If you’re wondering what the difference between Paintless Dent Repair or PDR and traditional dent removal services are, you probably have problems with your car and in search of the right method of reparation. Some people prefer traditional auto repair methods which usually take much time. Others prefer paintless autobody repair methods which are popular nowadays. What is the difference? Let’s read about both methods and you’ll then be able to decide which service is right for you and your vehicle.
Traditional Dent Repair
Dents were typically pounded out of the body of a vehicle in the past. This traditional way of repairing cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs is costlier because it requires bonding, sanding, and painting repaired areas. It is best suited for major repairs where PDR is not effective. The reason why insurance companies don’t want to recommend this type of repair right away is because it costs more and leaves a greater out-of-pocket expense for customers. Many people can’t afford their deductible and leave their vehicle damaged until it rusts out. Traditional dent repair takes much time. Looking for the light and fast repairs, don’t ask for traditional methods.
Paintless Autobody Repair
Paintless dent removal or PDR is a fast, safe, method to remove minor and shallow dents from your car. It mostly effective to work on light damages! All repair shops have a professional specialist who specializes in paintless dent repair, helping to get your car repaired in sometimes only a few hours. That’s amazing!
This process offers true paintless bodywork to bring your vehicle back to original condition without the added expense of replacing body panels, sanding, priming and painting. PDR is a fairly simple process, but you cannot do it on your own. It is better to leave it to trained professionals. Nevertheless, there are products on the market that claim you can do this repair yourself. Don’t even try! You don’t want to void the manufacturer’s warranty on your vehicle. Paintless Dent Repair requires training and very specific tools. It manipulates metal back into shape without using traditional bonding, sanding, and painting. It allows technicians to remove small dents from painted sheet metal with ease. But remember that sharper dents may require traditional dent removal.
When Paintless Autobody Repair Can’t Be Used
There are cases when PDR cannot be used to repair a vehicle. This is the case when the metal body has been stretched by the damage. The same can be said about the paint. As long as it hasn’t been stretched, PDR is an option.
If either the metal or the paint has been stretched, traditional dent removal is the best option. Of course, it’s costlier than PDR and takes more time to complete. But if your vehicle isn’t a good candidate for Paintless Dent Repair, you’d better tale traditional methods. Otherwise, your car will never look well like a new. It is important to differentiate these two methods of reparation and define which one can be used. If you feel like you are not sure if the damages are sharp or not, call for specialist.
Why Insurance Companies Recommend Paintless Autobody Repair
PDR is the fastest way to get your car back on the road. Paintelss dent repair helps remove:
- Hail Damage
- Door Dings
- Bodyline Damage
- Minor Creases
- Large Dents
It is recommended by insurance companies because it is inexpensive and a very quick repair service. It helps restore the vehicle’s manufacturer’s warranty which protects you, the driver, in the event that the car, truck, van or SUV is recalled. You won’t be stuck paying for additional repairs covered by the warranty. Of course, you can get a discount for reparation, but when shopping around for estimates, keep in mind that many repair shops do not offer this type of discount. Nor do they guarantee their workmanship for the duration that you own the vehicle.
Benefits of Paintless Dent Repair
The situations are different. It generally requires hail the size of a golf ball to damage and dent a vehicle. If your vehicle has been damaged by hail or otherwise has a small dent, here are some benefits of paintless dent removal. You should know the benefits to make the right choice:
1. Brilliant Result
Traditional repairs usually require the use of body filler and repainting dented and damaged areas. Using paintless dent repair will help maintain the vehicle’s value by restoring the car to its original condition, rather than adding tacky filler. There are no color differences in paint or issues with overspray because PDR doesn’t require the use of paint.
2. Fast Service
Compared to a traditional repair, PDR takes only a small amount of time to complete. Of course, if your car was caught in a hail storm and has dozens of dents to repair it might take a bit longer, however, the time will still be shorter compared to a traditional dent repair. For smaller dents, the entire process can be completed in only a few hours.
3. Cost Effective
Because of the low man hours for paintless autobody repair , there are much lower labor costs. In addition, you aren’t paying for extra materials like paint and body filler. PDR usually ends up saving loads of money compared to traditional dent repair.
4. Environment Friendly
PDR has no adverse effect on the environment. Traditional paint repair, on the other hand, releases chemicals and fumes from the body filler, paint, and paint thinner. These chemicals also have a risk of contaminating groundwater. With paintless repair there are no fumes, no chemicals, and no environmental risk. It is a right decision to use environment friendly methods if it is possible.
Think about how much time and money you’ll save by having the right technicians do dent removal for you. You don’t even need to waste time and take your vehicle to the shop because modern paintless autobody repair services have evening and weekend hours, mobile services. You can bring your auto to repairs or call for mobile specialists whenever it is convenient for you.