If you got into a minor fender bender with your car, you may be tempted to DIY the repair. But in an attempt to save money and time, you may actually be costing yourself more money and time by doing it yourself. You may cause even more problems and have to take it to an auto body repair technician anyway.
It’s best to leave that up to the pros. That’s because auto body repair involves certain techniques that require a lot of skill and training, as well as the right tools and equipment to be performed properly. Here’s why you should never do DIY auto body repairs.
Costs More Time and Money
Because the repair work rarely affects just the surface of your car, you may be neglecting unseen problems that go deeper than the initial dent. Let’s say your car was in a crash. You may only see a damaged panel, but in fact there is likely a more serious problem going on under the surface, such as a bent frame.
By the time you’re halfway through your DIY project, you will realize the extent of the damage and have to bring it to an auto body repair technician to get it properly fixed. Now you’ve wasted time and money because you have to pay a professional to fix what you did.
Lack of Tools and Equipment
As an amateur car owner, you likely don’t have the proper tools and equipment lying around to get the job done correctly. Did you know that expert panel beaters use six types of hammers depending on the type of repair? Those include:
- Panel Beating Hammer, for beating dents and reshaping panels.
- Cross Pein Hammer, for bumping out dents.
- Pick Hammer, for use on the inside of panels to pick out dents.
- Shrinking Hammer, which grips the metal surface so it shrinks.
- Heavy Roughing Hammers, to beat the metal surface into shape.
- Dead Blow Hammers, rubber hammers with hollow heads chock full of metal shot.
Other tools you may need include dollies, metal working spoons, and bumping files. If you do not have any of these hammers or other tools on hand, you’re best off just bringing your car to a pro.
Vehicle Prep
A lot goes into the prepping of your car for repair work, which is physically demanding and time-consuming. Failure to prep the car before repair can result in unintentional results. You will have to bring the vehicle to a pro in the end, costing you more money and time.
Health and Safety Concerns
Your health and safety could take a hit with DIY auto body repair. That’s because paint, polishes and fillers all have toxic chemicals that can cause skin, eye, and respiratory tract problems. They can even lead to cancer. Plus, the machinery used in the auto body repair process produces dust particles that can be breathed in.
And finally, the saws, sanders and drills needed can result in serious physical injury with improper use and safety precautions.
While it may be tempting to DIY your auto body repair, always leave this big job to the pros!
Contact Top Tier Auto Body
Call us today at 469-468-9991 or complete our online form to book professional auto body repair and get a free quote.
