28 ~ Wednesday, August 20, 1986 - North Shore News CONSUMERS MORE DEMANDING 7echnological explosion Shakes the auto industry WHAT HAS gotten into your technician’s head? By JOHN WALBY Contributing Writer These days, quite a lot — thanks, in part, to the technologi- cal explosion that is shaking every corner of the automobile industry; and to the growth of consumerism that has spawned a generation of car owners who are more know!l- edgeable and, therefore, . more demanding. KEEPING PACE It’s obvious that what has gotten into your technician's head is the realization that he has to keep pace with these changes or he won’t be your technician for very much longer. Daily, his world is changing. Cars are getting smaller, more fuel efficient, electronically more com- plex. The computer age has arrived. A new era of smart cars, whose coraputers control fuel delivery and ignition; emission and climate control; transmission, suspension and brakes is here. In fact, you could say tht since 1975, the world of the auto techni- cian has been a high tech one. Though smaller, today’s cars are comprised of a long and rapidly expanding list of electronic com- ponents. Fully half of the cars on the road have some form of com- puterized contro! mechanism. And, by 1990, virtually all of them will. But, smart cars need even smarter technicians, who are just as comfortable with micro pro- cessors and digital readouts as they are with screw drivers and torque wrenches. Gradually, your technician is shedding the denim coveralls of a mechanic in favor of the gabardine smock of a diagnostician, On his shelf are three-inch thick parts and service manuals that give him the specs on all the latest elec- tronic wizardry in just about every make and model of car you can think of. In his shop, standing beside the traditional tools of his trade, is a battery of the latest electronic diagnostic equipment. Constant updating of technical! skills and knowledge are a must if your technician hopes to keep up with all the changes that roll off the car manufacturers’ assembly lines.: : LOTS OF CHANGES Unlike the medical profession, which has been servicing the same two basic models for centuries, automobile technicians have to keep adapting to patients that become more sophisticated with each passing year. RACING DRIVER Michael Langford and his pit crew (and son) Andrew prepare for their race at) Seattle International Raceway this weekend. The English-built Rawison car has a 1.600 ce. engine pushing 210 horsepower and is capable of going 170 mph. Are You Caught Up In The Paper Explosion? call Deines Micro Document, nard to ties 4 find? Burdened By possible helt & vatdaieo or fire and valer damage of saluable records? Record , manager nrough the use of microti t sweet Callus tor records tanademert and we vall UtSCuss your nesadt, 1350 Pemberton Ave. N. Van. 986-0011 Opening specials on Auto Body Repaits and Painting for the next 30 days. We also dye vinyl roofs and interior trims, plus work on boats, appliances, motor bikes, etc. ... We offer you the best qualified per- sonnel. We are all experienced journeymen. We use only top quality products from PPG acrylic urethane ond enamels for our paint jobs. We offer you the best equipment available for painting your car. Our new fresh-air heated-down draft spray booth is the same as the fac- tory. The cars are dust-free and baked by heat fo harden the finish. All Auto Body repairs done to foreign or domestic unit body type cars and trucks are welded by MIG WELDER to insure no tensile strength is lost from the car bady. All mujor repairs re- quiting frame straightening is done to factory specifications by sub-letting. For rust repairs requiring patching, we manufacture our own sill panels with new metal lower fender panels, etc. All equipment is on the premises. I thank you for taking the time to read this ad. For the next 30 days we are offering o 16% discount on all Body Repairs and Paint Jobs, plus one free complimentary item from the list below, if you have your car painted at EXPRESS COLLISION LTD. . FREE PINSTRIPING INSTALLED 2. FREE BODY SIDE MOLDING INSTALLED. 3. FREE SEY WHEEL WELL MOLDING INSTALLED 4. FREE SET OF DGOR EDGE GUARDS INSTALLED General Manager Norm Brown 159B Riversidc Drive, Nortt Vancouver, 8.(. 929-7921 Auto Body Complete Refinish {most cars) includes © All hand and machine sanding « All masking and materials « Four coats of acrylic enamel, any colour (Slightly more for red) Summer Special , PARTS and SERVICE 8:AM to 5:PM Now you can get quality GM parts and service when it’s convenient for you. Give us a call today. We're the North Shore’s total transportation centre. Guaranteed Service Guaranteed GM Parts Guaranteed Price PPT #2-216 East Esplanade, North Vancouver (entrance at rear) 985-7302 | Kurt Holzermayr, Proprietor SALT