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The Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation

How to get your car ready for spring

Date: Friday 05 March 2021

Spring is on the way and drivers are coming to the garage to get their cars ready for the warmer season. TecAlliance, one of the leading data management specialists in the independent automotive aftermarket, supports independent workshops performing spring checks with the TecRMI solution. Master mechanic Werner Kordmann builds the bridge between data and workshop practice at TecAlliance by giving workshops valuable tips.

Preparation is everything: Lifting vehicles correctly
Before the mechanic can get started, the vehicle must be lifted. Plastic parts are increasingly being installed on the underside of the vehicle in the sill area. Lifting the vehicle at the wrong points can cause damage. The correct lifting points are shown in detail in the TecRMI instructions.

Motor vehicle expert Kordmann has another tip: “For vehicles with an air suspension system, it is important to bring the vehicle into maintenance status before lifting. Otherwise the air bellows can be damaged, which would result in an expensive repair. Our instructions describe how to activate the maintenance mode for each vehicle and what to check when you do it.”

Generate additional turnover quickly and easily
“The spring check is a good opportunity for the workshop to get an overview of the condition of the vehicle. The customer also benefits from this and feels that he is in good hands when potential problems are pointed out directly so that he doesn't have to come back soon,” explains Kordmann.

TecAlliance provides a series of checklists as an additional service with which workshops can offer their customers optimal advice and transparency; this builds trust. The lists for the spring check, corrosion protection check and soft top check offer opportunities for additional turnover, e.g. by filling up fluids or replacing wear parts. The customer receives an itemised list of which work and checks have been carried out and the results. This gives him the good feeling that he can fully rely on his workshop.

Strong partner for independent workshops
With TecRMI, TecAlliance offers 3.9 million repair instructions, 4.2 million service plans with 22.8 million labour values and 7.7 million technical data items. Additional services such as tips & tricks, a series of checklists and the Expert Hotline round off the offer.

Wholesalers can integrate data and instructions into their own parts catalogues; they are then displayed directly with the vehicle or in the item search. The integration of TecRMI into the workshop's process flows enables workflows to be handled much more efficiently – from reception to repair and maintenance of the vehicle in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications. The workshop's capacity is used more efficiently and customer loyalty is increased.