Hail Damage Repair Austin

Protecting Your Classic Car

2009-06-02T09:06:00.001-07:00

Many people for many reasons enjoy classic cars. Maybe it is the nostalgia or the fact that they are rare – whatever the case, if you own a classic car or vehicle that is worth more than it originally sold for when it was brand new, then you will want to make sure it stays protected as well as properly insured.

To start, don’t leave your car out in the sun. Cars left to the elements of weather fade and crack, paint peels and it isn’t pretty. There is no quicker way to devalue your vehicle than to leave it exposed. Another danger of leaving your car out in the weather is hail damage. In some states, hail damage costs over 1 billion dollars a year. While body shops can help you remove the dents and dings from hail damage with a technology called paintless dent repair or PDR, it is always best to prevent the damage from occurring in the first place, if possible. But of course one can’t keep their classic car protected on a constant basis, driving it is part of the joy in owning it. For this reason, you want to make sure your classic car is also properly insured.

Insuring your classic car is going to be a different than insuring your regular driving around car. When you buy a classic car insurance policy, you are essentially purchasing protection for the value of the vehicle as a collectible.

With this type of policy comes certain stipulations or requirements. These stipulations include:

* A decent driving record.
* At least 10 years driving experience
* No teen drivers on the policy or drivers with poor driving records
* Secure and out of the weather garage
* Proof that you have another car for daily transportation
* Collector vehicle insurance is sometimes limited by the age of your car, and if your car is too young it may not qualify for a particular policy.
* Limited mileage. You probably don't want to drive your creampuff car all the time, and your insurance company doesn't want you to either. Mileage limits have increased recently, though, so if you can live with 250 miles a month you're probably okay.

Once you are approved you want to make sure the policy’s worth is what you intended. Review these terms:

1) Actual cash value:

This is what you usually get with ordinary insurance, and is based on replacement cost minus depreciation.

2) Stated value:

The insurance company pays up to the stated value of the car, but may not guarantee the full stated value. And deductibles of up to $1,000 usually apply.

3) Agreed value:

In most jurisdictions, those who provide collector car insurance or classic car insurance are allowed to insure for a value that you and your insurer agree upon. And for most autos, there is no deductible. If your $100,000 vintage Rolls get trashed, you get a check for 100 grand, plain and simple - which is exactly why collectors use special classic car insurance coverage.

Last, after you have purchased your insurance, do a periodic review of your coverage limits, because classic car prices are rising. What you insured your classic car for ten years ago may be a fraction of what it's worth is today. And if you are restoring a vehicle, ask your agent to give you appropriate insurance.

Once your car is properly protected physically and through insurance, you are ready to show it off and of course enjoy the ownership of something unique.

David Etienne is the founder of FIX-A-DENT, the premier provider of Professional Paintless Dent Repair services in the United States. Established in 1991, FIX-A-DENT continues being the leader in Paintless Dent Removal (PDR), technologies, practices, and techniques. For more information, please visit http://www.fixadent.com

Summer Car Care

2009-06-02T09:04:00.000-07:00

Summer is around the corner and in some parts of the United States it is heating up. With the change in temperature comes the need for a vehicle checkup. Remember, your car responds to the weather just as you do and depending on where you live, it could determine how much care your car needs. Here are some tips to start with:

1. Prepare for Emergencies. You have to consider that each time you drive your vehicle could potentially break down. Will you be prepared? Even if you only travel short distances, if you live in climates where the temperatures are above 100 degrees, you must be prepared. Number one rule, always keep water with you. Secondly, consider buying a first aid kit, flares, and a flashlight – vehicles break down at night too.
2. How Are Your Hoses and Belts. Your belts and hoses are the veins and arteries of your vehicle. If either of them go you could be in a lot of trouble. Today, many cars are equipped with a serpentine belt that runs all of the accessories; so if that belt breaks, you can lose your power steering, water pump and charging system immediately. A good shop will check for any visible damage, abnormal wear or small hairline cracks. You should replace any belt that shows signs of wear. Even if a belt appears to be in good condition, it should be replaced every 50,000 miles as preventative maintenance. Like belts, radiator & heater hoses are also made of rubber. Having all hoses inspected periodically for wear, including hairline cracks and soft, bulging spots, might prevent an impending rupture from occurring.
3. How is The AC Working? One should have their A/C System checked before it gets hot! Because of the high usage during the hot summer months, this is the time it will be likely to fail. So, if you haven’t had it checked yet, do so now! An airconditioning service will test your vehicle’s system pressures, clean the condenser, visually and electronically inspect hoses, fittings and seals for leaks, check cooling fan operation, check output temperature, and adjust belt if needed. Freon will be added if needed.
4. Check your tires. Heat makes tires react more intensely, so make sure they are neither over-inflated nor under-inflated. An inspection will also tell you how much tread life you have on your tire, as well as alert you to any uneven tire wear, which could indicate an alignment problem. An inspection can also alert you to any visible damage to your tires, which can worsen under intense heat.
5. Wiper blades and windshield wiper fluid should be checked. Any rubber on your vehicle can become brittle and crack, especially if you live in a very warm climate. Replace those worn out & cracked wiper blades before you need them. Make sure that the washer fluid is checked and replenished also.
6. Check Your Oil. While this very well may be the least costly of all the routine maintenance services on your vehicle, its’ importance is critical. Most manufacturers require the oil to be changed every 3,000-5,000 miles. Because of the harsh desert heat conditions in Texas, we recommend every 3,000. Most good shops will perform a free bumper-to-bumper safety inspection on your vehicle while doing the Lube, Oil, & Filter Service. A safety inspection can consist of everything from checking your fluid levels, conditions of your belts & hoses, brakes, tires, battery & cables, shocks, wiper a washer operations, light operations, air cleaner, water pump, radiator, etc., etc.
7. Battery - Batteries can fail any time of year. The only accurate way to detect a weak battery is with professional equipment. Routine care: Scrape away corrosion from posts and cable connections; clean all surfaces; re-tighten all connections. If battery caps are removable, check the fluid level monthly. Avoid contact with corrosive deposits and battery acid. Wear eye protection and rubber gloves.

