E-racing update

Back in March, we noted that both Toyota and Audi were developing hybrid-electric racing cars. At the time we said,

“Toyota has introduced the TS030 Hybrid with its THS-R hybrid propulsion system. Designed to compete under new rules in the World Endurance Championship series—think 24 Hours of LeMans and other races—Toyota combines a 3.4l V-8 gas engine with an electric supplemental system. The car uses energy recovery under braking, stores the energy in a beefy capacitor and returns it to the wheels during acceleration. The current rules allow the electro-drive to only the front or rear wheels, not both, and the company was still mulling which solution to use when the car was introduced.
Not to be outdone, Audi, whose turbo-diesel racers dominated the class for a while, has just pulled the covers from its R18 e-tron Quattro. Besides the V-5 TDI racing engine, this one also recovers brake energy but stores it in a flywheel system and returns it to the front wheels. Audi feels this gives them a distinct advantage with momentary all-wheel drive.”

Both cars were supposed to make their racing debuts at the FIA World Endurance Championship race at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium earlier this month but fate intervened. The TS030 suffered a wet-track accident during pre-season testing and crashed hard enough to damage the carbon fiber monocoque.

Toyota did not have a second car ready and announced that the damage could not be repaired safely in time for the race at Spa. However, the red car did make the trip and posed with its competitor for photos during the weekend.

In view of the extra power supplied by the electric systems, this pair could be the metaphorical Adam and Eve for a new generation of international race cars. Developers and teams are watching the performance (and cost) of the new cars very closely.

 

At the end of the six hour race in Belgium, Audi had swept the top four places with the two E-trons claiming second and fourth overall. The second place car turned a best-lap time half a second faster than the turbo-diesel race winner.

Toyota says it expects to have the TS030 repaired and tested again in time for the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June. The French race has always been about corporate bragging rights—Ford vs. Ferrari, Corvette vs. Porsche, and so on. With the now revealed performance of a hybrid power train, it should be a very interesting race for a number of reasons.

Universal compressor oil

Courtesy of MACS Member 1-800-Radiator & A/C’s Training and Tech Support

This article originated as an answer to a question asked by a warehouse operator seeking information for a customer. To provide an accurate reply, the Training &Tech Support department checked with a combination of compressor suppliers, lubricant providers and others.

It’s not unusual for a customer to call and say “I want some of that oil I can use in everything.” Or when engaging a technician in a conversation about A/C, for them to say “I use universal oil, because I can only put one type in my A/C machine, and just to keep it simple, I use it in everything.”
With mineral oil, ester oil, and three common viscosities of PAG oil in use, one type of oil that will work in everything sure seems like an easier approach. However, is there really a “universal” oil that can be used in everything? It almost sounds like something that is too good to be true.

Well that is the case, so let’s examine it. First of all, hybrid vehicles that use compressors which have an internal electric motor require specially formulated ester oil. Use of anything other than this type of lubricant with these units can cause severe compressor damage, and will void compressor manufacturers’ warranties. Even worse, under the “right” conditions, it could lead to the possibility of a severe shock hazard to the technician, and OEMs have issued stern warnings about it.

Going a step further, equipment such as manifold gauge sets and recovery/ recycling/ recharge machines that are used on non-hybrid systems cannot be used on these hybrids, because of the possibility of contaminating the system with traces of lubricant other than the specially formulated ester oil. Note: Many hybrids utilize belt-driven compressors which require conventional PAG oil. So what about non-hybrid vehicles, and hybrids that have conventional compressors which use PAG oil? Can universal oil be used in them?
No!—at least not without encountering increased risk as opposed to using the specified oil.
There are companies that sell oils (both ester and PAG) that are advertised as being “universal” that can supposedly be used in anything (except the hybrids referenced above) and with both R-12 and R-134a. But their use is a recipe for potential problems. There is a difference in the viscosity (thickness) of PAG 46, PAG 100 and PAG 150. You can actually see the difference by observing each being poured from their respective containers.
With that being the case, when utilizing a universal oil you can end up with one that is too thick for some applications and too thin for others. While that may not make a big difference with some compressors and the oil may work, there are others where the correct viscosity is critical, and the use of anything other than what is recommended can cause excessive noise or premature compressor failure. Also, if you just need to add some oil to a system, it isn’t a good idea to mix different types of oils, as you would do if you add universal to an R-12 system that contained mineral oil.

