Dent Repair in DC Area??
05-20-10, 08:51 AM
#1
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Dent Repair in DC Area??
Just got a few small dents on the hood of my SC in a hail storm and am looking for a good dent repair place or PDR (paintless dent repair) in the Washington, DC metro area. I live in Maryland. Thanks.
Rustito
Rustito
05-20-10, 02:05 PM
#2
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Been researching - has anyone used Dent Masters in Bethesda, MD? They specialize in paintless dent repair. Lexus of Rockville uses Euro Pros Collision for body work - they are in Gaithersburg, MD. I am leaning towards trying Dent Masters. And advise?? Thanks.
Rustito
Rustito
05-21-10, 09:01 AM
#6
What a timely thread -- just last weekend, I promised to get this info to Habious.
The Washington Post did a story a couple of years ago about this guy who worked forever gaining experience at an auto body place and then went out on his own. He now runs the Mobile Car Doc.
I've used them for some pretty major collision damage -- more then I ever thought could be repaired without a panel replacement. I've been very happy with the results. The touchup paint match was very good and, to my eye, invisible.
I've copied the Washington Post article below so you can get a feel for where this guy is coming from.
BTW, I've seen the Lindsay Lexus guy but never used the services. It is an independent contractor who apparently gives a cut to Lindsay Lexus. I brought my car in for regular service and he solicited me to let him fix some imperfections (he called them dents!). I declined.
Making It; Auto Body Repairman Finds Fulfillment In Steering Own Career
The Washington Post - Washington, D.C.
Author: Elizabeth Chang
Date: Feb 10, 2008
Start Page: W.6
Section: MAGAZINE
Text Word Count: 624
A couple of years ago, automotive painter James Howard of Manassas had had enough of waiting for cars to come to him.
James, 35, believed he had plateaued in his position as head painter at a large auto body repair business, and he was frustrated that his commission-based salary depended on how many cars entered the shop each week. So, James decided he would go to the cars: creating a business that would fix dents, dings and scratches at customers' homes or offices, saving car owners time and, by charging less than most auto body shops, money. "I've done this for all these years, gotten in my humble opinion pretty good at it, and knew it was a need," he says.
James and his brothers were raised in Woodbridge by a sheriff's deputy father and a businesswoman mother who had met in Vietnam while James's father was serving in the war. When James was 15, his fender-bender-prone mom set him up with a summer job at an auto body shop she frequented. He learned later that she had been secretly supplementing his paycheck so that "I felt like I was really accomplishing something and making more money."
"She was a wonderful lady," James says of his mother, who died 18 months ago of cancer and last owned a jewelry store at Eden Center.
After high school, James continued in the auto body field and married his high school sweetheart, Donna, who now stays home with four sons, ages 12, 9, 5 and 2. He made good money "and was able to build a family and acquire all those nice little toys and things." But when he hit that plateau, he remembered his mother's advice: "I want you to work hard for yourself."
First, he and Donna "downsized our life." They sold their beach house, Harley, camper and minivan, and put the cash in the bank to tide them over while James builds the business, which he named the Mobile Car Doc and started last year. He bought a Toyota Scion to take him to appointments, most of which are in Prince William and Fairfax counties, and invested in painting and detailing materials and tools, as well as advertising.
Rosalind Russell of Woodbridge has hired James to work on her family's cars. "It's fabulous," she says. "When he's finished, you'd never know it was hit or scratched or dented or anything like that." Besides saving time and money, she adds, "the quality of work I would have received at an auto body shop I received right at my home."
At the auto body shop, James worked nine to 12 hours a day, five or six days a week, and made $500 to $600 a day, for an annual gross income of about $130,000. Now, he says, he's working eight hours a day, three to four days a week, and the business is grossing between $400 to $900 a day. While his salary is half of what he was making in the body shop, James hopes to match his old pay in two to three years. He's focusing on attracting enough customers for a full-time workweek, but can envision someday training other painters and expanding.
