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AAAA Report..............................4Calendar & New Members ...........5News.........................................6Products..................................22

HR Matters ..............................64PRTC ......................................924WD .......................................93Retail ......................................94

Moving with the times ......................................................................42Auto One continues to grow

Offering great service .......................................................................66Keeping your customers cars on the road

Fuel Economy..................................................................................90Squeezing every last drop from your tank

All material appearing in Australian Automotive Aftermarket magazine is copyright. Reproduction in whole or in part is strictly forbidden without priorContribution: Freelance contribution and submissions are welcomed by this magazine. No responsibility is accepted for unsolicited manuscripts, phottransparencies. The opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the AAAA. All statements made, although based on information believeand accurate, cannot be guaranteed and no fault or liability can be accepted for error or omission. The publisher reserves the right to omit or alter any ad

and the advertiser agrees to indemnify the publisher for all damages or liabilities arising from the published material.

FEATURESFEATURES

Nolathane....................................................................................40Providing suspension servicing solutions to the trade for over 20 years

SPECIAL FEATURESPECIAL FEATURE

Win! Win! Win! ................................................................................45Your chance to secure some goodies

XMAS BONANZAXMAS BONANZA

REGULAR DEPARTMENTSREGULAR DEPARTMENTS

ABOUT THE COVERNolathanes latest Edition 10 catalogue boastsnew features to benefit wholesale, reseller andtrade levels, with a bonus section for use at theretail counter.

66

90

40

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Mr Peter Hein (VIC) NGK Spark Plug (Australia) Pty LtdPh: 03 9730 4900 Fax: 03 9730 4990

Mr David Fraser (WA) Capricorn SocietyPh: 08 6250 9500 Fax: 08 6250 9576

" Mr Greg Barker (VIC) RSP Australia Pty LtdPh: 03 9305 4000 Fax: 03 9305 3520

Mr Peter Martin (VIC) Hella Australia Pty LtdPh: 03 9581 9333 Fax: 03 9584 1741

Mr Andrew Schram (VIC) Burson Automotive P/LPh: 03 9914 5555 Fax: 03 9914 5544

Mr Bob Pattison (VIC) GUD Automotive Pty LtdPh: 03 9243 3333 Fax: 03 9243 3366

Mr Peter Armstrong (NSW) IBS Auto Solutions Pty LtdPh: 02 9892 4004 Fax: 02 9892 2897

Mr David Duncan (VIC) Dayco Australia Pty LtdPh: 03 9796 4044 Fax: 03 9796 4731

Mr Roger Lassen (SA) TennecoPh: 08 8374 5212 Fax: 08 8276 1653

Mr Mark Pedder (VIC) Pedders SuspensionPh: 03 9706 3500 Fax: 03 9706 3355

Mr Geoff Rosenbaum (NSW) Motospecs DrivetechPh: 02 9847 5724 Fax: 02 9847 5757

Mr Graham Scudamore-Smith (QLD) Fulcrum SuspensionsPh: 07 3892 9000 Fax: 07 3892 1526

1*0& &/-0/&& 1++5 .#%1+(/#2& *$) #4

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The 2008/09-year was the most financiallysuccessful in the Associations 29-year history and hasprovided us with the opportunity to make a significantinvestment in the expansion of our activities and servicesto enable the AAAA to take the next step in ourevolution.

The result for the financial year 2008/09 was a profitbefore tax of $915,000. This compared favourably tothe budgeted profit of $659,000. The 2008/09-year wasa trade show year and therefore it is important that theoperating results for one year are not looked at inisolation. The revenue generated from trade shows iscritical to the provision of on-going services to members,and it has been our practice, therefore, to also considerincome and expenditure over two-year periods. On thisbasis the overall profit before tax from all activities for2007/08 and 2008/09 was $471,000, which comparesfavourably with the results for the two years 2006/07and 2007/08 which had a combined profit of$401,000. The after-tax result for the year was a profitof $851,000 compared to an after tax loss of$241,000 in the previous year.

Membership at the end of June 2008 totaled 1,286(an increase of 43 from the same time last year), andmembership income for the year was $449,000 anincrease of $22,000 over the previous year.

This strong growth in membership provides us withsignificant leverage in our efforts to represent yourinterests with Government and regulators. Our aim is toactively engage State and Federal Ministers, theiradvisors and public servants in an effort to push forsensible, harmonised regulation and legislation coveringthe automotive aftermarket as well as appropriate

Government acknowledgement and support for AAAAmember activities.The AAAA magazine continues to be the market-

leading publication in the Australian automotive partsand accessories sector. Through our alliance withCapricorn Society the publication has a CAB auditedcirculation of 13,000 trade buyers and is the magazineof choice for the Australian automotive aftermarketbecause of its wide reach, depth of content and relevantfeatures. This year saw the continuation of AAAAmember features, the introduction of a 10 percent

member discount on advertising and the appointment oRay Brown as technical writer.

In the area of export support we led a successfudelegation of 13 companies to exhibit on the AAAmanaged 144sqm Australian National Stand aAutomechanika Middle East in June and 12 companieon a 130sqm stand at Automechanika Frankfurt inSeptember 2008. We also secured funding from Austradfor three years to support the formation of a cluster of 1companies targeting the US high performance anmotorsport component sector. Upcoming trade missionwill include SEMA in November 2009, PRI in Decemb2009 and Automechanika Middle East in June 2010 andwe have secured significant State and FederaGovernment support for these activities.

This year saw the addition of Paul Raike to the AAANational Office team as Membership DevelopmeManager Southern Region. Paul has undertaken aactive member visitation program since commencing March 2009. We also ran 21 networking events in almainland States over the course of the year.

2008/09 also saw a significant increase in our markeresearch activity with the release of the aftermarket 2015study as well as car parc data by postcode. In June theAAAA National Council endorsed the permanappointment of Kathryn Abbott as Marketing Coordinaand she will assist us in delivering regular, targeted anaccurate information on industry and product trends tassist AAAA members with business planning. By the eof the 2009/10 financial year AAAA will have spent ov$200,000 in two years on government relations andmarket research activities to support member companie

Much of the growth and success of the Associatio

over recent years can be attributed to the stronleadership and direction provided by the AAAA NatioCouncil and to the talent and hard work of the team in thAAAA National Office.

In closing we would like to thank each and evemember of the Association for your strong support of tAAAA and our activities. I can assure you that the boaand staff do not take this support for granted and we arworking hard to develop and implement activities anservices that are valued by you and help make youbusinesses more profitable.

Peter HeinPresident

Stuart CharityExecutive Director

4 A U T O M O T I V E A F T E R M A R K E T M A G A Z I N E O C T O B E R 2 0 0 9 w w w. a a a a . c o m . a u

Another successful year for AAAA

OCTOBER 2009

AAAA REPORT

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A U T O M O T I V E A F T E R M A R K E T M A G A Z I N E O C T O B E R 2 0 0 9 5

2009

SEMA ShowLas Vegas Convention Center

Nevada, USA3-6 November, 2009www.semashow.com

AAPEX ShowAutomotive Aftermarket Products Exp

Sands Expo CenterLas Vegas, Nevada

3-5 November, 2009www.aapexshow.com

APRA BIG R showRiviera Hotel and Casino,

Las Vegas, Nevada

October 31 November 2, 2009www.bigrshow.com

Automechanika ShanghaiShanghai New International Expo Cent

Pudong, Shanghai, China9-11 December 2009

www.automechanika.messefrankfurt.co

Performance RacingIndustry Trade Show

Orange County Convention CenterOrlando, Florida, USA

10-12 December 2009www.performanceracing.com

2010Taipei AMPA

Taiwan12-15 April 2010

www.taipeiAMPA.com.tw

Automechanika Frankfurt 2010Frankfurt, Germany

14-19 September 2010www.automechanika.messefrankfurt.co

2011Australian Auto Aftermarket ExpoMelbourne Exhibition Centre

Melbourne, Australia9 - 11 May 2011

www.aftermartketexpo.com.au

Collision Repair ExpoMelbourne Exhibition Centre

Melbourne, Australia9 - 11 May 2011

www.collisionrepair.com.au

The Australian Automotive Aftermarket magazine is the official publication of theAustralian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA).

Published byThe Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association

ABN 23 002 271 454

Suite 5 622 Ferntree Gully Road Mulgrave Vic 3170Ph: 03 9561 7044 Fax 03 9561 7066 email: [email protected]

NSW OfficeBox 693 Penrith BC Penrith NSW 2751

Ph: 0407 866 671 Fax: 02 4731 5671 Email: [email protected]

Australian AutomotiveAftermarket Magazine

is a member of theCirculations Audit Board.

