Longtime workshop professional Dan got in touch with PMM recently to express his dismay at workshops expanding at the expense of the values upon which they were founded.  For most people, a garage is built on trust long before it’s built on bricks and ramps. Traditionally, independent garages grew through and depended on their reputation. Word of mouth was all they had to win new customers and that ...

The post Do garages lose their values after expansions? appeared first on Professional Motor Mechanic.

Talking is no longer enough when it comes to facing the skills gap, so says Simon King, CEO, Autotech Group.  The automotive aftermarket has spent the last decade talking about skills shortages. In 2026, that conversation is no longer enough. The issue is no longer awareness, but risk. Accelerating vehicle technology, tightening legislation and sustained workforce pressure have ...

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Electric hybrid cars are expected to increase in popularity in the years to come as technology continues to evolve. That poses a challenge for the lubricants industry, though perhaps not as great as is assumed.

The post Is the lubricants industry ready for the hybrid revolution? appeared first on Professional Motor Mechanic.

The breaking of a new year brings with it the chance to take a step back, assess where your business is heading and toset some goals for the 12 months ahead. There’s little doubtthat 2013 will bring with it even more new challenges forthe service and repair sector, with those garages that see this as an ‘opportunity’ to improve their offering ultimately prospering.

The post It’s so simple appeared first on Professional Motor Mechanic.

With the latest horse meat scandal dominating the headlines, fingers have been pointed in the direction of suppliers. The public is justifiably demanding that heads should roll, but the whole issue poses the bigger question of who really is to blame. The suppliers? The retailers? The end user?

The post What’s in the box? appeared first on Professional Motor Mechanic.

Discarding those who’s designated vocation in life seems to be that of world champion whinger, a bit of warm and pleasant weather is proven to have a galvanising effect on the mood of even the most hardened human.
It only took a quick glance outside during the UK’s almost-tropical summer weather to see that the world around us appears a much more productive and happy place when we can actually get out and do stuff.

The post Fail to prepare…… appeared first on Professional Motor Mechanic.

In a recent issue of PMM we took the decision to dedicate a significant amount of our valuable magazine space to a subject that fully deserves such a spotlight – the claims of ‘OE-matching quality’ from a growing number of aftermarket parts suppliers and the onus of proof that sits alongside this.

The post Know your parts appeared first on Professional Motor Mechanic.

Following the publishing of our Editor's Viewpoint (which you can read here), discussing the shortage of skills across the UK, regular reader Mick Mannion has responded with his thoughts. Here's what he had to say:
Dear PMM,

The post Higher or lower? PMM reader response appeared first on Professional Motor Mechanic.

A new study by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has warned that school leavers would be better off considering alternatives to university as they seek to forge a successful career.

The post Higher or lower? appeared first on Professional Motor Mechanic.

Cast your mind back to when you were in your teens, trying to plot a path through the big wide world in front of you. For many of you reading this blog, being given a chance by the employer of a small firm – likely an independent garage – proved to be the major catalyst for you to forge a long, and, hopefully, prosperous career as an automotive technician.
You may now find yourself as the owner of said small business, but are you giving others the same chances you had when you were starting out?

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