30 - Sunday, October 5, 1986 - North Shore News mechanics al WHETHER or not you real- ize it, the cars in your area, and throughout the country, have changed. And recently, these changes have cost consumers millions of dollars that need not have been spent. The changes occurred during the late 1970s and - early 1980s when car manu- ' LUBE, OIL & 4495 i: 4 'ncludes parts & labour “a ad up to 5 litres of oil. ms (most cars). : TUNE 4 cyl $56 6 cyl $588 8 cyl 608 Radiator & Engine Flush Pressure System Check Inspect Heater Hoses, Radiator hoses, Belts & Water Pump Includes: Rad Flush Kit, 4L Antifreeze & Labour “FREE We will inspect a car you wish to purchase tor $19.95 (reg. $39.95 value) SEES CCCI ETI eT ON NT ET SE EEL a Ea SOT EE er CER Ne ee ea se ee ee ne PECIAL . plugs, points, COOLING SPECIAL $36" 56 POINT INSPECTION facturers responded to the fuel shortages with new fuel-efficient unibody cars. Yet, while these cars made things easier for consumers, they made things much more difficult for those in the auto repair and insurance industries. Auto body technicians and insurance adjusters and appraisers found themselves in the awkward position of not knowing the proper method for fixing unibody cars involved in serious col- lisions. The result: Damaged cars were being declared ‘‘totall- ed’? that might otherwise have been repaired. ee eta ie Factory Recommended Every 10,000 Includes: Transmissios) 11” and Labour 5 off ANY LABOUR SERVICE (minimum $25) Includes: condensor & labour — smost, cars) FREE ELEC y alternator outpu 4 Front pads in- « Stalled calipers rotors inspected, ; wheel Dearings ) fepacked FREE | 49 Lifetime Warranty (Most Cars) AUTO-TRANSMISSION Fitter & Gasket A.V. 1 Includes: checking 1 battery amperage, : | starter draw & wiring. ad (reg. $16. value) _ BRAKE SPECIAL | CENTRE [vers SERVICE 59” | ESTES Miles Oil, $5 off R. ANALIZER TRICAL CHECK t, FREE || Rear shoes in- & stalled drums & wheel cylinders inspected 22" | ben nm ew mm e Lowest Labour Rates Certified Licensed Mechanics ° Free Courtesy Cars © Free Estimates * Special Business Rates fo 1350 Marine Drive Domestic and Import ° DISCOUNT. SERVICE Nortn Vancouver Hours: M-F 7:30 am - 6:00 pm 987-8025 Sao? Meanwhile, auto repair technicians couldn’t make money on cars they were unable to fix, and auto manufacturers could not sell parts to replace those dam- aged in collisions. TOTALLED CARS What was worse, since consumers were faced with cars that couldn’t be fixed, they often were forced to buy new cars before the old ones had been fully paid off. Now there were two car payments to make each month. Then in 1979, a non-profit organization, known as the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair, was formed to combat rising repair costs by improving the quality, safety and effi- ciency of auto collision repair. Since that time I-CAR has conducted thousands of training sessions with the cooperation of auto manu- facturers and the insurance industry. The association now maintains a network of more than 400 volunteer in- structors in all 50 American states and 10 Canadian pro- vinces. MANY BACKGROUNDS Volunteers ‘are members who have extensive experi- ence in one of a number of disciplines —- insurance ap- praisal, collision repair, vocational education, equipment and tool manufacturing, recycling industries and other allied organizations. “*T-CAR’ wants cars repaired correctly and reasonably and this goal is shared with auto manufac- tuers, auto repairers, auto insurers, and the con- sumers,”’ explains Claude LaPointe of Groupement des Assureurs Automobiles, Montreal, who also serves as the executive secretary of I-CAR. Mr. with LaPointe said that the manufacture of lighter, more fuel-efficient automobiles, auto repair and insurance professionals suddenly found themselves lacking in their ability to identify and repair auto col- lision damage on these vehi- cles. The introduction of unibody construction. and the use of new materials such as high strength steel alloy and plastics required that body shop technicians and insurance appraisers be trained in far more sophisticated techniques. INFORMATION BRIDGE ‘“*To help upgrade Giagnostic and repair skills, I-CAR courses have been developed to provide the bridge of information that allow the technicians to do their job more efficiently, effectively and safely,’”’ La- Pointe added. ‘‘When cars are repaired effectively the first time, the costs of repairs and insurance rates will stabilize and the con- sumer wiil get a safer and better product.’’ I-CAR currently offers a multi-segment Unibody Program, generic in nature and designed by General Motors. The course includes iden- tification and. analysis, sizaightentag techniques and service of mechanical systems and a comprehen- sive segment on _ plastics repair, in addition to latest chemical repair methods designed by Ford Motor Company. FINISHING TOUCHES Complete training is also- offered on auto body paint- ing and refinishing and on contemporary welding tech- niques. Training courses are typi- cally three hours per night and last for nine sessions. Instruction includes specially produced slide presenta- tions, hands-on experience and personal instruction. I-CAR volunteers in Canada work within provin- ciai committees to coordi- nate the training programs. Dr. Patrick Miller of Akron, New York, who has played a leading role in research and testing for a new course on structural sectioning, says that all durability and = stress test results show that I-CAR techniques mect, or exceed, all standards. (News Canada)