I would absolutely let a GOOD PDR guy fix it. And if it has to be painted after that’s okay too.
Dented fender, any opinions on PDR please?
- Thread starter Jimmy9190
- Start date
I’d let a PDR guy take a shot at it. Might not be 100% due to the amount of stretched metal but will look pretty good. The multiple body lines and contours may be tricky. Fenders are thin and floppy so not much meat to work with. Sucks someone was so careless.
No-it didn't. The body shop/Insurance didn't report it to Carfax. They opened the hood-saw the factory decal on the driver' side lip of the front fender-and didn't see it on the other side- that's when they asked. Otherwise the repair was not detectable. The factory decal was quite visible when you open the hood. Maybe-I wasn't clear-not inside the fender as much as it is on the lip of the fender inside the engine compartment.
I have a dent in my Cobalt thanks to a uninsured driver parked next to me. I wanted PDR too.....but like mine-it is right in the middle of the fender similar to yours. Been told by numerous folks that it going to need a fender. And even if someone can fix it, it will still be cheaper to use your insurance company........
I just had PDR done on a decent sized ding on a body line like that from someone opening their door. About 45 minutes and $125 and it's ALMOST not noticeable. Nobody would ever notice, except I knew where it was so in the right light I can see a couple TINY waves. But honestly, for $125, a total steal. A body shop with sanding, prep, paint costs would be upper hundreds, if not into the thousands. Just make sure it's a PDR person that's been around a while, had a lot of decent reviews, those kinds of things.
Does "numerous folks" mean body shops looking to make a couple thousand? Or have you called PDR places to get estimates? Body shops would LOVE to throw a new fender on, I'm sure. Pretty easy job, lots of profit.
Thanks again for the replies and info. I found a PDR place a lot closer to my town than Tampa, they had great reviews if I can believe what I read on Google. I will give them a call tomorrow, see if I can email them the pictures first and get their opinion on it and will also ask the guy in Tampa what he thinks. There is a body shop here in town that has a good reputation and their web site says they do PDR too. I will call them and see what they think about it. I think if the PDR will be a good quality repair then PDR is the best way to go. If the PDR guys say PDR won't work well or just is not possible then I have no other choice but file with my insurance to replace the fender at a body shop. I did read online my insurance does not jack your rate for your first comprehensive claim, but I would rather not have a claim at all if I can help it.
I am trying my best to have a good attitude about this. I am mad that it happened at all, it makes me sick to look at it again today but it did happen and I have to handle it now, the best way possible. There have been plenty of other bad things happen this year that are a lot worse than this. I keep reminding myself that it's just a piece of metal on a car, it can be fixed and in the grand scheme of things it is very inconsequential. I just hope I can get the right guy to do the job.
I am trying my best to have a good attitude about this. I am mad that it happened at all, it makes me sick to look at it again today but it did happen and I have to handle it now, the best way possible. There have been plenty of other bad things happen this year that are a lot worse than this. I keep reminding myself that it's just a piece of metal on a car, it can be fixed and in the grand scheme of things it is very inconsequential. I just hope I can get the right guy to do the job.
My body shop had a PDR guy who used their facility at night. I got a single bid from the body shop guy $xxx for pdr and if the job didn't look right an additional $$$ for paint and body work. The PDR was fine, you could see a bit of distortion but I was very happy.
Based on my experience that looked almost exactly like the OP's damage-and caused the same way I would report to the insurance company. depending on the amount of deductible, otherwise pay out of pocket.
As far as I am concerned that's why I have insurance.
I have a neighbor grappling with drying out and repairing a flooded basement-because he didn't want to report it to his insurance company.
I again had a similar circumstance and reported it. It raised my premium for ONE YEAR-not by that much and the total claim was lie $5,000.00
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I've heard rumors there's like an insurance "file" and they give you 3 claims in something like a 5 year period. If you have more than that, you'll see rates start to increase more. Supposedly, I've heard things like towing through insurance instead of something like AAA also count. Don't know how much is fact and how much is rumor, but a good friend mentioned it to me. He's reasonably knowledgeable, usually. I'm sure if I Googled it I could find something.
Lexis Nexis keeps what is called a "CLUE" file on you. It is what insurance companies use to determine your rates. Creditors use it too. Even if all you do is call your insurance to ask a simple question it can be logged in the file as a "Potential Claim" and can be used against you on your current policy or any future car or home insurance you might need.
www.insurance.wa.gov
I would rather just pay for this dent myself and leave the insurance claim out of it if I can. It all depends on what the PDR guys say.
CLUE (Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange) | Washington state Office of the Insurance Commissioner
CLUE is a report of claims information generated by LexisNexis®, a consumer-reporting agency. Find out what a CLUE report contains, what companies report, etc.
I would rather just pay for this dent myself and leave the insurance claim out of it if I can. It all depends on what the PDR guys say.