By owning his own business, James is heeding his mother's advice in another way. "One of the last things that she said to me was, 'I wish I'd spent more time with you boys,' " he says. Now, because he sets his own schedule, James is around more, and can attend school events and take his sons to some of their activities. When it comes to kids, he says, "you have to be there."
The Washington Post did a story a couple of years ago about this guy who worked forever gaining experience at an auto body place and then went out on his own. He now runs the Mobile Car Doc.
I've used them for some pretty major collision damage -- more then I ever thought could be repaired without a panel replacement. I've been very happy with the results. The touchup paint match was very good and, to my eye, invisible.
I've copied the Washington Post article below so you can get a feel for where this guy is coming from.
BTW, I've seen the Lindsay Lexus guy but never used the services. It is an independent contractor who apparently gives a cut to Lindsay Lexus. I brought my car in for regular service and he solicited me to let him fix some imperfections (he called them dents!). I declined.
Making It; Auto Body Repairman Finds Fulfillment In Steering Own Career
The Washington Post - Washington, D.C.
Author: Elizabeth Chang
Date: Feb 10, 2008
Start Page: W.6
Section: MAGAZINE
Text Word Count: 624
A couple of years ago, automotive painter James Howard of Manassas had had enough of waiting for cars to come to him.
James, 35, believed he had plateaued in his position as head painter at a large auto body repair business, and he was frustrated that his commission-based salary depended on how many cars entered the shop each week. So, James decided he would go to the cars: creating a business that would fix dents, dings and scratches at customers' homes or offices, saving car owners time and, by charging less than most auto body shops, money. "I've done this for all these years, gotten in my humble opinion pretty good at it, and knew it was a need," he says.
James and his brothers were raised in Woodbridge by a sheriff's deputy father and a businesswoman mother who had met in Vietnam while James's father was serving in the war. When James was 15, his fender-bender-prone mom set him up with a summer job at an auto body shop she frequented. He learned later that she had been secretly supplementing his paycheck so that "I felt like I was really accomplishing something and making more money."
"She was a wonderful lady," James says of his mother, who died 18 months ago of cancer and last owned a jewelry store at Eden Center.
After high school, James continued in the auto body field and married his high school sweetheart, Donna, who now stays home with four sons, ages 12, 9, 5 and 2. He made good money "and was able to build a family and acquire all those nice little toys and things." But when he hit that plateau, he remembered his mother's advice: "I want you to work hard for yourself."
First, he and Donna "downsized our life." They sold their beach house, Harley, camper and minivan, and put the cash in the bank to tide them over while James builds the business, which he named the Mobile Car Doc and started last year. He bought a Toyota Scion to take him to appointments, most of which are in Prince William and Fairfax counties, and invested in painting and detailing materials and tools, as well as advertising.
Rosalind Russell of Woodbridge has hired James to work on her family's cars. "It's fabulous," she says. "When he's finished, you'd never know it was hit or scratched or dented or anything like that." Besides saving time and money, she adds, "the quality of work I would have received at an auto body shop I received right at my home."
At the auto body shop, James worked nine to 12 hours a day, five or six days a week, and made $500 to $600 a day, for an annual gross income of about $130,000. Now, he says, he's working eight hours a day, three to four days a week, and the business is grossing between $400 to $900 a day. While his salary is half of what he was making in the body shop, James hopes to match his old pay in two to three years. He's focusing on attracting enough customers for a full-time workweek, but can envision someday training other painters and expanding.
By owning his own business, James is heeding his mother's advice in another way. "One of the last things that she said to me was, 'I wish I'd spent more time with you boys,' " he says. Now, because he sets his own schedule, James is around more, and can attend school events and take his sons to some of their activities. When it comes to kids, he says, "you have to be there."
05-22-10, 05:13 PM
#7
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Thread Starter
Thanks all for the input. Got more replies on this forum vs. regional or automotive care and detailing forums. I spoke to the service supervisor at Lexus of Rockville and he said to bring in the car and their Dent Wizard person who is there every day will look it over and give me an estimate. Hopefully they can repair using paintless dent repair techniques. He said the biggest problem is if any dents are near any of the seams/seals. Most are on the hood but there are a few on roof and back - but all are very very small. Last thing I want is anyone messing around with the seams given my leak problems which were fixed by having all the seals replaced several months ago.
