Auto Channel 31

ISSUE 31 DECEMBER 2020

THE VOICE OF THE NEW ZEALAND AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

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Autoblast knows how to make autos last DAVID KIRKHAM IS LAUNCHING A NATIONWIDE FRANCHISE THAT WILL PROTECT AND PRESERVE THE KIWI WAY OF LIFE ixteen years ago David Kirkham went into business offering a rust removal and repaint service for vehicle underbodies. He soon realized that this wasn’t a uniform problem, where vehicles reached an age where they needed restoration, or even that certain vehicles had specific weaknesses.

Even vehicles only two or three years old could suffer extensive rusting if the conditions were right. David analysed those problems and

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set about designing and developing a system to solve what turned out to be a surprisingly specific Kiwi problem.

Autoblast’s Autolast system is now widely acknowledged as the best rust-protection service in the country, by some distance. David’s Wairau Valley business now has more work than it can handle.

David had to wrestle with the choice of setting up and running more workshops or franchising the business.

Being an owner-operator himself, he decided owners being personally invested in the success of their business was the best way to ensure that the quality Autoblast had become known for was maintained. That would also contribute to the success of the group overall.

So what are the unique elements David identified that makes his business so different?

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

NARVA.CO.NZ

150% MORE LIGHT, EXTREME LIGHT OUTPUT Narva continues to lead the way in the development of performance headlight globes, following the release of the new Plus 150 • Up to 150% more light on the road* • Up to 60 metres longer beam • Suitable for use in polycarbonate headlamps Plus 150

Conventional

Plus 150

Conventional *Compared with a Standard Globe

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EXCITING REPCO FILTRATION UPGRADES. Repco Oil Filter Upgrade.

1-30 November 2020

MEDIA UPGRADE • The media (paper) in our Repco Oil Filters has now been upgraded to a SYNTHETIC BLEND media, an upgrade from the standard cellulose media that is used by most other brands in the market • This change has resulted in improved life and efficiency, by on average 27%, over the already high quality Repco Oil Filters our customers are accustomed • We have also changed our part numbering system to reflect this upgrade and to indicate the product contains the new SYNTHETIC BLEND media e.g. ROF1 will become ROF1-S

MARKET LEADING SEALING IMPROVEMENTS To further enhance and improve the performance of the Repco Oil Filters, we have also added additional sealing between the base plate and the gasket retainer. Without this additional sealing, there is potential for oil to bypass the Anti-Drain Back Valve in the filter (where fitted), drain the engine of oil and return it to the sump, creating issues with "engine dry starts" - a common problem for most oil filters in the market today.

REPCO QUALITY GUARANTEE Repco Oil Filters are: • Manufactured by one of the world leaders in filtration, supplying major OEM's all over the world • Fully warranted against defective materials or workmanship • Fully guaranteed for the duration of the recommended change intervals in the vehicles log book • Covered by GPC’s National Warranty • Repco Oil Filters satisfy New Vehicle Warranty requirements

AIR FILTER MEDIA CHANGE Q: "Weren't Repco Air filters traditionally red?"

A: Correct, however recently the colour of the media has changed from Red to their natural colour (some neutral and others white) to align with standard and market expectations.

With this change: • There has been no change to the performance of the Repco Air Filters with this change • Repco Air Filters still maintain the market leading performance our customers have come to know and expect

THEN

0800 472 787

NOW

online.repcotrade.co.nz

Contents

From the Ed.

6 Help protect the Kiwi way of life

Cover / 4

Ford offers a digital E-van future

6

Everything for tyres

8

R&J Batteries turns 25

10

Touchless aligners are here

15

Brembo at home in New Zealand

18

Car News

20

Blackfern celebrates success

24

Fluid metering cuts losses

26

Car Feature: Born for Bathurst

28

Tech Feature: Big block Mini

34

Kumeu Classic Car and Hot Rod Festival

39

Product Profiles

40

Tracing a parasitic draw

44

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t’s a case of hurry up and wait. Many of the frontline auto-trade businesses we talk to are seeing business rebounding to normal or even better than normal, possibly some catch-up after lockdowns, plus a bit of natural growth, on top of the usual pre-Christmas rush.

That’s good news — but the fly in the ointment is an increasing issue with lack of stock. As many countries are having to deal with a resurgence in Covid-19, supply-line logistics are being stretched around the globe and delays are increasing.

Local and overseas retailers across many sectors are now struggling to fill Christmas orders.

We now hear ships are being delayed up to 10 days getting into Auckland because an automation project at the port, scheduled for the low season, was pushed into the pre-Christmas period. And the port company is struggling to find staff to handle the work manually. Things will get worse before they get better. If you are having supply issues, let us know at editor@autochannel.co.nz. It would be good to get a handle on this.

I

Ian Parkes, Editor

Auto Channel is distributed 11 times per year.

To receive your free copy or to change your address simply visit autochannel.co.nz.

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Gold standard: galvanizing

Customer education First, it is understanding the problem. You would think vehicles designed to handle extremes of hot and cold, and wet and dry environments around the world, would easily cope with New Zealand’s temperate-zone conditions, which is in the middle of those ranges. But that’s part of our problem, according to David.

We have warm, moist air that condenses on cold steel parts overnight, like frosting on a beer bottle.

And if those vehicles aren’t driven during the day the underneath might not dry out. That means low mileage vehicles will rust faster than daily drivers. But the real killer is vehicles spending time at the coast.

They will rust much faster. Salt is drawn into that moisture, helping ensure that it doesn’t dry out. Most of New Zealand’s population lives in that coastal zone.

“We have special building codes for houses built near the sea, so it makes sense that vehicles that spend time at the coast need extra protection,” says David. He says manufacturers aren’t at fault for not building vehicles to marine standards, even though it can be seriously distressing for people who, for example, have bought a new ute for towing the boat or caravan. He draws a comparison with bird droppings. “Everyone knows if you don’t remove bird dropping it will affect the paint,” he says. “It’s the same with salt.”

You don’t even have to drive your vehicle on the beach to attract a layer of salt. David recalls parking a van a couple of hundred metres away from the beach and well above it. When he got back to it and switched on the wipers, they scraped across salt that had settled on the screen, as if it was covered with ice.

The right solution Now to the solutions: David says some dealers offer a wax/oil rust-proofing service but it is often only sprayed inside chassis rails. The customer thinks their vehicle is protected but that coating will slump, often within a year, meaning protection fades and external painted surfaces under the vehicle are left to fend for themselves.

Autoblast applies a variety of different sprays to coat all of the underside. They dry out, harden, and stay in place. They are also ‘thixotropic’, which means they self-heal. If they are struck by a stone, for example, they soften, remould, and harden again.

David performed an experiment on his neighbour’s Great Wall ute. He applied the system to that car six years ago. It spends months sitting at a marina, so it made a perfect test subject. It is still in great condition, says David, apart from a replacement rear bumper fitted a couple of years ago after an accident. “That’s already toast,” he says.

The coating comes with a three- to five-year warranty. An inspection at three years, with touchups if required, takes the warranty out to five years.

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Auto Channel Issue #31 December 2020

On top of that, Autoblast offers a gold-standard level of protection, which involves blasting the underbody paint or rust away back to bare metal before galvanizing the underside in a unique metal spray process. Galvanizing is considered the most effective rust protection in countless industrial applications and has been proven over many decades. The area is then painted to restore its looks.

This option is more expensive, of course, but most of Autoblast’s customers for this service are people or businesses that have bought new vehicles before, only to see them fail warrant inspections for chassis rust within a few years.

David says Autoblast has treated vehicles destined for Stewart Island and the Chatham Islands because people there know what salt-laden air does to new vehicles. Vehicles have been shipped to Autoblast’s workshop from all over New Zealand.

“We know the business is there, right around the country,” says David. He says there is also a big opportunity in working with new vehicle dealers around the country, so they can offer these highquality rust-protection services to their customers, creating an added value service — which might also avoid some potential warranty disputes over rust.

AUTO CHANNEL IS DISTRIBUTED TO 11,298 New Zealand BUSINESSES

ONLINE autochannel.co.nz EMAIL editor@autochannel.co.nz PHONE 09 360 1480 MAIL PO Box 46,020, Herne Bay, Auckland 1147

EDITOR Ian Parkes, editor@autochannel.co.nz DESIGNER Day Barnes MEDIA SALES Mike White, michael.white@parkside.co.nz ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Renae Fisher

AUTO CHANNEL IS PUBLISHED BY

PUBLISHER

Greg Vincent, greg.vincent@parkside.co.nz

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Simon Holloway, simon.holloway@parkside.co.nz

DATA ANALYST Isobel Woudberg PRINTING Ovato

First-class franchising Autoblast operates from a series of one-bay units on the North Shore’s Porana Road. It’s an unusual layout but it provides ready-made insulation and separation for each of the processes. Four staff run the business while David has been focusing on how to replicate it through the franchise model and get each new business off to the best start.

Typical of his approach, David has invested more than six months working with a franchising consultancy led by someone with a PhD in franchising, current chairman of the franchise association Dr Callum Floyd. David knows the business works, what works in the market, and has poured this knowledge into developing the training materials, coaching modules, business systems, and marketing materials that will support the new businesses. He says what he is looking forward to most is sharing his expertise with others, so they can help other Kiwis set their vehicles up the right way for the way we want to use them in New Zealand.

For more information on Autoblast’s product offerings, check out the extensive resources on the website autoblast.co.nz, or call David Kirkham on 09 443 6574.

NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS Parkside Media uses due care and diligence in the preparation of this magazine, but is not responsible or liable for any mistakes, misprints, omissions, or typographical errors. Parkside Media prints advertisements provided to the publisher but gives no warranty and makes no representation to the truth, accuracy, or sufficiency of any description, photograph, or statement. Parkside Media accepts no liability for any loss which may be suffered by any person who relies either wholly or in part upon any description, photograph, or statement contained herein. Parkside Media reserves the right to refuse any advertisement for any reason. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of Parkside Media, the publisher, or editor. All material published, gathered, or created for Auto Channel is copyright 2019 Parkside Media Limited. All rights reserved in all media. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the publisher.

Auto Channel is the best way to reach the wider automotive industry. The publication is direct mailed to 11,298 New Zealand businesses in the following automotive sectors: Automotive workshops, parts importers and distributors, transmission specialists, automotive recyclers, towing operators, panel beaters and painters, crash repairers, tyre dealers, suspension and underbody repairers, steering specialists, towing operators, auto-electrical repairers, newand used-car dealers, air-conditioning repairers, heavy-machinery dealers, trucking and transport

430Nm of torque, making it the most powerful fully electric cargo van sold in Europe. The company will build E‑Transits for European customers at the Ford Otosan Kocaeli plant in Turkey on a dedicated line, alongside the award-winning Transit Custom Plug-In Hybrid. In Europe, Ford has been piloting electrified commercial vehicle technology since 2018, working with officials in England, Germany, Spain, and Turkey to study how drivers used Transit Custom Plug-In Hybrid vehicles.

CONNECTIVITY PROVIDES VISIBILITY

All-electric E-Transit heading to New Zealand FORD NEW ZEALAND HAS CONFIRMED THE NEW E-TRANSIT VAN TO BE PRODUCED IN EUROPE AND THE USA WILL COME TO NEW ZEALAND IN MID 2022 ord is North America and Europe’s [and New Zealand’s] commercial vehicle leader, so the transition of fleet vehicles to zero emissions, especially for the fast-growing last-mile delivery segment, is critical to achieve our carbon neutral goal by 2050,” said Jim Farley, Ford’s president and CEO. Ford says that while most newcomers in the van business are still building prototypes or testing, Ford’s is already offering electric vehicle monitoring and connection software supporting day-to-day operations. Farley said Ford is also working hard on developing its software and digital services to help fleet customers run their businesses more efficiently.

“F

TRANSIT STATS With a usable battery capacity of 67kWh, the new E-Transit will offer an estimated driving range of up to 350km on the combined WLTP cycle, roughly three times the distance the average EU fleet driver covers daily.

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Auto Channel Issue #31 December 2020

Its eco mode aims to save 8–10 per cent improvement in energy usage by limiting top speed, and acceleration, as well as optimizing climate control. ‘Scheduled Pre-Conditioning’ programs the climate control system to set the cabin to the preferred temperature while the vehicle is still plugged in, saving power for driving range.

Ford estimates the E-Transit will reduce service cost of ownership by about 40 per cent, compared with internal combustion engine-equipped models, through lower maintenance expenses.

E-Transit features both AC charging and DC fastcharging. The vehicle’s 11.3kW on-board charger can deliver a 100 per cent charge in 8.2 hours. Using a high-power DC fast-charger, E‑Transit can top-up the battery from 15 per cent to 80 per cent in around 34 minutes. The E-Transit also features optional Pro Power Onboard, which turns the vehicle into a mobile power source, providing up to 2.3kW for powering tools and equipment on the jobsite.

E-Transit for customers in Europe targets up to 1616kg payload for the van and up to 1967kg for the chassis cab models. The vehicle’s electric motor has a peak output of 198kW (269 PS) and

On the road with navigation enabled, fleet operators can benefit from advanced driver assistance technologies including traffic sign recognition and intelligent speed assist, systems that allow fleet managers to set vehicle speed limits.

Features designed to reduce driver-based insurance claims include pre-collision assistance, a blind spot information system with lane change warning and aid, and a 360° camera with reverse brake assist.

The standard FordPass Connect modem delivers seamless connectivity that helps commercial vehicle customers manage and optimize fleet efficiency and deliver over-the-air updates.

Chief operating officer, Ford Commercial Solutions, Julius Marchwicki says: “Knowledge is power.”

He said connected services and telematics help all fleet operators optimize both vehicle and driver performance allowing businesses to focus more on providing great service to their customers.

Using electric vehicle-specific data such as kWh consumption, charge speed, distance to empty, and more, managers can better learn how they’re operating to optimize running costs and uptime.

Alerts notify managers if a vehicle isn’t plugged in when it’s scheduled to be; they can remotely manage transactions for public charging, and receive reporting to support reimbursement for employees who charge at home.

Helping to improve the performance of their drivers is top of mind for fleet operators, which is why Ford is introducing in-vehicle, real-time driver coaching through SYNC 4 2-voice assistant.

