Common Terms Used In Auto Body Shops
Have you ever felt alienated and dumbfounded when the staff working in an auto body shop you have visited are speaking among themselves about your car, and you’re not able to fathom much what they are actually discussing? If yes, it is because like any other industry, even the auto body repair industry speaks in its own language! But do not fret! As you are already reading this article, you are about to learn a few terminologies that will get you to a more comfortable place of understanding things around from now on, whenever you reach with your car to an auto body shop.
OEM Parts
When you take your car to an auto body shop, and after a thorough inspection you are told that some parts need to be replaced, the common term you will most probably get to hear among them is OEM. This abbreviation stands for “Original Equipment Manufacturer”, that means original parts that are manufactured by the company itself, which is same as the brand of your car product.
Aftermarket Parts
The opposite to the OEM parts is the Aftermarket Parts that too is heard too often in the auto body shops. This term refers to any car part that is not manufactured by the original company of your vehicle and are made in bulk by some companies who aren’t car manufacturers. Aftermarket parts are available in general auto accessory and other shops. Both the quality and price of aftermarket parts vary to a great extent and none of them give any warranty of quality but are usually cheaper than the OEM parts.
DRP
DRP is an abbreviated term used for Direct Repair Program which refers to an agreement signed between your auto body repair shop and the insurer. In a direct repair program, or DRP the insurance provider you are signed with will provide you with a list of approved auto shops, to visit, whenever you need a repair. These shops are with whom the Insurers share a Direct Repair Program.
LKQ
The term LKQ refers to the phrase Like Kind & Quality which is a common practice observed in the auto body repair industry that is to salvage different parts from other vehicles and use them in other cars for repair.
R&I/ R&R
If you hear the term R&I, it is for Remove & Install and if you hear R&R, it is for Remove & Replace. These two terms always go together and are used frequently in the industry of auto body repair. While the first, Remove & Install (R&I) talks about a part which is to be removed from the damaged vehicle and is to be reinstalled later, the Remove & Replace (R&R) means those removed part that cannot be repaired or reinstalled, and hence has to be replaced altogether by a fresh new part.
The Bottom Line
These are only a few terms that we got to hear mostly at the Salisbury auto body shop. When we experts, they explained us further with much patience and competence.
