PURPOSE: The intent of this SAE Recommend Practice is to present a list of basic guidelines for optimizing motor vehicle resistance to collision damage@ facilitate repairability and serviceability. The guidelines are intended to assist automobile engineers@ designers and management personnel as they contemplate designs for advanced models. Then@ damageability@ repairability@ etc. can be integrally considered with such other design parameters as cost@ weight@ manufacturability@ warranty@ styling@ performance@ etc. The guidelines have been compiled from several by the Collision Repair Division of the SAE Highway Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Council in cooperation with Tech-Cor Research. Basically@ these guidelines reflect field experience with damaged vehicles. Separate lists have been developed for damageability@ repairability@ and serviceability to assist the designer and the engineer in establishing appropriate priorities. Thus@ it is recognized that there may be instances where an improvement in damageability may reduce repairability. It is felt@ however@ that the lists will generally permit independent consideration. Within the context of recognized design tradeoffs@ it is suggested that a basic objective should be that the cost of repairing a vehicle should be at the lower level in areas where collision involvement frequency is the highest@ i.e.@ around the exterior perimeter of the vehicle.