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Archive for October, 2014

BTCC Rule Changes: Now There's A Thought…

The 2014 season of the British Touring Car Championship ended in traditionally spectacular form at Brands Hatch on a weekend dictated by the cruel mistress of Mother Nature. Just as the lights went out on another amazing year, the flood gates for 2015 have already started to open. In what seemed like a mere blink of an eye, we were treated to the announcement that Infiniti were to enter the championship alongside ‘Support Our Paras’ Racing, a whole new direction for the BTCC. Soon after that we were told that Aiden Moffat and Laser Tools Racing were set to enter a Mercedes A-Class for the 2015 season following a successful test session. The next juicy little nugget comes following the annual end of season meeting held between TOCA and the participating teams within the series. The result of said meeting has been a selection of amendments made to the sporting regulations of the championship. Up until this point, all the articles I have read on the matter have gone into analysis about the effectiveness of these changes and how it will impact the sport next year. Have you wondered why you are yet to read an article that questions whether these regulation adaptations have gone far enough, what else could be done to the championship for the future? Could the championship change any further?

Well, it is time to wonder no further, for I present to you my own take on how the BTCC can change the sporting regulations to better the championship for the future. I wish not to present the following words as hard facts, yet I aim to inspire the minds of the masses. What would you do if you had the chance?

The amended 2015 regulations aim to add yet more excitement to an already action packed grid. Image Credit: BTCC.net

The amended 2015 regulations aim to add yet more excitement to an already action packed grid. Image Credit: BTCC.net

But first, I may as well give you a quick overview of my thoughts on the official changes:

  • Increased Success Ballast – I have been waiting for this change for quite some time now. For many years I have noticed and very often commented that the success ballast has not had that much of an effect on the cars. Increasing the weight penalties to the point where there is a noticeable hindrance to performance will make the racing much closer and more fascinating to watch.
  • Independent Analysis of Start-Line Performance – I am honestly still a bit baffled as to why they are making such a fuss regarding the irregularity between RWD and FWD cars. In my view variety merely adds spice to proceedings; if they want everything as equal as possible why not put everyone in the same car? Or give RWD a weight penalty like they used to get back in the 90s.
  • Set Boost Level for the Season – I have always found the whole boost debate to be one of interest to me. Setting the boost level for the season instead of per round is better for the regularity of the championship as a whole. However, I do believe this issue will be visited again on multiple occasions as it is such a new addition to the BTCC.
  • Soft Tyre Use across all Three Races – Making the drivers use the soft tyre a certain number of times in each race throughout the season will add an extra layer of thought into the process of race planning. No more will drivers be able to have the optimum strategy for tyres repeatedly, but will have to find a way to work the strategy across the season. All very clever stuff this.
  • Fastest Lap in Race 1 to decided Race 2 Grid – Using race 1 as essentially a qualifying race as well the traditional points race I think is nothing short of genius. I can remember a certain Rob Austin a few years ago at Snetterton when he was still towards the back end of the grid who managed to set his car up to work perfectly, for about 2 laps. He set the fastest lap and then conked out. That took balls. Hopefully it will encourage more balls to appear throughout 2015.
  • Jack Sears Trophy to be awarded to ‘Top Rookie Driver’ – As long as enough new drivers enter the championship, this will give the new talent a genuine prize to work for; especially as they may not be adjusted to the championship enough to challenge for the overall wins. As with the other changes, it will layer up the excitement across the grid, giving both drivers and audiences more to enjoy across the season.

Well, now that is out the way, how about some other suggestions?

New regulations may see new names at the top end of the grid for 2015. Image Credit: BTCC.net

New regulations may see new names at the top end of the grid for 2015. Image Credit: BTCC.net

Re-Introduction of a ‘Feature Race’

Towards the end of the 1990s and the early part of the new millennium, the race format within the BTCC saw each weekend with one sprint race (similar to that we are graced with today) and one feature race. The feature race would be a significantly longer race with a mandatory pit stop that would bring in the whole team into the battle for the top positions. Some of my fondest memories of times gone by was watching the interplay of pit strategies; pitting early and racing on a clear track or saving it late to distance yourself from the pack. There were often times where races were won or lost in the pit stop, or drivers would enter the pits only marginally ahead of the other potential winner; they would have to defend like crazy on stone cold tyres against a guy with perfectly warmed up rubber bullets ready to pounce. If it was not for the feature race format, Matt Neal would never have won his first race in such spectacular style at Donington Park in 1999 (you want to watch this video, it is something wonderful) and given touring car audiences one of the best races it had ever seen. Not only did that win him his first race, but he became the first independent to win a race outright, which is rather commonplace these days. It had to start somewhere, ey?

