The Garage 362
ONKAR CHAHAL The future’s electric! As a very young and impressionable schoolboy I bought my first car magazine at the age of about 10/11. It was called Fast Lane and had an Aston Martin Vantage on the cover which looked absolutely amazing to me, so I bought it. A few years later I bought another magazine due to the cover picture, this time it was for a road test of the new BMW E28 M5. I’ve been buying car magazines ever since and there are four manufacturers which have helped shape my journey more than any other. Aston Martin. Maserati. Jaguar. BMW. I am a huge Aston Martin fan, they can’t do much wrong in my opinion (although the 80’s Zagato came close!) Maserati Quattroporte anyone? Does anything ride as well as a Jaguar? That M5 just made me respect the brand so much that I’ve been working/involved with them for nearly thirty years now. I have been extremely lucky enough to have owned all the M5’s from the original E28 right up to the present F90. Same with the M3’s, all of them from the E30, every version of the E36 right up to the present G80. I even built the world’s first E46 M3 SMG touring, way back in the day. The reason I’m sharing this with you? As I have stated many times, I am a true petrol head who loves everything about the car. I became a mechanic in the first place because of my fascination with the engine, how it works and how it sounds. I especially love how the engine is the heart of any car, being able to change the character of any model by changing the engine. Don’t believe me? Have you driven an X5 with a diesel engine? Sounds okay and goes well, exactly like it should. But you need to drive the V8 petrol version, that’s when it really makes sense. That’s the engine it was developed with/for. That’s when they sound and go how a BMW should. I ran an E53 4.8iS back in the day as my daily, affectionately known as the Thunder Bus. It couldn’t have been further from the diesel versions you would see everywhere. Its performance was as epic as the soundtrack that would accompany me wherever we drove(stormed?) to. It was truly effortless in its ability to cover ground at an indecent pace, with such little effort. The same basic body, chassis, seats, interior etc yet it was a totally different experience. Why was that? The engine. By Onkar Chahal And now we have the Electric Vehicle. It’s boring. It’s quiet. It’s very efficient, but it isn’t right. I describe electric cars like having sex with a blow up doll. The end result is achieved, you get where you need to be, but you just can’t help but feel something is missing, that something isn’t quite right. It’s efficient, but wrong. You miss the sounds, the smells, the vibrations and interactions. However, last year I spent about 6 weeks in the new BMW iX, in different versions, driving around the country. How bad was the experience? Good enough to make me see the error of my ways, to change my opinion, to embrace them and appreciate what they are and what they offer. It took the brand that got me into cars in the first place, all those years ago, to make me see the future. Ah, but I love my Maserati, I hear you say. Yes, I do. But I sold it just before Christmas to a man you can see on TV. What have I replaced it with? BMW i3. If the electric car is good enough for me, it’s good enough for you. Trust me. I’m a mechanic. And a petrolhead. 12 THE GARAGE 12 Opinion Onkar.indd 1 30/04/2024 13:37
NEWS Are you safe around your vehicle inspection pit? Inspection pits are a common sight in UK Workshops, but did you know that although they are below ground level, falls into one are referred to as “fall from height”? The Work at Height Regulations 2005 apply to all work at heights involving a risk of a fall liable to cause personal injury. If a pit is left open and uncovered, the injuries can lead to broken bones, like wrist, arm, ankle, shoulder, and hip fractures. Falls can cause head injuries; these can be very serious, especially if the person is taking medicine ( like blood thinners); a fall from a height injury may result in severe head and brain injuries, including brain haemorrhage and skull fractures. A fall from a height may also result in a severe spinal or spinal cord injury, in some cases resulting in paralysis. If they are not able to brace for a forward fall, they may strike their face or head, which can result in severe injury. Can you put a price on safety? GRIPCLAD® offers a straightforward and effective solution with its cut-to-size. Remember, a potentially hazardous hole in the ground can be easily and