Throw a Spanner in the Works

If anyone knows what's really going on in the automotive aftermarket, it's Andy Hamilton. In this episode, Andy explains block exemption post-Brexit, what it is, how it works, and how it affects independent garages and workshops across the UK and Europe. Andy Hamilton joined LKQ Euro Car Parts back in 2010, and in 2023 he was appointed LKQ Europe’s President and Executive Managing Director.Key learnings in this episodeLKQ operates across 18 European countries.In the UK, we now have a Block Exemption Order that differs from the regulation in Europe, meaning the UK government will need to step in and update policy to avoid divergence.Andy’s primary focus is on the preservation of independent workshops and the future of the aftermarket.Quote of the episode“The trickiest thing for the independent workshop now is it’s like that slow death. The issue and the demand aren’t necessarily visible today, but they’ll creep up over time because more and more vehicles will trigger past that three, four, five-year anniversary.”Guest InformationThank you to Andy Hamilton for being our guest!Website: LKQ Europe Social media: Andy Hamilton LinkedinConnect with Throw a Spanner in the WorksWant to get in touch with us? Drop us an email hello@spannerpodcast.comFind out more about your host Andy Brooke. Follow us over on social media: InstagramFacebookFind out more about the podcast on our website. Like what you heard?If you've enjoyed this episode, please share it on social media and write a review in your favourite podcast player.

In this episodeDiagnostics expert Dave Jones, also known as Diagnostics Dave, lives and breathes what’s happening in the world of OEM diagnostics and how it affects the automotive aftermarket.Dave is Technical Sales Director at Maverick Diagnostics and has been working in vehicle diagnostics for more than 30 years. From the early days of electronic ignition with Joseph Lucas Ltd in the 1990s, to today’s complex OEM systems, Dave shares why independent garages must upskill in diagnostics now, before it’s too late.Key learnings in this episodeDave’s career beginnings at Joseph Lucas Ltd in the early 90s when electronic ignition first arrived.Why independent garages that don’t keep up with OEM diagnostic training risk disappearing in the next decade.Dave’s early adoption of EVs, and why he advises investing in a heat pump.Quote of the episode"Multi-manufactured tools are not going away. They're here to stay. There's going to be lots of workshops and garages that want to still service vehicles and just look after the servicing features and functions"Guest InformationThank you to Dave Jones for being our guest!Website: Maverick Diagnostics – OEM Vehicle DiagnosticsSocial media:Maverick Diagnostics on LinkedInMaverick Diagnostics on FacebookMaverick Diagnostics on InstagramMaverick Diagnostics on YouTubeConnect with Throw a Spanner in the WorksWant to get in touch with us? Drop us an email hello@spannerpodcast.comFind out more about your host Andy Brooke. Follow us over on social media: InstagramFacebookFind out more about the podcast on our website. Like what you heard?If you've enjoyed this episode, please share it on social media and write a review in your favourite podcast player.

In this episodeIt’s no secret that there’s a lack of diversity in the automotive industry. Yet research shows that diverse teams are more productive and higher performing. So how can the sector move forward?Host Andy Brooke speaks with Julia Muir, founder of the Automotive 30% Club. Julia’s passion for cars started young, helping her dad with his mobile engine tuning business. After beginning her career on a graduate scheme at Perrys Motor Sales, she went on to found the Automotive 30% Club in 2016, with the goal of filling at least 30% of key leadership positions with diverse women by 2030. Key learnings in this episodeToday, only 7% of leadership roles in the automotive sector are filled by women, and just 17% of the workforce overall is female.Recruiting from a broader pool doesn’t just increase diversity of women, it brings in a wider variety of men too.The automotive sector can be a strong career choice for people who are neurodivergent.Quote of the episode"The reason I established the club was not from the starting point of thinking we need more women in the industry. It was from the starting point of knowing that in order for the industry to thrive and succeed beyond 2030, we had to have significant changes in the type of people that we could attract and keep."Guest InformationThank you to Julia Muir for being our guest.Website: Automotive 30% Club – Driving Diversity in Automotive LeadershipSocial media: Julia Muir on LinkedInConnect with Throw a Spanner in the WorksWant to get in touch with us? Drop us an email hello@spannerpodcast.comFind out more about your host Andy Brooke. Follow us over on social media: InstagramFacebookFind out more about the podcast on our website. Like what you heard?If you've enjoyed this episode, please share it on social media and write a review in your favourite podcast player.

