Text photos to 865-420-3368 for a free assessment
Athens · McMinn County · By appointment

Paintless Dent Repair
in Athens, TN

Most people find a dent and immediately think body shop, then realize that feels like too much for something this size. Doing nothing feels wrong and worse. And repainting a panel on a car that still has its original factory finish feels like it creates a bigger problem than it solves. What most people don't know is that there is a third option. And that's exactly the situation paintless dent repair was intended for.

Paintless dent repair is exactly that kind of work, done right by a skilled tradesman for skilled tradesmen. Between Mayfield Dairy, the automotive-supply and casting plants around McMinn County, and Tennessee Wesleyan, this is a place where the tradesman can tell the difference between a job done right and a job that is just done. The metal moves back into place from behind the panel, the factory finish never gets touched, and most repairs take a couple hours wherever your car already is. Athens is an appointment-only stop since it is in the opposite direction of most of the other areas I cover day to day, but I continue to offer service to the tradesmen of Athens without changing any part of the guarantee. Text me a photo first. I will tell you if it qualifies, what it will cost, and when I can get there.

Free assessment by photo
No shop drop-off
Dent before paintless dent repair on an Acura
Real work, not stock photos Serving the Athens area

Paintless dent repair looks simple from the outside. That's actually the point. What you don't see is the trained eye reading the metal, the hours spent learning how different panels on different vehicles respond, and the judgment call that happens before a single tool touches the car. When it's done right there's nothing to show for it except a panel that looks like the damage never happened.

Serving Athens by appointment

I serve Athens by appointment. Depending on the job and location a trip fee may apply. Text photos first and I'll give you a straight answer on whether it makes sense to come to you, meet somewhere in between, or have you come my way.

The work

A few of the jobs.

Tap any photo to zoom in.

Dent before paintless dent repair on an Acura
Before
Panel after paintless dent repair on an Acura
After
Job 12Acura, Rear Quarter
Dent before paintless dent repair on a Toyota Tacoma
Before
Panel after paintless dent repair on a Toyota Tacoma
After
Job 5Toyota Tacoma
Dent before paintless dent repair on a Dodge Ram
Before
Panel after paintless dent repair on a Dodge Ram
After
Job 6Dodge Ram
Dent before paintless dent repair on a Mercedes-Benz SUV
Before
Panel after paintless dent repair on a Mercedes-Benz SUV
After
Job 8Mercedes-Benz SUV

See the full story behind these jobs, and more, in the portfolio →

15+
Years experience
$0
Cost for assessments
2 hrs
Typical repair time
100%
You only pay if you're happy
Who you're actually calling

One person. Start to finish.

When you call or text 865-420-3368, I answer the phone, give you the assessment, and do the repair myself. You are not getting passed around or handed off to someone you never spoke to.

I grew up around this work. My father was a bodyman who made the move into PDR and taught me how to do it. He knew exactly what happened to cars inside a body shop because he was the one doing it. I spent years in those shops too before I made the decision to work directly for retail customers instead. The difference is who you are working for. In a shop the goal is volume and throughput. In your driveway the goal is your car. Those are not the same job.

I have spent years working alongside some of the best PDR technicians in the country and that experience changes what I can take on. Hard aluminum panels, deep creases in difficult access points, damage that other people have told you cannot be fixed paintless. Some of that is true and I will tell you when it is. But some of it I can fix, and I will tell you that too.

Paintless dent repair looks simple from the outside. That's actually the point. What you don't see is the trained eye reading the metal, the hours spent learning how different panels on different vehicles respond, and the judgment call that happens before a single tool touches the car. When it's done right there's nothing to show for it except a panel that looks like the damage never happened. That's the beauty of the work. It's not an accident.

Brandon Rayburn, mobile paintless dent repair technician, East Tennessee

Brandon Rayburn, on the job in East Tennessee

Start to finish

From photo to done, usually same day.

No shop drop-off, no scheduling headaches. Here's what it actually looks like:

01. Text a photo

Send a couple pictures

Send a couple pictures of the dent to 865-420-3368. A photo gives me most of what I need to get started.

02. Get a real answer

A cost range, same day

I look at the photos and get back to you with a cost range and a straight opinion on whether it's a good candidate for paintless dent repair. If it isn't, I'll tell you that too. No pressure either way.

03. Pick a time

Wherever your car already is

Once everything looks good, the next step is just finding a time that works for you. Your driveway, your workplace, wherever the car happens to be.

