Dents, dings, scratches, and other kinds of car damage should never be neglected. Aside from making your car look unpleasant, those types of damage can be hiding other more serious problems like a bent frame or seized engine.
If you’ve recently been in a vehicular accident, it’s crucial to have your car fixed by an auto body repair technician. You need someone with the right expertise and training to make sure that everything is done correctly and the end result is of high-quality.
Here are the most common types of auto body repair and the estimated time needed to complete them.
1. Paintless Dent Removal (PDR)
PDR is a method of removing minor dents from the body of a car. Unlike the traditional process, PDR can be done in less time and at a fraction of the cost. Removing dings and dents can take around one to three hours while hail-damaged panels can take approximately one to three days.
Related Content: Do Auto Body Shops Recommend Paintless Dent Repair?
2. Frame Repair
A lot of vehicular accidents involve frame damage. This part should always be structurally sound as it supports the transmission, engine, and other major car parts. Frame repair may involve welding, laser straightening, and other complex methods. This can take at least a few days, depending on the severity of the damage.
Related Content: Auto Body Repair: What is Frame Straightening?
3. Color Match Painting
In color match painting, only the damaged area needs to be resprayed. The “matching” is done so the new paint matches the current paint seamlessly. Color is not really an issue but the preparation and painting process can take several hours. The second layer of protective coating will be added to the surface so expect to wait for at least a day to get your car back from the shop.
4. Auto Glass Repair
Broken glass in your car should be repaired ASAP. Your trusted auto body shop should be able to replace a window or windshield right away. In most cases, windshield replacement can be performed in 30 minutes or less.
Related Content: How to Choose the Right Windshield Replacement Option for Your Car
5. Body Panel Replacement
There are instances when the simplest method to fix your car is through panel replacement. This means the panel – or panels – that received the impact would be removed and replaced with a new one. For each additional panel that requires repair, the safest bet is to add an extra day to the repair process.
If damage to one panel takes four to five days of repair, damage to two will likely take six to seven days.
Importance of a Good Auto Body Repair Service
Getting top-notch auto body repair is important if you’ve been involved in a car accident, regardless of the time it will take. Quality should be your number one priority instead of only focusing on repair time.
Although it might be tempting to take the DIY route to save a few dollars and reduce the length of repair time, finding a reliable auto technician near you is always the best option. They can get things done in a highly-efficient manner and restore your car back to its original shape–better than any DIY method could ever do.