Category: Paint

How Does the Paint Job On Your Car Affect its Value?

Posted on by Cline Collision Center

How Does the Paint Job On Your Car
Affect its Value?

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When selling your car, there are several factors that help determine its resale value. Although the make, model, and accident history are essential, the paint’s color and quality can also significantly affect how much someone is willing to pay for your vehicle. Here’s what you should know if you’re planning on selling your car.

How Does Paint Color Affect Resale Value?

According to a study of over 650,000 pre-owned car sales conducted by iSeeCars.com, common paint colors like white, black, beige, and silver don’t add to a car’s resale value; and in fact, beige may actually depreciate a car’s value at a faster rate than other colors.

On the other hand, less common colors don’t tend to depreciate as much. Yellow cars were found to depreciate at an average of 4.5% over a three-year ownership period, which is 70% less than vehicles painted in neutral colors. However, there are also other factors that come into play in determining resale value:

  • Type of vehicle: Neutral shades tend to have greater demand when it comes to more practical vehicles, like sedans, trucks, and SUVs. In contrast, muscle cars and convertibles in bright, unusual colors tend to have higher resale values. 
  • Production: The colors of vehicles produced can significantly impact their demand and popularity. A particular model might be manufactured in large numbers, but the availability of specific shades may vary. Rarer colors can attain collector status because they’re not widely available or stocked at all dealerships.  
  • Popularity: Just because a color is unusual doesn’t mean it will help a car’s resale value! Certain shades have decreased in popularity over time. According to iSee, brown, purple, and gold cars are less likely to retain their value than red, blue, green, yellow, or orange cars. 
  • Location: Resale value can vary depending on where a vehicle is sold and the trends in that region. Dealerships in one part of the country may experience higher demand for certain colors than others. For example, in warmer climates, white cars are favored (despite experiencing more depreciation) because they tend to stay cooler and hide scratches better. 

How Does Paint Quality Affect Resale Value?

Unsurprisingly, the quality of a car’s paint can affect resale value by a couple thousand dollars. It makes sense—car paint, beyond being aesthetically pleasing, is designed to protect the metal below from rust and other types of corrosion. The following factors can cause a car to have a lower resale value:

  • The vehicle wasn’t washed regularly
  • Scratches, dings, and swirls on the surface of the paint
  • Dings and scratches that have resulted in superficial rust
  • The car wasn’t detailed before putting it up for sale
  • Bumper stickers or other decorative additions to the exterior

Get Your Car Resale-Ready

If you’re thinking about selling your car, it’s a good idea to take a critical look at the paint. Whether you’d like to touch up a few spots or completely repaint your vehicle, Cline Collision Center is here to help! We offer flawless paint matching and painting services that will have your vehicle looking brand new in no time. Call us today at 707-591-9909 to get a free estimate or schedule an appointment. 

How to Protect Your Car’s Paint from The Summer Sun

Posted on by Cline Collision Center
how-to-protect-your-cars-paint-from-the-summer-sun

Your car’s paint is one of the most important factors in determining its value. Although vehicle paint is designed brave the elements, the sun’s UV harsh rays can affect the pigment over time, causing it to break down and oxidize. This can leave the paint visibly dull and rough—and in more extreme cases, it may even flake off in patches. Different colors of paint are also more susceptible to sun damage than others, such as black, dark blue, and dark greys, but the fading in brighter colors is often just as noticeable.

The good news is that faded paint can often be restored, depending on the severity of the damage and your vehicle’s overall condition. There are also several things you can do to prevent UV damage and keep your paint looking its best for many years.

Wash Your Car Often

Dirt and grime on the surface of the paint can oxidize in the sun and speed up fading. To prevent this, keep your car as clean as possible by washing it regularly. Make sure you’re washing it in the shade, and use only soft washcloths and gentle cleaners designed for vehicles. While washing your car, use gentle strokes to remove the accumulated grime. If you have any areas that are tough to clean, like bird droppings or bugs, you can use a salt-free seltzer to remove them. Once you’re done, rinse your car thoroughly to get rid of any chemical residues.

Your wash schedule may vary depending on your driving habits, but in general, it’s recommended to wash your car weekly if it spends more than five days a week in the sun. It’s also a good idea to wash your car after it rains to remove mineral deposits, road grime, and pollutants.

Hand Dry Your Car

After you’re finished washing your car, hand-dry the exterior using a soft, absorbent cloth. This will help to remove any chemical residues that may cause your paint to fade faster.

