The Hail Shop USA

Auto Hail Repair Denver

How to increase trade in value of your car?

The Importance Of Keeping Your Car In Tip Top Condition

Before you start trying to sell your car, it is essential to put yourself on the same level as the potential buyer. When you are looking to buy a used car, you don’t want a car that “looks” used.

My father always told me that when searching for a car to buy, always pay close attention to the exterior and interior condition. Why? Because it will probably reflect how well the engine was cared for.

The Rule of Normal Wear & Tear

Unless you lease your car, you might not fully appreciate the meaning of “normal wear and tear.” The moral of this part of the story is to always treat your vehicle like it isn’t yours. Treat it more like it is on a lease.

We will start by defining the meaning of a lease.

An auto lease is a financial arrangement that enables an individual to obtain a vehicle for use without paying for it entirely. They get access to the vehicle for a certain term and then return the vehicle at the end of that period, sometimes with an option to buy it outright.

When a leasing agency signs an agreement with a lessee, it is made very clear how the vehicle is to be returned.

Auto lease terms and conditions often have penalties for wear and tear or mileage that is put on the vehicle above a predetermined amount. When the lessee returns the vehicle, they might owe additional money beyond their monthly payments.

What is considered normal “wear & tear”?

In general, damages that are small in nature or have a smaller diameter of usually less than ½” will be considered normal wear and tear. While each lessor’s definition can vary, typical examples of normal wear and tear include:

  • Small dings and scratches on exterior panels that can be easily buffed out.
  • Interior spots & stains or damage that can be repaired or removed.
  • Tires that match the manufacturer’s recommended guidelines.
  • Minor nicks or scuffs on the wheel covers or wheels.
  • Tread depth over ⅛ of an inch at the most shallow point in the tire
  • Any damage to the windshield that is less than ½ of an inch
  • Cracks in lamps, turn signals, and lights that are less than 2″ in diameter
  • No broken parts or missing equipment

TAKE NOTE: A good rule of thumb is to stay on top of all of the above points while you own the vehicle & BEFORE trying to sell your vehicle. You will not only keep your vehicle looking at it’s best but also ensure you will be getting the most out of your vehicle when it comes time to sell.

Many normal wear and tear items may also include the replacement of light bulbs, tires, and brakes.

When does “normal” wear and tear become “excessive”?

Four or more dents or scratches that break the paint are also often considered excess wear and tear. The average vehicle owner incurs $1,800 in excess wear and tear damages.

In conclusion.

What to take from the car leasing companies rulebook is to keep the wear and tear level at “normal.” We promise that if you keep this mentality, your vehicle will appraise at the top of its game when it’s time to resell.

# Factors Points to Check
1 Mechanical Issues Performance of other car systems such as air conditioning, heating, and brakes.
2 Exterior Issues Check if there are any major dents or scratches. Try to get any big dents fixed and the paint finish repaired.
3 Window or Light Issues Check if any windows are cracked. Check if the bumpers or headlights are cracked.
4 Tire Issues Check the treads on all tires. See if the tires have even wear & tear. Determine if the car pulls to one side or the other when driving.
5 Interior Issues Check the condition of the car’s interior. See if the seats are free of tears, stains, pet or kid residue.

Don’t Put A Dent In The Deal

Those tiny car hail dents or parking lot door dings that used to be barely visible to the naked eye will quickly become a larger and more expensive problem when they get in front of a  car dealer or appraiser.

When it comes to resale, the buyer will search for any signs of wear and tear that they can use to reduce the value of the vehicle. They are good at bargaining.

This is why it is imperative to take care of those seemingly tiny and insignificant dents as soon as possible. Even the smallest dent might push a buyer away from purchasing your car.

They might even pay more for a vehicle with similar characteristics, model, mileage, etc., but it looks in better condition.

Paintless dent repair, your best option to boost resale value.

Just as there is no “good time” to get auto hail damage or a parking lot door ding, there will never be a “good time” to get it repaired. The best approach to take when it comes to protecting any huge investment is to take care of it any damages or updates ASAP.

Paintless dent repair is the fastest and cheapest way to restore your vehicle back to its original pristine condition.

Paint Me Green With PDR

Some give more importance to the paint than the maintenance record sheet or the actual engine’s condition.

The reasons are simple.

  • The quality of re-painting can never be as good as any OEM paint job.
  • The manufacturer paint job keeps your car looking great and shiny.
  • Original factory paint is designed to work as a protective barrier against weather elements and other pollutants.
  • The type and quality of primer applied (Epoxy Resin based) and the method (Electrophoretic Painting) by which it is applied, far outweigh and outperform any conventional metal primers used by the Re-finish Jobbers. *

PDR is also a fast, affordable, and reliable technique for getting rid of the dents and dings on the body panels without affecting its original paint.

