If selling a car do you make more money paying for a repair or selling with a fault?
When selling a car do you make more money paying for a repair or selling with a fault? We have a Mazda MX-5 60 plate with a £300 seal problem that lights a dashboard warning light.
Asked on 11 December 2025 by John Beattie
Answered by
Craig Cheetham
To answer your question in general terms, it depends on the expense involved in rectifying the fault and the value of the car. In this instance, the car will be much easier to sell if repaired, and for the sake of £300 we'd get the work done, as it will sell far more easily without a warning on the dash and you'd probably take a hit of more than £300 in lost value selling it with the fault.
Tags:
selling
Similar questions
If I transfer my policy to my new car will a potential buyer still be covered by his policy to drive mine even though it’s not insured by me?
I recently sold a 14 year old MINI which I had bought for my wife but she prefered her original car. I MoTd it and drove it for twelve miles and it passed the MoT and drove without fault. Subsequently...
I replaced my instrument cluster and it reads 50,000 miles more than the car has done. I have supporting documentation. Would this make a difference to the price I would get for it?
Elsewhere on 
