Understanding Paint Problems

If you are involved in a collision with your vehicle, it is essential to take it to an auto collision repair shop and have them check the car for damage. If there is any damage to the vehicle, you will need to have an estimate done for the insurance company, and it is critical that they check the car to determine how extensive the damage is. 

Vehicle Inspection

After any vehicle collision, it is essential to take your car or truck to an auto body collision repair shop and have them go over the entire vehicle, looking for damage that might not be obvious. Often the damage to the sheet metal that you can see is not the only damage to the vehicle. 

The frame or suspension may need attention, depending on where the impact was and how fast the vehicle was traveling. An auto body technician will check everything on the car to determine what needs to be repaired and how bad the damage is. 

Once the inspection is complete, the auto collision repair shop will give you an estimate for the repairs you can submit to your insurance company. The insurance company may send an adjuster out to look at the car before determining if they will pay for repairs, so check with them before you have the repair shop do any work on the vehicle. 

Vehicle Repair

Once the insurance company signs off on the repairs for your vehicle, the repair shop can start working on your vehicle. The tech working on the car will disassemble the damaged parts, and in some cases, they may find more damage that they couldn't see before. 

Most body shops account for additional repairs in the estimate, so unless they find something that is going to be challenging to repair, they may not mention the work until you pick up the car. Keep in mind that the time it takes to make repairs can vary depending on the damage and the type of repairs. 

If the car needs to go on a frame machine to straighten the frame, the process can take some additional time. Straightening a frame must be done in minute, precise adjustments to ensure no further damage occurs during the repair. 

Once the repairs to the car are complete, the auto collision repair shop will go over the car with you to show you where repairs were made. If the work is done correctly, the vehicle will look like it did before the accident and should drive and handle like new. If you have any concerns about the work, mention them before you accept the car because once the vehicle leaves the shop, making changes means taking the car back in and leaving it for additional work or adjustments.