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F e b r u a r y 2013

Also, sell more:� Exhaust� Catalytic Converters� Gaskets� Ignition Wire Sets� Lighting� Timing Belts

Also, sell more:� Exhaust� Catalytic Converters� Gaskets� Ignition Wire Sets� Lighting� Timing Belts

We speak to the leaders to get their perspectives.We speak to the leaders to get their perspectives.

counterman.com/ASAP for reader service

Cover Story By Mark PhillipsAn emphasis on commercial is a way of life for super stores. ........................................36Tech Features By Larry CarleyThe catalytic converter is the big-ticket item in the exhaust system. ........22Find the right gasket for the job. ................24Spark plug wires are designed to be durable. ................................................26Lighting the way. ........................................28Mechanic Connection By Gary GomsModern “three-way” OBD II catalytic converters contain several different catalysts. ........................................................30Timing belts remain a significant profit center ..................................................32

COUNTERMAN (ISSN 0739-3695) (February 2013 Volume 31, Number 2): Copyright 2013 Babcox Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved: Published monthly by Babcox, 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333U.S.A. Phone (330) 670-1234, Fax (330) 670-0874. Periodical postage paid at Akron, OH 44333 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to COUNTERMAN, 3550 EmbassyParkway, Akron, OH 44333-8318. A limited number of complimentary subscriptions are available to individuals who meet the qualification requirements. Call (330) 670-1234, Ext. 275, to speak to a subscription ser-vices representative or FAX us at (330) 670-5335. Paid Subscriptions are available for non-qualified subscribers at the following rates: U.S.: $69. Samples and back issues - Domestic - $10, International/via air mail -$15. Canada: $89 for one year, $149 for two years. Canadian rates include GST. Ohio residents add 5.75% sales tax. Other foreign rates/via air mail: $129 for one year. Payable in advance in U.S. funds. Mailpayment to COUNTERMAN, P.O. Box 75692, Cleveland, OH 44101-4755. Visa, MasterCard or American Express accepted.

Editor’s Ink By Mark Phillips ....................................................8A work-around is not a solution.

From The Publisher By S. Scott Shriber ......................42How are you going to stay on top?

Keeping It Simple By Gerald Wheelus ........................44Make time for education.

Counter-tech By Mandy Aguilar........................................46Kickstarter is not a repair.

Allen & Allan By Allen Markowitz and Allan Gerber ......48Succession planning is not as easy as you might think.

features

32

30

36

2 February 2013 | Counterman

FebruaryVolume 31, No. 2

INSIDE

columns26

departmentsAftermarket News......................................................................................10Aftermarket News presents news, views and analysis of currenttrends and events in aftermarket distribution.

NASCAR Performance............................................................................23This monthly special section takes you behind the scenes of thisfast-growing sport.

MarketPlace .................................................................................................. 31Every month, MarketPlace showcases the newest automotive prod-uct and service innovations your customers are asking about!

Classifieds ........................................................................................................45

ADVERTISING SALES REPRESENTATIVES

HOME OFFICE:3550 Embassy ParkwayAkron, OH 44333-8318330-670-1234FAX 330-670-0874

Bill Babcox [email protected], ext. 217

PUBLISHER:S. Scott [email protected], ext. 229

SALES REPRESENTA-TIVES:Dean Martin [email protected], ext. 225

Jim [email protected], ext. 280

Roberto [email protected], ext. 233

Glenn [email protected], ext. 212

Sean [email protected], ext. 206

John [email protected]

CLASSIFIED SALES:Tom [email protected], ext. 224


P U B L I S H E RS. Scott Shriber330-670-1234, ext. [email protected]

E D I T O R I A LMark Phillips, Editor330-670-1234, Ext. [email protected]

Amy Antenora, Editor, aftermarketNewsManaging Editor, Counterman330-670-1234, Ext. [email protected]

Larry Carley, Technical [email protected]

C O N T R I B U T I N G E D I T O R SMandy Aguilar, ColumnistGary Goms, Commercial AccountsGerald Wheelus, ColumnistAllen Markowitz, ColumnistAllan Gerber, ColumnistJerry King, Cartoonist

G R A P H I C D E S I G NLisa DiPaolo, Graphic Designer330-670-1234 , Ext. [email protected]

A D V E R T I S I N G S E R V I C E STina PurnellAdvertising Services Manager330-670-1234 , Ext. [email protected]

C I R C U L A T I O N S E R V I C E SBrad Mitchell, Director of eMedia & Audience Development330-670-1234 , Ext. [email protected]

Pat Robinson, Circulation Manager330-670-1234, Ext. [email protected]

Ellen Mays, Circulation Specialist330-670-1234, Ext. [email protected]

C O R P O R A T EBill Babcox, PresidentGreg Cira, Vice President, Chief FinancialOfficerJeff Stankard, Vice PresidentBeth Scheetz, Controller

Edward S. Babcox (1885-1970)Founder

Tom B. Babcox (1919-1995)Chairman

Founded 1983. Copyright 2013Babcox Media, Inc., All Rights Reserved

COUNTERMAN (ISSN-0739-3695) ispublished monthly by Babcox Media, 3550Embassy Pkwy., Akron, OH 44333. Periodicalpostage paid at Akron, OH and additionalmailing offices.

Member, BPA International

16

Awork-around is not a solution, espe-cially if it’s done repeatedly.

There’s a particular business newspaperI buy from time to time at a grocery store.It never fails: I always buy at the automat-ed checkout and the newspaper is neverentered into their system. Every other pa-per is, but not this one. Each time I buy (er,try to buy), an employee has to leave theirpost to walk over to my checkout stand,slide an ID card, punch in a bunch of num-bers, scan my newspaper and type somemore numbers. The same thing happens ifI buy in line from a cashier.

The process, from start to finish, takesabout three minutes. It might not seem likemuch, however, this grocery store sells

about 15 copies of the newspaper a day.So a day’s worth of newspapers adds

up to about 45 minutes of wastedtime each day. (Thankfully, the pa-per only comes out six days aweek!)

Each time this happens, I polite-ly tell the employee (a differ-

ent one each time) thatif they would just

enter the newspa-

EDITOR’S INKBy Mark Phillips

A Work-Around Is Not A Solution

per’s bar code into their system, this would-n’t happen and they wouldn’t be wastingtheir time every time someone buys it.

This insane workaround process hasplayed out for about the past four years.(You’d think I’d give up.) The grocery storeis part of a multi-store chain. Guess whathappens when I try to buy the paper in an-other county? Same thing.

No matter where it happens, the em-ployee seems very apathetic toward thetime being wasted, even after I explain thatthis has happened countless times. Afterall, if they weren’t attending to this news-paper snafu, they’d just be doing some-thing else in the store, right? They’regetting paid either way.

It’s gotten to the point where I either buyat another store or buy the paper on myKindle. I save money — the Kindle versionis 50 cents, versus the $2 paper versionprice — and I spare myself the hassle ofdealing with this workaround.

Watching this kind of inefficiency andknowing that I’ve tried to help them cor-rect it, is maddening, to say the least.

Does buying something have to be thishard? CM

■ ■ ■

For more information: www.counterman.com

The process,from start tofinish, takesabout threeminutes...Thisstore sells about15 copies of thenewspaper aday. So a day’sworth ofnewspapersadds up toabout 45minutes ofwasted timeeach day.


AFTERMARKET NEWS

What vehicle MODEL does this picturerepresent? If you think you know the answer,go to www.counterman.com and click “Guessthe Car” on the nav bar. Submit your answerand contact information. A winner will berandomly selected by the Counterman stafffrom all correct answers. The deadline toenter is March 5. The winner’s name willappear in the next issue. Stay tuned!

Last Month’s Correct Answer:

This Month’s Puzzle

Win $100!

Guess the Car

#61

#60Rampage

Congrats to Donna Moon, Warrenton, Mo.

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LENEXA, Kan. – APA has hiredGary Martin as executive vice pres-ident. Martin will be responsiblefor maximizing APA’s operatingperformance and overseeing APA’sstrategic plan. He will be workingto further integrate member andvendor participation in APA’s datawarehouse.

