Hi Nuckle - sorry to hear about the hail problems. Similar story: I have an old LR that was built with a steel panels (not the new aluminum). About 1 month into owning it hail came crashing on the hood. It left pot marks, but nothing more. From a distance it's NOT noticeable. Because the hood just bent a tiny bit with the impact of the hail, the paint is holding and didn't chip, so overall I think I was lucky. However, I gathering the new aluminum panels don't take hail as well as the old steel ones did ? Post a pic if you can, and I hope you can get it fixed without an insurance claim - those are no fun.

 

doesn't the defender have many plastic parts that aren't actually damaged by hail? for example engine hood?

 

I'm afraid you are dreaming about the loss of value. As soon as insurance gets involved, the claim will hit CarFax. I had it happen to me last year.

As for PDR, who you use makes a world of difference. Some techs will drill holes to access tough areas in need of repair. That's all well and good, but we drive trucks that are sealed in spots for a reason. The true professionals out there find a way to do the work with no drilling.