Richard was visiting friends and parked at a restaurant in New Trier, Minnesota, when a storm cell dropped a wall of hail on his vehicle on Oct. 28, 2026 — one of the latest hail events Minnesota has recorded. The damage went past simple dents: the paint itself cracked in several spots, which meant new panels and some repainting to bring the vehicle back to OEM quality.
Richard lives in Prior Lake and had worked with us before, so he drove his 2023 Chevy Traverse to our shop in Bloomington the Friday morning after the storm. We gave him a free inspection, walked him through what the damage would take to fix, and recommended he file a claim with his insurance provider, Allstate. A late-season storm like that catches people off guard, and most owners have no idea whether Paintless Dent Repair can save their panels or whether they're looking at bodywork.
Key Takeaways
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THE CHALLENGE
Hail left more than 500 dents on the hood, severe damage to both roof rails, and cracked paint in multiple locations on a 2023 Chevy Traverse.
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THE REPAIR
Paintless dent repair across the body and panoramic roof panel, glue pulling on the closed roof rails, a replacement hood ordered on day one, and sublet repaint work at a partnered body shop.
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THE RESULT
Richard drove off in a free loaner car at drop-off while his Traverse moved through estimate, approval, and repair on a two-week worst-case timeline.
Hail that only displaces metal is a straightforward paintless job, because the factory finish stays intact and the dents get massaged back out. This storm broke that rule in a few places. Where the paint cracked, the panel has already been compromised, so we planned a hybrid repair: PDR where it works, replacement and repaint where it doesn't, all coordinated through one shop so Richard didn't have to manage two repair bills or two schedules. You can see the range of work in our Hail Damage Repair services.
Project Summary
| Client Profile: |
Richard, a returning Dent Heads customer and 2023 Chevy Traverse owner |
| Project Location: |
Prior Lake, Minnesota (vehicle struck in New Trier, MN) |
| Primary Objective: |
Return a hail-battered Traverse to OEM quality through PDR Services and targeted panel replacement |
| Repair Method: |
Glue pulling and backside pushes on the body and roof panel, new hood, push-the-paint on the right roof rail, pre- and post-scan per Our Repair Process |
| Key Outcome: |
Estimate and photos submitted to Allstate, parts ordered immediately, free loaner car at drop-off, two-week worst-case timeline |
Free Inspection Reveals Cracked Paint
The worst of it landed on the hood: over 500 dents, with cracked paint in a couple of different locations. Both roof rails took severe damage, and the right rail also showed cracked paint. The roof panel was hit hard too, but with a panoramic glass roof there isn't much metal up there, so that panel was a candidate to save with PDR.
Cracked paint changes the plan. The hood counted off the matrix on dent size and count, so replacing it is the right call rather than chasing 500 dents on a panel that already needs refinishing. The right roof rail became what we call a push-the-paint situation — we pull as many dents as we can with PDR, then send the rail out to be repainted. The rest of the vehicle we expected to handle paintless.
Glue Pulling Around a Panoramic Roof
Every hail drop-off starts the same way. We wash the exterior, then circle every single dent on the car with markers, skipping only the panels we already know are off matrix or slated for replacement. We photograph everything, build the complete estimate, and email copies to the insurance provider on the customer's behalf. We also run a pre-scan during the estimate phase to create a baseline, and we order needed parts right away so a backordered piece doesn't stall the job later.
On the metal work, tops of doors and roof rails call for straight glue pulling, since a roof rail is a closed unit with no way to reach the backside. The panoramic roof offers almost no tool access either, so most of that panel gets glue pulled as well. For the quarter panels we pull tail lamps; for the fenders we pull liners to reach behind the damage. Lower door dents get pushed from the backside by wedging open the glass opening, and we remove the entire liftgate and de-trim it to work through the access holes in the panel.
Because the hood needs paint and the fenders need blending, this Traverse also goes to one of our partnered body shops for the refinish work — and the color is a red tricoat, which is a difficult match. We coordinate that sublet so Richard only deals with us, and he took a loaner car when he dropped off that morning. You can see what hail work looks like before and after in our Before & After Gallery, or Get a Quote if your vehicle took the same storm.
What Richard Gets Back at Pickup
Worst case, we're looking at two weeks from drop-off to delivery, and a lot of that depends on how quickly Allstate approves the estimate so we can start turning wrenches. A typical hail repair runs about a week or less when the insurance side moves promptly. Ordering the hood on day one is what keeps that timeline honest.
At pickup, the Traverse gets a new hood, a repainted and blended right roof rail, and paintless dent repair across the roof panel, doors, fenders, and quarters, with the factory finish preserved everywhere the paint wasn't compromised. We run a post-scan to confirm no codes were thrown while panels, lamps, and wiring were apart. Richard's out-of-pocket is his deductible, and the loaner kept him driving the whole time.
Hail Damage on Your Vehicle?
We've been repairing hail-damaged vehicles across the Twin Cities metro since 2007, from single cars to corporate fleets. We write the estimate, submit the photos and documents to your insurer, order parts, and hand you a loaner car if you don't have rental coverage.
Did the last storm catch your car in Prior Lake or anywhere in the metro? Come in for a free inspection — it takes about five minutes and gives you real numbers before you decide to file.
Frequently Asked Questions
How fast can I get a hail damage estimate in Prior Lake?
We offer a free inspection that takes about five minutes and gives you rough numbers to help you decide whether to file a claim. A full hail estimate is a different animal — it takes roughly one to three hours per vehicle, so we perform it on your scheduled drop-off day. At that point we photograph everything, submit the documents to your insurer, and order parts.
Can my insurer make me use their repair shop?
Minnesota is a right-to-choose state, so you can select any repair provider you'd like. Some customers are told they need to visit the insurance company's estimation center, and if they're truly required to go there, they can. We work directly with insurance providers on our customers' behalf either way.
Do hail dents come back after paintless dent repair?
No — PDR is a permanent repair, which is why insurance providers approve it. The metal is worked back to its original shape rather than filled or covered, and the factory paint stays untouched. Where the paint has cracked, as it did on this Traverse's hood and right roof rail, refinishing is required to bring the panel back to OEM quality.