Every year in the United States, six million car accidents occur, causing a wide range of auto body repairs. These accidents can cause a variety of problems both to the outside of a vehicle as well as under it.
It’s important to understand the most common types of auto body repairs so you can have it fixed properly the first time around. These range from paint issues to major collision damage.
1. Scratches and Paint
You can scratch or chip your vehicle in countless ways. Dings on your hood can be caused by road debris kicked up by a car in front of you. You might accidentally scratch one of your doors if a bike gets too close.
Any auto body shop will tell you that scratch and paint issues are easily some of the most common types of repairs. These issues can often be fixed quickly with paint matching techniques, light sanding, and respraying the area. Once these minor issues are fixed, your vehicle could look as good as new.
2. Paintless Dent Repair (PDR)
The body of a vehicle is often damaged only by dents, with no damage to the paint or surface. Objects that are blunt or rounded can leave a depression in a panel without scratching or breaking the paint.
With paintless dent repair, an auto shop can make the door, bumper, or fender straight again by popping out the dent. Based on the size and location of the dent, there are a few ways to do this. Suction cups and other tools are some of the methods commonly used.
3. Dent Repair
When it comes to repairing dents on vehicles, the concept encompasses a wide range of issues. The paint on some dents is not damaged, so they are easier to fix. There will be additional steps to be taken, however, if a dent has chipped paint and missing paint.
An auto body shop will use various tools to push out dents, including metal rods and body picks, depending on where the dent is located. Before paint is applied, the paintwork is typically sanded, buffed, and other steps are taken to smooth it out.
4. Collision Repair
Repairing collision issues requires a degree of finesse and technique that often requires highly specialized training. A complex process like this can have a major impact on your safety. The underlying damage from the collision can cause more problems and have devastating effects if not repaired correctly.
A reputable body shop should inspect your vehicle carefully to determine if any repairs need to be made.
5. Body Panel Replacement
Although some dents can be repaired, more significant damage may require the panel to be replaced. In this process, you find the right parts for your vehicle and then paint match them so that it looks as if they were always a part of your vehicle. The repair may take a little longer depending on the difficulty of finding a replacement.
6. Frame Straightening
Although a bent body frame isn’t the most common type of auto body repair, it can lead to other vehicle problems. The steering wheel can be pointed straight ahead, but the alignment can be affected, causing your automobile to travel sideways. It is possible for some frame damage to render a vehicle undriveable.
An auto body frame requires expensive and specialized equipment, so a trustworthy team is essential. To ensure they are used correctly and that the end result is a fully functional vehicle, the machines require proper training and know-how.
7. Bumper Repair
Even a seemingly minor fender bender can cause major issues later on. Damage to the rear bumper or front fender can result in alignment problems, bent frames, wheel well problems, steering wheel concerns, and even electrical system failure.
Despite the fact that some bumper damage may simply need a fresh coat of paint, it’s better to be safe than sorry and check for any problems.
8. Glass and Window Repair
The most common type of auto body repair involves glass and window damage as it is the most fragile part of any vehicle. Broken glass can be caused by road debris, falling branches, and rogue baseballs or golf balls.
A synthetic nano fluid can usually be used to repair small glass cracks, holding them together and preventing them from spreading. After drilling a small hole in the crack, the fluid is injected, spreading through the cracks and making the cracks appear as if nothing ever happened.
Glass and windows with large damage typically need to be replaced. The front and back windshields can usually be removed and reinstalled with little difficulty, but replacement windows usually require that door panels be removed first.
Get Professional Help with Any of These Types of Auto Body Repair
As we all know, accidents do happen, but some issues are more common than others. No matter what type of auto body repair you require or what is more rare, a dependable shop will have the experience necessary to do the job properly.
Bill’s Auto Body provides top-rated auto body repair services for all types of vehicle damage. Request your free estimate today!