My plan envisages an extended final race that accommodates the feature race format that sees the need for pit stops. My logic also combines with the use of the soft tyre; teams could then decide on using the soft tyre at the start or post-pit stop. In my minds eye the racing dynamic would change somewhat and give audiences another level of motorsport not seen in the last few years. Instead of three races of the same format, the race day would build up to its spectacular conclusion with the longer race at its climax. As I mentioned before it would add in the ‘team’ aspect to the race recipe as well as some great new racing that the championship has not seen in some time.

Return of the ‘Crown Jewel’ of the BTCC Calendar

In Australia, the V8 Supercar season peaks (almost literally considering the mountains) at the Bathurst 1000 event. One might even call it a showcase to the world to prove in one event just what the series is about. There have been multiple times in the history of the BTCC where the season has had one special race too spice up the usual championship. In the late 80s when the championship still ran a class system, each year there would be an endurance race with mandatory driver changes. In 1988 for example it pitted the usually unstoppable Andy Rouse in his Ford Sierra Cosworth against a temporary new challenger in Win Percy in a Nissan. The joy of this type of event is that it would attract competitors to enter on a one off basis and upset the balance somewhat. Next up was the infamous TOCA Shootout that had reverse grids and an ingenious system where the slowest car each lap towards the end of the race would be black flagged, with £12,000 for the winner. It was at this event in 1993 where Nigel Mansell made his first appearance in the touring cars, before crashing out spectacularly.

Win Percy and Andy Rouse battle it out at the 1988 Endurance Event at Donington Park. Image Credit: performanceforums.com

Win Percy and Andy Rouse battle it out at the 1988 Endurance Event at Donington Park. Image Credit: performanceforums.com

Even towards the end of the 1990s TOCA introduced the night race at Snetterton, which was then extended to Silverstone to conclude the Super Touring Years as well as the 2000 championship. Whatever the event may be, there was always a special event every year that characterised the entire series in one special race. I imagine that one of the criticisms to my feature race idea is one of finance and television coverage, which is understandable. Some of the smaller teams may not physically have the people power to perform an efficient pit stop; this goes against the NGTC regulations which makes the championship affordable yet still contestable for teams. As a result, I am willing to compromise on my original feature race concept by bringing back the annual ‘showcase’ event. Working as a one off event, the finance increase would not be too uncontrollable and the television coverage could market the event throughout the year. I would love to see the return of the TOCA Shootout format, or even the Endurance driver change event. The former would bring about a true balls to the wall attitude of racing, while the latter could see other names from other disciplines getting their own introduction into the sport.

Change Overall BTCC Season Format

This next proposed change is much more of a personal opinion more than a genuine request. In my view, the highly repetitive nature of the championship in terms of season format has started to drag for me in the last few years. First of all, the tracks are run in the same order every year, with 10 tracks all hosting 3 races each. This does make the season fly by all rather quickly with only 10 race weekends to spread between March and September. I would very much love to see two races over 15 weekends as a preference to save the rather common and almost annoying gaps in the season. However, I am fully aware that this would ramp up the costs as well as demand a change in the television coverage.

This does not mean on the other hand that TOCA cannot mix up the round order slightly just to keep everyone on their toes, instead of having the same tracks in the same order every year. It may not be a massively game changing adaption, but it does retain the dynamic feel that the BTCC has become somewhat famous for. Speaking of dynamism, it would be great to see a few new tracks appear on the calendar, such as a return to Mondello Park, Pembrey or maybe even Castle Combe. There are so many amazing racetracks that span the UK, it would be a shame to not utilise them for all that they are worth. The proposed street circuit around the ring road at Coventry has definitely wet my appetite recently, I just hope the plans come to fruition; the BTCC can then see a return of a street event like that of the Birmingham Superprix in the late 80s.

Increase In Reverse Grids

My final suggestion is one that I believe can increase the racing spectacle, prove who the true fast drivers are while giving rookies a genuine shot at glory. In 2014, the field consisted of a mind staggering 31 cars, a number never before seen in the modern championship. However, when it came to reverse grids for race 3 only the top 10 drivers would benefit. When the grids were smaller this would be a satisfactory number, but with 31 I believe more people deserve that shot at pole position. Of course the unpredictability through random selection of the actual reverse grid position would remain, but I believe the upper end should go as far back as 20th. As it stands, it is usually only the top teams that have been benefited by the current regulations while the smaller teams have remained towards the back.

