The Costs & Repair Time to Fix a Dented or Damaged Car Door
If one part of your vehicle is most prone to getting damaged, it is your car door. While it’s never great to discover you have a dent or ding in your door, it is something that can be repaired or replaced relatively quickly and easily.
Collision Center of Andover provides state-of-the-air automotive repair and restoration to Andover and Wichita. Repairing and replacing car doors is one of the many vehicle restoration services we provide. Our team is highly trained and experienced in getting car door repairs done quickly and expertly. But how long does it take to replace a car door?
Need your damaged door repaired? Call Collision Center of Andover at 316-733-9310.
Repair Time for a Damaged Car Door
On average, it usually takes around two hours for an auto body repair shop to install a replacement car door on your vehicle. This time can vary depending on how extensive the damage is or how much custom work will be required.
Some of the auto repair work that gets done to fix a damaged car door includes:
removing the old door
installing a new door with all of the necessary metal pieces, seals and weather stripping. This can include custom work for side mirrors or headlights as well
replacing any parts that need to be repaired or replaced, such as locks, handles, and window regulators
However, just because the only damage you see is on the door does not mean that is all that is wrong. Sometimes a collision can cause other vehicle damage that you cannot see. You can read about the 7 ways a small car accident can cause big problems.
Fastest Auto Body Shop in Wichita Area
Collision Center of Andover is proud to boast of providing the speediest body shop workaround. And it is something insurance companies keep track of. Getting a vehicle repaired and back on the road isn’t just important to the car’s owners but also to the insurance companies. One reason is that shorter repair time means less money they will have to pay for a rental car. They keep track of the number of labor hours that individual auto body shops take in getting a vehicle fixed back up.
And by far, when it comes to this important speed factor, Collision Center of Andover leads the local industry with every major insurance company.
“We are the fastest and quality is not sacrificed in the process. We always exceed the insurance companies’ expectations on repair time from start to finish. And we are pretty good at establishing a delivery time by just looking at the vehicle. If the vehicle is drivable, stop by for us to have a quick look and we can tell you in less than a minute about how long it would take to complete. Or fill out the request on our website and upload some pictures, and we can do the same thing.”
-Ben Lawrence, Owner of Collision Center of Andover
How much does it cost to replace a car door?
Prices range from $500-$1500 depending on how much damage is done. The cost can vary partly by whether the car door needs to be repainted or if it can be fixed by Paintless Dent Repair service.
Need your damaged door repaired? Call Collision Center of Andover at 316-733-9310.
Does a damaged car door need to be repainted?
Yes, sometimes a damaged car door will need to be repainted. If the car door damage is relatively minor, like a few scratches or dents, likely, you won’t need to have the door repainted. In many instances, we can provide paintless dent repair services to get your car looking like new again.
If the damage is more significant, then yes, you will need to repaint or replace the door. How long does it take to repair a car door for this depends on how big of an area needs to be repaired and how much damage was caused.
Note: If you plan on painting your vehicle and replacing a damaged or dented body part before respraying, this will save time and money.
Need your damaged door repaired? Call Collision Center of Andover at 316-733-9310.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Other Factors Determine Car Repair Time
While auto repair shops like Collision Center of Andover can often get a car door replaced in a matter of hours, there are times when that is not possible. Beyond the time it takes to get the work done are a few other factors.
Materials If particular or specialty components or materials are needed to repair your vehicle’s door, there could be a delay in getting that part. While parts can often arrive very quickly, sometimes unexpected circumstances can slow down delivery. A hurricane in Florida or a flood in Iowa could impede a supplier’s ability to deliver the necessary part to us quickly.
Local Repair Demand Sometimes, all the auto repair shops in the Wichita area are busy. For example, after a hailstorm, many drivers are looking to get those hail dents fixed. If a lot of customers want auto body service, you’ll have to wait longer to get the work done you need.
15 Years in Business Serving the Greater Wichita area
This year is a big year for our company. 2021 marks the 15th year Collision Center of Andover has been in business!
It was on March 14, 2006 when founder and president Ben Lawrence opened the doors of our auto body shop here at 948 N. Andover Rd. Ben continues to run the business that has remained at this location for all of our 15 years. Our location has provided us great opportunity to serve not just the people of Andover, but also residents from Wichita and surrounding towns.
