Questions we get every week, answered
Insurance, paint, Peel Clear, wraps, tint law, drop-off. Short answers, with a link to the long version.
Mon–Fri 9 AM–4 PM · Sat 9 AM–1 PM · 446 W Orange Show Ln, San Bernardino
These are the questions Vasken answers by text most days. If yours isn't here, send it with a photo and you'll get the same straight answer.
Insurance & claims
6 questionsYour rights, your deductible, supplements and rentals. The parts of a claim nobody explains until you are in the middle of one.
Can I choose my own body shop in California?
Yes. California law (Insurance Code §758.5) says an insurer cannot require you to use a specific shop, and once you've chosen one it can't steer you elsewhere. Tell your adjuster the car is at Round 2 Refinish.
Do you work with my insurance company?
We work with every insurance company. Vasken sends the estimate to your adjuster, handles the back-and-forth, and writes supplements for anything teardown finds — with your approval.
What is a supplement, and why did my estimate change?
The insurer's first estimate is usually written from photos before the bumper comes off. Hidden damage found on teardown is written up with photos and submitted as a supplement. Supplements are normal, not a red flag.
Do I pay my deductible to you or to the insurer?
To the shop, at pickup. Your deductible is set by your policy; California law (Penal Code §551) prohibits body shops from reducing or offsetting it.
Will insurance pay for a rental car?
Only if your policy includes rental reimbursement — it pays a daily amount up to a set number of days. Check your policy or ask your agent; we'll give you a realistic timeline so you can plan.
Is sand or wind damage covered?
Usually, if you carry comprehensive coverage and the damage came from a real event. You file, the insurer inspects and approves, we repair what's approved, you pay your comprehensive deductible.
Paint & body
5 questionsColor match, blending, peeling clear and the things Armen gets asked to spray that aren't cars.
Will the new paint match?
We match from your car's factory code, spray a test card, compare it to the car in daylight, and blend into the next panel so there's no hard edge.
Why does a bumper repaint sometimes include the fender?
Blending. Even a perfect match can show an edge at a panel gap in sunlight, especially metallics and pearls. Fading the color into the next panel makes the repair invisible.
My clear coat is peeling — can it be polished?
No. Once the clear lifts, the panel has to be sanded and refinished. Polishing only works on scratches that stay in the clear — if your fingernail catches, it needs paint.
Can you custom paint things that aren't cars?
Yes. Motorcycles, RVs, boats, commercial and industrial equipment, even appliances. If it can be prepped and sprayed, Armen can refinish it.
Do you paint door jambs on a color change?
Yes — doors and panels come off so the jambs, trunk jamb and gas door match. The same goes for Peel Clear.
Restyling & protection
7 questionsPeel Clear, wraps, film, coatings and the tint law as it is actually written.
What is Peel Clear?
A waterborne, peelable paint system sprayed in our booth like real paint, cured to gloss, satin or matte in any color, and peeled off by hand in sheets when you want your factory color back. No adhesive touches your paint.
Is Peel Clear the same as Plasti Dip or a liquid wrap?
No. Those are rubberized dip coatings rated for a few years that tear on removal. Peel Clear is a paint finish you can sand and polish, and we back the installation with a 5-year workmanship warranty.
Wrap or Peel Clear?
Peel Clear for a color change that looks like paint, reaches the jambs and is backed longer. Vinyl for printed designs, textured films, short-term looks and chrome delete. We do both and we'll tell you which fits.
PPF or ceramic coating?
PPF stops impacts — chips, road rash. Ceramic resists UV, water spots and etching and makes washing easier. Many owners do both: film on the front first, ceramic over everything.
What window tint is legal in California?
No tinted film on the front side windows — only clear UV film with an installer certificate. A strip across the top of the windshield only. Rear side and back windows any darkness with two outside mirrors. Vehicle Code §26708.
Do you tint, wrap and paint in the same visit?
Yes — one schedule, one set of photo updates. Repairs and paint happen first, then film or Peel Clear goes on over sound paint.
How do I wash Peel Clear, a wrap or a coating?
Hand wash with pH-neutral soap, no brush car washes, keep pressure washers off edges. Peel Clear: dry for the first 7 days, hand-wash only for 30.
Logistics & estimates
5 questionsHow the estimate works, when to show up, and where the building is.
How do I get an estimate without coming in?
Text photos — all four corners, close-ups, and the VIN plate — to (760) 881-5162. Vasken writes a preliminary estimate from the photos; you sign it electronically.
Do I need an appointment?
Not for the estimate. Once it's approved, we schedule the car when parts or materials are in, so it isn't sitting on our lot waiting.
Can I drop off early or pick up late?
Yes, by appointment. Regular hours are Mon–Fri 9 AM–4 PM and Sat 9 AM–1 PM; text ahead for anything outside that.
Is there a deposit?
For restyling and custom jobs, a deposit locks in your materials and the job is scheduled when they arrive. Insurance repairs follow the claim; you pay your deductible at pickup.
Where are you, and which number do I call?
446 W Orange Show Ln, San Bernardino, off Orange Show Rd at the I-10 / I-215 interchange. (760) 881-5162 is Vasken's direct line for calls and photos; (909) 889-8551 is the shop line.
Every service page has its own FAQ with the longer version — the services hub lists all eleven. For anything about your specific car, the fastest route is a photo and a sentence by text. Vasken reads them between cars and answers the same day the shop is open.
Still have a question?
Text it with a photo. You'll get an answer from the person who'd do the work.