Auto Channel 21 by Via Media

ISSUE 21 FEBRUARY 2020

THE VOICE OF THE NEW ZEALAND AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

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What do your customers say about you? BUSINESSES ARE JUST BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND THE POWER ONLINE REVIEWS HOLD OVER THEIR FUTURE otorcentral provides websites and other online tools geared to the needs of the motor industry. Here Motorcentral General Manager Mark Greenfield explains how customers’ reviews hold the key to the future of business and how to unlock success: What do my customers think of the experience they had at my business? It is important to know the answer to this question, yet there are many businesses out there that not only don’t know, but are yet to understand how it could help shape their futures. Once you begin to understand what you could learn from your customers’ perception of your business, you begin to realise how little you might know, and also how important that knowledge is.

MotorCentral’s Adam Marshall working on BuyerScore

In most instances, we assume a customer had a great experience with us, otherwise, why would they have purchased services from us, right? This can be true, but more often than not there will be a combination of reasons someone ended up at a particular business at that time. As a business, you want to do everything possible to ensure a customer has an experience that will greatly influence their decision to use you, and also their decision to refer others to you that may be in need of similar services. This is why it’s important to learn from your past customers. With that in mind, it makes sense for you and your team to do all you can to ensure your customers get the best experience possible, therefore providing you with the best feedback possible, which you can then turn around and share with potential new customers, all in an effort to influence them in their decision-making process. Feedback — actual customers’ honest appraisal

— is incredibly important. If you are looking for a new supplier, you check them out on the internet first, right? That’s what your potential customers are doing too. There are endless statistics showing the power of customer reviews and how much they influence other customers’ purchasing decisions. Online mechanisms spread the word and make it

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 NARVA.CO.NZ

OUR LIGHTS GO FOR LONGER SO YOU CAN TOO RECHARGEABLE UNDER BONNET LAMP Narva’s extensive range of inspection lighting just got bigger and brighter with the introduction of the Rechargeable Under Bonnet Lamp. Designed to withstand the toughest workshop environments, but lightweight for easy use • Use 1,2 or all 3 powerful 5W ‘COB’ L.E.Ds which can independently swivel by up to 40° ensuring superior light adjustment • 6000°K of bright white light at 350, 675 or 1000 lumens • Tough, lightweight aluminium construction • Long use time before recharging the lithium battery is required • 12/24 DC charging via the supplied dock or 12V USB

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Contents

From the Ed.

20 What do your customers say about you?

Cover / 4

Special edition Ranger

Filpro awards e-bikes

Clearing space with hoses

Autolign’s first 70 years

Renting tools for Euros

Accessory installers wanted

Double points for Suzuki parts

Diagnosing sticky throttles

Car news

Product profiles

NZ drags: First under 5!

Situations vacant

Fridge-freezers go mobile

Back to business! The days are still long and hot but the hum of industry is in full swing and traffic on the roads here in Auckland is near strangulation point already, even before schools are back. It seems businesses in the motor trade are keen to make hay while the sun shines. New car sales are down again in Australia but Kiwi businesses’ gloomy mood, reported midyear, seems to have been overly pessimistic and the tills have kept ringing. BMW has reported strong sales growth here over last year and notes overall, sales of premium cars in New Zealand reached an all-time high last year, beating 2017’s record by 50 units. That’s something. In this issue we explain how word of mouth via the internet — customer reviews — are fast overtaking websites for driving new business and this month’s technical tips feature from AECS explains how to diagnose sticking throttles. We also feature the first door slammer to go under five seconds, claiming a long-sought Kiwi drag racing quarter milestone. We are also seeing promotional activity ramp up, with Suzuki and distributors Filpro incentivising business, and 1st Auto Parts moving to new refurbished premises — all good signs of a healthy industry. And we’ll be there all the way, helping the auto trade reach out so that — if you’ll excuse the mixed metaphor — all boats rise with the tide.

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.

even more powerful. Ratings and reviews are set to grow exponentially over the coming years and will play a role in the success of many businesses. Customer reviews, especially from verified buyers — the ones that have purchased services from you — hold an incredibly valuable place in your business and play a very important role now and in the future. Customers now expect to see reviews about your business and past customer experiences, just like having a website. Having reviews will allow you to be found online when... prospective customers are searching for the nearest place to take their vehicle for servicing and repair requirements. Don’t have a presence? Then you won’t get found. Don’t have reviews? Then even local customers could be driving past your door to a business that does. If you don’t want to know what your customers think about your business and their experience, you then can’t complain when business is down. Care about what your customers think, embrace it, improve on it, celebrate it, and then leverage it to influence future prospective customers. As more and more Kiwis head online to research who to do business with, your online reputation has become more important than ever. Motorcentral’s BuyerScore is an independent ratings and reviews system that lets you learn from your customers and puts you back in control. BuyerScore gathers valuable feedback from your customers so you can better understand the experience they are receiving at your workshop or service centre. BuyerScore can be integrated with your management system to ensure that only customers who’ve used your services (verified buyers) are the ones surveyed. BuyerScore then aggregates that feedback into an easy to understand star-rating for your use. If you choose to make your ratings and reviews public, your prospective customers can quickly

identify the benefits of buying services you provide from your workshop/service centre when in their decision-making process. • Survey Categories • Customer service • Knowledge and expertise • Communication • Workshop facilities • Your booking service • Overall experience

BENEFITS Learn more about your customers experience from their perspective • Leverage positive feedback internally with staff, and externally with future prospective customers • Gather testimonials • Business improvement insight. The happier your customers are, the more referral and repeat business you will receive • As surveys are received by BuyerScore, the Workshop or Service Centre will also receive individual responses • Monthly consolidated reports of all surveys results and overall ratings and reviews • All surveys can be replied to in thanks, or for context around review • BuyerScore results are private to the Workshop/ Service Centre until such time as they are ready to publish publicly. This allows time to understand and experience feedback from customers • As reviews build over time, it adds additional value to the business

AUTO CHANNEL IS DISTRIBUTED TO 11,367 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

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

For more information, or to get BuyerScore setup for your workshop, contact Motorcentral on 0800623-687 or email clientsolutions@motorcentral.co.nz.

BUSINESS DIRECTOR

Michael White, michael.white@parkside.co.nz

GENERAL MANAGER

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

CONTENT DIRECTOR

Isobel Simmons, isobel.simmons@parkside.co.nz

PRINTING Ovato

NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS

World first for Kumho HYUNDAI HAS CHOSEN KUMHO’S KC53 TYRE AS THE ORIGINAL-EQUIPMENT FITMENT FOR THE HYUNDAI H350 roving, yet again, its innovative design capabilities, Kumho has developed the world’s first 45-series 20-inch commercial lighttruck tyre, the 245 45R 20C 115/113R OE (original equipment), for the new Hyundai Solati H350 minibus. The Kumho KC53 outshone the competition, as only Kumho could build the 20-inch tyre to the strict standard that Hyundai required for its new Solati. The Kumho KC53 pattern was introduced into New Zealand in 2017. It is a light-truck tyre with a wide tread, suitable for both vans and light trucks. The KC53 is currently made in low profile, which makes it the tyre of choice for many European rental companies on their European campervans. This 20-inch tyre will help extend the range. For more info about the new KC53, visit blairs. co.nz or phone 0800 80 90 96.

Auto Channel Issue #21 February 2020

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 2020 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 11,367 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

Ford’s Ranger FX4 Bi-Turbo Special Edition Returns FORD ROUNDS OUT THE RANGE OFFERING RAPTOR POWER IN A NEW VARIANT WITH BOTH 4WD AND 2WD OPTIONS hen you’ve been outselling every other single vehicle on the market for five years straight, the temptation to rest on your laurels must be strong. Despite the long-running domination of the ubiquitous Ranger model, that’s exactly what Ford isn’t doing. Slotting in between the base XLT and high-specced Wildtrak models, Ford has just released the new FX4 Bi-Turbo as part of an ongoing effort to keep the super-popular Ranger fresh and on the very top of the pile.

STEALTH-TOUGH Externally, the new model is available in five colours and sees a host of upgrades that give the FX4 its own stealth-tough identity. This includes a healthy dose of ebony-black applied to the headlights, front grille, handles, mirrors, and sports bar, as well as on the unique 18-inch wheels. Loud FX4 decals down the doors and tailgate finish off the look — it’s aggressive, without getting too shouty. Climb inside, and you’ll find the stealth-tough feel continues. Unique leather-accented sports seats are embossed with red FX4 logos and are stitched in a contrasting red hue, which can be found throughout the interior space. The aesthetic touches every part of the cabin, with a soft-touch instrument panel top, red-tinted instruments and door tops, as well as a leather rear bench and unique embossed floor mats. The big question here, though — is this just another tarted-up base model to lure in new customers?

Auto Channel Issue #21 February 2020

TWIN TURBO POWER

FULLY EQUIPPED

A lick of paint here, a few stickers there, and an inflated RRP to go along with it? No, there’s more to the FX4 Bi-Turbo than simple aesthetics. As the name suggests, under the bonnet you’ll find the same twolitre twin-turbocharged inline four-cylinder diesel that powers the balls-to-the-wall Ranger Raptor model. This means 157kW and 500Nm of road-tearing, dunebashing, elephant-towing grunt, transmitted through Ford’s clever 10-speed paddle-shifted automatic transmission. The 10-speed also utilizes a lock-out feature that holds specific gears when towing, giving the truck a 3500kg braked towing capacity. Crucially, this is also the first time that this rangetopping driveline has been offered in a rear-drive version of the Ranger, as the FX4 is available in both 2WD and 4WD variations. Drivers can expect decent fuel economy too, with figures of 6.7 litres/100km for the 2WD and 7.4 litres/100km.

As with the rest of the Ranger lineup, the FX4 comes with all the latest gadgets we’ve come to expect: SYNC 3 with voice-activated navigation, Apple Carplay and Android Auto, a crystal-clear reversing camera, lane keeping aid, traffic sign recognition, automatic high-beam headlights, and more. All this comes together in a tidy package that fills out the Ranger lineup. It’s tough without being garish, can push you into the back of your seat when you need it to, and provides a tasteful, comfortable place to be while still being completely capable of tackling almost anything a mid-winter job site can throw at it. The 2WD FX4 Bi-Turbo retails for $55,390 plus on-road costs, while the 4WD variant commands $67,890 plus on-road costs. That’s a lot of vehicle for the money.

Motorcraft Brake Discs Â®

GetGenuine points2

Application

Trade Price1

Front Rear Front

Fiesta 2004-2008 Fiesta 2004-2008 Fiesta 2010 onwards

$ $ $

94 94 94

141 141 141

pts

ME7M5J2A315BA MEGG9J2A315AA G2MZ1V125TA G2MZ2V026JA

Rear Rear Front Rear

Focus 2006-2011 Focus 2008-2011 Focus 2012 onwards Focus 2012 onwards

$ $ $ $

92 92 94 94

138 138 141 141

pts

MEGG9J2A315AA H2MZ1V125E G2MZ1V125XA

Rear Front Front

Mondeo 2007 onwards Mondeo 2007-2014 Mondeo 2014 onwards

$ $ $

92 92 94

138 138 141

pts

5R2Z1125A 3R7Z2C026A

Front Rear

Falcon 2002 onwards Falcon 2002 onwards

$ $

92 92

138 138

pts

H2MZ1V125L

Front

Ecosport 2013 onwards

141

pts

G2MZ1V125RA MEGG9J2A315AA G2MZ2V026HA

Front Rear Rear

Kuga 2011 onwards Kuga 2011 onwards Kuga 2013 onwards

$ $ $

94 92 94

141 138 141

pts

H2MZ1V125F G2MZ1V125BUA

Front Front

Escape 2000-2006 Escape 2006 - 2009

$ $

94 94

141 141

pts

5R2Z1125A 3R7Z2C026A

Front Rear

Territory 2004 onwards Territory 2004 onwards

$ $

92 92

138 138

pts

H2MZ1V125J H2MZ1V125N

Front Front

Ranger 2006-2011 Ranger 2011 onwards

$ $

95 94

142 141

pts

H2MZ1V125P H2MZ2V026C

Front Rear

Everest 2015 onwards Everest 2015 onwards

$ $

94 94

141 141

pts

H2MZ1V125R H2MZ2V026F

Front Rear

Transit 2006 onwards Transit 2006 onwards

$ $

94 94

141 141

pts

Part Number

Font/Rear

H2MZ1V125C G2MZ2V026ANA H2MZ1V125H

pts pts

pts pts pts

pts pts

pts

pts pts

pts

Call your local Ford dealer today 0800 FORD NZ (0800 367 369) 1

Prices are recommended only and are net after discount and exclude GST. Recommended prices were correct at the time of printing. 2GetGenuine 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. Offers end 29 February 2020.

Coolants for all occasions PENRITE FILLS OUT ITS RANGE OF COOLANT OFFERINGS WITH A NEW POWER SPORTS COOLANT enrite’s new Power Sports Coolant Premix provides antifreeze and anti-boil protection, as well as low toxicity compared with normal glycol-based coolants. The new Power Sports Coolant has been formulated to provide protection for sports machinery such as off-road motorcycles, UTVs, jet skis, snowmobiles, and marine engines with closed-loop cooling systems. The propylene glycol base has lower toxicity than either mono-ethylene or di-ethylene glycols, and is much safer for the environment should spillage occur, whether on land or in a marine habitat. It’s premixed at 50 per cent concentrate and 50 per cent demineralized water and doesn’t require any further dilution. For an initial factory fill in a new vehicle, coolant concentration is generally 50 per cent. Penrite’s OEM-approved premixed coolants were the first coolants in the aftermarket to be mixed at this concentration ratio. This allows it to match

the concentration of the original OEM specifications, with the added advantage of using demineralized water over untreated tap water. It’s an ideal top up or replacement for the original coolant. Penrite’s approved Red OEM Coolant, Green OEM Coolant, and Blue OEM Coolant are available in both concentrate and premix forms, in a variety of sizes from one litre to 1000 litres. Penrite also manufactures a range of Type B coolants (inhibitor only). These are suitable for many applications where an antifreeze-/anti-boil-type coolant isn’t required, such as in road competition and in older vehicles. Penrite 10 Tenths Racing Coolant is race proven, being the coolant used in the Penrite Racing Erebus V8 Supercar that won the 2017 Bathurst 1000. It provides superior heat transfer to lower running temperatures and longlasting corrosion protection. It’s also available as a premix, which is blended with demineralized water

Fast fit-outs for workshops TWO NEW ZEALAND TYRE WORKSHOPS BENEFIT FROM TREADWAY EQUIPPED’S QUALITY AND EFFICIENT EQUIPMENT FIT-OUTS readway Equipped recently completed two new tyre-workshop equipment fit-outs in four weeks. The result is two very satisfied workshop owners, who are already getting the benefits of the accuracy of their new aligners and time saved through using them. Mark Brown from Ikamatua Automotive continues the family tradition of doing things right

T 8

Auto Channel Issue #21 February 2020

and investing in quality gear to provide great service for the company’s customers on the West Coast, South Island. Mark’s father was the first to have a full electronic alignment machine on the West Coast back in the 1990s, and, as a second-generation innovator, Mark has chosen a Fasep aligner. In the second fit-out, Glenn Wheeler from Heavy

that can be used directly out of the bottle. Again, this provides a further level of protection, especially in remote areas where water quality is variable. For those who just want long-life corrosion protection, Penrite offers both green and red radiator corrosion inhibitors that will last up to 100,000km. One bottle will make up to 20 litres of coolant, which also makes it extremely economical to use when corrosion protection and superior heat transfer for reduction of operating temperatures are required. Penrite also has a Classic Car Coolant that is undyed to prevent engine and coolant-system staining in older and more fragile machines. It provides long-life corrosion protection for preserved classics. To find out more about Penrite’s range of OEMapproved coolants, visit penriteoil.co.nz or call 0800 533 698.

