Radiator
March 2013
NEW ZEaland
Keeping members informed for over 90 years
Rural Restoration See pages 62 - 63
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BODY/SUBFRAMES CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY
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DAY ONE
Depart Brisbane at approximately 5:30pm – potential Welcome Function for MTA passengers DAY TWO
At Sea – business sessions for MTA passengers (TBC*) DAY THREE
Noumea, New Caledonia DAY FOUR
Lifou, Loyalty Islands DAY FIVE
Vila, Vanuatu DAY SIX
At Sea – potential group dinner for MTA guests DAY SEVEN
At Sea DAY EIgHT
Arrive Brisbane approximately 8am
Pacific Dawn 2013
Bay of Islands 2013
Keeping members informed for over 90 years
contents March 2013 6
CEO Comment - Stephen Matthews It's all about trust Road Test -Mazda
Regulars 23 24-25 26-28 29 33-35
Murphs Column
Collision Repair News
MX-5
20
23
Mediation Matters MTA Advocate MTA Express Bodywork -
44-49 Statistics 47-51 Industry Training 56-58 Service Station News 59-60 Environmental News 61 Member Benefits 64 Better Business
Business Risk
65
H.R. Advice
18
Murph back to winning ways Feature: The
state of our State Highways
38
NZ Radiator Magazine ISSN 1179-7800. Managing Editor: Ian Stronach Production Editor: Peter Woodcock Phone 04-381 8805, Email: peter.woodcock@mta.org.nz Advertising Representative: Cathy La Ville Phone: 09 413 8577 - Mobile: 022 531 1638 Email: cathy.laville@mta.org.nz Published/produced by Motor Trade Association for MTA Members. PO Box 9244, Level 2, 79 Taranaki Street, Wellington. Phone 04-385 8859, Fax 04-385 9517, mta@mta.org.nz, www.mta.org.nz. Printed by Astra Print, a Kalamazoo Group Company
Features
Feature: Stanners
10-13 Diagnostics- Alistair Hill 16-17 Industry Comment - Greg Wall
Motors
16
Wellington Office Contacts
18-19 Feature - State of State Highways 20-21 Road Test - Mazda MX-5 22
The Motor Trade Association (Inc) is not responsible for statements, opinions or factual matters published in the NZ Radiator magazine, nor do they necessarily reflect the views of the MTA, its Board of Directors or its advisory/specialty committees, unless expressly so stated and does not endorse advertisers. NZ Radiator magazine is available free to all members of the Motor Trade Association. Information on products and services contained in the editorial and advertising pages of this magazine is published as a service and no responsibility will be taken for inaccurate information. NZ Radiator magazine does not imply the endorsement of any product or service. The publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising and editorial at any stage. Copyright: No part of the NZ Radiator magazine may be reproduced in part or in whole without the written permission of the publisher.
Transmissions - Martin Brooks
38-39 Member Profile - Stanners Motors 52-54 Diagnostics - Herbert Leijens 62-63 Member profile - Rod Clifton Motors Industry Comment - Greg Wall
Phone 04-385 8859 Mediation Line Stationery Department Debtor Info Signature Security Eftpos Southern Cross Healthcare Cardlink (Drivecard Fleetcard Enquiries) Marsh Insurance Product Services Manager Group Accountant
MEMBER FREEPHONE 0800 00 11 44 www.mta.org.nz 5•
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Fax 04-385 9517 0508 682 633 0508 682 682 0800 734 335 0800 682 744 0800 338 767 0800 100777 0800 663 866 0800 MTA MEM (0800 682 636) Danny Garrick Lionel Wong
comment Stephen Matthews MTA Chief Executive
It’s all about trust
One of the lines in our current television commercials says, “It’s all about trust”. Well, the outcome so far, of the Government’s Vehicle Licensing Review hinges largely around trusting that Government has got it right, and that they’ll do what’s right to keep everyone safe. MTA and a number of others working within the automotive industry are not convinced. But things have largely moved beyond that point. Government has made its decision, certainly as far as WoF frequency is concerned, so what becomes important now is what we do from this point onwards. Firstly, in a new operating environment, which it surely will be from the middle of next year, many members will need to be thinking differently about how they manage their businesses. Even though much of the detail on things like re-checks, vintage vehicles, trailers and the like have not been resolved, it is clear that work levels will be altered; you will be interacting with some customers in ways you might not have previously. Our calculations show that in the first year under the proposed rules, industry will carry out 1,055,000 fewer WoFs than it will this year – a reduction of around 21 percent over current levels. So, if it’s shared out equally (and it seldom is) you need to be thinking about
efi@petroject.co.nz • Tel: 09 448 1071• www.petroject.co.nz
what this sort of reduction means for your business. And of course, with the start point for the new WoF system locked in at year 2000 registrations (not the 13 years that many people have incorrectly interpreted it as), the reductions will only increase in the years to come. MoT projections indicate that by 2020, only about 370,000 light vehicles will be left on six-monthly inspections – around 13 percent of light vehicle fleet of that time. MTA has already been thinking about what this might mean. We have already sent an alert to all members, backed up with more detail on our website, outlining briefly some of those things you need to be thinking about in the months ahead. Someone suggested that it might be a matter of business transformation for some members, and I think that could be right. Depending on how your business is configured, VLR will have a significant effect on your future. MTA will be working hard in the coming months, assisting members make the transition to the new environment. We will be gathering together ideas and information to enable members to assess, activate and then adapt what they are doing to ensure their longer term success. You can expect to hear more about this and have some fresh new ideas to consider in the next few months. As much as we need to be working with others in the industry, there is much that needs to be done with motorists as well. Changes to WoF frequency have been based on the assumption that motorists will generally respond and do the right thing – they will service and maintain their vehicles, and keep them in a sound state of repair. The challenge for industry is to ensure that motorists know and appreciate what is involved in having a roadworthy vehicle. Many see servicing and maintenance as a dead cost; something they would avoid if they possibly could. The task for us is to start to change many members those attitudes. Motorists must will need to come to see a roadworthy vehicle be thinking as something they need and want to have because not only is it safer differently about for them, their passengers and how they manage other road users, but also because their businesses it’ll be more reliable and will actually provide a better return in the longer run. I don’t need to convince any reader about the folly of scrimping on basic servicing and repair – time after time this sort of approach always ends up biting owners in the wallet. Government says it is committed to providing incentives and enforcement messages so that motorists will be more inclined to look after their vehicle. MTA is not sure that state sponsored messaging and suggestions will be enough. As much as anyone, the motor trade itself will need to do a better job of selling the idea of proper roadworthiness, and we are committed to finding ways to do this. It will require something of a mind-shift from owners having work completed because they ‘have to’, to a situation where they are much more likely to request that work is done, or are more prepared to go along with your recommendations that certain work is carried out. No matter how you look at it, this will be a tall order for industry. If we can’t get owners to recognise the inherent value that comes from having a properly maintained and fully roadworthy vehicle then the future does become quite limited. Better environmental outcomes could also play a key role in the eventual result of post-announcement discussions. MTA has long held the view that improving environmental outcomes becomes a win
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radiator March 2013
for everyone involved. Checking for harmful emissions through regular testing not only reduces the overall level of emissions, especially from gross polluters, but at the same time it improves public health, reduces ownership costs through improved fuel economy while also improving the national economic position through the consumption of less fuel.
welcome
To the following members who joined the MTA team during the last month
We will be encouraging Government to consider emissions testing in the medium to longer term. There is some interest in this at a governmental level, as much as anything I suspect because the lack of a testing programme does not sit well with New Zealand’s desired image on the international stage. Interestingly, officialdom has been at pains to highlight that our WoF testing regime is out of step with the rest of the world, but at the same time has seemingly been comfortable that our absence of any kind of emissions testing programme puts us even more out of step.
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At the same time, we will also be looking for Government to put more certainty around what it is proposing for CoF inspections. As it stands, there does not seem to be much that is definite about CoF in the future aside from the fact that the market to provide inspections will be opened up. It is clear that Government has spent the majority of the past few months working on WoF and associated issues. They did not have much in the way of detail available when we spoke to them postannouncement, and we will be pressing them hard in the weeks to come to give industry a better idea of what to expect when detailed changes are finally announced. In the meantime, we know the hand we have been dealt. We have no option but to bet on our capability as an industry to re-define a viable future for ourselves.
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Improving suspension performance
Alistair Hill comments
Historically always a design compromise
Each different chassis design has strengths and weaknesses. Every chassis is a compromise between weight, component size, complexity, the vehicle type and the cost, and even with basic designs strength and stiffness, the platform on which good handling is built, can vary significantly depending on the details. A further important consideration is packaging and the need to be able to accommodate more equipment, such as active safety and passive safety measures, more engine peripherals, roomier interiors and luggage space - these all impact chassis design. Fundamental to vehicle handling and behaviour are the vehicle centre of gravity, the body (sprung mass) centre of gravity and the axle (unsprung mass) centre of gravity. These three variables are crucial in determining the design of:
• vehicle performance in terms of braking and acceleration capacity; • climbing ability;
Figure 1: Conventional suspension compromises and passive and active suspension systems Source: Daimler
Traditionally, vehicle suspension systems have been passive and reactive. These conventional spring and damper systems simply reacted to load inputs from the wheels and body, and exhibited relatively constant spring rate and damping force characteristics regardless of the road and load conditions.
• brake design; • four wheel drive system design; • vibration stability and NVH; and • overall driving stability and the vehicle’s mass moment of inertia. Low centres of gravity are always desirable because they are associated with fewer driving dynamics problems and increased vehicle performance during cornering and braking, but in practice the design options are relatively restricted. The position of a vehicle centre of gravity and the body centre of gravity are highly dependent on the load; when people get into the car or luggage is loaded in the boot or onto the roof, the centre of gravity changes from the empty condition, both in the longitudinal direction and vertical direction. The body lowers when it is loaded, ie its centre of gravity drops. The centre of gravity of the people and, in particular, that of the luggage carried on the roof, is higher than that of the body so the end result is usually a higher overall centre of gravity.
Moving from passive to active suspension Suspension designers and analysts refer to four different suspension systems types:
• passive • adaptive • semi-active and • fully active
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radiator March 2013
Figure 2: BMW’s Dynamic Drive active suspension system Source: BMW
Adaptive or semi-active systems are terms usually used to describe suspension systems that have some form of ‘intelligence’ in the suspension elements. Typically, the damping curves can be altered so that wheel control over the range of inputs is optimised. The distinctions between ‘adaptive’ and ‘semi-active’ systems are, however, not totally consistent or clear. Generally, adaptive systems are characterised by the capacity to adapt suspension element settings to suit different driving or road surface circumstances, while semi-active suspension systems are often characterised by the capacity to work with faster adjustable setting elements through the use of more complex control algorithms.
So, there is sometimes some deviation in terminology, although, definitions for active, semi-active and passive suspensions are now becoming standardised with a definition along the following lines: A vibration-control system, either as an isolator or an absorber, is said to be active, passive, or semi-active depending on the amount of external power required for the system to perform its function. A semi-active damper will draw small amounts of energy to adjust the damping level and reduce the amount of energy that is transmitted from the source of vibration energy to the suspended body. The energy used in a semi-active system is only small and might be used only to operate a valve in the controllable damper or to power a small electromagnet to vary the rheological properties of a fluid as in a magneto-rheological damper; A passive system has no external power applied, such as in the conventional systems comprised of springs and dampers. Energy is stored in the springs in a conventional suspension so a passive system can apply stored energy, but the energy is derived from the suspension itself and not an outside power source. Furthermore, a passive system need not be simply the spring and damper system, nor need a control law be mediated by electronic control. There are designs in existence for purely mechanical systems for semi-active dampers. Such systems suffer from the fact that it is cumbersome to base a mechanical control on chassis velocity. Hydraulic suspension systems have been in use on production vehicles for many years. Perhaps the simplest such systems use hydraulics to transfer force between the suspension on different wheels and use only rubber springs and rubber valves for damping, as in the hydrolastic suspension used in Minis from 1964. Hydrolastic suspensions evolved into hydro-pneumatic suspensions, such as the Moulton Hydrogas suspension, which uses nitrogen gas for springing. The compressibility of gas makes this a more pliant suspension. Although some of these derive some power from the pumps, the pumps simply maintain a given pressure; they cannot properly be called active suspensions. A fully active system allows power to be applied in any direction and with whatever force the designer desires on a moment-to-moment basis. Systems that change their characteristics over a long period of time can be termed ‘adaptive’ rather than active or semi-active. The distinction between an adaptive and semi-active system can be made by the bandwidth of the system. If the natural frequencies of the suspension system are below the vehicle’s natural frequencies, an adaptive system is quoted. The loadlevelling system offered by many car manufacturers can be considered to belong to this category. Adaptive suspensions can change driving characteristics depending on a driver’s choice of ‘feel’; they can change characteristics as components age; and they can change characteristics depending on the type of terrain encountered, or depending on the load placed on the vehicle. This requires the electronics to measure suspension properties over time through on-line system identification. Adaptive elements that respond to terrain-type variation, component aging and vehicle load can naturally be included in both active and semi-active suspensions.
Figure 3: Bose's fully electromechanical fully active front suspension module Source: Bose There has been some research into ‘active-passive tandem’ suspensions. This refers to systems that do not use the road height or the unsuspended mass height as inputs. The term ‘limited active’ control has been used to refer to a system that does not measure tyre deflection. Fully active suspension systems provide independent treatment of road-induced forces from body-inertia forces through active control of some of the suspension system functions. In comparison to semi-active systems, which only need energy to drive the setting elements and the electronics, active systems have much higher energy needs to operate actuators. They usually require continuous power, fastacting devices, complex control algorithms and closed-loop control systems. Attempts to introduce active suspension into mainstream vehicle manufacturing have been under consideration for over twenty years, ever since Colin Chapman of Lotus experimented with the concept on his Formula One cars in 1980. However, progress was frustrated in the past, mainly through the unavailability and cost of computer processors capable of reacting quickly enough. The extra energy required to drive the system has also been a consideration. The advent of high-speed and affordable computing technology brought the first active suspension systems to the market in the late 1990s, with Mercedes-Benz taking the lead with its Airmatic system on the 1998 S-Class.
Traditionally, vehicle suspension systems have been passive and reactive. Active suspension systems fall into two main categories: those that actively control the dampers and those that actively control the suspension geometry. Electronic damper control provides high-frequency variable damping, along with energy management at both full suspension compression and extension. As a result, it improves wheel contact with the ground on rough surfaces in order to optimise grip and handling while also optimising ride comfort. European premium brands, such as Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo, which are all associated with high standards of vehicle dynamics and ride quality, have been leading the implementation of active damper control systems. Growth in the US and Japan has been slower. Active suspension geometry control enables suspension height and stabiliser bar rigidity to be continuously modified at some or all wheels independently. Raising the suspension provides greater ground clearance for negotiating rough terrain making the system attractive on SUVs. The capacity to lower suspension brings benefits such as lowering the vehicle’s centre of gravity during cornering, reducing aerodynamic drag at higher speeds, assisting passenger ingress and egress, and allowing the positioning of bumper heights under normal road conditions such that they minimise injuries to pedestrians in a collision.
continued on page 12
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radiator March 2013
Lowering the suspension, when combined with an increase in stabiliser rigidity, reduces the need for stiffer suspension, provides lower body roll in corners and reduces the likelihood of rollover. Active suspension geometry control has proven effective in stabilising vehicles with high centres of gravity and has enabled some SUVs in the US to pass the NHTSA roll-test without the use of electronic stability control (ESC). However, it is more costly to install than ESC and ESC is likely to become a mandatory fitment for all light passenger vehicles in the US. Current active suspension system suppliers include Continental, Delphi, Tenneco, TRW, and ZF Sachs. Vehicle suspensions can also use a ‘preview’ function to improve ride, which employs information about the approaching road surface. Preview could acquire its data about the up-coming road surface by using a pre-stored database of information, or by using an onboard sensor. Mercedes-Benz introduced a technology based on infra-red pulsed lasers on its F700 research vehicle, and is expected to introduce the technology for the next S-Class model.
Art or science? Kinematics and elastokinematics
Mercedes-Benz F700 with PRE-SCAN® suspension
Sensors inside the headlamps send out pulsed laser beams (approx 70 measuring points per ray) in the infrared range to scan the road profile in front of the vehicle
The unevenness of the road surface is computed from the continuously received data and is used for an appropriate control strategy for the ABC (Active Body Control) hydraulics.
The hydraulic actuators inside the ABC (Active Body Control) spring struts compensate the unevenness of the road at each wheel independently.
The wheels essentially follow the contour of the surface, but the vehicle body glides virtually unaffected over the road.
Figure 4: A schematic showing the Mercedes-Benz Pre-Scan technology Source: Daimler kinematics that generate negative camber on the outside wheel. However, because of the rolling of the body when cornering, large camber changes are required to achieve high levels of stability. Loading also affects camber, and, along with the other factors, must be considered when axle kinematics are being designed and developed.
Kinematics is a term that refers to the forced movement of a suspension axle during compression and rebound or, where applicable, during steering. If the vehicle chassis and the suspension components are assumed to be rigid, there is one degree of freedom (spring travel) at the rear axle and two degrees of freedom (spring travel and steering) at the front axle. Changes in toe and camber angles over the spring travel are particularly important with respect to the driving behaviour of a vehicle, as is the transversal rigidity of the wheel suspension. Conversely, longitudinal elasticity or compliance of the wheel suspension is of high importance to ensure comfort. Because of the lateral inclination of a vehicle’s body during cornering, toe changes occur kinematically on bumps and this effect is used for targeted control of the vehicle’s self-steering properties. Normally, an understeering design is selected because it is easier to control for an average driver than oversteer behaviour. Moreover, compression and rebound provide camber changes that must be taken into account because they also affect self-steering properties.
In contrast to rigid-body kinematics, elastokinematics describes the movement of the wheel when the effecting forces are changed by the elasticity of the suspension elements and the vehicle body. In other words, it describes the actual movement of the wheel under driving conditions. The rubber bushings in an axle have arguably the greatest effect on elastokinematics.
The camber, which is the inclination of a wheel against the roadway, generates a lateral force that influences the vehicle’s direction of inclination. The lateral force of a tyre changes with the degree of camber and good cornering stability is largely achieved through
The use of efficient simulation software allows the simulation of elastokinematic and dynamic properties in a complex process that models components, such as leaf springs and cross member. Axle and full-vehicle simulation allows the testing and enhancement of the interaction of modules in the environment of the whole system and vehicle (Figure 6).
12 •
radiator March 2013
Figure 5: Mercedes-Benz Pre-Scan technology
Source: Daimler
Kinematics is a term that refers to the forced movement of a suspension axle during compression and rebound or, where applicable, during steering. If the vehicle chassis and the suspension Figure 6: Axle and multi-axle computer simulation Source: IAV Automotive Engineering The elastic steering angle segments are of particular interest with respect to vehicle handling behaviour because changes in the steering angle of the outer wheel play a significant role when cornering. Flexibility in the toe-out direction tends to produce understeer on the front axle and oversteer on the rear axle. As an example ,the foundation for the Mini’s famous go-kart like handling and agility is set by the kinematic and elastokinematic configuration of the front and rear axles. The front axle is based on the McPherson spring strut principle, interaction of axle geometry and the output drive shafts of equal-length both left and right ensuring optimum traction without any adverse effects from the drivetrain. The central-arm rear axle on the Mini is unique in the segment of front-wheeldrive compact cars and through kinematics alone, the wheels maintain good grip on the road and deliver agile handling across multiple road conditions and driving manoeuvres. Longitudinal arms made of aluminium reduce weight on the rear axle by approximately 9 kg.
components are assumed to be rigid, there is one degree of freedom (spring travel) at the rear axle and two degrees of freedom (spring travel and steering) at the front axle. The ‘Skyhook control strategy A number of damper system designs use the Skyhook algolrithms or control strategy within the ECU control element of the suspension system. This is designed to control damping forces for each wheel individually for the directional movements of wheel and body. Thus it is always seeking to provide the best possible compensation for vehicle body movement relative to a stationary centre position. The skyhook principle keeps the vehicle body as stable as possible, independent of driving and road conditions. The control strategy seeks to calm vehicle body movement, as if the moving vehicle were connected to a hook fixed on the sky. As a result, the body moves along like a sedan chair parallel to the sky – as if were “hanging from the heavens”. Benefits of this control strategy include: • damping forces are only increased in the direction of motion where they are needed; • damping forces are adjusted with targeted precision; • attempts to optimise wheel damping;
Figure 7: A schematic representation of the skyhook control strategy Source: ZF Sachs
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radiator March 2013
• more degrees of freedom in vehicle tuning; • incorporates an integrated fail-safe strategy.
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• if a SuperPro product fails, ever, it will replace the product free of charge • With SuperPros’ technical superiority in material, design and manufacture, a lifetime warranty with no exclusions for off-road, track and competition use is a guarantee SuperPro can make with complete confidence. • Its goal is to make SuperPro the only choice of suspension bushings for repair, off-road and performance applications in the mind of workshops and consumers. Introducing a ‘Lifetime Warranty, with no Exclusions’ is made possible due to the three key technical elements that separate SuperPro from the rest.
1. Material
It is all about the formula of the polyurethane, with SuperPro setting out from the beginning to develop a material that will take high loads and not wear; it will bend and elongate and not break. SuperPro has built a resilient, long lasting product with very low transmission of NVH (noise, vibration & harshness).
2. Design
SuperPro has always had in-built design features in the product for outcome based reasons. It understands the material because it was developed by SuperPro and, therefore, it designs its bushings to perform as expected. SuperPro has introduced many innovative design features over the years that have been imitated by others but not fully understood.
3. Manufacture
SuperPro continues to maintain an Australian manufacturing base. This ensures SuperPro has complete control over the whole process. From research and development to the warehouse, SuperPro people are ensuring the product is always made to the same high quality and exacting standard, every time.
