Category: Auto Body Blog

It’s important to repair scratches that appear in your car’s finish in order to protect your car’s body from damage.  However, a lot of scratches seem too small to justify the expense of a proper new paint job.  It is for this reason that many people want to turn to a store bought scratch remover product.  But is a scratch remover really a viable substitute for the professional touch of our auto body shop in Seattle?

In a series of tests, the scratch removers proved to be effective for use against very light defects.  Shallow scratches, swirl marks, oxidation, all of these can generally be cleared away with a store bought product.  However, any scratch that is deep enough for you to feel is probably not going to be repaired with a scratch remover.  For these problems, you’re probably going to need to take your car to Greenwood Collision.

When tires fail, they generally seem to go without warning.  However, there are ways to spot a problematic tire before it actually blows up on you.  Our auto body shop in Seattle advises that you periodically check your tires to spot the following warning signs of an impending flat:

• Cracks in the sidewalls.
• Uneven wear in the treads.  This can point to uneven inflation, bad wheel alignment, bad suspension, or damage to the tires.
• Excessive wear in the treads.  Your tire probably has an indicator bar running across the tread that becomes visible when it goes beyond the minimum allowable depth of one sixteenth of an inch.
• Bulges or blisters in the tire.
• Vibration.  If your tires are vibrating excessively while you drive, you may have a misaligned or unbalanced wheel or internal tire damage.

Most of the time, the emissions from your car’s tailpipe are going to be invisible. It can therefore be worrisome when you start to see a cloud of smoke start billowing out the back of your car. When this happens, do you know what to do? Is it a problem that will resolve itself, or is it something to take to our auto body shop in Seattle? The answer depends on the color of the emissions you see.

• Thin and White: If your tailpipe is producing a white vapor that dissipates quickly in the air, it’s probably nothing but water. This points at condensation in your tailpipe, which is common and no cause for concern.
• Thick and White: When your tailpipe is emitting billowing white smoke, your car is probably burning off engine coolant. This is a problem that requires immediate attention if you want to avoid overheating and inflicting serious damage to your engine. Turn off your car immediately and call a tow truck.
• Blue or Gray: When you see thick blue or gray smoke, your car is most likely burning oil in its combustion chamber. Your oil levels should start to drop more quickly, which can lead to more serious problems down the line. Take your car to a mechanic as soon as you can manage.
• Black: When your tailpipe is shooting out black smoke and soot, it’s probably burning too much fuel. If this happens on a cold day, give your car a chance to warm up. If the smoke disappears, it’s probably nothing to worry about. Otherwise, you’ll want to have a mechanic look at your engine.

Sometimes a car’s paint job can develop unsightly swirl marks or spiderwebbing scratches. It’s a common sight with old cars, so some people jump to the conclusion that it’s a problem that only comes with old age. However, even your new car can become affected with such scratches if you are not careful. Our auto body shop in Seattle advises that you take the appropriate steps to spare your car’s paint job.

Spiderwebbing and swirl marks are frequently the result of bad car washing practices. Take a look at the towel or cloth you are using to wash your vehicle; is it clean? If you are using a professional car wash, do you trust them to use proper equipment on your car? Ideally, you should be using a quality terry towel that is clear of any dirt. With proper treatment, your paint job can remain strong and vibrant for years to come.

Nobody knows better than Greenwood’s auto body shop in Seattle that the world of engine oil is not what it used to be. In living memory, the consumer could simply go down to the automotive section of their local store and pick out a bottle of oil based on a simple measure of viscosity. Today, however, oil has become so complex and convoluted that many manufacturers are putting out their own special brands and insisting that you use it if you want your car to keep running properly. Observing this, a canny consumer needs to wonder: is there a legitimate need to use the manufacturer’s brand of oil, or is this all marketing mumbo-jumbo?

The short answer is that, if your car’s manufacturer specifies a brand of oil for your engine, it’s probably a pretty good idea to use that oil. Different engines do in fact have different needs, and the right kind of oil can go a long way towards keeping up performance and prolonging the life of your car. However, it is also important to note that you don’t necessarily need to use the specified brand to get everything you need; so long as you are following the specifications found in your vehicle’s owner’s manual, you should be fine.

A problem that some drivers encounter is that the manufacturer threatens to void their drivetrain warranty if they do not use the manufacturer brand. The good news here is that you are protected by something called the Magnusson-Moss Warranty Act, which requires that your manufacturer is able to actually establish that an off-brand oil was responsible for damaging your engine. Should you be in a situation where you are being denied a warranty claim based on your oil use without an investigation, the company is in violation of the act.

Some people think that a car battery does not require maintenance. However, there is a lot that can be done to extend the life of your battery and prevent the inconvenience that comes with finding yourself stranded with a dead power source. Our auto body shop in Seattle offers the following tips on how to get the most out of your car battery:

• Keep the battery clean. Simply by wiping down a dirty case with a damp rag, you can prevent a lot of costly drain on your power.
• Keep your battery posts or terminals clean. Start by loosening the negative cable, and then the positive cable. With a brass wire battery brush, apply a solution of baking soda and water to the posts and scrub them clean as needed. You will then need to apply a thin coating of grease to your terminals and clamps and then reconnect the cables, attaching the positive first and then the negative.
• Watch your battery for damage. Do you see any cracks or bulges? This could mean that your battery needs to be replaced.
• Does your battery have vent caps? It may need to have its water checked. Remove your caps to check your electrolyte levels. These should rise a half inch above the battery’s top plates. Use distilled water to bring this level up as needed.

Have you ever driven into a gas station to see that the gasoline tanker is in the process of filling up the station’s gas supply? It can be a bothersome experience. After all, it probably means that you’re stuck waiting for the tanker to clear off before you can refill your car. Unfortunately, the problem goes even deeper than that; take the advice of your auto body shop in Seattle and find another station when you see a tanker in your favorite spot.

The problem with gas tankers is that, while they are refilling your gas station, they’re stirring up the content of the station’s underground tanks. Imagine that the tank is a bottle of pulpy orange juice; if you pour the juice without shaking it up, you’re not going to get much pulp. However, if you shake up the juice before pouring, your drink is going to be a lot pulpier. In the case of the gas station, this pulp is like all of the detritus and sediment in the tank. Fill up your car while all this junk is swimming around in the gasoline, and it will end up in your engine, clogging your filters and hampering your car’s performance. Do the right thing for your car, and avoid the gas stations that have recently been re-stocked.