Tag Archives: damage

How To Bring a Car Back to Pre-Accident Condition

Car accidents cause a lot of disruption. Aside from injuries, vehicle damage is one of the most difficult things to recover from after a collision. In serious accidents where the frame is bent or the fender is crumpled beyond recognition, it takes a skilled auto repair shop to bring the vehicle back to its previous condition. This is done in a variety of ways.

Frame A bent frame used to signify that a car should not be fixed, but sent to the junkyard. With modern technology and proper equipment at a quality auto repair center, this is no longer the case. Pulling a bent frame back into proper alignment and form is now possible with the use of machinery that can pull in several different directions at once. The metal in the vehicle can be slowly pulled or realigned to its prior position. When multiple areas of damage have occurred on the same auto, it can still be fixed in stages.

Insurance Repair work should be itemized as needed for both the car owner and insurance company’s benefit. Using frame measurement equipment, before and after images are taken of the vehicle before the frame is pulled. It is transformed into a full-color report for the insurer, which needs to know that the structural integrity of the car or truck in intact. It is critical that the vehicle is safe for their customer to drive every day to any destination without excess risk. The work can be done quickly and efficiently to minimize the amount of time the driver is without their vehicle. This makes it less expensive for the insurance company, as they will have fewer car rental expenses to pay. It is also more convenient for the car owner, whose routine has already been interrupted by the collision.

Precision Oftentimes, a car’s tires are damaged or its axles are bent from impact. The tires should be replaced, and the wheels properly balanced. This reduces future wear on the tires and on the rest of the vehicle.

Paint The biggest telltale sign that a vehicle has been in an accident is the paint job. When one or two panels do not match the rest of the vehicle, it is obvious. There may be large patches of embarrassing body putty or primer are hard to miss. A top notch paint job is needed to make the area blend in and erase any evidence of damage. Using modern technology with color matching, it is no longer necessary to repaint an entire vehicle after collision repair. Repainting one or two panels is now sufficient. It costs the car owner, insurer and body shop less time and money to get the job done.