PUBLISHER Stuart Charity,

Executive DirectorAustralian Automotive

Aftermarket Association

EDITORIAL Allan Edwards,

Pole Position ProductionsTel 61 3 9331 2608

ADVERTISING MANAGER Janene Champion,

Champion AdsTel 61 3 5862 3090

PRODUCTION & DESIGN Brigid Fraser,

PossprintTel 61 3 9505 0121

AAAA

Advanced Automotive Australia Pty LtdPO Box 7049ALBURY NSW 2641Ph: 02 6040 2500 Fax: 02 6025 3098

Apex Autoglass Company LimitedWorkshop 13, 3/F., Yale Industrial Ctr,61-63 Au Pui WanFOTAN, NEW TERRITORIES, Hong Kong

Apps Automotive4/5-7 Ethell RoadKIRRAWEE NSW 2232Ph: 02 9521 1655 Fax: 02 9545 4018

Autobarn Warners BayWarners Bay Homemaker Centre,240-260 Hillborough RoadWARNERS BAY NSW 2282Ph: 02 4953 7461 Fax: 02 4953 7068

Autopro MalagaUnit 2, 1915 Beach RoadMALAGA WA 6090Ph: 08 9249 4288 Fax: 08 9249 7511

BPT MotorsportUnit 13/9 Inspiration DriveWANGARA WA 6065Ph: 08 9302 3415 Fax: 08 9303 4261

CarbonartPO Box 1203GWELUP WA 6018Ph: 0438 382 797

C-Red Tuning8 Tilli PlaceWELSHPOOL WA 6106Ph: 08 9356 3000

CSC PerformanceUnit 2/40 Prindiville DriveWANGARA WA 6065Ph: 08 9409 2308 Fax: 08 9409 4308

Global EFI4/7 Bailey CresSOUTHPORT QLD 4215Ph: 07 5531 0055 Fax: 07 5531 0277

Gold Coast 4x4 AccessoriesUnit 12, 110 Kortum DriveBURLEIGH HEADS QLD 4220Ph: 07 5535 9223 Fax: 07 5535 9270

Griffith Hack Patent & Trade MarkAttorneysLevel 10, 167 Eagle StreetBRISBANE QLD 4000Ph: 07 3221 7200 Fax: 07 3221 1245

Kwinana Performance & Mechanical10 Arkwright RoadROCKINGHAM WA 6168Ph: 08 9529 3636 Fax: 08 9529 3630

Macs Engineering Group1C Victoria StMACKAY QLD 4740Ph: 07 4951 6555 Fax: 07 4951 6546

Mainline Dynolog DynamometersUnit 3/35 Violet StreetREVESBY NSW 2212Ph: 02 9773 8222 Fax: 02 9773 8122

MCE Motorsports Group63 Innovation CircuitWANGARA WA 6065Ph: 08 9303 4990 Fax: 08 9303 4995

Molnar Engineering Pty Ltd16-20 Coglin StreetBROMPTON SA 5007Ph: 08 8346 6893 Fax: 08 8346 0097

Pedders Suspension Port AdelaideCnr Coburg & Grand Junction RoadALBERTON SA 5015Ph: 08 8447 6344 Fax: 08 8447 6323

Ross Tuffbond5/16 Forge StreetBLACKTOWN NSW 2148Ph: 02 9676 1466 Fax: 02 9672 8939

Rotomotion Engineers517b Bickley RoadMADDINTON WA 6109Ph: 08 9452 1500 Fax: 08 9452 1644

Steinbauer Tuning Technologies Australia9 Loundoun RoadDALBY QLD 4405Ph: 07 4669 0693 Fax: 07 4669 0699

TaipanXP1/15 Hutchinson StreetBURLEIGH HEADS QLD 4220Ph: 07 5593 5225 Fax: 07 5593 5215

TEMA Pty Ltd10-12 Yatala RoadMT KURING-GAI NSW 2080Ph: 02 9457 0060

The 4WD Shop18 Latham StreetMORNINGTON VIC 3931Ph: 03 5975 5533 Fax: 03 5975 7744

The Ultimate SuspensionUnit 1, No 2 Noonan RoadINGLEBURN NSW 2565Ph: 02 9603 7677 Fax: 02 9603 7249

T & R Green Automotive393 Sevenoaks StreetBECKENHAM WA 6107Ph: 08 9451 6193 Fax: 08 9451 6193

WA Performance & Service Centre10 Blamey PlaceOCONNOR WA 6163Ph: 08 9331 2122 Fax: 08 9331 4855

NEW MEMBERS CALENDAR

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NEWS

This new convenient location inSpringwood gives us significantly increasedability to store stock and supply to local andcountry customers in a timely and cost effectiveway for our growing customer base, StateManager for Queensland, Gary Waterson, said.

It comes off the back of Command Auto

Groups warehouse opening in Melbourne lastyear.

Command Auto Group now has a stockedwarehouse in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane,Perth and Adelaide.

This new location makes Command AutoGroup a true national supplier offering full

service and support to customers Australia wide.Command Auto Groups Queensland

warehouse is located at 3/3401 PacificHighway, Springwood, Queensland, 4127.

For more information call 07 3290 5921 oremail [email protected]

Command Auto Group is continuing the ongoing expansion of its Australia-wide on time distribution by opening

a new warehouse in Brisbane, Queensland.

COMMAND OPENS QUEENSLANDWAREHOUSE


AIR FILTER ECONOMY GAINS

The top-selling filter range is being supported by Ryco shelf wobblers,posters and counter mats as point-of-sale promoters for resellers to liftsales by pushing the fuel saving message.

The claim of an up to 10 percent gain in fuel economy is based onresearch carried out by Ryco working in conjunction with Herrod MotorSport.

The respected independent engineering company based in Melbourneused air filters that looked relatively clean, tested fuel consumption overa normal driving cycle, fitted a new Ryco filter and repeated the test withthe same degree of accurate fuel measurement.

One of the most import aspects of what this research revealed ishow misleading a so-called clean looking air filter can be, says RycosMarketing Manager, Ross Lamb.

For both trade fitters and DIY enthusiasts, the slight discolourisationof the air filter can be very misleading as to the total performance of thefiltration.

The reality is the cost of the filter can easily be offset by the futuregain in fuel savings.

Mr Lamb said Ryco had proven what many people have long thought.Ryco has the largest range of air filters and, being the market leader,

it is our responsibility to take the lead and give the trade a sound basisof technology which they can quote for cost-effective car care, he said.

The major positive out of all this testing is that we have confirmeby replacing a used air filter with a high quality Ryco air filter, consumecan save some major cash by improving fuel economy.

For more information visit www.rycofilters.com.au or freecall Ryco on1800 804 541.

Australias leading air filter range is now benefiting from a sales promotion informing how regular air filter changes canresult in up to 10 percent gains in fuel economy.

Mr Bryant said the Department had cometo the view that the testing regimes initialrollout in April this year was not in the statesimmediate best interest.

He said that in April the Department ofTransport introduced procedures requiringvehicles which had undergone aftermarketengine and exhaust modifications to besubjected to IM240 emissions testing toensure compliance with regulations that havebeen in force since 2002.

Since this time, it has become

increasingly apparent the testing regime, in itscurrent form, is not well enough understood orsufficiently accessible to merit its compulsorymandating, he said.

Currently there is only one testing facilityaccredited to carrying out the specific IM240test in WA.

This lack of testing facilities coupled withthe long lead-time required to bring morefacilities online has driven the decision tointroduce a moratorium for up to six-monthsso that greater engagement with industry can

be undertaken to inform them of the changesand to improve accessibility.

The Minister for Transport fully endorsthe formation of a broad industry- basecommittee made up of key industry peopledepartmental officials, the RAC and otheexperts to examine and resolve this matter.

It is important to ensure that any futurechanges to the emissions testing regime aredone so in a fully considered and diligenmanner in order to limit any negative impactthat those changes may have, Mr Bryant said

DEPARTMENT TO REVIEW EMISSIONS TESTINGDepartment of Transport General Manager of Licensing, Alastair Bryant, has announced a moratorium for up to six months

on IM240 vehicle emissions testing in Western Australia.

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NEWS

The first is SEMA in November at LasVegas, with PRI to follow during December in

Florida.SEMA is the premier automotive specialtyproducts trade event in the world.

It draws the industrys brightest minds andhottest products to one place, the Las VegasConvention Center.

The show attracts more than 100,000

industry leaders from over 100 countries forunlimited profit opportunities in the

automotive, truck and SUV, and RV markets.SEMA Show 2008 drew more than 50,000domestic and international buyers through twomillion square feet of exhibits.

The displays are segmented into 12sections, and a New Products Showcasefeatured nearly 2000 newly introduced parts,

tools and components.In addition, the SEMA Show provides

attendees with educational seminars, productdemonstrations, special events, networkingopportunities and more.

This will be the seventh year that Whitelinehas displayed at the show and every year provesbigger and better for the Aussie suspensionspecialists.

In 2008, Whiteline won two Global ProductMedia awards and launched many bang foryour buck handling products for the latestmodel WRX, STi, EVO, 350Z, VW Golf, PontiaG8 and Mustang.

This year will see the release of products forthe R35 GTR Skyline, 370Z, MitsubishiRalliart, Camaro plus more.

Whiteline Marketing Manager, Andy Nolan,admits the exposure at the show is great andafter many years as an exhibitor, the Whitelinebrand has gained considerable recognition andcreditability which eventuates into sales.

Each year we attend we understand andappreciate the North American market more,and simply the results get better and better,hesaid.