If this change was put into action, we could be seeing more names like Jack Clarke, Simon Belcher or Dan Welch starting on pole for race 3. Furthermore, if the big names were relegated even further back down the grid, they would have to prove their metal by having to fight their way right up to the top positions. The BTCC has become the mecca of unforgiving, hard and fast tin top motorsport; there is no better way of proving such a title than watching drives similar to that of Alain Menu or Jason Plato from this year where they came right from the back of the grid to a top 5 or 6 finish. Instead of having this as an isolated affair, it could become a common occurrence that wows audiences across the country and proves the position of the BTCC as the best touring car series in the world.

Changes in current regulations would give some of the lower teams such as the Protons of Dan Welch a shot at high positions. Image Credit: BTCC.net

Changes in current regulations would give some of the lower teams such as the Protons of Dan Welch a shot at high positions. Image Credit: BTCC.net

Of the changes I have proposed, many of them would of course come with a raft of complications that may make them unfeasible within the parameters of the NGTC regulations. However, as I stated before I merely wanted to lay these down to inspire some thought and maybe some communication to discuss the future direction of the sport. I would love to hear your ideas for how to change the series if you had the chance. My words are nothing if just my view. The best way to forge forward with real change is through multiple views and serious communication. And well, it has to start somewhere!

The BTCC will always hold a special place in my heart as my favourite racing series, and I wish for nothing more than to spread that animalistic joy that grips my very soul to the masses. Maybe it is time to embrace change and move onwards and upwards. The future is bright.

Let me know what you think!

Join the conversation on Twitter, and follow my ramblings @lewisglynn69

Keep Driving People!

Peace and Love!

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Life With A Learner Driver

For some time now, my teenage son has had his learner’s licence and the blue-tack holding the L-plates to the back and front windows is starting to get a bit the worse for wear.  It doesn’t seem like that long ago that we were having to explain which pedal was which…

learner-parent1Most of us who have teenagers go through the journey of watching them progress through the licenses and become fully fledged motorists.  It’s quite an emotional roller coaster – and some journeys feel physically like a roller coaster, too.  However, in spite of what it can do to your stress levels at times, I recommend that parents encourage children to get their drivers’ licences early on.  Not only does it suddenly make your kids grow up and learn some responsibility but it also saves hassles later on.  If you’d seen one of my friend’s daughters wind up as a young mother with no driver’s licence, or if you’d seen one of my other friends constantly ferrying around a teenage boy who prefers a gaming console to a steering wheel, you’d feel that way too.

The first few forays out in the car are always amusing.  For once, your teenager will be listening carefully to everything you say and will (for once) act like they don’t know everything.  This phase, which usually takes place on quiet roads, involves stalling, lurching and incorrect gear selection, plus the odd near miss as your teenager realises that you have to start braking earlier in the picture than you do with computer driving games.

Then you teen will master the basics and will get back to thinking that he/she knows it all.  The times that you are driving, you will wish that you had duct tape handy, as you will have the world’s worst back seat driver on board who will tell you exactly what they would have done and ask why you’re not going at the full speed limit at the moment (when it’s raining cats and dogs late at night and the road is flooded so you can barely see the white lines in the middle).  This is where you grit your teeth and explain why you’re doing what you’re doing.  Are you familiar with the phrase “teachable moment”?

During this phase, you’ve got to teach them as much as you can.  Let them learn good habits.  You shouldn’t stop riding with them altogether during the provisional stage, as they’re still inexperienced, but you still need to make the most of the learner phase to ensure that the next generation of drivers has decent skills, by trying things like the following:

  • Drop your teens in the deep end.  You don’t have to be quite as vicious as my husband was, getting our son to do his first parallel parking manoeuvre between an expensive new Audi and an equally expensive new Jaguar , but make them do the difficult stuff.
  • Hand the keys over as much as possible.  Yes, you like to drive.  However, your teenager needs the practice, so give them all the chances they can get.
  • When you are in the driver’s seat, model good driving etiquette and attitude.  Would you want your teenager going just a shade over the speed limit and trying to nip into small gaps because he/she is running late?  Would you want him/her leaning on the horn at the slightest provocation?  Trying to just nip through on an orange light?  Checking the cell phone while driving just for a few wee seconds because this text might be important?  You get the picture…

There’s also one very important thing that you need to do:

