The most common question we hear at Caropractors: “What does it cost to fix this?” The most common answer ought to be a number — not a dodge. This guide is the transparent version of paintless dent repair (PDR) pricing, organized so you can size up your own dent before you call a shop.
This is the non-hail version. If you’re dealing with hail damage, our companion piece on Alberta hail damage repair costs covers the hail-specific pricing tiers. The post below is for everyone else: the door ding, the parking-lot ding, the trim-line dent that appeared mysteriously last weekend.
What Drives PDR Cost
Four factors set the price on any non-hail PDR repair:
- Dent size — by inches across, with depth a secondary factor
- Dent location — flat panel center vs body line vs panel edge
- Accessibility — does the technician need to remove a door card, sound deadener, or other trim?
- Paint condition — PDR works only on intact paint; cracked paint is a different repair entirely
A clean center-of-panel dent costs less than the same-sized dent on a body line, even though the diameter is identical. The skill required is different.
PDR Cost Ranges by Dent Size
The numbers below are typical 2026 Alberta industry ranges for a single dent on an accessible panel with intact paint. Aluminum panels and complex locations push these up.
Tiny Dings (Under 1 inch / Coin-Sized) — $75 to $150
A door ding from a shopping cart, a small ding from a pebble strike, a pre-existing ding noticed before a sale. Repair time: 30 minutes to 1 hour for a single technician.
These almost always fall below comprehensive deductibles, which is why most drivers pay out of pocket. The math also matches the lease return scenario: a $100 PDR repair often saves $300–$500 in lease damage charges.
Small Dents (1–2 inches / Quarter to Loonie-Sized) — $150 to $300
Door panel dents from harder impacts, hood dents from light debris, trunk lid dings from grocery carts. Repair time: 1–2 hours.
This is the most common single-dent price tier. It’s also where DIY kits start to look tempting at $30–$80 — but the failure rate runs high enough that many DIY attempts end up at a PDR shop anyway, with paint stress that complicates repair.
Medium Dents (2–4 inches) — $300 to $600
Larger door impacts, hood dents from hail one-offs, fender dents from low-speed contact. Repair time: 2–4 hours.
Body line proximity matters a lot in this tier. A 3-inch dent in the center of a door costs the lower end. The same 3-inch dent crossing a body line costs the higher end.
Large Dents (4–8 inches) — $400 to $1,000
Trunk lid impacts, large hood dents from falling debris, severe door damage from collisions where paint somehow stayed intact. Repair time: 4–8 hours, sometimes spanning two days.
These often compete with body shop quotes. A body shop for the same dent might run $1,200–$2,500 with paint blending — PDR usually wins on price and on paint preservation.
Very Large Dents (8+ inches) — $800+
Severe panel deformation, large hail one-offs, structural-adjacent dents. Often requires combination of rod work, glue-pull, and specialty tools. Pricing is per-job after assessment.
This is also where some dents transition to body shop territory — if the metal has stretched too far or the paint has cracked, PDR can’t fully restore the panel. Honest shops will tell you which side of the line your dent falls on.
Cost Factors That Move Prices Within a Tier
Six things shift quotes up or down within a size category:
1. Body Material
- Steel panels — base pricing
- Aluminum panels — add 30–50% (F-150 2015+, Tesla Model S/X, Audi A8/Q7, Range Rover, some BMW models)
- Plastic bumpers — different repair process; often $100–$300 for shallow dents
Confirm whether your vehicle has aluminum panels. Many F-150 owners don’t realize their truck switched to aluminum in 2015.
2. Body Line Proximity
A dent that crosses a body line, character line, or panel edge requires slow, careful work. Add 25–40% to base pricing.
3. Accessibility
If the technician needs to remove a door card, headliner, sound deadener, or interior trim panel, add 30–60%. Roof dents almost always require headliner removal.
4. Glue Pull vs Rod Access
When a panel has no rear access (sealed structural areas, sound-deadened sections), glue-pull is the only option. It’s a slightly more expensive technique because tabs, glue, and pull tools all have material costs and slower throughput.
5. Mobile vs In-Shop
Mobile dent repair on accessible panels (door dings in particular) sometimes costs slightly less because there’s no shop overhead. In-shop work is usually preferred for:
- Complex panels (hoods, trunks)
- Roof work
- Aluminum
- Multi-panel jobs
Trade-off: convenience vs work environment quality.
