Scratches can bring down the appearance of your car and often negatively affect the value. But are they worth spending money to repair? It depends very much on the circumstances. This post lists a few considerations that could help you to decide whether to repair those scratches.
Consider the age and value of your car
If you’ve got a fairly basic car that has done a lot of miles, you may not be too worried about a scratch on the bodywork. At this stage, getting a scratch repaired isn’t likely to improve the value much. This is especially the case if your car has lots of other wear and tear.
If your car is still relatively new or rare, scratch repair is likely to be more worthwhile. In these cases, a scratch is likely to have more of a negative impact on the value. Getting it fixed up could be important if you plan to one sell your vehicle, allowing you to price the vehicle much higher.
Consider the severity and location of the scratch
It’s worth considering where the scratch is and how deep it is. Surface-level paint scratches may not be worth repairing. This is particularly the case if they’re somewhere that isn’t very noticeable.
A deep scratch on the bumper or driver door may be more of concern – not just because of how obvious it is, but because there could be damage underneath. Modern car bodywork is designed to crumple, and so large scratches and dents can sometimes end up affecting other parts. It’s worth getting such scratches looked at by a professional, just to check that there are no underlying issues. Repairs could be necessary in some cases where scratches interfere with other parts.
Consider how much it costs to fix
Some scratches can cost a lot of money to repair, while others can be very cheaply repaired. It’s sometimes worth getting a quote just to see how much you’re likely to pay. You can then see if this falls within your budget. If you plan to sell your car in the near future, you may also want to take into account the value of the car, and whether the cost of repairs is worth the added value.
You may be able to save money on certain repairs by looking into specialists. For example, alloy wheel repair could be a lot more affordable from an alloy wheel repair specialist rather than a general repair centre. With minor scratches, consider the fact that you may be able to repair them yourself, particularly if they are quite fresh. Check out these DIY scratch repair tips for an idea of what is possible.
Consider whether you’re covered by insurance
You may be able to use compensation from your insurer to repair certain forms of damage. It depends on what your policy covers you for – some car insurance only covers damage to third party vehicles or may not cover damage from vandalism.
Ultimately, if you can get your insurance provider to pay for repairs, it’s worth taking advantage of this. Of course, you may still have to pay excess and you should be wary of the fact that your insurance rates may increase.