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Debated between a used door from a salvage yard or a new aftermarket one for a 2018 Civic last week
Customer's rear passenger door got smashed in, and I had to choose. Salvage yard wanted $350 for a perfect color match door from a 2019. New aftermarket was $220 plus paint. I went with the new one cause the salvage door had a tiny bit of rust starting near the window seal. Big mistake. The new door didn't line up right, took me an extra 3 hours to tweak the hinges and shim the latch. Customer wasnt happy about the wait either. Has anyone else had a new door just fight them like that?
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jamesf262d ago
@dylan_bell nailed it, I learned that the hard way too with a hood that took hours to adjust.
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Did you check if the aftermarket door was from a well-known brand or just some budget one? I heard some guys say the cheaper doors have thinner metal and the stamping isn't as precise as factory. Maybe try swapping the hinges from the old door next time, I've read that can fix alignment issues.
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blake3224d ago
350 bucks for a salvage door with rust starting is a no go in my book. @dylan_bell you got a point about cheap aftermarket parts but the real issue here is the door shell itself. I've been down this road before, and the problem is those aftermarket doors are stamped from different dies. The metal thickness might be close but the shape is always off just a hair. You end up fighting with it for hours, like you said. My advice, for the next time, find a salvage door from a car that wasn't in a flood or a rust belt car. The color match and fitment will save you the headache every time.
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