It isn’t always easy to understand “repair shop” language. That is why we have provided a useful glossary of “Body Shop” terms to help you with those confusing words that you might encounter on your way to having your car repaired.

Aftermarket Parts Automotive replacement parts that were not made by the original equipment manufacturer. Aftermarket parts are typically made over seas and are lesser quality. See Also: LKQ Parts

Air-drying The process of drying fully during exposure to air at normal temperatures. Alternate Term: Drying

Basecoat / Clearcoat A paint system in which the color effect is given by a highly pigmented basecoat. Gloss and durability are given by a subsequent clearcoat.

Frame Machine A heavy metal platform used to restore a vehicle’s structural geometry to factory specifications. This is done by securing a portion of the vehicle to the platform, then pulling appropriate areas of the vehicle into place using special clamps, chains and hydraulic winches. Alternate Terms: Bench, Frame Rack

Betterment This is a term used to describe an item replaced due to an accident, that has some wear. The practice is often applied to tires and batteries that are several years old. If a battery has used up 3/4 of its life, the Insurance company will pro-rate the item’s cost and in this case will pay 1/4 of the cost to replace the battery and will ask the insured or claimant to pay the remaining 3/4. The premise being that the Insurance Company is only obligated to return the vehicle to its pre-accident condition.

Chip Guard A chip resistant, protective coating normally applied to lower panels to avoid sharp stones etc. chipping the paint finish.

Chipping The removal of paint from a substrate by means of impact of sharp stones etc.

Clear or Clear coat The clearcoat imparts gloss and protection to a basecoat clearcoat system. It is essentially a pigment-free paint.

Coat A single layer of paint on a surface.

Compounding The action of using an abrasive polishing material either by hand or by machine. Alternate Term(s): Polishing

Corrosion Degradation of the metal substrate by oxidation. That is the formation of an oxide layer on the metal surface. This process requires that the metal surface be exposed to oxygen, and is favored in the presence of water. In the case of iron and steel, corrosion is often referred to as rusting.

Degreasing The removal from the substrate of contaminants which would otherwise give rise to surface defects and performance failures. E.g. poor adhesion.

Detailing Final cleaning of vehicle, application of pinstripes, removal of overspray from under hood, trunk lids etc. as well as polishing.

Direct Gloss (DG) A topcoat paint which contains pigment and resin and gives the required gloss level without the need of the application of a clearcoat. A DG Paint film has good weathering and durability characteristics.

D.R.P. Acronym for Direct Repair Program. This is a network of auto body shops who have contractual agreements with select insurance companies. The agreements set the rules and limits of repairs and standardized procedures that may be used, as well as what parts will be used, all in a concerted effort to keep repair and replacement costs as low as possible, for the insurance company (not the insured).

Drying The process of change of a coating from the liquid to the solid state by evaporation of solvent, chemical reaction of the binding medium, or a combination of these processes. When drying takes place during exposure to air at normal temperatures, it is called ‘air-drying’; if it can be accelerated by the application of a moderate degree of heat it is called ‘Force-drying’ (or Low-bake), as distinct from High-bake. Alternate Term(s): Binder, Air-drying, Force-drying, Stoving, Low-bake, High-bake

Edge-to-Edge Repair A term denoting a complete panel repair as opposed to a touch-up or spot repair. Alternate Term(s): Spot repair

Enamel A topcoat paint which forms a film by chemical crosslinking of its component molecules during the cure.

E.P.C. Environmental protection – hazardous waste removal.

FEA Acronym for Front End Alignment. 

Gloss The degree to which a painted surface possesses the property of reflecting light in a mirror-like manner.

LKQ LKQ is an acronym for “Like Kind and Quality”. The most common name for LKQ parts are “Used parts”. These parts are typically sold online or in car parts stores.

Masking Temporary covering of areas not to be painted.

Metallic A term used for finishes incorporating fine metallic particles, usually aluminum, in the paint.

