Doors, lids, wings and bumpers are the bread and butter of used-part trading: high new price, frequent accident damage, clear demand. They are also the product group where the buyer's expectation can diverge furthest from the description — because „good condition“ means something different to everybody.
A scale that holds
Adjectives do not help. What helps is a scale applied identically every time, whose steps can be described:
| Grade | What it means | What the buyer may expect |
|---|---|---|
| Ready to fit | No damage, paint needs no rework | Directly mountable, colour matches at the same paint code |
| Light usage marks | Small scratches, no deformation | Mountable, cosmetic rework possible |
| Needs paint | Surface damaged, shape intact | The metal is good, a paint shop is needed |
| Needs repair | Deformed but straightenable | Body work required |
| Donor only | Not repairable | For fittings, hinges, attachments |
What matters is not this scale but that a scale exists and is used consistently. Two employees with two yardsticks create two sets of expectations — and the customer notices on the second purchase.
What to check individually
- Shape. Look from the side and in raking light; dents show in the reflection, not head on.
- Edges and folds. Corrosion starts here, and transport damage happens here.
- Mounting points. Stripped threads and distorted hinge points are the most common reason for „does not fit“.
- Attachments. What is on it, what is missing? Handles, locks, window regulators, mirrors and trims are value components of their own — and points of dispute of their own.
- Paint. Colour, effect type, respray. The paint code is the only unambiguous colour statement, see Finding the paint code: why colour decides the price.
- Corrosion. Surface rust, perforation and blistering are three different statements and should be named as such.
Scope of delivery is a statement of its own
On a door the most common complaint is not the condition but the scope: the buyer expected the lock, the window regulator and the glass; the metal shell arrived. Both expectations are understandable — which is why the list belongs in the listing, positively and negatively: what is included and what expressly is not.
Price and shipping belong together
Body panels are bulky. On smaller parts such as wings, freight can take a substantial share of the proceeds; on doors and lids it decides whether the sale happens at all. So dimensions, weight and shipping method belong in the listing — not in the message after the purchase. See Shipping used parts: dimensions, packaging, transport damage.
For parts whose freight exceeds the proceeds, collection is the more honest option. A listing marked „collection only“ sells less often but never cancels.
Frequently asked
How do I describe the condition of a body panel?
With a fixed scale used consistently across the business, and with images in raking light. Adjectives like „good“ create expectations that cannot be verified.
Must I state what is included?
Absolutely, and in both directions: what is included and what is not. On doors and lids, scope of delivery is the most common cause of dispute.
Is shipping doors and lids worth it?
It depends on proceeds and freight. Where freight exceeds proceeds, a collection-only listing is more honest than a cancellation after purchase.
How important is the colour?
It decides the price. A panel in the matching shade is ready to fit; the same panel in another colour costs the buyer a paint job on top.