What Are the Most Common Car Repairs After a Collision?

common car repairs

There are many reasons why people get into collisions. The most common causes include weather, car breakdown, speeding, distractions such as mobile phone use, DUIs and other factors. Whatever the reason for an accident, it frequently results in vehicle damage that requires some of the most common car repairs.

After a collision, one of the most crucial steps is to assess the damage and get your car repaired. Depending on the type of crash and the level of damage, there are different steps you should take. It’s essential to get the necessary repairs done to make your vehicle safe to drive again. 

A damaged car after a collision needs immediate and thorough attention in order to make it safe to drive again. If you have recently been in a collision, contact an auto body repair company.

In this blog you will find the most common car repairs that are required after a collision:

Paint

Most of the time, the paint work of your vehicle is scratched, scuffed or chipped after a collision. When the impact happens, the surface of your car is scraped against another hard surface. This causes the paint to come off. 

If you are lucky, the paintwork on your car may just be just “scuffed”, meaning only the top layer has been damaged. In this case, you can have it. easily touched up at a body shop.

The paint may have been completely removed by the collision on some areas of the car. If so, you may need additional bodywork repair before the paint is resprayed. 

Dents

The way a dent is fixed depends on how badly the metal bodywork of the car has been kinked out of place. If the dent is inverted over a 90 degree angle, the whole section of bodywork might need to be replaced. 

Otherwise, a technician will use tools like a dent puller or a stud welder to suction the dent back into place. If there are many dents or significant dents, the process can take longer and require more intensive repair. 

Frame Straightening

When a car’s framework which has been crumpled or otherwise affected by the collision, it has sustained significant frame damage. Frame straightening involves having the car assessed by a technician. They will determine the cost and length of the frame straightening process. 

To straighten the frame, they will use various methods such as hydraulics and chains to realign the impaired framework of your car.

Glass Replacement

Replacing the windscreens or the windows of your car is one of the simpler repairs. If an entire glass panel is smashed, they will remove the entire window or windscreen and fit a brand new one.

Body Panel Replacement

Body panel replacement involves replacing entire pieces of the car’s exterior framework, such as a door, hood or trunk. This will be necessary if the car is dented so badly that dent repair tools won’t be able to fix it. 

Sometimes dent removal techniques will not cut it. Modern models of cars are purpose-built to crumple when impacted, to protect the passengers inside the car. This might mean that your panel is irreparable after a crash. 

Your technician will source a body panel that will fit your car’s make and model, and safely install it to replace the damaged panel.

Headlights

Replacing headlights is a relatively simple procedure. A repair mechanic will assess the need for headlight replacement. It may be that the bulb needs replacing. In some situations, the entire headlight or multiple headlights will be damaged beyond repair. 

Headlights can be swapped out easily by removing the cracked or smashed piece and fitting a new one.

Bumper Repair

After a collision, a broken or damaged bumper will likely worsen over time without adequate repair. Every time you drive, the bumper will vibrate, and if it is loose or bent, the damage will worsen. Most importantly, a damaged bumper will not adequately protect your car in the event of another collision. 

First, the technician will assess the level of damage that has occurred. If the damage is fixable, they will first use dent removal techniques to reinstate the shape of the bumper, then assure it is still properly adhered to the body of the car. If there is widespread damage, it is safer to replace the bumper altogether in order to keep your car safe on the road.

Valley Collision offers services for all unusual and common car repairs in Salt Lake City. Get in touch with us today for a free repair quote for your car collision needs.

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