Any time a driver exceeds a speed limit, rapidly accelerates, brakes harshly, leaves a diesel- or petrol-powered vehicle’s engine running while parked, or fails to fasten a seatbelt, they will receive an in-car audio message asking them to address that issue.

Ford Telematics will also enable customers to monitor their vehicles after hours, sending alerts if a vehicle is being stolen, used without authorization, towed, or damaged while parked. GPS tracking will show a vehicle’s location even when it is turned off.

The new Ford Telematics Drive companion app can streamline time-consuming tasks for drivers and fleet managers. The app can help drivers report which vehicle they are driving, digitize daily vehicle checks, and report damage or mechanical issues directly to the fleet manager’s system.

Beyond these new telematics-based services, Ford Commercial Solutions offers Ford Data Services, which provide manufacturer-grade data from vehicles for integration with proprietary software or existing authorized telematics providers, without the need for third-party plug-in devices.

For more information on FordPass Connect see ford.co.nz/fordpass, or download the FordPass app from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

PEACE OF MIND

WITH FORD GENUINE PARTS Cabin Filters MODEL

APPLICATION

PART NUMBER

Fiesta

2009 onwards

8V5118D543AA

Focus

2006-2011

4M5J19G244AA

2012 onwards

AV6N19G244AA

2007 onwards

3M5J19G244AA

2014 onwards

DG9H18D483BA

2013 onwards

8V5118D543AA

2002-2014

BG19N619A

2004 onwards

BG19N619A

2013 onwards

BK2119G244AA

PART

APPLICATION

PART NUMBER

Oil Filter

2011 onwards

AFL101

Fuel Filter

2011 onwards

Brake Pads, Rear

2004 onwards

Brake Disc, Rear

2004 onwards

Focus

Mondeo Mondeo

Ecosport Falcon

Territory Transit

Territory Air Filter

2011 onwards

Brake Pads, Front

2004 onwards

Brake Disc, Front

2004 onwards

Suspension Bushes

2004 onwards

Falcon

AFA101 BG9155B BR2Z2V001A BR2Z2V200B 5R2Z1125A 3R7Z2C026A BAF4B424A

PART

APPLICATION

PART NUMBER

Oil Filter

2008 onwards

AFL101

Fuel Filter

2008 onwards

Brake Pads, Rear

2002 onwards

Brake Disc, Rear

2002 onwards

Suspension Bushes

2002 onwards

Air Filter

2008 onwards

Brake Pads, Front

2002 onwards

Brake Disc, Front

2002 onwards

Hub & Bearing - Front axle

2008 onwards

AFA101 BG9155B BR2Z2V001A BR2Z2V200B 5R2Z1125A 3R7Z2C026A J2MZ1104B BAF4B424A

TRADE PRICE1

$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $

24 38 44 43 37 24 43 43 43

TRADE PRICE1

$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $

19 52 28 78 78 95 95 58

TRADE PRICE1

$ 19 $ 52 $ 28 $ 78 $ 78 $ 95 $ 95 $ 227 $ 58

GETGENUINE POINTS2

36 57 66 64 55 36 64 64 64

pts pts pts pts pts pts pts pts pts

GETGENUINE POINTS2

28 78 42 117 117 142 142 87

pts pts pts pts pts pts pts pts

GETGENUINE POINTS2

28 78 42 117 117 142 142 340 87

pts pts pts pts pts pts pts pts pts

Call your local Ford dealer today 0800 FORD NZ (0800 367 369) Prices are recommended only and are net after discount and exclude GST. Recommended prices were correct at the time of printing. 2 GetGenuine reward points are awarded only to trade customers registered under the GetGenuine GetRewards Programme. Some exclusions apply. Images shown are example parts only. For full warranty terms and conditions ask your authorised Ford Dealer. Promotion ends 31 December 2020.

1

Tireless supplier to tyre shops WHERE DO YOU GO TO GET FRENCH CHALK FOR INNER-TUBE REPAIRS? OR THE CRAYON FOR MARKING THE VALVE LOCATION? he place to go for all tyre materials is Patch Rubber Tyre & Tube, which claims it has “everything for the tyre dealer� working on trucks through performance cars to utes and farm machinery.

Many specialist vehicles, from tractors to wheelbarrows, still use inner tubes, which means workshops still need tools such as vulcanizers, patches, glues, and even French chalk. Modern butyl tubes don’t weld themselves to tyres like the old natural rubbers did, but a dusting of chalk makes tubes — and latex gloves — much easier to handle, and Patch can supply it.

Patch Rubber Tyre & Tube is the New Zealand agent for Myers Industries US, which has its name on a version of almost every tyre repair tool or material, right down to soap solutions; brushes; patches; glues; weights; and, yes, crayons.

Patch Rubber Tyre & Tube is wholesale only and has been supplying the New Zealand tyre industry for more than 30 years. Managing

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director Anthony Neill says the company has 3000 items in its product line-up but up to 5000 items are available from overseas. The most common materials ordered are tubeless valves, wheel weights, lubes and glues, and inner-tube and tubeless tyre-repair materials. The tool range includes air tools and connectors as well as jacks, levers, rim protectors, bead breakers; seaters; tyre spreaders; vulcanizers; and abrading, branding, and grooving tools.

These are all available via the patchrubber.co.nz e-commerce website for signed-up customers.

Regular customers can also pay monthly accounts using their credit card to earn points — another unique Patch feature.

The company has physical locations in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch, and Invercargill plus 10 sales reps in fully stocked vans going directly to workshops. The reps carry full-colour catalogues containing a wealth of solutions to technical tyre challenges that will make many workshops wish

they had seen one sooner.

Anthony says the company is always analysing buying trends to ensure fast fulfilment from stock but its focus on a complete service means customers seeking less common items get what they want too.

The company carries New Zealand’s largest and most comprehensive range of inner tubes, in more than 300 different sizes. It supplies speciality tyres for ATVs, forklifts, bobcats, farm implements, trailers, scooters — even wheelbarrows — but only to the trade. It also supplies wheels and rims from four-inch diameter through to 14-inch. “The entire national team has many years’ experience in the tyre industry, including retail forecourt experience,� says Anthony. “This means they understand the problems and the solutions required. They make sure the customer service available from the company is A1.�

For more on Patch Rubber Tyre & Tube, see patchrubber.co.nz.

AUTO EQUIPMENT BUILT TO PERFORM THE UPSIDE OF LESS DOWNTIME When your equipment isn’t working, you’re not working and that’s dollars off your bottom-line.

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$ 27, 7\UH PDFKLQH PDGH LQ ,WDO\ 0LQL ,QYHUWHU PRWRU ZLWK YDULDEOH WRUTXH $LU 6SULQJ for vertical shaft $GMXVWDEOH %HDG EUHDNHU 2 Outside &ODPSLQJ

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Auto Channel Issue #31 December 2020

$ *

Neuton power targets stop-start

Designed to withstand the beatings of both crawling traffic and following a mob of sheep along a country road, these intelligent batteries combine high-cranking power with low cost, resulting in unbeatable value and a very dependable power source.

Neuton Power AGM and EFB stop-start batteries were specifically built to enhance the fuel-saving

and emission benefits of vehicles fitted with idle stop-start or hybrid systems, making them a top choice for those looking for rapid charge acceptance and power recovery. They also have the ability to operate at a low state of charge.

To find out more about Neuton Power, get in contact with YHI Energy on 0800 99 33 44 or see yhienergy.co.nz.

THE IDLE STOP-START SYSTEM MIGHT BE A FUEL-SAVING BONUS FEATURE FOUND IN MANY NEW CARS, BUT IT DEMANDS BETTER BATTERIES top-start systems stop a car’s engine, then jump it back to life again, often dozens of times in a typical day.

YHI Energy’s Divisional Manager, Aaron Gillon, says given the average driver’s traffic battles, stopstart technology places a strenuous load on a car’s battery, demanding cranking amps repeatedly, and often just a few seconds apart. That’s a vastly different scenario than for the batteries in older, conventional cars.

Constant stop-start power isn’t the only job the battery is needed for, either.

The lights, air conditioning, screen heaters, powered windows, seats, tailgates, sound systems, and a slew of computers and phone chargers all draw juice from the battery.

This sort of heavy lifting requires a battery with extra oomph. That is where Neuton Power StopStart batteries come in.

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NZ’s trusted battery supplier for 12 years Up to 36 month warranty* Great value Long life Superior performance Extensive range 10 branches nationwide

Ensure that you’re selling only the best of the best Contact YHI Energy today!

*Application dependent, see our Neuton Power warranty document for full details

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Ryco raises the bar in antivirus vehicle cabin filtration FOR CUSTOMERS WANTING PEAK PERFORMANCE AND PROTECTION AGAINST VIRUSES FROM A VEHICLE’S CABIN FILTER, RYCO HAS THE ANSWER yco says its upgraded MicroShield range of cabin filters is the most efficient micron-rated range on the market. Most cabin filters are rated to 2.5 microns; the new MicroShield sets the standard with an impressive 0.3 microns.

“The upgraded Ryco MicroShield range of cabin filters are made from N99 medical grade media, which provides both antiviral and antibacterial properties. The MicroShield range of cabin filters from Ryco are 99.7 per cent efficient, and tested and compliant to ISO 11155-2:2009 standards,”

R

R&J Batteries celebrates 25 years R&J BATTERIES ENTERED NEW ZEALAND’S COMPETITIVE BATTERY MARKET THREE YEARS AGO, DRAWING ON A QUARTER CENTURY OF EXPERIENCE AS A SPECIALIST BATTERY SUPPLIER his month, R&J Batteries is celebrating 25 years of service to customers in the battery technology field. In that time, the battery distributor has grown to operate 24 companyowned branches, with its growing reputation leading to opening new branches at the rate of almost one a year to serve an even faster growing network of outlets.

R&J Batteries has two branches in New Zealand, and a footprint of more than 8000 stockists and distributors across the country and Australia. It supplies batteries for all applications, including automotive, commercial, motorcycle, marine, deep cycle, solar, and industrial.

Ray Robson and John Webb established the business in Victoria in December 1995. R&J Batteries started from humble beginnings. After finding work at a local battery company as young adults, Ray and John quickly absorbed knowledge

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Auto Channel Issue #31 December 2020

says Ryco’s general manager of engineering and innovation, Alastair Hampton.

The MicroShield range gains its rating from an innovative three-layer system. The first layer is antiviral with natural polyphenol extracts that eliminate viruses, bacteria, and allergens on particles captured by the filter. The second layer is activated carbon, which is designed for odours and gas absorption. The third and last is medical grade polypropylene, electrostatically charged, which collects more micro particles. All MicroShield cabin filters are 100 per cent safe and free from pollution.

“Cabin filters are relatively new in passenger cars and many vehicle owners aren’t even aware their vehicles are fitted with one,” Alastair said.

“This can lead to these filters not being replaced as regularly as they should. In a time when the health and safety of many people has become so important, replacing an existing cabin filter with the best available on the market is a reasonably small investment to make.”

One of the many advantages of fitting an upgraded Ryco MicroShield Cabin Filter is that the antiviral layer inhibits the survival of bacteria and viruses, using a natural micronutrient called polyphenol. It means a Ryco cabin flter not only stops bacteria and viruses from entering the car, it also destroys them. This includes the microorganisms that cause serious diseases such as influenza A and H1N1/H3N3.

As research shows that a vehicle’s interior can contain over 10 times more pollutants than the outside air, Ryco is encouraging workshops to advise owners about cabin filter checks and replacement. A check or replacement takes only a matter of minutes on most vehicles.

“The Ryco MicroShield Cabin Filters now exceed the fit, sealing, and filtration efficiency of their original equipment (OE) counterparts,” explains Hampton.

Ryco’s upgraded MicroShield Cabin Filters are available in 29 part numbers, covering hundreds of popular vehicle models. More will be added in the near future. The upgraded versions of MicroShield Cabin Filters will be denoted with an ‘M’ on packaging, not ‘MS’.

To find out more about the range see ryco.co.nz, social media, or call 0800 838 222.

and learned skills, including hand-building batteries.

When the time was right to venture out on their own, they invested every cent they had in a rundown shed in La Trobe St, Ballarat, which became the first head office of R&J Batteries.

The company’s rapid growth and success in Australia since inception paved the way for international expansion in 2017, when R&J Batteries opened its first branch in Auckland. It opened a second branch in Christchurch in 2019 to keep up with the demand for quality batteries in the highly competitive New Zealand market. The same year also saw R&J Batteries enter into a purchase agreement to acquire New Zealand–based battery importer and distributor, ACME Batteries.

R&J Batteries’ success is based on its guiding principles of ‘Our People, Our Products, and Our Service’. Over the years, R&J Batteries’ commitment to providing the best in battery technology for its customers has led to the inclusion of world-class brands, such as Delkor, Fullriver, US Battery, BAE, RELiON, Hardcore, Odyssey, Optima, and Predator, in its brand portfolio.

“One of the key factors to our continued success is securing distribution rights for the highest quality products available, then having the best people on the ground providing a high level of customer service,” says Ray Robson, R&J Batteries’ managing director.

He says the company strives to hire, develop, and retain the best-quality staff, as they are responsible for delivering the customer service that R&J Batteries is known for.

Chief executive officer Stuart Hamilton says the company has big plans for 2021 and beyond.

“We already have plans for additional companyowned branches and distribution points across both New Zealand and Australia,” he says. “Our R&D team also has several new products in the pipeline which will allow us to further expand our product line up.”

To get in touch with the R&J Batteries’ New Zealand team, please call 09 636 5980 for Auckland, or 03 341 0090 for Christchurch, or visit www.rjbatt.co.nz for more information.

Ray Robson and Mark Foot back in the day

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Bluetooth battery monitor keeps customers in the picture CENTURY’S BLUETOOTH BATTERY MONITOR IS AN IDEAL ADD-ON, ESPECIALLY FOR OCCASIONAL-USE VEHICLES entury’s new BM12V Battery Monitor means that customers don’t have to guess whether their vehicle battery is in good condition or not. It gives them a live view of their battery’s health via a Bluetooth connection to a smartphone app. There’s no need to connect up a charger to check, or just hit the starter and hope. More important, it’ll also warn of an impending battery failure, giving them a chance to call you for a battery replacement, instead

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of being left stranded by the roadside.

