If your windshield has been cracked or chipped because of a collision, it needs to be repaired or replaced – depending on the extent of damage. If left alone, the crack will spread and eventually cause your windshield to fail.
Wondering what the difference is between a lacquer primer and a urethane or epoxy primer? Lacquer primers are more inexpensive, and dry on the the car. Urethane primers cost more, but cure to create a hard, protective layer underneath the paint.
If you and your vehicle have been involved in an accident, you know that it is a stressful time. To help ease some stress and save some time, take your car directly to the repair shop and not to an insurance claim or adjustment center first. It is your insurance provider’s responsibility to come to you, not the other way around.
While it’s still one of the most common colors for new cars, white can still be a huge hassle. If you’re tired of taking your dingy-looking white car through the car wash, try a darker coat that better masks the dirt.
You may have the repair shop of your choice perform all of the repair work to your vehicle. You are not required to use a shop that was selected by a claims adjuster. You do have to give your insurance company reasonable time to inspect the damage, though.
Painting a vehicle adds value to it. This is the case in situations where the car is an older model and you wish to sell it or trade it in. A car with a fresh paint job has better appeal.
Automotive paint history: With the introduction of acrylic lacquers, the selection of paint colors available for vehicles increased dramatically. The drying time for these paints was also substantially reduced from previous methods.
Don’t let your insurance company tell you that you have to go to the repair shop that they tell you to after your car has been in an accident. It is your right to be able to choose the shop that makes any repair to your vehicle.
Welding is used in custom metal fabrication to build auto parts. A highly specialized process, custom metal fabrication is used to repair loose parts, secures structural systems, and performs suspension work.
Has your car been in a collision? Even if it’s still drivable, you should resist driving it if the damage makes it at all unsafe, such as if a part might come off. Fortunately, an auto collision expert can help get it ready for use again quickly.
In most cases, a front end collision will also involve the rear end of another car, and thus when it comes to repair work front end and rear end accidents often go hand in hand. Front end collision repair involves grill and bumper work, including headlights, and sometimes even replacing the radiator.
A auto body paint expert uses a variety of techniques to ensure a good match. These include checking the paint code from the factory, then adding tinting to the paint mix to correct any variations that may occur between vehicles, so you know it will match.
Correctly applying a custom paint job to your car involves a host of different tools, many of which are very expensive and require specialized training. That's one of the big reasons why going to a custom paint expert is a much safer bet.
Many modern auto paint and clear coat formulas contain special additives that improve the coating’s performance and durability. For example, UV inhibitors protect the finish from fading and yellowing, and flex agents help the coating resist cracking.
Collision repair shops can do a lot for your vehicle, even if you haven’t been in an accident. If your car needs minor repairs or body work done, a body shop is often the best choice. They have the skills and experience to get the job done right.
Your car or truck represents a significant investment and when it is involved in a collision, its value suffers. You can mitigate the financial damage of an accident by having all needed repairs performed by a professional collision repair service.
With soda blasting, the auto coating removal process becomes much more expedient. In fact, the vehicle can be stripped and ready for painting in a matter of hours.
In its history of auto making, the Volvo company has innovated many important advances in the area of safety. This includes everything from seat belts to crumple zones, rear facing child seats, collapsible steering columns, and side collision protection.
If your vehicle was in a serious collision, it's best to take it to a shop that's well-known for their collision repair work. Sure, it may cost more, but you'll at least get the peace of mind you need because you know that the job was done right.
When you get your car back from having body work and painting done, you'll get a flawless finish to your car. To make sure you keep this finish, an auto body expert can recommend what you should do for the first few months.
Talk to any classical painter and they’ll tell you how important it is to get the right brush or oil knife. The auto paint version of this is the sprayer, and an auto paint supply expert will be able to get the best sprayers out there for your pro shop.
Every good hitch has build in chains, which serve as a last resort for it. If the tongue ever loses the grip on the ball, the chains will keep the trailer from moving freely. Crossing the chains is also recommended because the chains wont come up short in tight turns.
It’s wise to work with collision repair pros if your car needs extensive repairs due to a collision. Why? It takes specialized equipment and expert technical skills to restore your vehicle’s structural integrity if the frame has been damaged.
When it comes to automotive topcoats, you want the finish to be durable while requiring minimal maintenance. Ideally, a good topcoat should provide a hard, glossy layer that’s resistant to scratching and easy to polish.
When getting repairs done to your vehicle, make sure to ask if the shop that you chose offers a repair warranty. Did you know that insurance companies do not guarantee the repair, but only pay for the repair? Only the shop may offer a warranty or guarantee.