With all the lubrication problems that can be encountered with R-134a systems, a “one size fits all” approach isn’t a good one. Plus, using anything other than the specified viscosity of PAG oil in systems that require it voids the warranty from many of those compressor manufacturers.

The manufacturers spend large sums of money doing research to determine the proper viscosity oils to use with their compressors. To avoid the possibility of voiding warranties and reduce the likelihood of premature failures, it’s necessary to stick with their recommendations.

The Mobile Air Conditioning Society’s blog has been honored as the best business to business blog in the Automotive Aftermarket by the Automotive Communications Awards and the Car Care Council Women’s Board!

When having your mobile A/C system professionally serviced, insist on proper repair procedures and quality replacement parts. Insist on recovery and recycling so that refrigerant can be reused and not released into the atmosphere.

If you’re a service professional and not a MACS member yet, you should be, click here for more information.

You can E-mail us at macsworldwide@macsw.org or visit http://bit.ly/cf7az8 to find a Mobile Air Conditioning Society member repair shop in your area. Visit http://bit.ly/9FxwTh to find out more about your car’s mobile A/C and engine cooling system.

The 33rd annual Mobile Air Conditioning Society (MACS) Worldwide Training Conference and Trade Show, Be the Best of the Best will take place February 7-9, 2013 at the Caribe Royale, Orlando, FL.

Getting connected

Imagine for a moment that each car maker provided a different fuel filler for putting liquid fuels into the vehicle. You could only put gas in your Ford at stations with Ford nozzles and you’d be out of luck at a Honda or Chrysler gas stop. It sounds weird, but that’s close to the problem facing owners of pluggable electric vehicles.

Home-charging stations (Level I or II) have been mostly solved in North America with the adoption of a standard charging connector but some owners are discovering they can’t connect to a public charge-up point.

Development of a public charging infrastructure, perhaps in a parking lot or public garage, has been delayed by the lack of an industry standard connector and the different electrical systems in use on the cars.

Not all EVs on the road now can even connect to a high rate port, but it’s obvious that “parking ports” for short term use need to recharge the vehicle to a useful level in less time than overnight at home. The entire industry sees solving that problem as one key to increasing sales of electric vehicles.

Now a coalition of eight U.S and German OEMs – including Ford, GM and Chrysler – have announced agreement on a single-port fast charging system, which they say could recharge some battery EVs in 30 minutes or less.

It is more than just a connector agreement, too. The new charging system was developed to create one standard for electrical systems, charge controllers, and user safety in international markets.

The “DC-Fast” system has both AC and DC charging capabilities and integrates the ability to handle a variety of low and high-rate charging protocols (Levels I, II, III) into one standard connector. Supporters say this is a necessary step to allow any EV to recharge at almost any station, thus reducing the

SAE International is examining the new system and may adopt it as a standard for fast charging, and the European manufacturers association ACEA has also endorsed the idea of a common connector. Developers expect to have the DC-Fast system available at the end of this year.

While this is a step forward for U.S and Euro markets, it still presents a problem for any EVs going to or coming from Asian markets. The Japanese auto industry, working through the CHAdeMO (Charge de Move) Association, is promoting its own connector, pin layout and internal charging system(s). The association says that almost 1200 of their chargers are in use in Japan with 200 more in use in Europe.

Some industry observers see this turning into the automotive version of Betamax vs. VHS while others predict no problems ahead because OEMs are already used to making other safety and emission changes for each market they enter.

Cost of owning and operating a vehicle up 1.9%

From AAA

The results of AAA’s annual “Your Driving Costs” study have revealed a 1.9 percent rise in the yearly costs to own and operate a sedan in the U.S.

The average costs rose 1.1 cents per mile to 59.6 cents per mile, or $8,946 per year, based upon 15,000 miles of annual driving.

“The average driving cost for 2012 is up due to relatively large increases in fuel and tire costs, and more moderate increases in other areas,” said John Nielsen, AAA director of Automotive Engineering and Repair. “Those increases were offset by a decrease in depreciation resulting in an overall increase of 1.9 percent.”

