With so many careers available today it is sometimes hard to know what each job entails. Even though we may think we know what a certain job is all about or maybe even know a little bit about it there is no way to exactly what is required of each person at their place of work. On the surface most people know a little bit about an auto body repair specialist, however most people don’t know exactly what they do or have to at least know about on a daily basis. So, find out what the job of an auto body repair specialist is all about!

First of all what form of education does it take to become an auto body repair specialist? Well, usually shops require that they have a high school diploma. Although not required to those who wish to get into the auto body field could take classes in a vocational program. The best way for auto body specialist to learn and get experience is through an apprenticeship program. However, usually the way most learn is through about 4 years of experience starting from just a helper and moving up. Then most dealers or shops will require that they get a certification through a qualified program. They must also have a valid driver’s license to work at an auto body shop.

Now, you want to know what they do day to day. Performs manual duties in receiving, cleaning, repairing, refinishing, and painting of damaged automotive vehicles; examines damaged vehicles and estimates cost of repair; pulls out dents; fills depressions with body fillers; refinishes and repaints auto body parts; removes and replaces hood, fender, core support, door shell, etc.; may remove upholstery, accessories, electrical and hydraulic equipment to gain access to auto body and fender; replaces windshields and repairs windshield cracks; completes minor estimates of damaged area; straightens out and/or realigns frame. They may also perform additional services like window tinting, auto detailing, or lease return inspections depending on the auto body shop they work in. They must keep up with the most current systems in repairing vehicles bodies. They also need to be able to work independently in shops. And just as important they need to know how to utilize customer service skills!

So, what are the benefits of being an auto body repair specialist? Well, their median pay was a little more than 16 dollars an hour. However highly experienced repair specialist can make up to around 28 dollars an hour. That is not a bad living. They also work about 40-48 hours a week, usually between normal working hours like 8 – 6. If they work for a repair shop they may also be able to receive medical, dental and vision insurance. They may also be offered pay time off and sick pay. Usually they receive holidays off.

If you are interested in cars, becoming an auto body repair specialist may be the job for you! You will get to make money and do what you enjoy at the same time!

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If your car is in need of auto reconditioning start looking for a qualified professional to handle your concerns. Look for an auto body professional to take care of your ride from paintless dent removal to fixing the major auto body repairs.

Everyone has done it. You back into a pole, rear end a stray shopping cart or drop a heavy object on the trunk lid. The result is an ugly dent or a scraped finish. Turning in small damage claims to your insurance can be costly and if you have gotten an auto body repair estimate, you know that parts and labor can be expensive to pay out of pocket. There is another option though, you can fix it yourself. That’s right. Armed with a plunger, a bottle of touch up paint and a few supplies, the average do-it-yourselfer can repair small dents and scratches. Here’s how.

Unsightly Dents

If your accident has not broken the finish and has damaged a larger body panel, you may be able to pull the dent out. Dump a bucket of soapy water over the dent and stick your household plunger over the area. The water should help create a good seal and you may be able to pull the panel back into shape. The soap will allow you to slide the plunger down the panel to break the suction.

If your dent is in a small area near a crease in the vehicle, you can place a small block of wood at the tip of the dent and gently tap the wood with a mallet to force the misplaced metal back into its original shape. Tapping gently around the edges of the dent may help pop the metal back into shape. Use care not to break the finish, chipped paint exposes bare metal which will rust.

Scratches, Scrapes and Stone Chips

Most body shops will sell you a bottle of touch up paint. They will also ask you what you are repairing and offer to fix it for a large fee. Kindly decline, and request just a bottle of touch up paint. They will need access to you vehicle to get the manufacturer’s paint code. This is most often found in the glove box or the door jam. If your vehicle has been painted a different hue than its original paint color, the auto body technician can use an educated guess to mix your paint to match the rest of the finish closely.

You will need a fine grit sand paper, a bucket of soapy water, some wax and buffing cloths in addition to your bottle of paint. Wash the scraped area well with soapy water, paying special attention to any bugs or tar in the area. Wet your fine grit sand paper and carefully sand the edges of the scrape or stone chip, making sure to keep your sand paper wet. Dry the area well and leave it sit for at least ten minutes to make sure it dries completely. Then, shake the bottle of touch up paint for at least two minutes. Brush on a light coat of paint over the damaged area. You can always apply a second coat after the first coat dries. Allow the paint to cure overnight then use a rubbing compound followed by a coat of wax to protect your finish

Paint repairs fare the best when done on a sunny day with low humidity. If this is not possible in your area, perform the repairs inside a heated building with a dehumidifier running. You can also use heat lamps or a hair dryer on its lowest setting to help cure the paint.

With a few tools and a little know how, you can save yourself some money by repairing small damages yourself.

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Find the best deal on the auto insurance coverage you need. Visit us today for money-saving tips, free auto insurance quotes and helpful car insurance advice.

Choose your Parking Spot Wisely

Careless drivers are one of the biggest threats to your vehicle, especially in parking lots.  You are careful to park your car properly, centering it between the lines.  You go into the store and some jerk parks their car incorrectly, leaving less than a full parking space between them and you.  Then an even bigger jerk attempts to squeeze in and hits your car!  Another scenario is the driver who is looking behind them as they back out and turn too sharp; the front end of their car hits yours, leaving a dent and scratches trailing along the entire side of your vehicle.

The best way to avoid damage to your vehicle in a parking lot is to choose a parking spot further away from the building and other people.  Most people try to get the closest spot they can which means they won’t be parked near you.  This will reduce the risk of your car being hit by other careless drivers or shopping carts that get away.