For more information on the SEMA andPRI shows visit the official websites atwww.semashow.comwww.performanceracing.com

The Whiteline team will once again be making its presence known at this years major USA auto aftermarket shows.WHITELINE EXHIBITING AT SEMA AND PRI


MINISTER GRANTS A NEW LEVEL INRE-MANUFACTURING

Victorias Small Business Minister, JoeHelper, recently visited the Injectronics plantin Hallam, Victoria, to experience firsthandthe state-of-the-art re-manufacturing facilities

and acknowledge the outstandingcommitment to re-manufacturingtransportation electronics.

Injectronics is recognised as Australiaslargest remanufacturer of automotiveelectronics, along with being a world leader inthis category, and continually expands itsrange of products and services to keep abreastof the rapidly changing automotive electronicsmarket.

Vehicle manufacturers are continuallyadopting new technologies in vehicleelectronics, and the challenges torepair/rework/remanufacture this technology is

becoming increasingly difficult requiring newand innovative ways to overcome them andensure the continual supply of products.

Injectronics has recently undertaken a

major investment in state-of-the-artequipment that will revolutionise theremanufacturing industry and take electronicsremanufacturing to a new level.

The acquisition of an Ultrasonic Fine Wirebonder and pull/sheer tester will enable theprecise bonding of ceramic hybrids, atechnology that is being used in many currentmodel vehicles, which are fitted with hybridelectronic control modules.

This process is an improvement on theoriginal process used in the OEMmanufacturing of the modules.

It also ensures products can be re-

manufactured and supplied at the highestquality.

This new equipment will open up many newmarkets and products for Injectronics, and is

the greatest evolution in automotive electronicsfor many years.Injectronics continues to explore local and

export markets in an attempt to take advantageof the huge demand for electronicsremanufacturing around the world.

The company continues to supply thehighest quality remanufactured components tothe local domestic and international markets.

For more information on any of Injectronicsproducts or services contact the sales officeon 03 8792 6999 or visitwww.injectronics.com.au

Injectronics has been presented with a government grant to help with the development of export opportunitiesinto new markets and regions.

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NEWS

PUTTING CONSUMERS IN THEDRIVERS SEAT

Finding a vehicle servicing centre close to home or work that can look after all your mechanical needs and provide anaccurate quotation on the work involved beforehand is often an uphill battle for consumers.

Sales manager Jeff Hastie (pictured) displays some recent arrivalsincluding the 125R12 Cincurato for Fiat, 125R15 Michelin X forCitroen Deux Chevau (illustrated), 205/70R14 Michelin XWX for FerrariDino, 220/55R390 Michelin TRX for BMW and 315/35R17 Sumitomofor Chev Corvette and other American cars.

Stuckey Tyre Service is also the Australian distributor for VintageTyres UK, having immediate access to the entire range of classic andvintage tyres.

This includes Avon tyres (both bias and radial) for Rolls Royce andAston Martin, as well as Dunlop tyres for Jaguar.

In addition the entire range of Michelin X, XAS, XWX and TRX tyresare held in stock for immediate delivery.

For more information visit www.stuckey.com.au or call 03 9386 5331.

Stuckey Tyre Service, reputedly Australias foremost supplier of competition and classic road tyres, has recently takendelivery of some very unique tyre sizes.

STUCKEY STOCKS CLASSICS

But consumers now have an online avenuethat makes the whole car servicing job,whether its general servicing or repairs, easierthan ever.

The website www.carservice.com.auenables users to search for their nearestservice centre based on the make and model oftheir car, get a quick summary on what will bedone at their next service, including a costestimate, and then book the vehicle in online.

With more than 800 active vehicle serviceoutlets on the site around Australia, the siteallows users to contact a service centre directly

to make a booking.

It also has an online forum whereconsumers can ask an expert for specific

advice on their vehicle.This includes queries on workshop andmaintenance issues, mechanical, autoelectrical, wheels and tyres, suspension andbrakes, with designated experts on hand torespond.

Company Chief Executive Officer, Steve

Kloss, said the company wanted to create awebsite that streamlined the whole car serviceand maintenance process for consumers.

So they can look up service and pricinginformation, and quickly find service centresthat fit their criteria within a specificgeographic area, he said.

"Using data sourced from manufacturershandbooks, consumers can go on the website,search their car make and model, select theservice required, and receive an onlinesummary.

This includes the estimated work time and

cost, a description of what will be done to thevehicle during the service, the parts andlubricants required, and other possible costs.

Consumers clicking on a service centre linkcan also find out the size of the serviceoperation, the facilities and services available,such as whether there is a waiting room orcourtesy bus.

And site users can rate individual servicecentres and provide general comments basedon the service level received, which are thenvisible to other site users.

Consumers can call service centres via atoll free 1800 number or via Skype, or they

can call 1800 631 990 and acarservice.com.au operator will transfer themto an appropriate service centre.

A new interactive booking system hasrecently been added that allows consumers tosee what days are available, and book theirvehicle in online.

It really is giving consumers somewhere go to understand more about servicing and tresearch the level and quality of service thecan expect, Mr Kloss said.

Our company slogan is servicing you anyour car, because carservice.com.au is alabout providing consumers with thinformation they need to make an informedecision when they need to service theivehicle.

Mr Kloss said the site is also beneficial focar service outlets because it provides themwith qualified leads that are targeted

traceable and measurable.We have the number one ranking iGoogle for keyword searches on phrases sucas car service, car servicing, Ford car serviceand many more, he stated.

This means that service centres donneed to gain skills in complicated online acampaigns or pay expensive search enginmanagement fees.

The site has created a level playing fielfor all automotive service and repair serviccentres to advertise, no matter the size of theibusiness.

Carservice.com.au is wholly owned a

operated by Pentana Solutions, which employmore than 370 staff across the Asia Pacific.Pentana Solutions is a leading

communications and information technologcompany that specialises in the developmenof software services and solutions for thautomotive and associated industries.

A new interactive bookingsystem has recently been added

that allows consumers to seewhat days are available, andbook their vehicle in online.


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NEWS

Albins will be attending PRI to display itscapabilities to produce individual gears, axles,drive flanges and ring and pinions right throughto complete unit, sequential shift transmissions.

Albins Off Road Gear is an AustralianProprietary Limited company that specialises inthe design and manufacture of drivetraincomponents. Albins has been manufacturinghigh performance gears for more than 25 yearsand has been an AAAA and PRTC member forthree years.

Utilising ISO 9001 2000 certifiedmanufacturing techniques, the Albins team ofover 40 employees implements up-to-the-minute design trends to create product that iscurrently in use in such places as Dakar Rally,

Baja 1000, Australian V8 Supercars as well asvarious European and Australasian RallyChampionships.

The Albins product starts life long before thedesign process. All material is hand picked andstored in Albins own steel warehouse on-siteafter independent metallurgical tests carried outon each bar of stock.

Albins design wing houses six full-timedesign engineers including an electronicsengineer. Manufacturing is carried out on state

of the art CNC mills, lathes and Gear CuttingEquipment. As part of Albins ISO 9001 2000quality program, Albins has incorporated

computer operated gear profile checkingmachines and a five-axis CNC Co-ordinateMeasuring Machine which can checkdimensions of components and reverse engineerthem into the digital domain where they can bechecked against original CAD models.

Through the use of these processes, Albinscan observe natural changes in physicalcharacteristics after heat treatment and makechanges to the original design to compensatefor such changes. The end result is a product

closer to perfection and one, which gives it asignificant point of difference againstcompetitors in the global marketplace.

Albins currently exports more than 90percent of its product and is looking forward tothe AAAA trade mission to PRI as a way ofexploring new markets and diversifying fromtheir existing foothold in the USA markethowever Albins still has a healthy domesticmarket that includes component manufacturefor various V8 Supercar teams.

For more information contact Albins viawww.albins.com.au or phone 03 5335 8022

ALBINS HEADS TO THE STATESAlbins Off Road Gear has committed to active involvement with the AAAA USA Export Cluster Group and is gearing up

for its first visit to the PRI show in Orlando, USA in December.

The company is reputedly the countryslargest producer of standard and enhancedperformance rotors and DBAs National Salesand Marketing Director, Martin Peart, said theDBA Direct number was a great way to talk tocustomers and potential customers about whatit knows best: brakes.

Theres no charge for the service, andpeople dont have to be in the process offitting a set of our rotors when they call, hesaid.

We want to talk to people across the trade,to help them through technical problems andproduct queries, to give them suggestions and to listen to their suggestions.

Mr Peart said staying in touch witheveryday needs at every level of the trade hasalways been a DBA strongpoint.

He believes the main users of the newservice will include the companys nationaldistributors, plus resellers, major chains, andfitters right down to those working at thesmallest of workshops.

People who want to become resellers will

likely use DBA Direct as a point of firstcontact.

Most callers will deal first with DBAscustomer service team. If the inquiry requiresmore than basic product information, they willquickly be put through to fully qualifiedtechnical support.

And it will all happen immediately! MrPeart stressed.

If there is any doubt at all, dont hesitateto call. After more than 30 years, were still

here and keen to help.The new phone line 1800 73 00 39 will operate from 8am to 5pm (EST) nationally.

