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By Counterman
The automotive aftermarket often celebrates its long and historic legacy—manufacturers that engineer solutions, distribution channels that crisscross the country, parts stores and repair shops that keep America moving. Today, the aftermarket is paving the foundation of a new legacy—dreaming up innovation in new and existing powertrains, leveraging digitally driven solutions and forging stronger relationships. This year’s Road to AAPEX traverses the crossroads where history meets ingenuity to drive the industry down the road toward its future legacy.
Babcox Media’s Joe Keene, an ASE-certified technician, navigates the automotive aftermarket landscape, starting at the Crawford Museum in Cleveland, Ohio. A location rich in automotive history, the Crawford Museum displays a parallel path between early automotive designs and modern vehicles that shows off the continuous advancements that have shaped the industry.
Meanwhile, David Sickels, Babcox Media editor, will delve into the aftermarket and the significant contributions of independent companies within the supply chain. He’ll travel the country to chart the history of the aftermarket, the key players, and the processes involved in manufacturing automotive parts. He will interview key figures in the industry and examine the processes that bring aftermarket parts from conception to market, providing valuable insights into the operational aspects and historical development of the aftermarket sector.
Then there’s Babcox Media’s Scott Shriber, automotive aftermarket guru, who will focus on the logistics and distribution chains that deliver parts to local technicians and repair shops. He’ll explore the history of parts distribution, tracing its growth and evolution into the complex system it is today while providing a detailed look at how distribution networks have adapted to meet increasing demand and technological advancements, ensuring parts are delivered efficiently and reliably.
Of course, it all ends where the rubber meets the road—the hard-working automotive repairs shops that put the parts and solutions to work to get customer vehicles back on the road. Joe Keene will take us on a tour of the automotive aftermarket front line to talk with shop owners and technicians about how they’re innovating within their own businesses to keep America moving.
Watch the video for a deeper understanding of the industry’s dynamics and the factors that drive its continuous evolution. Be sure to stay tuned for more episodes of Road to AAPEX.
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By Mighty Auto Parts
The post
link hidden, please login to view appeared first on link hidden, please login to view. When diagnosing engine performance complaints such as misfire symptoms, be advised that several systems and components can contribute to those symptoms. When considering single or multiple misfire codes, some checks may seem farfetched but trust me if not all are considered the symptoms can elude the most experienced technician, resulting in a misdiagnosis. When this […]
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By Counterman
Americans seem to be hitting a breaking point with air travel, with 67 percent saying they’ve had a trip negatively impacted or ruined because of problems with air travel during the last 12 months, according to new data from Atomik Research, released by
link hidden, please login to view. From losing precious time – 44 percent citing that delays and other problems traveling by air has cost them vacation time – to safety concerns – 32 percent feeling less safe flying compared to a year ago, Americans are saying “enough!” This summer they’re trading wings for wheels: 70 percent say they are more likely compared to a year ago to choose traveling by automobile over flying due to the current state of air travel, the survey said.
The “baggage” that comes with air travel continues to stack up and now outweighs the benefit of faster travel time for many Americans, according to the survey. 66% say the number of hours they’re willing to drive before choosing to fly has increased in the past 12 months and 24% say they would drive 10 or more hours for summer vacation before choosing to fly.
Heeding consumers’ preference for summer vacation by automobile, Advance is encouraging travelers to “Check Your Battery, Not Your Bag” so they can achieve what matters most – enjoying their well-deserved summer vacation.
Beginning National Road Trip Day tomorrow, Friday, May 24 through Monday, May 27, participating
link hidden, please login to viewstores nationwide will surprise randomly selected customers with free Advance gift cards to purchase DieHard batteries, wiper blades or other road trip essentials, no previous purchase necessary. Complimentary curbside services are available every day throughout the year to customers at all participating Advance stores, including battery checks and installation, wiper blade installation and check engine light scanning. “With all the concern about air travel and more people planning to travel by automobile – including willing to drive longer for their summer vacations – it’s critical they prepare their vehicles, and we want to make that as easy as possible,” said Junior Word, Advance’s executive vice president, U.S. stores. “Safety and reliability are at the center of ease, so our team of automotive experts are offering travelers a one-stop preparation shop – from car care essentials to curbside battery checks and installs on us.”