Wax Your Car

Waxing is an excellent way to add a protective layer to your vehicle’s paint and give it a beautiful shine. You can think of it a bit like sunscreen for your car. Wax protects against UV rays and prevents the paint from collecting dirt and debris.

There are different formulas of wax to choose from, and each has a slightly different process in how they’re applied. For example, you can use pastes, liquids, sprays, and wipe on/wipe off waxes. Regardless of the type you choose, make sure to follow the directions closely. Waxing your car every three months or so will help increase the longevity of your paint, but don’t overdo it! This can cause a buildup on the paint’s surface.

Use a Car Cover

Parking your car in the garage is an ideal way to keep your paint protected. If you don’t have a garage, though, consider investing in a high-quality car cover. This won’t completely block the sun’s UV rays, but it will significantly reduce the impact on your vehicle’s paint.

However, make sure you’re not covering your vehicle when it’s wet or using a wet cover. This can cause mold to grow on the exterior if the moisture gets trapped inside for too long. It’s also a good idea to take the cover off for a few minutes each day to give your vehicle the chance to “breathe”.

Park in the Shade When You Can

It’s difficult to avoid the sun when you’re out and about, but parking in the shade as much as possible will go a long way in keeping your paint protected. Find areas of covered parking, like parking garages or carports, or park under trees if covered parking isn’t available. If you do park under a tree, keep an eye out for bird droppings or sap. Clean them off as soon as possible, as they can damage your paint.

Damaged Paint? Visit Cline Collision Center!

Whether you have a practical daily commuter or a luxury vehicle, these easy tips will help you keep your factory finish in excellent shape. A pristine paint job isn’t just about maintaining your cat’s value and aesthetics, either—it also helps protect the metal body from structural problems and corrosion that could affect your vehicle’s safety in a collision.

If you already have areas of sun damage or paint damage from an accident, Cline Collision Center can help! As your OEM auto body specialists, we offer comprehensive collision repairs, including painting, dent removal, bumper repair, aluminum body repair, and more. We handle all the insurance coordination on your behalf—and we even throw in complimentary detailing! Call us today at (707) 591-9909 or request an appointment online.

Understanding the Basics of Car Painting

Posted on by Cline Collision Center

The latest colors shining brightly—there’s no doubt that paint sells cars. Even though it is a big reason why you might like or dislike a car, very few clients know how cars are painted and how that affects collision repair.

Hopefully, the damage to your car is covered by insurance and isn’t costing you anything beyond the deductible and the time invested. Most people just want their car back in pre-collision condition, and don’t really care how that process plays out. Still,  having as much knowledge as possible is always helpful in understanding what your repair specialist is doing. The following are some paint basics—we won’t call it a primer because, as you will soon see, that might get confusing!

Eco-friendly Paint is Better Paint

In the last century, manufacturers used lacquer paint on vehicles. Painted on and then treated with a hardener to make it stick, this process was not environmentally friendly. Up to 85% of lacquer paint evaporated into the air, sending lead, chromium, and other heavy metals into the atmosphere, where it rained down on our homes, crops, and waterways.  

Understanding the Basics of Car Painting

Carmakers developed water-based enamels in the 1990s. Applied first, the primer creates a smooth surface by leveling it out. Primer protects the vehicle from corrosion and damage from rocks and other road debris. The base coat is next—it is what probably what you call “the paint,” giving your car the desired color. Sprayed over the top of the base coat, clearcoat is the final step. How glossy do you want it? Clearcoat  transforms the paint, changing the flat base coat into the shiny, rich color that gives new vehicles the allure car sellers and buyers want.

It turns out that waterborne paint is cleaner and brighter than the old-school stuff,  healthier for anyone who works around it, and better for the planet, too!

Match Game for Cars

If you only need a small portion of your vehicle touched up, we mix paint that matches so perfectly that the repair is undetectable. We have to take into account any fading that might have occurred from age and sunlight exposure, as well as any differences between the color listed by the carmaker and the actual color used. For highly complex paint, such as metallic or tri-coat peal finishes, we may have to paint a larger portion of the vehicle to ensure matching, such as the entire bumper, door, or hood. Plastic bumpers can be especially tricky since paint darkens at different rates on plastic vs. steel.

Of course, paint is just part of the job. The prep work is just as important. We take the time to remove existing layers of paint and fix all scratches, gouges, dent, pits, rust spots, or holes before painting. We may even have to remove interior components, including the dash, console, and even the seats. All of this takes time. Though we know how inconvenient it is to have your car in the shop, it is even worse to have your life disrupted and end up with second-rate repairs. We make sure the value of your vehicle remains the same, or is even increased by our high-quality work.

