ph0bolus

So, I just detailed my car this past weekend, and while I was getting gas yesterday I had noticed I have some dents on the metal just above the driver and passenger side doors. I don't think they were there before, or they have been made more visible since the paint is more reflective now.

Could this have possibly been due to me leaning on the car while polishing the middle of my roof? If so, then wow the metal is malleable. I don't think I've ever seen a cars metal bend under MAYBE 10-15 lbs of pressure from me just putting my forearm on it.

Anyway, any suggestions on what I can do to remove the dents? Looking at the distorted reflection is really getting on my nerves and I'd like to at least correct it if not completely remove it if possible. I've seen some dent removal tools at Harbor Freight, has anyone had any luck with them?

Thanks.

np20412

Yikes! That would bother me for sure. I don't think you've done that while leaning on the car unless you really put your weight down on it there with an elbow or something else concentrated. If your stomach or chest were leaning on it I don't think that would happen, but i suppose it is possible but I would expect those pillars/arms to be stronger than say a hood or door shell since they are integral to the structure of the vehicle.

It may be more likely that you're just seeing them now after a good detail. I find a lot of stuff on my cars after I detail them that was hidden before, sometimes it includes dings like this

Maybe get a consult from a paintless dent repair place or body shop to see how correctable it is?

ph0bolus

I put my forearm on that area, not my elbows. Even still I wouldn't expect it to dent under 10-15lbs of pressure max. I knew about the soft paint, but soft metal as well is kind of a bummer. I don't really trust any of the people around my area, but i'll maybe do some searching around. Thanks!

er34

It can't be from your detailing. I'd bet it was previously damaged but just not noticeable until you cleaned it.

Are there any paint scratches in the indentations?

The distance between the two marks make me think it was kissed by a wooden ladder.

peasodos

iTrader: (1)

Find a good paintless dent repair place. Looks like a $150-200 fix by a reputable PDR ship. They will use glue pulls and small hammers to make it look like it never happened.

I've had PDR work done and the results where incredible. I think Toyots/Lexus uses softer metal then German cars.

rj4510

Those are support areas, so I agree, they were put there with some force. The one at the rear looks really close to mine. It's a tough part to straighten as it's reinforced with welds. That said, it'll likely come out with pointless dent repair. I'll try it at some point if I get more dings, but holding off for now. Can't see how the detailer would have done that, unless something fell on the car in those spots! Very bizarre to just notice them though!

ph0bolus

Nope, no paint scratches at all. There are some on the passenger side as well, which what lead me to believe that it was from my forearm.

bclexus

I'd guess those dents were already there and you are just now noticing them from admiring your detail work. Maybe they came from something like a football being thrown nearby and it hitting the car. I think PDR can easily remove them for you. They deal with a whole lot more than those dents with hail damage and other dents.

CottageChz

It is kind of odd to see this, as I have a dent pretty much in the same place as your dent near the B pillar! I always wondered how it got there, as it seems that the metal in this area would be tough to dent because of the attachment points/folds in the metal. I noticed mine about 2-3 months after I bought the car. I was thinking that maybe the dent was there already, but I bought the car from a pre-owned lot and had a Lexus dealer do an inspection, and I think they would have caught this dent. I also think I would have caught it myself, but I'm not really sure. No clue how it could get dented so easily in this area. If you try paintless dent repair, please report back and let us know how it went!

ph0bolus

Will do, did a search and there's a body shop right up the street from my work. Going to stop by and ask for an estimate. That's weird that you have them there too though. I wonder what the hell caused it.

CottageChz

Yep, it boggles my mind. I don't think there's any way I dented it myself. For a while I was thinking maybe someone walked by my car and whacked the roof with a bat lol. I have been meaning to get paintless dent repair done on it, and I certainly will if you try it and have good results.

charley95

Ya never know, someone could've walked by and hit it out of spite. Had a gal spit on mine last weekend in a parking lot because she thought she deserved my parking spot. Things got a little ugly when I saw her do it. Lot of vandals out there.

jdpdata

I got the same dent on my passenger side. I had no idea was there until months after I purchased the car. Like others have said, nothing a good PDR guy couldn't fix.

ph0bolus

So the general consensus is that a German car fairy is going around hitting the cars with bats, really weird no one knows where these dents come from.

rj4510

Since it's where the pillars mount, it is entirely possible that a few good potholes are to blame. The frame was stiffened quite a bit on the 4GS, but with stiff does come some inflexibility. if we are reporting the same dents in the same areas, then could this be something to take up with Lexus?

OP, yours do seem a bit more excessive though!