We often get asked “What Kind of Dents Can Be Fixed?” Not every dent is the same and there are many variables when determining what can and cannot be fixed. Even down to each person may have their own standard for a repair.
Shallow Dents
These are typically the easiest to repair assuming we can get a tool to the backside to push the damage out. Even shallow dents in certain metals, lets say aluminum, high strength steel or stainless steel though create extra difficulties. Because these metals are stronger even though they may be physically thinner does not mean they are easy to remove dents from. Stronger metals make even a shallow impact point difficult to remove. This is especially true when we cannot push the damage out and have to use the glue pulling method.
A perfect example for this is kitchen appliances or washer and dryers. Most of todays appliances and the current trend is stainless steel. We have attempted to make repairs on these items and more often then not are NOT able to repair the damage to our satisfaction. That does not mean the customer is not extremely happy with the repair however. If a person can have a dent removed lets say 80 t o 90% that is fantastic for them. The reason being is their alternative for a repair might even be as extreme as replacing the appliance!
Deep Dents
There are many degrees of deep dents. What someone may consider deep we might consider not repairable. We even have a tool called a Dent Depth Gauge from Black Plague PDR to help measure the depth of dents to better estimate damage and know for sure prior to the repair how the damage will turn out. For our pricing structure we are talk tenths of millimeters for depth.
Our pricing guide prices out depths as so:
Shallow Depth <.25mm
Medium Depth: .26-.75mm
Deep Depth: .76+mm
We have repaired dents into the 2mm deep range, but also struggled repairing dents in the 1.0mm range. This is where access to the backside is extremely important. Not only for a dent repair tool but also specialized metal shrinking tools as well.
Here is our dent depth gauge being used to measure the depth of a dent (2mm+)
Glue Pull Dent Repair
When we cannot push damage out with a traditional tool we have to resort to the glue pulling method for repairs. Here we use specialized hot metal adhesives to glue a glue tab to the vehicles paint finish. Don’t worry this entire process is designed specifically for this and will not harm the vehicles factory finish. From there we let the glue try sometimes for only a few seconds. We then use specialized glue pulling devices to pull the damage out. From there we use a release agent to release the glue from the vehicle and it peels right off.
Traditional Methods
The best choice for us to repair dents is to be able to glue pull AND push damage out with a traditional tools. Even extreme damage we may start using the glue pull method to pull a bunch of the damage out. Once the damage has been pulled out we then can go in with a tool and do the final details to finish up a dent repair.
We always tell people 80% of the repair is ONLY 20% of the work. The last 20% of the repair IS 80% of the work. This is why you might see others do repairs and they look not quite finished, or much “better”. Say for instance you have a repair that takes a technician 4-5 hours. It might only take him a hour or so to “rough” the damage out or get it to 80%. The biggest battle is getting the minor waves, wiggles, low and high spots all flat.
Do you have questions about our dent removal process?
There are multiple Dent Repair Estimating software companies available. The one we choose is Mobile Tech Rx. We had a chance to see about some of the new and upcoming features at the 2019 Mobile Tech Expo in Las Vegas.
New Features in Mobile Tech Rx
Jack Bucknell, a paintless dent repair technician with us at Sioux Falls Dent Repair had some time to chat with the crew at Mobile Tech Rx while at the 2019 Mobile Tech Expo in Las Vegas. They discussed with us some of the newest features in their auto reconditioning program. We personally use this software for our paintless dent repair invoicing and estimating and it works fantastic.
If you’re into running business numbers you are in luck. They now have an analytics feature where you can break down every category in your business and track everything. It is mind blowing what you can now do and track in your business.
Here we have our lead technician, Jack Bucknell with us at Sioux Falls Dent Repair, Showing you some damage we repaired in this 2012 Buick Verano. This damage is quite extreme for paintless dent repair but with the right tools and enough patience this damage can be worked out and removed using the Paintless Dent Repair method.
