Cracks in clear coat...help/advice?

[Bergerdude]

Hi,
I bought an allegedly "mint" bass from ebay from a guy in Austin, TX. Anyway the bass played nice, but there were 2-3" cracks in the clear, polyurethane finish over a the blue color all over.

I guess there had to have been some temperature swings in the history of the bass, in spite of what the seller said...he did reduce the price tho...after he realized paypal was going to get the money from his hide anyway .
The bass/neck is a bolt-on Steinberger Q5 model. So the neck is fine. I think the body is swamp ash.

1) So....if anyone knows...what is the approximate cost to refinish a bass wood body?

2) Can I go natural, poly...or is the wood probably ugly...that's why they painted it?
The Steinberger Logo will probably be trashed....unless...

3) Can the cracks be "filled-in" by a professional with a clear material so it doesn't show as badly?

4) Also, compared to my other basses, the bolt-on neck's fretboard is about 1/4" higher off the body than I have seen.

No gaps and the neck is tight....but just raised off the body....
not sure if I will eventually feel this adversely affects slapping, etc.
Is this normal and do those that have many different basses notice this as a problem?

Thanks!