GARAGE IRELAND Vol 1 2020
Talks to... Bob Wiffen, Operations Director, Euro Car Parts Team P R Reilly.
The Italian Connection This ex-works Subaru Impreza P2000 has been rebuilt by Donegal based VSM Services…
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Comerton + Hill
Solicitors
Comerton & Hill solicitors win the right to advance competition claims in the Northern Ireland High Court. against truck manufacturers for over charging. The manufacturers are as follows: 1. MAN; 2. Volvo; 3. Renault; 4. Iveco (which includes Fiat and Magirus); 5. Daimler (including Mercedes Benz, Fuso, Western Star and Freightliner); 6. DAF In December 2019 before the High Court in Belfast Volvo’s attempt to insist claimants bring their claims outside Northern Ireland was withdrawn. New clients are contacting us regularly to join in the litigation. If you want to make a claim please contact:
Daniel Fitzpatrick LLM | Comerton & Hill | Solicitors 32/36 May Street Belfast BT1 4NZ
T: 028 90234629
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GARAGE IRELAND
GARAGE IRELAND GARAGE IRELAND Vol 1 2020
Vol 1 2020
CONTENTS Vol 1 2020 Vol 1 2019
SUBSCRIPTIONS: (UK £18.00 Outside UK £27.50)
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Dealer of the Year Awards: Citroen, Volkswagen and Seat announce their dealers of the year.
SPECIAL FEATURE SEE PAGE 8
26 42 46
In the Driver’s Seat: In this edition we talk to Bob Wiffen, Operations Director for Euro Car Parts Team PR Reilly.
This ex-works Subaru Impreza P2000 has been rebuilt by Donegal based VSM Services…
The Italian Connection This ex-works Subaru Impreza P2000 has been rebuilt by Donegal based VSM Services…
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VW Boucher Road: The Volkswagen dealership in Belfast receives a £2million revamp.
COMMENT Speaking at the recent Awards, SIMI President Gabriel Keane remarked how proud he was of the Irish Motor Industry and the significant contribution motor businesses make to the country. Employing thousands of people, collecting billions in tax, investing in business and technology, providing exceptional customer service, all the while carrying all the risks and challenges of business. The President praised the companies who were shortlisted for each of the SIMI Motor Industry Award categories. Mr. Keane emphasised that everyone in the motor industry has a responsibility in preventing global warming. Outlining that the Industry is a critical element in any climate change solution, he called on the Industry to be environmental activists, while at the same time encouraging customers to make the transition from older higher emission cars to lower CO2 be it petrol, diesel or hybrid and indeed zero CO2 emission cars. -Pat Burns, Editor
TO ADVERTISE IN THE MAGAZINE General Manager CALL: (028) 9278 0108 Gladys Greer REGARDING EDITORIAL gladysgreer@greerpublications.com CALL: (028) 9278 0108
Editor Pat Burns patburns@greerpublications.com
Greer Publications © 2019. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission of Greer Publications.
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The Italian Connection
Agnew Accident Repair Centre in Belfast invests £500,000 in new equipment at their state of the art workshops
SIMI Awards: The SIMI Irish Motor Industry Awards took place at the Clayton Hotel in Dublin recently.
Garage Trader Magazine
Talks to... Bob Wiffen, Operations Director, Euro Car Parts Team P R Reilly.
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Gareth Matchett now offers a mobile ADAS system recalibration service using a Hella Gutmann CSC calibration system.
Follow us on
Talks to... Bob Wiffen, Operations Director, Euro Car Parts Team P R Reilly.
Publishers James & Gladys Greer
Designed by Shaun Byrne, Design Stics
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NEWS
CITROEN DEALER OF THE YEAR AWARD
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ugo Loonam Motors in County Offaly has been awarded Citroën Dealer of the Year 2019. Hugo Loonam Motors based on Ferbane Street in the village of Cloghan beat off stiff competition from 23 other Citroën dealerships nationwide to land this prestigious award.
