How To Repair Hail Auto Body Damage
Hail is a rare weather occurrence, but when it does happen it can cause a great deal of damage. Cars are particularly at risk since they are often parked on driveways or on the street and do not benefit from any sort of covering. If your vehicle has been damaged by hail, there are a couple of things that you can do to try and fix the unsightly dings and dents that may remain.
Use a Hair Dryer
While this seems like an odd tip, you can try to use a hair dryer to remove small dents from the body of your car. This is because heat causes things to expand. By heating up the metal of your car's exterior, the dents may pop back into place, or at least even out a little.
Simply plug in a hair dryer using an extension cord and hold it two inches away from the dent in question. Take care to avoid touching the hair dryer directly to the body of your car, as this can damage the finish and leave marks on your paint job. Run the hair dryer continuously until the dent pops out — if it does not, continue down this list.
Use Car Dent Repair Kits
Most automotive stores will sell do-it-yourself car dent repair kits that are designed to help fix small- or medium-sized dents. There are two main types of kits, suction and glue, but they both work in the same manner. Basically, you attach a suction cup or a tab with an adhesive on one end to the middle of the dent and then pull on the other end of the tab in the hopes of physically pulling the dent out of your car's body. Different sized kits are available, but the larger the dent is, the less likely that these kits will be effective.
See a Mechanic
For dents that are on the edges of your car's body, or for large dents that didn't seem to respond to either of the above two points, the only course of action is to go see a mechanic at an auto repair shop. While this is the most expensive option, it is also the only option that is guaranteed to fix the dents left in your car after a hailstorm. They can also repair any paint damage that your vehicle may have incurred while they're fixing the dented body.