You might be tempted to fudge your prices a little bit when you see the differences in what you can charge based on condition. Don't do it. Fraudulent behavior can have serious complications and destroy any negotiation advantages.
Let’s look at a 2004 Chevy Malibu with 50,000 miles on the odometer to show what the price difference can be depending on the car’s condition. (Information supplied by Edmunds.com.)
★★★★★: $5706
★★★★: $5322
★★★: $4468
★★: $3804
★: Take the three star price and subtract the cost of getting it back to that shape to arrive at a damaged price, according to Edmunds.
As you can see, there is a 50% price difference from one star to five star with the greatest percentage jump, 19%, between three star and four star. (That points to keeping your car in good shape from day one.)
