CARS November/December

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023

Art Turney’s Garage

2023

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CONTENTS

November/December 2023 • Volume 9, No. 6

FEATURES

COLUMNS

COVER FEATURE

Service Notes | 5

Shop of the Year | 16

Figuring our what works best

Congratulations to Art Turney’s Garage, winner of the 2023 Shop of the Year Award.

Here’s why they were a deserving winner

Owner Overview | 14 The biggest issue we’re facing

Industry Expertise | 24 Navigating economic challenges

Business Management | 26 Transforming your management style

16

12 Class Act

Assiniboine Community College, Brandon, Manitoba

20

TECHNICAL FEATURE

Misfire diagnosis

A deep dive into one way of finding no code or random misfires

DEPARTMENTS 6.................

Letters

7.................. News 12.................. Class Act 13................. Numbers 23................ On The Road 28............... Baywatch 30............... Car-Toon

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TURNKEY MEDIA LAUNCHED A BRAND-NEW QUARTERLY MAGAZINE FOR AUTO SERVICE PROFESSIONALS: EV World focuses on: • Technical articles, how-to guides • Newest government and private sector news • New product alerts • Vehicle innovations, and what’s coming to your shop • Consumer habits and what to expect from your customers • And much more!

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SERVICE NOTES

Publisher | Peter Bulmer

(585) 653-6768 peter@turnkey.media Managing Editor | Adam Malik

FIGURING OUT WHAT WORKS BEST

(647) 988-3800 adam@turnkey.media Contributing Writers | Greg Aguilera, John Post,

Zakari Krieger, Erin Vaughan Creative Director | Samantha Jackson Video / Audio Engineer | Ashley Mikalauskas,

Nicholas Paddison Sales | Peter Bulmer, (585) 653-6768 peter@turnkey.media

Delon Rashid, (416) 459-0063 delon@turnkey.media Circulation | Delon Rashid, (416) 459-0063 delon@turnkey.media Production | Tracy Stone tracy@turnkey.media

CARS magazine is published by Turnkey Media Solutions Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in Canada. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, either in part or full, including photocopying and recording, without the written consent of the copyright owner. Nor may any part of this publication be stored in a retrieval system of any nature without prior consent.

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I

t can be a tall task to figure out what from the myriad of opinions out there is best for your shop.

Ask one shop owner and you’ll get a different answer than from another shop owner. And neither is wrong. Each one’s vision of the basics works for them in their market.

And that brings me to the Shop of the Year winner for 2023 — Art Turney’s Garage. Located in Peterborough, Ontario, the shop doesn’t have a website.

That may come as a surprise. Many will tell you that you need one. Others will tell you that you can forego the website for a Google Business Page. Is either viewpoint wrong? No. While perhaps every past Shop of the Year winner in the digital age has a website, Art Turney’s Garage relies on its Google Reviews to showcase why it’s the best option for drivers looking for vehicle service.

“We probably should but we don’t,” Mike Howard, manager of garage operations at Art Turney’s Garage, told me during our chat about having a website.

Even so, that 4.9 out of five rating on Google is an eye-catcher. It’s the digital version of wordof-mouth. A Google Business Page can be incredibly valuable.

I always like to use the Shop of the Year Award (and Jobber of the Year Award in Jobber News) to help impart lessons from one of the best the industry has to offer. So let’s run down some of those lessons some of you can take away.

I found the way Howard described running the shop as the most insightful. Notably, the fourday workweek.

Such a solution was discussed in July/August issue of CARS. Turney’s has been doing it for some time. The shop recognizes that times are different now. People want more flexibility in their work life. They don’t want to — or can’t — be chained to a set nine-to-five schedule. They have families with unique needs, ranging from childcare needs to taking care of their elderly parents.

Another was Howard’s attention to the bottom line. He lamented the slim margins his shop and the industry in general bring in. He doesn’t believe technicians are being properly compensated for the skills they have, the education they have gained and the quality of work they do.

Howard recognizes the need to raise the door rate. He understands the sticker shock that can hit customers but it’s necessary to run a business properly. As the old saying goes, the goal of every business is to make money.

Part of it is increasing costs, less reliance on parts revenue and that “it's a professional trade,” Howard said.

So as I ask you to join me in congratulating Art Turney’s Garage on being named the 2023 Shop of the Year, I also ask if any of these ideas can work in your shop. And if they can’t, can you think of others that would help you improve?

Corporate Office

48 Lumsden Crescent, Whitby, ON, L1R 1G5

ISSN 2368-9129 Online 2368-9137

Adam Malik Managing Editor, CARS w w w. a u t o s e r v i c e w o r l d . c o m

Let me know what you think.

You can reach me at adam@turnkey.media

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What’s on your mind?

LETTERS

We want to hear from you about anything you read in CARS magazine. Send your email to adam@turnkey.media

WHY YOU NEED TO GET EMOTION OUT OF PRICING All you have to do is go out for dinner to see that people will pay higher prices for things they see value in. Good restaurants are busy, I wonder why. Good food, good service and good friends all make for a good experience that customers will pay for. This can also be achieved in our shops. Nobody should begrudge us making an honest living at what we do. If we undercut our prices, we won’t have the money to pay our staff a decent wage. We owe it to all our staff to be good business operators. We need to create value in our pricing. If customers feel they are being looked after, then they will pay for it.

Bob Ward, The Auto Guys

HOW MANUFACTURERS ARE CHANGING THEIR OPERATIONS By doing this these companies will sacrifice supply due to multiple international factors that could affect manufacturing.

Unstable foreign governments and no control over shipping may cause disruptions. What ever happened to bringing manufacturing home?

Bob Ward, The Auto Guys

WHY PERFORMANCE PAY IS BETTER FOR YOUR SHOP What about when that six-hour tech is skilled and trained in electric vehicle diagnostics and repairs and that 10-hour tech is a brakes and flushes guy?

Ahmed, reader

using a similar approach to the one above as a means of vetting an apprentice’s resolve. These practices, regardless of intent, often do more harm than good in acquiring potential talent.

The apprentice sees the choice they made as a mistake instead of an opportunity.

Many Millennials and Gen Zs are not motivated nor think like the older generations. Their “whats-in-it-for-me” approach is often dismissed, ridiculed or even discriminated against. As a product of the “Social Revolution”, much of their lives have not been centred around competition, but rather interactions (both positive and negative). Hence the perceived selfish attitude older techs and management find dismissive.

Approaching potential young talent requires a different approach. One from a collaborative, supportive and directly interactive perspective. If a business cannot adapt to embrace and work within these attributes (instead of hammering apprentices into what they want), then the industry will continue to scare away potentially reliable, capable and honourable employees.

Stephen Osellame, automotive service technician

DIYERS PREFER DOMESTICS The DIY market is drying up with the complexity of newer vehicles. Aftermarket parts suppliers have quite a problem with returns and premature failure of parts when installed by untrained people. As a shop owner, I would prefer to deal exclusively with parts suppliers who only sell to repair shops.

We have installed customer-supplied parts in the past and find it interesting to see the inferior quality of some of these parts.

We do not offer any warranty on labour on these jobs at all. In the long run, the DIFM market will only increase.

Bob Ward, The Auto Guys

HOW TO AVOID SCARING AWAY APPRENTICES Agreed. There are also issues with the apprentice taking in weeks if not months of time and advice given to them only to quit and move elsewhere even though you have treated them very well, paid them well and guided them as you have mentioned like a win/win situation. So this becomes very problematic that all shop managers/owners I am sure have experienced.

