Why Dealers Sell Cars With Hail Damage:
Before selling cars, dealers prefer to fix any damage they can, as doing so makes each vehicle more likely to find a buyer. Paintless damage repair specialists often fix hail damage at wholesale rates, which is perfect for a dealer who has numerous vehicles that were damaged in a storm.
Sometimes, however, the cost of repairs exceeds the expected profit from selling the hail-damaged cars as-is, so the dealer opts not to fix the vehicles. In addition, hail damage can’t always be repaired paintless, such as when the paint is stretched or cracked. In rare cases, damage may even extend to the car’s functionality.
Although dealerships have insurance, they still have to pay deductibles on claims like any ordinary owner, and they may not find these worth the cost if their bottom line suffers. As such, a dealer may sell hail-damaged cars as they are.
Stay Within Manufacturers Warranty
Repairs that dont meet the manufacturers specification will void the warranty on your vehicle . While you can tell that PDR has been done, it will not void the warranty. You will not have to tell the lease company, dealership or car insurance about your hail damage unless you feel it will benefit you in some way.
Heating And Cooling Method
There are 3 ways to fix hail damage by using heating and cooling method, lets check them out now:
1.1 Using Dry Ice To Fix The Dents
Applying dry ice to the dent is an effective way for fixing hail damage. The huge change in temperature can force the dents to pop out. Everything for you to do is just moving the dry ice around the damaged area to cool the area rapidly. But be careful as dry ice will damage your skin if you dont wear gloves when handling it.
Fixing hail damage by dry ice can be a cool solution, but sometimes it can not remove all of the dents. So in this case, you will need to do additional repairs.
1.2 Parking Your Car In A Sunny Place
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Another way to fix the small dents is parking your car in a sunny area. This is an effective way that most of car enthusiasts all know. By doing this way, the metal will heat up and expand. As the car surface expands, the shallow and light dents will pop out.
The longer you park your car in a sunny area, the more likely this way will work.
1.3 Using Hot Air To Fix The Dents
If you can not expose your car to the sunlight, you can use a hair dryer instead. Just aim the hair dryer to the areas you want to fix, and wait until the dents even out. The ideal distance between the hair dryer and the car should be 2-4 inches. While using a hair dryer, there should be an interval of 2 minutes.
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Paint Less Dent Repair
Paint less dent removal is the most sure way of removing the hail dents. A paint less dent repair kit has a gun onto which you harness the different sizes of dent pullers. The benefit of using this tool kit is that you are assured your cars paint will not be scratched or damaged.
Paint less dent removal kits are padded with rubber feet to protect your cars paint.
How To remove dents with a paintless dent removal kit.
Step 1: Clean the cars surface using soap and water. Use a soft cloth to ensure the surface is dry and no soap has been left on the dent.
Step 2: From your paintless dent kit, find a dent tab that fits the size of the dent perfectly. Consider the shape of the dent on the car in choosing the dent tab.
Step 3: Preheat the glue gun for 3-5 minutes and then pick a glue stick and insert it into the glue gun.
Step 4: Pick the dent kit you chose in step 2 and then squeeze just enough hot glue into the underside of the dent tab.
Step 5: Hold the tab upright and gently place it on the dent while ensuring you hold it steadily until it is firmly placed on the dent.
Step 6:Place the tab neck into the notch. Then adjust the feet pedal while spinning the top knob to adjust your notchs height.
Step 7: Gently lift the notch handle to lift the dent. Keep observing that the dent is popping out. If not, adjust your notch height once again.
Step 8: Once you are confident that the dent has popped out, spray alcohol on the dent tab and around it.
Fixing Hail Damage On A Car Yourself
If you leave your car outdoors and exposed to Mother Nature, there is always a chance that it will sustain hail damage. Fixing hair damage on your car becomes a costly endeavor at …
If you leave your car outdoors and exposed to Mother Nature, there is always a chance that it will sustain hail damage. Fixing hair damage on your car becomes a costly endeavor at an auto-body shop. Typically, your insurance will cover the cost of fixing hail damage, however, there are also do-it-yourself options if the dents and dings are not too severe.
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Schertz To Buda And North Austin To Georgetown
We provide professional hail repair in the Austin Metro Area all the way from Schertz to Georgetown. Your hail damage will be worked on by a highly certified PDR professional and backed by a lifetime warranty. With over 30 years of experience, we are known in the industry and work with most insurance companies. So start your hail repair today. Your rental car is waiting for you.
What Types Of Damage Can Hail Cause
Your roof and your car parked outside will probably be the most susceptible points of impact in a hail storm. But you may not always see obvious damage right away. Smaller dime-sized hailstones may damage your flowers and landscaping, while larger hail like golf-ball or tennis ball-sized can break windows, make large dents, and create holes in your siding.
