To any proud car owner, scratches, scuffs, chips and dents can be an ongoing concern, especially if you’re planning to resell the car at some point.
Not only does damage like this impact the overall aesthetic appeal of the vehicle, but also, its resale value with private or trade buyers.
Let’s take a look at exactly how scratches can affect the resell value of your car.
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Desirability
One of the key ways in which scratches, chips and dents can affect the value of a car is by decreasing its general desirability to potential buyers. Anyone who’s sold a car before will know that the buyer is likely to walk around the car to perform a visual inspection; deep scratches and surface damage will be plain to see, and will likely stand out to the buyer as a negative.
How much scratches, dents or chips will affect your car’s resell value will depend on its overall desirability and on the potential buyer. Some private buyers may not purchase a car at all with external damage. At webuyanycar, we will buy any car in any condition.
Repair costs
Damage including scratches, scrapes, dents and chips can impact the value of your car based on the estimated repair costs of the vehicle. Whether you’re selling to a private or trade buyer, it’s always useful to have an accurate estimate (preferably with the accompanying paperwork from a licenced professional quote).If damage or potential repairs are not detailed correctly when looking to sell, it will more than likely result in you receiving less than your initial expected price. To avoid this, you may wish to have the damages repaired before putting the car up for sale, but this may not be an economical option based on the value of the car and the cost of the repairs.
Scratches and damage to alloy wheels and trims can also have a noticeable impact on a car’s resell value. It is worth considering having these repaired by a specialist before you put it up for sale and lose value for each damaged rim.
How can I improve my chances of selling my vehicle?
You may want to have your car looked at professionally to get some advice on how best to take care of any scratches or any other external damage. This can give you a clearer idea on the level of damage to your car and whether it will require professional repairs. Minor damage can be taken care of by most body shops, usually as a fairly competitive price. It will be your decision on whether you wish to have your car professionally repaired, but as mentioned above, it may not be the most economically viable option.
It is worth considering removing car scratches yourself and having more serious damage repaired by a specialist before you put it up for sale and lose value for each scratch or damaged rim.
During the process of selling your car, be as detailed as you can and account for any damage it has in your expected price. By being clear and upfront, you are more likely to have buyers who are serious about buying the car due to there being no unexpected surprises when they arrive. As seen above, damage such as scratches and chips can have a direct impact on a car’s value. By how much will depend on the overall desirability and value of the car. Webuyanycar.com will buy any car in any condition - simply enter your registration number into the box above to find out how much your car is worth in under 30 seconds.
