partial respray and car's value

[PoorOwner]

I think this may be the most suitable forum to ask.
We bought a 11 year old SUV it has got some dings and scratches.
Dings will be taken out by a good PDR guy.

There are some scratches and keyed a bit, and where the door swing out is full of chips like someone opened it against a stucco wall everyday (only on the door's edge). Most of these are on the doors.

I got a bottle of touch up paint and was going to order a more expensive chip repair "system".. but just thinking about what to do, I am probably going to keep the vehicle for years. I plan to have the car repainted when the roof and hood clearcoat fails, that's why I didn't really mind the dings and dents keeping this in mind.

However now I am thinking having a mobile guy come out and do touchup, and I doubt the finest hand touchup will suffice he will probably spray the door and blend it etc.

I am not sure if spraying will decrease the car's value by much, I was always told original paint is more precious than anything. However soon after I have studied the car in detail, the front and rear bumper has already been repainted.

so my question as title say, does a partial respray really make the car value go down?
No bondo is involved beside scruffed up plastic moulding.

Additional thoughts: I don't really know how much "value" I am dwelling on however. It's like a $12-$15k car, by the time I want to sell it probably will be over 200k miles and be a clunker worth a few Ks only?

[dcjredline]

IMO a respray (quality one not your uncle under his weeping willow tree) isnt going to devalue a 200k 15 year old car. It barely devalues an already 11 year old car with what 75k on it?

Respray done right shouldnt devalue the car enough to worry.

[SYMAWD]

Nothing at all on a car that old.

[LSNAutoDetailing]

IMO a respray (quality one not your uncle under his weeping willow tree) isnt going to devalue a 200k 15 year old car. It barely devalues an already 11 year old car with what 75k on it?

Respray done right shouldn't devalue the car enough to worry.


Ditto...

Think like an auto dealer for one minute. When a car gets traded into a dealership and if they decide to keep on their lot, (not send it to auction) odds are, the bumper cover is pulled and resprayed and a big maybe with the hood (if the Hood is bad). But most certainly the bumper cover. Do you think the dealer lowers his price on the car because of that? Heck no, if anything he adds 15%.

Respraying the car isn't going to devalue. On the other hand, if it were t a 1963 Split Window Corvette, or a 1968 Porsche that is all original ...most definitely yes, that would devalue. ;-)

[PoorOwner]

I sold a car in the 5k range, most of the paint is original but the potential buyer kept checking for respray. He did find panels with a respray and kept knocking and listening claiming there is maybe some bondo.

I didn't think it is a big deal as it had VIN number on every panel.. it probably just got dented by a shopping cart or got keyed.
So if anything, a respray alarms the potential buyer. It's not a big number but could mean a $1k difference for a private sale? Next guy comes along, loved it and drove it away though.

Now I had some time to sleep on it, the vertical panels of this one should have plenty of thickness, just the key mark and door chip, scratched side mirrors being bad. Seems like a careless previous owner maneuvering this big vehicle. All in all "normal" for a utility vehicle. They always had it dealer serviced that's why I bought it.

Maybe should do drpaintchip for now and wait for the whole car repaint?

[Toonces]

Take detailed pics before and during the respray so you can document what was done and why it was done. In your case, it might well actually add value, as long as you can prove that there was no major damage.