Dealing With Damage To The Body Of Your Vehicle
There are many ways body damage can occur on your car or truck, and getting it fixed quickly is important. Working with a local auto body repair shop to make the repairs you need is often a good option and may ensure the work is completed correctly.
Accident Repair
When you have been in a collision with your car, getting it fixed and back on the road as quickly as you can is essential. Taking the car to an auto body repair shop to have them assess the damage and give you an estimate for the repairs is the first step in making that happen.
If the accident was minor, you may be able to get the work done in a week or so, but if there is significant damage to the car, it can take some time to ensure repairs are made correctly. The car must be safe to drive after the repairs are complete. This often means taking the time to go over everything on the vehicle.
Vehicle accidents often damage parts that were nowhere near the impact zone because the energy of the impact travels through the car, much like a wave travels through water. The result is often damage that you can't see until you remove parts from the vehicle to make repairs.
Frame Damage
Modern vehicles involved in accidents have a higher likelihood of frame damage because car designs have evolved to the point that the entire body and frame are one working component. When the car is in an accident, damage to the body can translate down to the car's frame, affecting it as well.
The best way to determine if that has happened is by putting the car on a frame machine and checking it carefully to ensure everything is still where it belongs. If the frame is bent, the technician at the auto body repair shop can use the computer-guided frame machine to pull or push the frame around until it meets the factory standard again.
There are limits to how much you can manipulate the frame before it is no longer safe. So if there is heavy frame damage to the car, it may not be repairable. The only way the tech will know for sure is to put the car on the frame machine and start measuring it.
Paint And Finish
You can take your car to an auto body repair shop for rust repair, paint damage, or clear coat damage, not just collision repair. The auto body shop can deal with replacing panels or patching holes on your car so the repair is well hidden and the car looks great again.
They can also restore the paint or clear coat finish on cars that have seen too many sunny days and are faded or badly worn. If you have a concern about the bodywork on your vehicle, talk to the local body shop about how to best fix the problem and restore the car to its former glory.