Paintless Dent Removal

Learn All About PDR (Paintless Dent Removal)

Paintless dent removal (PDR), also known as paintless dent repair, is a method of removing minor dents from the body of a motor vehicle. A wide range of damage can be repaired using PDR as long as the paint surface is intact. PDR may be used on both aluminum and steel panels.

The most common practical use for PDR is the repair of hail damage, door dings, minor creases, large dents, and body-lines damage. Here at Gordon's of Torrance, we use PDR as part of our auto body and collision repair services. Find out if paintless dent removal is right for you and your vehicle by calling (310) 620-6418. Be sure to ask about our veteran and senior discounts.

Is PDR Right for Your Car?

Limiting factors for a successful repair using PDR include the flexibility of the paint (most of today’s refined automotive paint finishes allow for successful PDR) and the extent to which the metal has been stretched by the damage, which depends on the thickness of the metal, the curvature or flatness where the damage occurred and the intensity of the impact.

Generally speaking, the shallower the dent, the greater the likelihood of paintless dent repair being a suitable option. Even dents several inches in diameter can be repaired by this method as long as the metal and paint are not stretched. Most experienced technicians can repair a shallow large dent or crease to an acceptable level, but very sharp dents and creases may not be suitable for PDR.

Using the latest, specially formulated techniques and tools, the dent is gently massaged back to its original shape. Paintless dent removal is fast, effective, and inexpensive. And the color always matches because it is the original body paint.

Fill out our online form today for a FREE estimate on paintless dent removal from Gordon's of Torrance. Estimates can be provided within 24 hours.

Paintless Dent Repair History

Paintless dent removal was invented by Oskar Flaig in February of 1960 during the International Motor Sports Show in New York City.

Oskar Flaig was an ordinary member of staff at Mercedes. His job was to take care of the paintwork of all the show cars presented at trade fairs. Damage, scratches on the paintwork and small dents produced by the public during the day needed to be re-painted at night, so the vehicles would be in perfect condition on the next day. At the trade fair in New York City, Flaig used a hammer handle to push out a small dent, so he would need to apply less filler before painting. Nevertheless, the result already looked perfect after pushing. This was the beginning of paintless dent removal.

In other forms of metalworking, similar techniques of paintless dent removal may have been employed as early as the 1930s in automotive assembly plants and was popularized much later.