04. Take a look and decide

You only pay if you're happy

I do the repair and then you take a look. If you're happy with it, you pay. If something isn't right, you don't. That's been the policy from the beginning.

Cost

How pricing actually works

Every repair's cost comes from measuring the dent point to point with a dent light. The ranges below reflect the fact that photos don't always show exact size, so I give you a range when assessing from pictures. Once I'm there with the light, the cost is exact and based on what I actually measure. No moving targets.

Most modern vehicles have aluminum panels, which typically puts a small dent in the $250-425 range. Traditional steel panels run $125-225 for the same size damage. Here's why aluminum costs more. Most repairs still cost less than a typical insurance deductible, and unlike a body shop, there's no paint, no blend time, no shop overhead in the cost. Depending on the job and how far out of my way it is, a trip fee may also apply, and I'll say so upfront before anything is booked.

The table below is steel panel pricing by dent size. Aluminum runs higher, for the reasons explained above.

Dent size (steel panels)Price range
Around 1 inch$125 - $175
Around 2 inches$175 - $225
Around 3 inches$225 - $275
Around 4 inches$275 - $325
Around 5 inches$325 - $375
Around 6 inches$375 - $425
Around 7 inches$425 - $475
8 inches and upLet's look at photos

What can affect the cost

Some dents are straightforward. Others have something working against them, a body line running through the damage, an aluminum panel that needs more finesse, limited access from behind. When something makes the repair genuinely more difficult, the cost reflects that. I'll tell you upfront if any of that applies to your dent before I come out.

If a repair requires removing trim or interior panels to get behind the damage, that's handled separately and the cost is based on what's actually involved. It varies a lot depending on the vehicle.

Multiple dings on the same vehicle often qualify for a discount. Ask when you text photos.

Want this fixed? Text a photo to 865-420-3368 and I'll get back to you the same day.

Coverage

Based near Maryville and Madisonville. Athens by appointment.

Athens is further out, in the opposite direction of most of the coverage area. I take appointments out this way for the right job and coordinate ahead of time.

Athens → Etowah Niota Riceville

Also nearby:

Why photos first

85 to 95% of dents can be fixed with paintless dent repair, but not all. Sending pictures lets me tell you, before anyone's time gets spent, whether your vehicle is a good fit.

Text a photo now
Common questions

Questions people actually ask

Straight answers, including the ones where the answer is it depends or it might not be worth it.

Do you come to me, or do I bring the car to you?

I come to you. A driveway near Tennessee Wesleyan, a workplace lot along Decatur Pike, anywhere in McMinn County. Athens is appointment-only so text photos first and I will coordinate timing from there.

More questions? See 11 more answers in the full FAQ →

Reputation

15+ years of 5-star work

I relocated to East Tennessee in 2020. These reviews are from my years of work in California before that. The standard hasn't changed.

★★★★★

"Brandon was kind enough to call me back and showed up for my appointment. He was able to fix the dent in 30 minutes. The prices are very reasonable."

By Sean G., Rancho Cordova, CA · Yelp review
★★★★★

"He explained everything he was doing through the whole process. On top of it all he took out a stain on my trunk I couldn't get out. You can't find too many good people like that."

By Frank L., Sacramento, CA · Yelp review
★★★★★

"He showed me the process and explained what he would do, and had me inspect afterwards to make sure I was satisfied. All-around a very pleasant experience, and it made me feel at ease after being so nervous."

By Christopher W., Los Angeles, CA · Yelp review
★★★★★

"Brandon was here right on time. He walked me through everything and made sure to come back and update me as he went. It looks brand new and I couldn't be happier!"

By Micaela C., Sacramento, CA · Yelp review
★★★★★

"Brandon was on his way to my work to fix my dents the next day. He called when he was an hour out. He was very professional and his workmanship was flawless."

By Kristina R., Sacramento, CA · Yelp review
★★★★★

"Highly recommend this business. I have used their service twice and was impressed both times with their professional care and work. Brandon is a master at his work."

By Tim R., South Lake Tahoe, CA · Yelp review

Skilled work, done at your place.

Text a photo to 865-420-3368 and I'll give you a straight answer on whether it qualifies and what it costs. I come to your driveway or your workplace lot. The repair is done in a couple of hours and you pay only when you're happy with it.

Text a photo to 865-420-3368