If the body repairs are done well and are not clearly visible the affect on a car's value is minimal, but it does depend on how rare the car is. If a car is very rare it will have little affect, but if a car isn't so rare it is likely to have a greater affect. The cars you list aren't terribly old and they are still relatively common in classic terms, so I would be buying the car in the best condition possible. I would be very careful about buying the cars you list, as I reckon you'll be waiting a long time for the values to appreciate substantially.

It's not possible to say without actually seeing a detailed quote of what the dealer proposed to do, but you could do that if you had such a quote. It's hard to justify a difference of that amount, but I would guess he would charge you a substantially higher labour rate and a higher price for the parts. Even with all of that it's hard to justify the difference, and it further underlines the need to have a detailed written quote for work to be performed and it justifies the use of independent specialists who are often factory trained anyway.

CARMAKERS take a conservative view on things such as this. They are reluctant to say it can be used safely because they don't have the test results to prove it. If they recommend it and a problem develops, they can be liable for the repairs, so it's easier for them to advise against using it. I don't believe the new higher-octane Optimax with 5 per cent ethanol will cause a problem. I also believe you would be safe using a 10 per cent ethanol blend. Honda specialist Adam Kovarik reckons the best fuel is Mobil 8000, which is a 98-octane fuel. He says engines run smoother and perform better, and spark plugs seem to last longer on the Mobil fuel.