How to tell if a dent broke the paint
The dent is clear. Whether the paint is broken over it is not. That one fact decides between paintless repair and a much dearer job. Paint not broken means it can be pushed back with nothing painted. Paint broken means conventional repair and painting.
What kind of repair does it need?
One of two jobs. Paintless dent removal if the paint held. Conventional repair and painting if it did not.
Paint not broken means paintless dent removal, with no painting. Paint broken means panel work and painting. The two jobs are very different in price.
What to do next
You can check this yourself in better light. Wash the area and look at the deepest part of the dent in direct sun, for cracked, flaked or missing paint. Either way, see a paintless dent specialist first. If they tell you the paint is broken, believe them: saying so loses them the job.
Sources
- EZ Tech PDRrepairer
EZ Tech notes paintless dent repair can be 50-90% cheaper than traditional methods when the dent still qualifies for PDR.
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