As we discussed in the chapter on buying used cars, reports from agencieslike AutoCheck and CARFAX can dramatically affect the resale value of a
used car, even though what they report is incorrect almost one-third of thetime.
before advertising it.TIP: Get copies of your vehicle’s CARFAX and AutoCheck^
If either one reports an accident that didn’t occur, or was less severe thanthe report(s) show, do the best you can do get this corrected before
advertising the car. Otherwise, expect to net between $500-$2,000 less forit.
MECHANICALS
Make sure the bill would be to fix them. An example would be a mysterious “check obvious mechanical maladies are fixed or that you know what
engine” or SRS (airbag) light in the instrument cluster. Any used carmanager—or retail buyer—who sees one of these lit up will assume the (^)
worst and discount what they’ll pay by a margin big enough to fix a majorissue. Yet, if you’ve had it diagnosed and have the mechanic’s estimate,
the appraiser or buyer will likely only lessen what they offer you by thatspecified amount, meaning that you don’t have to spend to fix the problem (^)
before selling, and don’t get less than your car could really be worth.