Which reconditioning costs do you put on a used car?

Q&A • Used-car lots

Which reconditioning costs do you put on a used car?

Reconditioning costs are easily forgotten when scattered across different invoices. If you do not link them to the car, you never know what it really costs you.

Short answer

  1. Include the transport from the place of purchase to the lot.
  2. Include the repairs and parts fitted to the car.
  3. Include the paintwork, polish and detailing done before sale.
  4. Include the paperwork and fees paid for this car.

Useful expense categories

  • Transport and collection.
  • Mechanics: repairs, parts, labour.
  • Bodywork and paint.
  • Detailing and cleaning.
  • Paperwork, fees and commissions.

Why you link them to the car

When every expense sits on the car record, you see what each car cost and can compare similar cars. You also see when an extra repair is no longer worth it compared to the list price.

How SoftAuto helps

  • Expenses added on the car, each with a date, amount and description.
  • The total cost and margin are recalculated with every new expense.

See also