The great majority (85%) of survey respondents indicate they will prepare a pre-road trip checklist for their vacation.
To further support motorists, Advance said it is providing “Rules of the Road (Trip)” – a free checklist outlining car preparation basics designed to help both light DIYers and gearheads alike – available on
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By Advance Auto Parts
Advance’s “Check Your Battery, Not Your Bag” campaign offers free gift cards for road trip essentials and curbside services beginning National Road Trip Day – Friday, May 24
RALEIGH, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Americans seem to be hitting a breaking point with air travel, with 67 percent saying they’ve had a trip negatively impacted or ruined because of problems with air travel during the last 12 months,* according to new data from Atomik Research, released today by Advance Auto Parts (NYSE: AAP), a leading automotive aftermarket parts provider.
Advance Auto Parts offers free curbside services including battery testing and installation, wiper blade installation and check engine light scanning, to ensure motorists are ready to roll for their summer road trips. (Photo: Business Wire)
From losing precious time – 44 percent citing that delays and other problems traveling by air has cost them vacation time – to safety concerns – 32 percent feeling less safe flying compared to a year ago, Americans are saying “enough!” This summer they’re trading wings for wheels: An astounding 70 percent say they are more likely compared to a year ago to choose traveling by automobile over flying due to the current state of air travel.
The “baggage” that comes with air travel continues to stack up and now outweighs the benefit of faster travel time for many Americans, according to the survey. Sixty-six percent say the number of hours they’re willing to drive before choosing to fly has increased in the past 12 months and 24 percent say they would drive 10 or more hours for summer vacation before choosing to fly.
Heeding consumers’ preference for summer vacation by automobile, Advance is encouraging travelers to “Check Your Battery, Not Your Bag” so they can achieve what matters most – enjoying their well-deserved summer vacation.
Beginning National Road Trip Day this Friday, May 24 through Monday, May 27, participating Advance stores nationwide will surprise randomly selected customers with free Advance gift cards to purchase DieHard® batteries, wiper blades or other road trip essentials, no previous purchase necessary. Complimentary curbside services are available every day throughout the year to customers at all participating Advance stores, including battery checks and installation, wiper blade installation and check engine light scanning.
“With all the concern about air travel and more people planning to travel by automobile – including willing to drive longer for their summer vacations – it’s critical they prepare their vehicles, and we want to make that as easy as possible,” said Junior Word, Advance’s executive vice president, U.S. stores. “Safety and reliability are at the center of ease, so our team of automotive experts are offering travelers a one-stop preparation shop – from car care essentials to curbside battery checks and installs on us.”
The great majority (85 percent) of survey respondents indicate they will prepare a pre-road trip checklist for their vacation. To further support motorists, Advance is providing “Rules of the Road (Trip)” – a free checklist outlining car preparation basics designed to help both light DIYers and gearheads alike – available on
link hidden, please login to view. Check out
link hidden, please login to view or visit an link hidden, please login to view to shop for all of the auto parts and products needed to get vehicles road trip ready. About Advance Auto Parts
Advance Auto Parts, Inc. is a leading automotive aftermarket parts provider that serves both professional installer and do-it-yourself customers. As of December 30, 2023, Advance operated 4,786 stores and 321 Worldpac branches primarily within the United States, with additional locations in Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The company also served 1,245 independently owned Carquest branded stores across these locations in addition to Mexico and various Caribbean islands. Additional information about Advance, including employment opportunities, customer services, and online shopping for parts, accessories and other offerings can be found at
link hidden, please login to view. * Atomik Research conducted an online survey of 1,002 adult drivers who are considering traveling to their summer-travel destination via air travel or automobile. The margin of error for the overall sample of respondents is +/- 3 percentage points with a confidence level of 95 percent. Fieldwork took place between April 18 and April 19, 2024.
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By Counterman
In the case of cordless lights, there is a lot more, starting with more light! The light comes from Light Emitting Diode, or LED, technology. When they were first invented, LEDs were a revolutionary development of electrical science, affecting virtually every aspect of our lives.
Now LED lights are everywhere, and we’re all familiar with them, even in our homes, but the automotive industry has reaped the benefits as much as, if not more than, any other industry. Just like a diode, LEDs allow current flow in only one direction. When current, or electron flow occurs, photons are released.
