Bodywork & paint glossary
The terms you'll find in a garage estimate, an invoice or an insurance claim, explained in plain language.
A
Accident report form
The Spanish 'Declaración Amistosa de Accidente': a form signed by the drivers involved describing how the accident happened, to help the insurers handle the claim.
Adhesion promoter
A product applied to plastics before filler or paint. Without it, many plastics don't hold paint well and it ends up peeling.
B
Blending
A technique that fades the new colour gradually into the neighbouring panels, so the transition between the repaired area and the original paint can't be seen.
Body filler
A paste used in bodywork to fill small imperfections before painting. It is sanded to leave a perfectly smooth surface.
Bodywork
The car's outer shell: doors, wings, bonnet, roof, tailgate and bumpers. It protects the occupants and gives the vehicle its shape.
Bumper
The part, usually plastic, covering the front and rear of the car that takes minor knocks. Behind it sit a reinforcement and brackets that should be checked after an impact.
C
Cathodic e-coat
An anti-corrosion dip coat the body receives at the factory, before any paint. Sanding or welding removes it locally, so the protection has to be restored.
Cavity wax
An almost liquid protective coating sprayed inside chassis legs, doors and sills. It repels moisture and stops rust starting from the inside, where it can't be seen.
Chassis
The structure that supports the vehicle. In most cars it is built into the body (monocoque). If it is distorted in a crash, it has to be repaired on a chassis jig.
Chassis jig
Workshop equipment that holds the car and lets technicians measure and straighten the chassis or body structure after a heavy impact, back to the manufacturer's dimensions.
Claim event
Any insured event that causes damage: an accident, a knock while parked, broken glass, theft and so on.
Clear coat
The transparent layer applied over the colour coat. It adds gloss and protects the paint from sun, rain and light scratches.
Colour matching
The technique of reproducing your car's exact colour, taking into account the factory code and how the paint has aged, so the repair blends in.
Complaints form
The official form every workshop must make available so customers can file a complaint with the consumer authorities.
Comprehensive insurance
Insurance that, as well as third-party damage, covers your own car even if you are at fault, subject to the agreed terms and excess.
Corrosion
Deterioration of metal through rust. Sea salt and coastal humidity speed it up, especially on the underbody, wheel arches and areas with damaged paint.
Courtesy car
A car lent to you while yours is in the workshop. Availability depends on the case and, for insurance claims, on your policy.
Crumple zone
Areas of the body designed to crumple in a controlled way in a crash, absorbing energy before it reaches the cabin. After a heavy impact they must be repaired or replaced following the manufacturer's method.
D
DGT vehicle report
A report issued by Spain's traffic authority (DGT) from the number plate. It shows keepers, charges or liens, ITV inspections and recorded mileage, and is essential before buying a used car.
E
Equivalent-quality part
A part from another manufacturer that meets the same quality and specifications as the original. It is often a more affordable option.
Excess
The part of a claim's cost that you pay under your policy. The insurer covers the rest up to the agreed limits.
F
Free choice of repairer
Your right to have your car repaired at the workshop of your choice, even when the damage is covered by insurance. It is worth checking the specific terms of your policy.
G
Galvanic corrosion
Corrosion that occurs when two different metals, such as aluminium and steel, are in contact in the presence of moisture. That is why aluminium parts are worked with dedicated tools and products.
Galvanising
A zinc coating that many steel panels have from the factory to protect them from rust. The heat of welding destroys it locally, so the metal must be protected again.
I
ITV (MOT)
Spain's official, compulsory vehicle inspection (similar to the UK MOT). It periodically checks that the car is fit for the road, including the condition of the bodywork, structure, glass and lights.
K
Keying (scuffing)
Very light sanding that takes the shine off the existing paint, without removing it, so the new coat or filler adheres properly.
L
Leasing (renting)
Long-term vehicle rental for a monthly fee. When the vehicle is returned, the company inspects it and may charge for dents, scuffs or scratches beyond normal wear.
Loss adjuster
A professional who assesses a vehicle's damage and repair cost, usually on behalf of the insurer. You can also hire an independent adjuster.
Loss assessment
A loss adjuster's assessment of a vehicle's damage after a claim event: what is repaired or replaced, what it costs and whether repair makes sense.
