PDR Hole

jhh3000 · 10-06-2020, 11:24 PM

Hey guys, I'm hoping someone here has a lot more expertise in this area than I do..

Selling my car and during inspection, the buyer (a company called Shift) turned up a PDR hole in the C pillar. They claim this is non-repairable damage that compromises the structural integrity... sounds pretty serious.

I did some research and it seems like drilling holes during PDR (Paintless Dent Removal) is common practice.

So anyways, I know I didn't have a PDR done. This was a certified pre-owned car, so either the dealership pulled a fast one on me, or something is very strange here about why Shift is rejecting this car.

Anyone know about these PDR holes?

Thanks!

Billfitz · 10-07-2020, 07:26 AM

By definition PDR does not drill holes in the car. PDR does insert tools through existing holes in the car framework to push dented body panels out. That can cause deformation of the framework, but it's a cosmetic issue, and it can be fixed. https://www.precisionpaintlessdentre...-hole-solution

I don't see how damage to the C-pillar framework would have been seen in an inspection, as that would required removing the trim on the inside. That makes me suspect Shift is shady. Sell it on Cars.com.

Desertnate · 10-07-2020, 09:12 AM

Agree, the whole purpose of PDR is holes are not drilled. They pull out dents with no cosmetic evidence the work was performed. If a hole was drilled, that could be an indication of a much larger dent being pulled out.

How did they even see the hole? Is it visible on the outside?

Off hand I don't seen how a hole drilled in the body panel over the C-pillar would be a big deal. If a hole was drilled through the actual structural, unibody part of the C-pillar, that would be a different issue all together, but they'd have to remove interior pieces or the exterior body panel to see it.

jhh3000 · 10-07-2020, 10:00 AM

Here's a picture of where they found the hole. I should probably just confirm first... is this the C-pillar? I don't have the car back yet, but it looks like this is the rear passenger door latch area.

Newman1 · 10-07-2020, 10:41 AM

I’ve had PDR places tell me they needed to drill a small hole to access dings in areas where access didn’t exist otherwise, so it does happen. I never opted for it and instead go to a place that will glue and pull the ding out and never drill when needed. But I believe the lower cost places will just drill and silicone the hole for their own convenience.

Billfitz · 10-07-2020, 11:01 AM

That's not the C pillar, that's the door frame. The pillars support the roof. I can't imagine why a PDR repair would drill a hole there, or why anyone would drill a hole there for that matter. It certainly wouldn't be a structural problem, but it shouldn't be there. It should have been filled and painted before the car was sold to you.

Desertnate · 10-07-2020, 01:39 PM

If a body shop put the hole there I wonder if the car was in a serious wreck and they used that point to pull the frame back into shape? That is part of the unibody frame. No PDR would be going on there. They only pull out body panels, not structural members.

It's in an area that probably isn't under a lot of stress, but having a hole in the frame where there isn't supposed to be one would make me a little nervous. The entire unibody is basically a load bearing structure.

floridaorange · 10-07-2020, 04:46 PM

Never heard of or seen anything like that, can you post more pics from different angles, that's rather remarkable.

Billfitz · 10-07-2020, 05:07 PM

You wouldn't need to put anything into a hole to pull that place back into shape. Besides, if the metal had been bent there the work required to make it invisible would be a lot more than what it would take to fill that hole. I can't imagine what the reason could have been for drilling it.

alohasurftoad · 10-09-2020, 12:05 PM

looks like the hole is in the right rear door jamb. it appears to me that it was made to access the right rear quarter panel. if the dent is where i think it is, whoever did the PDR should have used a glue pull, imo. usually the hole becomes deformed slightly from leveraging their tool, so i'm not sure.

i've had PDR done that required drilling because it on a part of the car where the metal was thick and curved sharply. they needed a lot of leverage to push the dent and a glue pull would not have been able. the hole was in an inconspicuous area and they rustproofed and put a rubber grommet in the hole afterwards.

