Paintless Dent Repair

[jwoelfle]

Anybody ever tried this? My 02 that I just paid off in Dec got the pi$$ pounded out of it last night in the biggest dang hail storm I've ever seen. There isn't a single body panel on the truck that didn't get damaged. It's downright sickening to look at. Being it's Sunday, I'll have to wait until tomorrow to talk to the insurance company but I wanted opinions as to the success/satisfaction of the these paintless dent repair places. And if there is any one of them in the Dallas area that is extremely good(or bad), please let me know.



Thanks,

Jim

 

[parcher]

My buddies Dakota got pounded by hail. He got an estimate through a body shop ... . big dollars to fix. Then went to "Dent Wizard" He told the paintless guy "I can't pay for any dents removed from a panel if that panel still has dents". Dent dude spent 5 1/2 hours, got every single dent out.

 

[Hammer]

First weekend I had my 98 a few years ago I went to western PA for the state bowling tournament. I stayed over in Sharon,OH and while in bed the first nite a big storm blew in and puonded all the vechicles in the lot with heavy rain,massive winds and hail. I had backed up to the rear of the building facing east and the storm came from the west. It pounded all the cars and trucks out in the lot and those on the west side very bad. Mine was not as bad off as the rest,only got my hood from the middle out as the hail hit the building and bounced off the front of the hood. 18 bad hail dents and nothing else. Others on my team were not as lucky. Some had windshields knocked out and their cars looked like they were pounded by a ball peen hammer. My best friend Lincoln Mk8 was the worst off,knocked all the glass out and destroyed the hood,roof and truck.



Called Dent Wizards when I got home and they came out and in a hour all were gone and to this day if you look you will not tell where the damage was. Look them up they do nice work... ... ... andy

 

[jman]

I would use it again in a heartbeat. I got the crap beat out of mine before I even had license plates on it. :{ State Farm didn't recognize PDR and estimated it using a body shop fixing the whole thing. I think it came out to $2700 if I went this route and I was going to be without it for 3 weeks. I went to a PDR and they estimated it at $950 and a day to do.



I actually only had the hood fixed when it was in the dealer body shop for a cracked fender for $450. I figured you had to be eight feet tall to see the roof and it will probably happend again someday so why waste the money. I have a few on the front fenders, but you have to really look to see them.



I feel your pain. Been there, done that. It sucks!!!!:{



Good Luck!

 

[jwoelfle]

I checked out Dent Wizard's website... looks WAY too good to be true. But I will continue to investigate. The nearest Dent Wizard to me in about 60 miles away so I'm gonna keep looking locally. I have an appointment with a body shop this afternoon for the insurance estimate.



Again, if anybody knows of a good PDR place in the north Dallas area, please speak up. This truck is my baby and I want her perfect.



Thanks for all the answers so far.



jim

 

[jwoelfle]

Well... how about $8841 worth of hail damage. Most of the dents can be fixed using PDR but there isn't a single body panel that doesn't have at least one that can't be fixed using that technique so the panel would have to be painted anyway. Looks like my brand new truck is gonna get a brand new paint job.



BTW: The guy stopped counting dents in the hood when he got to 300!



I gotta move out of this hell hole they call TX!



Jim

 

[TSRAM]

Has anyone watched them do the PDR? Just curious how they do it. I've got a few dings in mine that could use fixing up. I just hate the thought of having to get anything re-painted if I can help it. Some things just aren't ever as good as the factory can do on a good day.

 

[illflem]

Here's a step by step http://www.autobodysupply.net/Gluepuller/gluepuller.htm



I've seen ads on TV for a rig similar but simpler than this for $49. 95

 

[Mundgyver]

My truck got broke into last year up in Spokane. They smashed out the passengers window and put a large dent right through the seam just below the window. Needless to say I was really and ready to kill the little S. O. B's if I could found out who. Got a new window installed in a day and when I got back home the insurance had me go to a Paintless Dent Removal guy. I did not think he would be able to pop a reverse bend on a seam out. Took him 30 minutes and you cannot tell where it was or even that was ever a dent there. He drilled one small hole in the door jam and used a 16 inch tool with a rounded tip on it along with some others. Needless to say, it was very impressive and I would recommend the procedure. Cost was $50 vice the $300 that the body shop wanted.

 

[rubberneck]

I had some dents removed by a paintless dent removal outfit called dent magic here in central CA. The guy was freaking amazing. He worked by using a large assortment of funny looking pics and bars that he slipped down behind the various dented panels and slowly pryed the dents out. The guy was an absolute craftsman. I would use him again in a heartbeat. But let me warn you, this job is all about the skills of the guy doing the work. I would ask around and get references. Also, he could not repair a panel if he could not get to the back of it (just something to think about) I found out about this guy from the local lexus dealer. My inlaws used him when their brand new sc400 got a ding in it from the numb nuts at the parking garage in a tahoe casino. You may ask around some of the high end car dealers in your area, they may have references.

 

[duaneparks]

I have used PDR and would use it again (actually, I will again since I now have door dings... )



The guys that I've dealt with at Dent Wizard and the like do not use the glue puller method (at least not that I've seen). They use the tools mentioned above and usually do very good work.



They'll tell you if they can't get the dents out. I've only had a problem once with that... on a car I had there was a support for the body panel that was in the way and he couldn't get to the dent from behind. I had him leave the dent alone.



Here in Houston there are a few places that do PDR. One is in the Galleria, a few in Clear Lake, and then there are numerous guys that work out of vans or trucks.



Maybe DFW has similar? BTW, Texas ain't so bad... 'course we didn't get the storm in Houston that y'all got up there in DFW. That thing looked wicked.



Duane

 

[jwoelfle]

Ahhh... . the saga continues.



Get this... insurance is now saying that since I don't have a special declaration in my truck policy that they will not cover the topper. This is a $2400 Gemtop Workmaster topper. They say that anything added to the truck must be identified in my policy. This would include such standard items as pinstriping, mudflaps, tow hitch, stereo stuff... you name it. If it it didn't come from the factory, it ain't covered.



We're still "discussing" it.

 

[Mundgyver]

I would ask your insruance company if they know what a Bad Faith Contract is. Most lawyers love to take on a bad faith contract because it means $$$$ in their pockets. You pay for insurance with the understanding that they will fix it. You are not allowed to change the aggrement with them unless you change the policy, which in their eyes means more preimum. But it is seems curious that they are allowed to change the policy (deny) when they see fit. (Hence, BAD FAITH CONTRACT) Been down this road before and have won this battle before.



Being an absolute pain in their side and getting the law to work for you through your State Insurance Regulatory Office is the way I went.

 

[jwoelfle]

Insurance chick on the phone quoted some subsection of my policy that stated campers and such are not covered. Since I didn't have a copy of my policy in front of me, I couldn't argue. You can bet that's the first thing I do when I get home tonight. If my policy actually says toppers are not covered, then I'll drop it, but if it calls it a "camper" or something like that, there gonna wish they'd never met me and they're gonna pray I don't pay them a personal visit.

 

[Devildog]

Been there, done that, and would have them remove the dents again. I was amazed also.