Auto Body Shop Accomplishments
Since the beginning, it has been our commitment to provide the best auto body service in the area. We often get customers from Wichita who decide the pass up on closer shops because they know they can trust our expert vehicle repair service.
In addition to our dedication of having the most skilled auto body technicians around, we have been awarded for our quality of work. Collision Center of Andover received the Gold I-Car Certification, which is truly the gold standard in the auto body industry. With this certification, you can be sure Collision Center of Andover will get your damaged vehicle back looking as good as new.
Our Team. Our Family.
Our team at Collision Center of Andover is responsible for our great success over these many years. We are like family, and in some cases, we mean that literally. Some of our team has been with our shop since also the beginning, including highly skilled technicians Kenny and Neil or Kyle who is quite possibly the best estimator in town.
Thank You to All Our Customers!
We wouldn’t be celebrating if it wasn’t for all of our wonderful customers. Supporting local businesses like ours is what makes our Kansas communities such a great place to live. We have serviced tens of thousands of customers and appreciate each and every one of you. We feel incredibly grateful whenever you share your feedback of how we restored your vehicle. From the dozens of 5-star reviews on Google to the many glowing customer testimonials, we love hearing how we exceeded your expectations!
Along with providing needed vehicle repair service, Collision Center of Andover has given back to the communities that have given us so much. Whether it is supporting Andover schools and Butler Community College, the Andover Caring and Sharing Mission, or participating in the annual Walk to Defeat ALS in Wichita, our shop is proud to be involved in some of the best parts of our community.
Collision Center is Here to Help You
If you find yourself with a damaged vehicle, whether from a collision or hail damage or a door ding from the parking lot, let us help.
Collision Center of Andover specialize in paintless dent repair which allows us to fix your vehicle with state-of-the-art technology that gets you out of the shop quickly and more cheaply than traditional vehicle body repair.
Getting into a vehicle accident, even small ones, can cause a lot of headaches. Fortunately, most accidents do not cause personal injuries. But when you find yourself in a vehicle collision, you may be faced with handling financial, legal and other documentation work. But you may be wondering, do I have to report a car accident to the DMV?
The Department of Motor Vehicles is one organization that you may have to deal with after you are involved in an accident. The Kansas DMV is a division of the Kansas Department of Revenue.
DMV Accident Reports
The Kansas Department of Motor Vehicles keeps tracks of a variety of reporting documents. These records include your driving record, your license, your license plate, and your vehicle title. For this reason, the DMV does get involved in some vehicle collisions.
If you get into an accident where the police are involved, the police will notify the DMV with their police reports. Because the DMV keeps track of your driving record, whichever driver(s) were at fault will be reported to them.
If you had a minor collision and no police officer was called to respond to it, you do not need to contact the DMV. If no tickets were issued and no claims need to be filed, there is probably no reason to report the accident to the DMV.
When Do You Need to Contact the DMV About an Accident?
If you were found at fault of a serious infraction, this can cause a lot of issues. You may have to pay more for your car insurance or even have your driver’s license suspended. Of course, you want to make sure you don’t face any consequences that you don’t have to.
Making sure the records are correct is one reason why you may choose to contact the DMV. It’s not required, but something worth doing if you suspect wrong information exists. If the officer reported something incorrect, you would want the DMV to correct the information. For example, if you were fined for not having proof of insurance but you do have insurance, you would notify the DMV with the correct information. You can expect to be asked to provide supporting documents of proof.
DMV Reporting & Your Insurance
Whatever gets reported to the DMV does not necessarily also get relayed to your insurance company. If you need to make an insurance claim on a vehicle accident, you would need to contact your insurance company separately.
An insurance company would not typically report anything to the Department of Motor Vehicles. If they do, it’s likely because there is an issue related to the records the DMV keeps, such as an insurance lapse or a conviction of a serious offense like a DUI.
An accident that is reported to the DMV will be added to the driving records they keep. It will remain on your record likely for several years. This is true no matter if you were the driver at fault or not.
Kansas Law: What You Have to Report
Every state has its own laws regarding what reporting is required after an accident. Here in Kansas, our law is pretty simple. Whether you get into a traffic accident in Wichita, Andover, or any town in Kansas, you only need to report it to the police.