Dave Gilmour, BMC Motorworks

I’ve personally noticed far too many “seasoned” techs are quick to point out all the shortcomings they perceive within this industry and openly question why an apprentice would choose this line of work over another trade. I’m also aware of techs 6 NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023

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Agree with Bob’s statements. The article is interesting. Could the correlation exist because domestic vehicles are typically cheaper and DIYers are typically cheaper?

Chris Dekker, My Garage Auto & Tire

CHEAPEST OR BEST VALUE: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE? It will be the job of the service advisor to talk value to the customer not price. If the service advisor comes across as compassionate there will be a good chance to convert the customer. Selling them on the value of dealing with your shop should be the focus of the conversation. Failing that if the consumer is only focused on price, they are not the type of customer you want and cut them loose.

Bob Ward, The Auto Guys

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NEWS

LEAD WHEEL WEIGHTS TO BE BANNED LEAD WHEEL WEIGHTS won’t be allowed to be manufactured or imported into Canada as of February 3, 2024.

The Automotive Retailers Association of Ontario put out a bulletin in October advising of the new regulations. However, even after the ban comes into place, shops will still be able to use the lead wheel weights to get rid of current inventory.

“To ensure uninterrupted service to your valued customers, we strongly recommend that you consider purchasing nonlead weights to augment your store inventory prior to the implementation of the ban,” AARO’s notice stated. “This proactive measure will help guarantee that you possess the necessary inventory of various sizes to continue to service your customers’ needs.”

subcommittee to a full committee for review — the farthest right to repair efforts have gone in that country.

Members of the Subcommittee on Innovation, Data, and Commerce, of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued no objection to act to push it forward, clearing a major hurdle.

The move was praised by the Auto Care Associtation, MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers and the CAR Coalition.

The REPAIR Act will now move to consideration by the full Energy and Commerce Committee. Other stakeholders have brought forward recommendations to alter the current bill. All three groups mentioned have stated they will work with committee members, members of Congress and other stakeholders to help further ensure the legislation will continue to progress through Congress.

CANADA, U.S. MAKE MOVES ON RIGHT TO REPAIR RIGHT TO REPAIR CONTINUES its progression on two sides

of the North American border.

On October 18, the House of Commons unanimously passed Bill C-244, which proposes amendments to the Copyright Act that would give Canadians the right to access their data for the purposes of diagnosis, maintenance or repair of certain types of products, including the vehicles they own.

“Bill C-244 is a step in the right direction when it comes to levelling the playing field for service and repair of consumer goods,” said a statement from AIA Canada. “This is why we are continuing to work with the federal government as the Bill now moves to the Senate for further study, to urge its swift passing into law.”

Now the ball is in the court of the federal government, the group added. “The federal government must proceed with a review on the Right to Repair (as promised in Budget 2023) and go further to introduce standalone legislation for vehicles, which will be needed to help reinforce a manufacturer’s requirement to allow access to diagnostic and repair information, which would address systemic issues around data ownership.”

On the U.S. side, the REPAIR Act in the U.S. was sent for markup and eventually voted from a U.S. House of Representatives

BESTBUY NAMES NEW LEADER NICK BRUNET IS THE new president and chief operating officer

of Bestbuy Distributors.

Chairman Doug Wilson, Bestbuy shareholder and owner of Fat Guys Auto Parts in Thunder Bay, made the announcement, adding that Brunet will report directly to the board.

He will be responsible for Bestbuy’s operations and will be the primary contact between the board and the company’s management team. Brunet will play an instrumental role in helping to establish and lead Bestbuy’s future direction. The company’s organization and reporting structure will remain the same following Bruney’s appointment.

Brunet will be based out of Bestbuy’s Mississauga, Ontario,

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NEWS

office. He will take over from interim president Gary Thibault, owner of shareholder The Partsman in Oshawa, who has been filling in since the departure of Bill Hay in May following the distributor’s annual gala dinner and warehouse trade event.

UNI-SELECT ACQUIRES AUTO PARTS CENTRAL AUTO PARTS CENTRAL and Central Canada Industries, both owned by Wayne Maunula with presence in Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, are now part of the Uni-Select fold.

Maunula won the Jobber News Jobber of the Year Award in 2008.

The company called the acquisition “a strategic transaction aimed at expanding the company’s footprint” across the three provinces.

Central Canada Industries opened its doors 32 years ago. Its core products included hydraulic hose and couplings, lifting and rigging, traction chain, pneumatics, fleet oil and greases. Two years later, it launched Auto Parts Central in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

The jobber has 14 locations stretching from Thunder Bay to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.

THE MUFFLERMAN ACQUIRES EUROMECHANIC FOUR GREATER TORONTO AREA automotive repair and tire shops plus one in Guelph have been acquired by The Mufflerman.

The five locations are under the EuroMechanic banner, specializing in repair, service and tires for European vehicles.

They are co-branded with individual names: Bloor West Auto in Mississauga, McDermott Motors in Toronto, McNally Auto in North York, Redline Automotive in Scarborough and Brock Road Garage in Guelph.

The deal closed on November 3 and was announced Nov. 14.

The EuroMechanic brand, previously owned by private-equity firm Carflex Capital, will operate as a separate division of The Mufflerman.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

ADVANCE AUTO PARTS COULD SELL WORLDPAC, CARQUEST ADVANCE AUTO PARTS announced it is beginning the process of looking into spinning off its Worldpac division and its Canadian business under the Carquest banner.

The announcement came as the company has decided to focus on a “blended box business model” as it also looks into a new cost reduction program. In its third-quarter financial report, it said the move the company could see at least $150 million in savings annually through the plan.

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Shane O’Kelly, who took the reins as president and CEO from Tom Greco in September, said he’s been working with the board and management in reviewing the business.

Centreview Partners is working with Advance on the sale process. No timetable was given nor was a deadline for any potential sale. Advance also doesn’t intend to comment or give any updates on the possible sale unless they reach a conclusion or further updates are warranted.

CHIEFTAIN WINS JOBBER OF THE YEAR JOBBER NEWS AWARDED the prestigious Jobber of the Year

Award to Chieftain Auto Parts for 2023.

The store is owned by the brother-and-sister team of Jayne Kelly and Trevor Heinze. They took over from their parents Eileen and Peter, who opened the business — the first jobber in the area — in 1973.

Chieftain started with four employees and now has two locations — one in Prince George and the other in nearby Hart — with 38 people on staff.

Kelly and Heinze wouldn’t be where they are without the people who show up day after day in the warehouse, on the counter or doing deliveries. They have employees who have been around for more than 30 years — one for more than 40.

“So it becomes more like a whole family rather than employees and owners,” Kelly said. “And we all work together.”

You can find the full feature in the November issue of Jobber News.

AUTO REPAIR MARKET REVERTS TO PRE-PANDEMIC LEVEL AFTER HITTING A high of nearly $11 billion in 2022, the J.D. Power 2023 Canada Customer Service Index—Long-Term (CSI-LT) Study, reported the auto service market declined this year.

It now matches pre-pandemic levels at $9.1 billion. Perhaps to be expected as people spent their money closer to home, especially as new and used vehicles became scarce and expensive.

The study measures usage and satisfaction of service shops for vehicles that are four to 12 years old. It also found that Canadian customers are paying more for maintenance and repair work than a year ago but not going into their shops as often.

What that means is that service visits are down and repair costs are up. The study reported that the average cost per visit at a dealership is $432, up about 10 per cent ($394) from 2022.

Meanwhile, the average cost per visit at an independent shop is $262, an increase of $15 (6 per cent) from a year ago.

Inflation is having an effect when it comes to automotive service, observed J.D. Ney, automotive practice lead at J.D. Power Canada.