SuperPro products now have a lifetime warranty
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NEWS Hunter Road Force Touch Wheel Balancer Sets New Standards A new wheel balancer that promises to save tyre stores time and money, and deliver better results for customers, has been introduced by Hunter Engineering USA. Better known for its wheel aligners, Hunter is also a world leader in tyre service equipment and the new Road Force Touch is described as the most technologically advanced on the market. The first Hunter Road Force Touch wheel balancer in New Zealand has gone to work at Continental Car Services and Hunter distributor, STOCKS Equipment says there is keen interest among other workshops and tyre stores. Built on experience with the much-praised Hunter GSP9700 model, the new Road Force Touch produces exceptional balancing results and performs a Road Force diagnostic test faster than a traditional wheel balancer performs a typical balance. During the balancing process, the Road Force Touch automatically applies Hunter’s patented load roller against the wheel and tyre assembly to simulate how a wheel performs under the weight of a vehicle on the road to find hidden causes of vibration and vehicle pull. According to Hunter, the automated Road Force test enhances the quality of service and opens the door to more revenue-generating opportunities without adding valuable service time. For instance, Hunter calculates that the efficiency of the new balancer will save as many as 25 hours of labour and up to 202kg of weights over the course of a year. And because it can rectify problems that are typically hard to diagnose and cure, Hunter reckons it will also avoid an average of 66 ‘customer comebacks’ per year. Those calculations are based on ten vehicle balances made in a working day.The Road Force Touch also features a new intuitive touch screen interface that simplifies operation and shortens the learning curve for new technicians. Technicians can activate any balancing function from one screen by touching the appropriate button or icon, saving time over scrolling through a grid of menu buttons. Live 3D graphics and animations display real-time wheel conditions and illustrate easy-to-understand instructions to resolve vibration and pull problems.
HELLA New Zealand Celebrates 40 Successful Years. 2013 marks four decades as a local manufacturer and exporter for HELLA New Zealand. Established in 1973 with a staff of 17 in East Tamaki, Auckland, the company has gone from strength to strength, today employing some 200 staff across three sites. Today’s sophisticated LED based products are a world away from those early, humble beginnings of two second hand injection moulding machines producing incandescent trailer lamps in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Martin Reinbach, Managing Director of HELLA New Zealand, was an early advocate for the use of LEDs in signal lamps. He foresaw the potential for how the new and relatively unknown solid state light source could solve problems for a variety of automotive applications. “20 years ago the technical ability to create Technology with Vision automotive signal lamps using LEDs was possible for the first time. The early resolve to take this opportunity to create true Fit and Forget lighting for the commercial transport industry was a strategic milestone and decision which has served the company well to this day.” observed Reinbach. “Up until DuraLED™ was launched, the lighting equipment on a truck/trailer or bus required constant attention outside the regular maintenance schedule. Today we design these products to outlast the vehicle” In 1992 HELLA New Zealand developed the first certified LED high mounted stop lamp for a European car maker. This first paved the way for numerous similar projects and export success. With new markets opening up throughout the USA, Canada, Asia, Europe and a significant supply partnership with HELLA Australia, HELLA New Zealand has grown to support commercial transport, mining and ™ marine lighting divisions with a local factory that places over 1 million LEDs onto circuit boards The road toll facts are clear, being seen can be a life saver. every month. “I am immensely proud of our dedicated team Designed and manufactured in New Zealand, and our achievements over the last 40 years. HELLA Safety DayLights™ provide intense The outstanding position we have achieved, white LED light to greatly enhance vehicle particularly in the commercial transport market, is the reward for the dedication to excellence, visibility during daylight hours. from design to production to customer service, of all my colleagues.” commented Reinbach, P/N 5630 15 Degree P/N 5631 30 Degree www.safetydaylights.com “I take this opportunity to thank our valued P/N 5636 Easy-Fit business partners, both customers and suppliers, many of whom have grown with us over decades.” Stephen Matthews Today within the HELLA Group, HELLA New MTA CEO putting Zealand is well recognised and respected for its the case forward to depth in design, technology and manufacturing Transport P/N 1008 P/N 5617 P/N 1006 P/N 1009 expertise, which is a culmination of 40 yearsAssociate of Minister Simon product innovation, engineering excellence and Bridges a commitment to outstanding customer service and support. 0800 4 Hella (0800 443 552) for your nearest Hella stockist www.hella.co.nz For further information please visit www.hella. co.nz or contact your nearest HELLA stockist.
BE SAFE BE SEEN
HELLA LED SAFEty DAyLigHtS
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Industry COMMENT
Greg Wall CEO Capricorn Society Yours is not the traditional path to the automotive industry – tell us about how you arrived at Capricorn? A considerable amount of my experience has been developed in the Banking and Financial Services sector, which is very relevant to Capricorn today. My most recent roles were as Managing Director of Home Building Society, CEO of StateWest Credit Society and State Manager of Challenge Bank. However, prior to joining Capricorn, I was not a complete automotive novice. I held a non-executive director position at Automotive Holdings Group (AHG), which is the largest listed automotive retail group in Australia. We had over 110 automotive and truck dealership operations in WA, Victoria, NSW, Queensland and New Zealand and parts distribution in NSW, QLD and WA. Furthermore, I was the Chairman of Freo Group Ltd, a large crane and engineering services business operating in Queensland and WA, as well as Chairman of Terry Truck Rentals, a franchise of Hertz
Since its inception, Capricorn has continually expanded its offerings to members. Do you this see this ongoing expansion as the way forward? Definitely. It is key for our growth and the development of our Members’ businesses. In today’s global, competitive environment, it is imperative that as a business we continue to offer our Members products and services that are fit for purpose. We are very focused on our Members’ business needs, so yes, product and service development is important for us. We have recently expanded into telecommunications, insurance, travel and financial services and I am keen to strengthen these areas even further, particularly insurance and lending. We will achieve this by applying our cooperative principles to offer attractive insurance and lending products for our Members. This portfolio currently includes home loan product, commercial lending, leasing and auto finance. To offer the best in these services we plan to partner via strategic relationships or brokering to ensure we
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offer a differentiated service. This growth opportunity will allow us to position Capricorn to deliver even more value to our Members.
You operate a similar model across a range of quite different markets in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. How have you had to adapt to meet ‘local’ requirements? Our fundamental approach is applied in all three countries, however we are very aware of the importance of local knowledge and customs, and the role they play in our international success. We have a fantastic team of locally based expertise and they allow us to identify the subtle differences that are required. These differences are not limited to cultural differences, but also include trade regulations and legal practices.
Capricorn has enjoyed good growth over the years. What is it about your ‘offer’ that you think appeals to the automotive industry? The principles of cooperation are universal. Our Members wear two hats, the first as a customer and the second as a shareholder. The more active you are as the first successively results in greater
rewards as the second, it’s that simple. We believe that the combination of the membership features and benefits, including one statement, instant credit with hundreds of suppliers, a rewards programme and dividends are definitely exclusive membership advantages. On a more emotional level, there is a sense of belonging that evolves within a co-operative. Being in small business can be difficult and sometimes lonely, so by participating as an owner and customer of a larger group can assist in bringing you into contact with other professionals in the industry.
Some market commentators are suggesting that smaller shops and operators will be forced out of the market by larger consolidated operations. Do you still see a place for the smaller independent operator? Inevitably the industry is always evolving, but we do not see the structure of the industry differing much from its current state, although, the significance of the role each sector of the aftermarket – wholesalers, distributors, resellers, retailers, the vehicle manufacturers’ dealer networks and the service and repair sector – will change. The smaller independent workshops have always remained resilient and adapted well to change. The industry needs these workshops, however, with the ever-growing diversity of motor vehicles, vehicle technology, the ability to access more and more technical information and constant need to update workshop scan tools and other equipment, there will be some move towards being more specialist. We expect some workshops to choose a limited number of vehicles, instead of servicing and repairing all makes and models. Australian independent service and repair shops should look at the New Zealand market for future insight. The diversity of New Zealand’s car park has already resulted in a highly fragmented service and repair sector that has resulted in many workshops successfully specialising in specific vehicle marques.
How do you see technology influencing the ways in which you will deal with the market in the future? We are investing heavily in upgrading our systems and technology. A web based interface will certainly assist Members in ordering products and managing their businesses more efficiently. One of the many advantages and opportunities new technology provides is the ability to provide valuable market intelligence on product and service demands. The benefit of this for Members is intelligent negotiating with Preferred Suppliers, resulting in greater efficiencies and reduced costs.
Do you see loyalty as a concept driven only by financial rewards, or can there be more to it than that? The financial rewards are very important, but I do believe that there is more to loyalty than that, especially at Capricorn.
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We have some extremely loyal members who value the entire Capricorn experience. We are a community of small businesses and provide an important link between Members and Preferred Suppliers. We do not just provide access to parts, but also other business services as well as invaluable networking events, such as tradeshows, golf days, overseas conventions, regional barbeques where suppliers and members can come together to chat and share experiences. Our single invoice billing service is extremely convenient for Members. As we introduce other products and services we will ensure that belonging to a community continues to be rewarded financially as well as looking for non-financial rewards.
What do you see as the biggest challenge facing the automotive industry in the next five years? Extended vehicle servicing and parts durability impacting on the frequency vehicles visit workshops for service and repair work, more specialisation, industry consolidation, technological change, access to information/training/tools and access to technology and knowhow. Factors critical to success for Capricorn as a business and our Members will vary. In particular, similarities will be customer relationships (understanding the wants and needs of your customer), personnel (attracting and retaining a skilled, motivated and productive workforce), profitability (close management of operating costs and margins), supplier relationships, the position and presentation of your business and information management (the internet is making it easier for retail customers to locate and book services on-line and enabling workshops to undertake more targeted marketing).
Finally, given the three countries you operate in, who do you support in the Super 15 competition? Australian Rules Football is my passion and as a director of an AFL club and commissioner of the WA Football Commission, my passion lies there and in particular the Fremantle Football Club. However, I do actively follow the Western Force and would really like to see them do well. I am attending our annual New Zealand Dinner Display in Auckland on 8th June and look forward to catching up with our many Members.
FEATURE: State Highways
The state of our state highways
Words David Linklater, Photos supplied Exactly what state are our SHs in? (RoNS) to the way in which the existing On the face of it, the odds By definition, much better than local road infrastructure is prioritised and are against New Zealand roads, because the SH are maintained maintained according to its economic having a good-quality road by the Government through the New importance. Zealand Transport Authoritylike (NZTA) and That’s all very well, but beyond the booknetwork. Seventy percent MTA would to thank administered through a complex network keeping, let’s look at the actual black stuff. its business partners of freight (or 92 percent if of programmes such the Integrated New Zealand roads are much criticised andassponsors... you calculate it by weight) Planning Strategy, which are built around for coarse chip seal construction, which is transported by road in forward planning of up to 50 years. is used on the majority of roads in New Zealand, a country SHs are deemed as such because they New Zealand and many SHs, although with a land area larger have strategic importance in moving asphaltic concrete is used on very high than the United Kingdom. vehicles across the country. Local roads’ traffic areas. primary purpose is to move vehicles Chip seal is created using a layer of Yet sparsely populated as around a particular region only, so they bitumen as a base, with another layer we are, there are fewer than Productivity and are managed and maintained by local of riverbed/quarry chip rolled on top, 200km of motorways in the Efficiency authorities. creating a bond. It’s certainly not unique country – less than two quality of the roading network has to New Zealand, but it is used in relatively JoinThe New Zealand’s MTA would like to thank percent of the total State more significance than simply making it high proportion compared with other its business partners favourite health insurer Highway (SH) network. The safer and more pleasurable to get from countries. The NZTA argues that chip As an MTA member we offer you and your and sponsors... MTA like to thank A to would B. The configuration and condition seal is cost effective (especially for rest is much more modest staff health insurance at reduced rates its business partners of SHs has a direct effect on economic maintenance and minor repairs), provides blacktop, much of it oneWe’re working for our members – not overseas activity. Government policy reflects this in a high-grip surface and is flexible enough and sponsors... owners or shareholders. So any surplus money lane, and vulnerable to the a variety ofhealthcare ways, plans from massive projects to cope with the earth movements that goes towards improving our and keeping premiums affordable. rigours of heavy traffic. like the Roads of National Significance regular occur in New Zealand.
Profit
And you can trust us to stay in great financial shape. For eight consecutive years we’ve been given an A+ (Strong) financial strength rating by Standard & Poor’s (Australia) Pty Limited.1
MTAMTA wouldwould like to thank MTA would like tolike thankto its business partners its business partners and sponsors... and sponsors... 1
thank its business partners and supporters
Work
The rating scale is:
AAA (Extremely Strong) AA (Very Strong)
A (Strong)
BBB (Good)
BB (Marginal)
B (Weak)
CCC (Very Weak)
CC (Extremely Weak)
R (Regulatory Action)
Plus (+) or minus (-) signs following ratings from ‘AA’ to ‘CCC’ show relative standing within the major rating categories. Full details of the rating scale are available for inspection at our offices. Standard & Poor’s (Australia) Pty. Limited is an approved agency under the Insurance Companies (Ratings and Inspections) Act 1994.
Customer Relationships
Call 0800 100 777 or visit www.southerncross.co.nz/society SCH6134
Not for profit. For you. Southern Cross Medical Care Society, Level 1, Ernst & Young Building, 2 Takutai Square, Auckland 1010
The leader in specialist automotive s
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However, many argue that chip seal’s lower cost is given priority over its many downsides: it might be flexible but it’s not as strong as concrete, does not last as long (highervolume roads may need to be resurfaced every seven years), generates considerable road noise at speed and causes more tyre wear. Chip seal sites are also full of potential for broken windscreens and paint damage to vehicles, as loose stones can easily be flicked into the air at speed if they are not properly swept away. Well, you can’t avoid a bit of wear and tear, can you? It’s easy to argue that SHs will never be maintained well enough because they will never be perfect. Not so long as we drive cars and trucks all over them. Don’t expect a sales pitch from the Government about what an awesome condition our roads are in. The published ‘State Highway Plan 2012/13’ moots that current levels of maintenance and renewal have been sufficient to keep the SH network in “reasonable condition in most aspects”. The NZTA says it aims to refocus its roadwork during the next two years by being more proactive on high-classification SHs that carry high volumes of traffic, and more reactive on lowerclassification roads.
Roads become less skid resistant when the surface has been polished by heavy traffic loads, or worn smooth through general wear and tear. The simplest remedy is water-blasting to expose more of the stone chips, but in extreme cases the road will be resealed. Since the year 2000, NZTA has also been using the SCRIM+ to accumulate data for a Long Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) programme, carefully mapping certain sections of road with the intention of building predictions about how certain surfaces in certain conditions will perform in the future. In recent years, NZTA has also used data from the Canterbury Accelerated Pavement Testing Indoor Facility (CAPTIF). This road-surface research centre has relationships with overseas roading authorities and is able to test different types of pavement in a bespoke indoor facility. CAPTIF’s laboratory setup includes a full-size dual-tyred truck wheel attached to an arm that revolves around a circuit, replicating real-world driving conditions. Computerised data acquisition systems on both the wheel and road surface provide the research material.
The NZTA says it aims to refocus its roadwork during the next two years by being more proactive on high-classification SHs that carry high volumes of traffic, and more reactive on lower-classification roads.
Government statistics seldom make interesting reading, but these ones do. NZTA has a target of 1210km annual resurfacing for the next two years, as well as 168km of rehabilitation. This is in line with the lower end of historic timeframes, says the report: “This should be sufficient to maintain the surface index condition at an acceptable level on each State Highway classification”. Even if you argue that some of our road surfaces are crude, you cannot deny that high technology is being used to monitor and maintain them. Between October and March every year, SHs are surveyed with a purpose-built vehicle called a Sidewayforce Coefficient Routine Investigation Machine (SCRIM+). A network of lasers on board the SCRIM+ measure everything from the profile of the road to the texture of the seal. Skid resistance is measured by a floating test wheel hanging off the truck, which runs through a controlled flow of water to measure the traction available.
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road test courtesy of autotrader.co.nz
Mazda MX-5
Words David Linklater pictures supplied
Affordable, rear-drive sports cars are a rare thing. Ones with Japanese quality and reliability even more so. Until recently there was only one, the Mazda MX-5. Now there are two, with the arrival of the Toyota 86 last year. Or perhaps three if you want to include the virtually identical Subaru BRZ. Because the MX-5 and 86 hail from the same country, cross over on price and aim to do basically the same thing – entertain the driver in the purest possible form, as much as possible – in the same chassis format, I must confess I’d come to think of them as very similar vehicles. Time in the facelifted MX-5 has changed my mind. Not about how good the car is. Even after all these years (since 2005 for the current third-generation model, a whopping 23 years in production total) it’s still a superb sports car that any serious driver cannot help but love. The steering, gearbox and chassis are sports-car-pure.
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But in truth, the MX-5 is not really anything like an 86. It’s not merely that it’s a two-seat roadster versus a two-plus-two coupe (a convertible 86 is on the way, by the way). The 86 is a grownup sports car that rewards smooth driving and millimetre-perfect cornering technique. The MX-5 is more of a carnival ride: the steering bombards
It’s a tiny car that really comes into its own on tiny, twisty roads. You’ve got to love it for that.
you with information, the chassis telegraphs every change in cornering attitude. In the MX-5 you’re busy all the time, so you’ll have an even more special experience if you’re in the mood to chuck the car around. That makes sense, as the MX-5’s design roots are in reinterpreting the classic British sports car format for the 20th (and now 21st) century. It’s a tiny car that really comes into its own on tiny, twisty roads. You’ve got to love it for that. What’s changed for the facelift model? There’s a new face that looks a lot more, shall we say, masculine than any MX-5 before it: the grille is 47mm deeper and the front flares out more. It looks quite aggressive from some angles, especially with the new gunmetal-finish 17-inch alloy wheels. Some of the more blingy cabin trim has also been replaced with a dark grey colour. Mechanically, the MX-5 remains pretty much unchanged. This is a car getting very near the end of its life (a deal has just been signed for the next model to be developed in conjunction with Alfa Romeo) and sales have slowed. But Mazda has made a small adjustment to the throttle on the six-speed manual-gearbox car, to give a more linear feel. The brake booster has also been revised on both manual and automatic cars, to give a smoother transition between coming off the stop pedal and onto the go pedal. The $55,190 MX-5 is offered only in folding hard-top form for New Zealand, with the soft-top available by special order. The 2.0-litre engine makes 118kW/188Nm, and the car comes with leather upholstery and a Bose sound system. You don’t rough it in a roadster these days. Despite the above, Mazda claims that its campaign for weight reduction continues in this facelift, although it only applies to one part: the new front bumper, which is now slightly thinner and therefore 400 grams lighter. Every bit counts I guess – that’s why they call it “gram strategy”. I’ve always thought I’d love to own an MX-5. For the long haul I think I’d now opt for the 86/BRZ, simply because it combines that exquisite chassis balance with more relaxed cruising ability when you want it. But for a backroads blast when you really want to get busy – or, of course, get wind in your hair – you still can’t beat the little Mazda.
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TECH SPECS MAZDA MX-5 Engine: 2.0-litre Max power: 118kW Max torque: 188Nm Transmission: Six-speed manual Length: 4020mm Width: 1720mm Height: 1255mm Fuel consumption: 8.1 litres per 100km Combined Price: $55,190
David Linklater has been road testing cars and writing about them for nearly two decades, both in New Zealand and Europe. Whether it’s a Ford Fiesta or a Ferrari FF, he can put a car in context and put you behind the wheel. Check out his expert opinions at www.autotrader.co.nz
transmission
Things to Watch
Martin Brooks
Over the time I have been writing these articles I have mentioned quite a few things that we have seen that have led to unforeseen issues. The other day we encountered a simple error that led to a fault and in fact could have led to a major transmission failure, so this month we are going to look at some of those events. The vehicle in question was a Ford Mondeo of around 1998 vintage and came to us slipping badly. We checked the fluid level and found it low and there was an obvious leak at the front of the transmission. We traced the leak to be from the dipstick tube and further inspection showed that the vehicle had recently had a new battery fitted. In fitting the battery the transmission breather tube had been trapped closing it off. This led to a pressure build-up leading to the fluid coming from the dipstick tube. One that we covered several years ago (July 2009) is the remote filter mount on Subaru Turbos with the later version of 4 speed transmission. If you happen to reverse the cooler pipes at the filter (easy to do) the chances are that you will be faced with the vehicle coming back with a catastrophic gearset failure. (I am happy to forward pictures of the correct way if requested). Whilst we are on the subject of cooler flow it is important when fitting a replacement or rebuilt transmission that the transmission cooler is clean. This is especially important if there has been any failure of the torque converter. On most transmissions the fluid flow is from the torque converter through the cooler and then to the lubrication circuit of the transmission. Obviously any restriction
here will affect the lube flow leading to failure. Another common mistake when a transmission is replaced or repaired is failure to reset the adaptions. The importance of this varies with transmission type as does the method that is used. In some cases just normal driving is required whereas in others a set pattern road test is needed. I suggest that you check out what is required before you quote on a job as it is extremely easy to use up over an hour of time performing the road test and time is money. In some cases you will need to use a scan tool to reset to a base setting before you do the driving test. Failure to reset some vehicles may at best give poor shift quality and at worst cause a failure of the transmission.
