PDR and touch-up specialists.TIP: Most all certified (CPO) cars have been gone over by^
This is why they look so good. These cars command premium pricing; youcan make your car worth more by using these same artisans. If you can’t
find any using an Internet search, call the accounting department at somehigh-end dealers and ask if they have any contact information for the ones (^)
they use.
If your car has had paintwork, it is critical to have either the detailer or thetouch-up person—whoever has more experience with this type of thing—
wet sand out excess “orange peel,” dust and “fish eyes” in the paint, andalso have them get rid of the tape lines in the door jams that give the game (^)
away to astute shoppers and dealership personnel. This should cost $50 to$100 more, but is worth it. But make sure they know what they’re doing, or
they can “cloud” the paint’s clear coat. I cover how to identify these on thevideos and in the chapter on buying used cars.
Finally, if your windshield is cracked or heavily pitted, consider areplacement at about $200 for most cars if you’re selling it outright (dealers (^)
can usually get it done cheaper than you can when you’re trading). Theexception is in the depth of winter in snowy states, where it doesn’t make (^)
sense to put in a new windshield that could get cracked right away. Stonepits that haven’t cracked can be filled in—and your car insurance will
usually pay for it. That’s worth doing whether you’re trading or selling itretail.