Should I Repair My Car Before Trading It In

The Disadvantages Of Repairing Your Car Before Trading It In

Of course, you will get a better offer for sale or trade in when your car has been repaired but consider this. The Ford F-150 has been the best-selling truck in America for decades now. So, it’s safe to assume it’s a common automobile. If you were looking to trade in a 2010 Ford F-150, according to Edmunds.com your trade-in value would be between $5,043 for a truck in rough condition and $7,632 for a truck in outstanding condition.

Now let’s say that 2010 Ford F150 looks great from the outside but it has a blown transmission. Getting a new transmission is going to cost somewhere between $1,800 and $3,000. Add in some labour costs of about $500 to $1,200 for a total price of a transmission replacement that can be anywhere from $2,300 to $4,200. And those are just average prices, could be a little more or it could be a little less.

Now if your truck was worth $7,600 to begin with and that’s if it was in otherwise outstanding condition, you lost more than half the value repairing it to that state. You actually would have made more money on the deal if you left your truck in rough condition and took the $5,000 trade in.

Should You Fix Your Car Before Trading It In

The better condition your vehicle is in, the higher its trade-in value. So should you fix your vehicles issues before trading it in? There are some issues you may want to address prior to trading your vehicle in, including:

If your car has another issue that isnt listed above, you may want to trade it in as is instead of trying to make the repairs on your own.

Cons Of Repairing Your Car Before You Sell It

• You might end up with a loss in the end. Make sure you make a good evaluation of the financial side of the repairs. Remember that repairs might be much more expensive than you first anticipated.
• Fixing your car before a sale can also be extremely time-consuming and stressful. How much do you value your time in comparison to money? If there is a chance for measly profits, you might be better off using your time doing something more productive. Sell the unrepaired car to the dealership and be done with it.

Recommended Reading: Where Can I Sell My Car Online

Guide On Selling Damaged Cars

In many cases, yes! In fact, your trade value might be higher if you trade your car in with the body damage unrepaired. Not only can the dealer see the problem as it is, but they can also profit from doing the repairs themselves.

The downside is that some dealerships wont want to deal with cars that have body damage or don’t run. If thats the case, you might not be able to trade it in, or you might get a significantly lower appraisal. Especially if it’s not running.

Extend The Life Of Your Car

If you are not yet faced with making the tough decision to fix up or trade in your vehicle, there are steps you can take to prevent or avoid costly repairs.

Get your new car maintained at its proper intervals to avoid problems and breakdowns. Use our maintenance guide to learn the recommended service intervals for your vehicle. Maintaining a much older car means paying close attention to items that commonly break down. We recommend finding a good, reliable local mechanic as a less expensive alternative to a dealership service department.

Read Also: How To Balance Car Tires

Should I Repair My Car’s Dent Before Getting A Trade

The other day I was driving and a mattress flew off of the car in front of me, dented my car door and put a small scratch in the paint. Even a small damage like this is estimated to cost $1250 to repair. I could go through insurance but don’t love the idea of making a claim unless I can figure out the hit-and-run driver’s insurance.

Anyway, I was planning to trade in this car soon anyway to get a new CRV or similar. It’s a 2011 Subaru Impreza 2.5i Premium with only 61,000 miles. The KBB trade showed the range at 5300-6900

My question is, if I show up at the dealer with this dent in the door, how much will that detract from the value? If it would knock off less than my deductible it’s not worth getting fixed, if you follow me. Other option is for me to pop out the dents myself, or try as it’s not very deep, and leave the cracked paint as-is, since the paint is 2/3 of the cost. But that would at least be less of a very visible issue when I drove it up to them.

Just curious what the professional thing, as I could also see this being something that they shrug off as an easy fix that won’t change things too much.

Trade In Your Car Today

After youve done all the repairs and maintenance you want to do on your car, bring it to Rydell Outlet Center in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Our sales specialist will give your car an assessment and provide you with a fair trade-in price for your vehicle. Get in touch with an associate today for more information.

Read Also: How To Fix Car Door Latch

Trade In Your Damaged Car With Damagedcarscom

Damaged Cars will give you a fair offer for your car whether it is pristine or in less-than-perfect condition. It can have body damage or frame damage youll get a fair price based on its condition and it will be as easy as can be.

