Understanding Panel Beating

If your vehicle has been in an accident that has resulted in some minor damage (repairable damage), you might require the services of panel beaters who might also be referred to as smash repairers. This is not the only scenario; something heavy can drop on your vehicle from a height and cause external or internal damage. An animal or even a person can also hit your vehicle accidentally and also cause damage. This kind of damage leaves the body of your car mangled at the point of impact. How is the repair done?

Inspection

Your vehicle has to be first inspected by a qualified panel beater or smash repairer to find out the extent of the damage. Sometimes, the damage is not just external, but internal as well, therefore, expect to see the panel beater dismantling your vehicle for better access and viewing.

Report

Once the inspection is complete, you are informed of the components that have been damaged (what can be repaired and what needs to be replaced). This helps calculate the accurate total repair cost that includes the prices of the parts to be replaced and the labour.

Panel Beating

Your vehicle's external body is made from light metal and that is why it gets folded and dented easily in case of an accident or impact. This metallic body needs to be straightened to restore it to the smooth surface it had before the impact or accident. Panel beating is the process of straightening dented, mangled or folded vehicle body surfaces.

Depending on the extent of the damage, panel beaters can use a variety of tools that include hammers, dollies, socket sets, spanners, screwdrivers, body flippers and files, vise grips, chisels, punches, pliers, tin snips, lift hoists, vehicle aligning devices, welding equipment, hydraulic pulling and pushing devices.

If your vehicle's body is severely damaged, more powerful and special tools are required. They resemble the uses of the tools mentioned above but have specialised applications for special damage restoration. Power hammers, benders and folders, swagging machines, sandbags and pear-shaped mallets can be used.

Choosing a Panel Beater

Always choose a panel beater who specialises in vehicles of your make and model. This helps guarantee quality work and you can be certain that the panel beater or smash repair company knows what it is doing, has the spare parts for your vehicle in stock, knows the kind of body on your vehicle and how it responds to various tools, etc. You are more likely to be happy with the results of a panel beater who specialises in vehicles of your make and model than when you choose a random panel beater who has never repaired your vehicle's make and model.

For more information, contact a panel beater who works with your car's make and model, such as a Peugeot panel beater.

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