When you have autobody damage, go to the pros at Cline Collision Center. We are ASE-certified, have OEM certification from Infiniti, Nissan, Fiat/Chrysler (FCA), Honda/Acura, Ford, Hyundai, and Kia, and have earned Gold Class status from I-CAR. For top-quality workmanship and customer service, including help with navigating insurance challenges, call 707-591-9909 or contact us online today!

Do Auto Body Shops Wash Your Car?

Posted on by Cline Collision Center

Yes, we do! Washing your vehicle before we paint it is a critical step in ensuring your new paint job comes out fantastic. We cannot effectively apply paint over a dirty vehicle. Even if paint is not involved, we still wash your vehicle to bring back that new car look when you get your vehicle back. In fact, many auto body shops detail your vehicle before you pick it up. Cline Collision Center takes it a step further and details the complete interior and exterior of your vehicle, for free!

Here’s some advice when it comes to washing your vehicle after it has had paint work completed:

1)     Don’t go for a wash immediately

If you’re like me, you can’t stand a dirty vehicle. Going through the car wash is such a convenience, but do not make this mistake for at least 3 months after your vehicle has been painted. In the first 30 days after your vehicle has been painted, take your car home and simply wash it down with cold water and a microfiber mitt in the shade. Be as careful as possible to avoid potential scratches. After 30 days you may apply soap. After 3 months you may go through the automatic car wash. If possible, opt for only touchless washes, and of course if possible, always hand wash yourself or take it to your favorite detailer that hand washes.

2)     Say no to joy rides (for now)

Say no to the drag race track, or joy rides blasting your favorite tunes. Only drive this vehicle when necessary for the first two months. If you have a second vehicle, let this vehicle be your garage queen for the next two months. This allows your paint to fully cure before being subjected to harsh weather conditions. Trust us, your patience will be so worth it!

3)     Did we mention, garage queen?

If you have garage space at home, leave your vehicle in the garage when you’re not using it. Tree sap, bird droppings, and acid rain are dangerous to your new clear coat. Even drastic changes in the temperature can affect the paint.

4)     We love waxing! Just not yet.

60 days after painting is the ideal time to wax your car again. Though no rush. We recommend you have a professional wax your vehicle once or twice per year with real carnauba wax to keep that shine year-round, and more importantly to protect the paint.

Cline Collision Center is a 5-star auto body repair facility located in Santa Rosa, CA. We are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Give us a call at 707-591-9909 to learn more about what we have to offer you and your vehicle, today. Or, stop by for a free estimate!

Why Spies Hecker Paint is the Best Choice

Posted on by Cline Collision Center

Why Spies Hecker Paint is the Best ChoiceSpies Hecker may or may not be a name you’re familiar with, but we certainly are. In the collision repair industry, we work with Spies Hecker paints and refinishing products regularly as part of our repair and restoration process. It’s an old brand, with a history dating back more than 130 years, back to the days when they were painting coaches rather than cars. We trust them to put out high-quality and innovative products that do right by our customers.

What brought us to that position? It’s pretty simple, really – they’re a great company that makes a great product. More than that, though, the product works. They put extensive focus on technology, incorporating it into how they invent, produce, and ship their products. They do much more than simple paint. They also create primer, base coat, UV-curing, clear coat, and much more. It’s everything we need to make your car look its best again.

They also produce a range of tools to help us do our job better, from the Quantum EFX Spectrophotometer for measuring color to their extensive color formula online search, we’re able to quickly and easily match your exact paint color for a flawless finish. It makes our job easier, certainly, but more importantly, it helps us provide the best possible service for our customers so that their vehicle looks as good as new when they get it back after a collision.

Paint-matching is as much a science as it is an art, so any help we can get to ensure we do it well is well worth it in our opinion. With the help of their primers and surfacers, we’re not only able to exactly match your paint color, we’re also able to use a high-quality base that makes it sit just right, dry quickly, and sand well. It’s also approved by multiple car manufacturers for use with OEM parts, which is no small feat.

We love Spies Hecker paint tools, primers, surfacers, and clear coats. When we work with their products, we know we’re working with the best. Now you do, too. Have questions? We’ll be happy to answer. Cline Collision repairs most major makes and models of car and truck, whether you need dent removal or extensive body work. We also include refinishing with our services so your car looks like you drove it fresh off the lot for a second time.