What is Paintless Dent Removal?
Paintless Dent Removal, or PDR, is the very tedious art form for restoring your vehicle’s painted exterior back to its original shape after an unfortunate circumstance of impact. For example, door dings, shopping cart dents, and Hail Damage are quite common incidents, just to name a few. The process of PDR is done by gaining access to the backside of the panel and slowly and gently “massaging” the metal back into shape with a series of controlled pushes using unique tools, and adjustable lighting techniques. By applying pressure with these pushing techniques it allows the “memory” of the metal to be completely restored to its original shape.
The process does not harm the paint finish when done by an experienced professional. Today’s polyurethane and waterborne paints are very pliable allowing the metal to flex during repair without the risk of cracking. For some of the larger dents we repair, we will at times have the need to apply heat to the area to ensure maximum flexibility without damage to the paint. PDR is also the GREENEST repair choice for your vehicle. Without the need for sanding, body fillers, priming, and painting, it is by far the most environmentally safe alternative. Insurance companies have recognized and been utilizing PDR for hail damage repair claims for over a decade.
What are Vale Certified Technicians?
Vale certification is a hands on timed evaluation of a technicians skills. It is the only true certification for PDR recognized nationally by insurance companies, Body Shops and Technicians alike. It will challenge a technicians skill on steel panels as well as aluminum panels. A picture of very high magnification is taken of the panel by their “dent reader” and is then downloaded into their computer system. Then using their “dent cannon” with specific amount of air pressure, they shoot a dent into the panel at the same spot where the picture was taken prior to the dent created. The technician then has a certain amount of time to complete the dent to an extremely minimal tolerance level. There are several levels of certification with “Master Craftsman” being the most elite (and by far the hardest to pass). We insist on our technicians testing and passing the Master Craftsman for PDR certification. Upon successful completion of testing, the technician is then awarded a certification number that is then recorded at www.valetrainingsolutions.com making it easy for the consumer to validate authenticity.
Our certification info is as follows:
Matthew Kuemmel Owner @ American Dent Removal Inc.
PDR Certified Technician
“Master Craftsman”
Certification # 10271
January 19, 2013
What are the Advantages of PDR vs. Traditional Body Shop Work?
Paintless Dent Removal is far different than body shop repairs. With PDR you have the peace of mind knowing that your vehicle’s factory OEM finish remains intact and that there are not excessive body fillers under the painted surface. Fact: No body shops can exactly duplicate the way your finish was from the factory. The materials are not precisely the same, nor is the paint application. Your vehicle was painted robotically from the factory in an EXTREMELY controlled environment.
With PDR you never need to worry about color match.
A repair without the need for sanding means no body dust and a cleaner job overall.
Repairs are usually completed in a fraction of the time which means less rental car cost.
With PDR the cost is usually about half the price of traditional body repairs.
How long does it take on average to do PDR repairs?
It does depend of course on how much damage you have. For example; one small dime or quarter sized door ding may only take 10-15 minutes, while a heavily damaged hail vehicle could be 2-3 days. Most vehicles we see that need a handful of dents and dings taken care of usually take about an hour on average to repair.
Can only small dents and dings be repaired with Paintless Dent Removal?
NO, and it is very important to know and realize that NOT ALL PDR COMPANIES ARE CREATED EQUAL. We at American dent removal have continued year after year to be among the very top leaders in PDR always pushing the envelope to the extreme. We have on numerous occasions repaired vehicles that other PDR companies have claimed unfixable. In fact, we have on occasion also repaired panels that even body shops had estimated to replace instead of repairing saving the customer several hundred dollars. Large dents are fixable in many instances provided the paint remains intact and the metal is not heavily stretched.
What kind of damage cannot be repaired with Paintless Dent Removal?
The most obvious would be dents with damaged paint. When the paint is damaged it will usually mean a body shop is needed for repairs and paint. However with certain damage it can still be cost effective to do what we call a “push for paint” repair, where we will fully push the metal back into shape and then it can be sent to the paint shop.
Dents that are excessively deep are also usually not good candidates, although it is always a good idea to send us pictures via smart phone for reassurance.
Dents that have damaged the very edge of the panel are almost never fixable PDR.
Dents that are excessively deep are also usually not good candidates, although its
always a good idea to see an American Dent Removal repair specialist for reassurance.
Can aluminum panels on vehicles be repaired with PDR?
Yes they can. Although some aluminum panels may have a smaller repair threshold than steel panels, we always want the customer to be able to retain top dollar and the best appearance on their vehicle. Because aluminum does not have a “memory” in its molecular structure like steel, it does take far longer to repair aluminum which does result in slightly higher cost of repairs.
Should I consider having PDR done before trading in my vehicle or lease turn in?
Yes, if you were to trade in your vehicle in excellent shape as opposed to fair condition, your vehicle will always be worth more being well worth the money spent.
With Lease turn in it is a little bit different. They do usually allow “normal wear and tear” which includes a few minor dings, but nothing excessive. Always check your lease agreement to check and see what is and is not allowable on your policy.
How much does Paintless Dent Removal cost?
Paintless Dent Removal costs significantly less than traditional body shop repairs. Repairs for a single dent of smaller size can start as low as $75.00 (dime or nickel size). While a single dent of larger size can be around $125 (half dollar size).These are some average prices that can vary depending placement of dent, depth, accessibility etc. Discounts do apply when there are multiple dents to be repaired. See the coupon tab for additional coupon savings.