Following an incorrect tyre choice on the first couple of stages, Cole and Drew found themselves trailing the Subaru Impreza S14 of Lloyd and Handley by just over 30 seconds at the event’s halfway point. Then, showing the spirit and determination that has made him the driver to beat this year, Cole began eating into Lloyd’s lead. However, the fightback so nearly came to nought when a dashboard light caused a momentary lapse in Cole’s concentration, allowing the car to leave the road while flat out in sixth gear! Amazingly, the damage that could so easily have been catastrophic was confined to a chunk out of one of the rear wheels. The related Kumho tyre remained inflated, but a further minute had been lost, leaving the team in third position at the start of the final stage.

Luck really was on their side, as a problem with the Lloyd/Handley Subaru then caused it to slide into a ditch from where there was no escape. So, despite a day of dramas, Cole and Drew still finished second overall in the rally, clinched the MSA Asphalt Championship and were awarded the coveted ‘Kings of Epynt’ title – a good day’s work by any standard.

Said Kumho’s European Motorsport Manager, Steve Thompson: “We are delighted for Damian and Craig, for whom anything less than a championship win was never going to suffice. They have played their hand to perfection. With the system counting the best five results from nine events, they achieved an unbeatable maximum points, something no other team can manage, even with two rounds left to run. Their victory gives Kumho its first motorsport champions of the year and we look forward to many more over the coming weeks.”

For more information www.kumhotyre.co.uk

Seeking new methods for the successful treatment of hypoxia has proved to be difficult over the years and remains a challenge for today’s critical care specialists. However, studying healthy volunteers at high altitude is a key component of research and following the original Caudwell Xtreme Everest study in 2007, which was the largest high altitude study ever undertaken, using more than 250 volunteers, the Xtreme Alps project is the next step in the investigation.

The central goal is to trial a dietary supplement that the team believe will improve our tolerance of hypoxia. This is based not only on results from the 2007 expedition, but also studies carried out in laboratories by collaborating scientists. Xtreme Alps is the first high altitude trial that this supplement has been tested in humans to endeavour to improve their tolerance of hypoxia. A team of 40 doctors have agreed to put themselves through a gruelling testing process that started on August 10 with the two-day assent of the Punta Gnifetti to reach the Margherita Hut, which is perched on the peak at a height of 4559m. During their two-week ordeal based at the hut, they have been continually pushed to the very limit of their physical endurance and the blood samples taken over this period will be used to study the effectiveness of the supplement.

Where Manbat has stepped forward is in the storage of these samples. It is crucial that these samples are kept in conditions of at least minus 20ºC and while there are generators at the hut to keep the specially designed freezers at the correct temperature, these generators cannot operate continuously. Overnight the doctors have to rest and in order for them to sleep the generators have to be switch off. During this prolonged period, seven Lucas LG75 deep-cycle GEL batteries, which are normally used for powering mobility scooters, provide the 575 Ah necessary to keep the blood samples correctly stored in the freezers.

Commenting on the project Myles Pemberton, Marketing Manager for Manbat said: “We like to be able to support individuals and organisations that are do good for the community, but when Mac Mackenney approached us about the project, we just couldn’t say no. “The research the team have undertaken could save the lives of literally millions of people and that is why Manbat is proud to have been able to play a part in the project.”

For the Xtreme Alps project, logistics expert Mac Mackenney said: “There are many elements that are vital to the success of any expedition, particularly in such a hostile environment as the Alps, and high quality batteries that can be relied on is certainly one of them. “During the expedition, the Lucas LG75’s have shown their true mettle and have performed superbly despite the harsh conditions.”

For more information: 01743 460790 or www.manbat.co.uk

The ContiTech drive belts contained in the kits comply with OE standards, giving shop fitters the certainty and confidence that their customers will also benefit from the features of these products. “The brand alone is a guarantee of superb quality”, says Marketing Service Manager Markus Pirsch. “Retailers and workshops should therefore play it safe and make sure they buy the original product,” underlines Pirsch: “After all, drive belts in OE quality from ContiTech are only found in the original ContiTech kits. Only if they are specifically labeled ‘ContiTech’ can you be sure of getting genuine ContiTech products.”

New kits are available for the Mazda 6 2.0D, Honda Accord 1.8-2.3 and other vehicles. Water pump kits are offered for the Volvo V40-70 among other models. Check the online catalog at www.contitech.de/aam for detailed information on vehicle applications. The new products are listed in TecDoc, the digital information system that supplies the auto spare parts market and workshops with comprehensive data for purchasing and vehicle servicing purposes.

For more information: www.contitech.de

“We are delighted that Pro-Align has taken the decision to become a TyreSafe member and support our efforts in improving road safety,” comments Stuart Jackson, Chairman, TyreSafe. “Having experts in the field of wheel alignment will be a valuable addition to the group as it is such an important element of vehicle safety and one which many drivers do not understand properly.”

The importance of correct wheel alignment was highlighted by TyreSafe earlier this year following the freezing weather which caused many potholes across the UK. Driving over potholes can alter the vehicle’s steering and suspension geometries or damage critical components which can reduce vehicle safety or generate extra running costs. Incorrect alignment can also cause premature and irregular wear on tyres.

