How to remove small dents

wrxornelas14 · 08-17-2017, 04:07 PM

I noticed I have a small (light) dent in the rear right door, as circled above. I don't believe it could've been another car door hitting it, as it most likely left a scratch of some sort. Anyone know how I can fix the dent. I'm trying to take care of my 2015 WRX and it seems so difficult when other people are so careless.

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wrxornelas14 · 08-17-2017, 04:09 PM

Quote:

I noticed I have a small (light) dent in the rear right door, as circled above. I don't believe it could've been another car door hitting it, as it most likely left a scratch of some sort. Anyone know how I can fix the dent. I'm trying to take care of my 2015 WRX and it seems so difficult when other people are so careless.

I can't seem to attach a picture, where do I find the URL for my image saved on my downloads.

AliBenn · 08-17-2017, 06:43 PM

dude

PDR or Paintless Dent Removal is pretty much an art form
some vendors are ok some vendors are masters and usually have more than 15yrs experience.
their tools all have patent numbers on each of them and are EXPENSIVE.
I have seen a vendor have 30+ PDR tools with different tips for diff dents.
they learn how to 'massage' the metal from the inside(back of the dent/ding)
this gentle 'massaging' actually heats up the metal enough to get metal back to original shape.....without damaging paint refinish.

going rate(depending on deepness of dent/ding) is $75

don't even think about 'trying' it yourself

Undercut56 · 08-17-2017, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AliBenn

dude

PDR or Paintless Dent Removal is pretty much an art form

some vendors are ok some vendors are masters and usually have more than 15yrs experience.

their tools all have patent numbers on each of them and are EXPENSIVE.

I have seen a vendor have 30+ PDR tools with different tips for diff dents.

they learn how to 'massage' the metal from the inside(back of the dent/ding)

this gentle 'massaging' actually heats up the metal enough to get metal back to original shape.....without damaging paint refinish.

going rate(depending on deepness of dent/ding) is $75

don't even think about 'trying' it yourself

Yup, PDR.

Do not look on craigslist! You're rolling the dice on CL. You'll just have to trust me on that...

Find a really good body shop or go to your dealership and ask them who they use. They will have a guy they trust to do a really good job. It might even be the same guy, that's what happened to me. Called my (really good) body shop and my dealership and they referred me to the same guy. I took that as a good sign and went with him, couldn't be happier with the results.

MadScientist84 · 08-18-2017, 01:47 PM

on my old car i bought a PDR kit at PepBoys; it was from the guy who sould OxyClean. Well, it sucked, and actually pulled the PAINT off at the dent. Never again..

tmcquinn · 08-18-2017, 02:09 PM

I was lucky enough to meet a guy who does a lot of the work for the local body shops. He had me come to his house after hail beat the hell out of my Impreza. He showed me exactly how he does it but understanding it and doing it are not the same. When I get dents I go to him.

He used a 'line board' and could tell by seeing its reflection how straight the metal was.

This is a different guy but it shows the technique.

Bentley Paintless Dent Repair / Removal Tutorial Line Board - YouTube

Jonathan Rodriguez · 08-18-2017, 02:58 PM

Nice technique

Jonathan Rodriguez · 08-18-2017, 02:59 PM

75 ding is a fair price

JRowland · 08-18-2017, 03:37 PM

Make sure to ask them to not drill. The lazy ones instead of removing the weather-stripping around your door and getting in through one of the existing holes will drill a hole on the inside edge of your door where you will never likely see it to make their lives easier. If you ask upfront they will know you know a little. Also, if you drive through your local car dealerships you can usually find several of them working. A nice conversation and the offering of beers MAY get you a pretty good deal when they can do it outside of work.

AliBenn · 08-18-2017, 06:27 PM

^^^
yeah I have seen that drill hole on the pillars of your quarter panels
basically they don't want to take off the qp trim panel
good vendors place a 'rubber plug' where the hole is but still.....wouldn't want any holes drilled into my car

I knew a guy that has "Dent Parties" at his house.
he would charge $40 a dent and have a bar b que at the same time
he has done PDR for like more than 20yrs
in his driveway of his $350k home:
$40k ski boat
Dodge Viper
that sad Porsche SUV for his wife
Subaru daily driver
and his $1500 chevy astro work van!
pretty good career if you ask me

JRowland · 08-18-2017, 10:52 PM

I get my dents pulled for a case of PBR lol. They do earn some good money but they work for it. Also, like body men they develop joint issues over time mainly knees and back. There is a whole sect of hail chasers too. They just travel around state to state chasing storms.

Soobiecabra · 08-20-2017, 02:33 AM

+1 to everything mentioned above.

I thought I could DIY on my dents and spent a bunch of money on tools and videos. Like 500 bucks later along with a few weekends... I said F this and took it to a body shop.