Backed by a two-year warranty and suitable for use on all 12V flooded, AGM, and gel leadacid batteries, the Century BM12V Battery Monitor can be offered as a convenient upsell with any new battery purchase. It is easy to install and can be used to monitor the performance of starting batteries in cars, 4x4s, SUVs, trucks, motorcycles, and boats. It’s ideal for monitoring the state-of-charge and power usage in deep-cycle applications like campers and caravans.

Century’s BM12V Battery Monitor uses Bluetooth to wirelessly connect to your phone, via a free-to-download iOS or Android app. The BM12V will sync with the app and provide a live view of the battery’s state of charge, along with cranking-test results every time the vehicle is started. It can also test the vehicle’s charging system and notify the user of potential issues affecting battery life.

It is designed to be hidden away, and the IP65 rating means that the unit is dusttight and protected against water ingress, so it will be safe even in under-bonnet areas subject to dust and water splashes.

A connection range of up to 10m means it can be located deep within the vehicle.

The Century BM12V Battery Monitor is competitively priced with an RRP of

Raasm hose reels are the reel deal IF YOU ARE MOVING FLUIDS, RAASM HOSE REELS OFFER THE PERFORMANCE, DURABILITY, AND EASE OF USE YOU NEED TO IMPROVE BOTH EFFICIENCY AND YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE IN A WORKSHOP ames Driscoll, a frequent visitor to New Zealand workshops, says he often sees opportunities for those businesses to make life easier for themselves by handling oil, water, and other fluids in more efficient ways.

“When I drive around the country looking at local New Zealand industry working hard, I see many opportunities for the use of quality hose reels,” says James. “Hose reels make our lives easier, our workplace safer, and increase our work efficiency.

Reels also make businesses look more professional — and they are.”

That’s a professional assessment. James owns Emco, an import and distribution business that supplies and installs a wide range of commercial and industrial storage, distribution, and dispensing equipment, including its best-selling range of quality European-made Raasm hose reels.

“We have a lot of faith in these reels because of their proven capability,” explains James. “We take pride in not just the aesthetics of the product but

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Auto Channel Issue #31 December 2020

also its ongoing durability and its fitness for purpose in commercial applications.”

Raasm reels are used in automotive, cleaning, hygiene, and sanitary operations; chemical; building; mining; horticulture; field maintenance; spraying; farming; and more.

Raasm hose reels, made from stainless steel (304 or 316) or from painted carbon steel, can handle pressures up to 700bar and high-viscosity fluids. They are available in hand, spring, pneumatic, electric, or hydraulic rewind options. Raasm reels are used for: • air — compressed at varying pressures • water — at low or high pressure, hot or cold • oil — transfer or under pressure • diesel — for refuelling • sugar syrup — for feeding honey bees • grease — for servicing equipment in the workshop or in the field

$67, making it an ideal upsell with any new battery sale. Giving customers the power to monitor their batteries directly shows an extra level of care, increasing the chance that they’ll return to you for their next battery purchase.

For more information on Century’s BM12V Battery Monitor, visit centurybatteries.co.nz or contact a Century Batteries specialist on 0800 93 93 93.

• gases — catering for a wide arrange of gases; i.e., welding or food grade • liquid chemicals and additives.

Hose reels save time and money and increase proficiency: • They reduce wear and tear on hoses, increasing the lifespan of your equipment.

• Reels remove workshop clutter and trip hazards, safeguarding against accidents.

• They increase free space in work areas and facilitate free movement by compacting unused hoses.

• They reduce handling time through efficient retraction.

When choosing a hose reel consider these four characteristics: • What fluid is to be used?

• What is the required operating pressure?

• What length of hose is required?

• What flow rate is required?

Emco can advise on the best specification for your needs.

The arms of Raasm reels can be repositioned easily to adapt the hose reel to different mounting locations, for example: • standard wall installation • floor or bench installation • ceiling installation.

Depending on the point of installation and the weight of the hose, the spring tension/force can be adjusted to permit the best and safest hose retraction speed.

For more information, call Emco on 07 850 5240 or email sales@Emco.co.nz.

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Century’s range of 6 Volt & 12 Volt battery chargers can charge batteries rated up to 240Ahâ Century’s range of 6 Volt & 12up Volt battery the chargers canhave charge up heavily to 240Ahâ and maintain batteries rated to 360Ah, chargers thebatteries ability torated recover and maintain batteries rated to 360Ah, chargers have# the ability to recover heavily discharged batteries, and will up activate fromthe as low as 3 Volts. discharged batteries, and will activate from as low as 3 Volts.#

0800 93 93 93 | centurybatteries.co.nz 0800 93 93 93 | centurybatteries.co.nz Follow us on Facebook Follow us on Facebook *Conditions apply. Refer to the warranty section of the owner’s manual. âBased on 5 to 30% of battery Ah ratings. For optimum charging, 10% of battery Ah rating is recommended for flooded batteries and 20% of battery Ah rating is recommended for AGM & Gel batteries. #8 Volt activation on the CC6121.2, when 12 Volt setting is selected. *Conditions apply. Refer to the warranty section of the owner’s manual. âBased on 5 to 30% of battery Ah ratings. For optimum charging, 10% of battery Ah rating is recommended CB123-2519a for flooded batteries and 20% of battery Ah rating is recommended for AGM & Gel batteries. #8 Volt activation on the CC6121.2, when 12 Volt setting is selected.

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Auto Super Shoppe flies past 100-workshop milestone THIS YEAR, AUTO SUPER SHOPPES PULLED OFF THE ONLY NATIONAL CONFERENCE IN THE AUTO TRADE — AND ANNOUNCED IT HAD CROSSED THE THRESHOLD OF HAVING MORE THAN 100 INDEPENDENT WORKSHOPS IN THE GROUP uto Super Shoppes’ national business manager, Kellie Tremayne, says the main issue on everyone’s lips at the conference was, as everywhere, Covid and how the organization was going to deal with possible future shocks or lockdowns.

Kellie said members commented on the positive support they received during the shutdowns and said that, while the outlook was positive for betterquality workshops, strengthening the group for a more volatile future would be prudent. It would benefit the group whether that help was required or not.

“We have got strategies and plans in place to meet the rough waves that might blow up,” Kellie said.

“We’ll be going into 2021 with our eyes wide open.”

The conference took place not on Zoom but actually in Auckland last month, bringing together representatives from more than 60 workshops around the country.

Chief executive Jonathan Onyszkiewicz said that, including partners and suppliers, 236 guests attended the awards evening at the Cordis Hotel — the organization’s best turnout yet.

“Everybody that came was absolutely elated that we managed to pull it off,” he said.

He added that it took some fast footwork, as speakers organized to appear from overseas weren’t able to come, so the theme was rejigged to ‘Business Under Construction’. The timing of the new date — the conference was moved from July to November — worked out well.

The CEO forum, which featured Louise Sixton from Repco, stepping in for Jonathon Maddren, Martin Storey from BNT and Bapcor, and Century Batteries’ Stu Stanners, gave delegates the chance to look at the broader state of the industry in New Zealand as well as future directions.

The speakers stressed the importance of team leadership and being responsive to staff concerns, which included being able to say, when faced with unquantifiable challenges, that they didn’t have an answer at that time. They asserted the importance of planning as much as possible, and recognizing the importance of continually building brand value.

Jonathan said the conferences — which have been run here and overseas for 12 of the organization’s 14 years — are a highlight of the year for many members. They are independent operators so they appreciate both the chance to get together and learn from each other and the training organized to coincide with the conference, which this year focused on ADAS systems.

The attendees also picked up vital information from the group’s preferred suppliers at the associated trade show. More than 40 automotive

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Auto Channel Issue #31 December 2020

Guest speaker Hayden Paddon

brands exhibited, including main sponsors MTA, Repco, and BNT. Tours of different workshops in Auckland were also popular and well attended.

The Auto Super Shoppes organization began 14 years ago when two workshops, one in Auckland and one in Christchurch, decided to get together to establish a brand that would signify a higher level of service and professionalism to customers.

Jonathan said last year the organization had 94 members so the move to more than 100 happened fast.

Kellie said she now gets more workshops wanting to join than the group seeks out and invites.

She says they turn down more than they accept.

Workshops under consideration are thoroughly vetted, ensuring they meet the group’s standards, which is vital to preserve the value of the brand.

They look first at the presence online, checking to see if there are any negative reviews — highlighting the value of this information for any workshops still unaware of this vital business indicator.

She also checks to see how they treat staff, when

they pay their bills, and she gets feedback from suppliers.

“We don’t push suppliers for comment; we won’t put them in a difficult position if they would prefer not to comment,” she says.

The main test is the meeting on site, which can take a couple of hours. The final test, she says, is ‘the good bugger’ test. She might see an immaculate workshop and strong business plan but failing the good bugger test is a showstopper.

Kellie says the reasons workshops want to join the group aren’t often the reasons they stay. She says they might get a fleet car in for servicing only to learn the fleet stipulates Auto Super Shoppes only, or they have seen marketing online they like.

However, she says, what members value over time is the chance to talk with other workshop operators at regional zone meetings or at the annual conference. Marketing and promotion opportunities are all optional.

“It’s not one size fits all, and we don’t tell people how to run their business.”

However, the training opportunities held at least every quarter, and exclusive to Auto Super Shoppes, are well attended, especially the new one- or twoday service manager courses. New higher level courses for managers who don’t touch the tools are also in development.

For more information on Auto Super Shoppes, call 09 985 0663, email admin@supershoppes. co.nz, or see autosupershoppes.co.nz.

National business manager Kellie Tremayne and CEO Jonathan Onyszkiewicz

Auto Super Shoppes’ Geoff Harper (director), Jonathan Onyszkiewicz (CEO), Kellie Tremayne (national business manager), Tracy Visser (office manager), Helen Erecksen (academy administrator), Kiki Rodsunthiay (accounts administrator), Rob Humphreys (training academy instructor), Kiera Doherty (member services), David Storey (director), and Arpit Joshi (training academy instructor)

Chris says the machine would be ideal for highvolume workshops, especially those with a higher proportion of standard cars. Correcting alignment on those vehicles, most of which have fixed castor, was much faster than on standard aligners, he said. You wouldn’t need to move those cars onto another hoist.

SUSPENSION SPECIALIST

Launch’s breakthrough aligner lands in New Zealand

Chris, however, has a high proportion of customers with utes fitted with larger-than-standard wheels.

Castor is adjustable on those vehicles, and changing wheel and tyre sizes means castor, camber, and toe all need adjusting. Having many years experience in setting up suspensions, that’s something of a specialty for Chris. “We probably take those adjustments further than most tyre shops,” says Chris.

As Chris was the first customer, Century Distributors flew him to Australia, prior to Covid, to check out the new machine. He knew he was going to be ‘a guinea pig’ for this new technology and he has found a couple of issues, mostly relating to his customer base.

NEW ZEALAND’S FIRST TOUCHLESS WHEEL ALIGNER TOUCHES DOWN IN HAMILTON — INSIGHTS FROM ITS FIRST OPERATOR hen Chris Seeley from World of Tyres first heard about this new tech from Century Distributors rep Stephen Reid he was instantly intrigued.

The X-931 offered the chance to do very quick alignment checks because you don’t need to mount targets on the car’s wheels. Stalks at each corner contain lasers and cameras that look directly at each wheel and the software can instantly work out the attitude of each wheel by its deviation from the round. That’s clever thinking: why compute angles from targets, when the circle of the wheel itself gives you everything you need?

Chris saw two clear benefits for his Frankton, Hamilton, tyre business. Not needing to touch the wheel at all was a real benefit. “I’ve seen wheels damaged from fitting targets and when you are fitting brand-new wheels that’s the last thing you want.” It eliminates that risk.

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VERY FAST CHECKS “You can also get a reading, very quickly, within about 30 seconds,” says Chris. He saw the opportunity to offer low-cost and fast alignment checks, saving customers money if their alignment was fine. He thought he could probably do six cars in half an hour. He hasn’t advertised the service, though, because it hasn’t quite worked out like that.

“Most vehicles do need alignment, so that ties up the aligner for longer,” says Chris. Ideally, that work would be done on another aligner, leaving the X-931 free for quick checks, but Chris doesn’t have the space in his shop for a second alignment hoist.

This new one replaced the old machine he had for 11 years. He has another workshop at Te Rapa but that is set up for more commercial vehicles. That doesn’t have spare space either.

On the plus side, he is getting more alignment work and has taken on another staff member to meet the extra demand.

UTE CITY Hamilton is fast becoming ‘ute city’, Chris says.

Almost every second vehicle seems to be a ute and he says a couple of local dealers specialize in fitting larger wheels and tyres, adding flares and raising ride height. Chris found the X-390’s software struggled with tyres with knobby sidewalls, and thanks to Covid, he couldn’t get technicians from Australia onsite.

Stephen from Century Equipment says Launch quickly got to work updating the software to take aggressive treads into account.

Chris also found the turning plates were a bit small for some vehicles’ oversized wheels but Century Distributors found some larger plates that fitted.

Another issue was with adjusting castor, which also needs a software fix. At the moment, while it provides live readings for toe and camber during adjustment, it doesn’t give live readings for castor, meaning a reset for each adjustment. That takes more time. Chris is keen to see the software patch for that coming through soon too. In the meantime, he says he would still choose the machine again, given the choice, saying it future-proofs his business. It has also highlighted his next big issue — he needs bigger premises.

For more information on the Launch X-931, contact Century Equipment Distributors on 04 567 1405.

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Repco holding record levels of inventory REPCO GETS AHEAD OF FORECAST STOCK SHORTAGES TO SUPPORT THE NEW ZEALAND AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY eports of hold-ups in the supply of automotive parts are increasing in New Zealand but the country’s largest network of aftermarket parts supply stores, Repco, says it has been banking stock to head off possible shortages down the track.

“Repco is well positioned to maintain service levels due to an increased level of inventory investment that has been intentionally implemented to mitigate potential supply chain challenges that others may now be experiencing,” says a spokesperson.