Other Maintenance Tips

Wash your car at least once a month to remove dirt, dust and things like bugs and bird droppings that leave permanent stains.  When a car is clean moisture dries quickly; moisture accumulating in dirty areas causes corrosion.  Pressure washing removes dirt from the difficult to reach areas like around moldings, inside wheel arches and under the bumpers.  Do not hold the pressure wash jet too close or too long in the same area.  Thoroughly clean the wiper blades to remove dirt that scratches the windshield.

Park your car in the garage if you have one.  If not, try to keep it in a shady place as the sun beating on the car can cause the color to fade.

As time goes by cars can become dented and dinged, even when receiving the very best of care.  The good news is that you no longer need to endure the inconvenience of leaving your car at a body shop for days at a time to just to repair minor dents, scratches and dings.  A new trend in auto body repair known as mobile auto body shop is an option.  A mobile auto body shop can repair minor collision damages at your home or workplace.

Joaquin Hernandez is the owner of Collision on Wheels a mobile auto body shop providing minor auto dent repair, scratch repair and perfectly matched paint repair.  CW is the only mobile auto body repair business that is approved by a major insurance carrier to service there policyholders; they are fully insured and back their repairs with a money back guarantee.  Joaquin services consumers and business, auto dealerships, limo companies and insurance agents in the Los Angeles area.

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Collision on Wheels will bring a fully equipped van & trained collision repair technician right to the home or workplace where the work is done on-site to their satisfaction. We service a growing market of consumers who don’t have time to take their car to a body shop for small collision repairs or may be reluctant to make an insurance claim.

A car could be a priceless possession for many and any kind of dent or damage to the auto body can take away its overall look. If you have neglected your vehicle care or have been recently involved in an accident, your car needs attention and you may have to get the auto body repaired through auto reconditioning specialists.

A lot of breakthroughs have been happening in the auto body collision repair field, one of the most popular being paintless dent repair. This quick technique involves removing all the minor dents without having to repaint the damaged portion. This is widely used to repair minor body creases, hail damage, minor bumper indentations and door dings. However, if there is paint damage on the vehicle, then this technique may not be suitable.

Today you can quickly have your car repaired of its dents, broken glass, peeled off paint or any other damage caused due to collision. It is important to find a collision repair facility with well qualified and trained technicians who can repair your vehicle and restore it to its original shape and make it looking new.

There may be times when you may not know what to do when repairs are required for your vehicle as a result of which the auto body repair may get neglected and even put off for a long time resulting in more damages leading to more expenses out of your pocket.

Below are some helpful tips you can follow to get you started with your auto body repair and get your car to look its best.

1. First you need to find whether your insurance policy covers your vehicle damages and if they do, then to what extent does it cover.
2. Once this is done, you need to know the expense you will have to incur from your pocket for the repairs based on the extent of insurance coverage.
3. The next step is to find a highly trained and well qualified technician who offers quality repairs, competitive rates, and an extraordinary service. It is also important that your auto body specialist handles your insurance claims in a superior and professional manner ensuring quick and efficient work.
4. Additionally, if multiple repairs are required, make sure the auto body shop offers all the services your vehicle needs and ensures high quality work. Also make sure you get a quote before you get any work started on your vehicle. This will ensure that you do not get any surprise bills.
5. Once you have received an estimate for the work, you can schedule a time to have your vehicle repaired.

There are a lot of things that one needs to look into while planning on having the vehicle repaired. It is important to take your vehicle to the right place because simply taking your car to anyone or trying to do the repairs yourself is not an ideal option. Therefore, make sure you give your vehicle the required maintenance and take care of it to ensure a longer life.

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Beaudry’s Autobody Repair is centrally located in the North San Diego County community of Oceanside. We use the finest equipment and our highly trained technicians are I-Car certified

We love to travel in really great looking cars. While the vast majority of cars that are available on the market look great they are similar. In fact if you see one Porsche you have seen them all. While this is just a generalization it serves the purpose of showing you that there is no external differences to make your car unique from all of the rest. Auto body kits however can change all of this.

With the various different auto body kits that are currently on the market you can change the look of almost any type of car or for that matter truck. With a few interesting changes like Lambo car wings you can change the way people look at your car and in extension yourself.

Before you buy lots of different auto body kits you should have an idea of the many different changes that you are going to perform on your car. With these changes you should also be prepared to pay the price tag that accompanies these body kits. When you are first hunting around for dealers who can sell these body kits to you, there are various questions you should ask about.

The first question is of course the quality of the car parts you are investing in. The next question is what the final price is going to cost you. Finally you should ask these dealerships if they will undertake the installation of the auto body kits and the painting that you will be requiring. For this installation and body paint job you should also get the price as this may have to be paid with your purchase or as a separate payment.

Now when these questions have been answered to your satisfaction you can start your shopping process. The first item you should look at of course is the various parts that can be used for auto body kits. These parts can be side skirts, cowl spoilers, door caps, rear wings, eye brows and many others.

You will also find various accessories that are absolutely needed for the complete look of the conversion which your vehicle is undergoing. These parts can be air ducts, engine grills for cars where the engine sits in the rear of the car, exhaust tips and engine vents. With all of these various items you will be able to change the way your car looks and performs.

As with many products in the world today you will find that there are expensive and inexpensive products that you can get. As your car is not just a show piece but an item you will be trusting your life to, you may want to invest in the best auto body kits and aftermarket parts that you can afford.

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Muna wa Wanjiru is a Web Administrator and Has Been Researching and Reporting on Car Kits for Years. For More Information on Auto Body Kits, Visit His Site at Auto Body Kits