There’s good news for jobbers and WDs in the Antifreeze area: Technicians say they trust their source to choose the brand of antifreeze more today than in past years. And trust is critical. When asked how they choose the brand they use, nearly half — 49 percent — say they only use a brand they trust.
Ninety-five percent of shops stock antifreeze for the six jobs per month, on average, that require it. Shops surveyed for Counterman’s annual Professional Automotive Repair Technician Survey (P.A.R.T.S.) report having an average of 2.2 sources for antifreeze. The leading two reasons that they use these sources as their first call are "fast delivery" and "the best sales reps."
These and other statistics can be found in P.A.R.T.S., produced annually by Counterman magazine. Nine years ago, Counterman began surveying repair shops annually to determine when, how and why they source specific automotive parts and products. The resulting data, published every Fall, offers perspective on how sourcing and brand-loyalty trends have changed. The 2009 P.A.R.T.S. report is mailed with the September issue of Counterman.