In the late 1990’s, Leif’s developed a unique repair process. With the advancement of vehicles on the highways, advanced skills in the shop became a necessity. The old adage “Jack of all trades, master of none” holds true in the collision repair industry.
From welding, electronics and safety systems, to specialty metals, suspension and painting, the skills required for quality repairs are rarely all mastered by one person. We developed an 8-step disassembly-analysis-repair-paint-assembly system that places individuals with specialized skill sets at each station.
1. Disassembly & Inspection
This is the crucial first step in determining the extent of the damage and identifying the parts and procedures required for repair. This often includes a pre-scan to find any electronic problems.
2. Negotiating Your Repair
Our professional insurance liaison team develops a plan, meets with the adjuster and comes to an agreement. This initial agreement is often the first of several additional agreements as the repair travels through the system.
3. Frame
If needed, the frame / unibody is first straightened, before repairs start. We use the best equipment in the industry - the Chief frame bench and Genesis laser measuring systems (accurate to one millimeter).
4. Body
Next comes welding on new panels or straightening damaged panels. This is where skill that takes decades to master comes in. After this is done, all new bolt-on panels are set up for paint and assembly.
5. Paint
We utilize state-of-the-art Garmat Downdraft Paint Booths that are 100% compliant with all environmental regulations. Prepping the body for paint, painting with top European paint lines, and coating all the panels with UV protection ensures a long-lasting repair for your vehicle.
6. Mechanical & Trim
At this point, your vehicle travels to the mechanical shop for work (if needed) or straight to the trim department.
7. Quality Control
Polishing, cleaning, and quality control comprise the final state of the process. Several individuals work on your vehicle at this point, checking fit and finish, as well as verifying that all operations were completed on all systems. A post-scan of the vehicle’s electronics is also done at this point, sometimes by the manufacturer’s dealer due to complexities.
8. Final Closing & Billing
This department receives all the paperwork from the other departments, balances and closes the file, verifies documents, and sends off a final bill to the insurer on your behalf. We then notify you when your vehicle will be ready.
