Organisers of The British Motor Show 2022, taking place 18-21 August 2022 at Farnborough International have said that this year’s event will be the greenest of its type ever as a result of its new official fuels partnership with Coryton Advanced Fuels.

A nationwide oscilloscope training tour organised by Ryan Colley from Elite Diagnostics, headlined by a pair of U.S superstar technical experts, will soon be a sell-out, and mechanics are being urged to sign up as soon as possible to avoid missing out.

Following 1,000 entries, 12 finalists are set to take part in the grand final of Autogem’s first-ever TPMS Expert competition, being held at the UK Garage & Bodyshop Event at the NEC on 8 June. From this group, one large retailer and one small retailer will be crowned as Autogem’s TPMS Expert 2022 winners.

Fleet Factors has had two of its delivery vans wrapped with Mintex and Textar branding by TMD Friction.

TOPDON is the latest high-profile industry name to put its weight behind Top Technician and Top Garage 2022 through becoming programme sponsor for the Top Technician and Top Garage Awards Evening, taking place on Saturday 1 October.

Businesses experiencing staff shortages should take a hard look at their recruitment processes the Glen Callum Associates (GCA) Automotive Aftermarket Recruitment Survey 2022 has suggested, with 36% of those responding saying they would actively look to leave a job immediately if their joining experience was poor.

Members of NGK’s BoxClever loyalty scheme will be collecting double-points on every NTK Lambda, camshaft & crankshaft and MAF and MAP sensor purchase until the end of June, and will also be automatically entered into a free prize draw where the prize is 50,000 extra points.

An independent garage says it has successfully responded to the way in which customers now seem to look for vehicle services.

Arnold Clark Autoparts is sponsoring stock car racing driver Holly Glen as she makes a bid for the World Stock Car Championships.

An LKQ Euro Car Parts delivery driver has received Trakm8’s Road Safety Hero Award, an initiative launched by the vehicle technology solutions provider and road safety charity Brake, after he rescued a couple from a submerged vehicle.

The newly published 2022 edition of the ACEA Oil Sequences for Heavy-Duty Engines European market performance standards has been welcomed by UK independent trade body, the Verification of Lubricant Specifications (VLS).

The UK’s used car market increased 5.1% in the first quarter of 2022, according to the latest figures released today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). 1,774,351 cars were sold during the period, 86,596 more than during the same period in 2021.
January saw a 17.7% increase, while February went up by 7.4%. However, in March sales fell by 6.8%, which reflected the strong March in 2021.Overall, used car sales are still 12.2% below the pre-pandemic of 2019.

A 4.5% increase in the number of techs qualified to work on EVs seen in 2021 does not keep pace with rising vehicle sales and the sector will not bridge the gap before 2030 unless training is massively ramped up via £15m boost in funding, the IMI has warned.

During Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK (9-15 May) Ben is looking to highlight the impact of loneliness, which is a leading causes of mental health issues, and the charity has launched a new ‘Space from Social Anxiety’ program on the SilverCloud platform.

New car sales were down 15.8% in April according to the latest figures from the SMMT, with the ongoing semiconductor shortage constraining deliveries and a 33.3% drop in large fleet registrations being cited as the main cause.

69% motorists have changed their motoring activities since the start of 2022 due to the cost of living crisis, a survey from Kwik Fit has revealed.

47% of drivers that took part in a recent survey said they did not think an electric car was affordable for them, rising to 50% of over 55s, compared to 37% of under 34s.

An independent VW, Audi, SEAT and Skoda specialist has revealed how it maintains its position as one of the busiest independent garages in Yorkshire.

42% of learner drivers would favour an EV or hybrid as their first car, a new YouGov survey commissioned by The Motor Ombudsman has revealed.

EV drivers are experiening a higher increase in the cost of powering their vehicles, compared with those who use internal combustion engine vehicles, although in actual terms they are still paying less.

Petition set up to fight government biennial MOT proposals
An online petition calling on the government to back-pedal on proposals to move the MOT to a biennial basis has already totted up 1,000 signatures in just over 24 hours and the total is climbing.

MAHLE is warning garages that, as the vehicle parc electrifies, and ever-stricter legal frameworks evolve, they need to make ongoing staff training should be a major priority.

Motul has become the official lubricants partner for the UK’s Classic Car Loan Project.The scheme is designed to encourage the next cohort of classic car enthusiasts to become owners and users of the cars, by letting them borrow a classic for a year.

EV drivers in Greece experience the highest level of range anxiety in western Europe, according to new research.

The study by StressFreeCarRental.com used the frequency of EV chargers on the growing Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) plus the cost of running diesel and electric vehicles to make their comparison. The TEN-T is a planned network of roads, railways, airports and water infrastructure in the European Union. The core network has a completion target of 2030.

An Independent garage has voiced concerns over proposals to move to biennial MOT testing following a Call for Evidence by the Northern Ireland Executive.

