Rochester Auto Body · Glossary

auto body and collision repair glossary

Plain-English definitions for the technical terms you'll see in quotes, proposals, and inspection reports. Bookmark this when you're comparing bids.

I-CAR aligned

A shop that follows Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair training. Industry-standard procedures for structural repair + refinish.

OEM repair procedures

The manufacturer's documented steps for repairing crash damage on their vehicles. Following them preserves crash-test performance + factory warranty.

Supplement

Additional damage discovered after teardown that wasn't in the original insurance estimate. Routine — most claims have at least one supplement.

Total loss threshold

When repair cost exceeds 70-80% of vehicle value, insurer declares it a total loss. Varies by state and insurer.

ADAS recalibration

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (radar, cameras, sensors) must be re-aligned after windshield, bumper, or front-end work. Skipping it disables features silently.

Frame straightening

Pulling a damaged unibody back to factory dimensions on a frame machine. Should be measured with electronic + laser systems pre/post.

Color match

Matching paint to existing finish. Even "same color code" cars vary by sun exposure, age, and previous repairs. Quality shops spectrophotometer-test.

Blend panel

Painting into an adjacent panel to invisibly blend the color transition. Adds labor but is standard practice for visible color matches.

Refinish vs new panel

Repairing the existing panel (cheaper, faster) vs replacing it (more expensive, sometimes required for structural damage).

Diminished value

The loss in resale value a car has after an accident, even if perfectly repaired. May be claimable from the at-fault driver's insurer.