One rule is to always follow a logical diagnostic sequence and don’t try to take any short cuts With the increase in all wheel drive vehicles it is important that all the tyres fitted are equal in circumference. Once again this is more critical on some vehicles than others but differences here can lead to complaints of shuddering on turns or shifting issues. Tyres can also have a bearing on shift speeds. Many vehicles have a cornering mode to ensure that an upshift doesn’t take place when half way around a corner. This may be controlled by a lateral
ACEOMATIC TRANSMISSION SERVICES LTD Automatic Transmission Repairs and Service Electrical Repairs and Diagnosis Torque Converter Specialists
27 Stanmore Road, Christchurch
Phone: 03 381 1333 service@aceomatic.co.nz www.aceomatic.co.nz
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radiator March 2013
G sensor (terms differ between makes) or it may rely on the speed signals from each wheel. One common call we get is that a vehicle has late upshifts and often it turns out that the spare tyre or a replacement tyre has been fitted. We have also seen incorrect tyre pressure cause a problem here. The article of October 2011 I mentioned the common mistake of removing the low reverse band anchor to check the fluid or fill the transmission. This will more than likely lead to a loss of reverse as the low-reverse band can move out of position. Refitting the band may require removal of the transmission; not the sort of thing that you want to happen when you are doing a service Friday afternoon just before your customer is heading off on a holiday! Now that we have mentioned servicing please remember that it is important that you actually road test the vehicle when you are going to carry out service work on the transmission. It is not uncommon for us to receive a call that starts something like this. “I have a (insert make here) that we did a service on last week and the owner claims that it now (insert fault here.)” When asked if the issue was there before the service the answer often is that the vehicle was not road tested. Do yourself a favour and allow time to road test the vehicle properly even if you are carrying out a simple fluid change. Finally and probably the most important thing that you should always remember is the need to be sure of what the customer’s concern actually is when they come to you for automatic transmission or any other type of service. Often it is easy to assume that you know what the customer is talking about but taking the extra time at the start can save a problem when you carry out a repair that doesn’t address the original concern. There we have some of the problems that can arise when working on automatic transmissions. Some appear to be quite basic whilst others a little more complex. One rule is to always follow a logical diagnostic sequence and don’t try to take any short cuts. As always I would welcome comments or suggestions for articles and can be contacted at martin@aceomatic.co.nz
From where I'm standing... its a bit of a mixed bag this month, but I’ll get started on a positive note. Even though I won’t be driving fulltime in Australia this season, I always had the intention to secure myself the absolute best seat for the endurance races at Sandown and Bathurst. The good news is that I will be joining the Holden Racing Team this year; it’s with this Team that my V8 Supercar Career started. While it’s quite some time since I was part of what’s always been a very professional and successful outfit, I instantly feel like I am a part of the furniture. While there are usually a few co-driver spots available for these races up and down pitlane, I didn’t want to have any compromises for the two most important races of the year. Winning them is the only option! The last few years have meant starting most of the races as little more than a rank outsider; a combination of issues including, support, equipment and mechanical failures too often meant that we were even struggling to make the top 15. The HRT set-up is well structured and organised and is the biggest racing “Brand” in Australasia. They have a lot of very seasoned campaigners amongst their ranks. The new VF Commodore’s look fantastic and as it is the first for the new COTF design, I am confident that most teams will pretty much be on an even footing this season. This partnership will provide me with the best chance of a race win in Australia for quite some time, and I am really looking forward to it. While I might not be as busy as I used to be in Australia, NZ will again be the complete opposite this year. The first round of the 2013 BNT V8 SuperTourers has already been and gone. Round one was at Hampton Downs a couple of weeks ago. Making sure I keep the racing miles up is a key to being in the best racing shape for HRT later in the year. Mike Pero and nearly all of my other sponsor partners from last year have returned for year 2 and we got off to a near perfect start with 3 race wins and a front row qualifying position. Practice hadn’t quite gone to plan, as I wasn’t actually that happy with the speed of the car and I was a bit worried about where we would be on the grid for race one, but in the true meaning of the word “teamwork” we used all the available information gathered from the 3 M3 Racing Commodores and came up with a revised set-up for Sunday’s qualifying session. The pace was faster than last year and I was beaten to pole by Ant Pedersen who put in an electrifying time.
Murph tries out the HRT hot seat Race one was stopped after a first corner melee. It never ceases to amaze me how some drivers think the championship is won on the first corner of the first race of the season! After the restart I managed to get past Ant after a couple of laps and controlled the race to the finish. Race 2 was a lot harder. I gave Ant the lead on lap two after running into turn 1 too deep. I got back onto his tail and then had a lock up in one of the corners and nearly slid off the track. We found a failed right front wheel bearing after the race which had been causing less than perfect braking. After pushing hard for a few more laps, I managed to bring the gap down enough to start putting some pressure on the International Motorsport driver and he began to struggle a bit with his rear tyres. After a couple of wild slides from the Falcon, I was back on his tail and slipped by with 3 laps to go to take the win. Race 3 was a battle for the first 10 laps with Shane Van
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Gisbergen who is doing double duty this year in Australia and NZ. Shane pushed me hard but used up his rear tyres more than me and I managed to get a bit of a gap before someone dropped a line of oil around the track. It took me a couple of laps to work out what was going on and everyone else behind was having the same problem. I was able to watch in my mirrors the dice for second and it was a classic. Having a clear track allowed me to get a big lead and I cruised home for a clean sweep. My team-mate Richard Moore had an awesome weekend and grabbed 3rd overall, a solid start to the season for M3. Round 2 is at Ruapuna on the 9th- 10th of March. Unfortunate is the best word I can think of (well the best that you’ll let me use in public) to describe the VLR decision. While Government appears to have made a small but steadily reducing concession for older vehicles, it still feels like they were always going to push through a reduction, whatever the facts showed. I don’t know anyone that wants to stand in the way of progress, but for the life of me, I cannot see how this will really advance us. The net result is cars going longer between checks in the hope that owners will do a much better job of looking after them than they do now. In a few years most cars will be on yearly WoF’s. We’re told that won’t represent any extra risk because more modern cars are inherently better built, and that will be supported by a change in attitudes amongst drivers to servicing and car care!! The people that make these decisions need to spend some time actually talking to motorists and finding out what they really think, know and do about their cars. While modern cars are more durable than they used to be, they still need to be looked after. I’d wager that in a tight economy like we have right now, there will be plenty of folks out there who will be pleased just to be able to make the payments on their car – servicing and looking after it will be well down the priority list. That will mean that things will continue to wear out, and I’m worried it’ll mean things get left to deteriorate to a dangerous stage. That’s not good for anyone on the road. And while I am sure everyone will hope that Police will be able to check a whole lot more cars than they do now, somehow I can’t see an already stretched force having the means to do that. It’s a bit like the round count at the end of an SBW fight – somehow it just doesn’t add up.
Best wishes
mediation Alan Barr
MTA Mediation Advisor
Consumers often call and tell us their mechanic has told them they were ‘ripped off’ by their previous service provider, an MTA member. As you know, even if the accusations are unfounded, ‘mud sticks’ and the damage will have been done.
Don’t be too quick to judge In a recently reported case a customer’s transmission began to fault. Our member had serviced the car on two occasions but instead of taking the car to him, the customer took it to the franchise dealer, also an MTA member. He checked the transmission fluid level and immediately declared, because the fluid colour was not as OEM prescribed, the problem would be due to it having the wrong fluid. He considered the member had obviously caused the fault through his servicing and recommended the car be taken back to him. The member was surprised to hear this assertion from his customer and asked for an opportunity to investigate. His records showed in both services the transmission fluid had never been changed or even topped up. The transmission had a manufacturer’s recommended fluid change at 100,000 kilometres and at his last service the odometer reading was still well short of that. The customer was still convinced they must have caused the current problem and insisted the member remedy it. The member took a sample of the transmission fluid from the car and sent it, with samples of the fluids he used in his operation, for independent analysis. The result showed the fluid in the car, while not the manufacturer’s brand, was the correct specification. It was not the brand used by the member either but it would have met the required specification. The member also noted two service labels affixed in the engine bay indicating transmission work prior to his customer’s ownership. The customer was not pleased with this outcome and the member also was not pleased that his reputation and customer relationship had been so quickly tarnished by a flippant and judgemental comment. Had the second opinion member looked around the car, sighted the service labels and called the first member for a professional discussion, everyone’s reputations would have stayed intact. What impression is the customer left with after all this?
Some cases don’t even make it to your door. In a similar case, a consumer wrote to the Mediation Centre complaining because he’d taken his car to a non member for a WoF inspection and spent a considerable amount of money rectifying failed items. As the repair time took longer than the re-inspection period of 28 days, he took the car to a different inspecting organisation, instead of going back to the original source. This time to an unnamed MTA member who correctly carried out a full inspection and failed the car on items other than those previously identified. The customer was confused and considered the member was trying to ‘rip them off’ preferring to accept the first inspection as accurate. As he’d just seen an MTA TV advertisement advocating he could trust MTA, he decided to write to us. We politely wrote back supporting our position and asked him to consider that it may well have been that the first inspection was not as rigorous as it possibly should have and perhaps, in fact it is the MTA repairer he should be trusting. We offered to review both inspection reports and his circumstances with our member. Predictably enough, the matter ended there. Always consider there are two sides to every situation and before ending up on the wrong end of some unwelcome mud don’t be too quick to judge.
Call the Mediation team on 0508 682 633 to discuss your particular situation.
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radiator March 2013
Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Standards Compliance 2002
mediation Julian McMullan
MTA Mediation Advisor
Everyone, everyone (including private owners) selling a vehicle must ensure the vehicle has a WoF less than a month old. As a trader you know that and you do it. The easy mistake a few make is a 12 month WoF that has more than five months to run. This vehicle still requires a WoF and with the impending changes to the WoF, this is going to be a little confusing. The WoF must have been issued less than a month before the sale. What is the owner’s obligation for a WoF on trade-in? The same as yours. They are supposed to get a new WoF when they are disposing of the vehicle. This is in compliance with the Land Transport Rule 9.12 Inspection and certification for in-service fitness at change of ownership. To view the Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Standards Compliance 2002, see the NZTA website. Two major legislation changes are coming in the next 12-18 months that will change the way you will have to view a tradein. The Vehicle Licensing Review change to the WoF frequency means you will be looking at trading older vehicles that have not been seen by a technician in almost a year. If you get it wrong, disposing of these vehicles will be difficult as they will be covered by the Consumer Guarantees Act even at auction thanks to the Consumer Law Reform bill.
How do you cover yourself? 1. Ask why you are selling/trading it. People are generally honest or will at least look uncomfortable giving you a dishonest answer. It could be that it’s too small or too big, or it could be that their mechanic told them to get rid of it. Ask them ‘is there anything you know about this car that I should know?’ You have comeback on someone who lies to you but not someone who didn’t tell you something you didn’t ask about. 2. Don’t appraise the car from across the street. Far from impressing the customer with your knowledge and skill you will
give them the impression that you don’t really care (they may have spent all morning cleaning it, telling you they are ready to do a deal today, wouldn’t you hate to miss that sign). You will learn more about the customer from 10 minutes with their trade than an hour following them around the dealership. Look over it with them, touch the defects without commenting, drive it. They will see you do it and devalue the car in their own eyes making your job easier. 3. Ask them to get a new WoF before delivery or offer to get one for them at their expense. It’s the law.
9.12 Inspection and certification for in-service fitness at change of ownership 9.12(3) Subject to 9.12(4), a person who sells a vehicle, other than one in 9.12(2), that may not be operated on a road without a current warrant of fitness must ensure that it has been certified for in-service fitness within one month before the date of delivery of the vehicle to the purchaser. 9.12(4) Subclauses 9.12(1), 9.12(2) and 9.12(3) do not apply if the purchaser undertakes to the seller in writing at the time of delivery of the vehicle that: (a) for a vehicle in 9.12(1), 9.12(2) or 9.12(3) whose certificate of fitness or warrant of fitness is not current, they will not, except for the purpose of obtaining in-service certification, operate the vehicle until it has been inspected and certified for in-service fitness.
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radiator March 2013
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advocate Dougal Morrison
This column gives an update on the activities of the MTA Category and Advisory Committees and the Advocacy and Training Team, including the Mediation Service.
Any feedback you have would be appreciated, either to the Committee Chairperson, whose details are in the back of Radiator, the Committee Manager or me. e-mail dougal.morrison@mta.org.nz or Tel 04 381 8816. auction will no longer be a risk free process so traders will likely have to take a much tougher stance when considering buying-in such vehicles. At the very least traders should insist on a WoF not older than 28 days at the time they buy-in any trade-in vehicles to help protect themselves – technically it is already law to require that, but many dealers do not insist on the requirement.
Legislation/Consultation Vehicle Licensing Reform
Government made announcements on Vehicle Licensing Reform (VLR), particularly on the WoF frequency on Sunday 27 January 2013. They will need to put through a rule change to implement this decision. One big surprise was that Government proposes to implement a 12 month inspection for vehicles registered after 1 January 2000. This means that if the rule is implemented in July 2014, 14 year old vehicles will be eligible for a 12 month WoF. MTA considers that a rolling age of say 12 years would be more effective, to recognise that vehicles have an increase in vehicle defects from age 12.
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Trader status: There will be an obligation on traders to declare their status as a trader on internet selling sites. We are viewing this as a positive change as it will force more back-yard traders to confront the normal consumer obligations.
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Instant fines: The Commerce Commission will be empowered to award instant fines for specific offences such as no Consumer Information Notice (CIN card). We are positive about this change and hope it will serve to hasten enforcement efforts and also help ‘level the playing field’.
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We will also lobby on providing greater police enforcement resources, particularly for roadside inspections.
Uninvited Direct Sales: Sales made in person or via phone to a consumer at their place of residence or work will be classified as Uninvited Direct Sales (assuming evidence did not show you had been invited to visit or phone) and therefore subject to 5 day cool down period. The good news is that the qualifying parameters now appear to be less onerous than was originally proposed (our lobbying efforts seem to have helped), but traders will still need to be conscious of the impacts. Dealers could minimise the risks by deferring delivery until after the expiry of the cool down period. We understand that occurs in the Australian market, where similar provisions exist.
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MoT need to review the vehicle emission rule in 2014. This provides the opportunity to introduce in-service vehicle emission testing. We will also continue to lobby and work with MoT and Ministry for the Environment on the benefits of emissions testing.
Extended warranty policies: Traders will have to include a summary of CGA rights and a declaration of the terms offered by the extended warranty, which exceed those CGA provisions. We are interested to see how this requirement will be put into practice.
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Unfair contract terms: A prohibition of unfair contract terms will be introduced within consumer contracts – this provision could have an impact on the content of industry standard form contracts such as Vehicle Offer and Sale Agreements (VOSA’s).
Government is setting up working groups to consult on possible changes to: • Certificate of Fitness (CoF) • Annual vehicle licensing (AVL) • Transport Services Licences (TSL). Officials plan to report back to Ministers on AVL and TSL by 30 September 2013, and on possible CoF changes in December 2013.
Future lobbying
We will continue to lobby around the risks of changing the WoF frequency, particularly a rolling age for 12 month WoFs. While Ministers did not make any decision on whether there should be a more comprehensive WoF inspection, MoT and NZTA officials have advised that they can continue to look for opportunities for improving the WoF inspection.
Consumer law reform
The second reading of the Consumer Law Reform Bill commenced in the final parliamentary sitting before Christmas. At the time of writing, it had not yet re-surfaced in the House for further debate, and the Bill has not yet been subject to vote. However, debate commentary published in Hansard reports prior to Christmas indicate wide party support for the Bill. At this stage we expect the Bill will pass its second reading. Assuming that occurs the final steps will likely progress rapidly and the Bill will be passed into law. A quick recap on the likely impacts, albeit as they appear at this stage: •
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Sale by Auction and Tender: Vehicles, of a type ordinarily purchased by consumers, sold by Traders via auction or tender (including ‘internet’ auctions) will be subject to Consumer Guarantees Act. This is a substantial change, and is expected to impact trader operating practices. Clearing unwanted trade-ins via radiator March 2013
Essential Skills in Demand
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment has announced that the occupation, Motor Mechanic (General) (Automotive Technician) will remain on the Immediate Skill Shortage list for one further year before it is removed without review. Motor Mechanic’s (General) (Air Conditioning Technician) will stay on this list. Two automotive trade occupations have been retained on the Long-term Skill Shortage list, which are Automotive Electricians and Diesel Motor Mechanic’s, including heavy vehicle inspectors.
Targeted Review of Qualifications
MITO submitted the Automotive Targeted Review documentation to the New Zealand Qualifications Authority
(NZQA) before Christmas. NZQA are considering the application before they advise MITO that they are happy to develop the proposed new qualifications further. If this approval is given, MITO will undertake further consultation as the qualifications are developed.
Category and Advisory Committee Initiatives Auto Air Conditioning, Heating and Ventilation Releasing refrigerants into the atmosphere is illegal From 1 January 2013 it is illegal to release Synthetic Greenhouse Gases (SGG) into the atmosphere under the Climate Change Response Act (CCRA) 2002. Refrigerants that are ozone depleting substances are being phased out under the Ozone Layer Protection Act (OLPA) 1996 and it is illegal to release these refrigerants into the atmosphere. The Environmental Protection Authority has enforcement powers under OLPA and the CCRA. If you release SGG or ozone depleting refrigerants into the atmosphere there are serious penalties of up to $50,000. It is important you know what refrigerants the systems you work with contain and that you do not release these into the atmosphere. A link to the EPA guide regarding the new laws and summary of compliance requirements relevant to air conditioning work is available from the MTA website at www. mta.org.nz/autoac.
Automotive Technology Committee meeting
The Committee will meet on 28 February 2012 to discuss VLR, member standards and competencies for specialist categories, MITO review of qualifications, member training and attracting high quality apprentices.
Australian Automotive Aftermarket Expo
The Australian Automotive Aftermarket Expo is being held 11-13 April 2013 in Sydney. If any members are attending there will be an MTA function from 4.30 to 6pm on Thursday 11 April. For more details please go to: http://www. aftermarketexpo.com.au/
Collision Repair and Towing MTA Cost Analysis of Collision Repairers
Many thanks to those of you who have agreed to participate in this survey. The numbers who have agreed has been outstanding. It is now paramount that you arrange to supply the required information so we have confidence that the results are irrefutable. Any questions please contact bob.mccoy@mta.org.nz
Collision Repair Survey of insurers
It’s that time of the year again when you have the chance to rate the effectiveness of the insurance companies you work with. I urge you all to take part and complete the survey. This is your chance to praise those who understand your industry and are taking steps, albeit small, to assist in its rejuvenation against those who are solely cost driven.
Towing and Storage Fee Review
In the last Radiator I advised that we would approach Government asking for a reason why Cabinet had declined to increase the fees. Here is the response from the Honourable Simon Bridges, Associate Transport Minister
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radiator March 2013
“The Cabinet Economic Growth and Infrastructure Committee declined to increase towage and storage fees because the committee did not consider the increase to be necessary at this time. I understand that the towage and storage industry has faced increases in operational costs over recent years. Please be assured that the Government will continue to monitor this issue in the future”.
Australian Collision Repair Expo The Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association is holding the Australian Collision Repair Expo from11-13 April 2013 in Sydney. This is being held in association with the Automotive Aftermarket Expo. There will be a function for MTA members from 4.30 to 6pm on Thursday 11 April. For more details please go to: http://www.collisionrepair.com.au/
Environment Spill kit requirements for the MTA Environmental Standards A lack of spill kits and procedures remains a gap for many members not meeting the standards. The latest analysis shows of all members surveyed to date, one in five (or 20 percent) still don’t have a spill kit. To set up your own kit you can use the action sheet and posters available from www. mta.org.nz/environmentresources. Alternatively MTA has a low cost 45 litre spill kit available, which is suitable for many members’ needs. Contact your MTA Business Manager, or Danny Garrick, MTA Gift Voucher and Stationery Manager by e-mail: danny.garrick@mta.org.nz
Heavy Vehicle Advisory Group Transport and Heavy Equipment Expo
MTA will have a stand at the Transport and Heavy Equipment (THE) Expo at Mystery Creek in Hamilton from 7 – 9 March 2013. We will take the opportunity to promote MTA to the heavy vehicle industry.For more detail on features and exhibitors, go to: http://theexpo.co.nz.
Service Station and Convenience Store Survey of training needs
During February a short survey of training needs was sent to service station members. This canvassed more details around training for Hazardous Substances and New Organism (HSNO) Act requirements and general service station training that members need. The results will be used to determine what options for training MTA may offer in the future.
Tobacco retail display ban
It has been six months since the tobacco display ban came into force, and members are now starting to receive visits from smoke-free compliance officers. Make sure you are prepared for these visits – check your practices are compliant, especially around staff awareness, product restocking and signage. For more information go to: www.mta.org.nz/tobaccodisplayban.
Dealer Committees MTA Lease Survey
The 2013 MTA Lease Survey is currently being analysed. All light vehicle franchise dealers were invited to participate. The aim of the survey is to comment on the state of relations between dealers and the various lease companies. The survey report will be sent to the respective lease companies when completed. This is the second time the survey has been run, and serves a useful means of highlighting areas of concern.
advocate
continued from p.27
Dealer Committee meetings The Franchise Dealer Committee is scheduled to meet 12 March 2013, and the Used Vehicle Committee on 13 March 2013. Topics to be discussed at those meetings will include: VLR impacts, CLR impacts, review of 2012 Dealer Attitude Survey, 2013 Lease Survey Results, MITO sales qualification, and planning for the 2013 Dealer Salary and Wages Survey. The Motorcycle Dealers are scheduled to meet 26 March 2013. Topics will include: consumer law reform impacts, review of 2012 Motorcycle Dealer Attitude survey, MITO sales qualification, Learner Approved Motorcycle Scheme (LAMS) market impacts, ACC/Moto NZ directions, and planning for the 2013 Motorcycle Dealer Salary and Wages Survey. Contact details for the Committee members are provided in the back of this magazine. Please contact any of the committee members, or Committee Manager Tony Everett if you want to make any comment.
Mediation Centre A busy start to the year with call volumes continuing the upward trend.
Repairer issues - observations from Alan: Don’t disparage other industry players. Consumers often call and tell us their latest mechanic has told them they were ‘ripped off’ by their previous service provider. Their new
mechanic, in the process of trying to make themselves look good, has taken the all too easy path of discrediting previous suppliers. Industry participants need to handle matters more professionally and avoid making often unfounded statements denigrating other suppliers. It serves to discredit the industry at large, and in the longer term may have a rub-off effect on your reputation as well. If you leap to conclusions, those conclusions might be wrong. It is better to focus on what you can do to rectify the situation, rather than spend time disparaging another repairer’s work. Time spent disparaging other repairers doesn’t fix the problem, or help the industry. If the customer has come to you with an ‘unsolved’ fault, it would be better to call the previous supplier to find out what they had done, rather than criticise their work. This might help guide you on what needs to be done next. Sometimes the toughest job is finding out what is causing the underlying problem.
Dealer issues - observations from Julian: Always be professional when communicating with customers, and especially when using written mechanisms like e-mail and text. Both mechanisms offer a quick and semi-informal mechanism and it is very easy to adopt a relaxed style. However, if the recipient misinterprets your tone or style, your otherwise innocent message can quickly become a point of argument or offence. And of course, it remains as a permanent record which can be hauled out within a dispute hearing. The best practice is to always keep matters professional and direct. If you are having trouble crafting a message, give the MTA mediation guys a call – they might be able to help.
