Paintless dent removal (PDR) is a modern method of repairing vehicle dents that do not require paint or body filler. PDR can repair most dents on a panel as long as the surrounding paint is intact and can return your car to a smooth showroom finish without invasive bodywork.
While PDR can solve a variety of dings and dents to your vehicle, it’s not quite an all-purpose for panel repairs, and there are some situations where paintless dent removal isn’t possible.
So, for this article, we’ll be looking at what damage paintless dent removal can (and cannot) fix, so you can better understand your options if your vehicle has accidentally been damaged.
What Damages Can Paintless Dent Removal Fix?
PDR is the quickest and most effective means of repair for minor dents. As long as the paint and the panel at the point of impact are still fully intact, the flexibility in paintless dent removal techniques means that PDR applies to just about any dent where the paint has not been scratched off.
Some examples of minor dents that paintless dent removal can repair include:
Small-Object Damage
These dents are caused by either hailstones or a stray ball (football, basketball, etc.). Given that these dents usually have a uniform shape without any severe damage to the paint job, they are often a prime choice for paintless dent removal.
Minor Knocks and Collisions
These accidental dents are slightly more complex than rounded dents. Still, as long as there is no severe creasing, minimal paint damage, and the dent is an easily accessible spot, PDR is an effective method of repairing these types of dents.
What Factors Affect The Effectiveness of Paintless Dent Removal?
In general, whether or not a specific dent can be repaired using paintless dent removal is determined by the complexity and depth of the dent. The more complex or deeper the dent, the less effective PDR may be at restoring your vehicle to its original condition. Dent depth and complexity will also affect the cost of PDR, with larger and more complex dents costing more.
In addition, the elasticity of the metal also plays a crucial role in determining if paintless dent removal can return a body panel to its original shape. For example, older vehicles with thicker body panels.
Furthermore, different vehicles may have varying degrees of paint elasticity, influencing how easily the paint cracks under stress. If your vehicle’s paint job is cracked, it’s often recommended that you opt for repainting and traditional dent repair rather than PDR.
Which Parts Of The Car Are Best Suited To Paintless Dent Removal?
Generally speaking, so long as the damage is minor, the paint is still intact, and if a technician can easily access the back of the dented area, that part of the car is suitable for paintless dent removal.
Of course, this depends on the vehicle, car part material, and how well the vehicle’s paint will respond to PDR. As a result, it is best to contact professional paintless dent removal specialists so that they can properly assess your vehicle and determine whether or not PDR is appropriate for your situation.
What Vehicles Can Be Repaired With Paintless Dent Removal?
So long as your vehicle is made out of a repairable material, there’s a high chance that you can use paintless dent removal to remove any minor dents from it. But for the best PDR results, you should always opt for an experienced paintless dent removal specialist to have your vehicle repaired.
What Is Paintless Dent Removal Unable To Fix?
Damage To The Vehicle’s Paint Coating
Painless dent removal is always an option as long as a panel is not scratched, chipped, or otherwise damaged. However, paintless dent removal isn’t recommended if there has been damage to the paint coating, as repainting the panel is necessary to prevent the metal underneath the paint from rusting.
Creased Or Torn Metal
While minor creases should be no problem for your local paintless dent removal professionals, there isn’t much PDR can do for heavily creased or torn vehicle panels. If the panels are severely damaged, the best option is to go through a standard panel repair procedure and replace the damaged panels.
Non-Metal Car Parts
Because paintless dent removal relies on metal memory, car parts made of materials other than metal, such as plastics, fibreglass, and carbon fibre, cannot be repaired using PDR and must be replaced entirely.
Fix Your Car With Paintless Dent Removal At Brighton Panel Works Today
Looking for paintless dent removal specialists with experience repairing prestige vehicles such as Audi, Volkswagen, BMW, and more, look no further than Brighton Panel Works. Our team of highly-trained and dedicated technicians will be sure to provide you with the best paintless dent removal services available in Melbourne. Get in touch with us today!