A little prevention will carry you a long way through the summer months making your travels safe and enjoyable.

David Etienne is the founder of FIX-A-DENT, the premier provider of Professional Paintless Dent Repair services in the United States. Established in 1993, FIX-A-DENT continues being the leader in Paintless Dent Removal (PDR), technologies, practices, and techniques. For more information, please visit http://www.fixadent.com

Caring For the Car You Have

2009-05-18T13:48:00.000-07:00

Having a nice vehicle can sometimes make us feel good about ourselves and in our own mind, creates value and importance. But just as important as having a new vehicle is taking care of the vehicle you have.

During these financially difficult times, buying a new car can be too costly and can even break us when we could simply take your existing car and have it fine-tuned. This can include making sure the engine is in perfect working order to checking out the vehicle’s body and assessing whether it has dents or dings that could be repaired. A well-maintained car that is spotless can make you feel as good as a newly purchased vehicle.

Americans today are spending 15% to 20% of their take-home pay on car payments– this doesn’t take into account the other costs of a vehicle like gas, insurance, tags and maintenance. Why do people spend so much to have a new car? Sometimes it is due to crafty car salesman, other times it is peer pressure. The problem is, once you have committed to a car payment, you are stuck with it– no cutting back on it as with other expenses such as eating out and groceries. You have to make the payments or let the lender repossess your car. The later is hardly an option, as you would still owe the difference between your loan balance and whatever the car brings at an auction, plus your credit becomes nearly ruined.

So what can you do to avoid becoming over your head in debt with a car payment? First, ask yourself whether you need a new car or can you make an investment in your existing car and bring it up to almost new condition. Remember how car loans work. The first part of the loan you are primarily paying the interest while the second half of the loan is applied to the principle owed on the car. What often happens though is that people will trade in their car in the middle of a loan when little has been paid toward the principle, which leaves them upside down. An upside down loan means you will owe more than the car is worth after up to three years, therefore if you try and trade it in, you won’t get back as much as you owe. This is followed by the need to roll that debt into the new car purchase and the cycle starts again.

Another reason you should just keep the car you have and care for it is that cars are more dependable these days and can be driven past 200,000 miles. If you are tempted to try and justify the cost of repairs on your old car in order to buy a new car – do the math. If your new car is costing $7,000 a year or $530 a month – putting $1,500 into your car in one payment, even twice a year, is still cheaper. Most people’s vehicles run fine; they just don’t feel it looks as good as it used to. If this is the case, take your car into a body shop and ask for an estimate. There are new methods for repair small dents and dings in your car including what is called paintless dent repair. Such repairs don’t have to cost an arm and a leg. Follow this up with having your car washed and waxed – this will make a world of difference. Last, have the inside cleaned and detailed. With just doing these few things your car will be as good as new and you will feel even better about yourself than what a new car might have to offer.

David Etienne is the founder of FIX-A-DENT, the premier provider of Professional Paintless Dent Repair services in the United States. Established in 1993, FIX-A-DENT continues being the leader in Hail Damage Repair Austin (PDR), technologies, practices,techniques and Paintless Dent Repair in Austin Texas. For more information, please visit http://www.fixadent.com

Will All Cars Soon Be Made of Plastic?

2009-05-18T13:27:00.000-07:00

Car manufacturers are rushing to design and engineer a more fuel-efficient yet affordable vehicle. While doing so, much of the metal that made up the cars of yesterday will be replaced with highly sophisticated and much lighter plastics.

When we think of cars, we traditionally picture them as being made of metal, iron and steel. But according to the director of automotive studies at the American Plastic Council's Automotive Learning Centre, "Ten years ago, about 150 pounds of plastics were on the average North American vehicle. Today, more than 250 pounds are being used. We expect more than 320 pounds of plastic to be on 2010 cars." These figures are especially important when one considers that every pound of material used in an automobile speaks for billions of dollars being spent by the automotive industry.

What does this mean when one major type of material is replaced by another? To start, it affects individual industries. Companies who produce metals will suffer while those who are making plastics will grow. Of course the types of plastics used in cars has to meet regulations which means companies who are plastic suppliers have to keep up with the demand and science of making more and more sophisticated composites. Such composites must be engineered at the molecular level to exhibit specific physical properties such as scratch resistance, flame resistance and greater degrees of stiffness.

But it doesn’t stop here. Although a plastic company may come up with a new plastic, it also has to be incorporated into the design of a car and proven that it can reduce costs and improve the product. This is tricky to do when there are also numerous requirements on the plastic industry such as how the plastic will be recycled to finding ways to educate design engineers about new materials and their properties.

The most common plastic used for vehicles is a lightweight, high-strength aerospace material called carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic. It's used in the doors, hoods, fenders, chassis and also in support frames for the engine and transmission. This plastic can be molded into almost any shape the designer wants.

What about recycled plastic? At the Geneva Auto Show, Hyundai announced a concept vehicle using recycled plastic bottles to create most of its outer skin. The QarmaQ, an Intuit word for “dwellings made of Earth, whalebone, and animal skins”, was an idea brought about by Hyundai’s Europe’s Design and Technical Center, along with GE Plastics. The design of using plastic as opposed to glass and steel, they say, allows for a 130-pound weight reduction, equaling 20 gallons of gas savings every year.

In addition, to the use of recycled plastic bottles, the rest of the vehicle uses less chemicals and paint than regular vehicles. A new Exatec coating protects the glass outside, preventing it from scratching and also reflecting heat to keep the inside cool.

