After an auto accident, it is extremely important to file an insurance claim as soon as possible. This guide below helps you out to figure out how to file an insurance claim so you can get the repairs you need to continue driving your car.

Call the Police: It is important to call the police even if no one was injured in the accident. We recommend that you should still call the police so they can file an official report about the collision or accident. The police report will come in very handy as you start to fill out your insurance paperwork and file your claim. Make sure to have a copy of the report so you can show it to your insurance company to help them process your claim.

Exchange Information: It is also important to get information and give out your personal information during the accident. You and the other driver should exchange important information that might be useful on your insurance claim. Write down the other driver’s name, phone number, address, and driver’s license number. Make a note of their license plate and their insurance information. If any witnesses pulled over after the accident, you should also collect their name and phone number in case you need to call them when you file your claim.
In Case of Hospitalization: If you aware hospitalized because of the collision, then you need to secure the forms from the doctors and admitting section. These papers will not only be helpful in your car repair but also for your medical insurance.

Call the Insurance Company: You should call the insurance company as soon as possible after the accident to start the paperwork regarding your claim. If you have a cell phone, it is recommended to call them from the scene of the accident. Make sure you have your own insurance information so they can start to work on the claim. Even if the accident was a result of the other driver’s actions, you should still file a claim with your own insurance company so you can get the fastest repairs. Your insurance company can deal with the other driver’s insurance company to get the money they are owed.

Your vehicle is the fruit of your labor. It is the product of your hardships in life. As such, it deserves to receive all the care and protection it can get. There is the risk of course that your vehicle may encounter an accident that can result to minor to major damages. It’s an event you have to be prepared for. When that happens, you have to choose a car collision center that will suit both you and your car.

Choosing a good car collision center may be tricky. You have to consider a lot of things. Good thing we’re here to give you a rundown of qualities you ought to look for choosing that saving grace for your beloved car.

  • Look into the quality. Of course. It is granted that you look for a car collision center that provides you with everything your car needs–with the best possible means. They have to use advanced tools and equipment, under the leading edge technology, within the best facilities, and used by a team of highly-skilled experts who prioritize and treat customers and their cars excellently.
  • Check the pricing. There are auto collision centers who boast of state-of-the-art performances and everything, but wait till your bill comes out right after. They might leave you empty-handed when everything’s done. Hundreds of centers out there and there are only some that have that balance of performance and cost. You also have to base depending on your budget.
  • Know what others say. You call that word-of-mouth. It may be a little inaccurate, but you can be guaranteed of the truth there. When a service is made excellently, a customer is bound to inform someone about it, and that someone else gets to tell another. On and on.
  • Count the years. More often than so, the longer a company exists in the industry, the more it is trusted by its patronizers. Trust takes years to build, after all.

The next time you decide on looking for a good collision center for your car, take note of these. Who knows, the perfect one may just be right around the corner.

Having a faulty or damaged headlight not only looks bad physically. It can also put you at risk of any possible accidents that may be brought about. One cannot settle down for an ‘okay’ headlight—your life may be put at stake for that. It poses a grave threat to one’s safety as it compromises night visions and reduces effectiveness by up to 80%.

A probable reason for the problem is the presence of ultraviolet rays. It becomes more serious as the heat is compounded with environmental factors. In addition, if the place has a sunny climate, then it becomes more susceptible to the effects. Places such as the Concord Area may be considered as such.

A lot of headlights nowadays have an aged, cloudy, or hazy look. As the age of a car on the road continues to rise, the more it becomes prone to faults. In addition, most modern vehicles use replaceable bulbs with plastic lenses that re more prone to discoloration rather than sealed-beam units which are a lot more durable.

Plastic lenses are lightweight and are also composed of durable components, as compared to sealed-beam units. But plastic light covers can yellow, haze and suffer damage over time, limiting visibility and diminishing the appearance of the vehicle. That can indeed by quite hazardous and unsightly for the part of the owner. To repair the lenses in the past may cost quite an amount of money.

It is advisable to acquire restoration kits or deliver the car to an auto collision repair store that provides excellent headlight repair or restoration services without a run for the money. There are repair kits and stores that shoulder various services that may be greatly beneficial. For instance, there is a repair service that protects the headlight from stones. It reduces the risk of the headlight getting broken and faulty.

Remember: headlights are very much important to cars as eyes are to men. Protecting that specific part can not only serve to provide aesthetic effects to your vehicle. It can also give you significant aid in ensuring your own protection. Choose wisely the auto repair kit/centre you seek such service from.

