Automobile Tips For Chicago’s Brutal Winters: Part 1

Tony Mers • January 16, 2018

Stay in contact with a collision repair shop, drive slow at all times, and always have gas in your car during brutal winters.

If you live in the Windy City, you have to be prepared for some seriously intense winters. Operating your vehicle during severe snow and ice storms can be quite difficult, but there are additional aspects of owning a car in the winter that you should be aware of as well.

Hopefully, these winter maintenance tips will help you be a much better driver during the winter as well as a smarter and more responsible vehicle owner. Here are some automobile tips for Chicago drivers:

Drive slower than you want to

It doesn't matter if you have the most powerful truck in the world -- you should still drive slow in severe weather conditions. On average, there is a rear end collision every eight seconds on roads across the United States, and that's amplified during winter storms.

Stay in contact with a trusted auto body shop

Even if you are the most careful driver in all of Chicago, accidents still do happen. If your car is dented, scratched, or damaged in any way, it’s important that you get those problems addressed and rectified as quickly as possible. While you’re driving around on the snowy and icy roads of Chicago, you’re going to need a fully functioning vehicle -- collision repair auto body shops can help get your car back to its proper self.

Always have gas in your car

Letting your car sit in a snow pile for a few days in a row with little to no gas is very bad for your vehicle. Even if you have to brave the storm for a little bit to get gas into your tank, you should do it to avoid serious automotive problems down the line. Put on some extra layers, brush off your car, and get to the gas station right away if you plan on leaving your car in your driveway for a while.

Whether you need collision repair , glass repair, or a new coating of pain, be sure to stay in contact with a trusted auto paint shop throughout the winter. Give River North Collision Repair a call today and keep an eye out for part two of our winter automobile tips.

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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.