Paintless dent repair, PDR ? The first step to performing a dent repair without using paint involves assessing the dent itself and determining if a paintless dent repair is even possible. According to most experts, 80 to 90 percent of dents can be repaired using PDR techniques. However, there are a certain percentage of dents that are impossible to repair without following it up with a paint job. The following types of dents usually fall into this “non-PDR” category: Very deep dents – Even very large dents can be repaired using PDR if the dent is fairly shallow. However, if a dent of any size is pushed in too far, the metal can’t be bent back into place without damaging the paint and requiring repainting.
A good paintless dent repair might look perfect, or close to it,but the metal underneath that shiny paint is still damaged. It’s thinned out and its structure has been weakened. But as long as the paint is still there and it’s not immediately obvious, that’s probably good enough. After all, it’s not a safety concern or anything. Just remember: Sometimes it really pays to hire a pro. To DIY or not to DIY? I’ve never tried to use an at-home paintless dent removal kit to bang one out myself; however, I have owned a car that I had completely repainted because paintless dent removal wasn’t an option. And it’s a pain in the butt. And it’s expensive. And I’ve also made some bad calls in terms of judging what I can handle myself … and what I’d just make worse. That said, I’ve never bought a product from an infomercial to attempt a car repair.
Apply the dry ice as many times as you need to, but it should pop out eventually if the dent isn’t too deep. You can also try heating up the dent first, with something like a hair dryer (similar to the hairdryer and compressed air tip above), and then apply the dry ice to it. Suction is one way to get out a dent, but the problem is finding a dent puller with the right amount of power. Well, why not just create your own? All you need is a pot (or bucket), a vacuum cleaner and some tape and you can get that dent out of your car in no time.
For small dents on your car hood, a car dent repair kit may be a simple and inexpensive solution. You can easily find these kits at any local auto supply store and they are very user-friendly. Each kit often includes a knockdown tool, a glue gun and many stems for different sized dents. You may be surprised at the way the kit works and the professional result it makes. But we do recommend this kid for small dents only. For deep, large dents, it is better if you take your car to garage as the repair kit can not fix them and even cause more damage.
Hailstorm damage is a car owner’s worst nightmare and can easily be avoided with a few cautionary steps: try to park your car in a shaded or covered area, especially during seasons when hailstorms are prevalent. If you’re going to be going out of town for an extended amount of time, make sure that your car is parked in an enclosed area and, if possible, have someone check on it once in a while. Open spaces will leave your car helpless against the wrath of this natural phenomenon. See more details at Customize my ride.