body shops in USA questions

[shaunboy]

HI ALL UP THERE IN THE USA

JUST WONDERING ABOUT HOW YOU GUYS MAINLY OPERATE?
DO YOU GUYS USE PHOTO IMAGES ON THE EMAIL FOR DAMAGE ASSESING AND QUOTING?
MOST OF OUR JOBS ARE LIKE THIS UNLESS THERE IS CHASSIS DAMAGE THAT THE CAMERA CANT POINT OUT PROPERLY
ALSO IS DRYSANDING THE MOST COMMON PRACTICE IN PANEL AND PAINT REPAIR?
IT IS HERE, BY A LONG SHOT.
WHAT ABOUT COURTESY CAR FOR THE CUSTOMERS?
WE HAVE 22 AT MY WORK.
ALSO THE MOST POPULAR CHASSIS STRAIGHENING MACHINE IS THE "CAR-OLINER" AND PPG IS THE BIGGEST PAINT BUT WE USE SIKKENS WHICH I PREFER

 

[rex]

How you been buddy?Pictures are used quite a bit to fax to the insurance company for supplements and there's usually a set of pictures in the file of the initial damage,sometimes we throw in a few extras on the trainwrecks where we've cut the vehicle 1/2 apart.Sanding is mainly done dry but I use a wet grey scotchbrite with one of those cleaning pastes afterwards to catch the edges and run over the sanded areas to clean up.My dealership has loaner cars for service but not for us,so we got Enterprise rentals to rent the other half of the bodyshop office and they provide cars for the customers.Usually the tab is picked up by the insurance company but occasionally we'll foot the bill.It's hard to say about the frame rack.We have an older Continental before Chief (EZ-Liner) bought them out and the other is a piece of crap Blackhawk.Haven't decided on a brand for the truck rack yet but they need to hurry up.We're in truck country here and the big 4door long bed trucks are too long to fit.Chief,Blackhawk and Car-o-Liner are popular racks but there's alot of others out there,especially in the independant shops.PPG seems to be the most popular system around here,but DuPont,Sikkens,BASF and Spies Heckler can be had within a 60 mile radius.We have 2 Garmat heated downdraft booths too but I think they weren't worth $60,000 apiece.Every time it gets damp or it rains they won't fire,so you're no better off than an $8000 crossdraft booth if you can't cook it or keep the booth warm for production.