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Door Ding Repair Cost | With and Without Paint Damage

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Door ding repair costs for minor damage (without paint damage) will cost you between $50 and $125. You will likely spend $750 or more if the paint is damaged. However, the cost also depends on the size of the damage. 

Two door dings on a red truck from front angle

Factors That Affect Door Ding Repair Costs

The repair cost for a door ding may vary depending on the following factors:

Number and Size of Dents

The greater the number of dents and the bigger they are, the higher the repair cost. That’s because both of these will require a proportionately longer amount of time to fix, even for professionals. 

In severe cases, the damage will require the use of specialized tools or additional materials, including:

  • Suction cup dent pullers
  • Bridge dent pullers
  • Mini dent-pulling kits
  • Slide hammer repair kits
  • Hammer and dolly
  • Pen-style dent repair tools
  • Pneumatic dent removal tools
Small dent on the fender of a silver toyota corolla

This is not a ding- it’s a dent

Dent Location

Your vehicle can have hard-to-reach dents or dings that require you to remove multiple parts to fix them. The replacement may also require high-strength materials, which cost more. These materials include:

  • Aluminum
  • Steel
  • Fiberglass
  • Carbon fiber

Steel is the most common material used for car doors, and it can be quite expensive to repair or replace (for severe dents and accidents).

If your car’s dent is on the surface, it can be easy to fix. On the other hand, fixing it may be a more difficult task if it’s on a body line. In severe cases, you may be forced to replace the entire panel.

Body line dents can be challenging to repair because they don’t have multiple points of contact for suction-based repair kits. Instead, repairers will be forced to use hammers and dolly tools. Not only does this require a lot more manual precision, but it can also take much longer. Adhesion repair kits are usually relatively quick and can be done in a matter of minutes per dent.

If the dent is on the door, it may not affect the car much. You can still open or close the door with little to no issues. However, if the dent harms the door’s integrity, the repair cost will increase.

Repair Method

Professionals use different methods to fix door dings, which determine how much you need to pay for the service.

The process involves reshaping the damaged metal into its original shape without sanding the surface or removing paint.

The PDR method process is:

  1. Place a suction cup (or other adhesion-based repair tool) on the edges of the dent.
  2. Press and pull the tool while moving it around the edges until the outer area is aligned with the rest of the door.
  3. Slowly move toward the center of the dent while suctioning and pulling the tool until the whole dent is repaired.

Many different suction-based dent repair tools range from the size of a ballpoint pen to several inches in diameter. Larger tools are used for larger dents, and smaller tools are used for tiny dings.

In extreme cases, the repairer might have to sand down the surface, remove paint, repaint, and give it time to dry. 

Size of the Repair Shop

The repair cost will also depend on where you want the car to be fixed. Larger chain shops tend to charge higher than smaller shops. The former is more expensive because they have more qualified professionals than shops just starting up.

Where You Live

Finally, the cost of door ding repairs will depend on your neighborhood. If you live in an area where the cost of living is relatively high, you’ll likely pay more for door ding repairs than if you live in a less-affluent neighborhood. Of course, even affluent areas may have low-cost shops, so you must research to find the shop that will do the best job for the most reasonable price.  

Will Insurance Cover a Door Ding?

Insurance will cover a door ding as long as you have a collision policy. Most insurance companies do not cover general wear and tear extending to door dings, scratches, dents, or paint damage. 

If you want your door ding repairs covered by insurance, you can apply for comprehensive or collision coverage. 

  • Comprehensive auto insurance. Also known as “other than collision” coverage, this policy covers all damage to your car that isn’t caused by vehicle damage. This includes hitting a wild animal or pet, a rock falling on the windshield, or a tree branch falling on your car.
  • Collision coverage. As its name suggests, this policy covers all damage from a collision with another vehicle or object. For example, collision coverage covers the cost if you hit a fence and your car gets a scratch.

Both comprehensive and collision coverage have deductibles ranging from $100 to $1,500, depending on the insurer. If the damage exceeds the deductible, you’ll have to pay for the extra cost out of pocket. 

You may also want to consider liability insurance. Essentially, this means that if you dent another person’s car or ding their car door, you can also be covered. 

If the dent or ding is someone else’s fault, you may be able to get the other person to pay for your repair costs. Just make sure you get a lawyer who specializes in car insurance. 

How To Get Insurance To Cover Door Ding Repair Costs

If your door ding is covered by insurance, here are the tips to ensure you make the most of your premiums:

  • Assess the damage. Note details such as the size and number of dents. If you have a camera or phone with you, take photos and label them accordingly. 
  • Involve the police. Even if the damage is minor, it’s still important to file a statement with the police because that’ll help you make an insurance claim. This is especially important if another driver caused your dents and you have evidence to prove their identity. 
  • Get a quote for the necessary repairs. This will help you gauge how much you’ll have to pay to correct the dent, whether it’s covered by insurance or not. 

How Much Does a Paintless Dent Repair Cost?

