Regardless of the adage, people do judge a book by its cover. When selling a car, if people don't like what they see, they will likely leave before seeing how well the car runs. Spend the time and money getting your car looking good before listing it to make a quicker sale.

Exterior Body and Paint

You can pop out minor dents and touch up paint scratches yourself. For major damage, get the car into an auto body repair shop to do the work. This is especially the case if you have deep dents that have begun to rust. To potential buyers, this says that you've ignored the repair for a long time and they'll wonder how you've treated the rest of the car.

If you don't have major repairs that need attention from a body shop, consider getting a paint job anyway. A decent paint job at a local chain will make the car look cleaner, brighter and will make small dents unnoticeable.

Exterior Trim

Once you have the overall body spruced up, the trim is your next focus. Polish all of the chrome pieces and replace any that are pitted, dented, scratched or rusted. Some of the parts you can get from a salvage yard to save a few bucks. Don't skimp here. The trim on your car will catch and keep the buyer's eye. Here is a list of items that should be made to look their best:

• Headlight and taillight frames
• Front and rear bumpers
• Front and rear license plate holders
• Hood ornament
• Door handles
• Rear view mirrors
• Trim around doors and windows
• Trim around the wheel wells
• Trunk handle
• Chrome wheels, hub caps and covers

Interior Seating and Trim

If you have tears, holes or big stains on your seats, consider one of four options to address them:

• Have an auto upholstery shop repair the damage and clean the seats.
• Buy new seats from the dealer.
• Replace the seats with salvage yard seats that are in better condition.
• Invest in a high-quality set of seat covers.

Pick whichever option fits your budget. Don't ignore the seat damage. Buyers may walk away from a good car because it has torn seats and they know that they won't spend the time or money to have them repaired.

As with the exterior trim, clean, replace or repair any interior trim and accents such as:

• Door handles and locks
• Steering wheel
• Rear view mirror
• Knobs, levers and handles on the dashboard

When people go shopping for a used car, how it runs is important. But if they don't like the looks of the car, they may leave before you have the chance to start it up. Fix all of those cosmetic issues and give your car a better chance of getting sold quickly. If you need professional help with repairs, visit Capital Collision Center Inc.