Most people assume that accidents are the only cause of auto body damage. While this may be the most common cause, many other factors can also damage your vehicle’s body. Below, we have listed the common factors that can cause auto body damage that will warrant the need for vehicle body repair or touch-up.
Poor Parking Habits
Many types of auto body damage happen in a parking lot. You have probably seen stranded shopping carts rolling and hitting a vehicle from the side, which can cause denting and scratches.
Another problem is when you park your vehicle too close to another vehicle. If an occupant of that vehicle opens the door, the door can collide with your vehicle and cause dents.
When you go to a sporting event, park your vehicle in a secure place. Flying balls can hit the windscreen and other parts of the vehicle, causing significant damage.
Weather
Auto manufacturers often design vehicles to withstand extreme weather conditions, but this doesn’t always help. Your vehicle’s paint job can start to fade if the vehicle is in the sun for extended periods in the summer. The hot sun can also cause the tires to crack, fade, and blister, weakening them over time.
In the spring, things like pollen, tree sap, and bird droppings can fall on your vehicle and release corrosive hazards that damage the vehicle’s paint. The problem worsens in the fall when falling tree branches have the capacity to chip your car’s paint and damage the windshield.
The problems continue in winter when the low temperatures bring freezing rain and ice onto the vehicle’s body. The buildup of snow and ice on the vehicle can scratch the paint job when the ice and snow eventually melt off.
Winter is also the time when there is high humidity in the air. If the roads are salty, the humidity can combine with the salt to cause high rates of corrosion on the vehicle’s exterior surface. Winter also has fluctuating temperatures that can cause cracking of your windscreen. The best strategy is to park the vehicle in a protected area or use the right type of cover if you park the vehicle outside.
General Wear and Tear
Your vehicle’s paint job won’t last forever, no matter how well you maintain the vehicle. Eventually, the paint will begin to wear and tear as the vehicle ages and remains exposed to the elements.
Vandalism
Leaving your vehicle unattended can expose it to unsavory individuals with the intent to vandalize. These people might try to tag your vehicle with graffiti or deface the exterior with unsightly things. Others can simply damage the vehicle out of malice. This can result in scratches, dents, and fading of the exterior paint.
Fender Benders
Your vehicle might be involved in a low-speed impact called a fender bender. Many of these accidents happen when you are entering or leaving a parking lot. Although the impact is minor, it can cause dents and dings on the auto body. The vehicle’s paint may also scratch upon impact.
Even at low speeds, fender benders can cause damage to the vehicle’s frame. This will make it difficult and dangerous to drive the vehicle.
High-Speed Collisions
Perhaps the biggest cause of major auto body damage is high-speed collisions. High-speed collisions damage the vehicle frame and can cause severe body damage. In some cases, it may be impossible to repair the vehicle and make it roadworthy again after a high-speed collision, especially if the accident leads to total engine failure. As a consequence, your insurance company might declare the vehicle totaled.
If you’re lucky, the high-speed collision may only lead to minor damages, such as broken frames and shattered windshields. The collisions may also make the steering wheel inoperable, and some vehicle components might be missing after the incident. Typically, minor collision damages are easily repairable without having to spend more than the car’s worth.
If your vehicle has sustained any of the above auto body damages, Best Collision Center will help you. We provide a wide range of services to help our clients return the body of their vehicle to its original factory specifications and aesthetics. Our services include fixing cars that got into major accidents, body and paint repair, and assistance with insurance claims. Contact us for quality auto body service.
