Home-made PDR techniques?

MongooseGA · 03-05-05, 10:54

As some of you know, I recently acquired a new [to me] Lexus SC400. The car only has an average of 3-4 thousand miles per year, but the owner was some old man. Said old man insisted on parking up front everywhere, resulting in multiple small door dings all over my car.

Most of these little buggers are probably good candidates for a professional PDR job, but I don't have the cash to pay for a professional job right now. Today I was talking with a family friend and he mentioned something about dry ice being used for PDR.

My questions are: Is this true? How does it work?

Eventually the car will go to our body guy for some minor touch up, but I wanted to give it a try first if I could.

Thanks in advance,

99se5spd · 03-06-05, 01:01

ive tried the dry ice method before, every technique i could find/heard about. the only thing it did was make some dents sliiightly more shallow, i think it might work on larger shallow dents where the metal is not stretched, but like you i have quite a bit of dings from parking lots and this method does not work so well.

MongooseGA · 03-06-05, 07:33

Thanks.

Does anyone know of any other simple ways to remove/lessen the appearance of these dings?

rjstaaf · 03-06-05, 07:41

Have you checked around, some PDR places charge by the panel rather than the dent. Might wind up cheaper if you can find a place that charges by the panel.

Shiny Lil Detlr · 03-06-05, 07:58

Quote:

Originally posted by MongooseGA
Thanks.

Does anyone know of any other simple ways to remove/lessen the appearance of these dings?

may sound crazy, but I bought one of those Ding King kits.... it actually does an OK job on some mid to large size dents; might want to give that a shot....

a.k.a. Patrick · 03-06-05, 08:53

Im going to have to get one just so i can say ive tried it.....I have a dinger on the Taurus' door curvature thats an eyesore.....

MongooseGA · 03-06-05, 03:44

I never really thought about it. I'll try to get a few pictures showing the dings and maybe you could tell me whether or not the Ding King could help.

Bill D · 03-06-05, 03:52

That sure would be worth a try first before either paying to have it done professionally or learning on the $500 true pro variety

Jimmy Buffit · 03-07-05, 10:08

My experience with dry ice is negative, no effect at all... plus, I'm told that the drastic temperature change could fracture the paint!

The $20 Dent King does work, on some dings. The down side of using glued on tabs to pull the ding? If the paint was weakened by the 'event', you may actually pull paint off.

Don't ask how I know.

Jim

Shiny Lil Detlr · 03-07-05, 11:00

Quote:

Originally posted by Jimmy Buffit
My experience with dry ice is negative, no effect at all... plus, I'm told that the drastic temperature change could fracture the paint!

The $20 Dent King does work, on some dings. The down side of using glued on tabs to pull the ding? If the paint was weakened by the 'event', you may actually pull paint off.

Don't ask how I know.

Jim

That's exactly why I use a paint thickness gauge before I try the ding king -- usually you can tell if a vehicle has been re-painted or not. The directions state only to use the DK on OEM paint.

DavidB · 03-07-05, 11:49

GA... I've had a lot of dings removed. Post pics so we can see them. If they are in a "good" place you can borrow my Wurth dent puller. I have about a 50% success rate.

mikev · 03-07-05, 06:41

No offense, but with the amount of money that Autopians spend on washing and polishing and detailing products, it sounds a tad strange that one would look to take the cheap route when it comes to the surface you are washing, polishing, and detailing

Save up and spend the cash, get it done properly. Usually if you find one of the mobile guys, they'll give you a deal anyways.