How To Restore Faded Auto Body Paint in NYC
If you’re a trucker or fleet manager you know that an auto body paint job in NYC is a must as your trucks are representative of your brand. Sending out trucks with faded and/or dull paint may not reflect so highly on your business. The fact is- dull auto body paint in NYC is near unavoidable. Your fleet will constantly be exposed to the elements while doing the hard work they were designed to do. So, how can you restore that sad-looking paint job to get it looking brand new once again? Well, first, you have to understand what causes fading in the first place. By understanding what can cause your fading paint, you can take the necessary steps to try and preserve the life of your paint job for as long as possible. You know what they say: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Technically, ‘they’ stole that from Benjamin Franklin, but that’s neither here nor there. What causes faded auto body paint? Sunlight/UV rays Direct sunlight is probably the top reason why your truck will inevitably lose that shiny finish. Ultraviolet rays penetrate your paint finish- even if it has a clear protective coat- and cause oxidation. Ultimately, that causes your auto body paint to become visibly dull and faded. If it’s possible, try storing your truck in a garage or under a cover when it’s not in use. That can be a challenge, especially in NYC, but covering your truck is the best prevention method to guard against harmful UV rays. It will ensure that your paint is protected- at least until the next time you have to take it back out on the road. Corrosion If you live in a colder climate (like NYC in January) or by the coast, you may notice that your truck is especially vulnerable to corrosion. That’s because salt literally eats away at the paint, causing it to become dull, and eventually chip and rust. To slow down this process, be sure to wash your truck regularly to remove harmful salt from its surface and prevent corrosion. Unfortunately, if your paint has begun to chip or rust, it’s already too late. You will need a brand new paint job. Type of paint Depending on the method of painting or materials used, your truck may be more vulnerable to the elements and eventual corrosion. Of course, planning a regular wash and wax can help to mitigate these effects, but it’s useful to know how your truck was painted in order to care for it effectively. Environmental Contaminants By this we mean acid rain, bird droppings and insect splatters, among other things. It’s unavoidable! When your drivers are out on the road putting in those hours, these types of contaminants are inevitable and will eventually eat away at your auto body paint. And the prevention method is… you guessed it! Regular cleaning. Lack of care We know you love your trucks! But do your trucks know that? Are you caring for them with regular washing and waxing? We’ve said it before and we’ll say again- this is the best possible method of preventing dull and faded paint! How can I restore faded auto body paint? If you decided to skip the ‘prevention’ stage of caring for your auto body paint or you have some older trucks in your employ, you may find yourself wanting to restore their paint jobs back to their former glory. Here are the steps you can take to do just that. Wash your truck. The very first thing you need to do before attempting any restoration process is wash the truck. Use a soft sponge and soap to remove any dirt or residue from the surface of your truck’s paint. Do not use dish soap as it will eat away at your paint finish. Buff Apply a liquid rubbing compound directly to a wet, clean buffing pad. Then, buff your truck, focusing on the most damaged areas of the paint. Press down firmly with your buffer but not too hard to avoid burning away any paint. This may take a few tries, so stick with it. Double check the most damaged areas by rinsing them with fresh water. Once you’re satisfied, wipe away any excess rubbing compound with a clean towel. Polish Switch out the buffing pad for a polishing pad on your buffer. Apply the polish directly to the polishing pad, and treat your truck’s paint much like you did with the rubbing compound. — Preventing dull and faded auto body paint in NYC is certainly a challenge. Although regular washes can have a huge impact on the overall durability of your truck’s paint job, it’s near impossible to prevent dull and faded paint over a long period of time. Follow these tips for a DIY touch-up. And the next time you need to call in the professionals, check out our Preferred Paint Service– complete with a three-year warranty and Fast Action color match guarantee!
