I had put off having a 6" dent repaired on my Citroen because the quotes I got from the dent remover companies including Dentwizard and Dentmaster were about £100 + VAT. I thought my garage body shop would cost much more and keep the car off the road for days, so I did not even ask them.
When my local Citroen garage had the car in for service they asked if they could get Dentmaster in to repair it. The cost was only £45 and the car was returned from service only an hour later than otherwise. The makers guarantee is unaffected.
This got rid of my predjudices about my garage body shop once and for all, and I will see them first in future.
Results - I am the only one who can see where the dent was, and only because I know!
|
Tynesider,
I used to work at a garage which used Dentmaster, they would come and repair all the cars in an afternoon. They always did a good job and the charge was £45 for a 'not too bad dent' so I think you have got good value there.
|
|
Thanks, I hoped others would help spread the gospel.
|
I think garages have bought the equipment used by these "wonder" companies.
My Citroen main dealer seemed very fair when it came to replacing some scuffed bumper.
Ben
|
Dentmaster travelled 70 miles to my place to remove the two huge dents left from a hit and run supermarket trolley.
(covered in a previous posting last year).
When the chap arrived he did seem puzzled as to why H.Q. had sent him out to my car.
Anyway he did an excellent job.
|
Anyone got a contact number or web address for Dentmaster? I tried a web search and it led to Dent Wizard. I have just found two dents on the offside doors of my wife's Swift. I am suspicious of our neighbours, as we have a shared drive. My wife is disabled and always uses disabled bays in supermarket car parks
Anyone tried or know anything about Dent Devils? I did manage to contact them and am waiting for a reply. I have also contacted a local service recommended by the local Suzuki dealer.
|
Halfords advertise that they fix dents, maybe they use one of these companies?
JH
|
I don't understand the connection but Dent Wizard have a Dentmaster website ~ tinyurl.com/2mq8xe
--
L\'escargot.
|
Most of these blokes are working as a franchisee. They buy the tackle (about £5k+ !!) and do the training course and practise on some old panels - they can be ex-miners, butchers, scientists, you name it!.
A lot depends on the bloke who turns up. I have used them on cars I'm selling. The price is very negotiable - if you have a few to do then they can be cheap. If you have one dent and the chap has a long drive to get to you then it will be expensive. I once tried a fellow who had just started in the business and he was hopelss - after two hours he gave up and it was worse than when he started. Watch they don't scratch the glass when working down into a door past the weatherstrip (chap did this on a Sharan I was selling - then point blank denied it!).
Don't forget your local back street bodyshop - they can be good and cheap.
Try to use a SMART repairer who local dealers use - likely to be good and experienced.
|
I have just had a chap around from Dent Devils and he quoted £75 + VAT per panel. When I said I was getting a chap from a local business to come around to give me a quote, he offered to do the two panels for £75, so I agreed.
One dent had quite a bad crease in it and this cause him a little difficulty. You can see where the dent was but you would have to look for it. He said that he could work on it a bit more but it would risk cracking the lacquer on the paintwork, so I decided to leave it as it was. My wife was pleased with it anyway. It is the first time I have used one of these services.
He said he was then off to do some work for a Volvo dealership in Nottingham, where he has done quite a bit work in the past, so I imagine he must be reasonably good.
|
|
Hi.
With regard to Halfords providing this service.
Please do not use them.
They are WAY too expensive.
Under NO circumstances can one man in a van provide a good quality job in all of the services they supply.
Regards,
Gunner.
|
I tried several times to get Dent Devils via email, months ago, but they never got back. I suppose we are a bit remote up here. I'm still looking for someone to do a hardly-noticeable bonnet dent caused by a deer's bottom. However, I was told at local Halfords (Nationwide Autocentre) staff, after picking up a Halfords leaflet, that no one would look at a bonnet dent near the front edge, presumably because they can't get behind it? I was quoted circa £300 by local body shop!
|
|
|
|
|
I've looked into this in my local Halfords branches, and to be honest its a bit of a pain. Basiocally you pay Halfords, and they get the contractor in 2 days in every month to do the work, so not very convenient.
|
|
|
|
Hi.
Dentmaster as a company no longer exists.
Dentwizard is suffering from a high number of technicians leaving the company to do their own thing.
Dent Devils is a franchised operation.
I think you will find most dent technicians do not like doing private customer work. So you may have a problem getting them to reply to your phone calls. Sorry but this is the reality of it.
Your best bet is to get it done via your local dealer.
They will put a mark up on the cost but no more than a tech would charge you anyway.
Make sure they understand that if the job is not of a good enough standard you don,t pay. That,s how it works.
Regards,
Gunner.
|
OP got a 50% mark DOWN by going to a bodyshop - another reason for using them!
|
|
|
. I think you will find most dent technicians do not like doing private customer work. So you may have a problem getting them to reply to your phone calls. Sorry but this is the reality of it. Your best bet is to get it done via your local dealer.
I used Dent master - years ago - they did an excellent job but the chap travelled to my work and the travelling took longer than the job - the job took 10 minutes. They can do 4/5 jobs on a forecourt in the time it takes to travel and repair one at somebody's home / workplace.
I expected some high tech tools - it seemed to be a mass of old hammers, bits of bent metal, pieces of wood etc etc - that said you could not see the mark of the door edge on my car's wheel arch.
|
As an ex dent wizard employee the story behind it is this.
Dentmaster was bought out years ago by dent wizard who are a multi million dollar american media company that also own Manhaim auction sites and several other different company, two years ago they had a massive shake up and over a hundred boys left, being one of them i now do mostly private jobs and travel a hundred mile radius.
|
|
there's a company in the midlands area called "Chips Away" that does the same sort of work as Dentmaster.
|
Dentwizard is owned by Manheim Auctions.
{as pointed out just above}
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 03/04/2008 at 19:55
|
there's a company in the midlands area called "Chips Away" that does the same sort of work as Dentmaster.
Chips Away are a national franchise I think, we have a couple of these in my area, they have done a good job in the past, but have started to get a bit expensive now. My local Chips Away in Reading wanted pretty much body-shop prices for respraying a minor bumper scuff.
Edited by Roly93 on 04/04/2008 at 12:47
|
|
|
|
|
I've been very happy with the work done by Car and Bike Magic here in Sunderland. They operate out of their own premises and are happy to deal with the general public. They stick to their quotes which are fair.
At one point they appeared to be trying to franchise out their repair system, calling it SSR, however I do not know if this happened or if the above trade name is to be found anywhere else in the UK.
|
|
according to local radio ads here there's a branch of that fast fit place who reckon they're quick that has a dent repair operation in one of their Edinburgh branches. I'll refrain from further comment... :)
|
|
|
|
