What Is Paintless Dent Repair?
Paintless dent repair (PDR) is a specialized technique for removing dents from a vehicle's body without disturbing the original factory paint. Unlike body shop repairs that involve sanding, filler, and repainting, PDR works by carefully massaging the metal back into its original shape from behind the panel.
The result? Your car looks like the dent never happened — with zero paint matching issues, zero filler, and zero diminished resale value. Your factory finish is the best finish your car will ever have, and PDR keeps it that way.
How Does PDR Work?
A skilled PDR technician uses specialized tools — metal rods, body picks, and nylon-tipped tools — to access the back side of the damaged panel. Using focused LED lighting to see every contour of the dent, the technician slowly and methodically pushes the metal back into place, working from the outside edges inward.
For panels that can't be accessed from behind, glue pulling techniques are used. A specialized tab is glued to the exterior of the dent, then carefully pulled to restore the shape.
What Types of Damage Can PDR Fix?
- Door dings — parking lot impacts, shopping cart damage
- Hail damage — hundreds of small dents across panels
- Crease dents — linear dents along body lines
- Large dents — even sizeable dents when paint is intact
- Body line dents — dents on character lines of your vehicle
The key requirement: factory paint must be intact. If the paint is cracked or chipped, conventional repair may be needed.
PDR vs. Traditional Body Shop Repair
A traditional body shop repair for a door ding involves sanding, body filler, sanding again, priming, painting, and clear coating. This takes days, costs significantly more, and the repaired area will never exactly match the factory finish. Your car's resale value drops.
PDR preserves your factory finish. Most repairs take 30-90 minutes. The cost is typically 50-70% less than a body shop. Your vehicle retains its value.
PDR Cost Breakdown
- Door dings: $195 for the first, $100-150 for each additional on the same visit
- Larger dents: $195 for the first inch of diameter, $50-100 per additional inch
- Hail damage: $800 to $15,000+ depending on severity — in-person estimate required
All estimates are free. Text a photo to (705) 535-1555.
Our Service Area
We provide mobile PDR across Peterborough, Lindsay, Cobourg, Port Hope, Bowmanville, Oshawa, Whitby, Durham Region, Northumberland, and Kawartha Lakes. We come to you — home, office, or dealership.
Why Choose Tyler DeCarlo?
With over 15 years of experience and more than 30,000 dents restored, Tyler DeCarlo is a certified Big Dent and Luxury/Exotic vehicle specialist. Every repair comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee — if you're not happy, the repair is free.