10 Common Auto Body Problems and How Professional Repair Can Help in Edmonton

Through the years a vehicle body gets many abrasions.

Car parking can leave a small dent on a vehicle door, snow and ice road conditions can cause scratches together with stones, which get stuck and hit against the car to make little marks, the hailstorm can damage the body by creating numerous dents and even a low-speed collision can leave a damaged bumper or body panel.

The great thing is that most of the common vehicle body damage can be fixed without needing a new car completely. The type of repair depends on the damage, severity, whether the paint is still good, and whether structural parts underneath are also affected.

If you’re looking for a auto body repair service in Edmonton then knowing the most common issues can help you decide when to get a technician.

Edmonton Auto Body Shop offers services such as dent repair, collision repair, auto body repair, paint services, truck collision repair, and truck body and painting from its Edmonton location at 8525 18 St, Edmonton, AB T6P 1K4.

1. Door Dings and Minor Dents that come in after Parking

A small dent caused by another vehicle or shopping cart is one of the types of car damage that a driver is going to be less happy with since those things can still affect the vehicle though the damage was done while the vehicle was parked and not in use.

If a door, fender, quarter panel, or body panel was damaged by someone getting close enough and the paint was not harmed but the dent is not very deep, Paintless Dent Repair could probably work. Paintless Dent Repair technique enables specialists to reshape a panel delicately without standard filling and painting.

Edmonton Auto Body Shop lists PDR for dent repair of minor dents or dents in doors, and also certain kinds of hail damage in particular.

What is the right time for me to get a small dent repaired?

Think of taking your car for an inspection if:

• The metal is not straight but bent/creased.
• The paint is cracked/peeled.
• The dent is near an edge or body line.
• The panel fails to fit properly.

2. Deep Scratches and Paint Damage

Many people tend to think that not all scratches are only a matter of appearance.

Superficial, minor scratches that do not penetrate the painted surface might be confined only to the clear coat. On the other hand, deeply scratched areas could reach the paint or even bare metal level.

The common reasons that lead to these scratches are the following:

• Parking scratch marks from adjacent cars
• Debris on the road
• Broken branches from trees
• Scraping accidentally
• Minor accidents
• Use of incorrect washing tools

Paint restoration at the level of professionals usually includes several steps sanding, refinishing, preparation work, as well as color matching.

An Edmonton Auto Body Shop that offers Paint Services also specializes in scratch and chip repairs, color-matching technology will allow them to merge repaired spots on the paint job as seamlessly as the original one.

How deep scratched should be treated and not overlooked?

If paint layers are damaged, water, and dirt can reach the underneath part of it, causing a serious issue.

If you have just spotted a small one on your car, do not neglect getting the damage checked as an early intervention can stop it from turning into a massive issue.

3. Dented or Cracked Bumpers

The main role of bumpers is to protect and cushion the car from impacts, which results in them being one of the vulnerable parts.

It is likely a bumper may be:

• Scuffed
• Fractured
• Bumpy inside/out-
• Out of line
• Completely disconnected from one side
• Bruiselike damage around the attachment site

Beware! A cosmetic-damaged bumper can also be a more serious issue. It can still have some hidden fractures even if the surface looks fine so it needs to look closely after a hit.

Depending on the model of the car and how big the bumper damage is, the car technician may suggest to either repair or just buy a new one.

Collision repair experts would usually include not only body repair and painting but also a thorough check of any other damage that might be related to the accident.

4. Fender Damage

Movement of the vehicle, getting scratched from a wall or another vehicle on the road, parking incidents or just hitting something while driving can all lead fender damage.

A visually impaired fender may be characterized to have the following damages:

• Trouble spots
• Gathering in a straight line crease
• Fissures
• Paint breaking up
• Hanging off
• Huge bending of the metal

A small dent is occasionally fixable and need not a whole replacement. Whereas in case of a damaged fender with a big hole, panel replacement could be a better option

The best way to handle it will be determined by factors like fender material, the location of the defect on the fender, how badly it has been damaged and the general condition of the fender.

Does a correctly positioned fender have an impact?

Poorly restored or misaligned fender can make the appearance of the vehicle bad apart from that, it may also interfere with other parts. When it is professionally body repaired, you can be sure that the replaced/repaired panel is fitted seamlessly with the vehicle body.

5. Hail Damage

Hail can cause many dents on a vehicle within a surprisingly short time.

roof

bonnet

boot

doors, and

other horizontal surfaces can all be affected。

For many car owners in Edmonton, one of the worst things about hail damage is that you can easily miss a dent from 10 feet away, while there might literally be dozens when you walk up to inspect.

On occasions where the paint hasn’t been broken and the dents are shallow enough, you will be advised of Paintless Dent Repair option. Edmonton Auto Body Shop recognizes hail damage as one of the cases where PDR can be applied.

