Why do your air, fuel and oil filters need changing regularly? Find out what all the fuss is about here.
And enjoy a great 15% discount off all GUD filters this month with Autoworld's latest offer. Available at all Autoworld participating branches across Zambia, and Impala Service Station in Lusaka, while stocks last.
(GUD filters are made to the highest standard and have achieved the coveted Ford Q1 status.)
You can change the air filter yourself - or go to the professionals ...
As Jaguar Land Rover Academy's Trevor Drawwater says, "In Africa, filter maintenance is the single most important factor in ensuring trouble-free motoring." If you get that right, then a big percentage of your vehicle worries will never even start! The two golden rules are:
1) Replace all three filters regularly (air, fuel and oil)
2) Always use a good quality filter brand
So why is it so important to keep changing the filters?
In Africa we get a lot of dust. Your vehicle's air filter has to absorb all that dust from the air sucked into the engine, purifying it before it reaches the engine's delicate parts. Secondly the fuel may not always be as pure as it should be. This time the fuel filter has to set to work purifying the fuel. Thirdly Africa tends to be hot. So the oil filter has to do a perfect job, as the oil going into the system has to transfer the heat out as well as grease the engine's moving parts.
All in all, filters need to be in tip-top condition to ensure a car engine is able to function optimally.
Why GUD?
The quality of GUD Filters is audited regularly by OEMs to ensure their specific requirements are met; and they have achieved the coveted Ford Q1 Status. In addition, the South African Bureau of Standards regularly assesses GUD Filters to TS 16949: 2009.
Autoworld is offering a generous 15% off all GUD filters this month, starting Thursday 3rd march 2016. So now's a 'gud' time to replace your filters! You can do it yourself, but it may be a better idea to go to the professionals. This service is available at all Autoworld branches except for Buseko in Lusaka.
Accounts Dept staff at Protea Safari Lodge
Thanks to Autoworld management, Feb 13th 2016 was not the usual humdrum day for Autoworld’s Accounts Department. Everyone was anxious to wrap up early, looking forward to a relaxing afternoon at Protea Safari Lodge in Chisamba. We arrived just in time for lunch – a sumptuous meal that quickly had everyone in a good mood, laughing and chatting.
Then the group took a stroll to see the lions. What a sight! We watched at very close range as the lions mauled a piece of meat. Then on to the game viewing trip. This was a splendid experience, getting back in touch with nature in the bush. Antelopes of all kinds were spotted - hartebeest, zebra, kudu, waterbuck, impala and sable.
As we crossed the road, the tour guide pointed out a large and rare monitor lizard crawling into the long savannah grass. Apparently this was a very poisonous type that people should be wary of.
On returning to the lodge, the group sat in a circle and played a “brain teaser” game. The first person begins by clapping twice then mentioning a letter, for instance A to the person seated next to them. That person had to immediately say any word beginning with A. If he or she hesitated, then they dropped out of the game. The game progressed well with no drop outs at first: A for Apple, P for Paul, C for Cat and so on. But then it reached Q and the next person shouted “Cucumber”; followed by G and the next person blurted out “Jump”. Hilarious! By then we were in high spirits and laughed all the way home.
Read more about Castrol lubricants and how Castrol technology is currently being used to improve the performance of a leading sports challenge.
The Landrover BAR boat and racing team
Castrol is the world's leading manufacturer of premium lubricating oils not only for the automotive and marine trades but also for applications such as industrial, aviation and oil exploration. The America's Cup is the oldest international sports trophy, originally awarded in 1851. Next year Sir Ben Ainslie's Land Rover BAR team is seeking to bring this cup back to the UK by winning the challenger Louis Vuitton Cup and then the America's Cup itself.
And what's the America's Cup got to do with Castrol? On January 22 2106 it was announced that Castrol's liquid engineering will flow through Land Rover BAR’s challenge! Castrol lubricants will be used to improve the performance of the boat’s hydraulics and its overall efficiency in its America’s Cup bid.
“Whether you’re a boat enthusiast or just someone looking for quality engine oil for your car, you can also experience the benefits of Castrol technology right here in Zambia! ”
Autoworld is one of the foremost distributors of Castrol lubricants in Zambia. As vehicle experts we have carefully selected engine oil brands and products that withstand the demands of Zambia’s driving environment. So, check your car’s manual for engine oil specifications and visit in-store to discuss what’s best for your vehicle.
And this month Autoworld's offering a 15% discount on Castro lubricants at any of our branches - from 4th - 10th February 2016!
P.S. Get kitted out for the coming fishing season at the Autoworld Downtown branch which specialises in boats. If you're a water sports enthusiast, you'll also find lots to interest you at Autoworld Downtown.
At Autoworld we recognise the value of regular training. We make an effort to constantly offer our employees the opportunity to improve and increase their knowledge through a variety of learning programmes. Here’s a couple of recent training events organised for Autoworld staff.
