What to Know if Your Car is Hit by a Shopping Cart
Have you ever had the unfortunate experience of coming out to your car after shopping, only to find that it had been struck by a shopping cart? Shopping carts can do a surprising amount of damage, especially if they get a strong rolling start. Not sure how to approach a dented and damaged vehicle after a run-in with a cart? This guide will help you understand the predicament you are in.
What Damage Can Shopping Carts Cause?
Scratches are among the most common types of damage shopping carts cause. Scratches can result from a light impact, and they often only impact the top layer of paint.
Unfortunately, damage can also be much more in-depth than that. In fact, a speedy or hefty shopping cart can actually leave a full dent in your car. While most dents leave behind only cosmetic damage, which you still want to get fixed, you could find that the problem may run deeper than you'd think.
How to Fix Shopping Cart Damage?
To fix light scratches that impact only the top layer of paint, you can take a few crucial steps. Many people try to sand down the paint themselves, but this can be extremely difficult if you have never worked on a vehicle before. Plus, matching the paint provides another challenge.
If you are not experienced with handling scratches, dents, and other damage to your car, you are wise to bring it to a professional auto body specialist to check out the damage and ensure they can make your car look as it once did. Professionals can match your paint and do repairs quite easily.
The cost to fix your vehicle is dependent on many factors, including the size and shape of the dent or scratch. The repair technician's experience and techniques also impact how much you spend. If you can get paintless dent repair done, you won’t spend as much. If you need new paint, you can expect to pay a little more.
What Steps to Take After a Shopping Cart Hits You?
The first thing you should do after your vehicle is hit by a shopping cart is to inspect the damage. Did the cart leave behind deep scratches or dents? Did it leave behind paint or residue you can wipe away? You might try to wash the scratch with soap and water to see if that diminishes the marks or to confirm you need an auto body specialist.
Next, take photos. If you can, try to take photos before you even move the shopping cart out of the way. This shows exactly what happened and from what angle your vehicle was hit. Not only might you need this information for legal purposes, but you also might want to show it to an auto body repair technician so they can see exactly what happened.
You might also choose to alert the store's management to the issue in the hopes they will change their policies.
Next, look for an auto body shop you can trust. Not all shops are made equally, and some offer better customer service and auto body expertise than others. Ensure that you work with an auto body shop that understands how important your vehicle is to your family and understands how to make your car look as good as new.
