Keeping your vehicle free of dents and the need for auto body repair in Dallas TX is important, but there’s so much more to car care than how your vehicle looks. You also have to keep it running optimally under the hood so you get the most life and highest performance out of it. Most auto mechanics will tell you that the main way you can keep your vehicle running well, both today and over the long term, is routine maintenance.

However, many drivers still fail to keep up with some everyday auto basics. In fact, a survey by the Car Care Council found:

• 25% of cars had low or dirty engine oil
• 18% had dirty air filters
• 13% suffered from low/contaminated brake fluid
• 17% featured improper cooling protection or low coolant levels
• 16% required more windshield wiper fluid
• 27% had low/contaminated washer fluid
• 18% required new belts

Overall, nearly 90% of vehicles needed at least one service or repair. 

Regular Service Schedule Checklist

Here’s a great way to keep track of regular maintenance, with most of these checks and services available at little to cost.

Check Frequently

• Engine Oil Level
• Dashboard Indicator Lights – On
• Head lights
• Tire Inflation/Condition
• Windshield Washer Fluid

Check Every 3 Months/ 3,000 Miles

• Belts
• Automatic Transmission Fluid
• Battery and Cables
• Engine Oil
• Dashboard Indicator Light – On
• Engine Air Filter
• Exhaust
• Hoses
• Windshield Washer Fluid
• Lights
• Power Steering Fluid
• Tire Inflation/Condition

Check Every 6 Months/6,000 Miles

• Automatic Transmission Fluid
• Battery and Cables
• Belts
• Dashboard Indicator Light – On
• Engine Air Filter
• Engine Oil
• Chassis Lubrication
• Exhaust
• Hoses
• Power Steering Fluid
• Wiper Blades
• Lights
• Tire Inflation and Condition
• Windshield Washer Fluid

Check Every 9 Months/ 9,000 Miles

• Automatic Transmission Fluid
• Battery/Cables
• Belts
• Windshield Washer Fluid
• Engine Air Filter
• Engine Oil
• Exhaust
• Hoses
• Dashboard Indicator Light – On
• Lights
• Power Steering Fluid
• Tire Inflation and Condition

Check every 12 Months/ 12,000 miles

• Automatic Transmission Fluid
• Cabin Air Filter
• Battery and Cables
• Belts
• Brake
• Chassis Lubrication
• Hoses
• Lights
• Dashboard Indicator Light – On
• Coolant
• Engine Air Filter
• Engine Oil
• Exhaust
• Power Steering Fluid
• Steering and Suspension
• Tire Inflation and Condition
• Windshield Washer Fluid
• Wiper Blades
• Wheel Alignment

Even drivers with limited motor vehicle knowledge can perform some of the above tasks or checks. For all else, seek out your trusted professional mechanic.

Contact Hance’s Uptown Collision Center in Dallas TX

Conveniently located on McKinney Ave in Dallas, you can contact us at 214-666-5291 or use our mobile app to schedule service. Shop Hours are: Mon–Thurs: 7:30am – 5:30pm, Friday: 7:30am – 5:00pm (Closed from 1-2 p.m. for Lunch).

Being involved in a car accident, whether it was your fault or not, is a scary experience. On top of dealing with any injuries you may have, you have to worry about getting your vehicle fixed. If you’ve been in an accident before, you know how much red tape dealing with the insurance companies can involve. You have to first bring your car in for an estimate, wait for the estimate, then make an appointment for the repairs.

Well, one part of that process should be easy. Here at Hance’s Uptown Collision Center, we offer a mobile estimating app for your convenience. No need to always come in: now we can send you a link so you can get a preliminary estimate from the comfort of your home.

Here are some tips for getting a vehicle repair estimate after being in a car accident. Often times, the car insurance companies drag their heels during the estimate process, so here’s how to protect yourself against a low-ball offer.

1.  Get a Quality Estimate

Take the time to get a thorough, quality estimate, not just an easy one. After your accident, seek out estimates for repairing vehicle damage only from places where you intend to have the repair done. It’s always helpful to have a trusted mechanic in your back pocket for situations like these. If you don’t, you’ll have to do your research. Ask around, go online, visit some shops, and ask questions.

