In most cases of car collision accidents, the body surface coverings will undergo deformation or direct damage. If they are damaged, such as a torn bumper, they must be replaced. However, in some cases, only deformation occurs, and the deformation is neither too severe nor minor. In such cases, there are two repair options: reshaping or replacement. As we all know, replacing the parts will mean that they are no longer original parts, and their quality will definitely not be as good as the original ones. If only reshaping and painting are done without replacement, car owners are concerned about the strength and durability of the parts. Therefore, they are very hesitant when choosing a repair method. Today, we will discuss under what circumstances replacement is necessary, and under what circumstances repair alone is sufficient.
For all accessories that can be replaced individually, replacement is generally better than repair in most cases. For accessories that cannot be replaced individually, whether they need to be replaced depends on the degree of deformation and whether they can be repaired. Do not replace them easily. What are the accessories that can be replaced individually? Those that are not integrated with the body and are installed on the body are all accessories that can be replaced individually. The accessories with high replacement frequency in accidents include front and rear bumpers, front fenders, doors, engine hoods, water tanks, and so on.
On the contrary, the parts that are integral with the body and cannot be replaced individually must be replaced along with the entire body, which is obviously not feasible. The repair method involves cutting and welding. If a part is severely deformed, it is cut off, and a new piece is cut from the same location on a new body and welded onto the damaged vehicle. Common accident-damaged areas include the rear fender, lower sill, B-pillar, and upper door frame. If these areas are deformed and need to be replaced, the damaged parts are cut off, and new pieces are cut from the same locations on a new body and welded onto the damaged vehicle. The new body that is cut is not a complete body, but rather an entire side of the body, which is long and large from front to back, encompassing all the aforementioned areas, with cutting and welding performed wherever necessary.
From the maintenance methods, we can see that cutting and welding can damage the car. After welding, the structure is no longer integrated with the original car, and the strength of the body must be reduced. Therefore, if these areas are damaged and the deformation is minor, even if it is the other party's responsibility and they pay for it, try not to replace them. Just reshape and repaint them. If the deformation area is large, the depth is deep, or it is technically irreparable, then replacement is necessary. Because the deformation is too large, even if it is reshaped, the strength of the metal has been greatly bent, and the strength here is also reduced, which may not be comparable to replacement.
Components that can be replaced individually pose no harm to the car, and can be replaced regardless of the extent of damage. However, this is only possible if original factory parts are used, as the quality of aftermarket parts cannot be guaranteed. Therefore, if the repair is covered by insurance or is the responsibility of the other party, it is still best to go to a 4S shop, where at least original factory parts are used. Strictly speaking, a car with components that can be replaced individually is not considered an accident vehicle, as its safety and other performance are not affected. Only a car with components that cannot be replaced individually is considered an accident vehicle, regardless of the extent of damage.
What is the method for accident sheet metal repair? It involves hammering, pulling, and sanding. For areas with significant deformation, start by hammering. For minor deformations, use pulling. For small irregularities and burrs, sand them down. Then comes painting, which requires applying putty beforehand. If too much putty is applied, the strength of the area will be compromised. Even a minor collision can cause the putty to crack, resulting in paint peeling. Therefore, shaping is crucial. If the shaping is done well, the putty can be applied thinner. It's also important to understand that even when replacing new exterior parts, the 4S shop will paint them themselves. The original parts sent by the manufacturer do not come with paint. However, painting new parts does not require applying putty as they already have good flatness and can be painted directly.