Auto Paint Jobs

Smashed Your Car? Here's a Solution to Each Dent

10 February 2021

Gavin Lawson

Car accidents are unfortunate and can be frustrating. And whether it's a minor or major accident, it can leave your car with dents, scratches, dings, and bent frames that could affect its performance besides ruining the vehicle's pristine look. So, when you have an incident on the road or even at home in your garage, you will want to take that for auto body repair. But smash repairs differ depending on the type and degree of damage your car has suffered. Knowing the kind of repairs your car needs after an accident will help you plan well in advance to avoid surprises. With that in mind, here is a quick guide on this.

Dents That Didn't Affect the Paint Job

If you were involved in a minor accident that resulted in small dents that had zero impact on the paint, paintless dent removal would be an excellent choice. Unlike conventional methods, the process utilises specialised tools to gently massage the dent while maintaining the car's original paint. For the simple surface-level scratches, a rubbing compound will be used. The affected area is repeatedly and aggressively rubbed in a circular motion using the specialised compound to get rid of the scratched coat. It is fast, cost-effective, and non-intrusive since repainting or use of body fillers isn't necessary. However, keep in mind that this is generally only ideal for minor dents and on areas such as the door panels, the boot, and the bonnet where the damage is accessible from the backside.

Dents That Call for a Touch-Up to the Paint Job

While effective, paintless dent removal isn't always a solution, and you will need to think about other alternatives, especially when the scratches are visible. Using body filler putty and drilling are usually the standard repairs for such damages. The dent is filled with the putty before being sanded to match your vehicle's body contour. Repainting is then done. If the dent is deep enough to penetrate the underlying material, drilling is done. A special tool is then inserted to spread the dent and pull it out. The hole is filled with body filler putty before being sanded and repainted. While these repairs don't retain the original factory finish on the vehicle, a professional should get the job done, and usually, you won't notice the difference.

If your vehicle is left with significant dents across different parts after the accident, you will need to take the car for a collision repair

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