DentIf you're about to turn in a leased vehicle or sell your car, every dent on the body is money out of your pocket. Dealerships charge premium rates for "excess wear and tear" at lease-end — and buyers use visible dents as leverage to negotiate your price down. The smart move is to fix dents yourself before the inspection, and PDR is by far the most cost-effective way to do it.
What Dealerships Charge for Dents at Lease Return
When you return a lease, the dealership inspects the vehicle for damage beyond "normal wear and tear." Minor surface scratches and small stone chips are usually forgiven, but dents rarely are.
Dealership excess wear charges for dents typically run $150–$500+ per dent — and that's for damage that a PDR specialist could fix for $75–$150. If you have three or four dents, the dealership bill can easily reach $1,000 or more.
The math is simple: fix the dents before your inspection and you'll pay a fraction of what the dealership would charge.
How PDR Saves You Money on a Lease Return
| Scenario | Dealership Charge | PDR Cost | You Save |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 small door dings | $300 – $600 | $150 – $250 | $150 – $350 |
| 1 medium dent + 2 dings | $500 – $1,000 | $250 – $450 | $250 – $550 |
| Multiple dents (4+) | $800 – $2,000+ | $400 – $800 | $400 – $1,200 |
And because Dent Press is 100% mobile, you don't even need to take time off work or drive anywhere. We come to your home or office and handle the repairs on-site — usually in under an hour.
Selling Your Car? Dent Repair Is the Best ROI
When selling a car privately or to a dealer, first impressions matter. A vehicle with visible dents signals to the buyer that the car wasn't well maintained — even if it was. This gives them leverage to negotiate your price down by far more than the cost of fixing the dents.
Fixing dents before listing your car is one of the highest-return investments you can make in the sale process. A $200 PDR repair can easily add $500–$1,000 to your sale price by removing a buyer's biggest visual objection.
Pro tip: Beyond dent repair, consider getting a basic detail before photos and showings. A clean, dent-free car photographs better and sells faster.
What About Body Shop Repair?
For lease returns and resale prep, PDR is almost always the better choice over body shop repair. Here's why:
- No repaint on record. Body shop repairs involve repainting, which can show up on a vehicle history report and reduce value. PDR preserves the factory paint.
- Lower cost. PDR is typically 50–75% less expensive than body shop repair for the same dent.
- Faster turnaround. Most PDR repairs are done in under an hour. Body shops may need your car for days.
For a detailed comparison, see our PDR vs body shop guide. To understand pricing for your specific dents, check our Charlotte PDR cost guide.
Lease ending soon? Text photos of your dents to 704-713-4663 for a free estimate.
When to Schedule Your Repair
For lease returns, we recommend scheduling PDR 2–4 weeks before your turn-in date. This gives you time to complete the repair and handle any other detailing or maintenance before the inspection.
For private sales, fix the dents before you take listing photos. The photos are the first impression — and a dent-free car gets more clicks, more inquiries, and higher offers.
The Bottom Line
Don't hand the dealership $500+ for a dent they'll fix for $75. Don't let a buyer talk you down $1,000 over damage that costs $200 to repair. PDR is the smartest pre-sale and pre-return investment you can make — and with Dent Press's mobile service, it couldn't be easier.