Smart key survived a trip through the washing machine. Still works.

The Honda you see here has been shunned of late as Laura headed off on a road trip on a different model from the same manufacturer.

It’s time to give the Impreza a service, so Jon has been weighing up doing the job himself or paying £150 for a nice dealer stamp.

48 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

Peugeot 205 GTI 1.9

MG Metro Turbo

James would drive 500 yards – only to proclaim that the battery has died...

Christian might want to keep a low profile after a traumatic tyre purchase

I’VE driven just 500 yards from my house after at least a three-cups-of-tea car cleaning session* where the recently-evacuated-fromthe-garage Peugeot has shed its bird poo and dust-based cover to look what can only be described as rather ruddy good. But things have gone rapidly downhill. I’ve gone from looking forward to a classic 80s hot hatch jaunt to being stood with black hands, black hand-prints on clothing I’d rather not get black hand-prints on and clutching two giant crocodile clips in a desperate attempt to convey the well-known sign of distress at the side of the road. Obviously the bonnet is up on the 205 to really hammer home the I’m-not-parked-I’mbroken point. To make matters worse I’m blocking the entrance to the local submarine museum which, believe it or not, some people are actually trying to get in to. I know, it shocked me too. Anyway, thankfully those submarine searchers were real people because it meant I could block their paths and plead for help. Now, as you may have guessed, my mechanical knowledge of cars can be summed up on the back of a box of matches. I know they need electricity to make them go – hence the Duracell under the bonnet – but any further than that and I’m stumped. All I knew was that the electricity in my 205 had run out. It might have been looking shinier than a Right Said Fred head but unfortunately at this point in time it was blocking a rather unpopular Gosport tourist attraction entrance having silently coasted to a halt. The first car I managed to convince to stop was a Peugeot driven by a woman who, like me, was just as surprised her car had electricity under the bonnet as I was.

everything off but for the most part it really improved the look of Belfort, who was beginning to resemble a potted plant. Tyres pumped back up and after a quick run, it’s almost a new car. It just needs a good solid motorway trip to bring it back up to speed, and the oil service light has popped up (again) too.

JAGUAR X-TYPE ESTATE

We attempted to connect the red and black wires but her battery was buried so far under the windscreen I couldn’t get the red clip attached. I cursed. Not at the lady. At the French. Then waved her off. Fortunately the next car to arrive at the museum was built by Koreans. Koreans aren’t shy about showing off batteries. I found it with ease (a result in itself), connected it up and the GTI lived. I drove the 500 yards back to my house and started to hunt around for a new battery. All I ever seem to do for my old hot hatches is buy new batteries – and clean them. Perhaps that’s what classic car ownership is all about? Either way, it wasted an otherwise boring Saturday afternoon.

*The official unit of measurement for all car cleans is the number of cups of tea (PG Tips) that have been consumed during the entire washing session. A simple wash and chamois equates to a one-cuppa, whereas a full polish constitutes a four-cuppa. Model: Peugeot 205 GTI 1.9 Owned by: James Baggott Engine: 1.9-litre Bought for: £1,200 Mileage: 125,000 Highlight this month: Whiling away a boring Saturday afternoon.

AS Homer Simpson once said, damn you, ebay! After ‘playing’ with the world’s favourite auction site for the thick end of 12 years, I’ve finally been burnt. In hindsight, I should have seen it coming as my purchase of part-worn tyres was a bit of a grey area anyway, but add in buying them sightunseen from a private seller who lives 200 miles away, and it was always going to end in tears. To be honest, I’ve gone down the part-worn route before – if you want to stick to the Metro’s standard 165/60/13 tyres, then that’s the only option. I’ve never had any quality issues – when they do surface, the only available brands are

Dunlop, Falken or Goodyear – and this time shouldn’t have been any different. A set of badly described, well-stored Goodyear NCTs with whopping amounts of tread and no perishing were mine for a song and all was going swimmingly until I unloaded one and felt part of the bead had been damaged on removal. Oh well, you live and learn and they were only destined for the spare Ronal alloys anyway. On a happier note, the Metro continues to run okay. The carburettor really needs setting up on a gas analyser to sort the mixture, but I’ve tried to help it run a bit better by re-gapping the plugs and valve clearances. An oil change is next on the list, then there’s the small matter of renewing the insurance.

Model: BMW 330d Touring Owned by: Jack Evans Engine: 2.9-litre turbocharged diesel Bought for: £2,600 Mileage: 147,030 Money spent this month: £0 Highlight: Realising the car’s paintwork still looks good.