MEDIATION LINE 0508 682 633
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MEMBER PROFILE: KELVIN ARMSTRONG AUTO REPAIRS
The difference between
ordinary and outstanding By Stephanie Brunt, Communications and Marketing Advisor
Passion. It’s a word that gets used a lot. But does it really have an influence on business? Can it lead to success? In the case of Kelvin Armstrong, you can be assured that passion is the difference between ordinary and outstanding. Kelvin Armstrong Auto Repairs (KAAR) won accolades and the title of the Top Small Business for West Auckland at the end of 2012. Judges described the business as a great all-rounder, performing particularly strongly in strategy and planning. So how did Kelvin develop his business to such a high standard? “I have employed the principle of working on the business, not in the business,” says Kelvin. He established KAAR back in 1994, off the back of experience working for a company that had several workshops across Auckland. Kelvin grew in confidence as he was often left in charge when people were away, at times managing to double the profits. What seemed like small successes for Kelvin were enough to set him off on his own when a vacant Avondale building became available. “I had very little experience in business management or back-end operations; however, I had the passion for being the best I possibly can at what I do,” he says. And, he’s never been too concerned about how
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radiator March 2013
other people go about running their businesses – to him the daily focus is ‘to strive for best business practice in all facets of the operation.’ KAAR operates with every member of the team, including all apprentices, being capable of completing the full sale process from booking in and ordering parts, through to invoicing and collecting payment. That way, every customer will experience an optimum level of customer service, and KAAR technicians enjoy the satisfaction of having ownership of their job. Like any business, there are daily challenges that have to be dealt with. Kelvin says that “there is not enough working hours in a day.” He made a rule to try and only work a nine hour day and have a clear desk at the end of it – though that rarely happens. Each morning, he plans his tasks for the day and tries not to get distracted with tasks that could be added to tomorrow’s list. Walk into a KAAR workshop and you’ll see a number of whiteboards around the place – they’re usually full of tasks to
Kelvin and his wife Karyn, proud recipients of the Top Small Business Award for West Auckland in late 2012. be completed by various people. That’s just the way they do things. Kelvin believes that entering the Business Awards is like ‘doing a thesis on your own business’: he scrutinised every aspect of his business and how it operates. He hopes that winning these awards (which he has now done twice) is improving perceptions of automotive repairers, but believes that the sector needs to work on its public image. “We are all so undervalued in our sector – I don’t think the public understands the difficulties we deal with on a day-to-day basis.” Kelvin believes the next five years will be critical for all businesses, particularly with the outside influences of technology, WoF changes and baby boomer business owners exiting the workforce. This, in his eyes, will ‘turn the repair sector on its head’, which could bring about opportunities, but, in the short term, will increase competition. His attitude is that ‘as owners, it’s time to take your technician hat off and put your owner hat on’. It’s an attitude that’s resulted in two small business awards. Having a plan in place is crucial to success. If that’s a daunting thought, ask for help through a business coach or mentor. Kelvin has a knack of being able to find the drive to succeed and be the best every day. It’s this kind of passion that makes KAAR stand out in a crowd.
MTA in the News
KAAR MITSUBISHI OPENING OFFER! 5% OFF TRADE ON POLLEN FILTERS AND CAM BELT KITS!
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Vehicle Licensing Reform (VLR) and detailed breakdowns of automobile sales took MTA into record numbers of news stories, generating the most media coverage for a single month – ever. MTA was mentioned 227 times in media outlets across the country, topping the previous highest total of 217 in October, when VLR was first announced. Despite the decision being announced on a Sunday morning (on the day before regional anniversary days in both Auckland and Tauranga) the story was immediately picked up by radio and all major outlets, and ran on television news as the lead item later that night. As MTA had held a strong position on the issue, we were called immediately after the announcement by all major news outlets across New Zealand for comment. MTA also issued a written release, expressing disappointment that the Government had decided future WoF frequency would require no safety checks for a vehicle’s first three years, annual checks for those registered during or after 2000, and sixmonthly checks for those older than that. Under the proposal put forward by former Associate Minister of Transport Simon Bridges, motorists will only require sixmonthly checks for vehicles registered before 1 January 2000; meaning that over time, the majority of the fleet will move to 12-monthly WoF inspections. While providing the appearance of savings, the changes may in fact increase costs and the risks to motorists, while at the same time lead to the loss of more than 2,000 jobs from within the automotive industry. In the week following the VLR announcement, Mr Bridges got a new portfolio, moving over to be the Minister of Labour, with former senior whip Michael Woodhouse taking up the Associate Minister of Transport role. The month in motor industry news had in no way been quiet
before this, however, with many outlets picking up our breakdowns and analysis of 2012 vehicle sales. The stand-out sector though was used imported vehicles, aided by the strength of the New Zealand dollar and growing availability of ‘qualifying’ stock. While a comparatively small market, used imported commercial vehicles showed an even greater improvement than their New Zealand new counterparts. The 429 sales recorded in January was up 184 units (75 percent) compared to a year ago, and was the best single month for sales since December 2009. Heading the list of top sellers was the Toyota Corolla, in its numerous nameplates, with its sales of more than 10,000 split almost half and half between New Zealand new and used imports. Another traditional front-runner is the Suzuki Swift, which enjoyed good appeal with sales delivered almost evenly between the two sources. The Mazda3/Axela range benefits from strong used import sales to reach third place. Amongst those nameplates benefitting particularly from strong sales as used imports, and reflecting the changing nature of domestic Japanese demand, are the Nissan Tiida, Mazda2/Demio and Mazda 6/Atenza ranges along with traditional import stalwart Subaru Legacy. While other sectors showed improved sales, on-road motorcycles went against the trend, recording the lowest level of sales since 2003. Selling 5,765 units, 611 units (9.6 percent) fewer than 2011, motorcycle sales continue the decline which first began in 2009. Motorcycles over 60cc were up by 63 units (2 percent) on 2011, however smaller motorcycles/ mopeds (under 60cc) were down 674 units (28 percent). It would appear that motorists have become used to the increasing price of petrol. The steady flight towards mopeds and scooters that was evident 18 months ago has clearly stopped, with this sector hit particularly hard last year.
KAAR Mitsubishi 14 Te Pai Place, HENDERSON (09) 836 5101
www.kaar.co.nz/mitsubishi.php
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radiator March 2013
Official communications supplier to the MTA
bodywork Bob McCoy MTA Collision Repair Manager
Collision Repair Update
Come and join MTA at the 2013 Collision Repair Expo, 11-13 April (Thursday-Saturday) 2013, Sydney, Australia. This is a highly recommended event for all in the collision repair industry, and entry to the event is FREE! The Collision Repair Expo is run in conjunction with the Australian Auto Aftermarket Expo, and is Australia’s only trade event dedicated to the specialist needs of the collision repair industry. The Collision Repair Expo will feature the very latest in paint products and applications, chemicals and surface preparation products, collision repair tools and equipment, replacement panels, parts and frames, computer software and hardware, training and technology. Held over nearly five acres of exhibition space, the combined events will provide a window on the world of tomorrow’s automotive aftermarket products. For more information and to register for this FREE event visit www.collisionrepair.com.au MTA will also be hosting a networking cocktail function at the event. This will be held on Thursday 11 April, from 4.30pm to 6.00pm, at the Sydney Exhibition Centre, Mezzanine Floor. It’d be great to see you there!
Bean hit by an expensive repair lately? You might think the bill for those repairs was expensive – have a look at what Mr Bean had to endure... In 2011, comedian and car enthusiast Rowan Atkinson (best known as Mr Bean) lost control of his McLaren F1 on a wet road in Haddon, England. The expensive supercar reportedly spun several times before sliding backwards into a sign post and tree. Thanks to the strength of the McLaren F1’s carbon fibre monocoque design, Atkinson wasn’t seriously injured in the crash. The F1, on the other hand, required extensive repairs that have only now been completed by McLaren at its Woking, England, headquarters. As Cars UK tells it, not only did the repairs take nearly two years, but the final bill reached the jaw-dropping amount of £910,000 (NZ $1.7 million). While we can’t imagine that Atkinson’s insurance company was happy about writing that cheque, it was far less expensive than finding a substitute McLaren F1. Though the V12, BMW engined, 460 kilowatt supercar cost a mere £640,000 (NZ $1.2 million) when new, prices for used McLaren F1s have risen dramatically in recent years. Replacing Atkinson’s car with another clean example would have cost the insurer as much as £5,000,000 (NZ $9.3M), making the repair seem like a bargain. While we’re all for supercars being driven as intended, instead of sitting in garages collecting dust as their value increases, the clear message here is this: perhaps cars like the McLaren F1 are best reserved for use on sunny days and dry roads. Based on article sourced MotorAuthority
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radiator March 2013
Profile
Ellis Collision Repairs Paraparaumu, Kapiti Your name: Michael Ellis
What attracted you to the industry? My father had his own panelshop and I started work with him after leaving school.
How long have you been in business? 30 years in industry
How many staff do you employ? Six staff. How long have you been a member of MTA? 4 years.
What do you see as the benefits of being an MTA member? Industry credibility when we are members of the best Automotive Professional Association.
What do you like about the collision repair industry? The satisfaction of producing the highest quality finished product that technology allows us to do.
If you could, what would you change in the industry? I would like to see changes in the criteria insurance companies have in selecting and grading secondhand parts. A formal grading process would be great.
What is the most unusual vehicle you have repaired? We have repaired a 1951 Silver Dawn Rolls Royce and have even painted a 5 metre high Tui sculpture for Kapiti Coast District Council.
What is your favourite holiday destination? According to my wife.. my favourite holiday destination is my workshop.
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radiator March 2013
Who do you most admire and why? My father because he instilled me with a strong work ethic and the drive to do the highest quality work at all times in teaching me both sides (panel and paint) of the trade.
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www.dupontrefinish.co.nz 34 •
radiator March 2013
The acquisition of DuPont Performance Coatings (DPC) by The Carlyle Group has been completed and the announcement of the new name – Axalta Coating Systems came on 4 February 2013. The Carlyle Group is a global asset manager with expertise in various industries including aerospace, industrial and transportation, and includes businesses such as Hertz Rental Car, Allision Transport and Dunkin’ Donuts in their portfolio. Axalta Coating Systems, an independent company will build on the foundation of more than 90 years in the coatings industry, and according to John McCool, president of Axalta Coating Systems “in addition to driving performance and excellence one of our greatest strengths is the systems-based approach,” While the name has changed, the people, products and technologies remain the same. Stan Wilmott, General Manager, DPC Australia has said that “we will continue to provide the products, technologies and service you expect. All brands available today will continue to be available“. Larry Fallowfield, General Manager of Resene Automotive & Light Industrial, DuPont Performance Coatings’ largest New Zealand’s Importer and largest DPR distributor in Australasia, is excited about the changes, saying “In New Zealand, it is business as usual with the existing product technologies. We have worked hard in the last two years with DPC to strengthen our relationship, and together with the strong partnership of a dedicated global coatings company, we can look forward to future developments that align with our strategy of continuous improvement.” DuPont end-users in New Zealand will not notice any changes as RALI continues to assist its customers in maximising productivity and longevity of their body shops.
Honda develops new factory painting process Honda has recently announced that it has developed a new factory painting process called the ‘Honda Smart Ecological Paint’ (Honda S.E. Paint) process. This new painting technology has effectively eliminated the middle coating process from the standard 4-coat/3-bake paint process; to create an industry first 3-coat/2-bake water-based painting process. Conventionally, eliminating the middle coating process would restrict the paint colours that can be used. However, Honda says it overcame this challenge by developing a highlyfunctional material for the colour base coat. This material makes it possible to use any exterior paint colour, which
Honda also claims is a first for the industry. The new painting technology will be introduced at Honda’s Yorii Plant, which will become operational in July 2013. In addition to the ‘Honda S.E. Paint’ process, Honda will also introduce a wall-mounted paint robot system with a built-in quick load/quick wash paint tank. This will lead to a significant improvement in painting efficiency, reducing the quantity of paint materials used, and a 40 percent reduction in CO2 emissions. Source: Honda
Collision Repair
I-CAR COURSES 2013 ADHESIVE BONDING (ADH01) - ½ day
STEEL FULL-FRAME TECHNOLOGIES AND REPAIR (SPS08) – ½ day
HYBRID ELECTRIC AND ALTERNATIVE FUEL VEHICLES (ALT02) - ½ day
BEST PRACTICES FOR HIGH-STRENGTH STEEL REPAIRS (SPS09) – ½ day
CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND SURVIVAL IN COLLISION REPAIR (CRA01) – ½ day
STEEL GMA (MIG) WELDING (WCS01) – 2 hours (run in conjunction with WCS04 for apprentices only
OVERVIEW OF CYCLE TIME IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE COLLISION REPAIR PROCESS (CYC01) - ½ day
SQUEEZE-TYPE RESISTANCE SPOT WELDING (WCS04) – ½ day
RESTRAINTS, INTERIOR, GLASS, SIDE AND REAR IMPACT ANALYSIS (DAM04) -½ day
HAZARDOUS, MATERIALS, PERSONNEL SAFETY AND REFINISH SAFETY (WKR01) – ½ day
ALUMINIUM PANELS AND STRUCTURES DAMAGE ANALYSIS (DAM05) - ½ day
COSTINGS PER COURSE:
STEERING AND SUSPENSION DAMAGE ANALYSIS (DAM06) - ½ day
Non CRA members ½ day courses - $361.10 (incl. GST) CRA members ½ day courses - $303.60 (incl. GST)
FUNDAMENTALS OF COLLISION REPAIR (FCR01) – ½ day MODEL SPECIFIC COURSES RESEARCHING TECHNICAL INFORMATION (RTI01) – ½ day STEEL UNITISED STRUCTURES TECHNOLOGIES AND REPAIR (SPS07) – ½ day
For dates, locations and to register for the above courses, please visit the I-Car NZ website (www.i-car.co.nz).
Register and pay by credit card on-line through the I-CAR NZ website (www.i-car.co.nz).
We’re proud to be with NPD NPD ensure we have the best technology the industry has to offer. Our site has been entirely re-branded and upgraded and we are proud to be part of the NPD Retail Network.
If you want to be part of this exciting, growing network contact Craig today: 0800 544 6162 | craig@npd.co.nz | www.npd.co.nz Bernard, Port Nelson Fuel & Rentals.
35 •
radiator March 2013
GAME CHANGING INVESTMENT
$10
RIGHT RIGHT
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MILLION WORTH OF
We are committed to getting you the right part at the right time by delivering to your workshop in one hour or less*, so you can spend more time on the job and less time looking for parts.
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36 •
radiator March 2013
37 •
radiator March 2013
MEMBER PROFILE : Stanners Motors Ltd
Murals recognise local pioneers By Jayne Murray, Communications and Marketing Coordinator
Picture one: Mural depicting the Ford Garage and Service Station Stanners Motors Eltham The murals depicting early Eltham scenes, were commissioned by the Eltham Community Development Group and were painted by Taranaki artist Ben Barrett. “The mural of our building (see picture one) is based on a photo we have hanging up in the workshop, that was taken around 1938,” says owner and manager Keith Stanners. “The front of the building is still basically unchanged from back then, although the petrol pumps on the roadside (State Highway 3) were removed by BP in 2000,” he adds The fire service mural (picture two) shows the old fire station located on the street behind the workshop, and some of the old fire fighting appliances. Keith explains the red fire engine is a 1938 Ford V8 that his grandfather (Ilay Stanners) sold to the local Fire Board for 780 pounds. When the V8 was later replaced, a local businessman bought it and after changing hands again, it eventually ended up back with the town’s fire brigade and was restored.
"There are six of us currently at Stanners Motors with a combined total of more than 170 years with the business" By coincidence, Stanners Motors had a serious fire in April 1954 that destroyed the back part of the workshop and building – and this very fire engine attended the callout. “The engine is still used as a display and promotion vehicle today, and we had it back in the workshop in February this year to remove the motor and replace the clutch. It’s good to see it’s still around,” says Keith.
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radiator March 2013
Scenes from the past have been popping up throughout the township of Eltham, as part of the town’s heritage mural series. Two of these murals in particular decorate the walls, and pay homage to one of MTA’s earliest members, Stanners Motors Ltd.
Picture two: Mural depicting the old Fire Station and fire engine that is still on display today Stanners Motors has been a family owned and operated business for over 90 years. It was established by Cecil Stanners (Keith’s grandfather’s brother) in 1919 to sell Ford vehicles. It moved to its current location on High Street in Eltham in 1921, and has remained in operation there ever since. Keith’s grandfather (Ilay) and his other brother (Bill) joined the business and continued as a Ford Dealer from 1936, when Cecil left. Ilay took over Bill’s share in the 1950’s after he had been joined
by his son (Keith’s father) Tom in 1948, and his brother Bob in 1951. Following Ilay’s death in 1973 Tom and Bob took over the business. Keith and his brother Neil then started working there in 1978 and 1981 respectively. Tom retired in 1995 and Bob followed suit in 1997, allowing Keith and Neil to take over management of the business. At the same time Stanners Motors changed from being a full Ford Dealer into a Parts and Service Dealer which it still is today – proudly continuing its long association with Ford.
left to right Keith Stanners, Gavin Johnson, Val Mekalick, Jarrod Boyes, Neil Stanners, and Maurice Selby
The most satisfying thing about being in a long-running family business for Keith is the people who he has been lucky enough to work with. “We have never had a high staff turnover. There are six of us currently at Stanners Motors with a combined total of more than 170 years with the business, headed by Service Manager Maurice Selby with over 45 years. Maintaining a close contact with a large loyal group of customers is also very satisfying. We have many third generation customers whose grandparents began dealing with my grandfather in the 1930’s and 1940’s. Eltham is a small rural town and this has meant the team at Stanners have worked
on a variety of items over the years. “We have seen everything from wheelbarrows to large trucks – including cars, tractors (we had a tractor serviceman on the road for many years), motorbikes and bicycles, boats, forklifts, motor mowers (and now ride on mowers), and compressors amongst others. But probably one of the most unusual jobs was attending to the hydraulics of the local dentist’s patient chair!” says Keith. Keith says that some of the biggest changes Stanners Motors has seen over the years include “increased service intervals for newer model cars, computerisation of vehicles and the business. There has also been an overall
increase in life, reliability and safety of vehicles and their engines, differentials, and transmissions”. “We have been through the ups and downs of the economy, and particularly the dairy industry, but I think the current recession has been the most difficult. Fortunately we have not had any change in staff numbers and it appears the future is looking promising,” Keith adds. We’re sure Stanners Motors will continue to service and supply the Eltham locals for many years to come, and if you’re ever travelling through Eltham take a moment to stop and have a look at the murals, and give Keith and the team a wave too.
1 solution for all your workplace rental and cleaning needs
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Freephone 0800 808 820 39 •
radiator March 2013
market overview
statistics
January
Tony Everett Dealer Services & Mediation Manager Ph: 04 381 8827
tony.everett@mta.org.nz or: 04 381 8833 rochelle.reddish@mta.org.nz
New commercial market best January in 31 years
New Passenger Registrations January YTD 2011
2012
2013
8,000 7,500 7,000 6,500 6,000 5,500
7385 new passenger registrations in January. Down 2 percent from January 2012. Up 21 percent from last month. 1908 commercial registrations in January 2013. This is up 61 percent from January 2012. Up 16 percent from December 2012
5,000 4,500 4,000 3,500 3,000
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Used vehicle market best month in over a year
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Used Import Passenger Registrations January YTD 2011
8,000
2012
2013
7,000 6,000 5,000
7397 used passenger imports in January, this is up 16 percent from January 2012. Also up 4 percent from last month. A positive start to 2013.
4,000 3,000 2,000 1,000 0
Jan
Feb
Mar
2012
2013
900 800 700
600 500 400 300
200 100 0
40 •
Jan
Feb
Mar
radiator March 2013
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Motorcycles LAMS lead the way
New Road Registered Motorcycles (>60cc, & <60cc) January YTD 2011
Apr
Dec
595 Motorcycle registrations for January. This is down from January 2012 (614) but is up from last month by 18 percent Over 60cc' market: 405 registrations, Also down from January last year (446) but up from December 2012 (371) Under 60cc' market: 190 registrations for January. This is up 13 percent from January 2012 and up 44 percent from December 2012. LAMS is helping lift sales, volume in the 251 – 400cc sector is up 162 percent, and up 72 percent in the 401 – 750cc sector, compared with 3 year average volumes.
statistics
brought to you by
If you require any extra information regarding Statistics please contact: Tony Everett: 04 381 8827 or Rochelle Reddish: 04 381 8833
Top 10 new passenger registrations by brand Mth
% Chg YTD
Toyota
1528
12%
Holden
908
14%
Hyundai
685
12%
Mazda
533
6%
Ford
519
27%
Suzuki
440
23%
Nissan
346
9%
Honda
331
115%
Volkswagen
301
24%
Mitsubishi
228
20%
In a change from the latter months of 2012 not all brands are up YTD. It is an even split with five up YTD and five down YTD. Toyota holds onto top spot with 1528 units, Holden second with 908 and Hyundai slips into the top three (685). Luxury brands seem to be doing well amonst the top 20: Audi (up 41 percent), Mercedes-Benz (up 93 percent) and Skoda (up 40 percent). Honda has also had a stand out start to the year up 115 percent.
Top 10 used import registrations by model Mth
Demio starts the year on top with 354 units after a bit of a shuffle in the top five. Axela second with 342 and Swift rounds out the top three with 337. Other models that had a good month include: Tiida up 128 percent, Honda Fit up 98 percent, Wish up 230 percent
% Chg YTD
Demio
354
21%
Axela
342
128%
Swift
337
10%
Corolla
327
15%
Tiida
317
98%
Legacy
236
41%
Vitz
218
230%
Fit
198
56%
Atenza
186
19%
Wish
165
36%
Top 10 motorcycle registrations by brand Mth
41 â&#x20AC;˘
% Chg YTD
Suzuki
110
24%
Honda
72
15%
Harley Davidson
56
17%
Triumph
32
33%
Yamaha
31
6%
Kawasaki
30
3%
Hyosung
23
77%
Piaggio
22
NC
KTM
21
75%
BMW
20
122%
radiator March 2013
Suzuki is again first with 110 units, Honda second with 72 and Harley Davidson third with 56. Other brands starting the year well include: Hyosung up 77 percent, KTM up 75 percent BMW up 122 percent and SYM up 114 percent
Top three new models by segment Light
Swift
Yaris
254
224
Fiesta 103
Small
Corolla
Cruze
Mazda3
658
367
215
Medium
Camry
Mondeo
Mazda6
192
80
64
Commodore
Falcon
Aurion
246
143
42
Journey
Carnival
Vito
55
4
4
Sport
Toyota86
Veloster
Golf
25
16
10
SUV
Santa Fe
Rav4
CX-5
228
191
151
Van
Hiace
L300
Transit
128
63
49
Pickup
Hilux
Ranger
Navara
252
217
220
Heavy Comâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;l
Isuzu
Mitsi Fuso
Hino
40
26
20
Large/upper
MPV
Whangarei 445 11% Napier 567 25% Blenheim 182 8% Invercargill 430 17%
Auckland 4975 17% New Plym 440 6% Greymouth 96 9% National 15773 15%
Hamilton 1285 7% Wanganui 153 2% Westport 27 13%
SUV is the highest selling section with 2501 units in January, followed by small (2060) and light commercial coming in third with 1671 units sold. The top individual model for the month was Corolla (658). Second place Cruze (367). The top three is rounded out with Swift coming in third with 254. Other models that had a great year were; Hyundai Santa Fe (up 105 percent) and Nissan X-Trail (up 211 percent).