My story:
My father left me his beloved Jaguar X-type back in 2008. I had just started driving it, and parked it (windows down) in the shade under the 60 foot wide, aircraft hangar door. At the end of a very long day, I was not paying attention and jammed a straw into the hangar door's "down" button, then went to wash my hands in the sink at the back of the hangar.
Of course, the groaning sounds were epic, with all manner of unsettling noise. At first I thought it was an airplane, but eventually realized my new-to-me car was being crushed.
I pulled the straw from the down button and looked at the poor X-Type. The roof was crushed in, the suspension was completely bottomed out and the tires were squished flat. I was so upset, dad would have killed me.
I needed to drive home, as it was really late and I did not want to wake up my wife. So I tried to sit in the seat, which was about impossible, as the roof invaded my space. I punched it angrily and it went "BOOP" and I had room to fit in the car. As you might expect, the roof was all wrinkled up and looked awful.
After some effort, I found a "dent-wizard" guy that agreed to do the job and claimed to have "just the tool". He shows up at work, drunk as can be, with a long stainless T-handle type rod with a right angle on the end and a golf ball. He ties a rope loop and jams it in the door (as a fulcrum for his tool), and goes to work using a black mirror. By the time he finished, the roof looked amazing, and he had sobered up. It was many hundreds of dollars, but a fraction of the cost of a new roof. The car still looks great 12 years later. Yes, there are a few spots that needed some significant mechanical persuasion (including the doors) (which needed a hydraulic jack) and some spots that needed a punch to get the crease out.
Not the greatest pic, but it's not obvious that anything happened.
My father left me his beloved Jaguar X-type back in 2008. I had just started driving it, and parked it (windows down) in the shade under the 60 foot wide, aircraft hangar door. At the end of a very long day, I was not paying attention and jammed a straw into the hangar door's "down" button, then went to wash my hands in the sink at the back of the hangar.
Of course, the groaning sounds were epic, with all manner of unsettling noise. At first I thought it was an airplane, but eventually realized my new-to-me car was being crushed.
I pulled the straw from the down button and looked at the poor X-Type. The roof was crushed in, the suspension was completely bottomed out and the tires were squished flat. I was so upset, dad would have killed me.
I needed to drive home, as it was really late and I did not want to wake up my wife. So I tried to sit in the seat, which was about impossible, as the roof invaded my space. I punched it angrily and it went "BOOP" and I had room to fit in the car. As you might expect, the roof was all wrinkled up and looked awful.
After some effort, I found a "dent-wizard" guy that agreed to do the job and claimed to have "just the tool". He shows up at work, drunk as can be, with a long stainless T-handle type rod with a right angle on the end and a golf ball. He ties a rope loop and jams it in the door (as a fulcrum for his tool), and goes to work using a black mirror. By the time he finished, the roof looked amazing, and he had sobered up. It was many hundreds of dollars, but a fraction of the cost of a new roof. The car still looks great 12 years later. Yes, there are a few spots that needed some significant mechanical persuasion (including the doors) (which needed a hydraulic jack) and some spots that needed a punch to get the crease out.
Not the greatest pic, but it's not obvious that anything happened.
If the paint is fractured I would go for insurance claim or out of pocket repair.
Both a few PDR places, and a few good body shops. This on top on the fact I had to put a new front fender on as well as it was hot while parked in the street, and cracked/broke the facia cover (only part, amazingly) I’d have to take a picture of it, but it looks like someone just fist punched it just to the left of the wheel. And as far as estimates, I’ve been told it would be cheaper to replace the fender- or they simply won’t bother with it due to the car’s age (14 years). I could call around again to see if things have changed.....
Hoping that he can get PDR on the Rouge, as it would be nice to keep the fender!
This guy will do it without issue, even with it being on the crease.
Central Florida Dent Repair Inc.
Ask for Brice, he's excellent.
PM me if you'd like his phone number.
Nevermind, about the PM, just go here: [email protected]
Central Florida Dent Repair Inc.
Ask for Brice, he's excellent.
PM me if you'd like his phone number.
Nevermind, about the PM, just go here: [email protected]
i texted pictures to the local PDR guy, he said the damage is too bad to do it as PDR. The Tampa PDR guy said he needed to see it in person and I don't want to drive that far to have him turn it down too. I have 2 local body shops lined up now, and am taking off work tomorrow to get estimates on it. Hopefully it will come out ok and I can afford to just pay cash. Will see.
No PDR is going to fix that. Metal too distorted and stretched not to mention being on a body line. Does that model have the VIN stickers visible when you open the hood? If so, I would repair instead of replace. Maybe $200-$250 to fix the dent. $200 for paint. $150 to blend the door. If you're able, I would do some prep by removing moldings and trim and headlight to make the job easier and to avoid overspray on the trim from careless taping.
$100/hr or so...(no particular order) unbolt old, prep and paint new, blend into panels nearby, bolt new on, mask off other car parts, paint cost, a few hours in the drying room...$800-1200? That would be my guess. For a $100 fender. How far off am I?