Reference: * Quora – Will the paint quality of a repainted car be as good as the original OEM paint job? https://www.quora.com/Will-the-paint-quality-of-a-repainted-car-be-as-good-as-the-original-OEM-paint-job

When is paintless dent repair not an option?

Traditional Dent Repair vs. Paintless Dent Repair

Whether it’s one dent on your vehicle or hundreds of dents, you want to find the least expensive way to repair the damage and get back on the road as quickly as possible.Everything about paintless dent repair (PDR) sounds less time consuming, less expensive and less invasive than traditional body shop repairs. Unfortunately, sometimes PDR will not be an option depending on the state of your dent and vehicle and you’ll have to opt for traditional methods.

Benefits of Paintless Dent Repair

  • Fast
  • Easy
  • Affordable
  • Environmentally-Friendly
  • No Repainting
  • No Negative History Reports

5 Reasons Your Dent Couldn’t Be Fixed with PDR

  1. Damaged Paint. If your paint surface has been damaged by the impact of whatever force caused your dent, then you cannot utilize Paintless Dent Repair.
  2. Repainted. Vehicles that have previously been repainted may also not qualify for PDR. It could crack during repair. Just ask your local PDR shop, though.
  3. Previous Repairs. If your vehicle has undergone previous repairs, the paint or metal may be too stretched to make it through PDR successfully.
  4. Major Dents.  If your dent is sharp or very deep, it may not be fixable with PDR. However, PDR does work on shallow and even large dents. Again, be sure to consult your an expert before you decide PDR won’t work for your dent.
  5. Old Car.  If your car is old (circa 1990 or earlier) then the metal and/or paint quality may not be able to endure PDR.

Alternatives to Paintless Dent Repair

If your vehicle is old, has damaged paint, has been repainted, has been previously repair or has major dents, then you should consider consulting a body shop for traditional dent repair. This process typically includes pulling out the dent, using a body filler to restore the smooth body of your vehicle, sanding it down, matching the paint and repainting. (No wonder PDR is faster.)

Some have found success with DIY dent removal techniques using items like household plungers, dent removing plungers, dry ice, hair dryers, boiling water, glue dent pullers and other repair kits. You do run the risk of damaging your car further or damaging your paint, but the choice is ultimately up to you. You can also buy a kit so you have the proper tools rather than using household items.

Keeping insurance claim check vs. repairing hail damaged car

Can’t I Just Keep My Insurance Claim Check?

You have no garage and a recent hailstorm left your car with more scars than Edward Scissorhands. You file a claim, pay your deductible and receive a check for damages from your insurance company. But could you simply pocket the cash if you want to? Spend it on something else?

Firstly, if you don’t own your car outright (you have a loan or are leasing), then you have no choice. Your loan holder will require you to use the claim check to pay for repairs. In fact, your insurance company might even write the check to the repair company directly. If somehow you pull off not getting it fixed, you could be dropped from your insurance company or accused of fraud.

If you own your car outright, using your claim check for repairs is ultimately up to you. However, here’s a few reasons why we recommend you should still get it fixed.

4 Reasons to Repair Your Hail Damage

  1. Depreciation.
    Fixing damages maintains the value of your vehicle. In the future, you will be selling or trading in your car at a lesser value if it has hail damage. Websites with vehicle history services like CARFAX will note any reported damages including hail damage. Not to mention the damage will be noticeable during any basic pre-purchase inspection. In some states, the damage will be noted on the title, making it harder to value or insure.
  2. Total Loss.
    If your vehicle is declared a total loss someday (due to collision, flooding, irreparable storm damage, etc.), your insurance company will subtract the amount of this hail damage payout from your vehicle’s total value. Let’s say you planned on a $10,000 insurance settlement for your totaled car. If you didn’t use a previous $1,000 claim check for repairs, you will only get $9,000 (minus deductible and taxes) due to your prior negligence.
  3.  Future Damages.
    If you live in an area with a lot of hail, odds are this hail damage won’t be your vehicle’s last. When the next big storm doubles the amount of dents in your hood, your insurer will subtract the amount of the previous hail damage claim check from the new claim check. You will still receive an amount for the new damages, but it won’t cover the preexisting damage.
  4. Safety.
    After severe hailstorms, your vehicle may not be safe to drive. If your area was hit with hailstones the size of grapefruit, essential functions of your car may be compromised. This is something you can ask during your auto hail damage assessment, completed by your insurance adjuster and paintless dent repair shop. Make sure if you go back out on the road without repairs, it’s safe to do so.If repairs will cost more than the vehicle is worth or you simply don’t mind some unnoticeable dings, you are not required to use your claim check to fix your car if you own it. However, if you want to maintain the value of your vehicle, you should fix your hail damage.

