The team-up between GS Yuasa and Tunnock’s is set to continue with a pack of ten Tunnock’s Tea Cakes coming with each GS and Yuasa battery purchase, and a chance of winning one of three £100 JustEast vouchers too.

Supertracker has released a step-by-step video guide for its range of cordless STR1 laser aligners

Autogem’s Under Pressure ‘23 TPMS competition will hold its grand final at flagship Pirelli Performance Centre (PPC) in Burton-upon-Trent.

A cat undertook a hair-raising a five-mile jaunt under the bonnet of a Vauxhall Astra on the school run in Kent recently, after slinking into the engine bay unseen while the car’s owner was checking the oil.

Airtex is encouraging mechanics to have a tea break via a special tuckbox being sent out to garages.

The cost of vehicle repairs rose by 40% between 2018 and 2022, according to an analysis of warranty claims paid over five years by Intelligent Motoring.

Customers of garages in the Eurorepar Car Service network now have the chance to win a £200 voucher every month for the rest of the year via a new prize draw being run to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the chain in Europe.

10 lucky motorists will win a £200 voucher, redeemable at participating network centres. To enter, participants will need to like the monthly competition post on Facebook or Instagram and tag three other people in the comments. Entrants also need to be following Eurorepar Car Service UK on the platform on which they take part.

Eurorepar Car Service UK General Manager Chris Jones commented: “Though our member garages offer exceptional value for motorists, we wanted to go one step further for Eurorepar Car Service’s 20th birthday in Europe. We wish everyone taking part the very best of luck and we look forward to helping the winners with one less motoring cost this year.”

For more information, visit: www.eurorepar.co.uk

Rolls-Royce and Bentley parts supplier Flying Spares has refined its guiding principle into a new company motto: ‘Recycle to Preserve’.

LKQ Euro Car Parts parent LKQ Europe has teamed up with CECRA, the European Council for Motor Trades and Repairs.

Pro-Align is trialling a new delivery service that will put all orders for the Hunter TCX54 Tyre Changer with Bead Press System in transit and operational at a garage within 24 hours.

DPF problems experienced by owners of a number of Jaguar and Land Rover models have led to a group action against manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover being brought to the High Court of England and Wales, with £3 billion in damages being sought.

With the MOT Consultation that is looking at the idea of reducing the frequency of the MOT closing today (Wednesday 22 March) , a survey performed by the SMMT has found that 67% of UK motorists strongly support keeping the first MOT at three years.

A new trade website has been launched by Arnold Clark Autoparts, initially serving customers in the Glasgow area with a wider roll-out on the way.

32% of motorists fear they could be priced off the road by the shift to EVs because they will not be able to afford an electric car, a survey of 2,000 motorists has suggested.

89% drivers are in favour of starting the MOT when a car is four years old, rather than when it hits three years old, according to a survey from Startline Motor Finance.

The vast majority of garages are against moving the first MOT test from when a car is three years old to when it is four years old, according to an IMI member survey, although in a concurrent poll of motorists, only half were in favour of keeping the MOT start at three years.

The IGA has responded to the Department for Transport’s MOT Consultation, which has looked at making changes to test frequency, along with other changes.

London has been identified as the UK city furthest ahead on the EV switch, according to a new study from used car marketplace Motorway, closely followed by Nottingham.
The study examined EV sales data by region, charging point availability and clean air policies of cities and towns across the UK to come up with the rankings.

A wide range of businesses, organisations and individuals saw their achievements recognised at the 2023 IMI Awards last night (Wednesday 15 March).

Moving the first MOT from a vehicle’s third birthday to when it turns four could mean that around 300,000 unsafe vehicles would be allowed to traverse the UK’s roads, the IAAF has warned with the deadline for responses to the government’s MOT Consultation now just six days away.

Since news broke on the LKQ Corporation acquisition of GSF Car Parts parent Uni-Select late last month, the IGA has been contacted by GSF to reassure its members that the business will be fully divested from LKQ in terms of aftermarket parts supply in the UK.

BookMyGarage.com is the latest Full Event Partner to back Top Technician and Top Garage 2023.

Ticket sales for Ben Ball 2023, taking place at Old Billingsgate Market on 6 December, have launched.

A bi-directional EV charging, solar and battery energy storage system has been installed at Nottingham City Council’s fleet depot.

The UK’s capacity to compete as a leader in EV production could be at risk if government does not immediately react in the face of a increasingly competitive international market , the SMMT has warned via a new blueprint.

Low quality EGR valves should be avoided by garages to prevent long term engine issues being created by accident, SMP Europe has warned, and workshops should be especially careful to avoid counterfeit parts for the same reason.

LKQ Corporation has clarified that it will be looking to sell GSF Car Parts following its acquisition of the factor’s Canadian parent Uni-Select.

Automechanika Birmingham 2023, taking place 6-8 June at the NEC, is seeing unprecedented visitor demand, with registration figures 112% higher among garage professionals compared with before the previous 2019 event.

Point S Tyre & Autocare has received IMI Approved Centre status, which it sees as a vital step on the road towards becoming Europe’s largest qualified and certified network for electric vehicle maintenance by 2026.

