Strong winds and blowing sand increase workload at local body shop

If you feel sand is blasting your face on windy days, imagine what it can do to the paint on your car.

Victor Lopez, with Texas Custom Body and Paint, tells KVIA his business usually has cars brought in from auto owners complaining about paint damage to their cars when winds intensify.

Lopez says many of the autos brought to the shop are from the Ft. Bliss area, specifically near the Beaumont hospital area. He says that’s because winds are much stronger in that area thanks to it’s proximity to mountains.

Lopez says auto owners likely see damage to their cars when winds reach between 50 and 60 miles per hour.

Raheem Bosworth, 27, lives in the Northeast and he’s keeping a close watch on the breeze, hoping winds don’t intensify.

“Man, first thing I’m thinking is just – it’s gonna do some damage to the vehicle,” said Bosworth. “I’ve had paint scratched up. I’ve had pebbles hit the windshield and actually crack the windshield.”

Damaged cars end up in workshops, like Lopez’s. A Nissan in his shop fell victim to strong winds two weeks ago, when at times, winds intensified to as much as 60 miles an hour.

“What happens, the rocks hit the paint and it chips it and it completely takes it off. Then you get chips all around,” said Lopez.

Lopez told ABC-7 this type of damage will require him to repaint the entire car. Lopez estimates the price tag for new paint is around four thousand dollars, without new parts.

Meantime, Bosworth told ABC-7 he will try to keep his car in the garage and “pray for the best.”