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Options Available After An Accident Damages Your Car Door

12 December 2018

Tommy Perkins

When you suffer a car accident that damages your car door, you might wonder if you should have the entire car door replaced. After the accident, you may be asked to have your car replaced at a specific auto body shop. However, you may receive a payout from your insurance provider that you could use to trade up for a new vehicle.

Getting a New Car

Whether or not you should trade up for a new vehicle is based on how much your vehicle is worth and whether or not you could sell it. The older your vehicle, the better off you are to simply send it to the scrap heap and purchase a newer vehicle. 

Removing the Dents

Depending on the extent of the damage, you may only need to remove car door dents. Local body shops can have the dents removed from your vehicle at a lower price than a dealership. However, a dealership will have more experience with your particular make and model, since that is all that they repair. 

Replacing the Door

In some cases, the door might be too damaged to have the dent removed and you will instead need to have the entire door replaced. This is not an in-and-out procedure because you will not only need to wait for a replacement door, but will also need to wait for the paint job to finish. 

If you are having your car door replace at a dealership, you won't have to worry about finding a replacement door since the dealership will have an easier time procuring the part. If you are taking your car to a local auto body shop, you could locate the car door and obtain it yourself. One way to save money is to obtain a used car door from a salvage yard. Even if the door has a different color from your car door, it would only take a coat of paint or two for it to match the existing paint job.

If you will purchase a new car door, the price of the door will be based on variables such as the type of paint used and whether the door comes with power options. Unlike with a used car door, you do not have to worry about the paint having faded on a new car door. However, faded paint will only cause a slight discoloration that might not be noticeable.

For more information, talk to companies like Downtown Garage & Auto Body.

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