Une jante rayée fait-elle vraiment baisser le prix argus officiel ?

L'argus côte un véhicule dans un état standard. Les rayures de jantes entrent dans les critères d'état extérieur : une côte dégradée ou une décote explicite est appliquée lors d'une reprise professionnelle. Sur les cotations en ligne destinées aux particuliers, c'est l'acheteur final qui impose la décote lors de la négociation.

Peut-on poser un protège-jante sur une voiture déjà en service ?

Oui, la pose AlloyGator ne nécessite pas que le véhicule soit neuf. Elle est réalisable à tout moment par un professionnel du réseau, en environ une heure par véhicule. Si les jantes présentent déjà des rayures légères, la protection empêche simplement l'aggravation — elle ne répare pas les dommages existants.

Le protège-jante reste-t-il lors de la revente du véhicule ?

Oui. Le profilé est fixé de façon permanente entre pneu et jante. Il est transmis avec le véhicule et peut même constituer un argument de vente : l'acheteur sait que le bord de jante a été protégé depuis la pose. Il est retiré uniquement en cas de changement de pneus ou de jantes.

Selling your car with scratched alloys: what it costs you at resale

August 15, 2026 280

AlloyGator protection

Protect your alloys before the next kerb

Discover the Set of 4 What size are my wheels?

Kerbed alloy wheels: a buyer spots them immediately and negotiates a lower price on the spot.

Are you preparing to sell your car, and do your alloy wheels bear the marks of three years of kerbs? This visual detail has a greater impact on the final price than most sellers anticipate. Here are the real figures, the trade-offs to consider, and what you could have avoided from the outset.

What kerbed alloy wheels really cost you at resale

On a mainstream vehicle (B or C segment), a private buyer will invariably spot alloy wheel scratches during the inspection. A used car dealer, meanwhile, will price them to the penny and deduct them from their part-exchange offer.

Depreciation observed in private sales: £150 to £400 depending on the condition of all four alloy wheels and the model's market value.
Part-exchange by a dealer: depreciation is systematic and often higher, ranging from £300 to £600 on a £15,000 vehicle, as the reseller factors the refurbishment cost into their margin.
On a premium segment vehicle (18- to 20-inch alloy wheels): the depreciation climbs to between £500 and £1,000, particularly on Audi, BMW or Alfa Romeo models, where the condition of the alloy wheels is an explicit buying criterion.

These figures are observed ranges, not theoretical maximums. A savvy buyer can stack depreciations if there are other points to negotiate.

Refurbishing before selling: is it worth it?

Refurbishing a scratched aluminium alloy wheel at a specialist bodyshop costs between £80 and £150 per wheel, or £320 to £600 for a full set. At that price, the return on investment depends on the target sale price:

Vehicle sale price	Estimated depreciation for kerbed alloy wheels	Refurbishment cost for 4 alloy wheels	Gain net moyen
Moins de 8 000 EUR	150 – 250 EUR	320 – 500 EUR	Negative or neutral
8 000 – 18 000 EUR	250 – 500 EUR	320 – 500 EUR	Variable — to be calculated on a case-by-case basis
Plus de 18 000 EUR	400 – 1 000 EUR	400 – 600 EUR	Souvent positif

Practical conclusion: below £8,000 in sale price, refurbishing the alloy wheels before selling often costs more than the depreciation incurred. On a high-value or recent vehicle, the exercise is worthwhile provided you get competing quotes from different bodyshops.

Selling as-is with full transparency remains a valid option if the depreciation is factored in from the moment the price is set. The common mistake is to set a full market price without accounting for the alloy wheels, then face negotiation at the end of the viewing.

The option most sellers wish they had taken at the time of purchase

A set of four AlloyGator alloy wheel protectors, fitted at the time of purchase, costs approximately £99 in labour for the fitting (duration: around one hour at a network approved fitter). The profile, slipped between the tyre and the rim edge, absorbs kerb contact without damaging the aluminium.

Spread over three or four years of ownership, this cost is far lower than even the smallest observed depreciation. The alloy wheel protectors remain in place at resale, which provides a concrete selling point: the rim edge is intact and no refurbishment is required.

FAQ

Does a kerbed alloy wheel genuinely reduce the official guide price?

Valuation guides assess a vehicle in standard condition. Alloy wheel rim scratches fall under exterior condition criteria: a reduced valuation or an explicit depreciation is applied during a professional part-exchange. On online valuations aimed at private buyers, it is the end buyer who imposes the markdown during negotiation.

Can a wheel protector be fitted to a car already in use?

Yes, AlloyGator fitting does not require the vehicle to be new. It can be carried out at any time by a professional in our network, in approximately one hour per vehicle. If the alloy wheels already show light scratches, the protection simply prevents further damage — it does not repair existing damage.

Does the alloy wheel protector stay on when the vehicle is resold?

Yes. The profile is permanently secured between the tyre and the alloy wheel. It is transferred with the vehicle and can even serve as a selling point: the buyer knows that the wheel rim has been protected since fitting. It is only removed when tyres or alloy wheels are changed.

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