A vehicle collision can be highly damaging to a vehicle and easy to see, or it can be minor, and the damage may look like there is nothing more than cosmetic issues. Modern cars are built with crumple zones and crush areas to absorb impact and protect the occupants, so collision repair may be necessary even if the car looks fine from the outside.
Modern cars are typically built on an uniframe chassis that ties the car body and the frame together in one unit. The construction creates a rigid structure using lighter materials, but when the car is in a collision, damage to the body often means damage to those frame sections under the vehicle.
The best way to detect that damage is to take the car to a collision repair shop and have it thoroughly inspected and an estimate for any repairs done. In many cases, the vehicle will need to be measured on the frame machine to determine if the chassis is still straight or if there is damage that is difficult to see.
The vehicle collision inspection will include the frame, suspension, body, and any part of the car that may have been affected due to the crash. Once the inspection is complete, the collision repair shop will give you a detailed list of any damage noted. A technician can straighten most modern cars mechanically if the damage is light, but in cases where the tech finds a lot of damage, you may not be able to repair the vehicle.
If the car is repairable, the collision repair shop will disassemble the parts that need to be replaced and start work on the vehicle for you. If the chassis needs straightening, the tech will use the frame machine to pull the frame sections back to the proper alignment before doing other work on the car. The frame machine uses a computer system to measure and straighten the frame sections, so it is very precise, and the adjustments are made in the right places and at a pace that is not going to cause further damage to the vehicle.
Once the chassis is straight, the tech can do the remaining repairs to the vehicle to restore it to like-new condition. If the work is done correctly, you should not notice any difference in the way the vehicle drives or handles on the road. If something doesn't feel right, let the collision repair shop know right away so they can double-check everything to ensure the vehicle is safe and properly repaired.
If you purchased the car used, you might find that it comes out of the shop driving better than the day you bought it because there are many new parts on it and everything is aligned correctly.
Contact a company like Exoticar Paintworks Inc for more information.