BLOG – UNDER THE HOOD

You drive up to a stoplight and the person behind you doesn’t stop in time. They hit the back of your car, and while you aren’t hurt, your car came out of the ordeal with a few scratches. You don’t feel like it’s anything to worry about.

This is until you notice some rusting in the same spot a few months down the road. A new paint job could have helped you avoid this rusting, but better late than never. You don’t have to wait to get into an accident to get a new paint job.

There are many reasons to get your car painted. To help you decide if your vehicle is overdue for a paint job, check out the signs below.

1. Accidents 

Having a small accident on the road can lead to bigger problems later on down the line with your car. While it may drive fine, a single scratch could lead to the paint bubbling and cracking.

This leaves the body of your car vulnerable to rust that won’t stop at the area of the scratch. It can cause deterioration to happen all over the body of the car if left uncovered.  

2. Fading Paint

Another reason why people paint their car is that their current paint job starts to fade. There are many reasons why this could happen. One of them is a simple matter of age. 

Another is if you leave your car out in the sun or cold for too long. The harsh weather harms your paint. If you don’t have a garage, it’s a good idea to at least park the car under a shade of some sort. 

If you go a while without washing your car, the dirt and grime that builds up on it could start to wear away at the paint and cause it to fade as well. Wax can act as a protective layer against all these factors, so if you don’t wax your car enough then it will need a paint job sooner than later. 

3. The Clear Coating is Peeling

Clear coating is a protective layer that shields the paint underneath from the elements. If it starts to peel back and chip, it will leave your car exposed everything. 

If you notice that your car paint is peeling, it’s probably not the actual paint. It’s a clear coating. Once this coat is gone then the base coat will wear away and cause some of the problems that we’ve discussed, like rust or bubbling.  

4. Scratches 

If a shopping cart happens to go rouge and hit your car, someone keys your car, or again, you get into an accident, it could result in deep scratches on your car. You will need to cover these to avoid further damage to the body of the vehicle. This is why you should always contact your insurance after an accident involving another driver. They can protect you if a problem arises from the accident that you didn’t notice at the time.

You can buff some scratches away. In this case, you may be able to go a little longer without updating your paint job. If the scratches are too deep for buffing though, a repaint will be the best option. 

5. Rust 

Your car is especially vulnerable to rust during the winter. The salt used to keep the roads clear can get kicked up by your tires and scratch or eat away the paint on the underside of your car.

If you don’t wipe down the underside of your vehicle often, these scratches and holes will leave your car exterior vulnerable.

Even when the weather switches over to heat your paint job still isn’t safe. Humid weather can cause your car paint to bubble and expose the exterior to deterioration and rust. 

6. Dents and Dings

Dents and dings are common. You may accidentally back up into a pole or a hailstorm could blow its way through and take a toll on your vehicle. If these dents expose the metal then the body of your car will open for further damage. 

There are some circumstances where these dents can be fixed without repainting. For the most part, though, you will have to sand, hammer, smooth, and repaint the spot. 

7. Dullness

Dullness and fading are two different things. Your paint doesn’t have to be fading for it to become dull. This dullness is typically caused by your clear coating rubbing off.  

The biggest sign that this is the case is that your car won’t shine like it used to even when you polish it. Sometimes adding on a fresh clear coat will fix the problem but other times, it’s better to have it repainted. 

8. Cracks 

If you leave your car exposed to the sun for long periods at a time without at least waxing it, the paint will begin to dry out and crack. Not only is this bad for the exterior of the car but it doesn’t look pretty either. 

When this happens, you will need to sand the paint down until the cracks are no longer visible. Once that’s done, you or a professional can paint over the exposed areas and apply a new clear coat. 

Big Signs That You Need a New Paint Job 

When your car starts to lose its paint, you will need to fix it as soon as possible. The longer it’s left exposed the more vulnerable it will be to rust and decay. Look for these signs that you need a new paint job so you can keep your car safe and looking great all year round.

Is your paint job not looking too hot? Contact us to request an estimate on our services.