To back up the DBA Direct initiative, thecompany is stepping up its regular visits to thetrade and will be distributing a full range oftrade oriented point of sale material, includingcatalogues, brochures and posters.

A self standing tent card for desks andcounter tops highlights the new number andincludes a 2009 and 2010 calendar.

On the reverse side of the tent card is ahandy Disc Rotor Suitability Chart. This

features a matrix of different uses (passenger,performance, motorsports, 4WD/SUV andCommercial) and lines them up with suitablerotors from the extensive DBA series.

With facilities across four states and soonto be five, DBA is dedicated to the highestlevels of service, and to constant improvementin the design, development and quality ofautomotive rotors.

This commitment has been recognised witha string of plaudits, most recently with the

2009 gold Excellence in Manufacturingaward from the Australian AutomotiveAftermarket Association.

Mr Peart said DBA Direct provides yeanother way of communicating with the tradeand expanding knowledge about DBAs broadrange of standard and premium rotors.

The message is clear: for all yourdisc brake inquiries, ring DBADirect on1800 73 00 39, he said.

More information can be found at Disc BrakesAustralias website www.dba.com.au

DBA TAKES THE DIRECT APPROACHDisc Brakes Australia (DBA) is awaiting your call after launching a new national 1800 phone number to

answer braking queries.


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Google Australia has released its Google GlobalAutomotive Study Australia 2009, which examines

the way Australian consumers research theirautomotive purchases.Netpop Research conducted the survey for

Google Australia, surveying 501 adult new carbuyers (55 percent male, 45 percent female) and510 used car buyers (51 percent male, 49 percentfemale) across the nation.

The study shows that consumers obtaininformation from a suite of sources when makingthe decision to buy a car.

When making a large purchase, such as a car,51 percent of all new and used car buyers start theirresearch online with 88 percent using the internetat some stage, and 48 percent of new car buyerssaid the internet was influential in discovering newvehicle brands.

Other sources where people obtain informationinclude video from online video hosting sites likeYouTube and on car manufacturers websites.

A third of new car buyers who researched onlinerely on user-generated content with consumerratings and reviews the most popular, while thestudy found just over a quarter start their researchat car dealerships.

When searching online, a staggering 79 percentof people surveyed said they entered specific brandkeywords, such as Toyota or Mazda.

This reinforces that brand awareness buildsoffline as part of wider media campaigns.

The people surveyed considered an average of3.4 brands, with Toyota the brand most considered.When it comes to other sources that influence

consumers decisions, the findings show thatpeople power is key.

Family and friends were cited as a keyinfluencer with 36 percent of people looking for

new cars and 51percent of people looking for usedcars. This trend is slowly declining.The car salesman is still important with 42

percent of people saying they were influential ingetting them to change their choice of dealer, forbetter or for worse.

Most people still go to the car dealership toarrange a test drive (car purchasers go on 2.9 testdrives on average), providing the opportunity for acar salesman to influence a purchasers decision.

Research showed about two thirds of peoplelooking for new or old cars had not decided whichmodel to buy when they set out looking for a car.

Auto Industry Marketing Manager, ColinBarnard, said the influence of a salesmandefinitely helped a customer decide which carthey buy.

Car manufacturers need to consider how theycan reach their customers online before they stepinto the dealership to make their final decision,he said.

Mr Barnard noted the emerging trend in usingvideo content for research.

There is a huge opportunity for carmanufacturers to utilise their existing TVCs(commercials) online where people areresearching, he said.

The automotive area is saturated as far asoffline advertising goes, which has resulted in

strong brand awareness.Its important to continue that momentumonline, which is evidently where customers aretaking their next step in the purchasing cycle.

CAR BUYERS HEAD ONLINENew research shows automotive customers search online and don't mind taking

advice from the car salesman.


NEWS

The PRI Trade Show takes place fromDecember 10 to 12, 2009, in the North/SouthBuilding of the Orange County ConventionCenter in Orlando, Florida, USA.

Trade show co-ordinator, Nicole Harless, isworking diligently to keep up with the volumeof completed registration forms from themailing to companies that attended last yearsPRI Trade Show.

For added convenience, these forms werealready pre-populated with the informationfrom last year, and just needed to be adjustedfor new attendees, signed and returned viapostage-paid mail or by fax.

When I can't see my desk, I know the PRI

Trade Show registration blitz is in gear, and atfull throttle, Ms Harless said.

And now the mailing of the jam-packed 20-page, full-color pre-registration brochure to50,000 racing retailers, race engine builders,professional race teams, motorsportsengineers, warehouse distributors, race carbuilders and other racing businesses is now inprogress - another major avalanche is headingto Nicoles office!

To avoid the long lines at the show,attendees should preregister now.

Visit www.performanceracing.com/tradeshow/ to download a registration form.

An avalanche of credential requests are pouring in from the recent specialVIP mailing for the 22nd annual Performance Racing Industry Trade Show in

Orlando, Florida, USA.

PRI PERFORMS

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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUTLUBRICANTS FOR AUTOMOTIVE GEARBOXES

Their primary function is to match the speedof the engine to the drive axle or to match thespeed of the axles to the wheels or to changethe direction of the drive train. The demandsmade on the lubricants used in gearboxes andthe components in them are as diverse as thegearbox designs and applications.

These demands are weighted andformulated differently from one manufacturerto another.

This explains the large number of differentspecifications and oil grades on the market.

However, lubrication technology today is inthe position to allow universally applicablerationalisation products to be used in the vastmajority of gearboxes.

Rationalisation of products can help to avoidthe danger of incorrect oils being used, whichmay result in gearbox damage, and also simplifyplanning and stock keeping.

Gearboxes today make great demands on theperformance of a lubricant and only the correctamount of the high quality oil should be used.

Too little oil (below the minimum mark) canlead to dangerously high oil temperaturesbecause of inadequate lubrication.

The result is accelerated wear, particledeposits and leaks due to damaged seals.

The overfilling of gearboxes should also beavoided. Overfilling results in overheating, oilfoaming and excess housing pressures, whichcan lead to leakages past oil seals and throughgearbox venting systems.

Lubricant TypesGearboxes are lubricated with a variety of

different oils, which satisfy the demands of thedifferent gearbox types.

These days, vehicle gear oils almost allcontain a large proportion of additives.

In the past, a distinction was sometimesmade between low-additive, high-additive andextremely high-additive gear oils.

These distinctions are no longer necessarythese days because each classification andspecification issued by manufacturers andorganisations is exactly defined.

Twenty or more years ago, gear oils couldsometimes cause sealing materials to becomebrittle or soften and may have causednonferrous corrosion (normally yellow metals).

Back then, the description low-additivewas an indication of good sealing materialcompatibility.

In spite of much greater additive levels,lubricants today are mostly compatible withsealing materials and manufacturers approvals

require comprehensive seal-compatibility teststo be performed.

Some guidelines still require non-resinating or acid-free gear oils to be used butall gear oils today naturally satisfy suchrequirements.

The specification and classification of gearoils is still performed by manufacturers andumbrella organisations.

Engine oilsHD engine oils are used relatively often ingearboxes and gearbox-hydraulic systems innon-automotive machinery.

There are also some (older) passenger carsand motorcycles on the roads in which engineoil is also used for gearbox lubrication.

In motorcycles with such combined engine-gearbox applications, the lubricants areprimarily multigrade engine oils, which satisfythe demands of the engine as well as thegearbox.

If the motorcycle clutch also runs in oil,then special lubricants are necessary which can

cope with the high shearing forces and thespecial frictional demands of clutches.The use of a pure car engine oil in such

motorcycles can cause severe damage to theengine and transmission.

Otherwise, pure engine oils are often usedin the gearboxes and gearbox-hydraulic systemsof commercial vehicles, construction andstationary machinery whose design does notrequire a high-additive gear oil.

In such cases, monograde oils are the mostcommon choice. And even hydraulictransmission brakes such as Intarders orRetarders can be operated with engine oils.

Manual Transmission Fluids (MTF)Apart from classic wear reduction, the oils i

todays manual gearboxes perform a number functions, one of which determines drivincomfort by influencing shifting quality.

In general, manual gearboxes are fitted witdry clutches and the frictional characteristics othe lubricant is exactly matched to thesynchromesh (if fitted) requirements. Manual geoils are therefore not suitable for wet clutches.

As manual gearboxes use a whole host osynchromeshing materials such as sintered nonferrous metals, aluminium and carbon thuniversal synchromesh component compatibiliof the corresponding oils is a key factor.

The necessary wear protection is dictated bthe location of the gearbox and the tooth formused.

Classic transverse front wheel drive uniseldom have hypoid gears and thus make loweEP demands than in-line set-ups with hypoiaxles which require the maximum weprotection. However, the rule stating the highethe wear protection, the lower the ageing stabilit

applies. The spread of typical manual gearbox oviscosities is large.

Axle oilsAs axles are generally fixed ratio gearbox

without frictional elements, special frictioncharacteristics as in gear oils are not required.

On the other hand, the hypoid gears in axle(low-speed wear, sliding and thus very higsurface pressures) require outstanding Anti-We(AW) and Extreme Pressure (EP) properties.

