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Paintless dent repair

jsledder

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Anyone ever use the Paintless dent repair guys to get out hail damage? My pickup got hailed on at Sturgis and I'd like to get it fixed instead of living with it.
 
I have had a couple vehicles repaired for customers using my local paintless dent repair guy, The last one was a couple small dents on a 1962 Rolls Royce with lacquer paint & it was simply amazing when done :D
 
Get references! Some a very very good and you'll chit when you see the completed work. Others are not so good. It's an art and not everybody has the talent to make it perfect. You'll still be paying a good price so find the one with real talent.

Good luck
 
X2, you will see a lot of these guys rolling into town and setting up in parking lots, dealers, etc. We get crews up here about every 2-3 years when the whole city gets hailed out, and you get a little of every talent.

When you do go get the quotes, check with previous cars they have done, actually go see a before and after of a vehicle they are working on. Also, not common, but there are some that will be warrantied through local dealers, or at least dealers were working with the dent guys that set up at their lot.

Make sure you talk to them for a bit to, make sure they are one of the guys who actually knows whats going on and not just someone they hired to fill a seat and push dents to fill quota. The guy who did our vehicles owned the business and did all his own work to verify the quality his name had, explained the process in full detail to us, and then showed us exactly how he goes about different dents on different shaped panels.

Finally, compare prices! These guys come in with general prices, but as they get down to the end of the work and compitition grows to kep business teady tot he ed, they will drop prices significantly!!! They finished our truck that had one side hailed out for just over $400, at the start of their business in the area they quaoted us about $900. Wait till it slows down and show around!!!!
 
don't let them start cutting out braces to get to some of the dents. I do some and also my shop does sometimes bring in other people to repair them. It does not always fix all the dents but is a good on most quarter size and under.
 
Last year I did 38 cars myself (one storm) and there was 4 of us in the shop doing it all day long. I have been doing it for 5 years now and will tell you that it is a craft. I can doo 80% of the cars coming in with perfection but 2 years ago i bet i could only do 20% of them to perfection. Yes they will have to do some drilling but done correctly and in right spots plugs will look completely factory. Another thing to watch for is the PDR guy that does NOT have the ability to do the repair conventionaly. They will FORCE the PDR and it wont be a good repair. Take it to a combination shop and preferably one like ours that offers a "lifetime" warranty. If they will stand behind it that long your confidence should be in them.

**another thing, If you decide to cash settle and not have it repaired be sure and get several estimates as the ins. will always write them short and they are planning on supplements...so if you dont get it fixed they will be saving big $$.
 
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I'm interested in this as well since same storm blasted my truck and RV north of Gillette.

If it was a large storm there will be a swarm of PDR guys looking to get in on the action. Stop by any of the car dealers there, they may know and have used a very good one. If they're really good they may let you watch as they skillfully push out a dent, and they'll do it without cracking the paint or having to sand a polish the area. If you see any of that, run and find someone else. Sometimes chit happens and you'll get a crack. But after you've seen a crap load of cracked paint with crappy polishing around each area, you'll know what I mean.
There are a lot of panels to be removed to gain access to push. The fly by night won't give a crap how many things get cracked or poorly re assembled. <Another factor in choosing a PDR guy/Gal.



Good luck
 
I am 250 miles away from where it got hit so I'm not going to be checking out the hail chasers. I plan on checking out the local body shops that have a good reputation. There are a few good dings on the corners though and I don't like the sound of "drilling" at all.

Anyone want to buy a nice, with slight hail damage, 07.5 Dodge Mega Cab with 35k miles??? I've got it set up to get 20+ mpg and good power.
 
I am 250 miles away from where it got hit so I'm not going to be checking out the hail chasers. I plan on checking out the local body shops that have a good reputation. There are a few good dings on the corners though and I don't like the sound of "drilling" at all.

Anyone want to buy a nice, with slight hail damage, 07.5 Dodge Mega Cab with 35k miles??? I've got it set up to get 20+ mpg and good power.

BUT, did you have fun?

I saw three autolite glass vans pulling into town this morning as I was leaving for work.
 
I am 250 miles away from where it got hit so I'm not going to be checking out the hail chasers. I plan on checking out the local body shops that have a good reputation. There are a few good dings on the corners though and I don't like the sound of "drilling" at all.

Anyone want to buy a nice, with slight hail damage, 07.5 Dodge Mega Cab with 35k miles??? I've got it set up to get 20+ mpg and good power.

I will buy it...wholesale money less retail hail estimate as long as its a diesel.
 
6.7L Cummins with all the emissions crap removed. I would probably put OEM stuff back on though unless the price was right, and look for a similar truck to put it on.

Going Wed/Thursday to talk to a few body shops and get some estimates, if they have to drill and repaint then I'm going to start looking for a different ride, unless they will repaint the whole truck which wont happen cause it's only on 1 side and not all the panels are bruised.
 
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