Second hand efficiency

A previous life

Commonly called ‘green parts’ because they are recycled, the use of second hand parts in collision repairs has been on the rise in recent times, thanks to a number of market factors. It might be about reducing repair costs on an older vehicle or, perhaps, new parts simply are not available. Either way, it’s crucial your collision centre has a dedicated,

Because it came off an actual production car, a second hand part is a genuine factory part which should mean it fits and works as per the original. Having said this, it pays to do a trial fit to confirm it is the correct part for the vehicle on your workshop floor. The downside of a second hand part versus a new part, is that it has had a previous life before it came to you. This means that it typically comes complete with minor dents and / or stone chips and its share of road grime build up.

Second hand plan

Unfortunately, the process of cleaning and repairing a second hand part can add significantly to the cycle-time, compared to a new part. Estimates show that a minimum of around $180 to $200 worth of labour and materials are required to bring a second hand part up to the required standard prior to topcoating. This is why it’s important to have a written process for second hand parts, which gets the job done as efficiently and quickly as possible, and that you look to recover that cost as part of the job. To make it easier, PPG local technical team has created a complete, step-by-step process chart for efficiently dealing with second hand or ‘green’ parts.

Tips and recommendations

Strip – Start by completely disassembling and removing all add on parts, including mouldings, trim, decals, trim tapes, etc. from internally and externally.

Clean – Use a high-pressure washer to help remove any dirt and contamination from both the inside and outside. As part of this process, use a red scourer and soapy water or degreaser to go over the entire panel and loosen any stubborn grime wherever you find it. The aim is to get it as close to new panel clean as possible. This also removes the risk of contamination and dust inclusions in the final paintwork which can reduce cycle-time and result in costly rework. Check film-build – It’s well worth checking the film-build before continuing with the process because, if it’s too high, you need to take it into account, particularly, if you are offering a warranty on repairs. Applying more paint to a part with high film-build could result in other issues. If film-builds are above recommended guidelines, it should be discussed and noted with the work provider prior to moving forward.

Tailored repair method –Typically, you are looking at two or three carpark ding type repairs and it’s important to take time to assess them and choose the option that will give you the best cycle-time. If it’s available, PDR can be a really good option.

Filler over paint – Even though these are tiny dings, don’t be tempted to take the shortcut of applying body filler over paintwork. Spend the little bit of extra time it takes to do it right.

Body filler – When mixing small amounts of body filler, the proportions of part A and part B need to be precise in order to get the right adhesion, curing, etc. As a result, we recommend using something like the PPG Startline Ultra Body Filler with Cartridge Dispenser System which dispenses the exact proportions every time.

Stone chip fails –

A major challenge with many second hand parts is stone chips which are often so fine, they can’t easily be seen. If you simply sand the panel and apply primer / paint, any stone chips will immediately become obvious and result in a rework or a bottleneck in the spray booth while the painter tries to fix them ‘on the go’. Stone chip WOW factor – When it comes to the primer step, use a Wet-On-Wet primer but in ‘high-build’ mode. For example, PPG EnviroLOCK Primer can simple be mixed in a different ratio allowing it to be applied as a high build primer in a single visit mode, rather than a traditional high build that takes three coats with flash-off in between. Another advantage is that WOW primer leaves a nice smooth surface finish which is much easier to sand and, again, helps reduce cycle-time.

We recommend using LVP-207 EnviroLOCK

Primer which is a G7 groundcoat shade. Being so dark, it acts as a guidecoat which outlines and highlights any chips, scratches or blemishes you might have missed and any body filler repairs that may need to be blocked. After sanding, the correct spectral grey is applied prior to painting in the booth. R

A few simple tips for cleaning, maintaining and replacing the nozzle set on your SATAjet X 5500 will help maximise its lifespan and application performance.