19 Nov Top 4 Types of Car Body Repair

We see a lot of cars come from our body shop and the vast majority of them share a commonality – and that is that the work they need falls into one of four categories: dent repair, scratch repair, paint repair or alloy wheel repair.

Here’s what you need to know about them:

1. Dent Repair

A good dent repair service can work wonders. Small dents (usually the size of a 5 pence piece to 10 pence) can be removed without a trace, as can most medium dents which are around the size of a golf ball. Even larger dents the size of a football can be removed with no obvious damage to the body or paint.

Something to keep in mind is the dent may need repainting, but only if there is an impact mark or scratches to the paint, which is common when someone wipes a panel where they have hit it. Paintless and painted dent removal are possible depending on the type of impact and the damage sustained to the area.

2. Scratch Repair

Scratches can be repaired in a few ways. First of all, swirl marks and light scratches to a clearcoat do not need repainting at all. They can be machine polished out with a compound and a polish. Even deep scratches in a clearcoat can be removed with wet sanding, which is time-intensive but offers good results.

Scratches which go deeper than the clearcoat (such as into the paint, basecoat or down to the metal) will need repainting. Rather than paint the whole panel, it is normal to have a ‘smart repair’ carried out which will repaint just the scratched area. These blend in very well so long as the work is done professionally.

3. Paint Repair

A car can need a larger paint repair for a variety of reasons. The commonest include haziness as a result of ageing or acidic compounds like bird lime and tree sap, and crash, impact or stone chip damage. Some types of damage can be rectified with wet sanding, but extensive damage may need new paint.

Removable bumpers and trim can be repainted to a factory finish if they are removed and sprayed in a paint booth. The car itself can also be repainted in full or in part in a booth. It’s important the paint matches the original paint perfectly.

4. Alloy wheel repair

So long as an alloy wheel has not buckled or cracked (damage like this will compromise the alloy’s integrity which is very dangerous) an alloy wheel can be stripped of paint and then sanded to remove kerb or impact damage. The wheel can then be spray painted or powder-coated in any colour you like with a gloss, satin or matte finish.

Alloy wheel repairs cost less than replacement and they are an all-inclusive service, which means they include the repair and the refinishing. A well repaired alloy wheel can appear to be brand new and 100% factory original.

Spray Bay offer a complete car body repair service within Pudsey and throughout the Leeds area. Call us on 0113 323 2004 for advice.