A Tesla Model S 100D AWD Sedan with 19,420 miles was involved in a rear collision in Kings County, New York that caused $14,223.10 in damage — a repair that left the vehicle with structural damage, though it wasn’t disabled or towed and the air bags did not deploy. After the owner filed a third-party inherent auto diminished value claim, The St. Lucie Appraisal Company was retained to determine how much value the Tesla lost simply by having structural collision damage on its history, even after a proper repair.
The result: an average diminished value deduction of 43.33%, or $29,897.70 off the vehicle’s pre-loss Fair Market Value of approximately $69,000.00 — one of the steepest deductions in a case like this, driven almost entirely by the structural nature of the damage.
How the Diminished Value Was Determined
To reach that figure, St. Lucie Appraisal contacted six exotic new car dealerships in Brooklyn and the surrounding boroughs and asked their sales professionals to weigh in on the vehicle’s specific repair history. Each dealership was given the same case file: year, make, model, mileage, pre-accident condition, color, factory options, date of loss, the nature of the repaired damage, and how the repairs were carried out. Dealers were told the vehicle had been properly repaired and were asked to base their opinions on personal knowledge of the market and access to auction results.
The estimates were candid about how frame damage plays out in the real world. One sales representative, drawing on years in the business, said that customers routinely bring in cars with frame damage that are otherwise in good condition, but paying buyers who pull the Carfax and see the damage history will simply pass on the vehicle. Another representative said frame damage hits a car’s value hard enough that a vehicle like this would typically go wholesale to auction rather than retail, with a loss of about half its value being typical. Averaged across all six dealerships, the opinions of six unbiased professional sales representatives at recognized exotic new car dealerships produced the 43.33% figure used in this appraisal.
These opinions reflect what actual dealerships indicated they would deduct from the vehicle’s trade-in value after reviewing its repair history.
No LKQ (used) or aftermarket parts were used in the repair, so none were factored into the diminished value calculation — a detail that matters, since aftermarket parts can sometimes deepen a diminished value deduction beyond what collision history alone would cause.
Why Repaired Vehicles Lose Value
This case illustrates a pattern St. Lucie Appraisal sees consistently, especially when frame or structural damage is involved: once a vehicle has been in a collision and repaired, buyers generally pay less for it than they would for an identical vehicle with a clean history — regardless of how well the repair was performed. Presenting a diminished value claim and following it through to a satisfactory conclusion is a daunting task for the average person, which is why a comprehensive, independently prepared Diminished Value Report is central to a successful claim.
As part of this appraisal, The St. Lucie Appraisal Company contacted exotic new car dealerships serving New York and neighboring markets to determine how this specific repaired vehicle would be valued in the wholesale marketplace, comparing its condition before and after the collision.
Description of damage: Non-disabling collision damage to the rear, with damage to structural components and no air bag deployment. Repair cost: $14,223.10.
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Questions & Answers About Automobile Diminished Value
What is diminished value?
Diminished value is the difference between what a vehicle was worth before an accident and what it’s worth after being repaired. Even a flawless repair typically doesn’t restore a vehicle to its pre-accident market value, because the collision now shows up in its history.
Why was this deduction so much higher than a typical case?
Frame and structural damage tend to carry a much steeper penalty than cosmetic damage. In this case, dealers indicated the vehicle would likely go wholesale to auction rather than sell at retail, which is why the deduction reached 43.33% rather than the 10-20% range seen in cosmetic-only cases.
Does it matter that the vehicle wasn’t disabled or towed?
Not much, in this case. Even though the Tesla remained drivable after the accident, the structural damage itself — not the drivability — is what drove the size of the deduction, since dealers price in what a Carfax report will show a future buyer.
How is diminished value calculated in an appraisal like this one?
St. Lucie Appraisal doesn’t use formulas or online valuation shortcuts. Instead, appraisers gather independent opinions from multiple dealerships familiar with the vehicle’s make and local market, then average those figures to arrive at a supportable number.
What does a Diminished Value Report cost, and how do I order one?
An Automobile Diminished Value Report is $275.00. A Tesla DV appraisal is $350.00. You can pay by credit card or PayPal using the payment button below, or by calling 772-359-4300. Before making your payment, email the body shop estimate or insurance company appraisal to contact@stlucieappraisal.net.
I drive a Tesla or another exotic vehicle — does this process still apply?
Yes — as this case shows, Tesla and other exotic vehicles are appraised the same way, though rates for the report can differ. Tesla and other exotic car owners should call for specific rates.
Is this only for Brooklyn vehicles?
This case was based in Kings County (Brooklyn), New York, and St. Lucie Appraisal serves Albany, Amherst, Babylon, Brookhaven, Brooklyn, Bronx, Cheektowaga, Clarkstown, Colonie, Greece, Greenburgh, Hamburg, Hempstead, Huntington, Irondequoit, Islip, Manhattan, North Hempstead, New York City, Orangetown, Oyster Bay, Poughkeepsie, Queens, Ramapo, Rye, Smithtown, Staten Island, Tonawanda, Union, Webster, West Seneca, White Plains, and the rest of New York.
Click on the payment button above to pay by Credit Card or Paypal. The fee for an Automobile Diminished Value Report is
$275.00. You may also make your Credit Card Payment by telephone, call 772-359-4300.
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