This can only be achieved with higconcentrations of sulphur compounds, which iturn makes them unsuitable for wet clutches o

Vehicles and machinery can be equipped with gearboxes of various types and design.


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NEWS

synchromesh gearboxes.In spite of their good wear protection, axle oils

must also display good ageing stability madenecessary by longer oil change intervals or evenfilled-for-life applications.

As emission thresholds for vehicles aretightened, efficiency optimisation is also

beginning to focus on ancillaries such as gear oils.Todays gear oils are optimised with syntheticbase oils and contain selected friction modifiersto keep frictional losses to a minimum.

Axles with limited slip differentials usuallyrequire oils with Limited Slip (LS) additives toreduce wear and noise in the differential unit.

With the introduction of dynamically-controlled drive trains, more and more electronicor self-adjusting differential brakes are beingfitted to differentials.

Some designs use a separate oil for thedifferential brakes while others use the same axleoil for the brakes and the gears.

This, in turn, makes new demands on thefriction characteristics of the oil which are exactlyspecified.

Automatic Transmission Fluids (ATF)ATFs are special functional fluids for

automatic gearboxes. As multi-speed automaticboxes use mild planetary gears (more toothcontact per gear ratio spreads load better), thevery high wear protection offered by manualtransmission oils is not required.

The EP/AW characteristics of ATFs aregenerally below those of manual transmission oils.

On the other hand, ATFs are specially

formulated to satisfy the demands of wet clutchesand brakes as well as torque converters.In some special cases, ATF is used for certain

manual synchromesh gearboxes or gearbox-hydraulic systems if they are designed forproducts offering low AW protection.

The co-efficient of friction in the oil-lubricatedclutches and brake bands is a vital factor for thesatisfactory operation of automatic gearboxes.

The shifting behaviour of the box isdetermined by the clutch and brake bandmaterials used as well as the ATF type.

No generally accepted classification of ATFsexists because automatic gearbox manufacturers

determine individual co-efficient of frictionrequirements and issue manufacturerspecifications.

Continuously Variable Transmission Fluids(CVTF)

CVTFs are similar to ATFs but in addition totheir ATF properties, they are speciallyformulated to provide the necessary frictionparameters in the variator pulley belt metal-to-metal contact zones.

As CVTs normally use powerful hydraulicpumps (to set and lock the pulley ratios), CVTFs

have to display particularly good foamsuppression and excellent air release to avoidcavitation in the hydraulic pump.

At present, so-called Toroidal gearboxes(CVT-T) are being tested in which torque iscontinuously transferred via rollers and a toroidalgearbox disc.

As opposed to belt CVTs where a mechanicaltransfer of power takes place, here the oiltransfers power between the toroidal disc andthe rollers. These gearboxes cannot use normal

AFT or CVTF but have to run on a specialtraction fluid.

Multifunctional oilsParticularly in the case of agricultural

machinery with their large number of oil-lubricated systems and gearboxes, there is astrong rationalisation case to be made for usingspecial lubricants called multifunctional oilsfor a number of circuits.

Multifunctional oils are lubricants, whichcombine the characteristics and application.

These multifunctional oils represent acompromise between type of oil andapplication area and should be selectedaccording to their respective merits for aparticular application.

Fuchs Application Engineers will be glad toassist you in selecting the optimum lubricantfor your application.

To place an order or for more information,please contact Fuchs Customer Service on1800 1800 13 for your nearest distributor.

As emission thresholds forvehicles are tightened, efficiency

optimisation is also beginning to focuson ancillaries such as gear oils.

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INTERNATIONAL NEWSAUTOMECHANIKA MIDDLE EAST REPORT

Thirteen Australian exhibitors were part ofa 144-square metre Australian Pavilion at theAutomechanika Middle East Exhibition, heldin Dubai from May 31 to June 2, 2009.

The pavilion was identified with AustralianTrade Commission (Austrade) approvedgraphics depicting a distinctively Australiantheme.

Twenty two staff manned the AustralianPavilion, including three local representatives.The number of Australian exhibitors was lessthan in 2008, but the pavilion was the samesize.

Some of the companies which were part ofthe mission include Automotive Parks, AZNEWFuel Injector Services, Dyno Dynamics,Injectronics, Kaymar 4WD Accessories andPremier Auto Trade.

The Australian Automotive AftermarketAssociation (AAAA) occupied a stand in theAustralian Pavilion to encourage show visitorsto interact with Australian exhibitors andpromote Australian automotive aftermarketmanufacturers.

The AAAA Exporters Directory, withcapability statements from more than 100leading Australian aftermarket manufacturersand wholesalers, was freely distributedtogether with a specific Exhibitor Directory.

The main objectives of the ExhibitorMission were to further understand theautomotive aftermarket in the Middle East andNorth Africa, to be properly prepared for exportopportunities in the region and to source leadsfor potential business relationships in theregion.

The mission was also designed to appointregional distributors for Australianmanufactured automotive aftermarketproducts, provide economic efficiencies inrespect to promotional activities, freight ofdisplay materials and display space at theexhibition, to assist with market awareness,and to facilitate networking activity with fellowindustry participants during and beyond theexhibition.

Automechanika Middle East 2009 wasinaugurated by His Highness Sheikh Ahmedbin Saeed Al Maktoum.

The Automechanika Middle East Exhibitionfirst exhibited in Dubai in 2003 with 119exhibitors from 16 countries attracting 5176visitors.

Within six years it has grown to attract morethan 15,000 visitors and defies the globalfinancial crisis because it is one of the fastestgrowing world stage automotive aftermarketexhibitions.

Following the successful participation ofAustralian companies on the national stand atthis years show, the AAAA will once again takea group of exhibitors to Dubai in 2010.

If the Middle East and its surroundingregions is your target market, thenAutomechanika Middle East is the only show,which will provide you with necessary platformto gain market access.

Please send an email to [email protected] secure your space on the pavilion or toexpress your interest.

Martini Racing Chief Executive Officer,Tony Cuschieri, said the companys range of

competition fluids were popular with the

Singaporean motorsport market but were hardto get hold of.

We have supplied many people over therebut due to the high shipping charges, its notcost effective to cater for quantities less thana pallet, Mr Cuschieri said.

Our products have been welcomed withthose looking for the edge. Now with astocking agent, the locals can easily get theproduct instead of ringing us and having itair freighted over.

Henry Lim from Cosmic Racing is nowour sole distributor throughout Singapore,meaning hes got the authority to promote theentire product range.

And after a successful inaugural year,

Powertec has signed on for another year as thofficial distributor of Martini Racing produc

in Dubai.Reselling Oil and Race Fuel back to thOil Fields, Mr Cuschieri noted.

Martini Racing, which supplies more tha400 independent workshops in Melbournalone, is also in discussions with distributorin the UK and the US.

The company prides itself on being 100percent Australia owned and operated, with itproducts developed and tested in Australia.

Martini Racing is seeking stockists aninterstate distributors.

For more information phone 03 9763 0977.

Melbourne-based Martini Racing has engaged Singapore distributor Cosmic Racing for the Asian market to better accessthe companys product range.

MARTINI EXPANDS DISTRIBUTION


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INTERNATIONAL NEWSAUTO SALES ARE BOOMING IN CHINA

Celebrating its fifth edition, Automechanika Shanghai will take placefrom December 9 to 11 2009 at Shanghai New International Expo Centre,China.

To date, the show has already attracted more than 1800 exhibitors fromcountries and regions including Brazil, China, Germany, Hong Kong, India,Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Singapore, Spain,Taiwan, Turkey, UK and USA.

The exhibition area will be almost 100,000 square metres toaccommodate the expected record number of 2000 plus exhibitors.

Automechanika Shanghai, Asias number one trade show for automotiveparts, equipment and service suppliers, continues to receive strong supportfrom international trade associations as well as local and overseascompanies.

Many leading maintenance equipment manufacturers are exhibitingincluding Corghi, Dali Equipment, Ever-Eternal, JinHua Industrial Group,Launch Tech, MAXIMA and Snap-on.

Analysts of JP Morgan believe China is at the start of another auto salesboom that is being stimulated by rising incomes in third-tier cities such asXian and Chengdu.

The repair and maintenance market is also being propelled by an upsurgeof car purchase.

According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM),the auto output and sales in China set a half-year record high in the first sixmonths of this year.

From January to June, Chinas auto sales reached more than six millionunits, up by more than 17 percent year on year, while nearly six million vehicleswere produced in the period, up by more than 15 percent year on year.

The increases are attributed to a series of government stimulus measuresto boost domestic consumption.

CAAM predicts that China auto sales in the second half of 2009 may reach

more than 11 million vehicles, higher than its April forecast of 10 million units.Sales in the first half of this year have already made China the worldslargest automobile market and CAAM believes that this could be a lastingtrend.

Automechanika Shanghai is one of 13 global Automechanika fairs held inAsia, Europe, North America, South America and Africa.

For further information, visit www.automechanika-shanghai.com or [email protected]

AUTOMECHANIKA MOSCOWAutomechanika Moscow and MIMS, the international trade fair for

automobiles, automobile parts and accessories, will unite in 2010 inresponse to the industry's demand to combine the strengths of the twoevents into a single trade fair.

