Which Dents Can Be Fixed with Paintless Dent Repair?

The majority of everyday car dents can be fixed with paintless dent repair, provided the paint surface is undamaged. This includes car park dings, door dents, hail damage, minor collision dents, and shopping trolley impacts. The key criteria are paint integrity, metal accessibility, and the severity of the metal displacement. Most dents that have not cracked the paint are strong candidates.

Dents That Are Ideal for PDR

Round, low-crown dents – the kind created by hailstones, car park bollards, or shopping trolleys – are the easiest and most common PDR repairs. The metal has been pushed in without creasing, the paint is intact, and the repair can often be completed in under an hour. Door dings from adjacent car doors fall into this category and are repaired daily at Dent Detail PDR.

Larger, shallower dents – sometimes called low-crown damage – also respond very well to PDR. A dent that covers a significant area but has not been pushed in deeply can often be resolved completely without paint or filler. This type of damage is common on bonnets, roofs, and boot lids after minor impacts.

More Challenging But Often Still Repairable

Creases – sharp-edged dents caused by an angled or sliding impact – are more demanding than round dents but are frequently repairable. The outcome depends on the crease depth and sharpness. Shallow creases, even on character lines, are often resolved completely. Deep, sharp creases on body lines are the most technically demanding repairs in PDR, but skilled technicians tackle them regularly.

Dents near panel edges, where access from behind is restricted, can often still be repaired using glue pull technique from the outside of the panel. Dents on aluminium panels are repairable with the correct technique and tooling. Dents on prestige vehicles are repairable with appropriate care for their tighter tolerances.

Dents That Cannot Be Fixed with PDR Alone

If the paint is cracked, chipped, or scraped at the point of impact, the metal restoration can still be performed by PDR, but the paint damage will require a conventional repair afterwards. Very deep, sharp creases with significant metal stretching may exceed what PDR can fully restore. Structural damage – involving the inner body, chassis, or load-bearing components – is beyond the scope of PDR.

When Another Company Says It Cannot Be Fixed

PDR skill levels vary considerably across the industry. Jobs that one technician declines may be well within the capability of a more experienced or better-equipped operator. If you have been told that your dent cannot be fixed, it is worth sending photos to 07824426591 for an honest second opinion. Graham has successfully completed repairs that other companies have turned down.