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2015 Ford F-150: Aluminum Body Repairs Part 1 (With Video)


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I would guess that this difference is negligible in terms of hours required to repair.

Perhaps. I'm not a body man. I'd just think trying to pull out and line up creases would be a bitch, unless the plan is to just body-putty over it, like a drywall tech does nail heads and seams.

 

I'd also imagine trying to get the paint right on some exclusive, Lariat/Platinum-only color might be problematic, as well. I know my wife's pearl Hyundai paint wasn't available when they were fixing her car after an accident.

 

 

You lost me.

 

The panels won't overlay because they aren't the same shape. There are bound to be more creases in one panel than the other. From the video, it looks like the 2015 has more of them than my 2013.

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Perhaps. I'm not a body man. I'd just think trying to pull out and line up creases

 

The bulk of the time, as far as I can tell is going to be spent in the area with the greatest deformation. Both the 2015 and 2014 F150s have a similar crease over the rear wheel arch, so I don't think that the absence or presence of other creases some distance from those big divots makes a meaningful difference in repair time.

 

Going strictly by the work marks in this pic, I'm guessing that it took a considerable amount of time to get that dent up to the point where the puller holes could be filled and the fender repainted.

 

2015_ford_f-150_det_lt_122152_717.jpg

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That's not the only damaged crease however. Here's the picture of the damage. Notice the horizontal body panel crease that runs from the top of the taillight forward. (1:30 of the part 1 video)

That doesn't exist on a 2013.

 

It may be insignificant enough that it easily pops back in place, but I don't know. If it doesn't simply pop back, I'd think it won't be easy to get it back to the same smoothness of the original.

2015_ford_f-150_det_lt_11515_717.jpg

 

 

Here's a picture of the other side so you can more easily see the facet between that crease and the bedrail.

2015_ford_f-150_rear_lt_11515_717.jpg

Edited by RangerM
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I love reading peoples comments on Edmunds though. "How will I deal with shopping carts and door dings in a aluminum $50K truck??" I just roll my eyes, "Same way you've dealt with your current dings in your $20K Tacoma, ignoring them like you do now"... I mean, the conspiracy theory syndrome as in full force. I will repeat what my mother has always brought me up to say "If you HAVE to ask, you CAN'T afford it". Those with the strongest comments and opinions on those sites, wouldn't spend $50K on a truck, and if they DID have it, they would spend it on a Benz cause they want to feel special.

 

Can we have Edmunds do the similar test on a Chevy Silverado, or Dodge Ram. Lets try a Tundra while we are at it, I wouldn't be surprised if the Tundra comes in as the highest among them.

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That's not the only damaged crease however. Here's the picture of the damage. Notice the horizontal body panel crease that runs from the top of the taillight forward. (1:30 of the part 1 video)

That doesn't exist on a 2013.

 

It may be insignificant enough that it easily pops back in place, but I don't know. If it doesn't simply pop back, I'd think it won't be easy to get it back to the same smoothness of the original.

2015_ford_f-150_det_lt_11515_717.jpg

 

 

Here's a picture of the other side so you can more easily see the facet between that crease and the bedrail.

2015_ford_f-150_rear_lt_11515_717.jpg

 

Based on my admittedly thin experience with body work, those larger dents are not as difficult to pull.

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You can't get around the fact that it takes more labor to straighten aluminum then it does steel. It looks to me that Ford has at least partially compensated by simplifying complete panel replacement on the new F-150. I suspect the complete cost of replacing a quarter panel on a '14 F-150 vs. a '15 is probably a lot closer than performing the same amount of metal straightening on a '14 vs. a '15.

 

BTW- did anyone read the pickup truck test in the latest 'Car & Driver'? I was a bit surprised in how much more expensive the Platinum F-150 was over the High Country Silverado (I am assuming they were equipped similarly). Also, there was only an 80 lbs. difference in curb weight between the two trucks. The F-150 did win, BTW.

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Ford will take their shots with this truck, it will be questioned,dissected,tested and examened by friends and foes alike. But when you are on the leading edge of the truck business...it's gong to happen.

You forgot the last step. Replicated by competitors. And not just the materials. Look at the technology in the truck as well.

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Per Mike Levine, and per fordparts.com, the box side replacement parts for the 2015 is the same price as the 2014:

 

 

Replacement no. for #2015F150 right boxside: FL3Z-9527840-A $967.48. 2014 F-150: AL3Z8427840B $967.48

Interesting ?

 

So do you "glue" it on and then use body filler to smooth it in ?

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What does that have to do with how expensive it is to repair?

That is what I want to know !

 

They typically charge $120/hour for labor on an aluminum body, which is TWICE the labor rate (about 15% more than the independent body shop). Now you might this is because it requires a higher skill level (and therefore a higher salary) to repair aluminum panels, But wait, then the charge TWICE as many hours ! So the labor was 4 times that of steel ! Personally, I think that is gouging !

 

This is not glossed over by the insurance companies !

 

Does Ford publish "flat rates" for body repair ? Ford needs to get control of this (they are trying to by keeping the most common "crash parts" priced the same as steel), before it blows up in their face !!!

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So > $4,000 is "slightly higher" ???????

 

Unless you do the same repair on a 2014 and a 2015 at the same shop and get actual final bills on each to compare, you can't say that it's $4K more. And you have to remove the cost of the taillight from that comparison - that would be the same whether it's steel or aluminum.

 

Also - did they compare replacing the panel vs. repairing it? I can't believe that replacing the panel takes twice as long.

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@ Wizard...the bill was NOT $4000 fro the body repair...it was just over $1700, and THAT was with an inflated labor cost figured in....our labor costs are $48 and hour steel, $68 Aluminum. ( My Bodyshop manager basically said if they were much higher than that the Insurance companies would take work elsewhere ) Edmunds took some SERIOUS artistic license to stir the pot....close to 1/4 of their quoted cost was for the rear tail-light replacement alone....

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PS, the ONLY places I know of that charge $120 an hour for bodywork cater to Maserati, Audi, Rolls and Ferrari etc etc ....they would charge the same if you took an F-150 in there for the "privilege" of being charged more. Also, by coming Aluminum ready, those $120hr customers can now come to us and save $60 an hour which THEIR insurance carriers will LOVE...in fact Ive already seen several BMW's and Audis out back, so ROI on the necessary equipment will be somewhat subsidized by makes OTHER than Ford....win win for us I would say.

Edited by Deanh
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@akirby....not sure who that was directed at, but I will go so far as to say if someone took a sledge hammer to a steel bodied f-150, which ISNT as strong or ding resistant as the Alum, the damage would have been more extensive AND would have reflected in a smaller cost gap than Edmunds would have you believe.

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