Dent removal/Cracked paint??
- Thread starter SS/GN
- Start date
Turbo6inKY
Short Guy
A good PDR guy will put a light on the panel. Part of that is so they can see. The other part is the light heats the paint and makes it a bit more pliable so it's less likely to crack.
TurboTGuy
Gray Beard Member
The light is for just that, light, the board with the light he uses will have a stripe down the middle of it. He uses the reflection of that stripe on the panel to ensure he gets all of the dent. Watch him, he will start with the board pretty close to the area he is working and will move the board further and further away as he goes. This ensures he gets all of it repaired and there are no waves, low spots or high spots left.
If it's cold and he feels he needs to warm the panel up, he'll use a torch. A good PDR guy shouldn't have an issue with lacquer paint.
Where do you live? I might be able to recommend someone.
I tried it, one time.
Turned out it was a mistake. Turned out, the guy had his business name wrong.. It should have been "Dentless Paint Removal".
Turned out it was a mistake. Turned out, the guy had his business name wrong.. It should have been "Dentless Paint Removal".
TurboTGuy
Gray Beard Member
98% of the time, if a good PDR guy says he can fix it, he can fix it.
Yes, sometime the paint cracks. It happens.
Look at it this way.
He gave it a try and cracked the paint. Where did your position change? You took a chance on the more economical route and it didn't work. If it's driving you that crazy, you're going to fix it no matter what. He's not going to charge you if he cracks paint, that's a general PDR business practice.
So now that the paint is cracked, you're position in the real world has not changed at all. You still want the dent fixed, no?
You can skip a possible great economical outcome, or you can take it to the body shop and have it fixed traditionally at body shop prices. You're choice.
I can guarantee you, your body shop will probably call their good PDR guy in and have him give it a try, what do they have to lose? They're already going to charge you the cost of the traditional putty and paint estimate they gave you, no matter what.
And yes, I'm a former PDR guy. Too old and too sore to do it now. But I have 4 PDR guys that trained under and with me and I will tell you right here and right now. They are some of the best in this country at their trade so I know a little about this stuff. I invite you to look up Penske Scottsdale 101 Auto Collection and peruse some of the cars we work on daily.
Just food for thought.
Yes, sometime the paint cracks. It happens.
Look at it this way.
He gave it a try and cracked the paint. Where did your position change? You took a chance on the more economical route and it didn't work. If it's driving you that crazy, you're going to fix it no matter what. He's not going to charge you if he cracks paint, that's a general PDR business practice.
So now that the paint is cracked, you're position in the real world has not changed at all. You still want the dent fixed, no?
You can skip a possible great economical outcome, or you can take it to the body shop and have it fixed traditionally at body shop prices. You're choice.
I can guarantee you, your body shop will probably call their good PDR guy in and have him give it a try, what do they have to lose? They're already going to charge you the cost of the traditional putty and paint estimate they gave you, no matter what.
And yes, I'm a former PDR guy. Too old and too sore to do it now. But I have 4 PDR guys that trained under and with me and I will tell you right here and right now. They are some of the best in this country at their trade so I know a little about this stuff. I invite you to look up Penske Scottsdale 101 Auto Collection and peruse some of the cars we work on daily.
Just food for thought.
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GN87Mike
Member
Some years ago there was a Buick Race for more than one day at either Raceway Park in Indy or maybe it was one at National Trails at Columbus maybe. There were two PDR guys there who had a tent set up with the lights. Word got around how good they were and were busy the whole time with cars waiting to be done. They did an excellent job on my car. If I remember right they were from down south maybe Alabama were brothers I think and had GNs of their own.....I think.
Mike
Mike
The Cheney brothers. Good guys.
SS/GN
Well-Known Member
Hey guys thanks for the info. I am up in Canada and have the shop as warm as a sauna so the paint is warm This PDR guy is amazing and I have seen him save a BMW from Hail Damage and it was black. The reason i reached out was my cars are original paint and that is what concerned me. Appreciate the help and will post back my results.
This PDR guy is amazing and I have seen him save a BMW from Hail Damage and it was black. The reason i reached out was my cars are original paint and that is what concerned me. Appreciate the help and will post back my results.
