Here at Dent Shop we often hear from our customers about how the cost to repair their damage is much higher than they imagined it would be.

Let me be the first to apologize for the years of inconsistency and misinformation that has come from the Paintless Dent Repair (PDR) industry as a whole.

It was always OUR job to make sure that our customers were given accurate and up-to-date information about our processes, procedures, and prices.

In an effort to help more people understand what is behind a correctly written PDR estimate, I want to quickly walk you through what elements are considered and included.

First, we measure the total size of the damage according to the longest point. We use professional lighting and special markers to mark out the damage.

Second, we take into consideration many variables and factors that contribute to the severity, complexity, and amount of time-related to a proper repair.

Third, we must take into account the amount of labor that will be involved in removing and re-installing any parts of the car that will allow us the correct access in order to perform a proper repair. This is usually done using standard body shop book times and the local area labor rate.

As you can imagine, when all of these things are considered it can add up pretty quickly. But gone are the days of PDR companies just throwing a dollar amount off the top of their head.

Our industry now has the power of an industry-standard estimating software that takes into consideration all of the contributing elements listed above and by the magic of algorithms and automation produces a consistent and accurate estimate.

This is good for everyone. The technician who doesn’t have to guess anymore, the customer who doesn’t have to wonder if they are just being given an arbitrary number (maybe based on how much money the technician spent last weekend), and the industry who now can provide fair and consistent prices to its clientele.

This is good for everyone!

Remember…in life, we usually get what we pay for.
Cheaper does not always mean better.
With value comes a cost.

If you have questions or would like a second opinion on a PDR estimate, please give us a call.

Don’t paint your car! Try PDR.

Even the smallest dent in your vehicle’s body can ruin its appearance and lower its resale value. Unfortunately, unless you leave your car wrapped in a protective bubble and never drive it, you can’t 100% prevent dents. Auto collisions, random objects, hail and other types of inclement weather can cause all kinds of auto damage, including minor and major dents.

Paintless dent repair (PDR) is an economical way to restore your vehicle’s body to factory-like condition in a fraction of the time and sometimes a fraction of the cost. Most car dent removal, which involves filling in dents with body fillers or paints, isn’t as long-lasting. Typical body shop repairs use bondo and fillers to make your car’s exterior only appear straight, whereas paintless dent repair actually fixes your dent. We simply take our time to gently massage your metal back to where it was before it was damaged, all while maintaining your factory finish. With the advancement of PDR tools and technology, we are able to repair larger, more complex damage that most body shops or insurance companies are even aware of.

Here are three main types of dents that can be effectively removed by paintless dent removal:

• Round Dents — These types of dents are often cased from hailstones and other round objects like footballs, basketballs, baseballs, etc. When these objects hit the door, bumper, roof or hood, a rounded dent immediately forms.
• Car Dings — These types of dents occur due to typical damage from a parking lot incident or from small objects hitting your vehicle on a windy day. Most damage of this nature is relatively affordable to repair, sometimes even with a small scratch, chip or crack in the paint. It is usually more beneficial for the value of your car to have it repaired with PDR. Used cars are expected to have minor imperfections like light scratches or small dings. However, clean cars sell faster and for more money.
• Crease Dents — These dents are typically more complex and time consuming. They are more likely to stretch your vehicle’s metal. However, that doesn’t mean they cannot be fixed via paintless dent repair. With the advancement of tools and technology, creases are no longer the threat to PDR that they used to be.

Although dents can vary in size and shape, each bring their own unique set of challenges. We recommend you ensure you are working with professionals, regardless of whom you are considering to complete your repairs. Ask as many questions that you need to feel comfortable.

If you want to learn more about PDR, hail damage repair and other car dent repair services, give Dent Shop a call right away!

The top three most common vehicle repairs from 2017 were: replacing oil/oil filter, replacing windshield wiper blades, and replacing air filters. Of course, if you were recently involved in an accident, none of these repairs will fix the damaged look of your vehicle. That’s where paintless dent repair comes in. If you’re interested in learning about this process, don’t just do a quick search for “paintless dent repair near me.” Whether you’re seeking out a professional or attempting the job yourself, these common mistakes could really cost you.

Not choosing the right PDR dent removal shop.

While there are numerous auto shops that offer paintless dent repair services, not all of them specialize in this type of repair, which requires a high level of experience to perform professionally. When choosing your shop, don’t just look up “paintless dent repair near me” and choose the first provider. You want to compile a list of local providers and then narrow your list down by pricing. But be aware: if a shop seems to be offering a suspiciously low price, chances are, they’re not using reliable materials or they themselves don’t perform reliable service.

Not having the right tools (if performing the job yourself).

PDR requires a variety of specialized tools. That being said, if you’re performing the job yourself, you shouldn’t start until you’re certain that you have every piece of equipment you need.

Overcorrecting the dents.

Finally, if attempting the job yourself, be aware of overcorrecting and how it can actually just exacerbate existing issues.

“Let’s say you get a dent in the hood…You think it’ll be easy to pop it out on your own, so you begin to massage the underside while holding your shaping tool in place…After a few more minutes of massaging, you realize that you’ve pushed it just a little too far. And now you’ve got this flabby area on the hood where you stretched out the metal. And there’s no easy way to shrink it back down. Keep going and it’ll stretch even more,” writes Cherise Threewitt on How Stuff Works.

Ultimately, the automotive collision repair market is projected to cross $280 billion by 2024, and knowing how to best restore both the look and functionality of your vehicle after an accident is the key to keeping it in top shape. For more information about paintless dent removal, contact Dent Shop.

