Where can I get dent removal in Long Island City?
Parking in New York puts dents in cars. A1 Collision NY has been removing them since 1991, from door dings picked up on the street to larger creases after a low-speed knock.
We are at 4525 36 Street, Long Island City 11101, open Monday through Sunday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Call (212) 564-7100 and we will tell you which of the two approaches below your dent needs.
When can a dent be fixed with paintless dent repair?
Where the paint is unbroken and the metal is not stretched, the dent can usually be worked out from behind the panel with the original factory finish left intact. That is the better outcome: no filler, no respray, and no color match to worry about.
Paintless repair suits shallow dents with smooth edges, door dings, and hail damage. It does not suit dents on a panel edge, dents where the paint has cracked, or anywhere the metal has been stretched sharply.
When does a dent need panel repair and refinishing?
When the paint is cracked or the crease is sharp, the panel is repaired conventionally and then refinished. That means color matching to the rest of the car, which is where a lot of cheap repairs give themselves away. We handle car painting in house, so the matching is done by the people doing the repair.
How do I know which kind of dent repair I need?
Run a fingernail across the dent. If the paint is smooth and unbroken, paintless repair is likely. If you can feel a crack or see bare metal, the panel needs refinishing. Rust around the damage means it needs attention sooner rather than later, because it spreads under the paint.
Bring the car in and we will look at it properly. It takes a few minutes and the answer changes the cost considerably.
Paintless dent repair or conventional body work?
Paintless dent repair massages the metal back from behind and keeps the factory paint. Conventional repair is needed once the paint is broken or the metal is stretched.
| Factor | Paintless dent repair | Conventional repair |
|---|---|---|
| Paint condition | Must be unbroken | Works with chipped or cracked paint |
| Best for | Door dings, hail, shallow round dents | Creases, sharp dents, stretched metal |
| Access | Tools reach behind the panel, or glue pulling | Any panel |
| Refinishing | None, the original paint stays | Filler, primer, paint and blending |
| Time in the shop | Usually shorter | Longer, the paint has to cure |
COME IN OR CALL
A1 Collision NY & Auto Care, 4525 36 Street, Long Island City 11101. Open Monday through Sunday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Call (212) 564-7100 or get in touch.