Fuel Costs Up 14.8 Percent
The cost of fuel had the largest percentage increase from 2011 to 2012, rising 14.8 percent to 14.2 cents per mile on average for sedan owners. The average cost of regular grade fuel (used by most of the study vehicles) rose 16.6 percent, from $2.88 to $3.36 per gallon. Several vehicles included in the “Your Driving Costs” study had increases in fuel economy, resulting in the overall average fuel cost increase being slightly less. The fuel costs in the 2012 study were calculated using the national average price for regular, unleaded gasoline during the fourth quarter of 2011.

Tire Costs Up 4.2 Percent
The cost of tires ranks second highest among the factors that rose from 2011 to 2012, increasing by 4.2 percent to one cent per mile on average for sedan owners. The rise in cost can be attributed to higher costs for natural rubber, and the increased cost of oil used in tire production and transportation from factory to distributors across the country. A collateral factor is a trend for manufacturers to equip new cars with premium-grade tires rather than mid-grade tires.

Depreciation Drops 4.9 Percent
Depreciation costs were up slightly in 2011, but for 2012 the trend has reversed with depreciation falling across the board by nearly 5 percent. This change may be a consequence of reduced new car sales over the past few years, which has resulted in a relative shortage of good used cars on the market, driving up their value. This is good news for those in the resale market as their vehicles will retain a greater portion of their purchase cost.

Maintenance Costs Up 0.7 Percent
Maintenance costs are slightly higher in the 2012 “Your Driving Costs” study with an increase of 0.7 percent to 4.47 cents per mile on average for sedans. Factors contributing to the increase include higher prices for oil and more manufacturers now requiring synthetic or synthetic-blend motor oils. Although the use of these oils often comes with extended service intervals, the higher cost of the oil combined with increased maintenance operations at each service (which adds to the time required) can combine to increase overall vehicle maintenance costs.

Insurance Costs Up 3.4 Percent
Average insurance costs for sedans rose 3.4 percent (or $33) to $1,001 yearly. Insurance rates vary widely by driver and driving record, issuing company and geographical region. AAA insurance cost estimates are based on a low-risk driver with a clean driving record. For 2012, this group saw a small increase that offset a decrease experienced in 2011. Quotes from five AAA clubs and insurance companies representing seven states showed across the board increases for all sedan sizes, with large cars having the biggest increase.

You can Be the Best of the Best

By Elvis L. Hoffpauir, MACS president and COO

Start making plans now for the 2013 MACS annual Training Event and Trade Show, to be held Feb. 7 – 9 at the Caribe Royale All Suite Hotel and Conference Center in Orlando. Based on input provided by our regular participants, the MACS Board of Directors and staff are making some content and format changes to provide even greater value for technicians, shop owners, distributors and manufacturers. We continue to offer the premiere annual training opportunity and business forum for A/C specialists from the U.S. and other countries around the world.

Two full days of technical and business training (Thursday and Saturday) will feature instructors rated the best from previous annual meetings plus many instructors new to MACS but with a proven pedigree ranking them among the best in the country. Training will be geared to provide knowledge, skills, procedures and techniques that can have a direct impact on improving service shop revenue.

The trade show, traditionally taking place on two half-days, will be the focus all day on Friday, It begins just after a high-energy opening program designed to set the tone for the day. A keynote by NASCAR champion Kenny Wallace will take place at noon, immediately adjacent to the trade show floor. Drag racing legend “Big Daddy” Don Garlits will also be at the trade show to sign autographs and display one of his dragsters. Other surprises including special appearances, cool cars and drawings for major prizes are planned to engage attendees throughout the day.

On Saturday, the focus shifts back to specialized training classes designed to meet the needs of technicians at all levels, plus the opportunity for vendors to interact informally with customers in a more relaxed setting.

Saturday brings a special edition of the highly praised MACS Mobile A/C Boot Camp, with the morning sessions featuring MACS instructor Larry Turay, author of the MACS “Modern Automotive HVAC Systems.” The afternoon Boot Camp sessions will have MACS instructor Bob Miller presenting material from MACS second new electrical functions textbook “Electrical and Electronics.”

If you are beyond boot camp, a second training track will run simultaneously with the first, but offer training geared to inspire and challenge the most seasoned mobile A/C pros. Either way, Saturday’s sessions will help you raise your game.

All of our popular social events will remain in the new format, but some with a couple of tweaks. Golfers will have their day, but an alternate venue for go-cart or simulator racing is also being explored. The welcoming reception will be extended to become Casino Night at the Caribe.

In short, MACS is pulling out all the stops to make the 2013 annual event one that you will absolutely, positively not want to miss.
See you next year in Orlando.

