While forecasters are predicting that temperatures will drop, British Car Auctions (BCA) has released its latest data on 4×4 used sales. The average value for 4x4s sold at BCA during the fourth quarter of 2013 rose by over £1,100 compared to the third quarter. December recorded the highest values in the second half of the year as 4x4s averaged over £15,000, a rise of £388 compared to December 2013.
Following the worst winter storms to hit Britain for two decades, TyreSafe is reminding drivers about the need for more regular tyre checks. With its potential to cause aquaplaning, standing water remains a major hazard in many parts of the UK, while damaged road surfaces also presents a different tyre related challenge. However, by taking just a few minutes to inspect your tyres regularly, TyreSafe advises that the impact of these issues can be reduced.
Euro Car Parts has opened a new 258,000 square foot warehouse facility on Bonehill Road in Tamworth, Staffordshire. Located close to the 600,000 square foot National Distribution Centre (NDC), which opened in 2010, and 15 miles from the collision repair parts facility at Swadlincote, which opened in 2012, ‘Bonehill’ is designed to “future-proof” the business as it drives towards its 165 plus UK branch target by end 2014.
Valeo Service UK has reached an agreement with GROUPAUTO to have a strong product presence in the group’s national distribution centre (NDC), used to supply the membership of motor factors nationwide. Initially, Valeo’s top 250 clutch references will go into GROUPAUTO’s NDC, based in Bradford.
German car parts supplier Mahle Group acquired all of the shares in its former joint venture company Mahle IPL Limited. Mahle had already been a majority partner in the joint venture with a share of about 60 percent.
Just after the summer of 2013 PanAridus reported that it had broke an industry milestone, becoming the first bio-agricultural company to produce sufficient quality and quantity of guayule rubber samples in-house for commercial testing and use.
On 16 December, Michelin chief executive officer Jean-Dominique Senard laid the foundation stone for the main building to be built as part of the company’s €270 million upgrade to its research and development facilities at the Ladoux site in Clermont-Ferrand, France. The stone-laying ceremony took place in the presence of members of Michelin’s Executive Committee along with representatives from architects Chaix & Morel and engineering group Ingerop.
The IAAF’s conference has once again lived up to expectations with the delegates discussing the wide range of opportunities and threats for the ‘next generation’ of automotive aftermarket pioneers. Held at Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel at the National Exhibition Centre, delegates expressed their appreciation at the breadth and quality of the topics covered and the informed speakers who made presentations to nearly 100 aftermarket personnel.
As part of the SIMCOMVEC – SAEINDIA International Mobility Conference & Commercial Vehicle Engineering Congress that took place in Chennai, India between 4 and 7 December, the vice-president of norms and regulations at Michelin Tyres Pvt Ltd, Randall Clark, presented a paper titled “Improving Safety on Indian Roads, Technology & Policy changes required.” Clark also spoke to local media and called for India’s government to conduct accidentology studies.
Hosetechnik, the performance braking division of Forge Motorsport, has released a raft products to help owners of classic and retro cars, as well as owners of cars with the harder to find Wilwood brake tapered threads.
Tyre Bay Direct has released its new ‘Knowledgebase’ – and it says it is unrivalled when it comes to tyre service equipment and maintenance.
Available automatically and exclusively to all Unite tyre machinery customers, this new section of the tyrebaydirect.com website has a landing area personalised to each customer’s equipment models and is automatically accessible from the moment the machinery is installed. The Knowledgebase lists the current equipment in the customer’s workshop, plus warranty status and expiry reminders along with complete manuals, operating instructions and instructional videos for the customer’s purchased machine, meaning any required information is always at hand.
Northampton power train supplier Cosworth has announced the completion of the first part of its multi-stage power package for Subaru’s FA20 powertrain. The Stage 1 upgrade brings together a fully tuned stainless steel exhaust system, a bespoke four into two into one exhaust manifold, a high-flow sports CAT, a high performance panel air filter and a specially mapped ECU program to ensure all these components work together in perfect harmony while conservatively improving power by approximately 24hp over the original equipment. The FA20 features in the Scion FR-S (Toyota GT86) and the Subaru BRZ. Cosworth is currently exhibiting the Stage 1 Power Package at Booth #23324 at Las Vegas’ SEMA Show.
Borg & Beck brand owner and UK parts supplier, First Line was presented with the presented with the runners-up trophy in the trading group’s ‘Supplier of the Year’ at the Groupauto trade show. Commercial director, Alan Wood and national accounts manager, Ian Boyle picked up the accolade at the Telford International Centre hosted show’s dinner.
Aftermarket parts supplier Dayco has appointed Chris Showan as the company’s technical manager. Showan brings with him more than 25 years of aftermarket knowledge and experience from time at businesses such as Supra Automotive/Moprod, Quinton Hazell and latterly, Schaeffler Automotive.
A Halfords survey has suggested that amateur repair or maintenance jobs often have costly consequences. Motorists and householders pay out an estimated £300m a year in order to correct mistakes made by family and friends trying to perform small tasks on cars, with one in six people left regretting accepting help. Maintenance blunders include elementary mistakes involving car batteries, and more serious errors such as using the wrong oil. Almost half (45 per cent) of those who subsequently had to employ an expert were left with a bill of over £100.
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