Winter Weather and Vehicle Dents:
What you Should Know
Cold winds, snow and ice can take their toll on your vehicle, which will cause scratches, cracks and scratches. To help you avoid the excessive wear and tear of winter, we break down what often causes your car to malfunction in that season.
Here are some common causes of winter dents:
Hailstorms: If you are taking a trip during your winter vacation, you may end up hitting one of these popcorn sized hailstones, which can do quite a bit of damage to your car body. The roof, hood or trunk of your car are easy targets for all manner of hailstones — from tiny pebbles or giant golf balls. This kind of damage can be prevented by parking your car in a covered area, or even using a car cover before a storm hits.
Slippery Roads : Ice and snow-covered roads are often the cause of fender benders and minor collisions. You can even slip on ice when driving slowly, and hit someone else’s car, curb or other objects. A lot of these small collisions end up causing dents that are purely cosmetic and can certainly make your car look awful.
Ice And Snow Accumulations: Sheets of ice and snow from a variety of outdoor sources, such as trees that hang over driveways or ice forming on the roof or the vehicle. If you need to park your car, do not park near trees; snowplows could knock down dangerous limbs and ice formations.
Busy Parking lots: Winter causes shopping centers to be overpacked, so drivers tend to get as close as possible next to other cars in order to not walk far in the cold. Thus, doors are more likely to open into adjacent parking spaces and lots of the shallow but irritating door dings occur.
Shoveling Mishaps: Using the wrong tools or techniques to shovel snow away from your car can cause denting. Careful with those hard shovels or ice scrapers that can do some serious damage if not used correctly on your car’s body.
Ways of Protecting your automobile from Winter season Dents
If you can, park under a carport or in a garage to protect against hail and snow or ice that may accumulate on top of your car. If you do not have a garage, then park outside using a protective car cover. Remember to drive slowly as roads can be icy and making driving more dangerous, so avoid fast speeds to have full control of your vehicle.
Before heading out of the house, you should always check the weather reports so you can be prepared and know what the road conditions are like. You should also ensure that your car tires are maintained well, especially during winter so that they can have a good grasp on icy roads.
Why Opt for PDR in for Winter Dents?
If your vehicle does get dents this winter, Paintless Dent Repair (PDR) is a great option. PDR repairs dents without repainting, leaving your auto with its original coat. That’s why we at Sioux Falls Dent Repair are experienced certified PDR technicians and allow them to remove large dents promptly, delivering a full body repair job that looks great without the high costs or lead times of traditional repair methods.
It does not matter if you have hail damage, minor collision dents or some falling debris dent- PDR is a quick and inexpensive way to get your car back in its original shape. Being informed of winter hazards and precautions you can take to avoid them, should assist in preventing your car from suffering unsightly dents.
The Paintless Dent Repair method can even be used to repair Storm Damage Dent Removal caused from falling snow or ice. This Chevy Silverado Pickup hood we have in our shop today was purchased with this damage on it and the customer had to have it repaired. The Silverado was actually at a local body shop at the time and they decided to contact us to do paintless dent repairs on the hood of this while the truck was in the body shop getting unrelated repairs done to it. The storm damage dents were then removed that day and returned to the truck at the body shop the next morning.
Disconnecting Electrical Components For Repairs
We have another vehicle in the shop for some storm related damage. This 2016 Dodge Durango had some tree limbs fall on it during a thunderstorm. This damage looks similar to hail damage with the multiple round dents but the way the damage is on the panel indicates other than hail and was confirmed by the customer. In order to do the repairs on this Durango we have to remove multiple components. To safely do this and not cause on electrical related damage we have to disconnect the battery to power down the entire vehicle.
To read more about electrical components and why we need to disconnect and computer scan the systems CLICK HERE!
Did you know this Durango has the batteries located below the passenger front seat. Yes that’s right, you read that right, this vehicle has not one but two batteries in it! The bigger of the batteries is for the main motor components and the smaller batter can be used to power many things typically the smaller electrical components on the vehicle, like inside lighting, radio, ect.
If you happen to need any time of dent removal services yourself give us a call or text us today to schedule your appointment!
Don’t let last night’s hail storm ruin your day. Seeing hail damage on your car can be upsetting, but luckily, there are excellent options for automotive hail repair in Sioux Falls.
Sioux Falls Dent Repair offers a variety of services to repair your vehicle, including small dent repair, large dent repair, PDR, and motorcycle tank repair.
