Hailstone Damage

[dan4291]

Had some freak weather over County Durham last night with hailstones the size of golf balls falling! As a consequence, my girlfriends Kia Picanto (55 reg) is now peppered with dents from the hailstones, bonnet and roof. I'm unsure how to go about getting the dents repaired, or whether to repair them at all.

 

Has anyone else had this happen to them before, and if so, what did you do about it? The way I see it there are 3 options: -

 

1. Pay a dent repair company to pull them out
2. Possibly go through insurance?
3. Due to the car's age and value if the cost of repairing the dents is too high, leave them.

[Ootohere]

Talk to a Dent Repair Operative.  

They might be busy today, there will be lots of cars in the same state today.

 

Pulling out is not the only way of getting some of these types of Dents / Dints out.

'Good Vibrations', work, & Heating / Cooling',  But its going to be down to what suits you and the expense.

& once sorted, could the same happen next week.

[DryAsSticks]

I got hit by the same storm and I'm currently facing the same dilemma. The roof of my Octavia is peppered with little dents. I've only had it a month!

[LGM]

I got hit by the same storm and I'm currently facing the same dilemma. The roof of my Octavia is peppered with little dents. I've only had it a month!

Oh wow! Unlucky :(

[KenONeill]

In the general case I'd suggest taking the car to a coachbuilder first, and see what they say about cost of repairs.

 

In the specific case of a car under 1YO, you may find that a "new for old" clause applies, but that will be insurer specific.

[Breezy_Pete]

Option 3 is the clear winner IMO. 

The dents will add character to a car that - dare I say it? - may be deficient in that area .

The work-hardening associated with the denting, plus the newly-created 3D-ness of the panels affected will almost certainly add strength to those panels and improve future crash-protection.

 

[BO60BYS]

got any pictures?

[Dr Zoidberg]

I suspect it's beyond the skills of a dent repair company if it's as bad as some of the photos I've seen, and it probably wouldn't be economically viable to repair on a 10 year old Picanto.

By all means get a quote, but I think that's one you're going to have to live with.

[vxh26]

 

<SNIP>

Due to the car's age and value if the cost of repairing the dents is too high, leave them.

<SNIP>

 

Golf balls have "dents" to create turbulence and allow them to travel further and faster - love your dents!

[Dr Zoidberg]

[DanHarper]

Golf balls have "dents" to create turbulence and allow them to travel further and faster - love your dents!

 

Isn't this achieved by making the golf ball rotate as it travels? I'm not sure that would be desirable in a car; or a Picanto for that matter.

[DryAsSticks]

Not sure how obvious it is but this a selection of the bumps on mine:

[Ootohere]

I might be the most experienced at fixing that type of damage & for only £5.99.

 

I go to Amazon and get 'Daisy' Decals and apply them on the damaged areas.

Usually more suitable for 'Girlie' Cars,.  Beetles, Minis, etc, but a Silver Picanto should be fine hopefully.

 

For a Skoda it might need to be Dogs Paw Decals that i buy.

Edited 2 July, 2015 by goneoffSKi

[raymundo]

Or the untactful bullet hole stickers? i seem to see a fair few around here with them on

[mac11irl]

Or the untactful bullet hole stickers? i seem to see a fair few around here with them on

gonna see a lot more in the next few weeks too id say...

I seem to recall insurance companies not paying out on these sorts of events before as its a "freak event" or act of god so not covered under a typical policy... "for an extra 15quid we can offer you astroid strike cover... bad weather? Nah shur that never happens.."

[jellybeard999]

 

Had some freak weather over County Durham last night with hailstones the size of golf balls falling! As a consequence, my girlfriends Kia Picanto (55 reg) is now peppered with dents from the hailstones, bonnet and roof. I'm unsure how to go about getting the dents repaired, or whether to repair them at all.

 

Has anyone else had this happen to them before, and if so, what did you do about it? The way I see it there are 3 options: -

 

1. Pay a dent repair company to pull them out
2. Possibly go through insurance?
3. Due to the car's age and value if the cost of repairing the dents is too high, leave them.

 

 

I'm in the same boat. Not sure if insurance claim is my best bet?

 

Bonnet, roof and rear hatch all covered in small dents, 1p to 2p sort of sizes.

 

2011 Octavia VRS which I've owned for 2 months and the hail happened on my birthday :(

Edited 2 July, 2015 by jellybeard999

[Rustynuts]

 

Had some freak weather over County Durham last night with hailstones the size of golf balls falling! As a consequence, my girlfriends Kia Picanto (55 reg) is now peppered with dents from the hailstones, bonnet and roof. I'm unsure how to go about getting the dents repaired, or whether to repair them at all.

 

Has anyone else had this happen to them before, and if so, what did you do about it? The way I see it there are 3 options: -

 

1. Pay a dent repair company to pull them out
2. Possibly go through insurance?
3. Due to the car's age and value if the cost of repairing the dents is too high, leave them.

 

 

Give Paul a call at Just Dents (look for his number on the contacts page). He'll tell you honestly what can be done. He spent an hour on my daughters New Beetle when we got it and all the dents just magically disappeared as he walked round the car chatting away. From what I recall, he said he used to be on a "Hail team" who just did cars following hailstorms.

[jellybeard999]

Give Paul a call at Just Dents (look for his number on the contacts page). He'll tell you honestly what can be done. He spent an hour on my daughters New Beetle when we got it and all the dents just magically disappeared as he walked round the car chatting away. From what I recall, he said he used to be on a "Hail team" who just did cars following hailstorms.

 

Where is he based?

 

What damage was repaired on the beetle?

 

My car is covered in little tiny dents - they don't look removable tbh.

Edited 2 July, 2015 by jellybeard999

[gadgetman]

A few years back when it happened in Leicester, some I know found their white M3 looking like the surface of a golf ball.

Every panel was replaced except the roof. For that they stripped to a shell and straightened.

[gadgetman]

I'll see if I can find out a cost. I know it took 12 weeks to fix

[Rustynuts]

Where is he based?

 

What damage was repaired on the beetle?

 

My car is covered in little tiny dents - they don't look removable tbh.

Paul is based round about Boro/Teesside. I think he's near Great Ayton, but he travels round the North East fairly much.

 

On the Beetle, someone had slammed the bonnet down on something and it was all creased across the front, and various car park dings here and there, and the VW dealers allowed someone to open a car door onto it when I left it there for a cambelt change. All disappeared.

[gazpot0111645]

Paul Walker / Just Dents is based in Darlington. Used him before and used to do all the cars at work. He is mobile. He has a public facebook page. 'just dents paint less dent removal'

[Ootohere]

Reading post #21, i was stating to think it was Paul Daniels.

[jellybeard999]

Give Paul a call at Just Dents (look for his number on the contacts page). He'll tell you honestly what can be done. He spent an hour on my daughters New Beetle when we got it and all the dents just magically disappeared as he walked round the car chatting away. From what I recall, he said he used to be on a "Hail team" who just did cars following hailstorms.

 

Paul is going to have a look on Sunday. I'm not expecting it to be less than my excess, but at least then I'll know if I made the right choice.

[Rustynuts]

How did this end up?