It might have been a stone flicked up on the road, or you scraped a bollard in the car park. The damage is done. The enamel is chipped. Your car is ruined.

Or is it?

Depending on the size of the dent, a professional dent repairer or panel beater can get your car looking like new. And if it’s only a small dent you might even be able to fix it yourself.

So how do you repair a dent?

If it’s a really small cosmetic job and the enamel is hardly chipped you can try fixing it yourself with some easy-to-find tools and filler. Checkout YouTube for DIY instructions.  It might not be as good as new, but it will save you money, and if it’s really small no one will notice it.

But if the enamel is so badly chipped that the base metal is showing, you’ll have to consider your options before rust develops. It’s time to call in the professionals.

Start by making a few phone calls to different panel beaters to get an idea of the price. You should also consider paintless dent repair – it can work out at a fraction of the price of standard panel beating.

You can read our guide to panel beating techniques, here.

When you’ve found a panel beater whom you’re happy with, check your level of excess to see if it’s worth claiming the dent repair job on your car insurance.

And finally? Keep an eye out for lamp posts.