Tag: Greenwood Auto Body

Have you noticed your car suddenly taking bumps harder than it used to?  Chances are that your shock absorbers have taken some sort of damage, probably from going over a particularly nasty bit of terrain.  If this is the case, you should think about getting in to our Seattle auto body shop as soon as you can; after all, it’s not just your comfort that is suffering from bad shocks.  Damaged shock absorbers can also bring you any or all of the following:

• Bad Braking: With bad shocks, your car might start to nose-dive a bit when you brake.  It’s not absorbing the energy of your brake like it should, and it leaves you more prone to skidding and sliding on slippery surfaces.

• Poor Steering: Your shock absorbers help your car deal with the unbalanced pressure that comes with making a turn.  Bad shocks hurt your ability to steer effectively, putting you in danger when you merge on the freeway or hit an intersection in a busy city street.

• Excessive Tire Wear: With bad shocks, your tires are no longer standing on even legs.  This subjects certain tires to more wear than others, and leaves you vulnerable to blow-outs.

• Additional Engine Damage: Your car is a complex machine, and it doesn’t benefit from taking the worst of every bump in the road.  You need your shocks to spare your more delicate engine parts from further abuse.

Perhaps you’ve heard of “low profile” tires. A lot of dealers are fond of putting these on their cars and touting their merits, drawing buyers in with the sharp aesthetic and the superior gas mileage that they offer. But are these tires really right for you? Let your Seattle auto body shop help you in determining whether or not low profile tires would really be worth your money.

First of all, it is true that low profile tires can help with your fuel economy. The increased leverage offered by the thinner layer of tire between your rim and the road can offer an extra mile or so per gallon, depending on your specific car and driving habits. Unfortunately, low profile tires lose something in being able to handle rough terrain. The advantages can go away really quickly if you live in a colder region that is prone to potholes. When you drive over a pothole, you want the cushioning of a regular tire to protect your car from damage. Couple this fact with the higher price that you usually end up paying with low profile tires, and you may better off with a more conventional tire.

Far too many car accidents are caused by drunk drivers. We all know that drunk driving is bad but, when we’re in an inebriated state, we occasionally need the intervention of a loved one to stand in for our better judgement and keep us off the road. Greenwood’s Seattle body shop offers the following tips in the event that you ever find yourself between a drunk friend and the driver’s seat:

First off, don’t be confrontational. Your friend is in an emotional state, and needs to be steered by positive emotions. Try to be light-hearted about it, make it a joke, or suggest that it would be a personal favor to you if he or she didn’t get behind the wheel. If this doesn’t work, don’t be afraid to take his or her keys while he or she isn’t looking. Be adamant about not riding in the same car as the drunk driver. Get some support if you need to, as drunk people can be quite susceptible to social pressure.

If everything else fails, remember that you’d be doing your friend a favor to alert the authorities. After all, he or she is better off with a police record than with the injury or death that so frequently accompanies drunk driving.

Are you experiencing a quick back-and-forth motion in your steering wheel? Greenwood’s Seattle body shop can help! This is a common problem resulting from collisions or pothole-related damage, and can in many cases actually be quite simple and inexpensive to repair.

The first question to ask is, “When is your steering wheel shaking?” In general, you might be experiencing either a constant shaking motion or a shake that only occurs when you reach a certain speed. If your steering wheel is shaking only at a certain speed, chances are good that your wheels are just a little out of balance and need a simple alignment. If the shaking is constant, you might have either a bent wheel or a loose steering linkage. Whatever the case may be, bring your car in to Greenwood and we’ll get your restless wheel back in order again!

You don’t want to wait until you need auto collision repair to make sure you’ve got everything in order.  Follow these simple tips from your friendly Seattle auto body shop to avoid problems after the crash.

• Read and understand your insurance policy.  If you don’t understand any part of it, talk to your representative.

• Know your rights and responsibilities.  Review the driving and insurance laws of your state.

• Identify organizations that you can trust.  It’s better to know who your auto shop, doctor, and legal council will be before you need them in order to avoid aggressive fraud artists.

• Know your vehicle.  Perform regular maintenance and keep it in reliable condition.

• Practice safe driving!  You may not be able to control other drivers, but you should at least be able to rely on yourself.