TOPIC - PREVIOUS UNKNOWN REPAIRS
So you’ve bought a used vehicle or are thinking of doing so. You’re looking for a good deal, of course, but are also concerned about whether or not a vehicle has had collision repairs in the past. That information may not always appear on the Carfax report, and certainly isn’t offered by the salesman in most cases. We recently had a car come in for repair that resulted from a small accident covered under insurance. After taking a closer look, it was obvious that the vehicle had been poorly repaired after another collision in the past. We contacted our customer with the findings, as insurance will only cover damage that originates from the most recent claim being handled. She was completely unaware that her car had been involved in another crash before she purchased it. To help prevent this from happening to you, there are a few things you can check for…(1) overspray on moldings, rubber door seals and around the edges of hoods and door panels. This is an indication that the car has been painted before without attention to detail, and could be hiding further damage that was done behind those panels. (2) Under the hood, pay attention to visible screws and fasteners. If the car has had components removed for repair before, a mechanic who loses some of those items will often replace them with different types and sizes, or even leave them out completely. (3) Also under the hood, look for any metal areas that appear to be slightly bent or crushed. If the shop is hurrying along the repair, they may attempt to straighten impact bars and radiator supports as opposed to ordering and replacing those parts. You’ll see an example of overspray in the photo below, and it’ll have a rough texture when running your hand across it. A case of missing screws and fasteners in the other two photos. We hope that having these tips will help you make an informed purchase on your next used vehicle.
TOPIC - PAINT COLOR MATCHING
So you’ve had your car repaired in the past and the new paint doesn’t seem to quite match? You wonder if the shop used the paint made by the manufacturer (Ford, Chevy, etc). First of all, it’s important to know that vehicle makers only use their paint on the factory line. They do not distribute that paint to other industries, so there’s no such thing as a shop using “factory paint “. Many small shops don’t mix their own paint, and will call an automotive paint store to mix it for them. If a cheaper brand paint is being purchased, there may be only one color variation. But if a higher quality paint is used, there will be multiple color variations, possibly as many as a dozen. Color chip cards may be used for a closer match. Other times, a camera shot or scan may be needed. But keep in mind that there is no perfect code for an absolute guaranteed match. Also remember that the vehicle’s age and amount of sun exposure can offset the color shade from a slight amount to quite a bit. Either way, it is the shop’s job to get the closest possible match. We use only the most reputable paint brand, and each technique to achieve the best for our customers.
