18 May 2026
Six out of 10 dealers (61%) say repairing minor dents is the cosmetic fix most likely to increase the showroom appeal of a used car, according to new research.
May’s Startline Used Car Tracker shows other repairs considered important were scratches (55%), minor rips in fabric (37%) and chips in windows (35%).
Also mentioned were bumper scuffs (34%), condition of paintwork (32%), marks on interior plastics (32%), bonnet chips (29%), new registration plates (27%), kerbed wheels (26%) and odours from pets or smoking (18%).
Paul Burgess, CEO at Startline Motor Finance, said: “One of the lingering effects of the pandemic is that most dealers are retailing noticeably older stock that in the 2010s. Previous research we carried out showed 33% of dealers were spending more time on cosmetically preparing cars as a result of this ageing. We thought it would be interesting to find out which repairs dealers considered essential in terms of boosting appeal to consumers.
“Perhaps unsurprisingly, the most immediately visible when first examining a car online or in the showroom – dents and scratches – come out top but arguably more revealing are those considered least important. Consumers are more likely to be deterred by kerbed alloys and bad smells, it seems.”
The Startline Used Car Tracker also asked dealers how much they typically spent on cosmetic preparation per car, ranging from less than £100 (5% of dealers) to £100-200 (5%), £200-300 (37%), £300-400 (21%), £400-500 (18%) to over £500 (15%).
Paul said: “More than nine out of 10 dealers are spending at least £200 on prep and around one in six more than £500. These are quite substantial investments on a per unit basis and show the importance dealers are placing on making older stock as presentable as possible.”
Compiled monthly by APD Global Research – well-known in the motor industry for their business intelligence reporting and customer experience programs – the Startline Used Car Tracker this month questioned 309 consumers and 62 dealers.