Christmas is always the busiest time of year for logistics around the world. This year businesses are also dealing with the impact Covid shutdowns have had on their supply chains. Add to that a congestion of international shipping, unscheduled port delays, and a worldwide shortage of shipping containers and it spells tough times for many suppliers. However, Repco’s recent record levels of investment to parts inventory mean stock levels

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remain strong across the country.

“In a year of turbulence and uncertainty, we have made very deliberate investment decisions to be in the best possible position to support the New Zealand automotive trade,” says executive general manager Jonathon Maddren. “We have more inventory in New Zealand than ever before and we

have worked hard not to lose any staff throughout lockdown so that our customers will continue to enjoy the service and support they deserve.”

Repco says considerable disruptions continue for both local and overseas suppliers but the company remains confident in its level of service in coming months and beyond.

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Automotive is in our DNA 16

Auto Channel Issue #31 December 2020

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Wave and point ‘air buttons’ to make touchscreens redundant RESEARCH SHOWS ‘HAPTIC’ GESTURE CONTROLS IN CARS COULD BE THREE TIMES MORE ACCURATE THAN ATTEMPTS AT TOUCHSCREEN CONTROLS uxury carmaker DS Automobiles has developed a revolutionary contact-free interface that uses advanced hand tracking and mid-air haptic feedback that generates the feel of a button in the air.

Drivers and passengers can control infotainment and navigation by making simple hand gestures in

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mid-air. As they do so, haptic feedback is projected onto their hand to confirm that commands have been recognized and understood.

Partner Ultraleap’s world-leading skeletal tracking technology generates a virtual model of the hand’s movements, modelling not just the

finger or palm but also the bones and joints. That enables the system to predict the position of a finger even if it’s obscured from view.

Once the gesture command has been registered, the system provides the haptic feedback response to confirm that commands have been recognized and understood, using an array of ultrasonic speakers.

Sound waves are choreographed to create a single, localized point of high pressure. The slight vibrations resulting from the sound waves can be detected by the skin’s receptors, activating the sensation of touch. The user can perceive different responses, such as a simple click, a dial, or a ripple effect.

A range of systems from the car’s entertainment system can be controlled in this way. This type of system has been proven to offer three-times greater accuracy than traditional touchscreens, reducing ‘eyes off the road’ time and mental load. In fact, in trials 25 per cent of participants using gesture control and haptics made no off-road glances at all, offering improved driver control and safety and a premium driving experience.

Thierry Metroz, DS Automobiles design director, said, “The reason for our existence is to be the avant-garde. In the cockpit [of this concept car], we have chosen to work with unexpected materials, handcrafted with simple, pure lines, expressing a new kind of tranquillity.�

DS says the Aero Sport Lounge concept car is fitted with a 110kW battery producing 671bhp, and leverages the expertise gained by winning the Formula E Drivers and Constructors titles to deliver the clean performance qualities of an electric motor with a range exceeding 650 kilometres.

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FOR BREMBO, SEE BNT BREMBO RECOGNIZES ITS ASSOCIATION OF 25-PLUS YEARS WITH PARTS SPECIALIST BNT ook through the spokes of many of the top-name high-performance cars and you’ll often see the word ‘Brembo’ inscribed on the disc-brake calipers.

Quite often, even if you see the car manufacturer’s name, it will still be a Brembo brake caliper.

The brand’s premium positioning and reputation mean that some people are motivated to produce forgeries of its brake products. While fraud is a serious crime, the risk of unproven braking parts to the safety of road users is even more significant.

That’s another good reason to ensure that you are sourcing genuine Brembo components by going directly to BNT. Brembo’s Jeremy Shao says that Brembo has been available in the New Zealand market since the 1990s.

It started out here with BNT and has maintained that relationship for more than 25 years. BNT is now Brembo’s official exclusive distributor here.

“We are glad to have BNT stores certified as Brembo Expert Dealers,” Jeremy says. He adds that, together, Brembo and BNT ensure that BNT’s experienced staff members in stores have further in-depth knowledge of brake systems as a whole.

“They share our passion for innovation and the ongoing search for perfection with the audience of New Zealand.”

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Today the company operates in 15 countries on three continents, with 24 production and business sites and 9000 employees On 11 January 1961, Emilio Bombassei and Italo Breda founded Officine Meccaniche di Sombreno, which became today’s Brembo. Already with them was the current group president Alberto Bombassei, who was just 20 years old at the time.

Brembo started to produce brake discs for cars in 1964 and brake systems for motorcycles in 1972.

In 1975 the company ventured into Formula 1, supplying its own braking systems for Ferrari Grand Prix cars. During this half century, through technological innovation and continuous research into materials and manufacturing processes, Brembo has become one of the world’s most prestigious brands.

In 1995, Brembo was listed on the Milan Stock Exchange. and that led to further expansion and growth. Today the company operates in 15 countries on three continents, with 24 production and business sites and a pool of about 9000 employees.

The company has registered more than 400 families of patents, including the introduction of aluminium and carbon discs and radial master cylinders for motorcycles.

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Auto Channel Issue #31 December 2020

Latest innovations include a new brake-caliper design, featuring a built-in scoop that results in 15 per cent lower temperatures for performance cars, and a new brake-pad spring system that presses pads away from discs, to reduce drag on discs and improve fuel efficiency.

Another innovation is its ‘Greentive’ discs, which have a distinctive mirror finish. This tungsten carbide coating is much more resistant to corrosion, making it aesthetically useful for electric vehicles, which use their brakes less due to regenerative braking.

Greentive discs produce less brake dust and are expected to last 150,000km on conventional vehicles.

Greentive is available on Brembo’s solid, lightweight, dual-cast, and two-piece twin floating discs.

We asked Jeremy: why Brembo? He said Brembo operates in compliance with European safety regulations, and is certified in observance of all the strictest international standards.

Brembo checks all phases of the production process: design, development, testing, casting, processing, assembly, distribution, and assistance.

The production of original components is carried out in production plants approved by the car manufacturers, and Brembo manufactures aftermarket products in the same plants. Therefore Brembo’s aftermarket products have the same technological value as the original components.

Brembo’s UV painted disc

The features that make Brembo brakes popular in New Zealand include:

UV COATING New technology developed in collaboration with car manufacturers for more practical fitting procedures and greater resistance to corrosion.

PERFORMANCE Exclusive and patented pillar venting system, which enhances cooling potential and increases disc resistance by over 40 per cent.

COMFORT High-carbon cast-iron brake discs minimize vibration and noise, maximize performance, and increase driving comfort.

COMPLETE KITS Discs are supplied with all the necessary fixing hardware, for simpler and safer installation.

TIME SAVING Discs with factory pre-assembled original bearings are ready for immediate installation.

For more information on Brembo brakes, visit your local BNT store.

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Michelin launches carbonneutral tyre

Car news

MICHELIN HAS LAUNCHED THE E.PRIMACY, THE FIRST TYRE IN THE WORLD TO BE CARBON NEUTRAL AT THE POINT OF PURCHASE nvironmental responsibility was at the heart of the design process from day one, resulting in a tyre with the lowest rolling resistance in its category, reduced CO2 emissions and fuel savings for the customer.

Michelin-commissioned tests show that drivers using e.Primacy save around 0.21 litres of fuel per 100km, and about €80 over the life of the tyre.

The exceptionally low rolling resistance of the Michelin e.Primacy equates to 174kg less CO2 emitted over the life of the tyre, and an increased range of up to seven per cent for electric cars.

New tech in the tyre includes ‘energy passive’ high elasticity compounds, improved elastomer-filler coupling, thinner top belts, cool-running sidewalls, and a hermetic belt to reduce energy loss.

To achieve carbon neutrality at the point of purchase (in Europe) Michelin has topped up its gains by investing in projects that avoid, absorb, or offset carbon emissions, including tree replanting and the installation of less energy-intensive cooking equipment in various countries.

Michelin group executive committee member Scott Clark said: “Environmental issues are central to our strategic priorities. Michelin has pledged to lower CO2 emissions from all its production facilities by 50 per cent by 2030 compared with 2010, with the ultimate goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.”

He says by 2030, Michelin tyres will be 20 per cent more energy-efficient than they were in 2010.

E Carmakers shift gear to become electric and digital tech companies VOLKSWAGEN GROUP HAS ANNOUNCED IT IS RAMPING UP ITS INVESTMENTS IN FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES TO €73 BILLION FOCUSING ON ELECTRIFICATION, HYBRID POWER TRAINS, AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS hat takes its share of investments in future technologies close to 50 per cent out of the total €150 billion of its planned spend, up from 40 per cent in the previous planning round.

The biggest increase is investments in ‘digitalization’ — its software services — which will double to around €27 billion. A large share of the funds earmarked for digitalization will be invested in artificial intelligence, autonomous driving, and digitalization of significant business processes.

The announcement signals that Volkswagen Group is pressing ahead with its transformation into a digital mobility company.

Approximately €35 billion will be spent on battery-electric vehicles. A further €11 billion has been earmarked for hybrid versions of existing models.

Hans Dieter Pötsch, chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Volkswagen Group, said that the group’s financial basis was very solid, which was important given the transformational challenges ahead.

“Having set the course for a battery-electric future in the Volkswagen Group early on, we are now a global leader with our electric platforms and a broad range of electric vehicles,” said Herbert Diess, chief executive officer of the Volkswagen Group. “In the coming years, it will be crucial to also reach a leading position in car software in order to meet people’s needs for individual, sustainable, and fully connected mobility in the future. To that end, we have doubled our digitalization spend.”

Bernd Osterloh, chairman of the General Works

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Auto Channel Issue #31 December 2020

Council, pointed out that the carmaker can’t do it alone. “I am thinking in particular of Berlin and Brussels [national and European lawmakers] and hot topics such as charging infrastructure and high-speed internet. Volkswagen is fully committed to climatefriendly, highly networked mobility. But for this, we and our customers need a reliable environment.”

Volkswagen was the first automaker to commit to The Paris Agreement and aims to become climate neutral by 2050. The group intends to launch approximately 70 all-electric models by 2030. Around 20 of these are already in production.

In addition, around 60 hybrids are planned by the end of the decade, slightly over half of which are already being manufactured.

The Planning Round envisages production of approximately 26 million fully electric cars by 2030.

In 2019, Volkswagen Group delivered 10.97 million (2018: 10.83 million) vehicles to customers. Its passenger car global market share was 12.9 per cent.

Ford’s new focus RECENT NEWS FROM FORD IS OFTEN AS MUCH ABOUT ITS VEHICLES’ CONNECTEDNESS THROUGH ITS FORDPASS APP AS IT IS ABOUT NEW VEHICLES. AT THE RECENT ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE FORD E-TRANSIT, ITS FIRST ALL-ELECTRIC COMMERCIAL VEHICLE, FORD PRESIDENT AND CEO JIM FARLEY HIGHLIGHTED BOTH THE VEHICLE’S ZERO-EMISSION POWER AND ITS SOFTWARE SUITE ord’s commercial vehicle ecosystem is expanding to include electric vehicle (EV) monitoring software and connected solutions for fleets’ dayto-day operations.

“We are doubling down on the software and digital services to help our fleet customers grow and more efficiently run their businesses,” Farley said.

Manufacturers clearly want as many customers as possible to inhabit their own particular IT ecosystem and Ford is making a calculated move here by building its fleet system to accept data from other makers’ vehicles.

It says Ford Telematics’ multi-make functionality allows operators with vehicles from multiple manufacturers to integrate their entire fleet into the

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Ford Telematics system.

The new multi-make functionality enables fleet managers to manage and optimize all vehicles, regardless of manufacturer, through the Ford Telematics desktop app.

A separate app, the Ford Telematics Drive companion app, is intended to give fleet managers greater visibility of their fleet while also giving drivers easier reporting tools. The app can show fleet managers who is driving which vehicle, digitize daily vehicle checks, and damage or mechanical issues can be reported directly to the fleet manager’s Ford Telematics system.

“We know that many of our customers operate multi-make fleets, but also want to use Ford

Telematics’ advanced capabilities,” said Dave Phatak, director, Ford Commercial Solutions Europe.

“Our enhanced platform provides exciting new tools to boost productivity for our customers, not only delivering multi-make capability, but also a companion app that will bring new efficiencies to their fleet operations.”

Multi-make functionality allows fleet managers to maximize uptime, plan maintenance, and deliver improved driver training without using multiple OEM solutions. This improved functionality is provided as part of the regular subscription cost.

Multi-make functionality is compatible with most vehicles built from 2015 and works using a plug-in device (PID) that connects to each vehicle via an OBD2 port or wiring harness.

It allows drivers to electronically select and pair to a vehicle, providing details to the fleet manager, recording daily checks to ensure roadworthiness, and means fleet managers can track damage or cosmetic issues from each shift.

Drivers can also send details of issues, and photos can be sent directly to the fleet manager’s Ford Telematics’ dashboard.

Similarly, telemetry from the vehicle can also be used to alert theft or unauthorized use and provide alerts for speeding, dangerous manoeuvres, accidents, and provide opportunities for coaching, if necessary.

Electric tuk-tuk, anyone?

ELECTRIC VEHICLE PLATFORM DESIGNERS ARE RUSHING TO FILL EVERY VOID: TRUCKS, BUSES, CARS OF COURSE, MOTORCYCLES, AND NOW, FAR FROM ITS TARGET MARKET IN ASIA, WE HAVE A TUK-TUK DESIGN FROM THE UK K-based engineering and tech company D2H Advanced Technologies has proposed a lightweight body concept for a new electric tuk-tuk. Two low-cost options — flatbed and box van — have been shown for the modular platform, providing a solution for a range of uses.

The project was initially part-funded by Innovate UK’s IDP15 scheme to accelerate the transition to zero-emission vehicles globally. D2H is now in talks with a number of potential partners

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aiming to progress onto prototype stage.

“The bodywork options demonstrate the versatility of the lightweight new EV [electricvehicle] chassis — there is a configuration suitable for any use and all at a similar, projected lowcost price point that directly competes with existing Tuk-Tuk alternatives,” says Matthew Hicks, D2H engineering director. He said an EV tuk-tuk could make a significant contribution to the global fight to reduce emissions in crowded

cities where the tuk-tuk has evolved as an ideal commercial vehicle.

