Does your vehicle have minor dents and dings? Have you been thinking about repairs but find cost a deterrent? Paintless dent repair (PDR), which is a relatively inexpensive dent removal procedure, may be just what you’re looking for.
At Minnetonka Collision, we provide PDR service for vehicles that have suffered minor auto body damage. It’s quick, convenient, and can restore your vehicle’s exterior to its pre-accident condition.
How do you know if paintless dent repair is the right choice for your vehicle? Check out our quick guide below to determine if your dents and dings can be fixed with PDR.
What Is Paintless Dent Repair?
Paintless dent repair is a dent removal method used to restore auto paneling after hail damage, dings, scratches, minor creasing, and sometimes, even larger dents. As the name suggests, this repair method does not involve body fillers, sanding, or repainting – we simply coax the dent out of your vehicle’s paneling.
How Does PDR Work?
At Minnetonka Collision, our PDR process is simple but requires advanced skill. We use a number of specialized tools positioned behind the dent to gently correct damage from the inside of the affected panel.
Specialized PDR lights illuminate your vehicle’s paneling, allowing us to precisely locate the affected area and gradually push each dent out. As the final step in the dent repair process, we’ll gently blend the outside of your vehicle’s paneling and paint until the exterior is entirely smooth. With a thorough buffing, your vehicle’s exterior will appear good as new!
Advantages of Paintless Dent Repair
Paintless dent repair offers pronounced advantages over other, more extensive repair methods. Keep in mind that this repair method does require extensive skill, though, so it’s not something you should attempt at home.
For the best experience, do your research to find an experienced, reputable PDR auto body repair shop. With a knowledgeable and experienced technician, PDR services offer the following benefits.
Significant Cost Savings
Auto body repairs that do not require sanding, body filler, or repainting cost far less than those that do. With PDR, you can save a substantial amount of money on your repair — several hundred dollars in many cases.
No Inaccurate Color-Matching
PDR doesn’t require any painting whatsoever, so you won’t need to worry about errors in color matching.
That said, if your vehicle’s dings or dents are not eligible for paintless dent repair and our team must perform some filling, sanding, and repainting, our color-matching abilities are, for lack of a better term, unmatched. Our technicians are artists and take great care to deliver a perfectly matched paint job any time they must apply touchup paint.
Quick Turnaround
If your vehicle has minor damage, paintless dent repair can be performed in a matter of hours. You won’t have to go without your vehicle for days or arrange alternate transportation to get yourself where you need to go.
Boost Resale Value
Dings and dents in the body of your vehicle naturally decrease its resale value. But when that damage is eliminated and your vehicle’s original paint job is still intact, you can typically command a higher price when or if you decide to sell.
Warranty Preservation
If your vehicle is still under warranty, and its paint job is included in that warranty, paintless dent repair will keep the original, manufacturer finish intact. Keeping that paint job intact will preserve the warranty on the paint, so you’ll still be covered if your paint job suffers damage due to a manufacturer defect.
Structural Integrity Preservation
Because PDR essentially pulls dents out of your vehicle’s body paneling and does not involve any filler, it helps maintain the structural integrity of your vehicle. Does that mean that more extensive auto body repairs can negatively affect your vehicle’s structural integrity? Not necessarily.
As long you have a high-quality shop perform your repairs, your vehicle will be returned to you in its pre-accident condition. But, filler isn’t as strong or durable as the metal paneling that forms the exterior of your vehicle, so keep that in mind.
For more in-depth information on PDR benefits, check out What Are the Advantages of Paintless Dent Repair?
What Can Paintless Dent Repair Fix?
Paintless dent repair is ideal for minor auto body damage that doesn’t feature cracked paint or torn metal. Most often, paintless dent removal is used to repair dents from hail damage, door dings, and even large dents — as long as the paint within the dent is still intact.
Paintless dent removal may also be an option for prepping damaged paneling for repainting. Since this repair method cuts down on the amount of body filler necessary to repair larger dents, it can offer a longer-lasting repair.
What Can’t Paintless Dent Repair Fix?
PDR will not provide satisfactory results if your vehicle has any of the following types of damage:
● Dents with damaged paint
● Extensive scratching of metal beneath the paint
● Dents with sharp edges
● Dents located on the edge of a body panel
● Dents situated in areas with previous bodywork
Minnetonka Collision: The Twin Cities’ Most Trusted Auto Body Repair Shop
At Minnetonka Collision, we provide residents throughout the Twin Cities metro with a variety of auto body repair options. We pride ourselves on our honest, straightforward approach that has garnered the trust of thousands of repeat customers over the last 30+ years. Whether you have hail damage and need a quick repair or your vehicle suffered a more involved collision, we’ll get you back on the road as quickly as possible.
To learn more about our auto body repair services or to schedule your appointment, give us a call at 763-230-7805, or feel free to message us on our contact page.