FAQ’s About Vinyl Wraps vs Truck Painting in NYC
Truck painting in NYC is a topic that fleet managers know all too well because of the importance of having your trucks in tip-top shape. After all, they do represent your business out in the world! If you are looking into truck painting in NYC, you have probably come across body shops that do truck wraps, as well. As if you didn’t have enough to consider, now you’re debating whether to go with a custom paint job or opt for a wrap instead. That’s where we come in! We’re here to answer the frequently asked questions about wraps and how they compare to custom paint jobs on trucks. FAQ’s About Vinyl Wraps vs Truck Painting in NYC What is a wrap? It’s exactly what it sounds like! Usually, it is a large vinyl graphic or decal that gets applied directly over the original paint. A wrap can also be a solid color and comes in different finishes, like gloss or matte. Vinyl wraps can even come as a clear protective layer to put over your current paint job. One important thing to consider when making the decision between truck wraps and truck painting in NYC is the condition of the current paint job. If your truck’s current paint job is in good condition, a vinyl wrap is totally possible and will not do any damage to the underlying paint. However, if the paint is peeling, scratched, dented, etc., that will be apparent through a wrap. The wrap may even peel or otherwise damage the paint further when you try to take it off. Is it cheaper to get a truck wrapped or painted? The short answer is: it depends. If you are a fleet manager looking for truck painting in NYC, it may actually be cheaper to go for vinyl wraps over custom paint jobs. There are tons of available customization options for a durable vinyl wrap that will not only help your fleet stand out on the road but will advertise your business, as well. However, if you’re opting to paint your trucks a solid color, perhaps just to touch up dings and scratches, a basic paint job will do the trick. Check out our Preferred Paint Service for an example of what we mean. How long does a wrap take vs a paint job? Normally, a vehicle wrap is significantly faster because once the design is finalized, the vehicle just needs to be washed and dried prior to installation. However, many shops may take up to a few weeks to complete truck painting in NYC. The process is a bit more involved; the old paint has to be removed before a new coat is applied, and each coat has to dry before another can be applied. Notice I said many shops, not all. Fast Action Body Repair prides itself on quality and timely service. Several weeks is way too long for you to keep your trucks off the road, in our opinion. We’ve refinished the cab and chassis of a semi-tractor in as little as six days! Just saying… How durable is vinyl wrap vs paint? Paint jobs can vary widely in terms of durability, especially cheaper ones. When it comes to truck painting in NYC, we recommend that fleet managers look at the whole picture. In other words, you should never base your decision on which shop to work with solely on price. Usually, you get what you pay for. A quality paint job can last the life of your truck, depending on the drivers and environmental conditions. With a responsible driver and regular wear and tear, however, a good paint job from a professional shop should only be subject to a bit of fading from UV rays. Vinyl wraps are also rather durable. They have the potential to last up to ten years, again depending on the driver and environmental conditions. Does wrapping a truck protect the paint? It can. If the truck’s paint job is factory quality or better, a vinyl wrap can protect it from sun exposure and even small scratches and dings. If the vinyl is removed properly, it’ll be like it was never there. If your current paint job is in bad condition, however, a vinyl wrap may make it worse upon removal. If your truck’s current paint job needs a complete overhaul, a wrap just won’t cut it. Is it hard to maintain the look of a vinyl wrap? Nope! Vinyl wraps don’t let in as much microscopic damage as paint. All you need to do is wash it regularly to keep it looking fresh. Truck paint, however, does take a bit more maintenance. To keep your truck paint looking fresh, you need to wash and wax it regularly. — Fleet managers in NY have enough on their plate without worrying about whether to opt for a vinyl wrap or custom truck painting. Hopefully, this article will lighten your load and make your decision a bit easier. If you’re ready to request a quote on your truck painting in NYC, get in touch today!
