What to expect from JMC AutoworX during the repair process

Step 1 – Estimate
I will inspect your vehicle and begin to document the damage caused by the collision in the form of an estimate. In some cases you may already have a preliminary estimate of this damage prepared by your insurance company. In any event this step must be accomplished prior to beginning the repair process.

Step 2 – Repair authorization
Before any work can begin you must first sign a repair authorization authorizing JMC AutoworX to repair your vehicle. You may download a copy of the repair authorization here.

Step 3 – Insurance approvals
I will work with your insurance company to obtain approval of the repair estimate before work begins.

Step 4 – Obtaining parts
Upon receiving approvals from you and the insurance company, JMC AutoworX will begin the process of locating and ordering the parts necessary to repair your vehicle. Some pre-repair work and disassembly may begin at this time if the vehicle is already on premises. If parts prove difficult to obtain, delaying the start date of the repair, I will contact you with a revised completion date.

Step 5 – Parts received & repair scheduled
When all of the parts are received I will schedule your vehicle for repair. If the vehicle is not on premises I will contact you to schedule a convenient time for your vehicle to be dropped off for repair.

Step 6 – Disassembly & inspection
As your vehicle’s outer panels are removed and the physical structure of the vehicle is revealed, often additional or “hidden damage” is discovered. This additional damage is difficult to diagnose at the time of the original estimate as it cannot be seen or predicted until we perform this thorough inspection. Any additional damage discovered may alter your vehicle’s completion date.

Step 7 – Supplemental damage report written (if necessary)
Any additional or “hidden” damage that is discovered once your vehicle’s outer panels are removed is reported to you insurance company. This is referred to as Supplement Damage in insurance terms.

Step 8 – Supplement approved
The insurance company must authorize this additional damage before JMC AutoworX can continue with the repair.

Step 9 – Additional parts ordered
Should we find additional damage, we may need to order additional parts for the repair. This additional damage may alter your vehicle’s completion date. If so, I will contact you with a revised completion date.

Step 10 – Vehicle set on unibody repair equipment (if needed)
Your vehicle was manufactured in compliance with tight structural standards. Exact location and fit of integral parts are critical to the operation and appearance of your vehicle. In this process your vehicle is returned to the manufacturer’s prescribed tolerances to ensure proper operation, location and fit of body and structural parts. This portion of the repair is performed by an outside contractor but I will personally inspect the work when completed to ensure the repair meets my high expectations.

Step 11 – New panels installed
All collision-related repairs require some degree of cosmetic repair and often require replacement of factory panels. I will check for proper fit here and ensure your vehicle’s parts look, fit, and align the way they should.

Step 12 – Corrosion protection reapplied to repaired areas
Most of today’s vehicles incorporate some form of corrosion protection applied by the original manufacturer. We will reapply this protection to ensure that your vehicle conforms to the original manufacturer’s standards.

Step 13 – Vehicle prepped, primed & blocked
JMC AutoworX will begin the refinish process by applying a primer. A surface filler is sprayed on to ensure a quality, uniform and smooth surface. Block sanding is the method of further preparing the surface of your vehicle for paint.

Step 14 – Vehicle is placed in paint booth then masked and taped
We place your vehicle in a controlled atmosphere called a paint booth, where the base (color) coat and clear coat are applied. To ensure that the highest quality standards are met, we carefully mask your vehicle to protect it from overspray during the refinish process. Only the area that needs to be refinished is left uncovered.

Step 15 – Vehicle is chemically cleaned
This process removes all outside contaminates that may have been deposited on your vehicle during the repair process to ensure a smooth finish that will last.

Step 16 – Vehicle is painted
Most of today’s vehicles are coated with a base coat, the color, and then a clear coat to protect the finish and to provide gloss. JMC AutoworX uses only top quality PPG paints and clears to ensure a finish that meets or exceeds the original manufacturer’s specifications. All work performed by JMC AutoworX and its contractors are guaranteed for the life of the car against failure in materials and workmanship.

Step 17 – Reassembly, additional repairs and checkout
Once your vehicle has gone through the refinish process we then re-attach the outer parts such as mirrors, moldings, and other hardware. Should your repair require a wheel alignment or other services such as air conditioning repair, we will perform them at this time. Some of these repairs, such as wheel alignment, may be performed by outside contractors. Your car will then undergo a thorough cleaning, then I will test drive and quality inspect the vehicle prior to it being returned to you.

Step 18 – Schedule your car for pickup
After I ensure that your car is repaired to my satisfaction, I will contact you and make arrangements to get you back in your vehicle at your earliest and most convenient time.