5 common damage areas on your car

Written by Eugene Ng

No matter how careful of a driver you are, your car is bound to see some damage in its lifespan – whether it be an accidental scrape as you turn out of a tight carpark, or a dent in your bumper as you ‘kiss’ someone. Car accidents suck and if no one is hurt as a result of a minor accident, then all is good. More often than not, it is likely that your bank account is the one taking the hardest hit since these common damage areas need to either be replaced or repaired. But when to do what? 

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Bumpers

Bumpers are common damage areas since they are made to cushion any bumps and scratches from accidents. So if you get rear ended, hit a pole or drive over a kerb, you may have to get your bumper checked out. Minor damage can be easily polished, sanded over, and even small dents can be knocked out and the bumper made good as new. So when do you replace or repair your bumper? 

When to replace or repair

Mechanics look out for several things when deciding whether to replace or repair a bumper: 

Cracks

Cracks are usually a sign that the bumper needs to be replaced. Even though smaller cracks can be repaired using epoxy or fibreglass, it is not advisable if the crack is too large. Larger cracks may compromise the structural integrity of the bumper too much, making it less effective at absorbing impacts in an accident. 

Major paint damage

Scrapes are common damage but over time, a bumper covered in scratches or chipped paint may need to be replaced instead of repaired. The many scratches in the bumper will need to be made level, so the bumper will need to be sanded down or filled in to make it level. Then the bumper will need to be repainted to match your car’s paint. If too much of the bumper is damaged, it may be more expensive to repair than to replace it. 

Damaged or broken hooks

All bumpers have hooks to attach them to the valance panel, grill, and splash guard. If these hooks are damaged, the bumper will not remain in place, and may droop and scrape against the road or fall off completely. As these hooks cannot be repaired or replaced, you will need to replace the bumper.

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Headlights

Some accidents could cause damage to your headlights. If that’s the case, there are two things to actually look out for. Firstly, the cover, which is usually made out of perspex and is likely to crack and break upon impact. Secondly, the light bulb itself. 

When to replace or repair

First, check the extent of damage. If the cracks on or around the headlight covers are small, mechanics could help repair it. But if the cracks are large and affect the brightness of the headlights, then you should head down to an auto shop and probably replace them. 

If your bulbs need replacing, and you’re planning to do them yourself, then make sure the car battery is disconnected for safety reasons. You wouldn’t want a shock while replacing those lights! The pigtails, or the wires providing power to the headlights, will also need to be inspected for damage like burn marks, tears or foul odours. If you find any, you might have to check your electrical system. 

Fenders

Most people tend to mix up the bumper and fender so make sure you know how to identify the damage! Fenders are  are located over the wheels of the vehicle – two in the front right and left, and two in the rear right and left of your vehicle. In any side-on collision, the fenders are the most likely to be a common damage area. They can also be damaged when manoeuvring around objects and tight corners. So just be sure that those extra few centimetres between your car and the object exist. 

When to replace or repair

Fenders can be easily repaired if the damage is light. A few scuffs, minor dents, and discolouration can be easily fixed and the fender will be as good as new. That said, it’s better to be safe than sorry, so replacing your fender might be a better idea, especially if there’s any structural damage. A repaired fender might not be as effective as a brand new one, and over time, a minor fault or bump could snowball to an even bigger issue.

Grille

Grilles are mostly spared from harm in accidents, even if its surrounded by common damage areas. This is because most drivers see the accident coming and try to avoid a collision by turning, resulting in the aforementioned bumper, headlight, and fender damage.

When to replace or repair

In general, replacing a grille tends to be the better option. It is likely to cost the same as repairs (or maybe even cheaper!), and it’ll definitely have a longer lifespan than a repaired one. Don’t think the grille is just for aesthetic purposes. It’s a rather important part, as it prevents objects from entering your engine bay. So if your grille is damaged, objects could make their way into your engine bay and cause even more damage. Or worse, the grille might fall apart and fly out as you’re driving. Talk about a big price for a small oversight! 

Hood

The one is one of the most common damage areas for all sorts of reasons – and we’re not even talking about extensive damage from a car accident. A falling tree branch or item can seriously put a dent on it or just plain old wear and tear could cause the hinges or latches to not work properly.

When to replace or repair

The car hood also counts as one of the crumple zones built into your car to absorb collision forces. So don’t just write off hood damage as common, cosmetic or trivial. Even if it’s just a hinge or a latch, it could spell serious trouble if it releases while you’re driving! Repairs should be immediately underway the latch doesn’t shut tightly.

It is understandable that most of us looking at used cars have this one big question: how do you know the pre-owned car you are looking at is safe given that accidents are common?

Just look out for the Carro Certified label. A car with this label is certified safe. Through our 160-point inspection, every car is checked and repaired inside out for any issues, from engine troubles to even the minor, but important things like air conditioner vents! All our Carro Certified cars have zero major accidents, and no major damage from floods and fires too.

Once the car has been thoroughly inspected, it will then be refurbished in accordance with our 160-point inspection standards. Bumps will be knocked out, scratches will be smoothed out and paint reapplied. That’s how you get a myTukar Certified car that is good as new. 

So what are you waiting for? Browse our extensive list of Carro Certified cars for your dream car!