Does hail damage always require re-paint?

Only when it is absolutely necessary.

This really depends on the type of damages you get in terms of dents and scratches, their locations and the general condition of the paint。

To give you the right advice on the best way to repair your hail damage (whether Paintless Dent Repair or conventional body repair), your car has to be inspected by a qualified technician.

6. Collision and Accident Damage

The damage could range from a little nick to the major body and structural damage, according to the collision severity。

Potentially, even very small accidents can have the following damages：

• Bumpers
• Doors
• Fenders
• Hood
• Trunk
• Body panels
• Lights
• Frame or structural components
• Mechanical components

The main component of professional collision repair is evaluation of damage. Depending on the accident situation, collision repair work can involve frame straightening, repair or replacement of panels, paint refinishing and inspection of the associated mechanical components.

What if the car still drives after the accident?

Able to operate it doesn’t mean that damage isn’t hidden under the skin.

A vehicle that has had a collision accident should always be looked at by a qualified professional in order to identify any damage that might be not easy to catch by eye.

7. Misaligned Body Panels

In some cases, the damage may not be very obvious as in the case of large dents or scrapes.

Oftentimes however, you may catch something like:

• A particular panel is higher than its neighboring one.
• There is a gap in the door that looks uneven.
• The engine hood won’t shut properly.
• The trunk looks as though it is out of alignment.
• There is a bumper that is protruding.
• Headlights or other parts are not positioned properly anymore.

Panel misalignment may take place after a collision or crash.

Being correctly aligned is not only a matter of appearance but also of fit. While doing collision repair work, a technician might fix or replace the broken panels, and bring all the parts to their original state of positioning.

8. Rust and Corrosion

Over time, it is possible for rust to destroy the outside surface of a car especially when there is no paint or some other kind of covering to protect the metal.

Some of the things that are capable of causing rust are:

• Deep cuts or paint flaking off
• Scratches from small stones
• Cut up metal
• Water or other types of liquid that are present a long time
• Dirty chemicals coming from roads
• Vehicle was previously damaged at the body
• Absolutely poor quality repairs that were done earlier

Even the tiniest rust marks can become a major concern later on since the corrosion can develop quickly.

Body repairing shops offer several techniques to eliminate rust and restore the look and function of a car. In some cases, they may use sandblasting to make rust free surfaces followed by applying a base coat and top coat on the car to make up for the missing paint.

Will you fix a rust spot?

Although it’s small at first glance, a rust spot is a red flag. Getting it repaired by the specialist would definitely be an investment, rather than waiting for a small rust spot to become a big problem. That is the only way that you can prevent serious losses down the line due to the metal corrosion.

9. Damaged Truck and Commercial Vehicle Bodies

Body damage does not just result in the need for repairs for personal passenger vehicles or SUVs.

Light-duty and heavy-duty commercial and work vehicles as well as trucks will experience a range of different types of issues such as

• Car accidents
• Dents
• Scratches
• Battered panels
• Fading paint
• Hail damage
• Damage to the whole body of the vehicle

If you are a business owner and your truck is out of commission because of the accident or damage done to the vehicle, it is the downtime of the vehicle that can have an additional cost.

Edmonton Auto Body Shop is a business repair facility also offering truck collision repair and truck paint and body work repair as their specialty.

In order to get your outside car body back to the former shape and also fix the damage before it leads to more significant issues and expensive repairs at the same time, it is advised to make a professional repair.

Paint not only enhances the look of a vehicle but, it actually plays an important part in the vehicle’s protective finish.

Affected paint can become one of these over time:

• Bleached
• Dented
• Chipped
• Cracked
• Tarnished
• Damaged by weather and road debris

Car bodywork is quite a demanding job. For a localised repair to be successful, the technician has to thoroughly clean and paintmatch the surrounding panels in the same shade the original paint has.

The Edmonton auto body company can provide various services such as paint matching, scratch removal and chip repair, full-body repainting, and the provision of protective coatings.

Will repaired paint match the original?

In today’s world the technology used for colour-matching can support the technicians to create the exact match. Nevertheless, the actual repair method is dictated by the current condition, the colour and the car make of the vehicle as well as the nature and extent of the damaged areas.

Situation Where Auto-Body Is Mandatory.

A scratch or a dent is not always enough ground to do a big repair right away. However, you may want to get a professional opinion if the damage includes:

• Being hit
• A broken hood
• One very badly dented side panel
• Exposed bare metal
• Flaking paint
• Rust
• A door sticking
• Holes where bulbs should be
• The understructure of the car
• A lot of hail damage in a limited space
• Damage where closing the door, hood, or trunk is difficult.

You might be in doubt whether the problem is only cosmetic or also structural. In that case a test can tell you more clearly.

