A repainted panel is the cheapest thing to hide and the most expensive thing to discover later. This gauge reads paint thickness in microns on any steel or aluminium panel: factory paint in the Gulf typically reads 90–140 µm, a resprayed panel 200–300, and filler over 300. Walk around the car, take twelve readings, and the story tells itself before you hand over money.
— The Ghalya team · How we test
Good for
Buying a used car privately or at auction · checking a car after a body shop repair
Not for
Plastic bumpers — the magnetic sensor needs metal underneath.
Specifications
- Range
- 0–2000 µm, ±3%
- Works on
- Steel and aluminium panels
- Battery
- 2 × AAA, included
- Warranty
- 12 months, handled by Ghalya
Questions people ask
What reading means the car was repainted?
Anything much above the car's own baseline. Take readings on the roof and door pillars first — those are rarely resprayed — then compare every other panel to that.
Do I need training to use it?
No. Press it flat against the panel and read the number. Our guide shows the twelve points to check and what each range means.