Undertaking Mechanical Repairs to Increase Your Car’s Value
Do not undertake significant repairs before trading in your car. Granted, a car with a freshly rebuilt transmission will fetch more money as a trade-in than the same car with obvious transmission problems, but in most cases, it will not bring in enough additional money to cover the cost of this or other major repairs. The same can be said for bodywork.
If your car does need work, get a written estimate for those repairs. This can help in negotiations if a potential buyer cites the problem as a reason for making an unreasonably low offer. If selling privately, disclose problems in the advertising. A surprising number of people are willing to buy cars with significant faults – if the price is right.