  • Get them driving in a car with as few driver aids as possible.  These days, you can buy cars with blind spot monitoring, warnings about things approaching from the side, cameras all over the show to help you park, collision protection that automatically jams on the brakes if it detects that a ding is likely and so on.  My own inner alarm bells are going off to think that some teenagers are learning to drive in cars like these.  Of course, we want to protect our beloved sons and daughters and make sure that they’re safe.  However, if they’re always driving a car that does a lot of the work for them, they’re going to learn to rely on these driver aids.  They won’t know how to do it the hard way.  The time will come when they buy their own cars… which will probably be older models that don’t have all these active safety features.  And they will probably be driving them solo.  Scary stuff.  Beeping noises don’t have the same impact on behaviour as much as “What the heck were you doing? You nearly hit that car/truck/person!  You’re supposed to turn your head and check the blind spot before you change lanes!  Don’t you ever do that again!  I want to see your head turning to check.  Let’s try that one again.”

Safe and happy driving for you and your teenagers,

Megan http://credit-n.ru/debitovaya-karta.html

BTCC Manufacturer Madness: Can We Bring Them Back?

For many years, intrepid explorers have ventured deep into the vast depths of the British Touring Car Championship to see what we can understand and learn about this fascinating world. Searching through the great annals of its past, it is easy to see that throughout the 1990s, the BTCC enjoyed its golden years. The times were fruitful, the manufacturers came thick and fast. Alas, as the unstoppable juggernaut of time rolls by, the ‘Super Touring Years’ have been confined to the stuff of legend. The modern times have not been kind to the BTCC; the once flourishing manufacturers have all but disappeared. It is time for change. It is time for action. It is time to save one of the cornerstones of the BTCC from extinction. Some of our latest findings may have given us renewed hope.

The entrants in the BTCC may be flourishing, but only two manufacturers entered the 2014 season. Image Credit: BTCC.net

The entrants in the BTCC may be flourishing, but only two manufacturers entered the 2014 season. Image Credit: BTCC.net

Throughout the 1990s, it was hard to keep track of the number of manufacturers within the championship; Ford, Renault, Vauxhall, Nissan, Alfa Romeo, Honda, Volvo, Peugeot, Toyota and BMW, coupled with such legends as Andy Rouse, Alain Menu, and John Cleland helped to construct some of the best spectacles ever seen in motorsport. As the 90s fell away to the 00s, a great many of these left the sport. For the first few years of the new era, the sport was dominated by Vauxhall under the piloting skills of Yvan Muller and James Thompson. Honda and Peugeot made their return, while new faces were seen in such names as MG, Lexus, SEAT and Chevrolet. However, over the most recent seasons these names have all but jumped ship, leaving only MG and Honda as official manufacturers. With Honda pursuing new routes and returns to F1 and MG coming to the end of its development with its current model, the future is uncertain.

If you are now thinking that manufacturer extinction is a certainty, it is time to think again. Not too long ago, I published my view on the announcement that Infiniti with Support Our Paras Racing will be entering the 2015 championship. On top of that, Ciceley Racing has now released that its 2015 car of choice will be another Mercedes, like that of Adam Morgan and WIX Racing. Until this year, Mercedes had never entered the sport and now it shall enter the 2015 season with a race win under its belt and two entrants just to top it all off. It may not be a manufacturer entry, but it does present an opportunity. I think it is possible to see not only a return of manufacturers but the addition of some brand new names.

Out of the shadows emerges Infiniti, a brand new manufacturer for 2015. Image Credit: BTCC.net

Out of the shadows emerges Infiniti, a brand new manufacturer for 2015. Image Credit: BTCC.net

Let us begin with the Infiniti announcement; the luxury Nissan manufacturer has teamed up with game changing ‘Support Our Paras’ Racing, who are a non-profit team who aim to raise awareness and funds for injured paratroopers and their families. This new team will change how we look at motorsport forever. Motorsport has gone from being a simple sport to a vehicle to bring help and affect real change. All the profits made by the team are to be donated and put to a good cause. With such a fantastic new direction for a team to go in, it can only make sense that they would get manufacturer backing. In this case it just happened to be a brand new manufacturer never before seen in the sport. For a revolutionary new project, of course there needs to be a whole new car to act as a spearhead for the campaign.Perhaps it is here that lies a clue to attract more manufacturers to the sport once more. If there are teams in the championship that can provide exciting new opportunities that may benefit a manufacturer. In this case, the charity link will heighten the credibility and reputation of Infiniti as a manufacturer, which combined with the media coverage through competing in each race can only have a direct effect on sales.

