Are you thinking about selling a car that’s been involved in an accident? Don’t despair; there are some proven strategies that can help you maximize its resale value. In short, if you’re honest and open about your vehicle’s history, and can demonstrate that you have made every effort to restore your damaged car, you will be able to win the trust of potential buyers and get the best possible price for your used car.
The most important first step to restore your car value after an accident is to get it repaired. Work with your insurance company to find a reputable body shop that specializes in collision repair, and make sure that they will provide you with a warranty for their work. Keep all receipts and invoices so that you have a full record of the repairs made to your car. All of this should be available for potential buyers to look over, and given to the eventual purchaser.
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Use Genuine Parts
If you want to improve your car value after the accident, request genuine OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) parts for replacements. This helps maintain the original quality of the vehicle, and can demonstrate to buyers that you haven’t cheaped out on repairs. However, you may run into trouble with your insurance company, as once a car is a year old, they usually specify after-market parts to save money. Be prepared to pay the difference to get the OEM parts to restore your car to its pre-accident condition.
When your car is in the shop, consider adding some upgrades to improve your car’s safety features. This could include a back-up camera or a blind spot monitor. While this will obviously have to be covered by you rather than the insurance company, things like this will add to your car’s value after an accident, and show that you put an effort into not just restoring, but improving its previous condition.
Maintain a Complete Service History
In addition to the documentation related directly to your collision repairs, keep all repair and maintenance receipts, so that you can show buyers the care that you’ve taken to keep your car in good condition. That can do a lot to allay concerns about its reliability.
Vehicle Inspection
While getting a safety inspection prior to selling is not a requirement in most provinces, it’s one of the best ways to assure buyers that your car is in good condition. And since an up-to-date vehicle inspection report is usually needed before the new owner can register it to drive, you’re giving them one less thing to have to do themselves.
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Detailed Listing Description
When writing your sales listing, be very clear about the car’s accident history. While you want to make a good impression on potential buyers, if they turn up for a test drive and only then find out about the collision, you will have lost any trust that they may have in you. In the end it’s going to waste your time as well, so honesty is definitely the best policy. In fact, if you don’t disclose your car’s accident history, you could end up being sued, so just get it out of the way early.
This also gives you an opportunity to describe any improvements or upgrades that were added during the repair process.
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Provide a Vehicle History Report
Anyone can access a vehicle history report from Carfax or Autocheck, so consider obtaining one for your car to share with interested buyers. Not only will it outline any accidents that your car has been in, but also will let them know if there are any title issues such as outstanding liens on the vehicle. This will make you look trustworthy and transparent.
Set a Competitive Price
Obviously, if a buyer has a choice between your car that’s been in a collision, and a similar model that hasn’t, they’re probably going to go with the undamaged one if the price is the same. You can do your own car appraisal after an accident by researching the market value of similar cars without a history of accidents and price your car competitively. Be realistic about the impact of the accident on the car's value: while a minor accident may only take $500 off of the asking price, if your vehicle was in a more serious collision with extensive damage, you may have to lower your listing price by as much as $2000 to get buyers interested.
Sell Through Reputable Channels
You might find selling your car privately too challenging, especially with the added issue of its accident history. Consider working directly with a dealership or online auction site that specializes in selling used cars that have been in collisions. While you may not get as much money as selling privately, you will get a quick sale rather than waiting for a buyer on Kijiji or Auto Trader. 
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Remember that laws regarding the disclosure of accident history vary by location, so it's important to familiarize yourself with the regulations in your area. Always disclose the accident history honestly to avoid legal issues and build trust with potential buyers. In the end, if you can show that you have restored your car to its pre-accident condition and maintained it properly over the years, you should be able to find a purchaser.
