rong>Suspension manufacturer Cobra has released a spring upgrade kit for the latest version of the quirky Nissan cube.

rong>Aftermarket technical writer, technical trainer, workshop owner, Top Technician supporter and all round fab west-country bloke James Dillon is running some one-day training courses at his new training facility in Bridgwater next month.

An alternator pulley removal kit is the latest addition to Facom's range of workshop tools. It aims to save time and eliminate common pulley removal problems. During changing operations, the sockets used to dismantle the pulley often break because the torque required is very high. In order to combat this, Facom has opted for heat treatment on the bits in its kit to boost their strength and reduce the risk of breakage.

The battery boys and girls at Yuasa have unveiled new range of AGM (absorbent glass mat) batteries for use in the latest stop-start vehicles and if you're one of those slightly obsessive individuals who like long lists of electrical specifications you're in for a treat: The new Yuasa AGM range features four models offering 60, 70, 80 and 92 ampere-hour capacities at 20-hour rate. Cold cranking performance of the batteries is 680, 760, 800 and 850A with reserve capacity of 100, 120, 140 and 160 minutes respectively. The 70 and 92Ah models are available immediately with the 60 and 80Ah cells due for release in spring 2011.

Vintage Tyres has rolled out three new models. The Avon Turbospeed covers Daimler and Jaguar cars while the Vredestein Classic is a popular fitment for MGB, BMW, Rover P6 and Alfa Romeo vehicles

If you like to sit at home and collect automotive parts catalogues, your collection is about to get one bigger (you should probably also try and get out once in a while too, Ed).

Unipart has boosted its choice of rotating electrics by more than 25%. Mike Parsons, Unipart's general manager for product marketing, said customers could expect to see "significant improvements in availability" following the move that adds 2,000 part numbers to the company's choice of units. Suggested selling prices have also been added to all starter motors and alternators in a bid to help garages maximise profits from each sale.

rong>Chicago Pneumatic (CP) has doubled the warranty period on its Classic range of tools to two years.

No, it's not a trendy eco-toilet for hippy festival-heads, the Filtoo is an exhaust extraction unit from Flextraction. Built by Teka in Germany, it sucks up fumes, dust and gases found in welding, bonding, gluing, brazing, soldering, laser welding and restoration applications.

MG Rover parts specialist XPart has introduced an improved version of the coolant pipes for the MGF and TF cars to help prevent corrosion.

Technology firm 3M has boosted its offering to anyone in the SMART (that's Small to Medium Area Repair Technology, in case you'd forgotten) or LAR (Local Area Repair) businesses.

Euro Garage Solutions (aka EGS, the garage equipment division of Euro Car Pats) has taken on two alignment specialists to give demonstrations of its wheel alignment kit to prospective customers.

Exhaust extraction company Nederman is offering a free sander/grinder to anyone that buys one of its P160I portable dust extraction units.

Panther Spectacles and Resolution Goggles might sound like the crime-busting gadgets of a high-tech superhero but the more boring reality is that they're the latest eye protectors from Weldability-SIF.

Goodyear is forging ahead with its Fit & Relax warranty policy on belts. Valid for 30,000 miles or 2 years, the warranty means that should any Goodyear belt suffer what it calls an "honest and fair" failure within the period, Goodyear will pay to repair the engine, including parts and labour.

Exhaust specialists at Eminox have given a glimpse of an Active Regeneration Trap (ART) filter system. If that doesn't mean much to you, the system is basically a DPF system for low temperature applications.

Wood Auto is highlighting the safety and revenue opportunities that effective wiper sales can bring.

Emission systems firm Fuel Parts UK has introduced a new bagging system in a bid to encourage proper fault diagnosis, rather than trial-and-error fitment.

The Trademaster T5000 series of brake testers from the Trade Group promises to deliver 'significant operational benefits' to any MOT station.

Tool company Sykes-Pickavant has created a series of wheel hub and wheel stud grinders to help you remove corrosion.

A collection of supposedly intelligent battery chargers has been rolled out of the factory by battery firm Yuasa.

A range of heavy gauge steel cabinets, workbenches and accessories are available which feature an evenly distributed load capacity of 1,000kg and self-locking mechanisms to prevent accidental opening.

rong>A large range of portable and stationary compressors and pneumatic systems are presented by Thorite in its new free brochure, said to be ideal for garages, bodyshops and tyre fitting workshops.

Parts firm Blue Print has launched what it claims is the aftermarket's first seven-piece timing belt kit for the Mitsubishi L200 2.5 Di-D from 2006 onwards.

