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frozenrice
03-02-2005, 08:12 PM
Does anyone have any idea how much a course like this would cost?

Mazstyle
03-05-2005, 01:04 AM
It's free just get a Job at a PDR shop, they're always looking for people and they will send you to the states for a few weeks to train.....

I used to work at a body shop and we did some PDR, it's really simple, you just gotta get behind the dent with a tool and pop it out, then tap it back to flat with a hammer and a plastic punch..... They have a really large assortment of odd shaped tools which comes in handy for those hard to get at places... It takes some skill to learn how to see where your tool is by watching the panel and reflecting light off of it...

frozenrice
03-05-2005, 08:38 AM
Finally, someone has replied!
I'm more interested in finding out about PDR training prices as in starting a small business and also to obtain the tools required. I found a few sites where you walk away with the tools in addition to the training itself. The sites don't list pricing so you have to call them to find out. I was hoping somebody here has checked it out already, that way I'd be a little more informed when I called. Thanks for the tip though.

liztic
03-05-2005, 09:09 PM
just get hired, build skill, watch, study what the shop has.......THEN STEAL BUSINESS!! SWEEEEET

Weapon_R
03-05-2005, 09:27 PM
Nothing will train you like real world experience. Get a job at a Paintless Dent Repair shop.

They will train you, and you work there for a year or so until you become good at it. You will learn how to deal with countless types of dent repairs, and you will learn the tricks of the trade that school cannot teach you.

You will learn how to deal with customers, and you will start to find out what tools are best and which ones to stay away from. Then you quit, and start your own enterprise.

liztic
03-05-2005, 09:38 PM
frozen rice, you open a shop, i'll push my sunfire there to get some dents popped

frozenrice
03-05-2005, 10:37 PM
That's a hell of a long way to push a car.......

I'd love to quit and get a job at a PDR shop, but I'm at a place in life right now that I can't afford to quit my current career and start at a lower wage (i.e. mortage, three mouths to feed etc...). I know that it'd pay better in the long run, but starting from ground zero would be really tough. I was only thinking about doing this on the side and then possibly work my way out of what I'm doing now.

liztic
03-05-2005, 10:49 PM
i'd bet if u told them your situation, and offered to work on a volunteer basis for a short while they'd love ya.........free labour, who'd say no!
that'd give u your regular job, and a few hours here and there to volunteer and learn the ropes........plus talk with employees about the real money involved........just an idea

maximus
03-06-2005, 11:41 PM
Originally posted by Weapon_R
Nothing will train you like real world experience. Get a job at a Paintless Dent Repair shop.

They will train you, and you work there for a year or so until you become good at it. You will learn how to deal with countless types of dent repairs, and you will learn the tricks of the trade that school cannot teach you.

You will learn how to deal with customers, and you will start to find out what tools are best and which ones to stay away from. Then you quit, and start your own enterprise.

Actually its not that easy to get trained and quit. Most shops are not stupid as to train you to create competition for themselves. Most, if not all, paintless dent repair shops make you sign a contract that if you quit within a certain time frame, like 5 years, and start a business on your own you owe them for the training.

I know that the Dent Clinic's contract is $15,000 and 5 years of termination date and even then they still have the right to sue you (they say that the contract dosn't wave the right for them to sue you above and beyond the training costs).

So you can try it but I wouldn't recommend it. And I believe a full set of tools costs around $5000.

frozenrice
03-07-2005, 07:46 AM
I figured as much about that, that's why I'd like to find out about training vs. working for someone. Thanks for the input.

liztic
03-07-2005, 11:09 AM
they can't legally make you pay them if they take you on. that's like being trained at one job, quitting and working at another job, the first can't make you pay them back as even though you're training you're providing them with a service

abyss
03-07-2005, 11:39 AM
Originally posted by liztic
they can't legally make you pay them if they take you on. that's like being trained at one job, quitting and working at another job, the first can't make you pay them back as even though you're training you're providing them with a service

They don't train you until you sign the contract. Up until that point you're the floor sweeper or whatever. They send you away to train and if you quit and start your own business they can sue you to get the training money back. I think there's even a clause included that you can't go to a competitor either to make more money. My brother currently works at Dent Clinic and had to sign the contract.

maximus
03-07-2005, 04:50 PM
Originally posted by liztic
they can't legally make you pay them if they take you on. that's like being trained at one job, quitting and working at another job, the first can't make you pay them back as even though you're training you're providing them with a service

Buddy, a contract is a contract. Whenever you sign a contract you are agreeing to the terms stated. Thats why you always read what you sign.

At Dent Clinic if you don't sign they don't hire you. Simple as that. All dent places are the same because the nature of the business.

liztic
03-07-2005, 06:01 PM
true, i didn't read the contract part.........but at the same time you do have rights, if you're being treated like crap a contract isn't going to keep you from quiting. simple contact to labour board and your off, but you're right, contracts are contracts

TomcoPDR
04-30-2007, 02:41 PM
Back from the dead, sorry got bored, thought I'd be a dink and give out some industry info to some of the past "Dent" posts. :rofl: And yea, for the record, this industry IN CALGARY all turned their backs on me when I first started. so :poosie: to them I've earned my place.


Originally posted by frozenrice
Does anyone have any idea how much a course like this would cost?

Course prices ranges a lot pending on the type of training you take, and because this industry is NOT REGULATED like getting your mechanic license AST course at SAIT, or bodyman ticket (you know 4 year course @ $5000/semester, etc...)