The Mobile Air Conditioning Society’s blog has been honored as the best business to business blog in the Automotive Aftermarket by the Automotive Communications Awards and the Car Care Council Women’s Board!

When having your mobile A/C system professionally serviced, insist on proper repair procedures and quality replacement parts. Insist on recovery and recycling so that refrigerant can be reused and not released into the atmosphere.

If you’re a service professional and not a MACS member yet, you should be, click here for more information.

You can E-mail us at macsworldwide@macsw.org or visit http://bit.ly/cf7az8 to find a Mobile Air Conditioning Society member repair shop in your area. Visit http://bit.ly/9FxwTh to find out more about your car’s mobile A/C and engine cooling system.

The 33rd annual Mobile Air Conditioning Society (MACS) Worldwide Training Conference and Trade Show, Be the Best of the Best will take place February 7-9, 2013 at the Caribe Royale, Orlando, FL.

The once and future car

By Keith Leonard, Esquire

The technology involved in motor vehicles has dramatically advanced over the last thirty years. Features such as anti-lock brakes and traction or stability control are now standard on many vehicles. Hybrid vehicles that use electric power as well as gasoline are commonplace on roads around the world. Automakers have begun marketing self-parking cars which can help anyone park a car, even those who cannot otherwise parallel park.
Whether it is the weather, the economy, or the result of a sporting event, there are always people willing to make a prediction about it. It is no different in the automotive industry. However, predictions made about cars or trends in the industry are often wrong, and sometimes ridiculously wrong. For example, consider the following quote from BusinessWeek magazine in its August 2, 1968 issue – “With over 50 foreign cars already on sale here, the Japanese auto industry isn’t likely to carve out a big slice of the U.S. market.” And we all know how well that prediction turned out.

Between 1903 and 1969, the pages of Popular Mechanics magazine were full of predictions about the future of motor vehicles (and other parts of our daily life). Traffic jams would not be a big problem in the future because in the January, 1951 issue, personal helicopters were predicted as being available in the future, capable of carrying two people and small enough to land on the lawn of your home.

In the November, 1940 issue of Popular Mechanics, the reader was also offered a glimpse into the future of the automobile. The engine of the car would be in the rear of the vehicle and the vehicle would be more spacious. The car would be made from various synthetic materials, including molded plastics. The author did correctly predict that automotive glass of the future would be made so as not to shatter and less likely to cut the passengers in the vehicle in the event of an accident; today’s automobile glass is designed to come apart in small, safer pieces. While the exact forms of the safety devices that have been developed over the intervening years were not predicted with accuracy, the overall concept of building more crashworthy cars that keep its passengers safer was accurately predicted.
In 1967, authors in the magazine were predicting that the automobile of the future would have acceleration, braking, and steering all combined in a single airplane-type control. Mercedes Benz has in fact come up with a joystick “steering wheel” and designed it into a research prototype of its SCL600 model that was introduced in 1996.

Mapless driving was also predicted in the magazine in 1967; the driver could dial in a code number for the destination to be read by route guidance equipment inside the vehicle. Routing instructions would then be transmitted to the driver by a voice or visual display in the car. That prediction should sound quite similar to today’s GPS systems that determine a car’s location by triangulating with transmitters in satellites in space.

Some type of “flying car” has been predicted on multiple occasions in Popular Mechanics magazine, with the earliest prediction occurring in 1928. The 1928 version was propeller driven, with the propeller being able to be put in a horizontal position above the car to allow it to ascend into the air like a helicopter. By 1943, there were two types of flying cars predicted, one (the roadable plane) intended to be a plane first, and the other (the Aerocar) was supposed to be a good automobile first. Both types were primarily for use in the Midwest and the West in the United States, with a third type, the “helicab”, designed for the Northeastern region of the country and able to carry up to five persons. The version of the flying car predicted in 1957 was to be a “flying fan” type of vehicle, using the same principles of a ducted fan for its flying platform. However, despite such recurring predictions, no cost effective way of personal air travel still exists for us.

So, what will the future hold, at least in terms of motor vehicle travel? In 2009 alone, Americans wasted 4.2 billion hours and $87.2 billion dollars in fuel costs while stuck in traffic jams. What can be done to reduce such wastes in our lives? Would flying cars simply replace traffic congestion in one place for another? Would some sort of a special license be required before you could drive a “flying car”?

