Cans to run on .... 'air' ...?

check out this BBC video - on cars that can run on ... air ....



click here

smoke is good

click here for video training for redline smoke machine - time to update our knowledge ?

Pegisys scan tool training

Here is link to main web page


Here is link to eLearning site -it is easy to register & free

GGOD or BAD Waiting Room ?

CLICK HERE
for article on the shape of waiting rooms ... are you in the good or bad ? What will it mean for your future?

Software for the Garage industry

while we are on a roll with ASA publications -- click here for .... a list of shop software. This is the most extensive listing we have seen anywhere.

How well are you using your shop management software ...

top web sites for Garages ...

click here article from Auto Inc ( a publication from ASA ) on top 10 garage web sites ... idea's ??

Value of iATN

I was trying to find discard limits for brake drums on a 1979 Mini 1000 yesterday. I couldn't find anything through traditonal channels or on the internet.
I decided to post a question on iATN and had an answer from two different fellows from Australia within two hours.
iATN can be a very helpful site.
Barry

Internet allows us to read US publications

It had always been a real struggle to read the US magazines that USA shops received free ... the internet changes this


Click this link to see articles from Motor Age ...

fire hazard from Ethanol ??

Click this link to read article on hazards the shops face from OLDER VEHICLES using e-85 ethanol

Setting up enviro fees

We have called both Lankar & Mitchell1 ... here is what they say ,,,,

Lankar .... Hi Greg,
Great talking to you today.
Please instruct your customers to click on the word Help in the Main Menu, Lankar on the world wide web, Autogence Support Cue.

The support cue will come up, click Open New Case.
Enter your name,
Enter the reason for the call. Have them write, new Supplier Tax
and click Submit Case.

Our support department will then contact the customer and make sure that they are set up properly.

Thank you,

Brigette :)
Sr. Account Representative/
Sales Manager
Autogence Inc.
(800) 446-3087 Ext. 205

=============================================================

Mitchell1 ...... John Dwulet writes .... Adding taxable or non-taxable fee to a part will do the trick I believe... which is supported by the application ( see image --click to enlarge )

Forwarded by Karl Coleman - National Account Manager for CARQUEST accounts

==============================================================

Hope this helps ---comments appreciated

Enviro Fees

MHSW seems to creep up on us at amazing speed - by the time we heard something about it was in May and the tax starts in July - not much time. In fact an e-mail we sent to AIA in May about this was just replied to on 6-18-08 and we are using some of their links below

MHSW = Municipal Hazardous or Special Waste (MHSW) Program

Companies at the START ( like importers or manufacturers ) are required to PAY the fee - they in turn charge the next company in line - and so on - until the end consumer finally pays.

This fee is shown as a separate line on the invoice. The example is a Quebec invoice -- on our CARQUEST invoice it will show "SOGHU / EHC" to cover both provinces name for the similar enviro fee

Here is a summary of what is effected ....
AUTOMOTIVE FILTERS:
LESS THAN 203MM (8") $.50 per Filter
GEATER THAN 203MM (8") $1.00 per Filter

MOTOR OIL CONTAINERS: $.045/ per LITRE

SOLVENTS CONTAINERS $.196/ per LITRE

ANTIFREEZE CONTAINERS $.073/ per LITRE

PRESSURIZED CONTAINERS:
NON-REFILLABLE $.334/ per UNIT
REFILLABLE $.366/ per UNIT

SINGLE USE DRY CELL BATTERIES $.125/KG

Here are links to AIA web site for more info --- click on links to open


What YOU Need to Know about the MHSW Program
Waste Diversion Program Comes into Effect July 1st, 2008
Stewardship Ontario Auto Sector FAQ's

Business Mgmt Course- May 14 & 15

Advanced Workflow Systems – May 14 & 15/ 2008-

INSTRUCTOR – ALBAN BENNETT

Alban has been in the Business Management Training industry for over 7 years. He is recognized as one of the top automotive industry trainers and is an approved AMI instructor. Alban has instructed and coached CARQUEST customers in hundreds of cities throughout North America. Alban’s unique presentation style and real world knowledge of the automotive industry will pre- pare you to take your business to the next level

