Jobber News October 2012

Jobber News

Specialty Shops Outpace Dealers in Customer Satisfaction • Jobber Trade Show Hits the Mark • Automechanika Innovation Awards Highlight Event

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QUALITY

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This Month Contents

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critical to the continued safe operation of a vehicle.

An important part of ensuring that repairs continue to deliver on this promise over the long term is the use of quality components. They keep you, the service provider, the technician, and the consumer happy.

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No. 10

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COUNTS FOR SAFE UNDERCAR REPAIRS

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Specialty Shops Outpace Dealerships in Customer Ranking, NAPA Autopro Takes Top Spot; Jobber Trade Show Hits the Mark; FederalMogul Expands “Search for a Champion”; Record Automechanika Announces Innovation Awards; Cooper Tire Supports Youth Hockey Charity in Canada; Auto-Camping Ltd. Endorses Gem-Car; plus fundraising reports.

Market Tracker: Battery and Alternator Demands Rising

Knowledge is your key to success in this changing market.

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Vol. 80,

COVER

Undercar repairs are

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October 2012

Previews: Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week The automotive aftermarket heads to Las Vegas.

Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) ...... 16 Specialty Equipment Market Association Show (SEMA) ..................................................................... 20

Feature: Exhaust Tips from the Expert 30 Market Before it was a full line jobber and before it was Jobber of the Year, Warehouse Services Inc. was an exhaust distributor, and that’s still an important part of the operation. Owner Scott Scherr shares some of what he’s learned.

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Money & Management

Top 10 Pricing Mistakes You might be giving away more than you have to.

36 New Products 38 Autoserviceworld.com Internet Directory Knowledge Building: 40 ENGINE REBUILDING TIPS

It’s still a cost effective solution, but it’s not without its challenges.

46 Comment DARWIN RULES

Departments Appointments ...................................................... 10 JOBBER NEWS / OCTOBER 2012

Marketplace Classifieds/ Advertisers Index ........ 44 3

OVER THE COUNTER NOW SERVING

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NOW SERVING

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AASA Announces Senior Management Position The Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA) announced that it is seeking qualified candidates for a senior management position at the association: vicepresident, programs and member services.

“This leadership position is vital to further enhance wide-ranging services to our members, the full service automotive aftermarket manufacturers,” noted Steve Handschuh, president and COO of AASA, in a statement.

“We are seeking a seasoned aftermarket professional to join our outstanding AASA team, and we will be very deliberate in looking for a strong candidate to assume this important role.”

Reporting directly to the president, the vicepresident will represent members on critical business issues by generating dialogue, education, planning, and execution in alliance with the AASA mission.

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Specialty Shops Lead Dealerships in Customer Satisfaction NAPA Autopro Ranks on Top of J.D. Power and Associates Survey

When it comes to customer satisfaction, specialty service shops come out on top when compared to dealerships, according to J.D. Power and Associates’ recently released 2012 Canadian Customer Commitment Index Study.

In that study, NAPA Autopro ranks highest in satisfying automotive service customers in Canada, with an overall index score of 879. Rounding out the five highest-ranked brands are Jiffy Lube (857); Mr. Lube (849); Great Canadian Oil Change (848); and Subaru Dealerships (847).

The study measures the service behaviours, satisfaction, and loyalty of owners of vehicles four to 12 years old. Overall customer satisfaction is determined by examining five key factors of the service experience: service initiation; service advisor; service facility; service quality; and vehicle pick-up. The study examines satisfaction with both new vehicle dealerships and aftermarket facilities.

“It’s really not much more complicated than how you are focused on the things that your customers are concerned with. It’s the soft skills that resonate with service customers,” says Ryan Robinson, director of the Canadian automotive practice at J.D. Power and Associates.

One of the key areas the study focuses on is the connection between the customer and the service provider. The study looks at all the touch points, like the opportunity to take the customer on a walk-around of their vehicle and point out all the service needs of the vehicle.

The study shows that this step actually increases the customer satisfaction of the service event overall. It’s key things like walkaround inspections and getting back to the customer, through the lens of properly educating them to what the service needs are for their vehicle.

“A lot of dealers and specialty shops tend to shy away from this activity because they think that they are going to be perceived as upselling the customer. But those shops that do it properly are the service brands at the top of our list,” says Robinson.

There are five opportunities to build value with a customer: When the initial call is made to set up the appointment.

When they come in to drop off the vehicle.

While the vehicle is on the hoist, when you have a chance to communicate and set up expectations, like how long the work will take and what work is required.

When they come in to pick up the vehicle.

The one that is missed, more often than not, is the follow-up call after the service event to make sure that everything was done to their satisfaction.

“The key is using satisfaction as the bridge to get things like increased revenue and profitability. We are not trying to maximize a customer’s experience to make them feel warm and fuzzy inside; we do it to make money,” says Robinson.

The 2012 Canadian Customer Commitment Index Study is based on responses from more than 18,000 owners in Canada whose vehicles are between four and 12 years old. The study was fielded in January and February 2012 and in June and July 2012.

JOBBER NEWS / OCTOBER 2012

Premium Brand, Premium Service,

Premium Performamce

Visit us at the 2012 Appex Show in Las Vegas Booth 5746 October 29 - November 1 速

www.autopartsdepot.ca

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Countertop Display Available An attractive new countertop display is available free with the purchase of a popular assortment of Wagner NightDefense, TruView Plus, and BriteLite replacement capsules from Federal-Mogul.

The new Wagner display and assortment (No. WAGLITE15) encourages consumers to upgrade to premium headlamps for a clearer, safer view of the road. The compact and versatile merchandiser can be displayed on an end cap, gondola shelf, at the sales counter, or in virtually any other hightraffic area. Featuring five two-capsule packs each of Wagner NightDefense, TruView Plus, and BriteLite headlamps, the assortment offers coverage of the most popular late-model domestic and foreign-nameplate applications. Each Wagner clear plastic two-capsule pack features the brand’s colourful new retail graphics and consumerfriendly product callouts.

Jobber Trade Show in Welland Hits its Marks

Young Automotive Professionals owners John Grandilli (left) and Claudio Sceppacerqua (right) pose with Hall of Fame pitcher Fergie Jenkins at the Port Colborne jobber’s biennial trade show in Welland, Ont.

The Young Automotive Professionals group held its biennial trade show in Welland, Ont., attracting some 700 local shop owners and technicians.

Owners of the Bestbuy Distributors shareholder (which is actually located in neighbouring Port Colborne), John Grandilli and Claudio Sceppacerqua, say that they were happy with the turnout and with the support from exhibitors for the show, which is held every other year.

In fact, this year they had to turn away some suppliers interested in exhibiting; there was simply no room to accommodate them. So accordingly, the owners are looking at securing a larger facility for 2014.

Comments from the show floor indicate that exhibitors were happy with the turnout and the activity. Visitors enjoyed the opportunity to see some new offerings from suppliers, have a

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Editor and Publisher Andrew Ross (416) 510-6763 E-Mail: aross@jobbernews.com Associate Editor Steve Pawlett (416) 510-6839 Contributing Editor Emeritus Bob Blans Contributing Editor Martha Uniacke Breen Contributing Writers Mark Borkowski, John G. Smith Nate Hendley, Peter Diekmeyer Sales Manager Jay Armstrong (416) 510-6745 Circulation Manager Selina Rahaman (416) 442-5600 ext 3528.

Customer Service Roshni Thava (416) 442-5600 ext 3555 Art Director Choo Hwee Kuan Production Manager Steven K Hofmann (416) 510-6757 Vice-President Alex Papanou President Bruce Creighton

Eric Leibovitz, Marathon Sales, and Kim Bishop, marketing director, Bestbuy Distributors, share thoughts on the future of the Canadian aftermarket.

Customers get the rundown on Mevotech’s lineup.

hearty meal, and enjoy rides in the stock car simulator.

In addition, Canadian former pro baseball pitcher and Baseball Hall of Famer Fergie Jenkins was on hand to sign autographs and pose for pictures.

Jobber News is published by BIG Magazines LP, a div. of Glacier BIG Holdings Company Ltd. a leading Canadian information company with interests in daily and community newspapers, and business-to-business information services. 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.

Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 40069240 “Return Postage Guaranteed� Send change of address notices, undeliverable copies and subscription orders to: Circulation Dept., Jobber News, 80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto, ON M3B 2S9 Jobber News Magazine (ISSN#0021-7050) is published monthly by the Business Information Group, 80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto, ON M3B 2S9 US office of publication: 2424 Niagara Falls Blvd, Niagara Falls, NY 14304. Periodicals Postage Paid at Niagara Falls, NY. US postmaster: Send address changes to Jobber News Magazine PO Box 1118, Niagara Falls, NY 14304-1118.

From time to time we make our subscription list available to select companies and organizations whose product or service may interest you. If you do not wish your contact information to be made available, please contact us via one of the following methods: Phone 1-800-2687742, Fax 416-510-5140, e-mail: jhunter@businessinformationgroup.ca. Mail to: Privacy Officer, Business Information Group, 80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto, ON M3B 2S9 Business Information Group 80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto, ON M3B 2S9 We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund (CPF) for our publishing activities.

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JOBBER NEWS / OCTOBER 2012

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Ontario Division Golf Tournament chair Scott McKenzie (in orange) thanks the participants for their help in raising more than $8,000 over the past two years.

Ontario Tourney Tops $8,000 for High Five for Kids

The Ontario Division of the Automotive Industries Association of Canada brought its total contribution to the High Five for Kids Foundation to $8,000 with its second annual golf tournament.

The tournament, hosted by the Redcrest course in Newmarket, Ontario, was attended by some 80 aftermarket industry professionals who enjoyed some of the finest weather of the summer.

Tournament chair Scott McKenzie, Blue Streak-Hygrade Motor Products, thanked sponsors and participants for helping them get the tournament off the ground and to make it a success.

All funds raised by the tournament go to the AIA High Five for Kids Foundation. The broad focus of the foundation allows the AIA to support a variety of community groups in many activities such as buying a wheelchair, sending kids with diabetes or a disability to a summer camp, rebuilding a community centre, or helping a local hospital for children.

Federal-Mogul Announces Expansion of “Search for a Champion” Contest

Based on the success of the program in 2012, Federal-Mogul is expanding its “Search for a Champion” contest.