Vehicle Alignment chose to install a Steiner scissor hoist and Fasep aligner combo, which Treadway Equipped customized to suit his layout. “I tried to pick holes in it but I was actually really impressed with how quick, easy, and accurate it was,” says Glenn. “I will be buying more!” Treadway Equipped makes sure clients get the most out of their aligners with equipment training. Clients can schedule two full days of training to suit their individual workshop’s needs. To trial Treadway Equipped’s gear for yourself, give Loren a call on his mobile, 021 245 1766, and book a free, onsite demonstration.

Narva launches plug and play LED trailer lamp kits NEW LAMP KITS WITH SEALED SNAP CONNECTORS MAKE WIRING A TOOLFREE OPERATION arva’s new Model 35 and Model 37 ranges offer simple installation in self-contained kits. The Model 35 range plug and play kits make DIY installation simple. Available in square (100 x 100mm) or rectangle (120 x 80mm) configurations, the Model 35 indicator and stop/tail light units feature a waterproof connection system. The over-moulded connectors snap easily into the supplied wiring harness sockets. A supplied seven-pin flat or seven-pin large round trailer plug snaps into the other end. No splicing or joining of any wires is required, making this part of the job a completely tool-free exercise.

The kits also include reflectors, a licence plate light, and associated leads, connectors, and harness. The only tools required are for drilling the lamps’ mounting holes and harness clips using a supplied template. The new Model 37 mirrors the Model 35, but is sealed making it the choice for boat trailers where regular submersion is common. A two-stage sealing system that incorporates ultrasonic welding with a two-part epoxy glue protects the lamp units to the IP68 standard. The connectors also meet IP68 rating. All hardware on the Model 37 units is made from 316 stainless. Another kit (part no. 93750BL2) allows the addition of slimline side marker lamps. Both Model 35 and 37 ranges are suitable for trailers up to seven metres in length, and the lamps can also be purchased without the harness.

Narva’s new Model 35 and Model 37 slimline LED trailer lamp kits are ADR-approved, supported by a five-year LED warranty, and are available from leading automotive and marine stores. For more information, see narva.co.nz or call 09 525 4575.

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Fram powers up BNT customers with electric mountain bikes CHRISTMAS ARRIVED WITH SOME EXTRA SPIN FOR BNT CUSTOMERS AROUND THE COUNTRY ram brightened up the Christmas holidays for six BNT customers across New Zealand, presenting them with an E-bike each. Trade customers who purchased 18 or more Fram filters on one invoice during October and November went into the draw to win one of the bikes, each valued at $1300. A couple of shops did the obvious and pressed the bike into service on the local tarmac — the mountain bike suspension works just as well tackling bumps in the urban jungle. Workshop manager Mitsu Yamawaki at Gulliver’s North Shore says the bike is used to pick up parts and to get car registration paperwork but also hangs in the showroom where it helps to dress up different displays. Pitstop in Kerikeri also couldn’t resist pressing the mountain bike into service as a shop bike. “We use it to zip up the road to BNT,” says owner Dylan Menefy. “It’s quite entertaining. They have a bit of a laugh when we park it outside. It was a nice little Chrissy prezzy.”

Wayne Montague at Porirua’s Vehicle Service 2000 said his kids got a double Christmas as it arrived just after the big day. It’s been keeping them entertained during the holidays while Wayne is back at work. “It was a nice surprise,” he says. So far he says hasn’t been pressured to get another one so they don’t have to share. Matt Pasker of Danny’s Auto Services in

Palmerston North is also a winner. He says he’s too into cars to get into mountain biking “but it’s always nice to win something” — like he does it regularly — before confessing winning something out of the blue was a first for him too. Sefton Prentice of Prentice & Brown Automotive in Opotiki was “blown away” by the e-bike’s performance. He and his son team up with an electric skateboard to head to the beach. “It’s cool. We use it a lot,” he says. Andy’s Engine & Mechanical Ltd, near Ranfurly, scored the final e-bike. Fram will run another promotion for BNT trade customers in February. That will see 10 pairs of Bose Audio sunglasses given away to the lucky winners. For more information, see your local BNT store.

BNT sales rep Andrew Smutz presents the bike to Gulliver’s Mitsu Yamawaki. Andrew was delighted Gulliver’s is letting the whole team use it instead of one guy taking it home.

THE ULTIMATE RACING FILTER MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE AND DURABILITY, ON THE STREET AND ON THE TRACK Available from

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Motion Control programme within ZF Advanced Technology Development. “Our goal is to identify individual instances of motion sickness and to devise measures that relate to the prevailing condition of the passenger.” The scientific basis for this concept was derived from test candidate studies conducted jointly by the Systems Neuroscience & Neurotechnology Unit (SNNU) at the Saarland University and HTW Saar (University of Applied Sciences). Motion sickness is caused by a discrepancy in perception: the balance organ in the inner ear

senses a movement that is not confirmed by other sense organs such as the eyes. In this situation, the human body responds with a reaction that is in many ways similar to the response to poisoning with, symptoms ranging from a slight sense of unease to acute sickness. In several studies, researchers at ZF and SNNU analysed the physiological markers that correlated with the subjective perception of motion sickness, and the correlation with the driving dynamics of a vehicle. Over more than 10,000 kilometres, the team of researchers gathered more than 50,000 gigabytes of physiological markers in the central and autonomous nervous system in the form of thermographic, imagery, and driving dynamic data. The research employs sensors inside the vehicle and wearables for non-invasive measurement. “The challenge is to develop an automotivecompatible system that, over the number of evolutionary steps, enables motion sickness to be detected without physical contact. We view this as a crucial information to gain a firm grasp of the very individual phenomenon that is known as motion sickness,” Dauth stated. With this, the driver — or at some later point the control system running the automated vehicle — can identify at an early stage if a passenger is starting to feel ill, and can adapt driving characteristics accordingly. Everyone reacts differently to vehicle movements and possesses an individual sense of ride comfort. At ZF, this fact is depicted in an algorithm based on Artificial Intelligence methods that acquire knowledge of the physical reactions of each passenger, enabling a personalised profile to be created. As a consequence of this, individual data is obtained for every passenger in a vehicle, meaning that automated vehicles would actually be able to store the preferred driving style of each passenger.

capacities up to 8165kg to be lifted with ease. The CR18 lift is a cost-effective solution for any shop to boost heavy-duty service productivity without sacrificing the ability to lift smaller vehicles.” The 8165kg capacity CR18 model lifts are available with runway lengths of 5385mm or 6299mm and can be optioned with an alignment kit to suit any facility’s needs. Other optional accessories include 4000kg capacity rolling bridge

jacks for wheels-free work, high-efficiency work lights for improved visibility, and drive-through ramps that make exiting the lift fast and easy. As testimony to its construction, the Forward Lift CR18 four-post lift has been third-party tested and certified by the Automotive Lift Institute (ALI) to meet ANSI safety and performance standards. For more information on Forward Lift’s range, talk to your local Repco or Appco representative.

ZF studying how to counteract motion sickness LONG CAR JOURNEYS CAN LEAD TO DIZZINESS, HEADACHES, AND NAUSEA — IN OTHER WORDS MOTION SICKNESS F is working together with German neurotechnologists to investigate how to detect motion sickness at an early stage, to avoid a negative impact on the driving experience. “We are among the very first companies in this sector to place the occupants and their individual driving experience centre stage”, said Florian Dauth, who is responsible for the Human-Centred Vehicle

New lift from Forward Lift FOUR-POST FORWARD LIFT CR18 ADDS VERSATILITY AND PRODUCTIVITY orward Lift’s new CR18 four-post vehicle lifts are designed for heavy-duty service facilities. They feature faster rise times and more userfriendly features, which improve productivity. They also have fewer moving parts for reduced maintenance compared with traditional heavy-duty four-post lifts. Four-post lifts handle a wider range of vehicle types efficiently, helping to get cars, light commercials, and small trucks back on the road. “The new CR18 series lift offers a new and improved twist on the traditional four-post lift design,” says Forward Lift sales and brand manager John Uhl. “The lift’s low runway height and gentle approach angle allow vehicles of all sizes and

Auto Channel Issue #21 February 2020

IT’S IT’SWHAT’S WHAT’SINSIDE INSIDE IT’S WHAT’S INSIDE THAT THATCOUNTS COUNTS THAT COUNTS

ZF ZFAftermarket Aftermarketbrand brandTRW TRWbrings bringsyou you ZF Aftermarket brand and TRW brings you an an unrivalled unrivalled reputation reputation andexpertise expertise inin anbraking, unrivalled reputation and expertise in braking,steering steering and andsuspension. suspension. braking, steering and suspension. We We areare manufacturers manufacturers of original of original parts parts for for more more than than halfhalf thethe world’s world’s

vehicles. vehicles. Constantly Constantly striving striving to improve to improve andand grow grow ourour range, range, wewe have have We are manufacturers of original parts for more than half the world’s everything everything covered covered to make to make supply supply andand service service stress-free. stress-free. With With more more vehicles. Constantly striving to improveoriginal and grow our range,we we have than than 100100 years years of history of history in manufacturing in manufacturing original equipment, equipment, we have have everything coveredtotomake make and service stress-free. With more thethe experience experience to make asupply real a real difference difference to vehicle to vehicle safety. safety. than 100 years of history in manufacturing original equipment, we have the experience to information make a real call difference to vehicle safety. Proudly Proudly distributed distributed by by Repco Repco andand Appco, Appco, for for more more information call 0800 0800 472 472 787 787 for for Repco Repco or 0800 or 0800 200200 100100 for for Appco Appco Proudly distributed by Repco and Appco, for more information call 0800 472 787 for Repco or 0800 200 100 for Appco

trwaftermarket.com trwaftermarket.com trwaftermarket.com As part As part of ZF ofAftermarket, ZF Aftermarket, every every TRWTRW partpart is built is built to meet to meet the challenge, the challenge, just just like the like the dedicated dedicated people people around around the world the world whowho bringbring them them to you. to you. Backed Backed by aby global a global network network of aftermarket of aftermarket experts experts TRW TRW products products set the set standards the standards for safety for safety and and quality. quality. As part of ZF Aftermarket, every TRW part is built to meet the challenge, just like the dedicated people around the world who bring them to you. Backed by a global network of aftermarket experts TRW products set the standards for safety and quality.

11 11 11

Keeping workshops clear of clutter RECOILA HOSE AND CABLE REELS PUT FLUIDS AND POWER WHERE YOU NEED IT AND HELP STAFF WORK EFFICIENTLY ndless studies have shown that keeping the workspace clear of clutter improves productivity and staff safety, as well as reducing wear and tear on tooling and equipment. Recoila hose and cable reels make it easy to find, use, and store all manner of hoses and cables. They reduce trip hazards and help avoid damage to hoses and cables due to being walked on, driven over, or kinked or knotted, which can result in costly downtime. The robust retraction system also saves a lot of time in coiling or storing hoses, leads, or cables. The reels are lightweight, having a tough, UVstabilized body with antistatic and flame-retardant properties. Features include an all-position positive latching system, meaning they can be mounted on the floor, wall or ceiling, offering full-flow swivels and fluid paths. They also have high-quality retracting

springs, and large side covers for servicing and routine maintenance. Equipment Marketing (Emco) is the New Zealand distributor for Recoila hose and cable reels, supplying resellers throughout New Zealand. Recoila Hose and Cord Reels has been producing high-quality hose, cord, and cable reels for over 30 years. Emco general manager James Driscoll says other retracting hose reels are available but few are built to the standard required for workshop use. Hose reels made with poor-quality components soon fail, resulting in frustration and time-wasting effort. “If you want a hose reel that will give years of reliable, fuss-free service, get a Recoila,” he says. They handle hoses from 8mm to 15mm internal diameter, with lengths up to 20m. Recoila cable reels are available with 10 or 15A cable and comply with the AS/NZ S3105:2007 electrical standard. Recoila offers a two-year warranty on plastic components and springs against faulty manufacture and a five-year warranty on brass swivel components.

For more information on the reels, or becoming a reseller, contact Emco via sales@emco.co.nz or call 07 850 5240.

Recoila has models for air, grease, oil, hot or cold water, high-pressure water, welding gases, electrical cable, safety-barrier chain or webbing, nitrogen, chemicals, breathing air, and potable water

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 14

Auto Channel Issue #21 February 2020

Support for electric vehicles ramps up I-TECH AUTO HAD ITS EYE ON AN ELECTRIC CAR FUTURE AS FAR BACK AS 2010 ears about owners of electric vehicles being stranded with expensive dead batteries have been proven false and I Tech Auto is one of the businesses standing strong with the electric car fleet. I-Tech Automotive in Papatoetoe, Auckland, was incorporated in 2010 as a one-stop-shop for hybrid and electric vehicles. It offers a wide range of autoelectrical services alongside its expertise in battery and high voltage systems. I-Tech’s Nalin Senanayake says few EV or hybrid batteries fail dramatically but when performance or battery storage drops they have a range of tools in their armoury to restore the

sparkle. Technicians onsite can remanufacture hybrid batteries using the latest technology and machinery. Nalin says the recipe for success is to match and balance battery performance across the cells, allowing the team to determine the best option for under-performing batteries. The aftermarket in hybrid batteries is also gearing up with highquality brand-new cells from overseas suppliers, which represents significant savings. They also offer genuine hybrid batteries from the New Zealand suppliers at discounted prices, and they

cover all of the Japanese and European hybrid vehicles seen here. “We are specialized in hybrid and electrical vehicles and we have invested in high-tech and sophisticated equipment to scan, diagnose and rebuild batteries,” says Nalin. “We have the knowledge and experience to recommend the best solution and deliver the best service to our customers,” says Nalin. I-Tech has offered hybrid batteries and services to Blackfern members since joining the network in October 2019.