CARQUEST welcomes you to a business management class designed to give you the critical skills necessary to develop a comprehensive business plan that will maximize the profit opportunities for you, your employees, and your company. Improved labor management skills will allow your service center to better manage and sell all of its available time every day. However, you will only realize benefits from that if you have people and systems in place to move the additional work through your shop effectively. In this workshop you will acquire workflow skills to:

Learn an Effective Appointment Scheduling System •
Master Control Center •
Effective Labor Inventory Management •
Detailed Customer Needs •
Accurate Customer Contact Information

The 4 “C’s” of Effective Workflow Management

Accurate Production Tracking

Implementation/Action plan

Service Consultant Workflow Skills •
Reception
Maintenance
Diagnosis
Inspections
Estimating
Completing the Sale
Customer Follow-Up

Service Consultant Workflow Tools
Forms and Questionnaires
Repair Orders and Repair Order Racks
R/O Tagging
Menu Boards
Repair Kits/Shop Supplies
Environmental Fees

Last tech course for year

Well--the last tech course for the 2007-08 is coming this April ( 23 & 24 ) .... with only a shop management course to round out the year. We thank you for your co-operation and attendance and hope that you have found these courses helpful in making you a better tech ....

ADVANCED DIAGNOSTIC CHALLENGE 2 nights Apr- 23,24

This course will challenge you to apply the skills you have learned or the processes you currently use to solve case
studies of documented broken vehicles. CTI MINDS-ON TRAINING techniques will be used to display the data from each
vehicle so all students have access to the information needed to solve each problem. By practicing problem solving in the
classroom, the technician is better able to recognize the patterns in data when faced with a similar problem in their bay.

Mark your calendar

EVAP Course -- March 2008

With EVAP course coming soon-- time to dust off your ALLDATA or Mitchell1 or in this case the CARQUESTDIRECTHIT (powered by Identifix ) and try some cars that have caused you a problem -- to see how these internet based help tools can save you time and trouble.

If you would like a demo on DIRECT HIT - click here and - or call call 866-698-1976 and ask for Jeff Meyer - the guy who is responsible for Ontario -- he has hosted a few clinics in the area with the most recent at the Harrow Transportation Museum on Feb 25 -the shops whom attended had a good time. Jeff does an excellent phone demo to give you an idea of how this ( or similar systems ) can save you LOTS of time in finding that problem --- how much is your time worth ?

Click on the image to make larger

http://www.carquestdirecthit.com/Corp/try_direct.asp

Some prices up - some down

While many prices continue to drop to reflect the stronger Cdn doll;ar --some things are tied to items like COPPER and LEAD and --well -- PLATINUM

See the chart for a huge increase in Platinum prices ... what kind of catalytic converter can work without Platinum? Cheaper units scrimp on Platinum --and you know what that does - a marginal cat that can fail on your e-test

Some commodity prices are on a real roller coaster ride .... eh? Most suppliers has contracts to limit short term swings-- but you can see that some sort of price hick is coming.

EVAP course for March ....

Ready for March 26 & 27 ??

Details on Course ........Most manufacturers have recently migrated their EVAP monitors from those that run during a normal drive cycle to those that run while the vehicle is parked overnight. This course covers these systems which can be somewhat confusing and difficult to diagnose. Some of these systems require over 16 hours of testing data to be captured before making a decision for pass or fail. These systems also consist of small leak tests of 0.020" which are challenging current technology leak test methods. You will learn how to use new technologies to find these leaks as well as understand how these monitors run so you can duplicate the process in your bay

LED Headlights are coming

LED Headlights are coming - nclick here for article

Linder North

There is a hi level tech course offered thru AIA - click here for details. Register now to take advantage of Early Bird Savings - register before March 4, 2008 and pay only $449 (plus GST) for the Regular Courses! After March 4, 2008, the cost is $509 (plus GST).