The contest, which attracted hundreds of video entries in 2012, will award $125,000 in Champion brand motorsports sponsorships for the 2013 racing season. “‘Search for a Champion’ connected the latest leading-edge Champion technologies with millions of consumers, including a new generation of racers and performance enthusiasts. Based on the extraordinary success of this brand-building program, we are dramatically expanding its reach and the available sponsorship dollars to propel the Champion bow-tie logo into the winner’s circle in virtually every form of engine-driven racing in 2013,” says Michael Proud, director of marketing, North America, FederalMogul.

The 2013 program was unveiled by NASCAR Sprint Cup driver and Champion spokesperson Kevin Harvick, who invited racers to develop and submit creative two-minute videos that describe how a Champion sponsorship would help them dominate the competition in 2013. The program is open to any North American team competing in any engine-driven motor sport and in any competitive environment, including asphalt, dirt, offroad, snow, and water. Videos will be archived on the Champion brand’s www.AlwaysaChampion.com website, where consumers around the world will have the chance to vote for their favourites.

“This year’s contest drove a record number of consumers to our website, where they not only watched hundreds of great videos, but also learned how ‘Performance Driven’ Champion technologies help improve the performance and extend the service life of engines and other power equipment,” Proud says.

Racers can begin uploading their videos to the www.

AlwaysaChampion.com website on November 1, 2012. Consumer voting will begin in January, and the first round of sponsorship winners will be announced by Harvick in conjunction with the Daytona 500 in February 2013. Harvick and the Champion team will select a grand-prize $50,000 sponsorship winner in April.

JOBBER NEWS / OCTOBER 2012

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More products to sell? More support, training, and profit for your business?

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Visit us at the 2012 AAPEX Show, October 30 - November 1, 2012, Booth #2246 Sands Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada 5370 Wegman Drive Valley City, OH 44280 Phone 800 274 5001 Fax 330 273 3522 www.Schaeffler-Aftermarket.us Certified to ISO 9001:2008

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Bill Konlup, Edmonton West Canadian Tire 2011 Counterperson of the Year

Do you know who the

Best Counterperson is?

The 2012 Jobber News Counterperson of the Year Award seeks to reward the very best of the frontline workers in the Canadian automotive aftermarket.

Anyone can nominate a counterperson, and anyone is eligible.

Evaluation and selection of the winner will be made on the basis of experience, training, as well as customer and store owner comments.

While not mandatory, participation in and organizing of training clinics, proficiency in computer cataloguing programs, and professional certifications such as Red Seal and ASE Parts Specialist will all be , considered strongly in a nominee s favour.

Formally named the Abe Schwartz Counterperson of the Year Award, it is named after the late owner of century-old British Auto Supply in Toronto, who worked behind the counter for more than half a century.

The 2012 Jobber News Counterperson of the Year Award is sponsored by:

www.epicor.com

Nominate your choice online at www.autoserviceworld.com or complete and mail the form below to: Jobber Awards c/o Counterperson Award,12 Concorde Place, Suite 800, North York, ON M3C 4J2 or fax to 416-510-5140.

I nominate:__________________________________

The reason I believe this nominee deserves this award is:

Who works at ______________________________________

___________________________________________________

Address ___________________________________________

___________________________________________________

Phone (______)_____________________________________

___________________________________________________

My Name ________________________________________ Company __________________________________________ Address ___________________________________________ Phone (______)_____________________________________

___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ Please use a separate sheet if you require additional space

Winners of the Automechanika Innovation Awards Highlight Record Setting Event Telematics, drive systems, and powerful diagnostic tools were among the nine winners of the Automechanika Innovation Awards 2012.

Automechanika 2012 set a new record of 4,593 exhibitors from 74 countries.

Approximately 148,000 visitors from 174 countries came to Frankfurt for the world’s leading trade fair for the automotive sector. “The aftermarket is booming and, despite the current economic disruptions, Automechanika has once again proved to be a reliable constant,” says Detlef Braun, member of the executive board of Messe Frankfurt. “With an increase in the number of visitors from East Europe and Russia, coupled with a decline in numbers from South Europe, Automechanika reflects the current situation in the world economy,” adds Braun.

Many came to see new innovations, and this year’s entries did not disappoint. An independent jury of eight experts at the Frankfurt, Germany, event agreed on nine winners, which were chosen from a total of 117 entries; 59 of the products entered came from Germany and 58 from 15 other nations.

The leading nations among the entries from outside Germany are France, Italy, The Netherlands, Great Britain, and Belgium.

All winners of the individual categories are listed below: NTN-SNR Roulements: NTN in-wheel motor system (Category: Parts) Because it acts on two wheels, the propulsive power of the NTN in-wheel motor system is equivalent to that of a compact vehicle. The result is improved performance because the power to the left and right wheels can be controlled independently.

Top speed is 150 km/h.

Delphi France SAS: Delphi Telematics (Category: Systems) Delphi Telematics is basic wireless-communication technology that enables the aftermarket to “speak” with the customer via a device installed in the vehicle. The features include vehicle diagnosis, breakdown service, service-appointment reminder, vehicle-health monitoring, and incident management.

Prins Autogassystemen BV: Prins Direct LiquiMax System (Category: Tuning) The Prins Direct LiquiMax System (bivalent and monovalent LPG operation) offers lower fuel consumption and reduced emissions, e.g., CO2 (up to 15%) and particles (up to 90%), with no loss of drivability and performance and starting direct on LPG. It has been awarded the world’s first R115 certification for direct injection engines.

Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft: high-voltage testing module, VAS 6558A (Category: Repair / Diagnostics) The VAS 6558A high-voltage module is essential to ensure the automobiles of the e-motion range are perfectly maintained.

All testing functions for e-vehicles are housed in a small device.

Great importance has been given to documenting the tests carried out and integrating the results into the fault investigation.

Steelmate Co., Ltd.: DIY TPMS (Category: Accessories) The tire-pressure gauge in the cigarette lighter and the lightest JOBBER NEWS / OCTOBER 2012

external sensors mean the system can be installed on a DIY basis in just five minutes. Added value: cost savings, lower fuel consumption, less tire wear, and easy pressure checking. With CE and E symbols and FCC certificate.

Robert Bosch GmbH: Bosch hybrid components for splitaxle drive (Category: OE Products & Services) Working together with PSA, Bosch has developed the world’s first hybrid system working with diesel engines for significant cuts in fuel consumption (approx. 25%). The new Split Axle Strong Hybrid System is a combination of internal combustion engine and electric rear-axle drive, and can be integrated into existing drive systems with relatively little effort.

Alfred Kärcher GmbH & Co. KG: Kärcher Supplementary Wheel Cleaning Programme for Self-Service Care Centres (Category: Service Station & Car Wash) The Kärcher Supplementary Wheel Cleaning Programme guides the customer systematically and efficiently through the washing process because the cleaning agent is applied via the high-pressure gun. The system is extremely efficient and only uses 400 ml/min. of the water and cleaning agent solution.

Moreover, the alkaline wheel cleaner is NTA-free and removes dirt without damaging the wheels.

ApplicoData GmbH: My Car Dealer and I (Category: IT & Management) This app is an innovative solution designed to increase customer loyalty, to improve the dialogue between the customer and dealer, and raise it to a new level. This is achieved by directly linking the app to the dealer’s DMS. The app is the modern car dealer for the pocket.

Hunter Engineering Company: RFT GSP9700 Vibration Control System (Category: Repair / Maintenance) The RFT GSP9700 is a wheel-balancing machine with integral pressure roller that subjects the wheel to a simulated road-load test before balancing. The load roller measures the radial (runout, out-of-roundness, tire stiffness) and lateral (sideward pull) forces acting on the wheel, which up to now could only be measured by industrial machines.

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EngineQuest Releases 2013 Catalogue The EngineQuest(EQ) 2013 parts catalogue is packed with new and hard-to-find parts for many domestic and foreign applications, and also contains detailed product specifications that will help in selecting the right part for the powertrain being worked on. To request a copy of the 2013 EQ catalogue, call 800-426-8771 or visit www.enginequest.com.

Vast-Auto Distribution raised a total of $32,000 for various causes at its recent golf event. More than $12,000 was raised from the silent auction with a total of $32,000 being donated to different foundations.

Cooper Tire’s Take the Money & Ride Event Supports HEROS Youth Hockey Charity in Canada

Cooper Tire‘s Take the Money & Ride Event benefits both consumers and Canadian youth this fall, as the company has teamed up with Hockey Education Reaching Out Society (HEROS) as a featured partner with a multi-year sponsorship agreement.

HEROS is a registered Canadian charitable organization committed to empowering children through ice hockey, using the game as a catalyst to teach youth the importance of education, self-esteem, and life skills training.

HEROS works closely with schools in Vancouver,

When they see better,

Sunshine Coast, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, and Montreal.

“HEROS is an incredible organization, teaching children to value education and hard work— two pillars we value at Cooper Tire,” says Chris Ostrander, Cooper Tire president of North America tire operations. “For every consumer that donates a portion of his/her reward from the Take the Money & Ride Event, Cooper Tire will also make a matching donation.”

Cooper Tire encourages Canadian consumers to contribute to HEROS during the Take the Money & Ride promotion, running August 24 through November 6. Consumers are eligible to receive up to a $75 Visa Pre-Paid Card when purchasing a new set of four qualifying Cooper tires through participating dealers in Canada, with the option to donate $5 of the reward to the HEROS charity. Cooper Tire will match each $5 donation received, up to an aggregate of $25,000 in matching donations.

Carquest and WorldPac Team Up for Fundraising

Carquest Canada Ltd. raised more than $20,000 at its sixth annual golf tournament in support of the Charitable Foundation of Carquest and WorldPac. Carquest hosted 130 of its partners, vendors, and supporters for a day of golf and fundraising at the Springfield Golf and Country Club in Guelph, Ont. The six-year total for the fundraiser is more than $120,000. Funds raised have gone to directly support educational and non-profit projects and programs in communities across Canada.

they drive safer.

Jeff Mitchell and Steve Gushie from Carquest and Jason Yurchuk from WorldPac raise the $20,000 cheque at the sixth annual charity golf tourney.

Whether they’re looking for greater safety, style or maximum performance, we offer brilliant halogen headlamp upgrades that will make their driving experience better and safer.

See our complete line at: www.philips.com/automotive Visit our booth at AAPEX 4816 and SEMA 12775.

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APPOINTMENTS

Tony Del Vasto, vice-president and general manager of Vast Auto Distribution Ontario, has announced the appointment of Jack Brooks to vice-president of business development for Jack Brooks Ontario. Brooks, an aftermarket veteran, has been with Vast for two years and will be responsible for sales and business development in Ontario. He has held many management positions with Affinia and Fram over the last 30 years.

