Extracting roof dents

[Birdman]

Four small shallow depressions suddenly appeared, three on one side of the roof and one on the other, all of them near the drainage channels to the front of the roof. There is no damage to the paintwork, no scratching or signs of rubbing I wondered if this is something a specialist could repair without removing the roof lining, sunroof etc. Like, with a magnet??

I'm puzzled about the cause. Has anyone got a clue? I used roof bars for the first time a few weeks back, to carry twenty-five kilos of furniture, but I can't see how this damage would result. My garage had never seen similar damage and commented that it looked as if a shower of golf balls had landed on the car from a height, but I don't play golf! Should I be looking to the UFO community for an explanation of these 'roof circles'?

 

[PJH]

I have heard of hail stones damaging paint/metal but you wouldn't just get 4 of them. Could it have been caused by children playing with a small ball near the car? (tennis ball or superball)

 

[Birdman]

I have heard of hail stones damaging paint/metal but you wouldn't just get 4 of them. Could it have been caused by children playing with a small ball near the car? (tennis ball or superball)

Guess there's no easy explanation. Problem is, how to get rid of a slight dint in the roof without going through the headlining, which is I'm told a very tricky (and expensive) task. Or can't it be done any other way?

 

[Ian B Walker]

You might try pressing from the inside under the dent. If its large enough it may just pop back. Dont try it on a small dent, the temptation to use a hammer handle is too much and you may crease it, the roof not the handle Its going to be 50 / 50 but worth a try.

 

[Flash]

Most dent removal companies state that they must be able to access the dent from behind the panel/damaged area therefore the headling would have to be removed.

If reluctant to remove the headling (which is a big job) then your only other alternative is to have a bodyshop use filler on the dents and respray the entire roof (apart from masking areas so that there is no off spray there would be no stripping/removal of parts involved).

Flash

 

[portzy]

Just a thought. As you mentioned drainage channels my mind was taken back to a problem I had with a 2001 MY Polo I had. Two small indentations suddeny appeared in quite precise and regular places at either side at the back of the roof.

It turned out, after investigation, that the sound deadening wadding which was glued to the roof had become moist with condensation and the extra weight, believe it or not, was pulling down on the relatively thin and light roof.

You say the dents are at drainage channel points??????.

The cure was to exessively heat the inside of the car but leave a window open to remove condensed moisture. I placed a fan heater (1.5Kw) inside for a few hours and the car became really hot but not enough to cause damage and, after a while, the dents mysteriously dissapeared.

Result.

Portzy.

 

[Birdman]

You say the dents are at drainage channel points??????.

The cure was to exessively heat the inside of the car but leave a window open to remove condensed moisture. I placed a fan heater (1.5Kw) inside for a few hours and the car became really hot but not enough to cause damage and, after a while, the dents mysteriously dissapeared.

Result.

Portzy.

Well, not at but near the roof rainwater channels. The dents are not neatly lined up but apparently random.
Maybe applying heat inside and out will make them disappear too. I'm taking the car to the south of France this summer. If the dents go I can tell the forum it's the best cure (for our weather too). :bannana: