Table of Contents
You know that dent.
The one you look at every time you walk to your car.
Maybe it was a shopping cart at the Festival Shopping Center that had a mind of its own. Maybe somebody swung their door open a little too wide in the Grocery Outlet parking lot.
Maybe you came back from shopping on Main Street, Wrangleboro Consumer Square, or an afternoon in Atlantic City and found a fresh ding that was not there when you parked. Or maybe a summer hailstorm rolled through Atlantic County and left your hood looking like a golf ball.
Whatever caused it, it is there, and every time you see it, it bothers you.
The thing is, most people put off fixing dents because they assume it means dropping their car off at a body shop for days, paying for sanding, filler, and a full repaint, and hoping the new paint actually matches the rest of the car.
For a dent the size of your fist or smaller, that feels like overkill.
So the dent stays.
And stays.
And stays.
Here is what most people do not realize: the longer a dent sits, the more it can affect your vehicle.
Paint around the damaged area can crack over time, creating openings for moisture and eventually rust.
If you plan to sell or trade in your vehicle, even a small untreated dent can reduce your resale value by hundreds. And if you are returning a leased vehicle, dents that fail the credit card test (anything larger than about 1 to 2 inches in diameter) will trigger excess wear-and-tear charges from the dealership, often at 2 to 3 times what an independent shop would charge for the same repair.
What starts as a minor annoyance can quietly become a more expensive problem over time.
Paintless Dent Repair: A Better Way to Fix That Dent
That is where paintless dent repair comes in.
Also known as paintless dent removal or PDR, this is a specialized technique that removes dents, dings, and creases from your vehicle without any paint, fillers, or bodywork.
Our technicians work from the backside of the dented panel using specialized steel rods and hand tools to carefully push the metal back to its original shape. In some cases, a glue pulling technique is used from the outside of the panel to achieve the same result.
The key advantage is that PDR preserves your vehicle’s original factory paint.
There is no sanding, no color matching, no clear coat, and no risk of the repair looking different from the rest of the car six months later. The factory finish on your vehicle is the best paint job it will ever have, and paintless dent repair keeps it exactly that way.
Because the factory paint is never disturbed, your manufacturer’s paint warranty also remains fully intact.
Some people call it “painless dent repair,” and honestly, they are not wrong.
No sanding, no repainting, no leaving your car at a body shop for a week, and no surprise bill that makes the dent in your wallet worse than the one on your fender. If that is not painless dent repair, we do not know what is.
At Kneble’s Auto Service Center, we offer professional paintless dent repair both at our shop on Somers Point Road in Mays Landing and as a mobile service that comes directly to your home or workplace.
What Kind of Dents Can Paintless Dent Repair Fix?
You might be surprised at how many types of dents can be repaired without touching a can of paint.
Door dings are by far the most common reason people call us for paintless dent repair.
These are the dents that show up in parking lots when someone opens their car door into yours, whether it is in the crowded lot at Hamilton Commons, the tight spaces along the shore in Ocean City or Margate, or the multi-level casino garages in Atlantic City.
Most door dings can be repaired in under an hour.
Shopping cart dents are right behind them.
All it takes is one cart with a wobbly wheel rolling in the wind, and suddenly, your quarter panel has a souvenir from the grocery store.
These are ideal candidates for paintless dent repair.
Hail damage is where paintless dent repair really proves its value.
A single hailstorm can leave dozens or even hundreds of small dents across your hood, roof, and trunk. PDR is actually the industry-standard method for repairing hail damage because it can address large numbers of dents efficiently without requiring any panel repainting.
Our technicians are experienced in handling everything from light dimpling to severe storm damage.
Minor collision dents from low-speed impacts, such as backing into a post or nudging a bollard in a parking garage, can also be repaired with PDR, provided the paint is not cracked or chipped.
Creases and body-line dents along your vehicle’s character lines and edges require greater precision, but our technicians are trained in the advanced techniques needed to address these more challenging repairs.
Aluminum body panels are increasingly common on modern vehicles, including the Ford F-150, many BMW, Audi, and Porsche models, and other newer cars and trucks.
Aluminum requires different techniques than traditional steel panels.
Our technicians are trained to work on both steel and aluminum body panels, so whether your vehicle is a classic steel-body sedan or a late-model aluminum-body truck, we can handle the repair.
The best candidates for paintless dent repair are dents where the paint surface remains intact, and the metal has not been stretched or creased beyond its natural tolerance.
If a dent involves cracked paint, very sharp creases, or structural damage, traditional repair methods may be the better option.
