The dreadful, unexpected hail damage…ugh. Sometimes it just can’t be prevented. You’re out driving and you get caught in an unexpected hailstorm, you’re at work with your car out in the open, or it hails overnight and you aren’t able to protect your car in time to prevent the hail damage. When deciding whether or not you should fix your hail damaged vehicle, there are a few factors to consider. Let’s review.

Does the car have sufficient value?

When your vehicle suffers hail damage, it drops in value. If you have a vehicle that is already low in value and you suffer major damage, you may end up paying more in dent repairs than the car is worth. However, if you own a newer vehicle that is still valuable, it is probably worth it to file a claim and have your hail damage repaired.

Do you want to keep the car to sell or trade? Will the car be scrapped?

Hail damage will lower resale value. If you plan on selling the car, you may get lucky with a buyer who is willing to buy a car with some minor hail damage. If you want to trade your vehicle in one day and you don’t repair the hail damage, you risk the dealership either not taking your vehicle or significantly reducing your trade-in value.

If you plan on scrapping the car anyway, paying for hail damage repairs is obviously not worth it, as your vehicle will probably be run through a car crusher anyway so it can be transported to a steel mill easier.

How much impact does the damage have?

Small dents, no matter how small, can eventually wreak havoc on your vehicle if they’re not taken care of. This is something you’ll need to carefully consider when deciding whether you want to repair your vehicle. Hail dents can rust and crack soon after a hailstorm. If you’re unlucky enough to be caught in another hailstorm, the hail dents you already have can get worse. The body panel is already weak, so those old dents may become creased. If this happens, you won’t be able to rely on paintless dent repair and will instead have to go with traditional dent repair methods if you want the damage fixed. That means you’ll likely be shelling out a lot of cash for replacement panels and repainting.

Also keep in mind that if you decide not to repair your hail-damaged vehicle and it suffers enough damage, it may not pass inspection in some states that require it.

Still not sure which way to go? Talk to the experts at Dent & Ding Surgeon for expert advice. Call 970-217-0686!