As a Middleboro auto body repair shop, we hear all kinds of questions about what’s really necessary after a car has been in an accident. Here is one of the most common inquiries and its answer:
What happens if I don’t fix the damage? Can I still drive my car?
In instances where people are paying out of pocket for their auto body repairs, keeping the budget under control is obviously a concern. It may be that individuals want to postpone some repairs until they have more funds available, but they need to drive their car now. They want to know if that is possible.
This is a question that can only be answered on a case by case basis. But in general terms, there’s some types of damage that make it unsafe to operate the vehicle. This can include damage to the vehicle’s frame, suspension, engine, wheels or glass. After your vehicle has been inspected, the technicians will have identified these critical concerns that need to be repaired before you can drive your car.
But what about non-critical issues? Can you drive around with a dented hood or a back door that won’t open? This is sometimes necessary. However, it’s important to know how these issues impact the long term condition and value of your car.
For example, dents. A dent doesn’t necessarily seem like a big deal, but the fact is that the dent can contain many multiple small breaks in the paint surface. These breaks can be very difficult to see with the naked eye. However they are large enough to let water permeate through to the metal surface of your car, where it can cause damaging rust. Over the long term, this has a very negative impact on the condition of your vehicle. That’s why it’s important to have repairs made as soon as possible.
Sometimes people will ask us if the car has been damaged too long to be repaired. That’s seldom if ever the case. Sometimes the repairs will be slightly more extensive than if they’d been addressed right away, but you can get your car looking like new again whenever you’re ready to make that happen.