Which One to Choose: PDR or Traditional Body Repair?

In this instance, what sort of repair will be done is dictated by the sort of damage.

PDR is an option when:

• A minor dent
• The dent to be fixed comes from someone slamming the car door
• A portion of the car where hail is damaging
• Very light damage such as creases etc.
• The paint on the damage area has not been altered

Traditional vehicle body repair might be the right way to go for such damage as:

• Deep craters and cracks
• Faulty paint work or complete disappearance of the paint from the panels
• Very deformed metal pieces
• Damage of the body panels
• Big-scale collision damage
• Reconstruction of parts of the car

In the Edmonton auto body shop PDR as well as the other traditional methods of removing dents would be presented to the customer as the options according to the nature of damage.

What Takes Place During an Auto-Body Professional Repair?

Every car is slightly different, but one common starting point is to conduct an inspection.

Step 1:Damage Assessment

Visually looking the damage as well as the technician determines other damaged areas that need inspection.

Step 2: Repair Recommendation

The right sort of repair to be done for the problem depending on the damage.

Step 3: Body Repair

The panel where the damage is can be worked out by reshaping, repairing, replacing, or PDR.

Step 4: Preparing for Painting

The place that has been fixed is usually prepared and repainted if needed. Getting the same color to match ensures the looks are consistent.

Step 5: Putting the Car Back Together

Components that had to be taken out are placed back on and panels are checked for fit.

Step 6: Check-Up

After being put back together the repair should be the topic of one last look to ensure it has been done right.

To do repair work in case the car has been hit in a collision, Edmonton Auto Body Shop says the services include damage evaluation, frame repair, body panels removal or replacement, paint matching and refinishing, and mechanical repairs when needed.

What is the time frame for car body repair?

How long the car repair takes depends a lot on what needs repair.

Repairing a small dent or scratch takes much less time than one having multiple panels, structural works, or extensive painting done.

EdmontonAuto Body Shop estimates that a relatively small repair can be completed in 1, 3 days, with major works like frame repair or replacing panels needing significantly longer than that time.

The availability of parts and discovering hidden damage while doing the repair could cause delay.

Why is a professional auto bodyshop in Edmonton a good choice?

Hiding a dent or scratch with a quick DIY fix might sound good but in the long run, the real repair could take even more time!

In comparison with DIY options, professional body work makes you gain access to:

• Especialized equipments for auto body repair
• Advanced paint and color matching machine
• PDR tools
• Collision repair equipment
• Adequate panel aligning methods
• Professional car panel installers
• A good paint room

In their own words, Edmonton Auto Body Shop says that they are equipped with a pressurized and heated drive-in spray booth and their repair equipment is state-of-the-art.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common auto body damage?

Absolutely, among most common damage types are dents, scratches, bumper damage, parking-lot dings, hail marks, and collision-related car body damage.

Is there a way to mend a dent without a paint job?

Yep, there is Paintless Dent Repair technique where only the dent removal is done. This technique is used mostly on dents that have been only slightly damaged. The vehicle’s original paint is still there.

Can I ignore a tiny scratch forever?

If a scratch is deep, it may reach to the metal or primer underneath this calls for professional evaluation for stopping rust which would be more expensive than the original fix it would save time too. As well, the vehicle’s appearance may not be the best if the scratch were left there, even though the car paint might not be entirely gone.

What is the length of the time it takes to perform vehicle body repairs resulting from a big crash/accident?

Different repairs are done in different time spans. Simple body damages such as paint jobs can be covered in mere minutes whereas big collision body works can consume time of a couple weeks depending upon nature of damage, replacement parts involved, structural repairs, and repainting required.

Do Edmonton Auto Body Shop staff provide estimates?

The shop provides an accurate cost and time breakdown for auto body repairs before you even start working, free of charge and non-binding. They also accept appointments to evaluate your car at the shop in Edmonton.

Can the shop interact with my insurance carrier?

The shop has been certified at working and collaborating with the most important types of insurance, as it is able to handle insurance-related services on your behalf.

Where exactly can Edmonton Auto Body Shop be found?

The shop’s address is the following:8525 18 St, Edmonton, AB T6P 1K4. The phone that it has listed is +1 780-263-3800 and the e-mail address is edmontonautobodyshop@gmail.com.

Get Auto Body Repair Professionals in Edmonton

After all, that dent, that scratch, an issue with the bumper, one of those little hail dents, or a major accident that left damage could not be simply something that does not matter. Choosing the correct kind of repairs will make a huge difference on one hand, restoring your vehicle to original condition and at the same time, you will also save yourself from having to deal with a lot more difficult and expensive repairs down the road.

In case you are in need of a variety of car services from dent repair to collision repair or even painting and truck body, getting expert diagnosis before you do anything else would be a perfect idea.