In this episodeDo you struggle to love the EV? Guest Dan Mayo argues there’s good reason to embrace them. Dan runs MMS Technik, an electric and hybrid vehicle specialist offering service and repairs across Surrey and South West London. With a background in advanced diagnostics and experience in motorsport, Dan shares why the future is still bright for the independent workshop in the age of EVs.Key learnings in this episodeWhy workshops should embrace EVs rather than turn the work away.The current gap in the market for repairing certain EV brands, and how independents can step in.Why Dan believes the Tesla setup is the most reliable.Quote of the episode"There's lots of money to be made. Don't turn this work away."Guest InformationThank you to Dan Mayo for being our guest!Website: MMS Technik – Electric & Hybrid SpecialistsSocial media: Dan Mayo on LinkedInConnect with Throw a Spanner in the WorksWant to get in touch with us? Drop us an email hello@spannerpodcast.comFind out more about your host Andy Brooke. Follow us over on social media: InstagramFacebookFind out more about the podcast on our website. Like what you heard?If you've enjoyed this episode, please share it on social media and write a review in your favourite podcast player.

In this episodeHost Andy Brooke is joined by Richard “Moggy” Morgan, founder of Electric Classic Cars – the world’s largest classic car EV conversion specialists.Richard has had classic cars in his DNA since the age of 17, restoring, racing, and owning numerous vehicles over the years. Alongside that, he spent more than two decades in the energy efficiency industry, helping major organisations cut their carbon emissions. Today, he leads the team at Electric Classic Cars in Newtown, Powys, where they transform everything from Ferraris to Land Rovers into reliable, practical, and daily-drivable electric classics.Key learnings in this episodeWhy Electric Classic Cars adopt a no-drill, no-cut “reversible” approach to EV conversions.Which of Richard’s personal conversions remain his all-time favourites.How modern EV technology makes classic cars more reliable, practical, and enjoyable to drive daily. Why staying innovative is essential when you’re leading a niche like classic car EV conversions.Quote of the episode"Whenever you are a leader in a niche market segment, you need to keep on innovating to stay on the forefront. It's like surfing a big wave – once you're up, you need to stay ahead, because as long as you’re still riding that wave, competitors will never catch you."Guest InformationThank you to Richard Morgan for being our guest!Website: https://www.electricclassiccars.co.uk/Social media: @electricclassiccarsWatch: Vintage VoltageConnect with Throw a Spanner in the WorksWant to get in touch with us? Drop us an email hello@spannerpodcast.comFind out more about your host Andy Brooke. Follow us over on social media: InstagramFacebookFind out more about the podcast on our website. Like what you heard?If you've enjoyed this episode, please share it on social media and write a review in your favourite podcast player.

In this episodeYou’ll get to know host Andy Brooke and meet Laura Hall, Managing Director at Maverick Diagnostics. Laura’s route into the automotive aftermarket wasn’t a typical one. Before joining Maverick Diagnostics, she worked internationally in the oil and gas sector, ran her own jewellery business, and built a career that’s taken her everywhere from Moscow to the Pacific island of Sakhalin.In this conversation, Andy and Laura talk about her unusual career path, her love of languages, and what it’s like breaking into the automotive sector as a woman from a completely different background.Key learnings in this episodeWhy passion for innovation and technology attracted Laura into the automotive aftermarket.How Maverick Diagnostics supports workshops worldwide with OEM diagnostic tools, and why Laura sees Australia as an untapped market.How stepping into a new industry from the outside can bring a fresh perspective.Quote of the episode"One thing I've learned coming into this industry is it's actually really positive to be an outsider. I think you ask questions that other people wouldn't."Guest InformationThank you to Laura Hall for being our guest!Find out more about Maverick Diagnostics via the links below:Website: https://www.maverickdiagnostics.com/Social media:Maverick Diagnostics on LinkedInMaverick Diagnostics on FacebookMaverick Diagnostics on InstagramMaverick Diagnostics on YouTubeConnect with Throw a Spanner in the WorksWant to get in touch with us? Drop us an email hello@spannerpodcast.comFind out more about your host Andy Brooke. Follow us over on social media: InstagramFacebookFind out more about the podcast on our website. Like what you heard?If you've enjoyed this episode, please share it on social media and write a review in your favourite podcast player.