SS/GN
Well-Known Member
Well I don't impress easily and I am very fussy. However this local PDR guy was amazing. As I said I have seen his work when I was working at Mercedes but its different when he is taking a hammer to your Turbo Buick I had a few dents/dings in each car and he found and fixed a few more. I cant say enough and I feel I received so much value in a great finished product. I would recommend this to anyone wanting to make there cars that much better. Now I would not call just any PDR want to be shmuk on the internet. Like TurboTguy said, do your homework and find a reputable person.Start by phoning high end dealerships and ask them for a recommendation. My wife said she has not seen me this happy in a long time and it was ok if I wanted to sleep between the cars tonight. I used
PRIMELINE PDR
I had a few dents/dings in each car and he found and fixed a few more. I cant say enough and I feel I received so much value in a great finished product. I would recommend this to anyone wanting to make there cars that much better. Now I would not call just any PDR want to be shmuk on the internet. Like TurboTguy said, do your homework and find a reputable person.Start by phoning high end dealerships and ask them for a recommendation. My wife said she has not seen me this happy in a long time and it was ok if I wanted to sleep between the cars tonight. I usedPRIMELINE PDR
Well I don't impress easily and I am very fussy. However this local PDR guy was amazing. As I said I have seen his work when I was working at Mercedes but its different when he is taking a hammer to your Turbo Buick
PRIMELINE PDR
not to be rude, but can you give us a ballpark figure on the repairs, or does it depend on the amount of dents/time? been looking to get this done for quite some time now !! thanks.
ttypewhite
Well-Known Member
I bought the DYI kit from Amazon. Worked fantastic. My brother had a couple dings in his Twin Turbo Supra that we got out, and you couldn't tell it was ever hit. I also used it on my buddy's 1981 Trans Am and we took out 6 noticeable ones. Confident AF I tried it on my Buick... That didn't fair out too well for me. I had a ding in the middle of my door that I did with a car jack many years ago. I jacked my car up and had the handle down thinking I was all good and when i let go of the handle it recoiled up and wacked the door. So I figured I have had more then enough practice on other cars...why not. Put the glue on it, let it sit, and pulled the trigger on the tool, and BAM the dent was gone, but so was my paint all the way down to the bare metal. It was the size of a dime. Then found out these dent pullers are only for original paint cars.
SS/GN
Well-Known Member
I cant give you a real cost because there were some favours and trading in the deal. Maybe TurboTguy can give us an idea. Mike as for your car and the paint coming off,it is an art to what glue and how long the glue sets. He tried a few different glues and peeled them off before trying the actual dent. This is an art and like everything else from racing to truck driving ,its all about seat time. He has been doing this for 23 years so lots of seat time if ya know what I mean. I could not be happier with my cars. Wife comes out in the shop and says " are you STILL looking at those cars " !
Stay safe friends and remember to laugh,its truly the best medicine.
Stay safe friends and remember to laugh,its truly the best medicine.
DO NOT TRY THIS. Get a reg Dent Wizard or others that use picks to get them out. They get behind the dent an work it out. BIL had a 6 month old Volvo that was in a bad hail storm. They got them ALL out an ya couldn't tell.. I am a fussy old fart!. I did use them once on a car that was freshly painted. Had an 1 1/2" dent on the fender. Guy fixed it in 30 min.
TurboTGuy
Gray Beard Member
Dent Wizard technicians are some of the best trained out there. That's where my background comes from. I have 4 ex DW guys working for me now. All of them are MASTERS at their craft. Seldom do they glue pull anything. They have the right tools for the job, and they know how to use them.
Too bad they don't treat their employees better, or they would still have 8 or 9 hundred very talented guys that used to work for them, still working for them.
But then again, maybe I'm just spoiled since I've been working for a company that DOES know how to treat employees right for the last 10 years.......
My boss tells me I'm NOT spoiled, a lot of employees smell like that..........
Too bad they don't treat their employees better, or they would still have 8 or 9 hundred very talented guys that used to work for them, still working for them.
But then again, maybe I'm just spoiled since I've been working for a company that DOES know how to treat employees right for the last 10 years.......
My boss tells me I'm NOT spoiled, a lot of employees smell like that..........
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Haven't seen their trucks around here in a long time. I had a DW guy a 1/4 mile away from me.
ttypewhite
Well-Known Member
I got it covered now.... The best dent removal service is a new paint job. Lol
I will be taking it home tomorrow.
