I have an older car that was just sideswiped, and which dented and creased some body panels. One is behind a door, and it can’t be worked on from behind. Body shop estimates are over $1500! These guys want to make a perfect repair on an 11 year old car. Not worth it to me. Paint will never match, anyway.
Has anyone used a dent-puller tool to successfully remove dents? I’m not looking for perfection, just a decent surface repair I can spray paint.
Yes they do. But you must understand that using a dent puller will only get the metal close it’s original shape. Body filler will still have to be used to fill in the low spots of the repair and to fill the holes the dent puller leaves behind.
Tester
Tester is right but be careful. Lots of people try to get it too smooth or too straight and wind up with the metal panel ‘oilcaning’ and then it must be shrunk with heat and sponges. That could cause a lot of extra damage and work, and the filler will do a good job if applied right. LEE
So what’s wrong with the shop wanting to make a perfect repair? That’s the way they should do it.
A dent puller will pull dents out but there’s more to it than you may think. You will find out that dent removal and the ensuing bodywork is a labor intensive process.
Many dents, depending on their location, can be accessed from behind by removing interior trim panels, inner fenders, etc.
creased some body panels
IMO, that’s the deal killer. Dish dents are easy to repair. Once creased, the metal has to be worked or replaced. The crease often causes a high spot at the crease and this has to be worked back down in addition to the dent being pulled out. Labor is very expensive so often they will replace the damaged area rather than work it back into shape. Back to your question- a dent puller is only the start of the repair. You’ll never get a satisfactory surface, even for an 11 year old car you just want to look decent, by simply pulling out part of the dented surface.
In the past I have used the ding king with great success. However, it has also not worked on some dents on my motorcycle. but this is a very none evasive way to pull a dent, you glue it on and pull out the dent. It may take about 10 - 15 times but 45min was much better then taking it to a shope and having the dent pulled there.