Throughout the 1990s, the BTCC was considered the top touring car series in the world, cemented and confirmed by the packed out circuits and prime time television coverage. Therefore it was in the best interest of the manufacturers to enter teams into the championship. For example, as I sit writing this article I am in full view of my prized Nissan poster from 1999, signed by both Laurent Aiello and David Leslie. Atop the poster reads the line:

“The Primera. Britain’s No.1 Touring Car”

The Nissan Primera was on sale throughout its time as the Nissan entry in the BTCC. This simple slogan acts as simple yet truly effective advertising. Unlike the technologically advanced world of Formula One, touring cars are directly based on their road going counterparts. How great would it be to say that you own the same car that is currently dominating the best touring car series anywhere in the world? Ever since the championship changed from the Super Touring specification in 2000, there has been a significant drop in audience numbers. Even the television coverage has switched to ITV4 which is hardly much of a widespread and watched channel compared to that of the BBC.

However, from my going to various rounds of the championship this year it is clear to see that the audiences are indeed returning; there was a record 31 car grid coupled with much improved racing and full race-day coverage on television. Even the famous (or infamous) show Top Gear often now uses or references touring car drivers within its shows; anything that appears in a positive light on that show will always receive increased interest after all. Even Airwaves racing use the BTCC car in its advert for its chewing gum, proving the effect of the ‘Airwaves kick’ can turn you into someone as talented as Mat Jackson in his BTCC Ford Focus. Not only that but it does provide indirect advertising for Ford itself.

With a race win under their belt and a large fan base, could Mercedes not provide some manufacturer backing? Image Credit: BTCC.net

With a race win under their belt and a large fan base, could Mercedes not provide some manufacturer backing? Image Credit: BTCC.net

Following the Infinity announcement, the press release that Ciceley Racing is to enter a Mercedes A-Class in 2015 is also significant to this discussion. 2014 was the first year that a Mercedes had entered the championship, and under the control of Adam Morgan and WIX Racing significant results were made and even the first even win for a Mercedes which came in the final weekend of the year. Adam Morgan has always been one of the fan favourites in the championship; there was no one at Brands Hatch that day that was sad to see him win the race. Mercedes are most commonly known for their entrance into DTM and of course Formula One, but with the returning audience figures, a deal with the BTCC would be ideal. Furthermore, some believe that DTM is suffering a downfall in popularity due to decreased entries and driving standards. Surely then switching the focus from the possibly suffering DTM to the ever evolving and expanding BTCC would be beneficial to their interests. As if by some poetic coincidence, as I was forming this section an advert for the Mercedes A-Class came on television and I must say that using the BTCC model in the advert would have worked perfectly. The style, sophistication and speed can be only furthered using a race winning car in one of the most challenging race series around.

In 1992, Toyota was one of the most successful teams in conjunction with Andy Rouse. Can it make a return? Image Credit: BTCC.net

In 1992, Toyota was one of the most successful teams in conjunction with Andy Rouse. Can it make a return? Image Credit: BTCC.net

In the case of every other team in the 2014 BTCC (with the obvious exception of Honda and MG), the car they are using has once been a manufacturer-backed team in the championship. Ford are the most successful name in touring car history; I believe that their return would refresh the championship, combining history with modernity with the biggest name in the motoring world. Along with them we also have Toyota who now represent a significant portion of the entries in the current crop of teams. Back in 1992, coupled with the monstrous force of Andy Rouse engineering, Toyota were the biggest and arguably best team in the championship. The same can be said about Vauxhall, who have all but disappeared from the championship having been so dominant in the early 00s. BMW have seen great success as an independent team, which could possibly lead to manufacturer interest in conjunction with WSR. The return of these legendary names may just be the final step in the evolution, revolution and rejuvenation of the BTCC.

There is one great fear in seeing returning manufacturers to the sport, and that is one of finance. One of the driving forces behind the fall of the Super Touring era was one of money; team costs were spiraling out of control. The most famous example of this was the 2000 championship winning Ford team that had a rumoured budget of £12 million. I quite enjoy an interview with series director Alan Gow who said that by the late 90s, the catering budget for the big teams was enough to have run an independent team only a few years earlier. The new NGTC regulations are to make the championship affordable, hence the almost full independent team entrants. If the manufacturers returned, the costs may indeed begin to rise again with the consequential increase in competition. But hopefully the new regulations are strict enough that it prevents too much of a cost increase while fluid enough to provide variability in the entrants. In a world of limited economic availability (apart from maybe Germany, so BMW and Mercedes have no excuse really), it helps having a set of regulations that limit costings which will subsequently appeal to manufacturers who need a new avenue of marketing their products.

