What Is Paintless Dent Removal? 

What is Paintless Dent Removal (PDR)? It is a technique for eliminating dents and dings in an auto body panel when the paint hasn't been broken. It is usually less costly than traditional body shop bump and paint repairs. It also offers the advantage of not having to worry about accurate paint matching, as the original paint is not disturbed. Technicians get behind the sheet metal panel through the use of specially designed tools and work and massage the dent from behind until the panel is back to its original shape and condition. Usually these technicians come to you, eliminating the worry of leaving your Classic in a body shop.

PDR works best on sheet metal that has smooth, shallow dents. If the metal is sharply creased and if the paint is badly scarred or cracked, this would not be the procedure of choice. Some PDR franchise operations maintain they can repair large dents but not if the metal is sharply creased or “crinkled”.

PDR will probably not be effective on the heavy steel fenders common in the twenties and up through the mid-thirties. It wasn't until about 1980 that paints with more resilience and elasticity came into use. Very brittle lacquers have a lower success rate with PDR. Again, if the paint is already cracked, this is not the repair method you should be using.

Panels that cannot be accessed from the rear also present problems. Upholstery panels must be removed to provide access to some areas. Where structural bracing is encountered, such as the stamped channel metal commonly used to brace a trunk lid, the PDR guy may need to drill holes to access the dent. You have to decide in advance if this is acceptable. If drilled holes in the bracing or inner paneling will show when the car is being judged, this may affect your decision.

As with any type of repair, the recommendation of a friend or satisfied customer is the best way to choose a source. It is a good idea to choose a company that guarantees their work in writing, and one who can maintain or restore crease lines in body panels. Again, find out if their work will involve drilling holes in inner panels or anything else that could harm the structural integrity of the car.

If you have PDR work done on your car, inspect the finished product under fluorescent light rather than sunlight. Flaws and imperfections show up much better under fluorescent light.

The art of removing minor dents, door dings, and hail damage on the metal panels of automobiles without the use of fillers or paint. It is a process by which the dent is worked out from the back side by a trained professional using specialized tools. The results are nothing short of amazing and best of all you will have a blemish-free vehicle which has been restored to its original factory finish.

Minor Dents: A dent in which the paint has not been broken and is no larger than a softball.

Door Dings: Small dents and creases in the doors and quarter panels.

Hail Damage: A large accumulation of dents left on the top panels of vehicles by falling ice from storm clouds.

Minor Dents and Door Dings can range in price from $55. and up depending on the severity and location of the dent.

Hail Damage repairs vary depending on the number of dents on each panel.