Paintless Dent Repair (PDR)

 

PDR, or Paintless Dent Repair, is a method of removing minor dents and dings without removing any paint from the vehicle. PDR is the preferred method of repairing auto hail damage and dents in most cases.

  • The closest you can get to the dent never having happened.

  • No bondo, fillers, grinding or primers are used, which means no more chipping, cracking, or peeling.

  • Your original factory paint is not disturbed, which means no more mis-matched paint, fading or overspray. 

  • Lower cost than traditional body shops

  • Fast turnaround

  
 

Does it really work? Why?

 

Yes!  It isn’t a trick or a gimmick, it is a proven method of repairing your dents and is highly recommend by car manufacturers and insurance companies.  When a car manufacturer forms a panel, they put contours in it to help hold the shape.  When something impacts that panel (such as hail, a shopping cart, or a car door), the contour becomes distorted and leaves a dent.  Late model cars are manufactured using more flexible metals and more resilient paint finishes, which is ideal for the use of PDR.  A skilled technician can repair most minor dents (and many more major ones) to almost 100% pre-dent perfection.

 

How is it done?

 

PDR is done using special rods and hand tools designed to gain access behind the dent.  These tools are then used to gently massage the metal back to its original position.  Depending on the dent, this can take 3-4 pushes or over 100 pushes!

 

Can anyone do PDR with the right tools?

 

A skilled PDR technician requires years of experience beyond the initial intensive training period.  My 4yo can utilize the tools, but I promise I won’t let him repair your dent! Here is a great article on “The Fine Art of Paintless Dent Removal.”

 

I have hail damage on my car – what do I do?

 

Please review the Hail Damage section for steps to follow after a hail storm.

 

How long does it take?

 

Most dent repairs (other than hail damage) can be repaired in under an hour.  More complex dents might take several hours.  Hail repair can usually be completed in 2-3 days.

 

How much does PDR cost?

 

PDR costs a fraction of traditional body shop repair expenses (often over 50% savings!).  Please see our Pricing guidelines for more information. 

 

You can also submit a free online estimate (pics required), or call (505) 507-1545 to setup an appointment that will fit your schedule.

   

What forms of payment do you accept?

 

We currently accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, Debit cards, Cash, Personal Check, Money Orders, and Gift Certificates.  If there is an alternative payment method that you are interested in, please let us know so that we can try to accommodate it.

 

Will my paint be damaged?


No. Today's factory paints are very flexible and will not be damaged in any way by this process. PDR is the only way to repair a dent and still keep your factory paint.

 

Will my dents be 100% gone?


On minor dents, in most cases, yes. The deeper the dent, the more difficult it is to repair. Even on larger dents, once we're done most people are amazed at the results. We always explain in detail how your dent will look before any work is started.

 

Will my dents come back?


Absolutely not. Once a dent has been removed properly with PDR, it never comes back. When a panel is repaired, the rigid sheet metal is put back to its original shape and strength.  Most dents repaired conventionally develop a ring around the dent, or sand scratch marks 3 - 6 months after the repair. This is never the case with properly performed PDR.

 

Can any dent be fixed?


No. The most important factors in determining if a dent can be repaired by PDR are depth and location. Dents the size of a dinner plate or larger can be fixed successfully, as long as they are not too deep or twisted. On the other hand, some dents that are as small as a dime, but very deep, cannot be fixed using PDR because the metal is too stretched. Cracked paint can also be an indication that a dent is too deep. The most common dents fixed are the size of a golf ball and under. 95% of minor dents can be repaired. About 5% of minor dents can't be fixed due to depth or location. Areas such as some quarter panel opening lips, some forward areas of heavily braced hoods, or the very edges of some panels are examples of bad locations.  However, some dents that cannot be totally repaired using PDR can still benefit from our skills.  We can often do push-to-paint and clean-up repairs for otherwise irreparable dents.

 

What does "no drilling" mean?


It has become common practice by many PDR technicians to drill or punch holes in places like door frames, quarter panel jambs, inner wheelhouse panels, etc. to gain access to a dent with their tools. Most of the time, the customer is not even informed of this. I have seen "repairs" where as many as 7 - 10 holes were drilled to access one dent. We will always take the extra time to try and repair a dent without drilling. In the event that there is no other way to repair a dent except to drill a small hole, or if it is less expensive to drill a small hole, you will always be advised of this and the choice will be yours. If a small hole is necessary, it will be rust-proofed and plugged.

 

Can older cars be repaired?

 

Classic cars (and other older vehicles) are repairable depending on the quality of the paint.  Cars with original finish in excellent condition or with a quality restoration are good candidates for PDR.