The chassis utilizes a fibre-reinforced thermoplastic polymer, and the motor, still in development, is intended to provide the 480kg vehicle with up to 12 hours of continuous use on a single charge. The front-wheel-drive chassis will be driven by a front-mounted motor with battery packs either between the rear wheels, or mounted midchassis, depending on range and configuration.

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Tell your Touareg to park by phone

Japan’s first self-driving car is a Honda HONDA IS THE FIRST AUTOMAKER TO WIN APPROVAL FOR A LEVEL 3 AUTOMATED DRIVING SYSTEM FROM THE JAPANESE MINISTRY OF LAND, INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT, AND TOURISM

PARK ASSIST WITH REMOTE CONTROL ALLOWS THE TOUAREG TO BE MANOEUVRED INTO ANY PARKING SPACE — USING A SMARTPHONE, THE DRIVER CAN DRIVE THE TOUAREG BOTH INTO AND OUT OF PARKING SPACES our cameras and 12 ultrasound sensors act as the digital eyes of the SUV. Volkswagen’s Touareg now drives into and out of parking spaces fully automatically.

Drivers can stand outside the vehicle and tell it to park using a smartphone. Volkswagen paints the picture: a multi-storey car park at the airport, for example. The flight is about to leave. Narrow parking spaces.

Old world: stop the car in the driving lane, unload the luggage, get in again, manoeuvre the car into the tight space, squeeze yourself out of the car.

Equals: Stress.

F

Seat plans to use rice husks in place of plastics VW GROUP’S SEAT IS TESTING THE USE OF RICE HUSKS, A BI-PRODUCT OF RICE HARVESTING, AS A PLASTIC SUBSTITUTE MATERIAL IN THE NEW LEON IN ITS CABIN HEADLINING AND BOOT LINERS p to 20 per cent of the plastic usually used in the boot will be replaced with recycled rice husks, which are lighter than the polyurethanes and polypropylenes they replace.

Unwanted rice husks are usually incinerated.

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Auto Channel Issue #31 December 2020

t permits Honda’s Traffic Jam Pilot automated driving system to be implemented in massproduction vehicles for use at speeds of up to 50kph on public highways in Japan. Level 3 automated driving systems take control of the car from the driver under certain conditions, including location, weather, and speed.

The latest Honda Legend, due in the second quarter next year, will be the first vehicle to deploy Level 3 automated driving capabilities.

When activated by the driver, Honda’s Traffic Jam Pilot technology will enable the car to follow the vehicle in front and stay in its lane without any input from the driver. It can only be active at speeds up to 50kph. When the system determines that it cannot continue to operate safely, a warning is issued, and the driver must take over control of the vehicle.

I New world: Unload the luggage — still no assistance there. Dial up Park Assist with remote control. Get a front row view of the car parking itself. Equals: No stress at all.

The basis of the new system is Park Assist, in which the car steers while the driver operates the accelerator and brake pedals. Volkswagen is going a decisive step further by also controlling the engine and brake. It operates in all types of parking spaces.

In the first mode — without activated remote control — the driver remains sitting in the Touareg as usual. When the Touareg detects one or more suitable parking spaces, it shows these on the infotainment system screen. The driver selects one, engages the system and it stops the instant he releases the drive button. The technology used by the Touareg for this comprises the aforementioned 12 ultrasound sensors and the four cameras of the Area View 360-degree system.

In the second mode, the driver gets out of the vehicle, then uses their smartphone and the VW Remote Park Assist Plus app as a remote control.

Here also, the Drive button must be pressed continuously for safety reasons. To activate automatic driving out of the parking space, the driver engages it and selects Forward Left or Forward Right.

Seat could recycle 12,000 tonnes of rice husks per year, which also reduces the amount of global husk waste by eight per cent, and creates a more circular economy.

“The parts are lighter, which means that we reduce the weight of the car, thus reducing our carbon footprint,” says Seat interior trim development engineer Joan Colet. “We’re also

using a renewable material, promoting the circular economy and making a greener product.”

The boot floor undergoes load tests in which it must withstand up to 100kg concentrated on one small area to check its rigidity and strength.

Thermal tests are also carried out in a climatic chamber to confirm its resistance to heat, cold, and humidity.

BETTER THAN THE ORIGINAL HOLDEN GENUINE REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSIONS All over the world, GM automatic transmissions are driven millions of kilometres every year. GM engineers record information about their reliability and performance to build an extensive knowledge base that is used to continuously enhance component and software design.

Every Holden Remanufactured Transmission is remanufactured in Australia using the latest specification components to ensure ‘better than original’ performance is built in.

Below is a selection of popular transmissions. For a full price list speak with your GM Trade Parts Dealer.

Part No.

Description

Price $

17803702

Commodore VE 2009-2011 3.6Lt V6 4spd

$1,995.00

17804308

Commodore VE 2006-2008 6.0Lt V8 6spd

$2,995.00

17804536

Cruze JH 2011-2013 1.8Lt Petrol 6spd

$2,995.00

17804528

Captiva CG 2011-2012 3.0L 6spd

$2,995.00

92288616

Colorado RG 2014-15 2.8Lt Diesel 6spd 4WD

$3,995.00

GM Trade Parts prices exclude GST and are valid until 31/3/2021

GET THE RIGHT ATF FOR THE JOB With ACDelco Dexron VI Premium Synthetic ATF competitively priced through GM Trade Parts you’ll know you’ve got the right GM approved ATF for your Holden Genuine Reman Transmission.

Contact your local Holden Dealer at:

gmtradeparts.com

stelton Director Roger Ca e th ys pla proudly dis and logo e m na n fer ck Bla

Blackfern Co-operative celebrates platform for growth BLACKFERN DIRECTOR ROGER CASTLETON REFLECTS ON THE ORGANIZATION’S GROWTH OVER THE PAST SIX YEARS Roger, how would you describe the current situation for Blackfern members?

2020 will go down for many as a challenging year. Queen Elizabeth described 1992 as her ‘annus horribilis’. That’s a pretty good description for this past year for people all around the world.

It’s caused many of us to take stock of our lives, not just at work, but our whole outlook on life, and how we manage it. For a lot of us, it has been a wake-up call on how rapidly situations can change. Of course, change doesn’t have to be a bad thing. I think it’s shown us, though, that what we thought was solid ground might not be so solid, so we have to build support in other ways.

To me that’s one of the great strengths of Blackfern – that it builds relationships across the country. New Zealand has unique strengths and ways of doing things, so being able to deal with fellow Kiwis working in the same environment has been a real strength of this cooperative for members, particularly this year.

High Street Motors owner Mike Munro looks relaxed in Rangiora because, he says, Blackfern makes life easy

Neil and the team at Mangapapa, Gisborne, have enjoyed seeing the growth and new suppliers join over the past five years

The world has changed since the cooperative was established. What have been the biggest changes?

When the 14 garage owners voted back in 2014 to set up Blackfern people were concerned about the future of the trade. EVs were a potential threat, access to OEM data and getting to grips with new technology was becoming an issue, and we had the challenge of acquiring parts for our hugely varied domestic car parc. Some of those are still issues but we have a better perspective on them now. Some of the positive changes include the fact that the importance of small businesses to our economy is much better recognized and understood. The fact that the automotive trade bounced back fairly quickly also shows that the automotive trade is not just an indicator of the economy but an important sector in itself.

The Kaiapoi Automotive Services team: Callum, Tim, Gavin, Becs, and Nick

What have been some of the highlights or notable features of Blackfern’s growth over its first six years?

We knew that setting up a New Zealand-based and owned cooperative that would share benefits only with other New Zealanders and not send funds offshore would appeal to Kiwi businesses. We chose the name Blackfern deliberately, for that reason, but that has resonated even better than we thought. I think that has been a strength as, due to Covid-19, many countries have turned in on themselves.

Everyone has realized how much we depend on each other.

Yes, Blackfern had to start small but we are growing and

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Auto Channel Issue #31 December 2020

Nick from Kaiapoi discussing repairs

the benefits and services we can offer are growing too.

Lockdowns have affected everyone’s businesses but there’s no doubt the cooperative has come out of this stronger.

The coop is now growing in leaps and bounds. In fact we have added 200 new members since lockdown.

Some other highlights have been adding a new userfriendly web portal which contains direct links to suppliers’ phone and email contacts.

We put a focus on attracting suppliers and we are now seeing good growth there too, as shown in the new directory. Supplier numbers are still less than in some other groups, so it remains a focus, but it means suppliers enjoy a more tailored, targeted, and cost-effective growth experience with Blackfern. But check out the directory. You would be surprised what our suppliers cover.

Members benefit by simple, centralized billing which saves time and money. Members can now review statements online and allocate reward points.

Blackfern has also recently created an online booking product enabling members to remotely and safely book in their customers. This product affords the member risk protection in line with their own terms and conditions, utilizing suggested best practice templates.

Passing the 1000-member mark this year was also another significant milestone. Growing membership means we can continue to grow our field staff to put more people in direct contact with businesses around the country.

Blackfern now has seven people nationally to cater for the growing demand in the regions. We have a knack of finding great people with extensive industry knowledge and relevant business skills, who are keen to share their insight with members.

of best pricing “ I get the benefit r and I am from the supplie ys Autotech sa s,” earning point ie. “It opens Levin’s Euan Beatt ppliers and su od me up to go fill out more there’s no need s” rm account fo

Graeme ‘Grub’ Jones, Auto Innovations, New Plymouth with his Honda 900-powered bar stool. “The best thing about Blackfern is all the new contacts,” Graeme says Noel and Michelle Bewley and their Upper Hutt workshop love Blackfern’s pure Kiwi identity and that it is set rt up to help and suppo them

Anything else you would like to feature?

We have a number of special people working with us who can provide expert advice on WOF and workshop compliance. These services include environmental and business rules, and owners’ liabilities, including terms and conditions. That’s another benefit of being a New Zealand-only cooperative — we have a laser focus on local conditions and the scale of business we have here, especially the mum-and-dad workshop owners.

Sue Connell from Automotive Professional Services, New Plymouth, says, “Blackfern is easy to use and user-friendly.” John Connell says, “Blackfern is trying to make things seamless for members and its opening doors for us with other businesses and people to deal with”

For more information on Blackfern and its member or supplier benefits, call 06 306 8446 or see blackfern.coop.

Jason (right) and Tanya Harding opened Autozone in Gisborne two weeks before lockdown. They have been flat out since, adding another hoist and hiring Alistair Fairbairn (left) to help out

Check out the new Blackfern directory, free in this issue Director Roger Castleton says he is pleased to present the co-operative’s first national directory.

“A lot of information is available online but we have had more than a few requests from members for a good old-fashioned, paper-based directory because they are just so quick and easy to pick up and thumb through,” says Roger. “That made perfect sense to us. Right technology, right place, and we are all about giving members what they want.”

Roger invites all readers to check out the new directory and the advertisement for the Value Tyres promotion on page 39. Be in to win a $1000 voucher from Kilwell Sports.

“Blackfern thanks all stakeholders for their support in 2020,” says Roger. “We wish you all a safe and happy holiday. We are looking forward to an exciting 2021 and remember, supporting your New Zealand cooperative is supporting your community!”

FOR NEW ZFEALA OR ND NEW ZEALA ND

The Bl ack b ook The Bl ack bo ok 2021 21

THE DEFINITIVE GU IDE TO BLA 20CK21 FERN PREFERR ED SUPPLIERS THE DEFINITIV E GUIDE TO BLA CKFERN PREFE RRED SUPPL IERS

25

Oil-management systems — why professional workshops choose them OIL-MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS, FLUID-MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS, DISPENSING CONTROL SYSTEMS … THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT NAMES FOR THEM, BUT WHAT ARE THEY ACTUALLY, AND HOW DO THEY WORK? dvance Fluid Control (AFC) provided this technical overview. It describes such a system as, “A service workshop application system which controls and manages the dispensing of oils, coolant, windshield fluid, etc. which is dispensed in the workshop.”

They offer many benefits, including the following: Control — Dispense points are locked while not in use and can only be opened by a user after entering their personal PIN, and a job or fleet number. These data are recorded in the dispense report, which is lodged after completion of the dispense.

Visibility — The dispense reports, which are sent to the system software at the completion of each dispense, include data such as date and time of dispense, fluid type, dispense-point number, dispensed quantity, job or fleet number, and the technician’s name.

The dispense reports can be filtered by any of the above data. For example, office staff may want to know all the fluids used for a particular job and entering the job number into the filter will bring up only the dispenses made for that job.

Additionally, the levels in the tanks can be monitored within the system software, and alerts can be triggered at reorder levels.

Automation — Full data integration to the site dealer-management system (DMS) can be configured, which provides real-time job or fleetnumber validation, meaning that the dispense is only approved if the number is valid at the time of the dispense request.

On completion of the dispense, the applicable data are written into the DMS against the applicable job or fleet number.

This removes human input for a repetitive task, which removes human error and obviously provides labour savings.

A

be quickly identified.

A combination of automated record keeping, operational transparency, and automated DMS data entry for billing purposes is all rolled into one, which contributes in a significant, behind-the-scenes way to providing the workshop’s customers with an efficient and professional experience.

GRACO PULSE PRO AFC has extensive experience in the field of fluid management. The business provides and supports the Graco Pulse Pro Fluid Management System nationwide.

The Graco Pulse Pro system has been a success around the globe, in smaller automotive workshops through to heavy-equipment maintenance centres such as mines. The wireless system can be used on a fixed-reel dispensing system or on mobile trolleys through the workshop.

Streamlining and simplifying operations and tracking materials are a constant goal of service and

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Auto Channel Issue #31 December 2020

SOUND INTERESTING? If you identify with some of the issues that an oildispensing management system helps to solve and would like to investigate it further, AFC can assist you with any information you need. Please call AFC on 0800 538 058.

Pulse Wireless Network Hub

DEVICES

WHY WOULD OIL-MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS APPEAL TO PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOPS? Many of the system benefits appeal particularly to large workshop organizations, but a key benefit is the fact that the dispense data are automatically recorded and kept, which is one of the requirements for workshops which have implemented the Quality Management System ISO 9001.

