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The long arm of car repair insurance doesnt stop at extended warranties or tire road hazard insurance. Marketing gurus have found all sorts of knick knacks to insure. Among the top are ding and dent protection plans. Ding and dent insurance is growing steadily, and addresses those unsightly shopping cart and parking lot dings.

Dings and dents are fairly synonymous terms, although a ding is smaller than a dent. Youll notice a dent. Youll need to squint, or catch the vehicle in the right angle or sunlight to see a ding. Some dings are smaller than eraser heads.

Like extended warranties or tire insurance, dent and ding protection plans promise to pay for damages in part or in full for a specific period of time. These plans are primarily sold by new car dealerships and cost a few hundred dollars.

Ding and Dent Repair: Paintless Dent Repair
Ding and dent repair is called PDR, short for Paintless Dent Repair. There are many companies that perform this service: Ding Doctor, Ding King, No Dents, Dent Wizardthe list goes on. Some are better then others, although ultimately its up to the skill of the PDR technician. Prices are similar.

How is it done?
Most PDR techniques are non-intrusive. The PDR technicians use specially designed tools and gadgets to slip behind the damaged panels and manipulate and massage the damaged metal back to its original form.

Does it work?
Actually, its incredible! It works so well that in the majority of cases the dings and dents are completely removed. Theyre invisible, gone, cant-believe-your-eyes fixed.

I saw a soccer-ball-sized dent removed from the rear fender of a $120,000 car. The dent also had a large crease, which makes repairs even harder. After thirty minutes there was no visible detection that a dent was ever there. The repair cost the client $400. Traditional body shop estimates were hovering at $2700.

PDR positives

• Very low cost compared to traditional body shops
• Same day repairseven while-you-wait service
• No paint work, sanding, or traditional bodywork required
• Original paint remainshelps retain vehicles looks and value
• Body panels remain intactmaintaining structural integrity

PDR negatives

• PDR does not address scratches or paint chips that are often associated with dings (Many PDR companies will address chips and scratches, but its not PDR technology)
• Many areas of body panels are not accessible, so PDR is not an option
• Plastic bumpers or any plastic components cant be fixed with PDR techniques. Since the bumper is the most common area to get damaged, this is a significant downside of PDR technology.
• Some damage can occur to door panels, paint, interiors, window glass and hardware, although damage of any kind is rare.

Do you need PDR insurance?
God, no!

Should you get your dings fixed using PDR techniques?
Hell, yes!

Let me explain
Insuring against dings and dents does not make economic sense. Ding repairs average around $50 per ding. Some dings cost $99 to $149 to repair. Two to four dings can run $100 to $450, depending on the size of the dent. Insurance at this level is just not necessary. Moreover, its a gamble you will lose.

To benefit from a $300, two-year plan, your vehicle would need to sustain multiple PDR repairable dings or dents. Despite your coverage, you may not even notice the dings, making a claim impossible. Also, despite the amazing PDR techniques, they cant fix everything, especially the chips and scratches that so frequently accompany a dingshould dings even occur.

Yes, get your dings fixed with PDR (if theyre bothering you), but dont buy an insurance plan.

Protection plan economics 101
An article by Terence OHara in the Washington Post is a wonderful piece on the insanity of protection plans, and is applicable here. He writes:

The decision to buy an extended warrantydefies the recommendations of economists, consumer advocates and product quality experts, who all warn that the plans rarely benefit consumers and are nearly always a waste of money.

[Extended warranties and protection plans] make no rational sense, Harvard economist David Cutler said. The implied probability [of an issue] has to be substantially greater than the risk that you cant afford to fix it or replace it. If youre buying a $400 item, for the overwhelming number of consumers that level of spending is not a risk you need to insure under any circumstances.

extended warranties play upon a basic human trait to avoid loss, even if it means sacrificing a possible future gain. In this case, the gain is all the other things of value that a consumer could buy with the money that was spent on a warranty

Fix your dings
Fix your dings and dents (if you want) as they comemaybe every spring. Fixing dings keeps your car looking pristine, and increases its value. But dont bother with a protection plan. Save your money.

Hold off on that paint job
Quality paintless dent repair is often a great substitute for those considering full paint jobs. Whenever possible, it's best to keep the original paint. Good PDR combined with a professional detail can restore vehicles to show room condition for less than $500.