So anybody can CLAIM they can teach you dents, and charge you whatever the frick. Will you learn the proper ways or what not? Well, that's either up to you, and how the trainer knows his stuff (MOST of those American sites are what industry insiders call Training Mills; pump and dump techs all over the US/Canada)

I don't train ppl personally because of what I went through myself (I sacrificed my entire youth being in this trade, and parents paid a dent guy large $$$ for one-on-one training cuz I used to be such a big car guy... only when things went sour all the other Calgary dent shops turned their backs on me; yea, "YOU" all dent guys laughed at me) Honestly though, PERSONAL OPINION, think about this statement: "Those who can, do... those who can't, teach" That's all I'm sayin, I'm already on the industry's bad side.

But I will tell you where to get started if you're interested, it's not like you don't know how to google. Couple of Canada based companies who CLAIMS they train (not going to list them, cuz of conflict of interest)... so check out the US ones, the training mills:

www.dingking.com
www.paintbull.com
www.pdqtools.com
www.nodents.com

You pay your tution, for 2-3 weeks class (couple thousand US, it's all on the websites), they tell you everything general you can probably purchase on Ebay.com (then key word Paintless; and look for those $20 DVD's) I won't put link, cuz the auctions will expire... then when you go back to your home town, it's sink or swim, and for majority of novices that were so gung-ho about this PDR thing, it'll take them faster than a drunken teenaged girl's panty drop at the after grad to realize the real world DENTS are totally NOT what he/she practiced on a garbage-scrap panel. The ones who are desperate will continue crap-quality and compensate it with cheap prices to the dealers, auto auctions, wholesalers; making the guys that CAN and devoted their life in the trade look bad for charging a proper amount for each specific repair. (Being a Beyond member for couple years, I never wanted to advertise on Beyond either IF I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS DOING, seeing how EVERYBODY jumps to conclusion with ONE messed up tint job with 10 page bashing. Shops importing US/ East coast cars, buyer don't do research, and shop gets 10 page bash... )

Yea, generally the best way to learn is to be someone's apprentice or some dent guy's "bitoch". And yes, all dent guys in Calgary knows this, and chances are all of "us" "self proclaimed" better ones will not take on apprentices for this "work for him for 2-3 years, learn all his secrets and ditch on him"... Hence, the compensation for training $$$. It's frustrating to learn this trade, but let alone training someone; if the person doesn't get the concept, either they blame it on the trainer or the trainer blames it on himself/herself for being a crappy trainer??? That's why the training mills are just that, yep, for a couple thousand, they TELL you everything that's only written on their company text book, you go home, you're out of their hair. If you still insist to get into this trade, I'll got no problem telling you what starter tools to get (i.e. light, 2 tools, etc...), but I will not TRAIN you.

The best FREE advice you'll get from a Calgary dent person is this: If you're really interested about getting into the trade, pick up a scrap body panel (or a crappy vehicle with dents), and just start playing around with the concept. No, it's not the same having a teacher correcting every mistake you make, but it'll be the cheapest way to find out if you wanna be in this trade or not.

I've worked with guys from the US who can blow me out of the waters on their worst day. In THEIR days back in the late 80's, this one guy had a hood panel as his coffee table (screwed to 4 post) and would push up on a dent everytime the TV was on commerical break.

In terms of tools, well, back in the old days dent guys used to make their own tools from grinding screw drivers, car antennas, etc... But in the modern days you can just purchase everything like Snap-On and Mac... here are some really great tool companies (and if you go to those training mills with free tools, expect Princess Auto power fist stuff), and yes, I use the tools from these companies.

www.dentcrafttools.com
www.pdrtool.com
www.pdqtools.com
www.ansonindustries.com

And to the other "dent guys" oh give me a break, these are publicly listed web sites, not like someone doesn't know how to google "Paintless tools" search. As for tools off Ebay, same thing, would you buy professional mechanic tools off there? it's up to you (less of course, it's a brand name)

It's not the tools that make the repairs, but the person using the tools. So relax 'bout people knowing your "magic dent wands"

If I were you, I'd seriously look REALLY REALLY carefully before entering into this trade; I really wish there were this much information on the internet when I started (chances are I'd honestly would NOT go for this life)... Not trying to scare you off so I can have more work for myself :rofl: , but like I said, the guys that "started" this whole Paintless panel beating thing from car manufacturers assembly lines were all self-taught, I know excellent US technicians who were self-taught.

Good luck, sorry for being outdated.


Originally posted by maximus


Actually its not that easy to get trained and quit. Most shops are not stupid as to train you to create competition for themselves. Most, if not all, paintless dent repair shops make you sign a contract that if you quit within a certain time frame, like 5 years, and start a business on your own you owe them for the training.

I know that the Dent Clinic's contract is $15,000 and 5 years of termination date and even then they still have the right to sue you (they say that the contract dosn't wave the right for them to sue you above and beyond the training costs).

So you can try it but I wouldn't recommend it. And I believe a full set of tools costs around $5000.

Non-competition clause, but then most dent guys just leave the jusidiction (i.e. trained in Alberta, move to Ontario... trained in Ontario, move to Alberta)... These big dent companies (there's a big one in the States) are having a hard time doing anything about this, sure you can get a pending lawsuit going... chances are no judge is going to stop someone from fixing dents in California when his/her former-employer are head quartered in St.Louis Missouri. <--- for example, I'm just making up a location :rolleyes:

Yep, training is that expensive, with NO GUARANTEES of success or a "degree" or "diploma" whatsoever...

In fact, if someone wanted to, you can work around to dealerships with those $29.99 Canadian Tire Dink King dent puller kit and sell you Paintless services. (with proper City and Province business license, easy to get)... In fact I got one for sale $5