Boom, Boom, Ding, Slap! That’s the sound of hailstones hitting your car when there’s absolutely nothing you can do about it.
Hailstorms often strike in early spring or late fall and can happen with no warning. You could go into the grocery store with a perfect car and come out with rock-like dents all over your car.
The only way to avoid hail damage is to park your car in a garage or a covered parking spot, but that’s not always possible (like in the situation above). The only thing you can do is learn how to fix hail damage on a car and go from there.
How to Fix Hail Damage on a Car
These methods are DIY and do not guarantee results. You are taking a risk any time you don’t take your car to a professional for any repair.
That said, these methods do have good reviews and, if you follow directions correctly, should work for you.
Method 1: The Hairdryer
If you have access to a hairdryer and a long enough extension cord, this is probably the easiest method of dent removal.
Without getting into the science of why and how the heat makes the dent expand back to its original place.
You’ll want to hold the hairdryer about six inches away from the car and watch the area carefully for any discoloring.
If you see the paint starting to change in any way, take the heat away immediately.
Hopefully, the dent will pop right out, and you can go about your day.
Method 2: Use a Clean Plunger
You can buy suction dent fixer kits on the internet, but you might want to try a plunger first. They’re much cheaper, and they do the same thing.
Just make sure you don’t press too hard when you’re trying to get the seal in place – you don’t want to create a dent around the dent!
There’s a video on the internet of a young woman using this method with the suction cup of an unusual item, and hey – it worked!
Method 3: Send Your Car to a Professional Repair Shop
Find a body shop (not the same thing as a mechanics garage) near you and have them assess the damage. These are professionals who deal with extreme car body issues like the results of car crashes, so fixing dents is no big deal.
You can also lookup their services online. You want to make sure they do paintless dent repair. If they take out a paint gun, the cost of your dent repair is going to double, if not triple.
The repair shop will give you an estimate before they do any work so you don’t have to commit to anything before you know the cost.
Oh Hail No!
If you’re ever caught out driving in a hail storm, don’t do anything erratic to find shelter. There are still other cars on the road you need to stay aware of and respect.
If the hail is disrupting your vision, it’s okay to pull to the side of the road, put on your hazards, and wait it out.
Be safe when you’re in a hail storm and try not to worry too much – you now know how to fix hail damage on a car!
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