Get in touch with your insurance company and follow their instructions. We use Paintless Dent Repair, which is the method recommended by insurers so that your original factory finish can be preserved. Megadent can complete hail damage insurance claims and are the preferred repairers for Hollards Insurance, Woolworths Insurance and Real Insurance.
Is every dent accessible using paintless dent repair?
No, not every dent is accessible from the underside of the panel. Paintless dent repair tools consist of rods varying in length and width and have differently shaped tips which allow for access to most inconveniently placed dents. Sometimes however panels have two or three skins, and access would only be possible by drilling a hole. This is a practice that is frowned upon by quality PDR professionals, and is not condoned by Megadent. Some inaccessible dents can however be removed by use of our specialist glue pulling tools, dependant upon the size, location and nature of the dent in question.
What is the cost of paintless dent repair compared to body shop repairs?
Paintless dent repair is much less expensive than conventional repair. Since there are no added expenses for parts and materials, we can offer complete dent removal and customer satisfaction at a very fair price. Generally, minor door dings can be removed for approximately 30% of the cost of a conventional repair. Hail damage can be repaired for about half the price of a panel shop. All this with the additional benefits we have mentioned.
Should I have my vehicle repaired?
Of course, this is up to the owner of the vehicle. There are a lot of factors when making this decision. Here are two to consider.
Do you plan to sell or trade your vehicle in the future?
Paintless dent repair will help to maintain the resale value of a vehicle. Because the method is paintless, it ís as if the damage never happened. In the case of hail damage, why allow a car dealer to decrease the trade-in value of your vehicle by several thousands of dollars, all for the much smaller cost of your insurers excess (usually around $500) and a few days of repair time?
Do you intend on keeping your vehicle covered with fully comprehensive insurance?
Once a claim has been made your insurer will need to know that all repairs have been completed in order to establish full coverage once again.
Is PDR an option for every vehicle?
Even though it is for most, some vehicles are not the best candidates for paintless dent repair. The age of the vehicle may need to be taken into consideration. Vehicles dating before roughly 1985 tend to have very strong metal, which makes PDR far more difficult. Also, your vehicle’s paint needs to be evaluated as older classics are generally not original and very often have been filled and painted during earlier repairs. These cars need careful evaluation to ensure that PDR is possible.
Is the paint a factory finish or has your vehicle been repainted in the past?
Most repainted surfaces can still be repaired successfully with PDR as long as quality paint has been used. If you are unsure if this method is right for you, we suggest having one of our qualified PDR technicians assess your damage and discuss with you the best options in repairing your vehicle.
My panel shop suggests I replace my bonnet and fix the rest of my car with paintless dent repair. What do you think?
In most cases, if paintless dent repair is an option for the rest of your vehicle, it will be for your bonnet as well. Some vehicles have an aluminium bonnet and it has been rumoured not to be repairable using the PDR method. This is not true. The fact is that an aluminium surface requires more patience and expertise than any other painted metal surface. It is repairable, and at Megadent our technicians are very experienced in aluminium repairs.
Another reason for the suggestion of bonnet replacement may be that some repairers are not fully educated in the art of paintless dent repair and feel that replacing parts is the only option for an adequate repair. Again, we suggest allowing one of our expert PDR technicians to go over your options with you. More than likely PDR is appropriate for your vehicle repair and you can be spared the replacement of parts and repainting of your vehicle.
I was told you will use dry ice and heat to repair my hail damage, is that true?
No, that is not true. Unfortunately, we have heard tales of certain unscrupulous body shops spreading these falsehoods in order to convince customers to repair their vehicles by allowing them to replace panels, cut off roofs, use fillers and paint. Remember, with paintless dent repair your dents will be removed from the under side of the vehicleís painted metal surface. This will maintain the factory finish and restore your vehicle to its original condition.
Will the sun take my hail dent outs?
No. This rumour usually starts on the local car lot and is a tactic used by sales people in order to make a sale. If they can minimize the damage of a vehicle to a customer during a sale, they will maintain their profit. Sometimes it can appear that the damage has lessened or dents have somehow decreased in size; however, that can be attributed to getting used to seeing the damage or even seeing the car in different lighting, sunny versus overcast. Furthermore, don’t let your local body shop tell you that the sun will make the dents come back after a PDR repair. It won’t.
Will my insurance company approve PDR repairs?
Yes. In fact, paintless dent repair is now the insurers preferred method of repair for hail damaged vehicles, as it saves them money and gives you a fast, high quality repair.
How long can I expect repairs to take on my vehicle?
Some small dents can be repaired in as little as 10 minutes! Larger or deeper dents will take longer, and sometimes for a more complex repair, we will ask that you leave the car for a few hours or even a day. If it fits your plans we can often drop you at the nearby Southland Shopping Centre and come to collect you upon completion of the job.
In the case of hail damage, a vehicle can often be repaired in one day. Same day service is one of the advantages of repairing your vehicle with paintless dent repair. However in the case of a severe storm, some vehicles require more work, often over three days. We believe a quality repair is far more important than a rushed job.
How much will an estimate cost and do I need an appointment?
No appointment is necessary and with Megadent, all estimates are free! In just a matter of minutes a qualified technician will evaluate your vehicle and go over your estimate with you. However, you may want to allow yourself a little extra time to watch a free demonstration and meet the qualified technicians who will be performing your repairs.
What is the History of PDR (Paintless Dent Repair)?
Although it’s hard to pinpoint the origin of paintless dent repair, it has a surprising history in the automotive industry and has become a crucial part of vehicle maintenance and restoration. Cruder methods of Paintless dent repair, (PDR) are believed to have been developed by Mercedes Benz factory workers in the 1950’s, and it remained a carefully guarded secret until perhaps three decades later when it became known to the general public.
The idea of pushing a metal surface from the under side in order to minimize the size of a dent has been used by body shops for many years and is still an important factor in saving time and materials during conventional repair.
Unfortunately, plastic fillers are still needed in order to completely fill the dent and to achieve a smooth enough surface for primer and paint.It wasn’t until paintless dent repair was used to remove the entire dent from a surface that car dealers, insurance companies and vehicle owners realized that PDR was a viable repair option in many cases, and one that is not really comparable with traditional body shop repairs. Today, paintless dent repair technicians, without the use of fillers or paint can produce a finished surface, completely dent-free, by using just their extraordinary talent and hand crafted tools.