A paintless dent repair costs approximately $150 to $250. You may pay $300 to $500 for severe dents, $75 to $300 for medium-sized dents, and $50 to $100 for minor dents.

Most door ding repair costs are based on their sizes, which are usually the following size:

  • Dime
  • Nickel
  • Quarter
  • Half-dollar (coin)

Here’s a list of the dent intensity and frequency that can affect the repair costs:

  • Very light: 1 to 5 dents
  • Light: 6 to 15 dents
  • Moderate: 16 to 30 dents
  • Medium: 31 to 50 dents
  • Heavy: 51 to 75 dents
  • Severe: 76 to 100 dents
  • Extreme: 101 to 150 dents

Below, I’ll dive into a detailed table showing the price expectations for door dings.

Dent TypeDimeNickelQuarterHalf-Dollar
Very Light$75$75$100$125
Light$100$125$150$175
Moderate$150$200$225Conventional Damage
Medium$200$225Conventional DamageConventional Damage
Heavy$325$350$450$575
Severe$375$450$550$650
Extreme$450$600Conventional DamageConventional Damage

Note: Conventional repairs usually have custom prices based on the company’s current estimates. All the ding repair costs mentioned above are estimates based on State Farm’s pricing matrix from Stormwise Hail Repair.

Can Door Dings Be Buffed Out?

You can buff out door dings if they are minor. You can use natural solutions like shoe polish, sandpaper, or toothpaste. Alternatively, you can purchase a repair kit. 

For instance, the ENEACRO Rotary Buffer Tool (from Amazon.com) comes with multiple pads and soft sponges to remove minor scratches. This tool has multiple speeds that range between 1,500 to 3,500 RPMs. It also includes three handle settings, giving you the best positioning for optimal handling and control.

If you notice a dent under the scratch after cleaning it with the buffing tool, you can try a few additional tricks.

The following methods can help you remove door dings after buffing them out:

  • Use boiled water. This is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to fix your dent. Take some water, boil it, and dump it onto the damaged area. Give it time to pop out the dent. This method works best where the car can pop out the print from the inside.
  • Use water on both the plunger and the dent. Using the plunger, push and pull on the dent until it disappears.
  • Use a bucket and vacuum cleaner. Cut a hole at the bottom of the bucket to the size of a vacuum cleaner spout. Place the bucket over the dent and turn on the vacuum to pull out the print.

Are Small Dents Worth Fixing? 

Small dents are worth fixing because they prevent long-term damage, paint scratches, and reduced structural integrity. Much like a window crack, a small door ding can worsen and expand very quickly. Furthermore, they can expose the vehicle’s metal and strip the paint layer.

Let’s look at each of these concerns in detail below:

  • Long-term damage prevention: A small dent can move along the vehicle’s frame, especially if you have a bumpy commute. Many dents get deeper, too. Both of these issues can increase the repair bill. Consider using a suction-based repair tool on small dents to stop them from worsening.
  • Paint degradation: Dented paint slowly stretches until it forms creases. The longer you wait to repair a dent, the worse the paint will be. Furthermore, ignoring a dent can expose the undercoat, which peels the paint off. It can also spread to the surrounding paint, making your vehicle’s paint look spotty.
  • Reduced structural integrity: A dent in a car door can weaken the metal. Whether you have steel, fiberglass, carbon fiber, or aluminum doors, they can crack along the dent. Waiting to repair a small door ding can make repeated dents break through the metal. This ends up costing a lot more money in the long run.

According to Bemac, some car dents lead to rust, which can spread throughout the vehicle. This worst-case scenario can turn a $75 repair into a $1,000+ repair. You won’t notice anything’s wrong until the vehicle frame starts crumbling. This issue is prevalent in places with high humidity and air salinity because they deteriorate metal easier.

How Much Do Door Dings Devalue a Car? 

Door dings can devalue a car by up to 15% instantly. Not repairing a small door dent can cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars when you sell the vehicle. Repairing the dent can restore the car’s value if it’s not listed in the vehicle’s accident report.

Closeup of a door ding on a red truck

Lake Marion Collision reports that the average light door dent can depreciate a vehicle’s value by 5% to 15%. It might not seem like a lot (because all vehicles depreciate annually), but it’s worth repairing small dents if you want to get the most money for your vehicle.

Having multiple door dings on a vehicle can devalue it by more than 15% if they cover the car. Additionally, rusted dents or chipped paint can cause price reductions. The good news is that repairing door dents and dings can help increase the vehicle’s value. Paying $100 today could grant you $1,000 when you want to sell your vehicle.

Many people leave minor dents for several months or years, but it’s important to fix them to maintain your car’s value.

Conclusion

Door ding repair costs can vary depending on several factors. If the ding is minor and there is no paint damage, the repair costs may be relatively low. However, if the ding is more serious and there is paint damage, the cost will be much higher. Plus, your insurance may only cover certain types of damage. 

Given these factors, you must assess the damage and get a professional estimate before you make any repair decisions.

For more, check out The Average Cost To Detail a Car or Truck (Partial vs. Full).