Will PDR show up on my Carfax report in Bel Air?
This is one of the most commonly asked questions, and in short, the answer is No. We are not reporters, and we do not have to contact and inform Carfax about your vehicle’s damage. We have seen Paintless Dent Removal on a carfax report a few times, and here’s why and what you should do if you do see it.
Paintless Dent Removal is the art of moving metal. We do not have to replace or paint panels, use Bondo, or any other filler. (If anyone ever approaches you in a parking lot and wants to put some kind of filler and paint on your car to fix your dent, run. Never ever get anything repaired in a parking lot.) The beauty of Paintless Dent Removal is the ability to keep your factory paint and not have to devalue the vehicle. We press from behind the panel to restore your car to factory condition. Paintless Dent Removal is such an unobtrusive process that many manufacturers use PDR techs on the factory line to fix small dings and imperfections before it gets to you at the dealership. This form of repair doesn’t change the vehicle structurally or devalue it; therefore, it should stay off a carfax report.
When we repair, we quote you a price. If you do choose to use your insurance, this can be where we have seen the repair go from our shop, then repair to your Carfax report. If you decide to use it to pay for the repair, your insurance company is the one reporting to Carfax.
If you find anything on your Carfax after the repair, here are some tips.
You should pull your Carfax yearly or bi-yearly, especially if your vehicle was damaged. Ensure that everything is reported and correct. (Even your service appointments.)
If there was damage to your car, we often see that they have miscategorized damage.
We have seen a lot of minor repairs categorized as structural damage. This happens a lot with hail damage repair. You need to file a case with them and present your receipt for hail damage repair. If it is was 100% paintless, they should remove this from your vehicle. If you see something that is a mistake on a CARFAX Vehicle History Report, let them know by filling out the online Data Research Request. They take about 3-4 weeks to respond to you, but it is worth the time invested.
If you have questions about Carfax reports and damage or reporting that is not answered here, please reach out to us at the shop. We would love to help clear anything up and understand how you want to proceed with your car’s repair. We are here to help. Our goal is to explain the process to you to make things seamless and easy and get you back on the road.
