Certified Collision Center

There are a number of different things that can be damaging to the paint and body of your vehicle. Using the wrong type of cleansing soap, abrasive sponges and brushes, and weather elements, such as hail, can all be damaging to your car. While you may be aware of many types of elements that can damage your car, one of the items that often flies under the radar is bird droppings. Bird droppings, or bird poop, contains uric acid, which is corrosive. Here is more information about bird feces and your automobile. 

The Type of Damage Bird Droppings Can Do to Your Vehicle

The acid that is present in bird feces can be damaging to your vehicle in a few different ways. First, the acid can eat away at the wax and finishes that are present on the body of your car. Once the finish has been eaten or worn, the acid in the droppings can then start to attack the paint on your car. This can lead to fading or it can eat away at the paint entirely, depending on how long the droppings sit on your car. Once the finish is worn away and the paint is being affected, water can begin to sit on the body of your car as well, leading to rusting. So while bird droppings cannot directly lead to auto body rust, it can indirectly cause this major problem as well. 

How to Protect Your Car Against Acidic Bird Droppings

While bird droppings can cause significant damage to your car, there are things you can do to prevent the damage from occurring. One of the best things you can do is to avoid parking under a tree, minimizing the droppings that get on your car. If you must frequently park under a tree, invest in a car cover to prevent the droppings from landing directly on your car. If your car has been pooped on by birds, wash the vehicle as quickly as possible. The longer the droppings sit, the more damage they can cause. Finally, routinely waxing your car or using a clear coat on your car can help to minimize damage from the occasional bird dropping falling on your car. 

What to Do If Bird Droppings Have Already Affected the Paint on Your Car

If bird droppings have affected the paint on your car, you have two choices. You can live with the damaged or faded paint, or you can have your vehicle repaired. Having touch-up paintwork completed or having the vehicle entirely repainted can be beneficial if you want your car to look its best and/or if you plan on reselling the car in the future. An auto body repair shop can help you with paint damage and repairs. 

Bird droppings are corrosive and can damage the paint of your automobile. This can affect the overall aesthetic of your car and lower its resale value. If your car has been damaged by birds, an autobody repair shop can help to touch-up the affected area or repaint your vehicle if multiple areas of your car have been affected. Here at Certified Collision Center Autobody Repair, with locations in Tracy, Manteca, Stockton, Oakdale, Modesto, South Sacramento, Lodi, and Galt, we use paint-matching technology to help with touch-up painting and repairs. Schedule an appointment with us now. 

A large percentage of accidents that happen occur due to a driver being distracted. Ideally, a driver should be focused on what is happening on the road, and only what is happening on the road, while driving. However, there are many distractions that can pull the driver’s attention away from the road, which can ultimately lead to an accident. Here are three common driving distractions that can lead to accidents and what you can do to avoid them. 

Texting or Talking on the Phone While Driving

One of the most common driving distractions that drivers on the road today encounter is texting or talking while driving. Cellphones are a major distraction to a vehicle operator, and studies have shown that texting while driving can impair a driver in the same way alcohol does. There are apps or settings on your phone that can be used to ensure you do not get any incoming phone call or text notifications while you are driving, which helps you to focus on the road. If you are getting ready to head out on a long drive, wrap up all of your text conversations prior to hitting the road to minimize your distractions. 

Zoning Out While Driving

Another common driving distraction that can lead to accidents is zoning out while driving. Maybe you are listening to the radio and a song takes your mind back to an old date, maybe you are preparing for a meeting in your office and playing out scenarios in your mind, or maybe you are just daydreaming about a date you have planned for the evening. Zoning out while driving can be dangerous, as it takes your attention off of the road. If you notice you frequently zone out while listening to the radio, try to listen to a podcast or shut off the radio altogether. If you notice you zone out while thinking about other things while driving, you may have to train your mind to focus solely on the road and shut everything else out. 

Completing Other Tasks While Driving

The final common distraction that can lead to accidents while you are driving is completing other tasks while driving. Many people eat their lunch or dinner while driving to or from meetings, apply make-up when they are running late for work, or mediate fights between their children in the back seat. Driving is not the time for a vehicle operator to multi-task. As a driver, your full and undivided attention should be on the road. Make time for other activities and avoid other tasks while you are driving. 

Avoiding common driving distractions can reduce your risk of being involved in an accident. Unfortunately, though, there is no way to eliminate the risk of an accident altogether. If you have been in an accident, you need an autobody repair shop that you can trust and rely on to get your vehicle back to pre-accident condition. Certified Collision Center Auto Body is a trusted and dependable auto body shop with several locations throughout the Central Valley. Call us today to inspect your damaged vehicle and to obtain an estimate for repairs. 

There is a common misconception that the only option following an auto accident is to make a beeline to the collision center recommended by the auto insurance provider.  Though this course of action certainly seems sensible, it is only one of many different options.   Let’s take a closer look at the best approach to this important decision.

