In this article, we will discuss mobile paintless dent repair in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. 
The entire process of paintless dent repair (PDR) started out as a completely mobile service.
Technicians traveled to dealerships and body shops to perform repairs on door dings and small dents and hail damage. Even today, smaller damage can still be repaired on a mobile basis. Over time we have grown as an industry, our skills and tools have evolved allowing us to repair larger and more severe damage. These types of repairs may not be ideal for a mobile repair. Many technicians have opened brick and mortar shops
to accommodate these more difficult repairs.
We do have some requirements to qualify your repair for mobile service. First, we need to have a shaded area or garage to work in. Paintless dent repair technicians use specialized lighting to see all of the detail inside and around the dent. 
Direct sunlight can wash out the reflection the technician needs. A garage is great for our technicians to work in because inclement weather can affect the paint (too hot or to0 cold) and rain makes it impossible to work on removing dents because we can’t get a good reflection. Another necessary requirement is that the vehicle must be clean. If the vehicle is dirty or dusty, it’s very difficult to see the damage in detail, and technicians cannot wipe the car especially in the sun when the paint is hot. Access is another deciding factor in performing a mobile repair. There needs to be a relatively straightforward way to access to the dent.
We are not able to do major removal and installation (R&I) on a mobile basis.
This means dents in the upper half of a door, fenders, hoods, and trunks can be candidates for mobile repair. Roofs, quarter panels, lower door dents, excessive hood or trunk dents can all require extensive R&I, so mobile repair is not recommended. Room to work is imperative. Technicians need to be able to move their lights and tool carts around the vehicle to have access to everything they need and more importantly they need to be able to see the damage from multiple angles with their lights. Parking garages are usually a no go. We need access to electrical outlets and getting 2 spaces side by side has proven to be very difficult, so we have eliminated parking garages all together. In addition to that, Dent Repair Now has implemented a company policy that states, “Mobile repair is only an option up to $500 in repair cost.”
What does NOT qualify for a mobile repair?
- Any single repair that exceeds $500 in cost. Dent Repair Now’s goal is to always provide the best highest quality repair. We have found that when damage exceeds this cost, the repair will require more than we can provide in your driveway or garage. For instance, we may need specialized tools that are not normally carried with a technician, 110v power access, storage for parts that have been removed, and access to our scanning tools to ensure that all safety components are functioning properly.
- Hail damage is not something that should never be repaired or even estimated on a mobile basis. Hail estimates require accurate information that can only be done inside under special lighting with line boards.
- If your repair requires that panels such as a hood, trunk lid, or door, need to be removed, they need to be placed on a stand.
The reason those panels need to be removed is to gain access to obstructed areas, or in some cases, to gain access to another panel.
Another question we get is why did you decide to open a shop if you can do a lot of the repairs on a mobile basis?
There is a good bit of overhead that comes with having a shop. However, having a shop allows us to perform the highest quality paintless dent repairs possible. As tools, techniques, and the build quality of vehicles change we are able to repair damage that just simply wasn’t possible all that many years ago. We now see damage that isn’t measured in inches but can be measured in feet, and this as you can imagine requires some very in-depth work. These larger damage repairs also have us dealing with insurance claims and adjusters more than ever before. Adding insurance companies into the mix can and will add extra layers of administrative work as well as having to wait on approval from them before we can start or continue the repair which can add a day or two to the repair process. This is just not feasible for a mobile repair.
When dealing with mobile repairs we do have a mobile service fee to come out to your location. Our current mobile service fee (as of March 2023) is $79.95. This fee covers our technicians’ time to load their tools into their vehicle, drive to and from your location, and unload and reset their tools at the shop. 
We also, on some occasions, need to provide extra coverage for them at the shop while they are out on location (we can’t close the shop just to come out and fix a dent).
If our shop is not a convenient location for you, another option available is to meet us at one of the body shops that we partner with. We have body shops that we partner with from Franklin, Pa to Allegheny County, Washington County, and Greene County in Pennsylvania to Wheeling and Morgantown West Virginia, St Clairsville, Ohio, and even Garret County, Maryland. We are more than happy to help you find the best way to get that ugly, annoying dent taken care of for you.
Please feel free to reach out to us to see what the best way to repair your vehicle is, and if you qualify for a mobile repair. You can fill out the form on this page or text photos of your damage to 724-554-1756 and we will be in touch to see how we can help you.
You can also stop in at the shop for an in-person evaluation of your damage. We are located at 4699 Campbells Run Road, 
Pittsburgh, PA 15205. That’s right next to I376 (The Parkway) just off of the Campbells Run Road exit if you’re coming from I79 or Downtown Pittsburgh. If you’re coming from the airport area you have to use the Ridge Road exit and then turn right on to Campbells Run Road.
If you’re ready to send us some photos of the damage, you can watch this video on how to take a photo of your dent in 4 easy steps.
For our study bugs, we also have an article on how you can get the most accurate estimate possible that you can read up on! https://dentrepairnow.com/what-is-the-best-way-to-get-the-most-accurate-estimate-for-a-paintless-dent-repair/