Make sure that the repair shop is qualified and experienced in finding and assessing all the damage. The estimate quoted should be an amount that’s sufficient to repair the car to the highest standards. If a piece of business equipment or a vehicle is damaged, for example, get your estimate from a factory-authorized repair facility. Here at Hance’s, we are an I-CAR^TM and ASE^TM certified garage.

2. Be Mindful of Delays

The technicians at Hance’s will do their part to move the process along. We work for you,  negotiating with Insurance companies on your behalf. We never enter into contracts that put either you or us at a disadvantage. That being said, we can’t always help delays by the insurance companies. Be mindful of these delays and stay in touch with your insurance company if you have questions about the process.

The insurance company should inspect your vehicle within a week or so after the acci­dent. Get written estimates and do all you can to move things along smoothly. Provide any information needed. Answer all questions.

The end goal is to get reimbursement from the insurance company as soon as possible so you can get the repair done and move on with your life. Wait for the reimbursement check before getting any work done on your car. Find out if they will pay for alternative transportation, such as a rental car, while yours is being fixed.

Contact Hance’s Uptown Collision Center in Dallas

Hance Paint and Body Service can address all your repair needs in one place. Contact us to book an appointment for an estimate or check out our new mobile app.

Dents and dings are a fact of life. They happen in the grocery store parking lot, at school, at work, out driving around, and just being parked on a side street. There’s not a whole lot you can do to completely prevent them from happening – especially when it involves weather such as hail storms that are out of your control – but you can be prepared for the unexpected and protect your new car from these common occurrences.

Sometimes these occurrences lead to the need for paintless dent repair. Here are some tips to avoid this in the first place.

Dings and General Body Damage

From runaway shopping carts to inconsiderate drivers that open their door right into yours when parking in the lot, there are many ways dings can occur. Prevention is key.

• Park Away From Other Vehicles: It may seem inconvenient to walk such a long way, but park far away from a store front when shopping. Don’t squeeze in between other cars or park in a congested area. Give yourself a few spaces on either side if you can. Bonus: you’ll get your daily exercise hoofing it to the entrance.
• Slowly Open Your Door: You may be in a rush, but take care to open your door slowly and be aware of all items around you. That could be a curb, another car, a pole, post, gas pump, railing or wall. When you go slow, you can prevent those unfortunate dents that arise from haste.
• Educate Your Kids Around Cars: Kids don’t always keep the big picture in mind. They may not realize just how close your car is to their baseball playing area in the yard. They may not be the best judges of depth perception when riding their bikes around your truck. Teach them to be aware of the objects around them and to keep a respectful distance from vehicles when playing or opening doors next to others in the parking lot.

Preventing Car Dents Due to Hail

Hail damage can’t always be prevented, especially when it’s a last-minute storm that the meteorologist didn’t predict. For most insurance companies, hail damage is known as  an “act of God,” falling outside your basic coverage. Single claims due to hail damage shouldn’t affect your premiums at all, but if you’re a chronic abuser, you may be at risk for premium increases.

Hail commonly damages the hood, roof, trunk and windshield. Hail can be as small as a pea or marble or as large as a golf ball or softball, causing serious dings in your autobody.

• Use Covered Parking: If a storm is in the forecast and you’re going shopping, park under a roof or in a garage. If parking while at home, always use your garage. This can protect you from unexpected hail as well as foul baseballs and bike dings from your kids.
• Cover Your Vehicle: If you don’t have access to a garage at home, invest in a quality vehicle cover. The best covers can take the impact of 10 softball-sized hail stones at “terminal velocity.”
• Get Comprehensive Coverage: If you don’t havecomprehensive coverage, get it. Otherwise, you will have to pay out of pocket for hail damage. Your insurance company likely offers comprehensive options that cover anything from minor hail storms to trees that fall on your hood.

Visit Hance’s Uptown Collision Center

If you do suffer from hail damage or dents due to car doors and baseballs, contact us in Dallas at 214-526-0316. We offer auto body repair and paintless dent repair services to get your car looking like new again.

Choosing the best car paint color for your vehicle isn’t as easy as you would think. All auto paint colors are different in that they evoke different emotional responses and have varying degrees of maintenance. Most people foolishly choose a color of a car based on emotion over reason, logic or experience.

