Know more about auto body repair! What is the Glossary of Abbreviations in Collision repair?
The following is a Glossary of Abbreviations and Terms Commonly Used in the Collision Industry and the Estimating Process.
OEM – The abbreviation “OEM” implies that the part or parts are made by the original car company manufacturer or its licensed supplier and is a genuine new part warranted by the vehicle manufacturer.
A/M - This abbreviation for “aftermarket” indicates parts made by a manufacturer other than the original vehicle manufacturer. These parts are warranted by the manufacturer of the said part or their distributor. There are two levels of aftermarket parts – one being “certified” and the other “not certified”.
QRP – Quality Replacement Part, another term for Aftermarket Parts.
Competitive Parts – Another term for Aftermarket Parts.
LKQ – Like, Kind and Quality – meaning used parts from a salvage vehicle of the same make and model, usually from the same year or newer than the vehicle being repaired with comparable or less mileage than the vehicle it is being used for.
Recycled – used parts from a salvage vehicle that re-enters commerce when sold to a repair shop. The repairer then takes the used component and performs the necessary steps to put it in a recycled condition that will then be utilized in the repair process.
Remanufactured Part – A used, original factory part that has been refurbished to new condition. (This could be an original car company (OEM) part or an aftermarket supplier.) This procedure could be performed by an original car company supplier or a licensed aftermarket supplier for the car company.
Rebuilt Part – A rebuilt part may not be an original car company part; it could be an aftermarket supplied part. This is a part that is being repaired and serviced for the purpose of resale. Rebuilt parts are typically supplied by an aftermarket source.
CAPA – This abbreviation is for “Certified Automotive Parts Association” - CAPA parts are aftermarket parts certified by an unbiased third party that ensures the quality of the parts they test are equal to or greater than the original car company part.
O/H – Overhaul - Remove an assembly, disassemble, clean and visually inspect it, replace needed parts, reassemble and reinstall the vehicle making any necessary adjustments.
R & I – Remove and Install – Usually referring to parts being removed from a vehicle to facilitate repairs or to allow access. The same part is then reinstalled on the same vehicle it was removed from.
R&R – Remove and Replace – This abbreviation means that a part is being removed and replaced with a new, recycled or aftermarket part.
Overlap – An automatic deduction made by the estimating system when two processes are duplicated. Therefore, not allowing for excess charges.
Blend - A process of gradually blending the paint into the adjacent panel being replaced or repaired to facilitate an acceptable color match.
Tint – Means time spent by a painter to tint the color to achieve an acceptable paint match.
Flex Additive/Materials – A product put in paint to make the paint flexible for use on soft parts, such as bumper covers and side moldings.
Color Sand and Buff – Process of sanding a repainted surface with ultra-fine sandpaper to remove minor surface imperfections in the paint, or to achieve the same texture of the paint finish as the rest of the vehicle. After sanding the repainted parts are then buffed to restore the original gloss. This process may also be referred to as “Denib and Buff”, “Final Sand and Buff” or “Finessing”.
PDR – Paintless Dent Repair – The process using specialty tools to remove minor, rounded dents, such as hail damage dents, without damaging the paint.