Drivers and support staff proudly display their certificates with Autoworld trainer Dr Davis Malembeka
On January 15, 2016 we received a team of experts from Engen Petroleum Zambia to train our salesmen in Engen lubricants. Participants first learned a little background to Engen the company.
“With headquarters in South Africa, Engen is present in over 20 countries, and exports its products to over 30 more countries, mostly in Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands. ”
Petronas Lubricants International, is a major Engen shareholder and supplies Engen products to even more countries. Petronas also supplies Syntium products through Engen distributors. Syntium and Engen products are both made to the same high standard using the identical techniques that are tried and tested.
Our salesmen learned that Engen produces two types of lubricants:
Synthetic oils are preferred by many engine manufacturers because of their improved fuel economy, wider operating limits and better wear protection.
The Engen trainers explained in depth about particular Engen products such as:
Participants were briefed on the importance of supplying customers with the right specification and quality of lubricant for their particular vehicle and usage. Oils are made to suit a particular engine or gearbox in terms of the year of make of the engine, type of fuel (petrol or diesel), and the required viscosity (depending on temperature). Quality lubricants will extend the life-span of the engine.
You can buy a full range of Engen lubricants at Autoworld branches throughout Zambia.
Recently, Autoworld trainer Dr. Davis Malembeka also ran a training session. This was for Autoworld drivers and support staff covering the importance of having a positive professional attitude at all times. It covered important topics like customer service principles as well as health and safety at work.
As usual, certificates of attendance were issued to all participants - something we all take great pride in.
As much as the Elephant Charge is a whole lot of action-filled fun for the whole family, we all need to remember its great purpose - wildlife conservation. If we teach the young generation of today about the importance of wildlife and conserving it, we can put a stop to declining numbers of our beautiful wildlife and forests. The Elephant Charge supports projects and programs that are specifically designed to educate young communities living in those rural areas where wildlife live. They are being taught the importance of wildlife and how they can benefit from it.
The Elephant Charge is an annual off-road motorsport challenge for both cars and motorbikes that raises money for conservation and wildlife education. Autoworld has been competing in the Elephant Charge for the last 5 years. In 2014 after a whole year of preparation, it was finally a win for Team Autoworld. Winning the Elephant Charge had been one of my biggest dreams. Now let’s see if we can make it a double!
We recently held a couple of in-house promotions: Best Spanjaard Salesman and Hardest Working Warehouse Storeman. Here are the competition winners.
In April 2015 salesmen at Autoworld and its sister company Impala Service Station were set a challenge – to sell as many Spanjaard products as they could! Just to make the challenge worth fighting for, Spanjaard South Africa generously donated a smart phone. With such a great prize up for grabs, conversation amongst the salesmen centred on the great Spanjaard product range stocked across all Autoworld branches, as well as Impala Service Station.
For a whole month every salesman put in their best effort marketing Spanjaard. However there could only be one winner! The “man with a plan” for the month of April was Mr Lloyd Simwami, a key salesman at Impala Service station. Well done Lloyd for this remarkable achievement!
Lloyd has worked for Impala Service Station for the last 8 years. Before taking up the role of salesman Lloyd was an impressive fuel attendant, the first face you would see on the forecourt. Now he sells, and has acquired a great deal of knowledge on a huge range of products.
The Autoworld warehouse at Head Office recently held a competition to award the hardest working employee in that department over a 15 week period. The warehouse is the heart beat of Autoworld and it wasn’t easy to choose a winner as everyone works hard. We used the following criteria to choose the one who most deserved to be in first place:
The winner was Mambwe Chanda, who walked away with a Samsung S4mini cell phone. 2nd place was Musa Mumba; and 3rd place was Paul Machwani. Many congratulations to Mambwe.
So what do we know about the winner? Mambwe Chanda, nick named ‘the walking computer’, joined Autoworld in 2001. He enjoys being part of the team that ‘keeps Zambia moving’. On receiving his prize he thanked management for recognising the hard work he puts in. He warned the rest of the warehouse team that he is ready to compete and win everything in the near future!
Let’s not forget that without team work all this would not be possible.
Have you ever been on a long journey and noticed one of your tyres was slightly flat? Have you enjoyed a day at the mall only to find you have a puncture? Your heart may sink further when you realise there are no workshops nearby (especially if you are on a long Zambian road in the middle of nowhere). A flat tyre can be a real pain.
In most cases you will find a puncture is caused by a nail or a foreign object that has engaged itself in the tyre resulting in low pressure. To stay safe and enjoy your trip, we recommend changing your tyres well before the tread gets low. This will help avoid flat tyres altogether. To help you on your way, this month’s 15% off special is on tyres and tubes (from 7th-13th May).