BMW 330D TOURING

MG METRO TURBO

Model: 1986 MG Metro Turbo Owned by: Christian Tilbury Engine: 1.3-litre, 4-cylinder Bought for: £680 Mileage: 67,984 Money spent this month: £40 Highlight: Buying a bargain set of tyres. Shame they turned out to be rubbish.

MAZDA MX-5

PEUGEOT 205 GTI 1.9

by James Fossdyke Staff writer, @JFossdyke

by Jack Evans News editor, @jackrober

by Christian Tilbury Staff writer, @Christilbury1

by Andrew Evans Senior staff writer, @snavEwerdnA

by James Baggott Chief executive, @CarDealerEd

A new catalytic converter means the Jag is purring once more but corroded rear brake lines need some attention.

Jack’s BMW is spick and span (see above). But its recent wash and brush-up has revealed some niggles that need attention.

The Metro’s still running, but a dodgy ebay tyre purchase means there’s no chance of it rolling on Christian’s spare set of Ronal alloys.

The MX-5 has moved this week – though pushing it across the car park so the hedge behind could be trimmed may not count...

James is on the hunt for a new battery – but the car is looking pretty good after a three-cuppa cleaning session. WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

| 49

OUR KEV.

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

Open and shut case that led to a midnight finish for me E very so often, we get a quirky older car in for its MOT, and when you’ve been in the trade a few years, it’s always nice to reacquaint yourself with the cars you used to love, or even hate. I was reminded of one very embarrassing experience just recently, when a chap brought in a lovely Citroen BX GTi. The hydraulic suspension BX GTi is a very rare beast today, but back in its heyday was a brilliantly quirky hot hatch, with the same engine as the Peugeot 205 GTi in a much more practical bodyshell, and with a far nicer ride. I used to love them. Indeed, I still do. All apart, that is, from one white F-registered example that decided to spring a fluid leak in the car park of Toddington Services on the M1. At the time, I was one of the garage’s spanner monkeys, and one of our jobs, if we were able to help, was to go out with our car trailer and recover vehicles that had let our customers down. The owner of the Citroen was a sensible chap, and having seen the big red ‘Stop’ light flash up on the centre of the BX’s dash, had immediately pulled in at the nearest service station to see what was wrong. The puddle of luminous green fluid dribbling out of the offside front wheel arch was enough to tell him all wasn’t well. I hooked up the car trailer to our trusty Vauxhall Frontera and ventured out to be his knight in shining armour. When I got there, the problem was obvious. One of the pressure pipes in the front suspension had split, causing fluid to leak from the driver’s side front brake cylinder. The good news for our customer was that the repair wasn’t going to cost him a fortune, and being a length of flexi hose would be something we could make up easily enough rather than procure from a Citroen dealer or specialist. It was an easy recovery, too, as the car was in a car park

and could be driven on to the trailer, so within 15 minutes we were mobile, the Citroen dribbling its lifeblood on to the trailer as we made our way back to base. So far, so good. About 40 minutes later, we pulled up on to our forecourt. We look after our customers, so the very first thing I did, after making him a welcome cup of tea, was sort out our courtesy Ford Fiesta so that he could get on his way – and quite frankly, I’m glad that I did, because it means he didn’t see the farce that followed. Having seen our mate down the road with a jolly wave, I went back to the Citroen to get it off the trailer and into the workshop. And there, my friends, is where I came unstuck. During its journey back to base, the leaking Citroen had done what Citroens of that era do, and had settled itself down into a stealthy repose, poised to re-erect itself as soon as the ignition key was turned. The problem, though, was simple. The ignition key was in the ignition, and while I’d deliberately left the doors unlocked, the BX had lowered itself to little more than an inch off the ground, with its doors firmly wedged between the trailer’s mudguards. To compound matters, the boot was locked. Getting into the Citroen was not going to be an easy task, and it was sitting so low on the trailer bed that winching it off would simply tear the floor to shreds. We eventually got it off about three hours later, after supporting the trailer itself on a pair of axle stands and removing both right-hand-side wheels and taking off the mudguard with an oxy-acetylene torch, just so we could get the blessed door open. I ended up working until midnight that night – two hours making and replacing the fluid pipe on a Citroen BX, and a further three hours fabricating and welding a new mudguard on to our trailer. It goes without saying, then, that every time I’ve loaded a hydraulically-suspended Citroen on to a trailer since, I’ve made sure the tailgate was left unlocked and the back seats folded down. It’s a bit of a faff when you’re loading, but when you explain the reasons why to the owner, you can see in their eyes the exact moment that the penny drops…

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...

50 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

”

The owner of the Citroen was a sensible chap, and having seen the big red ‘Stop’ light flash up on the centre of the BX’s dash, had immediately pulled in at the nearest service station to see what was wrong

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