5 Things to Consider for Your Truck Painting in NYC
Whether your company relies on one work truck or a whole fleet, their appearance is a reflection of the business itself. You’ll know if it’s time to find someone who specializes in truck painting in NYC when your truck(s) are sporting old, chipped paint jobs, potential customers are likely to assume that your business is inefficient and unprofessional. Conversely, if your trucks are clean and well-branded, it will make your business look that much more professional and organized. For something this important, there are a few considerations to factor in when deciding on truck painting in NYC. Read on to find out some of the most important factors to weigh in your decision-making. 5 Things to Consider for Your Truck Painting in NYC Cost As with anything concerning your business, you’ll want to make sure that you are receiving a quality truck paint job for a reasonable price. A truck paint job can cost you anywhere from $1000-$20,000. Depending how many vehicles your company employs, that number could easily become unmanageable. Carefully evaluate your budget for a truck painting job in NYC. Also, consider the potential ROI. How valuable will truck painting be to your business? Branding Make sure that your truck paint job is in line with the branding of your company. Whatever color scheme you choose, you want to make sure it pops and that it matches the overall branding of your business. If the color scheme of your logo, for instance, is blue and yellow, then everything that represents your business and sports that logo should be the same general colors. It wouldn’t make sense to paint your work trucks red in this case because ultimately, you want customers and potential customers to know which trucks belong to your business without even reading the logo. We see great branding all the time. Think of a beautifully designed website, for example, of a business you admire or even patronize. That website is going to match thematically with the advertising of the business, the logo, the brick and mortar store and, yes, the company vehicles. Before receiving a truck paint job in NYC, make sure the color scheme branding that you choose is on point. Customization Though certainly not a requirement, a custom paint job can elevate your company’s appeal. When considering truck painting in NYC, it’s worth asking yourself whether or not a custom paint job is in your budget. A lot of shops offer this feature, and it can be an excellent way to catch the attention of potential customers on the road. This also goes back to the importance of branding. You want people to know what company those trucks belong to immediately, and a custom paint job can help you achieve that. Prioritize your specific set of paint needs. Think about what worked with your last paint job– and more importantly, what didn’t. For example, consider this excerpt from an article in Fleet Equipment Mag: “Paul Catanzarite, manager, commercial OEM and market development, PPG Commercial Coatings, states, ‘It’s important to focus on the fleet’s primary needs and concerns for a paint finish, particularly any shortcomings that may have been experienced with its present system such as corrosion or difficulty matching colors for spot repairs. For example, if color fading of a single-stage topcoat is a major concern, a recommended solution may be adding a clearcoat overlay or moving to a basecoat-clearcoat system. If corrosion has been a problem, it needs to be determined whether the root cause is galvanic, loss of adhesion, wear or chipping.’” The needs of every business are different, so it’s necessary to identify yours when deciding on the type of paint job your company trucks will require. Shop around Don’t settle on the first shop you find without evaluating all of your options thoroughly. Given the estimated cost and level of ability that a good truck paint job will require, it’s important to choose the right shop before committing to payment. There is nothing wrong with shopping around a bit before making any final decisions. However, it’s likely that you will get what you pay for, so don’t automatically go to the shop with the cheapest price. If you are paying a professional to paint the vehicle that will be representing your company out on the road, you want to make sure it gets done right. In addition to receiving multiple quotes, you also may want to find out the shop’s reputation by reading online reviews. Again, for something this important and potentially expensive, it is okay to be picky. — Of all the things to consider before trucking painting in NYC, the common thread is making sure that the paint job you pay for addresses the particular needs of your business. Evaluate your budget, branding, customization and durability needs before shopping around and making any final decisions. After all, your truck(s) are out there on the road representing your business, so it is crucial that they are making the right impression and, hopefully, converting more customers than ever before. If you are looking to partner with a company that specializes in trucking painting in NYC and that knows the significance of quality work with a fast turnaround time, then Fast Action Body Repair is ready to service you.
What You Need to Know About Truck Repair in NYC
A consumer’s guide to getting fair and efficient truck repair service. A new truck should last months (and hopefully years) before needing any serious repairs. That window might be even smaller for a used truck. Either way, obtaining fair and efficient truck repair in NYC can be a daunting task without a working knowledge of truck maintenance or an established relationship with a reliable mechanic. A lot of people are nervous about what they don’t know, especially when it comes to pricing, because they are worried of getting ripped off or talked into unnecessary repairs so as to spend more money. That being said, more often than not, you need the expertise of a professional; performing truck repairs without the specialized knowledge of a mechanic may ultimately cost you more money in the long run. Luckily, there are a few things you can do independently to boost your confidence before deciding on which professional truck repair service to use in NYC. Ask for Recommendations Word of mouth is a great way to seek out truck repair in NYC. Do you know anyone with a similar truck as yours? Or just have a few people whose opinions you value? Ask them if they’ve had great service from a truck repair professional in NYC. If you are relatively new to the area or just didn’t have a great experience the last time you visited a mechanic, asking friends, family and co-workers for recommendations is a great jumping off point for finding the shop that is right for you. If you can’t get any leads by asking people you know, the internet is a great tool to see what other people are saying about the mechanics in your area. Do a little research to find nearby shops, and then check out their online reviews. Yelp and similar independent sites can be great tools for this because the shop owner cannot moderate the