Ok, so you just got in an accident. Albeit, it was a minor one (fender benders usually are), you now have to worry about how much it's going to cost to fix it, or if you can fix it yourself. Or maybe you're thinking it's such a small dent that you don't even need any auto body repair.
Well, before you consider sticking with it so that you can save money, you might want to take into account that many car experts highly recommend you repair any and all dents immediately. The reasoning behind this is that the exposed metals become more vulnerable to rust damage, and/or your bumper may have come loose in the collision which could cause serious problems for you later on.
Small dents can cost as low as $50 to repair anyways so it's probably worth it in the end, but the price will depend on the make of your car and the dent size.
Can I repair a fender bender myself?
There are ways to fix a fender bender yourself, but this is generally tricky and you may not even end up with a quality repair! One do-it-yourself method is to fill the dent with body filler and then sand it down with sand paper. This might sound easy, but the whole process can end up taking 5 hours or more, especially if you have no auto body repair experience! This method also requires that you complete it in one go, so if you're planning on going this route make sure you set aside a big chunk of time.
Another interesting option is to try pulling the dent out with a backhoe. However, if you don't have a backhoe on hand or know how to operate one this isn't going to be your best option, and it is especially not the safest!
Why you need to call a professional
More than likely you probably don't want to spend hours of your free time trying to figure out how to sandpaper your own dent, or have a back hoe on hand ready to go. Even if you do, why go through all that hassle when an auto body repair professional is just a phone call away? You can get a free repair estimate online before you go in so that you know what to expect.
Shannon Egan
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shannon_Egan
Well, before you consider sticking with it so that you can save money, you might want to take into account that many car experts highly recommend you repair any and all dents immediately. The reasoning behind this is that the exposed metals become more vulnerable to rust damage, and/or your bumper may have come loose in the collision which could cause serious problems for you later on.
Small dents can cost as low as $50 to repair anyways so it's probably worth it in the end, but the price will depend on the make of your car and the dent size.
Can I repair a fender bender myself?
There are ways to fix a fender bender yourself, but this is generally tricky and you may not even end up with a quality repair! One do-it-yourself method is to fill the dent with body filler and then sand it down with sand paper. This might sound easy, but the whole process can end up taking 5 hours or more, especially if you have no auto body repair experience! This method also requires that you complete it in one go, so if you're planning on going this route make sure you set aside a big chunk of time.
Another interesting option is to try pulling the dent out with a backhoe. However, if you don't have a backhoe on hand or know how to operate one this isn't going to be your best option, and it is especially not the safest!
Why you need to call a professional
More than likely you probably don't want to spend hours of your free time trying to figure out how to sandpaper your own dent, or have a back hoe on hand ready to go. Even if you do, why go through all that hassle when an auto body repair professional is just a phone call away? You can get a free repair estimate online before you go in so that you know what to expect.
Shannon Egan
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shannon_Egan
