Why Door Dings Are More Common During the Winter Months

Why winter produces more dings

There is no single cause. It is a handful of small things that all stack up at the same time of year.

• Snow eats parking space. Plowed snow gets pushed into the edges of lots and the ends of rows. Spaces that were already tight get narrower, and cars end up closer together than the painted lines intended.
• Wind catches doors. A Northern Colorado gust can pull a door out of someone's hand before they can stop it. The car parked next to them takes the hit.
• Bulky coats and full hands. People in heavy jackets, carrying bags or kids, open doors wider and less carefully than they do in July.
• Ice underfoot. When someone slips getting out of a car, the door they are holding onto usually swings with them.
• Carts on slick pavement. A loose shopping cart on a slight slope travels further on ice and packed snow than it does on dry asphalt.
• Holiday crowds. November and December mean busier stores, fuller lots and people in a hurry. More cars, packed closer, with more door openings per hour.

None of this is anyone's fault in particular. It is just physics and parking lots.

Is a small ding worth fixing?

It depends on one thing more than any other: whether the paint is broken.

A clean ding with intact paint is a cosmetic problem. It will not spread, and it will not rust. It does not have to be fixed this week, though it will show at trade-in and in any dealer appraisal.

A ding that chipped or cracked the paint is different. Once bare metal is exposed, moisture and the de-icing chemicals used on Colorado roads can reach it, and corrosion can start underneath the surrounding paint. That is the kind of ding worth getting looked at sooner rather than later, because a small chip is a far easier repair than a panel with rust working under it.

How paintless dent repair fixes a door ding

Paintless dent repair (PDR) moves the metal back to its original shape instead of filling and repainting it. A technician reaches the back of the panel with specialized tools, or, when there is no access from behind, uses glue tabs to lift the dent from the outside. A reflective light board shows every high and low spot, and the work is done when the reflection runs straight again.

Because nothing is sanded, filled or repainted, the factory paint stays factory paint. That matters when you sell or trade in, since a repainted panel is something a paint meter will find.

Most door dings are a short job. The exceptions are a ding sitting right on a sharp body line or door edge, or one where the paint has already cracked. We will tell you honestly which kind you have. You can read more about the process on our paintless dent repair page.

Does cold weather make the repair harder?

Metal and paint are less forgiving when they are cold, which is why dent repair is done indoors and panels are warmed before the work starts. Warm metal moves more predictably and the paint is less likely to crack while it is being worked. Your part is simple: the car does not need to be warm when you drop it off. We handle that in the shop.

Five ways to cut down on winter dings

1. Park at the end of a row or further out, where fewer cars are on either side. The extra walk is cheaper than a repair.
2. Avoid parking next to a snow pile. The car beside you has less room and will be squeezed toward your door.
3. Hold your own door on windy days, and teach kids to do the same. It protects the car next to you, and they will return the favor.
4. Stay clear of cart corrals and the downhill side of a sloped lot.
5. Consider door edge and door cup protection. Clear paint protection film on door edges and handle cups guards against chips and scratches. It will not stop a dent, but it keeps the paint around one intact, which keeps the repair simple.

When to call

If the paint is chipped, sooner is better. If the paint is intact, get it done when it suits you, ideally before it is time to sell or trade. Either way, a photo is enough to start: text one to (970) 292-6817 and we will tell you what we see.

Winter is also when hail damage from the season before gets forgotten. If your car took hail, our guide to hail damage and insurance claims in Colorado walks through what happens next.

Related reading

Is It Too Cold for Paint Protection Film Installation?

How cold affects PPF film and adhesive, and why winter installs belong indoors.

Hail Damage Beyond the Body: Glass, Trim, and Hidden Problems

Glass, trim, seals, sensors and cracked paint: the hail damage that is easy to miss.

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