10-06-2020, 11:24 PM	#1
jhh3000 Registered 0 Rep 2 Posts Drives: F30 328i Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Los Angeles, CA iTrader: (0)	PDR Hole Hey guys, I'm hoping someone here has a lot more expertise in this area than I do.. Selling my car and during inspection, the buyer (a company called Shift) turned up a PDR hole in the C pillar. They claim this is non-repairable damage that compromises the structural integrity... sounds pretty serious. I did some research and it seems like drilling holes during PDR (Paintless Dent Removal) is common practice. So anyways, I know I didn't have a PDR done. This was a certified pre-owned car, so either the dealership pulled a fast one on me, or something is very strange here about why Shift is rejecting this car. Anyone know about these PDR holes? Thanks!
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10-07-2020, 07:26 AM	#2
Billfitz Lieutenant General 8239 Rep 16,076 Posts Drives: '15 328iX GT Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New Hampshire iTrader: (0)	By definition PDR does not drill holes in the car. PDR does insert tools through existing holes in the car framework to push dented body panels out. That can cause deformation of the framework, but it's a cosmetic issue, and it can be fixed. https://www.precisionpaintlessdentre...-hole-solution I don't see how damage to the C-pillar framework would have been seen in an inspection, as that would required removing the trim on the inside. That makes me suspect Shift is shady. Sell it on Cars.com.
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10-07-2020, 09:12 AM	#3
Desertnate Captain 391 Rep 849 Posts Drives: BMW 435i Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: Swansea, IL iTrader: (0) Garage List 2016 BMW 435i [0.00]	Agree, the whole purpose of PDR is holes are not drilled. They pull out dents with no cosmetic evidence the work was performed. If a hole was drilled, that could be an indication of a much larger dent being pulled out. How did they even see the hole? Is it visible on the outside? Off hand I don't seen how a hole drilled in the body panel over the C-pillar would be a big deal. If a hole was drilled through the actual structural, unibody part of the C-pillar, that would be a different issue all together, but they'd have to remove interior pieces or the exterior body panel to see it. __________________ Stop by and check out my blog: The Car Geek
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10-07-2020, 10:00 AM	#4
jhh3000 Registered 0 Rep 2 Posts Drives: F30 328i Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Los Angeles, CA iTrader: (0)	Here's a picture of where they found the hole. I should probably just confirm first... is this the C-pillar? I don't have the car back yet, but it looks like this is the rear passenger door latch area. Attached Images
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10-07-2020, 10:41 AM	#5
Newman1 Private First Class 56 Rep 108 Posts Drives: F30 Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: PDX iTrader: (0)	I’ve had PDR places tell me they needed to drill a small hole to access dings in areas where access didn’t exist otherwise, so it does happen. I never opted for it and instead go to a place that will glue and pull the ding out and never drill when needed. But I believe the lower cost places will just drill and silicone the hole for their own convenience.
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10-07-2020, 11:01 AM	#6
Billfitz Lieutenant General 8239 Rep 16,076 Posts Drives: '15 328iX GT Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New Hampshire iTrader: (0)	That's not the C pillar, that's the door frame. The pillars support the roof. I can't imagine why a PDR repair would drill a hole there, or why anyone would drill a hole there for that matter. It certainly wouldn't be a structural problem, but it shouldn't be there. It should have been filled and painted before the car was sold to you.
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10-07-2020, 01:39 PM	#7
Desertnate Captain 391 Rep 849 Posts Drives: BMW 435i Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: Swansea, IL iTrader: (0) Garage List 2016 BMW 435i [0.00]	If a body shop put the hole there I wonder if the car was in a serious wreck and they used that point to pull the frame back into shape? That is part of the unibody frame. No PDR would be going on there. They only pull out body panels, not structural members. It's in an area that probably isn't under a lot of stress, but having a hole in the frame where there isn't supposed to be one would make me a little nervous. The entire unibody is basically a load bearing structure. __________________ Stop by and check out my blog: The Car Geek
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10-07-2020, 05:07 PM	#9
Billfitz Lieutenant General 8239 Rep 16,076 Posts Drives: '15 328iX GT Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New Hampshire iTrader: (0)	You wouldn't need to put anything into a hole to pull that place back into shape. Besides, if the metal had been bent there the work required to make it invisible would be a lot more than what it would take to fill that hole. I can't imagine what the reason could have been for drilling it.
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10-09-2020, 12:05 PM	#10
alohasurftoad Brigadier General 3077 Rep 4,325 Posts Drives: 440i gran coupe w/mppsk Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: hawaii iTrader: (0)	looks like the hole is in the right rear door jamb. it appears to me that it was made to access the right rear quarter panel. if the dent is where i think it is, whoever did the PDR should have used a glue pull, imo. usually the hole becomes deformed slightly from leveraging their tool, so i'm not sure. i've had PDR done that required drilling because it on a part of the car where the metal was thick and curved sharply. they needed a lot of leverage to push the dent and a glue pull would not have been able. the hole was in an inconspicuous area and they rustproofed and put a rubber grommet in the hole afterwards.
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