What Is PDR?

Fall is a wonderful time of the year, full of pretty colors, cooler temps, and lots of hail. Hail season lasts into the winter and gets us ready for our busy season. That being said, hail season can often be just as busy as the winter season, but offers an unpredictable flare to the year. When hail storms hit, all kinds of storm chasers come up from the south and set up shop in the cities. Those storm chasers perform a special kind of auto body repair called PDR, or paintless dent repair. Paintless dent repair is exactly as it sounds, these technicians, and some of our own, remove the dents in your vehicle without painting it. Sounds crazy, we know. 

PDR is a lot simpler than you’d imagine. Picture big bright lights, a disassembled vehicle, and little (sometimes large!) rubber mallets. Your PDR technician is actually using pressure from inside the panels of your vehicle to slowly pound them out, reforming the metal to its original shape. The transformation is incredible to watch, and we highly recommend checking YouTube for a severe hail repair! The reason you can perform PDR in hail dents is because the hail pieces leave ridgeless dents in the panels of your vehicle. Dents from things like backing into a pole or getting rear ended aren’t typically candidates for PDR as the paint has been pushed to the point of breaking. However, we can occasionally fix a dent via PDR even if it has a ridge, as long as the paint has not cracked at all! The beauty of having an auto body shop look over your vehicle and repair it is that we can work directly with your insurance on the damage caused by the storm!

We understand though, you may not have full coverage on your vehicle, may not have the time to drop off the vehicle, or you may just want to experiment yourself! There are certain things you can do at home to attempt to repair hail damage. Heat is one way to get the metal panels on your vehicle to flex and return to its preformed shape. By parking your vehicle in the sun, sometimes certain dents can pop out themselves. We’ve heard of people trying hot water methods and using their hair dryers as well. These are all great DIY techniques if you don’t mind some paint discoloration. The other option here would be to chill the dents, some people have been said to use dry ice. They circle the dent with a piece of dry ice, attempting to coax the dent out of the metal. All these techniques have seen varied results, and we do not recommend attempting to repair your vehicle untrained at home, unless you’re not worried about how the vehicle looks afterwards. Attempts to repair the vehicle yourself could result in voiding your warranty, or loss of insurance coverage for the hailstorm. 

Naturally, we suggest bringing your vehicle into your local body shop, which is hopefully ours! There is no way to guarantee that these home remedies will work for your vehicle, and we always have time to help! Whether you’re just coming in for an estimate, or coming in for repairs, we are here to try and solve your problems as best we can. 

Does It Really Take That Long?

           It used to be that we drove around in giant metal machines, operating purely on fuel and combustion. Things always change, and in today’s world you’re driving around in a high-tech computer. People still view their vehicles as a machine, but a car hasn’t been “just a machine” for the last fifty years! In 1968 Volkswagen introduced the first computer controlled function in a vehicle; the electronic fuel injector. This advancement in the car industry was huge! The ECU is now a standard seen in all vehicles, emerging in the 1960’s and still used today. By 1986 we had our first auto-driven cars, in 2017 Tesla introduced self driving semi-trucks, and today we’re looking at vehicles that are almost completely self-sufficient.

                This loose timeline is just that, very loose. Imagine all the advancements between the 60’s and today. Now imagine the advancements technicians have seen, working on these vehicles day in and day out. The industry now requires certified technicians, who have undergone training through each manufacturer in order to understand the innermost workings of these computers and the machine themselves. This is all great, because we want our technicians to be the best at what they do. When you put it all together though, what does that mean for you, the customer?
                Time. The biggest thing all these computers have changed during our repair process is time. We no longer have the ability to do one day bumper jobs, because that Audi A6 you drive has three sensors in the front bumper that allow you to feel a little bit safer in your car, but also require us to calibrate them if we remove or have to adjust the bumper. Every vehicle newer than 2008 is equipped with sensors in the passenger seat that signal occupancy and when to deploy airbags in the event of a crash, and has to be reset each time you’re in any minor collision. These sensors are a wonderful safety feature, but in that effort to ensure safety we’re also looking at additional time in a simple repair.

                We do our best to get your vehicles returned to pre-accident condition as soon as we can, but we also want your vehicle to be safe, efficient, and in proper working order before we return the vehicle to you. So when you get frustrated at how long your repairs are taking, consider the type of vehicle you drive, and the computer systems you use each day. The more complicated and high tech your vehicle is, the longer the repairs will take. So, yes, it does take that long, but rest assured that we are doing everything in our power to get your vehicle repaired and back to you safe and sound.

What is a Total Loss?

