How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Car Door?

Last Updated on November 7, 2021

You can expect to spend anywhere from $850 to $2,000 to replace a car door.

Some car doors are easy and affordable to replace. Other car doors are expensive, complicated, and loaded with specialized technology that can be difficult to replace.

How much will it cost to replace your car door? Does insurance cover the cost of replacing a car door? Keep reading to discover everything you need to know about how much it costs to replace a car door.

Table of Contents:

• It Costs $850 to $2,000 to Replace a Car Door
• Factors that Influence Car Door Replacement Costs
• How Car Insurance Covers Car Door Replacement
• How Car Door Replacement Works
• Used Versus New Car Door Replacement

It Costs $850 to $2,000 to Replace a Car Door

Depending on your vehicle and the severity of the damage, it costs $850 to $2,000 to replace a car door.

The price also varies based on the cost of living in your area, repair costs, and whether or not your insurer is covering the damage.

Some drivers spend as little as $200 to replace a car door. Others spend over $3,000. The costs vary widely based on many factors.

The cost also varies depending on whether you buy a new car door (from the factory) or a used car door (from an existing vehicle). Used car doors are cheaper, but new car doors tend to look better. If you are making an insurance claim and are only paying the deductible, then you want to push for the best replacement parts possible.

Factors that Influence Car Door Replacement Costs

Car door replacement costs vary based on several factors. Here are some of the factors that raise or lower the cost of your car door:

• Purchasing the Car Door Shell: To replace a car door, you need to buy a new car door shell. Depending on your vehicle, a car door shell can cost $200 to $1,500.
• Interior Door Parts: Replacing a car door isn’t just about replacing the outer shell. Interior door parts may be damaged. You may need to pay to replace these interior door parts. This can add anywhere from $50 to $500 to the cost of car door replacement.
• Make, Model, and Year: Some vehicles are cheaper to repair than others. It’s easy to find replacement parts with some vehicles and harder to find replacement parts with others.
• The Extent of Damage: If someone collided with the side of your vehicle, then you’ll pay more to replace your car door than if someone just scratched the side of your vehicle.
• Your Coverage & Deductible: Car door replacements can fall under collision or comprehensive coverage. You pay your deductible, and your insurer covers the rest. Your deductible might be $250 to $1,000. If you’re making a claim for your car door replacement, then your deductible will be the only price you pay.
• Glass Replacement: If your car door has been damaged, then the glass is likely damaged as well. Replacing glass can add hundreds to your insurance claim, especially if you have tinted windows or other unique windows.

How Car Insurance Covers Car Door Replacement

Your car door replacement may or may not be covered by car insurance. Depending on how the damage occurred, you could make a claim or pay out of pocket.

• Someone Collides with your Vehicle: If someone collided with your vehicle and damaged your car door, then that person’s liability coverage should cover the cost of replacing your car door. If the other driver did not have car insurance, then you could make a claim through your uninsured motorist coverage.
• You Collided with Someone Else: If you’re at fault for the accident, then you can make a claim for car door replacement through your own collision coverage. Collision coverage covers the cost of repairing damage to your own vehicle after a collision.
• You Hit an Inanimate Object or Animal: If you damaged your car door in a collision with an inanimate object or animal, then you can make a claim through your collision coverage (if it was an object) or comprehensive coverage (if it was an animal).
• Your Car Was Damaged by Weather, Fire, Vandalism, or Fallen Tree Branches: If your car door was damaged in incidents outside of a collision with another vehicle, then you can make a claim through your comprehensive coverage. Comprehensive coverage covers damages that occur to your vehicle outside of accidents, including fire damage, flood damage, theft, vandalism, and weather-related incidents.
• Your Car Was Damaged in a Hit and Run: If your car was damaged in a hit and run, then you can make a claim through your uninsured motorist coverage. Uninsured motorist coverage covers incidents involving motorists without insurance and motorists who did not provide insurance information (i.e. in a hit and run).

How Car Door Replacement Works

Most drivers never need to replace a car door. It’s okay to be inexperienced. Here’s how car door replacement works.

• It can take anywhere from one day to two weeks to replace a car door, depending on the availability of parts and the make and model of the vehicle
• If you need to wait for your insurer to process the claim, then it could take a few extra days to replace your car door
• Talk to a repair shop in your area for car door replacement cost estimates; you can use a repair shop recommended by your insurer or pick your own shop
• Car door replacement requires connecting door parts and electric components, and it’s difficult to replace a car door on your own; most experts advise against a DIY approach to car door replacement
• If your insurance company refuses to cover your car door replacement, then you can pay for car door replacement out of pocket; most repair shops quote a cheaper price when paying without insurance

Used Versus New Car Door Replacement

When replacing a car door, you can choose a new or used car door shell.

Used Car Door Shells: Used car door shells come from existing vehicles. They’re cheaper. However, they may not match the rest of your vehicle, and they could give your vehicle an awkward and disjointed look.

New Car Door Shells: New car door shells come directly from the vehicle manufacturer. If you own a Ford F-150, then you receive a new Ford F-150 car door shell from the factory. The car door shell is unlikely to match your vehicle perfectly, as it has different wear and tear than the rest of your vehicle. New car door replacement is more expensive.

Dealerships can order new car doors directly from the factory. If you are replacing your car door at a dealership, then the dealership will generally replace the car door with a new part from the factory.

If you are replacing your car door at a body shop, then the body shop will generally give you the option of buying a new or old car door.

Final Word on Car Door Replacement Costs

It costs $850 to $2,000 to replace a car door on an average vehicle. However, some drivers report paying as little as $200 or as much as $3,500 for car door replacement.

The cost of car door replacement depends on several factors, including labor, part availability, and whether or not you’re making an insurance claim.

Contact your insurer to make a new car door replacement claim. Or, request a quote from local body shops to determine the average cost of car door replacement in your area.