Going Deeper Than Simple Car Paint Colors

There are many variables that come into play when considering a car color. Heed these considerations before you allow your emotions to take over the process and avoid purchasing a car based on a color choice you may soon regret.

Black

Nothing evokes thoughts of sleek luxury than a freshly cleaned and detailed black car. However, anyone who owns a black car will be the first to tell you how frustrating this color can really be. It’s one of the most common colors when it comes to vehicles and can be among the most visually dramatic when detailed properly.

However, it will bake in the sun because black attracts light. Not only will the exterior heat up, but the interior will too. Black also tends to show every nuance of flaws in the paint and it’s actually the hardest color to keep clean.

While black interiors hide dirt best, they tend to enhance superficial dirt such as dust, debris, and lint.

White

For many, white is the easiest of paint colors to maintain. In fact, it’s one of the easiest colors to own, making it into the top three for ease of maintenance. It not only hides dirt and grime well, it’s the most forgiving when it comes to heat and temperature factors. White vehicles typically come with light interiors in black, grey, or tan. Stay away from lighter interiors, as these will show actual dirt more.

But while it’s one of the most popular car colors, nothing picks up road grime kicked up by tires better than white.

Champagne/Taupe

There are many versions out there of this color, but this is actually the best overall because it basically resembles the color of dust. That’s why dust doesn’t show up until a pretty good layer has formed. Road grime is less noticeable and it’s just as forgiving when to comes to heat transfer thanks to its light color.

Contact Hance’s Uptown Collision Center in Dallas

Open all week for your convenience, Hance’s Uptown Collision Center is your one-stop-shop for all your auto needs, including auto body repair and painting. Contact us to schedule your appointment at 214-666-5291.

Take care of dents right away.

When you consider potential car damage that can occur as you’re out and about, dents and scratches may not stress you out as much as more severe damage, but they can cause big problems down the line. Many vehicle owners put off repairing these issues because they assume the problem is so small it won’t make a difference; other drivers attempt to DIY the repair and end up causing more damage than if they had just left it alone.

Both of these methods of dealing with exterior car damage can have a lasting impact on the functionality, appearance, and value of the vehicle. Here are some good reasons why those small car dents should be promptly and professionally repaired.

Dents Are More Affordable to Repair Early On

When a dent or scratch first shows up, the repair necessary to fix it is likely relatively small. However, when you let these issues fester, the damage to the auto body can increase over time. For instance, scratches in the paint can get deeper the more you drive and wash your vehicle.

Advanced auto body damage makes your car look unsightly; plus, untreated defects can cost much more to repair, as the affected area will ultimately become larger than it first appeared. Thus your auto body repair technician may find it more difficult to match the paint due to aging, translating to a higher price tag for you.

Dents Harm Your Car’s Exterior

While you may assume dents are simply a cosmetic issue, unrepaired damage can adversely affect your car’s paint job and structural integrity. Let’s say you experience a scratch in the summer but don’t get it repaired till spring. It will likely get wider and deeper, posing even more serious issues in the case of dents, such as paint removal, exposure of the internal components to sunlight, and debris collection. In the worst cases, your car can develop an expanding area of rust or other corrosion – all stemming to one simple scratch.

Dents Mask Serious Damage

Most dents are the result of some kind of collision. After a fender bender, you may see the dent and thank your lucky stars that’s the only damage you sustained. However, many types of damage aren’t visible at all. Even a low-speed car accident can bend the car’s frame slightly or knock the wheels out of alignment. While you wouldn’t see a crumpled frame when observing the aftermath, the damage has been done, threatening the structural integrity of the car as well as your long-term safety.

Dents Reduce the Car’s Value

A dent can impact your car’s resale value. Vehicles with cosmetic damage are worth less than cars without this damage. To make sure you get the full value of the car that you deserve when selling, get the auto body work done by a professional.

Contact Hance’s Uptown Collision Center in Dallas

To schedule your appointment for dent or scratch repair, contact us at 214-666-5291 or get a free repair estimate online.

You wouldn’t guess it right off, but one of the most interesting stories told as a result of the Industrial Revolution and of the last 100 years in general is the history of automotive paint. From accidents to war, there are many elements that play into how car paint has evolved through the years. Today, we just think about it in terms of auto body repair but there’s so much more to it.

