Have you recently been in a fender bender? Are you wondering if the car frame damage makes your car unsafe to drive? Has the auto body shop told you that your car’s frame is damaged? What is car frame damage? Can you drive your car if the frame is damaged? What does it cost to repair a car frame? To find the answers to these questions and more, keep on reading.
Can You Drive a Car with Frame Damage?
What is a Car Frame?
A car’s frame, as the name suggests, is quite literally the frame of the vehicle. It’s the structural support system of the vehicle. It can be thought of as the vehicle’s foundation, and this part of the car is what protects your vehicle in the event that a collision does occur.
There are two different types of automobile frames:
1. Unibody car frames, which are more common.
The term unibody describes the fact that the frame and the body are the same. If a unibody frame is damaged, the frame may be bent. As a result, the car may no longer drive straight, and would not be safe to drive. Additionally, even if the damage is repaired, the area that was affected may remain weak.
2. Ladder auto frames, which were the traditional car frames
Today, ladder frames are mostly used on trucks. This type of frame is known for its durability and high resistance.
They’re also often referred to as unibody and body-on-frame designs. Typically, both types of frames are made of sturdy metal materials.
What Constitutes Frame Damage on a Vehicle?
Generally speaking, the term frame damage is used to describe instances where the structural integrity of a car’s frame is compromised. This usually happens as a result of some kind of external influence, such as a collision or an alteration to the vehicle.
In short, frame damage impacts key components of your car that are responsible for structural support. Sadly, when a car’s frame is damaged, the vehicle is usually no longer safe to drive.
Can You Drive a Car if the Frame is Damaged?
As mentioned above, typically, when a car’s frame is damaged, it is considered unsafe to drive. However, that may not always be the case. So long as the car continues to stay in a straight line and all of the wheels are properly aligned, the car will likely continue to function just fine in typical driving conditions.
That said, however, if you were to drive a car that has a damaged frame, in the event that you were to get into a collision, things would get pretty dangerous. That’s because the frame provides a car’s structural support. If a collision were to occur and the frame of your car is damaged, the vehicle wouldn’t be able to provide proper protection.
How Much does Frame Repair Cost?
The answer to that question can be quite complex, as there are several factors that will affect the cost of car frame damage repair. These factors include the extent of the damage, the type of vehicle, and the auto body shop that’s repairing the vehicle. Additionally, the amount of work the frame requires will directly impact the cost of repairing it.
Minor Car Frame Damage Repair Cost
To give you a rough idea of how much it costs to repair car frame damage if there are minor issues, such as small dents, you can expect the price of repairing a car frame to run somewhere between $600 and $1,000.
Major Car Frame Damage Repair Cost
If the damage is more extensive, you can expect to spend significantly more. For serious car frame damage, you can expect to spend upwards of $10,000, if not more.
Why does Frame Damage Cost so Much to Repair?
The high cost of repairing a car frame is directly related to the fact that it is your vehicle’s structural support. You want the frame to be fixed properly, and because it’s made of such durable material, it requires more labor and more parts. The cost of labor and parts is a major reason why the cost tends to be so high for a car frame repair.
Additional Information: Can a Car Bumper Be Repaired?
Learn more about Drive Fast Auto Body auto frame repair services.
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