Fender benders, though obviously more preferable than all-out accidents, can somehow be more frustrating to deal with. You’re left with minimal damage: some dingus bumped into you in the parking lot and sped off, leaving you with nothing more than a slightly crunched piece of metal. The damage is perfectly livable but nonetheless upsetting, and you can already see the bill coming your way knowing that your local mechanic will need to muck up the paint job in order to fix the dent. Or do they?

Paintless dent repair (also known as paintless dent removal, or by the acronym PDR) is an economical way to restore a vehicle’s body to factory-like condition in a fraction of the time at a fraction of the cost. Compared to traditional car dent repair, which fills in auto body dents with paint or body filler that is then matched to the rest of the vehicle’s exterior, paintless dent repair offers a much more sustainable, long-term solution.

PDR is performed through the following four steps:

1. Assessment:First and foremost, your technician will determine if your vehicle is eligible for PDR (around 80% to 90% of them are). They’ll do a thorough assessment of the damage, examining access points and preparing the area for repair.
2. Entry: Most cases of PDR require backdoor entry to the dent itself, which means that sometimes tail lights, body panels, and interior panels need to be removed. Once you create a pathway to the dent, the precision and expertise of PDR technicians comes into play.
3. Look: Paintless dent removal is a skill in which techs can take a detailed look at the back side of the dent and know exactly where to apply pressure to massage the body back into its original position. This step shows them that perfect spot.
4. Pressure: Special tools are then used at this precise spot to very gently push the body back to where it is supposed to be. It can usually be completed as a same-day service, so you’ll be back on the road in no time!

Since paintless dent repair is methodically performed, the process can take up to two hours. However, the savings and longevity added to your vehicle itself are well-worth the wait! Find out if your car qualifies for paintless dent repair today.

If you haven’t had this nightmare, then you may know someone who has.

You get out of your car at the mall or grocery store and someone approaches you about that dent in your car. They offer to fix it for you while you shop, and for a low cash price.

What piques your interest in this offer is how convenient it is and how you’ve been meaning to get that dent fixed anyway. Or maybe you are sold on the idea that you can have it fixed without painting your car.

This nightmare happens often, but approaching strangers in a parking lot usually isn’t part of a professional paintless dent repair (PDR) company’s strategy.

These offers are scams being pulled by crooks, swindlers, con-artists. Don’t fall for it! Watch the video below.

What often happens is that they will use very crude and not professional tools to perform the equivalent of a Harry Homeowner or DIY repair to your vehicle. This results in some, or all, of the following: gouged metal, broken paint, punched holes, spray paint, rust, or a wax cover up.

Their M.O., from what I’ve seen over the years, and according to the reports of many of our customers, is to make a mangled mess of your metal due to crude tools and lack of skill, then to spray the broken paint or scratches with some off-the-shelf spray paint that usually does not match your vehicle’s original color. After that, in an effort to give themselves time to get out of town before you realize what they’ve done, the perpetrators will use some sort of wax to cover up the shoddy work and inform you not to clean it off until 24 hours have passed. By that time, they are long gone and probably not reachable.

Unfortunately, after 20 years of working in the professional dent repair business, I’ve seen a lot of irreparable damage done to good cars that would have been eligible for high-quality dent repair and that would have resulted in no loss of value and no Carfax report on their vehicle’s history. This scam has unnecessarily cost many good people hundreds of dollars. It’s disappointing, but many of those vehicles needed to have parts replaced and/or needed to be repainted as a result.

When it comes to paintless dent repair, remember that the results you will get are directly dependent upon the skill of the technician or company that you choose, so choose wisely.

Here are some qualifications to look for when deciding on who to trust:

• Do they have a business license?
• Are they properly insured?
• Are their prices too good to be true?
• Can they offer proof of quality work?
• Can they show you before and after pictures of their work?
• Do they have good reviews?

Don’t find yourself in this nightmare. Find the right professional PDR company to help you.

You’re walking to your car after work and all of a sudden you notice a small dent. When did that get there? Finding a mysterious dent in your car is something you never want to face. But, unfortunately, accidents happen. If this happens to you, you’re going to need to find a reliable dent repair service. Paintless dent repair can be extremely beneficial so let’s explore a few reasons why you should consider choosing this method.

There will be a quick turnaround time: One of the biggest benefits of paintless dent repair is that your car won’t have to be in the shop for very long. This car dent repair method doesn’t involve the same labor when painting is required. This means you can have your car back quicker with the same high-quality repair job. Depending on the size and type of damage, you could have your vehicle back mere hours after you drop it off. Choosing paintless dent repair can allow you to get back to your normal schedule with your newly fixed car.

You won’t have to pay as much: If you choose to have painting done, your dent removal cost is going to be pretty high due to the labor involved with the process. Fortunately, paintless repair can offer a much lower cost. This method not only takes a shorter amount of time and requires less labor, but it also requires fewer materials. The primer and auto paint needed in normal repairs are what can make dent removal so expensive. So the paintless dent repair cost is more practical and attainable.

Your vehicle keeps its original look: When you choose paintless car dent repair, you don’t have to worry about the look of your car changing at all. You’ll get your car back from the shop and it will look exactly as it did before it had the dent. This means you not only have an improved vehicle exterior, but you also won’t have to worry about the value of your vehicle being affected at all.

According to industry experts, about 80% to 90% of all dents can be repaired with paintless dent repair. So if you find a dent in your car, consider a paintless car dent repair service — you’ll get your car back from the shop and it will be like the dent never existed in the first place.