auto body Archives | Page 2 of 4 | Collision Center of Andover

Paintless Door Ding Repair in Andover

Quick 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.

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 3^rd 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.

Does my Car Need a Paint Job?

4 Things to Consider Before Getting Your Vehicle Repainted

Is your vehicle looking a bit dingy these days? Whether you’re dealing with scratches in the paint or a hood faded from the sun, it’s disappointing to see your car looking far worse from when you first bought it.

At Collision Center of Andover, we have seen all the ways that a vehicle can look weathered, old or out of shape. After all, our specialty is fixing vehicles damaged from a collision. Often times the work needed to get a vehicle back to looking like new requires some sort of paint job.

The talented team at our auto repair shop has a lot of experience in knowing when any sort of paint job is needed for a vehicle. Our goal is to get your vehicle looking as good as the day you first drove it off the car lot. Sometimes that means repainting, and sometimes it doesn’t.

There are several things to factor when considering whether you need a complete paint job, a paint match job for part of your vehicle or some other service altogether.

Is it time to get your vehicle painted?

There are a lot of great reasons to choose to get a vehicle repainted. It does not have to take a car accident to determine your car needs to be repainted. A car’s paint that has faded in the sun or has been affected by other environmental factors are common reasons to want a new paint job. Did you know that if you have a black or red car, you are more likely to notice fading paint on your vehicle? If you’ve been disappointed in how your vehicle’s been looking lately, it may be time to get it repainted. However, before you do, here are some factors to consider before heading to an auto paint shop.

4 Top Considerations for Getting a Car Repainted

Is there a cheaper fix for your car?
Does your vehicle have bigger issues that need to be handled first?
Are you repainting for the right reasons?
How to avoid a paint job rip off

1. Is there a cheaper fix for your car?

What looks like a very bad scratch or dent might not be as bad as you think. Here at Collision Center of Andover, we have decades of experience working with all degrees of vehicle damage. We fix all auto body problems – big and small.

For a lot of the small problems, no paint job is needed. With the technique of Paintless Dent Repair, we can get that dent out of your vehicle without ever affecting your paint. Collision Center of Andover prides itself on providing the areas most expert paintless dent repair service.

Sometimes scratches on your vehicle are not very deep. There is a layer of clear coat above the actual paint layer on your vehicle. If the scratch has not gotten down deep enough, the damage can likely be repaired without a complete paint job.

Go to a reputable auto shop company to be sure that you are getting ONLY the work your vehicle needs, and not paying extra for service it doesn’t.

2. Does your vehicle have bigger issues that need to be handled first?

If there is damage to your vehicle beyond the paint, you likely need to have that fixed before any paint work can be done. Do you have rust spots, dents, pits, or gouges? A shiny, new paint job will only highlight any damaged area your vehicle has.

You don’t want to be surprised with a shiny dented vehicle. And you also don’t want to be surprised by a huge bill for the additional repair work. Contact us for auto body repair free estimates so you know exactly how much you may be having to spend for the needed restoration work.

3. Are you repainting for the right reasons?

Are you trying to sell your car? You may think that a clean, new paint job is going to increase the value of your vehicle. Well, you are right about that. But in doing so, are you going to end up spending more for the paint job than the extra you’ll get in return?

If you are getting the paint job solely for improving the sale of your vehicle, do your research first. Make sure the amount you can expect to be paid for a newly painted vehicle makes it worth the cost of repainting it.

Collision Center of Andover offers competitive pricing for vehicle paint service and all other auto body work for the Wichita area. Contact us for a free estimate on how much it will cost to repaint your vehicle.

4. How to avoid a paint job rip off

Painting a house is easy, a car can’t be all that hard? While you may realize how ridiculous of a statement that is, a lot of other people don’t. Do not get fooled by some friend of a friend or a guy with a sign claiming he can paint a car for cheap. Sure, he will paint it for less, but you could end up with a car in much worse shape than before.

To repaint a vehicle properly, you need to have a level of skill that requires training and years of experience. Fortunately, that’s exactly what our guys at Collision Center of Andover have.

Get a Quality Paint Job in the Wichita Area

Collision Center of Andover has been repainting vehicles for decades. Located conveniently just off Andover Rd, we provide service to the entire Wichita area. Among the services we offer are Vehicle Restoration and Complete Vehicle Repaint. We guarantee paint color match with your vehicle’s original color and will get it looking as good as new.

Call us at (316) 733-9310 to find out how we can restore the look of your vehicle. You can also contact us online for a free estimate.

woman uploading auto body damage images to collision center of andover website for free estimates

Wichita Area: Auto Body Repair Free Estimates

Is that little ding going to cost you a lot of money? Does your vehicle have minor damage that you’ve procrastinated getting fixed?