Public rela-tions and train-ing will be keycomponents ofhis new posi-tion. Martinwill be based atAPA’s head-quarters inLenexa, Kan.,and will report

directly to Dan Freeman, president& CEO.

Martin brings more than 18years of experience in the automo-tive aftermarket, having worked insales for CARDONE Industriessince 1994. At CARDONE Indus-tries, Martin had dual responsibili-ty as director of traditional marketsales for Canada and as director ofprogram distribution sales forNorth America. In these roles,Martin worked directly with APAand its shareholders on a regularbasis. Prior to CARDONE Indus-tries, Martin was general managerfor Four M Corp. and GaylordContainer.

“Martin has a proven trackrecord as a strategist who will alsobe a great fit with our group’s cul-ture. We are excited about the con-tributions he will make in his roleby integrating his strong back-ground to further drive APA’s suc-cess,” Freeman said.

Automotive Parts Associates Names Gary Martin as Executive Vice President

Gary Martin

National Pronto AssociationAdds Papco As Newest Member

GRAPEVINE, Texas – National Pronto Associationhas announced the addition of PAPCO (Pacific-Ocean Auto Parts Co.) to the Pronto membership, effective Jan. 1.

PAPCO was founded 15 years ago and is a distrib-utor of Motorcraft, ACDelco, Mopar and other after-market parts and accessories to the NorthernCalifornia Bay Area.


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AFTERMARKET NEWS

Over the Counter By Jerry King

O’Reilly Automotive Opens Its 4,000th StoreSPRINGFIELD, Mo. – O’Reilly Automotive celebrat-ed the opening of its 4,000th store, located in Tam-pa, Fla., by hosting a daylong celebration ofphilanthropy, community and customers, on Sat-urday, Jan. 19. The community was invited to jointhe celebration, which began with the TampaChamber of Commerce overseeing a celebratoryribbon-cutting ceremony.

The annual KOI Auto Parts-Federated Auto Parts

Cavalcade of Customs andTraining Expo held Jan. 11-13 inCincinnati, Ohio, was reported

to be a “huge success,”according to KOI. The event sawrecord-setting attendance,

with 550 KOI customersparticipating in more than 100

training sessions.

Goodpoint Autoparts BrakeWear Sensors Selected For Federated Co-ManWarehouse ProgramTABOR CITY, N.C. – DMA Good-point, an aftermarket supplier ofelectronic brake pad wear sensors,has been selected by FederatedAuto Parts as a new distributorfor the Federated Co-Man Ware-house Program. The FederatedCo-Man Warehouse, located inStaunton, Va., was founded in1999 and is jointly owned by Federated members.

The announcement was made byMark Harritan, director of distribu-tor sales at DMA Goodpoint, whonoted that Goodpoint Autopartsbrake wear sensors offers a uniqueopportunity for Federated mem-bers to provide a high-quality sen-sor at an affordable price. Vehiclecoverage includes: Audi, BMW,Cadillac, Dodge, Jaguar, Lexus,Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Mini,Porsche and Volkswagen.

DMA Goodpoint (Direct MarketAccess Inc.) DMA also is the ex-clusive North American partnerof SENSEN Shocks & Struts. AllDMA Goodpoint products aremade in ISO-certified facilities tothe same quality standards as theOE parts supplied to automakersworldwide.

The latest application coveragecan be found in the online catalogat www.dmagoodpoint.com.


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AFTERMARKET NEWS

Parts Plus has reached an agreement toremain the primary sponsor of TopFuel driver Clay Millican for athird straight NHRA season,according to Mike Lambert, president of theAutomotive Distribution Network.

During the holiday season, VIP Parts, Tires & Servicesuccessfully completed its fifth annual campaign inconjunction with Make-A-Wish. Every VIP storeparticipated in this seasonal program promotingdonations to Make-A-Wish that raised $36,762 in 2012.Pictured here from left to right: Adam Dunbar, memberof Make-A-Wish Board of Directors; John Quirk,president and CEO of VIP Parts, Tires & Service; TomPeaco, executive director of Make-A-Wish Maine; TimWinkeler, COO of VIP Parts, Tires & Service

DENSO To Invest Nearly$1 Billion In NorthAmerica Over NextFour YearsSOUTHFIELD, Mich. – Global au-tomotive supplier DENSO is in-vesting nearly $1 billion in NorthAmerica over the next four years,which will result in more than 2,000jobs across the region. The invest-ment will allow DENSO to bettersupport its North American cus-tomers, as well as expand newbusiness areas and localize prod-ucts, many of which will help au-tomakers meet upcoming fuelrequirements. More than $750 mil-lion will be invested in the UnitedStates alone, along with more than1,200 jobs, according to DENSO.

“Last year, we announced thatDENSO will drastically localizeproduct in the regions in which weoperate,” said Terry Helgesen, sen-ior vice president of industry rela-tions at DENSO InternationalAmerica Inc. “Not only are wemaking products in North America,but we’re also localizing criticaltooling.”

In the U.S., DENSO is looking atinvesting more than $750 million inMichigan, Tennessee, Iowa, Califor-nia and North Carolina. The invest-ment represents an increase inresearch and development, an ex-pansion in existing productionlines, the creation of new produc-tion lines and the opening a newassembly and warehouse facility tosupport its heavy-duty customers.


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AFTERMARKET NEWS

STAUNTON, Va. – In its first-yearpartnership with the Marine Toysfor Tots campaign, Federated andits participating members raised$140,000 and collected more than4,000 toys.

“We could not be more pleasedwith how well our partnership with

Toys for Tots turned out,” said Mike Schultz of Federated Auto Parts.“We want to thank our members who led this highly successful effort.The money and toys collected resulted in the equivalent of 15,000 toysdonated to children in need throughout the country.”

As part of its Toys for Tots partnership, participating Federated mem-bers collected donations and toys at their stores and some conducted con-tests for their customers as a way to thank them for their donations. Inaddition, financial contributions were accepted at the Federated Toys forTots microsite (www.federatedautoparts.com/ToysforTots.aspx), whichlinks directly to the Toys for Tots website.

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – AutomotiveParts Headquarters Inc. (APH), aMinnesota-based aftermarket autoparts distributor and store group,recognized outstanding supplierachievements from 2012 with all ofits store owners, managers andsalespeople present at the group’sannual Winter Conference Jan. 20 atCragun’s Resort and Hotel in Brain-erd, Minn. The employee-owners ofAPH helped determine recipients ofthe supplier awards, which werepresented by John Bartlett, CEO,and Corey Bartlett, president.

“Strong partnerships, like theones we have with Dorman, Stan-dard Motor Products, Federal-Mogul and East Penn, are essential for our continued growth,” saidCorey Bartlett. “We really appreciate the significant efforts these compa-nies put forward to help us grow our business, and we’re delighted toonce again celebrate their accomplishments.”

The Bartletts presented the following awards:Northstar Award for new business opportunities, Dorman Products;

Outstanding Training Support, Standard Motor Products; OutstandingTechnology Support, Dorman Products; Outstanding Marketing Sup-port, Federal-Mogul; Outstanding Sales Support, East Penn; and 2012Supplier of the Year, East Penn.


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Federated Partnership WithToys For Tots Deemed A‘Huge Success’

Automotive Parts Headquarters PresentsOutstanding Supplier Awards

From left to right, are: John Bartlett, CEOof Automotive Parts Headquarters; RichVierkant, vice president ofmerchandising at Automotive PartsHeadquarters; Doug Kubinak, vicepresident of sales at East PennManufacturing; Mark Hoffman, salesmanager at East Penn Manufacturing;and Corey Bartlett, president ofAutomotive Parts Headquarters.


The Lambda Platform isshared with the ChevroletTraverse, Saturn Outlook,GMC Acadia and Buick

Enclave. It is largely derived fromthe GM Epsilon platform, the sameplatform that makes the ChevroletMalibu and Pontiac G6.

These vehicles can be front- orall-wheel drive. All models havethe same rear disc brake setup withthe parking brake in the hat of therotor.

