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Paid $180 for a paint thickness gauge after a nasty surprise on a trade-in
I bought a $180 paint thickness gauge about 6 months ago after I got burned on a trade-in that looked clean until I hit it with the polisher and a whole panel of bondo showed up under the shine. Lost about $900 on that deal, so the gauge paid for itself the first week I had it. Now I check every used car that comes through for a respray before I quote anything, and the readings have saved me from underbidding at least three jobs since. Last month I caught a rear quarter that read 14 mils on one side and 4 on the other, meaning someone blended it and I would have quoted a spot repair that turned into a full panel. The cheap ones off the auction sites work fine, you just need to zero it on the roof or a door jamb first or your numbers are garbage. I still eyeball gaps and tape lines too, but the gauge catches the stuff your eyes miss on a cloudy day. Anyone else running one, and do you trust the $40 ones or stick with the pricier units?
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