Established in 2008, Hugo Loonam Motors became a fully authorised Citroën dealer in 2009. Over the following ten years Hugo Loonam Motors built a reputation for quality and customer service which has seen the business grow year on year. Hugo Loonam motors are no strangers to success having previously won Citroën dealer of the year awards for Customer Service in 2010, Aftersales in 2013 and Sales in 2015. Not only this but Hugo Loonam Motors were crowned overall Citroën dealer of the year
previously in 2013, making this their second time to claim this award. Speaking at the presentation of the award at Hugo Loonam Motors, Pat Ryan Managing Director of Citroën Ireland commented.
“I am delighted to present and congratulate Hugo and his team on winning Dealer of the Year 2019.
(Left to Right) Aidan Whelan, Hugo Loonam Motors. Pat Ryan, Citroën Ireland Managing Director. Hugo Loonam, Hugo Loonam Motors. Kevin Hilliard, Citroen Ireland Sales Director. Aaron Young, Hugo Loonam Motors
Hugo has a vast knowledge of the Automotive industry and this award is testament to the work he has done to build and grow this fantastic family run business which is the envy of most other dealerships
throughout the country. Month in month out, the business performs, without fail and significant investments in IT and software updates have helped the Dealership overcome the car market decline and continue to grow its Citroën
sales. Hugo Loonam Citroën is the networks most consistent performer over the last few years, who from his base here in Offaly achieves sales volumes usually only seen in areas with much higher population demographics.”
Delaney, CEO of easytrip said, “Our research highlights that those considering a vehicle purchase has increased over the last three years. It also shows a preference in engine types with hybrid coming in ahead of diesel.
vehicle details through their online account at www.easytrip.ie or by contacting easytrip directly on 1890 67 67 68. Signing up to an easytrip tag account is simple, motorists save €1 on M50 toll fees and avoid incurring M50 toll fines for non-payment within the specified period.
EASYTRIP PREDICTS UPTURN IN NEW CAR SALES IN 2020
Research by mobility solutions specialist, easytrip, Ireland’s only electronic parking and tolling tag provider, has revealed that one in four drivers are considering the purchase of a new car in 2020. This is up from one in five drivers in 2017. For those that were contemplating a new vehicle the preferred vehicle engine types in order of preference where highlighted as follows: Hybrid - 36 per cent Diesel - 34 per cent Plug-in electric - 14 per cent Petrol - 13 per cent
When asked where the vehicle would be purchased, most respondents to the research (84 per cent) selected a car dealership. This was followed by a UK import for 11 per cent of respondents while three per cent selected a private sale. For motorists selling or buying a vehicle 201-registration Brian during Cooke the Director General SIMI period, easytrip are reminding them 4- GARAGETRADER
to update their easytrip account details or sign up to an easytrip toll tag account to reduce the risk of incurring toll charges and penalty notices from motorway operators. Two potential situations that can lead to drivers paying unnecessary toll bills include:
Buying a new vehicle: if you’ve bought a new vehicle and transferred your existing tag to it but forgot to update your account details, you’ll risk receiving a toll bill (billed at the higher rate) and penalty charge if you’ve travelled through the M50 toll plaza as your new vehicle registration is not connected to your toll tag account. Selling your old vehicle: if you’ve sold your old vehicle and inadvertently left your tag in the vehicle and haven’t updated your toll tag account, the new owner may continue to use your tag at most barrier toll plazas, racking up a bill connected to your account. Commenting on the research Colin
Whether you are buying or selling a vehicle this year we want to remind our customers to update their easytrip account details before handing over the car keys to reduce the possibility of receiving any unexpected toll fines.” Easytrip customers can update their
Tag holders can also avail of easytrip’s hassle free parking service in over 38 car parks nationwide with the easytrip App or tag as well as other services including breakdown assistance and Puncture Protect.
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NEWS GT
DESIGN YOUR LIFE AT SPIRIT VOLVO DUBLIN SPIRIT VOLVO DUBLIN RECENTLY HELD A DESIGN YOUR LIFE EVENT.
