If your dent turns out not to be suitable for Paintless Dent Repair (PDR), we tell you before any work starts, explain why, and recommend the right alternative instead of going ahead regardless.
Not every dent can be fixed without repainting. That is why every job at Marks Dent Repair starts with an honest assessment – first from your photos, then in person – before a price is confirmed or a tool touches the panel.
Why some dents are not suitable for PDR
PDR reshapes the panel from behind with specialised tools, keeping the original factory paint where the damage is suitable. Whether that is possible depends on a few things we check every time:
- Paint condition – if the paint at the dent is already cracked, chipped, brittle or stretched, PDR cannot preserve it, and the panel will need painting whatever method is used.
- Stretched metal – a sharp, deep impact can stretch the metal so far that it will not return to its original shape.
- Location – dents right on a body line or the very edge of a panel are harder to reach and reshape.
- Access behind the panel – the technician needs a way to reach the back of the dent with the tools.
- Size and depth – larger, deeper damage is less likely to be suitable than a door ding, trolley dent or minor parking knock.
Repair suitability and results depend on the size, depth, location and condition of the damage.
What happens if we find the dent is not suitable
This is how the assessment works:
- Send photos or call – call 0487 777 400 or send photos of the damage. Photos are the fastest route to a realistic quote.
- Initial assessment – we review the dent’s size, depth, location and paint condition and give you an indicative quote and a view on whether it is likely to suit PDR.
- On-site inspection – at your home, workplace or business, or at our Oakleigh base by appointment, the damage is inspected in person before any work starts: panel access, metal stretching, body lines and edges, and the paint.
- Honest answer – if PDR is not suitable, we explain what we found and recommend the alternative rather than proceeding anyway.
Where the paint is damaged or the metal is too stretched, the usual alternative is a conventional panel repair, where the panel is filled, sanded and repainted.
Why an honest “no” is worth more than a rushed repair
Forcing PDR on damage that is not suitable can leave a poor finish or damage paint that was only just holding on. Assessing first protects your car and your money. When the dent is suitable, the panel is gradually reshaped without sanding, filler or repainting, and every completed job gets a final quality inspection before it is signed off.
Many dents that people expect to need a body shop are suitable: door dents and door dings, shopping trolley dents, minor parking dents and many hail dents. Our team has repaired 1.25K+ vehicles and completed 1.33K+ successful dent repairs, so we can usually tell from good photos whether your dent is a likely candidate.
Who this matters for
Melbourne drivers who want the car looking right again without losing it for days: office workers who want the repair done in the work car park, parents at home, businesses with vehicles on site, fleet and company vehicles, lease returns where cosmetic damage will be charged for, and people preparing a car for sale. Our mobile dent repair service covers Greater Melbourne, with the strongest local presence in Oakleigh, Clayton, Chadstone, Mount Waverley, Glen Waverley, Mulgrave and Springvale.
Common questions
How is the price worked out?
Pricing is quote-based. Every dent is assessed before a price is confirmed, and the cost depends on the size and depth of the dent, how many there are, where it sits on the panel, access behind it, the paint condition and where the job is. If PDR is not suitable, we explain why and recommend the alternative rather than carrying out the repair.
Can you tell from a photo whether my dent is suitable?
From photos, the technician gives an indicative quote and likely suitability for PDR. The final decision is made at the on-site inspection, because things like hairline paint cracks and access behind the panel are best checked in person.
Will PDR damage my paint?
PDR is designed to preserve intact paint. The risk rises when paint is already cracked, brittle or stretched, and the condition of the paint is checked at the inspection before work starts. Read more in Will Paintless Dent Repair Damage My Paint?
Is hail damage always a write-off?
No. Many hail dents are suitable for PDR. Each panel is still assessed first, as with any dent.
How long does a suitable repair take?
Many minor repairs are completed within a few hours, depending on the extent and complexity of the damage.
Find out if your dent is suitable
Send photos of the dent or call Marks Dent Repair on 0487 777 400, or email marksdentrepair7@gmail.com. We come to your home, workplace or business across Greater Melbourne, and our Oakleigh base at 41 Regent St is strictly by appointment only. See all our dent repair services.
