Your car doesnt have to be flawless, but youd want it to be as close to pristine as you can get it. Once its cleaned up, do a thorough inspection of your vehicle and look for any minor cosmetic flaws. Focus on fixing the minor flaws for instance, you can use touch-up paint to repair minor scratches and chips in exterior paint. Small dents can also be fixed using paintless dent repair methods. Worn-out floor mats, missing knobs, scuffed-up interior panels, and burned-out interior lights can also be replaced with relative ease. You can even bring fogged-up headlight covers back to life with a dedicated polishing kit.
When it comes to major cosmetic issues like moderate bumper damage, worn-out chrome trim, or cracked tail light lenses, youre better off letting the dealership tackle those flaws. The time and expense of repairing them on your own could easily cost you more than your trade-in is possibly worth.