What is paintless dent repair?

How it works

A tech gets behind the dent through an access hole, a trim panel or a removed light, and uses steel rods to push the metal back up in hundreds of small, controlled pushes. Where there's no access, they glue a tab to the paint and pull. To see what the metal is doing, they watch the dent in a striped light or line board: the reflected lines bend around a low spot and straighten as the panel comes back. Finally they "tap down" any high spots so the panel is flat again.

What PDR fixes well

• Door dings and parking lot dents
• Hail damage, often dozens or hundreds of dents per car
• Soft creases and many larger dents, depending on depth and location
• Dents on aluminum panels, with a tech who has aluminum experience

When you need a body shop instead

If the paint is cracked, chipped or scraped down to primer, PDR can't restore it. Very sharp creases, stretched metal, dents on the very edge of a panel and damage on heavily braced areas may also be beyond what PDR can fix cleanly. A good tech will tell you up front.

Why it's worth finding a PDR tech

Your original factory paint stays, which helps resale value and lease returns, and there's no color match to worry about. Most single dings take an hour or less, and many mobile techs come to your home or office. Small dings are usually far cheaper than a body shop repair, though price depends on size, depth, location and access.

Does insurance cover it?

Hail damage is typically covered under comprehensive coverage, and many insurers prefer PDR for hail because it costs less and keeps the paint original. Look for shops tagged "Works with insurance" if you're filing a claim.