There are many opportunities tosell the technicians and consumersadditional parts and supplies forthe brake job.

Pads

The pads are retained in the brack-et with anti-rattle clips. To releasethe pad from the clip, there are tabsat the ends of pad that are de-pressed to release the pad. Theseclips are typically damaged whenthe pads are removed; recommendnew hardware or a premium padset that includes these items.

Calipers

The caliper bracket bolts on this ve-hicle use high-strength thread lock-

er to hold it in place (it is the “redstuff”). The technician should cleanthe old thread locker material offthe threads with denatured alcoholsolvent before putting new threadlocker on.

The guide pins need to be lubri-cated. If the previous technician didnot seat the boot in the grooves ofthe caliper bracket and guide pin,they will need a new hardware set.

If you are selling them new or re-man calipers, make sure the newunits have phenolic pistons.

TSB: What if the booster doesnot feel right?

If the brake booster activates ex-cessively or if excessive effort ofthe brake pedal is consistently re-quired, Hydraulic Brake Booster“HBB” calibration may be needed.To do this, it will require a scantool with the right software. Theprocedure is simple and requirespressing the brake and gas in theright sequence.

Rotors

Front: Min thickness: 27.5 mm(1.08”)Rear: Min thickness: 18.4 mm(0.72”) CM

TECH TIPS

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The Brake Upsell:

GM Acadia / Buick / Outlook / Enclave


By Larry Carley, technical editorTECH FEATURE

Catalytic Converters Are Big-Ticket Items

The hot topic here iscatalytic converters. Theconverter is the big ticketitem in the exhaust system.

Every vehicle sold in the U.S. since1975 has one or more converters inits exhaust systems, and everyvehicle since 1996 is equipped witha special “OBD” certified converterthat reduces pollution even more.

Original equipment convertersare supposed to last upward of150,000 miles or more, but may failsooner for a number of reasons.Catalyst contamination is a biggie,and the reason for that is that theengine may be burning oil. Oil con-tains zinc and phosphorus wearadditives (called ZDDP), whichcan foul the catalyst. That’s whythe level of ZDDP has been drasti-

cally reduced in newer motor oils.Converters also can be damagedby severe overheating, which is of-ten the result of ignition misfiringor a leaky exhaust valve.

Most motorists don’t know theirconverter has reached the end ofthe road until their vehicle fails anemissions test. A Check Enginelight with a P0420 or P0430 faultcode (catalyst efficiency fault) isusually a sure indication the con-verter needs to be replaced.

New original equipment con-verters are covered by an 8-year/80,000-mile federal emissionswarranty, or up to 15 years/150,000miles on some California hybridvehicles. Once a converter is out ofwarranty, it can be replaced withan aftermarket converter. The re-

placement must be the same typeas the original, and OBD compliantif it is for a 1996 or newer vehicle.Aftermarket converters have a 2-year/24,000-mile warranty.

California also has its own spe-cial requirements and rules for cat-alytic converters. For vehiclesregistered within the state of Cali-fornia, a replacement convertermust be CA-certified with anC.A.R.B number stamped on theconverter shell. For CA vehiclesthat are outside of California, a 49-state OBD II converter is an accept-able replacement.

For older high-mileage vehiclesthat may have problems meetingemissions, some aftermarket re-placement converters are availablewith catalysts that contain a specialblend of metals or an extra thicklayer of metals so the converter cansafely handle higher levels of pol-lutants. This can help keep theCheck Engine light off so the vehi-cle will meet emissions for a longerperiod of time.

Related items a customer mayneed when replacing a converterinclude clamps and gaskets, possi-bly new pipe hangers, the adjoin-ing pipes (head pipe and exhaustpipe), a new “downstream” oxy-gen sensor (which monitors the op-eration of the catalyst) andreplacement heat shields if theoriginal shields are rusted, dam-aged or missing. CM

■ ■ ■

For more on catalyticconverters, see page 30.

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Track Talk

Excitement is building forNASCAR fans and competitorsalike for the start of the 2013NASCAR Sprint Cup Series sea-son – and in particular, thedebut of the new Sixth-Generation Car.

“The car has really awesomepotential,” commented DaleEarnhardt Jr. during a test ses-sion last month.

Indeed, the developmentand design of the latestNASCAR Sprint Cup Seriesracecar continues a robust tra-dition of styling that dates backto the earliest days of the sport.Fans will instantaneouslynotice the differences in thebrand individuality of eachGen-6 car.

“You’ll stand there and seeFords and Toyotas andChevrolets driving by,” contin-ued Earnhardt Jr. “It’s greatbecause everything looks differ-ent, yet everything is instantlyrecognizable.”

Optimism is high in theNASCAR garage surround-ing the new racecar’s look,innovative technology andon-track performance.

“This car is the perfectexample of technologyhelping our sport,” saidEarnhardt Jr.’s crew chiefSteve Letarte. “I think wenow have three makesout here that my littleboy at 9 years old can tell the differencebetween. If you’re intoracing, you want to watchcool cars go around thetrack. I think the simple

fact is in 2013 we have cool-er cars.”

While NASCAR’s Car ofTomorrow served its purpose ofproviding a safer car for driversover the past several years, fanscalled for more exciting, side-by-side racing. Manufacturersneeded to return to a stockoption with deeper characterlines and brand identity. Andcompetitors desired a modelthat would not only even theplaying field, but produce agood show.

Over the past two years,NASCAR and its partners haveworked diligently to satisfythose needs.

“The car is a really good-looking car,” said veteran driverJeff Burton. “A lot of effort hasgone into making these cars sothat we will have better races.I’m really excited about thatbecause I think, at the end of theday, that is the cornerstone ofthis sport. It’s an exciting day atthe race track whether you are

watching iton TV orwatching itat the track.”

F r o mbrand iden-tity to whereto see drivern a m e s ,here's thel o w d o w non the fivethings everyrace fans h o u l dknow about the Gen-6 car:

1. Brand Identity: Gen-6cars more closely resemblethose found on the showroomfloor, with eye-catching body-lines and stylish features givingeach model its distinctiveappearance.

2. Safety Enhancements:Additions of forward roof barand center roof support bar tothe roll cage reinforce integrityand increase the crush structureof the roof. Larger roof flapsimprove liftoff numbers anddecrease the likelihood of thecar becoming airborne.

3. Slim and Trim: The totalweight of the car has beenreduced by 160 lbs. (100 lesson right side; 60 lbs. on left).The minimum weight of thedriver has also decreasedfrom 200 to 180 lbs.

4. Stamp of Approval: Withthe exception of the carbonfiber rear deck lid, all body pan-els are now produced by themanufacturer and individuallystamped for verification.

5. Your Name Here: Drivernames will be featured on theupper portion of the wind-shield; sponsor decals and car

numbers have beenremoved from headlight andtaillight areas and nowappear on front and rearbumpers; also, a single spon-sor logo will be permitted onthe roof of the cars.

The Gen-6 car will debutat The Sprint Unlimited(Feb. 16 at 8 p.m. on FOX,MRN Radio and SiriusXM),followed by the 55th run-ning of the Daytona 500(Feb. 24 at 1 p.m. on FOX,MRN Radio, SiriusXM). Visitwww.daytonainternational-speedway.com for tickets.

All Eyes on New Gen-6 Car forNASCAR Sprint Cup in Daytona

The next generation of NASCAR racecars continues a robust tradition of styling

that dates back to the earliest days of the sport. Fans will instantaneously notice

the differences in the brand individuality of each Gen-6 car.

The new Sprint Cup cars look more like their road-going

counterparts yet retain the safety features NASCAR has

developed over the past few years.

Follow NASCAR Performance on Twitter and Facebookwww.twitter.com/NASCARauto ■ www.facebook.com/NASCARPerformance



Choose The Right Gasket For The Job

Gaskets are typicallyreplaced when repairwork involves enginedisassembly (removing

valve covers, intake manifolds, oilpans, timing covers or cylinderheads), or when an engine devel-

ops an oil, coolant or vacuum leak.Selling your customer some type ofgasket set is usually the best wayto make sure he gets all of the gas-kets, seals and other parts that maybe required for a particular job, butyou also can sell individual

gaskets, too.Gaskets come in a

wide variety of ma-terials and designs,so there is often con-fusion as to whichbrand of gasket orwhich type of gas-ket is “best” for agiven application.