Thames 199 36% Palm North 743 10% Christchurch 2166 18%
Tauranga Rotorua 778 16% 247 19% Masterton Wellington 9% 142 9% 1373 Timaru Oamaru 261 23% 76 46%
Gisborne 172 27% Nelson 332 31% Dunedin 684 9%
Change of Owner - Analysis Public to Public
Trader to Public
500000 450000 400000 350000 300000 250000
200000
Change of ownership is up this month compared to January 2012 for both Cars and Motorcycles.
150000 100000
Whangarei 11 22% Napier 12 50% Blenheim 5 17% Invercargill 3 67% 42 â&#x20AC;˘
Auckland 146 17% New Plym 15 15% Greymouth 1 67% National 462 4%
radiator March 2013
Hamilton 37 NC Wanganui 5 29% Westport 2 NC
Thames 8 300% Palm North 27 NC Christchurch 55 17%
Tauranga 26 7% Masterton 10 67% Timaru 11 NC
Rotorua 7 36% Wellington 54 6% Oamaru 4 NC
201 2
201 1
201 0
200 9
200 8
200 7
200 6
200 5
200 4
200 3
200 2
200 1
0
200 0
50000
Gisborne 2 NC Nelson 8 33% Dunedin 13 52%
statistics
brought to you by
If you require any extra information regarding Statistics please contact: Tony Everett: 04 381 8827 or Rochelle Reddish: 04 381 8833
Whangarei 121 Auckland 3937 Hamilton 429 Thames 53 Tauranga 243 Rotorua 61 Gisborne 26 Napier 178 New Plymouth 136 Wanganui 39 Palmerston North 263 Masterton 40 Wellington 628 Nelson 94 Blenheim 49 Greymouth 7 Westport 4 Christchurch 734 Timaru 66 Oamaru 12 Dunedin 162 Invercargill 103
5% 3% 4% 39% 4% 5% 8% 30% 14% 51% 38% 9% 4% 21% 4% 65% NC 9% 53% 20% 21% 12%
Whangarei 122 Auckland 3664 Hamilton 443 Thames 47 Tauranga 305 Rotorua 60 Gisborne 43 Napier 145 New Plymouth 117 Wanganui 56 Palmerston North 151 Masterton 33 Wellington 660 Nelson 98 Blenheim 41 Greymouth 24 Westport 7 Christchurch 1008 Timaru 78 Oamaru 20 Dunedin 192 Invercargill 83
2% 20% 9% 34% 29% 11% 65% 4% 9% 40% 1% 6% 3% 7% 41% 8% 17% 22% 53% 82% 4% 28%
Whangarei 8 Auckland 213 Hamilton 38 Thames 6 Tauranga 33 Rotorua 4 Gisborne 2 Napier 16 New Plymouth 19 Wanganui 8 Palmerston North 32 Masterton 8 Wellington 59 Nelson 12 Blenheim 4 Greymouth 5 Westport 0 Christchurch 91 Timaru 6 Oamaru 0 Dunedin 18 Invercargill 13
Deloitte Motor Industry Services Providing specialist training that drives dealership profitability
Courses start March 18th 2013 https://www.eprofitfocus.com 43 â&#x20AC;˘
radiator March 2013
60% 23% 31% 40% 18% NC 67% 20% 41% NC 3% 167% 38% 25% 33% 17% 100% 12% 14% 100% 10% 24%
SPOTLIGHT ON: ALLIED PETROLEUM LTD Date first established 1993, so celebrating twenty years later this year.
Key brands and services provided We provide value in a number of ways. Firstly we are a distributor of bulk fuel to commercial businesses in a variety of markets throughout New Zealand including the agricultural, transport, commercial, marine and infrastructure sectors. We own and operate a network of unmanned fuel stops, and are lucky to be partnered with many independent service station Dealers. We offer our own commercial fuel card, trade in Biodiesel, distribute quality lubricants, and are a supplier of AdBlue. Finally we also entrusted to cart other business’ fuel on fixed term contracts.
Locations We are part of the HW Richardson Group, a large and diversified Invercargill based family business. Allied Petroleum’s main offices are in Christchurch, and we have two North Island regional offices. Our business activities are however nationwide with staff located throughout New Zealand.
What makes you different to your competition? How do you stand out from the rest? We care about our customer’s productivity, consequently delivering fuel when and where it's needed is something we are serious about - this requires a very strong service and safety culture. We own and maintain a large modern fleet. Importantly these trucks are operated by our own experienced driving team; a collection of great individuals with valuable local knowledge.
Alastair Tennent, General Manager
What are your values and how do you work to achieve them? We’re mindful of supporting the provincial communities who provide vital custom to our Dealers. As a result our sponsorship activities are typically ‘local’. This month for example we’re assisting our customer, Laskey’s Auto Centre, with an annual event that they organise (along with the Pahiatua Lions Club) called The Bush Cycle Tour. Ensuring our activities remain safe and environmentally responsible is very important to us. We are dedicated to keeping both our staff, and customers safe. Examples of road safety include our continued investment in driver training (for our employees) and our sponsorship of Pro Active Drive (free advanced driver training for secondary school students). We tend to believe people still like to deal face to face, so be warned our Territory Managers are more likely to visit than email!
What is the biggest change you have seen in your industry? The growth of the local Distributor. Naturally these businesses aren’t focused on global markets, so have a greater desire to make investments here (like the supply of modern fuel storage equipment). Nor do they need a large degree of internal process, so customer dealings can be more responsive and need not be complicated. As a result Allied Petroleum has moved from regional player to national supply partner.
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radiator March 2013
What are your goals and aspirations for the year ahead? We are very proud of our growing fuel stop network, and partnerships with service station businesses. We’ll continue to invest in new and existing locations with forecourt tanks and equipment, branding, and fuel card technology.
To profile your company in this feature, please contact Cathy La Ville on 09 413 8577 or 022 531 1638
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need atte defects These
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2006 March . 201L MTA. RDER REF FROM 837. RE-O ILABLE RD AVA 0508 801 E FAX CLIPBOA E USE A 682, FRE SURFAC 0508 682 A FIRM E PHONE LY. FOR MTA, FRE SS FIRM M: PRE R FRO Y AND RE-ORDE TOM COP THE BOT ER REMEMB
INDUSTRY TRAINING
StartUp® a student’s career in your workplace! As a 17 year old student Rayne Hungahunga initially explored career options in cooking, art and hairdressing. None seemed right, but when she tried MITO’s StartUp® programme something just clicked. Rayne enrolled in StartUp® through Havelock North High School’s Gateway programme and completed motor industry unit standards (Level 1). She also attended short courses at the Eastern Institute of Technology and worked once a week at Millward Motors, a Havelock North BP service station that also operates a three-bay workshop. Rayne says she was inspired to pursue a career in the motor industry by a friend’s mother who was a qualified auto technician. And there’s also the fact that a Shelby Mustang was waiting in the workshop for Rayne on her very first day! “It was the perfect beginning – the moment I saw that car I knew I really wanted to do this,” she laughs. What’s more, she was soon tasked with working on the dream machine, although the dangers of spilling brake fluid on the expensive paint job were made abundantly clear! Millward Motor’s workshop supervisor Dean Winton believes Rayne has a natural talent for the industry. “She’s really, really good – I can set her work and she’ll just go off and do it. She asks plenty of questions and takes the answers on board, and has shown her abilities in a number of complex tasks. She’s also fitted in very well with our team.” “We provide work experience opportunities every year; it’s a great way for young people to get a taste of the workplace and some practical hands-on work,” says Dean. “We have been delighted to see many young people launch successful careers.” Rayne now has a National Certificate in Motor Industry (Foundation Skills), and is keen to establish a career in the industry and complete a MITO apprenticeship. She says she owes it all to StartUp®.
StartUp® student Rayne Hungahunga and Dean Winton from Millward Motors, Havelock North.
Training Calendar - New Zealand
Freephone MITO on 0800 88 21 21 to StartUp® a student’s career in your workplace.
Bosch Training Courses 2013
New Zealand
State
Course Name
Duration
Date
Course Fees (NZD Incl. GST) Bosch Service Non- Member Member
Location
Technical Presentation - Common Rail Diesel Systems
3 hours
27th May
$145.00
$145.00
Christchurch, NZ
Electronic & Electrical Fundamentals (AE-1)
2 days
28th & 29th May
$630.00
$695.00
Christchurch, NZ
Gasoline Direct Injection (EM-3)
1 day
30th May
$340.00
$400.00
Christchurch, NZ
Ignition Systems Diagnosis (EM-1)
1 day
31st May
$340.00
$400.00
Christchurch, NZ
Technical Presentation - Common Rail Diesel Systems
3 hours
17th June
$145.00
$145.00
Auckland, NZ
Electronic & Electrical Fundamentals (AE-1)
2 days
18th & 19th June
$630.00
$695.00
Auckland, NZ
Gasoline Direct Injection (EM-3)
1 day
20th June
$340.00
$400.00
Auckland, NZ
Ignition Systems Diagnosis (EM-1)
1 day
21st June
$340.00
$400.00
Auckland, NZ
Technical Presentation - Hybrid & Electric Vehicles
3 hours
18th November
$145.00
$145.00
Auckland, NZ
Electronic Sensor & Actuator Diagnosis (AE-4)
2 days
19th & 20th November
$630.00
$695.00
Auckland, NZ
Vehicle Dynamics Control (BS-2)
2 days
21st & 22nd November
$630.00
$695.00
Auckland, NZ
E-mail: automotive.training@au.bosch.com Fax: +61 (3) 9543 4293 Mail: Attn - Laura Oswald, Locked Bag 66, Clayton South, Victoria 3169
47 •
radiator March 2013
INDUSTRY TRAINING
MTA Training Calendar March - June 2013 To register, go to: www.mta.org.nz/jobs-and-training March February
1 1 1 2 Saturday 2 Saturday 2 3 Sunday 3 Sunday 3 4 Hawera 4 Central Auckland 4 5 Palmerston Central Auckland Nth5 5 6 Palmerston Nth6 6 7 Waitangi Day 7 Lower Hutt 7 8 Lower Hutt 8 8 9 Saturday 9 9 Saturday 10 10 Sunday 10 Sunday 11 11 Gisborne 11 Hamilton 12 Whakatane 12 12 Huntly 13 13 Rotorua 13 Te 14 14Awamutu Tauranga 14 Te 15 15Kuiti Tauranga 15 16 Saturday 16 16 Saturday 17 17 Sunday 17 Sunday 18 18 Balclutha 18 Invercargill 19 19 Gore 19 Dunedin 20 20 Te Anau 20 Timaru 21 21 Cromwell 21 Christchurch 22 22 Cromwell 22 Christchurch 23 23 Saturday 23 Saturday 24 24 Sunday 24 Sunday 25 25 25 North Shore 26 26 Auckland South North Shore 26 27 South Auckland 27 27 28 28 28 29 29 Good Friday 30 30 Saturday 31 31 Sunday Update course
MarchApril 1 Easter Monday 1 2 Saturday 2 3 Sunday 3 4 4 Waiouru 5 Palmerston North 5 6 Saturday Palmerston North 6 7 7 Sunday Lower Hutt 8 8 Warkworth Lower Hutt Saturday 9 9 Dargaville Sunday 10 10 Kaitaia Gisborne 11 Whangarei 11 Whakatane 12 Whangarei 12 13 Rotorua 13 Saturday 14 Tauranga 14 Sunday Tauranga 15 Paraparaumu 15 Saturday 16 Wanganui 16 Sunday 17 South Auckland 18 Balclutha 17 Hawera Gore 18 New Plymouth19 Te19 Anau New Plymouth20 21 Cromwell 20 Saturday 22 Cromwell 21 Sunday Saturday 23 22 Paeroa Sunday 24 23 Hamilton 25 24 Hamilton 26 North 25 Shore ANZAC Day 27 North 26 Shore 28 27 Saturday 29 28 Sunday Good Friday 30 29 Oamaru Saturday 30 Rangiora Sunday
June April May May June 1 Ashburton 1 Saturday 1 Saturday Easter Monday 1 Ashburton 2 Ashburton 2 Ashburton 2 Sunday 2 Sunday 3 3 Queens Birthday 3 3 Queens Birthday 4 Saturday 4 4 Saturday 4 5 Sunday 5 Sunday5 5 6 Blenheim 6 Blenheim West Auckland Saturday West Auckland 6 6 Sunday 7 Kaikoura West Auckland 7 Kaikoura West Auckland 8 7 8 Nelson Warkworth Nelson7 9 Dargaville Nelson8 Saturday 8 Saturday 9 Nelson 10 9 Sunday Kaitaia 10 9 Sunday Whangarei 11 Saturday 11 Saturday 10 Corporate 10 12 Sunday11 Te Aroha 11 Te Aroha Whangarei 12 Sunday Saturday 13 13 12 Tokoroa 12 Tokoroa Sunday Central13Auckland 14 Central Auckland Rotorua 13 Rotorua 14 Paraparaumu 15 Christchurch Central14Auckland Rotorua 14 Rotorua Wanganui 16 Christchurch15 Christchurch 15 Saturday 15 Saturday 16 Christchurch Hawera 17 16 Sunday 16 Sunday New 18 Plymouth Saturday 17 17 Invercargill17 Invercargill 18 Saturday New 19 Plymouth Sunday 18 Invercargill18 Invercargill Saturday 19 Sunday19 Gore 19 Gore 20 Wairoa Sunday 21 Waipukurau20 Wairoa20 Dunedin 20 Dunedin Paeroa 22 Hastings 21 Waipukurau 21 Dunedin 21 Dunedin 22 Hamilton Hastings 23 Hastings 22 Saturday 22 Saturday 23 Hastings Hamilton 24 23 Sunday 23 Sunday Day 24 24 25ANZAC Saturday 24 25 Saturday 25 26 Sunday 25 Saturday 26 Sunday 26 27 Central Auckland 26 Sunday 27 27 28 Tauranga 27 28 Tauranga 28 Oamaru 29 Tauranga 28 29 Tauranga 29 Saturday Rangiora 30 Opotiki 29 Saturday 30 Opotiki 30 Sunday 31 30 Sunday 31
Inspectors course
Practical course
Managing the PRS
Places are available for WoF training now! Keep your inspectors up to date with the latest on the eVIRM including updates, interpretations and technical bulletins. WoF courses on this calendar are the only MTA courses that are recognised by NZTA. Now when you receive your Inspectors course confirmation, you will receive a 10 question pre-course test paper worth 20 percent of your overall grade. You must complete the test paper and email it through to the facilitator, malcolm.whinham@ mta.org.nz for marking prior to the course, then bring it along with you on the day for discussion. The overall pass mark of the course remains at 75 percent, so failure to complete the pre-course test will make it very hard to pass! If you have a laptop or a tablet available, bring it along to work on the eVIRM. Such devices are highly recommended to get the maximum value from the course, but are not compulsory at this stage. If you have any questions, contact Kylie Robinson on 04 381 8836 or email kylie.robinson@mta.org.nz.
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WoF woes
Getting the lights right
Malcolm Whiham MTA Training Facilitator
Running Warrant of Fitness (WoF) inspection training courses around the country, I get to meet a lot of guys who check dozens of cars a week. Though New Zealand’s summer days are the longest and brightest of the year, repairers have recently been asking a lot of good questions about the various lights found on an automobile. One of the most common areas of non-compliance ignored during the WoF inspection process is the lighting equipment, and in particular the headlamps, which we will get to shortly. However, first we’ll look at some of the other lighting we see on commonlytested vehicles. First, the brake and tail lamp assemblies. The Rule requires that these lamps must display light “that is substantially red” and yet we all regularly see vehicles on the road with plain white, or at least a delicate shade of pink. For some reason, Authorised vehicle Inspectors (AVIs) do not hesitate to reject lamps that have holes in them which shows a clear light to the rear. However, when that clear light is caused by a faded lens, there seems to be a great reluctance to apply the reason for rejection (RFR) which, as already stated, says “does not display light that is substantially red”. Lighting equipment at the front of the vehicle should cause fewer hassles, but that is not the case. All of us who drive at night are aware of the significant number of vehicles on the road with headlamps which appear to be out of focus, or needing adjustment, or giving off enormous amounts of glare.
How a lamp should be performing when set up properly LIGHT SOURCES → Basic Lighting Terms
tech Here is a summary of the most important basic terms in lighting technology and the respec A If measure for the evaluation of the properties of bulbs and lights: refle
th occa
Light output ŋ Unit: Lumen per Watt [lm/W] Light output h specifies the rate of efficie consumed electrical power is transforme
A Reflector area used, seen from the front
Colour temperature K Unit: Kelvin [K] Kelvin is the unit for colour temperature. temperature of a light source, the greater colour spectrum and the smaller the red warm white light has a colour temperatu contrast, a gas discharge lamp (D2S) with of 4,250 K produces cold white light whic the colour of daylight (approx. 5,600 K).
Unit: Lumen [lm] Luminous flux F is the term used to describe the complete light output radiated from a light source.
Luminous intensity I Unit: Candela [cd] Part of the luminous flux which radiates in a certain direction.
Illuminance E Unit: Lux [lx] Illuminance E specifies the ratio of the impinging luminous flux to the illuminated surface. Illuminance is 1 lx when a luminous flux of 1 lm impinges an area of 1 m2.
With high intensity discharge (HID) lamps as standard equipment on many vehicles, and manufacturers’ dip rates of around one percent, this adjustment is critical – the old “she’ll be right” attitude simply isn’t good enough. A bit of revision of beam setter operation can go a long way to addressing this issue.
Modern polycarbonate headlamps have a film three microns thick applied at the time of production, to protect the lens from damage by ultra violet rays. This protective film deteriorates slowly over time. However, cutting compounds and other abrasives very quickly remove the protection, leaving the lens very vulnerable to UV damage. We have all seen these lenses – they’re the ones that have become cloudy or even developed a type of shallow fracturing or “crazy paving” cracks. The effect of this damage is quite straightforward, but the remedy is often expensive. When clouding occurs, the output of the lamp is reduced and prevents correct focus of the beam; however, when further damage occurs and “crazy paving” cracks appear, then the light emitted from the bulb is scattered. While the clouding can be polished out using a fine abrasive similar to that which caused the damage in the first place, the “crazy paving” cannot be as easily repaired. If this type of damage has reached a depth of five microns or more, then the lamp cannot be repaired and should be replaced! The WoF RFR states conditions for failure to include: “the light beam produces an incorrect beam pattern, is not focused or is reduced or altered”. Both oxidisation and fracturing cause reduction to output and affect the focus of pattern and should result in a failure!
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B IfTh A ra th do
Luminous Φ A Reflector area used, seenfluxfrom the front
This is commonly caused by one of two problems (and sometimes both). Firstly, there is the out-of-adjustment scenario often caused by AVIs who either can’t or don’t use the beam setter correctly.
The second problem isn’t so easy to address, as it comes from the deterioration of the lamp itself.
Para The tech refle Para occa The
B Th C Op ra th do di fo C Op pr th Light sources to Light sources are radiators of temperatur di through heat energy. This means the mo th fo source is heated up, the higher its lumino
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The low efficiency (8 % light radiation) on low light output in comparison with gas d light radiation). Recently, LEDs have start source in front headlights. You can find m information starting on page 41.
B Reflection of the light onto the road, seen from the side Luminance L Unit: Candela per square metre [cd/m2] Luminance L is the impression of brightness the eye has from a luminous or illuminated surface.
D Th op
B Reflection of the light onto the road, seen from the side Focal point
Focal point Light is Technology Light Sources
C Light deflection through prisms and light scatter through cylindrical patterns in the lens (seen from above). Useful light approx. 27 %. 1 Reflector, 2 Light source, 3 Bulb shield, 4 Lens through C Light deflection through prisms and light scatter cylindrical patterns in the lens (seen from above). Useful light approx.Diagrams 27 %. courtesy of Hella New Zealand 1 Reflector, 2 Light source, 3 Bulb shield, 4 Lens
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TRAINING PROFILE - Russell Finlay Thirty-five years ago, Russell Finlay attended a block course as an apprentice at Southern Institute of Technology’s Automotive Department. Now, he runs it – leading a highly experienced department that offers innovative, practical training attracting more students than they can accommodate. The Institute is generally known by its acronym, SIT, and for its ‘Zero Fees’ scheme. The automotive department has been training people in motor trade skills for over 40 years, with most of its 12 fulltime staff and other contract part-time markers coming from senior roles in the local motor industry. In the last two years, the department has undergone a major upgrade – remodelling its premises, and buying new equipment such as a suspension and brake test lane, new hoists, test equipment and a purpose built Dyno Cell incorporating a Mainline 1200 AWD dyno, tractor dyno and engine dynos. “We have plenty of volunteers ready to make some noise in the Dyno Cell so the sound deadening, exhaust extraction and air movement systems are well utilised. Our remodelled trades facility has been
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designed with viewing windows along a central corridor, this allows visitors to see our students in action,” Russell says. This year SIT will offer four full-time, yearlong courses, with two designed for heavy industry. It will run 16 MITO apprentice block courses, covering both heavy and light industry, as well as night classes. SIT also offers courses for secondary school students, which the department is finding increases interest in the full-time courses.
standard we always have,” Russell says. “Our students are required to have at least one day of industry work experience per week -- a really important part of each course, providing a taste of commercial reality and often leading to apprenticeships.” The staff also get heavily involved in local initiatives like the Apprentice Challenge, Fastest Spanner and Grass Karts competitions, he says.
The department has always had a strong relationship with local industry and the MTA branch, and is careful to maintain a focus on serving industry needs.
SIT also offers something very different, in terms of course fees: while other learners come out of study with large student debt, the Invercargill-based institution charges zero fees – to great success.
“We provide industry with some great apprentices. In return they help us keep up to date with trends, provide work experience for our full-time students and help to ensure we maintain the same high
“Most of our full time students do not pay any tuition fees. Also, 65 annual Trade Scholarships worth $1000 each have been introduced by the Invercargill Licensing Trust and ILT Foundation for successful
local graduates of SIT courses. This saving, along with the work we do with schools, local industry support, and our great staff and facilities, helps attract high calibre students to our courses.” Added to this, recent demand from the heavy industry has allowed SIT to introduce an extra heavy automotive course for 2013 – but, even so, the faculty still has more hopeful applicants than they have places. “Attracting good students at the start is critical but it is not enough to be clever. They also need the desire for a successful career in this industry. I believe that this is one of the keys to success.”
