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Why use SMTA QMS? Currently we carry out over 800 QMS surveys per annum! Participation in the QMS programme and adhering to its standards should also substantially reduce the likelihood for DVSA to consider taking disciplinary action against a Vehicle Testing Station. However, if an incident necessitating this was to occur, then evidence of measures taken by Authorised Examiners to apply standards that exceed DVSA’s minimum standards would be taken into consideration and could lead to a reduction in the severity of any sanction imposed. SMTA members also benefit from free representation and appeals assistance, others will charge you additional costs for this service.
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CONTENTS
4 SIR JACKIE STEWART CLASSIC 8 FEMALES IN FOCUS 22 10 MEMBER PROFILE 24 JUST EMPLOYMENT LAW 26 MEMBER PROFILE 32 MEMBER PROFILE 36 EVAS 44 COX AUTOMOTIVE
Dealers will have to adapt to a new normal for 2022
The launch of a new motoring festival
Nominations for Nan Lindsay Award are open
Lochside Motors Dyce
Platinum Bank Holiday
Caledonia Vehicle Solutions Ayr
Byrmac Motors Coatbridge
Big changes in UK vehicle ownership
Cover image Ford Mustang Mach E courtesy of PEOPLES FORD Edinburgh Location courtesy of AUTOSHOP STRANRAER If you would like to take advantage of advertising in Auto Insight which reaches all SMTA members and beyond to approximately 5,000 sites across Scotland, or have an article you would like to discuss for publication contact: Wendy Hennessy Email: wendy.hennessy@smta.co.uk For details of all up and coming SMTA events please contact: Karen Thompson, Events & Media Manager Tel: 0131 331 5510 or Email: karen.thompson@smta.co.uk
WELCOME... ...to edition 8 of our Auto INSIGHT magazine. In this edition we have three excellent member profiles showing the high standards that we are delighted to have in membership of our association, these businesses are a credit to their owners and a huge asset to the motoring public that they serve so well. It seems that the vehicle supply situation is showing no signs of improving with new cars now being given delivery dates as far out as 2024 for the latest models and used cars continue to gain the strongest values in the wholesale business, well above anything predicted by most. The early indications are that this situation is likely to continue for another 12 to 18 months! The aftersales businesses we speak to are all very positive with a steady flow of work coming their way and our reporting body shops are all seeing an increased level of trade rectification work to older cars as dealers struggle to fill the forecourts with attractive products for retail sale. There continues to be some issues with supply of parts however the single largest issue within the trade at this time is the ever-increasing costs associated with replacement parts something the average motorists has yet to fully comprehend. The consensus is that business in our sector is very good and that there are many who are reporting increased levels of sales and revenues, long may that continue. One major issue that most if not all our members raise when we get in touch is the shortage of labour particularly in workshops where skilled technicians are really difficult to come by, we would encourage everyone to review their appetite for taking on apprentices as a steady stream of well-trained individuals coming through our sector is essential for the long term of the industry, we can help you with this if you want further information just get in touch on 0131 331 5510. Our cover page car this quarter is the exciting Ford Mustang Mach E and I spent 24 hours living with this car in both urban and rural settings and the car performed very well and was an enjoyable experience. The process of getting it charged maybe less so but that will be covered in an in-depth review in the next edition of our magazine, suffice to say the challenges are nothing at all to do with the car or the technology but the quality of the charging points. The Scottish Government and the major energy companies really do have to get their house in order here and given the current pace of change towards fully electric cars and vans, this change has to be fast. As your trade association we will be taking this issue up with the Minister for Transport directly quoting my own personal experience as evidence. You all know by now this is your magazine and if there is anything you want to see included then please just get in touch, again the number 0131 331 5510. For now enjoy this edition and as always keep safe.
Scottish Motor Trade Association Ltd., Palmerston House, 10 The Loan, South Queensferry EH30 9NS SMTA Ltd Tel: 0131 331 5510 | Scotsure MBI Ltd Tel: 0131 331 5512
www.smta.co.uk
Sandy Burgess FIMI Chief Executive, SMTA sandy.burgess@smta.co.uk
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MARKET INSIGHT
by Philip Nothard Insight & Strategy Director, Cox Automotive
RETAILERS WILL HAVE TO ADAPT TO A ‘NEW NORMAL’ IN 2022 Philip Nothard, Insight & Strategy Director for Cox Automotive, reviews the industry’s performance in 2021 and reveals the market conditions automotive retailers can expect over the coming months. Cox Automotive has strongly indicated that the automotive sector will not return to pre-Covid norms at any point throughout the next 12 months. The ongoing raw material and semiconductor shortages affecting the new car market and filtering down to the used car market are unlikely to ease until later this year. Therefore, while demand is high and supply remains low, retailers will have to adapt to a ‘new normal,’ focusing on margin retention and profit. However, used car values are unlikely to rise at the rate experienced in 2021 or fall at the rate observed in pre-pandemic times. Retailers continue to report healthy trading results by maximising unit profitability over volume and benefiting from stable consumer demand for used vehicles. Wholesale demand continues to reflect the healthy retail sector, with an appetite for quality used vehicles, while days to sell and stocking levels remain
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low. As such, retailers are less likely to offer discounts because demand looks likely to outstrip supply of vehicles for some time.
2021 NEW CAR RESULTS According to recent data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), 1,647,181 new cars were sold last year in the UK, an increase of 1.0% on the full year results from 2020 – the first year of the pandemic to also affect the new car industry. However, 2021’s results represented a -28.7% fall on the 2,311,140 new cars sold in the last prepandemic year of 2019. Despite the very slight increase in sales of 1.0% in 2021, the results show just how severely the industry was affected by semiconductor and other raw material shortages. In addition, we need to keep in mind that despite the similar sales figures from 2020, manufacturers were
forced to shut down factories for substantial periods in 2020 when the pandemic first hit. In November 2021, Cox Automotive published its new car sales figures forecast in its annual Insight Report. Within it, the company gave its best, mid, and worst-case scenarios for new car registrations that year. As predicted, the most likely midcase scenario proved to be the most reliable, at 1,631,746 vehicles.
VUCA is used to describe the situation of constant, unpredictable change that is now the norm throughout several industries as businesses gear up for a new year that continues to provide challenges to all organisations. In our view, we will have to get used to a VUCA trading climate for some time yet. As an industry, we must think beyond the traditional and embrace it as there is no quick fix back to previous normality. Given the industry’s outlook in a post-pandemic world, we expect VUCA to continue.
This represented a 99.1% accuracy forecast difference to the actual data published by the SMMT. Two of the major trends – electrification and semiconductor shortages – are likely to continue to impact the new car market in the UK in the short to medium-term. In addition, the ongoing impact of COVID-19, uncertainty surrounding Brexit, and continued supply shortages looms large, and it may take longer than anticipated for the market to recover from this as quickly as hoped. But in the short term, we anticipate a continuation of the current market conditions, with some uplift in supply helping to drive sales as we progress through Q1 2022.
‘VUCA’ LIKELY TO BECOME THE NEXT BUZZWORD FOR THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY VUCA, an acronym that stands for volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity, is likely to be the next big buzzword for the automotive industry and, more specifically, on used values, as a result of COVID.
2021 saw a year of frustration, as new vehicle production problems, primarily caused by semiconductor shortages and coronavirus restrictions, disrupted the wholesale and retail vehicle markets. Other issues became more severe, such as used vehicle prices reaching record levels, the accelerated shift to digital in wholesale and retail markets, and rising inflation which continues to impact consumers, putting pressure on disposable incomes - with shockwaves felt in the UK and the US. All of this coincided with the dramatic rise in electric vehicle (EV) sales last year. The November 2021 Consumer price inflation report published by the Office for National Statistics stated that the largest upward in contributions to that month’s CPIH 12-month inflation rate at 1.34 percentage points came from transport. This was principally from motor fuels and second-hand vehicles. That month recorded the highest ever average UK petrol price at 145.8 pence per litre compared to 112.6 pence per litre a year earlier. In addition, the report stated that the contribution from secondhand cars increased from 0.01 percentage points in April 2021 to 0.32 percentage points by November 2021, the largest contribution from
second-hand vehicles since the start of the National Statistic series in January 2006. Since the pandemic began, the automotive industry has been grappling to navigate the constantly changing headwinds. The old days of retailers typically making a profit in Q1 and then focusing on maintaining profit in Q2 and H2 are gone. From manufacturers to independent motor dealers, businesses must acclimatise to a new norm. Additionally, the use of digital has disrupted the industry, and so have changing market dynamics. What used to be seasonal norms no longer exist as everyone adjusts to a completely new trading climate.