A speck of dust on your vehicle’s windshields won’t hurt a bit–but a crack or chip will. Don’t take on the risk of letting a crack on your car’s glass go by. Have it repaired immediately. If all turns to worse, you might have to get your glass replaced.

Having a crack on one’s windshield doesn’t just affect the physical appearance of the vehicle as a whole, it also limits the visibility when driving. Worst case scenario, if left unattended, the crack may grow in size and span a larger portion of the windshield and the vehicle’s driver might get himself into an accident. So if your windshield’s crack has gotten bigger, you may have to have your glass replaced while taking into consideration the cost it may require and the quality of the glass to ensure its safety and long term state.

According to Cognard, the replacement of a windshield takes less than an hour. So it won’t take too long. “To ensure the vehicle is safe to drive, time values called the Safe Drive Away Time have been established. Windshields which have been replaced must cure or bond sufficiently until they are able to withstand the forces of a crash. Knowing the minimum time needed to cure the glass bonding adhesives is therefore important. This safe drive away time (SDAT) or minimum drive away time (MDAT) refers to the time required until a windshield installation or glass replacement is considered safe to drive again.”

One of the first questions of course is whether to repair or replace the glass. Ultimately, you’d have to replace it–for safety purposes. But they may cost quite a lot so others turn to repairs instead. It is a risk, yes. However, there are insurance companies who provide financial assistance for glass replacements. It is important nevertheless to choose an auto collision company who guarantees you with high-quality affordable glass replacements. At this juncture, Eddystone Auto Collision may have the perfect glass replacement facilities and tools for you.

Each and every year cold temperatures, snow and ice, road salt, potholes, frost heaves, batteries, tires, brakes and suspensions put our vehicles to the test. While most new vehicles have “smart” computer systems that can alert us about this and that there can be some components that can make our vehicles unsafe if left unattended. Spring is the time to “thank” our hard-working vehicles for their great winter performance with a maintenance overhaul. There are plenty of things you can do yourself to help your vehicle get back to 100%. A spring checkup can help uncover winter damage but there may be some components that are harder to check without requiring a skilled technician to pinpoint the problem. You should have your engine analyzed by a competent technician and determine if any of your vehicles components are in need of servicing.

Here are five spring car maintenance tips to keep in mind:

  1. Remove leftover salt. Salt, used on roads to melt ice and snow, can cause serious damage to cars, especially their undercarriages where metal can rust. Take your car to a highly rated car wash to eliminate salt, and check that the business has sprayers that clean the undercarriage.
  2. Check alignment and suspension. Driving over potholes can damage your car’s alignment and suspension. You might have a problem if you notice that the car pulls to one side or the steering wheel vibrates as you drive.
  3. Change oil and check fluids. If your last oil change was before winter, then this is a great time to do it. Spring is also an ideal time to flush your transmission fluid. It’s one of the most neglected services. Mechanics recommend changing your car’s oil every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. Don’t forget to check window washing fluid levels, as well as your brake and cooling system fluids.
  4. Rotate tires and check air pressure. Check the tire pressure, including the spare should you ever need it. Mechanics recommend tire rotation every 5,000 miles to keep tread wear even. One of the biggest issues we see is the front tires wearing out prematurely that can lead to handling issues.
  5. Inspect brakes. Nothing, perhaps, is more important than having brakes that function properly. Have a technician check the pads and rotors to ensure there are no safety issues. Neglecting them can lead to a costlier repair down the line.

Regularly cleaning out your car helps with numerous things, but one important factor is resale value. Taking good care of your car interior is one of the best ways to ensure that your car will hold its value. While you can’t control a big rock bouncing down the highway and chipping the paint on your hood, you can control if your interior is kept in tip-top shape. Not to mention, it’s just a great feeling to slip into a freshly cleaned car and hit the road. April is designated as National Car Care Month by the Be Car Aware organization. National Car Care Month is designed to bring attention to the importance of car care and preventative maintenance. At the beginning of spring, driving brings its own hazards, such as slick, wet roads. It is important to make sure you tires, brakes and windshield wipers are ready for the rain.

The car windshield is a critical feature to protect the passengers from being ejected from possible accident. A broken windshield with cracks or spiderweb damage is a major pain for a lot of car owners. That’s why if there are splits and dings found on the windshield, it is much considerable to take the car to an auto shop for examination.

Initially, the car will be assessed to identify the damage. Each crack and chip will be measured according to their deepness, size, and position to determine whether it needs repair or replacement. This means that windshield repair and windshield replacement differs from each other.