Request an offer online for your car and give your vehicles details. Youll receive a guaranteed offer for your car in as-is where-is condition.

If you accept the offer, Damaged Cars will put cash in your hand for it and pick it up, free of charge. Easy as that. Get your offer for your vehicle now.

Should I Fix My Car Before Trading It In

Should I Fix My Car Before Trading It In? You finally decided it was time to trade in your car. The process is straightforward: turn this auto around and get something newer, bigger, and better.

But wait! Before you whip out the chequebook and spill coffee on yourself from signing your name, youre probably wondering how much of a difference it might make to fix your current wheels. Is it reasonable that fixing your current vehicle could pay off down the line? Well look at this question to see if the extra expense is worth it.

If you’re planning to trade your car in, there’s no reason for you to spend money on repairs.

If youre planning to trade your car in, theres no reason for you to spend money on repairs. Youre going to trade the car in any way, so it is not necessary to be perfect. The seller of the used car dealership will give you a fair price for your vehicle regardless of its condition so long as they can tell what year and make your vehicle is and that it runs well enough on the test drive. If you want to sell your car yourself , then yes, fixing any problems before selling would probably be a good idea.

Read Also: Do You Need Car Insurance In New Hampshire

Trading The Car In A Dealership

The dealership offered to purchase the car for 5500$ without me replacing the fuel injectors. I then asked them what they would be prepared to pay me if I took care of the fuel injectors. Their answer was loud and clear: 6000$ and not a penny more. My car was otherwise in perfect condition, with no dents, significant scratches or anything. The only thing wrong with it was the faulty fuel injectors.

Immediately, you can see that financially that makes zero sense. If I decided to repair the car, It would cost me at least 1700$ with OEMs new spare parts and labour at my independent BMW mechanic. Even if I tried to install poorly refurbished BMW piezo fuel injectors, I would not be able to make a profit for the additional 500$ that the dealership offered me. In that sense, It made absolutely no sense for me to repair my car.

On the other side, the low to mid-market value for my car at the time was 8000-9000$. This was a realistic price range at which a well-maintained, fully operating E90 would sell for. In addition, the dealership was planning on maybe replacing the fuel injectors with used ones that would at least temporarily fix the lousy start of the engine, and they would gladly sell the car with 2000-3000$ profit.

I hated the idea of giving them a chance at an easy flip. So I didnt.

How To Trade In Your Car With Problems Works

Trading in a non-running car or a car with a blown engine will typically yield very little value. You actually might be able to sell your car online for more profit. CarBrain specializes in evaluating damaged cars and giving you the true value of your vehicle. Get an instant offer online now to see how much you can sell your problem car for.

Can you sell a car with mechanical problems?

Its tough to sell a car with issues especially if it doesnt run or drive. This is primarily because the buyer cant test drive it. And if it has electrical issues or other mechanical problems, you can expect a lowball offer or a Thanks, Im not interested as they walk away.

Can you trade in an old car for a new one?

Provided you can buy a new car with other funds, selling an older car on your own may be a viable option. Even if your car has problems, trading in the vehicle to a dealer has many advantages over selling it to a private buyer. Depending on your trade value, a trade-in may eliminate the down payment on a new car.

How to sell a car with transmission problems?

CarBrain deals with all kinds of cars cars with mechanical issues, junk cars, damaged cars, cars with transmission issues, and cars for scrap, just to name a few. Its as easy as can be. Simply request an online quote for your vehicle.

Also Check: Can I Cancel My Car Insurance Anytime

Should I Sell Or Trade In My Damaged Car

When you trade in a damaged vehicle to a company that buys and sells used cars, you are generally obligated to purchase a car from their limited stock.

Additionally, its car prices might be slightly inflated due to the fact that the companies will generally spend some time repairing and refurbishing vehicles they buy in order to sell them again.

Finally, if you are trading in a damaged car, you can expect to receive only a fraction of what a newer vehicle might be worth. You may only receive a couple hundred dollars of the price of your new car.