We will always give you an honest assessment and recommend the approach that is right for your vehicle, not just the one that is convenient for us.
In-Shop and Mobile Paintless Dent Repair in Mays Landing
One of the things our customers appreciate most about our PDR service is that you don’t have to bring your car to the shop.
In-Shop Service
Bring your vehicle to us at 5473 Somers Point Road in Mays Landing.
For those who prefer to wait, we offer a comfortable waiting area with a TV, complimentary refreshments, a library, a desk, and a charging station.
Yes, we even have free Wi-Fi.
We also offer a shuttle service within a 10-mile radius of our shop.
Mobile Service
Our mobile PDR technicians can come directly to your home, office, or other location and complete the repair on-site.
This is a great option if you have a busy schedule or a minor dent that does not require a full shop visit.
Mobile paintless dent repair is available throughout Mays Landing and Hamilton Township, Egg Harbor Township, Somers Point, Linwood, Northfield, Pleasantville, Estell Manor, Pomona, and surrounding communities in Atlantic County.
We absolutely will go to the shore towns of Margate, Ventnor, Longport, Sea Isle, Brigantine, Ocean City, and the surrounding island towns.
Either way, you get the same quality repair and the same honest service Kneble’s has been known for since 1981.
How Much Does Paintless Dent Repair Cost?
This is usually the first question people ask, and the honest answer is that it depends.
The cost of paintless dent repair is based on the number of dents, their size and depth, and where they are located on your vehicle. Some panels require more time or specialized access to reach, which can affect the price.
That said, PDR is almost always significantly less expensive than traditional body shop repairs. There is no paint to buy, no filler to apply, and the labor time is a fraction of what conventional bodywork requires. Many single-dent repairs can be completed in under an hour.
Our paintless dent repair services are offered on an out-of-pocket basis. We will provide you with an honest assessment and a clear estimate before any work begins, so there are no surprises. If you want a quote, you can call us at (609) 625-3286, schedule an appointment through our website, or just stop by the shop.
Paintless Dent Repair vs. Traditional Body Shop Repair
If you have never heard of paintless dent repair before, you might be wondering why you would choose it over the traditional route. Here is how the two approaches compare.
Traditional dent repair involves sanding down the damaged area, applying body filler, priming, and repainting. It works, but it takes time, often days. The cost is higher because of the materials and labor involved. And here is the part most people do not think about: once you repaint any part of your vehicle, the factory finish is gone. That can lead to color mismatches down the road, filler shrinkage months after the repair, and a reduction in your vehicle’s resale value. Buyers and dealers can spot repainted panels, and it raises questions about the vehicle’s history.
Paintless dent repair skips all of that. The original metal is reshaped, the factory paint stays intact, and the repair is permanent. Once a dent is properly removed through PDR, it does not come back. The process is faster, less expensive, and preserves your manufacturer’s paint warranty because the original finish is never disturbed.
PDR is also the environmentally friendly choice. Traditional bodywork involves paint, solvents, primers, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are released into the air. Paintless dent repair uses no chemicals, no paint, and produces no hazardous waste. It is a clean repair process from start to finish.
PDR is not the right answer for every situation. If the paint is cracked, the metal is severely stretched, or the panel has structural damage, traditional methods may be necessary. But for the vast majority of dents, dings, and hail damage that vehicles pick up in everyday life, paintless dent repair is the smarter choice.
PDR for Lease Return Preparation
If you are nearing the end of a vehicle lease, dents and dings are one of the most common reasons people get hit with excess wear-and-tear charges at their lease return inspection. Most lease agreements use some version of the “credit card test,” meaning any dent larger than what a standard credit card can cover will result in a charge. Depending on the dealership, those repair charges can be significant.
Getting your dents repaired with PDR before your lease inspection is one of the most cost-effective ways to avoid those charges. Because paintless dent repair preserves the factory paint, there is no sign the repair was ever made, and the inspector has no questions about bodywork or repainting.
Kneble’s Auto Service Center offers a full range of lease return preparation services that go beyond dent repair to cover tires, brakes, fluids, warning lights, and more. If your lease is ending soon, schedule a complimentary vehicle inspection so we can identify any issues that could trigger charges before the dealer does.
Why Choose Kneble’s for Paintless Dent Repair?
We have been in this community since 1981. Over four decades, we have built our reputation on doing the right thing for our customers, every time. That means giving you an honest assessment, a fair price, and quality work you can count on. Our paintless dent repair service is no different.
