Car dents come in many different shapes, sizes and levels of severity. A small door ding is very different from a sharp crease or a dent running through a bodyline — and each can require a different repair approach.
For suitable damage, Paintless Dent Repair (PDR) — also known as Paintless Dent Removal — allows the metal to be carefully reshaped without fillers, sanding or repainting.
Here are some of the most common types of car dents we repair.
1. Door Dings
Common causes: Car doors opening into your vehicle, tight parking spaces and minor impacts in car parks.
Door dings are generally small, localised dents commonly found on doors and side panels.
How We Repair Door Dings
When suitable for PDR, specialist tools and techniques are used to carefully reshape the damaged area while preserving the original factory paint.
Many straightforward door dings can be repaired relatively quickly, although the location and available access behind the panel can affect the complexity of the repair.
2. Round Dents
Common causes: Hail, balls and other rounded objects impacting the vehicle.
Round dents generally have a more gradual shape than sharp or creased damage. Their size and depth can vary considerably depending on the impact.
How We Repair Round Dents
Where the paintwork and metal are suitable, PDR techniques can be used to gradually reshape the panel back towards its original form without filling or repainting the damaged area.
3. Crease Dents
Common causes: Objects dragging or pressing along a panel, car park impacts and contact with hard edges.
Unlike a round dent, a crease often creates a longer, more defined line through the damaged panel.
How We Repair Crease Dents
Creases can be more complex than simple door dings because the metal has been displaced along a concentrated line.
Using specialised PDR techniques, the damaged area is carefully worked to restore the shape of the panel while retaining the existing paint finish where possible.
4. Bodyline Dents
Common causes: Car doors, shopping trolleys and other impacts directly against a vehicle's bodyline.
Bodylines are the defined contours or styling lines running through many vehicle panels. When a dent occurs directly on one of these lines, the repair can be more challenging because the original contour needs to be accurately restored.
How We Repair Bodyline Dents
Bodyline repairs require careful control of the metal to recreate the original shape and definition of the panel.
Many bodyline dents can be successfully repaired using Paintless Dent Removal, depending on their severity, paint condition and location.
5. Sharp or Deep Dents
Common causes: Concentrated impacts from hard or narrow objects.
Sharp dents usually have a smaller, more concentrated impact point than round dents and can sometimes involve significant displacement of the metal.
How We Repair Sharp Dents
Sharp dents can be among the more challenging types of damage to repair with PDR.
Repairability depends on factors including the depth of the dent, how much the metal has been stretched, its location and the condition of the paintwork.
Some sharp dents can be repaired using PDR, while more severe damage may require conventional body repair.
6. Larger Dents
Common causes: Larger objects, minor impacts and accidental contact with vehicle panels.
Paintless Dent Repair isn't limited to small dents. Some larger dents can also be repaired using PDR, provided the metal, paintwork and location of the damage are suitable.
How We Repair Larger Dents
Larger repairs generally require the damaged metal to be carefully reshaped across a wider area.
The size of a dent alone doesn't determine whether PDR is possible — its depth, severity, location, paint condition and panel access all need to be considered.
7. Hail Damage
Common causes: Severe thunderstorms and hailstorms.
Unlike an individual dent, hail damage can leave dozens or even hundreds of dents across multiple panels, particularly the bonnet, roof, guards and other exposed areas.
How We Repair Hail Damage
PDR is commonly used for suitable hail damage because individual dents can be repaired while retaining the vehicle's existing factory paint.
Hail repairs are assessed individually, as the number and severity of dents, paint condition and affected panels can vary considerably from vehicle to vehicle.
Can Every Type of Dent Be Repaired with PDR?
No. While Paintless Dent Repair can repair a wide range of damage, not every dent is suitable for PDR.
Repairability can depend on:
The size and severity of the dent
Whether the metal has been excessively stretched
The condition of the paintwork
The location of the damage
The panel material
Access to the damaged area
Previous repairs or repainting
Plastic panels are not suitable for PDR, while panels with previous repairs, repainting, PPF or vinyl wrap may require additional assessment.
Why Choose Paintless Dent Repair?
When the damage is suitable, PDR offers several advantages:
Preserves the original factory paint
No fillers, sanding or repainting
Many repairs can be completed the same day
Can be more cost-effective than conventional panel repair
Suitable for everything from small dings to some larger dents and hail damage
The important thing is having the damage properly assessed rather than assuming a dent is or isn't repairable based purely on its size.
Mobile Car Dent Repair in Sydney
Dentless Automotive provides professional mobile Paintless Dent Repair and Paintless Dent Removal throughout the Sydney area.
With 2,000+ vehicles repaired, we have experience repairing door dings, creases, bodyline dents, larger dents and hail damage.
We come to your home, workplace or business, with repairs completed on-site where a suitable undercover area is available.
Get a Free Dent Repair Quote
Not sure what type of dent you have? You don't need to identify it yourself.
Complete our Get a Quote form and upload clear photos of the damage from different angles. We'll assess the dent and let you know whether it appears suitable for Paintless Dent Repair.