TWO OF THE MAJOR TRENDS – ELECTRIFICATION AND SEMICONDUCTOR SHORTAGES – ARE LIKELY TO CONTINUE TO IMPACT THE NEW CAR MARKET IN THE UK IN THE SHORT TO MEDIUM-TERM The new normal for 2022 is likely to centre around retailers’ focus on margin retention and profit. Dealers can no longer rely on chasing volume because it is simply, for now, not available. Therefore, dealers enjoy strong demand for vehicles and
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are less likely to offer discounts to consumers. With demand likely to outstrip supply of vehicles for some time, Cox Automotive’s view is that the market will not return to preCovid norms. Over the past two years since coronavirus first took hold, dealers have learned new ways to derive a profit from retailing vehicles, and many have shown they can hold their margins even with increased values in the wholesale market. There are also opportunities to make money even outside of normal trade values. These lessons hold many retailers in good stead, regardless of what 2022 throws at the industry.
We will see the market softening in time, but there is no tsunami of product on the horizon for two reasons. Firstly, because producers of semiconductors don’t expect normal conditions to resume until 2023 and secondly, because the types of vehicles entering the wholesale sector are not the same experienced in pre-pandemic times. In the first days of 2022, leaders of businesses will be wondering how to get through another year of unpredictability. The advice of Cox Automotive is to adapt to VUCA and embrace change. The expected rise in energy bills will continue to hit disposable incomes, there remains
no end in sight to inflation, we will experience further digitisation of retail and digitally assisted sales, changes in the way OEMs retail new and used cars are accelerating, a rise of subscription/mobility products is imminent, and we will continue to shift to EVs as the year 2030 nears. To adapt to this, businesses must be resilient, continue to price cars correctly, market them properly, image and promote them properly, and make the best of the new norm. That way, their products will remain attractive to consumers, despite changing market forces in the background.
I N S I G H T R E P O RT The fourth annual Insight Report by Cox Automotive and Grant Thornton is out now, in which we take a comprehensive and informed look at the biggest automotive trends and topics. Visit coxautoinc.eu/insightreport to read the report now.
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SIR JACKIE STEWART LAUNCHES NEW AUTOMOTIVE FESTIVAL IN AID OF RACE AGAINST DEMENTIA June 2022 will see Thirlestane Castle, situated in the heart of the Scottish Borders countryside south of Edinburgh, host the first-ever ‘Sir Jackie Stewart Classic – presented by Rolex®’. The family-friendly automotive festival will showcase the career and achievements of three-time FIA Formula 1® Drivers’ World Champion, Sir Jackie Stewart OBE, alongside live motorsport action, sustainable motoring technology and an awardwinning classic car show. The event will be held in aid of Race Against Dementia; a global charity, founded by Sir Jackie, driven to raise money to fund breakthrough and innovative research to find a prevention or treatment for Dementia. Visitors will be able to re-live the remarkable career of Sir Jackie, with displays of his cars and memorabilia. Sir Jackie himself will be in attendance throughout, alongside other highprofile personalities from motorsport and beyond. “This will be a world-class event at Thirlestane Castle showcasing Scotland’s exceptional motorsports
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heritage in our own country,” explains Sir Jackie Stewart OBE. “I am delighted the Thirlestane team have chosen to support Race Against Dementia in this way and feel proud and privileged to be a part of this great initiative.” The racing cars that powered the Formula One legend to two of his three world championships will take centre stage. The famous Tyrrell 003 and Tyrrell 006 will be on display at the event – the first time the iconic cars have been on show together in Scotland. The event will also feature attractions for the whole family – with a particular focus on showcasing the best of all things Scottish. There will be a retail and food village, featuring some of the finest food, drink, retail and arts and crafts. The Scottish Motor Racing Club will provide live action throughout the weekend as drivers in a fabulous mix of
classic and contemporary cars tackle a sprint up the Castle’s driveway. Saturday 18th June will have a modern feel with a display of some of the country’s most impressive performance cars at the Octane Car Show. On Sunday 19th June visitors will be treated to a display of over 1,200 classic and modern sports cars courtesy of the Borders Vintage Automobile Club (BVAC). 2022 will mark 50 years of the BVAC – and the 15th running of the BVAC Classic Car Show at Thirlestane. The unique combination of attractions promises to make the ‘Sir Jackie Stewart Classic – presented by Rolex’ an extraspecial experience for all in attendance. To book visitor tickets log on to www.sirjackiestewartclassic.com For all the latest updates on the event follow the ‘Sir Jackie Stewart Classic presented by Rolex®’ on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
in aid of
SMTA MEMBER OPPORTUNITY Be part of the Sir Jackie Stewart Classic – presented by Rolex® The SMTA is delighted to announce that we will be running a taster “Scottish Motor Show” within the main Sir Jackie Stewart Classic – presented by Rolex® event, this will be the provision of outdoor display space in a prime location on the show field footprint in front of the main castle (map will be provided) for the display of new and or demonstration models from across the spectrum of franchises represented by our members. Every franchised member of the SMTA will be given the opportunity to take part in this by providing vehicles and ideally staff to meet and greet the expected 20,000 visitors to the site, the costs associated with the ground provision and signage as well as a communal customer meeting facility will be met by the SMTA as part of your membership fee! You simply have to get the vehicles there and feed your staff if applicable, and get your vehicles back of course! More details (including map of site) will be made available by a link that will be sent out to all our franchised members within the next few weeks. Please consider taking part, this is a unique and low cost opportunity.
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FEMALES IN FOCUS 2022 NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OPEN! The purpose of this event is to bring together females from all sectors of our industry to raise awareness and empower the women in our industry. We feel it is extremely important to highlight the successes and opportunities for women in the motor trade and events like these are a great platform to bring together women from all different areas of the industry to network, listen to other inspirational females. The visibility of diverse role models is essential to our industry to help businesses succeed. At this event we will present the ‘Nan Lindsay Award’, an award set up in the memory of our first and only female President of the SMTA. This award is for an inspiring female in our industry who has made a positive contribution to the automotive industry. At our inaugural event, Mary-Anne McNaughton was the recipient of our Nan Lindsay Award. Mary-Anne is Operations Director at Central Car Auctions and a very worthy winner of the award. Mary-Anne who has
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worked at auction houses since she left school, moved to Central Car Auctions to be the Assistant Branch Manager and auctioneer. Working with the management in Central she gained the experience she needed to become the Branch Manager and now after 15 years working with Central Car Auctions she is now their Operations Director. If you work beside an inspiring female who you think deserves recognition for her success, please visit our website for a nomination form.
Nan pictured in 1992
Nan in 2018
The event this year will take place on Friday 19th August at the Grand Central Hotel in Glasgow. For sponsorship and support opportunities which include promotion in print, online and at the event itself contact wendy.hennessy@smta.co.uk For event enquiries and tickets contact karen.thompson@smta.co.uk
www.smta.co.uk
Mary-Anne McNaughton receiving the first Nan Lindsay Award
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MARKET INSIGHT
INDEPENDENT GARAGE SECTOR GEARS UP FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES Electric car sales in Scotland have almost doubled since 2020. Falling just behind London in the number of EV charging points per person, Scotland is moving ahead with the switch to EVs as the 2030 diesel and petrol ban draws closer. While many garage owners, particularly within the independent sector, have inherently viewed electric vehicles as something which will feature within the garage of the future, this couldn’t be further from the truth. The majority of electric vehicles are still in warranty; however, over the last 12 months garage owners across the UK have reported that they are increasingly being contacted by customers who have made the electric vehicle switch for remedial work and advise. While full diagnostics on EVs may be some way off for the vast majority of vehicle technicians, having the skill set to carry out even the most basic of repairs, including the maintenance of brakes, tyres, and wipers, is becoming essential. It could also open up a new revenue stream for a garage and stop customers from moving to a competitor who does hold EV skills.