Its important to know some of the most common types of damage that your roof may have in the event of a hail storm. That way, you can notice pretty quickly if you have damage and get it repaired right away.
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Storm Damage Roof Replacement Cost
Storm damage roof recovery costs are expensive. Severe damages can cost greatly. You may end up paying between $20,000 and $30,000 if you suffer a roof collapse or have sustained enough damage on your roof to warrant a full replacement. If you have significant damage to 50% or more of your shingles, have warped shingles, or the damage has resulted in several leaks throughout your home, the insurance company may recommend replacement over simple repairs. Additionally, if your roof’s structure has been compromised, a replacement would be the better option.
What Is The Best Way To Repair Hail Damage On A Car Hire An Expert
Choosing to hire a hail damage repair service might cost a little more, but its the only way to ensure a job well done. As we mentioned earlier, the amount you end up paying depends a lot on the severity of the hail damage. Car repair estimates can reach as high as several thousand dollars. Thankfully, new methods, such as paintless hail damage repair, can help keep the costs down. Lets review the options:
- Replace Body Panels
If your car severely got pelted with hail, you might have to have entire body panels replaced. While more labor-intensive, if the damage is severe, it might be the only option. If you are wondering how much does hail damage repair cost, know that this option is costly.
- Filler/Glazing
For a perfect finish, a professional service can also sand down the affected area and fill in the dents with glaze putty. However, once thats done, youll have to have it painted as well. Meaning it adds a chunk to the amount you spend on hail damage. Car repair costs are never fun. When is this a good option? When you have several small to medium-sized dents.
- Heat Repair
For older or new vehicles alike, using an oxyacetylene torch is a reliable method for larger dents. Consider this the heavy-duty version of the hairdryer method. It does, however, require that the affected area get painted afterward, which adds to the final amount you pay.
- Paintless Dent Repair Hail Damage Without the Hassle
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Other Considerations When You Buy:
If you buy a hail-damaged car, keep in mind that its resale value might be impacted. Although an undamaged vehicle may cost more initially, its eventual resale value might make it the more financially sensible option.
If you plan to finance your vehicle purchase, make sure your lender covers hail-damaged cars.
Take care to inspect the car carefully before making a purchase, to avoid unwanted surprises later. Running the car through an electronic background check may pull up undisclosed damage as well. Just plug the automobile’s vehicle identification number into Carfax, AutoCheck or a similar site.
You should also ask your insurance agent if the hail damage puts your comprehensive insurance at risk. Your agent may give you coverage for the current damage but not future damage from hail, so you may have to take extra care to protect your car going forward, such as by keeping it in the garage when not in use. If the hail damage remains undocumented, your insurance may deduct the hail damage from any future accident claim. For example, if a fender bender results in a $2,000 claim, you may only receive $500 if you have $1,500 in unreported hail damage.
Hail Damage Repair Near Me
When doing a search on Google forhail damage repair near me or hail damage repair shops, you will find results that include both Denver auto body shops and paintless dent repair shops.
You might be wondering why you shouldnt just take your vehicle to an auto body shop. Youve heard about auto body shops but dont really know much about paintless dent repair. In fact, you might have learned during your research that many Auto Body Shops in Denver have paintless hail damage repair technicians on staff.
This is common after a hail storm has hit a city and caused widespread damage. Denver auto body shops and many car dealerships will temporarily bring on a Denver paintless dent repair technician to take on these repairs. Many dont have full-time PDR technicians on staff because auto body shops specialize in fixing vehicles with major collision damage, panel replacement, and auto body painting.
Insurance companies prefer the paintless dent removal method for auto hail repair because it is faster, less expensive, and preserves the vehicle paint warranty.
Summit Hail Repair is a paintless dent removal shop that specializes in small to mid-sized dent repair, including hail damage repair. As mentioned above, 99% of all hail damage can be repaired with PDR and 99% of ALL of our repairs are auto hail damage repairs.
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Auto Painting Is Complicated Let A Professional Auto Paint Shop Handle The Job
In the United States there are nearly 6 million auto accidents every year. Have you been involved in a car accident that left your car in need of a complete paint job? No matter how you have received damage to your car, the appearance and value have been ruined. Such problems can also lead to rust. It is important that you seek painting services offered by a professional auto paint shop.
Auto Painting Is Not a DIY Project
There may be plenty of DIY auto painting kits on the market that have you convinced painting a car is easy. However, auto painting is not an easy job. If you do not do it right, serious problems can occur. Are you of the mind that an auto paint shop is too expensive?
