FAQ

Paintless dent repair, also known as paintless dent removal, describes a method of removing minor dents from the body of a motor vehicle. A wide range of damage can be repaired using paintless dent repair as long as the paint surface is intact. Paintless dent repair may be used on both aluminum and steel panels.

The first step is to access the damage. Each panel is inspected by one of our highly-trained technicians under specialized LED light boards. Each dent is cataloged by size, location, and severity.

After the entire vehicle has been inspected, we complete a comprehensive damage report that is submitted to your insurance company for approval. If our team discovers additional damage that was not documented on the adjusters intial inspection, we send a supplement request along with a request for the additional funding needed to complete the repair.

Next, the PDR technician determines the easiest way to access the dent. This is usually accomplished by going through a window, removing pieces of trim or inner panels, or some combination of the three for multiple dents. If the damage cannot be accessed through the inner panel, we use a technique called R&I, otherwise known as “remove and install.” This happens when a part is removed from the damaged car and reinstalled later.

Using a special set of tools, the technique gently applies even, slow pressure at the outer edge of the dent. The gentle massage gradually reshapes the metal back into position, making it smaller and smaller until it eventually vanishes, and the car surface looks like new.

Finally, the vehicle is put through a quality assessment to ensure all dents & dings have been repaired. Before delivery, the vehicle is washed and detailed.

Paintless dent repair is a solid solution for almost any minor ding, dent or crease on the surface of your automobile or truck. It’s particularly effective in fixing damage caused by hail or small objects that haven’t scratched or peeled away any of the original paint.

Paint-less dent repair is a recommended course of action anytime a vehicle experiences minor dent damage, whether after a hailstorm or a minor traffic accident. It’s an effective and quick way to repair structural indentations.

• It saves money. Paintless dent repair, on average, is less expensive than traditional car dent repair. It doesn’t usually require additional expenses for materials since all it entails are in-house tools and minor physical effort.
• It’s convenient. Depending on the extent or amount of damage, paintless dent repair can be extremely quick. Repairs using more traditional methods can leave a car in limbo for a long time, but Superior’s service usually turns a car around in less than a week.
• It preserves paint color. Even if it’s considered the “same color,” new paint doesn’t always match the manufacturer’s original color exactly and can leave off-shade spots on the car. Paintless dent repair keeps the appearance and integrity of the original color intact.
• It doesn’t invalidate factory paint warranties. Paintless dent repair avoids the application of new paint, fillers, or sanders, which means no actual structural change is made to the car’s finish, so the original paint finish warranty is untouched.
• It helps retain a vehicle’s value. Even minor physical damage to a car can cause its resale value to drop substantially. Paintless dent repair seamlessly removes those irregularities and helps your car maintain its worth.
• It’s eco-friendlier. No new cans of paint or filler to open means introducing fewer harmful chemicals into the environment.

Auto body shops are automotive repair shops that specialize in bodywork repair. Auto body technicians can perform paintwork repairs to scratches, scuffs, and dents, as well as repairs to the bodies of vehicles damaged by collisions.

Paintless dent repair shops could be considered as more of a specialty shop for vehicles with smaller dent damage that would not require painting during any process of the repair… hence, paintless. PDR technicians use a series of specialized tools designed to get behind the panel of a vehicle in order to access the dent and gently massage it away. This technique keeps the original paint intact so there is no need for painting.

Superior Dent Solutions is a unique blend of both repair techniques. We are proud to be a ‘paintless dent repair first’ shop but have the in-house capbility to repair all levels of damage including paint and body work.

