Is it worth attempting to DIY paint my car before selling?
I am looking to sell a 2005 Honda Civic; ~190k miles but in good repair. It runs well, but it has a few cosmetic defects here and there- a small dent in the rear bumper and a few places where the paint is scratched/flaked off. The biggest paint problem spot is the raised part of the dent on the rear bumper, where the paint is pretty much completely scraped off in about a 1/4cm spot. The car's not rusting, but these spots keep it from looking really nice.
A professional paint job would cost more than the selling price for the car.
Is it worth trying a DIY ~$500 paint job before selling it? The main reason is that I worry I won't even be able to find a buyer with the paint chips.
Or do you think a buyer would be willing to overlook the cosmetic defects, and be willing to take on the option of giving it a makeover once they own it?
I'm hoping to sell it on the low end of its KBB value for the area, around $2,800, to account for the cosmetic issues and for the fact that I serviced it myself (so the buyer won't be able to see a CARFAX service history, just my personal log of repairs/maintenance). Am I more worried than I need to be about its "curb appeal?"
(note: I've never sold or traded in a useable car before, and this is only the second one I've owned; last one I drove until it totally died, and was towed away)
**Edit: Glad I asked! The chipped paint will stay as it is.