SAFETY FIRST Employers have a duty of care to ensure any vehicle technician working on an EV holds the necessary skills to work safely on, or around them. Even simple modifications, such as wheel re-alignments, require the safe isolation of the vehicle’s high voltage system. “Not only will training ensure that a technician holds the relevant skill set, it
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will also safeguard them against injury,” comments Mandla Ndhlovu, Training Delivery Director for Autotech Training. “We cannot lose sight of the fact that these are high-voltage vehicles, and the industry has a duty of care to ensure vehicle technicians have the necessary skills to work safely on, or around them. Employers may find themselves liable if an untrained employee is injured while working around an electric vehicle.”
EDUCATION IS KEY The starting point for any vehicle technician is a Level 2 qualification, which is designed for those who will encounter electric/hybrid vehicles within a routine maintenance situation. It also contains the knowledge and skills required to work safely around a vehicle that may have had damage to its high energy/electrical system. The next stage, Level 3, equips the technician with the knowledge of how the electrical circuits of an EV operate, and how the high voltage and low voltage circuits interact with each other, while Level 4 teaches how to carry out repairs on live, high voltage vehicles and focuses on in-depth diagnostic of the systems within an EV. Autotech Training, a division of automotive employment and training solutions provider Autotech Group, offers
IMI Level 2 – Level 4 IMI electric/hybrid vehicle courses. Significantly, these courses can be delivered on the premises of any garage or organisation, keeping downtime and travel expenses to a minimum. James McCallum, an automotive training specialist who works with Autotech Training, recently visited several Scottish garages to deliver IMI Levels 2 & 3 to vehicle technicians: “It is vital that garages are equipped with the skill set to work on electric/hybrid vehicles as they will increasingly come into contact with them in their line of work. Regardless of how remote a garage may be located; training is always an option and can be delivered directly to technicians. A trainer like myself will always bring an electric vehicle along to provide hand-on practical learning which enables the technician to put the theory learned into practice.” “During my recent visit to Scotland, I delivered EV training for Stewart Pitcaithly and his team at Cotly Garage, in Blairgowrie, and Graham Clark for Anderson Clark Motor Repairs Ltd. Both businesses were extremely welcoming with a strong appetite to learn as much about EV as possible.” For further information: www.autotechtraining.co.uk
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THE SMTA ANNUAL DINNER 2021 PHOTO HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NIGHT Save the date folks because next year’s Annual Dinner & Awards will be on Thursday 27th October 2022, at the Glasgow Hilton Hotel. For sponsorship opportunities which include promotion in print, online and at the event itself contact wendy.hennessy@smta.co.uk For event enquiries and tickets contact karen.thompson@smta.co.uk
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Confirmed sponsors for 2022:
Thank you to our 2021 sponsors:
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GES COMPETITION WINNER A M Phillip Ltd was founded in 1955 in Forfar and has now developed into modern Truck and Agricultural Dealerships. This purpose built Broxburn Dealership development opened in August 1998 to increase A M Phillip’s presence in the Edinburgh area. Since opening they have increased their vehicle sales, service and parts backup. From December 1999 they extended their opening hours by operating a 24 hour Service Department from Monday to Thursday. www.amphilliptrucktech.co.uk
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A D V E R T I S E M E N T F E AT U R E
Central Car Auctions
LIKE EVERYONE IN THE MOTOR INDUSTRY COVID, LOCKDOWN AND THE EVENTS OF 2020 CAME AS A BIG SHOCK TO CENTRAL CAR AUCTIONS. We went into 2020 expecting to celebrate our 55th anniversary in business and our journey from an open-air, old-fashioned motor auction in the Gallowgate to our purpose built, state of the art, twin auction facility in Baillieston, off the M8 to the east of Glasgow. Then Covid struck and all our plans had to change.
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We realised quite quickly that we were actually in a better position than a lot of others. As an independent auction, not reliant on a headquarters down south or in America, we’ve always known we need to not only provide excellent service, we need to innovate. This has meant that over the years we’ve continually invested in our business, never resting on our laurels, always trying to improve how we do things. We attract buyers from all over the UK and travelling to Glasgow can be a challenge for them at times, so one investment we made a few years ago was to build and install an online auction facility. At the time we built it to help some of our customers based hundreds of miles away, we’d no idea how important it
would become. Being able to live stream our auctions and facilitate bids and sales in real time, securely and comfortably has been enormously popular and successful during Covid and allowed many of our long-standing customers, and new ones, to continue trading. To further improve our online experience, we invested a considerable sum in improving how we photograph and show our vehicles. No online experience is as good as seeing a vehicle in the flesh, but by sourcing and installing our new 360-degree, highdefinition photo booth which takes 19 exterior images of the vehicle in under 7 seconds. This has enabled us to show our vehicles in a photographic format of such quality it literally allows you
to zoom in and see if there’s dust on the brake pads. We further invested in new, larger servers to ensure our online auctions can accessed and streamed without lag or delays. All of this has come at a time when the used vehicle market has never been stronger. There has never been a better time to use an auction to dispose of stock and we’ve been delighted to work with new sellers from all over Scotland, helping small independents with transport and logistics and larger groups with advice and scale. There’s a market for every kind of used vehicle just now and with our help we can arrange collection and sell your vehicles wherever your location. We’ve taken this period to improve our onsite
facilities too. While our virtual auctions are here to stay, we sincerely hope we’ll be welcoming people back to physical auctions very soon. We miss seeing the faces, hearing the stories and the terrible jokes! With that in mind we’ve improved the decor, audio and visual displays and improved the comfort and safety for all visitors as well as making some updates to our back-office systems, streamlining and speeding up our processes. It’s vital to everyone at Central Car Auctions that our customers feel valued, we try to take the time to get to know them and understand the challenges they face, while bringing them the best vehicle auction in the country. We look forward to 2022, whatever it brings.
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MARKET INSIGHT
by Elaine Cromwell, Partner at Thomson Cooper
A CAUTIONARY TALE I suspect most people remember with great affection, their first car. Mine was a V reg, 1979 1.3 Ford Escort Mark II in Midnight Blue with raspberry upholstery. What it lacked in speed it made up for in looks. Sleek, with a chrome bumper, sidetrim, wing mirrors and door handles; I spent many a Saturday afternoon lovingly washing and polishing my automotive treasure. I had worked endless shifts through the summer of 1989 to save the £350 required to relieve a local man, a new father, of what had been his pride and joy until his baby girl arrived and a Ford Sierra beckoned.
Valerie (doesn’t everyone name their first car?) was a head-turner and she took me to places I had never been before – like Leven! It is fair to say, I was very fond of that car. Sadly, like many passionate affairs, our relationship was fated to burn bright but short. A student at the time, still living at home, my mother woke me one night to say she had looked out the curtains and noticed my Valerie wasn’t parked in her usual spot, right in front of the house. She had been there when she had retired for the evening, so she wondered if I was out on some secret, nocturnal mission. I was not. I had been gently snoring, dreaming of perfectly balanced accounts. While I slumbered, someone had stolen my Valerie. The police came and took notes. They laughed when I told them the make and
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model. Who knew Mark IIs could be unlocked and started with a simple Yale key? Valerie was found a couple of days later, abandoned and burnt out. My first automotive love affair lay in ashes (and melted vinyl). The moral of this sorry tale? It’s important to protect what you value. Had I invested just a few pounds in an anti-theft bar for my steering wheel, it’s likely Valarie would not have been worth the bother for the joyriders.
WHAT ARE THE LESSONS? What do we do to protect the value of our businesses? Buy insurance is an obvious one – for business interruption, fire, flood and pestilence. We may consider life or keyman insurance. We use legal agreements to protect brands and intellectual property. We deploy contracts of employment and complex commission and bonus structures to secure the loyalty of our key employees. We spend countless hours on succession planning and identifying new talent. We invest in equipment and the latest technology to help us keep ahead of the competition and protect what we have worked hard to create. But like my simple anti-theft bar, are we missing something? How well are we protecting our businesses’ data? The National Office for Statistics Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2021 highlights that 4 in 10 businesses reported having cyber security breaches in 2020. This is highest amongst medium-sized businesses – 50 to 249 employees. There are virtually no businesses which do not have some form of digital exposure. Most have several when you consider the wide-range of internet connected devices. Current technologies mean that even surveillance cameras and alarm systems can be susceptible to attack.
