Auto Body Repair for Classic Cars

Carwise 1 Comment Aug 25,2014 Auto Body Shop Consumer Tips, Auto Body Shop Owner Tips

When you buy a classic car, you will almost certainly need to have some kind of auto body work done to restore the car to its former glory. Although it can be very satisfying to restore a classic car yourself, it can be hard work, and you may not be able to get the same quality as a professional repair.

Many rare or classic cars appreciate in value depending on the condition or what has been done to the vehicle. Any alterations or repairs can affect a classic car’s value, so it’s best to leave the auto body repair to the professionals to protect your investment.

How to Protect Your Car’s Paint from the Summer Sun

Carwise 1 Comment Aug 18,2014 Car Care Tips

As we enjoy the warm summer weather, there are more days where your car is exposed to the hot sun which can lead to fading or premature rusting. During the summer, your car is also exposed to more grit and grime from road trips like bird waste, bugs, and other debris that can cause damage to the surface of your car’s paint. The summer sun adds to this by baking debris into your car’s paint, making it harder to remove.

There are some precautions you can take to protect your car’s paint from fading or getting ruined by the summer sun.

Top 10 Tips for Driving in the Rain

Carwise No Comment Aug 11,2014 Safety Tips

With the arrival of spring, many drivers are glad to see the snow melt away and temperatures rise. It’s a common assumption that spring weather conditions make maintaining and driving a car much easier. However, spring presents its own set of challenges for drivers, and certain precautions should be taken by any driver to maintain his or her car, as well as safety.

CARWISE RECOMMENDS THE FOLLOWING SPRING DRIVING TIPS:

Ensure your vehicle is in peak operating condition as you would in winter. Pay particular attention to the tires, brakes, tail and brake lights, as well as windshield wipers. After winter, examine the treads on the tires and see if they need to be replaced; also, make sure the tires are properly inflated; have your mechanic inspect the brakes and lights in case a tune-up and bulb replacements are required; and look closely at your windshield wipers to make sure they weren’t damaged during the winter and need to be changed.
Road conditions have changed, and wet, rainy conditions warrant a different approach than icy conditions. But keep in mind it is still possible for roads to ice over in early spring. Also, there are potholes and large puddles to navigate, alongside increased pedestrian, bicyclist, motorcyclist, and even animal traffic. If you do find yourself skidding due to black ice or wet road conditions, steer into the skid and avoid slamming the brakes.

Losing control of your car while driving in the rain can be a terrifying experience. Every year, rain has been the cause of thousands of accidents. Rainfall is especially dangerous in states that are accustomed to dry weather like California, Texas, and Arizona – sporadic rain during the year causes many people to forget how to drive in it.

The Best Times To Buy A New Car [Infographic]

Carwise No Comment Aug 7,2014 Auto Body Shop Consumer Tips, Trends

Timing your car purchase could possibly save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars. TrueCar has analyzed car prices over several years to reveal the day of the week, month, and time of the month to buy a car—including timing for specific car types.

Tips to Find a Good Auto Body Shop in Seattle, WA

Carwise No Comment Aug 4,2014 Auto Body Shop Consumer Tips

According to the 2012 Annual Collision Summary for Washington state, there were 99,560 car accidents across the state of Washington with a car accident occurring every five minutes.

Top 10 Questions to Ask an Auto Body Repair Shop

Carwise 4 Comments Jul 30,2014 Auto Body Shop Consumer Tips

After being involved in a car accident, one of the first things you’ll think about is getting your car repaired as quickly as possible. But taking your car to the first auto body shop you find would be a hasty decision. In order to find a reliable and reputable auto body shop, take time to do your research and ask questions so that you’ll receive high quality auto body repair work for your vehicle.

Here are some questions and things to consider before allowing an auto body repair shop to repair your vehicle

Learn more about the auto body repair shop.

