If you're like me, you drive your car everywhere. But after 15 years of reliable services, dents and rust now cover my car's hood, trunk and doors. I don't want to sell my car and buy a new one, so I decided to take it to an auto body and paint shop. Not only did the shop repair the dents and remove the rust, the technicians repainted it. If your car or truck looks less than stellar, take it to an auto body shop for repairs. My blog shows you where to look for the best auto body services and how to even perform your own repairs at home. Don't sell your car. Give it a makeover instead.
If someone hit and ran and you now have a dent in your car that is an eyesore, find a local auto body shop to get an estimate for the work. If claiming the accident on your insurance is something you would like to avoid because you are worried about rates, get an estimate to see if the cost of the damage exceeds the cost of your deductible and if making a claim would be worth it. How they fix the dent will be decided on the severity of the damage, so ask about the following things.
Suction Repair
The dent may be able to be repaired with a suctioning system. This will be a fast way for the vehicle to get fixed and can be cost-effective if the paint doesn't need a lot of repairs. The cause of the dent and location can also determine if this will work.
Weld or Pound
Other dents may need to be repaired with traditional welding or by the use of a pounding with the necessary tools. Since you want the exterior of the vehicle to look flawless after it's repaired, these options are worth the cost even if they take longer. Once the dents are corrected, the auto body facility will paint or buff where needed.
Replacement Piece
If an area of the vehicle is so badly damaged that you don't think it can be repaired, it may be worth the time to find a replacement panel. You can all around to local junkyards, repair shops, and dealerships to see if they have a replacement panel. The auto body shop will then replace the panel and paint it to match the rest of the car.
Auto Detail
Since the vehicle is already at the auto body shop, you want to get a full exterior detail. This means the professionals will buff out all the scratches and scrapes and wax the vehicle. This is a great way to maintain the value of the vehicle.
Once you know what the total cost will be to fix the dent and the damage caused by the hit and run, you can figure out if it is worth calling your auto insurance company and making the claim. If not, then paying for the damage out of pocket may be the best solution for you. Don't wait any longer and let the area rust or get more damage which will devalue the asset that your car is.
Find a shop that provides auto body repairs to get started.
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