Hail damage (Full Version)

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Hail damage

  

01 vtec nc -> Hail damage (6/27/2008 12:15:04 PM)

So I just bought a 2001 Accord Sedan; I got a great deal on it partly due to the fact it had hail damage across the hood, roof, and trunk. The damage isn''t terrible, and I honestly could live with it because nobody really notices unless I point it out, but I would like to get them out eventually.

Does anyone know a cost-effective way/company that does this sort of thing? I will try to post some pictures later, I live in Charlotte, NC so anyone that knows about anything around here that would be great. I would like to keep it under $500 if possible, but I do really want a good job so if I need to spend more, I might just have to suck it up.

  
klrspz -> RE: Hail damage (6/27/2008 12:24:17 PM)

paintless dent repair (PDR) is NOT cheap.... IMO, it''s rarely worth it..

Last I was quoted it was $75-120 per dent, depending on the size and location. Most of my dents I was told could NOT be removed via PDR and required a new panel/door-skin (it was on some of the rigid lines along the side... worst thing honda could have done is put a ridge right where car doors hit :( )

How big are these dents? I''ve seen some videos about using compressed air cans to pop out larger ones: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miNykNl-0NM&feature=related

Could also try somethin like this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdVpvL_FpoQ
don''t know what kind of results this kind of product really yields...

a friend of my dad said he once used a plunger on one.. seemed ghey, but who knows.

01 vtec nc -> RE: Hail damage (6/27/2008 12:27:44 PM)

They are really tiny little dents, the largest ones are maybe half and inch across and not very deep at all. I really am the only person who notices it, but I am anal ;)
There are probably a couple hundred dents across the hood, trunk and roof.

RTexasF -> RE: Hail damage (6/27/2008 1:12:38 PM)

I witnessed a friend''s truck having the hail dents removed with liquid nitrogen. This was a pro shop that specialized in that technique and it was 100% successful.  Might be worth looking in your area for that. 

01 vtec nc -> RE: Hail damage (6/27/2008 2:21:39 PM)

Hmm, I would almost be scared to try it, though if it works...

RTexasF -> RE: Hail damage (6/27/2008 2:41:49 PM)

I had never heard of it but it did work without question so ???????????????

19Accord97 -> RE: Hail damage (6/27/2008 5:23:25 PM)

Have any of you seen the trick of heating up the dent w/ a hairdryer and then spraying a can of compressed air upsiude down on the dent immediately afterwards?  Saw it on youtube and would like to know if it works bc i have a few dents.  Does anyone know if it would harm the paint?

01 vtec nc -> RE: Hail damage (6/27/2008 8:13:56 PM)

The compressed air trick would be the exact same as using the dry ice. I did a little research and found out why: when the metal heats up, the molecules start moving faster (high school chemistry anyone? it''s been a while for me...) when you cool it quickly by either using dry ice or creating a pressure change in the compressed air which makes it super cold, it slows down the molecules almost instantly which causes them to bond together basically squeezing the dent out.
I watched a video of it in action and read up on it a bunch. I''m gonna try it sometime soon so I can be the guinea pig for you guys. I''ll post some before and after pictures once I do it. By the way, apparently it only works on smaller hail size dents, it doesn''t work as well with the larger ones. 

01 vtec nc -> RE: Hail damage (6/27/2008 8:16:34 PM)

oh, and the purpose of heating it up first just makes the reaction when you super-cool it more extreme so there is a greater chance the dent pulls out. Same reason cold water boils faster than hot water.
You don''t need to have the hair-dryer, my good old 100 degree NC sun should be plenty for me; I don''t want to risk damaging the clear coat with a hair dryer.

19Accord97 -> RE: Hail damage (6/27/2008 10:13:21 PM)

I would LOVE to see before and after pics.  I desperately need to get a few dents out and if it works I will try it out!

01 vtec nc -> RE: Hail damage (6/30/2008 10:10:23 AM)

Ok so I am going to try to do it tomorrow; the problem is that it has rained the past few days and hasn''t been hot enough to do it. I could take the hair dryer, but I don''t really want to risk the clear coat.
So provided it is nice and hot tomorrow, I should be able to do it and get some pictures up.

nafango2 -> RE: Hail damage (6/30/2008 2:43:33 PM)

i''m still not convinced on the whole "cold water boils faster than hot water thing".

i always assumed you used cold water when boiling stuff because it wasnt softened... (assuming it was from a un-softened hookup sink)

01 vtec nc -> RE: Hail damage (6/30/2008 3:03:23 PM)

I guess the jury is still out on that one. I think the second part of your post is more the reason why than anything else.

But the compressed air thing is true; rapid change in volume = change in temperature.

19Accord97 -> RE: Hail damage (6/30/2008 9:06:09 PM)

Cant wait for the pics and the results!

00AccordLX5spd -> RE: Hail damage (7/1/2008 8:21:38 AM)

I can''t wait to see the results either.  on another note: I have seen much success with Paintless Dent Repair here in Mississippi for cheap.  We have had hail storms in the past and probably 50% of the damaged vehicles were able to be repaired via PDR for less than the deductible ($500 in most cases)

  

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