I have 15 yo F150 w/198k miles. I bought it as a company vehicle at 95k, and immediately brought it up to snuff with a metric ton of maintenance. I won't bother you with the details but understand that pretty much anything that needed or could have had any type of maintenance was done. Naturally I did it myself since it's a little hobby of mine, and if you paid a shop to do everything I did it would have exceeded the value of the truck some time ago.

Anyway, the only thing I haven't done, because I don't have the skills or equipment, is body work. The original body was in great condition when I acquired it (pretty much perfect), but over the years of parking at Walmart, and accidentally dinging up the truck myself with various little oopsies and such, including backing up parking into a tree forgetting that my tailgate was still down (I'm a horrible backer-upper). So if I want this old truck to look as good as it runs, I'm thinking of springing for some body work to take care of all these little dings and pings and a spot of rust that started with a rock flying into my paint on the highway. My request will be for them to just fix each one and blend it, because if they fixed a whole panel, that would mean half of the truck would get repainted, and that would be too expensive since the new panels would not look the same as the remaining undamaged panels with 15 year old clear coat.

Today I picked up new Genuine Ford headlamp assemblies, since I've polished the original lenses so much that they cannot respond any longer. They were about $240 each, but I didn't want to mess with aftermarkets for this F150. I'll do aftermarkets with my other older vehicles, but not my big boy.

So since I'm willing to pay for EOM manufactured headlight assemblies, shouldn't I be willing to drop more serious coin on this body work ?

No, the value of the truck doesn't really justify the expense, but I've done so much work on it I should be able to cruise for another 100k without worry.

I've only visited one shop, and they quoted me $5,600, but they are a top notch family business with lots of good customers. I'm gonna visit a few other auto body shops that are willing and able to do "patch" work like this as opposed to installing brand new panels altogether (as in insurance claims for new cars in fender benders), and see what they say.

I'm not sure about Maaco body shops, they're all over the place in my areas I drive, but I know they will come in for less money. But I've also seen the messes they leave behind as well, and I don't want to have to deal with that kind of lack of attention to common sense, though I'm sure it not the same for all franchise owners, some are probably better than others.

So, since I won't be buying any new vehicles any time soon, and especially a nicer grade new light duty full size truck, what do you guys think.

I've put all this money and labor into keeping this truck in tip top shape maintenance wise, and I'm putting brand new genuine Ford factory headlamp assemblies, and all this stuff, should I spring a few more more thou on some body work ?

What say you ?

I haven’t had that great of luck with having body work come out satisfactorily. To the point where I’d rather have a rashy looking vehicle I don’t have to worry about, than pay for body work that pisses me off every time I see it.

If I have a vehicle that gets hit, I let the insurance company pay to fix it, then get rid of it.

never going to be worth what your willing to put into it. I certainly wouldn't do it, maaco is like the bottom of the barrel imo.

I would consider it if the engine, trans, suspension, interior and frame are all in the condition that would allow you drive it for another 5 years. And pass on Maaco.

I was trying to make a decision about a $4,000 repair to a vehicle we recently paid off. The transfer case needed replacement. An older gentleman working behind the counter at the transmission shop said it comes down to the devil you know versus the devil you don’t.

Go price out new Ford F150’s and then go look at the recalls they’ve had in recent years. I think you have the answer you need.

Find a good body shop not Maaco and take the plunge, truck will probably last 10 more years if your maintenance is what you say.

Without an unlucky catastrophic failure, an F-150 should last 200K to 300K miles with good maintenance.

Find a good body shop and then a good paint shop.

They are not the same. Some body shops are good at both, but many send the paint work to a paint shop.

$5600 is a lot cheaper than a new truck. I'll bet you'd throw more away in depreciation within the first year if you went that route.

If the truck is mechanically sound, and you're emotionally invested in it enough to put the money into it, I say go for it. Just be honest with yourself and know that that you're spending money to make you happy...it's not as an investment in the truck, because fixing the cosmetics is not going to significantly prolong its usefulness, and if you sell it I doubt you see much return on your investment. There's nothing wrong with that, provided you have the money to spend and it will enhance your enjoyment of the truck.

