Wanting to keep a vehicle in pristine condition, like when rolled off the showroom floor, is something most car owners strive for. Your investment must stay decent when you're paying hundreds a month on a car payment and insurance. While you can do your part with cleaning it inside and out or even doing the premium maintenance needed, things can happen.
With hail affecting millions of cars each year, there is a massive industry for hail repair. Shops can perform several services to save your vehicle from the dents and dings while restoring its finish to how it was before the storm. If your car has unfortunately been hit by hail, you're probably looking for repairs and wondering what you should expect. Will all the dents are gone, and how much will it cost?
Cost?
The cost of dent repair varies on a few factors. Some of these include the dent's location, the severity of the damage, and what method the technician has to use on the space. Paintless dent repair, or PDR, has been a godsend for auto body technicians, as it resolves the frustration of having to use filler, and spending hours filling the dimpled metal surfaces. You can expect to pay a few hundred dollars, out of pocket, for a dent or two, or much more if the surface is completely disfigured.
If you turn a claim in to the insurance company, you might not have to pay anything, except your deductible. Check with your insurance company to determine what is allowed, what they will pay for. In some cases, auto body shops, when giving you an estimate, can work with your insurance and find out how much is covered based on your policy and what you will owe.
How Long Is The PDR Process?
How many dents do you have? PDR is an art. The technician has to gain access behind the dent to massage it out. If this is impossible or too difficult, another method may be used. In general, it only takes an hour to get out a dent, which cuts repair times down significantly when compared to having to fill and paint. Though it's not a perfect science, PDR has made it possible to perform mobile repairs at customers' homes. This is extremely convenient.
Results
With paintless dent repair, you can expect great results for the money. If the paint on your vehicle wasn't damaged, then it should look like nothing had happened. PDR is excellent for bumper dents, or those caused by hail storms.