Q. What is it?
A. Though it may seem a new art in the detailing industry, paintless dent removal has a firm place in automotive history. For over half a century, nearly every automobile manufacturer has used paintless dent repair specialists to fix the inevitable body bumps and bruises that occurred during manufacturing.
     Paintless dent removal, above all things, is gentle process. A skilled technician uses a variety of tools with different-shaped tips, placed at various angles, to essentially massage out a dent from behind. As the dent becomes smaller, a detailer will switch to tools with smaller tips.

Q. How do you get to the dents?
A. Accessing the dents can be a difficult part of paintless dent removal. With door dents, for example, the detailer will access the dent through various holes behind the body panel. But when dents cannot be accessed, holes must be drilled and later plugged, as is done in rust proofing.
     The easiest parts of the car to access and repair are the horizontal surfaces, such as hoods, tops, and trunk decks.

Q. How big a dent can you fix?
A. Repairable dents are usually about the size of a half-dollar, although larger dents can be repaired by the most highly skilled technicians. Repairs can take anywhere from five minutes to an hour, depending on the location - and skill of the detailer.
     When a repair is done by a skilled detailer, it is virtually undetectable. When it is done by a detailer with little training, the customer will know the difference. A common mistake is pushing the dent out too far, causing a noticeable bump on the vehicle's surface.

Q. What kind of tools should I buy?
A. It wasn't too many years ago that paintless dent repair equipment companies wanted huge sums for their equipment and training. Today, it is possible to purchase tools, training or both for anywhere from $1000 to $10,000.
     A good set of tools will include training, be durably constructed and contain at least 50 tools, not including accessories. Most detailers spend between $5,000 and $7,000 for such systems. If you do decide to buy just the tools, you can buy a good set for $1,500 or less.

Q. What about training?
A. It is usually a bad idea to purchase a system that comes with little or no training. At the same time, companies that charge ridiculous amounts for "training secrets" may be trying to rip you off.
     Most experts suggest that you'll need anywhere from 10 days to two weeks of training before you attempt any professional paintless dent repair jobs.
     But don't expect to be an expert after two weeks. Learning paintless dent removal is like learning to play the piano. You may be able to play a song or two after two weeks, but there's still more learning to do.
     Training another shop employee to perform this service may not always pay off. You could see your newly trained worker leave to go into business for themselves.
     The best way to avoid this is to limit the skill to yourself or make sure you are paying well any employee you train. Also, consider putting an ad in the paper looking for a professionals who already have the skill. That way, if the person leaves you're only out the cost of the ad.

Q. Is it a competitive market?
A. Studies seem to indicate that the cost of purchasing a paintless dent removal system keeps many detailers out of the trade. According to the Professional Carwashing & Detailing 1998 Detailing Survey, only 15.1 percent of detail shops offer the service, which ranks behind pin striping and window tinting, and just ahead of windshield repair.
    So, most detailers who choose to offer this service shouldn't have to worry about being frozen out of the market by competitive forces.

Q. Will I make my money back?
A. Despite reluctance by many detailers to offer the service, paintless dent repair can be extremely lucrative. The average price charged by respondents to the survey was almost $95 per panel. Not bad for what is usually much less than an hour's work.
     One detailer even tracks weather and moves around the country, setting up temporary shop in areas that have suffered recent hail storms.
     But don't expect retail customers to beat a path to your door. The public by and large is unaware that this service is even out there, so while you'll have a competitive advantage, you'll have to either market heavily or line up some wholesale dealer business to make money.