JOBBER NEWS / OCTOBER 2012

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MARKET TRACKER “In-vehicle electronics have gone beyond climate control and even massive audio systems to include safety systems, GPS, and integrated information systems. Together these have dramatically increased electrical demands on starting and charging systems.”

Boost Battery and Alternator Sales

With Product Knowledge

By Steve Pawlett

H

ave you ever sat in traffic with the a/c blasting, running lights on, cooling fan running, stereo blaring, and you notice the amp gauge discharging and your signal lights are suddenly acting sluggish?

Rapid growth in automotive electronics is putting increasing demands on batteries and alternators. Safety technologies such as standard airbags, antilock brake systems (ABS), Electronic Stability Control (ESP), and powertrain and emissions applications like port fuel injection and closed loop catalytic converter systems all add to the power drain, as does the growing demand for comfort, convenience, and entertainment. Power windows, door locks, GPS, and powerful audio systems all contribute to the endless drain on vehicle charging systems.

A battery with a high Ah(Amp/hour) rating enables a vehicle to run longer under high drain conditions. Performance engines require more spark, and may also be running an electric water pump and electric power steering, both of which cause extra drain.

Fuel injectors also put a drain on the battery, as does the fuel pump. Add to this the heater and other electrical circuits, from video terminals to GPS, and you start to appreciate the immense demands put on a vehicle charging system.

When alternators first appeared on the market in the 1960s, power requirements were typically in the neighbourhood of 500 watts. In the 1980s, this power demand escalated to 1500 watts.

Today, many production alternators are capable of 2000 watts, and designs are being developed that provide upwards of 3000 watts of electrical power output.

Accompanying this increase in electrical performance has been a proportional increase in heat loss of the rectifier bridge, since its thermal losses are essentially in line with output power.

The thermal challenges have also been compounded by the rise of underhood ambient temperatures in automotive vehicles. In the 1960s, the typical underhood inlet cooling air temperature to the alternator was 90 degrees Centigrade. By the late 1980s, this had jumped up to 110 degrees Centigrade.

Today, applications approach the 130-degree range.

So what does the future hold?

The alternator’s relatively low cost per unit will ensure its continued use well into the future. Also, trends presently in place will certainly continue for the foreseeable future: higher electrical power demands, higher inlet cooling air temperatures, smaller package sizes, increased reliability, lower cost, and lower noise. Therefore, the thermal design challenges will not go away; they will only intensify.

Battery Life

The single most important thing you can do for your car battery is use it. An idle battery loses its charge, and when it does, its chemistry changes. Sulfates from the sulfuric acid inside 12

the battery build up, weakening its ability to keep a charge.

A battery left unattended on a shelf for six months is likely to die. Placed in a car that gets normal use, the same battery will last years.

But with use comes the need for maintenance. A conventional automotive battery is essentially a plastic box filled with pairs of lead plates suspended in a strong and dangerous concentration of sulfuric acid. The plates in each pair are made of slightly different materials, so a chemical reaction between the plates occurs, releasing electrons. Electrons are good.

Chemical reactions cause problems.

A battery will have an Ah rating, which means it will supply a steady number of amps for 10 hours. For example, a 40Ah battery can provide a supply of 4A for 10 hours.

Another rating is the reserve power, which shows how many minutes the battery can provide a 25A flow at a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius. This tells you how much cranking power there is to start the vehicle. It also shows the life of the charge, which is useful on high-drain cars.

As with most items you purchase, the old adage “you get what you pay for” rings true when it comes to battery replacement.

Generally speaking, the longer the warranty offered with the battery, the better it will be. This is key information that can help customers make an informed decision when selecting an appropriate battery for their vehicle.

“We offer a mix of two lines, one being a value-priced, yet high quality product, balanced with a premium brand name product at a higher price point,” explains Billy Norris, vicepresident, national accounts for Interstate Batteries.

Interstate provides two product lines to cover both markets: Nationwide (value line) and Interstate (premium/brand name).

“With these two lines, jobbers and WDs can feel confident that they are giving customers the very best value for their money,” says Norris.

In many cases, brand-name products drive the customer’s decision on a purchase. Norris agrees that interest in brandname products varies by region. “But those WDs and jobbers that are only interested in selling a value line are missing out on opportunities for incremental sales and increased profits,” he adds.

Interstate’s strong presence in the installer market provides jobber partners with the opportunity to provide incremental sales support to their existing customer base in addition to battery sales opportunities.

“We promote this relationship through the use of flyers and line cards, which can be used as a tool to promote a jobber’s other lines as well as bringing in new potential customers for all of their parts offerings. This allows Interstate Batteries to not Continued on page 14 JOBBER NEWS / OCTOBER 2012

Continued from page 12

only promote our business of supplying top-quality batteries, but also our ability to grow a jobber’s overall business.”

According to Norris, brand name and performance go hand in hand when consumers are choosing a replacement battery.

Warranty is also key.

“Consumers want to feel confident that in the event of a battery failure, they will be covered with a good warranty.

Both of our lines offer a warranty that’s competitive in today’s market,” says Norris.

Most name-brand batteries currently on the market feature the latest in power storage technology and offer high performance in extreme weather conditions, and back this up with very competitive warranty programs.

For example, Interstate’s name-brand line includes the MT7 AGM Pure Matrix Power. This battery comes with a 48-month free replacement warranty. This high-performance battery features 99.9% pure-lead absorbed glass-mat and is ideal for luxury cars, SUVs, and emergency vehicles with high power demands.

Interstate’s Megatron Plus is a high-cranking battery that comes with a 30-month replacement warranty. With high cold cranking (CCA) ratings, it’s a top performer in cold weather.

Exide has introduced a line of Orbital AGM Automotive Deep Cycle batteries to meet the demands of serious car audio enthusiasts and low riders everywhere. The XCD Orbital battery is high tech, spiral wound, and sealed to handle the toughest audio applications. High-performance audio vehicles often have one starting battery and one or more deep cycle batteries, for energy-hungry audio amplifiers, CDs, DVDs, and game players.

The XCD is also ideal for SUVs with winches, hydraulic pumps, and power-hungry accessories.

Spiral-wound cell design delivers performance and durability. The sealed valve-regulated battery is non-spillable and

can be mounted upright or on its side. The XCD battery provides deep cycle power. Its highly absorbent glass mat separators provide cushioning for better vibration resistance, and increased reserve capacity provides RC ratings of up to 100 minutes.

The PowerFrame Grid Technology in Synergy batteries, from Calgary, Alberta-based Battery Direct, combines efficiency and environmental safety in one package.

Battery Direct’s Synergy battery features positive plate construction for superior service life and is supported by an industry-leading warranty program. Inside Synergy batteries the PowerFrame grid technology is built with structural integrity to minimize corrosion and grid fractures. The design optimizes the flow of electrons with a patented stamping technique that punches out the optimized ideal pattern every time. It also minimizes stress on the metal, giving each PowerFrame grid greater strength and longer life.

The PowerFrame grid technology is also a benchmark of the overall effort towards green product development. The manufacturing process used for making the positive metal grids embodied in automotive batteries reduces pollutant emissions, consumes 20% less energy than other similar processes and improves the quality and performance of automotive batteries.

Just as battery and alternator performance continues to improve through research, a savvy counter salesperson can increase sales volumes through research.

Keeping informed on the latest technologies through supplier training programs, trade magazines, technical bulletins, and interactive websites can make you the “go to” person when an installer calls in looking for a quick solution to a difficult problem. Your ability to solve an installer’s problem when the vehicle is on the hoist and the customer is in the waiting room is probably the most valuable asset you can have in your sales tool kit.

Enter the Jobber News

MOTOR OIL MYTHBUSTERS CONTEST

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Email JOBBER NEWS / OCTOBER 2012

12-10-03 10:59 AM

2000

1965

Valvoline launches MaxLife®, the first motor oil for high mileage engines

Valvoline introduces the first & best selling racing oil of all time

1866

Dr. John Ellis invents motor oil

1939

Valvoline develops X-18, a single grade oil which could be used in place of 18 different specified automotive lubricants

1996

Valvoline launches DuraBlend™, the first synthetic blend motor oil

2012

Valvoline launches NextGen™, the first national branded recycled motor oil

Valvoline invented the engine oil category almost 150 years ago – and we haven’t stopped pushing new innovations since.

NextGen™ motor oil is the latest in a long line of category-changing introductions.

Made with 50% recycled oil, NextGen™ delivers 100% Valvoline engine protection. NextGen™ motor oil is great for engines and better for the environment, it exceeds industry specifications with reduced environmental impact compared to non-recycled motor oil.

Naturally, NextGen™ is supported by the full force of Valvoline’s innovative marketing programs.

Welcome to the Next Generation in motor oil.

Learn more about NextGen™ at NextGenMotorOil.ca © 2012, Ashland Inc. TM Trademark of Ashland or its subsidiaries in various countries.

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3/21/12 3:38 PM

AAPEX PREVIEW

AAPEX Adds Extra Day T

to Learning Forum

he AAPEX 2012 Learning Forum gives attendees a great opportunity to exercise their minds as well as their feet, with an extra day of education sessions.

The new four-day Learning Forum will include 30-plus sessions that are all free of charge and open to everyone.

Specific sessions are recommended for general aftermarket audiences, warehouse distributors, manufacturers, retailers, auto repair shops, and parts stores. Sessions are designed to provide attendees with industry trend information, new techniques, and technologies to help them improve their businesses.

Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) Learning Forum education sessions will start on Monday, Oct. 29, and continue throughout the event.

AAPEX starts Oct. 30 and runs through to Thursday, Nov. 1 at the Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas, Nev.

Learning Forum Sessions at a Glance Monday October 29, 2012 • Outlook for Fuel and Raw Material Costs: How it Impacts Everyone in the Aftermarket • The Partnership Path to Brand Differentiation and Success!

• Intellectual Property: What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You • Culture Eats Strategy for Lunch: Why and How to Define and Nurture Your Company Culture • Sprechen Sie Brand?

• The New Aftermarket: We Have an App for That Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012 • 2013 Aftermarket Outlook • Import Parts Explosion: Are You Taking Your Share?

