Paintless dent removal professionals say it's the least invasive way to repair a dent. Others say it doesn't compromise the vehicle as traditional repairs may. And for vehicles with custom paint jobs, paintless dent removal is often the only way to retain the design. Ten to 15 vehicles can be healed per day at the hands of an experienced technician. Even though paintless dent removal can erase many offensive impressions, a number of factors restrict the technique.
Limits vary among individuals, whose experiences shape opinions about which dings can be repaired.
Some individuals repair dents the size of dimes and quarters. Others repair much larger dings. An underlying concern is how much the vehicle's metal was stretched on impact. Pushing on overly stretched metal can further distort it and can lead to paint problems. Because of the weight of hail, repairs should be held to damaged areas less than 2 to 3 inches in diameter.