How do I tell if a fender or door has been replaced?
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 416
Likes: 6
From: Reno 911
2008 S63 AMG Designo Edition
How do I tell if a fender or door has been replaced?
So, I finally got the damage on my car fixed from this fiasco: https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...498&highlight=
The shop I decided to take it to quoted for fender and door replace with MB parts. They did an exquisite job on the car. You cant even tell it was ever in an accident. Paint is perfect. Gaps are all perfect on hood, fender and door.
I was washing the car this last weekend and noticed quite a few fingernail scratches under the passenger door handle in the black paint. I'm thinking there is no way there are that many scratches there already. So, now it's got me thinking that maybe they repaired my door and blended the paint, leaving all of the scratches that were there from before.
Is there any way I can tell if they did actually replace the door and fender?
The shop I decided to take it to quoted for fender and door replace with MB parts. They did an exquisite job on the car. You cant even tell it was ever in an accident. Paint is perfect. Gaps are all perfect on hood, fender and door.
I was washing the car this last weekend and noticed quite a few fingernail scratches under the passenger door handle in the black paint. I'm thinking there is no way there are that many scratches there already. So, now it's got me thinking that maybe they repaired my door and blended the paint, leaving all of the scratches that were there from before.
Is there any way I can tell if they did actually replace the door and fender?
Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 202
Likes: 5
From: University Place, WA
2000 W210 E55// 2007 Toyota Tacoma X-Runner
Sure you can....An industry standard way of telling if a car has been in an accident is with this tool.
http://www.autopaintgage.com/
also a small magnet will tell you where bondo was used. You should also be able to see the damage from inside the door ...by removing the door pannel.
Jim
http://www.autopaintgage.com/
also a small magnet will tell you where bondo was used. You should also be able to see the damage from inside the door ...by removing the door pannel.
Jim
Last edited by Tacjam; May 21, 2008 at 09:29 PM.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 416
Likes: 6
From: Reno 911
2008 S63 AMG Designo Edition
Um.....not worth $500 to find out and I dont wanna take the car apart either. There's gotta be a way to tell if it's factory door and fender. On my 89 Mustang there are vin stickers on every body panel. Does Mercedes have something similar? Body guys, please chime in.
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
From: SCV, California
2004 E500 - 2008 BMW M5 - 2008 Jeep Cherokee SRT8 - 2009 E63
It's possible the body shop may have replaced the door with one of the same color as yours from a salvage yard. Body shops a lot of times quote insurance companies for new parts but once they get the check, they buy used parts and keep the balance of the check. Hope that's not the case here.
Also under good lighting, if you look very closely, sometimes you can see sanding marks deep below the clear coat. If so, then it's your original door. Other than that you'd have to gauge the paint, or take out the panel as mentioned. Hopefully everything checks out for you.
Also under good lighting, if you look very closely, sometimes you can see sanding marks deep below the clear coat. If so, then it's your original door. Other than that you'd have to gauge the paint, or take out the panel as mentioned. Hopefully everything checks out for you.
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
From: SCV, California
2004 E500 - 2008 BMW M5 - 2008 Jeep Cherokee SRT8 - 2009 E63
Also check the door hinges to see if the bolts have tool marks for any sign of removal. If they used your original door, they may have left it in place during repair without having to remove it.
Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 202
Likes: 5
From: University Place, WA
2000 W210 E55// 2007 Toyota Tacoma X-Runner
Every Used car broker has a paint depth meter, stop by a used car lot...they should be able to help you out for free.
Jim
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,627
Likes: 5
From: West Virginia
2001 E320 RWD - Brilliant Silver/Ash: 100,000+
Ditto for any of the fenders. When you open the hood you should easily see some of the bolts holding them to the rest of the body. Either they will have scratches or you might see where they used to be aligned compared to where they are now.
Last edited by Musikmann; May 27, 2008 at 01:31 PM.