How about significantly reducing the dependency on fossil fuels to operate our motor vehicles, or at least on foreign produced oil? There are predictions that it will take 100 million electric cars (out of the current 250 million cars and light trucks) to eliminate any such dependency on foreign oil.

What advances will be made in the coming years in car safety, considering the multitude of reasons for crashes? Motor vehicle safety has come a long way from the introduction of safety belts in vehicles in the 1960s. Legislatures and police have aggressively taken steps to crack down on the driver who has been drinking before sitting behind the wheel.
However, an often overlooked cause of vehicle crashes is the sleepiness of the driver of a vehicle. At least Volvo, Saab, and Mercedes Benz have developed some form of drowsy driver alert system for their vehicles. Estimates in November, 2009 were that as many as 1.9 million drivers had had a car crash or a near miss due to drowsiness in the preceding year. A person who has been awake for more than 20 hours is impaired to a level equal to a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08%, the legal limit in all states. Despite such facts, I know of no one who has ever been arrested for being under the influence of a lack of sleep while driving.

Remember that laws are constantly changing and are often not uniform throughout the United States. Do not place unqualified reliance on the information in this article. Always contact legal counsel for detailed advice.
If you have a particular issue, law or problem you would like to see addressed in a future column, please contact me at KLeonard@LeonardSciolla.com, or Leonard, Sciolla, Hutchison, Leonard & Tinari, LLP, 215-567-1530.

[Editor’s note: at the end of March 2012, both U.S based Terrafugia and Pal-V of Holland announced successful “first flights” of prototypes for their street-usable aircraft or flying car. Both companies say their craft will require buyers to obtain an aviation license through 20-30 hours of training. Terrefugia has set an initial price of $279,000 for their vehicle.]

 

The Mobile Air Conditioning Society’s blog has been honored as the best business to business blog in the Automotive Aftermarket by the Automotive Communications Awards and the Car Care Council Women’s Board!

When having your mobile A/C system professionally serviced, insist on proper repair procedures and quality replacement parts. Insist on recovery and recycling so that refrigerant can be reused and not released into the atmosphere.

If you’re a service professional and not a MACS member yet, you should be, click here for more information.

You can E-mail us at macsworldwide@macsw.org or visit http://bit.ly/cf7az8 to find a Mobile Air Conditioning Society member repair shop in your area. Visit http://bit.ly/9FxwTh to find out more about your car’s mobile A/C and engine cooling system.

The 33rd annual Mobile Air Conditioning Society (MACS) Worldwide Training Conference and Trade Show, Be the Best of the Best will take place February 7-9, 2013 at the Caribe Royale, Orlando, FL.

Australian industry turmoil

By Jim Taylor, Editor MACS ACtion Magazine

All branches of industry in Australia, including automotive and repair markets, are in an uproar over the looming Carbon Tax set to take effect on July 1 of this year. Beyond the financial implications which are substantial, they’re also miffed that they were lied to by their government.

When she was running to be elected Prime Minister in August, 2010 Julia Gillard said, “There will be no carbon tax under a government that I lead.” Yet by November, 2011 she had signed just such a bill into law. The greater idea is to reduce emissions of all atmosphere-damaging gases, using taxation as a blunt instrument to force reductions. The more you emit, the more you pay and a variety of industries have been identified as targets.

The base rate is $23 Australian dollars per tonne of CO2. That will have an obvious effect on coal fired power generation and predictions see an average increase immediately in home electric bills, in some states as much as A$320 per year. Other chemicals are assessed higher rates based on their global warming potential relative to CO2.

Since all refrigerants commonly in use for either mobile or stationary refrigeration have a much higher GWP than the base CO2, the tax amount is higher too. Predictions see the cost of all refrigerants in Oz increasing to three or four times their present cost. Distributors and shop owners are worried about being able to pass the cost on to customers.

The new tax hits hard on all branches of transportation and those costs will have to be spread to the consumer. Economists predict every facet of the national economy will see substantial price spikes after July.

While reducing pollution is an admirable goal, supporters of the tax overlooked one fact—there is no damage done when there are no emissions in the first place! That’s what has the nation’s entire HVACR industry wound up right now.

Australia already has what is arguably the stiffest refrigerant control and management program in the world. Put into law a few years ago, the country now has cradle-to-grave control and documentation required for every ounce of all refrigerants from the moment of import to their final destruction.