Rustito
Rustito
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05-22-10, 06:15 PM
#8
I hope it works out for you. The thing I would worry about is that Dent Wizard is a franchise which happens to have a contract with Lexus of Rockville. You really don't know any background on the guy who will actually be working on your car, other than he's a Dent Wizard employee. Since Lexus of Rockville is getting a cut, they are not impartial, but that's probably better than just pulling a name out of the Yellow Pages since they probably don't want to **** off customers.
If this were just a matter looking at the shop manual and following the steps, then maybe any caveman could do it. But paintless dent repair is an art form where experience and ability is paramount. Before someone started messing around with my panels, I'd want more of a resume on them than the dealer contracted with some franchisee who hired the guy.
But who knows, the guy from Dent Wizard might happen to be the best in the area -- hope so!!
If this were just a matter looking at the shop manual and following the steps, then maybe any caveman could do it. But paintless dent repair is an art form where experience and ability is paramount. Before someone started messing around with my panels, I'd want more of a resume on them than the dealer contracted with some franchisee who hired the guy.
But who knows, the guy from Dent Wizard might happen to be the best in the area -- hope so!!
Last edited by JohnnyCake; 05-22-10 at 06:19 PM.
05-22-10, 07:33 PM
#9
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JohnnyCake - Have you used Mobil Car Doc to fix any dents using paintless dent repair (PDR)?? I did read the article you posted and your recommendation but that was for more major work. I am wondering about his experience with dents. I just emailed them because now I am rethinking Dent Wizard at the dealer vs. maybe Mobil Car Doc - given what you said. I do agree that experience and technique is key with PDR and I don't want to just let anyone attempt it on my Lexus. The guy at Dent Masters in Bethesda said he has many yrs. experience with PDR but now I am not sure who to trust!! I am a bit worried.
Rustito
Rustito
05-23-10, 06:46 PM
#10
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Paintless Dent Repair (PDR) on an SC
Still looking for info. but also wanted to share a good experience searching the forums. I first posted on the SC430, local and detailing forums about hail damage to my SC430 and questions about paintless dent repair (PDR) in general and issues specific to the SC430. I have also been looking for recommendations for dent specialists locally in Washington DC metro.
So still looking for the above info. but posts had stopped until I did a search of all the Club Lexus forums and found a few people who actually had their cars damaged in same hail storm 2 weeks ago in MD/VA/DC area that my SC was in!! Many of these were in the GS forum - but also there was extensive posts about hail damage and PDR in the GS and other forums. So not only did I learn more about using PDR for hail damage but I got several more recommendations for dent repair specialists in the DC area. One in particular is Nationwide Dent Repair in Waldorf, MD (a bit far from my house but still an option).
I still am thinking my SC430 has some unique issues with PDR due to complexity of roof and seals and possibly trunk so I'd still like to hear from anyone who has had this done on their SC and any issues to look out for. But also wanted to share my experience outside the SC forum - might seem like the obvious to search all forums but usually I am only focused on the SC forum so thought others might benefit from my search experience (as well as the topic - dent repair).
Rustito
So still looking for the above info. but posts had stopped until I did a search of all the Club Lexus forums and found a few people who actually had their cars damaged in same hail storm 2 weeks ago in MD/VA/DC area that my SC was in!! Many of these were in the GS forum - but also there was extensive posts about hail damage and PDR in the GS and other forums. So not only did I learn more about using PDR for hail damage but I got several more recommendations for dent repair specialists in the DC area. One in particular is Nationwide Dent Repair in Waldorf, MD (a bit far from my house but still an option).
I still am thinking my SC430 has some unique issues with PDR due to complexity of roof and seals and possibly trunk so I'd still like to hear from anyone who has had this done on their SC and any issues to look out for. But also wanted to share my experience outside the SC forum - might seem like the obvious to search all forums but usually I am only focused on the SC forum so thought others might benefit from my search experience (as well as the topic - dent repair).
Rustito
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