There’s an important distinction to make between minor car dents and damage such as a door ding. While there may not seem like much of a difference, the truth is it could mean a huge difference to your bank account. Both insurance companies and dealerships classify the two in separate categories of damage. This becomes an important factor if you’re returning a leased vehicle, making a claim or just trying to keep more money in your pocket.
What’s a minor dent?
A minor dent is considered damage to the body of your vehicle that is greater than half of an inch in diameter. Minor car dents can occur from any sudden impact such as a softball, hockey puck, gold ball or contact from another vehicle.
What’s a “ding” on your car?
Door dings are extremely common and while the term refers to damage on the door panel, a “ding” can occur anywhere on the body of your vehicle. The damage is usually much less severe than a dent because it is smaller in diameter.
What’s the difference between door dings and a minor dents?
The major distinction between door dings and minor car dents lies in the size of the dent measured by its diameter. If the paint is still intact, the damage can be repaired using PDR. If the paint has been scraped off the damage may require additional paint, which means the damage, extends beyond the capability of paintless dent repair.
What’s the significance of sustaining minor dents to my vehicle?
Minor car dents cost you more money to repair. You’re forced to use a body shop, which will use car filler, and new paint to reverse the dent. This ultimately reduces the resale value of your vehicle. When you can repair a dent restoring the body to its original factory condition it holds a higher resale value.
Avoid insurance companies
Additionally, you can avoid making a claim with your insurance company since the cost of PDR is more often than not, less than your deductible. Your premiums won’t rise and as a result, more money stays in your pocket.
Avoid “chargeable damage” on a lease agreement
If you’re leasing a car there are stipulations to what’s considered acceptable wear and tear damage to the vehicle. It’s within reason to sustain small dings from rocks or slight dents in the body as long as there original paint remains. Many agreements enforce a limit that permits two dings per panel. Anything in excess of that becomes chargeable damage upon the return of your vehicle.
You should always have your vehicle assessed before officially returning a lease. This way you can find out exactly what they are going to charge you for damage. There may be some lenience in the extent of damage they allow if you’re in the market for a new lease. Regardless, you can price out the difference of repairing the damage using your own resources to make a cost-effective decision.
Frequently asked questions
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Can I use paintless dent repair if my car was scratched when the dent occurred?
It’s hard to say for sure without assessing the dent. More often than not we can polish minor scratches and even use touch-up paint in the worst situation that still qualifies for PDR. If the damage is scratched through to the metal then it will not be possible to use PDR. You will need to repaint the area or you risk the potential for rust.
What length of time is required to repair a minor dent?
A minor car dent must be assessed for the size and severity of the damage. The factors that make a difference to how long it will take include the size of the dent, the complexity of the dent and the accessibility of the dent. The best-case scenario is a minor dent can be reversed in a few hours and the worst case may require a day or two.
Does the location of the dent determine whether PDR can be used?
Typically there’s no dent that can’t be repaired using PDR, as long as the original paint is still intact. While the first choice of PDR technicians is to use a push tool, there are also glue pullers that are equally as effective in reversing dents in hard-to-reach areas.
