FAQ’s About PDR

No. Examples of dents that can’t be fixed using PDR include dents that can’t be accessed, dents on the edge of a panel, and dents where the metal has been stretched beyond repair. The location and depth of the dent are the two most important factors in determining if a dent can be repaired using PDR. Large dents can be fixed successfully, as long as they are not too deep. On the other hand, some dents that are as small as a dime but very deep cannot be fixed using PDR because the metal is too stretched. Cracked paint can also be an indication that a dent is too deep.

No. Once a dent has been properly removed by one of our paintless dent repair technicians, it will not come back. Unless you re-damage the dented area, post-repair, your dent will remain fixed. We offer a limited lifetime warranty on all our repairs for as long as you own your car.

The cost of paintless dent repair or PDR varies depending on the severity of the damage to the vehicle. Removing dents using PDR is less expensive and faster than having dents repaired using traditional, filler and repainting methods. Some of the factors that determine the cost of a PDR job are:

• The number of dents on the car
• The size of the car dents
• The depth of the dents on the car
• The location of the dents on the car (accessibility)
• The type of metal

Call North American Paintless Dent Repair at (518) 769-5004 for your free, no-hassle, no-obligation dent removal estimate. We can come to your home or work location, for your convenience.

No. One of the major advantages of the paintless dent removal process is that it does not affect the warranty on the car’s paint or finish.

Damage to your car that occurs due to “Acts of God” or natural disasters such as hail, wind, or tornados, are covered by comprehensive insurance (versus collision or liability auto insurance), which most people carry. Insurance companies prefer when car repairs can be made using PDR because paintless dent repair saves them money on paint, materials, and rental cars. Minor dents such as door dings and shopping cart dents often cost less to remove than your insurance deductible. More information on hail damage repair.

Absolutely not. Many of our PDR clients are afraid to get the hail damage on their car repaired because they think their insurance rates will sky rocket. Hail damage is covered by your comprehensive insurance (see question, above) and since no one can determine when a natural disaster, such as hail, is going to occur, insurance companies will not hold these claims against your insurance record. If you have questions about hail damage repair, call us at (518) 769-5004 .

Sometimes people choose to not get their hail damage repaired and instead pocket the claim. What people often don’t realize is that if you choose to forego the hail damage repairs to your vehicle and settle your insurance claim for a cash payment, most insurance companies are obligated to put an unrelated prior damage restriction on your policy. This means you run the chance of having outstanding unrepaired damage deducted from any future Collision or Comprehensive claims on your car or that your claim can be denied until your hail damage is repaired. If you choose to repair the hail damage to your vehicle later on, you must notify your agent to have the restriction removed.

We strongly urge you not to try repairing the dent on your own. The bottom line is that you can potentially do more damage to your car, making the dent impossible to repair using PDR and costing you more money in traditional car repair charges. “Hail Damage Removal Kits” are difficult to use successfully; they can improve the appearance of a dent but probably won’t create a perfect finish. Other methods, like “Pops-a-Dent”, hairdryers, and dry ice can inflict more damage to your car, particularly the paint. Most of the time these methods just don’t work. The “tools” can’t even begin to compare with those used by professionals, and dent removal kits pull dents from the outside, unlike paintless dent repair techniques, which carefully massage and push dents out from the interior. Paintless dent repair is learned skill and vocation that requires training and lots of experience.

Paintless dent repair is often a “same-day” service. Because painting and body work are not involved, the car won’t need an extended stay at and auto body shop or dealership for prepping or curing. At North American Paintless Dent Repair, we service the Capital District and Adirondack Region and most of our work is mobile (we come to your home or business) and finished on the same day.

Dents become more visible once the car is clean and dry. If PDR is performed on a dirty car, chances are you may discover more dents that need fixing once you have it cleaned, resulting in more repairs needing to be made. We often recommend people take their car for quick run through their local car wash.

Most people judge a car by its appearance. If it looks good, they assume it has been well taken care of. If the vehicle has a relatively clean history but suffers from some door dings, paintless dent repair will help you get more interested buyers, a quicker sale, and top dollar.

Yes. Car dealerships and other leasing companies will make you pay a penalty for what they consider “excessive wear and tear.” Depending on the damage, it could be quite a hit to your wallet. The average vehicle owner incurs $1,800 in excess wear and tear damages. Avoid surprise charges by calling North American Paintless Dent Repair. Our mobile dent repair service will come to your home and remove those dents, leaving your car looking as good as new! We also repair hail damage. Call at (518) 769-5004 for a free, no-hassle, no-obligation, dent removal estimate at your home or work location.