Side by side
| Paintless dent repair | Body shop repair | |
|---|---|---|
| Paint | Factory paint stays | Sanded, filled, primed, repainted |
| Color match | Not needed | Must be matched and blended |
| Time | Hours to a few days | Several days to weeks |
| Cost | Usually lower | Usually higher |
| Vehicle history | No repaint record | A reported claim can appear |
| Works when paint is cracked? | No | Yes |
| Works for torn or stretched metal? | No | Yes |
When PDR is right
- The paint has no cracks or chips at the dent
- Door dings, hail, and most round dents
- Many creases, including some on body lines
When you need a body shop
- Broken, chipped, or flaking paint
- Torn, stretched, or kinked metal
- Damaged bumpers, lights, or structural parts
Sometimes the answer is both: a body shop handles the collision damage while PDR takes care of dents on neighboring panels, so those panels don’t need paint. That’s what our body shop partner program is for.