6. Vehicle Make and Trim
Premium vehicles (BMW, Mercedes, Audi) often add 20–40% over equivalent dents on mainstream brands due to parts complexity, paint sensitivity, and trim removal time.
PDR vs Body Shop: Cost Comparison
For the same dent with intact paint, PDR is typically 50–70% cheaper than a body shop:
| Damage | PDR | Body Shop |
|---|---|---|
| Small door ding | $75–$200 | $300–$800 |
| Medium dent (golf-ball) | $200–$400 | $500–$1,200 |
| Large dent (multi-line) | $400–$900 | $1,000–$2,500 |
| Aluminum panel dent | +30–50% PDR | +20–30% body shop |
Why the gap? Body shops involve filler, primer, base coat, clear coat, paint blending, color-match labor, and booth time. PDR is one technician, hand tools, and time. (Our companion post on PDR vs traditional body shop work walks through the technique difference.)
When PDR Isn’t Worth It
Three scenarios where you might skip PDR:
When the Repair Costs More Than the Damage Would Cost You
If you’re going to scrap the car in six months and you don’t care how it looks, the math is simple. Don’t repair.
When the Repair Cost Exceeds Pre-Sale Value Lift
A $500 PDR repair on a vehicle that will sell for $2,500 might not pencil — that’s a 20% repair-to-value ratio. A $500 PDR repair on a $20,000 vehicle that sells faster and for $700 more — that pencils.
A general rule: PDR repair cost should be 30–50% of the value uplift you expect at sale. Use online valuation tools (Canadian Black Book, Auto Trader) to estimate the difference between your damaged and repaired prices.
When Insurance Won’t Cover It and the Cost Exceeds Your Threshold
Comprehensive deductibles often run $500–$1,000. A repair that cost $300 isn’t a claim; it’s an out-of-pocket fix. A repair that cost $1,800 with a $500 deductible is a claim worth filing.
Shop vs Mobile Pricing Differences
Mobile PDR can be cheaper for simple jobs because the technician has no shop overhead. The trade-offs:
- Lighting quality. A panel inspected under proper shop lighting reveals dents a driveway visit might miss.
- Tool access. Specialty tools, multiple rod sets, and induction heating equipment usually live in the shop.
- Repair conditions. Wind, rain, temperature, and dust all affect repair quality. Mobile in -10°C is not the same as in-shop in 18°C.
For door dings on a flat panel in good weather, mobile is fine. For everything else, in-shop wins.
DIY Cost vs Pro Cost Math
A DIY kit runs $30–$80. The success rate runs 30–60% depending on dent type and operator skill. The risks:
- Paint cracking from glue tab residue
- Panel dimpling from over-pulling
- Damage compounding (small dent becomes irregular dent)
When DIY fails, the cost-to-fix at a pro shop sometimes goes up because of paint stress that wasn’t there before. The realistic math:
- DIY successful (50% of the time): $50 cost, decent result
- DIY failed (50% of the time): $50 wasted + $200–$400 PDR cost + risk of paint damage = $250–$450
- Average DIY total: $150–$250 with ~50% chance of mediocre outcome
vs.
- PDR pro: $150–$250, near-100% success, written warranty
The honest read: DIY is worth it on plastic bumpers and very minor accessible dings. Anywhere else, professional PDR is cheaper on average and dramatically better in result.
Quick Pricing Reality Check
Before accepting a quote:
- Quote is based on visual inspection or detailed photos, not phone-only
- Dent size and location match what was assessed
- Panel material (steel vs aluminum) is identified
- Body line involvement noted if applicable
- Free, no-obligation quote
- Written warranty terms included
- Final price within 5–10% of estimate (barring discovery of additional damage)
A clean check across this list is what fair PDR pricing looks like.
Get a Free Photo Estimate
The fastest way to know what your specific dent will cost is a free photo estimate. Send 3–5 daylight shots — straight on, side angle, close-up with a coin for scale — and you’ll get a working price within hours.
Visit Caropractors at 7320 Yellowhead Trail NW, Edmonton or call (780) 996-9035. Edmonton, Sherwood Park, St. Albert, Leduc, and Spruce Grove — same-day estimates, written warranty, transparent pricing.