Product review: Dent Guard car protection

Whether it's brand-new, an exotic, or one you've owned for a while, there's nothing worse than returning to a car park to discover that someone else has carelessly slammed their door into your beloved car, leaving an unwanted dent that could devalue it.

Sometimes, it's impossible or impractical to find a decent car park that appears to be risk-free. This is where an accessory like Dent Guard could come in handy.

Dent Guard is an Australian-owned company that offers magnetic or suction-cup side protection panels meant to prevent dings and scratches from people opening their car door into yours or from a shopping trolley bumping into your car.

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The magnetic product is suitable for most small to medium-sized vehicles with steel doors, while the suction-cup version, also priced at $199, is intended for cars with aluminium doors, like the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y.

We had the opportunity to test the magnetic Dent Guard product to see if it's something you should consider for your car.

At $199 for a two-pack, the Dent Guard is 100 per cent Australian-made and has been developed with our climate in mind. The softly padded material developed for Dent Guard also attaches to the car to avoid scratching the paint.

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Attaching Dent Guard to a car is a relatively simple process, taking less than a minute once you're accustomed to the process.

It's as easy as attaching the strap above the seatbelt buckle, and then shutting the door after making sure the strap isn't tangled up. It's thin enough that the door will still open and shut as usual. However, it could be more difficult to install in a tighter space where other objects are closer than usual, which is where the product should be used in the first place.

With the strap in place, you can then fold out the Dent Guard to cover the side of your car. We tested it on one of Australia's favourite SUVs, the midsized Mazda CX-5, and found that it does a decent job of covering the lower part of the door with protection in the areas where another car door could impact.

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If you own a bigger SUV or a dual-cab ute, the current size of the Dent Guard might not be adequate. The brand says a larger size option is "coming soon," along with a full-colour range and customisable prints to complement the current black, charcoal, silver and white versions.

Once you return, it's as simple as reversing the installation process, with the side panel folding down neatly – a similar process to a windscreen sun shade but not as cumbersome – for storage in the boot.

There were some concerns expressed that a person could come along and cut the security strap with a sharp object to steal or tamper with an attached Dent Guard set, but that seems like an unlikely (and unfortunate!) scenario – albeit one that is not impossible.

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The soft material of the Dent Guard is said to be "scratch-resistant" to avoid damaging the vehicle's paint. We'd still recommend trying to install it on a relatively clean car, rather than one that is dirty to avoid this risk altogether (the target market for a product like this probably likes to keep their car clean, anyway...).

Overall, the Dent Guard is worth considering if you want to protect your car from pesky dents and scratches in busy and tight car parks. Note the "busy" and "tight" parts. It's not something we'd recommend using during your weekly grocery shop at the local supermarket.

Instead, it should really be considered in riskier situations, like if you frequently visit a busy shopping centre – especially during the Christmas rush – or a narrow inner-city parking garage. It's also a good option if you're leaving your car at the airport often or for an extended period of time where there would be frequent car and people movements nearby.

Pricing: $199