Reading an online review about an auto body repair shop can be a useful resource. You can get a sense of the quality of the auto body repair shop based on customer feedback, ratings and reviews. You might want to ask the following questions after reading an online review:

How often will I receive text or email updates about my car’s repair status?
Can I view repair updates online?
Can I arrange for a loaner or rental car online or through an affiliated rental car service

What kind of warranty comes with their auto body repair work?

If they offer a warranty, ask how long it lasts and what it will cover.

Does the auto body repair shop have rental cars on their lot or do they provide loaner vehicles?

Being without a car is an inconvenience, so you’ll need to make sure that you have a rental, loaner or courtesy car while yours is in the shop. Some auto body repair shops have a car rental facility located in or near their shop. Other auto body repair shops may offer loaner or courtesy cars that can be used while they are repairing your car.If there is a pre-rental agreement, review it carefully – read the fine print. Take photos of the car before it leaves the shop & when you return it (honest shops will not object to this; it’s common practice in the age of Smartphones). Take note of the mileage as well.

How long will the auto body repair take?

This is the #1 question asked of all auto body shops. There is no hard and fast answer since each case is subjective. There are many factors related that can affect the length of repair time, including the extent of damage to your car, how busy the auto body repair shop is at that particular time, or even holidays during which the shop may be closed. A 2017 Industry Trend Data report published by CCC Information Services Inc. showed that the average length of customer loaner or rental car usage – the measuring stick used to determine length of repair time – has grown from 9.26 to 9.85 days.Additional factors may include the level of the repair technicians’ certifications and training, the quality of the shop’s parts procurement process and the channels through which parts are acquired (does the shop deal with parts suppliers and manufacturers or with auto junkyards?) and/or the equipment with which the shop is outfitted. Is their equipment state-of-the-art or antiquated? Are work areas clean and efficient? What, if any, repairs are outsourced? All of this can shorten – or lengthen – the time of your car repair.

Is your car covered while it is in the shop?

Ask the auto body repair shop if they carry fire and theft insurance. You want to be sure that you’ll be covered just in case your car is damaged, destroyed, stolen or burglarized while it is in the auto body repair shop. It is also not advisable to stop paying auto insurance premiums on your car while it is being repaired. Most states require auto insurance and will penalize you for a lapse of even one day. Also if the mechanic needs to drive the car for testing purposes, he/she could be penalized if pulled over. By allowing your auto insurance policy to lapse, you will likely spend more on penalties than save on premiums — even if the repair time is lengthy.

Will the paint match the rest of my car?

In most cases, cars have a paint code on a plate located either in a door jamb, under the hood, or in the trunk. This paint code will give the exact color of the manufacturer’s paint. Make sure the auto body repair shop will be using the same exact color of paint and not a similar color. For further reading, check this blog post: How Much Does a Car Paint Job Cost?

How soon can you wash your car after an auto body repair?

An auto body repair shop usually returns your car back to you clean. They may have already washed it or waited for the paint to dry so that you can drive your car immediately after the repair. Still, it is important to know whether it is it safe to take your car to a car wash that uses friction brushing or a touch-free car wash with acid presoaks and super concentrated car wash soap soon after a fresh paint job.

What is friction brushing?

Friction brushing usually employs a combination of high pressure blasters with foam and/or cloth brushes. Brush-equipped washes generally perform better and move faster, as brushes clean in hard-to-reach places. Additionally advances in soft-touch systems increase the quality of the wash while reducing the possibility of damage to the finish. Consult with your auto body repair technician on the best option in your car’s case.

What is a touch-free wash?

Touchless washes employ a combination of chemicals, presoaks, detergents, high water pressure and modern systems even include laser-guided contour sensors. The advantage of a touch-free wash is that nothing touches the vehicle for the duration of the wash, which is typically longer than a friction wash. One possible disadvantage is, because a touch-free wash is so reliant upon chemicals, certain mix ratios can cause stains on the paint. Consult with your auto body repair technician on the best option in your car’s case.

Does the auto body repair shop have any certifications?

