In the midst of the winter driving season, the Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA) is highlighting the importance of galvanization on sheet metal parts such as hoods and fenders that are commonly used for collision repairs.
Galvanization is the process of applying a layer of zinc over the sheet steel. The zinc coating protects the metal beneath it from corrosion and rust. Even if the zinc coating is scratched, the steel will continue to be protected by the remaining zinc. For replacement parts, the presence (or absence) of galvanization is significant because galvanization dramatically improves corrosion resistance and, therefore, the life expectancy of parts.
In a recent study of non-CAPA Certified parts, CAPA found that six of the seven non-CAPA sheet metal parts tested were made of non-galvanized material (click HERE for report).
“While we were shocked at the rampant use of non-galvanized material in sheet metal, it simply reinforced the need to use CAPA Certified parts,” said Jack Gillis, executive director.
CAPA requires that all of its sheet metal parts be galvanized, even if the car company brand part is not.
“A repair performed using a non-galvanized part may look great leaving the shop, but when the underlying metal begins to rust, the owner is going to be very dissatisfied with the quality of the shop’s work,” said Gillis. “Because there is no easy way to tell if a sheet metal part is made of galvanized material, using a CAPA Certified sheet metal part means the part was actually tested for galvanization as part of the certification process.”
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