What are you waiting for? Don’t let the concern over an auto repair keeping you from getting your car back to looking like new. At Collision Center of Andover, we want to eliminate any barriers that may be keeping you from getting the auto body service you need.

For anyone in the greater Wichita area looking to get auto repair work done on their vehicle, we provide free estimates.

What’s Keeping You from Getting Auto Body Work Done?

You may think whatever small damage your vehicle has is only a small issue. The truth of the matter is that a lot of little dings, dents and scratches can lead to bigger problems. And these bigger problems will surely cost more to fix. A little scratch can lead to rust. A ding on a windshield can lead to a massive crack. Sometimes these little things that don’t cost much to fix will cost you a lot more by ignoring it.

Money is often the big barrier that a lot of people face. Any damage to your vehicle is an unwanted surprise, and one you probably didn’t budget for. It can be very stressful worrying about how expensive your car’s problem will be to fix. This worry can stop you from taking the necessary steps to get it fixed.

Free Estimate – Get a Virtual Quote!

Get an auto body repair quote from anywhere! At Collision Center of Andover, we don’t just use modern technology to get dents and scratches out of cars. We have made a way for you to send us information easily to get your free estimate quote request.

You can request a free estimate for Wichita area service with our interactive form online. It allows you to upload photos of your vehicle’s damage so we can see right away what sorts of repairs we may be dealing with. We may need you to come in to our shop just a few miles east of Wichita so we can better inspect it, but at least we have the information to give you a starting idea of the work your vehicle will need.

There is no risk and no reason to wait. You can upload a photo of your vehicle’s damage RIGHT NOW and you will be one step closer to knowing if and how you can get your car finally fixed!

No Surprise Cost

You should never be surprised by a big and unexpected total price tag to the work you need done on your vehicle. With Collision Center of Andover, we provide upfront price estimates so that you know what you can expect to pay on the work we do.

With our auto body free estimates, people all across Wichita, Andover and the surrounding area come to us knowing what they’ll pay and that they’ll pay an affordable competitive price.

Auto Body Work that is Fair & Reasonable

While we pride ourselves on the quality of work we do inside our auto body shop, we know one of the big things our customers appreciate is our fair price. With dozens of 5-star reviews across Google and Facebook, we have heard time and time again how much people appreciate both our free estimates and our competitive pricing. Read testimonials from many of our satisfied auto body customers!

“Their estimate was competitive with other centers, and they explained the entire process and showed diagrams of the assembly of my car. They said it would take one day — it did — and they called me when it was ready for pick up. Results were great — looks like it was never damaged to begin with. Very pleased.”
-Jan Dent

I have used them several times. Their work is professional, and they are friendly. Extremely helpful and very honest in their estimates. They will also help you through the insurance process. I would not go elsewhere.
-Jodee Hobbs

We are Wichita’s Auto Body Shop, Too

Don’t let our name fool you. Collision Center of Andover started in Andover in 2016 but we service drivers from all over Sedgwick and Butler counties. We are proud to know that our ability to provide high-quality auto body service has become known throughout the area. Every day people across Wichita and beyond rely on our expert car technicians and our state-of-the-art auto body shop. We are appreciative they’ve decided to go the few extra miles (a short drive down east Kellogg) to come to us for their auto body needs.

If you’re on the east side of Wichita, we’re just minutes away. From Towne East Square just take Kellogg for 8 miles, then turn left onto Andover Rd. You’ll find us just a couple of miles up the road on your right.

Heading from East Warren Theater off Greenwich Rd, just take 13^th street going east for about 4 miles, then turn right on Andover Rd.

Have car damage you want a free estimate on? Don’t wait. Request a free quote online or give us a call at (316) 733-9310.

Small vehicle damage to the front of a 2015 Lexus.

Minor Fender Bender Damage or Hidden Issues?

7 Common Ways a Small Car Accident Can Cause Big Problems

It happens to just about all of us. We run over a curb, tap a pole in the parking lot, hit a deer, or even lightly bump into another car. When a little accident happens and you go check out the extent of the fender bender damage, you are likely to find some dents and scratches. While it’s never great to realize your vehicle has been damaged, it’s likely a relief to find out it’s minor. It may seem that your small fender bender didn’t create any significant damage.

But did it?

Fender bender accidents are very common. A minor collision may not seem like reason enough to go to an auto repair shop immediately, but there is a good reason that it is. Sometimes the damage to your car from a very minor accident can actually leave you with real damage that will need to be addressed.

