No one enjoys being in a car accident. After all, your car is pivotal in transporting you to and from work, to doctors’ appointments, and to run errands. Thus, when your car has been involved in an accident, you may be on the spectrum of annoyed to full out panic. If the resulting damage appears to be minimal, you may wish to avoid the inconvenience of getting your car into the shop for an estimate and repairs. You may be thinking couldn't I just live with the damage; it was only just a fender bender?
While to the naked eye it may appear that no major damage has occurred, it is often the case that there is far more underlying damage that you may have realized. Foregoing repairs could put you and your family at risk, as well as potentially costing you more, in the long run, when parts failure results in extensive damage to your vehicle. Don't make the mistake of letting damage go after a minor accident. Instead, allow a reputable auto body shop to ensure your vehicle is fixed correctly, so you and yours stay safe and your vehicle continues to operate at peak performance.
When To Contact a Body Shop
It goes without saying that anytime your vehicle is too damaged to drive and needs to be towed away it should go directly to a body shop. However, even if you can drive away following a fender bender, you should still contact your insurance company and take your vehicle to a trusted body shop to be evaluated for damage. A reputable body shop will work directly with your insurance company to provide you with an estimate and get necessary repairs covered.
Often times, a fender bender may appear to have only caused minor scratches or dents, but in reality, much greater damage has occurred to the frame or other operational parts. The last thing you want to do is ignore the damage, as even minor damage could end up creating additional issues. For example, rubbing/puncturing from damaged parts may harm other parts of your vehicle or worse yet, you could be responsible for causing another accident when your vehicle experiences parts failure due to underlying damages that remained unrepaired.
At a minimum, dents and scratches that are left unrepaired will eventually rust out, especially in climates that receive a lot of precipitation and harsh winter conditions. This damage is not only unsightly but can cause structural issues within the vehicle. In states that require yearly inspections, rust issues can result in the vehicle no longer being deemed road worthy, leaving you without a vehicle. Not to mention, if you decided to resell or trade in your vehicle, damage and rust will negatively impact the equity of your car. Simply put, it’s not worth taking the risk. Trusting the body shop experts is the only way to ensure your vehicle is safe to drive following any type of collision, even a fender bender.
What Encompasses Vehicle Structural Damage?
The term "structural damage" encompasses many different types of damage to your vehicle. These include:
Minor Damage - Cracked/broken windshields, broken windows, bent/cracked headlights, a dented or chipped hood, dented/cracked bumpers, dents, scratches, dings, as well as cracks to the exterior panels of your vehicle are frequently result from fender benders. However, when fixing these issues, it is often discovered that more significant, underlying damage has occurred such as frame damage. Although, even truly minor damage like a broken taillight makes your vehicle unsafe and illegal to be driven until properly repaired.
Major Damage - Major damage includes things like broken axles, engine damage, transmission damage, suspension damage, etc. If you notice anything unusual about your vehicle, such as smoke coming from under the hood, oil leaking from the engine, or if you hear strange noises following a fender bender, these are all indications that severe damage may have occurred. Avoid operating the vehicle until it has been looked over by a body shop and has had the necessary repairs completed. Failing to do so could put you and others are risk.
Frame Damage - When the frame of your vehicle is damaged, this means that the metal structure of the chassis is compromised. While some vehicles are built stronger than others, a common result of fender benders is a bent frame.
Tire Damage - Tire damage that occurs in a fender bender is typically minimal. The most common type of damage is a small hole that causes the tire to go flat. While this is a simple fix, if your tire is fully destroyed (such as by hitting a pothole), then the entire wheel assembly could need to be replaced. Failing to have the correct repairs completed could put you at risk of poor handling of the vehicle, a blown tire, poor gas mileage, and future accidents.
What Type of Damage Can an Auto Body Shop Repair?
An auto body shop can perform a variety of different services on your vehicle. They can repair minor damage, major damage, or even replace parts of your vehicle. Common repairs include:
Windshield Replacement - Windshield replacement is one of the most common repairs performed at an auto body shop. This service allows a damaged windshield to be fully replaced with brand new glass, so your windshield continues to protect you from flying objects with an unobscured view.
Headlight Replacement - Headlight replacement is another common repair done at an auto body shop. The right shop can determine if you need an entire new unit or if a new cover and bulb will be enough to properly repair the damage resulting from an accident. That way you have clear, unobstructed views while on the highway.
Body Work - Body work is probably the most popular repair performed by an auto body shop. Depending on what needs to be fixed, the body shop will either replace the entire panel, or remove dents via traditional methods, and/or paintless dent repair, depending upon the severity of the damage. Keeping the structural components of your vehicle sturdy is important for driver and passenger safety.
Painting - Painting is another area of repair that can be completed by a body shop. Depending on the extent of the damage, entire areas may need to be sanded and repainted following the completion of repairs. Although, in some cases simply touching up minor scrapes is possible.
Bumper Replacement - Bumper replacement can also be performed by an auto body shop. This type of repair allows the bumper to be replaced with a brand-new bumper so your vehicle's first defense against impact can withstand any future accidents.
Tire Replacement – Tires are often replaced a part of auto body repair. Depending on what kind of damage has occurred, the tires may be simply replaced with new ones. However, if the damage is severe enough, the entire wheel assembly will be replaced to ensure your vehicle drives correctly.
Fenders - Fenders may be replaced, following an accident, by the body shop in charge of repairing your vehicle. This service allows the fenders to be replaced with brand new fenders to avoid damaged fenders from rubbing your tires and impacting drivability.
The right body shop can do all this and so much more! Don't let your safety to chance, have your vehicle checked over and repaired after every single incident of impact!