But not every accident needs to be reported. Traffic accidents that you do NOT need to report include:
Accidents where a police officer comes to the scene (they will report it themselves)
An accident that does not result in property damages exceeding $1000
An accident where no one was seriously injured or killed
Per Kansas state law, you need to file any necessary report as immediately as possible. If you do not report an accident that the law requires, your license could be suspended.
VEHICLE DAMAGE: FULL-SERVICE AUTO BODY REPAIR
If your vehicle was damaged from an accident, you will want to find a reputable local auto body shop that can professional handle any and all problems with your vehicle. While some damage may be easy to spot, there may be other issues like unibody alignment problems that you may not be able to see but are very important to get fixed before driving your vehicle again.
Collision Center of Andover has been trusted to repair cars and trucks in the Wichita area since 2006. Do not wait to get your vehicle looked at if you suspect an alignment problem. Bring your vehicle in to our state-of-the-art auto body shop for a quick and thorough repair. If it’s too damaged to drive, you can utilize our towing services.
Our experienced technicians will check everything under the hood to make sure your vehicle is fixed and safe to drive. Give us a call at (316) 733-9310 or request a free quote online. We are conveniently located just a few miles east of Wichita on Andover Rd.
Diagnosing When a Car Pulls to the Side, Shakes, or Has Tire Wear
Let’s set something straight: it doesn’t have to take a collision for your vehicle’s alignment to be put out of whack. Simply driving around Andover or Wichita streets can be all it takes to cause an alignment problem. If you notice odd tire wear or your vehicle pulling to the left, that’s the right time to start wondering if you’ve got a series problem with its alignment.
Here at Collision Center of Andover, we regularly service and fix cars who have suffered alignment problems. And while there are many things that can cause your tires to become misaligned, there are three common ways that cause this damage other than an actual vehicle accident.
POTHOLES
Those annoying potholes that seem to pop up every day are a major source for causing alignment problems. You may think you’ve run over a pothole and think it wasn’t all that serious when even a small pothole could put your car out of proper alignment. If you do spot a big pothole, you can help keep other drivers on the road from running into it. The City of Wichita allows you to report a Wichita KS pothole online to help them be alerted it needs to be fixed.
CURBS
We have probably all done this. We accidentally go over a curb out of a parking lot or while making a turn. While it might not seem like a problem, unfortunately that could be enough to throw your vehicle’s alignment off.
DAILY DRIVING
Even if you manage to avoid all the potholes and curbs, your vehicle could still be in need of an alignment. Simply driving around normally can cause alignment issues for a vehicle. So just because you have never had any sort of accident or bump with your vehicle, you still should not ignore the signs of a car being out of alignment.
The signs are not always obvious. The parts that are out of alignment are probably all out of view. But there are some tell-tale signs that could mean your vehicle is in need of an alignment.
DO I NEED A VEHICLE ALIGNMENT?
Top 5 SIGNS Your Car is Out of Alignment
Your vehicle seems to be pulling to one side
Damage or wear patterns in certain parts of your tires
Steering wheel is crooked when you are driving straight
Gaps in body panels
Tires do not appear to be facing straight ahead
FIRST SIGNS OF POOR ALIGNMENT
The first thing you should do once you notice any of these signs of potential misalignment is to take your vehicle in to a mechanic and get it checked. If the problem is poor alignment, it is only going to get worse or turn into a bigger problem.
Not only that, but it’s also not safe driving a vehicle that is out of alignment. This problem can affect a lot of other components and could reduce your safety on the road. Your vehicle’s alignment affects your tires, your steering, and even how well you stop.
The Costs of Waiting to Get an Alignment
Delaying a needed tire alignment is only going to cost you more money in the long run. There are several ways that car out of alignment affects your wallet. It can reduce your fuel efficiency, sending you to the gas station more often than you normally would. But more likely you’ll find yourself needing to pay for new tires well before their time because of the abnormal wear they suffered from being unaligned.
Get it checked out right away and you may avoid the problem from getting worse. It can put added stress on your steering and suspension. Contact us at Collision Center of Andover and we’ll get your in to accurately diagnose any alignment problems. At our state-of-the-art autobody facility, we have the tools to quickly and accurately diagnose the exact problem your vehicle has. If your vehicle isn’t able to be driven, we have towing services to help.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF ALIGNMENT
Front-end Alignment: This is the most common type of alignment work and it is to address any misalignment with the front axle.
