Getting color right after auto repair is among the major challenges that are associated with auto bodywork. In fact, this is one of the most complex tasks that experts at auto body shops do. However, the best auto body shops have experts that have mastered this task over the years. These know how to paint a vehicle after repair to give it a like new appearance. According to a blogger friend of mine over at Glass Dawg Auto Glass Repair , says that these professionals use computerized systems to match paint colors. This enables them to create paint formula that is similar to the original factory paint color of vehicles.

Color Matching

Using hands to create the right color for a vehicle is almost impossible. That’s because the right pigment amount is required to come up with the original color of a vehicle. What’s more, there are other factors that come into play. These include the level of fading due to sun, paint guns difference, the angle of holding the paint gun when spraying the original paint and much more.

Additionally, resin is included in the formula to ensure adhesion on the vehicle’s surface and solvent to minimize paint viscosity and make transfer of the paint to the paint gun and containers easier.

Paint Blending

After obtaining the right color for the vehicle’s paint and spraying the vehicle, the technicians blend this paint. This implies that if a vehicle needs painting of the front bender, the technicians spray a little amount over the bumper, door, and hood to blend the paint with the vehicle’s factory paint. Technicians have used this technique for decades because it is almost impossible to come up with the color that is on the vehicle that is being painted. Essentially, the original paint fades after some time due to elements and the sun.

To ensure that your vehicle gets a perfect paint job, drive to an auto body shop that has experienced professionals with the technology for matching auto paint colors. This will give your vehicle a better look because the professionals will use a computerized color-matching system to determine the right color for your vehicle.

The worst thing most vehicle owners and drivers expect is an accident. Unfortunately, even the most careful and experienced drivers get into accidents. When this happens, choosing the best auto body repair shop can make all the difference regarding your car’s appearance. 

The best auto body shop will fix any damage to your vehicle and restore its pre-collision appearance. Auto painting is part of the restoration process. After completing the repairs, your car will be ready for painting. Please allow the collision center to take the time to do this step to protect the newly repaired area and give the finish a uniform look. 

Tips for Painting a Vehicle after an Accident 

Only some people can do excellent paintwork after an accident. Here are tips for painting your car after an accident. 

1. Start by taping off the repair area so there is a clear line between the new paint job and the existing one. And this will ensure that any overspray from the fresh coat of paint won’t ruin adjacent areas of the car. 
2. Use high-quality paint primer, which serves as a base coat for your color choice and provides coverage on panels where dirt or rust could be present under previous layers of paint. 
3. After the primer has dried, spray on a few coats of paint in a single, light direction and allow each layer to dry before adding another coat. 
4. Add additional layers of clearcoat to give your car’s finish an even look and extra protection from UV rays and other elements that can cause oxidation or fade over time. 
5. Lastly, remove all tape and clean any overspray or debris from the repair area for a professional-looking result. 

Following these steps when painting your vehicle after an accident will ensure you have done everything possible to keep it looking its best for years to come! Good luck! 

While there are some minor car body damages that you may fix with DIY tricks, experts recommend leaving some tasks to an auto body professional. Hiring a trusted auto body shop to work on your car has numerous advantages that you can hardly achieve even with the best DIY skills. Here’s why you should choose a trusted auto body professional. 

Proper Auto Body Damage Assessment 

Like doctors diagnosing patients to determine all the disease symptoms, affected body parts, and severity of impact before issuing treatments, professional auto body shops also begin their services with a thorough damage assessment. 

That enables them to determine the damage to your car’s body, the affected sections, and the extent of the impact. Proper damage assessment will allow the technicians to recommend and perform the most effective body repair solutions for your car. 

Professional Auto Body Repairs 

While many auto body shops claim to offer the best repair services, only a handful can deliver that promise. An established auto body shop has experienced technicians with expertise and the right tools for fixing different kinds of car body damage. 

A trusted auto body shop understands what works and what doesn’t for car body damage and repair. Thus, they will give your car the best treatment to seal off the impacts of the damage for enhanced performance and overall appearance. 

