A car dent is not only an eyesore but also a significant extra cost to your car maintenance budget. Nobody really plans for it. However, even the most careful drivers get a dent or two. According to data by the Canadian Transportation Safety Board, about 160,000 car crashes happen on Canadian roads every year. Most car owners ignore the smaller dents and only seek repairs when something else happens. This article discusses the top five reasons why you should repair your car dents sooner rather than later.
Rust Problems
The paint on your car is more than just for beauty. Paint prevents water and oxygen from reaching the metallic parts of the car's body. Consequently, rust is a reddish-brown substance that forms on metallic surfaces. It forms when iron or steel combines with oxygen. The availability of moisture, like rainwater, accelerates the process. Thus, paint protects your car since it cannot get oxygen. But all that changes when there is a car dent.
A car dent is often accompanied by a scratch or cut on the surface of your car, leaving parts of the car exposed. Even a tiny dent can cause severe damage if left unrepaired. The problem is that water can seep through the small opening you ignore, and rust can take hold and start spreading below the paint. By the time the dent becomes noticeable, the damage will be significant. Dealing with the tiny dent immediately you notice it, spares you the costs of bigger repairs down the road.
Long-Term Damage to the Paint
The impact that causes the car dent also causes the paint around the area to chip. The sharper the object, the deeper the cut, and the worse the chipping. Paint deteriorates over time due to continuous assault by the elements. UV radiation and heat can wreak havoc on the paint. For instance, California experiences temperatures as high as 39°C in the summer.
Under such conditions, paints chip faster. At first, it may start small and unnoticeable. However, if you do not attend to the car dent soon enough, more chipping will keep falling off, and the patch will keep growing. The damage will even be worse if your car had low-quality paint. Eventually, your car's paint will get so bad that you need a new coat for the whole car.
It is Cost-Effective
Most drivers ignore small car dents and only pay attention to it when it becomes an eyesore. In addition to potentially causing more damage to your car, a bigger car dent costs more to repair. A minor shallow car dent can be smoothened using the Paintless Dent Removal (PDR) process. The process is faster and way cheaper. On the other hand, a more profound and larger car dent takes more work.
In addition to using car dent pullers, the area will likely require a body filler. After that, everything is sanded then smoothened. Finally, the repaired area must be repainted to match the rest of the vehicle. This process takes more time, resources, and skill. Repairing a more significant dent will cost more. So why not just take care of it early and save money?
Safety
Usually, there is more to a car dent than meets the eye. The impact that causes the dent often leaves structural damage to the car. For example, car bumpers are the most damaged part of a car. Although they are designed to absorb some of the impacts, the quarter panel may be bent or damaged. Wheel misalignment is also another typical result of a collision.
Driving around in such a car is a danger to you and other road users. When you take your car in for dent repair, the first thing any reputable auto repair shop will do is inspect the extent of the damage. The broken panels are either repaired or replaced before turning attention to the car dent. Even if the car looks good on the outside, you will not know if there is hidden damage until you take the car for repairs.
Affects Resale Value
A car's value depreciates the minute you drive off the dealer's lot. It is estimated that a brand new car loses up to 20% of its value within the first year of ownership. The good news is that these rates of depreciation reduce in the subsequent years. When it is time to resell, the appearance of your car matters. For instance, a brand-new engine may not count for much if the car is covered in dents.
Dents and scratches raise doubts over the general condition of the car. It makes the potential buyer wonder what else could be wrong with the vehicle. As a result, they may not be willing to match your asking price. On the other hand, the absence of dents shows that the car was well-maintained. Fixing those dents whenever they occur can help you fetch more for your car when it is time to sell.
Common Types of Car Dents
Although all car dents need immediate attention, some dents are more severe than others. The worst ones are the dents that come with hidden structural damage. It helps if you can identify the different dent types and what they mean for your car. Here are common types of car dents you will come across.
• Round Dents - These types of car dents are caused by round objects. Round dents often have a center point of impact and look like a shallow depression. They can be caused by a ball or hailstone the size of a golf ball. The good news is that round dents rarely cause paint damage. This means they are cheaper to repair than other types of car dents.
• Crease Dents - A crease dent is caused by initial impact from a sharp object followed by dragging across the vehicle's surface. Creased dents can be caused by anything from a bicycle handlebar to a low hanging tree branch. They are more common on the side panels. They are more severe and tend to cause damage to the underlying panels. If left unchecked, the dent can grow. Crease dents take a lot more work to repair. Fortunately, modern techniques and specialized tools can remove all car dents.
• Multiple Point Dents - Not all car dents come with a center of impact. Multiple point dents often have creases as well as depressions. The amount of damage depends on the material of the panel. If the area impacted has internal supports, the impact will leave crowns on the body. Repairing such a car dent takes more time and skill. For instance, using PDR can be complicated since the metal is usually stretched.
Get the Best Car Dent Repair
A botched car dent repair can leave your car looking worse than before. The entire process, from identifying the type of dent to the final touches, needs steady and skilled hands. Will's Auto Body Inc. offers the best car dent repair services in Concord, CA. We are certified by the Auto Body Association.
Given the ongoing pandemic, we offer our customers online services, including photo estimation and real-time repair updates. And that is not all. We offer to pick up your car from your doorstep, repair it, and have it delivered to you when ready. Visit our Auto shop from 8.30 am to 5 pm on weekdays or set an appointment online. Try us today and find out why we are the best at car dent repairs.