Plastics’ other advantages besides making the weight of the car lighter and improving its fuel efficiency is that it is also more durable than metal, which can rust and wear. And while a more fuel-efficient vehicle that costs less seems appealing, there is also the downside. One example is the design of the new car by Tata, which will be first seen in India. It is expected that in a country of 1.1 billion people, sales of small cars are expected to double to two million in the next three years. This means double the air pollution and double the already crowded roadways.

So is designing a lightweight plastic affordable car going to be the answer to tomorrow’s transportation problems? It’s hard to tell, but one thing is sure, it is a trend that is here to stay.

David Etienne is the founder of FIX-A-DENT, the premier provider of Professional Paintless Dent Repair services in the United States. Established in 1993, FIX-A-DENT continues being the leader in Hail Damage Repair Austin (PDR), technologies, practices,techniques and Paintless Dent Repair in Austin Texas. For more information, please visit http://www.fixadent.com

Go Green - Choose Paintless Dent Repair

2009-05-11T09:56:00.001-07:00

The business of auto body repair can be quite hazardous to the environment. A number of chemicals and solvents may be utilized in order to satisfy our desire for vanity in our vehicles. While the final result looks great, in most cases the same or better results can be obtained through paintless dent repair, which uses no harmful chemicals and restores your automobile’s finish to its pre-incident state.

There are three main ways in which harmful chemicals enter the body: breathing, absorption through the skin, and swallowing (less common forms of chemical entry include injection or entry through the eyes).

Most commonly harmful chemicals are absorbed into the body through the breathing in of gases, vapors, mists, dusts and aerosols released into the atmosphere from industrial processes. One such offender is auto body shops.

The byproducts of body shop work may include harmful chemicals such as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), benzene, formaldehyde, acetone, acid mists, solvents, metal fumes, lead fumes, and zinc fumes. Additionally various detergents, enamels, paint aerosols, paint thinners, resins, abrasives, and cutting oils can be released into the atmosphere during the auto repair process.

Many jurisdictions require certain safeguards be followed to minimize (but not eliminate) environmental contamination resulting from the discharge of auto body repair shop chemicals. Recapturing mechanisms are somewhat effective at decreasing the amount of harmful chemicals released into the environment, but they are not fail safe. Furthermore, even if recapturing is successful, the harmful chemical byproducts must still be disposed of in some fashion. Quite simply, everything ends up in the environment in one form or another.

Much of this is unnecessary. There is nothing wrong with having a desire to protect your investment in your automobile and wanting to keep it looking in great shape. However, the vast majority of repairs that have been traditionally performed by body shops can now be done via paintless dent repair technology.

Paintless dent repair technicians are able to restore dents, dings, hail damage, and creases in auto bodies without the use of any harmful chemicals. The process is simple, quick, and cheap when compared to the costs (both out of pocket and environmental) associated with traditional means of repair. Furthermore, the end result of paintless dent repair is often preferable to that of body shop work as it makes use of your car’s original finish. This eliminates any depreciation of your vehicle resultant from having a non-standard finish applied, as well as solves any problems regarding matching of paint.

If your car has suffered hail damage, dents, dings, or creases, do yourself and Mother Earth a favor – take it by a paintless dent repair expert first – you and your children will be glad that you did.

David Etienne is the founder of FIX-A-DENT, the premier provider of Professional Paintless Dent Repair services in the United States. Established in 1993, FIX-A-DENT continues being the leader in Hail Damage Repair Austin (PDR), technologies, practices,techniques and Paintless Dent Repair in Austin Texas. For more information, please visit http://www.fixadent.com

When to Choose Paintless Dent Repair

2009-05-11T09:54:00.000-07:00

Paintless dent repair is a wonderful solution for many types of vehicle body repairs. It is more affordable than traditional repairs, preserves the value of a vehicle, eliminates the use of environmentally harmful chemicals and solvents in the repair process, and takes much less time to complete. It is covered by most insurance policies and typically comes with a workmanship guarantee. Many paintless dent repair companies will even travel to your home or office and complete the repair while you wait.

There are a number of situations in which paintless dent repair is the better choice over traditional repairs made at a body shop. These scenarios are outlined below.

1) Hail damage. Hail damage can cause a large amount of damage to vehicles located across a wide geographic area. In such cases, body shops can become backed up for months at a time as they become overwhelmed by the sheer volume of repair claims to which they must attend. Paintless dent repair provides an option for quick repair of hail damaged vehicles without the hassles of having to deal with body shops. As hail damage does not usually cause sharp creases in the metal or chip the paint, paintless dent repair is an ideal solution to restore your car to its original finish.

2) Dings. Dings can be caused by a variety of factors, ranging from shopping cart damage to pebbles thrown against your car while driving to dings from the impact of a car door in a parking lot. These types of dings can be very annoying, but fortunately are prime candidates for paintless dent repair. The dings usually occur on the hood of a vehicle (pebble or stone damage) or along the broad side body panels of a vehicle (shopping cart damage and dings from car doors). The broad, relatively flat surfaces of the panels affected by such damage does not require the services of a body shop. In fact, if you were to take your car to a body shop for the repair of this type of damage they would likely use paintless dent repair anyway.

3) Fender benders. More serious dents than those described above can occur in minor collisions with other vehicles or stationary objects. Don’t let the size of the dent discourage you from seeking the assistance of a paintless dent repair professional – it is not the size of the dent which makes a repair a good candidate, it is rather the type of a dent. A broad shallow dent in a body panel can usually be fixed using this method. Even many creases can be repaired in this manner provided the paint is not chipped or otherwise damaged.

While the vast majority of damage that can occur to the body of a vehicle can be repaired using PDR methodology, there are some damages that are not appropriate for this type of service. Some examples of damages not suitable for paintless dent repair would be sharp creases, punctures in the metal, tears in the metal, or in any situation in which the original finish of the vehicle is not intact (such as broken or chipped paint, scratches, and scraping).

