If you have a dent in your car that was not caused by an accident where you filed an insurance claim, and you know that you will have to pay to repair the dent out of your own pocket, it can be tempting to avoid putting off repairing the dent for as long as possible. However, putting off repairing the dent can have consequences, which is why it is in your best interest to take care of any and all dents on your vehicle as soon as they occur.
Dents Cause Paint Damage
When your vehicle is dented, the dent doesn't just damage the metal on your vehicle. It generally also damaged the paint in the area where the dent occurred. Look closely at the area of your vehicle that is dented. How does the paint look? Are their little cracks in the paint? Do the cracks extend outward? If so, you are going to want to take action right away. The longer that dent remains, the further the cracks and damage in the paint can extend, often going much further than the original dent itself, creating the need for additional repair and work.
Dents Can Lead to Rust
That paint damage you see around a dent is a lot more than simple cosmetic damage. When paint is chipped or falls away, it exposes the raw metal underneath the paint. The raw metal under the paint, when exposed to the elements, can easily develop rust.
Rust is not only unsightly, but it is also highly damaging. Rust can easily and quickly spread to other parts of your vehicle. Rust damages the integrity of the metal of your vehicle, causing the metal to weaken. It is one of the most damaging things that can happen to your vehicle, and you don't want to allow it to take root or spread unchecked.
Dents Hide Other Damage
What looks like a small dent on the outside could be hiding more serious damage. For example, a small dent to the bumper could conceal the fact that the dent damaged the protective nature of the entire bumper. Or a small dent above the tire could hide the fact that the pressure from the dent damaged other components behind it. Unless you yourself are an auto repair professional, you can't really know what other damage is hiding behind the dent. Taking your vehicle in to get it repaired is the best way to figure out the extent of the real damage caused by the dent.
When your vehicle is damaged, you need to fix the damage right away, regardless of who is paying to fix your vehicle. Dents can damage the paint job, lead to rust, and hide and conceal more serious damage. For more information, contact a local auto body repair shop.
