Cosmetic damage means a lot to gearheads while meaning absolutely nothing at the same time. Allow me to explain. To the untrained eye, scratches, dings, and dents make a vehicle appear to be in bad condition. The average person observes cosmetic damage and instantly writes off a vehicle as totaled or not worth a little TLC. Gearheads are a different story.
Ever wonder how the master auto body shops manage to work their miracles on every project that passes through their garage? Check out this system, pulled off at the Montreal Uni-Select Trade Show back in 2015. With just a few welds and some torque, even the most brutal dent can be pulled back to normal. Incredible stuff!
Dents Mean Nothing to Pros
Gearheads hate when their rides are damaged. They do, however, understand that cosmetic damage is often an easy fix. Even structural damage can be remedied. The true value of a vehicle is in its powertrain and the integrity of its structure. If all the main interior components that get the car going are intact, a damaged exterior can mean very little. This is why many Americans purchase vehicles from auctions.
No one respects a car's exterior more than body shops. The right body shop can bring a car back from the dead. We're not talking zombie or Frankenstein-style either. Some body shops can genuinely restore your vehicle without any problems post-restoration.
As you can see, some body experts have ways of bringing damaged parts almost completely back to their original state. Car parts are tough, especially the metals used to make bodies. Accidents may twist or bend them, but man shaped them in the first place. Man can definitely reshape them to suit their needs. Even the most integral auto body parts can be restored with the right tools and the right craftsman.
It isn't always an easy fix, but anyone who tells you it isn't possible isn't the right person for the job. Almost anything on a car can be restored, replaced, or substituted in some way. We have new technology ,and there are experts out there with years (sometimes decades) of experience. The next time you see a beater or a hoopty remember, one man's trash is another man's treasure.
This article was originally published on Apr 11, 2019.