Guide
Diminished value by vehicle type
Diminished value is measured the same way for every vehicle: market value before the accident against market value after the repair. What changes by vehicle type is who the buyers are, what they inspect, and how easy it is to find comparable sales. These twelve guides explain what drives the loss for each kind of vehicle and which records an appraisal needs.
A late-model sedan, a Tesla, a motorhome and a numbers-matching classic all lose value after an accident for different reasons, and each needs different evidence. Start with the guide for your vehicle, then see how a diminished value appraisal documents the loss.
Everyday vehicles
Cars and trucks most people drive
How age, mileage and the way a vehicle is used change the size of the loss and the evidence that supports it.
Everyday vehicles
Diminished value on new and nearly new cars
Why low miles and a recent model year make accident history cost more.
Everyday vehicles
Certified pre-owned vs non-certified: what CPO status adds to a car’s value
What certification adds to price, and what an accident can take away.
Everyday vehicles
Diminished value on pickup trucks
Frame, bed and towing use, and how truck buyers read a repair history.
Everyday vehicles
Diminished value on older and high-mileage cars
When the loss is small, when it still matters, and when to skip the appraisal.
Specialty vehicles
Vehicles with a narrow market
Fewer buyers and fewer comparable sales mean the appraisal has to work harder to show what the market pays.
Specialty vehicles
Diminished value on luxury and exotic cars
Scarce comparables, original paint and buyers who walk away from history.
Specialty vehicles
Diminished value on electric vehicles
Battery inspection records, repair documentation and what EV buyers ask.
Specialty vehicles
Diminished value on classic and collector cars
Originality, provenance and why a price guide cannot value the loss.
Specialty vehicles
Diminished value on motorcycles
Frame and fork damage, cosmetic sensitivity and a thin comparable market.
Specialty vehicles
Diminished value on RVs and motorhomes
House structure, water intrusion, chassis versus coach, and few buyers.
EV brands
Electric vehicle makers with their own repair rules
Tesla, Rivian and Lucid publish their own rules on shops, parts and structural repairs, and the repair file should show how they were followed.
Work vehicles
Vehicles that earn income
Equipment, downtime and the way fleets resell vehicles all enter the picture when a work vehicle is damaged.
Related
Tools and reference pages
Eligibility
Do you have a diminished value claim?
The eligibility factors that apply to every vehicle type: fault, state law, damage, age and value.
Market
How accident history affects resale value
Why buyers and dealers pay less for a repaired vehicle, whatever kind it is.
Service
Luxury automobile appraisals
The appraisal service for luxury, exotic and collector vehicles, with the makes we cover.
Guide
Diminished value appraisal guide
How appraisals work, what they cost and how to decide whether one is worth ordering.
Not sure whether an appraisal will help?
The claim review is free: we look at your situation and tell you whether an appraisal is likely to help. The appraisal itself is a paid report. We help from start to finish, including a custom demand letter, and our support staff is a phone call away throughout the process.