Fix damage before trade in?

muckwarrior · 10-09-2021 9:27am #1

Some #$@& ran into the passenger front door of my wife's '16 fiesta while parked. The door needs replacing and there's also some sill damage.

We had been thinking of trading it in anyway so now we're wondering if it's worth our while paying for the damage to be fixed, or just take the hit on what the dealer would give us. I'm thinking that since they could have the repairs done at a discount compared to what we'd pay, maybe it'd work out more or less the same?

Stallingrad · 10-09-2021 11:32am

No witnesses or CCTV? This happened to me once and thanks to a witness the bastard was tracked down and paid up.

Assuming no to the above the damage certainly complicates any potential deal, and will increase the chances of being shafted on the trade in. I'd suggest getting an estimate for the cheapest possible repair, and go with that.

A pal recently got a second-hand door fitted and painted for a Clio for €800.

Bensimp · 10-09-2021 11:39am

A dealer should take a "contract repair" of the price of the vehicle at trade in. If you get it repaired yourself you will full retail for the repair. to a bodyshop.

Have you had it assessed / a quote yet?

bazz26 · 10-09-2021 12:16pm

Will a dealer just deduct what's costing them to repair it or would they deduct full retail or even more? I'd have my doubts so would price getting it repaired yourself v what they deduct from the trade-in value first.

muckwarrior · 10-09-2021 12:48pm

We actually had to have a similar repair done on the same door a couple of years ago. We sourced a second hand door and had it sprayed and fitted for ~800 IIRC. We have a newborn so would prefer not to have that hassle again, hence considering trading it in with damage, assuming that the dealer doesn't reduce the price they'd give us by a much bigger amount.

10-09-2021 4:35pm

It's worth getting a quote yourself off a body shop and then taking to a dealer and seeing what they would take off it for a trade in.

Do you have any pics of the damage?

JoeA3 · 10-09-2021 5:09pm

If you haven’t already done a deal on a trade in then I would get it fixed yourself. It’s not going to make a great impression with a dealer if it’s all banged up. A dealer will look very unfavourably at it

It’s still a relatively fresh car so you want it looking semi respectable when doing the rounds with the dealers trying to get the best deal.

Fix damage before trade in?

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