Both events reflect the dynamic automobile market and aftermarket inRussia and encompasses all sectors of the automobile industry rangingfrom the latest models produced by international vehicle manufacturers tospare parts, accessories and workshop equipment.

The Russian automobile market is widely recognised as one of the mostattractive in the world in terms of future potential.

Its growth is driven by a mixture of domestic and international brands.This provides a huge number of suppliers and spare-parts manufacturerswith opportunities for expansion.

MIMS' expertise and focus on the Russian automobile industry,combined with Automechanika's global recognition and worldwide reachwill benefit exhibitors and visitors from 2010.

AUTOMECHANIKA FRANKFURTMany renowned companies have already signed up for the leading

international trade fair, which takes place from September 14 to 19,2010.

Registrations have been received for significantly more exhibition space- altogether more than 100,000 square metres - than at the comparabletime before the least event.

Automechanika Frankfurt Director, Thomas Aukamm, said the numberof registrations already received was a clear vote of confidence in the fair.

Taking part in leading international trade fairs seems to be essentialeven in times of budget cuts and consolidation, he said.

Despite the difficult economic situation, most companies are lookingto the future and say that they want to be there when the internationalautomotive sector meets in Frankfurt next year.

Up to June 15, exhibitors of the last Automechanika could register atthe same price per square metre as in 2008 if they booked a stand of thesame size or bigger.

Many national and international companies from the automobile sectorhave taken advantage of the Loyalty Price offered by Messe Frankfurt andbooked their exhibition space for 2010.

Exhibitors can still register for the fair by post or online atwww.easyorder.messefrankfurt.com

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WHITELINE WEBSITE REVAMPEDThe highly anticipated and long overdue revamp of the Whiteline website is now online and proving a winner amongst the

Whiteline community.The website www.whiteline.com.au takes

on the latest look of the brand and includes allthe latest vehicles and products with many

new features to make the online Whitelineexperience an awesome one.Key features include a keyword search,

allowing customers to search by part number,vehicle and terminology and detailed productinformation with application notes, related

magazine articles and customer testimonials.There is also a vehicle search, where the

relevant products are displayed and

downloadable install guides plus estimatedinstall times.Users can research and log items on their

own Wishlist, which they can then email to afriend, themselves or their nearest Whitelinedealer for a quote.

Whiteline Performance Centres anddealers are listed on the site, a Whiteline videochannel showcases key products and vehicles

and there is a tech section with technicalpapers and suspension information.

Whitelines revamped website can be found atwww.whiteline.com.au

If youre looking to grow your businesswith products that are a necessity to avehicles suspension maintenance, you couldbe a distribution centre for very successfulAustralian made products.

Not as well known in the southern statesof Australia, Dobinsons Spring andSuspension is a family owned and operatedcoil and leaf spring manufacturing businessbased in Queensland.

Dobinsons Spring and Suspension,established in 1953, is well placed to takethe spring manufacturing business on foranother 56 years.

With Dobinsons having a strong clientelebase in Queensland, they have recentlyopened a warehouse in Sydney to havereadily available stock for the southern states.

Its quality springs and suspensionproducts are currently exported to more than

40 countries worldwide.Dobinsons have more than 4600 coil

springs in their range and also boast one of

the worlds largest range of 4x4 spring andsuspension componentry includingperformance coil spring (lowered, standardand raised for passenger vehicles, 4x4 coil

leaf spring, 4x4 shock absorber and steerindampers, 4x4 shackles, U-bolts, bush kitsand torsion bars and heavy truck springs an

suspension components.

To register your interest call Dobinsons Sprinand Suspension on 07 4927 7444.

The company announced the sale of its500,000th electronic rust protection systemin 2009 and with new distributors in NorthAmerica and the Middle East, the Couplertecsuccess story continues.

With a new General Manager, Grant Taylor,providing a fresh new impetus for thecompanys continued growth and expansion,an additional Business DevelopmentManager, Andrew Slaski, has also beenappointed to assist in developing and growingnew markets.

The growth has also been recognised withan Australian manufacturers exporter award

in the Gold Coast Business Awards.Couplertec is always looking for strategicretail alliances and retail relationships toenable consumers throughout Australia, andthroughout the world to buy its products, MrTaylor said.

Consumers can buy direct online atwww.couplertec.com.au or we also have manyretail channels which is always growing withretailers and installers.

Anyone who wants to becomean authorised Couplertec seller andinstaller is welcome to email us [email protected].

Couplertec is a proud Australian companemploying Australians and with internationpatents pending the future is bright foCouplertec.

SPRING DISTRIBUTORS WANTED

COUPLERTEC EXPANDS

If you are a parts business, tyre and underbody specialist or a spring and suspension shop, this could be a lucrativeopportunity for you.

Couplertec directors Garry Bell and Michael Cleary have announced that thecompany will be moving to larger premises on Queenslands Gold Coast.


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WHITELINE JIM ON TYRES AND SUSPENSIONWhat have tyres got to do with suspension systems?

The job of a suspension system (anysuspension system) is to maximise the gripfrom the tyres while maintaining acceptableride comfort for the passengers.

All the good work we do revolves aroundmaking the best of what the tyre has available,regardless of the individual tyre brand, qualityor size.

Therefore the aim of the suspension is tokeep as much of the tyre in contact with theroad as possible when turning, braking andeven driving in a straight line.

It is both the beginning and end of all thathappens in suspension and chassis design.

Tyre width, wider is better right?Not always. It is quite easy to over tyre a

car. A tyres width is designed by themanufacturer to work in with the suspensiongeometry and vehicles weight.

Increasing the width of the tyre mayincrease the contact patch but because theweight of the car is the same, the force appliedper square millimetre of tyre area contactpatch is actually reduced.

The shape of the contact patch will alsochange under these circumstances,sometimes to the detriment of lateral(cornering) grip.

This is particularly relevant to small (readlight) four-cylinder performance cars wherewider rubber of a similar compound to theoriginal tyre will often handle worse than theoriginal.

A useful remedy here is to fit a largerWhiteline Swaybar to transfer more weight orload to the drive wheels under cornering roll.

Tyre width can also be a problem when theextra width grows out from the wheel hub face.

This is one of the least understood bumost common problems encountered wheupgrading wheels and tyres with the moscommon symptom being the new tyres rubbinon the guards.

Wheel offset is the real issue here but thewrong offset coupled with excessive width the wrong direction becomes a nightmare oall fronts.

The ejector, which is a small refrigerantinjector, contributes to an overall reduction inpower consumption. The system will beinstalled on the new Toyota Prius.

Akio Shikamura, who is the managingofficer responsible for Densos ThermalSystems Business Group, said the companyhas accelerated its efforts to develop moreefficient air conditioning systems with theincreasing demand for technologies to reducecarbon dioxide emissions and environmentpreservation.

The new air conditioning system reducesthe compressors power consumption by upto about 25 percent, compared toconventional car air conditioning systems,and thus contributes to fuel savings, he said.

Mr Shikamura said much of the energyconsumed by a vehicles air conditioningsystem is used by the compressor tocompress the refrigerant.

In conventional air conditioning systems,an expansion valve is used to reduce the

pressure of the refrigerant before passing itthrough the evaporator to cool the air, hesaid.

Densos new system uses an ejectorinstead of an expansion valve.

The ejector recovers expansion energy,which was previously lost in the expansionvalve, and converts it into pressure energy.

This reduces the compressors workloadand helps reduce the air conditioners overallpower consumption.

Denso has applied ejector technology totruck refrigeration units and household CO2heat-pump water heaters.

Previously, the conventional ejector wasnot small enough to be installed in vehicle airconditioning systems.

The company overcame this challengewith its new air conditioning system byintegrating the ejector into the evaporatortank, where refrigerant flows.

This new design eliminates the need forthe ejector to have a thicker structure to

withstand external pressure and alsoeliminates pipe connection parts needed toconnect the ejector with the evaporator, whichhelps reduce the size of the ejector.

The ejector cycle system evaporator (ECSevaporator), which is equivalent to the size ofa conventional evaporator, can also be appliedto conventional air conditioning systems.

The ECS evaporator was displayed atDenso's booth at the Automotive TechnologyExposition in Pacifico Yokohama, Japan inMay.

Denso Corporation claims it has developed the worlds first passenger vehicleair conditioning system that uses ejector technology.

EJECTOR TECHNOLOGY USED


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PROTECTING YOUR IDENTITY

Answer: As with all of these successfulcompanies, your business is probably also usinga trademark that helps you to stand out from

the pack and be recognised and rememberedby your customers.In many cases, a trademark can be the most

important asset of a business.However, some businesses in the

automotive industry may not have thoughtabout protecting their trademarks and may noteven appreciate that they are actually using atrademark.

This article will help identify some of thecommon mistakes that Australian businessescan make in respect of their trademarks, andhow to ensure that you use and protect yourtrademark correctly in the marketplace.

What is a trademark?A trademark is a sign used to distinguish

someones goods or services from those of theircompetitors in the marketplace.

The most obvious type of trademark is amark consisting of a word, combination ofwords or a series of letters.