Vehicles, especially trucks, are tools to me. Unless it serves a purpose, I don’t feel compelled to spend money on something that is cosmetic. My ‘99.5 F350 Power Stroke is testament to that!

I’m sending my 150k 2012 Wrangler in for rust repair next month, right rear corner under the taillight. An ex-coworker at one of the dealerships I worked at gave me a price, 800-1000 to remove the roof, rear bumper, cut and replace the corner panel, I bought that piece a couple years ago. I could put those plastic corner protectors on it but I’m just putting off the inevitable.

In the last three years I’ve had the engine oil cooler replaced, rear brakes,shocks all the way around, tires and a seat upholstery kit put in it, probably averaging 2k a year. My payments were 360 a month on it, repairs average about 2k a year.

I haven’t priced a new one out but I know there’s no way I’m getting into a new one for 360 a month and buying a used Wrangler, that’s a whole new can of worms. A lot of them never see any off road time but after working in dealerships unless I personally know who owned it before I’m not taking a risk on a unmaintained vehicle.

quote:

Originally posted by Chris Orndorff:
Vehicles, especially trucks, are tools to me. Unless it serves a purpose, I don’t feel compelled to spend money on something that is cosmetic. My ‘99.5 F350 Power Stroke is testament to that!

You and me both! I did replace the rockers when I started worrying about tetanus from slashing my legs open getting in and out. IIRC they were about $100 online for the parts and whatever 1 rattle-can each of primer and paint cost. There's currently a big rust hole in the driver's floor pan that needs addressed, too, before it gets big enough to fall through. My pan is to have my son weld that. Other than that, it's staying as-is.

I normally would put that kind of money into a used vehicle for cosmetics but since you have maintained it in top notch condition and expect to get many more years of service out of it then I would spend the money on freshening up the exterior.

Years ago that kind of money would have gone a long way into just buying a new vehicle but not today.

IF you are going to spend the money to repaint it have it done right. Nothing pisses me off more than shitty body work. Go with someone you know and trust. If that mom and pop does good work that you know and trust then let them have it. You might have a serious talk with them and actually offer to pay a premium for even more detailed work.

You and they will be happier in the long run.

Can you do some of the prep work yourself, all the door dings, find a dentless paint repair guy and have him look at it, you may be able to remove a lot of the patina marks and just keep the existing original paint.

Stay far away from Maaco! Somewhere in your area there's a high quality body shop that can do the work you want. Expect them to be far more expensive than the run-of-the-mill shops, not that those can't charge a lot too. Maybe there's a classic car club in your area that can point you right. OTOH, there's a certain beauty in an honest, well-used work truck that fresh paint will only ruin.

I have a similar dilemma on my 02' Dodge diesel. Try and sell or splurge on some body work or drive as is as it is a solid mechanical rig. I say go for it "if" you kind find the right shop and you have the $.

Find/call a local restoration shop, tell them you've got a newer truck and ask them who their paintless dent removal guy is. Take it to him get the dings and such out. Replace the tailgate and call it a day.

Regarding paint, spot blending is more expensive than the entire panel, materials costs in auto body are negligible compared to labor. If you're insistent on ohh big shiny truck a high end detail shop can do a lot even about chips. PERSONALLY I would find someone who would rhinoline the whole body in whatever color(I like green) and never think about it again.

But what do I know my name is just fender bender.

1990 Toyota pickup bought new...when it needs a fixn, it gets a fixn..

quote:

Originally posted by 92fstech:
$5600 is a lot cheaper than a new truck. I'll bet you'd throw more away in depreciation within the first year if you went that route.

If the truck is mechanically sound, and you're emotionally invested in it enough to put the money into it, I say go for it. Just be honest with yourself and know that that you're spending money to make you happy...it's not as an investment in the truck, because fixing the cosmetics is not going to significantly prolong its usefulness, and if you sell it I doubt you see much return on your investment. There's nothing wrong with that, provided you have the money to spend and it will enhance your enjoyment of the truck.

This. If it will make you happy, do it.
But it won't add enough value to justify if you want to sell it.

I would be hard pressed to spend 5k for body work on a 15 year old truck.