One of the most important parts of painting a car is adding multiple layers, including primer, color layer, and a clear coat. You’ll want to make sure that everything you use plays well together, and an auto paint supplier can help.
When your car has been damaged in an accident, in many cases it will have sustained damages that compromise the safety of its operation. It’s recommended that you have your vehicle professionally inspected and repaired following even the most minor of accidents.
Your car is like a window into your own personality. Do you want to reflect yourself with a dull and faded paint job for your car? Come in and refresh your car today.
Depending on your insurance company, they may have a drive-in claims center, and ask you to take your vehicle there first. This is your choice, and you can accept or decline the invitation. If you wish, you can leave your vehicle with us and request that your insurance company send the adjuster to our location.
According to data released by the AAA Foundation, one in every six vehicle crashes involves a drowsy drive. Nodding off while driving may not be that uncommon -- although it is very dangerous. Over 40 percent of drivers admit to having nodded off, at least for a moment, while at the wheel.
Do you have a fleet of cars for your salesmen? No matter how hard you try, odds are good that some minor collisions can occur. Fortunately, a collision repair expert can work out a rotation schedule to keep your sales fleet looking fantastic and on the road at the same time.
Hurricane Katrina had a devastating effect all around. In all, around 200,000 vehicles were dried and then re-sold due to the damage caused by this hurricane.
A premium auto paint shield helps protect your finish from bird droppings, which are extremely acidic. Otherwise if the droppings aren’t removed immediately, they may etch or discolor the surface and cause significant damage.
When it comes to car paint spray guns, the size of the tip of the gun will affect the amount of the paint it puts out and the thickness of the coat. Thus, you want to choose your tips carefully depending on the type and scope of the job.
Always be prepared. It is highly recommended that you keep a disposable camera and a pen and paper in your vehicle in case you are involved in an automobile accident. That way, you can take photos of the scene and of the damages.
Collision repair technicians can begin working in auto paint and body shops with a high school diploma or GED. Technicians earn a national certification to advance past entry-level work and undergo additional training to learn how to repair newer vehicle.
When we inspect your car after a collision to determine the work that needs to be done, we will report any damages that are found that were not originally identified. You need to report any updates to your insurance company.
While the color might be the same, the paint you use on your bumpers should be different than the paint for your metal body. That’s because bumpers are made out of flexible materials, so the paint for them has additives that allow it to flex without cracking.
A number of factors can contribute to a car crash, including road conditions, vehicle function and driver attention. Here's an example: Younger drivers have the fastest reaction time of any age demographic, but also tend to have a higher instance of accidents. The experts believe other risk factors, like low impulse control, cancel the benefits of a fast reaction time.
Following a collision, coolant leaks can occur anywhere in the cooling system. Collision repair technicians will thoroughly inspect the collision damage area for any signs of stains, leaks, damage, or kinked lines.
Keep in mind that in auto collision repair, a bad paint job can ruin an otherwise beautiful vehicle and decrease its value. A professionally detailed paint job will ensure a perfect color match and help maintain the value of your car.
If you want your ride to resemble the work of master car painter Charley Hutton, you’re in luck. A new line of automotive paints developed with Hutton’s input offers a range of rich, deep and dramatic shades including charcoal, gold, red, lime, blue and orange.
Following directions for thinning is important, and over-thinning to try to stretch the paint you have is not a good idea. If the paint is too thin, the quality of the coat and finish are compromised, and the paint can easily run or streak.
The only way to get an even, streak-free shine is by applying the paint using a sprayer or spray can, but what if you get the paint custom-mixed? Auto paint suppliers can put custom-mixed paint into a spray can for you to make application easy.
It’s becoming more and more common for there to be hidden damage from a collision, because modern vehicles are designed so they crush in a way that protects the occupants but may do more damage to the inner components. Your body shop will assess damage and write a supplement to the original estimate if needed.
Paint protection film protects painted surfaces without causing any damage to the paint it is protecting. This differs from other paint protection products, many of which can compromise the original underlying paint.
Every year, there are about 6 million car accidents in the United States. The average repair time for vehicles is about four days. Make sure that you ask about a warranty on the repairs from the shop that you chose.
Car repair has become so sophisticated and precise that we are usually able to restore most cars to pre-collision condition. An insurance company considers a vehicle “totaled” only when the cost to repair it exceeds its value; so sometimes, if conditions are right, they will approve repairs you did not think were possible.
