Professional Motor Mechanic

How good are you at dispute resolution in the workplace? Are you sure you’re focussing on the good your techs do as much as any issues which arise? Could you run the people side of your workshop as well as the mechanical side? These are the issues we explore in this episode of the PMM Podcast.  

Mechanex-PMM Live is celebrating its 20th anniversary in November, when it comes to Sandown Park in Surrey on Tuesday 12th and Wednesday 13th November. To mark this special occasion, the PMM Podcast is looking at how the aftermarket and car repair more generally has evolved over the last 20 years. We spoke to the IAAF’s Neil Pattemore and the IGA’s John Douglass to find out more.  

This episode is sponsored by Dewalt Automotive 

Ever thought your golf course chats should be a podcast? Well, so did we! And who better to hit the fairway with than the Garage Inspector, Andy Savva?  

Listen as we discuss all things aftermarket related and get Andy’s unique take on what workshops should be paying attention to going forward. 

The industry needs more apprentices, no one can dispute that. However, it’s easier said than done and many small independent workshops struggle to find, hire and retain younger staff – let alone train them up! We visited an apprentice, Tia Marsh and her tutor at East Coast College, Matt Yeldham, to see what some of the challenges facing apprentices themselves were. Throughout this episode, you will be confronted with an interesting, funny and moving portrait of the industry we all work to improve every day. 

The classic car market is a growing one, bringing a touch of prestige to drivers across the country. But who are those drivers? And is it true that the classic car owner is still primarily a DIYer tinkering away in the garage?  

Well, to answer those questions and get a better idea of what opportunity classic car repair and maintenance offers to independent garages, we travelled to Clayton Classics in Coventry to speak to Director Dean Allsop. Listen to this episode to find out more. 

Father-son garages are the powerhouse behind the independent aftermarket. They provide a rock solid base on which UK car repair not only survives, but thrives. How many times do you come across a garage owned by a father whose son also helps out on the workshop floor? It seems that car repair is particularly likely to feature that familial bond that just adds a little warmth to the working day. But what happens when the time comes to pass that garage down to the next generation? How easy is it to relinquish control and place the fate of your workshop in the hands of the next generation?  

This is what we spoke to Tom Cockings, from Robert Cockings Motor Repair about. Tom is a great example of a son who has taken the family garage to new heights without losing sight of what made it great in the first place. Listen to this episode to hear Tom’s story.  

Also in this episode, Tom Henman, editor of Professional Motor Factor magazine, chats to WAI’s Richard Welland about his role and how the brand is engaging with motor factors.  

That the automotive aftermarket is in the midst of a skills crisis can hardly be doubted. Many workshops are complaining that they don’t have the staff to keep up with the amount of work they are presented with and tales are often told of technicians who have left the industry for far easier jobs elsewhere, pocketing more each month in the process. In times like these, the knee-jerk reaction is to raise wages and attract more staff. The only problem is that wages have gone up, quite considerably in fact, and still the problem of attracting new staff – and new blood – into the industry persists.  

So what to do about? Well that’s the topic we are exploring on the PMM Podcast this month. PMM editor Kieran Nee caught up with three figures from across the industry to find out what they think could provide an answer to the crisis. So if you want to learn about some of the most forward-thinking approaches to attracting and retaining staff, listen to this episode! 

This episode is sponsored by LKQ-Euro Car Parts. 

The Government has now published its findings and response to last year’s consultation and call for evidence on the MOT, looking at the frequency of the test and what amendments and updates the DVSA could make to the test to bring into line with current passenger vehicle landscape. But whilst the Government is focussing on the cars and technology of the future, are they forgetting what makes the MOT work in the first place? Namely the thousands of MOT testers themselves, many of whom often feel frustrated that their experiences and opinions are being ignored.  

In this episode, you’ll hear from Protech Academy’s Leigh Marsden and Kallum Dorman about the issues surrounding training and assessment, as well as the debates surrounding the maximum fee and a lack of face-to-face contact with the DVSA.  

Also, Hayley Pells from the IMI discusses the role the Government plays in the MOT and what the IMI is doing to ensure independent workshops are being heard.

Like ‘em or loathe ‘em, EVs are out driving around on British roads as we speak and many of them are now outside of their manufacturer warranty period. What does this mean? Well, according to EV specialist Matt Cleevely, this offers the perfect opportunity for independent garages like yours to make some money, which is always a good thing! 

This episode, Freya catches up with Matt Cleevely to see what the fuss is about EVs (spoiler – they’re really fun to drive), whilst Kieran visits our new headline sponsor LKQ Euro Car Parts to find out what they’re doing to support independent garages looking to go electric.

This month the PMM Podcast team are setting out to answer a simple question: Are fake parts on the rise? The answer is, of course, anything but simple.  

In this episode you will find out what manufacturers, trade organisations and even the police are doing to tackle illegitimate parts infiltrating the aftermarket.  

As the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite, the temptation to cut corners grows ever stronger. Yet, as the conversations in this episode of the podcast prove, when it comes to fake parts, if something feels too good to be true, it usually is.

Featuring:  

Stuart James, IGA (Independent Garage Association) 

Richard Armstrong, Lumileds (UK Distributors of Phillips Bulbs) 

Ron Merralls, Niterra (formerly NGK) 

Mike Sadler, Denso Aftermarket 

Siti Abdullah, Brembo Brakes 

Matthew Ellis, Comline/Allied Nippon 

Tom Cockings, Robert Cockings Motor Repair