If you are in doubt about whether or not your vehicle can benefit from paintless dent repair, it is best to take it to a PDR specialist for an opinion prior to taking it to a body shop. You would be surprised at the many types of vehicle damage that are responsive to PDR.

David Etienne is the founder of FIX-A-DENT, the premier provider of Professional Paintless Dent Repair services in the United States. Established in 1993, FIX-A-DENT continues being the leader in Hail Damage Repair Austin (PDR), technologies, practices,techniques and Paintless Dent Repair in Austin Texas. For more information, please visit http://www.fixadent.com

Selecting a PDR Company

2009-05-10T12:50:00.001-07:00

A large urban area is struck by a hail storm. Millions of dollars of damage results to thousands of vehicles in the area. Body shops and insurance claims become backed up for months. What is the best way to get your vehicle back into shape quickly and affordably? Paintless dent repair, also known as PDR, is typically the best solution for most types of hail damage.

While PDR technology cannot repair all dents, most dents which do not result in a cracking of the paint can be corrected using this method. Many companies offer paintless dent repair, especially in the scenario provided above. In fact, when there is a major weather event which affects a large urban population, many paintless dent repair companies pop up seemingly from nowhere. This is because large teams of PDR storm chasers follow hail storms around the country and temporarily set up shop in the affected locations.

Choosing a company to make your paintless dent repairs can therefore be a challenge. You want to be cautious of fly by night companies who have no previous reputation in your community. Therefore, it is important to select a company who is able to provide references, who is an established business, and who guarantees its work.

First off, check to see if the company has a website. Look on the website to see how long they have been in business (even if not in your area). Make sure they have a telephone number which you can call regarding any future problems you may have. After all, if they have only temporarily set up shop in your city you may not be able to return to the location should a problem arise.

Ask for any guarantees in writing. You may also check with your insurance company to see if they have heard of the company. Also make sure that the insurance company will approve a reimbursement for damage incurred which is repaired using paintless dent repair.

If the company you are considering provides you references, check them. Don’t just blindly trust references, especially online recommendations. These can easily be fabricated. Ask for the names and contact information of previous customers who have used the company.

Checking with the Better Business Bureau to see if there are any complaints about the company may also prove useful. Searching online for the company name may turn up any customer feedback regarding the company, be it positive or negative.

Finally, common sense is best. If the company seems helpful, friendly, and knowledgeable, that is a good sign. If they are evasive or do not seem to be willing to provide information to you which you would find helpful, remember there are plenty of other paintless dent repair companies out there which would be happy to assist you.

David Etienne is the founder of FIX-A-DENT, the premier provider of Professional Paintless Dent Repair services in the United States. Established in 1993, FIX-A-DENT continues being the leader in Hail Damage Repair Austin (PDR), technologies, practices, and techniques and Paintless Dent Repair in Austin Texas
. For more information, please visit http://www.fixadent.com

Paintless Dent Repair

2009-05-10T12:43:00.000-07:00

If your car has received dents, dings, or creases as the result of a fender bender, shopping cart collision, or hail damage, paintless dent repair, also known as PDR, is typically the best solution for the repair of the damage. Not only does paintless dent repair restore your vehicle to its original state, it does so affordably and quickly. Paintless dent repair is cheaper than than most work performed at a body shop, and can often be done while you wait. Additionally, paintless dent repair is approved by most insurance companies for reimbursement.

Paintless dent repair does not require sanding, bonding, filling, or paint. Instead, it relies on the use of special tools which take advantage of the fact that most auto bodies are made of metals which have “memory”. The memory of a metal is its tendency to seek out the original shape or curvature it originally had when it was manufactured. The use of high strength metal in manufacturing as well as resilient paint finishes contributes to the effectiveness and simplicity of the PDR process.

Paintless dent repair is suitable for most vehicles manufactured after 1990 and works well for large or small dents so long as the surface of the paint has not been cracked. As paintless dent repair takes advantage of your car’s original finish, there are no issues with respect to matching of paint, and your vehicle is restored to its original condition.

While most dents can be fixed in a short time “while you wait” (and some PDR companies even offer mobile service in which they come to your location), more extensive damage, such as hail damage, which involves numerous dents can take more time. Even so, the PDR process is still typically quicker and cheaper than more traditional, body shop repair processes would be.

Paintless dent repair has other advantages as well. Not only is it more affordable and quicker than traditional body shop work, it is environmentally friendly. No harmful paints, sprays or solvents are utilized. Paintless dent repair also preserves your car’s original finish, which helps maintain its value (cars which have their original finish on them resale for a greater amount than those with aftermarket finishes). Body shop work typically involves a depreciation of the value of a vehicle. This is simply not the case with paintless dent repair.

Paintless dent repair provides a host of advantages over other means of automobile body repair. If your car has experienced dents, dings, or hail damage, it would be wise to investigate the options provided by PDR.

David Etienne is the founder of FIX-A-DENT, the premier provider of Professional Paintless Dent Repair services in the United States. Established in 1993, FIX-A-DENT continues being the leader in Paintless Dent Removal (PDR), technologies, practices, and techniques. For more information, please visit http://www.fixadent.com

Protect Your Car From Thieves

2009-04-29T11:04:00.000-07:00

It is possible either you or somebody you know has had a car stolen. If not, you have been lucky. Auto theft is an estimated $7.5 billion business, according to the FBI. A car is stolen every 23 seconds in the United States with a total of nearly 1.4 million vehicles stolen altogether.

Statistically, theft varies according to region with the Southern States losing 35%, the Western States 28%, the Midwestern States 20%, and the Northeastern States 17%. Even though there aren’t any particular months were cars are stolen more, between January and July, crime rates increase slightly. The lowest percentage of auto thefts occurs in February and April, probably because of fewer days in the month.

