do you think paintless dent removal would take care of this?
- Thread starter beat
- Start date
salty
Active member
I'm not a PDR expert but it does look like a pretty sharp dent. I would think that it is beyond a perfect fix with PDR. Might be able to make it perfect with PDR and a Micro Repair technician.
Pats300zx
Super Moderator
That definitely looks too deep. PDR might be able to clean it up some but it looks like it will need some body work.
David Fermani
Forza Auto Salon
No doubt it will certainly help (80%), but it won't be anywhere close to perfect. Looks like a good 4-5 hour dent. If it gets corrected the conventional way (body shop), the fender will have to get blended.
If a dent is "creased" there is no chance for PDR...but just by looking at the picture, its definatly too deep...the metal molucules have stretched and would need to shrinked back to fix that...or what most body shops will do, just plaster some filler over it and call it day! I used to build hot rods and we very rarely used body filler(its not called Bondo for allof you that think that)! All metal work was done without the use of filler unless if was beyond repair or in a time crunch! PDR might help...or it might look even worse...be careful who you choose to do your work, especially with a dent that size!
distrbd
all in the details
I know how you feel ,but the right thing to do is taking it to a body shop to level it properly and paint.any other way is a waste of time I'm afraid.
David Fermani
Forza Auto Salon
I've heard of some people getting PDR prior to going to the body shop to reduce the amount of filler being used. Unless you're babysitting the bodyman, you can't confirm how much of the dent was straighten prior to filling.
BlueLibby04
New member
I would really rather get PDR and have some small dents left than to get a repaint. I got a small dent and had it painted when PDR could of taken it right out but at the time I didnt know PDR was around. My paint will never look the same.
David Fermani
Forza Auto Salon
There's not too many body shops that are honest enough to offer/recommend PDR for $75-$100 when they could repair/repaint it for $500-$700. Much more profitable.
Saintlysins
New member
Ouch, that sucks, and worse yet from a friend!? Sadly ... that looks like it's a body shop repair. I think any attempt at PDR will not be successful as the paints tensile strength is probably maxed out and will loose adhesion/crack/delaminate if you try to bring it back into shape. From the shape of it, looks like it was imprinted from behind by a cross member or window mechanism, so it’s been stretched in two dimensions, even worse for PDR.
I agree with "David Fermani" & "Twista616" regarding the way a “cheap or budget� body shop might repair that depression in the door. Any decent shop will pull out as much of the depression as they can before using as little filler as possible. Your problem (as already mentioned) is paint match for that light metallic paint.
If you decide to fix it, try and find the best shop in the county as only a good shop with a good spray-man is going to get a good match on that paint.
Hope this helps.
SIDE NOTE TO "TWISTA616": I only say this for its educational value, not to cause any static. Here’s a little history on the reference to Bondo. When I was a young tike (too many years ago), there were few 'body-filler' companies supplying the stuff. The biggest one in those days was from a company which labeled the can of filler with one big word across the whole can ... as you can guess it said nothing else than: BONDO
Today The Bondo Company (now owned by 3M) is still one of the largest suppliers of automotive, marine, household repair, fillers, adhesives, thinners, paint and paint additives in the world, including supplying ‘private label’ fillers to the majority of the lines out there.
This is no different than when you ask for a Kleenex and they give you any brand tissue, or ask for a Xerox and they copy it on a Panasonic. These names have become synonymous with the product and still the leaders in their respective fields. I know you can’t find a can of old-school ‘Bondo’ anymore, but any filler with the 3M icon on it somewhere is a Bondo product, (and that’s most of them). I almost enjoy when those old references are used today, and you’re making this old man feel older. Sorry if this old geezer is rambling, only sharing to help, not to hurt, ridicule or offend.
I'm really impressed you learned your trade in a custom shop and not a commercial, get-'em-out-the-door shop. It shows in your replies and you’re certainly lucky to have that experience. That’s where I started as well.
I agree with "David Fermani" & "Twista616" regarding the way a “cheap or budget� body shop might repair that depression in the door. Any decent shop will pull out as much of the depression as they can before using as little filler as possible. Your problem (as already mentioned) is paint match for that light metallic paint.
If you decide to fix it, try and find the best shop in the county as only a good shop with a good spray-man is going to get a good match on that paint.
Hope this helps.
SIDE NOTE TO "TWISTA616": I only say this for its educational value, not to cause any static. Here’s a little history on the reference to Bondo. When I was a young tike (too many years ago), there were few 'body-filler' companies supplying the stuff. The biggest one in those days was from a company which labeled the can of filler with one big word across the whole can ... as you can guess it said nothing else than: BONDO
Today The Bondo Company (now owned by 3M) is still one of the largest suppliers of automotive, marine, household repair, fillers, adhesives, thinners, paint and paint additives in the world, including supplying ‘private label’ fillers to the majority of the lines out there.
This is no different than when you ask for a Kleenex and they give you any brand tissue, or ask for a Xerox and they copy it on a Panasonic. These names have become synonymous with the product and still the leaders in their respective fields. I know you can’t find a can of old-school ‘Bondo’ anymore, but any filler with the 3M icon on it somewhere is a Bondo product, (and that’s most of them). I almost enjoy when those old references are used today, and you’re making this old man feel older. Sorry if this old geezer is rambling, only sharing to help, not to hurt, ridicule or offend.
I'm really impressed you learned your trade in a custom shop and not a commercial, get-'em-out-the-door shop. It shows in your replies and you’re certainly lucky to have that experience. That’s where I started as well.
Rob Tomlin
Lotus Exige S
Body shop all the way.
I wonder if any PDR would refuse to attempt to fix it though.
I wonder if any PDR would refuse to attempt to fix it though.