Writing
Notes, essays, and research from PanelProof.
- Scratches
Best Car Scratch Removers: Match the Product to the Depth
Compounds cut, polishes refine, and neither one fixes a scratch through the color. Here's the fingernail test, the right product for each depth, and how to apply it.
- Wheels
Best Curb Rash Repair Kits: Fix Scraped Wheels Yourself
Curb rash kits are sandpaper, filler and paint in a box, and they work on painted alloys. Here's which kit to buy, the six-step sequence, and the damage you must not fill.
- Dents
Best Dent Removal Kits: What Each Type Actually Fixes
Glue pullers, PDR rods, and suction cups fix different dents and fail in different ways. Here's which kit matches your dent, and the point where you stop and call a tech.
- Rust
Best Rust Converters: Chemistry, Prep, and Honest Limits
Tannic and phosphoric converters, encapsulators, and removers do four different jobs. Here's which chemistry suits which rust, and where a bottle stops being the answer.
- Dents
Hail Damage Repair Cost 2026: Why Premiums Fell Anyway
Hail repair runs $250 to $8,000 a car. In the year to July 2026, repair prices rose 6.6% and car insurance fell 4.5%. The squeeze lands on your total-loss line.
- Selling
Should You Fix Cosmetic Damage Before Selling Your Car?
Dents, scratches, and curb rash all cost less to fix than they knock off resale, with a few exceptions. Here's the math on what to repair before you sell.
- Dents
Paintless Dent Repair vs Body Shop: Which Does Your Dent Need?
One question decides whether your dent is a cheap paintless pull or a body-shop repaint: is the paint broken? Here's how to tell, and what each path costs.