You see them all over town - cars that are held together by bungee cords. While bungee cords are a great way to secure the hood of your car immediately after an accident so you can get it home or to your nearest garage, they are not meant to replace professional body work. You should never ride around in a car that would fall to pieces if it weren't for the half dozen bungee cords attached to it. Why? Not only does it look trashy, it's just not safe. Following are three reasons why you should never stick a bungee cord on the front end of your car and forget about it. 

It's Not Safe

If your hood is being held down or if your bumper is being held on by bungee cords or a myriad of other innovative products, such as duct tape and vinyl adhesive, you're not safe. The hood could fly up at any moment, causing you to wreck and injure yourself and innocent bystanders. If you get into a wreck without a firmly-affixed bumper, your car will crumble upon impact, which can seriously damage your car even further and may result in critical injury to you and your passengers. 

It's Not Stable

Bungee cords are not a permanent fix for auto body damage. Since they are elastic, bungee cords cannot hold your car together in a stable manner. This is especially true if you have a great deal of rust on the front end of your car. As you drive, your front end will move and sway; it may even fall apart completely while you're driving. Flying debris has no place on the roadway and poses a danger to you and other drivers. 

You Will Get Fined

It is illegal to drive a car that is held together by bungee cords. If you get pulled over, you will be fined or, at the very least, warned. If your car is deemed too unsafe to be on the roads, it may even be impounded at your expense. You might be able to avoid getting pulled over for a little while, but it will happen eventually. 

If your car has extensive front-end damage, the best course of action is to have it fixed by a professional auto body expert at your local collision repair shop, like Unlimited Collision. They can fix the damage and inspect your car for any safety issues that might not be as visible as the bumper that's hanging on for dear life.