Here are some facts to keep you busy for a while:

• Prior to 1924, vehicles were painted using the same carriage-builder method that had been used for decades. Particularly when it came to the old Studebakers, it took 52 days to paint a carriage by hand, thanks to the many steps involved as well as the slow drying times. Even still, the paint didn’t last long – maybe a few years if the owner was lucky.
• In the 1920s, several paint manufacturers developed nitrocellulose lacquers, but DuPont led the pack in nitrate movie-film manufacturing at the time. Just like an accident led to the invention of chewing gum, an accident also led to the discovery of a new kind of paint. In 1921, a worker at the DuPont film plant left a drum of gun cotton outside on a hot day. When they finally opened it, they saw a clear liquid rather than cotton. This liquid became the base for nitrocellulose lacquer, which was the top automotive finish for the next five decades.
• The 1924, the Oakland was the first car to be spray painted.
• In the 1930s, both nitrocellulose lacquer and alkyd enamel were used in automobile production, ranging from black enameled fenders to colored lacquer bodies, used by the likes of Chrysler, Ford and Studebaker.
• It was the Europeans who developed the more durable basecoat technology with acrylic urethane clear topcoats, far superior at the time to American paints.
• In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Europeans began infiltrating the U.S. market, forcing change upon American manufacturers and collision repairers who then had to scramble to figure out how an acrylic urethane would work. From dieback to mottling, many challenges presented themselves.
• American paint manufacturers eventually figured it out and caught up but it took many years as the underdog to get there.
• Environmental regulations changed paint technology, as new words entered the industry’s vocabulary such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), transfer efficiency, catalyzed primers and federal air standards.
• Shops had to meet strict air-quality standards in terms of emissions, but this pitted paint manufacturers against equipment manufacturers as they both looked at the other to comply with new regulations.
• Paint gun manufacturers were also getting in on the game as well as collision repairers.
• Improvements in clears, flakes, basecoats, reflectants, pearls, pigments, effects and even ground glass continue to add progress to the industry.

Contact Hance’s Uptown Collision Center in Dallas

Here at Hance’s, we always use the latest best practices, techniques and paint application to ensure a beautiful, standards-based product. Contact us at 214-666-5291 or schedule an appointment online.

When you drop your car off for a repair, you automatically trust that the technicians working on it have the experience and certification to do the best job possible. But how do you really know? Trust is a big part of any relationship, and this is certainly true of the one between yourself and your mechanic. You want assurances that your mechanic holds the proper certifications to ensure your car is getting the attention it deserves.

Knowing who’s working on your car in Dallas takes just a little bit of research, but this will pay off for you in the end.

Body shops that hold the proper certifications can assure your car is being repaired according to the highest industry standards. For example, here at Hance’s Uptown Collision Center, we are an I-CAR^TM and ASE^TM certified garage, featuring experienced, friendly technicians who boast the highest levels of training and education in collision repair.

This training and knowledge allows our team to offer exceptional auto body repairs, quality workmanship and attentive customer service. We know getting you back on the road as quickly as possible is of paramount importance. After all, you’re busy and need to get places. However, we never compromise safety, aesthetics and functionality for fast work.

What Does I-CAR Certification Mean?

I-CAR, the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair, is an international organization that provides information, knowledge and skills required to perform complete, safe and quality repairs. It was established in 1979 out of a collaboration of six segments of the collision repair industry:

• Collision repair
• Insurance
• Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs)
• Education, training and research
• Tools, equipment and supply
• Related industry services

The goal is to provide those who need collision repair with access to high-quality, industry-leading training solutions, encouraging and supporting communication in the industry on issues impacting collision repair.

What Does ASE Certification Mean?

The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), a professional certification group, certifies professionals and shops in the automotive repair and service industry and has been doing so since 1972. The goal is to improve the quality of vehicle repair and service through testing and certifying automotive professionals. Nearly 300,000 automotive technicians hold ASE certifications. The ASE tests and certifies automotive professionals so that shop owners and service customers can better understand their level of expertise before utilizing their services.

In order to become certified, technicians must pass a test first, then accumulate two years of on-the-job training or one year of training and a two-year degree in automotive repair.

