Repair vs. Replace on a Heavily Damaged Door
A 2018 sedan has a right front door with a 30 cm crease through the character line, a torn inner panel at the hinge area, and a failed window regulator. The door shell is available new from the OEM at $640; a used door in matching color is $310 but has a small dent and unknown history. The shop's body labor is $62/hr; a new shell requires 4.2 hours to hang and align plus 2.5 hours refinish; repairing the existing door is estimated at 5.0 hours body plus 2.0 hours refinish, and the inner panel tear is in a high-stress area. Paint materials are $38/hr refinish.
1. Compare repair, new shell, and used door on labor and risk, and recommend a path.
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Rough comparison:
- Repair existing: 5.0 hr body ($310) + 2.0 hr refinish ($124) + materials ($76) = ~$510, plus the inner panel tear repair and regulator. Risk: the tear is in a high-stress hinge area; a repair there is a fatigue and alignment risk.
- New shell: 4.2 hr hang/align ($260) + 2.5 hr refinish ($155) + materials ($95) + $640 shell = ~$1,150. Highest cost, lowest risk, known history.
- Used door: $310 + hang/align and refinish (similar to new, ~$510) = ~$820, plus the small dent repair and unknown history (prior repair, hidden rust, different build).
Recommendation: new shell if the insurer will approve it, because the inner panel tear makes repair risky and the used door's history is unknown. If cost is the binding constraint, the used door is defensible only after inspecting it for prior repair and confirming it is the correct build. Repair is the weakest option here.
2. What documentation should support the recommendation?
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Attach:
- Photos of the crease through the character line and the inner panel tear at the hinge.
- The OEM position on repairing inner panel tears in high-stress areas (if the OEM prohibits it, that settles it).
- The used door inspection notes: prior repair, rust, build match.
- A line-item comparison of the three paths so the insurer sees the reasoning, not just the number.
The estimator should also note the regulator is replaced in all three paths, so it does not skew the comparison.