ASE B6 Damage Analysis & Estimating study plan

Define the estimating workflow from intake to final invoice and label each handoff point

List the three repair-vs-replace criteria categories (safety, cost, cosmetic) and give two examples of each

Identify the major exterior panel materials (steel, aluminum, plastic, composite) and state one repair limitation for each

Practice reading a damage description and convert it into a written panel-by-panel damage list for three sample vehicles

Map vehicle body structures into unibody, body-on-frame, and space-frame categories with their inspection priorities

Describe how to visually detect direct vs. indirect (inertia) damage on panels and structural members

Explain measuring-system types (datum, centerline, dimension) and when each is used

Identify common structural damage indicators: buckled rails, wrinkled aprons, misaligned gaps, cracked seam sealer

Locate and decode VIN positions and identify which characters encode make, model year, and plant

Describe how to document vehicle identification on an estimate and why it matters for parts selection

Practice photographing and annotating a damage set using a consistent numbering scheme (simulate with notes)

Explain sectioning guidelines and when a structural part must be replaced rather than repaired

Categorize mechanical, electrical, and interior damage types and match each to a typical inspection method

List pre-repair and post-repair scan requirements and explain why scans are documented on estimates

Explain refinish operations (prep, prime, seal, base, clear) and how labor time is allocated

Distinguish included, not-included, and overlap labor operations and give examples of each

Distinguish OEM, aftermarket, recycled, and reconditioned parts and state a pricing/quality tradeoff for each

Explain how paint and materials (P&M) are calculated and what variables change the amount

Compute a sample estimate total including parts, labor, refinish, and sublet with tax and deductible

Identify common estimate line-item errors (double-charging, missed operations, wrong part type)

Describe the supplemental-damage discovery process and how to document and communicate a supplement

Explain total-loss thresholds and the difference between repair cost and actual cash value considerations

Draft customer-facing explanations for a supplement, a delay, and a total-loss outcome

Identify estimate revisions and version control practices for supplements

Integrate all domains into a single end-to-end walkthrough of a multi-panel collision repair estimate

Rehearse explaining a repair-vs-replace decision to a customer in plain language

Review weak areas from prior weeks and re-drill the five most-missed concepts

Practice timed scenario questions across all eight domains

Complete two full-length timed practice exams and score each by domain

Review every missed item and write a one-line correction rule for each

Re-verify the highest-weight domain concepts (3, 4, 6) against your notes

Finalize a one-page quick-reference sheet for test day