Contact Hance’s Uptown Collision Center in Dallas

To schedule a repair appointment with our I-CAR and ASE certified garage, please contact us at 214-666-5291 or email us at rob@hanceauto.com. We are conveniently located at 4829 McKinney Ave in Dallas with convenient hours Monday through Friday.

Paintless dent repair, known for short as PDR, is an environmentally-friendly way of repairing a vehicle that has been in an accident. Essentially, it’s a method of restoring a vehicle’s body to factory-like condition within a smaller time frame and at a fraction of the cost of full-on auto body repair.

Because it’s a much less invasive process for dent repair, it is designed for small to medium repair needs. Larger dents and issues will require auto body repair, panel removal, etc. Technicians skilled in PDR use state-of-the-art technologies to get beneath the vehicle’s “skin” and gently coax dented panels back into position without making scratches or compromising the paint job. It’s ideal for addressing damage caused by hail, dings, creases and small dents.

The PDR process involves the technician first assessing the damage, then gaining entry to the dent and taking a closer look. Finally, he or she will apply slow pressure to work the dent out.

How Does it Work?

Let’s go into more detail on the steps discussed above.

Damage assessment is the first step. This allows technicians to see the extent of the damage and determine if PDR is indeed the right way to go. Between 80 and 90 percent of all dents are able to be removed through PDR. Then, the technician will prepare the area around the dent before attempting the repair.

Next up, it’s necessary to gain entry to the dent, which is typically from the back side, necessitating the removal of body panels, tail lights and even interior panels in some cases. Essentially, the technician has to create a pathway to the dent area.

Your technician will use a special light to gain visual access to the area, which gives off a shadow. This helps the technician know precisely where the tools should be placed to massage the area back into its original position. This slow pressure takes some time and precision.

Most times, PDR can be done on the same day you bring your car in. Of course, the exact time frame will depend on the dent’s severity and how hard it is to access it.

Paintless Dent Repair vs. Traditional Dent Repair

Traditional dent repair involves filling dented areas with paint or body filler, to be matched to the rest of the exterior. This can make your car look like new, but it still doesn’t offer a sustainable, long-term solution. In addition, it’s more costly than paintless dent repair, more time-consuming, and negatively impacts the re-sale value of your vehicle.

With paintless dent repair, there is no need for fillers or sanding. For minor repairs, PDR is a quicker, more cost-effective alternative all the way around.

Contact Hance’s Uptown Collision Center in Dallas TX

If you require our services for paintless dent repair in and around Dallas, contact us at 214-666-5291 or visit us at 829 McKinney Avenue in Dallas, TX. Schedule an appointment today and get your car back to looking its best.

Getting into a collision is stressful and overwhelming. Not only do you have to deal with any injuries to yourself or other parties in the car, you have to worry about fixing your vehicle. Collisions are common in this country. In fact, there were about 6.3 million fatal, injury and property damage crashes in this country in 2015 alone.

If you’ve ever been in an accident, you know how scary it can be. Assuming your injuries are negligible, your first priority is to assess the damage to your car. Damage can range from a scratched fender to a dented side or crumpled hood. In order to be reimbursed by the insurance company, you need collision coverage on your vehicle.

What is Collision Coverage?

This type of insurance covers accidents with other motor vehicles as well as objects like fences or trees. Collision insurance is great in most instances, but it doesn’t cover everything. For example, your insurance policy won’t cover medical bills or damage to your vehicle that isn’t a direct result of the collision. Think: hail storms or thieves that break into your car.

What Deductible Should You Get?

The deductible is the money you are responsible for paying prior to your insurance coverage kicking in. So, if your deductible is $1,000, you must pay $1,000 out of your own pocket before insurance takes over. The deductible you choose is entirely up to you when creating a policy with your insurance company.

There are many things to take into consideration, such as:

Monthly Cost or Premium: This will depend on your insurance company and the policies it offers. Usually, the lower your deductible, the higher your premiums. Cost is a big consideration but it shouldn’t be the only one.

Risk Level: Consider your individual risks, such as your age (teen drivers will have higher costs because they are considered a higher risk), typical times of vehicle operation, climate, and even the likelihood of hitting deer at night. If you deem your risks to be higher than most, it may be wise to choose a lower deductible policy.

