Most of the cars on the road in Italy have small dents. Whether they were caused by a shopping cart, the door of another car, a bike or a scooter, or even an anomalous hailstone, they are always annoying aesthetic damage. Dents also help reduce the commercial value of a vehicle in the event of resale.
For this reason, it would be good to always repair them without waiting, risking that the situation worsens as the dent causes a deterioration in the resistance of the paint which could come off making the damage more serious.
What to do if you find your car dented
Provided there is no significant damage to the paint, there are several ways to repair a small dent, either by calling a professional or by using a few simple DIY tricks. Body shops are able to repair dents without too many problems but the prices are not always negligible, even if the repair work takes a few minutes with the right equipment.
Freelancers specializing in the repair of dents
You can find online professionals specializing in the repair of dents who also offer the considerable advantage of coming to carry out the work at your home. This way you can save a lot compared to what a specialist garage would charge you, especially in the case of multiple dents caused by hail, for example.
However, if you see that the dent has also caused damage to the paint, you will have to resign yourself to contacting a body shop.
How to DIY repair a dent
If the dent is small and has no paint damage, some motorists prefer to repair it themselves. There are several do-it-yourself methods to repair dents using commonly used items. None of them guarantee 100% satisfaction, but they are worth a try if saving is a priority.
The first method exploits the way in which the sheet behaves in the presence of temperature variations between hot and cold. The necessary items are a hair dryer, aluminum foil, and a small block of dry ice. First, you will need to heat the dent with the hair dryer by holding it about 15 cm away for about 30 seconds. Then you will need to cover the dent with aluminum foil and rub dry ice over it. The rapid transition from hot to cold should make the dent go away in a minute or so!
Another trick that uses temperature is to boil water and pour it over the dent and then push the dent outwards. This approach is best suited to dents on plastic parts, such as bumpers, and of course, it can only work if you can get to the back of the dent. If the dent comes off, pour cold water over the same spot to allow the plastic to harden quickly.
Even an ordinary plunger can repair some dents, especially those that are a little wider and shallower than the typical one-centimeter dent. In addition to clearing drains and plumbing, a plunger’s ability to act as a suction cup can potentially put the sheet back in place. Simply pour some water over the dented area and use the plunger with a slight pushing and pulling motion. Continue this action until the dent comes off, but if it doesn’t work within the first five or six tries, switch to another method.
A vacuum cleaner can also be used to create a suction effect. First, drill a hole in the bottom of a food container. Place the container over the hole and let the vacuum cleaner suck the air through the hole. The dent should go away in less than a minute.
Kit to repair dents: If none of the DIY methods we’ve suggested you try work, it’s time to invest in a dent removal kit that can remove most minor dents accurately and professionally.
Conclusion
Don’t let your vehicle collect unsightly dings and dents from various hazards or other vehicles; fixing them right at home is easier than ever now, especially if the paint isn’t damaged or cracked along with the dent. By simply following these and other basic at-home remedies, you will have your vehicle dent free again in no time.