Thrust Alignment: This is combining the front-end alignment with the thrust angle, which is used to ensure the front wheels are aligned with the back wheels
Four-wheel Alignment: This is typically for four-wheel and all-wheel drive vehicles. This is the most comprehensive alignment and addresses both the front-end alignment and the thrust alignment.
FULL-SERVICE AUTO BODY REPAIR
Do not wait to get your vehicle looked at if you suspect an alignment problem. Bring your vehicle in to Collision Center of Andover and we will have your alignment checked. We provide Computerized Frame & Unibody Alignment services as well as flawless repair to any body damage your vehicle has. Give us a call at (316) 733-9310 or request a free alignment quote online. We are conveniently located just a few miles east of Wichita on Andover Rd.
VEHICLE ALIGNMENT FAQ
How often should I get an alignment?
The standard recommendation for most vehicles is that you should get a wheel alignment every 2 or 3 years.
Can I align my own car?
Depending on the owner’s capabilities, it is possible to handle some level of vehicle alignment as long as the steering wheel is properly centered. Some companies provide tools that let you check your alignment yourself.
Is an alignment needed when I get new tires?
You don’t necessarily need an alignment done when you get new tires installed, but it is a good idea to also have it checked then.
Is a lifetime alignment worth the extra cost?
Lifetime alignments can really be beneficial in the long run. However, it’s a cost waste for a lot of drivers who purchase the additional warranty and then neglect to actually use them.
Can a bad alignment cause my car to shake?
A vehicle out of alignment can cause a shaking steering wheel, especially noticeable at higher speeds.
We see all sorts of auto damage here at our Collision Center of Andover auto body shop. We are a full-service automotive business ready with the tools and trained team to handle the biggest scrapes and dents that can happen to a car in a collision. But sometimes the problems that cause many people big headaches are actually little things. It doesn’t seem to take long before you find that your new, shiny car suddenly has tiny dings in the door.
Car dings are so common because so many things cause them. A shopping cart could have smacked your vehicle in the Dillons grocery store. Perhaps someone parked too close to your vehicle and opened their door right into yours. And of course, as we all know too well here in Kansas, hail can leave a vehicle covered in tiny pock marks.
While door dings and tiny marks won’t keep you off the road, they are still a problem. Those dings can decrease the value of your car and increase your chance for further damage such as paint erosion and rust.
Before
After
PDR: The Better Door Ding Solution
Auto body shops have handled door dings for decades. At one time, you would have had to wait a couple days or more to get those little dings and dents removed from your vehicle. The old conventional way of repairing dents is to fill the imperfection with body filler. Then begins a process that includes hardening, sanding, adding primer and then paint to match the original paint color. The work required and the cost for this auto body repair was relatively substantial. Thank goodness that technology in the automotive industry grew to make newer and better solutions for fixing door dings.
Paintless Dent Repair (PDR) is a highly successful process of removing many types of damage to a vehicle’s body. It’s a service we employ frequently here at Collision Center of Andover. We have a team of trained and highly experienced auto body repair experts who can make dents and dings of all sizes disappear.
Paintless dent repair is a technique that allows body shop repair technicians to fix an imperfection without damaging the vehicle’s paint job in the process. While the history of this auto body technique actually has roots leading back to the 3rd Century BC, it became a technique perfected for the automotive industry in the last century. An early, basic form of it was first utilized in Germany in the Mercedes Benz factory. Then about in the 1980s, paintless dent repair became a service provided by auto body shops in America.
Paintless Door Dent Repair in Andover
Collision Center of Andover has provided exceptional professional paintless dent repair service for decades. We are proud to provide PDR service to vehicle owners not just here in Andover, but for residents all across Butler County and also Wichita and other Sedgwick County communities.
By applying PDR to door dings and other larger dents, we can thoroughly fix and smooth your vehicle’s body back to its original shape. And we can do it much quicker and much cheaper than other auto repair methods.
Paintless dent repair has become such the preferred standard with a lower repair cost that it is now highly recommended by most insurance companies.
