Aftermarket July/August 2022 Issue

www.aftermarketonline.net JULY/AUGUST 2022 AFTERMARKET 3 CONTENTS BUSINESS 10 Big issue: Shared mobility 12 Tina Drayson: MOT Tester training 14 AFVs: Getting the digital push 16 EV charging infrastructure TOP TECHNICIAN/TOP GARAGE 18 TPS: Blowing hot and cold TECHNICAL 20 Aftermarket of the future 22 Andrew Marsh: Thin end of the wedge 24 Frank Massey: Adding fuel to the fire 26 AS-PL: Hybrid vehicles 28 Ryan Colley: Hide and seek 30 Neil Currie: Strange brew 32 Repairify Innovations: Mind the skills gap 34 Kalimex: And your question is? IN FOCUS 36 Cooling 40 Brakes 42 Oils and lubes 46 Garage equipment 48 MOT PLUS... 52 General products/Competition 54 UK Garage and Bodyshop Event review 58 On the Road: RingSight Day 60 Garage visit: The Garage Warmington 62 EVs and hybrids 64 Training update 66 Teabreak STRIKE A LIGHT? Editor | Alex Wells alex@aftermarket.co.uk | +44 (0) 1732 370 345 Managing Director | Ryan Fuller ryan.fuller@dfamedia.co.uk | +44 (0) 1732 370 340 Media Sales Executive | Haley Sibley Haley.sibley@dfamedia.co.uk | +44 (0) 1732 370 349 Contributors Phil Bird | Ryan Colley | Neil Currie | Tina Drayson | Neil Kennett | Matthew Lumsden | Andrew Marsh | Frank Massey | Martin Pinnell-Brown Project Liaison Manager | Emma Floyd emma.floyd@dfamedia.co.uk | +44 (0) 1732 370 340 Marketing Executive | Hope Jepson hope.jepson@dfamedia.co.uk | +44 (0) 1732 371081 Finance Manager | Caren Brown caren.brown@dfamedia.co.uk | +44 (0) 1732 370 340 Chief Executive | Ian Atkinson ian.atkinson@dfamedia.co.uk | +44 (0) 1732 370 340 Published by | DFA Media Ltd 192 High Street, Tonbridge, Kent, TN9 1BE Alex Wells, Editor Average net circulation July 2019 to June 2021 18,265 aftermarketmagazine @aftermarket01 @aftermarketmagazine ISSN 2516-9149 Aftermarket is published 10 times a year and is sent free of charge to applicants meeting the publisher’s criteria. All others may subscribe at £60 per anum, £120 Europe and £150 rest of the world. While every care is taken to provide accurate information, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for any errors or ommisions, no matter how caused. All rights reserved. No part of the publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior consent of the publisher. The views of contributors do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher. Copyright: DFA MEDIA LTD 2022. L ast month, the aftermarket sector was able to enjoy a day out, via the hugely successful UK Garage and Bodyshop event, which was held at the NEC from 8-9 June. After over two years of more or less staring at your own walls, it was great to be among many of the people in the sector. There was kit on display, as well as hours of seminars to partake in at the three training hubs. Make sure to check out or review on pages 54-57. If this one-hall show has whetted your appetite for trade shows again, then next year’s full blown Automechanika Birmingham 2023, taking place 6-8 June at the NEC will be one not to be missed. If you can’t wait that long, there is always Automechanika Frankfurt, which is happening from 13-17 September. We will be there for that one. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves though. We have the summer to enjoy, if the unions let us. Cost of living crisis? That’s going well; Pay rise demands and strikes for everyone. As Aftermarket’s July/August double issue was going to press, the first day of the national rail strike was getting underway. In an odd coincidence, because of local roadworks, the tailback from a very-badly located three-way temporary traffic light just up from my front door is going a mile back up the road, all the way to the local railway station no-one is using today. Will this mean more business coming through your doors as commuters weigh up their travel options, and decide the car is the better way right now? It would be nice if there was an upside here. Then again, if the teachers come out too, all those school run 4x4s will be staying on the driveway. You win some, you lose some. With the traffic being what it is, many drivers might start seriously considering a self-driving car, which is an area Neil Kennett has covered in the Aftermarket of the Future section on pages 20-21. It can still get complicated with these though. Look at Herbie, good old #53. He might have been able to do the driving, but you would have to put up with the late-night wandering, and the Irish Coffee habit. Anyway, that’s another story. Also in the technical section, Frank Massey is considering the impact of E10 petrol, and the emergence of all sorts of strange issues. That is on pages 24-25. Ryan Colley is back on pages 28-29, considering the effect hiding faults has on those garages that end up with a car later. We also see the return of Top Technician 2019 winner Neil Currie, with a Mercedes-Benz issue. That is on pages 30-31. In addition, we have a piece from AS-PL looking at starters and alternators on hybrids on page 26. We also have another missive from Martin Pinnell-Brown from Repairify Innovations. This issue, he is considering the skills gap. You will find that on page 32. Also in this issue, we visit Top Garage 2021 finalists The Garage Warmington on pages 60-61, and also find out more about Ring at the company’s recent RingSight Day, which enabled their customers to see what goes on behind the scenes. That is on pages 62-63. Lastly, don’t forget this is our bumper summer issue, so you won’t be receiving another print issue of the mag until September. Don’t worry though, we are still online at www.aftermarketonline.net , and on Facebook and Twitter if you need us, which you almost certainly will! Enjoy!