It really is a form of art.

Ernest · 08-20-2017, 03:47 PM

I tried that too. Found out quick what I am good at and what I am not good at. Let the pros do it or find a car to practice on and spend hours learning.

guyandbluesti · 03-30-2019, 01:20 AM

Hello guys! Sorry to bring back this olde post.
I got nasty ding on the door of my STI and looking for a person or company to fix it. What would you recommend?

RonKowaleski · 04-30-2019, 09:00 AM

I have found pouring hot water on it and using a suction cup will pop them back out

cknowlen · 04-30-2019, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by guyandbluesti

Hello guys! Sorry to bring back this olde post.
I got nasty ding on the door of my STI and looking for a person or company to fix it. What would you recommend?

Good lord fill out your profile. You want people to give you an honest response when they have no idea where you live? I suggest you take your car to Achmed's Autobody in Kandahar Afghanistan...

Quote:

Originally Posted by RonKowaleski

I have found pouring hot water on it and using a suction cup will pop them back out

Don't think anyone was talking about basketball sized door dings here bub. Otherwise PDR would not have been the recommendation, and the olde dildo suction cup method would be better

blueeyed · 05-06-2019, 03:22 AM

Tried a couple of strategies to remove a small dent but it would not really return to its original form

((

cerbomark · 05-06-2019, 07:17 PM

OPer , don t see your location. I have a guy that I stop by his house when he s home. He s been doing dealer work for decades. I let him fix my 911 among others. He s super reasonable too and a nice guy. I don t know why people don t have their location?
It s an art. I know how to do it too, LOL. I messed up and had to have it further corrected.

Slowride8g · 05-06-2019, 09:09 PM

Can this method work for a small dent in the roof of an STi?

cerbomark · 05-06-2019, 09:35 PM

without a pic? I d still say yes.

McMac · 06-18-2019, 06:03 PM

Thanks for the advice all! Very helpful!

JordanVk · 06-22-2019, 03:14 AM

The paintless dent removal guys can work wonders and are definitely worth the money. My friends car should have nearly been totaled due to hail damage. A paintless dent outfit brought it back (a black car no less) to the point of nearly not being able to tell.

912 · 06-28-2019, 10:37 PM

Very helpful post! I didn't know what this 'search term' was until now. Just texted a few local PDR guys that might help me fix up my STI-swapped GC8 coupe.

08-17-2017, 04:07 PM	#1
wrxornelas14 Scooby Newbie Member#: 472026 Join Date: Jul 2017 Vehicle: 2015 Subaru WRX White	How to remove small dents I noticed I have a small (light) dent in the rear right door, as circled above. I don't believe it could've been another car door hitting it, as it most likely left a scratch of some sort. Anyone know how I can fix the dent. I'm trying to take care of my 2015 WRX and it seems so difficult when other people are so careless. * Registered users of the site do not see these ads.

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08-17-2017, 06:43 PM	#3
AliBenn Scooby Guru Member#: 487 Join Date: Nov 1999 Chapter/Region: TXIC Location: Greatwood/Sgrlnd Vehicle: 1998 /2005 STunIcorn Acadia Green RS-T	dude PDR or Paintless Dent Removal is pretty much an art form some vendors are ok some vendors are masters and usually have more than 15yrs experience. their tools all have patent numbers on each of them and are EXPENSIVE. I have seen a vendor have 30+ PDR tools with different tips for diff dents. they learn how to 'massage' the metal from the inside(back of the dent/ding) this gentle 'massaging' actually heats up the metal enough to get metal back to original shape.....without damaging paint refinish. going rate(depending on deepness of dent/ding) is $75 don't even think about 'trying' it yourself

08-18-2017, 01:47 PM	#5
MadScientist84 Scooby Newbie Member#: 468911 Join Date: Jun 2017 Chapter/Region: Tri-State Location: South Jersey Vehicle: 2016 WRX Premium 6MT WRB	on my old car i bought a PDR kit at PepBoys; it was from the guy who sould OxyClean. Well, it sucked, and actually pulled the PAINT off at the dent. Never again..

08-18-2017, 02:58 PM	#7
Jonathan Rodriguez Scooby Newbie Member#: 473090 Join Date: Aug 2017	Nice technique

08-18-2017, 02:59 PM	#8
Jonathan Rodriguez Scooby Newbie Member#: 473090 Join Date: Aug 2017	75 ding is a fair price

08-18-2017, 03:37 PM	#9
JRowland Scooby Specialist Member#: 454620 Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Maggie Valley, NC Vehicle: 2017 WRX Red	Make sure to ask them to not drill. The lazy ones instead of removing the weather-stripping around your door and getting in through one of the existing holes will drill a hole on the inside edge of your door where you will never likely see it to make their lives easier. If you ask upfront they will know you know a little. Also, if you drive through your local car dealerships you can usually find several of them working. A nice conversation and the offering of beers MAY get you a pretty good deal when they can do it outside of work.

