01/21/2019 by Doug Roach

Doug Roach is a long-time I-CAR instructor, and owner of Collision Repair Specialists in San Jose, California.

 

Roach tries on instructor’s jacket from I-CAR’s early years.

I was recently asked to provide a one-word description to underscore why I-CAR has succeeded all of these years. To me, the answer is obvious, yet multi-dimensional. It’s the reason why I’ve been a consultant for I-CAR’s training programs since the organization’s inception, and have been an I-CAR instructor for decades.  My one-word description for I-CAR is Truth. Truth has been the driving force behind the neutral, industry advocate and educator that has followed its “True North” for four decades. This True North, or mission, is that everyone in the industry has the information, knowledge and skills necessary to perform complete, safe, and quality repairs for the ultimate benefit of the consumer.

As a shop owner and I-CAR instructor, I’ve seen first-hand how I-CAR’s neutral stance has allowed it to distribute information necessary to repair today’s vehicles, allowing each segment to be aligned with one another—and only when the industry is aligned, can vehicles be repaired to OEM standards. In I-CAR meetings, I would consistently sit shoulder-to-shoulder with individuals from all parts of the industry, and we would each hear the exact same thing from the same speaker. It was the truth, and that’s why people wanted to be there. It’s the truth that separates the correct repair procedures from opinions or outdated repair methods, and even though the repair methods or materials may change, the truth is and always will be the truth. We must build our businesses on this timeless principal.  
 
These ideas were crucial at a time where changes were revolutionizing the industry. Once the unibody was introduced, the “old way” of repairing vehicles was no longer sufficient, and the industry needed the knowledge and cooperation from all segments to properly repair the vehicles of the future. 
 
Sound familiar? 
 
That first disruption in the industry led to the formation of I-CAR, and now, 40 years later, the Technical Tsunami™ is calling for the industry to collectively raise the bar, and seek the information and skills necessary to repair these technologically-advanced vehicles. 
As we celebrate 40 years at I-CAR, we honor our past by looking into the future—ensuring that the dedication that has brought us to where we are today will fuel our pursuit of I-CAR’s “True North” for many years to come.  
 
 

Do you have any I-CAR memorabilia you’d like share? Send it to marketing@i-car.com, or upload your photos to Facebook using the hashtag #40yearsinthemaking