PDR vs Traditional Panel Beating
Published on 22 January 2026
If your car has a dent, you have two real choices: paintless dent repair (PDR) or traditional panel beating. For most modern dents, PDR wins on every measure that matters — time, cost, and resale value.
How PDR actually works
Paintless dent repair massages the dent out from behind the panel using specialised tools and a trained eye. There is no filler, no paint, no blending. Your factory finish stays exactly as it left the factory.
When panel beating is still the right call
Traditional panel beating cuts, fills, sands and resprays the damaged area. It's still the right method for sharp creases that have stretched the metal, or when the paint itself has cracked or chipped.
The numbers
Cost: PDR is typically 40–60% cheaper than traditional repair. Time: hours instead of days. Resale: factory paint always wins on a buyer's inspection report.