“Average spend per service visit is up year over year at both

KIDS FEEL URGE TO IGNORE TRADES

dealerships and aftermarket facilities — yet the number of service visits is down,” he said in the report.

“While the pandemic caused a decline in service visits and revenue, the market has rebounded strongly. Now, we’re seeing a return to pre-pandemic levels for service on four- to 12-year-old vehicles.”

INDUSTRY EMPLOYMENT REMAINS STRONG THE PICTURE HAS brightened around aftermarket employment,

according to DesRosiers Automotive Consultants.

The group reported that both automotive parts and accessories stores and automotive maintenance and repair are above prepandemic employment levels.

“The automotive aftermarket continued to prove its strength,” DesRosiers said in a recent analysis.

Parts and accessories store employment was up 9.6 per cent in June compared to the same time last year. Repair and maintenance saw a 5.7 per cent increase over the same time. Both are now above pre-pandemic levels.

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A NEW REPORT FINDS that parents continue to push their children away from vocational education and into university at a high rate.

Jobber, an operations management software for home service businesses, released the Blue-Collar Report: Gen Z and the Uncertain Future of the Trades, which surveyed 10,000 18- to 20-year-olds.

It found that nearly three-quarters (74 per cent) of respondents reported a stigma with going to a vocational school over attending a traditional four-year university. Furthermore, four in five (79 per cent) said their parents want them to pursue a university education after high school.

This “is creating immense pressure for Gen Z to pursue a traditional white-collar career path while incurring large amounts of debt that they are concerned with repaying,” the announcement about the report said.

“If we don’t educate society about the high value of trade work and the significant opportunities that exist in the field, the labour shortages we are seeing today will reach critical levels, resulting in a

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Celebrating 60 years as your friend

potentially catastrophic outcome for local economies and communities,” said Sam Pillar, CEO and co-founder of Jobber.

CUSTOMERS CRY FOUL OVER REPAIR COSTS

QUALITY WORK BACKED

BY CANADA’S BEST NATION-WIDE WARRANTY FAST & RELIABLE SERVICE PREFERRED PRICING TECHNICAL TIPS FROM INDUSTRY LEADING EXPERTS

A NEW SURVEY shows that distrust of vehicle repair shops is almost universal among consumers in the United States.

Vehicle maintenance and repairs are creating more confusion and distrust for consumers than any other type of service, including legal, accounting and medical, according to Jerry, a car owner app.

Almost all respondents said they don’t trust their vehicle repair shop to treat them fairly. Nearly nine in 10 claimed they’ve been overcharged or may have been overcharged at one time. More than half (56 per cent) said they’ve probably paid for a service they didn’t need. That number jumps when asking the younger generations — 65 per cent of Gen Zers say so, while it’s 64 per cent for Millennials.

About two thirds (65 per cent) of vehicle owners said they’re frustrated because of a lack of transparency over what repairs and other services should cost at auto repair and maintenance shops. But these frustrations aren’t enough to shop around themselves — 64 per cent said they don’t price compare for repair and maintenance services.

FLAT RATE IS ‘A SILLY SYSTEM’ PICTURE THIS SCENARIO: A shop has a pair of technicians. One is constantly reading up on new vehicle technology, they’re taking in training and embracing all that is coming. The other is the opposite.

They come in, do their work and that’s it.

Yet, they’re both being paid the same.

This is certain to cause angst, predicted Rob Morrison, Canadian fixed operations manager at Phaff/Lithia.

He called flat rate a “dinosaur” system during Centennial College’s Driving the Future 2.0 event. These days, the job of the 10 N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3

technician is to tell a story to the customer through digital video inspections and other documentation. It’s “an articulate document” that describes what was done.

“You have a vast amount of learning that you have to do now that there is no financial reward for doing under the flat rate system,” Morrison said as part of a panel discussion. “You’re penalized in that system for becoming an expert at fixing the new stuff that you’re not going to be fast at and somebody is rewarded for shying away from embracing the new technologies.”

If someone just wants to do brakes, then they will because they’re not incentivized to go beyond that, he added. And in the end, it’s the customer who gets penalized.

“Because our most rewarding jobs are the things that are the basic maintenance on the car. That doesn’t make sense, right? It’s a silly system,” Morrison said.

SMALL BIZ IGNORING CYBERCRIME RISKS A REPORT FROM MasterCard found a 600 per cent increase in Canadian cybercrime since the start of the pandemic.

But, it noted, business owners across Canada said they struggle to invest in cybersecurity tools to protect them due to limited resources and lack of know-how to recover after an attack.

Cyberattacks are a matter of when, not if.

Mastercard reported that just 16 per cent of Canadian small business owners are certain they know the best steps to take following a cyber attack — not even one in five (only 18 per cent) have total confidence that their business would recover fully from an attack in the next six months.

Added insights from the Insurance Bureau of Canada. Its 2023 Cyber Security Survey found that more than three in five small businesses believe their business is too small to be targeted by cybercriminals.

This number rises to 73 per cent for sole proprietors.

Most business owners surveyed were not concerned about their staff posing a cyber risk, IBC reported. However, three-quarters of employees surveyed admit to having taken at least one

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action that poses a cybersecurity risk.

While large corporations are common targets for cybercriminals due to their size and level of reward, smaller businesses are often easy targets because they don’t have the same safety protocols in place, nor do they train staff adequately to protect company assets.

WHERE RETAIL LEADERS SEE ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT LEADERS OF RETAIL outlets see customer interaction as a major deficiency among their staff. However, a report noted outdated training methods as a key issue.

A new report from frontline training platform eduMe found that 83 per cent of leaders in retail and hospitality are not confident in their employees’ ability to interact with customers.

The study further found that the leaders’ top challenges are employee turnover, customer experience, and sales. They’re also concerned about supply and demand, lack of leadership, keeping employees goaloriented, inflation, cost of goods and labour, employees not retaining information or not caring and employees being afraid to engage with customers.

The study further highlighted outdated training methods. The vast majority (92 per cent) reported that they utilize face-toface training or desktop-based learning.

These are processes that take time away from customers and are delivered in a way that lowers engagement, relevance and accessibility, the company said.

“Businesses need to invest in better employee training systems and processes in order to ensure that their frontline teams are equipped to provide the best possible service,” said eduMe CEO and founder Jacob Waern.

TOTALENERGIES SIGNS QUEBEC DISTRIBUTION DEAL TOTALENERGIES Marketing Canada

Inc. inked a commercial partnership with Paquet & Fils for the marketing of its lubricants for the Quebec market.

Paquet & Fils specializes in distributing petroleum products and equipment for Quebec.

This move will see TotalEnergies consolidate its distribution network in a strategic area, aiming to offer a better level of service.

“We are excited to unveil our longterm partnership with Paquet & Fils. Our natural complementarity and our joint ambitions align perfectly with our desire for growth, highlighting our vast selection of solutions in the field of lubricants.

This collaboration will make it possible to broaden access to our specialized products approved by the main European manufacturers, as well as to our range of organic products and fats, in order to make them accessible to the greatest number of customers” declares Olivier Gauthier, President of TotalEnergies Marketing Canada Inc.

Celebrating 60 years as your friend

NIKE USING AIR BAG SCRAPS IN NEW SHOES IT’S MAYBE ALMOST too easy to call these Nike Airbags but the shoe giant has unveiled a fully circular shoe that is made using scrap airbag material.

The new Nike ISPA Link Axis is a fully recyclable shoe, made with interlocking parts, no glue and scrap airbag material to make the TPU plastic tooling fully recycled.

Nike’s ISPA (Improvise, Scavenge, Protect, Adapt) design philosophy focuses on experimentation and reimagination of products. The shoe is part of Nike’s vision to become more circular, which means now waste through a closed-loop system.