The Best Range. The Best Brands. ✔

Air Conditioning & Cooling

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Filtration & Lubricants

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Rotating Electrical

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Automotive Training Courses Brake & Clutch

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Tools & Equipment

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Electrical Accessories

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Underbody & Suspension

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Engine Management

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Workshop Consumables

Automotive is in our DNA 15

Past, present, and future — Autolign celebrates 70 years AUTOLIGN SUCCEEDS WITH SPECIALISATION AND LOOKS FORWARD TO AN EVEN STRONGER FUTURE ooking back seventy years, we see a stretch of time that has seen plenty of turmoil and more economic apocalypses than you can shake a dipstick at. Global recessions, oil crises, the front end of an AU Falcon: it’s been a steady stream of challenges for the motor industry the entire way. Through all that, Autolign, which celebrates its seventieth birthday this year, has gone from strength to strength. New Zealand’s only dedicated steering and suspension specialist, Autolign first blipped into existence as Auto Alignment back in 1950, a small workshop created by Sam Armstrong in rural Te Aroha. Five years later, Sam partnered with Harry Booth to open a new Auckland branch under the viaduct in Newmarket, and from there, the company has only grown.

COUNTRYWIDE There are now 10 Autolign sites, one specialist Racelign facility, and after the first Shock Shop was created back in 1985, there are now 43 franchises across the country with 20 more planned by mid-year. All this growth doesn’t just happen without a whole lot of business intelligence, solid service, or plain old luck, but probably a combination of all three. Autolign’s business manager, Mark West, thinks he has an idea, saying: “Do one thing — and do it well. As a specialist, we’ve stayed true to being a trade and wholesale company, focusing only on steering and suspension and I think that’s helped Autolign to not over diversify, and to be the best at what it does, without getting distracted.” Autolign are also committed to supporting the industry that it has been a part of for the last seven decades, and sees the value in upskilling and educating the automotive community. “We offer

training courses that are free to the industry,” says Mark. “There are three courses available at our Racelign facility in Auckland: basic wheel alignment, advanced wheel alignment, and steering/suspension product courses.”

FREE TRAINING But why free? “It’s about supporting and upskilling the industry,” explains Mark. “The problem we’re seeing these days is that there’s no real formal training when it comes to practices like wheel alignments. Modern machines are good in that they can easily identify problems and display them on a screen, but from the technician’s perspective, sometimes all they know is that they’ve got to bring the red on the screen into the green. But what effect on the car do all the changes they’re making have? How do you know if something is seriously wrong without understanding exactly what’s

happening and why?” According to Mark, another big problem Autolign sees often within the local market is a certain nonchalance when it comes to shock absorber performance, with the local attitude seeming to be ‘well, the shocks have passed the warrant, so they’re fine’. That, of course, is not always the case. “Shock replacement is seen as a grudge-purchase here in New Zealand, people don’t understand how badly a bad absorber can affect the performance of a car. Overseas, worn shock replacement is a much more common job — just look at the numbers — Australian motorists tend to replace their shocks three times as often as Kiwis do for the same model of car.” To combat this, Autolign has recently started supplying a lower tier of absorber that, while considerably cheaper than it’s higher-end offerings from the likes of Munroe, still lives up to the high standards of the company.

MORE SPECIALIZATION Seven decades is a long time to be in business and Autolign is all the better for it. With the acquisition by BNT back in 2002, and then the subsequent purchase of BNT by what would become the Australasian automotive giant Bapcor, Autolign and it’s Shock Shop franchises are now backed by some serious firepower, and are stronger than ever. So where to for the industry and its elder suspensionand-steering statesman in the next few years? “Cars are always going to need to steer and ride well, thankfully,” says Mark. “It’ll get more complicated, no doubt, and that will require more specialists and more specialized equipment — that’s where we come in.” In the meantime, as of January this year, Autolign began pushing into the commercial market. It now offers suspension and steering products, services, and training for specialist commercial applications. Seventy years going strong, and there are no signs of Autolign slowing down.

Auto Channel Issue #21 February 2020

Radiators

Radiator Hoses

Water Pumps

FENIX radiators are designed to meet or exceed OE specifications with a comprehensive range that covers Japanese, European, Korean and American vehicles.

Premium quality DAYCO Moulded Radiator and Bypass Hoses are designed to replace original equipment manufacturer hose.

GMB Water Pumps are manufactured utilizing strict OEM Specifications. GMB offers extensive coverage of the diverse car parc.

Radiator Caps

Thermostats

Radiator Coolant Tanks

Extensively researched, the TRIDON range of Radiator caps has been designed for maximum market coverage and highest quality.

Factory calibrated, TRIDON thermostats are designed to meet or exceed OE Specifications and provide unrivaled quality in the market.

DAYCO Expansion and Overflow Tanks are made to OE specifications and make/model specific.

Coolant

Hose Clamps

Problem Solvers

RADTECH is a leading performer in cooling system heat transfer technology with ongoing research and development.

TRIDON perforated hose clamps are manufactured in Australia to the highest standard.

BNT stock a range of Cooling System Problem Solvers including Radiator Stop Leak, Radiator Flush & Head Gasket Repair.

European, 4x4, Japanese, Australian, Commercial... Whatever your requirements, BNT has the solution for you.

bntnz.co.nz

Milwaukee Tools available from 97 new locations HEAVY-DUTY TOOL BRAND MILWAUKEE TOOL IS NOW AVAILABLE FROM GPC ASIA PACIFIC ilwaukee Tools are now available through all GPC Asia Pacific outlets — Appco, Ashdown Ingram, Autostop, and Repco. Milwaukee Tool makes hard-wearing and high-quality tools for automotive professionals in the electrical, mechanical, mining, and repair industries, developed and engineered by working directly with end-users. The result is a comprehensive set of tools — cordless, corded, hand tools, accessories, and lighting — designed to help automotive specialists stay on the job. Notable tools include a cordless soldering iron, high-power impact drivers and impact wrenches, but Repco general manager Louise Sixton says the most exciting development of the range is the introduction of One-Key. Louise says this innovative system allows technicians to track, monitor, find, and lock down their tools onsite, protecting their investment when it’s out of sight or even misplaced. OneKey is available on selected tools within the range. Retail stores carry the core automotive range, but products from the full Milwaukee Tool catalogue are also available on request.

Repco general manager Louise Sixton is looking forward to seeing the brand in every location. “We stand by the quality and innovation that is the backbone of every Milwaukee product,” Louise said. “When it comes to tools, it doesn’t matter what

new trick your drill can do; if it doesn’t work the way you need it to, it’s pointless,” she says. “Milwaukee has spent the time understanding how tradesmen use their tools — not just in automotive but in many industries — which is why its an industry leader and a proud addition to our house of leading brands.” To mark the introduction of Milwaukee Tools, GPC Asia Pacific is offering customers the chance to win a Milwaukee 56-inch wide 18-Drawer tool chest and trolley combo, simply by spending $500 on Milwaukee products across February — April 2020. Check out the Milwaukee Tool range at Appco, Ashdown Ingram, Autostop and Repco.

Batteries for all of your automotive needs Up to 36 month warranty* Great value Long life Superior performance Extensive range 9 branches nationwide

Contact us today to get a Neuton Power starter pack into your shop! Starter pack includes stand, signage and our most popular battery sizes

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

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All Euro Parts adds tool rental to parts purchase EUROPEAN CARMAKERS LOVE THEIR SPECIAL TOOLS. ALL EURO PARTS RENTS THEM, HELPING WORKSHOPS KEEP WORKING he All Euro Parts range of specialist hire tools is unique. Its five-day tool hires allow smaller workshops and trade customers to compete in a demanding market. Specialist tools are expensive to buy outright, and this tool rental service means work on European cars doesn’t need to grind to a halt when they discover a special tool is needed. It can also save hours of dismantling and reassembly in workarounds, allowing workshops to get through more jobs. All Euro Parts also sell these specialist automotive tools. All Euro Parts was founded by Auric Mirfin, who worked as a mechanic for 15 years before establishing his own workshop Autohaus European. While running Autohaus European, Auric compiled a range of parts and tools for sale, which quickly outgrew the workshop space, so All Euro Parts was established. Auric’s mechanical background gives All Euro Parts a huge advantage in helping workshops specify complete repair solutions with the specialist tools, parts, and advice for any job. Both of All Euro Parts’ branches are situated next to partner workshops,

allowing the team to stay up to date with the latest developments in car repair. German brand Meyle was the first brand All Euro Parts signed up for a supplier relationship, and All Euro Parts is its exclusive supplier in New Zealand. Auric was looking for an alternative solution for suspension and braking parts for European vehicles, as brakes, in particular, wear quicker on European cars. Meyle’s HD range provided the perfect solution, as it is manufactured to exceed OE standards and comes with a four-year guarantee. All Euro Parts has a strong working relationship with Meyle and stock all three Meyle product ranges; Meyle Original, the Meyle PD braking range, and Meyle HD. All Euro Parts’ special-order system gives access to an even wider range of parts than the 15,000 stock lines it has on-site. The team imports directly from Germany on weekly airfreights. This allows customers to special order in a part on Thursday one week and receive it from Europe by Tuesday the next week. A wide range of suppliers ensures that All Euro Parts can always offer competitive pricing and excellent part availability. All Euro Parts are distributors for Arnott, Bosch, Elring, Hella, FAI, INA, Kolbenschmidt, Luk, Meyle, Pierburg, Victor Reinz, and VDO. Parts are couriered nationwide daily and same-day express services are available in the

Auric Mirfin Auckland region. For more information, contact All Euro Parts on 0800 ALL EURO.

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Audi l VW l Skoda l BMW l Mini l Land Rover l Jaguar l Peugeot l Citroen l Renault l Volvo l Saab l Fiat l Alfa

YHI responds dynamically to market opportunities DISTRIBUTION COMPANY YHI STARTED OUT IN TYRES AND WHEELS BUT HAS SINCE CARVED OUT A BIGGER NICHE IN ENERGY HI started out representing Viper and Enkei alloy wheels before the parent company developed its own Advanti Racing brand of alloy wheels. Still a strong arm of the business, Advanti wheels are supplied to YHI’s sponsored Formula 1 team. YHI (New Zealand) Ltd was set up in Auckland in 1995 as a subsidiary of YHI International Ltd and has both Singaporean and New Zealand ownership. YHI started building its catalogue of passenger, SUV, off-road, and performance tyres with Nankang tyres in 1997, followed in later years by Toyo Tires, Pirelli, Nitto, Achilles Radial, Accelera, and Neuton Tyre. YHI then entered the commercial market with Longmarch tyres, and Ceat and Barkley agricultural tyres in the agricultural sector. Energy products were introduced in 2001 and expanded beyond the automotive sector to cover solar power, electric vehicle charging, automotive, marine, and motive power solutions, as well as offering UPS and power systems solutions and services. YHI’s own Neuton Power range of automotive batteries now has an 11-year history in New Zealand, racking up an enviable 0.02% power failure rate on automotive batteries, which are also

Auto Channel Issue #21 February 2020

covered by a 36-month warranty. Neuton Power also provides solutions for marine, starting and deep cycle batteries, battery chargers, solar panels, and mounting equipment. YHI (New Zealand) Ltd now has over 90 staff operating in eight locations across New Zealand: Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Napier, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Invercargill, as well as a third-party warehouse in Palmerston North. YHI Energy’s Divisional Manager, Aaron Gillon, says this network represents the best distribution network of any wholesaler in the energy industry, meaning resellers don’t need to hold the stock themselves. Among YHI’s staff is a dedicated team of Energy Account Managers based throughout the country. “Our team takes an invested interest in supporting the success of their customers’ businesses, and we as a company aim to continuously build stronger customer relationships with quality products and distinctive customer service,” says Aaron. YHI’s support also includes account managers providing localised assistance and training on an ongoing basis at YHI’s branches, or at retailers’ premises if requested. Larger scale training can also be arranged for specific products and, where possible, includes manufacturer input. In addition, YHI’s commitment to customers at a local level is supported by call centre staff based at each location, and nationally with online product resources including downloadable product

brochures and a comprehensive website. The organisation is also large enough to support a dedicated marketing department to assist in the design and development of co-operative promotional campaigns and marketing materials like brochures, flyers and instore materials — again at a local or national level. YHI takes a long-term view of its business and those relationships, so sustainability plays a key role in its thinking. “Our selection of products offers longevity to New Zealand consumers and they are packaged with readily-recyclable materials. We are actively working on reducing the environmental footprint of our operations, in the creation of economic well-being for our staff, in our support of the local community, and in our support of energy products that offer clean energy generation.”

