Not
all drivers care how their car looks, but perhaps you do. You take
care of your car, and you want it to display the effort you put into
it. Unfortunately, your car’s body is at risk of dents and
scratches even during your daily routine, and fixing those
imperfections is costly. Below are tips for avoiding some of the most
common causes of dents and scratches.
Drive
Carefully in the Rain and Snow
If
you can stay home when rain or snow has made streets dangerous for
driving, that's the best way to keep your car — and yourself —
safe. However, you have to get on with your life even in the
inclement weather. So drive carefully in the rain and snow to avoid
collisions.
For
one, make sure your car is properly ready with inflated tires,
preferably the all-weather variety. Your tires are more likely to
slip if they're a little flat. Drive slowly, and maintain about five
seconds between you and the car in front of you. Try not to stop, but
when you need to, decelerate slowly. Likewise, go easy on your
acceleration, too.
Don't
Park on Busy Streets
The
law of averages takes effect when you park on busy streets. More cars
speeding past your parked car results in more chances for one of them
to hit your car. The presence of cyclists on the road exacerbates
this scenario as moving vehicles try to move around the bike, perhaps
clipping your car in the process.
The
hope is that if a vehicle does clip your car while you're parked, the
offending driver will leave insurance information. Alas, quite often
the driver moves on without owning responsibility, leaving you with
the full repair bill. So whenever possible, park on side streets or
in parking lots, even if you have to pay for the latter. You should
end up with fewer dents.
Choose
Your Parking Lot Space Well
Parking
in a parking lot will not spare your car from dings and scratches.
Indeed, the parking lot is where many miniature collisions occur. So,
when you're parking in a lot, choose your space well.
First
of all, park in a remote space whenever possible. The farther you are
from the destination, the less likely you are to be crowded by other
parking cars. If you do need to park near a car, try to park on their
passenger side. Cars always have drivers, but you're playing the odds
they might not always have passengers.
In
that vein, if you see a child seat, don't park on that side. The
driver will have to open the door all the way to strap the child in,
perhaps denting your door. Likewise, try to avoid parking near tall
vehicles, such as SUVs. Their doors are higher and may ding above
your door guards. Finally, avoid cart corrals — errant shopping
carts can scratch your car.
Have
a Bumper Guard Installed
Playing
bumper cars is fun at the amusement park. It's less fun when you're
driving around in your actual car. While the purpose of a vehicle's
bumper is to prevent damage to the front and rear of your car, the
bumper itself can become damaged. Indeed, parking in tight spaces is
a common cause of bumper damage.
To
protect the future resale value of their cars, some drivers opt to
have bumper guards installed. This after-market installation covers
the bumper entirely, preventing dents and scrapes even if another car
hits yours. Depending on the model you choose, the bumper guard may
feature reinforced straps and even impact pads on the back.
Try
to avoid having your car dented or scratched. If you do have some
damage to your car, let Olson's
Auto Body
make
your vehicle look new again.
