riceuguy
Member
CarMax and damage
Got a near KBB appraisal from CarMax for my G37...they said don't pair the damage. I talked to the appraiser and he said the $600 I would spend on repairing dents and paint would only cost the a couple hundred bucks so they said it wouldn't change the appraisal at all if I fixed it. They were 10% better than AutoNation for my appraisal as well...
Got a near KBB appraisal from CarMax for my G37...they said don't pair the damage. I talked to the appraiser and he said the $600 I would spend on repairing dents and paint would only cost the a couple hundred bucks so they said it wouldn't change the appraisal at all if I fixed it. They were 10% better than AutoNation for my appraisal as well...
It depends on the approach of the company you're trying trade with. What would cost you a few hundred bucks to fix would cost a typical garage much less, but they could use it as an excuse to ding you on the valuation. We also have a lease car due back in a couple of months (my wife's Tiguan) which has road rash on 2 wheels, and a couple of door dings. I plan to get those fixed, otherwise I know I'll get screwed when I hand it back. I'd get your items fixed (aside from the windshield), I would have thought <$250 would cover it all, I'm no expert though.
My A5 was a 2009 3.2 S-line with $29k, but cosmetically and mechanically it really was as good as it gets for a car that old. Giving it back to the dealer saved me a bunch of hassle, and a bit of tax, since we technically traded it in for a Q5 for my wife (also got the loyalty discount). I assume they'll price it at around $34k, but will be interested to see.