THE PROBLEM MAY BE WITHIN Most businesses will use online banking and some form of internetenabled, if not cloud, accounting software together with online
or EPOS card payment systems. When you then consider company websites, mailboxes and social media accounts there are many potential points of vulnerability. This news is as current as my old Mark II, I hear you say. True - most (but alarmingly not all!) businesses will be doing all they can to protect their systems from cybercrime by deploying IT and software security measures. But what are you doing to protect your business from data theft and financial crime perpetrated by what you consider to be one of you most valuable assets – your people?
WHAT CAN YOU DO? Firstly, ensure that the person recruiting a candidate for a role in payroll or finance asks suitably probing questions to reveal any discrepancies in their career history and technical knowledge and always obtain at least two references for new employees. Be suspicious of anyone who cannot give a contact for their last employer. Secondly, payroll should be checked by a second person, not involved in the preparation of the payslips. This includes checking any changes to employee bank accounts and ensuring that leavers from the previous pay period are not included in the current pay run. You should also review for any payment amounts which vary considerably from the usual net pay amount.
outsourcing payroll to a payroll bureau, particularly one which is authorised by the UK’s payment authority, Pay.UK (the people who run BACS and the Direct Debit scheme), to process employee payments. Payroll bureaus operate under strict procedures to ensure employee data is secure and payroll is processed accurately and on time; also helping employers to remain compliant with complex HMRC and employment law rules. Look for a bureau with a good number of staff so you have cover for absence and one recognised by BACS and the CIPP – the Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals.
AND FINALLY After all frauds are uncovered, the most common words I hear are either “I did not think it could happen to me” or “I thought he/she was so trustworthy”. A few simple steps like those above can make sure it will not happen to you.
www.thomsoncooper.com Elaine Cromwell is a partner at Thomson Cooper with offices in Dunfermline and Edinburgh. She heads up their business support services department and specialises in outsourcing and advising clients regarding internal controls, processes and systems.
Make sure you are using passwords on all financial and payroll software and that computers are “locked” when not attended to prevent unauthorised access. It is essential that card readers and passwords for online banking software are not shared. This is a direct breach of the agreement you have in place with your bank and can lead to your account being frozen if discovered. Finally, those responsible for the preparation of the payroll should not also be involved in making the bank payments to staff. These procedures can be tricky to achieve in smaller businesses and one option might be to consider
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MEMBER PROFILE
Lochside Motors
SMTA interviews
GORDON MCKESSAR, PARTNER AT LOCHSIDE MOTORS
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SMTA How did you come to start up?
SMTA How has the business grown since then?
GM
GM
Lochside Motors started in a small garage unit in 1995 when the current partners Gordon McKessar and Gordon Muir joined together to repair motor vehicles. Both had a background of tinkering with engines as a hobby and they were both at a stage in their careers where they were looking to work for themselves. The knowledge that they had gained over the years proved a huge asset in setting up the garage.
In 1996 we extended the business premises adding on a large steel building with four ramps and used the original building as our one ramp MOT bay. The two Partners then employed a further three staff and we now still operate with the original two Partners and six members of staff. Originally the garage serviced and repaired cars but the addition of the Class 4 MOT bay has increased the volume of business greatly over the years.
decide which jobs we take on at the garage. We always do our best to help customers with the more challenging jobs that a lot of garages might turn away – the jobs that require parts to be custom made or tweaked to suit.
SMTA Can you run me through a typical day? GM
The garage is open from 7.30am but the working day normally starts from around 7.00am with the cars in the car park being matched to the booked jobs. Job sheets are prepared and jobs are allocated depending on the skills level and expertise required. We can be doing anything from a service to a timing belt and even a full engine change out within a normal day. The phones are busy all day with customers booking jobs in and responding to requests for estimates. All four ramps are busy from 7.30am to 4.00pm with vehicle repairs, mot repairs and servicing. We average eight MOTs a day Monday to Friday and anything between 50-75 cars pass through our garage on a weekly basis.
SMTA. What’s been the highlight of your business so far? GM
Knowing that we provide a high level of customer satisfaction and go out of our way to ensure all customers are happy with their vehicles. We now have the grandchildren of our original customer base using our services which makes us proud to be able to still be in business in these challenging times.
SMTA And the hardest part? GM
GM
Staff – we would definitely not be able to carry out our business without the team. The skills of the mechanics and the knowledge of both them and the support staff in the office has definitely made our business successful over the years.
SMTA What’s the best thing about working for yourself? GM
The best thing about being your own boss is being able to
Over the years we have used our membership to assist with training for both apprentices and upskilling our workforce and supporting any HR issues. The SMTA news is very informative and the magazine always makes an interesting read. The membership also allows our customers the security of dealing with an organisation that holds the affiliation.
SMTA Where will your business be in five years’ time? GM
GM
The plan is for the business to continue into the next chapter with a family member joining the Partnership and the current partners phasing into retirement. Over the next
We have a number of repeat customers and a substantial amount of our business comes from recommendations. Our hourly rate is very competitive and as we offer a good quality, fast, cost effective service we have maintained our steady customer levels over 25 years.
SMTA What form does your marketing take? GM
Other than recommendations, repeat business and a large sign on the face of our building we have never advertised. We use Facebook and are looking to set up a website.
SMTA What is the biggest challenge? GM
Not one thing. It’s been a great 25 years and the business has provided a good living for myself, the other partner and our staff.
SMTA How does your SMTA membership help?
SMTA What’s the one thing your business couldn’t function without? GM
How much technology would change vehicles. It’s not just a case of fixing cars now you need to be able to able to read diagnostic machines and understand the findings.
SMTA If you could go back and change one thing what would it be? GM
SMTA How do you maintain customer levels?
The long hours – we always aim to get customers cars back to them asap and sometimes that has meant burning the midnight oil. As your own boss it’s hard to just switch off at the end of the day.
SMTA What do you wish you’d known when you first started out? GM
coming years we will require to update our technology and equipment and further upskill the mechanics to service the electric/hybrid market.
Explaining to customers what the diagnosis is and how we will fix it and having to ensure they know that sometimes it’s a case of carrying out A, then B and sometimes C before the problem could be resolved.
SMTA What drives you? GM
Knowing that we have such a good reputation and having customers say thank you for being honest. A lot of garages strive to gain that sort of feedback and for us we have been so lucky to ensure it has always been part of our ethos.
SMTA What’s the most important thing you’ve learned in your career, and how have you made use of it? GM
To learn from our mistakes, both as management and as staff. Also over the years not to be take people on face value – we have had our fingers burned by the odd customer who has not paid and disappeared!!! Now all customers have to pay before collection.
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MARKET INSIGHT
by Louise Walker, Associate Director, Just Employment Law
PLATINUM JUBILEE BANK HOLIDAY This year, the late May bank holiday weekend will be moved to Thursday 2 June with an additional bank holiday being announced for Friday 3 June to celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. In advance of this date, many organisations will be wondering whether they need to grant staff an additional paid holiday. The legal position is that there is no automatic entitlement for an employee to take leave on 3 June 2022 simply because it has been announced as a public holiday. Whether or not an employee will be entitled to take an additional paid holiday on this date will depend on the specific wording of their contract of employment. If the contract of employment specifies particular days that will be granted by the employer as public holidays, then it is unlikely that the employer will be obliged to grant the additional Platinum Jubilee day. However, a contract of employment that entitles employees in more general terms to all recognised public holidays may well provide a basis
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for employees to be entitled to this additional holiday. Of course, the contents of holiday entitlement clauses in contracts of employment are many and varied, therefore employers should take advice upon the documents which apply to them. Employers whose employees are entitled to the Platinum Jubilee public holiday, and who are concerned that their operations may be adversely affected, may wish to negotiate with their employees over alternative arrangements such as granting a day’s holiday in lieu to be taken at another time or paying a public holiday premium to employees who are required to work on that day. Employers who must recognise the Platinum Jubilee holiday but do expect their employees to work on that day should make sure they do
have the contractual right to require their employees to work on a public holiday. Employers whose employees are not entitled to the additional holiday may allow employees to apply for annual leave on this date. It is recommended that employees are encouraged to apply early to have annual leave authorised given that it is likely that more employees than usual may wish to take this date as annual leave, especially given that some schools may be closed. If you have any questions regarding this update, or if you require support or advice on any other employment law matters, please do not hesitate to contact Just Employment Law on: 0141 331 5150 enquiries@justemploymentlaw.co.uk
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MARKET INSIGHT
by Karl Werner, Managing Director, Moto Novo Finance
DIVERSITY & INCLUSION MUST MAKE A MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE I’m delighted by the increasing momentum evident in the development of Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) in financial services and the automotive sector. However, there is much work still to be done. Achieving a lasting, authentic transformation will primarily centre upon cultural change within businesses. What it should not be is a ‘box-ticking’ exercise. At the heart of D&I is the principle that it is the right thing to do from every angle, serving the increasingly diverse needs of those we serve and the people in our businesses.
