4 Tips to Remember During Car Crash Repairs
Keep the following tips in mind if you ever get involved in a car crash that caused body damage to a panel.
Know When to Replace Panels
One way to save time and cut costs is to know when you should replace a damaged panel instead of having its panel beaten. Severe dents in a replaceable panel, such as a door or a front bumper, can be dealt with more easily by replacing the entire panel. Visit car wreckers in your area and buy that panel. This approach will be much cheaper than insisting that the panel beater restores the severely damaged panel to its original state.
Don't Worry About the Weight of Panels
It is common for car owners to feel a difference in the weight of a replacement panel, such as a door, after receiving their car from a panel beater. This weight difference should not worry you. Different car models have a variety of padding materials that are used inside the door panels. It is therefore possible that you bought a replacement door taken from a car model that has heavier padding inside its panels. Pay no attention to that weight as long as the replacement door fits well on your car.
Don't Rush the Paint Job
Most panel-beating jobs require sections of the car to be repainted so that its appearance is uniform after the repairs. Some car owners are impatient to get back their cars and they insist that the car should be painted immediately. Cars should be painted during warm weather even if the painting will be done in a covered location. This precaution is important because when it is rainy there is a lot of moisture in the air. That moisture can affect how well the paint dries on your newly painted car. You should therefore be patient until the weather is suitable for the car to be painted.
Check the Removable Components
Some panel-beating tasks may require the panel beater to remove components such as boot badges or decals. Some of those components may not reattach onto the car properly once they are removed. Consult the panel beater regarding the restoration or replacement of trim clips, boot badges, light activation switches and spacers for exhaust mufflers. Such parts may seem to be minor but they can affect the appearance or performance of your repaired car.
Not all dents will require you to see a panel beater. Some minor dents can be repaired using DIY dent repair kits. Take the car to a panel beater in case you feel the damage is too severe for you to repair on your own.