Lever Touch repair terms dictionary

Adjuster
A representative of an insurance company that investigates and settles claims. An adjuster evaluates the claims presented by the customers of the insurance company and approves payments based on the policy coverage.

Appraisal
A written estimation of the extent of damage and the possible repair costs. Damage appraisals may be completed by an insurance adjuster, a vehicle repair specialist or a body shop estimator.

Body shop
An automobile repair shop that specialises in bodywork repairs, mainly on cars that have suffered collisions or environmental damages. A body shop usually performs paintwork, smart repairs, paintless dent repairs and other repairs on the body of the car.

Bodywork
The painted metal outer structure of a car. The body of a vehicle is usually made of steel, but sometimes it can include parts of aluminum, plastic and other materials.

Conventional repair
A group of techniques traditionally used to repair the body of a damaged car, including sanding sanding, puttying, filling, painting, and polishing.

Deductible
The amount or portion that a claimant has to pay when dealing with insurance repairs.

Depreciation
The decrease in value of a vehicle due to wear, tear or time.

Detailing
Final cleaning both inside and outside of vehicle, removal of overspray from under hood, trunk lids etc., as well as polishing prior to delivery of a collision-repaired vehicle.

Factory paint
Paint applied to a vehicle at the factory of the original equipment manufacturer. The factory painting process has several stages, covering the body of the vehicle with several layers (cathodic e-coating, primer, basecoat, clearcoat).

Force dry
A method of accelerating the drying of paint by using heat.

Glue pull
The method of pulling a dent rather than pushing it from the backside of the panel.

Glue tabs
Special plastic tabs used to repair dents from automobiles using the glue pulling process.

Hail
An ice formation created when water droplets freeze and are carried by updrafts where another layer of ice is formed.

Hail storm
A storm either carrying or dropping hail.

Light board
A panel used in PDR to show dents and imperfections.

Orange peel
An irregularity in the surface of a paint film resulting from the inability of the wet film to “level out” after being applied. Orange peel appears as a characteristically uneven or dimpled surface to the eye, but usually feels smooth to the touch.

Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Parts
Referred to as Original Equipment Manufacturer collision replacement parts or simply OE parts, these parts are designed by the manufacturer and are produced to the same specifications and tolerances as the parts on the vehicle when it was manufactured. These parts meet stringent requirements and are the only parts proven during vehicle development to deliver the intended level of protection as a whole system.

PDR (Paintless Dent Repair)
A means of pulling a dent from a body panel that will not damage the paint and thus remove the need for post-repair refinishing.

R&I (Remove & Install)
Remove and Install (R&I) – Refers to a part removed from a damaged vehicle to be saved and reinstalled after the repair has been completed. In many cases, to repair damage to the outside of a vehicle, interior trim, seating, etc. must be removed to make a proper repair.

Slide hammer
A weighted device used to pull dents with glue pulling.

Spot repair
A type of refinish job in which a section of the car smaller than a panel is refinished. The paint is usually blended into the surrounding area.

Supplement
The dollar amount requested above the originally estimated amount.

VIN (Vehicle Identification Number)
An acronym for Vehicle Identification Number, a number unique for every single vehicle produced. It serves to not only identify a specific vehicle but also contains coded information relative to such things as the vehicle’s country of origin, manufacturing plant, trim code, drive train, and interior and exterior color just to name a few. This number helps the body shop order the correct replacement parts and the correct paint color for each car. Any professional estimate or repair order will include this number.

Warranty
The limited written warranty issued to the purchaser of the vehicle by the manufacturer.