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Photons are tiny particles of electromagnetic radiation that are released as the electrons jump between atoms, and they’re emitted in the form of electromagnetic waves. This is where the visible light comes from. Certain wavelengths are visible to the human eye, which we perceive as light. Specifically, these wavelengths are those between 400 and 700 nanometers, and it’s in this range that LEDs emit photons.
Different wavelengths are seen by us as different colors. To control and obtain the different wavelengths that appear to us as different colors, LED output is controlled by altering the semiconductor material inside, which controls the energy of electron flow, the wavelength, and, ultimately, the color.
Early on, LEDs in automobiles were a type of LED called a through-hole LED, referring to the fact that their connectors went through holes in a circuit board for mounting. These were primarily used for warning indicators, such as an oil warning light or alarm indicator since they weren’t powerful enough for anything else. Over time, as technology was able to produce brighter white light, they began to see use in cordless lights.
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Through-hole LED were used for many years in lights, and worked well, but the most significant advance was the development of surface mount devices (SMDs) and chip on board (COB) technology.
SMDs were smaller with a much thinner profile, had as many as three LEDs on one chip and could be soldered directly to a circuit board. These made compact designs possible with multiple LEDs for extremely bright work lights. Then came COB technology which could fit nine or more LEDs on one chip, offering the highest light-to-energy ratio. Both types are very effective with light output, and both still commonly used.
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For an auto technician, cordless lights have replaced the traditional “trouble” light, and in addition to the advantages of an LED light, there are many other technology-based features we can take advantage of.
If headlamps are your game, there’s a new technology of adaptive light beams that automatically adjusts intensity and focus to provide the necessary light output for the job at hand. Who thought that word was just for cruise control?
White light is what we use the most, but since LED technology produces different colors, there’s a couple that are useful to us and are included in many lights. Ultraviolet light is used for leak detection, so it’s a useful option to have.
Ultraviolet is unique because it’s a photon wave that’s just outside the visible light spectrum, but it’s easy to think of it as a color because it does give off a visible purple hue.
Red is the second color that’s becoming more popular, especially in headlamps. Why? Red has always been known to preserve night vision, and we all know there are never enough hours in the day!
Here’s a feature I really like: The device finder. It’s just like when you lose your TV remote, only better. Nobody likes to lose tools, but especially not a light. You’ve got extra 10mm sockets and you expect those to disappear in the occasional black hole, but losing your light can ruin your day. I’d rather hit a button before pulling a car out, just to know my light is under a pile of tools versus under the hood.
Have you ever heard of CRI? It stands for Color Rendering Index, and it’s a measurement of the ability of a light source to reveal the color of objects in contrast to natural light. In other words, do they appear the same as they would under natural sunlight? Light sources have a huge effect on how we perceive colors, and while we don’t care so much what color brake pads really are, it’s a unique feature for body and paint technicians.
CRI is measured from 0-100, and anything under 80 is considered poor; over 90 is considered good. So, a high CRI in a shop light is valuable when comparing colors. A common use is for comparing paint chips to a body panel, but it’s very much a “thing” in home refinishing, too. If you’re trying to decide on that perfect color for your addition or match one when you can’t remember the color, a high CRI light will show you the true colors.
Here’s another term that may strike you as unusual: Ingress Protection. If you’ve never heard of it, you’ve seen it for sure. It’s the IP rating that’s called out on most lights. The IP code is an international code which classifies the degree of protection against dust and liquids for electrical equipment. The rating consists of two numbers, e.g., IP65 (a common rating.)
The first number indicates ingress protection against solid objects, ranging from 0-6, and is basically related to the physical object size, including things like hands, all the way to small dust particles. Zero is no protection, six is the highest level available meaning it is dust tight.
The second number indicates resistance to liquids and includes classifications from dripping water all the way up to immersion and high-pressure jets. This ranges from 0-9, nine being the highest rating.
This is an important rating to look for when shopping for a light, since we all know when you’re under a car, dripping liquid automatically seeks out the most inconvenient places to drip, such as your eyes, your mouth or your work light.
Cordless lights are the way to go. Cordless lights plus today’s technology equals some of the most useful tools you’ll own.
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