Auto Paint Shop Shopping Tips

Tony Mers • July 12, 2019

There is nearly nothing worse than the sound of crunching metal when you’re behind the wheel. We all want to avoid the need for having to seek auto repairs. However, unfortunately in your lifetime, your car may experience auto body damage from any of four main causes: weather, negligence, a fender bender and high-speed collisions. Of course, the most important concern is everyone’s personal safety. Once that has been ascertained and it’s time to start searching for which paint shopis the best fit, there are many factors to consider.

Whether it’s fixing hail damage, or performing dent repair or bumper repair, selecting the right auto paint shop is important to restoring your car to peak condition and appearance. It’s important to ask the paint shop the right questions, especially regarding warranties. For minimal auto body repair look for two-year warranties. In the case of getting a complete paint job, it’s not a bad idea to use a paint shop that offers a minimum of a three-year warranty.

Of course, it’s easy now with the internet to do a quick search of nearby auto paint shops and peruse plenty of ratings and reviews, but it’s also a good idea to consider word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and family. It’s good to remember that a lot of the best shops are small, family-owned businesses who do the hands-on work themselves. These paint shops can be harder to find via just the internet, as they might not have the resources to establish a large online presence. Be sure to check with friends who have had past experience with auto body repair to see if they have any personal recommendations you might have otherwise missed.

Once you’ve narrowed down your paint shop selection, you should get several estimates before making your final choice. Though it’s good to remember that sometimes an extremely low estimate should raise just as many suspicions as an extremely high one. While you don’t want to be overcharged, you also don’t want the quality of the auto body services you receive to be sacrificed in favor of price.

Hopefully misfortune won’t strike and you won’t need to be searching for an auto paint shop any time soon. However, when the hail does hit or the bumper dent, be sure you go into your paint shop search with the right knowledge and tips to ensure your car is looking shiny and new as soon as possible.

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Why Ignoring Small Dents Can Lead to Bigger Problems

January 30, 2026

It is an awful feeling when you walk out to your car after a long day and see a small dent on your passenger door. While it may appear to be just a cosmetic issue, you should still get it fixed, because ignoring small dents can lead to bigger problems for your vehicle. Don’t let small dents on your car go untreated; let's talk about why you need to tackle these issues ASAP. Rust Loves Chicago Winters We all know the drill here in the Windy City. We have beautiful summers, sure, but we also pay the price with brutal winters. And what comes with winter? Salt. Tons of it. Your car’s paint job acts as a suit of armor protecting the metal body underneath. Even a minor dent often comes with microscopic cracks in the paint—sometimes too small to see with the naked eye. Once that seal is broken, moisture and road salt sneak in. They settle against the bare metal and start a chemical party you definitely don’t want to host. Oxidation begins immediately. By the time you notice bubbling paint or that tell-tale orange stain a few months later, the rust has already been eating away at your door panel from the inside out. Resale Value Takes a Nosedive For many people, maintaining their car is a valuable part of purchasing a new vehicle. When that day comes, curb appeal is everything. Used car buyers (and dealership appraisers) will judge your car by its exterior appearance. If they see a vehicle riddled with door dings, bumper scrapes, and ignored scratches, they see a car that wasn't cared for. They assume that if you didn't care enough to fix the outside, you probably didn't care about the rest of it either. It lowers the perceived value instantly. Maintaining your car’s body and its paint is an investment in your future trade-in value. Paint Damage Spreads Like a Virus When a dent or scrape compromises the integrity of the paint, the surrounding paint loses its grip. High-pressure car washes, wind, and temperature fluctuations cause the paint to flake away from the initial injury site. A scratch the size of a quarter can grow into a patch the size of a softball over a couple of seasons. It’s Easier (and Cheaper) Than You Think Here is the good news: fixing these things early is surprisingly affordable. Modern body shop technology is amazing. For many small dings where the paint isn't cracked, we can use techniques that massage the metal back into place without spraying a drop of paint. River North Collision Repair offers paintless dent repair in Chicago to fix minor dents. Regardless of what nicked your door, we can help remove the dents and maintain a seamless look for your vehicle. Don’t Wait for Problems Don't let minor dents turn into a big nightmare. Save your future self the headache (and the cash). Swing by River North Collision Repair for your quick and easy repairs. Because driving a car you’re proud of? That’s a feeling you can’t put a price on.