How to ensure body repair parts will fit?

Question

How can you ensure, when you are purchasing body parts online or from a vendor, that the parts you get are going to be an exact fit for your vehicle? I’ve heard horror stories of body parts not lining up or looking terrible once installed because they are not exactly right.

Answer 1

There is a certification program called the Certified Automotive Parts Association or CAPA. It not only covers body parts, but other parts as well. If you purchase a part which is CAPA Certified, you can be assured the parts will have the same fit and finish as original equipment manufacture (OEM) parts. This is from the CAPA website:

The Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA) is a non-profit organization established in 1987 to develop and oversee a test program guaranteeing the suitability and quality of automotive parts. CAPA encourages competition in the marketplace in the hope that their program will ultimately reduce expense to the consumer and the industry while increasing and assuring part quality.

If it has the CAPA seal, you can be assured the part is exactly what you need and will fit exactly as the OEM part would.