• What Your Counterperson Doesn’t Know May Be Costing Both You and Your Customer Big $$ • Confronting the Connected Car • Causes of Fake Work: Paths to Real Work • Aftermarket Distributors: Don’t Leave Money on the Table • Strategy-Alignment Execution: Linking the Real World to Organization Issues • Branch & Operations Management II: All Profits are Local • New Brake Rules: What the Automotive Aftermarket Needs to Know • An Essential Primer on Aftermarket Data Standards • The Role of Mobile in Business-to-Business Marketing and Customer Relationship Management Wednesday, October 31, 2012 • Who Has the Right Stuff to Lead? How to Develop Your Next Generation of Leaders • Technician Panel: What’s Inside the Box? • The Rise of Mobile in Business-to-Consumer Marketing • When You Aren’t Watching, Are They Really Working? How to Manage a Remote Workforce • Five Trends in Five Minutes: Trends Affecting the Aftermarket Environment • 2013 Aftermarket Outlook 16

• The Impact of Dissimilar Coolants on the Automotive Coolants System • Future Service-Readiness for Repair Shops and Suppliers Thursday Nov. 1, 2012 • Collaboration: Building Stronger Buyer/Supplier Relations • Yes, the Aftermarket CAN Do Telematics • Manufacturers’ Added Value: What ELSE is in the Box? • Start/Stop Technology: It’s Coming Your Way • Can’t We All Just Get Along? Working with Generations X and Y (and Everyone Else) • Advanced Drivability and Diagnostics: Properly Diagnose the First Time

Identifying Industry Trends Six of the 30 free sessions in the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) Learning Forum will focus on industry trends to help attendees better position their businesses for the future.

Industry trend sessions include the “Outlook for Fuel and Raw Material Costs: How It Impacts Everyone in the Aftermarket,” with a focus on how the rising costs of fuel and raw materials are affecting the manufacture and cost of parts.

Well-known and respected economist Jason Schenker will share Prestige Economics’ top-rated forecasts and provide insights as to what everyone who makes a living in the aftermarket needs to know about the risks and realities of future commodity and fuel prices.

NPD’s David Portalatin will present the “2013 Aftermarket Outlook” and what to expect in consumer spending on products and services based on the results of NPD’s 2013 Aftermarket Consumer Outlook Survey. Polk’s Mark Seng will present “Five Trends in Five Minutes: Trends Affecting the Aftermarket Environment,” a review of the hottest trends in the vehicle market that are and will be shaping the industry in the short, and long, term.

The popular “Import Parts Explosion: Are You Taking Your Share?” session will help companies focus on how Continued on page 18 JOBBER NEWS / OCTOBER 2012

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Continued from page 16

to boost productivity when selling parts for imports.

“What’s Happening with U.S. International Trade: Opportunities for the Aftermarket” will cover recent free trade agreements (FTAs) and the benefits and issues that arise due to the FTAs. And “New Brake Rules: What the Aftermarket Needs to Know” will review how state laws in California and Washington will affect the entire supply chain.

Learning Forum sessions will be held at the Venetian Hotel, on the Venetian/Palazzo Congress Center Level 1, Marco Polo Rooms 701-706. All sessions are accredited by the University of the Aftermarket toward the Automotive Aftermarket Professional (AAP) and Master Automotive Aftermarket Professional (MAAP) designations.

Sessions on Sales, Marketing, and Branding Five sessions in the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) Learning Forum will focus on what companies should know about sales, marketing, and branding to be successful in today’s marketplace.

Sales, marketing, and branding sessions include “Sprechen Sie Brand?” with speaker Shawn Parr, Bulldog Drummond, which will cover how branding can make companies successful by providing strategic clarity. Jackie DeLise, Vermillion Consulting, will lead a session on “The Partnership Path

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to Brand Differentiation and Success,” with a focus on how partnerships within the supply chain can work together to create, refresh, and maintain a brand’s relevance over time.

“Intellectual Property: What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You,” with speakers Sarah Bruno of Arent Fox and Kenya Merritt of the FBI, will outline how companies can protect their intellectual property and brand. These three sessions will be offered on Monday, Oct. 29.

For companies embracing the newest in marketing technology, two sessions will be presented by Greg Sterling, Sterling Market Intelligence: “The Role of Mobile in Business-to-Business Marketing and Customer Relationship Management,” and “The Role of Mobile in Business-toConsumer Marketing.” These two sessions will be offered on Tuesday, Oct. 30 and Wednesday, Oct. 31, respectively.

AAPEX Information Available Via Mobile Compass Apps The Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) Mobile Compass apps are now available to give attendees quick and easy access to AAPEX information while on the go. The AAPEX apps are free and available for Androids, iPhones, and iPads.

ChirpE, the Mobile Compass Web app, works on all Internetenabled smartphones and links directly to the AAPEX website in real time. The apps can be downloaded from the AAPEX website, tiny.cc/aapex_apps.

Attendees can use the AAPEX apps to access a list of the more than 2,200 exhibitors scheduled to participate in AAPEX 2012, Learning Forum education sessions and speakers, a My Planner Expo Plan, a schedule of events, and maps of the trade show floor.

AAPEX information also is available on the AAPEX website, www.aapexshow.com, and on Facebook, www. facebook.com/AAPEXShow, Twitter, www.twitter.com/#!/ AAPEXShow, and within the AAPEX Show Group on LinkedIn, tiny.cc/aapexlinkedin.

AVI Again Brings High-End Technical Training to AAPEX AVI and AAPEX joined forces in 2011, bringing you two exciting events at one time. AVI brought its world-class technical training to AAPEX and is back in 2012.

AVI’s Training Conference is slated for Monday, Oct. 29 and Tuesday, Oct. 30 during AAPEX 2012.

AVI’s conference will feature more than 20 high-end technical classes, all geared toward the needs of installers, technicians, and shop owners to help them be more efficient with diagnostics. Topics include: advanced diagnostics using pressure transducers; using the Bartec TPMS tool; PCM coding, reflashing, and reprogramming; advanced security, TPMS, and chassis systems; and vehicle stability control.

Classes also will cover Bosch training on gasoline direct injection, passenger car diesel, powertrain networking, and Ford Powerstroke, as well as online marketing strategies and creating profit win numbers.

The instructor lineup for the AVI Training Conference includes: • Jim Bates and Michael Moskowitz, Advance Auto Parts; • Dave Hobbs, Delphi; • Wally Mouradian, Automotive Training Group; • Mike Rose, Bartec USA; • Luis Ruiz, DiPaco DTech Products; • Danny Sanchez, Autoshop Solutions; • Dave Scaler, Mechanics Education Association; • Bernie Thompson, Automotive Test Solutions; • Jim Wilson, Auto Dynamics Ltd.; • Matt Winslow, Automotive Training Institute; and • Becky Witt, approved Automotive Management Institute (AMI) instructor.

JOBBER NEWS / OCTOBER 2012

12-10-03 11:35 AM

Most oval track wins in a season Most victories in a single season Most top 5 wins in a single season 2012 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Championship

PROOF THAT CHAMPIONS RUN ON AWESOME. Congratulations DJ Kennington 2012 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Champion

We are proud to be the oil in DJ’s engine and honoured to have helped him achieve his dream.

NASCAR® AND THE NASCAR LOGO ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR STOCK CAR AUTO RACING, INC. CANADIAN TIRE® AND THE CANADIAN TIRE LOGO ARE TRADEMARKS OF CANADIAN TIRE CORPORATION, LIMITED. THE NASCAR CANADIAN TIRE SERIES MARKS ARE USED UNDER LICENSE BY DESTINATION MOTORSPORTS LP AND CANADIAN TIRE CORPORATION, LIMITED.

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12-10-03 7:24 AM

SEMA PREVIEW

New Off-Road Business Centre to Debut T

at the 2012 SEMA Show

he premier automotive specialty products trade event in the world, SEMA draws in the industry’s brightest minds and hottest products to one place, the Las Vegas Convention Center. As part of the AAIW, the SEMA Show attracts more than 100,000 industry leaders from more than 100 countries for unlimited profit opportunities in the automotive, truck and SUV, powersports, and RV markets. This year’s show includes the debut of the Off-Road Business Centre presented

by OMIX. Dealers, jobbers, installers, and other specialty-equipment industry enthusiasts attending the 2012 SEMA Show will be able to learn all about the dynamic Jeep and off-road lifestyle market through the new Off-Road Success Center, presented

by OMIX-Rugged Ridge. Located within the Trucks/SUV section in booth 30147 at the 2012 SEMA Show, the centre provides those interested in learning about the off-road market with a place to exchange ideas, learn new concepts for success, and network with other like-minded people.

The centre will offer twice-daily educational seminars hosted by third-party industry experts discussing their first-hand experiences and formulas for success. Additionally, the OffRoad Success Center will include one-on-one consultations, demonstrations, and free print materials on these businessimpacting topics. A range of vehicles illustrating the rich history of the industry will also be on display, including vintage models provided by Jeep Jamboree USA and OMIX. Each seminar will be facilitated by OMIX personnel and led by industry specialists, who will share best practices, tips, and tricks for maximizing sales and operational and marketing strategies within the off-road industry. Examples and case studies will also be presented. Planned seminars will include: Recession-Proof Your Truck Business - Lifestyle Sells!

CA$H, the Fuel of Your Business - How to Effectively Create Cash From Your Operations Data is the Engine - How to Obtain, Understand, and Simplify the Loading of Effective Product Data 20

Dealerships Dealt A Winning Hand - How Jeep and Truck Dealerships Win Profit in the Aftermarket Bricks vs. Clicks - How Do Brick-and-Mortar Stores Profitably Compete With Online Retailers?

Dare to Dream - Use Your Passion to Increase Sales in the Jeep and Off-Road Market Social Media: Find, Connect and Engage Customers - Build Relevant Content and Consumer Advocates to Achieve Greater Success SEMA Mobile App Available In past years, buyers and other SEMA Show attendees found their way to booths and exhibits through the SEMA Show’s printed Pocket Guide. Now there’s also an innovative new way to navigate the show floor by using the free “SEMA Show 2012” mobile application for iPhones and Android smartphones. A great portable resource for locating exhibitors and education sessions, the app even allows users to search for exhibiting companies by product category and then communicate with them to set appointments.

Because the app was developed by CompuSystems, the show’s registration company, the “SEMA Show 2012” app also includes a special feature that lets users access, track, and print appointments through their CompuSystems registration dashboard.

Below is a quick breakdown of the features and tools provided by the SEMA Show app that will enhance attendees’ show planning, helping them expand their opportunities to conduct business and connect with existing and potential customers on the show floor. Attendees can: View the floorplan Search for exhibitors alphabetically, by section, or by product category Continued on page 22 JOBBER NEWS / OCTOBER 2012

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SEMA PREVIEW

Continued from page 20

Create a preferred list of exhibitors Create a personalized schedule View and add education sessions Receive pertinent show messages To download the app, visit your appropriate smartphone marketplace.