“Most of our full time students do not pay any tuition fees".
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diagnostic solutions Herbert Leijen - AECS
Munted Mondeo
This article is a true description of an AECS technical help desk problem and how it was solved.
Vehicle: 2008 Ford Mondeo 2.0L common rail Diesel turbo. Problem presented to the Helpdesk This vehicle came into our workshop for a standard timing belt replacement around 4 weeks ago. The car has not started since the timing belt replacement. There are no fault codes in any of the ECU’s in the vehicle. We scoped several signals with our own scope (not an ATS scope) and can only see that the piezo injector pattern looks different on this car than on an identical car which goes fine. We have redone the cam belt timing maybe 10 times and 3 different senior technicians from our shop have performed the procedure from scratch. We have replaced the crank and cam sensors, in case we damaged them. We have even tried a second hand ECU, but that stopped the vehicle from being wound over with the starter motor as that ECU was not programmed into the vehicle. When the car is winding over there is no smoke or Diesel smell coming from the exhaust. When spraying ether (quick start) into the intake, the engine fires, sounds normal but dies when you stop spraying the ether. “Can you or one of the ATS scope owners throughout the country please assist?”
Where do you start? So where do you start in a case like this. The people in the workshop where the belt was done are highly skilled technicians, all with a high level of experience and training. Looking from a distance, the only thing missing to diagnose this car, is a proper recording scope like the ATS scope. They even indicated that themselves. Let’s see how expensive the lack of a scope and the making of a simple mistake can get! As in almost all common rail diagnostic cases you start with rail pressure vs injection. That measurement would also take care of the ‘funny’ pattern the technician recorded himself. The ATS scope recording looked all normal! After about 2/3rd of a second the rail pressure is high enough to allow injection. Please note that injection does not take place when the rail pressure is not high enough. Zooming in on the injector pattern at first glance did not reveal anything odd. The injectors are Piezo injectors.
ATS scope recording Injection vs rail pressure.
Timing? So according to the injection and rail pressure the engine should run! Maybe incorrect timing? The timing belt was done after all. A recording of the rail pressure, injection and crank shaft sensor was made. The crank shaft sensor signal was transformed in an analogue RPM signal, showing the crankshaft speed fluctuations as a result of compression/ decompression. From the recording above it is clearly visible that the injector fires at around TDC (slowest crank speed), which is normal for a common rail low compression engine while turning slow. So according to this recording the timing was correct, or was it?
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ATS 5004 3 channel recording with added RPM trace for TDC detection.
Maybe the timing was only off by 10 or 20 degrees? The fact that no diesel smoke or smell came from the exhaust should have alerted us to the fact that the timing was not off by a small amount, but at this stage it just disturbed us. To be sure about the timing we compared the bad car with an identical working car. This showed clearly that the injector fired at approximately the same spot on the crank shaft as the non-starting car. We were sure now that the timing was very close to correct to at least make a sound and smoke. We also compared the current of the Piezo injectors of both cars. They were identical.
Crook injectors? The technician followed the high pressure system bleed procedure several times to make sure that there was no air in the injector. Always with the same result; no go. Everything looked fine, no fuel smell came from the exhaust and measuring with an petrol emission tester showed only a tiny 180 PPM HC (Fuel? Oil? Ether fumes?). We came to the conclusion that the Piezo injectors were faulty. There is worldwide a real problem with some Piezo injectors stopping injection as soon as they have been exposed to air for even a very short period of time. The Mondeo’s injectors had not been exposed to air but who knows? The injectors were tested and found to be pumping the correct amount of fuel!
ATS recording zoomed in fortiming check, non-start car.
Reverse control All sensors were good, injection took place at the correct time, the engine had compression, the cam timing was checked 10 times at least, yet still no go. We checked the fuel quality by draining the filter, even though the diesel smelt differently it burned in a cup just as well as known diesel from the workshop. We asked the technician to reverse the wiring of the injectors, number 1 to 4 and 2 to 3, etc. The engine started and ran fine!!
ATS recording for timing check, good car.
What the….? There is no way that the ECU could suddenly become 360O confused. I cannot think of any scenario that would make that happen except magic. Yet the workshop prepared for fitting a brand new ECU and to have the old ECU reflashed by an aftermarket software file…… In my view that would have led to nothing but I had no other solution at that moment either. We demagnetised the cam gear in the microwave as that was partially magnetic, which can affect the Hall effect sensor signal, but all had no result.
Back to the start Back to the beginning. The cam belt had been replaced, we had to measure the relation between the cam and crank. We had to ignore the statement that the cam timing on these engines is real easy and CANNOT go wrong! A dowel in the cam, a dowel in the crank and put the new belt on. It’s really easy. Is it possible that +/- 10 times checking by three different techs could still make this go wrong? Yes, it is!
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Cam crank relation recording on non-starting vehicle
In the above pattern the injection pattern is visible, yet the engine does not start. Please note the phase offset between the cam and crank.
diagnostic solutions continued from page 53
The next pattern is recorded is on the running identical vehicle. Please note the phase offset between the cam and crank and compare with the not going vehicle. The phase difference is a bit more than 3 teeth on the tone wheel. On the circumference of the tone wheel are 58 teeth and 2 missing teeth. This makes that from teeth to teeth the crank shaft has rotated 6 degrees. In crank angle degrees 3 teeth is 18 degrees. That is equal to one having the timing belt on the crank shaft sprocket 1 tooth out.
Bingo The timing belt was redone and the car started perfectly (after connecting the injectors correctly back up again).
ATS scope recording cam and crank on going vehicle.
Conclusion
a reprogrammed ECU added, all to no avail.
This job ended up being very expensive as a result of the same mistake made by three technicians. I have not read the workshop manual, but the manual which was used clearly leaves room for error. As a diagnostician I made the clear and common error that I took the information from the technician as true (timing cannot go wrong). I have learnt that lesson many times yet sometimes get caught out. Without the 4 channel ATS 5004d scope this job would not have been resolved. The bill would have been higher with a new ECU and
To leave the injector connectors on the wrong injectors was also not an option as each injector is programmed to each cylinder, or connectorâ&#x20AC;Ś.? Also the misfire detection and quantity correction in the ECU would not have worked anymore. Also whatever caused the phase to shift the crankshaft 360 degrees could have corrected itself, you cannot leave these things half fixed, certainly not on a DPF equipped vehicle. The 180 PPM HC on the emission tester was non atomised Diesel. The injectors were only spraying in the exhaust stroke (no compression, no heat).
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Autowatch – providing security to resellers
With almost 4,000 recorded vehicle thefts occurring in Auckland alone last year*, vehicle security remains an important consideration for private car owners as well as company fleet managers and tradesmen. A properly installed security system offers more protection than a standard factory immobiliser which most new cars come fitted with today. Nitesh Kishor of Autowatch NZ Ltd explains – “A professionally installed vehicle security system will ensure a vehicle is protected both inside and out. By combining a quality alarm module with the right glass and cabin sensors, you can ensure your vehicle and any goods it carries will be there when you return. It’s the best form of insurance there is.” Manufactured in South Africa and distributed in over 30 countries, the MTA approved Autowatch brand is a world leader in advanced vehicle security. Its range of innovative products consistently leads the ranks in independent testing and reviews, including the internationally recognised Thatcham testing standard of the United Kingdom.
Looking for a new revenue line? Here in New Zealand, Autowatch are expanding and looking for partners who are interested in becoming product resellers. Thanks to the success of the brand and the quality of the product, Autowatch alarms successfully hold a high value position with a generous profit margin. Adding a new revenue line to your business has never been easier with simple Gold, Silver and Bronze alarm packages to sell and no upfront cost involved. Installation is taken care of by a mobile Autowatch technician and all customer queries are handled through a 0800 customer care line, open 24/7. Autowatch are so confident in their product that all alarms carry a unique 3-year anti-theft warranty** - promising the customer $1500 towards their insurance excess and use of a rental car if their vehicle is stolen due to failure of the alarm. With that kind of security offering, peace of mind for vehicle owners is only ever a phone call away. If you are interested in becoming an Autowatch reseller, call Kishor on 0800 862 862, email sales@autowatch.co.nz or visit www.autowatch.co.nz *Source: NZ Police statistics (3,979 thefts year ending 30 June 2012) ** Visit www.autowatch.co.nz for full warranty terms and conditions
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ALL PUMPED UP
service station news by Liezel Jahnke
Brought to you by
MTA Environmental and Fuel Services Manager
HSNO site plans a common shortcoming Service stations store and dispense significant quantities of hazardous substances, in particular flammable substances such as petrol and liquefied petroleum gas. It is imperative therefore that these are stored and handled in compliance with the legal requirements. The purpose of the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act is to protect the environment and the health and safety of people and communities by preventing or managing the adverse effects of hazardous substances. The Act is administered by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and compliance enforced by the Labour Group of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (previously the Department of Labour). For service stations, location test certificates are very important. These verify that site features such as hazardous atmosphere zones, distances to neighbouring activities, signage, and emergency response plans are being correctly managed, and that an approved handler has been appointed and is available. Site plans are an important mechanism used as part of the location test certification process, yet they are a common point of non-compliance. Site plans are often found to be out-of-date or incorrect; discrepancies often result from changes that have been made on the site since the last plan was drawn.
What the site plan must show: • the location of all hazardous substances in relation to the site boundary • any controlled zones associated with hazardous substances – these zones are established to protect people and places against the risks associated with hazardous substances • any hazardous atmosphere zones where an explosive or flammable atmosphere associated with hazardous substances may be present and must be controlled.
It is also advisable to include the following useful items in your site plan: • all buildings located within the site boundary • openings into buildings within the site boundary • the scale to which the plan has been drawn • the date the plan was drawn • site identification information including the address.
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Growing impact of unconventional energy highlighted by BP Energy Outlook 2030 Strong growth in production from unconventional sources of gas and oil will have a major impact on global energy markets to 2030, according to BP’s latest Energy Outlook 2030. The outlook said that the impact of unconventional production would redefine expectations for major economies and rebalance global trade flows. The latest report is the third annual edition of the Outlook, which sets out BP’s view of the most likely developments in global energy markets to 2030, based on up-to-date analysis and taking into account developments of the past year. This year’s edition examines more closely the revolution in shale gas and tight oil, including its global prospects. The Outlook’s overall expectation for growth in global energy demand to 2030 is little changed from last year, with demand expected to be 36 percent higher in 2030 than 2011 and almost all the growth coming from emerging economies. However, expectations for the pattern of supply are shifting strongly, with unconventional sources – shale gas and tight oil, together with heavy oil and biofuels – playing an increasingly important role. Production from these unconventional sources is expected to provide all of the net growth in global oil supply to 2020, and over 70 percent of growth to 2030. By 2030, BP said, increasing production and moderating demand will result in the US being 99 percent self-sufficient in net energy, compared to 70 percent self-sufficiency in 2005. Meanwhile continuing steep economic growth will see major
emerging economies such as China and India becoming increasingly reliant on energy imports. “The Outlook shows the degree to which once-accepted wisdom has been turned on its head. Fears over oil running out – to which BP has never subscribed – appear increasingly groundless. The US will not be increasingly dependent on energy imports, with energy set to reinvigorate its economy,” said BP Group Chief Executive, Bob Dudley. “And China and India are expected to need a lot more imports to keep growing. “The projections demonstrate yet again that we inhabit a diverse and dynamic energy market. The future is full of opportunities for job-creating businesses with world-leading technology and capability and for countries that want to work with them.” BP Group Chief Economist Christof Rühl echoed Dudley’s assessment: “Vast unconventional reserves have been unlocked in the US, with oil production following gas. This delivery has been made possible not only by the resources and technology, but also by ‘above-ground’ factors such as a strong and competitive service sector, land access facilitated by private ownership, liquid markets and favourable regulatory terms. No other country outside the US and Canada has yet succeeded in combining these factors to support production growth. While we expect other regions will adapt over time to develop their resources, by 2030 we expect North America still to dominate production of these resources.”
Source: Petrolplaza.com
Government moves forward with plain packaging of tobacco products
Weekly oil price monitoring The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment carries out weekly monitoring of fuel prices and margins for regular petrol and automotive diesel. The purpose of this monitoring is to promote transparency in retail petrol and diesel pricing. It was a key recommendation from the New Zealand Petrol Review completed in 2008. Recent graphs below show that despite some fluctuation in the short term, and a dip in mid 2012, the price for petrol and diesel have been both relatively stable in the year to February 2013. The price of premium unleaded petrol in New Zealand remains the fifth lowest in the OECD. For more information visit www.med.govt.nz and search for ‘weekly oil price monitor’
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Government has decided it will bring in legislation to put tobacco products into plain packaging. In announcing the decision to legislate for plain packaging, Associate Minister of Health Hon Tariana Turia said the consultation process generated a lot of interest and the written submissions provided useful information to inform Cabinet’s decision-making. Ultimately, Cabinet is satisfied that plain packaging is an important tool to improve the health of New Zealanders. Around 300 substantive written submissions were received, as well as a further 20,000 plus postcards, form letters and signatures on petitions either in support or opposing plain packaging. “Currently the packaging does everything it can to attract consumers, and increase the perceived appeal and acceptability of smoking. The bright colours and other design elements divert people’s attention away from the health warnings which tell the truth about just how deathly dangerous smoking is.” Mrs Turia said the move to plain packaging would make more explicit what tobacco is – a product that kills 5,000 New Zealanders each year. “Current tobacco packaging not only helps promote smoking to young and vulnerable people, it also helps keep smokers smoking. This move to plain packaging will remove the last remaining vestige of glamour from these deadly products. “I am delighted that New Zealand is on track to be the second country in the world to legislate for plain packaging. This is another major step on the pathway to becoming a Smoke-free nation by 2025. In making this decision, the Government acknowledges that it will need to manage some legal risks. As we have seen in Australia, there is a possibility of legal proceedings". “To manage this, Cabinet has decided that the Government will wait and see what happens with Australia’s legal cases, making it a possibility that if necessary, enactment of New Zealand legislation and/or regulations could be delayed pending those outcomes. “The Ministry of Health will now begin developing the detailed policy which will include the size and content of health warnings. I intend to introduce the legislation to Parliament before the end of the year". Source: Extract from press release by the New Zealand Government
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The heart of your forecourt is here
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Introducing the first in the Gallagher Pulse L series
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www.gallagher.co
ALL PUMPED UP Mike Bennetts on
Infrastructure investment By Hamish Stuart MTA Communications Manager
Service stations need to manage their margins today to provide for a projected massive investment spike as operators replace aging infrastructure, Z Energy says. The problem isn’t with the stations, but what is underneath them: the steel fuel storage tanks built in huge numbers across New Zealand from 1988 to 1992 are reaching the end of their projected useful lives, and require replacement, Z Energy Chief Executive Mike Bennetts says. “When the market was deregulated in 1988, there was a flurry of activity within the oil companies, and a certain number of sites changed brands – it was a period of large investment,” Mike says. “But when you have a spike in investment in an industry like this, it will show up again down the track. We’re a little bit ahead of where our competitors are maybe, but for us it is around 2016/2017 that things start to ramp up and it becomes quite a bulge.” In actual terms, this means the company is looking at replacing over 140 tanks, at about 57 sites between 2019 and 2021. “One thing we’re considering doing is taking the top off the bulge, by bringing some of it forward, to smooth it out. That’s good for us, and good for the contractor community as well – having no work to do, then having too much work to do is no good for anybody. “But the consideration of this is, whilst we’re doing that, and we’re only 30 percent of the market, there’s another chunk of the market that is facing the same issue – and may not be able to respond in the same way.” The number of service stations has been decreasing for years – throughout New Zealand. One station has closed per week, every week for the last decade. With the looming retanking spike, this could accelerate quickly, Mike says. “There’s a cost here. What there’s not a discussion about is where that cost is incurred. Everyone could deal with that cost by driving further, or everybody could pay a little more and the sites would become more economic.” During the boom after deregulation, international oil companies installed mainly steel tanks throughout the country, following required construction standards for the time. However, the former owners passed responsibility for tank maintenance onto the station owners, to limit liability. Steel tanks rust, and have a lifespan of 20 to 30 years, compared to the 40 to 50 years of the plastic or fibreglass tanks used today, Mike says. “New Zealanders have proven across many industries that we don’t like to invest in things before they break down. We wait to the last minute, and it becomes a crisis – whether it’s a gas pipeline or wires up and down the country, as in the case of Transpower. Z energy is gearing up to replace before failure – clearly, you don’t want to be there one day late.” The consequences: either fuel escapes the tank, or water get into it, and ends up in motor vehicles – both with catastrophic results. With over 208 stations, Z is planning for these replacements accordingly, he says. “But many more sites are in the hands of independent dealers. The concern I have is can those small businesses afford $500,000 to $700,000 to retank their site. A company our size can put aside a few pennies to pre-fund this, but if you’re a small retailer working as hard as you can to make a dollar today, you may not be thinking about it.” “I’ve been in this game nearly 30 years. In this industry, you take a decades-long view – as I look out a decade, I see a big threat out there.”
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Z Energy Chief Executive Mike Bennetts
Three main factors influence how much fuel costs at the pump: 1. The underlying commodity cost: This is set by global markets. “We can’t do anything about this as a country, let alone as a company,” Mike says. 2. Government taxes: 61.1 cents of every litre of petrol (both 91 and 95) is taken by the Government’s fuel excise tax. This is also set to increase by 3 cents per year, for the next three years. Both petrol and diesel have an additional, 15 percent applied for GST (meaning the tax is taxed, and the driver pays). 3. The operating cost and profit margin for the service stations. Like any business, if they don’t make a profit, they don’t continue. “When you take out the post-tax profit, divided by all of our litres, it’s roughly 2.6 cents a litre. So, if you take the case that we wanted to double our returns, we’d just have to put our prices up by 3 cents a litre,” he says.
enviro news
Smart oil storage reduces your risk
Liezel Jahnke Environmental & Fuel Services Manager Ph: 04 381 8843 liezel.jahnke@mta.org.nz
A recent analysis shows that a third of all MTA members surveyed to date have outstanding actions related to their oil storage that is preventing them from meeting the MTA Environmental Standards. To assist members in meeting the standards, MTA has developed an action sheet with guidance for good oil management practices. Members are encouraged to take a risk management approach and preventative steps to ensure oil and other chemicals are well managed.
3
Oil management and stormwater protection is a key part of the environmental survey carried out on members’ sites. Contact your MTA Business Manager for more information about the surveys.
Oil storage •
Have designated storage containers for different oils: new, used and other types.
•
Containers should hold a maximum of 1,000 litres and any larger than 450 litres should be secured in place.
•
Ensure containers are located to be easily and safely accessible to resupply or collection vehicles.
•
All oil containers (for new and used oil) must be: • stored inside or covered if outside (to prevent rainwater entering tanks or bunding) • placed on an impermeable surface, such as asphalt or concrete, not on soil • located away from stormwater drains, as far as is practicable • within a secondary containment structure.
Overhead mounted oil containers should: • be secured in place (i.e. bolted/chained/steel strap) • have spill containment readily available (i.e. spill kit and procedure) including under dispensers • have compressors turned-off when not in use, such as overnight and at weekends.
Recycling waste oil •
Have regular collections of your used oil by an appropriate used oil collector.
•
Keep used oil clean. • Containers should be clearly labelled to stop contamination or mixing with water, solvents, solids and other sludges. • Contamination may increase hazard risks and collection charges, or prevent collections.
•
Keep used oil out of stormwater drains and soil – pollution could lead to fines or prosecution.
Secondary containment Secondary containment prevents spills or pollution when a main oil container is damaged or punctured. It should be able to contain 110 percent of the primary container i.e. for a 200 litre drum, the secondary containment should hold 220 litres. Examples of secondary containment are: • a separator, interceptor or similar feature to which a spill would drain, to protect stormwater • double skins on tanks • sloping floor to prevent spills escaping or reaching stormwater drains • bunding walls, trays or strips – around or underneath – storage areas and/or doorways.
x
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Disposing of used oil filters •
Puncture used oil filters over a collection funnel and allow to drain into your used oil tank.
•
Crush used filter bodies if possible to remove maximum amount of oil.
•
Send emptied, crushed filter bodies to a scrap metal recycler or a specialist collector.