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he event featured renowned Irish architect Dermot Bannon alongside interior designer Suzie McAdam, both of whom are Volvo brand ambassadors, with each regaling the audience with tales of their recent home upgrade projects. Throughout the evening they each took the audience through the approach to their very personal projects, what they would do differently if they could start over and a little more on where they draw their inspiration. Guests even got a sneak peek behind the scenes with some great before and after pics from each build. As well as some more insight into what informed their decision-making process. Spirit Volvo Dealer Principal John
Ryan, compere on the night, closed off the event by taking questions from the audience for both Dermot
and Suzie on a host of topics covering everything from home improvement projects, trends to
watch out for and tips they had for anyone looking to start home renovations.
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NEWS
SIMI REPORTS FEBRUARY DOWNTURN
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he Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) recently released their official new vehicle statistics. New car registrations for February were down 7.7% (13,915) when compared to February 2019 (15,069). Registrations year to date are also down 4.9% (45,096) on the same period last year (47,439). Light Commercial vehicles (LCV) are down 6.9% (2,294) compared to February last year (2,465) and year to date are down 0.8% (7,946). HGV (Heavy Goods Vehicle) registrations are up 14.5% (300) in comparison to February 2019 (262). Year to date HGV’s are up 11.04% (684).
1,124 on the same period last year an increase of 15.12%. Both Hybrid and plug in Hybrid continue to increase their market share. Brian Cooke, SIMI Director General commenting on the market figures said: “New car sales continue to disappoint with February’s registrations showing further deterioration since January. Political and economic uncertainty is depressing consumer confidence and we now have the added problem of the Coronavirus, which may disrupt new hire drive registrations for the tourist season in March and April. The introduction of the new NOx charge in January has led to a fall in the demand for older used imports, with a fall of over 40% in used imports over 5 years old. New electric car registrations are up 15% (1,294) year to date yet, but further analysis of this number reveals that while private consumer purchases of EVs, which still attract the SEAI grant, are up over 30%, there has been a reduction in company electric car purchases where this support no longer applies.”
Used car imports for February (6,196) have seen a decrease of 30.1% on February 2019 (8,859). Year to date imports are down 28.2% (12,818) on 2019 (17,862). For the month of February 401 new electric vehicles were registered compared to 325 on the same month last year +23.38%. While so far this year 1,294 new electric cars were registered in comparison to
TONY FYFE CROWNED IFA CAR PRODUCT MANAGER OF THE YEAR
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uying group Independent Motor Trade Factors Associated (IMTFA) has awarded Tony Fyfe of Fyfe Vehicle & Engineering Supplies the Car Product Manager of the Year Accolade at its annual gala dinner dance and awards ceremony at the K Club in Country Kildare. It was a double celebration for three time winner Tony as he is also product manager for the Bilstein Group, who picked up the Car Supplier of the Year award. More than 180 IMTFA members and suppliers attended the event, which lasted the entire weekend and included a host of networking opportunities and activities such as a trip to Dublin city, a wine tasting afternoon, clay pigeon shooting and, the IFA golf tournament held on the famous Ryder cup course. The IMTFA awards presented were as follows: 6- GARAGETRADER
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CV Supplier of the Year awards – joint winners TMD Friction UK and Winnard & Sons Ltd CV Product Manager of the year – Steve Wright from
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Wrightpart Truck & Trailer Spares Car Supplier of the Year winner – Bilstein Group Car Supplier of the Year runner
up – GS Yuasa Car Product Manager of the Year – Tony Fyfe of Fyfe Vehicle & Engineering Supplies.
• A table raffle and silent auction held on the evening raised a staggering £7000 for Willow Foundation, the only National charity who works with seriously ill young adults to provide uplifting and unforgettable special days. Tony Fyfe, Fyfes Managing Director, said: “The automotive industry is all about partnerships and I’m delighted to have played a key role in the success of the Bilstein Group within the IFA membership.” Trading in Ballymena for over 100 years, Fyfes now employs more than 200 staff, boasting 15 branches in Northern Ireland along with a depot in Drogheda.