comments. Keep in mind: from a psychological standpoint, people are more motivated to leave a review after a bad experience than they are to leave a positive review after a good experience. Also, some people are just grumpy. Make sure you are taking some negative comments with a grain of salt, especially if they seem to be a personal attack on the mechanic in question, as opposed to an honest review of the services rendered. That being said, if a truck repair shop seems to have way more bad reviews than good, or they are being rated two out of five stars by multiple people, you may want to keep looking. Tour the shop If you are able, take a look at the top shops on your list. After you receive recommendations and/or read reviews, narrow down your list and try to take a look around first. This gives you a chance to ask questions and get a feel for the type of customer service you will receive if you use that shop for your truck repair. This will also give you a chance to inquire about pricing and compare to the other shops you are considering. Be careful to also check for things like cleanliness and certifications. If the shop seems unorganized or generally chaotic, that may not be the place for you. You will also want to check that they have certified technicians for medium and large vehicles, depending on the model of your truck. Verifying quality customer service and certifications before paying for truck repair in NYC will help you feel more confident that you are making the right choice of mechanics. Learn Common Jargon Familiarize yourself with commonly used phrases, so you don’t get lost when speaking with your mechanic. If you are someone whose working knowledge of cars only goes as far as “I think it’s time for an oil change…” then you might want to learn some common phrases before visiting your mechanic for truck repairs. When in doubt, ask your “motorhead” to go with you to speak to the mechanic. If you have a close person in your life who knows more about truck repair than you, see if they wouldn’t mind tagging along to speak with the mechanic. There may be questions that they think of that you otherwise wouldn’t have known to ask. Know Your Rights Check with the DMV site to make sure you know your rights as a consumer when obtaining truck repairs in NYC. Believe it or not, the New York State Dept. of Motor Vehicles has certain regulations that repair shops have to follow. Furthermore, you have certain rights as a consumer in NYS under the Repair Shop Act. The most important thing to do is retain all records of transactions with your mechanic, including written estimates, receipts, and authorization of work. Having a paper trail will protect you if the worst case scenario is realized, and you find yourself needing to file a formal complaint or lawsuit. — The next time you find yourself needing truck repairs in NYC, consult this short list to ensure a positive experience, and get your truck back out on the road.
Truck Maintenance Tips to Follow for Long-lasting Tires
Finding a company that specializes in truck maintenance in New York is hard. You have to keep in mind many factors that play a role in the life of your truck’s tires. Usually, one of the most important and yet least concerning to truck drivers is the health of their tires. In fact, many fleet managers in NY do not pay the appropriate attention to their fleet’s tires. When in reality the proper truck maintenance will not only enhance safety but also save on expenses. In this article, we will review some of the best truck maintenance tips you can follow for a long-lasting tire. Truck Maintenance Tips to Follow for Long-lasting Tires When fleet managers in NY are looking for a company that specializes in truck maintenance for fleets, they often choose Fast Action Body Repair because of their reputation, turnaround time, and attention to detail. Details like the strength and functional quality of the fleet’s tires. Here are the points to consider when you’re looking to improve your tires. #1 Choosing the right tire The first thing that you need to keep in mind with truck maintenance in NY is choosing the right tire. Part of choosing the right tire, is the brand of the tire. When it comes to driving a truck, you can’t consider cutting corners on the price because it does in fact play a role in the quality. The quality of the tire is the most important thing that you need to keep in mind when you are choosing a tire. Not just the quality, you also need to see the warranty of the tire. It will give you a rough idea of when you will need to send the truck in for the replacement of the tire. Most of the fleet managers in NY keep money in mind which is not good at all. No doubt, you need to see the pricing but you also need to see the quality and the material of the rubber. Of course, that only rings true if you are looking for the truck’s tire to last a long time. It’s actually more expensive to continue to have to purchase tires of lesser quality over time. #2 Proper truck maintenance in NY When you send your commercial vehicles for truck maintenance in NY make sure you also ask the body repair shop to check the tires. They will check your commercial truck’s tires and tell you if you need to replace them soon or not. Also, you need to make sure that there is proper air in them (of course). This small tip will increase the life of your tires. So, do not forget to ask them to not only check the quality of the tires, but also the air capacity! #3 Retreading Retreading is the process of putting in a new thread. You need to retread the tire every once in a while. As these commercial trucks are running long all day to different cities and states, the tires will wear down from the amount of use. In which case, you will have to have them retreaded every once in a while. That’s another thing you need to keep in mind when you are looking for truck repair NY online. Make sure you have the tires retreaded whenever necessary but with a reputable company like Fast Action Body Repair in NY. They’re not only known for the quality of their truck maintenance in NY, but also for the fast turnaround time. Commercial truck drivers never have a whole lot of time to spear to wait on the return of their vehicle. For fleet managers, having the tires retreaded will help save on costs over time. Retreading will help lessen the number of times the tires have to be replaced on the trucks. So, make sure you check if the truck’s tire need retreading when scheduling maintenance for the fleet. Final words To conclude, these are the things that you need to keep in mind to make the truck tires for your fleet run for a long time. Make sure you follow all the tips and don’t forget to check the other trucks in the fleet for needed upkeep when having one of them repaired. That way, you will decrease the overall maintenance cost of the fleet’s trucks. Proper tracking of maintenance dates and follow-up visits will make the process more efficient. Looking for a reputable truck repair, painting, and maintenance company in New York? Fast Action Body Repair is ready to become an extension of your fleet. Contact us today!