Contactless tyre changing a game-changer EXPENSIVE WHEELS DEMAND THE CARE ONLY TOUCHLESS TECH CAN PROVIDE orkshop equipment manufacturer Sice is the Italian supercar of the workshop machine world. Founded in Correggio, Italy in the early sixties, Sice has long been highly regarded for its ultra-high quality service equipment, which focuses primarily on tyre changers, wheel balancers, and wheel aligners. One of the manufacturer’s biggest gamechangers currently on the market is the Sice 1000 Evolution tyre changer, supplied into New Zealand by Century Distributors. A hydraulic, automated, and completely contactless design, the 1000 Evolution ensures that customer’s wheels are untouched, avoiding the marking that is sometimes seen with traditional lever machines. The days of tough steel wheels on most customer cars are long gone, replaced by delicate polished alloy or chrome-finish rollers of increasingly large diameters, especially at the higher end of the market. This means it pays to invest in a premium, high-tech machine from the likes of Sice. Browns Bay Mags & Tyres on Auckland’s North Shore has just done exactly that, opting for a top of the market, brand-new Sice 1000 Evolution. It’s an investment that owner-operator Sharad Awadh feels is more than worthwhile. “There’s plenty of people

around offering the cheapest products and the cheapest fitting prices,” he says. “But that’s not the business we want to be in — I didn’t want to enter a race to the bottom.” With a heavy focus on gaining customers through quality products and service, Sharad decided to invest in a Sice 1000 Evolution as a way of ensuring that his customers know that their often very expensive wheels — and you’ll find plenty of those in Sharad’s part of the country — are going to be well looked after and returned without a single mark. “A lot of the processes on the Sice are automated,” he explains. “It makes life a lot easier when you can trust the machine, and if a problem does come up, which can happen with some aftermarket rims and tyres, for example, it’s usually a 10-second job to sort it instead of a 10-minute job. “Now that we’ve had the machine for a little while, we’re starting to get more and more customers coming in that really care what happens to their wheels in the shop — everything from Hot Rods to muscle cars on custom wheels, high-end Euros, and trade customers.” The Sice 1000 Evolution can handle rims of up to 30-inches in

ALL NEW WHEEL TROLLEY EASY LIFT Wheel Trolley Easy Lift is the newest invention in a line of wheel service equipment designed and manufactured by Ahcon, Denmark. The elevated trolley, with the help of springs, raises and lowers in relation to load. Ergonomically designed to ease the load on the knees and back. The Trolley is intended for 4 wheels and aids in the mounting / dismounting of wheels and transfer to and from fitting / balancing machines, among many other uses. VEHICLE

Features:

CAR

VAN

4x4

MAX LOAD

DIAMETER

HEIGHT

180 kg

Ø700 MM

240 - 580 mm

-Adjusts height in relation to load -Designed for 4 wheels, keeping top wheel at a comfortable height -Supplied with wheel brakes on 2 casters -Imporoves ergonomics when handling wheels and tyres -Stackable up to 4 peices

www.centurydistributors.co.nz sales@centurydistributors.co.nz 04 567 1405 - Find us on Facebook

diameter and includes a tyre temperature gauge, tread depth gauge, TPMS sensor tool and calibrator, automatic inflation, and automatic demounting program. For more information on Sice tyre machines or other workshop equipment, call 04 567 1405 or see centurydistributors.co.nz.

Top brand towbars, bullbars and roofracks seeking installers CEQUENT, DISTRIBUTORS OF 4WD AND UTE ACCESSORIES IS LOOKING FOR WORKSHOPS AND BRANDS TO PARTNER WITH

are the people who just want to personalise their vehicles and make them stand out from the crowd.” Darryl says that need to personalise also drives the desire to add different or higher quality accessories, so it pays to offer customers a range of options.

“As well as offering top quality brands, we take an active role in working with customers to enhance and develop new and existing products,” says Darryl. “If you see an opportunity, talk to us.” Cequent has already developed the Advantage range of roll-up tonneau covers. They don’t require holes to be drilled into the side of a vehicle, like the older style covers that hook on with bungee cords. Cover installations were designed to suit most popular utes in the New Zealand fleet. For more information, or to find out how your automotive business can work with Cequent, call 09 250 9720.

equent is currently looking for workshops or reselling businesses that are interested in adding accessories installs to their customer offerings. Cequent distributes Advantage Automotive Accessories, makers of a broad range of body protection bars and racks; tough Aussiebuilt Hayman Reese towbars, Rola Roof Racks and Titan Trays. Cequent is a supplier to Capricorn Coop and it is looking to support more automotive businesses with its accessories and towbar range as a value-add to the independent workshops around New Zealand. Aftermarket sales and marketing manager Darryl Maslin says as utes are now the top-selling ‘cars’ in New Zealand they represent a significant sideline opportunity for automotive businesses. “Both trade and private owners want a range of accessories for these vehicles to kit them out for different roles, such as towing, bush-bashing, carting ladders, bikes or surfboards. And then there

haymanreese.co.nz 0800 MY TBAR A CEQUENT NEW ZEALAND BRAND

Suzuki NZ boosts benefits to trade customers SUZUKI RAMPS UP REWARDS PROGRAMME POINTS FOR GENUINE SUZUKI PARTS uzuki New Zealand is turbo-charging its incentive to purchase genuine Suzuki parts by doubling its loyalty programme rewards. The company has decided to double the points offered to its mechanical trade customers for purchasing genuine Suzuki parts. Suzuki partners in the programme with Smart Loyalty, a New Zealand based loyalty scheme specialist. Several other automotive manufacturers in New Zealand encourage genuine parts purchases

through the GetGenuine programme. Suzuki NZ’s Assistant Manager of Parts and Accessories, Marty Billing, says Suzuki is doubling its points offer to three points from 1.5 for every dollar spent, making it New Zealand’s highest-scoring genuine parts programme. All mechanical trade customers connected to a participating GetGenuine Suzuki NZ dealer will be eligible for the increased points offering, provided standard programme conditions are met. Marty says genuine Suzuki’s parts prices are already “extremely competitive” with generic alternatives, but the company sees its relationship with repairers as a worthwhile investment and is keen to see the rewards programme become well-established. “Offering a higher reward to mechanical trade customers just adds to the great value product that is Suzuki genuine parts.” GetGenuine Group Account Manager Stacey Kearins is enthusiastic about Suzuki’s commitment to engage the local automotive industry. “We’re excited to work with Suzuki NZ and its dealer network to help our mechanical members maximise their points-earning potential,” she says. Her experience with seeing repairers come on

Automobile Association aims to build trust with humour THE AA MOTORING SERVICES TEAM HAS LAUNCHED A NEW TV CAMPAIGN TO PROMOTE AA AUTO CENTRES. hree ads poke gentle fun at a few common situations. An AA Motoring Services expert helps out an unfortunate apprentice who put the wrong fuel in boss’s car; a type-A character who bluffs his way through his diagnosis of his car’s problems, and someone who recommends “a guy who gives a cheap deal on car servicing”.

Auto Channel Issue #21 February 2020

AA motoring services marketing manager Richelle Ashman says the ads use humour to communicate “the incredible knowledge and expertise of our talented AA Auto centre team”. She says many people don’t realise how affordable AA service prices are for both AA members and non-members. “As the ads say ‘it’s not what you know. It’s where you go’.” For more information on AA Auto Centres, see aa.co.nz or call 0800 500 444.

board has also convinced her genuine parts are the right repair solution. “Genuine parts fit first time and they are supported by the manufacturer, which gives peace of mind to both repairer and customer,” she said. The GetGenuine programme is built on Smart Loyalty’s unique approach to rewards. Members of the programme earn points for sales activity. They can choose to spend their points in an online rewards shop of over 4000 products but they can also request any reward they want. In the past, redemptions have included spa pools, cars, engagement rings, travel, and even maths lessons. For more information on the GetGenuine programme, please see getgenuine.co.nz.

When the going gets tough orey’s Super Red EP2 grease is a premium, heavy-duty tacky-adhesive multi-purpose EP lithium waterproof grease that is designed to stay in place in the heaviest of heavy-duty uses. This MPI Approved C11 grease is fortified with polymers, tackiness additives, high viscosity base oils, rust, and oxidation inhibitors. Morey’s says its advanced formulation provides a product that is “unsurpassed in adhesive and film strength quality” and stays on the job under the most severe operating conditions. Its tackiness resists water washout and its pressure-resistant strength reduces wear from shock loading. Its durability means it can be used in marine applications but Morey’s also offers Red-i EP2 Watersport Marine Grease, which is kinder to the environment, specifically for marine applications. This product, Super Red, on the other hand, is designed specifically to handle the gnarliest combinations of water, dirt, and mud in automotive, earth-moving, industrial, heavy-duty fleet uses and farm equipment. It's available in 400gm and 450gm cartridges, as well as 500gm pots, 2.5 and 18kg pails, or 55kg and 180kg drums. For more information see moreyoil.co.nz or call 09 813 9200.

Turn up the rewards with

SUZUKI GENUINE PARTS

In a GetGenuine first, Suzuki NZ has doubled their points offering to mechanical trade customers, when purchasing genuine parts. From January 2020, eligible mechanical trade customers will earn 3 points for every dollar they spend on genuine parts.* Offering even more value and making it more rewarding when purchasing genuine parts, directly from your local Suzuki dealer. To connect with your nearest participating Suzuki dealer contact GetGenuine on 0800 99 76278.

*Standard GetGenuine programme terms and conditions apply.

How to spot a sticky throttle AECS TRAINER AND RESEARCHER HERBERT LEIJEN SHOWS HOW A PROPER DIAGNOSTIC TOOL DOES IT ECS’s technical support team resolves technical issues faced by their customers. In this series AECS trainer and researcher Herbert Leijen looks at the issues involved and shares how the team resolved the problem. This is an inside look, from the profound to the every day, at the issues automotive workshops encounter.

MEASURE In simple terms let’s look at a ‘raw’ scope recording of the two wires to the throttle body DC motor. The recorded pattern by itself means very little, even when you zoom in, it doesn’t mean a lot: How can you see if this throttle is the cause of the engine surge? The ATS Scope has a unique function that makes analysis of a recording possible in great detail and with the utmost precision.

LET’S EXPLAIN Each of the two wires is duty cycle controlled. A simple function of the scope is to convert both lines into a duty cycle line:

STICKY THROTTLE In this article, we look at a combination of common faults rather than reviewing a single issue our technical support has dealt with. It is my hope this will make your day-to-day work as a technician easier.

STICKY We often get presented with diagnostic cases where a throttle butterfly (drive by wire) or EGR valve gets sticky as a result of carbon build up or bearing wear. On some vehicles, the valves are so bad that it will result in a fault code. Within our Technical Support, we have developed this beautiful way of determining with the utmost accuracy if the valve is the cause of an engine surge, fault code, or merely the result. I think you will find this method of diagnostics truly innovative — it also gives you an insight of what we are doing here to advance the automotive industry in NZ.

10-second recording with the four-channel 1GHz ATS WiFi6004XM scope

That does not make things a lot clearer. I certainly cannot see if this throttle body is behaving correctly or is the cause of a surge.

CONTROL You first need to understand that, for example, a throttle valve (and most EGR valves) are a DC motor with two wires. Both wires of the DC motor are connected to the ECU and are controlled by the ECU. Sample wiring diagram throttle body

10-second recording with the four-channel — zoomed in

Let’s see if combining the two duty cycle channels is going to reveal anything useful: The combination channel is what we are after. The combination math line

The ECU can pulse one wire to earth or the other, while the opposing wire is connected to 12V. This is called H-bridge duty cycle control. This is also explained in our training videos on H-bridge control and included diagnostics.

Auto Channel Issue #21 February 2020

ATS scope recording (two channels with two duty cycle math channels added)

shows us the effort the ECU is putting on the throttle DC motor to try to torque it to whatever position it wants.

Let’s remove the actual duty cycle lines and leave only the combination line, add the TPS (throttle positions sensor) and APS (accelerator pedal sensor) signals:

ATS scope recording (two channels with three math channels added)

There is still no 100 per cent answer to say that this signal is good or bad! Whilst understanding the signals, let’s see if we can pick out the difference with a recording on a surging engine without a fault code. It is really clear to see that the combined duty cycle line is moving much more! On the good car, the combined duty cycle line is not as high versus the prolonged high seen in the recording of the surging car.

Still the same recording with the ATS WiFi 6004XM four-channel scope

You can see in areas A and B that the ECU needs to do great effort before the throttle actually moves. Towards the end of this last recording, you can actually see the same during closing of the throttle. The effort to move the throttle should only be moderate duty cycle changes, not a large effort for the throttle to then ‘pop’ to the new position.

Various diagnosed faulty H-bridge controlled valves, as used in AECS training seminars

CONCLUSION It has never been easier to diagnose complex electromechanical faults with the unique capability of this wireless ATS scope. Making things easier in our ever-complex world is what is needed. To have ‘just a scope’ is not sufficient in reality. Yes, most (toy) scopes out there can show the pulses as in picture two, some can even record as in picture one, but that is where it all stops. Investing is such a scope does not bring you any closer to a conclusion in diagnostics. We are confronted with good technicians buying the wrong gear every day. Technicians who have been largely incorrectly disappointed in themselves, as it can be the (very often expensive) toy scope they used for the job! In my experience, it is hardly ever the ability of the technician which is the shortcoming. The level of people in the industry is predominantly very good. I wish I could tell everyone to make sure they purchase diagnostic equipment with care and thought, just to enable and motivate the technicians who need to do the work. Technical back up, training, and diagnostic equipment is what we focus on with our whole team at AECS. I hope that it helps you to know that we are here for you! Herbert Leijen AECS LTD

Recording on a similar vehicle with a sticky throttle body (worn bearings). At A the throttle gets opened a little, at B it gets opened even further

1st Auto Parts starts the new decade in a new place PERFORMANCE ENGINE PARTS SUPPLIER HAS GONE THROUGH ITS OWN UPGRADE BUT REMAINS TRUE TO ITS CORE BUSINESS erformance parts supplier 1st Auto Parts is starting the new decade with a new look and a new location, moving from Dominion Rd to Airport Oaks Auckland. Owner and manager Shane Johnson says the move to 45 Rennie Drive gave the business the chance to have a thorough overhaul of stock and the way it organised its warehouse, as well as bring some technology up to date. “We decluttered in a big way,” he says. “We were ruthless.” The move also gave 1st Auto Parts the opportunity to finally move away from the Segedins branding, which was associated with the old premises it had inhabited in Dominion Road for around 40 years. Shane says it’s been a long transition as the company founder’s name was well-known but customers are now familiar with the new branding and the change of address, and he’s proud of his company’s relationship with a loyal customer base. The company is the exclusive or main agency distributor for a range of performance parts that focuses mainly on V8s, including Moroso oil pans, Holley carbs, Tuff Stuff starters and alternators, Scorpion rockers as well as Eagle and Callies crankshafts and conrods. It carries the thousands of the seals, rings, gaskets, shims, bolt sets, lines, and hoses needed to complete a host of engine rebuilds or upgrades. However, he says the business operates in a very competitive market segment. “New Zealanders are very price-conscious. The first thing they do is go

online and compare prices. Margins are tight — really, really tight.”

