If you’ve been in an accident, you may be wondering what to expect when you drop your car off at the body shop for repair. Bobby Price, owner of Price’s Collision Centers, explains the collision repair process.
The first step in getting a wrecked car back to normal is having an estimate completed by a reputable collision repair shop, says Bobby Price. Once this estimate is completed, you will be required to authorize the repairs. A detailed list of necessary services is forwarded to your insurance company for approval. After the insurance company has signed off on the authorization, parts are ordered. Your vehicle will be scheduled for repairs once all parts are received.
On the day of the scheduled repairs, your vehicle will be disassembled and inspected once again, explains Bobby Price. Any supplemental damage will be reported immediately to you and your insurance company. If additional issues are detected, the insurance company must first approve them so new parts can be ordered prior to the commencement of work.
According to Bobby Price, the first repairs to be addressed are those that affect the structural integrity of your vehicle. Repairs to the existing body are then completed and any new panels required are installed. At this point, Bobby Price says that a corrosion protectant is applied to the repaired area. After all metalwork is inspected and approved, the vehicle will be prepped, primed, and blocked.
The painting process begins only after the vehicle has been prepared using a special chemical that ensures a properly conditioned surface. All of the vehicle’s non-paintable parts (including chrome bumpers, emblems, and windows) will be taped off and protected from overspray. After masking, the vehicle will be moved into a paint booth and finished by expert technicians using high-quality automobile paints.
You will be contacted for pickup after the vehicle has been fully reassembled and undergone a complete wheel alignment, detailing, and final inspection, says Bobby Price.
Bobby Price cautions that vehicle should not be waxed or polished in the first 90 days to allow time for the paint to cure.