THE IMPORTANCE OF A POSITIVE ‘AUTHENTIC’ APPROACH TO D&I Calls for social justice should be recognised as a trigger point for positive change in D&I that goes beyond the type of policies and training often centred on compliance with anti-discrimination regulation. The calls for positive change from people of all demographics underline the widespread support for a
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transformative approach to delivering fairness. As with everything, change comes from a committed leadership approach. I don’t see my membership of the Automotive 30% Club as symbolic; the aim of filling at least 30% of key leadership positions in MotoNovo with diverse women by 2030 is something to which I am committed. To this end, our Inspiring Future Female Leaders Network continues to grow and is not restricted to women. On February 3rd we will once again be promoting and taking part in Time to Talk Day, the UK’s biggest mental health conversation. We have seen over almost three years the impact of the pandemic on peoples’ mental health. As an employer, we can and have helped to support colleagues and break the stigma attached to it. It is a shame that it took the pandemic to recognise this need.
These are just two of a broad range of actions to champion D&I and its value. Regardless of ethnicity and race, gender identity and sexual orientation, disability, age, religion and more, we aim to ensure that D&I become business as usual. Our early steps to create a meaningful D&I ethos have already demonstrated their value. The diversity of our team is increasing and in areas such as recruitment, product development and reputation, the benefits are evident. Ultimately, we believe that doing the right thing in D&I will be good for the bottom line.
D&I & OUR STAKEHOLDERS My aim in this article is to share our experience to date. Embracing D&I has been a positive force. It is especially true as we build and equip our team for what we hope will be a post-pandemic world. Almost three years ago, I saw it written that there were five years of change in the first eight weeks of the pandemic. It may have been referencing digitisation, but in truth, social change has accelerated as well. By embracing D&I at MotoNovo, we aim to embrace social change in the broader environment. By doing so, we hope to be relevant and welcoming to all. www.motonovofinance.com
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MEMBER PROFILE
Caledonia Vehicle Solutions
SMTA Interviews
JASON SKIMMING FROM CALEDONIA VEHICLE SOLUTIONS
JS
WWW.SMTA.CO.UK
The Motor trade is in our blood. My father Jim has been involved in the trade since the late 1970’s and more recently we had been in a multi partnership car warehouse retail business until we decided to move on and this is when we founded Caledonia vehicle Solutions in 2012
SMTA How has the business grown since then? JS
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showroom spaces and a fully functioning service centre with two technicians.
SMTA How did you come to start up?
We started in a pitch with a little portakabin out in Prestwick near the airport and operated from there until we purchased our current site in Peebles Street, Ayr in 2016. Back in the beginning our website was very much our showroom so to speak, but we now have a forecourt, three indoor
SMTA Can you run me through a typical day? JS
My right hand man Fraser opens up at 9am whilst I am on the school run. He organises the workshop and prep jobs, the lifting and laying of cars etc. for the day. When I arrive at the garage at 9.15, firstly I will work through the sales enquiries from the night before whether that be emails or messages via our social media channels. Organise viewings and test drives and collections and deliveries of sales vehicles. We also run a car buying operation via our website too so we organise visits for that too.
SMTA What’s been the highlight of your business so far?
SMTA How does your SMTA membership help?
JS
JS
For me it’s returning customers. I have made many friends through simply selling someone a car. I love to see a familiar face walking through our doors even it’s just to stop in for a chat or a coffee.
SMTA What’s the one thing your business couldn’t function without? JS
Our staff. We have a small but efficient team and we wouldn’t be able to do what we do without them
SMTA What’s the best thing about working for yourself? JS
Doing something I love, the creativity of it all, there is never a dull day that’s for sure. No aspect of working for a “big company” can touch the satisfaction and fulfilment you experience from being completely self-sufficient. Knowing that you are responsible for contributing enough value to the world to earn your keep is a reward in itself.
SMTA And the hardest part? JS
You never “leave work at the office.” Whether it’s sourcing stock or looking after our social media and website me, and my father never switch off. We have very understanding wives I guess.
I am not sure there’s anything I had wished I had known. I mean even now we still learn, and I feel that is important to keep learning and adapting.
JS
Our email address. Spelling out sales@ caledoniavehiclesolutions. co.uk tele phonetically is getting tedious.
JS
To keep moving forward. It’s a fast paced world we live in and the motor trade is ever changing. We have to keep up.
Simply we prep our cars right. We treat our stock cars as if they were our own. On the flip side, we are selling used cars, so there are certain issues that we can’t legislate for or predict and that is why all our vehicles come with a six-month warranty.
SMTA What form does your marketing take? JS
We advertise on various car buying platforms such as eBay Motors, Gumtree, Car Gurus. We made the decision as a business to leave Autotrader 3 years ago due to their non-stop price increases for dealers and focussed more on our Google and social media outlets.
SMTA What is the biggest challenge in used cars? JS
SMTA If you could go back and change one thing what would it be? JS
That’s maybe a question for Mystic Meg. We are happy and settled where we are. We have a great location and a good customer base. My 6 year old plays a game when we are in the car pointing out all of the Caledonia Vehicle Solutions number plates she sees when we are in the car. In 5 years’ time that could be every two minutes she shouts it out!
SMTA What’s the most important thing you’ve learned in your career, and how have you made use of it?
SMTA How do you maintain customer levels?
SMTA What do you wish you’d known when you first started out? JS
Firstly, it’s great being part of a wider group. We have trading partners as a result which is great. It also gives our customers peace of mind.
SMTA Where will your business be in five years’ time? JS
maintain that level and even improve drives us every day. Also my family drives me, I have a young family and as this is a family business to pass that on some day would be an amazing thing.
It seems to be sourcing cars at the minute. Prices are still on the ascendance. We still find a way to be competitive in our retail side of things but we now have to travel to source stock more than we used to.
SMTA What drives you? JS
We strive to provide the best level of service we can. To
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MARKET INSIGHT
by John McDougall, Legal Advisor, Lawgistics
WE ALL HAVE A DUTY TO OUR CUSTOMERS The next major regulatory change that will affect the motor trade in the coming months is the introduction of the Financial Conduct Authority’s Consumer Duty. Whilst this is a Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) change, and not everyone reading this article is regulated by the FCA, it is still very pertinent to all businesses, a useful insight into the regulator’s thinking and how they are reacting to the ever changing economic landscape we are all living in. The FCA are concerned that current financial services do not always work well for consumers, and in some instances, harm has been caused. This is where consumers have been sold to inappropriately and firms are not providing suitable customer support. When the FCA conducted their Financial Lives Survey in 2020, only 35% of respondents agreed that firms are honest and transparent in their dealings with consumers. You can, therefore, see why the FCA are concerned about consumer protection and the need for improvement of standards in this area. As mentioned earlier, this affects all businesses, not just financial services.
HOW OFTEN HAVE YOU BEEN DISAPPOINTED WITH AN INTERACTION WITH A COMPANY AND THE WAY YOU HAVE BEEN TREATED? The FCA are expecting firms to ask themselves certain questions:
As with everything FCA related, their approach is based on outcomes rather than prescriptive rules and it will be up to firms to decide what changes they need to make to meet the outcomes the FCA want to see. One area where a lot of businesses fail in providing suitable customer support is how they deal with complaints. They have no formal written complaints procedure, so if a customer is unhappy and they don’t know how to make a complaint, the perception is that the business is not open and transparent to enable the customer to make a complaint. Here at Lawgistics, we often see complaints exacerbated by the fact that responses to customer complaints are sometimes non-existent, weeks late, and sometimes confrontational! We suggest that all businesses, not only businesses regulated by the FCA, should have an effective and clear complaints handling process. Businesses regulated by the FCA must follow the below complaint handling rules: ● Have processes for handling complaints fairly and promptly ● Publish a summary of their in-house complaint handling process
● Am I treating my customers as I would expect to be treated?