The SMMT used its annual Test Day driving event, held at Millbrook Proving Ground near Bedford, to highlight the progress made on EV availability and range over the last 10 years, during which time a 15-fold increase in choice of model has unfolded, with many of these cars having more than three times the range of vehicles from a decade ago.

A Liverpool garage has been enjoying new levels of success recently with slots now booked up to six weeks ahead of time, when previously their ramps were filled three to four days in advance.

Ivor Searle has reported its most successful 12-month trading performance since the company was founded in 1946, as demand for its remanufactured engines surged by 35% over the last year.

Schaeffler is reporting huge demand for its first REPXPERT Academy live training event, taking place at the Bridgend College STEAM campus in Pencoed on Saturday 21 May.

Motul has renewed its support for Top Technician and Top Garage, for 2022 as one of its presenting sponsor partners.

An independent garage in North Yorkshire is reaping the rewards of its investment philosophy as it emerges from the unprecedented challenges of the last two years.

Three out of eight aftermarket brake pads tested by the DVSA’s Market Surveillance Unit failed to meet UNECE R90 performance requirements, and the government body says it will work with the IAAF to address the problem.

DVSA was testing the compliance of both OEM and aftermarket braking components. Additional investigation exposed that approval documents for the three failed parts were bogus, and that the component and associated packaging were incorrect as they showed an approval number that was not relevant to that application.

The line-up of trainers and guest speakers set to appear at the UK Garage and Bodyshop Event, taking place 8-9 June at the NEC Birmingham has been announced, with even more names set to be revealed over the next few weeks.

Businesses that sell used cars are being advised to have EVs making up 10% of their stock, ahead of demand which is expected to surge.

Motorists could be looking to save money in the face of the cost of living crisis by cutting back on essential vehicle maintenance and repairs, an online Opinion Matters poll of more than 2,000 UK car owners commissioned by The Motor Ombudsman has shown.

Despite battery electric vehicles making up 16.1% of all new car sales in March, the most recorded in a single month, overall sales were actually down 14.3%, making it the worst March since 1998, prior to the advent of two-plate changes per year, according to the latest figures from the SMMT.

With the cost of living crisis hitting households across the country, Eurorepar Car Service (ERCS) has suggested that offering a wider variety of payment options will enable garages to help their customers manage the cost of servicing and repairs.

Last year, the network launched the ERCS Payment Plan, adding to its Drive Now Pay Later initiative and offering customers ‘three ways to pay’. According to Nick Taylor, Head of Network & Business Development for Eurorepar Car Service, these payment options could offer a much-needed lifeline for to motorists: “We are always looking at ways to improve our network for the benefit of our members and their customers. When we launched the ERCS Service Plan, the aim was to do just that – offering motorists a flexible, affordable way to manage their repair bills, and giving our members another means of revenue growth.”

NGK-sponsored racing driver Charlie Martin has joined the ROKiT MB Motorsport team as its Official Development Driver for the 2022 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship.

LIQUI MOLY is becoming a main sponsor of the UK Touring Car Championship, in a deal that will run through to the end of 2024.

AS-PL has opened its third international arm; AS-PL España, based in Valencia, following AS-PL UK’s 2017 opening in London, and AS-PL Italia in Moncalieri, which was established in 2019.

The IAAF has formed its new look council including distributors, suppliers, buying groups, service providers and garages, with Hayley Pells appointed to head up the new-look IAAF Garage Section.

Motul has becomes lubricant partner of new vehicle restoration TV series Paddock Speedshop.

Waeco has joined the Original Equipment Suppliers Aftermarket Association (OESAA)

The used car market, and prevailing consumer and dealer views are to be the subject of monthly research from Startline Motor Finance, starting in mid April.

Westerleigh Car Centre in Bristol is set to increase staffing levels as it gears up to manage workload in what has been “its busiest year ever.”

NGK has announced it has suspended its commercial operations in Russia and Belarus until further notice. In a letter to customers, NGK Spark Plugs (UK) Ltd Managing Director Marko Wowczyna said that the company’s decision was made in light of the current moral, legal and practical complexity associated with operating its business in the countries.

Marathon Warehouse Distribution has agreed a strategic partnership with First Line, through which garages will get same day access to the company’s Borg & Beck products across the UK.

The ongoing trend that has seen vehicle manufacturers look to lock older vehicles into its franchised networks that might otherwise be looked after by the independent sector is continuing, with Volkswagen Financial Services UK (VWFS) announcing several Service Plan discounts of up to 25% for customers who drive an eligible VW, ŠKODA or SEAT.

Castrol has launched a ‘Castrol EDGE Recommended by Experts’ marketing campaign and is offering garages in its branded network the chance to win a range of free promotional materials.

REPXPERT Academy Live is coming back on Saturday 21 May, and is being held at the brand-new location of The SREAM Academy at Bridgend College’s recently opened Pencoed campus.