What are the methods for car dent repair?
3 Answers
Car dent repair refers to restoring the dented parts of a car's paint surface to their original condition. Generally, car dent repair can restore sharp-angle and obtuse-angle dents to their original state. Primarily, dents without paint chipping can be fully repaired, hail dents can be fixed, but edges and AB pillars are difficult to repair. Below is an introduction to different levels of car dents: 1. Minor dents: Surface damage, only the sheet metal is dented, and the paint surface is not damaged. 2. Moderate dents: Damaged vehicle, surface components are affected, but the inner beams and pillars are not damaged. 3. Severe dents: Essentially accident vehicles, with serious deformation of beams and pillars.
I just encountered this situation last time in the parking lot when someone opened their door and left a small dent. My first instinct was to save money and fix it myself, so I bought a suction cup to try and pull it out, but I ended up breaking the tool by applying too much force. Later, a friend recommended paintless dent repair (PDR). I drove to a professional shop, and the technician used tools to push the dent out from the inside of the door panel—completely without touching the paint. It cost a little over 200 yuan, and the result looked as good as new. I think this method is perfect for small dents—it saves time and effort while preventing future rust. If the dent is deep or the paint is chipped, they might recommend traditional bodywork and repainting, which costs more. Nowadays, I try to park in more open spaces to reduce such risks. The key takeaway is to address dents as soon as you notice them—don’t delay and let them worsen.
I'm really interested in DIY dent repair and have tried several methods myself. For example, pouring hot water on the dent to soften it, then slowly pulling it out with a suction cup. I've succeeded in fixing small dents once or twice, but it's easy to damage the paint or create bigger problems if not done carefully. A set of tools only costs a few dozen dollars, but you need to practice the technique – beginners shouldn't force it. A more reliable option is professional paintless dent repair, which uses custom tools to quickly pop out the dent without harming the original paint, costing a few hundred dollars and suitable for 90% of minor damage. For deep dents or damaged paint, it's better to go to a repair shop for panel beating and repainting to avoid mistakes from DIY attempts. The key is to assess the size of the damage before deciding whether to DIY – safety first.