● Refer in writing to the availability of this summary at (or immediately after) the point of sale or the point of first contact with the customer
● Are my customers getting the outcomes from my products and services that they would expect?
● Give this information in writing to customers when requested and when acknowledging a complaint
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When handling complaints, your business should:
1. Send the customer a prompt written acknowledgment or a summary resolution communication (if the complaint can be resolved within three business days) 2. Keep the customer reasonably informed about the progress of their complaint 3. Send the customer a final response
You must use this procedure to deal with any customer complaint. In summary, your business should have a written complaints procedure, preferably visible on your website. If you require further information on the Consumer Duty, the new consultation can be accessed by: www.fca.org.uk/ publications and there is the opportunity for you to provide feedback if required. The FCA plan to confirm final rules by the end of July 2022. Lawgistics provide regular legal updates on regulatory matters and will provide an update on the Consumer Duty when the FCA rules are published. If you require help with dealing with complaints or assistance in setting up a complaints handling process, please do not hesitate to contact us.
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MEMBER PROFILE
Brymac Motors
SMTA How did you come to start up? KM
SMTA interviews
KENNY MACDONALD PARTNER AT BYRMAC MOTORS, COATBRIDGE
We met when we were employed by a well known fork lift company as service engineers in 1982. Unfortunately, along with many others we were unexpectedly made redundant. This was the starting point for our long term partnership and Hugh Byrne and Kenny Macdonald became “Byrmac Motors” and as I recall a flip of the coin was the decider between Macbyrn and Byrmac. We started with tool boxes in an old garage lockup which was sited in what is now part of the parking area for our current premises. Over the years we moved to several locations in Coatbridge, finally arriving back to our roots so to speak. We purchased part of the custom built building that we currently occupy. A few years later we bought the remaining unit which gave us control of the area and expanded to two MOT bays.
SMTA How has the business grown since then? KM
We have grown from working out of two tool boxes to being able to offer MOT testing, tyre fitting, diagnostic services as well as a full mechanical breakdown service.
SMTA Can you run me through a typical day? KM
Out typical day is an early start to organise the workshop, prioritise the workload, talk to incoming customers (many of whom are 2nd and 3rd generations of our original clientele), order parts, answer customers enquiries, prepare estimates and oversee workshop jobs.
SMTA What’s been the highlight of your business so far? KM
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Having the satisfaction of watching our customer base build from a small group of loyal customers to servicing a large customer base, including local businesses and fleet maintenance work.
SMTA What’s the one thing your business couldn’t function without? KM
SMTA If you could go back and change one thing what would it be? KM
Although these days we have down sized to match the current trend of our business customers and the marketplace. We could not function without our loyal and reliable staff who have been with us for many years which means we can confidently meet the needs of our customers.
Looking back in hindsight with many years of being self-employed in the Motor trade, I think a more informed approach to management would have been a definite advantage and probably smoothed the transition from engineer/mechanic to garage proprietor - so saying I don’t think we’ve made a bad job of it.
SMTA What’s the best thing about working for yourself?
SMTA How does your SMTA membership help?
KM
KM
We get a great deal of job satisfaction from the day to day running of the business and seeing customers return because they know we will do our utmost to provide the service they are looking for.
Gives our customers extra confidence in our standards. Serves as a great back up should we need it and also gives the business the respect of being a member.
SMTA And the hardest part?
SMTA How do you maintain customer levels?
KM
KM
These days technology on vehicles is rapidly advancing and keeping up with this technology in both diagnostics and the repair of vehicles is a difficult priority for the independent trade.
SMTA What do you wish you’d known when you first started out? KM
Just how difficult it can be at times and what is required on a daily basis to keep the garage running smoothly with so many different aspects to organise.
We feel that recommendations from happy, satisfied customers is the best form of advertising. Over the years we have served different generations of the same family.
SMTA What drives you? KM
Wanting the business to succeed in every aspect and to be the best it possibly can.
SMTA What’s the most important thing you’ve learned in your career, and how have you made use of it?
KM
Always treat customers with respect and maintain a friendly approach. Staff should also be treated with respect and courtesy, and you will find that they in turn respect you and this makes for a congenial workplace.
SMTA Where will your business be in five years’ time? KM
Funny enough that is the very question that Hugh and I have been discussing over the last six months or so and we have agreed that now is the time to put in place plans for the longer term future of the business. Reality however also has a part to play in this and in recognising the opportunities that exist for the future we also have accepted that in truth we have both reached the stage where we want to enjoy our twilight years and therefore we have decided to offer the business for sale to whoever may wish to embrace the potential we know exists and build a future for themselves on the strong foundations provided by Byrmac Motors. This article has provided us with a unique opportunity to reminisce about the past, measure ourselves against the present and now to market the business for the future, all interested parties are welcome to get in touch direct with us to discuss in confidence the full opportunity of operating Byrmac Motors in the future. .
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S M R C U P D AT E
2022 SMRC PREVIEW The 2022 Scottish Motor Racing Club season is set to be something special after two years of damage limitation during the pandemic. The 2020 and 2021 seasons were hampered by Covid and this resulted in half day events with a reduced timetable and little or no spectators at times. This year sees a return to more normal events with full days of racing and lots to look forward to. But if you can’t make it along to the events in person, you will still be able enjoy the racing from the comfort of your own home, as all events in 2022 will be live streamed via our social media channels, for the first time.
As always there will be plenty of action on track from the 6 Championships.
on the 12th of June which is sure to be action packed and close right to the finish.
The Scottish C1 Cup – these little 68bhp pocket rockets may be short on power, but they make up for it in close racing and maximum entertainment with large grids and super close racing. The championship has gone from strength to strength after being launched in 2019 with the support of the SMTA. You won’t want to miss the 90 minute endurance race
The Scottish Fiesta ST Championship is a step up power wise from the C1 Cup with equally as exciting racing. Fiesta racing in Scotland has been on the SMRC timetable for over 20yrs and continues to provide close and affordable racing for lovers of the blue oval. It was in this Championship that triple BTCC Champion Gordon Shedden cut his teeth.
THE 2022 CALENDAR CONSISTS OF 6 ROUNDS.
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For lovers of classic Fiestas they need not despair as the Scottish Classic Sports and Saloon Championship still features XR2s along with a whole host of incredible vehicles from the past. Always a popular championship due to wide array of cars evoking feelings of nostalgia of days gone by. Rather than looking at them in a museum what better way exists than seeing these historic machines going wheel to wheel on track? If you are a fan of BTCC then the Scottish Mini Cooper Cup is our own homegrown feeder series where the like of Aiden Moffat and Rory Butcher honed their racecraft before stepping into Touring Cars. The Championship is always action packed with close, hard and competitive racing throughout the field. The races take a similar format to the BTCC so you should be well at home if you enjoy that series. The Scottish R53 Mini Cooper Cup is another way to race Minis in Scotland, the fastest single make series at the SMRC meetings provides a great challenge for the drivers and allows them to gain touring car experience at a fraction of the budget. The cars can take part in UK Championships such as the British Mini Challenge allowing drivers to move on from the Scottish Championship if they wish.
chance to compete in car racing in Scotland. The championship will run BMW 116i cars for as little at £11,450 +VAT. In addition to the SMRC championships there will be visiting championships to add even more excitement with the BRSCC National Formula Ford Championship at the first round in April, Modified Fords and Super Tourers in May and the KMSC Scottish Legends joining the bill in August and October. There’s a lot to look forward to this year. Keep an eye on the SMRC Social Media Pages and www.smrc.co.uk for more news and updates as we gear up for this new season of Scottish Motorsport.