New Trends to Follow in New York Truck Maintenance
New York truck maintenance has grown a lot lately. There are several new trends and technology that have entered the scene and are making fleet managers very happy campers. In this article, we will review some of the latest trends and expedient technology that has introduced to the fleet industry. We will be focusing more on the preservation advancements that are being adapted to make trucks run more efficiently. Outsourcing New York truck maintenance parts Today, the cost of the parts is increasing like crazy! Consequently, the best way to decrease the added expense is by outsourcing certain parts. This has become a trend in the fleet industry. Now, many fleet managers are outsourcing half of the needed parts for repairing a truck in New York from different companies. This is to stay within budget and improve cash flow management. Outsourcing will not only cut costs but you will also get a better build quality of the products. Therefore, people are already using the outsourcing trend to make things easier and faster. Location mapping You can call it the latest trend or you can also call it an update. For the past many years, there are GPS trackers and similar gadgets installed in the truck to track the driver’s location. Now, there are a few more cool tech devices that are enhancing the truck driving experience. The location mapping will allow you to where your entire fleet is located on one single screen. Additionally, the New York Fleet Managers would be able to track the trucks faster than ever before. Tracking systems are not a new concept; however, location mapping has been upgraded and has proven to be better than the existing technology that was already being used by most fleets. As industry decision makers began applying what they learned at trade show to their brands, there was a vast improvement in operations across the country. The impact on trucks Being that the New York truck maintenance scene has changed a lot, there is an impact on trucks too. Now, the trucks have been updated a lot. There aren’t many changes in the size of the truck or the overall look but there are many changes done from the inside. For example, now the trucks follow more safety precautions then it used to do before. Every driver wants to drive a safe truck. It makes their work easier. Along with the safety of the truck, there are several other things. The truck drivers no longer need to maintain all the records. Now, they are directly uploaded to the cloud right from the truck. And! Some of the changes in the truck’s technology allow them to perform all the truck’s operation easier. The updated add-ons in the truck will also help fleet managers in New York save on costs. Final words To conclude, we can say there have been numerous changes in New York truck maintenance. Although, most of the changes are easier to adapt there are still some of the changes which take time. Some truck drivers were facing problems in learning about new technology. Which is why it is wise for fleet managers in New York to ensure proper training so that truck drivers know how to use the installed tech tools properly and effectively. Information is the key element of any new thing. So, truck drivers need to be educated to understand the new trends and technology in the fleet industry. Once they’ve been trained, they will find that the added ease to their daily operations was worth every minute of training. If you’re looking for a trusted truck repair company in New York with a fast turnaround time, Fast Action Body Repair is who you should contact today!
