What You Should Know About Door Ding Repair

Parked too close to that car next to you? You might come back to a door ding. While door dings are annoying, it’s practically inevitable that you’ll pick one up at some point. 

Door dings don’t take away from your car’s ability to run safely but can take away from your car’s looks. 

What can you do to prevent door dings, and how can you fix door dings when they happen? Read on to find out about door ding repair and more.

How to Fix Door Dings

Start small and see if the ding can be fixed without suction or paint. Try washing the area with a soft cloth to see if it will buff out. Try a rubbing compound, followed by polishing compound and wax. If that works, you’re all set. Otherwise, you’ll need to try another method, such as a dent removal service, dent removal kit, or touch-up paint. 

You can use a dent removal service, but should expect door ding repair to cost between $50 to $120 to fix a small dent. Dent removal kits are a DIY solution that pulls out metal dents. You could even give it a shot with a household plunger. On plastic parts, like front or rear bumpers, you may be able to pop the dent out if you can push it out from the inside, especially if you apply heat from a hair dryer.

If your door ding involves chipped paint, or if you have another car’s paint transferred on to yours, you’ll need to use touch-up paint. Touch-up paint is a good idea for small surface scratches and chips that don’t require you to replace the entire part. ReveMoto’s automotive touch-up paint has a high concentrate for excellent coverage and is perfectly color matched to your vehicle. 

If you’re using touch-up paint, you’ll want to apply polishing compound, clean the area, and cover it with a small amount of touch-up paint in a dabbing motion. Apply another coat after an hour. The next day, use a polishing compound on any rough edges of the chip or paint.

How Do You Prevent Door Dings?

The best way to fix door dings is to avoid them in the first place. While door dings are common, you can minimize your risk by parking strategically.

• Park during low-traffic times. A busy parking lot will have more comings and goings (and more opportunities for dings) than a quiet one. 
• Park where there are fewer vehicles. Look for an end spot or one in the back of the parking lot where fewer cars park. That’s assuming you don’t mind walking farther to get the trade off of parking where fewer vehicles will be.
• Avoid parking near shopping cart returns. Shopping carts may be left carelessly near returns and could run into your car with a little wind. 
• Park well within the lines. A good parking job can put more space in between your car and the cars next to it. If you’ve parked crooked, or too far over on a particular side, your car is more exposed and susceptible to door dings.
• Choose which cars to park next to. A car with smaller doors is preferable to larger ones. And cars with car seats in the back are a sure sign there are probably passengers, so the risk of door dings increases with the number of car doors that need to open.