How long will my car be in the body shop? The stages of a collision repair, explained

The honest answer on repair time

How long a collision repair takes depends on three things: how much damage there is, how quickly the parts arrive, and how quickly the insurer approves the work, including any hidden damage found later. A small cosmetic repair can be very fast; one customer wrote on our testimonials page that his car came in with several dents and scratches and was back the same day. A repair involving structural work, many parts or an insurer's second inspection takes considerably longer. In our experience, the waiting usually comes from approvals and parts, not from the hands-on work.

We at ACE Body & Frame would rather give you a realistic estimate than an optimistic one, and update it as the job moves. This guide walks through what happens to your vehicle at each stage, so the time it spends in the shop makes sense and you know where you can help speed things up.

Every stage, from drop-off to pickup

Not every repair uses every step, but most collision repairs move through this sequence. Knowing it helps you ask the right question when you call for an update: not just when will it be done, but which stage is it in right now.

• Inspection and free computerized estimate
• Claim and approval from the insurer, or your approval if you are paying
• Teardown of the damaged area to find hidden damage
• Additional approval for anything found at teardown
• Parts ordered, received and checked
• Structural measurement and frame or unibody repair if needed
• Body work: repairing or replacing panels
• Paint: preparation, priming, color, blending and clear coat
• Reassembly, systems checks and wheel alignment
• Final inspection, cleaning and delivery

Estimate and approval, the part you cannot see

The repair clock really starts when the work is approved. If you are paying yourself, that can happen the same day as the estimate. With an insurance claim, the insurer may want its own inspection, either in person or from photos, and may compare its figures with ours before approving. When another driver's insurer is paying, it may also need to confirm coverage and fault first.

You can shorten this stage. Open the claim promptly, have the claim number and adjuster's contact information ready when you bring the car in, and tell the insurer which shop you have chosen. We accept all insurance claims and handle the communication with the insurer for you, but we can only start once the claim exists.

Photo estimates have made the first approval faster in many cases, but they also make later additions more likely, because a photo cannot show what sits behind a panel. That is not a problem as long as everyone expects it. When the first approved amount is based only on photos, plan on the possibility of a second approval once the car is opened up, and the timeline will feel far less frustrating.

Teardown, when the real damage shows itself

Once the work is approved, the damaged area is taken apart. This is where hidden damage turns up: a cracked bracket behind a bumper cover, a bent support, a damaged sensor mount, structure pushed out of position. Finding it now is a good thing, because it means the repair will be complete instead of cosmetic.

Anything new goes back to the insurer for approval, or to you if you are paying. The Texas Department of Insurance notes that when damage turns out to be worse than the adjuster first thought, you or the shop can ask the adjuster to increase the estimate. This additional approval is one of the most common reasons a repair takes longer than first expected. If structural damage is part of the picture, our guide to the signs of frame damage explains what that work involves.

Parts, the usual source of delay

A repair cannot be finished with a missing part, and one small clip or bracket can hold up an otherwise complete job. Common parts for popular vehicles often arrive quickly. Parts for less common models, recently redesigned vehicles, motor homes and classics can take longer, and back orders happen without much warning.

Every part should be checked when it arrives and test-fitted before paint, because finding a wrong or damaged part after painting costs more time than finding it on the bench. When a part is delayed, ask about alternatives. A recycled original part or a quality aftermarket part is sometimes available sooner, and that choice is yours to discuss with the shop and the insurer.

Getting around while the car is being repaired

Transportation is often the biggest practical worry. Rental car service is available through our shop, and towing is available if the vehicle should not be driven. Who pays for the rental depends on coverage. The Texas Department of Insurance explains that rental reimbursement coverage pays for you to rent a car if yours is being repaired after an accident, but only if your policy includes it. When another driver is at fault, their insurer may cover a rental, and your agent or adjuster can confirm what applies to you.

For businesses, a vehicle in the shop is a vehicle not earning, and the planning looks different. Our guide to building a fleet repair plan before the next accident covers how companies keep downtime short, including fleet discounts and keeping a damaged truck from sitting while decisions are made.

Structure, body, paint and reassembly

With parts in hand, the hands-on work begins. If the structure was pushed out of position, it is measured and pulled back to specification first, because outer panels cannot fit correctly on crooked structure. Damaged panels are then repaired or replaced and test-fitted. Frame and suspension repair, welding and body work all happen in our own shop, which saves the time a vehicle would otherwise spend traveling to a subcontractor.

Paint takes longer than most people expect. Each panel is prepared, primed, painted in color matched to your vehicle, blended into the panels next to it and clear-coated, and each layer needs time to cure. Then the vehicle is reassembled: lights, trim, sensors, handles and moldings go back on, systems are checked, and the wheel alignment is set if suspension or structure was involved.

Some vehicles simply take longer. Motor homes and RVs have large panels, fiberglass sections and parts specific to one manufacturer, and the work is scaled accordingly. Classic car and truck restorations are measured in a different way altogether, because parts may have to be found, repaired or fabricated by hand, and the goal is a finish that holds up for years rather than a quick return to the road.

What to check before you drive away

Take ten minutes at pickup, ideally in daylight. Walk around the vehicle and compare the repaired area with the rest of the car. Ask the shop to walk you through what was done. A few checks now can save a return trip later.

Keep paying attention for the first week or two of normal driving. Listen for wind noise or rattles, check for water in the trunk after rain, and notice whether the car still tracks straight. If anything seems different, call the shop and bring it back. Every repair we do is covered by our satisfaction guarantee, and small adjustments are much easier to make early.

• Color match and texture in daylight, from several angles
• Even gaps between panels, and doors, hood and trunk that close normally
• All lights, signals, mirrors, windows and locks working
• No warning lights on the dashboard after starting the car
• A short drive: straight tracking, centered steering, no new noises
• A clean interior and no overspray on glass, trim or tires
• A completed repair order listing the parts, labor and odometer readings, as the FTC recommends

What speeds a repair along, and what slows it down

Some delays are outside anyone's control. Many are not. Owners who choose a shop early, open the claim promptly and answer calls about approvals usually get their vehicles back sooner. Owners who wait to decide on a shop, or who leave the car somewhere while comparing estimates, often lose days before work even begins. If you are still deciding where to go, our guide on how to choose a body shop can help you decide quickly and confidently.

On our side, the things that help most are a complete teardown before parts are ordered, so the order goes in once rather than in pieces, and keeping body, frame and paint work under one roof. Fleet customers with several vehicles benefit from scheduling, so that one truck is back on the road before the next comes in.

Start the clock with a free estimate

The fastest way to a reliable timeline is an inspection. Bring the vehicle, or have it towed, to our shop in Balch Springs, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with your insurance and claim information if you have it. We will write a free computerized estimate, tell you what stages your repair will involve and give you a realistic sense of timing based on the parts and approvals it needs.

If the accident just happened and you are not sure what to do first, our guide on what to do after a wreck when the insurer is already naming a shop covers the first days. We serve Mesquite and the surrounding southeast Dallas County area, and every repair is satisfaction guaranteed.

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