Minor Repairs

Getting a scuff or a scratch in your car can be frustrating, and sometimes it isn’t the owner at fault. A trip to the local supermarket can be a car owners worst nightmare, with runaway trolleys and irresponsible drivers/passengers opening their door a little too far. Minor scratches and dents are common – but to get them fixed it isn’t always necessary to go to a body shop and get full panel replacements. New technology has made it much easier to get a perfect finish after minor damage has been done.

Over the past decade, the SMART repair technology has taken off and made it much easier for drivers to repair minor damage. Originally, you would have had to leave your car with a body shop, sometimes for days or weeks at a time. But when cars are such an integral part of your life, it’s not a viable option to not have your car for that long. This is where the SMART repairs come in.

SMART stands for Small And Medium Area Repair Technique. SMART repairs are carried out using specialist tools, paints and other materials to ensure you have a like-new finish. SMART technicians isolate the damage and use specialist techniques the bring your car back to a pre-accident finish. Due to the tools & techniques used, the whole panel does not need to be repainted which means you can get your car back on the road quicker and for a lower price.

Types of damage that can be repaired by SMART repairs are cosmetic and not structural. Cosmetic damage includes: scratches, dents, alloy wheel (repair and refurbish), bumper & trim repair. These repairs can often be done within a few hours meaning minimal disruption to your day. Some providers (like us!) also provide FREE courtesy cars for the duration of the repair.

As SMART repairs are more cost effective than a full bodyshop repair – sometimes coming in at below the insurance excess amount – it can be worthwhile going direct to get it fixed as opposed to involving your insurance company and losing your no claims discount or a policy premium increase.

When should you get a SMART repair?

Sometimes car owners leave minor scratches and dents on their car as it doesn’t bother them. If you love your car, this isn’t necessarily an option for you as you will want it to look its best! SMART repairs are recommended in almost all cases where minor damage has occured, regardless of who is at fault.

If you’ve been on the receiving end of minor damage and the perpetrator has not left their details, going to a SMART repair technician would be the most cost effective for your side. Whilst it’s not nice to pay for someone else’s damage, fortunately SMART repairs significantly reduce the bill.

If your repair cost is less than the excess on your insurance, this would also be a good time to get a SMART repair carried out. Rather than paying your excess AND losing your no claims discount – simply going direct is more cost effective in the long run.

If you’re looking to sell your car, it would be a good idea to get smart repairs on the minor damage on your car. When purchasing a car, the first thing that the viewer sees is the body of the car. Any scratches and dents will make it look unsightly and will subconsciously reflect the quality of the internals. As much as we try not to, we all often “judge a book by it’s cover”, so ensuring that the cover looks it’s best is important. If your car is selling for £7,000 and above, we recommend getting a SMART repair as this can increase the retail value of the car – and make it stand out online. In this case, the SMART repair cost will offset itself in the money gained from the increased retail value.

Here at UK Autolinks, we have a network of specialist bodyshops and SMART repair technicians across the UK ready to make your car look as good as new. We’ve got you covered from minor dents and scratches through the major accident repair.

We have a team of vehicle damage assessors who will detail what is your required to complete your repair and getting it looking like new. Our fully-trained technicians are qualified to an extremely high standard regardless of car, commercial or electric vehicles. With our technicians, all our work is guaranteed and warranted so you know you’re in safe hands. We are also an insurance approved repair centre, so if you are claiming via insurance – you can rest assured that everything will be covered from the insurance.

We also provide local pick-up and drop off services for all of our clients. Whether it’s your home or place of work, we’re here to make your life easier.

If you’ve been in an accident, or are looking at getting a SMART repair for your car – we have a team on hand ready to help you.