The reality of aluminum body panels.

orezok · Jan 29, 2015

I notice from the video and Ford's advertising, that the aluminum panels are very dent resistant. This could contribute to the amount of total damage done in this instance. Modern vehicles are designed with crush zones that absorb shock and prevent transfer to the occupants, and consequently other body structure. It's possible that the "dent resistant" panel transferred a considerable amount of energy to other body structure and the tail light resulting in damage to those items that might not have occurred if the panel absorbed a significant amount of the impact.

Sometimes with the good comes the bad.

Btown · Jan 30, 2015

MossRoad said:
I think the article said they paid for the repair with cash, not insurance. When they told the shop manager that they were paying with cash because they didn't want an insurance claim, he said he'd give the guy a break on the labor. Without that break on the labor, it would have been $1800 more than the $2900 on the bill! So, about $4700 would have been the actual bill had they charged the insurance company. That's a lot of money for something that could happen in a parking lot, like backing into a light pole and denting the rear quarter. We had a kid back into our car door in a parking lot and I was surprised it was about $1500 in damage just to pull the dent, fill, sand, repaint and blend in. I felt bad for the kid.

U are off a little. There was 20 hours of body labor. If the charged $120 per hour that would be a total of $2,400. The only charged. $60 per hour, so $1,200. There was another rate for paint. So if they charge the higher rate you would ad $1,200. Don't forget the tail light was almost $900. We also have no comparison vehicle to show what the price for a steel repair would be. My 2001 F-250 had a side of the bed get damaged. Repair estimate was around $3,400. I don't think the repair costs are crazy.

wawajake · Jan 30, 2015

In real world Insurance would of been charged the 120 per hour and the tailight is a moot point since it can be subtracted from both comparisions and still show worrisome costs over and above steel costs...........but lets also remember that after a year or two the accountants at Ford are going to suggest thinner aluminum panels the same way accountants for any product being manufactured try to trim the fat after enjoying intital launch hype.......and we will see thinner panels (like our steel ones now are) So I prophecy that trend.............hopefully that was not too negative a post and it can be handled by the readers.

dodge man · Jan 30, 2015

Lets remember why they did the aluminum panels to start with. Its all about the MPG. Picking up 1 mpg in a pickup is a big deal. People can say its to add payload and trailer towing, its more dent resistent buts all about saving a gallon of gas.

s219 · Jan 30, 2015

dodge man said:
Lets remember why they did the aluminum panels to start with. Its all about the MPG. Picking up 1 mpg in a pickup is a big deal. People can say its to add payload and trailer towing, its more dent resistent buts all about saving a gallon of gas.

Ironically, I heard a story on the radio last week about how recent low gas prices are going to hurt Ford's aluminum strategy. Not sure how other than maybe shoppers care a little less about MPG when gas is cheap. Me personally, I would want every advantage I can get, including better MPG and lower gas prices.

dodge man · Jan 30, 2015

s219 said:
Ironically, I heard a story on the radio last week about how recent low gas prices are going to hurt Ford's aluminum strategy. Not sure how other than maybe shoppers care a little less about MPG when gas is cheap. Me personally, I would want every advantage I can get, including better MPG and lower gas prices.

I agree but the questions is always at what cost? In the end does it cost the consumer more or less in the long run? It will probably take some time for that to sort itself out.

piercedtiger · Jan 30, 2015

I've been seriously looking at the new aluminum F150. I'm not a Ford fan, never even owned a domestic. I've had 4 Toyotas. Now my 2006 Tacoma has 132k on it, and Toyota is replacing the frame due to rust. While they are doing that, they're not replacing my rear locker, tailgate, or rear bumper that have rusted out. I've spent a lot of time touching up chips and scratches, and even repainted sections of the tailgate to stop rust. So for me, a truck body and bed that won't rust even if the paint comes off, is a really attractive proposition. I bought the Tacoma partly due to the composite bed, knowing it would never rust out like so many trucks on the road today. Having that same longevity throughout the body is almost enough to make me want to trade right now! (I really hate rust.)

I am curious though. I know the aluminum seems more expensive to repair, but would it take more to damage it in the first place? Like others have mentioned with hail. Would other similar impacts that would have sent a steel vehicle to the shop be shrugged off by the aluminum one, and thus meaning less repair costs? Maybe a more expensive job when something big happens (like a collision), but less nickel and diming you over rock chips, road salt/sand abrasion, rust, shopping carts, or door dings in parking lots? Basically all the stupid little repairs that add up over time, or just tie up the vehicle with shop time when you need it on the road. Combine that with better MPG and which is a better deal? Would the aluminum last long enough to make it pay off over time by keeping the vehicle longer? Those are what I want to know.

Loadstar · Jan 30, 2015

Price didn't seem that out of line for a newer vehicle. I haven't heard of repairs being much less than $3k anyway when all said and done. If you have a brand new vehicle and it needs body work do you really think it will be less than $3k? Also if you have a toyota carolla and a scion tc the insurance and body work will be higher on a TC due to the fact there are less of them vs the carolla.

wawajake · Jan 30, 2015

piercedtiger said:
I am curious though. I know the aluminum seems more expensive to repair, but would it take more to damage it in the first place? Like others have mentioned with hail. Would other similar impacts that would have sent a steel vehicle to the shop be shrugged off by the aluminum one, and thus meaning less repair costs? Maybe a more expensive job when something big happens (like a collision), but less nickel and diming you over rock chips, road salt/sand abrasion, rust, shopping carts, or door dings in parking lots? Basically all the stupid little repairs that add up over time, or just tie up the vehicle with shop time when you need it on the road. Combine that with better MPG and which is a better deal? Would the aluminum last long enough to make it pay off over time by keeping the vehicle longer? Those are what I want to know.

I guess that depends if your a truck owner that worries about little nicks , or that realizes it is a truck it is going to get a few dings loading and unloading, or backing into loading docks etc etc........I myself will only worry about the big damages that insurance needs to cover ideally.