Category: Auto Body Blog

Many of us struggle with a cluttered-up car. If you spend a lot of time on the road, you probably accumulate a lot of food wrappers, drink containers, food waste, and other pieces of garbage. This not only compromises your car’s interior, but can make for a more dangerous driving environment. So, how can you keep your car clean?

The answer is quite simple: Try putting a small trash bin in your car. A plastic cereal container with a plastic bag in it is a strong choice; place it at the feet of the passenger seat where it won’t intrude too much on anyone seated beside you. By having a small, convenient place designated for your trash, it is easy to keep your car clean in even the most hectic circumstances.

If your automotive maintenance needs go beyond simply managing your trash, consult our auto body shop in Seattle.

Many drivers think of winter as being the time for dead car batteries, but the hot summer months are actually even tougher on your power supply. This is because heat serves to accelerate chemical reactions, like those that occur within your battery. When a car’s battery is heated up, it is more prone to overcharging. Meanwhile, the internal battery fluid is more vulnerable to evaporation. This can dramatically reduce the battery’s lifespan.

You can protect your battery by keeping it clean. Regularly detach the cables from the terminals and wipe them off, then assure that it is reconnected securely. Should your battery become overcharged or otherwise damaged, visit our Seattle auto body shop.

It happens all too often: a driver, probably drunk, drives the wrong way down the road to collide with an innocent motorist. They’re difficult to avoid, they’re highly dangerous, and they claim roughly 360 lives every year in the United States. So, what can you do to protect yourself?

Unfortunately, there is rarely a lot of time to react to a wrong-way driver. However, there are still a few measures you can take to avoid them. As a majority of such accidents occur between 6 pm and 6 am, it is good to be particularly mindful at this time. If you’re driving on a multi-lane road, avoid the left lane unless you are passing another vehicle. Aside from this, there’s not much you can do aside from maintaining proper awareness and defensive driving practices.

Should you have a run-in with a wrong-way driver, bring your vehicle to our auto body shop in Seattle for repairs.

The heat of the summer months does more than just make driving uncomfortable. It also has the potential to inflict cosmetic damage to your vehicle. So, when the weather turns hot, consider taking the necessary steps to protect your car from the sun.

To begin with, try waxing your car with a polish that offers UV protection. This is a simple way to protect your finish from the sun’s harsh rays, and prevent your paint from fading. Since you can’t apply the same wax to the delicate plastic in your car’s cabin, consider making use of a sunshade; this will prevent fading and cracking.

Should you require any further help maintaining or restoring your vehicle, call Greenwood’s auto body shop in Seattle.

If you took proper care of your car during the winter, you’re probably going to need to de-winterize your vehicle as we leave the cold months behind. Consider the following tips from our auto body shop in Seattle:

• Lose the Snow Tires: These tires are heavier than is needed in the summer, and will reduce your fuel economy.
• Check Your Fluid Levels: If you stored your car during the winter, you’ll need to check on your coolant, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, differential fluid, and brake fluid.
• Clean Your Undercarriage: Particularly if you live in a snowy climate, your car may have accumulated salty residues that can quickly corrode the metals.

When a fire starts in your car, it’s probably going to be in one of two places:

• The Engine Compartment: These fires are usually caused when hot gasses flood back into the carburetor and ignite the residual gas fumes that manage to gather after the engine is turned off. If you suspect that you have an engine fire, you’ll want to pull over immediately, avoiding anything combustible. Turn off the engine and any electrical systems, and have everyone leave the vehicle and stand away.
• The Passenger Compartment: These fires are relatively safer, as they are probably not being fed by the car’s fuel. Should you have a fire in your passenger compartment, pull over and use your chemical fire extinguisher, if you have one. Take care, though, as most car interiors are made with flammable materials and the flames can spread quickly.

After suffering a car fire, you will definitely need to have extensive work done on your vehicle. Contact our auto body shop in Seattle for all your repair needs.

Are you aware of your car’s warning lights? When your engine is having problems, a quick response to these lights could make a big difference in money, time, and even lives saved.

According to AAA, the “big three” of your warning lights are your engine oil pressure, your engine coolant temperature, and the vehicle charging system. These should light up briefly when you first start your vehicle, and then turn off again once the engine is running. Should any of the big three fail to light up as you turn on your car, you should have the appropriate system checked by our auto body shop in Seattle. Should any of them remain illuminated after your engine is turned on for more than a few seconds, you should either check your owner’s manual or consult our mechanics for more information.

If you’re planning to sell your car privately, you probably are going to need to take a picture of it to display for potential buyers. The right picture can make a huge difference as to whether or not you unburden yourself of your old vehicle quickly, or for a good price. So, when it comes time to capture your car’s good side for the camera, consider the following tips from our auto body shop in Seattle:

• Photographers swear by something they call “the Golden Hour”. This is a phenomenon that occurs in the first hour after daybreak and the last hour before sundown where the light is perfect for taking pictures.
• Find a good place to take your picture, preferably with no other vehicles in the background.
• Feature any dents or scratches that your car may have. Your buyer is going to see them when he or she comes to look at the car anyway, so it’s best to be upfront about any flaws so that they aren’t used as negotiating leverage when you discuss price.
• Showing off the interior is also important. Take a photo of the driver’s seat, as this is probably the place that has seen the most wear.
• A picture of the odometer serves to validate your listed mileage.

With the warmer months sneaking up on us, it is time to start thinking about what the heat means for your car. Though you may look forward to not having to defrost your windows or warm up your engine, there are other ways that you can be getting the most out of your vehicle when the weather turns hot. One of the most obvious, simplest of these is parking in the shade.

When you park in the shade, you’re not just making the car more comfortable for when you return. You’re also helping your fuel efficiency. The warmer your car is, the more the gas in your tank is going to evaporate and escape. With this in mind, seek out the protection of overhanging trees or buildings whenever you can, and invest in an effective windshield shade.

For more help getting the best out of your fill-ups, bring your car in to our auto body shop in Seattle. A little routine maintenance can go a long way!

Though not many people think of pests as a problem that might apply to their cars, there is a risk of your vehicle becoming infested by insects or rodents. With all of the small places to hide in your car, removing your pest problem can be fairly difficult. In bad cases, a rodent carcass may get in your engine and destroy key components. The best way to deal with a potential pest problem is to take steps to avoid attracting pests in the first place.

The biggest part of keeping away pests is not giving them anything to eat. Firstly, this means maintaining a clean interior. When you spill food, clean it out quickly and vacuum the carpeting. You should also be looking at the area you park your car in; if your garage is offering pests a meal, they could very well be retreating to the comfort of your car to eat it.

Should the worst happen, bring your car in to our Seattle auto body shop for repairs.