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Diminished value

Diminished Value Stigma Survey Results

In an online survey Autoloss ran in 2009, most of the more than 4,700 respondents said they would pay less for a vehicle with an accident history. Here are the results, how the survey was run, and its limits as an older, self-selected sample.

Public Opinion About Automobile Diminished Value
In a 2009 online survey, Autoloss asked people how much of a discount they would expect on a used car with a repaired accident history. The results show stated buyer attitudes at that time. They are not a measure of any particular vehicle's value. Respondents expected larger discounts, or said they would not buy, when the accident involved frame damage. Survey conducted by Autoloss; results last updated March 20, 2009, from more than 4,700 online responses. This is historical data and may not reflect today’s used-vehicle market.

Assuming that the vehicle has been correctly repaired.

Question 1:
How much discount on the price of a used car would you expect if it had been in an accident with over $2000 damage, but without frame damage?

Question 2:
How much discount on the price of a used car would you expect if it had been in an accident with over $2000 damage, with frame damage?

RESULTS:

Without frame damage With frame damage
None 6 1
10% or less 21 2
20% 31 9
30% 21 13
40% 9 12
50% or greater 5 11
Would not buy 21 60
Man reading a letter at his kitchen table

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