Most auto thefts do not occur in small towns but more typically in larger cities. The urban reality is that more cars are parked on the street or in open parking lots than in secured personal garages or in rural yards. Add to that the sheer amount of cars in urban areas and statistics can’t help but go up. As for police, having a large city to search through in finding a stolen car, makes it even more difficult as there are thousands of similar looking vehicles in traffic.

Statistics show that an experienced car thief can steal your car in less than a minute. Some cars are hot-wired while other thieves may just smash the drivers’ window in. For the most part, cars are seemingly stolen for the value of their parts rather than resale or personal use. According to insurance companies, a $20,000 stolen vehicle can be stripped and sold into $30,000 worth of parts.

Here are some free things you can do to help prevent car theft:

• Park in attended lots. Auto thieves do not like witnesses and prefer unattended parking lots.
• If you park in an attended lot, leave only the ignition/door key. If your trunk and glovebox use the same key as the door, have one of them changed. Don't give the attendant easy access to your glovebox and trunk. Upon returning, check the tires, spare tire, and battery to be sure they are the same as those you had when you parked.
• Take Your Keys. Nearly 20 percent of all vehicles stolen have the keys in them.
• Lock Your Car. Approximately 50 percent of all vehicles stolen were left unlocked.
• Never hide a second set of keys in your car. Extra keys can be easily found if a thief takes time to look.
• Park in well-lighted areas. Over half of all vehicle thefts occur at night.
• Never leave your car running, even if you will only be gone a minute. Vehicles are commonly stolen at convenience stores, gas stations, ATMs, etc. Many vehicles are also stolen on cold mornings when the owner leaves the vehicle running to warm up.
• Completely close car windows when parking. Don't make it any easier for the thief to enter your vehicle.
• Don't leave valuables in plain view. Don't make your car a more desirable target and attract thieves by leaving valuables in plain sight.
• Park with your wheels turned toward the curb. Make your car tough to tow away. Wheels should also be turned to the side in driveways and parking lots.
• If your vehicle is rear-wheel drive, back into your driveway. Rear wheels lock on four-wheel drive vehicles, making them difficult to tow. Front-wheel drive vehicles should be parked front end first.
• Always use your emergency brake when parking. In addition to ensuring safety, using the emergency brake makes your car harder to tow.
• If you have a garage, use it. If you have a garage, take the time to use it rather than parking outside where your vehicle is more vulnerable.
• When parking in a garage, lock the garage door and your vehicle. By locking both the garage and vehicle doors, the chances of deterring a thief greatly improve.
• Don't leave the registration or title in your car. A car thief will use these to sell your stolen car. File the title at your home or office, and carry registration in your purse or wallet.
• Disable your vehicle when leaving it unattended for an extended period of time. Remove the electronic ignition fuse, coil wire, rotor distributor, or otherwise disable your vehicle anytime thieves may have extended access to it.
• Replace T-Shaped door locks with straight locks. Some vehicle doors have lock assemblies at window level that flare out in a knob or "T" shape. A thief can use various tools to gain access inside the vehicle, grab and pull the lock. Straight locks prevent this.
• Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). Stolen cars/parts are more easily traced when vehicle VIN numbers have been etched on car windows and major parts.
• Engrave expensive accessories. Engrave personal ID numbers on car stereos, cellular phones, etc., so the thief will have difficulty disposing of them.

Practice these few simple things and you may not be a victim of car theft.

David Etienne is the founder of FIX-A-DENT, the premier provider of Professional Paintless Dent Repair services in the United States. Established in 1993, FIX-A-DENT continues being the leader in Paintless Dent Removal (PDR), technologies, practices, and techniques. For more information, please visit http://www.fixadent.com

Texas Hail More Damaging Than Most

2009-04-28T15:34:00.000-07:00

Hail Alley USA is what they call portions of Texas when between the months of March and June, when the state is assaulted by weather. Texas has earned this name rightly so as it is the hardest hit state in the Union by hailstorms and 40% of all homeowner claims in Texas are related to roof damage from hail.

According to the North Central Texas Council of Governments, these hailstorms won’t be getting any better. It was stated that "Over the next 30 years, the North Central Texas region will be hit by more than 200 tornadoes, more than 2000 hail events, and more than 100 significant wind storms..."

Is Texas the hardest hit? Since 1980, the country has averaged 3,000 hailstorms a year, with four states accounting for 42 percent of the total. Texas, 500 per year; Oklahoma, 400; Kansas, 225; Nebraska, 135.

Texas officials estimate that up to 40 percent of all homeowner’s insurance claims in that state result from hail damage. While the Midwest and Great Plains states have the most hailstorms, Colorado has the most storms with large-size hail (diameter greater than 1.5 inches). So even though Colorado has fewer storms, the storms that occur cause more damage. (The largest hailstone ever recorded -- more than 6 inches in diameter -- fell in Kansas in 1970.)

Hail losses can be overwhelming to homeowners and to the insurers that cover their homes. It is a lose-lose situation for both insurers and homeowners. While there is nothing you can do to stop hail; there are viable options for minimizing your exposure to having your belongings damaged by it or to at least having it repaired as soon as possible.

To start, look at having an estimate on your home’s roof. There are new products available called "impact resistant roofing". Having this type of roofing can reduce your homeowner’s policy by up to 35%.

Second, keep a good insurance policy with a company that won’t hassle you when paying out its claims. During Texas most recent devastating hailstorm, some insurance companies were on site to help people out. A good insurance company will help out immediately even when payout claims add up. Statistically, among State Farm insurance companies 25 highest claim payouts in history, eight involved significant damage caused by hail. The company's fifth-largest payout for a single catastrophic event occurred in 1992 -- about 68,000 claims totaling nearly $245 million resulting from a hailstorm in Fort Worth, Texas.

