What a day. Instead of taking my truck to Wally World, I convinced my wife to drive. When we came out, someone had backed into my wife's trunk. The dent is roughly the size of my open palm and there is no paint damage. Would one of those dent pullers you see advertised work? Has anyone had any experience with them? I know some people who have received hail damage swear by them. Any recommendations/suggestions would be appreciated.

The good news is that the parking lot at Wally World is under surveillance. Hopefully, the loss-prevention person there can find out who did the dirty deed on video tape...fingers crossed.

 

I'll be blown away if the LP guys can pull that for you or, for that case, really give a leap about your situation.

I'd be fuming (as I'm sure you are) but, I wouldn't hold my breath.

As for the paintless dent repair guys, I've heard several folks simply say that they work voodoo. I don't know the prices and such but, from what I hear, they can fix it.

My dad had a baseball ding taken out of his roof a year or two ago (not my little brother's foul ball but, it was from his team). Needless to say, he was pretty irate (his own dumb fault for parking so close but, I dare not tell him that to his face! LOL!). Anyway, he consulted with a body shop and they recommended going the paintless dent removal route. Dad dropped his truck off that morning and had it back that afternoon and you could BARELY tell that there was a spot. The guy said that he couldn't get it all out because the metal had stretched ever so slightly due to the blunt impact and that wasn't 'fixable'. Being on the roof, it didn't really matter to him...

RP

 

Rock Pick,

I too had a baseball misshap. Kids from the neighborhood hit a grounder and it bounced right into my passenger's side rear panel, about a foot in front of the rear wheel and about waist high.

To the touch, it does not feel like it's dented at all, but when you look at it from a certain angle and rock back and forth you do see a vertical paint crease. Three, four inches long maybe.

People tell me not to worry about it, that you can barely see it. But hey... I know it's there and you being a detailer probably appreciate where I'm coming from.

Any suggestions on how I can remedy this? Paintless Dent Remover?, Deep polishing? Re-paint?

Thanks in advance.

 

"Paintless dent removal" and those "pops a dent" things they sell on TV are two separate things. The first one is done (generally) by real professionals and RP is right - they do seem to be able to do wonders with certain dents. (There are limits to what they can do though.)

The gizmos you've seen on TV are also done by professionals - generally special effects professionals. If anybody really thinks those things work like they show on TV, go ahead and buy one. It's a very small percentage of dents that really come out with one of those. On the bright side, they also solve world hunger!

My reccomendation? Go see a PDR professional. They can tell you if your dent will come out with their process. They will also tell you when it won't - and then you have to see a good body shop. Good luck!

 

I agree with you, 2stroked. Next thing you know they'll be giving away steak knives with every order of those "TV Dent Pullers" just to get them out the door.

I'll end up taking the truck to a PDR pro for an appraisal/estimate, but is there anything you can suggest that I could try at home first?

Thanks again.

 

Not so fast! I've used the 'Dent King' or whatever it's called that Discount Auto sells. It's worked very well, but my dents were very minor.

 

LigeguardJoe,

the blemish I have on my truck is more like a vertical paint crease. (a wave) and it's not really deep enough to call it a dent. Any suggestions on taking those out before I take it to a PDR guy? Anything I could try at home first?

Appreciate any help you can give me.

Thanks

 

Let me clarify here. I won't say that these things (Pops a Dent) NEVER work. It's more that they only work on SPECIFIC TYPES of dents. If all you have is DEFLECTED sheet metal (like where somebody leans on a quarter panel), they will usually work. (So will a bathroom plunger.) If you have DEFORMED sheet metal (where it's actually stretched), you're out of their league and need PDR or even good old fashioned body work.

Personally, I rate those TV dent pullers right up there with mint flavored suppositories and wash 'n wear tampons for true usefulness. But that's a personal opinion.