The best gasket isthe one that fits cor-rectly, seals withoutleaking and main-tains that seal forthe longest time.

One aftermarketgasket manufactur-er may use a differ-ent material,coating, design ortype of constructionfrom that of anothermanufacturer forthe same applica-tion. Either gasketmay work equallywell — providedboth are made withhigh-quality materi-als and are properlyengineered for thatapplication. But inrecent years, an in-flux of “copy cat”gaskets and gaskets

made with lower quality materialshas invaded the aftermarket. Manyof these lesser quality gaskets aremade with materials that take acompression set and lose their abil-ity to maintain a leak-free seal overtime. That, in turn, leads to con-sumer complaints, comebacks andloss of confidence in the productsyou are selling.

The solution is simple enough:recommend brands that are com-mitted to producing quality prod-ucts that are properly engineeredand made with the highest-qualitymaterials. Yes, top-quality gasketsmay cost more, but your customergets more for his money. He gets agasket that fits and lasts and won’tfail anytime soon.

Molded valve cover, oil pan andintake manifold gaskets are com-monly used on many late-modelengines. Some of these have plas-tic or steel carriers for reinforce-ment and to make installationeasier. These gaskets are sup-posed to be long-lived, so it is im-portant that they experience theleast possible compression set (sayno more than 15 to 20 percent). Yetsome cheap-quality gaskets expe-rience a 40 to 60 percent (or high-er) compression set.

One tip you can pass along toyour customers is that molded rub-ber gaskets should be installedDRY. Some may require a smalldab or RTV sealer in the corners toseal a seam, but use of RTV onmolded rubber gaskets or coatedgaskets should be avoided becauseit will only cause problems. CM



Ignition Wires Are Made To Last

Although Coil-On-Plug(COP) ignition systemshave proliferated inrecent years, most older

vehicles have some type of Distrib-utorless Ignition Systems (DIS) or adistributor with spark plugwires. On engines that dohave ignition cables, mostof the later model applica-tion wire sets are spiral-wound stainless steel magwire. This type of construc-tion has less internal resist-ance than carbon-corewires (only about 500ohms/foot versus 5,000ohms/foot with carbon-core wire) and uses induc-tance rather thanresistance to suppressradio frequency interfer-ence (RFI). The result is ahotter spark with less volt-age load on the ignitionsystem. Mag wire can berecommended as anupgrade for older carboncore wires.

Some European importsuse Fixed Resistor plugwires, which have a steelor copper metallic core with a fixedresistor in the plug boot to controlRFI.

Spark plug wire sets do not havea factory recommended service in-terval and are usually replaced onan “as needed” basis. Even so,many technicians recommend re-placing high-mileage spark plugwire sets for preventive mainte-nance. This is typically done when

the spark plugs are replaced at100,000 miles.

Though spark plug wires are de-signed to be long-lasting anddurable, they can be damaged bychaffing, burning, mishandling and

aging of the insulation and conduc-tor (in the case of carbon corewiring). Any damage that allowsthe spark to jump from the wire toground or increases resistance cancause a spark plug to misfire. Igni-tion misfire will usually set a mis-fire code on an OBD II engine andturn on the Check Engine light.And, if a vehicle has a misfireproblem because of one or more

bad plug wires, it won’t pass anOBD II emissions test and it willsuffer a loss of fuel economy andperformance.

When one or more plug wiresare showing signs of deterioration

or are causing a misfire,the entire set should be re-placed. Replacement isneeded if the internal re-sistance in a cable exceedsspecifications (as meas-ured end-to-end with anohmmeter), the cable isdamaged (cracked orburned insulation, or visi-ble arcing or misfiringwhen the engine is run-ning), or the plug boots orterminals fit poorly or areloose.

Replacement cablesmust be the same diame-ter (7mm or 8mm) and thesame length as the origi-nal to fit properly, but donot necessarily have to bethe same type of wire(mag wire or suppressionwire) as the original wireset. In fact, mag wire is of-ten recommended as an

upgrade for applications thatwere originally equipped withcarbon core suppression wire.Premium wire sets typically use ahigh-temperature insulation suchas silicone or EPDM (EthylenePropylene Diene Monomer). Lessexpensive wire sets typically useinsulation that has less tempera-ture resistance, so they tend to beless durable. CM

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more light and whiter light. Tracesof xenon may also be added to thegas, or the bulb may be tintedwith a special coating to give thelight a more bluish cast like that ofHID (High Intensity Discharge)headlights.

The problem with conventionalincandescent bulbs and halogenheadlights is that they use toomuch current for the light theyproduce and they give off a lot ofwaste heat. The bulbs also have alimited lifespan (around 1,000hours or so), and the filament canbreak from vibration or beingjolted.

HID headlights are about 2X asefficient as halogen headlights sothey use much less current. Butthey do require a very high initialstarting voltage (up to 25,000volts!), which requires adding aspecial ballast and control elec-tronics to the headlight circuitry.HID headlights do not contain afilament and use an electrical arcpassing through a gas inside ahigh-temperature bulb to generatelight. Because there is no filamentto break or burn out, HID head-lamps typically last 2X to 5Xlonger than ordinary headlamps.The downside is HID bulbs are ex-pensive to replace.

LED lights are solid statediodes. They have no bulb or fila-ment and contain no gasses.When current flows through thediode, it excites the material andgenerates light. LEDs are 4X moreefficient than standard bulbs atconverting current to light, andthey produce much less heat thanincandescent bulbs or HID head-lamps. LEDs are also extremelylong-lived (10,000 plus hours).But until recently, their light out-put has not been great enough foruse in headlights CM

to glow brightly and give off light.This generates a lot of waste heatand is not very efficient at produc-ing light. To prevent the filamentfrom burning up, the air inside thebulb is evacuated and replacedwith an inert gas such as argon.With halogen bulbs, the gas alsocontain traces of iodine orbromine. This allows the filamentto burn brighter and produce

The latest trend in automo-tive lighting is LED (LightEmitting Diode) lights.LED lights use an entirely

different technology to producevisible light. Conventional incan-descent bulbs and headlamps con-tain a tungsten filament inside asealed glass bulb. Current flowingthrough the filament heats it up toaround 4,000 degrees F causing it

Lighting The Way: LEDs Are Replacing Conventional Bulbs

TECH FEATUREBy Larry Carley, technical editor



By Gary Goms, commercial accounts editorMECHANIC CONNECTION

Catalytic Converters

Beginning in 1996, the Envi-ronmental ProtectionAgency (EPA) mandatedthat a new set of emissions

standards known to our industryas On-Board Diagnostics II or“OBD II.” The new 1996 OBD IIstandard included a mandated on-board diagnostic “catalyst moni-tor” designed to test the catalyticconverter’s efficiency during vehi-cle operation. When theconverter’s efficiency falls below apredetermined threshold ofapproximately 95 percent, the PCMstores a P0420 and/or P0430 diag-nostic trouble code (DTC) and illu-minates the orange “CheckEngine” warning light.

Catalytic Converter Construction

In brief, a catalyst is an elementthat initiates a chemical changewithout itself undergoing chemicalchange. Modern “three-way” OBDII catalytic converters contain sev-eral different catalysts in a ceramichoneycombed substrate designedto expose the maximum area of cat-alyst while reducing exhaust re-striction to zero.

Three-way converters are expen-

sive because they use precious met-als like platinum to oxidize exhaustfeed gases like carbon monoxide(CO) and hydrocarbons like rawgasoline (HC) into carbon dioxide(CO2) and water (H2O). Metals likeRhodium are used to reduce nitro-gen oxides (NOX), which are formedunder extremes of heat and pressurein the engine’s cylinders, into theircomponent elements of nitrogen (N)and oxygen (O2). The tailpipe gasesexiting the converter are a harmlessmix of water, carbon dioxide, nitro-gen and oxygen.