Paintless dent repair removes dents of various shapes and sizes, caused by a wide range of conditions, objects, or events including:

• Hail or thunderstorms
• Rocks, gravel, pebbles, or other road fragments
• Minor fender benders, collisions or parking accidents
• Door bumps from a crowded parking lot

• Plastic bumpers, fiberglass fenders, carbon fiber hoods, and composites cannot be repaired with the paintless dent repair process.
• Dents that have overextended the elasticity of the metal. PDR technicians are trained to look for stress cracks and other signs that the damage may have exceeded the paint’s elastic limit before repairing your vehicle. If the paint around the dent is showing signs of cracking, your panel will need to be touched up, and the traditional dent repair process will be needed.
• Large body line creases, folding, and damage to sharp body lines can not be repaired with paintless dent repair. Imagine a tin soda can. If you push in on the can with your fingertips and create a small dent. Now, use your hands to try to pop the dent back out. Pretty easy right? That’s because the metal has “memory.” Now, use more force and “crunch” the metal – you can even put it on the ground and smash it down until you create some nice folds and creases. If you try to work the folds and creases….well, I’m sure you get it.

At Superior Dent Solutions, as our name suggests, we always find “solutions” to all of our client’s vehicle needs. If your vehicle needs some paint touch-up, we can take care of it. Even if your vehicle sustained glass cracking, or chipping, or needs to be completely replaced…we’ve got that handled too.

Before any vehicle is repaired, it is assessed by one of our paintless dent repair technicians to make sure the vehicle is a good candidate for PDR. As long as the paint is still intact and the dent isn’t too complex in nature, the dents will not return when repaired with paintless dent repair.

85-95% of dents, not caused by a major collision or wreck, can be successfully repaired with PDR.

It really depends on the severity of the damage. Good news is that if you carry comprehensive insurance coverage on your vehicle, hail damage repair is covered under your policy. Your only financial obligation is the deductible. At Superior Dent Solutions, we cover the cost of your deductible.

Your vehicle is one of your largest investments. Hail damage takes thousands of dollars of value out of your vehicle. If you are involved in a total loss accident or try to trade/sell your vehicle the value will be diminished significantly.

Although it’s tempting to keep the initial check your insurance company writes, it’s common practice for insurance companies to underwrite their initial estimates by sometimes half of the actual damage. Therefore, if you decide to keep the money, you have then settled your claim and have not actually recouped the total value lost.

Your vehicle is one of your largest investments. Hail damage takes thousands of dollars of value out of your vehicle. If you are involved in a total loss accident or try to trade/sell your vehicle the value will be diminished significantly.

Although it’s tempting to keep the initial check your insurance company writes, it’s common practice for insurance companies to underwrite their initial estimates by sometimes half of the actual damage. Therefore, if you decide to keep the money, you have then settled your claim and have not actually recouped the total value lost.

No, not necessarily. However, if you live in a region that typically experiences multiple hail occurrences per year, you might see a slight increase. Insurance is like a pool of risk everyone pays into and then those who need it can pull funds out later.

Do you own the car outright, or do you owe money on it?

1. If you had a loan on the vehicle but have paid it off and therefore own the car outright, then you have complete control over what you decide to do.
2. If you have a loan or lease on your car, then you cannot choose to spend the insurance payout on something else and not repair the vehicle.

Hail damage will reduce the resale value of your vehicle. If your vehicle suffered severe hail damage, you might see paint chipping in the areas where the damage was more pronounced. Over time, this leaves the metal susceptible to rust and corrosion.

If you carry comprehensive insurance coverage on your vehicle, your policy covers an “act of nature,” including hail damage.

Hail claims fall under your comprehensive coverage, they are considered an act of god/nature. By law, your insurance company can not individually raise your rate for making a comprehensive claim. However, if you have been in an area affected by a major hail storm and they have received enough claims, they can raise everyone’s rates in the affected area.

We know life throws things at you when least expected, Superior Dent Solutions offers a deductible forgiveness program! We will waive your deductible, up to $1000! Cashback can even be offered in certain situations!

We have you covered! Take advantage of our free rental program and stay on the road while your vehicle is being repaired by our expert team of auto hail damage repair technicians!

No. It is 100% up to you who you decide to repair your car’s hail damage. Your insurance company still has to pay for the repairs even if the shop is not on its “Preferred Shop” list. Sometimes insurance companies will partner with auto body shops & PDR shops and negotiate a lower cost for repairs in exchange for being included on their preferred list.

It depends on the type of coverage you have on your vehicle. If you have comprehensive coverage, then yes – auto hail damage repair is considered an “act of nature” and the repairs are paid for by your insurance company.