A car is one of the most expensive things most people will ever buy in their life, so when it’s been in an accident and you take it to a workshop for smashed car repair work, you want to be sure they’ve done it properly.
Although you want to trust your panel beater, everyone is only human. It’s best to inspect the quality of the car smash repairs before driving away, so that if you find a fault it can be addressed immediately. In Australia, there are more than 22,000 businesses operating in the field of smash car repair solutions, so how do you know who is the very best to handle your situation?
“What should I look for?” you might ask. The repair work might look fine from afar, but you really need to look at the details to make sure everything was repaired as required.
Here’s what to check for before you drive away after taking your vehicle for smash repairs.
Most smashed car repair experts wash your vehicle after performing any work, and if they don’t, you should question why not. You won’t be able to check the quality of the paint job if the car is dirty. Before driving away, insist that you see your vehicle clean so that you can assess the paint quality.
Look closely at the repaired panel from all angles so that you can see the light reflecting off it. You want to focus on how smooth the surface is. A good paint respray should have smooth paint, like the paint on the rest of the vehicle.
If the paint respray is bumpy or rough, the paint job hasn’t been done correctly and you can indicate this to the panel beaters to rectify.
If your car is a bit older or has had a lot of sun exposure, the panels surrounding the repaired area could require respraying in order to match the fresh colour of the newly painted panel. This process is called ‘blending.’
When a car is involved in an accident, everything shifts. Each car door, window, and even the frame can move out of place from the impact.
After vehicle repair has been performed, open and close all the doors and windows to ensure they’re operating smoothly. Pop the hood as well, make sure it stays open, and make sure it latches shut when you close it. Do the same with the trunk.
Take note of whether any parts stick or struggle to open and close. Also, listen out for creaks or scrapes.
These things could become a safety risk, so it’s important to have the panel beaters fix the problem before retrieving your vehicle.
Although aesthetical imperfections after smash repairs are important, you also need to test your vehicle to ensure that it’s controlling and working properly.
Tell your smash repairer that you’re taking your car for a test drive, and even invite them to join you. Take note of the steering and whether the car pulls to one side. This could happen because of a bent frame or poor alignment of the body structure. Having this addressed is imperative because it could lead to a second accident.
The steering wheel also shouldn’t be too hard or too easy to turn.
If the repairs needed were due to an accident, also check the airbags. If they were disengaged, check that the fitting is flush and installed correctly so that they are providing safety as they should.
Once you’re happy with all the work performed by your smash repairers and your car is looking and feeling as good as new, you’re all good to go.
But keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary. Schedule regular car servicing to ensure your vehicle remains safe for you and your passengers, as well as other drivers on the road.
Take a look at the paint job every now and then to ensure that it’s not fading, bubbling or cracking.
DSY Auto is a professional smash repair shop that offers expert panel beating and spray painting services.
Each panel beater on our team is highly qualified. If your car has been in an accident or has been scratched or damaged by hail or even vandalism, we provide fast and efficient service to complete the repairs.
We will liaise with your insurance company, and arrange that you get a rental car or replacement vehicle if necessary. If it’s a quick job, we can just drop you off and work and bring you to collect your car when the smash repair work is complete.
We guarantee excellent quality service from each panel beater and smash repairer, and we have state-of-the-art technology, tools, and equipment at our warehouse that are specially designed for body repairs. At DSY Auto, you can trust that we only use genuine parts and new panels to repair vehicles.
If you are in the area, you can bring your car in for an inspection and we’ll provide a free quote with no strings attached. Our team of professionals delivers excellent customer service, and we are passionate about the work we do.
Contact us for more information and we’ll have your car back to its original condition in no time at all.