Selling my car, how far do I go to fix things?

Buying/Selling
1

I just bought a Mercedes SL600 so it is time to sell my 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder GS. 96,000 miles on her and running strong. 4cyl, automatic tranny.



Just wanting some expericenced advice on how much to fix before selling it:



1. The leather wrapped stearing wheel has a hole in the leather at the top of the wheel where I have worn through it by always holding it in that spot. The hole is about an inch long and half inch wide. Should I get it fixed (if so how?), put on a wheel cover, or leave it?



2. Should I put the original radio back in the car?



3. I will put the original rims back on the car and will put new tires on those rims. Worth it?



As for the rest of the car the paint and top are both only about a year old (thank you to whom ever keyed the paint and slashed the top). Everyting else works fine though the car has been in two accidents. I know that certainly does not help the selling value but the car was repaired at certified dealerships.



Here’s another ending thought: Is it worth it to sell the car to an individual or take a lesser offer but quickly and easily sell the car to Carmax? Anyone out there sold to Carmax?



Thank you!

2

I have no idea how much a Mitsubishi is worth, but I probably wouldn’t mess with it. Is there a local used dealer that will either buy it wholesale or sell it for you on consignment. Personally, I think selling used cars privately is more trouble than it’s worth.

3

I would not bother with the fixes. You’ll never recoup your money. If a buyer complains it will come out in the wash of the transaction price.

4

Fix nothing and say nothing. Let the buyer decide what he/she wants to fix.

5

But if I don’t fix anything and don’t say anything about any problems would I be liable for “non-disclosure” or some such legal jargon? I don’t wan’t to “put one over” on anybody~

6

If your state requires an inspection before it can get tags, get the inspection certificate. Selling a car tht can be driven almost immediately by the buyer is the best selling point you can offer.

I sold a minivan to CarMax in 2003. I got a lot more than I expected, but it also had an engine problem that Ford couldn’t fix (excessive carbon build-up). I’d sell it myself if it is in good shape.