Delphi explains how its Pass-Thru technology can help independents beat the dealers at the diagnostics game.
Before the introduction of EU legislation J2534, vehicle manufacturers were under no obligation to release data that aided repair and maintenance of increasingly complex vehicles and, instead, provided information to authorised dealers only. However, J2534 requires that all service centres have access to this data. Unfortunately, accessing it – which is critical for diagnosing faults and failures in modern vehicles – has been difficult and often cost- prohibitive for independent garages, making it problematic for some garages to provide a complete service to customers.
However, recent developments in Pass- Thru diagnostic technologies have enabled smaller independent garages to access vital vehicle manufacturer information at a more affordable cost. This allows independent garage technicians the ability to download and update software along with access to digital service history – providing them with more detail than ever before during a service.
“We recognise how difficult it has been for independent garages to gain access to manufacturers’ diagnostic information and we’ve addressed that,” says Julian Goulding, UK Marketing Manager, Delphi Product and Service Solutions. “Our DS-Flash provides users with dealer-level diagnostic capabilities. It’s an invaluable tool for coding an ECU, applying software updates, or accessing technical data or service records.”
Pass-Thru technologies provide ease of access at affordable price points and the costs can be flexible to suit each technician’s need, dependent on the job. Garages traditionally have to pay a subscription to vehicle manufacturers for different levels of accessibility, but ‘Pay As You Go’ diagnostics is now also available. Rather than a large lump sum, independent garages are only required to pay vehicle manufacturers for the time their technicians are accessing vital information using the tool. This enables garages that are not single-brand specialists to provide dealer-level servicing and diagnostics across a far broader range of manufacturers than would have previously been possible, creating a valuable opportunity for independent garages to gain ground on main dealer service facilities.
“J2534 legislation means VM dealer networks are no longer able to keep lucrative servicing and repair work for themselves,” explains Goulding. “It has levelled the playing field so to speak. Whilst vehicles will still have to be serviced and repaired to manufacturer-approved standards, with help from tools like our DS-Flash, independent garages will now be able to do it themselves. They’ll be able to compete on service with the main dealer, and they’ll also have a distinct competitive advantage over other independents that don’t have the same access.”
Another issue for garages is the variety and breadth of information available, which can be difficult to source, process and utilise. Vehicle Technical Information (VTI) software has been developed to address this. Integrated into Delphi’s DS diagnostic software, VTI combines a wide variety of manufacturer information into a single package, making it a ‘one-stop-shop’ for diagnostic information.
“The purpose of creating VTI software was to give technicians access to everything from manuals and technical drawings, to repair data and procedures,” explains Goulding, “Together, DS-Flash and VTI give garages a powerful and comprehensive toolset, and Delphi can offer training to fully understand how both products can influence your business, from profit margins to technicians’ workload and service times.”