Damage to vehicles was also serious during the recent Texas hailstorm. GEICO regional vice president for Texas operations said, "We are aware of the serious damage that hail storms can inflict on vehicles, often making it difficult or impossible to use your car. We have added additional staff to make sure the claims are handled quickly, minimize the inconvenience to our policyholder's lives and get them back on the road as soon as possible."

If your vehicle has been damaged by the recent storms, especially if windows are broken, insurance companies recommend covering it with plastic or other material to protect it from further damage.

If you know a hailstorm is coming, there are a few things you can do to protect your vehicle, as it is one of the few things damaged by hail that can be moved.

1 - Park your car in a garage or under a roof before the storm begins.
2 - If you have to leave it outside, cover your car with a thick blanket to minimize the impact of hail.
3 - If driving, look for a covered safe place and wait for the storm to pass.
4 - If there's nowhere to go, stop your car. The impact will be stronger if your car is in motion.
5 - After the storm, assess the damage and call your insurance company.

Damage to sheet metal can cost thousands of dollars to repair and replacing a broken windshield can add up to hundreds of dollars. Again, you must have the proper insurance, such as comprehensive coverage, to pay for the damage. If you are covered, you have the right to get your car repaired to the condition it was in before the hail damaged it. Depending on the damage, your body shop will either hammer out dents and paint or use paintless dent repair.

Despite Texas reputation for assaulting hailstorms, if you know how to prepare and tackle the problem after it happens, you won’t be so left out in the cold.

David Etienne is the founder of FIX-A-DENT, the premier provider of Professional Paintless Dent Repair services in the United States. Established in 1993, FIX-A-DENT continues being the leader in Paintless Dent Removal (PDR), technologies, practices, and techniques. For more information, please visit http://www.fixadent.com

Driving And The Holidays

2009-04-28T15:32:00.000-07:00

Most of us don’t like driving during holidays but when it’s your only time off of work, you do what you have to do. If you are one of those people who have to travel during holidays and peak driving time, there are ways to keep yourself a little safer. Besides the standard of going the speed limit and wearing your seatbelt, here are a few more ideas to give you that safety edge.

1. Drive Predictably - Be predictable! If you find that you are too close to your intended off-ramp (or turn) to be able to signal normally and slow down gradually, then forget making any sudden corrective moves and go on to the next exit, or to the next block. Turn back, or go around the block to get back where you wanted to be.

Have you ever seen a driver fly down the left lane of an expressway, then at the very last second, veer across all the lanes and onto an off-ramp (usually cutting off a number of other vehicles in the process)? Driving instructors call that a "kamikaze." It's probably the most extreme example of unpredictability, the kind of unexpected sudden movement that results in many traffic deaths each year.

Being predictable is part of planning ahead and paying attention -- for the freeway exit, you should change lanes long before your exit ramp, getting yourself into position early so that others have plenty of time and space to react and adjust.

If you are confused about where to turn, or looking for an address, be careful not to stop dead in the road when others aren't expecting your sudden stop. Instead, pull off to the side or into a parking lot until you figure out what to do. Pay attention to your turn signals. It is not unusual to see a driver whose signal doesn't auto-cancel happily motoring along, unaware, for many blocks.

2. Practice the Two Second Plus Rule - Create space between you and the other driver and never allow yourself to get "boxed in." Adequate space creates time and helps you avoid collisions. Maintain at LEAST two seconds of following distance, more if you can. Adjust your position in traffic as necessary to avoid driving in others' blind areas. Don't allow yourself to be tailgated—change lanes or adjust your speed to encourage tailgaters to pass you.

Many of us were taught to use the car-length rule for following distance (one car length for every ten mph). That rule is no longer recommended because car lengths are difficult to visualize, impossible to visualize when moving, and the rule didn't provide enough space in the first place. For example, 6 car lengths at 60 mph provide roughly 108 feet of space. At 60 mph, the average alert reaction time eats 60 to 130 feet (and in the real world, closer to 135 feet for many), leaving little or no time to act. Two seconds of following distance at 60 mph, on the other hand, gives you over 176 feet of pavement to react and respond. Even at two seconds of following distance, you must respond quickly, but it can be done under normal circumstances.

How do you apply the two-second rule? Watch as the vehicle ahead passes some object—I often use shadows or marks on the road surface—then count "one-thousand-one, one thousand two." If you pass that same spot before getting to "two," you're too close—back off!

3. Don’t Make Assumptions About the Other Driver - You can never rely on what the other driver will do. While you are driving, keep a wary eye on the other guy and leave yourself plenty of room. Anticipate the mistakes he might make and be ready for them. Eventually, he will! Because he's just like us! When you are driving on "autopilot," you have turned control of your vehicle over to those other drivers - you are at their mercy. Their fate is your fate.

4. Be Aware of Blindspots – Every car has blindspots, yours and others. Don’t drive in other people’s blind spots just as you don’t want them to drive in yours. It's a good idea to adjust your position relative to other traffic to stay out of other drivers' blind spots whenever you can. Some drivers habitually change lanes without checking their blind areas for other vehicles so beware of those types of drivers.

Where are your blind spots? That depends on the vehicle. A car typically has blind areas at the sides near the rear of the vehicle, meaning you cannot see anything in these areas by looking in your correctly-adjusted mirrors. Other vehicles may be blind to anything that is directly behind them. Vehicles in which the driver sits very high may have forward-quarter blind spots—they may not be able to see anything low to the ground in front or to the sides near the front.

5. Beware of the One Car Crash - When many people think about what the most "dangerous" collision is, they don't always come up with the correct answer on first guess. Many think it is the "T-Bone" (a 90 degree impact at an intersection), or a head-on. But time and again, the statistics show that the collision that kills more of us than any other is the single vehicle, off the road collision.