When you bring your vehicle to us for PDR, here is what you can expect:
- A thorough evaluation of the damage with a straightforward recommendation on whether PDR is the right approach, or whether your vehicle needs something else
- A clear estimate provided before any work begins
- Skilled technicians trained in advanced PDR techniques, including metal manipulation, glue pulling, and panel blending on both steel and aluminum panels
- Both in-shop and mobile service options to work around your schedule
- The same communication and customer care that keeps people coming back to Kneble’s year after year
We service all makes and models, both domestic and foreign, including BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Volkswagen, Land Rover, Porsche, Jaguar, Mini Cooper, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Subaru, Ford, Chevrolet, Hyundai, Kia, and more. Whether your vehicle rolled off the lot last year or has been in your family for a decade, if it has a dent, we can help.
Ready to Make An Appointment For Your Paintless Dent Repair?
At Kneble’s Auto Service Center, we always want to make the process of getting your car serviced as convenient as possible. To ensure we can get your vehicle in and serviced promptly, please schedule an appointment for paintless dent repair.
We can accommodate those who prefer to wait for their PDR service with a comfortable waiting area featuring a TV, complimentary refreshments, a library, a desk, and a charging station. Yes, we even have free Wi-Fi.
If you need paintless dent repair and have not yet scheduled an appointment, please call us at (609) 625-3286.
Please note that we also offer a shuttle service within a 10-mile radius of the shop.
Frequently Asked Questions About Our Paintless Dent Repair Service
It depends on the damage. A single small dent, like a door ding, can typically be repaired in under an hour. Multiple dents or more complex damage may take several hours.
Vehicles with extensive hail damage can take anywhere from one to several days, depending on the severity.
We will give you a time estimate during your initial assessment so you can plan accordingly.
Yes. Once a dent is properly removed through PDR, it will not resurface.
The factory paint remains intact, preserving both the protective coating and your vehicle’s resale value.
The repaired area is still susceptible to new damage, just like any other part of the car, but the original repair is permanent.
No. Preserving the factory paint is the entire point of paintless dent repair.
Because there is no sanding, filling, or repainting, your paint finish remains intact, and your manufacturer’s paint warranty remains valid.
Not everyone. PDR works best when the paint is intact, and the metal has not been stretched or creased beyond its natural limits.
Dents with cracked or chipped paint, very sharp creases, or damage on the edge of a body panel may require traditional repair.
We will always be upfront with you about what PDR can and cannot do for your specific situation.
Absolutely. PDR is the industry-standard method for hail damage repair.
All major insurance companies recognize paintless dent repair as the preferred method for hail damage because it preserves the factory finish and is more cost-effective than traditional bodywork.
Our technicians handle everything from light dimpling to heavy storm damage.
If your vehicle has been struck by hail, we recommend scheduling an assessment as soon as possible.
Some dents may not be visible to the untrained eye, but they can still affect your vehicle’s appearance and value.
Yes. Many modern vehicles use aluminum body panels, and our technicians are trained in the specialized techniques required to repair dents in aluminum.
The process differs slightly from steel panel repair, but the end result is the same: your dent is removed without any paint or bodywork.
Yes. Dents and dings are one of the top reasons people face excess wear-and-tear charges when returning a leased vehicle.
Getting them repaired with PDR before your lease inspection can save you significant money compared to what the dealership would charge.
Some people refer to this process as painless dent repair, and when you see the savings compared to dealership rates, you will understand why.
We would not recommend it. Dent removal kits, plungers, hair dryers, and dry ice are widely available online, and videos make them look easy.
In reality, these methods are generally ineffective and can worsen the damage or damage your paint. Professional PDR uses specialized tools and techniques that require real training and experience.
Going too hard too soon on a dent can stretch the metal past the point where even a professional can fix it without paint.
Yes. Even small cosmetic damage affects how buyers and dealers perceive a vehicle.
A car with visible dents signals neglect, whether that is fair or not, and it gives buyers leverage to negotiate a lower price.
Investing in PDR before listing or trading in your vehicle is one of the most cost-effective ways to protect your resale value, because the repair cost is a fraction of what you would lose on the sale price.
Our paintless dent repair services are currently offered on an out-of-pocket basis.
We provide competitive pricing and a clear estimate before work begins, so there are no surprises.
Schedule an Appointment for Your Paintless Dent Repair
Paintless Dent Repair Knowledge Base
Paintless Dent Repair Videos
Paintless Dent Repair Articles
Where to Get Your Vehicle’s Paintless Dent Repair?
Our Address
5473 Somers Point Road
Mays Landing, NJ 08330
Our Hours
Monday – Friday: 8:00am – 5:00pm
Saturday:
8:00am – 4:00pm
Sunday: Closed