How Long Does PDR Take to Fix a Door Ding?
Getting your vehicle fixed with PDR service means you will get back on the road in your own vehicle quickly. Some tiny dents and door dings are often fixed in the same day. However, if you’re facing a more serious car dent or simply a lot of little ones, you can expect to wait longer. A car suffering a great deal of hail damage may take a day or two.
So take a look at those tiny dings that annoy you every time you go to your car door. Imagine having that aggravation gone in a matter of hours. We have made this so easy for you. You can contact us online right now to get your car’s door dings repair scheduled. Or if you have questions before scheduling service, just give us a call at (316) 733-9310 or request a free auto body repair quote online.
How Long Does It Take to Replace a Car Door?
/0 Comments/in General /by adminThe Costs & Repair Time to Fix a Dented or Damaged Car Door
If one part of your vehicle is most prone to getting damaged, it is your car door. While it’s never great to discover you have a dent or ding in your door, it is something that can be repaired or replaced relatively quickly and easily.
Collision Center of Andover provides state-of-the-air automotive repair and restoration to Andover and Wichita. Repairing and replacing car doors is one of the many vehicle restoration services we provide. Our team is highly trained and experienced in getting car door repairs done quickly and expertly. But how long does it take to replace a car door?
Need your damaged door repaired? Call Collision Center of Andover at 316-733-9310.
Repair Time for a Damaged Car Door
On average, it usually takes around two hours for an auto body repair shop to install a replacement car door on your vehicle. This time can vary depending on how extensive the damage is or how much custom work will be required.
Some of the auto repair work that gets done to fix a damaged car door includes:
However, just because the only damage you see is on the door does not mean that is all that is wrong. Sometimes a collision can cause other vehicle damage that you cannot see. You can read about the 7 ways a small car accident can cause big problems.
Fastest Auto Body Shop in Wichita Area
Collision Center of Andover is proud to boast of providing the speediest body shop workaround. And it is something insurance companies keep track of. Getting a vehicle repaired and back on the road isn’t just important to the car’s owners but also to the insurance companies. One reason is that shorter repair time means less money they will have to pay for a rental car. They keep track of the number of labor hours that individual auto body shops take in getting a vehicle fixed back up.
And by far, when it comes to this important speed factor, Collision Center of Andover leads the local industry with every major insurance company.
How much does it cost to replace a car door?
Prices range from $500-$1500 depending on how much damage is done. The cost can vary partly by whether the car door needs to be repainted or if it can be fixed by Paintless Dent Repair service.
You will not be surprised by an outrageous car repair bill. With Collision Center of Andover, we make sure to talk over the work and expected costs you can expect. We provide auto body repair free estimates to the entire Wichita area.
Need your damaged door repaired? Call Collision Center of Andover at 316-733-9310.
Does a damaged car door need to be repainted?
Yes, sometimes a damaged car door will need to be repainted. If the car door damage is relatively minor, like a few scratches or dents, likely, you won’t need to have the door repainted. In many instances, we can provide paintless dent repair services to get your car looking like new again.
If the damage is more significant, then yes, you will need to repaint or replace the door. How long does it take to repair a car door for this depends on how big of an area needs to be repaired and how much damage was caused.
Note: If you plan on painting your vehicle and replacing a damaged or dented body part before respraying, this will save time and money.
Need your damaged door repaired? Call Collision Center of Andover at 316-733-9310.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Other Factors Determine Car Repair Time
While auto repair shops like Collision Center of Andover can often get a car door replaced in a matter of hours, there are times when that is not possible. Beyond the time it takes to get the work done are a few other factors.
Materials
If particular or specialty components or materials are needed to repair your vehicle’s door, there could be a delay in getting that part. While parts can often arrive very quickly, sometimes unexpected circumstances can slow down delivery. A hurricane in Florida or a flood in Iowa could impede a supplier’s ability to deliver the necessary part to us quickly.
Local Repair Demand
Sometimes, all the auto repair shops in the Wichita area are busy. For example, after a hailstorm, many drivers are looking to get those hail dents fixed. If a lot of customers want auto body service, you’ll have to wait longer to get the work done you need.
Read more about the various factors that determine how long an autobody repair can take.
