Different Kinds of Small Dent Repair | Preferred Paintless Services Texarkana

Different Kinds of Small Dent Repair | Preferred Paintless Services Texarkana

Texarkana Small Dent Repair

Despite its explosive popularity, paintless dent repair has been around as long as the first street cars. It was used as a way to repair vehicles in production lines to prepare them for shipping and resale (It was difficult to sell a damaged car, even back then.) This basic process only used a tablespoon to press the dents back into place, and has since evolved to include professional training and equipment. Now, the industry is booming more than ever, and Texarkana small dent repair techs can repair most kinds of minor body damage.

What Causes a Minor Dent?

In order to start repairing a dent, we first need to know where it came from; and what kind of damage it has done. Small dents can come from a number of sources that each have a large impact on how we decide to remove it:

Hail Damage

Hail storms are a drivers worst nightmare. If you thought one small dent was bad, try dozens of tiny craters all over the surface of your car. Hail damage can mean much more than just a few unsightly blemishes. The damage left by hail stones is actually considerable and, if large enough, can even cause serious harm to the integrity of your vehicle. One of the most common disasters we see accompany a recent hail storm is interior electrical damage. Large hail stones can crack paint and break windows on impact leaving your interior exposed. The hail then melts and leaks into the most fragile parts of your vehicle.

Door Dings

Crowded parking lots and garages create an environment that attracts small dents like a magnet. Oblivious passengers and excited children open their doors quickly, bumping the car next to them, and creating a ding or crease. Normally, these kinds of dents are no problem to fix; but sometimes they can create sharp valleys that are not easy to get rid of.

Fender Benders

Many drivers think that collision damage, no matter what, has to be repaired by a body shop; however, in the case of low speed bumper or fender benders they can often be fixed for a fraction of the price paintlessly.

Can We Fix Your Dent? | Texarkana Door Dent Removal

Can We Fix Your Dent? | Texarkana Door Dent Removal

How Did You Get Your Door Dent?

The cause of the door dent can reveal a lot about what kind of damage it has done, and how well we can repair it. For instance, if your car was struck by a small rock on the freeway, the resulting damage could be very sharp, thus difficult to remove. Wider dents caused by slow collisions, child passengers, careless shoppers, and other everyday inconveniences are the easiest to repair. They are the most common, and usually happen right in the middle of a panel. Take notice of how your dent happened. This information can be invaluable during the Texarkana door dent removal process.

Can We Fix It?

The most important part about repairing a dent is knowing whether or not it is possible. Fixing a dent relies on a variety of factors. If you attempt to repair a dent that is too tough, or in a place that is too difficult to access you could end up with further damage to your car. Therefore, we always start with the two most important elements of a repairable dent: Size and Position.

  • Size – Normally, large dents aren’t difficult to repair supposing the paint is intact. However, if they have caused extensive damage there could be a problem. The most important piece of the puzzle is depth. Small dents with a deep center are especially difficult to fix since the metal is stretched thin, and is prone to tearing.
  • Position – The location of the dent is arguably more important than the size. In most cases, we need access to the back of the dent in order to remove it. If the damage is in a place like the edge of a door panel it could be impossible to reach. Not to mention the tightness of the metal in these spots makes it hard to reshape.

Texarkana Door Dent Removal

After you have taken the time to assess the situation and narrow down your culprit, call Preferred Paintless Services at 605-595-4061. We’ll be able to give you a free quote on the damage, or you can fill out our online form here!

What to Do When You Spot a Door Ding | Texarkana Door Ding Repair

What to Do When You Spot a Door Ding | Texarkana Door Ding Repair

Catch the Culprit

When you first notice your new door ding it’s best to stay attentive and thorough. Most drivers will do the right thing and leave a note in your window so their insurance can cover the damage for you; but unfortunately there are those callous few who would rather get off scot free. Don’t let a hit and run ruin your finish or your wallet.

Start by taking pictures of the dent. That way you’ll have evidence if they claim that you already had damage. Next, check your surroundings for any precariously parked cars or carts. Take pictures as it’s likely one of these could be your culprit. The goal here is to record as much information as possible. Finally, record suspected license plate numbers. This will be helpful for the police report.

Even if you don’t feel like you have enough information, make sure to file a police report. This will be helpful when filing a claim. If you file a police report right away it shows credibility. Plus, it’s likely your insurance company won’t allow you to file a claim without one.

Do You Have the Right Coverage?

Before you call your preferred Texarkana door ding repair team contact your insurance provider to talk about your coverage. There should be a contact number on your insurance card. If the door ding was caused by something like a hail stone you will need comprehensive insurance. Comprehensive covers damage from sources with no clear liability such as theft, storms, fire, and vandalism.

What’s the Damage?

Door dings come in all sorts of different shapes and sizes. Details like the depth, diameter, and location can have a big impact on how we approach the repairs. Is the ding sharp or shallow? If it’s too sharp we could accidentally break the paint or tear the metal. Is the ding close to the edge of a panel? Panel edges have much thicker metal that is tough to work with. Just take a picture of the damage and text it to our Texarkana door ding repair team at (903) 280-8190. We’ll get back to you with an estimate as soon as possible!

 

Does PDR Really Work? | Texarkana Paintless Dent Repair Services

Does PDR Really Work? | Texarkana Paintless Dent Repair Services

What Is Paintless Dent Repair?

Have you ever left your car for a moment, maybe for a cup of coffee or to grab the mail, only to realize your car door has a little added… texture. You are the victim of one careless person and the proud owner of one brand new dent! But don’t worry, that’s what Texarkana paintless dent repair services are here for!

Paintless dent repair is all about knowledge, patience, and preparation. Therefore, the first step to any repair is understanding what kind of damage you’re working with. That’s why you see so many technicians with flashlights and mirrors, or techs that prefer to work outside. A clear view of the damage provides lots of helpful insight. Is it a crease, is it sharp, is it shallow, how close is it to the edge of a panel? These are all important questions that could have a big impact on how we approach the job. From there, we develop our plan of approach and slowly massage the dent back into place.

Does PDR Really Work?

The effectiveness of paintless dent repair really relies on the quality of your technician. But, in short, yes, it works wonders on damage it was designed to handle. Many drivers don’t realize this but, PDR has been around for a very long time. It was developed in the early days of automobiles, in old German Mercedes factories, to touch up cars before sending them out for sale. However, it has progressed leaps and bounds since then, and is considered its own professional trade. Texarkana paintless dent repair technicians dedicate thousands of hours to mastering the art before even attempting to remove a ding from your car. We will take quality over quantity any day of the week.

Why Should I Choose PDR Over Other Methods?

Body shops are expensive and time consuming. We all know this by now. However, since the early days of the first automobile paintless dent repair has had a lot of time to mature. Now it has news, forums, and conventions dedicated to celebrating its success and sharing new techniques. Paintless dent repair is more accessible in Texarkana than ever before. If you need affordable and effective repairs they are just a dial away. What are you waiting for? Call Preferred Paintless Services right to your door now at (903) 280-8190!