Paintless dent removal

[TRBON8R]

I need some info on paintless dent removal. Either on accident or on purpose some a-hole managed to ding my new Chevy Silverado pickup this week. The ding is located on the rear window pillar. This is the post that wraps around and separates the rear window from the side quarter window (it's an extended cab truck). I was told by the local dent removal place that they can't do anything because of the location of the ding. It's a small ding with no paint damage. The ding is maybe the size of a dime and not very deep. What are my options to get this fixed? This is just making me sick having a brand new truck dinged up like this. I haven't even got the friggin plates for it yet.

This is one of the main reasons I'm selling my GN and it only sits in the garage under the cover. I've come to the conclusion that in southern California it's impossible to have anything nice for any length of time. It's only a matter of time before it gets stolen, crashed, or vandalized by some scumbag. Someone hurry up and buy my GN before it gets F'd up too! From now on, no more new vehicles for me, it will be used beaters only! Just like the French, I surrender.

 

[Captain Mark]

I had my TTA done last summer by one of those guys. He removed every door ding and dent in the car for under $100 bucks. He did a great job, and I will use him again. Don't be afraid of those guys, most do good work. You may want to get some references first.

 

[The Blob]

For the paintless people to do their thing, they have to be able to get behind the dent. That may be why they said they couldn't do it in that location.

What about one of those suction thingies? I don't know what they are called but you put a suction cup over the dent and pull it out that way. I don't know if there's a minimum size dent they need to work, though.

 

[Lee_Burough]

Two things:

1) The first dent is always the worst shock of owning a new car (save the taxes and insurance). Just think, the worst is behind you

2) If you leave it alone, it will get better on its own. Hail dents work themselves out as time goes by, with heating and cooling cycles. In five years, the dent will be 50% gone....And, you won't care any more

Sorry to hear about your dent. Life is like that.

Best Regards,

leeb

 

[Red Regal T]

That sucks Ben. I'd feel the same way. As stated, they need to get behind it. If you can see some way, suggest it to them. Sometimes they drill holes, fix the dent, then put a plastic plug in the hole.

 

[TRBON8R]

Originally posted by lburou
Two things:

1) The first dent is always the worst shock of owning a new car (save the taxes and insurance). Just think, the worst is behind you

2) If you leave it alone, it will get better on its own. Hail dents work themselves out as time goes by, with heating and cooling cycles. In five years, the dent will be 50% gone....And, you won't care any more

You forgot rule number 3 which superceeds rule 2:

In 40 years I'll be in a pine box then I REALLY won't care.

Seriously though. I seem to remember seeing an ad on tv for the suction cup thingamabob that TheBlob mentioned. Do those things work at all, and does anyone know what they are called?

 

[TurboJunky]

I've used paintless dent removal several times. They usually need a flat area of metal to work. If the ding is on a corner, edge or crease in the metal then your chances are severly limited with PDR.

Good luck,

 

[Pronto]

I've come to the conclusion that in southern California it's impossible to have anything nice for any length of time. It's only a matter of time before it gets stolen, crashed, or vandalized by some scumbag.

Same crap here. Parking lots are the worst. People don't care what they do anymore.

 

[Black Box]

I had Dent Wizard take out a pretty good sized dent in the pass. side rear 1/4 panel of my GN that was in there when I got it, along with 2-3 dimples in the trunk lid. $250 bucks, can't even tell there were dents were there. The one in the 1/4 was almost a foot long, probably 3/4" deep. They did try to buff out the scratches, and for the most part they did a decent job, but you can still see them. They seem to get less noticeable the more I wax the car though.

Steve

 

[Captain Mark]

One of our guys here at the fire station got a new truck. He went to Wal-mart and when he came back out to the parking lot, his brand new truck had a bright red scratch/door ding on it that wasn't there before. It just so happens that a red car was still parked next to him. Well, he's a big ole boy with about size 14 feet. So he backed up and kicked the side mirror off the car. Got in his new truck and left. After he told the story, I asked him if he was mad about it. He said "Nope, that was strictly business" He sounded like Tony Soprano.

 

[TRBON8R]

Originally posted by Captain Mark
One of our guys here at the fire station got a new truck. He went to Wal-mart and when he came back out to the parking lot, his brand new truck had a bright red scratch/door ding on it that wasn't there before. It just so happens that a red car was still parked next to him. Well, he's a big ole boy with about size 14 feet. So he backed up and kicked the side mirror off the car. Got in his new truck and left. After he told the story, I asked him if he was mad about it. He said "Nope, that was strictly business" He sounded like Tony Soprano.

I hope he got the "right" red car!!!

 

[Loosenut]

There was a guy at Bowling Green doing it. He removed 3 dents from my GN that my body guy missed. Did a great job. You cant tell there was ever a dent there. Best $60 i ever spent!

Andy

 

[GN SBS]

Originally posted by rescued87gn
There was a guy at Bowling Green doing it. He removed 3 dents from my GN that my body guy missed. Did a great job. You cant tell there was ever a dent there. Best $60 i ever spent!

Andy

This same guy damaged the paint on a friend's car-- he now has a 1-2 inch diameter spot where either the alchy spray or the hot glue took off the paint. The other two spots he worked on looked fine.

Caveat Emptor!

-Scott

 

[Loosenut]

Originally posted by GN SBS
This same guy damaged the paint on a friend's car-- he now has a 1-2 inch diameter spot where either the alchy spray or the hot glue took off the paint. The other two spots he worked on looked fine.

Caveat Emptor!

-Scott

He was out of glue by the time he did my car. He did warn me that if he was to use the glue that the paint coming off was a possibility. I watched him do 3 other cars before he did mine (2 GN's and 1 GNX).

Andy

 

[Little6pack]

BEN, DUDE I see it happen everyplace, not just there.

The worst offenders are the people with new cars or have an endless supply of Cash who will trade thier own car in in a year.


PLEASE let us know how it comes out when you get it done.

 

[2quiktocare]

We used to use Paintless Dent Removal on all the cars that came in on trade-in at the dealerships I have worked for and also on used cars I have purchased. They do outragious work and are very reasonable on their charges as well. It is well worth the money to get their service IMO.

 

[TurboJunky]

Originally posted by GN SBS
This same guy damaged the paint on a friend's car-- he now has a 1-2 inch diameter spot where either the alchy spray or the hot glue took off the paint. -Scott

Spray?? Hot glue??

The guy who did my work simply inserted a tool behind the spot and gently worked the metal back out to total perfection.

 

[John Larkin]

There is a fairly new tool out there. It is a slide hammer with a flat end. They put hot glue (yes, right from a glue gun) on the end. Then they pull the dent out. This is for low-access areas. I've never seen them pull paint off using it but then again something new happens everyday. The glue is removed with I believe denatured alcohol. Being that alcohol removes grease and is a drying agent, a good buff should bring back the shine (unless it was painted with Krylon).