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NEWS GT SEAT DEALER OF THE YEAR VW COMMERCIAL RETAILER OF THE YEAR
From left to right; Niall Phillips, Brand Director, SEAT Ireland, Justin Galvin, Managing Director, Finbarr Galvin, William Lee, Head of Sales, SEAT Ireland and Neil Dalton, Head of Marketing, SEAT Ireland
Alan Bateson, Managing Director, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Ireland presenting Dealer of the Year 2019 award to Breda Harvey, Dealer Principal, Tom Harvey Motor Company
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om Harvey Motor Company, Thurles has been awarded Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Retailer of the Year 2019. This award, which celebrates excellence within the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Retail network, recognises the retailer’s contribution in a number of areas including sales performance, local market share and overall customer experience and is the highest honour that a Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles retailer can achieve. The award was presented to Breda Harvey (Retailer Principal) of Tom Harvey Motor Company, by Alan Bateson, Managing Director of
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Ireland. Commenting on the award, Breda Harvey said she was delighted to receive such an accolade: “Winning retailer of the year for Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is a brilliant achievement for our incredible team here in Thurles, and we would very much like to dedicate this award to my late husband, Tom. I am extremely proud and very appreciative of the hard work and commitment that is constantly required by the entire team to ensure every one of our valued commercial vehicle customers is given the service level that is right for them and their business.”
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andon-based dealership Finbarr Galvin Ltd. has been announced as Seat Ireland’s Dealer of the Year 2019. This is the third time the Cork dealership has claimed the Seat Dealer of the Year award having claimed the title in 2015 and 2016. The dealership has consistently been one of Seat’s top-performing retailers and employs 16 staff in the Seat side of the business, and 32 staff in their entire operation. Finbarr Galvin Ltd. has been retailing the SEAT brand for 10 years but have been in business since 1975 with a SEAT management team including; Managing Director and Dealer Principal Justin Galvin, Aftersales Director Anthony Galvin, SEAT Brand Manager Seamus Allis, Service Manager Brian Duggan,
Parts Manager Brian O’Mahony, and Business Manager Johnny O’Connor. Commenting on the recognition, Managing Director Justin Galvin said: “We are honoured to have been awarded as Seat’s Dealer of the Year for the third time, and it is a testament to the hard work of all our staff here in Bandon. I am particularly proud that a substantial percentage of our customers are repeat customers as we have a very loyal customer base. The Seat brand is blossoming here in Ireland, and that makes growing the brand within our business that much easier. We focus on the customer experience and thankfully, it has been acknowledged not only by awards but more importantly, by the happiness of our customers.”
HOCKEY ACE BECOMES SUBARU BRAND AMBASSADOR I
reland hockey ace Chloe Watkins has become a Subaru Brand Ambassador with Castle Garage in Bray. Chloe, who lives in Killiney and plays club hockey with Monkstown, is a key member of the Irish womens hockey team and played a pivotal role in Irelands historic run to the 2018 World Cup final last Summer.
Watkins, a long-term member of the Irish team, made her 200th senior international appearance for Ireland in that final having secured her first cap in July 2010 against Scotland check out the website: www.garagetrader.info
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SERFAC
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SERFAC EXPANDS NRF RANGE TO INCLUDE HARD-TO-FIND NEW PRODUCT LINES
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erfac Limited has added significantly to its product range from top global cooling and air conditioning brand NRF. New NRF products now available from Serfac include expansion tanks for trucks, blower motor resistors and specialist compressor oil, while an expanded range of Air Conditioning products is now also in stock, including evaporators, heaters, receiver driers and interior blowers.
NRF Expansion Tanks are produced in Europe to high standards and OE matching quality. All expansion tanks are Easy Fit, because they are supplied with new filler caps. Blower Resistors are resistors which are used to control the fan speed of automotive interior blowers. NRF offers a range of more than 75 high quality blower motor resistors.