Accessing The Damage
We start off this repair by taking the vehicle apart to gain access to the backside. First accessing the trunk area then removing multiple components. We first take out the spare tire cover along with some interior trim panels. Then we remove the tail light assembly follows by lowering the bumper cover on the left hand side. We have to lower the bumper down in order to gain access to the bottom edge so that we can better work the edge of the damage out.
Tools Used
Multiple tools ranging from Ultra dent tools, Dent Craft tools, Dent Dials all for pushing. We then use knockdowns from VIP, Edgy Tools and more. For our hammer selections we are using the Daniel Gromm 144 from Carbon Tech PDR Tools, we also use the Shane Jacks Signature Series Jackhammer fit with tips from Edgy tools, specifically using the Knockers tip in multiple sizes.
Things Are Heating Up
Some technicians as well as ourselves also use a Map gas or propane torch as well for heat, but with this damage requiring a constant heat, plus we are in a shop environment so we have power to run a heat gun, this is the best course of action. Also the Get a Grip arm with a heat gun was an absolute must for this repair.
Finish Time
Time to put the vehicle back together for the customer. Then we test all of the components manually to make sure they all work. A Pre Diagnostic computer scan is than ran on the vehicle. This insures all of the vehicle components are working after the repairs are made and everything is put back together correctly and that the computer systems are communicating correctly.
This repair was made in just ONE DAY. We started on this repair in the morning and finished in the afternoon. The customer was only without their vehicle for a day for this repair making it quick and simple for them. No need to go to a body shop for this type of damage. No hassles of having body work, repainting, bondo and then later sand scratches showing up or color miss matches like with a body shop. This damage does not register on a Carfax History Report when choosing Paintless Dent Repair and will not devalue your vehicle like a body shop repair will. There will no be indication there was ever damage to your vehicle with this type of repair method.
Do you have more questions or need a repair done on your own vehicle?
Should I Fix The Dents In My Vehicle Before Selling It?
This is often why people seek out our services.
People often ask: Should I fix the dents in my vehicle before selling it?
Do you want to get top dollar for your trade in or the sale of your vehicle?
Maybe you don’t want to deal with a long drawn out negotiation on your asking price?
Having a dent free vehicle allows you to have more power in the negotiation part of a deal.
Even a few dents in your vehicle can greatly depreciate what a person will give you for it!
One Hail of an Experience
A while back we ended up fixing some hail damage in a customers 2017 Ram 1500 Pickup. This customer bought it with light hail damage already on it. He ended up getting a great price if he was willing to live with the hail damage.
This customer had this vehicle for 3 years and finally decided to part ways with it. This Ram had extremely low miles on it, right around 15k for a 3 year old vehicle! He ended up taking it to a local car lot to see about trading it in on one of their vehicles. The minute the lot saw that it had hail damage they flat out told him “We are not interested in your trade!” Can you believe that! Now granted yes this was hail damage, but even the customer said prior to our appointment with him that he could only see around 12 dents on the hood. Once we pulled it into our shop and gave it a full look over we counted close to 50 dents on the hood alone!
What Does The Car Lot Know That You Don’t Know?
The reason being is because they know what a person can see outside in the sunlight is one thing. Once a Professional Paintless Dent Repair Company has a look at the vehicle they know they will find much more damage. More damage makes the repair bill higher, allowing them to not make as much money on the sale. We are sure the reason they basically ran away from this vehicle is because the have been burned in the past thinking the same thing. Oh it just has a couple dents in it, as they look at it in the bright sun in a parking lot. Then when they go to sell the vehicle thinking they will get away with the “few” dings it has in it and the new customer brings it home and gets it in their garage the new customer is horrified to find 50-100 dents on just one panel! This does not make the dealer lot look good and puts a bad taste in the customers mouth about their recent purchase! Sadly we have seen this first hand many times from customers.
Hail of a Relief
So to follow up on the above mentioned Ram Story. We ended up getting the vehicle repaired for the customer and the hood is now dent free. We were even able to make these repairs in one day! The customer simply dropped his truck off in the morning and picked it up that evening, dent free! We even went around other parts of the vehicle and removed some other small dents we found on it as well. The customer ended up having no problems selling his vehicle and is now it a newer ride for himself.