If you think about their causes, then the ways to prevent them become obvious -- they happen when we lose control for one reason or another. The driver might be distracted for a moment, or fatigued and drift off to sleep. A one-car crash can occur with a loss of traction (and an uncontrolled skid, or even with a tire failure.

The "classic" one-car crash results when a vehicle does a slow drift to the right, and hits the dirt, or perhaps the rumble strips on the right shoulder of the road. Typically, the driver gets alert at this point, and overreacts, jerking the wheel left to bring the vehicle back onto the road. That "jerk" to the left causes the front left tire to strike the raised edge of the pavement at a fairly sharp angle -- often causing a rollover or a swerve into the oncoming lanes to the left. Why "classic?" Because investigating officers will tell you they see this type of mishap so often, it is now a cliché.

If you find yourself drifting off the right edge of the pavement, release the accelerator and let the vehicle slow as you continue straight ahead along the shoulder, then use the steering wheel to bring the vehicle smoothly back onto the pavement. You can use the brakes while slowing, but be careful not to apply them too heavily, and make sure you are not trying to turn while braking.

If you practice all of these simple techniques, you will have safe holidays and happy traveling.

David Etienne is the founder of FIX-A-DENT, the premier provider of Professional Paintless Dent Repair services in the United States. Established in 1993, FIX-A-DENT continues being the leader in Paintless Dent Removal (PDR), technologies, practices, and techniques. For more information, please visit http://www.fixadent.com

Getting Around On Biofuels

2009-04-28T15:30:00.000-07:00

There has been a lot of discussion about biofuels these days. With the cost of fuel increasing in price and decreasing in availability, the need for an alternative fuel is on the rise. Many have heard the term biofuel but knowing what it means, well that can be tricky.

Technically, biofuel is any fuel that is derived from biomass-recently living organisms or their metabolic by-products, such as manure from cows. It is considered ‘green’ because it comes from a renewable energy source, unlike other natural resources such as petroleum, coal and nuclear fuels.

Agricultural products specifically grown for use as biofuels include corn and soybeans (primarily in the United States) as well as flaxseed and rapeseed (primarily in Europe).

Biofuels can also be made from waste. For instance, straw, lumber, manure, sewage, garbage and food leftovers from industries like agriculture, forestry and households can also be used to produce bioenergy.

There are pros and cons when it comes to the various types of biofuels. One of the largest discussions now is regarding the use of fuel made of corn. This is often called the "food vs fuel" debate. Some of the cons in harvesting corn for fuel is the amount of carbon emissions levels, having enough corn to create a sustainable biofuel production, deforestation and soil erosion that comes with growing more corn, impact on water resources, turning potential food into fuel and its human rights issues. But corn is only one source of making biofuel.

What material can be used to make biofuels? Conventional ethanol is made from sugar cane, corn, and sweet sorghum. Soybean and rapeseed oil are often used to make biodiesel. Algae is also used to make biodiesel.

Trees, grass, agricultural residue, and municipal solid waste can also be converted into biofuel. Cellulose makes up the majority of a plant’s structure and can be broken down into sugars, which can then be fermented and made into ethanol. Recent research is making this process less expensive and more energy efficient.

As the world’s top producer, Brazil uses sugar cane to make ethanol. Many other developing countries, such as those of southern Africa, produce large amounts of sugar and also have potential to become ethanol producers. The Midwestern United States relies on corn to produce nearly one-quarter of the globe’s ethanol, and China is quickly emerging as the third largest ethanol supplier.

Other countries with limited fossil fuel resources are examining the prospect of producing domestic fuel supplies. Thailand has an aggressive policy to make use of tapioca and sugar cane for ethanol production. Other countries are ramping up biodiesel production as well. The Philippines recently mandated incorporation of coconut oil biodiesel into diesel fuel, the first time coconut oil has been used as a motor fuel.

Cars, trucks, and farm machinery can all run on low-volume biofuel blends without any alteration. Current car warranties cover operation with ethanol-blended gas of up to ten percent. Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFVs) operate on any combination of ethanol and gasoline. FFVs are being sold in the U.S., Brazil, and China. As ethanol has a higher octane, it is used as a gasoline additive to improve vehicle performance. In fact, many international racing teams use ethanol because of its high performance qualities. Biodiesel blends of 20% show similar operation in conventional diesel engines as regular diesel fuel.

Will biofuels replace are dependency on foreign oil? It may be too soon to tell but it certainly is a fuel worth looking into.

David Etienne is the founder of FIX-A-DENT, the premier provider of Professional Paintless Dent Repair services in the United States. Established in 1993, FIX-A-DENT continues being the leader in Paintless Dent Removal (PDR), technologies, practices, and techniques. For more information, please visit http://www.fixadent.com

Hail and The Damage It Causes

2009-04-24T10:02:00.000-07:00

We have seen the pictures of hail the size of softballs. But it doesn’t take hail that large to cause a lot of damage. According to statistics damage from hail is close to $1 billion a year in the United States alone. Much of the cost from hail damage is reflected on crops as even the smallest amount can shred plants to ribbons in a matter of minutes. Damages for other items besides crops include vehicles, roofs of buildings and homes, and landscaping.

How hail will fall and in which direction is dependent on what is going on inside the thunderstorm. Hail falls when it becomes heavy enough to overcome the strength of the updraft and is pulled by gravity towards the earth. Hailstones bump into other raindrops and other hailstones inside the thunderstorm. This bumping slows down their fall. Drag and friction are also factors and then hail is shot in all sorts of directions.

What exactly is hail? Hail is precipitation that is formed when updrafts in thunderstorms carry raindrops upward into extremely cold areas of the atmosphere and freezes into ice. Hailstones grow by colliding with supercooled water drops. Thunderstorms that have a strong updraft keep lifting the hailstones up to the top of the cloud so they continue to grow. The hail falls when the thunderstorm's updraft can no longer support the weight of the ice. The stronger the updraft, the larger the hailstone can grow.

