Fleet Bodywork Maintenance for Small Businesses in Tyne and Wear

Make damage checks a routine

A quick walk round at the start or end of each shift catches most problems. Look for new dents, scrapes, cracked lights, loose trim, damaged mirrors and anything hanging lower than it should. It takes two minutes and means damage is noticed on the day it happens, while people can still remember how.

If several people drive the same vehicle, a short checklist helps. It does not have to be elaborate. A note pinned in the cab or a message to the owner is enough, so long as it actually gets done.

• Walk round the vehicle before and after use
• Check lights, mirrors, bumpers and number plates
• Open and close every door, tailgate and sliding door
• Look under the vehicle and around the wheel arches for loose parts

Keep a simple damage log

Logging scrapes does not need software. A notebook or a shared phone note with the date, the vehicle, who was driving, where it happened and a photo is plenty. Over a few months this shows you which vehicles are taking the knocks and whether a particular site or habit is to blame.

A log also helps when you take a vehicle to the garage. Instead of trying to remember which dent came from where, you hand over a record, and that helps the estimate and any conversation with insurers, although we cannot advise on claims. It also shows you whether the same vehicle keeps coming back with similar damage, which is a sign that a driver may need a hand with reversing or that a mirror or camera could help.

Small damage dealt with early stays small

A paint scrape that has reached bare metal will start to rust, and rust under a panel edge can spread out of sight. A cracked bumper can drop off, and a loose panel can catch the wind. Early repairs are almost always simpler than late ones.

It is tempting to wait until several things need doing and combine them. That works for cosmetic items, but not for anything touching safety, security or weatherproofing. Those should be dealt with promptly. If you are unsure whether a mark matters, take a photo and ask the garage. A quick look often settles it, and it is far better to ask early than to find out after a failed inspection or a door that will no longer lock.

Bodywork and your business image

Your vehicles are rolling advertisements, and customers in Newcastle, Gateshead, South Shields and the rest of Tyneside will see them parked outside their homes and workplaces. A tidy, well-kept van suggests care, while a battered one with a hanging bumper raises quiet questions. That does not mean every mark needs a respray, but it is worth keeping on top of the obvious ones.

Salt and grit from winter roads, plus the moist coastal air around the Tyne, are hard on any exposed metal, so a chip or scratch left alone over winter tends to look worse in spring.

Working with one garage

Using a single garage for bodywork has practical advantages. They get to know your vehicles, the colours and the way you use them, and they can see how damage develops over time. Booking is simpler, and the conversation about priorities is quicker.

At Banks of the Tyne in Hebburn we carry out van bodywork repairs, van panel and paint repairs, HGV and lorry bodywork repairs and commercial vehicle accident repairs, so a mixed fleet of vans and larger vehicles can be discussed in one place. Ask us how we would handle your vehicles, and we will explain what we can do after we have looked at them.

Frequently asked questions