Whatever your concern is, to choose the right automotive company for this particular car issue will ensure clients a good service with the company’s certified auto technicians. These specialists have a proper knowledge about the quirks what this job comes with. They are also clued-up on what type of glass to order to use for the replacement according to your car model and make.

Reminder: In terms of the cost, repair is much affordable than the replacement. However if required, don’t hesitate to consider the replacement service especially if the damage of the windshield is severe that can’t be managed merely by repair.

Winter passed us by which seemed to be like an eternity, and we are all planning to hit the road for a spring or summer road trip.

Often times, drivers overlook their cars when it is spring cleaning time and this article will be beneficial to all car owners out here that may take time to read and care to take on our Car Care Tips for the spring season.

Some road service shared that they were helping out more stranded motorists during summer, all because car owners neglected the essential checklists after winter season. There are several types of steps to spruce up your vehicle that may help avoid costly repairs and being part of the toll of being stranded during your road trip.

Using this spring maintenance checklist ensures that your car is reliable and running efficiently.

Battery Check: Winter is a little tough on starting components in your car like the starter and alternator. The battery works double during winter so the tendency will be, your battery may get drained. And you literally cannot go anywhere if your car won’t start.

Check the signs for a weak battery: Dimming headlights/ interior lights and power windows may take longer than usual to go up or down.

Brake Check: Winter conditions brings salt on the roads that can lead to corrosion of brake parts. When the car uses the anti-lock braking system enables the car to work harder in the winter’s slick conditions. Safety of your brakes is the most crucial part of your car, so getting them checked out is very important.

Know the Trouble Signs: When hitting the breaks, the car is pulling to one side, creating squeaking or grinding noises and or when the brake pedal feels too soft.

Tire Inspecting: Tires that were worn-down make it hard to stop, even if the car’s brakes are in tip-top condition. We suggest you to try on the coin test by inserting a quarter into several grooves into each tire. What happens is that when part of the coin is covering , you might still have 4/32 inch of tread left and is probably safe to drive. When you have less tread, replacements is important.

Keeping the tires inflated is also a good sign to check on. Making sure to keep the tires inflated can boost your gas mileage by 3% or more and make the car safer as well.

Belts and Hoses Check: Belts and Hoses that are in no good shape may cause problems specifically loss of power steering to an overheated engine and these parts are easily overlooks. Look for cracks and peeling on the belts, the softening of the hoses. Broken belts are one of the motorists’ worst summer breakdown.

Air Conditioning Testing: A way to test is to turn on the cooler on full blast and making sure it reaches that max chill in a short span of time. If you suspect some problems, have a mechanic check it out soon.

Winter passed us by which seemed to be like an eternity, and we are all planning to hit the road for a spring or summer road trip.

Often times, drivers overlook their cars when it is spring cleaning time and this article will be beneficial to all car owners out here that may take time to read and care to take on our Car Care Tips for the spring season.

Some road service shared that they were helping out more stranded motorists during summer, all because car owners neglected the essential checklists after winter season. There are several types of steps to spruce up your vehicle that may help avoid costly repairs and being part of the toll of being stranded during your road trip.

Using this spring maintenance checklist ensures that your car is reliable and running efficiently.

Battery Check: Winter is a little tough on starting components in your car like the starter and alternator. The battery works double during winter so the tendency will be, your battery may get drained. And you literally cannot go anywhere if your car won’t start.

Check the signs for a weak battery: Dimming headlights/ interior lights and power windows may take longer than usual to go up or down.

Brake Check: Winter conditions brings salt on the roads that can lead to corrosion of brake parts. When the car uses the anti-lock braking system enables the car to work harder in the winter’s slick conditions. Safety of your brakes is the most crucial part of your car, so getting them checked out is very important.

Know the Trouble Signs: When hitting the breaks, the car is pulling to one side, creating squeaking or grinding noises and or when the brake pedal feels too soft.

Tire Inspecting: Tires that were worn-down make it hard to stop, even if the car’s brakes are in tip-top condition. We suggest you to try on the coin test by inserting a quarter into several grooves into each tire. What happens is that when part of the coin is covering , you might still have 4/32 inch of tread left and is probably safe to drive. When you have less tread, replacements is important.

Keeping the tires inflated is also a good sign to check on. Making sure to keep the tires inflated can boost your gas mileage by 3% or more and make the car safer as well.

