dent removal - DIY?

movingforward2010

I have a small dent at the end of my car bonnet, about the size of an old 50p, I'm not actually sure how it got there in the first place.
is there anyway i could 'get rid' of it myself so to speak?

crittertog

I did see a video posted here using dry ice to pop the dent out: www . videovat.com / ug4083 / remove-car-dents-with-dry-ice.aspx I think I'm correct in saying you can get suction kits to pull the dent out too...

Ebe_Scrooge

You may be able to pop the dent out as already suggested, or push it back from behind ( if you can get to it ). Failing that, for a small dent like that it's quite possible to do a good repair job yourself. The basic technique is to sand back the paint, fill the dent using filler, sand the filler smooth then paint it over. You can easily find detailed step-by-step instructions on the web ( or Haynes manuals always used to have a section on body repairs, not sure if they still do ).

You'll need to get hold of the correct paint for your car - there should be a code, it's usually on a little sicker in the driver's door pillar. Go to any decent car spares shop, tell them the code and they'll get you the correct paint.

The actual process of repairing the damage is pretty easy, but quite time consuming ( it's the labour that costs if you take it to a garage ). But take your time over it and you should be able to make a really good job of it, and it'll only cost you a few quid for the paint, filler, etc.

Inactive

Ebe_Scrooge wrote: »

The actual process of repairing the damage is pretty easy, but quite time consuming ( it's the labour that costs if you take it to a garage ). But take your time over it and you should be able to make a really good job of it, and it'll only cost you a few quid for the paint, filler, etc.

I have seen some of these DIY repairs, the dent was preferable to the bodge.;)

Ebe_Scrooge

Inactive wrote: »

I have seen some of these DIY repairs, the dent was preferable to the bodge.;)

Yes, it can look terrible if you don't do it right, but usually it's the result of trying rush it, or not having the right paint. Over the years I've done numerous small repairs to old cars I've had, and they've always been fine. Like most DIY things, the key is to take your time over it.

I will add the caveat that repairing a dent the size of a 50p is a whole different ball game to repairing major crash damage - you need to know when to leave it to the pro's !

Inactive

Maybe on a 20 year old banger at the bottom of a door, but I defy most non skilled DIYers to repair a bonnet satisfactorily, especially if it a metallic paint.

Nothing is worse than a bodged repair staring you in the face IMO.

I would prefer to see the dent.

mrtobs

Hi there, if the paintwork isn't damaged at all, would it be worth having a go with one of those dent suction tools? We did that on one of our cars and it sorted it out (though the dent on ours was a bit bigger than a 50p, so haven't tried it on a small dent like that). You can get them at places like Halfords for around £5 or £6.

Inactive

mrtobs wrote: »

Hi there, if the paintwork isn't damaged at all, would it be worth having a go with one of those dent suction tools? We did that on one of our cars and it sorted it out (though the dent on ours was a bit bigger than a 50p, so haven't tried it on a small dent like that). You can get them at places like Halfords for around £5 or £6.

Indeed, or Ebay for around £3 delivered, however they are bigger than an old 50 pence piece, they will not work on a size smaller than the pad.

shown73

It's worth noting, that the dent has stretched the metal at that point, so I can't see you popping it back out without having a lump. So, the only way normally is to go down the filler route, one way or the other. On somewhere as obvious as the bonnet, I think I would bite the bullet and go for a professional repair, anything else is almost certainly going to be a mess.

mcjordi

try a sink plunger its basically the same principle and cheaper to (£1) in poundshops lol

failing that id live with it tbh