but I have no idea where to ask so I'm gonna ask my fellow Clubbers. I have a car for sale(one that is funding the 09 Clubman) and want to ask your opinions on the matter. It has 2 paint chips on the front bumper(wife barely scraped while make too wide of a turn) and a crack on the driver side front bumper(this happened when she went over a large rock). Finally there is a dent on the driver side(panel beside the hood) and this was also caused when she went over the large rock(this seems easily fixed with a PDR).

Anyways, my question is, is it better to get spot painting on the chipped part through MAACO and/or fix the crack(is this even doable)? Or just change out the whole front bumper? Should I bother doing this if I end up trading the car in for the Clubbie? What kind of cost am I looking at?

Rough estimation is;
Option 1: Spot paint and PDR the dent but leave the crack unless repairable(highly doubtful)-no idea on cost.

Option 2: Replace the whole front bumper and fix the dent. I see new primed ones for about $160 shipped but I would need to get it painted which I have no idea.

Option 3: Ignore the whole issue and just trade it in and get what I can for it? I'm trying to privately sell it but cracks and dents turn alot of buyers off.

 

If you are going to do a trade-in, you are going to take a hit on value anyhow, so let them fix it.

The more important lesson is one of letting her drive the new MINI.

 

Do NOT do touch up repairs that are easily spotted.

My mom had her car repainted when she traded it in to make it 'look good' and they were suspicious that it had been in an accident and repainted to cover the bodywork. BIG hit on the trade in value.

I cracked a bumper and had it replaced and repainted, and they noted it in my trade in.

It's easier and more cost effective for them to see the actual damage for what it is rather than play a guessing game of what you may have potentially screwed up. They're playing it as an investment; they'll buy it from you for a price, fix it it up cheap, and sell it at a higher profit to a dealer or on their own lot. Let them deal with it, I wouldn't be surprised if you got LESS for it otherwise.

 

If you trade the car in at a dealer they will knock you down on price even if its in perfect condition,but then again its there problem to fix it not yours,
I think if you sold the car privately somebody would knock you down on price as well (they would over here)so why not sell the car privately but put the price up $500 dollars,then you will get knocked down but end up with the actually price you want for it.