Dent Removal in Tyne and Wear

Dents come from runaway shopping trolleys, door knocks in car parks, hail, minor collisions and objects striking a panel. Some are shallow and rounded and look worse than they are. Others are sharp, creased or sitting on a panel edge, and those are far harder to put right.

At Banks of the Tyne in Hebburn we remove dents as part of our accident and body repair work. This page covers how we judge a dent, the approaches available and what affects how good the result can be.

What decides whether a dent is straightforward

The key question is whether the metal is stretched. A smooth, shallow dent with undamaged paint is much easier to work out than a sharp crease, where the metal has been folded and stretched. Location matters too. Dents on flat, open areas are easier to reach than those on a panel edge, a body line or a double-skinned area such as a door bottom.

• Depth and sharpness of the dent
• Whether the paint is cracked or intact
• Position on the panel and access to the back
• Panel material, steel or aluminium
• Previous repairs in the same spot

How dents are worked out

Where the paint is intact and access is possible, a dent can often be pushed or eased back from behind, gradually and carefully, with the surface checked as it comes. Where access is limited or the paint is damaged, the dent may be pulled from outside, then the area is filled lightly, smoothed, primed and painted.

The aim is for the panel to end up straight, with paint that matches. Where a dent is too deep or the metal too stretched, replacing the panel may give a better finish than building the area up with filler. We tell you that at the estimate.

What affects the result and the cost

The amount of time involved is the main driver, and that depends on the points above. If the paint has to be redone, colour matching and blending adjoining areas add to it. A dent with intact paint can need less than one where the finish has broken.

Cars with aluminium panels or thick underseal behind the panel can complicate access. Ask us whether your car has any such complications. We cannot promise the outcome until we have inspected the dent in good light.

What to expect and how to prepare

Wash the car before it comes in, because dirt hides shallow dents and makes assessment harder. Point out every dent you want looked at, as some are only visible in certain light.

If the dent came from a collision, tell us, as there may be damage behind the panel. If an insurance claim is involved, check with your insurer before work begins. Small dents are sometimes not worth claiming for, but that depends on your policy.