Further information is available at: www.smrc.co.uk/championships You can also email championship representative Emily Glanvill at emily@smrc.co.uk
Scottish Formula Ford is always a joy to watch. These single seaters have a history of being the first step on the car racing ladder to Formula One. Allan McNish and David Coulthard learned the ropes in FF1600 before becoming Formula One stars. The only Single Seater Championship in Scotland relies on mechanical grip with no aerodynamic appendages like front and rear wings. This allows the drivers to understand and develop their car control and it keeps the racing close with overtaking a possibility. With the Champion of the last 2 seasons now retired it’ll be all to play for in 2022. Other exciting news for 2022 is the launch of the Scottish Junior BMW Championship – this will give young drivers aged between 14 and 17 the
SMRC PHOTOGRAPHY BY JIM MOIR
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PRESIDENTS AWARD WINNER
PROVIDING MOTOR INDUSTRY UPSKILLING IN GRAMPIAN With automotive manufacturers searching for the solution to how they can best play a role in the energy transition, more and more are turning to electric vehicles – and it is being reflected in training the Technicians of the future, too. Grampian Motor Training Trust (GMTT), which supports and encourages the development of skills across the automotive industry across the North-east of Scotland, has seen a marked increase in the number of individuals and garages requesting support to help enhance their knowledge of electric and hybrid vehicles. Indeed, nearly half of all recent applications the Trust has received have been related to electric support, with recent forecasts suggesting 287,000 plug-in vehicles would be registered in 2021 – more than from 2010 to 2019 combined – while battery electric vehicles are forecast to outsell conventional diesel and mild- hybrid diesel cars this year. The charity has a long and proud record of helping businesses and technicians in the North-east develop their offering, so it is no surprise to see those who work in the industry request support from the organisation as they look to increase their own skills to enable them to deal with the latest motor vehicle revolution. It is due to commitment like this that led to GMTT – which is led by trustees Adrian Smith, John Chessor, Colin McAllister, Graham Clark, Eddie Anderson, David Allan, Mike Smith, Brian Poppe, Simon Hogg and Derek Stewart – being honoured at the Scottish Motor Trade Association (SMTA) Annual Dinner 2021. As well as supporting applicants increase their knowledge of new technology and advances within the industry, GMTT is also committed to supporting the development of the SMTA Autosure programme aimed at helping the understanding and skills in dealing with electric vehicles. GMTT was established in 1992 after an organisation called Grampian Motor Training decided to sell its training facility
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and use the funds from that sale to set up a trust to help to improve skills in the automotive industry. Since then, the Trust has provided financial support to around 150 garages, and in that process over 1,000 employees have been able to access funds to assist with the development of their skills across the full range of functions within the automotive trade including technical, health and safety, marketing, accounting and administration and management. To date the Trust has distributed over £250,000 of support. It has also provided support for garages in the area who are registered under the SMTA MOT assessment programme, helping to increase the number of sites in the region that can offer MOTs. As well as building connections with those at the delivery end of the industry, the Trust has established strong relationships with North East Scotland College at its campuses in Aberdeen and Fraserburgh, including providing a significant contribution for the provision of a diagnostics room at the Aberdeen campus. Over the course of several years, this facility has helped students practically understand how to diagnose problems with brakes, electrics and other systems in vehicles, further enhancing their education and preparing them for full-time employment in the trade. The GMTT has also provided PPE and operational equipment to support the students in their course work. The Trust’s links to NESCol have continued with the regular awarding of a series of Apprentice of the Year honours for students chosen by the college as being the most outstanding, including Light Vehicle Maintenance Apprentice of the Year in Aberdeen and Fraserburgh, and Body and Paint Apprentice of the Year in Aberdeen.
It has also established relationships with other training organisations across the country, including the Scottish Motor Trade Association, the Institute of the Motor Industry, Motherwell College and Perth College. While these connections are aimed at encouraging young people to enter the industry, it has also provided support to help the employment of mature apprentices in the industry. It has also been an avid supporter of helping those in the industry continue to develop, providing assistance for employees to learn the latest specialist techniques and technologies, which not only helps improve the quality of their work, but improves their employment prospects. Regardless of their age and experience, with a finely tuned attitude and drive to succeed, GMTT can help anyone or any organisation in the motor industry in Northeast Scotland on the road to success. To find out more, visit www.gmttrust.co.uk or email info@gmttrust.co.uk
Pictured left to right: Catherine Kelly of Marsh Commercial, Trustee of GMTT Adrian Smith and SMTA President Graham Greenwood.
MARKET INSIGHT
by Graham Clark, Managing Director, Anderson Clark
ANDERSON CLARK MOTOR REPAIRS INSTALLS PUBLIC ACCESS DEFIBRILLATOR We have installed a public access defibrillator to our building at Carsegate Road, Inverness, we made the decision to make this available 24-7 and not lock it inside our building, we trust that people will respect its place in our neighbourhood. Many years ago I lost my dad to cardiac arrest (when he was the age I am now) and we simply want to help people in need in our area. Everyone should be able to access the defibrillator if it will help in a time of emergency. We teamed up with Ross Cowie who is a trustee of Isle of Skye based charity www.lucky2bhere.org to purchase and install the unit. Ross who suffers from a genetic heart condition known as dilated cardiomyopathy, set up the charity after suffering a heart attack in December 2006. Luckily an ambulance was passing and managed to save his life, but his
father, auntie and uncle all died of the condition at an early age. Heart defects can go undetected until a medical emergency occurs, there have been numerous occasions recently that have been headline news, even professional sports people can become critically ill and early defibrillation has saved their life. Our unit is there for anyone who needs to use it and we are trusting people will take care of it. It could really save a life.
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MERCEDES-BENZ NON START &/OR ECO STOP/ START NOT WORKING Make: Mercedes-Benz Models: C Class 205 (2014-2016)
SYMPTOMS: ● Vehicle may not start intermittently.
TECH INSIGHT Welcome to our technical insights feature created with the support of the IVS 360 OEM-Trained Master Technicians at Opus IVS to whom we are very grateful. Here we highlight some of the more common recent faults that our partners have come across in their workshops and of course provide you with the appropriate fixes. We are always reviewing our content and please feel free to get in touch if you feel that there is something you would like to see in future editions of SMTA AutoINSIGHT.
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● May display “start engine” message on infotainment, when engine is already running.
make. If it is a Hyundai Mobis part number A 0009050554, this would need changing for the new modified type as the battery state is not calculated correctly.
● Eco stop/start may not work.
FAULTS: ● Voltage below threshold in most modules. ● Voltage above threshold in the front sam.
POSSIBLE CAUSES: ● Battery sensor and earth lead. ● Battery fault.
TEST STEPS: Tests for eco stop/start not working 1. Check battery condition and age. On a genuine MercedesBenz battery the production date is stamped onto the negative pole of the battery, it is made up of 4 numerical digits. The top two are the week produced, the bottom two digits are the year of production the picture below shows week 43 2013. 2. Check battery sensors
The modified battery lead is A0009056507 pictured above on the right. Test/checking procedure for intermittent non start or star engine on Comand screen when engine already running. This may be caused by high resistance at the body connection of the earth point on the passenger inner wing.
Remove the battery earth lead, and check the connection is tight. Also check for burn marks to the terminal as seen circled below. If burn marks are found please replace the battery lead and clean/ replace earth stud on inner wing.
TOOLS REQUIRED: ● Various hand tools ● Battery tester.
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BMW/MINI HEATED REAR SCREEN INOPERATIVE Make: Mini & BMW Models: R5x (2004-2010), R6x (2011-2017), E6x (20032011), E7x (2007-2014), E8x (2004-2011), E9x (20052011), F-Series (2009-2017) / All Models
SYMPTOMS: Heated Rear Screen inoperative.
POSSIBLE CAUSES: Low battery state of charge.
REPAIR STEPS: 1. Carry out a quick test Ensure there are no fault codes relating to anything to do with the Heated rear screen. If there are fault codes present and you are unsure please contact Opus IVS. 2. If there are no fault codes stored proceed to check the battery state of charge For vehicles with an IBS sensor the information can be found by going in to service functions on the main page then select Battery Charge Status. Select Service functions. Select Battery Charge Status. 3. Check to see what the car thinks the battery is charged at It is listed as a percentage. For the Heated Rear Window to work the battery needs to have a current state of charge greater than 50%. If the state of charge is under 50% then the car goes in to a power saving mode. This cuts power to and stops operation of all nonessential components to ensure the engine will start.
4. If the battery state of charge is below 50% please fully charge the battery. The state of charge is normally adopted after a 5/6 hour shut down period so it is normally advised to check it again the following morning. Sometimes you can disconnect the IBS sensor, leave it for 10 seconds then re-connect it to initiate a quick battery monitoring process. The state of charge can then be checked after 1.5 hours. If you get a message saying “state of charge-no deduction possible” then you will have to leave it for the full 5/6 hours un interrupted shut down period. 5. If after charging the battery fully you still get a reading of under 50% you will need to carry out a drop test on the battery to confirm whether you have a battery or IBS sensor issue. If the Heated Rear Window is still not working after having the required state of charge in the battery please contact Autologic for further guidance.
