Depending on the age of your BMW and the model, you may care more or less about repairing a few dents than other drivers. BMW is a luxury brand, but when you're too busy or if using funds on repairs doesn't seem like the wisest choice, it's easy to be led astray. Here are a few issues to keep in mind as you look through your collision repair options.
Wind Resistance And Vehicle Efficiency
Cars are designed to drive in a specific direction as efficiently as possible while staying grounded and maintaining multiple points of control. To achieve this goal, the car's body is designed with a specific movement task in mind.
When an object moves forward in a normal, outdoor situation, it encounters resistance. It's not the same resistance as crashing into a wall or driving through mud, but there's still some resistance from the air itself.
Have you ever waved your hand outside of your car or someone else's car while driving? At a certain speed, the wind will start to push your hand back a bit. This same force is being applied to your entire vehicle, and in addition to the power of your engine, the car's auto body shape is responsible for overcoming that resistance.
The auto body is designed to route the air efficiently around the rest of the vehicle. Automobiles have many shapes and purposes, but there is always some kind of air efficient or aerodynamic decision placed into the design.
What Is Lost During Auto Body Damage?
When a vehicle is damaged, that aerodynamic profile is changed. This means that the intended air routing changes in ways that can't easily be planned, but the effects will likely have at least a small effect on your vehicle performance.
Your BMW may list from side to side when you don't have firm control over the steering, or the dents may be forming a parachute of sorts that slows down the vehicle. This also means more effort for the engine, more wear and tear, and more gas money spent to move forward.
If any pieces of the auto body are loosened, they could rip away from the vehicle at any moment as the wind shakes and pulls at the few remaining connections. This can lead to an embarrassing roadside car part loss, an accident if you startle or damage another vehicle with your debris, or even worse aerodynamic problems as the wind digs into inner framework areas of the vehicle.
Contact a BMW repair professional to discuss repairs and maintenance for your car before the costs add up to a more expensive, emergency fix. Visit a shop, like British 4x4 Luxury Auto Repair, for more help.