If you're trying to sell a vehicle that has some serious issues, you may be wondering whether or not you should repair it before selling it. There are a few major things that you need to consider: the amount of cash you'd need to invest, the amount of time the repair would take, and the return on your investment. In many situations, it's not worthwhile to repair a car if it has very significant problems; instead, you may want to sell it to a place that specializes in buying cars that need repairs.
Recouping Your Investment
Most significant issues -- such as transmission or air conditioning issues -- simply aren't worth the cost that they would take to fix. Though it may cost $2,000 to drop a new transmission into your car, you may not be able to increase your asking price by $2,000. And even if you manage to get $2,500 more for the car, you need to consider the amount of time that it took for you to fix it; that's time you could have already made a sale in at a lower price.
On the other hand, smaller repairs, such as dents and dings, may actually be worthwhile. A long scratch in an otherwise perfect car could cause a buyer to hesitate -- and it will only cost a small amount of money to fix. When considering repairs, you need to consider both the cost of the repair and the amount you can increase the vehicle's price.
Don't Forget the Liability Factor
Of course, there is a downside to selling a car as-is. Even if you sell your car as-is, if it's truly dangerous or stops working, you could potentially have some issues with the buyer. This is why it's often best to sell the vehicle to a professional service that knows what they're dealing with.
At Ace Auto Parts, we're able to buy "junk" vehicles that need significant repairs and repair them at a lower cost than any private owner. This is because we have the supplies, equipment, and labor all at hand. Because of our junk vehicle program, we're able to give you as much money as possible for your vehicle -- without you having to invest unnecessary amounts of time and money into the project. Contact us today to find out more about our junk car services.