A common misconception in the autobody world is that the repair shop dictates what happens to your vehicle if it’s past the point of repair. That is false, while we can write estimates for our direct repair companies; it is always up to the insurer whether or not the vehicle will repair. The insurance company you’re working with will determine the salvage value of your car. Of course, there are easy ways to know what you should receive in a pay out if your vehicle totals, but the check itself is paid directly from your insurance, or the insurance that accepted liability of the claim.

The Actual Cash Value is how an insurer will know whether or not your vehicle is repairable. In the state of Minnesota, it operates on an 80% basis, where if the cost of repairs is higher than 80% of the vehicles value, the vehicle will total out. The ACV can be determined by anybody, so if you’re interested you can certainly double check the quote your insurance gives you. That is often recommended as in some instances, the insurance can “lowball” your settlement to avoid paying a heftier bill. They will use information like the condition of your vehicle, the mileage, and commonly things like NADA or Kelly Blue Book. While the year of your vehicle does play a factor, this doesn’t always mean that just because you drive a brand new car, it won’t total out after an estimate is written.

Once the insurer deems your vehicle a total loss, you have the option of buying back the total, or reaching a settlement with the insurance for the total. If you choose to buy the total loss back from your insurance, that will be a settlement between the two of you. This is not always the recommended path, because often the vehicle is not street safe and you could face penalties from the police for driving it. You have the option of working with us to make your vehicle safe, and keep costs down with aftermarket parts.

If you choose to accept that your vehicle is a total loss, the insurance will typically issue you a check for the ACV less any pending deductibles or fees. If you own the vehicle outright, you get the check in full. If there’s a lease or a loan on the car, the check will be issued to the financing company, any overages will be issued to you, but any overages will need to be paid out by you.

Nobody wakes up in the morning and thinks “Oh boy, I hope I wreck my car today!” but sometimes, that’s the reality we face as vehicle owners. Often times, people are fairly out of touch with the repair process. It’s not often to have a “favorite” collision shop, but we’re here to do our best and be the best for you. So, while we may not be your “favorite” stop, we aim to be transparent and helpfull in this difficult time. 

Photo courtesy of MN Historical Society

One of the best parts of being a licensed driver, is the ability to make the decision you want on when you go... and where! So if you haven't gone on a road trip lately, or you just went last week, I have five stops you should consider before you get back in that driver seat.

Split Rock Lighthouse
If you haven't ventured north of Duluth yet, I highly suggest a spontaneous road trip. About 200 miles south of the cities, Split Rock Lighthouse can be found on the North shore of Lake Superior in Two Harbors, Minnesota. With walking trails, gorgeous views and a bit of history, it's a desirable getaway from the chaos of the cities. There are guided tours available on site, and an adorable gift shop. It can be a romantic stop for two, or a family adventure. Just make sure you wear your walking shoes, and are ready for a decent trek to the shore.

Spamtown USA
Who doesn't like spam? Austin, Minnesota is home of the Hormel's Corporate Headquarters, and is also home to the Spam Museum. You can learn everything from the makings of Spam to some great recipes on how to use Spam in your home cooked meals. Or in the event that you don't care for canned meats, Austin has also been named "One of the Top Ten Inexpensive Towns You'd Actually Want To Live" in 2015. It lies about 100 miles south of the cities, and is just waiting for a new visitor or three.

Schell's Brewery
Beer is great. Local beer? Even better! 96 miles south west of the metro you'll find one of the oldest locally owned breweries in Minnesota. It’s the second oldest family run brewery in Minnesota, to be exact. After your time touring the brewery and visiting the gift shop, make a weekend of your trip and stop down at the Deutsche Strasse Bed and Breakfast for a German themed stay to match all that German crafted beer you just drank. 

Jeffers Petroglyphs

130 miles out of Minneapolis in Comfrey, you'll find peaceful prairie land, a tiny town and lots of history. Jeffers Petroglyphs are vast expanses of rock covered in the 7000 plus year old artwork and depictions of stories of the way of life of Native Americans. You can find humans, deer, buffalo, turtles and other creatures sketched out on these rocks. There are guided tours available, as well as various classes you can take. Ever wanted to learn to throw atlatl and hunt buffalo? The Native American Survivalist class is the place for you!

Franconia Sculpture Park
A short drive 50 miles out of the metro will land you in a bizarre wonderland, also known as the Franconia Sculpture Park in Franconia, Minnesota. Located on a 43 acre plot of land, Franconia Sculpture Park is an active artist residency working to showcase 40 new artist each year. The park always changes, new sculptures are worked on regularly and you're always in for a fun surprise.

As with any other adventure in a vehicle, make sure you're practicing safe driving techniques. Be aware so you can go on multiple more adventures with your loved ones, or alone. In case of an accident, or any road mishap, think of us at Oakdale Collision. We'll take this stressful situation off your shoulders and get you back in your vehicle in no time!