Buying or Trading In a Hail-Damaged Vehicle? What Colorado Drivers Should Know
Hail damage is a familiar sight on vehicles throughout Colorado. A few dents across the hood or roof may seem mostly cosmetic, but hail damage can become an important consideration when you’re buying, selling or trading in a vehicle.
If you’re thinking about trading in a hail-damaged vehicle, you may wonder whether it’s worth repairing first. If you’re considering buying a vehicle with existing hail damage, you need to understand what you’re actually purchasing before agreeing on a price.
In either situation, the best place to start is understanding the full extent of the damage and how it can be repaired.
Dentagon provides professional hail damage inspections and Paintless Dent Repair for drivers throughout the Colorado Springs area.
LEARN MORE ABOUT HAIL DAMAGE REPAIR
Does Hail Damage Affect a Vehicle’s Trade-In Value?
It can.
When a dealership evaluates a trade-in, the vehicle’s overall condition is one of many factors considered when determining its value.
Visible hail dents can affect the appearance and condition of the vehicle, and a dealer may account for the expected cost or difficulty of repairing that damage when making a trade-in offer.
How much difference the hail damage makes depends on factors such as:
- Extent of the damage
- Number of affected panels
- Size and severity of the dents
- Vehicle age
- Mileage
- Overall condition
- Make and model
- Current market demand
- Estimated repair requirements
A few minor dents and extensive hail damage across nearly every upper body panel are very different situations.
Should I Repair Hail Damage Before Trading In My Vehicle?
Sometimes repairing the hail damage before trading in a vehicle can make sense, but there isn’t a universal answer.
Before making that decision, you need to know how much damage is actually present and what would be required to repair it.
If the vehicle is a good candidate for Paintless Dent Repair, many dents may be repairable while preserving the existing factory paint.
Once you understand the extent of the damage and repair options, you can better compare repairing the vehicle with trading it in as-is.
What Is Paintless Dent Repair?
Paintless Dent Repair (PDR) is a specialized method used to repair dents while preserving the vehicle’s existing paint whenever the damage is suitable.
Rather than automatically sanding, filling and repainting a damaged panel, trained PDR technicians use specialized tools and techniques to carefully manipulate the metal back toward its proper shape.
PDR is particularly well suited to many types of automotive hail damage because hail often creates dents without breaking the paint.
LEARN MORE ABOUT PAINTLESS DENT REPAIR
Can All Hail Damage Be Repaired With PDR?
No.
Paintless Dent Repair is an excellent option for many hail-damaged vehicles, but the damage must be suitable.
A technician will consider factors such as:
- Paint condition
- Dent depth
- Dent size
- Metal stretching
- Location of the damage
- Body lines
- Panel material
- Accessibility
- Previous body repairs
- Previous refinishing
If the paint is cracked or the metal is severely damaged, conventional repair procedures may be necessary.
A professional inspection is the best way to determine which repair method is appropriate.
Why Can Hail Damage Be Difficult to Evaluate Yourself?
Hail damage can be surprisingly difficult to see in normal outdoor lighting.
You might notice 10 dents on the hood while missing many more subtle impacts on the roof, doors, fenders or quarter panels.
Professional PDR lighting and reflection systems help technicians see distortions across the surface of a panel that may otherwise be difficult to identify.
That’s particularly important when you’re deciding whether to buy or trade a hail-damaged vehicle.
You want your decision to be based on the actual condition of the vehicle rather than the handful of dents that happen to be easy to see.
What Should I Check Before Buying a Vehicle With Hail Damage?
Don’t evaluate a hail-damaged vehicle based only on appearance.
Look closely at the entire vehicle and, when possible, have the damage professionally inspected before making a purchase decision.
Things worth evaluating include:
- Hood
- Roof
- Trunk or liftgate
- Fenders
- Doors
- Quarter panels
- Roof rails
- Paint condition
- Signs of previous body repair
- Signs of previous refinishing
You should also ask what is known about the vehicle’s repair and damage history.
Should I Be Concerned About Cracked Paint?
Yes.
Hail dents with intact paint may be candidates for Paintless Dent Repair.
If an impact has cracked, chipped or otherwise damaged the paint, additional repair procedures may be necessary.
That’s an important distinction because a vehicle with dozens of shallow PDR-suitable dents can present a very different repair situation from one with damaged paint or severely stretched metal.
What About Previous Hail Damage Repairs?
If a vehicle has already been repaired for hail damage, that doesn’t automatically mean there’s a problem.
What matters is how the vehicle was repaired and its current condition.
Paintless Dent Repair can preserve the existing finish when performed on suitable damage.
