Category: Auto Body Blog

There’s no worse time than the winter to have back windshield wipers. If your wipers aren’t up to the task when it starts coming down outside, you could easily find yourself taking an unplanned trip to your Seattle auto body shop. Unfortunately, the winter is also the time when your wipers are most likely to quit on you.

In truth, if you live in an area that regularly sees snow over the cold months, you’re probably finding yourself driving on a lot of roads that have been sprinkled with coarse salt. This salt is getting onto your windshield, trapping itself under your wiper blades and grinding down the rubber. Gradually, you’re losing the ability to shove the heavy snowfall off of your glass, which can be disastrous in the wrong conditions. Be prepared for the winter months, and have a spare set of appropriate wiper blades ready to go.

Our auto body shop in Seattle probably doesn’t need to tell you about how a regular car wash can do wonders to preserve your car finish. Periodically getting rid of the dirt and grime clinging to your vehicle prevents wear and enhances your paint’s ability to resist the elements. However, there are bigger threats to your paint job that should not be ignored, chief among these being bird droppings.

Bird droppings are highly acidic. The longer they remain on your car, the more they are able to eat into your paint and compromise your finish. If they get deep enough, they can leave behind scars that will require a sanding and repainting to repair. Therefore, if you notice any birds leaving their mark on your paint job, don’t wait until your regular car washing time to clear it away.

It happens every day: an unsuspecting motorist is confronted by a dangerous criminal who ends up riding off with his or her car. In order to protect you from carjacking, our Seattle auto body shop offers the following advice:

A big part of avoiding a carjacking is being aware of your surroundings. Take a look at where you plan to park: is this a good neighborhood? Is it well-lit? Are there any suspicious people lurking around you or moving towards your vehicle? Try to avoid dangerous places when you can, and keep your doors locked and windows up at all times.

Should you find yourself in a dangerous situation, remember to prioritize your own safety. Your car is not as important as your life. If it comes down to it, give up your vehicle and leave the rest to the police and your insurance company.

Have you ever hit a deer on the road? It’s not a pleasant experience. Not only is it upsetting to kill or injure an animal, but it can also inflict severe damage to your car. Deer collisions are happening more and more, as the deer populations have more than doubled since the 80’s. Today, such collisions happen about 500,000 times every year, causing over one hundred deaths and an average of $2,000 in damage to the car owner. So, in the interest of protecting yourself and Bambi’s mom, our Seattle auto body shop offers the following advice.

• Deer are most active in the early morning and evening.  If you are driving during these times in a wilderness area, be vigilant.
• Your high-beams can scare off deer from a greater distance.  Use them if it is safe to do so.
• If you see a deer in your path, brake firmly.  Do not swerve; this is not only dangerous, but it can confuse the animal.
• Always wear your seatbelt!  Many injuries result from deer collisions, most due to a failure to buckle up.
• Remember that deer seldom appear alone.  If you see one deer, be on the lookout for more

More and more people are worried about the environmental impact of owning a car, and this concern extends to the way you keep your car clean. Indeed, a properly cleaned car means a car that is resilient to the wear and tear brought on by harsh dirt and environmental effects. A regular car wash can keep your paint job well intact, which translates to fewer trips to our Seattle auto body shop for touch-ups and repairs.

When it comes time to wash your car, an automatic car wash represents one of the “greenest” options available. Though it may seem economical to do your own wash by hand, it has been observed that an automatic wash uses up only half of the water you might otherwise use with a conventional bucket-and-hose method. Commercial car washes are also required to clean and recycle their water, accounting for even further savings.

When looking for an automatic car wash, look for a no-contact pressure system over a rotating brush system. These are likely to do less damage to your paint job, and keep you driving cleaner, greener, and longer.