Help is on the way for New Zealands complex car repair industry

An automotive information system being launched through Repco New Zealand this month is virtually tailor-made for a country which boasts the world’s most diverse carpark.

New Zealand aftermarket auto technicians have to deal with car makes from many countries and diagnostic information is not always readily available.

The worldwide vehicle information group, Autodata has put together a unique database of information which combines all vehicles currently available in Australia and Europe.  Called Autodata Asia – Pacific, the information package was designed for New Zealand and regional markets.

Autodata national sales manager Brett Engeman said that while Repco New Zealand had sold the Autodata product mainly through their own equipment division for the past three years, the new DVD will go into the Repco mainstream, through all 93 branch outlets in the country.

With the new DVD, technicians will be able to access a range of information covering 23 subjects related to more than 11,500 vehicles.

“In November, we will be adding three new specialty subjects to the system - electric park brakes, battery disconnect procedures and air conditioning connectors.

“Repco is confident that the information available through the Autodata DVD and its ongoing updates, will make vehicle repair information more readily available and shorten repair times,” said Brett Engeman.

“It’s a win/win situation, because the ultimate beneficiary of a more efficient repair network will be the customer.” he added.

Autodata has already established itself in Australia as a leading publisher and supplier of technical information in print and electronic formats. The company has its own dedicated team of 70 vehicle researchers working in Australia, the UK and USA.

On average, each bi-annual update includes an additional 200 vehicles and around 5000 new pages.