Auto Body Tacoma

Many of us in Puyallup, WA would prefer not to ever set foot inside a auto body repair shop in Puyallup, WA. Auto Body repair shops are associated with the thoughts of collision repair in Puyallup, WA. No one ever plans to need auto body repair, ever. Sure some of us would love a new paint job in Puyallup, WA, but beyond that, who would want to be in an auto accident? Nonetheless, vehicle collisions do happen, and Hi-Tech Auto Body & Collision Repair can get your auto, car, truck, or SUV repaired and back on the road.

Auto accidents do happen, whether we are prepared for them or not. Collision repair in Puyallup, WA is not all equal. For this reason, Hi-Tech Auto Body & Collision Repair would like to explain the Puyallup auto body process, and what do expect when dealing with Hi-Tech Auto Body & Collision Repair for auto body repair in Puyallup.

First off, do not accept the assumption that auto body shops in Puyallup are dirty; on the contrary, a Puyallup collision repair shop should be tidy and well kept. Modern car repair in Puyallup requires diagnosis with advanced electronics which requires skill, education, and specialized tools. Auto body repair has changed greatly in the passed decades, keeping up with newer and more complicated vehicles. This is why any given auto body shop in Puyallup is not the same, and why it is so important to do some research before paying any money.

Any professional paint shop in Puyallup, and any auto body shop in Puyallup, will be proud of their auto repair shop. The layout, equipment, training of their staff – and most of all their people, all should be examples of the pride that the repair shop puts into their work.

Hi-Tech Auto Body & Collision Repair encourages you to be involved in the auto body repair process, and come take a tour of our facilities. Hi-Tech Auto Body & Collision Repair would be more than honored to give you a tour of our auto body repair shop in Puyallup, and show your our auto body repair capabilities as well as examples of our finished products.

Most people don’t know that pinstriping predates the automobile. Pinstriping is another vestige of the horse & buggy era that has carried over to the automobile. Pinstriping was an ornamental decoration for horse and buggy carriages. Pinstriping on automobiles was typically done at the factory up until the later 1930′s. The last production auto to have pinstripes was made by General Motors in the late 1930′s. Custom pinstripes, added after the factory assembly line, began appearing on cars in the 1950′s. For those enthusiasts who owned muscle or sports cars, frequently referred to as “Hot Rodders,” modifying the appearance of their ride was the last step to finish modification. After all the performance upgrades to your car such as, camshafts, valves, exhaust, intakes manifold, headers , wheels & tires, the only thing left is apply a custom paint finish to make your automobile really stand out.

The most common applications for pinstripes are to paint in two colors: one that accents the main tone of the car or truck, & another, a narrow line, in a color contrasted with the stripe to make it visible & stand out.

For larger vehicles, such as trucks, station wagons, vans, mechanical pinstriping is the easiest way to get good looking pinstripes. Mechanical pinstriping keeps a constant width, so that you can get the best placement on the working surface of your car. Magnetic pinstriping uses center grooves to hold paint templates for even more options for stripe design. Two magnetic strips applied to your car hold the template in place while paint is applied & can also act as a guide for your hand. Obviously magnetic pinstriping is not an choice for automobiles with a fiberglass body. Stencil tape is another popular choice for applying pinstriping.

Stencil tape comes in many different choices that are usable for the myriad of designs for car pinstriping. Stencil tape striping uses brushes, and a specialized pinstriping brush is an essential component in a successful project. One of the main advantages to stencil stencil tape is that you can apply multiple color stripes without waiting several hours the other stripes to dry.

For unrestricted creativity applying pinstripes freehand is the only choice. It is also the most difficult method to master and takes some practice to get right. If you have never done it before, you may want to attempt a few practice stripes on some scrap metal or wood. For beginngers, the simplest way for a freehand striping is to lay a strip of masking tape down approximately a quarter inch from where you want the finished line to be, and then use this tape as visual guiding for your stripes. Ordinary masking tape will let paint to seep through, whatever you do, don’t make the mistake of using household masking tape. Auto body masking tape can be purchased from any auto parts store.

Any method that you use will give your car a unique look that is uniquely yours. Practice makes perfect, just like anything else worth doing right. Patience is essential when painting anything. Don’t rush through or try & take shortcuts. Don’t attempt to pinstripe your vehicle without proper equipment and tools, painting errors are expensive to fix & take time. Outstanding results make pinstriping your car, truck, or van uniquely yours.

