September 2019

SEPTEMBER 2019 AFTERMARKET 29 www.aftermarketonline.net In association with: Right: Declan McCormack Vehicle Repairs congratulated by TV’s Helen Fospero and Adam White from Euro Car Parts deliberately-placed motorbike in the centre of the workshop was the first thing the contestants saw, and it did put them momentarily off-balance. Well, why not? Hasn't something ever shown up in your workshop before that completely threw you? Exactly. In addition, following the semi final challenges, most of the contestants had been swotting up on electrical faults, only to find the final made up of a series of mechanical and measurement tasks. Oops! Deep breath boys, and in we go. Reflection After a couple of tasks, we asked the contestants how they felt about being in the 2019 Top Technician final, and how they thought it was all going: Dean Andrew observed: "I’m loving it, it is proper old-school. It is like being back at college." Dave Weston said: "I am happy and having a good time. There was one that worried me, but there is always one that worries me!" Adam Critchley observed: "Some of it is really difficult. In the semi final I was in my comfort zone, but the tests here are all more challenging." That is the trick of Top Technician. Fortunately, everyone there had knowledge to draw on, and the range of tools and support from the sponsors, Snap-on, TRICO and Euro Car Parts meant there was kit available too. As the day went on, there were more observations from the finalists: "I have been in the finals three times in a row" said Neil Currie. It doesn't get easier, but you do come to know what to expect, even if what you expect isn't what you get." Declan Robinson, exhausted at the end of the five tasks, later said: "It's a good craic. It is good for your self- esteem to see that you can do the test." Dave Weston added: "At the end, I feel more confident this year than last year, about how to do things." Knowledge Top Technician is more than a contest; ultimately it is a training tool for those who take part. It shows them the sheer breadth of knowledge you need to keep moving forward in the industry. As we said earlier, we like to keep everyone on their toes with a surprise or two. While the motorbike was a little piece of misdirection, one of the other tasks was something special. The workshop was full of vehicles that ranged between three and 20 years old. How would you feel about working on a vehicle that came out this week? Intimidated? Rob Lewis explains: "My task is on the Jaguar F- Pace SVR. It was released to the UK market yesterday." Yesterday? How did a brand-new £90,000 car end up at the Top Technician final? "This vehicle is actually a show car. We class this as a TT2 car – a tooling try-out. This one is semi-hand built. We use it to get the fit and the finish together on the vehicles when they are new. Then this will be used as a show car. This one has just come back from South Korea. There it was on the stand at the motor show. Then it would have been sent round the retailers to demonstrate the vehicle. As they come back, before they go to be scrapped, I intercept them, and remove them from the fleet and put them onto my fleet. I only have these vehicles for a very short time. I am able to do certain jobs with them, like I would use them for new model training when the full production vehicles are not available, and I use them for show vehicles as well. Once I have finished with it, legally it must be taken to our disposal compound and it will be crushed. " As a former participant in the competition, Rob knows better than most how important it is for those in competitions like Top Technician to get up close and personal with a vehicle this new: "Think about the technology on this vehicle. Some of it is groundbreaking, it has ethernet on it. All that technology will be in their laps in between three and five years time, which is not a long way away. If they can get their heads around it and get in, they are going to future-proof their business." To be honest, the contestants had to climb over the judges to get to the car to do their test on it, such was its appeal. The metallic feline roar of its exhaust could be heard ringing out across the Warwickshire fields surrounding the Academy through the day as everyone had a go. A boy can dream, can't he? Understanding Looking back on the day, the judges observed on the day's events. Glenn Cutter said: “On behalf of the judges, I would like to say that each year we are so impressed by what you guys do. Each year we change things, we put something else, we do this a little bit differently. These things are done to show you that Top Technician is not just about understanding how to read a fault code and do a diagnostic, or trace an electrical fault. It is about if you can inspect a vehicle, do you understand about the holistic approach to the vehicle. it is about being specific and being tidy and everything else. Most of you have not picked up some of these tools since you were either college or, many years ago. Despite this, after a moment every single one of you knew what to do. You were able to search your databanks. We are always so impressed. You have to remember that you are the top five. You are not in the top 100, you are not in the top part, you are the top. So well done and hats off to you." Ian Gillgrass concluded: “Well done to all of you. Now off to Milton Keynes for the Top Technician and Top Garage Awards Dinner!" He added: "No drinking" with a smile, which got a big laugh. At the end of their day, TT 2019’s