Have you ever wondered how a hail estimate on your vehicle is written? How do body shops and paintless dent repair technicians come up with the numbers that they do? Here’s a short video on a couple of very common questions and just a basic example of how we go about pricing hail damage repairs! The vehicle used in this example was a 2017 Ford F-150 with only 1,700 miles in it! This vehicle is made completely out of aluminum and we have part of it taken apart already for this example.
First off we start by bringing the damaged vehicle inside our shop for inspection. Next we clean the vehicle of any debris and dirt, a clean surface insures us the best possible reflection, this allows us to see every minor detail of the damage. After the vehicle is cleaned off we bring out a specialized Paintless Dent Repair style light to see a high definition reflection of the damage, you can see quite a bit in the natural shop lighting but nothing compares to a professional paintless dent repair light! The damage is then scanned over with the light from multiply angles by the estimator or technician to insure every possible angle is seen and inspected for damage, this insures a proper estimate! After a dent is discovered it is then inspected for the correct size by a sizing magnetic coin or a regular coin will work, the sizing is dime, nickel, quarter, half dollar and any dent that is bigger than a half dollar is marked as an Oversized dent. This probably one of the most over looked issue is sizing in the estimate, some estimators or Technicians will just guess on size and you would be surprised at how inaccurate that is, so make sure the technician uses sizing coins to insure proper size for your estimate! Any damage over a half dollar in size is then marked out as an “OS” or oversized dent on the panel, for the rest the average size of the dents is taken then the panel is then categorized as being that specific size overall. Next the number of dents is then added up along with the specific size of oversized dents is then calculated to figure out a number for the cost of the repairs. Panels of the vehicle require access to push the damage out, we do this by removing certain pieces of trim to access the backside of the damage, the hood insulator was removed prior to the video, it is a pad that protects the hood from heat and offers a form of sound deadening to dampen the sound of the engine, this is installed on the underside of the hood with specialized retaining clips. Also in the video the headlight and headlight trim pieces were previously removed from both fenders to allow the technician access to the fenders to push out the damage. Access is then shown for both the fenders and the bottom side of the hood to give you a little idea of how the technician pushes the damage out.
If you have any questions regarding damage to your vehicle or have damage yourself that you would like repaired please give us a call at: (605) 595-4061
Hailstorms in Sioux Falls can be disconcerting at the best of times.
Loud noises, low visibility, and hail damage are common features, and there is little to nothing that can be done about it, except wait out the hailstorm in safety. The same is not always possible for your car, and it may experience hail damage on its roof, hood, trunk, and other body parts.
In such an event, immediate repairs are very important, and below, we will discuss 5 reasons why you need to repair hail damage promptly.
If your car has experienced hail damage, we highly recommend getting repairs from the experts at Sioux Falls Dent Repair in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
5 Reasons You Need to Repair Hail Damage Promptly
You may need to repair hail damage promptly due to many reasons. Here are the 5 main ones.
Impression
Your car’s condition sends onlookers a message about how well you regard your property, and a hail-damaged car can give the wrong impression.
Deterioration
The dents and dings caused by a hail storm can become very problematic as time passes. They can experience deterioration and cause the paint to crack, which exposes the body to the elements. Hence, dust and water can seep in to cause rust, which is the worst thing that can happen to any car.
Second Hail Event
If your car experiences a second hailstorm while it is still damaged from the first, it can create bigger problems. The dents and dings become even more pronounced, and this can cost you more in repairs or worse, replacement of body parts.
Resale Value
Replacement of body parts and repainting because of lack of prompt dent repairs can cause your car to lose much of its resale value.
Eligibility for Painless Dent Repair (PDR)
The longer you wait to repair the dents and dings from hail damage, the lower your chances of getting a professional Paintless Dent Repair (PDR), which is the best solution for hail damage. It can repair the dents and dings without the need for scraping, fillers, or repainting any body parts.
Benefits of Professional PDR
A professional PDR has many benefits over traditional dent repair, including:
Time Your save time because there is no replacement, repainting, or subsequent drying of paint involved in PDR.
Money The lack of material costs for parts, fillers, or paint means you only pay for a certified technician that performs the PDR, hence PDR costs less than traditional dent repair.
Resale Value Since you are not replacing parts or repainting, the original paint coat of your car is preserved, saving you a ton of money in its resale value.
Why Sioux Falls Dent Repair for PDR?
Sioux Falls Dent Repair is the best place for PDR in and around Sioux Falls, South Dakota. They have the most experienced certified technicians, who are experts in professional PDR on any make and model of cars. They only use the best PDR techniques and tools to repair your car in the fastest possible time.
If you want to learn more about why you need to repair hail damage promptly or getting a free estimate on your car’s Paintless Dent Repair, Click Here today.