Can you claim hail damage twice?

Old & New Hail Damage

It hailed again before I could get existing damage repaired. I was paid for repairs for the first damage, how will my insurance company know how much to pay for the second round of damage?

A vehicle with a lien

Instance 1: If there is a lien on the vehicle, getting the hail damage repaired is mandatory. Therefore, if a hail claim has already been made on previous damage and the money wasn’t used to repair the vehicle, you will not get paid on the previous claim. You also run the risk of being dropped by your insurance company or even worse, pinned with insurance fraud.

Instance 2: You had filed a claim for the first storm, waited to get your hail damage repaired, and it hailed again on the same vehicle. This isn’t that big of a deal. Actually, it happens all of the time. This is how it works. An insurance adjuster will come out and assess the damage again. ALL of the damage. Next, they will subtract the amount from the first storm from the total. This is the amount you the check will be written for.  The only problem you might run into is paying the 2nd deductible. Good news? The Hail Shop USA will cover the cost of both deductibles.

Learn more about comprehensive insurance coverage.

A vehicle owned outright

If you own the vehicle outright, what you do with the check is totally up to you. You can get the hail damage repaired or not. The check will be written to you only.

The same process applies as stated above. The entire vehicle will be inspected again and the pay-out from the first hail claim will be subtracted from the total.

If the vehicle is still new or in other words, if you intend on selling the vehicle sometime in the future, we do suggest looking into getting the vehicle repaired. Hail damage will greatly depreciate the value of the vehicle.

No Claims Made 1st or 2nd Hail Storm Damage

If you live in Colorado or Texas, this is not uncommon. There won’t be an issue when it comes to getting paid to get the hail damage repaired.  The only problem you might face is having to file a claim for the first storm and then again for the second storm. BUT this is only if the insurance adjuster SUSPECTS there was previous damage. You might run into this issue if all of the rest of the vehicles in your immediate area don’t share the same amount of damage.

A True Story: Driving Out The Storm

Hail+ On The Highway

What To Do & Not To Do If Caught In Tornado While Driving

As a professional paintless dent repair & auto hail repair blogger, I have always assumed I would know exactly the steps to take if caught driving in a hail storm, let alone a deadly Tornado. But when it happened, nothing I had read during my research prepared me for a real-life severe weather situation. I hope my story can help others if a similar even happens to you.

I70 West-Bound

I70W KS to CO
1 HW – 605 MILES

Colorado has always been my families destination of choice for vacationing. Usually, our vacation theme involves snow and mountains but that year – we decided it was time to visit the mountains in the springtime.

We packed up the Jeep, the 3 kids, and the family dog and headed westward. If you have ever taken the trip from Kansas City to Colorado, I don’t have to tell you how boring this drive can be. Outside of the Flint Hills, the worlds largest ball of twine, the interestingly creepy Garden of Eden in Lucas, KS, and some other rather odd roadside attractions you can explore HERE – the only thing to look forward to is tumbleweed and endless games of “ISPY.”

In other words, we were not looking forward to another boring 9-hour drive to Denver.

Stormy Skies Ahead

Stormy Skies Ahead
Stormy Skies Ahead

We had been driving for approximately 4 hours, nearly halfway there. It was nearing time to stop for lunch and switch-out driving duty. The kids were becoming restless due to the cramped conditions, hunger, and the storm that was brewing on the horizon.

Just to be safe, we tuned into local radio stations to check for severe weather alerts. As expected, we could only find country music and religious radio. We also checked in on our Wunderground weather APP and didn’t see anything that appeared to be too dangerous.

In a matter of a few minutes, they skies ahead became darker and angrier looking.

For those who have never experienced a midwest early-spring thunderstorm, these are the facts you need to know.

  1. Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, and Wyoming make up Hail Alley. These states are also card-carrying members of Tornado Alley.
  2. Early spring is when most hail storms and tornados happen.
  3. If you live in Tornado / Hail Alley, you should always be prepared for the virulent midwestern weather and NEVER underestimate the power of Mother Nature.
  4. Storms can become serious in minutes.

