Hail Damage Questions
Here we answer some of the most common questions we have after a hail storm hits your vehicle.
Do you have other questions?
Drilling Holes For Paintless Dent Repair
Did you know that drilling a hole in your vehicles door to repair a dent can affect the safety of your vehicle?
Paintless Dent Repair and the need for drilling holes to access dents is often, unfortunately a common thought.
We often get asked by customers: “Can you just drill a hole and do paintless dent repair?”
In this video we have our technician Jack explaining why in today’s vehicles drilling holes for paintless dent repair is just not an option.
What dents are we removing?
We are removing some door dents in this 2016 Lincoln MKX Door. This damage is pretty typical for a door style dent. Often times around the handle area and ranging from middle to lower areas in the door shell.
How do we gain access to remove this damage?
In order for us to work on this damage and gain access to the backside we cannot use our traditional methods.
What is our traditional method?
We would be to roll the window down and install a plastic or metal window guard and go down the window channel. From there we would use our tools to massage the damage out. Now with this vehicle having the type of glass it does, we cannot do that.
If you want to learn more about the glass in this vehicle you can check out our whole video and read our description of that, Just Click Here
What is involved in drilling a hole for access?
Certain companies or technicians would get around this access issue with just drilling a hole in the side of the door and going in through that way for access. That way they don’t have to take anything apart and have no worries with damaging the glass.
Now from here there are many ways a technician can go.
-Some would simply just plug the whole with a generic plug and call it a day(the worst way). Sometimes they don’t even plug the hole at all!
-Some would use touch up paint to coat the spot that was just drilled. Remember it is now bare metal where the panel was drilled and could create a spot for corrosion(rust) to occur. Then apply a generic plug to this area.
-Some would spray cavity wax down the door so that it will then coat the metal filings in the bottom of the door. Remember these are BARE metal filings from drilling that will be exposed to water and rust eventually, this rust can then spread to your door and rust out your door!
They then would use touch up paint on the whole and plug it. They might even take it a step further and use some type of adhesive to coat the plug when installed to better seal this opening.
The Loophole Option
Some will even say they don’t drill. Sounds good right?
From there the company would use a punch, yes an actual metal punch to PUNCH a hole in the panel. I’m not making this up. This is a “loophole” some technicians use to get around this known issue and fear of drilling a hole, some do this because they have a cooperate policy or a no drill policy with the car lot. I’ve seen it many times and it is extremely concerning. It can be amazing being in the auto industry and some of the things you see, not only from small independent shops but even in dealerships. It’s insane, anyways moving on.
Why is drilling a hole bad?
We are specifically talking about a hole in a door in this example. The reason this is a bad repair method is because of one thing, air pressure sensors and air bag sensors. Manufactures often have at least one and most of the time both of these sensors in the door. Both the air bag door sensor and the door pressure sensor detect if there is an impact. If your door has an extra hole in it that was not there from the factory it can throw off the timing and sensitivity of these sensors. Some people would argue it’s just a hole, its not a big deal, ect. We we would like to counter that and state that vehicles are built a specific way for special reasons.
There is a reason the manufacture built the vehicle a certain way and with certain components in special places. They spend millions if not billions of dollars building their own vehicles, if they did it this way there is a reason, the last thing you would want to do is do anything the compromise the safety of a vehicle for your customer.
Learn More By Watching This Video!
Here are some actual holes in vehicles
One thing that makes these pictures even worse is the fact of the dented areas that the tech drilled a hole for are often not even fixed properly. The damaged areas are often pimpled up with high spots, cracked paint and low spots. On top of that now your vehicle has a hole or sometimes multiple holes in it, ruining the structural integrity of the panel.
This is an extreme example, but shows just what some technicians will do to try and access a dent, this is an extremely unprofessional and probably a new technician.
Some holes drilled into a Quarter panel area on a vehicle.
Here is another example of a poor repair. This technician did nothing to cover the bare metal after a hole was drilled.
Do you have more questions or need a repair done on your own vehicle?
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Dent Repair Myths
“How hard can it be?”
You might ask yourself “how hard can dent repair be?” You’ve done many do it yourself style repairs throughout the years. Things around the house from minor repairs such as a door handle change. Maybe you even do major items such as plumbing, electrical or roofing. You change your own oil on your car and do other auto repairs, why not pop your own dent out? Today we are going to talk to you about do it your self dent repairs.
