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Even though you baby your sports car and take great pains to care for it perfectly, accidents do occasionally happen. When they do, the sports car owner must decide where to take their vehicle for body repair.

Choosing a body shop is an important process. You want to make sure your sports car is restored to pre-accident condition and, of course, you don’t want to overpay for the necessary repairs.

As with any service, there are both great providers and horrible providers. Most probably fall between the two extremes. Considering, however, the importance of a sports car to a motor enthusiast, it seems reasonable to take special care to try to find the best possible service.

There are at least three factors one should evaluate when choosing a body shop for their sports car. Although these guidelines are certainly not meant to be comprehensive, they do provide a great starting point for any sports car owner in need of bodywork.

The first factor is the reputation of the body shop. Check with other sports car owners, your regular mechanic and others to find a body shop known for its quality workmanship and fair pricing. A good shop will have a good reputation. Similarly, one is best to steer clear of outfits that are not so highly regarded. Don’t be seduced by one shop’s advertising claims or overlook another shop that doesn’t advertise at all. Instead, seek out the opinions of experts and those with direct experience with area body shops when choosing your repair site.

The second factor is your opinion of their actual work. Any body shop should be more than happy to show you some of the work they have recently completed or currently have in progress. By evaluating their actual work product, you can often decide if you believe they can handle your specific sports car body issue. If you feel their efforts look less than perfect or seem somehow “off,” you can anticipate having similar feelings about the work they would do on your sports car.

The third factor is how solidly a shop will stand behind its work. Bodywork can usually be done in a way that can last almost indefinitely, and a good shop should be willing to stand solidly behind its repair work. Ask the body shop about any guarantee they are willing to issue or what their specific policies are if the work performed fails to meet your exact specifications. A body shop manager who acts offended or is reluctant to stand behind their work without hesitation is probably a poor choice for a discriminating sports car owner.

Bodywork can be expensive and time-consuming. Poorly performed bodywork can be a drag on sports car performance and can result in multiple expenditures to have the very same problem corrected. It pays to make sure the work is completed correctly the first time.

A sports car is always an investment, and is often a passion. It only makes sense to be sure talented professionals will be handling your sports car in the unfortunate event of an accident. A sports car owner should not rely purely on instinct of a prominent yellow page advertisement when choosing a body shop. A smart sports car owner who looks carefully for a great body shop is likely doing himself or herself a great favor.

Accidents happen, but there is no reason to compound the annoyance associated with them by choosing a second-rate body shop. Choose wisely, and the memory of that unfortunate accident can be nearly erased.

Sports cars are important and expensive investments and drivers often develop a deep appreciation for their car. As such, they seek to maintain their cars well and prolong their useful life as long as possible.

There are many things one can to do extend their sports car’s life. Some involve great expense and technical expertise. Others are as simple as placing a drop cloth or car cover over a garaged vehicle. All activities of this sort, however, can be placed in one of three general categories. These are the three ways by which one can extend the life of a sports car:

Exterior Maintenance

Of course, the guts and inner workings of any sports car are the driving force behind its performance. Engines, suspensions and transmissions are have a far greater impact on sports car performance than does appearance. Although aerodynamic sports cars may receive some performance boost from their design, exterior aspects are primarily aesthetic matter not directly tied to the quality of a drive.

However, neglect of a sports car’s external shell can destroy the vehicle’s attraction and render it nearly as useless as a car with a blown motor. Exterior rust and decay is more likely to destroy the visual impact of the car than to have a real impact on its drivability, but maintenance for the car’s body can keep the car fresh, pleasing and more fun to drive.

Regular attention must be paid to the exterior. This includes regular washings with appropriate detergents and careful application of was or other protectants. Small scratches and or chips should be repaired immediately. These seemingly insignificant blemishes provide an opportunity for oxidation and subsequent visible rust.

The car should be protected from the elements when possible. There is no reason to leave a sports car in the sun, unprotected. The sun’s rays will fade paint and can cause rubber and plastic moldings to crack or wear unevenly. One should also strive to store their sports car appropriately and to protect it from sun and inclement weather.

Regular Maintenance

If a car has a significant mechanical problem it must, of course, be carefully and correctly rectified before the automobile is used. Repairs are obvious and no sports car owner can look past them.

Regular maintenance, however, is just as important to a sports car and is often overlooked. Regular oil-changes, tune-ups, hose and belt replacement and other maintenance chores must be conducted in order to effectively protect the vehicle against excessive wear and tear. One cannot stop time, but they can slow its impact through quality maintenance.

Often, one may take the attitude of those who say “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.” This seemingly common-sense approach however may keep sports car owners from thinking proactively about maintaining their car. When you spot older model sports cars that still look great and run as beautifully as the day they rolled off the assembly line it is usually because they are owned by sports car buffs who take maintenance seriously.

Appropriate Driving

Sports cars are strong machines, but are finely tuned instruments at the same time. They respond to use in unique ways, yet can still be victimized by poor driving habits just like any other car.

It is incumbent upon a sports car driver to be a good overall driver and not to force the automobile beyond its limitations or to use it incorrectly. Many major automotive problems stem not from mechanical deficiencies, but instead from poor driving.

One would not give a child a Stradivarius with which to take introductory fiddle classes. Likewise, one should not embark on using a high-performance sports car until they are prepared to drive it optimally and with great skill.

Sometimes the most basic themes hold the keys to success. That is certainly the case with sports car preservation. There are many details that need to be managed, but following the basic principles of conducting correct maintenance and driving appropriately will extend the life of your sports car more effectively than any single product or quick fix.