Chip Foose Keynotes New Products Breakfast Award-winning automotive designer and television celebrity Chip Foose will keynote the 2012 SEMA Show New Products Breakfast, taking place Tuesday, October 30, 2012. Foose, whose popular series “Overhaulin’” recently returned to television with an all-new season on Velocity, will share stories and inspire attendees as the SEMA Show’s Best New Products Awards are announced and presented.

In addition to being the breakfast keynote speaker, Foose will also be onsite at the SEMA Show customizing a vehicle in the “Overhaulin’” studio, located in the South Hall of the convention centre. Showgoers will be able to witness Foose and his team customize a vehicle and film an episode of “Overhaulin’” from the SEMA Show floor.

SEMA Awards Recognize Industry’s Hottest Vehicle Platforms Recognizing the top trend-setting vehicle models, the SEMA Awards will be announced and presented to winning automakers during the 2012 SEMA Show. Through the program, SEMA exhibitors that make products for those trend-setting vehicles will identify the vehicle platforms that they believe are best for accessorizing, and best for showcasing the industry’s coolest products.

“Each year, automakers come out with new and amazing models,” says Chris Kersting, SEMA president and CEO. “SEMA Show exhibitors invest significant resources and time in developing products for the most promising new models.

The SEMA Award is a one-of-a-kind award that recognizes the vehicle models that SEMA exhibitors expect will be the major trend-setters for the year ahead.”

Show organizers will take a tally of every booth vehicle at the show to identify the most prominent vehicle models in four categories (Hottest Car, Hottest Truck, Hottest 4x4-SUV, and Hottest Sport Compact). With each booth vehicle representing one vote, the most prominent models will be named the SEMA Award winners for the year.

“SEMA Show exhibitors are among the true visionaries of the industry,” says Kersting. “The decision to display their newest products on a particular new model is a statement about what they see as the year’s hottest new cars and trucks.”

The SEMA Show typically includes more than 700 qualified booth vehicles. Last year’s SEMA Award winners were the Chevrolet Camaro as the Hottest Car, the Ford F-Series as the Hottest Truck, the Jeep Wrangler as the Hottest 4x4-SUV, and the Fiat 500 as the Hottest Sport Compact.

The 2012 winners will be announced and presented during a 22

press conference at the SEMA Show.

SEMA Mustang Build Powered by Women The all-female vehicle customization project known as the SEMA Mustang Build Powered

by Women, featuring a 2013 Ford Mustang GT donated by Ford Motor Company, is on target for the unveiling of winning design “High Gear” at this year’s SEMA Show on Tuesday, October 30, 2012. The customized vehicle, which was built at Source Interlink Media’s headquarters in El Segundo, Cal., will be auctioned on eBay immediately following the reveal with proceeds slated for the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Foundation, an organization dedicated to fostering the next generation of automotive aftermarket leaders and innovators.

Thirty aftermarket manufacturers, retailers, and suppliers provided over 50 high-performance components for this historic all-female SEMA Mustang Build. Custom installations and vehicle modifications include an E-Force Supercharger System from Edelbrock, front and rear brakes from Wilwood, lowering springs from H&R, suspension system from Whiteline USA, exhaust system from MagnaFlow, stereo system from Kicker, P Zero tires from Pirelli, and Forgeline GA1R wheels with a custom finish. In addition to the customization of a Ford Mustang GT by an all-female build team, many of the products donated to the build came from companies that are owned by women.

Auto Dealer Conference Builds Success For the fifth consecutive year, the SEMA Show will include an exclusive program designed specifically for franchise and independent automotive dealers. Taking place during the SEMA Show, the program focuses on critical areas of accessory integration and how they impact operations in all key dealership departments.

“We want to help dealers be successful at selling accessories, and we want more dealers to get involved,” says Peter MacGillivray, SEMA VP of events and communications. “Although the automotive accessories industry represents a $30 billion market, many dealers are hesitant to jump on board.”

The Auto Dealer Accessory Conference and Show Tour program includes intimate round table discussions on Wednesday, October 31. Topics include accounting, fixed operations, finance and insurance, new and used sales, and accessory sales. Dealers that have successfully incorporated an accessory program into their businesses will share their personal experiences, while experts will outline how there are many easy-toinstall products that can have a big impact on the bottom line.

JOBBER NEWS / OCTOBER 2012

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COVER STORY

By Steve Pawlett

W

ith more and more cars and light trucks crowding our roads every year, safety comes into question when a vehicle isn’t stopping or steering at its best.

Reducing a vehicle’s stopping by just a few centimetres can make the difference between a minor scare and a major fender-bender.

Crowded roads aren’t the only concern. The roads themselves

are often in a sorry state of repair. Our wonderful freeze-thaw cycle is a great pothole generator, and is excellent at enlarging cracks and heaving pavement. Heavy cargo loads and years of neglect have also taken their toll on our roads.

There is no question that driving a vehicle on a daily basis over a moonscape of cracks and potholes is going to take its toll on the suspension, brakes, and steering components. It’s simply a matter of time.

The best way to avoid costly repairs is preventative maintenance, but most consumers don’t even know what parts are under their car, let alone spend time thinking about the condition they may be in.

Given the fast pace of life these days and the convenience of drive-through oil and lube shops, it’s rare when a customer brings in a vehicle and asks to have the undercarriage inspected.

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“If a customer is coming in asking about the undercarriage of his vehicle, it is in reaction to a steering or suspension problem, so it is reactive rather than preventative,” says Randy Jones, of Bay City Auto Parts in Barrie.

One of the reasons for this lack of attention to chassis problems is the simple fact that wear is usually very gradual.

Steering alignment being slightly off is barely noticed and soon forgotten. But at the installer level, an improperly aligned vehicle will have specific wear patterns on the tires, alerting the observant installer to the alignment issue.

When a vehicle is in for regular service and the technician does a thorough check of the front end and the braking system and he finds things starting to wear before serious damage occurs, this is a prime opportunity for the front counterperson to explain to the customer why the work needs to be done now before further damage is done and the cost of the repair escalates.

The next step in the sales process is to explain the difference between name-brand components and second-line parts that may appear to be comparable to the customer.

“Brand name is the way to go,” says Jones. “We carry Moog chassis parts, and they are probably the strongest out there, and I say that because I have availability to all parts. We choose Moog because we feel it is one of the best product lines on the market.”

The technician and/or front counterperson should have the product knowledge to explain to the customer why a name-brand tie rod or ball joint is really the safest and most economical choice. “Selling higher-quality parts requires knowledge into the characteristics that make those parts better. For example, a do-it-yourselfer might wonder why one tierod end or ball joint for a given application is priced higher than a corresponding part that comes in a white box or is from a secondary brand. The difference between those parts can be significant—and they can affect the customer’s safety and long-term satisfaction,” explains Mark Boyle, director, steering and suspension products, Federal-Mogul.

“Warranties, in my opinion, are no longer warranties,” adds Jones. “When we were growing up, a warranty was a guarantee against manufacturer defect, so if you bought a high-end product and it was defective in 90 days, they replaced it.

“Then we got into these lifetime warranties, which, in my opinion, are more of a marketing tool for second-line manufacturers. With a cheaper line they know they are not going to sell as many parts as a name-brand company, so they do a mathematical calculation on how many warranties they are going to get back and build it into the price so they can match the name-brand warranty. This applies to all goods, not just automotive,” explains Jones.

“This move has blurred the line between name-brand product and second-line product because now the warranty isn’t necessarily a statement to the quality of the product line and the durability of the product, but the consumer doesn’t necessarily know that. If the customer sees a $100 control arm and a $50 control arm and they both have a lifetime warranty, which one do you think the customer will buy? They think they are getting the durability and life expectation of the first26

line product, and that is just not the case,” adds Jones.

Moog recently conducted a side-by-side testing of dozens of Moog steering components and the corresponding parts from numerous other suppliers. “In one of the other suppliers’ ball joints for a popular application, neither the ball nor the stud had been induction-hardened, which reduces the part’s strength by nearly 50%. On the Moog part, both the ball and stud are induction hardened, making it significantly longer-lasting.

Educating the customer is the key to selling more name-brand product.

But, it is up to the technician and counterperson to not make the decision for the customer.

“On a popular tie-rod application, one of the other suppliers’ parts wore so quickly that the customer may experience socket looseness in less than one year of service, compared to more than five years of a premium performance from the Moog part. The other supplier uses an old socket technology that is known for poor durability, while the Moog socket features our coated metal ‘gusher’ bearings and full-ball stud, which provide excellent durability and low socket torque. These are differences that aren’t apparent to the naked eye, so the customer relies on the counterperson for this information. The low-priced part becomes a whole lot more expensive when it fails and you’re facing an unhappy customer across the counter,” adds Boyle.

“It’s extremely risky for an installer or customer to purchase low-end product, as most of the second-line products are under quality and performance standards and could pose a serious danger to the vehicle owner,” explains Ramzi Yako, president of Promax Auto Parts Depot.

“Take brake pads, for example. Low-quality brake pads will not provide the stopping power required on a vehicle.

They will fade and not stop the vehicle at a safe distance.

Low-end rotors and drums that have entered the market in recent years have also caused safety issues,” adds Yako.

“We are back to the 1980s again, when the business was about not only filling the parts orders and keeping ahead of the curve, but educating consumers,” explains John Thody, president XRF Inc. While most OEM control arms are now manufactured without replaceable ball joints, XRF designs control arms with replaceable ball joints. “Some shops try to sell OEM control arms thinking they are increasing sales volumes, when in many cases they are finding the sales are going down because customers are walking out and going to the next guy who can sell them just the ball joint, so they don’t have to replace the entire arm. Things are changing so rapidly and consumers are looking for cost savings. You have a customer saying, ‘Gee, I don’t have $400 in my pocket for a control arm, but I do have $60 for a ball joint,’” adds Thody.

“When comparing our sales based on name brand, performance, and price, we still see more of the national brands being sold, but we are also seeing a lot of secondContinued on page 28 JOBBER NEWS / OCTOBER 2012

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line product sold on price, so price is a concern. Second-line product just isn’t as robust as name-brand components and tends to fail prematurely, so in actual fact, the perceived savings by the customer just aren’t there,” says Jones.

“You have a guy standing there sipping his Tim Horton’s coffee; he’ll have four or five of those a day, but will he pay an extra $2 for a namebrand ball joint? Sometimes it leaves me shaking my head,” says Thody.

