Car Craft WA was just rolling out its Advanced Calibration Service as the Covid lockdown hit, but is now back out on the road servicing members.
The mobile service is initially offered as a benefit to Car Craft members. Barry Liddle is the technical wizard behind the service. He’s a first class mechanic with a background in motorsport including as technical support in the World World Rally Championships and for Australian Motorsport teams.
His last gig was with a windscreen replacement company and while he was with them set up their recalibration department. He is invigorated by the challenges each new model presents for ensuring all the ADAS systems are restored to factory settings. “It’s a constantly evolving business. New equipment keeps arriving from Hella Gutmann in Germany. We have a great relationship with Steve Cook at Hella Gutmann Australia and between us work out how to get the best out of the new equipment. It's been challenging over the national and Melbourne lockdown - we connect over Zoom and collaborate - two brains are better than one.”
One of the issues with any recalibration system in Australia is covering the huge range of vehicles on sale. “With additional software and equipment Advanced Calibration Service has near 100% coverage.
"I’m the only person outside of dealerships that is offering this type of service in WA. There are plenty of challenges for example VWs are totally different to a Ford or a Hyundai and then there can be a huge difference between the same make and model from the same year," Liddle said.
Liddle says there is a still a need for more education - there is still an impression that it’s only the prestige vehicles that have ADAS systems when so many ‘Mum and Dad’ cars such as Hyundai, Kia and Fords are loaded with sensors, radars and cameras. There is still a misconception that if no fault shows up on the pre-scan that there’s no need for recalibration.
“Our service to members means that we have them covered. Any issues that the car might have had that aren’t accident related are documented and they have records and a report to show that every aspect of the ADAS systems are working to manufacturers’ specifications.”