The long arm of auto repair insurance is not limited to extended warranties or road tire hazard insurance. Marketing gurus have found all kinds of trinkets to secure. Among the main ones are dent and dent protection plans. Dent and dent insurance is growing steadily and tackles those nasty bumps from shopping carts and parking lots.
Dings and dents are fairly synonymous terms, although a ding is smaller than a dent. You will notice a dent. You will need to squint or catch the vehicle at the correct angle or sunlight to see a buzzer. Some strokes are smaller than erasers.
Like extended warranties or tire insurance, dent and dent protection plans promise to pay for damages in part or in full over a specified period of time. These plans are sold primarily at new car dealerships and cost a few hundred dollars.
Dent and Dent Repair – Paintless Dent Repair
Dent and dent repair is called PDR, short for Paintless Dent Repair. There are many companies that perform this service: Ding Doctor, Ding King, No Dents, Dent Wizard … the list goes on. Some are better than others, although ultimately it depends on the skill of the PDR technician. The prices are similar.
How to do it
Most PDR techniques are non-intrusive. PDR technicians use specially designed tools and devices to slide behind damaged panels and manipulate and massage damaged metal into its original shape.
It works?
In fact, it is amazing! It works so well that in most cases the dents and teeth are completely removed. They are invisible, they are gone, I can’t believe their eyes are fixed.
I saw a soccer ball-sized dent removed from the rear fender of a $ 120,000 car. The dent also had a large crease, making repairs even more difficult. After thirty minutes there was no visible detection that there had ever been a dent. The repair cost the customer $ 400. Traditional auto body shop estimates were around $ 2,700.
Positive PDRs
- Very low cost compared to traditional body shops
- Same day repairs, even while you wait for service
- No paint, sanding or traditional bodywork required
- Remnants of original paint – help preserve the appearance and value of vehicles
- Body panels remain intact, maintaining structural integrity
Negative PDR
- PDR does not deal with the scratches or paint chips that are often associated with dents (many PDR companies will deal with chips and scratches, but it is not PDR technology)
- Many areas of the body panels are not accessible, so PDR is not an option.
- Plastic bumpers or any plastic component cannot be repaired using PDR techniques. Since the bumper is the most common area to get damaged, this is a significant disadvantage of PDR technology.
- Damage to door panels, paint, interiors, window glass, and hardware can occur, although damage of any kind is rare.
Do you need PDR insurance?
God no!
Should you fix your dents using PDR techniques?
Oh yeah!
Let me explain …
Insuring against dings and dents does not make economic sense. Ding repairs average around $ 50 per ding. Some dents cost between $ 99 and $ 149 to repair. Two to four dents can cost anywhere from $ 100 to $ 450, depending on the size of the dent. Insurance at this level is simply not necessary. Also, it is a bet that you will lose.
To qualify for a $ 300 two-year plan, your vehicle would need to suffer multiple “PDR repairable” dings or dents. Despite your coverage, you may not even notice the bumps, making a claim impossible. Plus, despite PDR’s amazing techniques, they can’t fix everything, especially the chips and scratches that so often accompany a ding, should they occur.
Yes, fix your dents with PDR (if they bother you), but don’t buy an insurance plan.
Protection plan economics 101
An article by Terence O’Hara in the Washington Post is a wonderful article on the insanity of the protection plans, and it is applicable here. He writes:
The decision to buy an extended warranty … challenges the advice of economists, consumer advocates, and product quality experts, who caution that the plans rarely benefit consumers and are almost always a waste of money.
‘[Extended warranties and protection plans] they don’t make rational sense, ”said Harvard economist David Cutler. ‘The implied probability [of an issue] it has to be substantially greater than the risk that you cannot afford to repair or replace it. If you are buying a $ 400 item, for the overwhelming number of consumers, that level of spending is not a risk that you need to insure under any circumstances. ‘
… extended warranties play on a basic human trait to avoid losses, even if that means sacrificing a possible future profit. In this case, the profit is all the other things of value that a consumer could buy with the money that was spent on a guarantee.
Fix your dents
Fix your dents and dents (if you like) as they come, maybe every spring. Dent repair keeps your car looking great and increases its value. But don’t bother with a protection plan. Save your money.
Wait for that paint job
Quality paintless dent repair is often an excellent substitute for those considering full paint jobs. Whenever possible, it is best to keep the original paint. A good PDR combined with professional detailing can restore vehicles to show room conditions for less than $ 500.
Go with the best
Since 1983, Dent Wizard has pioneered PDR technology. Your PDR technicians receive extensive and ongoing training. The prices are reasonable and the quality excellent. Always ask for a master PDR technician as there are several skill levels.
Check with local distributors
Dealers in your area may offer Dent Wizard. Your vehicle does not have to be the same make as the dealer. In other words, you can take your Chevy to a Ford dealer for PDR work.
Myths
Do it yourself, paintless dent repair is easy.
No, it’s not. It requires training, skill, and experience. There are many who practice PDR techniques that crack or chip paint, or create ripples in metal.
PDR products sold on television do the same.
No! Not even close. There is no good substitute for PDR art.
Scratch and dent repair is the same.
No. A dent is a small dent, which can often be repaired using paintless dent repair procedures. A scratch is an actual break in the surface of the clear coat or paint, requiring traditional auto body shop or touch-up paint techniques.
It is easy to learn how to repair teeth in cars.
Perhaps for some, but it is a skill few master’s degree. Dent Wizard offers a great training program. Management and staff are top-notch.
What is the best protection plan for removing dents from a car?
Money in your Bank account!