“Increasing awareness of every road user as to the measures they should take to stay safe on our roads, is extremely important to us,” explains Paul Beaurain, Managing Director, Pro-Align. “We believe that joining TyreSafe is an effective way to reinforce the message, especially with the recent cuts we’ve seen in Government road safety programmes, we felt it was important that we did everything we could to help ensure our roads remain among the safest in Europe”

Pro-Align is one of the UK’s leading wheel alignment equipment suppliers. Many garages and tyre dealers across the country utilise Pro-Align’s state of the art imaging alignment equipment to ensure customers’ vehicles are properly aligned. As well as tyre manufacturers, retailers and wholesalers, TyreSafe’s growing membership now includes vehicle manufacturers, TPMS experts and a variety of workshop equipment providers.

For more information: www.tyresafe.org

Nominations have to be in by September 15 to stand a chance of winning the coveted title of Britain’s ‘Garage Hero’, plus a £1000 prize and the chance to appear in a national fundraising calendar. The competition aims to highlight the excellent work done by mechanics at independent garages as well as raise funds for road safety charity Brake and motor industry benevolent fund Ben.

Brent Hudson, Marketing Director at Valeo Service (UK), said: “There are hundreds of private independent garages across the UK and this award is designed to recognise the fantastic work they do.  We want to highlight the unsung heroes in the industry, who represent the quality, service and commitment that people look for in an independent garage.”

The Valeo Garage Hero not only gets a £1000 cash prize, they also get a chance to put their garage on the map by appearing in a charity calendar. Five runners up get £200 and will also get their work and their garage showcased in the calendar.

Entry to the ‘Valeo Garage Hero 2010’ competition is via the website www.valeogaragehero.co.uk. Nominees need to explain why they, or the independent garage technician they know, deserve to be shortlisted. Full details of the competition, including terms and conditions, are also available on the website.

For more information: www.valeoservice.com

Neville Briggs

The results of this week’s Which? survey into garage standards are disappointing because they do not just indicate low safety standards at some dealerships but also missed profit opportunities.

Dealer management systems specialist Pinewood says that any garage undertaking a competent vehicle health check should have spotted the faults created by Which? as part of any structured used car examination.

Managing Director Neville Briggs said: “The survey is worrying for a number of reasons, the worst being that it undermines public confidence in our industry because it indicates that some garages can’t be trusted to spot basic safety issues such as underinflated spare tyres and blown bulbs.

“However, it also points out that even in a very tough economic climate, some garages are not identifying simple, essential repairs that add directly to the bottom line.”

Briggs said that since its introduction late last year, the Vehicle Health Check tool built into Pinewood’s Pinnacle DMS had helped many dealers achieve much greater profitability.

He explained: “VHCs have two aspects. The first is to undertake a thorough and structured inspection of every car that passes through a garage workshop so that any safety faults or other necessary work can be identified and brought to the attention of the customer.

“The other is that carrying out essential repairs adds to the garage’s profitability and, in the longer term, helps to create an atmosphere of trust between garage and customer. If you flag up the safety issues that you find, customers come to trust your judgement and professionalism.”
Pinewood added its VHC system free of charge to Pinnacle and has achieved a very rapid adoption rate with a penetration of more than 50% among its dealer customer base.

Briggs continued: “Reports from dealer groups indicate that the additional profits generated by using the Pinnacle VHC are, in effect, paying for or exceeding the entire monthly charge that we make for using the DMS. They can be an extremely productive tool if used in a structured and disciplined way.

For more information: www.pinewood.co.uk

The report, by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), warns that the UK will face large fines for breaching the EU limit unless radical measures are taken; these include national road pricing and subsidies for electric cars.

But are these measures the answer? Sadly, no. The viability of mass produced electric cars being used in any volume is still a decade away, and no government that wants to get re-elected is going to introduce road pricing in a hurry. In any case, the measures DEFRA proposes would not address the actual core problem, which the Government is only now starting to address.

A clue to the real nature of the pollution problem in the UK lies in the figures for the other major economies in Europe. Why has Germany around half the pollution figure for that of the UK when it has more cars; and why are the figures for Italy and France also so much lower than that for the UK? The answer is a simple one: there is mandatory type-approval on the exhaust systems fitted to vehicles sold in these countries. In the UK there is not.

Non-type approved exhausts pollute the environment and damage fuel efficiency and they are routinely being supplied in the UK aftermarket, and, at the moment, it is still legal to do so.

The problem with non-type approved exhausts is a long term one, because the Government is not proposing to do anything about it. Type-approval provides evidence for a customer that the exhaust system he/she is buying has been subjected to, and passed a series of rigorous checks. It is a mark of quality, which means the system is at least as good as the original equipment design. As a result, not only is the system more likely to last longer, but it can also help reduce emissions, increase fuel efficiency and reduce noise pollution.

The fuel efficiency claim has been proven in independent tests, undertaken on behalf of the UK’s Emissions Laboratory in Longbridge, Birmingham.

