A vehicle inspection report (“ekspertiz raporu” in Türkiye) is an independent assessment of a used car’s bodywork, paint, mechanics and electronics. In the body and paint section, the term used for each panel gives important clues about the car’s history.
The main terms
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Original | The panel still has its factory paint; no sign of painting or replacement. |
| Spot-painted | Only part of the panel has been painted. |
| Painted | All or most of the panel has been painted. |
| Replaced | The panel has been removed and another part fitted. |
We explain the difference between a spot repair and a full-panel respray in what is a spot paint repair.
How is paint thickness measured?
Inspectors use a paint thickness gauge to identify painted panels. It measures the thickness of the paint layers on a metal surface. Factory paint gives fairly consistent readings within a typical range across the panel; areas that have been repainted or filled read noticeably higher. By measuring at many points, the inspector can tell a spot repair from a full respray.
Plastic parts
Most common gauges only work on metal, so plastic parts such as bumpers are usually judged by eye and under light. Check how the report treats plastic parts.
Outer panels versus structural areas
Paint or replacement on outer panels — doors, wings, bonnet, boot lid — doesn’t carry the same weight as work on structural areas such as pillars, inner wings and chassis rails. Repairs to structural areas say more about how hard the car was hit. So look not only at how many panels are painted, but which ones.
If you’re buying
- Get the report from an independent inspector you choose, not the seller.
- Look at where painted panels cluster — several in one area can point to a single impact.
- On replaced panels, check the gaps and how the doors close yourself.
If you’re selling
Knowing your car’s painted and replaced panels avoids surprises when negotiating. When having repairs done, not replacing panels that could be repaired — and choosing spot repairs where possible — also lightens what appears on the report. We describe this approach on our body repair and dent repair pages.
