Your car may have dents. Those dents may have come from a hail storm or a run in with a shopping cart (the shopping cart won) and you’re faced with a decision: do I repair those dents or do I let them slide?
There are several considerations you must make before deciding whether or not to repair car dents.
First and foremost, what is your stance on vehicle appearance? Do you plan on re-selling your vehicle any time soon? Did the hail damage or door ding break through your paint sealant? If so, repairing the dents is the first step you should take for rust prevention.
A Worst-Case Scenario for Car Dents
If a dent fractures your car’s paint sealant, that compromises the exterior of your car and makes it susceptible to rusting and corrosion over time. This process can occur rather quickly if your car is exposed to the elements, including precipitation, sunshine and salt left on the roads before after and during a winter weather event. If you live near an ocean, the salt water in the air can speed up the process of corrosion.
Rust is like a bad rash for your vehicle. It may start with one little dent, and work its way through the body of your vehicle, compromising its appearance while significantly decreasing vehicle value. Rust can also spread to the inner working parts of your vehicle, eating away at valuable components.
The Most Likely Scenario – Decreased Vehicle Resale Value
Appraisers and car buyers alike take dings and dents seriously.
It’s why dealerships offer huge discounts when their lot is flooded with hail damaged vehicles following a large storm.
It’s the difference between getting top dollar for your trade in and having to settle for, in some cases, thousands of dollars less.
Dings and dents are a big deal for the automotive resale industry, and those in the market for used cars alike. A vehicle’s appearance inside and out is almost as important as its mechanical condition on the open market. Vehicle resale value can take a huge hit just because of a few dents.
Making these improvements before trading in your vehicle can in many cases, fetch you more than just your money back.
You want to keep your vehicle looking its best and you want to protect your investment from a financial standpoint. Paintless Dent Removal, done earlier rather than later, is one of the best ways to protect your investment and preserve vehicle resale value.
It is important to remember that appearance is a large factor in determining trade-in value, so at some point, it may be beneficial to repair car dents before a dealership charges you double on your trade to do it themselves later.