In the automotive industry, some obviousexamples are Rolls Royce, Alfa Romeo, BMWand Repco.

However, trademarks also include logos,shapes and colours. Indeed, each of thetrademarks mentioned are represented in

distinctive styles and have specific coloursassociated with them.Trademarks can also include shapes,

signatures, numerals, even scents and sounds anything, which identifies your business orproducts and distinguishes you from yourcompetitors.

Even if you are using your own name youmay still be using it as a trademark i.e. as asign to distinguish your business from yourcompetitors in the marketplace.

If you make and sell automotive parts, thenyou may be using a number of trademarks including your main trademark (or house mark think Ford, Holden) and additional trademarksfor the specific products that you sell (thinkFalcon, Commodore, Mondeo, Barina).

If the product that you make is a distinctiveshape or colour that is recognised in theindustry by reference to that shape or colour,then you may also be using that shape or colouras a trademark.

Once a business realises that it is using atrademark in the marketplace or if a newtrademark is being contemplated, there are anumber of simple but important steps that itcan take to properly protect the mark and avoidinfringing anyone elses trademark rights in themarketplace:

Business name registrations wont protect youOne of the most common misconceptions

that a business can make if it is using a nameother than its own personal or company name isto register that name as a business name in thebelief that it provides some kind of protection.This can cause two problems: No protection a business name registration

does not of itself give you any enforceablerights against a third party, as it is simply astate-based legal requirement if you aretrading in a name other than your own legalname (however, your use of the businessname may create enforceable common lawrights, depending upon the extent to whichyou have created an awareness or reputationin the marketplace, in respect of that name).

You could infringe a trademark When youapply to register a business name, the stateor territory government department will notcheck to see if anyone has already registeredthe same or similar name as a trademark. So,it is important that you conduct additionalresearch when you register your businessname. Otherwise, you could be infringingsomeone else's trademark registrationthrough use of your business name.

Trademark creation think distinctiveIf you are creating a new trademark, note that

the trademark must be remembered by yourcustomers in the marketplace if it is to functioneffectively as a trademark. It helps if thetrademark does not directly describe the goods orservices to which the mark is applied, as adescriptive trademark is very difficult to registeras a trademark. Some of the best and mostmemorable trademarks in the automotiveindustry are ones that are either invented orotherwise do not describe the relevantgoods/services directly such as Recaro seats,Champion spark plugs and Bridgestone tyres.

Search first, adopt a trademark laterBefore a business commits to using a

trademark, it should always check to ensure thatits use of the mark will not infringe any earliertrademark registrations. This can be done byconducting a search of the trademarks register todetermine whether anyone has registered thesame or similar trademark in relation to thegoods or services that the business intends toprovide, or any similar goods or services.

The Australian trademarks register isavailable online (www.ipaustralia.gov.au) andlists all Australian trademark registrations andpending applications.

Searching is however quite complex and careshould be taken to identify all similar marks,including phonetically similar marks registered

or applied for in relation to the same or similagoods or services.

A trademarks attorney or qualified solicit

can conduct an appropriate trademark search foyou and will consider all of the differenvariations of your proposed trademark, to asseand advise as to whether or not your trademaris free to use and register in Australia.

In practice, it is much better to make surethat there are no problems with your use of trademark before you start using it. There inothing worse than spending a large amount opackaging, promotional material anadvertisements only to find yourself in court week after you have launched the producbecause you have inadvertently infringed a thirpartys trademark registration.

Register your trademarkOnce you have created and searched you

trademark, you should consider registering thtrademark. A trademark registration has number of benefits, including: Enforcement a trademark registratio

provides you with right to exclusive use that trademark throughout Australia irespect of the goods or services that you havcovered by its registration. It provides thstrongest legal basis to take action againssomeone using the same or similar mark. Asuch, many cases of trademark infringemenwill be resolved without having to go to couas the infringing party will often want to settout of court rather than incur all of the costinvolved in litigation;

Deterrent - as all trademark applications anregistrations are available for searching othe Trademarks Register, it can deter thirdparties from adopting the same or similamark;

Statutory protection - the use of a registeredtrademark in respect of the goods or servicethat it covers cannot infringe any othetrademark registration.

Business asset - a trademark registration is arecognised business asset that can beincluded within your companys identifiabassets for valuation purposes, or sold tanother party.

Look after your trademark.What do kerosene, trampoline and zipper a

have in common? Answer: They were once trademarks!

If you create a new trademark for a producor service, it is important to ensure that youalways use the trademark as a trademark and nosimply as the descriptive name of the product.

The mark should always be identified as aadjective such as Hoover vacuum cleaners o

What does your business have in common with Rolls Royce, Alfa Romeo, BMW or IBM?

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NEWS


Xerox photocopiers, together with the symbol or ,which identify registered or unregistered trademarks.

There is however no standard or prescription whenit comes to identifying the status of your trademarkand you may prefer to use an appropriate notation onyour packaging to achieve this, for example XYZ123is a trademark of . Pty Ltd.

The important thing to remember is not tomisrepresent the status of your trademark.It is an offence under the Trademarks Act to

indicate that a mark is registered when in fact it is not.As you can see, most of the important details

regarding a trademark occur before you even startusing the trademark.

Practically speaking, it is preferable to ensure thata trademark is safe to use and that you have applied

to register it as a trademark as soon as it is created,rather than waiting until the mark has been used forsome time.

In many cases, a business will use a trademark fora number of years and only think to register it oncethey discover someone infringing their trademarkrights.

Whilst common law or reputation-based rights canbe relied upon in such a case, these rights aregenerally harder to enforce and provide less of adeterrent than a trademark registration.

As a trademark is the one thing that distinguishesyour products or services most from your competitors,it is worthwhile taking a moment to ensure that yourtrademark is indeed roadworthy before you let it looseon the highway.

Proex is Australias leading exhaustwholesaler distributing its Redback brand ofproducts along with various other products.

As of August 3, Proex (Vic) has acquiredthe business of Meltow Industries and willproudly distribute the Meltow range of productincluding the well known Trailboss brand ofTowbars, all under the Proex Automotivebanner.

The new warehouse is located at 99-111Monash Drive, Dandenong South.

Proex continues to offer service, quality,

range and value along with staff who alsooffer vast experience and expertise inproviding unsurpassed customer service.

Proex will continue to offer the mostcomprehensive range of automotiveproducts that include exhaust, brakes,suspension, performance, towbars,Remus Performance exhaust systems,catalytic converters, Universal mufflers,headers, truck and heavy duty, and acomplete range of accessories to suit allranges.

The Proex Automotive Parts Hotline is1300 669 122 and the website iswww.proex.com.au

PROEX ACQUIRES MELTOWProex Automotive has been servicing the automotive industry for well over 30 years.

VACC is reputedly the largest employer of automotive apprenticesin Victoria and this year, the VACC manned its biggest ever stand at thethree day event at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre.

Hundreds of school leavers took the opportunity to visit the display,which included a V8 Supercar and a modified Celica street car,compliments of Autosalon magazine.

While the vehicles helped draw a crowd, it was the prospect offuture employment in the Australian automotive industry that provedto be the hot topic.

The automotive industry is a fantastic career opportunity and wewere pleasantly surprised by the number of genuine enquiries, VACC

Auto Apprentice Team Leader, Rob Walker, said.Maybe the effects of the global financial slowdown have madepupils focus on the importance of finding a decent job.

But for whatever reason, this year it was evident that school leaversare taking their careers as seriously as we are.

Mr Walker said it was interesting to hear that the automotiveindustry is considered to be dynamic and exciting.

According to the feedback we received, the automotive industry isrecognised as hi-tech and that it provides employment opportunities forthe computer savvy, he said.

This could also explain why there was a noticeable increase in thenumber of females who came forward to ask about a career in the autoindustry.

VACC General Manager, IR, OHS and Training, Leyla Yilmaz, sa

the organisation recognises the importance of investing in future skillsdevelopment and remains committed to training and apprentices.VACC is well placed to help apprentices find a career in the

automotive industry.We have nearly 500 current Apprentices with host employers.If you are considering a career as an auto-apprentice, why not

contact us to find out more about it, Ms Yilmaz said.

For more information about a VACC Auto Apprenticeship, visit thewebsite www.autoapprenticeship.com.au

In the September edition, thearticle titled Autolite back inbusiness had an incorrect phonenumber listed. This was becausethe incorrect phone number wassupplied.

The phone number should haveread 02 9457 0060 . The AustralianAutomotive Aftermarket magazine apologises for any inconveniencecaused.

VACC, the peak automotive industry body in Victoria, says the Careers Expo was a positive experience.

AUTO: THE WAY TO GO

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PRODUCTS

With a strong relationship forged with theMalco Presta Corporation in the USA thecompany has kept abreast of technologychanges, enabling it to introduce innovativeproducts and techniques to make businessesmore efficient.

Malco Presta products have been used byautomotive detailing and refinishingprofessionals throughout the world, for morethan 50 years, according to Pacer AutoProducts.

One size does not fit all becauseequipment, users and their needs are not allthe same.

So the company has introduced a retail

range of the same trade quality washes, waxes,and polishes, dressings and cleaners to suit theDIY automotive enthusiast.