The fluid-management system provides automated record keeping, and also transparency of fluid-dispensing operations in the workshop.

There have been cases where a mechanic has unknowingly dispensed the wrong oil into an engine or transmission, and the oil-management system has allowed the supervisor to pick up on the error within minutes, thus avoiding damage to the vehicle and a potential customer-relations nightmare. The potential for human error is vastly reduced through the whole process, from the workshop floor to the customer’s bill, and if there is a discrepancy then the source of the issue can

parts managers in workshops around New Zealand.

By capturing all dispenses, Graco Pulse Pro helps prevent lost oil and finds hidden profits in the service process. The system reduces the amount of time the technician needs to invest in recording oil or coolant use, allowing them to spend more time in the service bay, serving more customers, and reducing the need for admin staff chasing up incomplete or incorrect paperwork.

As Graco states: “Pulse Pro Fluid Management is designed specifically to address today’s most pressing bulk fluid-management challenges by giving technicians and management staff unparalleled control, insight, and analytics with every dispense.”

As the system is wireless, it is very quick for AFC to install. On-site installation takes no more than half a day in most cases. There is no cutting into pipes to install valves and meters, which is required with hard-wired systems, and likewise there are no cables to run around the workshop.

Of course, there are certain applications more suited to other types of fluid-management systems, and AFC can evaluate the most suitable option based on the site layout and what the customer wants to achieve.

Dispensing Meter Gun

Tank Level Monitor (optional)

Pump Air Controller (optional)

WEB-BASED SOFTWARE ACCESSED VIA STANDARD COMPUTER / MOBILE DEVICES

NEW YEAR…

NEW WORKSHOP WITH MORE CARS ON THE ROAD THAN EVER BEFORE, MAKE SURE YOUR AUTOMOTIVE WORKSHOP IS READY FOR THE DEMAND TO KEEP THEM WHERE THEY BELONG, ON THE ROAD. Introducing The Graco Pulse Pro® from AFC. The Graco Pulse Pro® adds another hard working, dependable employee to your workshop when you need it most. It’s been designed to help your workshop increase productivity and create instant accountability by giving you unparalleled control with real time tracking and management of all your workshop lubes.

Graco Pulse Pro® Dispensing Meter Gun

Graco Pulse Pro® Hub

Graco Pulse Pro® Extender (optional)

Graco Pulse Pro® Pump Air Control (optional)

www.advancefluidcontrol.co.nz/graco-pulse-pro Graco Pulse Pro® Tank Level Monitor (optional)

27

BORN TO WIN BATHURST BATHURST WAS THE ENTRY POINT FOR THIS LOCAL LEGEND WORDS: QUINTON TAYLOR PHOTOS: QUINTON TAYLOR / ALLAN MOFFAT COLLECTION / NEW ZEALAND CLASSIC CAR ARCHIVE

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Auto Channel Issue #31 December 2020

hen the Australian motor industry was entering its golden era, one car set the benchmark. Ford’s Falcon GTHO and its various GT derivatives, especially in Phase III form, dominated at Bathurst from 1967 to 1972.

Harry Firth masterminded the Ford race programme for the GTs and, with co-driver Fred Gibson, secured the car’s win at Bathurst in 1967. Holden had nothing that could compete

W

with the GTs until the Holden Dealer Team (HDT) Monaros were created. It was the beginning of a glorious period of competition when success at Mount Panorama equated to success in the market for Ford, Holden, and Chrysler.

In other major events, such as the 1968 London– Sydney Marathon, Ford Falcon GTs acquitted themselves well, despite a win to a small Hillman Hunter driven by Scot Andrew Cowan.

HEADING THE FORD TEAM n his book Climbing the Mountain, Allan Moffat says the Ford Falcon GTHO would be remembered as the greatest muscle car ever built in Australia, and “the first and last of the supercars”.

It could have even been even greater, as a Phase IV version was ready for 1972, but public outcry over road-registerable race cars put paid to those plans and signalled the end of Ford’s direct involvement in Australian touring car racing.

When we contacted Allan Moffat recently, he noted how much driver safety has changed.

“Cars from that era until now have changed quite substantially in safety, going from showroom-floor cars to purpose-built race cars,” he says.

Moffat’s association with Ford started back in the 1960s. Racing a Ford Lotus Cortina in the US was especially important to his career from 1965 to 1989, which eventually resulted in 13 titles in different makes of cars. They included Australian Sports Sedan, Australian Endurance, FIA Touring

I

Cars, and World Touring Cars championships, often in a Ford Falcon until his last race in the model at Bathurst in 1980 in an XD Falcon. At one time, he also teamed up with good mate Peter Brock in

a Holden Commodore for Bathurst, and in 1981, stunned his fans with a very successful stint in a Mazda RX-7, the little car taking victories in the 1982 and 1984 Australian Endurance Championships.

EMCO is an Industry Leader in the distribution of lubricant and fluid equipment including: • Hose Reels • Pumps • Mobile dispensing equipment EMCO is a one stop shop, specialising in advice, installation of pipework and equipment as well as servicing of fluid management systems.

We distribute and sell a great range of lubrication equipment from leading brands including RAASM, GRACO, ReCoila and Macnaught.

Here is what one of our customer had to say recently about an installation job EMCO completed: “When we were building our new Flagship Toyota dealership here in Hamilton, we worked closely with James Driscoll and his team from EMCO. They were very easy to work with right from involvement during initial concept meetings and quotes, clarifying technical queries about pipe systems and equipment that they recommended…through to the installation of equipment from oil, water and air lines, oil fill manifold cabinet through to double skinned tanks. The work was completed on time with EMCO working closely with our construction company and meeting our high standards and expectations both from a functionality and aesthetic point of view.”

- Alistair Silcock, Aftersales Manager, Ebbett Toyota

Contact EMCO on 07 8505240, email sales@emco.co.nz or visit our website www.emco.co.nz

A HANDS-ON TEAM MANAGER Al Turner arrived from the US to head Ford’s race programme, and things started to move pretty quickly for Moffat. Turner was well aware of Moffat’s reputation for developing cars in testing and his sympathetic touch on the racetrack. In 1969, after Holden launched the Monaro with a 350ci V8, Ford sprang the HO model on the market: a purpose-built race car with “handling options”, as Al Turner explained to the press.

“Ford’s race programme was very important to my career, as it gave me some pretty good cars to drive in all races of that era,” Allan says.

The Windsor block 351ci engine to a 351ci Cleveland block for greater reliability.

However, they were not easy cars to drive In 1969, most cars used radial tyres for motor racing, which were not ideal for reliability and top performance. Using Turner and Moffat’s previous association with Goodyear, they decided to bring in a container of their race tyres for the Fords.

During the race, it was discovered that if drivers were harder on their tyres, they made contact with the Ford’s upper ball joints with disastrous results. The race was memorable for Bill Brown’s spectacular barrel roll approaching a Skyline in his Phase II, when a front right tyre blew. Miraculously, Brown was only shaken and bruised.

At this point in the race, Moffat had experienced a minor gearbox problem and had pulled over to rectify it. He subsequently avoided the huge pile-up with competitor’s cars when suddenly confronting Brown’s overturned Ford.

With Moffat sitting in a comfortable position for a win, Turner then made a critical decision.

“I was relatively easy on the car, and that was shown in the 1969 Bathurst when the other works cars were running out of tyres, but I was called in

by Al Turner with only laps to go,” says Allan.

Moffat was very aware that his tyres were fine but followed team orders, despite the frustration

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Auto Channel Issue #31 December 2020

of being so close.

“We found out that mine were still in good condition ... One that got away!” he recalls.

He placed fourth.

PHASE II Fred Gibson tested the 1970 Phase II cars extensively at Ford’s You Yangs Proving Grounds with Moffat also doing some testing to improve the cars. Results were fed back to a special facility, Lot 6, opposite the Ford plant at Broadmeadows.

Just like Nascar, aerodynamics were being experimented with.

“Lot 6 was the original skunk works. Testing was always paramount for success, and the more you did, the better you became. Peter Thorn developed a front spoiler on a test car we had and it worked great,” Allan says.

The Phase II also saw a change from the Windsor block 351ci engine to a 351ci Cleveland block for greater reliability. However, they were not easy cars to drive Moffat explains, having to be revved harder to get the performance out of them and consequently reliability issues surfaced: “They

didn’t seem to have as much torque as a Windsor, and the car took a little longer to get in touch with.

I know Fred [Gibson] loved the Phase I better.”

Ford was considering replacing the Phase I with the American-sourced Torino but fortunately that never eventuated.

“The Falcon was a born-and-bred Aussie car and well-balanced in both sedan and the later coupé, something we were familiar with.”

SUPER FALCONS In 1970, Al Turner supervised the building of two Super Falcons using the XW GTHO Phase II as the basis, but using technology from the Mustang 302 Boss programme. A fuel-injected Cleveland 351 was used, putting out 447kW. Those who drove them, including Allan Moffat, found it simply too powerful for the flexible chassis to handle, and the project was abandoned for 1971 and 1972 in favour of the XY body.

YEARS

YEARS 1995-2020

1995-2020

PROUDLY CELEBRATING CELEBRATING PROUDLY

S R

A S E R Y

A E Y

OF OUTSTANDING PRODUCTS CUSTOMER PRODUCTS SERVICE OF AND OUTSTANDING

AND CUSTOMER SERVICE

CONTACT THE BATTERY EXPERTS AT R&J BATTERIES OR VISIT THE WEBSITE: www.rjbatt.co.nz AUCKLAND: 9A Angle St, Onehunga I 09 636 5980

CHRISTCHURCH: 14 Dakota Cres, Wigram I 03 341 0090

CHANGING OF THE GUARD, PHASE III Al Turner’s departure heralded the arrival of Howard Marsden, a team manager Moffat had come into contact with when the former had managed Alan Mann Ford race teams.

“Two totally different guys; Al from a drag racing background, where Howard was wanting a complete handling package,” Allan says.

He built a sensational Phase III. Journalist Mel Nichols of Sports Car World called the Phase III, “simply one of the best cars in the world, a true GT that can take on Ferraris and Astons on their own terms … a classic car worth buying to keep a lifetime.”

The public thought so too, but with just 300 Phase III GTHOs built, they were soon snapped up at a bargain AUD$5250.

Moffat’s most memorable drives were in the Phase III GTHOs in 1971, when he led from start to finish at Bathurst, 13 seconds faster than his record lap in 1970. Moffat dominated the Hardie-Ferodo 500 race, taking pole, and won by a lap over John French in a similar car. There were five Phase III GTHOs in the top six positions at flagfall, with Leo Geoghegan in a Chrysler Charger seventh.

“The Phase III had great power and handling and I felt comfortable in it,” says Moffat.

Incredibly, Brown again rolled his GTHO entering

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Auto Channel Issue #31 December 2020

McPhillamy Park, breaking the car in two, yet was again unscathed.

It was 1969 all over again — Marsden directing him to pit with a beer carton jammed in the Ford’s front grille.

“Again, team orders. I still wasn’t really happy as I could see the gauges and they were all reading fine,” Allan remembers.

Engine temperatures were where they should be, and all was well, so he continued.

His signal of a single raised digit to the pits was later explained as an intention to win by one lap ahead of second-place-getter John French, which he duly did.

The Phase IV showed huge promise for the 1973 season but the public and media outcry about speed saw it replaced by the B52 project: the Ford Falcon Coupe Superbird.

“I didn’t really get a chance to race one or practise. I think it [the Phase IV] would have been a great car! The coupé was a little harder to see out of, but it had great rear grip. I did like driving them, though,” Allan says.

Ford pulled out of officially supporting race teams and Moffat went on to great success with his own race team.

Ford had achieved what it wanted to do with three wins at Bathurst with the Falcon GTHOs.

Owners are holding on to the XR GT models, with just two selling at an average of NZ$107,375

A PROUD RECORD Genuine GTHOs rarely come up for sale. When they do they are probably Australia’s most valuable muscle cars at the moment. Say “HO” to any car enthusiast and they know what you are talking

about. The aura has certainly never diminished, and even the GTs do well at auction.

Unique Cars Australia’s survey of 2017–2018 auction results provides interesting reading.

Owners are holding on to the XR GT models, with just two selling at an average of NZ$107,375.

Just five XTs averaged the equivalent of NZ$78,713, six XW GTs averaged NZ$137,182, and 11 XY GTs averaged NZ$156,434. Four XY GT Fairmonts averaged NZ$65,859, and 14 XY GT replicas averaged NZ$78,780. In 2018, Australian cricketing legend Jeff ‘Thomo’ Thomson sold his Phase III GTHO for over NZ$1M. Concours-condition cars are going to command a higher price. This feature car, a 1970 Ford Falcon GT, has graced the pages of New Zealand Classic Car before. It arrived in New Zealand in 1973 from Australia, having had a number of owners.

The car was restored here over two years. The work done included adding a set of Globe alloys, new door skins and interior upholstery, as well as repainting it in its original Monza Green colour. The drivetrain was rebuilt to factory specifications.

In 2008, and with only 17,000km on the odometer, the car was put up for auction.

Ford Falcon GT enthusiasts Roger and Diane Whyte of Southland heard about the car.

Their bid was successful, and they added a ‘Shaker’ to their growing collection.

“We have the original ownership papers for the car and the Globe alloys. I think it looks better on the Globes,” Roger says.

With only the occasional trip, the kilometres have not been added to greatly.

“We haven’t had to do a thing to it. Just regular servicing and it’s been very reliable. It does drive very nicely,” he tells us.

Last year, they opened up the collection to visiting car clubs and fellow GT owners. It’s something else!

“Like many who now buy these classics, we hang on to them to pass on to our children. They will benefit from us keeping these cars and looking after them,” Roger said.