Belts and Hoses Check: Belts and Hoses that are in no good shape may cause problems specifically loss of power steering to an overheated engine and these parts are easily overlooks. Look for cracks and peeling on the belts, the softening of the hoses. Broken belts are one of the motorists’ worst summer breakdown.

Air Conditioning Testing: A way to test is to turn on the cooler on full blast and making sure it reaches that max chill in a short span of time. If you suspect some problems, have a mechanic check it out soon.

The exterior of your car’s finish is one of the most important lessons to learn about ownerships, despite the make and type. Your car’s paint job is one of the most obvious features. This is also one of the expensive repairs/ replacements. Adding years to the life and luster of your car’s paint should be absolutely certain that taking the time to learn which products to use and when to use them in taking care of your car’s paint job.

Some of our Tips:

  1. Always start by properly washing your car using the proper tools. Using a cotton or paint-safe microfiber washing mitt, a 5 gallon bucket and good cleaning products specifically designed for automotive use. These companies offer products that are pH balanced, non-detergent formulas that won’t strip off wax, and combine them with lubrication to prevent scratching and conditioners to maintain the shine protection. The materials should usually be gentle on all painted finishes as well as rubber, vinyl, and plastic components.
  2. Do not skip drying the washed areas of the entire car. Drying your vehicle after washing is necessary to prevent water spots – those pesky mineral deposits that etch the outline of a drop of water into your vehicle’s paint. Auto detailing professionals advise using 100% cotton detailing cloths. Take note that polyester and microfiber can scratch your paint surface. If you want to get more high-tech, many car care product lines have “paint safe” drying towels that are super absorbent and claim to be lint and scratch free.
  3. If a good wash wasn’t enough to get off all the road grime, bug residue, pollution or tree sap, the next recommendation would be to use a clay bar because it “pulls” contamination off the surface without abrasion or scratching. Detailing clay usually comes in a kit with a lubricating spray to protect your paint. You just spray the area to be cleaned, and then glide the clay along the surface of your paint – it will grab anything that protrudes from the surface. Detailing clay is not designed to remove paint scratches or swirl marks. Heavy tar or insect deposits may need to be removed using a specialty solvent.
  4. The paint looks dull- the problem is old oxidized paint. At this point, you have one problem with three solution: This is to either car polish, cleaner or rubbing compound. All three remove unwanted dull paint, but in varying degrees of aggressiveness. Polish removes the least amount of paint for a given application, while rubbing compounds remove the most and cleaners are somewhere in the middle. We recommend starting with an application of polish first before moving on to a cleaner. Rubbing compound is a very aggressive abrasive and you should talk to a professional before giving that a try.
  5. Car Waxing. Waxing is the most important thing you can do to protect your car’s paint and an absolute must if you have just used a polish or cleaner. Paint sealants give you longer lasting protection and will not melt, wash off or wear away for about six months.

To watch out for:

  1. Always start your project with the car out of direct sunlight. Make sure the paint is cool to the touch before applying any cleaning product or wax.
  2. Spray your car with ample amounts of water before washing. Use the water to spray off dirt and other contaminates that will scratch your car if you immediately start using a sponge and water first.
  3. Be sure to wash and rinse in sections so the car wash soap doesn’t dry before being washed off.
  4. Read the manufacturer’s directions on all car care products prior to use.

Have you ever been able to see a small, minor dent on your car? Panicking of making the long list of expensive paint jobs and scheduling this in with your auto collision center. Don’t fret. Small and minor dents can be solved with  Paintless Dent Repairs. This is also known as Paintless Dent Removals, where this describes a method of removing minor dents from the body of a motor vehicle. A wide range of damage can be repaired using PDR is applicable as long as the paint exterior surface is intact. PDR may be used on both aluminum and steel panels.

Hail damage, door dings, minor creases, large dents and bodylines damage are the most common practical use for PDRs.

The method can also be utilized to prepare a damaged panel for repainting by minimizing the use of body filler. This technique is currently known as “push to paint” or “push for paint”. This can save insurance companies and consumers thousands of dollars.

Limiting factors for a successful repair using PDR include the flexibility of the paint and the extent to which the metal has been stretched by the damage, which depends on the thickness of the metal, the flatness where the damage occurred and the intensity of the impact. Generally speaking, the shallower the dent, the greater the likelihood of paintless dent repair being a suitable option. Even dents several inches in diameter can be repaired by this method as long as the metal and paint are not stretched. Most experienced technicians can repair a shallow large dent or crease to an acceptable level, but very sharp dents and creases may not be suitable for PDR.