“We have two kinds of customers out there,” explains Thody. “The guy from the taxicab company or used car lot who is only interested in the cheapest part for the job. He only looks at the price of the part. He’s not looking at the life of the part or the downtime of the vehicle. So you have the guy who can’t see beyond the part in the white box, then you have the customer who understands the value of a namebrand part. He may be working three jobs now to replace the one he lost, but he is thinking differently than the taxicab guy. He needs his vehicle to get to work and he needs it to be reliable so he is going to spend the extra few dollars on a name-brand part to make sure his vehicle is dependable and safe for him and his family,” adds Thody.

Educating the customer is the key to selling more namebrand product. But, it is up to the technician and counterperson to not make the decision for the customer. Quite often, the customer is looking for guidance in his decisionmaking process, and this is precisely the time to explain the differences between first-line and second-line parts and then step back and let the customer choose.

For example, say a customer’s brakes are down to the rivets and payday is a week away. This person is desperate for a quick, cheap fix. It’s easy to fall into his line of thinking and offer him a low-end solution when you know a slightly more expensive name-brand product is going to perform better, last longer, and ensure his safety. By educating the consumer, you can equip him with the product information he needs to make an informed choice.

“We have had customers put second-line components in commercial vehicles and when it wears out prematurely, they come back for warranty. So it gets sent back for warranty and a new, brand-name part is usually installed the second time around. We want to keep the customer happy, so we warranty it even though we shouldn’t,” explains Jones. “Then labour is a toss-up. If they are a big account you’re going to do a courtesy credit on labour for them, which you don’t really want to do. It doesn’t happen too often, but it does happen.”

Key questions to ask about second-line products include: What do you know about the quality of steel that was used in the part? What durability tests, if any, were used to validate the part?

“We have encountered many components from other sources that experience physical failure or breakage during side-by-side testing with Moog parts. Imagine what could happen if a vehicle’s ball joint or tie-rod end breaks during operation. These are safety parts above all,” stresses Boyle.

“Jobbers need to explain the safety and warranty details of products to customers in order to upsell higher quality that provides safety and dependable performance. Product safety should be an easy upsell to consumers. I don’t think anyone would like to put an unsafe product on the family minivan,” adds Yako.

“Promax’s brake program offering provides extensive 28

product features [including] quality, warranty, product liability insurance, competitive prices, customer service, and a wide range of product offerings that covers 95% of vehicle coverage in Canada. All these features and information we provide help jobbers to educate customers on the quality and reliability of our products,” adds Yako.

Explaining the safety differences between first-line and second-line products is a good way to educate your customers.

“Let them know that, in many cases, the premium part was manufactured from stronger materials that were also enhanced through sophisticated hardening processes. Then explain how the better part is engineered and tested to last longer,” advises Boyle.

Federal-Mogul recently introduced a sales tool that demonstrates how Moog’s “gusher” bearing technology helps enhance the durability of its parts. This type of tool is helpful in explaining to customers how one technology is clearly better than another.

“And finally, remind the customer that a broken steering and suspension component can put both the consumer and installer at risk. Given these facts, the relatively few extra dollars spent on the better part is a wise investment,” adds Boyle.

XRF Inc. has a jobber training program called “The 10 Minute MBA.” “It’s an informative presentation that makes participants scratch their beards and say, ‘Oh, that’s something I can improve on,’” explains Thody.

“Customers these days are asking for the best quality products at the most competitive prices,” explains Yako. “Brand names and warranties are key factors in any product. I am not sure any customer would waste time to purchase any product without warranty. At Promax, we have established an excellent brand name for our product, and we offer a competitive warranty program and that is how our customers believe and trust in our brand.”

Federal-Mogul’s Boyle agrees. “A leading brand itself is an implied warranty in the minds of many professionals, because they have had years, if not decades, of experience with brands like Moog. Given the proliferation of product sources—overseas and domestic—shop owners and technicians are aware of the huge difference in part quality represented in today’s market. Relying on a trusted brand is the best way to protect yourself and your customer from a potentially dangerous failure. Warranties are also important, but even some lower-quality parts are offered with warranties. Choosing one of these lower-quality parts is still a risk because the shop may have to absorb the labour cost associated with doing the job over again, as well as the loss of customer goodwill.”

When it comes to steering and suspension components, many technicians and jobbers have relied on name brand products for years, because those parts have helped to protect their reputations and customer relationships. Today, gaining customer loyalty is tougher than ever, making the importance of selling quality name-brand components even greater. Helping customers to understand the safety risks that come with the use of low-quality components in steering and suspension repairs will lower your liability exposure and help you build a loyal customer base.

JOBBER NEWS / OCTOBER 2012

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MARKET FEATURE

Exhaust Sales:

Know What Makes

Your Market Tick

By Steve Pawlett

A

vehicle exhaust system does more than just remove expended gases from the engine. It is a vital tool for optimizing engine performance.

Its unique design manipulates the pressure waves that assist engine cylinder filling and scavenging.

In recent years, great strides have been made in exhaust system technology and performance. This technical evolution has led to a web of sensors and electrical control devices that are now embedded in the exhaust system, making aftermarket upgrades a challenge.

“Twenty-five years ago, when I first started in this industry, we sold bottle mufflers, tubing, and muffler clamps. Everything was universal, and we sold tons of it. Today, everything comes in a bolt-on kit that almost anyone can install,” says Scott Scherr, owner and sales manager at Warehouse Services Inc. in Edmonton, Alberta.

“We used to bend a lot of tubing and install a lot of bottle mufflers back in the day. Now, with the complexity of exhaust systems, the air care, and catalytic converters, if you start hacking stuff off you really have to know what you are doing. You don’t just install a high-flow converter and expect everything to run fine. You have to understand the technology,” adds Scherr.

Fortunately, the manufacturers have done all the research and testing and have come out with bolt-on upgrade kits.

“Everything is ‘flange to flange’ now. There’s no more cutting and clamping pipe together. This new kit system makes it easy for shops that aren’t normally in the exhaust repair market to go ahead and Scott Scherr has seen the exhaust business evolve over the years, and know what bolt on a replacement kit for a customer,” explains has changed and what has stayed the same.

Scherr. you get me a Walker or a MagnaFlo or an AP system?’ Most of In fact, the old-school specialty muffler shops have been the time, they ask for a specific brand. We may have the exact forced to expand their services in order to survive. “I deal kit on the shelf, but if it isn’t the brand they are asking for, with one shop that is quite big in exhaust, and they said then we are not going to make the sale. When someone has it only 35% to 40% of the work they do is exhaust now. So that in their head that is the brand they want, it’s tough to change means they have replaced 60% of their volume with other their mindset.” work,” adds Scherr.

In Edmonton, Warehouse Services competes with four or Carrying a wide selection of kits in the most popufive other jobbers that stock exhaust. Scherr says it is easier to lar brands is the key to increasing exhaust system sales. source them what they want, rather than try and change their According to Scherr, more and more customers are requestmind and risk losing the sale. “Customers are much more ing a specific brand. “This works well for the retailer, but [for] a wholesaler like us, we get customers calling and asking, ‘Can Continued on page 32

30

JOBBER NEWS / OCTOBER 2012

MARKET FEATURE

Continued from page 30

knowledgeable about what’s available, and come in knowing what they want for their particular vehicle. For example, if a customer comes in looking for a Borla system for his Corvette, we will source that for him, rather than try and convince him to go with another brand. Better to make the sale than risk having him walk out the door and buy what he wants from a competitor.”

Back in the day it was word of mouth that made a brand popular, and it took a fair amount of time for word to spread.

Today, we have a little thing called the Internet.

“Now if someone puts a performance exhaust kit on their vehicle and gets really good horsepower gains and nice sound, it’s posted on YouTube and automotive forums where everyone can see it and hear it, and that brand can become a hit literally overnight,” says Scherr.

Knowing what makes your particular market tick and meeting those needs with the right selection of product is the key to strong exhaust kit sales.

Located in Edmonton, with the oil fields nearby, Warehouse Services Inc. caters to a huge truck market. “We have always sold the highest-end product that we can get our hands on here, and that does filter out some clientele, because not everyone is willing to pay for that. We also have two stores in Calgary, which is just three hours away, and they could not be more different in terms of what they sell into the aftermarket,” he adds.

Much like the move to platinum spark plugs, factory exhaust systems are now built to last. There is a lot more

stainless steel used, so replacement does not occur as frequently as it used to.

“The automotive manufacturers have stepped up their game and build quality vehicles, and we just don’t see those volume sales numbers on components like we used to,” says Scherr.

Oxygen sensors are another big seller for Warehouse Services and, just like aftermarket exhaust systems, customers are showing strong brand loyalty.

“Customers come in and for Japanese cars, they want NGK; when it’s domestic they request AC Delco, and if it’s a European vehicle, they ask for Bosch.”

“Today you can go just about anywhere and get multiple brands. It’s not like the old days, when some companies had exclusives. That just doesn’t exist anymore. Because of our globally sourced economy, the world is a whole lot smaller now. Anyone can get virtually any part they want within two days if they are willing to pay for shipping,” adds Scherr.

With all the competition for sales, it can be tough to stand out. Every shop needs an edge. “When buying a muffler for an older car it’s a grudge purchase, but if you are putting a performance system on your new truck, it’s instant gratification and you are coming out of the shop with a nice sound and shiny tips on the end. It’s the same thing with wheels and tires. Buying winter tires sucks, but buying nice rims and summer tires is cool, and that is the big difference here,” explains Scherr. “We have always sold brand name and it has always done us well.”

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JOBBER NEWS / OCTOBER 2012

The 10 Most Common

MONEY & MANAGEMENT

Pricing Mistakes

Is it time to revaluate your pricing policies during tough times?

I

Mark Borkowski is president of Toronto based Mercantile Mergers & Acquisitions Corp. Mercantile specializes in the sale of mid market companies. www.mercantilemergersacquisitions.com Dennis Brown can be reached at dbrown@atengacorp.com or www.atengacorp.com

34

recently spoke to Dennis Brown, who is a partner at California-based Atenga Inc. Atenga is the nation’s leading pricing authority to commercial and industrial companies worldwide, helping to improve clients’ profits by optimizing prices and improving price performance. Their most surprising finding has been how often price optimization can raise prices and improve sales volumes at the same time.

The vast majority of companies have spent years achieving gains through cost-cutting, outsourcing, process reengineering, and the adoption of innovative technologies. “[Price strategy] is emerging as the most important resource for companies to increase their competitive advantage,” he says.

However, the incremental benefits from these important activities are diminishing, and companies are looking at other areas to improve their business results.