Collision Center of Andover Celebrates 15th Anniversary
/0 Comments/in General /by admin15 Years in Business Serving the Greater Wichita area
This year is a big year for our company. 2021 marks the 15th year Collision Center of Andover has been in business!
It was on March 14, 2006 when founder and president Ben Lawrence opened the doors of our auto body shop here at 948 N. Andover Rd. Ben continues to run the business that has remained at this location for all of our 15 years. Our location has provided us great opportunity to serve not just the people of Andover, but also residents from Wichita and surrounding towns.
Auto Body Shop Accomplishments
Since the beginning, it has been our commitment to provide the best auto body service in the area. We often get customers from Wichita who decide the pass up on closer shops because they know they can trust our expert vehicle repair service.
In addition to our dedication of having the most skilled auto body technicians around, we have been awarded for our quality of work. Collision Center of Andover received the Gold I-Car Certification, which is truly the gold standard in the auto body industry. With this certification, you can be sure Collision Center of Andover will get your damaged vehicle back looking as good as new.
Our Team. Our Family.
Our team at Collision Center of Andover is responsible for our great success over these many years. We are like family, and in some cases, we mean that literally. Some of our team has been with our shop since also the beginning, including highly skilled technicians Kenny and Neil or Kyle who is quite possibly the best estimator in town.
Thank You to All Our Customers!
We wouldn’t be celebrating if it wasn’t for all of our wonderful customers. Supporting local businesses like ours is what makes our Kansas communities such a great place to live. We have serviced tens of thousands of customers and appreciate each and every one of you. We feel incredibly grateful whenever you share your feedback of how we restored your vehicle. From the dozens of 5-star reviews on Google to the many glowing customer testimonials, we love hearing how we exceeded your expectations!
Along with providing needed vehicle repair service, Collision Center of Andover has given back to the communities that have given us so much. Whether it is supporting Andover schools and Butler Community College, the Andover Caring and Sharing Mission, or participating in the annual Walk to Defeat ALS in Wichita, our shop is proud to be involved in some of the best parts of our community.
Collision Center is Here to Help You
Collision Center of Andover specialize in paintless dent repair which allows us to fix your vehicle with state-of-the-art technology that gets you out of the shop quickly and more cheaply than traditional vehicle body repair.
Give us a call at (316) 733-9310 and let us know how we can get your vehicle back to its original condition. We can even provide a virtual quote option to get you a free estimate quickly over the phone.
Do I Report a Car Accident to the DMV?
/0 Comments/in General /by adminAfter a Crash: Reporting Requirements in Kansas
The Department of Motor Vehicles is one organization that you may have to deal with after you are involved in an accident. The Kansas DMV is a division of the Kansas Department of Revenue.
DMV Accident Reports
If you get into an accident where the police are involved, the police will notify the DMV with their police reports. Because the DMV keeps track of your driving record, whichever driver(s) were at fault will be reported to them.
If you had a minor collision and no police officer was called to respond to it, you do not need to contact the DMV. If no tickets were issued and no claims need to be filed, there is probably no reason to report the accident to the DMV.
When Do You Need to Contact the DMV About an Accident?
If you were found at fault of a serious infraction, this can cause a lot of issues. You may have to pay more for your car insurance or even have your driver’s license suspended. Of course, you want to make sure you don’t face any consequences that you don’t have to.
Making sure the records are correct is one reason why you may choose to contact the DMV. It’s not required, but something worth doing if you suspect wrong information exists. If the officer reported something incorrect, you would want the DMV to correct the information. For example, if you were fined for not having proof of insurance but you do have insurance, you would notify the DMV with the correct information. You can expect to be asked to provide supporting documents of proof.
DMV Reporting & Your Insurance
Whatever gets reported to the DMV does not necessarily also get relayed to your insurance company. If you need to make an insurance claim on a vehicle accident, you would need to contact your insurance company separately.
An insurance company would not typically report anything to the Department of Motor Vehicles. If they do, it’s likely because there is an issue related to the records the DMV keeps, such as an insurance lapse or a conviction of a serious offense like a DUI.
An accident that is reported to the DMV will be added to the driving records they keep. It will remain on your record likely for several years. This is true no matter if you were the driver at fault or not.
