The Disposable Nature of Auto Body Parts Today

More and more products these days are designed to be disposable rather than fixable. Car parts are no exception to this, especially now that more modern cars are made with aluminum bodies and hard plastics. It’s easier and cheaper to paint new replacement fenders or a replacement front bumper or a replacement back bumper than to repair and paint the old parts. Why is this the case? The main reasons are that labor and materials are fairly expensive. In order to fix a damaged car body part, the part has to be removed, sanded, prepped, and painted. The labor and material cost quickly surpasses the replacement cost.

If your vehicle is in a minor accident, you don’t have to spend the time and money going to a traditional body repair shop. Paint A Part offers factory-painted parts like replacement hoods, fenders, and bumpers that match, if not exceed, factory quality.

To compare what Paint A Part offers vs. a regular body shop, let’s take a look at some common accident scenarios and the repair requirements.

Dented Bumper

One of the most common minor accident scenarios is damage to either the front or rear bumper of a vehicle. Bumpers are designed to absorb impact, and modern bumpers have crumple zones and are designed to be replaced rather than fixed. Old cars used to have solid metal bumpers, but most bumpers today are made of hard plastic and other composite materials.

If your bumper is heavily damaged in an accident, there’s no doubt that you’ll want to fully replace it. But, what if it’s just dented? Small dents can easily be pulled out. However, large dents might require a trip to a body shop for the dent to be repaired and repainted. The time and labor to do this might end up costing more than simply replacing the bumper with a factory-repainted one. The other thing to consider is if the repair goes beyond your insurance deductible. You might choose not to report the accident and risk raising your premium if you can get a factory-repainted bumper for less money.

Deep Paint Scratches

Deep paint scratches can happen for various reasons. If you hit or scrape a stationary object just right, it can cause deep scratches and/or dents. It can also happen due to vandalism. A common spot for deep paint scratches is on the doors. Quarter panels and fenders are also susceptible places for deep paint scratches. You might think that this damage wouldn’t be hard to repair, but the problem is that you can’t spot treat a deep scratch. Most likely, the entire section will need to be sanded, prepped, and repainted. The price for this job can easily run in the $1,000s.

For example, imagine that your Honda CRV requires a fender to be repaired and repainted. The cost is likely to start over $400 for the time it takes to repair the dent, then sand and prep the whole fender for repainting. Remember that bodywork and painting are separate charges and both take time and materials. A 1997-2001 Honda CRV fender at Paint A Part starts at $300.

Hood Damage

A hood is another part that can get damaged in an accident or due to other situations. Your hood is a sizable area of your vehicle that might come in contact with rocks while you’re driving on the freeway or an errant grocery cart in a parking lot. Again, a deep dent or damage on your hood will require the entire hood to be repainted. As you might imagine, this large area can quickly require well over $1,000 to fix.  Using the same Honda CRV example from before, this replacement part from Paint A Part starts at just under $1,000.

Fender Damage

Fenders are another part that can be easily damaged in an accident. Cars are often struck on the rear or front fenders when either vehicle attempts to avoid a collision. All the previously mentioned costs and labor requirements also apply to fenders. Fortunately, fenders are one of the least expensive pre-painted parts you can find at Paint A Part. You can still drive your car while you wait for your part to arrive. Because of the lower cost of replacing a fender with a pre-painted part, you can also likely avoid making a claim to your insurance company.

Why Repair Body Damage?

You might be wondering why it’s important to repair body damage at all if it’s not heavy or affecting the vehicle’s ability to drive in any way. For example, small dents or deep paint scratches. Depending on where these are, they may have little to no effect on your vehicle’s drivability. However, that doesn’t mean you should let them go unfixed. What happens with any scratch or dent that penetrates the paint coat is that it allows rust and corrosion to settle in. Typically, the paint layers on your vehicle have to be worn down by the elements and chemicals for years before rust damage is a real risk. A scratch or a dent will start rusting fairly quickly, and the rust will likely spread.

Your small dent or scratch can become an unsightly mess in less time than you think! Instead of risking it, head over to Paint A Part and find your vehicle’s matching body part painted to factory specifications.

Rely on Paint A Part for replacement body parts and upgrades like upgraded fender flares to make your truck look new again. We sell factory-matched painted parts for vehicles from 1990 to 2020, including popular models like the Honda Accord, Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Toyota Sierra, Ram 1500, and Chevy Suburban among many others. All parts are guaranteed for a perfect fit and to match factory paint specifications.