... i figured i would need to send them for calibration anyway....
I'd suggest you get a digital torque adapter. Harbor Freight has one for less than $30. If your torque wrench is within specs, there is no point to spend money for calibration. Based on your description, the torque wrench doesn't seem to have been used much (less likely to be out of specs), worth the price you paid.
I have a Powerbuilt digital adapter for 4-5 years already and had no idea about the accuracy, until recently. It's basically dead on with 3 of my Snap On TechAngle wrenches. Quite amazing little adapters.
.... I don't do any torque+turn work, so I have absolutely no reason to "upgrade" to a digital wrench.
For me, the reason to upgrade to digital is: I want to know how much torque I actually applied to a fastener. There are quite a few incidences when I was expecting the torque wrench to "click", but it didn't, and pull it a little harder, still "no click". It's nerve racking, especially for those engine bolts.
With digital, I can see the torque value in real time, loud beeping, and handle vibrating. No more stress.
For lug nuts, anything works.