The test showed that in all three drive cycle tests conditions, a non-approved exhaust caused the car to be less fuel efficient, by around 3.3%, and +1dB louder on the tail-pipe measurement.

This inefficiency is leading to far higher levels of pollution on UK roads, the DEFRA report sites high population density and congestion, but with over 8 million older vehicles on UK roads, many of them operating poor quality replacement exhausts, when those in Europe are all using type-approved exhausts, this has to play a significant role in the UK’s poor performance.

The solution is simple, all the UK government needs to do is to implement the EU directive as law in the UK, which it is actually required to do, and the level of pollution will start to come down straight away, the UK fits 200,000 replacement exhausts every month, so they could be made cleaner overnight.

Seven or eight years ago a car would typically have three or four replacement exhaust systems during its life; today it may only have one – if it is a good quality type approved item. The consequence of this spread across millions of cars is massive: vast savings in raw materials and energy usage could be made – exactly what the planet requires to reduce carbon emissions – can be achieved by fitting a good type-approved exhaust. The downside is that the decision to fit a non-type approved exhausts could cause additional pollution by that car for most of its operating life.
The longer life argument for type- approved exhausts is easily proven, due to their better quality, both in materials and manufacture. Timax exhausts are manufactured by Klarius in the UK and are all type approved, they are constructed using corrosion- resistant aluminised steel throughout, allowing Klarius to offer a two-year warranty as standard.

For more information: www.klarius.eu

The Standox health and safety tools include a special DVD, a downloadable Standothek safety brochure and a dedicated poster. “Safety, Health and the Environment (SHE) are essential to everything we do at Standox. In particular our SHE Mission Security Training DVD demonstrates safe practice in the bodyshop situations that operatives face every day,” explained Jodie.

In addition to the video, the Standothek brochure Helpful Tips for your Health and Safety and an allied poster give instant reference to help safer working. To help busy bodyshops the Standothek brochure is available for instant download from www.standox.co.uk/health, along with a trailer of the “Mission Security” DVD.

As well as these helpful materials, Standox includes full health and safety advice in all training courses held at the Standox Training Centre in Stevenage, as well as giving invaluable advice through its local field force. Jodie added: “Standox supports all efforts to increase health awareness in the industry.”

Standox is one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of automotive refinishing paints. With its headquarters in Wuppertal, Germany, the company offers innovative and environmentally compatible product systems worldwide. Standox seeks to build long-term relationships with its customers based on premium product quality, and high levels of practical support. Approvals from all major manufacturers reflect the company’s position as a leading partner to the automotive industry. As such, the Standox brand gives professional refinishers the reassurance of perfect results every time.

For more information: www.hse.gov.uk

As the world’s largest industrial battery manufacturer, EnerSys is at the forefront of power storage technology, delivering effective solutions for a huge range of applications.

The agreement with Manbat includes its Hawker and Energia brands, which are used in electric material handling trucks (forklift trucks, pallet trucks, aerial work platforms, AGVs etc), cleaning machines and other industrial battery powered or hybrid vehicles.

With the agreement in place, Manbat has already begun to distribute Hawker 2-volt cells, primarily through dealers in the self-fit market, but the forklift specialists and other end users will receive stock imminently. Michael Broom, sales director for Manbat’s industrial division said: “Our existing relationship with EnerSys, for whom we already distribute the Odyssey range, was key to the addition of the Hawker and Energia brands for our growing industrial division.

“Manbat is an established business with nine wholly-owned branches and a truly national presence, and we offer EnerSys the distribution network these two brands deserve. We are confident that together we will significantly grow their market share of the industrial battery sector. “We also have the small traction powerbloc range from EnerSys, which consist of 6 and 12v blocs. The powerbloc TP range uses a tubular positive plate, which gives higher capacity for traction applications.”

For more information: 0845 223 5460

Unipart Automotive is also offering a competitive price and two-year warranty on the best selling Tecalemit SF9010 3.0 tonne 2 post lift. Hofmann ATL testing equipment, wheel balancers, tyre changers and wheel alignment systems also include a two-year warranty when purchased through Unipart Automotive.

For garages looking at waste oil heating, ready for the winter, Unipart Automotive can also offer the best selling Thermobile AT307 package on six months Interest Free Credit (subject to status).

There is also an opportunity to get 500 off the Hofmann MTF3000 3.0 tonne 2-post vehicle when purchasing any Hofmann Class 4 or 7 ATL package. A first years free servicing and maintenance is also available when purchasing a Tecalemit ATL package from Unipart Automotive.

Other highlights from the September to October edition include:
• a double centre page feature on the wheel service market, including details on the earning potential available using the right product to do the right job;
• a range of new Nitrogen generators from Hofmann and PCL;
• a full range of wheel balancers, tyre changers and wheel aligners featured at a special package price from Unipart Automotive;
• purchase a Crypton Cypher diagnostic platform and receive a free 30-day no quibble money guarantee if you are not 100% delighted with your purchase (terms and conditions apply).

This new edition of Megawisebuys runs from September 1 to October 31 2010.

For more information: 0121 329 1154 or www.ges.eu.com