This is a very interesting article about a repair of a 2015 aluminum F-150 that ended up costing $17,000 and took a month to complete. A guy goes through an automatic car wash when a piece of equipment falls on the roof. As with all rational human beings, this guy decides the best thing to do is floor it out of the tunnel. This ends up causing some pretty severe damage to the roof and upper sections of the cab. The dealership was definitely capable of the repair. They've invested over $100K in retooling and training and the body shop manager has over 40 years of experience. Seems more like growing pains more than anything. I'd imagine the next truck that came through with the same damage would go more smoothly and probably cost much less.How A Ford F-150 Aluminum Repair Cost $17,000

proxim2020 wrote:This is a very interesting article about a repair of a 2015 aluminum F-150 that ended up costing $17,000 and took a month to complete. A guy goes through an automatic car wash when a piece of equipment falls on the roof. As with all rational human beings, this guy decides the best thing to do is floor it out of the tunnel. This ends up causing some pretty severe damage to the roof and upper sections of the cab. The dealership was definitely capable of the repair. They've invested over $100K in retooling and training and the body shop manager has over 40 years of experience. Seems more like growing pains more than anything. I'd imagine the next truck that came through with the same damage would go more smoothly and probably cost much less.How A Ford F-150 Aluminum Repair Cost $17,000The body shop stated that once they had everything they needed, the repair only took 8 hours. And 4 weeks at the body shop is pretty good. I've had vehicles in the shop for 3 months.

I'm curious, how this (in general) is affecting insurance premiums for this line of vehicles.

TomHaycraft wrote:I'm curious, how this (in general) is affecting insurance premiums for this line of vehicles.One issue is that there is no comparison to what a steel bodied truck would cost to repair.If the 2014 F-150 with identical damage would cost 500 dollars to repair, obviously that is a massive difference. If the 2014 would cost 16,000 to repair, the difference would be inconsequential for insurance rates.It's just a guess, but with that big of a repair bill, I bet this involved significant interior repairs as well. new headliner, glass, seat headrests, electronics, who knows.Insurance companies will be able to measure their spend on 2015 vs 2014 trucks over a set period, and determine if the 2015's warrant higher premiums. A tail light used to be 20 bucks when it got smashed, now they are in the hundreds because they are LED or have traffic sensors embedded in them.

This article has an "Urban Legend" feel to it. Would have been nice to have some actual photos of the damage instead of a Photoshopped mock up.

So what's the problem, the cost of the repairs or the damage to the truck?Who knows if steel would have held up any better. The owner severely added to the damage by choosing to floor the truck through the carwash tunnel.

The $17,000 Repair of a New Aluminum F-150 | Good Sam Community

25 Replies

womps
Explorer
Jul 25, 2015
I went from a 2012 F150 to an 2015 F150 and my insurance increase was less than $100. more per year. As far as fixing body damage goes I will find out soon. Truck was parked in a severe hail storm Tuesday night. Roof, hood, and right side all with heavy damage. Windshield was smashed. Insurance company already okayed a windshield which isn't cheap because there are no after market ones yet. Other vehicles in the area suffered as much damage or more than the 2015 Ford so the aluminium is no different in that regards. Sad part was I had room for my truck in the garage but it was muddy and dripping mud so I left it outside cause I didn't want my garage floor to get dirty! Insurance adjusters inspected our home yesterday. Needs a new roof, 2 broken windows and the west side needs new siding (vinyl)as well as new facia and eaves troughs.
Golden_HVAC
Explorer
Jul 25, 2015
Has nobody heard of the Aluminum body Range Rover? They where built in the 60's and are still in use in Africa! That body lasts for a century or more! We will not know until they actually are 100 years old how long they will last.

Fred.
spud1957
Explorer
Jul 25, 2015
bguy wrote:
You Ford guys are gonna end up paying through the nose for insurance. Not just because of this expensive repair, but the fact that all of the body fixes cost so much more. Trickle down.

Might want to Google Ram going to aluminum. CEO is talking. So if you are planning on buying another Ram by 2017, you might be getting an aluminum body as well.
Lessmore
Explorer II
Jul 25, 2015
bguy wrote:
You Ford guys are gonna end up paying through the nose for insurance. Not just because of this expensive repair, but the fact that all of the body fixes cost so much more. Trickle down.

I believe we all will pay through the nose for insurance, whether we have aluminum bodies vehicles or not. Insurance companies generally spread the risk and the cost over everybody.

I have issue with this. Why pay for someone else...but that's how it generally works.
bguy
Explorer
Jul 25, 2015
You Ford guys are gonna end up paying through the nose for insurance. Not just because of this expensive repair, but the fact that all of the body fixes cost so much more. Trickle down.
bobsallyh
Explorer II
Jul 25, 2015
Just watch your insurance bill if more manufactures go to aluminum bodies and of course the dealerships are the few with the financing for the new equipment. Object of the mission, put Old Jake's Body Shop out of business.
Hannibal
Explorer
Jul 24, 2015
Holy smoke! That's slightly more than a fuel system for a new diesel destroyed by a drop of water!
bob_nestor
Explorer III
Jul 24, 2015
ib516 wrote:
This does have an effect in the "real world". The oilfield companies in Northern Alberta have reduced, or eliminated buying F150s. They are too costly to insure.

Interesting. A friend of mine who did a lot of work on the North Slope told me the opposite story about buying pickups for use there. But then again he's a Ford guy and he takes every opportunity to needle me about that bow tie on the front of my RV.

He did buy a new F150 but not one with EcoBoost or Aluminum (except for the hood). He found out that he dodged a bullet on repairs when he smacked a moose crossing the road one day though.
Wrace
Explorer
Jul 24, 2015
I read the article and make the following observations:

- there is going to be a pretty large learning curve to any new technology and it sounds like the shop did pretty well, considering.

- 4 weeks for major autobody repair is not out of the ordinary in my experience.

- if a large piece of heavy equipment falls from the roof onto my vehicle while in the wash tunnel you can bet I'm going to try and get out of there pronto, and not on foot if at all possible.

- appraised at $70,000 for a F150? King Ranch?? For $70,000 does it come with 50 acres and 20 head of cattle?
ib516
Explorer II
Jul 24, 2015
This does have an effect in the "real world". The oilfield companies in Northern Alberta have reduced, or eliminated buying F150s. They are too costly to insure.