November issue out now

Car loan providers and dealers have been warned about what’s on the Financial Markets Authority’s compliance radar after it took on oversight of the sector. Plus: news from the Financial Services Federation’s annual conference.

Labour has pledged to back right-to-repair legislation across the car industry. The move would force OEMs to provide independent mechanics access to the same manuals, software and tools to fix cars that franchised dealerships use.

The team at Autofile was devastated to learn of Mark Baker’s passing in south Auckland last month. For a decade, he reported on motor racing in Aotearoa and Kiwis’ exploits overseas in this magazine. We pay tribute to a man who was well-respected by those who knew and worked with him.

Women in Automotive NZ has released two free resources to mark its registration as an official charity. They are a practical hiring guide and a workplace self-assessment checklist. Board chair Natasha Callister explains what they are all about.

Larry Fallowfield pens his final column in Autofile as the MTA’s sector manager – dealers and is preparing for a new job in the collision-repair space with Tower. Gone are the days of “Statler and Waldorf from The Muppets sitting in the stalls”, he laments.

Emissions from cars need to be regulated correctly, says VIA’s Kit Wilkerson. “We tend to treat new and used as essentially the same thing. But there’s a fundamental difference we’re overlooking. A new vehicle is something being added to the global fleet while a used one already exists.”

Autofile delves into the many developments happening at yards across the country with franchises changing hands, new locations opening and facilities being overhauled.

More than 50 invited customers of Lexus of North Shore, Auckland, have got up close and personal with the all-new ES. CEO Mark Jago talks about why such events are important to dealerships.

• VIA has welcomed the coalition’s flip-flop on mandating extra safety technology requirements on imported cars, but the MTA and MIA are “disappointed” by the decision.

• While AI may build the shortlist, it’s still people who earn car sales. AdTorque Edge’s James Hendry explains why.

• Three dealerships have been placed into receivership or liquidation by finance companies. 

• David Sena has taken 2 Cheap Cars back into private ownership.

Plus: MITO training courses in demand, Supercars action, new cars and in-depth industry statistics for October.