Mica A naturally occurring mineral, based on silica, which after treatment, is used as an effect pigment in coatings. Their special property is that light falling on a mica particle, depending on the angle of illumination, reflects the light with a change in color. Because of this they are sometimes referred to as pearls. Alternate Term(s): Pearl

Motor Manufacturer’s Primer An undercoat system applied by the manufacturer to the metal surface of a commercial vehicle or to new automobile panel parts to give protection during transit, storage, etc. and which, depending on its type, age and condition, may be able to support the finishing system. It may consist of more than just a simple primer coat. Alternate Term(s): OE Primer or E-COAT.

OEM Parts OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer. The OEM is the original producer of a vehicle’s components, and so OEM car parts are identical to the parts used in producing a vehicle. Aftermarket parts are produced by other vendors and do not necessarily have a consistent level of quality or compatibility with the vehicle.

Pigment The coloring matter in paint. A pigment is different from a dye in that a pigment is insoluble in the media in which it is used.

Prep The process of washing, degreasing and lightly abrading a panel prior to applying paint. Alternate Term(s): Prep Work

Pretreatment (Metal) The chemical treatment of unpainted metal surfaces before painting, for enhanced adhesion and corrosion resistance.

Primer The first layer of a coating system. Applied to an unpainted surface. Its’ role is to protect the substrate and to prepare it for the application of a surfacer or topcoat. It must therefore have above all, excellent adhesion to the substrate and to the coating which will follow.

Primer-Sealer An undercoat which improves the adhesion of the topcoat, and which seals old painted surfaces that have been sanded.

Primer/Surface Primer/Filler A pigmented composition which acts as a primer and at the same time has filling properties such that it may be sanded to provide a smooth surface for the color coat that is to follow.

Body Filler A plastic material with a high mineral filler content – used for filling deep holes or wide gaps.

R&I Acronym for Remove and Install. Refers to a part removed from the customer’s damaged vehicle to be saved and reinstalled after the repair has been completed.

R&R Acronym for Remove and Replace. Refers to a part removed from the customer’s damaged vehicle that cannot be acceptably repaired. It is replaced with a new part.

Repair Authorization The point at which a Consumer authorizes the repair to their vehicle.

Rubbing Compound An abrasive paste that smoothes and polishes paint films. Alternate Term(s): Polishing compound

Sealer An undercoat which improves the adhesion of the topcoat, and which seals old painted surfaces that have been sanded.

Solid Color A coating which contains colored pigments only, i.e., does not contain pigments such as aluminums and micas.

Solvent A liquid, usually volatile, which is used to reduce viscosity. This is essential in both manufacturing and application processes. Solvents evaporate during application and drying of paint and therefore do not become a part of the dried film. In conventional coatings the solvents are organic compounds (Alcohols, Esters and Ketones) whilst in waterborne systems there is a mix of organic solvents with water.

Substrate The uncoated/unpainted surface.

Supplement Additional repairs needed to complete the repair that were not identified on the original estimate

Tape Marking The imprint caused by applying masking tape on to a newly-applied paint film before it has time to harden.

Thinner A blend of volatile organic solvents added to the paint to reduce it to the correct viscosity for application.

Three-Coat Color A topcoat color which consists of 3 parts, a basecoat, a midcoat and a clear. Alternate Term(s): Tri-coat

Tint and Blend The process of mixing toners to match the existing paint finish, then blending or overlapping the color into the adjacent panel to avoid color match problems.

Tinter Any colored pigment or paint mixture used to make small adjustments in color, or to the mix the color in the first place from a mixing scheme. Alternate Term(s): Base color

Top Coat The final layers of a coating system whose role is primarily decorative. However the topcoat often imparts protection to ultra violet light present in sunlight.

Touch-Up A localized repair usually confined to the smallest area possible (for example, repairs due to stone chips damage).

Ultraviolet Light That portion of the spectrum which is largely responsible for the degradation of paint films. Invisible to the eye, causes sunburn.

Undercoat A first coat; primer, sealer or surfacer.

Unibody The structural support found in most late model vehicles.

​VIN Acronym for Vehicle Identification Number. This is a unique number that identifies your vehicle. Although its primary purpose is to identify your vehicle, it often contains important information concerning the equipment and options that were installed on your vehicle at the factory. This information allows the Repair Center to order the correct parts for your vehicle. Any professional estimate or Repair Order will have this number on it.