Dents from Hitting a Deer? PDR Can Help!

Dent Removal

While hitting an animal with our car or getting in their way is the last thing any of us would like to happen, sometimes it’s inevitable and you can’t hold yourself responsible. Getting a dent on your vehicle can be annoying when you have to rely on traditional methods of dent repair. The old-fashioned way of repairing the dents on your car can take up a lot of your time and can become quite expensive. 

But are there any substitutes? Even though the traditional method has stuck around for years upon years, it isn’t exactly the perfect solution for all your dent-repair needs. It ends up damaging your car in unimaginable ways, and if you get damage more than once on the same car, you’re going to have a car that is extremely vulnerable to dents and dings on the road. 

You might be wondering the reason for that. Keep reading to learn why.

The Traditional Repair Process

If your car got hit by a deer and the incident left a dent or a ding on your vehicle, you’d immediately start thinking of a dent repair service that could help repair your car. But the few of us who do make the mistake of opting for the traditional process end up damaging the car. 

This is because when our car goes for an auto body shop repair it goes through a painful process of dent removal. The PDR technician uses tools to drill two holes around the dent. Afterward, they fill the dent with body fillers, and then the dented space is painted over with body paint. This makes it look like the dent on your car has been repaired when actually something terrible has happened to your car. 

What’s Wrong With An Autobody Shop Repair

Here, we list some reasons why you should reconsider getting your car repaired from an auto body shop.

  • The traditional way of repairing dents is expensive because the dent repair specialist uses several materials to repair the dent
  • It’s not environmentally friendly because when your car is painted with car paint, it releases harmful chemical fumes into the air
  • Your car comes with a protective coating that saves it from dent and dings. When your car goes through a traditional repair process, this coating is removed. 

Paintless Dent Repair

Paintless dent repair is the modern way of repairing the dents on your vehicle. Unlike the traditional method of repairing dent, PDR does not take away the protective coating from your car and is affordable as well. Because PDR offers such mind-blowing advantages over the traditional method, car insurance companies recommend their clients to get a PDR because it increases the longevity of the car’s body. 

This can also mean that the insurance company will pay for the damages that your car has suffered. If you’re looking to get a PDR repair completed due to deer damage, contact Appearance 1st Automotive.

Paintless Dent Repair for your Leased Car

dent repair on leased cars

As much as we would want to protect the body of our car from wear and tear, dents and dings are sometimes unavoidable. Damage to the car’s body can happen unexpectedly, and the hassle is something that we all do not want to deal with, especially if it is on a leased car. 

An autobody shop repair can take days at times to complete repairs and the mere thought of getting one can be stressful. Not only are you investing a lot of money to have the damage repaired, it can also take days before you get your leased car back. 

How Does Traditional Repair Work?

The traditional repair at an autobody shop can include drilling holes around the dent and then filling the dent with body fillers. Sometimes, it can also include repainting over the dent/ding. When any vehicle is shipped from the factory, it has a protective coating over the paint that can stop it from getting damaged on the road. This damage can be sustained from a hailstorm, from a shopping cart, or a golf ball. 

When you choose to have your car fixed at an autobody, your car can lose that protective coating. While returning your leased car to the dealership with dents/dings, sometimes it will cost you more money as they tend to opt for an autobody shop repair. Therefore, it will save you more money if you end up getting it fixed through the paintless dent repair method instead.

Getting Dents Fixed Before Returning It

When you’re at the end of your leased car agreement and getting ready to have it returned to the dealership, it’s important to consider how they’re going to evaluate your car completely. A complete evaluation means that they’ll catch every fault, and a dent can cost you extra on your return. However, getting your car repaired before it is returned can help you save money!

How Does Paintless Dent Repair Work?

A paintless dent repair is a modern way of repairing a dent. Unlike an autobody shop repair that takes away the protective coating from the top of your car, a PDR does not. When you opt for a PDR, a technician first inspects your car under a UV bulb. This is done so they can understand which part of your car needs a repair. 

Once they’ve examined the body of your car, they remove the dent by massaging it slightly from the back until the dent is removed. Because the tool the dent repair specialist uses never comes in contact with the dent, the protective coating on your car is never compromised. Additionally, since the PDR process is shorter and a lot simpler than an autobody shop repair, most technicians can get done with the repair in a day. 

If your car has sustained damage in Jacksonville, Florida that is repairable by PDR don’t hesitate to call us for a repair. Our expert certified technicians at Appearance 1st Automotive can repair your car the same day damage is done to your car! 

Getting dents fixed as soon as possible, especially before your leased car return date, is important to keep the value of the car.