It’s that time of year again. Temperatures and wind chills that can take your breath away. Snow and ice that make stepping outside a dangerous proposition. You know all too well how winter affects you. It is important to take a moment to think about how it affects your car as well. After all, you don’t want to be broke down in Puyallup, WA.

If you live where it snows, you know the damage that snow, ice, loose gravel and salt can do to your car. Minor scratches and nicks turn to rust, your heater gets a workout it may not be prepared for, and your windshield must deal with the temperature stress of a warm interior and a freezing exterior. Check out these tips for preparing your car for cold weather:

Windshield Safety

Thermal shock is the term engineers use to describe the stress caused by drastic differences in outdoor and indoor temperatures. If you have a small ding in your windshield, thermal shock can cause your minor ding to turn into a major crack.

Repairing a small ding costs as little as $50 to $60. Replacing a cracked windshield can cost hundreds of dollars; on some cars, the cost may be even higher. Once a ding or star (star-shaped with points spreading out) expands, windshield replacement is often the only option. It’s important to repair small chips and dings quickly.

Repair not only saves the windshield it preserves the factory’s seal of windshield to auto body. Passenger side air bags deploy off the windshield, preserving the factory installation is an important safety consideration and keeping the factory’s original adhesive set also helps avoid air and water leaks.”

Fluids

As any mechanic will tell you, checking fluids is the least expensive and easiest preventive maintenance you can do. Change your oil in accordance with the recommendation from the manufacturer, and don’t forget to change your engine coolant (diluted with 50 percent water) and transmission fluid, about every two years. Be sure to mix anti-freeze with equal parts water, as pure engine coolants can freeze at zero degrees.

Though fluids like oil and transmission are commonly checked, other fluids integral to your vehicle’s performance, may go unnoticed. Make sure to fill your battery fluids, power steering, brake, and radiator fluids to their recommended levels

Don’t forget to top off windshield washer fluid. If you’ve ever driven after salt trucks have come through to melt snow and ice, you know the importance of windshield washer fluid. Do not dilute washer fluid with water since it can freeze during winter’s harsh temperatures. While you’re at it, you might want to change the wiper blades to prevent poor vision in already poor driving conditions.

Batteries and Corroded Cables

Winter mornings are rough on older batteries. The average life of a battery is 3 1/2 years. If your battery is older than that have a mechanic check the battery and cables to ensure your car starts quickly and reliably.

Anything Made of Rubber

Worn, bald or badly aligned or balanced tires can mean accidents on ice, rain or snow. Make sure to do a safety inspection on your tires for adequate tread, proper inflation and alignment and rotate your tires every 6,00 miles. If you live in unusually snowy areas, you may want to consider snow tires for added traction, or keep chains in your trunk or garage to help you through heavy snowfall.

Rubber parts under your hood need maintenance, too. Radiator, heater and vacuum hoses, among others, should be checked for cracks and bulges. Also, inspect all belts for damages and splits.

Rust, Minor Scratches and Nicks

Road salt can turn a slight scratch or nick to an ugly rust spot that’s impossible to avoid. And it can spread. Avoid costly body work by restoring spots before they turn into larger problems.

Boots

Front-wheel drive vehicles equipped with CV (constant velocity) joints should have the boots checked for rips and cracks. Boots protect CV joints, but when the joints are exposed to salt, ice and snow, they can damage the joint. Replacing a joint can costs hundreds of dollars, but replacing a boot can save you a a much more costly repair.

Spark Plugs

Worn or misfiring spark plugs can affect how efficiently a vehicle burns the fuel/air mixture, ultimately affecting engine performance. Worn spark plugs waste gas and increase exhaust emissions, so have them checked and replaced often.

Brakes

Brakes are your most important safety equipment and they should not be neglected. Don’t postpone needed brake work. It’s dangerous to drive with poorly performing brakes, especially in snowy weather. Postponing brake service also can cause the cost of overhauling your brake system to skyrocket.

Lights

Last, but not least, check your lights. Accidents can occur if you can’t see where you’re driving, or if other drivers can’t see you, especially as we approach winter’s short days and long nights.

Maintain your vehicle regularly to provide years of service with better performance and safety.

Tacoma WA ASE Certified Mechanics