The variety of services at Dorn’s Body and Paint range from Smart Repair-Paintless Dent Removal, all the way to Computerized frame repair and Mechanical and Service. Each factory certification that we have confirms that we have the skills and experience to repair each vehicle to the standards of the manufacturer.
Now some panels are “riveted” with super strong structural adhesives and SPRs (Self Piercing Rivets). These ultra-advanced rivet placement guns can cost over $20,000 to purchase and require many hours of certified training to correctly use them. In some cases, it takes several hundred rivets to complete one panel replacement. Not only do you have to know exactly where to place them, but you need to accurately use them as the factory intended, in the time frame required. This gives a long lasting repair with no compromise in safety, quality or function of the vehicle both now and in the future. However, less than 1 percent of repair shops across the country have this ability or the training to correctly handle this type of repair.
Different strength metals absorb energy at the correct rate, air bags, air curtains and seat belt tensioners deploying at crucial split second intervals, all designed to save lives. At Dorn’s Body and Paint, we understand collision repair, as we have been continuously satisfying our clients for almost 50 years. How we repair vehicles today can change tomorrow, this is why we at Dorn’s Body and Paint, work hand in hand with your manufacturer to ensure that the latest repair techniques are adhered to maximize driver, passenger safety and vehicle performance.
Dorn’s Body and Paint was the first of a few in the area that have a computerized Structural alignment machine. Most places simply look at the vehicle and guess which repairs procedure to follow and this is simply impossible to do correctly. Then, we took the next step and went to Jig Based Frame Alignments. Our Car-Bench system is the only Jig bench in the area, and is the only certified bench to repair many different O.E.M. manufacturers. This bench is the same one used at the factory to actually hold the vehicle while it is being built, hence the zero tolerance factor needed to accurately repair your vehicle.
We use factory certified paint and refinishing booths that can replicate the exact finish on your vehicle. So much so that we guarantee the paint match on your vehicle with a lifetime guarantee. Plus, we use the environmentally sound “Water Bourne” refinishing system. Don’t let the name fool you, it’s not made of water, or latex, it’s actually atomized with a “distilled like” water. It’s safe for our environment with no loss in durability and longevity for your vehicle. It’s one of the most technically advanced products that we have ever seen and it lowers the amount of “VOCs” volatile organic compounds. We started using this product in 2008 and now we have the expertise to give you what you want each time without compromise.
We only use the best materials from PPG Automotive Refinish, therefore guaranteeing you will have an exact factory color match that will last for a long time to come. So long in fact, that PPG guarantees it for the life of the vehicle.
The tooling and equipment needed to repair your vehicle correctly is growing each and every year. Most repair shops do not invest in equipment and simply “hope” to get by with what they have. Vehicles change at such a rapid pace and the equipment used to repair does as well, that’s why Dorn’s Body and Paint is an industry leader in proper O.E.M. certified equipment, training and procedures.
When working with today’s Ultra High Strength Steel, such as UZI BOR, Trip Steel and Boron, we use Spot Welders extensively to restore your vehicle back to factory specification when applicable. Some of the metals cannot be repaired and they simply need to be replaced. Having the proper inverter welders and sub-straight identification is key to insuring a proper, safe and accurate repair.
We are Land Rover and Jaguar Certified Aluminum Structural Repair Center. We also were one of the first to be certified and ready for the 2015 Ford F-150 Aluminum truck.
Steel and Aluminum, why do they need to remain separated throughout the entire repair process? Steel dust or residue that lands on bare Aluminum will instantly start to corrode (Galvanic Corrosion) and lose its overall strength. This is why it is absolutely crucial that all repair facilities working on any aluminum MUST have a separated Aluminum repair area. At Dorn’s Body and Paint we have the equipment and Factory Authorized Training so that you can rest assured that your vehicle is being repaired with the exact methods with which it was built.
Aluminum is much lighter than steel. Due to the CAFÉ standards now imposed on all OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturers) manufactures, they all must get much higher fuel mileage and be much more efficient in the future. Therefore all of them must lower the weight of their vehicles and make the engines much more fuel efficient. Some are doing this with lighter weight Ultra High Strength Steel, some with Aluminum (both Exterior and Structural) and some have started using Carbon Fiber in the vehicle design, such as BMW and Audi. Some are doing this with a mixture of both. At Dorn’s Body and Paint, we are always talking with all the OEM’s and the equipment manufacturers to understand exactly what new sub straights are coming out or will be coming out so that we are always in the front edge of all new technology.
Most repair facilities are not set up to repair today’s high strength steel and Aluminum panels. The reason is simple. Equipment and training costs. Purchasing the equipment and tooling is very expensive and keeping them separated is even more time consuming. That’s why Dorn’s Body and Paint has a dedicated Aluminum Repair area that is completely isolated from the other areas of the business. Aluminum and Steel cannot mix as this will cause galvanic corrosion which will shorten the life span of your vehicle and cause major safety concerns in the future.
With the Ford F-150 and now the new Ford F-250 being all-aluminum, the industry is invested in Aluminum both now and in the future. Some estimates have OEM Aluminum usage at over 35%. Aluminum has many uses and is just as strong and safe as steel but it must be handled and repaired in a sterile environment. It is used as castings, extrusions, clinches and sheet applications. It has excellent energy absorption and is infinitely recyclable.
It’s not just Aluminum that is changing in the automotive industry. The way that Automakers use steel is changing as well. At Dorn’s Body and Paint we have kept our training current on steel and its uses both now and in the future. Some OEMs such as Audi, Porsche, Mercedes Benz and Land Rover are using a “hybrid” approach where they will use steel, aluminum and adhesive bonding in one location. This presents a huge problem for most repair shops both small and large. They simply do not have the experience or the equipment to properly repair these types of multi-substrate assemblies.
Why are the OEM’s making steels non-reparable? Simply put, to compete with Aluminum and “light weighting” the vehicle to increase fuel economy, emissions and efficiency. They must do this while making the steel stronger. Quite a difficult task. This is why they need Advanced High Strength Steels or AHSS. It has been noted by American Honda-Acura that they use Ultra High Strength Steels and Giga-pascal (Over a Thousand Mega Pascals) welding wire.
What does this mean for you? Honda and Acura have invested in new technology and Ultra Hard Steels that cannot be repaired by most collision repair shops and even the dealers. These steels must have specific tooling and equipment used in the repair process. If the wrong welders or welding wire is used, the repair will fail. This is not something that you want to take a chance on with your family or your investment. Crash testing proves that not following Honda and Acura requirements results in repair area failures. This could cause the body structure to collapse, trapping the occupants in the vehicle. This could also cause other welds to fail, steering column failure and intrusion into the occupant’s area.
This is where the vehicle has several types of materials in one location. Such as high strength steel, Aluminum and Carbon Fiber. It can also include several different types of each type of material. (I.E. Ultra-High Strength Steel and High Strength Steel). Or, Aluminum case and extrusions adjoined. Plus, if you add in the different adjoining methods in this area such as Bonding, Riveting, Synchro-Pulse Welding and standard application riveting. All of this must be done without any of the substrates coming into contact with one another.
At Dorn’s Body and Paint, our technicians have been thoroughly trained at the OEM level to understand and complete these types of repairs, without you having to be concerned about the safety and longevity of the repair. Plus, we own the OEM equipment to ensure that the repair goes exactly as planned.