Why You Should Get a Dent Repaired Quickly

Trunk Dent

If you’ve owned a car in Jacksonville, Florida – a dent has probably popped up on your car somewhere. It happens to the best of us, and there’s no reason to feel ashamed! No matter how carefully we drive, small damages happen here or there.

The dents and dings that happen to our vehicle can occur for many reasons. Someone could open their car door close to your car. A reckless driver could bump into the back of your car during a traffic jam, or perhaps, someone might throw a baseball that might hit your car to cause a dent. 

Often, people have no idea how a dent happened. They walk out of an exhausting day at work and notice the ugly sight when it’s too late. You might think of putting it off because “it’s just a dent,” but do you know what’s happening under? 

Get Dents Repaired Quickly

Getting a dent repaired from a professional dent repair shop like Appearance 1st Automotive is the best decision you can take. This way, you won’t have that little voice in your head nagging you to get the dent repaired. Here are a few reasons why you should get that repaired ASAP.

Rusting Problems

Dents cause blemishes on your car that are not pretty to see. But one of the most prominent damages a dent can cause is to the paint. The cracks on the paint of your car can cause the water to seep through to the metal of your car. This part of your car is unprotected and will soon to oxidize and rust. 

When the dent is small, you might not notice this at first. But as soon as the metal starts to rust, the damage on your vehicle becomes a lot more apparent. 

Long-Term Damage

Dents don’t only cause damage to the body of the car. If you don’t repair a dent long enough, you’re going to get your car repainted as well. Since you’re going to need a paint expert and a dent repair expert to repair the damages on your car – you’re going to have to wait until you find the person for the job. 

This wait will worsen the damage. Weather conditions and everyday wear and tear slowly chip off more paint than the initial damage your car sustained, and with time, you’re only letting the repair cost go further up! 

Reduced Value

There are no arguments that a dented car is going to sell for a much lesser price – but that’s not the point we’re trying to make. After your car has got a dent, there’s only a limited amount of time that you can take it for a paintless dent repair. Even though we at Appearance 1st Automotive want to fix every dent with PDR – our hands are tied in some situations. 

Once your car has been repainted, and a body filler has been used on it – it will sell for a significantly lower price. 

So don’t wait around! Drop by Appearance 1st Automotive and get your car repaired today! Or call us for a free estimate!

PDR vs. Do it Yourself Repair Kit

black mustang

You come out of the movie theatre feeling thrilled because of the movie you just saw. You never quite understood the twist at the end, but you tell yourself that not knowing is part of the fun. But while you hear your friends debate continuously – trying to make sense of what they saw – a dreadful sight pours cold chilly water over your blazing emotions.

Your Cadillac has sustained a dent on the door, and it just doesn’t look the same anymore. It feels like a punch in the gut because you’ve been so protective of your car all this time. A situation like this leaves many people reaching for two possible options that offer to make sense of the mayhem that has ensued.

A Do it Yourself Repair Kit?

The do it yourself repair kits you see online are designed in a way that they implore you. These repairs kits “claim” that without the help of a professional, you can get rid of the most annoying dents yourself. They tell you to stop paying a professional for the job because you can do it all yourself – but how much truth is there to this bold statement?

In some cases, DIY kits can work but to be fair – in those cases, you don’t need a DIY kit for a repair either. DIY kits are made for small repairs that can be fixed without a professional. If you have time and patience for a DIY kit – it might work for you, but then again, doing it wrong can have disastrous consequences as well.

The point is – a DIY kit is not the perfect solution. You’re going to need a lot of patience and some experience repairing dents to make sure everything goes right for you.

DIY Won’t Always Work

In some situations, even the most experienced and skilled home technicians can’t fix dents with a DIY kit. The dent either won’t change at all, or your relentless efforts will make the dent bubble out on the other side of the car.
Even though your DIY kit will come with tools that are supposed to stop this from happening, it’s a very easy mistake to make. And once the dent has bubbled out – your problems have just increased four-folds.

Leave It To the Professionals

There’s nothing like PDR repair from a professional.

Because the professional has done this procedure more times than you can probably imagine – leave their job to them. Not only are they certified experts in the field – but they also work for your best interest. Our technicians at Appearance 1st Automotive, make sure they make every paintless dent repair as affordable and safe for the customer as possible.

Since the PDR process is a lot quicker than a traditional dent repair, customers leave with their car a lot quicker, too. If your car has sustained damages in Jacksonville, Florida– drop by our shop anytime, or call us 904-664-9088 to get a free estimate of your damages.

