Wheel rims are one part of cars that can take the worst abuse on the road. Over long drives or drives on dirty roads, car rims are hit with a lot of dust and debris. Eventually, this impacts everything from how the wheel rims look to how they work. The choice between repairing or replacing your wheel rims has a lot to do with your budget, and distance to the nearest auto body shop.
Wheel rim repair or replacement can be something you wonder about after you have been quoted by an auto shop. Is their price right in line with the market rate for wheel rim repair or replacement services? In this article, we discuss everything you should know about the choice to repair or replace your wheel rims.
Should You Repair or Replace Wheel Rims?
The Signs of Wheel Rim Wear
Wheel rims undergo a tremendous amount of wear and tear. Sometimes they will eventually wear out completely.
Signs of minor to moderate wheel rim wear include:
- Shine Loss
- Minor Scratches
- Small Bumps
- Dirt Collection
If your car wheel rims are just a little worn, or similar to the above description, then wheel rim replacement could be the answer.
Wheel rims can also sometimes undergo more extensive wear. Accidents, even small ones, can damage wheel rims and cause:
- Balance Issues
- Rim Bends
- Deeper Scratches
If there is no damage to the structural integrity of the wheels, it’ll buff out.
Wheel rims that are a little bent can be repaired. However, rims that have taken more serious damage (wheel rims after an accident) might have to be replaced.
Benefits of Wheel Rim Repair
Wheel rim replacement doesn’t always have to be the first course of action. A repair shop can fix the rims if they are still in the state where they can be slightly bent or buffed.
Have a professional auto body mechanic assess the wheel damage and see if your rims can still be repaired rather than replaced. In order to make sure you don’t get duped by a single auto shop with a higher quote or false info, it can help if you seek quotes from multiple auto body repair shops nearby.
Why Choose Wheel Rim Repair?
Wheel rim repair could be a superior choice if you lack the budget for a total rim replacement. Rim repair is likely to be the cheaper of the two options in most cases.
Wheel rim repair can also be done faster. Further complications can be had with wheel rim replacement if you can’t find the exact rim. Or, if you don’t have the time to wait for an auto shop’s order to come in, then repair is a better option.
The Drawbacks of Wheel Rim Repair
There are times when wheel rim repair isn’t the best choice. In this case, total replacement would be the next best recommendation from most auto shops.
Wheel rim repair can only be done so many times. In fact, if the rims have been damaged and repaired before, doing it more than once could create weak spots in the rim.
Ask several auto body shops in your area to confirm that you are getting the most accurate opinion.
Should I Repair or Replace Wheel Rims?
Wheel rim repair can be the best choice if you are on a budget, or if the rims haven’t taken any serious damage. However, you must remember that wheel rim repair can only be done so many times until it affects the integrity of the rim.
If the rim is severely damaged or has been repaired too many times before the current damage, then replacement is recommended. Frequent wheel rim repair could throw off the balance of your car on the road.
Although an auto repair expert can get most light damage out of a wheel rim, they also aren’t able to perform miracles. Instead of paying for wheel rim repair services and later having to pay for wheel rim replacement as well, contact the wheel rim repair and replacement professionals at Drive Fast Auto Body in Lee’s Summit, Missouri to receive an expert opinion.
Additional Information: Can a Damaged Wheel Rim be Repaired?
Drive Fast Auto Body | Lee’s Summit, MO | Auto Body Shop
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