The Importance of Auto Body Work

You were in a major accident in your vehicle, and the vehicle you were driving has really garnered a lot of damage, including the frame. For most vehicle owners, hearing that the frame of their vehicle is damaged can truly be disheartening. If you have a damaged frame and plan to work with a collision repair center for help, you probably have some questions. Here is a look at a few of those questions and the answers you should know. 

If the frame is damaged, is it still a total loss?

For the longest time, frame damage resulted in a total loss because the frame is such an integral part of the vehicle's body. But modern vehicle frames are different than they once were. A long time ago, if there was damage to one portion of the frame, there were few situations when that damage could be repaired and the vehicle would be safe to continue to use. However, modern vehicles tend to have frames that are multiple pieces, which means the damaged part of the frame can be removed and replaced on a lot of models. Of course, every vehicle is different, so whether or not the frame damage is so severe that it will be considered a total loss is something your collision technician can help you determine. 

What is a unibody frame and how does that matter during repairs?

A unibody frame is a frame that is actually integrated into the chassis, as well as parts of the body in some cases, of the vehicle. The frames years ago were completely separate from the vehicle. These were called body-on-frame constructions because basically, the body of the vehicle was set on a separate frame. If your vehicle has a unibody construction instead, it is far more likely that repairs to the frame will be possible without completely losing your vehicle.

How long will frame repair work take?

The time it takes to make repairs to a vehicle with frame damage will vary depending on the circumstances. Some minor damages can be repaired rather quickly. For instance, a unibody frame that has sustained a crack will usually only involve pulling off that section of the frame and replacing it with a new section, which will involve the removal of a few bolts at most. More serious damage will, of course, likely take longer to repair. The repair professional at the collision center can give you a good idea of how long you should expect a project to take.

For more information, contact a company that offers collision repair services.