Unfortunately, most car owners know the frustration of finding a new scratch or dent on their precious ride. Sometimes not having enough coffee in the morning and backing out just a little too fast is the culprit. Sometimes we end up finding a little ding when coming out of the grocery store with no one around to ask what happened.
Being aware of where and what to avoid when it comes to your car’s safety could save you time and money in the future. Finding the best ways to avoid getting a ding or dent will keep your car out of the body shop as much as possible. Here are some of the most common causes of scratches, scrapes and dents in your everyday life.
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Road Debris
How many times have you been driving on the highway and you hear a loud PING hit your windshield? Driving at high speeds means the cars on the road are kicking up pebbles and concrete that has gotten loose from the road. These pebbles can do damage to your windshield and paint job at high speeds. Your best bet is to stay a good distance back from semis and other vehicles on the road whenever possible. Any dents or dings to your car’s body that don’t scratch the paint can easily and inexpensively be fixed in a matter of hours with paintless dent repair.
Shopping Carts
Grocery store parking lots are a prime place to catch a scratch or a ding if you aren’t careful. People are in a rush and not paying attention a lot of the time, and of course we can blame ourselves for a few dings here and there from not paying attention as well.
Trying to get your shopping cart as close as possible to the trunk means some dents along the way if too overzealous about setting the cart up to the bumper. Do your best to watch your own actions and try to park as far from the front door as you are comfortable with to avoid panicked or careless store-goers.
Car Doors
Another reason to park away from the front door and the congestion of vehicles is that other people’s car doors are a big reason we get side dings, dents, and scratches. Intentional or not, a person in a rush opening their car door carelessly can make a good size dent or scratch in the side of your car. Try to park as far away from the chaos of the parking lot without making it hard on yourself with an armload of groceries.
Hail Storms
Weather, however, is one thing that is uncontrollable. Hail and heavy winds can damage your car no matter how careful you are in your daily routine. Sometimes it just happens without warning. If you can manage to park in a garage when hail is forecast, that is your best bet to keep your car dent free — unfortunately, many people simply don’t have that option. In that case, its’ best to protect yourself and assess the damage after the storm. In the case of hail damage, in many cases, paintless dent repair can restore the body of your car to like-new, especially if you live in a climate where hail is a usual suspect for car damage.
Fallen Tree Branches
Parking under a tree can be a gamble on the best of days. Falling branches, sap, debris from the tree that sticks to your car, plus a myriad of other natural occurrences can make for an annoying and expensive trip to the body shop. A fallen tree branch can cause dents and scrapes as well as chipped paint if it’s a big enough branch. Sap can stick to the paint and be a real pain to remove as well as certain flowers and leaves from trees. Make sure to double check where you park, especially on windy or stormy days. Always keep the weather in mind when parking no matter the area.
Scratches and dents can happen no matter how careful you are. Take the proper preventative measures as much as possible and call your paintless dent repair shop to take out those pesky dings and dents.
Dents on your car got you down?
Despite all your efforts to protect your investment, dents are sometimes simply out of your control. Don’t worry — at JM Dent Repair, we know how much it means to you to get your car looking new again, and that’s why we’re trusted in the Lafayette area for affordable paintless dent repair.
Paintless dent repair eliminates the worry of a color mismatch or uneven fading, and preserves your vehicle’s appearance and resale value. If you’re driving a leased vehicle, it also helps you avoid expensive “wear and tear charges” on your lease return. Contact us for a quote and see why we’re the best around.