Auto Channel Issue #21 February 2020

Shane Johnson 1st Auto Parts also the agency for United Oils — staff uniforms carry the logo — but Shane says when they were awarded United’s distributorship there were five or six boutique oil brands on the market. Now there are 103. Shane says that the internet has cut heavily into retail to the extent that they rarely see the local hot rodder coming in off the street, but he says a lot of people in the trade have come to see the value-add in knowledgeable local partners. He says it’s common for an average order of parts from overseas suppliers to rack up a 20 per cent error in landed parts, because the small changes in components made during production runs, or variations from market to market. 1st Auto Parts’ expertise means they can reduce that error

rate substantially, saving days or weeks of delays and improving productivity. “We know this stuff inside out, and that’s one of the big things we do, is to provide engine expertise and advice on issues.” “Anyone rebuilding a V8 should talk to us.” Shane came into the performance parts industry as a qualified ‘A’ grade mechanic and runs his own race car. “I’ve got a passion for this industry and I love the people I deal with.” Shane says the drawbacks of dealing directly with overseas suppliers also applies to ‘crate’ engine imports. He says unless it’s a brand new engine direct from Ford or GM, anyone importing a crate engine should not expect a trouble-free ride. He says numerous engine builders in New Zealand produce far better engines. “Oh hell yes, far better,” says Shane, “It’s the Kiwi can-do attitude. It's embedded into their DNA to make things work to get the best out of what they’ve got.” Shane is just starting to relax in his new premises after an intense four months. The building was redesigned and refurbished for its new role then the shift was carried out while still operating the business. Keeping a careful eye on stock movements was paramount. The new 900 square metre footprint warehouse and reception means all stock could be housed on one floor. And there’s another 120 metres of office space upstairs. The change gave the nine staff the chance to try out a few things. Shane says stock used to be organised by brand but is now organised by function or application, meaning similar parts or options from different manufacturers can be fetched and compared more efficiently. While the more streamlined business has room to grow, Shane isn’t planning and aggressive expansion. “We’ve been through two recessions and we’ve survived so we think we have the formula about right. “We’d rather do what we do well and not get carried away,” he says. For more information, contact 1st Auto Parts on 09 638 6439 or see 1stautoparts.co.nz.

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Mike Young Cusco Toyota SS4

Life in Stages TALKING RALLYING IN ASIA WITH NEW ZEALAND’S OWN TEAM CUSCO JAPAN DRIVER, MIKE YOUNG! INTERVIEWER: JADEN MARTIN PHOTOS: BRIAN YOUNG, MITSURU KOTAKE

Auto Channel: Hi, Mike. Thanks for taking the time out of your schedule to yarn with us. Can you quickly tell the readers who you are and what you do? Mike: Hey, guys. I’m Mike Young, a 26-year-old rally driver from Opotiki, New Zealand. I’m currently based in Perth, Australia, and I compete in the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) with Cusco Racing and TRD [Toyota Racing Development]. What sparked your interest in motorsport, and how did you end up driving? My dad, Brian Young, has been photographing and filming motorsport all his life, and we used to go to events as a family. He tried to get me to take up a camera to follow in his footsteps, which I did for a while, but I didn’t want to stand on the sidelines anymore — I always wanted to be the one driving. I started out in karts at Edgecumbe kart club when I was about 10, then progressed to a rally car around a paddock, and later I got a driver’s license so I could do autocross and hill climbs. My first car club was Motorsport Bay of Plenty, and I’m still a member! We understand that your first rally was Rally New Zealand at the age of 18. What was it like driving at that level so early on? That year wasn’t a proper international event, so it was a lot more low-key than it sounds. However, it was a two-day event, which meant lots of kilometres to cover and made for a really good experience. It

Auto Channel Issue #21 February 2020

was my first rally, so I had lots to learn, and that was the main reason we entered, as we were going to Malaysia so I needed the experience. That’s right, you competed in the Malaysian Rally Championship with the Pennzoil rally team. How did that opportunity to drive overseas arise? A Malaysian gentleman by the name of Guna Rajoo knew my dad from his work and owned a big team that included APRC driver champions like Cody Crocker (Aus.), Katsu Taguchi (Japan), and Karamjit Singh (Malaysia). He had an old two-wheel-drive Proton Satria available and he offered it to me for free; we just had to pay a local service crew. It was a fantastic opportunity to be involved with a big team and such experienced drivers. And that was your first international drive — what was it like? Yes, it was my first international drive, and yes, I was scared! I had heard stories about Malaysian rallies before; they were the toughest in the region. Extremely hot and humid, and roads lined with deep ditches with palm-oil trees dotted around every corner. Once the roads got wet, they turned into ice rinks! We did another three events that year, and it was a really good championship to learn car control in all kinds of conditions — especially mud — and to learn to cope with the extreme heat. The car was old and fragile, and we had to take care of it, but it was really cheap rallying. I nosedived it after a big

jump on one event and as a result the car needed a whole new front bumper — the service crew raced down the road to the local Proton dealer and got a brand new one. It only cost $40! You’re currently racing under the Cusco colours; that connection started here in New Zealand, right? What has that connection meant for your career since? Yeah, it started at Rally [of] Whangarei in 2011 when my dad arranged a little bit of help from the Cusco team. They lent me an FIA driver’s suit in Cusco colours for the event. We finished the rally and won the local 2WD class, and, when I took the suit back to them afterwards, the team manager offered us a 2WD car for Rally Hokkaido. All I had to do was get me and my co-driver, Daniel, over to the event, so of course I said yes! We didn’t actually finish that event; we got to the last set of stages on Sunday and were within sight of the finish when a front wheel came off. It was a good lesson, because, while it wasn’t my fault, I should have checked that all the nuts were tight with a wheel brace before starting the stage. It’s fair to say that we have come a long way since then. In 2013, you moved up to the main APRC series with Malcolm Read joining you in the co-driver seat. You two still drive together now; how has that relationship helped your driving?

Young and Read and the Cusco Girls

“Yes, it was my first international drive, and yes, I was scared!” You jumped up to 4WD and turbo power with the Cusco Subaru in 2015. What was the jump like, and how did it affect your driving style? Well, at first it was a big shock. The car was big and had heaps of power compared to what I was used to in 2WD. But, after a few stages, I was able to use the power to my advantage and keep massive corner speed, something I learned being in 2WD for years. In terms of my driving style, I had to drive more sideways through the corners and almost throw the car into corners at times.

Mike Young action SSS1 - Volkswagen Polo

That was a big year, as it was the first time I had the opportunity to drive a car with some manufacturer involvement. The car was a very standard 2WD Toyota Yaris built to R1 specs by Japan’s Toyota Racing Development. Cusco were running the car, and they offered me a full APRC season driving it. We did OK in New Zealand and then crashed in Queensland. We also had two crashes in 2012 when we were on track to win the APRC Junior Cup, so, after that third crash, it was time to re-evaluate and we decided I needed a full-time professional codriver. Malcolm’s name came up and we immediately gelled, inside and outside of the car. We have quite different personalities, but they seem to complement each other. We even won our first event driving together at the 2013 Malaysian Rally. Malcolm has been a huge help in developing my pace notes, and, because he’s a full-time mechanic outside of rallying, he’s a huge help when things go wrong too! That same year in Thailand, we had a rear hub seize up, and, being a front-wheel-drive car, we literally

dragged the Yaris to the finish line of the stage. Malcolm then pulled the wheel off and freed it up so we could complete the next stages and get it repaired in service. If he hadn’t been able to do that, we would have been looking at retirement. And you went on to win that event too, which you also just discovered played an important role in your more-recent career, correct? Yeah, on the final afternoon, four cars in front of us retired for various reasons, and we ended up winning the 2013 FIA Asia Cup! The Asia Cup is a driver and co-driver award, but there’s also a trophy that goes to the manufacturer, and this went to TRD Japan. We were blown away by a visit to TRD headquarters earlier this month and found the FIA Asia Cup trophy we had won for them back in 2013 sitting in the centre of their other trophies. Apparently, that award was why TRD specifically asked us to drive the new 4WD Toyota Yaris development car.

That same year, you finished runner-up in the APRC drivers’ championship for the second time. Do you think that there was anything that could have been done to claim the top spot? Motorsport is full of ifs and buts, so no excuses. We lost [in] New Zealand by 1.3 seconds to a Skoda, and I was going too fast in Malaysia. It’s that simple! Looking back now, I should have eased into it more, but you try telling that to a rally driver! That would have fallen on deaf ears, no doubt. You also entered and won top honours at the Elite Motorsport Academy; did that experience improve you as a driver? The Elite Motorsport Academy was an amazing experience, and I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity. It really does prepare you well for so many aspects of racing and rallying that you don’t actually think about when you start out. The experience certainly changed my approach to staying fit and healthy, hydration, dealing with media, and the mental approach required at the top level.

Mike Young and Malcolm Read in-car

You were the first driver to pilot a plug-in hybrid in an international FIA rally and won the inaugural APRC New Energy Cup. Can electric really compete with fossil-fuel cars? I first met the people at BYD Auto in 2014 when I rallied in China. We talked about driving with them in the Chinese championship but it got complicated, as the series didn’t allow foreign drivers in their category. Then the opportunity came up to run the car at the APRC China Rally in 2016 as a National Sporting Authority (ASN) homologated car; however, it required a huge amount of work to pass the FIA safety standards, and I’ll always be grateful to Norbert Ruths at MTEC Sport Germany, who organized the rebuild and worked long into the night to get the car compliant. Driving an electric car was certainly a different experience. When the batteries were charged, it had heaps of torque. However, the problem was that the batteries would run out after 30km, and we finished each of the legs on the little 1500cc petrol engine. If I’m honest, that made it a bit of a dog, but we finished, and, for BYD, it was a big deal, so that was all that mattered. The 2018 APRC season saw its fair share of mechanical retirements; what are your hopes for the 2019 season? Yeah, 2018 was a frustrating year for sure. Every problem we had was something different, so hopefully all the bugs are ironed out of the car [Toyota Yaris 4WD]. For 2019, I really hope that we can get some solid results and finishes. We proved last year that the car has the pace, and we won many stages. It was a different car then, in terms of set-up; now, it’s improved so much, so I’m expecting it to go really well. It ran without issue at our pre-season snow rally in Japan. And you’re fresh off the back of a podium finish at that snow rally (Rally of Tsumagoi). How was it tackling the snow for the first time? It was like riding a bike for the first time, really. I fell off for the first few kilometres. Luckily, the team gave me plenty of practice before the rally, because I’d never driven on snow or ice before. It was a unique experience for me; when there was lots of snow, there was lots of grip, but when you

PROFILE Name: Mike Young Age: 26 Hometown: Opotiki, New Zealand Current base: Perth, Australia Discipline: Rally Top results: 2014 FIA APRC runner-up, 2015 FIA APRC runner-up Accolades: 2013 FIA Asia-Pacific Rally 2WD Cup champion, 2013 FIA Asia Cup winner, 2013 FIA APRC Junior Cup champion, 2014 FIA APRC Junior Cup champion, 2014 FIA APRC 2WD Cup champion Vehicles: Toyota Yaris 4WD, Subaru Impreza WRX, Proton Satria Neo, Toyota Vitz

Auto Channel Issue #21 February 2020

“We were blown away by a visit to TRD head-quarters earlier this month and found the FIA Asia Cup trophy we had won for them back in 2013 sitting in the centre of their other trophies. ” got down to the ice, it was extremely slippery, and, unfortunately, we weren’t allowed to use any spikes. At first, I took it very easy; I just wanted to learn the conditions and the stages. The conditions seemed to change all the time: one minute snow, the next it was ice. I was always unsure of the grip level, but, after a while, I got more confident using the snow banks to keep us on the road. I definitely want to do more stages on snow, for sure! It looks scary just watching from home! What does it mean to you to be a Kiwi competing at the international level? These days I’m called a ‘Perth-based Kiwi’, but I’m

absolutely a passionate Kiwi and happy to fly the flag wherever we go. I’m also the Kiwi international rally driver that no one has ever heard of, as I don’t have much of a profile back home, having done most of my driving overseas. I’ve got a bigger fan base in Japan and across Asia. What would you say is the big-picture goal that you’re working towards with your career? Obviously, the big-picture goal would be to drive in World Rally Championship (WRC); however, you have to ask: is that realistic for me? I’ve been to a few WRC events to check it out, and there are literally hundreds of young European drivers with talent and loads of money behind them. I’ve been offered drives by Ford in the WRC Junior Series and by Skoda for the APRC, but — and it’s a big but — you need to have a big sponsor or take loads of cash with you, as the manufacturers at that level expect you to pay your own way to start with. I don’t have lots of money to fund that, nor does my family, so we’ve just worked away doing things we can afford, and, gradually, we’re getting there. Ideally, I’d like to eventually become a professional rally driver, but if I can continue rallying at an international level at little or no cost, that would be good too. Do you have any advice for the young Kiwis looking to follow in your footsteps at a local or international level? I guess it depends on your goals and aspirations. Our thoughts were that while New Zealand has one of the best rally championships and some of the best roads in the world, it’s a small country, and finding decent sponsors is almost impossible. By going outside New Zealand and taking the opportunities that have come our way, we landed a long-term drive with Japan’s biggest rally team, Cusco; we work directly with the motorsport tyre–development people at Dunlop Japan; and we’re building a relationship with TRD as they look to develop a new race/rally engine. None of those things would have been possible in New Zealand. So, I guess what I’m saying is look outside the box and take any opportunity that comes your way! Sound advice, that. Thanks for allowing the readers to get to know you a little better, and we wish you all the best as you head towards those WRC ranks!

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Jake Jones returns to NZ driving the Galore Parts Group 86 TERETONGA WELCOMES AN INTERNATIONAL FIELD FOR ITS DEBUT AS A DRIFT VENUE ussie pro drifter Jake Jones is no stranger to the high-stakes world of D1NZ — New Zealand’s national drifting championship. He’s occasionally made his way across the ditch to compete as a wildcard entry here in the past, but this year, he’s competing in the full season behind the wheel of the

Galore Parts Group Toyota GT86 pro car. The GT86 is an absolute animal of a drifter, running a 700hp 2JZ-GTE, backed up by a TTi sequential gearbox that has so far taken an absolute hiding from some of the world’s top drift starts, including Daigo Saito, Ryan Tuerck, and Beau Yates. The first round of D1NZ this year was held at Teretonga Park in Invercargill, with Jake flying in just in time for practice and qualifying on the Friday. This was the first time the championship had ever held a round at Teretonga, and the track

Bendix adds new highperformance brake pads BRAKE SPECIALIST BENDIX HAS ADDED ULTIMATE+ HIGH-PERFORMANCE DISC BRAKE PADS TO ITS RANGE, DESIGNED FOR SPORTS AND HIGH-PERFORMANCE VEHICLES. pgraded from the current Ultimate range, the Ultimate+ range provides greater stopping power utilising an advanced ceramic formulation. It retains low dust generation and low braking noise but adds greater resistance to brake fade at high temperatures. Under extreme conditions, the new brake pads deliver consistent brake pedal feel even after a hot lap, says Bendix. Designed and developed for use with slotted rotors, the new brake pads incorporate the Bendix Blue Titanium Stripe for instant friction without the need for bedding in on installation. Bendix Ultimate+ brake pads come with Bendix

Auto Channel Issue #21 February 2020

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was very well received by drivers. “The track was fast and fluid, which really suited the GT86,” says Jake. “I am extremely thankful to have this opportunity to arrive and drive in the Galore Parts Group GT86. It’s a completely different chassis to what I’m used to back in Australia but with it being so well built I can literally jump in and drive it.” Thanks to a strong practice and qualifying, Jones slotted into P7, ready for battles the following day. After a top-16 matchup bye run against Kiwi driver Kurt Blackie due to an engine failure in Blackie’s 86, Jake moved into the top eight. But that’s where his weekend ended thanks to a clutch issue during his battle with eventual round-winner Cole Armstrong. That’s racing, as they say, and Jones will be back and ready to push for the win at D1NZ Round 2, to be held at Pukekohe Park Raceway 7 – 8 February.

