Paintless dent removal
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Paintless dent removal
What is paintless dent removal?
Paintless dent removal (PDR) is the act of removing small dents and creases in a vehicles bodywork using a number of techniques and special tools. Utilising this method reduces labour time from removing and replacing panels, and keeps the structural integrity of the vehicle intact compared to having panels replaced and repainted.
Unfortunately, not all dents can be repaired by using PDR, so your vehicle may still require a trip to the panel shop to have the necessary repairs carried out.
How to tell if you need paintless dent removal
The easiest way to tell if you need Paintless Dent Removal carried out on your vehicle is to look at the vehicle body panels in good lighting. This can be outside on during bright sunlight or inside under high powered lights.
If you can see any dents, wrinkles or lines in the metalwork, PDR may be able to remove these and return the panel back to a factory looking finish.
How important is it to get paintless dent removal?
This depends on how pedantic you are about how your vehicle looks. If you can’t see the damage or aren’t too worried about cosmetic damage on the panels, there’s no need to have PDR carried out. However, if you are intent on keeping your vehicle looking its best, PDR is a great way to have any small damage rectified easily and cost-effectively.
How is paintless dent removal performed?
There are a number of ways to carry out paintless dent removal, starting with the use of specialised tools to massage the dents from the underside of the body panels.
Using a bright LED or fluro light to accurately see the damage, the technician uses metal rods and specially designed body picks to ‘push’ the metal back into shape. This process is suitable for smaller dents in body panels, such as hail damage or small trolley marks, as the metal has not stretched too far and can be manipulated back into place.
Another option is using a special glue and tabs to ‘pull’ the metal back into place. This is used on larger dents or when access to the back of the affected panel is not available. Small hammers and mallets are then used to flatten any high spots created by the PDR tools to mimic the factory finish.
Depending on how bad the dent or damage is, the use of a heat gun to warm the paint may also be used. This is to ensure the paintwork doesn't crack or chip when manipulating the metal back into place.
How much does paintless dent removal cost?
Depending on the number of repairs needed and the location of the damage, pricing can vary. PDR usually starts from $150 for a basic dent repair and can go up to many hundreds of dollars if hail damage or multiple repairs are needed.
Where can you get paintless dent removal done?
One of the biggest benefits of PDR is the fact that many repairs can be carried out by mobile technicians at your home or workplace. This saves sending your vehicle down to the panel shop and being without it while the repairs are being carried out. Most PDR technicians will let you know if the repairs needed can be carried out by a mobile service, or if a trip to the panel shop is needed.