effectively covered with our lightweight, strong covers. By taking this simple step, you can immediately enhance the safety of your workshop, making it a more secure and productive environment. Check out our advert below and get in touch call 023 8040 6796 or enquiries@gripclad.co.uk https://gripclad.co.uk/applications/ garage-inspection-pit/ IF YOU THINK SAFETY IS EXPENSIVE, TRY AN ACCIDENT! An Anti-Slip GRP Solution for Garage Inspection Pits To achieve total safety around vehicle inspection pits, anti-slip GRP (Glass Reinforced Plastic) grating can be installed with side ramps or in the majority of cases the grating covers simply slot into a rebated ledge/bearer. GRP garage covers are lightweight to lift out and strong enough to take heavy weight. We recommend our Open Mesh GRP Grating thickness at 38mm or 50mm. We can cover Bus & Coach Pits, Truck, Trailer & HGV Pits, Wide Bodied Vehicle Pits, Railway & Locomotive Pits, DVSA ATF Testing Pits. BENEFITS OF GRIPCLAD’S GRP FLOOR GRATING ● Lightweight and easy to lift and shift ● Safe anti-slip walking surface ● Cut to manageable size and easily slotted and laid ● If no angle, use our ramp edging ● Anti-slip surface ● Virtually zero maintenance ● Neat and tidy look For further details on all our products contact: 023 8040 6796 Email: enquiries@gripclad.co.uk Web: www.gripclad.co.uk/applications/garage-inspection-pit/ THE GARAGE 13 xx, News Gripclad.indd 1 30/04/2024 13:39
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NEWS<br />
Are you safe around your<br />
vehicle inspection pit?<br />
Inspection pits are a common sight in UK<br />
Workshops, but did you know that although<br />
they are below ground level, falls into one are<br />
referred to as “fall from height”?<br />
<strong>The</strong> Work at Height Regulations 2005 apply<br />
to all work at heights involving a risk of a fall<br />
liable to cause personal injury.<br />
If a pit is left open and uncovered, the<br />
injuries can lead to broken bones, like wrist,<br />
arm, ankle, shoulder, and hip fractures. Falls<br />
can cause head injuries; these can be very<br />
serious, especially if the person is taking<br />
medicine ( like blood thinners); a fall from a<br />
height injury may result in severe head and<br />
brain injuries, including brain haemorrhage<br />
and skull fractures. A fall from a height may<br />
also result in a severe spinal or spinal cord<br />
injury, in some cases resulting in paralysis.<br />
If they are not able to brace for a forward<br />
fall, they may strike their face or head,<br />
which can result in severe injury.<br />
Can you put a price on safety?<br />
GRIPCLAD® offers a straightforward and<br />
effective solution with its cut-to-size.<br />
Remember, a potentially hazardous hole<br />
in the ground can be easily and effectively<br />
covered with our lightweight, strong<br />
covers. By taking this simple step, you can<br />
immediately enhance the safety of your<br />
workshop, making it a more secure and<br />
productive environment.<br />
Check out our advert below and get in<br />
touch call 023 8040 6796 or<br />
enquiries@gripclad.co.uk<br />
https://gripclad.co.uk/applications/<br />
garage-inspection-pit/<br />
IF YOU THINK SAFETY IS EXPENSIVE,<br />
TRY AN ACCIDENT!<br />
An Anti-Slip GRP Solution<br />
for <strong>Garage</strong> Inspection Pits<br />
To achieve total safety around vehicle inspection pits,<br />
anti-slip GRP (Glass Reinforced Plastic) grating can be<br />
installed with side ramps or in the majority of cases the<br />
grating covers simply slot into a rebated ledge/bearer.<br />
GRP garage covers are lightweight to lift out and<br />
strong enough to take heavy weight. We recommend<br />
our Open Mesh GRP Grating thickness at 38mm or<br />
50mm.<br />
We can cover Bus & Coach Pits, Truck, Trailer & HGV Pits,<br />
Wide Bodied Vehicle Pits, Railway & Locomotive Pits,<br />
DVSA ATF Testing Pits.<br />
BENEFITS OF GRIPCLAD’S<br />
GRP FLOOR GRATING<br />
● Lightweight and easy to lift<br />
and shift<br />
● Safe anti-slip walking surface<br />
● Cut to manageable size and<br />
easily slotted and laid<br />
● If no angle, use our ramp<br />
edging<br />
● Anti-slip surface<br />
● Virtually zero maintenance<br />
● Neat and tidy look<br />
For further details on all our products contact: 023 8040 6796<br />
Email: enquiries@gripclad.co.uk Web: www.gripclad.co.uk/applications/garage-inspection-pit/<br />
THE GARAGE 13<br />
xx, News Gripclad.indd 1 30/04/2024 13:39
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