By choosing to sell your car rather than trade it in at a dealership, you can get quotes from more locations. This allows you to get a better idea of what value your car may have. Additionally, you are not obligated to purchase any particular vehicle when you sell your car independently.

Pros And Cons Of Repairing Vs Not Repairing Your Car Before A Sale

Here is my take on the pros and cons of repairing vs not repairing your car before deciding to sell it. Your situation might be different from mine because it all varies based on the number of things that need repairs on a vehicle and how honest you decide to be when selling the car. I am always 100% genuine because I want others to be the same.

Recommended Reading: What Are Struts On A Car

Trading In A Car With Issues

If your car has significant repairs that are not worth fixing, a trade-in may be your best bet. Dealerships will give you an offer on your trade-in and you can decide whether or not this will be your best course of action. You should always go to the dealership and see what you would be able to get for your old car as a trade-in. This will help you decide on whether or not it would be worth it to try and sell it to a third party or if you just want the convenience of the dealership taking it off your hands.

Disability Profiles Supported In Our Website

• Epilepsy Safe Mode: this profile enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
• Visually Impaired Mode: this mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
• Cognitive Disability Mode: this mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
• ADHD Friendly Mode: this mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
• Blindness Mode: this mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
• Keyboard Navigation Profile : this profile enables motor-impaired persons to operate the website using the keyboard Tab, Shift+Tab, and the Enter keys. Users can also use shortcuts such as M , H , F , B , and G to jump to specific elements.

Also Check: How To Find A Short In A Car

Do Dealers Accept Trade

Dealers accept most vehicles as trade-ins. This includes vehicles that are not in perfect condition. As long as the dealer thinks it is possible to fix the vehicle and resell it for a profit, it will be accepted as a trade-in. Even if your vehicle doesnt run, it can be towed to the dealership to complete the trade-in.

Its important to note that dealers typically will not accept vehicles with salvage titles as trade-ins. If a vehicle has a salvage title, this means it has suffered extensive damage and has been considered a total loss by an insurance company.

Wash And Detail Your Car

As a basic rule of thumb, making a good first impression at the car dealership means thoroughly cleaning your vehicle, both the interior and the exterior. No amount of cosmetic improvements can hide a blown engine, of course, but buyers want to know that your car has had proper upkeep. It will be hard to convince a dealer that your trade in has had regular oil changes and is worth good money if it looks like a junk car.

First, hand wash and wax the exterior. You can pay a professional or do it yourself. If youre taking the wash into your own hands, make sure to use an actual car-wash product and not dish soap, laundry soap, or any other household cleaners. Its also best to use a specific car-wash sponge, microfiber cloth, or lambs wool washing mitt, and be sure to regularly re-wet that sponge, towel, or mitt in your bucket of car-wash suds as you clean each section of the vehicle.

Waxing your car after its washed will add an appealing shine. The newer synthetic, polymer-based waxes are easier to use than carnauba-based waxes, but either will work as long you apply it with a foam applicator pad using tight, circular strokes. Once youve covered the entire car, remove the excess wax with a clean microfiber towel.

Recommended Reading: How To Find Out The Value Of My Car

Is It Illegal To Trade In A Car With Problems

Its not illegal to trade a vehicle that needs repairs into a dealership.

Like selling a car, however, you must make the dealership aware of the cars problems. Failure to do so is typically illegal and can result in legal issues for you.

Most dealerships will accept trade-ins of cars that need work like:

• Fuel System Issues

Dealerships will accept trade-in vehicles with any of these issues and more. That said, the knowledge that something is wrong with the vehicle will absolutely result in a low trade-in value for a car in poor condition.

Options To Trade In Vehicles Near You

You have a few places you can turn to if you need to trade in a nonrunning car online. Although they each come with their pros and cons, it is up to you to weigh out your options.

You can trade in a car with problems by:

It’s important to weigh out your options before making a decision about where to sell or trade in your car with issues.

Read Also: How To Get Internet In Car

Can I Sell An Accident Damaged Car

Trading in a car with body damage isnt too complicated, except for the valuation. It works the same way except the trade value will be much lower. If you have an incomplete insurance claim, you can usually get more money for your car.

Minor damage will be a small hit to your car trade-in value while extensive damage will put a-hurtin’ on your trade value.