If your driving record is spotless, you drive in good conditions, and operate within a relatively risk- free environment with minimal contact with heavy traffic or exposure to hazards such as wild animals, try a higher deductible policy.

Your Car and Situation: Consider how old your vehicle is, what it’s worth to you, and the state of your emergency savings nest egg. You may consider dropping your collision coverage, or at least drastically reducing it, depending on your answers.

Should You Get Collision Insurance on an Old Car?

Depends on how old it is. Sometimes, collision coverage just isn’t worth it on a car that is several years – or well over a decade – old. That’s because insurance companies only pay fair market value for damage done to your vehicle. Generally, if your car is more than 10 years old, this is when you should consider dropping the coverage to save money.

There are some instances where you can’t drop collision insurance, such as when financing or leasing your vehicle. Only when you own it outright can you make this choice. You can’t always rely on the make and condition of your vehicle, as somemaintain their value betterthan others as the years go on. Keep an eye on the book value of your car, and start crunching the numbers after about a decade of ownership.

Lastly, take a look at your emergency savings. If you have little to no savings and would be lost without your vehicle, you should probably keep the collision coverage just in case.

Contact Hance’s Uptown Collision Center in Dallas TX

If you do get in an accident and need collision repair, turn to the experts at Hance’s. Contact us at 214-666-5291 or visit us at 829 McKinney Avenue in Dallas, TX. Schedule an appointment with the professionals that areI-Car certified technicians with an A+ rating on the BBB.

Beige…white…silver…you probably see a lot of these car colors on the road every single day. It seems a majority of cars these days feature these neutral, if somewhat boring, shades. In fact, white has been the most popular car color for the past eight years, according to MarketWatch.

It hasn’t always been that way. Twenty-four years ago when millions of people sat glued to their TVs to watch the OJ Simpson chase, that white Ford Bronco stuck out like a sore thumb – something that wouldn’t have happened today. That’s because back in the 1990s, the most popular car color was teal, followed by red. Experts say this bold color choice was attributable to Apple’s influence with its introduction of the bold colors for computers. Remember the iMac??

Trends

That trend switched to silver once 2000 rolled around, likely representing the emerging popularity of the tech world. If you doubt this, think about the surge in stainless steel appliances that happened at the same time. As the 2000s wore on, white made its way onto the scene as a popular car color due in part to another influence of Apple: the neutral iPhone colors. In fact, white has been the most popular car color for nearly a decade.

Safety

White cars may not be flashy, they have been found to be safer than black ones. Studies show that black cars have a 12% higher crash risk as compared with white cars during the daylight hours, followed closely by gray and silver. During dawn and dusk, black vehicles had a 47% higher accident risk than white.

Comfort

White cars are more comfortable in the summer, as opposed to darker cars that tend to absorb sunlight more readily and therefore get much hotter in warm weather. You’ll notice an uptick in white cars in warm locales like Florida and Texas for this reason.

Maintenance

You may assume white or light colored cars would be hard to keep looking clean. But the truth is, dark or bright color cars tend to show water spots and dirt more readily than white or beige.

Value

White and beige cars don’t depreciate in value as quickly as bolder colored cars. In addition, consumers are less likely to tire of white or beige than a more trendy color like orange or red. And because there’s such a consistent high demand for neutral colors, this makes it easier to sell your car later at a higher price. Stands to reason, then, that white cars are the most popular within used car listings.

Gender

Males tend to have a bigger preference for white cars over females, with white pickups being the most popular in the truck category for men. Women shy away from flashy colors but rather than white they tend to go for silver and brown. For men who like flashy colors, they gravitate to red and orange.

So, it seems the car manufacturers have done their research! So the next time you think to yourself…why are there so many boring car colors around? These are all reasons why!

Contact Hance’s Uptown Collision Center in Dallas TX

Regardless of your car color, we can help you refresh your paint job after a collision. Open Mon–Thur: 7:30am – 5:30pm and Friday: 7:30am – 5pm, Hance’s Uptown Collision Center in Dallas invites you to schedule an appointment for auto body repair or service.Contact us at 214-666-5291 or stop by at 4829 McKinney Avenue in Dallas.