Increasing Your Car’s Value Before Selling

PDR on a blue car

If you’re looking to get rid of your old car in Jacksonville, Florida, you’re going to find many buyers who are willing to take your old car off your hands. It is also worth noting that several people undersell their vehicles. You can easily sell your car for a much higher price if you take some time to give it some small repairs. 

Not only does this process have several advantages for you, but it is also fair to the buyer. But before you consider the advantages of getting some work done on your vehicle, what kind of repairs do you exactly need?

Washing And Detailing Your Car

Your vehicle can easily make a good impression if it is clean from the inside and the outside. If your car is clean, it is likely that the dealer will think you’ve taken good care of your vehicle and will give you a good price. If you’re taking this into your own hands, make sure you use soap that is meant for a car wash and not dishwashing soap. 

It would also be best to use a sponge that is made for a car wash. If you can’t find a relevant sponge, you can use a towel. 

Dents And Dings Removal

Appearance 1st Automotive in Jacksonville, Florida, is a specialist for the job. We specialize in using PDR to remove dents from vehicles. If your car has several dents, then you should consider getting a paintless dent repair. A paintless dent repair is cost-effective and environmentally friendly. Unlike a traditional repair, a PDR first isolates the dented part of your vehicle. 

Then, a professional technician massages the dent from the back until the body of the car returns to its original state. Not only is this way of repairing a dent quick, but it also preserves the protective coating on your car.  This prolongs the life of a car’s body and makes your car look brand new. 

Chipped Windshield Repair

A chipped windshield can take many dollars off the selling price because it’s a damage that is very easy to notice. Not only is it a kind of damage that looks bad, but it also puts the buyer of the car in danger. The worst part is, the chipped part of your windshield can spread and turn into a crack without you knowing; that is why you should get this repair done at your earliest.

Getting repairs done on your vehicle can have several advantages for you too. 

You Can Get a Better Deal

Of course, once your car looks fresh – any dealer would be willing to give you a better price for your car. A fresh car also shows the dealer that you were on preserving the health of your car, so it might not have suffered any damages.

Ensures Safety

Even though this might not benefit you directly, but a repair can also ensure that the next person buying the car will have a safe driving experience. No one would like to hear that a person who bought a car from them got into an accident because of a chipped windshield. 

If you’re looking to get a windshield repair or to get some dents removed – call Appearance 1st Automotive for a free estimate.

Here’s Why You Should Get A Windshield Chip Repaired

A chipped windshield is one kind of damage people often ignore. While it may look like it’s something you can ignore, often a windshield repair is truly necessary. Even though your car’s windshield was damaged by something as little as a stone, not getting it repaired can get you into some serious trouble. 

Quite simply, your windshield is one of the important parts of your car. A chipped windshield can put your life in danger; therefore, it might be best to take care of it right away. Even though the repair can look small at first, if ignored, it can gradually develop into a costly repair. A chip can grow if pressure is applied, and this can come from several sources. 

Here are some of the most prominent reasons why you should get a chipped windshield repaired:

They Can Quickly Turn Into Cracks

Unlike a dent or a ding that your car gets, a chipped windshield is a completely different ball game. Dents tend to stay in the same position, but a chipped windshield gradually begins to spread. When your car moves, extra pressure is applied to the chipped area. This forces the chip to turn into a crack – and once you’ve got a crack, your windshield might not be repairable. 

A cracked windshield has to be often replaced entirely, and this can drive up the costs by a great deal. 

A Chip Can Be Repaired Easily

When you hire a professional like Appearance 1st Automotive, you hire an expert for the task. Our certified technicians in Jacksonville, Florida are ready for every job with the appropriate tools. For our professionals, repairing a chip is a relatively easy process that can be done in 10 to 15 minutes. This process can also be free for you if you have car insurance!

Your Insurance Won’t Cover A Crack

As we mentioned earlier, your insurance can cover something as small as a chip. It’s an easy repair, and even if it isn’t covered, it won’t cost you a lot of money. But if that chip turns into a crack – no policy can save you. That is why it is vital that you get that chip repaired quickly. Not only is it compromising your safety, but it is also compromising your financial wellbeing!

Chips and Cracks Obstruct Your Vision

Apart from the literal shards hanging off your windshield, a windshield can also make it hard to see the road. The chip might be easy to ignore if it’s in the corner, but trust us – it won’t stay there for a long time. As pressure is applied, it will slowly spread and reach parts of the windshield that are necessary for you to see. 

When this happens, you won’t be able to see what’s on the road, and we do not recommend driving in a situation like this. If your windshield has been chipped, it’s essential you get it repaired quickly. 

Call Appearance 1st Automotive for a free estimate, or get an appointment scheduled for a windshield repair today!