Dent Repair Myths
- Dent just pop out
- Use suction cups to suck the dents out
- Use magnets to pull the damage out
- Applying dry ice to the dent will make it come out
- Heat like a hair drier makes the dents come out
- Pour hot or even boiling water on the dent makes it come out
- Applying a cold spray to the dent, perhaps even after heating makes the dent come out
- Park your car in the hot sun and the dents will work there way out from the heat
Do these methods work?
Have you seen a video of a person putting a suction cup on a big dent on a car and pulling on it. The dent makes a popping noise as the suction cup comes off and the dent looks gone. Well it appears to look gone. Once it is looked at at multiply angles the damage will looks wavy or at least less noticeable. To some people this is exactly what they want. They want the damage to be not such a big eye sore, or noticeable at be the most affordable for price. For this expectation this might be the perfect solution. To others that want the damage to look as if it never happened and completely undetectable this is not an acquitted fix.
Once a repair is attempted its is often not fixable or much more difficult to make a proper repair.
Magnets and Hair Driers
We do not use any type of magnets to pull any type of damage out, and hair driers if used improperly can actually cause paint damage by overheating it. If the paint in say a white vehicle is overheated it will get yellow or brown and the only fix for this is to now repaint the panel. This damage can happen in other colors but it is harder to see in darker colors.
Cold and Dry Ice
There is an old school method of shrinking the metal when it is over stretched. When the metal can be pushed up as a high spot then lightly pushed on and it falls back in, and it will flip flop back and forth. To shrink metal you must put it through a very fast heat and cold cycle. To do this you take a torch and extremely heat the metal (burn the paint) then cool it off very fast with water(not dry ice). This again was a old school method and requires repainting to be done. Today’s vehicles are made up with different metals then they were back in the good ol’ days. Most new metals are actually extremely weakened when heated.
Parking In The Sun
For parking in the sun, the reason people tend to think this makes the dents go away is cause they are typically looking at their vehicle in the parking lot. Most dont have anything to compare the damage to except for clouds and the sun, these are the worst conditions to look at a cars panels for dents because you cannot accurately see anything. This is why when looking for damage the best conditions are in a shop setting.
Hopefully this answers any of your do it yourself questions, if you happen to have any other questions or have a dent you need repaired, give us a call:
605-595-4061
Fast and Affordable Hail Repair in Dell Rapids | Sioux Falls Dent Repair
In South Dakota, hail is a seasonal threat that causes countless drivers immeasurable stress every year. Dell Rapids is no exception. With the latest tools and techniques, we have set out to minimize the effects of hail on everyone’s daily lives. Sioux Falls Dent Repair can remove dings caused by hailstorms quickly and efficiently without ruining the paint finish on your car. We’ve maintained our reputation of always providing safe and secure hail repair to Dell Rapids customers for over a decade.
Fast & Affordable Hail Repair in Dell Rapids
Body shops are known for being pricey, especially when it comes to hail repair. They use resource and labor intensive methods that often require repainting, panel removal, and filling. Not only are these materials expensive, but the steps involved are also time consuming. This is a very inefficient way to repair small dents. If your paint is chipped or cracked, then a body shop might be the only option. However, for minor body damage like simple door dings a professional PDR crew is the way to go.
State of The Art Tools and Techniques
Our experts use a variety of tools and techniques to remove dents of all shapes and sizes. Nearly any dent, as long as it hasn’t cracked the pain, can be fixed using paintless dent repair. We are only limited by a few factors such as:
- Dent Depth – If the dent small but very deep then the risk of tearing the metal is far too high.
- Dent Location – Repairing dents on panel/door edges is difficult because the metal is tight and not very malleable.
If your car was struck by a hail storm recently, call our PDR pros today at 605-595-4061. We’ll help you every step of the way. That includes:
- Assessing the damage and providing an initial quote
- Filling out insurance papers (if you decide to file a claim)
- Finding a rental car (if necessary)
- Returning your vehicle dent free!
