Learn About Car Dent Repair / Removal in Austin
What is Paintless Dent Repair (PDR)
PDR was created in the 1950s by someone who worked on the production line of Mercedes. The specialty vehicles were getting damaged on the production line which sparked the idea of finding a way to fix it, rather than replace it. It got to the US in 1981 and has been a popular way of fixing dents and hail damaged vehicles ever since.
Dent Repair
PDR can be used for vehicles that have minor dents in which the paint has not been removed or scratched. The size of dent doesn’t matter, what is more important is how much the metal is creased. The process of removing the dent is called “massaging.”
Hail Damage
Hail damage can almost always be done paintless. Consumers should use a PDR specialist for hail damage of any kind.
Costs
PDR for dents is usually priced per panel. For example, if one panel has 2 dents you would be charged the same as if it had only 1 dent. The average price/panel in Austin is approximately $95. Hail damage is priced by how severe the damage is. This is not determined by the repair shop, it is determined by the insurance company, based on the size of the vehicle and degree of damage. Hail damage ranges anywhere from $150-$4000.
Doing It Yourself vs. Using a Professional
This kind of work should not be done by amateurs. As you often may see inexpensive tools or gimmicks to remove dents or to merely “bump it out” when it actually takes a lot of time, expertise and professional tools.
Unfortunately, this industry has been flooded with scams on “becoming a PDR specialist.” Companies will advertise a program for applicants to go through a week of training, get a set of tools and become a professional PDR specialist. To become an expert in this field takes years of practice, not a week of training. Make sure to inquire about experience before choosing a specialist.
How to Choose a Dent Repair Professional
Have you ever heard of storm chasers? In this business there are specialists that spend much or all of their time chasing storms-even around the globe! A storm happens and they pack up, go to the location and either set up a tent or work through a dealership. There are many problems with this. First of all, many of the storm chasers who set up a temporary shop are also those who are involved in insurance fraud. They want you to use their service over a local, well established business that has to do good work to keep a good reputation. They are not concerned with the quality of work or reputation because of only being there temporarily. When an insurance company writes out a check to you and the repair shop, they will do the work for less and then give you the remaining money as an incentive. What this means is they are also doing less work, or work of a lesser quality. Beware of these companies!
Also watch out for dealerships for the same reason. Storm chasers will try to latch on to a dealership to help out with the extra influx of vehicles. First, you have no idea about the credentials of who is doing the work; secondly, that person will not be there in the future if there are any problems. There have even been cases where the chasers start on your car and when another storm happens in another city or state, they leave mid-project and “chase the storm”. Also, dealerships rarely employ actual PDR specialists. They are almost always outsourced, meaning you pay more and could’ve just gone to that expert at first.
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