“For the Link Axis, the ISPA team considered the circular design principle of ‘disassembly,’ or the ability to easily take a product apart to recycle its components, one of the more challenging principles to implement in footwear design,” Nike’s announcement said.

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EDUCATION

Class act A special section dedicated to showcasing automotive trade schools CARS will regularly feature automotive schools across Canada.

In this issue, we learn more about Assiniboine Community College.

If you’d like your school featured, reach out to adam@turnkey.media.

Name of school: City: Head of program:

Assiniboine Community College Brandon, Manitoba Kevin Poirier, dean of trades and director, centres for adult learning; Lloyd Carey, chairperson of mechanical trades

Tell us aboutyour school. What doyou offer? How many students doyou have?

Assiniboine Community College has been providing exceptional learning experiences for more than 60 years. The college offers more than 70 certificate, diploma and postgraduate programs across a variety of disciplines including apprenticeship programming in a range of skilled trades disciplines. In the 2023-24 academic year, Assiniboine is forecasting that we will see 636 apprentices attend to obtain their next level of their respective trade program. This is great news for trades in all industries in our province.

The Mechanical trades portfolio at Assiniboine includes Automotive Technician, Heavy Equipment Technician (pre-employment), Heavy Duty Equipment Technician (apprenticeship), Agricultural Equipment Technician (apprenticeship), Welding/Welder (Apprenticeship and Preemployment), Power Engineering (4th class and 3rd class).

The Mechanical Trades programs welcome 32 pre-employment students annually. This is exciting as it shows there is an interest in the industry, and it gives students an opportunity to see what a career in Automotive looks like and sets them up for success to pursue their Journeyman ticket. Annually, we typically see 48 students through each level of the apprenticeship programs; around 12 in each level 1, 2, 3 and 4.

for their studies and work in industry, without breaking the bank.

How areyou preparing today’s students to be tomorrow’s automotive service professionals?

Our instructors are veterans of the automotive repair industry and have developed the skills needed to stay current in this ever-changing industry. While guiding students in their learning about vehicles of the past, present and future, they build in strategies to help students understand the importance of becoming lifelong learners as the industry evolves.

What unique experiences are available to students?

In 2010 ACC’s trades programs moved into a brand new facility, the Len Evans Centre for Trades and Technology. Here, students have access to the most current equipment and technologies for the hands-on learning portions related to their program. We are lucky to have supportive trade partners and alumni who provide us with tools and machinery that may no longer be of use to them in their workplace, but provide our students with practical materials to get the best learning experiences possible.

Every year, the school hosts a tool fair for students. Vendors come to campus to show the students what they offer and provide discounted pricing exclusive to our students. This annual event helps our students get set up with the right tools 12 N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3

Why is this an exciting time to be a student in an automotive trade school?

There is much change happening in the industry with more to come.

Students can expect to have careers filled with new technologies and exciting training opportunities to keep up with the evolution and demands of the industry.

Currently, it looks like we are trending towards fully electric vehicles, but there is incredible competition to come up with the next highly efficient and green mobile energy source. If something new and better emerges you have to ask, “What will we be working on next?”

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By The Numbers Stats that put the North American automotive aftermarket into perspective $9.1 BILLION The value of the automotive service market dropped from a high of $10.9 billion in 2022 to back in line with pre-pandemic figures in 2023.

J.D. Power

19% Fewer Canadians are working from home permanently in 2023. Last year, that number was 27%. This year, 29% are working hybrid.

EY Canada

8

MILLION

U.S. Domestic nameplate vehicles have plunged over a 10-year span.

Meanwhile, 40 million foreign nameplates have been added.

Lang Marketing

66% A “lack of funds to pay for maintenance and care” was a reason for all age groups to wait when it comes to tackling car issues.

2023 MarketWatch Generational Car Care Survey

A majority of Canadians plan to buy a hybrid or electric vehicle as their next car. That’s similar to figures shown one year ago.

44%

Turo

54%

Gen Z is the most active group of car buyers since the COVID-19 pandemic started. Nearly 20% bought a car in 2020 alone.

40 years old

Most DIY work is done by those under 40. After this, most feel they can save more money DIYing home renovations than working on their vehicle.

Lang Marketing

Jerry's State of the American Driver Report

$39,934 A U.S. shop owner’s total fine after paying out a former employee’s final payment in oily pennies with an expletive note attached has been ordered to repay the employee and other ex-staffers.

Northern District of Georgia Newnan Division

OWNER OVERVIEW

THE BIGGEST ISSUE WE’RE FACING

Shop owners need to find technicians. There isn’t a lot of them. How do we find them? Here’s how we can start

A

s a shop owner, December is a great time to sit down and reflect on your successes from the past year, as well as the challenges you have faced. You can assess which plans worked out, which ones had to be adjusted and which ones will be transferred to next year.

This is also a great time to solidify your 2024 plan and ensure you are on track to achieve your goals in the coming year.

When it comes to challenges this year, one stands out the most: Our technician shortage. How are we going to attract people to this amazing career?

Perhaps we should spend some time reflecting on what inspired us to join this industry ourselves. Also, we should think about where we can find our future techs to let them know about this great career option.

My journey into this industry was not typical: I was a 26-year-old woman with no automotive experience or interest in working on vehicles. I was, however, looking for a career that challenged me, allowed me the opportunity to problem solve and kept me physically moving — the idea of being stuck behind a desk all day was not appealing.

The people looking for careers with these qualifications are our techs and we need to be open to giving them an opportunity and hiring them. Whether they are female or 14 N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3

male, BIPOC or white, farm or city kid, mechanically inclined or technologically minded, these are the people who will help us build great businesses.

Once they’re hired, we need to support their journey by providing them with quality education, experience and a safe environment to work in, physically and emotionally. Most importantly, they need to be paid fairly, given the flexibility to allow for a healthy work/life balance, have access to health benefits and be treated like valued members of our teams — because they are.

Is your shop an attractive option for an aspiring tech or a 15-year journeyperson — who has many other options — here are a few questions you can ask yourself: ❏ Do I charge enough to ensure I can pay a fair wage with benefits? ❏ Am I profitable enough to purchase the tools required to do the job right? ❏ Do I have the ability to pay for ongoing education for all staff members? ❏ Have I created a shop culture where everyone is treated with respect? ❏ Do I have SOPs that allow staff to know what their responsibilities are and how to carry out tasks? ❏ Would I want to work here?

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The people looking for careers with these qualifications are our techs and we need to be open to giving them an opportunity and hiring them.

The answer to that last one is most important. If the answer is no, you have some work to do. If you don’t want to work there, why would anyone else? If you have answered yes to the above questions, you have made it through half the battle.

Now it’s time to find your techs.

Historically, I have posted on job search and social media platforms with little success. I recently reached out to a trades-specific recruiting company in the hopes that I could pay someone to search for a tech for me. Unfortunately, this company told me that they don’t recruit automotive service technicians — there are so few of us and they only get paid when they make a successful placement.

What this tells me is that we’ll be growing our own techs, which is an expense that we need to account for in 2024. To

find these apprentices, I will be reaching out to local high schools that have automotive classes and the automotive service department of Saskatchewan Polytechnic with the hope that they will allow me to come into their classrooms and present to their students.

If we can get in front of these students before they enter the workforce, we have the opportunity to show young people that this is an awesome career, with new and exciting opportunities to learn and grow. We can showcase our facilities and the incredible work we have done to create an environment where they can feel successful in their careers as automotive service technicians.

This is the best time to be in the automotive service industry.

We can provide our clients with safe and reliable transportation at a much more affordable price than new vehicle payments.

