Small Dent Repair, Small Price?

I have a little dent, I feel that the price isn't little.

Pricing for Paintless dent repair can be a shock for some retail customers. The disparity for what they think a repair should cost vs. the reality, because they are focused on the size of the dent, rather than the location of the dent on the panel. It is sometimes rooted in the idea that dents just pop out, which is a myth. Here is a small video from a repair I did this morning, showing the repair of a small dent. In total, I had about three hours in this fender. There was no bracing or sound deadening pad or mechanical obstructions to the repair, which saved me lots of time. I was only able to capture a small portion of the work, due to battery life. In short, lots of work, goes into even, what you may consider a small repair. Time Lapse Video Of A Small Paintless Dent Repair

Size Matters But Not As Much As Location The size of the dent does matter, but not as much as the location of the dent on the panel, the type of metal, the leverage, the obstructions, the electronics inside, the mechanics of the various motors in the interior, and what needs to be taken apart and put back together. This is why we ask for a series of images and videos, to give you an estimate.

They protest they have a small dent and due to that, the should have small price, even if they don’t know what it should cost to start with. Relatively speaking any Paintless Dent Repair under 400$ is a cheap repair, even for a dime size dent. They want to barter on pricing based upon what they think it should cost, even though the industry has set standard pricing. Oddly enough, dealerships, rental car companies, insurance companies, Automotive Auctions and the like, don’t mind these prices. They understand that there will always be someone cheaper, who can cut corners on these types of repairs, but will pay more for consistency of product and a reduction in the headache of failed attempts. This is why, experienced technicians cost slightly more, but they provide ancillary benefits. Namely, salvation from the paint booth, Carfax, and insurance premiums.

The Cost of Doing Buisness In The Paintless World

There are also hidden costs in running a PDR company, things that you may not care about on the front end, but will care very deeply about, if something goes wrong.

First Insurance, most professional dent repair companies must carry one to three million dollars per vehicle insurance. This covers everything and anything not discussed prior to the repair, that can and will go wrong from time to time. Even as a professional dent repair technician, I have broken glass, destroyed motors in doors, cut wiring, broken interior clips and panels, busted speakers, etc — mistakes can and eventually will take place. I admit, I have not had any of these things happen to me since 2012, but it does happen. The point is, your not just paying for the dent repair, you paying for the coverage also. As a technician, I pay over sixteen thousand dollars a year for my insurance.

Second, levels of service and results. If you just want it cheap, there are less experienced options, who will do a mediocre job, while you take the risk if something goes wrong. To be totally honest, this may be what you actually need and want and you may be absolutely satisfied with the results, even if they fail to meet industry standards. At the same time, you shouldn't get angry at a high end steak house prices for the perfect meal, if you want to get a steak at Waffle House.

In conclusion, its not that we don’t want your business or that we are trying to cheat you. We are simply getting paid this from all of our vendors and we are making a special trip to your location, for a one time repair. We want to give your dent the attention it requires, and this is what it cost, for us to do the job right. Otherwise, we are losing money from a repair we can do elsewhere. I personally, do not charge retail customers more than commercial accounts, even larger dealership accounts that bill over 20-80k a year with me (Currently, 7). I do however, charge a small travel fee for dents outside my typical work zone. In some cases, I require the fee be paid up front.