Paintless dent repair is one of the best methods of automotive hail repair in Sioux Falls. PDR allows for complete dent removal without damaging your car’s finish. Technicians must get certifications to perform PDR, ensuring the best possible repairs for customers like you.
Paintless Dent Repair is a Versatile Method
PDR can be performed on almost any part of a vehicle, including doors, body panels, rooves, trunks, and hoods. Typically, the areas that most need Sioux Falls automotive hail repair are the hood, roof, and trunk, as these are the parts with the most upward-facing surface area.
We Can Fix More Than Just Cars
If cars are not your typical mode of transportation, you can still use PDR. Sioux Falls Dent Repair offers motorcycle dent repair as well as traditional automotive hail repair, meaning you can come right in and get your tank restored rather than shipping it to a faraway body shop. Motorcycle PDR in Sioux Falls means that you can get your bike back on the road sooner since you don’t need to wait for shipping.
Talk To Our Sioux Falls Hail Repair Experts
Thinking about auto hail repair could initially give you a headache, but Sioux Falls’ automotive hail repair process is so painless that there’s no need to fret. Car or motorcycle with dents large or small, Sioux Falls Dent Repair has technicians that can help. Their state-of-the-art processes and PDR-certified technicians will remove your hail damage in no time. When you’re in need of hail dent removal, check out Sioux Falls Dent Repair.
You may have seen auto hail damage consisting of round dents covering a vehicle’s surface, but that is not the only kind of vehicle hail damage. Hail can come in many forms, and so can its damage. It’s important to be aware of the types of hail damage you can get as well as the best repair option for each type. Being knowledgeable about hail and vehicle hail damage repair can be useful in the long run if you are unlucky enough to be caught in a hailstorm.
There are four main types of hail damage. The two main dent categories of hail damage are cosmetic and severe. Within those categories, damage could either have cracked your paint or left it intact. The type of vehicle hail damage repairs your car needs will be based on the kind of damage it has accumulated.
Cosmetic damage with intact paint
Likely the most common form of hail damage, cosmetic damage with intact paint consist of many small, round dents on your metal panels with no damage to your finish or paint. Cosmetic damage merely impacts the surface of your vehicle but can take away from your car’s appearance and resale value. This kind of damage can be repaired with PDR because there are no paint scratches.
Cosmetic damage with scratched paint
This type of damage also only affects your car’s surface but cannot be repaired with PDR since it contains paint damage. Vehicle hail damage repair for cosmetic damage containing paint scratches could be traditional dent repair or remove and replace.
Severe damage with intact paint
Severe damage affects a car’s external and internal features, which can require more extensive repairs. Dents on the surface of your vehicle can be fixed with PDR because they do not contain paint damage, but any internal repairs will need to be fixed differently.
Severe damage with scratched paint
Because this is the most extreme type of hail damage, it will likely cost the most to fix. Dents with paint scratches cannot be repaired with PDR, so will have to be repaired with another form of dent removal. On top of that, any internal issues must be fixed to ensure your car’s ability to function safely.
Before a hail storm, there are several preventative measures you can take to minimize the damage to your vehicle. You can read up on prep before a hail storm here. Unfortunately, many of us aren’t so ‘fortunate’ or ‘lucky’ to have that kind of time to prepare. In the event that you are caught off guard by a hail storm seek immediate shelter and wait until it passes. Once it is clear you can begin gathering information for your insurance providers, and start search for Sioux Falls hail repair experts near you!
First, gather as much information as you can. Start by taking pictures of the damage. You’ll want to make sure everything is in clear lighting and easy to see. A little bit of dirt or glare can easily hide some pretty serious dings. Jot down other important info such as license plate numbers.
Next, call your insurance provider. Let them know the full extent of the damage, and provide them the pictures you took earlier. This will help you determine whether or not to file a claim. For instance, if the damage does not exceed your deductible limit then you will be charged the full amount for repairs. In some cases it may be best to forgo the claim.
Finally, the search for your perfect Sioux Falls hail repair team near you begins. Look for a company that is trustworthy and reliable. Word of mouth is going to be your best resource, but you can often find reviews online. As for the techs themselves, you should find someone that enjoys what they do. Otherwise they may neglect their equipment or be out of practice.
The Best Tech in Town
Sioux Falls Dent Repair provides professional quality dent removal services to residents near and around the Sioux Falls area. If you need dents, hail, or minor collision repair, we are the safest, fastest, and most affordable option available. You can schedule a free damage estimate with us today by calling 605-595-4061 or by filling out our online contact form!