We can provide our staff with long-term careers (artificial intelligence isn’t going to start replacing brake pads anytime soon). And we can provide ourselves with successful businesses that will afford us the opportunity to retire one day.

Ultimately, everyone wants to feel like they get up every day to do something they’re great at, so let’s build those opportunities and raise the standard in our industry to create a sustainable future for all of us.

Erin Vaughan

is the owner of Kinetic Auto Service in Regina

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SHOP OF THE YEAR

BUILDING TRUST Art Turney’s Garage has been a key part of its community — and by no accident. It’s now the 2023 Shop of the Year winner // By Adam Malik ART TURNEY’S GARAGE doesn’t spend a penny on advertising. If you were to Google it, you won’t find a website. But you will see a Google business profile.

And on the profile, you’ll see a score of 4.9 out of five stars.

“Google Reviews is everything,” said Mike Howard, manager of garage operations at Art Turney’s Garage.

Oftentimes, when a new customer is asked how they found the shop, the answer is almost always because of the reviews on Google.

It’s that word of mouth — digital and in the real world — that has given Art Turney’s Garage a loyal following in Peterborough, Ontario. And it’s the 2023 Shop of the Year, sponsored by Milwaukee Tool.

The shop prides itself on customer relationships and providing an outstanding customer experience.

For example, when a customer doesn’t understand the repair needed or has questions about it, Howard will bring his technicians to the counter to explain exactly what’s happening.

“The mechanics are really good. I'll just say, 'Well, let's talk to your mechanic.' So the mechanic will come out and they'll walk them through the process,” he explained.

Or if it’s something that can be explained through a quick video, he’ll open YouTube and show them a video of what’s taking place.

“So that's my go-to — the mechanics first and then if it's something simple, I'll show them a video,” Howard said.

HISTORY The business started around 1930 as Turney Brothers Garage in Colbourne, Ont. Bill Turney moved the business to Peterborough before handing the business over to his son, Art. He died in 1982 but passed the business on to his son John who sold the business in 1989 to Jim McWilliams, owner of local moving company McWilliams Moving & Storage — who happened to be the first customer when the shop opened a new location. The shops started out repairing the McWilliams fleet and expanded from there. Then they started doing other company’s fleet vehicles.

Over time, customers getting their fleets repaired at Turney's wanted their personal vehicles to get the same top-notch service, growing the business further. The Turney family continues to have their vehicles serviced at the shop to this day.

Because the shop is a division of a larger company, it’s Howard who oversees the operation rather than the owner. His background is in warehouse and distribution and managing fleets. He joined Art Turney’s Garage about six years ago.

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The mechanics are really good. I'll just say, 'Well, let's talk to your mechanic.' So the mechanic will come out and they'll walk them through the process."

Want more insights?

Scan the QR code to listen to the CARS Magazine Enhanced Media segment.

2023 From left, Haze Waldman, James Kinder (Milwaukee Tool) Mike Howard, Eric Welds, Trevor Reid, Andrew Ryzynski, Matt Fraser, Neil McIlmoyle, Mike Stonehouse, Mark Gavrilov (Milwaukee Tool) Tyler Adams, Lee Card (Missing – Doug Copping, Ridge Riddolls and Jakob Swart)

But he’s not a technician. He doesn’t have formal training under the hood. He’s a business person. He brought in two foremen to lead the technical aspects.

“Fortunately, I have a strong crew that has helped me navigate the waters,” Howard said. “So they're really good, honest and forthright and helped me out with that. They bring their auto and truck mechanical skills to the table and I manage the business and we make it work.”

Howard felt it was important to get some technical knowhow in the bays. He reciprocates by giving them insights on the business side of things. “You have to have the business side to run a shop,” he said.

BUSINESS PHILOSOPHY One of the marks of the Shop of the Year is implementing new systems or looking at new ways to tackle age-old challenges.

Art Turney’s Garage understands the challenges of attracting talent not to just its shop but to the industry as well.

That’s why they put an emphasis on training and work-life balance.

The shop offers a lot of freedom to its staff as to how they want to work. While they have to be in the shop during core hours, they can be flexible with their time and days — and so long as they’re putting in the hours.

“We're flexible to that. So if they want to start at six in the morning or seven in the morning or eight in the morning and work their eight hours, we're good with that. We just want them here in the core hours,” Howard said. “It's a challenge finding, retaining staff and a lot of people have a lot of different needs. They have kids, they have families, various life challenges that they have to adapt to. And the guys have responded well to that.”

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Inside the shop’s bays

A photo of the original shop, taken around 1930

They have one person who has always been on a four-day schedule — another who just retired worked three days. So flexibility has always been a keyword around the shop. And when one employee asked about doing a four-day workweek, it became an official way of doing business.

Howard picks who works what days based on seniority. So the tenured staff can choose if they want the Monday or Friday off. Then it opens up to the res. If someone wants Wednesday off, they can have it.

Even though the shop advertises its hours as 8-5, people are working away in the bays before and after those times. Usually, there’s someone here most days at 6 a.m., and always by 7 a.m.

Then there are some who are still plugging away after the shop is closed.

“Our uniqueness is: If we can help the guys out in any way, we try to do that,” Howard said.

The shop also has a breakfast meeting every Thursday morning that is well received.

“It's not huge, but the guys seem to appreciate it,” Howard said. “We sit down and have a breakfast and sometimes we have good business conversations and other times we just talk about shop stuff.”

TOOLS AND TRAINING If a technician needs a new tool or something needs to be updated, Howard is receptive.

“I lean heavily on the staff to tell me what their needs are.

If it's imperative to the smooth running of the shop, and it's necessary for the diagnostics or to do the repairs, then it has to be done regardless,” Howard said. “You have to stay on top [of that]. You got to have tools to fix cars.”

He has his team get the training they need — but he finds that being an independent shop presents challenges in terms of opportunities. Plus, being almost two hours outside of Toronto, he feels that being in a smaller centre doesn’t allow for the same training options.

And with electric vehicles on the horizon, he’s eager to make sure his team can handle upcoming requests.

“Moving forward into the EV world, [training] seems to be non-existent, at least that I've found so far,” Howard said. “And I'm concerned — I know it's probably 10 years out or whatever 18 N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3

— but I'm concerned that the younger guys in the trade are going to possibly have a challenge to adapt.”

LOOKING AHEAD Speaking of the future, Howard is aware of trends and demands from the younger generation of customers like texting or online booking. While he hasn’t had many or any requests for such services, he knows he soon will.

“That's something that the future is going to bring in.

The younger people are going to expect and want that. Our clientele right now isn't,” he observed.

The shop has digital scheduling so the foundation is in place, Howard pointed out. “All the tools are there to facilitate it. We have the capabilities to do it, but we just haven't promoted it. So I think we just need to open it up to the customer.”

On the topic of customers, Howard believes the same beliefs and expectations are still in place: They want the job done well.

“They want a worry-free job,” he said. “They don't want to have to ask questions afterwards. And they want it done in a timely manner at a fair price. They don't necessarily want a cheap price. They want a fair price. They want value for the money. And that's I think that's been the expectation forever.”

The key is value for money. Customers understand that things have gotten more expensive. They’re generally fine with that.

But added to the aftermarket’s challenge is the lack of available talent, partly due to low wages.

“And in order to attract and retain staff, we've had to increase wages, which is due. I generally think the whole business, the whole trade is underpaid. And we've increased wages, trying to remain competitive with our competition.

And, in turn, therefore, we had raised door rates and the price parts have gone up, and everything's gone up. And it's all part of keeping the lights on and trying to make a profit,” Howard said.

