It would be so nice if a new car could somehow remain damage free forever. There is something special and exciting about a brand new vehicle rolling out straight from the factory—shiny, new and free of any scratches, dings or dents.
But it normally doesn’t take too long for city driving in the streets of Vancouver to take its toll, for marks and blemishes to appear in a car’s paint job. A little knick here and a small scratch there and suddenly the new and perfect car doesn’t feel quite so perfect anymore.
So what is a person to do? Many people think that they can take on small touch up jobs on their own, that a can of spray paint can do the trick if carefully applied in the driveway or personal garage. Many people think that because the job is small, it might not be worth taking the vehicle to an auto body repair shop.
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But before you go ahead and break out the paint brush and attempt to fix that unsightly scratch on your own, you might want to consider the benefits of taking your vehicle to an Vancouver auto body repair shop for touch ups.
For one, auto body repair shops have controlled environment to do touch ups properly. Not only do they have the correct tools needed to scuff, sand and prepare the damage, they also have a paint room where they can eliminate dust and debris from getting into the paint itself. This is an important part of the process because if airborne particles make their way into the wet paint, there is no getting them out—they are in there for good and if you are looking for a flawless paint finish, this simply won’t do.
Auto body repair shops also have the right tools to set the paint after it is applied. If paint is not hardened properly, there is a chance that it will not adhere and that can lead to further cracks and chips.
The same is true for attempting to fix minor dents that don’t need a paint touch up. Again, auto body repair shops have the proper tools to access the inner surface of a dented panel and the proper tools to flatten out the dent to return the car to its original flawless state. But without the proper training and experience, to attempt even a small repair like this can cause more damage, and can cost you more time and money in the long run.
Another thing to consider is that if you have attempted an at home touch up instead of bringing it in to an auto body repair shop, a risk you might face is when you want to take your vehicle in for paint concerns or repairs that would normally be covered by warranty. A paint shop professional can measure the thickness of the paint and if a layer of paint was applied by a non professional, the warranty might be called into question and even nullified. The same is true for small damages—if a repair is done at home, the warranty might be disregarded if the car has been taken apart an worked on by a non professional.
So while it might seem over the top to take a vehicle into an auto body repair shop for touch ups, the truth is that it will likely save you time, money and eliminate stress in the long run. There’s no substitute for professional work and if the pristine condition of your car matters to you, you’ll want to visit an auto repair shop to make sure the job is done right.