Prior to working on a damaged panel, you must ascertain what type of material you are working on. For example, the panel may be mild steel, high-strength steel, aluminium, plastic, sheet moulded compound, or several other types of material. Each type of metal or composite has different repair methods and cautions that must be considered. If you are working on a dent on a fender that is made with high-strength steel, you must be aware of the amount of heat that can be applied to the panel.
If overheated, the metal will be weakened. Some car manufacturers recommend no heat to be used at all. Therefore, all cold repair methods must be used. Some parts are made from ultra-strength steel and magnesium. These parts generally require replacement only.
Once you have determined the damaged panel is mild steel, you need to analyze the damage to decide whether repair or replacement is the best option. At this point, a few questions you must ask yourself are given below:
- Will the cost of the panel exceed the cost of repairing the dent?
- Can the panel be repaired?
- Will a repair cause safety issues?
- Does the vehicle have prior damage?
- How complex is the damage?
Getting answers to these questions will help determine the course of action to be taken. At Dents N All, we are dent specialists and can help you in deciding whether to repair a dent on your vehicle or replace the entire panel.
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