Investment in Rivian EVs … from Volkswagen? Yep, Rivian stock shot up over 50% following news about the two automakers teaming up. Investors are hoping Rivian will benefit from Volkwagen’s manufacturing know-how and Rivian will give them a leg up on software.
This cheap tool can help you spot whether a used car has been in an accident
You should know everything about a vehicle before buying it, but sellers don’t make it easy to understand all the necessary information. In fact, some could be trying to hide details so you don’t get the car for a lower price.
You could get a report, like a CARFAX, but there’s something you need to keep in mind about those reports: not all problems appear on them.
That means that if a car was in an accident and there’s unresolved, underlying damage, you’ll be none the wiser. That is unless you use a paint thickness gauge or meter.
What is a paint thickness gauge?
Paint isn’t magnetic, but the metal underneath it is. A paint gauge or meter is used to detect the thickness of paint. It does this by measuring the distance between itself and the magnet. Anything in between is measured and displayed on a screen.
So how does this help you, and why should you opt to purchase one if you’re going to buy a used car?
Why paint thickness meters are important
When a driver gets into an accident and needs to fix the problem, they go to a body shop. Then technicians fix the damage, smooth it out, and spray it down. After they spray it down with paint, the car looks brand new. It seems like it’ll be easy to trick someone.
Paint meters can detect the thickness of paint in microns, which is the automotive manufacturing industry’s standard form of measurement. What you need to know is that 25.4 microns make up one mil.
Your paint meter will likely display your paint thickness in mils, so it’s essential to know. On average, an automotive manufacturer will produce a paint job with an average thickness of 2.5 to 7.5 mils.
So what happens when you use one of these paint meters on a used car? You get the results that the seller was trying to hide.
How to use a paint meter
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