Frequently asked questions

Answer: PDR is the process of repairing hail damage and other small-to-large dents on your vehicle without having to repaint. Because your vehicle’s factory finish is unaffected, there is no loss of value with PDR.

Answer: Anyone who is thinking of selling a vehicle at some point, especially as a trade-in. Car dealers look for reasons to give you less for your vehicle. Don’t give them one by repainting your car.

Answer: No, because we do not rebuild or otherwise alter your vehicle at all.

Answer: Yes. Creases are complex and can be time-consuming, but many can be repaired using PDR methods.

Answer: Small (quarter-size) dents start at $150. Larger dents can range from hundreds to even thousands of dollars.

Answer: It will depend on the severity of the scratch and its location. We try to offer our customers the best advice around the resale value of their vehicle. It’s often better to live with a small scratch or touch-up paint because the general public and car dealers expect some minor imperfections on a used car.

Answer: Repainting any part of your vehicle (except its bumpers), will result in diminished value. Car dealers are experts at finding repainted panels and poor workmanship, and the Carfax report can reduce your vehicle’s trade-in value by hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

Answer: We use two primary techniques. The first is massaging the damaged area from the inside or underside back out to where it was before it was damaged. If done correctly, the repair is a slow, graceful shift of the metal back to where it was. The second method is called glue pulling: We temporarily glue a series of differently shaped and sized plastic tabs on the outside of the vehicle, so that we can gently pull out on the metal. Then we  massage the metal down until it is restored to its original shape and position.

Answer: Absolutely not. Most dents we see after a DIY attempt involve a more difficult repair process, and may result in cracked paint. Our advice? If you’re thinking of using that hammer or a screwdriver to pop out a dent, JUST DON’T! Let us repair your car instead. Our technicians spend many years honing their skills to produce high-quality results for our customers.

Answer: No. Not only is it nearly impossible to fix a dent this way, dry ice can ruin the paint on your vehicle.

Answer: Most dents are fixed in a few hours and certainly less than a day. Occasionally we will need a vehicle for 2-3 days, but these are extreme scenarios.

Answer: Yes. We can provide a price range for a dent repair. That said, we prefer to see the vehicle in person because there are a number of factors that we cannot account for with a photo, such as sound-deadening material on the inside of the panel or a crash intrusion bar. Moreover, some dents can be so severe we need to physically examine them to determine if they are good candidates for PDR.

Answer: Should I just take it to a body shop? No. PDR is a skilled tradecraft and success is highly dependent on the technician who does the work. Dent Shop’s team of master technicians can repair dents that most other repair shops cannot.