08-18-2017, 06:27 PM	#10
AliBenn Scooby Guru Member#: 487 Join Date: Nov 1999 Chapter/Region: TXIC Location: Greatwood/Sgrlnd Vehicle: 1998 /2005 STunIcorn Acadia Green RS-T	^^^ yeah I have seen that drill hole on the pillars of your quarter panels basically they don't want to take off the qp trim panel good vendors place a 'rubber plug' where the hole is but still.....wouldn't want any holes drilled into my car I knew a guy that has "Dent Parties" at his house. he would charge $40 a dent and have a bar b que at the same time he has done PDR for like more than 20yrs in his driveway of his $350k home: $40k ski boat Dodge Viper that sad Porsche SUV for his wife Subaru daily driver and his $1500 chevy astro work van! pretty good career if you ask me

08-18-2017, 10:52 PM	#11
JRowland Scooby Specialist Member#: 454620 Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Maggie Valley, NC Vehicle: 2017 WRX Red	I get my dents pulled for a case of PBR lol. They do earn some good money but they work for it. Also, like body men they develop joint issues over time mainly knees and back. There is a whole sect of hail chasers too. They just travel around state to state chasing storms.

08-20-2017, 02:33 AM	#12
Soobiecabra Scooby Specialist Member#: 259527 Join Date: Oct 2010 Chapter/Region: TXIC Location: Wylie, TX Vehicle: 2016 STi Pure Red	+1 to everything mentioned above. I thought I could DIY on my dents and spent a bunch of money on tools and videos. Like 500 bucks later along with a few weekends... I said F this and took it to a body shop. It really is a form of art.

08-20-2017, 03:47 PM	#13
Ernest Scooby Specialist Member#: 45076 Join Date: Oct 2003 Chapter/Region: Tri-State Location: Rockland County, NY Vehicle: 2004 Stg 2 wagon AT 16 BRZ. Both silver	I tried that too. Found out quick what I am good at and what I am not good at. Let the pros do it or find a car to practice on and spend hours learning.

03-30-2019, 01:20 AM	#14
guyandbluesti Scooby Newbie Member#: 499623 Join Date: Mar 2019	Hello guys! Sorry to bring back this olde post. I got nasty ding on the door of my STI and looking for a person or company to fix it. What would you recommend?

04-30-2019, 09:00 AM	#15
RonKowaleski Scooby Newbie Member#: 500967 Join Date: Apr 2019	I have found pouring hot water on it and using a suction cup will pop them back out

05-06-2019, 03:22 AM	#17
blueeyed Scooby Newbie Member#: 501156 Join Date: May 2019	Tried a couple of strategies to remove a small dent but it would not really return to its original form ((

05-06-2019, 07:17 PM	#18
cerbomark Scooby Specialist Member#: 475983 Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: Upstate NY Vehicle: 2018 WRX Limited Silver	OPer , don t see your location. I have a guy that I stop by his house when he s home. He s been doing dealer work for decades. I let him fix my 911 among others. He s super reasonable too and a nice guy. I don t know why people don t have their location? It s an art. I know how to do it too, LOL. I messed up and had to have it further corrected.

05-06-2019, 09:09 PM	#19
Slowride8g Scooby Newbie Member#: 480349 Join Date: Jan 2018	Can this method work for a small dent in the roof of an STi?

05-06-2019, 09:35 PM	#20
cerbomark Scooby Specialist Member#: 475983 Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: Upstate NY Vehicle: 2018 WRX Limited Silver	without a pic? I d still say yes.

06-18-2019, 06:03 PM	#21
McMac Scooby Newbie Member#: 472942 Join Date: Aug 2017 Vehicle: 1998 Impreza OB wgn Black	Thanks for the advice all! Very helpful!

06-22-2019, 03:14 AM	#22
JordanVk Scooby Newbie Member#: 503468 Join Date: Jun 2019 Location: Los Angeles Vehicle: 2005 Saab 9-2x Black	The paintless dent removal guys can work wonders and are definitely worth the money. My friends car should have nearly been totaled due to hail damage. A paintless dent outfit brought it back (a black car no less) to the point of nearly not being able to tell.

06-28-2019, 10:37 PM	#23
912 Scooby Newbie Member#: 501320 Join Date: May 2019 Location: Dallas, Texas, USA	Very helpful post! I didn't know what this 'search term' was until now. Just texted a few local PDR guys that might help me fix up my STI-swapped GC8 coupe.