So my DelSol got backed into and i'm getting some money from insurance. Quotes were in the $1000 range for a painted new bumper, fender and corner light. Pretty sure these body shops would be using replica panels.

I've been thinking of instead, using the money to get brand new everything from Honda and saving for a month or so to get a full respray. My milano red was painted by a previous owner; not a very good job ontop of that, and is faded pretty badly.
I can get a new OEM Honda hood, two front fenders, and grab a '96/97 bumper for under a grand. My jaw dropped to hear a new headlight is $240bucks a side!? and $72 for a corner! WOW!

My question is, how do these body panels come from Honda? If I put them on and drive the car for a month or two in just the black unpainted state, will they rust? Will they go bad fast?

 

I have never bought fenders from a dealer but doubt they come bare.
It takes a while for rust to develope depending location, I drove about a year with a rusted hood and have no issues with it when I got it painted.

 

I think i've heard people say replacement parts come gel coated? I didn't think about it; but I guess if they're installed on car and then sprayed, they wouldn't be painted underneith anyways. This is okay? They don't rust unpainted?

Do people spray the underside, then install so you don't have to worry too much about chipping paint, and then spray the top sides?

 

I'm pretty sure the panels come from Honda primered. I'd advise against putting them on before paint. If you can buy them and store them for a few months, that would be best. If your car isn't driveable without new panels, you'll probably be ok. Just try to keep the panels clean and free of salt. The bumper should be fine either way as it's never going to rust.

The hood, btw, will need to be painted on both sides. The other panels aren't painted on the back sides.

 

x2

They come primered. You have to "cut in" first, spray areas where fender bolts in and where corner light goes, even thou you not gonna see it once its all installed