After volunteering for double shifts at a distribution warehouse, waiting tables every weekend at a restaurant, or working overtime at the post office, you’ve finally saved every penny, dime, nickel, and quarter possible for a down payment on a car.
Now comes the fun part. It’s time to start shopping online for the perfect pre-owned vehicle to reward yourself for all the hard work. Driving to the car lot, you are filled with anticipation to see the car you fell in love with over the Internet.
Examining the vehicle you couldn’t wait to see, up close and personal, you notice it has an unsightly ding or two, maybe three or more, around the vehicle’s exterior. Disappointed, you realize it wasn’t perfect after all, so you cross it off the list.
Not so fast, mi amigo, don’t let minor dings or dents be a factor in deterring you from purchasing a vehicle, especially if it checks off all the boxes, particularly your budget needs. Whether you know it or not, depending on the size and severity of the dent, it can be an easy, affordable repair that makes a vehicle more esthetically pleasing and can add value to it.
Dents can significantly decrease a car’s resale value, so if you purchase a car, SUV, or truck with pesky cosmetic imperfections, don’t dismiss paint-less dent repair. Although it is tempting to ignore dings and dents, a small investment could pay off in the long-run. The cost of light dent repair ranges from $50-$100; medium-sized dents from $75-$300, and larger, more complex, $300-$500. The turnaround time for repair can last hours to a few days or weeks depending on the amount of dents and difficulty to reach them.
Some dealerships offer dent repair service at their collision center or use a contractor. Many dealers might agree to repair minor dings to close a deal with a car buyer. Even if the dealership can’t provide the service for free, staff could possibly agree to charge the customer upfront and schedule an appointment to have the dent repair completed at a later date. If you run into a roadblock, get online and Google dent repair shops you can visit in your area, or request a mobile dent repair person to drive to you. Yes, that is a thing.
Nothing in life is perfect, and there’s nothing wrong with taking pride in your new ride. It’s like refurbishing an antique chair, all your car needs is a little tender love and care to restore it to its former grandeur. So if you find that rare gem of a vehicle, don’t let a ding or dent stop you from seeing its true potential.
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