M
Masking
Covering the areas that won't be painted, such as glass, rubbers, lights or neighbouring panels, with tape and paper or plastic so no paint or sanding dust reaches them.
Metallic paint
Paint containing tiny metallic particles that reflect light and give a distinctive sparkle. It is trickier to match in a partial repair.
O
Orange peel
A paint defect that leaves a rippled texture, like the skin of an orange, instead of a smooth surface. It can often be corrected with fine sanding and polishing.
Original part
A part made by or for the car manufacturer, identical to the one fitted at the factory.
P
Paint booth
An enclosed booth with filtered air and temperature control where the car is painted and cured free of dust, for a clean finish.
Paint code
The factory reference that identifies your car's exact colour. It is usually on a label in the door frame or under the bonnet, and it is the starting point for matching the shade.
Paint thickness gauge
A device that measures how thick the paint is on a panel. A panel with a much thicker coating than the rest has usually been resprayed or filled, which makes it useful when checking a used car.
Paintless dent repair
A technique that pushes the panel back into shape from behind, with no filler or paint. It suits small dents where the paint is undamaged.
Pearlescent paint
Paint with pigments that shift tone depending on the angle of the light. It is usually applied in several layers and needs great precision to match.
Polishing
A treatment that removes a very thin layer of clear coat to get rid of light scratches, marks and dullness, bringing the shine back.
Pre-accident value
A car's value just before the claim event, based on its age and condition. Insurers usually use it to decide whether a car is a total loss and how much to pay out.
Primer
A preparation coat applied before the colour. It helps the paint adhere and protects the metal against corrosion.
Primer surfacer
An undercoat applied over the filler and primer. It fills sanding marks, levels the surface and seals it so the colour goes on evenly.
R
Repair estimate
A document setting out the work to be done and its cost before starting. You are entitled to ask for it in writing and to accept it or not.
Repair order
The document authorising the workshop to carry out specific work. It records what was agreed with you and serves as a reference if any question arises.
Repair time schedule
A table of reference times setting how many labour hours are allowed for each repair or replacement operation. Insurers and loss adjusters use it to value the damage.
Repair warranty
Cover for work done by the workshop. In Spain the regulations set a general minimum of 3 months or 2,000 km for repairs; some jobs may carry a longer warranty.
Riveting
Joining body parts with rivets, often combined with structural adhesive. It is common on aluminium bodies and parts, where conventional welding isn't suitable.
S
Sanding
Smoothing the surface with progressively finer abrasives. It removes damaged paint, levels the filler and leaves a keyed surface so the next coat grips.
Seam sealer
A flexible product applied to joints, folds and seams in the body to keep water and dust out. In a repair, the original factory bead is reproduced.
Single-stage paint
Paint that provides colour and gloss in a single layer, with no separate clear coat. It is common in solid colours, especially on commercial vehicles and older cars.
Spot welding
Joining steel panels with small resistance welds, the way it is done at the factory. The welds are spaced correctly so the metal doesn't overheat.
Stone-chip coating
A textured, elastic coating applied to the underbody, sills and lower body areas. It absorbs the impact of stones and grit and protects the metal from corrosion.
T
Third-party insurance
Insurance that covers, at minimum, damage you cause to other people and vehicles. Damage to your own car is normally not covered if you are at fault.
Total loss
When repairing the car would cost more than it is worth under the policy or in the loss adjuster's view. The insurer pays out instead of repairing.
Two-stage paint
A two-layer paint system: first a basecoat that provides the colour, then a clear coat that adds gloss and protection. It is the most common system on modern cars.
V
Vehicle deposit receipt
The document the workshop gives you when you leave the car, with its details and condition. It is your proof for collecting it.
Vehicle fleet
The set of vehicles a business uses: cars, vans or commercial vehicles. Keeping their bodywork and paint in good shape protects the company's image and avoids charges when leased vehicles are returned.
Volatile organic compounds (VOC)
Substances that evaporate from solvents and paints and pollute the air. Low-VOC paints, such as water-based ones, cut these emissions.
W
Water-based paint
Paint that uses water rather than chemical solvents as its main carrier. It releases far fewer volatile organic compounds and is kinder to the environment.
Still something unclear?
Ask us and we'll explain it with the car in front of us.