Commenting on the achievement, Point S UK and European Training Manager said: “I am extremely proud of the progress that we have made in a relatively short space of time. Building a comprehensive training offering needs to be done methodically, and this is a critical milestone in the process.”

He added: “Naturally, the IMI has high standards for its Approved Centres, but we’ve ensured that our training proposition goes above and beyond the required level, right from the start. I’m really looking forward to welcoming Point S members to our first training courses later in the year.”

The first Automechanika Birmingham Garage Awards, taking place on the evening of Wednesday 7 June and hosted by the IAAF, is being headline sponsored by LKQ Euro Car Parts.

New car sales were up 26.2% in February, with 74,441 sold, according to the latest figures from the SMMT, making it the seventh consecutive month of growth.

More than half of the UK’s MOT Testers have still not done their MOT Annual Training, with just a month to go until the deadline on 31 March, DVSA figures show. At present, 25,862 Testers have yet to complete their Annual Training. Last year, 1,824 were suspended for failing to complete the requirement, down 4,121 suspensions in 2021.

78% of drivers aged 18 to 24 want to be contacted by their garage between services to see if deferred work needs to be carried out, with 45% across all age groups feeling this way, a study has found.

Having cars stuck on the ramp overnight is causing garages to turn to online parts suppliers to move bigger jobs forward, according to PartsInMotion.co.uk.

Autogem’s TPMS competition is returning for 2023, and is open to all UK tyre technicians using Autogem’s i-sensor technology

Castrol has refreshed its branding, maintaining the red, green and white, but with what it considers to be a more up-to-date look. The refresh also includes a new sonic identity, with music and sound.

Access to car parts for garages in Northern Ireland could improve, following the deal on trade between the UK and the EU, agreed today (Monday 27 February) by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Motorists will need to be made much more aware that via the upcoming UK Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Order (MVBEO) they will be free to choose where they get their vehicle repaired, the IGA has warned.

IGA Chief Executive Stuart James observed: “While the draft MVBEO legislation strengthens many areas of the existing MVBER, there are several areas which could be detrimental to consumers unless further clarifications are made.

“Of particular concern is the lack of requirement for in-vehicle messaging to inform customers that they have an alternative solution for servicing via an independent operator. We would also like to see a requirement for authorised repairers to make it clear to consumers that they can choose who services, maintains and repairs their vehicle without invalidating its warranty.”

Another major concern is access to information for repairers, as Stuart noted: “In addition, the MVBEO makes no reference to a mechanism for independent operators to access security related information for repairs. Whilst we understand access to such sensitive information needs an element of control, it is vital that there is a recognised system in place for vetted businesses or individuals to provide these services to consumers to ensure fair competition and timely access to vehicle repairs.”

He added: “As the voice of the UK’s independent garage sector, the IGA has responded to the MVBEO technical consultation with a comprehensive set of recommendations and will continue to provide feedback at every step to ensure that the MVBEO safeguards freedom of choice and fair competition for UK motorists.”

For more information, visit: www.gov.uk/government/consultations/draft-order-the-competition-act-1998-motor-vehicle-agreements-block-exemption-order-2023-mvbeo

GSF Car Parts’ Canadian parent company Uni-Select Inc has been bought by U.S-based LKQ Corporation, the owners of LKQ Euro Car Parts.

A Bristol MOT tester who logged more than 800 fraudulent MOTs at a garage in the city has been prosecuted and banned from MOT testing for five years, and the type of brake tests being submitted for the fake tests helped DVSA catch him.

Banner has joined forces with The Shortis Group via a new product distribution agreement that will see the company stock Banner’s range of automotive batteries, as well as products under the Duracell brand, for which Banner holds the licence.

Enthusiasm for EVs among the general public may be waning right now as electricity costs rise, with new research showing a 7% year-on-year drop in the number of drivers looking to buy an electric car.

Fewer moving parts mean that EV servicing costs around a third less than a service for an internal combustion engine vehicle, a new survey has suggested.

Rolls-Royce and Bentley parts supplier Flying Spares has just finished rebuilding a RS60 V8 for a rare Bentley Brooklands Coupé, their “toughest ever” reconditioning project, which turned out to be owned a member of the Bahrain royal family.

Car mechanics are among the essential workers that are set to be urged to take up a life Down Under this week, as a delegation from the state of Western Australia visits the UK looking for a host of professionals to take up hard-to-fill roles on the other side of the world.

Juratek has changed hands, following its acquisition by parts supplier Fras-Le. Juratek first opened its doors in 1995, and was subject to a management buyout in October 2019 lead by Managing Director Matt Robinson. The company itself went on to buy Bradford based parts supplier Bettaparts. It then opened a depot in Northern Ireland in 2021.

Garages are having to deal with progressively more circumscribed access to data and repair and maintenance information (RMI), according to ongoing research from UK AFCAR.

In a move intended to strengthen cross-industry bonds, the IAAF has thrown the doors open on its new garage section, officially launching with 1,500 new garages, a move the organisation says will boost its lobbying ability and has led to the widening of the support options on offer.

The MOT consultation, which had been due to close on 28 February, has been extended until 22 March by the DfT, a move that a host of automotive bodies had been campaigning for as it was felt that the original time allotted was too short.

Gulf Lubricants will now be available through Marathon Warehouse Distribution, official distributor Rossmore Lubricants have announced.