The NRF range of Compressor Oil includes PAG oils in different viscosities and POE oils for hybrid/ electrical applications. With a product range of over 8,000 products, NRF offers one of the most extensive cooling ranges in the aftermarket. Its unique EASY FIT system offers a complete installation kit in one package, ensuring a correct and efficient fit every time. The benefits of NRF EASY FIT include: • • • • •
Assembly parts are included Easy and quick installation Top quality Saves time and money Increases customer satisfaction
Since 1927, NRF has been the leading manufacturer and supplier of engine cooling and air conditioning products for the automotive aftermarket, industrial and marine sector.
As an established supplier of OEM components, a significant number of vehicle manufacturers install NRF radiators, oil coolers, and other cooling solutions as OE parts. The company has an extensive R&D programme and is continuously developing and expanding its product range to meet the requirements of the automotive industry. NRF’s ISO-certified R&D processes ensure superior quality
and its extensive engineering and test facilities guarantee that its cooling systems comply with the most stringent OE requirements. With excellent ordering platforms, a global distribution network and 24-hour delivery, NRF is the number one partner for the aftermarket. For more information about Serfac’s new expanded NRF range, please contact your Serfac area manager, talk to the serfac sales team on 01-459 8700 or email sales@serfac.ie
SERFAC NOW STOCKING NEW OSRAM LEDRIVING FL PSX24W FOG LAMP BULB
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erfac Limited is now stocking PSX24W - the latest bulb type in the OSRAM LEDriving FL range of Fog Lamp bulbs.
PSX24W fog lamps. A pair of new LEDriving FL bulbs also comes with a 3-year OSRAM guarantee, as well as a long service life with less energy consumption.
The FL range provides an even more convenient solution in order to replace and upgrade existing halogen fog lamps. With their ultra-compact dimensions, they provide optimised compatibility as well as easy “plug & play” installation.
Features:
Upgrading to state-of-the-art LED technology and a colour temperature of 6,000K for a stylish cool white look as well as improved visibility could not be easier. The FL bulbs provide a perfect colour match with Xenon and LED headlights and can be used to replace conventional
• Cool White temperature of 6,000K (Kelvin) • Superior brightness • Ultra compact LED replacement for conventional PSX24W fog lamps • Socket design for easy plug and play installation • Premium OSRAM quality The benefits of the new OSRAM FL range include: • Better visibility in foggy situations with a perfect colour match for Xenon or LED headlights
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• Signs, obstacles and hazards can be recognised sooner
• More light allows driver to see futher and react sooner • Reduced glare thanks to optimised light distribution • Easy installation with optimised compatibiity • 3 year OSRAM guarantee For more information and to order, please contact your Serfac area manager, call the Serfac order hotline on 01-459 8700 or email sales@serfac.ie GARAGETRADER - 41
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NEWS
SIMI MOTOR INDUSTRY AWARDS
President praised the companies who were shortlisted for each of the SIMI Motor Industry Award categories. Mr. Keane emphasised that we all have a responsibility in preventing global warming. Outlining that the Industry is a critical element in any climate change solution, he called on the Industry to be environmental activists, while at the same time encouraging customers to make the transition from older higher emission cars to lower CO2 be it petrol, diesel or hybrid and indeed zero CO2 emission cars.
