Yeah I was satisfied with the $600 quote from the dealer. I expected it to be higher. I think the lady who wrote the estimate felt bad because I had to wait a long time while my wife and kids waited in the car. I was paying out of my own pocket, and not going through insurance, so I think that also makes a difference.
I think in general you're right, it's probably not worth it paying for repairs if you're going to trade in the car right away, but I took a calculated gamble and I think it paid off. I received even more than the Kelly Blue Book's "Good" trade-in value. If there was a big crack in the bumper cover, the dealer would've had the upper-hand in negotiations and I would've had to argue hard just to get the "Fair" trade-in value.
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