Trying to persuade customers to spend their cash on new parts that (to them) don't seem necessary is never easy. To help when it comes to lambda sensors, NGK has produced a poster and leaflet aimed at convincing motorists that paying for fresh sensors is the smart thing to do.

Manufacturer and distributor FAI Automotive has published a catalogue supplement detailing the latest additions to its steering and suspension range.

Components company Wood Auto is drawing attention to its choice of bulbs. It offers an own-brand option together with a premium range of Osram bulbs and a choice of work lamps. Bulbs are available in 6, 12, 24 and 48 volt variants and in general and halogen varieties.

Electronic parts cataloguing system TecDoc is traditionally associated with parts suppliers and distributors. However, over the last few months UK boss Shaun Greasley has been on a mission to highlight the benefits he believes it could bring to workshops and even classic car enthusiasts.

With the imminent start of legislation making them compulsory on new vehicles, Daylight Running Lights (DRL) are set to shape the future of lighting.

If you want to pretend your car is a flashy new Audi, you can now get hold of Philips LED Daytime Running Lights (DRLs) from Euro Car Parts.

rong>As part of its on-going expansion, parts firm Blue Print has added ignition coils for the Toyota Rav 4 – together with glow plugs for the Mitsubishi Colt and Smart Forfour.

MOT equipment company GE-Tech is highlighting its European-made credentials in a bid to win new customers.

Auto-electrical firm Wood Auto will debut its range of air con compressors at the show along with Rita Millo, the company's recently-recruited European sales manager (although unlike the compressors, she won't be kept in a glass cabinet - we assume, Ed).

With what it describers as "important news" from both the OE and aftermarket sectors, NGK will have a strong presence at the Automechanika show.

One of the many tools that will be at Automechanika is a new 12V battery charger with constant output mode. It provides a constant 10A power source to maintain a battery charge during 'key on/engine off' diagnostics, when fault code reading and ECU re-programming for instance.

Filter systems and engine parts firm Hengst will unveil a choice of new parts for the Vauxhall Insignia in Frankfurt.

rong>Tools company Sealey will give customers a glimpse of its latest catalogue at Automechanika.

The Hunter brand of wheel alignment and garage equipment will be on display in Frankfurt this September, including its premium HawkEye Imaging Aligner range with featured sections of BMW, Mercedes, Porsche and VW group aligners.

A free Omiscan 2 diagnostic tool is just one of the special offers packed into the latest edition of Megawisebuys - Unipart's tools and equipment brochure.

The Snap-on Diagnostics stand will be dominated by the Sun KoolKare air con recycling centres. There are two models in the range - the Blizzard and Blizzard PRO - and the company hopes the latest versions will attract interest from the growing air con market.

According to parts company Denso's publicity machine, it will focus on OE strength, aftermarket excellence and what it calls "visionary technologies" at Automechanika (we're fairly sure this doesn't mean a range of workshop spectacles are on the cards, Ed).

Remanufacturing firm Remy will use the Automechanika exhibition to launch its 2011 European brake caliper catalogue.

The days of the bulk oil storage tank are numbered, according to oils and lubes company Comma. The firm says the most profitable way ahead is to meet market requirements by holding a greater number of manufacturer - and engine-specific oils in smaller, more manageable containers.

Despite the factory closing down in 2005, the number of MG Rover cars on the road has only fallen by 3%, according to the latest figures.

Boston has launched its B461 4-post lift onto the market with the bold claim that it's Europe's most advanced. The company says the 6-tonne unit offers several unique features. It comes in 6.1 and 5.75 metre platforms of 630mm width.

Millers Oils account manager Dave Mott says many technicians may still be missing a trick when it comes to the latest lubricants. "It is unfortunately still the case that many in the trade don't yet fully appreciate the necessity for using very specific products when it comes to servicing later model vehicles," he said. "Most new cars produced from around 2002 now require full-synthetic low SAPS (Sulphated Ash, Phosphorous and Sulphur) oils to run efficiently, and the damage of using older, less sophisticated products can be costly."

A complete range of Cifam pre-mounted brake drum kits have been added to Global Braking Systems' hydraulics programme, with over 175 references in stock.

Anything that involves chucking less stuff in the bin is all the rage these days. So the chance to refurbish brake discs rather than simply replacing them is very much in fashion.

rong>Filter company Reisse is urging mechanics not to neglect regular oil filter changes. The firm is stressing the importance of regular filter changes at the same time as standard oil changes.

Euro Car Parts says that it offers consistent availability of the best brands at the most competitive prices and to help its customers increase sales, it provides more than 1,500 free display stands and 1,000 battery booster packs against specified volume purchases. It distributes premium OE brands such as Exide and Bosch and also stocks the LION brand.