Technical Overview

All modern lubricants contain additives that inhibit breakdown. As these additives are depleted the fluid degrades and is no longer able to perform its intended function.

Fluid Rx Diagnostics is a patented radial planar chromatographic analysis tool that provides a measure of additive depletion, its dispersant properties and the level of sludge or debris in a lubricant. Read More.

Why Fluid Testing is Necessary?

Historically, fluid services intervals have been specified by the OEM. These recommendations are based on mileage and time, or in other words; time-in-service. Time-in-service preventative maintenance recommendations are better than no recommendation; but they do not take in account many variables that cause fluids to breakdown before the time/mileage interval. Read More.

How It Works

Instant Lubricant Diagnostics™ is a patented fluid testing and evaluation process that utilizes Radial Planar Chromatography (RPC) to analyze the condition of in-service fluids and lubricants.

A drop of a sample fluid is placed on the unique filter paper. As the test specimen percolates through the filter paper, bands and/or zones of different colors, densities even unwanted wear metals and debris form a chromatogram. Read More.

Benefits

• It provides service advisors and technicians with a standard procedure for recommending fluid changes
• Presenting customer test results empowers them to be an active participant in the fluid preventative maintenance of their vehicle
• Promotes trust and confidence in services recommendations
• Increase customer loyalty
• Results can be kept with the vehicle’s service and repair record for reference and proof of the proper fluid maintenance
• Sales will increase without repair order (RO) counts or marketing expense*
• Initial results show for every dollar invested in the tool, the return on investment (ROI) equates to around $9 in sales revenue.
• Long term results show the ROI increasing to around $28 in sales revenue per dollar invested
• Allows dealerships to price “Major Service” more competitively by removing “Fluid Service” and replacing them with “complementary Vital Fluid Analysis”. This provides up-selling the fluid service when needed as opposed to including it with every major service based on OEM time/mileage recommendations.

Advantages Over Drip Style Trays

• Instant Lubricant Diagnostics™ is in compliance with state laws, including the California Bureau of Automotive Repair (California BAR) that prohibit fluid service recommendations based solely on color or appearance.
• Instant Lubricant Diagnostics™ provides an analysis based in science as opposed to subjective opinion based recommendations from drip trays
• Quicker more convenient to use, no mess or clean up required, no chance of multiple fluid contamination
• More credible from the customer’s point of view due to scientific backing
• The customer can take the report card with them or or the results can be physically or electronically attached to the RO for future reference

Vital Fluids Analysis Presentation Opportunities

Dealership:

Our Service Advisor Customer Presentation Process identifies that 40% of fixed ops customer pay per repair order (CPRO) are eligible for a fluid analysis. This is based on the service advisor qualifying vehicles at intervals of 10,000 miles; this is consistent with most manufacturers recommended inspection intervals. The average service advisor closing rate is 65%.

Although your manufacturer may not recommend a fluid inspection until a higher mileage or in some cases not at all, performing the analysis will identify fluids that are depleted before OE time/mileage recommendation due to the severe driving conditions or component deterioration. This interval also confirms the quality of the service inspection and heightens customer trust, satisfaction and retention.

Aftermarket:

The average in-service age of domestic vehicles is currently 12 years and the average in-service age of foreign vehicles is 11 years. Therefore, aftermarket service providers may offer to test every vehicle at each visit and track the result for future visits. On average the closing rate is 65-70%.