Hail is different from sleet in that sleet forms from raindrops that freeze on their way down through a cloud. There is no thunderstorm updraft involved in the formation of sleet or snow. And sleet doesn’t cause damage as it comes down in smaller sheets. As for hail, the largest hailstone recovered in the U.S. fell in Aurora, NE on June 22, 2003 with a diameter of 7 inches and a circumference of 18.75 inches. Since its weight could not be determined, the hailstone that fell on Coffeyville KS in 1970 remains the largest on record at 5.7 inches and 1.67 pounds, with a circumference of 17.5 inches

Scientists have tried many techniques throughout history to lesson the damage of hailstorms. The most well known technique involved "seeding" large thunderstorms with silver iodide. The theory was that the resulting small hail would probably melt and therefore not cause any damage. Unfortunately other experiments using this technique were not successful, and hail suppression remains elusive.

Because science hasn’t figured out a way to keep hail from becoming a nuisance, one is left doing the best they can to just fix the damage and move on. So if you have had an automobile damaged by hail, he are some steps from an insurance company on what to do to begin repairs.

1. Call your insurance company immediately to report the damage.

2. Discuss your repair with your insurance company and your body shop. Hail damage to sheet metal may need to be hammered and painted. However, trained technicians may recommend paintless dent removal (PDR), which involves using specially molded metal tools on the underside of a damaged part that won't disturb the factory finish. This method is often utilized by manufacturers and dealers to repair new vehicles and will not invalidate paint warranties. PDR cannot be performed if the dents are too large, if there are too many dents or if the paint finish is damaged. Prior body damage that required plastic fillers or bonding may also make PDR difficult. Your insurance company will be able to determine the severity of your damage and consult with you and the body shop on which repair method makes the most sense for your vehicle.

3. Find a reputable facility. Save time and money by asking your insurance company if it has a preferred PDR provider. If you choose a repair shop on your own, contact the Better Business Bureau or get referrals from friends. Ask the shop how PDR works and how they access hard to reach places to make the repair. The preferred method is to pull the dents from the outside rather than drilling holes to access the dent from beneath the panel.

4. Find out how long the repair will take. Paintless dent repair is an efficient and effective technique for repairing damage to your vehicle, and may be completed within a day.

5. Make sure your vehicle is repaired to your satisfaction. Before accepting your vehicle, look at the surface in fluorescent lighting and from several angles so that you can see all the details. Check for any remaining dents before you take your vehicle home.

6. Ask if the shop guarantees its work. If you notice a flaw in your vehicle's repair, you should be able to have it fixed at no additional charge. Know how your body shop will handle any problems you might have with your vehicle after the repair. Get guarantee and contact information in writing. Ask your insurance company if it guarantees the work of its preferred body shops.

Follow these steps and you can then at least, mitigate the damages to your vehicle. As for your house or crops, well, that will be another story.

David Etienne is the founder of FIX-A-DENT, the premier provider of Professional Paintless Dent Repair services in the United States. Established in 1993, FIX-A-DENT continues being the leader in Paintless Dent Removal (PDR), technologies, practices, and techniques. For more information, please visit http://www.fixadent.com

Fixing Dents and Increasing Your Cars Value

2009-04-21T11:26:00.000-07:00

We all have them, well most of us. Small dents in our vehicle, dents that possibly came from parking lots, grocery carts, hail – you name it. And then there are the big dents, small collisions with the garbage can or a tree. However you acquired your dents, you can be sure that each and every one of them takes away from the value of your car. Try using the Kelley Blue Book and you will quickly discover a rating system based on your car’s condition. The difference in price between your cars condition of Fair to Excellent is sometimes quite significant.

There are other ways you can determine the increased value of your car when fixing dents. For starters, it just makes your car look better. A car that looks good is naturally worth more money than an identical car that has dents or dings marring its appearance. A car's value is higher when it remains closer to its original brand-new condition. A dent-free car also shows that you have maintained and cared for your car. When trying to sell a vehicle, this is an important impression to make. A car that has numerous dents and dings gives the impression that the car has been abused and/or neglected.

Fortunately, there are many ways to remove dents from your vehicle, which include a simple paintless dent removal processes to having the body shop to an all out dent removal.

If you have never heard of paintless dent removal or PDR, it is the process of removing small dents (usually the size of a dime, quarter, or half dollar), which often occur on a car's exterior as a result of door dings or hail damage. Technicians use specialized tools to push the metal back into its original shape from behind the dent and depending on the location of the damage, sometimes the panel is accessed by removing trim pieces, through window openings or by removing inner panels.

The paintless dent removal has become a popular solution for consumers and auto body repair shops due to the many ways it can save the consumer money. First of all, it takes much less time to repair a car with this system than it does when a car has to have pieces replaced or has to be repainted. With the paintless system, there is no sanding, body filler or repainting necessary.

Another benefit of paintless dent removal is that insurance companies recognize its value and therefore often refer customers to shops that provide this service. Insurance companies see how the process is efficient, cost-effective and a value-added service, which in turn keeps premiums down for their clients.

Last, because the paintless dent removal system is a process that takes less time than a full auto body repair, you do not have to be without your car for as long of time. If the repair is small enough, sometimes a repair technician can come to you. This of course means you don’t have to drive your car to a shop, leave it, have someone drive you back home and later drive you back to the shop to pick up your car.

Whatever system your auto body technician chooses in repairing your car’s dents, one thing is sure, the beauty and value of your car will be improved, which means more money and savings for you.

David Etienne is the founder of FIX-A-DENT, the premier provider of Professional Paintless Dent Repair services in the United States. Established in 1993, FIX-A-DENT continues being the leader in Paintless Dent Removal (PDR), technologies, practices, and techniques. For more information, please visit http://www.fixadent.com