BIG BLOCK H-SERIES MINI COOPER 34

Auto Channel Issue #31 December 2020

SURE, PEOPLE SWAP HONDA MOTORS INTO MINIS ALL THE TIME BUT IT’S USUALLY THE SMALL 1600CC B-SERIES MOTOR. TRENT’S MACHINE IS PACKING HONDA’S H-SERIES; THE BIG BLOCK OF HONDA FOUR-BANGERS! WORDS: RENE VERMEER PHOTOS: STRONG STYLE PHOTO ike most of you out there, we like nothing more than seeing a tasty engine-converted, scratchbuilt monster. More often than not, these cars are built as hyped hot rods, with the intention of summer-safe cruising of the famed Whangamata stretch. However, the juicy kind we’re into normally reside at one of New Zealand’s many race circuits — beaten, hammered, welded, and spannered into tarmac-tearing machines. Trent Dixon is a name no doubt extremely well known in the Mini scene here and abroad. A 2016 Mini Miglia Championship winner with more than 13 years of Mini racing experience would see Trent as a diehard, small chassis connoisseur who has been around the block numerous times behind the wheel of a Mini Cooper. However, when you have reached the top and perfected the stroked 1380cc A-Series-based platform, where to next?

“We won the Miglia Championship in 2016 and wanted to race something that was still a Mini, but very different,” Trent explains.

Mini enthusiasts the world over have been engine-swapping the featherweight chassis for decades. V8 engines, V6s — you name it, it has most likely been done. However, something compact, high revving, and lightweight would be the name of the game around the circuit and competitive in the motorsport realm. A common conversion is the famed Honda B-series engine. It’s small, readily available, and revs upwards of 8500rpm, transforming the Cooper into a hornet-like creature — better yet, they’re incredibly reliable, being as they are normally left unmodified once converted.

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However, in 2016, Trent stumbled on what we would describe as the ultimate Trade Me find: a Honda H22A-converted mid-mounted Mini Cooper — this just doesn’t happen, right?

“We found the Mini project on Trade Me and decided to buy it and completely rebuild it,” Trent says. “Our goal at this point was to try and build a super Mini that is reliable and able to compete in GTRNZ and the Super Mini challenge.”

“Our goal at this point was to try and build a super Mini that is reliable and able to compete in GTRNZ” With a seriously challenging goal set, the team began work immediately. The 2200cc Honda big block was already mounted, bolted to a T2W4 LSD five-speed gearbox, so the main focus would be on solidifying the chassis and structure of the Mini to provide the much-needed rigidity necessary to compete at the top. Ken Douglas of Automotion Motorsport Engineering — Ken is the technical officer of the Mini Racing Drivers Club of New Zealand — removed the roof to strengthen and upgrade the top of the cage, before proceeding onto the rest of the fabrication. With no real history of the H22A mounted between the towers, Trent decided it best to send the engine to Harris Performance for a tickle-up.

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“I took the engine down to Harris Performance to fully strip it down, to find out what sort of block it was and whether or not it would be something I could work with,” he recalls. “The block was solid and did not need cylinder strengthening, so we proceeded to completely rebuild it and add some upgrades, adding forged pistons and upping the compression ratio to 12:1.”

With the bare mechanical components rebuilt and mounted within the refurbished and much stronger roll cage, Hitech Motorsport set to work on wiring in the Link ECU and various looms, allowing for future additions to the ECU — including sensors and in-car video cameras. Externally, the widebody guards and aero were completed and the suspended flat floor was constructed, connecting to the front splitter and ex–NZ V8 series rear diffuser to smooth out under-car turbulence and help with downforce. To complete the package, Trent opted for a basic colour — Ford Ranger silver. Even completely jam-packed, aero-clad, and engine-converted, the Mini Cooper

Even a completely factory H22A engine would have been more than enough converted into the Cooper but Trent wanted more, and thanks to the Link ECU, custom headers, pistons, and ported and polished head, he ended up with 149kW at the wheels still only weighs in at around 900kg, thanks to a few tricks learned over the years, such as Lexan windows and the right use of body panels and components.

Trent assures us that there’s more weight to remove yet — a mind-blowing thought.

Mini Cooper Engine: Honda H22A (Euro R CL1), 2200cc four-cylinder, forged 12:1 pistons, bored block to 87.5mm, ported and polished head, Venom adjustable cam gears, custom exhaust system, custom headers, 550cc injectors, sequential direct injection, Link Storm ECU, Redline radiator, oil cooler, remote oil filter Drivetrain: Honda T2W4 transmission, lightened flywheel, competition clutch, custom driveshafts, electric power steering Suspension: Gaz front coilovers, Koni rear coilovers, custom rear arms, modified Mini front arms, front and rear adjustable sway bars Brakes: (F) 250mm discs, four-piston Wilwood calipers; (R) 258mm discs, four-piston Wilwood calipers Wheels/tyres: (F) Revolution 13x8-inch Michelin S412 Pilot Sport slicks; (R) 13x9-inch Revolution, Michelin S412 Pilot Sport slicks Exterior: Ford Ranger silver, UK Mini lowered space frame, custom guards and panels, Lexan side and rear windows Interior: Kirkey driver’s seat, AiM digital dash, GPS track-plotter, carbon-fibre Evo dash Power: 149kW

36

Auto Channel Issue #31 December 2020

Polishing Machines

Innovative leap forward in design, speciďŹ cation, ergonomics and versatility

Polishing Machines

Polishing Machines

Innovative leap forward in design, speciďŹ cation, ergonomics and versatility

A custom dashboard houses all of the much-needed circuit essentials: the switch panel, AiM gauge cluster, and Davies Craig water-pump controller Jump inside the Mini Cooper and you’re slapped in the face with a confined reality. Climb into the Kirkey race seat, strap on the NZKW harnesses, and you can still touch the passenger door. A water-pump controller is within reach, a Blox gear knob — normally seen within a Honda — is within your grasp, an AiM dash is staring you down, and you fire up the big block four-cylinder, ready for all hell to break loose from the 149kW naturally aspirated monster mounted behind you; quite the party. With a successful shakedown, cornerweighting session, and dyno tune thanks to the team at Hitech Motorsport, Trent is hanging out for competition to prove what the package is capable of. With three awards at the 4&Rotary Nationals, including Best Engineering, Best Time Attack Style, and Best Piston conversion, it’s set to surprise a few folk. Check out the GTRNZ calendar and head on down to your local to see this big-little Cooper in action!

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Auto Channel Issue #31 December 2020

Covid can’t keep a good car show down THE KUMEU CLASSIC CAR AND HOT ROD FESTIVAL IS ON AGAIN IN JANUARY AND ORGANIZERS ARE PUSHING TO MAKE IT AS BIG AS EVER he roads around the showgrounds will throb with the sound of V8s on January 16 and 17 as thousands of classic and hot rod enthusiasts are drawn to sunny Kumeu on Highway 16, north of Auckland.

One of the owners and organizers, Desma Galvin, is expecting around 3500 cars and 100 bikes to attract hopefully 25,000 people to the show which now fills the site’s full 16 hectares.

That would make a couple of thousand more customers than last year — but why not? Surely

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people will want to make the most of summer and their freedom after putting in the hard yards in early lockdowns.

Desma says the show has grown almost every year since its National Street Rod Association (NSRA) beginnings 26 years ago when it occupied just the area now devoted to trade sites. It had about 40 cars on display and about 300 visitors’ cars.

January’s show expects to feature 120 trade sites on that spot, plus around 350 swap sites.

Over that time, Desma has seen the number of

American cars attending grow enormously, more families coming with young children, and the display of classic caravans – which are cool again – has boomed in recent years.

There are show cars and also ‘show’ cars. Desma says drivers of display cars get in for free; they only pay if camping overnight. They are directed to the outdoor car display area.

“If they want to put their car on display inside the show sheds they have to send us a photo of the car and their contact details.”

More than 25 different food and beverage vendors will be on site although, in these tough times, family picnics are still allowed and children under 12 get in free. Three bands will feature – The Sons and Loop will play over the weekend, and overnight campers can enjoy Looking Glass Machine on Saturday night.

Besides the main drawcard show shed, the people’s choice award, and the swap sites, the programme also includes a pedal car competition, a kid’s hot rod race, the Jack Daniel’s barbecue competition, an inflatable costume race, and new this year, a fireman’s challenge. Also new this year is sponsorship from Repco, which will be giving away prize packs and joining Milwaukee Tools, Battery Town, and Classic Cover Insurance as show enablers.

By the time you read this, 10 helpers will already be gearing up for the set-up, preparing the ground, and will be joined by 25 workers on the day, plus 15 security day and night security staff. For more information or to book trade, swap, or campsite, see kumeuhotrodfestival.co.nz.

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Products

The latest automotive products Pipe-beading the Auto Parts way 1st Auto Parts is now marketing its own pipe-beading tool. Capable of putting a bead onto most aluminium, it is ideal for beading 5⁄8-inch pipe and larger for intercoolers and intake pipes. It is a full aluminium build with a knurled handle that you can mount in a vice, priced at $267.05 plus GST. Contact the team at 1st Auto Parts on 09 638 6439 or see 1stparts.co.nz for more information.

Just add adventure Engineered from high-strength, lightweight, anodized aluminium, the Rola Titan Tray is a stylish and practical choice for carrying your gear across any terrain.

The innovative design allows a wide range of accessories to be attached to the top of the tray and to all four sides. There’s a range of sizes for different vehicle configurations, rated up to 300kg, with RRPs from $620. For more information call 0800 698 227.

Mahle thermal management The Mahle thermal management range now offers over 3600 premium quality engine cooling and air-conditioning components, with a particular focus on European brands.

Mahle’s Premium Line thermal management components are manufactured to precise OE specifications and provide the same or higher levels of performance, reliability, and long operational life as the original parts.

A web-based catalogue system makes it easy to find the right part, fast.

Visit catalog.mahle-aftermarket.com/eu.

The range is available from All Euro Parts. Call 0800 255 387 (0800 ALL EURO), email parts@alleuroparts.co.nz, or alleuroparts.co.nz for more information.

Brembo quality for the aftermarket Brembo’s UV painted range of brake discs is constantly being expanded and updated. The UV range features a new technology developed in collaboration with car manufacturers for more practical fitting procedures and greater resistance to corrosion. For more information, visit a BNT branch or bntnz.co.nz.

Powerrex alignment scissor The Powerrex SL5600A scissor hoist is a specifically designed wheelalignment hoist with 4.5-tonne lift capacity. It has a three-button control panel for up, lock, and down. It also comes with a six-button remote control with up and down control for the lift and for each jacking beam. The beams also have electrical switches on each side to operate them from under the car.

The jacking beams are powered by the main hydraulic pump of the lift so there is no need to run pneumatic air lines to them. Call 0800 214 604, email info@automaster.co.nz, or see automaster.co.nz for more information.

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Auto Channel Issue #31 December 2020

Kumho for comfort Engineered for class-leading comfort and shock absorption with Kumho’s exclusive Escot casing, the Korean-made Solus TA11 also delivers excellent fuel economy and a long tread life, achieving an international tread-wear rating of 700 — the result of a dual silicone compound engineered to cool fast. Four deep central grooves channel water away quickly, making this a great all-round touring tyre. For more information, call Blair Supertyre on 03 693 8122 or see blairs.co.nz.

Hella Pagid Euro brakes Hella Pagid brake systems offers a comprehensive range of brake discs manufactured to OE specifications and cast from high-end alloys. They are designed to ensure optimum performance and life, without the vibration and overheating associated with inferior products.

Options include coated discs that use a chrome-free ‘Geomet’ coating avoiding the need for degreasing, uncoated discs, high-carbon discs for high-performance vehicles, and two-piece composite discs for some BMWs. For more information visit brakeguide.com. To order contact All Euro Parts on 0800 255 387 (0800 ALL EURO), email parts@alleuroparts.co.nz, or alleuroparts.co.nz.

Another cool profit centre

Raasm air or water

hose reel

Summers are getting hotter, so air-con servicing becomes an increasingly valuable service to offer. Features of the Heshbon HR-371 air-con fluid recycler include automated recovery and recycling management, manual or automatic operation, and a dual operating mode: Expert or Beginner.

It has a programmable vacuum phase automatic air-purge system and programmable maintenance. Options are available for all refrigerant types. RRP $5599 plus GST, delivered. For more information, contact sales@centurydistributors.co.nz or call 04 567 1405.

This 3⁄8-inch Raasm fixed air-water hose reel comes with an ABS drum and brackets in painted steel. The retractable 18m black rubber hose is ideal for keeping busy workshops tidy and working efficiently.

Check out Model number 9430.102. Contact Emco on 07 850 5240, or email sales@emco.co.nz.

ACDelco knows filters With more than 100 years of experience, ACDelco knows filtration.

ACDelco can filter almost anything, offering everything from engine-oil filters that capture particles one-third the size of a human hair, to cabinair filters that block odours and viruses. ACDelco filters offer very wide vehicle coverage of the New Zealand vehicle fleet. They are competitively priced and backed by the best warranties and technical support in the business. RRP from $10 plus GST. For more information, see acdelco. com.au/our-range/filters/ or contact your local Holden dealer.

