Should I repair my Mondeo before trading in?

I have a 2008 Mondeo 1.8 TDCi with 230,000 kilometres on the clock that I was planning on trading in against a new car. There are a couple of nasty scrapes on two of the wheel arches that I've been quoted €977 to repair and the rear axle bushes need replacing, which will cost another €350. Other than that the car is mechanically sound with all servicing and wear and tear maintenance up to date. The car has a full service history through a main Ford dealer and I've owned it since new. Given that at best, I'd expect to trade it in for €3k or scrappage, is it worth my while getting the work before trading in, or would I be better off taking the hit as part of a trade in?

Martin Moroney (Dublin)

Oct 2016 Filed under: used car values

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Expert answer

Hi Martin,

That’s a tough question as it’s very hard to know what an individual dealer would offer you and whether or not the damage and repairs in question will make a significant difference to the value. What I’d suggest is go to the dealer with whom you’re thinking of trading it in (or a number of them, if you haven’t yet decided) and have a very honest chat with them about the car. The fact that it has a full service history is very good, so what you need to find out is are you going to make more on the trade in than the cost of the repairs, or are you going to lose more than they’d cost if you leave them?

That’s the crucial question.

Neil Briscoe - Complete Car Advisor
@neilmbriscoe