Having to take your beloved Mercedes to a body shop can be as stressful trip. We not only want our cars to be repaired, but repaired properly and with attention paid to not only to the fit and finish, but more importantly, that it be “done right. On Saturday, September 18th, two dozen Desert Stars members got a “back of the shop” tour and tech session demonstrations from longtime club sponsor, Airpark Collision Center, at 7333 East Butherus Drive #A-200, Scottsdale, AZ 85260. Normally closed on the weekend, the shop opened for us and demonstrated advancements in the auto body industry that make repairs more accurate and deal with vehicles incorporating more aluminum panels to reduce weight and improve fuel economy.
Vehicle damage is checked with the use of a special camera rig that photographs the car’s measurements in the shop against the factory specifications. The system is much more precise than the human eye and much quicker than manual measurements. Club members were shown dent removal tools that no longer need to have a rivet hole drilled and the lower temperature, compared to steel, equipment used to fix damage to aluminum body parts. While technology has made work in the shop easier than before, the demonstrations also showed how much skill, craftsmanship and experience is still needed to get the job done right. Thanks to the folks at Airpark Collision for a very informative and interesting tech session and refreshments.
