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Day: November 26, 2018

What to do When Your Car Is Faded

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What to do When Your Car Is Faded

auto tips paint car

Protecting your skin from harmful UV rays at the beach is a given for us humans. But those same UV rays can also damage your car, causing it to fade over time. You likely don’t think about your car’s paint job until it starts to get noticeably lighter. This is due to the oxidization from the UV rays of the sun. On top of that, extreme weather due to snow, hail, high winds and rain can all have an impact on the hue of your car — not to mention the critters that can really do a number on your paint job.

Here are some tips on keeping your car’s paint job looking new year after year:

Come up with a washing schedule: Prevention is key here, so the best way to protect your car from the sun and environmental damage is to keep up with a consistent washing schedule. Praying for a rain storm isn’t going to help. You need a good clean that can protect your top coat from existing and future damage. Top coat is like sunscreen for your car, and keeping it as clean as possible is like giving it SPF 50 protection. However, that top coat is also the most vulnerable to sand, salt, snow and acid rain.

Restore the paint job: Once fading begins, you may think it’s too late to be saved. Not true. You will have to break out the elbow grease but restoration of your paint job is absolutely possible. First, you’ll need to thoroughly wash and dry your car, then use a clay bar to remove the junk that’s contributing to the dullness factor. Clay is designed to “fix” a contaminated surface — one that is plagued with tiny bumps in the paint that can detract from its smoothness. All that embedded debris can cause small imperfections in your finish that the clay bar can pick up and remove, says Dr. Beasley’s. Doing this will provide a prime surface featuring a tighter seal to the wax making sure it looks better and lasts longer.

Polish after claying: The clay bar is great, but it’s no substitute for polishing your car. Do this in a shady area, out of direct sunlight. Make sure your car is cool to the touch and not hot. Work in small, concentrated areas and always follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Normally, you would use a foam applicator but once light oxidization and fading has occurred, it’s best to use a microfiber applicator pad for car polish application.

Wax your car regularly: If a clean top coat adds an extra layer of protection for your car, adding wax gives you yet another protective layer that prevents dirt from harming your car. Not only does it make your paint job look beautiful and shiny, it can give you a whole new level of SPF protection that can complement the efforts of your washing schedule.You have four types of wax products to selection from: liquid, paste, spray and wipe-on, wipe-off. The paste and liquid formulas seem to work the best when a car is faded or oxidized car paint. Ideally, you should wax before the winter, then keep up with maintenance every two to three months.

Take it to the pros: If all of the above methods don’t work and your car’s finish is too badly faded, oxidized or damaged, you may need a complete paint job. Whether as part of collision repair or a simple desire to get your paint job restored, professionals have the right equipment, tools and paint to bring that luster and sheen to your car that you miss so much.

paint-tips-car

Contact Lofton Motorsport’s In Tulsa

Located conveniently on Tulsa, OK. Lofton Motorsport’s is your first choice for paint restoration, collision repair and auto body work. Contact us at (918) 747-7566 to schedule an appointment

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How Paintless Dent Repair Works

paintless dent repair

Paintless dent repair, known for short as PDR, is an environmentally-friendly way of repairing a vehicle that has been in an accident. Essentially, it’s a method of restoring a vehicle’s body to a factory-like condition within a smaller time frame and at a fraction of the cost of full-on auto body repair.

Because it’s a much less invasive process for dent repair, it is designed for small to medium repair needs. Larger dents and issues will require auto body repair, panel removal, etc. Technicians skilled in PDR use state-of-the-art technologies to get beneath the vehicle’s “skin” and gently coax dented panels back into position without making scratches or compromising the paint job. It’s ideal for addressing damage caused by hail, dings, creases and small dents.

The PDR process involves the technician first assessing the damage, then gaining entry to the dent and taking a closer look. Finally, he or she will apply slow pressure to work the dent out.

How Does it Work?

Let’s go into more detail on the steps discussed above.

Damage assessment is the first step. This allows technicians to see the extent of the damage and determine if PDR is indeed the right way to go. Between 80 and 90 percent of all dents are able to be removed through PDR. Then, the technician will prepare the area around the dent before attempting the repair.

Next up, it’s necessary to gain entry to the dent, which is typically from the back side, necessitating the removal of body panels, tail lights and even interior panels in some cases. Essentially, the technician has to create a pathway to the dent area.

Your technician will use a special light to gain visual access to the area, which gives off a shadow. This helps the technician know precisely where the tools should be placed to massage the area back into its original position. This slow pressure takes some time and precision.

Most times, PDR can be done on the same day you bring your car in. Of course, the exact time frame will depend on the dent’s severity and how hard it is to access it.

Paintless Dent Repair vs. Traditional Dent Repair

Traditional dent repair involves filling dented areas with paint or body filler, to be matched to the rest of the exterior. This can make your car look like new, but it still doesn’t offer a sustainable, long-term solution. In addition, it’s more costly than paintless dent repair, more time-consuming, and negatively impacts the re-sale value of your vehicle.

With paintless dent repair, there is no need for fillers or sanding. For minor repairs, PDR is a quicker, more cost-effective alternative all the way around.

Contact Lofton Motorsport’s in Tulsa

If you require our services for paintless dent repair in and around Tulsa, contact us at (918) 747-7566 or visit us In Tulsa.

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Why Car Dents Can Pose Big Problems

Take care of dents right away.

When you consider potential car damage that can occur as you’re out and about, dents and scratches may not stress you out as much as more severe damage, but they can cause big problems down the line. Many vehicle owners put off repairing these issues because they assume the problem is so small it won’t make a difference; other drivers attempt to DIY the repair and end up causing more damage than if they had just left it alone.

Both of these methods of dealing with exterior car damage can have a lasting impact on the functionality, appearance, and value of the vehicle. Here are some good reasons why those small car dents should be promptly and professionally repaired.

 

Dents Are More Affordable to Repair Early On

When a dent or scratch first shows up, the repair necessary to fix it is likely relatively small. However, when you let these issues fester, the damage to the auto body can increase over time. For instance, scratches in the paint can get deeper the more you drive and wash your vehicle.

Advanced auto body damage makes your car look unsightly; plus, untreated defects can cost much more to repair, as the affected area will ultimately become larger than it first appeared. Thus your auto body repair technician may find it more difficult to match the paint due to aging, translating to a higher price tag for you.

Dents Harm Your Car’s Exterior

While you may assume dents are simply a cosmetic issue, unrepaired damage can adversely affect your car’s paint job and structural integrity. Let’s say you experience a scratch in the summer but don’t get it repaired till spring. It will likely get wider and deeper, posing even more serious issues in the case of dents, such as paint removal, exposure of the internal components to sunlight, and debris collection. In the worst cases, your car can develop an expanding area of rust or other corrosion – all stemming to one simple scratch.

Dents Mask Serious Damage

Most dents are the result of some kind of collision. After a fender bender, you may see the dent and thank your lucky stars that’s the only damage you sustained. However, many types of damage aren’t visible at all. Even a low-speed car accident can bend the car’s frame slightly or knock the wheels out of alignment. While you wouldn’t see a crumpled frame when observing the aftermath, the damage has been done, threatening the structural integrity of the car as well as your long-term safety.

Dents Reduce the Car’s Value

A dent can impact your car’s resale value. Vehicles with cosmetic damage are worth less than cars without this damage. To make sure you get the full value of the car that you deserve when selling, get the auto body work done by a professional.

Contact Lofton Motorsport’s in Tulsa

To schedule your appointment for dent or scratch repair, contact us at (918) 747-7566!

Why Car Dents Can Pose Big Problems

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