All too many companies use simplistic pricing processes, and some cannot even identify their most profitable products, product lines, customers, or customer segments. This lack of information means too many management teams have their sales staff focusing the bulk of their time servicing the least profitable of their customers.

Some companies even embrace policies and pricing strategies that drive away their best customers, and then wonder why their profits are not growing.

The following is a list of 10 of the most common mistakes Brown says companies make when pricing their products and services.

Basing prices on costs, not customers’ perceptions of value. Pricing based on costs invariably leads to prices that are too high, or more often, too low.

Basing prices on “the marketplace.”

Management teams must find ways to differentiate their products or services to create additional value for specific market segments.

Attempting to achieve the same profit margin across different product lines. Profit is optimized when the price reflects the customer’s willingness to pay.

Failing to segment customers. The value proposition for any product or service varies in different market segments, and price strategy should reflect that difference.

Holding prices at the same level for too

long, ignoring changes in costs, competitive environment, and customers’ preferences.

Savvy companies acclimate their customers and their sales forces to frequent price changes.

Incentivizing salespeople on revenue, rather than profits. Volume-based sales incentives create a drain on profits when salespeople are compensated to push volume at the lowest possible price.

Changing prices without forecasting competitors’ reactions. Smart companies know enough about their competitors to predict their reactions and prepare for them.

Using insufficient resources to manage pricing practices. Cost, sales volume, and price are the three basic variables that drive profit.

Failing to establish internal procedures to optimize prices. The hastily called last-minute meeting to set the final price for a new product or service has become a regular occurrence.

Spending a disproportionate amount of time serving your least profitable customers. Know your customers: 80% of a company’s profits generally come from 20% of its customers. Failure to identify and focus on the 20% leaves companies undefended against wily competitors.

Brown thinks that one other big mistake is that “Companies rely on salespeople and other customer-facing staff for intelligence about the value perceptions of their customers. Such people are an uncertain source, because their information-gathering methodology is usually haphazard, and the information obtained thereby can be purely anecdotal.” Such information is neither precise nor quantifiable. A customer will rarely tell the “complete truth” to a salesperson, so any information the customer may volunteer will be biased—often to get the company to lower their prices.

Salespeople can readily identify those anecdotes that advance their interests, i.e., lower prices lead to higher sales, regardless of profitability, and those that operate against them. Savvy companies employ trained professionals to collect and analyze the data to identify and evaluate the value perceptions of their marketplace. Large companies have entire departments doing this full-time; smaller companies may outsource it to a specialist, such as Atenga.

JOBBER NEWS / OCTOBER 2012

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Philips Automotive Lighting North America has introduced a new high-tech bike light that incorporates advanced automotive lighting technology to deliver one of the brightest, longest, and most powerful beams of light available to cyclists.

The Philips SafeRide LED BikeLight 80 is built with the same new generation high-power Philips Luxeon Rebel LEDs used by leading car manufacturers. These LEDs produce a brilliant white light with a colour temperature of 5,500°K, giving cyclists seven times more light than standard bike lights. The Philips SafeRide LED BikeLight 80’s innovative technology provides cyclists with more security on the road, day and night.

Philips Automotive Lighting www.lighting.philips.com New Caliper Brackets Cardone has just released 34 additional SKUs of A1 Cardone Brake Caliper Brackets covering many popular applications including: 14-1443 Honda/Acura trucks 2005-2012; 14-1681 Hyundai/Kia 2006-2012; 14-1547 Nissan Altima/Sentra 20072010; 14-1379 Toyota Sienna 2004-2010; 14-1692 Volkswagen Golf/Jetta 2005-2012; and 14-1091 Ford Mustang 2005-2010. The new brackets reduce or eliminate the time spent scraping and cleaning existing brackets, building bay efficiency and improving job quality consistency.

Cardone www.cardone.com LED Task Light Ingersoll Rand has expanded the IQV20 Series cordless tool line, with the addition of the L5110 cordless LED task light. The L5110 is ideal for garage, industrial, and maintenance applications, and is engineered for exceptional performance, versatility, and durability on the job. The L5110 features a patented aluminum head that dissipates heat and is lightweight, yet heavy-duty. Like other IQV20 Series cordless tools—including the W7150 1/2” cordless Impactool—the L5110 is durable and has an impact-resistant housing to protect against corrosive fluids, chemicals, and repeated drops. The versatile work light has a multi-position head, hands-free standing base, and hang hook to light workspaces from any angle, high or low. The L5110 cordless work light includes a powerful, ultra-bright white LED light that casts 180 lumens and lasts up to 20,000 hours.

Ingersoll Rand www.ingersollrandproducts.com Continued on page 38

36

JOBBER NEWS / OCTOBER 2012

NEW PRODUCTS

Continued from page 36

Street to Track Suspension System Bilstein Shock Absorbers’ new Bilstein Clubsport suspension system features technology derived from Bilstein’s race-winning MDS double adjustable system. The Bilstein Clubsport is a double adjustable coilover suspension system, for both on-road and racing applications. Both front and rear systems feature clearly identified rebound and compression tuning settings, from 1 (soft) to 10 (hard) – allowing up to 100 setting variations without additional tools. Bilstein’s design has eliminated the need for an external oil reservoir, providing for substantial weight savings, easy installation, and enhanced performance. The threaded shock bodies and locking adjustment rings provide a fully adjustable ride height. The complete system includes front and rear shocks/struts, tuned dual or progressive rate coil springs, adjustable camber plate assemblies with spherical bearings, all

mounting components and spanner wrenches for spring height adjustments. Bilstein Clubsport is now available for VW Golf VI, BMW M3 (E46), BMW M3 (E36), and Porsche 911 (997) GT 2/GT 3.

ThyssenKrupp Bilstein of America www.bilsteinUS.com

Automotive Internet Directory Visit these companies directly at their web addresses or check out the growing list of Hot Links at www.autoserviceworld.com.

To find out how your organization can be included in this directory and on the web, contact aross@jobbernews.com

AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRONICS Allan’s Automotive Electronics Ltd.

www.allansautomotive.com Phone: 780-469-8060 Your Automotive Test Equipment Repair Specialist Tool Sales and Service.

We provide service and warranty for most makes of automotive test equipment.

AUTOMOTIVE PARTS & ACCESSORIES Aisin World Corp. of America, Inc. (AWA), a leading Tier One automotive components supplier and one of the world’s largest manufacturers of aftermarket parts. AISIN’s original equipment technology and know-how is used to ensure product quality and reliability.

To learn more about our products, request a catalogue today. www.aisinaftermarket.com Goodyear Engineered Products www.goodyearep.com/aftermarket www.goodyearbeltsandhose.com The officially licensed belt of NASCAR. Gatorback, the quiet belt. You can never replace Goodyear quality.

NGK Spark Plugs Canada Limited www.ngksparkplugs.ca The World Leader in Spark Plugs, Oxygen Sensors and Ignition Wire Sets.

Used by 87% of the World’s OE Manufacturers S.B International Inc. www.sbintl.com “We keep engines humming”

38 Company

AUTOMOTIVE RECYCLERS Carcone’s Auto Recycling and Wheel Refinishing www.carcone.com With over 32 years of experience Carcone’s Auto Recycling & Wheel Refinishing is your one stop for quality recycled products and wheel refinishing needs. Call today at 1-800-263-2022 or visit us on line at www.carcone.com Standard Auto Wreckers View Our Online Inventory @ www. standardautowreckers. com or call 416-286-8686.

Experienced Shipping Department to Ensure Parts Arrive Safely.

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT SERVICES The Automotive Aftermarket E-Learning Centre Ltd www.aaec.ca AAEC - BEST - Business Evaluation Support & Training - Instructing and Coaching with the Proven Business Management Tools that drives a shop’s Bottom Line, Team Culture and Marketplace Credibility.

HAND CLEANERS GOJO Industries, Inc. www.automotive.gojo.com GOJO is a leading manufacturer of skin care products and services for many marketing including automotive and manufacturing. GOJO continues to pursue a commitment of creating well-being through hand hygiene and healthy skin.

ADVERTISERS INDEX Page #

Company

REFRIGERANT Duracool Refrigerants

www.duracool.com Nationally Distributed by: Deepfreeze Refrigerants Inc. The Leaders in Hydrocarbon Refrigerant Technology. Guaranteed In writing not to harm any Mobile A/C System. You can feel the Difference that Quality Makes. “Our Formula Never Changes”.

TOOLS & EQUIPMENT AIR LIQUIDE CANADA INC. www.airliquide.ca Your one-stop shop for all your industrial gases and welding supplies.

WAREHOUSE DISTRIBUTORS & BUYING GROUPS Bestbuy Distributors Limited www.bestbuyautoparts.ca Independent buying group and warehouse distributor that allocates its profits to member shareholders and provides unbeatable value for independent jobbers.

The E.R.I. Group www.theerigroup.com Canada’s Premier Machine Shop Buying Group Kerr Machine Shop Group Inc.

www.kerrmachineshopgroup.com Buying group for machine shops and performance shops.

JOBBER NEWS / OCTOBER 2012

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Knowledge Building:

Engine Rebuilding – What to expect

from a custom rebuild

E

ven though improvements in engine technology have extended engine life considerably in recent years, demand for rebuilt engines is expected to rise dramatically in the near future, due to the sheer number of vehicles currently on the road. Today, the number of five- to 10-year-old light trucks on the road has jumped from 18 million to nearly 60 million. Many of these are going to need engine work.

When an engine needs major repairs, the vehicle owner is faced with a difficult choice: replace the engine with a new engine, a remanufactured engine, or a used engine (and the risks that go with that); or overhaul the existing engine.

When speaking with a customer, you will most likely discover that replacing an engine with a brandnew one is just too expensive for many vehicle owners’ budgets. A used engine is a temporary fix at best, and only buys the current owner a little more time.

Sooner or later, most used engines experience problems of their own.

At this point, you should introduce them to the concept of a remanufactured engine as an option. They are readily available at competitive prices. A quality remanufactured engine can provide good value for the investment. Point out that most come with a 90-day or one-year warranty.

However, rebuilt engines carry their own risks, in that you don’t necessarily know the quality of the components used in the rebuild. It may be a top-quality rebuild—or it may not.

The second option available to customers is to have their existing engine rebuilt. This allows the customer some control over the quality of the parts and labour that go into the rebuild.

Savings of 20% to 50% can be had by rebuilding rather than buying a new engine. Recommend they purchase the parts needed for the rebuild in an engine kit, rather than individually; it can save them a lot of cash. You can usually

get OEM or better quality parts in most kits, and they may be better than the parts found in some remanufactured engines.

