Actual cost of repairing aluminum F150

D.E.Bishop wrote:
The husband of one of the WD's quilt group has a Audi A8 and a slight(the drivers wife's word) dent in the fender, for a $22,000 repair bill.

For Pete's sake everything on an AUDI costs $22k to repair. JS

D.E.Bishop wrote:
The husband of one of the WD's quilt group has a Audi A8 and a slight(the drivers wife's word) dent in the fender, for a $22,000 repair bill.

Highly doubtful. You can buy a new 2015 A8 for $65K. That includes an engine, transmission, 4 fenders, doors, bumpers, hood, seats, electronics, brakes, etc. Either there is WAY more than "slight" damage or your friend is lying through their teeth about the cost.

Even better... found an authentic OEM Audi A8 fender for $630... Even if they had to replace the fender and every single part on it, its likely less than $2000...

http://parts.audiusa.com/parts/2014/Audi/A8%20Quattro/L%20W12/?siteid=16&vehicleid=407975&section=BODY%20HARDWARE&group=FENDER

fla-gypsy wrote:

D.E.Bishop wrote:
The husband of one of the WD's quilt group has a Audi A8 and a slight(the drivers wife's word) dent in the fender, for a $22,000 repair bill.

For Pete's sake everything on an AUDI costs $22k to repair. JS

My mechanic drives an Audi A7, BMW 750, NSX, and a few more

All because the previous owners walked away from them. Either from
mechanical or body work $$$$

The body shop next door to him specializes in older sports cars and
is certified for Alpha's...one of the first all ALU sports sedans

So his shop has decades of experience dealing with aluminum monocoque
(unibody) repair...in addition to steel bodies

The original owner of that A7 my mechanic drives didn't want to pay
the body shop's repair estimate. My mechanic bought it for a song
and worked a deal with the body shop...ditto is NSX

Waited for this Ford Aluminum F150 topic to get to actual repair bills
for current unibody ALU 'cars'....

mich800 wrote:
GM hates the rear bumper step (too unmanly) and will not use it.

And of all the 'bed climbing' assist devices tried, I think GM's approach is the best, no moving parts!

Back on thread, this aluminum body thing sure has folks all in knots........ What is this like the third, fourth or more thread started. Bet Ford didn't realize they were stopping the earth's rotation with their decision..........:E

Most OEM's executives live in their very, very insulated worlds...to the point
that they really don't know who/what/etc of their customers

Ditto middle management

Ditto line management always trying to move up into middle management with one
GREAT whatever

Ditto marketing, engineering, etc and so dependent on their upper management's
directions

Very deep organizational charts (pointy and very tall) will have too many in the
middle and never allowed to...or too afraid to make a decision...always must get
'corporate' input before they can or will move

By the time upper management ever hears of these 'new' design ideas...all they
have in front of them is a pretty picture and a one pager that has been baked
down through the run up that very tall and deep organization...so they hear
lighter because of aluminum...higher MPG because of aluminum...so of course they
approve




So let's hope when the body troops down in the trenches find galvanic potential and
send info to the frame troops...their management authorizes the necessary
modifications to accommodate

Then when the certification troops get this for review and testing...that they
also got message from the body division...


There are way more electrical circuits running through everything these days.
The grounding is critical for the computing system to work properly. Resistance
between master/slave(s) MUST be known and controlled


The days of just tapping into a frame or body whatever part to gain 'ground' are
over. The 'ground' you need in reference to either the master or slave or both
MUST be known

Otherwise control issues that will NOT be traceable. Ditto galvanic action from
all of these different voltage potentials (in reference to the master ground)
will have current flow and/or voltage potentials that is NOT good


Upper management and middle management no longer manages their 'product'...many
don't even know what their product is...they just manage to 'their'
bottom line...many times not the companies bottom line...

I think that Santa Monica Ford should have consulted the nearby 'certified' aluminum body shop, instead of making the repair without any guidance at all.

It should not be up to the consumer to find the proper Ford dealership, but the Ford dealership to send it to a certified repair facility if they have not become certified with aluminum repairs.

It is great to know that you can replace the door parts for less money than the older steel models.

Range Rover aluminum body trucks have been in Africa since the 60's and are still running, and in good shape after many years of service, even with animals banging into the sides of the trucks, and rocks coming into contact due to off road incidents!

Good luck,

Fred.

thomasmnile wrote:


Back on thread, this aluminum body thing sure has folks all in knots........ What is this like the third, fourth or more thread started. Bet Ford didn't realize they were stopping the earth's rotation with their decision..........:E

Good point and many are not even Ford owners.

I really don't understand all the concern over the cost of aluminum repairs?
Is it just a way to be negative on the future of trucks where Ford happens to be leading? The others will likely follow, GM has already said they will.

But really?
When is the last time anyone on here actually "paid" for body repairs on a new vehicle?
Most have insurance and its already been shown that the cost to insure is really no higher!
The insurance companies will use adjusters to handle claims and in most cases they won't get gouged like the dude from Edmunds did at the dealer they chose.
Ford stated the repair times are about the same and the parts prices seem to be the same or lose so no huge difference if repair is shopped properly.

Its another non-issue for 99% of folks IMO... :Z

RAS43 wrote:


Good point and many are not even Ford owners.

I don't own a Ford myself, but I'm fascinated to see how their efforts using advanced powertrains and weight reduction to meet the EPA CAFE standards pans out for them. End of the day, this is really about two things, keeping Ford's biggest selling vehicle on the market and keeping it utilitarian for customers whether for recreational use or because they earn their living with it.