Paintless dent repair, PDR: This technique is popular among automotive enthusiasts when it comes to the removal of small dents. The idea is simple: heat will inevitably cause the metal surface to expand and (hopefully) pop the dent out. Remember that the more time the car spends time under the sun, the better this technique will work. Use a plastic and/or leather conditioner for the car’s interior, so as to not damage it while exposing the car to maximum sunlight. If the sun’s heat isn’t particularly strong that day, a simple hair dryer could be used in conjunction with the sun to concentrate the heat to a specific area. Point the hair dryer to the dented area for two-minute intervals until the dent pops out. Be careful not to touch the hot lip of the hair dryer on any painted surface. A two-to-four inch gap between the dryer and the surface is recommended.
In the first place let’s begin with some car paint care tips: Repair times are up to the severity of the hailstorm and the damage on your car. For the light or moderate damages, the repairs may take from 1 to 3 days. But for heavy damages, it may take you 2 to 3 weeks as that damages will needs body shop participation, for paint work and panel replacement.
I don’t care if you wash your car yourself (more on that strategy later in this page) or you take it to a quality car wash. (Yes, not all car washes are created equal) This is not an option as dirt is your #1 enemy when it comes to the finish on your new car paint. And this doesn’t mean once every 6 months whether it needs it or not. This means regularly and consistently. (A minimum of once a month…minimum!)
Apply the dry ice as many times as you need to, but it should pop out eventually if the dent isn’t too deep. You can also try heating up the dent first, with something like a hair dryer (similar to the hairdryer and compressed air tip above), and then apply the dry ice to it. Suction is one way to get out a dent, but the problem is finding a dent puller with the right amount of power. Well, why not just create your own? All you need is a pot (or bucket), a vacuum cleaner and some tape and you can get that dent out of your car in no time.
Using the Right Wax. Since each type of paint reacts differently to wax and polish, you need to find out which paint was used on your car and purchase detailing products that suit the paint. Some products may act as abrasive agents and strip the car off its original shine. Discover extra information at Automotive Hail Repair for Colorado Springs Area.
If you are considering learning the skill of how to do paintless dent repair, it’s important to understand that it isn’t simply a matter of “popping” a dent out and expecting that the body will be perfect again. PDR involves a very slow and methodical process that requires special tools, a certain level of knowledge and skill, and a great deal of patience. Some dent repairs, even on small dents, can take up to two hours.
A good paintless dent repair might look perfect, or close to it,but the metal underneath that shiny paint is still damaged. It’s thinned out and its structure has been weakened. But as long as the paint is still there and it’s not immediately obvious, that’s probably good enough. After all, it’s not a safety concern or anything. Just remember: Sometimes it really pays to hire a pro. To DIY or not to DIY? I’ve never tried to use an at-home paintless dent removal kit to bang one out myself; however, I have owned a car that I had completely repainted because paintless dent removal wasn’t an option. And it’s a pain in the butt. And it’s expensive. And I’ve also made some bad calls in terms of judging what I can handle myself … and what I’d just make worse. That said, I’ve never bought a product from an infomercial to attempt a car repair.