“It's still a bit of a sticker shock, but I totally get it. Once you educate the customers, they're on board. I don't think we've ever, to the best of my knowledge, we've never lost a customer and then due to our prices — and we have raised them considerably post-COVID.”

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It's a professional trade. And these guys are highly qualified and they're getting recognized for that. And I think that's exciting that they're finally getting the recognition they deserve.”

they're no different than any other business,” Howard said.

He pointed to more people recognizing that this industry can be more like a dentist’s office where they charge you for all of their time. It tied back into his concerns of profit margin — capturing all of the time a shop spends working on a vehicle and recognizing the education and training a technician has done to be able to return the vehicle to proper working order is critical.

“It's a professional trade. And these guys are highly qualified and they're getting recognized for that,” Howard said. “And I think that's exciting that they're finally getting the recognition they deserve.”

ADVICE The winner of the Shop of the Year is always asked for their advice to their peers. For Howard, it was simple: Listen to your people. They’re out in the field. It’s their boots on the ground. They hear more than the people in charge.

“And, also, they know their trade,” Howard said. “They know what they need to do the job. So they're the eyes and ears and knowledge.”

INTRODUCING

TOP CHALLENGES It’s that lack of talent that keeps Howard up at night. Well, one of the things.

Margins are another. For the work that goes into fixing a vehicle, he doesn’t believe the profit matches that effort.

“You look back on it and go, ‘Wow, that was a lot of work to get there,” Howard said.

And the future of the industry is another worry, particularly around electrification. While he admitted being on the older end of the spectrum means he may never have to deal with the technology, he wonders what’s in store for the younger crew.

“The 20-year-olds might adapt; they'll come up with it. It's going to be the 40-year-old guys that are going ... to have the problem,” he predicted.

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TOP OPPORTUNITIES The fact that the role of the technician is gaining more respect and the auto repair business is developing a better understanding with customers are two things that Howard is excited about.

“I think that people more and more are recognizing that garages are here to make money and

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NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023

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TECHNICAL INSIGHTS

MISFIRE DIAGNOSIS One method of finding no code or random misfires

By John Post

W

hile misfire codes have certainly made our job easier, it is important to remember that misfires don’t always set code and that not all misfire codes are accurate for the source cylinder.

Misfire codes are based on crankshaft velocity changes. When a cylinder misfires, the crankshaft will slow down due to the noncontribution to rotational speed. Cylinder misidentification can sometimes occur, especially when the misfire is inconsistent. This is why it is important to verify the misfiring cylinder even with a DTC present, instead of just trusting the scan tool.

Sometimes the PCM is unable to determine which cylinder is causing the issue, so a P0300 random misfire code will be set. A P0300 really doesn’t tell us much about the problem; we know there’s a misfire and we can feel it.

The difficulty in finding the misfiring cylinder will depend on the type of vehicle you are working on and the tools you have at your disposal. Years ago, before the days of OBD2 and misfire codes, we had to determine the misfiring cylinder by using a variety of testing methods.

Cylinder balance testing has been a tried-and-true method of misfire detection for decades. With distributor-style ignition systems, it was simply a matter of pulling each spark plug wire off the spark plug and noting RPM change. The cylinder with little or no change was the culprit. When waste-spark ignition systems came out, shorting cylinders using a test light and short lengths of vacuum tubing between the wire and coil tower was also a common method.

Neither of these techniques however are very catalytic converterfriendly, as fuel is sprayed into the non-firing cylinders and will end up in the crankcase and the converter. Disabling fuel injectors is a much safer method of performing a cylinder balance test and some modern scan tools will still allow the technician to perform it using the active test or bi-directional control function. However, when it comes to intermittent or partial misfires, sometimes killing cylinders and noting RPM change can be inconclusive.

There are other methods of determining which cylinder is 20 N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3

misfiring, which require the use of an oscilloscope. One method uses crankshaft sensor data and math calculations to determine the frequency change of the crankshaft when the misfire occurs. This method is limited to higher-end scopes that have this capability built in. That is a topic for another article. You can usually hear a misfire occurring when putting an ear next to the tailpipe. Pressure changes in the exhaust due to the misfire will make a popping sound.

An old method that I was taught early in my career is the paper test. This is an old-school trick that can give you an indication of a misfiring cylinder. You hold a slip of paper in front of the tailpipe and observe if it is being pushed away or pulled into the pipe. Pulled into the pipe indicates vacuum present. This rudimentary method will not allow you to pinpoint which cylinder is misfiring, though.

For that, we will need an oscilloscope and a pressure sensor.

When a cylinder misfire occurs, a low pressure is created in the cylinder as the piston approaches BDC of the power stroke.

When the exhaust valve opens, this low pressure is transferred to the exhaust stream. The pressure change can be observed on an oscilloscope with a Delta pressure sensor placed in the tailpipe (see Images 1 and 2).

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IMAGE 1

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IMAGE 2

A Delta pressure sensor is an extremely sensitive piezoelectric device that detects a change in pressure. This type of sensor doesn’t show the amount of change as a measurement value, it simply reacts to pressure changes and creates a voltage when pressure changes occur. If pressure pulses remain constant, the waveform will also remain uniform. If the pressure increases or decreases as in the case of a misfire, the voltage will also change accordingly.

By synchronizing the scope on a second channel to the cylinder 1 ignition coil control wire and knowing the engine's firing order, the misfiring cylinder is easily identified. It is important to remember when doing this type of waveform analysis that the exhaust stroke will occur 180 degrees after the coil firing event. Once this has been established, it is simply a matter of following the firing order.

There are different methods of establishing where the exhaust stroke is occurring on the waveform, which will depend on the type of scope you are using. Some scopes like the Pico, will have built-in phase rulers that can be set up showing 180-degree stroke intervals between them (Image 3). Other scopes will require the use of a stroke overlay software that will also allow phase rulers to be set up and added to the waveform after it is saved (Image 4). The technician will have to copy and paste the waveform into the overlay software. Once it is copied into the software, it can be manipulated using phase rulers, measurement cursors and a piston chart which is set up based on engine size, firing order and the cylinder used to synchronize the waveform. This stroke overlay software can be found online and downloaded free of charge.

IMAGE 4

IMAGE 5

Let’s do some testing The test vehicle used for these images is a 2009 Suzuki Swift+ with a 1.6L Ecotec engine. This vehicle has no misfire issues and is simply being used to illustrate how simple and effective the exhaust pressure pulse method can be at determining which cylinder is misfiring.

A Delta pressure sensor is installed in the tailpipe and the engine is started and allowed to idle. The resulting waveform is captured on the oscilloscope so we have a “normal” or “known good” waveform for comparison (Image 5). The scope is set up with a very slow time base (1 second/division) in order to capture a large amount of data.

The waveform in image 6 is the same waveform ‘zoomed-in’ which gives a clear image of each cylinder pressure pulse.

The engine was then given a misfire: A spark plug was removed and the gap was closed to .005”. The plug was reinstalled and the

IMAGE 6

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NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023

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engine was started. The closed gap has resulted in an intermittent misfire. The waveform clearly indicates downward spikes occurring every time the cylinder misfires (Image 7).

Again, the waveform is ‘zoomed-in’ in to get a better picture of what is occurring (Image 8).

In order to determine which cylinder the misfire is occurring on, a second channel is synced to the coil 1 control wire (Image 9). The image zoomed in gives us a clear indication of when the misfire is happening in relation to the coil 1 firing event (Image 10). This engine uses a “cassette” style of coil, which has a separate COP coil built into the cassette for each cylinder. These are “smart” coils that have the switching transistor built into them. This is why the waveform we get when back-probing the control wire is a square wave signal. It is simply a trigger signal from the PCM which turns on the base of the switching transistor in the coil. The width of the square wave is the charge period or “dwell” period of the coil.

