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?
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I worked in the auto industry and I look at it as the car is not “new condition”. From the factory the cars are built all 100% exactly the same with the same exact bolts, parts, brands, etc that have passed engineering tests. A shop doing a rebuild may use XYZ brand when the factory built it using ABC brand. Little things like this add up. Maybe the door closes a little stiff now? Well after lots of use that may cause the door hinge paint to crack, leading to rust, leading to door hinge failure. Maybe the suspension components are slightly bent- causing tires to wear faster, suspension parts to wear out in half the time? Lots of things can appear very minor but add up over time for vehicles in accidents
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