New Year Auto Body Hazards to Look For
The new year is coming up and although you may live in the Valley, there are certain auto body hazards to look for to make sure your vehicle is still in good condition. It’s pretty common for people to think of needing a body shop only after a collision—whether it’s a minor fender-bender or a major collision. The truth is, even small dings can lead to rust and eventually further decay of your car.
Below are five auto body hazards to watch for this winter regarding keeping your car in peak shape:
- Small fender-benders. Even a minor accident can cause enough damage to a car where it needs to be repaired. Being hit by another car door that’s parked beside you, scraping another car pulling out of a parking place or just bumping into your garage pulling out can all cause damage that should be taken care of.
2. Rust. Rust isn’t just unpleasant to look at, it’s also like a fungus that can spread and cause more damage. This is of of the auto body hazards that can slowly destroy your vehicle’s body slowly over time. Look for rust where it’s not the most visible like near your car’s wheel wells and and car door frames. Make sure you call your body shop as soon as you notice it for repair.
3. Winter driving.
Although it rarely snows in Phoenix, many people take trips around the holidays as well as go on skiing trips, etc., for winter vacations. Driving in snow and ice increases your chances of getting in a collision to begin with. If you’re traveling in parts of the country that gets this type of weather, chances are your car will be exposed to road salt that is put down by the state’s highway department. This salt can be very hard on an unprotected car and start the rust process.
4. A collision.
Even if your car is drivable after an accident there could be several problems that can occur if you don’t have it repaired promptly. First, your frame may no longer be aligned which can lead to further problems if left untouched. Also, if the paint was scraped in the accident, it could lead to rust and decay.
5. Curb checks.
Something as small as a curb check can cause tire and wheel damage and even body damage. If you’ve hit a curb particularly hard, it’s always a good idea to have your car looked over by a body shop to make sure it didn’t cause a ripple effect to other parts of your car.
It’s simply a good idea to have your body shop look at your vehicle any time the above events occur. In order to keep the value of your car at trade-in, as well as have it run at its optimum efficiency, be aware of these factors.
We here at Orlando Auto Body care about our customers and keeping their vehicles in top condition. If you’ve experienced any of the issues above or would just like a vehicle inspection to make sure your body and frame are in the best shape they can be, call us at (480) 844-4858.
