|
Updated: 10:54 PM Nov 26, 2008
Inexpensive Auto Body Maintenance
Sometimes things just happen. And when you're on a tight budget, it's not so easy to get those things fixed. So here are a few tips. Posted: 10:00 PM Nov 26, 2008Reporter: Sarah Rasmussen Email Address: sarah.rasmussen@weau.com |
|
Say you're driving down the road and a rock flips up from the ground and chips your window. Or you come out of the grocery store and there's a scuff mark on your car. Don't fret for too long. Kris Bjerke from CVTC showed me how to do some short-term repairs.
Let's start with a chipped or cracked window.
Any chip in your window, outside of the main viewing area for the driver, you can temporarily fix yourself.
"The biggest things is you want to make sure that the chip is sealed up from moisture because moisture gets in anything and that's when you get the big spider crack across the windshield," Bjerke says.
A simple repair kit from an auto parts store only costs you $10 and lasts for a month, until you can save up the $50 to have a professional fix it.
What about a scuff on the paint of your car?
"We just use a little bit of compound on a rag. And typically, you can get most of them out by hand," Bjerke says.
A quart of compound costs you $20 -- and voila. You saved yourself the $100 it would cost you to have a professional do it.
If it's more than just a scuff, like a deep scratch, Bjerke says all it takes is a steady hand and $8 bottles of touch up paint and clear coat.
"It may not look the best up close, if you're doing it yourself, but from 5 feet away, most people wouldn't notice it," he says.
Finally, headlights are an extremely important part of your car, but after a while they can fog up.
So instead of paying $200-$300 for a headlight kit...
"We sanded the plastic with a fine 1,000 grit sandpaper to get that clear coat off," says Bjerke.
Put a little plastic polish on a cloth or hand buffer and rub away the grime.
Paying for these four repairs at an auto body shop could cost you about $1,000. But remember, some of these are just temporary fixes and any major problems you have with your car, need to be checked out by a professional.
- New Ownership for La Crosse Steamboats
- Woman's Name Released In Crash Death
- Out of Business, Out of a Gift Card
- Vicky Emerson to Play Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts
- Gun Shot Narrowly Misses 10-Year-Old Girl
- Plane Crash Victims Named; Grief Counselors On Hand At Schools
- Doug Sidie Told Investigators Alisha Sidie Threatened to Take Twin Sons and "Take Out" His Eight-year-old Son
- Blugolds Women's Basketball Team Wins Home Opener Over St. Norbert
- Woman who got caught up in scam also participated
- Hunters encourage to shoot deer with green ear tags
- Families celebrate special birthday
- Police arrest two people in string of business burglaries
- Man pulled out a knife and tried to stab people on a bus
- Jackson County courthouse evacuated Friday morning
- Suspect in high-speed chase speaks out
- The hunt is (almost!) on; the camps are ready
- Downtown Eau Claire kicks off holiday season
- Deputies involved in deadly shootout last month cleared
- Suspect in high-speed chase speaks out
16 Comments - Wardens asking hunters for help during the hunting season
15 Comments - Wisconsinites paying more for health insurance than the rest of the country
13 Comments - Harley-Davidson may be official Wisconsin motorcycle
10 Comments - Oprah Winfrey's talk show will end in 2011
9 Comments - Jail committee meets to choose site for new justice center
8 Comments
