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The Collision Repair Process

What’s the secret behind a high-end collision shop? “The Collision Repair Process” video details the 12 steps to returning your vehicle to you in showroom condition. The secret? It’s the highly-skilled, talented and professional people taking care of your vehicle at each step along the way.

Watch as the Today’s Collision team displays their expertise and dedication from the moment you are in a car accident until the moment you drive off the lot. Today’s Collision Repair Centers has been repairing vehicles for over 35 years, and we’ve learned that helping YOU understand the steps we take to repair your vehicle, helps US communicate with you along the way. Today’s Collision Owner, Bobby Cobb, walks you through the steps, providing an explanation of how your car travels through the shop on its way back to you!

Key Moments:

00:26 Getting an Estimate for Car Repairs (STEP 1)

02:08 Pre-Scanning & ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) (STEP 2)

02:46 Disassembly & Blueprinting to OEM Specifications (STEP 3)

03:43 Writing a Supplemental Insurance Estimate (STEP 4)

04:43 Auto Parts Verification & Matching (STEP 5)

05:23 Repairing the Vehicle Structure & Aluminum Repairs (STEP 6)

06:11 Auto Body Repair (STEP 7)

06:47 Preparing the Vehicle for Paint including Prime & Jamb (STEP 8)

07:41 Formulating an Exact Factory Paint Match Color & Painting the Vehicle (STEP 9)

08:36 Reassembling the Vehicle & Replacing Final Moldings & Detail Pieces (STEP 10)

09:04 ADAS Calibrations & Testing (STEP 11)

09:44 Performing a Quality Control Inspection & Detailing (STEP 12)

Step 1: THE INITIAL ESTIMATE After an accident, the first step to repairing your vehicle is to obtain an initial estimate of the damage.

Step 2: PRE-SCAN & PRE ALIGNMENT Once your vehicle arrives at our facility, we will run a series of pre-repair diagnostics, which includes a complete ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) scan. ADAS is responsible for many of the safety and warning features in your vehicle.

Step 3: DISASSEMBLY Our team has been trained by OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) on the proper way to disassemble your vehicle and complete a “BLUEPRINTING”.

Step 4: SUPPLEMENTAL ESTIMATE If, during the disassembly stage, additional damage is found, our estimators will rewrite the repair requirements needed to repair your vehicle back to pre-accident condition, and produce a “Supplemental Estimate.”

Step 5: PARTS ORDERING & VERIFICATION Any previously, pre-ordered parts that are currently on-site for your vehicle’s repairs are verified and the secondary order for additional parts discovered during the disassembly process is placed.

Step 6: STRUCTURE REPAIR Our technicians utilize a computer-based measurement system or an approved OEM JIG system to ensure the structure of the vehicle is restored to factory specifications.

Step 7: BODY REPAIR The Body Repair Department replaces all bolted, damaged exterior panels, and all metal finishing that may be required. This includes repairing all dents and scratches. Sheet metal is installed and aligned.

Step 8: PAINT PREP New parts are “raw” and need to be prime-sealed, and jamb-colored. Any other panels that we repaired will be primed and sealed.

Step 9: PAINT Our expert paint technicians determine the proper color formula and codes, which are entered into the computerized mixing scale.

Step 10: REASSEMBLY Our technicians will reassemble your vehicle and all final moldings and detail pieces will be replaced. All of the vehicle’s systems are checked for proper operation during this process.

Step 11: CALIBRATION & TESTING We utilize the most advanced technology in the industry to calibrate and test your vehicle to ensure both structural and operational integrity. A post-repair diagnostic ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) scan will help us clear any indicative codes remaining.

Step 12: QUALITY CONTROL & DETAILING Our Quality Control review occurs at this stage, which includes a final inspection by our technicians to ensure that the vehicle is restored to its pre-accident condition. Returning your vehicle to you is our favorite part of the day, because we know that every member of our team, at each step along the way from the initial estimate, through disassembly, and paint to the final testing, is dedicated to ensuring that you are 100% satisfied with your repairs.

Steps in the Collision Repair Process

If you haven’t been in an accident before, the process, from collision to paid and repaired vehicle, can seem confusing. We’ve put together a simple list to help un-complicate the process for you.

The Accident

At the accident, make sure you do the following:

● Take photos of the scene, preferably before any of the vehicles have moved. If possible, you should clear the road soon after.
● Make sure everyone is okay. Call an ambulance.
● Exchange contact and insurance information with the other driver. This includes name, address, phone number, email address, insurance name and policy, etc.
● Contact the police. Get witness contact information and statements – the police may do this.
● Give your insurance company an unbiased account of what happened.

Towing

If your car is badly damaged, it may not be drivable after the accident. If you need a tow, it saves time and money to already have a repair shop selected. Remember – you don’t have to go to the shop your insurance company suggests! They are obligated to work with any repair shop of your choosing.

Estimates

An estimate will give you an approximate cost for repairs to your vehicle. Your insurance company may decide that your car is totaled if the cost of repairs is more than the value of the vehicle. An estimate shouldn’t take long, and you shouldn’t need an appointment.

