What Happens During a Collision Repair Teardown?

If you’ve recently been in an accident and brought your vehicle in for repairs, one of the first things we’ll do is perform what’s called a teardown. At Elite Automotive Finishes, this step isn’t optional—it’s essential.

Teardowns help reveal the full extent of the damage and allow us to create a more accurate timeline, cost estimate, and game plan for repairs. Whether you're dealing with minor damage or a major collision, this step helps set clear expectations and avoids surprises down the road.

What Is a Teardown?

A teardown is the process of completely disassembling the damaged area of the vehicle so we can inspect everything underneath. This isn’t just about what’s visibly broken—it’s about uncovering the hidden damage that could affect how your car drives, functions, and holds up long-term.

Why It’s Necessary

Not all damage is visible from the outside. A car may look fine from the surface, but impact can shift internal structures, damage critical components, or compromise your vehicle’s safety systems. Skipping this step risks missing important repairs.

Teardowns allow our team to inspect the damage thoroughly, identify what parts need to be replaced, and understand how the repair may affect the rest of the vehicle. This also helps us provide a much more accurate estimate on repair cost and timeline.

Our Teardown Process

Every collision repair at Elite starts the same way.

We completely disassemble the area of the vehicle that was damaged and lay out all of our parts. We then write with a paint marker that is easily removed to denote damage, labor times for the repairs, part replacements, further disassembly for blends, etc.

Once this is done, we document through extensive photos and either send a supplemental damages request into the insurance company or schedule with an adjuster for an in-person inspection. After this, all of the parts are organized on a rack for that particular vehicle and we wait on a supplement approval.

This process allows us to work efficiently with your insurance provider, avoid delays mid-repair, and make sure no detail is overlooked. It’s one of the reasons so many customers searching for auto body shops in Mesa AZ trust our team for transparent, high-quality service.

How It Affects Your Repair

A teardown helps us understand what your vehicle really needs. It also helps reduce surprise costs later and ensures we get insurance approvals quickly and accurately. Most importantly, it sets the repair up for long-term success—because we believe a quality job starts with a complete understanding of the damage.

If you’ve been searching for auto collision repair Mesa AZ or wondering, “What’s the best auto body shop near me?”, know that our teardown process is one of the key ways we stand out. We’re proud to offer the level of transparency, organization, and care that keeps your vehicle and your time in mind.

Trust Your Repair to the Experts

Our shop is built on honesty, clear communication, and high-quality craftsmanship. When you need auto body repair Mesa or are simply looking for trustworthy auto repair near me, Elite Automotive Finishes is here to help—starting with a teardown that sets the entire job up for success.