The team from Freeway Auto Body Ltd. wants to help you learn more about our personalized collision repair process. Since 1969, drivers in and around Edmonton have counted on our knowledgeable team to deliver affordable collision repair services quickly. Our specialists in car body maintenance and paint colour matching will have your vehicle looking like new again.
If you are looking for European auto body specialists or need repairs to your domestic vehicle, we can handle the job. Read about our detailed repair process below or call us today to schedule an appointment!
1. Getting an Estimate
The first step in any collision repair process is giving you a detailed, accurate auto body estimate. After your vehicle is inspected by a trained estimator, the data is compiled into an estimate that will determine the cost of auto body repairs. Please note that there is sometimes hidden internal damage that cannot be accounted for until our trained technicians begin working on your vehicle.
2. Securing Insurance Approval
After you have your estimate, your insurance provider will review it and make any changes it deems necessary. This may include negotiating on the price and procedures taken to repair your car. The insurance company will determine if the vehicle is even repairable. When this is all settled, the skilled technicians from Freeway Auto Body begin working on your automobile. We recommend that you contact your insurance provider for more information on what is covered and what is not covered in your specific policy.
3. Disassembly Stage
At this point, hidden damage in your vehicle is often found and the need for inner structure repairs is determined. It may be necessary to contact your insurance provider again to update them on additional repairs that were necessary.
4. Ordering Parts for Your Vehicle
The Freeway Auto Body team will order parts for your vehicle at this stage. If a part needs to be specially ordered, our team will work to get it done as soon as possible. Although many parts can arrive at our Edmonton auto body shop quickly, the repair process won’t begin until our shop receives every structural part.
5. Repairing Your Vehicle’s Structure
During the structural repair stage of your vehicle’s collision repair process, the unitized body is returned to its original factory specifications. A sophisticated measuring system is used to monitor and analyze your vehicle’s frame. This system ensures that each vehicle will be returned to its factory defaults and will receive accurate auto body repairs.
6. Matching Your Vehicle’s Colour
Aided by a computer database, colour matching is the next portion of vehicular repair. The database stores thousands of paint codes and specific formulas. Once the paint is mixed to match your car’s exterior, it is checked for variations. When the final mixture is ready, it is applied to your car. This includes edging, a process in which we paint the surface of your car that cannot be accessed when the car is reassembled.
7. Completing Auto Body Repairs
The body repair department replaces your vehicle’s exterior panels and completes all metal finishing. New or repaired panels are sealed, caulked and rustproofed in order to preserve corrosion protection. The vehicle begins to return to its original condition as sheet metal is installed and aligned. At this point, the vehicle goes to the paint preparation department for the next step.
8. Paint Preparation Services
This is a critical step in the refinishing process of any vehicle. In the paint preparation stage, all panels are painted and then chemically etched, primed and sealed to ensure proper adhesion when the final top colour and clear coats of paint are added.
9. Painting
We use high quality Sikkens® finish on your vehicle. Applied in a spray booth under highly controlled conditions to prevent contamination, our painting services are second to none. After the paint is applied, the vehicle is baked to give the paint a durable, long-lasting finish.
10. Reassembly Process
The final moldings and detail pieces are placed on the vehicle in this stage. All the vehicle’s systems are checked during this process. The vehicle’s repairs are almost complete and ready for delivery in this stage.
11. Final Details
During the repair process, the vehicle accumulates dust from repairs, which is a normal, expected situation. Our team will clean your vehicle and make sure all the fine details are attended to. Sometimes a vehicle needs road testing to ensure that each of its systems is working correctly. A final inspection is required to ensure that the vehicle is restored to its condition before an accident.
12. Delivering Your Vehicle
This is the last step in Freeway Auto Body’s repair process. At this point, your final bill will be explained in detail and the last items of paperwork are completed. Then you can drive away in a vehicle that’s as clean, powerful and whole as it was before an accident.