The Insurance Provider Does not Make Decisions on Your Behalf

Auto insurance providers typically request that drivers bring their damaged vehicle to an approved mechanic.  However, relying on the insurer’s choice of collision centers might backfire.  Even a reliance on the insurer’s network of approved body shops or mechanics has the potential to cause problems.  The bottom line is the mere fact that your auto insurer has established a business relationship with several preferred collision centers does not mean you are restricted to bringing your vehicle to those specific businesses.  It is certainly easier and cheaper for the insurance provider when you bring your vehicle to one of these approved collision centers yet the insurance company is more concerned with its bottom line than your happiness. 

Take Your Pick of Collision Centers

Even if your auto insurer strongly suggests taking your vehicle to a specific body shop, you are perfectly free to bring your ride to the collision center you prefer.  This decision is yours and yours alone.  Perform research, read reviews, ask for recommendations and do some additional digging into the backgrounds of local collision centers before selecting one for your repair project.  If the collision center selected by your insurer is not up to your standards, is too far away or has bad reviews, do not give them your business!  The last thing you need is a flawed repair job resulting from taking your vehicle to the collision center recommended by your auto insurer. 

Furthermore, it must be noted that the repair shops favored by auto insurers go out of their way to save that insurer as much money as possible when performing car repairs.  This relationship creates a clear conflict of interest.  It is quite possible the repair shop selected by your auto insurer will use inferior replacement parts and other materials when performing the repairs.

Visit the Shop In-person and Follow Your Instincts

There is no harm in visiting the collision center you have in mind for your repair project.  Visit the repair shop on your own, get a sense of the team’s professionalism, gauge the shop’s cleanliness and you will feel more/less confident moving forward with that specific group.  The collision center you select should be clean, well-organized, have modern equipment and a track record of success.  When in doubt, go with your gut.  Follow your instincts, choose a collision shop you are comfortable with and you will feel confident relying on the team for your automotive repairs.

Contact Certified Collision Center Today

Have you been involved in a car collision?  If so, you should know help is available.  Our autobody repair team is here to determine the true extent of your vehicle’s damage and perform the necessary repairs.  You can contact our autobody repair shop for assistance by filling out our convenient online contact form.

The determination that an automobile has endured frame damage is an unpleasant surprise to say the least.  If this determination is made by your insurance company or automotive technician, you might assume your vehicle is totaled.  However, frame damage does not guarantee the vehicle is considered a total loss. 

Exploring the Definition of “Totaled”

Insurance companies consider a vehicle to be totaled if the cost of the necessary repairs exceeds the value of the vehicle.  However, the value of the vehicle is gauged by the insurance company in this context.  If the cost of repairs is indeed higher than the vehicle value based on the insurer’s estimate, it is considered to be a total loss.  However, if the cost of necessary repairs is less than the value of the vehicle, it is not officially considered to be totaled as a frame shop can perform the repair and get the automobile back on the road. 

When in doubt, lean on a frame service that has proven it is worthy of its keep.   Our trusted automotive professionals are here to assess the true extent of the damage and perform comprehensive repairs.  In fact, modern-day automotive repair technology greatly facilitates our ability to return a vehicle’s frame to a condition that is like-new.  It is quite possible the repair of your vehicle’s damaged frame will empower you to enjoy several more years of use of your car, truck or SUV.

The Challenge of Repairing a Compromised Frame

An automobile’s frame, including the unibody frame, has the potential to be repaired.  Ideally, the repair will be successful to the point that the vehicle is returned to a condition that permits safe driving.  However, it must be noted that even if the frame is repaired, it will be weaker than it was prior to the collision. 

In some cases, it simply does not make sense to attempt to repair a compromised frame.  If the vehicle’s stability and corresponding safety will be in question even after a repair is performed, there is no reason to move forward with the repair.  After all, the last thing you want is to end up with your vehicle becoming a liability in the aftermath of a frame repair.  Even if the insurance company is adamant the vehicle has the potential to be repaired, a repair that does not stand the test of time or one that leaves structural insecurities will ultimately make your vehicle a threat to everyone else on the road.

In short, the severity of the damage to the frame ultimately determines if the vehicle is to be declared a structural total loss.  If the damage is so bad that it is uncertain whether a repair can be performed, the vehicle is considered a total loss.

Advances in Automotive Frame Repair Technology Provide Reason for Hope

Today’s auto body repair shops have access to the latest technology that can remedy several different types of automotive frame damage.  In fact, some such repair projects require minimal effort and cost much less than most drivers assume.  As an example, unibody frame machines are now capable of stretching out and straightening car, truck and SUV frames.  This machine connects to the rigid end of the automobile’s frame, relying on hydraulic pressure to stretch the vehicle back into proper shape.

