Hit and run. Need help with dent removal.

[steveo]

Alright, so today after I pulled out of the garage to head to work I saw a white scuff on my bumper. I thought I bird had shit on my car but after closer inspection someone hit my car and took off without saying anything while I was inside my girlfriends house sleeping. As I was running a little late to work I didn't inspect it long but as I was getting up, just above that scuff there was a huge dent. On my RHD car it is the passenger rear quarter panel I guess. Behind the wheel and below the piece on my spoiler. That space there is accessible via the storage place for the jack and tire iron. The paint was chipped a little bit and I will be going to a body shop for that. But to minimize my expenses, since I had no third party to pay for it and I have PLPD on the car, my insurance will not cover me. I was wondering if it would be a good idea if I took the trim out of the area and push the dent out with my hands? Would it come right out seamless and ready for paint? Or will it make it look worse? Should I just leave it for the body shop anyways since I will need paint regardless? Or should I just try it since I need paint regardless? Does anyone have any experience on pushing dents out with there hands?

I had googled a few things about chippless dent removal like dry ice and a hair dryer with liquid CO2. Again would any of these work or would it be safer just to use my hands.

Any help is appreciated.

What it used to look like for what it is worth.

 

[Koenigturbo]

You mean you don't have paintless dent removal guys?

 

[steveo]

Well we do but to pay someone pull that out when I can just push it out myself and get the paint done it saves me both time for getting the appointment and money they would charge me to pull it out.

 

[destrux]

I have a dent in the same spot on mine and tried pushing it out... because of the ridges in the body where the moulding goes it's pretty hard to push out by hand, maybe not even possible. I had to use a 2x4 and a hammer from the back to pop it out. Still not perfect. Mine was wrinkled under the bumper cover too, not visible without removing it.

Pictures are worth 1000 words though.

 

[hvyman]

As long as it didnt crease you should be able to put some dry ice on it and pop it out. You could use something like a big rubber mallet to push on it or get a suction cup from harbor frieght for like 5 bucks.

 

[fixitman04]

Should I just leave it for the body shop anyways since I will need paint regardless? as a body guy id say this option.... no sense in making it worse by placing unskilled hands on it.

 

[emiliorescigno]

no sense in making it worse by placing unskilled hands on it.

No truer words have been spoken.

 

[steveo]

Fair enough... I was waiting for that response... I still have to get a quote. As a body guy could you give me a extremely rough estimate? pictures in first post.

 

[fixitman04]

id estimate about 2 hours dent repair and 2 for paint, not sure what the going rate is in your area but around here it is 65$/hr for body and 125$/hr for paint. you could save yourself money by removing the spoiler,mouldings and tailight yourself though. id talk to the bodyshop about what they need removed to do the repair.

most shops do not charge for estimates as that is how they get work.

 

[Suprapowaz!(2)]

I'd try PDR first. I used to think that they only did small dings, but they also do dents that size too.
Here in my town body shop labor rate is roughly $45/hr, and paint is about $40/hr. But then, body shops here are a dime a dozen.
There is a systematic way of pulling dents out. If you don't know what you're doing then you can easily make it worse. Then you'll have to go to the body shop with worse damage. It gives them a reason to charge you more. It's not necessarily any harder for them to fix, but they'll tell you since you messed it up more then it would take longer to fix.

 

[steveo]

Alright well this is all great information to know. I will be taking it to a body shop soon just to get some quotes and do some shopping around.