All that work for nothing; recent appeals to the government from several industry groups and manufacturers, plus presentations of existing (but often unenforced) laws, were dismissed as trivial.

VASA, MACS sister organization, was in the fight up to its ears but to no avail. The new tax does not provide any credit for proper recovery, re-purification or destruction of contaminated refrigerant. Those following good practice are to be punished with the sinners.

VASA’s Mark Mitchell said, “This industry has proved time and time again that it is capable of change for the better.

“The government would have achieved a lot more for the environment, if that’s their genuine concern, if they imposed deadlines on technology change as the European Union has done. Leave a strict licensing regime in place and the problem is solved.”

As July 1st nears, opposition to the tax is rising on all sides, and some are calling for the Australian Parliament to rescind the entire measure immediately. A large business coalition has warned that the upcoming “green tape” will endanger over $900 billion in investments and affect the country’s national economy for years to come.

The Mobile Air Conditioning Society’s blog has been honored as the best business to business blog in the Automotive Aftermarket by the Automotive Communications Awards and the Car Care Council Women’s Board!

When having your mobile A/C system professionally serviced, insist on proper repair procedures and quality replacement parts. Insist on recovery and recycling so that refrigerant can be reused and not released into the atmosphere.

If you’re a service professional and not a MACS member yet, you should be, click here for more information.

You can E-mail us at macsworldwide@macsw.org or visit http://bit.ly/cf7az8 to find a Mobile Air Conditioning Society member repair shop in your area. Visit http://bit.ly/9FxwTh to find out more about your car’s mobile A/C and engine cooling system.

The 33rd annual Mobile Air Conditioning Society (MACS) Worldwide Training Conference and Trade Show, Be the Best of the Best will take place February 7-9, 2013 at the Caribe Royale, Orlando, FL.

History of automotive climate control

By Jim Taylor, Editor MACS ACtion Magazine

Gene D. Dickirson’s new book, Automotive Climate Control – 116 years of Progress, documents vehicle heating and cooling technologies from the very early days of charcoal-fired foot heaters right through the end of 2011 and the advent of R-1234yf. The author, with an engineering career history at Ford Motor Company, also follows the development of engine coolant technology and the development of windshield wipers and washers, making the reasonable case that both are also essential to “controlling” the climate.

A large part of this book’s appeal is that the story is told only briefly in words, with the bulk of several hundred pages presenting historic timelines through the advertising and printed matter of the day. The author has done a remarkable job of collecting and sorting hundreds of photos, clippings, technical and parts manuals and other sources to present a unique view of where the mobile HVAC industry started and how it became today’s high-technology field.

The pictures are informative, nostalgic, and insightful in equal measure, and every reader will have several “wow, I didn’t know that” moments. It’s available now in paperback through the publisher at lulu.com, and also soon via Amazon and other on-line vendors.

The Mobile Air Conditioning Society’s blog has been honored as the best business to business blog in the Automotive Aftermarket by the Automotive Communications Awards and the Car Care Council Women’s Board!

When having your mobile A/C system professionally serviced, insist on proper repair procedures and quality replacement parts. Insist on recovery and recycling so that refrigerant can be reused and not released into the atmosphere.

If you’re a service professional and not a MACS member yet, you should be, click here for more information.

You can E-mail us at macsworldwide@macsw.org or visit http://bit.ly/cf7az8 to find a Mobile Air Conditioning Society member repair shop in your area. Visit http://bit.ly/9FxwTh to find out more about your car’s mobile A/C and engine cooling system.

The 33rd annual Mobile Air Conditioning Society (MACS) Worldwide Training Conference and Trade Show, Be the Best of the Best will take place February 7-9, 2013 at the Caribe Royale, Orlando, FL.

There is still time for mobile A/C training

There is still time for mobile A/C training in May and June. Here are the dates and places of upcoming clinics:

MACS  2012 Mobile A/C Update Clinic Dates and Locations

Illinois

May 17 – Chicago area, IL @ LKQ
email jeffshie@gmail.com to register

Kentucky
June 7th-Louisville, KY @ Moog Warehouse Call 502/583-7795 

   

Massachusetts
May 10th – Worcester/Boston Area @ Massbay Community College
 Click here for a registration form

Maine
May 8th – Gorham, ME @ LKQ

Call 207/839-3080 X 2898 to register

  

Michigan

May 5-Mt. Pleasant, MI @LKQ To RegisterCall 312/621-1950

New Hampshire

May 9th – Manchester, NH @ LKQ Call 603/ 263-6247 to register 

New York
May 9th-Albany, NY @ LKQ email gjacobson@lkqcorp.com  

 

The Mobile Air Conditioning Society’s blog has been honored as the best business to business blog in the Automotive Aftermarket by the Automotive Communications Awards and the Car Care Council Women’s Board!

