Do I repair a car before I sell it or not?

djd68

Hello,

I have got a Ford Focus C-Max (06 plate) that my wife recently reversed into a lamppost. The cost of the repar is about £600. I spoke to my insurance broker who said with the excess and the increase in insurance premium it was better to pay to get it fixed myself.

We have now decided to change the car and my question is, should I get it fixed before I sell it or will I be able to sell it and get within £600 of book price. I'd prefer not to have to get if fixed, purely from a inconvenience factor but if I am going to get significantly less than book price because of the damage then I'll get it done.

Thanks.

LincolnshireYokel

well theres two option:
1. sell it as it is 'as seen' .
2. repair it and sell it as no faults

Obviously you get more money selling it as option 2, but if the cost of repairing it is more than the difference in value between option 1 and option 2, then it isnt worth doing, is it? You'll lose money.

Whats it worth repaired and unrepaired, and whats the cost of repairs. Then do the maths.: is it worth over £600 more when fixed?

Without seeing the damage, its hard to judge, but i wouldn't have thought so.

djd68

I guess that's what I'm asking - how much is it worth un-repaired?

I would have thought that if I am paying a garage £600 to fix it then there is vat and margin built into that so the true cost of the repair might be nearer £300.

Also, the damage is only cosmetic so somebody might be happy to get a cheap car that drives well for a cheaper price.

Lum

How much is the car worth?

If it's banger money, and I was buying it, a dented rear bumper wouldn't bother me in the slightest. I also wouldn't bother fixing it afterwards.

djd68

Parkers rate it as

Private good: £2800
Private poor: £2295
Part Ex: £2500

It's got 4 new tyres, 9 months tax, 3 months MOT and it's done less than average mileage for it's age.

MX5huggy

Trawl eBay, scrap yards for a replacement in the correct colour, should save.

Get more quotes, I had quotes between £160 and £400 to respray a bonet.

If part ex don't bother fixing, if private sale then fix it no one wants their "new" car to be a smashed up rough car.

NBLondon

Bit of a wild guess, but wouldn't selling it with damage reduce the number of possible buyers? If you don't want to go through the hassle of getting it sorted (for a valid reason) then the same applies to buyers.

What it might attract is people who think they can fix it themselves on the cheap and maybe sell on. They would try and knock you down by more than the £600 so they can then make more profit.

The older the car, the less it matters but an '06 isn't a banger yet is it???

cyclonebri1

Get a cheapo repair done.

Sorry I wouldn't normaly advise that but for something purely cosmetic and to get the car gone I'd go that way.

If the insurance quote is £600, £300 no receipt etc would get it done just as pretty.

You need to provide a little more detail, but a mint rear bumper should be an easy source as most scrappers are front end wrecks.

LincolnshireYokel

NBLondon wrote: »

but an '06 isn't a banger yet is it???

Unless its a Kia

djd68

Unfortunately it's right on the corner, covering two panels. They'll have to beat it out and re-spray so no alternative but to go to a body shop really.

Have spoken to the garage about a part ex and they told me to bring it in as it is.

s_b

djd68 wrote: »

Unfortunately it's right on the corner, covering two panels. They'll have to beat it out and re-spray so no alternative but to go to a body shop really.

Have spoken to the garage about a part ex and they told me to bring it in as it is.

so would i:D

find an independent bodyshop that works on real time rather than glasses time and get a quote


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