Paint Thickness Gauge — Check if a Car Was Resprayed

A paint thickness gauge is a device that measures coating thickness in microns (µm) and reveals whether a car has been resprayed or filled. It’s a must-have when buying a used car: factory paint is usually 80–150 µm, while repairs and filler give sharply higher readings. Digital gauges (0–2000 µm range, about ±3 % accuracy) measure in a second on steel and aluminium.

How to choose a gauge:

• Metal type: Fe (steel) and NFe (aluminium) — for cars you need a combined Fe/NFe unit.
• Range: 0–2000 µm covers any paint and filler layers.
• Accuracy: ±3 % + 2 µm is enough for checking cars.
• Memory & USB: handy for logging readings around the body.

How to check a car: take 3–4 readings on each panel (roof, bonnet, wings, doors). A steady 90–150 µm is factory paint; jumps to 300+ µm indicate respray or filler.