Nothing could be further from the truth when it comes to the money you will save having your car painted professionally. There are many benefits to letting an auto paint shop take care of painting your auto. Trained professionals have already painted countless cars.
They also have the innovative equipment needed to fix blemishes and scratches. They know how to fully paint your car and return its appearance back to brand new. Continue reading to find out why using a professional auto paint shop is the ideal choice.
A Great Paint Job Requires Body Preparation
The Experts Have the Correct Equipment and Tools
You Have Options with Color Choices
The Experts Use the Correct Type of Auto Paint
Neglecting To Get An Estimate For Pdr Hail Damage Removal
The biggest mistake people make is not getting their vehicle evaluated for PDR repairs after hail damage happens and instead taking their vehicle straight to an auto body shop for traditional repairs. When the hail dents are repaired by a top PDR technician, your car will not be left with incomplete seals, imperfect color matches, over-spray, or damage to adjacent painted panels that comes from traditional repair methods. PDR preserves your vehicles factory finish to ensure that your car keeps its value while getting its appearance restored. Its faster, more cost-effective, preferred by insurance companies and more beneficial for your investment in your vehicle. It takes years of practice and experience for a technician to become a PDR expert capable of repairing hail damage your vehicle is in good hands with certified PDR technicians. The top PDR technicians in Rapid City have over 30 years of experience and they can fix all car models.
Paintless dent repair is the ultimate hail damage repair method. When your car sustains hail damage, you can trust an experienced PDR technician to repair the dents quickly and expertly, and also coordinate with your insurance to assist with the claims process. Contact Dent Shop today for a free estimate and to learn more about the benefits of PDR for hail dent removal.
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What Does Hail Damage Look Like
First, its essential to know that hail doesnt need to be the size of a baseball or golf ball to cause significant damage to your home. Hail that large is relatively uncommon. Even small coin-sized hail can make an impact on your roof, and youll want to check for damage right away. But what does it look like?
- Missing granules
- Missing shingles or spaces between shingles
- Tears on the shingle corners
Cost To Repair Hail Damage
Hail damage from a storm is one of the most costly repairs ranging from $3,000 to $12,000 depending on the hail’s size and where the damage has occurred. Most often, hail damage will lead to roof or siding damage and usually requires sections to be replaced. In some cases, hail damage can occur on windows and skylights, which will likely lead to the need for a full replacement.
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Buying A Hail Damage Car Repair It Or Not
Depending on how significant the damage is to the car, you may find a great deal on a car with hail damage. In many cases, a hailstorm may only cause cosmetic blemishes, but do your homework if you plan to purchase a used vehicle with any signs of hail damage.
Have a technician take a close look at the car. There could have been more damage and only some of it was repaired. Also, contact your lender if you are financing to make sure you can finance a damaged vehicle. Notify your insurance agent of the damage and inquire if you are still eligible for comprehensive insurance.
It is up to you if you choose to have the vehicle repaired after you purchase it or if you dont mind driving with some dents on the vehicle.
Hail Damage Not Cheap To Repair
Frank Peppard notes that several items that might appear on a repair bill cost thousands of dollars. The exact repairs that are needed will differ based on the extent of the damage.
Peppard lists the following as industry-standard costs for repairs often needed with hail damage:
- Paintless dent repair for hail damage = $4,500
- PDR plus traditional panel repair = $7,500
- Large-scale hail repair including roof replacement = $11,000
- Windscreen replacement = $250 to $350
- Advanced Driver Assistance System windscreen replacement = $500 to $600
Worst-case scenario your car would need large-scale hail repair and a roof replacement, plus an ADAS windscreen replacement. This could cost $11,600.
If youre lucky, just a windscreen replacement would be necessary, costing only $250 on average.
Essentially, hail damage repair bills are based on one form of bodywork repair and possibly a windscreen replacement as well. This means average costs could range from $4,750 to $11,600 .
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Will Filing For A Hail Repair Increase My Insurance Premium
The short answer is NO, as hail damage is considered an Act of Nature. However, most insurance companies would tell you that they keep a record of every hail claim, and if you have an exorbitant amount of hail claims, they could drop you.
We only see this in very rare cases, and it only happens when its questionable as to whether the hail claims are legitimate.
Insurance companies actually make up the loss when catastrophic hail damages a large number of cars and homes in one zip code by raising everyones rates in the affected area.
They get away with this as its not technically singling any one individual out who has made a hail claim. but rather everyone in the area, whether they made a claim or not.Upon the next renewal, everyone will have slightly higher rates.
So when you think of it that way, you really should make the claim and have the damage fixed because youre going to be paying for it anyway!