TOOLS REQUIRED: ● Battery as required ● IBS sensor as required Contact BMW/MINI parts for the latest and correct part info
2L DIESEL INGENIUM ENGINE WITH LOW PRESSURE AND AN EXHAUST VALVE COOLER BLOCKAGE Make: Land Rover, Jaguars (2.0 diesel ingenium engine) Models: Range Rover Evoque, Discovery Sport, Land Rover Defender, Range Rover, Range Rover Sport
FAULTS: Vehicle in restricted performance and DTC P049B-00
POSSIBLE CAUSES: ● Excessive undetected soot in the DPF. ● Charged air induction system leak. ● Low pressure EGR cooler blocked / filter blocked. ● Low pressure EGR differential pressure sensor mechanical integrity. ● Connector is disconnected, connector pin is backed out, connector pin corrosion. ● Vehicle is fitted with TWO EGR valves a LP and HP unit. One is DPF side to turbo the other is exhaust manifold to intake manifold.
REPAIR STEPS: 1. Using a HP smoke detector visually inspect the air intake system for leaks and repair any that are found. 2. If there are no signs of soot particles this is not the cause of the customers concern. 3. Remove low pressure EGR cooler housing lid and visually inspect for soot particles. 4. Is the cooler blocked? We have seen the filters internally block as per the image below, this would
require a new filter set LR126126 cleaning of the EGR/Throttle body and the Low pressure EGR cooler. 5. Low pressure EGR pipe on the nearside is it blocked. 6. Look for signs of sooting around the clamp. 7. Black soot around the tail pipe. 8. Loosen the SCR assembly, look up into the cooler and check for excessive levels of soot. 9. DPF/SCR canister cracked internally. 10. JLR process change LP EGR and cooler. 11. Change cooler pressure sensor and SCR/DPF unit. 12. Pressure sensor is bolted to the intake side of the engine looks like a DPF pressure sensor one goes to the cooler pack and the longer pipe goes to cooling unit this measures the pressure either side of the unit. 13. If the cooler also shows signs of being excessively blocked, then the cooler may need replacing as well. 14. The DPF may also need inspecting for cracks that can draw in air from the outside causing excessive sooting. 15. After the repair, reconfigure existing PCM with latest software with a dealer tool.
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MARKET INSIGHT
by Neil Swanson, Director at Electric Vehicle Association Scotland
BIG CHANGES HAPPENING IN UK VEHICLE OWNERSHIP Without doubt, what we are experiencing is nothing short of a seismic change in vehicle ownership taking place throughout the UK - even more so here in Scotland. We are, most certainly at the forefront of creating our own little bit of automotive history.
The new electric car market, particularly in Scotland is on fire, outpacing EV sales in percentage terms anywhere else in the UK. Dealerships here who have invested in the support technology are in the vanguard of a movement that is going nowhere but up… but it is much more than simply converting customers away from their existing fossil fuelled vehicles to ‘drive electric’! Convincing the motoring public that this whole decarbonisation movement is not simply a one-off good idea that may satisfy their and their government’s consciences or even a ‘cool’ green idea to help save the planet, but a real, permanent and mandatory change everyone will have to face in the not too distant future… there’s no other option! Fossil fuelled vehicles will disappear from our roads, our very way of life will never be the same again. And this is where we at EVA Scotland and everyone in the entire Scottish dealership network has a major role to play informing
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and, dare I say, educating existing and potential customers and members of what is fast becoming a reality. Destroying the myths being punted by those who (some would say) have perhaps a vested interest in ensuring electric cars are not treated seriously… “It’s all a fad, here today and gone tomorrow!” The £billions being invested by the world’s automotive industries pays testament to the real truth of the changes taking place and how the future will be. Almost every manufacturer either has an impressive range of EVs in their product line-up or is in the process of catching up quickly on unprecedented and accelerating market changes. The choice of EVs now available on the market has grown exponentially over the last 18 months...but one of the most important aspects that dealerships should focus on is need to help prospective buyers select the most appropriate vehicle for their needs. At EVA Scotland we are well aware of this from our members many of whom say that they have been carefully taken through the process of selecting what EV is best for them by their local dealer, but this unfortunately is not standard practice! Small EVs, family cars and executive saloons or indeed commercials… no matter, the need for choice in EVs is essential. But it’s much more than that. It is the confidence we have in all the aftersales support on offer for the new breed of EVs, the availability of a wide range of public and private charging options across Scotland and the actions and determinations of our Government and Local Authorities to do more to get behind the EV motorist… that includes the provision of ‘on street’ parking for those without driveways.
A number of Scotland’s car dealerships have taken the lead, doing more than simply ‘their part’ in this whole EV process and here we have to applaud the development of the Arnold Clark Innovation Centre in Glasgow (and soon to be elsewhere we understand). Theirs is a welcome and crucial approach, introducing and informing the driving public on the advantages, benefits and costs involved in making the transition. The Centre also has an equally important role in the training and development of Arnold Clark staff, enabling them to support existing and future EV customers. This, however is not common across all dealerships in Scotland. The arrival of the A.C. Centre is one of the key reasons that EVA Scotland nominated the facility for the best new product or service award at the Electric Vehicle Innovation & Excellence Awards in 2021. We are also encouraged by the effort of the SMTA in its AutoESURE training programme aimed at supporting both independent and franchised dealers to ensure they are equipped and trained to meet the new EV market opportunities… and I agree that the Scottish government must make some financial provision to assist in this important programme. In the interim, for those unable to afford a new EV or simply wish to retain their existing vehicle - there is the option to convert to an electric power train. This is also becoming a growing sector of the market, especially in classic car conversions. EVA Scotland welcomes the support of the Scottish Government through Transport Scotland in addressing the key issues, but there is an urgent need for all our Local Authorities to have broadly aligned and progressive, joined up policies to support the transition to EVs and those policies have to include electric public transport and active travel.
Every car on the road will need to be electric, but not every car currently on our roads needs to be replaced. The future will include improved mobility using ‘service’ and autonomous vehicles, reducing the cost of motoring for us all. The market for EV charging is growing, but the need to focus on where people can and need to charge is not yet being fully addressed. Legislation for the Right to Charge is now something that will come from the Scottish Parliament, but which can be supported now by Local Authorities.
“It’s all a fad, here today and gone tomorrow!” Especially important is ensuring that an inadvertent charging class divide isn’t created with the growth of smart charging at home. EVA Scotland support the Agile Streets pilot and expect this to create a model to provide equitable charging costs for those who cannot charge at home. The EV buyer of tomorrow has to know this to have confidence in switching. It’s so important at this vibrant and exciting time that we all work tirelessly together to ensure our EV members and your growing band of EV customers are given the best advice and support we can. Without doubt there is a seismic change in automotive ownership. We are all at the forefront of creating a little bit of history… the world is watching and future generations will depend heavily on the decisions and the actions we take today.
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LATEST CAR FIGURES FUEL TYPE
REGISTRATIONS BY REGION
JANUARY 2022
YEAR TO DATE
Total Scotland
Petrol
7,140
Diesel
1,075
10,617 420
1,590
Petrol/Electric
Grampian
757
Electric Diesel/Electric
30
Petrol/LPG
25
=
Summary
1,189
641 Strathclyde
10,617
750
111
1,200
Vauxhall
985
Kia
881
Volkswagen
879
Audi
666 611
Ford BMW Peugeot
578 504
Hyundai
456
Mercedes
405
202
1,500 11.30%
9.28%
8.30% 8.28%
6.27% 5.27%
5.44% 4.75%
4.29% 3.81%
TOP SELLING
MARQUES YTD 2022 46 WWW.SMTA.CO.UK
Tayside Fife
5,024 1,384
115,087 Toyota
732
914
Central
TOTAL UK CAR MARKET:
0
Highlands
Lothian Borders
Dumfries & Galloway
0
250
500
444
Kia Sportage
393
Vauxhall Crossland
376
Vauxhall Mokka
319
Vauxhall Corsa
270
Volkswagen T-Roc
226
Ford Focus
215
Peugeot 2008
208
Mini Mini Ford Puma Audi A1
176 172
YEAR TO DATE
TOP 10 CARS Figures courtesy of the SMMT (Scottish Motor Manufacturers and Traders)
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