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he SIMI Irish Motor Industry Awards in partnership with sponsor Bank of Ireland Finance, took place at the Clayton Hotel in Dublin recently. Oliver Callan announced the accolades in front of over 700 senior Motor Industry figures. Brian Cooke, SIMI Director General and Derek McDermott, Managing Director of Bank of Ireland Finance presented eight award categories in total. The award winners, adjudicated by an independent panel, operate in all sectors of the Irish Motor Industry. Companies selected demonstrated an award-winning level of excellence and best practice over the last 12 months. A special recognition award, in conjunction with the Road Safety Authority, was presented by Ms Moyagh Murdock
CEO of the RSA to Professor Denis Cusack of the Medical Bureau of Road Safety in recognition of his work and commitment to road safety. • • • • • • •
Category Award Winners were Bodyshop of the Year-Accident Repair Centre (ARC) Dublin 24 Commercial Vehicle Operation of the Year- Rathcoole Commercials VTC Ltd Dublin Franchised Sales Operation of the Year- Hutton and Meade Ltd, Dublin 15 Franchised Aftersales Operation of the Year- Colm Quinn BMW Galway, Galway Independent Sales Operation of the Year-Green Auto Service, Dublin 18 Independent Aftersales Operation of the YearDonnellan Auto Services, Co.
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Galway Motor Factor of the Year- Parts for Cars,Dublin 6 partsforcars. ie Vehicle Recovery Operator of the Year- Hamill’s Rentals Ltd, Co. Westmeath
Before their announcement, SIMI President Gabriel Keane addressed the audience. He remarked how proud he was of the Irish Motor Industry and the significant contribution motor businesses make to the country. Employing thousands of people, collecting billions in tax, investing in business and technology, providing exceptional customer service, all the while carrying all the risks and challenges of business. The
In closing, the President remarked on the Industry’s goal of renewing the national car fleet, which will progress the Irish car fleet moving towards a cleaner environment. He spoke on the importance of unity and a strong industry voice that will deliver a clear message to the future government on industry’s goals. Derek McDermott Managing Director of Bank of Ireland Finance commented “Bank of Ireland Finance is delighted to partner with the Society of the Irish Motor Industry Awards for the 6th consecutive year to recognise outstanding achievement and excellence within the Industry. Banking, along with the motor industry continues to see changing attitudes to how our customers do business. Continuing to keep customers at the centre of everything is as important now as ever for our Franchise partners, Dealers and the team at Bank of Ireland Finance.”
Commercial Vehicle Operation of the Year- Rathcoole Commercials VTC Ltd, Co. Dublin L-R Derek McDermott Managing Director of Bank of Ireland Finance, Gabriel Keane SIMI President, Paul Cooke Director Rathcoole Commercials VTC Ltd, Brian Cooke Director General SIMI 42- GARAGETRADER
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NEWS GT
Motor Factor of the Year- Parts for Cars, Dublin 6 L-R Derek McDermott Managing Director of Bank of Ireland Finance, Gabriel Keane SIMI President, Gary Murphy, George Tohill, Jack Bromowski Parts for Cars, Brian Cooke Director General SIMI
Vehicle Recovery Operator of the Year- Hamill’s Rentals Ltd, Co. Westmeath L-R Derek McDermott Managing Director of Bank of Ireland Finance, Gabriel Keane SIMI President, Peter Hamill, Brian Hamill of Hamill’s Rentals Ltd, Brian Cooke Director General SIMI
Independent Sales Operation of the Year- Green Auto Service, Dublin 18 L-R Derek McDermott Managing Director of Bank of Ireland Finance, Gabriel Keane SIMI President, Gregg Moore, Daniel Davies, Marek Sterdas, Green Auto Service, Brian Cooke Director General SIMI
Franchised Sales Operation of the Year - Hutton and Meade Ltd, Dublin 15 L-R Derek McDermott Managing Director of Bank of Ireland Finance, Jonathan Meade, Joe Hutton, Nigel Brennan of Hutton and Meade Ltd Gabriel Keane SIMI President, Brian Cooke Director General SIMI
Independent Aftersales Operation of the Year- Donnellan Auto Services, Co. Galway L-R Derek McDermott Managing Director of Bank of Ireland Finance, Gabriel Keane SIMI President, Jude Donnellan, John Donnellan of Donnellan Auto Services, Brian Cooke Director General SIMI
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Special Recognition Award- L-R Brian Cooke Director General SIMI, Professor Denis Cusack of the Medical Bureau of Road Safety, Moyagh Murdock CEO Road Safety Authority, Gabriel Keane SIMI President.
