Today I want to tell you about a Honda CR-V repair we did for a first-time paintless dent repair customer. Ron had small damage to his liftgate on his new 23 Honda CR-V. Because of its newness, he really didn’t want to have any paint work or filler, and he didn’t want to replace the ljftgate simply because the damage itself wasn’t severe, or large. It was just in a terrible spot. 
So the very edge of the liftgate was pushed in. Some drivers would just let it go and do their best to ignore this small area of damage. Others might try to remove this dent themselves using DIY dent repair kits or whatever they can get their hands on. Do Not Do This!! If you try to repair your own damage, most times more damage is created, leaving you with a more expensive paintless dent repair, or even sending you straight to the body shop for paint and/or filler.
But back to Ron and his Honda CR-V. He was the type of driver who really took pride in his vehicles and couldn’t stand having this damage to his hatch. Ron looked online to research his options and he came to our website. He looked around, saw some before and after pictures, and read a few reviews. He saw the “Request a Call” tab and typed in his information. We called Ron right away, introduced ourselves, and let him tell us all about his Honda, the damage, and his goal, and his expectations. When he told us it was the edge of his lift gate that was displaced, that was a red flag to us. Let me explain: The edge of this panel has two layers of metal wrapped around the frame and welded. So, if there is damage say in the middle of the panel, and we can get a tool to the back of it, we are only pushing and reshaping one layer of metal. In this case, the frame and two sheets of metal are displaced. We asked Ron if he could text some pictures of the damage or stop at our shop for an in-person assessment to see if there was a possibility of moving the metal. He texted a few pictures of both the inside and outside of the lift gate. Our owner, Gene Fetty and Dave Fisher our Lead Technician looked over the pictures and while not 100% sure of a perfect repair, they said schedule it!! They were going to throw everything they had at this to keep Ron and his car out of the body shop. I can tell you , it was tricky to get the lip straight, but because of our knowledge, experience, and tenacity, we were able to fix this dent for Ron and add him to the growing list of paintless dent repair believers!!
You may be saying “That’s great, but HOW does paintless dent repair work? How do you do it?” This next section is for you!
Paintless dent repair (or paintless dent removal) is a process of manipulating and massaging dented or damaged metal back to its original place without the need for filler, sanding, and painting. Here are some excerpts from the article How Do You Repair Dents?
Repairing a dent will start one of two ways. Either from behind the panel where the damage is, or from the front. Our first option is to gain access behind the damaged panel and push or “massage” the metal back to its original position………
Our specialized tools are long and very slim…we can sneak them into small openings if available……….
They leverage the rod and use a series of small pushes to work the metal back.
The other method of paintless dent repair is called a Glue Pull. Which is pretty much just what it sounds like. We glue small tabs, to the outside of your vehicle……..Then, we use a series of pulls to bring the metal outward. There are many different variations on these two types of repairs. Using one, does not negate the other. A lot of times we can utilize both in making the best repair possible…
If your Honda, or any other vehicle you may drive has damage whether it’s a door ding or a deer hit, we would love the opportunity to help you out with a free assessment of your damage. We can go over options with you, pricing, and expectations. Our goal is to provide a repair that is As Good As or Better than a traditional body shop repair. Our customer satisfaction promise to you, is “If You’re Not Happy, You Don’t Pay” and we stand by that promise 100%. You can call or text us at 724-554-1756. Texting pictures of your damage is always a step in the right direction. If you’re not sure just how to get a good shot of your ding, dent, or damage, you can watch this short how to video we made just for you!
Not sure if your damage is considered a ding, a dent, or the dreaded word…..Damage??!! We have a 2 part article that explains each one in detail:
Dings, Dents, and Damage Part 1
Dings, Dents, and Damage Part 2
You can also stop in the shop located at 4699 Campbells Run Road Pittsburgh PA 15205. Our hours of operation are Monday through Friday 8:30 am to 5 pm. You don’t need an appointment to stop in, however, we do recommend calling first to be sure the is a technician there and available to give you the attention you deserve! If you’ve found our website dentrepairnow.com you can fill out a form with your name, number, and details about your car or truck and the damage. We will call you as soon as we can and make starting the repair process as easy as possible. If you have opened a claim with your insurance company, that is good with us too. We will work together with your insurance company (or fight for you with the insurance company whichever the case may be) to provide you with the best repair possible.
