We get a lot of calls about lease turn-ins. Yes, we do work on leased vehicles and are familiar with most general lease agreements. Most of our lease repairs are done with the goal of: 1. Make it unnoticeable at turn in 2. Cost less than what they will deduct from the value of the vehicle. Many lease contracts have a clause that “forgives” dents and dings that are the size of a credit card or smaller. We did have a gentleman a few years back that didn’t want to pay full price, so we agreed to repair it down to the size of a credit card. He was happy with the price, and we felt good charging him for a smaller repair, and there was no penalty for the dent caused by “normal wear and tear”.
Last week we had a teacher call in about her 2021 Kia Seltos. She had a dent on the driver’s side front fender. It needed turned in by the end of the week, but she had been really busy with school and family, the task fell through the cracks a bit. Once we saw the damage, we knew we’d be able to make the repair that would be acceptable to turn in with no penalty.
Here Are Some Fun Facts About The Kia Seltos!
- Global Appeal: The Kia Seltos was designed to have a global appeal, and it’s sold in various markets worldwide, including North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. This widespread availability speaks to its popularity and adaptability to different driving conditions and consumer preferences.
- Tech-Savvy Features: The Kia Seltos is equipped with numerous tech-savvy features, even in its base model. Depending on the trim level, it can offer a range of advanced technology such as a large touchscreen infotainment system with smartphone integration, an available 8-speaker Bose premium sound system, and Kia’s UVO connectivity suite, which allows for remote control of certain vehicle functions through a smartphone app.
- Versatile Interior Space: Despite its compact SUV classification, the Kia Seltos offers a surprisingly spacious interior. It boasts ample headroom and legroom for both front and rear passengers, along with a generous cargo space that can be expanded by folding down the rear seats. This versatility makes it suitable for a wide range of uses, from daily commuting to road trips with friends or family.
When she dropped her car off for repair, we took a few pictures of the damage. 
You can see in these two pictures the difference in the appearance of the damage. From straight on, it appears to be smaller, and smoother. However, when taken from an angel, the damage actually stretches much further as you can see from the distortion in the metal. There is also the bodyline to consider. Not only does all aspects of the displaced metal need massaged back into place, but the crease line that is supposed to be there needs reshaped and smoothed out as well. That is an intricate and tedious process. Some paintless dent repair technicians won’t work on bodylines. We don’t have a problem doing that, and we specialize in larger more difficult repairs.
About half way through we took another picture to show the progress our Lead Technician Dave Fisher has made on this repair. 
He’s accomplished most of the bigger moves needed to free up the middle of the dent so the metal will move. If you look at the original pictures, you can see the two high spots of the dent. Until he loosens those and taps down the crowns the rest of the metal will not “release”. In our blog post titled “Will A Dent Come Back After A Paintless Dent Repair?” we talk about metal memory.
Maybe you’ve heard the term “Metal Memory”? Metal memory is the tendency of metal to want to return to its original shape as the technician slowly releases any buckles or creases in the panel. This does not mean the dent will “pop out” It still requires finesse and patience to smooth out even the smallest of dents. A one-inch dent can require 100 or more pushes to completely remove it.
This is really important because if the metal is moved in the wrong way, it can “lock up” other parts of the damaged metal making a paintless dent repair unlikely to be an option, and if impossible, you’re headed to a body shop for filler, sanding, and paint. These days, they might just replace the panel. It is ALWAYS a best practice to check with us first to see if your cars damage is a candidate for paintless dent repair. If you’re not quite sure what paintless dent repair is, let me explain:
Paintless dent repair, also known as paintless dent removal, is an innovative process that eliminates dings and dents and damage from the body of a vehicle without the need for traditional bodywork or repainting. This technique has gained immense popularity for its efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and ability to retain the original factory finish of the vehicle. Technicians use specialized tools to massage and work the displaced metal back to its original space. Completely removing any trace of damage. We can do this either from the backside of the damage pushing with specialized tools or using glue and tabs on the outside to pull. Are you wondering what our busy teacher’s Kia looked like when she picked it up? 
WOWZA! Dave did a fantastic job returning the Kia to its pre damaged state and making it completely undetectable from inspection. It’s not sneaky, it’s just smart! The work we do is completely cosmetic, does not need reported, doesn’t show up on a carfax, and if there is a safety concern or issue, we will send you to a body shop.
We’d love an opportunity to take a look at your leased vehicle and provide you with an estimate of cost, and a timeframe for your repair. You can find out more on our website HERE You can fill out some information about your vehicle and damage HERE and we will call you to answer any questions. You can also email us at info@dentrepairnow.com. Call us at 724-607-8980. If you’re prefer in-person, feel free to stop in our shop currently located at 2603 Washington Rd, Unit 3, Canonsburg, PA 15317. We are open Monday-Friday 9AM-5PM.