Repair or sell as is?

Eric_33

Our 2002 Honda Accord EX (196K) needs repairs valued at $1200 (new brake line, rear brake calipers). Kelley Blue Book value for private party sale in excellent working condition is around $3,000. I just got new front and back brake pads and rotors and otherwise the car is in excellent condition, looks good, and has been well maintained throughout. Should I get the repairs done and then try to sell it online or sell it as is? If the latter, who would buy a car with malfunctioning brakes? A scrap dealer? An auto mechanic? What kind of price might I expect to receive then? I'm trying to figure out the math. Advice gratefully received.

stickguy

so you aren't keeping it regardless? Are you planning to sell it privately or trade it in?

seems odd that they would have put new pads and rotors on if it needed calipers too. But, in any case, even for an Accord at that mileage $3,000 seems ambitious.

you can sell anything, just disclose what it needs. Especially with a Honda, someone handy will snap it up and do the repairs needed whether you will get $1,200 is really hard to judge, and if you are trading it in, you are getting next to nothing anything so definitely not worth repairing. Only if doing a private sale.

graphicguy

stickguy said:

so you aren't keeping it regardless? Are you planning to sell it privately or trade it in?

seems odd that they would have put new pads and rotors on if it needed calipers too. But, in any case, even for an Accord at that mileage $3,000 seems ambitious.

you can sell anything, just disclose what it needs. Especially with a Honda, someone handy will snap it up and do the repairs needed whether you will get $1,200 is really hard to judge, and if you are trading it in, you are getting next to nothing anything so definitely not worth repairing. Only if doing a private sale.

Agree!

IF you’re wanting to get rid of it, throw an ad up on Craigslist, listing everything right and wrong with it. See what kind of offers you get. That will tell you what it’s worth (whatever someone’s willing to pay).

~200K miles is getting to the end of any car’s useful life, even a Honda. I wouldn’t expect it to be trouble from any more. It’s always going to need something, if you decide to keep it.