The launch of these new packs in Australiavia Pacer Auto Products offers retailers a realprofessionals choice for their customers.

Pacer Auto Products uses the mottoquality has no finish line and the productrange is listed below:

Presta Best Wax is a premium wax. It isdesigned to enhance and create dazzling glossand colour depth on automotive finishes. ThisCarnauba wax-based silicone formula seals andprotects cured paint against environmental

damage.Presta Nano Glass Cleaner is a ready-to-useformula using advanced nano polymers topenetrate pores and power away dirt and grimefor a deep down clean. Great on glass, mirrors,stainless steel and chrome for a sparkling,streak-free finish.

Presta Ammonia Free Aerosol Glass Cleanercuts through dirt and film to leave glass,chrome and most other hard surfaces clean andstreak-free.

Presta Leather and Vinyl Cleaner removesgrease, grime and soils from leather, plasticand vinyl. The powerful penetrating formula

cleans down to the pores, restoring a like-newappearance and leaving the surfaces clean,film-free and shiny.

Presta Leather Conditioner cleans andconditions fine leather. This premium formularevives and softens aged or soiled leatherwithout leaving it greasy or slick.

Presta Metal Polish advanced metalrestoration polish is designed to remove surfaceoxidation, brake dust and oily soils from allvehicular metalwork.

Presta Non-Acid Wheel and Tyre Cleaner:The powerful, non-hydrofluoric cleaners in Tyreand Wheel Cleaner make this product safe for

use on all types of wheels. Brake dust, grease,oil and dirt are quickly dissolved, leavingwheels bright and shiny.

Presta Tar and Bug Remover makesremoving debris from windshields, hoods,

bumpers and grills fast and easy.Presta Ultra Wash and Wax foams like aliquid car wash, makes water sheet and roll offthe finish and leaves a just-waxed look thatlasts through several car washings. It also has awild berry scent. Dilute 1:128. Available in946ml bottles.

Malco Clean and Shine powers away grease,grime and dirt from leather, vinyl and plasticwhile restoring a rich, satiny gloss to thesurface. In just one step.

Malco Instant Out Spot and Stain Removeris highly effective on both oil and water-basedstains.

Malco Imperial Paste Wax provides long-lasting protection with a durable shine.Malco Nano Care Aqua Wax is ready-to-use

and works great on wet or dry surfacesproducing fantastic gloss quickly.

Malco Nano Care Spray Wax uses advancednano-technology to provide both waxing anddressing of surfaces in just-one-step.

Malco Aero Thunder powers through heavygrease and grime. This strong all-purposecleaner is designed to remove a wide variety ofsoils from both hard and soft surfaces.

Malco Blue Blazes All Purpose Dressingproduces a high-gloss shine on all tyres, plastic,

rubber and vinyl. Blue Blazes dries quickly to anon-sticky gloss and helps prevent fading,shrinking and cracking.

Malco PB-2 Multi-Purpose EmulsionDressing is a premium performance dressingthat protects and beautifies vinyl, rubber,leather and plastic surfaces.

Malco Perfect 10 conditions and protectsvinyl, plastic, leather, rubber, metal and woodsurfaces. A special blend of silicones and fast-drying solvents make treatment of surfaces fastand easy.

Malco Foaming Upholstery and CarpetCleaner Aerosol features a special nozzle for

vertical application. Its rich foam formula driequickly. This makes cleaning of carpeting anseat bottoms fast and easy.

The range of Malco Air Fresheners contaiOrdenone, a deodorising ingredient that is a

effective odour eliminator.Malco Wipe On Gel Tyre Dressing ispremium, water-based dressing. This easy tuse, wipe-on quick drying formula keeps thdressing on the tyre and minimises the potentiafor messy sling.

Malco Nano Care Cleaner Wax is a fast aneasy way to restore great gloss and protectioto aged and oxidised automotive panels. Iprovides long-lasting protection against acrain, detergent washings, industrial fallout anthe harsh environment.

Malco Nano Care Polishing Crme is a onstep polish, specially formulated for dar

coloured vehicles, creates deep gloss and glass-like finish. Nano Care Polishing Crmfeatures easy-on/easy-off.

Malco Nano Care Banana Crme Wax isfast and easy way to provide long-lastinenvironmental and UV protection to automotifinishes in just one step. This unique producuses the most technologically advancematerials available, combining nano-sizepolishing agents and waxes, amino-functionsilicones, dual functional UV absorbers, siliconresin and polymers.

Presta Spray N Shine is a premium vehicappearance enhancer. This easy-to-use produc

will quickly remove fingerprints and dirt anleave an attractive shine on any non-poroupainted surface.

Malco Showroom Shine quickly removdust, smudges and fingerprints from autfinishes and leaves a bright, glossy, protectivshine. Showroom Shine can be used to cleanand shine all glass, metal and exterior paintedsurfaces and is specially designed for the spodelivery needs of car dealerships.

For more information visit the Pacer Auto web(www.pacer.com.au), email [email protected] phone customer service on 02 9647 2056.

New DIY packsPacer Auto Products has serviced the motorvehicle, marine and aviation industries inAustralia since 1996.

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PRODUCTS

The expertise and innovative performancethat the company has continuously displayedsince then gives the black springs from Bilsteintheir big quality bonus.

And this bonus is reflected in greater safetyfor braking maneuvers, load changes anddifficult road conditions.

The B4 gas offers an OEM-quality spare partfor almost every vehicle.

Product advantages at a glance include the100 percent Bilstein gas pressure technology,constant damping force, high performancereserves and OEM quality.

Whether in the fields of motor sports, OEequipment or tuning, the name of Bilstein issynonymous with top quality maximum

performance suspension systems on thedomestic and international scene.

This is verified in no uncertain manner by theresults of surveys conducted by MotorpresseStuttgart, the leading international publishers inthe automotive field-including the journalsAuto Motor Und Sport , Motorsport Aktuell and Sport Auto which serve to underline the fact thatBilstein is the leading brand with the bestquality in the sphere of sports suspensionsystems.

Bilstein heads the field in all respects, be itin terms of manufacturing quality, reliability,technological advancement or success in motor

sports, the Bilstein brand delivers what itpromises.There is one thing you can rely on: Bilstein

will go on building the worlds best sportsuspension systems and sport shock absorbersin the future as well.

Imparts European has been importingEuropean parts into Australia for more than 30

years, and is proud to distribute the Bilsteinrange of shock absorbers.

Bilstein also complements Imparts alreadyextensive range of quality OEM parts forEuropean vehicles, which includes other worldleaders such as Bosch, Textar Friction, LuKClutch and Hengst filtration to name a few.

Imparts group General Manager, Ed Long,said that since being offered the Bilstein rangeof shocker absorbers six years ago, it has been apartnership of success.

He commented that the product sells itself,and added that the B4 direct replacement rangegave the price conscious customer a shock

absorber at a fair and realistic price withoutcompromising quality and performance.

Imparts European stores are located in allcapital cities throughout Australia at nineconvenient locations, and can be found bycalling 1300 IMPARTS or visiting the web sitewww.imparts.com.au

Bilstein Gas B4The genuine article beats any copy. As theinventor of the first mono-tube gas pressureshock absorber for series production based onthe de carbon principle, Bilstein has been

making the genuine articles since 1954.

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Youll love the versatility of the unitwhich plays DVD, CD, MP3, VCD andexternal drive video games, and its tri-audiotechnology allows the entire vehicle to havetheir own entertainment zone as well asoffering playback through the cars audiosystem.

They are available from all Ford andHolden dealerships and retail from $1850.

Futuris is also keeping tyre pressuressafe and fuel costs down with its TyrePressure Monitor (TPMS).

Under-inflated tyres use extra fuel andcreate excessive heat build-up that candamage tyres leading to tyre failure andpossible blowout. Tyres with low airpressures also skid more easily.

Correct tyre pressure will ensureoptimum fuel efficiency, lessening yourcarbon footprint and ensuring safe drivingin all weather conditions.

Keeping tyres at the correct pressureincreases tyre tread life too.

Futuris teamed up with global leadingSchrader International to design a system,which is easy to install and use.

TPMS is designed to monitor the airpressure inside your car tyres, reporting realtime pressure information directly to thedriver via a clear, clean LCD display.

Transmitters are fitted inside the tyrevalve that sense the pressure inside the tyre.

This then transmits the pressureinformation data to the LCD monitor by RFtechnology.

The system monitors each tyreindividually and has a fifth sensor option forthe spare wheel.

It informs the driver of the exacttemperature and pressure of each tyre.

The LCD monitor is installed directly intothe car meaning no more getting out of thecar at petrol stations or dirtying hands tocheck the pressure.

The monitoring display automaticallychecks each tyre for proper inflation andwill alert if low or excessive pressure isdetected.

The Futuris TPMS retails from $375,can be professionally installed in around anhour and is available from all Forddealerships.

Meanwhile, the Futuris Battery Isolatoris now available to keep car batteriescharged up and stress levels down.

The Futuris Battery Isolator protectsthe cars starting battery from fullydischarging, ensuring you can always startthe engine.

Providing piece of mind for your family,this product is an absolute must foranyone w

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