With the Pico phase rulers applied to the diagram, the misfiring cylinder is easily identified (Image 11). As mentioned earlier, when there is no combustion in a cylinder, a low-pressure ‘vacuum’ is created in the cylinder as the piston moves down the cylinder bore with both valves closed. The exhaust valve opens about 40 degrees before BDC and the low pressure is transferred to the exhaust stream, creating the downward spike in the waveform.

Image 12 shows the same waveform copied and pasted into the online stroke overlay software which can be used with any scope capture, including the Pico scope. Sometimes the online software is more useful for diagnosis as the phase rulers offer more measurement markers than those offered in Pico scope.

The ability to also add a piston chart to the waveform is a great diagnostic tool, especially when working on V6 or V8 engines.

This is just one of many different methods that can be used and it’s a very quick and easy method of determining which cylinder is misfiring. One of the great advantages of this test is that it’s completely non-intrusive and can be used on any vehicle. Obviously, further testing must be done to determine the cause of the misfire, this test is simply to correctly identify the misfiring cylinder.

John Post has been an automotive service technician in the Ontario aftermarket for more than 30 years. He has been teaching electrical, fuel systems and drivability diagnostics at Centennial College since 2015 w w w. a u t o s e r v i c e w o r l d . c o m

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Onthe Road AAPEX & SEMA October 31-November 3 Las Vegas, Nevada

See the event reel on Instagram

It was another busy Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week in Las Vegas as both AAPEX and SEMA were packed with aftermarket professionals. Apart from distributors getting the chance to view the latest product announcements from suppliers and service professionals getting a first-hand look at tools, there were plenty of training sessions, ranging from troubleshooting common vehicle issues to running your shop more profitably. There were also discussions on industry trends and changing consumer habits. Scan the QR code for more highlights.

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NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023

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INDUSTRY EXPERTISE

NAVIGATING ECONOMIC CHALLENGES Here are the opportunities for automotive shops in Canada in uncertain times

I

n the ever-evolving landscape of the automotive industry in Canada, shop owners are facing a myriad of challenges that require strategic navigation.

From high interest rates and slowing economic activity to labour shortages and the impact of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) on repair dynamics, the road ahead is riddled with obstacles.

However, within this uncertain environment, there are silver linings that savvy shop owners can leverage to not only survive but thrive.

Economic Headwinds High interest rates and slowing economic activity: As interest rates

climb and economic activity decelerates, consumers are feeling the pinch. The increase in mortgage costs has led to a reduction in consumer spending, creating a ripple effect across various industries, including automotive. The macro-output in Canada is becoming increasingly contentious, adding to the challenges faced by automotive businesses.

Contentious macro-output and labour shortages: The macro-output in the automotive sector is becoming more contentious, adding an extra layer of uncertainty. Coupled with labour shortages within the industry, finding skilled professionals has become a significant challenge for shop owners.

Impact of HEVs on repair outlook: The rise of HEVs is revolutionizing the automotive landscape. While environmentally

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friendly, HEVs pose a unique challenge to repair shops. Traditional maintenance practices are evolving, and technicians need to adapt to the changing repair outlook.

Silver linings for shop owners Labour is more profitable than selling parts: Amidst these challenges, shop owners can find solace in the fact that labour is often more profitable than selling parts. By focusing on enhancing the customer experience and boosting labour sales, automotive businesses can weather the storm more effectively. This could involve investing in training programs for technicians to keep them abreast of the latest technologies and trends.

Preparing your shop for improved customer experience: Enhancing the customer experience can lead to increased customer loyalty and positive word-of-mouth.

Simple strategies such as transparent communication, streamlined service processes and a customer-centric approach can make a significant difference.

EV preventative maintenance: With the growing popularity of electric vehicles (EVs) and HEVs, shops can explore opportunities in EV preventative maintenance. Offering specialized services for these vehicles not only meets the changing needs of consumers but also positions the shop as a forward-thinking and adaptive business.

Expanding service categories: To diversify revenue streams and remain resilient in the face of economic uncertainties, shop owners can consider expanding service categories.

ADAS calibration and glass service: Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) calibration is becoming increasingly crucial with the integration of technology in modern vehicles. Shops can capitalize on this trend by offering ADAS calibration services. Additionally, venturing into glass service, including repairs and replacements, can be a lucrative avenue for expansion.

While the automotive industry in Canada faces formidable challenges, astute shop owners can turn adversity into opportunity. By adapting to the evolving landscape, focusing on customercentric strategies and diversifying service

offerings, automotive businesses can not only weather the economic storms but emerge stronger on the other side.

The road ahead may be challenging, but with the right strategies, the destination is one of sustained success and profitability.

Zakari Krieger

is the Fix Network, Canadian vice president of Prime CarCare, responsible for the Canadian retail business, encompassing the Speedy Auto Service and Novus Auto Glass business lines

Just add techs.

Step-by-step onscreen instructions make the ADASLink® diagnostic scan tool your gateway to ADAS calibrations.

Scan or visit hunter.com/adas

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BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

TRANSFORMING YOUR MANAGEMENT STYLE PLUGS AND COILS GO TOGETHER LIKE EMPTY PARKING LOTS AND BURNOUTS. Your role as owner isn’t about sales — it’s about long-term growth

Some things are just better together.

Replacing the ignition coils when you change your spark plugs will help boost performance and efficiency — so you will always get the most out of your engine.

NGK now carries a full line of ignition coils to cover most applications. Visit ngksparkplugs.ca to learn more.

S

uccessful management transformation is not just about making a sale. Instead, it's about the owner's pivotal role in steering their business towards longterm growth and sustainability.

As the owner, you can lead your automotive repair shop through management transformation by emphasizing the importance of your personal growth and leadership in this process.

Lead by example

The first step is to lead by example. As the owner, your attitude, work ethic and approach to change set the tone for your team. It’s simply not possible to lead a team to success if you are working and leading from a place of scarcity — that means working on all aspects of your life, not just in the shop.

Your personal development is essential in driving your automotive repair business forward. Stay informed about industry trends, best practices and emerging technologies.

Consider investing in your own development as an ongoing practice.

Delegation

Effective delegation is central to management transformation. Recognize that you can't manage every aspect

of your business single-handedly. The key to this is to stay within your zone of genius as a leader while empowering your employees to take ownership of their tasks, fostering a sense of responsibility and accountability among your team.

Establishing clear goals and expectations for your shop is crucial. Define your vision, mission, and long-term objectives, and communicate these to your team.

Every team member must understand their role in achieving these goals. Regularly evaluate your progress and be prepared to adjust strategies to remain on track.

As a shop owner, your personal transformation is the driving force behind your business's success. By leading through example, investing in your education, empowering your team, setting clear goals, fostering a customer-centric culture, managing finances effectively and embracing change, you can position your business as a leader in the industry.

Your commitment to personal growth and your willingness to adapt, grow, and innovate will not only propel your shop forward but also inspire your team to do the same.

Remember, your dedication to transformation is a powerful catalyst for positive change.

Greg Aguilera

is a director of IAC Canada, an organization dedicated to the management development of repair shops in Canada. He can be reached at greg@intautoconsulting.com.

Be customer-centric

As an owner, your view should extend to fostering a customer-centric culture within your shop. Deeply understand your customers' needs and expectations and encourage your team to prioritize exceptional customer service.

Lead by example through personal interactions with customers and actively seeking their feedback for improvement. Happy customers not only return but also recommend your services, which contributes to your business growth.

Financial management

Effective financial management is a fundamental aspect of running a successful repair shop, as we all know, it’s not easy to run a shop. So keep a tight ship.