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Supplier directory

PA R Be TS

a S ra ring UP di s P at , d LY or iff : s, s, en al SE gi ter RV ne n O IC co ato ils E ,g C m rs, po br re O as N ne ak e, S nt e c co UM s, om ol A W Ba p an B O tte on L t R , E rie en Ra K t S r an : s ts gs SH , s cl , lu O fl ea b P ui ne ric C d, rs an O bu , C ts N lb SU ar , P SU s, flu SP C PE M ar , A sh Ti E a B e e N er L es , r A bu od SIO irc oso ES on ls : sh s, N ,a es ba & br , b ll j S as ea oin TE AF iv rin ts E es TE , r RI g , s, ac N Au R sh k G di M oc en : dr o, AR ks ds es pe K , s rf ET up or , p m AC W ai an C nt ce ES O /w p S D RK ra ar O ia S p, ts, RI g ha no HO dr bo ES nd sti P iv d : el y c E to s, Q iv ki e ts ol ho U s, is IP , RE sp ts M PA , ec e E N Au IR l ia ec T l to ist tr : en E SER se ics gi lec V rv , p ne tr IC ic ow i e c re al E: eq er bu , g W ui to ild ea pm ol IN r s b , D W S en s, su ox in C t sp es d m sc RE en , c irr re E sio yli or en N nd n S s, s ,c e w ,c & oo r h ip hi G W er p LA lin ead H s, re S g s, E O E cu pa S EM LS st irs : om , s re re & pa p T fit ide irs lac YR m gl , c em E en as S: o t s, e ns n AU t um , TO t re ab yre st R le s, s, fit su ora EFI in tin pp tio N ne g lie n, ISH r t /b s, sm E ub ala sp a R es nc ra sh S: in yp re g, ai pa nt ir er s, s, au pa to in b tc o or dy re ct io n

YOUR GUIDE TO NEW ZEALAND'S LEADING AUTOMOTIVE TRADE SUPPLIERS

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0800 472 787 0800 200 100 0800 445 889 0800 333 125 aecs.net 06 874 9077 bntnz.co.nz 09 414 3200 hcb.co.nz or 0800 422 228

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precisionequipment.co.nz 0800 246 478

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jasoceania.co.nz or 0800 527 335

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dieseldistributors.co.nz or 09 265 0622 09 836 6673

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autolign.co.nz or 09 574 2288 tatp.co.nz or 0800 268 266

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smitsgroup.co.nz or 0800 227 422

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griffithsequipment.co.nz or 09 525 4575

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parts@1stautoparts.co.nz or 09 638 6439 mountshop.co.nz or 0508 866 686

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bmw.co.nz or 0508 269 727 cyb.co.nz or 09 978 6666

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0800 465 855 0800 549 429

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automaster.co.nz or 0800 214 604 centurydistributors.co.nz

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dtm.co.nz or 0800 621 233

nzmotoroils.com or 0800 942 645

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0800 383 566 06 306 8446 or blackfern.coop redarcelectronics.co.nz 0800 757 333 or fenixautoparts.co.nz

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crc.co.nz or 09 272 2700 rjbatt.co.nz or 09 636 5980

 #27 December August 2020 Auto Channel Issue #31 2020

patchrubber.co.nz or 0508 837 248

penriteoil.co.nz or 0800 533 698

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smitsgroup.co.nz or 0800 227 422

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treadwayequipped.co.nz 0800 436 436

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sales@advancefc.co.nz 0800 538 058

holden.co.nz/dealers

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07 850 5240

0800 188 122

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mmnz.co.nz or 0800 54 53 52

cooldrive.co.nz or 0800 327 868

ryco.co.nz or 0800 838 222

ford.co.nz or 0800 367 369

tyreorder.co.nz or 0800 80 90 96

moreyoil.co.nz or 09 813 9200

gearwrench.co.nz

The Auto Channel supplier directory is your easy reference for sourcing a range of automotive products and services.

This directory is a paid service for businesses who supply to the New Zealand automotive trade.

To secure your inclusion, contact Mark Everleigh on 09 222 1729 or mark.everleigh@parkside.co.nz.

TIME TO UPDATE THOSE 2007 COPIES OF WOMAN’S WEEKLY IN YOUR WAITING ROOM?

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45

a S ra ring UP di s P at , d LY or iff : s, s, en al SE gi ter RV ne n O IC co ato ils E ,g C m rs, po br re O as N ne ak e, S nt e c co UM s, om ol A W Ba p an B O tte on L t R , E rie en Ra K t S r a s ts gs SH : n , s cl , lu O fl ea b P ui ne ric C d, O rs an bu , C ts N lb SU ar , P SU s, flu SP C PE M a , a AB sh Ti E r e e N es , A er L r S bu od IO irc oso ES on ls : sh s, N ,a es ba & br , b ll j S as ea oin TE AF iv rin ts E es TE , r RI g , s, ac N Au R sh k G di M oc en : dr o, AR ks ds es pe K , s rf ET up or , p m AC W ai an C nt ce ES O /w p S D RK ra ar O ia S g p, ts, RI ha no HO dr bo ES nd sti P iv d : el y c E to s, Q iv ki e ts ol ho U s, is IP , RE sp ts M PA , ec e E N Au IR l ia ec T lis t : to S t s ric en E ER er s, gi lec V vi po ne tr IC ce w i c re al E: eq er bu , g W ui to ild ea pm ol IN s, rb W DS en s, su ox in C t sp es d m sc RE en , c irr re E sio yli or en N n, nd s, s S co er w ,c & ip hi G W ol he er p LA in ad H s, re S g s, E O E cu pa S EM LS st irs : om , s re re & pa p T fit ide irs lac YR m gl , c em E en as on e S: t s, AU su nt, TO m ty re ab re st R le s, s, fit su ora EFI in tin pp tio N ne g lie n, ISH r t /b s, sm E ub ala sp a R es nc ra sh S: in yp re g, ai pa nt ir er s, s, au pa to in b tc o or dy re ct io n

PA R Be TS

Figure 1

Figure 2

Sorting out a hot X5 THIS TECHNICAL ARTICLE TRACKING DOWN THE CAUSE OF A DEAD BATTERY HIGHLIGHTS A TRAP AND A TIP he problem with this 2012 BMW X5 was that the vehicle’s battery would go dead in a couple of days. If you suspect a parasitic draw, you’d be right. In fact the dash display (Figures 1 and 2) pretty much said so.

The dealer had replaced the battery and alternator but that didn’t fix the problem. The owner took the vehicle back to them a couple of times without success, prompting her to take the car to the workshop owner who described this successful resolution, Jerry Truglia.

He started diagnosis with the battery. A battery, starter, and alternator test showed that the battery was down, and a Midtronics battery test said the battery needed to be charged and retested. After the battery was fully charged, we repeated the battery test, but the battery failed once again. We charged the battery one more time before we condemned it.

But before we called the vehicle owner, we installed one of our new AGM batteries so we could continue our check of the starter and alternator.

There is nothing worse than calling a customer multiple times and telling them each time you have found something else wrong. A vehicle scan showed no codes and the battery was properly registered, so the problem had to be elsewhere. The issue we found was not with the alternator but with the negative battery cable current sensor.

The owner didn’t want to deal with the dealership again over the battery warranty, so we followed her request and installed a new battery and negative current cable before starting to test for a parasitic draw.

We installed our Fluke 233/A meter along with our Fluke i30s amp clamp (Figures 3 and 4). The Fluke i30s amp clamp is our tool of choice for parasitic draw as it can accurately measure current with a resolution of 1mA/5mA up to 30A. Note that as the amp clamp sensitivity range is 100mV/A (100 millivolts equals 1 amp), it is best just to read the three digits (all millivolts) and ignore the decimal point on this setting. I have seen this confusion for years both in seminars and hands-on classes, so in both my electrical and scope books I make sure to highlight the use of an amp clamp on a meter.

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The reading that our meter displayed on this X5 was 26.5 (Figure 5). But that 26.5 is not 26.5mV — it is actually 2 amps 650 milliamps — way over the 40mA maximum tolerance! More than enough to draw down and kill the battery.

The hunt for the parasitic draw was on. We could have started our diagnosis by disconnecting the alternator as a shorted diode can cause a draw, or voltage drop each fuse, or disconnected one fuse at a time. All those methods have been used for years but take time to perform. We have found a much better method is to use our thermal imager on a cold vehicle.

Figure 3

PARASITE LEAVES THERMAL SIGNATURE Using the thermal imager, we checked the alternator and fuse boxes, and followed up by looking all around the vehicle. We found the nearside rear door handle was causing the thermal imager to glow a bright yellow (Figure 6), indicating a draw. If you’re not familiar with the Passive Entry door handles on a BMW, I will explain.

The Passive Entry system allows the driver to open up the trunk or boot. The door handle has a sensor that sends a signal to the CAS, allowing the door to be unlocked when the handle is touched. The CAS has many other functions on this vehicle but the one we were concerned with is the door handle.

We removed the door panel and disconnected the wires from the load — the door-handle actuator/ sensor. We rechecked the current draw on the meter which was now under 40mA, indicating that we had found the source of the draw. We had to wait to use the thermal imager to check the door handle as the handle was still hot as the result of a shorted actuator/sensor in the handle.

When we rechecked it later, the door handle matched the blueish color on the screen of the other three door handles. We called the vehicle owner to explain what we had found. She opted just to leave the door handle disconnected as it would still function normally, but without the touch-open feature. We released the X5 to a happy customer who no longer had to deal with a dead battery or the stress of hoping the vehicle would start.

Figure 4

Figure 6

DON’T LET THE METER FOOL YOU Let me explain. The millivolts scale on the meter is the most accurate and can read up to 600mV (6A).

If the meter’s display reads OL, the limit has been exceeded. In that case, move the meter dial to the voltage position and read the display. On our X5, the milliamps reading for a good circuit should be less than 40mA. Anything over that indicates a problem.

44

Auto Channel Issue #31 December 2020

Figure 5

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Supplying to the Trade

New Zealand Wide - Wholesale Only Warehouses in Auckland, Christchurch, Geraldine and Invercargill

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Auto Channel has unsurpassed reach into the wider Automotive trade, direct mailed to over 11,000 business owners in New Zealand.

Call me to today to discuss ways I can help you grow your business through NZ’s highest circulating automotive trade publication!

Mark Everleigh - 09 222 1729

Safety-conscious companies celebrated at Australasian Fleet Champions Awards COMPANIES HAVE BEEN HONOURED FOR WORKING HARD TO REDUCE INCIDENTS INVOLVING AT-WORK DRIVERS AND VEHICLES DURING THE SIXTH ANNUAL AUSTRALASIAN FLEET CHAMPIONS AWARDS.

Auto Channel is the best way to reach the wider automotive industry. The publication is direct mailed to 11,298 New Zealand businesses in the following automotive sectors: Automotive workshops Parts importers and distributors Transmission specialists Automotive recyclers Towing operators Panel beaters and painters Crash repairers Tyre dealers Suspension and underbody repairers Steering specialists

he awards, run by Brake, the road safety charity, and sponsored by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, recognize companies and individuals who have implemented successful initiatives, products, or services to tackle fleet safety.

The winners were announced at a virtual awards ceremony on Thursday, 19 November. Individual awards were sponsored by Bridgestone, SurePlan, and Suzuki.

The awards are held annually and are part of Brake’s Global Fleet Champions initiative, a global partnership campaign to prevent crashes and reduce pollution by vehicles used for work purposes.

As well as categories for organizations, two individual awards were presented to fleet professionals: the Road Risk Manager Award went to Colin Blakemore from NZ Defence Force; and the prestigious Outstanding Commitment to Road Safety Award was awarded to Dr Bryan Pidwerbesky from Fulton Hogan.

The 2020 Fleet Safety Award winners are: Company Driver Safety Award, sponsored by SurePlan: TIL Logistics Ltd Fleet Safety Product Award: Fleetcoach Safe Vehicles Award, sponsored by Bridgestone: Fulton Hogan Road Risk Manager of the Year Award, sponsored

by Suzuki: Colin Blakemore – NZ Defence Force Outstanding Commitment to Road Safety Award, sponsored by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency: Dr

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Auto Channel Issue #31 December 2020

Bryan Pidwerbesky – Fulton Hogan NZ Transport Agency Safety health and environment general manager Greg Lazzaro says, tragically, road crashes are a leading cause of workrelated deaths, both here and overseas. “We applaud these companies for the important work they are doing to reduce incidents and improve their fleet safety. We’re delighted to once again support the Fleet Champions Awards and we congratulate this year’s winner of the Outstanding Commitment to Road Safety Award, pavement and surfacing expert Dr Bryan Pidwerbesky.”

Brake’s New Zealand director, Caroline Perry, says: “We are delighted to have run our sixth Fleet Champions Awards, celebrating the achievements of companies and individuals who are striving to make a real difference in the world of fleet safety.

It is always great to see the work that organisations are putting in to help ensure their staff and other road users get home safe every day, and this year that has included measures organisations have put in place in response to COVID-19. Congratulations to all the award winners and highly commended entrants for their work reducing incidents involving at-work drivers and vehicles. We hope it inspires other companies to implement measures to address risk, and to gain recognition for their work too.”

Brake was founded in the UK in 1995, and has domestic operations in the UK and New Zealand. It works globally to promote action on road safety.

Towing operators Auto-electrical repairers New- and used-car dealers Air-conditioning repairers Heavy-machinery dealers Trucking and transport

Auto Channel Issue No. 32 distributed 2 February

Editorial: editor@autochannel.co.nz Advertising: Mike White michael.white@parkside.co.nz All other enquiries to: autochannel.co.nz Auto Channel is produced by Parkside Media, publishers of NZ’s three biggest-selling automotive magazines: NZ Performance Car, New Zealand Classic Car, and NZV8.

Q UALITY

100%

S ERVICE

NZ

OWNED

K NOWLEDGE L ATEST RANGES

a R i E ec

D N Sp

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Rsts A C li

WHANGAREI . HENDERSON . PENROSE . HAMILTON . PALMERSTON NORTH . LOWER HUTT . CHRISTCHURCH 47

CONGRATULATIONS TO CHASE ELLIOTT , THE 2020 NASCAR CUP SERIES CHAMPION. ®

CENTRAL MUSCLE CARS SERIES

2020-2021 CALENDAR ROUND TWO

DEC 4-6

ROUND THREE

JAN 22-24

ROUND FOUR

FEB 12-14

Pukekohe Park Raceway, Pukekohe Hill.

Hampton Downs Motorsport Park, Waikato.

Feilding.

ROUND FIVE

MAR 5-7

Pukekohe Park Raceway, Pukekohe Hill.

ROUND SIX

MAR 26-28

GRAND FINALE

Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park, Taupo.

NEW LOCATIONS! INVERCARGILL

NEW LYNN

2 Crum Ave, New Lynn 09 827 3047 Brad Peck heads up the team at NAPA Auto Parts New Lynn and has been in the industry for 15 years.

With a combined 35 years in the automotive industry, the team at New Lynn are happy to help with anything you need.

“PARTS ARE MY PASSION AND BEING PART OF THE NAPA AUTO PARTS FAMILY GIVES ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THE BEST TEAM OF PEOPLE” Brad Peck, Store Manager, NAPA Auto Parts, New Lynn.

27 Deveron St, Invercargill 03 218 9093

DUNEDIN

444 Andersons Bay Rd, South Dunedin 03 456 2318

Pictured from left to right: Cameron Carter, Brad Peck, Javier Haretuku, Daniel Edwards, Jack Borham.

Team members not pictured: Shayden O’Regan, Dyllan Cochrane.

0800 800 073

napa.co.nz