Capricorn updates brand

fter 40-plus years, the Capricorn network has decided a new logo and strapline would better reflect its business. Campaign manager Michael Ellis says that over those decades the organisation has been working to “make it easier” for members to buy through its network of preferred suppliers. “But the time has come for a new brand positioning statement and logo to better reflect Capricorn’s total commitment to providing services, support, and value over the long term to all Capricorn members and preferred suppliers.” The logo’s strapline has changed from “...it’s just easier” to “Stronger with Capricorn”.

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Cars now being designed in virtual reality

Car news

Walking while driving Jaguar Land Rover has designed a shape-shifting to tackle the health risks of sitting down for too long. The morphable seat, being trialled by Jaguar Land Rover’s Body Interiors Research division, has actuators in the seat foam that create microadjustments under each leg that make the passenger’s brain think its body is walking. According to the World Health Organisation, more than a quarter of people worldwide – 1.4 billion – are living increasingly sedentary lifestyles, which can shorten muscles in the legs, hips and gluteals, causing back pain. The weakened muscles also mean they are more likely to injure themselves from falls or strains. For future Jaguar drivers at least, simulating pelvic oscillation, as occurs when walking, could mitigate against the health risks of sitting for too long. Dr Steve Iley, Jaguar Land Rover Chief Medical Officer, said: “The wellbeing of our customers and employees is at the heart of all our technological research projects. We are using our engineering expertise to develop the seat of the future using technologies not seen before in the automotive industry.”

BMWs get to upgrade themselves

BMW Australia is offering owners online upgrades that can be downloaded and installed without their vehicle even leaving the driveway. Teslas already have a version of this feature and it is being fitted to the latest Jaguars and Land Rovers too. BMW updates can be downloaded from the BMW ConnectedDrive Store and be fully functional within minutes. The first upgrade available is High Beam Assistant for both the all-new BMW 1 Series and the 2 Series Gran Coupé.

Auto Channel Issue #21 February 2020

High Beam Assistant uses a light-seeking camera located in the rear view mirror housing to monitor the road for up to 700 metres ahead. When enabled it adapts to the conditions and prevents glaring other road users. Customers with new model variants featuring BMW Operating System 7.0 can also purchase a BMW Drive Recorder through the BMW ConnectedDrive Store. BMW Drive Recorder enables the vehicle’s surround view camera system to capture video recordings of the immediate surroundings for up to 40 seconds. All recorded videos can be exported onto a USB drive including date, time, speed, and GPS coordinates. A Remote Software Upgrade will be available this year for vehicles built prior to July 2019.

Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Motors Corporation have debuted a new virtual reality (VR) design evaluation system at the brands’ global design headquarters. The technology is part of a U.S. $12.8 million investment in the Namyang Research and Development Centre. Hyundai and Kia hopes the new VR process will result in 20% reduction in vehicle development times and a 15% reduction in annual development costs. “The virtual development process is a necessary step for responding quickly and reacting with agility to the needs of customers and paradigm shifts within the automotive industry,” said Albert Biermann, Head of Research and Development Division for Hyundai Motor Group. VR headsets allow the brands’ vehicle designers and engineers to enter virtual developmental simulations. Thirty-six motion tracking sensors detect and track the movement of all users, enabling each to participate accurately in real time. The new VR design evaluation system can currently support up to 20 simultaneous users, enabling greater cross-team collaboration than ever before. The new cutting-edge facility allows the designers from each brand to review a multitude of design concepts earlier in the developmental process and in ways that were previously physically impossible. The system simulates interior and exterior design elements, lighting, colours and materials, and it can place them in wider virtual environments.

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Choosing the right battery is more important than ever CENTURY YUASA’S ‘BATTERY FINDER’ TAKES AWAY THE GUESSWORK o you hear customers saying “batteries don’t last as long as they used to”, or “they don’t make them like they used to”? Neither is true — batteries are better now than they’ve ever been, according to Century Yuasa’s Andrew Bottoms, Marketing Manager Automotive, Australia and New Zealand. Manufacturers are continually incorporating

more advanced technologies and electronics into vehicles as standard. It wasn’t that long ago that reversing cameras, parking sensors, or assisted parking and lane-keeping systems were optional extras, yet many of these are now standard in today’s vehicles. Manufacturers are also incorporating advanced emission control technologies, stop/start engine systems, and battery management systems to meet global CO2 emission standards and performance targets.

Simple and effective shin guard for towbars TO PREVENT A FALL OR A SHIN DING, FIT THE TOWBAR KING t’s one of those inventions that prompt you to ask, “Why has nobody thought of this before?” The patented Towbar King is a shroud that will bolt on around almost any towbar, and prevents people from banging their shins on the unforgiving metal tongue poking out from beneath the bumper bar. Most people who have walked around the back of a car with their eyes on the task in hand will know how easily it can happen, and how painful it can be. Unsuspecting legs will just glance off the King’s smooth surfaces. It only has to happen once and the owner of those legs will be thankful they invested in a Towbar King. The Towbar King is made of tough, long-lasting nylon and stainless steel, and it was invented here in New Zealand. The wings on either side of the towball spigot can be angled to suit almost any bumper profile. Its makers claim the Towbar King is the “most effective adjustable towbar leg injurysaving device on the market”. Towbar King is available from all Repco and Appco stores.

Auto Channel Issue #21 February 2020

“All of this extra load on the electrical system means it is critical to not only select the correct battery technology and capacity, but also that specific step-by-step, pre-and post-installation procedures are followed during battery replacements,” says Andrew. These steps will help you avoid vehicle damage, loss of system functionality and even premature battery failure down the track. ‘Near enough’ is no longer good enough when it comes to battery selection. Century is here to help. Its ‘Battery Fitment Solution’ is a complete battery finder and fitment system that will help to ‘future proof’ installers by providing a complete battery finder and fitment solution. The system allows workshops to easily identify vehicles and presents the battery replacement options for that vehicle. More importantly, it also calls up detailed fitment instructions to ensure the battery will be installed correctly. From a desktop computer, tablet, or mobile phone, users can type in a vehicle registration number, VIN, or carry out a standard make/model search, and select the correct battery. Then they will see the estimated time required to fit the battery, and the option to download step-by-step fitment instructions. The system will also advise if the Yu-Fit configuration tool is required as part of the battery replacement process. For more information or assistance in using the system, please contact your Century Yuasa representative on 0800 93 93 93.

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Products

The latest automotive products

ReCoila electrical cord reel Cables and cords left lying around are easily damaged which increases the risk of electrical shorts, damage and even electrocution. The ReCoila GEN III Electrical reel ensures cables and cords are coiled and stored safely when not in use. They come with a two-metre inlet cable, complete with plug and socket. They are also fitted with an overcurrent protection device and comply with AS/NZ3105:2007. Contact Emco on 07 850 5240 for further information or email sales@emco.co.nz

Grab mud and sand with Goodride Goodride’s new SL366 mud tyre provides great grip on tough surfaces like mud and sand, and now offers possibly the largest range of sizes available in New Zealand for fitment on a 15-inch rim. Until February 2020, the biggest size available for a 15 was the 33/12.5R15, but now the new 35/12.5R15 LT SL366 tyre exceeds this. Contact any leading tyre supplier now for a quote. The SL366’s RRP is $370 plus GST.

Sturdy strobes Designed with harsh mining conditions in mind, the Narva heavy-duty Geomax Class 1 Strobe features a die-cast aluminium base and a sturdy polycarbonate lens. They’re compact in design, so can be secured on a large range of work vehicles. The strobe has Class 1–approved rotating patterns (85250A) and the strobe features an ambient light sensor for day/night switching and high- or low-power modes. Find the Geomax Class 1 strobe at leading automotive stores throughout New Zealand. You can find your nearest stockist by visiting narva.co.nz.

In the spotlight

Restoring clarity

Get a grease that works in water New Zealanders take to the water in droves over summer and to make sure the moving parts keep moving you need a grease designed to handle salt water and is kind to marine life. Morey’s Red-i marine grease is ideal for boat trailer chassis lubrication and outboards. It handles extreme pressure, it resists wash out and its premium, heavy-duty lithium complex is fortified with polymers, antiwear agents, tackiness additives and rust and corrosion inhibitors. Morey’s Red-i Marine Grease is available in 450gm cartridges, 500gm pots, 2.5 and 18kg pails, or in 55kg and 180kg drums. See moreyoil.co.nz or call 09 813 9200 for more information and stockists.

Auto Channel Issue #21 February 2020

Banish scratched, or dull and cloudy headlights due to oxidation with Holts Headlight Restoration Kits. Headlights can be fixed up without having to remove them. The kits contain all you need, including sandpaper and polish, sealant to protect the finish, and even a drill adaptor to make for an easier process to restore headlight clarity and appearance. The kit has an RRP of $49.90 plus GST and you can find more information by contacting Filpro Automotive on 022 401 8651, or sbrokenshire@ filpro.co.nz.

The Narva 7100 handheld spotlight has six highpowered LED bulbs, which emit an impressive spot beam with a distance of up to 200m. It’s batterypowered, and you’ll get a 2.5-hour run time with each charge. Perfect for emergency situations, or when camping or boating. It’s available from leading automotive stores throughout New Zealand, and you can find your nearest Narva stockist by visiting narva.co.nz.

DTM newbies DTM has released a new range of wheels, including an Old-Skool range. The DTM Korath is one of the many newbies on offer. Its flow-forming design means it’s a strong-yet-lightweight wheel, and its classic European styling has obvious appeal. The Korath is available in Satin Black and Anthracite finishes, in 18-inch and 19-inch diameters. With black or red centre cap options, it’s made to suit a wide range of vehicle styles and personal preferences. Check out these new Koraths and the rest of the new DTM range at dtm.co.nz.

TRW brake disks stay black and shiny TRW’s Black Painted Brake Discs provide increased corrosion resistance and performance. The special black paint is a protective barrier which, together with moisture-inhibiting VCI paper packaging, means they do not need to be coated in oil or rust preventative, which then has to be cleaned off before fitting. For more information, see trwaftermarket.com or call ZF Aftermarket on +61 (2) 9679 5555.

The next generation of LED beacons The innovative K-LED Rebelution is a game-changer in the warning lights sector. It features a compact domeless design, while still maintaining maximum performance as a vehicle beacon. The modern ringshaped light band emits a clearly visible 360-degree warning signal using EdgeLight technology. The LED technology, materials, and innovative design ensure durability and reliability, even during continuous operation for long service life. You can find your local HELLA distributor at hella.co.nz.

Designed to fit, built to last Ryco has designed a vehicle-specific component kit designed for the dual or single installation of Ryco Fuel Water Separator and Ryco Crankcase assemblies. The kit’s components are built tough to last and resist engine vibration. They’re designed to fit most vehicles with dual-battery setups and they come with specifically moulded hose and brackets, engineered to fit specific vehicle engine bays. For more information go to ryco.co.nz or contact Ryco’s customer service team on 0800 838 222.

No more wasted time

Peak assurance Both Peak Asian and Peak Euro coolants cover a wide range of vehicles and are formulated with the same corrosion-inhibitor technology that protected your vehicle from the factory. These formulas provide top-tier protection against rust and corrosion to all cooling system metals and are fully compatible with other extended-life coolants. Peak guarantees these coolants will provide service life protection of up to 150,000 miles or five years. For more product or stockist information, call 0800 227 422 or visit smitsgroup.co.nz.

Fasep’s VCO-K wheel aligner can cut preparation time by up to 80%. The unit is mobile and its radio frequency technology means you don’t need the car on the hoist — it’s also not affected by light interference. The VCO-K lets you do an alignment check in a couple of minutes on every tyre change, while the Fasep software is intuitive and simple to use, as well as being highly accurate thanks to its patented track-measuring gauge. Call Loren on 0800 436 436 for a free onsite demo. The first four bookings will receive a free trolley jack.

Delkor Batteries setting the standard Delkor Batteries has a powerful solution for any automotive make or model. Delkor products have won the Korean Standard Quality Excellence award for 13 years running. Built stronger with ‘Powerframe’ grid technology, Delkor batteries will provide long-lasting battery power for any 12-volt application. Exclusively distributed by R&J Batteries, contact your local distribution centre for more information on 09 636 5980 or 03 341 0090 or visit rjbatt.co.nz.

Penrite gets it right Penrite Oil makes it easy to meet oil requirements that preserve vehicle warranties. Penrite has developed Enviro+ C3 5W-30 to meet over 300,000 vehicle manufacturer requirements. Enviro+ C3 5W-30 is a fully synthetic SAE Mid SAPS engine oil that meets European ACEA C3 and ACEA C2 specifications as well as API SN. It may also be used where fuel economy and long life grades such as ACEA A5/B5 are needed, and where petrol grades API SN, API SM or API SL and ILSAC grades GF-4 or GF-5 fuel economy specifications are required. Available in pack sizes from 1 litre to 205 litres including in the innovative and environmentally friendly Enviro-Box. See penriteoil.co.nz or call 0800 533 698.

LS bushing trunnion upgrade kits The new LS bushing trunnion upgrade kits at 1st Auto Parts are engineered to provide maximum lubrication to trunnions, while preserving maximum load capabilities. A machined oil channel provides constant lubrication, while the greater surface area will support 300 times the loading of a factory needle bearing. The kits include the trunnion, bushings, and C-clips, and can be used with the stock rocker bolt. Priced from $378.35, call 1st Auto Parts on 09 638 6439 for more information.

Big tyre changer at a modest price The Summit tyre changer GT885 offers 20-inch external clamping, a pneumatic tilt column, and a turntable air blaster using a 230-volt singlephase motor. An optional helper arm is also available for low profile tyres. Available from Precision Equipment for $2995 plus GST. See precisionequipment.co.nz for more information.

No more grease Nolathane’s new grease-free sway bar bushings feature a unique PTFE low-friction coating that eliminates the need for grease. This makes for quick and clean installation and no need for periodic servicing/greasing of the bushing. The PTFE coating will ensure that the bushing will operate effectively and remain noise-free throughout its service life. Prices start from $32. For more information visit nolathane.com.au.