Certifications, such as I-CAR and ASE, are a good sign of a reputable auto body repair shop. A certification usually means that the auto body repair shop has the skills and knowledge required to perform complete, safe and quality repairs.

Will the auto body repair shop put everything in writing?

When bringing your car into an auto body repair shop, ask if you can receive a written estimate. You should also ask for an itemized bill after all work is completed. If the written estimate doesn’t match the itemized bill, don’t be afraid to ask about any discrepancies.

Consider the below excerpt from the “Auto Body Repair Consumer’s Bill of Rights,” which was passed into law in California in 2009:

A CONSUMER IS ENTITLED TO:

AN ITEMIZED WRITTEN ESTIMATE FOR AUTO BODY REPAIRS AND, UPON COMPLETION OF REPAIRS, A DETAILED INVOICE. THE ESTIMATE AND THE INVOICE MUST INCLUDE AN ITEMIZED LIST OF PARTS AND LABOR ALONG WITH THE TOTAL PRICE FOR THE WORK PERFORMED. THE ESTIMATE AND INVOICE MUST ALSO IDENTIFY ALL PARTS AS NEW, USED, AFTERMARKET, RECONDITIONED, OR REBUILT.
BE INFORMED ABOUT COVERAGE FOR TOWING AND STORAGE SERVICES.
BE INFORMED ABOUT THE EXTENT OF COVERAGE, IF ANY, FOR A REPLACEMENT RENTAL VEHICLE WHILE A DAMAGED VEHICLE IS BEING REPAIRED.
BE INFORMED OF WHERE TO REPORT SUSPECTED FRAUD OR OTHER COMPLAINTS AND CONCERNS ABOUT AUTO BODY REPAIRS.
SEEK AND OBTAIN AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR ESTIMATE DIRECTLY FROM A REGISTERED AUTO BODY REPAIR SHOP FOR REPAIR OF A DAMAGED VEHICLE, EVEN WHEN PURSUING AN INSURANCE CLAIM FOR REPAIR OF THE VEHICLE.
For further reading, check out this blog post: Top 10 Ways Auto Body Shops Can Ensure a Positive Customer Experience

What is the payment policy?

Most reputable auto body repair shops post their policies and payment methods where customers can easily see them. The payment policies may include labor rates, materials, warranty information, guarantees, and acceptable forms of payment. If you don’t see payment policy information, ask before the shop begins any auto body repair work on your vehicle.

For further reading, check out this blog post: Top Consumer Facts & Tips About Repair

What is Paintless Dent Repair?

Carwise 6 Comments Jul 22,2014 Auto Body Shop Consumer Tips, Dent Repair

Paintless Dent Repair or Paintless Dent Removal (PDR) is a technique used by auto body shops that removes dents and dings, leaving the original paint in place.

To ensure that your car dent is repaired properly, you should leave it to the professionals. With Paintless Dent Repair (PDR), auto body shops can remove many types of dent damage including hail or door dings.

Paintless Dent Repair is a process of accessing the back side of the damaged panel and then massaging and shrinking the dent with unique and specialized rods that have different configurations. PDR is faster than conventional repairs and does not use traditional auto body methods like sanding, body fillers in order to maintain your car’s original finish.

Top 10 Things to Do After a Car Accident

Carwise 1 Comment Jul 7,2014 Safety Tips

Getting into a car accident can be a traumatic and stressful event. It may be hard to think clearly and remember what to do immediately after a car accident happens. In the event of a car accident, there are some important things to remember:

Top 5 Ways to Avoid an Auto Collision

Carwise 1 Comment Jun 30,2014 Safety Tips

You don’t want to think about a car accident, or what comes next–calling the police, checking for injuries, exchanging information and trying to remember the chain of events that lead up to it. An auto collision can turn into a major headache which most people would like to avoid.

Summer Driving Safety Tips

Carwise No Comment Jun 23,2014 Safety Tips

Summer is the busiest driving time of the year and also the most dangerous. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) states that 21 of the top 25 deadliest days for teen drivers are in the summer driving months between Memorial Day and Labor Day.