Dent damage can be frustrating to deal with, especially if the damage was caused by something out of your control such as hail damage, or being rear-ended. After your vehicle has been damaged one of the first things you probably do is evaluate the damage and then call your insurance company to file a claim if you have comprehensive coverage. After this, you’ll have to choose a repair shop to take your vehicle. The question is do you take it to a paint dent repair shop or a paintless dent repair shop. Both involve different methods and different results. So, what is the difference between paint dent repair and paintless dent repair?

The Method

If you have invested a lot of money into your car and kept it clean, you want to do everything you can to keep it that way, especially if your car is brand new. Driving a flawless car is a great feeling, but unfortunate things like accidents or storm damage do happen. Depending on the damage, paintless dent repair (PDR) is the way to go. The factory finish on your vehicle is the best you will ever have, and PDR will keep the original finish intact. Auto body shops will do a great job repainting, but it’s still nothing compared to your original finish. PDR is a very careful process in which technicians use special tools designed to work the dent from both sides of the metal, using a careful massage like process until the dent is gone. PDR has been the favorite method for fixing hail damage for both insurance companies and body shops. Paint Dent Repair is another options, however often involves changing parts and filling dents before repainting. Many times it is suggested to repaint the whole vehicle because it is extremely difficult to match the factory-finished paint. PDR it is the most logical option for dent repair.

The Price

Paint dent repair is typically more expensive because of parts being replaced and repainting. The process also takes a lot longer and involves more work than paintless dent repair. PDR will take an hour to a day, whereas a body shop can take three to five days or longer. To have a minor dent repaired in a typical body shop usually ranges from $350.00 to $500.00 or higher. That same dent usually can be repaired using the paintless dent repair method for a fourth of the cost!

The Value

Both methods will achieve the objective of removing a dent, but the results will not be the same. PDR is a higher quality, it is the closest you’ll get to make it look like the dent never happened without worrying about matching paint, fading, or peeling. PDR will help keep the value of your vehicle higher than paint dent repair (a repainted vehicle).

Dent Doctor specializes in restoring vehicles to pristine condition using Paintless Dent Repair. Learn more