Reliable Customer Service 

A trusted auto body professional understands the inconveniences and risks of car body damage. Thus, they will conduct a thorough assessment, provide an accurate estimate and deliver the recommended repair services to see your car back in shape as soon as possible. Besides, some repairs also come with a warranty, meaning you won’t pay extra if similar problems occur within the specified period. 

Choosing a trusted auto body shop may not be straightforward for most people, but it is essential to maintaining your car’s overall looks, performance, and integrity. 

Paintless dent repair (PDR) is one of the most effective ways to fix cars’ dents. Automotive repair technicians have used the technique for many decades to restore cars. However, several myths about paintless dent removal still exist, impacting uncertainties about its effectiveness. Here are the most common myths about paintless dent repair. 

PDR Stretches the Car’s Paintwork 

Some people claim paintless dent removal causes the paintwork to stretch, exposing the surfaces to more damage. However, that is not true. Not all cars will qualify for the technique since the damage has already scratched or chipped the bodywork. PDR would not work in such a case because you will need other repairs. 

Paintless dent removal is only effective for dents caused by extreme weather conditions or slight chippings on the bodywork. Technicians use various tools to remove the marks without damaging the paint. 

Dents Will Resurface After PDR 

That is also a misconception. Moderns cars have alloys that have memory functions. That means the metal will not easily pop back after being massaged into shape by a PDR technician. 

PDR Can Fix All Kinds of Auto Body Damage

While Paintless dent repair effectively removes dents, it cannot fix all kinds of damage to a car’s body. The best option is to take your vehicle to an auto body repair shop for assessment to determine if PDR can work on fixing the issues. It’s essential to remember that paintless dent removal may not work for collision-related damage, chipped paint, and sharp dents. 

Various elements can impact dents on your car. However, never make repair decisions based on information obtained online. Instead, visit a professional paintless dent repair shop to inspect the vehicle and determine the most suitable solutions for restoring your car. 

Hail storms are common weather elements, which impact different kinds of car damage. Although car hail damage can manifest through more minor scuffs and scratches on the paintwork, it could also affect more significant dents on the body panels. Nevertheless, all kinds of hail damage will ruin your car if you don’t fix them on time. So, here are some of the Frequently Asked Questions about car hail damage, with relevant answers. 

How Long Does It Take to Diagnose Hail Damage?

Like other car repairs, hail damage requires a preliminary inspection to determine the specific defects, affected parts of the vehicle, and severity of impact. Depending on the dent, the process usually takes about 30 to 45 minutes but may also take less or more time. 

Does My Car Insurance Cover Hail Damage Repair?

Car insurance can cover hail damage, but the amount of coverage depends on the type of policy. However, car insurance policies that include cover for climate damage will undoubtedly pay for hail damage repair. 

What is the Turnaround Time for Hail Damage Repair?

Intense hail storms can impact severe damage to your car, far beyond what the eyes can see. Your auto repair specialist will only determine the turnaround time after conducting a full inspection, based on the extent of the damage. Fixing minor hail damage can take a few days but, significant defects may last two to three weeks. 

What is the Best Way to Repair Car Hail Damage?

Car repair experts use various techniques to fix hail damage, depending on the specific defects and severity of impact. However, Paintless Dent Repair (PDR) is the most popular and effective strategy for fixing car hail damage. 

Driving through hailstorms can leave your car with significant body damage. Even if the defects may appear small and minor, you should always engage an auto repair professional to inspect and fix them before they develop into larger dents.

Your car can compare to a house. It has a frame that holds the other parts together. However, the subframe of your vehicle can be damaged by even collisions that occur at a moderate speed. Thus, any collision can leave the subframe of your car with serious damage. 

But, a serious accident will cause a significant issue with the structural integrity of your vehicle. And this can leave the internal features of the car compromised. If the subframe of a vehicle is not repaired, it can cause long-term issues. These can even impair the drivability of your car. 

Subframe versus Unibody

Older cars come with subframes. On the other hand, newer models come with unibodies. A subframe structure is modular. That means it is removable during the repair. But, a subframe is a less common feature in modern vehicles. 