Repair Appointment

Once you, the repair shop, and the insurance company have agreed on repairs, you can schedule a repair appointment at the shop of your choosing. You’ll have to sign a form to authorize the repairs, and you may owe your insurance company a deductible depending on your policy.

The cost of repairs will depend on the insurance policy you have. Damages caused in the accident should be covered by a collision policy. If you’re in a state that assigns fault and the accident was your fault, you will need collision coverage to cover the cost of your vehicle and not just the other vehicle. If the accident wasn’t your fault, the other party’s insurance company should pay for your repairs. If their insurance doesn’t cover enough, or if the other party doesn’t have coverage, you’ll need to pay out of pocket or have an uninsured/underinsured motorist package included in your policy. Check with your insurance company if you aren’t sure. Your insurance policy may also cover a rental car during repairs, but it depends on the policy you have.

Car Pick-Up

Don’t be afraid to ask questions about your repair. When you pick up your car, it should be in the same condition it was in prior to the accident.

Collision Repair Paint Terms

Basecoat – The basecoat is the first layer of paint, and is usually highly pigmented, or strongly colored. A basecoat/clear is a type of paint system in which the basecoat offers the color, and gloss and durability are provided by an additional coat.

Clear Coat – The clear coat is the top layer of paint which usually has no pigment, or no color. Its durability and gloss are to protect the pigmented layer it covers.

Chip Guard – Usually added to panels that are lower on the body, the chip guard exists to protect these parts of the vehicle from sharp stones.

Coat – A coat is a layer of paint.

Direct Gloss – This is a kind of paint that contains pigment, but requires no top or clear coat. It contains pigment, gloss, and it’s durable on its own.

Enamel – This topcoat is a layer of paint that forms a film during the drying process.

Gloss – Gloss describes how well a painted surface reflects light, like a mirror. The level of gloss can vary depending on the paint.

Masking – Masking is a temporary process where the areas that aren’t being painted are covered to protect them from excess paint.

Pigment – Pigment is what gives paint color. When mixed in, pigment can be mixed to create new colors of paint, but it is always separate from the paint – pigment is insoluble.

Primer – A primer is the first layer in a painting system, and it can be applied to an unpainted surface. Its job is to protect the unpainted surface, called a substrate, and prepare it for the application of paint.

Primer-Sealer – A primer sealer is a combination of a primer and a sealer. It does the job of both: it seals the surface below, usually one that has previously been painted and then sanded off, and it preps the surface for the application of new paint.

Sealer – A sealer is like a primer for previously painted surfaces. It helps to seal in old sanded down paint, and provide a surface adequate for new paint.

Substrate – This is a name for an unpainted surface.

Tint and Blend – This process involves mixing color and paint in attempt to recreate an existing color, and then adding the paint to the surface and blending it to match.

Tinter – Tinter is a colored pigment or paint used to adjust the color of paint so that it matches the goal color.

Collision Repair Parts Terms

When you’re having your car repaired after a collision, there are bound to be a lot of auto parts related terms thrown around. We’ve put together a list to help you understand some of them that are less common outside of the collision repair world.

Aftermarket Parts – Replacement parts for a vehicle that were not built by the original equipment manufacturer.

Basecoat – This is a layer of highly pigmented paint that goes over the primer and under a clear coat. It provides color, but requires the protection of a clear coat.

Body Filler – A material that is used to fill in dents on car panels.

CAPA – The Certified Automotive Parts Association, located in Washington D.C., exists to manage testing and inspection of auto parts used in collision repair.

Clear Coat  – A top layer of clear paint (it contains no pigment) that protects and covers a pigmented basecoat.

Collision – The loss that occurs when a vehicle hits or is hit by another vehicle or moving object.

Competitive Parts – This is another term used for aftermarket parts.

Ferrous – This describes metal that contains iron.

Filter – A filter removes contaminates from a material. Your vehicle contains many kinds of filters, like an oil filter, a fuel filter, and an air filter.

Finish coat – Another name for a top coat, clear coat, or gloss coat. However it can also be flat, or without gloss.

Frame – The skeleton of the vehicle is called the frame. It is usually made of steel or other strong metals and holds things like the suspension system, the engine, and the body together.

Galvanized – A steel that is coated with zinc is galvanized.

LKQ – Like Kind and Quality describes an auto part that was salvaged from another vehicle – usually another of the same make and model, or one that uses the same exact part.

Panel – The outer parts of a vehicle. The painted surface that you see on a completed vehicle is made of different parts, each of these is called a panel.

Putty – A plastic material used to fill deep holes and wide gaps.

OEM – Original Equipment Manufacturers make auto parts for new cars. If your vehicle is damaged and the part is replaced with an OEM part, it’s being replaced with a piece made by the same place that made the original part.

Substrate – An unpainted and uncoated panel.

Quality Recycled Part – An auto part salvaged from a yard.

Quality Replacement Part – Also called an aftermarket part, this is a new part that was not made by the original equipment manufacturer.