Kansas Law: What You Have to Report
Every state has its own laws regarding what reporting is required after an accident. Here in Kansas, our law is pretty simple. Whether you get into a traffic accident in Wichita, Andover, or any town in Kansas, you only need to report it to the police.
But not every accident needs to be reported. Traffic accidents that you do NOT need to report include:
Per Kansas state law, you need to file any necessary report as immediately as possible. If you do not report an accident that the law requires, your license could be suspended.
VEHICLE DAMAGE: FULL-SERVICE AUTO BODY REPAIR
If your vehicle was damaged from an accident, you will want to find a reputable local auto body shop that can professional handle any and all problems with your vehicle. While some damage may be easy to spot, there may be other issues like unibody alignment problems that you may not be able to see but are very important to get fixed before driving your vehicle again.
Collision Center of Andover has been trusted to repair cars and trucks in the Wichita area since 2006. Do not wait to get your vehicle looked at if you suspect an alignment problem. Bring your vehicle in to our state-of-the-art auto body shop for a quick and thorough repair. If it’s too damaged to drive, you can utilize our towing services.
Our experienced technicians will check everything under the hood to make sure your vehicle is fixed and safe to drive. Give us a call at (316) 733-9310 or request a free quote online. We are conveniently located just a few miles east of Wichita on Andover Rd.
Do I Need A Vehicle Alignment?
/0 Comments/in General /by adminDiagnosing When a Car Pulls to the Side, Shakes, or Has Tire Wear
Let’s set something straight: it doesn’t have to take a collision for your vehicle’s alignment to be put out of whack. Simply driving around Andover or Wichita streets can be all it takes to cause an alignment problem. If you notice odd tire wear or your vehicle pulling to the left, that’s the right time to start wondering if you’ve got a series problem with its alignment.
Here at Collision Center of Andover, we regularly service and fix cars who have suffered alignment problems. And while there are many things that can cause your tires to become misaligned, there are three common ways that cause this damage other than an actual vehicle accident.
Those annoying potholes that seem to pop up every day are a major source for causing alignment problems. You may think you’ve run over a pothole and think it wasn’t all that serious when even a small pothole could put your car out of proper alignment. If you do spot a big pothole, you can help keep other drivers on the road from running into it. The City of Wichita allows you to report a Wichita KS pothole online to help them be alerted it needs to be fixed.
CURBS
We have probably all done this. We accidentally go over a curb out of a parking lot or while making a turn. While it might not seem like a problem, unfortunately that could be enough to throw your vehicle’s alignment off.
DAILY DRIVING
Even if you manage to avoid all the potholes and curbs, your vehicle could still be in need of an alignment. Simply driving around normally can cause alignment issues for a vehicle. So just because you have never had any sort of accident or bump with your vehicle, you still should not ignore the signs of a car being out of alignment.
The signs are not always obvious. The parts that are out of alignment are probably all out of view. But there are some tell-tale signs that could mean your vehicle is in need of an alignment.
Top 5 SIGNS Your Car is Out of Alignment
FIRST SIGNS OF POOR ALIGNMENT
The first thing you should do once you notice any of these signs of potential misalignment is to take your vehicle in to a mechanic and get it checked. If the problem is poor alignment, it is only going to get worse or turn into a bigger problem.
Not only that, but it’s also not safe driving a vehicle that is out of alignment. This problem can affect a lot of other components and could reduce your safety on the road. Your vehicle’s alignment affects your tires, your steering, and even how well you stop.
The Costs of Waiting to Get an Alignment
Delaying a needed tire alignment is only going to cost you more money in the long run. There are several ways that car out of alignment affects your wallet. It can reduce your fuel efficiency, sending you to the gas station more often than you normally would. But more likely you’ll find yourself needing to pay for new tires well before their time because of the abnormal wear they suffered from being unaligned.
Get it checked out right away and you may avoid the problem from getting worse. It can put added stress on your steering and suspension. Contact us at Collision Center of Andover and we’ll get your in to accurately diagnose any alignment problems. At our state-of-the-art autobody facility, we have the tools to quickly and accurately diagnose the exact problem your vehicle has. If your vehicle isn’t able to be driven, we have towing services to help.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF ALIGNMENT
Front-end Alignment: This is the most common type of alignment work and it is to address any misalignment with the front axle.