Heavy-Duty Lifting The Heshbon HL-48H is a heavy-duty 8.5-ton, four-post vehicle lift. Its main cylinder and cable pulleys are rated to 10 ton, and the centre rolling jacks are rated to five ton. It boasts the longest platform length in its class at 6420mm, with 3190mm between the posts. It’s also available in a 10-ton configuration. It has an RRP of $22,995 + GST, which includes two five-ton jacking beams, delivery, and installation (terms and conditions apply). Contact sales@ centurydistributors.co.nz or 04 567 1405 for more information.

Auto Channel Issue #21 February 2020

Record Breaker THE BIGGEST GOAL IN NEW ZEALAND DRAG RACING HAS JUST BEEN ACHIEVED. WE MEET THE MAN WHO RAN THE FIRST FIVE-SECOND DOORSLAMMER PASS: BARRY PLUMPTON INTERVIEW: TODD WYLIE PHOTOS: STRONG STYLE PHOTO, LANCE FARROW TW: First of all, congratulations; you must be stoked! Barry Plumpton: Cheers, yeah we are; it’s a great achievement. You’ve always played down the five-second number as being a goal. Why was that? We just go out there to better ourselves each time; that was one of the great things about when we went racing in Australia. We go out there to learn: run a PB, learn, look at the data, go back again — it challenges us. We all look at the data together and try to figure stuff out. There’s nothing more rewarding than making a small change, going out there, and having what you diagnosed work and you go better. A lot of people get hung up on achieving that five — and it was cool; we’re pretty stoked to have done it, obviously — but there are other things that are more important. You go racing to have fun, and when you do well, have a win or a good number, that’s what makes it all worth it. If you keep doing the same thing over and over again, that’s bracket racing and that’s not what we enjoy. Speaking of Aussie, ever since then, the car’s had a noticeable improvement in its PB; what happened over there, and how did you get to that point? We made some changes, got some advice, and worked with it last season. We had Terry Bowden set up the car a bit differently, and just changed a few things — not much; we were concentrating last year on 60-foot times. Winning a championship was a bit of a fluke — it was never a target; we didn’t even run the last meeting with the Camaro, we just used the Monte Carlo. That was always going to happen, just to be in support of the Kiwi Thunder series, as I was pushing for that as a stepping stone to the unified series that is now happening. So, really, just the 60foot education that we had last year was good; we applied that. At Sydney, the track is a bit better further out and it holds the power better. The good thing

Auto Channel Issue #21 February 2020

about the tracks in Australia, Sydney in particular, is the width of the prepared track. If you get a little loose in New Zealand, your run can be over; whereas, if you get a little loose in Australia, you can try [to] just keep your foot in it and drive it back towards the centre line. That’s something both Meremere and Masterton are working towards: Meremere with the reverse rubber, and Masterton with four of their guys going over to Sydney while we were there and spending some time with the track crew; I think they learned a lot. So it’s not the width of the tarmac itself, just the width of the prepped area?

“I don’t pretend to be a tuner, and wouldn’t touch anyone else’s car, but I do have a good understanding of mine” Correct, the area that’s prepped and the way it’s prepared. The start line at Meremere on the weekend wasn’t too bad. You’ve raced at every track around New Zealand; how do you find the difference between tracks, and do you have to change much on the set-up of the car? With nitrous, we’ve got the ability to fine-tune some things. There’s advantages and disadvantages; the disadvantage for us is that when we have to lift and pedal the car a little bit, our power all shuts down, and it takes a while to come back again. With a blown car or a turbo car, it’s pretty much still there. So, going from track to track, we concentrate on our short times. If we can get the car to move, then we stand a good chance at running the eighth-mile

in under four seconds, then hopefully out the back door. We change something in most runs; it’s not like we have a Meremere set-up and a Masterton set-up — those are the only two tracks we can race on now. They’re pretty much similar; it just depends on the day, the heat, the amount and quality of the rubber that’s been down before you, and whether it’s Group One cars or street car tyres ripping it up. We don’t specifically tune for a track, although we have data from both; it’s more about the level of track prep, the heat, and the day. We have a traction meter to give us a guide as to how good the track is, and — without giving numbers out, because they won’t really mean anything to others — it can vary by 50 per cent on the day at the same track. It can change quite a lot with the temperature and the prep and rubber. You’ve not been around the drag racing scene as long as some of your competition, so it’s been a pretty intensive learning curve for you! Possibly, yeah; I guess I’ve been out there around 10 years, but I used to race a bit years and years ago. It’s about learning your car and understanding your car. I don’t pretend to be a tuner, and wouldn’t touch anyone else’s car, but I do have a good understanding of mine. You get that from repeat passes, recording information, making changes, and learning what effect those changes make. A lot of teams have imported overseas knowledge/ assistance, but you’ve chosen not to? Yeah, we have, but I could pick up the phone now and then and ring someone for a bit of advice. If you were to have a tuner, you’d want them at the track. What you see and feel is what you adjust to. We’re lucky, we’ve got a good handle on the base tune — then it’s just the finer tuning to get the car off the start line and out past the 60-foot mark. Once we’ve got that, we’ve got a good tune and it’ll be a good pass.

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Would you run us through the specs of the car? It’s a ’68 Jerry Bickel Camaro, built in about 2009, so it’s not a new chassis by any means, but Jerry Bickel stuff is good quality, and I’m told it hasn’t changed a lot over the years. It’s a medium-length wheelbase; it’s not a 115-inch one, which they all seem to be today. It runs a 959ci Pat Musi nitrous motor with a lock-up Bruno converter drive and Lenco transmission. We have five stages of nitrous in it, but we don’t run five yet. The number of stages you’ve got doesn’t really mean much; you could have 20 stages, but it’s really about how big they are. You could have one big stage, which could spray in more than we do. So, it is set up off a timer? Yeah, timer set-up at the moment; you can do it different ways, timer and rpm, but we run off the timer. Being a nitrous car, you’re the odd one out in Top Doorslammer racing here. What was behind the push towards nitrous rather than a supercharger like everyone else? I blame Dave Moyle for that. It was just a progression from my HQ street car, which had a supercharger and we added nitrous. It was just what I was enjoying, and when we brought the Monte Carlo in from overseas, it was a nitrous car. I like watching nitrous cars and I love big cubic inch motors, and it was something different. Why do something the same as everybody else? When you first brought the Camaro in, what were people saying? Did they think you’d ever have success with it? We had mixed comments, some very favourable, some not. That motivates me. A couple of people said it would never get off the start line in New Zealand, but we ran a 0.961-second 60-foot last year, which I think is pretty stout by New Zealand standards. We have worked really, really hard at that. The challenges that were effectively made to us by people saying we couldn’t do it is something that I live to; I like challenges, taking them on and trying

“we knew the disadvantages of the Monte Carlo. It’s a good car but a little too heavy to run the numbers that I wanted “ to conquer them. So that’s pretty much what we did last year, just improving our 60-foots, down into that 0.960–0.970 area. How much of that has been in chassis set-up and how much is engine? Everybody’s got power — there’s half a dozen cars that could run five-second passes — it’s just a matter of learning how to use it, getting it set up right, having a bit of luck, and getting it to stick on the day. So, for us, we’ve got the power obviously, and so have the others; it’s just working on those finer incrementals and getting everything to work right. Since we’ve had the car, we’ve changed tyre size; we’ve changed ratios in the transmission; we’ve changed the timing the nitrous comes on; and stuff like that; we’ve changed chassis height, four links, shock settings — we’ve changed a lot. All those little things, you change one at a time and you learn what it does. So, we try as much as we can to change only one thing at a time, and then see the result. If you change two things, you might

be going forwards and backwards at the same time and not notice any difference. We’ve seen a bit of that — racers changing everything and going nowhere. We don’t know; we tend to stick to ourselves, to be honest. Because we are the odd ones out with a nitrous car, they can’t learn much from us, and we can’t go and learn off them. That’s been one of the disadvantages, I suppose, as that there’s nobody in New Zealand doing what we do that can help us. There are good people with good advice, and we’ve certainly got that over the years with the likes of Dave [Moyle], Terry [Bowden], and Carl Jensen, but, realistically, we’re all learning and that’s what it comes down to. What made you jump from the Monte Carlo into the Camaro? We wanted to go faster. We sort of tapped that out and we knew the disadvantages of the Monte Carlo. It’s a good car but a little too heavy to run the numbers that I wanted to run. So, it was a step up. I actually bought it a long time before I told anyone. We contemplated running it in Australia first, as it came to New Zealand via Australia. We were going to run the Winternats, but in the end, because of their fuel rules, I couldn’t get hold of the fuel I wanted to run, so we decided to bring the car home and take our time to study the set-up. That way we could get a good baseline and concentrate on our own tracks. That’s why we were concentrating last year on our 60-foots, and learning different ways of making things work, so, when we went to Australia, we had some data to work with. When you say “we”, you’ve obviously referring to a great team that you’ve got around you helping out? Yes, we’ve got a good bunch of mates who chip in every Wednesday night to work on the car. We do as much as we can, and that way we learn. If something gets a bit specialist, we go to our experts, if you like, but we try and do as much as we can. The worst

Auto Channel Issue #21 February 2020

KEEPING IT REAL SINCE â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;83

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thing about being a driver is that people make it all about you, but it’s not; it’s about the team. It’s no different to the NHRA guys who get up there and thank their crew — without the crew they’re nothing, especially at that level; they’re almost just sitting there piloting. We’re not at that level, of course, but it’s about what the crew set up for you, isn’t it? The crew includes Dave Jackson, Shaun Brown, Mike Downey, Mike Dixon, John Wilson, Craig Bright, Tom and Luca Fox, Alicia and Tammy Plumpton, and Barb and Lauren Jackson. Of course, we’ve got engine doctor Dave Moyle and chassis guru Terry Bowden too. Take us through that record-breaking run — did you do anything different or know it was coming? On the first pass of the day, we just rattled the tyres a little bit. We made a fine adjustment, in terms of power, and the track changed a little bit, working to our advantage. Then Terry gave us an idea and we looked at a bit of stuff. We made a small change — to be honest, I can’t remember exactly what it was now. Obviously, having come from racing in Australia, we now have a better idea of the car’s potential, but, again, we can’t just come back to New Zealand and do the same things we did over there. We knew the car had a five in it, but, as I say, there’s more than one car down at Meremere that has a five in it. It’s just a case of when the guys get a handle on it. You learn stuff. You can do a whole lot of things that make no difference, then all of a sudden you change one thing and it comes together. When you’re lucky enough for that to happen, you learn a lot. In saying that, we ran the 5.9 on the Saturday, so we decided to park it up and have a few beers — because the boys work hard and it was something to celebrate — then on the Sunday the track was better, and we ran three or four 6.1s; we didn’t get down the track properly again. So, maybe it’s not going to happen all the time, but all the 6.1s are a testament to the fact that we have taken a step forward. When did you know you’d done it? Do you have a radio system from the car to the crew? Yeah, they told me in the car when I finished the pass — but you sort of have an idea. I knew when we had a full pass stick that it was going to be a good run, and I was pretty sure I ran it to, or near to, the finish

line. That’s what sort of tells you, so I had a good idea. When I had stopped, the guys confirmed it over the radio. Yeah, it was a good feeling. They must have been stoked, and you must have been stoked to be the one to tick it off? The worst thing about being a driver is that you miss that excitement on the start line! The very first five we ran in Sydney, I watched the video taken on one of the guy’s cameras and it brings a tear to my eye every time I see the joy it brings to the guys on the start line. That’s the loneliest part of being a driver.

“there’s more than one car down at Meremere that has a five in it” That’s an interesting thought. Now that the five has been ticked off, and you’ve forever got that title, what’s next? We’ll just continue to self-better and self-learn. The car has more in it — we know that — but whether we can get that out on the tracks could be another story. It’s a target, and New Zealand tracks are getting better and better. The guys are working hard to make them better; they put in a lot of effort — it’s done largely by volunteers — and we really appreciate that. Sydney’s got a lot of full-time crew and so have a lot of the other tracks. They’re running meetings four or five times a week there and private testing on the days in between, so they get a hell of a lot better preparation than we’re ever likely to get over here. For us, this is our home, it’s who we are, and we just want to get the car going as good as we can over here. As good as it was to achieve the five, it would have been great to run a 6.02 as well, because that would have been a PB at the time for New Zealand. Since 5.92 was on the board, now we’ll be trying for a 5.89. We’ll just keep trying to go a little faster each time. You’ve obviously won both national series, and, as you say, you’re behind the unified series, so can we

expect to see you out this season doing that? Yeah, we’ll be out most of the season, although we’re thinking about heading back to Australia. We may do what we did last season and bring the old girl out for the last meet for a bit of fun — we’ll see how it goes. We’ve got a bit of testing to do on unleaded fuel, but, obviously, we’d like to do well in the national series, and head back to Australia if I can afford it. We’re just a bunch of mates hanging out together. It’s become our sport; we can’t play rugby any more, so Wednesday night, instead of training, it’s working on the race car. You had your big trip around the country a few seasons back, clocking up plenty of miles towing the Monte Carlo around — that’s got to be good for the bonding between everyone? Yeah, it is. To be honest, I’m going to miss that. It’s sad that we can’t go down there and race any more. Motueka was an awesome place to go — awesome people, good times, and we used to love going there; Christchurch too. Had an awesome trip over Arthur’s Pass one year, staying with friends and towing up the West Coast. Unfortunately, with New Zealand having only the two [Group One] tracks, we’re stuck with running only at those meetings. The old Top Sportsman class we were running in back then was a lot of fun. We miss those days going to those meetings; some good people. Is it too hard to run the Monte Carlo at those, or the HQ street car as well? It’s funds. I got a lot of flack when I parked up the HQ — people were asking why — but it’s a big expense running the Camaro and takes a lot of time. When I took the two cars to the track at Meremere last year, I took the Monte Carlo out just to give it a run to make sure it was all right to go to Masterton, and the guys were commenting on how hard it was. Everything was different and we made a couple of mistakes. It’s just too hard; it takes the fun away. The HQ is back on street duty, unless someone wants to buy it and go racing in it. We sold the big motor out of it and put the old one back in. It’s still a nine-second street car, but I don’t have any aspirations to run in that class. There’s also work commitments, and we want to do a bit more fishing; you can only spend so much time racing! Your family have obviously been very supportive of your racing and the time that goes into it? Yes, my wife is very supportive and my daughter comes down to every meeting. My son used to come when we were running the Monte Carlo, and enjoyed it then. Without your family’s support, you really can’t do it. Well said, Barry. Thanks for your time, and congratulations again on your achievement. Is there anyone else you’d like to thank? Definitely, thanks for all the support we receive — our sponsors Focus Construction Group, Heron Plumbing, Brave Design, and Team Cabling; and all the other people who help by turning around our work so quickly to enable us to get to the number of meetings we do: Auto Trans, Taylor Automotive, Shores NZ, Terry’s Chassis Shoppe, Prostreet Racing Engines, C&M Performance, Marsh Motorsport, and Andersen Engineering. Also, a big shout to all the volunteers at the tracks — our sport needs you and we appreciate your work. Cheers.

