When you own a vehicle, keeping it in peak condition is essential. Keeping up with repairs and routine maintenance will maximize the vehicle’s efficiency and performance. It’ll also keep wear and minor damage from growing into more serious problems and make your vehicle last as long as possible. It’ll go a long way toward maintaining your vehicle’s value so you can get more money if you decide to sell it or trade it in for a newer model too.
Mechanical and electrical work help to keep a vehicle up and running, but they’re only part of the bigger picture. A vehicle’s appearance is also crucial. After all, it’s the first thing people see, and it can certainly affect the way you feel about your vehicle. A car, truck, van, or SUV with serious body damage will be worth less than one that’s in prime condition no matter how well it runs. Because of that, bodywork is an essential aspect of auto repair in Malta, IL. Take a look at some of the most common types of auto body work a vehicle may need after a minor collision, exposure to the elements, or other factors.
Rust Repair
Several problems can cause a vehicle’s frame and body parts to rust. Some of the most common are exposure to salt on the roads, saltwater damage from flooding, and salt spray in coastal areas. Excessive exposure to moisture and humidity can lead to rust as well. If a vehicle’s clear coat or paint is damaged, that leaves the metal underneath even more vulnerable to moisture and resulting corrosion.
Some of the parts of a vehicle that are most prone to rusting are rocker panels, the floor pan, and wheel wells. Repairing rust generally involves cutting out the affected metal and replacing it with a patch. From there, technicians weld the patch in place and treat the surrounding area to ensure new rust is less likely to form.
Panel Repairs
Vehicles’ body panels are vulnerable to damage as well. Though they’re often destroyed in crashes, they can sustain damage from other sources as well. Rocks flying up from the road, rogue grocery carts, collisions with deer, and many other hazards can leave body panels scratched, dented, or creased. For minor damage, technicians may be able to use paintless dent repair, which is generally faster and less costly than other techniques.
For more serious damage, though, more in-depth repair methods may be needed. That can entail packing the damaged area with filler, sanding, and repainting the affect body part. In some cases, the damage is too severe to be repaired. If so, the affect parts need to be replaced. Replacement body parts usually need to be sanded and painted to match the rest of the vehicle.
Frame Repairs
Particularly serious collisions can leave a vehicle’s frame bent or kinked. Technicians can use special equipment to straighten damaged frames. In some cases, they can cut out damaged portions of a frame and weld new pieces in place. Repairing a damaged frame can keep a vehicle driving smoothly and make it safer to drive after an accident. Keep in mind that frame damage can’t always be repaired.
Keeping Your Vehicle Looking Like New
People often overlook auto body damage because it doesn’t affect the way a vehicle runs. It’s important to have rust, scratches, dents, frame damage, and other issues repaired as quickly as possible, though. Failing to do so affects more than just the appearance of a vehicle. It can also detract from the vehicle’s safety, longevity, and value.
