What’s your car actually made of?
PDR isn’t the same on every car. The metal under your paint changes everything about how Mike fixes it — how long it takes, what tool he reaches for, and what the carrier’s estimate looks like.
What follows is Mike’s three-tier framework, in his own words. Find your make, and you’ll know what to expect before you send the photo.
From yogurt-lid to Porsche aluminum.
- Tier 101
Thin econobox steel
“Yogurt-lid metal”The whole panel moves together. Easy to dent, easy to pull. The metal almost wants to come back to where it was — you barely touch it.
- Why it is what it is
- The cheapest manufacturers use the thinnest steel to hit a sticker price. Hood feels like a beer can under your hand.
- What the repair’s like
- Fastest tier to repair. Single ding usually a 20-30 minute job. A door full of dings — under an hour.
- Pricing direction
- Standard matrix — usually at the low end.
ExamplesChevy SparkChevy SonicMitsubishi MirageNissan Versa - Tier 202
Mid-grade steel — most cars
“Predictable steel”Moves predictably. You read the dent, work it out from behind the panel with a rod, the metal goes back to the contour it knows.
- Why it is what it is
- The default for most mainstream sedans, SUVs, and crossovers. Manufacturers settled on this grade because it balances cost, durability, and crash performance.
- What the repair’s like
- The middle of the matrix — Mike's most common workday. Single ding 30-60 minutes. Body-line crease 2-4 hours.
- Pricing direction
- Standard matrix.
ExamplesHonda Civic / AccordToyota Corolla / CamrySubaru OutbackHyundai ElantraKia Forte - Tier 303
High-strength steel — premium domestics & Japanese
“Pokey”"You push it and it stays pokey." The metal doesn't flow — it dents in points, not curves. Takes more rod passes to walk it back.
- Why it is what it is
- Better steel costs more. Mazda, late-model Toyota, premium domestics use it because it weighs less for the same crash protection. Pricier sheet — pricier repair.
- What the repair’s like
- 20-40% longer than mid steel for the same dent size. Mike has to work the panel in smaller increments.
- Pricing direction
- Standard matrix + 15-25% labor uplift on bigger jobs.
ExamplesMazda CX-5 / CX-50late-model Toyota RAV4Honda PilotSubaru Ascentmost domestic trucks (steel beds) - Tier 404
Aluminum body panels — F-150 hood, Audi, Tesla
“Spongy”"Push it and it pushes you back." Aluminum is spongy — it springs back against the rod instead of moving, so you can't walk it to contour the way steel does. Most aluminum work is glue-pulled from the outside with heat, not rod-worked from behind.
- Why it is what it is
- Aluminum is half the weight of steel, which is why F-150 hoods, Audi panels, and Tesla bodies use it. It dents differently — it resists the pull and has to be heated before it will move at all, so the same panel takes far longer than steel.
- What the repair’s like
- Takes longer and a different toolkit. Glue tabs, heat work, slower pulls. A panel that takes Mike an hour in steel can take three in aluminum.
- Pricing direction
- Roughly 1.3-1.5× the standard matrix. Carrier estimates reflect the extra labor.
ExamplesFord F-150 (aluminum hood + bed since 2015)Audi A4 / A6 / Q5 / Q7Tesla Model S / 3 / Y / XBMW 7-series - Tier 505
Premium aluminum — Porsche, Jaguar, R8
“Soft · moves beautifully”"You push it and it moves beautifully." The good aluminum — the alloy is dialed in so the metal flows under pressure instead of fighting. Mike's favorite tier to work on.
- Why it is what it is
- High-end manufacturers spec better alloys + better forming processes. Same metal family, totally different feel under the rod.
- What the repair’s like
- Surprisingly fast for the panel — the aluminum cooperates. The job stays expensive because the cars are. Insurance estimates run higher per line item.
- Pricing direction
- Premium matrix — the carrier pays it as part of the supplement.
ExamplesPorsche Cayenne / Macan / 911Jaguar F-Pace / I-PaceAudi R8Aston Martin
Not seeing your make? Text Mike year/make/model and a photo from a distance and he’ll tell you which tier the metal lands in — usually within 24–48 hours.
Three things change with your metal.
- 1
Repair time
Same dent size, a Chevy Spark hood takes 20 minutes. An F-150 aluminum hood with the same dent takes an hour. The metal sets the clock.
- 2
Technique
Steel gets worked from behind the panel with a rod. Aluminum mostly gets glue-pulled from the outside — different toolkit, different motion.
- 3
Price line items
Aluminum work prices roughly 1.3-1.5× standard steel. If you’re filing insurance, the carrier’s estimate reflects it — not your deductible.
Text Mike year/make/model + one photo from a distance. He’ll tell you what tier you’re in and what the repair looks like — within 24–48 hours.
EVs are just cars now. PDR works the same.
The 2015-era “you need a Tesla-certified body shop” rule applied to structural collision — bumper covers, battery enclosures, frame rails. For paintless dent work on the door, fender, hood, or quarter panel, the answer is the same as any modern car: send Mike a photo, get a written quote, fix it without paint. Mike does Teslas regularly across the Lehigh Valley — same tier rules from the metal taxonomy above apply (Tesla aluminum hoods sit at Tier 4, doors at Tier 3).
The one caveat: EV aluminum runs at the 1.4× matrix rate just like any aluminum panel — Mike tells you in the photo reply, not at pickup.
What's under your paint?
Year, make, model. One photo from a distance. Mike tells you the tier and the timeline within 24–48 hours.
“If I can fix it, I make it factory. If I can’t, I’ll tell you on the spot — I’d rather lose the job than sell you a half-fix.”
- Free quote within 24–48 hours
- Walk every panel before keys back
- No paint · no filler
- Mobile or shop · 30 mi from Bethlehem