What is Paintless Dent Removal (PDR) and what are the advantages and limits of the service? The term removal is really the misnomer, because the dent is being fixed, not removed. Depending on the damage to your car, the choice of choosing a body shop to fix the dent or choosing paintless dent removal is not interchangeable.

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If you have dents on your vehicle you have two sources to fix it; paintless dent removal or going to a traditional body shop. Who you decide to fix the dent will depend on the size of the damage. PDR is the best choice for smaller dents, usually non collision related, where the vehicles paint is not broken or damaged. The body shop is the answer for any collision damage, where paint is scratched off the dent, and for severe dents.

Why choose PDR?

If your dent is fixable through PDR, there are several benefits. First and foremost, you will preserve the original factory finish. Second, it will always cost much less than a body shop repair, and lastly, the repair only takes several hours rather than 3 to 4 days.

How it works:

Paintless dent repair is done with special tools, such as stainless steel rods and hammers. You go in from the backside of the dent and gently massage or sculpt the metal back into its pre-existing shape. Most dents are not sucked out and they pop back into place.

Myths about PDR:

The process is a craft that requires many years to perfect. 99% of all dent removal is done the traditional way of pushing out the dent. Most people think we suck out the dent. While there is a pull technique, that requires professional tools, it is rarely implemented. We have heard of people using dry ice and other bazaar techniques that do not work. There is even the device for do it yourself people that is advertised on TV. People have tried it with varying results, but it does not completely eliminate the dent and it can only be used on a very specific kind of dent.

When PDR cannot be used?

Does your dent qualify? Ask yourself these questions.
1. Has the paint been compromised, scratched off or cracked?
2. Did the dent result from a crash?
3. Does the dent look excessively sharp or run across the body line?

If you can answer no to all these, you owe it to yourself to look into paintless dent removal.

What does it cost?
The size of the dent and severity will determine the price of removal. Most quarter size dents are $100 - $125. The price for removal goes up as the size and complexity increase.

Dangers of an unskilled technician:

There are a lot of technicians out there that can make the dent 80% better. That is not an acceptable repair. The mark of a skilled technician is making the dent look 100% perfect. That is the level of results we do. The important part of the process is the technician. It takes many years to perfect the art form. It is in your best interest to choose a technician that has at least 10 years of experience. Anyone can buy the rods and tools of the trade, but it all comes down to the experience of the technician.

How it all began:
The history of how paintless dent removal (PDR) originated varies, depending on who is asked. The most widely held belief however, is that the general PDR process was developed in Europe. It is thought that the process was developed on new car assembly lines to fix dents and damage that occurred in the plant, without having to repaint the vehicle. This saved a significant amount of time and money. The same advantage applies today!