Thrust Alignment: This is combining the front-end alignment with the thrust angle, which is used to ensure the front wheels are aligned with the back wheels
Four-wheel Alignment: This is typically for four-wheel and all-wheel drive vehicles. This is the most comprehensive alignment and addresses both the front-end alignment and the thrust alignment.
FULL-SERVICE AUTO BODY REPAIR
Do not wait to get your vehicle looked at if you suspect an alignment problem. Bring your vehicle in to Collision Center of Andover and we will have your alignment checked. We provide Computerized Frame & Unibody Alignment services as well as flawless repair to any body damage your vehicle has. Give us a call at (316) 733-9310 or request a free alignment quote online. We are conveniently located just a few miles east of Wichita on Andover Rd.
VEHICLE ALIGNMENT FAQ
How often should I get an alignment?
Can I align my own car?
Is an alignment needed when I get new tires?
Is a lifetime alignment worth the extra cost?
Can a bad alignment cause my car to shake?
Paintless Door Ding Repair in Andover
/0 Comments/in Blog /by adminQuick PDR Fix to Little Dents in your Vehicle
We see all sorts of auto damage here at our Collision Center of Andover auto body shop. We are a full-service automotive business ready with the tools and trained team to handle the biggest scrapes and dents that can happen to a car in a collision. But sometimes the problems that cause many people big headaches are actually little things. It doesn’t seem to take long before you find that your new, shiny car suddenly has tiny dings in the door.
Car dings are so common because so many things cause them. A shopping cart could have smacked your vehicle in the Dillons grocery store. Perhaps someone parked too close to your vehicle and opened their door right into yours. And of course, as we all know too well here in Kansas, hail can leave a vehicle covered in tiny pock marks.
While door dings and tiny marks won’t keep you off the road, they are still a problem. Those dings can decrease the value of your car and increase your chance for further damage such as paint erosion and rust.
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PDR: The Better Door Ding Solution
Auto body shops have handled door dings for decades. At one time, you would have had to wait a couple days or more to get those little dings and dents removed from your vehicle. The old conventional way of repairing dents is to fill the imperfection with body filler. Then begins a process that includes hardening, sanding, adding primer and then paint to match the original paint color. The work required and the cost for this auto body repair was relatively substantial. Thank goodness that technology in the automotive industry grew to make newer and better solutions for fixing door dings.
Paintless Dent Repair (PDR) is a highly successful process of removing many types of damage to a vehicle’s body. It’s a service we employ frequently here at Collision Center of Andover. We have a team of trained and highly experienced auto body repair experts who can make dents and dings of all sizes disappear.
Paintless dent repair is a technique that allows body shop repair technicians to fix an imperfection without damaging the vehicle’s paint job in the process. While the history of this auto body technique actually has roots leading back to the 3rd Century BC, it became a technique perfected for the automotive industry in the last century. An early, basic form of it was first utilized in Germany in the Mercedes Benz factory. Then about in the 1980s, paintless dent repair became a service provided by auto body shops in America.
Paintless Door Dent Repair in Andover
Collision Center of Andover has provided exceptional professional paintless dent repair service for decades. We are proud to provide PDR service to vehicle owners not just here in Andover, but for residents all across Butler County and also Wichita and other Sedgwick County communities.
By applying PDR to door dings and other larger dents, we can thoroughly fix and smooth your vehicle’s body back to its original shape. And we can do it much quicker and much cheaper than other auto repair methods.
Paintless dent repair has become such the preferred standard with a lower repair cost that it is now highly recommended by most insurance companies.
How Long Does PDR Take to Fix a Door Ding?
Getting your vehicle fixed with PDR service means you will get back on the road in your own vehicle quickly. Some tiny dents and door dings are often fixed in the same day. However, if you’re facing a more serious car dent or simply a lot of little ones, you can expect to wait longer. A car suffering a great deal of hail damage may take a day or two.
So take a look at those tiny dings that annoy you every time you go to your car door. Imagine having that aggravation gone in a matter of hours. We have made this so easy for you. You can contact us online right now to get your car’s door dings repair scheduled. Or if you have questions before scheduling service, just give us a call at (316) 733-9310 or request a free auto body repair quote online.