Managing spills •
Be prepared to respond to oil spills and minimise the risk of pollution to the environment. See the MTA Quick Guide to Environmental Standards for an action sheet on setting up a spill kit and procedure - http://www.mta.org.nz/ environmentresources
enviro news
European Union sets common standard for electric vehicle charging
The ‘Type 2’ plug developed by the German company Mennekes will be the common standard for charging electrified vehicles across the European Union (EU), the European Commission has announced. Long sought by EU automakers, the common standard was now announced as part of a set of measures to build alternative fuel stations across Europe with common standards for their design and use. Clean fuel that helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions is being held back by three main barriers, the Commission said: the high cost of vehicles; a low level of consumer acceptance; and the lack of recharging and refueling stations. In this small circle, refueling stations are not being built because there are not enough vehicles. Vehicles are not sold at competitive prices because there is not enough demand. Consumers don’t buy the vehicles because they are expensive and the refueling stations are not there. To break the circle, the Commission is proposing the Clean Power for Transport Package, with the common EU wide standard for plug-in charging equipment as well as binding targets on Member States for a minimum level of infrastructure for clean fuels such as electricity, hydrogen and natural gas. European Commission Vice President Siim Kallas, who is responsible for transport, said, “Between them, China and the U.S. plan to have more than six million electric vehicles on the road by 2020. This is major opportunity for Europe to establish a strong position in a fast-growing global market.” “E-mobility can be part of a long-term solution to our mobility challenges. However, we need to have the right framework conditions if it is to really take off,” Ivan Hodac, Secretary General of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association said. “We want to avoid a situation where customers have to carry a multitude of charging cables to use their vehicles in different cities, regions and countries, just as we see today with items like mobile phones,” he added. As of November 2012, about 15,000 electric vehicle charging stations had been installed in Europe. But EV charging has become complicated with different standards in use in various countries: • France has a Type-3 charger format, compatible with all national European codes for use in buildings and connection to the electric grid. • Germany uses the Mennekes Type-2 charging plug. It is this plug that has now been proposed as the common standard for the whole of Europe. The charging coupler is suited for both AC and DC charging. The German connector has no shutter, a cover to prevent electrocution when the plug is not in use. Currently, this makes it impossible to use in England, Spain, Italy, Sweden and Finland, where a shutter cover is required. • In the United States, the Society of Automotive Engineers has selected the J1772 combo plug as the standard, which also allows for both AC and DC charging using the same plug. The dual J1772 and CHAdeMO port is on the front of the Nissan Leaf. These connectors are covered by a flap while driving. • The rival CHAdeMO standard is also supported by Japanese automakers such as Nissan and Mitsubishi. The physical connectors are different shapes, and the protocols that control the chargers are different too, so a driver cannot use a single plug adapter for all systems. CHAdeMo is already installed on
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Japanese cars like the Mitsubishi i-MiEV and the Nissan Leaf. CHAdeMO is a form of DC Fast Charge, for high-voltage, highcurrent automotive fast charging. Under the Clean Power for Transport Package a minimum number of recharging points, using a common plug, will be required for each of the 27 EU Member States. The aim is to put in place a critical mass of charging points so that companies will mass produce the cars at reasonable prices. The entire package includes a Communication on a European alternative fuels strategy, a Directive focusing on infrastructure and standards and a document describing a plan for the development of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in shipping. The package covers all the main automotive fuels: • Hydrogen: Germany, Italy and Denmark already have some hydrogen refuelling stations although some of them are not publically accessible. Common standards are still needed for certain components such as fuel hoses. Under this proposal, existing filling stations will be linked up to form a network with common standards ensuring the mobility of hydrogen vehicles. This applies to the 14 Member States which currently have a Hydrogen network. • Biofuels: already participate with nearly five percent of the market. They work as blended fuels and do not require any specific infrastructure. A key challenge will be to ensure their sustainability. • LNG: Liquefied natural gas is used to fuel trucks, but there are only 38 filling stations in the entire EU. The Commission is proposing that by 2020, refuelling stations are installed every 400 kilometers (250 miles) along the roads of the Trans European Core Network. • CNG: Compressed natural gas is mainly used for cars. One million vehicles currently use this fuel representing 0.5 percent of the EU fleet – the industry aims to increase this figure 10-fold by 2020. The Commission’s proposal will ensure that publicly accessible CNG refueling points, with common standards, are available Europe-wide with maximum distances of 150 kilometers by 2020. • LPG: No action is foreseen for liquefied petroleum gas because the core infrastructure is already established. “It will only be possible to book real progress if there is full cooperation between utility providers, infrastructure companies, the energy sector, standardisation bodies and the automotive industry,” said Hodac. “The full support of national governments and the European institutions” is critical to this effort. Source: Petrolplaza.com
member benefits
If the Kap fits then take it as Red!
Matt Chote
MTA Member Benefits Manager
We know that those who work in the motor industry tend to need uniforms that will last; they need to be durable and able to stand up to the rigours of oil, grease and dirt. MTA is delighted to announce the availability of the Red Kap Automotive Apparel range direct from the United States, through a partnership with Mumu Distribution. The garments are designed to withstand the unique conditions of our industry and use industrial grade buttons, stainresistant technology and a colour-fast fabric tough enough to stand up to continued industrial laundering. Wrinkle resistant and ‘wickable’ fabric to draw away perspiration. Abrasion-resistant to prevent pill balling. Side colour panels to provide a slimming, athletic look for various body types plus a shoulder colour block for a modern style. That’s what 90 years of experience can create. MTA will be offering our members a unique opportunity to purchase two styles of technician work shirts, in two colour ranges, both short and long sleeve
designs, sizing from S-3XL. The range is for the American market so sizing is how you would expect it to be. A measuring chart will also be available. And soon we’ll have a padded vest in navy or grey on offer too. As a final seal of approval, all shirts will come with an MTA logo attached. You can also have individual or company names embroidered on if required. A range of options and prices will follow. Since 1923, Red Kap has been the world leader in Automotive apparel. With their history, expertise and understanding of the automotive industry, they have developed uniform programmes for most of the world’s great automotive
Ph: 04 381 8842 matthew.chote@mta.org.nz
companies including Acura, Audi, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Lincoln, Lexus, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Mopar, Nissan, Subaru, Toyota, Volkswagen, Volvo and more! The Red Kap label offers other extra touches such as covered plackets to keep buttons from scratching a gleaming finish and straight hems to keep you looking smart. See what a workforce of 16 million people think today and what Henry Ford already knew way back in 1923...if you want a job done right, wear Red Kap! For more information please contact Danny Garrick 04 381 8844 or email: danny.garrick@mta.org.nz
Grease, oil and dirt don't stand a chance against our TouchtexTM Technology, and the colour block styling is classic automotive.
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MEMBER PROFILE : Rod Clifton Motors
HOT ROD Between racing stockcars, restoring antique tractors, repairing anything that comes in the door and running a truck rental and transporting business, Rod Clifton is a busy guy. Story by Hamish Stuart MTA Communications Manager
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His days are packed, and there aren’t enough hours in them, but he doesn’t seem to be in any rush – as he says when I come in the door: “You’re in Te Horo now”. His workshop site, on State Highway 1, 70 kilometres north of Wellington, is easy to spot – it’s the one with the antique tractors outside. He has been doing business here for 43 years. Like many of Rod’s yarns, the story of his business involves relentless capability, adaptability and making smart moves – while having a good time doing it. It seems the only option that’s not an option is giving up. Completely self-taught, he started by fixing mechanical things on his father’s farm. After a series of jobs around the region, he bought his Te Horo premises, between Waikanae and Otaki, in 1970. Back then, his charge-out rate was $3 an hour, and WoFs were 50 cents. He started as a repairer, then joined MTA on the basis of his business experience, to get the ticket to issue WoFs. He then moved into buying, fixing up, and selling cars. However, shortly after Trademe launched in 1999, Rod and his wife Joy noticed declining sales numbers. People weren’t coming to car yards to buy cheap autos anymore. “Trademe killed the cheap car dealerships. We had to change, to diversify what we offered,” he says. So they found a work-around: Rod bought a truck for $1000, rebuilt the engine, and started hiring it out. People said he was mad – that no-one would go to Te Horo to hire a vehicle. Now, they have 13 covered trucks, three tip trucks, one flat deck, as well as horse floats, tandem trailers and cars. “The only problem with the rental business is it kills your weekends,” Rod says. And his weekends are precious things – that’s when the stockcar racing happens.
He made his track debut at 19, in a car he built himself out of an old truck chassis, a V8 engine and a coupe body. The closest thing to a training session was once up and down the gravel road out the front of the house, to see if it all worked. It did, and he’s still on the track – making him one of New Zealand’s oldest, and most experienced, racing drivers. “I’ve tried everything from skydiving to underwater diving. But nothing gets the adrenaline going like speedway,” he says. “It gets into your blood. It’s not just a matter of winning – it’s a matter of making it to the finish line.” However, taking care of business before seeing to pleasure is absolutely crucial, he says. “I’ve seen so many people go broke for their sport. But you have to have your business sorted first; you have to look after what pays for your toys.” In the ensuing years, Rod built more stock cars, getting into Mazdas. And got more track time, – some weeks, racing three nights around the North Island, and racking up 50 to 60 events per year. “You practice by getting out there and doing it,” he says. “I was a boy racer. If I was a young guy now, I’d have my hat on backwards.” But this is how you learn to really drive, he says – learning about the roads, the conditions, how a vehicle works – and how to make it work better. “We talk about kids ‘getting their licenses’ – when really they’re doing a scratchie. They need more practical experience.” This is a theme that comes back up again and again – the distance between getting a certificate, and having the experience and skill to actually get the job done; between the world on paper and the world outside. Walking through his workshop, a late-model Porsche and mid-century tractor sit side-by-side. His talented workshop manager, Kent is repairing both.
10 years ago, someone gave him an old tractor. Since then, Rod has amassed a huge collection of more than 200 tractors – his tractor shed (he doesn’t call it a museum, because that means he has to get a lot of permits, and meet other people’s requirements) contains a mechanical history of New Zealand, with tractors in the process of being restored to working order. “People asked me, when I started, what make I was going to collect. I said ‘all of them’. It’s like liquorice allsorts in here,” he says. The known brands – Fordsons, Farmalls, David Browns – are parked beside other, extremely rare, machines. A number of his projects are protected as artefacts of national heritage, requiring all sorts of paperwork if he wants to sell them offshore. That said, the bureaucrats weren’t around when he found the now-gleaming machines as rusting hulks on beaches, or hidden “I’ve tried everything under blackberry bushes from skydiving to where they had been dumped to rust. underwater diving. He welcomes visitors, too. But nothing gets the The curious – and fanatical – come from all over the adrenaline going like world to wander through speedway,” he says. his packed sheds. Walking out of the shed, through the ranks of rusted machines waiting to be taken apart and brought back to life, we talk about retirement. Rod’s answer: Nah, not an option. He’s got too many projects on the go, and having too much fun, to even think about slowing down.
And no doubt he’ll be bringing his MTA Gift Card with him to fill up the car so he can deliver his Easter eggs on time. He won’t be the only one on the road over the Easter period – half of New Zealand is likely to be travelling! Make sure you have all of your gift cards on display – the more prominent they are, the more likely they are to sell. Do your staff know how to load and redeem them? Take the time to train them up so you’re not missing out on sales. And remember, you get three percent commission on every card you sell!
Keep an eye out for any of the gift cards below (they all have the MTA logo on them), you can accept the lot! And if you say you can’t accept them? You could be facing a grumpy customer...
Rod - at home in his tractor shed
Gift
Card
Gift
Card
Gift
Card
Gift
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Rede
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Russell Holmes
Business Advisory Principal
Cash is King
A strategy for getting paid
Your credit strategy is your business’s overall attitude to credit; who you will give credit to and what you credit terms will be. It should take into account the industry you operate in and its traditional credit approach, any competitive advantage to be gained from your credit strategy and what your business can afford. Generally speaking, a new or growing business may have to be much tighter in its credit collection to maintain cashflow, whereas an older well established business may afford to be a little more lenient. Some examples of credit strategies include:
Train Customers in the drive for cash Let your customers know that you expect them to pay their accounts on time, and be consistent in your approach. Be upfront about discussing terms of trade with them and promptly address any issues that arise. For large accounts, call your customers before their accounts are due to check that there won’t be any problems with payments. For new accounts, call your customers within a few days of their accounts falling due to check there aren’t any problems, and to confirm when payment will be received. If this process is consistently applied, new customers will be trained to pay on time, or soon thereafter, and ongoing follow up time will be reduced, enabling you to focus on customers with established slow payment patterns.
Specialisation and focus As with most tasks, there is an advantage in specialisation. Not everyone can easily develop the skills and attitude required for credit management and debt collection. It’s hard to mix sales or customer service roles with credit management responsibility. You need to build trust to sell, and threatening people who haven’t paid their accounts is not good for building trust.
Temporary and contract personnel are a good solution For smaller businesses who lack the right “in-house” person to handle harder debt collection, we recommend a contractor or part-time staff member be utilised at particularly busy parts of the credit cycle. The easier reminder work can be undertaken throughout the month by existing staff.
Tighten your credit terms Bill your customers more frequently, require payment in seven days or have tighter credit approval to discourage any potential customers from defaulting. By having tight credit terms which you can enforce, you are sending the message that you will not tolerate late payments or customers who default on payments. By tightening your credit terms you may indirectly send unwanted customers to your competitors potentially putting pressure on them.
Use Credit to Create Customer Loyalty You can involve your customers in determining the credit terms prior to supplying goods or services. This means that you have agreed on credit terms together and your customers will have no justification for not
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ADVERTORIAL
paying their accounts. What this effectively does is it creates a sense of customer loyalty and will reduce the number of unpaid debts. When the customer has in part set the credit terms themselves they will be more likely to contact you if there is going to be any problem meeting those terms. Alternative arrangements can be made in advance rather than having debt fall further and further behind and the chances of it being paid reducing. This strategy can be particularly effective where you have a small number of accounts, systems and staffing that can manage multiple terms.
Factoring Factoring is becoming an accepted business too. Factoring is the process whereby a business sells its debtors ledger to a third party, the factor, who specialises in credit collection. The advantages of factoring are: 1. Cashflow from sales is immediate. The factor company typically pays 80 percent (and up to 90 percent) of invoice value within 48 hours of the invoice being presented. This provides an initial cashflow injection for most businesses, but for growing businesses it can help finance growth. 2. Account payment should be much quicker as the credit collection role is undertaken by experienced professionals, and the risk of bad debts is reduced with greater systems for follow up. 3. It leaves you free to focus on other areas of the business as the credit collection role is taken out of your processes. 4. Other business assets are still available as security for bank loans and other finance facilities. Most factoring is done on a recourse basis. That is, if the debt isn’t paid after an agreed period (usually 90 days) you effectively have to pay back any money you have received from the factoring company in respect of that invoice. Factoring companies follow up on unpaid invoices; however they are more of an aid to cashflow than to credit management. You still need to have a good credit approval and monitoring processes in place. As a guide, factoring is available to businesses looking to factor $500,000 or more of invoices per year. A range of service options are available – some businesses have the factor produce and send the bill, others don’t want to disclose the existence of a factor to their customers, and utilise invoice discounting with a similar result.
About WHK Group: WHK Group is the fifth largest accounting and advisory firm in Australasia, with over 120 offices in Australia and New Zealand. WHK is also the largest provider of accounting and related services to small medium enterprises and high net worth clients. For more information, visit www.whk.co.nz or contact Russell Holmes on 04 569 9069 email: russell.holmes@whk.co.nz
IRD payroll changes for 1 April 2013 and the impact on the cost of wages The beginning of the new tax year on 1 April 2013 will see changes to some tax and KiwiSaver rates. You will need to ensure that you have the updates in place for the first payroll, paid on or after 1 April 2013. The changes include: •
increase to KiwiSaver minimum contribution rates for employees and employers
•
increase to Student loan repayment deduction rate
•
tax codes ML and ML SL can no longer be used
•
changes to requirements if you employ school children.
KiwiSaver changes The minimum contribution rate for both employers and employees will increase from 2 percent to 3 percent of the employee’s gross salary or wages, from the first pay period commencing on or after 1 April 2013. If you have existing employees currently contributing at 2 percent, you will need to increase their contribution rate and your employer contribution rate to 3 percent. If your employee currently contributes at either 4 percent or 8 percent there is no need to change their contribution rate. The default rate for new employees that are automatically enrolled into KiwiSaver will increase from 2 percent to 3 percent of gross salary or wages from the first pay period, commencing on or after 1 April 2013. Remember you are NOT required to make employer contributions to KiwiSaver for the employee if: •
you are already paying into another eligible registered superannuation scheme for the employee (if the existing scheme meets certain criteria)
•
the employee is under 18 years of age
•
the employee is over 65 years of age, or has been a member of KiwiSaver for five years, whichever date is later
•
the employee is not contributing (for example on a contributions holiday or on leave without pay).
Student loan changes From 1 April 2013, the repayment rate for student loan deductions increases from 10 to 12 cents per dollar earned. This will apply to any employee with an ’SL’ tax code.
ML and ML SL tax codes can no longer be used Previously, employees earning less than $9,880 could claim the under $9,880 tax credit during the year by using the ‘ML’ or ‘ML SL’ tax codes. From 1 April 2013, individuals can no longer claim this credit. Inland Revenue have written to employees who are using the ‘ML’ or ‘ML SL’ advising them that these tax codes won’t be available from 1 April 2013, and to reduce the chance of a tax bill they should change their tax code now by completing an IR330 and giving it to their employer.
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human resources Kerryn Foote
MTA HR Advisor Ph: 04 381 8841 kerryn.foote@mta.org.nz
If any employees are using either the ‘ML’ or ‘ML SL’ tax code, from 1 April 2013 deduct PAYE using ‘M’ or ‘M SL’ rates as appropriate, unless the employee has given you a new tax code declaration (IR330).
Employing primary and secondary school children From 1 April 2013 if you employ school children, you must deduct:
• PAYE from payments of salary/wages, or • tax from schedular payments. To ensure tax is deducted at the correct rate you should ask them to complete the Tax code declaration (IR330) form by 1 April 2013. You will then need to include their details on the employer monthly schedule (EMS). If your employee is a KiwiSaver member you may also need to start making employee deductions at 3 percent. If the employee is less than 18 years of age, you don't need to make employer contributions.
Impact on the cost of wages The increase in employer contributions to KiwiSaver from 2 percent to 3 percent will increase your wages/salary costs by 1 percent. You should keep this in mind when considering any pay increases for the coming year, as not only will your budget be impacted by the 1 percent increase in employer contributions, but any pay increase you award an employee will then also attract the new 3 percent employer contribution. See the tables below for a working example. John’s annual salary
$40,000
2% Employer contribution up to 30 March 2013 $800 3% Employer contribution on/after 1 April 2013 $1,200 You award John an increase of $1,000 per annum. John’s annual salary
$41,000
3% Employer contribution on/after 1 April 2013 $1,230 One way to protect against the cost of KiwiSaver employer contributions and any increases over time is to move to a total remuneration arrangement. This means that the compulsory employer contributions can be offset against the employee’s gross pay. You would need to insert a clause to this effect into any new employee’s employment agreement and would need to negotiate with current employee’s to get their agreement to this change to their employment agreement. If you would like to discuss this further, feel free to contact Kerryn to talk it over.