Why are fender benders sometimes big problems? Because many people don’t see the problem. Or they underestimate the damage and ignore it.

Let’s say a person has a minor accident that appears to have left behind a few scratches. So they decide their vehicle doesn’t need to go to the auto repair shop. But in reality, the vehicle did suffer damage beyond the paint. And, being left ignored, this damage gets worse and causes even bigger problems for your vehicle.

Leaving fender bender damage ignored for too long is the wrong thing to do. What could have been a small and inexpensive repair can quickly turn into a major, costly problem.

What To Look For

A fender bender can cause a surprising amount of damage to your car. A lot of these problems are not immediately evident. But days or weeks (or even months) after some slight run-in, you may discover something is definitely not right with your vehicle. Here is a list of just some of the problems that can be caused by even the smallest of fender benders.

BUMPERS
Your car’s bumper is designed to best protect your vehicle from damage when it runs into another vehicle’s bumper. But take a look at the different types and sizes of vehicles out there – from Smart Cars to Hummers – and you’ll see bumpers don’t always line up with each other. Bumpers do a bigger job these days. Not only is your vehicle’s bumper supposed to absorb a relatively minor impact, it’s also housing several important sensors.
SENSORS
There are sensors on parts of your vehicle that could easily be impacted by a minor impact. These are the sensors that give you such assistance as your blind spot warning and cruise control information. You may have a minor fender bender one day to discover a week later that a lot of those high-tech components in your vehicle no longer work.
ALIGNMENT
Sometimes a small accident can create a shift in your vehicle’s alignment. The impact may have put, even slightly, your wheels or suspension out of place. A slight amount of change can create large problems over time if left ignored. Your vehicle could have suffered structural damage from what seemed like a slight accident. That damage may be too minor to notice with a simple visual inspection, but structural problems could leave your vehicle less able to handle the impact of a future crash.
ELECTRICAL
There are a lot of electrical components inside your vehicle. Even a minor fender bender could loosen some wires. Days or weeks after a small accident, you could suddenly find yourself with an electrical short somewhere in your car. Perhaps your power windows are stuck open or your locks are malfunctioning.
AIR CONDITIONER
The air conditioner in vehicles is typically mounted in the front. An accident that affects the front of your vehicle could impact the AC. Over time, the condenser could leak refrigerant which will leave you in a hot car. But it could be worse than that. A damaged or broken radiator will likely leak coolant. Pretty soon you can find out that your engine is overheating.
RUST
Did your vehicle suffer a little scratch or rubbed-off paint? Even this is likely to lead to bigger problems down the road. The underlying metal may now be exposed to the elements, causing it to rust.
WINDSHIELD CHIP
A tiny chip or crack in your windshield is almost guaranteed to grow. And with it, the cost to fix it. Once you notice even a tiny crack in your windshield, you will want to get that replaced.

When Does a Fender Bender Require Repairs From an Auto Body Shop?

Well, the safest answer is that you should head to a mechanic after any run-in where you notice any possible damage. If you were jarred by some impact or bump, it’s always best to have a professional mechanic check under the hood and elsewhere along your vehicle to ensure everything is fine.

Best case scenario: you leave paying a minimal fee for the inspection with nothing wrong. Even better, you take it to our experienced auto body mechanics at Collision Center where we do NOT charge a fee if we find nothing wrong. The next best-case scenario: an auto repair technician finds something relatively minor wrong that they can fix easily and cheaply. With this small problem fixed, you’ve avoided being suddenly surprised by a major problem down the road.

At Collision Center of Andover, we’re the team of qualified auto body shop technicians in south-central Kansas to handle everything from cosmetic damage to suspension work. From chips in your windshield, and dents in your hood to full-line collision repair, everything is handled in our state-of-the-art auto body shop. We’ve been servicing vehicles for people in Wichita, Andover, and surrounding communities since 2006. Give us a call at (316) 733-9310.

Woman inside vehicle examining windshield for dirt and damage

Windshield Chip Repair

Keeping Little Chips & Cracks from becoming Big Repairs

Here in Kansas, we are at risk of suffering a crack or ding to our windshield during any time of year. From being parked outside during a large hailstorm in the spring to just following a construction vehicle along Kellogg in Wichita, people come into our Andover auto shop all year round with a variety of auto glass damage.

When to get a windshield chip repaired?