I Only Have Minor Dents and Dings, No Hail Damage
Sometimes customers of ours are simply only fixing their dents in their vehicles because they are looking to sell it. We get it, it is very common. We are able to work with you on this process and get your vehicle dent free again and fast! Most of our repairs can be performed in a day! When a car lot factors in the cost to repair dents and dings they are always going to go to the worst case scenario. For them the worst case scenario is a body shop. A body shop may want anywhere from $500 to over $1,000 to paint just a single panel! Even if they know the damage can be repaired using Paintless Dent Repair they always assume the worse, and offer you the lowest amount. This is a negotiation tactic and they are the best in the business with negotiating, it’s what they do!
Conclusion
So the next time you think about selling your vehicle and think, should I Fix The Dents In My Vehicle Before Selling It. The answer is simply Yes. Bbe sure to contact your local Dent Repair Specialists.
They will be able to assess your damage and give you an honest and straightforward answer.
If you would like to talk about some of the damages in your vehicle feel free to contact us in whichever way is most convenient for you!
The 2020 Dent Olympics Training is the first seminar of its kind, this event was hosted by DentRepair.com
This is a Yearly Dent Repair Competition. It has been going on since the early 2000’s and is held yearly at the Mobile Tech Expo (MTE) and for the past few years has been in Orlando Florida sometime in January.
This event featured world know technician Žan Vidic. He has won multiple awards for multiple past competitions. He even went on to win not only the 2020 Dent Olympics but also the first ever Dent Olympics Tag Team event! What an honor it was to be taught by one of the best technicians in the world! Dave Streen was also presenting to give his theories for the repair, Dave is a 20 year technician and has worked all over the world repairing vehicles with Paintless Dent Repair. He also owns Edgytools.com
Both Žan and Dave competed in the IASRE Dent Repair Competition in Japan in 2019, we plan to attend this event with both of these technicians in 2020! JAPAN HERE WE COME!
The Training
This event started off with some class room discussion and theories. This was very basic and to get your head in the right mindset.
Time To Go To Work
We then started with a dent in this vehicle and had to repair it “our way” in 45 minutes with no help just like in the competition. This set a baseline for the technician to see where they were at and how they could improve.
We were then assessed on our damage repair. From there we had a round table type of discussion on everything about our specific repairs. Every technicians repair was evaluated. Everyone in the room learned something from everyone’s repair. It was a fantastic and very eye opening experience for everyone, INCLUDING the trainers!
After everyone was evaluated it was time to see Zan himself go to work. We all discussed about the process and watched a live dent repair done by the multiple championship winner himself! Everyone was mind blown at not only how fast he is but also his technique. I know everyone learned something by watching him work his methods!
Paintless Dent Removal- Dent Olympics Training
Round 2 FIGHT!
With this new knowledge we then all repaired one of the same dents again. This time we were put on the opposite side of the vehicle, just to change things up. The results were astonishing, the speed, precision, and final results speak for themselves. Now armed with this new knowledge, a different selection of tools used the results were amazing! We couldn’t believe the difference this class made to our repair styles and techniques.
Paintless Dent Repair – Dent Olympics Training
Sioux Falls Dent Repair – Training
Paintless Dent Removal- Dent Olympics Training
Sioux Falls Dent Repair – Training
Dent Repair – Sioux Falls Dent Repair
If you are a serious technician about Paintless Dent Repair, we would STRONGLY recommend you attend next years seminar.
You will not only learn a ton of new knowledge but you will also get to put those new skills and knowledge to the test INSTANTLY!
A huge thanks to DentRepair.com, Dave Streen and Zan Vidic for putting this seminar on! Also to Kevin Andrews for his additional help and training during the seminar.
Also a big thanks goes out to the TDN Group and Inventure Tools for letting us train at their facility!