Go with the best
Since 1983 Dent Wizard has been pioneering PDR technology. Their PDR technicians undergo extensive and ongoing training. The rates are reasonable and the quality is excellent. Always request a master PDR technician, as there are various levels of abilities.

Check with local dealers
Dealerships in your area may offer Dent Wizard. Your vehicle does not have to be of the same make as the dealership. In other words, you can bring your Chevy to a Ford dealer for PDR work.

Myths
Do it yourself paintless dent repair is easy.
No it s not. It requires training, skill, and experience. There are many who practice PDR techniques who crack or flake the paint, or who create ripples in the metal.

The PDR products sold on TV do the same thing.
No! Not even close. There's no good substitute for the art of PDR.

Scratch and dent repair are the same thing.
No. A ding is a small dent, which can often be repaired via paintless dent repair procedures. A scratch is an actual break in the surface of the clear coat or paint, requiring traditional body shop techniques, or touch up paint.

Its easy to learn how to repair dents on cars.
Maybe for some, but its a skill that few master. Dent Wizard offers a great training program. The management and staff are top notch.

Whats the best car dent removing protection plan?
Money in your bank account!

# posted by taniayegn : 11:19 PM  0 comments

With car sales prices continuously increasing, recent hikes in gas prices, and ever present sales and state taxes on our cars it has become vitally important to find ways to save money and keep costs down. One way to save money is to monitor your auto insurance and make sure you are getting the best deal possible. This may sound trivial, but can easily add up to savings of hundreds and possibly even thousands of dollars over the next few years.

First make sure you are taking advantage of all discounts available to you through your insurance provider. Many insurance companies have good driver history discounts. If you havent been in an accident or made a claim in several years make sure your agent adds this deduction typical savings are 5-15% (easily $100-$400+ in savings per year).

For an additional discount some insurance companies like Progressive and Geico offer discounts for sponsored driving classes. Make sure you check with your insurance company to see which ones it accepts. Many of these classes are free or offered at minimal cost by your local DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) or DOT (Department of Transportation). For a listing, contact your insurance company and then your state departments (DMV and DOT). These classes also work great for reducing points on your license from minor infractions (speeding, running a red light, etc). Definitely get as many points taken off as possible. These points can increase your insurance rates 50-100% or more in some cases. Some insurance companies like Geico, Allstate, and Progressive have recently come out with good student discounts. The requirements can vary so be sure to check with your insurance company. This could amount to an additional savings of 5-10% on your annual premium. Keep in mind traffic offenses can and will nullify this and most other discounts, so drive safely.

Shop around for the best rate. I cant stress this enough. Every few years just check and see what other insurers are offering. You could see huge savings here and it may have nothing to do with your driving record. Some insurers just have lower claims for a particular model car and therefore will have a lower rate for that car. Just to see the difference call several insurance companies for quotes. You will see a huge range. When I had a 2000 Ford Mustang GT convertible I was paying over $4000 per year in insurance with Allstate then I checked and found Progressive offered the same coverage for only $1400 (a 75% difference in my premium). Now, thats not to say that Allstate is a bad insurer, they just have higher claim costs associated with that vehicle and a driver of my age. So, make sure you shop around and definitely check the online insurers like Progressive and Geico as they tend to have lower premiums. Also see what impact raising your deductible will have on lowering your premium.

These items might also seem trivial, but will save you money. Pick a car with lower theft rates and lower premiums. A 4 door 4 cylinder car (Toyota Corolla) will almost always have a much lower premium than the latest 8 cylinder 2 seater sports car (Mustang GT (2+ 2 seating)). It will also get you better gas mileage which in a year could amount to a savings of hundreds of dollars in it self. Stay away from convertibles as they always have higher insurance premiums. Drop unnecessary coverage like collision on an older car. Also stay away from cars with high theft rates (Honda Civics and Accords tend to have some of the highest theft rates and unfortunately you will pay for that with higher premiums and dont think you wont.) One more thing, dont speed, dont drive drunk (I dont need to tell you what that will cost you (it could even cost you your life), stop for all school buses, wear your seat belt and obey the rules of the road. You will be glad you did.

# posted by taniayegn : 10:21 PM  0 comments