So, you find the perfect car and find out it was repaired by PDR (Paintless Dent Repair). Should you buy it or walk away? In most cases, it is perfectly fine to buy a car repaired by PDR and it could actually save you money.
For most car dents, PDR is the superior method of repair. The biggest benefit is that the factory paint is not harmed or damaged during the entire dent removal process. The paint and finish have a direct impact on the overall value of the vehicle. Secondly, PDR does not require aftermarket replacement parts as the vehicle’s original parts are repaired back to the condition it was in before the damage occurred. This produces a more precise repair when compared to a conventional auto body shop. In other words, if a car has a dent or even hail damage, you WANT to use PDR.
While PDR is the best choice in most cases, there are still things that you should look for.
Repaired by PDR – Quality Matters
When done right, from a high-quality PDR shop, the vehicle should look like it never had any body-work done to it. No dents, dips or crooked lines should be visible and the paint should look perfect. This isn’t always the case as repair quality can vary between shops.
Get a Hail Inspection
If you are unsure or don’t know exactly what you are looking for, get an inspection. Especially, in the case of hail damage. Many dents are so slight that they are not visible to the naked eye. Experienced PDR technicians can easily spot dents and they use special lighting to find the smallest ones. This is important. If the vehicle had a hail damage claim but was never repaired, it may not be insurable. Worst case, if you get into an accident the insurance may even deduct the amount of hail repair first before paying the claim. The Dent Company offers free hail inspections at all of our locations. We’ll be able to tell you exactly what you are looking at and the cost of repairs, if any.
Auto Hail Repair
Hail damage is what made Paintless Dent Repair so popular. While the vehicle may have been repaired by a PDR company, it may have still have been sent to a body shop for additional repairs. For example, if the paint is chipped or a body panel has severe damage it would exceed the limitations of PDR. In these cases, conventional auto body shop repairs would be needed. You should inspect the paint to make sure it matches and the gaps between body panels are uniform. If you know the vehicle has gone through auto hail repair in the past, definitely have it inspected before you consider buying it.
CARFAX Does Not Always Tell The Full Story
If the vehicle you are considering purchasing shows a CARFAX entry for hail damage, you may be fine and even save some money. Insurance companies almost always send vehicles to a body shop for hail damage as they usually have an existing relationship with one in the area. If the vehicle is a good candidate for PDR, they may send it off to a facility that specializes in it. The Dent Company works with various body shops in this manner. If this is the case and the vehicle had a quality repair by PDR then you shouldn’t have anything to worry about. Use that negative mark in CARFAX to negotiate a lower price.
Should You Buy A Car With Hail Damage?
Are you thinking about buying a car with hail damage and getting it repaired to save some money? It’s probably not a good idea. Private owners and some dealerships will run a “Hail Sale” and offer vehicles with existing damage at a reduced price. In most cases, they have filed a claim, received their settlement and cashed the check without repairing the vehicle…hence the deep discount. In some cases, the hail damage is slight and acceptable as it still drives fine. As we mentioned above, call your insurance company and find out if it can be insured. Getting hail damage repaired without insurance, auto hail repair can get very expensive, real quick. PDR charges per dent and in the case of hail damage, there could be several hundred of them. It is probably not a good idea to buy a vehicle with hail damage. This is especially true if the paint is damaged in any way. Then you are looking at another huge expense.
Bottom Line
The bottom line is that a quality PDR facility can restore a new or used car to the exact condition it was in before the dent(s). PDR is a permanent fix and the dents will not return. If you find a car repaired by PDR and it looks good, then you should feel confident that it is as good as it was before the repair.
At The Dent Company, all of our work is backed by a written Lifetime Warranty and a Satisfaction Guarantee. Word of mouth and customer satisfaction has made The Dent Company successful from day one, and we never forget that. We want to be your go-to dent company and the one you tell your friends about.
The Dent Company
(866) 685-4245
The Auto Hail Repair Experts
America’s Dent Co.