Used car owners looking to sell their vehicles have been urged to avoid one popular fix over fears they could lose money. Sellers will usually want to present their car in the best possible condition before placing an advert to sell a car in a bid to extract the highest possible valuation.
This can include fixing damage, with owners concerned that bodywork dents or scratches could hold them back. Although damage will reduce a car’s overall value, Tim Rodie, automotive expert at Motorpoint, stressed that expensive mechanic repair costs can outweigh the benefit in a major blow.
Cosmetic damage may not reduce value much
In some cases, it may be better to leave the damage as it is and accept the lower price than try and chase extra profit fixing small cosmetic details.
Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk, Tim said: “If you’re planning to sell your car, you might look at every scratch, small dent or a scuffed alloy and assume you need to get it fixed before anyone values the car.
“But cosmetic damage doesn’t always knock a huge amount off your car’s value. On lower-value cars, even fairly visible damage might only knock a few hundred pounds off the offer, so a £300 repair could easily cost more than it gains.
Check value before deciding on fixes
“Instead, the best approach is to find out what your car is worth first. You can then decide whether cheap, targeted fixes to cosmetic damage - or even a good clean and polish - are likely to offer more than they cost.
“And always be honest about the condition when getting your car valued. Trying to hide damage won’t make it disappear and could mean the valuation changes once the car is inspected.”
WeBuyAnyCar has previously stressed that light surface scratches will result in only “minor value loss”. The car sales group warned that standard paintwork damage can cost road users between £120 and £180 to fix.
Repair costs vs. value loss
However, road users may only see their car valuation drop by £100 per panel if they didn’t get the issue repaired. They explained that a few scratches on a £4,000 car might reduce its value by around 5–10%, which would work out at £300.
The RAC previously said: “You’ll have to decide whether it’s worth getting any cosmetic damage fixed. If you do, the car might be worth more money or be easier to sell, but you’re unlikely to get all of your cash back.”
