Does a car being involved in an accident affect its resale value?
4 Answers
Yes, a car being involved in an accident does affect its resale value, as accident vehicles are depreciated by a certain percentage. Here are specific details about accident vehicles: 1. Definition of an accident vehicle: It refers to a vehicle that has suffered damage due to non-natural wear and tear accidents, leading to a decline in mechanical performance and economic value. Generally, it indicates a vehicle with structural damage, where the performance is not as good as before. An accident itself proves there are issues with the car, and driving such a vehicle poses safety risks. 2. Identification methods: Visual inspection, light inspection, insurance record check, and interior examination. 3. Hazards: The dangers of driving an accident vehicle include reduced performance post-accident. The occurrence of an accident already indicates problems with the car, and driving it may lead to safety hazards.
Last time my car got rear-ended on the highway. After repairs it looked fine, but when I tried to trade it in this year, I realized how much value I'd lost. The used car dealers immediately knocked off nearly 20,000 yuan when they heard about the accident record. What they fear most is damage to the frame - even after repairs, it might affect the suspension or safety systems. I negotiated with four dealerships, and one outright refused to take cars with major accident history. My advice: for minor scratches, try to settle through quick claims without official reports. For major accidents, always get repairs done at authorized 4S shops with complete documentation to prove the car's condition later. It's even worse with new energy vehicles - if the battery pack gets hit, there's no way to test its lifespan, and depreciation hits even harder.
Actually, accident vehicles can be categorized by severity. My little Polo had its side door scratched two years ago, costing 2,000 yuan for panel beating and repainting, but it didn’t affect the trade-in price much this year. However, my neighbor’s SUV had all its airbags deployed after a rear-end collision, with a repair list from the 4S shop spanning over a dozen pages, and it hasn’t sold even after being listed for six months. The key is whether critical parts like the A/B/C pillars, suspension, or engine were damaged. Even replacing the radiator support frame classifies it as a flawed vehicle, and any work on the frame rails drastically cuts its value. Used car dealers use paint thickness gauges to detect repair traces and even pull insurance records. If you plan to sell, it’s advisable to get a third-party inspection report first—at least you can transparently inform buyers of the actual condition.
From a structural standpoint, accident-repaired vehicles always depreciate more than factory-original cars. I've seen many cars with shiny exterior repairs, but in reality, their frames had slight deformations after alignment, causing steering wheel vibrations at high speeds. There are also numerous cases of water damage to wiring leading to frequent malfunctions later on. Buyers fear these hidden issues the most, naturally bargaining more aggressively. My advice is to keep all repair invoices after an accident, including part numbers for replaced components, and ideally record video of the repair process. Minor scratches and dents have little impact, but damage to crash beams or battery packs is disastrous, starting at 30% depreciation. Getting a full vehicle diagnostic before selling can help recover some losses.