Newer vehicles are more dependent on unibodies. That’s because this became the industry standard since the beginning of 2000. Unibody design is a single component that makes the frame of a car. Since it is unitary, a unibody provides more rigidity. It, therefore, holds a car together better than several sub-components. Both the unibody and subframe are repairable. However, specialized skills and tools are required for their repair. 

Repairs 

Unibody repairs are involving processes, whether they are necessitated by major or minor damage. That’s because of the unique specifications of the car manufacturer. It’s important to ensure that the performance engineering and original safety standards of a car are maintained. 

Therefore, if your vehicle needs unibody repair, make sure that it is done by competent professionals. Skilled and experienced technicians with certification from your vehicle’s manufacturer will do a better job. They should also have special hydraulic tools that may be required to straighten the bent or twisted frames. Nevertheless, unibody repair can restore the look and performance of a vehicle when done properly.

When it comes to auto body repair, many people are torn between OEM parts versus aftermarket parts. New parts are called the Original Equipment Manufacturer or OEM parts. Used parts, on the other hand, are called aftermarket parts. Nevertheless, both OEM parts and aftermarket parts serve the same purpose. Both are feasible options when it comes to vehicle repair. As such, the choice of the parts to use in your vehicle repairs is up to you. Here are some of the things to know when choosing between OEM parts and aftermarket parts. 

OEM Parts 

OEM parts come from the manufacturer of your vehicle. That means third parties are not involved in their manufacture. As such, they are customized and specifically made for your vehicle model. They fit in your vehicle properly because of their special manufacturing and exclusivity. However, OEM parts cost a lot more than aftermarket parts. 

Aftermarket Parts 

Aftermarket parts are not from the manufacturer of your vehicle. Another company manufactures these parts. Essentially, aftermarket parts are made by a third party. And, their production is usually in high quantity. Nevertheless, they are made to fit different vehicles’ specifications. 

There are not specific aftermarket parts that are produced and customized for different models and makes of trucks and cars. But, aftermarket parts are considered similar to OEM parts when it comes to quality and type. Nevertheless, they are different. What’s more, aftermarket parts are cheaper than OEM parts. As such, they might not be a perfect fit for your vehicle. 

Both OEM parts and aftermarket parts are common in the current market. Auto body repair shops use both types of spare parts. However, your auto body shop should explain situations where OEM parts and aftermarket parts could be the best option depending on the repairs being done. 

A totaled car is a huge loss that no one ever wants to face. It is one of the main concerns of most car owners that have been involved in accidents. Nevertheless, you should know how auto body shops determine whether a car is totaled or not. Here’s how most auto body shops go about it. 

When a Car is Declared Totaled 

Auto body shops will consider a car totaled if the cost estimates for repair are higher or less than 70% of the car’s actual cash value. For instance, if a car is worth $10,000 and the estimate for its repair is $7,000, the insurer will likely consider it a total loss even if the repair costs are less than replacement costs. 

Even if the repair cost estimates are less than the actual value of the car, it would be unrealistic to fix it if the extent of damage exceeds the 70% threshold. However, auto body shops also consider the age of the car to determine whether it should be totaled. 

• 1 – 3 Years-old Cars 

The probability of declaring the cars totaled depends on the extent of the damage. The repair costs usually average at about $3,000. Compared to their actual values of about $25,000, only a handful of cars are totalled. 

• 3 – 5 Years Old Cars 

For such cars, mileage and the extent of the damage play a huge role in determining whether they should be totaled. Cars that sustained damage before the incident have high mileage and extensive wear and tear will have a lower actual cash value. As a result expensive luxury cars, SUVs and trucks are likely to be repaired while the lower priced ones often end up totaled. 

• Cars 6 Years and Older 

With average actual cash value of less than $6,000 and average repair estimates of $2,000, cars 6 years and older will most likely be totaled. 

• Total Loss Threshold 

The total loss threshold (TLF) is whereby the car insurance company must legally declare a vehicle a total loss then, seek a salvage title. When using the formula, your insurer will consider the repair costs and the scrap value of the car. They may opt for repairs if the figure is less than the actual cash value of the vehicle. The car will be totaled if the number is similar to or higher than the actual cash value before the damage. 

Contrary to what some may think, a totaled car is good news because safety always comes first.