It’s also a good idea to paint them a picture of what is involved in a rebuild, so there are no surprises down the road.

Crankshaft Bearings New crankshaft bearings are usually a must when rebuilding an engine. Dirt contamination often causes premature bearing failure. The underlying cause may have been a missing air filter, air leaks into the crankcase (missing oil filler cap, PVC valve, etc.), or not changing the oil and filter often enough.

Continued on page 42

40

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Continued from page 40

Excessive heat can be another cause of bearing failure.

Conditions that can reduce oil f low and cause bearings to run hot include a worn oil pump, restricted oil pickup screen, internal oil leaks, a low oil level in the crankcase, aerated oil (oil level too high), fuel-diluted oil from excessive blow-by, or coolant-contaminated oil from internal coolant leaks.

carburetor or fuel injection system to optimize performance.

Valve Work The valve components that may need to be replaced will depend on the age and condition of the engine. New exhaust valves are normally needed because they run much hotter than intake valves and often burn or fail because of erosion and heat cracking. Exhaust valves also stretch with age, which increases the danger of valve breakage. For this reason alone, the exhaust valves should be replaced during a rebuild.

Intake valves can generally be reused, unless bent or worn. Replacement is required if stem wear exceeds specifications.

If guides are worn, which they usually are, the engine can suck a lot of oil. Evidence of this is usually heavy black carbon deposits on the backs of the intake valves, and heavy carbon deposits on the pistons and in the combustion chambers.

Minor guide wear can be reduced somewhat by knurling. If integral guides are worn, they may be drilled out to accept thin-wall bronze or cast-iron guide liners. Worn guides in aluminum heads can also be lined, reamed to oversize, or pressed out and replaced with new guides.

Piston Rings Low compression and oil burning is usually a sign of worn rings and /or cylinders. Replacing piston rings can restore compression, if the cylinders do not exceed service specifications.

If the cylinders are worn or damaged, re-boring the cylinders to oversize will be necessary to restore proper clearance and compression. This work is normally farmed out to a machine shop.

Camshaft Camshaft wear in high-mileage engines is a common problem.

If the engine requires a new cam, the owner has a choice of a stock cam or a performance cam. Performance cams provide increased lift and duration for more power. However, if you opt for a hotter cam, be aware that you must follow the camshaft supplier applications for lift and duration. A common mistake is over-camming a street engine. Too much lift and duration will move the engine’s power curve too far up the rpm scale, and it will require other extensive modifications like stiffer valve springs, performance manifolds, and modifications to the

Head Gaskets The number-one mistake to avoid when replacing a blown head gasket is to simply install a new gasket without checking or Continued on page 44

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Continued from page 42

If an OHC aluminum head requires resurfacing, the amount of metal that can be safely removed is usually quite limited. If a head has been resurfaced and the installed height is too short, cam timing can be adversely affected.

Too much compression can create detonation problems. To compensate, a copper or steel shim may be used with the head gasket to raise the head and restore proper head height.

Otherwise the head may have to be replaced.

Surface finish is also very important. Most push-rod engines with cast iron heads can handle a surface finish of anything between 54 and 113 micro-inches RA (60 to 125 RMS). But aluminum OHC heads require a smoother finish to seal properly. Many late Japanese engines have multilayered steel (MLS) head gaskets that require a very smooth finish of 7 to 15 RA. Such heads should not be resurfaced unless the head is warped or the surface is damaged.

Finally, if the engine has torque-to-yield (TTY) head bolts, replace them. Reusing TTY bolts is risky, because there is no way of knowing how far they have been stretched.

Also, ensure you have the latest head bolt torque specs. Vehicle manufacturers often revise their original head bolt torque specs to correct problems that have arisen in the field. The new specs can usually be found in technical service bulletins from the manufacturers.

With nearly 60 million aging light trucks on the road today, you have a growing market for engine rebuilding and replacement at your door. Be sure to take advantage of every opportunity to let your customers know you provide this service, then sit back and watch your engine repair business grow.

repairing anything else. In many instances, a blown head gasket is not the real problem, but a symptom of some other underlying condition such as a hot spot, overheating, or detonation. If the underlying problem is not identified and corrected, the new gasket will likely suffer the same fate as its predecessor.

Always inspect the cylinder head for cracks or other problems when it is removed, especially if the engine is overheated.

Aluminum overhead cam heads are much more likely to warp and crack than most cast-iron heads when an engine gets too hot.

Cracks are not always visible to the naked eye. Porosity leaks in aluminum heads may not show up unless the cooling system is under pressure. To minimize the risk of a repeat gasket failure, cast iron heads should be Magnafluxed (a magnetic crack detection test) to check for cracks. Penetrating dye will reveal cracks in aluminum. Pressure testing is also an excellent method of detecting internal cracks and porosity leaks in both cast iron and aluminum.

The cylinder head and block should also be checked for flatness before the new head gasket is installed. Flatness specs vary depending on the application, but on most pushrod engines with cast iron heads, up to .003 inch (0.076 mm) out of flat lengthwise in V6 heads, .004 inch (0.012mm) in fourcylinder or V8 heads, and .006 inch (0.152 mm) in straight six-cylinder heads is considered acceptable. Most aluminum heads, on the other hand, should have no more than .002 inch (.05 mm) out of flat in any direction.

Aluminum overhead cam heads (OHC) should be checked for flatness in two places: across the face of the head with a straight edge, and down the OHC cam bores with a straight edge or bar.

ADVERTISERS INDEX Company Page # Agna Brakes (www.agnabrakes.com). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFC Airtex Fuel Delivery Systems (www.airtexproducts.com) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Bestbuy Distributors Limited (www.bestbuyautoparts.com). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Canada-Wide Parts Distributors Ltd. (www.canadawideparts.com) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Cardone Industries Inc. (www.cardone.com) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IBC Denso Sales (www.densoaftermarket.com/jn) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OBC Exide Battery Corporation (www.exide.com) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover Flag Equus Products Inc. (www.pro.innova.com) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 FBS Distribution Co. Inc. (www.fbs-online.com) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Federal-Mogul Corp. (www.federalmogul.com) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Gates Canada (www.gates.com) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42, 43 G.E. Lighting (www.gelighting.com) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Jobber News Counterperson of the Year, presented by Epicor Nomination Form (www.autoserviceworld.com/awards/counterperson). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Mevotech Inc.(www.mevotech.com) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 NGK Spark Plugs Canada Ltd (www.ngksparkplugs.ca). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Mann + Hummel USA (www.mann-hummel.com) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Philips Automotive Lighting (www.philipsautolighting.com) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 PPG Automotive Refinish (www.ppg.com) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Proforce Automotive (www.proforceautomotive.com) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Promax Auto Parts Depot (www.autopartsdepot.ca) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Schaeffler Group USA Inc. (www.Schaeffler-Aftermarket.us). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Transbec Inc. (www.transbec.ca) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 UCI-Fram Group (www.framgrp.com). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 UltraFit Manufacturing (www.ultrafitmanufacturing.com) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Valvoline Canada Limited (www.valvoline.com) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Valvoline Motor Oil Mythbusters Quiz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Vast-Auto Distribution (www.vastauto.com) (Insert: Ontario& Quebec). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9A Veyance Technologies (Goodyear Engineered Products, www.goodyearep.com) . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Wakefield Canada (www.wakefieldcanada.ca). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19, 39 XRF Chassis (www.xrfchassis.com). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

44

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12-10-04 9:37 AM

Editorial Comment

DARWIN RULES

T

NEXT MONTH

Jobber Technology: E-Cats and Beyond headlines in November. Plus: Wheel Bearings and Seals, Winter Chemicals, and Opportunities In Heavy Duty Parts.

46

he month of October is Car Safety Month.

This is a great opportunity for the aftermarket to band together and remind consumers that a little bit of maintenance goes a long way to keeping them safe on the roads, and making the air a bit safer too. Or at least a bit less grey.

This is all good. Safer is better. And cars have become much safer over the years in many ways. Antilock brake systems help you not crash, and airbags help save you if you do crash. Crumple zones crumple. Safety cages protect. And now your car will even protect you from changing lanes—though I love the way they call it “lane departure warning,” like you’re planning on leaving for Spain without permission or something.

And some cars will even stop you if you forget to hit the brakes for the school bus because you were answering an email, sending a text, or reading this on your smartphone. (Please don’t read and drive.)

Which brings me to my point: Making cars safe is impossible. You can make them safer, but you can’t make them “safe,” any more than you can make walking safe. Even at 4 kph, every now and then someone is going to fall over. So when you are at risk of “falling over” at 100 kph, well, you get my point.

This is not to say that we should give up doing what we can to improve the breed, but we do have to recognize that it’s not the breed of the car that will limit the safety of driving; it is the breed of the creature behind the wheel. It is us.

The fact is that there are those among us who are determined to vie for their star on the Darwin Awards walk of fame.

I recently saw a news item talking, once again, about the driverless car. Somewhere in California (naturally) they want to have a test lane. I’m sure the other drivers who have been stuck idling in a traffic jam for so long that they won’t meet their unborn grandkids, would just love seeing an entire lane of freeway (itself a laughable term in modern times) dedicated to two or three test models. I’d give it precisely one day before some hothead says to heck with it and launches his vehicle into the lane, bashing the driverless cars out of the way so he can get home in time to do more than change clothes then turn around and go back to work.

(Of course, the passengers in the driverless cars would be powerless to do anything about it, lacking any method to control the vehicle.)

And somehow I don’t think a lane departure warning is going to stop our vehicular assailant.

So we’re doomed? Well, no, because even in this fantasy scenario and the ensuing carnage, chances are that everyone would walk away, due to the safer cars.

Which means they’d all be free and clear to get into another crash tomorrow.

Which they will, because that’s what people do.

And all the aftermarket can do is ensure that, as much as possible, the reason they did crash had nothing to do with the car. That it wasn’t a tie-rod snapping that caused them to careen into the car beside them, that they’re not holding the entire suspension together with bailing wire, or holding an entire front clip together with rope. (I actually saw this once. At least the young guy used a thick rope.) In short, that all the parts are serviced in a way that will allow them to continue to do their job well into the future by using quality parts and training.

It’s an important responsibility, and one that the industry is certainly up for, but it is important, too, to recognize that, like walking, we’re all on the verge of falling down.

—Andrew Ross, Publisher and Editor aross@jobbernews.com JOBBER NEWS / OCTOBER 2012