When you own a vehicle, there’s always potential for body damage, but luckily, most types of exterior damage can be repaired by skilled technicians. Take a look below to learn about the most common types of exterior vehicle damage and how auto body repair shops handle restoration in each situation.



HAIL DAMAGE DINGS AND DENTS
Minor hail damage that does not involve any paint damage can usually be repaired with paintless dent repair. When a vehicle suffers severe hail damage, on the other hand, the entire affected panel may need to be replaced since pulling out dozens of tiny dents is highly inefficient and may even be impossible.



FENDER BENDER DAMAGE
Minor fender bender damage can often be fixed with paintless dent repair, provided the vehicle’s paint has not been compromised. When there’s paint damage in addition to denting, auto body repair specialists may choose to pull out the dent and apply dupli color to the affected part or replace the damaged part completely.



MAJOR COLLISION DAMAGE
Major collisions often damage body paneling beyond repair. To restore a vehicle that’s been involved in a serious accident, auto body repair shops follow these steps:



● Assess the damage and use estimation software to provide a comprehensive repair estimate

● Disassemble the seriously damaged components of the vehicle to prepare it for the repair process

● Order new parts and inspect them for quality upon arrival at the shop

● Perform structural repairs by analyzing the frame of the vehicle electronically and restoring the frame to factory specifications

● Replace body paneling and any additional metal components that will need to be painted

● Electronically color match the vehicle’s paint and prime, paint, sand, and buff the vehicle

● Reassemble final moldings and any other small components that must be reattached to the vehicle’s body

● Detail the vehicle thoroughly and road test it to ensure everything was assembled properly and the vehicle is in safe working condition



GENERAL BODY WEAR & TEAR
Over time, the paint on a vehicle can easily fade due to UV exposure, and when that happens, surface corrosion and rust usually aren’t far behind. These forms of general wear and tear can dramatically reduce a vehicle’s resale value, but luckily, an auto body repair shop can fix that.



To restore rust-related damage, an auto body repair technician can sand down the affected panel to reveal the bare metal that’s yet unaffected by corrosion. Generally, technicians will then apply a corrosion-resistant primer to that surface before color matching the paint and applying a new coat to restore the finish.



PAINT SCRATCHES
Even the most well-taken-care-of vehicle can develop a few scratches in its paint due to outdoor parking and other factors out of the owner’s control. Auto body repair shops can easily and quickly fix minor scratches with simple buffing. But when scratches are large, they may require filler to smooth out the depressions.



Once the filler is applied, the repair specialist will sand it down to achieve a smooth surface before electronically matching the vehicle’s paint color. After mixing up the dupli color, the technician will apply it to the panel of the vehicle and gently buff it out to achieve a fully restored surface.



NEED AUTO BODY REPAIRS IN THE TWIN CITIES?
Did your vehicle recently suffer hail damage? Don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team at Minnetonka Collision Center to get an auto body repair estimate! We specialize in high-end collision repairs, hail damage repairs, paintless dent repair, and much more, and have proudly served Plymouth, MN and the surrounding Twin Cities metro for over 20 years. To get started, call us today at 763-230-7805 or schedule a free estimate, and we’ll be in touch!