The Catalyst Monitor

The OBD II catalyst monitor meas-ures the catalyst efficiency by com-paring voltage output from oxygensensors located upstream anddownstream from the catalyst. Aconventional upstream oxygensensor rapidly switches between .2and .8 volts, which indicate normalfuel control. If the catalytic con-verter is oxidizing and reducingexhaust feed gases efficiently, thedownstream oxygen sensor shouldgenerate a steady voltage rangingfrom .5 to .7 volts.

The honeycombed substrate of thiscatalytic converter inlet is badlyclogged.

Identical voltage ranges on the upstreamand downstream oxygen sensors indicatethat the catalytic converter isn’t operatingdue to inadequate warm-up or degradedcatalyst.

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Continued on page 34

counterman.com 31

Eastern Catalytic Expands ECO CARB Line

Eastern Catalytic has added new converters to itsECO CARB Series line with new California AirResources Board (CARB) exemptions for use as af-termarket replacements. The converters are avail-able in Universal and Direct-fit configurations forOBD II and pre-OBD II California vehicles. Theyare designed to fit right and work right, first time,every time, and are covered by Eastern’s 50,000-mile warranty.

The latest application coverage is available atEastern’s online California Converter Applica-tions catalog, and in a new 300-page CARB cata-log. The online catalog can be found on the newEastern Catalytic website atwww.easterncatalytic.com.

MARKETPLACE › visit www.counterman.com/ASAP for reader service

Spectra PremiumLaunches New Line OfOxygen Sensors

Spectra Premium, a brand focused on fuel delivery andproducts engineered to in-crease overall fuel system effi-ciency, has introduced a newline of oxygen sensors. Thenew Spectra Premium Oxygen Sensor line consists ofmore than 350 new, high-quality part numbers andprovides coverage for bothearly- and late-model importand domestic applications.Spectra’s offering providescoverage on 95 percent of

customer sales.

Bar’s Leaks Introduces Cooling System Repair

The newest easy-to-use, low-cost vehicle solutionfrom Bar’s Leaks is formulated to offer multiple ben-efits for engine cooling systems. Bar’s Leaks CoolingSystem Repair not only stops coolant leaks and antifreeze loss, it also preventsoverheating and corrects other cool-ing system problems to protectagainst future breakdowns andcostly cooling system repairs.Bar’s Leaks Cooling SystemRepair (P/N 1150) works in allgasoline, diesel and tur-bocharged engines. It may beused with all types and colorsof antifreeze and/or water.Like all Bar’s Leaks products,Cooling System Repair is madein the U.S.A. It is available todistribution in case packs offour 16.9 oz. bottles.


By Gary Goms, commercial accounts editorMECHANIC CONNECTION

Timing Belts Remain In Demand

Although many auto man-ufacturers are now usingtiming chains in theirengines to synchronize

camshaft-to-crankshaft timing, tim-ing belts and related accessoryreplacements remain a significantprofit center for your professionaltechnician. Nevertheless, timingbelt replacements require themechanical aptitude, tooling, infor-mation, and experience to correctlyinstall the new belt and accessories.Because the consumer fleet is nowapproaching an average 11 years ofage, replacement timing belts willcontinue to be high-demand stock-ing item for the average jobberstore.

Timing Belt Functions

The intake valves on most conven-tional four-cycle internal combus-tion engines open slightly beforethe piston approaches top deadcenter (TDC) and close slightly af-ter bottom dead center (BDC) dur-ing the first cycle of piston travel.Similarly, the exhaust valves openslightly before BDC and closeslightly after TDC during the sec-ond cycle of piston travel. For max-imum engine performance, each

valve timing event must be perfect-ly synchronized with piston travel.In addition, a small timing beltmight also be used for synchroniz-ing an accessory drive or balanceshaft with the engine’s crankshaftin some applications.

When the cogs on a timing beltshear away due to normal fatigueor due to the camshafts seizing inthe cylinder heads, the camshaftwill no longer be synchronized tothe crankshaft. Due to the lack ofsynchronization, the intake and ex-haust valves will bend when theycollide with the pistons on valve-interference engines. On the otherhand, no damage will be done onnon-interference engines becausethe valves can’t mechanically con-tact the pistons.

Failure Patterns

Timing belts, which are made ofrubber molded with fiberglass orKevlar fibers, are expendable partswith a predictable service life. Al-though early timing belts lastedapproximately 40,000-60,000 miles,modern belts have service livesthat often extend beyond 100,000miles. Appearance is no indicatorof remaining belt life. Although atiming belt might visually appearto be in good condition, it could benearing the end of its service life.For that reason, most auto manu-facturers recommend specific beltreplacement intervals.

“The majority of engines manu-factured with a timing belt are in-terference engines. This is why it isimperative to follow OE replace-ment intervals,” said David Riggs,senior product manager of timingproducts for Dayco Products. “Thelife of newly replaced timing beltcan be reduced by as much as 50

percent if worn components arenot replaced at the same time asthe timing belt.”

Premature timing belt failuresgenerally occur because the belt issoaked with engine oil or becausethe belt was installed with thewrong belt tension. Insufficienttension can result in a knockingnoise caused by the loose timingbelt slapping the timing cover. Incontrast, excessive tension willcause the belt to whine at lower en-gine speeds and cause prematureidle pulley and water pump bear-ing wear. Fortunately, most mod-ern engines incorporate belttensioners that automatically applycorrect tensioning pressure to thetiming belt.

Required Tools

Application-specific service infor-mation is vital for aligning the tim-

ing marks located on the enginetiming belt cover with the camshaftand crankshaft drive sprockets. Re-member that some timing belts,like those used on early Nissan 3.0-liter engines, have the timingmarks printed on the belt itself.The information should also list

Not replacing this idler bearing provedto be a fatal mistake on this Subarutiming belt replacement.

This engine is receiving a new waterpump and timing belt pulley along with a new timing belt.

any special tooling and the correct torque specifica-tions for the very critical camshaft and crankshaft andcamshaft retaining bolts.

Some engines might also require special wrenchesand other tooling for timing belt replacements. Dualover-head camshaft engines might also require a spe-cial tool to hold both camshafts in place while the tim-ing belt is installed. An accurate torque wrench in the15-100 foot-pound range is required to accuratelytorque accessories into place while a torque wrench inthe 0-250 foot-pound range is required to correctlytorque the crankshaft harmonic balancer in place.

Related Parts

As preventive maintenance, many professional shopsrecommend replacing the camshaft and crankshaft oilseals plus the idler and tensioner pulleys. The waterpump or any other sealed-bearing timing belt-drivenaccessory should also be replaced. It’s also good prac-tice to replace all external drive belts and, if the radia-tor must be removed, replace the radiator and allrelated coolant hoses as required. CM


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MECHANIC CONNECTIONMECHANIC CONNECTION

To calculate catalyst efficiency, the PCM comparesthe upstream switching rate with the downstreamswitching rate of the two oxygen sensors. Becausenewer systems equipped with upstream air fuel ratio(AFR) sensors don’t react to exhaust gas oxygen thesame way, the PCM uses a slightly different strategyto measure catalyst efficiency. In either case, deteriora-tion of the catalyst is indicated when the upstreamand downstream oxygen sensor voltages begin to du-plicate each other.

Catalytic Converter Failures

In any case, the catalyst monitoring software con-tained within the PCM is the final arbiter of the effi-ciency of any post-1996 catalytic converter. Since anOBD II catalyst is a wearing part, most catalytic con-verters generally begin to fail at 120,000 miles or more.In contrast, most premature catalyst failures arecaused by misfiring ignition systems, which cause anexcessive amount of raw gasoline to be fed into the ex-haust gas stream. During a severe ignition misfire, thecatalyst temperature exceeds 1,500 degrees F. tempera-ture, which causes the catalyst to melt. In many cases,the melted catalyst reduces engine performance by re-stricting the flow of exhaust gases from the engine.