4 Truck Painting in NY Tips That Will Ease the Process
Truck Painting in NY is one of the most time-consuming and costly projects to undertake on your vehicle. By the end of this article you’ll know if you can paint it yourself or you should have it painted by a professional. Paint and bodywork have long been seen as an art more than a mechanical undertaking. A good truck painting in NY job is surely the result of many hours spent welding, sanding, and preparing the body for paint. Rather than the popular misconception that a paint job is a single step process, painting a vehicle is a process that involves various steps that lead to the real painting of the truck. Being a good painter needs a lot of patience and some amount of perfectionism because that new, glossy paint job will show the slightest blemish underneath. When it comes to truck painting in NY, any automotive professional will tell you the same thing: it all goes down to the preparation. Whether you’re repairing a chip or re-spraying the entire truck, preparing the paintwork is just as important as applying the paint, and plays an important part in the quality of the final result. To help you prepare like a professional, we’ll guide you through some vital ideas on cutting, sanding, priming, and picking the right paint for your truck, with insider ideas to give your truck a truly professional finish. 4 Truck Painting in NY Tips That Will Ease the Process Step 1: Remove the rust The first thing to do to get a great looking paint job that will last for a long time is to have a solid, rust-free foundation to work from. Rust is a popular term for the process of steel oxidizing and is usually caused by unprotected metal being exposed to liquid or liquid-vapor. Adding salt to the process, as in salty roads in the beach or winter driving in the summer, only extends the process and can quickly turn sheet metal into an ugly, flaking, rusty mess. The worst problem of rust is that once the oxidation process has begun it is very difficult to stop. Even taking away the source of the moisture won’t stop the metal from rusting in a self-destructive way, so, the only decision is to completely get rid of the rust or to stop the process of oxidation chemically. Either way, the rust has to be completely removed or treated or it will return under the paint, leading to unsightly bubbling. The best method to make sure that rust won’t return is to get rid of it from the truck. This can be accomplished by removing the metal just in the rusty area and welding in areas, but extreme cases may need you to replace the whole panel. While doors and fenders are easily replaced by bolting on the new parts, quarter panels and door skins are harder and need special tools like a welder, clamps, spot weld cutter, grinder, and cut-off wheels. Whether getting rid of the metal because of a collision or due to rust, the methods are the same. Cut out the destroyed part, fabricate or buy a patch panel, fit the panel, and weld it in together. The welding process can be a trick in itself because the heat made in thin, sheet metal panels can result in distortion, causing more time spent to straighten the welded-in panels. Coating the panel with a heat-absorbing compound and stitch welding (welding short segments gradually) the panel are two ways to keep the panel from warping while being welded together. More concern about welding is that moisture can be trapped inside any area of porosity, causing more rust issues. Priming the metal in a weld-through primer and sandblasting the area after being welded are two ways to making sure the area won’t rust in the future. Most places of light surface rust don’t need metal replacement and can be chemically treated with a liquid rust inhibitor. Rust inhibitors are found in gel form, such as naval jelly. No matter the brand, all rust inhibitors function in the same manner. Their main ingredient is phosphoric acid, which converts iron oxide (active rust) into iron phosphate, chemically preventing the oxidation process. Parts can be dipped in rust inhibitor, but the more common method is to spray liquid inhibitor on the part from a spray bottle. Depending on the severity of the rust, it can take from two to twelve hours for the phosphoric acid to convert the rust to iron phosphate, which is black. Have it in mind that this process is only effective in areas of surface rust that are not flaking or rusted through. Those areas should be cut out and replaced. It is not until all the rust of the car has either been cleaned and replaced with new metal or treated with a rust inhibitor, that we can call the first step in the painting process complete. Now we have a solid foundation to build on, we can start straightening and filling warped panels and correcting other imperfections. Step 2: Straighten the panels Getting the panels straight is probably the most time-consuming process of automotive bodywork. Most cars have all new metal with no filler, which is why it’s so straight. But nearly all panels need some filler to be made straight. Although some panels may be straightened with a hammer and dolly, others need filler to be perfect. It takes many hours of spreading body filler, sanding, and repeating the process to make sure a panel’s straightness, and, again, some specialty products and tools are needed. First, it is necessary to make use of quality body filler. Cheap body filler may fill the voids and imperfections of the panels of the car, but it will not last as long as quality fillers. Another advantage of quality filler is that it is normally easier to sand than its cheaper counterpart, needing less time to carry out the truck painting in NY job. Step
5 Reasons Video Systems Help Reduce Costs for Fleet Managers
Fleet managers are regularly looking for solutions to optimize their fleet operations and productivity. To remotely track, monitor, and control the movement the fleet, video systems, and video analytics hold the key for improving the operational efficiency of fleet companies.