# Dent & crease - hard to photograph



## sunnydude959 (Jan 3, 2014)

I have a very mild dent and crease on the rear section of the side of my car.

I would love to show you guys photos but I literally cannot take a photo of it. There's no real visible dent or visible crease, you sort of have to stand about a couple of meters away from it to be able to just about see it, but its annoying as it breaks the reflection on what is otherwise such a nice smooth surface. I'm not sure if this was once a proper dent and crease that someones tried to get out but didn't quite manage to fully remove it.

I have managed to take a video but it doesn't look as bad in the video (i've made it B&W so its easier to see without being distracted by colour);






(apologies with the amount of dirt on the lower portion of my car (daily driver), the weather is such that it gets dirty so quickly)

Also i've checked the same panel on the other side and there is no waviness in the paint on the equivalent opposite panel.

Given that its so shallow, would it be possible to remove it via wet sanding (i.e. for the paint to be levelled flat even though the metal underneath may not be totally flat)?


----------



## Cookies (Dec 10, 2008)

The best way to photograph it is to hold a sheet of paper with loads of parallel lines with about 1cm gaps either drawn on it or printed. Hold this on the far side of the dent and take the pic. The reflection will show where the dent is as it distorts the lines. 

The PDR guys use this to make sure they correct softer dents. 

Edit - forgot to answer your question!! Personally, I think it's unlikely but I'd take the professional advice of a PDR technician and experienced detailer. If you decide to head down the route of wet sanding, make sure you take plenty of paint depth readings as there's a risk you may end up having to get the panel resprayed if you strike through the clearcoat. 

Cooks


----------



## Sicskate (Oct 3, 2012)

I'd guess it's panel pull, caused by sealant on the inside of the panel. 

Your best bet would be to investigate inside, if I'm right then you could just heat it up and cut the sealant. 

You'll find a lot of cars will have similar defects at the moment due to the temperature, yet in the summer they disappear. 

You could well sand it out, but then you'll ruin the uniform finish. 

Sent from my FRD-L09 using Tapatalk


----------



## sunnydude959 (Jan 3, 2014)

Sicskate said:


> I'd guess it's panel pull, caused by sealant on the inside of the panel.
> 
> Your best bet would be to investigate inside, if I'm right then you could just heat it up and cut the sealant.
> 
> ...


There is a black pad on the inside at where the crease is. The length of the crease is roughly the height of the left hand edge of that black pad, and - from what I can see - lines up with the left hand edge of the black pad:



















I have absolutely no idea what the purpose of that pad actually is.

However, would this constitute as a warranty defect? I've literally got a couple of months or so of original factory warranty left so I could twist their arm.

Thanks
Sunny


----------



## andy198712 (Jan 20, 2018)

its a bitumen or foam pad used to reduce noice and panel panting (vibration and noise essentially) 

an example would be a car door without it will sounds crap when closed, a car with it in will make more of the thud noise you expect from it 

hope that helps?

the pad shouldn't of effected the panel at all? its just a sticky pad stuck on when the car is made.... (i can't see how it would have damaged the panel)

worth a shot but less then 1% of success id say but you never know!


----------



## sunnydude959 (Jan 3, 2014)

I went to BMW dealer and spoke to the bodyshop chap and he said that yes that black pad is basically sound/vibration deadening and would not have caused a crease.

He said that it is simply a case of someone has opened a door into it and that it needs PDR. I have booked it in with them.

Thanks for your help guys


----------

