If a car is in an accident, and the repair shop restored it to new condition (no bent frame, new parts, paint, airbag, etc.), why does it still lose value in as a trade in, if it is otherwise in great condition, with low miles?
In: Other
As others have mentioned, the new parts on the car are not going to be the same quality. Many insurance companies will not pay for parts from the company that made the car if others that are “good enough” are cheaper. Their rationale is that they guarantee the parts, so it doesn’t matter. Those parts are cheaper for a reason – talk to a bodyman about trying to get them to fit properly or the quality of the metal (or composite).
And the paint is never going to be as good. While computers have made matching the exact shade more possible when mixing colors it often doesn’t happen. If you’ve been around cars for a while, you can walk through any parking lot and see numerous cars that have had a fender painted, a door painted – because they are slightly different in shade, gloss, or the metallic pattern.
Finally, it is not possible to ANY shop to replicate the factory paint process. Starting from bare metal, the parts can be submerged in electified tanks to create a strong bond for the coating that makes paint adhere better. Computer spray guns provide exactly the same paint thickness and even the most skilled human can’t do that every time. And the plants have massive, block-long ovens that bake the paint for best durability.
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