What Do Body Shop Owners Really Think About PDR Technicians? Part IV

Perhaps one of the greatest concerns is the drilling. Fortunately for our PDR Technician graduates, drilling is the last option if ever. Auto body shop owners unanimously felt that in spite of adding a rustproofing plug, the vehicle is still exposed to the possibility of rusting from the underside out. It is thought that when you drill a hole in the quarter panels and wing panels they are especially exposed to rusting.
Yet another opinion is that most body shop owners feel that using PDR technology can weaken the vehicle’s corrosion protection.  They feel that if you can’t access the dent by removing the trim, then you probably shouldn’t be using PDR technology. The long-term affects on the inner structure just isn’t worth it.
Most of these owners also feel that they are a primary source for the PDR Specialists’ income even though they insist that alone, they cannot keep a Technician on hand in their shop. They especially love the ability to call for a technician and that technician is there withing 30 minutes to an hour. In other words, they like their technicians to be at their beck and call. This could prove to be a disadvantage to the technician as it’s quite possible that you will already be working on another car outside of the body shop or dealership preventing you from being there when requested. The body shop owner just goes to the next guy on the list if you can’t do it, even if they favor you over others. Don’t take it personal, it’s a business after all. They stand the chance of losing the business if they can’t provide the results the car owner is expecting.
In a typical day of PDR services, the specialist will come to a body shop that will probably have a few vehicles to be worked on consecutively. A standard fee would be $40-$75 dollars per dent removed and in almost every case, the work is done while the customer waits. So this will require that you get right to it and not stopping until the final vehicle is completed.