SIMI President Gabriel Keane and Derek McDermott Managing Director of Bank of Ireland Finance GARAGETRADER - 43
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SUBARU IMPREZA P2000
THE ITALIAN CONNECTION
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his ex-works Subaru Impreza P2000 has been rebuilt by Donegal based VSM Services… The term ‘World Rally Car’ was given to rally cars that were built to conform to a new set of regulations introduced for the 1997 season and beyond. These new regulations allowed manufacturers greater freedom with the design and technical specifications from the then existing GpA rules. The 1997 season saw two works teams develop their new-generation world rally car (WRC) in line with the new rules for the season ahead. The Subaru Impreza WRC 97 (also known as the ‘S3’) and the Ford Escort Cosworth WRC were developed by the respective companies highly successful GpA cars. To this day 20 plus years later, ask anyone to list their favourite world rally car, the twodoor Subaru Impreza, originally 44- GARAGETRADER
highly competitive car, well suited to the Irish roads and as a result there were numerous examples of the Subaru P2000s on our stages. Co Antrim based Derek McGarrity was the broker of all cars coming out of the Prodrive factory and this allowed us to experience these wonderful machines on our stages.
developed for the 1997 season, will surely come top of most lists. Over the following four competitive seasons, Subaru through its partnership with Prodrive, continued to develop the Impreza, producing a further three evolutions of the car. The final twodoor Impreza released by Subaru
was the S6 or as it was better known, the P2000. This is the car in which Richard Burns won the world rally championship in 2000, Burns and co-driver Robert Reid claimed three event victories in the P2000, including winning their first time out in Rallye de Portugal. Here in Ireland, the P2000 was a
There were 16 P2000 chassis built, chassis number 2 was used by the works team as a test car and was driven by Juha Kankkunen in the Exide Rally 2000 which was held in Finland. It was registered as V10 SRT and moved into private hands in 2001 when it was purchased by the Italian team Procar. In 2003 the car was sold by Procar and arrived on these shores in the hands of Dungiven businessman Kevin Lynch. It was the start of a busy campaign as he went on to compete in 21 rallies in 2003. V10 SRT allowed
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SUBARU IMPREZA P2000
Kevin Lynch to gain valuable miles the length and breadth of the country on both gravel and tar. In 2013 through the KPL business, Kevin was in contact with another Utilities entrepreneur and successful rally driver Donagh Kelly. Donagh discovered the S6 was available and a deal was struck. Initially, Donagh intended competing with the car on gravel events. When the car was stripped back for a rebuild it was discovered that quite a bit of
work was required. VSM are the guys Donagh entrusts with all his car preparation. Paul Flanagan is the owner of VSM and in conjunction with Donagh decided the car needed a full nut and bolt restoration. This became a long term labour of love. Some parts were nonexistent or incredibly hard to get but time was taken to track down or fabricate bespoke components. The car was worked on sporadically
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when the guys in the garage had the time and when parts that had to be sent away for refurbishment returned. It was a slow process but it was agreed that to do the car justice it should be done correctly. The body shell was completely stripped and all fabrication work completed on it to the highest standards before it was sent away for painting. Items such as the fuel tank were discovered to be beyond repair, searches across the globe revealed that a replacement wasn’t available. So Paul tracked down the company who originally manufactured the tanks and they were able to fabricate a tank to the exact specifications of the original tank from the year 2000.
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Many of the cars that have undergone restoration over the years are sprayed the famous Subaru Blue and are in the 555 liveries, Donagh wanted V10 to be different from the rest. Researching into the history of the car turned up the Andrea Aghini connection and it was agreed that this would be a fantastic way to finish the car. The results of the rebuild are absolutely stunning. Asking of his plans for the car reveals that he’d love to get the car out and enjoy it. When it was suggested the Italian fans would love to see the car at Rally Legend in San Marino, with a wry smile he replied, ‘now that’s a plan’!
