Resources
PDR glossary
The terms we use at the workshop, in quotes and with insurers, explained in one or two sentences. Each definition links to the page where we cover it in more detail.
What do paintless dent repair terms mean?
These are the 22 terms that come up most when repairing a dent without paint, ordered from technique to insurance.
- PDR technicianIn Spanish: Varillero
- A technician who repairs body dents without paint by pushing the metal out from behind with rods. The Spanish name, varillero, comes from varilla (rod). Paintless dent repair (PDR)
- Paintless dent repair (PDR)In Spanish: Desabollado sin pintura (PDR)
- A technique that returns a panel to its original shape without sanding, filler or paint, keeping the factory finish. Paintless dent repair (PDR)
- Reflection lamp (PDR light)In Spanish: Lámpara de reflejos
- A striped LED panel reflected on the bodywork. A dent bends the stripes; when they run straight again, the panel is repaired. Paintless dent repair (PDR)
- RodIn Spanish: Varilla
- A steel bar of varying length, thickness and tip used to push the dent out from inside the panel. Paintless dent repair (PDR)
- LeverIn Spanish: Palanca
- A short, stiff tool for double-skinned or braced areas where a long rod has no support. Bonnet, roof and wing dents
- Knockdown (tap-down)In Spanish: Punzón de teflón
- A Teflon or nylon-tipped tool used to bring down the high spots around a dent without marking the paint. Paintless dent repair (PDR)
- Glue pullingIn Spanish: Tracción con cola caliente
- A method of pulling a dent from outside when there is no access from behind: a tab is glued to the paint and pulled with an extractor. Bonnet, roof and wing dents
- Paint thickness gaugeIn Spanish: Galga de espesor de pintura
- A meter that shows paint thickness in microns, used to tell whether a panel is original or resprayed. Paintless dent repair (PDR)
- Paint micronsIn Spanish: Micras de pintura
- The unit of paint thickness. Factory paint usually measures 90–160 microns; a resprayed panel usually exceeds 200. Lease return and sale preparation
- High spot (crown)In Spanish: Cresta o pico
- A small raised area of metal around a dent or caused by over-pushing. It is brought down with a knockdown. Paintless dent repair (PDR)
- CreaseIn Spanish: Pliegue
- A long dent with a sharp edge. It is harder to repair without paint because the metal has usually stretched. Bonnet, roof and wing dents
- Body lineIn Spanish: Arista o línea de estilo
- A sharp design line on the bodywork. A dent on it requires restoring the line without rounding it off. Bonnet, roof and wing dents
- Door dingIn Spanish: Portazo
- A small dent caused by another car's door in a car park. It is the most common PDR repair. Door dings and parking dents
- Metal memoryIn Spanish: Memoria del metal
- Steel's tendency to return to its original shape. Aluminium has very little, so it is worked with heat and more slowly. Aluminium panel repair
- Hail dent mapIn Spanish: Mapa de impactos
- A count of hail dents by panel and size, with photos, used by the loss adjuster to assess and by the technician to quote. Hail insurance claims and assessment
- Loss adjustmentIn Spanish: Peritación
- The insurer's assessment of the damage before authorising a repair. Hail insurance claims and assessment
- ExcessIn Spanish: Franquicia
- The part of a claim the policyholder pays under their policy. Hail insurance claims and assessment
- Consorcio de Compensación de SegurosIn Spanish: Consorcio de Compensación de Seguros
- Spain's public body covering extraordinary risks such as floods. It does not cover hail. Hail insurance claims and assessment
- Weather events coverIn Spanish: Fenómenos atmosféricos
- Cover included in some car policies for damage from hail, wind or heavy rain. Hail insurance claims and assessment
- Fair wear and tear guideIn Spanish: Guía de desgaste del renting
- Each leasing company's document defining what counts as normal wear and what is charged as damage at return. Lease return and sale preparation
- Door trimIn Spanish: Guarnecido
- The interior panel covering a door. It is often removed to reach the back of a dent. Door dings and parking dents
- PPF (paint protection film)In Spanish: PPF (film de protección de pintura)
- A clear film that protects the paint. In many cases the dent can be repaired without removing it. Paintless dent repair (PDR)
Free quote from a photo
Can you send us a photo of the dent?
We reply with a fixed quote within two working hours, with no obligation.
Take 2 or 3 photos in daylight: one from a distance showing the whole panel and one at an angle where you can see the reflection bend. That is enough for us to tell you whether it can be repaired without paint, how long it takes and what it costs.
- C. Valgrande, 10, Nave 1, 28108 Alcobendas (Madrid)
- +34 673 50 67 93
- info@varillerocoche.es
- Monday to Friday: 9:00–14:00 and 15:00–18:00
Tell us what happened to your car
We reply with your quote by phone or WhatsApp. You can attach up to 3 photos of the dent here or, if you prefer, send everything via WhatsApp.
Last updated: . Written and reviewed by David, PDR technician and founder of Varillero Coche.