A little chip or crack on your windshield may be annoying, but not an impairment to your driving. You may be tempted to delay getting your vehicle’s glass repaired later. But how long can you safely wait to fix a little chip in your window before getting it fixed? There really is no good length of time to wait to repair a broken windshield, no matter how minor the damage is. The fact is, the smallest ding in your window or windshield is at risk of turning into a large crack at any time. Waiting to fix a little windshield chip could cost you more in the long run.

What’s the cost of fixing a chipped windshield?

If you have a chip less than a half inch big or a crack that can be completely covered by your hand, these damages probably require minor repairs and will not be very expensive. Here at our auto shop in Andover just minutes from Wichita, we often can repair minor chips and cracks in less than an hour.

The cost and repair time increase if the damage is not as minor as you think. If there are 4 or more chips or cracks on the glass, if the damage is located at the ends of the windshield, or if your windshield is covered with tiny divots, then you may need to have the entire windshield replaced.

Finding out if we can fix it and how much it will cost is free. Here at Collision Center of Andover, we do not charge for a repair quote. Feel free to bring your vehicle to our auto shop at 948 N. Andover Rd, just a few minutes outside of Wichita. Or you can use our online repair quote form to submit a description and a photo of your car’s damage to help us get started on your repair quote.

What could cause a small windshield chip to become worse?

Think you can just try to drive more carefully to keep the little crack from getting worse? You are taking a big gamble. The truth is, there is really no way for you to avoid a little chip in your glass before that minor damage becomes a crack that reaches across your whole windshield.

What can cause a chip or small crack to spread?

- Pothole
- A bumpy road
- An aggressive turn

Beyond those above situations that could occur while you’re on the road, elements in nature could also contribute to making a little problem much bigger and more expensive for you. Your windshield experiencing sudden temperature changes could cause the chip or crack to get worse. Some ways to avoid these big temperature swings affecting your windshield, do not park in direct sunlight and avoid using your window defroster until you get the damage fixed. In addition to temperature, leaving a window chip exposed can cause dirt to get into the tiny cracks, making it possibly harder to repair later. Even something relatively small that drops from a tree like an acorn or nut could be enough of an impact to make your small chip become a large crack in your windshield.

How to stop a windshield crack from spreading

The best thing to do is to get the damage fixed right away. But if you can’t get it into a shop immediately, there are some simply DIY steps you can take to prevent the damage from getting worse. One easy measure is to apply superglue or clear nail polish to the chip. You will first want to completely clean the windshield and damaged area. Then fill the crack with the glue or polish. Once it’s dry, put a piece of clear packing tape over it to keep dirt from getting into the crack.

Are there laws against windshield damage?

While we’ve already explained the very practical and financial reasons why it is best to not wait on getting a windshield chip repaired, there is also a legal reason.

Kansas law states that you cannot have damage to your front windshield or windows that present a substantial obstruction to the driver’s view of the roads. What size of damage is considered substantial? The law isn’t exact, but it’s probably not something you want to leave up to the officer who decided to pull you over. It will be up to that officer’s judgement on whether the chips or cracks in any of your vehicle’s glass are in violation of state law.

Federal law is a bit more specific on how much windshield damage is illegal to have on an operating vehicle. It’s against the law to have cracks that intersect with each other. And it’s illegal to have glass chips ¾ of an inch wide or larger within 3 inches of any other damage.

Breaking the Kansas state laws on vehicle window and windshield damage could result in a fine of $45.00. Although subsequent offenses within a couple years’ time will increase the amount you are fined.

Can you fix your car’s window yourself?

Possibly. There are DIY windshield kits available for consumers to use. Before deciding to take on this job yourself, you will want to consider a few things:

Is the crack or divot very small, or could it be large enough to require more extensive repair than what a DIY window repair kit can handle?
Is the chip or crack located in your field of vision while driving? Your repair job could leave a mark or blemish that will obstruct your view while driving.

Letting a professional handle your windshield damage is always the best idea. Our skilled technicians at our Andover auto shop have an incredible amount of experience handling all the variety of chips, dings and cracks vehicles suffer in Kansas. From construction to hail, our cars and trucks face a lot of punishment on roads in and around Wichita. Our auto technicians know immediately whether the chip or small crack is easily fixable, or if you will need an entire windshield replacement. Attempting to fix the issue yourself when the problem is actually large enough to need more professional repair, could end up costing you more money when the damage becomes worse or if your repair job doesn’t hold.

Beyond windshield, Collision Center of Andover can handle all your auto glass repair & replacement, including rear windshield and door windows. Minor cracks and chips can be fixed very quickly, often in less than an hour. And depending on your insurance coverage, the window chip repair may be at no cost to you. Call us today and let us know how we can help – (316) 733-9310.