Keep a watchful eye on your shop's financial health, including expenses, revenue and profitability. Create and adhere to a budget including a marketing strategy while identifying opportunities for cost reduction. Make informed financial decisions that support the long-term sustainability and growth of your business based on data, not gut feelings.

Change

Embrace change. Be open to new technologies, processes and strategies. Too often, I hear owners maintain that their way of doing things has worked, so why change? They don’t believe customer habits will change — or anything, for that matter. History is rife with examples of companies holding on to this belief and then suddenly failing — think Blockbuster.

Encourage your team to share their ideas for improvement. Cultivate an environment where innovation and adaptation are celebrated, creating a shop that remains competitive and resilient in the ever-evolving automotive repair industry given the technology and ever-changing customer requirements.

Franchise Opportunity available, email Sales@hotspotautoparts.com

Brake Rotors and Drums Brake Pads and Shoes Brake Calipers Hub Bearings CV Axles Chassis Parts Complete Strut Assembly Shock Absorbers Strut mounts Radiators Water Pumps Steering Pumps and Racks and Pinions Steering Gears Starters and Alternators Batteries Oil Pans Fuel Pumps Wiper Blades Ignition Parts and Coils Fuel lines Exhaust Parts, Universal Converter, and Flex Pipes Misc Automotive Parts

HOTSPOT AUTO PARTS 939 Warden Ave Scarborough ON M1L 4C5 Info@hotspotAutoparts.com | www.hotspotautoparts.com

An Automotive Warehouse Distributor w w w. a u t o s e r v i c e w o r l d . c o m

EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTOR

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023

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BAYWATCH HALF-INCH DRILL

Milwaukee Tool has released its next generation of M18 Compact Brushless tools with the introduction of M18 Compact Brushless half-inch drills. The compact and hammer drills are designed for the needs and applications of the service trades.

They provide more capability and faster applications while measuring more than three-quarters of an inch shorter compared to previous generations to improve access in tight applications and reduce user fatigue.

The drills continue to feature metal chucks and gearcases to deliver professional durability on the jobsite. www.milwaukeetool.ca

IGNITION COILS

There are 161 new ignition coil part numbers now available from Niterra Canada, formerly NGK Spark Plugs Canada. The new part numbers, sold under the company’s NGK brand, add coverage for more than eight million domestic, European, and Asian vehicles in operation.

Total vehicle coverage now reaches more than 21 million vehicles across the ignition coil program.

shops-customer communication. The line features three professional tablet tools. Each tablet works on all 1996 to current model vehicles, including battery electric vehicles hybrids and plug-in hybrids. Once connected to a vehicle, the tablets auto decode the VIN and offer OBD2 and OEM diagnostic pathways. www.innova.com

PRODUCT PARTNERSHIP

Bumper to Bumper stores across Canada are now carrying Brembo braking solutions for premium European, Asian and domestic internal combustion engine and electric vehicles. A full-fledged portfolio with state-ofthe-art design and technology will be offered to ASPs and retail customers with stores distributing more than 1,200 units of Brembo’s products. Products available include the Brembo Prime line of UVcoated brake discs and low-met and NAO ceramic brake pads, Brembo Xtra, special drilled rotors and Brembo Beyond, a complete braking kit designed for electric vehicles. www.brembo.com

MULTI-CLEANER

Mueller-Kueps’ new Multi-Cleaner is meant to easily clean brakes, exhaust and more. It comes with replaceable heads so users don’t need to buy multiple tools. The tool comes with two different-sized attachments: 40 mm and 50 mm.

The abrasive reduces the time spent cleaning, quickly removing rust, corrosion and dirt without excessive material removal. The heads are in a trapezoidal shape for multiple cleaning options, either by the angled sides or the flat top. The 2-component handle provides added comfort.

www.ngksparkplugs.ca

DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS

Innova Electronics Corporation has launched its OE-level professional Smart Diagnostic System (SDS) Tablets and RepairSolutionsPRO app. The smart tablet tools and app provide pro-level features and functions that maximize the diagnostic process, save automotive technicians time and improve

www.mueller-kueps.com

Does your business collect used tires in Ontario?

As a tire collector you must:

Learn more at:

Accept tires from consumers at no charge Accept tires during regular business hours Accept tires on rims 28 N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3

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TAPS AND DIES

Milwaukee Tool has added 125 new threading solutions for automotive technicians with new taps and dies. The new taps and dies have three premium features: Black oxide coating to fight against corrosion, clear markings for quick and

easy size identification and precision machined threads for precise threading. The Milwaukee Hex-LOK 2-in-1 handle provides leverage, control and smooth operation. The handle combines the ability to thread with one-inch hex dies, as well as taps up to half-inch when paired with the Milwaukee tap collet. www.milwaukeetool.ca

IMPACT DRIVER

ADVERTISER INDEX AutoTec Careers www.autoteccareers.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 12

bproauto www.autoteccareers.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 2

CAS https://canadaautosolutions.com.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 9

EV World www.turnkey.media/evwsubscribe. . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 4

HotSpot www.hotspotautoparts.com.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

The M18 Compact Brushless quarter-inch Hex Impact Driver has been introduced

by Milwaukee Tool as part of its next generation of M18 Compact Brushless tools. Designed for the service trades, the lightweight impact driver measures 4.4 inches in length and 2.1 inches in width.

Its all-metal gear case and premium components deliver jobsite durability. For professionals that prefer multiple modes to adjust RPM, the impact driver is also available in a 3-speed version to provide improved control in application. www.milwaukeetool.ca

22_0470_Jani_Sorbents_QtrVert_US_MXsp Mod: September 25, 2023 11:15 AM Print: 09/25/23 11:15:42 AM page 1 v7

Hunter Engineering Company www.hunter.com/maverick. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 25

LaunchTech USA www.launchtechusa.com.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 19 Mister Transmission www.mrtransmission.com.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10,11

π SHIPPING SUPPLY SPECIALISTS

NAPA www.napacanada.com.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 15

SORBENT ESSENTIALS

NGK www.ngksparkplugs.ca.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 26

Ontario Tire Recycle www.tirerecyclingontario.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 28 Promaxx Tool www.promaxxtool.com.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 22

ORDER BY 6 PM FOR SAME DAY SHIPPING

Schaeffler www.repxpert.us. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 24

Turnkey Media www.AutoServiceWorld.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 31

Uline www.uline.ca.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 29

COMPLETE CATALOG Worldpac www.worldpac.ca.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 32

1-800-295-5510 w w w. a u t o s e r v i c e w o r l d . c o m

uline.ca

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CAR-TOONS

BAYWATCH COILOVER SUSPENSION KITS

Q2 RELEASES

KW automotive has introduced the KW V5 Clubsport coilover suspension kit for the current generation of BMW M4, BMW M4 Competition, and BMW M4 CSL (G82). The kit features a special 40-millimeter damper cartridge. This cartridge is housed in MacPherson front axle struts. On top, the four-way adjustable KW V5 Clubsport coilover suspension features aluminum top mounts for both axles. The kit is available for all BMW M4 Coupé, BMW M4, and BMW M4 CSL models.

Robert Bosch announced it has added 102 automotive aftermarket parts to its portfolio in the second quarter of 2023, covering nearly 24 million vehicles in operation across North America. The new products include 22 braking parts, 42 fuel and water pumps, 25 rotating machines, one ignition coils and 12 sensors and cover Domestic, European and Asian passenger and commercial vehicles and are designed to support the whole shop.

www.kwsuspensions.net

www.BoschAutoParts.com

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Service... on demand!

The latest information on the automotive aftermarket.

In one website.

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