Contact Certified Collision Center Today

If you are involved in any type of collision, do not continue driving, hoping your vehicle can hold steady even when something is clearly wrong.  Furthermore, it is a mistake to attempt a DIY repair.  Instead, let the experienced professionals perform autobody repair the right way on the first try.  You can reach our autobody repair shop for assistance repairing your vehicle after a collision by filling out our convenient online contact form.

Faded auto body paint can decrease the value of your car, cause it to look older and cause it to not look as good as you may like. Paint can also fade away until there is literally no paint left, which can lead to the body of your car rusting or corroding. While no one wants the paint on their car to fade, it can happen for a number of different reasons. Learning why paint fades and how you can help to protect your vehicle from it can help keep your car looking its best and prevent damage to your auto body. Here are a few of the reasons why auto body paint can fade and how you can prevent it. 

Sunlight

One of the reasons why paint on your car can fade is due to sunlight. The sun beating down on your car day in and day out can lead to the color becoming less vibrant and noticeable. Unfortunately, you cannot prevent the sun from beating down on your car if you have to drive in the middle of summer. But, you can take steps to minimize sun exposure to your vehicle, including parking your car in the shade, parking your car in the garage, or putting a cover over your car when it has to be parked under the sun’s intense rays. 

Bird Droppings

One of the lesser known reasons why paint on your vehicle may fade is due to bird droppings. Bird feces is acidic. It can actually eat away at the clear coat on your car, as well as the paint. This can lead to your paint fading or being removed in certain spots all together. One of the ways that you can minimize damage from bird droppings is to wash your car if you notice bird feces on your vehicle. If you park your car in an area where birds frequently leave their droppings behind on your car, you may want to find another place to park or invest in a car cover to protect your vehicle. 

Improper Car Washing

The final reason why auto paint may fade is due to improper car washing. Using cleaning products that are not designed for an automobile and/or using abrasive scrubbing pads can damage your car. Always use soft cloths or soft sponges to clean your car and use products designed specifically for automobiles. In addition to properly cleaning your car, consider coating it in a thin layer of wax for added shine and fade protection. 

Paint can fade due to sunlight, bird dropping, improper car washing or even simply due to age. If the paint on your car has faded, you will want to hire a professional autobody repair shop to repaint your vehicle and restore it to its former glory. Here at Certified Collision Center Auto Body, we can work to correct minor fading or repaint your entire car. Schedule an appointment with our autobody repair professionals at one of our locations in Galt, Lodi, Manteca, Modesto, Oakdale, Stockton, South Sacramento, or Tracy today. 

Every car owner needs their vehicle to be in good operating condition. While there is overlap between an autobody repair specialist and your auto mechanic, an autobody repair specialist is focused on the visual aspects of a vehicle.

Many cars coming into an autobody repair shop have had exterior damage. The extent of the damage can range from mild to severe and can require a combination of techniques to properly restore the vehicle. Your autobody repair specialist has a number of responsibilities when addressing the aesthetic and structural issues that often result from an automobile accident or neglect. Understand more about what your autobody repair specialist offers you.

The Nuts and Bolts

Your autobody repair technician goes through a rigorous process with your vehicle at our autobody repair shop. In many instances, body panels need attention, the vehicle is realigned, and the bodywork is refinished. Restoration of your car’s appearance often involves filler and a fresh coat of paint. Autobody repair can be done not only on modern vehicles but classic models. The same level of attention to detail is provided to any vehicle brought into our autobody repair shop.

Not Just Cosmetic

While the look of your vehicle is a priority with an autobody repair specialist, they do possess an understanding of mechanical issues that often arise from a collision. With our autobody repair specialist, the internals are checked and examined to determine the extent of any damage. However, such specialists excel in the repair and restoration of the external structure and framework of your car. After determining the type of work required, our specialists will take the time needed to complete all autobody repairs and ensure everything that has been done meets factory standards. Your vehicle will then have the structural integrity for proper operation. Our autobody repair specialist may need to work with an auto mechanic in situations when the internals of a car also need to be repaired.

Different Tools for Different Jobs

Since your car will need special attention that may be different than what you get from your average mechanic, you may see a change to the typical environment in which an autobody repair specialist operates. An autobody repair shop is set up to offer extensive painting facilities. The tools used will be intended for filling damaged areas and hammering out dents. Protective equipment and specialized spray painters are generally seen at an autobody repair shop. If an auto mechanic needs to work on your car, you may see tools and resources necessary for their level of expertise.

You can depend on our autobody repair specialists at Certified Collision Center Auto Body. Our experienced staff can address a multitude of body, frame, and structural issues, getting your vehicle back into shape at our autobody repair shop and you back on the road. Experience the attention you deserve at any of our convenient Central Valley locations, including Tracy, Manteca, Stockton, Oakdale, Modesto, South Sacramento, Lodi and Galt. Call to schedule your appointment at Certified Collision Center Auto Body today.