Hail Damage - inconsistent estimates

I was unfortunate to be on vacation in southern Maine during the freak hail storm on Aug 4th. Golfball++ sized hail, some UFO shaped hammered the area for about 5-10 minutes. It was an awesome experience, but unfortunately left my truck with dings on the hood, roof, and around doors.

It's mostly cosmetic, but definitely noticeable and annoying. There's the potential for future rust if there's any microscopic paint damage if rain, salt, ice does a job over the years. It's a 2011 Tacoma and I plan on having it for many more years, then giving it to a relative to use for local trips.

This is partly a moan. The estimates, below, (places were conveniently close by or near a relative's house where I was on vacation after the Maine trip so it didn't involve much work) went in different directions with no consistency. I'm tempted to go with the dealership after visiting place 6 to actually see their PDR person since they gave the best explanation of what they'll do and why, and work with insurance if the insurance estimate is lower.

Pictures attached are the best I could do with the lighting and polarizer. The hood dents don't show up well in some places.

I'd like it repaired, but would I be stupid to do anything other than the dealership which gave the best detail of when and why they would do the repairs they chose? Purely PDR sounds good at first, but when five other places won't do it - including the dealership which, assuming they were being truthful when they had their PDR person come and take a look - makes me leery that it will be "thanks for dropping it off, actually PDR won't work, now you're stuck with us so we'll do the full job".

Place 1: around $3200, replace hood, repair roof and door areas, paint

Place 2: $1800-2500 depending on roof, probably replace hood

Place 3: replace hood, about $1900, repair roof and door areas, paint

Place 4 (direct repair facility for insurance): $2100, said paintless dent repair (PDR) would not work on the number, or on the sides. Hood replaced, paint roof, etc.

Place 5, dealership: $3000 (less if doesn't include rear wheel fender - those almost unnoticeable dents are probably not hail). He would not do an estimate until the PDR person took a look. I went back another day and the person took a good look but said he couldn't do it. There were too many and some may not be successfully pushed up and flattened. The ones on the sides of the frame (3-4) are more involved and PDR may not be successful. Some, if pushed up, could still mean invisible damage to paint and wouldn't be presentable (probably meaning to his standards), along with potential for future rust. It would involve replacing hood; flattening, filling, painting roof; painting surrounding areas to ensure color match.

Place 6 (direct repair facility): around $700, says their dent repair person is good. There would be no charge if he cannot successfully repair and they have to proceed another way. I asked to meet with the person to see, but they would send pictures for his opinion. Pictures were taken in direct sunlight and not in shade. This would mean dropping off for a day, with potential to be longer. Counted 12 on hood (others counted 17-20, as some counted as 2-dents due to type of impact/shape.) I got an email today that he could look at it on Monday if I drop it off and begin work - it may last until Tuesday due to the number of repairs. I will be meeting with the PDR person next week. While they may know their work, it's odd other places won't go the paintless route and the one that did ended up not providing that estimate after their paintless repair person took a look.

Insurance person: mentioned PDR to him and was told they wouldn't do it given estimated number.

 

If a good PDR person can get behind the panel, they can knock out the dent. If it's a place where they can't insert a tool to massage the metal, then mostly like that part will require a tack weld to pull the dent out or be lazy and fill it in with bondo/body filler. Most of your dents seems accessible. They look all fixable... but it's a lot of work to remove the headliner on the roof. The hood should be easy.

I'm not sure why you love the dealership. Generally they find a good PDR person and contract out the work to them...same goes for the detailer. Find a good detailer and PDR person in your area that will do the job right and probably less. But it's your money so do what you feel comfortable with.

 

Do you need it to be *perfect*? Or would it be good enough to be... good enough? Reason I ask is that the hood doesn't really look too bad. You could probably make it a thousand times better with a little bit of diy suction cup work. If it doesn't work out or rusts later, you can replace that part *any* time.

The roof has to be sealed against moisture. You definitely don't want it rusting. PDR as well as possible, then a paint job. It tends to not be quite as important on a truck for the roof to be absolutely perfect, being up higher, you tend not to be always looking at it like you would on a shorter vehicle.

You do tend to notice it more on a side panel.... but personally, I would avoid having them bondo *anything* on the vehicle. I've never known bondo to last, and would personally prefer knowing that the paint seal is intact long term than having perfect sheet metal appearance. Every different material tends to expand and contract at different rates with changes in temperature. Different thicknesses of material can warm and cool at different rates. All of these tensions can add stress to the connection between the bondo and the steel.