According to our Google maps APP, we were about 5 miles outside of  Abilene, KS.

Wind, Lightning, and Hail

Within what seemed to be seconds, the wind picked up, the sky opened up and was dumping buckets of rain on the Jeep. Visibility became nothing. We nearly ran right into the back of a vehicle that was slowed down to a snails speed ahead. The only indication we had of the complete slow-down of traffic ahead of us was the blur of red taillights that smeared ahead.

Semi Overturned By High-Wind Speeds
Semi Overturned By High-Wind Speeds

The kids were in a panic and I was frantically looking for severe weather alerts on my cell phone. Still, nothing.

I jumped when my daughter let out a squeal and pointed to what appeared to be a wreak about 4 car lengths ahead. We could barely make out the semi that we later found out had been blown right off the highway due to the high wind speeds.

Then the hail came bulleting out of the angry clouds. It sounded like a continual blasting of bullets hitting the windshield and metal panels. We told the kids to duck down and put their arms over their heads. I threw the blanket that one of them had brought over their crouching bodies.

The hail fell for about 45 seconds. I just knew we had hail damage. There was no way we couldn’t have. Then, just as fast as it started, it stopped and everything seemed to come to a complete standstill. The rain, wind, and hail had all stopped.

The Calm Before The Storm

Everyone has heard about “the calm before the storm.” If you haven’t, I can describe it to you exactly as we saw it. The sky looked an eerie greenish color and very dark, almost like pea soup. I didn’t need a weather alert to tell me we were about to get hit by a tornado.

Instinctually, we began looking around for shelter. Luckily, this wasn’t my first rodeo. I grew up in Hiawatha, KS, a small town notorious for frequent tornados. I knew a ditch was NOT the best option for protection and neither was the highway overpass that looked to be about a half mile ahead.

A few of our gridlocked neighbors had the same idea. My husband got out of the Jeep and had a brief conversation with the Tacoma that sat beside us.

We decided to start driving in the opposite direction of the dark skies just ahead. We told the kids to stay down and to keep their seatbelts fastened.

Full Speed Behind


My husband quickly and efficiently turned the Jeep around and crossed the grassy terrain between the highway to the other side. I kept vigilant watch of the sky behind and we drove. Many of the vehicles that were around us followed suit.  We drove as fast as we could go in the opposite direction.

We found the town of Abilene, KS quickly. We took the exit ramp and headed to the nearest gas station – luckily right off the exit.

We could hear the sirens blaring as we quickly jumped out of the hail-battered Jeep and joined the others already gathered in the walk-in cooler.

Later, we found the above footage of the tornado we had been party to. The video clip was provided by Tony Laubach/Tornadoes Kick Media, LLC.

No Tornado Watch, No Tornado Warning

As mentioned earlier in the story, we were never notified of a Tornado watch nor warning. I write this story in hopes of teaching others what to do if you are traveling and end up in the direct path of a tornado.

Our decision to “out-run” the tornado is NOT advisable. We got lucky. We knew the closest form of shelter was 5 minutes behind us and as a family, decided to take our chances.

What To Do In Tornado While Traveling

If you are on the highway, as we were, and find yourself sharing the road with one of Mother Nature’s most dangerous weather occurrences, remember the following points.

  1. Do NOT see shelter under an overpass. Weather.com says, “It’s understandable that motorists would feel safest under a sturdy structure like an overpass, but winds are actually higher in these openings, and debris is just as likely to harm you there.”
  2. If you can see the tornado in the distance, NOAA recommends changing course and driving toward a sturdy shelter as soon as you are able. They recommend truck stops, convenience stores, restaurants, and even walk-in coolers. Once you are inside, go to the basement, a cellar, or a hallway or room without windows in the center of the house. – also from the Weather.com website.
  3. If you see a tornado developing where you are driving, the best thing to do is to pull over and evacuate your vehicle. Seek shelter in the nearest sturdy building or storm shelter; do not hide under your car. The wind could potentially roll your car over. If there is no available shelter, find the nearest ditch or low-lying area and crouch low to the ground covering your head with your arms. From www.accuweather.com.
  4. Trust your instincts. If you see tell-tale signs of a tornado, find shelter immediately. High-speed winds, lightning, hail, green skies, and wall clouds are all indicators of potential Tornadic activity.

After The Storm

If your vehicle has been damaged by flying debris or hail, don’t worry about it until you know you and your loved ones are safe. After the storm, contact The Hail Shop USA for a free hail damage estimate. We have locations across the United States.

If you do not find a location near you, look for a reputable paintless dent repair shop near you.