Our Most Asked Questions About Harrisburg Hail Repair
Hail Storm + Car = Worst Nightmare
Hail, depending on the severity, can cause extensive damage to your car. This can greatly affect its value. Has your beautiful car been recently damaged by hail? Do you need a reliable, experienced, and competent Harrisburg hail repair company to fix it?
Sioux Falls Dent Repair is the best hail repair solution for Harrisburg, Dell Rapids, Hartford, and the Sioux Falls area! We know how important your vehicle is to you. Our satisfaction is seeing your car restored back to its pre-hail damaged state. Our technicians are certified and well-trained in the latest technology. We can effectively remove the dents and dings caused by hail without interfering with the original factory paint color of your car.
Some Frequent Questions About Hail Damage
Do you offer a free damage assessment?
Yes, we do. We will provide a free no-obligation damage assessment of your vehicle. Use the contact form on our website to provide us with all the information required.
What type of hail damage do you repair?
We can fix all types of hail damage regardless of how big or small the damage is. However, if the paint has been chipped you may be better off with a body shop.
How long does hail repair take in Harrisburg?
We can remove most dents and dings in less than two hours; some are even done in under 30 minutes. However, it may take up to a week if the damage is deep and extensive.
How is hail damage repaired in Harrisburg?
Most hail dents are classified as minor, and for this, we used the Paintless dent repair (PDR) method in removing every trace of the dent from your automobile. PDR is a low-cost, time-saving, and environmentally friendly method of removing dents from an automobile. PDR does not involve the use of paint and is equally effective on both steel and aluminum panels. However, the use of PDR remains limited if the dent is deep, the paint is chipped, or if the metal is stretched too far.
In Harrisburg, hail repair is a certified service center with expertise in repairing every dent on your automobile. Be it because of hail damage, door dings, creases, or minor collision, by using the Paintless dent repair method. Our joy always is to exceed your expectations after removing the dents from your car.
Common Questions About Our Hartford Dent Repair Service
We are the dent repair place for Hartford. We take care of all your worries about the dents on your automobile. Everyone would like to drive a car that is dent-free. However, this is almost impossible in the age we live. Dents and dings are unwanted guests on our cars, sometimes caused by our own error in judgment while driving. Other causes include hailstorms, fallen branches, vehicle doors, door creases, bicycles, just to mention a few. The presence of dents affects your vehicles in many ways. It mars the appearance and equally lowers its value.
However, with Sioux Falls Dent Repair servicing the Hardford area, we offer Paintless dent repair (PDR) service. With PDR, you can repair damage caused by hail storms, door dings, large dent, and minor creases on your automobile. PDR compared to the conventional dent removal method is quicker, safer, and more affordable.
Hartford Dent Repair Frequently Asked Questions
1. How long does paintless dent repair take?
This normally depends on the size and place of the dent. Small dents can easily be removed in a couple hours. However, dents caused by hail storms can take several days to remove depending on the extent of the damage.
2. How much does paintless dent repair cost?
There are many variables that determine the cost of repairing damage caused by dents using paintless dent repair(PDR). Some of these include the extent of the damage, what caused the damage, and where on the vehicles it’s located. We can provide a quote online or over the phone if you fill out our contact form.
3. Does paintless dent repair have any side effects?
Paintless dent repair has no side effect on your vehicle or the environment. We don’t use paint, filler, or any other substance with harmful chemicals or gases.
4. Will my vehicle paint be damaged?
No. Paintless dent repair does not in any way affect the paint of your automobile. Paintless dent repair remains the only way to remove dents on your vehicle and still keep your factory car paint.
5. Can Paintless Dent Repair fix any dent on my vehicle?
Depth and location are the two most important factors that determine if Paintless Dent Repair can repair a dent. If a dent is small but deep, the use of PDR might not be able to fix such because it might involve stretching the metal. However, PDR can effectively fix 95 percent of minor dents that are small but not too deep.
6. What are the risks of wrong color matching using PDR?
There is no risk of incorrect color matching, as PDR does not involve the use of paint in removing the dents on your automobile.
Paintless dent repair offers a fast, affordable, and environmentally friendly way to keep your vehicle value high with a flawless finish. Our Hartford dent repair team uses state of the art tools and industry leading repair methods to carefully remove any minor body damage without a trace. Call us today at 605-595-4061 for a free damage estimate today!