directory MTA Executive Team
STEPHEN MATTHEWS Chief Executive Officer
Board of Directors 2013 David Storey
Phone 04- 381 8820 Email: stephen.matthews@mta.org.nz
President
Auckland 09-415 8569 • president@mta.org.nz
Malcolm Davison Vice-President Auckland 09-360 3200 • vicepresident@mta.org.nz
JIM GIBBONS
Finance Director
Wellington 04-384 9734 • Jim.gibbons@colmotor.co.nz
IAN STRONACH
BOB BONIFACE Auckland 09-636 5463 • bob.boniface@xtra.co.nz
MARK DARROW
GAVIN STILL
General Manager Marketing & Communications
General Manager Member Benefits
Phone 04-381 8801 Email: ian.stronach@mta.org.nz
Phone 04- 381 8822 Email: gavin.still@mta.org.nz
Auckland 021-888-858 • mdarrow@pggwrightson.co.nz
Dave Harris Waikato/Thames Valley 027 474 8900 • dave@matamata.co.nz
JUDY LANGE Southland 03-218 7149 • judy@autoservices.co.nz
Richard Punter Hawkes Bay 021-943 611 • richard@stratix-management.com Wellington 04-478 2477 • keith.webb@xtra.co.nz
NORTHERN REGION
KAETRIN STEPHENSON
Phone 04- 381 8816 Email: dougal.morrison@mta.org.nz
Phone 04- 381 8807 Email: kaetrin.stephenson@mta.org.nz
General Manager Advocacy & Training
Keith Webb
MTA Business Managers
DOUGAL MORRISON
Chief Financial Officer and Administration
Your Business Manager will provide you access to market leading training, introductions to business specialists and mentors and a range of discounts to ensure your business operates at its full potential. To take advantage of these benefits please contact your local manager or Gavin Still 04 381 8822 or gavin.still@mta.org.nz
CENTRAL REGION
John Henderson
David Abbott
Peter Nicholson
(Regional Manager) PO Box 331369, Auckland 0740 Phone 09-488 0962 Fax 09-488 0763 Mobile 0274-93 9942 john.henderson@mta.org.nz
PO Box 9214 Newmarket Auckland 1149 Mobile 0274-448 772 Fax 09-271 1397 david.abbott@mta.org.nz
Dealer/Service Station Specialist Phone: 09 473 5975 Fax: 09 473 5976 PO Box 331369 Auckland 0740 peter.nicholson@mta.org.nz
Auckland, Northland
Greater Auckland area,
Auckland, Northland
SOUTHERN REGION
CHRISTINE LAMBIE Marlborough, Nelson, Canterbury, West Coast
PO Box 22 246, Christchurch 8142 Phone 03-379 6186 Fax 03-384 0373 Mobile 0274-420 899 christine.lambie@mta.org.nz
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RUSSELL LANE
MICHELLE FINDLATER
Phone 03 379 6185 Mobile 027 297 1722 Fax 03 384 0373 russell.lane@mta.org.nz
PO Box 8018, Glengarry Invercargill 9845 Phone 03 216 2682 Mobile 027 497 1568 Fax: 0800 000 695 michelle.findlater@mta.org.nz
Canterbury, Ashburton, South Canterbury, North Otago
Otago, Central Otago, South Otago, Gore, Southland
Dave Simon
MICHAEL BRADLEY
FELICITY WILSON
(Regional Manager) PO Box 15531 Tauranga 3144 Phone 07-579 5596 Fax 07-579 5535 Mobile 0274-946 162 dave.simon@mta.org.nz
PO Box 318, Feilding 4740 Phone 06-323 0522 Fax 06-323 0526 Mobile 0274-402 617 michael.bradley@mta.org.nz
PO Box 1003, New Plymouth 4340 Phone 06-753 0032 Fax 06-753 0034 Mobile 027-220 5392 felicity.wilson@mta.org.nz
Bay of Plenty, Tauranga, Gisborne and Wairoa
Central/Southern Hawkes Bay, North/South Taranaki, Hawkes Bay, Feilding, Wanganui, Central Main Trunk, Manawatu, North Wairarapa. Taumarunui, Horowhenua,
IAN LAMONT
MARY-ANNE MARTIN
PO Box 9244 Wellington Phone 04-235 7380 Mobile 0274 430 289 Fax: 0800 000 695 ian.lamont@mta.org.nz
PO Box 4475, Hamilton East 3247 Mobile 027 440 2618 Fax: 0800 000 695 mary-anne.martin@mta.org.nz
Wairarapa, Wellington
Waikato, Waitomo
Branch Presidents Northland
Simon Phelps 09-470 3905 sphelps@northtec.ac.nz
Auckland
Graham Barr pmsltd@xtra.co.nz
09-299 6586
Waikato/ Thames Valley
Andrea Andrew andrea@probars.co.nz
07-847 2375
Tauranga
Sean Squires 07-544 0920 sean.squires@boppoly.ac.nz
Waitomo
Peter Kerr-Bell 07-873 8169 peter.kerr-bell@inghamoto.co.nz
Bay of Plenty
Ross Birchall rosbir@clear.net.nz
07-345 5442
Gisborne
Steve Scragg makaraka@xtra.co.nz
06-867 5499
Wairoa
Stewart Halpin 06-838 6922 wairoamotorcycles@xtra.co.nz
Hawkes Bay
Grant Lower stichautos@xtra.co.nz
06- 878 7700
Ctrl Hawkes Bay Paul Shanks 06-858 8086 pshanks@ruahinemotors.co.nz Taumarunui
Paul Rushbrooke 07-895 8110 hondafirsttaum@xtra.co.nz
North Taranaki
Kerrie Thomson-Booth 06-758 5451 fitz.aut.ltd.np@xtra.co.nz
South Taranaki Wanganui
Brett Stratton 06-278 5756 haweramufflers@xtra.co.nz Mike Johnston 06-345 8339 holdawaysltd@paradise.net.nz
Ctrl Main Trunk Manawatu & North Wairarapa
Colin Fredrickson 06-385 4151 horopito.motors@xtra.co.nz Peter Morgan 06-355 4460 mainstreetautos@xtra.co.nz
Wairarapa
Jay Sutherland 06-378 9998 autofix@vodafone.co.nz
Horowhenua
Ken Shugg 06-364 5198 k.a.shugg@clear.net.nz
Wellington
Phillip Saxton 04-939 4318 saxtonautos@paradise.net.nz
Marlborough
Phil Brown motors@xtra.co.nz
03-577 9959
Nelson
Paul Kelly pnkelly@clear.net.nz
03-970 0559
West Coast
Dave Larkin lbsc@xtra.co.nz
03-738 0029
Canterbury
Joris Sanders 03-366 3384 joris@leadingedgeautomotive.co.nz
Ashburton
Malcolm Lovett 03 308 9109 malcolm.lovett@clear.net.nz
South Canterbury Murray Kitchen mkskoda@xtra.co.nz
03-688 5922
North Otago
Peter Robinson ceo@nomg.co.nz
03-433 0135
Otago
Kevin Offen kevsgarage@xtra.co.nz
03-455 9094
Central Otago
Richard Smith 03-444 9365 cjsinclair.ranfurly@xtra.co.nz
South Otago
Wayne Eyles gwe@actrix.co.nz
03-418 1348
Gore
Brian Pay ivsgore@xtra.co.nz
03-208 1185
Southland
Neil Allan 03-214 2136 neil@autotechtuning.co.nz
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radiator March 2013
contacts
> Auto Air Conditioning, Heating & Ventilation Committee Keith Webb (Board Rep) Wellington Quim Silva Auckland Michael Kelly Gore Dave Harwood Auckland Rodney Smith (co-opted) Waikato Liezel Jahnke MTA Wellington Office
04 478 2477 09 376 6691 03 208 1050 09 443 8025 07 849 6906 04-381 8843
keith.webb@xtra.co.nz aucklandcity@coolcar.co.nz mickelly@esi.co.nz northshore@coolcar.co.nz sikaseeker@coolcar.co.nz liezel.jahnke@mta.org.nz
> Automotive Technology Committee David Storey (Board Rep) Auckland Anthony Allen (Chair) Tauranga Owen Woodman Horowhenua Matt Rogers Auckland Russell Keeler (Co-opted) Gore Garry Williams MTA Wellington Office
09 415 8569 07 549 0675 04 293 7651 09 917 9417 03 208 4240 04-381 8817
david@supershoppes.co.nz tonysauto@xtra.co.nz woodmanauto@xtra.co.nz matt.rogers@asrl.co.nz rdkeeler@xtra.co.nz garry.williams@mta.org.nz
> Collision Repair Committee Bob Boniface (Board Rep) Auckland Andrew Purser (Chair) South Taranaki Barry Meuli North Taranaki Alan Berry Christchurch Neil Butterfield (Co-opted) Wellington Bob McCoy MTA Wellington Office
09 636 5463 06 278 8233 06 758 4085 03 366 9537 04 237 5898 04-381 8837
bob@rabon.co.nz mr.fix@xtra.co.nz bjmeuli@xtra.co.nz alan@atomicpanel.co.nz neil@autocrash.co.nz bob.mccoy@mta.org.nz
> Environment Committee Judy Lange (Board Rep) Southland Craig Murray (Chair) Auckland Ross Birchall Bay of Plenty Liezel Jahnke MTA Wellington Office
03 218 7149 09 294 8159 07 345 5442 04-381 8843
judy@a1autoservices.co.nz craigm_386@hotmail.com ross@bmautomotive.co.nz liezel.jahnke@mta.org.nz
09 360 3200 04 802 8750 07 578 6017 04 587 0005 03 433 0135 04-381 8827
mdavison@giltrap.com hjacob@capitalcityford.co.nz mikef@farmerautovillage.co.nz matthewf@brendanfoot.co.nz ceo@nomg.co.nz tony.everett@mta.org.nz
> Franchise Committee Malcolm Davison (Board Rep) Auckland Hamish Jacob Wellington Michael Farmer Tauranga Matthew Foot Wellington Peter Robinson (Co-opted) Oamaru Tony Everett MTA Wellington Office
> Heavy Vehicle Advisory Group Keith Webb (Board Rep) Wellington Wayne McCurdy (Chair) North Taranaki Craig Murray Auckland Brent Ward Wairarapa Lloyd Heslop Nelson Merv Avery Manawatu Brian Sara Wellington Garry Williams MTA Wellington Office
04 478 2477 06 769 6506 09 294 8159 06 370 3818 03 543 9400 06 354 7164 04 495 2505 04-381 8817
keith.webb@xtra.co.nz delwyn@mccurdyeng.co.nz craigm_386@hotmail.com brent@waidiesel.co.nz admin@heslops.co.nz merv@transag.co.nz brians@vtnz.co.nz garry.williams@mta.org.nz
06 877 7621 06 867 6638 09 845 5950 07 571 3040 06 357 7027 04-381 8827
richard@stratix-management.com paul@cgmmotorcycles.co.nz henry@experiencebmw.co.nz info@bayride.co.nz kevin@cityhonda.co.nz tony.everett@mta.org.nz
> Motorcycle Committee Richard Punter (Board Rep) Hawkes Bay Paul Corrin Gisborne Henry Plowright Auckland Lindsay Beck Tauranga Kevin Carian (co-opted) Manawatu Tony Everett MTA Wellington Office
> Service Station & Convenience Store Dave Harris (Board Rep) Waikato Ross Shadbolt Auckland John Patton Waikato Christopher Rawson North Otago Roger Bull (Co-opted) Hawkes Bay Liezel Jahnke MTA Wellington Office
027 474 8900 09 296 5477 07 868 7090 03 434 8798 06 870 8091 04-381 8843
dave@matamata.co.nz direct_imports@xtra.co.nz thamesA1@xtra.co.nz bp2gooamaru@netspeed.net.nz roger@csbgroup.co.nz liezel.jahnke@mta.org.nz
> Used Vehicle Committee Jim Gibbons (Board Rep) Wellington Leslie Baxter Gore Ian Charlton Auckland Carl Doggett Canterbury Ian Humphrey (Co-opted) Manawatu Tony Everett MTA Wellington Office
04 384 9734 03 2081234 09 2630353 03 3778873 06 3555761 04-381 8827
jim.gibbons@colmotor.co.nz leslie@carnabycars.co.nz ian@advantagecars.co.nz carl@tcm4wd.co.nz sales@ianhumphrey.co.nz tony.everett@mta.org.nz
classifieds SITUATIONS VACANT
AUTOMOTIVE TECHNICIAN - AUCKLAND Brodie European.
Audi, Volkswagen or Skoda auto-electrical and mechanical diagnosis skills & experience required. Full time with excellent working conditions and competitive hourly rate. Email your CV to jo.yearsley@sonata.co.nz or call Jo on 09 215 1301.
Automotive Technician/Mechanic
Vacancy in a well established, fully equipped Service Station/ MTA Workshop in Kirwee. WOF & NZ Trade Qualification preferred. Involves servicing and repairing a diverse fleet of vehicles. Excellent conditions. The successful applicant must be honest, reliable and have the ability to work unsupervised. For more details phone Stuart (03) 318-1847 or 0274-814-000 or email CV with covering letter to: kirweechallenge@clear.net.nz
Automotive engineER
required for franchise parts and service dealer in Taumarunui. WOF Authority preferred. Servicing all makes and models. Phone Gary 07 895 7493
WHEEL ALIGNMENT TECHNICIAN/MECHANIC Wanted for busy Christchurch MTA Workshop. WOF and NZ Trade qualification preferred. Fantastic conditions and teammates. Excellent communication & exceptional service essential. Contact Wayne on 0274 494 181
SENIOR TECHNICIAN We have an exciting opportunity to join a leading franchise dealership in Whangarei. Will suit a tech wishing to advance to a more senior or foreman level. We have a fully equipped modern workshop and actively invest in factory backed training. Email your CV to: admin@icmotorgroup.co.nz Auto-electrician or Mechanic Keen to live in Wanaka?
We're looking for an experienced technician to join our busy workshop. You will be required to work on a range of vehicles, doing all types of auto-electrical and mechanical diagnosis and repairs, as well as WOFs and tyres. Ideally, you will have a trade certificate and preferably AVI certification. Good hourly rate for the right person. Enquiries to Grant 03 443 7393
Used Vehicle Sales Manager
Due to expansion within our Used Vehicle Sales Department we are seeking to employ a Used Vehicle Sales Manager to lead the department. Contact Rob Ryan (0274) 363 800.
Qualified Motorcycle Mechanic wanted for our busy
workshop in Stoke, Nelson. We need a selfmotivated, versatile, experienced mechanic, with an ability to learn with specific Industry Training as required. We offer excellent working conditions and environment with a good remuneration package. Email your CV to info@ morleymotorcycles.co.nz
BUSINESS FOR SALE/LEASE petrol station shop and workshop Freehold going concern. Forecourt and rear yard 400m2. Business turnover is on average close to $1m for the last 5 years. 50+ year tanks circa 2000. Potential to lease out some of the building as a workshop creating rental income. (would lease it back long term, if it suited you). Details are available with confidentiality agreement. Selling well below value in the low to mid 400k range.
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radiator March 2013
FREE for MEMBERS ONLY plus inclusion to MTA website (Member No required/maximum 30 words) Non Members $15 plus GST for 30 words BOLD IT only $5 extra. EXTRA WORDS $1 per word. email to radiator@mta.org.nz
“Cheviot Motors - Challenge service station & Workshop. Historic business, owners retiring. Large rural catchment & client base. Business $160,000 L&B $225,000 Phone Ron Dougall 03 379 1779, 027 436 0950 www.christchurchbusinesssales.co.nz REAA2008” Dual Franchise Motorcycle Business available Main Centre, established and desirable Brands / Trading name. Modern high profile premises for lease or purchase, Strong database, stock and plant at valuation. email: franchiseopportunitynz@gmail.com LOWER HUTT. Small, well established (23 Years) Automotive Workshop, specialising in European cars. Fully equipped business with latest diagnostic equipment. Loyal customer base. Ph 0275 374 838 Business Opportunity – Operator required for busy service station with 4 bay workshop and excellent shop sales. Busy main road location in Timaru, high traffic flow. Low investment required to enter this $4mill+ turnover business. Contact Craig on 027 2880122 or craig@npd.co.nz full workshop and service station located in Tahuna. Successful business which has been trading for over 55 years. Lease $500 per week. Contact Roy 07 887 5742. SERVICE STATION, SHOP, CAFe & WORKSHOP FOR SALE 10 year Gull NZ contract for Force 10, Regular 91 & ADO Diesel. Contact Bruce Thomas - Gull Atiamuri RD1. Ph: 07 333 2300 Expressions of interest, Automotive business for sale, Canterbury. Est. 11 years. modern premises and Equipment WOF authority 700k plus t/o great opportunity, write PO Box 16288 Hornby Christchurch 8003 BUSINESS/INVESTMENT ST. HIGHWAY 1 HAMILTON. Long established auto workshop. owned for 37 years. Fully equipped 3 bay plus secure area can be leased out separately or used as car sales area. Look at lease. Rent to buy, all options open. Phone Dennis ah: 07 8464200.
EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST KAIKOHE Modern fully equipped 3 bay automotive and engineering workshop, WOF Authority, HIWAY brand trailer manufacture and sales. Long term lease, owner retiring. Phone: 021 273 1794 Mechanical workshop Dismantling yard TE AWAMUTU waikato Well established, good customer base WOF. mechanical repairs, with dismantling forklift, tyre machine, computer network. good size workshop and stores, large pit, 2.5 acres industrial property with 3 bedroom house, flat land can be subdivided. Ph 07 871 3449 Business sALE - Inland north Otago, very busy auto workshop. Good customer base. Working on cars, 4WD vehicles, boats, inboard and outboard. Chainsaws, mowers and trucks. Have breakdown service, with a large vehicle recovery truck, has goods service licence, and have vehicle recovery contracts. Stock and plant at valuation, home 03 438 9849 or 0274 968878 anytime.
PARTS/EQUIPMENT FOR SALE ACES SCOPE ATS 5000- Dual channel scope includes signal generator, External trigger button, conversion to mobile unit, dongle, ATIS data cd rom, as new laptop Dell Vostro 1015wxp/ w7 250gb hdd15”. Unit is like new and copy of the tax invoice is available. Asking price $4500
NITROGEN Generator E170 near new caps, brochures and sign included. 42 months @$492.30 per month to finish of contract. Machine has had little use and is surplus to requirements as the business has been sold. Ph. 021 0821 4216 CAR WASH PREMIER BRUSH DRIVETHROUGH. Complete and functioning. New brushes 6 months ago. Site closed (Caltex Ruahine, Palmerston North). Dismantling required. Phone Jeremy 021 653 779 SUMAKE POWER STEERING FLUSHING MACHINE Hardly used. New & used fluid containers. Plug into wall with vacuum gauges and flowing quantity gauges. $550. Phone Kelly on 09 430 3728 or email kelly@kellysauto.co.nz WHEEL SERVICE EQUIPMENT - Tyre balancers, Tyre changers for automotive and truck use, Wheel alignment systems, side slip testers. Ph: Sulco Equipment 0800 800488 www.sulco.co.nz TRANSMISSION FLUSHERS - Air conditioning service equipment, Sulco Equipment has new, used and ex demo. Ph: Sulco Equipment 0800 800488 or www.sulco.co.nz TULMAC CARBURETTOR SPECIALISTS Full reconditioning service, carburettor body rebushing and shafts supplied. Specialising in Weber, Dellorto, Su Stromberg etc. Contact Graeme Tulloch Ph: 027 612 2312 or 06-368 2202 Levin. BEAMSETTER – (Headlight Aligner) New, plus other WOF equipment. Phone Stocks Equipment on 0800 863 784 or email: equipment@georgestock.co.nz BRAKE LATHE. New Caorle Brake Lathes. Made in Italy. On & Off Car. Phone Stocks on 0800 863 784 or email: equipment@georgestock.co.nz BRAKE TESTER - New MAHA roller brake testers. Phone Stocks Equipment on 0800 863 784 or email: equipment@georgestock.co.nz. CAR HOIST – BRAND NEW 2 POST HOISTS available from only $3,495 + GST installed. Also 4 Post Hoists, Wheel Alignment Scissor Lifts, Belly Lifters also available. Phone Stocks Equipment 0800 863 784 email: equipment@georgestock.co.nz TYRE CHANGER & WHEEL BALANCERS. New & Used Tyre Changers. Phone Stocks Equipment on 0800 863 784 or visit www.georgestock.co.nz WHEEL ALIGNER – HUNTER. New & used Wheel Aligners, Phone Stocks Equipment on 0800 863 784 or email: equipment@georgestock.co.nz TOYOTA GENUINE CYLINDER HEADS from $650.00. Timing Belt Kits from $118.00 1KZTE Solid Flywheel Conversions $700.00 Prices excl GST. Ph 07-578 9889. TOYOTA AUTOMOTIVE DIAGNOSTIC SCOPES PC based, extremely powerful and easy to use. phone Chris at Metermaster NZ Ltd 09296 7601, 0800METERS or 021 953 129. Carburettor reconditioning including classic and performance makes, 40 plus years trade experience. Free advice. Contact Graeme Tulloch, Tulmac Carburettor Specialists, Ph: 027-612 2312 or 06-368-2202 Seat Belt Mounting Plates Buy direct from the manufacturer. Quality plates and extensions at good prices. Prescott Engineeering Ltd, 7 Prescott St, Penrose. Ph 09 5797424 Tapley Meter. Currently tested until 23 Nov 2013.Still in wooden carry case. $600 ono. Phone John, 021 216 7141
AUTOMOTIVE WOF CONSULTANTS WOFs are a very important part of your business, a service greatly appreciated by your valued customers.
We do your pre: • NZTA compleTe AudiT updATes • ViRm ANd pRs updATes • AVi checks – pRAcTicAl & TheoRy FuTuRe sTAFF TRAiNiNg
We are pleased to advise that we are open for business
ALL WORK CARRIED OUT AT ...YOUR PREMISES Call Andy anytime for help with these problems
Ph: 09-480 0533 Mob: 027 288 0743 Fax: 09-480 2529 Email: jaag@xtra.co.nz 'Servicing the Auckland area'
Quality & Reliability Guaranteed
NZ’s largest range of replacement cylinder heads • Bare & Complete Kits • Valves, Camshafts, Lifters & associated parts • Gaskets & Bolts North & South Island Warehouses/Overnight delivery 12 month Unlimited Km Warranty (Inc Parts & Labour)
Ph: 0800 549 429 www.kiwicylinderheads.co.nz 31 Carbine Road, Mt Wellington, Auckland 1060
Keep your customers coming back for all the right reasons. Use genuine Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda and Porsche parts from the only authorised dealer network – Genuine Parts Direct. With over 70,000 items in stock and outlets nationwide, every part we supply is competitively priced and purpose-built at the factory. They’re safer, longer lasting and feature a two-year manufacturer’s warranty for total peace of mind.
GENUINE PARTS DIRECT
0800 223 221 69 EMD0042 • radiator March 2013 1 NZ Rad 180x60.indd
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DASH CLUSTER REPAIRS EUROPEAN LCD DISPLAYS
Competitively priced European car parts
AUDI, BMW, RANGE ROVER PEUGEOT, CITROEN
NZ’S ONLY OEM BONDING MACHINE
30 years experience with Euro parts • • • • •
Audi/VW Saab Mercedes BMW Volvo
• • • • •
12 MTH WARRANTY
Peugeot Porsche Alfa Renault Fiat
ALSO REPAIRS TO ECU’S, AIR FLOW METERS MISC COMPONENTS
0800 - GET IT FIXED
For anything Euro try us first!
repairs@getitfixed.co.nz
Ph: 04 471 2755 Mob: 021 618 9734
AUTOMOTIVE
GET IT FIXED !
partsplus@partsplus.co.nz Overnight delivery
ELECTRONIC REPAIRS
07 549 5475
WORKSHOP SOLUTIONS TRAINING COMPANY “Inter-active learning 4 practical people” WOF AVI pre exam coaching WOF Update courses, full or half day theory and or practical training PRS management coaching (Training & coaching for individuals or groups)
WORKSHOP SOLUTIONS 2009 LTD
Wood Eng. Services Ltd.
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Ph: (09) 576 9498 Fax: (09) 576 9480
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March Special Mazda WLT Cylinder Head Kit • Bare Head • Head Set • Head Gasket • Head Bolts
$599 + GST Free Shipping 70 •
radiator March 2013
WOF & PRS CONSULTANT Assisting in and managing your PRS Records Annual and Pre NZTA PRS audits Practical WOF inspection assessments
z
Philip Tutty M: 021 843 000 Ph: 07 856 3536 E: philip@workshopsolutions.co.nz cyan
magenta
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black
Cylinder Heads • Gaskets • Head Bolts • Cylinder Head Assembly • Engine Parts Engine parts to suit Japanese and European engines. 24 point quality checked cylinder heads. Sold over 5000 cylinder heads High Spec gasket approved by NZ Engine Reconditioners. Comprehensive parts and Labour warranty.
0800 422 634 sales@acmeimpex.co.nz Distributed by BNT Nationwide
IMPORT • EXPORT • DISTRIBUTION
www.acmeimpex.co.nz
ENGINE WAREHOUSE
BMW/MINI PARTS
- Prices to the trade - Trade warranty Includes parts & labour
NEW ZEALAND WIDE - WHOLESALE ONLY Warehouses in Auckland, Christchurch, Geraldine & Invercargill
FREE PHONE 0800 80 90 96
Over 1000 units in stock. Most transmissions to suit.
-Prices to the trade -Excellent profit centre for tyre shops & garages -Quality brands -Second hand & budget tyre options
Engine - filters, gaskets, seals, tensioners, idlers, belts, camkits
FREE PHONE 0508 252 477
Brakes - disks, pads, shoes, cylinders, hoses, sensors, accumulators
Email: blairs@blairs.co.nz www.blairs.co.nz
Suspension - arms, bushes, balljoints, links, shocks
Email: blairs@blairs.co.nz
www.blairs.co.nz
Steering - racks, hoses, tierods, trackrods, universals Cooling - waterpumps, thermostats, radiators, expansion tanks, hoses, hose fittings, viscous fans, heater valves ELECTRICAL - abs/cam/crank sensors, airbagmats/wiring, fuel/washer pumps, sliprings, fan resistors, ignition locks, window regs
BM WORKSHOP
Ph: 09-376 1250 Fax: 09-376 1283
POWER STEERING PROBLEMS? Call the Specialists for
ING SPE
CI
ISTS
POWE
EER ST
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(estab.1964)
Ph: 09-524 6519
AU
Email: airflo@xtra.co.nz Fax: 09-524 6363 www.airflohydraulics.co.nz
CK L A ND
9 Alma Street, Newmarket, Auckland
Andrea Andrew W.O.F. Consultant
• Simplify your W.O.F. manual • Audit/Review preparation
radiator March 2013
Ph: 021 2777 228
Fax: 07-855 9758 Email:aandrew@wave.co.nz
• Improve NZTA Review score • Successful national service available
W.O.F. manuals made easy 71 •
• Fast, efficient service • No-obligation quotes • NZ’s largest range of tested exchange units • Passenger & Commercial • All makes of vehicles
TRUCKS, EARTHMOVING AND TRANSPORT ARE OUR LARGEST MARKET. GULF WESTERN OIL OFFERS A HUGE AND EVER GROWING PRODUCT RANGE TO SERVICE THESE INDUSTRIES. Diesel Engine Oil Petrol Engine Oil Hydraulic Oil Transmission Fluid Gear Lubricants Specialities Oil Grease
Now Available From The Companies Below ---- Distributors Required Nationwide
Outside Auckland
11 Branches Auckland Area