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DRIVERS SEAT
BOB WIFFEN, OPERATIONS DIRECTOR, EURO CAR PARTS TEAM P R REILLY. Tell us about your career so far? I started out at Woolworths before moving to a DIY company called Do It All, and then a few years later, a role opened up for me at Halfords. I progressed to Divisional Director level and was responsible for the business’s retail and garage network in my division. It was at Halfords that I met Andy Hamilton, who has since become CEO of Euro Car Parts (ECP), and who I still work with to this day. Andy joined ECP three years before I did, and I joined him in 2013. After three years as a Regional Manager, I moved into a European role alongside Andy, looking after market research, branding, marketing and garage concepts, and working on the launch of AutoEducation – our market-leading training solution for independent garages. Together with Andy and another colleague called Lee Chapman, I travelled all over Europe, learning from best practice, helping the international business become more aligned and making some great friends along the way. Understanding the cultural nuances in different markets was invaluable preparation for my move to ECP Team P R Reilly last year.
service strengths. My background is in mainstream retail, but unlike working on the high street, we don’t just wait for customers to come to us. We are proactive and build meaningful relationships with customers, encouraging loyalty by offering services that are the right fit for them, and that support the development and sustainability of their individual businesses.
Did you plan to get involved in this industry?
What was your biggest disappointment?
The short answer is no because I was approached for the role, but given my time again, I wouldn’t change a thing! There’s so much to learn in this fast-changing industry and it’s personal and professional development – for myself and my people – that keeps me motivated. I used to go on a training course one Saturday every month with our Business Development Managers (which I think surprised them a bit!), as I wanted to improve my parts and technical knowledge quickly, so I could support my Branch Manager team as effectively as possible.
I was really disappointed when Woolworths closed – even though I’d left the business in 1984, I still had friends there, and it was where I started out. It’s sad to see high street names struggling to change with the times – I’ll always look back fondly on my time at Woolworths and I’m so grateful for everything I learnt there.
I also think working in the aftermarket plays to my customer 46- GARAGETRADER
Bob Wiffen, Operations Director
What was the best piece of advice you ever received? An old manager once told me, ‘always trust your intuition’. It can be difficult to speak up in a meeting – especially if you can’t put your finger on why you think something’s not right – but it’s
better to buy some time and say ‘let’s go away and have a think about this’, than to rush into making the wrong decision.
I moved to ECP Team P R Reilly, we went out to see all of our branch teams across Ireland to find out what kept them awake at night.
Whom do you most admire? Football legend Sir Bobby Robson, for his dignity, honesty and strength of character.
All of them told us they needed more Korean and Japanese parts, so we listened to them and adapted the range to suit the profile of the Irish car parc.
What is the most difficult aspect of your job?
You’ve won the lottery. What car would you rush out and buy?
Getting the balance right between ‘push’ and ‘pull’. Euro Car Parts was historically a highlyfocussed sales organisation, but the past few years have seen a mindset shift towards involving our customers and employees in what we’re trying to achieve. We want to be a supportive partner for independent garages, so it’s important to understand their points of view – which is the right way to do business, both commercially and culturally.
I wouldn’t buy a car… I’d get a VW iBuzz – the electric version of the iconic campervan. I’d travel around Europe in it with my wife. If you don’t know what I’m talking about – Google it, it’s beautiful!
What is your most effective or personal asset? I take a genuine interest in the people I work with, which helps me build meaningful, effective relationships with them. Soon after
How do you relax? I love fishing and reading – and I’m a lifelong Newcastle United fan. Tell us something surprising about yourself… As a Geordie who works in the automotive industry, people probably wouldn’t expect me to enjoy opera and poetry! I don’t talk about it much, but I especially love the work of Robert Frost and Wilfred Owen.
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Car-O-Liner Ltd. | 01788 574 157 info@car-o-liner.co.uk | www.car-o-liner.com 48- GARAGETRADER
check out the website: www.garagetrader.info