Traditional body repairs may involve refinishing panels, and previous repair work can sometimes affect whether future dents in those areas are suitable for PDR.
If you’re unsure about a vehicle’s condition, an inspection can help identify signs that a panel has previously been repaired or refinished.
Can Hail Damage Affect a Vehicle’s Resale Value?
Potentially.
Vehicle value is determined by many factors, including age, mileage, mechanical condition, appearance, vehicle history, market demand and overall condition.
Visible hail damage can be one factor a private buyer or dealership considers when evaluating a vehicle.
That doesn’t mean every hail dent causes a specific dollar reduction in value.
The impact depends on the vehicle and severity of the damage.
Is It Better to Sell a Hail-Damaged Vehicle As-Is?
That depends on your situation.
Selling or trading the vehicle without repairing it may be the simplest option, but the buyer or dealership may account for the damage when determining what they’re willing to pay.
Repairing it first may improve the vehicle’s appearance and condition, but you need to understand the repair requirements before deciding whether that makes financial sense.
Instead of guessing, start by determining what you’re dealing with.
What If My Hail Damage Is Covered by Insurance?
Hail damage is generally associated with comprehensive auto insurance coverage, subject to your policy’s terms, deductible and limitations.
If the damage occurred while applicable coverage was in effect and you believe you may have a covered loss, contact your insurance carrier or agent regarding your specific coverage and reporting requirements.
If you’ve already filed a claim and received an estimate, Dentagon can review the repair-related information and compare it with the damage identified during our inspection.
When additional covered damage or necessary repair procedures are identified, supplemental documentation may be provided to the insurance company for review when appropriate.
LEARN ABOUT INSURANCE CLAIMS ASSISTANCE
Can I File an Insurance Claim Just Because I Want to Sell the Vehicle?
The fact that you’re preparing to sell or trade your vehicle doesn’t determine whether hail damage is covered.
Insurance coverage depends on the circumstances of the loss and the terms of the policy that applied when the damage occurred.
If you recently discovered older hail damage, provide your insurance carrier with accurate information about what you know and ask about the requirements that apply to your policy.
Don’t guess about when damage occurred or assume that existing damage automatically qualifies for coverage.
What Happens If I’m Buying a Car That Already Has Hail Damage?
This is an important distinction.
If you purchase a vehicle with pre-existing hail damage, don’t assume your own insurance will pay to repair damage that occurred before you owned or insured the vehicle.
Understand the condition of the vehicle and the expected repair costs before completing the purchase.
If the seller says the dents are inexpensive or easy to repair, having the vehicle professionally inspected can give you much better information than relying on that assumption.
Should I Ask for a Professional Hail Inspection Before Buying?
If hail damage is significant enough to influence your buying decision, a professional inspection can be extremely useful.
An inspection can help determine:
- Which panels are damaged
- Approximate extent of the dents
- Whether the paint remains intact
- Whether PDR appears appropriate
- Whether some areas may require different repair methods
- Whether there are signs of previous body or paint work
That gives you considerably more information before deciding whether the vehicle and purchase price make sense for you.
What If I Still Owe Money on My Hail-Damaged Vehicle?
Having an auto loan doesn’t change the physical repair requirements of the vehicle, but financing and insurance considerations can vary.
If you have questions about how an insurance payment, lienholder or unrepaired damage affects your loan or trade-in, contact your lender and insurance carrier for information specific to your situation.
Dentagon can help with the repair side by evaluating the hail damage and explaining the appropriate repair options.
Can Dentagon Help With My Insurance Deductible?
Dentagon offers up to $500 in Deductible Assistance on qualifying auto hail damage repairs.
Eligibility requirements and limitations apply, so we’ll review the program with you based on your specific repair rather than assuming every vehicle qualifies.
LEARN ABOUT DEDUCTIBLE ASSISTANCE
Should I Repair My Hail Damage Before Winter?
If you’re planning to sell or trade your vehicle in the coming months, fall is a good time to at least determine what damage is present.
You don’t have to guess whether repairing it makes sense.
A professional inspection can tell you much more about the extent of the damage and whether Paintless Dent Repair is appropriate.
From there, you can make an informed decision about repairing, selling or trading the vehicle.
Get a Free Hail Damage Inspection in Colorado Springs
Whether you’re preparing to sell or trade a hail-damaged vehicle or simply want to understand its current condition, Dentagon can help.
We’ll inspect the affected panels, evaluate whether Paintless Dent Repair is appropriate and explain the repair options available.
If insurance is involved, we can also assist with the repair-related documentation and communication needed during the process.
Start with a free professional hail damage inspection before deciding what to do with your vehicle.
