No matter how much or how well you take care of your vehicle, you’ll occasionally find a scratch or dented fender or door. It’s bound to happen to all of us at one point or another and can come from a variety of situations such as branches or dirt scratching your vehicle, minor traffic incidents.
Your first thought when you see minor body damage may be to scream or curse and some might just ignore it. However, ignoring it can lead to larger – and costlier – problems further down the road. This means that it’s best to fix a problem as soon as you see it.
Thankfully, it’s easy to fix minor body damage at home. The process is inexpensive and beginner friendly, making it a great alternative for people lacking either the time or money to visit a professional. To make your DIY repair easier, here are some of the top tips for fixing minor body damage on your vehicle.
Suction
Got a dent in your vehicle? Look no further than the bathroom for your cure! Get a plunger – in this case, it’s probably best to go and buy a new, clean one – and wet the suction end. After this, all you have to do is stick the suction cup to the dent and pull gently. If this doesn’t work, you can go to nearly any auto store and buy a dent puller – a tool made just for this purpose that is stronger than your average toilet plunger.
Science
This method is just as easy as making a volcano out of baking soda and vinegar – except less messy. This unique dent removal method involves a hair dryer – it must be a hairdryer in order to preserve your paint job – and a can of compressed air.
All you have to do is, using the hair dryer, heat up the dent for several minutes using the hottest setting. Then, holding the can upside down, spray the now heated area. The heat paired with the sudden coolness will cause the metal to expand and contract, thus removing the dent. Be careful though – done incorrectly, your paint could be damaged in the process.
Repair Kits
If you find that the paint on your vehicle has been scratched, one of the best ways to fix it before taking it to an auto body repair shop is to go to an auto parts store and buy a DIY repair kit. These kits are relatively inexpensive, and, so long as the scratch isn’t too deep, will fill and blend the damage in with the rest of the vehicle.
Final Thoughts
While it is possible to fix a few minor body damages at home, if you find that you have bitten off more than you can chew, it is best to contact a professional who fixes these types of problem daily. In need of a reliable auto body repair shop near Rohnert Park, be sure to contact Downtown Autobody today!