In 2002, there were still manufacturers but with smaller budgets. Can we return to that? Image Credit: carenthusiast.com

In 2002, there were still manufacturers but with smaller budgets. Can we return to that? Image Credit: carenthusiast.com

Seeing manufacturers return would be great for not only the sport but the spectators too. Imagine the strength of Rob Austin and Sherman if there was some direct backing from Audi; many of his downfalls in 2014 were as a result of financial issues and lack of funds after all. Additionally, Team BMR have already grown substantially in 2o14 but with Volkswagen in on the deal as well they would most definitely be challenging for the championship. So many of the teams would become substantially more competitive with manufacturer backing, which would then cause an exponential rise in the overall spectacle and racing with more cars able to challenge for wins. Back in 2002, Proton entered the championship and saw some strong finishes with the late great David Leslie. Sadly, in 2014 the independent Proton entry with Dan Welch struggled to find a competitive pace, yet has always been a fond favourite of mine. I would very much love to see how competitive Welch could be with manufacturer backing, considering his unbreakable determination.

It may not be an easy task, but it is entirely possible that the championship could bring back manufacturers once again. What is clear is that communication is key from both sides to see that the benefits are mutual to everyone concerned. Whether this can be done through an attractive deal such as one with a charity based team that will of course bring in a great deal of media and product coverage, or from the other direction where manufacturers are attracted through existing success and a possible marketing direction, the point remains that the potential is there just needing to be exploited. At the centre of it all will always be the BTCC itself; the championship needs to be successful for manufacturers to return and I believe that 2014 represents a turning point in this theory. In my view, 2014 proved that the BTCC is on the rise to its former glories but is still missing the final piece of the puzzle; that final piece of the puzzle is the manufacturers. The manufacturers bring an added spectacle and glamour to the sport that is seen not only on the race weekends themselves but is echoed across the media in adverts, marketing campaigns and other sponsorship outputs.

Everything we need is there. Let the cogs begin to turn. Lets stop the extinction. Bring back the manufacturers.

I would love to hear what you think about this. How would you bring back the big names?

Follow me on Twitter to continue the conversation @lewisglynn69

Keep Driving People!

Peace and Love!

The famous Volvo Estate, who wouldn't love to see a return of a manufacturer doing something this wacky? Also, Volvo have entered the V8 Supercars in Australia, why not bring them back to British shores too? Image Credit: ar15.com

The famous Volvo Estate; who wouldn’t love to see a return of a manufacturer doing something this wacky? Also, Volvo have entered the V8 Supercars in Australia, why not bring them back to British shores too? Image Credit: ar15.com

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"Backyard Mechanics" and Service Support.

Members may have read about a purported lack of support for non dealership mechanics by car companies in Australia. According to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, there’s no real detriment being seen, under the current guidelines, to customers. In a review conducted in 2012 by the Australian Treasury, a recommendation was that access to repair information would not become an issue, which appears to have been reached with the FCAI’s Voluntary Code of Practice relating to Access to Service and Repair Information. This represents a minimum standard for the provision of service and repair information to independent repairers, by car manufacturers selling vehicles in Australia.

There’s been assertions that car makers don’t supply information; this is, in fact, incorrect, with a number of manufacturers providing the minimum amout of information required and more to a wide range of independent repairers. Part of this is to do with security. Just as you may have a code for your tablet or smartphone, the Code of Practice allows makers to protect their customers from the release of personal and vehicle information, such as safety, security and legal matters. For example, it allows car makers to help customers protect their vehicles from theft by restricting access to the security codes that would allow any person who purchases the information to access a vehicle. Also, information that an manufactuer is prohibited from disclosing under any law, including privacy laws, will not be made publicly available.

You, as a consumer, have the rightto choose who and where services and/or repairs to your car. You should also expect that crucial and critical systems can be serviced without youself and others being put at risk. The Code is intended to reassure consumers that they can have confidence that their vehicles are being can be serviced safely and appropriately by repairers that have taken the time to ensure their equipment and tools are appropriate, along with up to date information. YOU have the right to have your vehicle serviced and repaired to a high level, a professional standard and why the FCAI will work with the independent service and repair industries. http://credit-n.ru/ipoteka.html