How often are we so sure we understand something when someone is explaining it to us, but we get home and suddenly draw a complete blank? Collision repair terminology isn't exactly casually integrated in our day-to-day conversation, and some words can be a little confusing. We've broken down some common terms you might find on your estimate or invoice, that might cause you to scratch your head a little bit.
Aftermarket Parts New car parts that were made to fit a specific car but don't come directly form the car's manufacturer.
Appraisal The first step of the repair process- an assessment of your car's damage and what it will cost to be repaired.
Deductible A deductible is a portion of your repair cost that your insurance company will not cover.
Detailing Detailing involves cleaning the interior and exterior surfaces of the car.
Domestic Parts Dealerships within North America may choose to manufacture the parts for their cars in foreign countries, however, these are still considered domestic parts.
FEA Short for Front End Alignment, and really just means all four wheels needed to be aligned.
Flex Additive A Flex Additive is a chemical application, which softens (but doesn't weaken) paint, in order to repel stones.
Foreign Parts Parts that are manufactured specifically for dealerships outside of North America.
Hazardous Waste Any unusable byproduct from the repair that may be harmful to the environment and thus can not be disposed of with normal waste.
LKQ LKQ stands for Like Kind and Quality, meaning these are used parts from the original manufacturer.
Mechanical Mechanical repairs are any repairs done to the car's motor or suspension.
Paintless Repair A paintless repair is any vehicle repair where no painting is involved.
R/P R/P, or Repair, is noted when a panel is to be repaired instead of replaced.
R&I R&I stands for Remove & Install. In cases where a part must be removed in order to work on another part of the vehicle, and then the same part will be put back once repairs are complete.
R&R R&R, or Remove & Replace, is used when a part must be removed and replaced with a new or LKQ part.
Refinish Refinishing is another word for painting a vehicle.
Supplement If an insurance adjuster has made any parts price adjustments, has found hidden damage, or omitted some of a vehicle's damage on the original estimate, a supplement is created as an additional, secondary estimate.
