No
matter how you take care of it... no matter how carefully you wash
and wax it...
Regardless
of how far you park away from others in parking lots....
You
may have paid $20,000... $30,000... $50,000 or more for your car...
It
doesn't matter! The time is coming that you will get that first
of many dents!
NEW
CAR OWNERS dread that first dent. No matter how it happens!
No matter who is at fault... YOU JUST KNOW THAT IT WILL NEVER BE
THE SAME AGAIN....
Consumer
awareness of Paintless Dent Removal (PDR) is on the rise. It has
been widely used over the past decade by car dealers, rental agencies
and auctions to prepare vehicles for resale. Yet in the consumer
area, very few consumers are aware the process exists.
Consumers
are learning about the PDR process from local dealerships and insurance
companies. In the past few years, your insurance company has also
become more aware and accepting of the PDR process, particularly
to repair hail damage. The widespread use of high-strength metal
and resilient paint finishes has allowed PDR to become a viable
alternative to traditional body repair techniques. In fact, some
insurance companies will even waive the deductible if PDR is chosen
over more traditional techniques.
Specially
fabricated tools and techniques for PDR have been developed to remove
dents, often up to the size of a football, from almost any body
panel of a vehicle. No sanding, body filler or repainting is necessary.
In most cases, when the process is complete the dent is no longer
visible.
Here
is the big secret that most body and paint shops don't want you
to know... many of the typical dents and dings you get in parking
lots and garages can now be repaired without a trace, and without
removing the original finish. That is when the work is done by a
skilled technician who has developed the techniques that allow dings
to be removed with the original paint in place.
Dent
Fixer's professional mobile repair service is equipped with our
own specialized tools and equipment. Dent Fixer technicians can
completely repair almost any minor damage, typically
98% or better, to your vehicle without the need for costly panel
repair and paint processes. Some of the benefits include:
-
No
panel beating or pounding, no filler, no paint.
-
Keeps
original factory finish.
-
Mobile
service providing onsite repairs and same-day service.
-
Reduced
down time with vehicles back on the road immediately.
-
Adds
value to all vehicles, regardless of age.
-
The
car never leaves your location.
-
Quality
workmanship guaranteed.
The
unique Dent Fixer method of paintless dent removal removes minor
dents and unsightly dings that can make your vehicle appear older
than it is. By repairing the Dent Fixer way, you will add value
to your vehicle and restore it to its original condition. We have
established our reputation in Houston, Texas by providing quality
workmanship, that is combined with unsurpassed service, an excellent
pricing structure, and most importantly, absolute professionalism.
What
Can Be Fixed?
First, everything can be made to look better using PDR (Paintless
Dent Repair), just that some repairs can be done better than others.
For the most part, PDR is very effective for the following situations:
- from
very small to large dents;
- generally
1990 model year and newer vehicles;
- the
paint has not been broken or cracked;
- the
dent is not near the edge of a panel;
- the
panel has not had previous body repair.
Admittedly,
not all damage to the body of a vehicle can be repaired with PDR
techniques due to size and location. Even color of finish can create
problems, but if a dent cannot be removed completely, often the
repair will make the damage almost unnoticeable.
A
vehicle with original paint retains a higher value than a repainted
vehicle. Even if it is just a door or a fender, it is always preferable
to maintain the original paint on a vehicle for as long as possible.
So,
how do we do it? SIMPLE, but not easy. Your PDR technician uses
specialized tools to push and shape the metal back into its original
shape from behind the dent. Depending on the size and location of
the damage, the panel can be accessed by removing trim pieces, through
window openings or by removing inner panels.
A
good, well trained technician will be able to 'read the paint' by
using reflected light to see where the dent ends, and where the
tip of the tool is. The qualified tech will know how to work the
"pressure" on the tool to move the dent out of the panel.
Once the dent is read, the tool tip found, and pressure is ready
to be applied... it becomes 75 to 80 percent flat-out patience to
"work the dent".
With
typical dent removal, the dent in slowly massaged back into its
original position, allowing the dent becomes progressively smaller
and eventually is so small it blends with the texture of the paint
and disappears completely. Surprisingly, most repairs can be completed
in one to two hours.
Of
course, prices vary depending on the location and complexity of
the repair. A typical repair would be $75-100 for a single panel,
up to several hundred dollars to repair numerous body panels. This
compares with a cost of several hundred dollars to repair and repaint
a single dent using traditional auto body repair techniques. Typically
with most repairs, savings of 50% or more can be realized over typical
body shops.
Who
does Paintless Dent Repair? PDR is available from local franchises
of national chains, independent shops, and some auto body repair
shops or automobile dealers. A quick search of the local yellow
pages or other business directories should yield several options.
Of course, since you are here, you can simply contact us in the
Houston area.
As
with any type of service, there can be a wide range of experience
levels and work quality. So it's a good idea to check with reputable
vehicle dealers, even the BBB, and they'll know who does quality
PDR work in the area.
And
don't be afraid to ask for references before you have the work done,
to ensure you receive the quality work you expect.
History
of PDR
in
the 1940's, Mercedes Benz in Stuttgart Germany began using these
techniques on the assembly lines of to repair small dings created
during the manufacturing process. These specially technicians were
referred to as "ding men". They were trained to use special tools
to gently massage the dents to perfection by working the metal from
the inside out.
Although
many of these techniques were not fully understood in the United
States, some repair techs need pick up on using the long/short curved
picks and pry bars in their normal repairs... but mostly just for
"roughing" the surface out. But this would change by the
1980's.
In
the early 1980's, PDR found its way into the Midwest of the United
States by an Argentinean body man who became frustrated with having
to fill and paint small dings and dents utilizing traditional body
shop techniques.
Today,
the PDR industry is recognized as the preferred method of repair
for dings, dents and hail.
Although
simple, it isn't easy. It can take years of practice, and always
takes tons of patience to master the "art" of removing
dents and dings from automobile sheet metal with the use of specially
designed tools. While the design of these tools are an important
aspect of the process, learning the "art" itself is the key to becoming
a professional.
The
first, you must determine how to access the damage. Let's say you
have a door with a ding in the middle of it. You would simply:
- Roll
down the window
- Place
a wedge which allows room for a tool to access the inside skin
of the metal
- Slide
a Window Protector to protect the glass from being scratched by
the tool
- Delicately
position a specially designed dent repair tool inside the panel
- Massage
the dent from the 'inside-out" until it disappears
The
process sounds easy, but requires proper training and lots of practice
to perfect.
