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.

 

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=miNyk...eature=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.

 

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 ****
There are probably a couple hundred dents across the hood, trunk and roof.

 

I witnessed a friend's truck having thehail 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.

 

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

 

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

 

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?

 

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.

 

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.

 

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!