Sadly, some car bodywork damage is unavoidable, causing unsightly damage that drives down the resale value of your car. It’s important to get your car bodywork repaired to avoid any chronic and escalating rust problems.
Even though car paint is now manufactured using advanced technology and car spraying methods have improved, your car will inevitably pick up paint damage. So, to keep your car’s bodywork shining and in brilliant condition, make yourself aware of the following common causes of car bodywork damage.
Stone Chips
One offender of car bodywork damage is loose stones and rocks on the road. Common on the motorway, little rocks, gravel and road debris can be flicked up from the tyres of the vehicles you are following. Due to the high speeds of these little stones, they are virtually unavoidable and often leave deep dings and chips in your paintwork – typically on your bonnet, roof and front bumper.
Winter Weather
Road salt, sleet and snow are all perpetrators of bodywork damage, and can even damage it permanently. What’s more, if you live in a rainy part of the UK, or near the sea, the salt from the sea or the minerals in the rain can also create water spots, which can be difficult to remove.
Summer Weather
Surprisingly, it’s not just winter weather that can take its toll on your car bodywork. When your car is exposed to the summer sun for long periods of time, the paintwork can begin to fade. If you find that your car starts to fade of you’re losing the shine in the paint, your best option is to either invest in a car cover or make space in your garage.
When the damage starts to worsen, you may need to invest in a full respray.
Bird Droppings
Containing natural chemicals which erode car paint, bird droppings can be extremely damaging to your car’s paint. Leaving the mess on your bodywork will likely erode the paint away, more often than not down to the underlying layers. So, it’s important to remove this mess as soon as you notice it, to reduce the chances of any damage.
Fuel & Brake Fluid
Even though they are useful for your car’s running, both fuel and brake fluid should be kept well away from your bodywork and paint. If either makes contact with the surface, it will cause the paint to peel.
If you do get a spillage whilst refuelling or happen to have a leak, make sure to wash your car thoroughly as soon as possible, in order to protect the paintwork.
Sharp Objects
Often used by vandals, sharp objects such as keys, razor blades, scissors and knives can cause huge amounts of damage to your car bodywork.
Generic and Abrasive Cleaners
When you wash your car, using generic cleaners such as detergent and soap can cause damage to your bodywork. Household products aren’t formulated for use on a car’s paint and could potentially strip off the protective wax on the surface. Always make sure to use high-quality car cleaning products, to keep your paint sparkling.
Remember, that neglecting any bodywork damage on your car could potentially lead to rust problems – meaning you could even needlessly incur extra, but avoidable costs in the future on additional repairs and respraying.
It’s also good to be cautious when using abrasive cleaners on your alloy wheels. If you have noticed any damage to the paint on your alloys, Car & Truck (Bristol) Ltd will also be able to provide alloy refurbishment in Bristol, to get your wheels looking great again with a flawless finish.
Other Drivers
It’s frustrating, yet happens too common. People will misjudge their surroundings in a car park, and either reverse into someone, open their doors too quickly or scrape up the side of your car as they turn theirs.
You can park as far away as possible from other drivers, in the furthest reaches of the car park, but there’s little escape from damage to your bodywork.
So, if you’ve just discovered some car bodywork damage on your car, from any of the above culprits, don’t panic. Be sure to contact Car & Truck (Bristol) Ltd, Bristol’s Car Bodywork specialists, today on 0117 938 2542.
