Paintless dent repair is a process in which dents, primarily caused by haildamage, are removed from a vehicle without using conventional repair methodsthat require panel beating and re-spraying of the vehicle. Dents are removedfrom the vehicle by massaging them out using specialised tools or pulled outusing a glue system. The removal process does not affect the paint whichmeans the vehicle will not need to be re-sprayed and factory paintprotection is maintained.

As well as preserving the vehicles long term value, the paintless dentremoval process is dramatically faster than conventional methods, resultingin a car owners time off the road being significantly reduced. Amongst themany benefits of paintless dent repair, the most remarkable is in favour ofthe customer, which is the price. Average cost of repair in comparison toconventional methods is half and the quality of repairs are as good, if notbetter in most cases.

So how exactly are the dents removed? Before repair begins, the vehicle isthoroughly washed to ensure the technician can see the dent completelywithout any misrepresentation caused by dirt or debris. Paintless dentremoval specialists use long steel rods to gently massage the dents out.These rods come in a multitude of shapes and sizes catering to differentapplications and areas of the vehicle. All dents are massaged out fromunderneath the panel being worked on e.g. For a vehicle with a dent on thehood, the hood lining would be removed and then with the right tool, thedent would be slowly pushed out from underneath.

A chain or strap is hooked to the panel where ever possible and the rod sitson top of it. The technician will then pivot back and forth with the rod onthe chain forcing pressure on the dent, moulding it back into shape. Thetechnician has great control over the pressure and the angle of the toolwhich enables him/her to be extremely precise. As pressure is applied fromunderneath the panel, the technician will see where the force is coming fromby viewing how the dent reacts above the panel.

Lighting is an important factor during the paintless dent repair process.The most effective source of light comes from normal everyday fluorescenttubes. The light places emphasis on the dent and shows its true magnitude bydistorting the light across the surface of the panel making the depth andspan more apparent. Whilst massaging the dent out, the technician has a lotmore control over the repair as each push is amplified by the light, therebyincreasing accuracy.

The number of dents a technician is able to remove is based solely onhis/her skill level. Certain areas on a vehicle are a lot more difficult torepair mainly due to the inaccessibility of the underside of the panel. Thisis the main reason for the variety in the shapes and sizes of tools used. Asa technician's skill level increases, so does repair time and the quality ofthe final result.

The paintless dent repair industry has grown significantly over the last fewyears. Quick, efficient and effective repairs have greatly contributed tothe increase in demand for the service, technicians and improved techniquesand process management. An important advancement within the industry for hascome from the adoption of paintless dent removal services by automotiveinsurance companies and their choice to prefer these services overconventional panel repair techniques.