You do your best to keep your vehicle looking like new. You wash it, wax it, and park it under cover whenever possible. Unfortunately, sometimes, despite our best efforts, our vehicles suffer from scratches, dents, or dings.
When this happens, you’ll want to repair them right away. You might be tempted to skip the trip to the auto body shop and just make the repairs yourself — but is this your best bet? Keep reading to learn about one repair you can easily do yourself and others that are best left to the pros.
DIY Dent Repairs
While it’s almost always best to take your vehicle to a professional body shop, very small or superficial problems can often be fixed on your own. You can find a YouTube video that will teach you how to do just about anything, and there are plenty of tools available to help you with your repairs.
Removing small dents that haven’t damaged the finish or the body panel is a pretty easy DIY task. Start by splashing soapy water over the affected area and pressing the rubber end of a household plunger against the dent. Gently pull to see if the dent comes out. The soap will lubricate the area, allowing you to slide the plunger down the vehicle’s panel and break the seal.
If this doesn’t work, try purchasing a dent-removing tool and/or repair kit from your local auto parts store. These work based on the same principle but are stronger and more effective.
Know When to Go to the Pros
Vehicle repairs require a steady, experienced hand and the proper tools. If you don’t have both, trying to do your own repairs can leave your vehicle looking … well… like it was repaired like an amateur.
Even worse, you can end up inadvertently causing more damage than you started with. The following issues should be left to the pros from the beginning.
Paint Repair
Sure, you could buy a paint repair kit and hope for the best, but finding the exact right color to match your vehicle’s paint is often a serious challenge. The only thing that looks worse than scratches or chipped paint is a shoddy repair job with mismatched colors.
Rust Removal
There are also plenty of DIY rust removal kits on the market today, but most of them frankly aren’t worth the money. Since rust tends to penetrate deep down into the vehicle’s surface, a simple scrub won’t do the trick. Professionals can track down hidden rust and remove it completely, ensuring your vehicle looks like new and the rust won’t return.
Accident Damage
If your vehicle has been in an accident, there could be more damage than meets the eye. For example, you may think you only have a small dent in your bumper, but you could actually be dealing with a bent frame. Bringing your vehicle in for a complete inspection will help uncover any potential safety issues and allow you to have them repaired right away.
At Auto Worx, we make collision repair simple and easy. Contact us today to schedule an appointment and we’ll get your vehicle looking like new without the hassle!
