What is door dent repair?
Door dents differ from door dings in size and depth. A motorcycle footpeg leaves a crease-like dent; a reversing car leaves a broad shallow dent; a bicycle leaves a combination. Doors also contain an intrusion beam and, on the lower half, a double-skinned area, which the technician has to work around.
Repair combines pushing from behind through the window opening and inner-trim openings with glue pulling on sections blocked by the beam. Bodylines running across the door are rebuilt as part of the job.
Dents suitable for this service
- Broad shallow dents on front and rear doors
- Dents from motorcycle and bicycle impacts
- Dents crossing the door\'s swage line
- Multiple dents on one door
When PDR may not be suitable
- Dents with cracked or scraped paint
- Dents on the door edge hem or the pressed edge of the door frame
- Doors with previous filler repairs
- Torn or buckled metal from collisions
Benefits
- No repainting of a large, highly visible panel
- Door stays on the car — no disassembly of hinges or wiring
- Original paint is kept, which paint-depth gauges confirm at resale
- Faster and cheaper than conventional panel repair
How Dry Denter assesses the damage
Send photos from straight on and from the front and rear at an angle, so the reflection shows the full extent of the dent. Note any scratches. We check the dent against the position of the intrusion beam and the double-skinned lower section before quoting.
Repair process
- Photo assessment and estimate
- Inner trim opened where needed; window lowered
- Dent mapped under the PDR light
- Pushed from behind in passes, glue pulling used on blocked areas
- Bodylines re-formed, high spots tapped down
- Trim refitted, door cleaned, final inspection
How long does it take?
Door panel dents typically take 1 to 4 hours depending on size, depth, whether a bodyline is involved and how much of the dent sits over the intrusion beam.
Common questions about door dent repair
Will my door need to be removed?
No. All access is through the window opening and inner trim while the door stays on the vehicle.
Can you fix a dent that has a scratch through the paint?
The dent can be reshaped, but a scratch through the paint will still need touch-up or refinishing. We tell you this in the assessment so you can decide.