Auto Channel Issue #21 February 2020

Your vehicle is becoming more intelligent every day…

Book your FREE workshop Health and Safety check today! Hurry! Bookings close February 28th

but the most important part depends on you. Technology is changing, but the pads, discs and other components of braking are here to stay, that is why Icer has more than 400 people working daily to guarantee your safety.

To book your free 100-point, workshop Health and Safety check, call Loren at Treadway Equipped today on 021 245 1766. After our expert assessment, you’ll get a detailed report for your records (and peace of mind) all free of charge. Treadway Equipped is committed to supporting workshops large and small all around the country. And to helping them run more efficiently and safely; taking the worry out of doing business. Just get in touch – it’s as simple as that.

Available from EXEDY NZ ❱ 0800 436 436 ❱ enquiries@treadwayequipped.co.nz ❱ treadwayequipped.co.nz

Helping you do your job the best way you can.

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

blackfern.coop

Specialist air conditioning equipment THE SWITCH FROM R-134A REFRIGERANT TO R-1234YF IS DRIVING A CHANGE IN REFRIGERANT RECOVERY AND RECHARGING STATIONS

machines allow operators to carry out leak testing of the system simply by connecting a nitrogen bottle directly to the machine and using the leak test program.

s cars fitted with the newer-formulation refrigerant age and come in for air conditioning system servicing, workshops need aircon servicing equipment designed specifically for R-1234yf. As this refrigerant can be flammable in certain conditions, the equipment needs higher levels of spark protection. Robinair has been a leader in refrigerant recovery and recharging stations since patenting its first unit in 1979. Today, Robinair provides a complete range of secure and effective maintenance and repair equipment for automotive, heavy and off-road vehicles, aircraft, rail, and marine aircon systems of any size. “The current range of Robinair products offered by Repco Equipment is the most technically advanced in the market today. I mean, these are really clever machines,” says equipment national sales manager Kevin Odgers. Its patented deep-recovery technology provides fast and thorough evacuation of systems, and fully automatic functions leave technicians free for other work, leading to greater productivity.

LEAK PROTECTION

RECOVERY ESSENTIAL R-1234yf costs between $250 and $350 per kilogram, or around $1500 for a 4.5kg cylinder. “That means recycling of the refrigerant is no longer important; it is essential,” says Kevin. “Being able to filter, separate and clean the refrigerant so that it is ready for reuse has a much bigger impact on a workshop’s profitability than ever before. “And using a Robinair machine that achieves 98-99% recovery, thanks to a patented process, will result in greater profit for workshops.” R-1234yf has replaced R134a in almost all modern car aircon systems (and HVAC systems) as R-134a is a potent greenhouse gas. R-1234yf is assessed as having a ‘global warming potential’ (GWP) of less than 1. This compares with a GWP of 1430 for R-134a. Carbon dioxide has a GWP of 1. And as it was comparatively cheap, R-134a was often purged straight to the atmosphere. Machines designed to recover, recycle and recharge R-1234yf are more expensive to manufacture than R-134a machines, but Kevin cautions that as HFO-1234yf is “flammable of a medium danger level” it can pose “a very real risk if used in older, non-compliant equipment”.

SPARK PROTECTION The opportunity for sparks within the enclosure of Robinair’s R-1234yf has been eliminated. Operating temperatures are held below a predetermined safe level — internal chambers are vented to avoid a build-up in the event of an internal leak, and air flows are monitored. Newer

Auto Channel Issue #21 February 2020

If the aircon system in the car has a leak, the charge will not proceed. Pre-charge and postrecovery leak tests are part of the automated process and if either of these tests fails, the machine will not recharge the system. They also sample the gas in the system to confirm its type before commencing a recovery or recharge, to avoid cross-contamination. Any oil captured is automatically separated. Robinair’s range includes diagnostics systems, electronic and UV leak detectors, as well as flushing systems. An international team of developers in the US and Europe continually work on improving the technology of Robinair devices.

MARKET LEADER The Kent-Moore Corporation, from Warren, Michigan, founded its Robinair subsidiary in 1956 to develop maintenance and repair tools. The increasing popularity of air conditioning, in the home and in cars, soon saw Robinair focused on aircon service equipment, and it had achieved market leadership by 1960. It followed up its patented refrigerant recovery and recharging station by launching the first aircon service unit with microprocessor control functions in 1985, and it introduced a single machine for full vehicle aircon servicing of R134a systems in 1992. In 2010, Robinair was granted a global license to operate its AC1234 range of air conditioning equipment with the new refrigerant R-1234yf. Robinair today is not only the world market leader in the area of automotive A/C service but also takes the lead in innovative refrigerant management, environmentally responsible service, and technological competence. For more than 18 years Repco and Robinair have been partners delivering the best products and service to the automotive industry in Australia and New Zealand. Equipment partner Repco has the expertise, experience, and know-how to help you choose the best Robinair product to suit your workshop’s needs. For more information, talk to the staff at your local Repco or Appco store.

Situations vacant BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT REP SOUTH AUCKLAND The Role This is a newly created position that sees you liaising across some of our Autostop branches and overseeing and maintaining their trade customer base, while also developing sales growth in the area. There is a huge focus on developing and growing our service offer and you will work closely with the Sales Manager on identifying areas where improvements are needed for growth, as well as identifying and pursuing new business opportunities. Skills and Experience With such a focus on development, you will be able to draw from your proven experience growing and maintaining relationships with a trade client base, and ideally have a clear understanding of the automotive trade industry. Thriving on business excellence, you will be competent with business development and optimise every new customer opportunity. We are looking for: • Proven success within an account manager or business development role • Knowledge & understanding of the automotive industry • Strong influencing & negotiation skills within a competitive sales environment • Sound business acumen & communication skills About Us Automotive Supplies are backed by GPC Asia Pacific, aligning us with other prominent brands such as Repco, Ashdown-Ingram, Suclo and more! As part of our strategic plan, GPC is unifying its trade and specialist businesses to deliver a market-leading offer under one of the world’s most iconic automotive brands, NAPA. It’s an exciting time to join the team! Send your CV to our Careers Team – careers@gpcasiapac.co.nz

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN NEW ZEALAND’S WIDER AUTOMOTIVE SECTOR

BRANCH MANAGER TAKANINI The Role In this role you will report to the Sales Manager and will be responsible for the management of the Autostop Takanini branch team, overseeing all branch operations and the business profitability. You will oversee all aspects of the branch, therefore will have a flair for business, managing sales targets, budgets and new initiatives, whilst also being the key point of contact for both customers & team members. Duties include: • Managing store to increase sales and improve EBIT • Ensuring the store is highly competitive and attractive in the market • Developing staff to deliver exceptional customer service and product knowledge • Building strong relationships with customers to ensure continued market leadership • Ensure the branch safety standards adhere to OHSE policies, procedures and legislative requirements, through effective communication with the team and an active approach to hazard identification and risk management • Creating a supportive and motivating environment clearly understanding their role and accountabilities • Effectively manage inventory to minimise costs Skills and Experience Previous experience in a management position, as well as experience, knowledge or an understanding of the automotive trade industry, are essential for this position. We need a leader with a passionate and engaging management style that will drive our staff to succeed as well as someone with proven experience developing relationships with their customers. You must also be able to demonstrate your strong business and financial acumen in both sales and reporting. Send your CV to our Careers Team – careers@gpcasiapac.co.nz

AUTOMOTIVE PARTS SPECIALIST EXPORT SALES & TYRE CONSUMABLES

The Role In this unique role you will be responsible for parts orders from our export customers in the Pacific Islands, as well as tyre consumable sales to our re-treading customers in NZ (through our newest business Tech Tire). You will support our national sales teams with our new tyre consumable products, becoming an expert in the category. This role is an independent one based out of the Repco Mt Wellington, reporting to the Branch Manager. Duties include: • Interpret parts queries via phone & email • Source hard to find parts through external suppliers • Processing & dispatch of orders • Work with the Export Accounts Manager to grow & improve the service to our export customers • Working with our tech expert on tyre consumables to learn the new product group • Customer relationship management & general admin Skills and Experience This position is quite autonomous, therefore you need someone with an automotive background & strong knowledge of parts. • Previous automotive experience as a mechanic or parts specialist, & high level of knowledge of car parts • Willingness to learn new skills and product ranges • Experience with ACE, Focus, Procures and Navigator would be an advantage • Excellent verbal & written communication skills • Proven ability to build & foster strong customer relationships • Self-motivated & the ability to work autonomously Send your CV to our Careers Team – careers@gpcasiapac.co.nz

SALES REPRESENTATIVE MANUKAU About the Role This is a unique position within our business. You will work closely with the Area Trade Manager, developing our customer base across South Auckland. There is a huge focus on business development and growing our service offer, and in this role you will identify areas where improvements are needed for growth, as well as identifying and pursuing new business opportunities. Skills and Experience Experience and/or knowledge of the automotive industry is essential. With such a focus on development, you will be able to draw from your proven experience growing and maintaining relationships with a trade client base, and ideally have a clear understanding of the automotive trade industry. Thriving on business excellence, you will be competent with business development and optimise every new customer opportunity. We are looking for: • Proven success within an account manager or business development role • Knowledge & understanding of the automotive industry • Strong influencing & negotiation skills within a competitive sales environment • Sound business acumen & communication skills Send your CV to careers@repco.co.nz

AUTOMOTIVE PARTS SPECIALIST | CHRISTCHURCH About Us It’s an exciting time at Extreme Automotive as we build on our strategic plan to launch the NAPA business in NZ. We are backed by GPC Asia Pacific, who own many automotive trade and specialist businesses and have been serving customers for up to 90 years. To meet the growing requirements of our customers these businesses will form NAPA. Collectively, this positions us to continue to provide the first choice for automotive and specialist parts, accessories and solutions to our customers. About the Role As an Automotive Parts Specialist, you will be delivering exceptional customer service over the counter and via phone to a number of key automotive trade clients Our clients are experienced automotive tradespeople, therefore you will need a strong understanding of car parts and suppliers to hit the ground running in this busy environment. • Providing professional and accurate advice on parts queries and interpreting the customers’ requirements • Upselling on associated parts and informing customers of relevant promotions • Processing parts orders and dispatching in a timely manner • Developing and maintaining customer relationships Skills and Experience We are looking for experienced Automotive Parts Specialists to understand our various products and be able to tailor a solution to suit each customer’s unique needs. Previous experience in the automotive industry is essential – Ideally in parts sales or as a mechanic or similar. Combine with you your strong communication skills, you will have a natural ability to build strong relationships with customers. Send your CV to our Careers Team – careers@gpcasiapac.co.nz

HORIZON GLOBAL BDM Rare Account Management and BDM opportunity with an NZ manufacturer in the automotive industry. • Highly respected and successful business on a growth path • National role representing top brands • New product introductions The Business A well known engineering and manufacturing business in the automotive industry, not only in NZ but also with strong global ties. The business is part of a wider group and is currently going through a very exciting time of expansion as it realises big opportunities in the market. This growth role is critical to their plans! The Role The Business Development Manager Aftermarket is responsible for key brands nationally. There is huge growth potential as you’ll own brands with strong recognition but which have been underrepresented. You’ll work with a broad range of B2B customers segmented into 3 categories – trade, wholesale and retail. To maximise success of these product ranges you’ll develop new business by opening up new distribution and through growing share of wallet with existing accounts. Being a national role there is likely to be up to 6 nights away travelling per month. What You’ll Bring • A track record of striving for and achieving results • Strong background in B2B selling (ideally through distributors or resellers) • Mechanical/technical aptitude is a must • Experience in automotive, industrial, marine or similar industry • Maturity to work autonomously and own your results Next Steps If the above resonates with you and you’re ready to take the next step in your career, please apply by calling on (09) 250 9720 or 027 224 2460 for a confidential conversation.

Auto Channel Issue #21 February 2020

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 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 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 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 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 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 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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smitsgroup.co.nz or 0800 227 422

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patchrubber.co.nz or 0508 837 248 dtm.co.nz or 0800 621 233 penriteoil.co.nz or 0800 533 698 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

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treadwayequipped.co.nz 0800 436 436

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.

ARB releases dual-zone fridge freezer

unit has separate lids for each compartment. The Zero Fridge Freezer has a boost function for rapid cool down and anti-condensation technology to keep contents dry and at the temperature you need. The 69 litre units measures 737mm long x 458 wide x 559 high and the 96 litre unit is 915 x 534 x 508mm. For more information contact ARB on 0800 159 999 or see www.arb.co.nz.

DOUBLE UNITS OFFERS TWICE THE VERSATILITY. AND IT’S TWICE AS COOL f you are looking to keep cans cold and your meals frozen, ARB’s new Zero Fridge Freezer can do both at once. Having both a fridge and a freezer in one robust and tidy package makes longer trips easier and it avoids having to power separate units. Available in both 69L and 96L capacities, the Zero Fridge Freezer can be installed in your car, camper trailer or caravan with ease thanks to recessed carry handles and tie-down points, and front and rear DC inlets. For extra convenience, the units also feature a front AC inlet for home or powered site connection, and a handy USB outlet for charging other devices. Both sizes of the Zero will fit tall bottles and they have dual cooling zones, independently controlled via the panel on the front, or wirelessly via the app on compatible Bluetooth-enabled devices. The lids are reversible and detachable and the larger size

Auto Channel is the best way to reach the wider automotive industry. The publication is direct mailed to 11,367 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 New- and used-car dealers

MANUFACTURERS AND DISTRIBUTORS OF TOP QUALITY LUBRICANTS MOREY OIL SPECIALISES IN HIGH QUALITY LUBRICANTS, INCLUDING: • MOREY’S HEAVY DUTY OIL STABILIZER, • UPPER CYLINDER LUBRICANT & INJECTOR CLEANER FOR PETROL ENGINES • DIESEL SMOKE KILLER & INJECTOR CLEANER FOR DIESEL ENGINES

Ph: 09 813 9200 E: info@moreyoil.co.nz www.moreyoil.co.nz

Air conditioning repairers Heavy machinery dealers Trucking and transport

Auto Channel Issue No. 22 distributed 3 March

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.

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