In other instances of premature failure, the catalystis generally coated with chemicals like phosphorousfrom engine oil or coolant leaking into the exhauststream. In this case, the engine will perform well, butthe catalyst will fail the efficiency test. CM

Catalytic Converters continued from page 30


In addition to our annual list ofsuper stores and the data pointsderived from them, we spoke toBo Fisher, CEO of Fisher Auto

Parts, and Donna Broome, seniorvice president, commercial, forAdvance Auto Parts, to get theirimpressions of the year ahead.

Bo Fisher, CEO

Fisher Auto Parts

The most recent “Af-termarket SupplierBarometer” surveyconducted by the Au-tomotive AftermarketSuppliers Association

(AASA), notes that 40 percent ofAASA’s full-service aftermarketmanufacturers said the outlook fortheir business declined last quarter,while only 22 percent said it im-proved. What is your outlook for2013 regarding the aftermarket?

2012 produced mixed results.Some months were far better thanothers. We continue to be optimisticand believe that the aftermarket isdelivering a great value that con-sumers will recognize for manyyears to come. Thus far in 2013, weare seeing normal sales increasesdespite strong comp numbers andcompetitors that are constantly im-proving. Consumers are trying toprotect their second-largest invest-ment and are often keeping theircurrent vehicles rather than pur-chasing new ones. A key unknownvariable — we are always con-cerned about the price of gas as it isone significant issue outside of our

sphere of influence that impactsmiles driven, sales and delivery ex-pense.

There are many other companiesin the aftermarket that are muchlarger or more imposing than weare. Yet, no matter what our lot inlife, we are trying to build some-thing on it. The aftermarket is per-fectly situated for many years ofgrowth. Will we contribute to that orwill our peers? We feel fortunatethat our family has been focused onthe aftermarket for over 84 years.

How do you accommodate thecommercial side of the business?

We have to admit that we do notaccommodate commercial business,we live for it! The main focus of ourbusiness has always been, and willcontinue to be, service providersand professional technicians. Ourstore and warehouse teams workhard to help our customers becomemore successful. We strive to pro-vide the best possible service, quali-ty, availability, parts professionals,pricing, outside sales effort, train-ing and overall value in the after-market, thereby helping ourcustomers grow their businesses.Our goal is to consistently have thecorrect, high-quality parts “Out thedoor in 4.” Time is money, so whentime counts, count on Federated.There is a French proverb — peoplecount up the sins of those who keepthem waiting. There just has to be asense of urgency to get the job doneright, certainly right now. We alsorely heavily on the highest-qualityname brand products that cus-

tomers prefer from premium sup-pliers that are our true businesspartners, advisers and friends. Pro-fessional technicians normally do agreat job of adding knowledge,training, equipment and profes-sionalism to offer high quality re-pairs at affordable prices.

While some competitors have a“one-size-fits-all” model or postsigns in their store saying “Do itYourself and Save,” we are flexiblein our approach to each market andyet always focus on the specificneeds of professional installers. Wetry to “never say no.” We are con-stantly looking at ways to make ourprogram more valuable and are ac-tively listening to our professionalcustomers for ways to improve. Dueto the increasing complexity of to-day’s vehicles, there should begrowth available in the professionalservice portion of the business andwe are dedicated to being the verybest partner possible.

Our store and warehouse teamsdeserve the credit for our success asthey are working very hard to helpour customers be successful. Invest-ing in top-notch human resourcesover the past 84 years, for our fami-ly, has always been essential to sup-port customers and sustaincontinued growth. The key priorityin 1929 remains the key priority to-day and yet, a business mustevolve and change as it grows.Every manager must strive to con-sistently provide the widest possi-ble array of programs that allowsteam members to improve theirskills and become more efficient

An Emphasis On Commercial A Way Of Life For Super StoresEach year, Counterman magazine takes a snapshot ofthe retail stores that serve the automotive aftermarket. By Mark Phillips


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SUPER STORES

and valuable to the company, in-cluding strong merit-based rewardsand recognition programs. We alsoencourage involvement and sup-port of the communities we serve,including our recent support ofToys for Tots. We are very proud ofour team and the culture that existsat Federated, where we realize thateveryone needs to attempt to con-tinuously improve.

What are your thoughts on yourcompany’s need to enhance orgrow the commercial side of thebusiness?

While others may look at how toincrease their “commercial” busi-ness as a percentage of their total,we are focused on how to help ourprofessional customers grow theirbusinesses. Our customers havemany options; to grow, we must beadaptable and earn their business.In addition to constantly improv-ing and helping our customers besuccessful, we listen closely totheir needs and provide a compre-hensive approach. Darwin’s re-search, dinosaur’s extinction andmany successful businesses provethat it isn’t the biggest or strongestthat survives, it’s the most adapt-able. We believe that we have a re-sponsibility to help our customersgrow their businesses in terms ofsales, profits and customer satis-faction and we work to supportthem in whatever it takes to makethat happen.

We have employed new tech-nologies including: inventory con-trol, pricing analysis, computersoftware, inventory visibility, datamining, bar code scanning, en-hanced catalog systems, electronicordering and efficient informationprocessing. An ever-increasingamount of our sales are electroni-cally ordered through our Autoi in-staller link and this is growingquickly. Our overall growth, adapt-able approach, and investment innew, larger and more efficient dis-tribution centers and support sys-

tems is a commitment to our cus-tomers that we will be able to over-come the challenges of competitivepressures and inventory prolifera-tion while supporting their needswell into the future.

Does the company plan store acqui-sitions or expansions in 2013?

We are always looking forgrowth opportunities when the cul-ture, math and opportunity makesense for everyone. Fortunately, wehave limited debt and are blessedwith many talented people whohave significantly improved ourprofitability in recent years. It is fungoing to work every day when wehave such dedicated and talentedservice: drivers, countermen, ware-house, sales and managementteams. We strive each year to growby at least 20 percent annuallythrough a combination of organicgrowth and acquisitions which,when compounded, means that ourgoal is to more than double the sizeof the company every four years.We have exceeded our 20 percentgrowth goal on average in each ofthe past four years and we haveplans to accelerate our annualgrowth rate to 30 percent.

There is an old adage that some-times it is better to be lucky thantalented. For all of us that are luckyenough to find ourselves workingwith other talented people in the af-termarket, we shouldn’t take forgranted that we are in one of thebest business models around. With-in the limits of our constraints, weare always looking for geographi-cally contiguous acquisitions as wecannot meet our annual growthgoals through organic expansionalone.

We are one of the aftermarketcompanies whose financial strengthmakes investing in growth oppor-tunities such as acquisitions, newstores, technology and new facili-ties an important area of focus. Wefind that acquisitions often bring aninflux of talent, ideas and new

counterman.com 39

SUPER STORES

1. AutoZone

Program Group Affiliation: noneStore Count: 5,025 DC Count: 9Private/Public Ownership: NYSE – “AZO”Wholesale vs. DIY sales: 15% commercial/85% retailPrivate Label: DuralastStore count changes in 2012: opened 193new stores in U.S. and Mexico; closed 1

2. O’Reilly

Program Group Affiliation: Parts CityStore Count: 4,000DC Count: 23 Private/Public Ownership: NASDAQ –“ORLY”Wholesale vs. DIY sales: 41% commercial/59% retailPrivate Label: several exclusive to O’ReillyStore count changes in 2012: 180 storesopened through organic growth; 56 storesacquired through VIP Parts, Tire & Serviceacquisition

3. Advance Auto Parts

Program Group Affiliation: noneStore Count: 3,794DC Count: 10Private/Public Ownership: NYSE – “AAP”Wholesale vs. DIY sales: 38% commercial/62% retailStore count changes in 2012: Added 137stores, including 21 Autopart Internationallocations. Closed 5 stores. Also acquired124 BWP locations.

4. General Parts Inc.

Program Group Affiliation: CARQUESTStore Count: 1,400DC Count: 37Private/Public Ownership: privateWholesale vs. DIY sales: 85% commercial/15% retailPrivate Label: CARQUESTStore count changes in 2012: CARQUESTwill service 92 independent BWP locationsnot acquired by Advance.

