A small dent in your car's body can stick out like a sore thumb, especially if you are getting ready to sell your vehicle for profit. Learn how to remove the damage with the following steps. After the body's shape is restored, add a coat of touch up primer and paint to areas that are chipped. When prospective buyers come to see the car, they won't be able to tell that the car was previously damaged and may be willing to pay you the amount of money that you are requesting.    

Materials Needed

• automotive detergent
• bucket
• water hose
• scrub brush
• towel
• hand plunger
• sandpaper (course and fine grit)
• tack cloth
• lint-free cloth
• touch up primer
• touch up paint
• automotive compound
• buffing pad

Clean The Damaged Section And Remove The Dent

Add a cup or two of automotive detergent to a bucket of water. Apply the cleaning solution to the damaged area on the car with a scrub brush. Move the brush back and forth to remove debris, paint, and primer that is chipping off. Rinse the soap away with a water hose. Dry the damaged area with a towel.

Place the rubber end of a hand plunger over the dent. Press down firmly until the rubber attaches. If you have difficulty securing the rubber piece, moisten it with a few drops of water before pressing it against the car's body. Pull back on the handle to release the suction. Reattach the plunger and remove it several times until the damage is no longer visible. 

Sand The Chipped Area And Apply Primer And Paint

Dip a piece of course grit sandpaper into a bucket of water to moisten it. Press down on the paper as you move it firmly over the damaged portion of the body. Continue sanding the car's body until the surface is smooth. Lightly sand the same section with a moist piece of fine grit paper. Wipe away dust on the car's surface with a tack cloth. Dry the sanded section with a lint-free cloth.

Shake the contents in a primer touch up pen for several seconds so that it is thoroughly mixed. Press the tip of the pen against the sanded section to release the primer. Make sure that you do not leave the pen in one spot on the car's body for too long because too much primer may come out, causing it to drip. After the sanded area is evenly coated with primer, wait several hours for it to dry.

Apply a coat of paint over the primer. Touch up paint comes in small containers and usually an applicator brush is included. Brush the paint on evenly and allow plenty of time for it to dry. Add a second coat of paint if you missed any spots or if more coverage is needed. 

Blend The Paint

Blend the fresh paint so that it matches the rest of the car's body by rubbing automotive compound over it. Apply a few drops of compound to a buffing pad. Press the pad against the fresh paint and move it around in small circles. Continue adding more compound to the cloth and rubbing the car's body with it until the compound has a cloudy appearance. Remove excess compound with a lint-free cloth. The damage will no longer be visible on the car's body. You can, now, confidently show your car to people who are interested in purchasing it.

For further assistance, contact a local auto body repair shop.