What to Do About Small Dents on a Car?
2 Answers
Small dents on a car body can be addressed in two scenarios: one where the paint has chipped off, and another where it hasn't. Dealing with dents where the paint has chipped is more complex compared to those without paint damage. It requires professional repair at a specialized auto body shop, where suction cups are first used to restore the car body, followed by touch-up painting, auto body repair, and other operations. For dents without paint damage, there are two methods: 1. Prepare a pot of hot water, pour it over the surface of the small dent, then use a toilet plunger to press against the dent area, repeatedly pulling it off with force; 2. Purchase a car dent repair kit online, which includes tools like a hot glue gun and a bridge-style suction puller. Use the suction cup to adhere to the car body, then apply pulling force to suction out the small dent on the body.
Last week, a small dent the size of a pigeon egg appeared on my car, probably caused by the neighboring car door hitting it. I tried using a vacuum suction cup tool bought online to pull it out, but the effect wasn’t great, and I still needed to buy the right size. Later, a friend suggested trying the hot air and ice method: first heat the dented area with a hairdryer (avoid touching the skin to prevent burns), then quickly apply ice to press and let it pop back. This method is quite cost-effective but only works for shallow dents—don’t mess with deep dents to avoid damaging the paint. If all else fails, it’s best to visit a professional auto repair shop; their paintless dent repair (PDR) techniques are skilled and won’t ruin the paint. Actually, it’s better to park farther from other cars or install anti-collision strips to reduce such incidents in daily life.