When having your mobile A/C system professionally serviced, insist on proper repair procedures and quality replacement parts. Insist on recovery and recycling so that refrigerant can be reused and not released into the atmosphere.

If you’re a service professional and not a MACS member yet, you should be, click here for more information.

You can E-mail us at macsworldwide@macsw.org or visit http://bit.ly/cf7az8 to find a Mobile Air Conditioning Society member repair shop in your area. Visit http://bit.ly/9FxwTh to find out more about your car’s mobile A/C and engine cooling system.

The 33rd annual Mobile Air Conditioning Society (MACS) Worldwide Training Conference and Trade Show, Be the Best of the Best will take place February 7-9, 2013 at the Caribe Royale, Orlando, FL.

 

Texas     

June 19-Dallas, TX  

June 20-Houston, TX-email

baugustine@cbac.com to register  

Virginia

May 16th-Leesburg, VA @ ASE HQ Click here

These clinics have specific points of registration. For  information please call 215/631-7020 x 306 or e-mail macsworldwide@macsw.org

As others see us

Andrew Ross is publisher and editor of Canada’s “Jobber News,” a magazine for parts retailers and distributors, and he also serves as a MACS Convention correspondent. He recently came across an interesting political situation in Wisconsin and penned this comment in his magazine’s April, 2012 issue.

It’s presented here with his permission because it makes some strong points about the aftermarket and the community.

Comment: Plan to Block O’Reilly Store Raises Questions About Image

A move to block an O’Reilly Auto Parts store because it wasn’t deemed good enough for a Wisconsin city may have failed, but it gives rise to questions about how municipalities and residents view auto parts businesses.

The failure of the move by Wauwatosa councilors means that an O’Reilly Auto Parts Store will soon occupy the space where a Blockbuster once stood in East Tosa, Wis., reported WauwatosaNow.com.

The debate hinged on the fact that some residents felt it may not fit with the city’s vision for the neighbourhood.

What should be concerning for the aftermarket, however, is the underlying sentiment among dissenters—the vote was 11-3 against blocking the store—that it is preferable to have a vacant storefront waiting for a “suitable business” to arrive rather than allow an auto parts store to make it home.

Fortunately for O’Reilly, the majority of the councilors felt differently, but even then only on strict conditions about what work customers could perform in the adjacent parking lot.

In the current U.S. economy, it’s much more likely that larger, nationwide companies can afford to rehabilitate vacant properties, alderman Donald Birschel  told WauwatosaNow.com. Economic conditions must improve for small businesses to take a chance, and having vacant properties will not help.

So common sense seems to have won the day, but only barely, and only conditionally. Considering that sentiment, even those who voted for the plan did so grudgingly.

An auto parts store provides jobs, services, and needed merchandise to a community. It also provides a good corporate citizen.

Considering the well-documented community commitments that aftermarket industry players are known for within the industry, it would seem that there is still considerable work to do communicating the real value of an auto parts business to consumers and other decision makers.

 

The Mobile Air Conditioning Society’s blog has been honored as the best business to business blog in the Automotive Aftermarket by the Automotive Communications Awards and the Car Care Council Women’s Board!

When having your mobile A/C system professionally serviced, insist on proper repair procedures and quality replacement parts. Insist on recovery and recycling so that refrigerant can be reused and not released into the atmosphere.

If you’re a service professional and not a MACS member yet, you should be, click here for more information.

You can E-mail us at macsworldwide@macsw.org or visit http://bit.ly/cf7az8 to find a Mobile Air Conditioning Society member repair shop in your area. Visit http://bit.ly/9FxwTh to find out more about your car’s mobile A/C and engine cooling system.

The 33rd annual Mobile Air Conditioning Society (MACS) Worldwide Training Conference and Trade Show, Be the Best of the Best will take place February 7-9, 2013 at the Caribe Royale, Orlando, FL.