Carwood runs through the opportunities presented to factors by its range of oil feed pipes.
As more and more automakers turn to turbocharging technology in an effort to reduce their carbon footprint, the aftermarket will get a boost of its very own. Not only will more turbos need servicing, but for every job, more components will now need replacing, thanks to the trend for downsized engines. With this in mind, the recent launch of Carwood’s range of OE and OE matching oil feed pipes represents an exciting and profitable opportunity for factors to tap into this booming market.
Although turbocharging has been around for nearly as long as the internal combustion engine, it’s only over the past few decades that it has become mainstream. Thanks to their proven ability to improve engine efficiency and fuel economy, whilst reducing emissions, turbos are no longer the reserve of fast, high-performance vehicles, but can now be found in almost every type of car, from a 1.0 litre petrol engine in a small family hatchback, to a 3.0 litre 6-cylinder engine powering a premium 4×4. And with electrically assisted turbochargers – or e-turbos – on the horizon that can recuperate spent exhaust energy by using a small electric motor to generate electricity and recharge the hybrid battery, as well as eliminate lag in all powertrains, their future looks certain too.
Today, more than 80% of all passenger cars on the UK’s roads are fitted with a turbocharger. So, as the latest generation of vehicles with downsized, forced induction engines filter into the independent service network, the aftermarket demand for replacement turbos will also grow. This represents a great opportunity for factors with the right brand and product to boost both their turnover and customer base.
To help with this, Carwood is continuing to add to its range. Its existing line-up of OE-approved, cost and environmentally friendly remanufactured turbochargers covers the major OEMs, including Borg Warner, Garrett, Mitsubishi, IHI, Mahle and Continental, and supports popular new and late-model applications for car and light commercial vehicles such as Land Rover Discovery, Range Rover Sport, Evoque, Velar, Jaguar F-PACE, Isuzu D MAX, BMW F series, Mazda CX5, Vauxhall Mokka, Mercedes-Benz A-Class, Renault Kadjar, Ford EcoBoost, Citroën Relay, and Peugeot Boxer. Together with online cataloguing, next-day delivery and technical support, Carwood insists that factors can be confident that whatever vehicle comes through their customer’s doors, they will have the right part for the job.
Keeping up
More recently, the company has introduced a new range of oil feed pipes as part of its one-stop-shop turbo solution. Responsible for supplying oil to the turbocharger, feed pipes have become a must replace part in any turbo job, and therefore, a must have item for any factor’s shelves.
Whilst oil has always been critical, with modern turbos spinning over 300,000 revs per minute – fast enough to whip the air through the intake at near-Mach 1 speeds – and enduring temperatures close to 1,000°C, the demands placed on these parts are now even greater. In these conditions, even the smallest particles of dirt, soot, fuel, water or other combustion residuals can contaminate the oil and build up in the pipe, restricting its supply and eventually starving the turbo of any lubricant. This can lead to premature wear, damage and ultimately complete failure, all of which can happen in just a few seconds. In fact, running a turbo without oil for only five seconds is said to be as harmful, if not more, as running an engine without oil for five minutes, making a consistent flow of clean oil to the turbo an absolute must.
This is why it’s now advisable to fit a new feed pipe when replacing or reinstalling a turbo. Whilst it may add a few pounds to the bill, it is much more cost-effective than having to fit a whole new turbo, saving both your customer and their customers valuable time and money in the long run.
So, oil feed pipes are a great opportunity to upsell on every turbo job. By stocking a range of these now indispensable components and having a good product knowledge, factors will be well placed to service all turbo-related failures, generating additional revenue, profit, and hopefully customer loyalty, in what is a lucrative and fast-growing market. And with Carwood providing a full product offer, technical support and service, you can do all this with just one supplier.