5. Genuine Parts Co.

Program Group Affiliation: NAPAStore Count: 950DC Count: 64Private/Public Ownership: NYSE – “GPC”

Wholesale vs. DIY sales: 75% commercial/25% retailPrivate Label: NAPAStore count changes in 2012:

6. Pep Boys

Program Group Affiliation: noneStore Count: 758DC Count: 10Private/Public Ownership: NYSE - “PBY”Wholesale vs. DIY sales: 11% commercial/37% retail/52% serviceStore count changes in 2012: 22 new

7. AutoPlus/Uni-Select

Program Group Affiliation: Uni-SelectStore Count: 300 Auto Plus; 160 FinishMas-ter locationsDC Count: 25Private/Public Ownership: TSX “UNS”Wholesale vs. DIY sales: 75% commercial/25% retailPrivate Label: Auto Plus, FinishMasterStore count changes in 2012: none

8. Fisher Auto Parts

Program Group Affiliation: FederatedStore Count: 400+DC Count: 15 Private/Public Ownership: privateWholesale vs. DIY sales: primarily whole-salePrivate Label: FederatedStore count changes in 2012: added new26 new locations including Greenfield,Brownlee and Ridge & Kramer acquisitions

9. Replacement Parts Inc.

Program Group Affiliation: AftermarketAuto Parts AllianceStore Count: 160DC Count: 3Private/Public Ownership: private/15%ESOPWholesale vs. DIY sales: 70% commercial/30% retailPrivate Label: PartsMasterStore count changes in 2012: none

10. Auto-Wares

Program Group Affiliation: AftermarketAuto Parts AllianceStore Count: 158DC Count: 13Private/Public Ownership: private

Wholesale vs. DIY sales: 70% commercial/30% retailPrivate Label: PartsMasterStore count changes in 2012: Acquired 17locations; 5 moved, closed

11. Hahn Automotive

Program Group Affiliation: AftermarketAuto Parts AllianceStore Count: 80DC Count: 31Private/Public Ownership: privateWholesale vs. DIY sales: 80% commercial/20% privatePrivate Label: PartsMasterStore count changes in 2012: opened twonew stores

12. Automotive Parts Headquarters

Program Group Affiliation: AftermarketAuto Parts AllianceStore Count: 80DC Count: 1Private/Public Ownership: private/employ-ee-ownedWholesale vs. DIY sales: 70% commercial/30% retailPrivate Label: PartsMasterStore count changes in 2012: acquired 3new locations.

13. KOI Auto Parts

Program Group Affiliation: FederatedStore Count: 75DC Count: 5Private/Public Ownership: employeeownedWholesale vs. DIY sales: 80% commercial/20% retailPrivate Label: FederatedStore count changes in 2012: none

14. Merrill Co./Arnold Motor

Supply

Program Group Affiliation: AftermarketAuto Parts AllianceStore Count: 56DC Count: 2Private/Public Ownership: PartnershipWholesale vs. DIY sales: 75% commercial/25% retailPrivate Label: PartsMasterStore count changes in 2012: 4 stores acquired

2013 Super Stores Updates

product categories that helps sup-port future growth. We are con-stantly investing in training(training was so important to myfather), developing new programsand focusing on continuous im-provement in everything we do.

Donna Broome

Senior Vice President,Commercial for AdvanceAuto Parts.

How do you accom-modate the commer-cial side of thebusiness?

Advance Auto Parts Professionalis committed to being a partnerwith our commercial customers onevery level — our goal is to helpour commercial customers growtheir businesses and to providethem with the tools they need to

best serve their customers. We ac-complish that by providing qualityand affordable parts and services,best-in-class customer trainings,and partnering with our customersto provide business solutions fortheir specific needs.

What are your thoughts on yourcompany’s need to enhance orgrow the commercial side of thebusiness?

Advance is highly committed tothe continued long-term growthof our commercial business — it isour No. 1 growth emphasis. Eachyear, we continue to make seriousinvestments in commercial – in-cluding the launch of our AdvanceCommercial Credit program andadding new regional distributioncenters. Advance continues to in-vest in local inventory – ensuringwe can deliver even faster on the

quality brands our customers need.We are also making investments inservices such as nationwide war-ranty, online ordering and shopmanagement systems.

Does the company plan store acqui-sitions or expansions in 2013?

In December 2012, Advance AutoParts completed the acquisition ofBWP Distributors. This acquisitiongreatly enhances Advance’s com-mercial footprint in the Northeastportion of the United States, and Ad-vance will continue to operate two ofBWP’s distribution centers. Advanceplans to open 170 to 190 new storesin 2013, and work to integrate the124 BWP stores we acquired at thebeginning of the fiscal year, whichwill include the necessary invest-ments to ensure we can get our com-mercial customers the parts theyneed, fast. CM


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SUPER STORES


It seems like just a few months ago, Iwrote to you about a thing called telem-atics. I had just returned from AAPEXand SEMA and AAIA was showing the

technology in the Shop of Tomorrow dis-play. If you remember, I tried to convinceyou that it was coming and that we shouldnot ignore it because it would be herebefore we knew it. Sound at all familiar?Probably long since forgotten.

Well, guess what? In that short period oftime it is here and in place. Insurance com-panies are using it to evaluate our drivinghabits (not good for us driving enthusiasts),OEs are using it to communicate with ourvehicles and repair facilities are using it toretain customers. I am not writing to say Itold you so, but rather just a heads-up thatthings are changing at an unbelievable rate.

Recently, I saw a release from CES (theConsumer Electronics Show) about a dri-verless car. Yes, you read that correctly. Dri-verless car! Ok, so what or how does thataffect all of us? Well, even if no one is pilot-ing the car, someone is going to be riding init. That means someone will be depending

FROM THE PUBLISHERBy S. Scott Shriber

How Are You Going To Stay On Top?

on it and need it to get places. Since it willstill be a mechanical device, it will still needservice and repair. Thank goodness!

I bring this up to further prove that weneed to be training and ready to change. Weused to be able to say that we could leavethat to the next generation of techniciansand parts pros. Not today. It seems that bythe time a new technology is announced, Iam soon finding it hanging under the dashof a rental car. Think how much new stuffcan come down the pike in the next fiveyears. We have got to stay on it or get leftbehind.

We are lucky — we have AAIA, AASA,ASA and ASE and many other partners tohelp us along the journey. The importantthing is to buy into being a part of the jour-ney rather than staying on the sidelines andwatching it happen.

We here at Counterman will be here toprovide you with all the information andnew technology as it comes to market.Whether you prefer print magazines, web-sites or our weekly newsletter, we are hereto bring you all the updated product and

■ ■ ■

For more information:www.counterman.com

industry news. Count on us to be atall the upcoming aftermarketevents and provide you with theinformation you need. That’s whatwe do! Thanks for being a reader.

Stay tuned: it will be a heck of aride, even if no one is driving! CM

It seems that bythe time a newtechnology isannounced, I amsoon finding ithanging underthe dash of arental car.

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Why spend money making training available to those who won’t takeadvantage of it?

So often, training is available to those who really and truly need it but they won’tmake the time or effort to show up. There always seems to be an excuse as to whyand we’ve heard them all. Those same people would be the ones who complainabout not getting the hours or the pay they think they deserve. And they’re the sameones who will not show up to a training session unless it’s during regular businesshours. The biggest reason we hear is, “we are not getting paid for that.” That may betrue and in some cases legitimate, but, what if you showed up anyway?

Training is offered to many on many different platforms. When training is of-fered, we should make every effort to be able to attend that training. You have togo in with the right mindset and believe there may be something that you’ve for-gotten. Sometimes, a little refresher is great.

Everyone’s heard the adage that “time is money.” Will you see an immediate re-turn on investment? Not always, but if you spend your time learning, it will trans-late into a better career down the road and most likely, more money.