Even with a good tread, a tyre may still sometimes develop a puncture. When this happens, you can ensure you finish your journey safely with the TJM tubeless repair kit and mini compressor which come with an instruction manual and guarantee. Both are small enough to permanently stay in the boot of your vehicle. With the kit you can be equipped for any quick fix regardless of the car you drive.
Nowadays most vehicles run on tubeless tyres. This makes it very easy to repair them without needing to remove the tyre from the vehicle.
Tyres with tubes have a valve protruding from the tube. Tubeless tyres have a tubeless valve which is fitted to the rim of the tyre. Our workshop and sales staff are happy to help you identify the difference so you can establish if the tubeless repair kit is right for your vehicle.
How much will it cost you? At any Autoworld branch you can get the tubeless repair kit for K330* and the mini compressor at an amazing K1,815*.
As a safety measure, consider taking your car to the nearest Autoworld garage once you are able to drive. It's important to have your tyre re-checked by a professional to ensure it is permanently sealed.
Contact any of our Autoworld stores for more information on tyres, tubes, the TJM tubeless repair kits and mini compressors. Visit us or reach us on Twitter and Facebook.
Don’t miss out on this month’s 15% discount on tyres and tubes - visit us before 13th May.
Safe driving!
* All prices include 16% VAT
Sunday 8th March was International Women’s Day, a day designed to give women all around the world confidence and joy through the celebration of women and their achievements. This year’s theme, ‘gender is my agenda, make it happen,’ applied to Zambian women in a more touching way because at present, women in Zambia are gaining momentum in holding positions of influence. Our Vice President Inonge Wina, Chief justice Ireen Mambilima and other women participating in national matters traditionally classed as ‘manly’ are certainly setting the standards for Zambian women of the future. On that Sunday morning Autoworld women joined events in Lusaka beautifully dressed in traditional Chitenge outfits.
The day was filled with singing and interaction as people marched from Muleya Basic School in Emmasdale to the National Heroes' Stadium. Although International Women’s Day is obviously about women, it was such an encouragement to have men from all walks of life support the event, including the President Mr. E. C. Lungu who graced the occasion at the stadium together with women from different political parties and organisations. We commend men who can honour our women and work with us to make this a more equal society that encourages Zambian women to do more and reach higher for the good of the country. And as Autoworld women might be few in number, working in an industry that is dominated by men, it was very encouraging to be one of the few in our sector to take part at this prestigious occasion.
A speech was given by the Minister of Gender Prof Nkandu Luo. She bravely addressed an issue concerning abuse and gender based violence. Sadly, this continues to be a concerning matter in our country. Men, women, girls and boys are entitled to have equal rights under the laws of Zambia and the Human Rights Commission supports this noble and right cause.
The International Women's Day occasion was a humbling experience and a well deserved break. It instilled the feeling of being appreciated as women in society. We would like to thank Autoworld management for the effort and help rendered towards the eventful day. In fact Autoworld continues to lead the way by being open to employing more women who would like to work in the automotive sector. It may take guts but success is there, as demonstrated by the inspiring Phanny who is our Workshop Supervisor at Downtown Fitment Centre. Indeed, ‘Gender is my Agenda, make it happen’. I am doing what I can to make it happen!
By Annie Zulu
We as employers like to recognise the achievements of Autoworld staff and the value they bring to the company. Through the things we do as employers, we want to make a lasting impact on our employees, helping them feel part and parcel of the company and motivating them to be even more committed. The month of March was a busy but exciting month for us all. We had training with our team, a competition and two birthdays.
We had the privilege of having some of our staff members undergo tyre sales training. There were 15 Autoworld participants from different departments. The trainers were a team of three who arrived in Zambia on 3rd March, 2015 to conduct the product and marketing session which lasted a day and a half. This training was held at Intercontinental Hotel.
The participants were trained on how to read tyres in terms of size, width, profile and even the rim size. They were also trained on how much pressure should be pumped into the tyre, making it easier for a salesman to immediately point out what a customer needs. At the end of the session participants from various organisations mingled, shared knowledge and took pictures.
In our quest to serve our clients better, we believe our Sales Staff are our ambassadors as they are the people who uphold the image of the company. In this regard, we introduced a competition to motivate and appreciate their hard work and contribution and to acknowledge the value they bring to the organisation.
We asked our sales team to be attentive and note down products that were not current stock items but could possibly be on demand. This information would come from customer requests at our sales counters.
The response was tremendous and we received very helpful feedback every day. Of course there can only be one deserving winner. As with many other competitions, this one came with a surprising winner, a man popular for controversy also known as the 'mad scientist.' Mr Arnold Chooka, a Senior Salesman walked away with the prize - a Samsung Galaxy S4 mini which was presented by Director Mr Glenn Findlay. Mr Chooka put in unprecedented effort which was jokingly described by the Purchasing Manager Mr. David Findlay as that of a 'moving computer.' Mr Chooka had a very good month as he also celebrated his birthday with his team mates on 20th March.