KEEPING IT SIMPLEBy Gerald Wheelus

Make Time for Education

Not too long ago a business opportunitycame along for my wife. That opportunity wasto go to Oklahoma City and work at a boothshow. When we first got there, it looked like alosing proposition. But soon, it hit me: Weneeded to make the most of it.

Not every venture you get into is going be a“profitable” situation, at least in the short-term.But if you use that opportunity to learn andstudy, eventually, the education should morethan make up the difference. As I get older andhopefully wiser, it becomes more evident thatno one can take my experience away from me.

For those of you who are serious about thisprofession and your career, I am certain youremployer would be glad to create training andeducational opportunities for you. Your ver-sion of success may be different than any otherout there and that is just fine. If monetary gainis your only reason for existence, you are mostlikely destined for unhappiness in the autoparts world. A long and sustained career with agreat deal of education can translate to a decentand steady paycheck in a stable industry. Theindustry is changing, it is changing rapidly andthose who do not train and educate themselveswill be left behind. CM

Gerald Wheelus is general manager of Edgewood Auto Parts, Edgewood, Texas.

...If you spendyour timelearning, it willtranslate into abetter careerdown the roadand most likely,more money.

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CLASSIFIED


This holiday season, the crowd-funding website for creative proj-ects, Kickstarter, made me take thetrek from San Juan to the southern

city Ponce in Puerto Rico, just to look at atree. This is a trek I’ve made hundreds oftimes, on a mountain highway thatconnects the capital of Puerto Rico, withthe southern side of the island. Back whenI was a kid, we used to make the same trekas a family with mom and dad in the frontseats of our Fiat 124 station wagon — noriders in the back seats. No sir, no fun-lov-ing kid would be caught on one of thosefor a road trip! Kids back then rode, morelike laid down, all the way in the back ofthe station wagon with pillows, blanketsand snacks; like a picnic on wheels. Noseatbelt, no rear-facing car seat, norestraints whatsoever. Kids were free tojump and roam the station wagon’s cargoarea, with the rear glass door open.

To pass the time there was nothing betterto do than look out the window (try con-vincing your kids, holding an iPad today,that looking out the window is fun!)

Crossing the island from north to southis still mesmerizing today. Puerto Rico getsa lot more rain in the north than the south.All of our lush, tropical rainforest sceneryis located in the north, with a very clearboundary halfway through the Island,where the climate changes and the topog-raphy goes from lush green to grassybrowns. This highway slices right throughthat boundary. The first beacon of the driersouth is a grassy hill with only one tree onits top — a lonely mango tree.

I’ve always felt a connection with thattree, due to the many hours spent on theback of the family’s station wagon. Thistree is so present on that mountain that noone can escape its calling; as you drive byit, your eyes can’t help but look up to it.

COUNTER-TECHBy Mandy Aguilar

Kickstarter Is Not A Repair

The years went on, I became the dad andmoved to the front seats with my kids nowriding, fully restrained by their seat belts,right behind me. Over the years, I havemade a big deal about the tree with mykids as we drive by it and now the tree hasconnected with them as well.

On a late Sunday this past December, wedecided to go on a trip just to see the tree.It was the first time ever we all went just tolook at the tree. Furthermore, we did it atnight. It was a special occasion, for you see,just for a few shorts weeks this Decemberthe lonely mango tree got a lot of attention.Sometime during autumn, I saw a tweetabout a group of volunteers who wanted todecorate the lonely tree with lights to turnit into a Christmas tree. Only in PuertoRico: a mango Christmas tree! To fundtheir project, they turned to the crowd-funding site Kickstarter, an online fundingplatform for creative projects.

www.kickstarter.com

Independent film makers, writers, softwareand product developers, entrepreneurs andmany others have turned to Kickstarter tofind the money needed to turn their ideas,into real products. The funding comes fromsite visitors like you and me. If you like aproject, you can become a sponsor with apledge, but your pledge will not be execut-ed until the project raises it’s target fund-ing amount. This all-or-nothing approachhas made Kickstarter a very successfulplatform, as project designers either maketheir goals quickly or find little supportfrom the start. The statistics on the projectsthat get funded and come to fruition areimpressive. And all of this gets done on anhonor system; your pledge won’t becharged until the projects raise enoughpledges. The proponents are in no waymandated to actually deliver the product,

Mandy Aguilar is aregional vice president forJacksonville, Fla.-based

The Parts House.

You have towonder, what ifthere was awebsite wherewe could tapinto ourindustry’scollective braintrust and lookfor new ideas toadvance ourbusiness techknow-how?

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nor does Kickstarter force them to produceanything. It’s up to each pledger to deter-mine the validity of the project, and thecontribution is given with no strings at-tached and no expectation of a return oninvestment.

According to the site, since its launch in2009 “over $350 million has been pledgedby more than 2.5 million people, fundingmore than 30,000 creative projects.” This ishow the volunteers in Puerto Rico wereable to raise the funds needed to buy solarlights and the mounting equipment need-ed to turn that Mango tree into a Christ-mas tree. For more information abouttheir adventure visit their Facebook pageat: www.facebook.com/LightItUpArbol-Solitario.

This idea of crowd-funding a project isso powerful it begs the question, “How canwe use this tool to drive innovation in ourown industry”? A quick search of the Kick-starter website shows not one single projectfor the auto parts industry. Clearly, the cre-ative slant Kickstarter looks for does notlend itself as an incubator of ideas for autoparts innovators; but, the crowd-sourcedfunding model does. We all have chal-lenges in our businesses that are screamingfor a tech solution. You have to wonder,what if there was a website where wecould tap into our industry’s collectivebrain trust and look for new ideas to ad-vance our business tech know-how? Ironi-cally, the Kickstarter name would have fitus to a “T.” CM

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Visit Mandy’s blog: www.mandyaguilar.com

Get FREE product and service info from the companies featured in this issue of Counterman. It’s fast and easy!

www.Counterman.com/ASAPand click the company you want info from!

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Succession planning not onlytakes years of thought andplanning, but also a good dealof gut-wrenching decision-

making, for which many of us are notprepared. We see this over and overagain while speaking with theyounger generation at our seminarswho are genuinely frustrated thatthere is no plan in place to continue a family business when the time is at hand.

Our own business actually had asuccession plan, (we owned a five-store chain and one service center)and believe it or not, we did not exe-cute our plan for nine years, until wefelt the time was right. During all ofthose years we continued doing busi-ness as usual, but knew that our planwas in place.

Many of us have been in the indus-try for a very long time. If we do nothave family members who are notonly interested in continuing the busi-ness, but are actually capable and mo-tivated enough to do so, then what abetter way to end our careers than abuyout by a company that can actual-ly pay us a fair price for our years ofhard work?

Succession planning is not as easyas you might think; perhaps this is

By Allen Markowitz & Allan Gerber

Succession Planning IsHarder Than It Sounds

why so few of us actually prepare. Theinitial dilemma is how to place a valueon the business? What about all ofthat old inventory, we might feel thatit is worth big bucks but I guaranteesomeone valuing your business mayhave a different point of view. Next,we have aging computer systems,beat-up vehicles and on and on. Whileall of these things work well in ourworld, they may not have much valueto a suitor and may even be a liabilityespecially if there is a cost to replaceor update them.

We also will have to deal with ouremployees (the independent’s mostcoveted asset): will they stay andthrive under a new regime or will they leave? And lastly, will you havea place in this new arena and for

how long?None of this gets answered on the

first go-around, which is why succes-sion planning requires deep thoughtand internal honesty.

Our goal is to bring in an unbiasedview to a business as to its dollar val-ue, staff and overall assets. The valueof this outside opinion, from someonewho has been there, is to assist withthose gut-wrenching decisions whichare so difficult to make. CM

Successionplanning notonly takes yearsof thought andplanning, butalso a good dealof gut wrenchingdecision makingfor which manyof us are notprepared.

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For more information, go to: www.autobizsolutionsllc.com or e-mail [email protected].

Allen Markowitz and AllanGerber operate Auto BizSolutions, which providestraining, marketing, man-agement and businessconsulting services to boththe automotive jobber andindependent repair shop.

ALLEN & ALLAN

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